Chapter 6

~ Falling Down ~

Nibleheim

The fire crackled, sending sparks flying into the air. The stars were so bright this far out, Tifa remembered. It was so good to be back in this part of the world. That was the problem with Midgar, was too much pollution, and too many lights. Out here, not too far from Nibleheim, she could look up to the stars, and they seemed to almost look back down.

Barret's snoring roared through the camp, and Tifa smiled as she looked around at her companions around her. The five of them: Reno, Rude, and Elena of the Turks, Barret, and herself all huddled inside their napsaks, trying to stay warm around the fire. It was finally peaceful, here. The Turks and Barret had argued all night long about what had happened back there.

Tifa looked into the fire. "Cloud? Do you remember Nibleheim, five years ago?"

"Yeah…Why?"

"It's just that…Well, no, never mind…forget I brought it up…"

"Oh, Cloud," she whispered. "Where are you? We're just not as strong without you, are we?"

"Still going on about the spikey-haired freak, huh?" Reno asked, walking up behind her.

"Shut up…He's not a freak," Tifa scowled.

"No, sis, I know freaks…" Reno laughed. "And he is definitely a freak."

"Yeah, well, you're really one to talk," Tifa said under her voice.

"We're headed down to Cosmo Canyon tomorrow," Reno said. "We've been hired to help them defend themselves. You and the blowhard can join us…"

"His name is Barret," Tifa said. "And if you insist on calling us names, I won't talk with you anymore."

Reno slid his hair back on his head, as if in thought. "I'm sorry…Tifa," he said at last. "You and Barret are welcome to join us. Better?"

"Hardly," Tifa answered. "Why are you up?"

"Dunno," Reno answered. "Can't sleep after a battle. Jus' keeps going over and over in my mind. Guess you could say I'm worried about our next battle, too."

Tifa looked at him, then down to the ground, sadly. "I know what you mean. It was easy to hate the Shinra. We knew beating them was a good thing, but it's a little harder to hate Wutai."

"What's so hard about it? Were you there, back there? They blew Rocket Town to kingdom come…"

"I know, I know…" Tifa said, sadly. "I just can't help but feel…somehow…"

"Responsible?" Reno asked.

Tifa looked at Reno in surprise, but he continued to stare into the fire.

"Maybe you should get some sleep. It'll be an early day, tomorrow."

Tifa nodded and pulled her napsack back over her, and closed her eyes. She turned and looked up to the stars. "Cloud…please, please hurry back."

***

Somewhere near Occupied Rocket Town

"Could ya keep your blasted' tail outta sight?" Cid whispered harshly. "You wanna jus' tell ever'one 'lookey-here! It's Cid an' Red!"

"I can't just put it out," Red replied, tucking his tail under him, trying to keep it hidden. "And if they're going to see anything, it'll be you, and your cigarette!"

Cid looked down at the red ember glowing in the dark night sky. "Oh, damn. Forgot I had that." He quickly threw it down, and continued on his way.

"It looks like it was hit pretty bad, Cid," Red said, looking hard into the town.

"I jus' wanna find out who ripped off my designs!" Cid barked, pointing up to the Highwind ships above. "An' I wanna get back to my people, there. They don't have their Captain, and the whole town's in the middle of a crises."

"Noble as you are, we can't just run in," Red said. "Those guys know us…They'll capture us as soon as we charge in."

"I know that you $%^," Cid replied. "At the least, I need to find out if Shera's alright."

Red turned and looked up at Cid.

"You smiling at me?" Cid asked. "I don't love her or anythin', don't get me wrong…I just…owe her…that's all."

"I'm sure," Red said, turning back to the city. "And I didn't smile. I don't have lips like you."

"Well, stay or go, we need to do something, or they'll find MY Highwind," Cid sighed. "You're the smart one, what do we do?"

Red thought for a moment. "The smart thing to do is to get back on the ship and head back to Kalm for reinforcements. However, the smart thing rarely works when we're together, so let's sneak into town and see what's there."

"I like the way you think, dog," Cid smiled, lighting up a cigarette.

"My name's Nanaki, or Red…And put that out!" Red barked.

"Oh, sorry…I smoke when I'm nervous."

"The only other time you smoke is when you're NOT nervous," Red snapped. "Let's go."

The two edged their way along the hills, out of sight, made their way past the guards–well, through a couple of guards, and snuck into the north side of town, winding around the hoses still left in town after the Rocket took off.

They came around to what was left of the picket fence surrounding what was left of Cid's house. "Damn, man…the whole town got hit, hard."

"Yes, looks like a lot of people were hurt…" Red replied.

"Didn't we even get any barriers up, or anything? I mean, why do we even have that damned materia shop if no one uses it?"

"Seems it was a surprise attack," Red replied. "Still, you're right…We should never have been caught so off-guard."

"Look," Cid said, pointing to the ruins by the old Inn. "Looks like a little prison camp over there. Let's see if we can't work our way down there."

Cid moved around the fence, and after each guard walked by, quickly jumped from house to house, after climbing up on the roof. Red quickly followed, and they stopped at the edge, looking out at the camp.

"Seems most everyone's there…" Cid said. "There! I see her! I see Shera."

Red looked out. "I think the only ones not there are in Cosmo Canyon, right now…but I don't know your town as well as you."

"They targeted houses, only. No one was supposed to be hurt at all," Vincent said from behind them.

"Well, that's good, Vincent…A calm war, just what we–"

Red and Cid turned around, and, standing in the moonlight on top of the house was their old friend. His cape and hair waved in the air, while the moonlight gleamed off his golden claw. It was a scarey sight, indeed.

"What are you doing here?" Red asked, tail flicking with delight.

"I am with them," Vincent said.

"Them?" Cid asked. "What are you doing with Wutai? You're one of us! Avalanche to the end, remember?"

"You don't understand," Vincent replied.

"Don't understand what?" Red asked. "You're with an army that attacked and invaded your best friend's home town. People could have been killed!"

"But they weren't," Vincent replied.

"Next time you may not be so lucky," Cid growled, his face starting to turn red. He stood up and pulled his sleeve up.

"I wouldn't do anything…foolish…Cid," Vincent said. "One yell, and the entire Wutai army is aiming for you."

"Then what are you doing? Why is Wutai attacking?" Red asked.

"I'm here to give you this…" Vincent said, throwing a small sack to the other two. Cid held it up and looked inside.

"Hey, this is most of our materia!" Cid said.

"It's been mastered, remastered, and distributed," Vincent said. "That was what I could sneak from Yuffie when she wasn't around.

"As far as Wutai, they are attacking for several reasons. Most you should know."

"Revenge?" Red asked.

"Yes, some," Vincent answered. "They are also doing it to strengthen their position."

"Strengthen?" Cid asked. "From who? No one in the world could take them out in Wutai."

"There is…another…army coming," Vincent said, looking out into the street.

"Another army?" Red asked.

"I cannot explain, now. The guards are moving around. You should go if you don't want to be caught."

"Um, thanks…I think,' Red said. "We'll go, now."

Cid walked up to Vincent and looked him in the eye. "Don't let me run inta you next time we fight the Wutai."

Vincent said nothing. He turned and leaped to the next rooftop. He then disappeared into the darkness.

"Regardless of who he's with, he still seems to be wanting to help us…Maybe we should give him the benefit of the doubt?" Red asked.

"Hey, you're the thinking one…I just protect my town. Right now, I'm mad."

"It won't do any good to go after him, even with the materia. We should go…Get out of here."

"Yeah, I guess you're right…" Cid said at long last after looking out at the prison camp again. "Sher–I mean, the town seems to be taken care of. We should go to Nibleheim or Cosmo Canyon."

"I agree. Quickly, now…"

***

Lifestream, Behind the Human Lines

Cloud stood at the edge of the mountain and took in the sight before him. He had never, in all his travels through the Planet, seen a place as beautiful as this. Mighty rivers zipped through grand forests, while great mountains rose in the distance behind some free plains. There was such a magical energy flowing from the land, that Cloud felt…Peace.

"She's a beaut, isn't she, Strife?" Zack asked. "You'll have a place this nice someday. I jus' had some time to work on mine."

Cloud looked to Zack. "Listen…about what happened outside Midgar, and…if you're upset about me taking your personality for a while–"

"Think nothing of it," Zack laughed, putting his hand on his hip. "Always knew you wanted to be just like me…didn't realize you'd go so far!"

Cloud let out a laugh. He had to. It felt so good to be so free. Something else was moving in on his soul. He could feel…her. It made him feel great. Cloud looked over his shoulder as Ifalna came huffing and puffing her way up. "I said…wait up…"

"I'd have thought you'd be in better shape," Zack laughed. "If I always waited up for you, I'd never get anywhere!"

"I'll make you eat your own fist," Ifalna said, holding up her own fist.

"So, this is your own place?" Cloud asked. "And we all get our own?"

"Of course," Zack said. "Each and every one of us…at least until we wish to go back and help create another creature.

"So…what are the front lines?" Cloud asked.

Zack turned and started to walk down the mountain side towards the river with Cloud quickly following.

"The Neatherlands…The other realm…" Zack said. "There is a place we all share…A common vision that we must have for this place to be stable."

"So…Why not just stay here, if the Cetra are warring on you?"

"Because, once they get through there, they will come in and invade our own heavens. They've already gotten into some of the new arrivals'. That's why we had to find you and get you out, fast. We were really lucky."

"Where are we going, then?"

Zack smiled. "We have to get someone…Someone very important to you. She still has a destiny to follow…as do you."

"A destiny? What do you mean? Where do you guys get these destinies?"

Ifalna laughed. "We can't tell you that…You shouldn't know all the nice little secrets of the afterlife before you even die."

Zack stopped when he got to the river. "We have to get you across the lines, though. We have to get her, and get her out of that castle, then get you both back to the planet."

"You'll help?" Cloud asked.

"We can get you to the castle. The rest will be up to you."

"What is my destiny?" Cloud asked more demandingly.

Zack sighed. He stretched a little and turned to Cloud with a smile. "It's simple, really…You are to have…well, her."

Cloud looked at Ifalna. "What?"

Ifalna laughed and turned to the river. "Haven't you figured it out, yet? Aeris is my mom. Her husband has spiky blonde hair."

"I don't understand…" Cloud said.

"Well, when the mommy and the daddy really, really like each other…"

"No, no, no…" Cloud said. I know that part. What I don't understand is…Why am I destined to have her?"

"Simple…She's the one who will finally bring stability to the planet. First, you have to kill Eiren and Defeat the Cetra on the Planet. Seal the Lifestream so no others can get out, and then…Well, live your life best you can."

Cloud sighed and sat down next to the river. "It's all so…strange. I just…Don't know. I mean, defeating Sephiroth was one thing, but this…this is different all together."

"Da–I mean, Cloud, you can do it, trust me," Iflana said, smiling at him.

"I just…I mean…how do I know if Aeris really feels that way about me?"

Zack and Ifalna busted out laughing.

"He really is dense, isn't he?" Ifalna asked.

"Told ya so."

***

Lifestream: Dark Waters

"Cloud…" Aeris whispered to herself. "I can feel you. Please, come get me."

"Now, as we see…This ancient is the last of her breed," Hojo said. "I think we will breed it with the other specimen. This will help us with our research, greatly."

The machine began to kick in, and she felt the elevator rise her up to the tank. Any second, now, Red XIII would come through, and she would fear for her life. She knew that Red was her friend, yet she feared him every time she saw him, just like the first time.

"Please, Cloud…Please…"

***