A Chance To Change It All
Ok, I've only played Dirge Of Cerberus once when I borrowed it from a friend and didn't get much of a feel for some of the story so when I talk about Shaula and Shelke it's only what I know from now and what I've read on the Internet so... Ok. I got the idea in a dream. It was a cool dream do I started writing it out. Only short, most likely 6-7 chapters.
Anyway, enjoy!
Chapter 1- Sleep To Start, Wake To End
Tifa POV.
Almost a year had passed since the whole thing with Deepground. Shelke was temporarily staying with us along with Vincent who had promised to be like a big brother to the younger girl. They both had something in common, they both looked younger than they were. Vincent had made a promise to be an older sibling, just what Shaula couldn't be. She only had a little time with Shelke when she found her. When Yuffie told me I felt sympathetic for the scientist I never knew. Shelke was apparently just like her sister which didn't make it easier for Vincent who still felt guilty about her death.
Shelke was only here while Vincent was assisting Yuffie with something in Wutai. I think it had something to do with her ageing father, the emperor of Wutai. Shelke had settled well and often looked after Denzel and Marlene though they didn't take her seriously at bedtime seeing as her body was the same age as theirs. I'd taken her shopping again yesterday. She now had a full wardrobe Vincent wouldn't appreciate my buying due to the fact they would have to lug it around to wherever they may stop.
I suddenly looked up to the bar noticing no customers were there to serve and letting my eyes cloud over again as I recalled more of my past. Reminiscing was normally something I did when working a busy shift at the bar; it calmed me when it was peaceful enough to become dazed. So I often had Cloud work with me so someone woke me up when the rush came. He only took orders normally, though. But these days it was enough just to be near Cloud. Just before Deepground attacked Cloud had taken the kids to Elmrya and then taken me up to the now- deserted town of Nibelheim where he told me everything. About how he felt, how he thought. He even told me he loved me. I smiled at the memory of the all too quiet town.
Since Rufus didn't want actors or the Half dead townsfolk who had become science experiments to be seen by anyone who found the small uninhabited town they had cleaned out the whole town deserting it so only ghosts of the past lingered there. Rufus didn't want his father's mistakes to remain any longer, Instead a big board had been placed at the entrance to the town's main square telling people what happened in Nibelheim.
About a month after Deepground Cloud had proposed. We had gotten married in the summer, a year ago next week. It had been in her church. Cid had been the best man and Denzel had been the ring barer. Marlene had been the flower girl while Barrett gave me away and Yuffie played maid of honour.
After the wedding I'd caught Cloud with a flown on his face. All it tips was a simple 'Whats wrong?' to have him almost in tears telling me how it should've been Zack's wedding first and Aerith would've looked beautiful as me who would be the maid of honour. He'd painted a picture in my mind as he had his and all I could do was hold onto him while I comforted him that they were safe and fine in the Lifestream. Happily together. I'm sure that I even glanced up to see pink in the rafters that day...
"Hey lady! Drink!" a gruff voice called shattering my calm. I looked up to the man quickly pouring the desired drink into his once empty cup. My eyes followed the guy as he stumbled away to a table of men all laughing too loudly. I shook my head Turing to look at Cloud who seemed to be flicking his eyes around the bar almost as if to check for any danger before it comes.
I looked around the room slowly too. It was a full house tonight. The room was low lit casting shadows in places unexpectedly while light music played in the background out of the radio I always had on at the bar. The wooden tables and chairs each filled with men and women all slightly tipsy and enjoying themselves in the low lit tavern. The floors often protested as the patrons walked up to get another beer from my work-insistent husband.
It was a Saturday, the busiest day of the week. Of course Cloud wanted to help today of all days. He was standing behind the bar as normal but today he was serving those who wanted the easy stuff like beer and drinks he'd heard of and knew how to make. Anything out of his depth and Cloud would send me a pleading look to ask me for help even if I was busy and felt his glance I would help, I enjoyed seeing him happy to learn and work. Every time Cloud looked at me I smiled happily watching as his lips mirrored my expression with his own version of a smile.
^.^.^.^.^.^
Business had slowed down now compared to the peak of the night when it seemed like even two bartenders weren't enough. Cloud had found it hard to believe that there could be so many customers on one night. I'd joked that this was a quiet Saturday and watched as Cloud's face visibly paled. It was around one in the morning now, the bar closed at two on Saturday and was closed on Sunday, my day off.
"Cloud, pass me that bottle please." I said as I made my way around to the other side of the counter to help Cloud. He nodded at me before he turned and reached up to get the desired blue tinted liquor bottle.
"Here." He said handing me the bottle I had been pointing to quickly smiling at me before he returned to the call of an annoying patron who didn't want to wait for his turn to pay for the round of drinks for his drunken table of men insistent on watching a table of women across from them. He was one on the regulars. He was always impatient to pay for his round of drinks.
I looked across the bar to the digital clock that sat on the opposite wall from the bar. It was there so I could tell how long until closing without having to turn around. Lazy, I know. The clock had the date on too. The sight of the date made me frown. It was past midnight so it meant that today – the day it would be when it next gets light- was the anniversary of the day Zack died. I sighed at the thought, normally Cloud and I would go up to where Cloud had placed Zack's sword in memorial but the forecast was heavy rain and Fenrir was having problems starting which Cloud was spending hours trying to figure out.
I wonder what we could do instead. Maybe something that involved the children would be nice so they knew about Zack and what he did to save Cloud. I smiled at the thought.
"Hey, Cloud?" I asked after I served another drink to a lone man who seemed to be talking to another woman at the bar about his problems. I could tell she wasn't listening. I hear a soft noise from Cloud in reply telling me to say what I was going to say. I looked at Cloud then to the clock. His eyes followed mine but saddened at the date on the clock.
"And the forecast said..." Cloud muttered looking down to the glass in his hand. I looked at Cloud sympathetically before placing a hand on his shoulder and making him turn to look at me.
"Maybe they got today's forecast wrong." I told him softly hoping to cheer Cloud up. I saw a small glimmer of hope in Cloud's eyes at my words but the weather seemed to disagree with the statement I had made. Almost as soon as I closed my mouth a clap of thunder was heard and a strike of lightning illuminated the bar. Cloud's hopeful face dropped into the frown it was before.
"Or maybe they got it spot on..." he mumbled unhappily staring out the window. I watched Cloud's eyes cloud over. It had been raining the day Zack had died. I remembered Cloud telling me how he crawled out to Zack while he lay dying. The rain washed the blood off his cheeks but Zack was leaking blood like the tap you forgot to turn off. Not even a phoenix down could save him even if Cloud would've had one handy.
"Don't worry; we can remember him a different way." I told Cloud quietly as he let out a soft sigh as his reply and went back to work.
"But it won't feel right, it won't feel like where honouring him here." was the last thing I heard Cloud mutter before turning to fix a drink for the woman being talked to death by a drunk.
I tried to think of something we could do to remember Zack while staying in the bar and apartment. I couldn't think of anything, the only thing I could think of was driving out to Aerith's church and laying a joint bouquet of flowers there for the both of them. I knew Cloud would like that but most likely think it wasn't enough like he did with almost everything he did.
When the bar closed Cloud and I did our nightly routine. We walked upstairs and asked Shelke if she had her daily Mako. When she replied yes we set up her bed on the couch- if she hasn't already- and leave the room. We check on the two sleeping children in their room before going to ours where we then spend the rest of the night.
Tonight I felt really tired, I remember being pulled into a deep sleep before Cloud even came back into the room from going to the bathroom for his nightly routine. All I remember was his surprised face as I fell asleep.
^.^.^.^.^.^
"...Tifa?"
Huh?
"Tifa!"
I opened my eyes to see myself in a place that was all white, no other colour could be seen anywhere. Just this endless abyss of white, so bright it hurt your eyes to look. I stood up slowly seeing some specks of colour in the distance. What were they? I thought as I hesitantly walked toward them. I ended up in a field of flowers. I didn't know where I was, I wish I did.
"Tifa!" a masculine voice called for the third time. This time I saw him, his black spikes stood up but moved backwards as if he had been going at super speed to try and flatten them. His blue eyes swam with happiness at the sight of someone new in his space, obviously he hadn't seen anyone who was still alive for a long time.
The boy with the black spikes was waving madly at me his arms were over his head making a giant circle in the air as he swung them back and forth.
Next to him was another man, he had longer black hair that seemed to be straightened down his back while his chin was full of stubble waiting for a shave. He was taller and obviously older than Zack as could be told by the wrinkles around his eyes. His green eyes seemed serious and his stance showed he meant business. I looked at the man and then to Zack I wondered if they had been friends in Zack's life. I wonder if he knew Cloud. My eyes suddenly gravitated to the wing on his back, I tried not to look at it too much... No, look wasn't the right word I tried not to stare at the wing too much, I wondered if he hated getting attention because of it.
"Zack!" I called back to the man with spiky black hair. He smiled as he saw me nudging his companion who seemed to loosen up at Zack's childish nature. I ran to the two mirroring the easy smile the man beside Zack gave us. His smile was more tranquil than the one Zack was smiling.
"Teef, this is Angeal Hewley. He was my mentor when I was in SOLDIER." Zack told me using my old nickname which made me smile even more. I nodded a greeting to the man before me who smiled at me and nodded back.
"Angeal this is Tifa Lockhart, Cloud's girl." Zack told his friend. Angeal looked at me with a small smirk while he scratched his stubbly chin.
"Cloud? Your little cadet friend?" Angeal asked in a smooth deep voice. His voice reminded me a bit of Sephiroth not to mention the long white wing that extended from his right side. I reminded myself that Sephiroth's wing was black, a more sinister colour than Angeal's angel wing.
"Yeah! That Cloud!" Zack told his mentor excitedly. I looked to the two of them and smiled. I was glad Zack was happy in this life, I could tell Cloud all about it.
"So, anyway Tifa, you get that this isn't a social meeting, right? Otherwise your mother, father, Aerith and Cloud and his parents could be here too. No, me and 'geal came on important dead-people business." he told me in a firm voice. I knew this was his SOLDIER voice, the one he used to get authority for himself.
"Go ahead with your important dead-people business then Zack." I told him with a smile. Watching as he automatically relaxed at the presence of his all too calm mentor before straightening up like he was in the military giving orders or a briefing. Zack's movements reminded me of a puppy that was trying to please his master. Always bouncing around and always happy. Angeal beat Zack to telling me what was going on, his voice seemed smooth and rough at the same time as he explained to me why he was here with his puppy.
"Tifa Lockhart, Zack and I are here to tell you that you have been chosen due to your strong heart and persuasive nature to go back to four events in your past and change them. You may keep people alive or kill anyone you wish. During this time you will be asleep for a day each event -which will each last a day- You will wake up on the fifth day into the world you created. You will tell whoever comes to talk to you whether you want that to be reality or if you want to go back to your reality. If you choose to go back, you will wake up on the sixth day." the solemn tone in Angeal's voice kept me from smiling widely to myself.
A chance to change everything, I knew what would happen in the future, I could stop Zack's death maybe even Aerith's death. I could stop Cloud forgetting who he was and having to be experimented on, I could save the whole of Nibelheim. All the things I could do... And I had to choose 4 days that could help me do this.
"Do I choose my four days now?" I asked him with a smile I looked up and noticed Zack watching me intently. I smiled at him and turned to also smile at Angeal. Both men stayed business-like as ever and just nodded back with blank faces.
"Yes, you can change anything in your lifetime." Angeal told me placing both his hands behind his back in an 'at ease' position.
"Or you could just relive it through another's eyes. Well, your eyes looking in third person at yourself." Zack butted in quickly. Typical Zack, childish even when business-like.
"But remember you will be part of the action. It's just, nobody will know who you are." Zack added, sending a nod in Angeal's direction as if to say he was sure he'd told me everything.
"But won't I look like myself?" I asked looking at Zack curiously he looked back down in confusion.
"Huh. Guess you would. Oh well. Pick your moments." Zack told me with a shrug. I looked to Angeal who just did the same as Zack. Shrugged at me with his eyes closed. I sighed at the two before holding out my hand and counting off on each finger the days I was choosing.
"I pick five: the moment Cloud first came out to play when he was four, the day my mother died, the day you came to Nibelheim with Cloud and Sephiroth, the day you died, I'll get to you and save you. And lastly, the day before the plate fell." I finished looking up at Zack.
Zack and Angeal looked at each other with uncertain looks before turning back to me.
"You only have 4 days." Angeal stated crossing his arms and doing a little step step movement from side to side as he did.
"The first day I'll split into two. 12 hours each." I told them looking around once again at the place I was in. In the far distance I could see something that looked like a wall of water. If there was water in the Lifestream is that how Aerith contacted us with the Great Gospel to cure the children -and Cloud- in Edge? Or was it not water at all but so kind of water-like void in the world where everything was still.
Zack's voice sliced through my thoughts of water in the Lifestream.
"Is she allowed to do that?" Zack asked sounding like his old puppy self.
"No idea." Angeal answered in a 'why are you asking me?' tone of voice shrugging at Zack before turning back to me for a second waiting for Zack's reply.
"Shall we let her?"
"Why not?"
"Ok! Moments accepted!" Zack shouted almost as if the whole of the Lifestream had been listening in on our conversation. I smiled as both men seemed to drop the business-like stance almost immediately – Zack more than Angeal – and walked closer to me. Zack hugged me once again letting out a small chuckle as Angeal pulled him away.
"Okay, okay, Angeal. I get it." Zack laughed turning around to hug him mentor who pushed Zack off onto the floor quickly.
"Zack will be your time keeper throughout the journey. Don't worry, I gave him a watch to make sure he's on time." Angeal told me with a small protest from Zack. Angeal moved closer to me and whispered in my ear "You won't be able to save me but try to save Zack. He didn't deserve to die." He told me before straightening up and nodding to Zack who was standing next to him.
"Take her to the first location." He said monotonously waiting for Zack to make a move.
So the deal with the chapters. I started each one and just keep adding to them on my iPhone when I feel like it. I'll try to get the next chapter up within the next two weeks.