Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Outside the Fire ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )

 

Hello my darlings and welcome to 'Confuseakitty Theatre'. Tonight we will once again delve into the world of Final Fantasy VII in a piece titled "Standing Outside the Fire". (I do not own FFVII.) This was partially inspired by the Garth Brooks song by the same name (which I do not own). Our bus driver really likes Garth Brooks, and so she was playing one of his older CDs one morning. This is not a song fic, and I don't really like country music, but the words of this song are relativly suiting and I thought, 'well, why not?'.

 

Standard 'Confuseakitty' warnings applied- Cid's darling vocabulary (not too big of a factor in this...) implied character death (you know...) yadda yadda yadda; there may be a bit of Cid/Vin, but only if you tilt your head. There also may a bit of event twisting, but please don't let that take away from the overall story.

 

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It was meerly two days after Aeris had departed into the sleeping forest. Earlier that morning three of the party's members, Cloud, Tifa and Yuffie, had scrambled to Bone Village in search of the 'Lunar Harp'. Attaining this magical harp seemed to be their only hopes of finding their tender-hearted companion; they needed it to awaken the forest from it's deep slumber.

 

However, once they had chosen various areas for the excavation, the three headed .

 

"Oh, uh yea, shee-yur..." the overseer of the digging site drawled, his thick northern accent weighted down the words. "It could take aboat... The remainder of the day to unearth this harp o' yers."

 

Though he was impatient and not at all satisfied with the archeaogists' reply, Cloud thanked his for his cooporation.

 

Yuffie, her ears still ringing from the blasts of dynamite, swung a few lazy punches toward the foreman. "Ya' better make sure you find this harp-y thing, or you'll have to answer to the powerhouse that is the decendant to the throne of Wutai! Nyuk, nyuk."

 

"C'mon, Yuffie." Tifa crossed her arms at the spunky girls antics. "I'm certain they will do the best they can." With that said, she headed back toward the Tiny Bronco. Although she had forgiven Yuffie for making off with all of her materia, there was that remaining akwadness. That was one reason why Cloud had decided to drag Yuffie along. But leaving her with a still irrate Cid would certainly be worse than having her in the party.

 

Smiling to herself, Tifa decided that having the zaney girl around wasn't so bad. She did keep the moral up, at least, with all of her wise cracks.

 

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Ten or so minutes had passed before Cloud and the foreman had worked out the kinks in their agreement regarding where to stash the Lunar Harp when it was found. (Supposedly they decided upon a treasure chest, which doesn't really deter people from stealing it unless they have a severe phobia regarding mimics like my Aunt.) Tifa and Yuffie had spent the majority of that time gaining some meager experience points and collecting shells and nuts along the shoreline of the northern most continent. As he explained the current situation to the pair of brunnettes, they migrated over to their makeshift boat. Soon after, they set off to assemble with the remainder of the team around the welcoming flame of Cosmo Canyon.

 

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To most, this was their second trip to indulge in the medicinal atmosphere of the Canyon. Everyone visiting this sacred stronghold could find solace in the fire while their gaze remained drawn to it.

 

For Cloud, the warm carresses of Aeris brushed across his cheek as the flames lapped hungrily at the heavens. Though she wasn't present, the calming percepion was enough to calm even his edgy psyche. He felt more at ease glowering into the fire than he had in a long time. With a great effort, Cloud had shoved the looming threats he dealt constantly with into the back of his mind. Their nagging had slowed for a time.

 

The touch of warmth that radiated toward Tifa was reminiscent of the same warmth wafting from the radiator of the 7th Heaven. As she nodded, her mind was riddled with memories of the cold winter days in Midgar. The mornings would always be slow when it snowed; but the patrons would meander in at lunch time. Wedge especially was eager to task the soup of the day. It was a simpler time in which she felt comfortable.

 

For Red, the fire was his home. It was lighted in commemorance of his father, mother and all the other members of his family who died defending this sacred Canyon. The mystical creature had long nodded off while the heat of the flames enveloped him, much like how his own mother would cradle him in her forepaws. He was proud of his heritage that he now fully understood.

 

Always excitable, Yuffie had half a notion to demand a story. Gazing at the fire made her yearn for another legend of Wutai that her grandfather used to tell to everyone gathered at the yearly bonfires. With the other children, she would stare wide-eyed at the elder as he spoke of magnificant creatures, the glamourus gods and the brave heros of Wutai. A sense of longing filled her heart, and a single tear trickled down her face. Not wanting to see the others witness her 'childish' behaviour, she quickly swiped the drop away, sniffing.

 

The shuffling from Yuffie had drawn Barret's frown away from the fire. He felt the intense heat of the burning coals that had drawn up his memory of the destruction of his home town. The turbulent inner emotions were almost too great for him to handle. But as he ceased glowering at Yuffie to continuing his own brooding, the fire seemed to burn brighter and faster than ever before. A sense of peace washed over him. Had he finally come to terms with himself after the Golden Saucer fiasco? Puzzled, he watched the fire calm. 'Perhaps a real man could only grow so angry before exploding... But perhaps he could slow the destruction of his'elf..'

 

In what seemed like months, Reeve stepped away from the controls of the plush cat. He too, needed a break... And a shower. If the others felt relaxed enough to let their gaurds down, then he should be so lucky. Besides, there was an unfinished novel lying about somewhere...

 

The stuffed Cait stared unblinking into the fire. It's eyes appeared to twinkle, but only for a moment. It was only a stuffed kitty afterall.

 

Perhaps it was such that Cid Highwind's mind had never truly been at ease. Therefor, he found no ease in the spiraling inferno. Even in his youth, he was always pondering the wildest, most ingenuitive ways to reach the skies. And now he didn't quite comprehend how to think of anything else. He had wanted to keep himself occupied with his next big idea, instead of focusing on his previous failures. He never wanted to recollect, and therefor hated the blaze in front of him.

 

While his companions where drawn like moths to the literal flame, he desperatly wanted to be somewhere else. Somewhere that was cool and didn't smell like his smoldering failures. As warm as Tifa and the others were to him, and he in return, there wasn't anyone he felt completely open with.

 

When Cid was certain that the others were lost in their dreamlike memories, he lumbered to his feet. "Damn arthritis kicking in..." He muttered softly so as not to disturb Tifa or Barret situated on either side of him. As he exited the fire pit, Cid cast an upwards glance at the cliff. A golden glint caught his eye. Lips tugging into a lopsided, almost thoughtful grin, he realized exactly what (or who) he had spotted.

 

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The idea of remembering one's memories while at the Canyon both appealed to and disgusted Vincent. As much as he loathed being haunted by his past life, the spectacle of the villagers and his traveling companions gathered together in a celebration of remembrance kept his interest. Luckily, his new adopted outlook on life had prevented him from allowing himself to be drawn back into the hellish rut his once inhabbited.

 

"No thank." He replied when asked if he was to join everyone by the fire. 'Not again.' He added to himself.

 

Retreating upward, Vincent found a ledge that would suite nicely for observation. Climbing higher, the glow of the fire reached him upon the cliff face, reflecting itself in his metal claw or the metalic of his boots. So, after a time, he managed to perch above the bonfire. Every so often, he would glance down at his miniscule companions, but he mostly kept his gaze upward. Vincent had always found the stars mind boggling.

 

"They have so much distance between them... Their blue hues make them seem so cold..." Vincent mused aloud.

 

"Yea, but-" Cid sudddenly intervened, short of breath having scaled up the cliff. He paused a moment to even out his breathing and think of a tactful way to approach Vincent.

 

Cid wasn't all too sure what else to say. The two of them had hardly spoken when they first met. Vincent's monotone refusal of tea had slightly angered Cid, but-. Other than that, had he a valid reason not to give an extension of his friendship?

 

Swallowing, Cid continued, "-but deep inside, those stars are filled with such an intense burning desire that it radiates outward. Ya' see, I know this stuff because this is the kind of shit they shoved down our throats during my training to pilot the Rocket."

 

Vincent looked skeptical at Cid's smug grin. His eyes searched for any cruel insinuation that could come of the conversation. His quick mind pointed out what could be several, but something inside insisted that the Captain was being friendly... In a round-about bragging way.

 

"Indeed." The taller replied, though it was not a harsh sentimate. Then, unexpectantly, Vincent extended his good hand toward Cid. "Vincent Valentine, Captain. Formerly of the Turks. Consider me as one of those 'star types.'"

 

Laughter erupted from Cid as he grabbed Vincent's hand and shook it. "Goodta' meet ya', Vinnie." The old pilot felt warmer inside, despite standing far out of the range of the fire.

 

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Well... Thank you for reading! I may tweak the ending, but overall I'm happy with how this turned out.