Warnings: Possible canon timeline slippage, filler and a touch of silliness.
Chapter 33 : Have Gun Will Travel
They were only a little late getting to the airstrip.
They should have been on time; they all had enhanced speed. However, the General miscalculated a couple things: the time it would take to unstick themselves from each other—dried semen was a very effective glue especially when it was stuck in tender places—and the size of his shower. It was snug with just himself in it; he was always hitting his shoulders and elbows and knees, but when he followed Cloud into the small box it didn't take the two of them long to become completely wedged.
Zack, who'd had his shower first, stood outside the cubicle, laughing like a maniac. He was of little help in freeing them, but they had managed to get out—although it was a miracle they hadn't bent the small enclosure worse. At least it was still functional, they'd gotten mostly clean, and a quick Cure took care of the worst of the scrapes.
Even with that hiccup, they still would have been on time but Zack decided to show them how fast he could move with his wings and it was very fast. Sephiroth, in a moment of stupidity had chased after him in an attempt to grab him and redirect the dark-haired First to the airstrip. Of course it had turned into a race. All three of them were competitive by nature so they forgot what they were supposed to be doing and lost themselves in the joy of speed and strength and being alive.
The General would have caught him, he was the fastest once he got up to speed, but the First could manoeuvre like the bat that had been spliced to his DNA, and Sephiroth would consistently overshoot him. Cloud struggled along behind them working to both learn how to use his wings and to keep up. It turned out those two objectives were incompatible. The race ended with only a couple tents destroyed but, since they were empty, nobody was really hurt. Zack dealt with the MPs as Sephiroth hovered over Cloud, walking him through the use of the Cure materia, even though they could see all the dirt and gravel being pushed out as the blond's body healed itself.
Cloud insisted on a rematch, arguing that he needed to figure out how to use his wings. Who knew, he said, when it would come in handy. He was right. It would be useful and, even if it wasn't, the practice the small Corporal had in activating his Cure was. This time the only thing damaged was Cloud's pride. In response to the blond's stubborn face and bloody elbows, they both assured him that he'd get better with practice but maybe he should stay closer to the ground until he got the hang of it.
By now, they all realized that they were in danger of being late so they decided to run to the airfield. Of the three, only Zack kept his wings out as their smaller, sleeker form didn't affect his speed. Actually, their intuitive actions, balancing and boosting, helped him move at an accelerated rate. It didn't take long for his augmented walk to make his body appear... not quite blurred with speed, but definitely smeared around the edges. Sephiroth could keep up but Cloud, with his shorter stride, couldn't maintain that kind of speed with any kind of control.
He tried.
The driver of the jeep was most apologetic but, as Sephiroth assured him, it really hadn't been his fault. Besides, the fire had been very small and the all the injuries minor. By now Cloud could activate his Cure almost without effort and several people, who'd been too close to the rolling vehicle, went away feeling all tingly and refreshed.
The General and Cloud followed the dark-haired SOLDIER much more sedately after that. They didn't worry about locating him because everywhere they went the murmuring crowd gossiped eagerly about the SOLDIER and his little wings. Plus they could occasionally see Zack jumping over top of the tents. They didn't even try to figure out why he would do that.
They caught up to the First outside the busy mess tent as he, and his wings, flirted with the crowd. Apparently, he'd been wandering by and smelled the coffee, and the bacon and eggs, and decided he just had to have some. He'd gone in waving his hands, his wings, and his smile, and come out of it with six massive breakfast sandwiches, each one nearly the size of his uniform's stomach guard, and three extra large mochaccinos with whipped cream on top, which was not normally on the morning menu.
He'd also managed to come out of the busy tent in record time and with nobody pissed off at him for butting into line. It was that, he insisted, that he was most proud of.
Two of the coffees hadn't survived Zack's impatience. He offered to dive back into the crowd and get replacements but, as if Summoned, one of the mess cooks brought out replacements. She gave them to Cloud, but she smiled at the big First and asked if she could 'pet his wings'.
Sephiroth rubbed his temple tiredly. He'd wanted the bouncy First back after all. He sighed and thanked him for the food. At least, as they ate, they walked together at a normal speed... and in the right direction.
So it was they arrived at the landing field long after everyone else had assembled. The gear had been stowed, and the rotors were lazily turning. They could see Tseng, sitting in the cockpit, checking his instruments. Tifa was instructing Vincent on a fighting technique; some kind of bastardized Wutaian kick stance it looked to the General. It was hard to tell what the ex-Turk thought of the lesson; as usual he'd buried his face behind his hair and his collar. Against his will, Sephiroth couldn't help but stare at the gunman, looking for signs of himself in that thin face.
Was the enigmatic Vincent Valentine his real father?
He shook the thought away. This wasn't the time to be concerned with a minor detail like that.
Unlike his CO, Zack showed no hesitation in approaching the waiting pair. "Hey, Tifa, Vinnie, looking good." Tifa's light greeting almost covered the gunman's growled "It's Vincent." Zack just smiled and shoved the last bite of Cloud's second sandwich in his mouth. His little wing hands waved at the dark-eyed fighter.
"Sorry we're late," Sephiroth said, "The shower was malfunctioning.
Cloud glanced at the General, ready to share the joke. Then, in the soft morning light, he caught a glimpse—just a hint—of the freckles he'd discovered on that broad chest this morning and that reminded him of the main reason the three of them were late. Forget the shower. Forget the races, the accidents and the food; they'd been having hot monkey-sex in the General's bed less than two hours ago. The soldier dipped his head to hide his rising blush.
"Then I passed by the mess tent and couldn't resist the smell of bacon and eggs," Zack said, sucking his fingers clean.
"You've got some on your chin," Tifa pointed out.
"If you're finished, Commander, I'd like to depart sometime this morning," Sephiroth's voice was dry as toast and Cloud was amazed at the difference between this voice and the purring warmth he'd used earlier. He couldn't help sneaking another look at the General's trim figure in his commanding black uniform. The blond dipped his head again. This time to hide his triumphant smile: he'd made the Demon of Wutai growl in arousal…
He missed Zack 'disappearing' his wings, but he heard Tifa's little gasp of awe. "I've always wondered, where do they go?" She walked around the big First, lightly touching his back. "How come your uniform's not damaged?"
"Fucked if I know," Zack muttered, twisting to look at his spine. Cloud resisted the impulse to do the same.
"Despite the scientific prejudice that ShinRa scientists used to have"
"Hojo!" Zack fake-coughed.
"–and certainly the Professor was among them, the only explanation is that they are a form of magic. They can damage clothing but, once the SOLDIER is comfortable with their existence–"
Again, Zack interrupted, "Takes 'em for granted, he means."
Sephiroth ignored that too. "–then they no longer seem to have a problem with them getting caught in, or damaging, their uniforms." The silver-haired General paused for a moment then corrected himself, "Except Lieutenant Luxiere. His tentacles always destroy his pants. He now uses a kilt… Did I say something humorous, Commander?"
Zack, bent over laughing, just raised a weak hand. Luckily it didn't take him long to get himself under control as the three SOLDIERs had to stow their massive blades before anyone could get on board.
Tifa went in first, choosing to sit next to the window on the far side. Sephiroth entered next, sitting beside her. Vincent gave the General a flat look but said nothing. He just silently took the seat across from the small warrior and hid his face behind his hair and collar. Cloud had looked at Zack then at the space remaining on the narrow bench seat, and estimated that, if the big First sat there they'd be as stuck as he and Sephiroth had been in the shower this morning. Not an experience he wanted to repeat. Besides, he wanted to sit next to the General where he'd be surrounded by his scent. Yet, it was the SiC's place. He stood weaving in indecision until Zack's shooed him in. He knew Seph didn't want to sit next to him.
Zack, being the last one in, slid the hatch closed and secured it. He stuck his head in the cockpit where Tseng sat calmly waiting. Even with the engines merely idling, it was too loud for a normal conversation so the dark-haired swordsman just gave the Turk a thumbs-up. A quick nod of acknowledgement, a touch of the controls and the engines started powering up. He turned to take his seat across from the blond, making a quick check that everyone had their safety harnesses fastened and their headsets on. He didn't know about them, but he'd go bat-fuck if he couldn't talk to anyone for however many gods-forsaken hours it would take them to reach the Northern Caves.
He decided to get the conversational ball rolling, "So, Vince, you think you can stop your perverted alter-ego from misbehaving after the next fight?" Vincent buried himself deeper into his cloak. Tifa's hand came up to cover her mouth but they could still hear her giggles through the headset. Sephiroth growled in remembered anger and didn't even bother trying to cover it up.
Cloud's eyes were wide and assessing as they flicked over the group. "I missed something, didn't I?"
Zack grinned and jerked his thumb at Valentine, "Just the appearance of Broody Dude's resident immortal demon who turned out to be a complete perv."
"And you had lots of fun being perverted, right?" Cloud responded.
Zack's grin broadened, "Well, it wasn't boring. You should've been there, Spike."
Cloud rolled his eyes. "I'm a trooper–"
"You're a SOLDIER," Sephiroth interrupted, still growling.
"–at heart. I've been trained to think boring is good. Boring means nothing's trying to kill you. Let's try to keep this trip as boring as possible."
Cloud leaned back in his seat, murmuring, "And his response is…" just as Zack said, "But where's the fun in that?"
Tifa didn't even try to hide her laughter. Sephiroth's lips tilted and even Vincent reacted, although no one was sure if having his eyes glint gold was a good thing or a bad. Zack contented himself with a light kick to the blond's shin in revenge. He didn't mind teasing and insults among friends but he wasn't exactly sure yet if Tifa and Valentine fell into that category. His question to the multi-bodied ex-Turk had only been half joking. Next time the demon came out there probably wouldn't be a crowd of people Zack needed to protect. That meant the First would be free to fight, and he would fucking fight. After this morning, he'd let himself be beaten bloody before he'd share his body with another person he didn't care for.
The helicopter finally reached full power and lifted smoothly in the air. "We'll be circling around to the east to avoid the worst of the mako plume from the reactor," Tseng's voice came over the headset, cool and unemotional as always, and Zack vaguely wished he could have some of that detachment. He'd never been good at it. Of course, he thought, looking at the two SOLDIERs in the seat across from him, maybe it was just as well one of their little group knew how to express emotions...
He crossed his arms over his chest and kicked at Cloud's feet just because. When the blond looked up, he gave him a smile and an eyebrow wiggle, and was rewarded with a blush and a shy smile in return. And a kick in the shin but that was okay.
"It looks even worse from up here," Tifa said. She had her face pressed up against the window. "I thought things were supposed to look, I don't know, better from up high?"
"I think they just look smaller," Zack replied.
"I'm not going to look," Cloud mumbled and Zack suddenly remembered that the blond had never been good at travelling.
"If you need to puke, Corporal, please use one of the little bags to your right," he pointed them out helpfully.
"Oh effing ha-ha," Cloud responded.
"The mako in your system should kick in and stabilize your inner-ear. Nausea will cease to be of concern," the General reassured him.
"I'm looking forward to it, Sir," the blond said weakly. Cloud knew that it wasn't just the motion of the transport that was making him feel ill; it was the idea that the village, all his past, was gone. Sure, for him it had been a shitty place to grow up, but it had still been his home. When people in Midgar complained of the cold, he'd mention the minus 35 degree storm he'd lived through, and tell them how long it had taken to dig out the two-metres of snow that had fallen. Their eyes would get big in amazement, or they'd scoff until he showed them the weather reports proving him right. He hadn't liked living in Nibelheim, but he hadn't minded being from it.
At least the mountains were pretty.
He kept his eyes on the peaks until the ruined village was left far, far behind. He ignored the chatter of the rest, although it was mostly Zack and Tifa. Sephiroth and Tseng contributed a little, mostly updates on how the region had been affected by Hojo's forces or Deepground, but he didn't feel the need to talk. Neither did Vincent, which wasn't surprising; the man was inhuman in his stillness—or maybe he, too, was feeling the weight of an unchangeable past pressing down on him and stealing his breath. Cloud rubbed a hand over his aching chest as if that would make the adjustment easier. Zack, in the middle of his conversation with Tifa, once again bumped his foot up against the blond's. He gave his friend a flashing look of support and Cloud managed a weak smile in return.
Time flowed, marked by a lazy re-hash of their strategy and desultory speculations on what they might find which denigrated into a ridiculous game of 'I, spy' between Zack and Tifa because, really, 'I spy a cloud shaped like a deathgaze' was a little too open to interpretation.
Cloud was just happy that he hadn't puked in front of the General. He was hyper-aware of the swordsman's presence beside him. The lean length and warmth of him was a constant reminder of their morning activities. Thinking about it was better than playing 'I, spy' in the clouds, but a bit more uncomfortable to deal with. He squirmed in his seat.
Zack saw it, just as he'd seen every time his friend had shifted uncomfortably. "Tseng, how much longer?" the dark-haired First asked.
"I believe we discussed how long the flight would take at yesterday's meeting," the Turk responded.
"Well, yeah," the SOLDIER agreed, "but I wasn't really paying attention."
Sephiroth broke in, "If you start asking 'are we there yet' I will take Tseng's gun and shoot you myself. Is that understood, Commander?" Tifa giggled and even Cloud had to smile.
Zack raised his hands in surrender, "Understood, General Sir."
Sephiroth gave his SiC a hard look. Satisfied that the First would heed the warning, the silver-haired warrior gave a short nod and turned his attention back to the passing scenery.
"But, you know, he didn't answer my question."
"We'll get there when we get there," Vincent growled, impatient with the SOLDIER's silliness and, although he would never admit it, jealous of the easy rapport between him and Tifa. Sephiroth covered his face with one hand in hopeless disgust; it would've been better if nobody had said anything. By commenting, the gunman was just encouraging Zack to continue. The General foresaw a time when he'd have to make good on his threat. It would have to be a leg shot, followed by a cast Cura, he decided. Carefully aimed, there would be plenty of time for the SOLDIER to heal before they reached their destination.
Luckily, however, before the conversation could dissolve into gunshots and childishness, Tifa looked out her window. "What's that?" she asked.
Zack and Sephiroth leaned forward to see what she had seen but it was Tseng who answered, "That would be the launch tower at Rocket Town."
"Really?" Cloud leaned forward to look; being an astronaut had been his second choice for dream job. It was distant, and the air was hazy, but when he concentrated he could make out the tall spire that had been a childhood favourite. "How come it's tilting?" he asked.
"They were nearly ready for the launch when Hojo left ShinRa and DGS broke out of the underground lab," Sephiroth answered. "Any scientist who had been affiliated with the Professor was called in and questioned."
"That would've been most of them, right?" Zack asked, "Hojo was head of the science department."
"I don't know; Hojo never took much interest in space exploration but he would have been involved. It was enough to disrupt the program and stop the launch. Then DGS went on its rampage across the continents, decimating the populations of every village and town they entered. In Rocket Town, the lead astronaut bullied the facility and the townspeople into setting up a Distant Early Warning line and he had them make evacuation plans. When DGS appeared on the horizon he scuttled the rocket by aborting a launch. It went up… and then dropped back down," The General used his hands to demonstrate, "landing at an angle and rendering the rocket useless."
"How do you know about it?" Cloud asked.
"Several townspeople filmed it on their PHS's and uploaded the files to the world-wide network," the swordsman explained calmly. "His evacuation procedure was also captured. It was very well planned and executed, even if his personal language and behaviour lacked all discipline. His DEW system is the standard for small towns now: simple, effective and cheap."
"So where is he now?" Zack asked. "He did survive, right?"
"Genesis took a liking to Captain Highwind—and his irreverent attitude. I believe they take turns tormenting Rufus. Genesis flirts with him and the Captain curses him."
"Interspersed with attempts to kill each other," Tseng interjected.
Zack laughed, "Sounds like they're having fun."
"You would think that," Cloud snorted.
"I'm just as glad all three of them are over there rather than here," the General commented. "They squabble worse than some people's children."
Even Vincent grunted in rueful sympathy at Sephiroth's comment. Camps, no matter how large or what force lived in them, compressed the people in it. There was no getting away from other people; their fights, their joys, their secrets. Vincent had never liked crowds and, after so long alone, if he had to live with those three prima donnas he knew he'd end up shooting someone within the day.
"Another two hours and we'll hit the Northern Continent. An hour and a half after that and we'll be at the Northern Caves... if they haven't brought us down by then." Tseng announced calmly over their headsets. His statement had been so flat and heavy that even small remnants of the conversation in the cabin couldn't crawl its way out from under it. Silence fell. Even Zack and Tifa couldn't fully revive it, especially as the northern plains were just that: flat, plain and boring. There was nothing to comment on, nothing to break the monotony, just green fields and blue skies and the quiet 'whup, whup' of the helicopter blades.
Cloud drifted, mostly asleep. When he was like this he could almost feel the excess mako seeping from his pores in graceful, misty plumes, like smoke from burning incense. Mako was life but it was death as well. Part of the living world just as the living world was part of the land of the dead. The Lifestream, the energy and knowledge of those that had died carried along in a living wave that circles the planet. Aware, but not truly awake. Protecting itself, protecting the planet and also protecting all the things living on it.
How far would it go to protect itself, he wondered? The only way to talk to it directly was to die, or go back into his coma and he didn't want to do that. So who would be willing to die to save everyone else? His dad would've; if it meant protecting all life on the planet, his father would've allowed himself to be killed. But Cloud knew he wasn't as good a man as his father because there were people on this world that he wouldn't die to save. Maybe someone could take his place? After all, as long as they were willing to die, did it matter what they believed? He'd heard that recently, or something close to it, he was sure of it.
"I thought this area was the last stronghold of DGS?" Tifa asked and jarred Cloud into a more conscious state. Sleep was like a sticky coating of glue that didn't want to let him go.
"They are concentrated on the coasts," Tseng answered, "We're not sure why."
Sephiroth expanded on the terse statement. "It's possible that they expect us to invade and are preparing to defend against us. It's equally possible that they are waiting to be evacuated back to the Northern Continent. It was one of those unknown things we discussed at yesterday's meeting."
"I'd probably numbed out by then," Tifa said dryly.
"Jenova needs Gaia to be destroyed in order to be free of this planet. When Gaia is destroyed Omega will gather the Lifestream and save it—save us all in a way," Cloud's voice drifted from him like the mako drifting from his skin. "The people and creatures that killed the planet will die with the rest of us, and be saved, with the rest of us. Only the planet will be truly dead. But Gaia and the Lifestream have been intertwined for so long that the planet isn't unconscious rock. It wants to live. It wants to have living things on it. It wants to continue to experience our cycle of birth, death, and renewal as it has done for millennia uncounted. But it needs help." Cloud's voice was dreamy, floating on a wave of half-sleep.
"To save Gaia, the Lifestream must be made to serve the living. Only a sacrifice can firm its resolve. Anything can be the Holy sacrifice; their goal doesn't have to be your goal." A deep, sighing breath, "Chaos the Squire and Calamity's Child, remember your Hearts when you fight."
Corporal Strife shuddered and twitched, and finally blinked. Everyone was staring at him. "What?"
"Y'know, Spike, that fucking trance thing has got to be the freakiest shit I've ever seen you do, and that includes the whole 'not quite a coma' thing." The big First had his arms crossed over his chest. It would've been a cocky stance except that he was surreptitiously rubbing the goose bumps out of his arms.
"Did it at least make sense?" the Corporal asked.
"Actually, it was remarkably cogent until it came to giving us advice on future actions," the General said.
"Maybe," Vincent's talked to the group for the first time since lift-off. "We know that the planet, as much as it's able, is supporting us. We know that the Lifestream is neutral but can be influenced and the way to do that is with a sacrifice of some kind."
Cloud asked "What kind of sacrifice?" at the same time Tifa asked "But what was that stuff about your hearts?"
It was safer, Sephiroth decided, to answer Tifa's question and ignore his lover's. "I believe it means that Valentine, as Chaos, and I, Calamity's Child, should be paired with the person who means the most to us."
"So you'll take Cloud," she filled in.
"And Zack. I cannot separate the two, just yet."
Tifa dimpled, "Aw, that's so sweet! But that leaves just Tseng and myself for Vincent." It was the stereotypical double-take: her mouth formed a silent 'O', her eyes widened comically and slid towards the gunman, and colour rose bright and fiery on her face. "But… it's not Tseng, is it."
Cloud remembered that she'd always been praised for being pretty and kind, but no one had ever complimented her brains.
"Whatever feelings I have, I assure you, I do not expect you to return them," Vincent's voice was coolly clinical, dispassionate. It made his declaration sound like a situation report.
Zack rolled his eyes in disgust. "Way to kill any romance, Valentine," he muttered.
Those cold, crimson eyes turned his way, "I know what I am, what I hold within me. There is no romance in it and she should be aware of that."
All eyes switched back to the diminutive fighter.
"I, I don't know what to say," she stammered. She crossed her arms defensively around herself, hoping someone would jump in and re-direct the conversation. When nobody did she forced herself to continue, "It's not that, that I don't like you, I do, but I've not… I mean, I wasn't…" She frowned, closed her eyes and took a breath. "Guys have always been attracted to me, or at least to these," she waved a hand in front of her chest, "I've trained myself to ignore them. Always. I'm not looking for a boyfriend or romance. I never have."
"But..." Cloud interrupted then stopped when all eyes swivelled his way. He swallowed. "The night before I left for Midgar, what you said when we were looking at the stars… wasn't that 'looking for romance'?"
Tifa tilted her head as she considered the question. "It's hard to remember what I was feeling then, so much has happened, but I think… I think, even then, it was more like a desire for adventure, for a different life. I wanted to break the future my father and the village had set out for me and experience more." She leaned forward, "I wanted to be the one on the train to Midgar. I wanted to join SOLDIER and fight heroic battles. I wanted to be the one the villagers felt bad about underestimating. But I didn't have your strength," she stopped, flicking nervous glances around the cabin, feeling as if she just stripped herself naked in front of them. "If that makes any sense."
"It makes perfect sense," Zack responded. Cloud and Vincent nodded in agreement. Sephiroth didn't. He'd never thought of a future, or imagined a purpose, other than the one he'd been designed for.
"Do you still long for adventure?" Vincent asked, "For glorious battle?" His red eyes stared at her unblinking.
She didn't answer right away. "So much has happened in the last three years. I haven't dreamed of what I want for so long…" She paused, frowning. Her gauntlet-covered fingers beat a nervous tattoo against her metal-studded vest. Zack could see faint scars on her arms; reminders of battle that all warriors carry.
"It's like that guy said, that old philosopher guy, 'War is delightful to those who have not experienced it.' I've experienced it and I think, I know, I'm not looking for adventure anymore, not for itself, but I do want to make things right, to save the planet from DGS and from ShinRa's greed. Once this is over I don't want the world to go back to what it was." Sephiroth grunted in agreement. "But after that, I think I just want to try and have a peaceful life. Find something to do that I don't hate. Maybe find someone I can share it with. Yet, could I go back to such a plain life? I don't know. Right now, it's hard to see beyond the fact that we're heading into the wolves' den."
She finally looked up, looked Vincent right in the eye, "Ask me again—after we get out of this."
Red eyes flashed gold. "I will," he said and nodded as if to seal the bargain.
"Would I be intruding too much if I informed you that we're crossing the Northern Strait?" Tseng's cool voice broke the spell enfolding the cabin. "ETA at the Northern Caves is approximately two hours."
"Understood," Sephiroth acknowledged Tseng's information. Not by a flicker of an eyelash did he acknowledge that Cloud was lightly rubbing his thigh against his.
He would've thought it was an accident, or the result of nerves, if it hadn't started after he'd claimed the soldier as his 'heart' and if he couldn't see that Cloud's cheeks were pink. His action was discreet because the Corporal was carefully protecting his General's reputation, once again. He suppressed a growl. He wanted this mission over. He wanted it over and then he wanted at least three months to be alone with his Cloud.
Passing over the strait didn't take long, even though Tseng had to swing wide to avoid one of the WEAPONs that seemed to be patrolling the coast. The Turk had dropped the copter so that it was barely a kilometer above the surface. Radar and other detection systems would, hopefully, have a hard time finding them when they were so low. A small herd of diceratops ran away from the noise of the helicopter. They ran slowly, but made a huge cloud of dust. They were quickly left behind.
"We'll be flying over the remains of the Bone Village excavation site as our most recent reports have it listed as abandoned. By heading directly north and avoiding the settlement at Icicle Inn, we should remain undetected. We'll be able to circle around to the crater from the east. Hopefully most of their forces will be expecting a southern attack and we'll be able to slip through almost to the rim of the caves."
"That doesn't sound good, buddy," Zack responded, "Too much uncertainty to be a proper sit-rep."
"Perhaps," Tseng acknowledged.
Zack waited for more. There wasn't any—fucking close-mouthed Turk—but he hadn't said Zack was wrongeither... Shit.
He found himself paying more attention to what he could see of the surface, looking for activity. It was hard to make out anything. The forest was doing a pretty good job of reclaiming the archaeological dig but enough man-made structures were visible that it was hard to decide what was old and what had been thrown up by Hojo or DGS. To add to the difficulty, the area was made dark and gloomy by the weird glowing brightness that was the Sleeping Forest. Not that he had to worry about an attack from there; as far as he knew, nobody'd ever figured out a way to get more than a couple steps into it without falling asleep… hence the name.
"Oh, cool. I'd always wondered how it got such a romantic name," Tifa said. "It sure looks pretty."
"Oh crap!" Zack slapped a hand over his face, "I was talking out loud again."
"Yes," Sephiroth confirmed, "However, it's not a bad idea for all of us to be alert. With enough warning Tseng might be able to dodge any attack." As if to make a mockery of his words a deeper 'phut, phut' sound was heard under the sound of the engine and the rotors. It was followed by a high whining sound that had all of the altered fighters wincing.
"Incoming," Tseng announced unnecessarily, and shifted the vehicle steeply to the left.
Grunts of pain were heard as the fighters got tossed around but they could see the smoke trail as a missile went past them. Then the helicopter dropped down and, for a couple seconds, they were weightless and floating. Then they landed back on their seats with a thump. Another smoke trail.
"Surface-to-Air missiles. Short range. Ground unit," Cloud identified. "They'll be in communication with the base."
Sephiroth, casually holding a strap as if riding Midgar's commuter train, disagreed, "Not necessarily. This area has intermittent connectivity problems when trying to use any form of wireless device. The archaeological team mentioned it several times and suggested that ShinRa send up a group of engineers to investigate."
"Did they?" Tifa asked. She had her left arm braced on the window, probably to provide a safe cushion when Tseng flung them around again.
Sephiroth shook his head. "No. Not while I was with them."
"I've spotted them," Tseng said, "Shall I engage?"
A quick pause to assess; "Do it," Sephiroth ordered. The helicopter hesitated as the rockets were launched. A satisfying explosion indicated that the Turk had hit the enemy and their stockpile. Unfortunately, in order to fire on them he'd had to remain motionless a moment too long and the enemy managed to fire a couple final shots. They first heard a small 'clang' then a much larger 'bang', then a grinding, squeaking howl as vital systems tried to keep working through the damage. They started to spin, not fast, but obviously not controlled either. Even through their headsets, beeps and alarms could be heard from the cockpit.
"That doesn't sound good!" Zack called out. Tseng ignored him; too busy trying to get some control over the machine for idle chatter.
"Get prepared for a crash," the General ordered but there really wasn't much they do. They'd stopped spinning but the rear of the copter was rotating, lifting and rocking them, lifting and rocking, as it swirled around the X-axis. Both Cloud and Tifa had hands over their mouths as the gyrating motion overloaded their systems. Zack had both hands on the roof of the cabin; even with the harness on he'd been flung into it. Once was okay, a couple times was liveable but, after five or six times, it started to fucking hurt. Only Sephiroth and Vincent sat stoic and seemingly immoveable as the ride descended into chaos.
Tseng finally managed to stabilize the helicopter enough that puking and concussions fading from possibility. The tail was still wagging back and forth but it wasn't going up and down at the same time anymore. Instead they were going only one way: down.
They were close already, and they could hear the grunts and exhalations of Tseng as he fought to keep it up them up in the air as long as possible. The interior of the cabin was lit by the weird glow of the Sleeping Forest. Its odd, leafless branches were reaching out as if to embrace them.
"Tseng, on the left," Tifa said, "It looks like a clearing or a path. Fewer trees anyway."
"Confirmed," he grunted and they could feel a minute change in the direction they were plummeting.
"You know," Cloud said, watching the white of the ground approaching, "the last time I had Tseng as the pilot on a mission, the same thing happened.
"Yeah," Zack agreed, Modeoheim was never far from his thoughts. "I'm beginning to think I shouldn't travel with him any more."
"Next time, we should just say no," Cloud suggested.
"We should say 'hell no'."
"I'll have you know, I'm an excellent pilot," Tseng grunted through the headsets, "We all should get out of this alive…"
"He said 'should'," Cloud commented dead-pan.
"I heard that," Zack returned just as dry. They were touching the tops of the branches now. They could hear them scraping along the bottom of the helicopter. "We should think on it..."
"Pray on it..." Below the tree tops. Only a matter of seconds before the rotor blades hit and snagged in one of the massive trunks.
"Sleep on it." Caught. Flipped.
Lights out.
AN: The quote is by Desiderius Erasmus a philosopher who lived in the late 1400's. Since the quote still fits, it just goes to show how little people, as a mass, have changed.