Turning Points
Of Fugitives And Sailors
--
Cloud's footsteps clattered along the rusted steel beam. Pacing slowly across the spider web of metal that made the support structure for the above city of Junon, The blue eyed swordsman stopped, wobbling ever so slightly, trying to regain his balance. Peering past his boot clad feet at the meter wide make-shift metal walkway, he glanced the ground below, at least one hundred and fifty feet below for that matter. Cloud gulped back air and apprehension. He had never been one for heights. Not since that time in the Nibelheim mountains all those years ago. Right now this rickety support structure definitely qualified as high.
"Damn it, kid. Get a move on. I ain't getting any younger." The blonde heard the words whispered irritably behind him. The pilot had decided to tag along for reasons that were lost to the young soldier clad man. But never the less, He was glad for the help.
"Never look a gift horse in the mouth..." Cloud whispered the phrase he remembered his mother using so often.
"Whatcha say?" Cid Highwind muttered behind him. Receiving an uttered 'nothing' as reply. The pilot stood calm and unphased by the height or ocean wind that ruffled his dark khaki shaded cargo pants and navy jacket. The cigarette burning a soft orange glow held between his lips seemed to serve a reminder to how dark it was. With Junon above their heads, in front past the intertwining steel girders, a black sky, smudged with ghostly clouds and an even darker sea could be made out.
The two of them had escaped from the bar a good hour ago. In the space of that time somehow all of Junon had been awoken and was now on a manhunt for the two fugitives. Soldiers, sailors and civilians alike were scouring every corner of the port city.
Cloud took another uneasy step forward. The clang of his boots on the metal seemed to echo endlessly down the support structure.
--
'Splash!' Ice cold water soaked up to Cloud's ankles as he landed firmly into the shallow water of the derelict beach. If he never encountered electricity again it would be too soon. Another splash and the middle aged man landed beside him. The two silently waded through the water to the shore. A stone stairway awaited them. Cloud clad in an indigo first class soldier's uniform. Complete with a dark shoulder guard attached to an elaborate girdle. He remembered noticing the small town beneath the upper city. The two split up. The gutter mouthed pilot wandered off and was now talking to some fisherman about one thing or another. Cloud wandered into the centre of the small rural hamlet. It was clearly a village that had seen better days. The pollution that was secreted by the above Junon was heavy in the air as well as the water; the slimy mud sticking to the ankle of the aquamarine eyed soldier's pants was evidence of that. It was a small town. Three houses to one side, two to the other. A weathered cobbled road partitioning either side on the run up to a large elevator which most likely lead to the above city.
Cloud walked slowly down the cobbled road before perching himself upon the first few steps of a wooden stairway which ran up to the veranda of a small cabin. He took the opportunity to adjust his clothing and equipment before swinging his Buster Sword over his shoulder and laying it upon his lap. The soldier doppelganger stretched out a kink in his neck. The last few days of constant travelling over rough terrain had finally caught up with him. As well as the thoughts he had been so desperately trying to escape from. Idly drawing a hand back, slowly through his long golden spikes he let a sigh fall heavily from his lips as well as that of an oh so familiar name.
"Aerith..." He muttered to himself in the cold dark of the rural fishing village.
His mind once again racing. It had been weeks since he had seen her, since he had heard her voice or glanced that smile. The time they spent together had been short but it meant to him more than he cared to say or even dare think about. He assured himself he was just going to see if she was okay. That was all. That was the only reason. Wasn't it? The blue eyed blonde shook his head vigorously from side to side, trying hard to shake away the thoughts. Try as he may her smile remained...
"Snap outta ya daydreamin will ya, kid?" The gruff voice laced with the heavy accent snapped Cloud back to reality. His eyes wandered up to find a grinning Cid Highwind flicking his thumb across his nose. His steel Javelin balanced across his right shoulder clutched in his hand.
Rising to his feet quickly, Cloud secured his sword to his back and stood straight, a soldiers stance. "Anything?" He inquired.
"Heh. These fisher folk have seen better days I'll tell you that. When I asked my good pal the fish enthusiast over there about a boat ride he practically begged me to hire em. Dependin' o' course on if the pay's good." The aviator dressed Cid replied before snapping his head to the left and spitting at the ground.
Cloud sighed in relief. The first bit of good news all day. Well... Second at that. Rummaging at his belt the blue eyed blonde produced a small coin sack of gil and threw it lightly at Cid, who caught it effortlessly in one hand, expertly testing the weight before chirping up once more. "About a few hundred in here. That should cover it."
"So, when do we... Set sail?" Cloud tested the perky phrase idly. Granting him a raised eyebrow from his newest and bluest party member.
--
The small fishing boat raced over the dark blue water as the sun was disappearing over the water. The whirring of the engine drowned out by the sound of the water lashing against the side of the boat as it spearheaded onwards.
Cloud Strife sat back against the side, one leg outstretched and the other propped up, serving as support for his forearm. He glanced once more over the sea craft. It was indeed small. Consisting of only a small deck, enclosed with a metal railing and likewise a small wheelhouse which served as the only form of shelter on the craft. The dull paintwork, white and navy blue colours were chipped, cracked and severely weathered by years of sea travel. The spiky haired swordsman tilted back his head and let forth a worried sigh. Commenting mentally that if he had the choice, he would rather have swam to Costa Del Sol. The ship hardly looked sea worthy anymore. The owner, standing proudly in his wheelhouse looked almost as weathered as the boat. His rouged features and hunched posture adding to Cloud's assumption. Night had already begun to settle and the dark water was only thinly illuminated by the dim lights embedded in the deck and the crafts guiding lights.
Cloud turned his head slowly to the side and glanced up and Cid who stood off to his left, leaning forward against the rusted railing, a cigarette pursed in his lips. His white scarf flapping in the sea breeze. The pilot seemed to be basking in the rushing air as the ship moved. After all Cloud figured the guy did look like a Pilot. Either that or he had run into a man fresh from a fancy dress party and Cid Highwind did not seem the party type.
"Cid." Cloud inquired simply. Glancing ahead once more.
After a moment's silence and a sudden exhalation of smoke, the middle aged aviator responded. "What do you want?"
"Why are you here? You know what you're getting yourself into, there is nothing for you to gain... So why are you helping me?" The blue eyed Ex-Soldier asked earnestly.
Cid slowly took one last drag of his cigarette before flicking it into the ocean and spinning around to lounge back against the rail. "You're an enemy of the Shinra Corporation right, kid?" He asked in his gruff voice. Receiving a small 'Mmm' in confirmation he continued. "Then that makes you a friend of mine."
"But, surely you... -" Cloud began.
"Listen, kid. I got my reasons. Let's leave it at that..." Cid concluded. Figuring it was a touchy subject, the spiky haired swordsman decided not to pursue the matter any further. Cid quickly changed the subject. "So, you're after that girl the redhead was talkin about. Aren't ya?"
Cloud nodded slowly, before letting forth another sigh. Before he could reply he found himself struggling in a chokehold. "Let go. Old man." Cloud ordered as he struggled in the hold.
"So she's the girl that's got you down in the dumps huh? Heh." Cid gloated. "So tell me. What d'she mean to you huh? Why the heroics for this gi..- Ahh!" Cid cut off as he felt a vice like grip pry off his arm as Cloud climbed to his feet smiling slightly.
"I got my reasons... Let's leave it at that." Cloud retorted. Letting the elder mans arm loose.
"Heh. Smart ass." Cid laughed, nursing his arm.
"CLANK!!" The sound of metal hitting metal stopped the two abruptly, snapping their attention to the source of the noise. It was the railing. A large hole now pierced the metal. Cloud quickly spun around. His Mako blue eyes widening. There drawing dangerously closer, was an enormous freighter moving in fast! Rushing forward to the front of the boat the Ex-Soldier could make out figures dressed in blue, lining the bow of the freighter. Facing forward, they seemed to be holding...
Cloud spun around. "Get down!!" He yelled as he dropped to the ground, lying upon his stomach, flat against the metal. Narrowly avoiding a barrage of metal slug's now flying centimetres above his head. To his horror the Wheelhouse was quickly being turned into Swiss cheese.
"#?\&!!" Cid yelled, quickly dropping to his knees and taking cover quickly. The old boat couldn't take much more.
--
Cloud clambered quickly forward, miraculously avoiding the incoming bullets by a thin margin. The rusty guard rail offering little to no protection, the only hope the would-be Soldier had was to keep himself as low as possible. Inching forward by his forearms towards the wheelhouse and to the back of the boat, the spiky blonde haired teen turned his head slowly to the side, peering through the railing, the freighter was gaining closer, soon it would be alongside them…
"Damn…" Cloud gritted his teeth. The hopelessness of the situation dawning upon him.
Glancing over his shoulder across the metal floor of the deck, the swordsman glanced Cid having adopted the same position as him. The older man was clearly pinned down however, separating the two was a sea of sparks on the metal surface of the deck, where the metal slugs ricochet. Thankfully the Shinra ship was far enough away that most shots missed the small boat entirely. However the distance between both sea crafts was closing rapidly. As Cloud's eyes met Cid's, he could see his new ally was thinking the same thing. They were running out of time.
Cloud inched forward once more, the deck felt ice cold beneath him, sea water spraying in his face. From the corner of his eye he could see the fisherman cowering in the corner of the wheel house.
"Ah!.." The spiky haired swordsman winced as he thwacked his elbow against the guard rail whilst trying to move forward. "… If only it wasn't so dark." He grunted. No sooner than the words had left his mouth, his aquamarine eyes widened. An idea coming to mind. The ship was almost upon them. Within a lethal range. Those gunners wouldn't miss forever. He had to make it to the wheelhouse, or rather he somehow had to get inside the ships most predominant target.
Wincing painfully as he felt a bullet clipped his ear. The spiky haired boys face contorted in sheer determination. His elbows slowly propping himself up as he leaned back on the soles of his feet. A races starting posture. He had half a deck to cover through a hailstorm of bullets.
"I… Can't… Die… Yet!!" Cloud Strife yelled at the top of his lungs, bounding forward onto his feet. Racing across the deck, bullets biting at his heels. Gritting his teeth the teen dived forward into the tiny wheelhouse, rolling and crashing into the already startled sailor. Cloud's hand shot up instantly to the control panel, retracting just as quickly as a bullet hit the metal beside his thumb. A large ornate wooden wheel offered as steering control. While switches and keys allotted the metal panel. A set of keys stuck out of the ignition to the left. Bingo… Grasping them quickly between a finger and thumb Cloud jerked them hard to the left. Cutting all power to the boat.
The Soldiers upon the freighter ceased fire for a split second as their target seemed to disappear amidst the black night water, invisible in the darkness. A loud command rang through the air and the gunfire erupted towards the same spot. The gunmen shooting blindly at the water. Unknowing that their target had slowed to a stop and they had long since overtaken the small fishing boat.
--
Cloud Strife fell onto his back, panting heavily. From the sounds of gunshots fading further into the distance. It seemed they were safe for now. Even in the total darkness, the panicky breaths from the fisherman to his side and the annoyed cusses coming from across the deck, enlightened the Soldier that his two companions were safe.
"You son of a #?\& that was some crazy ass stunt you just pulled." Rang the voice of the gruff pilot. Though the words came off as scolding, the grin could be heard behind the words.
"Heh…" The Exasperated swordsman panted in response.
It was at least an hour before the three decided to switch the power back on, with major effort by Cloud and Cid on calming their panicking driver. Once they were all sure the freighter was long gone they ignited the engines and moved forward cautiously.
--
The Eighteen year old swordsman leaned forward, against the railing at the bow of the boat. Dawn was coming, the sun still hidden, yet the dark of the sky changing to a lighter blue. Across the waves, the form of land and mountains began to emerge slowly from the Horizon. Held by the blue eyed gaze of the uniformed figure. Urging the land mass to draw closer. The faint buildings coming into focus. The Costa Del Sol.
He had no real reason to go after her. She could shun him… Turn him away. The fear of rejection only outweighed in his heart by the fear of never seeing her soft smile again.
"Wait for me…" Cloud uttered softly into the salty morning air.