A/N: So, I wrote the original version of this story nearly four years ago now, and it always bugged me that I never finished it. I thought maybe I could just pick up where I left off, but upon re-reading it, I was a bit shocked. It was short, there wasn't a lot of detail, and the characters felt kind of shallow. It was with that in mind that I decided to start clean: same story, different content. This first chapter is the fruit of my labors. This isn't going to update nearly as regularly as some of the other things I've written, and I'm trying to do longer chapters to make up for that. Bear with me as I explore the world of FFVII from Lissa Highwind's point of view.
I remember the day the rain fell all over. I remember the feel of the Geostigma disappearing from my body, remember getting better, but more than all that, I remember what happened next like it was yesterday.
...
My ears won't stop ringing from the sound of my uncle drilling a hole into something. Taking a deep breath, I reach as far as I can under the main steering console, but I just can't reach the loose nut. I might have to disassemble this whole thing just for that one part, and all because Cid doesn't like the rattling noise.
Ducking down, I stretch, the wrench just catching on the nut when Cid shouts, "Door!" I jump at the sound, smacking my head on the bottom of the console.
"Shhhhhhit," I hiss, dropping the wrench.
"Door!" he yells again.
"I got it!" I snap in return, grabbing my wrench before getting to my feet and rubbing the back of my head. Who the hell would be knocking on the door to an airship? We're kind of in the middle of nowhere out here.
Pulling the front hatch to the airship open, I find myself looking up into the bluest eyes I've ever seen. Unconsciously, I take a step back, frowning at the stranger before me. He's dressed all in black, wearing what looks like a zip-up turtleneck sweater with long pants. His hair is painfully blonde and spiky, and the expression on his face is curious.
"Can I help you?" I manage when I find my voice. He's...intimidating. It's not like he's particularly tall or really beefy or anything. It's more like this aura he gives off, like his presence could fill a room. It definitely fills this tiny hallway leading into the bowels of the ship.
"I'm looking for Cid Highwind," he says, his voice low and soft. A shiver trips down my spine, but I find myself nodding.
"Right. Who's looking for him?" I manage to dig deep for a little bit of bravado. Whoever this guy is, I wonder how he knows my uncle.
"Cloud," he replies, his gaze zeroing in, uncomfortably, on me.
"Gimme a sec," I say, taking another step back and turning a little so I can call out, "Hey, Cid! Someone named Cloud here to see you!"
"Cloud?!" he shouts back. "Bring the son of a bitch here!"
I frown. That's basically an endearment from Cid. Looking up at Cloud, I see the faintest hint of a smile on his face. I think I'm starting to get an idea of who this guy is...or at least how he knows Cid. "Follow me."
The idea of having a stranger at my back has never been something I've enjoyed, especially in a small space, but if Cid trusts him, then I guess I have to as well. "Marco!" I shout, my voice echoing in the small space.
"Who the hell is Marco?" Cid snaps, and I turn toward the sound of his voice.
"You're not too old to know that game," I call in return.
"I ain't got time for games," he replies as he steps out in front of us, wiping his face on a rag. When he sees Cloud, he smiles, thumbing his nose. "Hey, there."
"Good to see you again," Cloud says, and I lean against the wall so the two of them can see each other properly.
"What brings you here?" Cid asks. "Usually, if y'all need me, you just call."
"We did," he states. "Tifa and Barret couldn't get through to you."
Cid frowns, patting his back pockets and then his apron pockets, pulling out his phone. He flips it open, looking confused. "Damn thing won't turn on."
"Lemme see." I take it from him, holding down the power button. "Your battery's dead."
"Oops," he replies. "Well, how the hell did you find me?" Cid asks Cloud.
"Tifa said you told her you were out here somewhere," Cloud replies. "I figured I'd find you if I searched."
"That sounds like a lotta work. What the hell for?"
"Barret wants to talk to you about something. Tifa said it'd be best if you came to the bar so everyone could discuss it as a team."
Cid sighs, putting a hand on the back of his head. "The whole gang, huh?" He turns, walking away from us and toward the bridge. Shaking my head, I follow, hearing the sound of boots hitting the ground behind me.
When we get to where I started my day, Cid's turning on his phone, a cord connecting it to the nearest outlet. Rolling my shoulders, I duck back down to where I was working earlier, ignoring my uncle's grunting as he tries to navigate through his phone.
"Damn, that's a lot of messages," he grumbles. "The hell is this important?"
"I don't know," Cloud says. "Whatever it is, though, Barret said he wants an airship."
Cid lets loose with a string of curses that make me laugh as I finally reach the nut that needed tightening. Mission success. Sighing, I lay on the metal floor, taking slow, deep breaths. Absently, my hand slides into my pocket, fingers wrapping around the materia that rests there. The tiniest bit of nausea rushes through me, but mostly, it's comforting.
"Lissa!"
I jump, the materia slipping from my fingers. Sitting up, I hit my head on the console again, wincing. "Yes?" I whimper, rubbing my forehead.
"Make yourself scarce. I gotta talk to Cloud about something." Cid has a hand on his hip and a cigarette in his mouth. Apparently, whatever he was to talk to Cloud about is important, if the expression on his face is any indication. So, why can't I hear?
"Fine," I say, rolling my shoulders. "I'm going riding."
"Don't break your neck," Cid says, and I wave over my shoulder as I make my way out of the bridge. It's probably better I don't listen to whatever the hell they're going to be talking about. All I want right now is to work on airships and things like that. I don't need anything else in my life.
With that in mind, I make my way to the outer deck, the warm air outside feeling good on my face. There are parts strewn across the floor, making almost a star-shape around my latest attempt at a small flying machine, my flyer-glider.
Airships are great and all, but they're meant for lots of people or long distances. For the past few months, ever since I recovered from the Geostigma, I've been working steadily on this vision of mine, to create a speedy, easily maneuverable aircraft that would be convenient for short trips. It's been a long work-in-progress, but about a week ago, I finished it.
It looks like a cross between an airplane, a handcar, and a canoe, which sounds like a mess, but it works. It's got propellers on the front and on the bottom to generate lift, and it gets up to 80 miles per hour, if I really push it, though that gets a bit dangerous. The only downside is that I haven't been able to figure out a reliable fuel source for it. Ever since mako energy got the boot, it's been harder to power things. It's amazing how reliant we once were on our planet's own life source.
Sighing, I get on the glider, starting it up and gripping the steering wheel. It's not really a wheel, just a small, semi-circular bar that separates into two joysticks if I need to make more minute adjustments to my flight path with the push of a button.
I start it up, kicking off from the deck and taking to the sky. The initial take-off is bumpy, but once I'm in the air, I fly straight up, heading for the clouds. There's something so liberating about being in the sky, something no other feeling could ever compare to. From up here, I feel untouchable, like nothing could possibly hurt me.
With the press of a button, I set my glider to hover, and I sit down, looking at the world below me. I can see Cid's airship, the Shera from here, though I could cover it with my hand. Shera's back in Rocket Town, doing research for a few projects for Cid. He calls her at least once a day, the only sign that he misses his wife. I don't have a lot of memories of her, but the ones I can remember are fond. That makes it even worse when I think about how I'm the reason he's had to be away from her for so long.
I move to rake a hand through my hair, forgetting it's still tied up in a ponytail from work this morning. I slide out the little blue ribbon holding it up, running my fingers through it before tying it back up again. Getting to my feet, I take control again, heading back down toward the ground.
It couldn't have been more than ten minutes that I've been away, but as I get closer to the ship, I hear a rumbling sound. From the shadow of the ship darts something small and black. It's moving fast. Curious, I move after it, getting closer and closer. I think...it's a motorcycle.
I get really low, catching sight of spiky blonde hair. It's Cloud. Feeling cheeky, I kick my glider into high-gear, zipping along until I've caught up with him. He looks over at me, and I give a wave before racing past him. He catches up in a matter of seconds, easily keeping pace with me. Just for fun, I flip the glider upside down, flying with my head close to the ground for a little bit before righting myself, zigzagging along beside him.
We approach an actual road instead of the dirt we'd been traveling across, and I give him another wave before somersaulting and heading back toward the airship. When I finally touch back down again, the landing is pretty bumpy, and I hear something snap, making me grit my teeth. This thing is a piece of work, that's for sure.
Rolling my shoulders, I jump down, gathering up the loose pieces on the floor, heading back inside and to the bridge where my toolbox is. Cid's standing at the front of the ship, looking out the front windows, the ash from his cigarette hanging, the cigarette no longer lit.
"You okay?" I ask him, tapping him on the shoulder. He jumps, the cigarette falling to the floor.
"Shit, kiddo, you scared me." His hand falls on top of my head, and he messes with my hair.
I swat his hand away, frowning as I remove my ribbon. "You okay, Uncle Cid?"
He nods, but there's a distant look in his eyes. "I'm heading to Edge."
"Edge? Is that where your friends are?" I've heard so many stories, most of which he told me while I was barely conscious, dying from Geostigma, about the friends he'd made over two years ago, when he helped save the world. These were the same friends he'd left me alone to help a few months ago. Somehow, he'd known I'd be okay. In hindsight, it was a crazy gamble, but if I was going to die anyway, risks seemed necessary.
"Yeah." He doesn't say anything for a moment before meeting my eyes. "You wanna come along? I think you'd like them."
"Oh, really?" I say. "I mean, I don't know. I think I work better with machines than with others."
"Didn't used to be that way," he replies. "Used to be you were annoying-like, all perky and shit. I miss those days."
"You don't sound like you do," I tell him, smiling. Biting the inside of my cheek, I nod, despite the nerves slowly making their way into the pit of my stomach. "If it'll get that look off your face, I'll come along."
"What look?" he asks, stomping on the cigarette he'd dropped, that cocky grin sliding across his face that I'm used to.
"That's better," I say, taking a step back. "Well, when do we head out?"
"Soon," he replies. "Edge is only an hour by airship."
"We're flying there? Where the heck are we going to land this thing?"
"Tifa'll figure that out for us." He stretches his arms high over his head, sticking another cigarette in his mouth. "We'll cast off in 5 minutes. Make sure to bring your damn contraption in and strap it down, unless you want it to break like last time."
"Yeah, yeah," I drawl, skipping past him and back out onto the deck. Last time we took to the skies, my glider had jumped ship, landing on the ground below. So many pieces…. It had taken a while to fix, but in some ways, it wasn't all bad. I rebuilt it better than ever, and I'm not about to go through that again.
I bring it inside, doing as Cid asked and securing it tightly just in time for the sound of whirring engines. Dashing back into the bridge, I make my way to the front, where all the windows are, grinning.
"Here goes!" Cid shouts as we start to lift off.
"Woo-hoo!" I cry, jumping and throwing a fist into the air. As nervous as I am about meeting new people for the first time in ages and returning to that forsaken hellscape that was once Midgar, even those fears can't take away the exhilaration of flying. "Edge, here we come!"
…
I step into a bar, looking around for the woman Cid told me to find. Apparently, he'd texted someone named Tifa, and she'd said she had a place for him to land his ship. He was currently hovering a half a mile from here, waiting on me to report in. What I wouldn't have given for us to swap places.
As it is, I stand near the door, letting the atmosphere sink in. Everything is made of dark wood, from the tables to the chairs, the walls, floor, and bar itself. There aren't a lot of people here right now, but it's still kind of early for a place like this. I can smell beer and a twang of cigarette smoke as I cast my eyes around the room.
"Welcome," a voice says, drawing my attention to the woman standing behind the bar. She smiles at me, her red-brown eyes warm and inviting. I take a steeling breath, weaving my way through the tables and chairs toward her.
"What can I get for you?" she asks.
"I'm actually looking for someone," I tell her. "Tifa?"
"That's me," she replies. "I don't suppose you're Cid's niece, Lissa?"
"Mm-hm." I nod at her words, adding, "he said you'd have a place to land his ship."
"Give me ooone second, and I'll show you." She turns away from me, shouting, "Yuffie! Watch the bar for me!"
"Where are you going?" is the reply, but I can't see where it's coming from.
"To get Cid," she says, turning back to face me. "All right, let's go."
"Uh, sure." I follow her out of the bar, back out into a late spring evening, the sun not quite set yet. Everything looks so quiet and peaceful. It's hard to believe this place was once a battleground and the seat of the majority of Geostigma victims.
"Where's Cid?" Tifa asks, breaking me out of my thoughts.
"He's not far from here. He wanted me to call him once I found you so we could talk him through where he's going to land." I pull out my phone, dialing his number. After a few rings, he picks up, and I say, "Yo, you ready?"
"I'm not napping up here," he replies, sounding suspiciously like he'd been doing just that.
"All right." I pass my phone to Tifa who gives me a smile.
"Hey, Cid. Where are you exactly?" A few beats of silence. "Okay, if you head about a quarter mile east of the bar, there's a spot Barret cleared away. It might be a tight fit, but you could land there. It's fenced in, and Barret owns the land." Another beat of silence. "I don't actually know." Muffled shouting. "Yeah, yeah. You can tell him when you see him tonight." Silence. "I'll pass you back to Lissa, and we'll meet you there."
She hands me back my phone, and I put it up to my ear. "Hey, do you still need me?"
"Nah. I'll call you back if I do," Cid says. He sounds like he's got another cigarette in his mouth, and I sigh. Those things are going to kill him.
"Cool. See you soon." I hang up, slipping my phone back in my pocket before looking over at Tifa.
"All right, let's head on over or else we'll have to put up with Cid's attitude," Tifa says, smiling wryly.
"I think that'll be the case regardless. He's been kind of cranky today," I reply.
"When isn't he?" she asks, making me laugh. I follow after Tifa, and we banter back and forth about Cid's various moods, the atmosphere generally pleasant. I'd been prepared to feel so many levels of uncomfortable for the remainder of the day, but Tifa's so easy to talk to. She doesn't make me feel like a stranger, and she has such a ready smile. I'm a bit envious.
We reach a fenced-in enclosure with what looks like a foundation laid in the center. Other than that, the land is clear, which is impressive for the location. Everything in this part of Edge so far has looked more run-down that it did when it was Midgar, with buildings falling apart, rubble everywhere, and mostly dirt paths that have to serve for those walking and driving.
Tifa unlocks the fence, and we step inside just as a strong wind starts to buffet us. Looking up, I see the Shera making its way toward us at a leisurely pace. It's too loud to talk anymore, so the two of us watch as my uncle maneuvers a smooth landing, perfectly onto the concrete below. Once he cuts the engine, we make our way over as the gangway is lowered.
"What the hell is this for?" Cid asks as he walks toward us.
"I told you," Tifa replies, "I really don't know. Barret can do what he wants with his own money, even if it makes no sense to the rest of us."
He rolls his eyes, saying, "Where the hell is he, anyway?"
"Out with Reeve. Whatever it is they need everyone for, apparently, they're still working out details."
"That son of a bitch calls me out here, and he's not even around when I show up? What's up with that?"
"To be fair," I say, "they've been trying to reach you for how long, and you're only just getting back to them?"
"Whose side are you on?" he snaps at me, but there's no real venom in it.
"I think we're going to get along just fine," Tifa says, smiling at me. "Anyway, you're more than welcome to come back with me to the bar while you wait."
"Fine," Cid grumbles, flicking the ash from his cigarette. He stomps his way back to the ship, making sure to close the entryway and secure it before walking past us, straight for the gate. When he pulls on it and it doesn't open, he grimaces, looking back at Tifa. "The hell are we standing here for?"
Tifa shakes her head at the same time I let out a sigh. We exchange a smiles before Tifa holds up a little keychain at Cid. It's got a red pom-pom on the end, and what looks like three or four keys. "Hold your chocobos, I'm coming."
We head back to the bar to find it in utter chaos. It's gotten a lot busier in the half hour or so we must have been away, and there doesn't appear to be anyone manning the bar. There's a girl with short black hair dashing between tables, trying to get drink orders, but she looks exhausted and a bit confused.
"This place apparently can't run without me," Tifa says. "Make yourselves comfortable." With that, she heads into the fray, relieving the short-haired girl from taking orders and putting her behind the bar.
"Some things never change," Cid says, making his way over to a table in the corner. I follow him, not really sure what I should be doing.
"So, we wait?" I ask him.
"Yeah, cuz some people can't keep their appointments," Cid replies.
I roll my eyes, sighing. "Do you want me to get you something?" I ask him.
"Just a beer," he says.
"Sure, sure." I wave a hand at him, heading toward the bar. Tifa's helping someone else, but she turns to me shortly after.
"Taking orders?" she asks me.
"Apparently. Can I get a beer?" Tifa gives me a smile, pouring one from the tap and sliding it over to me.
"And for you?"
"I'm good," I reply. "Not much of a drinker."
"Me neither," she says, smiling.
"Then why run a bar? I know it doesn't need to go hand in hand, but it seems kind of goofy."
"Bars are places where people gather," she tells me, leaning in a little closer. "And when people gather, they share information. I like to keep track of that information and know what's going on around town."
"Gotcha." It almost sounds like gossip, but something tells me Tifa doesn't care about who's dating whom and things like that.
"Besides, it's a fun atmosphere. I hope that if I surround myself with people who're having a good time, it might keep me positive."
"Right. I can understand that idea."
"Tifa, another round!" the girl with the short black hair calls from one of the tables. How she got back out there again is beyond me, but she looks like she's losing her marbles.
"Do you need help?" I ask Tifa.
"We'll manage," she replies. "You're a guest. I couldn't as that of you."
"Mm. But you're not asking. I'm offering."
She gives me a wry smile before saying, "All right, but don't say I didn't warn you. Take Cid his beer and then take his half of the room."
"Yes, ma'am," I say, snapping a salute that makes her chuckle.
Setting Cid's beer in front of him, I give him a lazy wave, turning to walk away. "The hell are you going?" he asks.
"To help," I reply, heading over to the farthest table to start attempting to do just that. Turns out, taking orders isn't easy, especially since I've never done it before. I have a good memory, so I don't need to write anything down, but there are a lot of people here. It's crowded, it reeks of alcohol, and the cigarette smoke is like a low cloud, obscuring my vision. After about an hour and a half of this, I'm starting to feel a bit nauseous.
"You should take a break," Tifa tells me as I head up to the bar to get another table's drinks. "You've been such a big help already."
"Thanks," I say, giving her a weary smile. "I think I just might, after I take these." I grab the drinks, stumbling a little but not spilling anything. Between the smells, running back and forth, and trying to be pleasant to the already very drunk people, I'm exhausted. After dropping off the drinks, I head back up to the bar.
"Here." Tifa passes me something, and when I raise an eyebrow, she says, "It's ginger ale, I promise."
"Thank you," I reply, taking a swig. It calms my stomach almost entirely in one go, and I breathe a sigh of relief as someone sits down beside me. When I look up, my eyes go wide. "Cloud, right?"
The spikey blonde nods as Tifa slides him a drink. "Cid's niece," he says. "With the crazy flying machine."
At first I think he's talking about the Shera, but then I remember my hover-glider and my antics what feels like forever ago. "Lissa," I reply, "and it's not crazy. It's...got character."
He raises an eyebrow before taking another drink. "Sure."
"It's okay," I say, tapping my fingers against my glass. "Not everyone can handle how amazing my genius is."
I'm rewarded with a snort as he nearly spits out his drink. "Oh?" As he turns his brilliant blue gaze on me, I feel my heart start to beat a little faster.
"Totally," I reply. "Take Tifa for example." She's passing by as I say this, so she stops, looking at me. I pretend not to notice as I say, "When we first met, I amazed her with my ability to carry an intelligible conversation with Cid."
"She's not wrong," Tifa says, laughing. "She handles him like a pro."
"I ought to be good after putting up with him for so long."
"I can't fathom what could be so difficult," she says, walking away.
I smile, looking out at the crowded bar. Most people look like they have their drinks and are having a good time. There's not much for me to do right now, and the other girl appears to have gone missing.
"It's okay if you're jealous of my hover-glider. If you want, I'll give you a ride sometime," I tell Cloud, smiling.
He shakes his head, saying, "Pass." I raise an eyebrow, and he says, "I get motion sick."
"Motion sick? Huh. I guess everyone has something like that."
"Is that so?"
I nod. "I mean, I'm terrified of boats."
"Coming from someone who can fly in an airship without fear."
"It's different," I reply. "There's just something about being over water like that. It just…." I trail off, shuddering slightly.
Silence falls between us, and I take another drink before saying, "So, I'm taking a guess here, but you and Tifa are part of the group my uncle helped two years ago, aren't you?" Cloud nods, and I sigh. "I figured. He told me a lot of stories about you when...well, anyway, that's really cool. And you fought the bad guys a few months ago too."
"The bad guys, huh?" Cloud takes another drink, and silence stretches between us. "Yeah, that was us."
"I guess I owe you all my thanks, then," I say, getting to my feet. I give him a small, shy smile, feeling a bit stupid all of a sudden. An explanation gets stuck in my throat, so instead, I just turn and walk away, heading back into the fray.