Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Shattered Ice ❯ Flight of the Bumblebee ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter 3: Flight of the Bumblebee

 

Pushing his golden spikes out of his face yet again, Cloud turned towards his friends, easily relaying the information that Vincent had just told him. The aforementioned man had slunk to the back of the room, hiding in the shadows and watching the proceedings with a vague yet evident disinterest.

 

“I say we jes go up to his house and snoop around,” muttered Barret, exchanging glances with Tifa.

 

Cloud shrugged. “Works for me. But we cannot travel in such a large group and break into someone's house. It will attract too much attention.”

 

“Then you can go without me `cause I am not about to go being sneaky,” Tifa said, sticking her nose up in the air.

 

“As much as I would like to, I am afraid these paws are not good for much other than stealth,” Nanaki commented, releasing a large yawn before he curled up into a corner, not yet sleeping as he watched the others discuss their next move.

 

“I'll go!” volunteered Yuffie cheerfully. The young ninja gave them her cheekiest grin as she hoisted her shuriken up and tied it to her side.

 

The group had picked up the youthful dark-haired in the forest outside of Junon. She had rather brazenly attacked them but wouldn't accept defeat when the battle was over. In the end, she began tagging along and Cloud hadn't bothered to send her away just yet. There were times she was useful in battle.

 

Barret snorted. “Of course ya would, ya little thief. Always wantin' someone's materia…” he trailed off, not completing his sentence.

 

“You are right, Barret, Yuffie might try and steal from the man,” Aeris interjected, her green eyes shining. She folded her arms as if daring someone to disagree with her. “I will go instead of her, if only to protect the man's belongings.”

 

Cloud nodded in agreement. “Then it is decided, I will take Aeris… and Vincent, of course.” There was a chorus of gasps, thinly veiled, throughout the small inn. Very few could hide their amazed shocks.

 

Vincent merely shrugged, his voice echoing from the corner. “If you insist.” He understood why Cloud made that decision but he was not about to explain it to them. He would have done the same given the situation.

 

“We should go,” ordered Cloud. “We don't want to miss Rufus after all,” he added, a strange smirk on his face.

 

~ ~ ~

 

The three companions stood outside of the house on the right side of Rocket

Town, looking up at it expectantly, almost as if they thought Rufus and ShinRa were going to jump out at them the minute they opened the door. While Cloud and Aeris tried to look nonchalant, their bodies hiding him, Vincent worked on the door, trying for the handle first, and surprisingly, finding it unlocked.

 

He turned the knob and opened it. The door swung slowly inwards, not even uttering a creaky groan. Aeris and Cloud turned to look at him in surprise.

 

“It was unlocked.” He shrugged, dark tresses falling in front of his face. The bandanna had slipped down again. Impatiently, Vincent pushed it back up, so that he could at least see.

Cloud ignored Vincent and pushed past him, going into the building. Aeris made as if to follow him but, stopping for a moment, turned to face Vincent. She placed a delicate hand on his shoulder and he flinched with the contact. Aeris smiled at him, soft and reassuring.

 

“Don't worry, they just do not understand,” she whispered softly, before turning away and going into the house.

 

Vincent stared after her a moment before following, his now empty shoulder feeling colder than before. There was something in her touch that warmed him…

He shoved that thought away as he stepped into what they thought was an empty house.

 

However, they were sorely mistaken. Vincent found Aeris and Cloud having a small discussion with a long brown haired female who strangely looked a lot like Lucrecia. Oh, that name sent a pang of regret and sadness through his heart. Pain so strong, he nearly doubled over as if someone had punched him. Trying to push his thoughts aside, Vincent took a seat at the table attempting to listen to the conversation between the three normal people. Normal… now that was a word he was unfamiliar with.

 

He had just made himself quite comfortable when the sound of a door slamming open and a rather large, uncouth voice filled the room. All talking in the room ceased as Vincent looked up and saw the man that he had been talking to earlier, who seemed even more agitated than before, his eyelids blinking worriedly over sky blue irises.

 

“Shera! Where's my goddamn tea!” the man cursed as he plopped down into a chair at the table, feet clonking onto the table in a most unceremonious fashion.

 

“Here it is,” answered the girl with surprising cheeriness, “and made with honey just the way you like it.” She set the steaming mug down in front of the man and he took it with great gusto, inhaling the wonderful scent.

 

“We have guests, Shera! Why don't they have any goddamned tea!” he demanded, shooting her a scathing glance.

 

Cloud held up his hands, trying to calm the abrasive pilot. “Don't mind us, really.” He gave him an unsteady grin. He did not want Shera to get yelled at some more.

 

“Just sit down and drink yer damn tea!” the older man ordered as he sipped on his own.

 

Abruptly, Cloud and Aeris obeyed, choosing the nearest chair and plopping down even as Shera brought them each a mug of the sweet-smelling brew. They accepted them and held the hot cups between their fingers, though they did not drink. Neither of them were very partial to tea. Shera quickly brought another cup for Vincent, but he waved her away, gathering the older man's attention upon himself.

”What? Ya don't like tea?” demanded the pilot, blue eyes glaring at Vincent intently.

 

“Not particularly,” Vincent answered smoothly, returning with his own death-to-all glare. They locked eyes for a moment, a battle of wills though one opponent seemed unarmed.

 

Finally, the pilot laughed long and hard, alternating between taking a drag of his ever present cigarette and gulping his tea. “Whatever,” he commented before muttering about damn ShinRa and late president's under his breath.

 

“Um, Cid…” Cloud began, having learned the pilot's name from Shera. “About-”

 

But he was interrupted when Cid's ears perked up and he jumped to his feet, tea forgotten as it sloshed in the cup, nearly spilling on the table. There was a knock on the door seconds before a pudgy, balding man came in, smiling disgustingly at the smell of the tea that greeted him.

 

“Finally, damn Palmer, could your boss be any later?” accused Cid, rushing past him and heading for the door. “And drink some damn tea!” he called back as he ran out the door. The friends could not help but stare after the foul-mouthed pilot in wonder.

 

“I like lots of lard in my tea, don't forget that, and honey too, oh and milk and sugar… and don't forget the lard!” Palmer said loudly and rather excitedly, his fat mass squeezing into the already crowded kitchen to stick a finger into the boiling pot.

 

“Why do you let him treat you like that?” Aeris asked suddenly. Although her voice was quiet, it carried, interrupting Palmer's diatribe about the tastefulness of lard in one's tea.

 

“I owe him as much,” the mousy looking Shera answered slowly, a starry look appearing in her brown eyes. “It is my fault he will never meet his dream…” And from there, she told them the story of how Cid stopped the launch of the ShinRa No 26 so that she could live, interspersed with Palmer's comments about more honey and sugar unfortunately, therefore putting the rocket in the leaning position it now stood in today.

 

“It leans a little more each year. Soon it will fall, crushing what few of us remain in this desolate abandoned town,” she finished with a sigh, finally giving Palmer his finished tea. He took it with a squeal of happiness and began gulping it down, despite the boiling heat. The group of friends watched him, disgust etched into their features.

 

“We should see what Cid and Rufus are discussing,” Cloud stated, rising from his chair and slinging his massive sword over his back. Aeris nodded and Vincent merely shrugged as they got to their feet as well.

 

They made their way to the front door, slipping out of it as silently as they could. Sliding up to two arguing figures, they eavesdropped on the conversation between Rufus and Cid. Apparently things weren't going too well for the blonde pilot.

 

“Whaddya mean you are not here for the damned space program!” Cid asked incredulously.

 

“I need the Tiny Bronco. Sephiroth has crossed the ocean and that plane is the best transport,” Rufus explained with a haughty shake of his head. He ran his fingers through his bright blonde tresses, tapping his gun at his side impatiently.

 

“Hell no, you ain't takin my baby. That's my damn plane! I made her! It does not belong to fucking ShinRa!” Cid all but yelled, shaking his head forcefully. He made as if to reach behind him, for the spear that was attached to his back.

 

“ShinRa made you, Mr. Highwind, I would suggest that you remember that before acting in such a… rash manner,” Rufus responded coldly, eyes gleaming in the light of the sun. Two men stepped up beside him, lower members of the SOLDIER class. They leveled their guns at Cid, warning him that they would shoot if necessary.

 

The door opened behind Cloud and the others and they nearly jumped in shock, whipping around only to find Shera gesturing them inside. They followed her, and stood in the foyer.

 

“Um, I think you should go out back. Palmer and the Turks are doing something and they might be trying to take Cid's plane,” she told them softly.

 

Cloud grinned, wrapping his gloved fingers over the hilt of his new sword, looking much similar to Sephiroth's Masamune. “Well, we will just see about that now won't we?” He smirked.

 

Aeris pulled out her staff and nodded with determination even as Vincent unholstered his gun, checking the bullets and readying it for battle. Pushing past Shera, Cloud made for the back door of the house, Vincent and Aeris on his heels.

 

Cloud burst through the back door, sword at the ready, scanning the area for enemies. His friends trailed behind him, flanking him to either side and watching his back. He saw Palmer, fat ass up in the air, near the cockpit of the small plane, trying to get it running. Rude and Reno stood on the ground calling up somewhat helpful suggestions to the idiot.

 

Smirking slightly at the scene, Cloud ordered in his strongest leader voice, “We'll be taking that!” His words startled the two Turks, who whirled around to face their enemy.

 

“You!” exclaimed Reno, his bright red hair shining in the sun even as his electro-rod crackled with energy. Rude, as usual, said nothing, merely pointing his fist at Cloud and his friends.

 

“You don't seem happy to see me,” Cloud retorted, appearing to pout. He leveled his sword at them, pointing it menacingly. “Palmer, get out of the plane!”

 

“I'll kill you first,” Reno growled, darting forward to attack Cloud, who quickly blocked his clumsy attack.

 

“That all you got?” taunted Cloud, pushing the red-haired Turk back and pulling out his Poison material, casting Bio2 on him. It struck with a vengeance, instantly weakening him.

 

“You don't play by the rules,” Reno huffed, running a hand through his hair as he hunched over, the poison quickly spreading through his body.

 

“Here stupid! Drink this!” called out Palmer, trying to toss Reno an antidote. But a singular gunshot through the air stopped that motion. The antidote shattered in mid-air. Another resounding shot barreled into the Turk's right shoulder.

 

Angry mako eyes turned in one direction, giving Vincent the `glare of death'. “Tch, it's not over yet!” claimed Reno before running off.

 

“Run like a girl, Reno!” laughed Cloud, hauling up his sword to rest on his shoulder. In the background Aeris scowled slightly at his comment but she quickly sobered as she dodged a dark-skinned fist. The sound of shattering ice and the feel of a powerful spell quickly made Cloud forget about Reno as he turned to help finish off Rude.

 

The dark-skinned silent Turk had taken on Aeris, thinking her an easier opponent. He was sorely mistaken when he found himself barraged by forceful swings of a rod accompanied by an onslaught of magic attacks. She would not let up.

 

He pointed his fist at her angrily but she just shook her head in disgust. She hated such vulgar actions and moved as if to attack him. But Cloud stepped into her line of vision.

 

“Hey, let me handle this,” he said, body glowing in a strange reddish, orange light. She nodded and left him, going to help subdue Palmer, who Vincent was having a fun time playing games with.

 

“Taste a bit of my fury!” yelled Cloud seconds before his limit break rolled through him and he slammed his blade into the ground, sending a shockwave attack racing straight towards Rude.

 

Rude's eyes widened in horror and he ran, but he was far too late. The attack struck him, knocking him off his feet and sending him battered to the ground. Beaten and bloody, he pushed himself off the ground and ran wildly after Reno, shaking his fist angrily at Cloud as he did so.

 

“This was too easy.” Cloud smirked darkly, looking around for more enemies. However, Palmer had taken off as well, several pounds lighter thanks to Vincent's careful aim.

 

Yet, that did not last long as the Tiny Bronco began to take off on its own, with no pilot.

 

“Quickly! Into the plane!” Cloud ordered as he sheathed his sword and scrambled to get in the plane. Ignoring their defeated enemies, Vincent and Aeris hurried towards the plane as its propellers slowly began to pick up speed. The ex-Turk was forced to cling to one of the arms of the plane as only Aeris would fit behind the seat with Cloud.

 

With a mighty jerk, the tiny plane took off into the air, Cloud trying to control it and Vincent struggling to cling to the wing, red cape fluttering wildly in the wind. In an attempt to keep from sliding off, he pierced the thin metal webbing of the wing and held on for dear life with his claw.

 

Cloud really wasn't an experienced pilot, the Tiny Bronco going in violent circles up above Cid's house before it finally swept down low over the tiny town, right where Rufus and Cid were arguing.

 

Cid's mouth dropped open in surprise when he saw the friends behind his plane. He screamed a few choice obscenities and took off after his plane, just managing to leap onto the undercarriage even as Rufus and his soldiers opened fire. Cloud tried to maneuver out of range, but the engine was struck and they quickly lost power.

 

Erratically streaming through the air, blades whirring frantically to keep them afloat, the Tiny Bronco crashed into the ocean, effectively soaking all of it's passengers and even throwing off a couple.

 

Meanwhile, back at Rocket Town, Rufus ran his hands through his hair, and scowled. They had gotten away and took his transportation in the process. He whirled quickly on his feet, subordinates following after him.

 

And in a tiny inn, Tifa and the others leant worried eyes to the distant horizon where they had last seen their leader and friends clinging with abject terror to a rapidly falling plane…

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