Days of Advent, Pt 1

Chapt 1, Those Who Heard the Cries of the Planet

A small army of planet protectors stood at a precipice, staring out over the dead earth trailing to a dead city of metal and concrete. At their lead, Cloud Strife stepped closer to the edge, piecing together this particular angle, this specific view of Midgar. He had only been at this spot once, but it was now burned into his memory with a clarity years of living outside his own mind hadn't been able to wipe away for good. He eased back, and turned to the others who had followed him. A strange mix they made: the freedom fighters, the thief, the assassin, the pilot, the warrior-scholar, the executive, and the former SOLDIER—more accurately, just a former soldier.

All of them regarded Cloud with a solemnity fitting for the moment as Tifa slowly neared him. In her hand, a series of red ribbons dangled in the light breeze. Adjusting her hold on the bundle, she drew one out and carefully wrapped it around Cloud's left forearm.

Cloud's attention rested on Tifa as she tied it off, watching her rust-colored eyes linger on the ribbon as her calloused fingers worked.

"She's still with us," Tifa ventured loud enough for all to hear. "We all felt her in the Lifestream."

Nods and murmurs of agreement followed, and Yuffie sniffed audibly.

As Tifa turned to allow Cloud to tie a matching ribbon on her firm, left bicep, Cloud added, "This isn't just for Aerith. It's for us. We were all there, together. We all faced the worst possible odds, but we're still here."

Her eyes misting, Tifa gave Cloud a strained smile as he finished. She passed him half of the bunch of ribbons, and the pair went to their companions. Yuffie met Tifa with an emotional hug. She struggled to hold back soft sobs as Tifa adorned Yuffie's left arm with a ribbon as well, it being absent the guard she had rarely been without in the last few months.

"It's gonna be ok," Tifa assured her.

"Stupid desert," Yuffie whimpered, wiping her face. "Getting all this stupid sand in my eyes. Midgar sucks."

Tifa laughed softly and squeezed her again.

Cloud put Cid's ribbon on his exposed arm, Cid having wrapped his flight jacket around his waist in the growing heat of the Midgar morning sun. Before Cloud moved away, Cid drew him close and patted his shoulder roughly. "Hang in there, brother," Cid said, swallowing hard.

Cloud smiled. "You too, Captain."

Tifa knelt beside Nakaki, accepting an affectionate nudge of his head to the side of her face. She scratched under his chin in return before carefully fitting his larger-sized ribbon just above one of the bangles he wore on his left forearm. The thick, worn bracelet would help keep the fabric from slipping off of the cat's slender legs. "Thank you," Nanaki said, as collected as always.

"Whenever you need hands, we're here for you," Tifa replied with a grin.

Nanaki let out a snort, but his face was warm. "Humans rely on them too much. If you ever need a nose or extra sense, I'm here for you."

Cloud paused in front of Vincent, and little showed on the paler man's face. He eased up the left side of his mantle, and Cloud hesitated after finishing the knot, unsure if the gentle sag of Vincent's shoulders was from a silent sigh or a wince. A shade of discomfort hung in Vincent's red eyes, and he murmured, "I am sorry I didn't know her as long as the rest of you."

"You know that didn't matter to her," Cloud replied in a low voice. "She didn't think less of you or Cid."

Nodding, Vincent's face softened. "Of course, I didn't suggest that. I am pleased I had what time I did. I cannot…articulate what all of you have given me."

"I…have an idea," Cloud said, his smile pained. The pair of experiments shook hands, no further words needed.

Tifa stopped in front of the man she had known for months, but only met face to face days before. Reeve's suit coat was draped in his arms, and his perpetually-tired face showed a twinge of bittersweet affection. "I…almost feel like this should go to Cait Sith and not me."

"Don't start that," Tifa chided as she tied his ribbon. "Do you remember when I said I knew you, even though I didn't know your face?"

Patting the bow gently, Reeve nodded. "I do. I was very grateful for that."

"I was serious. You were with us the whole time," she pressed. "And Barret and I will never be able to thank you enough for how much you did for Marlene."

As Reeve finished putting his suit coat back on, Barret rested a heavy hand on his shoulder. "Cait can get his own. This is yours, Director."

Letting out a self-conscious laugh, Reeve grinned up at Barret. "Thank you, Wallace."

Cloud used the moment to wrap the final, extra-large ribbon around Barret's muscular arm. As soon as he was done, Barret moved his hand from Reeve to fist bump Cloud. "I remember when I couldn't wait to get rid of yo' ass, merc."

"I couldn't wait to get rid of you, preacher," Cloud said with a smirk. "I still can't."

Laughing loudly, Barret yanked Cloud into a firm embrace. "Keep runnin' that mouth and watch what happens."

Tifa joined the hug with Barret, completing the circle of all that remained of Sector 7's tightly-knit AVALANCHE cell. She then whispered in Cloud's ear, "There was something you wanted to do here, right?"

"Yeah," he sighed. Cloud leaned back from Barret and Tifa, and turned his gaze back to the cliff and the nostalgic view. Stepping away from the others, he took his massive, heavy sword from his back and gradually eased himself toward familiar patches of dirt and rock. He slowed as he reached a spot he could recall with clarity, picturing the weak smile of a nearly-forgotten companion pelted by rain.

With a deep breath, Cloud adjusted his hold on the Buster Sword, gently cradling it to study the minute nicks and signs of wear alongside the seams and design work. He was saying goodbye to an old friend, no matter how short their partnership had actually been. Taking in a long, steadying breath, he readied the blade above him. Then, with a short burst of power, he plunged the sword heavily into the solid rock. A sharp "thunk" followed, and Cloud felt a shudder all the way through the sword and into his arms.

The Buster Sword stood perfectly, a fitting memorial to the man who had sacrificed so much for Cloud's life. Swallowing, he allowed a finger to brush against the grip and gradually slide away.

Cloud opened his mouth to speak, only for Cid to immediately ruin the moment by interrupting: "So, ya just gonna leave that there?"

Cloud fumbled over his thoughts, and glanced back at the Buster Sword. "Uh…yes. It was never really mine."

"What's it made of?"

"What?"

"What kinda alloy?"

Not expecting his gesture to be scrutinized, he shrugged. "I mean…Zack never said…"

"Cuz to me it looks like a mithril alloy. If it's not pure mithril, that shit's gonna rust if you just leave it there."

Blushing, he awkwardly rubbed the back of his head. "I…I don't feel right hanging onto it anymore."

"It's easy to treat that kinda metal," Barret pointed out to nods from Cid and Reeve. "Did that kinda stuff on mining equipment all the time. Feel like I owe one to that Zack guy too. Lemme handle it."

"I was gonna offer," Cid insisted.

"Well, you didn't, so I'm doin' it."

What a strange group they made, indeed. Chuckling to himself, Cloud gave another short bump to Barret's shoulder. "Thanks. For everything." He added a smile to the others. "All of you. Thank you."

Tifa brought him into a comforting hold, and just before they parted he felt a tiny kiss on his cheek. "There's no reason to act like this is the end. I mean, it's only the beginning, right?"

"You ain't kiddin,' Tifa. There's too much to do," Cid pointed out. "At least for some of us," he added with a grin. "Right, Mr. Senior Director?"

Reeve half-smiled. "You know, you don't have to say it that way. You can just say 'Senior Director' without it sounding like sarcasm. Or, you know, just throwing it out there, I do have a name."

Cid grinned. "You are so much more fun to rag on than Cait."

With a weak laugh, Reeve shrugged. "Right, right, I'm only encouraging you." He then gestured to the others. "What is everyone else planning to do now?"

Nanaki was lost in thought, his eye staring at the ground, much like the tall, slender shape in red lingering at the back of the group. Tifa and Cloud met eyes with each other, and Cloud shrugged largely.

Barret broke the silence first. "Look, I know you need help with rebuilding, but I figure I earned some time for me. I'm thinkin'…I'm thinkin' Marlene should see Corel. There's so much I wanna help her understand."

Sympathetic nods went through the group, no one could possibly argue with needing time to process. Flopping to a seat beside the embedded Buster Sword, Yuffie let out a long yawn. "I mean…I gotta stick around until you all finally make good on giving me all that materia you're not gonna need anymore—"

Cloud reminded her, "I never agreed to that."

"—so, I guess I'll hang around with you, Reeve."

Reeve's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Help Shinra?"

She snapped her grey-eyed gaze back to him and curled a lip in disgust. "Excuse you? Midgar just needs all the help it can get. You're still gonna call it 'Shinra'? How am I supposed to help you if you do that? Gross, no."

"She got a point," Barret added. "How well are people gonna trust Shinra? I sure as hell don't, I don't care who's runnin' it."

Reeve considered this, resting a finger on his chin as he drifted off in thought. "Hm."

"We've all got a lot to think on," Cloud offered. "I guess…"

Cid smirked. "Should we 'mosey'?"

Vincent audibly snickered, or at least as audible as Vincent ever got.

Rolling his eyes, Cloud sighed. "Please. Please let me live it down."

The others voiced disagreements and laughter passed around. As one, the majority of them headed to the Highwind, leaving behind the only two who had asked to stay. Tifa and Cloud sat on the ground beside the makeshift memorial, staring out over the dry landscape.

"It's gonna be a hell of a walk to Midgar," Tifa mumbled as she rested her chin on a raised knee.

"It was then too," Cloud said.

Silence passed, and idly Tifa moved strands of her dark-brown hair behind her ear. "What was he like?"

"Hm?"

"Zack."

Cloud's brow knitted. "What do you mean? You met him."

"Yeah, but I didn't know him."

A distant smile crossed Cloud's face. "If you met him, you knew him. He didn't hide anything. He…He was just…real? I guess that's a good word."

"So, he was kinda goofy and talked a lot?" Tifa said with a short giggle. "How did you ever think you're doing a good job impersonating him?"

Cloud laughed, shaking his head. "I guess…I guess I was more acting like how I thought a SOLDIER was supposed to be. You know, like…" The name refused to come to Cloud's lips, and a weighted silence fell. The name didn't need mentioning. Not anymore.

Tifa leaned against his shoulder. "I'm glad Zack watched out for you. I wish I could have thanked him."

Cloud opened his mouth to speak, but the distant sound of gunfire and Zack's feeble voice near his ear rudely smothered his thoughts. "Y-Yeah…" he mumbled. "Me too."

"Ready to go?" Tifa asked gently.

"Just…" Cloud swallowed, pushing aside phantoms of rain and the smell of soil mixed with blood. "Just a little longer. If you're okay."

"I'm fine," she assured him. "Take as long as you need."

Days of Advent is part of the Days of Advent AU

Stars Over Midgar, DoA Pt 1

Through Another's Eyes, DoA Pt 2

The View From the Ground, DoA Pt 2.5
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