24 hours to go

24 hours to go

By Yuffie Valentine

WARNING: IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A HAPPY ENDING, THIS IS NOT A STORY WITH ONE! THIS STORY IS KIND OF DEPRESSING!

This is a 'what if' story. Aeris was killed before she wished for holy. Holy was never summoned. The Sister Ray never broke the seal on the Northern Crater. Shinra captured Avalanche after they defeated the Diamond Weapon. Thus, there is no hope. The only thing our heroes can do is sit and wait for the end.

Looking at his six friends, Cloud let out another groan. This was worse then anything he had ever been through. No clock, no window, and no way of telling when the meteor would crash into them.

"I feel so damn useless. Not only am I do nothing in this damn cell, it wouldn't make a difference if I was out there." Barret said.

"Not only that, we never get to see anyone again." Yuffie said.

"What's it matter to you? Can't steal any materia from us, we got it taken away. So you want to get outside to people who do have it." Cid said. Not only was he was locked in a small room with six other people, he had no cigarettes. He hated anyone in a five-meter range.

"No you old asshole, I wanted to see my father." Yuffie said.

"Yeah right. No daughter ever wants to see her father." Cid said.

"Shut the hell up Cid. I never get to see Marlene again. Get off Yuffie's case. If you are going to be a grumpy jerk, just keep your damn mouth shut." Barret said.

"Will you all stop fighting. We only have little time left, why don't we make the most of it." Vincent said.

"He's right, let's just drop all the fighting. Cid I know you are unhappy, but don't be rude." Tifa pleaded.

"This is sad. Everyone wants to get out of here to say goodbye to that special someone on the outside, but I have all my friends right here." Cloud said. He gave a fake laugh.

"It's the same with me Cloud. No one out there is going to miss me." Tifa said. Cloud gave a sorry glance at her. He knew that she was trying to make him feel better. And she always did, but this time, there was no feeling better.

"I feel the planet growing weak." Red XIII said. Everyone turned to him.

"Red, what's going to happen to the planet after the meteor hits?" Yuffie asked.

"Well, the planet will only live for a few more weeks after we do. When the meteor hits, anyone from Costa de Sol to Wutia will be dead in a matter of seconds. Then, towns like Rocket town and Cosmos Canyon will live for about a few hours, till the falling ash and tilt waves from the crash suffocate them. The only being that can live on this planet afterwards is a Jenova being who is not in the range of direct impact. Sehpiroth will live for a week or two. Then the planet will fall apart from the wound the comet makes." Red XII said.

"Oh my gawd. My village!" Yuffie started to cry. "I worked so hard."

"Yeah right, stuck up little bitch." Cid said. Yuffie stood up from her seat between Barret and Cloud. She walked over to Cid and slapped him.

"I don't care if you are in a nicotine drawback, you do not talk to me like that. I am no different then the rest of you. Sure, I stole the materia. But it was for what I believed in, Wutia. All of us have killed for what we believed in. So why do you pick on me? My hands are just as dirty as anyone else here." Yuffie said.

Cid sat back for awhile glancing up at Yuffie. Sure he knew she wasn't a total moron, but she actually had a point there. She wasn't as bad as Barret who killed many Shinra people for his cause, or Cloud who wanted Sephiroth's head. All she wanted were some stones. The only reason they got mad at her was cause those materia were theirs.

"Yuffie, it's okay. Just sit down, no one hates you." Vincent said. Yuffie walked over the bed where Tifa and Vincent were sitting and sat down.

"I am sorry Yuffie." Cid said. He looked away. "This is the last moments of my life, I should make peace with everyone. God *&%$ damn it, I hate this place."

Yuffie sniffled; she hated this place too. The Shinra couldn't have just let them go to see their families. It was the end of the world, what would it matter if seven people were out in their homes.

"Red, you think you can give us some time about how long we have?" Cloud asked.

"Well, my best guess would be a hour." Red XIII said.

"Okay, we should talk. We should get everything out that we always wanted to say." Yuffie said. "No regrets when the meteor hits."

"Too late for that. I already have a regret." Cid said. Out of his coat pocket he pulled out a small box. Opening it to reveal a beautiful diamond ring. "To think Shera is out alone in the world. Waiting alone."

"It's okay Cid. It'll all be over soon." Tifa said. She gave a look over at Cloud. It would all be over soon.

"I don't know if I can wait to die." Yuffie said. "It's just too much stress." She burst into tears. Vincent put an arm around her.

"Why don't you just go to sleep?" Vincent asked. He motioned for Tifa to move off the bed they were sitting on. Yuffie laid down on it and began to cry harder.

"Yuffie, please stop. It's okay to be scared but you have all of us here. Just calm down and try to go to sleep." Tifa said. Yuffie's cry did not stop. Vincent made a movement to hush the rest and then sat on the floor next to Yuffie's bed. He started to hum a tune.

"What the hell?!" Cid said. Tifa gave him a look to hush him.

Vincent continued to hum the tune to Yuffie. She batted her eyes a few times before letting them fall. She drifted off into a sleep. A sleep she would never wake from. She wasn't awake for the end of her life, just like Vincent had wanted it.

The End

A little goodbye present for Fanfiction.net!