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Shattered Ice Redux	By : Crya2Evans Category: Final Fantasy VII > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 1100 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 18
- 19
- 20
A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing! I put responses on the bottom!

Chapter 19: There�s a First Time for Everything

The universe certainly was lovely, up above the clouds and
in the wide open vastness that was space. And while Cid wasn�t the type of man
to go around calling things lovely, internally he couldn�t help but agree that
there was something infinitely beautiful about all that deep darkness decorated
with stars as if they were fine jewels. It had seemed unreachable for so long
and now there it was, directly in front of him and he couldn�t help but wonder,
if only briefly, if that meant he was going to wake up from a dream sometime
soon because honestly, it seemed too good to be true.

His eyes were wide, unable to unglue them from staring out
the front window of the rocket as they soared through the empty space. �I
finally made it� outer space,� he breathed, wondering if the clenching in his
heart at something so profoundly beautiful would ever go away or if the memory
of such a moment would remain with him for the rest of his life.

The entire launch had taken less than five minutes, from
the beginning and almost frightening seconds of lift-off, then feeling as if
they were being flattened into their seats before breaking free of Gaia�s
atmosphere and finding out how it really was beyond the clouds. They were the
first humans in space, the first to ever step further than the limitations of
beings born without wings. For a moment he couldn�t say anything else, too awed
by the magnitude of what lay before him... history in the making.�

After a moment of
admiration, the little thought nagging at the back of his mind that they were
probably all heading to a fiery death on the explosive end of contact with
Meteor had him returning his attention to the console in front of him, albeit
reluctantly. �Let�s see� how�s the course set�?� he mused, mashing a few
buttons to bring up several lines of data to the view screen. It did not look
good as he sighed, �Yup, it�s headed for a collision with Meteor.�

His announcement was not accepted well by the others.

�Is there nothing we can
do?� Vincent asked quietly, his somber voice easily carrying to the blond. In
some small way, it was a comfort to Cid, to hear that his lover was indeed
there with him even if their relationship wasn�t exactly �defined�.

The pilot snorted angrily,
jabbing with little purpose at one of the unmoving switches on the controls
panel. �That damn pig Palmer went outta his way to lock the Auto-Pilot device.
We might not be able to change the course.�

Mako blue eyes widened in
shock and perhaps even a bit of fear. �� this is the end?� Cloud questioned,
swallowing thickly. Would he never even get the chance to face Sephiroth one
last time?�

�Huh? What the hell�re you
sayin�? You�re still young and you give up that easily!� Cid barked, the words
coming out more like a question. He laughed loudly as he pulled himself out of
the seat and stretched, bones popping in his back. �I�m not gonna crash into
Meteor. Just watch. I keep an Escape Pod on the rocket for emergencies just
like this. We can bail on outta here!� he announced, already reaching for the
spear that had remarkably remained upright during their flight into space.

�What about the Huge Materia?� Vincent asked, reminding both of them of their
original reason for coming to Rocket Town in the first place. He shifted
slightly in his position, standing between the two blonds as realization dawned
in Cloud�s eyes, suddenly remembering the materia now that they weren�t facing
eminent and certain death.

Cid shrugged noncommittally, idly running a hand through
his short hair and by proxy, offsetting the careful placement of his goggles.
��If you want it, do whatever you want. The Materia should be there after you
climb the ladder.� He gestured with one vague elbow towards a shadowy alcove, a
ladder just visible beyond.�

The ex-SOLDIER blinked,
feeling a bit confused considering Cid�s actions of earlier. Clearly he was
suffering from a case of mood swings. �Are you sure?� he asked.�

The pilot frowned, crossing his arms over his chest as he
sighed, �I dunno�� He tilted his head, sky blue eyes focusing on the view from
the window and the dream that he never expected to ever experience after the
first failure. �I know what I said a minute ago. But maybe all that I really
wanted was to go into outer space.� A small smile tugged at the corner of his
lips before he turned back to the others with a shrug. �So, why don�t you all
do whatever you think is right.�

Vincent shot Cloud a
pointed look which spoke volumes before immediately moving towards the ladder
without an audible word. �Well, that settles it,� Cloud sighed before following
after Vincent. He had one hand on the nearest rung before a thought occurred to
him. �You�re still a part of us, right?� he asked, tossing the words over his
shoulder.

�Che,� Cid grunted, boots
clomping across the floor as he reached up and smacked the younger blond
none-too-gently across the back of the head. �Don�t say stupid things.�

Cloud smirked and shook
his head before climbing up the ladder, glad to hear the sounds of Cid
following not too soon after. Within moments the three men were standing in the
materia room, looking at a glowing tube that contained the Huge Materia.
Really, for such a fuss, the materia itself was not much larger than a typical
materia, if not a little misshapen.

Cloud furrowed his brow in
confusion while Vincent remained silent, leaving it up to Cid to elaborate on
exactly what it was they were staring at. �It�s structured so that the lock can
be opened if we enter the passcode,� the pilot explained, gesturing to a
control panel at the base of the materia�s prison and idly scratching the back
of his head in a habit they had all learned to recognize.

�Well, what�s the code then?� Cloud asked.

The Captain and looked a bit sheepish as he folded his
arms over his chest. �I don�t remember.�

Rolling his eyes, Vincent
pushed past them. �Tch, let me try,� he asserted as he looked down at the
control panel, crimson gaze eerily analyzing every button and switch. After a
moment, he reached down and pressed four buttons quickly, fingers flying over
the panel as if the had already known the code.

With a succession of beeps
that sounded strangely like the ShinRa military marching song, the electric
system shut down and the lock clicked open. The Materia was theirs.

Cloud, meanwhile, was
gaping. �Amazing!� he breathed as he turned towards the gunman in total and
complete shock. �How in hell did you figure it out?�

�Ancient Wutaiian secret,� the gunman muttered with a bored tone to his voice
as he watched Cloud retrieve the materia. �Handed down in my family for
generations.�

Cid shot Vincent a really
strange look before he suddenly burst out laughing, loud enough to startle the
ex-SOLDIER into nearly dropping the Huge Materia to the ground. �Oh, hell!
Damn, Vince, you cracked a joke. That�s enough FMA for you!�

Mako blue eyes watched
this rather short exchange with an intensity that neither man noticed. It was
plainly obvious, even to Cloud, that there was something going on between the
two and he couldn�t help but wonder if they were actually attempting to be
discreet or if they were just oblivious to their true feelings for one another.
Then again, if he hadn�t over heard their conversation that night in Icicle, he
might not have been suspicious at all.

And when Vincent smiled,
just barely, which was significantly more than Cloud had ever seen him do, he
was certain of it.

Cid let loose a barking
laughter as he clapped Cloud on the back with enough force to send the younger
blond stumbling forward and disturbing him from his thoughtful reverie. �Let�s
get the hell on outta here!� he announced, gesturing broadly to a door on the
other side of the room. �The escape pod�s through there. I ain�t got plans to
stay any longer on a ship destined to blow the fuck up.�
�
He gave Cloud a none-too-gentle shove towards the door,
urging the younger blond forward. The ex-SOLDIER squawked in indignation before
slipping the Huge Materia into the pack he had enough common sense to bring
earlier and heading for the escape pod room anyways. Behind his back, Cid slid
his gaze over to Vincent, only to find crimson eyes watching him quite
intently.

�Glad to have ya back,
chief,� the dark-haired man murmured, keeping his tone low enough that the
youngest male ahead of them couldn�t hear.

Cid grinned, the warm tone
in Vincent�s voice enough to make the whole entire expedition, stars included,
worthwhile. Could the day get any better? �Was never gone,� he retorted gamely.
�Jes took a break for a minute. After dealin� with everyone as leader, a mind�s
gotta break down sometime.� His eyes slid to Cloud, gauging the other man�s
attentiveness before a slightly sly smile broke out on his face.

The gunman tilted his head
in confusion as a strange look crossed Cid�s expression. He opened his mouth to
question his lover when a spear-calloused hand suddenly gripped the front of
his cloak and jerked him forwards none too smoothly. He stumbled, eyes widening
in shock, only to feel lips fervently pressing against his own and the gentle scrape
of stubble that never faded against his chin. He didn�t fight the gesture,
though he did briefly dart his gaze towards Cloud who was disappearing through
the door and into the short corridor, before succumbing to the surprising
display of affection.

Their mouths moved
together, Cid taking advantage of Vincent�s faintly parted lips and sliding his
tongue inside, reveling in the unique flavor that was all Vincent. The gunman�s
tongue met his, dancing in a familiar path and entangling as Cid�s fingers
curled into the heavy fabric of Vincent�s cloak. They couldn�t afford to linger
but the pilot just wanted this one moment, even if he didn�t wholly understand
why.

This was the Cid that he
knew and recognized, the spontaneous and laughing man as opposed to the furious
and almost broken man that he had been before. Vincent was infinitely glad in
that moment for two things, Cloud�s return and this unplanned trip to the
stars. Whatever he and Cid were to each other, he admitted that it was better
for his conscience when Cid was happy.

The pilot ended the kiss
with obvious reluctance, nibbling softly on a bottom lip before pulling away, a
smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. Slightly confused, Vincent stared
quizzically. �What was that for?�

The blond chuckled as he
turned away from the ex-Turk, propping his spear up on his shoulder and heading
for the hallway. �Felt like it,� he answered, tossing the words over his
shoulder as if they explained everything. Vincent furrowed his brow in
mystification before following after Cid.

The three members of
AVALANCHE found themselves in the storage room for the oxygen tanks. It was
small and cramped, but they quickly pushed their way through it nevertheless,
eager to get off of the flying death trap. None of them looked forward to the
inevitable explosion, especially if they remained aboard.
�
Yet, as they passed Oxygen
Tank #8, it gave a great shudder, the lights flashing wildly. A strange
clunking and humming emanated from the Tank and Cid was the first the notice,
eyes widening in shock as they fell on Vincent, who happened to be the closest
to the strangely acting Tank. A sick feeling of apprehension settled in the
pilot�s gut and without thinking, he dove, his palms slamming into Vincent�s
back. The gunman stumbled forward, nearly crashing to the floor at the same
moment that the tank suddenly exploded, the force of the blast shoving all
three men to opposite corners of the room and filling the small cabin with
thick grey smoke.

Cid grunted as he struck
the floor, breath whooshing out of him with something hard and heavy landed on
his abdomen. He dimly registered the twin muttered grunts of his friends as
dark spots danced on the edge of his vision.

On the other side of the
room, Vincent groaned as he struggled to his feet, noting Cloud sitting up to
the other side of him and rubbing a palm over his head. He blinked rapidly,
trying to clear away the bright sparks in front of his eyeballs as he inwardly
thoroughly cursed Cid for being so careless. He swept his gaze over the room,
his heart taking a sudden plunge into his chest as his entire body stiffened
when he caught sight of the pilot, trapped underneath a rather large and
heavy-looking piece of debris.

That stupid, stupid man.
Vincent�s body could have easily handled such an explosion and healed rapidly
but Cid had to go and play the hero and now look at him.

The Captain gasped, hands working their way free as he
ineffectually shoved at the piece of metal and wriggled about beneath it, a
look of pain crossing over his features. �Grrgh! Damn! My leg�s stuck�� he
cursed, pounding one fist against the sheet of steel.

�You stupid....� Vincent
muttered, voice trailing off as he hurried across the floor, barely registering
the sound of Cloud following close behind him. He put his hands on the debris,
refusing to look at the trapped male as he struggled to free his trapped lover.
Cloud took up the other side and the three males pushed together.

The metal screeched as it
scraped across the floor, but did no remove itself from atop Cid, only serving
to crush the blond further. He exhaled sharply, face twisting up with pain
despite his attempts to hide it.

�Damn!� Cloud cursed,
muscles bulging in his arm as he panted slightly. �I can�t lift it!�

Vincent shook his head,
crimson eyes darkening. �It�s too off center. We�d need a third hand to
counterbalance the weight,� he realized all too quickly.�

The pilot frowned, waving
hands of dismissal at them. �Don�t worry about me. Hurry up and go!� he ordered.
�If you don�t hurry, the rocket�s gonna crash into Meteor!��

�Don�t go all
self-sacrificing, you idiot!� Vincent muttered, giving another unsuccessful tug
on the rough metal. As before, it refused to move, glinting harshly in the
flourescent light as if mocking him for his weakness.�

Cloud shook his head,
adding in his two gils worth. �I won�t go without my friends. I won�t leave
another behind!� he argued, fingers tightening around the steel sheet. �We�ll
just have to try again.��

�You %$$#@#!! No time to
worry about other people!�

The gunman sighed,
stubbornly shaking his head as he increased the grip of his metal claw on the
debris. �We�re going to get you out of this,� Vincent asserted, grateful for
his usual calm that kept the slight tremble out of his voice. He couldn�t
explain it or even understand it, but the thought of Cid dying there in that
rocket... terrified him, for lack of a better emotion. It just... wasn�t right.

The older blond clenched his teeth and went limp in
resignation. �You�re stupid. You�re really fuckin� stupid,� he muttered, his
eyes falling over to the wall where the remnants of the tank still managed to
cling. �Tank number 8, huh?� he commented, a sardonic grin pulling at his lips.
�Shera� she was right. Too bad I�ll never get ta tell her.�

An amused chuckle suddenly
echoed through the room. �Don�t say that ya old man,� a voice commented,
sounding decidedly feminine before continuing, �you�re too stubborn to die like
this.�

All three males turned in
wonder only to find Shera entering the Tank Storage Compartment with a smirk on
her face as she stepped in. It was almost as if she had appeared from thin
air.�

�Huh? Shera?� Cid gaped,
thoroughly confused. Why was she still on the rocket? He had the sudden urge to
both pinch himself and rub his eyes because surely, he was hallucinating.

She grinned again as she
stepped up to his side, looking down at his trap form. �I tagged along. I�m
coming to help you.��

�You stupid $#@%@!� Cid
started, cursing heavily. However, he stopped suddenly, thinking about what he
was saying. In a much softer voice, he added, �Sorry.�

The brunette shook her
head at him, clearly dismissing what was pretty much a habitual response before
taking a place at one end of the metal sheet, laying her hands on the debris.
Cloud gave her a skeptical look, eyeing her rather diminutive form and
figure.�

�Are you sure, Shera?� he
asked, raising one brow.

Cid laughed hoarsely,
though it was beginning to sound strained from being trapped. �Looks can be
deceiving, Cloud. That girl�s strong as an ox.�

Shera grinned and for a
moment, both Vincent and Cloud could see the strength in her eyes that enabled
her to endure the Captain�s rants and come out on top. It sent a minor shiver
down their backs. Cloud was forced to shake his head violently to disperse the
slightly frightening thoughts as he exchanged brief glances with Vincent and
Shera.

�Ready?� he asked. As they
nodded, he quickly began the count, recognizing that the rocket could explode
at any moment. Cid hadn�t been sure how long it would take before it reached
Meteor.

�One� two� three!�

On the last count, they
all gave a great heave. With a screech and groan, the metal slid off of the
pilot and clattered to the ground. Cid sighed with relief, rising to a
semi-sitting position as he rubbed at his injured leg, wincing when his fingers
pressed too deeply into a rapidly forming bruise.

Mako eyes widened as Shera
smirked with smug satisfaction. �How in the hell are you so strong?� he demanded,
raking a hand through his spikes. After all, he was jacked up on mako and she
looked like she hadn�t touched a set of weights in her life.�

She tapped her bicep with
one finger before pushing her glasses up on her nose. �It�s a secret,� she replied
primly, smiling with Cloud scowled.

Meanwhile, Vincent had
moved to Cid�s side, a Cure 2 already prepared. He cast the magic, watching it
gently erase the pain with a sparkle of green mist. When Cid grinned up at him
as the gunman helped pull him to his feet, Vincent found himself momentarily
caught by his bright blue gaze. He froze in his motions, not even realizing
that he was still clinging to the captain�s arm.

Shera�s voice was what
disturbed him from his thoughts and he rapidly dropped his grip, hastily
turning away from the pilot as a warm feeling washed through his body. �Come
on,� the brunette urged, beckoning for them to follow her as she padded across
the floor and to another doorway. �I can take you to the escape pods.�

As the others filed in
after her, Cid watched Vincent�s slightly distracted step with a thoughtful
expression on his face. Inwardly, he was grinning. Slowly but surely, it seemed
he was wearing the man down. The moment he touched ground, he planned to have a
celebratory smoke.

He followed the others
down the hallway to the escape pod. Shera ushered them inside as she pressed
several buttons on a control panel, her fingers flying rapidly over the keys
and emitting several loud beeps. Inside, Cloud and Cid were sitting on opposite
sides of the pod and the gunman had his gun in his hand, reloading bullets into
it with startling precision as if he were trying to distract himself from the
inevitable. For a moment, Cid hesitated before saying to fuck with it and
plopping himself on the other side of Vincent, nearest to the view portal.

Crimson eyes regarded him
thoughtfully for a moment before he returned to his weapon. But Cid did catch
the small smile that graced his features. It made something inside of him warm.

There was a hiss,
distracting him from thoughts of the gunman, and Cid turned to find Shera
entering the Escape Pod, sealing the door shut behind her.

�Hey, Shera!� he called
out. �Does this Pod really fly?� It was probably something he should have
considered earlier, but in the mad dash and commotion, there hadn�t really been
time for rational thought.

She nodded as she seated
herself in the abandoned space next to Cloud. �It�ll be okay,� she assured him.
�I�ve been checking it until now.� As if hearing her words, the Pod gave a
sudden jerk and slowly began to move into position for ejection, rattling only
slightly.

Cid tilted his head,
relaxing comfortably against the metal behind him. �Then I�m relieved,� he
replied softly, shooting her a grateful smile.

Caramel eyes brightened as
Shera preened with the praise, used to hearing nothing but expletives and
degrading comments from her captain. �Thanks.�

Something inside Vincent
stirred at this unusual display. He watched the exchange from the corner of his
eyes, wondering why it bothered him so deeply. He didn�t want to believe there
was more to Shera and Cid then he was aware. But the little green monster of
jealousy was cackling on his shoulder, as if he had something to be truly jealous
of. Vincent sighed behind his cloak, uncertain what to think of this new
revelation, and his thoughts turned inwards.

The brash pilot was creeping his way into a more permanent
place in the gunman�s life, though pitiful it may be. There was something about
being with the blue-eyed man that made the gunman feel like he was truly alive
and not floating endlessly on a sea of guilt and betrayal.

Cid didn�t ask questions;
he didn�t constantly nag like the others. He trusted the ex-Turk without giving
reason why, and even stood up for him at times when Vincent just was too tired
to do so himself. His unfailing need to reach his dreams was encouraging and
underneath all the cursing and rough exterior; the man really was a kind softy,
evident by the fatherly way he treated Yuffie, and the way he took over
leadership of the group despite the fact he didn�t want it. And he never
complained aloud, hiding his pain so that the others wouldn�t worry.

Cid was a man to be loved,
and yet, Vincent still hinged on his choice. The pilot wanted something more
from him, more than this undefined relationship they shared. And Vincent, he
wasn�t sure what he was ready to accept just yet. Lucrecia still weighed
heavily on his heart.

Suddenly, the Escape Pod
gave a great shudder as it shot out of the rocket with very little warning,
throwing all of its passengers around inside of it. They were forced to cling
to whatever was available. Cid and Vincent immediately groped for handholds and
in a state of panic, Cloud grabbed onto Shera. Apparently, he wasn�t too keen
on space flight.

It was several minutes
before their descent evened out and they felt it was safe to release their
death-like grips. Vincent disappeared back inside his mind, while Cid turned
towards the window, completely enraptured by the view. Cloud had to apologize
to Shera for unintentionally grabbing her in an unfortunate place. She only
smiled and told him it was quite all right.

There was silence in the
escape pod until Cid�s voice broke through the quiet. He was talking to himself
mostly, yet the others couldn�t help but listen. His blue eyes were shining as
he stared out the viewing window, taking in the wide open space in front of
him. It was like he had always dreamed.

�So this is outer space,�
he murmured, face practically plastered to the window, �man� it�s the real
thing. I�m really here in outer space.� His gaze shifted to the parting view of
his rocket and he sighed. �So long� ShinRa No. 26.��

They watched as the rocket managed a slightly regal flight
towards Meteor, only to crash into it with a blinding display of flame and
explosions. They were forced to shield their eyes, lest they be blinded, but
inwardly, their hearts hoped that it was truly the end, that ShinRa had for
once, had the right idea.

Perhaps, Meteor was now
destroyed. Perhaps, the rocket was enough to demolish the fiery ball of doom.
No one would know until the glare faded, and they could look to see.

~ �� ~ �� ~

Outside the Highwind, the
sun glared with an intensity that nearly blinded them. They blinked in the
brightness, almost stumbling out onto the ground as they prepared to face their
opponent. Reeve was the first to unshield his eyes, and he nearly gaped when he
caught sight of their opponent.

�That�s--� Yuffie
exclaimed from beside him, her voice trembling with anger.

Nanaki nodded, his tone
solemn. �The same creature we fought before.� The metal monster from the City
of the Ancients, he recognized it well. They had been forced to run from that
beast and now, it had been modified with wings and even greater fire power.

They couldn�t help but
wonder if they would survive this battle.�

The creature gave them no
respite, shifting its attention from attacking the Highwind to directing its
ire towards them. A series of missiles shrieked through the air, heading
directly for them with little pause. They were forced to scatter, dodging in
all directions and Reeve made an executive decision. They had little other
choice; he would have to lead.

�Nanaki! Status?� he
demanded, dodging a flailing metal appendage as he mentally reviewed his
inventory of Materia. His feet scraped across the ground as he belatedly
realized that he would forever have stains in his suit. Which was such a shame
as it was his favorite.

�Yuffie! Distraction
technique!�

�Got it!� the ninja chimed
cheerfully. The crackle of electricity filled the air, striking with unerring
accuracy across the metal surface of the metal beast. Mere seconds later, the
Crystal Cross sparkled across the sky, barely managing a dent in the seemingly
impenetrable skin.

A flash of magic permeated
the air. �Scorpios Level 8,� Nanaki called on, his entire body taking on the
familiar golden glow of a Sense casting. �ShinRa weapons department.� He
paused, considering the stats that were rapidly infiltrating his mind.
�Susceptible to cold, I think.� He shook his head as the yellow radiance faded.
The creature had a powerful materia barrier that was blocking most of his
sensing abilities.

Reeve nodded, hoping that the other male�s information was accurate. �Freeze!!�

Water splashed from
seemingly nowhere, gathering around Scorpios in a wash of cool liquid. It
quickly hardened, forming a blue encasing only to suddenly shatter in a million
directions, throwing daggers of ice onto the creature�s metal skin. With any
luck, they would strike true and pierce.

But it seemed their luck
was null.

Nanaki belatedly noticed
the faint greenish-blue shimmer of a reflect shield. �Get down!!� he yelled at
the top of his voice, already flattening his lupine form to the ground.

Reeve quickly obeyed,
dropping to the earth as a flurry of ice daggers returned fire at him, one
nicking through the sleeve of his arm and cutting through his suit.�

Yuffie hastily cast Fire3,
having no time to duck due to catching the recoil of her Crystal Cross. Most of
the ice shards melted before they reached her body, but a few managed to get
through. She cried out in pain as one jabbed into her shoulder, and another
into her left leg. The pain was sharp and bitterly cold, but the ice was not
enough to pierce her skin, only leaving angry, dark blue bruises behind.

Another ruthless barrage of missiles soared through the
air, giving them no time for respite. Flailing sharp arms followed in the wake
of the projectiles and it was all they could do to dodge the attacks.

The battle was not going
well for the home team.

With staggering motions,
the three came back together, panting from exertion and not without injury.
Yuffie favored her left leg, a sharp arm had grazed Reeve�s cheek and Nanaki
had caught the edge of an exploding missile, singeing half of his bright orange
fur with a dim coating of black ash.

And still, Scorpios was
preparing his next move.

�How can we beat that
thing?� Yuffie asked, her voice wispy from loss of breath. There was a brief
flash of green and the wounds in her leg and shoulder were sealed, still
slightly pink. �Thanks,� she added, nodding her head to Nanaki.

Missiles screamed through the air as Scorpios unleashed
another attack on them, determined to see the end of their lives. Reeve acted
quickly, calling up one of his three summons to protect them.
�Carbuncle![1] Tri-Power
Shield!� He pressed a finger to the bright crimson glowing ball of materia.

A brilliant pink ball of
light suddenly sparkled in the sky, moving rapidly to place itself between the
heroes and their attacker. A form materialized into that of something that
crossed a rabbit and a cat. The summon, known as Carbuncle, keened musically as
she cast both Wall and Regen on all three of the party members and at the same
time blocking the attack of Scorpios. The missiles landed harmlessly against
Carbuncle�s natural shield and dissipated into puffs of ashy, grey smoke.

Whining musically once
more, the strange summon turned around and licked Reeve on the cheek. His eyes
widened as she purred before bounding away, disappearing in a bubbly explosion
of cuteness. The ex-executive just shook his head and wiped off his cheek. For
such a powerful summon, Carbuncle was awfully hyper and charming, especially
with her favorites.

�Carbuncle�s shields won�t
hold out forever. We need a plan,� Reeve insisted, eyeing Yuffie and Nanaki.

Both looked at a loss for
ideas.

�We spend so much time
dodging the attacks, we barely have time to counter,� the ninja huffed, trying
to catch her breath.

More missiles exploded on
the shield around them. It shuddered and a ripple spread across the surface
before it flexed and rapidly repelled them. Still, it would not be sustained
forever. They needed to brainstorm, and quick.

Nanaki edged closer to the
ninja, noting the weary look to her face. �What can possibly defeat that
thing?� he asked, eyes flickering to the metal beast.

The ex-executive wracked
his brain, trying to remember some of his old training and other bits and
pieces of knowledge he had picked up from his lover. �We are going to have to
try some sort of combined effort,� Reeve mused thoughtfully. Then, it occurred
to him, as if granted by some higher power and he quickly turned to their
lupine companion. �Nanaki, you still have Earth?�

�Yes, but--�

Reeve shifted his gaze to
the ninja. �And Yuffie, you still have Destruct right?�

�Umm, yeah,� she answered,
even though she knew she wasn�t supposed to have the materia. Ehh, Barret
wouldn�t miss it.

Reeve nodded, mouth
forming a line of thought. �Good. I have Contain and enough left for a few
castings of Freeze,� he mused aloud, a strange, almost excited gleam to his
amber eyes.

Nanaki�s eyes widened with
sudden understanding. �I think I understand your plan. DeBarrier and then
Leviathan back to back. I will hit him repeatedly with Quake 3 until he is
mired and covered with soil. Then you will strike with Freeze as many times as
it takes to stop the metal creature.�

Reeve grinned, only to be
distracted when four heavy metal claws came clashing down on the shield above
them. Scorpios had given up on the missiles and had come in close for a
personal assault, its huge body looming over their tiny frames. The shield
shuddered and cracked but did not fall. However, it was only a matter of time.
They had to act fast.

�Got it,� Yuffie said,
eyeing the cracking barrier above them with a bit of worry. �Split in three
ways. Soon as I leave this shield, I am going to fire that deBarrier and call
out Levy.�

No one else had a chance
to respond as the shield suddenly shattered with the force of one more blow. It
dissipated, blue sparkles fading away into the light. The three friends dove in
separate directions, avoiding the Scorpios� swinging appendages with varied
degrees of grace and dignity.

Out of the corner of his
eye, Nanaki watched as Yuffie threw out deSpell and immediately touched her
armband, calling for the Sea God�s aid.

The sound of a serpent�s roar filled the air. The massive
blue serpent of the ocean rushed at Scorpios, knocking the metal monster down
as he covered it in a wall of water that always seemed to appear from nowhere.
Its cerulean scales glowed with a fierce aura in the brightness of the sun
before, with a twinkle and flash, the summon disappeared.

It was now Nanaki�s turn.

He pulled forth all of his
magic reservoir and cast Quake 3 at the monster over and over again, with no
respite in between. Huge blocks of earth and stone fell over the monster,
coating him in layers of fresh wet dirt. Scorpios floundered, mired in the
thick and clinging mud as it struggled to regain some form of its usual quick
movement. Its wings creaked under the added weight of the soil.

�Freeze!!� Reeve cast the
Contain spell and directed it at the monster. All three held their breath as
the spell pulled all of the moisture out of the air and froze it around
Scorpios. The monster was encased in a solid sheet of blue ice before it
suddenly exploded, sending shards of ice directly inwards.

The air was filled with dust and flying ice chips. The
friends ducked to avoid the projectiles and covered their eyes from the soaring
debris as bits and pieces of mud was flung into the air as well. Too slow,
Reeve caught a dripping glop of the earth on his leg but was otherwise uninjured.

When they could look
again, they saw the figure of Scorpios, completely frozen inside a shell of
dirt and ice. A triumphant trill ran through them. Slowly, the three crept up
to the creature to be sure of its defeat.

Yuffie rapped on the
hardened shell, delighting in the almost hollow sound it made.

�Yay! We did it!� she
hollered triumphantly, pumping her fist into the air. Reeve and Nanaki smiled
to themselves though both were extremely tired from the battle. It seemed
Yuffie was the only one who still had energy.

�There�s nothing more to
do here,� Reeve commented, already turning on his heels for the Highwind.
�Let�s go.�

Crack!

The sudden and abrupt
sound made them turn around in surprise. A huge fracture ran through the shell.
They gaped as unexpectedly, three clawed arms shot through the hardened shell
and reached blindly for the friends. Yuffie was grabbed as she was closest and
Reeve shoved backwards, the sharp metal slicing through the front of his shirt and
nicking the skin of his chest. Nanaki managed to nimbly dodge them, still aided
by Haste.

Scorpios flexed and the entire shell burst apart, shards
of hardened soil flying through the air. A great explosion of missiles echoed
through the air aiming for Nanaki and Reeve. The ex-executive did his best to
avoid them but was unsuccessful. One of them caught him in the shoulder and
pushed him into the ground, detonating in a great shower of dirt and grass.
Nanaki leapt and twisted in the air, wishing that there was some way he could
so something as he avoided the missiles and landed safely on his feet.

He cursed his lupine body as he stood by helplessly. Out
of spirit reserves for use of his materia and with no items on hand, he felt
useless. He simply wasn�t strong enough as he was to fight Scorpios. He needed
something more!

A piercing shriek echoed through the air. Yuffie was
struggling to break free of the metal abomination�s grasp, not having much
luck. She had dropped her shuriken in surprise, leaving her completely
defenseless, the razor-sharp metal digging into her flesh. Reeve was still
struggling to rise from where he had crumpled to the ground when one of
Scorpios� missiles had reached their target. Blood dripped everywhere, but
Nanaki couldn�t even begin to fathom exactly where the ex-executive was hurt.

His claws and fangs
weren�t strong enough to help. The ninja�s whimpers echoed on the edge of his
unconscious, making him even desperate for some reserve of power that he had
left. He grasped for something, anything, that would save them, save her.

He had to protect Yuffie.

With a furious growl,
Nanaki darted at Scorpios, suddenly glowing in a mysterious blue-white light.
If he had been glowing red, it would seem like he had finally struck his limit
break. But no, this was something more, something even stronger. Sheer energy
gathered around his body, crackling with power unlike anything he had ever
felt.

The lion-wolf disappeared
in a glowing sphere of power that seemed to emanate from the necklace he wore
around his neck. His growls resounded clearly across the plains and then, an
explosion rocked the earth, covering everything in a blinding white light.

Reeve shielded his eyes from the light as he coughed and
sputtered from his position on the ground, wincing when blood dripped from his
lips. He felt warmth across his face and opened his eyes only gape in shock.

Scorpios was lying on the
ground, two arms ripped from its body. A four-lined slash streaked across the
armor of its chest and the ex-ShinRa could see the inner workings of the beast
behind the slash marks.

And yet, even more
startling was what had happened to Yuffie. She was unconscious in the arms of a
rather tall, dusky-skinned man that Reeve had never seen before in his life.
This man stood on the battle field glaring down at the twitching figure of
Scorpios as it struggled to get back up.

He had long reddish-orange
hair in a high ponytail on his head and eyes of such a brilliant gold that
Reeve could see them from across the plains. He held Yuffie in one of his
strong arms, but on the hand of the other was strapped an enormous metal claw
that looked dangerously sharp [2].

The man dropped to his
knee and gently laid the unconscious ninja out on the ground, checking her for
wounds. The ex-executive wondered who this stranger was as he felt his eyes
getting a little blurry. His own wounds had become too much for him to handle.
As he slipped into unconsciousness, the last thing on his mind was how the
color of the man�s hair was almost the exact same as Nanaki�s fur...

The ex-executive had been
correct, though he didn�t know it. The mysterious stranger had the same hair
color as Nanaki because he was Nanaki. However, the former fire wolf had
no time to ponder on the sudden change in his form. Yuffie was unconscious, and
Scorpios was beginning to stir.

The ground shook as the
metal beast struggled to its feet, searching for the insolent creature that had
caused it damage.

If only he had Phoenix!!
Yet, Reeve had her, and he was all the way on the other side of the monster.
Scorpios was ignoring the unconscious ex-executive assuming fatality. Nanaki
had no chance to get over there, time was slipping by and soon he wouldn�t be
able to revive Yuffie at all!

�Dammit!� he cursed,
punching the ground, still feeling as helpless as he did before. The necklace
around his neck sparkled. �Suzaku, I need your help,� he murmured, not even
sure why that name came to him. The name seemed to pour from his lips of its
own accord, rumbling deep in his chest and releasing a treble through his soul.

The ground trembled and
Nanaki rose to his feet, clenching his hands into fists. He would take down
Scorpios, even if it was the last thing he did.

Scorpios launched a series
of missiles at Nanaki at the same moment that every one of its arms centered
down at the spot that the man now guarded. However, the attacks never landed.

A brilliant orange and yellow light came bursting out of
the sky, landing in front of Nanaki and bursted with a wave of heat. A keening
birdlike cry that still managed to sound regal filled the air as the ball of
fire, twisted and twirled, taking on the form of Phoenix. Somehow, Nanaki had summoned
her without using the materia!!

The firebird spread her wings and absorbed the attack
within her feathers, easily disintegrating them with her radiant flame.
Scorpios roared angrily feeling no pain. Phoenix took to the sky, flapping her
magnificent wings as she flew in a wide arc around the battle area, small
glowing orbs of greenish light falling to land on Reeve and Yuffie.

Nanaki watched in awe as
the phoenix circled around for an attack on Scorpios to finish the summon. She
turned her majestic head towards the recently transformed male and piercing
green bird eye met nervous golden and slightly feral eyes.

�Are you with me, Flame
Child?� came a lovely feminine voice in a lilting tone inside Nanaki�s head. He
knew without understanding why, that it was the Phoenix speaking to him.

He gulped, feeling
instantly unworthy. �Yes,� he answered, his voice barely above a whisper. She
heard him nonetheless.

Scorpios never even saw
the attack coming it happened so fast. The Phoenix rushed him, spitting gouts
of flame at its already weakened metal body and superheating the metal to the
point that it could shatter at the slightest touch. Just as she banked away,
Nanaki provided the impetus, coming in seconds after the fire to slash down the
entire monster�s front, slicing it in two.

Scorpios gave a shudder
and shattered into several pieces. Nanaki threw himself to the ground to avoid
the flying debris, while the Phoenix flew to shield the others with her feathers.
The smoking pieces of rubble fell to the ground signifying the victory while
Nanaki could only blink and stare in unrestrained surprise.

He didn�t even know if he
could process all that had occurred in the last few minutes.

Suzaku�s voice rose up in
the sky, an almost musical melody of victory. �Goodbye, Child of Fire. We will
meet again; I am sure,� she called up as she flew up high, vanishing before the
demi-human could even respond.

Nanaki stared after her in
astonishment until he heard the groans of his companions. Shaking off his
shock, he rose to his feet and ran to check on Yuffie. She was stirring as he
picked her up from the ground, carrying over to where Reeve was groaning
faintly.

�Who� Nanaki?� Yuffie
asked, clearly confused as she looked up into golden eyes that were too human
for her fuzzy mind to comprehend.

Nanaki opened his mouth to
speak but was distracted when he caught an explosion out of the corner of his
eye. Three pairs of eyes looked up towards the sky where Meteor appeared to
have been engulfed in a blinding blaze.�

* �� * �� *

[1] A summon from Final
Fantasy 8. In that game it cast Reflect and Regen on all party members.

[2] Nanaki vaguely
resembles Kouga from Inuyasha and his weapon is similar to Amarant�s from FFIX.
See my forum for more pictures.

-�� -�� -�� -

ArchNemesis: In this
particular story, Cloud likes Aeris above all the others. In canon, they appear
to be leaning towards that more as well. As for Yuffie and Nanaki, more will be
revealed to that in the future. I tend to forget that I have new readers to
this, and not just old readers who read the old version. Reeve definitely has
issues... also something that will come up more in the future. I hope you enjoy.
Thanks!!!
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Shattered Ice Redux

A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing! I put responses on the bottom!

Chapter 19: There�s a First Time for Everything