lookie everybody! i've managed another update for this finally! yay me! its been some freaking slow going lately. i just couldn't manage to make any progress, no matter how much i wanted to write. then, as i was working at the service desk the other day, i had this idea suddenly pop into my head that FINALLY worked. i know i said that the fight with Sephiroth would take place in this chapter, but i changed it again. that really will be next chapter--i'm putting the finishing touches on it as you're reading this. then there will be like five more chapters pretty hot on that one's heels, since i had a lot of other work done on this already.
if everything goes according to plan, i'll have the climax around chapter nine or so, and the whole shebang should be done by chapter fifteen. i hope. but we'll see. these things have a way of just sneaking around on you.
ttfn
eerian
DISCLAIMER: i don't own final fantasy. i'm not making money here. i humbly ask that no one sue me.
Chapter 5
"Hey, Cloud, catch!" the swordsman's hand came up almost reflexively to catch the armband Yuffie threw at his head.
"A mystle," he said, turning it over in his hands. "Where did you find this?"
"In a chest, over where I was sitting. See, we never would have found it if I hadn't needed to stop." Vincent was amazed that the ninja managed to fake her normal demeanor so easily with Cloud.
"Yeah, thanks," Cloud muttered in reply.
Yuffie walked over to join Tifa as she looked down over the edge of the trail at the ground below. To the left and about a quarter mile out was what looked like a pool of Lifestream. To the right, and a little closer, was a field of oddly broken rocks and a golden light. "So, where we going now?"
"Cloud says right. He says he's pretty sure he feels Sephiroth that way." Tifa looked a little unsure as she said these words.
"Feels?" Yuffie raised an eyebrow, not entirely sure she was comfortable with the fighter's words.
"I don't really understand myself," Tifa told her. "But that's what he says, and it's the best lead we have."
"Can't argue there," Yuffie said.
"So, ladies," Vincent said from right behind Yuffie's shoulder. She yelped and clapped a hand to her chest. "Are we moving on or not? Cloud's gone quite a bit ahead."
Yuffie shot him the dirtiest look she could. "You did that on purpose."
Vincent smiled at her as Tifa ran to catch up to Cloud. "Of course I did. The opportunity you presented was too good to pass up. You must be rubbing off on me."
He wrapped his arms around her waist. "And I wanted another moment with you before the moment was gone."
"Hurry up you two!" Cloud bellowed, sounding well past annoyed with them.
"And its gone," Yuffie said, tilting her head to look up at him.
"So it is." He gave her a quick kiss. "We'd better hurry."
Quickly, the scrambled over the ledge and dropped to the ground where Cloud and Tifa were waiting. Without saying anything to them, Cloud turned and stomped off. Tifa gave them both a knowing look and a smile, reminding Yuffie of Aeris for a moment. Then she turned and ran to catch up to Cloud. Vincent and Yuffie followed quickly behind.
As they entered the field of "oddly shaped rocks" Yuffie realized that they looked a lot like something else.
"Um…Guys? Do these look like eggshells to anyone else?"
"A little," Tifa replied, taking a closer look at the rocks. "Or a lot."
"Creepy," Yuffie muttered.
Wordlessly, Vincent took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. Smiling slightly, she squeezed back.
They threaded their way through what Yuffie dubbed—in her mind, anyway—the Hatching ground. When they reached the shaft that the gold light was emanating from, the opinion was reinforced for her.
The way down from there was the spine and ribcage of some giant monster.
"Oh, man," the ninja said. "I think I'm beginning to be afraid of climbing down stuff."
"Don't worry, Yuffie," Tifa said. "Its dead."
"Sure, this one is. But what if there's more?"
"Then we fight it off, and keep going toward Sephiroth," Cloud replied. "Quit worrying and keep moving."
"Don't worry," Vincent whispered in her ear. "If you fall, I'll catch you."
Carefully, they made their way down the spine, with no mishaps. They touched down onto a path winding down a shaft of Lifestream energy.
"He's down there," Cloud said. "He's waiting for us. I can feel him."
"Then let us not keep him any longer," Vincent replied.
"Right."
They all began making their way down the winding ledge. It was barely wide enough for three people to walk abreast, and Vincent was worried about the consequences if they should have to fight.
Don't worry, Valentine. We'll catch them if they fall.
What?
Your friends. If they fall, we'll catch them.
Thank you.
Something scuffed in the rocks somewhere behind them, and Vincent turned from his conversation with the demon to look into the mouth of the cave they'd just passed. Seeing nothing in the immediate vicinity, he drew Death Penalty and stepped into the darkness.
"God dammit, Valentine! Get that fucking thing outta my face!"
Yuffie jumped at the unexpected shout, and turned to look for Vincent. She saw Tifa doing the same out of the corner of her eye. They spotted him coming out of a cave they'd just passed, shaking his head a bit ruefully. He was followed by Cid, Barret, Cait Sith and Nanaki.
"Vincent, what happened?" she asked.
"Fucker pulled his gun on me," Cid replied for him as he shoved his way past the girls to Cloud.
"Do what?" the ninja looked to the gunman for a better explanation.
"I heard noise from the cave, and approached with my weapon drawn."
"Oh."
"That's a relief," Tifa put in. "I know his language and smoking can get to you, but I didn't really think you'd pull a gun on him."
Everyone just looked at Tifa for a long moment. "I don't think your joke worked," Cait Sith told her solemnly.
"Yeah," she replied. "I think you're right."
After Cid's party added a few items to their stash, the group continued on down the path. It tapered off as they were walking, forcing them into single file. When the path ended, it became a series of floating islands, suspended over a glowing pool of Lifestream energy.
"Well shit," Barret said. "Now whadda we do?"
"We keep going. He's down there," Cloud told him.
"You mean jumping across the islands?" Yuffie wasn't afraid of the jumping—her skills were far above average for that. But those islands were hanging in thin air! What if they fall?
"Yes, jumping across the islands," Cloud replied.
Her panic threatened to rear its head again, but then she remembered Vincent's earlier words to her. If you fall, I'll catch you. "Okay. Let's get—"
Something roared above them; almost in unison, the group looked up. Coming down the path, and over the cliffs above, were countless monsters.
"Holy shit," Barret exclaimed.
"Look at the number…" Nanaki sounded a bit awed.
"Fuck us!" Cid's cigarette dropped from his hand to the ground as he readied his spear. "They're coming out in full force!"
"Cloud, get outta here! Go get to Sephiroth!" Barret wore a determined expression as he checked the ammo in his gun.
"No way," Cloud told him, unsheathing Ultima Weapon. "I'm not leaving you guys here."
"You must!" Vincent was already firing into the mass of monsters, hoping to weaken some of them before they descended on the group. "If we all stay here and die, the world is lost!"
"He's right, Cloud," Tifa said. "You should take two of us and go."
After a moment that stretched into eternity, Cloud nodded. "All right. Vincent, Tifa, you're with me. Everyone else, later."
"Yeah, later," Barret yelled, following Vincent's example and firing into the mass of monsters.
Yuffie grabbed Vincent's arm before he could follow Cloud too far. "Be careful."
"And you." Vincent planted a quick kiss on her lips before pulling free of her grip and following their leader.
Hearing a roar behind her, Yuffie turned and flung Conformer into a dark dragon that was far too close for comfort. From there, it didn't take long before her world narrowed down to the monster in front of her and the shouts of her teammates around her. How long she'd been there didn't matter, her location didn't matter. Even the items and gil the monsters were dropping didn't matter.
All that mattered was buying enough time for Cloud, Tifa and Vincent to get to Sephiroth.
She knew none of them were leaving here alive. The only way out was the path the others had taken, and as soon as one of them tried to break for it, the monsters would be on them.
She wished she'd said goodbye to Vincent.
Then, as she pulled her arm back to fling Conformer at a tonberry king, the ground heaved, and Yuffie found herself flying through the air next to Cait Sith. As they came back down, she realized that the ledge they'd been on was gone.
And then they were falling, and Vincent wasn't there to catch her after all…
