Hi there. Been a while since I wrote and submitted a fanfic, however playing the masterpiece that is FFVII Rebirth has fired up my creative juices again. I'm a huge Cloti fan and absolutely love how the developers have portrayed their relationship in these remakes. A slow-burning romance is just wonderful if it's written correctly, and so far I think they're doing brilliantly with it. Waiting for Part 3 is going to be painful lol.
I'm going to try and write the dialogue in the style of the voicecast (whom IMO are all excellent by the way). My hope is that as a reader you are able to hear the VAs in your head as you go (particularly Tifa, as Britt Baron is just PERFECT in the role).
This story is set just after the party escapes from Junon, regrouping together on the Highwind. Cloud is gone, the meteor is falling and the group is largely at a loss for what to do. Please leave feedback if you would, anything would be appreciated. And apologises in advance for any noticable grammar or spelling mistakes, I type pretty quickly and I'm not great at self-editing.
Chapter 1
Tifa sat on her bunk with her hands on her knees, her mind awash with theories and troubles. It had only been several hours ago that she'd been facing near certain death, strapped to a chair whilst being suffocated by poison gas at the orders of Shinra. She had thought that that was it, her fate had been written and she was die there in Junon without anybody there beside her. Not her friends, her parents, or even Cloud.
Her story had in fact not ended, either by crazy luck or divine intervention, she had managed to escape from the jaws of death with not a moment to spare and instead here she was, aboard the world-famous Highwind airship and somehow reunited with her comrades. Most of them at least.
That moment as she came down from the ship's deck after her dramatic entry aboard, leaping from Junon's gigantic cannon to join a mightily relieved Barrett (of course only after she'd taken a few hard slaps across her cheeks from Scarlett), it was a moment she wished she could forget but couldn't no matter how hard she tried.
"Come on, everyone's waiting!" Cait Sith had declared happily as he turned and hopped away towards what was the entrance to the Bridge.
"Everyone? EVERYONE'S HERE?!"
She sped after him as quickly as her legs would take her, allowing herself to dream for just a few seconds that what he'd said was meant to be taken literally. That everyone was there, and that that included the missing without a trace Cloud.
As she entered and the full room came into view she scanned around frantically, trying to take in everything and leave no inch unnoticed. She quickly checked off in her head each of her friends as she spotted them.
First there was Cid, stood at the ship's wheel with someone whom had be a member of the crew. Then Cait, stood over to the left atop of his giant moogle by a set of control panels. Just ahead of him was Barret, his back to her as he appeared to staring out of one of the ship's large windows down at the earth below.
Turning her head the other way the forms of both Vincent and Red (Nanaki) came into focus. The ex-Turk was leaning against the far wall with his head bowed, looking lost in thought as usual and somewhat uninterested in the scene taking place around him. Red looked over and met her eyes and instantly he lit up, a bright smile coming across his strangely loveable face and his tale began wagging.
He began to trott towards her but she had turned her attention away, returning to her frantic scanning around the place to see if she could spot whom it was she was really hoping to see. Alas, after a few more seconds the reality dawned upon her. Cloud was not in fact here.
"Tifa," said Nanaki softly as he perched himself down in front of her. "I'm so glad you're okay! We've all been so worried about you."
Turning back to look at him she acknowledged his warm greeting.
"I'm glad you're okay too," she said, forcing a smile onto her face. "I'm sorry if I caused you or anybody to be worried. I mean it did get kind of... hairy back there."
"Hairy?" said Barret as he turned and began to walk toward them. "Well that's one way of sayin' it. I damn near thought for second that was it all over."
"Aye but we all got away in the end", chimed in Cait now, still sounding rather chipper. "We're still in good nick from what I seein, and I'd say that's all that matters."
Barrett turned and gave him a not-so-nice look.
"Dunno what you're sounding all happy about, cat," he growled. "Nothin' funny about what just happened. I thought Tifa was gone for sure!"
"It's okay Barret", said Tifa, trying to diffuse the situation.
"You're right about us all somehow being okay," said Nanaki. "Except for Yuffie I guess, she's out in machine room trying not too, you know..."
"If that girl throws up on my damn airship then she can get the 'hell off and walk," declared Cid as he waltzed over to join in the conversation. He seemed to be standing taller than he'd ever done before and exuded authority. Being back in command of his beloved Highwind seemed to elevated his confidence hugely.
"Now that I got my 'ol girl back under my command where she belongs it should make things a heck of a lot easier. Anywhere we need to go, anywhere on the planet, it shouldn't take us more than a couple o'hours at most."
A huge grin spread across his face as he looked over his friends expecting similar reactions. He noticed that Tifa in particular didn't look at all like she was excited at what a huge advantage they now had going for them.
"What's wrong?" he asked. "You should all be way more excited than that."
Tifa looked downward awkwardly, and after a few seconds she let out an answer in a low voice.
"It's great Cid, really. It's just... (sigh). There isn't enough crew."
Her remark went over his head.
"Hell you mean?" he asked confused.
A few more excruciating seconds went by.
"Cid..." said Nanaki in a low voice of his own.
"Oh... yeah," he answered, understanding now and sounding slightly embarrassed.
Tifa turned and slowly walked away from them, heading over towards Vincent who had remained parked against the wall. Barrett huffed and turned to head back towards the window he'd been looking out of. Nanaki sighed and dropped his head.
After a few minutes Tifa decided to walk around and speak to each of her companions one-by-one, to gauge what each of them was feeling right now about the situation they now found themselves in. She'd briefly engaged Vincent ("So glad that you're safe Tifa, we all feared for you...") but as usual he wasn't the talkative type and so she took the hint and left him be.
First she headed towards Barrett, the friend present whom she had known the longest and gone through so much with.
"Hey," she said softly as she joined him by the window.
"Yea?" he acknowledged looking over his shoulder at her.
"So much has happened, hasn't it?" she said. She felt so small at this moment.
"Yeah it has," he answered sounding less harsh than he had before. He sighed and turned to face her fully.
"Look, Tifa..." he began. "I'm sorry 'bout, everythin' that's happened. It's been real shitty the last few days I know, but we gotta not lose focus now. The planet needs us to save her, she really ain't got a lot of time left. So... we ain't got time to spend sittin' around moping 'bout things. Y'hear?"
Tifa didn't answer. She'd heard him fine, but what he'd just told her caused her to feel even sadder. She knew that Barrett would never deliberately say or do anything to cause her upset, it was just that she now knew that the two of them clearly differed in terms of their priorities.
After an awkward few moments Barrett could take the tension no longer.
"Come on..." he said almost pleadingly. "Say somethin'."
Tifa managed to gather herself.
"I know exactly what you're saying," she told him. "I guess we'll sit down and all decide what each of us thinks is best thing to do now. Okay?"
Barrett grimaced slightly but eventually nodded.
"Yeah, sure."
With that she left him and began to walk over towards Nanaki. He saw her coming and rose up from where he'd been laying down, just a few meters from the crewman at the wheel.
"How are you feeling about everything?" he asked her before she managed to speak first.
"Oh, er... well... I'm..." she spluttered having been caught slightly off guard. She sighed but then managed composed to answer properly. Again though he got in his next words before her.
"I know," he said sadly. "I really wish we had Cloud here too."
She felt somewhat shaken hearing someone else say his name out loud. She didn't know for how long but what felt like at least half a minute the two them stood silently together, in what can only be described as grief.
"Where do you think he is now?" Nanaki asked her eventually.
"I really don't know," she answered. "But I'd give anything to know. Anything just to know that he's safe."
"Maybe he's still in the North Crater?" he suggested. "Where the ground cracked and swallowed him up? Buried in the depths of the Earth..."
He tailed off awkwardly. It only seemed to dawn on him the reality of what he was suggesting as he spoke the words. If Cloud was dragged down into the bowels of the planet then that could only mean one thing for him now.
"No," said Tifa shaking her head. "No that's not where he is. He's alive, don't ask me how but I just know that he is. I can feel it, deep in my heart, somehow."
Nanaki gave her an encouraging smile.
"That's right," he replied. "If you can feel him still then that's a sign. Never give up hope Tifa!"
She nodded with slight smile and then turned to move onto the next person. That person would be Cid.
"Well hey there," he greeted her. He had been keeping a close eye on the crew member at the wheel, no doubt making sure the nervous-looking young fellow didn't do the wrong thing and create a problem.
Cid was a good-hearted man under his gruff exterior, a similarity he shared with Barrett, but Tifa still could imagine that working under him on this ship would be very intimidating for a young crew like the one on-board with them. She tried to take his attention away so it was fully placed upon her.
"This really is a wonderful ship," she told him trying to sound impressed.
"Yeah, I've been dreamin' of gettin' her back ever the day since those Shinra bastards came and took her for themselves."
"Why did they take it in the first place?" she asked. "From what we've seen Rufus Shinra travels to places by helicopter. And the Turks, well they're usually with him or back in Midgar."
"They only wanted her in order to clip my wings," said Cid with derision in his voice now. "I started kickin' up a major stink when they cancelled the space program. I told 'em all exactly what I thought of 'em pulling the plug on my dream the way they did, with no notice hardly. I may have gotten myself a little too worked up a time or two and threatened to break the old president's legs. So one day they came and took away my 'baby, until I piped down and got back into line. Least enough for that old fart's likin'."
Tifa smiled geniunely now. Cid had such a way with words.
"Anyways, how're you holdin' gal? I heard you had it pretty rough back there in Junon before we high-tailed it."
"I'm okay," she told him, just like in the conversation earlier. "It's just nobody is really sure about what we should all do next."
"You mean about the kid?" he asked.
Tifa shyly looked down and placed her hands behind her back. Thankfully this time Cid was able to read between the lines.
"Gotta admit," he began. "He was really was a strange dude. Just when you thought he was cool, he'd go and do some damn fool thing. And just when you thought he was smart, he'd show how stupid he actually was. I always thought he was kind of odd, from his speech to the crazy look he'd sometimes get in his eyes. But I always thought too that underneath it all that he had a good heart. That he was always only doin' what he thought was the right thing."
Tifa listened and then nodded in agreement. Cid was right, Cloud did make his fair share of mistakes along the way, had kept secrets from them all he ought not too have, but up until the North Crater she personally had never lost faith in him. Even during his manic episodes under Sephiroth's influence, she had never blamed or been angry at him. They had only caused her to want to keep him even closer, to help him break free and defeat whatever hold Sephiroth had over him even more.
Cid continued on after a few moments.
"Now that we know what we know about him I can see why he was the way he was," he said sounding a little down himself now for the first time. "Still, he didn't deserve what that damn lab coat subjected him too before the placed caved in. I hope wherever he is now that he's holdin' up."
Tifa remained quiet.
"So sis, whatcha gonna do now? You gonna look for him?"
She looked up and tried to answer, but words wouldn't come.
"Yeah," he said with sympathy. "It's a tough one ain't it? But rest assured, whatever ya'll end up decidin' know that me and my guys are gonna be comin' along with ya to help. We been through a lot these last few weeks since we all first met, I couldn't live myself if I just took my ass home now that I got Highwind back. Besides, the 'ol girl needs her exercise!"
Tifa gave him another appreciative smile.
"That means so much Cid, thank you."
"Don't sweat it," he said with a wink.
She was still sat on her bunk, unable to settle her brain which meant trying to rest at all was out of the question. Everybody else was scattered around the airship doing their own thing, no doubt with frazzled minds of their own. After finishing talking with Cid earlier she had suggested to everyone that they all take an hour before convening together in the ship's Operations Room.
She hadn't specifically stated it but Tifa knew that that each of them had all understood the purpose for such a meeting. It was so everyone could properly share their thoughts on what should be their next course of action as a group. She had no doubt about what Barrett was likely going to say, but what the likes of Yuffie, Cait and Vincent each wanted to do next she honestly had no idea.
Tifa knew what she wanted to express, but exactly how she'd go about actually stating it (and getting others to go along with her) was something she was struggling to work out.
Tifa wanted to find Cloud, for her nothing else was anywhere close to as important. Cloud was the person whom the meant the most to her in the world. She knew that the meteor was approaching, that soon it would hit the planet and the world and everything in it would be no more, that the Weapons were on the surface and were causing chaos and destruction everywhere they went, but to her a world where she was forced to carry on without Cloud wasn't a world she cared to stay around in.
She kept replaying in her head that scene in the North Crater when she'd last been with him. How he'd pleaded like a child at the feet of Hojo to be given a number. How the evil professor had spoken to him with such scorn, deriding him as nothing but a "failure". How he'd explained that Cloud wasn't even a real person, merely a lab creation he'd constructed a few years previously in attempt to recreate Sephiroth. How Cloud himself seemed to all but confirm this claim, telling her how sorry he was and he hoped that one day she'd meet "the real Cloud".
She had collasped in floods of tears, so distraught at what was being said that she didn't even realise (or perhaps subconsciously she did indeed realise, but simply didn't care) that the entire place started coming down. Only Yuffie dragging her to feet and Barrett practically carrying her away had saved her from a being buried alive there under all that rubble.
Like she'd said to Red earlier, Tifa was sure that Cloud had not perished there either. She had no proof of this, he'd suddenly vanished after ceasing his pleading to Hojo, but something deep inside of her convinced her that he was still alive. Whether it was gut feeling or something else, she was sure should would not be feeling this strong burning love she had in her heart still if Cloud was no longer out there somewhere.
Despite everything she'd seen and heard she couldn't bring herself to believe that the man she'd been travelling with all this time wasn't Cloud. The same Cloud she'd grown up with in their quiet village, the same Cloud who followed her up Mt. Nibel to try and protect her, the same Cloud whom she'd made promise would come and save her from trouble if she ever needed it.
Ever since their reunion in Sector 7 when she'd found him at the train station she knew there had been something badly wrong with him. His memories were all over the place, his behaviour was often confusing, and his personality so strikingly different to the one she remembered him as having back during their childhood.
But there were also things that pointed irrefutably towards the fact that he was indeed the same person. Despite his badly off-base recollections about some things there were also events from their shared time together in Nibelheim which he remembered perfectly. He remembered Claudia, his wonderfully kind mother to whom he bore a striking resemblance. He remembered her beloved father, Brian Lockhart, and how he'd disliked Cloud (based on a tragic misunderstanding). He remembered Emilio, one of her childhood friends who's family owned the general store in the village. And of course he remembered their promise, made under a beautiful night's sky at the Water Tower shortly before he departed the village for Midgar.
If he were merely a human artificially created in a labratory five years ago then how could he possibly have these memories? Hojo certainly knew none of these details, therefore he couldn't possibly have implanted them.
Tifa didn't know what the truth really was, perhaps she'd never know fully, however she convinced that right now Cloud, wherever he was, now needed her more than ever before. That writing him off like perhaps some of the others had already done was absolutely not what she would be doing.
"MEETING IN THE OPERATION'S ROOM IN FIVE MINUTES" came Cid's voice over the ship tannoy.
Tifa finally stood up and headed towards the door, intent on not being late and keeping everyone else waiting. As she made her way through the ship's inner decks (desperately hoping she wouldn't accidently get herself lost) she continued to try and think about how exactly she was going to articulate herself. This was the sort of thing she'd never been good at, opening up in front of people and sharing her innermost feelings.
She really wished Aerith were here right now, her fallen friend had been somebody to whom giving impassioned speeches was a skill that seemed come easily. Aerith was a great speaker but also a great listener and advisor, she'd know exactly what to tell Tifa to make her feel better right about now. And she'd also likely have a very good theory on Cloud and what to make of everything that had happened since he'd left them.
As Tifa came around a corner another friend came into view, one in the form of the ninja from Yutai. Yuffie was hunched over and leaning against a large container, as if she were fighting the urge to throw up. The poor girl, she suffered from terrible motion-sickness that she couldn't help. Tifa rushed over to her.
"Still feeling bad?" she asked her as she leant down and placed her hand on the younger girl's back.
"Why oh why couldn't we escape on a boat?" Yuffie whined. She coughed but nothing came up and eventually she managed to stand back up straight. Tifa took her by the hand to help keep her steady.
"Come on, we'll head to the meeting room together. It's bound to be comfortable in there than it is out here."
"You better be right Tifa."
Everyone was seated around the table. The Operations Room was indeed a lot less bumpy than in other places on the airship, meaning Yuffie was able to compose herself somewhat (though she still leant back in her seat with a slight sulky look) and participate fully. Sat next to her on her left was Tifa, whilst next to her on the other side was Cait Sith. Opposite them were Barrett, Red and Vincent respectively. Cid meanwhile sat at the head of the table, to be expected seeing as he was officially captain of the vessel. Ironically there two seats left unfilled, one of either side of the table.
"So..." he began a with a smirk on his face. "I officially declare this meetin'... OPEN."
He accompanied that last word by banging his palm down on the table.
"Now then, who wants to speak first?" he asked.
After a few seconds his invitation was accepted.
"I will," said Barrett. He was wearing his sunglasses now and stood up to address them all.
"Shit's going off," he said sounding as serious as he ever had. "The planet's in worse danger than she's ever been in before. In fact she's actually on the brink now. And the only people who can do anything to save her is us."
The group remained silent but all of them were listening to his words intently. He carried on.
"We've taken a poundin' the last few days, no doubt, but we sure as hell ain't beaten yet. Now we gotta hit back and hit back fierce. I say we rig this damn airship out and then take on those Weapons all guns blazin now!"
"WHAT?!" spluttered Cid who stood up himself in indignation. "USE MY AIRSHIP TO FIGHT THOSE MONSTERS?! YOU GOTTA BE KIDDIN'?"
"You got any better ideas?" Barrett replied.
The two bickered back and forth for a few moments about the controversial proposal before Tifa chose to take this moment to speak up.
"I know what I'm going to do," she said. Everyone turned to look at her, including Cid and Barrett who stopped their argument. Tifa took a deep breath and then just let her words pour it.
"I'm going to look for Cloud," she told them. "I can't just forget and I can't focus on anything else until I see him again and know that he's safe. I need to talk to him, I need to find out what the truth about everything really is."
She let her words sit and waited until somebody addressed them. Surprisingly it was Vincent who actually spoke next.
"If that's what your heart tells you Tifa," he said dryly as usual. He then followed up with;
"It is never wrong for a person to follow their heart."
Barrett now where he was stood bore an unmistakable frown on his face.
"We don't have no damn idea where he is," he huffed. "And even if we did, how do we know he'd even come back and help us? I remember fine how we got along without him before..."
"But the truth is," said Red now speaking up. "That if we did try to fight the Weapons, or Shinra, or Sephiroth, to try and protect the planet, the truth is is that without Cloud we probably aren't strong enough to make any difference anyway."
Cait decided to chime in now too.
"Aye, that's right my fuzzy friend. It's not that I don't wannae fight exactly, it's just I don't wannae fight when our best man ain't around to help us. Because otherwise what's the point?"
Barrett, sensing he was being out-voted, decided not to press his argument any further so he sat back down. However he was clearly displeased about what they were all saying.
"What do you want to do Yuffie?" Tifa asked of her her friend still sat to her right. Yuffie didn't lean forwards but did answer her question.
"I'll never understand Cloud," she said flicking out her hand. "That guy's a total enigma, no matter who or what he is. But if you think finding him is the best way we can save Wutai... and er... everybody else, then I don't have any better ideas."
Tifa nodded. She turned back toward everyone else and decided to stand up herself before speaking again.
"I'm not asking any of you to come along with me, everyone should do what they think is best because there's no right or wrong answer. It's just until I find him I know I won't be able to focus on anything else. I'd be no use to anyone who wants to go off and fight."
Everybody except Barrett and Vincent murmured along in agreement. Tifa therefore sat back in her seat and then began to look down, her hands clasped firmly together. She hated making herself the centre of attention like that but she had said what she so badly had wanted to say, and miraculously seemed to have won the majority of her friends over to her cause. She knew Aerith would be supremely proud of her.
"So then," said Cid from the front of the table now. "Now that we know what our mission is, where is it exactly that ya'll want us to head too?"
"Back to the Northern Crater?" suggested Nanaki somewhat feebly.
"No," said Vincent in response. "There is no way back inside there now. Sephiroth has constructed a forcefield barring entry.
"How about we head to Wutai," Yuffie piped up, finally leaning forwards now. "Yeah, I can introduce you all to my Pops and all his cronies who make up our government. We can show 'em our Materia, and maybe they can give us something we can use to break through Sephiroth's light-bulb thingy..."
Cait Sith answered her.
"Not that I wouldnae' mind seein' Wutai for myself one day, but I seriously doubt lassie that Cloud would turn up there of all places. And I doubt it even more that the fellas who run a... let me say simple, society like Wutai, have got any sort of weapon that would be able to blast through something conjured up by Sephiroth."
Yuffie shot a fierce scowl in his direction.
"Oh yeah, I should have remembered that I was talking to Shinra lap...cat,".
"Hey now!" Cait shot back. "I've proven myself many times over now, haven't I?"
"Calm down you guys we'll get nowhere by arguing," interjected Nanaki. He placed his front paws up upon the table and adopted his former voice, the one he'd used originally upon meeting them.
"So, if we can't go back to the Northern Crater, or back to Junon, or to Midgar, then what about if we go back Cosmo Canyon, to see my Grandfather?
All eyes turned towards him so he carried on to justify his suggestion.
"I know what you all might be thinking, but I'm not saying that we go to my home because of any selfish reasons. It's because the Canyon's remote location Shinra likely won't look for us there. And perhaps my Grandfather will know something about the planet, or the Weapons themselves, anything that could prove useful to us. It's worth a try, don't you think?"
"That sounds like the best thing to me!" exclaimed Cait.
"Yeah okay," said Yuffie. "As long as we get there quickly. I don't wanna be stuck on this floating death trap for so long that I barf all my guts up."
Vincent merely nodded his approval. Barrett gave a 'Hmph' before adding; "Fine."
Tifa then nodded too. She knew they almost certainly wouldn't find Cloud there but Red's reasoning for going had made sense. Bugenhagen knew more of the planet's secrets than anybody in the world, surely he'd have some information to give them that they could use. Whether or not it would help to locate Cloud she was unsure, but they had to start somewhere.
"Alrighty then!" declared Cid standing back up and holding up his fist. "I'll head on up back to the Bridge and tell the boys to set a course. Cosmo Canyon it is!"
That's it for Chapter 1. More will be coming soon. :)
