25 Battle in the Sky
Days till Impact: 8
I smelled flowers.
"Hey."
It's her.
I opened my eyes, but my vision was blurry, seeing a fuzzy form of her there gazing over me. There was a smudge of a smile just above her narrow chin. She came closer, her loose hair swinging away from her shoulders to tickle my cheeks, her hands resting over the thighs of her pink dress as she peered down at me.
"You're going to be okay," Aerith said warmly, her lips a blob of pink.
I thought I fell into the church again, recognizing its light spilling over her shoulders from the hole in the roof.
My arms felt too heavy to lift when I tried to reach for her.
Aerith? I thought I said her name, but my lips opened without a sound.
In a blink, the chapel was gone.
Aerith, come back….
But I could still feel her. Aerith's gentle arms swooped around me, her whisper mixing with the Planet's in my ear.
You've done this before, remember?
Done what before? Something stupid? I may have said that out loud because she giggled. Everything was warm, the sensation of floating taking over. Yes, this did feel familiar. When have I felt this before? It seemed like I was revisiting an old dream.
Heat collected in the back of my shoulders, spilling out into the air. I thought it was simply Aerith's hands hoisting me up, breaking my fall. I squinted one eye open, and caught the sight of the Planet's energy swirling loosely in all directions. Its heat spilled around the back of my shoulders, and down my legs, like I was floating in a warm river. I blinked my eyes open all the way, and with a lift of a hand, saw glimpses of green light scatter loosely around my arm, pale skin emitted in a light green.
The dark world crumbled away, leaving me alone in this strange, unexpected bliss of warm relief, falling into the arms of a loving guardian, the Planet. There was this knowing that I was going to be okay, Aerith's gentle words echoing in my thoughts.
I closed my eyes, taking in the comfort of being rocked gently in the Planet's warm arms. I lifted a hand and reached towards the lake, stuck on this illusion I was floating down under water, but no bubbles escaped my lips when they opened. Green sparkles fluttered freely, dripping off my fingers, and then I saw it. Along the edge of my vision, the unfurling of wings appeared, made up of green light.
That's when I remembered.
Memories flashed, recalling the time I fell off Midgar's plate after the reactor explosion. Falling into Cloud's arms for the first time, it was both a moment of awakening and dread, waiting for the impact of death to take us.
At any moment, we'll hit the ground, and I will feel nothing. I squeezed into his arms, burying my head into his chest to hide from our fate. But then, magic I didn't even know I had, unleashed for the first time. Initially, I thought Cloud saved us, his body tight around mine, invincible to the impact because of the Mako or luck or the roof of the church that broke our fall. Heat pulsed from my heart, and leaked behind my shoulders, sprouting green wings of light. It wasn't a dream, and Cloud got to see it before we hit the roof, and then we floated down, coaxed into a light sleep, Aerith's flowers our bed to rest.
It happened again when I took the leap into the airship, running away from my wedding to take Tifa's hand.
"Aqua!"
Cloud's voice awoke me from my dreamy state, my eyes widening. I turned my head, first spotting his gauntlet hand reaching for me, followed by the pieces of the altar falling away beneath him. His hand shrank, falling farther away from mine before I realized he was to sink into the depths of the Ancient city. Gears in my head began to shift, like a jolt hit me somewhere, and I snapped into focus. With a gasp, I darted towards Cloud's hand, reaching even when it put strained in my arm.
And then, remarkably, took hold.
I could see the green light reflect from Cloud's blue eyes, inflated with astonishment before he squeezed tight, sticky blood and cold metal wrapped around my wrist as I latched on to his. Green magic twisted around my arm, spreading its soft light onto Cloud's, as though to help me keep him ahold, and then, slowly, we floated down into the crumbling world below.
Our eyes locked, and I flushed with relief, followed by embarrassment, my light casting a glow to Cloud's face until he turned pale green. The natural blue of his eyes lightened to aqua, his bright lips left slightly open until the inside of his mouth sucked in the light.
Was this how he saw me when we first met? How did he describe it again?
I thought you were a goddess, or a demi god that was summoned, just floating down, green light all around you.
My entire being trembled soothingly, knowing that we were going to be okay, just as Aerith said. I couldn't stop chuckling uneasily, even when Cloud's boot made the first touchdown in shallow waters. I floated down with him, my sneakers deep in water, and our hands separated.
When my angelic wings curled away, the light vanished. Nothing but a faint sun broke through the lake above, casting pillars of light down into the bottom of the city. It felt like we were very far away from the world, lost in an abyss of someplace dreamy and isolating.
I got stuck staring up at the lake in the sky, hearing it gurgle alive. We were standing at the very bottom of its depths, and I expected to spot a giant sea creature flutter nearby. There was an unexpected yank on my arm, and I choked a cry before Cloud pulled me in to crash against his chest. My hands and cheek rammed into his wet shirt, sinking away into his folded arms.
Lips touched my head, and then he breathed, "I'm so glad you're okay."
I melted in his hold, glad to have him back after seeing him lost in his Mako phase. In the bliss of this moment, I closed my eyes, resting against him.
After the destruction of the altar, the city under the lake laid quiet. It was a world of ruin, pillars broken in a rubble of crystal and marble. There was a soft sound of water dripping somewhere, echoing across the void.
It then hit me when I realized what I've truly done, and began to quiver.
"Cloud…." I swallowed, pushing away. The blood, cuts, and marks of his black shirt faded into a dark, cloudy mess.
"I destroyed the altar," I trembled, shrinking into myself. I blinked, tears leaking when I lifted my eyes back to the lake hovering far above.
"The portal between our worlds. The place where the Ancients spoke with the Planet, where Aerith…" I swallowed again, unable to finish the rest.
"It's gone," I gasped.
And what's worst, how were the others? Did they fall? Were they okay? I was breathing fast, afraid Cloud and I were the only survivors, unaware I had been squeezing his shirt so tight until water seeped between my fingers.
"The others, what if they-"
"Aqua," Cloud interrupted. He took a hold of my chin gently to tilt my face up to his, making me look into his soft eyes.
"Breathe," he reminded me when I was too busy wheezing. I scanned his eyes deeply, afraid that at any moment, the Mako will saturate them, and Cloud will lose himself again. No, he's right here in front of me: The Cloud who gazes at me like I'm the most important thing in the world to him, who handles me gently, and leaves ticklish whispers in my ear when I sleep next to him. The Mako wasn't anywhere in those eyes, just a creamy blue.
I inhaled, taking great effort to take a deep breath when it came in quakes. After forcing a few, my panic state dwindled slightly.
"Okay," I huffed, immediately exhausted.
My legs then crumbled, taking me down until Cloud swooped me in his arms, my sneakers dripping wet.
"I'm tired," I whispered, trying to keep my eyes open. I needed Ether or else I was going to fall asleep.
"I got you," Cloud comforted, cradling me.
I rested my head against his right shoulder, feeling like dead weight, and looked up to find him scanning the damp area with tired eyes. He must've felt just as drained as I was, maybe even more, but he never mentioned it. I couldn't tell by his hold, still firm without fatigue, and yet, his eyes blinked more than usual, as though to fight against sleep. Cloud had fought a whole army on his own, letting the Mako take over until he was lost in a fury, all to get to Rufus. The thought of the ice prince just occurred to me, wondering if he was finished. I remembered seeing a deep cut across his shoulder, and that was it. I opened my lips, ready to ask.
"Did you fin-"
"Cloud?! Aqua?! Any of you there!" Cid's voice echoed through the fog, startling the both of us. Cloud's arms tightened, and his boots splashed when he maneuvered through the ruin.
"We're right here!" He called out.
There were the sounds of splashing, and then Cid stumbled through the light fog, his jean jacket gone.
"Cloud?"
He stopped before he said another word, catching his breath after climbing over piles of debris.
I felt Cloud lift his head, looking up at Cid.
"We're okay. How are the others?"
Cid rubbed a hand hard over his face.
"Well, Barret and Red are fine. Reeve probably safe outside of this shit hole. We found Bugenhagen, but I'm afraid he's not in good shape, even after potions," he shared.
No, not Bugenhagen. I tensed, burying my head into Cloud with hope to shove my way inside his chest, hiding from my grave mistake.
When Cloud said nothing, Cid added bitterly, "No signs of Rufus nor his minions either. Nothing. Let's hope they were buried in this shit. This day is just fucking delightful."
A distasteful silence then slipped between us three, leaving Cid to take out his cigarette pack from his wet jeans with shaky hands. The pack had crunched into a mess, dripping wet, and he cursed after finding his cigarettes bent out of shape. He pulled one out anyway, and shoved it between his trembling lips. The cigarette shook as he made many attempts to light it with a flick of his metal lighter, but the cigarette was just too damp.
"Damn it!" He pulled out the failed cigarette and threw it over the rubble.
"Fuck!"
He then threw his cigarette pack as hard as he could, and it went flying across the cavern. Away it went and landed somewhere with a thud.
"Fuck! God damn it! Fuck!" He screamed at the top of his lungs. I winced to Cid's wrath, burying myself in Cloud's shirt. It smelt of sweat and blood.
Cloud sighed, done with all of this.
"What do we do now?"
Cid crossed his arms over his damp t-shirt.
"We go back to Cosmo Canyon. Maybe someone there can…" he cleared his throat, unable to finish that sentence. He tried again.
"It's where Bugenhagen would want to be anyway," he corrected.
Cloud's arms must've been too comfortable because I grew sleepy, unable to keep my eyes open. Cloud must've felt the shift of my dead weight on him because he tightened his hold, a twinge of an ache from his long sigh. He let me hide into him, squeezing me occasionally until I began to drift in and out of consciousness.
He spoke with Cid as they walked over the ruins.
"Cid, I don't know what to say," Cloud sulked.
Cid hissed.
"Whatever. I'm just glad you snapped out of it. You were fucking insane. I couldn't stop ya, but that red-head douche was lucky to be alive," he scoffed.
Cloud swallowed, his neck vibrating against my forehead.
I heard the voices of others coming closer. Barret sighed, his large feet dragging over the water like slow-moving stones.
"Well, it doesn't look good for Bugen" he muttered. "How's Aqua?"
"She's fine," Cloud replied cooly, and his hold tightened.
"Let's hope we can take Bugen back home soon," Cid muttered with a slap on his hip.
Through all the grumbling and small talk, there was a sudden howl cutting through the broken land. It broke my heart to hear it expand, like a long stretched siren casting a spell of despair, echoing extensively until I had goosebumps. My eyes watered, tears mixing into the mess of Cloud's shirt, and guilt slapped me like fat, iron chains. I worried Cloud may drop me with the extra weight.
Red was mourning over his grandfather.
—
Cloud must've carried me all the way to the airship because when I awoke, I saw the familiar roof of the top bunk above me.
"Are you all right?"
Everything felt like someone drilled cement into my bones; it took effort for me to turn my head, groaning as I did. I looked at Cloud, finding him to be sitting in a chair at my bedside. The sleep room was dim; only a single lamp emit a soft, yellow glow from the far corner behind him. Its light outlined the edges of his soft, spiky hair, the rest of him in shadow, but I saw his eyes easily. They appeared to glimmer, and then he cleared his throat, brushing his hand across them and through his hair.
Despite how weak I've felt, I smiled, glad that he stayed with me.
"I'm okay," I whispered in a scratchy voice. My mouth was like sand paper.
Behind Cloud, I noticed the mound in the other bunk bed across the room. I lifted my heavy head, barely able to get it off the pillow, and caught a glimpse of Bugenhagen resting under a tight hold of blankets. As he slept, he wheezed in an irregular breathing pattern. That was a terrible sign.
I dropped my head back down, cleared my throat and asked, "How's Bugen?"
Cloud lifted a small glass bottle of Ether to my face.
"Here. Drink," he demanded.
My shaky hands curled around the small bottle, nails clicking against its glass belly carrying glowing red liquid. As I tried to lift my head to drink the potion, Cloud reported, "He hasn't woken up since we left. Red has been at his side the whole time. I asked him to get some fresh air."
I spilled some Ether on my chin, most likely staining my pillow with red drops, and my face heated with embarrassment.
"How long have I slept?" I asked. To keep from wasting any more precious Ether, I licked trickles of it slithering down the bottle before it escaped onto the blankets.
"Six hours," Cloud uttered, watching me with torment. His lips pressed into a hard line, eyes aglow with an idea.
Maybe I should just tip the entire bottle and chug, but it was swiped from my fingers before I could try.
"Hey, I'm still working…." I trailed off, wondering why Cloud just took all the Ether into his mouth and gulped it down.
"…on that," I finished with a grumble. Before I could complain, his hands curled around the back of my head, pulling my face up to his.
Suddenly, his lips overlapped mine. I almost choked his name into his mouth until a stream of the drink began to slip through my teeth. Cloud shared the drink steadily, opening his lips more to maintain the flow. Relaxing, I closed my eyes, sucking in more of the special potion, tasting its bitterness along with hints of Cloud until there was nothing but his tongue left. He put me into his spell, giving me his hot breath and saliva.
The heaviness faded, giving my arms strength to lift my hands up to his cheeks, fingers lost in his hair. It wasn't until I had to turn my head to breathe that I found Cloud settled on top of me, holding himself with his hands and knees. I got caught in his gaze, half his face orange from the far off lamp. There were unfinished words behind those eyes of his, a disturbance brewing moisture into them until he sighed over my lips.
Who wanted to speak first? What to say about the events that transpired at the Forgotten City? I would rather not make it seem all was forgiven, even if I wanted to go back to Cloud's soft lips and get lost again.
I pressed mine together.
"You left without me," I whispered, uncertain if I was ready for this, but I couldn't let it go.
Cloud gazed intently, and a few of his bare fingers tickled my cheek. He licked his lips once and turned his head slightly to steer away from the temptation to kiss me again.
"I did," he agreed quietly. I squirmed in the silence that dragged on as he thought of what to say next. When he ducked his eyes into my breasts, his hair tickled my neck and chin.
"I didn't want to hold back," Cloud whispered, hiding most of his face.
He left it at that for a minute, collecting himself and sitting on the bed's edge. Elbows over his knees, he sank his eyes into his hands, and exhaled a long breath.
"I….I wanted nothing more than to kill him," he sizzled.
Taking a gander at his profile, I could see how he trembled, and then the Mako's light emit off his body in a thin translucent line. His lips opened, displaying clenched teeth, and he hissed through them.
"I killed them without thought, thinking of nothing but to get to Rufus. They were all in my way."
Another sigh, and then he dropped one hand to smack his thigh, eyes still hiding in his other hand. Fingers spread, and I saw a glimpse of one eye glistering in Mako, his look distant as it gazed at nothing in particular.
"I didn't even notice you were there, not until…"
His eye closed, hiding behind pressed blond bangs.
"Not until I heard you scream. I thought I was too late and…."
His hand slid away, and he sighed again as he lifted his distant eyes to the low ceiling of metal and pipes. He got lost in the memory, his long spiky bangs hugging his jawline when I saw it shiver, his neck long, and he swallowed.
And then Cloud said something that zapped my chest, making me hold my breath.
"I thought I was going to relive that whole experience all over again, falling like that and unable to rescue someone I care about. If you hadn't used your magic…"
Cloud shuddered, and he dipped his chin into his chest, eyes closed.
"I would've lost it."
Of course. He would've relieved that full experience all over again, blaming himself, wishing to be the hero he thought he never could be, hence, the start of a new cycle of psychological torture. I was so close to being little Tifa, though, I wish I could've given her wings on that terrible day. What would've changed? If Cloud didn't feel the pressure to sign up for Shinra's army, then maybe, everything would've been different. I watched him carefully, his distant look stuck to the ceiling.
"Cloud…"
The Ether replenished my energy, helping me sit up in bed and slip my arms under his, hands curled over his shoulders. I rested my forehead behind his moist neck, and even kissed it gently, hearing him inhale sharply.
"You can't do everything, remember? I'm not asking you to be my hero," I reminded him softly, eyes closed. His skin felt hot, and I pulled him into me more, inhaling his unique scent.
Cloud curled into himself, and his hands came to meet mine with a squeeze.
"I know that. I'm learning that you are just as capable as I am to save this Planet. Possibly, even more so. I'm…."
I felt moisture along my knuckles when Cloud buried his eyes into the back of my hand.
"I'm sorry I tried to do it alone," he ended, and his lips melted along the inside of my wrist until it tickled. A shiver passed through me from the way he kissed my hand, making it feel fitting to give another soft peck at his neck. Oh, how blessed I was to be able to lean my head around his and plant my lips anywhere on his skin without him recoiling with nervousness or me having regrets. I can kiss what I wanted, feel what I wanted, permission only permitted to me, and I savored that special feeling each time Cloud let me explored him. I loved how he sighed, turning his head away to give me more, until I left a trail of kisses down his neck while dodging his rusty pauldron.
There was still one more question adding chill inside my chest, a crystal of ice for which Rufus implanted. Its icicle fingers still gripped parts of my insides, making me take a few breaths before I could ask.
"Cloud, did you kill Rufus?" I said it quieter than usual, holding my breath. Would I feel instant relief if he replied, "yes?" Guilt? Or anything at all? Will it melt the ice stuck inside me? Cloud lifted his head, and slightly turned it, so I could hear him clearly.
"No."
He fought with himself when he squeezed my hands, trying not to crush them. I exhaled, eyes closed, and pressed my forehead into the back of his neck.
Rufus was still alive. Somehow, he got out. I didn't know what to feel, too many uncomfortable emotions making knots in my throat. Did he have to be dead for me to feel free? Should I seek closure to shrink the trauma that he's inflicted? Cloud wanted to kill him so bad, and I stopped him with my careless decision to destroy the altar.
"I'm sorry," I whispered.
Did Cloud blame me? Was he feeling resentment?
I heard him sigh hard.
"We're both sorry. That's what we get for trying to work alone," he uttered under his breath, not sounding too upset, more like tired, and a little disappointed.
I squeezed his hands, moisture collecting between our fingers.
"We do this together from now on, please?" I tried, awaiting to hear if he agreed or disagreed. My lips felt the pull again, and they touched more of his skin, falling to the back of his neck. Gods, I wanted to pull Cloud fully into bed and explore all of him, suddenly eager to lift his shirt and start with his back. My hands could feel his heart beating fast, and he swallowed down his hunger to stay with our conversation.
"Okay," Cloud processed.
He let go of my hands just so he could twist around enough to look over his pauldron and set his gentle eyes into mine. He gave me a cool grin.
"We do this together."
Even with the tiniest of his smiles, I still flushed.
Cloud lowered his eyelids.
"You've saved me just as much as I've saved you," he nudged, and slipped a hand around my neck, fingers resting on my cheek.
"We make a pretty good team," I whispered, feeling the pull of his hand, and welcomed his lips to take over mine heavily. The tension between us dissolved, leaving an overflow of yearning that made it difficult to resist.
I welcomed his free hand to slide into the deep neckline of my dress, cupping a breast delicately. The push of his body forced me to fall back into bed, him climbing on top to have his way down my neck. His strong hands explored, slipping more inside my dress.
"Not here," I whispered, turning my red face away. I peeked across the room, hoping that Bugenhagen isn't awake and sitting on the side of his bed with a bowl of popcorn, grinning at us. I was relieved to find him still asleep, though Cloud blocked my view when he came back up to kiss me again.
"Who cares," he whispered between our lips, his hands already sliding my dress off my shoulders.
"No," I breathed, though I've been fighting him less and less, getting lost in his mouth, his hands, his breath, and supple words in my ear.
"Then let me take you someplace where I don't need to hold back," he whispered, warm, wet lips brushing across a lobe.
Yes, take me anywhere, and I will gladly submit, uncertain if it will be taken slow or rushed to the very end to finally detonate.
My hands wandered in his hair, hardly breathing as soon as our mouths came together, tongues dancing between our teeth.
There was a setback when Cloud suddenly stiffened, and then he pushed away to stand up, hand ready to grab his sword out of habit.
Red petrified in the doorway, one paw frozen in midair when he hesitated to take another step.
I didn't even hear him come in, and fixed my dress swiftly while my face burned.
"Am I interrupting anything?" Red asked, cocking his head at us while his tail stiffened towards the ceiling.
"No, no! No!" Cloud and I stammered, hiding our embarrassment as we exhaled out any leftover desires with sighs. I fixed myself and sat up, my hands squeezing the blanket under me to keep from pressing fingers into my thighs.
Red let out a small snort through his black nose, stepping inside. The door whooshed shut, almost catching his tail. The flame at its end was as dim as a dying candle, barely adding any light to the room when he propped himself next to Bugenhagen's side to gaze at him with careful observation. After a long sigh, his red ears sank along the furry sides of his head, and his back drooped.
"Did Grandfather wake up at all?" Red whispered.
I bit my lower lip as Cloud replied, "No. He's been asleep this whole time."
Red whimpered, and he rested his chin over Bugenhagen's tucked arm. The Elder snugged in tightly under blankets, resting through his wheezes and occasional abnormal breathing pattern.
Red's tail laid limp on the floor, its flame shrinking even further, and my guilt grew.
"Red, I'm so sorry," I squeaked. I'm sorry for breaking the altar, for putting our lives in danger, and for Bugenhagen to get caught in all of it. If only I was brave enough to say all of that to him, but Red didn't need to hear it. He already knew what I meant. The melancholic beast shook his head, and his tail slapped the floor once, his flame flickering.
"You did what you had to do. Grandfather told me he advised you to destroy the altar. It had to be done." Red's voice was stiff, words forced, and he swallowed hard.
"I guess that means no one can ever go to your world?" He brought up unexpectedly, the question heavy as it traveled across the room.
Cloud analyzed my face, trying to decipher how I felt on the matter, but I turned my head, scanning the metal wall to avoid his searchlight. I licked my lips, feeling how dry and hot they were all of a sudden.
"Yes. No one should be able to step foot into my world again," I assured, and a rock curled in my throat.
Cloud will never get to see my world. I will never see Mum again.
My world….
It's an old dream now. If I grew old, I may someday think nothing of it but dreams of many large cities, skyscrapers that reached the high heavens like clusters of Shinra buildings, muttering songs to myself that no one has ever heard of, and blush over romcoms that stuck.
I was to stay here permanently.
The fact laid ideas and possibilities to rest, another weight off my shoulders. There was nothing I could do now. I will either live on, here on the Planet, or die in eight days. There was no other option.
No running away.
It wasn't a good idea to reside in thoughts of what I will miss about my old home, but there I was, thinking about all the things that I knew wouldn't exist here in this world, culturally anyway. Like: 1980's Japanese pop, New York Pizza, Sudoku, the view of New York City from my window, sipping pumpkin lattes on a cold morning, Christmas mornings for that matter. Elton John, Democracy, Halloween dec-!
Whispers suddenly slammed in my head, running over my thoughts like a semi-truck. I straightened my spine, and turned my head sharply to Cloud and Red, thinking that they were just having a soft conversation. But Red was quiet, nestled next to his Grandfather, and I only caught Cloud giving me a puzzled look, watching me. He began to tense.
"Aqua, what is it?"
The whispers advanced, circling my spooked state. Why could I hear them? I thought they stayed away when Cloud was near, but something was off. My eyes snapped shut with my hands over my ears, mouth open to let only a silent scream escape. The many voices gathered, sending a threat so clear, I shook me to the core.
Humans are a disease. They wish to take to the skies to spread their filth. I will make sure to destroy those who try, preventing them from infecting other planets.
There was this dreadful feeling of doom edging nearby, something powerful.
Even if the Planet may die from Meteor, I will continue my duty until then.
I could barely hear Cloud and Red, their words like a humming background noise when they tried to ask what was the matter.
Destroy all the humans.
I began to perspire, recognizing another calamity besides Meteor, heading straight towards us. With a gasp, I jumped to my feet. A drop of sweat dribbled down my cheek.
"Ultimate Weapon is here," I trembled, wide eyes fixated on nothing.
"What?!" Red gasped, frozen stiff.
Cloud didn't question my senses, already grabbing his sword and planting it on his back. He slipped on his glove and gauntlet, muttering, "We need to tell Cid before-!
The whole airship shook. I braced a stepping ladder, hearing the metal walls groan and pipes hissing with increased pressure. It seemed the entire room tilted, Red laying his paws steady over Bugenhagen to keep him settled in bed, while Cloud took one hand on a bunkbed to keep balance, grunting as the shaking intensified. I could feel the change of gravity, the ship suddenly falling fast. I screamed, my legs lifting towards the ceiling, and my stomach flipped. Of course, nausea smacked me hard, and I slapped a hand over my lips, pushing the acid down with the muscles of my neck.
And then everything settled. My feet slammed the floor, and I fell to my knees, one hand still keeping me from puking. Cloud wasn't doing that much better, his face quickly turning green.
"God damn it," he groaned, rubbing sweat from his face.
"I'll be right back!" I cried, rushing out of the room.
"Me too," Cloud croaked, holding a hand over his mouth.
Out in the hall, everything blazed in a flashing red, and then Cid's voice crackled over the speakers.
"Guys, we got a problem. Get your asses to the bridge, now!" I never heard him so worried before.
I was the last to arrive at the bridge, thanks to my dash into the bathroom to clear my stomach. The room felt emptier somehow. Out of habit or yearning, I expected Vincent to be hiding in his usual spot, leaning against a rail under the shadows of Cid's station. Yuffie was often slumped in a bean bag chair, her legs high in the air, Materia tossed around carelessly. Tifa would be standing beside the window, her arms folded under her breasts, amber eyes lost in the scenery with the occasional glances at Cloud. Gods, I missed them.
My thoughts of missing the others quickly evaporated, too fixated on the large glass to catch a glimpse of a dark shape adding darkness inside the bridge briefly, a part of a long tail before it vanished into the clouds.
Reeve whimpered, hiding under a control panel until he was almost out of sight.
"Now I remember why I hate flying!" He cried, ducking his face over a crewman's shoe.
Cid cursed as he turned the wheel, dodging Weapon from hitting into us. A glass-shattering scream pierced our ears, and everyone groaned, hands protecting their ear drums from exploding. The whole airship rattled, caught in the vibrations of Weapon's mighty cry until my teeth chattered.
"God damn it!" Cid shrieked, and made another turn of the wheel.
"Cid, stop jerking us around!" Barret cried, keeping a hold of a rail to stop from rolling around like a barrel. Red slid across the room, his nails leaving track marks on the metal floor until the sounds made me cringe.
"Fuck, man! I'm trying to keep us alive!" Cid shouted, his spit spilling from his upper deck station to rain on us. He peered down to count heads, and his face wrinkled with worry. He wasn't too pleased with what was left of the group, too.
"You all need to get to the deck and distract Weapon, whatever you can do to keep it from hitting this ship! Go, kick its metal ass!" He ordered, and pointed a finger to the exit.
Red was first to run.
"I won't let Weapon take us down, not when grandpa is here. He will get back home. He will," he hissed, charging.
"Wait, what should I do?" Reeve asked, climbing out of his hiding place.
"Reeve, make sure Bugen stays safe in his bed," Cloud demanded, flashing the frightened man with glowing eyes. "I'm afraid this ride is going to get rough."
Reeve swallowed.
We left the bridge hastily. I tried not to picture our upcoming battle, or else I will spiral into a panic attack. Just the four of us, fighting one of the Planet's Weapons? Was it too late to call the others?
"Aqua, are you sure you want to do this?" Cloud asked, pulling me from my negative thoughts. It's like he could read me, getting a sense that I was tempted to back off, and clung to that idea with a wave of it in front of me like bait. As we ran, I gave him a firm look, and despite how nervous I was, I nodded.
"Yes. We work together, remember?"
He nodded in return, and looked to the stairs leading down to the deck, where Red already disappeared.
"Yes, I remember," Cloud muttered, displeased, but unable to say anything about it anymore. No need to waste time what was already resolved.
"Dude, we need all the help we can get, let the lady help us kick some ass," Barret butted in. Cloud grilled quietly while I grinned at Barret.
We charged onto the deck, a cold wind tossing my hair and linen dress. At first, there was nothing but large, lump black clouds. I edged closer to the rail and peered down, finding spots of red earth far under us. I had the impression we were close to Cosmo Canyon, recognizing the spread of flat, red peaks. Over the earth, the dark clouds groaned, Weapon lurking somewhere in the unknown like a rumble of a growing storm.
"Oh man, we won't be able to find Weapon in this," Barret fretted. Weapon could poke out from any spot, its teeth or claws ready to strike us down like a mosquito.
In the midst of all the chaos, a speaker crackled to life next to the door.
"Hey!"
It was Cid talking to us through the airship's radio. We all turned to watch the speaker vibrate with his loud, Southern accent.
"I'm leaving this line open. Ya'll tell me when to get above the clouds to fight Weapon head on. When you need to replenish, jerk off, whatever, let me know, and I will hide us in the clouds again. Got it?"
Cloud crossed his arms, his eyes glowing hot with Mako when he steered them into the dark, gurgling clouds.
"Cid, take us up now," he barked.
"You got it!"
I grabbed the rail when the airship hoisted us towards space, the darkness whooshing moisture over us. It was difficult not to look down, unable to see much of anything but feeling the cool mist hitting me. There was an intimating presence of something gigantic passing us, like grazing beside another ship, and I knew Weapon just swerved beside us, missing.
Sunlight then broke through, blazing over the airship, and the world of roaring black clouds turned into a violent dark sea under us.
"Whoa!" I gasped, my head spinning. My hands couldn't let go of the rail, even if I wanted to.
Cloud clutched tightly, dipped his head over the edge, and his body jerked a second, ready to spill.
"I hate flying," he mumbled, his face green again.
"Cloud, this is no time to be sick," Red reminded him.
Cloud struggled to stand up straight.
"I can't help it," he groaned, a hand to his stomach.
"Dude, get it together, cuz here it comes," Barret shouted. He gritted his teeth, tensing as, a hundred yards from us, a mound appeared from the land of clouds. It started as a mountain of smoke, rising until a head poked through it.
Ultimate Weapon emerged from the shadows of the sky like a ferocious nightmare, its metal skin shinning bright under the sun's glare. Its red eyes spotted us, and with its long metal neck, turned its dragon-like head to glower at our ship. Ultimate's wings flapped, rising further as it pushed away clouds.
I shook, stumbling back when I got a good look at the size of Weapon, still growing when its glorious chest of blue light came into view, glistening like a mighty blue flame. Thereafter, the rest of its belly, followed by thick legs and feet, one foot alone the size of our ship.
The Planet's guardian of the skies extended its arms out, claws extended in opposite directions, and it opened its jaws.
A terrible cry eroded through our ears, and the four of us winced, cowering from a too powerful of volume.
I suddenly felt dizzy with anxiety, my fingers going numb when I studied Weapon's size. It seemed pointless to try and attack such a beast, wondering if we could even lay a dent. Were we ready? Or were we biting more than we could chew? Barret gawked as he stumbled back a step, his right metal hand shifting into a cannon weapon.
Weapon's blue light glared at us, and Barret squinted.
"I don't mean to shit on our parade, but this asshole's gonna kill us!" He screamed.
Red shrugged his shoulders to loosen them, his Materia glowing in his hair ornaments.
"Thanks for the reassurance, Barret. Just what we need," the creature muttered sarcastically.
I watched Cloud struggled to balance himself, his face extremely pale, but he forced a step forward, and Materia glimmered from his silver bracer.
"We hit it with all the long-range attacks we got," he huffed, gritting his teeth through the motion sickness. I thought it was only best to step in, the four of us in line like a Marvel Team of Heroes, ready for battle. I charged with energy, green sparkles spreading across my skin until my hair lifted.
I scanned Weapon's red eyes, and its thoughts transferred into mine.
I'm sorry it had to be this way.
My eyebrows furrowed up. I'm sorry, too.
Weapon then charged, wings trailing jet stream along its tips. One claw opened and extended towards us
"It's happening!" Barret screeched, awakening from his wishful thoughts that this was all just a dream. His cannon arm spun its rings, collecting energy. Red's green Materia flashed, and he unleashed a powerful fire spell. Blasts of red exploded over Weapon's face, denting its metal cheeks and scarring its jaw with marks of rust. Weapon didn't budge, its claw coming closer.
"My turn," Barret hissed. He pointed his gun right for Weapon's glowing blue core, and fired. A beam of bright yellow energy released, spreading heat across the deck only two feet away from any of us. We all squinted to the light, the whole deck rattling to it. Barret let out a cry, the powerful ray jerking him around as he struggled to keep it steady. His face gleamed in yellow, like he was face to face with a sun, and folded his dark eyebrows together, teeth clamped shut.
Weapon advanced, but Barret's attack caused it to stall, hitting the glowing core head on. Metal melted around the core, and there was even a crack.
"Hell yeah!" Barret pumped a fist in the air, and then he slumped slightly, catching his breath.
Cloud came forth, one hand still hovering near his mouth in case he got sick, and lifted his other to let magic Materia shine. For a second, his face gleamed in dark green, making him appear sick again.
"Thundaga," he gasped, not able to be as enthusiastic as Barret.
I thought it's best to cast along beside him, raising a hand, and shot it through the air as quick as the bolts of lightning I just released. Cloud's spell and mine came together, the dark clouds thundering. Lighting exploded from under Weapon's feet, rising like bright vines of the sky, and coiled around its body with extreme heat, charring away its skin. Weapon came to a halt, opening its mouth to release a cry with sparks zapping through its teeth. The whole creature seized, lighting sparks enveloping its body until smoke began to sizzle from new cracks.
I could smell the melting of metal, my heart clapping with hope. Barret turned to me and raised his hand.
"Hell ya, high five!"
He was kind enough not to smack my hand off when I jumped to reach and give him a slap. He went to Cloud, and chirped, "Put it there!"
But Cloud couldn't hold it in anymore, and ignored Barret's invite just so that he could stumble over the railing to finally throw up.
I turned away while Barret made a face. "Okay, never mind, you don't have to."
Red rolled his eyes. "Please, guys, take this more seriously," he sighed.
The lightning spell faded, and Weapon shook with irritation, its eyes squinting until there were only red slits. Wings kept the monster afloat, pushing down more clouds until the storm below scattered. Traces of lighting could be spotted in between the gaps. Danger above and below.
Arms opened, spreading far apart like its wings, and Weapon lifted its head.
Clogged in its chest, Its core began to beat fast, pulsing with blue light, and it grew brighter.
Cloud rubbed a hand across his face, stammering into place, and caught a glimpse of Weapon's blue heart pulsing with growing energy.
"Cid, take us down, now!" He screamed.
"I heard ya! Watch for the lightning," Cid crackled.
A massive blue beam shot out of Weapon's chest, but lucky for us, Cid tilted the whole ship in time, and took a nose dive into the storm.
Feeling like we were falling in a world of darkness, I wrapped my arms tight around a metal pole, desperately waiting for the ship to slow down.
"I hate this part!" I screamed, eyes closed to stop the wind from stinging them.
Weapon's grumbling mixed with the blasts of lightning echoed across the dark grey world. I squinted an eye open, and noticed a claw coming in from out of nowhere.
"Look out!"
The ship swerved, and my legs yanked over the rail, feet high in the air.
With a strong arm, Barret took a hold of Red, while Cloud struggled to keep himself steady while dipping his head between his arms.
"Make it stop," he begged, getting sick again.
The claw whooshed past us, one long metal nail taking a corner of the deck with a loud crunch. The airship jerked from the blow, causing my sweaty hands to loosen.
"Whoa!" Barret wailed, and lightning crashed beside us like a rod of light. Head grazed near my cheek, spilling down towards earth. Rain began to clobber us, making the deck slippery.
At this rate, we'll either be knocked down by the storm, or Weapon will strike us down. We had to somehow fight it without using the airship as its target, but how? An instant replay of me glowing with wings of light came to mind, and I opened my eyes more to the sky suffocating us with its shadows.
Could I do it again?
"Guys, I got an idea," I brought up, rain going sideways into my face.
The airship settled, keeping us hidden, and I pulled out an Ether potion from my leather belt pouch. I chugged the potion, anticipating what was to come, and let the empty bottle roll off the deck. Through the fog, three eyes found me and waited.
Another flash of lightning, and thunder boomed like Weapon's cry, a horrid crashing.
I gulped.
"We need to keep Weapon away from the ship. I think I can distract it," I started.
"What?! How are ya gonna do that?!" Barret fired.
I hesitated on what I was about to say next, and breathed out, "I think I can fly." Saying that out loud sounded worst than I thought.
"What?!" Barret and Red spat at once, while Cloud shook his head at the idea.
"Aqua, we don't even know if you can control it. You only just figured this out recently. What if it won't work?"
I took a deep breath, a hand over my chest to feel a fast pounding heart, and the other on my belly, wondering if there was a tiny heartbeat in there somewhere under my fingers.
"I know, but it's all we got," I advised.
Everyone was quiet.
Weapon's groan thundered across the clouds, rumbling the ship, and we grew startled again. Barret scratched his thigh with his cannon hand.
"Well, okay, even if you could distract Weapon, what could we do?"
I darted my eyes towards a ladder. If anyone climbed it, they would be standing on top of the airship.
"Take that ladder and get to the top of the ship. You may have a better chance at attacking. When Weapon gets too close, I will reel it away. Got it?"
Cloud narrowed his eyes at me.
"Aqua, this is a bad idea."
"I know..." For once, I didn't argue, and Cloud was stunned.
I looked to the rail, my stomach quivering for, yet again, another stupid thing I was about to do. Months ago, I would've never thought of this. I was never the type to jump in and do brave things, but there was something interesting that I've learned through this journey of ours.
I closed my eyes, and jumped up to sit my rear on the wet railing. Everyone tensed, afraid to reach out in case I threatened to jump off.
I learned that the more I attempted to do crazy, brave stunts, the easier it was to do them.
Behind my smile, I was terrified. My sweaty hands tightened the metal rail, and my whole body shook.
This could fail, and I will splat into broken bones and flesh. I sucked in a deep breath, trying to stay composed, and chirped specifically to Cloud as steady as I could, "See you soon."
I closed my eyes and tilted all the way back until I let go.
Head first, I dove, leaving behind Cloud, Barret and Red poking their heads over the railing to watch me disappear into the clouds, their mouths left open.
I can do this. I can do this.
The chant repeated in my head, my hands clasped over my heart as I thought of the times I fell before, and silently asked the Planet to give me wings. Aerith, was this a mistake? Will I just keep falling? I closed my eyes, feeling the sharp prickles of rain drops.
What was I thinking?
Soaked, I shivered, and my wet hands squeezed tight together, the end of my dress slapping my legs.
How destructive it was to believe that every time I threw myself in danger, Aerith would be there, keeping me safe like a life vest. I pictured her head poking through the stormy clouds, smiling down at me as a ray of sun escaped from behind her.
You can do this.
Her smile brightened the whole sky.
I opened my eyes, seeing the light seep through the departing clouds behind my floating sneakers, and my wet arms and legs sparkled.
Please, Planet, lend me strength. Believe.
I flushed out of the clouds, nothing left under me except for a land of tiny red canyons on a rainy day.
It could've been my imagination, but I could've sworn strong arms wrapped around my waist, and someone pressed into my back.
Don't worry, I got you.
Isaac's voice rang in my ears, and my heart thumped hard.
"Isaac?!" I whipped my head over my shoulder, and there he was. No armor, no cyborg junk, nothing but his face and sparkling brown eyes.
Let me be your wings.
My heart pulsed heat, flushing my cheeks over his peaceful smile, even if what he said was super cheesy. I know he's seen Thumbelina.
"Okay, that's just cheesy," I said through the rain and wind.
Isaac chuckled, closed his eyes and tightened his hold.
I miss you.
His ghostly form dissolved into green light. More heat dispersed, traveling through my blood until it poured out of my back. His translucent hands slid across my arms, opening mine up with his fingers through mine. He faded, leaving behind vines of green magic coiling where his fingers should be.
The earth grew closer, its dampen beauty something to behold before I either die or fly. My whole body glowed, and I could feel it, a flare of energy sprouting from my back.
My descend softened, floating down until the glossy, red canyons greeted me, looming close by.
I struggled to straighten up, tilted my feet towards earth and looked up to the sky.
I can do this.
I channeled my will power into the overcast sky, and began to lift. More magic pulsed into my wings, and I gained momentum. Soon, the wind strengthened its burn across my face, rain hitting me like hard pellets.
Cosmo Canyon shrank away.
Faster I went, and dived into the clouds with persistence.
Isaac... Aerith...Thank you both.
My eyes had to shut slightly, feeling the wind burn dry them quickly. The rain came and went in waves as I flew up through layers and layers of sky, feeling light. I kept rising, awaiting the break to come to nothing but blue sky. The storm clouds grumbled, though I wasn't certain if it was Weapon that time or another cry of thunder. Light flickered, and I felt a wave of heat pass, already leaving a burning taste in my mouth.
Not wanting to get caught in the storm, I hurried, slapping my arms at my sides, legs straight together to pencil myself, and shot straight up as quick as my magic would let me. It felt like running, my heart pumping quick to keep up with the demands to keep flying. I knew I couldn't do this for long, already a little breathless.
Unexpectedly, the hot sun glared in my eyes, and the chill of rain dissolved.
My wet cheeks nipped with cold, but the sun was already working its heat, nothing but rays slowly burning my skin.
At a good stopping point, I froze, floating above the storm. Above me, there was nothing but blue and space. It took me a moment to regain myself, lost in the in between. Maybe I died from that fall, and I was getting ready to enter the Lifestream, fluttering away with the false insight of having wings, when in reality I was nothing more than a green sprite.
My stomach rebelled, telling me that I was alive, and I tensed, gripping to it hard when a wave of pain traveled hotly up my chest.
I had to do this quick. It felt like my body was already being scorched from the inside by flames. I took deep breaths and looked around, trying to figure out where Weapon or the airship went.
"Ultimate!" I screamed.
My voice carried, expanding in all directions into an echo, fading farther and farther away. I waited, trying to hover without falling back down. I jerked around a few times, still getting the hang of this as I struggled to stay float like keeping above water when there was an anchor tied to my legs. My skin was strangely hot. When I looked to my hand, I saw it glimmer under the high sun. Was that leftover rain or sweat?
Come on, Weapon, where are you?
The Ancient one finally figured it out.
I tracked its thoughts, and turned to where I anticipated I could find the monster to appear.
A section of the clouds began to bubble, growing larger and larger, until it popped, dispersing as rings around Ultimate Weapon when it flew up to meet me. Its size whooshed closely, first its head. One of its large red eyes grazed pass and glinted brightly, and then its large teeth. I fell back slightly, gaining distance to gape at the bright blue light blinding me. Weapon's wings flapped to keep its heavy body afloat, and it took a moment to consider me. It simmered, growling from its chest, and dropped its head to look down at my tiny ant form.
Even if I share the sky with you, you still want fight me?
I nodded instantly.
"I won't let you hurt my friends," I replied.
Weapon's core flickered brightly, ready to charge.
Then so be it.
How do I dodge while flying? I gasped, steering my hands out in front of me and tried flinging my body to the side, flying away. Weapon turned and followed, its wings pushing down hard. I caught the sight of blue light flickering from behind my hand, knowing that Weapon was at my tail and ready to release its ultimate beam attack.
I bit my lower lip, sweating profusely. A push of wind hinted a claw was coming in, and I darted away in time to let it swipe at air heavily, the force of it pushing me down. I struggled, spiraling towards the clouds clumsily until I concentrated hard enough to elevate again.
Bright blue light came into focus, and again, I zipped away with a gasp, avoiding the massive beam shooting through the sky.
I rubbed my face, getting tired, when I heard a familiar voice shout my name from above.
"Aqua!"
A large shadow soared over me.
I looked up, finding the Highwind blocking the sun. And then, to my astonishment, Cloud jumped off. He held his sword with two hands, shooting its tip straight down between his feet, and stabbed it into the back of Weapon's shoulder to stop it from pursing me.
Ultimate Weapon flinched from the attack, pushed down slightly by the force of Cloud's landing, and its claws reached for him. But he jumped away in time, sword high over his head, and took a vertical hit into Weapon's skull. It dented, until The blade cut into the metal, tearing it apart and plunging further still.
Weapon screeched, Cloud keeping his hold tightly.
"Aqua, yo!"
The airship flew by me, and I caught the sight of Red and Barret on top of it. Barret fired a cannonball from his arm, while Red launched Firaga. Weapon struggled, multiple attacks hitting it at once.
I beamed at their arrival.
"It took you guys long enough!" I joked.
Cloud pulled his sword free and jumped away from a claw. He somersaulted up high, and pushed his sword into Weapon's other shoulder. He seemed to be feeling better, his body covered in Mako flames.
I flew higher, readying a spell, and lifted a hand.
"Cloud, you're no longer air sick," I commented, and summoned an explosion of flames at Weapon's core. It cracked some more. Casting a spell while flying left me gasping, feeling the magic drain my energy greatly. I took a few deep breaths to collect myself, and rummaged through my pouch. Damn it. Nothing but healing potions left.
Cloud grunted as he pulled his sword free.
"Yeah, well..." he began with a shout, his face glimmering in sweat.
"I didn't want you to have all the fun!" He ended. He then leaped off Weapon's shoulder, and aimed his sword down, hands taking its pommel just against his forehead. He growled through his teeth, the wind tossing his bangs back, and his face turned blue from the light.
With a mighty battle cry, Cloud pushed his sword into the core, the blade sinking into it until he hung there with a tight grip on his sword's handle.
The core cracked, and then its light flickered out.
Weapon screamed, and blue energy hissed through the cracks. Cloud kicked his legs up, planted his feet on the core's glass, and pushed himself off with a backwards flip, sword pulled free.
Ultimate Weapon's core broke away, and an enormous amount of smoke escaped from it.
Cloud was falling, and I flew towards him.
"Cloud!"
I reached, and he gave me his hand to grab hold. His weight yanked me down slightly, making me gasp.
"Okay, your stupid sword is too heavy," I said through my teeth as I tried to lift us towards the airship. My wings began to fade, the magic running out fast. I took two hands to keep from dropping Cloud.
"My stupid sword broke Weapon," Cloud muttered, offended by my complaint.
"Shut up," I groaned, not in the mood to bicker.
Barret waved his arms while Red jumped up and down.
"Guys, hurry up!"
I tensed my muscles to push just a little longer, flying in, and swung Cloud, letting go until he dropped onto the top of the airship with a bent of his knee, perfecting his superhero landing. I landed with less grace, letting go of all efforts, and collapsed horribly across the airship's blimp body. The momentum of my fall caused me to roll almost off to the other side, but someone grabbed my arm, stopping me from going any further.
"You're done," Cloud grunted, pulling me up.
I looked at his boot while trying to stay awake.
"Yeah," I agreed.
I collapsed on my knees, collecting my breath and settling my heart.
"Guys..." Red gulped.
We all turned our attention to Weapon shaking violently.
Weakly, I lifted my head slightly, able to catch a glimpse of Ultimate Weapon curling its broken wings and arms around itself. It groaned extensively, like it was crying.
This is it. Soon, I will be one with the stars.
Heat sparked through the cracks of its armor, blue light seeping out of every opening like the machines whirling inside it were going havoc. There were waves of lightning crackling across the blistered sheets of metal, and then the creature jerked into spasms.
Weapon closed its eyes.
But not without taking one of you with me.
Suddenly, Cloud fell to his knees. I gasped, finding Weapon loom over us as a shadow in front of the sun, and our world darkened. Darkness slipped from the shadows of the airship, and slithered across the hood to collide under Cloud's curled form until he was consumed into a ball of black flames.
"Cloud!" I attempted to reach, but the flames burned my hand, and reflex pulled it back with a gasp. Barret tugged me into his massive arms.
"Don't. There's nothing we can do!"
More black flames surged around Cloud, enveloping him in a twist of pain that left him to fall forward on his hands, gasping for breath. Blood dripped out of his mouth and collected into a pool in between his hands until he was no longer visible. He let out an awful scream that put me in tears. I hated not being able to do anything while watching him suffer.
My eyes closed tight while my fingernails dug into Barret's arm.
"Stop it!" I screeched.
The shadows finally slithered away, like little fiends done with their meal, and left Cloud lying face down. He tensed, pushing himself to stay awake. His clothes had been torn, exposed skin charred, and fresh wounds leaking more blood around him.
"Cloud!"
Barret let go of me just so I could drop beside his fallen body, hands hovering to touch but afraid to do so.
Winds picked up, tossing wet hair into my eyes until I brushed them away desperately, to keep Cloud in my sight, but Barret gasped.
"Uh, I think we need to go," he worried.
I lifted my head, watching Weapon leak with more light, the sounds of metal crunching together shattering across the sky. Winds whirled around its crumbling form, pushing away the dark clouds until Cosmo Canyon was clearly seen under us. The creature bowed its head and began to descend, its wings curling inward.
Ultimate Weapon was practically a machine. And like a machine that hit its peak….
Sparks zapped across Weapon's body, and then blue light burst from its broken core and through its eye sockets.
Machines exploded.
"We gotta go!" Barret cried, taking Cloud's limp body in his arms, and took the quick route to jump down to the deck. My arms and legs trembled, taking the ladder route, and splat onto the deck. Red nudged my back, encouraging me to keep moving.
"Get inside!" He ordered.
We all rushed through the door. The airship took a u-turn and flew away from Weapon before it were to explode. We may not be far enough out of range, because everything shook violently, tossing all of us on the stairs. Pipes bursts. The walls screeched. Mako barrels rolled, and shelves toppled, spilling tools and equipment across the floor. I screamed, afraid that this was it, we were going to crash, and all that effort fighting Weapon was for nothing. Red buried me in his fur, and I could feel his heartbeat pounding fast against my cheek. Barret rolled himself into a ball, keeping Cloud secure over his shoulder and a hand on a rail.
Everything shook, and I whimpered under Red's paw, squeezing his fur tight.
Together, the four of us huddled tightly, secure between the deck's door and stairs. A few tools and miscellaneous items rolled in to greet us. Barret got smacked on the head with a wrench.
"Ow!"
"What about Bugen!" I screamed through all the chaos.
"Don't worry, Reeve is with him!" Red cried. The thought must've crossed his mind, leaving him tempted to bolt through the disorder just to make sure his grandfather was safe. But he stayed, and I knew that must've been a difficult choice. I gladly got wrapped in his warmth, using him as a secure blanket until it was all over.
I could only imagine Cid cursing as he steadied the wheel, a cigarette still in his mouth while veins popped out of his neck.
It felt like a nightmare when the airship rocked to a halt, ending with a violent crash. I screamed into Red's shoulder, and finally, it all just stopped. The last of it came as barrels rolling around, a few items making a dive for the floor, and then the lights flickered off.
60