A/N: Feels weird to have pushed through with the edits of something that I stopped writing for so long. I tweaked things a bit because towns and cities aren't as small as they appear in game.
Edits Completed: June 17, 2017
Final Fantasy VII – Remembrance
Chapter 11 – Breaking
Tifa groaned as she woke to the persistent hum of the Highwind's engines. Looking at her PHS, she found that it was just after five in the morning and she had slept for over twelve hours. Thanks to the overwhelming amount of stress she had experienced the previous day, it was possibly the best sleep she'd gotten since Wutai. Days seemed to have blurred together with the only constant being the ongoing quest of stopping Sephiroth, which made her rest all the more satisfying. With a yawn, she left her room and got cleaned up as best as she could. The massive ship had a surprising number of amenities, including running water, which allowed Tifa several minutes of bliss under a warm spray. She noted that there was a hint of salt in the water and guessed that there was an onboard filtration system that purified seawater for use. Feeling much more optimistic than she did the night before, she put on a fresh change of clothes and headed off to the bridge to find someone to talk to. She found Cid sitting by a console while staring at various readings from the ship.
"Morning," she greeted.
The gray-haired man looked up and grunted at her before returning to his reading.
"Are we near Mideel?" She tried again.
With a yawn, Cid lazily made some adjustments.
"About two more hours," he said. "Had to take a small detour cuz one of those WEAPON things was in our way."
Tifa nodded. A few minutes passed in silence as she stared out into the predawn sky. Then the door to the bridge slid open and Cait Sith bounced in.
"Hey guys! Breakfast is ready! Coffee too!" He called out.
"Finally," Cid grumbled as he pushed himself to his feet and stomped off.
Tifa smiled at his reaction as she followed.
"Feeling better?" The cat asked as he hopped along.
"Yeah," Tifa answered. "I really needed that break."
"That's good," Cait Sith replied. "Shinra's been scrambling to fix the 'Meteor issue' as they're calling it. We might get a bit more insight into their plans soon."
The trio entered the conference room to find the others already helping themselves to food. Cid sat at the front of the table with a mug of coffee. It appeared that he had been nominated as a temporary leader while she had slept as the others sat down and waited for him to speak.
"We talked a bit more about Cloud last night, Tifa," Cid said once everyone had gotten situated. "You knew Cloud, or whoever Cloud originally was, best right?"
Tifa nodded hesitantly.
"You didn't seem too surprised when Hojo was spouting all that crap in North Crater," Barret continued. "You already suspected something, didn't you?"
With a sigh, Tifa nodded again.
"When… When he first joined AVALANCHE, I was overjoyed to see my childhood friend again," she started haltingly. "I hadn't seen him in years and I was afraid he might've died in the Shinra military without anyone in Nibelheim knowing about it."
"So… Sephiroth was right?" Barret asked. "Spike wasn't a SOLDIER?"
This got him a few odd stares from the others so he expanded.
"Before we arrived in that cavern, Sephiroth showed us all these images… Cloud thought they were illusions meant to confuse him, but now…" he trailed off.
Tifa sighed.
"I don't know if he ever became a SOLDIER. We lost contact with him shortly after he joined the military. Then after he showed up again… I knew early on something was wrong with him," Tifa admitted guiltily. "But I was so afraid of him disappearing again that I never pushed him on it. He had strange memories of Nibelheim… I thought maybe at some point he had heard about what happened and it had affected him badly."
"Maybe you should start with what you remember?" Nanaki asked gently.
Tifa nodded again before speaking.
"When Sephiroth came to visit us, he came with a fellow soldier by the name of Zack Fair."
"The black haired guy," Barret guessed.
Tifa confirmed his guess.
"Fair… why does that name sound familiar?" Cid mumbled.
"Fair… His parents lived in Gongaga," Cait Sith piped up. "They still do it seems. Maybe we heard the surname mentioned while we were there?"
"Wait, are you spying on people?" Barret interjected.
The cat shrugged.
"It was on file in Shinra," the android replied casually. "Zack Fair was said to have died in the Nibelheim fire."
"Cloud told us a story in Kalm about that incident," Tifa continued. "Only Red, Barret, Aerith and I heard it, but his story seemed to follow everything I remember Zack doing…"
Barret ran a hand across his face.
"Geez Teef," he groaned. "And you didn't say anything?"
"What was I supposed to say?" Tifa snapped back. "Oh, sorry, I don't remember you being there while my hometown was being burned down?"
Barret looked away uncomfortably.
"Do we really know the person we're looking for is really this… Cloud?" Cid asked aloud. "Should we really be diverting our limited time into this if he's got some kind of identity crisis going on?"
"Of course we should!" Yuffie protested.
"I agree," Vincent added in. "Even if he's not who he said he was, the fact that Sephiroth constantly went after him has to mean something."
The members of AVALANCHE sat quietly, each digesting these revelations.
"Tifa," Cid finally spoke up. "Why would Cloud have Zack's memories if he wasn't there?"
Tifa shook her head.
"I don't know, but…" one hand reached up to rub at her shoulder where, the others knew, the start of a scar that ran from her right shoulder to her left hip lay. "After Sephiroth cut me, I could've sworn I heard Cloud's voice…"
"Maybe you were delirious," Barret suggested. "You nearly died, didn't you?"
"Maybe…" Tifa looked uncertain.
"We'll just have to ask him when we find him," Yuffie said firmly.
No one had the heart to argue with her, not when she seemed more alive than she had all week.
"Why are we going to Mideel anyway?" Cait Sith asked redirecting the conversation. "Seems like a strange place for Cloud to turn up."
Surprisingly, it was Nanaki who answered.
"North Crater was formed when something, most likely Jenova, crashed into the Planet long ago, so it's not out of the question there are still chasms and fissures where Lifestream could leak out onto the surface. If Cloud fell in and managed to get washed out, he would likely show up in areas where there are cracks in the Planet's crust. Mideel just happens to be near the largest natural fissure known to man. That place is a hotbed of seismic activity because of it."
Everyone seemed to accept Nanaki's explanation and finished their breakfast in relative silence. About an hour later, there was an announcement that they were nearing Mideel. The members of AVALANCHE clambered to the outside deck to see the town coming into view. Despite being located in the middle of a jungle, Mideel had developed quite a bit. And while not as technologically advanced as major cities, Mideel was well known to be a notable location for biological and environmental research. Coupled with a growing market for tourism, it wasn't surprising that the town had flourished quite a bit in the last few decades.
The Highwind touched down near the edge of the jungle and the team disembarked. Yuffie was first off the ship, a determined look in her eyes. Once the others were ready, she ran off towards the town. The others quickly followed, eager to retrieve their wayward leader. They reached the town in good time and surveyed the villagers and visitors going about their daily business. The most surprising part was that there was almost a complete lack of the panic and mayhem they had witnessed in Junon. People were tense, but seemed to be trying to retain any semblance of normalcy in their lives. Tifa was first to speak.
"He is… here?"
She turned a tentative gaze to Vincent, who nodded slightly. He looked paler than usual. She wanted to ask if he was alright, but Yuffie was already marching off into town so she filed the issue away for later.
…
The former Turk breathed deeply, trying to ignore the building migraine in his head. Ever since he had entered the jungle, he had felt uneasy. It was as if his insides were writing and he could feel his muscles occasionally tense as if in anticipation of something. Closing his eyes, he turned his thoughts inward.
'What's going on? What is this?' He asked Chaos.
'Are you sure it's not the Hero?' The demon replied tiredly. 'He reeks of the Lifestream, maybe that's what's causing our discomfort.'
Vincent was silent as he considered this.
'Even with that dream, I hardly remember this town. Everything happened so fast after the WEAPON attacked and the town sank into Lifestream.'
The demon shifted restlessly and then sighed.
'I think Lifestream might be interfering with my senses. Whatever you're feeling, I assure you it's even worse for us in here. Galian won't stop moaning, Death Gigas keeps pounding his fists together, Hellmasker keeps revving that damn chainsaw… WILL YOU ALL SHUT THE HELL UP?!'
With a mental groan, Vincent turned his attention away from his growing headache. Blinking briefly, he found that the group had moved into town and he had followed unconsciously. Cid looked a bit unsure of himself as he glanced around.
"I guess we should ask around?" He muttered, walking forward and starting a conversation with a man near the entrance.
As the team interviewed the people near the town's entrance, a scruffy looking dog wandered into their midst. Though its grey coat was slightly dirty from the underbrush, it had a collar around its neck, suggesting that it belonged to one of the local families. It padded up to Yuffie who had just received a negative from the person she was asking. Being wholly focused on her task, she didn't notice it until it barked loudly, startling her from her thoughts. It wagged its tail at her and, feeling guilty, she knelt down and scratched its head. It whined again, as if sensing her emotions, before licking her hand. As she did, the nearby conversation Barret was having caught her attention.
"You must be talking about that pokey headed kid that washed ashore about a week ago," the young woman replied.
Cid quickly ran over.
"Yeah! That's the one! You know where he is?" He asked.
The woman looked a bit uncomfortable.
"Of course, he's up at the clinic," she said while pointing to a small white building further up the street. "But I warn you, it was tough for us to bring him there, he was… well, if you're his friends, hold onto hope. Let us know if you need anything."
Cid frowned at the woman's words.
"Why? What's wrong with him?" He asked curiously.
The woman merely shook her head and said she didn't know. Cid turned to find Yuffie staring at them with wide eyes. There was a desperate light in them that had Cid feeling uneasy.
"Yuffie…" he started slowly. "Maybe you should…"
But it was too late. The girl turned and ran off up the street towards the white building in the distance. Cid cursed under his breath as he ran off after her, as did the others. Vincent followed at a much slower pace, his head still throbbing.
"Vincent…" Tifa asked with a concerned look in her eyes.
He shook his head slightly and continued up the dirt road. Tifa walked with him, occasionally glancing at him in worry. Her hands fidgeted nervously as they approached the building. They entered to find the team standing near a doctor and a nurse.
"Oh my… you're all companions of the young man?" The old doctor asked as he looked over the group.
Tifa spoke up.
"Yes, we are. How is he?"
They could see the doctor slump in exhaustion. He rubbed his eyes tiredly as he gestured for them to follow. He spoke slowly as they walked down a short hall towards an open door at the end.
"The young man has what is known as Mako poisoning. If happens to those exposed to excessive amounts of Mako. You typically see SOLDIERS from Shinra suffering from this, but…"
The doctor gestured for them to enter the room. Space was limited, but there was enough for several vital machines and two small chairs, one of which Yuffie had pulled to the bedside and was now sitting in. Tifa and Nanaki stepped inside while the others looked in from the door. Laying on a pure white bed was their leader. His blond hair was a mess, even by its usual standards. It appeared dull like straw and strangely lifeless. His once vivid blue eyes were dull and unfocused. They wandered around the room, passing over the gathered members of AVALANCHE, but never truly seeing them. His skin was a sickly white, tinged with a muted green, as if he was slowly dying from the inside out. His breath came out in short gasps, the oxygen mask on his face the only thing forcing his body to receive enough oxygen. A thin line of drool trickled from his mouth as he moved it soundlessly. Every once in a while he would make a soft moan or grunt, but nothing more. The doctor shook his head sadly.
"I've never seen such an advanced case. Even I can do little but to wait and hope he somehow recovers."
Tifa's hands flew to her mouth, tears filling her eyes as she watched her childhood friend existing in some kind of demented façade of life.
"Cloud…" she choked out.
Hearing Tifa's voice, Yuffie looked up from her place next to the bed. Vincent winced and closed his eyes when he saw her face. Yuffie's eyes had once again become completely devoid of life and emotion. She spoke in a tiny, fragile voice.
"Tifa? What's wrong with Cloud? He… He's not responding to me. Is he going to be okay?"
Tifa couldn't speak, she swallowed hard several times but couldn't push down the lump in her throat. Overcome with emotion, it was all she could do to keep herself from crying. Yuffie looked completely lost in that moment, like she had lost all reason to exist. Hearing no response, Yuffie simply turned back towards Cloud and lowered her head in defeat. Nanaki's head was bowed as well, unable to look upon the scene. Barret's eyes were shut in anguish as he rubbed his prosthetic in a slow and practiced motion. Cid turned away and stormed off down the hall. And Cait Sith looked as lifeless as Yuffie, the man on the other side of the android silent in remorse. Vincent also turned and stepped away from the small room. Though he knew this was likely inevitable due to Cloud's mental instability, he couldn't help wonder if there was something he could've done to better prepare the team for what happened in North Crater.
Nearby, the doctor shook his head sadly. The man had expected their reaction. How could he not? He had watched for days as their leader had remained insensate and unchanging. He beckoned them away from the scene with the exception of Yuffie, who had not moved since she spoke.
"You must have hope," the doctor reminded them as they followed him down the hall. "If you lose hope, then he will be truly lost."
He led them into his office as he consulted a laptop on a simple desk.
"There are promising signs of his condition," he said.
"Promisin'?" Barret snorted. "What's so promisin' about bein' brain dead?"
The doctor waved a hand at his computer.
"For one, he has not gotten worse since he was brought in. Quite the opposite in fact. His respiratory functions are almost eighty percent of normal, which is amazing considering the half-drowned state he was found in. His white blood cell count is a bit depleted, but for the most part, his chemistry panel and CBC are almost at normal levels. His body has shown an incredible regenerative capacity, one that I've only seen in the highest tier of SOLDIERs."
"If he's getting better, then why is he like that?" Cid, having joined them, asked roughly. "Like… his mind is gone or something."
The doctor sighed.
"That's the biggest mystery. Like you said, it's as if his mind is elsewhere. If any of you have any insight into how he might've come to be like this, it would be greatly appreciated."
The members of AVALANCHE looked at each other uncomfortably before Tifa stepped forward.
"He… He fell into North Crater when Meteor was summoned. We were trying to stop the madman who was summoning it but we failed. Immediately after there was an earthquake and he fell into Lifestream," she said quietly.
The doctor peered at the group, one eyebrow raised in interest.
"I see," he said noncommittally. "Did your failure impact his mental state then?"
The woman shook her head.
"He… Cloud had been going through a bit of an identity crisis. The madman used that to overpower him and… he just broke…" she trailed off.
The doctor hummed has he mulled this over.
"Please, Doctor," Nanaki said. "If you have any suggestions, we'd be willing to try if it means getting our friend back."
The old man sighed, took his glasses off, and rubbed his eyes.
"At this point, the best you may be able to do is talk to him and wait," he replied.
"Oh…" Tifa said sadly. "Thank you for what you've done."
With that, the remaining members of AVALANCHE left the office.
"Should we take our chances with Sephiroth as in then?" Cid asked bluntly.
"Cid!" Tifa reprimanded."
"He's got a point," Barret supplied.
The fighter gave her long time friend a look of betrayal.
"We can't just leave Cloud here! And Yuffie is in no shape to fight, you know that!" She hissed.
"Teef, we don't have time to wait for them to get better," Barret said gently.
Tifa looked helplessly to Vincent for help. He sighed as he tried to ignore his headache.
"Maybe we keep ourselves busy in the meantime," Vincent suggested. "Maybe try to get better weapons or Materia to fight Sephiroth with? Maybe Shinra has some caches we can raid?"
As he turned to the cat, Tifa's eyes widened.
"Oh yeah! Cait, you mentioned them having some kind of meeting? Did they say anything interesting?" She asked eagerly.
Cait Sith perked up at his name. They watched as the cat and mog combo bounced in place. Vincent guessed he was waiting on a response from Reeve. Finally, the cat's yellow eyes refocused on the team.
"They seem to have stopped chasing us, so there's that," Cait Sith started. "Rufus has been talking with Scarlet and Heidegger about ways to destroy Meteor. It seems they want to retrieve something called Huge Materia to use against it. I'm not sure how they're planning on using it yet though."
"Hmph. Seems like shady information," Barret grunted.
Cait Sith stuck his tongue out at the man. Nanaki let out a low rumble as he considered this information.
"I have heard of such a thing. They're rather unique crystals of highly compressed energy. However, I'm not certain they have the collective power to destroy something as dense as Meteor. Rather, I we might be able to make use of their powers when we confront Sephiroth."
Barret nodded, appeased by the feline's explanation.
"So we jus' have to steal 'em from Shinra, right? Sounds easy enough. Where are they anyway?"
Cait Sith processed this request for a moment before answering.
"It seems like one has already been retrieved from the Nibelheim reactor. Heidegger ordered troops out towards Fort Condor and Corel about ten minutes ago," the android replied.
Barret stiffened as his hometown's name was mentioned.
"Dammit! How much more do they wanna ruin that town?!" He growled.
He whirled on Cid.
"Come on! I'm going' to Corel!"
Cid merely nodded.
"Alright. If we're doing this, let's do this properly," Cid said. "Fort Condor is closer, so we'll head there first. Cait, Red, and I should be enough to find the Huge Materia. If we get attacked by Shinra, we'll likely need the help of the mercenaries living around that area, but I think it's manageable. The Fort is a tough stronghold for a good reason. While we do that, The Highwind will take you, Tifa, and Vince to Corel to get the Huge Materia before Shinra does. That way, if Shinra tries to get you, you guys will have an avenue of escape if necessary."
Barret nodded at this and ran off back towards the Highwind. Tifa hesitated briefly.
"Hold on, Vincent," she said before running back to Cloud's room.
He waved the others along and followed her. They both entered Cloud's room again.
"Yuffie?" Tifa asked placing a hand gently on the girl's shoulder.
The girl's head turned slightly, indicating that she was listening.
"We're going to go see what we can grab some special Materia from Shinra, it should help us in the fight against Sephiroth."
The girl didn't respond.
"The doctor said that Cloud is getting better. Try to talk to him if you can, it might help bring him out of this," Tifa continued.
Finally, Yuffie gave the barest of nods. Tifa hugged the girl briefly.
"Stay strong, Yuffie. We'll be back soon."
Then she turned back to Vincent.
"Let's go," she said firmly.
Vincent nodded and the two ran off to catch up with the others. As they left Mideel, Vincent's headache and sense of unease seemed to fade. He dismissed the odd reaction as being in too close in proximity to large sources of Lifestream which was flowing just under that jungle town. He turned his mind to other things instead.
…
Doctor Wastryn received his M.D. at a surprisingly young age of twenty-five, having done an accelerated program to get through his earlier education. He graduated at the top of his class from Junon Medical Academy and spent several years wowing other doctors with his sharp mind and even sharper skills with a knife. Having spent his free time obtaining experience in studying the science behind Materia usage, he soon developed several methods of incorporating Spells into Medicine. These methods garnered him worldwide fame and critical acclaim within the scientific community. Through his heyday, he was one of the most notable doctors in the world and was often sought after to teach his techniques to other professionals.
As he got older and his physical capabilities in the operating room declined, he transitioned to clinical medicine and research. However, one mystery to all who knew of him was why he had chosen to relocate to a small, but well equipped, clinic in Mideel. He still took consulted and took cases all over the world, but he seemed oddly content in the small village. Eventually, other scientists and medical professionals stopped hounding him for an answer and simply let him do as he wished. Science and Medicine moved on, content to let him play his part from his little corner of the world.
Never in his many years of practicing medicine, did he expect to be beset by such a bizarre case. The blonde that had washed ashore a week ago presented him a conundrum that he simply could not solve by conventional means. The man, he now knew as Cloud Strife, had been exposed to such a high dose of Mako that, frankly, it was amazing the lad was still alive. Normal Mako poisoning was usually treated with dialysis and light exposure to the Esuna Spell. Any additional Magic had well documented detriments on the survival of the patient. Cloud, on the other hand, had been so thoroughly bathed in Mako that even the dialysis treatments he had tried had a minimal amount of success. Wastryn had completely foregone Esuna for fear of potentially killing the man. It was these barriers that prevented him from doing more than nursing the body back to health via traditional means.
Wastryn let out a soft sigh as he finished updating his notes based on the information the young man's friends had given him. It was getting late and his assistant had gone home hours ago. Most of the town's activity had come to a close and it was quiet save for the soft hum of various machines. He had worked on many cases throughout the day. As the world slowly fell apart, most of the medical professionals had banded together in order to support each other through the massive influx of patients some cities were getting. And yet, even with all the work, he found himself coming back to Cloud's patient file. In spite of what he had told the brunette earlier in the day, he continued to puzzle over the case. Perhaps it was a futile effort, but he continued trying to devise a way to speed up the young man's recovery. Standing and stretching, he decided to pay his patient a visit and check on the young girl who, according to his assistant, had not left the bedside all day. As he made his way to the room, he could head a soft voice mumbling away.
"I'm sorry, Cloud. I shouldn't have gone near that place. I should've known it wasn't Tifa. You gave me the Black Materia because you trusted me to keep it away from Sephiroth…"
There was a bitter laugh.
"I guess you shouldn't trust a thief, huh, Cloud? All they'll ever do is let you down."
The girl paused and gave a light sniffle.
"I'm not a good person, Cloud. I didn't take Black Materia because I wanted to be brave or noble. I just thought that, if someone died protecting it, it might as well be the one most deserving of it. You know what? When I was holding it, a tiny part of me wondered if I could somehow keep it without dooming the Planet."
She choked out a watery laugh.
"In the end, I just never stopped thinking about me, me, me… Gods I'm disgusting…"
"Guess I ended up dooming the Planet anyway…"
Silence fell upon the room for a moment.
"I should've just died in that Crater. It's the least I deserve. If only you knew how many people I killed for that stupid dream of rebuilding my country… you'd never want to speak to me again," she spat. "You didn't deserve this, Cloud. You are so much braver than I could ever dream of being. I'm just a cowardly thief who thinks about nothing but my own gain."
The girl's voice began to tremble as she continued to speak.
"I miss you, Cloud. I… I don't know what to do anymore… The world's falling apart because of me. How can we stop this anymore?"
She began to cry in earnest, her piteous sobs echoing lightly in the tiny room.
"I can't do this anymore… Not without you…"
Wastryn opened his eyes. He hadn't even realized he closed them as he listened to the girl's sordid tale. Quietly, he slipped away and returned to his office. Staring down at his notes, he shook his head lightly. No matter what part these people might have played in the appearance of Meteor, they also seemed to be the ones most capable of stopping it. And though he couldn't fathom how they might go about it, he knew the first step was to get that young man healed. He stretched, popping his tired back and trying to get his circulation flowing faster. Then he poured himself a cup of coffee, retrieved a book on psychology, and sat back down at his desk. Sleep could come later. If those adventurers could work tirelessly to save the Planet, he'd be damned if he didn't do his part to help.
…
"DAMMIT! We missed them!" Barret roared as the train carrying Corel's Huge Materia barreled out of sight.
The trio had landed just outside of Corel about an hour ago. The sight of Shinra transports nearby didn't bode well for them and they had all sprinted towards the reactor, hindered constantly by the wildlife stirred up when Shinra had passed through. Upon reaching reactor, they had but a moment's warning before a Shinra train burst out of the reactor, nearly killing them in the process.
"There must be some way to catch up," Tifa said worriedly.
Vincent gestured back at the massive reactor they had only just reached.
"They might have a backup engine," he suggested.
Barret turned and immediately ran for the station inside.
"Well what are you waiting for then?!" He shouted as he stormed inside.
Minutes later, a single steam engine barreled out of the station, going as fast as it was possible on the old rickety rails.
"Come on… come on…" Barret muttered anxiously as their little rig careened wildly, nearly derailing on some turns.
Tifa watched her friend worriedly.
"Just hang on, Barret, we'll catch up to them…" she tried.
The man huffed as he clenched his good hand impotently.
"I can't… I can't let this town go through another tragedy…" he bit out.
Vincent interrupted Barret's pacing as he stood up a little straighter.
"Up ahead," he announced.
The other two stuck their head out the window of the engine and squinted against the wind. As the gunman had said, the train towing the Huge Materia was just ahead on a lower track. Their little engine had managed to catch up due to its significantly lighter load. However, as they drew up to the last car, they began to slow down.
"What's going on?!" Barret shouted as the Shinra train inched further away.
"We're out of fuel! They must not have fully refueled this one!" Tifa called back in panic.
Vincent growled in frustration and reached within himself, calling on the powers of one of his transformations.
'Vincent, something's wrong…' Chaos warned in an almost distant sounding voice.
But Vincent was now wholly focused on the task at hand.
"Grab on!" He called out to the other two.
Tifa took one look at Vincent as her eyes widened.
"What – !" Barret began.
"GRAB ON!" Tifa commanded urgently.
The black man instinctively followed his friend's urgent voice. Seconds after he did, Vincent began to shift. His clothes melted into his body as the graying flesh surrounded him. Barret let out a yelp as he found himself holding onto an eight foot tall brute. Electricity sparked and danced across his skin, causing Tifa to flinch when one jumped across her hand. Death Gigas let out a deep bellow as he crouched.
"Here we go!" Tifa shouted as she tightened her grip.
The hulking monster heaved itself forward, dragging its two passengers through the air towards the Shinra train. Behind them, the solitary engine screeched to a halt as their forward movement heavily hindered what little power it had left. One unfortunate guard on the top of the train had a brief moment of terror before Death Gigas landed, sending him flying off the edge of the train and down to his death. Barret and Tifa let go, sinking to the roof shakily.
"Holy shit!" Barret swore. "What the hell!"
Death Gigas let out another roar as it rampaged forward. Noticing his unexpected charge, Tifa pointed forward.
"Cover him!" She shouted as she forced herself to her feet and chased after Vincent's transformation.
"Man, this is messed up!" Barret shouted to no one as he rushed to do the same.
There was little the small crew aboard the train could do to stop the stampeding giant. Soldiers were handily thrown off the train and those who Death Gigas missed were either pummeled by Tifa or shot by Barret. Several robots were also deployed in a desperate attempt to stop the intruders. However, the moment they soared forward, the behemoth roared again and let out a massive discharge of energy. Stunned by the electricity, the machines were quickly turned to scrap metal. A few harrowing minutes later and they had reached the engine room. Seeing no more enemies in sight, Death Gigas moaned and fell to his knees. Moments later and an exhausted Vincent collapsed to the floor.
…
Tifa rushed over to check on her friend as Barret fiddled around with the controls.
"Vincent! Are you alright?!" The woman called out as she helped him sit up.
The man let out a low moan but didn't respond. Tifa was about to speak again when the train lurched forward.
"Barret! What the hell! That's the opposite of stopping!" She shouted.
"I know!" The man shouted back over the roar of the engine.
The train lurched again.
"Barret!" Tifa cried again in a more panicky tone.
The man slammed his fist against the rusty console.
"WILL! YOU! JUST! STOP!" Barret screamed as he yanked hard on the levers he was working while kicking the machine hard.
This time the engine jumped as the old brakes were suddenly engaged. Tifa and Vincent were thrown forward crashing into the console just next to Barret. The black man braced himself as the train continued to barrel forward despite the screeching of metal on metal. Then, after a few harrowing seconds, the train gradually slowed to a stop. The runaway train had halted just outside the small town of Corel. Many people had now gathered outside wearing looks of relief as they investigated the inactive train. Barret sank to his knees in relief.
"Oh thank god…" he sighed.
The next hour was a bit of a blur for Tifa. She continued to look after an unconscious Vincent while Barret explained the information to the townspeople. It seemed like some kind of understanding was reached and several people who once threw insults at Barret were seen thanking him for saving their town. One even gave him a particularly unique Materia he had found while mining, the Ultima Materia, once Barret explained why they needed the Huge Materia. The crew of the Highwind came into town to help move the massive crystal into the ship's loading bay. And with one final wave, they departed for Fort Condor where Cid's team was waiting, having completed their own goal while they were on the train. Several hours and a brief stop at Fort Condor later, the Highwind was once again approaching Mideel.
…
"Ugh…"
Vincent groaned as he came back into consciousness.
'What happened?' He asked Chaos.
The demon didn't respond but seemed to be writhing in pain once again. Wondering what was going on with Chaos, Vincent stumbled out of his room, nearly running into Tifa.
"Vincent!" She exclaimed. "You're awake! How are you feeling?"
The man took a deep breath before replying.
"Not great."
"You should be resting!" The fighter fussed as she tried to guide him back into his room.
"Where are we now?" He asked.
"We're just approaching Mideel," she replied. "We're just here to check on Cloud and Yuffie. Cait Sith is waiting for Shinra to react to their dual failures."
The man nodded absently as he stepped around Tifa and made his way down to the outside deck. With a frown, Tifa chased after him.
"I really think you should rest," she urged again. "You don't look too good."
The man shook his head as he leaned against the railing, blurry eyes watching the approaching ground. He mentally probed at the demon again but the result was the same. There seemed to be something wrong with Mideel and its surrounding area but he couldn't figure out what it was, nor did he remember anything like this happening in his memories. Instead, he closed his eyes and tried to ignore the increasing pressure on his skull.
…
Tifa watched as Vincent stubbornly remained outside while frowning at his behavior. He had been acting strangely since Mideel, but she had originally chalked it up to being unease after finding Cloud in such a state. But seeing him react so badly to a transformation had surprised her quite a bit. As far as she was aware, Vincent had reached some kind of truce with his demons. She quickly ducked back inside and ran to her room. There she flipped through his old journal, looking for some clue as to what was going on. She found herself skimming the events to come.
Moments after we returned to Mideel, the WEAPON known as Ultimate WEAPON attacked the town. We barely managed to drive it away after being caught off guard. However, the battle combined with the weight of the WEAPON was enough to weaken the ground underneath the town, causing a massive sinkhole to open up. While much of the town was swallowed by Lifestream, most of the townspeople had escaped towards the coast when the tremors started. I imagine they were all very aware of what it meant to live in Mideel. However, Tifa and Cloud were too slow to leave and subsequently fell into Lifestream. I have little knowledge of what happened in those five minutes they were submerged, but they reemerged seemingly unharmed. Cloud appeared to have regained consciousness and had a newfound confidence as he took lead of the group once again. I can only speculate that Tifa had something to do with it.
Tifa shoved the notebook back into her back and ran back out to the deck. Her mind raced. If she had been with Cloud the first time around, what would happen now that things had changed? Would Cloud still heal or would he and Yuffie simply drown in the Lifestream? Needless to say, the town had to be warned as soon as possible if they wanted to get Cloud and Yuffie out of Mideel.
'That idiot's probably trying to do it alone!' She thought to herself as she burst out into the open air.
At that same moment, there was a heavy thud as the Highwind landed on the plains outside of Mideel. In the distance, she could see Vincent hobbling off into the trees. Without a second thought, she vaulted the rail and landed in the grass below in a crouch. Shaking off the numbness in her legs, she sprinted after him, ignoring Cid's faint shouts asking where she was going.
…
The pain grew with every step he took towards Mideel. A wave of nausea rolled over him causing him to stagger into a tree in an attempt to regain his balance. He struggled to breathe as random spasms caused his chest muscles to seize.
'Chaos! What the hell is going on?!' He gasped.
The demon groaned in pain, but didn't reply. It was getting harder to move as the demon's suffering echoed into Vincent's body. Panting hard, he tried once again to force himself forward.
"Vincent!"
Through bleary eyes, he saw Tifa run over. She hoisted him up, supporting him once he had gotten his bearings.
"Tifa… what…?" Vincent mumbled blearily.
Tifa looked genuinely angry.
"I told you, you should've stayed in bed!" She scolded. "Stop trying to do everything on your own!"
"Yes. Listen to the girl, Valentine. Women are always right, you know?"
A voice sounded behind them, cold and piercing. Vincent's eyes widened as Tifa turned to face the speaker while placing herself protectively in front of him. His mind screamed out that this was not supposed to happen. Ten feet away, another one of Sephiroth's clones stood, complete with General's garb and Masamune. The clone regarded them with a thin smile. Vincent felt Tifa tense as he himself fumbled to draw his gun. The clone paid no attention to this.
"Sephiroth…" Tifa hissed.
The man ignored her as he peered at Vincent.
"Under the weather, Valentine?" He mocked. "I'm rather pleased it worked out."
"What… what did you do…" the gunslinger panted.
The General shrugged.
"All I had to do was manipulate my energy a bit and, presto, I managed to taint a small portion of Lifestream," he smirked. "I'm surprised it worked so well. It must be those pesky demons you have in you. The Puppet certainly didn't appear to get any worse, not that a hollow husk can do much. I can't wait to see what I can do with more power."
"You won't win, Sephiroth!" Tifa shouted. "We'll stop you and that alien freak you call a Mother!"
The corners of Sephiroth's mouth twitched downwards slightly.
"The grownups are talking, little one. Do shut up."
"What – " Tifa started.
Sephiroth blurred and backhanded the fighter hard. She lost her grip on Vincent and slammed into a nearby tree, collapsing limply to the ground. Vincent stumbled to his feet, pointing his weapon shakily at the silver-haired General. The man turned back to Vincent.
"You know, I thought you were merely perceptive. Annoyingly so, but tolerable nevertheless," Sephiroth said calmly as if talking about the weather. "Mother says you know quite a bit more than you should. And I so detest cheaters. It takes all the fun out of the game."
Vincent's heart rate rose. He struggled to keep a composed face. Jenova knew. If she knew, she could fight back. If she knew, the future would derail even further than it already had. They might not even make it to Sephiroth at this point. His eyes flickered to Tifa's insensate form. He couldn't fight, not when she could just as easily be used as a hostage. He tried to keep the nerves out of his voice.
"What do you mean?" He asked flatly.
But the clone seemed to be ignoring him completely.
"To think that the Cetra would go to this extent… their petty meddling knows no bounds," Sephiroth scoffed. "Does that make you a Puppet as well? I supposed it's only fair if I get a Puppet for them to have one as well."
Vincent's vision was blurring as whatever energy Sephiroth was putting out continued to poison the demons sealed in his body. He fought hard not to pass out. If he did, Sephiroth would have his way with how the oncoming events played out. He forced his finger to pull the trigger on his pistol. The shot went completely wide, causing the clone to chuckle lightly.
"You don't look too good. Would you like to play a little game with me instead?" He asked mockingly.
There was no reply from the trembling gunslinger. Sephiroth sighed dramatically.
"This is why I hate cheaters. They're always so dreadfully boring when things don't go their way. You don't even deserve this handicap."
A weight was suddenly lifted. Surprised, Vincent fell to his knees, gasping for air. The clone gave him no reprieve.
"I wonder," he said as he pretended to think. "You left two broken people alone in this savage wilderness. It would be a shame if something were to happen to them…"
Vincent struggled to his feet, eyes widening at the implication.
"The clock is ticking, Cheater," Sephiroth simpered before strolling off into the trees.
Stumbling, Vincent bolted for Mideel. Scenarios raced through his head. The team, losing two people, still approaching Sephiroth only to be thoroughly crushed within moments of entering the Planet's core. The team simply annihilated as Sephiroth decides to simply destroy Mideel himself, leaving the Planet to fend for itself against an opponent it couldn't defeat alone. His own failures, exacerbated by his own actions, leading to a fate much worse than one he had envisioned. In every scenario, Meteor would crash into the Planet. The shockwaves alone would see much of the world destroyed. Every living being apart from Sephiroth and Jenova would perish, leaving an empty, lifeless rock hurtling through space. No, Cloud and Yuffie needed to survive. If he had to die to see this happen, then so be it. The town came into view as he made this last declaration.
"Oh! You're back!" Dr. Wastryn said as he caught sight of Vincent partway through paying for supplies.
Vincent barreled right past him and up the small slope towards the white clinic. Ignoring his straining muscles, he forced himself to go faster. He burst into the building and ran for Cloud's room.
They were safe.
Yuffie lay quietly sleeping, her head resting on Cloud's bed and her hand clasping his. Cloud was still disoriented, hardly noticing the cloaked man as he barged in.
"Congratulations. You beat me here."
The lazy drawl caused Vincent to jump. He grabbed his gun and turned to find Sephiroth leaning casually against the wall several paces away. The General's bright green eyes glinted with amusement in the midday light filtering in through the windows. In a flash, Vincent raised his weapon to fire. Before he even started pulling the trigger, he felt the folded steel of the Masamune enter his chest. Chaos roared out through his agony.
'Get out of there!'
"I'm starting to think you enjoy being stabbed by my blade," Sephiroth quipped as he stared at the struggling man.
Something inside snapped at Sephiroth's casual attitude. Forcibly ignoring the pain, he slid into the hilt of the blade and grabbed a hold of Sephiroth. With a mighty roar, he shoved the General through a nearby window and began dragging him into the jungle. Caught off guard, Sephiroth was unable to find solid footing and allowed himself to be tackled deep into the wilderness. About thirty feet in, the General snarled and threw Vincent off, removing his blade at the same time. Vincent screamed in pain as he clutched his now freely bleeding chest wound. Breathing was getting more difficult, the run hadn't helped. Through sheer force of will, he raised his weapon and fired several times at the General. It was a fruitless attempt.
"Hah! Without the Cetra, you're nothing!" Sephiroth cackled gleefully.
The seven-foot blade of the Masamune sang through the air and deflected the bullets with ease. Sephiroth flashed forward and, with one clean sweep of his sword, easily sliced through the hardened steel of Vincent's weapon. An artful flurry of strokes and Vincent was on the ground bleeding heavily from multiple cuts.
"This is really boring, you know that?" The silver-haired man asked casually. "But I suppose that's why you have to cheat. You can't play the game properly after all."
Roaring in fury and frustration, a heavily injured Vincent leapt to his feet and lashed out with his prosthetic. At close range, the General didn't have enough time to dodge. The sharp metal claws of his prosthetic tore through the clone's face and neck. Sephiroth let out a shout of anger as the Masamune whipped through the air in response. Vincent felt something break and, half a beat later, realized that his arm had been shattered. The General's boot came up, kicking Vincent into a nearby tree where he fell and remained grounded. The clone frowned when he realized his wounds were not healing. Blood dripped freely down the four raw gashes across his face, which had rendered one of his eyes useless. A fifth on his neck seeped profusely, pulsating with his heartbeat.
"Looks like this body wasn't as compatible as I'd hoped," Sephiroth said with a shrug.
The clone stepped forward to deliver the final blow. Then, the ground shook suddenly, throwing him off balance. A fearsome roar sounded from the direction of the village. Sephiroth regained his balance as the ground shook again, more violently this time. He smirked down at the dying man on the jungle floor.
"Looks like play time is over. I wonder if the Cetra had anything to do with it.
Another roar, closer now, followed by the rumbling thud of something heavy landing nearby. In a daze, Vincent could hear sounds of combat. He turned his head ever so slightly and barely made out the massive body of Ultimate WEAPON through the foliage. The clone sighed.
"Who am I kidding," he continued. "Of course they had something to do with this. They always love to meddle."
He looked down at Vincent who remained motionless.
"Those Cetra aren't all saints, you know? They'll gladly choose another Puppet once they realize you've died," Sephiroth smiled grimly as he stared into the distance. "When you see those manipulative bastards, tell them this. Stop meddling. Just let Fate run its course. Cheating is reserved for the Gods."
Vincent coughed, spitting out blood onto the dusty jungle floor. The battle against Ultimate WEAPON raged on just out of their sight. The ground was beginning to shake badly now.
"They're really going overboard with this aren't they?" The clone asked casually.
Vincent could do nothing. His healing was no longer working; he had lost too much blood. When he tried to transform, he found only an eerie silence in the confines of his mind. His breathing was harsh and he had to pant now to take in any oxygen. His fingers were cold and he could feel icy tendrils inching closer towards his heart. For the first time in a long time, he felt almost human. A dying human, incapacitated in his final moments and unable to do anything about it. The clone suddenly turned back to him and grinned. The smile stretched awkwardly, pulling at the damaged flesh of his face.
"Well, it's about time to take the rest of your energy I suppose."
Before Vincent could process what Sephiroth was talking about, another roar rang out along with a dull explosion that shook even the sturdy trees nearby. The hulking form of the WEAPON rose and lumbered off into the sky. As it did, something gave. The ground in the distance began to crumble as Lifestream oozed out from between the cracks. The General grabbed Vincent and began dragging him over towards the glowing green ocean. Vincent struggled feebly but was no longer able to generate more than a twitch in his limbs.
"Don't worry, I'll send your little friends along soon!"
The clone spoke cheerfully as he tightened his grip on Vincent's arm. Vincent had one brief glance of a shattered town and a sea of green before he was dragged down into the murky depths. There was a raucous screeching as fluid filled his ears and mouth, flowing unhindered into his lungs.
Then, there was silence.
…
Yuffie jolted awake to the sound of someone shouting and glass breaking. Blinking blearily, she looked around. Her eyes landed on a spatter of blood near the doorway. She immediately stood, wary of an attack. Poking her head slowly outside, she found no one around except for a broken window. Cautiously, she retreated back into the room and was about to sit back down when a loud roar shattered the sleepy silence of the small clinic. She stumbled and grabbed onto Cloud's bed to steady herself. Cloud stared blankly at her actions but didn't react further. Leaping up, Yuffie ran outside and towards the front of the clinic. Running outside, she found the source of the disturbance. A jet black beast hovered there. She had seen something similar barely two days ago, but this one seemed much bigger. A single word echoed through her mind.
'WEAPON.'
And it was charging at the village. Towards the line of trees, she saw several figures running into town. She could make out the red of Nanaki's coat and the white of Cait Sith's mog. As the group drew closer, she couldn't help notice that Vincent and Tifa seemed to be missing. Her thoughts were interrupted as the WEAPON let out a blast of energy from its mouth, clearing out a line of trees uncomfortably close to the town. Nanaki rushed by and caught sight of the weaponless girl.
"Yuffie! Get inside! It's dangerous out here!" He growled before he rushed off to engage the WEAPON.
Yuffie continued to stare uncomprehendingly up at the WEAPON. She was suddenly grabbed by Cid who was catching up.
"Look out!"
He gave her a mighty shove, sending her back inside the entrance of the clinic as he dived to the right. Another blast tore through the streets, carving a trench outside the clinic. Yuffie blinked the stars out of her eyes as the WEAPON landed with a heavy rumble just outside the town. The rest of the team unleashed an all-out attack on the armored beast. It thrashed about and fought back, causing the earth to shake with every strike. As Yuffie debated what to do, Dr. Wastryn rushed back into the clinic.
"Quickly! We need to evacuate!" The doctor shouted as he dragged the girl towards Cloud's room.
It was fortunate for the good doctor that Cloud was his only patient in the clinic and his other cases were abroad. The man grabbed a few important portable data drives and rushed over to help Yuffie move Cloud into a wheelchair. He deftly disconnected Cloud's IV lines and helped the ninja hoist the heavy man into the parked chair. Fortunately for them, the man wasn't completely dead weight and could stand with some support. He stared blankly up at the girl helping him.
"Don't worry Cloud," Yuffie said with a forced grin. "We'll get you someplace safe."
Once he was secure, they vacated the building. The pair skirted around the deep trench outside of the building and continued away from the fight. As Yuffie rolled Cloud carefully down the uneven road, a stray blast seared through a nearby house. The resulting shockwave, threw the trio to the ground, with Cloud rolling out of his chair with barely a flinch.
"Help me!" The old doctor said as he righted the wheelchair and hoisted Cloud to his shoulders.
Ignoring her now bleeding hands and knees, Yuffie moved to comply and, after a heart-stopping moment when another beam cut across the town, they managed to start moving again. The WEAPON let out another roar as they were about halfway across town and the earth shuddered again. This was followed by a flurry of wind, which caused the two to look up. They caught sight of the massive jet-black creature hovering above the town, energy gathering in its mouth as it prepared an attack. At that moment, the Highwind swooped in and fired on the beast with all of its available artillery. The WEAPON cried out in pain and faltered in the air momentarily before crashing back to the ground with another earth-shaking boom. It fired up at the Highwind in frustration, forcing the ship to veer out of the way. Seeing its chance, the monster took to the skies once more and, before anything else could be done, it escaped north, away from Mideel. A strange quiet fell on the town as Yuffie let out a sigh of relief.
"It's gone…" she muttered.
Then the ground started shaking again.
"We're not in the clear yet!" Dr. Wastryn shouted as he started pushing Cloud again. "That thing must've weakened the crust! I think we're about to get hit by aftershocks!"
As if in response, the ground shook harder. They ran for the trees in the distance, trying their best to stay on their feet. Several dozen feet from the tree line, there was a loud cracking noise and the ground beneath their feet shifted. Yuffie watched as a fissure formed in the street near them. Without thinking, her hand shot out as she shoved Wastryn across the line. The next instant she felt the ground around her shift again causing her to tilt backwards and fall hard onto the street.
"YUFFIE!" She heard Cid yelling.
She caught sight of the group running towards her circumnavigating a massive pool of green. It was then that she realized Dr. Wastryn had drifted a few feet further when she fell. Getting up on shaky legs, she clutched the handles of Cloud's wheelchair in fear as she realized she was on a sinking island in a sea of Lifestream.
"YUFFIE GET OUT OF THERE!" Nanaki shouted as the team neared the edge of the land.
The girl looked down at her friend and back towards her teammates. Instead of running, she began trying to push Cloud towards the others. She hadn't moved more than ten feet when the ground broke once more, sending Cloud and Yuffie careening into the incandescent liquid. It was surprisingly viscous and she found she couldn't swim through it at all. She could hear the others shouting her name as she used all her strength to reach out and grab Cloud. The man merely stared blankly as he slowly sank into Lifestream. She clutched her disoriented leader closer as the liquid sucked them under. Within seconds, her head was pulled under and the world became tinged in green. Her last thoughts as she lost consciousness were that of the man in her arms.
…
Tifa groaned as the shaking brought her back to consciousness. The world spun and when she touched her head, her hand came back stained with blood. It took her a few seconds to realize what the shaking was. She stood unsteadily and began limping towards Mideel. Her breathing was labored and she could feel that at least two of her ribs were cracked. After a few minutes, she saw the unmistakable form of Cait Sith standing just beyond the trees. The other members of AVALANCHE along with Dr. Wastryn and his assistant were there as well, staring out at the massive lake of Lifestream that had replaced Mideel.
"Guys…" she wheezed as she stumbled through the underbrush.
Nanaki's ears perked up as he turned.
"Tifa!" He gasped as he caught sight of her.
This caused the others to turn as well.
"Tifa! Where the hell were you?" Cid growled. "What the hell happened to you?"
The woman winced as she gingerly held her side.
"Sephiroth… he was here…" she panted. "He… Where… are Cloud and Yuffie?"
Cid merely pointed at Lifestream. Tifa felt her heart sink.
"I'm sorry," Dr. Wastryn apologized. "The young girl pushed me to safety when the ground started breaking apart. We were trying to evacuate Mr. Strife."
Tifa swallowed hard before continuing.
"And Vincent?" She asked desperately. "Has anyone seen him?"
The others glanced around and shook their heads.
"I thought he was wit' you," Barret said.
"You don't think… Sephiroth got to him, do you?" Cait Sith asked worriedly.
Tifa glanced around in a panic. She turned to Nanaki.
"Can you track him?" She pleaded.
The feline nodded as he raised his head to the sky and inhaled. A frown marred his face shortly after.
"I think so," he said uncertainly. "But it's faint."
The team followed Nanaki partway around the west side of the Lifestream lake. After a moment, Nanaki paused at the edge of a clearing, staring at something in the distance. Tifa limped through the bushes and caught sight of what her friend had found. She felt her legs give out as her breathing sped up. The surrounding area had been demolished by cuts from an edged weapon. In the center lay a shattered pistol and the remains of a clawed prosthetic near a drying pool of blood. She opened trembling lips and uttered a single word.
"Vincent…?"
…
A/N: I… I only wanted to add a bit more filler for flow… how did it double again…
…
Omake 11:
'Ugh… I feel like shit…'
Vincent groaned as Chaos complained for the umpteenth time.
'Seriously, what the hell is wrong with you?' Vincent groused. 'You're never this whiny.'
'I think I drank too much…' the demon mumbled.
The gunslinger paused.
'Run that by me again?' He said, wondering if his grip on reality had finally broken.
'Me and the boys visited the Underworld's finest bar last night and things got a bit crazy…'
Vincent blinked.
'The boys…? Wait! You can leave?!'
'Yeah, I thought I mentioned that when we first met?'
'You didn't say anything of the sort!'
'Oh…well, we can… but… urlp…'
Vincent stared blankly into space as retching echoed throughout his mind.