BROTHERS IN ARMS
by Digintegrated - Hunter Bill
Disclaimer : For the last time... no, you already know it. GO SQUARESOFT!
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CHAPTER 13
FINALLY BACK HOME...
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Cloud felt he was carried over places for a minute... to land once again into darkness.
"I hope Griever made no mistake," he said, "otherwise..."
He shouldn't have doubted. Many rays of green, then red light were springing from his feet and spiralling around his body.
"... The Lifestream?"
A column of white light surrounded him. He looked up... and saw a hand outstretched to him. He raised his hand in return, and his face was filled with bliss...
"Aeris!", he thought.
"Cloud!!!", a voice yelled.
It was Tifa, calling for Cloud from the edge of the pit. The abyss leading to the heart of the Planet was submitted to a violent earthquake. Cloud came to and realized that the ledge he was standing was going into a dangerous collapse! With a burst of speed, the swordsman ran to her, leaped from ledge to ledge and just caught Tifa who was falling in the void. He then hung onto the edge.
"Now I've understood...", he said.
"What?"
"An answer from the Planet... The Promised Land... Maybe I can meet her there... again."
"Yeah, you may be right...", Tifa replied.
He hoisted himself onto the edge of the pit, holding Tifa in his left arm. Once they were safe, he asked:
"Hey, where's everyone?"
"Heeey!", Barrett was calling.
All of Cloud and Tifa's friends were at the opposite side of the hole: not only Barrett and Cid, but also the four people who were not dragged into the time compression, Red XIII who was licking his paws, Cait Sith, bouncing upon his big white plushie, Vincent who greeted him with a sigh of his hand and Yuffie, rejoiced as well.
"I'm happy to see you're all safe!", Tifa told them all, waving her hand.
Barrett turned to Cid and said:
"Now everyone's here, what's going to happen now?"
Red XIII started with a sullen voice.
"Holy will be moving soon, so this place is going to..."
"Uh oh!", Yuffie said.
"I don't want to shock you but I'm not sure we're gonna make it...", Vincent said in a deep tone.
"Oh Lady Luck don't fail me now...", Cid said, looking up.
A low groaning, growing louder and louder, echoed in the cave. A big ship was crashing into the hole. It stopped at the party's level... it was the Highwind, the airship they used to get down the Northern Crater. Without thinking, they all climbed in it.
Then came the shock... a formidable concentration of energy hurled the Highwind outside the crater. The ship was endangered for it was falling and losing its hull and motors! In the cockpit, it was chaos. However, Cid, hanging to whatever he could, managed to activate the emergency system of the Highwind. An explosion appeared behind the ship, then new wings spread from the hull and stabilized the ship. The Highwind and all the team were now safe. Cid led them all to Midgar.
It was a catastrophe. The Meteor was only a few yards away from the fortress. Red vortexes started to wipe the entire city out... but a wave of white energy appeared from the North and set between Midgar and Meteor. It was Holy. For a brief period of time, the eight heroes thought it was all over. But, to their surprise, the Meteor penetrated the energy wave, which turned from white to red. Holy wasn't sufficient.
"Wait a damn minute... what's gonna happen to Midgar?", Barrett roared, banging his fist on one of the walls of the Highwind. "We can't let THAT happen!"
"I had everyone take refuge in the slums...", Cait Sith said in a sad voice, scratching his eyes with his gloved hand. "but the way things are now..."
"It's too late for Holy...", Red XIII declared. "Meteor is approaching the Planet, Holy is having the opposite effect. Forget Midgar, we've gotta worry about the Planet."
Cloud was hiding away in a corner, while Tifa was fearfully watching the scene. "Was it useful to go through all those centuries? I wonder... Why is the Meteor still there?", he was saying to himself... "Sorry Squall, I failed..."
But then...
"What's that?", Tifa said in surprise.
Somewhere in the ground, a pinprick of green light had emerged from it and was waving like ivy over a wall. Another opening appeared, letting out another beam. Then a third...
"What the hell IS this?", Barrett roared.
Cloud said nothing.
"The Lifestream...", he thought.
From the Highwind, the eight people had focused all their attention to the situation. A dozen, then a hundred light green strands of light were getting out of the ground, gathering and converging towards the Meteor... The Lifestream... Thousands of rays were coming to Midgar... Millions... Billions... The planet surface was entirely covered with light green! This huge amount of energy stuck to the Meteor and began to dissolve it. The resulting light blinded everyone...
As the light faded away, Cloud and his mates saw an almost entirely destroyed Midgar... but the Meteor was gone for good. The entire team acclaimed with joy, except for Vincent who sighed with relief. Cloud and Tifa hugged each other, Yuffie was bouncing around, Red XIII was growling happily.
"We would never have made it without Aeris.", Cloud said.
"Yeah, you're right...", Barrett nodded.
"By the way...", he went on. "Aeris told me she thanks everyone of you."
"Hey... how come...?", Cid asked with stupefaction, while all the people were staring at Cloud and Tifa with surprise.
"It's a long story, but we have all the time to tell it to you all...", Tifa answered.
"You'll say it later, Tifa, I can't wait to see Marlene, you know."
"As you wish, Barrett. Let's head for Kalm!", Cid announced, playing with the Highwind's commands.
While the ship was heading to the neighbour village, Cloud muttered to Tifa.
"Nevertheless..."
He couldn't finish. Yuffie was standing next to him and asked:
"And how about the Materia, then? Remember that you must give them all to me when it's all over?"
Cloud cleared his throat.
"Can't you just leave us alone? Have you got interest in anything apart from the Materia?"
"Frankly", Yuffie replied before squeezing her belly with both hands, "I don't know, and I don't wish to discuss about it... Uuurk... my belly!"
She rushed to the machinery room.
"This girl will always remain herself...", Vincent noticed.
"That's what I'm thinking too...", Cloud nodded.
"But on the other hand, I think I'm no longer myself anymore...", the caped man went on.
"What do you mean?", Tifa asked.
"Since I met you I was feeling different. Not only I have finally got my revenge over Hojo but I've also learned to make friends. Thanks to you of course..."
"I'm happy to hear that from you, Vincent.", Cloud said with enthusiasm, before turning back to Tifa.
It was dawn. The Highwind had landed near the village. The couple could see, from the main window, Barrett running to the town square, and Marlene coming towards him, saying "Daddy!"
"I was saying... nevertheless, we wouldn't have made it without Squall, Rinoa and the other people from the future.", Cloud muttered to Tifa.
"I hope they're all right.", Tifa said.
~~
Thousands of years in the future...
Balamb Garden, always splendid, was docked in Fisherman's Horizon...
Nida was dozing on the rudder, in the control room. Suddenly, the intercom crackled.
"Balamb Garden? Balamb Garden? Ragnarok here. Do you read me?"
Nida got up in a hurry and grabbed the microphone.
"Nida here. What's on, Xu?"
"Nida? I'm glad to hear you again!", Xu's voice went on in the intercom. "Tell me, could you move the Garden to Edea's House?"
"You can normally take the Ragnarok to land in FH, don't you know this?"
"We don't have enough fuel to do this. The Ragnarok would run out of fuel before going to Esthar if we did it."
"Okay, I'm going. Have you got news from Squall and the other SeeDs?"
"Er...", Xu's voice became hesitating. "I prefer you'd get to see by yourself... it's hard to say it."
"How?"
"I can't say it, I just can't find words for it. Come to the Orphanage, you'll understand."
The transmission went out. Nida ignited the engines of the Garden and headed to Edea's former house.
Balamb Garden landed upon the grasslands of the Cape of Good Hope. The Ragnarok had landed there too. The flower field, visible from the Orphanage, was nearby. Nida ran to the Ragnarok but stopped dead as he noticed a really sad scene.
Rinoa was on her knees in the flower field, and she was desperately hugging Squall's lifeless body.
"Oh my...", he thought. "Rinoa... Squall..."
Rinoa lifted her head up, but remained speechless. Her eyes were full of tears. Then Xu went out of the Ragnarok, followed by Angelo, Zell, Quistis, Selphie et Irvine, and the other members of the CC group. All of them were horrified.
"Rinoa...", Xu said, "now the Garden is here, we'd better take Squall to the infirmary, okay?"
Rinoa nodded. Nida helped her to carry Squall inside the building.
~~
Later, in the infirmary...
"Probably a coma.", Dr Kadowaki said. "To tell you more, you were in the same state some time ago."
Rinoa looked one more time at Squall's body, lying on the bed, still motionless.
"You think he's going to make it?", Rinoa asked.
"I have no idea.", the Doctor answered. "We cannot predict if he will make it or not. And if he will, nobody knows how much time it would take. However, I won't prevent you from watching over him if you want to. I allowed Squall to do so when you were comatose too."
"Thanks Madam.", Rinoa said, before returning near Squall.
Edea came into the room. She was not in the costume she used to wear when she was under Ultimecia's influence. The purple robe with furred collar was replaced by a plain long black dress. Moreover, Edea's hair had regrown. She had taken her former appearance. She had become "the Matron" again. Rinoa had however no problem to recognize her.
"Mrs Kramer?", Rinoa asked.
"Yes, Rinoa.", Edea started in a sad voice. "I have been shocked as well when I learned what happened to Squall, and I perfectly understand how you feel."
"You're a Sorceress, aren't you?", Rinoa asked. "Can you do something for him?"
"Alas no...", Edea continued. "My powers aren't what they used to be, although I can still defend myself with my Ice Strikes."
Rinoa recalled the tragic event undergoing under the Arc in Deling City... Edea summoning the ice spears and hurling one right into Squall's chest... she burst into tears.
"I'm sorry, Rinoa. I should have said it in another way..."
"No...", the girl managed to say between two sobs. "It is not... your fault... Ultimecia is... the only responsible."
"True...", Edea approved, looking down in sadness.
"Squall... can't... die.", Rinoa went on, still sobbing. "I know it... because..."
She dried her tears and said:
"Because I can feel it... somewhere, I know he's still alive."
Edea couldn't respond.
"I have to stay here.", Rinoa said at last. "I'm sure he'll make it."
"I appreciate your determination, Rinoa... In that case, whatever you do, never lose hope.", Edea replied before leaving the infirmary.
~~
Night had fallen. Rinoa had spent all the day in the infirmary. She had even refused to leave the place, even for eating something. The girl was still waiting for Squall to come to, but in the middle of the night, sleep had taken her over. She had laid her head upon the young man's body, still lifeless.
What had she done to deserve this?
She just wanted to defend herself against the one who manipulated her, and who was the real source of all those conflicts.
Why was fate hounding her?
Rinoa was sleeping... but she didn't feel that Squall's body was becoming warmer and warmer...
"Rinoa..."
It was Squall. The leap through time from the Meteor until his current time had driven him to unconsciousness, but he was slowly coming to. Rinoa was still asleep...
"Rinoa...", Squall repeated, as he opened his eyes. The SeeD looked around him. His vision became sharper and clearer. He realized he was in the Garden's infirmary... and he noticed Rinoa, real, visible and, most important, alive was by his side. He slowly extended his hand to her face and touched her cheek. It was her. He wasn't dreaming anymore.
Rinoa winked, opened her eyes and faced Squall's look...
In a fraction of a second, the two were literally stuck to each other.
"Oh Squall... Squall!". Rinoa was crying with joy.
"Rinoa...". Squall couldn't contain his excitement either. Rinoa saw, with surprise...
"Hey... you're crying too?", she said softly.
"Oh, this...", Squall started but abruptly stopped. It wasn't indeed his habit to show his feelings, but as long as Rinoa was the only one to know...
"See, Squall, it's natural...", Rinoa told him as he was drying his tears.
"I know... I didn't wanted the others to know. Until you came..."
Rinoa laughed.
"Don't worry! This will remain between us, okay?"
"Okay.", Squall said as he got up.
A sheet of paper fell from his leather jacket. Squall picked it up and unfolded it. It was a letter.
Dear Squall...
I threw this letter in the Lifestream, hoping that Aeris or Eden would pass it to you. We've all made it back alive, and as you probably guessed it, the Meteor is no more...
"A letter from Cloud?", Rinoa exclaimed.
"Incredible...", Squall said.
Aeris had to summon the Lifestream to fight against this big rock. Now the danger is gone, vegetation has started up again in the deserts surrounding Midgar. As for us all, Cid is working upon another rocket, Barrett has come back in his coal mine village and has been able to implant an artificial hand in place of his machinegun, and Tifa and I will soon be married. I met some people from Nibelheim that used to know us during childhood. So we went back there with them to repopulate this abandoned village.
Pass my best wishes to Zell, Quistis, Selphie, Irvine and Rinoa. Good luck to all of you for the rest of your life.
Cloud Strife
Rinoa was gazing into space while she listened to Squall reading the letter.
"I really think I'm going to love this life... now that I'm with you.", she finally said with a smile.
For the first time, Squall returned her smile.
Author's note : Phew... man, I can't believe it's really over now!... I decided to cut the last chapter and create a 13th one because I thought Chapter 12, 'The Extreme' was going to be a bit too long... Now I think I'm going to rest a bit and take some more time to study some cool video games, Final Fantasy 10 for example! ^_^
If you enjoyed my work and wish to post it on some site, then e-mail me first at:
hunter-gc@altavista.net . I'll reply as fast as possible.
~~
Thanks to all of the people from Squaresoft for making such an oustandimidable series, and especially Mr Nomura and Amano for the graphics, Mr Uematsu for the aw-man-it's-so-good music, all the FMV animators for the videos and of course Mr Sagakuchi for leading it all! Go Squaresoft!
Thanks to all of my reviewers: Little Miss Anarchy / Sealion (tricky FF9 boss isn't it?), Kismit, Shadowrune12, Sha a.k.a. Gemini83, Callo Me!, Steven, Angel, Saian Girl, Race Ulfson, Sadia Fiore, Rosa Heartlily, Valerian, Brenton Braswell, Raven, Rejeana Maleski, Yuffie143, Chaos Syko a.k.a. Mauka Icefire, Bea-chan (Beatrix is nice!), Veemongal a.k.a. Nips, Ghouly Ghoul, Angelmae_cd, Aeris (yeah, the fanfic writer of course, not the character!), Starvoicereason and Fluffball. Hope I haven't forgotten... Ah, also thanks to the people who reviewed my other FF stories and to Aimee for dropping a comment about my poem.
Very special regards to Mandy a.k.a. Lady Aliena, Gaia a.k.a. The Umbra and of course Belphegor without whom I would probably never have got the idea of writing a crossover.
F R I E N D L Y - F E E L I N G S !
~~ Digintegrated Hunter Bill ~~