19. Numbskulls
They passed through the Nibel mountains and continued north. Cloud found himself driving faster than usual, anxious to leave the town behind. He saw it disappear into a tiny dot in the rearview mirror; but it only seemed to grow larger in his head, and he had to shake it to kill the image. Kill the people – the actors – in his head, because they were already dead. Tifa was sitting by his side, glancing wearily at the disappearing town and then at his face. They didn't speak. Cloud wondered how it looked. Their Nibelheim was dead, though. Died a long time ago. White flowers for all.
"God, Cloud, you wanna kill us?" Yuffie screamed as soon as the truck skidded to a stop. She stumbled off, and fell right onto the ground, getting dirt all over herself. "My insides are tumbling! Man…"
Vincent jumped out (almost flew out), and watched her with a stoic expression that might have been amusement.
"Sorry," Cloud muttered, slamming the car door shut a little more forcefully than he'd intended. He looked up and met Aerith's eyes, watching him. Turned his head quickly, as if he'd been caught doing something criminal. He looked for something to distract him – where were they, anyway? It wasn't hard to find; right in the center of the small town they'd stopped in front of, there was a giant, rusty old rocket; slightly tilted to the side, overcome with moss-green vegetation. The rest of the town, it seemed, was built around that centerpiece.
"Hey, is that…?" Yuffie said, quickly recovering herself.
"Is that a sculpture-thing?" Barret asked.
"I don't think so. That's a real rocket," Aerith said, cheerfully. "How fascinating is that?"
Her enthusiasm was, if not catching, a general relief. Even Vincent looked up curiously at the giant thing.
"I wonder," he said, paused, as if speaking was some alien activity he hadn't gotten used to yet.
"What?" Yuffie asked, impatiently.
"I wonder if it's Shinra."
"Shinra?" Barret crumpled up his face.
"I guess we'll find out," Cloud said quickly; he didn't want another of Barret's long rants about how Shinra was destroying the Planet and was the embodiment of pure, unadulterated evil. He headed into the town first, hoping to find some clue about Sephiroth. There was a nagging feeling that this wasn't where he'd headed to at all, since nobody at Nibelheim had said anything.
"Well, I don't know anything, but if you talk to –"
"The Captain, yeah, I get it," Barret rolled his eyes. The shopkeeper raised his eyebrows but didn't say anything. Cloud murmured a thanks and ushered Barret out of the tiny grocery store.
"Who is this Captain person?" Barret grumbled, a little too loudly; the passersby looked back at him with identical expressions that were close to horror.
"I don't know," Tifa said, appearing out of nowhere (they had split in groups to ask around, look for clues about Sephiroth. Cloud had taken Barret because no one else wanted to), Yuffie closely following. "But everybody keeps telling us to go see him. Maybe he's the mayor, or something."
"Did anyone tell you where?" Cloud asked.
"I think it's that rocket," Aerith said, walking towards them with Vincent in tow. He was looking a little bewildered, also out of place with his wild red cloak standing out in the mute colors of the village. "That's where he lives."
"How do you know?" Nanaki asked.
"This nice lady told us that Captain Cid – that's his name – was supposed to be the first astronaut ever, but something happened and now he's drinking away his life."
"What happened?"
"Something Shinra," Barret answered Nanaki, with indisputable authority.
"Well," Cloud said, looking dubiously at the giant tilting rocket. It was visible from every part of the village; part of the sky, almost, a natural monument. "I guess we'll go ask the Captain, then."
"To the Rocket!" Yuffie yelled, gleefully.
A glisten caught his eyes, as they were passing through the messy greens of what Cloud assumed was the back garden. He paused, and looking closer, found the silvery glint of a small plane parked in between the overgrowths, almost hidden.
"Cool, is that a plane?" Yuffie said, racing ahead of him. Cloud followed. The plane had a name – Tiny Bronco – and small but unmistakable, a Shinra logo at the side. Cloud ran a hand over the steel; it was warm from the sun.
"Is that what I think it is?" Barret said, bending over to inspect the logo.
"It's a Shinra logo," Cloud said, already guessing what Barret was going to say next.
"Awright, then, let's steal it!" Barret said.
"What?" Tifa frowned.
"That's like, the only good idea you've had, old man!" Yuffie quipped, to which Barret started to growl, only a rustle of leaves behind them shut him of abruptly. They turned quickly, used to the random ambushes by the Shinra by now (perhaps it was that Turk duo again, Reno and Rude). Except, Cloud found a gentle-looking woman staring back with as much surprise as them.
"Hello?" Aerith tried.
"Um – hello?" The woman said, blinking, and her glance flitted to Cloud's hand, which was still resting on the plane. Cloud dropped it hastily, wondering if she'd heard their conversation. "Who are you?"
"We're –" Cloud was about to answer (though with what?), when the woman asked suddenly, her face lighting up hopefully. "Are you from Shinra?"
"No!" Barret yelled. Too loud. The woman looked startled, and then a little frightened.
"No – but – what's your name?" Cloud said, attempting to smooth things over.
"Um – I'm Shera," she answered a little uncertainly.
"Shera," Tifa's voice was kind. "Why did you think we were from Shinra?"
"Well, because – I didn't think it, I hoped. President Rufus was supposed to come this morning, and I hoped – for the Captain's sake – that it was to approve the reopening of the Space Program."
"Rufus was supposed to come here?" Cloud said. Either it was a coincidence, or –
"We're actually here to talk to the Captain," Tifa said. "Is he inside?"
"He should be…" Shera trailed off. She shot a nervous look back at Barret (who was trying his best to be unthreatening), then nodded at them to follow.
She led them to a long flight of stairs that looked rickety at best, leading up to the middle of the giant rocket, where they could see a door hanging open. So the old lady had been right – the Captain actually lived in the rocket. Shera started to climb the stairs with a familiar ease, but the rest of them hung back, looking up at the stairs with doubt.
"Oh, it's safe," Shera looked back, laughing a little. "Captain Cid built them himself."
"I think I'm gonna wait here, just to be safe," Barret decided.
"I have a fear of height," Cait Sith announced, in an uncharacteristically grave voice. Cloud shrugged.
"We don't all have to go."
"I'll go with you," Vincent said. Something red and smelling faintly of wood – his sharp-pointed gauntlets and matching boots flashed in a second, then in the next he was up at least ten steps. Shera, who suddenly found him standing right next to herself, blinked in surprise.
"Show-off!" Yuffie accused, which Aerith seemed to find very funny. Cloud started walking up the steps (mentally preparing for a mid-air tumble) with the sound of her laughter as a backdrop, that made him think of trickling water.
In the end, only Cloud, Vincent and Yuffie (who climbed the stairs like it was a particularly willowy tree) went up to Cid's home. They had only taken a step inside when a bellowing, rough voice yelled, "Shera! Is that you?"
"Captain Cid, you have…" Before she could finish the sentence, the Captain himself appeared from what Cloud guessed used to be the bridge.
"What? Speak up, woman, I can't hear you! And where've you been all morning?"
Cid looked about late thirties, with a messy, short blond hair, stubbles and an unlit cigarette between his teeth. His face went blank, momentarily, when he saw Cloud and the others gathered behind Shera somewhat awkwardly.
"Huh?" He had a hard voice, calloused like his hands. "Who the hell are they?"
"I tried to tell you. You have visitors, Captain."
"Visitors?" Cid said, like Shera had told him that they were people from the future.
"We just wanted to ask you –" Cloud started, but Cid wasn't listening. He waved a hand at them, absently.
"Well, come on, then! Sit somewhere – Shera, get some tea!"
"It's okay, we don't need –"
"Drink your goddamn tea, will you? SHERA! THE TEA!"
There was a distant murmur of Shera answering, and cups clicking. Cloud exchanged a look with Vincent and Yuffie. Yuffie shrugged, sat perched on a dead console in front of her. Cloud sat on a pilot's chair. Vincent remained standing, leaning against the wall and seeming to disappear, despite his conspicuous colors and the flowing long black hair.
"Nice rocket," Yuffie commented, dangling her feet. Cid raised an eyebrow, chewing on his cigarette, and chuckled a little. Cloud was a little surprised at his abrupt good humor.
"Shinra No.26 is the official title, though I always called her somethin' else."
"Does it work?" Yuffie asked. The tea arrived, then, and Cloud took his cup almost absently.
"Used to. Almost launched it, too… Until – well, there was an accident." His eyes briefly flickered to Shera, who seemed to start fumbling at this, and almost dropped Vincent's cup of tea. Vincent caught it in a flash, though.
"Listen, have you seen a man –"
Cloud started, but was interrupted again by a sudden commotion outside. Cid sprang from his seat, dropped his cigarette on the floor and rushed out. Shera looked up hopefully.
"Maybe it's the Shinra," she said.
"If it is, we have trouble," Cloud muttered. "Barret's outside."
"I'll go and look," said Vincent, disappearing quickly through the open door. He was back in a minute, his red cloaking flapping behind him like wings.
"Well, Mr. Super Ninja?" Yuffie said, sarcastically. Vincent took no note of this.
"A man I assume is Rufus Shinra is here," he said.
"Is he here to renew the Space Program?" Shera asked, eyes trembling.
Vincent shook his head. "No. He's here to borrow the plane – the one we saw in the back yard."
Cloud could hear Cid shouting are you out of your friggin' mind, and wondered where Barret and the others were.
"They're going to take his plane," Shera said, horror drawing over her pale face. Then her expression changed, morphing into some resolute determination, and she turned to face Cloud.
"Take the plane."
"What?" Cloud said, confused.
"Take the plane – there's a shortcut to the back yard, here, and –"
"But why?" Yuffie said.
"He'd rather die than have Shinra take it, now that they denied him this last hope… He'd rather you take it, instead." Shera said this with such conviction that Cloud found himself nodding, without really knowing what he was agreeing to.
"I can hear them arguing," Vincent said. "Rufus Shinra is saying – that Sephiroth is over the ocean, and that's why he needs the plane."
"Well, then, so do we," Cloud said, making up his mind. They ran (fell) down the "shortcut" that Shera had shown them, landing directly in front of the Tiny Bronco, if in a rather messy way. He got up quickly, though, brushing dirt off himself. The others were gathered around the plane still, and from the looks of it, Nanaki and Tifa had had to restrain Barret from jumping the President, who was standing at the other side of the rocket, hidden by brambles.
"Where did you come from?" Cait Sith said.
"No time to explain – get in the plane!" Cloud said, jumping in first. Cid's voice was getting louder, and Rufus's colder. It wouldn't be long until he and his Shinra minions would barge in to take the plane by force.
"We're stealin' it?" Barret said, even as he climbed in after Cloud.
"With permission," Vincent amended.
"But does anyone know how to fly this thing?" Cloud said, realization dawning on him.
"No – I thought you knew –" Barret had to yell, for how the engine suddenly turned on (Cloud had pressed the biggest button) and was roaring loudly in their ears. Rufus would have heard it; they had to get away, quickly.
"Why would I know?"
"'Cause yer supposed to be a goddamn SOLDIER!"
"SOLDIERS don't fly planes!"
"Here, doesn't this look like a steering wheel?" Aerith shouted, reaching over Cloud's shoulders to point. Cloud looked at it dubiously, but they had no time; already there were shouts, and the blue of the infantrymen were beginning to emerge among the trees.
"Alright – here it goes –" Cloud pulled at the lever. The plane suddenly lurched forward, almost toppling everyone overboard. He quickly pushed it the other way, and it began to float – dangerously close the ground, making sparks with the branches it was breaking off, and for a wild moment of panicked shouts and curses and loud engine-sounds, Cloud met Rufus's bewildered eyes. Then Rufus had to duck, because it was flying much too close to him, and Cloud felt a weight on his shoulder.
"Get away from the friggin' controls!"
It was Cid; the plane had been flying low enough for him to jump onboard, and he was now pushing Cloud aside and grabbing the controls. Cloud scrambled away gladly. The plane floated up, smoothly, and Yuffie yelled something incoherent, grabbing tightly to the side of the plane.
Cloud heard it before he saw it. The sharp piercing of air, the vibrations. "Duck!" He yelled, and grabbed the person closest to him, which happened to be Aerith, and pulled her away. A bullet missed her by inches, and Aerith's eyes widened.
"Damn, they shootin' at us!" Barret shouted.
"Well, what did you expect, you numbskulls?" Cid said, but he was laughing. They were flying – avoiding the bullets, sunlight breaking over their eyes and bright blue sky – until one of the lucky bullets hit one of the wings, and then they were falling.
"We're gonna die!" Cait Sith squeaked, holding onto Nanaki's fur. Nanaki, in turn, was gripping the side with his paws, growling.
"Hold on, we're gonna land on water!" Cid ground out. Thankfully, they had flown far enough away and the ocean was close enough that they might make it – the plane skimmed the water's surface, vibrating wildly, splashing water all over them – and then finally, after a long while, it came to a standstill.
For a while nobody spoke. Cloud's heart was still pumping fast. Everybody was wet, and the engine was sputtering meekly. With an irritated motion Cid turned it off, and then they were just floating on the water, with sunlight and gentle tides, silently. Cid looked at the broken left wing of the Tiny Bronco, and sighed loudly.
"Can we…" Cloud cleared his throat. Water had gotten into his eyes and nose. "Can we use it as a boat?"
"… Do whatever you want," Cid said, resigned.
"Hey, old man," said Yuffie, with her easy familiarity. "Whatcha gonna do now?"
"I don't know." Cid raised his head, wearily. "What about you crazy kids?"
"We're chasing after a man called Sephiroth," Cloud said.
"Sephiroth?" Cid sat up. "Rufus friggin' Shinra mentioned that name… He said Sephiroth was going toward the Temple of the Ancients."
Cloud couldn't help but glance at Aerith, but she was looking placid, squeezing the water out from her braids.
"Well," Cid said, throwing up his hands. "I might as well join you for the time being."
"Yeah?" Yuffie said.
"Not like any o' you numbskulls know how to drive this thing to shore," Cid pointed out.
"Not like you'd seriously kick us out," Barret countered. They looked at each other for a moment with narrowed eyes, then seemed to decide at the same time that they could tolerate each other's presence for the moment.
"Okay, so where's the nearest land?" Cloud said, resigned to the fact that more and more people seem to be joining what was supposed to be a solitary mission going after Sephiroth.
"Let's see… to the west. Wutai." Cid said.
"Great!" Yuffie said, beaming.