We Have A Reason
What Are We Fighting For?
The bridge of the Highwind was surprisingly somber considering the victory Avalanche had just won. Hojo was dead. President Rufas Shinra was assumed dead. Without Shinra Inc., there would be no one to run the Mako Reactors. Once Meteor was gone and Sephiroth was defeated, the Planet would finally have its chance to heal. Once Sephiroth was defeated…
Cloud turned to look back at the other members of Avalanche. It was hard to believe that they had only been a team for a few short months. So much had changed in those months. Some memories were happy - times when the world seemed normal. In those moments they were all just friends enjoying life. Then, in a flash, the world was coming down around their ears again. Somehow they had managed to keep going through everything.
In the corner, Yuffie stood with her arms wrapped around her body. The toe of her bright orange sneakers scuffed against the floor. She was never still. Even now when she thought no one was watching, her foot was swinging and her fingers were tapping against her ribs. Her eyes, stormy grey in color, were studying the floor under her feet and she chewed on her lower lip, deep in thought. It was a side of herself that she tried to keep to herself… and, Cloud had to admit, she did a good job.
As if she realized that some one was watching her, Yuffie looked up at Cloud. She wrinkled her nose at him and then stuck out her tongue. When Cloud did not immediately look away, her eyebrows arched slightly and her expression showed amusement. Cloud remembered the awkward date that Yuffie had dragged him on at the Gold Saucer and the even more awkward kiss that they shared on the gondola. He quickly looked away, not wanting to give the ninja girl the wrong idea. He thought he heard Yuffie snicker, but he wasn't sure.
His eyes strayed to Barret where he stood by the window. Ever since Barret had heard that Shinra had kidnapped his daughter, he had been quiet and almost withdrawn. His gun-arm hung limply at his side, useless now that the battle was over. He reached up rubbing his tired eyes before looking back out the window. Anyone who knew him knew he wanted nothing more than to get back to Marlene. He looked at Cloud in the reflection of the glass and gave him a tired smile and nod.
Cloud smiled back, but Barret's gaze was back on the ground again. Red XII sighed and settled himself on the ground near Yuffie's feet. Ever since their last trip to Cosmo Canyon, Red had been preoccupied. There was more going on at Cosmo Canyon then Red had let on and he wanted to be back to take care of it.
The smoke from Cid's cigarette caught Cloud's attention. The pilot was staring ahead intently, the cigarette hanging from his lips. It did not even seem as though he was inhaling any smoke. No one really knew what Cid was waiting for. He had his ship, he had his revenge, what was keeping him?
Cloud wondered the same about Vincent. He had joined Avalanche for the sole purpose of killing Hojo. Cloud glanced at Vincent out of the corner of his eye. He leaned against the wall, his arms crossed. Although the collar of his cloak covered most of his face, Cloud could see the triumph in his eyes. Hojo was dead and Lucrecia was avenged. So why was he still here?
Tifa was sitting with her back against the wall. Her eyes were closed and her breathing slow and deep. Cloud knew she had not been sleeping well since they had fallen into the Lifestream. More than anything, he wanted to end everything so that Tifa could finally rest. He knew that she would keep going until she had nothing left. They all would.
Cait Sith fidgeted nervously. He had been for almost ten minutes while Reeve was away from the controls. Sometimes Cloud could not help but be impressed by the details that Reeve programmed into the robotic cat. There were times Cloud forgot that Cait Sith was a robot. Ever since the Gold Saucer, Cait Sith had done his best to give Avalanche information to keep them one step ahead of Shinra. Cloud was forced to admit that having someone inside Shinra Inc. made their lives easier.
Suddenly Cait Sith let out a cheer. His voice crackled through his voice box, "Shinra's... finished."
On the bridge everyone let out a sigh of relief. Yuffie grinned and pumped her fist into the air. She knelt down next to Red and threw her arms around his neck. The red beast chuckled and a silly grin spread across his face. Barret helped Tifa to her feet and wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug. That was what they had been working for all this time. Cid laughed, glad to hear that Shinra finally got what had been coming to them. Vincent didn't move off the wall, but by the way his eyes crinkled slightly everyone could tell that he was smiling under his cloak.
Cloud crossed his arms and walked toward the huge windows at the head of the ship. Clouds rolled by the windows as the Highwind cut through the air. Meteor hung low in the sky giving everything an eerie reddish tint. It was a reminder that only half of their problems were taken care of. Cloud sighed, he did not want to ruin the small happiness that everyone had found. There was still so much to be done and everyone was at the end of their energy. They needed to do something. He looked back at the others, "Meteor's gonna fall in about..."
"Seven more days." Red XIII shook his mane out nervously, "That's what Grandfather said."
"Red XIII..." Cloud crossed the bridge and knelt in front of Red, "You want to see everyone in Cosmo Canyon again?"
"Yes…" Red admitted quietly, looking away in embarrassment.
Cloud stood and looked at Barret, "You want to see Marlene, right?"
"Don't ask me that." Barret replied harshly, a pained look in his eyes.
"We'll beat Sephiroth... then, if we don't release the power of Holy in seven days... there won't be a planet left to protect." Cloud shrugged helplessly, "If we can't beat Sephiroth... It's as good as death for us. We'll just go a few days sooner than the rest who'll die from Meteor."
"Don't be thinkin' you're gonna lose before ya even fight!" Barret cried, slamming his gun-arm into his hand.
Cloud walked over to Barret, shaking his head, "No! What I meant was... what are we all fighting for?"
Everyone got quiet and gave Cloud their full attention. He looked from person to person, carefully choosing his words, "I want us all to understand that. Save the planet... for the future of the planet... sure, that's all fine. But is that really how it is?
"For me, this is a personal feud." He stepped forwards putting a hand to his chest, "I want to beat Sephiroth... and settle my past. Saving the planet just happens to be a part of that. I've been thinking. I think we all are fighting for ourselves. For ourselves... and that someone... something... whatever it is, that's important to us. That's what we're fighting for. That's why we keep up this battle for the planet."
Barret scratched the back of his head, a nervous gesture he often made unconsciously, "You're right... It sounds cool sayin' it's to save the planet. But I was the one who blew up that Mako reactor... lookin' back on it now, I can see that wasn't the right way to do things. I made a lot of friends and innocent bystanders suffer... At first, it was for revenge against Shinra. For attackin' my town. But now... Yeah. I'm fightin' for Marlene. For Marlene... For Marlene's future... Yeah... I guess I want to save the planet for Marlene's sake..."
Cloud nodded in understanding, "Go and see her. Make sure you're right, and come back. All of you. Get off the ship and find out your reasons for yourselves. I want you to make sure. Then I want you to come back."
Cid expelled a cloud of smoke into the air, "Maybe ain't none of us'll come back. Meteor's just gonna kill us all anyway. Let's just forget any useless struggling!"
"I know why I'm fighting. I'm fighting to save the planet, and that's that." Cloud shrugged again, "But besides that, there's something personal too... a very personal memory that I have. What about you all? I want all of you to find that something within yourselves. If you don't find it, then that's okay too. You can't fight without a reason, right? So, I won't hold it against you if you don't come back."
When no one said anything, Cloud jammed his hands into his pockets and walked off the bridge. Tifa looked around at everyone before running after Cloud. Cid rubbed the back of his neck and turned to the pilots beside him, "You heard the man. Take these people where they want to go and then get the hell out of my sight. If you wanna come back in a week then come back… if not, then fuck off. Clear?"
The pilots saluted Cid and turned to set a course. Yuffie stepped forward first, "There's a pathway a mile or so outside of Wutai… I- I can give you the coordinates."
Barret looked over at Cait Sith with a snort, "Okay, Shinra man, where's my little girl at?"
"Kalm." Cait Sith replied, "That's where we moved them a few days ago. There's a little house that Shinra owns."
"Take me there, then." Barret said gruffly before walking off the bridge.
Red padded toward the pilots, "I would like to be dropped in Cosmo Canyon, please."
"There's a cave near Junon." Vincent said quietly, not moving from his place against the wall, "That is my destination."
The pilot turned to Cid, "Captain?"
"Fuck." Cid dropped his cigarette and crushed it under the heel of his boot, "I don't know yet. Just start flying and I'll tell you once I know."
A.N. This chapter is dedicated to Sienna03 who reminded me that you should never just post something to get on to the next part. Speaking of the next part it's up too for your reading pleasure.