Underground Utility Conduits

[Cloud Strife]

[_.Head turned to give Vincent and Cid a last glance, as both made their way to a better way to stop the madness. His eyes then, instantly fell upon the crowd, the army of Heartless that continued to spawn in multitude, here and there, and now even behind him. With a moment of thoughts, his eyes closed, the once two hands wielding the sword, now his right hand wielded the bustersword alone. " Hm, " he began with a simple sound, that escaped parted lips, " There won't be darkness in my heart. Even if the light goes out - I will fight it until the end. " Under a lone tone, soft for him to hear it, alone, and the Heartless, he settled his eyes on the army, that continued. Releasing a soft breath, to empty his lungs, it was sudden when he inhaled another breath to replaced the released one.

Fingers wrapped around the long hilt of his sword, and with a simple twist of his wrist that sword glided up, and wielded fiercely. As the yet attempt of the Heartless to attack the blond ex-mercenary in a bunch was tried, Cloud swung the sword horizontally once more. Cutting like butter through the small bodies of the Heartless, as they turned into nothing but dark smoke into the thin air. " Hn. " His stance remained firmly, even when he swung his sword in such manner, where he could lose control from moving such a big sword, he was intact. As the Heartless behind him bounced and approached him, he dashed left, and quickly turned to face those behind him. His attack would come and end in a slanted manner, to send a cutting wind at the Heartless. The wrath of the wind his blade sent destroyed many, but as soon as he destroyed them, they were multiplied.

" There's no, " he huffed softly under a breath, as he said those words, " light. " Head lowered, knowing exactly what he meant, and he was correct. There wasn't light within him, and as the Heartless made their move, his right hand gripped the hilt tight to swing the sword, again, horizontally and vertically in two slices. Like a ball of black dust, the bodies disappeared in the thin air, the blond spiky haired, lowered his bandaged sword momentarily. Carefully scanning his enemies, as they cornered him, in a small place by small creatures. He shook his head, disagreeing with the situation, the sword was brought up, for his left hand to embrace the hilt. " Mh, light or no light - there's no darkness. " He seemed to repeat this once more, and gave the Heartless a cold look, already disliking the army of the creatures. Once again he closed his eyes, to calm his mind and thoughts, to push what pushed him down to the side.

The creatures, as if they planned their next attack stopped, the circle around the blond one was already made, and so, their plan was there. As their heads turned right and left, and they continued to behave like rag dolls, beings without soul or heart. Those in the first row of the circle jumped forth, another attempt to bring the ex-soldier down to his knees. In the moment this took place, Cloud's eyes reopened, with ease he flicked his wrist to lead the other, and swing the sword and himself at an almost three-hundred-and-sixty degree, movement. His right foot would stop and balance his stance, afterward, his left foot would then support this action, and with that, his eyes fell upon the Heartless before him. The what looked like to be a skirt, danced with his body motion, as well as for the loose sleeve that covered his left arm. " Hmph, " he let the sound find its way out, seeing the balls of dark smoke puff into the air, in the tunnels.

Cloud now stood once again firm, his stance expressed how his behavior toward the Heartless meant, he was ready and willing to continue the fight. As the small ones took a few steps back, behind the army of Heartless, on both sides his left and right, the ground opened. It opened into a dark circle like dark hole, and in a blanket of smoke, it would summon a round and bigger Heartless, one that looked like giant bomb, with a rather stronger look to it. Not surprised by what his eyes saw, he readied his stance, his left hand embracing the hilt of his sword once more. He was facing right, while on his left, the ground repeated yet another summoning of a Heartless just like the other. He shot a brief glance in this direction, eyes widened slightly at the sight, there were now two of them. Once again trapped in the circle of Heartless, he kept calm, and gave the round Heartless his complete attention.

" Hm, " his tone almost sounding defeated by what surrounded him, even when he tried to keep calm, and show no fear. There wasn't any in his heart, but there were doubts about himself, and his actions. " There's more to this. Why are they all showing up down here? " His gaze was busy in examining the army, that waited for the big ones to attack, as their round and big structure stepped forth, approaching him, so did the small ones. He asked something, knowing he wouldn't get an answer, there wasn't anyone around, to give him and hoping that Vincent and Cid were doing better than he was, he sighed. Tainted optics narrowed, his mind clear of any thoughts, at the moment, he focused on the Heartless army's next move. The round ones, would stop, and fall to the ground, as the rest moved to the side, those behind his figure were doing the same. " ..Ah? " He side-glanced at the one behind him, doing the same as well as the one in front of him.

Like two giant round wheels, the Heartless rolled at a fast speed, approaching the figure of the bustersword wielding man. " Ah!? " Surprised at what he saw, there was no way out of the tunnel, nor an exit nearby, to try and dodge this double team. Almost hesitating to make a move, he controlled himself, and with seconds to act, his sword was charged with a Braver, his own trigger to cut the round Heartless before he was demolished. The sword cut through in a clean slash at both, with a swing using Braver. " Ha, " he panted, already regretting letting the Heartless cornered him like this, though his mind and thoughts continued to punish the chocobo head. As he destroyed the round ones, the smaller ones, took a few steps back, once again. It all seemed like a Deja Vu. Knowing what might come once again, his stance grew firm, his emotionless features along with his eyes, gave no friendly welcoming to what might come, and so he wielded the Bustersword with both hands._]

[Vincent Valentine]

Vincent paused when his gun leveled at Cid's back and grumbled a curse. He couldn't just shoot the little freak off without risking hitting Cid. Growling he shoved the gun into it's holster with his right hand and with his clawed left he stabbed into the black creature latching onto Cid's back and tore it free flinging it at the wall. It hit, slid down, and looked like it was ready to leap back at Cid. He stopped that creature's wishes with three bullets to the cranium and it finally dissappeared.

"Are you alright, Cid?" He asked as he came up beside the man and sent a glance over his back where the creature had latched itself. That was the first order of business before moving on to the rift just beyond the corner in the tunnel. The golden weapon swung across his chest and fired out to the side with Vincent's attention never leaving Cid's back. The weapon swung in his grip until it was upside down and now pointing behind him as he blew away another would-be-attacker.

[Captain Cid A. Highwind]

Cid propped himself up with his spear for a moment, catching his breath and waiting for the pain in his back to dissipate now that the offending critter had been slain. Trails of blood now marred the back of his tattered shirt, the stains slowly growing.

Finally, he straightened back up and looked at his partner. "Thanks... little fucker did a number on me. I owe ya one, guy." His composure was quickly regained as yet another Heartless came at him, causing him to snap to attention and thrust his spear through the creature's chest. "All right... this is gettin' a little intense. Just around the next corner... that's where the disturbance is coming from."

"The damn smell in here is gettin' worse. It'd choke a horse," he sighed, before he took several strides forward and then dared to look around the corner for just a brief moment, before looking back at Vincent. The blonde hadn't been able to see anything, much to his chagrin. There had been nothing more to see than an amorphus black haze swirling around the entrity of the conduit, leaching what scant light there was right out of the air. "Can't see shit... it's real damn dark, guy... Looks like we're goin' in half blind on this one. Well, I guess I'm goin' in half blind on this one, your spooky ass will probably be able to see just fine..."

[Vincent Valentine]

"Hn..." Having a half blind set of eyes was a great disadvantage in a fight where they'd be outnumbered. He wasn't very concerned about himself but he didn't want to fight with half of his concentration worrying over Cid. The man was by far no child, but anyone blinded didn't fight at their best.

"There is another way. You know theses conduits possibly better than anyone in this city. Could there be a way to reroute power to this section? I doubt light will do us any good, that darkness is not natural, it swallows light rather than flees from it. The dark ones seem to shy away from the current, could a surge possibly seal the rift? I don't have enough information to conclude that, do you?"

There was another option open to him, but he would really rather not be embraced by insanity in order to be granted extra power and greater use of magic. It was an option though, and he was fairly sure Cid wasn't oblivious to it but he wasn't about to bring it up. After all, the man didn't seem confortable with his...demons.

[Captain Cid A. Highwind]

The pilot nodded, half to himself as he thought about what Vincent had said. If this was, in fact, originating through some anomaly in the various power and communications cables in the conduit then...

"Fuck yeah, let's fry the bastards in there!" Cid said, brightening up and momentarily forgetting his injury. "Let me see somethin'..."

He reached into a pocket and pulled out his small GPS device. After looking at the map on it for a moment, and recalling his own schematics of the conduits, his blue eyes narrowed in concentraion (and somewhat due to the fact that he needed glasses, but his pride wouldn't ever let him admit it.)

Pointing at the small LED screen on the device, the blonde nodded slowly. "Look here, Sunshine... If we head the other way and take that last left, we'll be able to get to the main junction box. I can purposely short it out and send one helluva surge through the lines where the disturbance is. It'll blow all the electronics plugged in topside that are on that circuit but.. I guess potentially savin' the world is a little more important than that. I think my stuff will be safe... it's on a different grid. I guess that's really all I care about."

[Cloud Strife]

[_.As yet another blanket of darkness spread and fanned out from the ground, summoning the few smaller Heartless, he's attention drifted onto this, briefly locking his gaze at the event happening in front of him. Soldiers, of the Heartless army spawned from the solid ground of the tunnels, to summon the the Shadows Army, as the small figures of the heartless reproduced themselves from the ground like ink, and pureblood of darkness, a laughter echoed soon after. " My friend. Oh, my friend, you should of have done a better job, when I, RECRUITED you! " Like a thunderous sound followed by lightning the voice echoed throughout the tunnel, turning the area darker, and darker by the minute, as the blond male wearing black, found himself cornered and circled, by them all. " This time, I'll make sure you stay down, spiky-friend. " Like a torch being put out, the tall figure dressed in black and purple, like death itself, Hades appeared.

Mako optics widened slightly, a gasp escaped his parted lips at the sight of the god of the underworld, make his show, his form appear here, in these tunnels that belong to Hollow Bastion. " See? This is what happens, when you try to play GOD in my show! " Again, he thundered under a tone of voice, that'd awake then sky to roar and thunder, if he could. Cloud's stance continued to be firm, and never adjusted nor made a move, even when the army, led by the god of the underworld, continued to multiply, after the many he had destroyed. As the tunnel where the spiky blond man found himself in, continued to grow dark, only the golden eyes of the shadows, and the Heartless would glow like lanterns. His lips parted, " ..No light. " He said softly, giving up on what he had said earlier, for a second his sword lowered, and Hades observed this quietly, with a grin playing on his odd features. The only light that illuminated, and draw shadows on the ground was Hade's hair, a flam of sorts.

Hades brought an index forth, and pressed it against the sleeved limb of the spiky one, " Come on, just give in already. Go on. Shoosh. Go for it. There's no light here, and in your heart, spiky friend. " A grin played across Hades's lips, only making his words to reach the blond male, in such a tone to sink the ex-soldier down in thoughts, of defeat and darkness. Cloud's gaze softened, faltering as his sword alas reached the ground, the tip of the blade emitted a metallic sound, low as possible, while the hilt was still in his grip. " But I, "he spoke under a soft tone, as the god of the underworld interrupted with his own voice, " But you're weak! Now, face it, you have no light and there was none to begin with! See, there's no light when there's darkness, so don't make me repeat this again. Must I kill you, or are you going to accept darkness, the darkness within you? " Hades walked around Cloud as he spoke, his index finger would again be pressed against his sleeved limb. The bustersword wielder, lowered his head, taking in the words of the god of the underworld.

As the Heartless had momentarily stopped, while the boss, Hades tried his best to have once again the ex-mercenary in his grip. " For DEATH's sakes, boy - just walk into darkness! " His tone raised, having enough of Cloud's emotional time and thoughts, his hair lit up, illuminating the tunnel and where he stood like a candle. A walking candle. Noticing the tone, Hades desperation, he huffed softly, lips parted soon after, " No. Not interested. " Fingers embraced the hilt of the lowered sword, to lift it once again, and continue his fight against what started it, the Hearltess. " I may never find my light, but I won't embrace darkness! " As the hilt of his sword, was tightly gripped in his right gloved hand, and lifted upward to then be swinged in Hade's direction. The god of the underworld, snarled, and huffed fire through his nostrils, " YOU'RE FIRED! " His hand easily blocked the bandaged bustersword, his eyes narrowed in a glare at the blond. The Heartless, would again take their positions, and slowly approach Cloud, who was now face to face against Hades.

Pushing his stance a bit forth, to pressed the sword against the flesh of Hades, the god of the underworld would then be engulfed into a purple and black blanket of smoke. Making his way out of this, with a huff and grunt, leaving the Heartless behind, to do his battle. Almost instantly the man wearing black, turned his attention to the Heartless, the Shadows and Soldiers, as they approached forward, to corner him, yet once again. Mako hues, closed briefly, ridding his mind of the words Hades had put in his head through the conversation, not allowing himself to fall. His left hand glided across, from the left side to right side, placing the hand to grip the hilt, firmly, while his stance was again, ready to face the Heartless. Right foot a few centimeters ahead of his left foot. " ..Mh. " He released a soft breath, the yellow round eyes of the Shadows, flickered and would glow in the darkness corners of the tunnel. " Hmph! " Jumping to face the army, like going against a dark wave, the sword came down vertically, lifted up and horizontally to take out many before him, as they bounced and lounged themselves at the blond ex-soldier.

" Ah! " Gasping at the sight, the Heartless were being taken down, and oddly there weren't more multiplying from the ground, like the Shadows, nor the Soldiers, puffing out from blankets of dark smoke. He twirled the sword, to adjust his stance fiercely, looking down at the Heartless as they vanished into the ground, like liquid, where as the rest would vanish into the thin air, leaving a small blanket of smoke, behind. Straightening his form, after the tunnel was clearing out, where the halls underground or the area they have taken over, head tilted some, and alas the tunnel where he found himself, was clear from Heartless, or at least his area. Lowering the sword, he turned some to look back and the forward, making sure that he was now alone and without Heartless to deal with. Only his mind to wander off into thoughts once again, There was never any light.. No. If there's no light, there will not be darkness. His thoughts scattered in his every corner within his mind, sheathing the sword then, as he walked toward the exit, leaving the rest to Cid and Vincent.

As he came before the ladder to exit the tunnels, he reached up and placed his right foot on the ladder to climb up, the thud of tube being stepped on, echoed as he made his way out. The light that the sun provided caused him to wince, as his sight would again get used to seeing the bright light of the sun, and the fresh environment, that now surrounded him. Hoping that both, Vincent and Cid were doing alright and better than he had done, as he turned to face the entrance to Hollow Bastion, the Heartless would begin to spawn, from the ground. " ..Ah!? " Tainted hues widened at the sight, the Heartless would begin to slowly appear at the entrance of Hollow Bastion, though thanks to the what seemed technology of Hollow Bastion, flying discs and new machinery appeared, to fight the Heartless. The laser that puffed the Shadows was fired by the what seemed automatic technology, to fight off the enemy located within Hollow Bastion's ground. As he nodded to himself, knowing of what to do next, he walked forth, in his own pace, he walked toward the entrance._]

[_.This roleplay continues here: A Vow of Strength._]

[Vincent Valentine]

Vincent leaned over to see what Cid was indicating and nodded once he understood the plan. "Alright. Sounds solid enough for me." From underneath his flowing crimson fabric he pulled five tiny devices and started setting them down in the corridor that would be to their backs once they left for the surge breaker. Taking a look back over his shoulder after the last one was set he gave a very faint smirk. "Traps. I don't want several of these things at our backs."

The clicking of his boots slowed to a halt as he came up beside Cid and nodded curtly to indicate he was ready to go. He'd give the old man a work out with his long strides turning into a near sprint, he didn't want to let the gap close between their persuers and their backs close. Reminded, his eyes casted a quick glance to Cid's back and then to his own, though he was looking behind him at the multitude of heartless giving chase. "Forgive me for this," he murmured as his gun was holstered to free his hands to grab Cid up under one arm. With the other held tight he vanished in a speeding bullet shot of red fabric down the tunnel and to the left, leaving the heartless to eat dirt. They'd come to a halt at the unit Cid had indicated. Placing the man down [who really could have speared him for that] he stepped back to let him work and took up his gun once more to defend him while he did.

[Captain Cid A. Highwind]

That Cid could have speared Vincent for that little trick was the understatement of the year. His blue eyes narrowed in annoyment as he got himself back together after being set on his feet again. Sure, the former Turk had just pulled that little trick because he was simply faster than Cid could be, but the pilot still had his pride to defend. As far as he was concerned, he was still just as fast as he had ever been in his younger days, smoking and aging be damned. "Goddamn it, Sunshine! Next time you feel the need to turn me into your little girl fuckin' rag doll and carry me around, you mind ASKIN' first??? Jesus..."

Not opting to give Vincent the chance to respond, not that he figured the gunslinger honestly would in any sort of satisfactory way, he turned to face the junction box that needed his attention.

The pilot flipped open the cover of the box and narrowed his eyes as he examined the interior of it. Years of dirt, along with the general darkness of the passageway, not to mention his failing eyesight, combined to do nothing more than frustrate him. Grumbling to himself, he reached into a pocket and pulled out a small pen light and clicked it on, then taking it between his teeth to free his hands.

The mass of cables and wires within the junction box would have looked like nothing more than a hopeless tangle to the uninitiated, but to him, it all made sense. Within a few seconds, he identified the power lines that he needed to pull his little stunt.

He pulled three various power cables from their terminals and carefully prepared to short them all out against one another. A faint sweat broke upon his skin as he realized he was in serious danger of frying himself in the process, and dying as a crispy critter was not something that appealed to him.

Chancing a glance back at Vincent, Cid's eyes betrayed something for just a moment that was not characteristic.

It was fear.

The reason being, that aside from the risk of electrocution, he really had no idea what this massive short out was going to do. There was a chance, although be it a slim one, that the upcoming power surge might make things worse. Regardless, only God knew what would happen up topside thanks to this crossing of power lines.

Cid hated it when he didn't feel in complete control and this was one of those moments.

He kept his eyes on Vincent for just a moment longer before nodding slightly. Unclenching his teeth from around the small flashlight, he let it fall to the floor before speaking. "All right, no time like the present, eh guy?"

With that, he closed his eyes, and let the ends of the cables connect with a considerable spark and a loud crack. The dim lights in the conduit blazed brightly before all exploding and casting them into complete and absolute darkness, pierced only by the small beam from Cid's flashlight, still on the floor.

When distant breakers snapped off the flow of power through the cables, there was a dull thud, and that tiny ray from the flashlight vanished as something fell over it.

[Vincent Valentine]

"Would you have rathered I left you behind? I wont do it again." Vincent stated casually over one shoulder as he took up watch by the entrence of the corridor they were now standing in.

Gunshots rang out while Cid paused as Vincent blew off any intruders that came around the corner. They were starting to dwindle off and the break in the action gave Vincent the moment to look back over his shoulder at Cid who was...scared? That wasn't very comforting, but the psuedo vampire needed no comfort, he just didn't like the idea of the conduits frying his friend.

Another shot went through a shadow's head and the shadow melted into the floor. He still couldn't understand what those things were, but he did understand that a bullet to the head would end their existance...if they even existed as he knew it at all.

When Cid gave that final utterence he nodded and prepared himself for the unknown. Wincing his sensitive eyes shut as the lights blazed he had to lift a hand above his head as they shattered. When the crimson orbs reopened he needed no light to see Cid's collapsed form on the ground. Muttering a curse he rushed to the fallen comrade's body and sent his ungloved hand to Cid's neck and felt the pounding of a heart beat. Grabbing his shoulder he turned him onto his back and leaned down to put a cheek near his face and felt soft blowing, Cid was alive and his vitals were intact at least. The shock probably did a number on his nervous system though. At least the gloves on his hands had saved him a majority of the burning, the fingers burnt all the way through leaving fairly charred skin under them.

Cid's status became the least of his worries as a growing sound and vibration took on his full and immediate attention. The blast of fire that shot past the tunnel they were in sent his length of ebony strands blowing back, crimson eyes wide. Turning to Cid he gathered him up once again in his arms. "I'm sorry...I lied, I'll be doing it again."

Stepping up he held the unconscious form of his friend and looked at the flames now burning here and there in the tunnel they came from. Setting his teeth he darted into the heat dodging obstacles to bring Cid back to the ladder they had all met at. It wasn't that far off but the firey debris littering the path made it an obstacle course as he ran faster than the eye could keep up with. A leap took him over flames to burst through on the other side. His lungs burned from the acrid smoke rising up but he pressed on through to the ladder that stood remarkably in one piece. One hand clutched Cid and the other held onto still burning hot metal as he climbed to the top and laid Cid out and soon followed, closing the lid when he was free of the hole.

A closed fist raised to capture a few coughs and he hoped what they had done had gotten rid of the rift causing all their problems to begin with, if not it was a dangerous endeavor that got them nowhere. He scooped Cid back up and stood, where to now? He knew nothing of this city nor where to find help, or if there even was help to be found, might as well strike out in one direction then.

[Captain Cid A. Highwind]

Out in the cold air, Cid realized that he was being held and he fought through the fog in his mind to scrape the surface of lucidity. Cracking open one eye, he realized he was staring at Vincent. Suddenly, the notion that he was actually being carried like some helpless infant got his attention and he shot to consciousness, wriggling and demanding to be put down. "I'm not dead, Goddamnit! Put me down!"

He had no idea where they were for the moment, being completely disoriented. Attempting to stand on his own, he wavered and had to grab Vincent's left shoulder to steady himself for a second, until his balance righted itself. His confusion was palpable as he scanned the scenery around them with narrowed eyes. "Heeey... what the fuck? Why're we topside?"

His mind answered his own question as he remembered connecting the cables and then... and then what? There was no 'and then'. There was just being in the tunnel, contact with the cables, then outside with Vincent. Dazed or not, Cid was able to put it together for himself. "Damn, I knocked my ass out with that trick, ne?"

With that revelation having been made, he pulled off his ruined gloves and just dropped them to the ground, seeing that his hands had taken some damage but that they would be all right give or take a week. As long as they worked well enough to get a cigarette to his lips...

That, of course, was a theory he instantly decided to test for himself. Within a few seconds, his still shaking hands came up with his cigarettes and his lighter and in short order, his nicotine withdrawl was curtailed.

Feeling that he had himself better under control, he turned his gaze to Vincent again. "Well, Sunshine, I hope that at least it was one hell of an explosion! Let's go see if we can find Spike and Leon, whaddaya say?"

[Vincent Valentine]

Vincent had no idea the kind of damage that had been done to the pilot, only that his heart was still beating and his lungs still taking in air on their own. Other than that it was beyond his ability to tell if Cid had just jolted himself into a brief unconsciousness or internally fried his brain. He really hoped it was the former and not the latter but had no way to know. It was for that reason that he didn't notice Cid stirring, far too focused on finding him help to realize he was beginning to regain consciousness. When Cid started flailing Vincent nearly dropped him out of pure shock.

He have the old dragoon lancer a moment to get his balance, offering him a hand until he could stand upright on his own and gave him no other help after he seemed capable. Vincent knew not to baby the other when it was not required.

"If you were dead I would have left your body back there to be burned." He replied causually as if the subject was not of death but of the weather instead. It was a moot point, why be emotional about it? Cid was certainly not dead so it didn't matter anyway.

Cid seemed confused and rightly so. Vincent dropped the comment and line of conversation that could have taken and decided to clarify the situation to Cid. "You fell unconscious after connecting the wires, the explosion thereafter set the conduits on fire but it seems they burned themselves out as there isn't much to keep a fire sustained down there for too long. I have no idea where we are or where to locate the others but if you do then by all means we should update them."

[Captain Cid A. Highwind]

"Woulda left me to burn? Christ, thanks, Sunshine. I guess with you around I don't gotta worry about funeral arrangements." With that, Cid turned his back to the other man, scanning the scenery. Finishing his cigarette, he flicked it off into the distance before facing the gunslinger once more.

"All right, I think we should go back to H.Q. to see if anyone else is there. If we find the C.O., I can give 'em a Sit. Rep.," he trailed off and laughed at himself. That shock must have crossed a few wires in his brain. Everything was coming to him in military terms like it had twelve years ago in the service. "Whoa... I mean, let's go find Leon. C'mon."

The pilot turned again and headed down the street, knowing that Vincent would follow. It was dark, very dark, since all the lights were now out thanks to the small intervention with the power grid that Cid had just had. Suddenly realizing that he was unarmed, he looked over at Vincent as they went. "Goddamnit... my spear's still back there. I'll hafta get a new one. I bet a lot of those damn things managed to find their way out of the conduits before we had our little pyrotechnic display... Keep yer eyes open..."

Only after the words had come from his lips did Cid realize how stupid they were. Of course Vincent would keep his eyes open. He was probably the most observant person the blonde had ever known. As different as they were, Cid knew that what he lacked, Vincent tended to have. Then again, the pilot knew that he had his own particular strengths as well. Sadly, they weren't on the ground, though.