Man: Yes sir. I know sir.
Boss: So I trust that you'll do it then?
Man: No sir I-
Boss: Are you disobeying orders!?
Man: N-n-no sir!
Boss: Then you'll do this for me?
Man: I'm sorry sir.
He slams the phone on the desk and hangs up on his boss. Within the next minute three men were outside his house including his boss. The man goes to his computer, boots it up and opens a file. Outside one climbs to the second floor window, the other goes around back, and the boss goes in the front. The man remembers he needs a CD to run the file and puts it in. The information starts to load and sits there, sweat dripping down the side of his face. He stares at the time remaining. Sixty seconds and counting. He gets up and paces back and forth. Twenty five percent done. The man on the second floor finished destroying all the rooms. The boss slowly looks around for where the man might be hiding. The man from the back went to the basement to look for a circuit breaker. After searching he finds one and cuts the wires. He jumps back as he feels a jolt and lights go out. The man is too scared to talk. He looks wildly into the darkness, and desperately gropes around. The boss finds him from the noise and beats him in the chest and head. The man stops moving. The boss throws his corpse across the room, finds the CD, and tells the others to leave as he does the same. The team of seven wake up the next morning and turn on the tv to watch the weather. Breaking news appears about what happened over the night. They sit in awe until the weather is over and then finally start to talk again.
Ifrit: They're coming.
Tifa: We can't go back now.
Eden: I wonder how close they are?
Bahamut: I know, right?
Jon: Damn. It's almost hard to believe.
Tai hides behind Kayu, grasping both of her shoulders, trembling in fear.
Tai: We won't win...
Kayu: We will win.
The phone suddenly starts to ring and Tai jumps, startled. Bahamut gets up and answers it.
Bahamut: Hello?
????: Is that you, Bahamut?
Bahamut: Yo! Matt, what's up man?
Matt: I gotta tell ya somethin. It's really big. Listen up and listen close.
Bahamut: Yeah, I'm listening, what is it?
Matt: It's happenin Saturday. Ya gotta meet me at the graveyard around five... in the mornin.
Bahamut: Morning!? Why?
Matt: To get everything set up. Duh.
Bahamut: All right.
Matt: Who is it again?
Bahamut: Ifrit.
They both hang up and Bahamut walks back to the others and sits back down.
Jon: Who was that?
Bahamut: Wrong number.
Eden: Long phone call for a wrong number.
Bahmut: Well, they argued with me.
Ifrit: about what?
Bahamut: Don't worry about it, they had the wrong number.
Ifrit: Fine. Whatever man.
So Saturday rolls around. A nice warm day. Bahamut wakes up right before five, runs out and drives off. Ifrit's awake and sees the whole thing. He shrugs his shoulders and goes back to bed. The rest of them wake up later and eat breakfast. Ifrit gives Tai Tony's revolver gunblade tro borrow for a while and Ifrit takes out the double-edge. They go outside and spar. They get into it and seriously try to cut each other as the blades clash. Ifrit suddenly stops. Tai sees this and does the same.
Ifrit: Tai, I want you to show Tony this combo for when he's in a bind, it's easy to do, but if it's done quick enough, it should look like this.
Ifrit shoulders the gunblade. He grabs it tightly with both hands and swings it in a blur that makes it seem like one consecutive slice. Tai stares at the stroke and blinks. Ifrit laughs a little and does it again, slower so that Tai can see it. He slashes left, right, up, and holds it there for a second, drawing energy, then swings straight down quickly. Tai is pushed backwards just from the wind of the strike. Ifrit re-shoulders the blade.
Ifrit: It's a quad slash. It's really strong once you do it quick enough.
Tai: That's awesome... I don't know what to say except that I'll show him.
Ifrit: All right then. Lets get back to sparring.
After a few minutes of going at it, they hear a loud roar of an engine. They look around but all they see is the house, the road , and the steep drop-off where the forest declines. Suddenly a car comes flying out of the forest and starts speeding towards Ifrit. Ifrit throws the gunblade aside and starts to run for his life. Tai runs inside to tell the others. The car speeds up and Ifrit starts running like hell is behind him. He goes down the street to try to escape the car. The driver is Matt and in the back seat is Bahamut, watching. Ifrit hasn't had the chance to look back yet. Ifrit jumps to the side and runs back up the road toward the house. The car spins around and races after him. He makes it back to the house and the car tries running him down again. Ifrit looks back and is slammed in the legs by the grill, thrown on top of the hood, over the roof, hits the trunk and onto the ground. The car speeds off back into the forest. Everyone'e outside and saw everything. Ifrit's dead. Tifa starts to cry, again, and goes over and kneels next to him. Tai starts crying while hugging Kayu. Kayu stops him, goes over to Eden and kicked him so hard in the balls.
Eden: But I didn't-
Eden falls to the ground, dead. Tai goes back to crying over Kayu's shoulder. Jon walks back inside shaking his head. Tifa cries on Ifrit while thinking to herself, then after a while goes inside. Kayu pushes Tai off of her and they both go in. Back at the graveyard Bahamut and Matt get out of the car and Bahamut goes to get in his car while Matt goes over to the trunk. Matt takes out a crowbar. Bahamut opens his door and looks over at Matt.
Matt: Hey, Bahamut. Bahamut: What's up now Matt? More kills? I'll help out this time.
Matt: Yeah, there's more killing, but you're the one dying this time.
Bahamut: What? What the hell are you talking about?
Matt: You know, what you saw could pretty easily be reported to the police. I could easily go to jail and you'll get off scot-free.
Matt raises his arm grasping the crowbar. Matt starts walking over to Bahamut. Bahamut takes a step back.
Bahamut: No. Stop it right now.
Matt: What are you gonna do about it?
Bahamut: Bring it.
Matt: Heh.
Matt cracks up and stops. He takes another step forward and Bahamut steps back and starts to run. He trips over a rock and feels a sharp pain in his back and then lays silently on the ground, dead. Somewhere in space between the two earths... two figures head toward each other. They meet up halfway in between and start to converse. They look like human bodies, only they aren't. They're more like the life force of a person. They go by the names of Tony, from earth, and Ifrit from the second earth.
Tony: Hey Ifrit, long time no see. What's happening on the second earth?
Ifrit: Well, the restaurant blew up, hope you don't mind, I put a nice little scar on your stomachfor ya, we had to move, Chris died, Card Jan and Chance left to go somewhere else, and Tai met this girl named Kayu. Yeah, so how is the First Earth War going?
Tony: You guys took over a few more cities, got some new kids who wanted to join, the captian showed them a real nice time until one of them went nuts and shot the hell out of all of us. You have a few bullet holes from that, and everything else is fine except the fact that the last tank cannon sent me flying and now I'm here.
Ifrit: Guess it's time to go back.
Tony: Yeah, I mean, I am good at warfare, but gunblades are more of my thing.
Ifrit: Well, it'll be nice to get back.
Tony: All right then!
Ifrit: See ya around...
Tony: Later!
The two go back to their original bodies on their own earths. Tony finds himself awake that night next to another guy who looks a lot like Mike. Only difference is that there isn't as much hair on his head, and it's spiked. Another kid standing besides him, looks a lot like Storm. Cape and all. "Storm put his hand out looking down at Tony. Tony looks up at him.
"Storm": Hey kid, name's Shadow. What's yours? Ya need a hand?
Tony: It's Tony. And yeah, thanks.
Shadow: No prob.
"Mike" starts to wake up and looks around noting it's almost as dark as ever. Tony goes over playing Shadow's part now. Tony pulls "Mike" to his feet.
"Mike": Name's Zero. Why you wanna know?
Tony: Because you like my friend Mike... Only I think he died... twice. Even though technically it's not even physically possible.
Zero: How the hell...?
Tony: And you Shadow! You look a hell of a lot like a kid Storm I knew, who I think also died twice...
Shadow: But how is that even-
Tony: I don't know...
Zero: You sure???
Tony: Well, uh... actually... no.
Shadow: So it IS possible then.
Tony: Yeah, if everything works, you and someone from the first earth can switch bodies.
Zero: So then... you're saying we're not on the first earth?
Tony: Don't you even remember traveling through space after being killed, ending up getting sucked into the second earth's atmosphere and finding yourself here?
Shadow: I remember space, but I thought I was just ascending to heaven and fell asleep.
Zero: I was just tired, so I kinda slept. When I woke up, I was here. That's all I know. And another thing, why the hell do my balls hurt so damn bad?
Tony: You were probably slammed there before dying. It should go away sooner or later. Don't mind it too much.
Shadow: Yeah, my back really kills, what the hell?
Tony: I said don't worry about it. Let's head in and get some sleep now. All right?
Shadow and Zero: Huh? All right...
The three walk in the silent house and find their own separate beds. Tifa and the others wake up later that morning to find the three of them in their beds. Tifa sees "Mike" and goes over to his bed. She picks him up by his shirt and slaps him across the face. Zero wakes up to the hottest girl he's ever seen in his life span.
Zero: Wow.
Tifa: Mike, you fucking perv! Why the hell do you keep coming back? What is wrong with you? You can't just stay dead can you?
Tony and Shadow wake up to Tifa's complaining. They look over at her and see Zero being held in the air. Tony thinks to himself and then Tifa goes on.
Tony: Tifa's just the way she was when I left...
Tifa: Why? Why!? WHY?
Tifa grips his throat tightly and he starts turning red in the face and panics for air. After thirty seconds she lets go and he coughs and gasps on the floor. He finally regains oxygen.
Zero: Who the fuck's Mike?
Tifa: You know damn well who Mike is! You are! Duh!
Zero: I'm Zero! I'm from the first earth! I wouldn't have a damn clue who Mike is!
Tony decides to get up out of bed. He goes over to the bitching two to break them up. He puts out his arms between them to stop them from getting in each others faces. Tony looks at Tifa with an expression of joy to see her again and annoyance over the fighting.
Tony: Tifa, listen. Mike never came back after dying the first time. An-
Tifa: Tony???
Tony: And neither did Storm. What I'm trying to say is-
Tifa: Tony? Is that really you?
Tony: Remember Ifrit? We swapped places after I died. I went to fight in the war on the first earth. He came here. So in the end, I am the only one who came back to their own body. Tifa, I... I'm... I'm back Tifa...
Tifa: Uhh huh...
Tifa puts a smile on her face, her eyes water, and grabs and holds Tony close and a little tight. He rests his head on her shoulder and gives off a gentle smile as well.
Tifa: Don't leave anymore. Promise you'll stay close to me. I couldn't stand your not being around. Ifrit wasn't exactly the best. I... I'm glad you're back.
There's a pause and Tony let's out a slight sigh as Tifa crys.
Tony: I promise... I'll never leave your side again. Not for a very long time anyway. Don't worry about it... whatever happens... don't worry.
Tifa lets go of her vice grip on Tony and he picks up his head and takes a step back. The intimate moment is over as car tires screech. Tony spots Kayu and points at her.
Tony: Who the heck are you?
Tai: My girlfriend, Kayu. You got a problem with it?
Tony: Tai, if we were to get into a fight, you would be done in a second flat.*looks at Jon* Hey Jon, Where's Chris and what happened to my restaurant?
Jon: Don't worry. It blew sky-high and Chris died in a train crash. Nothin serious.
Tony: That's just freakin great.
As Tony and Jon fuss, Tai joins in. Tifa whispers in Kayu's ear about Tony's twin lance gunblade. Kayu shrugs, not understanding why Tony wouldn't know about it. Tifa sighs and then explains the entire thing about Tony's death, Ifrit getting Tony's gunblade, and then Ifrit's death enabling Tony to come back. Kayu then shakes her head and explains that if Tony doesn't know, to let it be a surprise. Tifa looks up and jumps out of the way just in time to dodge a flying Josh. He crashes to the ground, turns over onto his back and looks at the others, who are all staring at him.
Tifa: Who are you? Was there even a reason for that?
Shadow: I was being left out. Anyway I noticed I'm wearing a cape and thought I might have some sort of power to fly. So I tried it and... I guess I can't. I'm gonna get rid of it.
Tony: I wouldn't. That's a one-of-a-kind. It's fashionable (yeah right) and it makes a great shield for those who like shooting people in the back. So it would be wise to keep it.
Tifa: How do you know what it's capable of?
Tony: It was mine to begin with. It was given to me by my biological parents. I didn't like it and gave it to Storm because he was always looking at it.
Tai: The only thing we have left of our parents and you gave it away.
Kayu: Yeah, you're real smart!
Tony: I wouldn't talk blondie!
Kayu: It's all over now!
Kayu takes out her sword. The silver lights up the room a little. Tony runs down to the basement to retrieve his revolver gunblade from its box. He looks over the box perplexed by its larger size and weight. Tony opens the case revealing a twin-lance type of gunblade. Amazed, he takes out the gunblade and lifts the box feeling its still heavy. Still alone in the basement he puts the box back down and removes the foam. Looking down Tony sees that it still contains the revolver. He puts it all away and walks back upstairs, looking around the room at everyone, stunned. By now Kayu has sheathed her sword and she and Tifa look at each other; a job well done. Tony looks at Tifa.
Tony: ... Who... bought it? I've... I've been searching every magazine and store for one...
Tifa: Thought you'd be surprised. Ifrit was too. Well anyway, we all chipped in; Card, Jan, Chance, Tai, Bahamut, Eden, Jon and Chris.
Tony: How do you really know Chris died? What if he's still out there?
Jon: Dude, the train exploded on impact. I'm pretty sure the dude's dead.
Tony: damn... DAMN IT ALL TO HELL!
Tony lies down on his bed, burying his face in the sheets. As the others go do whatever, Tifa comes over and whispers in his ear "But we're still here..." and then walks away. He falls asleep. Everyone else goes back to what they were doing. A few hours later right before Tony wakes up...
T.V. Reporter: The last time we were here, you saw the total destruction of New York. But now officials are stating that the Second Earth is starting to be attacked with an even deadlier force.
And with that the team hears a few low-flying planes pass by overhead. Tony shoots up from the floor and bolts to the door. The others follow him outside the house. Not very far away, the planes drop bombs and sudden huge explosions erupt. Being only miles from the blast, the seven all get thrown into the building across the street, shattering windows or slamming into the wall. Tony wakes up jumping to his feet and screaming.
Tony: Holy shit!!! ... No...
Tifa walks over along with Tai and his girlfriend kayu, all looking worried.
Tony: Tai.
Tai: It can't be. Not yet.
Tifa: Kayu, can I be clued in?
Kayu: I was just about to ask you the same thing.
Tony: Everyone, get your asses ready to fight.
Tifa: Tony? What's going on?
Kayu: Tai, tell me what's happening. I really want to know.
Tony and Tai: I never thought I'd say this, but you two have to stay here.
Tai: But wait bro, wouldn't it have already happened? I mean, usually when you have a dream like that, it's already happened and you just put yourself in it.
Tony: Maybe this one's different...
Tai: Just forget it, right?
Tony: Yeah, exactly. You know what guys, you can relax now. False alarm.
Tifa and Kayu: So what's happening already?
Tai: Tony just had the greatest dream-
Tony: Yeah, and this time, I wasn't the only one to die,-
Tai: We all did.
Kayu: Wow, you die in every dream?
Tifa: How horrible!
Tony: You don't need to know.
Tai: Chill out Tony. Next time you have a dream, just check a calender.
Tony: Smart, then I can tell you the date of the attack. Just one little thing Tai, how am I supposed to know to check the date when I don't even realize I'm dreaming?
Tai: You got me... then again... I have my ways.
Tony: Tai, what the hell are you thinking?
Tai: I'll remind you. Don't worry about a thing.
Kayu: Right... What's going on now?
Tifa: That's what I'd like to know...
Tony lies back down in his bed. He closes his eyes and tries to think. The loud explosions, gunfire, and captian shouting orders fills his head. He sees the huge bomber fly overhead dropping a line of bombs and flying off to the battlefront.
Captian: Get your asses outta here now!
Tony looks up and stands there stunned. He hears a bullet whiz by his ear and turns around and runs. He runs past a few men on the ground, the bombs still coming. Tony goes into a mad dash, following many others, one of the far off bombs explodes on impact with such force that Tony and the others are thrown through the air and slammed into the sand. Tony hears his name being repeatedly called. He opens his eyes to see Tifa looking worriedly down at him.
Tifa: Have a nice nap?
Tony: Nap??? What time is it?
Tifa: Almost seven.
Zero comes downstairs in a totally different attire. Shades with little frames and noth8ing holding them in place, baggy and ripped shorts, a black t-shirt with the word L.A.T.E. on it and green hair with the right side down a lot farther then the left.
Tony: Zero, what the hell man?
Zero: The clothes I was wearing didn't fit WE very well, so I changed.
Tony: Whatever. Anyway, Tifa-
A garbage can crashes to the ground outside and the seven rush out to see who it was. They find a kid about their age , on his ass looking up at them.
Kayu: Who are you and what are you doing here?
Kid: I'm Chris Modem, and I was sent by my superior with very important news!
Jon: And that is...?
Zero looks around, not really paying attention. Chris walks in circles from the road to the sidewalk and back to the road again while explaining.
Modem: And that's about it.
Tony: So basically we should stop making noise and lay low for a while?
Modem: Basically. But still you should-
Suddenly a car comes out of nowhere and Chris is sent flying. He gets crushed to death by the impact of the car and the ground.
Tai: Nice. Truly. It really is.
Kayu: Don't even cry.
Shadow: The fuck was that all about? I mean the kid tells us stuff and then dies.
Tifa: What a waste.
Jon: Um, dude, no. That was not cool at all.
Zero: Am I stoned or that dude just die?
They go inside to find the television on the news station. They gather around to watch the idiots who were caught doing stupid events over the day.
News caster:... and in other ne- ugh, this just in, an unidentified helicopter was seen flying over the ocean a short while ago. Do we have the-yes we- here's the footage. The news helicopter lowers a gun turret from the underbelly. Jan sees the "locked on" light turn on and instantly turns her copter around in a 180 and fires a dozen missiles at the news copter. Chance can be seen in the background falling out of their helicopter as the news helicopter bursts into flames and falls out of the sky. The tv turns to static with shocked reactions all around. Tony grins.
Tony: Same old Card, Jan and Chance.
Kayu: What are you talking about? They just killed innocent news people! They're go-
Tony: One, that "news" helicopter had a hidden gun turret; two, Jan and Card are known for their killing-ness. So yeah, you get used to it after a while.
Tai: Kayu, maybe one day you'll understand, but until then, I'll uh, try to explain it to you.
Jon and Zero go upstairs along with Shadow. The three jump back as they look at the clock in amazement. Shadow jumps to the first floor only to land on his face. Zero falls on top of him. Jon shouts from the upstairs instead of trying to jump down like the other two did.
Jon: Guys! It's extremely late! Time... for sleep...
Jon hits the floor with a hard thud as he fell asleep. The others understand and go to bed themselves. Now it's the middle of the night and Tai is awake next to Tony's bed, patiently awaiting the dream that determines the date of the cruel fate that will take them from the second earth. Tai's eyes slowly start to close as his head falls forward. All Tai needs to do is ask Tony for the date, then he can sleep. His head falls forward again as his eyes shut and he again snaps back into alertness.
Suddenly, Tony starts mumbling in his sleep. Tai recovers again and quickly enters Tony's prophetic dream. Tony sees the largest missile he may never see again. The others are right behind him, just as stunned as he is. Jon, Tifa, Kayu, Zero, and Shadow ask questions. Tai shouts at them to shut up so he can ask Tony, who checks his watch and tells Tai, a little confused.
Tony: Tai, What's your problem? Why are you asking a question like that at a time like this? We don't have much time to stop this damn bomb! Can't you see there's a-
The clock starts announcing the seconds out loud from thirty. They all gasp, considering to stay as running wouldn't help in the least. They dash around trying to find a kill switch to stop the thing or a possible code key and pad. Fifteen. There isn't an answer in sight. Ten. They scramble for fear of their lives. Five. Tony finds a computer. Four. They all gather around. Three. He panics. Two. He mashes the keyboards. One. A timer pops up on the monitor. Zero.
Tony: It's over...