Johnny accelerated his sidecar motorcycle through the swirling desert dust. However, as they approached the old intersection leading to the town of Kalm, Johnny slowly pulled the brake lever. In the distance, two figures clad in black suits stood blocking the road. Behind them, a Shinra helicopter had landed, its rotors still spinning slowly.
Johnny cut the motorcycle's engine. The scorching desert atmosphere suddenly turned tense.
Reno was leaning against an old iron pillar, twirling his electro-mag rod, while Rude stood tall beside him, arms crossed, his sunglasses reflecting the harsh sunlight.
"Going for a morning stroll, Johnny? Bringing along a valuable 'asset', too," Reno greeted with a feigned casual tone. However, his gaze was sharp, never leaving Aerith's figure in the sidecar.
"Reno, Rude... listen to me," Johnny called out, his voice heavy and serious. "We aren't leaving just to run away. The Lifestream is calling us to the West. A great darkness is about to happen in Nibelheim."
Johnny stepped off his motorcycle and approached. Aerith followed suit, standing beside Johnny and placing her hand over the giant man's hand.
Instantly, their Lifestream Bond ignited. A pure emerald green glow emerged from their wrists, flowing like a pulsing vein. Johnny took off his riding goggles. His eyes now glowed bright green, exactly like Aerith's.
At the same time, Puck and Ivalera revealed their physical forms. The two fairies flew in circles above Johnny and Aerith's heads with glittering wings.
Reno's eyes widened so much that his electro-mag rod nearly slipped from his grasp. Rude lowered his sunglasses slightly, staring at the phenomenon before him with his naked eyes.
"Damn... I thought Aerith was the only Cetra!" Reno cursed in disbelief.
"This is something huge," Rude muttered, his voice filled with a rare sense of awe. "You are really revealing your secret to us, Johnny?"
"That is why I am begging you," Johnny answered. "We have been coworkers for a long time. Even if this has to remain a secret, please let it only reach Tseng's ears."
Reno rubbed the back of his neck roughly. "Of course this is difficult, Johnny. You're taking Aerith out of Midgar; our positions could be in deep trouble if headquarters finds out."
"If you don't believe him, let me show you what the Planet is feeling," Aerith interrupted softly. She closed her eyes and prayed. Puck and Ivalera joined in, radiating their energy.
Before long, a pale green glow slowly crept over the arid ground, encircling Reno and Rude. Rude closed his eyes for a moment, absorbing the presence of the sacred energy. "The Lifestream... it feels restless and is crying," he whispered.
"Sephiroth," Aerith said suddenly. "The Planet is screaming because of his name. In Nibelheim, something terrible will break out. If we are not there to act as a counterbalance, that darkness will eventually swallow Midgar too."
Johnny stared intently at Reno. "This is no longer about Turks' duties or Shinra's interests. This is about the safety of the Planet. We must go there because Sephiroth's destiny is in motion."
Reno fell silent. He looked at Puck, who was mischievously sticking his tongue out at him, and then shifted his gaze to Ivalera, who was radiating a holy aura. The presence of these mythical entities was absolute proof that Johnny's words were not a bluff.
"Sephiroth, huh?" Reno muttered, his face suddenly turning slightly pale. "The great hero... so it's true that something is wrong with him."
Johnny walked back toward his motorcycle. "We promise, Reno, Rude... we will return as soon as our business there is done. Tell Tseng that. If Midgar still wants to have a future, let us do this mission. Or, if necessary, you can come with us?"
Reno looked confused. "We still have a mission to eradicate Avalanche, what do you suggest Rude ?"
Rude adjusted his sunglasses, then nodded very formally—a sign of respect toward fellow fighters. "in that case, leave this task to us to cover up from headquarters. Go."
Reno "are you sure Rude?"
Rude "Im sure, but just give them the PHS."
Suddenly, Reno tossed a small object toward Johnny. With lightning-fast reflexes, Johnny caught it. It was a high-level military access card and a PHS unit with an encrypted communication line.
"The highway toward Junon is heavily guarded by a security detachment," Reno whispered quietly to avoid being picked up by listening satellites. "Use the route beneath the cliffs at the coordinates I've already set in that PHS. Just tell the guard post that you're on a secret Turks mission. That card will open the gates."
"Always contact us regarding your coordinates through that PHS. If anything happens to you, we will converge immediately," Reno added.
Johnny was stunned. He looked at Rude, who gave another small nod.
"Alright, Reno, Rude. Why are you helping us this much?" Johnny asked.
"Let's just say we're feeling too lazy to fight today. Besides, your track record of successful missions while working for the Turks is excellent," Reno replied casually, turning around and starting to walk away. "And also... Tseng seems to have his own 'plans' that don't involve Hojo's Laboratory. Go before a real patrol helicopter flies by. And remember, if you get caught, we never gave you those items. They're just lost goods you picked up on the road, got it?"
"Thank you, Reno. Rude," Johnny said in his heavy voice. "This will really help us reach Junon without having to waste time fighting."
Seeing the two Turks preparing to head back to their helicopter, an idea suddenly crossed Johnny's mind. He opened his motorcycle's saddlebag and took out two portable Grappling Hook units modified by his father's workshop.
"Oh right, one more thing for the two of you!" Johnny called out. He threw the two steel hook launchers toward Reno and Rude, who immediately caught them nimbly.
"What is this?" Reno asked, turning the device over in his hands.
"Rude, tell your helicopter pilot to hover a little higher," Johnny instructed with a faint smile.
Though confused, Rude gave a hand signal. The Shinra helicopter behind them slowly rose into the air, hovering about ten meters off the ground.
"Now, aim at the helicopter's landing skids and pull the trigger," Johnny told Reno.
Reno raised the device and pulled the trigger. THWIP! The steel hook shot out at lightning speed and gripped tightly onto the helicopter's landing gear. Its steel cable retracted automatically with an incredibly strong motorized pull, jerking Reno's body and launching him into the air toward the helicopter door in an instant.
"WHOAAAA!" Reno yelled in surprise, before finally managing to grab onto the edge of the helicopter door with a stunned laugh. "Crazy, this is super practical for sudden maneuvers!"
The helicopter pilot immediately lowered the altitude again so Rude could climb aboard.
"That's an item made by my dad," Johnny called out from below. "If the Turks ever need field equipment better than Shinra standard issue, you know where to order, right? Tell Tseng to order a bunch from my dad's workshop. But for those two items, they're free for you guys this time."
Reno laughed widely from the helicopter. "Thanks, Johnny! Hurry up and finish your business with that hero, and bring the girl home safely. Otherwise, I'll hunt you down to the ends of the world myself!"
"See you later, Johnny," Rude said as he prepared to step into the cabin.
"See you," Johnny replied, pulling down his helmet visor.
The roar of the motorcycle engine thundered once again, breaking the silence of the desert. With Aerith sitting vigilantly beside him, Johnny accelerated the vehicle toward Kalm before heading to Junon. Behind them, a cloud of dust slowly enveloped the Shinra helicopter as it took to the sky and flew away toward Midgar.