Chapter 19 Going to see a man about a rocket

The Nibel Mountains had long been considered a natural anomaly. The range's gray-green peaks twisted and clawed towards the sky like a system of inverted roots. Shinra scientists attributed the mountains' strange shade to a high concentration of mako. Thus the range was chosen for one of the first mako extracting reactors.

Cradled in a depression between a pair of gnarled spires of stone, the facility showed its age. Even from a distance the signs of wear marred the once top-of-the-line reactor. Black and umber streaks of mold and rust ran down the old concrete walls from years of condensation and leaks in the aged piping. The roadway up to the pass hadn't fared much better over the years. Large sections were washed out from winter avalanches and the rampages of Nibel dragons during mating season.

Vincent observed Tifa, Cloud, and Zack stare up at the distant peak for several quiet moments before starting the ascent. Thick mist churned around their ankles and swirled through the clawed spires of the mountains. The higher they rose, the sparser the foliage until nothing but a few stubborn weeds and eerie mako-green lichens sprinkled across the barren stones.

Cait Sith shuddered at the shrieking howl of wind through the spines of earth. "Tis' a frightening sound. How did ye sleep with that in your back yard?" he asked Tifa and Cloud.

Cloud and Tifa exchanged a silent look. He inclined his head to the woman and detoured down a small side path while she answered. "The mountain is far enough away that we can't really hear this from our homes. To be honest though, the sound of Nibel wolves is something that frightened us more."

Red XIII grimaced lightly before asking, "Should we expect encounters with those here?"

"No," Cloud answered, returning to the path with an unfamiliar, massive sword balanced on his shoulder. He handed Zack the Rune Blade and continued, "There isn't much plant coverage here so the wolves tend not to live this high up. Though before you relax too much, there are other monsters to look out for. Those 'hell mosquitoes' Zack mentioned after we left Kalm for instance." He tilted his head to indicate up the path.

Zack froze in the act of handing his Butterfly Edge to Cloud for storage, his luminous violet eyes wide. He peeked over his shoulder and paled. "Aw man… I hate those things!" He thrust his former blade into Cloud's arms and frantically finished rearranging his materia while the quintet of vivid green insects bounced down the steep slope to intercept them.

Cloud cursed, juggling the blade to avoid cutting himself while the party attempted to get in formation. A task made all the more difficult with tight quarters and the addition of a new member. By the time they arranged themselves Zack, Red, and Tifa were up front; Aerith, Yuffie, and Cait Sith took mid ground; and Cloud ended up in back with Barret and Vincent.

Barret snorted and nudged Cloud's ribs with his elbow, "Ya' snooze ya' lose Spiky. Too bad ya' ain't usin' a gun like Vincent and I. Looks like you're stuck on spell support."

Cloud rolled his eyes, fighting the temptation to pull out one of the guns in his pack to prove the man wrong, but then shook his head as the scrabble of chitinous feet met his enhanced hearing. Another group of Kyuvilduns climbed up the path attempting to flank the group. Cloud smirked at Barret and hefted his Butterfly Edge before leaping over the rapier-nosed jab of the first hip-high insect and pinning it to the loose gravel of the path with his blade.

After a few chaotic moments of fighting, the flow of monsters ended and clutching at the multiple jab wounds in his neck and shoulders Zack whined, "I hate those things!" Aerith hummed in sympathy while she cast a few cure spells on the ones scraped up in the fray. Tifa rolled her eyes and snorted at Zack's obvious attempt to lighten the mood.

Falling back on the pattern they used in the narrow paths of the Corel Mountains, they decided on a semblance of a battle rotation. After a few hours march in the rapidly thinning air, they reached the rickety rope-bridge to the next peak over. From this height the range looked like a murderous bramble-patch wreathed in ever-present ribbons of mist and cloud.

Yuffie whimpered, looking from the frail bridge to the seemingly endless collection of mountains. "How long will it take us to get through this?"

Cloud patted her head gently and murmured, "It isn't as bad as it looks. There's some trick of the light here that makes the range look much more expansive than it actually is. Once we pass through the tunnels in the reactor's mountain there's a narrow canyon and then we're on the other side."

"What. The. Hell?" Barret growled, looking up the bridge and then scowling at Cloud. "Ya' may have explained that, but how about explainin' why the hell they made this crappy bridge go to the top of tha mountain rather than connecting down lower like a normal bridge?"

Tifa snorted, looking up at the steep slope of the bridge where it entered a cave in the top of the next mountain's highest spire. "Sorry Barret, that's one of the town's unwritten mysteries."

"I always figured it was crazy Calhoun's way of thumbing his nose at Shinra building the reactor here," Cloud snickered.

"Mmm you might be right," Tifa laughed lightly and then trailed off, her expression melancholy. "He was the only one in the area insane enough to swing between the peaks to make any sort of bridge. He never did like the idea of a reactor though and he used passive aggressive means to express his distaste. Probably a good thing he passed away before Sephiroth came to town." She wiped some moisture from her eyes with the back of her left wrist and stared at the bridge in trepidation. "Third time's the charm, right?"

Cloud laughed weakly, "That's what people say."

She shook her head. and glared up at the Sonic Speeds and Zuus circling over the bridge. "I'd make a run for it but…"

Yuffie laced her fingers with Tifa and whispered, "Don't worry, if anything happens, Aerith's got Shiva ready for an ice tower." The Ancient winked at her over Yuffie's head and some of the tension leaked from Tifa's shoulders.

Though he didn't express the thought out loud, Cloud agreed with Tifa's feelings and would gladly have dashed across the bridge in hopes of making it to the other side for once. Thankfully, despite the waves of vicious birds attacking them and a slight scare when one of Red's fire attacks came frightfully close to the old ropes, they made it safely across.

One murky, damp, tunnel later and they emerged on the far side of the peak. Vincent peered over the rotting railings to the pass that would lead them out of the mountains. Pulsing green mako glimmered from deep pits on either side of the stone bridge. A massive navy blue beast hunched over the road, its two tails waving lazily. "I don't suppose that was in the plans?" he mused quietly.

Cloud and Zack peeked over the edge and grimaced. Triggering his Sense materia Cloud resisted the habit of announcing its name. The last thing they needed right now was for Yuffie to jump over the rails to attack a monster called "Materia Keeper". Red, who had done the same shook his head sharply and met Cloud's warning look with a nod. "It's pretty strong, but it also knows we're here," Cloud announced noting the beast's head angled to stare up at them with one glimmering crimson eye. "I suspect it will only try and attack us if we try to pass it."

Pointing to a few other tunnels in the mountain Cait Sith suggested, "What if we tried to find a way around it first?"

Wincing at the flash of electricity along the golden scales down its spine, Aerith nodded and whispered, "That sounds like a good idea."

Cloud studied five large pipes at the top of the catwalk and then peered over the edge to where the pipes opened. Zack's eyes gleamed and he started bouncing in place before asking Cloud, "Are these what I think they are?"

Yuffie frowned at the question, looking from the eager former First to the pipes before whooping in delight at Cloud's nod. Aerith paled and shook her head. "Oh no, tell me there's another way down?" she whimpered.

The blond nodded, indicating a rickety flight of stairs and then a pair of access ladders. The upper one was raised and inaccessible from below. "Feel free to take the stairs, there are a few items I'd like to pick up that can only be reached through these so…"

"I pick this one!" Yuffie cried, gripping the top of the first pipe.

Sniffing in mock haughtiness, Zack took the pipe furthest from the girl, his eyes gleaming with competition. "Three left! Who will find the items?"

Rolling his eyes, Barret stepped next to Yuffie. Shaking her head in amusement, Tifa took Cloud's hand, putting him between her and Zack. Aerith waved to her and with Red XIII, Vincent, and Cait Sith on her heels, she carefully descended the old staircase and the first access ladder. "Heh, may the best man win!" Zack shouted, throwing himself down the makeshift slide.

"You mean the best woman!" Yuffie countered, diving headfirst down her pipe. Cloud, Tifa, and Barret snorted and entered at more sedate paces. Muffled thumps, bangs and curses sounded from some of the pipes. Yuffie shot from her pipe, skidding to a stop at Aerith's feet. Seconds later, Zack emerged from the pipe behind Yuffie's at too high a speed to adjust his course, plastering the man to the end of Yuffie's pipe with a muted "thunk". Aerith yelped and scrambled over the dizzy young woman to the dazed man's side.

From the top of a stone spire level with the group, Barret howled with laughter, an item pouch clutched in his fist. "Aw man, what do you rank that one?" he asked Red between breathless laughs.

Red XIII tilted his head thoughtfully and hummed, "Six points. He would have received more for sound effects but the tone was a bit too flat." The lion-beast jumped off the ledge to avoid an annoyed swing from the topic of discussion, a laugh rumbling deep in his chest.

Barret hopped off the stone spire, eyeing the six legged monster warily. With her back to the stone protrusion, Tifa circled the column to join the others at the base of the access ladder. Cloud hopped from a solitary platform, an open chest behind him.

From the new perspective, there were only two directions they could go, past the monster or through a small tunnel to the south. Vincent narrowed his eyes at the massive beast and in a low voice said, "If there is the possibility of avoiding battle with that, I would recommend taking it."

Aerith and Yuffie nodded in agreement. Cloud shrugged and admitted, "While I doubt our chances of avoiding that considering our luck so far." Zack winced and then grimaced in resignation. "There are some things this way that will help us out."

To Tifa and Yuffie he added, "If you can use your Steal materia on any Nibel dragons we encounter we'll get some items that would really help us out." Tifa nodded and Yuffie flashed a sloppy salute.

Skirting the pipes that plunged into the verdant depths of the crevices littering the chamber floor, they crossed the narrow stone walkway to the southern tunnel. A warm updraft from below ruffled their hair and Vincent's cloak as they passed the glimmering green depths. The short passage ended in a tiny ledge over another tunnel. Shrugging, Cloud and Zack jumped down followed by Tifa, Yuffie, and Red XIII. Vincent seemed to glide on the thin mountain air as he jumped off the ledge. Grumbling about crazy people trying to break their ankles, Barret carefully crawled so he hung from the ledge by his hand and gun-arm before dropping the last few feet. Aerith fidgeted on the ledge before squeaking and leaping into Zack's waiting arms. Cait stood on the ledge, shaking his furred head back and forth before gracelessly going over the edge. He hit the dusty ground with a sound akin to a large beanbag chair with a few barbells sewn into it being dropped off a roof.

Cloud studied the remnants of the path to the tunnel and then looked at Zack, a hint of vulnerability in his voice as he quietly asked, "Is this…?"

Tifa rested her hand on his left shoulder and then stroked down his arm and locked fingers with him as she answered in Zack's place, "Yes, this is the route we took to the reactor when the bridge failed."

He sighed and shook his head, expression firming. "Right, looks like we've got some steps to retrace."

Beautiful as the mako caves and fountain were, and nice as the items and treasure, the mako-touched monsters lurking in the natural caverns were tenacious and strong. By the time they reached the base of the moldering reactor, morning had made way to late afternoon. Cloud glared at the reactor and deliberately walked around it to the access hatch behind it. When they stepped inside to the pipe room overlooking the Materia Keeper, Barret unleashed a long stream of profanity and kicked a rusting i-beam. Cait Sith bowed his head in apology, "I guess that was a bad idea."

Aerith patted him in sympathy. "You didn't know we'd end up stumbling over a nest of Nibel dragons in those caves."

"Among other monsters," Zack sighed as an aside to Cloud. Louder he said, "Looks like we've got a boss to fight."

Red bobbed his head in agreement, crouching down to jump to the lower levels, "Indeed, if nothing else it will sate my curiosity over why it is called 'Materia Keeper'."

Yuffie's drooping head shot up, her energy revived. "It is called Materia Keeper? Why didn't you say so sooner?" Skipping the ladder, she jumped off the ledge and would have bounced off the second level to face it alone had Vincent not leaped down in a crimson blur and caught the young girl around the waist.

She yowled in protest, struggling in his grip until he ducked down and whispered something in her ear. She stiffened and when he whispered something further she slumped in defeat and nodded once. He released her but didn't step away when he noticed he was supporting a large portion of the young woman's weight.

Zack whistled in awe. "What did you say to her? She's like a puppet with cut strings!"

Yuffie stepped away from Vincent, brandishing a fist at the former SOLDIER First. "None of your business buster! Hurry up so we can fight that monster and get out of here." Aerith's eyes widened at the dusting of pink on the young ninja's cheek. She caught Tifa's eyes and raised her eyebrows. Tifa shook her head with a lopsided smile before taking her turn to descend the ladder.

When they all reached the lower level of the cave they stopped a fair distance away and arrayed themselves before the Materia Keeper. From a distance and in the dim mako lighting it looked navy but at a closer range its scaly skin was closer to a dark teal. It raised its middle pair of legs higher in the air and its tails lashed at a swifter tempo, sensing their intent to approach. The long spine on the front of its face whistled through the air as it flicked its head to examine each of them. The clawed ends of its legs scratched the stone surface of the cavern floor as it shifted to a more battle ready stance.

Zack drew his Rune Blade and bounced on the balls of his feet before asking, "So, usual tactics then?"

Cloud nodded and while he drew his Butterfly Edge replied, "Yes, test out spells for effectiveness and double up on whichever is most damaging. One thing though… There's an Enemy Skill we can learn."

Zack and Aerith winced and cringed. Much as they liked using the attacks learned from monsters, learning said attack required being hit. Shaking his head after a moment, Zack caught Aerith's eye and they both nodded in acceptance. "Let's get this over with then," he sighed.

For a monster named Materia Keeper, the boss only guarded a single magenta materia. In the course of the trip up to Rocket Town, however, more than a dozen of their older materia mastered and birthed new materia. Along with some of the materia they found in Mt. Nibel, Cloud distributed the gleaming orbs to the members of the party while reserving the remaining six materia in his pouch. For the most part, the distribution was accepted quietly. Yuffie however…

"Why can't I have the extra materia?" the young Wutain whined, tugging on Cloud's left hand as they waded through the hip-high grass in the plains south of Rocket Town.

Stone silent, Cloud ignored her futile tugging and groans of disappointment. For the past week, the young woman started her morning begging for the extra materia until an hour of the blond's stony silence finally wore down her resolve.

"Yuffie, you don't even have room for more materia!" Tifa interjected after ten minutes. "Not to mention most of what he hasn't given out you have already!" She scowled at the young woman, fists on her hips.

Yuffie's eyes widened and she looked up at Cloud. The blond's stony expression morphed into a smug, toothy grin and he raised a single eyebrow down at her.

"No fair!" Yuffie whined, releasing his arm and throwing her hands in the air as she ranted. "How did you know Tifa would be the first one to crack? I demand a re-try!"

"Ah, ah, ah," Cloud chided, waving a finger back and forth. "You gave your word as princess of Wutai, remember? Now fill your part."

She folded her arms high over her chest, face twisted into a snarl and growled, "Okay, okay. I promise that I won't question how you distribute materia anymore. Still think you cheated somehow…" she muttered the last.

"Wait a minute…" Barret spoke up from his shocked silence. "Ya' mean Yuffie's been whinin' every mornin' all week 'cause you bet on who'd crack first?" His tone rose in pitch as he finished on a shout.

Yuffie flung her arms to the side and whined, "Why couldn't you have said something like that three minutes ago?"

Barret's mouth silently opened and closed a few times before his brows drew down and he growled, "Ya' mean ya' two crazies bet whether Tifa or I would blow our top first?"

Tifa stretched her fingers and deliberately curled them into fists. Cloud snorted and patted Yuffie on the top of her head and before dashing off he called, "Better make like a chocobo Yuffie!"

"Wha?" she asked the trail of waving grass in the man's wake.

"I think the lad meant ye ought ta' run," Cait Sith offered, spreading his hands in a shrug. The young woman's eyes widened at Tifa and Barret's thunderous expressions and slow advance on her. "No fair! Wait for me!" she yelped, scampering after Cloud with Tifa and Barret hot in pursuit.

Vincent watched the four make dizzying trails through the grass, laughing and joking as they chased and dodged, switching targets of pursuit at random. Zack howled with laughter, and Aerith giggled lightly when Yuffie used Barret as a platform to jump over Tifa's head. Cait Sith and Red XIII sat and watched, muttering a comment here and there when something amusing happened.

The gunman's crimson eyes narrowed and he asked Red XIII, "Is this normal behavior for your companions?"

The crimson beast tilted his head to look up at the cloaked man and then huffed in amusement. "While I agree their current antics are juvenile, in times of extreme stress ofttimes laughter is the best method of relief."

"Extreme stress?" Vincent queried.

"Indeed," Red nodded once before turning his gaze back to the slowing antics of the four ahead of them. The angry words petering off into laughter. "While Nibelheim has its horrors for you, if you recall, Cloud explained in the mansion it has a grasp on the hearts of three of our party as well." He shook his head and then stood, stretching languidly as Cloud and the others made their way back to the rest of the group. "Fear not, we each understand the severity and importance of the task ahead of us but it is the unyielding tree that breaks in the storm, not the reed."

Vincent watched him silently and returned to the loose formation when Cloud indicated it was time to continue onward. A subtle tension he hadn't even known was there had loosened from Cloud and Zack's shoulders and Tifa exchanged a soft smile with Aerith. He silently acknowledged the virtue of Red's words.

Due to the sharp ridge of a plateau that Cloud no longer knew the name of, the route from the Nibel Mountains to Rocket Town required a long detour along the coast line before angling north through verdant grasslands and scattered woodlands. After their tenth day traveling north, Yuffie flopped weakly at Cloud's side and then slumped against his left shoulder moaning, "I never thought I'd say this… but I miss that stupid buggy."

Cloud huffed a small laugh and rested his whetstone on the flat of his blade so he could gently pat her head. "We got a little too used to an easy ride, didn't we?"

She moaned a weak sound of agreement and turned to hide her face against Cloud's bicep. He chuckled and picked up his whetstone, returning to sharpening the blade. The rasp and chime of the metal sounded over the quiet crackle of the flames and Tifa and Aerith's whispered conversation while they braided each others hair before sleeping.

Since he drew the first watch, Cloud sat quietly, honing his blade yet alert for the sounds of stalking Nibel wolves or the grunting tread of the Velcher Tasks. They all counted it a quiet mercy the Valrons and Kyuvilduns weren't nocturnal. After several minutes of quiet, when the crickets filled the air with their chirps and the waning moon rose among the star speckled sky Yuffie groaned and forced herself to her feet, intend on collapsing for a few hours sleep on the rough blankets that served as her bed.

"Yuffie," Cloud called quietly and when the young woman turned back he continued, "If it is any consolation, I'm pretty sure we'll reach town tomorrow."

A bright, though tired smile spread across the young ninja's face and she replied, "That does help. Thanks Cloud." She retired to her blanket and shortly her breaths slowed as sleep pulled her down. A rattling snore rose from the other side of the fire, the sudden noise startling the crickets into silence. "Damn it Barret…" Zack moaned weakly while Aerith giggled in his arms, burying her face in his chest to muffle her laughter.

Before Shinra decided to use the small logging town as a platform for their space program, Rocket Town was simply referred to as "Base Camp." In the process of choosing a location for their space program, Shinra wanted two things overall: level ground, and untapped mako for fuel. The latter made most of the Eastern Continent undesirable for the venture. The small town of Base Camp was close enough to the rich vein of mako infusing the Nibel Mountains to supply more than enough fuel and yet far enough away from Nibelheim that any draw wouldn't negatively affect the reactor and certain... sensitive scientific projects underway there.

The efficient clearing of the forest around the natural spring at Base Camp along with a semblance of civilization's creature comforts made the small town a prize location for Shinra's science department. Unfortunately, when the rocket launch failed, the money and draw to the renamed "Rocket Town" dried up as well. While a few stubborn families attempted to return to their lumber roots, the siren call of the big city drew most of the town's youth away leaving only those too stubborn, too lazy, or too poor to leave. With Shinra's departure, the cheap, prefabricated buildings assembled for the science department swiftly succumbed to the moss, mold, and the forest's attempts to reclaim its lost territory.

The details of the village were lost to the darkening twilight when Cloud and his party finally staggered into town. Passing under the fading wooden sign pronouncing the town's name, and ignoring the weapon shop immediately to their left, they staggered for the Shanghai Inn to their right. Ignoring the ladies' fight over who got the first shower and uncaring of the price, Cloud paid for three rooms. Keys in hand, he turned to discuss room assignments, but before he could open his mouth, Aerith, Yuffie, and Tifa each took a key and dashed for the stairs.

Before vanishing around the corner, Tifa explained, "We couldn't decide which of us would go first so…" She shrugged and scampered up the wooden staircase.

As the thunder of their feet up the stairs dimmed, Cloud sighed, shoulders slumping. "I wish I could say that was a surprise but I really can't."

Zack laughed and patted Cloud on the shoulder, raising a slight puff of road-dust. "Think of it this way, we get to eat first!"

A good night's rest on a real bed did wonders for the party's overall mood. When they left the inn after an early breakfast the next morning, some of the shadows under their eyes had decreased. They assembled on the dusty street outside the inn and Cloud folded his arms before addressing them.

"So what we got from asking around the inn last night and this morning is that this 'Captain' is sort of the leader of the town and while the patrons of the inn haven't seen Sephiroth that doesn't count out the rest of the town."

As if to illustrate his point he turned to study the small town square. A few early risers crossed the town center, running various errands. The wooden shingles of the houses carried a green tinge from accumulated moss and the crisp damp from a shower in the early hours of the morning cleared the air. A hunched old man leaned against the item shop's fence, staring up at the silhouette of the rocket. Cloud looked up at the moss-laden rocket half a mile outside of town. It tilted precariously on its platform, the former supports gaping open like some mockery of an arcade claw-game.

Shaking his head to clear away the distracting thought, Cloud addressed the party, "Okay so I suggest we hold off on heading to the rocket for now. Let's split up and check if anyone here has any information

on Sephiroth. I'm going to stock up on supplies and buy new items before joining you in questioning people." He made a pained grimace and shook his head before continuing. "Keep an eye out for offerings from… our benefactors. They'll be in rather distinctive chests in a rather brilliant... black and gold."

Vincent quirked one eyebrow at the obvious discomfort on the blond's face and the barely stifled laughter from Barret before the large man interjected, "Hey man, creepy as they are, I ain't gonna turn down free stuff."

Forcing down his own grimace, Zack nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we both know. It's just kinda disturbing to have people all over discussing us and knowing it isn't just the Eastern Continent but the Western Continent too."

Yuffie bit her lip, flicking her eyes down to her PHS and then back up to the conversation. Vincent narrowed his eyes at her, she was hiding something. Before he could say or do anything about her actions, Cloud handed the cloaked man a large stack of gil and tilted his head to the weapon shop across the street and said, "There's a more powerful gun for you in there, feel free to purchase it. Bring me the money when we meet up in an hour if you decide against it or your old gun if you don't sell yours."

Cloud spoke louder to address the rest of the party, "Please try to stay out of trouble, don't leave town, and stay with at least one other member of our group. Check the time on your PHS, we'll meet in an hour in front of the item shop to discuss any information and our next steps." He waited for the others to nod or murmur their agreement before patting Tifa's shoulder and tilting his head toward the item shop.

Vincent pondered the group silently, his blank expression hiding his confusion as Zack and Yuffie eagerly linked arms and dashed for the nearest house. At his side, Red XIII shook his head and asked, "Would you care to be my companion for this endeavor?" The former Turk considered this a moment and then nodded. From the short time he'd spent with the modified form of Avalanche, Red XIII showed the greatest tendency for quiet reflection and the least chance of drawing negative attention.

As if to punctuate his thoughts, Zack and Yuffie dashed out of the house, a woman swinging a frying pan close behind them. He nodded to the crimson feline and murmured, "Let's go." Barret, Aerith, and Cait Sith silently formed a small group and headed for the east side of the town.

Cloud and Tifa crossed the dusty town center and slipped into the item shop. "Not that I'm complaining," Tifa interjected as they entered the house, "But why did you pick me to come with you?"

Cloud grinned and patted his pouch, "I picked you because I know how much you like showing off what you've stolen from monsters."

Tifa smiled and laughed, "You're right, it is a guilty pleasure." They gathered a few general supplies and brought them to the counter before checking out the more expensive items in the display case. The tanned woman behind the counter smiled at their loaded arms and lowered her worn paperback novel, swiftly tallying the prices. They had a good supply of most of her expensive items due to Tifa and Yuffie's Steal Materia but Cloud added a pair of Barrier materia and an Exit to their purchases.

When the older woman stated their total, Tifa reached into Cloud's pouch and pulled out ten Gold Armlets and in an innocent voice asked, "Is this enough to cover it?" She grinned as the woman's brown eyes widened and her skin paled under her dark tan.

"Ah, that was fun. Thanks Cloud," Tifa sighed, stretching her arms over her head with a smug smile. Cloud laughed in agreement and then sobered as he looked at the old man leaning on the item shop's fence, staring at the distant rocket. A decreasing ring of hair covered the back of his age spotted bald head. His free hand shook on the small polished cane at his side. The worn, olive cardigan on his shoulders showed noticeable fraying along the arm and side where he leaned on the white picket fence.

"Good morning," Cloud greeted quietly.

The old man trembled slightly as he turned to look at Cloud, "Ah what a nice young man you are. New in town?"

"Yes, sir," Cloud answered.

"Welcome then. This used to be a Shinra base where they launched rockets. I imagine you've noticed the leaning rocket outside town." He turned back to facing the rocket but spoke on, a hint of pride in his voice, "That's Shinra no. 26. Isn't she something? Never got off the ground though and now it just leans there," he added in slight disappointment.

Shaking his head he asked, "Would you like to look at the rocket with me?"

Cloud nodded and replied, "Yeah, let's take a look."

They both turned and looked up at the aging piece of machinery. It towered over the town even from such a distance away. A few birds flew towards it, shrinking to almost indistinguishable specks against it even with Cloud's enhanced vision.

The old man sighed, "I get so impressed every time I look at it and consider the dream of touching those distant stars... Sorry to take up your time with this old man's hobby. But out of appreciation for humoring me, allow me to give you this."

He reached over the fence and pulled a small storage pouch off a nail on the inner side and handed it to Cloud. Accepting the small pouch, Cloud reached inside, his eyes widening. With a slightly awkward maneuver, he pulled free a lovely Wutaian ōdachi. The beautiful metal of the blade shimmered with a slightly violet gleam in the early morning light.

"I do hope you'll use it and take care of it," the old man added when the blond gaped at him and stammered in protest. "No, take it. It does Yoshiyuki no good to waste away in my home. If she ends up breaking or even loses her edge and you discard her I'll feel happy knowing my grandfather's sword had one last adventure." He patted Cloud's arm with one dry, frail hand and then turned back to watching the rocket.

Bowing his thanks, Cloud shifted his materia around to accommodate Yoshiyuki's fewer slots. By the time he had things settled and his Butterfly Edge stored away, their companions were returning to the town center.

"So, what have we learned?" Cloud asked, silently accepting Vincent's Sniper CR and storing it with the other items and weapons.

"Our venture was futile," Red XIII started. "We learned nothing new from the scant few we managed to speak with, though that could be due to our unusual appearance," he conceded flicking his left ear.

Tifa shook her head and sighed, "Bargaining with the item shop took a long time. Cloud did get a new sword though."

Zack and Yuffie perked up with interest. "Lucky," Zack whistled. "We didn't find anything."

Yuffie, on the other hand, stared at the blade, her eyes wide and she whispered, "Is that…."

"The old man who gave it to me called it Yoshiyuki," Cloud offered. He didn't notice the young woman's gaping mouth as he handed Vincent an All paired with a Barrier materia and gave Barret the Exit and other Barrier.

Aerith grinned and gloated, "Looks like we had the best luck then. We found a Power Source and a Drill Arm." She handed Cloud the former while Barret gave him the latter.

She waited for him to finish storing the items before continuing. "We found out the house over there is the Captain's but he usually spends his time at the rocket."

"That ain't the biggest part," Barret interrupted. "Rufus is supposed to come here to talk with him."

"Rufus? Come here?" Zack repeated, narrowing his eyes skeptically. "I mean it is a good town and all," he backpedaled when a passing grandmother scowled at him. "But this isn't his usual kind of location, if you know what I mean?"

Cloud nodded in understanding and then turned to the rocket, "Looks like our best bet for information is up there."

The route to the leaning rocket was marked by weed-veined asphalt and the crumbling remnants of hangars and support buildings. Almost indecipherable amid the moss and undergrowth, the concrete mission control building hunched in the encroaching forest like a lurking predator. The smashed windows marred its surface like a myriad of eyes. The rocket itself loomed over them the closer they approached. It hung over them seemingly in defiance of gravity, though a stiff wind through the area set off a series of ominous, harmonic moans from the rocket and accompanying supports.

Entranced, they stopped and stared, almost in terrified anticipation for the vehicle's collapse. After a minute or two of watching, poised to flee from the shadow of the rocket, Cloud shook his head and murmured, "Let's keep going."

Shaken out of their reverie, the others complied, though every few minutes one of them would glance up at the monstrous structure as if to reassure themselves it hadn't begun to fall. Aged fuel and control pipelines ran from the mission control center and slumped remains of scattered outbuildings and intersected at the base of the rocket. A pair of bridges rose high over the rusting and moldering tubes.

"Why make such pointless bridges over the pipes?" Yuffie mused with a frown. They aren't that tall."

"No they aren't lassie," Cait Sith agreed, patting her gently on the shoulder. "But it's likely a case that the pipes are hot or electrified. Best keep a distance to be safe."

Now that Cait put the idea forth, they young woman's gray eyes spotted a fallen warning sign near the stairs. Brushing away some of the leaf mold she hissed through her teeth. Even with the rusty lesions crowding the bright yellow the image of a stick person being shocked was clear enough.

Aerith shivered and stroked Cait Sith's back and praised, "Good catch there." The mechanical feline preened under the positive attention. With the visual warning in mind, they carefully ascended each stair-bridge. Crossing the two bridges, they stood at the base of a rickety metal staircase up to a long ladder and then a bridge to the cockpit of the rocket. Further in the depths of the base, Cloud noted the smashed remnants of an elevator. He looked back at the rickety ladder, estimating its height at a minimum of 100 feet and then looked down at Red XIII and Cait Sith.

"Don't even look here, laddie!" Cait protested waving his gloved hands. "I may be working on testing my limits but that's beyond my level."

"I concur. Attempting to ascend such a structure is inadvisable considering my anatomy," Red huffed before he walked to a patch of shade, lowered himself to his haunches, and then flopped down on his side.

Barret snorted and shook his head, "I ain't tryin' my luck on death-trap with this arm." He shook his gun arm and joined Red XIII in the shade.

Tifa squinted up at the distant platform and nodded her head slowly. "I think most of us should stay down here, because that ramp doesn't look very large."

"I think you're right," Cloud agreed dropping his gaze from the distant platform. He looked at the remaining party members and grimaced. "Aerith should probably stay down here."

Pouting, the young woman planted her fists on her hips and sniffed, "Just because I'm a flower girl doesn't mean I'm delicate!"

Cloud shook his head quickly, raising his hands to fend off her ire, "It isn't because I think you can't! It's because… well…" He trailed off and looked down at the slightly faded pink of her dress' skirt.

She blinked, confusion smothering her anger and looked down to try and see what he was looking at. After a moment, she blushed and squeaked, "Oh! Right. Thank you Cloud." She scampered to Barret's side and sank to her knees, hands fisted in the fabric of her dress as if it would suddenly fly up on its own.

Zack looked from the rocket, a faint gleam in his eyes and then to Aerith and back up again. She huffed a small laugh and waved him towards the rocket. Zack beamed at her and then clapped a hand on Cloud's shoulder before asking, "Tifa, Yuffie, Vincent, are you staying or going up?"

Yuffie walked over and curled into Red's side without a word. Vincent studied the rocket and replied, "I am curious about Shinra's failed endeavor."

Tifa nodded once and declared, "I'm headed up too."

From a distance the sharp slope of the stairway appeared uniform and merely shabby under its patina of rust and mold. Upon closer inspection, the ramshackle arrangement seemed to have been cobbled together from several unrelated pieces of equipment. Someone had obviously gone through a massive amount of labor to reach the cockpit of the rocket after its failed launch and the damaged elevator barred the way.

The staircase creaked and moaned under their feet but held. While the ladder was anchored to the sides of one of the rocket's support claws, it creaked and moaned ominously in the mid-morning breeze. When they finally reached the access ramp to the open cockpit, Cloud grimaced at the curving path from the support platform to the hatch. Poising himself to snatch Tifa should the bridge break under them, Cloud followed the eagerly bouncing Zack and the carefree Tifa to the open hatchway.

Though the metal bridge let out a cacophony of screeches and groans under their feet, the structure merely flexed slightly at their passage. A faint greenish light filled the inner hallway and the smell of gasoline, rust, and the faint, moist scent of decaying leather met their noses. A tall man in a denim vest with silver-shot blond hair stood with his back to them, fiddling with a small electronics panel.

At the sound of their feet in the hallway, he turned and squinted at them. A pair of flight goggles stood prominently above his brow and he scratched the stubble on his square chin with a gloved hand as he looked them over. An unlit cigarette bounced in the corner of his mouth as he chewed on the end. His brow raised slightly at Vincent's boots and claws before he snorted at Cloud and Zack's spiky hair. "So what are you lot doing here?"

"We came to speak with the Captain, we heard he was here," Cloud answered.

The man braced his hands on his hips, thrust his chest out proudly and laughed, "The Captain? I'm the Captain. The name's Cid Highwind but folks around here call me 'Captain'."

Zack tilted his head to the side and asked, "Why though? Captain is longer than Cid."

Cid snorted, "'S a title kid. Like some might just call you SOLDIER. Anyway, what d'ya want?"

Cloud waved his hand to encompass the hallway and said, "What's the story behind this rocket?"

"Ah pretty sharp for a kid," Cid praised, dropping the screwdriver in his hand into a stained yellow toolbox at his feet. "Alright, I'll explain it to you. Before Shinra got into that meaningless war with Wutai, they developed a lot of technological devices and advancements. Though they put up a front as a Mako company, their big bucks were in weapons." He shot Cloud and Zack's mako-touched eyes a meaningful look before continuing.

"Back then, they admitted they were developing weapons." He stretched, cracking his neck and flipped his right hand palm up. "Well among their work they came up with the Rocket Engine. Now if you've got any kinda brain in your head, you know that a rocket can just be another weapon but there was a hell of a lot of excitement about the project. Imagine, going to space! Our dreams got bigger and bigger and Shinra put a lot of money into the project."

"They developed prototype after prototype until finally no. 26." He sucked a breath of air through his teeth and looked up in remembered bliss. "And then they chose the best pilot in Shinra.. no, the world-me to pilot it." He grinned toothily at them and puffed out his chest again.

His eyes glazed over with the distant memory and he sighed, "We finally got to the day of the launch, it was a beautiful day, everything was perfect…" He tilted his head back as though he were preparing for lift off an expression of bliss on his face. Then his mouth curled down and his face twisted into a snarl. "But, then because of that dumb-ass Shera, the launch got messed up and Shinra started second guessing!" He whirled around and kicked his tool chest, giving a wordless bellow of rage.

He whipped back around and stalked close, looming over Cloud so their noses almost touched and hissed, "And so Shinra nixed their outer space exploration plans. After all they did talking up the future of space exploration and getting my damn hopes up… DAMN THEM!" Cid bellowed, some of the overhead pipes resonated with the volume of his cry. Moisture gathered at the corners of the man's eyes and he turned away to stare numbly at the corridor wall.

He raised his left hand and trailed it down the metal of the wall as he continued in a distant voice, "Then… it was all over. Once Shinra figured out how much money they could make with mako energy they didn't even look at continuing the space program."

He swiped furiously at the angry tears trickling down his weathered cheeks. "All for money! Our dreams were wiped out for the bottom line of someone's paycheck!" He whirled around to face them and flung his arms towards the metal walls of the corridor. "Look at this rusting Rocket! I was going to be the first man in space with this, but everyday it tilts just a little more. Now I don't know whether it'll fall first or I'll finally give up and leave this place for good."

He sighed, shoulders slumping as he murmured, "My last hope is to talk to the President. Maybe he'll see the value of space when his father didn't." The initial fire of their meeting drained from the man's form and he slowly bent to retrieve his tools and finish working on whatever project they interrupted.

Recognizing the firm dismissal, Cloud tilted his head towards the hatch and they made the precarious trip back down to the others. In somber words, the four summarized what they'd learned from Cid while they rested in the shade of a young birch tree.

"That's sad," Aerith murmured, looking up to the distant cockpit. She turned her gaze back down to Zack and asked, "Do you think Rufus will revive the space program?"

Zack snorted in derision, "With Palmer at its head? It'd be a snowy day in the Corel Desert. No, Rufus is too mercenary for something with no pay-off. He must be after something else."

Aerith's shoulders slumped and she nodded morosely. Barret scratched his goatee thoughtfully and asked, "Who did he say was at fault again? That name sounded kinda familiar."

Vincent spoke quietly, "He mentioned the name 'Shera' though I found his reaction to the person disturbing."

Barret hissed through his teeth and shot a look at Aerith and Cait Sith who perked up in recognition. "That was the woman at the plane," Cait Sith explained. "She's the one who told us about Shinra coming and that the 'Captain' was up here."

Barret's face drew down into a scowl, "I don't like the thought of him callin' a lady 'dumb-ass' like that. There's gotta be more to the story."

Vincent nodded slowly and flexed the fingers of his clawed hand, the metal rasping together. "I agree, due to the captain's elevated emotions it is obvious there were pieces missing from his story. Perhaps I can convince her to reveal more details."

"Interrogation by a Turk," Cait Sith whistled. "I'm sure you can get the full story, but go easy on the lass, she seemed a bit fragile."

"Only a poorly trained Turk resorts to violence to get the answers they need," Vincent scoffed, climbing to his feet and leading the way back to town.

Author's Notes: Yes, I know I alluded to the bridge falling but hey, isn't it nice that they were wrong about bad luck this time? XD

While the FMV had no town around the rocket when it launched, it is my firm belief the rocket was only so close to town for graphical issues. It would be incredibly stupid to launch a rocket so close to an inhabited area, so for the sake of the town not getting roasted later I moved it.

I also decided that Cid's stated age is too young since he looks and acts older than thirty in the game. I would find it too depressing for someone to be so jaded and down beaten at that age and the rocket looks like it has been messed up for longer than a handful of years. (shrug)

***An additional note after a remark from a reviewer. They brought up concern about Tifa's skirt on the ladder. I am not sure if I kept it as my head-canon or mentioned it earlier but Tifa's skirt is more like her shorts in Advent Children, since the thought of performing any kind of kicks in a tight, leather skirt... yeah not really gonna happen. So for my story, she's just in black shorts, not a mini-skirt. Thanks for understanding. :D