Chapter 8
The Unavoidable Paradox
Cloud, Aeris and Samael stood atop the weapons shop watching as Cloud and Aeris' past selves finished rounding up all they'd need to dress Cloud up like a girl.
"I have to say, you must be very secure with your feminine side," Sam said.
"It was necessity," Cloud muttered.
"Well…yes, of course it was…" Sam said holding back a laugh, "it was very important you get in disguise to elude the…what…five battle-capable people inside?"
"Would you shut up?" asked Aeris shaking her head.
"All in all you both look good in dresses," Sam said.
"Thank you," Aeris replied.
"Whether that's an insult or a compliment in Cloud's case I don't know," Sam said laughing again.
"Let me kill him," Aeris said to Cloud.
"You don't have to ask my permission," Cloud replied.
"Alright, alright, sorry, look you two are headed toward the mansion," Sam said. "We all know what happens, wanna fast forward?"
"Fast forward?" asked Cloud.
"I can speed up time, of course," Sam said.
"Shouldn't we be trying to figure out who brought us here?" asked Cloud.
"What's the verdict on your guardian, beautiful, anything?" asked Sam.
"He hasn't responded yet," Aeris replied, "and use my name."
"What's wrong with 'beautiful?'" asked Sam.
"It's not my name," Aeris replied in annoyance.
"It's not a lie, either," Sam said shrugging.
Aeris muttered something under her breath.
"I think fast forward would be a good idea," Cloud said finally.
"Alright then," Sam rubbed his hands together, "Mr. Crusher, maximum warp, make it so."
"What?" asked Cloud.
"Star Tre…oh, right, they don't have any good stuff in this plane of existence," Sam said shaking his head and he snapped his fingers.
Suddenly it was as if the whole world sped up and shot by steadily quicker until it became just a blur around them. They, however, weren't moving, they were standing still. It was like time was washing over them and they were frozen. It stopped and everything seemed to go back to normal speed.
Now the three of them stood atop a decrepit train, Cloud recognized immediately where they were.
"The Train Graveyard," Sam said smiling and looking to Aeris and Cloud, "you know what that means."
"Sector 7," Cloud said.
"Biggest pancake dinner ever," Sam said, "squish!"
"You sure know how to make light of something that horrible," Aeris shot back.
"It's already happened," Sam said shrugging, "I told you, you guys have to start up some kind of sense of humour."
"Where's the other us?" asked Cloud.
"There we go," Sam said pointing at the past Aeris, Cloud and Tifa as they climbed atop a train and continued to make their way across the graveyard.
"This was inconvenient as hell," Cloud muttered.
"Yeah," Aeris agreed.
They watched as the three of their past selves made it out of the Train Graveyard.
"Let's go," Aeris said, "fast forward."
"Where now?" asked Sam.
"Kalm," Aeris replied.
"Alright, you're skipping all the action, but your call," Sam said, "personally I was hoping to catch Cloud on the motorcycle again, that was cool."
"Just go," Aeris said.
Sam snapped his fingers and the world blurred by and slowed again.
"That's strange," Sam said looking around.
"This isn't Kalm," Aeris said.
"Really?" asked Sam sarcastically, "I hadn't noticed that! I just said that's strange because there was a man walking up a wall over there."
"What?" asked Cloud.
"They have invented sarcasm in this plane of existence, yes?" asked Sam.
"Shut up, look," Aeris said pointing down from their rooftop to see herself running past them alone.
"You're going to grab Marlene and take her to your house," Cloud said.
"Why are we here?" asked Aeris.
Sam shrugged, "Something stopped us, I hadn't intended on stopping here."
Cloud watched as out of one of the buildings to the side stepped three Shinra soldiers in blue.
"Wait…" Sam said looking at them strangely, "they aren't here."
"Yeah they are, they're right there," Cloud said.
"No, he's right," Aeris said, "Shinra didn't get me until after I saved Marlene."
"This is bad," Sam muttered.
The past Aeris skidded to a halt and started talking to the three soldiers. After a moment one raised a rifle and shot her.
"Holy shit, stay here!" Sam growled diving off the roof.
Beside a wide-eyed Cloud Aeris dropped to one knee and held her left shoulder.
"What's wrong?" asked Cloud.
"She gets shot I get shot," Aeris growled as blood ran from between her fingers.
Cloud looked for any kind of healing item but he knew he hadn't brought any with him.
"I'm fine just make sure they don't kill her!" Aeris said. "Me…whoever."
On the ground Samael knelt down beside the past Aeris.
"You alright, sweetheart?" asked Sam looking down at her.
She didn't respond, Sam put a hand over her wounded shoulder and after a second took it off. The bullet wound was gone, on the roof the other Aeris' wound healed accordingly.
"Hey, buddy, get away from the Ancient!" said one of the soldiers.
"Yeah, we've…" the soldier started laughing.
"Been ordered," the third one added, "I forget, is she the Ancient?"
The first one laughed, "I don't know, that's why I shot her. If she's an Ancient she'll heal, right, 'cause she's like…Ancient!"
Clearly they were drunk; Sam looked at them in confusion. They weren't supposed to show up; just their being here was a paradox.
Sam finally responded, "Of course, your logic is if she's an Ancient she's obviously invincible right?"
"Well…is that what we think?" asked the second one to the others, after a moment the third one nodded and the first one shook his head.
"No or yes?" asked Sam.
This time the second one shook his head 'no' and the other two decided to nod 'yes.'
"Raise your hand if you have no idea," Sam said.
They all raised their hands.
"If Ancients were invincible why is she the last of her kind?" asked Sam. "To be a last others who were Ancients would in fact have to die, no?"
The three looked at each other and looked back, the middle one spoke, "Hey, you got a point, what're you some kinda genius or something?"
"No, I'm an Ancient," Sam replied.
"Oh, okay…" the third soldier stopped, "…wait, what?"
Sam waved his hand and all three soldiers flew off their feet and sailed off in different directions.
"Idiots," Sam muttered and turned to the past Aeris.
"Do I know you?" asked Aeris.
Sam knew talking to her would be a paradox in itself but the fact that three soldiers had appeared that shouldn't be there made it less dangerous.
"Nope," Sam replied, "you just looked like you could use some help."
"Thank you," Aeris said.
"No problem, looks like there's trouble you should get outta here," Sam said and then quickly ran past her. Aeris didn't look back and ran to get Marlene.
"We have a very big problem," Sam said now standing in front of the other Aeris and Cloud.
"What just happened?" asked Aeris.
"Paradox, in fact I believe it's a sign of the worst kind," Sam said. "We call it the Unavoidable Paradox."
"Unavoidable Paradox?" asked Cloud.
"We have time, let me try and explain as easily as possible," Sam started pacing, "you see, there are many different alternate universes; I guess you'd say, different worlds. I don't wanna get into a Kingdom Hearts style analogy here…"
"Kingdom whats?" asked Cloud.
Sam's eyes widened, "You guys don't have that either…what a boring place this is."
"Sam, move on," Aeris said.
"Right, right, well, when a person…for whatever strange reason…creates the Unavoidable Paradox this person usually seeks to destroy a particular world. In this case, this world," Sam said, "the Paradox can only destroy this particular time, but usually the person creating the Unavoidable will send paradox-creating artifacts to connected worlds."
"Like a big black building," Cloud muttered.
"You know of one such artifact?" asked Sam.
"It's already begun," Aeris said.
"The Ancient Black?" asked Sam.
"Is that who's doing this?" asked Cloud.
"No, no, the Ancient Black is merely a bystander, the person who brought you here is the person who put that building in your world," Sam said.
"The Ancient Black is just a creature of opportunity," Cloud said nodding.
"Yes, if this person is smart he knows the Ancient Black will do the destroying for him so he doesn't have to use the Unavoidable on each and every connected world."
"So who the hell is this guy?" asked Cloud.
"I have no idea," Sam said, "but he seems to be playing with you because the Unavoidable was cast on you, Cloud."
"Why me?" asked Cloud.
Sam shrugged, "You're the only guy who really has anything to lose, and he's playing on that."
"To lose?" asked Cloud.
Sam gestured to Aeris, "Little case of wrong place wrong time and wrong Forgotten City if you know what I mean…hint, hint, nudge, nudge."
Cloud just looked at Aeris quietly.
"Wink, wink," continued Sam.
"Yes we understand!" Aeris said sharply.
"Alright," Sam said putting up his hands.
"What can I do?" asked Cloud.
"Like it or not you have to create a Paradox, it's unavoidable," Sam smiled, "isn't that funny, you can use an adjective that's the same as its title."
Aeris ignored him, "Are you sure it's the Forgotten City?"
"No, but I would take it to the bank," Sam replied. "That's where I'd choose."
Aeris looked to the ground.
"The Forgotten City, not the bank," Sam said.
"Shut up," Aeris said, not so sharply this time.
"How exactly do I create this paradox?" asked Cloud.
"Usually it's forced on one by a choice," Sam said, "in this case door number one: let Sephiroth kill Aeris and kill your time's Aeris creating a paradox by the death of two people who can't coexist in the same world. Or door number two: save this time's Aeris and save your time's Aeris letting live two people who can't coexist in the same world."
Cloud shook his head.
"Really, I'd think it would be pretty simple," Sam said shrugging.
"You have to let him kill me," Aeris said, "the paradox won't be that bad. If you let things run their course the people of this time will go on as normal lessening the paradox."
"No," Cloud said quietly.
"You have to, Sam can help you stop all this," Aeris said, "it was short but it was worth seeing you again."
"Oh, this is touching, really," Sam said, "but hell if he's watching you die again and, beautiful, hell if I will too."
"What?" asked Aeris, "you can't interfere, it could kill you."
"I can always find a loophole honey, that's what I do," Sam said, "no way you're going down on my watch baby, hell no."
"You can't…" Aeris started.
"What happens after we stop it from happening?" asked Cloud cutting her off.
"You can never be perfectly sure how it will go down, most likely this existence will deteriorate," Sam replied.
"Will that affect anything else?" asked Cloud.
"Isolated incident, only this time will be affected," Sam said.
"You can't do this everyone on this planet will die!" Aeris exclaimed.
"Are you prepared to do this, Cloud? Sacrifice the lives of every man woman and child on this planet for her?" asked Sam.
Cloud nodded, he was surprised at just how little thought was involved in such a selfish choice on such a grand scale.
Sam clapped, "A man after my own heart, now let's boogie before the sky starts falling."
Aeris tried once more to protest but Sam snapped his fingers and the world was blurring by.
"What if there's another paradox like the one with the soldiers?" asked Cloud, he found his voice echoed strangely as the world shot by.
"I'm sending us straight to the choice, for there to be a choice Aeris will have to live up to where she was supposed to," Sam replied. "Are you ready?"
"Yeah," Cloud replied.
The world came to a halt and they now stood in the Forgotten City, again memories flooded Cloud briefly.
"You've got about thirty seconds," Sam said pointing to the altar where Aeris now kneeled. The past Cloud was on his way toward her.
"Cloud, please, I don't want you to…" Aeris tried one last time to dissuade him.
Cloud removed his helmet and discarded it, looking at Aeris, "I can't watch it again. You can't ask me to do that!"
Aeris opened her mouth to speak but no words came.
"Now or never, buddy," Sam said to Cloud.
Cloud turned and knew he couldn't reach Aeris by foot to stop Sephiroth, he quickly realized he still had the soldier's rifle in hand.
It all seemed to happen very fast.
Sephiroth appeared out of nowhere and descended quickly from above, Masamune Blade pointed downward.
The past Cloud stood unawares of what was to come.
The Cloud in Shinra garb cocked the rifle and aimed up at Sephiroth, aiming a little ahead so he could lead Sephiroth into the bullets.
The large sword was only a foot or so from Aeris when Cloud opened fire.
It was as if someone had taken a clock and smashed their hand down on it, then looked at the stunned time piece and laughed at it. Someone had just defied the laws of time and space…in fact one just had given time a kick in the ass…so to speak.
Bullets peppered Sephiroth, some hitting him, others sending his sword flying out of his hands and away into the water. The rest of Cloud's bullets smashed into Sephiroth's mid-section sending him flying head over heels out over the water and splashing finally into the watery depths.
Cloud knew well enough that would never be enough to kill Sephiroth.
"Well aimed," Sam said, "it doesn't matter if they see you know, you can't screw up time anymore than you already have."
The past Aeris opened her eyes and stood up, looking around in confusion. The Aeris beside the Cloud holding the rifle started to feel strange, maybe it had something to with the fact she was witnessing a turn of events that involve her, a turn of events that involve her that had never actually happened.
The past group turned and saw the three of them, the spikey-haired man in a Shinra soldier get up minus the helmet, a nondescript man standing with his hands in his pockets, and a woman in a leather jacket and sunglasses. They had just enough to time to stare at them strangely for a moment, and then it seemed like an earthquake hit.
The ground shook and it knocked both past and present Aeris off their feet, in both instances Cloud caught them. The water around the altar seemed to start evaporating, sizzling, and then just disappearing as if dissolving into nothing. It left a strange hole in the water. The hole looked like an average crater but the water around it didn't flood in to fill the space like it should. It was as if there was a shield blocking the water from rushing into that dry spot. Cloud thought it was very likely a paradox of some kind, nature wasn't reacting with itself the way it should. The world itself was falling apart.
"It is most definitely time to go," Sam said in a sing-song voice.
"I'd say that's a good idea," Cloud said.
"I don't know where we're gonna end up but it's not here," Sam warned.
"Taking us to another plane of existence could kill you," Aeris said over the sound of every structure in the area collapsing.
"Yeah, yeah, now you care about me," Sam said shaking his head, "women."
"Yeah," Cloud agreed.
"That's the spirit, play along with Uncle Samael, the world's a brighter place," Sam said smiling as an entire chunk of the ground disappeared in front of him. "Okay, here we go!"
Sam closed his eyes and seemed to concentrate very hard, after a moment his teeth were gritted and his eyes squinted.
"Come on, come on, you know you wanna let me break the rules again!" Sam growled.
Obviously someone did, in a bright flash the three of them were gone.
§
Back in the Forgotten City of Cloud's home plane of existence the black water-bound Shadow creature had been roaming the water silently. It was swimming in the victory of its first kill and it made a turn to finish off its now dead prey. The Shadow set its sights on the inanimate crimson and black figure floating in the water.
The Shadow creature closed in on its dead enemy, thinking in its decidedly one-track mind exactly how it should start dismembering its dead foe. The Shadow opened its hooked beak, ready to start by severing the crimson cloaked figure's head.
Suddenly a golden clawed hand grabbed the top of the beak and a foot stepped on the other forcing the beak to stay open.
Red eyes glowed to life.
The helpless prey began to change, started to grow wings…
Chaos had arrived…better late than never.