Vagaries of Fate

Invaders

Chapter 16

Clarissa stopped the Soldier that had come to let them know what was going on and had him give her his sword. She hadn't thought she would need hers, so they were still in her apartment where she had left them. Genesis and Sephiroth had tried to teach her the trick they used to summon theirs and had even given her the specialized materia for it, but it was not something she was comfortable with yet. She still felt that they could disappear when she dismissed them, and given the fact that they were a gift from Genesis, that was the last thing she wanted to happen.

Once she was armed, she hurried to catch the other four. Genesis raised a brow at her once she was back to his side, but she just held up the sword, and he gave her a nod. Sephiroth paused in front of the elevators before he turned back to the side of the room and motioned everyone to follow him. "There is no telling if they have gotten to the elevators yet. If they have, then we could end up stuck or worse. We'll take the stairs. Besides, this way, we will be able to stop any from sneaking up them."

No one objected as they all followed him to the small side entrance. The only pause was when Clarissa stopped to take off her shoes and then throw them next to the door. Zack was the only one that saw her as they entered the darkened stairwell. He gave her a questioning gaze. "What was that for?"

She raised a brow at the question before responding. "You try running down the stairs in heels. It's bad enough that I'm in a dress. I may have excellent reflexes now, but I'm not impervious to accidents. I probably wouldn't die from the fall, but that doesn't mean I have to tempt fate."

He shook his head at her as they caught up to the other three. "I wouldn't be wearing heels in the first place."

Despite the situation, Clarissa found that she was still able to laugh. Leave it to Zack to make light during a crisis. At the sound of her laughter, the other three looked back. Genesis was scowling slightly, but the other two had confused looks. Sephiroth's voice was somewhere between curious and concerned. "I am surprised that you aren't angrier."

Her face finally fell to a glare, and she shook her head. "Oh, I'm mad as hell, but I'm saving it for the assholes that decided they just had to pick today to invade."

All four of the men gave her shocked looks, but she snorted before she pushed past them. "You should know better than that by now. I don't stay mad, but that doesn't mean I don't get mad."

Genesis was the first to chuckle as he made his way to her side. "I am well aware of that fact Starlight, I only feel sorry for any others that are in your path."

She gave him a deadpan look before she focused on the stairs again. Her voice was barely a mutter. "You say that, but Minerva have mercy on them when you get there. You're calm right now is scary."

His smirk took on an evil edge, but that was the last thing said until they stopped outside the second floor. Sephiroth held out a hand and had them all pause and listen. "It doesn't sound as if they have made it up the grand staircase yet. Don't let your guard down, though. We don't know what we are facing yet."

The others gave him a nod before they all followed him out. There was already thick smoke in the air, but they ignored it as they headed to the grand staircase. When they got to the top and looked down, Clarissa gasped. The Shinra forces had created a barricade, and most of the infantry was behind it to provide support to the Soldiers that were engaging the enemy. She could tell immediately that most of them were Ravens. What made her gasp were the three people standing behind the others, watching the carnage.

It didn't take long for the three to notice them on the stairs, and the man in front gave them a wide smirk before he motioned the others to follow him. Clarissa's voice was hard when she spoke to her fellow Firsts. "The one in front is Weiss." She put a hand on Sephiroth's arm before he could race to meet the new threat. She made sure they were all looking at her. "Don't underestimate them. They are technically Soldiers and would be equivalent to Firsts."