Assassins in Gaia

Cloud was in a trance, no, he knew he was in a trance. He didn't realize a trance would be green in colour. He looked around and everything was very hazy. There was someone moving around out there but he could not see them. He did hear a few mutterings of, 'fascinating', 'interesting', 'wonderful, wonderful', etc. It was very annoying and made him feel very pissed off for some reason. He wondered, how he got there and why he couldn't move. Then he felt something prick his shoulder and felt annoyance bubble inside.

Cloud, 'Don't touch me! I swear, if I could move.'

Hojo was watching his newest lab item, "Interesting, his conscious is active though his body is sleeping."

Hojo then turned to the two toddlers who were no older than one year olds, in a crib, "Your mother is a powerful Ancient, indeed. Just like Ilfalna used to be. It's a shame she is no longer around."

The two toddler's eyes widened and stared at the blond inside. One of the toddlers was very pissed, the last thing he remembered was fighting another Sephiroth clone. Vincent had been off trying to stop the omega event from happening and he did stop it. But, sadly, it was not enough and the planet started to die right in front of them. Cloud could do nothing but watch with horror as the ground beneath him crumbled and his friends died one by one.

Sephiroth, he noticed was pissed off for some reason making Cloud sneer. He had no right to act as if he was the one wronged, when he kept trying to destroy the planet. Then, his silver haired nemesis grabbed him and flew off despite Cloud cursing him for his actions. The next thing Cloud knew was, Sephiroth had opened a portal and pushed him through it. Cloud shouted at him for it, but the silver head ignored it and followed through.

When they woke up, they had realized the two of them were sleeping side by side unable to move around. Sephiroth had been bewildered, this was not part of the plan, while Cloud was cursing him again. Then they saw that one man they both hated for many different reasons looming over them. Fucking Hojo! Of all people to be there to greet them, it was that bastard scientist. To say, they were not amused was an understatement and when Hojo had revealed their parentage.

Little Cloud, 'This fucker. He had another Cetra with him all along.'

Little Sephiroth was eyeing the blond inside the tube, -Why is there an older Cloud?-

Little Cloud was miffed, -Stay out of my head. What do you mean?-

Little Sephiroth, -Hojo just said our new mother's name was Cloud Strife.-

Cloud staggered, -Impossible, did that fucker push me out of my own body? Last I checked I was no Ancient.-

Little Sephiroth eyed the fuming toddler, -I don't think we are in our origin planet. Last thing, I remember Deep Ground was getting pummeled by that dark haired demon friend of yours.-

Little Cloud snapped, -He is not a demon.-

Hojo returned, "It's time for your treatment."

Both toddlers cringed as Hojo took blood samples from them making them cry out. Curse their young bodies, they were not used to pain at all. On hearing the cries, Cloud who was in the Mako tank stirred and turned. His hand coming up ro bang the glass.

Hojo noticed, "Fascinating! He reacted to your pain. I wonder, I wonder."

The two toddler's felt dread as he took out a needle and stabbed them. The cries that came made the body act out more, he was hitting the glass of the tank till it cracked. Hojo gave a cruel laugh and went on a tangent about reunion theory getting twin glares from the toddlers who were not amused. Hojo was about to stab them once again when there was a rumble that shook the lab.

Hojo grabbed the table, "What is happening out there? This is a delicate experiment."

Hojo turned to one of his assistants, "You! Go out there and tell them to behave or take it outside. If they continue, they'll be my next test subjects."

The terrified female nodded, "Yes sir! On it sir."

Little Sephiroth glared at the retreating figure, 'Hmph! Coward!'

Outside Tifa and Aerith had tag teamed with Desmond and was fighting an enhanced female who went by Rosso. Her hair made Aerith think of roses and she commented on it saying it was a pity she was their enemy. Rosso had a smug look on her face when she realized Aerith was an Ancient. Tifa narrowed her eyes at her standing in front of her girlfriend.

Rosso cooed, "Awwwww! How sweet ~ Trying to protect your girlfriend."

Desmond took the chance to stab her neck, "Now!"

Rosso was pissed holding her bleeding neck, "How dare you!"

Aerith, "We dare! Take this."

Tifa, "We will defeat you."

The fight continued as Rosso parried the attacks, despite her near fatal wound. She was the first artificially enhanced female they met and she was no joke. The three of them worked together like a well oiled machine with Tifa falling into a familiar teamwork guiding Aerith. It felt like hours as they fought Rosso till they caught her in one of Aerith's trap. Tifa and Desmond combined their attacks and hit Rosso head on Tifa punching her gut while Desmond slashed her neck.

Tifa panted, "D.. Done? Is it o... Is it over?"

Aerith was breathing hard as well, "I... I think so. I.. I feel pain in places, I.. I didn't think I would feel."

Desmond was catching his breath as well, "I hope Ace, Zack and Vincent are faring better. Ugh! Hold on, I have a few Hi potions."

Tifa, "Thanks Des."

Aerith, "Much appreciated."

Desmond, "Reno sent a message saying Veld is dealing with the distraction. He is not pleased Felicia had jumped in on the fun."

Aerith laughed, "I mean, can you blame her for wanting to join?"

Tifa's lips twitched in a mischievous smile, "Right?"

Desmond chuckled, "Come on, we need to move. We still have to deal with those death machines."

Aerith, "I wish Ace or Shelke were here."

Tifa, "Yeah, their hacking abilities could be useful to deal with those things."

Ace was moving stealthily through the corridors, 'I love it when they forget to look up ~'

Ace watched as a few enhanced walked past, 'Thank sanity for the scent blocker potion.'

Ace moved from that area and looked around the place while hacking into the network. He had seen in one of the cameras Desmond and the girls were fighting an enhanced female. Ace was actually very disturbed by how much Rosso looked like Genesis while the other enhanced looked like a combination of Genesis and Angeal. Ace looked up as the foundation creaked and started to rumble.

Ace, "Well, that's not good."

Ace decided to say fuck it and tapped into his old abilities to go through the many rooms. After going through a hundred or so cameras he found Cloud and what looked like a mini Cloud and Zack. Ace gasped as he pulled away from the console before he felt hot anger go through his veins. That fucker really wants to die that bad, well, he will happily help him meet his maker.

Ace, "Come in everyone!"

Desmond, *Ace?*

Vincent growled, *Tell me you know where Cloud is.*

Zack grunted, *Seriously, getting pissed off here.*

Tifa punched an enemy, *Get him, Aerith. News?*

Aerith bludgeoned him with her staff, *Eat this! How are things going there?*

Ace, "I found Cloud and Zack you are not gonna like this."

Zack, *Lay it on me.*

Ace, "Hojo made mini clones of you and Cloud."

Zack, * ...... How is Cloud?*

Ace, "Bad! The kids are alive and coherent but they have bruises."

Zack punched one of the enhanced knocking him out, *I will be there soon. Keep an eye on them Ace. Stay safe.*

Tifa, *We'll take care of these clowns. Bring Cloud back.*

Vincent tapped Zack, "I will be your backup. Go Zack! Bring your Eagle back."

Zack nodded and rushed through the hallways with Ace as his guide. It disturbed him how many rooms and floors were there underground. There were around twenty floors according to Ace and Zack grunted. At least, it was not sixty floors like up top, small mercies, he figured. It took a while with Vincent fighting the members and Zack slashing them. Zack was at the moment moving and fighting in anger making his way to where his partner was being held.

Ace was frowning, "Those two toddlers. Why are they so strange?"

-Second chance..... -

Ace, "What?"

Ace muttered, "Could you be more cryptic, Gaia? Well doesn't matter, at this point I suppose."

"I told you someone was here."

"I can see that Weiss."

Weiss, "Shall we deal with him Nero?"

Nero, "Sure! The faster we deal with him, the better."

Ace got up, "Huh.... Twins, just my luck."

Weiss attacked using his blades which were blocked by the assassin blades. Ace grunted on feeling the strength behind the attacks and changed tactics. The eagle eyes shone brightly in the corridor light making the two brothers step back. They were very much surprised by the yellow sharp eyes staring at them. It was the same eyes subject C had, the same eyes Hojo wanted in his lab.

Weiss, "You... "

Nero, "You are a Cetra."

Weiss laughed, "If we bring you to Hojo, he will be very pleased with us."

Nero, "Indeed, do not fight us. Come quietly. Hojo wants you in one piece."

Ace, "Is that so? Well I have to disappoint."

Zack, *Ace? Please tell me you are okay.*

Ace, "Don't worry about me, Zack. You are very close to Cloud. Get him and the kids out."

Desmond, *Zack go! We are close to where Ace is.*

Tifa, *Des is right.*

Zack stood in front of a large door, *Great I owe you.*

Zack, "Cloud hang on."

Galian Beast rumbled, "Step back, pup."

Zack, "Knock yourself out."

Vincent's body shimmered with the mana and demonic magic, before he ripped the door off, "Always wanted to do that."

Vincent, 'Yes, yes, now time to work.'

Hojo was annoyed, "I told you numbskulls to take it outside. Honestly, do I have to do everything around here?"

One of the assistants stuttered, "Pro... Pro... Professor, they don't look like, they are one of ours?"

Zack snarled, "Hojo! Get away from my husband."

Hojo, "Ah! The loyal puppy. You should be thanking me instead, you brat."

Vincent stared at the two children then growled, "You never know when to stop do you?"

Hojo, "You look familiar. One of my failed experiments perhaps? No matter. Deal with them."

Zack jumped back as a large creature jumped on him, "Ugh! How ugly!"

Vincent growled as well, "You bastard."

Hojo, "Now! Now! None of that ugly language. Children are easily influenced."

The two toddlers flinched away from the man and Cloud feeling their distress banged on the glass again. Hojo hummed watching the reaction very fascinated by it, making Zack bristle in anger and protectiveness. Hojo looked at the toddlers and had a sudden thought, this would be the perfect opportunity to get data on how Ancients reacted.

Hojo, "Yes, let's commence the next experiment."

Vincent, "No!"

Hojo dodged the bullets, Vincent shot him, laughing like a madman when the machines started to attack. Zack fought against the monster that attacked while little Cloud watched the fight with fear and apprehension. Little Sephiroth however was not interested in the fight and kept looking at the blond man inside. The man was his mother in this world and were those cracks on the Mako tank's glass bigger?

Meanwhile Desmond, Ace, Tifa and Aerith are fighting the twins who were very taken aback by Desmond and Aerith's presence. While they fought, Ace was talking to them trying to break the mind control on them. Aerith joined Ace, after realizing what Ace was trying. She thought it was not a bad idea to at least try and help the twins who were test subjects against their will.

Aerith, "You know, you don't have to stay here."

Nero, "And where would we go?"

Weiss, "This world would never accept monsters like us."

Tifa, "Well Hojo is a monster and the world still accepts him as part of it."

Nero, "Enough! Either fight or die."

Desmond, "Well, we can't say, we didn't try. Just for the record. I love my man even though he can be a monster."

The twins paused at that then fought using their swords and dark energy against the four of them. It would be a death match it seems, no matter an enemy is an enemy. Aerith saw the sad understanding on her friend's face before it gave way to determination. Looks like they were fighting till the end after all. The fight lasted for quite a while with Desmond and Tifa landing the finishing blow.

Tifa, "That left a really bad taste."

Ace, "Luckily they are very enhanced. Look they are healing, with a little guidance I believe we can help the."

Aerith, "You pity them."

Ace, "A bit, yes."

Desmond, "Well, they won't be the first ones. Genesis, Angeal and Sephiroth have arrived and are taking care of the SOLDIERs upstairs. Turns out they knew these men and they were listed as KIA."

Tifa scowled, "Why am I not surprised?"

Aerith took Tifa's hand, "Don't worry Tif, we will help them."