Tonberry

Chapter:16

          -That morning, Faire, Cloud, Aerith and Tanya climb Gaea's Cliff-

Cloud glared at the peak of the cliff... "Alright, no screwing around..."

He looked at his team... "Faire, if you REALLY have that ability, there's no reason why this should be a problem, Tanya... you're with me..."

The Tonberry stared at him "I ssshall bring up the rear, for we needesssst Faire to live, remember?" 

Cloud scowled, "Yeah, but he won't die immediately, at very least he should be able to keep his composure knowing this, right? If something does attack, we should be fine as long as the 2 of us guard from the front. Nothing's going to follow us up the cliff..."

The woman looks away, thinking of another plan... as Cloud finished "Aerith I'm counting on your powers, IF something gets past us:  I know you'll keep the worst from happening!"

Aerith smiles as they start their climb, she walks beside Cloud "Ah, I have no problem with your plan, I only want to suggest something:...".

Cloud turns as they continue upwards "What? We should be safe in a simple straight line going up..."

Aerith replies "Faire IS still a human being: There's a possibility something could surprise him, if it does... He's vulnerable in that moment because he assumes he'd die, we'll need to protect him from all sides..."

Cloud sighs "Alright.. we'll do a diamond formation... (But, I still can't completely trust Tanya... I need to have her in eyeshot...)" he finished in a whisper.

Aerith smiles "She's helping him! But, if you need to see her: You lead, Tanya will be on your right, and me on the left. Faire will be beside me: we'll make a wall!"

Cloud stares "Alright...", they change their formation and continue only part way...

When a Malboro suddenly pop up from the side of the cliff! It suddenly used FrozenBeam!!! Cloud deflects it with his Fusion Blade, then murders  it with Braver!!! 

Tanya then noticed MANY tentacles stretching over the edge of the mountain!!! She rushes to the monsters, and start Cleaving them in pieces! Cloud glared and used BeamBlade, killing the rest...

"They normally attack alone, why the hell are there so many, now?" Cloud wondered...

Aerith stares, "It's because of the lifestream pulling upwards, their bodies feel the effect quicker than us, so they react... by hurting then lashing out..."

Cloud glared as he slung his blade over his shoulder... "Dammit: the very thing we're trying to avoid is gonna come no matter what, because of him...", he sighed and looks up the path... 

"Let's mosey, if we stay too long, we'll freeze,..."

They continue upwards, Cloud and Tanya murder many Malboro.... Until they reach Schizo's Lair, Aerith stares at the cave... 

                                        "It's here... We cast X-Zone, it should appear inside..."

Cloud glared... "Then it ends, they're close enough to Warp home. Then we can leave..."

He holds his hand up the entrance... Aerith smiles sadly "Shouldn't we also make sure they make it safely? If something happens, we'll still die in the end...".

Cloud sighed "We'll follow them until Tanya says, then...", the Tonberry leers "Yessss, then we'll get back ssssafely...".

Aerith sighs as the portal opens, "Awwww, I didn't think we'd depart so soon...", Faire looks at her... "I had fun, for the little time we had together... Seriously, I thought my time here was going to be horrible, but you eased my worries a little..."

She blushed slightly "Ah, I'll miss you too, Faire!", Cloud snapped "The portal's open! Hurry up!". 

Faire turns toward the portal, Tanya leers "Then  let'sssss go, I hope we ssssshalt never sssee you again!".

They walk to the cave, until a herd of Headbombers suddenly flew over the team!!! It uses  Extreme Bomber, hitting everyone there! Aerith Protects everyone using, Shell and Protect! Cloud glared as he suddenly used MeteorRain, the attack kills every monster easily...

"What the hell!? We don't see one on the path, but now suddenly a freaking army comes up!?" Cloud yells...

Faire stared "It makes me curious too... I kinda wish I could be more help, knowing random attacks could happen so fast..."

Cloud glared "You should've learned some something...", he tosses a materia to Faire!

"So you can get back safely: we WON'T "carry" you there, but until we get to the right portal... We'll all make sure you're safe..."

Aerith smiles "Awww, you feeling guilty? They only need to get to the wasteland and Tanya can protect them both there..."

Cloud scratched the back of his head "It's for Gaia: if something freaky DOES happen again, he might get messed up... Then he'll be stuck here until his body destroys the world..."

He turns away "Plus... I still remember what happened with Aerith: I hate that weak guy... but I don't want my own problems to cause my friends, or someone they like to be killed... I'd hate it if my own feelings, let this guy get killed before he gets home...", Cloud thought.

He turns back toward the two walking towards the portal, Tanya leered "You don't need to follow ussss, we ssshalt be able to find the Portal, quite easssily...".

Aerith walks up to her "Are you sure? Isn't still ways away?", Cloud shouts "Yeah! Like hell you're going alone! There's ALOT more monsters, and we STILL can't trust you!"

Aerith turns toward him "Cloud! They're...", he cuts her off as he explained his accusation 

"You see the good in everyone, but... I can sense something different in her: I saw a pet Tonberry before, it was simply helping it's owner... Tanya acts COMPLETELY different..."

The Tonberry laughs "I'm NOT his pet! I'm hissss friend! I act like thissss becausssse we're eqaulssss we don't think as the ressst of the world."

She pulls Faire through the portal! Cloud grabs Aerith's hand, "C'mon... there's something up with this...". He carries her through!!!

Cloud and Aerith land in Edge...

                                 "I don't see her? She couldn't of already gotten away?" Cloud asks

                                          Aerith looks around... "Hopefully, they already warped back..."

-Meanwhile, Tanya wakes up in Pulse Vestige... She looks around in wonder as Faire is being carried out of eyeshot...-

                                                                        MALBORO

Grotesque, strange, plant-life beasts with countless tentacles and gaping maws. Despite being plant life, some are able to fly.