Final Fantasy VII Fan Fiction

Afterlife

By Kraven Ergeist

"How is he?" Tifa asked.

The whole party was gathered around a hospital bed in Midgar. Originally, it was Denzel and Marlene's wedding that had brought them all back together. Cid and Sherra had called in, saying they were going to be late. Tifa and Vincent had come all the way from Nibelheim where they had been in the process of dismantling the mako reactor. Yuffie and Reno, busy negotiating relations between Wutai and Midgar, had come almost immediately. Even Beret and Elmira, having spent the past seven years retired in Kalm, has made the trek back to Midgar.

Everyone was worried when the wedding day grew gradually closer, and Cloud had yet to return or make contact.

Less than a week before the big day, the airship Sherra made berth at Midgar and Cid and the ship's namesake stepped down to greet their comrades.

Their demeanor, however, was far from cheerful.

Their cargo, as it were, was on his last legs.

"I found him at the old man's house in Great Glacier," Cid had explained. "Said he's been living there with him for the past few years, and he's been getting sicker and sicker with each passing season."

The team gathered around their old leader, looks of sadness present in all of them. His blonde hair looked gray and pallid, his features showed signs of age and wear. The Tsurugi blade that he had used to slay the last remnants of Sephiroth lay against the wall off to the side. It was staunch and rusty from years of disuse.

"Mako poisoning," the doctors said. "He's relapsing from a previous case. We've done everything we can for him, but he's…just not putting up a fight."

"Cloud…" Denzel breathed, touching the man's arm.

The man stirred. "Denzel…"

Everyone let out an astonished cry as the man's eyes flittered open.

"Everyone's here…?"

Cloud looked around at all the familiar faces. Beret, Cid, Vincent, Denzel, Marlene…

Tifa…

"It's…good to see you…" he choked out.

"Just hang in there, man," Beret said reassuringly. "You're gonna make it through this."

Cloud shook his head. "You know me better than that, Beret…"

"Don't talk like that, Cloud!" Yuffie exclaimed. "You'll be alright! Everything's going to be fine!"

Cloud shook his head. "Of course it will, Yuffie…I'm leaving the world in the hands of the greatest people I've ever known."

"Cloud…" Cid gritted his teeth. "You can't say goodbye now – everyone just got back together again!"

"It's okay, Cid…" Cloud breathed. "My time has come."

"Are you sure, Cloud?" Vincent's voiced echoed. "This is not a path you can return from should you choose to wander it."

Cloud nodded. "I'm tired, Vincent. I'm tired of this existence. It's time for me to end it."

"…And what about the rest of us?" Tifa's fingers dug into the bed sheets, tears flowing freely. "What are the rest of us supposed to do after you've left us?"

Cloud smiled at the one he used to love.

"Cherish each other. You all have those you care for with you today. These are the people who will love you for the rest of your lives. You have yours…and I have mine…"

Some looked at him in confusion. Some eyes widened. But only one spoke.

"You're going back to her, aren't you?" Marlene smiled, sadly.

Cloud sniffed back tears. "Yeah…that's right…I think I've been waiting long enough. I've done all I can for this world."

"Cloud…" one final voice spoke.

Cloud turned his heavy head to see Denzel.

"Cloud…you've been like a father to me. You've given me everything I've needed to become who I am. I'm…I'm not going to let you down."

Cloud smiled. "That's good. Keep those you love close at heart. Protect each other. Put that sword of mine to good use. I leave the future of this world in your hands. I've meditated on this these past years, and this is the decision I've reached. Don't mourn my passing. I go now to open arms. I love you all…and I'll be seeing you all someday again…"

With a final thought and a touch of sadness, he winked out of existence, his spirit already drifting into the lifestream. And as friends and family cried, Cloud found himself floating through space, a golden smile and glorious embrace to welcome him again.

"Welcome home…" Aeris said.

Cloud smiled.

xxxxx

As Nanaki finished talking, his two younglings crouched around the fire, eager to hear more.

"And then what happened, Dad?" Seta, the older of the two, asked.

Nanaki scratched his graying beard, looking up at the night sky. He had been living out here in Cosmo Canyon so long, the red stone walls felt like home to him.

"Well, the rest of us went on to live our lives. Tifa went back to Nibelheim with Vincent, Beret and Elmira returned to Kalm, Cid and Sherra went home to Rocket Town, and Yuffie and Reno went back to Wutai. Denzel and Marlene grew old together in Midgar. And as time passed, friends became parents to a new generation, and then another, and another. The world began to change, Midgar was abandoned, and finally, your old man found a lingering tribe of his own species. That's where I met your mother, and she and I first-"

"Daddy!" Seta, the younger of the two squealed. "We don't wanna hear about you and Mommy getting all kissy! That's gross!"

"Seta!" Katara growled. "Don't interrupt! I wanna hear the end of the story!"

"I don't care," Seta grumbled, playfully nipping Katara's tail. "Maybe you wanna hear all that kissy stuff, but-"

"I do not!" Katara hissed, tackling Seta, nipping his ear.

"Hey, get off! Daddy, make her get off me!"

Nanaki chuckled, separating the two.

"Alright, that's enough you two. It's time for bed."

The two kittens nuzzled their father goodnight, before tumbling and chasing each other back into the cave.

Nanaki scrapped a pile of earth over the fire, smothering it out, before entering the cave to nestle beside his mate.

"And what took you three so long?" Nanaki's mate, Kari asked, kissing his mane.

Nanaki sighed. "I was telling the kids a bedtime story."

Kari rested her head on Nanaki's. "Oh? What story did you tell them?"

The once Red XIII smiled. "My story."

Kari kissed her mate again. "Ah. No wonder you took so long. So…did it have a happy ending?"

Nanaki sighed, closing his eyes. "So far…"

As the two of them drifted off into slumber, the night air echoed of the sounds of canyon and the voice of the planet.

Tomorrow, Nanaki decided, he'd take the kids to see Midgar.

xxxxx

A/N: Well, I hope you've enjoyed Time and Time Again. This wasn't originally meant to be a series, simply a compilation of one shots, some taking place before the movie, some after the movie, some before the game, and some within the game. But as more and more came off the presses, I decided that they should be somehow linked in more ways than being under one title.

These are not chapters in a story, but individual stories that are meant to stand on their own, with the exception of this last story, whose sole purpose is linking them all into one conclusion, and an epilogue that ties into the final scene in the game, as well as the opening in the movie.

Once again, I hope you've enjoyed this. FFVII has been my favorite game for many years now, and I hope I've written something that my fellow FFVII fans will appreciate.