Emotionless
ShinRa Guard
This is nowhere near complete; I'm just looking for a little feedback on the beginning here to see if it's something I want to follow through with or not, so any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
This is about half a year after the end of DoC, so people are JUST starting to pick up from the Deepground incident.
_________
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “Yo, you better get your bitch ass out here now!” a large, colored man bellowed above the large bursts of gunfire. With a front handspring, a man of medium build landed next to the colored man, his face devoid of emotion.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “Calm down, Barret. We need to stay level headed. Now come on, Tifa is under a lot of pressure,” the smaller man said, skipping off.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “Shit! You think I don't know that? Skinny shit... Cloud hold up!” Barret grumbled, following the other man. Spinning his blade like a propeller, Cloud surged forward, deflecting bullets and blades alike. Sensing motion behind him, Cloud turned on his heel, holding his sword out and completing his spin. With an inhumane shriek, the half lizard-half man fell to the ground, cut in half at the hip. With a grim smile, Cloud pressed on towards the tall brunette ahead of him, Tifa. He watched in awe as Tifa dove directly towards a lizard man, kicked it square in the nose then vaulted off of it into a backflip, landing on the shoulders of another coming up behind her. With a swift knock of her knees, the skull of the lizard man she was standing on fell to the ground, it's skull crushed. The lizard man she kicked came at her again, blood streaming from it's shattered nose. Tifa charged at it then sidestepped at the last moment, tripping it then slamming her elbow into the back if it's neck. It twitched once, then lay very still. She looked up to see Barret and Cloud rushing at her and gave them a little wave.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “Nice thought, boys, but I've got this under control,” she said with a smile, resting her hands on her hips. Cloud smiled at her and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, resting his sword on his shoulder.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “Where are the others? They shoulda met up here by now!” Barrett growled, scanning the battlefield. [/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “Vincent and Yuffie are on their way; Red and Cait were already here, but then they saw the Turks having some trouble so they went off to help them,” Tifa explained, taking another glance around the battlefield.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “Reclaiming the city isn't as easy as we thought it was going to be... Where did all these Sahagin come from?” Cloud asked, surveying the landscape. [/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “So much destruction... These poor people; Edge destroyed so soon after they rebuilt it from the Deepground fiasco...” Tifa said, pain evident on her face. Cloud slipped an arm around her shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “The best we can do for them is clear out these Sahagin. Come on!” Cloud ran off towards a pack of Sahagin moving in on the trio's position, his sword seeming to glow in anticipation of the coming battle. Cloud cut through the first two Sahagin with ease, cutting his blade left then right. He lost his momentum at the third enemy, however, as his blade collided with the gap between teeth on the Sahagin's trident. [/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “Sssa'ghin gonna ssslice you good!” the foul thing spat in Cloud's face. Cloud broke off from Sa'ghin and slapped it's trident away with his sword, kicking the Sagahin in the chest. Sa'ghin fell back, his eyes flashing red and charged at Cloud, his trident leading. Cloud stepped to the left and slashed at the Sahagin's head. Sa'ghin ducked under the slash and punched out at Cloud. Cloud raised a fist and deflected the punch and slashed up at an angle with his sword, catching Sa'ghin in the ribcage.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “You'll never defeatsss usss! Not asss long asss the massster livesss...” Sa'ghin whispered, then fell face first into the dirt. Cloud wiped the blood from his sword and closed his eyes.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “As long as the master lives? Wonder who the master is...”[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “It is with a heavy heart that I stand before you today. The Sahagin invasion has been stopped, but at a heavy cost. Many residents of Edge have lost their lives today, and many more remain lost or wounded. But, as President of this fine city, I promise you that I shall not rest until every lost citizen is accounted for, and that all the wounded are attended to. If you have any information on lost civilians, please do not hesitate to let me know. I, Reeve Tuesti, promise to keep the rest of you safe.” Reeve said into a microphone in front of a large metal sculpture of a meteor. A large gathering of people, roughly 50,000, clapped and cheered, many rushing forward to talk to him. Cloud looked on with a small smirk, glad it wasn't him being mobbed by people. [/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “You're starting to grow older Cloud... Don't you think it's time you started to settle down a bit?” Cloud heard from behind him. He closed his eyes and sighed, turning around to find a tall lanky man with fire red hair smirking at him.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “I'm only 26, Reno. Not so old. What are you getting at?” Cloud asked. Reno laughed and shrugged his shoulders.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “That Tifa is quite a looker; and don't ask me WHY but she seems to have similar thoughts about you. I haven't quite been around you guys too long, but you two seem to have a little, ah...”[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “We're engaged, if that's what you're getting at Reno,” Cloud interrupted, smiling at the shocked look on Reno's face.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “Well then. You jumped a little farther ahead than I was planning... I was thinking more along the lines of a hotel room and some wine... But alright man, that's cool,” Reno said with a laugh. He extended his hand to Cloud, and Cloud took it, giving it a firm shake.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “Well, I'll be seeing you then. Rufus has something signed up for Rude and myself. Maybe Tseng if he's up to it... Something big,” Reno said, pulling Cloud closer so he could whisper.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “Like what?” Cloud asked, a little interested. Reno smirked, pulling a small stone from his pocket.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “The black materia. It reappeared. We think it's linked to the recent Sahagin attacks. It wasn't just in Edge; Junon, Kalm and Nibelheim all got attacked as well. There have been strange sightings all over the world as well... Sightings you would be personally interested in,” Reno explained, dropping the black stone into Cloud's hand. Cloud rubbed his thumb over the smooth surface, memories flooding back to him.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “What kind of sightings?” Cloud asked. Reno reached into his pocket and pulled out a small pad of paper and flipped it open.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “Recognize these people?” Reno asked, thumbing through the pages. Cloud stared intently at the pictures, disbelief coursing through him.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “They look just like Zack and Aerith...”[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “Biggs, Wedge and Jesse as well; your old AVALANCHE comrades. Something strange is going on, something bigger than the Turks. I want you and your gang in on this as well. Meet me at the old Shinra headquarters; the President wants to speak with you,” Reno said, then turned on his heel and walked away. Cloud closes his eyes and sighed, looking back at his friends.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “I've got a bad feeling about this...” he muttered.[/FONT]
This is about half a year after the end of DoC, so people are JUST starting to pick up from the Deepground incident.
_________
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “Yo, you better get your bitch ass out here now!” a large, colored man bellowed above the large bursts of gunfire. With a front handspring, a man of medium build landed next to the colored man, his face devoid of emotion.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “Calm down, Barret. We need to stay level headed. Now come on, Tifa is under a lot of pressure,” the smaller man said, skipping off.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “Shit! You think I don't know that? Skinny shit... Cloud hold up!” Barret grumbled, following the other man. Spinning his blade like a propeller, Cloud surged forward, deflecting bullets and blades alike. Sensing motion behind him, Cloud turned on his heel, holding his sword out and completing his spin. With an inhumane shriek, the half lizard-half man fell to the ground, cut in half at the hip. With a grim smile, Cloud pressed on towards the tall brunette ahead of him, Tifa. He watched in awe as Tifa dove directly towards a lizard man, kicked it square in the nose then vaulted off of it into a backflip, landing on the shoulders of another coming up behind her. With a swift knock of her knees, the skull of the lizard man she was standing on fell to the ground, it's skull crushed. The lizard man she kicked came at her again, blood streaming from it's shattered nose. Tifa charged at it then sidestepped at the last moment, tripping it then slamming her elbow into the back if it's neck. It twitched once, then lay very still. She looked up to see Barret and Cloud rushing at her and gave them a little wave.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “Nice thought, boys, but I've got this under control,” she said with a smile, resting her hands on her hips. Cloud smiled at her and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, resting his sword on his shoulder.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “Where are the others? They shoulda met up here by now!” Barrett growled, scanning the battlefield. [/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “Vincent and Yuffie are on their way; Red and Cait were already here, but then they saw the Turks having some trouble so they went off to help them,” Tifa explained, taking another glance around the battlefield.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “Reclaiming the city isn't as easy as we thought it was going to be... Where did all these Sahagin come from?” Cloud asked, surveying the landscape. [/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “So much destruction... These poor people; Edge destroyed so soon after they rebuilt it from the Deepground fiasco...” Tifa said, pain evident on her face. Cloud slipped an arm around her shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “The best we can do for them is clear out these Sahagin. Come on!” Cloud ran off towards a pack of Sahagin moving in on the trio's position, his sword seeming to glow in anticipation of the coming battle. Cloud cut through the first two Sahagin with ease, cutting his blade left then right. He lost his momentum at the third enemy, however, as his blade collided with the gap between teeth on the Sahagin's trident. [/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “Sssa'ghin gonna ssslice you good!” the foul thing spat in Cloud's face. Cloud broke off from Sa'ghin and slapped it's trident away with his sword, kicking the Sagahin in the chest. Sa'ghin fell back, his eyes flashing red and charged at Cloud, his trident leading. Cloud stepped to the left and slashed at the Sahagin's head. Sa'ghin ducked under the slash and punched out at Cloud. Cloud raised a fist and deflected the punch and slashed up at an angle with his sword, catching Sa'ghin in the ribcage.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “You'll never defeatsss usss! Not asss long asss the massster livesss...” Sa'ghin whispered, then fell face first into the dirt. Cloud wiped the blood from his sword and closed his eyes.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “As long as the master lives? Wonder who the master is...”[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “It is with a heavy heart that I stand before you today. The Sahagin invasion has been stopped, but at a heavy cost. Many residents of Edge have lost their lives today, and many more remain lost or wounded. But, as President of this fine city, I promise you that I shall not rest until every lost citizen is accounted for, and that all the wounded are attended to. If you have any information on lost civilians, please do not hesitate to let me know. I, Reeve Tuesti, promise to keep the rest of you safe.” Reeve said into a microphone in front of a large metal sculpture of a meteor. A large gathering of people, roughly 50,000, clapped and cheered, many rushing forward to talk to him. Cloud looked on with a small smirk, glad it wasn't him being mobbed by people. [/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “You're starting to grow older Cloud... Don't you think it's time you started to settle down a bit?” Cloud heard from behind him. He closed his eyes and sighed, turning around to find a tall lanky man with fire red hair smirking at him.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “I'm only 26, Reno. Not so old. What are you getting at?” Cloud asked. Reno laughed and shrugged his shoulders.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “That Tifa is quite a looker; and don't ask me WHY but she seems to have similar thoughts about you. I haven't quite been around you guys too long, but you two seem to have a little, ah...”[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “We're engaged, if that's what you're getting at Reno,” Cloud interrupted, smiling at the shocked look on Reno's face.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “Well then. You jumped a little farther ahead than I was planning... I was thinking more along the lines of a hotel room and some wine... But alright man, that's cool,” Reno said with a laugh. He extended his hand to Cloud, and Cloud took it, giving it a firm shake.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “Well, I'll be seeing you then. Rufus has something signed up for Rude and myself. Maybe Tseng if he's up to it... Something big,” Reno said, pulling Cloud closer so he could whisper.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “Like what?” Cloud asked, a little interested. Reno smirked, pulling a small stone from his pocket.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “The black materia. It reappeared. We think it's linked to the recent Sahagin attacks. It wasn't just in Edge; Junon, Kalm and Nibelheim all got attacked as well. There have been strange sightings all over the world as well... Sightings you would be personally interested in,” Reno explained, dropping the black stone into Cloud's hand. Cloud rubbed his thumb over the smooth surface, memories flooding back to him.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “What kind of sightings?” Cloud asked. Reno reached into his pocket and pulled out a small pad of paper and flipped it open.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “Recognize these people?” Reno asked, thumbing through the pages. Cloud stared intently at the pictures, disbelief coursing through him.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “They look just like Zack and Aerith...”[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “Biggs, Wedge and Jesse as well; your old AVALANCHE comrades. Something strange is going on, something bigger than the Turks. I want you and your gang in on this as well. Meet me at the old Shinra headquarters; the President wants to speak with you,” Reno said, then turned on his heel and walked away. Cloud closes his eyes and sighed, looking back at his friends.[/FONT]
[FONT=Cambria, serif] “I've got a bad feeling about this...” he muttered.[/FONT]