Adult-FanFiction.org : Final Fantasy

Premonitions: Uncut	By : Hippo_and_Friends_with_Benefits Category: Final Fantasy VII > General Views: 3901 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII, and I am not making any money of of this writing.

Chapter List
- 84
- 85
- 86
Chapter 85: The Northern Crater
WEDNESDAY
TWO DAYS PRIOR TO METEORFALL
Cloud and Aerith stood on the bridge of the Highwind awaiting the return of their friends. Cloud was silent. He was thinking about Tifa, and wondering if she would show up. He hoped with all his heart that she would. Today, he would tell her that she was, indeed, his true love. He would find a place and tell her before the day was out. He was well aware that humanity was about to be wiped out, but, to him, it was still important that she knew.
He noticed that Aerith was also silent. As usual, he decided to address her feelings before his own. She was, for the time being, still his fiancé.
"What's on your mind?" he asked.
"I'm just nervous," Aerith replied. "I mean, this guy tried to kill me twice before, and now I'm going to face him again."
"You won't be alone this time," he assured her. "You'll have eight friends by your side."
"Hopefully nine," she added, smiling slightly. "Cloud, do you think Tifa will show up today?"
"I dunno," he replied. "I shot the text to her just like everyone else. It says she read it."
"But she didn't respond?" she asked.
"Who knows?" he answered. "It could be a phone issue."
"I'm trying to think good thoughts," she continued. "I'm thinking about the seventh, walking down the aisle in a wedding dress with a bouquet of flowers in may hands."
Yeah, about that...he thought.
"And I've also been thinking about some workouts we can do together for the honeymoon," she added with a smile. "I mean, we do have to look good naked, right?"
Cloud nodded, forcing a smile.
Barret was the first to show up, arriving at 11:04.
"Time's got a way of sneakin' up on ya, huh?" he said as he arrived. "I'm shakin' all over. I feel sick."
"It all ends today!" Aerith assured him.
The second friend to arrive was Red XIII, showing up at 11:07.
"I am Nanaki, son of Seto," he announced proudly, although Cloud, Aerith, and Barret could tell he was nervous. "I am afraid of nothing," he continued. "It's all right. I'm Nanaki, the son of brave Seto. I'm not afraid of Sephiroth."
"It's okay to be afraid," Aerith said. "I mean, he did kill me."
Yuffie became the third to return when she arrived at 11:10. She showed up on the bridge flaunting a piece of paper with a lot of fine print on it.
"Cloud," she began, "sign this."
"What is it?" he asked.
"It's a contract that says when the war is over, all the materia will belong to me," she replied. "It's all in there. Read it carefully and then sign it, all right?"
"Forget it," Cloud dismissed. "I'm not even gonna read it. Whenever I read, I get airsick."
"I'm the same way, so I can't say too much," Yuffie sighed in defeat. "Damn! My plan failed. Let's pick on Nanaki later to let off steam."
Red XIII's ears bent down as he heard what she had said.
At 11:15, Cait Sith, or, rather, Cait Sith Number Three, borded the Highwind. Of course, he looked identical to his two predecessors.
"But I ain't gonna forget, no matter what happens," he said. "Not about this here trip, or them folks-none of it!"
"Thanks," Aerith said in a monotone.
Vincent arrived at 11:17.
"Cloud," he said, "take the ship to the Northern Cave. The time for flying is now past. Our battlefield is now beneath the earth. The gate to tomorrow is not the light of heaven, but the darkness of the depths of the earth."
"We're still waiting for a few," Cloud replied. "We'll go soon enough."
At 11:23, Cid entered the bridge.
"You ever see the play 'Loveless?'" he strangely asked as he entered the bridge.
Cloud shook his head.
"Yeah," Cid said. "I figured someone like you wouldn't be much on plays.
"Let's go see it on our honeymoon!" Aerith suggested enthusiastically.
"We'll see," Cloud replied, with reality still on his mind.
"Aw, you're no fun!" she playfully groaned.
Cloud then checked his cell phone. It was 11:25. He checked his inbox, and there were no new messages.
"Hang in there, babe," Aerith said as she pecked him on the cheek. "It's almost over."
Cloud checked his phone again. It was 11:26.
"When's departure time?" asked Cid.
"11:30 flat," Yuffie replied.
The clock continued to change. It read 11:27, 11:28, 11:29, 11:30, 11:31, and finally 11:32.
Come on, Tifa, Cloud thought so desperately that he could have sworn that the others could hear him.
But the clock hit 11:33, and then 11:34. There was still no Tifa.
"Yo!" Barret suddenly shouted. "What's the holdup? We kinda have a Sephiroth to deal with!"
Cloud nodded in sadness. It was obvious by this point that Tifa was not coming. He slowly walked over to the control console, and closed the bottom latch. He then began to pilot the Highwind, steering it north.
The flight was not long. There was little dialogue; everyone was awaiting the inevitable. Along the way, the Highwind flew over Round Island. Out in the swampland, Aerith's eye caught an unpleasant sight. A half-rotted corpse was laying there, with a sword through it.
"That was King Pyrus," Cloud said.
"What does it mean?" Aerith asked nervously.
"It's a warning," he replied. "It means 'don't fuck with Sephiroth.'"
Aerith sighed. She could not wait for the adventure to be over with.
AT THE NORTHERN CRATER...
The Highwind rested silently at the rim of the crater. One by one, they descended the ladder. Then, each of them trekked several yards over a few rocks, to where the elevation began to sharpley decrease. A greenish steam was emanating from openings in the floor. Below, there was a rim about a yard in width that hugged the wall of the crater. It spiraled downward, as if it was almost inviting them to walk it.
"Looks like we can only slide down," Cloud said. "There's rocks we can climb up on the way out of here."
"This is it," Aerith said, peering into the crater. She quietly shuddered; she was suspecting that she would go in there and never come out.
"Anyone not going down, this is your last chance to change your mind," Cloud warned.
Everyone was silent. Nothing but Sephiroth was on their minds.
Cloud waited several seconds for any last-minute bail-outs, but there were not any.
"All right, let's go," he commanded.
Cait Sith was the first to slide down. After a few feet he fell, and rolled the rest of the way down.
"I think Cait Sith Number Four should have wings," he said once he hit the floor. "Ones that actually fly."
Yuffie was next, sliding down perfectly without stumbling.
"Maybe I'll go on that ski trip after all," she said.
Cid slid down third, landing perfectly on his feet.
"I'll take back what I said," he announced. "I'm not getting too old for anything."
Jessie slid down fourth, tumbling along the way.
"You know," she said as she rose to her feet, "for a girl, I have shitty balance."
Red XIII did not slide down; he jumped, landing perfectly on his feet.
"I don't always do that," he said, "so don't throw me out of a window."
"So are you a cat or a dog?" Jessie asked.
"We'll talk later," Red XIII said. "That's the worst part of cheating death. You end up with a lot of catching up to do."
Vincent was next, simply sliding down without falling.
"Sephiroth awaits," he said.
Aerith then took a look at the crater, and turned to Cloud.
"Can we go together?" she requested.
Cloud nodded.
Aerith took his hand and led him toward where the ground slid.
And then, Cloud abruptly felt Barret tap him on the shoulder.
"What's up?" Cloud asked as he turned around.
"Listen!" Barret whispered.
Cloud listened carefully. He did not hear anything, and wondered if Barret was becoming crazy or paranoid. He would have every right to, after what had happened to Dyne.
Then, a sound of approaching footsteps began. Cloud listened carefully, and realized that it was coming from beyond the edge of the crater, as if something or someone was climbing upward. He could not see who or what it was until it would appear over the rim. He did felt his heart beating faster.
Barret cocked his gun-arm, aiming it at the rim.
"What is it?" Aerith asked nervously as the footsteps grew louder.
"Probably another Sephiroth avatar," Cloud replied. "One final test before we go in."
"Oh, Cloud!" Aerith whispered nervously as she grabbed his arm, trembling in fear.
The footsteps continued to approach. Barret kept his gun-arm aimed. Cloud drew his sword. Aerith clutched her fiancé's arm so tightly her nails nearly broke skin.
As the three of them waited, the figure arrived.
First, long hair appeared over the rim. But the hair was not silver; it was dark brown. Then, a pair of eyes appeared, but they were not green; they were chestnut. The full face followed, along with the upper, and finally, the lower torso.
Cloud sighed as he lowered his sword.
Barret sighed as he lowered his gun-arm.
Aerith sighed as she let go of Cloud's arm.
Then, the figure spoke.
"Well, it's great, now that you've decided not to kill me," Tifa said.
"Tifa!" Barret exclaimed happily. "You made it!"
"Sorry I'm late," she said.
"Didn't you get the mass text?" Barret inquired.
"I did," Tifa answered. "Didn't anyone get the message I sent back? That I would meet you all at the crater?"
Barret shook his head.
Aerith nudged Cloud with her elbow.
"It was a phone issue," she whispered.
Cloud, meanwhile, was silent. The moment he had been apprehensive about for an uncounted amount of days had arrived. Tifa had finally returned. In a few moments, she would spot the engagement ring on Aerith's finger. How will Tifa react? he thought. She insisted that she only wanted Cloud to be happy, but Cloud knew that nobody can predict their own actions. Would she question me? It was possible. Would she cry? He would not be the least bit surprised. Would she beg or bargain? It would be highly unlikey; the Tifa in his dreams was a work of fiction. Would she lash out? She certainly would not.
And what would happen with Aerith? he wondered. Would she find out that Tifa and I fell in love? I know Tifa would never tell her, but Aerith can certainly read someone better that it seems like she can.
"How'd you get here?" Barret asked.
"It's a long story for another time," Tifa replied.
She then took a look at what was behind Barret. She saw Cloud and Aerith standing together. She saw the engagement ring on Aerith's finger.
Tifa silently approached Cloud and Aerith with a neutral look on her face. As she drew closer, she shifted her direction toward Aerith, stopping a few inches away from her.
Cloud's heart was racing the entire time. What is going to happen between them? he thought. She knows we're engaged. She thinks she's lost me forever.
And then, Tifa threw her arms around Aerith and held her tight. "I'm so glad you're okay!"
"I missed you!" Aerith said happily as she hugged Tifa back and kissed on the cheek. "I was hoping you'd come back!"
"And you're engaged!" Tifa said, addressing the rock on Aerith's ring finger.
"I am," Aerith replied, holding her left hand up to Tifa so she could get a better look at the ring. "Cloud did an incredible job!"
Cloud stood looking on, waiting for something unpleasant to happen. But nothing did.
"Congratulations," Tifa said, smiling. "I'm really happy for you."
And then, the inevitable happened. Tifa turned to Cloud.
"Hey, Cloud!" she greeted with a smile. But she did not hug him. And he did not expect her to.
"Hey, Tifa," Cloud replied nervously. He then began to tremble. "Well, shall we?"
Aerith gave Cloud a surprised and uneasy look.
"Let's," said Tifa as she slid down with the greatest of ease.
Aerith suddenly turned to Cloud.
"What's wrong?" she whispered. "She's your childhood friend. Aren't you happy to see her?"
"I am," Cloud replied as he turned toward the slope.
This isn't like him, Aerith thought. The concern had officially began to brew.
Cloud and Aerith slid down the slope together. Cloud, out of the corner of his eye, could see Aerith present a concerned look on her face. It seemed as if she was onto it.
"And Jessie!" Tifa exclaimed as she hugged her. "I thought you were crushed!"
"I thought I was done for, too," Jessie said. "Barret told me all about the premonitions."
Meanwhile, Cloud peered over the ledge. The bottom of the crater was clearly visible, with the green of what appeared to be the Lifestream glowing brightly. The rim of the crater spiraled down, making the journey quite simple. All they would seemingly have to do was follow the rim to the bottom, where Sephiroth most certainly awaited.
"Everyone," Cloud began, "I think it's time."
The remaining friends-all nine of them-nodded in perfect unison. There was nothing left to wait for.
Cloud was the first to start down the path, followed by Aerith, Tifa, Barret, Jessie, Red XIII, Cait Sith, Cid, Vincent, and with Yuffie bringing up the rear. It was not a silent trip downward; everyone but Cloud was making small talk with the person next to them. Aerith found it the perfect time to catch up with Tifa.
"So what have you been up to, anyway?" Aerith asked as the group continued downward. "You've been gone for some time."
"I think my dad's still alive," Tifa replied. "I've been trying to find him."
"Really?" Aerith asked. "That's wonderful! Any leads?"
"None yet," Tifa replied. "But with the Shinra gone, more records will be out in the open. I plan on meeting with the local authorities after we take care of Sephiroth."
"I found out who my father was," Aerith said. "It turned out to be Dr. Faremis, of all people! I saw a picture of him when I was a little girl, and I was amazed his hair color was the same as mine. I had no idea he was my dad!" She paused. "Cloud was the one who told me about the videos. I'd kind of like to return the favor and find his father for him."
Tifa gave a small smile and looked upward.
"What's wrong?" asked Aerith.
"I think he knows who his father was," Tifa said. "As do most of us."
"Really?" asked the surprised Aerith. "Who?"
Tifa bent toward Aerith and whispered in her hear.
"He's his father?!" Aerith whispered.
Tifa nodded.
"Wow," Aerith whispered.
As the group continued their descent, Barret tapped Tifa on the shoulder, and whispered in her ear.
"Aren't you gonna say somethin'?" he asked.
"About what?" Tifa inquired
"You and Cloud?" Barret clarified.
"It's not a good time," Tifa whispered back. "We all have something important to concentrate on."
Of course, Aerith heard them whispering, but could not tell what they were saying.
Something's going on, and nobody's telling me about it, she thought. Something's been going on, since before I returned.
Finally, the rim led into into a cave. Inside, the cave became more standard, with brown walls and stalagmites hanging from the ceiling. This was a small room, with the exit already visible on the other side. As Cloud began to pass through the exit, Barret again tapped Tifa on the shoulder. This time, he gripped her.
"There won't be a better time!" he whispered. "When are we all going to be together again? What if they elope in celebration?"
Cloud immediately looked back.
"What's going on?" he asked.
"I need to have a talk with Tifa," Barret replied.
"Now?!" Cloud asked. He noticed Tifa seemed less than interested in any talk.
"Keep goin'," Barret ordered. "We'll catch up with you."
"This can't wait until later?" Cloud insisted.
Barret shook his head.
Cloud sighed in defeat; it was obvious that Barret would not give up.
"Don't take too long," he warned.
"We won't," Barret assured him.
As soon as Yuffie (still the last person in line) disappeared through the exit, Barret immediately turned to Tifa.
"I need to know what you're thinkin'," he insisted. "The truth."
Tifa did not open her mouth at first. She had intended to insist that she was fine, but, now that Cloud and Aerith were out of the room, it caused her to loosen her grip on her emotions. Instead, her lips began to quiver. Tears suddenly rolled from both of her eyes. The sorrow she had been attempting to hold back ever since she discovered that Cloud and Aerith were engaged had finally broke free.
"Shit!" Barret regretfully sighed. "I didn't mean to..."
"I've lost him, Barret," she sobbed. "He was my best friend of twenty years. He was my boyfriend for a few days, but, Barret, those were the best days of my life. Even the years I was married to Bo weren't nearly as happy as the few days is could really call Cloud mine." She stopped to catch her breath, and had to control herself from hyperventilating. "He's marrying Aerith now. I just should've said something sooner. If only I told him after we blew the first reactor..."
"It ain't your fault," Barret said gently as he embraced her, attempting to console her.
"It's weird," Tifa continued. "When this whole thing started, I was married to Bo. And it was Cloud who was pining for me and regretting that he didn't say something earlier." She wiped a few tears away. "Well, now I know how it feels." More tears then began to fall. "We got a second chance to be together; one like nobody else has ever gotten. And I blew it, Barret, I blew it."
"Don't give up yet," Barret insisted. "It ain't over 'til it's over. They didn't walk down no aisle yet. Maybe I can talk some sense into him."
"No," Tifa dimissed. "This isn't all about me. Cloud needs to be happy. I truly love him, and I want nothing more than him to be happy. And if he's happier with Aerith, then I accept that."
"If that's really what you want," he said.
Tears suddenly fell from her beautiful eyes again.
"But Barret," she continued, "it's so hard!"
"I know."
"I mean," she continued, "I think he was getting ready to propose to me before he found out Aerith was still alive. I was in the fetal position for three days. I know I'm supposed to be strong, but it was just too much. It was the most upset I had ever been, either in this timeline or the old one."
"I'm here," he assured her. "Listen, I'm sorry I got you so upset."
"No," she assured him, as she took another breath. "I needed this. It wasn't you; I had to vent." She then took a look at the exit to the chamber. "But I think we're holding everybody else up."
"You're right," Barret said. "You sure you'll be okay?"
Tifa nodded as she dried her remaining tears. "Let's go," she said.
In the next room, the floor abruptly ended. A stalagmite extended from the edge of the floor to the platform below. Barret and Tifa carefully made their way down the stalagmite to the platform, which itself ended a couple of yards further. After climbing down a second stalagmite, they were reunited with the rest of the group.
"Welcome back!" Aerith greeted. "Everything okay?"
"Just fine," Barret said in a monotone.
"Tifa?!" Aerith then exclaimed. "Your eyes are bright red! Were you crying?"
Tifa shook her head. "Just some allergies. Barret gave me some meds to make it better."
"Down here?" asked Aerith skeptically. "I didn't see any pollen. Are you okay, though?"
"I am now," Tifa continued to lie. "The meds are working."
Aerith silently folded her arms.
Why is Tifa acting all weird? she thought to herself. Something happened after the Forgotten Capital.
Meanwhile, Cloud was focused on the path ahead.
"The road splits in two," he said. "We'll split into two groups."
"Which ya gonna choose, Cloud?" Cid asked.
"Left," Cloud replied.
"All right, then I'll go right," Barret announced.
"I'll go left," Tifa said.
Barret gave her a concerned look.
"Me too!" Aerith shouted. "I don't want to be down here without my Cloud!"
"I'm going right," Jessie said.
"I'll go left," Red XIII decided.
"I'm going right," Yuffie declared.
"Then I'll head right," Cait Sith said.
"I'll go left," Vincent said.
"All right, I'm headin' right," Cid announced.
"Now don't any of you die on me," Cloud warned. "Gotta get through to Sephiroth."
"Well," said Barret as he started to the right, "Looks like this is our last big job!"
"Oh man," sighed Yuffie as she followed Barret. "Materia Hunter Yuffie sounds like the last chapter of Materia Forever."
"I'll destroy Sephiroth before anyone gets to him!" Cid announced as he followed Yuffie.
"I might not have played a big part in this adventure," Jessie said as she followed Cid, "but I'll die for real before I quit."
Cait Sith followed her.
"I'm so happy to have met you all, really," he said before disappearing down the path.
Cloud, Aerith, Tifa, Red XIII, and Vincent slowly headed to the left. As they were doing so, Cloud noticed the redness in Tifa's eyes. Having known her for twenty years, he knew for a fact that Tifa had no allergies whatsoever. He was well aware of the real reason for the redness; she had been crying, and the reason was obvious. He felt it would be best to try and console her himself.
"Tifa," he began. "Um.." He trailed off. He had no idea how to word it.
"Please, Cloud," she said. "I'm really happy for you."
That gives it away, Cloud thought. She was crying over me.
"Can we just talk sometime?" he pleaded. "There's a lot I want to discuss."
"When this is over," Tifa replied.
"Okay, then," Cloud reluctantly agreed.
He did not see Aerith give him a suspicious look; she had heard the whole thing.
The next room had a beautiful green glow; it was apparent that they were getting close to Lifestream. Bright, emerald gasses harmlessly erupted from the ground. Then, after several yards of path, it happened again; the road divided. The left side led downward, and the right side lead upward.
"Another fork in the road," Cloud observed. "Well, it looks like we'll be splitting up again."
"I'll go down," Tifa said.
"I'll go up," Vincent volunteered.
"Me, too," Red XIII said, giving Vincent a look. He had wanted to leave Cloud, Tifa, and Aerith alone on purpose, hoping whichever situation that was affecting them would clear up.
"I'll go down," Aerith said.
And I'll find out exactly what's going on.
Before Cloud could say anything, Aerith took his hand and led him downward. He was surprised; her grip was firm, as opposed to the gentle, loving grip she usually took his hand with.
The next room was misty, and the rocks that made up the walls and the floor were wet. There was what appeared to be a lagoon in the room, with primitive plants growing under the water, occasionally poking beyond the meniscus. Cloud, Aerith, and Tifa carefully made their way along one of the plants growing out of the water to avoid falling in. Aerith was silent the entire time, and Cloud began to grow concerned.
Is she getting suspicious? he thought to himself. Or does she already know?
He had never been able to measure Aerith's intelligence. She seemed less than bright, but he was so often proven wrong.
The next room was quite similar. Only this time, there was somewhat of a path several inches deep in the water that the three of them were able to navigate. As they did so, the silence remained.
So what if she does know? Cloud thought. It's Tifa I have more love for, anyway.
The following room had some vegetation, but the key standout was the light at the center of the room.
"Are we getting close?" Aerith asked.
"I believe so," Tifa replied. "If I remember correctly, Holy is a bright light at the center of the planet."
Aerith then peered into the light.
"This isn't Holy," she dismissed. "I can see a crystal through the light. No worries, though. I feel were getting close."
In the next room, the walls glowed with green. Below was a set of rocks that appeared to float. They were out of reach, but below them, it was pure green. Looking up, Cloud could see the blue sky. The three of them were in the "main" channel once again.
The green was gone in the next room. The path curved and shifted downward once more. There was a wall to the left and open space to the right, and the three of them soon realized that they were walking down a giant stalagmite. It would be a majestic experience, had it not been for the circumstances.
As they reached the bottom, the eerily quiet Aerith spotted an opening in the wall. After walking over to it and peering in, she noticed a small room inside. Realizing that it was the perfect opportunity, she motioned Cloud to come over to her.
"Cloud," Aerith began in a trembling voice, "we need to talk. Now!"
Cloud felt his stomach tighten. He had a feeling he knew what this was; she had figured it out.
"Tifa, would you mind waiting outside for us?" Aerith then requested. "It won't take long."
"Not at all," Tifa replied.
Aerith then led Cloud into the room. She motioned for him to sit down on the floor, and then sat across from him.
Cloud realized that he should be the first to say something, but he did not. If there was one thing he had not prepared for, it was the event that Aerith found out that Cloud was in love with Tifa. There was no way to do so; it could play out in any way. Aerith could either leave him, or she might lash out at Tifa. Anything went in this no-win situation.
As they continued to stare at each other, Cloud could certainly feel the vibe from Aerith; it was a vibe of anger. He had never felt anger from her since they met; she had been annoyed with him before, but she had never been genuinely angry. Now, it was clear she was. And it was far from pleasant.
Finally, Aerith broke the silence.
"Do you think I'm stupid?" she asked in an angry tone of voice.
"No," Cloud replied, rather quickly and nervously, as he shook his head. "Absolutely not."
"Everybody else seems to know something I don't," she continued. "And something tells me there's been quite a bit of deception on your part."
"Aerith…" Cloud began, but he knew it was useless. He had no defense.
"If there's something everyone else knows, you have to know I'll find out eventually," she continued.
"I know," he said sheepishly.
"I'm going to ask you one more time," she announced. "Did you, or did you not have a relationship with Tifa while I was gone?"
Cloud sighed. There was no way to hide it anymore. If he lied, she would catch him, and would get even angrier. There was only one answer that he could give.
"Yes, I did."
A terrible silence followed as Aerith sat as still as a statute. At this point, Cloud knew that anything could happen. He was half expecting her to immediately take her engagement ring off. But instead, she buried her head in her hands and started to cry.
"Aerith," Cloud said again as he reached his arm out.
"Don't touch me!" she angrily snapped. "I don't believe it!"
She continued to cry as Cloud simply sat there. There was nothing he could do now; the rest had to play out on its own.
Finally, she raised her head, and opened her eyes, which were now red from crying. She had trouble making eye-contact.
"I don't know what to say," Aerith growled. "Tifa Lockheart, of all people! The one girl I trusted you with! You had a relationship with her behind my back!"
It was technically the truth, and Cloud knew it. He had awoken that morning seriously questioning his relationship with Aerith, and not questioning the fact that he was in love with Tifa at all. Still, he felt that he needed to defend himself.
"I didn't mean to," he said. Those four words were all that he would
"What do you mean, 'you didn't mean to?'" she snapped, tears still streaming from her emerald eyes. "One of you tripped and your lips accidentally met? Multiple times?"
"I meant behind your back," he clarified. "Aerith, I thought you were dead. We all did. We saw Sephiroth stab you with his sword on the altar. None of us ever heard of phase materia. We had no idea how anyone could survive that."
Aerith was not impressed.
"So, instead of taking time to grieve, you turn your best friend into the rebound chick? The girlfriend is dead, long live the girlfriend?"
"It kind of ran away with itself," Cloud replied. "It was Tifa who was there when I was grieving for you. It was Tifa who was there when my mind was torn apart. Aerith, when we were in the Lifestream, Tifa led me through three important experiences and put me back together. And when we returned to the real world, she told me she was in love with me. And I told her the same. I had never realized it until then. There's some things in your life that have been with you for years, and you don't realize them until much later. That just happened to be one of those things. That's the whole truth. If you wanted the whole truth, there it is."
Aerith could not believe her ears.
"So you two did have feelings for each other!" she hissed. "This whole entire time?! Even when I met you?!"
"I didn't realize it at the time, but yes," he replied.
She smacked her knee with one hand.
"Unbelievable, Cloud, just unbelievable!"
"But we didn't have sex," he continued. "We kept our clothes on the entire time."
"No excuses!" Aerith snapped. "You immediately run off with your best friend and lead her on like that! Shame on you, Cloud! SHAME ON YOU!"
"Aerith," began Cloud, "you were dead. I mean, I laid you to rest at the bottom of that pond. We all grieved for days. We were even talking about having a funeral once Sephiroth was destroyed."
"A funeral?!" Aerith replied, surprised.
"We were going to have a ceremony in your church, and a grave outside."
"But I was at the bottom of a pond," she said, in a slightly calmer tone of voice.
"We were going to have a marker and everything. 'Aerith Lee Gainsborough. February 7, 1985-December 22, 0007. Beloved Daughter and Friend.' Tifa and I didn't plan on falling in love so soon like that. It just...happened. If you were alive, why didn't you shoot me a text or something? You know I can keep a secret!"
In response, Aerith stood up, and stared at the engagement ring on her hand. She reached for it with her right hand, and began to twist.
Here it comes, Cloud thought. She's going to give the ring back to me and tell me it's over. Or she'll throw it in the cave. And, honestly, it's for the best. It's Tifa I'm in love with.
She then suddenly stopped twisting. She then turned to face away from him.
Why didn't I text him? she thought to herself as she noticed she had stopped crying. I guess it was because I wanted to seem as dead as possible. But if Sephiroth was hiding at the core, I could have told him right when Meteor was summoned.
"This was partially my fault," she admitted as she dried the tears from her face. She turned again, walking over to Cloud, and, to his surprise, offered him a hand and helped him up. "You were right, I should've texted you. I just didn't expect you to enter another relationship so soon. But, hell, the next relationship never comes on queue, does it?"
Cloud was silent.
Is she actually forgiving me for this?
Aerith then gave Cloud a sincere look, causing him to wonder why her anger suddenly diminished.
"After you got together with Tifa," she continued, "you came back to me?"
He nodded. "I did commit to you first."
She continued to look at him in silence.
"Cloud," Aerith began, he voice completely calm, "I can forgive the fling you had with Tifa. I mean, you did think I was dead."
"It wasn't a..."
"I can even forgive the fact that you jumped into a relationship with her," she continued, interjecting. "But there's one problem that won't go away: you two have feelings for each other."
She did have a point. If his relationship with Aerith was to continue, Tifa being there would complicate everything.
Do I want it to continue, though?
"We can't leave things as they were before," she decided. "When we first started dating, I was more than okay with you and Tifa hanging out. But the fact that you and Tifa have feelings for each other changes everything."
"What do we do, then?" Cloud asked.
"She can still be in the wedding," Aerith continued. "But after that, I don't want you to see her again."
Cloud's mouth dried. Never see Tifa again?
"If you really were just friends, I wouldn't have a problem with it, but as long as you have feelings for each other, it's a threat to us."
In a way she is right. My feelings for Tifa are stronger. But to cut her off completely...
"We're going back out," she then announced. "When we do, I want you to bring Tifa in here and tell her."
Cloud placed his hand on his forehead.
"Can't this wait until later?" he requested.
Aerith shook her head.
"You life isn't big enough for both of us, Cloud," she said. "I love you, and I trust you, but I don't trust her. It needs to be resolved immediately."
I don't even know what my life is too small for anymore. Fuck it. We're all going to die Friday night anyway. I can pretend to go along with it.
"Okay," Cloud said.
The two of them left the room, and Aerith wasted no time.
"Tifa," she began, "Cloud has something he wants to talk to you about."
She then left the opening to the room as Cloud remained standing there.
Tifa stood up and began to walk over to Cloud. Now, it was her turn to be concerned. She had been able to hear their muffled voices, and possibly the sound of Aerith crying, but she had not been able to make out what was said. Of course, she was suspicious it had something to do with the relationship they had had.
"And Tifa?" Aerith added. "If you want my advice, keep your butt as far away from the local authorities as you can! You'll only get yourself unwanted attention."
"I'll keep that in mind," Tifa said as she followed Cloud into the room.
Once inside, Cloud sat on the same rock he had been sitting on, and motioned for Tifa to sit where Aerith had been.
Unlike Cloud, Tifa was able to speak right away.
"So Cloud," she asked, "what's up?"
"Aerith knows," Cloud began.
"About what?" asked Tifa, although she knew the answer anyway.
"About us," he clarified. "She knows about our feelings for each other. She was able to figure it out on the way down here."
"Did you tell her the truth?" she asked.
"I did," he replied. "She was able to flush it out of me. I tried to keep it a secret as best I could, but there was just no fooling her."
"I guess she wasn't too happy about it, was she?" Tifa asked.
"She was pretty mad," Cloud answered.
Tifa gave a concened look.
"She didn't break up with you, did she?" she asked, having failed to check to see if Aerith was still wearing her engagement ring.
"No," he replied in a monotone. "We're still together."
"Good," Tifa said. Even though he had left her for her, she still could not bear to see him hurt. "But why are you so upset, then?"
Cloud decided to be up front. This was something that he had no fear of discussing. It had taken him only moments to make up his mind about what Aerith had ordered him to do.
"She said I have to give you up," Cloud added. "She said we can't be friends anymore. She said that, because we both have feelings for each other, I need to cut you off." He paused to take a breath. "She also said that my life isn't big enough for the both of you. And, Tifa, I won't lie. I have to agree."
Tifa silently nodded. "I'm not surprised."
Cloud's eyes widened. "You're not?"
"Cloud," she began, "in the old timeline, when I was married to Bo, he told me the exact same thing."
Cloud was silent; he had never heard that part of the story.
"He said it was because he knew we had feelings for each other. And for the longest time, I thought he was being an insecure prick. But now, it makes sense. I thought about you a lot, Cloud. Even long after I got married. And I know you'll do the same." She then stood up. "Cloud, you need to keep me in your life for you. You can't keep me in your life for me. I understand, Cloud. I know you brought me in here to tell me our friendship is over. But Cloud, Aerith is your fiancé. She needs to come first."
Cloud stood up, and looked Tifa in the eyes. She was struggling to hold back tears, and Cloud felt that, once he had said to her what he was about to say, she would likely fail.
"Tifa," Cloud softly began, "I've never given up a friend before."
Tifa's mouth began to quiver. Her hands were visibly trembling. Even though she was expecting him to tell her that their friendship was over, she was anything but prepared for it. The thought of losing her best friend of twenty years, although she knew it would be for the best, broke her.
"And I'm not starting now," he added.
Tifa's mouth literally dropped open.
"Cloud?!" she exclaimed.
He's refusing to give me up for his fiancé?!
"Yes," he continued, "she did tell me I have to break off our friendship. But I won't."
She then covered her mouth in shock.
"It's something I treasure too much," he added. "You put me back together when I was broken. After all we've been through, I would never do such a thing, no matter what she threatens."
Something then crossed Tifa's mind.
"What if she breaks up with you?" she asked.
"Then she breaks up with me," he replied.
"Cloud, you can't lose your fiancé over me!" Tifa exclaimed. "That's crazy!"
Cloud looked her in the eyes.
"No, Tifa," he dismissed. "It would be crazy for me to remain with someone who's willing to dump me over you."
"But Cloud," Tifa protested, "I want you to be happy."
"This is what makes me happy," he said. "Someone like you, who's been there for me for the past two decades. Not to mention, the unique second chance we've been given. It would be crazy to blow it."
"But aren't you in love with her?" she asked.
"I won't lie," Cloud replied. "I'm in love with both of you. But I love you more. You make me happier that she ever could."
Tifa sat down. This was almost too much for her to take in. A tear slid from her left eye; this was quite emotional to take in. He did not specify that they were getting back together, but the fact that he was refusing to cut her off said a lot.
Cloud sat down as well.
"Think about it, Tifa," he said. "If she's telling me to cut you off, she's not respecting my other relationships. And I don't know if I can marry someone like that."
"But what are you going to do?" Tifa asked. "I mean, you did commit to her first."
"I dunno," Cloud replied. "Once this is all over, I'm calling a meeting."
"With me and Aerith?" she asked.
"With everyone," he clarified. "There's something I need to discuss with everyone." He then stood up, and looked toward the exit. "Speaking of everyone, I think were behind." He then reached out his hand.
And Tifa let him help her up.
A FEW MINUTES LATER...
Cloud, Aerith, Tifa, Barret, Jessie, Red XIII, Cait Sith, Yuffie, Cid, and Vincent stood on the rim at the bottom of the crater. The paths had converged, and now, all ten of them were at the floating rocks that disappeared into the green abyss. The trek was at its end; the floating rocks were the last milestone on the journey. Beyond them, there was only Sephiroth.
"This is the center of the planet?" Cloud asked.
"We finally made it here," Red XIII said.
"This is it," Tifa said.
"Well, shall we get goin'?" asked Cait Sith.
"Let's just get this over with!" Cid insisted with a grin.
Cloud nodded.
"All right, everyone," he said. "Let's mosey."
The grin faded from Cid's face.
"Damn! Again!" he shouted. "Stop sayin' it like a wimp! "Can't you say 'move out!' or something?"
Cloud sighed as he rolled his shoulders.
"Move out!" he commanded.
Suddenly, strange, hideous noises began. They seemed to be coming from above.
"I don't like the sound of that," Aerith groaned.
Looking up, Red XIII could see flying shadows.
"Look at the number," he whispered.
"Fuck!" yelled Cid. "They're comin' out in full force!"
"Is this like a practice run before the real thing?" Tifa asked, cracking her knuckles.
"Yeah," replied Cait Sith. "A major practice run."
"I'm fine with that," Yuffie said. "It's probably more fun than fighting Sephiroth down there," she whispered to herself.
Just then, the flying shadows came into view, revealing themselves to be five yellow bat-like creatures with one eye each.
"That's it?" Barret exclaimed. "I really hope nobody shat their pants!"
With that, he aimed his gun-arm and fired, killing all five of them in ten seconds flat. He then turned his attention to the floating rocks.
"Well?"
"I think we can now go down peacefully," Tifa said.
Cloud nodded as he jumped onto the first rock. He quickly jumped to the second rock, which was further in the abyss. As the others followed suit, he constantly scanned the area below him. All he could see was the next rock, and green. But he kept alert; Sephiroth could show up at any moment.
Eventually, he reached a larger platform that was different from the others. It seemed to be made entirely of emerald crystals, with rectangular ones with white tops for a person to stand on. Looking around, Cloud could see no more rocks. This was the bottom, and it seemed almost as if it was designed for humans to stand on. It almost seemed like a trap.
One by one, everyone landed on the platform.
"Where are we?" asked Cloud aloud.
Suddenly, another hideous noise sounded. This one was higher-pitched than the one before.
This is a trap! Cloud thought.
"What!?" exclaimed Tifa.
Aerith immediately grabbed Cloud's arm. This time, her nails did break skin.
"Sephiroth?!" she exclaimed. "He's coming for us!"
But Cloud shook his head; he recognized the sound. He had heard it three times before: on the barge, at the Forgotten Capital, and near the North Pole. It could only mean one thing.
"Jenova!?" he exclaimed. "It's coming!"
Moments later, Jenova appeared from under the platform. But this time, she was different. Her body was spherical, almost resembling the Urchin. Her head was diamond-shaped and mostly purple, except for her face, which was silver. She had no arms, and had tentacles where her legs should be.
"This has to be her true form!" Cloud suggested.
Jenova began by swiping a tentacle at Tifa, who quickly jumped to avoid it. The creature then took a swipe at Yuffie.
Yuffie, ever-alert, armed the Conformer. The tentacle came off clean as it hit the weapon.
Jenova let out a screech, but did not show any signs of pain. Instead, she attacked Aerith with the remaining tentacle.
Cloud quickly armed his sword, slicing off the tentacle when it was a few inches away from his fiancé. The tentacle rolled briefly before stopping by Aerith's foot.
"Ew!" she cried as she quickly kicked the severed tentacle off of the platform, causing it to disappear into the green below.
Barret, seeing his chance, aimed his gun-arm and fired. Jenova began to shake as the bullets pierced her skin. A pinkish fluid began to leak from her wounds. She tried to flank to the left and right, but Barret simply shifted his arm, firing round after round into her. Eventually, Jenova slowed down, suggesting that she was dying.
Vincent, not wanting to give her a final chance, quickly aimed the Death Penalty at Jenova's face, and pulled the trigger.
The face immediately exploded. Moments later, the body fell, disappearing forever into the green abyss.
And then, everything went dark.
MOMENTS LATER...
The first thing Cloud could see was a light. It was a dull light, but a light nonetheless.
"Light," he whispered. "A light...is this...is this light...Holy?"
His friends appeared around him. They were all floating, along with a few floating rocks, against a dark-green background. It almost seemed as if they had been absorbed into another world.
"Oww!" groaned Barret. "Damn, man!"
"Barret!?" Cloud called.
Suddenly, a shockwave emanated from Holy, causing everyone to shift backward.
"Oh my God!" Aerith shouted in a trembling voice. She was clearly frightened.
Cloud attempted to reach for Aerith's hand, but she was too far away.
Suddenly, there was a flash of light. It was a brief flash, lasting less than a second, but when it was over, there were eleven people instead of ten.
"Sephiroth!" Cloud shouted.
He was standing in front of Holy.
Another shockwave emanated, but, this time, it did more than just cause everyone to shift backwards. This time, it sent a wave of intense pain through everyone's body.
"Is this the true power of Sephiroth?" Barret shouted through the pain. His arms felt as they were about to be ripped from their sockets.
"Ugghhhh!" shouted Aerith. "It huurrrrts!"
"My...my body!" shouted Cid. "I can't control my body!" He began to twitch, and shake uncontrollably.
"My front legs!" shouted Red XIII. "My hind legs! My tail's about to tear off!"
"It won't!" Tifa shouted. "It feels that way, but it won't!" She had been through it before; she knew how it would play out.
"This is definitely not good," said Cait Sith calmly, as he did not feel pain. "He's way outta our league."
"I don't know if I can go on!" Yuffie sighed.
"You can!" Tifa assured her.
A third shockwave fired out, with the same effects as the last one.
"Arrrgghhhhh!" groaned Aerith.
Tifa, being within feet of Aerith, shifted slightly and grabbed her hand. She had not forgotten what she had ordered Cloud to do, but she knew that, not even having premonitions of the situation, that it would be wrong to leave her alone and frightened.
And, despite their rivalry, Aerith gripped back.
"My butt hurts!" Aerith cried.
"I know, but it's not going to come apart," Tifa assured her. "You've got to get through this."
"I'll make it!" Jessie shouted weakly. "I think I'm about to turn inside out, but I'm going to make it!"
A fourth pulse occurred, causing Cloud to double in pain.
As he was still the man she loved, Tifa wanted to cry seeing him in so much pain.
"Cloud," she sighed through her own pain. "Cloud."
"It's there," Cloud gasped.
"Cloud?" asked Tifa.
"Holy...Holy... is there...but it's...not shining!"
"My materia really...didn't work?!" Aerith gasped, instinctively gripping Tifa's hand. "Why...why not?"
"It's not over yet," Cloud shouted. "This isn't the end yet!"
"We're not gonna lose!" Tifa declared. "There's still many things for us to do. I'm not giving up!"
And then, despite the fact that there was no solid ground, Sephiroth began to walk toward the group.
"I'm going to see it through to the end," Red XIII shouted in Sephiroth's direction. "For our future, and that of the planet." He then looked upward. "I understand now, Grandpa. This is my mission! I won't let the Lifestream or the life of the planet wither away!"
"I was frozen in time," Vincent added. "But now I feel as though my time is finally about to begin. Sephiroth, now it's your time to sleep between the ages!"
"Hoo-kay!" Cid responded. "I can't be fooling around in the bottom of this hell hole. I still have lots of stuff to do with my life!"
And then, somebody else spoke.
"Welcome, friends," Sephiroth greeted. "It's good to see you all down here again."
Again? thought Cloud and Tifa in unison.
"Yes, again," Sephiroth repeated. "I know everything. About the premonitions, about the original timeline, about everything." He then armed his sword. "But things will be different this time. I know how you killed me. I did several things too late. It won't happen again."
"We've evened the odds," Cloud informed him. "We took precautions as well."
"Have you, now?" Sephiroth taunted. "After I summoned Meteor, I went into the Lifestream, regaining memories of a timeline that is no more."
"So did we," Tifa said. "We know what you did after you died. Our strategy's different this time as well."
"I know you killed me, Cloud," Sephiroth continued. "I remembered my death. I remembered my afterlife. I remembered the Geostigma and everything. You can't defeat me, Cloud."
"So did Tifa and I," Cloud said. "We can and will take care of you."
"Perhaps you're wondering why I impregnated those three women," Sephiroth continued.
"You killed them!" Aerith shouted.
"I created lives in exchange for the lives I ended," Sephiroth corrected her. "But not souls. As I said, in the old timeline, I did several things too late. This was one of them." He paused, and turned toward Cloud. "You know what I'm talking about." He then turned toward Tifa. "And so do you."
"Kadaj, Loz, and Yazoo," Tifa whispered.
"Correct," Sephiroth confirmed. "They are on the surface right now and fully grown. Regardless of what happens down here, I am on the surface as well."
"We killed Jenova Synthesis," Cloud said. "That means no more avatars once we take care of those three."
"Except that I won't be letting you leave!" shouted Sephiroth as he began to morph.
His skin became silver. His arms became wings. At his center, there was suddenly a golden orb. His head had horns coming from the left and right sides. The top side had a miniature of his form growing out of it.
The ten heroes suddenly found themselves with ground under their feet; each rock had two or three of them standing on it.
Cloud, wasting no time, began to summon Knights of the Round.
"Cloud, no!" shouted Aerith. "We can't kill him, remember?"
"This won't!" Cloud assured her. "This isn't his final form."
"It's not?!" asked the puzzled Aerith.
Meanwhile, Sephiroth touched the tips of his two wings together, and cast some sort of energy over himself.
"You fool," Cloud then announced proudly. "You should've attacked us first."
Knight after knight began to attack the mutated Sephiroth. Some of them slashed at his wings. Others slashed at his miniature. Still more aimed for the golden orb. As the process repeated, one wing began to drop, then the other. Then the miniature went limp. Finally, at the end of the fourth summoning, there was a flash of bright light.
That was definitely easier than last time, Cloud thought.
When the light faded, the ten of them beheld Sephiroth in a different form. There was a wing where his right arm should be. Two large halos were behind him, and were vertical instead of horizontal. There were four wings coming out of his lower torso instead of legs.
"Is this is final form?" Aerith asked.
"Yes," Cloud replied. "Remember, everyone. Nobody kill him!"
He knew it was Sephiroth's final form because he remembered the original timeline. And yet...
This is different, he realized.
In the original timeline, everyone was surrounded by a vortex of Clouds. But here, they had all returned to the bottom of the crater. He could see the familiar floating rocks, and the endless green below.
This isn't right.
And then, before anyone could say, or even think, anything, Sephiroth ascended upward at lightening speed, disappearing over the edge of the crater in seconds flat.
Cloud, Aerith, Tifa, Barret, Jessie, Red XIII, Cait Sith, Yuffie, Cid, and Vincent remained alone at the bottom of the Northern Crater, with no enemy to fight.
Cloud looked down, and saw that Sephiroth had dropped his sword, it landing on the rim a few feet away from him.
It was Cid who broke the silence.
"What the fuck do we do now?!" he shouted.
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