Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Learning Curve Continuum ❯ Edge of the Abyss ( Chapter 20 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Disclaimer: Definitely not mine; cheerfully returned to Square Enix with messy hair and dazed smirks.

A/N: An entire week, Original Game?  A week before Meteor flattens Midgar?  Way to kill the pacing there, Squeenix.  

Warnings: A big ol’ lemon is the centerpiece of this chapter, so expect nudity and sexual situations.  If you are prone to the vapours or underage, please take evasive action approximately three-quarters of the way through. Also, coarse language, violence, Limit Break, materia and canon abuse – in other words, the usual nonsense.

Fudging details to bring the narrative in line with the events of Advent Children and Dirge of Cerberus.

I forgot to mention Way Back When that I’ve aged up Marlene to six years old based on the way she acts and speaks; the fact that the game designers designated her as two years younger in the OG strongly suggests that none of them actually had a four-year-old in their immediate vicinity when they wrote the script.

Bouquets to my wonderful betas, Kitsune13/TamLin and Ranuel, and special thanks to my husband for being a very good sport!

Learning Curve Continuum
Chapter Twenty: Edge of the Abyss
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“We don’t have time for this,” I growled, glaring up at the towering red mech blocking our path into the Sister Ray’s fire-control centre.  Inside the incredibly lamely-named Proud Clod’s cockpit, I had no doubt Scarlet and Heidegger were cackling and high-fiving each other.

“Agreed, Cloud-san.”

Pulling a materia out of my array, I rolled it between my fingers.  “I’m gonna Bahamut their asses – get behind me.”

“Wait.”  Astonished, I watched Vincent coolly stride well within the range of the guns mounted inside the mech’s knee joints.  He glanced over his shoulder and fixed me with a solemn look.  “This is for Tifa.”

“What the hell are you doing?  Vincent!” Ramming Zack’s sword into the ground, Nanaki and I sheltered behind it as the gunman disappeared in a hail of bursting shells.  A second barrage from the other knee joined the first, and then all four of the mech’s clawed hands took turns hammering him into the ground and zapping him with wrist-mounted lasers.  “Sweet Shiva – Nanaki!  Cover me while I haul him outta there!”  

Nanaki threw his weight against my legs before I could take a step.  “No, Cloud-san!  We should retreat!”

“What?  We can’t just leave him... Shiva’s effin’ icicles!”  Whatever the thing was that erupted out of the gunfire, it sure as hell didn’t look anything like Vincent.  Easily twice his height, its face hidden behind an expressionless mask topping a heavily-armoured body and wielding a massive chainsaw which it proceeded to use with ruthless efficiency on the mech.  “Did he... deliberately take that much damage in order to transform?” I gulped.

“All we can do is stay out of Vincent-san’s way until he reverts back,” Nanaki said, wincing as the chainsaw’s teeth briefly stuck, then with a screeching of metal on metal, tore through one of the Proud Clod’s joints and literally brought the mech to its knees... which turned out not to be a good thing.  Well, more of a mixed blessing, actually.  When I realized what the mech was probably doing, I yanked the Buster free, grabbed Nanaki, and scrambled out of range.  If we attracted Vincent’s attention, it didn’t matter, because a moment after that, the Proud Clod fired what certainly appeared to be a Beam Cannon at almost point-blank range.  When the dust settled, a red-wrapped bundle lay still on the ground.

“Bahamut!”  

Nanaki raced in and crouched protectively over Vincent’s limp body while the Summon’s attack mercilessly pounded the crippled mech into the earth until it spectacularly exploded, scattering the near vicinity with debris, which undoubtedly included pieces of Scarlet and Heidegger.  Charging towards Vincent, I pulled out the case of Phoenix Down and extracted one of the bright feathers.  Laying it on his chest, I watched it disappear and was ready with a hand up when he opened his eyes.

“Did it work?” he asked.

“Yeah.  No offense, Vincent, but that was one ugly bastard,” I said, pulling him upright.

“What did it look like?”

After Nanaki briefly described the monster, Vincent nodded.  “That must have been the Hell Masker,” he said. “You missed Death Gigas while you were on Mideel.”

“Okay, Vincent – spill.  You deliberately went Berserk over a ‘matter of honour’ – what the hell happened to Tifa while I was out of commission?” I demanded heatedly, imagining all sorts of unpleasant scenarios.

“She deserves the option of telling you herself,” he calmly replied.   “Or not, as she chooses.”

“That doesn’t help,” I groused, experiencing a momentary – and really, really stupid - desire to thump the information out of him.

“Her honour has been avenged,” Vincent murmured.  

Exasperated, I looked to Nanaki for support, but he just shook his head and continued nosing around the battlefield.  “Fine,” I grumbled petulantly.

“Cloud-san?  It appears that you have won a new sword.”  

I strode over to where he pawed at something among the chunks of mech, hoping I wouldn’t step in any oozing bits of Scarlet or Heidegger along the way, and stooped to inspect Nanaki’s find.  Stowing the Buster Sword on my back, I hefted the gleaming weapon and inspected the unusual x-shaped guard.  Squinting at a finely-etched pattern on the black blade, I finally determined that it was the weapon’s name.  “The Ragnarok?”  Selecting a half-dozen of my favourite materia, I inserted them into the multiple slots and tested out a few moves.  “Not bad – now, let’s try it out on Hojo.”

“No quarter, correct?” Nanaki queried as I blew open the armoured gate that the Proud Clod had been defending with a Bolt and we began scaling the stairs towards the fire-control centre, the Sister Ray looming overhead.

“You really have to ask?”

“Just making sure,” he replied, clearing a flight in a single bound.  “I had no intentions of being merciful, but I was not sure if both of you felt the same way.”

“For Lucrecia’s sake, I would prefer not to strike the death blow,” Vincent said.  “But if there is no other way, then I will end him.”

“Funny that there doesn’t seem to be any posted guards,” I commented, as we jogged across another landing.  

“Perhaps they have abandoned their posts?” Nanaki suggested.

A helicopter gunship whirled overhead, its engines briefly drowning out the background cacophony of sirens coming from the surrounding sectors of the Plate.  Searchlights spun, briefly illuminating the murk as they passed; it appeared that the Sister Ray had sucked most of the energy from the reactors ringing the city, because much of the normally brightly-lit Upper Plate was plunged into darkness.  

Cid had done his best to drop us off as close to the cannon as possible, once it became clear that the fire-control centre was located in an inconvenient – for us – spot right under the barrel, but then we’d realized that the entire emplacement was surrounded by high walls topped with razor wire.  The Highwind was too big to fit in between the cannon and the surrounding buildings, so we took a risk and slid down the ropes to a street running alongside one of the walls, hoping to find an access point.  After hoofing it around two sides of the emplacement while looking for a gate, we ran into the Proud Clod and its pilots.

As we scaled another set of stairs, I pulled out my PHS and waited impatiently until Cait chirped, “Hallo, laddie!  How’s it goin’?”

“Working our way up to the fire-control centre – have you heard from Reeve?”

“As a matter o’ fact we ‘ave, laddie.  Th’ Turks ‘ave recognized ‘im as poobah-in-chief, an’ the first thing ‘e did was call off the gunships that were eyein’ up the’ Highwind an’ put ‘em to work organizin’ evacuation points.  They’re located in Sectors Two an’ Five, both on th’ Upper Plate an’ down inna Slums – they ‘ad to blow open sections o’ th’ wall first.”

“Where’s Reeve located now?”

“Level 62, ShinRa Tower.  ‘E’s taken over th’ mayor’s office.”

“Tell him to stay put until Vincent and Yuffie reach him.”

“A-okay, laddie!”

“Hojo,” Nanaki growled as we cleared the last flight of stairs; at the opposite end of an open catwalk lined with piping and cables, we could see a white-coated figure working away at a large bank of computer terminals.  

“Too bad you don’t want to take him out yourself,” I griped to Vincent.  “You could pick him off from here with your gun, and save us a load of trouble.”  Yes, I was still somewhat pissed that he wouldn’t clear up the mystery regarding Tifa and Scarlet.  Yes, I was being childish, but something had happened to Tifa, dammit, and I wasn’t there to prevent it.

Vincent merely looked contemplative.  “It isn’t too late to call down an airstrike….”

“We’re here, so might as well do the job.  Besides, the chances of us being part of the collateral damage from a missile attack are pretty high.”  As we crossed the catwalk, I raised my voice.  “Time’s up, Hojo.”

He didn’t even turn around.  “Not the failure again.”

“You know my name, asshole,” I ground out.  “I’m only gonna ask you once - step away from the console.”

“The sight of you makes me sick, Strife.  You were supposed to be a failed Clone – how did you manage to survive, never mind succeed?  There’s no rational explanation for either!”

“Due to my good looks and charm, obviously.”

“You have committed many sins, Hojo, but refuse to atone for them,” Vincent said, fingering his gun.  For a wild moment, I thought he was going to shoot the bastard, but true to his word, he didn’t draw the weapon.  “You should have been the one sleeping in the coffin, not me.”

“Power is at eighty-three percent - it’s taking too long,” Hojo grumbled.  “Wait just a little longer, my arrogant, glorious, condescending son.”

“Why are you helping Sephiroth to destroy the Planet?  You’ll die like the rest of us if he succeeds.”

“What father will not assist his child?”

It was at that point we all realized that Hojo was as batshit insane as Sephiroth.  “I see he inherited only the best of his father’s traits,” I muttered.  “Who wants to take the first swing?”
  
Hojo turned around and took several steps away from the console; there was a mad light in his eyes.  “I have made myself into a superior being as well,” he leered.  “I injected myself with Jenova cells – here are my results!”

While Hojo twisted and twitched as if performing some kind of weird dance, a pair of monsters sprang into existence on either side of him.  They were both green and sported multiple tentacles, but weren’t terribly impressive-looking.  Vincent cast a sleeping spell, knocking out both of them and allowing us to concentrate on Hojo.  Nanaki and I took turns hammering him with sword and fang while Vincent cast spells to keep the monsters down for the count.  It seemed almost too easy… which should’ve been our first clue that things were gonna get uglier.

“Holy Gaea,” Nanaki breathed, which is the closest I’ve ever heard him come to cussing as Hojo morphed into one of the most hideously deformed creatures I’ve ever faced – and that’s saying something, considering the chunks of Jenova we’d fought.  It waved its appendages – I hesitated to call them ‘arms’ – and before we could organize an attack, we were hit with a massive dose of poisonous gas.  Forced out of range, we smeared at watering eyes and downed restorative potions until we could see and breathe again… only to have a Pile Banger thrown at us.  

“Incoming!”  We were already retreating to the landing when the device disappeared through the hole it bored in the catwalk’s metal cladding.  The attached bomb exploded a second later, and I quickly discovered that the Ragnarok didn’t offer quite as much protection from flying shrapnel as the Buster; Nanaki and I were both striped bloody by the time the dust settled.  Catching our breath, we traded doses of Cure while looking for Vincent.

He popped out from behind one of the cannon’s massive steel support columns and coolly directed, “Target its arms,” then laid down a magic barrier.  Without any hesitation, Nanaki hurtled in, launching himself at the left appendage while I went after the right.  The Ragnarok seemed designed specifically for this opponent, slicing through the monster’s rubbery flesh like a hot knife through butter.  Gouts of steaming liquid spurted out of the stump, but it wasn’t any colour of blood that I recognized.

“Nanaki!”

Vincent snatched our comrade out of mid-air as Hojo flung him away; the monster’s arm was hanging by a shred of tissue, so I sliced it off before bouncing out of range in case it regenerated or something – I didn’t put anything past Hojo, not with Jenova cells in his system.  “You okay?” I demanded of Nanaki, who was vigorously shaking himself.

“Yes, Cloud-san.  I unfortunately lost my grip,” he replied as I Cured him.

“We need to finish off this asshole more quickly – any suggestions?”

Casting another barrier to give us a breather, Vincent produced a materia out of his array and tossed it to Nanaki.  “Summon the Phoenix, and then Cloud can take him out.”
     
“Worth a try – ready, Nanaki?”

The flames of the Phoenix were still crackling when my ClimHazzard carved through Hojo’s distorted body.  We only had a split-second’s satisfaction of watching Hojo disappear... until he re-formed into a strange, robotic drone-like thing that hit Vincent with a spell that rendered him mute and immediately started kicking our asses while the gunman was unable to verbally cast a protective barrier.

“Shit!”  Something in Hojo’s attack slowed my reactions, so I couldn’t escape, never mind defend myself while he beat the crap out of me with impunity.  The only good thing about taking that much damage was being able to channel my frustration into fury.  As soon as the slow-down wore off, I whirled my sword and discovered that I had a new trick in my arsenal.  “Final Touch!”  

“The tornado is as impressive as the damage it deals, Cloud-san,” Nanaki commented a few moments later while the debris was still raining down.  “However, our enemy is unfortunately impervious to the more deadly aspects.”  

“Dammit.”  Nanaki got out of the way, but I didn’t quite dodge the next attack Robo-Hojo aimed our way, and it again included the maddening slowness, leaving me at the mercy of whatever was in those evil-looking hypodermic needles.  

As Hojo’s arms stabbed downward, Nanaki shouted, “Cloud-san!”  

Cure’s healing energy crackling over my skin, I managed to roll out of the way of Hojo’s snaking arms and yelled, “Keep hitting him with everything you’ve got!”  

Nanaki let go with an Earth Rave before succumbing in his turn to the paralytic spell; I dragged him out of range and found enough energy for another Final Touch, but before I could let loose, Vincent shook off his temporary muteness and nailed Hojo with a spell that literally sucked away our opponent’s ability to use magic against us.

However, just as the draining spell took effect, the drone fired off an attack that immediately altered the course of the battle.  Vincent’s transformation this time was pure nightmare-fuel, even more than the last one; I’ll be seeing that winged demonic creature for years to come.  Nanaki and I scuttled clear, and then retreated all the way back to the landing when the platform distorted under the thing that used to be Hojo and became a massive fanged skull.  As vaporous red-tinged balls of energy streamed out of the skull’s mouth, the demon sprang into the air, hovered a split-second, then dove onto the drone.  There was an incredible explosion, and when the dust cleared, Hojo was still standing – barely.  

Nanaki snarled, “For all of those who have suffered at this monster’s hands, let us finish this.”

“Right with ya.”

Nanaki literally went for the throat; while he yanked the faltering drone off-balance, I chopped off the hypodermic needles in the tips of the sinuous arms before they could strike, then repeatedly hacked Hojo’s metal sheathing until it cracked.  His arms whipped around my neck and tried to throttle me, but couldn’t get a good lock because of the hilt of the Buster Sword projecting above my shoulder.  Between the two of us, Nanaki and I brought the drone to earth and I spiked Hojo to the computer console with the Ragnarok.  As sparks flew around his spasming body, he laughed maniacally before shuddering into silence.

“Well done, Cloud-san.”  Nanaki shook his tinkling mane back into place.

“Not so bad yourself,” I replied, wiping my face with a shaking hand before we took turns Curing each other.  

Cautiously approaching Hojo’s body, because madmen often have a nasty fail-safe up their sleeve, I studied the switches.  “Of course the ‘off’ button isn’t clearly marked... Shiva!  Does that gauge say ninety percent?”

Nanaki reared up on his hind legs and inspected the array of blinking lights.  “This is when Reeve-san would be useful.”

“You’re a genius,” I said, pulling out my PHS.  As soon as Cait answered, I barked, “Patch me through to Reeve.”

“Is Hojo dead, laddie?”

“Thoroughly.”

“Good work,” Reeve replied.

“Never mind that - how do we shut this thing down?”

“It’s a two-part process.  First, find the cable that’s powering the transfer of mako energy to the cannon.  It’s on the end of the console.”

That was easy enough, although it took both Nanaki and me pulling with all of our strength to dislodge the huge plug from the socket.  Unscrewing the bolts that locked it in place first might have helped.  The switch that had to be thrown in order to vent the energy already collected in the cannon was another matter; after several tense minutes, during which the gauge kept slowly filling, we finally identified it.  After we turned it off, we both nearly jumped out of our skins when up overhead on the Sister Ray’s barrel, the huge numbered paddles began wildly spinning and flapping, then folded downwards with loud crashes.  The other routing switches also faltered, and then fell; a few moments later, the lights of Midgar noticeably brightened as power was rerouted back into the electrical grid.

“It is done,” Nanaki sighed, before frantically racing around the platform, his nose in the air.

“What’s wrong?”

“Vincent-san!”

“Oh, crap.  He could be anywhere – even another Sector.”  Activating the PHS, I asked, “Cid!  Can you see Vincent?”

“Ya lost Vinnie?” the pilot asked incredulously.

“Not exactly.  He was hit by an explosion while transformed, so if we’re lucky, he was knocked out and is having a little nap somewhere.  If we’re not, there’s a Berserk winged gargoyle flapping around attacking things.”

“Jus’ a sec, boss - the kid’s screeching an’ hollerin’ ‘bout something.  Caity-cat, go on deck an’ see what’s up her tail.”  

A minute or so later, we clearly heard Yuffie yell, “Vincent’s unconscious – he’s on the Sister Ray’s barrel!  How’d he get up there?”

“He flew,” I replied.  It was true; the fact he wasn’t in control of the means of propulsion was immaterial.  “He’s back to normal, I take it?”

“Did he transform again?”

“Twice in the last fifteen minutes.”  

“Twice!” Yuffie yelped.  “You have enough Phoenix Down, right?”

“Yep.  Just have to climb up there to administer it.” I assessed the dizzying height of the precarious-looking network of ladders that we’d have to scale to reach the cannon’s barrel and wished for a pair of wings.  “Keep an eye on him... we’re on our way.  It’ll take a few.”

“’ang on, Cloud – might ‘ave a solution,” Cait interjected.  Static crackled, and then he cheerily said, “Gotta chopper comin’ in ta pick ye up.”

“A chopper?”

“Courtesy o’ the Turks!”

Nanaki and I exchanged doubtful glances, and then he also inspected the distance between us and our goal.  “If time was not of the essence, I would prefer to climb.”

“You and me both.”  Stowing the PHS in my pocket, I turned to contemplate Hojo’s body.  In death, he’d fully reverted to human form.  The bastard’s mouth was twisted in a smirk, blood trickling down his chin.  His eyes were half-open; it was probably a trick of the light distorted by his thick glasses, but it seemed like he blinked.  If the Ragnarok wasn’t sticking out of his chest like the proverbial stake, I would’ve sworn that the monster still had a spark of life.  I briefly considered leaving the sword where it was, then decided that I didn’t want to waste a perfectly good weapon on a corpse.  Moving quickly, I placed my boot against Hojo’s shoulder and yanked the Ragnarok free, then wiped it on his trousers.  “Rest in peace, asshole,” I muttered.

The thunk-thunk-thunk of a helicopter interrupted my thoughts; looking up, I watched a ShinRa gunship descend until it hovered slightly above the platform’s railing.  Its rotors were clearing the adjacent building by a matter of inches – I had to admire the pilot’s skills.  The side door rolled open, and a sour-faced Elena waved us over.  She recoiled when Nanaki leapt straight inside, and was eyeing him unhappily when I swung in a moment later.  

“Don’t frown like that – you’ll get wrinkles, and then you’ll scare Tseng when he sees you again,” I cheeked.

She scowled, then brightened.  “I have seen him.”  In response to my sardonic look, she shuffled her feet and mumbled, “I apologize for accusing you of injuring him.”

“Thank you.”  Peering into the open cockpit, I could see Rude at the controls; he had an impressive scrape on the back of his shaved head, probably from when he hit the catwalk outside the Rocket earlier in the day.  “Must be tough for you guys to be working with us.”

“Turks always get the job done,” she shrugged, looking out the open door.

I toyed with asking her about Rufus, but figured since the Turks had already turned over power to Reeve, the Shinra family’s decades-long control over the Planet had more than likely ended.

“Here you go.”

“Thanks for the lift.”  Tossing her a casual salute, I waited until the chopper’s skid scraped on the Sister Ray’s barrel before jumping out of the door.  Nanaki followed, and we hustled across to where Vincent was draped over one of the huge trunnions that locked the cannon into its emplacement.  He was indeed back to his normal appearance; his cloak looked a little more tattered than usual, but at least it was a cloak and not a pair of wings. I repeated the Phoenix Down treatment, and as soon as he regained consciousness and sat up, I demanded, “What was that?” He blinked at me, so I elaborated, “Purple-grey demon-thing with big red bat-wings.”

“Chaos,” he immediately replied while carefully stretching.  He undoubtedly landed very hard, so I cast Cure while he was talking.  “The most powerful of the monsters Hojo implanted in my body.”

Nanaki flicked his ears.  “Remind me to tell Barret-san that none of them are particularly good-looking.”

“Eh?”

Ignoring both of them, I pressed the call button on the PHS.  “We’re ready for pick up.”

“Right-o, laddie!”

A minute or so later, the Highwind swept up the length of the cannon towards us, and a rope ladder rapidly unfurled over the side.  I wondered how Nanaki was expected to make the ascent when the ladder was followed by what appeared to be a hammock tied together by its ends and suspended on a thick cable.  He wormed his way into the canvas cocoon and gave a sharp bark; the cable tightened, and he was speedily hauled upwards.  Vincent was already half-way up the rope ladder by the time I figured out how to carry the Ragnarok and the Buster Sword while leaving my hands free to climb.  Shoving the blade through the front of my harness, I started after him, but the crew made it much easier by winching me the rest of the way.

Tifa was on deck to greet me, but the spiky bits on the Ragnarok’s blade guard certainly deterred a welcoming embrace; instead, I gave it to her to hold, and then kissed her.  “Scarlet’s dead and therefore your honour is restored, according to Vincent,” I murmured in her ear.  I decided against telling her exactly how the gunman had gone about it.

“I didn’t wish her dead,” Tifa whispered, appearing perturbed, which only confused me further.  

“You… didn’t?”

“I did want to punch her out again, once I returned to normal, but that’s all.”

“So... this is something that happened while you were a guy?”  She flushed and ducked her head. Catching hold of her chin, I tilted up her face and kissed her again.  “It’s okay – tell me when you’re ready. I can wait.”

Biting her lip, she studied my expression.  “You’re upset.”

“Only because something happened to you and I wasn’t there to stop it.”

“I don’t think anyone could’ve stopped her, short of a Weapon.  Too bad it showed up several minutes too late.”  Sighing, Tifa squared her shoulders.  “ShinRa was going to execute Barret and me....”

“What?”

She shook her head and I forced myself to settle down.  “Rufus wanted a scapegoat for Meteor and we were available.  Scarlet was running the show – literally, as it was a live broadcast – and after I was strapped into the chair inside the gas chamber, she dismissed the guards, turned off the camera and... and....”

Shoving the Ragnarok out of the way, I pulled her close.  Memories of being in Hojo’s lab, tied down and helpless while horrible things were done to me, flooded through my brain and I unconsciously tightened my arms until Tifa squeaked a protest.  “I’m not sorry that she’s dead,” I muttered as I loosened my grip.

“I gave her a black eye just before we escaped.”

“I still don’t quite understand – why was Vincent the one gunning for her, and not Barret?”

“Because Vincent was disguised as one of the guards, and after she kicked both of them out of the gas chamber, the other guard told him what Scarlet was doing.  Apparently she was well-known for molesting personnel.”  Leaning closer, Tifa added, “Barret still has no idea, so don’t tell him.”

“This is as far as it goes,” I replied, but part of me was still raging at what had happened.

Fortuitously, Yuffie interrupted at that moment and diverted my attention from murderous thoughts.  “Um, I guess this is goodbye....”

“Just for a little while,” Tifa said firmly, wriggling free and giving me the Ragnarok before squishing the teen in a warm hug.  Yuffie didn’t say anything, just clung to Tifa.  

Putting aside my anger, I patted Yuffie’s shoulder.  “I’m counting on you to keep Vincent outta trouble and the Turks in line until we get back.  Think you can handle that?”

Letting go of Tifa, Yuffie tackled me.  “Be careful,” she implored, burying her face in my chest.  Her voice was very small and quavering, and I was again reminded that she was a child fighting an adult’s war.  

Gently scruffing her hair, I whispered, “We’re all coming home.”

When Yuffie finally let go, her eyes were wet; furiously scrubbing at them with her hands, she dug in her pockets and produced several materia.  Passing the glowing orbs to Tifa, she said, “You guys will need these more than I do.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.  I’m with Vincent; I’ll be all right.”  Stepping back, Yuffie tried to be brave, but her lip was trembling.  “S-see you s-soon?”

“Victory party’s tomorrow afternoon,” I answered confidently, then raised my voice.  “Vincent – look after our girl.”

The gunman appeared mildly offended that I appeared to be questioning his abilities, but then he saw the teen’s stricken expression.  Putting his arm around her slender shoulders, he inclined his head.  The ShinRa Tower loomed, and we all fell silent as we had our first good look at its violently truncated height.  There was no possible way that Rufus could’ve survived, if he was in his top-floor office when the Weapon’s attack struck.  Lucky for him it was a quick death, because I would be inflicting something much slower and far more painful for ordering Tifa and Barret’s execution.

“I need to say goodbye to Nanaki.”  Slipping free, Yuffie started across the deck to where the leonine warrior was discussing the sling with several crewmen; he immediately broke off and met the teen half-way.  She knelt and put her arms around his neck, while Nanaki sat down on his haunches and awkwardly wrapped his front leg around her.  They stayed like that for several minutes, Nanaki rumbling quietly.

I shook Vincent’s hand.  “Good luck.”

He cast a glance up at Meteor.  “Likewise.”  Wiping her eyes, Yuffie stumbled to his side; he delicately lifted a teardrop from her cheek with a gloved fingertip.  “Level 62, was it?”  Scooping the teen up in his arms, Vincent dove over the side.  Rushing to the railing, we saw a flutter of red disappearing inside a broken window just above the illuminated offices that Reeve was now occupying.

Tifa shook her head.  “Honestly - he didn’t need to be so dramatic!”

“Maybe he wanted Yuffie to squeeze him as tightly as she did Nanaki,” I joked.  Tifa shot me a dry look, then appeared to give it a second thought.  “I’m kidding.”

“You may be more right than you know.”

Despite having witnessed more than a few examples of the gunman’s regard for the teen, I teased, “Oh, come on!  He’s way too old and gloomy for her!”

“She’ll protect him from the darkness,” Tifa said.  “Vincent has relaxed quite a bit since he joined us.”

“I think you’re a hopeless romantic.”

Her soft smile made my heart do a couple of giddy loops.  “Yes, I am.”

“Vinnie an’ the kid make it over to the Tower all right?”

Nanaki padded over to the console where Shera kept an eye on the Highwind’s internal workings and seated himself.  As she obligingly began scratching his ears, he said, “The transfer was successful.”

I couldn’t help asking, “Nanaki, are you okay with not seeing your Gramps before...?”

“He is with me in spirit,” he gravely replied.  “I know exactly what I am fighting for.  Now, my friends – onward to the Northern Crater.”

“Takin’ a small detour on the way” Cid announced.

“Detour?”

The pilot winked at Barret. “Stoppin’ at Kalm t’pick up a special guest.”

Tifa clapped her hands.  “Marlene?”

A huge sunny grin lit up the big man’s craggy face.  “Yep!  My little girl’s comin’ on board!”

Her smile fading, Tifa added quietly, “And Mrs. Gainsborough?”

Barret nodded, his expression turning solemn.  “If’n she wants ta come along.  We hafta break the missy’s death to ‘er real gentle-like.  Poor woman’s lost ev’rythin’.”

Cait Sith spoke up.  “Who’s gonna fetch ‘em?”

Tifa and I shared a speaking glance.  “We will.”

“Daddy!”

Marlene̵ 7;s happy squeal when I boosted her over the railing and into Barret’s arms was one of the best things I’d heard in days, and the look of utter contentment on the big man’s face as he cuddled the little girl close was easily the most satisfying.  

Tifa sharply prodded my leg from her position below me on the rope ladder.  “Hurry!  Mrs. Gainsborough will need help getting out of that thing.”

“The crew can handle it – Nanaki gave them some feedback earlier today to improve the design.”  Despite that, Tifa immediately went to Elmyra’s aid once we were on deck; I had to admit that the woman appeared slightly wild-eyed from her rapid ascent in the repurposed hammock.  The crew had added a short piece of metal piping to the original configuration, so that the hammock no longer closed up like a drawstring bag.  Instead, the piece of metal held the so-called ‘bosun’s chair’ open for greater comfort, but the experience was obviously almost too much for Elmyra.  Clutching an overstuffed bag in both hands after she was extracted from the hammock, she nervously looked around – until she caught sight of Barret and Marlene, and positively beamed.

Tifa introduced the crew, then escorted Elmyra to the staircase.  She winked at me as she ushered the older woman into the airship proper, no doubt intending to complete the introductions in the cockpit; I hoped Cid employed his new-found manners.  Since Shera’s arrival on board this morning, the amount of profanity lacing his conversation had noticeably declined, as had the number of cigarettes he smoked.  A few of us really appreciated the changes – and now with Marlene on board, hopefully they’d continue.

“C’mon, princess – time ta meet ev’rybody.”

“Awesome!”  The little girl’s eyes sparkled with excitement, and I couldn’t help but smile.  Sure, my feud with Sephiroth was personal, and maybe by killing him I’d find some closure, but Marlene embodied everything that was at stake – the future of the Planet itself.

Elmyra had taken the news of Aerith’s death with stoic acceptance; however, Marlene had burst into tears and soothing her had occupied Tifa for some time, during which Elmyra calmly pressed me for details.  When I’d offered her the chance to join us on board the Highwind for the upcoming battle, she’d agreed without hesitation.  “Aerith gave her life to save the Planet... I want to be there when you fulfill her prayer.”

“It might get rough,” I warned.  “There’s no guarantee that I’ll succeed.”

“Mr. Strife, believe in yourself.  Aerith did.”  With that, she whisked off to collect their few belongings in the narrow half-timbered house that Reeve had provided for them – a house full of flowers.  They bloomed riotously in a rag-tag collection of pots, vases and baskets on every windowsill and tabletop in every room, and I couldn’t help but think that Aerith was somehow involved.  The pink ribbon now adorning Marlene’s hair was a definite reminder of our lost mage, and like Aerith, the little girl’s cheerful attitude certainly livened the atmosphere as she helped Elmyra to pack up.  Shouldering one of the bags, I offered Elmyra my arm, and Marlene held tightly to Tifa’s hand as we made our way down the cobbled street to Kalm’s main square, above which hovered the Highwind.

Elmyra had paled at the sight of the huge airship, but resolutely walked forward and allowed herself to be tucked into the makeshift bosun’s chair.  Marlene insisted on climbing the rope ladder ‘all by herself’, but I was close behind in case of a slip; Barret would never forgive me if something happened to her.  Facing Sephiroth without a sword would almost be preferable.

“Cloud?”  Tifa beckoned from the door leading down into the ship, and I obeyed.  There were preparations to be made – sword sharpening, materia and armour sorted, potions packed.  If I was lucky, a few hours of sleep, and then... Sephiroth.

Elmyra’s presence was immediately felt on board the Highwind as we sped north into the gathering dusk.  Between her and Tifa, they’d produced a hot meal in the tiny but well-equipped galley, and then insisted that we sit down to eat around the table in the Operations Room.  “Like a proper family,” Elmyra had said with quiet satisfaction.  

Marlene’s bright chatter dispelled any gloom; she’d quickly laid claim to both Cait and Nanaki as her personal entourage, charmed Cid and Shera plus the entire crew, and made a point of hugging Tifa every time she scampered past us.  Tifa whispered something in Marlene’s ear on one of her affectionate fly-bys; the little girl nodded enthusiastically before pouncing on me.  I was startled, but Marlene held on until I returned the hug, and after that, she made a point of including me in her random acts of fondness.    

Looking around the table at the faces of the people who mattered the most to me, I wished for many, many more meals like this.  It reminded me of the camaraderie when I was in the army, especially after the Modeoheim mission when Zack would show up in the enlisted mess.  He claimed both the company and the grub were better than up in the SOLDIER mess - although I highly doubted the latter was true.

Afterwards, I slipped away from the hubbub and went up on deck; leaning on the railing, I stared towards the northern horizon.  Invisible at this distance but easily visualized in my imagination, the snow-covered ramparts of the Northern Crater reared towards the sky beyond the distant mountain peaks.  A vast, icy fortress protecting the festering madness within, and nesting beneath the Crater’s floor, eating away at the Planet like a malevolent growth, was Sephiroth.

“Zack, I really wish you were here,” I muttered.  “I could use one of your pep-talks about now.”

Fear curled around my heart anyways – but it was more akin to despair.  If I had my way, Cid would drop me off and take the rest of the team to a safe distance, but I already knew that wasn’t going to fly with anybody, particularly Tifa.  Her stubborn insistence on staying at my side, no matter the danger, was both a source of strength and terror.  Sephiroth would target her – all of them – in order to win.  How the hell could I keep them safe and beat him?

I swear I felt the weight of the Planet descend onto my shoulders.  If I failed, we’d die several hours before Meteor wiped out the rest of the Planet.  Giving my head a shake, I tried to clear my mind; if I started thinking like a loser, I’d definitely be one.  Hadn’t Barret given me hell about that awhile back?  A shuffling sound pulled my thoughts back from the edge of the abyss, and I turned to see Tifa emerging from the stairwell with two steaming mugs in her hands.  Joining me at the railing, she smiled as she passed over one of the hot drinks; the bright scent of mint filled my nose as the heated mug warmed my cold fingers.

I watched her out of the corner of my eye as she sipped the fragrant tea.  Tifa was wearing my favourite sweater, the one that made her bosom resemble a pair of ripe Luchile nuts.  The garment was zipped all the way up against the chill, and I wished for my cowl to help keep her warm, but it had disappeared somewhere along the way, probably in the Lifestream or on Mideel.  However, her legs were bare beneath her short dark skirt; she was going to catch her death of cold, as my mother used to say.  

Needing to touch her, I slid my arm around Tifa’s hips and tugged her closer; she came willingly and made herself comfortable in my embrace.  We remained in contented silence together, drinking our tea while looking out over the landscape.  Meteor was far to the south of us, but its glow turned the distant snowfields a pale peach and creating an attractive contrast to the spangled indigo sky.

Tifa rested her arm on top of mine, her fingertips stroking my skin.  “D’you think the Planet knows how hard we’re fighting to save it?” she asked in a low voice.

“Aerith and Zack do.  That’s good enough for me.”

Tilting back her head against my chest, she inspected the night sky.  “Did the stars look the same in outer space?”

“Yep.”  I swallowed the last mouthful of tea and wrapped my other arm around her.  Resting my chin on her shoulder as I cuddled her tight, I added, “They didn’t impress me as much as the Planet, though.”

“How so?”

“It looked so fragile – really reinforced that there’s no Plan B.”

Turning to face me, Tifa worked her arms under mine and hugged fiercely.  “Don’t take all the weight of this on yourself,” she murmured. “We’re all with you, Cloud.  Share the weight – share the responsibility.”

“If I fail....”

“There won’t be anyone left to assign blame.”

“Accurate... but ouch,” I winced.

Kissing away my grimace, Tifa sweetly enticed me into thinking about other things; her mouth tasted like mint.  This moment, with her, embodied everything I’d ever wanted.  Dammit, I deserved a chance at a future with her, and there was only one way to secure it – go through Sephiroth.  As I poured all my hopes and fears into the contact between our lips, Tifa responded with equal passion, moulding her body to mine; we were both rather breathless when we came up for air.  Her darkened eyes were luminous in the starlight, and after another deeply intimate kiss, she murmured, “C’mon.”  

Taking my hand in hers, she led me towards the stairwell.  I took a last look at the starry horizon before following her into the bowels of the ship.  First stop was the galley, where we ditched our mugs, and then she ducked into the toilet while I waited and thought about nothing in particular.  When she emerged, I followed her into C Watch’s cabin where we found Marlene already tucked into a hammock with Cait Sith playing the part of a teddy bear.  Barret and Elmyra were sitting on crates nearby, sharing tea and quiet conversation with Shera and Nanaki.  While Tifa retrieved her knapsack and stooped to kiss Marlene, Barret gave me a significant look, as if assigning me an important mission.  I saluted, and he gravely nodded.

“Where are we going?” I asked, once we were back outside the Crew’s Quarters.

“You kids have fun!” Cid bellowed.  Cackling at the expressions on our faces as he waved his mug, he said, “Mind you don’t stay up all night!  Reveille’s at 0400, sharp.”

“We’ll be ready.”  Tifa tugged me around the perimeter of the deck, past the Operations Room, towards the Chocobo Stable.  Cid watched from his vantage point in the cockpit doorway; when I shot him a questioning look, he smirked broadly and mimed a rather explicit gesture that I hadn’t seen since the army – then chortled at my blush.

“Does everyone know what we’re doing?” I demanded as soon as the Stable door closed behind us.

“Marlene doesn’t.”

“I would hope not.”

“Does... it bother you?”  Tifa was biting her lip, and I belatedly realized that I was about to put a spanner into my own works if I wasn’t careful.

“No... yes... maybe a little.  I’ll get over it.”

“At least Shera made Cid promise to not put ground Pepio nuts in our sheets.”

“We have sheets?  Like on a real bed?”  Looking around the dimly-lit Stable, all I could see was a large pile of hay in the farthest stall, directly under one of the shielded lights.

“The sheets are from the Infirmary, and, um, I hope you don’t have grass allergies.”

“So... we’re going to have a roll in the hay?” I grinned, a nervous laugh tickling the back of my throat.

She was twisting the straps of the knapsack almost to the tearing point, but managed to tentatively reply, “Um, yes?”

Stepping close, I tenderly kissed her on the mouth.  “Thank you.”

Tifa blushed brightly, but allowed me to usher her across the room.  While she put down the knapsack, I sat down and flopped backwards into the sweet-smelling hay.  However, when I held my arms out to her, she shook her head.  “Sheets, remember?”

“Isn’t this more, er, romantic?”

“Being prickled every time we move isn’t.  Don’t you remember when our classes went up to Mr. Thomas’ barn to see the baby Chocobo chicks?  We were allowed to play in the hayloft afterwards.”

Folding my hands behind my head, I had to think for a moment, but eventually recalled a golden summer day, the hazy light slanting through cracks and the thick air inside the hayloft redolent of sun-warmed grass.  We boys had spent the time daring each other to climb the ladder to the upper loft and jump off into the hay below; come to think of it, the girls had all rapidly bailed so there was no one to show off for.  “I remember... why did you girls take off?”

“The straw was murder on bare legs.  Besides, there was a hutch full of baby bunnies to cuddle.”

“Boys must be tougher,” I suggested.

“Or sillier,” she retorted, pulling me upright.  “I remember your legs and arms were striped with cuts for days afterwards.  Oh, look – your arms are already scratched.”

“Okay, so naked rolls in the hay aren’t a great idea....”

“Would you prefer if we kept our clothes on?”

“No.  Definitely not.  No flannel pyjamas, either.”  The heavy wool blanket she tossed nearly knocked me back onto the hay, but I caught both it and myself in time.  She helped me spread it over the rustling pallet, followed by several more layers that included a pair of sheets and a cheerful quilt that must have come out of Elmyra’s luggage, and our bed was ready.

Our bed.  I really liked the sound of that.

Tifa sat down on the side of the pallet and began untying her bootlaces.  Seating myself next to her, I followed suit.  Stealing sideways glances at her as I worked, I noticed her cheeks turning pink as she methodically shucked her boots and tucked her socks inside.  She pulled off her gloves, unbuckled her elbow guard and then peeled out of her arm protectors, all without looking at me.

Bumping her shoulder with mine, I waited until she shyly peeked at me through her bangs, then leaned in and kissed her.  Tucking her hair behind her ear, I lightly rested my hand on the curve of her neck and kept kissing her until some of her tension dissolved, then offered her my gauntlet.  She shifted closer and pulled my arm across her lap, then set to work on the buckles while I nuzzled her forehead and boldly nibbled her earlobe.  That made her jump and titter softly, but didn’t distract her from the task at hand.  Once I was freed, I unwrapped the binding I habitually wore around my forearm, while Tifa took off the sweater and neatly folded it, revealing her white tank top.  

Tugging lightly on my harness, she silently asked if I wanted assistance, and I eagerly complied; it was a huge turn-on to be undressed by her.  I contemplated the ShinRa logo on the attached belt for a moment before dropping the harness and pauldron next to my boots.  Tifa was about to let down her suspenders, but I caught hold of the skinny straps and slowly guided them off her shoulders and down her slender arms, brushing her skin with the backs of my fingers and raising goose-bumps.

She next opened the buckles on my belts one after the other and then sat back, leaving open access to her buckle.  It appeared that we were engaged in a game of give-and-take in order to get naked, and I happily played along.  Reaching for the buckle, I kissed her again as I released the catch; her hands landed on my shoulders, and we were sidetracked for a few delicious moments, until she tugged my sweater out of my trousers.  I reluctantly leaned back and raised my arms, allowing her to pull it over my head and off, but didn’t mind when Tifa started kissing the scars on my chest.

It was as if she was claiming them – and me – as hers alone, and when she ran her tongue down the mark left by the Masamune, I shivered with pleasure.  When she finally kissed her way back up to my lips, I circled her waist with my hands before slowly sliding them upward, until I brushed the undersides of her breasts with my thumbs.

Tifa pulled back, her eyes demurely downcast and her cheeks stained deep rose, before she took hold of the hem of her tank top.  I held my breath as she slowly raised the worn material, revealing the velvety curves that I’d last seen in their full glory months ago, after barely surviving a Midgar Zolom.  Sure, she’d pressed them up against me a few times since, like last night, but it was somehow different to actually see them – and to know that tonight I was allowed to touch them along with the rest of this beautiful woman.

If I could only get my hands to stop trembling and my heart to quit erratically banging around inside my rib cage, because I’m fairly sure that passing out before the act wouldn’t be a good idea.

Carefully folding and refolding the tank into a teeny, tiny square of fabric, Tifa seemed unable to look up.  No wonder, considering that I was ogling her bare breasts with all the subtlety of a hungry Nibel wolf.  Attempting to show appreciation of her trust in sharing this experience with me, I didn’t follow my libido’s insistence on going straight for the obvious erogenous zone and instead enfolded her in my arms and tenderly kissed her.  She relaxed; I congratulated myself for reducing her stress… and hopefully increasing her interest in the erection straining my fly buttons.  

Tifa shivered lightly as we kissed, but it was a few minutes before I realized that it wasn’t completely from either nervous tension or arousal.  I was almost too warm, but I still had my trousers on and enough mako in my bloodstream to counteract anything short of a sustained stint on the Great Glacier.  Tifa, on the other hand, was wearing only the tiniest scraps of clothing and while I was doing my best to increase her heart rate, she needed more warmth.  Hooking my finger into the waistband of her skirt, beneath her loosened belt, I tugged gently downward.

She immediately caught my drift and allowed me to help her out of the skirt, sliding the garment down the length of her legs and off.  I pulled back the quilt and she slipped between the sheets; after some suggestive squirming, her panties joined the rest of her clothing, and it forcibly struck me that I was about to lie down with a totally, terrifyingly, wonderfully, absolutely naked Tifa.

I felt light-headed again.  

Struggling with my fly buttons, my fingers gone numb, I was struck speechless when Tifa sat up again, the blankets falling away to her waist… but not for the obvious reasons.  Stashing the tattered blue ribbon in one of her boots, she shook out her hair, and that simple act crystallized everything for me.  When she lay back down, silky black streamers curled loosely over the bedding and across the rustling straw, emphasizing that she was completely ‘undone’.

If only my fingers would co-operate with my trouser buttons.

Making a determined effort, I managed to pop the first three when I heard a muffled giggle followed by a hummed refrain.  Shooting her a quick glance while I continued to wrestle with the infernal fasteners, I ended up being distracted again.  Tifa peeked over the edge of the quilt, her vivid eyes full of mischief, and I finally recognized the jaunty tune.  Grinning, I joined in and obviously surprised her.  Folding the quilt away from her face, she huskily sang the naughtiest stanza of that old-time ballad I’d last heard echoing from the bathroom at the Ghost Inn – the one about shenanigans in a hayloft.  She was blushing scarlet by the end, until I leaned down and kissed her.

“I approve of your musical choice,” I teased.

“It seemed appropriate, what with the straw and, um, everything… would you, er, like some help with your, uh….”

“Yes, please,” I interrupted, barely stifling an almost overwhelming urge to laugh.  “My fingers don’t want to work.”

“It appears your blood supply is otherwise occupied,” she wryly commented when I rolled onto my side and revealed the very hard state of my arousal.  My girl dealt with the situation calmly and efficiently, and then startled me by giving my boxer-covered erection a light pat, as if greeting it.  Hastily yanking off the rest of my clothes, I dropped them next to my boots and joined her under the quilt.

And came to a full stop.

We were laying side by side, on our backs, our bare shoulders almost touching.  Tifa smiled bashfully; I know my expression was equally shy.  I felt oddly breathless, like something unforgettable was about to happen, and I had a strong suspicion that she felt the same way.

Tifa turned to face me and I followed suit; she made the first move by resting her fingertips on my chest.  Stroking her hair away from her face, I lightly caressed her shoulder and down her arm to her hand, then kissed her knuckles.  Our bodies migrated towards each other by degrees, until her foot made contact with my shin, followed by our knees and hips until I felt brave enough to slide my arms around her.  Tifa cuddled close, snuggling into ‘her’ spot on my shoulder, and we simply held each other for long minutes until we were completely comfortable with this new level of intimacy.

This was much better than the first time we’d been naked together, on a damp bedroll, after a frigid dip in a mako spring.

Her hands started wandering, tentatively at first, then more confidently after I groaned her name and pressed into her touch.  She traced the lines of my pecs, then down across my abs to the ridge of muscle marking my hip, then over my ass and up my back.  Mimicking her actions, I closed my eyes and concentrated on learning Tifa’s shape through touch.  Each rib defined by smooth ripples of muscle.  The dip of her waist flowing into the sweet curve of her hip.  When I cupped her ass, her leg slid up over mine, and my fingertips brushed her short curls.  She moaned so softly that only my enhanced hearing allowed me to catch it, then hiked her leg higher in clear invitation.  I hesitated, but her lips moved against my chest, her tongue-tip defining the line of my collarbone in encouragement.

I don’t think she expected what happened next, because I completely surprised myself.

I might have growled when I rolled her beneath me, but if I did, the sound was muffled in the crook of her neck - I hope.  However, I managed to stop myself from leaving teeth marks while I licked and nipped her warm skin... until she began rubbing herself against my thigh.  The erotic motion, plus the scent of her arousal, went straight to the most primal part of my brain and I bit down on her collarbone.  Not too hard, thank Shiva, because her startled noise brought me back before I went any further.  Kissing the red mark, I whispered an apology; she murmured a response, but it was several minutes before she resumed her sensuous movements.

Chastened, I moved more slowly, pressing open-mouthed kisses to her breasts until her nipples peaked against my lips.  Arching her back, Tifa breathlessly urged me on, letting out a small scream when I flicked the taut flesh with my tongue.  Her hands pulled at my hair and shoulders while her hips rolled more frantically; emboldened by her eager reaction, I slid one hand down over her flat stomach and palmed her short curls.  When she pressed up into my touch, I distracted her by switching my attentions to her other breast while sliding my finger into her slick folds.

“C-Cloud!”  

Tifa’s sharp gasp, followed by a long, shuddering moan, ignited my arousal like Ifrit, but I fought back the overwhelming urge to replace my finger with my erection.  Partly because I wanted to make sure she was ready, but also because I really wanted her to enjoy the experience.  Bits and pieces of Zack’s advice floated through my brain, a few from before Nibelheim when we hung out between missions, but most from after we escaped from the lab, when he would fill the silence by talking about Aerith – in sometimes explicit detail. I was really glad that I didn’t remember any of it during her time with us, because that would’ve been beyond awkward.

Going by the way Tifa’s breathing hitched and her heartbeat sped up when I touched a particularly sensitive nub, I had found what Zack referred to as ‘the sweet spot’.  Tifa’s reaction to my discovery was instantaneous.  Spreading her legs even further, she bucked wildly against my hand, and her whispered entreaties encouraged me to alternate attention between her ‘sweet spot’ and deeper, wetter places.  She tensed, her grip tightening, and then she cried out, her body rippling powerfully around my finger.

My ego, among other things, proudly swelled.

Carefully withdrawing my hand, smirking as she shuddered and faintly protested the loss of contact, I surreptitiously licked my finger because I wasn’t sure how she’d react to my obsession with her taste and scent.  Comfortably settling my hips between her thighs, I nuzzled her throat and just breathed in her warmth, feeling extremely pleased with myself.  After several minutes, Tifa roused herself enough to kiss my forehead.

I couldn’t help asking, “How was it?”

Her heavy-lidded gaze was somehow both equal parts sultry and shy.  “Really, really... nice,” she exhaled, smiling crookedly.

“Nice?  That’s it? ” I protested, feeling oddly put out.

“Yes,” she sighed, still smiling, and I realized that like me, her blood supply was ‘otherwise occupied’; I went back to feeling smug.  Tifa’s hands began smoothing up and down my back.  Shifting her hips beneath me, she murmured, “Do you want...?”

“Only if you’re ready.”

She nodded, and indicated the knapsack, then seemed nonplussed when I didn’t wait for her instructions before dragging the bag closer and rummaging for the envelope of condoms.  When she stilled, I noticed her wary expression.  “I accidentally found Aerith’s, er, ‘gift’ the next morning at the Ghost Inn, when I packed my stuff in your bag.”

“Oh....” She squeezed her eyes shut.  “Then you saw the notes, too....”

“She loved to tease, and she wanted us to get together.  She was just making sure we were covered,” I murmured, sprinkling kisses across Tifa’s nose and cheeks.  “I wanna see you in that nightgown again.”  Finally locating the envelope, I opened the flap and shook out the colourful contents onto the bedding.  “So... ‘ribbed’, ‘studded’, ‘extra-thin’, ‘glow-in-the-dark’ – what the hell?”  

As I frowned at the gaudily-hued wrapper of the last one, Tifa rapidly shook her head.  “I-I... don’t know.”

Laughing a little, I answered, “I don’t, either.  Never used one before.”  When her expression fell, I hastily added, “Never done this before,” and watched her brighten again.  Choosing the condom with the least-obnoxiously coloured wrapper, I pushed myself up on my knees.  

In the process of ripping open the package, I was distracted by the beautiful woman lying before me.  Her silky locks formed a dark halo around her face and shoulders, and her skin –all over - was lightly flushed.  My hands started shaking badly enough that of course I dropped the condom, sticky side down, on her belly.  

Tifa pushed herself up on her elbows.  “Need a little help?”

My ego grudgingly gave in, and I nodded.  Blushing, she captured the condom and sat up.  I thought she’d just get on with it, but instead she wrapped her fingers around my length and ran her thumb over the head.  “So soft… but so hard at the same time,” she murmured, continuing her gentle inspection until my knees shook.  Encouraged, she kept stroking me, but as fantastic as her touch felt, I had to slow things down.  

Stilling her busy hand, I whispered, “You have to stop or I’ll be finished before we even start.”

When I released her fingers, Tifa immediately went back to the task at hand.  “Goopy stuff on the outside, I suppose?”  I couldn’t talk, just weakly nodded as she placed the condom on the tip of my erection and unrolled it down my length – and then kept hold of me as she slowly reclined.  I followed her down, bracing myself on my hands, unable to look away as Tifa bent her knees and opened her thighs more fully, then guided me into her entrance.

Thank Shiva for the condom.  Less sensation is a good thing when you’re trying to not embarrass yourself for a second time.

The ability of half of my brain to process a coherent thought was another side benefit.

The other half?  It was howling triumphantly; I told it to shut up when I noticed that Tifa was flinching.

“You okay?”

“Aerith... said it might pinch a little.”  Squirming in an attempt to ease her discomfort, she succeeded in at least making my eyes go crossed.  Lowering myself onto my elbows, I forcibly controlled my body’s instinctive desire to thrust by closing my eyes and concentrating on my breathing.  Every nerve in my body was firing at the same time and I knew I wouldn’t be able to hold off much longer unless I did something drastic.

“Should I... pull out?”

“Don’t you dare.”

Cracking open an eyelid, I would have been amused by her fierce glare if she hadn’t suddenly exhaled deeply and relaxed her inner muscles at the same time, allowing me to slide fully within.

Sweet Shiva.

A shudder passed through me and Tifa hugged me tightly, her legs wrapping around my hips to complete the full-body embrace and incidentally joining us even more deeply.  Raising my head, I just looked at Tifa, memorizing every nuance of her blush, every hitch in her breathing, engraving this moment in my memory.

Back in the army, I never understood how the rest of my squad could brag about how many ‘pieces of tail’ they’d managed to score during leave in Sector Eight.  Right now, I absolutely didn’t get it - how could you be so intimately connected to another human being and simply brush off the experience as another notch in the belt?

Maybe that’s one of the reasons I never made it into SOLDIER; I wasn’t able to shut down my emotions and treat other people as things.

Finally giving in to an almost instinctual demand, I quickly lost all conscious thought, utterly absorbed by the rhythmic movements of my body against hers, the musky scent of her skin, her disjointed cries and pleading whispers as Tifa urged me on.  Too soon, the coil of pleasure winding tighter and tighter deep with my belly let go, and I helplessly pounded into her as white light exploded through my brain.

I definitely growled that time, and Tifa heard it; her response was a breathy laugh and a kiss to my shoulder.  Rumbling again, because she seemed to like the sound, I mouthed the crook of her neck and tried to catch my breath.  Emotion surged through me, and I possessively gathered her closer.  No matter what happened tomorrow, I was hers, body and soul.  Desperately trying to convey my feelings, I kissed her roughly, until I abruptly realized that there were tears running down my face.  I pulled back, confused by my reactions, but Tifa understood.  Tenderly caressing my wet cheeks, she whispered five little words that went straight to my heart.  

“I love you, too, Cloud.”
  
A/N: I know, I know – the famous ‘under the Highwind’ scene took place outdoors, on a rocky plateau.  However, outdoor sex is uncomfortable at best (think rocks, sand, pinecones, twigs, peeping Caits, etc.) and on the Planet, it’s almost asking for a monster to show up and ruin the moment.  One of the wikis mentioned that the game designers had considered an alternate scenario, which had Cloud and Tifa exiting the Highwind’s on-board Chocobo Stable the ‘next morning’, which to me sounded like a much more pleasant location for romp-age.

Apparently, the stable scenario was vetoed for being ‘too suggestive’.  *eyeroll* Of course, that incident with Mukki at the Honeybee Inn wasn’t suggestive at all.

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