::Chapter 06 - Demanifestation::
Cloud stared out over the ocean as he rode the chocobo towards the Bone Village. He hoped that the excavation workers would allow him to pass through again, for another trip into the forest. He still had the harp that would allow him to pass through. This time he'd attempt to grab the feisty Materia that never seemed to stay in one spot. He looked back on the coast near Kalm, wiped water off his face, and continued forward toward the north. Just a few more hours, he thought to himself. He'd be at the coast soon enough, and he could make his way to the City of Ancients once more. He wasn't sure what he'd find at the city, but he hoped it would lead to an answer to his unexplained visions.
Cid took a puff from a cigarette and flicked it towards the ground. Why do I even smoke these things? He thought to himself. He was still wearing the has-mat pants that he went to Midgar with. Barrett was asleep inside the cabin of the still-grounded Highwind. The crew was supposed to leave after they woke up on this dreary morning, but there was one problem - they couldn't leave until Cloud was found. No one seemed to spot him leave. Yuffie never left the station where Vincent was being treated. The doctors weren't sure how to handle such a case. His DNA structure had changed so much since the effects of Hojo's tests. The teams of doctors weren't sure how Vincent had survived the collapse, let alone the time in this hospital. Tifa slept on the deck of the ship, and had gotten an overnight shower from the weather storm that had passed through. Red XIII slept in the corner where Cloud would have slept. No one was really sure where Cloud slept at, the previous night before.
Helicopters were flown in from a company in Wutai. These would help in the examining of Shinra Tower's remains. Only a few floors remained standing, and the stairway stopped at 15. If Vincent had been another floor higher, he'd surely be dead. Every reactor was no longer functional. The fire in reactor #4 destroyed its capabilities. These things were no longer useful in a dead city anyhow. Those that survived the destruction now lived in makeshift shelters inside of Kalm's area. Now, there was no distinction between classes. There was no such thing as "lower class" or "high class." These were just people who had lived to tell the stories of how they managed to survive. The inspections of Shinra's remains found that the center pillar, which held most of the structures of the center platform, had partly collapsed. This is what caused the tower's collapse.
Cait Sith hadn't talked in several days, meaning Reeve had disappeared. He was probably helping others somewhere around Kalm, or his controls had been destroyed. Oddly, It was not in its original location. Reeve had to have moved it sometime. It now sat against the front glass that overlooked the front of the ship. It was possible that Barrett or Cid moved it, or perhaps the pilot.
Cloud continued his voyage north, at quick pace. Any minute now, he thought. Any minute he'd be there, ready to walk through that forest again. He could see the coast, barely, ahead in the distance. He guessed it was another 20 minutes or so until he would arrive on the shore. Finally, his answers would be solved. He would understand why he constantly had visions of Aerith, as well as Sephiroth, and also dreams about the former. He had no clue what he'd find at the city, but he was sure he could solve this mystery, and was sure he would do so.
The shore was merely feet away now, as Cloud rushed to reach it. He noticed there were fewer trees surrounding the Bone Village, unlike before. He slowly made his way up the shore upon the Chocobo and dismounted. He walked towards the village, hearing less commotion than usual. The archaeologists who were looking for prehistoric artifacts must've taken the day off, or were perhaps helping with the Midgar situation, he thought. There was a loud chatter emanating from the northern part of the village, as he got closer towards it. There was a bit of equipment strewn about the portion of the village that contained the ever-so-needy storage box. He climbed the makeshift ladder and headed towards the entrance to the forest. There was one problem with this. There was no entrance, nor was there a forest.
The excavation workers had deforested the entire area. Not a tree stood now, and the path to the City of Ancients now was clearly seen. He stopped where the entrance should have been, and stared in awe. The workers who surrounded the area didn't even notice him. They did their jobs, destroying what was left of the forest. The crews didn't stop there, they continued up the path and towards the city itself. Cloud ran for the city center, kicking workers out of his way. He got to the pathway that forked in three directions, each being left, right, and the center, and ran for the center. There was caution tape covering part of the hollow cave that led to the small house where Aerith's lake was. Cloud feared for Aerith's peaceful tomb, for the workers that now surrounded the whole surrounding area may have tampered it with. He stopped at the house's sidewalk-like area, and stared. He hadn't been here in a while. He looked at the lake where Aerith was placed to rest. He could vividly envision himself placing her out in front of him, and watch her slowly submerge into the icy water. What if Aerith really wasn't dead? He thought to himself. She could be alive down there, and no one would even know it. He slowly walked toward the lake, looking down into the water for any sight of Aerith. He was sure she was still down there, in eternal rest, but he wasn't completely sure, after having that vivid dream a few nights before. Cloud thought about the entire last few days' recent events - and then dived into the water.
Cloud began to swim towards the location where Aerith lay. He was sure he could solve this mystery, if nothing else. Slowly, he approached Aerith's body. The water was so cold down here, he thought. Even if she were still alive, she could never survive this. He looked at her face, peaceful as ever, and then grabbed her hand and held it. There was one odd occurrence though - her hand was warm. This startled Cloud. How could her hand be warm? The water was much too cold down here for it to be possible. There was a yellow sparkle that illuminated from their folded hands, which surrounded the two of them. Cloud grinned. She's alive, he thought. Aerith had indeed come to me in a dream! Cloud checked for her pulse, and found a coma-like slow beating. He rushed to get her to the surface.
He carried her towards the surface and swam to the end of the lake. She was breathing, but had somehow gotten a considerable amount of water in her lungs. She needed CPR, but Cloud wasn't too up on the idea. He'd never actually kissed her before, and this, he thought, would be close enough. He shrugged the worries off, and did the best he could, until she coughed and rolled over. She tried to talk, but could only mumble the word "You." Cloud shushed her and looked at the wound she had received from Sephiroth. It was merely a scar now. It was rather large, and deep, but whatever force had kept her alive for this long had healed her while doing so. She tried to stand, but Cloud stopped her and carried her towards the house nearby. While on the way in, she looked up at Cloud and placed her hand against his face. She tried to talk, but was only able to inaudibly say "Thank You" before she leaned against him and held onto him. The Cetra were extinct no more.
Cloud stared out over the ocean as he rode the chocobo towards the Bone Village. He hoped that the excavation workers would allow him to pass through again, for another trip into the forest. He still had the harp that would allow him to pass through. This time he'd attempt to grab the feisty Materia that never seemed to stay in one spot. He looked back on the coast near Kalm, wiped water off his face, and continued forward toward the north. Just a few more hours, he thought to himself. He'd be at the coast soon enough, and he could make his way to the City of Ancients once more. He wasn't sure what he'd find at the city, but he hoped it would lead to an answer to his unexplained visions.
Cid took a puff from a cigarette and flicked it towards the ground. Why do I even smoke these things? He thought to himself. He was still wearing the has-mat pants that he went to Midgar with. Barrett was asleep inside the cabin of the still-grounded Highwind. The crew was supposed to leave after they woke up on this dreary morning, but there was one problem - they couldn't leave until Cloud was found. No one seemed to spot him leave. Yuffie never left the station where Vincent was being treated. The doctors weren't sure how to handle such a case. His DNA structure had changed so much since the effects of Hojo's tests. The teams of doctors weren't sure how Vincent had survived the collapse, let alone the time in this hospital. Tifa slept on the deck of the ship, and had gotten an overnight shower from the weather storm that had passed through. Red XIII slept in the corner where Cloud would have slept. No one was really sure where Cloud slept at, the previous night before.
Helicopters were flown in from a company in Wutai. These would help in the examining of Shinra Tower's remains. Only a few floors remained standing, and the stairway stopped at 15. If Vincent had been another floor higher, he'd surely be dead. Every reactor was no longer functional. The fire in reactor #4 destroyed its capabilities. These things were no longer useful in a dead city anyhow. Those that survived the destruction now lived in makeshift shelters inside of Kalm's area. Now, there was no distinction between classes. There was no such thing as "lower class" or "high class." These were just people who had lived to tell the stories of how they managed to survive. The inspections of Shinra's remains found that the center pillar, which held most of the structures of the center platform, had partly collapsed. This is what caused the tower's collapse.
Cait Sith hadn't talked in several days, meaning Reeve had disappeared. He was probably helping others somewhere around Kalm, or his controls had been destroyed. Oddly, It was not in its original location. Reeve had to have moved it sometime. It now sat against the front glass that overlooked the front of the ship. It was possible that Barrett or Cid moved it, or perhaps the pilot.
Cloud continued his voyage north, at quick pace. Any minute now, he thought. Any minute he'd be there, ready to walk through that forest again. He could see the coast, barely, ahead in the distance. He guessed it was another 20 minutes or so until he would arrive on the shore. Finally, his answers would be solved. He would understand why he constantly had visions of Aerith, as well as Sephiroth, and also dreams about the former. He had no clue what he'd find at the city, but he was sure he could solve this mystery, and was sure he would do so.
The shore was merely feet away now, as Cloud rushed to reach it. He noticed there were fewer trees surrounding the Bone Village, unlike before. He slowly made his way up the shore upon the Chocobo and dismounted. He walked towards the village, hearing less commotion than usual. The archaeologists who were looking for prehistoric artifacts must've taken the day off, or were perhaps helping with the Midgar situation, he thought. There was a loud chatter emanating from the northern part of the village, as he got closer towards it. There was a bit of equipment strewn about the portion of the village that contained the ever-so-needy storage box. He climbed the makeshift ladder and headed towards the entrance to the forest. There was one problem with this. There was no entrance, nor was there a forest.
The excavation workers had deforested the entire area. Not a tree stood now, and the path to the City of Ancients now was clearly seen. He stopped where the entrance should have been, and stared in awe. The workers who surrounded the area didn't even notice him. They did their jobs, destroying what was left of the forest. The crews didn't stop there, they continued up the path and towards the city itself. Cloud ran for the city center, kicking workers out of his way. He got to the pathway that forked in three directions, each being left, right, and the center, and ran for the center. There was caution tape covering part of the hollow cave that led to the small house where Aerith's lake was. Cloud feared for Aerith's peaceful tomb, for the workers that now surrounded the whole surrounding area may have tampered it with. He stopped at the house's sidewalk-like area, and stared. He hadn't been here in a while. He looked at the lake where Aerith was placed to rest. He could vividly envision himself placing her out in front of him, and watch her slowly submerge into the icy water. What if Aerith really wasn't dead? He thought to himself. She could be alive down there, and no one would even know it. He slowly walked toward the lake, looking down into the water for any sight of Aerith. He was sure she was still down there, in eternal rest, but he wasn't completely sure, after having that vivid dream a few nights before. Cloud thought about the entire last few days' recent events - and then dived into the water.
Cloud began to swim towards the location where Aerith lay. He was sure he could solve this mystery, if nothing else. Slowly, he approached Aerith's body. The water was so cold down here, he thought. Even if she were still alive, she could never survive this. He looked at her face, peaceful as ever, and then grabbed her hand and held it. There was one odd occurrence though - her hand was warm. This startled Cloud. How could her hand be warm? The water was much too cold down here for it to be possible. There was a yellow sparkle that illuminated from their folded hands, which surrounded the two of them. Cloud grinned. She's alive, he thought. Aerith had indeed come to me in a dream! Cloud checked for her pulse, and found a coma-like slow beating. He rushed to get her to the surface.
He carried her towards the surface and swam to the end of the lake. She was breathing, but had somehow gotten a considerable amount of water in her lungs. She needed CPR, but Cloud wasn't too up on the idea. He'd never actually kissed her before, and this, he thought, would be close enough. He shrugged the worries off, and did the best he could, until she coughed and rolled over. She tried to talk, but could only mumble the word "You." Cloud shushed her and looked at the wound she had received from Sephiroth. It was merely a scar now. It was rather large, and deep, but whatever force had kept her alive for this long had healed her while doing so. She tried to stand, but Cloud stopped her and carried her towards the house nearby. While on the way in, she looked up at Cloud and placed her hand against his face. She tried to talk, but was only able to inaudibly say "Thank You" before she leaned against him and held onto him. The Cetra were extinct no more.