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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
- 19
- 20
- 21
Chapter 20: 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.
Streaks of red and orange spread across the sky, like a rainbow of hope rather
than the apocalypse that it superficially resembled. 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. His senses tingled,
and a kind voice at the back of his mind warned him that there was more to
everything, if he looked carefully.

Four pairs of eyes stared
out the window of an Escape Pod, having nearly a front row seat to the event.
And on the ground, far below them, three more sets of eyes stared up into the
sky, watching the events unfold.

The entire world held a
collective breath as the glow slowly faded and the dust settled, revealing the
results of ShinRa�s genius.

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 in despair.

If anything, it was worse
now. The glowing ball of fire had absorbed the explosion and added its power
back into itself. The outer layer of the meteor had expanded 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 could feel the tears
prickling at the back of her eyes. �It didn�t work,� she commented glumly,
speaking the words that they already knew were true.�

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.

�Heh, heh,� he laughed
quietly, though it was humorless. �Dreams, huh, Vince?� Cid asked, his tone
grim. Crimson eyes shifted towards the pilot, disturbed by the strange note to
his lover�s voice.

He tilted his head to the
side, regarding the other man cautiously. �Something to that effect, yes.�

Sky blue eyes darkened.
�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.

Cloud�s brow furrowed.
�What on Gaia are you talking about?� the other blond demanded. �Isn�t that the
whole reason we have dreams? To work to have something come true?�

Vincent shook his head, one hand idly fitting a
loosened buckle on his cloak. �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,� he mused thoughtfully.

�Shut up!� Cloud hissed,
shooting his older companion a fierce glare. �You�re not helping.�

Crimson eyes merely stared
in return as he shrugged. �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. It was purely rhetorical, but the subtle paling of Cloud�s
features was all the reaction he needed.

Shera stood angrily, rocking the Escape Pod slightly
in its continuous descent. �What is wrong with you people?� she demanded, voice
sharp. �All this 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 explained, his
voice blunt. �We were relying on Aeris.�

Just then, the Escape Pod
started violently tossing from side to side as it smacked into Gaia�s
atmosphere and began its reentry. Shera was nearly thrown to the floor before
she quickly grabbed one of the dangling handholds. The Pod hurtled through the
atmosphere, falling with blinding and death-defying speed towards the ground
below, spelling an almost certain doom.

�Shit!� Cloud cursed, his
face incredibly ashen. �We�re going to hit ground!� He clung tightly to one of
the straps, hanging on for dear life.�

�No, we are not,� Shera retorted. She leaned over
and slapped a bright red button on the wall. The pod gave a small jerk as a
parachute exploded out of the back end, snapping out and instantly slowing the
pod�s rapid descent. It finally began to level out as it fell at a slower and
calm pace.

With a gentle shudder, the
pod touched ground moments later. They let out a sigh of relief, finding that
they were 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.

Vincent eyed him with an
air of amusement. �Did you ever doubt we would make it?� he 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!� He
reached over and clapped the women on the back, his fingers squeezing her
shoulder companionably.

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. Vincent only narrowed his
eyes, wondering why the pilot didn�t refute her. That uncomfortable surge of
green jealousy rose up in him again, leaving him to wonder why he had any right
to feel that way. Wasn�t he the one to refuse to define what they had together?
Didn�t that leave Cid perfectly capable of moving on if he so wished? He
wondered why the idea of that bothered him so much. He didn�t even know if Cid
was fully homosexual or a bit of both...

�Okay, I called the
Highwind. They�re on their way,� Cloud said as he strolled towards them. He was
brushing dirt and pieces of grass from his pants, but didn�t look the least bit
embarrassed over his behavior. Vincent supposed that he was just far too happy
to be back on solid ground.

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

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.

Cloud rubbed the back of
his head. �Eh, you�re welcome to come with us, I guess,� he suggested. �Cid
could probably use you on the Highwind.�

�Oh, no,� Shera protested,
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, 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. Vincent had nothing to add,
hating how jealousy kept rising to the surface. He turned away from the
exchange, unable to look at it rationally.�

Cid snorted. �You know
what I meant. Damn ShinRa�s going to screw you over again,� he admonished,
glaring at her hotly.

�How about letting me
decide that for myself, ne?�

The pilot huffed and
crossed his arms over his chest. �Do what you want. But don�t come crying to me
when you get fucked!�

Shera sighed but did not
respond to him. He would never understand anyways, not since she had learned he
didn�t even like women. Besides, 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.

She changed the subject,
gesturing to the huge, flaming boulder in the sky. �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.

Cloud sighed and shifted
his head so that he could look to the. �She was our hope,� he explained
enigmatically.

�Who?� Shera tilted her
head to the side.�

�Aeris,� Vincent answered
from his position a little ways away from the group. He had opted not to sit
and stood, staring away from their group into the horizon beyond. �She always
seemed to know exactly what was going on even if none of us did.�

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

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.� Cloud tapped a
finger against his upraised knee. �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 gaze that followed her movements, or even
the slight narrowing of said eyes.

�Explain to me then, what
happened in the lifestream,� Vincent asked, ceasing his glaring as he turned
towards their leader and crouched on the ground, steadfastly ignoring the laughter
and conversation behind them.�

�Somehow I knew it would
be you.� Cloud sighed.

The other man frowned.
�What do you mean?� He was beginning to believe that Cloud had just 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 explained, being deliberately vague.

The sound of laughter
drifted through the air, stealing Vincent�s attention for a moment. His eyes
darted over to the battered escape pod. Cid and Shera were laughing over some
shared joke or secret as the pilot thumped a fist against the metal of the
Escape Pod.�

The gunman couldn�t help the twinges of resentment 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 explain further. 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 or even why 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. �You have
been rather, dare I say it, friendly as well.�

Vincent snorted, able to
feel mako blue eyes boring into his skull. �I think that your recent coma may
have addled your brains. You�re seeing things that aren�t there.�

�Perhaps�� the ex-SOLDIER
trailed off before switching subjects. He gave a small laugh and turned his
gaze directly on the dark-haired gunman. �Cid�s not getting any younger, maybe
now he�ll see what Shera�s been offering.�

Vincent abruptly rose to
his feet, interrupting whatever else Cloud thought he would say. �You have
quickly bored me, Strife,� he claimed, beginning to move in the opposite
direction from all of his companions. He was beginning to feel a desire to be
alone. He didn�t see the knowing smirk on Cloud�s face.

He didn�t get very far
when a familiar sound was easily distinguished.

The noise 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, pointing a
finger at the Wutaiian. �Lookee here Miss Ninja. We ain�t playing no games!�

Vincent took a more subtle approach, peering at the
man and taking in the familiar color of his hair and eyes. He noticed the
claw-like weapon and the small fiery tail that jutted from the man�s behind
proudly. �Nanaki?� he suggested aloud, his intellect quickly coming to a
conclusion.

The demi-human 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.�

The pilot blinked.
�Fighting what?�

�Scorpios,� Nanaki repeated, waving one hand vaguely
towards the south where the battle had taken place. �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 up the loading ramp into the
Highwind. �There weren�t any injuries, I hope,� he replied looking at them,
searching the faces before a sudden thought occurred to him. �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. The animosity
between the two of them was gradually beginning to fade though it still
remained in subtle lines of tension. �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. If neither Cid nor Vincent nor Cloud were present,
and Barret was aboard the ship, it left little for possibilities. Certainly
they didn�t listen to Yuffie... did they?

Reeve looked a tad
embarrassed. �Actually, uh� I did.� Everyone turned to look at him as he rubbed
the back of his head, soothing down ruffled hair. �But, I 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!� Yuffie chimed in. �Scorpios grabbed me up
and squeezed!� She mimicked the creature�s actions with her hands, nudging the
redheaded male beside her with one elbow.

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?�

Reeve and Yuffie turned to Nanaki whose cheeks flamed with embarrassment. �I
did,� he managed to answer with pride.�

�By yourself?� Cid asked from the back of the line.
His voice was both shocked and incredulous.

The demi-human shook his head. �No,� Nanaki
corrected solemnly. �Phoenix, or should I say, Suzaku, helped me.�

Vincent frowned
thoughtfully. �Correct me if I am wrong, but didn�t Cid give Phoenix to Reeve
when he acquired her?�

�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,�
He eyed the tail and promptly altered his statement. �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 asked, speaking for everyone.

The demi-human 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 had already moved on.
�D--did he just crack a joke?� she asked, mouth agape.

Cloud grinned as he passed
her and clamped a hand on her shoulder. �You shoulda heard the one on the
Escape Pod,� he explained with a wink. He patted her shoulder and headed on
inside.

Brown eyes opened
impossibly wide as she began to flail her arms in a very comical fashion. �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!!�
she cried, tugging at her hair.

There was a chuckle as Cid
slipped past her, delighting in her aggravation. �There�s a first time for
everything,� he commented.

Yuffie glared in return.

* �� * �� *
- 19
- 20
- 21
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Shattered Ice Redux

Chapter 20: Too Much Hope is the Opposite ofDespair

Chapter 20: Too Much Hope is the Opposite of
Despair