Plundered {Cloud, Open}

[Tifa Lockhart]

Through the poorly lit night streets walked all sorts of people. From the most prestige noble who strut down the streets with such an air about them in their ornate clothes and perfectly shined shoes to the scum of the city, those who had no care for their own appearance and only cared for the booze clutched in their dirty mitts. And in the midst of these groups walked a single woman who stood out from the rest.

The young brawling bartender slowly walked down the cobblestone street as deep chocolate brown eyes glimpsed from side to side, taking in the new sights. What a strange place! So many new things, so much to see. She barely even took notice to the odd stares she received as she continued on her merry way down the path. Here, she stood out from the crowds. But it didn't seem to bother the brunette. Not today. She was on a mission.

The past few weeks she hadn't heard a single word from a certain spiky haired delivery boy. Sitting idly at the bar staring at the phone wasn't doing her any good... Tifa reached calmly into her pocket to pull out a small cellphone and flipped it open. After a few silent moments of staring at the screen she snapped it shut and returned it to her pocket. Still no calls. Still no messages... Where in the world could he have gone? She had already ventured around all of Gaia with no luck. So she had extended her search elsewhere.

With a heavy sigh she went to press on only to be stopped by a burly man and his crew. "Ay there, poppet... What say you come with us? Yer pockets be lookin' a might bit heavy." The men circled around her as they cracked knuckled and necks and unsheathed their weapons of choice.

Tifa merely smirked as she slid her gloves on. "Oh, so you want to play, huh? I guess I can spare a few minutes.." She quickly charged forward, taking out a few with one hit before pivoting on her heel to take out a few others. Quickly growing aware their prey was anything but normal, the leader of the bunch suddenly began emitting a dark aura. "AH. We got ourselves a fighter, lads! Keep 'er busy!" The brawler narrowed her eyes at him and immediately made him her next target. She easily jumped over a few and began to close in to land a final blow.

But her fist never reached it's target. Instead a fairly large creature had appeared in his stead, blocking her path to him and clutching onto her fist with one of its tentacles. Her eyes widened as she attempted to free herself as its free arm quickly rushed in on the side. She braced herself from a crushing blow only to have the tables turned on her yet again. Rather than smack her down with sheer force it scooped her into its mouth. And before even giving her a chance to react cast a spell of sleep as the young bartender began to feel the world spin and suddenly go black.

By now, most of the regulars in the area had hightailed it out of the area, leaving Tifa with no help and no one to fetch any. "Oi, a feisty one wasn't she?!" The man chuckled as her stared at his new prize. "She'll fetch a pretty penny, eh boys!" The others joined in a hearty laugh save the few still nursing their wounds. "Alright ye scallywags! Back to the base!"

(Lacky Pirates are up for control if you need. Their just random NPCs to make this more fun.)

[Cloud Strife]

Cloud had no sooner arrived when he noticed people rushing past in a clamor.

"Monsters!!"

"It's the devil 'imself! Come from Davy Jones' locker!!"

Cloud narrowed his eyes, charging down the street in time to reach what looked like an impressive bar fight, or rather, the aftermath. All that were left were several grungy men, laughing it up. Cloud ducked behind a barrel just inside the entrance, listening in.

"Heheh, feisty one, indeed, mate. She had one 'elluva punch, that one..."

"An' did ye see 'er jump? It was like she was from a diff'rnt worl'!"

"Cute fer a brunette."

Cloud stood slowly, walking around the barrel and stepping into the light. He felt furious... something told him that this 'brunette' happened to be Tifa, judging by the bruises and the rather torn up state of the bar. All three of the men eyed him, one of them chuckling.

"Lookit this pretty boy. What's wrong, lose your puppy?"

Cloud just stood there for a second, glaring at them with his Mako eyes, the green glowing in the dimly lit room.

"Must be some kind 'o freak! Take 'im out!"

One of the men stepped forward, drawing his sword just in time to be hooked by the blunt end of the Fusion Swords, and thrown backwards through a wall. Cloud glared at the other two, gritting his teeth.

"Where is she?"

The one on the left blubbered as he looked at the hole in the wall behind Cloud, and the giant weapon in his hand. The one on the right, however, drew his pistol and fired one of the two shots, screaming like a madman. Cloud felt the ball whiz past his ear as he darted forward, the man on the left starting to scream as well.

----------------------

Several moments later, Cloud rushed out of the bar, running down the cobblestone path towards the pirate ship that was moored just at the end of the road. It had started to shove off, and Cloud felt a chill clutch his heart as he saw a large dark form of a monster gripping the mast, letting out a gurgling roar as the men on the boat seemed to be having some sort of party. As he neared the ship, the creature's head snapped towards Cloud, and a tentacle swung down and shattered the wooden deck below. Cloud drew the Fusion Swords, unhinging it to two blades, and launched himself towards the monster, the sheen of his swords gleaming in the moonlight.

The pirates looked up in time to see the monster, rend in two, dissolve before their eyes, the lead pirate landing on deck with a thud as Cloud landed next to him, swords at his sides.

"I think you have a friend of mine. I'd really like to have her back."

At the next moment, a wine bottle struck the back of Cloud's head, shattering, red wine splattering as Cloud's head jerked forward from the assault. He looked back up, and slowly turned his head to look over his shoulder, causing the skinny pirate to squeal and jump off the ship.

"I'm going to ask... one... more... time..." he growled, his grip tightening on his swords. Suddenly, a hand rose from every pirate, pistols in every hand as the leader stood, the aura returning.

"Ye just caught me by surprise, lad. I have te tell ye, yer one of a kin'. Why don' ye forget abou' the wench, and join me crew? I'll even let ye be my firs' mate!"

Cloud looked at the lead pirate incredulously. Of course, he eyed the ten or twelve pirates with their guns, and lowered his swords slowly.

"That's the thing. You want me to be your 'first mate', I'll need to know where she is."

"Aye... what is she, yer wife?" the leader let out a guffaw and slapped his leg at this statement, but Cloud narrowed his eyes.

"No, but she's just as special. Now. Tell me where she is, or I sink this boat."

The leader raised his eyebrows and nodded slowly, a malicious glint in his eyes. "Aye, matey. I don' think ye realize tha' yer jus' a man... You have no fleet!" This statement caused a rousing laughter to erupt from all of the men around him, some clutching their sides.

Cloud let his eyes scan the ship, and spotted what looked like Tifa's boot from behind a barrel... Is she there? He closed his eyes for a second, and took a breath as the leader spoke.

"I already know yer the hero type... Ye'll never join us. Kill him."

A split second later the ship erupted into chaos. Cloud raised a sword up as what looked like several balls of fire fell from the sky, slamming into the boat right in front of him. Gunshots rang out as Cloud rushed the leader, only to be smacked into the mast by the creature, both swords falling from his grip.

Ye don't kno' the kin' of power I have, matey! Relish at the new king of Pirates!! Cloud was slapped into the mast again, letting out a pained grunt as he was tossed and slammed around like a doll.

"T-Tifa!" he called out, reaching for one of his swords as the monster started to crush him in it's grip.

End of the line, matey... the booming voice said as he squeezed with the tentacle. Cloud's vision started to blur, his strength failing as he tried to reach the sword. He was careless... stormed the boat... This... monster... he assumed it was a Heartless... was going to crush him to death, and he had barely begun on his journey. He gritted his teeth as he reached, letting out a gasp as he gripped the sword, when a shot rang out, a ball grazing his arm, causing him to spasm and release the weapon before being thrown towards where he saw Tifa's boot. He slowly sat up, looking up at the creature, and gritted hie teeth as it turned towards him.

I'll let ye see her before we make ye walk the plank, boy...

[Didn't want the fun to end there. Cloud doesn't ALWAYS win.]

[Leon Durandus]

Leon walked the rustic streets of Port Royal, a cloak - frayed slightly at either end - wrapped snugly about his sturdy shoulders. It billowed elegantly in the cold, night air, leaving in his wake a mysterious aura which, doubtless, turned more than a few heads. However, for as conspicuous as his attire may have been, it paled in comparison to the heavy slab of reinforced steel it kept hidden. This World, at a glance, was no friend to the supernatural, nor was its technology anything to envy. Whether he found himself among the proudest nobles or the most humble of commoners, Leon doubted very much that they would take kindly to his demonic strength. After all, the sinews of the Midgar's strongest men were, without the enhancing elixir of the Planet, scarcely enough to heave Naegling off the ground, let alone to swing it about in combat. The last thing Leon needed was a frenzied crowd convinced that he was born of witchcraft, his flesh and bones woven from a fiendish mix of dark materials. Well...there doesn't seem to be any trouble brewing...

In fact, Leon was about to turn tail and shove off for more profitable waters, and he'd have been gone in a hurry if not for the sounds of a chaotic brawl reaching his keen ears. Looking grimly toward its source, the ex-SOLDIER caught sight of a most chaotic scene. A crew of ravenous pirates, backed by strange, tentacled creatures from the murky depths, saw to the capture of a black-garbed young lady. Out of the doors of a nearby tavern, however, there burst a courageous man of a build not at all unlike Leon's own. His sword -- or, rather, the composite of his seven-or-so blades -- was of a more elegant, masterfully forged sort than Naegling, but, though it may have been lighter by comparison, still it was far more massive than any mundane arm. Indeed, so it was that he fought like a man possessed, showing strength far in excess of a normal man. However, the great beast on the ship's deck, aided by a tremendous numerical advantage, overwhelmed the lone assailant in short order.

Thus, Leon had his cue.

With a single flick of the wrist, his cloak was cast from his back, leaving his brutish sword exposed in the moonlight. By now, windows were shut and locked up tight by frantic housewives and concerned parents, but those who had not retreated into their homes watched with a single-minded fixation. The arrival of a second mighty swordsman did little to turn them away. Leon, focused solely on the dread beast as it moved to strike at the blond warrior, sprinted for the edge of the pier at which it had docked. The ship was beginning to leave its port, that the scalawags might take the battle to the sea, but a SOLDIER was not so easily deterred. The young man leaped from the edge of the dock, drawing forth Naegling at the height of his jump. Letting loose a deafening battle cry, he gave a mighty, downward swing of the over-sized sword just as the creature lashed out with tremendous speed.

His sword intercepted a thick, sickly green tentacle oozing a peculiar sort of bile, and it struck true with such force that the creature's thick hide was cleaved. However, being of such tremendous mass, it did not cut cleanly; rather, it smashed the tentacle apart. The creature gave out a shrill wail that pierced the ocean air. Gyaaaar! Me beaut'ful 'and! Who be the dead man what took me limb?![/i] However, it was not quite loud enough to drown out the telltale sounds of gunfire. Leon, having taken full advantage of the element of surprise, swung Naegling in a wide, precise arc. Whatever bullets would have struck him were knocked from the air. An' who be this?! Another 'a them foolhardy swordsmen?![/i] A ghastly voice called out, reverberating in dissonant tones and filling the waters with dastardly gloom. It came from the creature, suggesting that it once had taken on human form. Leon wrapped both hands around his sword's grip, taking a defensive stance and backing up in defense of the blond warrior.

"You betcha." Leon answered the monstrosity with staunch resolve. "As foolhardy as they come."

Aye? Well, we'll be seein' jest how far that gits ye![/i]

"Go ahead. This blade is stained with the blood of creatures like you." Said the daring young mercenary.

The slimy beast gave only a low gurgle, which seemed to be the sign for his men to open fire. Seeing this, he took action as best he could with what little room he had to maneuver. Most bullets were struck from their paths, but even still, some forced him to evade while others grazed his skin. However, Leon dare not give ground, for there lie behind him the wearied soul of one who sought only to protect his loved one. Once the opening volley had been completed and the entire crew got to reloading, their monstrous commander swung one of his remaining tentacles down upon the ex-SOLDIER. A sharp pain shot through his body as he absorbed the blow with the flat of Naegling. Leon, you see, was a man not well-versed in fine techniques or unique attacks, but his strength was of a truly unique sort.

"H-Hey, buddy, I dunno if you've still got the strength, but I- I could really use a hand with these guys." He grunted through tightly clenched, grinding teeth.

[Tifa Lockhart]

"Nnnhg..."

Her head throbbed and she felt as though it were going to burst, Her eyes cracked open as even the dim light from lanterns seemed to irritate her. What had even happened? Last she remembered she had been looking for.. "Cloud!" Maroon eyes suddenly shot open with urgency as she went to hurry along. Only when she wen to move, her arms and legs didn't follow. Her shoulders jerked forward before being recoiled back against the wall. And from the sounds of it, they were no longer on the streets of the town. The lapping of water against the wall directly behind her told her otherwise. A ship? They had dragged her onto a ship?! Now how was she suppose to get back home?

As she began contemplating on how to exactly get out of this situation, what sounded like a battle was going on just above her head. What the... What's going on up there? Perhaps a mutiny? Over the ruckus and as the sound traveled through the floorboards she managed to hear the muffled voices and small bit of conversations . One of the voice was unmistakably that captain who had managed to pull a quick one on her. Her brow furrowed at just the thought that she had let that happen. But the other... had a familiar ring to it. A voice she had come to know quite well... Cloud...? But how? Another voice accompanied his. One she hadn't heard before... Hopefully it was an ally.

A small brigade of pirates shuffled their way down to the brig, all grinning. "Ah, if ain't the pretty wench? I think ye have a friend yer may want ta see before he be goin' to Davy Jones' Locker!"

They must have been talking about Cloud... As a few of them came over and released one of her restraints she took the small window of opportunity. A small grin crossed over her lips as she easily threw off the two pirates in charge of keeping her arms in place grasping the collars of their shirts with each hand and slamming them both into the ground. The others rushed to come to their aid and re-restrain the young bartender but her arms were already free. They were only walking into a massive beating. As soon as they had been dispatched Tifa leaned down to pick up the key one of them had dropped and unlocked the chains on her ankles. "Thanks for the key~" She chimed cheerily as she tossed the key back at one of the swashbucklers as it hit his head with an audible thunk.

Now to see what's going on up there..

As she bolted down the small hall and up the stairs onto the main deck she was greeted by the angry look of pirates and a massive monster. She had to find him. Her head whipped from side to side trying to spot out that spiky blond hair. And finally she found it. It stuck out from everything else like a small shimmer of light. "Cloud!" She shouted over the ruckus. It didn't take her long to realize he was injured. Badly. And it seemed the only thing keeping the large beast at bay was a mysterious swordsman. But even he would only last so long...

She had to think fast. She had to help.. Her hands reached deep into her pockets, rustling around for something specific before pulling out a few brightly glowing bottles. "Catch!" She threw her arm back and launched the two bottles directly at them. Megalixers. That would give them the boost they needed hopefully.

Of course by this time some of the pirates had come to intervene. A well placed punch to ones gut sent him flying right through the siding of the ship and overboard while another was met with her boot and sent crashing into the captain's quarters. Just as another was about to meet the end of her fist Tifa the giant monster wrapped one of it's free massive tentacles around her, pinning her arms at her side as it hoisted her up into the air.

Ye wench! How'd ye get loose?!

Tifa furrowed her brows as she struggled to get free. "Let go!!" Her attempts at freedom only resulted in the monster tightening its grip on her. Choked coughs escaped her throat as the air was pushed forcefully from her lungs.

Aye! Ye better behave! Don' want ta have te hurt that pretty face of yers!


(I fail at pirate talk. xD)

[Cloud Strife]

All it took was hearing Tifa's voice and his eyes snapped open. He stood quickly, and caught the Megalixer, his eyes flashing angrily. This was the last straw. He knew now, by getting a better look at this creature, that it was a human turned Heartless. He had seen it before, Heartless disguising themselves as their previous incarnations, only to turn into monsters when the jig was up. However, this other man... his armor type, that sword, and the telltale flash in his eyes...

Cloud decided that any questioning would have to come after the fight. And this fight had to end, now. He drank the Megalixer and felt the recovering effects of the potion flow through him. He casually walked past the panicking pirates and scooped up his smaller sword, latching it on to complete the Fusion Sword. He then narrowed his eyes, and unleashed his full strength as his body glowed with the power of Mako. His sword was swung over his head, then back behind him as he launched himself past the new guy, and spun upward, swinging his sword wildly as he dashed through the beast multiple times, finally slashing straight down, lodging his sword in the Heartless.

"GUAAAAH!! YE SCALLAWAG!! I'LL GUT YE FER THIS!!"

The Fusion Swords exploded in a furious wave of energy, causing the Heartless Pirate to disintegrate as Cloud caught the sword, standing in the midst of the dark mist that now surrounded the ship. As the mist disappeared, Cloud looked behind him at the rest of the crew, the one at the front being pushed forward, shaking like a leaf.

"P-p... parlay?"

Cloud sheathed the sword, and walked towards Tifa (much to the pirate's relief), letting out a sigh. "We gotta stop meeting like this..." he muttered, giving a half smile before looking back at the other guy. His Mako eyes seemed to search the new one, an air of familiarity surrounding him, yet, a slightly alien feeling as well. He nodded to the guy, then looked back at Tifa. "Let's get off this boat before they change their mind." he said, turning to the pirates, who seized up like someone hit the pause button. "Mind if we take a boat?" One of the pirates, apparently the First-Mate, turned to the rest of the crew.

"ALRIGHT, YE SCABBY DOGS, GET THIS MAN A DINGHY! READY IT NOW, OR I'LL STICK YE IN A CANNON, AND BLAST YE TO TORTUGA!"

The Pirates seemed to trip over each other as they prepared a dinghy over the side, awaiting their now respected assailants to board. Cloud looked at Tifa, then the new guy. "Ready?"

[Leon Durandus]

Leon had never stood for so long in defense of another, and his dogged persistence in keeping the blond swordsman out of harm's way wore heavy on his battle-hardened sinews. With little more than his sword arm and a pair of glimmering Materia, Leon endured an unending siege of screaming bullets and lashing tendrils. There were, at first, those who rushed him in melee, thinking the ex-SOLDIER too preoccupied with the salvo of musket balls. To them, the notion of a man swinging so large a blade with anything approaching speed was unfathomable, but such hubris proved to be their downfall. Three men drew forth their bloodstained cutlasses, their edges every bit as rusted and grimy as their teeth. With scarcely a second thought, Leon wrapped both hands firmly about Naegling's grip and, sidestepping the blow of a flailing tentacle, spread his legs out in a most aggressive stance. "Gimme a break! He bellowed. Planks of splintered wood exploded from the tentacle's point of impact while Leon let loose a furious war cry and horizontally swung his sword.

The first to taste Leon's cold steel was brutally smashed to pieces, cleaved in twain by the ninety kilogram slab of reinforced metals and slain on contact. The second met a similar fate as Leon followed through on his grand, sweeping arc. The final assailant, however, merely had his bones ground into a jagged mosaic by what remained of the ex-SOLDIER's momentum. His spine shattered and his organs ruptured, he was flung helplessly from the ship, his body smacking the water in his last moments. This stunning display of ruthless strength and conviction saw to a momentary ceasefire from the intimidated crew while they raised their gangrenous hands to rub whatever eyes they had left in their skulls. "I take it that got your attention." Leon announced, heaving a mighty breath as he brought Naegling back to a defensive position. "If the rest of you don't want to meet such an end, release your prisoners and leave this port!" There were silent murmurs and grunts as the pirates reloaded their firearms, but what seemed the strength of a murderous demon had them on edge.

Yarr, ye yellerbellied ingrates! Whatsoe'er this 'ere laddie might do to ye, I'll repay a thousandfold if ye don't start actin' like proper seadogs![/i] Unfortunately, the captain was not so entertained. This was most regrettable, for, whether intentional or not, the crazed beast of the sea had called Leon on his bluff. In his defense of the blond swordsman, his skin had been pierced by no less than two musket balls. One shot through his right forearm while the other had struck his left shoulder. Though his body was more durable than that of a mundane warrior, his joints ached from fending off those mighty tentacles, each one several times larger than his entire body. As the barehanded brawler had surmised, he would not hold out for much longer. Deep red blood poured from his wounds, just barely obscured under cover of darkness and the width of his blade. He looked briefly back toward the fallen swordsman he protected so persistently and was surprised at what he saw.

There was no mistaking the spark of Lifestream behind that man's eyes. They shined and roared with Gaia's bioluminescent flame, just as did Leon's own. He was not a man of common strength, and, it seemed, he aimed to prove it. He partook of a potion that Leon immediately identified as the rare and sought-after Megaelixir, known throughout the Planet for its healing properties. With that, he gained a second wind, and to be sure, the swordsman made good use of it. Calling upon his very spiritual essence, the blond warrior cut down the captain with a flurry of successive blows. Truly, this was the power and fury of a SOLDIER. Can this guy really be from Gaia...? The odds of me running into him would be astronomical.[/i] He thought as the brave fighter carved their demonic foe. It was at this point that he noticed a second Megaelixir sitting at his feet, but, by the time he drank the rejuvenating nectar, the pirates had long surrendered to the combined might of the two refreshed swordsmen.

"Well, that wasn't so bad." Said Leon, a twinge of good-natured sarcasm on his lips. He moved to ask if the two were in good health, but he was given pause by the close examination of the blond warrior. He did not trust Leon, that much was certain, though the woman alongside him seemed quite personable. Regardless, he secured a vessel by which they might make their escape, and Leon was quick to accept his offer. "Yeah, I'm ready to shove off. By the way, the name's Leon Durandus. Nice to meet you both." He said as he set foot in the dinghy. "Are you guys alright? Those guys seem to have done quite a number on us." Indeed, even with the great curative power of the Megaelixir, he would likely need to cast Cure on what remained of his wounds.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Air was finally able to enter her lungs as she graciously accepted it with a deep breath. She held it in for a moment before letting it all out in one large exhale. The tentacle had now loosened enough that she simply slipped away and landed on the ship's deck with a thud before standing up straight.

She smiled as Cloud walked her way, playfully poking a joke at her. "You make it sounds like this happens a lot." She teased back. She really wanted to tell him it would happen less often if he wouldn't run off... But she knew he had his own path to follow even if it took him to far off places. But he'd always come home. Even so... She just wanted to be at his side. "I was just.. caught off guard.."Normally instances like this wouldn't have happened. The bartender was more than capable of handling herself.

"Even after all of these years, you still manage to keep your promise. Thank you." She smiled warmly to him, her cheeks flushing a light red for just a moment. That promise from their childhood when he had promised to come to her rescue when she was in trouble. And here he was. Doing just that.

She nodded in agreement that it was time to get off of this floating piece of wood. "Ya. Let's go." She was more than happy to leave. As she climbed aboard she couldn't help but stare at Leon for a few moments. He had a familiar look about him. "Nice to meet you, Leon. I'm Tifa Lockhart." The brawler introduced herself cheerily. She looked back to the pirate ship for a moment before returning her gaze to talk with him. "Even if it was under... odd circumstances.. And I'm fine. How about you both?"

She looked back to Cloud for a moment. Speaking of odd circumstances... "How did you manage to find me anyways?" Not that she was complaining but.. she had been dragged aboard a ship bound for the ocean in a strange world she had never visited..

Her attention then went back to Leon for a moment. She couldn't help but stare for a moment at his eyes... They had that same mako glow as Cloud's... "I'm sorry... but..." Curiosity was getting the better of her. She just had to know... "You're a SOLDIER... Aren't you? That means you come from Gaia, too."