THE VALKYRIE WARS: An Original FFVII Fan Fiction by Nero Viper. Chapter One: The Coming Of The Frost ---------- Sephiroth was defeated, The world was saved, and now, everything was as boring as hell in the newly converted Highwind Jet. Some trained, some lazed about, some tried to get over their motion sickness. Cloud, in particular, was getting pilot lessons of Cid to get his mind of the whole 'I'm in a moving vehicle' thing. He did tell Tifa that it would be easier for him to pilot than to just think, so he acted on it. The new president Reeve came on from time to time to see how his 'other self' was going. But this particular day was different. The place was getting cold, everyone took refuge in the warmest place possible whenever they could. It was like the world was gonna freeze over, in Spring. Then Cloud, who was piloting at the time, got a mysterious Radio message from the Icicle Inn. "Hello, is this one of the Saviours of the World?" said the voice on the other side. "If you mean the ones who defeated Sephiroth, yes, but we don't accept interviews." Cloud Replied. "No, I'm not a reporter," he said, "I've got some information on the latest cold snap. Please come, your world-saving skills may be are needed once again..." and then the transmission ended. Cloud pondered over it for a bit and then told the co-pilot to take over while he went back. Everyone was in the Command room thanks to the fact that there is a mighty fine heater in there, Nanaki noticed him first. "Cloud, got sick of piloting?" He said. Yuffie glanced over. "Whatever you do, don't mention sick, 'kay?" She said as she hung her head back over her bucket. Cloud answered. "I just go a transmission from some guy from Icicle Inn, says he's got some info on all this cold." "What, so your saying in this damn cold we have to go where it's damn COLDER!!! Damn ungrateful bastard, you might not feel the cold, but we sure as hell do!" Barret said. Tifa's turn. "It wouldn't get that much colder. I say we do it." Barret started to shake his fist, both out of rage and of the cold. "Don't you remember Gaea's Cliffs? Not a bloody chance in hell that I'm going there." Cloud started talking again. "Well, I'll take Tifa with me. Is there anyone else who wants to go?" Yuffie jumped up. "I'll go, It's heaps better than stayin' here." She said. "Fair enough," Cloud said, "Me, Yuffie and Tifa will go and see what this guy wants to talk about and the rest of you stay here." There was something that everyone agreed to. Cloud pressed his finger against the intercom. "Jim, take us to Icicle Inn." He said. "Aye, aye, Captain!" Jim the pilot said in his fake scottish accent. So the Highwind dropped Cloud, Tifa and Yuffie off at Icicle Inn while the rest stayed near the heater. "So, where exactly is this guy?" said Yuffie as they walked through the snow. Cloud wasn't really sure. "Well, umm..." "Hey! Over Here!" Said a voice familiar to him. It came from a figure standing infront of the inn. He had silver hair like Sephiroth's, but shoulder-length. This fact alone make Cloud shudder. But that wasn't all, this guy was wearing black pants and a silver chest plate. Two blades were held on his back. His eyes were a deep blue like the eyes on one infused with Makou but these seemed different. "Guess that's him." Said Cloud as they ran towards the Inn. The stranger greeted them and they went in the inn. "Nice to meet you Cloud." Said the man and bowed. Yuffie recognised this gesture and she did it back. Cloud was wondering why, and how. "Yuffie, do you know him?" He asked. "She wouldn't. I have just studied swordplay under her father, that's how I learnt of you all. Greetings, I am Nero." said the stranger, finally revealing his identity. "So what is this all about?" Asked Cloud. "I will tell you soon, but I must speak with miss Yuffie, in private." Nero Said. And with that, Nero and Yuffie went upstairs. "Whatcha want to talk to me about?" asked Yuffie. Nero's body tensed up. "Miss Yuffie, it is about your father. He has died. It was not long ago on my last day in his training." Nero said. Yuffie was surprised. "You were trained by father personally?" she said. "Yes. You don't seem that surprised that he has died." "No, I was expecting it for a while now." "Oh, well, anyway, I have this to give you." Nero said as he reached his hands in his pockets and took out a medallion. He gave this to Yuffie. "This, this is my dynasty's medallion. Thank you Nero," This news had seemed to had made Yuffie's personality change. He father had died, and now she was the Sidhe of her country, "Oh, by the way, could you show me those weapons of yours. They're most likely katanas, sinced you trained under my father." "Yes." Nero said as he unsheathed his blades, they were made of a sort of a black diamond. "Nice, real nice." Yuffie said. Nero resheathed them. "I am glad you approve, Sidhe Yuffie." he said. "You don't have to call me that, besides, we better go back downstairs." And they did so. "So Yuffie, is this guy legit?" Cloud said as he saw Yuffie and Nero descend the stairs. "Yeah, he's fine." Yuffie said. "Well, let's go." Cloud said as they prepared to face the cold once again. Back on the Highwind, Nero met everyone and proceeded to tell his story. "...back in the days of old, Odin and the gods of light defeated the frost Giants and banished them to the lower planes below our own. Here they were kept at bay with the help of the valkyries, Mortal women gifted with the power of the gods, who carried the brave dead warriors off the battleground and to Valhalla, where they feasted and awaited the final battle with the frost Giants at Ragnarok, that battle which was said to wipe out all of existance. Afterwards the land would reamerge, new and green, with few inhabitants. This battle has come and gone, and we live in the world after, but some of the gods remained. All of your summon materia are the remaining gods of old, some good, some bad. The two sides are preparing for a second Ragnarok, but the world is not yet ready. If it happens, and the frost giants win, then the world will be destroyed, and not rejuvenated. Both sides have their own armies of the dead and both have their own Valkyries, the dark side had taken over some. The dark side will also awaken your former enemys, like Sephiroth, and will be fighting for the side of dark. Also, all of the gods will be unsummonable during Ragnarok 2, so you will have to set them free..." "Sephiroth!" Cloud Shouted, "That Bastard just won't die! If he's in this, then so are we!" Everyone agreed. "But, how exactly do you know this?" Cloud asked. Nero continued. "A Valkyrie came to me, one that you all know well, very well..." 'Yes Nero. You have a point there." It was Aeris, now a Valkyrie, appearing before cloud and the others. Cloud nearly fainted. "Aeris!" They all cried. Some nearly did. "Believe all that Nero has said, for he was once an agent of Odin himself, he will guide you all to the spectral plane, and we will all vanquish the evil forces to the pits of Janaak for eternity..." and with that, she vanished just as quickly as she had appeared. "If Aeris trusts you, so do I." said Cloud. Everyone was silent, they were thinking about Aeris, the past, the present, the future, and what fate has in store for them... ...at Ragnarok! The truth had just been revealed about what was going to happen and their period of contemplation was over, Cid was the first to speak. "So when is this Ragna-watsie happening anyway?" He said. "Got no idea..." said their newest ally. "The library at the Shinra Building might have something." Tifa said. "Hang on, I'll check." said Cait Sith. "I'll never get used to that. Oh well, Nero, how about a sparring match, ultima vs. diamond." Cloud said. "No way. I'm first! If Nero will lend me a sword." said Yuffie. "Fair enough, Sidhe Yuffie." Nero replied. "I TOLD YOU NOT TO CALL ME THAT!!! I'm gonna whip you so bad now." Yuffie Shouted. And the two headed towards the engine room. "Sidhe?" said Cloud. Vincent spoke up for the first time. "Sidhe, the name given to the ruler of the Watai Culture. If Yuffie is being called that it means that her father has died and she is now the ruler of Watai." "Well, there's something you don't hear everyday." Barret said. Nero and Yuffie arrived at the walkway suspended over the giant engine and he threw her one of his black diamond katanas. "Your gonna lose, Nero." Yuffie said. Then she charged at him. Her sword skills were quite good. The battle raged over the noise of the Highwind's engines. No hits were scored, blocks, dives, parrys, everything. This was classy. The other 6 watching thought so. This was no longer a sparring match. They both had something to prove. Yuffie needed to prove that she could be a Sidhe like no other, Nero had to prove to the Sidhe that he was worthy of her company. Neither faulted. Then, at the same time, they did the same move, and both blades were within an inch of the other person's throat. They both proved their worthyness, they bowed, and Yuffie handed Nero's sword back, then they turned to hear a round of applause from the onlookers. Even a few whistles from Nanaki since he couldn't really clap. "Hey, I've got it!" said Cait Sith as he emerged from the communications room. "Uh, what did I miss?" "Nero and Yuffie fought, god it was good." Tifa answered. "Ah Crap, I always miss the good stuff, oh well, I got the info. The ancient bridge to the world of the gods is on the round island in the North-East. From the looks of it, we're goin' to the Promised Land." "O.K Then. We'll get what we need from this plane then we'll get some Chocobos and go to Round Island." Cloud said, and they all agreed. Cloud and Tifa went off to get the supplies from the new Shinra Building at Junon while Yuffie and Nero talked. Talked about Watai, Yuffie's father, their sword skills, everything was said. The two warriors respected each other, so the words came out more easily. It was still cold, so most of the people on the docked highwind went to the warmest possible spot and stayed there... END OF CHAPTER ONE ---------- Comments and Suggestions to nero_viper@lycos.com ---------- "Aeris's memories...Our memories...We came...to tell you...our memories...Come Planet! Show us your answer!" ~Cloud Strife