FINAL FANTASY: POINT OF INTERSECTION
BOOK 1: THE APPROACHING STORM
CHAPTER 4
The fire roared and crackled in the stone hearth, tongues of flame eating hungrily
at the wood and lending a sense of warmth and coziness to the large living room.
Pale golden streamers of late afternoon sunlight spilled across the carpet from
outside the windows, where beyond the front porch a light dusting of snow drifted
lazily down from the sullen gray skies. Jagged shards of ice hung down in rows
from the eaves of the house like a malboro's needlelike teeth, and it was
from sights such as these that the village had taken its name long ago.
Tifa Strife turned from her contemplation of the wintry world outside her living room window and back to the friends and companions that sat gathered together for one of the few times since the Meteor crisis four years ago. With the end of their grand adventure, Tifa and her friends had begun to drift apart and go their separate ways. Although she kept in contact with them as much as possible, with all of their different jobs and responsibilities it was difficult for her to see her old friends very often anymore.
Three years had passed since she and Cloud had left Kalm to get away from all the media attention and hero worship and to find someplace quiet where they could start their lives over together free from the pain of their shared past. The quaint little town of Icicle Inn, with its snowy, tree-lined lanes and sturdy brick homes and shops, held no dark memories to haunt Tifa and her husband, no old ghosts to remind them of days lost and gone.
Tifa and Cloud had bought Icicle Lodge, one of the town's larger inns, and had since expanded it to accommodate the increased numbers of tourists and travelers that had emerged in the wake of the Meteor incident. For the most part, Tifa ran the inn, though Cloud helped as well sometimes when he wasn't out on his daily patrols keeping monsters away from town. The young couple's own modest home was next door to their prosperous establishment, although Tifa sometimes felt dryly that she seemed to live more at the inn than she did in her own house.
Brushing aside a few errant strands of long, raven-dark hair from her face, Tifa roused herself from her thoughts and carefully adjusted her position a bit on the sofa so that her lower back didn't ache quite so much from trying to balance the steadily growing bulge in her belly. It seemed to Tifa as though her rapidly swelling abdomen was threatening to snap the buttons of her jeans every time she turned around. She was a little over six months pregnant with her first child and feeling every bit of it as she returned her attention back to the task at hand.
On the coffee table in front of her sat a wide assortment of packages of all shapes and sizes, boxes wrapped in pastel-colored papers of pink and blue and white in a myriad of patterns and designs. Some of the gifts, bundles of baby clothes and toys and other such items, already lay open and unwrapped beside their as yet untouched counterparts.
To her left sat her husband, clad in a dark blue turtleneck shirt and dark pants. He always seemed to wear blue or black these days, not that Tifa really minded all that much. She had always thought those colors looked good on him, especially since he had finally let her bring his unruly blond hair under some sort of control. Though still as spiky as always, it no longer seemed to Tifa like a wild thing with a life of its own.
Letting go of her husband's hand, Tifa pursed her lips in thought and let her gaze wander over the presents on the coffee table. So far, among the various baby clothes and nursery decorations, she had received a cute stuffed moogle from Reeve, a mobile of the sun and planets from Red, and upstairs was a new crib that Barret and Cloud had finished putting together for her this morning.
From across the table, Cid grunted, rose with a grin from the easy chair he'd been lounging in near the fire and handed Tifa a clumsily wrapped box tied with blue ribbon and a slightly lopsided bow. Here, Tif. Your kid'll get a kick out of it, I'm sure.
Tifa smiled as she began to unwrap the gift. Thanks, Cid. I hope you're right.
The present turned out to be a toy airplane made of brightly colored plastic. All the parts were overly large, big enough so that the baby wouldn't accidentally swallow one, and colored in cheerful shades of red and blue and yellow. The propeller even spun when Tifa tapped it with her finger.
Oh, Cloud, look! Tifa grinned and showed him the plane.
he replied with a slight chuckle, but the baby oughta like it. As long as it's bright and plastic, they like just about anything, don't they?
Tifa nodded and laughed. Just about.
It's quite safe for the baby to play with, Shera reassured her.
Cid's wife sat near him at the end of the smaller sofa next to Elmyra and Barret on the other side of the coffee table. Tifa smiled, still amused at how long it had taken Cid to actually admit to Shera how he felt about her. They'd only just married a month or so ago. Tifa swore the gruff old pilot could be as dense as Cloud was sometimes, especially when it concerned women.
Thanks, you two, she replied cheerfully.
Cid grunted, hugged her, and sat down again. Hell, Shera's looked over that damn thing like twenty times now, so you shouldn't have anything to worry about.
I hope the baby enjoys it, Tifa. Shera beamed at her husband's left-handed compliment and gave his hand an affectionate squeeze. He pretended to ignore it, lost as he was in his typical macho facade, but Tifa didn't miss at all the fact that he hadn't immediately removed his hand from his wife's.
An' if that kid of yours ever wants flyin' lessons, Cid added sternly, don't you even think about sendin' him to anyone but me, got it?
Tifa laughed. We'll see, Cid. I don't think he's got any career aspirations just yet. Getting born should be more than enough for now.
From Tifa's right, on the other side of the room, Yuffie chirped in. Yeah, Cid, you don't wanna scar the kid for life, you know, the way you fly.
The hell's that s'posed to mean, squirt? Cid growled.
Nothing, except that I'm next! The dark-haired young ninja grinned and bounded over to Tifa, a neatly wrapped gift box in either hand.
Cloud raised an eyebrow. Hey, not bad, Yuffie. Two for one.
Yeah, well, I guess that just shows who's the better friend around here, Yuffie smirked and stuck her tongue out at Cid and Barret before sitting down near Tifa.
This oughta be good, Barret rumbled, but it ain't gonna top the crib I built, no way.
As she began to open the first of Yuffie's gifts, Tifa grinned and rolled her eyes. She should have known those three would go at it sooner or later. Constantly teasing and insulting each other in new and different ways seemed to be one of their favorite hobbies, though Tifa knew it was really a way of expressing a friendship none of them would ever openly admit. It was fun to watch, though.
Yuffie gave the big, dark-skinned man on the couch a cocky smile. We'll just see about that, Barret! She's gonna like my gifts way better than yours!
Wanna bet? he shot back.
Hah! You're on!
Barret considered it for moment, then shook his head. Nah, never mind. You cheat.
I do not! Yuffie protested as Cid guffawed into helpless fits of laughter, You're just a big ol' coward is what that's all about!
Coward? Yer the one that stole all our materia, girl, an' then left us high an' dry. And ya couldn't even give it back in the right order!
The lithe young ninja smiled sheepishly. That was, um just, um uh a little misunderstanding, that's all. Yeah, that's right! So just be glad I had the heart to give it back to you at all, you big lug, and quit complaining!
Tifa suppressed a snort. There was no way Barret was ever going to allow Yuffie to forget that little incident. It had taken Tifa and the others weeks of hiking northward across the mountains of Wutai to finally catch up to her, and actually capturing the elusive ninja had been no small task either what with unexpected complications from the Turks and the late Don Corneo.
As she withdrew Yuffie's gift from the box, Tifa gasped. Oh, Yuffie
What is it? Cloud asked, leaning toward her to try and get a better look at the gift.
Resting in Tifa's palm was a finely wrought silver amulet crafted into the shape of a slithering sea serpent twisting and coiling around itself and hanging from a long, simple chain of tiny silver links. The individual scales on the serpent's sides were clearly visible, and the majestic beast stared out at her with bluish green eyes made of sparkling aquamarine gemstones. A silent roar issued from the serpent's open mouth, delicately shaped teeth lining its jaws in a row of sharp, knifelike points.
Tifa whispered.
Yuffie nodded. It's the medallion of the Water God. My family's kept it for generations, but I want you guys to have it now. Give it to your kid when he's old enough, and he'll always have the Great Serpent's protection, or so the tradition goes.
Tifa drew the other girl into a hug and smiled gratefully. Yuffie, thank you. It's wonderful!
Hey, no prob, Tifa! I knew you'd like it!
Not bad, kid, Barret admitted grudgingly. Not bad at all
Yuffie grinned and winked at him. You know it! But that ain't all! Open the other one, Tifa!
Within the second box lay a smooth sphere of translucent crystal roughly the size and shape of a child's marble. The orb glowed brightly with a vibrant purplish aura as Tifa carefully grasped it with her fingers and thumb and held it lightly in her hand. She could feel in her palm the cool tingling sensation of magical energy flowing from the crystal sphere.
Looks like materia, Cloud observed, but I can't tell what kind, exactly.
Cid nearly choked. Yuffie? Giving materia away?
Oh, shut it! the ninja snapped waspishly. I don't always steal materia!
Could've fooled me, Barret rumbled.
Yuffie ignored the bait and grinned at Tifa. It's a special kind of materia for you to give your kid when he's older, Tifa. It'll let you communicate with someone over great distances, kinda like telepathy or something. Supposedly, you can sometimes even see what the other person is seeing. I don't know if that last part's true or not, but it'd be way cool if it was!
This is amazing, Yuffie, Tifa replied, gazing wonderingly at the materia. Where did you find it?
Family secret—and no, I didn't steal it. The young ninja glared meaningfully at Cid and Barret as she made that last comment.
From nearby on Tifa's right, Red padded over to get a better look at the materia. It is of the independent class, but I have not encountered this specific type of materia before. How fascinating. Does it have a name, Yuffie?
Yeah, it's called Farsight. And don't ask for details on how I got it, either.
Probably don't wanna know, Barret snorted.
Tifa smiled and hugged Yuffie again. Probably not, but it's still a nice gift. Thanks, Yuffie.
Sure thing! the ninja chirped, flopping comfortably back down on the carpet.
The materia glowed softly in Tifa's hand, and she wondered if it was truly capable of doing what Yuffie claimed it could. Not that Tifa thought there would be much of a need for it, what with her adventuring days being long over, but the materia was nice to have nevertheless. She was a little surprised herself that Yuffie hadn't kept it for her own, as the young ninja liked collecting any new and unique materia she could find. Suffice it to say, Tifa was touched by Yuffie's uncharacteristic thoughtfulness.
Unusual gifts, to say the least, a low voice observed quietly.
On the far side of the room, off to Tifa's right, Vincent stood quietly near a window. His gaze hadn't left the falling snow outside, but Tifa knew without a doubt that he had heard everything she and the others had said. There was little that escaped his extraordinarily sensitive ears and eyes.
Wrapped in his typical grim silence, he slowly approached Tifa, his crimson cape rustling softly with each step, and handed her an odd-shaped bundle draped in black cloth. I believe I am next, as I recall. Do not be too disappointed, Tifa. I am afraid it is not my best work.
I don't think I'll be disappointed at all, Vincent, she replied, smiling at him a little as she removed the cloth. You always put yourself down—
The words died in her throat as she stared breathlessly at Vincent's gift, an expertly crafted wooden carving of a soaring white dove, its wings spread wide in flight. Every minute detail was intricately shaped, from the individual barbs on each feather to the claws of the bird's toes and the slight grooves along its beak. The dove's dark eyes seemed to gaze at Tifa as though they were somehow real, and she half-expected the bird, crafted and painted with such incredible realism and detail, to suddenly come alive in her hand and take flight.
Tifa breathed, a catch in her voice, this is incredible! You did this yourself?
He nodded. It is something I have taken up over the past few years during my travels. The shaping of the wood eases my solitude.
You don't have to be alone, she smiled sadly at him.
I know, Tifa, but I choose to be. Even now, I am feared and misunderstood by most people. It does not bother me, for I am used to it, but I have found it best to keep to myself.
Tifa understood Vincent's reasoning well enough. Had she not known him better and fought alongside him numerous times during the pursuit of Sephiroth, she might have felt uneasy herself in his presence. Vincent, with his dark, stoic demeanor and fearsome appearance, seemed at first glance more a figure born of nightmares than a flesh and blood human being.
Admiring the dove's craftsmanship and intricate design, Tifa marveled that something so beautiful could come from the hands of a man so tormented by his own inner demons. Perhaps, she thought, bringing form and shape to the wood helped him keep those demons at bay. By losing himself in his art, perhaps he was able to forget for a while his dark and tortured past.
Thank you, Vincent, for the gift, Tifa said, It really is beautiful. I'm sure it'll look wonderful in the baby's room upstairs.
He bowed slightly to her. May your child find the peace I never will, Tifa.
Vincent, don't— Tifa began, but a sudden knocking on the front door cut her off. She exchanged a puzzled glance with Cloud as he rose with her from the sofa to answer the door. Their friends from town had already stopped by earlier in the day to give Tifa gifts and wish her and Cloud well, so unless someone had forgotten something, Tifa had no idea who it could be.
Cloud opened the door to reveal an old man, wrinkled yet hale and healthy for his age. A thin white moustache lined his upper lip, and wisps of gray hair peeked out from his battered brown hat. Tifa recognized him at once as old Hamfast Wentwood, the pleasant fellow who ran the general store down the street. His eyes, normally bright and cheerful whenever Tifa chatted amiably with him while browsing through his shop, were now clouded with worry and fear.
What's wrong, Ham? Tifa asked, using the nickname he often went by.
The old man wrung his hands nervously. I'm real sorry to break in on you like this, Tifa, it being your special day and all, but I don't know who else to turn to. Miri's gone! My little granddaughter's missing, Cloud! Someone took her!
Tifa gasped in spite of herself. She had, over the years, become accustomed to seeing little Miri playing out in the snow with the other kids in town or pretending to run the shop with her grandfather. The girl's parents had been killed in a mountain climbing accident out on Gaea's Cliff when she was only two years old, and since then, her grandfather had taken care of her. Tifa had grown fond of the little girl, perhaps because like Miri she too had lost her parents long ago, first her mother to sickness and then later her father to Sephiroth's wicked blade.
His eyes narrowing, Cloud beckoned the old man inside. Tell us what happened.
Hamfast nodded and sank into a nearby chair. I was minding the store and keeping an eye on Miri out the window. She was playin' out front in the snow by herself, enjoyin' her winter break from school. I had to get somethin' real quick for a customer, and by the time I got back to the counter and looked out the window again, Miri was gone. Funny thing is, my customer was gone, too.
Can you describe this individual? Red asked.
Yeah, I couldn't forget her even if I tried. She was a strange one, no doubt. I couldn't see much of her, what with that gray cloak she wore, cept that her skin was real pale and her hair was blue and real long. Made me shiver just bein' near her, specially with those red eyes of hers. I'd had it nice and warm inside the shop, but when she came in it was like the inside of a blizzard if I got too close to her.
Cloud grimaced in recognition. An ice witch.
Tifa shivered at the mention of the formidable and mysterious beings that dwelt far out on the icy slopes of the glaciers. Ice witches, or Snows, as they were more commonly known, were the sirens of the frozen north, often luring unwary male travelers to their doom with a combination of powerful magic and seductive allure. Few of the Snows' unfortunate victims were ever heard from again.
One of them damn Snows? Barret growled. What would they want with a little girl? They're usually into nabbin' men, ain't they?
Cloud agreed, but what would she be doing so far south? The ice witches live up on the Great Glacier hundreds of miles from here.
Vincent's reply was quiet, yet it chilled Tifa's blood. Perhaps she took the girl as bait
His fist clenching, Cloud nodded. For me, no doubt.
But why you? Tifa asked worriedly, taking his hand in hers.
I'm not sure, Tifa, but she has to know that I'm gonna go after her. I won't let her hurt Miri.
If you're right and the witch is counting on you to pursue her, Cloud, this means that it's almost certainly a trap, Reeve added.
Crossing her arms, Yuffie frowned angrily. She'll be sorry she crossed a ninja, I can tell you that much! Maybe she won't be expecting so many of us. We'll really get the jump on her then!
That's what I'm hoping, Cloud replied. Red, if you were to smell something of Miri's, could you track her? I doubt the ice witch would have left us a trail to follow across the snow when she could just summon a blizzard to wipe out her tracks.
Red nodded. I believe so. My olfactory sense is much more acute than that of a human, so it should not be difficult to follow Miri's scent to where she is being held.
Ham held in his hand a purple wool mitten wet with molten snow. I found it lying on the ground where Miri was before she disappeared.
Padding over to the old man, Red sniffed for a moment at the mitten and squinted in concentration for a moment before nodding in satisfaction and turning to the others. I have the girl's scent, Cloud. All that remains is to gather our gear. I would suggest that we go out on chocobos, as we have no way of knowing how far out the trail goes.
Alright, then, Cloud ordered, let's get moving, people. We don't have any time to waste.
That fucking ice bitch is gonna be feelin' the pointy end of my spear up her fucking ass by the time I get fucking through with her, I can tell you that fucking much, Cid spat, his blue eyes hard.
Tifa went to the front hall closet and withdrew hers and Cloud's coats as Cid, Barret, Yuffie, and Vincent filed out to get their things from their rooms at the inn next door. Red's formidable claws and teeth were his weapons, and his thick fur would keep him warm even on the coldest night. Extremes in temperature rarely bothered him, Tifa knew, as he had grown up in a desert where it was often unbearably hot during the day and frigidly cold at night.
What are you doing? Cloud asked, having retrieved his sword from the den down the hall as Tifa pulled on her coat.
What's it look like I'm doing? she replied briskly, handing him his coat, I'm going with you.
He frowned as he shrugged the thick garment on. No, you're not, Tifa. I can't let you do that.
Why not? This is our goddaughter we're talking about, Cloud. I'm not gonna let anything happen to her if I can help it.
You're in no condition to fight, he protested angrily. You'd only be in the way.
At least I'd be there! she snapped. Why couldn't he understand? Tifa was a fighter, and she always would be. She had fought at her husband's side so many times during their pursuit of Sephiroth years ago that she had lost count. Why should this be any different? Why should she have to stay on the sidelines, out of the action and unable to help him and the others save Miri?
As if in answer, she felt a light thud against the inside of her abdomen as the baby suddenly kicked. Tifa sighed bitterly, placing a hand lightly on her belly where she had felt the slight impact as reality finally set in and she realized glumly that she wasn't going anywhere. Yet at the same time, she couldn't deny the strange and exhilarating sensation of the life slowly growing inside her. What would it be like, she wondered, to finally hold her child in her arms, to see what she and her husband had somehow created through the passion of their love?
Tifa looked up at her husband as she felt his hand come to rest gently upon hers. His expression had softened, and he gazed tenderly at her. I know you want to be out there with us, Tifa, and if you weren't pregnant, I would want you out there too. You've always been good in a fight. But you're carrying our child now, and I don't want to risk anything happening to either of you.
I understand, Cloud, and I'm sorry I got angry. It's just so frustrating, that's all.
I know, he replied, tenderly stroking her cheek, and I'm sorry, too. If anything ever happened to you or the baby, I'd never be able to forgive myself. You two are my whole life, and I love you both. I couldn't bear it if I ever lost either of you.
She smiled then and kissed him for a moment before pulling away. I love you too, Cloud. Now get going and bring Miri home safe and sound.
Right. I'll take the PHS and call you once we get her back.
Be careful, Tifa warned him.
He nodded and wrapped his arms around her. I will, I promise.
With a last, lingering kiss, Cloud bade her farewell and headed out the door to saddle his chocobo and meet the others. Tifa looked on from the front door as minutes later he led his mount out of the stable and across the snow to where the others were gathering. Red ran ahead a little ways in front of the group, leading the way as Cloud and the others moved out into the gathering twilight and headed toward the western end of town, where the trail apparently seemed to lead out across the snowfields.
Tifa sighed and watched them go until they were out of sight.