Chapter 5

Cloud and Tifa slowly made their way down the dirty, filthy halls. It looked as though they where in a tunnel under the ground. There was no steel or bricks as their was in the other passages, just slimy mud covered with dead vines and plants. It must have been a smelly place too because both Cloud and Tifa were gagging for fresh air.

Suddenly a loud sound stopped them cold. it sounded like a muffled scream from a dark passage at the end of the cold tunnel. Tifa stepped in first. Then bright light almost blinded them the sun was shining.

Cloud walked up onto the platform above. Then Tifa followed. But they had to duck, it was glass, the ceiling was made of glass.

"Damn," Cloud whispered, "do you think we could break through it?"

"No, I don't think so, it would cause too much commotion, there must be a better way," Tifa replied.

"No there isn't," a voice from behind said. It was Top Hat. Cloud reached for his sword and then realised it wasn't there. Top Hat called the rest of the rifts up to him.

"Kill them!" he shouted. Cloud thought, why would they kidnap him and Tifa for apparently no reason and then go to kill them. But he had no time to puzzle it out a gaurds gunfire interupted his thinking. Cloud narrowly avoided being caught in the leg. Tifa was exchanging blows with Grind while Flame lord and Materia man blasted at Tifa and Cloud with deadly materia.

Grind almost landed a powerful punch on Tifa, but he had'nt hit her the whole fight. But Tifa was pounding away but Grind was too slow too move out of the way. But in reality anyone would be too slow too dodge those blows. Suddnely Tifa shot her leg out. Striking Grind in the stomach. Grind moaned in pain and threw another punch at Tifa, but she was already punching Grind in the personal area.

Grind was hurt badly. He was attempting to crawl away when all of a sudden Materia cast haste, regen and fullcure on him. Tifa ran at Grind, Tifa's shoulder ready to slam into Grind. But he simply put his hand in front of his face and Tifa slammed right into it. Materia man was hiding and he cast stop on Tifa. Grind unfairly punched with all he had, knocking tifa to the floor.

Cloud saw what had hapened but he was too busy with the scorpion creature, apparently called Infecticus. Cloud had been poisoned and was fighting off being put to sleep. But Infecticus, the so called master of negative status, was slashing madly with it's claws. Cloud received another blow to the leg. But he couldn't do anything. Infecticus started casting sleep again, knocking Cloud out.

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Tempi slowly trudged through the black tunnels, it may be dark but he knew exactly where to go. Being trained in the use of underground tactics even if he got lost his team, or what was left of it, could survive for months.

Tempi ripped off a piece of artificial earth leading to a secret door. His team of Ghouls slowly went inside.

"What happened?" a voice asked from the dark.

"Shots, sir most of my team was slaughtered by Avalanche," Tempi paused, he knew Shots would use his dreaded crossbow to put a bolt right in his heart, if he knew.

"Whats in that sack?" Shots said. Tempi gulped he knew taking Marlene was a bad idea.

"Marlene, Barret Wallaces daughter, after our battle I thought..." he was cut off by a crossbow bolt hitting him in the leg.

Shots sat unmoving, the crossbow held firmly in his hand. "You shouldn't have fought with them, I said to ask Avalnche to help us, but you disobeyed, after you recover you will spend two years in the tunels, in the secret location, when you come back don't be suprised to find Skreep has taken your place as leader of the S team leader, Skreep, take a rest then give Barret back his daughter and convince Avalanche to help us, peacefully." Shots shook his head.

Skreep stepped forward "Yes sir," she said. Shots sat on his chair.

"Damn."

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Cid walked away from the Highwind, Reno and Red hiking behind. Reeve had stayed in the ship, and let Cait Sith do the work. Cid couldn't much blame him, Reeve had no weapon, even if he did he would have to be trained with it first.

"What are we looking for again?" Yuffie questioned. Cid shrugged his shoulders.

"Somethin' unusual I guess," Cid replied. "

Everything around here is unuaual," Elena muttered. They made their way through a deep, dende forest. As the group slowly staggered up the hill a loud voice shouted to them. Red could make out one of the group that attacked them, as well as a human looking man in a bright white overcoat with a crossbow.

"Watch out! there comin' back!" Barret yelled his gun ready to fire.

"No there's only two of em' they could'nt cause much of a threat," Cait Sith said lowering Barrets arm.

The man in the overcoat was the first to speak, "I am Shots the guy who well, runs the Ghouls, an underground resistence group," he said. He stopped then the woman with purple skin spoke, "we have someone you might want to say hello to," she said pointing to a girl at her side.

"Marlene!" Barret shouted running up to her lifting her high in the air.

"You wanted her back, anyway sorry about my incompitent team earlier, I hope I can make it up to you by bolting Top Hats useless a@$!" Shots declared.

"Wait whos Top Hat?" Cid asked.

"That weirdo who took Cloud and Tifa, and we know that because we have spies all over the place."

"We can show you where they are if you just agree to help us," Skreep said.

"It's done, we're gonna need all the help we can get," Cid said.