Disclaimer: Everything here belongs to Square Enix.
Summary: Cloud & Crew embark on a side quest for materia and wind up getting more than they bargained for when a new summon joins the team. Who knew the spirits could be so temperamental? :D
Our story begins on the open sea…
"Dock workers- We will be docking in Costa Del Sol in 5 minutes. Prepare for docking."
The sound of a freighter's horn filled the air as Junon's largest cargo ship glided through the ocean on its way to port. Sailors scurried across deck, following docking procedures while Gaia's most popular vacation resort came into view.
Cloud Strife heaved a sigh of relief and prepared to step into the warmth and welcome of sunlight. The past few weeks had been a dizzying array of activity. Avalanche's journey thus far had involved fleeing Shinra and the smog-covered city of Midgar, to battling strange creatures near electro-magnetic towers. If this was what being a mercenary was like, he was beginning to consider a career change.
Looking at his teammates, he didn't think anyone would blame him. Everyone was tired. A few days on the beach and some R&R at the local eateries would give them the energy they needed to continue their travels. The minute the plank was lowered to shore, Cloud ordered the group to disembark and head off in search of a place to relax.
The next morning, Tifa caught up with Johnny, a fellow resident of Midgar who had left in search of better opportunities. Johnny informed her that several young men from town were setting out on an expedition to find materia buried deep inside the Mythril Caves. One of the pieces in question gave the bearer the ability to attack from long distances. As soon as she returned to the Inn, Tifa relayed this information to Cloud. He sat on the edge of the pool table for the longest time as he weighed their options.
If the party stayed in Costa Del Sol, they could reach the next town in three days. On the other hand, backtracking across the Eastern Continent might give them an advantage over Sephiroth. Recalling the Midgar Zolom the swordsman had slain on his way through the marsh, Cloud decided it was necessary to search for the critical stone. When he broke the news to the others, they grumbled at the idea of leaving their tropical getaway, but agreed that any chance to level the playing field had to be taken.
And so, with a few sighs, and their pockets 10 gil lighter, the crew was back aboard the cargo ship and heading to Junon.
Once they arrived, Cloud wasted no time in hiring a taxi that dropped them off just outside the city's limits. From there, it was a long trek to the Caves, with a brief rest stop at Fort Condor for lunch. By the time they made it through the Mines and found the rumored crystal hidden in a rock ledge, a storm was building. The muffled sound of thunder through the rock was unmistakable and Tifa looked to Barret anxiously.
"Yo, let's get a move on, Spikey," he grumbled.
"I hear ya…just one more vine…...ha! Got it!" Cloud held up a hand filled with dirt and a brightly gleaming stone.
"Toss it down and I'll put it in our pack." Tifa said. Cloud did as asked; gently throwing the precious find into her hands. Once she had tucked it carefully away, Cloud brushed himself off and climbed down. The group hurried out of the cavern and headed for the entrance on the other side of the Mines. The sound of rain echoed off the walls as they traversed the maze that would eventually lead to the grasslands.
Cloud had just rounded the corner of the final passageway when a pack of Ark Dragons descended on him, their green wings fluttering madly. He had mistaken this noise for rain and barely managed to avoid running straight into their outstretched claws. He skidded to a halt, causing Tifa and Barret to crash into him moments later.
"Hey! What's the big idea?" Barret growled. Tifa pointed to the creatures hovering just three feet away. "Look ahead of you! They heard us coming…"
Helping Cloud to his feet, they moved into battle formation, ready to take down their opponents one by one. Several minutes passed as the two parties traded blows, but soon there was only one dragon left to defeat.
Tifa was ready to land the finishing hit when suddenly the dragon breathed a full stream of fire straight at Cloud. She and Barret watched in horror as the blaze engulfed their friend, but Cloud spun and waved his sword in victory as the flames were pulled into a gleaming yellow materia attached to his armlet. The team now had the Flame Thrower enemy skill at their disposal.
A quick ice spell from the Ex-SOLDIER ended the fight, and the dragon disappeared with a flash of red. "Whew, that was a close one...good job, everyone."
"Save the speeches, I'm beat." Barret huffed. Tifa smiled at the two of them and stretched. "You know, I learned a new move from this ambush. I think I'll call it Waterkick."
Cloud laughed. New materia, enemy skills and limit breaks had made this a valuable trip indeed.
Thunderheads continued to rumble threateningly overhead as the group left the Mines and headed toward the refuge of the Chocobo Farm. The mud and hidden sinkholes in the marsh made travel difficult, yet somehow they managed; making it across the fields and inside the barn just as the rain broke through.
Several chocobos looked up from their stalls to see who the visitors were, but lost interest when they realized it wasn't feeding time. Barret moved several hay bales together to make a bench as Tifa put their belongings away for the night. Moments later, a faint glow surrounded her armlet, and with a puff of smoke, Shiva materialized beside her.
It was common for the summons to get restless during journeys, and so long as they behaved, Cloud had been willing to let them out of their respective materia. Unfortunately, like members of Avalanche, the beings occasionally disagreed with each other, especially if they governed opposing elements.
Cloud groaned when he remembered which summon Barret had equipped earlier in the day. The latest spirit to join the ranks had been conveniently dropped inside the cargo ship before docking. Ifrit was a fire elemental and was known throughout the region for his fickle temper. The group had been in such a hurry to leave the confines of the ship; Cloud had urged the person with the most empty materia slots to equip him.
It was only when Barret's armlet began to glow that Cloud realized his mistake. Ifrit appeared beside the fighter shortly after; his mouth steaming slightly from the humidity. He spotted Shiva right away, and snorted in disgust. Thankfully, she ignored the ogre's presence, choosing to look out the window instead.
"I cannot believe we are stuck here, hiding from the rain. When I see Ramuh again, I will freeze that silly beard of his right off! I am sure this terrible weather is his doing," she declared malevolently with a grand sweep of her arm. Snowflakes fluttered down from where it had been, leaving Ifrit to shake his head at her.
"Ugh, women… Be they fairies or humans, they always find something to complain about…" he growled and crossed his arms. Shiva spun around so quickly, Cloud had barely enough time to duck as shards of ice flew his way. Ifrit teleported to the side and the mock daggers exploded against the barn wall, sending one of the chocobos into a squawking fit.
So much for being the picture of composure… Cloud thought bitterly. The ice queen's temper was an even match for the hulking brute.
In his haste to get out of the way, Ifrit had brushed too close to a haystack and now a steady blaze was beginning to creep across the floor wherever strands of hay were strewn. Cloud grabbed a pail collecting rain water and doused the strongest edge of the blaze, but Barret and Tifa spent several frantic minutes stamping out the rest.
"Enough! Or you'll burn the entire place down!" Tifa shouted.
"I don't like it, neither, but seein' as how we're stuck here, I say we all agree to get along!" Barret added with a glare at his summon. "Or back in the rock you go." Ifrit growled what might have been an apology and then floated off to a darker, less combustible part of the barn.
At the sight of Tifa tapping her armlet to indicate the same punishment, Shiva returned to watching the storm raging outside. Seeing that everyone was settled for the moment, Cloud tossed the pail into the charred hay and slipped down tiredly beside it. The last thing he wanted was a trip to the Lifestream.
A good night's rest was much more preferable and it would be so easy to fall asleep, if it weren't for the acrid smell of burnt hay. Getting as comfortable as possible, Cloud crossed his arms and lay back to relax. Minutes passed and soon he was drifting off, his dreams orchestrated by the sounds of rainfall and distant thunder…
Cloud awoke to the feeling of something tugging on his hair roughly.
With a jolt, he sat up and struggled to free himself from whatever he had become tangled with. At first he thought Shiva had fallen asleep beside him and he might have unconsciously, and accidentally, wrapped an arm around her. The coldness she exuded was absent however, and the tugging was pulling him upward, off of his feet. Cloud twisted uncomfortably to see a beak just in range of sight. Several pieces of hay stuck out of it; his hair conveniently trapped between.
"Ack! S-Shiva! Help!"
A rustling noise came from a stall across the room as Shiva poked her head up above the door. "What is this? Why do you wake me from my rest?"
"I'm stuck, Shiva. A little assistance would be nice!"
With a frown, the fairy floated up and over the door to assess the situation. "What did you do to this creature that it would eat you so? I cannot imagine you are tasty…" she said dryly, placing a cool hand on the chocobo's beak. It backed away with a sharp "wark!" and Cloud tumbled free, rubbing his injured head once he regained his balance.
"I didn't do anything, I was sleeping," he replied irritably. Shiva gave him a look that said she thought otherwise before gracefully drifting back to her stall. "You are welcome," she said crisply. "Sheesh…" Cloud muttered as he stood up and stretched. "Of all the crazy things to have happen…I've never been some bird's breakfast before."
"Aww, come on Bird Boy…it isn't so bad." Ifrit piped up from his spot near the doors. Cloud groaned at the ogre's choice of names. "Ha ha, very funny. Spare me, ok? Are Tifa and Barret awake yet?" Ifrit stretched and yawned lazily. "No idea. Those two sleep like Bound Fats that have over-eaten. Heh, guess that's why they're called that, huh?"
Cloud just shook his head. "Whatever. Check on them, alright? I'm going outside to see how much damage the storm made while we were sleeping. If we fix things up, maybe that will cover our lodging expenses." Ifrit grunted. "If I have to…"
As the hulking spirit went to rudely awaken the others, Cloud slipped outside to inspect the area. The grounds looked just as they had the night before, with the exception that a few pieces of equipment had been tossed about by the wind. Cloud spotted an old cart wheel that had rolled into the tall grass, but there was no structural damage that needed repairing. He was relieved by this, but also wondered how they could pay for their shelter. Maybe it was time to visit the farmhouse.
By the time Cloud returned from negotiating with the farm's owner, Choco Bill, another argument had started between Ifrit and Shiva. This time their fighting had escalated and Cloud could hear them shouting from several yards away. Tired of their antics, and knowing Tifa and Barret would have a handle on the situation, he took his time across the fields. Unfortunately, several moments later, the barn doors were blown clear off their hinges, landing in a heap ten feet away. The wood crackled and hissed from the mixture of flames and ice that fought to extinguish one another.
Blue and green chocobos ran out shortly after, warking as if a pack of Midgar Zoloms was chasing them. Cloud could just make out the furious cries of Tifa and Barret as they berated the summons for their misbehavior. So much for negotiating prices, he thought dismally, this might take all the gil we have and then some.
Turning around, he began the slow walk back to the farmhouse.
"Next time, we're leaving the materia hunting to Yuffie."
-Fin-
Notes: I hope you enjoyed reading this story! I appreciate any chance to improve my writing, so please review if you have a moment. Thanks!