Author's Note:
Do people still do author's notes these days? I've been out of the game for almost ten years, so forgive me if I throw out my back while writing this.
Anyways, I'm coming off of Rebirth, and was looking for a good fanfic to tickle the itch I have left after finishing the game, but none of them really appealed to me. That's not to speak negatively on the quality of other fanfics out there, but most of the Cloud and Aerith stuff seems to be AU fics, which never really appealed to me. So I decided to just write one myself, and hopefully it'll appeal toward others with likeminded interests as well.
So, thank you to all of those who decided to give this a read. Hope you all enjoy.
A field of flowers stretched on endless and forever into the distance before eyes shrouded in blue. Cloud stood alone, looking up to the empty sky as the cool wind caressed his cheeks. The creamy scent of yellow lilies permeated the air as he lowered his gaze and set his sight upon the back of a young woman with sandy brown hair tied into a long, elegant braid by a pink ribbon.
"C'mon, Cloud!" she said, rearing her head over her shoulder as she met him with brilliant green eyes and a warm smile, waving for him to follow her. "You know, it's rude to keep a girl waiting, right?" with a giggle, she turned and ran off into the field.
"Aerith, wait!" Cloud rushed forward, following the woman as she drew further into the distance. Aerith's braid bounced with every step she took, the edges of her pink dress skirting along the flowers at her ankles. Yet no matter how fast Cloud ran, it felt like she was becoming more and more out of reach.
"Hurry up!" Aerith turned around with a laugh, stopping for only a moment before turning back and continuing through the field. "If you don't get here soon, you'll miss it!"
"Miss what?" Cloud shouted back. "Aerith, stop! Just wait a second!"
"Tick-tock, Cloud!"
"Aerith, I don't know what you're talking about?" The blond haired man picked up the pace, going into a full sprint as he chased her through the field. "Just slow down for a second!"
"Sorry, but there's no time. You have to hurry or it'll be too late!"
"Too late for what?" Cloud panted, his breaths growing labored as he finally started closing the distance when the Cetra stopped to look up to the sky. "Aerith, you're not making any sense! Just talk to me for a second, will you?" Cloud came to an abrupt halt. Something didn't feel right. It was as though the air had suddenly become heavier, almost oppressive. "Aerith, what's going on?"
"Cloud…" Aerith turned to face him as the sky thickened with black clouds that soon snuffed out the kind light of the sun. "Where are you, Cloud?"
Cloud's mako-laden eyes went wide as he gazed upon her face. Her eyes, once filled with life and joy, were uncharacteristically heavy and tired. From the corner of her lip, a small trail of blood streaked down her cheek and she held a braceleted hand against her stomach.
"Aerith!" Cloud sprinted for her. "What happened?"
"I'm tired, Cloud…" she murmured as she brought her hand before her gaze, looking into her bloodstained palm as streams of crimson stained her pink dress.
Cloud felt a wave of death surge around him. The flowers, once vibrant and flowing with life, wilted and withered into a decaying black and gray before his eyes. Then from above, descending like a fallen angel, the form of a man in black with hair as silver as the edge of the long blade in his grasp came crashing down.
"Please. Help me, Cloud…"
"Aerith!" Cloud reached for the hilt of his Fusion Sword only to find it wasn't there. Driven by pure instinct, he leapt forward to try to move her out of the way, but the harder he reached for her, the further away she became. He felt her by the tips of his fingers, but he couldn't grasp her. He couldn't hold her. He couldn't save her.
The blade ripped through the open wound in her stomach, splattering speckles of crimson across Cloud's face as the life left Aerith's eyes, and the silver-haired man who dealt the mortal blow smirked from behind a veil of shadow.
Cloud opened his mouth to scream. Yet no matter how far he dug into the deepest depths of his sorrow, a sound couldn't escape his lips. His eyes welled in pain, but no tear would fall. His body ached, his heart anguished, but no matter how hard he tried, he was cursed with silence, unable to let out the torment inside him. It was trapped. He was trapped.
As the SOLDIER collapsed to the ground, clinging to his chest, overcome with the crushing weight of despair, his bright blue eyes flickered, and he was no longer in the field of death, but now staring at the familiar ceiling of his makeshift bedroom in the church of Sector 5.
"Shit…" Cloud sat up in his bed and rubbed his temples. "That dream again." Letting loose a harsh exhale, he forced himself onto his feet and got dressed before heading out. His body ached, feeling the weight of four days of restless sleep bearing down on him. He tried to soften it with a small swig of whiskey he kept hidden under his bed, but even that slap to the face wasn't enough to get him through it.
Today was just going to be one of those days.
After hopping on his bike, he headed for 7th Heaven for the start of what he expected was going to be a very long morning. He roared down the streets of Edge, hoping the wind might do what the whiskey couldn't, but even as the sharp gusts cut into his face and billowed the red ribbon tied to his arm, he still couldn't shake the aching throughout his body.
Cloud passed by several WRO trucks and personnel as he cut through the back streets. It seemed the rebuilding process was still continuing at a steady pace. Though it'd been two years since the Omega Incident, it was but one of many crises Edge had seen. The damage from Meteorfall still lingered, and likely would remain for the foreseeable future. However in spite of all that, life still persisted, and those living in Edge continued to see their lives improve every day, even if it was little-by-little.
When he finally arrived at 7th Heaven, he trudged off his bike and headed inside, jingling the bell as he opened the door.
"We're not quite open yet," a voice called out from another room on the far end of the bar. "If you don't mind waiting just a few—" Tifa stepped out from behind the corner and stopped, her expression shifting as her dark red eyes widened just a hair. "Oh, Cloud? I wasn't expecting you to be here so early."
"I slept like shit," he replied, taking a seat at one of the barstools. "Since I couldn't get back to sleep, I figured I'd just get a headstart on the day."
Tifa frowned, and poured Cloud a glass of water. "You sure everything's been alright?" she asked. "You've been seeming a little… Well, to be honest, you've been acting like you were a few years ago."
"You really think so?" he gulped down the water. It didn't do anything to help, but it was a kind gesture. The least he could do was humor it.
"I do," she said, resting her elbows on the bar. "You know you can talk about this stuff with me, right?" Tifa extended her arm out and rested her hand atop Cloud's, her fingertips gently resting upon the leather of his glove, only for him to pull it back.
"It's nothing," he replied, pulling his arm close to his chest. "Just bad dreams."
"About what?" Cloud looked up to Tifa with a look that she knew all too well, a look that answered her question without a word needing to be spoken. "I see…"
Cloud could tell she wanted to say something, but she was holding it in. This was hardly a new conversation, and it was one Tifa had come to learn was a subject that she really couldn't get through to him on, no matter how hard she tried.
"So…" Tifa fidgeted with her hands for a moment. "Oh, right! You only have one delivery for today. So let me go grab it real quick." Tifa hurried off into the other room as Marlene walked out from the hall, yawning and stretching. "Excuse me, Marlene."
"Morning, Tifa," the nine-year-old replied. "Oh, hi Cloud!"
"Hey, Marlene," he gave her a small wave as she hopped up on the stool next to him.
"You know, she wouldn't want you beating yourself up like this, right?"
Cloud glanced over to the young girl, trying to hide the slightly annoyed look in his eye. "You hear that one from Tifa?"
Marlene shook her head. "Nope."
"How do you even know what me and Tifa were talking about?"
"Because I can see it on your face, silly." Marlene reached up and pinched Cloud on the cheek. "You always look like that when you're thinking about her. Kinda like a sad puppy."
"Marlene, leave Cloud alone." Tifa said as she came out from the back room with a package in her arms.
"No," Cloud said, not letting his gaze shift from Marlene. "She's fine." Cloud stood from the stool and playfully ran a gloved hand through Marlene's hair. "Shouldn't you be heading to school about now?"
"Yeah, yeah," she said with a faux groan before throwing a smile Cloud's way. "Bye, Cloud! Bye, Tifa! See you when I get back!"
"Bye, Marlene!"
"Later, kid."
With a wave, the young girl headed out the door, leaving Cloud and Tifa to themselves.
"Sorry again about that."
"Like I said, it's fine," Cloud replied. "She's not even wrong. Getting hung up on the past isn't going to change anything, and it's not what Aerith would want anyways." Cloud clenched his teeth a bit at mentioning her name, a reaction that didn't go unnoticed by Tifa. "Anyways, where's this package heading?"
"Oh, right," Tifa blinked and pulled up a piece of paper. "It came with instructions. It says they want you to read this first." Tifa extended a sealed envelope to him. Cloud raised an eyebrow and took it out of the bartender's hands before ripping it open with little regard and unfolding the letter inside.
"Head to Junon as soon as possible. We'll know when you're there. Also, the package is yours. Consider it an incentive."
"What the hell?" Tifa leaned over the bar and peered over the letter. "Who's it from?"
"Doesn't say."
"Weird."
Cloud reached for the package and popped it open, revealing a gray metal box inside. Pulling the latches on it, Cloud opened the lid. Tifa watched with curiosity and anticipation as Cloud pulled out a plush doll of a black cat with a crown atop its head and a ticket of free admittance for two at the Gold Saucer tied to one of its paws.
"Really?" Tifa shook her head with a smirk. "Guess we know who it's from."
"Yeah," Cloud looked over the Cait Sith doll before snatching the Gold Saucer tickets from it. "The question is; why didn't he just call?"
"You'll just have to go and find out for yourself, huh?"
"You want to come with? They did give me tickets for two."
"As much as I would absolutely love to ditch the bar and go on an impromptu vacation like that, someone's gotta watch Marlene until Barret gets back next week."
"Too bad," Cloud let a small smile escape as he stood. "Don't take any more orders until I get back. I have no idea how long I'll be gone for this time. Could be a few days, could be a few weeks."
"Just be sure to keep in touch, okay?" Tifa replied. "If there's anything you need, please call me?"
"Will do," he said as he moved for the door.
"You promise this time? No going dark for day on end?"
"Promise," he said. "Just hold down the fort until I get back, alright?"
"You got it!" Tifa replied with a wide smile.
After Cloud left, Tifa watched him through the window as he started up Fenrir, revving its mighty engine before blasting down the streets of Edge. Once he was gone, Tifa felt her expression falter as she took his empty glass and tossed it in the sink, glancing at a framed picture sitting next to it, a candid photo of her and Aerith standing by the firepit in Cosmo Canyon.
Her crimson eyes settled on the picture for a long moment. She could hear the crackles of the flame, feel the heat against her skin, smell the scent of smoky incense burning nearby… hear the sound of Aerith's gasp when she turned and saw Yuffie with the camera before easing into a wide smile.
"You're not the only one still hurting, Cloud."
XXXXX
Beret wiped his brow as a bead of sweat trickled over his eyes. The continued growth of North Corel had seen over the years after Meteorfall was something that could've made him put on his sunglasses in mixed company, and the WRO had played no small part in that. What were once ragged shacks were now brick and mortar structures with actual foundations. Dirt streets were now paved and clean. Where there were once heaps of trash and scrap were now lush with trees and greenery.
Even the old coal mine had been repurposed into a research center dedicated to geothermal energy. Long, long ago, Mount Corel had been a volcano before going dormant, and though the research center still had a long way to go, the possibility of it being utilized for distributing clean energy was becoming less of a dream and more of a reality each and every day.
"Hey, Barret!" Russ, the new mayor of North Corel, called out to the hulk of a man hauling a pallet of construction materials over one of his broad shoulders. "Need any help with that or are you just going to keep making the rest of us look bad?"
"Me, make you look bad, Russ?" Barret chuckled. "I'm just a hammer hittin' nails in this operation. You're the one makin' the real shit happen."
"Humble, too? C'mon, Barret. You know I can't compete with that," he laughed, walking alongside the former leader of AVALANCHE.
"I'm serious though, Russ. You should be proud of what you've done. Had I been more like you back in the day, things wouldn't have ever gotten as bad as they did."
"Yeah, and if it hadn't been for you and the WRO, we'd still be living under roofs made of tinfoil."
"As much as I'd like to hear more of your compliments, where you want this put at?" he asked, nodding to the pallet of materials in his arm.
"Oh, right. You can just put those over there somewhere," he pointed toward one of the few vacant lots left in North Corel. "Our boys will take it from there."
"You got it," Barret grunted as he entered the lot and squatted down, gently dropping the massive pallet on the ground. "What next?"
"How about we take a breather. Wanna grab lunch? We've got a new sushi place that finally just opened up here."
Barret looked over to Russ with a dumbstruck stare for a long moment before speaking. "If you told me a couple years ago that I'd be eating sushi in North Corel of all places, I'd call you the most insane god damn son-of-a-bitch I'd ever met." A wide smile spread across his rough features before he placed a huge hand on Russ' shoulder. "That sounds like a hell of a plan to m—"
Barret found himself struck into a moment of pause as a massive figure passed by behind Russ. They were tall, no, gigantic . They stood like a man, walked like a man, even looked like a man to some extent, but Barret knew there wasn't a man alive who could've been so huge. Or at least, no normal man.
And no normal man could carry around a gun as big as the one they did, either. Though to call it a gun was a liberal use of the word; a cannon was more apt.
"Everything alright?" Russ cocked his head.
"Yeah…" Barret brought his hand back from Russ' shoulder and strode out of the lot and onto the sidewalk, looking to the giant man's back as they continued down the sidewalk. Barret knew he'd never seen this person before. If he had, there was no way he'd forget them. Yet even so, something about this massive, imposing figure rang familiar to him. "Excuse me, sir." Barret called out, but they kept walking. "I said excuse me, sir!" Barret belted, making sure his voice couldn't be ignored.
"What?" The man replied, barely peering over his large shoulder as he glanced at Barret with a pair of yellow eyes.
"I couldn't help but notice that big hunk of iron you're carrying on ya," he took a step forward. "Now you see, I ain't got no problem with that. I normally carry one myself," he said, gesturing toward his modular right arm that was currently fitted with a huge metal hand. "But you see, the folks around here get a little uncomfortable seeing that kinda stuff. These days we try to keep things peaceful. Ya know?"
"Peaceful?" The man turned around fully, and when Barret laid eyes on their face he was finally able to piece it together. Though he'd never seen this man face-to-face before, he'd definitely heard of them, and there wasn't a doubt in his mind about it, but it couldn't be them, could it? "You see, I've never cared much for peace. The mundanity makes it all quite boring, wouldn't you agree?" He spoke with a deep voice and a slow caidance, as though each and every word he spoke was deliberately chosen and thought over before coming from his lips.
"I can't say I do." Barret stood tall, but even then he still only barely came up to the man's chest. Russ followed Barret out from the lot to see what was going on, but stopped in his tracks when he laid eyes on the behemoth of a man. "I suggest you go on and get out of here before you start stirring up trouble."
"Trouble?" the man's beast-like features contorted into a wicked grin. "Now how could I turn down such an enticing offer?"
Barret's eyes went wide as he saw the man reach for the cannon strapped to his back. "Russ!" Barret barked. "Everyone! Run! Get out of here!" Just as his words rang out through the town, so too did the roaring thunder of heavy gunfire ripping through the air.
XXXXX
The engine of Cloud's bike roared across the fields of the Junon Region, with the ocean to his west, and the faint outline of Fort Condor to the south. As he continued down the main road, the port city became more clear, though its silhouette now lacked the notorious Sister Ray cannon that had marked the city with infamy. For decades Junon stood as a monument to the military might of the Shinra Corporation, but in more recent days amidst the wider demilitarization around the world and restructuring of society in the wake of Meteorfall, it had started to cultivate a much more fond reputation. Its facilities no longer produced machines of war, but rather tools of progress.
As Cloud came upon the city gates, he was halted by a WRO officer. Cloud cut the engine, bringing silence to the rumbling purr of the bike as they approached in a relaxed stride.
"Cloud Strife?" the officer said, looking at the massive Fusion Sword strapped to the SOLDIER's back. Cloud gave a small nod in reply. "We've been expecting you."
Cloud's escort led him through the revitalized lower levels of Junon, which was lively with fishermen and bustling with business and commerce. When he'd first stepped foot here five years ago, he couldn't help but be reminded of Midgar's slums. Much like Midgar, the people of Lower Junon lived quite literally beneath the ruling elite of Shinra, casting them into shadow and squalor. Yet what he saw now wasn't anything like that. The ocean water that crashed against the beach was clean, and the people didn't hang their heads as though the weight of life was too much to bear. Now they looked forward, walking with purpose and dignity in their strides. In a rare moment, Cloud found the edges of his lips creasing into a small smile before being guided onto the lift leading to the upper city.
A red warning light flashed as the massive elevator ascended, the sound of grinding metal and the hiss of hydraulics filling the air. Once they reached the top, the elevator came to a firm halt and the doorway leading to the streets of Junon opened. On the other side stood the familiar form of a tall man, his black hair tied back into a ponytail and the faintest hints of gray showing itself on his beard.
"Cloud," Reeve smiled. "Glad you could finally make it."
"Reeve," the SOLDIER nodded as he stepped through the threshold. "It's been a while."
"Too long, I'd say," he replied. "Come on, walk with me." Cloud gave the former Shinra exec no clear expression as he followed behind them. "How've you been?"
"Could be worse," Cloud said, glancing over to the buildings lining the eastern side of the street that overlooked the vast ocean across from them.
"And Tifa?"
"Fine," he shrugged. "Living the dream at 7th Heaven, I guess."
Reeve glanced over to Cloud with a slightly narrowed gaze. "You're still not big on small-talk, I see."
"Why do you think I'm a courier these days?" Cloud picked up the pace a bit, and began walking side-by-side with Reeve.
"C'mon now, Cloud," the bearded man smirked. "You mean to say you're not winning over any tips with that signature Strife charm of yours?"
"I don't work for tips," he put flatly.
"Thank goodness for that, I suppose," Reeve murmured to himself.
The two made their way into the tunnel at the end of the street and Reeve led them onto an elevator. With a swipe of the WRO founder's keycard, Cloud felt them begin descending.
"So," Cloud started. "What's the reason for all this? You didn't call me out here just to catch-up."
"You're right," Reeve replied. "As much as I would love to spend the day trying to pry a good conversation out of you, the WRO needs you."
"What for?" Cloud leaned up against the wall of the elevator, pressing his back against his Fusion Sword as he crossed his arms.
Before Reeve could answer the question, the elevator came to a halt and the door slid open, revealing a long hallway. The walls were lined with windows that peered into various laboratories that were bustling with men and women in white lab coats working in tandem with one-another as the two continued down the hall.
"The hell is this place?" Cloud peered through one of the windows where a scientist was examining a tissue sample of some kind beneath a microscope.
"A pet project belonging to one of the WRO's benefactors. I could try to explain it, but it might be better to hear it straight from the chocobo's beak. Reeve pressed his keycard against the door, and it slid open.
Cloud followed them through the threshold and into a dimly lit office. It was uncharacteristically lush for a WRO office. A dark red carpet, a wall lined with exotic art pieces, and a finely crafted desk with a chair that exuded the same energy and radiance of a royal throne.
"Cloud," a familiar voice rang through his ears as the chair spun around. The SOLDIER stopped in his tracks when he was met by the sharp gaze of Rufus Shinra, heir to the now defunct Shinra Electric Company. "It's good to see you again. It's hard to believe it's already been three years."
"Rufus," Cloud bit, his tone as harsh as his narrowed gaze. "The hell do you want?"
"Hey now," another familiar voice called out as a man with fiery red hair in a finely tailored black suit strode into view as they twirled a black baton between their fingers. "This is the guy helping you protect the planet. Show some respect."
"Reno…" Cloud shifted his gaze over to the Turk as Rude followed closely behind, entering from a corridor to the right of the desk.
"Cloud…" Rude said as he adjusted his sunglasses.
"Rude…" Cloud shifted his focus over to the tall, bald man.
"Yes, yes," Rufus interjected. "We all know each other. Now would you mind if we got down to business?"
"I don't know," Cloud glanced over to Reeve. "What business does a Shinra have with me?"
"Cloud," Reeve sighed. "I think you should hear him out on this. I wouldn't ask this of you if it wasn't important."
"Fine," the SOLDIER relented, looking back at the former president of Shinra and the two Turks by his side. "I'm listening, but you better make it either quick or interesting."
"I'll just cut directly to the chase, then," Rufus said, resting his chin on his thumbs and steepling his fingers. "I'm sure you haven't forgotten about the Geostigma Crisis, and that little… 'incident' in Edge?"
"No," Cloud crossed his arms, appearing visibly annoyed. "I was there, in case you don't remember."
"No need for hostilities," Shinra replied with a dismissive wave. "I just wanted to be sure. Especially considering your, how should I say, questionable memory?" Rufus allowed a moment's silence just long enough to see Cloud grit his teeth, but brief enough to disallow him a chance to reply. "Anyways, after seeing that Sephiroth could still manifest himself given the correct circumstances, I realized that preventative measures needed to be put in place to ensure nothing like that happened, so I founded the Watcher Program."
"Watcher Program?" Cloud cocked his head.
"Allow me to show you." Rufus turned around in his chair as Rude clicked a remote, turning on a monitor hanging suspended from the ceiling behind the desk. On the screen was a map of the planet that covered all the way from the far reaches of Wutai in the west to the edges of the grasslands in the east. Scattered across the map were hundreds of blinking red dots that varied in density. Some were no more than mere specks, while others were heavily concentrated into heaps of flashing red. "The Watcher Program is an organization dedicated to the monitoring and observation of Jenova cells throughout the world. There isn't a single being with Jenova cells on the planet who can't be tracked through the Watcher Program."
Cloud stepped closer to the screen, looking up at the map with his mouth slightly agape. There were so many flickering red lights spread far and wide. As he looked to the city of Junon, he saw a heavy clump of red. He looked down at his gloved hand for a long moment before slowly clenching it into a fist.
"Alright," Cloud nodded. "You have my attention."
"Good," Rufus replied. "Now as you can see…" Rude pressed a button that centered the map on the Nibel Region where there was a heavy concentration of signals. "The thickest cluster of Jenova cells is in Nibelheim, which shouldn't come as a surprise since the town has been repurposed into an asylum for SOLDIERs suffering from the effects of degradation." Rufus raised a finger and pointed toward another flickering red light to the southeast. "There's also this one here, but it's a known entity and not to be a subject of concern. However…" The map shifted eastward toward the Corel Region, which was mostly clear of the red specks, save for one notable dot at North Corel. "This one… This one has caught our attention."
"Why's that?" Cloud put his hands on his hips and stared at the monitor.
"Because until three days ago, it didn't exist."
"The hell's that supposed to mean?" Cloud looked over to Shinra with a narrowed gaze. "You're saying it just showed up one day?"
"I wouldn't say 'showed up'," Rufus nodded toward Rude to rewind the footage. "More like 'emerged'." The monitor went back frame-by-frame, tracking the movement of the red dot. "Right here," Rufus stood from his chair and pointed at the red dot that now sat nestled deep in Mt. Corel. "This was the first time its signal was picked up," Shinra glanced over to Cloud. "Notice anything peculiar about its location?"
"It's the Corel mako reactor," Cloud answered, crossing his arms. "Whatever it is came directly from the Lifestream."
"Exactly, and now it's heading for the Nibel Region."
"Shit…"
"That was my thought as well," Rufus said. "For all the faults the man had, Hojo's Reunion theory proved to be markedly true, and for an unknown source to suddenly appear and begin moving toward the richest concentration of Jenova cells on the planet isn't something that should be taken lightly."
"So you want me to find it and stop it, don't you?"
"You think you're up for it?"
"Yeah," Cloud said, looking up at the screen with mako-laden eyes. "But I've got one question; how are you able to track Jenova cells like this?"
"Oh hell," Reno groaned. "Here we go."
Cloud shot a look to Reno with a furrowed brow, then back to Rufus. "What's he talking about?"
Rufus let out a sigh and sat back in his chair. "Well, you were going to have to find out anyway, so there's no point in hiding it anymore."
Rude clicked a button on the controller, and the walls of the office shifted as they started folding into the ceiling, unveiling a series of windows looking into a lab filled with monitors, strewn about cables, and various pieces of equipment, the purposes of which Cloud couldn't even begin to guess at.
Nearly a dozen scientists worked around a large vat in the center of the room. As the SOLDIER fixed his gaze on the contents of the tube, he made out what appeared to be a piece of tissue suspended in a thick, green liquid, hooked up to several wires as it aimlessly drifted about the strange fluid.
"Is that…" Cloud stepped up to the window. After taking a moment to assess the piece of tissue, he realized he was gazing upon a long, gray finger with a jagged black nail. The hairs on the back of Cloud's neck went rigid as he felt a deeply primal fear tugging in the back of his chest.
"I know this may be alarming, Cloud," Reeve stepped forward, trying to put a hand on their shoulder, but it was swiftly rebuked.
"You're keeping a piece of Jenova here?!" Cloud snapped, glaring back to the founder of the WRO. "Don't you have any idea what sort of danger you're putting this city in?"
"Rest assured," Rufus spoke up as he spun his chair to gaze out the window. "She's not going anywhere. That tube is rigged to boil her at temperatures of over fifteen-hundred degrees Celsius at the first sign of tampering."
"Okay," Cloud crossed his arms, clearly not convinced, "So give me one good reason why I shouldn't go in there right now and 'tamper' with it."
"I can answer that," a woman's voice filled the room. Everyone looked over to the corridor next to Rufus' desk as a woman strode inside, the telltale sound of her high-heels clacking on the hard tile of the hallway before becoming soft thuds against the deep red carpet of the office.
The first thing Cloud noticed about her was how authoritative her posture was. She moved in such a way that confidence practically exuded from her. It was so powerful that it wasn't until she stopped before him that he realized she was missing her left arm, leaving the sleeve of her lab coat to dangle freely at her side. Then when he looked her in the eye, he quickly came to notice that her left eyelid was permanently shut as well. Whether it was because it was missing or because it was simply rendered inert, he couldn't say for certain. However, the fierce intensity in her remaining blue eye more than made up for it.
"I suppose I should introduce you," Reeve said. "This is Professor Shalua Rui. She's the Watcher Program's lead scientist."
"Charmed," Cloud kept his arms crossed and his gaze narrowed.
"So this is the famous Cloud Strife, huh?" she adjusted her glasses, scanning her eye up and down him. "I've gotta say, I expected you to be a little bit… taller?"
Cloud rolled his eyes. "Can you just explain why the hell you're keeping that thing in there?"
"Because," she started. "Simply put, without it the Watcher Program wouldn't exist." Shalua pivoted on the tip of her high heels and walked over to the window. "That finger is the very basis by which this entire operation functions."
"Yeah, go on," Cloud said, looking over to the piece of Jenova floating in the vat.
"I won't bore you with the details, but essentially through this piece of tissue, a pure, undiluted fragment of Jenova, we can use the telepathic signals it emits to identify the location of any and every Jenova cell on the planet."
"Okay, then why wasn't it able to pick up that one until it came out of the reactor?" The SOLDIER raised his finger and pointed to the blinking red dot in the Corel Region.
"That's a good question," she replied. "The working theory is that the Lifestream dilutes the signal, but that's still a point of research right now. All we do know for certain is that it emerged at the Corel reactor, and if any more of these rogue signals pop up, we'll need Jenova's finger in one piece,"
"Alright," Cloud sighed. "Fine, whatever. The finger is important." With a shift of his head, he looked over to Rufus. "So how am I getting to Corel?"
"I've prepared one of our WRO planes to ferry you there," Reeve was the one to answer. "They'll be taking you directly to Nibelheim so you can intercept the rogue signal in the middle before it even reaches the town."
"Sounds good." Cloud stretched his neck and unfolded his arms. "The sooner I can get away from that thing, the better."
"What's wrong," Reno snickered. "That little finger giving those S cells of yours the heebie jeebies?"
"Hey man," Rude said with a smooth yet commandingly deep voice. "Cut it out."
"Fine, fine," he sighed, resting his baton along the width of his shoulders as his neck leaned back against it. "I was just bullshitting."
"There is one more thing before you go, Cloud," Rufus said, capturing the SOLDIER's attention. "While we're more than confident in your abilities, considering the implications of the situation, we're sending someone with you."
"You're not sending a Turk with me, are you?"
Rufus smirked. "In a sense, I suppose you could say that."
Cloud cocked his head as he heard the door leading to the main hall open, and the sound of clanking metal rang through his ears. Rearing his head, Cloud was met by a tall man with hair as black as night donned in a tattered cloak as red as their eyes. As they entered, Shalua adjusted her glasses once more, lightly shying her gaze away from them.
"It's been some time, Cloud." Vincent said, his expression devoid of any clear emotion.
"It sure has," Cloud replied, stepping forward and meeting Vincent's gaze with an empty expression of his own. The two continued to stare each other down for a long moment, neither of them betraying anything to the other in their gazes.
"Oh come on," Reno rolled his head back with a groan. "Can you two just get on with it already?"
Cloud and Vincent both continued to keep their cold stares locked for a long moment after Reno's outburst before Cloud finally let the smallest signs of a smirk crease along the edge of his lips.
"It's good to see you again," he said, patting Vincent on the shoulder.
"Likewise," they replied as Cloud strode past them into the hall. Before turning on his heel, Vincent looked over to Shalua for a brief moment, giving the faintest inklings of a nod and followed Cloud out.
Reeve saw them out as he escorted them onto the runway. The sun was beginning to set, and hung over the ocean, reflecting a warm yellow light onto the city from the rolling waves. Cloud shielded his eyes as he stared into the distance, wondering who, or rather what could be lurking toward Nibelheim.
Haunting words that lingered in his mind spoke to him once more, words that still shook him to his core, words that for three years had been plaguing at an anxious heart. Lowering his hand, Cloud maintained his gaze into the horizon and shook his head.
"No, nothing but a memory."
"What was that?" Reeve called out as the engines on the VTOL spun to life.
"Nothing," Cloud replied as he made his way onto the aircraft and rested his Fusion Sword against an empty seat next to him. Vincent sat opposite of the SOLDIER, while Reeve stood outside the passenger bay door.
"You want me to let Tifa know that you'll be away for a while?" Reeve shouted over the roar of the engines.
Cloud blinked, realizing that he'd forgotten to update her like he'd promised. "Uh… no." Cloud shook his head. "I'll call her when we get there."
Reeve gave him a nod in reply. "Then I'll leave you to it! We'll be in touch once you land!"
Cloud and Vincent both gave Reeve a nod of affirmation before one of the WRO soldiers on the landing pad slid the door shut, muffling the roar of the engines as the VTOL started takeoff.
Cloud and Vincent both felt the support of the ground leave them as the aircraft ascended into the sky, and started the long journey across the ocean toward the Nibel Region.
In spite of not having seen each other in some time, Vincent remained silent as ever, which in many ways suited Cloud just fine. His mind still lingered on the nightmares he'd been having, and his body ached with fatigue. It didn' take long for the hum of the engines and the gentle rocking of the cabin to lull him into the edges of slumber.
The world faded to black around him, and soon the sound of the engines grew quiet. The hard seat beneath him drifted away, and he was floating in the twilight between consciousness and the endless empty of sleep.
He took in a deep breath and exhaled. For the first time in a long while, he started to feel at peace. Yet there still lurked something tugging at his chest, something undefinable, but noticeable. It wasn't a thought, but a feeling, a sense of an impending dread that filled his soul. Then, just as Cloud felt it completely take purchase of him, he heard a scream.
Desperation howled in his mind, a call for help, not from a singular voice, but rather from all voices to have ever uttered a word, every breath to have tasted the air, every being, every soul, all cried out in unison, but one voice rang clear through the rest.
"Aerith!" Cloud shot up in his seat, reaching out to empty air as the world returned to form around him. He could feel the hard seat beneath him, the hum of the engines rang in his ears, and the sight of Vincent sitting across from him came into being as he opened his mako-laden eyes.
"Bad dream?" Vincent said, still sitting with his arms crossed and an ankle resting over his knee, the same position he was in when they departed.
"Something like that," Cloud replied as he looked out the window to see that they were flying over land now. "How long was I out?"
"Four hours and seventeen minutes."
"Sure as hell doesn't feel like it," Cloud rubbed his head before glancing over to Vincent. "Wait, were you counting?"
"It passes the time," he replied before shifting a bit and letting out a sigh. "You still dream about her, don't you?"
Cloud shot a look at the former Turk, feeling a sense of unease at Vincent actually inquiring about something so personal.
"Yeah," he nodded. "It'd been quiet for a few years, but lately… I can't get her out of my head, if I'm being honest."
"I once knew a man who dedicated his life to the study of the Lifestream," Vincent said. "He theorized that dreams of those who've returned to the planet, especially those we shared a strong connection with in life, are echoes of their will reaching out to us."
Cloud didn't say anything at first, instead crossing his arms and looking away from Vincent, his expression lost deep in thought before returning them to his gaze.
"And what if they're calling for help?"
Vincent lifted his head slightly, looking Cloud in the eyes for a long moment in contemplative silence. With a soft exhale, he opened his lips to speak.
"Then he'd say you're doing the right thing by being here right now."
Cloud felt his expression lighten, and he eased back a bit into his seat. For a brief moment he felt some degree of reassurance, the first he'd felt in some time. However, that feeling lasted for only a moment before it was upended by chaos.
A violent rattling ripped through the side of the cabin as the thunderous sound of gunfire erupted from the below. Cloud and Vincent shot to their feet as alarms blared and huge holes tore through the aircraft.
"Ah shit! Mayday! Mayday!" The pilot shouted while she and her copilot worked to keep the VTOL stable as they lost altitude at distressing speeds.
"Was that an anti-aircraft cannon?" Cloud grabbed his sword and looked to the gaping holes painted across the hull of the cabin.
"It appears so," Vincent replied, his voice cool and composed.
Cloud was about to say something else, but another volley of gunfire shredded through the VTOL, this time blasting out one of its twin engines.
The aircraft spiraled as it nosedived toward the ground below. Vincent and Cloud tried to hang on, but the force was too strong, and neither of them could maintain their balance as they barreled toward the mountainous regions of Corel.
"Brace for impact!" The pilot screamed.
Cloud's world became nothing but thrashing metal as the VTOL collided into the side of a mountain. Vincent flew out of the hull alongside the bay door on impact. Cloud dug his Fusion Sword into the side of the cabin, trying to use it to maintain leverage as the collision shook everything around him. It was a futile effort though, as an explosion from the damaged engine ruptured the fuselage and sent Cloud tumbling, hitting his back against a rock with a hard thud .
The SOLDIER's vision went hazy, and the world spun around him as the stars in the night sky were drowned out by the thick smoke of the wreckage.
"Cloud!" a voice called out to him, but they sounded muffled and distant. "Cloud!" they repeated.
His vision started to finally focus, and the SOLDIER realized someone was standing over him, their face no more than a few inches away from his own. He squinted his eyes and tried to make-out who was calling out to him as their features came into form before him.
When sapphire met with emerald, he felt his heart skip a beat in his chest. He clenched his fingers into the rocky dirt beneath him, having to make sure he wasn't still in a dream.
"Cloud!" Aerith shouted, her brilliant green eyes filled with worry. "You shouldn't be here!"