Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Shattered Ice ❯ Too Much Hope Is ( Chapter 21 )

~~~ meanwhile

* * * change in time

 

Chapter 21: Too Much Hope is the Opposite of Despair

 

All around the world eyes turned heavenward as a brilliant explosion lit up the sky all around Meteor. People started cheering thinking that it was all over, that their destruction was no longer imminent.

 

Rufus took the time to gloat over having had the right idea. As Tifa sat by his side, idly stroking an arm, he allowed himself a small laugh of pleasure. Who would be the heroes now? Certainly not Cloud and his gang of buffoons.

 

Bugenhagen watched from the observatory with keen interest and hope that perhaps his grandson had succeeded, though every bit of his instinct warned him not to get too ahead of himself.

 

Four pairs of eyes stared out the window of an Escape Pod, having nearly a front row seat to the event as three pairs of eyes sat looking to the sky in a field that was just the site of a major battle.

 

All held their breath as the glow slowly faded and the dust settled.

 

Gasps were heard everywhere when the fate of Meteor was ascertained. Strangers fell to their knees in the streets, embracing other strangers. Rufus shook his fist angrily, body nearly trembling with his fury as a cold fire raged within. Bugenhagen shook his head sadly and the friends that were separated groaned and shrugged.

 

If anything… it was worse now. The glowing ball of fire had absorbed the explosion and added the power of it back into itself. The outer layer of the meteor had exploded outwards but now circled around the fireball like deranged deadly dancers. Truly it seemed that the end of the world was coming and nothing could stop it.

 

* * *

 

Shera sighed and could feel the tears prickling at the back of her eyes. “It didn't work…”

 

Cloud shook his head. “I didn't really think it would. Looks like we are going to have to find another way.”

 

“Shattered in so many pieces, yet clinging tenaciously to the core… like a metaphor to our hopes and dreams…” Vincent murmured more to himself than anyone else.

 

He was mostly ignored as usual. Yet, no one was more surprised than Vincent himself when Cid actually responded.

 

“He, he,” he laughed quietly and grimly. “Dreams, huh, Vincent?” asked Cid. The gunman stared at him, crimson eyes showing some nameless emotion.

 

“Something to that effect, yes,” the ex-Turk answered.

 

“Hm. What is there for me now? Having seen the stars…” The pilot stared out the window, carefully concealing his face from the others. “Is it still a dream if it comes true?”

 

“Oh, Cid…” Shera frowned. She was unused to hear that sort of melancholy tone to her Captain's voice.

 

“What on Earth are you talking about?” the other blond demanded. “Isn't that the whole reason we have dreams, is to work to have something come true?”

 

“A wise man once said that dreams were never meant to be reached but to give us that never attainable ideal of what life could be if we never give up,” Vincent said thoughtfully.

 

“Shut up!” Cloud hissed. “You are not helping.”

 

“We are fighting in a battle that even the very forces of nature are conspiring against us… what kind of hope can we have?” the ex-Turk asked rhetorically.

 

“What is wrong with you, people?” Shera questioned standing to her feet. “All this somber talk about lost hopes and dreams. So ShinRa's plan didn't work? So the hell what? You can't tell me this entire time you were relying on ShinRa to save us?”

 

“No,” Cloud added glumly. “We were relying on Aeris…”

 

The moment the words left his mouth the Escape Pod started shaking violently as it reentered the atmosphere. Everyone was forced to cling to something as the Escape Pod hurtled through the atmosphere and fell rather quickly to the ground beneath them.

”Shit! We're going to hit ground!” Cloud cursed, clinging to one of the handholds for dear life, his face extremely pale.

 

“No, we are not,” Shera retorted. She leaned over and slapped a bright red button on the wall. The pod gave a small jerk before its rapid descent slowed. It began to level out as it fell at a slower and calm pace.

 

With a gentle shudder, the pod touched ground and everyone was alive and safe.

 

Cloud peeled his fingers off the handhold and headed for the door on shaky legs. “Note to self…” he mused aloud. “Never get in a rocket with Cid Highwind again.” He turned the latch on the door and let himself outside, falling to the ground and kissing it very happily. Never… never again!!

 

The remaining passengers of the Escape Pod also climbed out of it gratefully, though none of them going so far as to kiss the ground like their brave and illustrious leader.

 

“We are alive after all, eh?” Cid laughed as he watched the other blond worship the dirt, vowing to never go further than an airship could lift again.

 

“Did you ever doubt we would make it?” Vincent asked. He stood silently, arms crossed as he observed the antics of their leader. Why were they following this fool around again?

 

“Nope,” the Captain said, looking at Shera. “I've got the world's best mechanic working on my rocket!”

 

Shera smiled and shook her head. “You keep saying things like that and I might actually believe that you are fond of me, Captain.”

 

Cid laughed long and hard at that, as if Shera had just told a funny joke. Vincent only narrowed his eyes, wondering why the pilot didn't refute her.

 

“Okay, I called the Highwind. They're on their way,” Cloud said as he picked himself up off the ground and moved towards the three of them.

 

“What are you going to do now, Shera?” asked Cid.

 

The brunette shrugged and pushed her glasses back up on her nose. “Go back to Rocket Town. You know, clean your house and make your DAMN tea, I suppose.”

 

Cid laughed again.

 

“Eh, you're welcome to come with us… I guess,” added in Cloud. “Cid could probably use you on the Highwind.”

 

“Oh, no,” said Shera, shaking her head. “I've had enough excitement. I'll leave the fighting to the pros while I stay safe in Rocket Town.” She appeared thoughtful. “Or maybe I will go to Midgar.”

 

Cid's eyes widened. He knew why she wanted to go to that blasted place. “No!” He argued, as if he had every right to tell her what to do.

 

“No?” she questioned him, an eyebrow raised. “Well, since you can dictate how I am going to live my life? How about you give me my trust fund, Dad?” Her voice dripped with sarcasm.

 

“Damn! Shera's got spunk,” Cloud commented as he watched their exchange. The gunman had nothing to add.

 

“You know what I meant. Damn ShinRa's going to screw you over again,” the pilot admonished, glaring at her hotly.

 

“How about letting me decide that for myself, ne?”

 

Cid huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. “Do what you want. But don't come crying to me when you get fucked!”

 

Shera shook her head but did not respond to him. He would never understand anyways, not since he had been avoiding her advances for years. Cid was the type to enjoy her admirations and affections, but not miss it until it was gone. He didn't want her, never had, but hated the fact that someone else was getting her attention.

 

“So, what are you guys going to do about that giant fireball now?” Shera asked, turning to the leader. She plopped herself on the ground trying to get comfortable as they settled in for a wait. The others followed suit.

 

He sighed and shifted his head so that he could look to the sky and at the doom that hung there. “She was our hope.”

 

“Who?” the woman asked with confusion.

 

“Aeris,” spoke up Vincent. “She always seemed to know exactly what was going on even if none of us did.”

 

“You were saying her name…” mused Cid aloud before shooting a glance to their leader. “You had said Aeris when you came out of the mako coma… why?”

 

This got everyone's attention and three pairs of eyes turned to look at the spiky-headed blond.

 

He smiled softly as he pondered the Captain's question. “She was there with me. It's hard to explain. Everyone knew that I had some sort of identity crisis but no one knew how deeply the thread was frayed. Falling into the lifestream trapped me in an inner dream world filled with my memories both real and imagined. I never would have escaped on my own.”

 

Cid was speechless. Some of what Cloud was saying sounded too much like philosophical nonsense. He was an engineer, damn it, not a philosopher. However, the ex-Turk responded, saving Cid the trouble of coming up with something intriguing on his own.

 

“She was a guide then,” Vincent commented, thinking deeply. He had heard something about that before…

 

“No.” The leader shook his head. “It is not what you are thinking. She's not dead, at least not in the sense that seems logical to the rest of us.”

 

Cid threw up his hands in defeat. “Damn! Forget I asked!” Rising to his feet he moved towards the fallen escape pod and started looking at it with a mechanic's eye, automatically lighting a cigarette. He had had enough of that talk and wanted to concentrate on something he really understood, machinery.

 

Shera had to stifle a giggle. “I'll go help him.” She did not notice the intent crimson eyes that followed her movements, or even the slight narrowing of said scarlet eyes.

 

“Explain to me then, what happened in the lifestream,” Vincent said, ceasing his glaring as he returned his attentions to Cloud.

 

“Somehow I knew it would be you.” Cloud sighed.

 

The dark-haired man frowned. “What do you mean?” He was beginning to believe that Cloud had insulted him.

 

“She told me something before I woke up… something that could change the course of this planet and our lives forever…” the blond said, being deliberately vague.

 

The sound of laughter drifted through the air, stealing Vincent's attention for a moment. His crimson eyes darted over to the battered escape pod. Cid and Shera were laughing over some shared joke or secret.

The gunman couldn't help the twinges of jealousy that began to settle in his heart. Seeing Cid smiling and laughing all happy with Shera made him feel strangely possessive, as if the woman was trying to take something that belonged to him. That feeling scared Vincent… more than he cared to admit, even to himself.

 

“Everything hinges on a choice.” Cloud's voice cut through the torrent of emotions, and Vincent forced his gaze away from the laughing `friends' and back towards his leader.

 

“A choice?” the gunman reiterated, expecting the blond to explain.

 

The leader nodded in answer but didn't actually exaggerate anymore. He turned away from Vincent and looked solemnly at the two engineers working diligently on the escape pod. He wasn't entirely sure what they were doing but he could see tools, metal, and screws flying everywhere. He smiled slightly.

 

“It is nice that they are getting along, ne?” Cloud commented.

 

The ex-Turk didn't answer, preferring to stare off into the complete opposite direction. He gritted his teeth in his mouth though, trying to qualm the jealousies. There was no reason… the two of them didn't really have a relationship… no one had expected anything more…

 

“Come to think of it,” Cloud continued as if he had just come to a startling revelation. “But you have been rather, dare I say it, friendly as well…”

 

Vincent snorted. “I think that your recent coma may have addled your brains. Seeing things that aren't there…”

 

“Perhaps…” the leader trailed off before switching subjects. He gave a small laugh and turned that mako blue gaze directly on the dark-haired gunman. “Cid's not getting any younger… maybe now he will see what Shera's been offering all along.”

 

“You have quickly bored me, Strife,” Vincent claimed, abruptly getting to his feet and interrupting Cloud. He started to move in an opposite direction from all the others. He really felt a desire to be alone.

 

The gunman didn't see the knowing smirk on Cloud's face but came to a halt when a familiar sound was easily distinguished.

 

The sound of whirring blades and the rustling of the grasses drew the friends' attention to the sky as the Highwind flew into view. It landed gently in the grass close by and lowered the loading ramp.

 

Cloud cheered very un-leader like and started heading towards the airship, the others close behind him. As they walked, three figures came out to aid them. They had seen the crash and thought someone might have been hurt.

 

“Reeve, Yuffie, and uh… you are?” asked Cloud in confusion as he spotted the red-haired man who accompanied them.

 

Yuffie giggled. “Guess.”

 

Cid sighed. “Lookee here Miss Ninja. We ain't playing no games!”

 

Vincent peered at the man and took in the color of his hair and the color of his eyes. He noticed the claw-like weapon and the small fiery tail that jutted from the man's behind proudly. “Nanaki?” he questioned aloud, his intellect quickly coming to a conclusion.

The red-haired man smiled. “One and the same.”

 

Three jaws dropped as they stared at their transformed friend. “H… how?” asked Cloud, unable to form a coherent sentence.

 

Reeve shrugged. “We don't know. It happened when we were fighting Scorpios.”

 

“Fighting what?” Cid questioned.

 

“Scorpios,” Nanaki answered. “While you three were off visiting the stars, ShinRa made a surprise attack and tried to take out the Highwind with us aboard.”

 

“Fuck!” Cid paled as he ran towards the ship to inspect it for damage. He ran his hands over the smooth metal hull as if by touching that one section he could ascertain it's well being. “She had better be alright, or - by gods - Midgar is getting blown up tonight!!”

 

Cloud shook his head at the Captain's antics and quickly made his way to the loading ramp into the Highwind. “There weren't any injuries, I hope,” he replied looking at them. “Where is Barret?”

 

“He is fine. Just tired from powering the Materia Amplifier. He kept up a Barrier around the airship during the entire battle,” Reeve answered with a slight smile. “He is resting in his room.”

 

“Then who was front guard?” the ex-Turk asked, furrowing his brow. What he meant was, who was leader during the battle, who called the shots.

 

Reeve looked a tad embarrassed. “Actually… uh… I did.” Everyone turned to look at him. “But… uh… can't say that I know what happened because the damn machine didn't stop after our Triple-Stone plan, and he kind of knocked me out.”

 

“Me, too!” chimed in Yuffie. “Scorpios grabbed me up and squeezed!”

 

As Cloud climbed up the slightly slanted ramp, the others fell into step behind him, Cid the last to follow. He continued his conversation, easily taking back the role of leader and assessing the situation that had occurred in his absence.

 

“Then who defeated it?” the leader asked.

Reeve and Yuffie turned to Nanaki whose cheeks flamed with embarrassment. “I did,” answered the lion wolf turn man.

 

“By yourself?” asked Cid from the back of the line. The incredulousness in his voice could not be mistaken.

 

“No,” Nanaki corrected solemnly. “Phoenix, or should I say, Suzaku, helped me.”

 

“Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't Cid give Phoenix to Reeve when he acquired the summon?” asked Vincent.

 

“Yeah!” the ninja exclaimed excitedly. “He summoned her without the stone! Reeve never unjunctioned Phoenix!!” She happily nudged Nanaki with her palm.

 

Nanaki's cheeks blushed an even deeper red, if that was at all possible, turning near the same color as his ponytail.

 

“Interesting,” Vincent commented, turning to gaze at the lion wolf turned man. “First you turn human…” eyeing the tail he changed his mind. “Well… mostly anyways, and then you accomplish a highly skilled and high level summon WITHOUT the use of materia?”

 

Nanaki nodded but didn't speak aloud. The ninja patted him lightly on the shoulder, trying to ease his embarrassment.

 

Vincent sighed. “What are you?” He questioned, speaking for everyone.

 

Nanaki shook his head, silver earrings clinking one against the other as well as the beads and feathers in his hair smacking together. “I don't know.”

 

The gunman looked him in the eye as if searching for truth then turned away from the group heading towards the living quarters. “Join the club,” was his quiet and muttered response. “We meet on Tuesdays.”

 

Yuffie stared after the dark-haired gunman in surprise even after the others moved on. “Did… did he just crack a joke?”

 

The leader shook his head as he came past and clamped a hand on her shoulder. “You shoulda heard the one on the Escape Pod.”

 

Yuffie's jaw dropped. “What the hell is going on around here? Nanaki's a human! Vincent has made a joke! You guys got to go to space and I didn't! You and Shera are getting along! Reeve was actually in charge in BATTLE! My brain's gonna fry from overuse!!”

 

Cid chuckled as he moved past her. “There's a first time for everything.”

 

* * *

 

“Once we retrieve the Huge materia from the sunken submarine, we will have all four of them. Now we must choose our next course of action. ShinRa's plan to blow up Meteor failed. Aeris is gone…” Cloud paused on those words and the room fell into a deep silence. He shook his head and forced himself to continue. “Aeris is gone… and we have no plan. Meteor and Sephiroth must be stopped or no one will ever see their next birthday.”

 

“I will,” Yuffie piped up. “It's in seven days!”

 

“Shut up you stupid Ninja!” Cid growled. “Damn Meteor's gonna fall in six!!”

 

Yuffie's face fell as she mentally counted on her fingers again. Her shoulders slumped from where she was sitting, perched up on a cabinet.

 

The room fell silent. No one was sure what to say.

 

Nanaki was the first to speak from his place next to the ninja. He was fingering the ancient necklace around his neck, and he had a pensive look on his face.

 

“Makes you worry, doesn't it?”

 

“What the hell's worrying going to do?” Reeve demanded. “Thinking is the only thing that will help us now.”

 

“Hey! Reeve is right!” said Cid suddenly, as if a light bulb had just gone off over his head. “You start worrying and there's no stoppin' it! Things will just get worse and worse until you're so bad off that you can't do anything about it.”

 

“What you so damn optimistic for?” Barret asked. “From what I hear, you weren't too gung ho about this up in that escape pod.”

 

Cid waved his response away as what he would to do an insect. “I have been thinking about this and that. All the time we have been up here looking at the planet. I have been thinking even when we were down on the ground waiting for the Highwind to come.”

 

Cloud interjected thoughtfully. “I've… been thinking, too. About the universe… planet… ocean. How wide and big… no matter where I go and what I do it won't change a thing.”

 

The Captain shook his head. “Maybe you are right,” he responded looking straight at the leader. “But I came up with something different.” The pilot turned and faced the others. “I always thought this planet was so huge. But looking down on it from space, I realized it is so small. We are just floating in the dark… it made me feel powerless. On top of all that, it has Sephiroth festerin' inside it like a damn sickness.” A smile broke out on his face as he revealed the fruit of his ponderings. “That's why I say this planet's still a kid. A little kid sick and trembling the middle of this huge universe. Someone's gotta protect it. Ya follow me? And there is no one else. That someone is us.”

 

“Cid… that's… a surprisingly beautiful analogy,” Reeve commented, nearly dumb struck.

 

“Yo! Cid! You even got to me! Do, now what? How're we gonna protect the planet from Meteor?” the dark-skinned man asked wiping a pretend tear from his eye.

 

Cid glowered at the gun-armed man and tapped his chin thoughtfully. He slumped against the wall in defeat. “I'm still thinking about that.”

 

Just then, a low resounding wail, like that of a thousand voices calling out for help resonated through the air. All passengers and crewmen of the airship Highwind heard this sound and perked up their ears to pay attention to it.

 

“The planet is screaming…” Nanaki said sadly, pointed ears drooping.

 

“Hey, how do we know that this is really the planet's scream?” Yuffie asked, her hand gripping his tightly.

 

“Have you forgotten already?” Reeve asked with surprise, glancing at her. “It was Bugenhagen who told us. Aeris was always the one to understand though…”

 

“Bugenhagen…” mused Cloud aloud.

 

“That's it!” exclaimed Nanaki. “Let's go see Grandfather. Perhaps he can tell me why I am in this form and how we can stop Meteor. There may be something in the ancient texts.”

 

Cloud nodded in agreement. “Alright. Let's mosey.” [1]

 

* * *

 

[1] I couldn't help myself. I just had to use one of Cloud's most famous lines in here because it is just too ridiculous.