Final Fantasy VII: Lifestream - Book 3: Pursuit

FORTY-SEVEN

"So, Yuffie, do you know where we are?" Tifa asked.

Yuffie looked around and frowned in concentration. "Hmm... let's see... looks like we're in the northern part of the island. Fort Tamblin's a ways to the south. That means the capital's north of here, about three days on foot. The terrain's pretty rough, too."

"Ain't gonna get far today," I noted. "Sun's goin' down."

Cloud followed my gaze. "Yeah. Better find a place to camp for the night. Then we'll get moving early in the morning."

So we all headed out, makin' our way north across the field toward a cluster of trees at the far end. I doubted anyone would try to take the Tiny Bronco while we were gone. Wouldn't do 'em any good since I was the only one left who knew the startup code now that Palmer'd had his sorry ass run over by that troop carrier back home.

A line of low hills rose up past the woods, and we were just headin' up that way through the trees a while later, searchin' for a good place to camp for the night, when about a half a dozen soldiers came marchin' out from behind a low rise just ahead of us. Although they were clearly Wutaian, they wore the dark blue uniforms and shiny metal helmets of Shinra soldiers. They had short, slender swords with small round hilts instead of rifles, though. Wakizashi, I think they're called. The soldiers drew 'em as they closed in on us from all sides.

"There they are!" one of 'em shouted. "Seize them!"

Yuffie's eyes blazed as she pulled out her shuriken. "Fuck that, you bastards! You've betrayed Leviathan and Da-chao! Our ancestors! How could you do that to them and forget who we are?"

"Wutai's changing, girl!" the soldier said. "It's time to put aside the old legends. Shinra and mako are the future."

"The hell they are!" Yuffie snarled.

The soldier pointed his sword at her. "Godo's a fool if he thinks he can stop what's happening. And so are you for supporting him. Shinra won't let him do as he wishes here for much longer."

Yuffie infused her shuriken with a burst of fire magic. "They're not gonna lay a finger on my dad! And neither are you!"

"The Turks are already en route," the soldier boasted.

"No..." she breathed. "They wouldn't!"

Jessie was at her side, blaze talons lit. "We'll stop them, Yuffie."

I pulled out my spear and fell into formation. "Damn straight! We got your back, kid. These jokers don't stand a chance!"

Tifa raised her fists. "My thoughts exactly."

"We're with you, Yuffie," Cloud added, heftin' his blades.

Vincent aimed his triple-barreled shotgun at the soldiers, his voice as cold as ice as he cocked the trigger. "Leave. Now."

"Uh, sir..." one of the other soldiers said., "I don't think these guys have anything to do with our target. If they were his agents, they'd be a lot more colorful. Maybe we shouldn't piss them off."

The first one readied his weapon. "Who cares? Get them!"

As they rushed us, I focused on the green materia in my spear, and seconds later, a blast of wind slammed into 'em while Cloud and Jessie spun and slashed with their blades and Yuffie threw her shuriken. She hit three in a line just as they got back up. Two stayed down. The third got to his feet and blocked my spear at first, but then I jumped into the air and skewered him with a quick divin' thrust while Vincent took out another with his gun. The last two sheathed their swords and attacked Cloud and Jessie with a flurry of punches and kicks.