The Days After
by: Omnislash
Chapter 1-
The Minute After
Cid clutched his cigar to his mouth.
"Shit", he yelled.
Before him and the rest of the group, the city of Midgar was being decimated by Meteor and Holy. The swirling colrs of red made by Meteor and the pale white-green, made by Holy, were shredding Midgar to pieces. Shrapnel flew, metal buckled, all before the awesome power of those magics.
"MAR-LEEENE", cried Barret, a giant of a man, with just about as much personality. His darkened face betrayed his thoughts, tears in his eyes. It was unlike this big man to cry, but the thought of his daughter getting caught in the middle of this armageddon was just to much to bear.
Cloud and the others looked at him with a surprised look, but he wasn't completely shocked over it. The whole thing had caused a psycological effect on each and everyone of them. Red XII, a bright red wolf like creature, with a lion's mane, had lost his grandfather, Bugenhagen. Vincent, a former Turk, now dressed in black cthothes and wearing a red cloak abd shaw over his mouth, had lsot his beloved Lucrecia and just recently finding out that it had been caused by the mad scientist Hojo. Cid, a middle aged thin man, losing his dream, but recently granted another chance at it. Barret, losing former AVALANCHE members, Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie and then finding his long lost friend Dyne, only to lose him again. And now Marlene… hadn't he suffered enough?
Yuffie had also suffered, he thought. She had wanted Wutai to become proud of it's heritage and itself again. And although she didn't have much to do with Sephiroth, Cloud knew that she wanted to fight for her homeleand, no matter how much she tried to hide it.
Cloud looked at Tifa. They had finally found each other, after all these years. He didn't know that she had had feelings for him, nor did she know that he wanted her to like him. But they had finally opened up to each other in the Lifestream. She had helped him, like no other could have. He owed her more then he could ever repay. And now they were together. He would protect her, he thought. Always.
Cait Sith broke the silence.
"I had everyone in Midgar relocate to the slums", he said, but then trailed, shaking his head, "but the way things are now…"
Red XII stood, ready for action.
"Forget Midgar," he barked," We have to worry about the planet!"
He was right. The carnage that hovered over Midgar would only spread, causing even more devastation. Cloud and party had done all they could. Sephiroth was dead. Shinra had been destroyed, their Mako reactors shut off for good. But the planet didn't know that. The planet wanted to make sure. The planet wanted to cure itself of the machine made cancer, as well as destroy the CAUSE of it. Mankind.
"There's nothing more we can do," Cloud thought, " Man has sealed his own fate."
Cloud turned his back to the whole thing and started to ait for death. At least he would go with dignity, with pride. He looked over at Tifa. He walked over to her and surprised her when he wrapped his arms around her. But then she nestled into his arms. At least he wouldn't die alone. He closed his eyes and waited.
Cloud jolted straight up. Tifa gasped and looked at him.
"What?" Tifa asked.
"I…I feel," he said, "..warm."
Then Tifa gasped again. "Look," she cried.
Cloud looked. The others also ran to see what she had pointed out. A small, faint mist started appearing from the ground. The party looked intently, trying to figure out just what it was. The mist grew, so small at first. So faint. But it continued to flow from the earth, glowing brighter with each second.
"What is it?" asked Cid.
"The Lifestream," stated Cloud.
Cloud was right. It was the Lifestream. More columns of mist began appearing, wafting out from all sections of the earth.
"How?" Barrett gaped," What could be making the Lifestream gush out like that?"
"Where is it going?" Vincent gave his question.
"I know where it's going," answered Cloud.
"Can't you feel it? He asked, after a brief pause.
The others were searching, but he already knew what they were feeling.
"It's going... to Midgar?" Tifa exclaimed.
More and more columns were appearing from the earth. Each one headed for Midgar. Each one with a mission.
The Highwind soared over the display of light and sound, carrying an astounded crew who wished to see it to the end.
The Lifestream flowed under, over, through, and around Meteor and Holy. Smothering both spells with it's divine holyness and protecting the planet from the destructive forces.
"The planet is fighting back!" Cloud yelled, " The planet doesn't want to die. Everything that lives here, or is a part of that Lifestream doesn't want to be lost!"
"The planet is fightin everything itself!" exclaimed Barrett. "Usually I'm the one trying to defend it but right now, it feels like it's defendin me."
"It's not just you," Tifa answered him,"but everybody who lives here."
"There's also something else that I feel," Cloud said solemnly. Then he spoke. "Her."
"Your right," Barrett agreed. "I didn't want to say anything before, but a few minutes ago I started thinking about her."
"I don't know why," Yuffie chimed in," I didn't even know her that well, but my memories are of her right now."
"That girl..." Cid mumbled. "She was so young."
"So full of life," added Vincent.
"My favorite memories are of her," Red XII admitted.
Cait Sith didn't say anything. He looked at Cloud. He was there at the Ancient Temple. He had caught the look on Cloud's face when he had given them their fortunes. She had also looked very happy that day.
"You're a perfect match," he had told them,"I'll be your matchmaker, preacher, just call me when it all happens."
"It's her," Cloud proclaimed, snapping Cait Sith back into the present, "Aeris."
Everybody was silent. The feeling was so strong. So happy. From then on everyone knew that it was going to be all right. The planet was going to live.. And so were they.
"Let's not refer to Aeris in the past tense," Cloud ordered," She's always been here with us. Watching us.. protecting us. And now as part of that Lifestream, she is protecting us once again."
Everybody on the planet, not just they, knew that. The people of the earth could feel her warm presence too. They all opened their eyes.
"Flower lady?" asked a small little girl with brunette hair and a pink dress. She looked out towards Midgar, from the town of Kalm, and felt safe. "It's the flower lady!"
Back on the Highwind, the party continued to stand in silence. They watched, praying and generally thinking about the girl who had saved them.. And the sacrifice she had paid for it. They were witnessing a miracle.
"Thank you Aeris," Cloud whispered to the air. He closed his eyes.
Then he thought he heard something. It was very faint but he swore that he heard a voice reach him. " "...lcome Clo... . Good.ey.."
Cloud shook his head and when the words ha finally reached his mind he felt the need to answer.
"Goodbye," he said.
"Cloud," Tifa looked at him, "Who are you talking to?"
"I heard her. She was saying goodbye," he answered, looking back towards Tifa.
"Really?" she asked.
Tifa couldn't tell whether to be awed or to be jealous. She knew could had developed feeling for Aeris, but she hoped that he hadn't loved her.
"Because... I love you," she thought to herself.
That thought shocked her more then anything else that had happened that night. She had to ask. I do? She exclaimed in her mind. And then she answered herself, already knowing. Yes... I do love him.
Suddenly the Highwind jolted.
"Whoa!!" Tifa pleated.
Cloud jumped and caught her, placing her back onto her feet. She looked around and then the situation took hold on her. The Lifestream was making it's final assault on Meteor and Holy and it seemed like the magics weren't going down without a fight.
"That magic is flinging about wildy!" Cid yelled as he grabbed the controls, "it's gonna take some fancy flying to avoid this energy!"
Cid pulled off as many aerial maneuvers as possible to keep the Highwind from being blown out of the sky.
"Guess we shouldn't have gotten so close," Cid complained.
"Just get us the hell out of here!" Cloud shouted.
"Shit, what do you think I'm trying to do?" Cid yelled back
"Trying to make me lose that Super Costa De Sol Burger I had for lunch?" groaned Yuffie, grabbing her stomach and trying to keep it from churning.
Barrett had to grin at that.
"Yo Cid!" he called, "know anymore special moves?"
"Comin right up!" he barked
"urk... damn you.. I'll get you for this..." cried Yuffie
Red took notice and jumped over to the wheezing girl.
"Don't worry," he said, "I'm sure you can take it."
"Yeah... right... upp urk!," was all she could manage to say as she slowly slunk off towards the bridge exit.
"All joking aside," Cid warned, "It's really all I can do to keep us from getting hit."
As if on cue, a blast from Meteor shot out and rocked the Highwind. Everybody was thrown from their feet. Cloud kneeled up and gave Tifa his hand, helping her to get back up. Vincent had been holding onto the rails.
"Shit!", cursed Cid and Barrett.
As everybody struggled to their feet Cid shouted orders.
"Status!!!" he commanded his maintenance officers.
"The engines are roughly 45 % percent destroyed," said one oh the men, "There's no doubt. This ship is going down.
"Oh no captain!," shouted another worker hysterically, "there's another blast coming right for us!"
"Damn it!!", Cid pounded the ships controls.
"No! No one dies here today unless I say," Cloud boldly said.
Cloud unsheathed his Ultima Blade. He stood on the deck of the Highwind, looking straight out at the approaching beam of light.
"Cloud... what are you doing?" Tifa started to become afraid.
"I'm keeping my promise.." he whispered to her.
He then rushed forward.
Tifa panicked.
"Cloud? No.. No Cloud.... NO CLOUD!!!," she screamed.
Cloud jumped off the Highwind and sailed through the air. Positioning his blade between him and the beam, he raised it up and at the last possible second, sliced the beam of magic right through the middle. At the other split second he pivoted his blade so that the edges were facing horizontally outward, causing the beam to split in two directions, completely missing the Highwind.
"Do the rest Cid," he blurted to himself as he started to fall unmercifully towards the ground.
"CLOUD!!!! NOO!!!!," Tifa blared.
She ran towards the edge of the Highwind.
"Cloud.. No Cloud... I'm coming, she repeated.
But then she felt someone grab her by the waist and pull her away. She screamed and kicked and whirled around to see exactly who it was that had stopped her.
"Stop it Tifa!," Barrett yelled, holding her back, Don't be stupid!"
"Let me go!!," she shouted at Barrett, squirming to break his hold. "I... I can save him!"
"No you can't!!" Barrett said loudly. "Stop it!"
" No..let me go.." she pleaded.
"Tifa, don't do something as foolish as he did. What Cloud just pulled was insane. But he did it for all of us. Especially you. Don't throw away what Cloud wanted you to have... you life," Barrett said more softly.
Barrett's words stuck to her mind. He kept his promise to her. Again. Cloud was always saving her from something. And now, he had kept the danger away from her again. But this time.. At what price? Barrett was right though. Killing herself would only mean she would be throwing away what Cloud had given her repeatedly.
Tifa relaxed. As Barrett finally let her go. With her energy seemingly sucked out of her, she slumped to the cold metal floor.
"Cloud..." she whispered, tears starting to flow from her eyes.
"Hey Tifa...," Barrett tried to console her, " If I know Cloud, he ain't gonna let a simple thing like falling keeping him from living."
Barrett continued after a pause, "So.. You should keep on hoping. Just As I have hope that Marlene is still alive... somewhere out there."
He looked out at the immense sky and started to think about his own missing loved one.
"Barrett," mumbled a tear ridden Tifa,"thanks......but.....I'd.... I'd like to be alone for awhile."
With that she stood and ran off the deck towards the conference room.
As all this was going on, Cid was still trying to keep the Highwind in the air.
"Can you do it?" asked Cait Sith
"Nope," Cid answered,"There's no doubt that this ship is goin down."
"So.. What are we going to do?" Red questioned.
"Whatta ya think? I'm gonna try to land the damn thing, "Cid growled, "Preferably in one piece!"
Vincent had stood by Cid all that time, as he watched Barrett trying to calm Tifa down.
"Poor Tifa," he mumbled, thinking of Cloud.
"That damn young fool," Cid heard him," But.. I'm gonna make something out of it. I'm not gonna let anyone else suffer."
With that, Cid put clenched his gloves to the controls and used every ounce of his knowledge to keep the Highwind up until he could find a place to land.
At that point, Tifa had already stood up and had run directly out towards the conference room. Barrett, who had nothing else better to do, headed over to where everyone was standing. He didn't like seeing anyone, besides Tifa no less being in that kind of pain, but he knew when to back off.
"This rough ride is getting on my nerves," Barrett told Cid, "Why don't you just land it?"
"Damn you Barrett, " Cid cursed at him, " Don't you know anything? If I land the plane now, at the speed were going, we'd be torn to shreds."
"Well if we stay up here any longer, were bound to be ripped apart by those magics anyway!" he yelled back.
"I don't think so,"Red examined, "The skies have gone quiet."
"Hamm.. he's right," Vincent agreed, " that energy doesn't seem to lashing out anymore."
They were both right. While they had been busy conferring with one another, the Lifestream had succeeded in absorbing all of the magic energies. The Lifestream itself seems to be retreating, confident that it's life preserving mission had been accomplished.
"The planet may be saved," Barrett observed,"and don't get me wrong... I'm overjoyed bout that. But what about us? We're still crashin.
"Godammit Barrett. I'm doing the best I can here," Cid snarled
"Well right now, it ain't good enough!" Barrett bit back.
"Shut up!," yelled Cid, flipping his cigar toward Barrett, "We've been lucky to stay up this damn long with half nearly half the engines blown to hell's kitchen. So shut your mouth!"
"I ain't gonna wait to die!" Barrett shouted, "if your gonna land it, then do it now and let fate decide if I live or die."
"Calm down Barrett," Cait Sith spoke, stepping up to him, "Your not helping matters by yelling at Cid. He's doing all he can."
"Besides, "Red intervened, "That's sound advice coming from someone who just told Tifa not to throw it all away."
"What?" Barrett whirled to face the Red wolf. "You were listening?"
"I've got good ears!," Red answered, his face revealing that he was annoyed by Barretts's attitude.
Red had a point. He did just tell Tifa that suicide wasn't a way out. And now he was considering something like that himself? He paused and then spoke again.
"Doesn't matter," he argued, "I still don't want to stand here and see if we all go down hard."
"I don't care what anyone says," Cid growled again, "I'm gonna keep the highwind intact and in one piece or die trying."
The Highwind lurched again as if to reply to Cid's statement.
"Ugh," red grimaced.
He looked around at the officers still scrambling around... doing whatever they could to help. But he knew the others were right. The ship WAS going to crash.
"Look," Red explained, "I don't think we can stay on this ship. Why don't we all just parachute out?"
"Say, that's an idea!" Barrett held up his left index finger. He had already made up his mind.
"Well Cid?" Vincent gave him a questioning look.
Cid stayed silent for several seconds... but then he turned his head off the controls and looked at the group.
"I said it before," Cid gave his answer," I'm keeping this airship intact. I designed it. I built it. So I'm staying with it."
"But Cid!" Red pleaded with him, "We can't leave you here. There's a very good chance that you could die!"
"The captain always goes down with the ship, " Cid stated again, "Now go!! All of ya's!"
He pointed to the maintenance officers.
"Damn it Cid, we can't just abandon you," Barrett flared again.
"We won't!" Cait Sith shouted with his loud mechanical voice.
"Damn it!!!" Cid shouted loudly, "I'm ordering all of you damn bastards to get the hell off my ship! Get!! I don't have time to fool around!!"
"Let's go Barrett," Cait Sith said, placing his mechanical arm on Barrett's shoulder, "it's what Cid wants."
"Goddamn Shinra idiot," Barrett grumbled, "you just want to up and abandon him?"
"No. Don't misunderstand guys, "Cait Sith spoke, holding up his hand, "Like I said were not gonna abandon him."
"Don't try to force me to leave," Cid warned.
"No. We'll let you land the ship," Cait Sith kept talking, "But your not doing it alone."
"What are you on about Cat?" Barrett asked. His muscles were tensed. He didn't want to leave his friend, but he didn't want to stick around and wait until they crashed either.
"Did you forget?" Cait Sith explained, "I'm mechanical. My real body is at Midgar, remember? So in the event... that things go badly, I won't be killed, only my stuffed body will die."
Red thought about it for a minute. Then he spoke up about it.
"Well...," he mused,"It sounds like the most logical thing to do."
"Please Cid," Cait Sith begged, "if your gonna stay here, at least let me stay and help."
"Well.. if it gets the rest of ya's the hell off this ship, "Cid broke, lighting a big, "then fine."
"I'm still not wild about the idea," Barrett grumbled.
Cait Sith caught a hint of something in Barrett's tone. He knew what Barrett was thinking.
"What.... you don't trust me?" he accused.
Barrett had to admit to himself that Cait Sith, no... rather Reeve was very good at reading off people's thought. Those kind of people made him wary and suspicious. And the fact that reeve was an employee of Shinra no less, didn't help those feelings. He didn't want to leave Cid alone with someone, he admitted he didn't throughly trust.
"Not completely," barrett said truthfully," But I guess right now, it's the only way."
"Oh.. the only way huh.." Cait Sith's tone was now low.
"Stop gabbin and go!!," Cid yelled. He was frustrated by all this talk and yelling.
"Alright then!" Barrett took charge. "Let's go get Tifa and Yuffie, and parachute off this heap."
He ran for the exit as the others followed quickly behind. The scrambled past him as he turned to Cid and Cait Sith and called back.
"I want ya to stay alive old man," Barrett ordered, smiling at him.
"Yeah,, you too dad....," Cid answered, " make sure you find your kid!"
Barrett nodded and the turned to Cait Sith.
"And cat... I'm counting on ya to keep him alive," Barrett said.
"That a goodbye Barrett? Well thanks! I'll do just that, " he answered.
With that Barrett quickly turned and left the bridge of the Highwind.
Tifa had slowly made her way from the bridge and had finally entered the conference room.
"Cloud.." she tearfully mumbled.
Looking to see that no one was around to watch her, she finally broke. She didn't want anyone to see her like this. She was supposed to be strong.. able to take care of herself. She knew how to fight and she never gave in to others. She always thought of herself as hard to break. But now... here she was... crying like a newborn babe.
But she told herself she had good reason to be. She had just lost someone who she only just now... realized that she loved. Deeply. Someone who had saved her countless times and had never left her undefended. Someone who she thought would never leave her side. And now? Was he gone? She became very scared.
"Oh Cloud," she wept, "gripping that table and starting to tremble," Why?"
She continued to cry. The table on which she had put her head down beginning to gro damp from her tears.
"Why," she thought. She pounded the table," It isn't fair. Just when I find out... find you... you leave."
She thought about how Cloud had thrown himself off the bridge. How he had divided that beam with his Ultima Blade. Of the last moments she saw of him before he plummeted to earth.
She remembered, just before she lost sight of him, how he looked back.. almost as if he had been glancing at her.
"What Cloud did... he did for us all. Especially you." Barrett's words rang through her mind.
Yeah, she thought, that's what he always did. Cloud saved me. He was like my pillar or my rock. I always thought that i was strong, but in reality it was always him. He was the one that was strong. Not me. And I needed him for that. And now... he's gone.
Thinking this made Tifa weep even more. She didn't want to think anymore. Didn't want to do anything. She just wanted to be weak. To think of him. She wanted to just cry.
That's what she did for seven good solid minutes. Then realizing that it might be better if she got some air, she stood up out of the plush leather chair, looked around the red carpeted room and wiped her eyes the best she could. She didn't want people to know how much she had been crying. She was embarrassed about it herself... but she knew.. they were her feelings. God... why didn't she realize it sooner? Why didn't she say it sooner? Damn...
She left the conference room.
Blindly, she slowly made her way for the main airship balcony. She had almost made it there when someone reached out and grabbed her arm.
"Yips!" she gasped.
Surprised, her reflexes took over and she spun around with a whirlwind punch. The figure ducked and rolled backwards, landing on it's feet, holding out a pair of arms and wearing surprised and angry look on it's face. Tifa recognized immediately who it was.
"Yuffie, what are you doing?" she felt herself hiss.
"Gawd Tifa!" Yuffie shouted, her face turning even more upset," i was just going to tell you that you shouldn't go out there!"
"Huh?" Tifa seemed not to notice Yuffie anymore. She just wore a blank stare.
"Goin outside would be suicide considering the ride has gotten a bit bumpy," Yuffie warned in a less threatening tone.
"Oh," Tifa just stopped and shrugged. Tifa just stood there.
Yuffie stared at Tifa. And then she noticed that Tifa's eyes were very red. It only took a moment for her to figure that something was wrong. The way Tifa was acting, the sadness that she tried to disguise in her voice and the way she just blindly stared as if in shock. Tifa was definitely not right.
"Uh.. Tifa, what's wrong?" Yuffie asked curiously. Why was she asking anyway? She never particularly felt close to anybody. And when she had joined Cloud's group, none of them felt really terribly close. So... why did she care?
Maybe it had to do with the group's attitude here. Maybe it was beginning to rub off on here. Or maybe.. maybe it was because of all the things they had just gone through and experienced together. Maybe.. she had found a place where she belonged. She didn't really know...but for some reason, she really didn't like seeing Tifa this way. And so... she asked Tifa again.
"What?" Tifa's voice was soft, barely registering. It was almost like Yuffie wasn't there.
"Tifa.. why are you so sad?" she repeated.
This time Tifa heard her. But she was surprised that Yuffie of all people would be concerned about her. She had to say something.
"I... I guess I didn't hide it to well..." she trailed.
"Yahh... Tifa?" Yuffie answered, waiting for her.
"I heard you Yuffie," Tifa softly whispered and the looking directly at her. Her Hair was matted and her clothes looked disheveled., "but why are you even asking? You should already know why.. Like you... would care anyway."
Tifa knew she was being harsh, but she needed something to take her emotions out on. Even if it was poor Yuffie.
"Whoa!," Yuffie defended herself," What's with the 'tude? I'm just wondering what's got ya so down. Like I need this. Besides... I'm always out here anyway, how should I know about anything?
"Oh...," Tifa agreed going into that blank stare again, "That's right." Tifa started to think about what had happened again.... and she felt her tears welling up again.
An uncomfortable pause took place between them. Finally Tifa scrounged up the nerve to speak again.
"Yuffie..," she whispered again her voice starting to crack.
Yuffie kept looking at Tifa, trying to figure out what the hell was wrong. She really wished that she hadn't shouted at her.
"I'm sorry, " Yuffie apologized, " But.... my father always said.. before we started fighting... that when someone is upset that should try and talk about it."
"You..... you weren't there....you didn't see what happened...," Tifa tearfully mumbled.
"Well, then what is it?" Yuffie was pressing, " If it's guy trouble, then it's best to talk to me. I'm the only other female here, besides you."
"No.. it's not that.. it's... it's because Cloud..," Tifa couldn't bear to say it. She just did not want to believe it.
"Yuffie waited as Tifa paused, eying her, saying it was ok for her to say.
"Cloud....." she repeated. No it wasn't true! It just wasn't! It... was....
"C,mon Tifa, you can tell me...," Yuffie encouraged her.
She had to. She had to say it.
"Cloud... Cloud....," she repeated his name faster.
Yuffie smiled gesturing her to say.
"CLOUD KILLED HIMSELF!!!" she had stepped back and shouted it at that top of her lungs. She backed away, slumping to the floor and placing her clenched hands into her lap.
"WHAT?!!!," Yuffie gasped, so shocked by what Tifa had just shouted , that she too almost tripped over her own feet. She stumbled back... trying to absorb it in.
"What... what do you mean?!!", Yuffie exclaimed.
Tifa was trying to explain it between sobs, the tears in her eyes again.
"He.. sacrificed himself......for me.... for us," she squeaked
Tifa then told Yuffie the whole story, sniffling and trying to find a way to compose herself. She told about how the beam had shot towards the Highwind. How Cloud vowed that they would not die while had a say. How he drew his Ultima Blade and struck it in half saving everyone. How he started to fall downwards... looking up... how she attempted to jump after him.
"If it wasn't for Barrett..," she voiced., "then... i probably would have died with him."
"I just.. don't believe it." Yuffie stood there in awe.
"You... you can't believe it?", Tifa repeated her, " I..... I can't deal with it."
She clenched her fists. Damn it... she just found out. Damn.. she shouldn't be this wrecked about it. But... she was...
"I'm... sorry Tifa." Yuffie knelt her head down.
"You know... I found out.. just before... something I realized...," Tifa tried talking
"What?" Yuffie asked.
"I found out that.... that I was.... and that he was.... I never got to tell him.... never got.." she started talking incoherently, " I was... in love... with him."
Yuffie was trying to figure out what to say. She just couldn't believe it. She had no idea how to handle this situation, or calm Tifa down.
"Now, I'll never get to tell him that... never get to see him, never get to .. hold him... never get to do... anything.... with him..," Tifa kept babbling.
The she broke again in front of Yuffie. She couldn't help it. This was too much for her. She didn't care anymore who saw her. She earned the right to cry. Broken hearted she lay there... sobbing.
But Yuffie was an optimist. She hated sad moods. She was energetic, cheerful and always looking for life.
Moreover, she just still couldn't believe what Tifa was telling her. Cloud dead? Yeah.. right. She just couldn't picture it. A guy like him.. dying that easily. And Tifa... just acting like she was giving up. Seeing Tifa like that didn't make her sad. What it really did was make her angry.
"So, your just giving up, right Tifa?!, she curtly told.
"What?", Tifa looked up at her through tear-soaked eyes.
"Your giving up!", Yuffie boldly stated waving her right arm up in the air.
"Wh... what do you mean?," Tifa asked her for an answer.
"Come on. Did you really see him die?"retorted Yuffie.
"H-he fell!," Tifa replied angrily, "Of course I saw him die!"
"Did you see him hit the ground?!," Yuffie continued," Gawd, were talking about a guy who can fall off reactors and live. Were talking about a guy who disappeared into the Lifestream and reappeared in a far off town. We're talking about a guy who came back, with YOUR help after nearly being brain dead!!!"
Tifa stared at Yuffie, letting her words soak into her as she continued,
"All those times he was in trouble, you never gave up on him. You were always determined to bring him back. And he did. But now.... your just giving up!!," Yuffie gave her feelings.
Tifa thought about what Yuffie had just said. Was she right? Did she just give up? Cloud did always seems to come back from things. Things, normal people would die from. He never gave up on the people he loved. Certainly not on here. All those times that he was in trouble she had always been there. She never really questioned why... she just felt like she needed to. And now?
Yuffie was right. She hadn't really seen Cloud die. They hadn't buried him yet.... there could still be a chance...So why.. why should she think that he was dead now? It was just giving up. On him. And she decided that she didn't want to do that. Not just yet.
After a few minutes... she composed herself...straightened out her face and tried to shake away her bad feelings.
"Your right Yuffie, "she finally managed to say, " You are absolutely right. I am just giving up. I can't do that. He is.. he is alive. He's alive somewhere. I'll find him. I won't ever be convinced that he's dead... not until I see proof."
She stood straight up, her fists were clenched, het eyes filled with intent, her very figure starting to tense... beaming with determination.
"I swear.. I swear.. I'll find him. No matter what happens I'll do it. Because I need to tell him. I swear I'll tell him."
Maybe she was just trying to convince herself. She had to... for somehow she had found some slim chance of hope. She had to keep it with her.. otherwise she would be giving up.
"That's the Tifa I know," Yuffie complimented. She was smiling trying to keep Tifa's spirits lifted.
"Thanks Yuffie, your right. I'm not gonna give up," she kept saying, her heart filled with hope. Her eyes were no longer filled with tears, but with desire. The desire to find the one person in the world she knew she loved.
"It's no prob, You just find him," Yuffie said.
She started to turn around, but Tifa put her hands on her shoulders. Before Yuffie knew what was happening, Tifa dragged her forward, put her arms around her and squeezed.
"T.. Tifa! What are you doing?!", Yuffie gasped for air. Yuffie was not used to being hugged. It wasn't something that she was equally fond of either.
"Thank you Yuffie," Tifa started to talk, "If it wasn't for you.. I would have quit. I was on the verge of literally going insane.. of killing myself out of grief."
"That's not something I think Cloud would want," Yuffie stated., starting to struggle out of the bearhug.
"Yes...your right...." Tifa agreed, letting Yuffie go, "Thank you... thank you... for being my friend."
Friend?!! Tifa called her friend? No... Yuffie couldn't believe that... Yuffie was never anyone's friend. Yuffie had to shake her head to believe that. She didn't quite no how to react to it.
"Anytime I guess,' Yuffie finally said,"But.. if you ever hug me again... I'm gonna kick ur ass so bad, you won't even notice your missing materia."
Tifa stood there for a minute, not knowing exactly what to say. She felt her lips move as If to reply that she found that at least partly funny. Of course she wasn't in the mood to laugh.. but it sill helped to cheer her up.
"Now.. urk....excuse me,"Yuffie started wheezing," That little display of emotion just got my stomach moving again."
She trudged off in the direction of the chocobo stables.. perhaps to find a haystack to use.. just in case. It left Tifa alone, to her thoughts.
I'll find you Cloud, she thought. But then she felt disturbing thoughts trying to creep into her mind. What if... what if i don't find you? Or i do find you.. but your dead? Can I do it? Go through burying you? What will i do if that happens?
No. She shook her head of the dark images. No. I'll find him alive. She believed she would. Even so... she couldn't help think that it might become a very real possibility. He could be dead. She might have to deal with it. No! she thought. He's alive!
"Oh Cloud....," she whispered.,"...Don't be dead."
It wasn't that Tifa tried to get her mind off Cloud as so much as the thought were ripped away from her. Tifa found herself flat on her back , her eyes gazing at the ceiling.
"Owch," she grimaced, steadying herself as she pulled herself to her feet, "Wha-what happened?
She immediately realized that the airship had once again flailed about wildly in the air. She also caught Barrett, Red XII and Vincent running towards her.
"Tifa!" Barrett bellowed, out of breath from running.
"Are you okay Tifa?", Red asked, stooping directly in front of her.
"I'm fine...," shw sighed, her mind drifting again, "But, what's going on? The ship just lurched. And I see you guys running out here."
Yuffie had also returned from the Chocobo stable, looking interested in the conversation. But she also looked terribly nauseous.
"Were bailin out of here, " Barrett explained, "Ain't no way this hunk o' junk is gonna stay up in the air much longer."
"Were parachuting out?" Tifa guessed.
"That's right," Vincent cut in," may I suggest we cut the conversation short and get our chutes on."
The airship lurched again in reply. Tifa managed to stay on her feet this time , but Barrett lost his balance and toppled over. Fortunately for him, he managed to land on something soft and furry.
"Damn it," Barrett grinned , " I guess your right Vincent."
"Ahem... I beg your pardon, but would you kindly get off of me Barrett?" Red growled in obvious discomfort, " Your not exactly the lightest person here."
"Oh..," Barrett said, " I thought the floor was kinda soft." he managed to get to his feet.
"Damn.. your hardly soft...my ribs...," Red complained.
Tifa snickered a little under her breath, holding her mouth to hide it, but the others caught it.
"Looks like your feeling better," Barrett commented.
"Not really," tifa explained. Her facial expression turning serious again. She looked downwards at the metal floor. "I just have something to believe in right now..."
"Let's go," Vincent rushed , grabbing parachutes and chucking them over to his companions, "We don't have a lot of time left."
The group agreed and started to put their packs on. The other maintenance people were doing the same. But tifa, being observant, noticed that there were two people missing.
"Uh.. guys?" she started to ask.
"Yes?", Red addressed her.
"Where's Cid and Cait Sith?," she wanted to know.
"Well uh... yesee...," Barrett tried started to explain. He didn't quite know how to put it.
Tifa looked at them, a quizzical look on her face. She stopped, waiting until one of them gave her an answer.
Barrett started again,"Cid... wants to try and land the ship.."
"..so he's making us leave him here..", Red finished.
"W...what?!", Tifa's air left her, "Y..You can't!" She frowned with disgust. There was no way.. she couldn't do that.
"He's making us do it Tifa," Barrett tried to explain," And you know Cid. He ain't gonna change his mind and nothin is gonna make him."
"But....but...", Tifa stammered, looking away from them," First.... first Cloud... and now Cid?"
"Don't worry, Tifa," Red tried to convince her," He won't be alone. Cait Sith is going to stay with him."
"C.. cait Sith too?!", her voice grew louder as she gave the other an angry look, "No! I won't allow it!"
She stood there with her fists balled. Damn.. Why was all this happening?
"There's nothing we can do about it," Barrett put his hands out," Cid loves this plane, you know that. And Cait Sith is just a toy robot. His real body is in Midgar. And being a Shinra employee, he should know about some of the things in this ship, seeing as how it was Shinra who helped build it. So...Cid's in good hands." Barrett was trying to convince himself more then Tifa. He really knew what she was thinking and he felt terrible about leaving them behind. But.. It seemed like the only way.
"Never thought I'd hear you compliment Cait Sith like that," Red commented to Barrett.
"Eh.. Shut up," Barrett mumbled under his breath towards Red.
"But.... still....it's...it's not fair!", Tifa would not listen to reason.
"C'mon...Tifa...", Yuffie said under heavy breath,"We gotta ... go."
Tifa looked down at Yuffie. She was on the ground, nauseated by the trembles of the airship. She stopped and thought. She knew she wouldn't win this argument. And she knew there was really nothing she could do. She felt herself starting to give in. Finally.. she spoke again.
"Alright...", she said softly, but then put in, "But as soon as we land, we're going to head for the crash site."
Barrett shook his head yes,"We were going to do that anyways."
"Let's go," Vincent ordered.
They all started moving towards the airship balcony, but suddenly stopped and looked back to see that Yuffie was still on the ground.
"C'mon Yuffie," Red nodded towards the exit, "let's go."
"Ugh," was her reply, as she looked up at them She tried to get to her feet.
"I'd... like to, but... I'm dizzy. Feel like...I'm either gonna.....hurl.....or.....black...out.." She had trouble getting her words out.
"You don't even have your chute on," Barrett pointed out.
"S,cuse ... me..", Yuffie put on her famous attitude," Mister... fall... on... Red.......(wheeze)...damn....can't ... even.....insult...you...ugh."
Red walked up to her and looked her over.
"I know that you've always had motion sickness Yuffie," he told her, shaking his head, " But I didn't know that you got it this bad."
"It's.......al....thi....these.......bumps.......d-damn," She managed to wheeze.
"Barrett," Tifa asked him, "Could you?"
Barrett nodded at Tifa and then walked over to Yuffie.
"Alright, come on," he sighed. He picked her up and cradled her in his strong humongous arms.
"W...Wha...What ..are...you...doing?", Yuffie cried, surprised and embarrassed that she was being carried," G..get off.."
"For your own good," Barrett said smugly," If you can't walk, then I'll just have to carry ya. Besides which, there's nothn you can do about it either."
"I...I'm...not.. a baby...huff..wheeze...," she protested. She couldn't even move. And she disliked this attention.
"Yes....but.. you're not well either," Tifa spoke softly," Just relax. We'll make sure that your fine."
"No....no... don't... want ....any..one' ..help," she was still complaining. They were already half way to the balcony.
"Hmmph....too bad. You're gettin it," Barrett snorted.
"Fine....," Yuffie finally gave up," B..but.. don't blame me....if I .. hurl on ya."
"You better not," Barrett warned.
They all made it out onto the balcony. The looked down and the saw the ground starting to loom up, closer and closer to them. They were going pretty fast, so all they could really see was the greens of the earth as it zoomed along past them.
Barrett sat Yuffie down and tifa helped to get her parachute on. When they had finally finished hooking it to her, Barrett again picked her up and looked out, ready to jump.
"Jeez, your a lot lighter then Marlene. You do eat don't ya?", Barrett joked at her.
"Be... be quiet," Yuffie wheezed, and angry look on her face,"Ya.. think I like... being lugged around..... by you? Oh.. that's it... I'm gonna....hurl..."
"Alright! Alright! I won't say another word!!" Barrett begged her.
"Heh...", Yuffie smirked.
They all stood there looking out over the edge. Their muscles tensed, ready to take the big plunge off.
"Ok...I'm gonna leap," Red stated, and then turned his head at Yuffie, " do you think you can open your chute while your falling?"
"I'll... be fine," Yuffie replied. She wasn't that helpless. She could take care of herself.
Barrett pulled out the portable phone from his pocket, and dialed into it. A moment later he looked at the group.
"Cid says good luck to everyone," Barrett announced the message.
"Tell him the same," Tifa nodded softly.
Barrett did just that, and then placed the phone back into his pocket. He stretched his body and then placed his boot on the guardrail.
"Alright... let's go!" he ordered.
Without warning, he took Yuffie and tossed her over the side.
"Wha.. wha... you! You biiiiig jeeeeeeeerrrrrk," Her voice trailed off.
Barrett then hopped over the guardrail himself. "Later," he waved back as he disappeared.
Vincent was next. It seemed like he just glided over the side.
"See you around," he voiced before he disappeared in the air.
Red and Tifa were the last two people standing there. She looked out into the distance, blankly staring. Red pawed up next to her side.
"Well...were the only ones left," Red remarked to her.
"I....I'm gonna find him Red," she heard herself say, " I will."
Red looked up at her. She was still staring out towards the moving horizon. The mountains seemed so distant, but they slowly moved across, like creatures slowly making there way on a harsh journey.
Red nodded, knowing exactly what she meant.
"Cloud.....," she said, " I'm coming...."
With that she ran and dove off the Highwind. She disappeared into the moving sky.
"Cloud..," Red wondered," You.. still believe he's alive. He stared toward the spot where Tifa had descended.
"For your sake Tifa.... I really hope so..", he whispered.
He gave the Highwind one last look, and silently said goodbye to the pilot. And then with that, Red ran to the edge of the ship. Leaping off and doing a full flip through the air.