Okay, a note before we start here, this story was written in 1997. I just found a copy of this in a notebook of mine. I'm pondering doing a complete rewrite of this, but I'd like to hear your opinions on that before I do so. If you think I should just continue, let me know.

Also, I have a 'chapter two' written, but I found only half of it, so even if I 'just continue', it'll take a bit before I have the 2nd half of that chapter redone. I hope you all enjoy this!

This story starts from the very second that the game ends at, with the bright flash, so if you haven't beaten the game yet... GO DO IT NOW! Then come back and read. Thanks!

~~ Diesel


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The bright light slowly recedes . . . The Lifestream returns to the Planet . . . And . . .


-- After the Meteor --

"A . . . A . . . Aeris?" stutters Cloud, his eyes hurting from the flash.

"The hell you talkin' 'bout, Cloud?" grumbles Barret. "You seein' things 'gain? We just WON, so we can't lose you again. Not now, ya punk."

"B, b, but . . . I could have sworn . . . Aeris . . . Tifa? Didn't you see her too? In the lifestream . . . ?"

Tifa looks at Cloud, then to Barret. "Yes, I did see her. But, she's gone, now. She's gone because everything's okay."

"What?! What do you mean OKAY?! What about the people in the slums of Midgar? Like ME, for example?!" yeowls Cait.

Barret glares at the robotic cat and growls, "We'll get to yo' scrawny ass when we damn ready!" He huffs and turns on his heel, stomping back into the Highwind. "We needa see if Marlene's okay! We gotta go to Kalm, first!" he yells on his way down the stairs. His feet clang off of the metal floor loudly as he runs to the cockpit.

Cid chuckles to himself and lights a cigarette. "Moody little shit, ain't he? And I thought that the Shin-Ra creeps were hard to deal with! You know what I'm talkin' about, right guys? No offense there, Reeve, huh? I don't totally mind YOU!" He laughs hardily and slaps Cait on the back, knocking him off of his Moogle. "I mean, shit, Reeve, we wouldn't have gotten most of our information without you!" Cid puffs on his cigarette and blows a little smoke ring. "Anyways, gotta get our asses down to Kalm, now. And don't worry, Reeve. We'll get to you." He turns and heads off towards the front of the ship, then calls back "Eventually!" and lets out an annoyingly loud burst of laughter, which follows him clear into the cockpit.

Cait grumbles as he crawls back up on his 'loyal steed'. "Does he ALWAYS talk that much?"

Cloud shakes his head slowly, scratching the back of his head. "Not usually. And when he does, he usually swears more."

"Oh. Cute. I think I'll join them down in the cockpit. I really don't have that much else to do. C'mon, Red . . . Um, Nanaki, sorry. I'd like to talk to you about Cosmo Canyon and a few other things. It's all so intruging!" The tremendous cave-moogle hops its way down the stairs, Nanaki following along tiredly.

"Well, that was all ever so exciting . . . *erp* . . . But . . . I need to go back down into the ship and . . . *burp* take care of a few things," Yuffie whines, turning a rather unappealing shade of green. She stumbles down the stairs, disappearing behind a corner. A few unpleasant Yuffie-like sounds come from where she wanders, along with what sounds like a like a bucket of lard (which you know you shouldn't forget!) being dumped onto the floor. "Well . . . I feel *urp* a little better now. *ugh* Maybe not." Her whines echo through the entire ship, along with groans and terrible retching sounds.

"I think we should go help her out, Tifa. You should help, too, Vincent," Cloud suggests. He waves his arm and starts on his way down.

Vincent shakes his head at Cloud and turns toward the railing of the desk. "No . . . I need to stay up here for a little while. I need a moment."

"Okay, that's fine. C'mon, Tifa." Both Tifa and Cloud go to assist 'poor little' Yuffie.

Vincent steps closer to the railing, looking out at the remnants of Midgar. "Something is wrong with all this . . . It seems to perfect of an ending. Something has survived, I can feel it. Something . . . or someone. I can sense them . . . The Turks? Was it them? Could they possibly have made it out alive?"

- End Part One -

Next: 'Cloud, Are You Okay?'