"Find a way to get out of this shit!"
His thoughts turned to the only one in the world that mattered more to him than the airship. It's namesake. His wife was probably sitting at home, looking up at the skies above, wondering when her husband would arrive home, demanding his cup of tea. Cid smiled, despite the situation. He loved her so much…and she always put up with him. Even when he had been so obnoxious and rude to her…she had stayed by his side. She had waited for him all those times when he had to go and save the world. And she would always welcome him home. It was those times that Cid lived for. But he wondered, as the ship dropped rapidly, if he would ever experience that again. He wanted to keep apologising, for the way he'd treated her, and he wanted to thank her for putting up with a crabby Pilot's moans and groans. He swore as he was almost thrown off his feet as the airship tilted to one side, but he hung on to the wheel, his teeth grinding together as he tried to hang on, before it mercifully righted itself again.
In the engine room, Vincent was banging his fists aimlessly on the flaming engines. Ice spells had quenched the fire somewhat, but they could not undo the damage already done. He felt his stomach churn as the airship dropped through the air, but he did not stop hoping. If Chaos was still a part of him, he might have been able to save the Shera, but it had returned to the planet two years ago, after the events of Deepground. He wouldn't have minded dying before that…but now, he had something to live for. He had adopted Shelke after those events, and she would expect him back. He felt the tears stinging in his eyes…he hadn't felt that for a long time, and it was both discomforting and yet he felt strangely glad that he knew he still could cry…
Around him, he saw the WRO soldiers trying as hard as they could to fix the damage…but because it was made of ancient technology, they had really no idea. Vincent sighed, before sweeping his cloak along the floor and turning towards the door. On his way to the bridge, he passed some WRO members making some last phone calls to their loved ones, and some were on their knees praying. Yet Vincent had no wish to do either. He hadn't given up yet. He may have had two years ago, but then Chaos would have saved him before…but now that was gone, it was perhaps time to panic for the first time since he had awoken from his deep sleep. It was not his thing, but faced in a situation with no way out…
"I don't want to die…"
He ran up the stairs on the bridge, and stood alongside Cid, as he saw the rapidly approaching ocean appear on the view screen.
"Had any smart ideas, Valentine?" Vincent shook his head, and Cid let out a harsh life, "Me neither. We're screwed." Vincent saw past the laugh, and saw the despair in Cid's eyes. Both of them had someone to support, and someone who counted on them. The anger rose up inside him, anger at his own helplessness. He too sank to his knees, in pure anguish. The alarm lights flashed, turning the bridge red. It was a hellish scene.
"We are similar Cid. You have Shera, I have Shelke. We both have different reasons, but we love them, and hell if I'm going to let us go out without a fight!" Cid laughed again, turning to the kneeling Vincent.
"Hell, you are like me Valentine! We're outlaws both, both we are the outlaws torn by love, yours for your adopted daughter, me for my wife. They used to tell me when I was little that we all meet each other again in the lifestream. You believe that Valentine?" Vincent looked up, not expecting to hear those words, especially from the mouth of that grizzled old pilot. But he guessed that maybe, just maybe, everyone had their caring side.
"Maybe. We are reborn from the life stream, but do we remember past lives? I doubt it. We may meet those we care about again, but in different guises." "Such is reincarnation, eh?" "That's my theory, anyway…" "Well, to hell to it! I'm not about to find out anytime soon. I believe everyone's favourite pilot, just had an idea!" Cid flicked a switch, turning on the PA system. The words that he spoke next made Vincent feel very, very worried.
"EVERYBODY, HANG ON TO SOMETHING!" Cid raised his hand in the air, like a victorious boxer, before bringing it down on what could only be described as the big red button. Vincent heard a massive explosion, and the Shera suddenly shot in the air at a pace that Vincent could only have imagined, and at a pace that thrilled Cid. "I feel alive, god dammit! And to sure as hell's it's staying that way!"
The Shera's alarm bells were ringing now, and Vincent hadn't a clue as to why they were suddenly propelled in the air. "Cid, what the heck did you do?"
Cid cackled before briefly coughing, before wheezing, "I just exploded the back engines! It gives a bit more time in the air, for me to land where I want to land!" "And where do you want to land?" "I figured snow might provide a bit of a shock resistor!" "Oh god!" Vincent suddenly caught a glimpse of the view screen out of the corner of his eye, and saw they were hurtling towards the northern continent, and as they passed over Bone Village, Vincent jumped up and over the railings onto the main part of the bridge. He'd had an idea. He remembered the shield materia equipped to his Cerberus. He stood, trying not to slip and smash through the view screen, as the nose of the airship was now pointing down 45 degrees. He focused all his energy, before creating a huge shield that covered the whole of the Shera, just thanking his luck and Cid's initiative that he wasn't casting it over water, because that wouldn't have saved them. He wouldn't have been able to hold the shield however, and the water pressure would have crushed the airship.
Cid's voice rang out clear from his position, telling everybody what they already knew to do. "BRACE YOURSELVES!" Vincent's thoughts again drifted to his theory. What if he really was reunited with Lucrecia in the lifestream? What if they were finally allowed to be together, forever? The shield weakened slightly, as war was waged in Vincent's mind. Part of him wanted to see Lucrecia so badly, and wanted to see her smiling face again, and to taste her kiss…yet his reason was putting up a stronger fight than it would have before. If he was right, then he would forget Lucrecia's memory.
"I will not forget you…Lucrecia!" The shield grew stronger than ever, as Vincent concentrated all his energy into it. Cid held onto the wheel, encouraging Vincent from his lofty position. They were mere metres from impact. Cid looked to the ceiling, and to wha lay above.
"Life or death, bring it all on!"
The Airship crashed into the mounds of snow, just outside Icicle Inn, causing everyone on board to be thrown off their feet, as they tried desperately to cling on. The shield had softened the impact, and the airship fell onto it's side with the sound of moaning and screeching metal, as it lay twisted, as the snow fell lightly, dousing what remained of the fires on the outside of the airship.
Cid lay face down on the snow, from where he and most of those on the bridge had been thrown through the view screen. The pain in his right shoulder was causing him to have to hold back the tears that were welling up, such was the agony. It was lessened somewhat when he recognized that he was still very much alive. He let out a weak cheer, before collapsing into unconciousness…
He woke up in a warm bed, not yet opening his eyes, because of the excruciating pain he still felt all over. He shifted, which caused a shot of pain to run across his shoulder once again. He hissed and clamped his teeth together, t prevent himself from screaming. He heard footsteps moving across the room, and recognized a familiar voice.
"So you're awake. Good." He opened his eyes, to see Vincent standing over him, a rare smile slightly brightening his features. Cid chuckled weakly, "You're a pretty heartless bastard sometimes Valentine, you know that?" "You've told me many times Cid."
Cid lay back, closing his eyes again, and trying to relax, although he hadn't felt as much pain since Carry armour hit him with that damn Lapis Laser…stupid piece of junk. Vincent's voice drifted into his mind again. "Poor twisted us…" Cid sat up, struggling, much to Vincent's amusement.
"Don't you go basking in self-pity again, at least when I'm in the room. It makes me feel too happy with myself. This is probably m punishment for smoking and cursing too much in old age." Vincent sighed, which caused Cid to laugh gruffly, "Hey, I sound like you Valentine! Anyway, how'd you fare after our little crash?"
He opened his eyes once again, to see Vincent slumped in a chair beside him. He had a few cuts and scrapes on his face, but nothing else visible. "Apart from what you can see, now that you've finally decided to open your eyes? Nothing. I got out lucky. You might not be able to wave a spear though for a couple of months…"
"You spoil my fun Valentine. I was about to go on another mission for Reeve, was gonna clear out the Nibel mountains of most of the monsters…but with this, I'll have to phone in sick."
"Maybe I'll take that off your hands, if you look after Shelke for me."
"What, that depressing kid? Fine. Just let's get home. I've gotta go pay those WRO boys, not like they deserve it. Still, comes out of Reeve's pocket, not mine." Cid swung his feet over the side of the bed, still wearing his pilot's uniform, which, much to his distaste, had a large tear on his right shoulder, where a layer of bandages showed through. "The hell? Who went crazy with the bandages?"
"My fault. The Doctor had a cold, ironically enough, so I just borrowed a few supplies, and I apologise if I'm not talented in the medical field." Vincent grinned slightly, the tone in his voice annoying Cid.
"Aw hell. Now you're all sarcastic…you should really get a job as a stand up in Edge. They'd love you. Now, enough with this. I want to get home and have a goddamn cup of tea. Balls to my shoulder, and those WRO idiots. Call Cloud, and get him to fly his spiky ass over here in that private jet of his…"
"He has a private jet?" Before Vincent could ask any more, Cid collapsed backwards onto the bed, and fell asleep, snoring loudly. Vincent put his head in his hands dramatically, before getting up, and exiting the room.
"You'll have to wait for me Lucrecia…I have too many people counting on me to die yet. And maybe, I haven't atoned enough to die yet. But who says atonement can't be fun?"