Corel Prison: The Desert Wasteland
The elevator finally stopped, but then the floor under me suddenly opened, and I screamed, falling ten feet before smacking onto dry earth, hard.
I was lucky to land feet first, but my legs collapsed under me until my hands and the rest of me came at a splat. I ended up lying on my stomach, with my arms and legs sprawled across cracked and dry earth. A horrible dry heat sucked straight into my lungs as I was already dehydrated, followed by a light headache. I laid on my cheek and groaned, wanting to close my eyes after my feet and legs throbbed sharply until they grew numb from the fall.
From somewhere above, a massive lamp glared, sending a large circle of its flickering white brightness across the area like weak lightning.
My eyes adjusted to its brightness, and caught sight of a fat black scorpion skittering its tiny sharp legs. I sucked in another hot breath, eyes wide at the size of its stinger. Each time the light flickered to darkness and back, the vicious critter came closer.
But before I had a chance to try to stand, someone already helped me up, when Cloud's voice sighed, "Aqua, are you okay?"
My weak legs wobbled, knees and hands scabbed from the fall, and with relief, fell into him. I was still feeling a bit out of it from the rough ride, letting his arms hold me steady.
I thought I was inhaling inside a hot oven, the air almost too thick to breathe.
"Where are we?" I whispered, throat parched. I scanned around us, seeing a vast wasteland around us in the dark. There were a few high lamps, blaring with white light upon the yard to give clear view to a couple of huts, some broken vehicles, scattered mobile homes, and then there was just nothing but darkness beyond that.
Cait Sith and his Mog bounced towards Cloud and I, and then, diligently, pushed us apart until I almost fell over. I leaned into Mog's large body with a soft and large arm around my waist to keep me balanced, while Cloud hissed at being shoved again like before. Cait Sith's ears dropped when he gazed out at the pitch black world beyond a broken wire fence.
"We're in Corel Prison," he groaned. I looked up, and found the branches of Gold Saucer lighting up the night, suddenly appearing very unreachable while we all stood by the foot of its massive golden trunk. Even at night, the air was surprisingly hot, and Cloud scoffed, crossing his arms while glaring at Cait Sith.
"A prison?" he questioned.
Cait Sith nodded, staying under a lamp to keep from falling into the dark where shadows lurked. We weren't alone.
"Yes. It's a natural prison surrounded by quicksand and monsters. I heard once you get in, you never get out," the cat replied depressingly. He then fell into deep thought, arms crossed, while his body froze.
I noticed Cloud still had his sword, and I let out a sigh of relief.
"I'm glad they left you with your Buster sword," I mentioned, but Cloud had his eyebrows up, his troubled eyes out into the darkness.
"I can see why. What can I do with it to escape? It won't save us from quicksand," he muttered. He eyed at Cait Sith with curiosity, wondering why the cat froze. Mog shrugged his robotic shoulders and said, "We lost him."
I turned to Cloud. "What do we do now? Do you have your phone to call the others?" I asked him.
But he shook his head.
"That's the only thing they took from me. Afraid I would call for help. I'm worried the others won't have any clue where we are. This is embarrassing," he replied, lifting his worried eyes up to the far away stars he wished he could see. But the tall overhead lamps obscured our night vision, making the sky appear just as dark as the desert surrounding us.
"Let's find a place to rest, and wait and see if anything happens in the morning," Cait Sith suddenly mentioned, his little cat body moving again. Cloud and I stared at him, our eyes holding in hope.
"Why? Something up?" Cloud pried.
Cait Sith shrugged.
"It's just better in the day. It's hotter, but we may be able to talk to someone about how to get out of here," he answered with a nervous laugh.
Cloud kept his eyes on the cat, trying to read him, but to no avail. It was more difficult to read a doll than a human. He sighed, giving up, and turned to me with a serious gaze.
"Let's find a suitable place to rest for the night, then. Stay close," and he began to move. I did follow closely, but I was displeased to have Mog's body wedge in between us. It was getting on my nerves.
"Okay, why do you do that? Why are you the touching police?" I grumbled, eying Cait Sith with irritation. The lamps faded, leaving us barely under its wide radius as the night darkened. A couple of men stood around, lit cigarets hanging from their lips until I could only see the bright orange tips burn. I made sure my cap was securely on, to keep my hair tight in place, but hated that I was wearing a dress as I avoided the stares lurking at night.
Cait Sith dragged a nervous chuckle.
"Uh, I used to supervise for a kid's play area in Gold Saucer. I'm so used to keeping the older ones apart, to keep everything under control, ya know? Old habits die hard, I guess," he struggled, and ended up grinning his little fangs.
I fumed silently, crossing my arms. Strangely enough, the farther away I was forced from Cloud, the more I wanted to be near him. My legs strained, begging for rest from the fall as we passed a low wire fence, and under another lamp.
Cloud and I stopped, our eyes caught to what stood a few yards ahead.
Across a gap of shadow, another lamp glimmered, and standing under it was Barret, his back to us. His head turned into a few directions as though he was searching for someone.
"Barret!" Cloud cried, and the gun armed man whirled around, startled.
We rushed, Cait Sith standing behind to watch as we approached the troubled man. His eyebrows went up under the lamp, and shook his head at us when we grew near.
"What are you two doing down here?" Barret asked.
Cloud and I stopped, keeping our distance when our eyes automatically fell to his large gun arm like we were afraid. I tensed, unsure what to say, but Cloud solved it quickly with, "What's going on, Barret?! We were forced down here because of something you may have done!"
Barret turned his head, looking out of the darkness like it was calling to him, and his shoulders sank.
"I'm sorry, you guys, but I'm trying to figure stuff out," he muttered, appearing distracted by the night.
Cloud stepped forward. As soon as his boot crunched over cracked earth, Barret glared right at him, aiming his gun arm for his chest, and screamed, "Stay the fuck back! I got shit to do! Stay the fuck out of it!"
I gasped, never seeing Barret so threatening before.
Cloud froze, not even breathing as he watched Barret disappear under the lamp's light, and blended into the shadows. Hushed voices in the darkness suddenly surrounded us when we were unaware we even had an audience for that little quarrel. I walked next to Cloud and eyed up at him, watching his eyes stay where Barret was standing, lost in his thoughts. His mouth stayed slightly open, unaffected by the hot air that may be drying out his tongue, until Cait Sith's voice chimed, "Wow! That was your friend? He's a bit scary, wouldn't you say?"
Cloud blinked, and he closed his eyes, sighing long and tired, while Cait Sith hopped with his friend behind us.
"It's too dark to go out there. I'd suggest we find a place to sleep and figure this all out when it's light outside," the cat begged. His tiny slit for cat eyes, darted left and right, nervous over the voices in the dark, and he shrunk into himself, his fur sticking up.
"If we can sleep," I muttered, knowing too well that I was much too anxious in a place like this to sleep. I've never even gotten a parking ticket, and suddenly, I'm in a desert prison. I tried to see into the dark, barely making out the shapes of other prisoners unless they slipped a foot or arm under the light. It's like they knew how to get around, how to be seen and how to stay hidden.
About to say something, Cloud tried to lay a hand on my arm, but Mog smacked it away. Cloud growled under his breath, and said through his teeth, "Cait Sith is right. We need to find a safe place to rest and wait till daytime. We don't know what's out here. I hate to say this, but we need to stay out of the light if we don't want to be easy targets."
I hugged myself, despising the idea of being in the dark, but kept my mouth shut as Cloud dragged his eyes down to Cait Sith, and then began to walk, keeping his hands to myself.
"Let's go," he muttered.
Mog's hand took mine, giving me a better chance to feel its robotic fingers under the fur while he pulled me along. He kept a firm grip when we stepped into the dark, following Cloud silently.
"Don't worry, I can see in the dark," Cait Sith chirped. He sounded way too cheerful to be in a prison surrounded by quicksand and dangerous lurkers.
I tried to see him through the darkness, and grumbled, "you sure sound cheerful."
He fell into a fake giggle.
"Just staying positive. Don't worry, my dear. Cloud and I will keep you safe."
"I'll take the rear, while you scout a place for us, then," Cloud whispered, and he stayed behind me. Like a well-thought-out arrangement, the two kept me safe in the middle. I vaguely saw a fence we passed, followed by random bottles and cans kicked around at our feet. Voices were heard. Some were grunts, and others as chuckles.
My head spun, trying to spot the shadows. There were a few hard faces under the lamps, the ones okay with being exposed, but the others stayed where they wanted to be.
"How are we, Caith Sith? Anything threatening around us?" I asked nervously as I squeezed Mog's hand as hard as I could.
Cait Sith let out a small gasp, and then quickly, "ah, not at all. None for you to worry about," followed by a forced giggle. Wow, he's even a worst liar than Aerith. I narrowed my eyes down at the dark ground, fearing of stepping over scorpions or into hidden crevices in the earth. It took some time before Cait Sith finally gasped and went, "Aha! There's a place."
I could barely see anything, squinting over large pipes and the bare bones of what may have been a small house. But as we got closer, I saw the glimmering reflection of distant light bounce off metal doors of a Shinra van. It was dusty with all of its tires taken away, and the back double doors still shut. Mog's powerful arms pulled them open, the hinges squeaking. The doors cracked against the bumper, flapping weakly, and I clutched a hand to my heart, shaking my head at the black void inside the vehicle.
"No way. I'm not sleeping in there. No!"
I was already stepping back, unsure where I was going to go, but bumped into Cloud, and he laid gentle hands on my shoulders.
"I know it's not the best. But you won't be alone," he said over my head. Whether it was from being pressed against him or the thought of sleeping in the dark inside a prison, my heart thumped hard in my chest.
"Don't worry. I'll check for scorpions," Cait Sith announced, and he hopped off Mog's head to dive right into the van's bed. In the dark van, I heard him screech, as though he found many critters to take care of.
I slapped a hand over Cloud's, and squeezed, fearing for the night ahead.
#-
Of course, I couldn't sleep.
With my cap off, I laid inside Mog's lap, his large body a perfect cushioning, while I used one of his arms as a fluffy pillow. My body curled up, his other arm draped over my hip while I pressed my back into his round belly. As a robot, he efficiently held still, not able to breathe air into his chest to move me easily. It was like sleeping on a fluffy animatronic.
My eyes kept staring out to the front seats where a broken door sat, fearful someone is going to crank it open and shoot at us, or stab us, or something sudden and violent. My heart wouldn't stop pounding. I pulled my eyes away from the front and let them fall back to Mog's soft arm.
The voices were loud tonight, what with the quiet of the prison. Gold Saucer's theme park was so far up in the sky, my ears couldn't even trace any of its music, which strangely, might have been soothing for my insomnia. There was nothing but wind slipping through the hollow homes and into cracks in the desert, along with the clicking sounds of critters. Unfortunately, none of the wind leaked into the van, leaving it hot and stuffy, almost impossible to sleep through. In my head, I could hear the Planet clearly, its whispers of trouble brewing.
It's going to get worst from here
Isaac's warning swelled in my chest, and I rubbed my palm over it, blinking rapidly over the memory.
What's going to get worst? Isaac, what are you not telling me?
I stared up at old bullet holes in the ceiling, scarcely seeing stars. I then thought of space, and the strange premonition of Meteor from earlier.
Did it have something to do with a meteor? Is a meteor coming? I had to talk to Aerith…
I sighed, rubbing my hands over my face when she came to mind.
Gods, I missed her. I'm used to having her near, spending time together and sharing secrets. This day was highly unusual for us, and what's even more interesting, she's spending more time with Yuffie.
Was I just being a little jealous?
I rolled over, trying to make out Cloud's sleeping form in the dark. He let himself lie right before the back doors in case someone were to open them. If so, they would have to step over him first, and meet with his sword.
Cloud made a good mousetrap, and I smirked in the dark at the thought. With his back to me, he breathed quietly, resting easily, and I envied him for it. I should be comfortable sleeping in Mog's arms, but I wasn't.
Quietly, I slipped out of his hold. It was so quiet, I could even hear the gears working when his head moved. I sat up, and peered carefully at a sleeping Cait Sith. He laid on top of Mog's head, curled up and frozen, back to being a doll.
I waved a hand in front of his face, and he didn't flinch. I even poked him, and he was out. So, was he a doll after all? And if so, then who is the one controlling him?
Shivers went up my spine as I scooted away from the robotic creatures.
Bravely, and yet terrified, I nested next to Cloud, my knees curled up and pressed into his back. His breathing, his slight movement, having him so close, didn't help too much with my fast beating heart, but it helped me relax.
I smiled a little, lying on my side against him as if I were a big spoon, but kept my hands to myself. I rested them under my cheek as a cushion to the van's hard metal floor, and let out a relaxed sigh.
Slowly, my heart rate slowed, and the voices went away. It was like they were afraid of Cloud. The hours of lying awake, finally caught up with me when tranquility finally came around, Cloud's close presence a definite solution.
I'm not sure how to explain it, but it was starting to feel like, after Costa Del Sol, and even after knowing what Cloud heard from my conversation with Isaac, that I felt closer to him. It was devastating for a moment to have learned Cloud heard everything, but it may have also been a blessing. I watched his back for a while, until I was able to close my eyes. Finally, I fell asleep, and headed straight into Aerith's dream.
I opened my eyes, and knew exactly where I was. Yellow and white flowers tickled my cheeks.
I smiled.
Quietly, I pushed myself up from the cluttered flower bed, and found myself back in the old church in Sector 5. With a turn of my head over my shoulder, I found her standing there in the aisle in her little flower dress. Her profile was soft against the light spilling in from the front doors behind her.
"There you are," Aerith chirped, and she turned her head slowly to smile down at me, her perfect eyes shimmering. Still in my t-shirt dress, I jumped to my feet, and ran up to her. We locked in a tight embrace. She sank her head beside my neck and sighed.
"Where are you two? We're so worried! Why won't Cloud answer his phone? Are you two just spending quality time together? But wouldn't we see you at the hotel? What's going on?" Aerith threw too many questions at me, and I asked her to slow down, pushing away slightly from our embrace just so that I could look into her eyes.
"We're okay. It's okay. It could be better. We found Barret, but you're not going to like it," I began.
Aerith kept her eyes wide as I told her what had happened so far, everything from meeting Cait Sith, the murders, and falling into Corel Prison.
Aerith's mouth started partially open, and then, by the time I was done, her jaw dropped almost to the wooden floor.
"You're in Corel Prison?! Oh my goodness! We need to get you out of there!"
I shook my head, and took her hands with mine, almost feeling so real. How could this just be a dream, when I was seeing her, feeling her, and even smelling the flowers? I wished this was all real, and I sighed at the thought before getting too distracted.
"Cait Sith thinks there's hope in the morning. We will just have to wait and see. Where are you staying?" I asked.
Aerith began to fiddle with the end of her braid, nervous over the situation, even if I tried reassuring her with a smile.
"We're at Haunted Square. It's not the…best place to sleep," she muttered nervously.
I lifted my brows up.
"Do you want to sleep in a van in the middle of a desert prison with a bunch of criminals around instead?" I joked.
Aerith grinned, a twinkle in her eye.
"With Cloud, you can sleep anywhere," she gushed, giggling.
"True," and I giggled along with her till my cheeks burned.
We embraced again, and we both took a deep breath to settle our quick-pacing hearts.
"It's better me than you," I whispered, closing my eyes, and I felt her soft hair tickle into my cheek.
When she didn't reply to that, I added, "Please let the others know we're okay, for now. I hope to see you soon."
We released, and began to walk towards the church doors, holding hands.
Aerith turned to me, the growing light hitting half her face into white.
"I will. Please be careful. And go find Barret. He's not himself," she whispered, distressed.
I looked towards the light when we came near it, but stopped before stepping in. Was leaving going to be the end of our dream? I still needed to ask her something, and my eyes gazed out into the light, nothing but a world of white, like heaven was outside the church, waiting for us.
My heart fluttered as I thought hard about my nightmares, the strange vision in the space tunnel, and the Lifestream.
"Aerith…" my voice turned serious, and I squeezed her hand a little tighter.
"You must be getting the warnings, too? Aren't you? What the Planet has been saying? Something is happening," I dreaded, and lifted my head to stare out into the white abyss again, fearing it like it was the Lifestream beaconing me to enter.
Aerith was quiet. I knew she was uncomfortable talking about these serious topics, but I was the only one who can see what she did. Or at least I thought.
I stared at her, noticing her eyes sink to the old pews next to her.
"There's going to be a meteor, isn't there?" I asked. Aerith didn't say anything. She let go, just to take her hand over to her chest, feeling her heart rise.
"I've been getting the dreams. Aerith, I know you know more than I do. When are you going to tell me?" I edged.
She turned her back to me, shrinking, and sighed.
"I just wanted you here as a friend. Someone who understands me, really understands. Another Ancient, but…" she sniffed, shaking her head and her long braid waved around.
"But we really can't have everything we want, can we?" she whispered, her voice fragile.
She clasped her hands together and took in a deep breath, and finally twirled around to give me a serious gaze.
"I've been getting the warnings as well. Yes, I'm aware. We have a job to do, and strangely, that all ties into tracking Sephiroth and stopping him from reaching the Promise Land, er, Shinra's version anyway."
My eyes grew, proud of Aerith finally being able to push aside the gullibility that she often practiced, pretending that everything was fine on the surface.
"There is a Promise Land, then?" I questioned.
Aerith smiled to herself and shrugged her bony shoulders.
"Sort of. It's difficult to explain, but I know for us, Ancients, it's where we're ultimately supposed to be. It's our goal. A place of happiness. I don't see how that works with the Mako Shinra spoke of," she struggled, getting uncomfortable again. Her eyelids dropped a little.
"So, we need to stop Sephiroth. He's tied into the Planet's malady," she advised.
"Is Sephiroth the one creating havoc in the Lifestream?" I asked.
Aerith shrugged.
"I don't know, Aqua. I wish I knew. I don't know how he would do that when he's walking around like he's been alive this whole time. This doesn't make much sense."
I swallowed, and thought aloud, "we need to bring everyone else into this and have a discussion. Soon."
Aerith nodded, smiling a little. I think she liked the idea of bringing others into this.
The doors closed.
It was so sudden, I gasped, my whole body rattled when we gripped to each other.
"Is that supposed to happen?" I choked.
Aerith's head spun around the church, searching for an answer as the white light slowly vanished. Darkness swallowed up the white void, growing menacing outside the tall paneled windows, until our only light source fell from the tall chandeliers.
"Am I waking up?" I asked. I suddenly felt ill, and my legs grew weak.
"This is lovely," a familiar voice mused. Aerith and I gasped as we both turned our heads towards the center of the church.
His black boots crunched over the flowers purposely, twisting his toes into them until they squished to his satisfaction.
"I can't be having you two plotting to stop me," Sephiroth mentioned, his hand to the hilt of his long sword.
Aerith and I froze.
"How?!" I screeched. It didn't make sense to have anyone else visit our dreams, not like this.
But Sephiroth moved just as fast, if not, even more than Isaac did, disappearing into nothing. He vanished from the flower beds, leaving nothing but flower petals fluttering around in the air.
Aerith pulled me towards the doors, our way out of the dream sequence. But to my surprise, she choked, and her hand fell over one of the knobs before she came sliding against the door. Aerith's hand became limp, and I watched the horrifying image of her falling to the floor, blood oozing from her chest where a deep stab wound suddenly appeared. This was a dream, right? But I could smell the blood. Her eyes became lifeless when they stared up at the ceiling.
"Aerith!"
I was about to reach her, but then I heard it before I felt it. I paused, and looked down.
Like many times before, Sephiroth's sword plowed right through me, my blood smeared all along its blade as it extended further and further.
"I can do this every night, if you want. Good practice," he whispered into my ear while pulling back my long hair.
"Soon," was the last I heard Sephiroth whisper, before I choked, and woke up.
#-
I sat up and screamed. And I mean, screamed. Eyes shut tight, mouth stretched long and open while tears crashed down my cheeks kind of scream.
Immediately, Cloud sat up, gasping, "What?! Aqua, what is it!"
My heart ran wild, into an arrhythmia, and I panicked, begging for fresh air as I felt hands press into my shoulders.
I shoved them away, feeling like the walls were closing in on me, and fought my way to the doors.
"No!" I screamed, trying to reach them.
Cloud tried to hold me down, his hands strangely shaky, but I pleaded, "No. Let me go! I need air! I need to breathe!"
He released, and I pushed the doors open, falling into the dry heat under an early sun as I tumbled hard. I was gasping and crying while on all fours, trying to figure out how to breathe, but my inhales came as wheezes. Through the thick tears, everything was too bright.
Cloud's steps came in. I could see his boots near my fists when I squeezed them so tight, still gasping like my heart couldn't slow down.
I tried coughing. It wasn't until I squeezed my nose to perform the Valsalva maneuver, that the wild heart of mine heart finally began to slow, and I pressed my eyes into my hands, almost kissing the dirt with relief. My wheezing began to disappear, and for a few minutes, my breathing slowed. Cloud must've been patiently watching me the whole time, and he finally knelt beside me, laying a gloved hand over my arm.
"Was it another nightmare?" he asked quietly.
A hot breeze flurried my silver hair into our faces, and I nodded, staring at the dry earth between my hands.
"It was awful," I breathed, and swallowed hard, Sephiroth's voice still left in my head.
Soon
I closed my eyes tightly.
Was there nowhere to run? We were trying to track the swordsman down, but maybe he's been tracking us all along? What's his game?
Cloud's hand brushed from my shoulder, to my neck and found my chin to pull my face up and make me look at him. His face appeared dark with the sun behind him, outline the edges of his spiky hair like a glowing gold lining.
His eyes settled soft and careful on mine when he asked, "what was it about?"
I closed my eyes again, afraid I looked horrid with the old tears caking my cheeks and my jumble of hair, strands of it sticking to my face.
"Sephiroth," I forced. It was a strange sensation saying his name, like it was going to come with a curse. Cloud's eyes wandered, processing this.
"It was probably just a nightmare," he muttered, though sounded unsure himself.
I wanted to believe it was just a nightmare, but I knew better.
"No…" I whispered.
Cloud pulled me up, and my legs trembled, knees sore. I pulled my hair back and tried to collect it into one long tail. Mog came waddling out of the van, and handed me my hat. I took it and tightened it around my head, spinning my hair into place and taking my only rubber band to tie it up into a bun.
"It was a warning," I ended, my tone dead serious.
Cloud eyed me carefully, as though trying to read every line on my face, every colored detail in my eyes. He then turned his head, scorning at nothing.
He didn't need to ask what the warning was about. With his eyes closed, he rubbed his hands through his face and up his hair.
"Hey! There you guys are! What's going on out here?" We all heard Cait Sith whine, and his little kitty form jumped out of the van to meet with us.
Mog scooped the cat into his arms and settled his little body onto his head.
After getting settled to a better level, Cait Sith eyed at Cloud and I with speculation.
"Everything okay?" Real or not, even he knew something was amiss.
When Cloud and I didn't say anything, neither of us really in the mood. Cait Sith groaned and wrapped his little furry arms around himself.
"Why don't you guys get some water, and then we can go find a way out of here?" He suggested, and forced a smile.
I used my magic to make a floating ball of water the size of a soccer ball, and slurped from it hungrily until it shrunk into a tennis ball. More magic channeled from my bracer, giving me the ability to grow the water again, and floated it towards Cloud for him to take it into his face and slurp it all up.
Just that alone, with no food and so much heat, wore me out. I leaned against the van, feeling winded like a frail and old person. Hiding under my hat, I was glad of the horrid sun staying out of my eyes as I scanned the area while catching my breath. It really was just all desert. Far away to the North, maybe hours away on foot or vehicle, sat the mountains of Corel, all in a fluid image mixed with a mirage of water. Nothing but yellow and brown land across the crappy wire fence, the earth cracked in places of scattered cliffs and canyons to accidentally fall into and never come out again. The sky was a solid yellow and blue haze, not a cloud in the sky.
Carefully, I tried to notice the rugged men scattered around the prison, some sitting on large pipes of what may have carried Mako, others loitering in front of huts and mobile homes. In the day, everyone was visible, an advantage, and yet, a disadvantage as well. I could see all of them. But they could also see me. Was I the only girl here? Many eyes spotted me, some hungry and others twisted in wretched smirks. I dropped my face, letting my cap conceal my eyes, and sucked in more breaths until I was able to stand without the van's help. Cloud became observant of the area, and crossed his arms when he noticed all the stares.
"Hmph, let's hurry and find a way out of here before I'm forced to fight all these low-lifes," he mumbled.
Mog took my hand while Cait Sith chimed, "I think if we go over there to that large semi truck, there may be someone we can talk to."
We walked together closely, avoiding the stares. Cloud stayed extra close, even when Cait Sith hissed for him not to. He just ignored it.
We passed a broken old hut, when a large group bandits, suddenly appeared, surrounding us.
One of them had a red handkerchief over his lips and a bandana wrapped around his round head.
"What an interesting group we have here," the bandit purred, his small eyes calculating.
Cloud sighed and pulled out his sword.
"Leave us or it's going to be your life," he warned. The group rejected his warning, and chuckles swarmed around us. Cait Sith clutched to Mog's ears tightly, his head twisting as he counted how many of them there were. There were maybe seven or eight of them?
I held my bracer arm out, ready to use magic as my already hot body, burned up with green energy.
"Aqua, save your energy," Cloud demanded, noticing green light swirl up into my arm from the earth. Whispers fell into my ears, the voices of energy I planned to borrow, and I shook my head.
"I can handle it," I assured, feeling his back press up against mine.
Another man stepped in closer, wielding a long spear made up of a jagged knife scotched taped to a broom stick. He pointed it at Cloud and sneered, "give us the girl, and we'll let you go."
Cloud narrowed his eyes, Mako swirling off of his muscles as they grew tense.
He held his sword in a fighting stance, and tossed the naive bandit glowing harsh eyes.
"Fuck off," he muttered, and before the bandit knew what was happening, he already found the Buster sword stick right into his chest. He blinked once, shocked at the sudden blood escaping from his core. One yank, and Cloud freed the bandit from his sword, letting him land onto the dirt as a dead body.
Cait Sith ordered Mog to use his giant fists to smash on another man, crushing him until his bones snapped. I unleashed a large column of fire and burned a third with fourth degree burns.
The rest that were left, gave us big bug eyes. One of them gasped, "holy shit! Dudes, let's scram!" And they dispersed, running away as fast as they could.
Cait Sith turned to Cloud and opened his slit cat eyes a little more as he whistled.
"Wow. You're scarier than your gun friend," he commented.
Cloud ignored it, putting his dirty sword back to its magnet, and let his lit up eyes scan the area, able to see farther than before when left in a battle state.
"That should keep them off of us for a while," he grunted.
From the three bodies, green sparkles passed us, lifting up to toward's Gold Saucer's branches. As I watched their spirits disappear, I noticed in the far background, Barret's dark skin gleaming under the sun. He was standing inside an old broken home, its walls mostly gone, just a half wall left with brick and wood. He seemed lost in thought, just as far away mentally as he was physically.
"It's Barret," I announced, pointing for Cloud and Caith Sith to find him easily.
Cloud jumped his hand back to his sword's handle, and was already running. I joined, leaving Cait Sith to whine, "No, please! Not that way! We're so close…"
Barret heard Cloud approach before we could surprise him, and he lifted his gun arm at the fighter.
"I said, leave me alone!" and he fired.
Cloud blocked the bullets with the wide blade of his sword while charging.
"Barret!" he screamed, and jumped high, out of the range of fire, and cut the air, ramming the sharp edge of his blade toward's Barret's head.
Barret used his massive gun arm to block the blow, but it hit hard, denting its metal lining instead. He grunted from the hit, the explosion of attack traveling up his forearm and into his shoulder until it settled as a sharp pain, possibly fractured.
"It's none of your business, kid!" Barret growled, ignoring the damage.
I caught up, shocked over the two fighting in their own battle. Barret fired more bullets, which Cloud dodged by leaping in front of an old and abandoned car. Bullet holes collected along the red car's side, until Cloud swept it with his sword, firing the battered vehicle straight for Barret at high speed. Barret let out a yelp as he tried to leap out of the way in time, his large body a disadvantage to his speed. The car caught his leg and pressed it against a brick wall, crashing into what was left of it. The wall came piling down over him like a rain of brick and burnt wood.
"Guys, stop!" I screeched, running into the pile to help pull Barret out.
His gun crashed up through the bricks, blocks of them toppling away with dry clicks of stone, and then with a loud groan, Barret pulled himself out. He kicked the car with his boot as he curse, and just before Cloud's sword met with his neck, he aimed his Gatling gun right for his blond head.
They held still.
One move, and one of them would be dead.
Cloud glared at Barret, the sharp edge of his sword only inches from his jugular artery. The multiple barrels of Barret's gun pressed hard against Cloud's head, his teeth clenched while glaring back.
"You two, stop! We can talk this out!" I cried, hating to just stand and watch.
Cait Sith stayed far back. "I don't want to die. I didn't even sign up for this damn job," he fretted to himself, smacking his face into his paws.
Barret took deep breaths, but Cloud was still, waiting for the bullets to come. As much as he probably wanted to shoot, Barret finally pulled his gun back and let out a long sigh. He shook his head, sweat falling down from his neck and into his tank.
"You two lied to me," he breathed quietly, not looking at either of us.
Cloud withdrew his sword, but kept it close, observant over Barret.
"Barret, I know there's more to your outburst than that," I reasoned, avoiding putting a hand to his large arm even when I wanted to.
"I'm sorry. I should've told you. I had hoped I didn't have to when I refused Rufus's proposal, but it seems he's acting like everything is fine. He won't accept my refusal," I explained.
Caith Sith was going to say something, but kept his mouth shut as he watched.
Barret smirked, and he stretched the end of his tank to rub its smelly cloth across his face to wipe the sweat.
"So, you did refuse? Well, that makes me feel a little better," he muttered.
"Barret," Cloud began, too impatient to wait for his turn to speak. "We heard a gun armed man murdered many innocent people in Battle Square. Was that you?"
To our relief, he shook his head, and sat his rear over old wooden floorboards.
"No, that wasn't me," he clarified, his eyes down to the hot floor.
Cloud and I remained quiet, waiting to hear more.
Barret suddenly looked exhausted, the wrinkles under his eyes more visible than before, his skin bruised and cracked under sweat. His cracked, dry lips moved when he finally said in a dark tone, "Dyne is alive."
The name filled the air heavily, until it rang a bell in my head.
"You mean your old friend? He lived after that fall?" I asked, surprised anyone could survive such a drop after Barret described it as a deep and dark crevice.
Barret nodded in silence.
Cloud and I turned to each other, both of us puzzled.
"Wait, how did he get loose up at Gold Saucer? Why would he kill all of those people? It was Shinra and employees," I exclaimed, hoping Barret had an answer.
But he didn't. He just shook his head and shrugged his muscular shoulders.
"I don't know. I've been digging around here all night, and just found out that Dyne survived four years ago. Rumor has it he's got the same operation as me, but on his left arm," he explained.
"And that's why you're down here? To find him?" I asked. Barret nodded.
"I had to find out for sure. When I heard a gun armed man went on a killing spree, I was able to convince security to bring me down here and find him. Of course, they think I did it. But whatever. It got me here either way. But how did you two get down here? And what the hell is that thing?"
Barret pointed his gun to Cait Sith, and the robotic creature squeaked while Mog's arms went up like a shield.
"Don't point that at me!" Cait Sith cried.
I laid a hand on Barret's arm, and told him hurriedly, "that's Cait Sith. He's a doll, I think. Anyway, he's with us for now."
The cat put his paws on his hips, standing up on his little legs to glare at me.
"I can get us out of here-"
"I gotta go find Dyne. Set him straight," Barret confirmed, standing up and rubbing brick dust off his pants.
"I'll come with you," Cloud volunteered. Cait Sith sighed heavily in the background, no one listening to him.
"No!" Barret snapped at Cloud, raising his hand up to him.
"This is my problem. I gotta deal with this, alone," Barret demanded, eying Cloud hard. Cloud glared up at the gun armed man, and pushed aside his hand.
"If you go dying on me, I'm going to have nightmares. I'm going," he insisted. Barret pressed his lips together, having a glaring contest with Cloud.
"Barret, how do you know he's even down here? I mean, the guy was just up at Gold Saucer. Does that mean he escaped?" I shrugged, unsure why someone would return to this place.
Barret rubbed the back of his head uneasily, grunting.
"You'd think that. But this is Dyne's territory. Security runs loose here. Somehow, he found a way to go up to Gold Saucer, let loose, and come back. Hell if I know how or why. I don't fuckin know!" The more he speculated out loud, the more his voice grew until he sounded unsure.
I bit my lip, waiting for Barret to simmer down.
He sucked in a hot deep breath, glared up at the menacing sun, and said, "I do know he's down here. Some rough dudes told me so. I'm just going to have to take their word for it."
Mog's rounded hand took mine, and Cait Sith cheered, "Great! You two go on ahead, and we'll-!"
"I'm coming, too!" I requested. Cloud and Barret threw worried looks at me, and then they exchanged looks to read each other's expressions.
"I didn't even say any of you could come," Barret whined.
Cloud scoffed.
"Too bad. It doesn't sound safe, but I'd rather have Aqua stay with me than run around with that thing," he gestured his thumb behind him to point at Cait Sith. The cat growled, "hey, I'm trying to help! But all you guys care about is hunting down some crazy guy just to have some closure. Talk about priorities."
I grinned at his good point, but Barret turned his head beyond the fence of pipes and pass a large electrical grid.
"Let's go, then. The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can unite with the others. I'm sorry you guys got involved," he muttered. We left it at that, and began to walk together.
Silently, the four of us trekked around the desert prison. Rumors of Cloud's deadly swordsmanship spread quickly, keeping all the bandits far away, some only standing close enough to throw fearful looks in his direction. Blood still stained his sword, and they took it all as a warning, keeping their distance.
I watched Cloud look down to the earth, barely glancing at a pit when we passed it. He appeared bothered by all the stares, and thought better to avoid them, his lips a firm straight line along his profile. Behind him, the desert glimmered in a watery illusion under the brown coal mountains.
Were Sephiroth's distance words echoing in Cloud's head, telling him that he was a monster?
I kept quiet and turned away, wishing to console him, but I was also worried I would just be intruding. I was still irritated to have Cait Sith and his Mog wobble in between us like a parent. Barret marched ahead, leading us away from most of the area. The flat earth began to roughen a bit, revealing sharp rocks protruding from the ground like sharp titanic nails, along with large cracks into darkness.
Scorpions and tarantulas skittered near our feet, and I squirmed, gripping Barret's thick arm while I turned white. I expected Mog's arms to peel me away from Barret, but I was surprised to find the robot unaffected by it.
Cloud gave Cait Sith a simmering glare.
"Why do you not break them apart? Why is it just me?" he asked coldly.
Cait Sith crossed his arms.
"Because I don't picture those two running off together over a field of flowers, birds chirping and a less gruesome sun shining on top of them," he replied, and gave Cloud the cold shoulder.
Cloud scoffed, "And you picture that with Aqua and me? Hmph."
After noticing Cloud crossed his arms, I let my eyes wander along the of the fence we followed. Beyond it, a massive fissure grew more menacing, until it widened like a large and empty canyon. Tiny graves, made up of little wooden pieces nailed together, settled along the edges of the fissure. After a while warding off monsters, out of nowhere, gun fire shattered the silent air, startling us, and we all froze.
"Dyne…" Barret whispered, and he went on ahead, through the raised rocks and over the small cracks of broken earth.
I stayed close behind Cloud, Cait Sith not objecting as he too was hiding behind him while following a persistent Barret.
"I hate this," Cait Sith whined, sitting on Mog's head nervously. He kicked his little feet while his tail flicked wildly.
Through a land of raised rock and around a bend, the three of us stopped, noticing Barret frozen in place with his eyes set on something ahead.
Cloud and I inched closer, and stayed far behind Barret to find him staring straight at a rugged man.
Just a few feet from a cliff, he had the top of his stubby dark hair pointed to us, chin down into his chest like there was much too much weight in his neck. Arms thicker than Clouds, with a dirty tank, a jean vest, and olive green cargo pants, the man had his left gun arm raised into the air, and fired another shot into the sun.
The explosive noise pierced my ears, a long echo across the desert.
"Dyne…" Barret called out, waiting.
Another shot.
And then, the one called Dyne, Luca's older brother, raised his head. He had a hard face, and a scar to his left eye. He had Luca's brown eyes, though I've never seen such dead and cold eyes before, not like this. Rufus's eyes were alive, sparkling with amusement over his partial insanity. Dyne's appeared lifeless, no light in them left when they stared absently at Barret, not even barely a glimmer of recognition when he said, "now that's a voice I haven't heard in years. I'll never forget that voice." Dyne's voice sounded strained and coarse.
The two men stared. I noticed Barret tensed, the fracture to his right shoulder trembling his gun arm a little.
"I never thought I'd see you again. I had to see you to believe you survived. Funny how we got the same operation, huh?" Barret tried, unable to hide his nervous tone.
Dyne's eyes darted away, off to another direction. He took a step, the locket around his neck jingling to his movements, and he muttered to himself.
"What? No, I know," he whispered to no one in particular.
I speculated Dyne's behavior, how he seemed off-putting, the way his eyes darted as though he was surrounded by ghosts. The nervous twitches. Talking to himself.
He was hallucinating.
I took a few steps further back, hiding almost entirely behind the bend of a high rock. A mad man hallucinating while holding a gun arm, was a warning for a disaster. I didn't trust this situation in the slightest.
Cloud peered in close to me and asked, "what's up?"
I shook my head, keeping a close eye on Dyne.
"He's hallucinating. I'd stay far away from that man," I warned in a hushed tone. Cloud considered my words, and kept quiet, watching the two gun armed men try to connect. Barret frowned hard, his eyes moist while sweat trailed across his temple.
"Dyne?" he pried, unable to grasp what was going on with his old friend.
Dyne stopped talking to himself, and jerked his head back to stare at Barret.
"It's Eleanor. She's here with me, her voice. She tells me not to hate you. That's why I never went hunting you down," he replied, and came closer. He had a limp to his walk.
"I know! I was stupid, and I'm sorry for that. But Dyne, what are you doing here in prison? Why did you kill all of those innocent people?" As he asked this, he raised his gun and hand up.
Dyne chuckled, his rounded shoulders shaking. His collar bone stuck out oddly, and his free arm appeared oddly bent when he tried putting his gloved fingers into his hair. He began to laugh so hard, he was spitting into the dusty earth, over his boots when he dipped his head.
"Why, he asks," he cackled.
Cait Sith stayed farther behind the rock, and he whispered to me.
"I'm sorry, Aqua. This is going to get ugly. I'm going to step out for a moment."
I turned to him.
"What?"
But Cait Sith was already a frozen doll, sitting like a statue on Mog's head. I poked at the cat, and he didn't blink nor flinch.
"Where did you go now?" I pondered to myself.
"The boss needs a break," Mog informed slowly in his robotic, flat voice.
"They killed Luca!" Dyne screamed, and shot a bullet out in one random direction, laughing and crying at the same time. Tears spattered along his hard cheeks, his teeth clenched while he fought the urge to scream.
"My only family left! God-damn it! He was supposed to be the good one! The one who made it out of our fucking shit hole," and he fired another bullet in a different direction, right by Barret's head.
Barret didn't move. He suddenly looked very disappointed, dreadfully knowing deep down, that his best friend was still gone.
He shook his head as he swallowed down possible tears.
"I know. And I'm so sorry you lost-"
"Shut up!" Dyne screamed, aiming his single barrel gun arm straight at Barret.
"They already took my wife from me! my daughter! my home! And now my brother! My only family left! I have no one! No one is left! So, I killed them all! And if I could, I will kill everyone! Shinra! Not Shinra! Everyone dies!"
Barret raised his hand up.
"Marlene…." his voice quaked. "Marlene is alive," he finished, his lower lip trembling.
Cloud and I gazed at Barret, finally able to piece together a puzzle that has been stuck in our minds. Now it made more sense to me.
Dyne was silent, and he lowered his gun.
Barret continued, taking one cautious step closer. "After I lost you, I was able to slip into Corel, and found little Marlene still alive. I've been taking care of her for you. She's been the best daughter I've always wanted."
Marlene was Dyne's biological daughter.
My mouth dropped when I struck a hand over my heart. That beautiful little girl, with large brown eyes filled with light, and gleaming dark brown hair. Her adorable smile and rounded pink cheeks. She belonged to Dyne?
"She's safe in Kalm now. Let's go see her together," Barret suggested, smiling a little more.
Dyne's eyes darted to the voices again, and he shook his head, a wave of disbelief across his pale face.
"Our baby is alive," he whispered, smiling unsteadily to his dead wife. He then asked her, "you miss her, don't you? Want me to bring her to you?"
He looked over at Barret.
"Well, I guess I better go get her and bring her to Eleanor. Get her right here…," and he aimed his barrel right for his head. His scarred cheeks puffed out, and an explosive sound slipped through his lips, maddening eyes at Barret the whole time. I sucked in a gasp, both hands to my chest.
"Barret, don't! He wants to kill Marlene!" I cried.
Dyne shot a bullet, and it broke off a piece of rock over my head. I slipped away to hide behind the rock, while Cloud wedged in with his sword like a shield to prevent more bullets flying at us.
A single tear streaked out from one of Barret's eyes, slipping down his thin beard.
"Dyne, why?" he tried not to crack, but he was slowly breaking. Little by little, watching his old lost friend, someone he grew up with, shared memories with, laughed and cried with. Like a glass sculpture, Barret's body was slowly cracking since laying eyes on what Dyne turned into.
Dyne aimed his gun at Barret, his cheeks wet in tears while he glared. A part of him that was still left in there, maybe a fragmented piece of his broken soul, cried over what he had turned into. But, despite all of that, he still shot a bullet, and Barret stepped out of the way to dodge it. The bullet hit at a rock behind him.
"I've lost more than just my arm from that fall," Dyne wept, swallowing hard. His wet eyes squinted, squeezing out more tears, and he shook his head while keeping his gun raised.
"Eleanor's lonely. I gotta bring Marlene to join her!" he whimpered, and he shot another bullet. It grazed the earth, bouncing away to smack at Cloud's sword.
I pressed against Cloud's back as I tried not to weep along with Dyne. He knew he was crazy, but he was so broken, and didn't know what to do about it. Did he suffer a traumatic brain injury from his fall? Did it alter his brain function, turning him into a schizophrenic mess? Silently, I broke apart, my hand over my open mouth at Dyne's state. If only there were medication. If only there were psychotherapy and counseling. If only...
Dyne threw more bullets, until Barret shouted, "Dyne, I don't want to fight you!"
The mad man chuckled.
"Well then, I guess you're gonna let me kill you. And then I'll go kill Marlene! And then Shinra! And then the world!"
More bullets, and Barret took a shot in the leg. He cried and limped forward.
"Barret!" Cloud was ready to step in, but Barret raised his hand up.
"No! This is my fight! I let you have yours. Now it's my turn!" he screamed. Cloud stilled, staying close to me as we watched Barret raise his right gun arm up, and threw bullets.
Dyne laughed after a bullet grazed him in the arm, leaving behind a bright red line.
"That's it! Fight me! For old times sake!" he cried, and threw a glowing yellow beam out from his gun, straight for Barret's chest.
Barret used his gun as a shield, taking in the damage from the beam, and cried out from the burning pain that traveled all the way up to his fractured shoulder.
"Damn it," he cursed, feeling his gun sizzle with heat when Dyne took a break to recharge.
Barret took two steps back to gulp down a Hi-Potion, and tossed the glass bottle off somewhere to shatter.
"This ain't right," he sighed, and used his free hand to lift his gun arm up. It charged, a warm yellow ball growing along its barrels. The heat grew around Barret's sweaty face, and he fired, a powerful shot which Dyne gladly took a hit from. He didn't even try to dodge, he just smiled as he embraced the flaring heat of fire tearing up his clothes and skin, until he was left with holes in them. His arms were grilled into dark lines. His white shirt tore open, exposing scars across his six-pack abs.
With burnt cheeks, he still smiled, and threw a row of bullets.
"Now that felt good," he sputtered, wincing only a little.
Barret dodged the bullets and rammed a fist over Dyne's unburnt cheek.
Dyne's head turned from the blow, and he was suddenly transported back to four years ago, the fist fight they had over the explosive Mako reactor.
"God damn it, Dyne! Snap out of it!" Barret screamed, watching his fist break into Dyne's cheek bone.
Dyne crashed into the ground, his gun arm landing first, and stayed down.
Barret raised his fist up over the high sun.
"You were my best friend! I took the blame for you when you blew up that reactor! I took care of your daughter when you gave up! I took all the shit, all the hate, and all the hurt from our town's people. For YOU!"
Tears spilled out of his hard face, and they slapped beside Dyne's crumbled body, making tiny wet dots on the dirt.
Dyne shook his shoulders. From peering over Cloud's arm, I thought Dyne was crying too, but as he slowly got up, dragging his feet, he was laughing. He rose, and lifted his head up to the desert sky to laugh until it echoed over the canyons and fissures.
"I know!" he screamed, his arms spread out, and continued to laugh, but he was also crying. Too many tears shimmered from the sunlight, glowing Dyne's burnt and bruised cheeks. His locket reflected the sunlight, almost sparkling like a lonely star on his chest.
He dropped his gun arm, and pushed his face into his hand.
"Where did I go wrong?" he whimpered. Barret shook his head and dropped his fist.
"I don't know, man. Do we have to keep fighting like this?"
Dyne laughed again, smudging his tears when he took his hand away, and smiled out at nowhere, shooting a bullet into the quicksands.
"Not unless I ever want to stop. And I don't. I don't ever want to stop. I want to destroy everything." He fired more bullets. More loud cracks through the air.
"I want to destroy Shinra." And he twirled around to shoot in the opposite direction.
"The world." Another shot over a rock beside Cloud's sword.
"And even me," he whispered, and his barrel smashed right into his head.
Barret's words jammed in his throat. I gasped, both hands up to my lips. Cloud tensed.
Dyne laughed, keeping his gun right to his head, and smiled at Barret while he took a couple of steps back.
"It was good to see you again, buddy."
"Dyne!" Barret shook his head, afraid to move. It was just like stopping him from blowing up the reactor. Should he stop his best friend? Should he do nothing?
Dyne dropped his gun, laughing nonstop.
"My hands are too filthy to ever hold her again. I can never see her. No…I won't see her. Not when I'm like this."
He ripped his locket off his neck with a grunt, and threw it at Barret.
"Take this to remember me by," he joked, still lightly laughing. Laughing and crying. Dyne couldn't decide what to feel.
He put his gun back to his bloody head.
I hid behind Cloud, and looked away.
Cloud closed his eyes.
Barret reached. He wanted to do something this time. To stop his friend.
But Dyne always got his way. Growing up, it was always what Dyne wanted. Or else hell was going to break loose. That's why the headman was so nervous around him when they all decided to run against his idea of keeping the coal. That's why everyone was afraid of him.
Just keep letting Dyne have his way.
Or else…
Mako reactors will blow up.
People will die.
And Barret will lose his best friend.
"Dyne!"
"Take care of her," he whispered. It was those exact words Barret heard four years earlier, back on that cliff. Holding on to Dyne's left hand with determination to pull him up, Dyne gave him a look that showed he knew he was going to die. His lips moved then, and Barret never thought he would hear those words again.
Take care of her
Gunfire went off.
I hid my gasp into my hands, eyes shut tight.
Silence.
It dragged for a long time.
I carefully squinted, and found Barret alone before a deep canyon, holding a locket in his only hand with a splatter of blood across his arm and leg. He wept silently while gazing down into the dark depths of hell below, where his friend belonged.
Cloud turned to me with a grim look, and whispered, "let's leave him alone for a while."
I bit my lower lip, nodding in agreement. Barret needed time alone to sort his thoughts. I stared at a frozen Cait Sith while Mog followed, and we all rested among a set of rocks a few yards away from the canyon.
I picked a rounded rock, tapping my boots down to scare away reptiles from its cracks while making more water spheres to drink. Cloud rubbed his shoulder against mine, taking a drink after me, and he let his face fall into the water with a sigh.
We drank it all up, taking in the Planet's gift into our bodies as crisp clear water, and closed our eyes up to the sun.
Cait Sith's voice suddenly chimed in.
"Did I miss anything?"
He ignored Cloud and I sitting too close together, his paws on his hips, and looked down at his moogle friend for a better explanation.
"Life is hard," the moogle summarized, his voice reminding me of a trombone.
"Where did you go?" I pried, eying Cait Sith with caution. He rubbed a paw across his face.
"Ah, well, I went to take a break. I needed to take care of something," he gulped. I stood up and rammed my hands over my hips.
"What are you, exactly! You easily joined Cloud and I, and then try to keep us apart. You complain about your job. What are you, really?!" I demanded.
Cait Sith raised his paws up in defense, reeling back.
"It's not what you think. I mean you no harm! I was just trying to help!"
Suddenly, a storm of helicopters, at least six of them, flew out of nowhere, grazing over us with loud rotors and with Dio's "Gold Saucer" rainbow logo over the golden painted exterior.
Cloud stood, and our heads followed the choppers until they whirled over us, blowing rough winds in our faces as their large blobs of shadows zoomed across the desert.
All six landed within a hundred yards away on flatter ground.
Red-eyed, Barret limped towards us, noticing the ruckus, and stared at the helicopters parking ahead.
"What's that about?"
Cloud and I stared at Cait Sith, and he nervously shrugged his furry shoulders.
"Just helping out," he chirped.
We all walked towards the parked choppers, Cait Sith leading the way.
"Why didn't you do this sooner?" I asked the cat. He sighed, sinking his furry face into his lap when he sat.
"I tried, but things were moving too slowly on my end. So, I took drastic measures."
No one asked what that meant.
I turned to Barret, watching his tears dry up on his dark cheeks till it all faded into his growing beard.
"Barret, how are you?" I asked, walking next to him. He sighed, and pulled out Dyne's locket from his pant pocket, its broken chain wrapped around his thick fingers.
"I don't know…" he replied, his voice strained. He still had a lot on his mind, a flash of trouble in his eyes, but he forced a small smile.
"You're a good friend, Barret," Cloud reminded him, avoiding to have a gazing moment, and just crossed his arms instead. Barret chuckled lightly to himself.
"Thanks, buddy."
"Don't call me, buddy," Cloud groaned.
Barret chuckled some more, and then he rammed the locket into his eyes, hiding his face with his hand to shed any last tears.
We walked further, until one of the doors to a helicopter slid open, and a gentleman in a blue business suit stepped out, followed by, to my surprise, Aerith. She was back to her long pink dress, her braid flapping behind her when she ran towards us, her arms flailing out.
"Hey!" she sang, her distant voice music to my ears.
I ran towards her, leaving Cloud smiling to himself.
Tifa hopped out of the chopper, along with Yuffie and Red.
Aerith and I ran towards each other, until finally, we crashed into each other's arms, giggling.
"You're okay! How did this happen?" I gasped, so thrilled to see her and smell her floral perfume again.
We held our arms, but pulled back enough to absorb each other's smiles. Even under triple digit heat, I couldn't stop smiling at Aerith's beaming face, but she frowned quickly.
"Are you really okay?" she worried, and her hands squeezed my arms. I knew she was talking about the dream, and I sucked in a breath.
"I'm better, but I'm afraid," I admitted. Aerith's eyes grew up into mine, and she bit her lower lip.
"Me too."
"Cloud will protect us, right?" I asked while watching Tifa run up towards Barret, and he gave her a big hug.
"I'm so glad you are all okay!" she gasped.
Aerith stayed quiet, and her hands slipped away. She forced a smile, nodding.
"Of course!" she chirped, her eyes sparkling again. I knew that forced tone, and a tiny jolt stabbed my gut.
"What kind of disguise is this?" Aerith suddenly snapped, pulling my red cap off my head, changing subjects rather quickly. My silver hair whirled around with the wind from the slow turning rotors.
"You should've seen it! Shinra troops came out of nowhere! We thought we were done for, but then Dio showed up, and sent an apology!" Yuffie exclaimed, her hands up in the air for dramatic effect. I crouched next to Red to rub my hands over his head and nuzzled his cheek against mine.
"Dio brought us here to pick you guys up," he confirmed.
"Excuse me, everyone?"
All heads turned to the man in the blue suit and sunglasses, followed by a dozen Shinra men behind him. He held a cellphone in his ear, talking to someone.
"Yes sir, they're all fine. They are secure. Yes, you can tell the President his fiancée is safe now."
He snapped his phone shut and smiled at us like a professional.
"Dio sends his sincere apologies. There was a misunderstanding about the incident that occurred in Battle Square. He had no idea he sent down Rufus's fiancée into this place. He has collaborated with the President for a plan to make sure you leave here safely. Now, will you all come with me, I'll take you to your vehicle." He bowed and turned on his heel to return to the helicopters.
I stared at Cait Sith.
"You know Rufus?"
Cait Sith ducked his head.
"Well, I have connections. He had to know you were down here. It was the only way to get off this hot rock. As you can see, he acted quickly. He cares about you."
I hissed and looked away.
Rufus doesn't care about anybody but himself.
Yuffie and Tifa eyeballed Cait Sith while Red sniffed him. He let out a hiss and rubbed his black nose with his paw, not liking what he smelt.
"What is this thing?" Tifa asked, and the helicopters' rotors spun fast again, tossing her dark hair over her shoulders.
"He's the reason we're getting out of here," I muttered regrettably.
Cait Sith smiled uneasily when I gave him a hard look.
"We have a vehicle?" Yuffie chimed, questioning the businessman's choice of words.
Before climbing into one of the helicopters, Cloud and I shared a look, and he smirked, shaking his head while his blond spikes fluttered over his eyes.
"I can't believe Rufus did this," he mentioned with disbelief.
I hissed and climbed in.
"Yeah, well, he just wants to keep his forced bride safe and sound to make sure he gets those effin kids," I groaned.
"Yeah, I still hate him too," he added, following me in. We chuckled.
11