Final Fantasy VII / To Be A Hero

Chapter 3: Jessie's Job

Sometime before all the bombing started, there was a beautiful lady who made her debut as a dancer to a famous place called "The Gold Saucer". She was an actress and performed in a show named "Loveless", which was as famous as it is still today. But now, she's a fighter who's trying to bring Shinra down, in an organization called "Avalanche".
So that girl messed up and blew up a whole plate instead of only the reactor, that was the tragic events of Sector 1. Why did they do that ? To fight Shinra, to stop them from destroying the planet by bleeding it dry. But this girl ?. She joined for a personal reason. Her and the merc she hired waited for a train, planning to use the false ID'S she made. She didn't know the Ex-Soldier was following them. However, the young man saw that he wasn't the only one planning to go with them, as Biggs and Wedge brought two bikes. Zack got to them and told them to whisper, so they did.
"What are you doing here ?" Said Biggs, to which Wedge answered:
"I see ! You want to help them too right ? I knew you were caring for our cause !
-Yeah... I saw Cloud sneaking out so I followed them... See, I'm not planning on letting him get injured or worse !
-Heh, figured you had a heart made out of gold !" Said Wedge with his usual huge smile.
-Hey, you can carry this third bike with you Zack ! Might get useful.
-What for ?
-We're going up the plate I think ! Maybe Jessie wanted to get to her parents house !
-Employee house district ? Huh, wouldn't have guessed they were Shinra's !
-It's more complicated than that... Let's get to her !" Zack grabbed the first bike a bit further on the train station and followed the group who got in front of Jessie and Cloud.
"What are you doing here ?" Said Jessie. "Did I say something in my sleep?
-We saw both of you sneaking out" added Biggs, "We figured you were going up top, right ?
-Bull's eye! And you guys wanted to come with us ?
-Last train left, so if you wanna go you'll need bikes !
-Zack, you coming with too ?" Said Cloud.
-Told ya I won't leave ya ! So yeah, guess I'll be coming to keep an eye out !" The other parts of the group laughed. Cloud got on a bike with Jessie on his back while Biggs and Wedge got on another. Zack took the one he carried and grabbed his sword.
"I'm going up ahead, in case there's troopers !" He said as he fired up the engine. He drove fast and the two other bikes followed through. It didn't took long before a bunch of motorcycle troops followed them, weapon in hand. They started shooting at Zack who pulled the handle to dodge them.
"It's showtime !" He said while slicing and driving through them all with the Buster Sword.
"Wow ! That's a man who knows how to handle his sword !" Said Jessie as Cloud grunt.
-If he can do it, then so can I !" He fired up the engine and Jessie gasped and grabbed Cloud's back as they got past the speed limit. Cloud grabbed his sword and sliced through an engine while driving. They continued driving for a while, parrying and defeating numerous infantry man and machines emitting laser beams. They finally passed a man with a red bike. Zack saw him but didn't pay as much attention as it deserved. A few minutes later the man drove past cloud and tried to kill him with a sword. Thankfully, he parried the hit.
"Whooo ! That was sick buddy hahaha !" He said while trying to hit him another time and driving past him. Zack slowed down to reach his side and attempted to push his bike to make him fall. "And we got two dancers today ! You better keep me entertained boys !
-Who's that freak ?" Asked Jessie to Cloud. Biggs tried shooting at the man who quickly turned his bike and slashed through the gun, destroying it.
-Nuh uh ! This is a race for soldiers only !" He quickly spinned his bike and drove fast toward the two bikes, leaving an electric trail behind it.
"Is that materia ?" Asked Zack
-Hehehe, bull's eyes my friend !" He threw some electric spells toward the bikes, which they managed to avoid just in time. They got out of the tunnel toward the train station. "Come on boys, show me what kind of Soldier you are haha !
-Ex-Soldiers !" Replied Zack while kicking the man's bike. "And who are "you" btw ?
-The speed demon ! You cross him, you die. The name is Roche by the way, not ex but soldier, first class !
-Shut up." Said Cloud
-Oh, someone's eager for a fight !" He moved his ankle to speed up even further like he had nitro firing up, and catch up to Cloud, Zack struck him with his blade and pushed him, they exchanged a few hits from their blades and Roche managed to take the upper hand and drive past the ex-soldier. Zack turned his bike and drew a circle on the sword with his sword to gather energy, and fired a mako slash towards Roche's bike who almost couldn't dodge it.
"You've got some fire in you pal ! I loove it !" He said while laughing. He drove on some debris and somehow managed to launch himself with the bike up, wind materia perhaps ? Thought Zack, but then using his lightning materia, he managed to spin his bike fast toward Zack with a menacing hit in store. The black hair man managed to drift with his bike and passed just under Roche who crashed a few miles before the man. The soldier fired his engine up and rejoined Cloud while Zack tried to get his bike back up after the drift.
"Lookout !" He shouted and Cloud blocked some mean hits just in time, but it threw him several times off balance. He knew he had to act fast.
"Take the wheel" he said to Jessie who started panicking as he jumped off the bike toward Zack, who propulsed him further with the help of the buster sword.
"Heads up !" Fired Zack while Cloud used the adrenaline and speed to catch up at Roche and, with a spin of his body, stroke heavily the front of Roche's bike, and destroyed the engines. The soldier's bike started decelerating as the merc jumped back on his bike with Jessie quickly putting herself back as a back warmer. He arrived at Roche's level.
"Not bad." He drove past him. Roche's laughed.
"Til we meet again my friend ! Hahahahaa !
-What was him all about ?" Said Biggs who finally catched up to the two swordsmen.
-Got no idea man !" Said Zack.
-You passed the test !
-Huh ?" Jessie hugged tight Cloud's back.
-The driving test
-Of couse I did.
-Well, you want a reward ?
-No thanks..." She kissed him on the cheek.
-What did you say ?
-Hey no kiss !
-Well, you got one anyway!" She hugged him back. The group arrived at the end of the track and continued by foot, so they climbed a few stairs and arrived to the residential district. The group walked a few blocks until they arrived to a lighted house. "Still leaves the lights on for the girl who comes back once every two blue moons... Mom's a kind of an old classic like that !
-She makes the best pizza ! Think she made her "Midgar's Special"" said Wedge patting his belly.
-I'm sure there'll be enough for everyone ! Cloud, you know what to do.
-Yeah.
-You're not coming bro ?" Said the good heart man.
-Not your bro.
-It's alright bro ! And what about you Zack ?
-I'll pass, thanks for the proposal !
-You sure ?" Asked Biggs, "It's really that good, you might not want to miss it !
-I'll keep an eye out on that guy" He said designing Cloud." Another time perhaps !" They left and entered the house, leaving Cloud and Zack outside and alone.
"So, what's this all about ? You on a date ?" Asked Zack
-Course not ! I'm on a job.
-Oh yeah ? What kind of.
-When the light goes out I'm in. Through the back door, I need to rob Jessie's place.
-What ? She asked you to do that ?
-Yeah, apparently she needs a key card or a badge to enter a Shinra facility. That's only part one of the job.
-So you take on any kind of jobs now huh ? Even robberies? " Cloud sighed while the light got on. "Ah !" Zack put himself near the door and nodded at Cloud, who got around the house and then in. He opened a few doors til he arrived at the dad's room. He was mako poisoned, unconscious. Cloud took the badge from one of his father pockets, on the Id it was referred as "Shinra Employee". He whispered "Thanks" before leaving the house and going back to Zack who took a deep breath.
"You gave me goosebumps man !" He said while going for some squats.
-You still doing them ?
-Why not ? I mean, what would I do otherwise ?
-Never understood why you had such a focus on this exercise
-Haha ! Never lose focus man !" Inside the house they were all enjoying the pizzas. Wedge took a few more slices and Jessie was talking with her mom about her cover: to her mom she was and will still be working at the Gold Saucer. Biggs said she was doing an amazing job, and she kicked him under the table to change the subject. Jessie finally said she had to leave and the group left, fast because they knew Wedge's resistance for pizza was weak. Jessie promised she would come back to her mom one day.
"Sorry, hope I wasn't too long !" She said looking at Cloud.
-Everything good ?" He gave her the ID badge.
-Thanks, now it really is perfect. That's where we split up. Biggs, Wedge, can you go with them ? I need you guys to raise attention on you if that's okay.
-Wait, where are you going ?" Said Biggs, she then proceeded to explain the plan, raiding a Shinra facility to gather the required chemicals for a less potent bomb. So they starting executing the plan as the group walked toward the checkpoint.
"So Cloud, I guess you saw her father right ?" Asked Biggs
-You guys knew ?
-Yeah..." Answered Wedge.
-Mako poisoned... But hah, you wouldn't care.
-No, I wanna hear it." Said Cloud.
-He had to go check up the reactor and he collapsed in the worst place to. He got hard Mako poisoned the night Jessie had her first role in the Gold Saucer. The next day she was joining Avalanche." Tell Biggs while Wedge continued.
-Jessie's got a theory ! She thinks her dad spirit is stuck on the lifespring between it and the reactor.
-If Shinra continues, his spirit might get stuck in the reactor and then poof.
-Ha" Cloud laugh as Zack looked confused.
-What's funny about it ?
-Just that I finally understand you guys...
-Huh ? Well, don't tell Jessie about it !" Said Biggs "When she gets mad, she gets punchy.
-No promises" said Cloud
-The nerve of that guy !" Said Biggs laughing. Zack smiled when he saw his friend opening up a bit.
-That's great man ! You slowly feel like yourself again !
-What ?" Asked Cloud to Zack.
-Well, it's like you're losing that hard edge !
-Huh... Guess so." They arrived at the site. The group saw one of the troopers collapsed. Zack got to check his pulse.
-He's dead..." Everybody got shocked. Cloud looked up and saw that there was a water wheel. He suddenly remembered one specific moment of his life. It was just before he left his birth place for Midgar to engage in soldier, following Sephiroth's steps like a lot of others did. He was, as usual, sitting on the water wheel in the center place, waiting for his friend Tifa. When she arrived, she sat near him and they started to talk. She made him promise that, whenever she would need him, he would come and save her. He did promise her that and remembered that Zack told him she was having second thoughts. Before he could think more about it all, they heard some voices.
"Come on troopers ! We need to find the culprit and fast !
-Jessie ?" Asked Wedge, but nobody could answer.
-We have to act fast before anyone finds her !" Said Zack while performing squats again. They all agreed and took position. Cloud too the red materia and placed it on his sword. Zack said he was going first, and everyone agreed to back him up. Cloud followed him though and they both got through the main gate. Some soldiers saw them.
"Freeze ! Identify yourself !" Zack took out his sword and rushed with Cloud, slicing through a man while guarding against the bullets. They waited for them to have to recharge.
"Come and get it !" They both said while engaging fight with the small platoon. Biggs and Wedge managed to infiltrate the building and caught some infantry men off guard. Then they managed to get their way top side when Wedge saw that some men were trying to get dogs out of their cage. He told Biggs he was going to do something about them while he continued going up.
Zack and Cloud got through numerous soldiers on their own, bit by bit, but suddenly some turrets rose up and started shooting at them. They managed to dodge the bullets or blocking them and took cover. Men were trying to get circle them out.
"This is bad..." Said Zack, thinking of a plan, when suddenly Biggs appeared and managed to destroy the turrets with grenades.
"Fire in the hole !
-Awesome Biggs ! Thanks !" Zack sliced through the men while Cloud rushed toward an entrance point to great eventual infantry men. But suddenly he stopped as two huge gates opened. A group of ten sort of huge and aggressive dogs rushed out. He started to take a defensive stance when suddenly a whistle stopped their rush.
-I got this !" Wedge was holding it while the dogs started rushing toward him. He shouted and Cloud and Zack tried to kill the dogs before they reached them, but one managed to get through and bite Wedge's pant on his butt. He yelled as Zack killed the last one.
-You okay ?" Said the young man to Wedge as he showed a thumb up. Then some other gates opened and machines got out called "Sweepers". They literally got their names because of the ways they swept the floor with their targets. They also had miniguns and started shooting toward Cloud, who jumped out of the ways and ran waiting for the two of them to start reloading. He then proceeded to use the red materia from his sword.
"Have fun !" He said while the fire spirit got through, with dark firey hairs. He's imposing physic wasn't only just for show as he's huge claws were sharpen as knifes. He shouted and fire spread everywhere around him. The troopers shot at it while the summoning absorbed the bullets. He rushed toward the two sweepers and destroyed them in a flame tornado.
"Wow ! That was something else !" Said Wedge. Cloud wondered where in hell Jessie could have gotten her hands on that. Biggs came down toward the group.
"Think we raised enough attention !" But just as they got ready to leave a huge troop of men surrounded them, weapons ready to fire. The group thought they were in huge troubles before a red repaired bike came through.
"Told you it wouldn't be over, my friends !" Said Roche, ready to go toes to toes with the swordmen.
-How did you fix your bike ?" Asked Zack as Cloud got his sword ready. Roche got off his bike and ready his weapon.
-I have a whole lot of different bikes ! But enough talking, how about we leave it between the two of us, Cloud ?" He said while Zack also got ready to fight.
-Zack, leave him to me.
-You sure man ? I mean, I can help if you need me !
-It's okay, shouldn't take me long." Roche laughed as Zack took a few steps back, trusting his friend. Cloud rushed toward his enemy who jumped toward him. Their sword clash was intense, as well as the insane speed of Roche who got past Cloud and almost cut his head off. They exchanged blows after blows before Cloud managed to get his enemy back. He tried to empale him with his sword but the merc parried steadily the blow before throwing Roche off balance, who almost fell and titubate. He then took his sword near his face while looking at it, taking a dramatic pause.
"Let's push it past the redline !" He fired energy beams at Cloud who dodged them before they got back to sword against sword. Cloud parried as much as he could but Roche was relentless, who in a three hit combo, managed to push Cloud which fell and rolled back on his knees.
-Cloud ! Focus man, you got this !" Shout Zack as his friend took a deep breath and put himself in a defensive stance. His opponent laughed and with the help of his lightning materia, boosted his speed even more and tried to empale the merc with an estoc again. Cloud parried steadily the hit before disarming his enemy, injuring his leg in a conter attack process. His opponent was down on one knee. Cloud spared him as he took a few steps back and got on his bike. The troopers started gathering around them but then the bike started up. The soldier drove while laughing around, breaking the troopers stance allowing Cloud and his friends to escape, and they didn't hesitate to take the chance. He shouted one last sentence before they got too far away.
"Til we meet again, my friends ! Hahahaaa !" Zack rushed and secured a place for them to wait at. Wedge got slightly hurt by the dogs. Jessie got around and found them.
"That was one hell of a diversion you raised boys ! I know I asked you too but couldn't you've been a bit more quiet ?" She saw Biggs was hurt and looked at Zack.
-It's nothing serious, don't worry...
-The pain is serious though !" Said the poor man.
"Let me take a look" Said Biggs while getting his pant down. "Ohh... Yeah, that's one ugly bite you've got !
-Lemme look !" Said Jessie while Wedge was arguing over them looking at his butt. She slapped her butt cheeks. "Your ass is fine !
-Now that was a gunshot !" Said Wedge while everybody bursted in laugh. Even Cloud lost his hard edge and laughed.
-Is that a smile I spy !" Said Jessie going toward Cloud. He looked away.
-Not wanna take down the mood, but we gotta move ! Shinra might be on our tails !" Said Zack.
-I have a plan, follow me !" Said Jessie as she ran away. The group followed her through to a high place with a good overview of the underplate.
"I'm sorry about your dad." Said Cloud
-What did you say ?
-Hey man !
-Huuu ! Cloud said he wanted to eat some of your pizzas !
-He said that ?
-Yeah ! Said also he wanted to come back with you !" Said Zack while gently punchin Cloud's shoulder. He forgot he wasn't supposed to tell Jessie that he knew what happened to her dad. So he went on with it.
-Hmm, yeah !
-Okay then ! We'll come back, maybe I'll help too !
-You owe us all a pizza then" said everyone at the same time. She laughed and promised to take them. She opened a box with two set of parachutes.
"Shit ! There's only two of them...
-We can go two by two it seems..." Said Wedge,
-There's five of us genius !" Answered Biggs, "What do we do now ?
-There's a road back down ! It's a long walk but shouldn't be any troopers on the way. Maybe monsters but nothing I can't take on !" Said Zack. He took this road once with his master on a mission, looking for Wutai intruders during the war.
-Is that so ? Guess I'll come with you then, road can get lonely !" Said Biggs while coming near Cloud. "Go with Wedge and take care of his ass will ya ?
-Hey Biggs !" Shouted the first councerned.
-Will do." Wedge looked strangely at Cloud as the rest of them laughed. " See you down then.
-Careful guys !
-Don't wait for us, might take a while !" The both of them left, Biggs following Zack while the rest of the group jumped off the plate.
"Hey Cloud, sorry of being a burden..." Said Wedge.
-Hey, you took one for the team. Be proud.
-Oh ? Thanks bro !
-Not your bro.
-We're flying high those days, right Wedge ?" Shouted Jessie.
-He's a keeper alright !" Answered the man.
-Yeah ! Together, we can take on the world !!!"
Meanwhile, Biggs and Zack got down the trail bit by bit. They both talked about their life when Biggs pondered the question.
"What happened to you when you got here ? Barret and Tifa told us one day you and Cloud were badly injured? What happened?
-It's... It's a long story !
-Well, still got a long way to go there ! I'm listening if you want to talk !
-Hmm... Sure, why not ! But it will take a while !
-Shoot it !" Then Zack started telling him about what happened a few weeks prior, when they both got out of the secret and mad place they got stuck in. Their runaway from Hojo's evil grasp. And what happened to Cloud.