Final Fantasy VII [3rd Instalment]
Emerald Princess of Vernea
Chapter Thirty-Nine
The hours following the death of Hojo were a blur for most of the companions, with memories of a long night they did not want to remember.
Reeve had been waiting for them when they reached the bottom of the cannon. On his request Cloud and the others split up into the city to help with the evacuation, aiding the emergency services to evacuate as many children or injured civilians as possible. Reeve, they learned, was in charge of the operation, which he had implemented as soon as Scarlet and Heidegger had been 'retired'.
And so the companions had teamed up in pairs and dispersed into the city. The raging storm impeded the effort, making it difficult for the emergency helicopters to land. Some civilians, to their surprise, helped out by aiding the young, old and injured to the helicopters.
They worked well into the night. Finally, in the early hours of the morning, the storm passed. Reeve thanked the companions for their help; they had managed to evacuate almost a fifth of the city's inhabitants in a single night. Now that the civilians knew that help was on the way they were beginning to calm down, and as such Reeve said that he could handle the rest.
The companions said their goodbyes to Reeve, wished him luck, and returned to the Highwind. The crew welcomed them back with cheers and applause, but the companions were too tired to respond. The long night had taken its toll on their bruised, tired bodies. They crawled into their beds (or in Red XIII's case, the floor on the bridge), and let welcome sleep take them.
"Shinra's… finished," said Cait.
It was now the following morning, and the companions were once again gathered on the bridge of the Highwind. They all looked tired. Their sleep had been far from peaceful. Visions of misshapen monsters had haunted their dreams. It was only when—and none of them would admit this—they dreamt of a warm hand touching their shoulder, or a glimpse of a brown-haired figure with a pink ribbon, that their dreams finally eased and they were able to sleep once again.
Cloud turned away from the window. "Meteor's going to fall in about…" He frowned, thinking. When was Meteor going to fall?
Red XIII answered his question. "Seven more days," he said. He looked at the floor and shook his head. "That's what Grandfather said."
Cloud crossed his arms and looked closely at Red XIII. His stare was so intense and thoughtful that Red XIII felt almost embarrassed and shuffled from paw to paw. His tail, sensing his anxiety, twitched along the floor.
"Red XIII…" said Cloud finally. "You want to see everyone in Cosmo Canyon again?"
The hound stopped shuffling and looked at Cloud. "…Yes," he answered, quiet.
Cloud nodded. He had thought as much. Red XIII's thoughts were never far from his grandfather, or his home in Cosmo Canyon. And he was not the only one. Cloud turned to Barret. "You want to see Marlene, right?" he asked.
Now it was Barret's turn to shift uncomfortably. "Don't ask me that," he said snippily.
The answer, of course, was obvious. Cloud then turned his attention to the whole group. "We'll beat Sephiroth…" he said, and his voice had a serious tone to it. "Then, if we don't release the power of Holy in seven days… There won't be a planet left to protect. If we can't beat Sephiroth… It's as good as death for us. We'll just go a few days sooner than the rest who'll die from Meteor."
Barret couldn't believe his ears. "Don't be thinkin' you're gonna lose before ya even fight!" he shouted, startling Yuffie, who still had a headache from the night before.
Cloud quickly turned to him and shook his head fiercely, indicating that that was not what he meant. "No!" he said sharply.
He paused and turned to face the window. Raindrops still dotted the glass from the night's heavy rain, and the murky grey sky promised more rain to come. Cloud watched as a trickle of water slid along the glass, trying to think of the right words to use to express what it was he wanted to say.
"What I meant was…" Cloud said, starting again. "What are we all fighting for? I want us all to understand that." The swordsman leaned his arm against the window. "Save the planet… for the future of the planet… Sure, that's all fine. But really, is that how it is?"
Cloud's eyes wandered down to the ground, where the dry and parched land was finally soaking up much needed water. It reminded him of another rainy day not so long ago… He turned from the window.
"For me, this is a personal feud. I want to beat Sephiroth. And settle my past. Saving the planet just happens to be part of that. I've been thinking. I think we all are fighting for ourselves. For ourselves… and that someone… something… whatever that is, that's important to us. That's what we're fighting for. That's why we keep up this battle for the planet."
Barret listened to Cloud's words with a serious face. Then he nodded slowly.
"You're right…" he admitted, though it was with much regret. "It sounds cool sayin' it's to save the planet. But I was the one who blew up that Mako Reactor…" He scratched his head sheepishly, aware of Cait's eyes on him. "Lookin' back now, I can see that wasn't the right way to do things. I made a lot of friends and innocent bystanders suffer… At first, it was revenge against Shinra. For attackin' my town. But now… Yeah. I'm fightin' for Marlene. For Marlene… For Marlene's future… Yeah… I guess I just want to save the planet for Marlene's sake…"
Cloud nodded his head. He smiled. It seemed Barret understood. It was not about saving the planet. It was about protecting what was important to them. They fought because they had something that they wanted to protect. At all costs. Saving the planet and the rest of the people one it… was just a bonus.
Around him, the others were beginning to realise this too. Each of them began to think of the things that were most important to them. Whether they were personal memories… people… or even dreams that they had for the future. In their hearts they gauged the importance of all these things, trying to decide if they were something truly worth risking their lives for.
"Go and see her," Cloud told Barret. "Make sure you're right, and come back." He then looked to everyone else. "All of you. Get off the ship and find out your reasons for yourselves. I want you to make sure. Then I want you to come back."
"Maybe ain't none of us'll come back," Cid pointed out. Everyone looked at him. "Meteor's gonna kill us all anyway. Let's just forget any useless struggling!"
It was a blunt statement. Nonetheless, it was true. What Cloud was asking had huge implications. With the Northern Barrier gone, their next opponent would be Sephiroth himself. Fighting Hojo had been difficult, but Sephiroth would be much stronger. If they didn't have the heart to fight him, Cloud was saying, then they should not go.
"I know why I'm fighting," Cloud said. "I'm fighting to save the planet, and that's that. But besides that, there's something personal too… A very personal memory that I have." Once more, he looked around at his friends. "What about you all? I want all of you to find that something within yourselves. If you don't find it, then that's okay too. You can't fight without a reason, right? So, I won't hold it against you if you don't come back."
His speech over, the Highwind turned and headed off, taking everyone home. They dropped Barret off first just outside of Midgar, after Cait finally revealed to him where Marlene was staying and eagerly waiting for him. The big man ran off, longing to see the little girl he had not seen in so long.
The next stop was Cosmo Canyon. As always they landed the airship on the outskirts of the rocky mountains and let Red XIII jump from the ship. The hound ran towards the village with great enthusiasm. His grandfather should have returned to the village by now, and Red XIII was eager to see him again.
Vincent they dropped off in Nibelheim, the only place that held any meaning for him. Here was where he had met Lucrecia for the first time, and the place where his life had been changed forever. The Shinra staff living there had packed their bags and left, leaving Nibelheim as nothing more than a ghost town built in a shadow of memory. The gunman walked through the silent streets and headed towards Shinra Mansion. He walked through its giant doors and closed them behind him.
Cid was next. The Highwind landed just outside of Rocket Town, startling more than a few of the residents who had dared to step outside and into Meteor's light. The pilot said nothing as he left the ship, nor did he look at anyone. He climbed silently down the ladder and headed towards the town. Instead of heading towards his house, however, he went to the now empty launch pad. The Shinra No. 26 was gone now, but it was still his favourite place to be. The pilot wandered among the remains, before sitting down amongst them. He lit up a cigarette, thinking hard.
The Highwind then crossed the ocean and stopped outside of Wutai, Yuffie's home. The ninja was uncharacteristically sombre as she descended from the Highwind. The enormity of what Cloud was asking of them had finally sunk in, it seemed. Yuffie, more than anyone, had little reason to fight. She had wormed her way into the group only for the opportunity to get more materia for her village, not to end up in a battle for the planet. It was a big step, and required a lot of serious thinking for the sixteen-year-old girl.
The last to leave the airship was Cait, albeit a little unconventionally. Being nothing more than a remote-controlled robot, there was no special place for Cait to go. So he said a brief farewell to Cloud before taking his place at the back of the bridge. He gave them a quick wave and then deactivated himself, slumping against the wall. Back in Midgar, Reeve wandered the streets of Midgar, lost in thought.
The Highwind returned to the lands outside Midgar, the agreed meeting place for those who decided to return. Here the airship crew left, for even their job was not without danger. That left only Cloud and Tifa. They stood together on the bridge of the Highwind, looking at each other.
"What are you going to do, Tifa?" Cloud asked her.
Tifa looked at him, her dark eyes saddened. "Did you forget?" she asked in reply. "I'm… all alone. I don't have anywhere to go."
Sometime later, when the day was drawing to a close and the sun was beginning to set in the west, the Highwind came to a rest on the outskirts of the Midgar Plains. Without their friends they found the Highwind was too lonely a place to stay, so they turned off all the power and left the airship behind. They stood together at the top of a rocky hill, watching the sunset.
Tifa walked to the edge of a rocky ledge and looked up at the sky. The rain clouds had finally cleared, and it promised to be a beautifully clear and peaceful night. It was the end of another day. Tomorrow would be the day: the day they went to the Northern Cave to challenge Sephiroth. The chosen day. This, Tifa realised, could be the last sunset she might ever see. The last night she'd get to spend with her friends, who, at that moment, were probably thinking these very same things.
"Everyone's gone…" she whispered sadly, breaking the silence.
Cloud nodded his head slowly and watched as a thin, grey cloud drifted overhead—the last remnants of the storm. "Yeah," he replied. "We don't have anywhere or anyone to go home to."
Tifa lowered her head and stared at the ground. Aside from each other, everybody they had loved and held dear were already dead. Her father, Cloud's mother, their friends… Even their hometown no longer felt like their own. The Shinra Company had deprived them even of a place to call home.
'Find your reason to fight'. That was what Cloud wanted them to do. Find something that they treasured so much that they would fight to the death for it. Yet what reason was there to fight, when so much had already been taken away?
She knew her answer, of course. It had come to her the moment Cloud had asked her. Her reason to fight… was her friends. Cloud, Barret, and the others. She wanted to keep on fighting for their sakes. To be able to see them every day, speak with them every day… just to be with them. Tifa wanted to fight so that she could continue doing that, each and every day. That was her reason.
"You're right…" she said. The fighter ran a hand through her long dark brown hair, freshly washed and combed following the hectic night. "But… I'm sure someday… they'll come back, don't you think?"
She was talking about the others. Even though some of them, such as Cid, had seemed hesitant about splitting up to find their reason for fighting, Tifa knew deep inside that they would find it. She knew in her heart that they would come back.
Cloud however, did not seem as sure. "Hmm… I wonder…?" he said. "Everyone has an irreplaceable something they're holding onto… But this time… our opponent…"
Sephiroth. Tifa turned to Cloud. "Hmm… But that's all right, even if no one comes back." Cloud raised his head to look at her. Tifa smiled at him. "As long as I'm with you…" she said. "As long as you're by my side… I won't give up even if I'm scared."
"…Tifa…"
Tifa clasped her hands behind her back. "No matter how close we are… We were far apart… before this." She looked out at the horizon, where the sun was beginning to slip behind the mountains. "But when we were in the Lifestream surrounded by all those screams of anguish, I thought I heard your voice…"
A cool wind blew and ruffled her dark hair. Tifa closed her eyes, letting the rain blow across her skin and ruffle her clothes. She listened as it rustled through the patchy grass. Up here the world was so different; no one would ever guess the pain and suffering of the planet deep inside. But Tifa had never forgotten those feelings; the horrid cries of a planet in desperate pain. Tifa thought she would lose herself that day, drowning in the misery of the planet.
Tears welled up in her eyes. "…You probably don't remember this…" she said with a sniffle. "But deep in my heart I heard you calling my name… Or at least I thought you did…"
"I see…" he said, turning away. "I think I've heard about it, too."
He tried to cast his mind back to when he too was in the Lifestream. But as Tifa had said, there was much he could not remember. His memories of what happened after he fell into the Lifestream at the Northern Crater were fuzzy; most of it felt like a strange dream. Yet there was one thing he did remember clearly: the sound of a voice calling his name.
"At that time, it was Tifa's voice…" Cloud trailed off. He turned to Tifa, who still had her back to him. "You were calling me back from the stream of consciousness in the Lifestream. After all, I promised that if anything were to ever happen to you, I would come to help."
Tifa wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. She looked up at the sky, where the evening stars were just becoming visible. Tifa's tears slowly stopped as she looked up at those stars. She would not tell anybody this but many nights she stayed up to watch the stars while the others were sleeping. She found the same solace looking up at the stars that Cid did, although for entirely different reasons. When Cid looked at the stars, he saw the vast expanse of space—an ocean filled with unknowns. When Tifa looked at them, it made her think more about where she was now. There were less and less stars shining lately—drowned out by Meteor's light.
"Cloud…? Do you think the stars can hear us? Do you think they can see how hard we're fighting for them?"
Cloud followed her gaze; his eyes traced a pattern through a small cluster of stars. "I dunno…" he answered her finally. "But… Whether they are or not, we still have to do what we can. And believe in ourselves… Right, Tifa? I'll find the answer someday. As long as I keep trying. That's what I learned from you when I was in the Lifestream."
Tifa tore her eyes away from the stars and looked back at the ground. "Yeah… that's right…" she said softly. Another tear rolled down her cheek.
Cloud too looked away from the stars, and turned his eyes to Tifa. "Hey Tifa… I…"
He then stopped, hesitant. In front of him, Tifa inclined her head, waiting for him to speak. It had been a long time since he and Tifa had been alone together like this. Not since the Lifestream, in fact. Events had moved so fast there had been little time to reflect on the experiences they had shared, or to say things that still needed to be said. Now that they were alone, they had that chance. Cloud scratched the back of his head, feeling suddenly awkward. He tried again.
"There's a lot of things I wanted to talk to you about," he said, trying a different approach. "But now that we're together like this, I don't know what I really wanted to say…" He sighed. "I guess nothing's changed at all… Kind of makes you want to laugh…" To prove his point, he chuckled softly.
Tifa, however, did not laugh. She turned to face Cloud, her dark eyes gleaming with tears. "Cloud… Words aren't the only thing that tell people what you're thinking…"
She paused, waiting for Cloud to continue. She looked right into his glowing blue eyes and held their gaze in earnest. She knew he was troubled by the thoughts of what may happen tomorrow, and that he was keeping those thoughts locked up tight. How she longed for him to open up to her and tell her what he was thinking and feeling, to give her a chance to relieve that worry.
But Cloud, unfortunately, just turned his gaze away from her. "… We've got a big battle tomorrow," he said instead, "we'd better get some sleep."
Tifa waited a moment, hoping that he would say something more to give away what he was feeling. But Cloud refused to look at her; he was not quite ready to show the things he was keeping secret in his heart. Accepting this, Tifa slowly nodded her head. This was another reason she chose to fight alongside him. So that when Cloud was ready, she would be there for him.
For now, at least, she had to wait. "Umm. Yes, I guess you're right…" she said.
Tifa's dreams that night were peaceful and filled with memories, as she slept beneath the stars at Cloud's side. They sat together on the rocky hill, with Tifa's head resting on Cloud's shoulder. There were no dreams of terrifying monsters promising death. All those nightmares had been pushed aside; her subconscious knowing no matter what she had Cloud by her side to protect her.
Cloud however, did not sleep. The swordsman stayed awake throughout the night, watching Meteor as it drew ever closer to the planet. Seven days… That was all the planet had left before Meteor struck. No, it was less than that now. But if they could not defeat Sephiroth today, then this would be the last day they ever saw.
His thoughts turned to his friends. How many of them would actually come back, he thought to himself. Tifa, he knew, was sure they would all come back. On the face of it the answer was obvious: of course they would come back and fight. But as Cid had pointed out yesterday: even if they did beat Sephiroth, there was always a chance that Meteor would destroy them anyway, so why struggle against a hopeless fate?
These thoughts ran through Cloud's mind all night long, until the first light of dawn rose in the east. Seeing the growing light, Cloud looked over at Tifa. The fighter was still sleeping, her hair draped over her face.
"…It's almost dawn…" he said quietly.
At his voice, Tifa stirred and opened her eyes. "H, huh…?" she muttered sleepily.
"Morning, Tifa. Sorry. Did I wake you? It's almost dawn…"
Tifa yawned and sat up. "Mmm… …Good morning, Cloud," she said. She rubbed her eyes and looked up at the approaching dawn. She frowned. Had night passed already? She… wasn't ready yet. "Give me a little longer…" she asked Cloud. She laid her head back against his shoulder, shuffling close. "Just a little longer… This day will never come again… So let me have this moment…"
She closed her eyes again. Cloud looked down at her, silent. "…" He looked up at the sky. It would still be another hour or so before the dawn had fully settled over the sky. They still had some time. "Yeah… okay," he answered. "This is probably the last time we'll have together…"
But Tifa did not hear him. She had already fallen back asleep, returning to whatever dream she had been having before he had woken her up. Cloud smiled a little as he watched her sleeping. He then sighed heavily, laid his head against hers and closed his eyes. Perhaps even he could get a little sleep before morning came.
Morning eventually came and Cloud, who had been unable to sleep after all, woke Tifa from her sleep. The young woman said little as Cloud went off to fetch water from a nearby lake, or when they ate breakfast. Her eyes kept drifting off to the land around them. Cloud knew what she was looking for: some sign that the others had returned. Cloud could have told her that she was wasting her time: he had not seen any sign of the others.
Once breakfast was finished and cleared up, Cloud and Tifa sat on the hill and waited. Before the companions parted it had been agreed that all those who decided to fight would return to the airship by one o' clock. After that the Highwind would leave and head on to the Northern Crater.
The hours passed and the sun climbed higher and higher into the sky. It reached its zenith—only one hour to go until the appointed time. Once again Tifa stood up and looked around at the landscape. There was still no sign of Barret or the others. She folded her hands over her heart. "…"
Behind her, Cloud rose to his feet. He turned to her. "We'd better go."
Tifa spun around to face him. "But, I still…!" Her mind whirled. It was not yet the agreed time! Besides, there were still so many things that she wanted to say to him. It couldn't possibly be time to leave!
Cloud shook his head, silencing any objections she might have raised. "It's all right, Tifa," he told her. "You said so yourself yesterday. At least we don't have to go on alone."
Tifa's heart was torn. She did not want to leave like this. And yet she knew… if the others had decided to come with them, they would have arrived long before now. But it was she herself who said that it did not matter if the others did not come back. As long as she was fighting by Cloud's side, then she would give her all.
"Yes…" she said. "That's right!" She smiled.
Cloud was glad to see the spark back in her eyes again. He bent down to pick his sword up from the ground and hooked it in its usual place behind his back. "Okay! Let's go!" he said, and headed back towards the airship. Tifa followed close behind.
The Highwind was just as they had left it—empty and silent. Their footsteps echoed noisily on the metal hallways. It was as though all the life in the airship had gone. In a manner of speaking it had done, since Cloud and Tifa were the only living people on the Highwind. They began to cross the metal walkway leading to the main deck.
"The airship is just too big for just the two of us," Tifa said as they crossed, their boots clattering loudly. She looked around her. Normally the sound of the engines would be almost deafening in her, but everything remained silent. "Yeah, it's a little lonely without everyone."
Cloud stopped and turned to her. "Don't worry. It'll be okay." When Tifa looked at him incredulously, the swordsman grinned and dropped down to do a few energetic squats. "I'll make a big enough ruckus for everyone. Besides, I'm the pilot," he added, finishing his squats. "No more flying around casually like before. We won't have time to feel lonely."
Tifa knew he was only trying to cheer her up, but she couldn't help but smile. She was just about to speak when the airship suddenly sprang into life. The engines roared as they came back online; lights flickered on throughout the airship. The walkway hummed and the familiar scent of working machinery filled the air. Cloud and Tifa looked around them in amazement.
"Huh!"
"It's moving…" said Cloud.
He looked at Tifa. She looked back at him. The same thought crossed their minds. They turned and raced along the walkway, leaped up the steps to the door, flung it open and burst onto the bridge. Tifa jumped and cried out in joy.
Barret was there, along with Cid. Both men had their backs to Cloud and Tifa, with Cid working to bring the airship back online.
Cloud stared in amazement. "Barret! Cid!"
Barret turned. Seeing Cloud and Tifa, he scratched his head sheepishly. "O, oh…" he said. "Is that okay with you?"
Cloud nodded his head. Of course it was all right. After all, they had come back. Even Cid, who had been the one to raise doubts about them coming back in the first place. The pilot met his gaze and inclined his head, then turned back to the controls.
A gruff bark sounded off to the right. Cloud and Tifa turned and jumped for joy as they saw Red XIII sitting at the bottom of the steps. The hound padded up the steps and sat at the top, his tail swishing. "Red XIII!" exclaimed Cloud. Red XIII smiled.
Tifa shook her head in disbelief. Barret, Cid, and Red XIII… they had come back! But when had they… She shook her head again and turned to Barret. "Why didn't you tell me!" she demanded, her eyes accusing.
Barret shuffled uncomfortably. He scratched his head, unable to meet her gaze.
Red XIII shook his head and looked over at Cid. "But, you know, Cid," he said.
"Hey, Red XIII," Cid interrupted. He left the controls and walked over to him. "If you butt in now, you never know what they'll say later…"
Tifa watched the exchange in growing confusion. What on earth were they talking about? Barret was still avoiding meeting her gaze, as was Red XIII. Cid, however, grinned at her playfully. Suddenly she understood.
"…Were you watching?" she asked, a hot blush rising to her cheeks. Cid's teasing grin grew wider. Tifa's face burned hotter, and she turned and ran to the front of the airship. She stood with her back to Cid and the others, hands folded behind her back, and her foot tapping the floor shyly. Cid laughed at her embarrassment.
Cloud sighed heavily. He heard the door open behind him and turned to see Vincent walk onto the bridge, cool as always. Cloud stared in amazement.
"Vincent!"
Vincent stopped and looked at Cloud. "Why such a puzzled look?" he asked. "You don't want me to come?"
Cloud shook his head. "No," he replied hurriedly, "it's just that you're always so cold. I thought you didn't care what was happening."
"Cool?" Vincent mulled this over. "Hmm… I guess that's just how I am, sorry."
With that Vincent turned and jumped over the rails to the lower level, taking up his usual position. It had not been a hard decision to make. Though Hojo was gone, Vincent still had one more job to do. Lucrecia's dreams of Sephiroth… he would help to put an end to them.
The sound of static filled the room. Everyone turned to the back of the room, where Cait Sith had just come back online. "Well, lookey-here," said Barret, as Cait repositioned himself on the Mog's head. "The Shinra Manager's come back."
Ignoring Barret, Cait tapped the Mog on the head. The Mog too came back online and lifted its large body off the floor. It made a show of stretching itself, like it had just woken up from a long sleep, before turning and plodding over to rejoin Cloud and the others. Cait lowered his head and his ears drooped low.
"Um, excuse me, but…" he began, a little hesitantly. "I wanted to come with the main group, but I couldn't get away… So some people in Midgar took me in." The cat raised his head and looked at them in earnest. "I know I have a stuffed animal body, but I'll work really hard!"
He looked at Cloud, his furry face hopeful. Cloud, in response, nodded his head. Midgar was in a terrible state, and with all the panic and the evacuation operations it would have been very difficult for Reeve to leave. But his robotic avatar was here in his place, and that was all that mattered.
Barret looked around, counting. "I guess that's everyone," he said, folding his arms.
Red XIII shook his head. "No, Yuffie's missing."
Barret snorted. "She ain't gonna show up," he said, scowling. "Least this time she didn't steal our materia. Guess we gotta be thankful for that."
"How could you say that!"
The voice came from above. Barret looked up and then jumped back in surprise as Yuffie jumped down through a hatch in the roof, which she had picked open to make a grand entrance. She landed in the centre and spun round to face him, her face angry. The ninja put her hands on her hips and glared at Barret indignantly.
"I came all the way here after being seasick as a dog!" she said, huffing. "I didn't go through all that just to have you guys have all the best parts all to yourselves!" Her eyes looked like they could shoot daggers. Barret scratched his head, sheepish. Yuffie turned her gaze round to everyone, daring them to oppose her being there.
Cloud stepped forward. "Welcome back, Yuffie," he said.
Yuffie turned to face him. Her anger quickly dissipated, and her face took on a bashful expression. "Gee, Cloud…" she said, touched. "That's so nice of you to say that… You sick?" She laughed as Cloud scowled. "Well, whatever," the ninja continued, turning away from him. "I'm gonna be in my reserved spot in the hall… waiting…" Her face then paled as the engines gave an especially loud hum and caused the ground to vibrate beneath her. "Upp! …Urk!" She pushed past Cloud, her hands over her mouth, making a break for the hallway.
Everyone watched her go. Cloud looked around at his friends. He had had his doubts, but inwardly he was pleased that every single one of them had decided to fight. After everything they had been through together, it only made sense that they should face the end together, as well.
"Thanks, everyone," he said.
Barret's eyes narrowed. "We didn't come back for your spiky headed ass!" he said, perhaps a little too hurriedly. He did not want Cloud to get the wrong idea. "We came back for Marlene. Guess it's jes' my… whatcha call, feelings or somethin'." Everybody's eyes were on him at this point, and he hesitated, feeling suddenly awkward. He turned away. "I, uh, I ain't got no words now…"
But words were no longer necessary. Everybody knew now why they were fighting. There were no more misguided feelings, no misconceptions. They each had found that special something they were fighting to save, whether it was a person, a place, or a memory. They had each found it, and would now give their life to protect it.
Red XIII sat back on his haunches. "…Although she's not here," he said, "she left us a window of opportunity…" He lowered his head in memory.
"We can't let it go like this," said Cid.
Cloud closed his eyes. In his mind's eye he could see her smiling face, and her eyes that were filled with laughter. "…Aeris," he said. "She was smiling to the end. We have to do something, or that smile will freeze like that. Let's all go together. Memories of Aeris… Although she should've returned to the planet by now, something stopped her and now she's stuck…" Cloud opened his eyes and looked round at his friends. "We have to let go of Aeris's memory."
"Has anyone here changed their mind?" Cid asked, looking round. One by one the others shook their heads. No, they had not changed their minds.
Cloud turned to him. "I'm counting on you, Cid."
"Yeah, yeah…" The pilot shrugged his shoulders and wandered back over to the wheel. "There are two levers that've been buggin' me for a while now…" he said. He gestured to the two levers, positioned beside the wheel. "Let me try them out."
Cid took hold of the two levers. The pilot then paused and turned to Cloud. "All right, so what should I do? You decide, Cloud."
Now everyone's eyes turned to Cloud, awaiting his decision. Their faces were eager and ready. Each and every one of them was ready to go. Whether their journey led them to victory or death, they would give it their all. This was finally it.
"This is our last battle," Cloud told them. "Our target is the North Cave. Our enemy is… Sephiroth! So let's move out!"
On Cloud's command Cid pushed the two levers all the way to the top. Almost instantaneously the Highwind gave a sudden, strong jolt, throwing everyone forward.
Outside, the Highwind began to change. Hatches opened up along the back and sides of the airship. Powerful mako-powered jet engines emerged from inside. They hummed and then roared into life. The strong cables along the back of the airship disengaged and fell away. The Highwind's propellers, now obsolete, fell away along with them, tumbling down towards the ground.
Once the airship's transformation was complete, Cid released the brakes. All at once the airship ploughed forward, moving at such great speed that it knocked nearly everybody onboard off their feet.
It took a few minutes for the companions to properly adjust to the Highwind's increased speed. In Cid's hands the wheel rattled vigorously as the airship shook around them, but they were not worried. The Highwind was a powerful airship; it would take more than a bit of shaking to break it apart.
They made excellent progress. It took them no more than a few minutes to reach the shore, and they set out across the ocean. Not long after that, the southernmost shores of the northern continent came into view, along with the rugged peaks that covered the land. Cloud and his friends watched from the bridge as the land rushed in at them and then underneath them, as the Highwind soared over the mountains toward the Northern Crater.
"We're almost at the North Cave," said Cloud. Up ahead of them, in the distance, he could just about see the Northern Crater rising above the jagged mountain peaks. The swordsman clenched his fist. "We're on our way, Sephiroth!"
The airship had grown steadier the further they went, presumably adjusting to the shift from casual flight to jet-flight. Cid locked the wheel into place, keeping the airship on course, and turned to Cloud. "Man, I'm going to stick it to him!" he said eagerly. The pilot had a brand new spear that Shera had purchased for him, to replace his broken one. He was eager to use it.
Suddenly and without warning, the airship shuddered violently. A siren began to ring and the red alarm lights flashed in warning. Cid cursed and rushed back to the wheel, which was shaking violently. The pilot released the auto-lock and the wheel lurched to the side, but Cid grabbed it and pulled it back into place with all his might. The Highwind steadied itself, but continued to shake violently.
"What is it, Cid?" asked Cloud. The others gathered around him. If this was merely turbulence, it was the most intense turbulence they had ever felt before!
Cid was unable to reply. He was far too busy fighting to keep the airship in the air.
"Errrrggh!" he grunted. Another wave hit them and the Highwind gave another lurch upwards. "Some incredible force!" he managed to shout over the whir of the siren. "Losing… control…!" It must be some remnants of the Northern Barrier, the pilot thought. He gritted his teeth and struggled against the force.
At that moment the door to the bridge opened and the Highwind's crew burst in. The young men gathered around Cid and helped to hold onto the wheel, keeping it in from breaking free.
Cid, however, did not seem pleased to see them. "Get the hell outta here, flunkies!" he raged at them. "Didn't I tell you all to go home!"
The crewmembers were not deterred, nor did they move. "Yes, sir!" said one of the workers. "This is our home!"
Cid cursed. "Oh ma—"
He stopped as the Highwind gave yet another violent shudder, breaking through another leftover wave of energy from the Northern Barrier. The wheel was almost wrenched from his hands, but the extra support given to him by the Highwind's crew kept it in place. The pilot looked to his left and then to his right, at the eager faces of his voluntary crew. He sighed heavily.
"…Stop trying to act so cool," he said. He then turned back to the wheel. "All right, you jokers! Hold me down with everything you got! Geronimo!"
With that, Cid pushed the engines to the max. The Highwind burst forward suddenly, shaking free of the unseen force that had taken hold of it and fighting its way through. Cid roared angrily, unrelenting. Everyone could feel the tension in the air as the Highwind pushed forward and then broke free with a loud SNAP! The Highwind surged forward again and hurtled over the mountains.
The Northern Cave, the final destination in this story, was just ahead.
[End of Part Fourteen]
[Next: Final Part: The One-Winged Angel]