"The way forward is sometimes the way back"
(This is an alternate ending to Ch 34 just after the Jenova battle-Not part of the main story canon but I wanted to share it)
Cloud crouched and picked up the items and the Black Materia. "We've got the Black Materia back but…"
"But Sephiroth wants it," Yuffie finished, giving the oily colored orb a sickened look. "Never thought I'd see a materia I didn't want," she muttered.
"Yuffie's right," Vincent agreed, picking up the conversation. "Sephiroth wants this so it only makes sense to take it farther away."
"There's just one problem with that," Zack interjected grimly. He crossed his arms, a furrow between his brows. "Sephiroth can fly and any equipment we use, like a plane or submarine, he could steal too."
"That's more than one thing," Tifa whispered in a soto voice. The corner of Cloud's mouth twitched slightly.
Yuffie shuddered and interjected, "He can go through walls too, so burying it… that's out too."
Cid cupped his chin, gaze distant and quietly murmured, "What if he couldn't?"
"Couldn't go through walls?" Aerith asked.
"Naw," Cid shook his head, a gleam building in his eyes. "What if he couldn't steal the equipment? 'Cause there's only one, and once it's gone, he's outta luck!"
"That's a pretty high order," Barret rumbled, his mind flashing through some of the mining equipment he used back in Corel. Even though there may have been only one of some of the machines, he was certain they existed elsewhere, and even then, a sufficiently powerful use of materia could easily excavate to any needed depth.
"Please enlighten us," Red XIII rumbled. "It is well worth pursuing any alternative to bringing our means of extinction closer to the one eager to use it."
Cid's teeth gleamed with his smile. "All we gotta do is launch it inta space with my rocket!"
The group fell silent, absorbing the plan.
"There's definitely only one rocket," Aerith agreed slowly, "but…" She trailed off with a grimace.
"But can it still fly?" Cloud continued for her.
"Can it fly?" the grizzled pilot repeated with a huff. "Jus' what was I doin' when you yahoos burst inta my life?"
The few that actually entered the rocket frowned, trying to dredge up the memory and Tifa was the first to answer, "You were fixing some kind of panel in the rocket."
"Exactly," Cid pointed to her like a proud professor before planting his fists on his hips, "I've been keepin' that ship ready ta' launch all this time. It may not look pretty, but it'll do the job."
A pensive frown spread on Cloud's face and eventually he turned to Aerith and asked, "Do you think the planet will be okay if we push back dealing with Sephiroth?"
Her lashes fluttered with her startled blink, already getting an answer. "The planet is… actually excited for your proposal," she reported.
"Hell yeah!" Cid whooped, "With my team back home and the rest of ya', we should have enough people to pull this off!" His gaze flickered briefly back to where the Highwind vanished deeper into the crater and he murmured under his breath, "Next time."
Cloud felt a strange, frantic pull in his chest as they turned and retraced their steps, but he was too concerned with considering how to get Red XIII and Cait Sith back down the cliff to dwell closely on it.
AN: Hey, if canon says the rocket can launch after that many years, I'm going for it. Obviously this is not canon to the Escape Plan Green story-line proper since this would utterly derail things. XD
As for the main story, this year has been a black hole in terms of sucking, but I think Nano has kicked me back into gear a bit so hopefully that will be ready some time this month.
