Chapter 18

HEIR OF THE FUTURE

"People said my hair is just like my dad's and my eyes are just like my mom's…", Vic explains with calm tone. Tifa still stares at him with disbelief and anguished expression. Once she regains her composure, she steps closer to Vic, still studying his feature.

He's right…she thinks, His blonde hair is just like Cloud, and his eyes, they're really like Aeris'….it means….

"Are you…..?", Tifa stops her question, hesitation rises inside her brain, as well as the weird feeling crawls on it. She shakes her head. No, even that craziest thing ever happened, it can't be happened here !

"I am Cloud and Aeris' son, coming from the future, Vic Strife", Vic nods his head. After he said his words, Tifa feels her world is suddenly spinning around, forcing herself to lose balance on her feet, and makes her body limp. Vic's answer really hits her, strike to the point. She cannot think for a moment. Everything is too blurry for her to think clearly.

"Hey, are you okay ?", Vic grows concerned to see Tifa remains silent since his answer. He then pulls out something from his pocket and hands it to Tifa. Without saying any words, Tifa just accepts it, a small photograph. The photograph shows picture of a family, a father figure with spiky-blonde hair hugs a beautiful mother figure with long honey brown hair. Her main attracting feature is her emerald green eyes. In front of them, a 10-year old boy is grinning. The boy has a rather spiky blonde hair too, and his eyes are emerald green, a perfect combination of his parents.

After clearing her throat, Tifa slowly lifts her face to find out again that the boy in the picture is Vic Strife. She wants to say something, but she feels her throat is rough.

"I came here by some means of…let's say it 'time device'…", says Vic, "and my purpose here is to save my to-be-mother, Aeris, so she can keep alive in the future".

"….". Tifa is still wordless. She just stares at Vic with puzzled look. Vic continues speaking, "In the future, Aeris will be still alive, but she has a strange kind of sickness….and it slowly takes her life…until she dies. I believe it relates to her past…and once she mentioned about Dark Ancient when I was kid. Fortunately, Cid, um…at my time, becomes a great inventor and he finds a way to bring me back to past. That's why and how I'm right here now…but I just can't reveal my identity to everyone here, it'll be a great shock and no one will easily believe it !". Vic takes a breath after briefing Tifa. His eyes then give Tifa a demanding look.

Meanwhile, Tifa slowly lets out a long sigh from her mouth for response. She hangs her head down but still says nothing. Vic's explanation really shocks her. From twirling fog that once roams around her mind, slowly it disappears and Tifa finds nothing that argues Vic's words. It seems he is telling the truth. Somehow she believes him. However, the most worrying thing to her is, that Vic is Cloud's son, but not from her. His emerald green eyes already tell where he came from. Sadness suddenly floods her heart, tearing it into pieces. She does not have any idea how Cloud can be paired up with her best friend instead of her in the future, although they have been already engaged now.

Will something happened between Cloud and…me…. ? Her mind speaks up, concerned. She biter her lips, and with trembling voice, she asks Vic, "Why…why did you tell me this…?". Her tone is so desperate. Now is Vic's turn to sigh, while he keeps on staring at Tifa.

"I…I don't know…". His tone sounds concerned when he replies, "I was very shocked at first seeing that you and Cloud were…engaged….I thought I fell into wrong time but that wasn't it. Since that, I felt something wrong happened to me. You see, I'm getting pale every day. At first I thought it was just the effect after having time-travel…but heck…later, I find it's something relates to….". Vic pauses. He scratches his head, feels unsure if he should go on.

"Me and Cloud ?", Tifa continues his unfinished words, almost whispering. Vic looks groggy a bit, and grows unsure as he notices sadness in Tifa's answer, but finally he nods. "Yeah…um…you know…I'm Cloud and Aeris' child, but here, right now, it's you who gets Cloud. It means…you and him will be married…and I'll be gone soon…I'll never been born at all…so I'll just completely disappear from here". Vic's voice trails off at the end. "I'm afraid, Tifa…or should I call you Auntie Tifa ? You're very kind to me and close to me in my time…You loved to sweep my hair when I was kid and said it was like my dad's…I didn't get it at that time, but now, I understand…You love him…Cloud…just like Aeris does…And seeing how you care about Cloud, I started to think…that you also deserve him..but…Aeris also loves him very much... I…I don't know how must I react to this situation…if you know what I mean…". Vic gives Tifa a sorry look.

For some seconds, they both stand in silence, until finally Tifa takes a step forward and pats Vic's shoulder gently. "Don't worry…it's okay…", she says, tries to sound normally. However, Vic can notice sadness hangs on her face. "I'm so sorry…", Vic stutters. Tifa lifts up her head and gazes at him. Vic can see a pair of ruby eyes stare at him, a familiar ruby eyes that cares about him when he was kid. Now, he cannot believe that he can see them again, totally in different time.

After some seconds of silence, Tifa spins up her body and goes back to the remaining rocks that trap Aeris and Cloud inside.

"You'll be fine….". Vaguely, Vic hears these words. Hurriedly, he looks at Tifa with curiosity, but only sees her back, standing in front of those boulders. "I'll help you, Auntie Tifa", Vic then steps forward and stands next to Tifa. However, he cannot see tears flow on her cheeks, since Tifa hides them very well.

"Got any idea to remove these things quickly ?", Vic asks after studying those rocks, "if there's a way to remove these all at once….". Suddenly Tifa's eyes sparkle to hear Vic. Her brain quickly catches the idea as she swipes her remaining tears.

"You're right !", she exclaims, now with hopeful tone. "Instead of removing them one by one, we can remove them all at once ! Limit break !". She then steps back and poses a special stance.

"H-hey..! Wait a sec..!", Vic shouts at her, startled, but Tifa already focuses her energy and mind to unleash her limit break. Vic stares at Tifa with awe when a glowing energy ball is concentrated on her fist, ready to blow the rocks. Gradually, the ball goes larger in size, and when it reaches its peak…

"Final Heaven !!!"

Tifa then blows the rocks with all of her might. A loud rumbling sound echoes every corner, shaking the ground. Vic's cannot believe what he sees. In front of them, those rocks are scattered everywhere as the effect of energy collision, destroying the piles. Dust and rock shards fly everywhere, creating a thick fog around them.

"G-g-greeat !!", Vic exclaims in astonishment tone while covering his eyes from smaller rocks and fog. Realizing that this noise may attract the others, Vic quickly wears his wig and sunglass again. He cannot let the others know his true identity. Not now. There is one thing he forgets to put back again, his contact lens.

Just like Vic's anticipation, the rest of party members quickly huddle up together around them. From their expressions, it is clear they do not know what just happened.

"What the…", Cid cannot continue his words. His eyes go to fullest form to see how things go messy right now. Barret does the same. Pieces of rocks shards and smaller boulders are now randomly placed everywhere, showing a sign of destruction.

"Wow ! Tifa…you…destroyed those rocks !!", Yuffie comes in with amazed voice. Eventually she coughs when small amount of dust gets into her throat. However, Tifa does not move at all. She just stands quietly, waiting for the fog to disappear. Her heart beats faster. She cannot wait to see Cloud. When the fog is getting thinner, she decides to barge ahead toward the destroyed boulders. Just before she makes a step, her eyes catch a figure walking out from the ruins, swallowed by fog.

Is that him…? Tifa's heart thuds faster. "Cloud ! Is that you ?", she shouts at the figure with hope. Much to her dismay, slowly it is revealed that the figure is actually a female one.

"AERIS !!!", Tifa and the others call her name with top of their voices. Aeris does not respond, she just walks out from the ruins and fog. When she is finally in front of them, Tifa gasps to recognize weird things on Aeris' face. She is surely crumpled and looks tired, but there is something that attracts Tifa's attention, as well as the others.

Her expression. Tifa and the others never see her expression right now, even Red XIII. The fury beast grows curious, yet worried to see her in such face. Aeris just looks at her friends with completely blank, lifeless look. It is not only tired look, it is a very sad look they ever see on her emerald eyes.

"Aeris….", Tifa calls her, but still no response. Aeris continues walking, and at a point, she falls on her knees, her hands cover her face. She sobs. Looking at Aeris condition triggers uneasy feeling inside Tifa's heart. With her agile motion, she quickly rushes into the ruins with her worst fear drives her heart. There, she sees a man figure is laying on the ground, motionlessly. Tifa's heartbeat stops for a moment, she feels the word is stopped abruptly. She knows the figure very well. Quickly, she approaches Cloud and scans every vital sign on his body. His heartbeat, none. His motion, none. His pulse, none. His breath, none. Now Tifa understands why Aeris looked so lifeless when she saw her getting out from the ruin.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO !!!!".

Cid and Cait Sith look at each other to hear a loud scream from the ruins. Quickly, they and the rest rush into the source. There, Tifa kneels next to a lifeless body. Her shoulder is choking harshly, holding her sudden outburst. She is crying intensely, sobbing endlessly.

"Cloud…..no…..", Yuffie mutters to herself, stunned on her spot. She cannot believe her eyes, yet it is true. Barret and the others just petrified to look at dead Cloud, without saying any words. Eventually, the big man turns his face to a random corner to hide his sad expression from his friends. Among them, it is Vic who looks very shocked. He approaches Tifa and Cloud slowly, and then drops on his knee, next to Tifa. Looking at the dead body in front of him with painful feeling, Vic cannot say anything but remains silent. His mind is totally shredded, everything becomes unclear to him. At a moment, he feels dizzy, does not know what to do but to see his to-be-father's lifeless form with very sad look.

"NO WAY !!!". Suddenly, Aeris' loud voice is heard from outside. Shortly afterward, an irritating chuckle follows. Red XIII knows whose chuckle it is, and he finds no reason to like it. With cautious movement, he spins his body and leaps outside ruins to see what happened there. "Guys !! Aeris is in trouble !!", he warns the others. Hurriedly, Barret, Cid, Cait Sith, Yuffie, and Vincent follow the red beast.

"Hey ! It's that priest again !!", Cait Sith exclaims, pointing his hand to Serras who is standing in front of Aeris. "What da hell he's doing here !!", Barret's basso voice joins in, now anger paints his tone.

………

"I see you lost your strongest friend…now why don't you just give up ? You're no match to me !", Serras smirks evilly at Aeris. Staring back at the Ancient priest with burning anger in her eyes, Aeris smiles back, coldly. She just says nothing but to step closer to him while posing offensive stance. Watching how she acts differently now makes Serras surprised. Reflexively, he steps back when his eyes meet Aeris' lifeless expression painted with hatred. She now looks totally different from her usual.

"I will destroy you, no matter what", Aeris speaks with cold tone. Serras grin goes broader, but it is much more to hide his uneasy feeling. "Your friend hurt me before, and you all must pay it !". With a loud scream, Serras now lets out a glowing light from his body.

"Darn ! That freakin' #$@*& is gonna change into monster again !!", Cid yells, "c'mon, pals ! Drag your ass !! We've got to kick his &#^$ butt !!". Quickly, Cid jumps into fighting spot, followed by the others. "Let's finish this monster once and for all !!", Yuffie adds. With her fast and agile body, she jumps high and lands behind Aeris.

When she is about to throw her huge shuriken to Serras, the priest is already transforming his body into Dark High again. Yuffie's eyes go narrow to notice how Aeris stands still on her spot, she does not seem to care about Dark High's claw which is directed to her. At the last moment, Aeris suddenly side steps to avoid it and at the same time she casts lightning magic. Suddenly, a lightning crashes down directly into Dark High's face. The monster roars in pain, it then moves his body wildly, hoping to hit its attacker at random.

"Aeris !! Duck !!!", Yuffie shouts at her, warning the danger. Instead of evading the attack, Aeris casts another magic and directs it toward Dark High. Now it is in form of huge fireball. Again, Dark High's ear-piercing roar echoes again when the fireball hits it on the torso. Before it reacts, a sound of gatling gun is heard, spitting out bullets from Barret's gunarm. After being hit by several hot bullets, Dark High suddenly levitates and swoops at Aeris. Before it can reach her, the monster suddenly senses a great danger above it. There, Vic is yelling, jumping down from the air, holding his masamune with his both hands, diving himself into Dark High. He wants to cut off Dark High's attack by sending another attack. However, this time the monster really means his attack, it really wants to hit Aeris, at all costs.

Sensing this is a serious menace, Aeris rolls on the ground, and eventually she avoids the attack. Just when she thinks she is safe, Dark High suddenly moves its claw, unnoticed by her. She cries out in pain when she feels her soft skin is ripped by Dark High's claw. Meanwhile, Vic is reaching his target. With a loud yell, he sinks his masamune deeply into Dark High's back. Green blood flows out from the wound, some of them splash on Vic's face. With such wound, the monster now roars louder and sways wildly left and right, losing Vic's balance. The more it sways, the more Vic sinks his masamune, until finally with strong wag on its tail, Vic is finally thrown out from his feet.

The rest now gather around and prepare for the next attack. However, when they are about to leap forward to face Dark High, the creature already stands in front of them. Its eyes are now glowing with strange green light. The Avalanche members just look at their enemy motionlessly. They know this time they have to calculate their next attack, otherwise, it would be futile since Dark High now is up to something.

"You…fool mortals !! You hurt Dark High, you harm Dark Ancients, and you should receive your eternal punishment !!!". Strange greenish mist comes out slowly from Dark High's mouth. The creature is really up to something.

……….

Wake up, mortal one…..

Huh ?

You're not supposed to be here…not yet….

Who…who is that ?

It's not your destiny to die right now…..

WHAT !!!????

You're destined to be the protector of Cetra….

H…hey…what's this ?

Fulfill your duty…

AUTHOR'S POST-CHAPTER NOTE :

Now, I'm very sure you know who Vic really is ! Heeheehee…Anyhow, I appreciate to those who guessed Vic. It doesn't matter if you guessed it wrong, since it means I could bring you such puzzle to you (as well as excitement, I hope ^_^). I anticipated if anyone ever thinks Vic is Cloud's clone or his father. Great thought, indeed, but I already have another role for Vic, that is Cloud and Aeris' son. Well…if Vic is Aeris and Cloud's son, then….how about Tifa ? Even Vic shows his empathy to his Auntie Tifa, he even thinks that Tifa still deserves Cloud, but Aeris is his mother…so…? How ? What will be happened next ?

That's all, and I hope you could press 'Go' button on the right of 'Submit a review' below ^_^…and I always appreciate any kind or (rather) harsh comment. Tata for now !