Northern   Crater

Northern Crater
By...Zar, of course.
(I can't believe I can even get ideas from just watchin da "Cover" materia at work...^_^o)
(Author's Note: Ya might wanna read Gaea's Cliff before this.)

Neither Cid nor Vincent had ever forgotten the incident at Gaea's Cliff. It haunted them day after day, always plaguing them with questions that had no answers. Why were they both willing to die for the other? To both, it made no sense whatsoever. Cloud sensed that something within his two companions had changed, but he was unable to figure out what. The morning after the episode, his two companions (one, actually. The other just stared disapprovingly) had told him exactly what they thought about how he had taken all the spare clothes and armor for himself. He had felt slight guilt over it, but nothing serious.
Afterwards, both Vincent and Cid had felt that something had happened. They had each willingly set down their life for the other, and by some unspoken law, this decreed that thereafter, they would have to try and make it up to the person who had offered their life. This meant that both Cid and Vincent were constantly trying to pay off this debt that they had both incurred without any knowledge of how to do so. Cloud, realizing that the two had to be together in order to fulfill the needs of the unspoken decree, had decided that they would be his two main companions through his journey.
Once, he had asked Vincent individually if he would accompany him to investigate a small disturbance outside of the Highwind. Vincent refused, insisting in his normal quiet way, that if he helped, this would put him further into debt with Cid. When Cloud has asked why, Vincent remained silent and walked away.
This confused the youth even more. Ever since his fall into the LifeStream, things had made less and less sense to Cloud. Especially his companions...it seemed before that, everyone knew who he was and he knew who everyone else was. There were no secrets...there were no hidden traumas. He knew who he was then. He was Cloud. Who was he now? He was still unsure. His companions erratic behavior did not help this in the least.
When he asked Cid to go and check, Cid twitched slightly, as if considering what this could do to his Highwind, and then shook his head. He asked if they could take Vincent along, and replied to Cloud's curious question why with a shrug and a obscenity. Cloud felt more confused and lost then ever as his two companions both seemed to become strange to him. He felt as if he had known them his entire life, they had been together so long, and now they were acting so odd.
Cloud had little time to think. They were deep in the Northern Crater and, as usual, it was Cloud, Cid, and Vincent who were lost in the vast catacombs, searching for Sephiroth.
"Where is this $&$#%& anyway?" Cid said angrily. He was frustrated by the enemies they kept encountering and seemed to be fidgeting more-so then usual. Cloud could not tell whether this was because he was nervous or Cid's mixture of chain-smoking and drinking coffee the night before to "prepare" him for the ordeal of fighting Sephiroth.
Also, it seemed that Cid had discovered a previously unknown hatred of Tonberries.
Vincent was as quiet and silent as he always was, only he seemed even more withdrawn. Ever since Chaos was allowed to manifest, Vincent had become even more depressed then before. Cloud had a vague idea of why, but decided not to pursue it. Vincent physically, however, seemed as unchanged as the day they had awakened him, only his cloak was torn around the edges slightly.
Vincent was lingering back as Cloud and Cid began to search for a way up to a ledge when Chaos spoke.
"I can sense we're near the end."
"The end of what?" Vincent asked mentally. Chaos had become more brave and more insidious after it's power was allowed to be released.
"Your life of course. Yours and your companions. Do you actually think you can stand up to Sephiroth?"
"I believe so." Vincent had tried for a long time to convince himself that he could do this, and he didn't want Chaos to begin disturbing his self-confidence.
"Really..." Death Giga's voice rumbled through his body. "Sephiroth is stronger, faster, smarter, and better."
"As long as he bleeds, I will be happy." Galian laughed hoarsely.
"No chance. No chance." Hellmasker smirked. "No chance you'll win..."
"I will win..."
"Why are you doing this? This will not help you atone." Chaos hissed. Vincent was struck by this.
"If I save the world..."
"You wish to atone for Lucrecia's pain by killing her son..." Chaos laughed softly. "You should give up before you do something foolish."
Vincent was unable to think of a reply, but luckily one came for him.
"Vin! Hey Vin!" Cid's voice called out to him. "We found a way! Get your %&@ over here!"
Vincent watched with relief as the demons retreated for the moment and moved forward. Cid and Cloud were perched on the edge of a ledge with some kind of green energy flowing across it.
"We can slide across this and get to those platforms..." Cloud pointed forward towards the floating rocks above this green energy. "I'm sure Sephiroth must be close. I can feel it."
"Are you sure?" Vincent said quietly. After being with him for so long, it was easy for Cloud and Cid to determine his voice from the strange pulsating roar of the area. Cid shrugged, his cigarette still burning despite the roaring wind that came from the pit below them.
"Best thing we got. Might as well try, right?" With that, Cid lept down. Vincent watched with concern. If Cid died, the debt and burden on his shoulders would increase a thousandfold.
However, Vincent's concern was of no use, as Cid's skill with aerial acrobatics soon landed him on the platform. He waved to the others cheerily, which seemed unsual. It must be the excess of energy he feels from all that caffeine...Vincent concluded to himself.
Cloud was next. He was less skilled then Cid, and only managed to grab the side of the ledge. With Cid's help, he was soon there. Now it was Vincent's turn.
Vincent was unsure, although he could not exactly place why. Usually, such aerial feats were of no effort to him. But now...this seemed very dangerous. He felt apprehension. Was it the jump or the prospect after it?
Forcing these thoughts from his head, he jumped onto the swirl of green energy. It carried him away quickly, as if bearing him towards some great creature. Feeling frightened, he looked upwards and saw that the speeding stream had already carried him past the ledge. Fear made Vincent's heart beat fast, and this was strange to him. He couldn't remember when he had ever felt this frightened. Why? If he died...perhaps that was it...if he died, the burden on Cid would be doubled...and thus his would also increase. He felt helpless as the thing was carrying him away...just like back in Nibelheim.
The fear gave rise to anger, and Vincent lept for the platform. He could see Cid at the edge, holding a hand out towards him. Vincent reached for it, but it was too far away...at the peak of his jump, he was still short.
He felt a deep rumbling in his chest and stopped short, looking back to see a tendril of the green energy was wrapping itself around his foot, pulling him back. Vincent felt anger rising within him. He would not allow himself to be helpless ever again. He would not allow someone to be hurt from his neglect.
The rumbling began to shake his whole body, and he felt two stabbing pains in his back. He knew what was coming, and he regretted his determination. He tried to keep it at bay, but his fear and anger had a hold of him, and they summoned the most adequate defender.
Vincent bit back a scream as two large, black, webbed wings burst from his back. He fought back the pain and felt the rest of Chaos trying to appear. He focused all his energy into keeping it under control, and found Cid still reaching. Expecting him to recoil at the wings and the bloody appearance of them, he found that Cid's expression did not change, still urgent and worried.
"Vin! Grab my hand!" Cid called to him. Vincent felt no other choice but to use the monstrosities that had appeared from within him. He flapped the powerful wings, guiding himself upwards. The stream, sensing it's prey was escaping, began to pull harder. As of such, the fear in him increased, and he could feel his feet beginning to transform into talons.
He reached forward desperatly for someone to pull him free from the stream, free from this fear and this form, and finally someone grabbed his hand. He opened his eyes and saw that Cid was hauling him upwards, straining against the stream. At Cid's touch, the demons seemed to have lost some of their determination. Of the manifesting Chaos, only the wings remained. Vincent looked in his mind for Chaos briefly, and found it to be missing. Flapping the wings furiously and hanging onto Cid with all his might, he tried to pull away.
More warm, strong hands gripped his own, and he saw that Cloud was now leaning his weight with him. Feeling strengthened by the determination of his friends, he fought as hard as he could, and the stream let go.
Vincent, shocked by the abruptness of the release of pressure, flew into the air. Cid and Cloud both fell back as Vincent whooshed past them. Flapping his wings furiously, Vincent controlled his ascent and returned to the ledge. He found Cid and Cloud waiting for him.
"Don't %&*#@^ do that again, Vin. That was a strain." Cid said, looking angry and slightly relieved. Vincent regarded him silently.
"That's twice you have saved my life."
"Stop talkin' about it, okay?" Cid turned around awkwardly and let another cigarette, as his previous one had fallen off the ledge and into the green energy.
"Are you okay, Vincent?" Cloud asked with concern. Vincent knew he was talking about the wings. Sweeping them forward to look at them he found them smeared with blood. His blood. No doubt from appearing so violently. Vincent nodded to Cloud.
"There is no more pain. I am fine."
"Well...if you're sure...then let's keep on going."
The other ledges were far closer then the other one and were a matter of seconds to Vincent. He didn't use the wings. Cloud wondered mentally to himself why Vincent didn't want to use something that could prove so useful, but Cid just kept his distance.
On the next to last platform, Vincent stopped. He sat down. Cloud and Cid, confused, watched him curiously.
"Let me...be human..." Vincent said slowly, breathing deeply. Cloud shrugged and Cid looked off to one side.
Vincent closed his eyes and focused everything in his body to make the wings dissapear. They were stubborn, however. Chaos had gotten one lodging in Vincent's form and wasn't about to disapear without a fight. However, after a good deal of effort, the wings slowly retracted and folded back underneath his skin. He could feel Chaos' frustration and anger and knew that it wouldn't last for long.
He found Cid reaching a hand for him.
"Need help up?" he asked. Realizing that this was one of Cid's efforts to repay his debt, Vincent accepted his hand without thought. Cid pulled him up easily, sending a tendril of fear through Vincent's heart. Cid was so strong...he could probably snap him in half, if he so pleased. Why did this frighten him so? Cid would never do such a thing, yet...
"Sephiroth!" Cloud called out to the glowing center of the cavern. "Sephiroth! We've come to stop you!"
"$&@^, you think he's comin' out after that?" Cid laughed scornfully and watched Cloud turn to him angrily.
Vincent stood on slightly weak legs after all the pressure he had exerted to keep Chaos under control. He watched as Cloud glared at Cid, who laughed. He smiled faintly.Then he saw something that was instantly sobering. Standing behind Cloud, a full 6 inches taller then the youth, was someone with long silver hair and unmistakably intense green eyes.
"Strife! Highwind!" Vincent called. They turned to him and he pointed behind Cloud, trying to get his weak legs to obey him and carry him closer to his companions.
Sephiroth raised his masamune, but it was Vincent's warning and Cloud's swift reactions that saved him. Whipping the Ultima Weapon from his back he managed to barely block the giant sword. With a flick of the Masamune, Cloud was knocked back into Cid, who had his Venus Gospel at ready. Cloud steadied himself, obviously unprepared for such power. Vincent reached Cloud's side and drew his own weapon, the Death Penalty.
Sephiroth said nothing, only watching the three of them with a curious, odd look. Vincent pulled Cloud upwards, keeping his eyes on Sephiroth at all times. He noticed that Cloud was trembling, most likely from anger or nervousness.
"You %&#@!" Cid pointed at Sephiroth. His green eyes looked emotionlessly at the pilot. "We're here to take you the %#&# down, you $^@#@%!"
Despite this show of bravado, Vincent could see the nervousness on Cid's face, and even a touch of fear. Sephiroth then looked at Vincent and his gaze changed. It seemed to be one of familiarity.
"You know me." Vincent said quietly. "We met when you were a child. But now, I'm afraid this is the end..."
Sephiroth last looked at Cloud with another expression. This one was almost something of pity.
"Sephiroth!" Cloud shouted, his Ultima Weapon shaking in his hands. "I'm going to kill you! You've hurt everyone...it's going to stop!"
"Do you believe..." Sephiroth finally spoke, his voice calming and slow. This seemed to infuriate Cloud. "that you will beat me in a sword battle? I, who trained you?"
"Don't mock me! I'll kill you myself, Sephiroth, I swear it! For everything you've ever done to me and the ones I love!"
"Not alone, Strife." Vincent reminded the impetuous young man, looking at his claws with mixed emotions. "We're here, and we will help you."
"Yeah, you ain't killin this #&#%@$-up mother #$^&$@# without us!" Cid raised his Venus Gospel at ready. Sephiroth watched them with the same impassive look as before.
"If you wish to try, defeat Mother...and anything else in your way. If you make it to me, then we shall battle."
With that, Sephiroth vanished cleanly.
"$#&%!" Cid said loudly. "I thought we had him!"
Barely had these words come from his mouth then a large thing swooped from above and attacked them. Vincent could recognize the thing...it was Jenova...or at least, some form of it. Feeling anger rising in him at being so close to his objective and so far, Vincent simply summoned the Knights of The Round. Cid and Cloud watched silently as the Knights dealt their damage, defeating the thing instantly. Vincent smiled.
"How many more do you think there are?" Cloud asked. Vincent shrugged.
"I wouldn't know...but I can't cast that many more times...hopefully not many."
"Incoming!" Cid shouted as another thing bore down upon them. This time, Vincent was prepared, and the Knights came to the attack before the creature could even galvanize for a attack. However, this time, this wasn't enough to kill the thing. Vincent was forced to summon them twice, a incredible drain of power.
"That better be the last one." Cloud said, annoyed. Vincent could see his white grip on his sword and could almost feel the fury enamanating from the man. Cid didn't seem to notice, instead looking around cautiously lest Sephiroth attack them by surprise, like he had the last time they had come to the crater. Vincent, Cid, and Cloud waited, but found nothing to challenge them.
"Sephiroth! We've defeated the guardians! Come out!" Cloud called again. Despite Cid's caution, Sephiroth was the master of surprise. Before Cid or Vincent had registered that Sephiroth had re-appeared, Sephiroth had one of Cloud's arms behind his back and the Ultima Weapon on the floor. Cloud struggled in fury, but Sephiroth happened to be holding him in such a way that it seemed impossible for Cloud to escape.
"Do you really believe you can kill me?" Sephiroth said slowly.
"You $#&#& #&#%!" Cid shouted. "That's #$&%* cheatin', you-"
"Spare me your words." Sephiroth said, watching as Cid recoiled from the glow now enamanating from his eyes. "It's not cheating...Cloud learned while training where his precise weak-spot is. It's not my fault that he failed to protect himself."
Cloud was overcome with fury, kicking and struggling against the taller man.
"Let me go! I'll kill you for this, let me g-"
Sephiroth abruptly released Cloud, dropping him to the ground. Cloud grabbed his sword and raised it for the attack, only to find that Sephiroth was no longer there. He was knocked off his feet by a rocking explosion, and slowly stood, rubbing his head.
"Cloud..." Cid said, with a touch of fear in his voice. "I think we may have a problem..."
Cloud followed Cid's gaze, finding it drawn to a strange creature that had the vague appearance of Sephiroth...only deformed into some parody of a person.
"I am the One-Winged Angel..." Sephiroth said in a strange voice, something unworldly and eerie. "Your deaths come now."
Vincent readied his gun, Cid raised his spear, and Cloud held his sword. The One Winged Angel continued to watch them, as if daring them to attack.
"Vin, Knights of the Round! Now!" Cid called to him. Vincent shook his head.
"I don't have enough power...It's up to us alone."
"I'll start with you." The One Winged Angel said, raising it's wing into the air. From the wing flew a myriad of tiny feathers, lashing out towards Cid. Cid was surprised and caught off guard, and most of the feathers slashed into his skin, causing him to bleed from several places.
Vincent readied himself for a Cure of the third degree, while Cloud dashed forward, slashing the One Winged Angel with all his power. The Angel shrugged this off, focusing it's attention on Vincent.
Cid clenched his teeth angrily, fury rising within him. He felt a vague rush of energy from the third degree Cure, but this did not heal his bleeding wounds...only his life energy. He watched his own blood fall onto his glove, and he rushed forward, slashing the Angel across the chest. It recoiled backwards, struck by the fury, but seemed almost undamaged. The Angel turned towards Vincent, raising a large tentacle.
"Now for you..."
The Tentacle lashed forward at blinding speed, imbedding itself in Vincent's shoulder.
"VINCENT!" Cid cried, surprised by the quick and merciless attack.
Refusing to scream, Vincent gasped as the tentacle was withdrawn in the same amount of time. He could see the large red stain spreading underneath his cloak. He held his right hand over his left shoulder, in an effort to compress the pain. Chaos was rumbling beneath his skin as he kneeled in pain. He could feel it trying to break free, but he wasn't angry yet...strangely, this attack left him feeling empty...as if it had sucked away his energy.
"I'll finish you off...since I knew you first..." the Angel raised the wing high in anticipation of slashing Vincent. Vincent closed his blood colored eyes, expecting the end.
"NO!"
He opened his eyes to find someone had lept in front of him, holding his arms out in front in some weak semblance of protection. Vincent struggled to his feet, seeing blond hair and a flight jacket.
"You %&#%&@! You aren't hurting Vin! You'll have to get through ME first, punk-@$^!" Cid called bravely. Vincent could see Cid trembling with fear and moved forward.
"Highwind, no..." he said weakly, but the Angel's expression nor position didn't change.
"As you wish..."
The Wing came down with surprising speed, slashing Cid directly across the chest with a spatter of blood. Cid was knocked back from the blow, flying back a few feet. For once, perhaps the first time in his life, Cid screamed.
"CID!" Vincent shouted with a mixture of anger, concern, and pain. Cid slowly pushed himself upwards from the floor and stood on weak legs, limping towards Vincent. Vincent stared at the terrible wound on his chest and was overcome with amazement at Cid's willingness to take such pain for him....Cid got close to him, opened his mouth as if to say something, then collapsed in his arms.
Vincent wrapped his arms around the now unconcious pilot, ignoring the blood that smeared across him from the countless wounds Cid had recieved. Cid's head rested on his shoulder, and Vincent felt anger like he had never felt rising in his chest. The Wings ripped from his body with surprising speed, and his eyes glew an angry red. Cloud, seeing that Cid had taken the damage for Vincent, also felt a surge of anger and lept forward, dealing the Angel a swift and brutal Omnislash.
Vincent could feel his hands and feet changing into the taloned claws of Chaos, yet refused to let Cid go. This was the third time Cid had saved him...why? Vincent could not understand...but he did know one thing. He was not going to let the One-Winged Angel hurt his companion without retaliation. He felt the wings growing and spreading, flaring around him. His body changed it's form and took on Chaos. Vincent wondered idly as he waited for Chaos' mind to take over his own whether Chaos would take care of Cid or toss him aside.
The point proved to be moot, as, while fully transformed, Vincent retained control of his mind. Shocked and surprised at this strange turn of events, he decided to take use of this. He flapped Chaos' wings, bearing him easily in the air. Cid felt like a doll now, light and motionless, his head remaining on his shoulder. Vincent kept an arm on him, to protect him, then extended the other.
The Angel found itself on the recieving end of a series of Satan Slams and Chaos Sabers, all rapid-fire and deadly powerful. Another Omnislash by Cloud was enough to cause the Angel to keen in pain and all it took was another Chaos Saber, and the Angel was no more.
The anger kept rising in Vincent and he did not know why. The pilot laid limp in Chaos' arms and he watched as the ground began to break away beneath his taloned claws. Flapping the large wings, he now had the power to remain aloft. Chaos' wings required great strength to operate, and now his body could accomadate that. He held Cid in his arms, flying upwards. He didn't know where Cloud was...but he vaguely recalled seeing him with Tifa...
Cloud is an adult and in good health...Vincent told himself. He can take care of himself. Cid, on the other hand...
He dodged the flying debris that came down at him, using Chaos' body with ease. He spoke in Chaos' voice, a voice much like his own.
"Don't worry. I will make up for the times you have saved my life, Highwind. I won't let you die without me repaying you. Trust me..." he said, although he knew that Cid was far beyond hearing. Using the form, he found the Highwind, already loaded with the other passengers, yet unable to be flown without a pilot. The rest of his team, everyone who had escaped, watched with horror as the winged monstrosity that he was landed on the Highwind and walked to the control panel.
"Vincent?" Tifa asked, surprised. Vincent made a note to remember that not everyone had seen Chaos...only Cid and Cloud had...very rarely.
"It's me." he said simply. He tried to remember what Cid had taught him about flying. He sat down in the Pilot's chair and looked at all the buttons, painfully aware that each second he wasted meant that death was coming closer and closer to them. Holding Cid in his arms, he found a lever labeled Emergency.
"This is a emergency, if I ever knew one." Vincent thought to himself. He pulled.
The Highwind, which had been caught in a massive explosion, sprouted turbo boosters that had been previously hidden and managed to pull away from the powerful blast. His team dashed to the railing, looking at Midgar as Meteor edged closer.
Vincent, however, was watching Cid. The pilot remained unconcious, his flight goggles askew and his cigarette missing. His chest had been so deeply wounded that Vincent could almost see bone. In desperation, he cast the highest level of Cure repeatedly in hopes of closing the wound, but it did little. It did, however, stop the bleeding and recover some tissue. Vincent stared at the pilot from his viewpoint behind Chaos' eyes.
"Three times...three times you've saved me at risk of your own life...why? Why?" Vincent could not answer these questions. "I have saved yours at least...that must count for something."
Vincent turned and watched his team-mates. Cloud looking very tired and sad, Tifa clinging to Cloud, Barret mumbling the word "Marlene" to himself, Red XIII braced against Cait Sith's fluffy Moogle, which was lodged behind some cargo boxes. Cait Sith himself, however, had attached himself to Yuffie's head, clawing at her face hysterically in fear as Meteor came close. Yuffie was running in circles, waving her arms around and screaming for someone to take "the stupid hairball" off her face. Vincent smiled despite the situation at Yuffie's antics, then turned to Meteor. Walking forward, he perched easily on the railing, watching through the ruby eyes of Chaos. In his arms he held Cid protectively, as if something could possibly steal his life if he was not watching. The others looked at Vincent, but did not comment.
"I will not let you die...I will not. I will not add another sin to my life...I will atone...I will atone..." Vincent chanted to himself as he watched Meteor get closer and closer to Midgar. Wondering whether or not Holy had actually gone off or not, he held Cid closer. Cid was not going to die. Not while he was here. He was not going back on the decree...he would do everything in his power to protect Cid's life in exchange for saving his own. He would not let anything kill him. Not unless they killed him first.
Firelight reflected in his eyes as Meteor began methodically destroying Midgar. Barret was struck-dumb by this, and Tifa clutched Cloud's arm closer. Vincent could tell easily that Cloud's thoughts were not here, but back in the Northern Crater. What had happened while he had flown upwards?
Vincent sighed as he watched the destruction continue. He clutched Cid closer in desperation, more as a source of stress-relief then anything else. Holy had failed. The planet was doomed...everyone was going to-
Vincent focused on the green specks that were beginning to collect around Midgar. Confused, he looked to his companions for an explanation, but recieved none. He watched as it grew into trickles, then streams, then rivers of the green energy pouring forward, blocking the meteor with it's power. A blinding flash of light went through everyone and Vincent closed his eyes in pain. In that brief moment, he saw a girl with brown hair and green eyes smiling and looking at him.

~~~
He woke up to absolute stillness. That meant the Highwind had landed...but who had landed it?
Vincent looked around and changed his statement from landed to crashed. The Highwind had evidently gone out of control...but where were they? What had happened?
Well, the world was still around...so that meant Holy had worked. He breathed a sigh of relief.
"Where are we..." he heard Galian's raspy voice moan. His demons must have suffered as he did.
"The Highwind crashed." Death Gigas said simply. Chaos hissed angrily.
"What happened? Why did you retain control? Why wasn't I given control? I have such a headache now thanks to your handling of my body."
"I didn't have a choice." Vincent said mentally. He looked around. It appeared they were in some kind of Jungle. He was somewhere in the cockpit, nearly lodged underneath the desk. He tried to move, but found something weighing him down.
He looked and found that Cid remained unconcious, still in his arms. Vincent tried to remember what happened, but found his memory hazy and his cognitive skills even more so. Was anyone else around?
He looked around slowly and saw everyone else scattered in different places on the ship, still unconcious. Yuffie still had Cait Sith on her face.
Vincent tried to get up again before he remembered about Cid. He had done it...Cid was alive. He had kept his promise.
Using his claw, he gently lifted Cid off of him, moving him to one side. The gash on his chest had healed slightly which made Vincent wonder just how long everyone had been out.
He stood unsteadily, finding the Highwind was at a awkward tilt. He leaned down and picked Cid back up, holding him on his back so he could look around easier.
"This is insane! Where are we? What happened!?" Hellmasker said angrily. Vincent closed his eyes.
"I don't know. Give me some time."
Surprisingly enough, the Demons retreated for a moment. Vincent shifted Cid's weight and looked around, unsure of what he was looking for.
It was definitly a forest. A big one...and a fast growing one. He could see some vines trying to crawl onto the Highwind and he kicked them off. How long was he out? How long was everyone out?
Everyone seemed alive after a check, so Vincent was at a loss of what to do. He couldn't figure out any way to wake any of them up...perhaps it was Chaos' form that protected him from this when it had happened. Whatever this was it seemed like an enchantment of some kind...they wouldn't wake up to any amount of shaking, shouting, threatening, or lying ("Look! There's Sephiroth behind you!"). Vincent put Cid down, propping him against a wall, and sat down. He didn't know where he was, what happened, why everyone was asleep, when they would wake up, and what he should do.
"Sleep." Death Gigas said, as it usually did. However, this time, the suggestion seemed reasonable.
"I think I will..."
Vincent leaned back and wrapped himself in his cloak, noticing Cid next to him. Of them all, Cid was the only one injured. The enchantment, or whatever it was, apparently only put them to sleep.
"Don't worry, Highwind. I'll pay you back. I'll watch you, because you can't fight for yourself...I'll watch everyone."
After a good deal of work, he soon had everyone more or less within sight. Leaning back after his hard work, he looked at the pilot. His goggles had completly dissapeared, as had his jacket, apparently through the collision of the trees. Cid's hair was totally wild, no longer held back by the goggles, it flared around his head. Some of the strands that hung in his face were matted with blood from a cut on his forehead from what-seemed-like a battle from long ago. Dried blood flecked his face, although most was gone, and his clothes were ripped and torn. Numerous gashes and cuts lined his arms and the exposed areas of his legs. Vincent smirked to himself. If Cid could see himself now, no doubt he would swear enough to shatter the mirror.
The constant tilt of the Highwind made it hard to keep his balance, so Vincent moved to a corner so he was braced on both sides and closed his eyes. Cid, without the support that Vincent had been giving him by sitting next to him, slide down the deck and leaned heavily on his shoulder. Tired, weak, and exhausted, Vincent sighed and did not move, allowing Cid to sleep. He placed a claw around Cid's shoulders and stared at the sky.
"I will repay my debt to everyone...everyone...Lucrecia...Highwind...Strife...everyone. I'll watch and not let any more lives be lost. That is my duty. I owe everyone that much for the sins I have caused."
Vincent closed his crimson eyes and fell asleep, leaning his head slightly against Cid's as support.

~~~
The last thing Cid remembered was pain and crimson eyes, so it was fitting those would be the first things when he awoke.
Cid cursed in his head for a long time, trying to remember what happened. He remembered that %*$@# Sephiroth changing into some freak- @#^ Angel thing...and then...it was going to kill Vincent...so he took it for him. Cid wondered to himself why and found no real answer. Was his debt repayed? Where was he?
He tried to move and pain flared from his chest, paralyzing him. The thing had slashed him in the chest...he remember vaguely. He remember seeing Vincent's eyes before he collapsed, but nothing else. He guess Holy must have got Meteor, because he was still around. Speaking of which, where was he?
He slowly opened his icy-blue eyes to find a dark red covering his vision. Frightened for a moment, he jerked and got another burst of pain for his efforts. Attempting to remain calm, he tried to think of what the red could be. Not blood...if there was that much, he'd be dead. God, he would die for a smoke right now. What the #%&# was going on?
He could detect the red moving slightly. It suddenly struck him that it was most likely Vincent's cloak. Had the moron tried to give it to him again?
Cid struggled against the pain and turned his head, looking around. His Highwind seemed pretty bad, but could still fly. However, where they were seemed to be a more pressing problem. It seemed like some jungle place.
He looked back and saw that it was Vincent. He was sleeping peacefully for once, and his head was leaning on Cid's. Cid tried to comprehend this as he realized that Vincent's claw was on his shoulder. Cid tried to move, but only found the pain. Despite his best efforts, he made a soft noise of pain.
Of course, it would figure that Vincent was a light sleeper. The crimson eyes opened and stared into his own with same unreadable feeling they always had. The two stared at eachother for a moment, then Vincent looked away, staring at the sky.
"Do you remember what happened?" he asked softly. Cid groaned and tried to move again, angry at his own weakness. More pain came for his efforts, stopping his useless struggling. He found some solace in using as many obscenities as possible in succession before speaking.
"Not really...where the #$&# are we? What the $#&# happened? Did Holy get the $#&#%&# Meteor? Is that %&#@# $#&#% Sephiroth %&$#@# dead?"
"I don't know, you were injured, yes, and yes. Or at least, I believe so." Vincent did not look back at him. Cid vaguely realized that he was leaning against Vincent's shoulder heavily.
"Injured? What happened?"
"The Angel attacked and you took the blow for me. Then me and Strife together defeated the Angel and escaped the crater. We also watched Holy destroy Meteor."
"$@%&." Cid said angrily. "I #$&#$%& missed that? %^$@, I did all that work for %&#^^%& nothing."
"It was not something you would like to see. It did very heavy damage to Midgar before it was destroyed."
Cid responded to this with some more swearing. There was a slight pause before either spoke again.
"You saved my life again, Highwind." Vincent said quietly. Cid again responded with curses. Vincent continued. "I saved your life, however, so I guess we're somewhat even."
"You #$&#%$# did what?" Cid asked, feeling the extreme need for a cigarette at the moment.
"When you were injured, I carried you out of the crater. Then I shielded you mostly from the impact of whatever hit us."
Cid sweared more before responding. "What $^#^&@# hit us, anyway?"
"I do not know." Vincent stared at the sky, his face as unreadable as it had been the first time they had met. "It put everyone to sleep but me and had a limited effect on you, I suppose. I do not know when they will awaken."
"%$&*." Cid said. "%$&* %$&* %$&*. Where are they all?"
"In front of you, if you wish to look."
Cid tried to turn, but found the pain in his chest too great. He groaned again, this time with more swearing then before. Vincent sighed and gently pushed him back, allowing him to see the others clearly.
Barret was lying face down, his gun arm to one side and his other arm beneath his chest. Red XIII had his head stuck in the back of the Cait Sith's Moogle, which in turn had somehow gotten lodged between two crates. Yuffie had Cait Sith on her face. Cloud had been knocked against a railing and his sword was missing. Near him lied Tifa, who had curled into a ball as she had hit the deck. So far, the odd angle of the deck had kept everyone's position's fairly well.
"%$&$." Cid said simply.
"I have been sleeping on and off for...I believe seven days. You're the first to awaken."
"Seven $^&$#%@ days!?" Cid looked at Vincent in surprise. "How can anyone sleep that long?"
"I slept for over 20 years. A week or so is nothing to me." Vincent said simply. Cid looked at him oddly until he understood what he was talking about, then nodded.
"Why did I wake up so early?"
"I told you. Chaos' form protected us both."
"Chaos?"
"Yes...I had it's form, but fortunatly not it's mind. I was able to protect us and get the Highwind to safety."
"How'd you do it? I didn't think you could fly it."
"I'm more observant then you may think...I watched you at the controls."
The stabbing pain in Cid's chest had lessened to an ache, and he felt a drowsiness and a desire to get away from the pain overtaking him. Vincent noticed this, looking at him with the same emotionless expression. The eyes, however, seemed concerned.
"Are you tired?"
"$&#$ yeah..." Cid mumbled sleepily. He yawned despite himself. Vincent wondered mentally what his reaction would be when he realized that, along with his goggles, he no longer had his cigarettes. Cid's eyes closed and he was soon sleeping soundly, again leaning against Vincent, his head resting on his shoulder. Vincent watched him for a moment. When the pilot was asleep, he didn't seem quite as anti- social or hostile as he did awake. It helped that he wasn't constantly swearing, cursing, or smoking. Vincent smiled to himself, finding his previous thought humorous slightly. He immediately suppressed this moment of happiness out of habit, before realizing that no one was awake to see him.
"Not used to laughter, are you?" Chaos hissed. "Of course not...so many screams must have deadened you."
"I don't like these pleasant feelings." Galian said angrily. "I don't like it. Let's go kill something. I want blood."
"Always wanting blood. Sleep." Death Gigas stated simply.
"You ALWAYS want to sleep!" Galian growled. Vincent remained silent and listened to the demons fight. It was rare that their focus was moved from him to eachother.
"Yeah! Let's tear it up!" Hellmasker shouted, the chainsaw revving. Galian and Death Gigas were silent for a moment.
"We aren't here to hurt eachother..." Chaos said quietly. Vincent borrowed a word from Cid to describe his feelings for Chaos at that moment. "We're here for Vincent."
"Leave me alone...can I have one moment of peace?" Vincent said uselessly. The Demons snickered. Vincent sighed mentally, not wishing to fight this mental struggle.
"Sorry Vincent...we're here to stay." Chaos said with audible amusement. "We are you, therefore we go where you go. We'll never leave."
"I want blood!" Galian shrieked hoarsely. Vincent winced.
The demons were suddenly silenced. Vincent wondered why, and found it was because Cid was moving. Remembering the demons reluctance to move or speak when others were around, he breathed a mental sigh of relief.
"That's another thing I owe you..." he said mentally to himself. Cid, having fallen deeply asleep in a matter of moments (a special skill of his, especially when someone was talking), was becoming cold. Naturally, one's instinct when cold is to move someplace warmer, which meant Cid had moved closer to Vincent and was making quiet noises of discomfort. Vincent recognized this behavior from before. Cid was surprisingly vulnerable to cold, despite his furious denial of this when awake, which was why he was acting in this way. At this rate, Cid would waken, and that would not be good for his health. He needed sleep to recover. Vincent watched him silently. Sighing, he took his cloak and wrapped it around both him and Cid, covering them both, then stared at the sky. Cid stopped moving, now warmer and slept soundly. The demons, however, were not approaching him as before. Vincent wondered why briefly as his mind began to shut down as it usually did when he would sleep for long periods of time.
By some unknown urge within him, Vincent gently brushed his claw against the back of Cid's neck, noticing that Cid arched his back in an effort to get away from the frigid metal, moving closer to him. Vincent felt a pang of depression hit him. Had his hand been flesh, it would not have been so cold. It would not have elicited such a hostile response.
But it was one he deserved...for all that he had done wrong.
Sighing, he closed his eyes, wrapped tightly in his cloak with Cid sleeping next to him, fighting inside with both feelings of depression, self-hatred, and some vague sense of comfort.

~~~
Cid wasn't sure in his mind who he was sleeping with. In his mind, there was no one attached to that behavior. Shera usually slept on the couch, leaving him the bed. He briefly wondered why she kept hanging around him. Either way, Cid had always been used to sleeping by himself. That meant that most of the warmth had to come from him, and as much as he hated to admit it, he always felt cold. Nothing ever seemed warm enough for him, especially when he tried to sleep. That's when he was the least active.
However, right now he could feel someone near him. Someone who was providing a alternate source of warmth, which was comforting. He couldn't quite connect in his mind who it was. He didn't really care...at least he was finally warm.
This was unknown to him. Feelings of satisfaction or comfort were things that normally didn't come to the pilot very easily. Everything always seemed to be wrong, and everything always seemed so cold. It was depressing. That was probably why he identified with Vin...he always seemed to have the same expression.
At his name, his mind slowly began to piece together where he was. Vin...Vin was the only one awake. He vaguely remembered talking to him for a while, but he couldn't remember what he had said. He supposed that it must be Vin that he was leaning against.
Something in his mind recoiled in fear as his mind flashed by memories of how distant, frightening, and disturbing Vincent could be. He wanted to move, but found his body couldn't respond. After the flash of fear, a part of his mind kicked in that remembered the things that Vin had done for him. Like at Gaea's Cliff...and other times when Vincent had swept in and taken a blow for him, or done things for him. There was nothing to be frightened of...he tried to tell himself. Vin was a good person...he just was decieved a long time ago and never recovered. Cid felt a tinge of recognition with Vin's torment. He, long ago, had also been decieved. By the same corporation, no less. And he too, had refused to let go. Cid sighed. He wished he had a cigarette right now.
Feeling a cold gust blow nearby, he shivered. He was aware that Vin had draped his cloak over them both, vaguely, but still he felt the cold. In his half-sleeping, half-awake state he wasn't fully aware that Vincent had again awakened. He just knew he was cold, and wanted warmth.
He felt someone lifting him upwards. He wasn't surprised. Although he worked with machinery and other things that required a lot of strength, his body wasn't all that heavy. He was lanky, not muscled, and it was hard to tell how strong he was by how he looked. He knew this well by how people reacted when they saw him. Underneath his arms he felt both what seemed like a warm glove and cold metal. He shied away from the metal, but it didn't linger for long.
He wasn't sure exactly where he was being moved, but it didn't last long. Now, his whole left side was flooded with warmth where he was. It made him exceedingly drowsy and also gave him a feeling of happiness. Something about warmth made him happy. He just never experienced it this close before. He sighed in contentment and fell back into his deep sleep.

~~~
Vincent sighed to himself. It seemed at this rate that no one would ever wake up. The others showed no signs of waking. Only their constant breathing let him know they were still alive. Cid had snapped out of it for a moment, but then lapsed back into the deep sleep.
Although he had slept for over 20 years, he found this slightly tiring. He wished that the others would wake, and he wished that he knew where they were or what had happened.
Cid, however, as usual, seemed to be quite energetic, even when sleeping. While the others remained mainly motionless, Cid kept moving or twitching, especially when a cold breeze would go by.
This breeze was noticed with worry. Vincent hoped that no inclement weather would come to strike the Highwind while it's passengers were helpless. So far, it had been rather docile. He did not know how long it would last.
He watched his long hair float in front of him as the wind began to blow again, this time with more determination. He remembered back when his hair was short...in his long sleep, it had grown a good deal. He had yet to trim it, but he found that he, at some subconcious level, liked it.
"It gives you a more wild look." Chaos said softly. "Like you don't care about anything."
"Vicious, vicious, vicious!" Hellmasker said in a harsh, sing-song voice.
"The bandanas help..." Galian growled, "Very ruthless. And the eyes. Very nice touch...I must compliment Hojo on his work..."
"Leave me alone..." Vincent said uselessly.
"Don't like looking at yourself, do you? Maybe that's-" Chaos stopped in mid-sentence, causing Vincent to give Cid another silent thanks.
Cid was again moving, this time because of the wind. Vincent, not sure why Cid now seemed so vulnerable, wondered what to do. Cid moved closer, almost clinging to him. Vincent wondered to himself what possible way he could help Cid get any warmer then he was now.
A vague idea lit in his head, and he decided he had no other real option other then having Cid wake up, hindering his recovery. He turned, gently pushing Cid off of him. Cid gave no resistance, nearly flopping over if it hadn't been for Vincent's hold on his arms. Cid shivered as he held him, and Vincent knew it was because of the cold of the metal. Again he felt a pang of guilt, but tried to ignore it. He gently pulled Cid closer to him, pulling him onto his lap. He waited tensely, wondering whether this would work or not. Now Cid was sitting almost directly on top of him, leaning on his chest. His head rested just beneath his own. Vincent put his two arms around Cid, pressing him closer to him, hoping that he would not wake.
In response to his efforts, Cid seemed to sigh happily and then was still.
Vincent breathed a sigh of relief. The last thing he needed was for Cid to wake. Cid needed as much sleep as possible to recover. He sighed again, waiting for his demons to approach him, but they refused to speak. He sighed again, glad that he was saved from his mental torment for a moment.
Cid's hair brushed underneath him for a moment. He could feel the hardened spikes, long stiff from the dried blood that had never been wiped away. He noticed his own hair, now falling on Cid's head, which was such a contrast. This dark, black, silky hair against the harsh, blond, stiff hair. It seemed fitting, and Vincent sighed again. He wondered whether or not, had things worked out a long time ago, whether this would be what it would have been like for him to be able to hold a son. Lucrecia's son. Protecting someone so vulnerable and weak...someone who needed him. He sighed deeply at the thought. In the end, he had never experienced what he so longed for...years and years of his life, stolen and taken away from him...even his humanity was not left intact. He was a monster...
And yet, here he was. Someone had trusted him with their life and needed him. Him...a monster. This was very puzzling to him and brought him back to the One Winged Angel. Why had Cid taken the strike meant for him? Why was Cid willing to do so for someone who was like him? A monster...he didn't understand.
Now, someone needed him, at least. Someone who needed his protection, his comfort, his warmth. This gave him a sense of belonging, the sense of worth that he had long desired.
Even though he knew this was all an illusion, all a moment of happiness that would be taken away, he could not help but try and enjoy it as much as possible. His only chance to fully experience this was now.
He gently raised his gloved hand and watched Cid's response. Cid slept soundly, obviously trying to get as much warmth from Vincent as possible. Vincent watched him cautiously as he placed the gloved hand on Cid's shoulder, which still elicited no response. He gently moved his hand upward. Still, Cid slept on. Vincent gently brushed his fingers through the thick, spiked, rough hair, much as a father would to a small child. This gave him a sense of fullfillment, as if Cid were the child he had always wanted, and a rare smile crossed his lips. Cid simply moved closer to him, mumbling something. Vincent carefully brushed some of the dried blood out from Cid's tangled hair, watching his responses. Cid seemed less and less likely to wake up, instead moving deeper into sleep. Vincent, wondering why fate had been so cruel to him to deny him the right of a true son, looked at the sky. He placed his hand on the back of Cid's neck, watching carefully. Cid seemed to snuggle his head deeper into his chest, as if he really were a child, and again sigh. Vincent wondered to himself what kind of past the man had to act this way to such simply signs of affection from a parent. Had Cid ever had loving parents as a child? Cid never spoke of his parents. Perhaps that would explain his strange reaction to these parental gestures. He had been deprived of love as a child. That would, actually, explain his behavior awake as well. Vincent resolved to ask him these questions once he woke up to try and get a explanation.
If only things had been different...Vincent thought sadly to himself, staring down at the blond pilot he held in his arms. If only Lucrecia had...Vincent shook these thoughts away. The time for regrets had passed, now he must attempt to atone for these sins he had caused. He could not think of what could or might have been. He must remain in the present.
He gently rubbed the back of Cid's neck, causing him to move even closer, a visible sign of someone who was unused to such affection and wished for more. Vincent felt pity rising in his heart. Truly, Cid was lacking something in his life if he responded so desperatly and favorably to such attention. Cid seemed to whimper as another gust of wind blew by, and Vincent drew him closer, trying to keep him from waking.
"Why are you so different, Highwind?" he whispered softly. "You act so angry when you're awake, but when you sleep, you crave affection. You act in such a odd way. Two different faces...much like me."
Cid did not respond, only moving closer to him. Vincent again felt the pity for one who desired affection so badly. Truly believing now that Cid's parents had not been supportive at all, Vincent felt as if it was his duty to make up for it.
He began flicking off the dried blood that flecked Cid's hair, brushing it gently and running his fingers through it occasionally. Then, moving Cid's face towards his own, he brushed away the dried blood that he accumulated on there. After this attention, Cid let his head fall back on Vincent's chest, sighing again. Vincent wrapped his arms around him, placing his flesh hand on the back of his neck, rubbing it occasionally. Vincent could see from Cid's face that he seemed happy. Vincent smiled again.
"I'm sorry it had to happen to you..." Vincent said softly, leaning back and feeling sleep coming again. "So deprived of what you seek, like so many...I will watch you for now so you may have some moments of comfort."
Cid's hair brushed against his throat, only now it was softer and less stiff.

~~~
What was it like...
Thoughts floated around disjointedly in Cid's mind, rendered almost incoherent by sleep and his dreams. In his dreaming state, Cid remained a child. A child lost in the vortexes of half-remembered thoughts and memories.
What was it like...to have parents...
Cid couldn't remember anything about his parents, except the vague idea that both were blonde, and he was sure this was because of his own mind's desire to forget. The only person he had ever felt remotely attached to was a old mechanic named Cyril that taught him everything he knew. The only kind of parental figure he had had, and Cyril was not the most loving of people. As of such, he had become withdrawn and hostile, picking fights and isolating everyone around him. He even isolated himself from his own feelings. When Cyril died, he had not shed any tears.
He couldn't remember his home, nor anyone from his past other then Cyril. He had always lived alone, as long as he could remember. Perhaps not physically, but mentally he was always alone. Alone and cold.
And frightened.
Cid hated himself for feeling this weak and needy. His inner thoughts were expressed by the fact that in all his dreams, he always appeared as a small child. A child that could not hide behind cigarettes or airplanes or harsh words. He had no defenses as a child.
Cid hated these kind of dreams because they made him wonder.
Cloud had talked about the death of his mother often and regarded it with great sadness. "What was it like..." Cid thought, "To actually care for someone and have them respond? What would it be like to have some support when you're weak and love when you're alone? What would it be like to have a mother or a father..."
Cid sat down in the nothingness of his dream, staring at his tiny, childish hands. He sighed deeply.
He felt something that managed to waken him from his deep depression.
Although he had no parents of his own to speak of, he had watched the other children's with curiosity. He noticed the simple signs of affection and love that were viewed as non-important to the reciever. He had always wondered what it would be like to have such affection.
He felt someone ruffling his hair. It wasn't harsh or cruel, as he remembered some people doing so, perhaps his parents. It was soft and gentle, as if wary he would respond negatively. In his dream, his hair was still matted and tangled and he could still feel blood- hardened strands near his eyes. However, the unknown touch moved and gently brushed the blood from his hair.
"This must be what it's like." Cid thought quietly to himself. "It feels nice...no wonder the other kids seemed so happy at home."
He felt the hand withdrawing, taking along with it all his feelings of comfort and worth. Not sure where it was going, he turned to where he had last felt it.
"Who are you?" he asked to his own mind. "I don't know anyone who would do things like this for me. Who are you?"
Not sure of what else to think, his mind retreated to who could possibly be doing this. He thought of Vin, who was the last and only person he could remember at the time. As soon as he got the image in his head, the vision appeared in his dream.
Cid, still in the form of a small child, stared at the older man with his customary reaction to older authority figures. Fear and resentment. Vincent kneeled and held out his arms, ignoring Cid's reaction. Some unknown light glinted off the claw.
"Why are you here?" Cid asked suspiciously, secretly longing for more of the simple affection that he had so briefly experienced. Vincent remained kneeling.
"You wished for someone to be here for you, so here I am." Even in his dreams, Vincent still seemed to be the same. Distant and expressionless.
"Do you want anything?" Cid edged closer.
"No. You know what happened in my past...how I was deprieved of a normal life. So were you. Maybe we can fix this."
"This has got to be a dream."
"It is a dream."
Cid moved closer to the older man, aware of how tiny and frightened he must seem. He felt that way.
"A dream?"
"A dream."
Cid stood in front of Vincent now, his child-like height barely matching Vincent's while kneeling. Vincent still remained, his arms held out. Cid watched him cautiously, trying to find some sign of deception. He found none. Two feelings were fighting in his tiny body. An intense desire for more of the affection and an irrational fear and suspicion from being close to anyone. In the end, his desire was stronger then his fear and it took hold of him in a sudden rush. He practically threw himself into Vincent's arms, more then likely startling him. He fought back tears, of gratitude or sadness he couldn't tell. He felt the dream Vincent lifting him gently, holding him in his arms. Especially in Cid's child state, Vincent seemed more and more father-like.
Cid felt warmth again. He could feel Vincent placing a hand on the back of his neck and was overcome with intense feelings he didn't understand.
For once, Cid felt as if he could simply let go of all his responsibilites and let someone take care of them. He didn't have to worry anymore...he didn't have to be frightened or cold. He knew, somewhere, that this figure which held him would protect him as long as he wished.
"Is this what it's like to have parents..." Cid wondered to himself. He felt something unusual for him rising. It was the feeling of returning these signs of affection. Something that Cid had never personally believed in. For as long as he knew, the rules of his life were to take and not repay. But now he felt as if he must, as if this kind of gift required some sign of awknowledgement and thanks. Unable to think of anything, he let his child-like instincts take over.
He snuggled against Vincent's chest, wishing there was someway he could put his thoughts into words. He could not. He wished there was someway to repay Vincent for this tremendous show of kindness to someone who didn't deserve nor wanted such. For someone who pushed any signs of caring or familiarity away from him, frightened of what might result. He knew he wanted it, wanted it very badly...but he knew that no one would or could provide it. And here was Vincent, who owed him nothing, still doing this for him. Cid wondered how he could ever repay this, even in dreams.
Vincent pulled his cloak around them to protect them against the cold of Cid's mind, trying to protect him. Cid tried to get closer, attempting to get away from the cold wind. Vincent simply held him, as if waiting for Cid to push away or say something.
"Why..." Cid managed to ask, not sure of what kind of response he expected. The dream image of Vincent smiled in his strange way, again raising the flesh hand to his hair. As he spoke, he gently ran his fingers through Cid's hair, giving him a growing feeling of drowziness and security. He rested his head on Vincent's chest, trying to listen.
"You saved my life three times, Highwind. I owe you this much. That's not why I'm doing this, however. My life was taken away from me...my own body was torn and manipulated...I never had the experiences someone of my age and status should have. I should have been able to have a family...a son, perhaps. But the women I love is dead now, and I have no one. I want to experience that feeling at least once...the feeling of having a son. And I know you wish to experience being one. It works out evenly on both sides."
Vincent lifted Cid's face until it was near his own. Cid could see the look of paternal affection. He brushed the blood off Cid's face with a gentle touch, something that Cid was not used to. The crimson eyes stared into his own with the simple love of a father. After he had brushed the blood away, Cid rested his head again underneath Vincent's, not sure of what to think. He had never experienced such intense feelings of safety or affection. It was something alien to him. The dream spoke softly, as if not wanting to wake him.
"I'm sorry it had to happen to you..." he said, brushing his lips against Cid's forehead in a affectionate gesture. "Go to sleep, young one."
Cid sighed and let his eyes close in his dream, not sure of what he would find. Another dream, perhaps...

~~~
Cait Sith woke first, although it happened to be at the point when no one else was awake.
The cat streched and rubbed his back, which ached painfully. He pulled his claws from Yuffie's face and leaned back, trying to work out the crinks and knots in his muscles from staying in one place for so long. He ignored the fact that Yuffie was bleeding again from her face from his abrupt removal of his claws.
"I guess Holy saved the day." The cat stared at the sky, smiling brightly. "I'm glad! It's nice to do something for my friends." Cait Sith looked around, as if noticing something for the first time.
"Hey, Moogle!" he called.
The Mechanical Moogle instantly lept to it's feet and hopped over to him, dragging along Red XIII who still had his head stuck in it's back. Cait Sith hopped up on his customary perch, feeling safer already.
"I bet I woke up first 'cause I'm not really here, but at Shinra." Cait Sith thought hard, during which he tried to extract Red XIII's head from the back of his moogle. "But wasn't that in Midgar? Is Midgar still standing then? It must, or else I wouldn't be here."
The cat yawned again, giving up on removing Red XIII and hopping over to the steering wheel, looking out.
They were on some kind of jungley cliff, because the cat could see for quite a distance both straight and downwards. It was a very steep drop. His attention span was too short to look much longer then that.
"Where the heck are we?" Cait Sith scratched his head, mimicked by the moogle he was sitting on. Shrugging, he turned back to his crew members.
"You guys are great..." he said as he walked back. "Seriously, I mean, we really did it. We saved the world. What a great feeling. This feels great."
The cat smiled and began purring to himself, wondering why a toy had such a function. Not putting much thought into it, Cait Sith continued stomping around the deck, unsure of exactly what to do. No one else seemed willing to wake up anytime soon.
Also the clunking noise from the bracelets Red XIII was wearing constantly hitting the floor was getting annoying. Cait Sith wondered as to how to remove the...whatever it was.
"This is great, Red. Thanks a lot. Hmmm...how do I solve this?"
The cat hopped down and was struck by the thought that maybe if he unzipped the back of the moogle some more, Red XIII would be able to escape. He hopped on Red XIII's back, but found to his dismay that he was more firmly lodged then previously thought. The zipper had zipped down very close to Red XIII's neck, thus trapping in between the metal teeth the majority of Red XIII's mane. Cait Sith winced. Unzipping it would be very, VERY painful.
So would, for that matter, trying to pull him out.
Cait Sith was utterly puzzled and couldn't figure out a way to solve this problem.
"Gosh, Red, I mean, really. How in the world did you get stuck in there, anyway?" Cait Sith said, trying to find something to do. He needed to say something.
Cait Sith smiled.
"You know Red, there's always been something I wanted to do...but I know you would never ever let me. So what better chance then now?" Cait Sith giggled and began batting one of Red XIII's braids back and forth. For some unexplained reason he found this a great release for his stress. Laughing for a while, Cait Sith sobered at the thought that this was his team-mate here. He shouldn't be making fun of him.
Feeling a slight tinge of guilt, Cait Sith then ignored it. He lept on his moogle and tried to push Red XIII out, which didn't work quite as well as he had hoped. The mane-in-the-zipper problem was being more stubborn then he had thought.
Deciding that he should stop disturbing Red by doing all this to him, he ordered the Moogle to stay put while he would explore some more. The Moogle, as usual, said nothing, only saluting.
Cait Sith walked around on all fours, sniffing carefully. It seemed that now his senses were more acute then they were before...perhaps in appreciation for the fact the world hadn't blown up in a firey cataclysm. The cat noticed that his gloves and most of his cape had been ripped off, no doubt by the crash into the trees. He noticed with a bit more concern that instead of human-like hands, they were distinctly paw-like. Cait Sith, trying not to worry himself, shrugged it off. He was sure it was a trick of the light...
Speaking of tricks of light...Cait Sith frowned and sat for a moment, thinking. He tried to remember back to what had happened before Sephiroth had been destroyed and it was all very fuzzy. However, he did get the impression of a person...
Aeris!
It struck him very suddenly. Cait Sith tried to suppress tears at the thought of Aeris. Unknown to most, Aeris' death had hit upon him very hard. He had sacrificed his own body to help get the Black Materia, but that was because he didn't care about his body...Aeris did it for the purpose of summoning Holy, and he knew that she cared. Cait Sith had always identified with Aeris, although he told no one of this because no one would believe him.
Last time he saw her...before everything went white...she was smiling.
"Is that why everyone's snoozin'?" Cait Sith wondered outloud. "'Cause Aeris thought we needed rest?"
The cat shrugged and continued walking. He enjoyed his form as he had not previously, reveling in the fact that he was alive and not fried to a crisp. He found that the toy cat was far more responsive then it had been previously.
Wondering where his megaphone had went, Cait Sith's eyes finally wandered to where Cid and Vincent were sleeping. He walked over cautiously, sniffing and seeing whether or not the two would wake. Cait Sith knew from experience that Vincent was a very light sleeper. Once he had to go wake up Vincent to eat with them before they set out on one of their many adventures (meaning of course, Cloud, Cid, and Vincent, because the three never seemed to be apart for some reason, not that he minded) and Cait Sith had barely stepped into the room before Vincent lept and grabbed him with his claw before realizing who he was. Cait Sith blamed his fright for the white end of his tail, but no one listened to him.
"Like ANYONE listens to me..." Cait Sith muttered to himself, treading a wide circle around the two sleepers. They did not appear to be waking at any point soon.
"Maybe they're under the thing I was under." Cait Sith walked closer. He could see the dirty vague blond hair of Cid poking from underneath Vincent's cloak. Realizing who it was that Vincent was asleep with, Cait Sith smiled and crawled closer, watching carefully. No response from either of them.
Cait Sith finally, filled with a sudden excitement, jumped on Vincent's head. In this rush of joy, he totally forgot about Vincent's sensitivity to noises while sleeping. He didn't understand why he suddenly felt he had to jump on something. It was an inexpliable urge. Sitting there he smiled broadly again.
"Whaddya know! Ha, I always thought so. Really, It was obvious 'cause you were never apart. Heh, it's kinda cute, really. Cid looks really happy for once...there's somethin I've never seen. Cid's always angry...'specially at me." Cait Sith was more talking to himself then to anyone around at this point. He didn't notice the fact that Vincent's eyes were open. "Cid was always "Blah blah #$&# cat, get da #&#% outta my @$^$in way, blah blah...". Good pilot tho', yeah. Strange it's Vince, really...I mean, total opposites! How weird is tha-"
Cait Sith felt metal enclosing around his throat and was jerked in front of the frighteningly passive crimson eyes. Cait Sith felt is toy body reacting much the way of a natural cat, raising it's fur in fear and hissing. Vincent showed no expression whatsoever, which was the one aspect about him that frightened Cait Sith the most. Even more so then the claw.
"Why did you not wake me politely to tell me that you have awakened from your induced slumber?" Vincent said slowly. Cait Sith had spent enough time around the dark man to know that when he was upset, he spoke slowly and with large words he had trouble understanding. This cat brain didn't make comprehension very quick or easy. Cait Sith gulped.
"'M Sorry, didn't cross my mind, honestly, I didn't mean to wake you up, I was just-"
"Were you making comments about me?"
"N-n-no!" Cait Sith lied. It was is instinctual nature to lie when face with something he had done, even if it was plainly obvious that he had done it. When faced with his own mistakes, Cait Sith had a real problem owning up to them. Something that annoyed his friends. "Really, I was just waiting for you to wake up-"
"I would appreciate it greatly if, for once, you would think and know everything about a topic before you open your stuffed mouth."
Cait Sith held up his paws in a dis-arming way, trying to find a way to get Vincent to calm down. Vincent's eyes had begun glowing gently, and that was a very, VERY bad sign. Cait Sith could feel his fur rising higher. He marveled at how versatile the cat body was.
"I-I-I didn't mean anythin' by it, I mean, if you heard what I said you woulda known I was just jokin', honest!"
"Do not speak ill of those you know nothing about." Vincent said, glaring at the cat.
This would have gotten much worse for Cait Sith if he hadn't been saved by something. A Cold breeze that blew by. Cait Sith's thick fur protected him, but there was someone else who was more vulnerable.
Cait Sith watched curiously as Cid moved his head upward, as if nuzzling Vincent's neck, and whimpered. Vincent's anger instantly dissipiated and Cait Sith was forgotten rather abruptly. Vincent tossed the cat behind him and wrapped the cloak tighter around himself and the pilot. Cait Sith crashed into a wall, but Vincent didn't seem to notice. Cait Sith sat up slowly, feeling his body aching. Instead of following the logical course of leaving as Vincent had suggested, Cait Sith wanted to stay and watch. As was with the token he had chosen to represent him, he had always been exceptionally curious, especially around secrets that he knew he shouldn't know. Cait Sith liked to know everything, which is probably what made him such a good spy. Here, happening right now, was something that was particularly interesting and unusual and he was intrigued. Cait Sith was not about to let such foolish things as common sense, instinct, or logic get in his way of learning what exactly was going on. So he crept forward, keeping low to the ground, and keeping his ears up. He silently rejoiced at the sensitivity of the ears, as he could hear almost everything that was happening, even if he couldn't see it exactly.
Vincent kept whispering, almost sounding as if he was genuinely both sorry and worried. This was something incredibly unusual for Cait Sith. He had never heard anything except the emotionless long words from Vincent. Here was something with real emotion. Why? Cait Sith crept closer.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I should have been watching, I should have been careful. You're dependent on me now...I can't let myself be distracted...like before...you need sleep to heal...you need me for security...don't worry, Highwind, I won't let you get hurt. Never again. I promise...I promise I'll make us both happy... I won't dissapoint you..."
Most of this was spoken to himself and not to Cid, but Vincent didn't seem to care. It helped calm his nerves...it surprised Cait Sith to see that Vincent was worked up about anything. It was very strange.
Cid didn't seem soothed by Vincent's words, instead whimpering again and burying his face in his chest. Cait Sith could see the visible pain on Vincent's face, as if he was failing at something. Little did Vincent or Cait Sith know that it had nothing to do with them at all...

~~~
Cid was still locked in his dream world. Although he had tried to ward off his memories while he was safe, they would not be denied. Eventually he had to yield to them. A cold wind blew what seemed like right through him, and the comforting vision of Vincent was gone.
Replaced was a scene from his own childhood. One that he knew, because it caused him pain. As it was, he was standing on the outskirts, watching himself. A small child, already equipped with a small pair of goggles, working on a engine. Near him stood Cyril, watching critically. He remembered, although he did not want to.
"No no, you turn it counter-clockwise! You'll never learn this way! Go back and try it again!"
"But...I thought you said..." his small childish voice, filled with frustration and sadness came to his own ears.
"Don't argue with me! Fix it now!"
Cid could remember the feelings that had always torn him apart while Cyril was alive. He always loved the sky. There was something in the sky that called to him, a feeling of belonging and love. He wanted to badly to be up there, forever. To never have to deal with the affairs of the earthly plane. He would do anything to be up there...anything to get off the dark earth and into the pure and untainted sky.
But to do that, he had to get through Cyril. Cyril would not let the slightest mistake go by and it seemed often to Cid that he would tell him the wrong directions just for the joy of telling him he was wrong. Cid grew to hate working on planes, simply because of all the things that Cyril would tell him was wrong.
He did not want to hate the planes or the sky, but he felt as if Cyril was making him. This was tearing him apart inside as hate and love fought alternatly over control. He hated going out with Cyril to work on planes, knowing that everything he would try to do would be wrong, yet knowing that this was the only way he could reach his dream. As it was, Cid was only around the age of ten at the time, and the emotions that constantly tormented him were incredibly powerful for someone of his age. Despite his natural precociousness towards electronics, Cyril showed no preference or special treatment for Cid's age. He treated him as he would treat a high-school student who wished to learn how to fly, and this was far, far too harsh for Cid. Cyril never layed a hand on him, but it was often Cid who would hurt himself, accidentally turning the wrong bolt or touching the wrong wire with the nervousness of being under Cyril's supervision. He was sure that if he didn't have Cyril to frighten him or make him nervous or pick at him, he could build things by himself. But as much as he hated to admit it, he learned a lot about flying while he worked, not just mechanics. When he came home, frustrated and torn almost to the point of tears, there was no one he could talk to. His parents were never home, and if they were, they wouldn't listen to him. Instead of allowing tears to flow from his eyes, he turned it to anger. Anger could be funneled more usefully, he reasoned. He changed it to determination, although he still felt both dread and joy at going to work with Cyril. The two conflicting emotions ripped him apart at his young age.What he loved hurt him, and he hated it for that. Yet he couldn't hate it.
It was when Cyril died that Cid was free. No one had told him how he'd died, considering his parents didn't even seem to know that he was with Cyril for most of the time. No one ever considered that the small blond kid would like to know what happened to the other mechanic. Cid was alone. Not that he ever wasn't.
Cid watched his memory fade away, fighting back the helpless rage he had felt so long ago. He had his dream now...he could fly. He could go as high as he wanted. He had gone into space, even...and yet, he couldn't stay there forever. Being in the sky made him happier then anything on earth, but there was no aircraft that could keep aloft at all hours, as much as he wished that it could. For all his suffering and work as a child, he still felt that it had come to naught. He wanted to fly, but he wanted to fly forever.
He sat down again, looking at himself in his child form. The helplessness at the alternate hating and loving of the sky kept coming at him, having been kept back so long. He wasn't sure what had opened the floodgates of such a painful emotion, but he wished there was some kind of way to stop it. Something had to stop these feelings...something...someone...anyone...
As usual, his mind wandered to the only person he could remember at the moment, and he appeared in front of him, standing passively and watching him with the same unreadable expression. Cid, following his natural urges, ran towards him, viewing him as some kind of protection against these feelings which came over him. Vincent lifted him upwards, holding him easily. Cid tried to control his tears by converting them to anger, but he found that all his anger was gone.
"I want to fly..." he managed to whisper, trying to keep the pain of his past years under control. Vincent looked at him and Cid could see the black wings of Chaos sweeping from behind Vincent forward. Cid looked disbelieving for a moment.
"No, you don't have to...you hate Chaos. You hate him."
"You want to fly." The wings began pumping up and down, lifting Vincent off the ground. Cid watched curiously.
"But what about what YOU want?" Cid spoke words that he had never considering before in his life. He had never cared for what someone else wanted until now. Vincent simply stared at him.
"Your happiness."
"Are all fathers like you?" Cid laughed, not sure of where it came from. It just came from within him, but he wasn't sure why. Perhaps it was the giddy feeling of the sky as they rose steadily.
"I don't know." Vincent spoke slowly. "I hope so."
"I want wings."
Vincent looked at him. Cid stared into the crimson eyes.
"What?"
"I want wings. Like yours."
"No...you don't want these. They came at a heavy price..."
"This is only a dream though, isn't it?" Cid tried to focus on his ideal vision of wings, and it took form. From his small, childlike back sprouted two small, metallic-blue, scaled wings. Vincent stared at him in confusion.
"See..." Cid flapped his wings and flew away from Vincent's arms, smiling brightly. "You can change your wings two, if you want to. You don't have to have the same wings forever."
Vincent looked shocked for a moment, then closed his eyes. The thick, black wings from his back slowly turned white, seperating into that of feathers. Soon the black demon wings were replaced by that of what looked like a great white bird. Cid watched surprised as Vincent began laughing, something he had never heard. It was both sad and beautiful at the same time.
"You're right...nothing has to stay the way it is forever..."

~~~
Vincent was distraught until he noticed that Cid was happy again. Curious as to why, he watched as the pilot spoke silent words in his sleep, then smiled and rested peacefully. Vincent sighed deeply. Thank goodness he had not awoken...
"That was close, wasn't it?" Cait Sith spoke from his shoulder. With lightning speed, Vincent grabbed Cait Sith around the neck again and dragged him forward. Again, Cait Sith hissed and his fur rose. Instead of anger, however, Vincent studied Cait Sith closely.
"Stay still."
Cait Sith was too frightened to think of what Vincent could do if angry, he watched as Vincent carefully drew his claw forth and placed the tip against Cait Sith's chest. Cait Sith began gasping for breath.
"Don't kill me, don't kill me, please please don't kill me..." Cait Sith babbled meaninglessly as Vincent pierced the layer of fur.
"OW!" Cait Sith cried rather loudly. Vincent was too interested in what he was doing to wonder whether this cry could have awakened Cid, which it fortunatly did not.
A drop of blood began flowing from the small wound. Cait Sith, realizing this, looked at it in shock. His cat mouth refused to form any words, so it was Vincent who spoke first.
"Cait Sith...where were you when Meteor came?"
"Reeve...I, I mean...I was at ShinRa corporation..." Cait Sith spoke with fear in voice. Vincent kept the same emotionless look on his face.
"But your mind was in Cait Sith, wasn't it?"
"Yes, but-"
"ShinRa was totally destroyed."
Cait Sith stared as the red droplet made its way slowly down his white chestfur. "But, how could I..."
"Because your body was destroyed, your mind has been stranded in this body."
"WHAT?!" Cait Sith shrieked hysterically. Vincent jabbed him with the claw, not hard enough to draw blood, to tell him to stay silent.
"I believe..." Vincent looked at Cait Sith's paws. "That while Holy was saving Meteor, the pure flux of life energy has transformed you into a true feline, Cait Sith, but with Reeve's mind."
"This can't be true..." Cait Sith looked near tears, something exceptionally rare for the cat. "This can't...I'm Reeve...I work at ShinRa...I'm human! I have a desk and a plaque and everything! I'm REEVE! I'm controlling this body from ShinRa!"
"Toys do not bleed."
Cait Sith finally began to weep, further proof of a function toys do not have. "This can't be real...I'm not a cat, I'm a person...my name is Reeve...this is just a toy...I'm not a cat! I'm not!"
Despite his normal nature, Vincent felt pity rising in him for the cat. He had just been displaced out of his true body and put into a cat's. No doubt he would be in denial. And hysterical. Vincent used his claw to wipe the tears away, causing Cait Sith to squeak with fright as the claw came near his face. Vincent again felt guilt.
"I'm sorry, Reeve, but there's nothing we can do. You're stuck as Cait Sith, a flesh and blood cat, until we find a way to return yourself to normal."
"I...I don't want to be a cat anymore..." Cait Sith sobbed. "I...I want to be real..."
"This is as real as it gets." Vincent leaned back, his eyes tired. He felt Cid twitching in his sleep. He released Cait Sith, who fell with feline grace onto the deck. This seemed to deepen the cats depression.
"I'm...not...I'm not Cait Sith..." Cait Sith kept repeating to himself. Vincent waited until Cait Sith had finished grieving and was weary of the effort. The cat looked at Vincent with sad, yellow eyes. They still had tears around the edges, flecking the whiskers.
"Try and get some rest, Cait Sith." Vincent said softly. Cait Sith stared at him for a moment, then finally nodded. He crawled painfully upwards, finally curling into a ball on Cid's shoulder, leaning against Vincent's chest, shivering uncontrollably. Vincent knew it was not because he was cold.
"Thanks a lot, Aeris..." Cait Sith mumbled resentfully, his voice broken and shaky with tears. "I didn't know how long you wanted the real me to sleep..."
Purring to comfort himself, Cait Sith fell asleep.

~~~
Darkness.
And cotton.
"Where...am I?"
Nanaki tried to focus his eyes, but found the effort useless. He was somewhere dark, and he could feel cotton. Where was he?"
"Hello? Anyone?" He called, but his voice was muffled. He tried to bring his paws forward to walk, but found they hit something soft. Focusing more carefully, he could tell he was standing on the deck of the Highwind, but...why...
"Is my head stuck in something?" he wondered aloud. The intelligent creature thought for a moment. If he remembered correctly, the last thing he was near was...
"CAIT SITH!" he shouted, but the cotton in the moogle made his cry soft and undecipherable. Anger flowed through the beast and he growled. He tried to pull his head out, but found a stabbing pain near the nape of his neck when he tried to move. He tried to think of what it was. If he remembered correctly, there was a zipper in the back of the Moogle...
"My mane..." Nanaki mumbled to himself. "Curse that cat! When I find him, I'm going to talk to him about this."
He pulled harder, but the pain from his neck cause him to stop. Sighing, he paused and rested for a moment. What WAS the last thing he remembered?
Yes...it was becoming clearer. He could remember meteor, that horrible affront to the planet, destroying Midgar...and the Highwind was suffering extreme turbulance. Cait Sith had attached himself to Yuffie's face...Nanaki smiled at that. But the Moogle was running about. He had tried to brace himself off of that to leap for a safer position, then he remembered a crate flying towards him...
That must have been what had happened! The crate had pushed his head into the back of the Moogle. That would have sheltered him from the impact of what had undoubtedly been a crash. He had already logically deduced from the lack of vibration in the floor that the Highwind's engines were not running, and there seemed to be complete silence.
Nanaki was struck by a sobering thought. What if his friends had all perished while he had survived in the back of Cait Sith's moogle? What if while he had been sleeping in the moogle his friends had been attacked by wild creatures or, worse yet, their corpses had been eaten by them! Nanaki was struck by fear and guilt and jerked his head back. More fierce pain bit into his neck, but he didn't care. He felt that this would be his recompense for leaving his friends helpless. Besides, pain such as this shouldn't bother a warrior...
He jerked back again and it felt as if his neck was on fire. He fought back a cry of pain and continued to pull. He could feel the hair of his mane coming out one by one.
With a great ripping noise, Nanaki was free. He was unable to move as firey pain flowed across his whole body from his neck and blinded for a moment from the abrupt change of light. Although dusk was approaching, it was far brighter then his eyes, accustomed to the darkness, were ready to handle. He blinked repeatedly to try and rid himself of the dancing circles in his vision. When he could finally see clearly and the pain had lessened, he looked about the deck. The sun was rapidly setting, so he did not have much time. He could see a wild shock of blond hair to his left. Worried, he dashed over towards it, finding it was exactly who he thought it would be. Cloud.
Cloud seemed to be huddled in a ball, barely balancing on the lower edge of the Highwind. It's tilt was causing everyone to slowly slid off, unless firmly anchored. It was luck that seemed to have saved the young mans life. The spiked bracelet's he was wearing had lodged deeply in a crack on the surface of the Highwind. However, this would not last. Cloud was slowly drifting off the edge.
Nanaki leaned close to Cloud and sniffed near his face. He was relieved to find that the young man was breathing. Grabbing the back of Cloud's shirt firmly between his teeth, he dragged him backwards slowly, lodging him behind a sturdy wall. Assured that Cloud was safe, he found his attention next caught by Barret, whose gun arm had caught between two crates, thus saving him from slowly sliding off the ship. Nanaki wondered mentally what in the world Cid could need so many crates for, but didn't question it. He grabbed Barret by the back of his vext and dragged him next to Cloud. He was relieved to find that Barret was also asleep, although he could already tell from their lack of response to his lifting and dragging that they were under some kind of sleeping spell.
He found Tifa, barely on the ship. It was the leverage of her arms that kept her from sliding off the ship and off into...
This thought led Nanaki to try and investigate his surroundings. Looking over the edge of the ship, he found it led to a steep drop. It was some kind of jungled area, but he could not recognize it all. Only the fact it would be a very long drop if Tifa fell off.
Taking her hand in his mouth, he tried to drag her back from the edge. He hoped he wasn't harming her, but he couldn't reach her clothing from this angle. Tugging backwards, he managed to drag the unconcious woman alongside Barret and Cloud. Panting slightly, Nanaki sat and watched them carefully, waiting to see if they would awaken. He noticed that Tifa's hand was bleeding slightly, and he deduced that if that injury had no woken her up, then they were definitly not waking up any time soon.
Nanaki looked around the deck, but could not see anyone else. The moon was swiftly rising, filling Nanaki with confidence. The once latent fire on his tail burst into bright flame, and he used this to look around the deck. He could smell nor see no sign of magic or any other reason his companions would be under this kind of enchantment. Now that he thought about it, he could not find any sign of Yuffie. Not that he particularly cared. He was not on friendly terms with the Ninja, after she had stolen his prized Seraph Comb, a long lost gift from his dead father that he had kept out of nostalgia, and then claimed to have "lost" it. He felt like ripping the girl's throat out, but Cloud had forced the two apart. There had been no love lost between the two since then.
Forcing the ninja from his mind, Nanaki walked along the deck of the Highwind, not sure of what to be looking for. He tried to recall the faces of all those on his team in his mind.
First to come was Cait Sith. He snarled at that. He would make the cat pay for mangling his mane. He probably looked like a wreck now.
Nanaki watched the flames of his tail throw light upon the darkening deck. The sky was growing steadily darker. There were more members, he knew...
Of course! The pilot and the namesake of the ship, Cid Highwind. Where was he? Nanaki didn't much care for him either. Cid was never very polite around him, and the fact that Cid kept lighting his cigarette on his tail made Nanaki furious. He tried not to care about where Cid had went and thought about the very last member of his team. After all the others had been recalled in Nanaki's mind, it seemed that Vincent appeared, as if wishing to remain last and forgotten. Vincent he liked. Vincent was intelligent, quiet, and mature, a counterpart to his nature. He enjoyed talking to Vincent and he was sure the feeling was mutual. If only Vincent could get over his guilt/inferiority complex...
He now wanted to know where Vincent was. He was worried for the dark man. He knew that if Vincent awoke to the scene which he had, he would most likely have blamed himself. And considering they were near a cliff, it would be all too easy to end the existence that Vincent claimed to hate...
If he remembered correctly, some hideous monster had landed on the Highwind near the last moments, holding it's captain, and claimed to be Vincent. It was to Nanaki as if the monster that Vincent had always claimed to be had taken flesh. He wondered if that really was Vincent...or perhaps just some kind of creature that had devoured Vincent and was planning to kill them all.
Nanaki began to wonder why he was so paranoid.
He wandered further along the ship, watching the red flickering light his tail gave off. He wondered how he would ever find them, now that the ship was shrouded in darkness. He watched the floor carefully, sniffing. He could catch the smell of tears and blood and began to worry. Following it, his tail lashing behind him, he nearly ran into what seemed like some kind of blood colored bundle.
Leaping back in surprise, he swung his tail forward for a better look. To his relief, he found that it was only Vincent. He sighed thankfully, glad to find the only other person on his team like him okay. He saw that Vincent was asleep.
But there was something off about this...
He walked around Vincent, staring at him curiously. Poking out from underneath the folds of Vincent's cloak was dirty blond hair, and near that what almost looked like the ears of a black cat...
He sniffed carefully. He easily identified Cait Sith, who was purring. Not aware that toys had such a function, he sniffed the blond hair and recoiled sharply. That was Cid, alright. What were they doing here?
Nanaki recoiled mentally at the thought of the only person like him taking care of two of his team-mates that he could not stand. He tried to think logically. This meant that the hideous thing WAS Vincent...and it must have been what had protected Cid and Vincent from harm. As for Cait Sith, his guess was just that the cat had happened to wake up first. He felt anger rising up within him for Cait Sith not solving the problem of his head stuck in the moogle when the cat had the chance.
Not sure of what else to do, Nanaki could feel a slight breeze blowing by. His thick fur protected him, but he noticed Cid shivering. He smiled slightly at this sign of weakness from someone who projected such a strong image. He smiled more as he noticed that Vincent had to hold him closer to make him stop.
"So much for not needing anyone, eh Cid?" Nanaki had always resented how Cid had claimed to never need any help from anyone and that the whole "team" thing was, as he would put it, a pile of @$^&. He found it amusing that the one person that it seemed that Cid would hate the most (other then Yuffie) was now the one that he was depending on. Nanaki then sighed sadly, thinking of his grandfather.
"Well, at least you have someone to depend on..." Nanaki sighed deeply, remembered his grandfather's death with painful sadness. He could feel a tear running down his fur and he brushed it away angrily. Warriors do not cry, he tried to tell himself. Warriors don't need anyone...
I am the son of Seto...
Nanaki curled around Vincent easily, resting his head on Cid's hip and closing his eyes. He let his tail twitch slightly and could tell that the firey warmth of his body caused all those near him to relax. This helped him feel as if it was he who was needed. He had always felt as if he was un-necessary during this whole "Save The World" venture. This helped soothe his feelings, even if he WAS laying near the annoying cat and bad-tempered pilot.
"Father..." he cracked his eyes open a little and looked at the moon. "...I suppose we saved the world. But I am no warrior...just a son. Grant me this moment of weakness, father." After saying these words, Nanaki fell deep into slumber.

~~~
A raging headache was the signal for consciousness for Barret.
Unable to even move for several seconds, the man simply lay and tried to silence the insistent pain that thrummed behind his eyes. It wasn't a hangover, so he hadn't gotten drunk...this was an entirely different kind of pain, one he had never experienced.
The pain was able to distract Barret for some time about what happened and where he was. As soon as it began to ease, he tried to move and felt his chest slowly moving off of metal.
Opening his eyes he found a swirling image of metallic grey and blue in front of him. Closing them quickly again, he allowed the freshly renewed pain to fade again before opening them, after which the metal he was staring at decided to calm down and stop moving.
He used his good arm to push himself further upward until he finally leaned back against the crates on the ship, using them to support himself. He felt unbearably weak and it was highly disturbing.
He stared at the gun that had been grafted into his arm, noting the faint white shine of the moonlight glinting off it's exterior. He took care of his arm...after all, it was a part of him.
He found himself sighing heavily as he thought as to why he had the gun grafted to his body. Hatred, burning anger, and an unquenchable thirst for vengeance for the death of his one, true friend...
It was that hatred, that sense of loyalty and of obligation, that took him to take on Marlene.
Marlene...!
He stared at the sky consciously for the first time he had woken up. The moon was rising and it looked peaceful against the dark fabric of the sky. He flicked his eyes about, taking in the stars, the trees, the ship, the others.
Asleep...
He pushed himself to his feet and wobbled unsteadily for a few moments. His years training in Avalanche had taught him to be quick and responsive to new situations where there might be danger. This was a dangerous situation in his opinion...
Cloud and Tifa, laying near him, seemed to be out cold. How long had he himself been asleep? What had happened?
...Where they the only ones left...?
"#$^$!" He felt anger coursing through his body again. Not again! He couldn't have lost his friends, his companions, he couldn't have lost anymore he cared about through neglect! How could he have done this? How could he have been so foolish, so lazy, so idle!
Just him, Cloud, and Tifa...
He twitched a muscle in his arm and felt the click as the barrels of the gun loaded with fresh ammunition. This brought the arm back to his attention and he felt inexorable sadness rising in his chest to replace the burning anger. Like a wave of calm, it stopped the desire for vengeance from surfacing again.
Leaning back, he sat on one of the free crates and stared upwards, reflecting. Everytime he had lost someone or something important to him, he had reacted with anger, with violence, with the inexorable desire to take vengeance for what had been enacted upon him.
Everytime...he would be frustrated...and lose something else he cared about...
A circle...
Everything was moving in a circle.
"Marlene..." He stared upwards, watching the moon move across the sky.
Sighing deeply again, he held the cold metal in his flesh hand. Although he was able to control the functions of the gun with his muscles, he could not feel through it.
He found his thoughts meandering towards Vincent Valentine, one of the few in the group that he identified with, if not mentally, physically. He had seen the gold apparatus that had apparently taken the place of Vincent's arm and found himself speculating about it often. Had Vincent also lost someone close to him? Had he also had his arm sacrificed in an effort to regain vengeance...?
He stared at Cloud and Tifa and sighed again. How much about his team-mates did he truly know...? They each had had their own personal lives and memories, some of which he would never know and none of which he would ever be a part of, before they had met him. Before he had come into their lives, they had had a life. He only knew fractions...
He never assumed to know everything about them...he found that to be an invasion of the privacy that only one's personal life could give. Sometimes he would be frustrated because he could never understand why they acted the way they did.
When he had seen Vincent laying asleep in his coffin, light glinting of the metallic appendage, he felt rage surge through him because he felt a kindred spirit that had died. He had a gun grafted to get revenge...Dyne had a gun grafted to get revenge...he could only assume that Vincent had one grafted for revenge as well...but instead was wasting his time away in a box...
He regretted his rashness now. His feelings and thoughts had changed greatly since he first began his quest to destroy Shinra.
He got up off the crate and headed for the farthest railing, which was slowly rising into the air fraction by miniscule fraction. Leaning his hands on it, he stared outwards.
A jungle. A #%^# jungle. He was terrible at geography, which was why he let Cid do all the flying. The only place he could truly remember was the area around the Gold Saucer and Midgar itself...and the two were massive monuments...
The jungle meant nothing to him, but he felt that it should. He watched what seemed like a moth flutter by, it's wings glowing with iridescent light. The moon reflecting off the feathered wings. He remembered reading somewhere that butterflies wings were covered with tiny scales. If those scales got in your eyes...they would blind you. Personally, Barret found more kinship with moths. Night creatures that wandered around without quite the notoriety or the beauty their rival insects garnered. He had always imagined that butterflies and moths had some kind of rivalry going on, but he supposed that was his imagination...
He was always seen as a realist, but he wasn't always one. He was made one because he had been forced to stare at reality as it ravaged his life and he had been forced to leave his dreams aside...
His dreams hadn't been destroyed, just laid to one side and sometimes he thought laid to rest. Staring at the moth that fluttered so unevenly in the warm night air reminded him of his thoughts which came back with vivid intensity. Butterflies and moths...night and day...night was so much safer...
He often waxed metaphorical when he was alone. However, his team-mates hardly expected that from him. So he rarely gave it to them. They had a vision of him firmly implanted in their heads and he wasn't about to uproot it so violently in such times of stress by remarking on how butterflies could blind people.
He smirked to himself and stood straight, trying to get his body to respond properly. It was aching from motionlessness, making him again wonder how long he had been asleep.
The feeling of guilt rose in his chest again. He had been sleeping...had his friends been killed again...killed because of him...
He began walking, his heavy boots making thick noises against the metal of the ship. Despite everyone's assertion of their independence, he felt that he was somewhat of an authority figure among them and was responsible for everyone's safety. They may not have viewed HIM as terribly essential in their battles and such, but Barret often took it upon himself to take care of the ones left behind or to take responsibility for the little things that would go wrong.
This was his responsibility...he had started this entire ordeal, one way or another, and he should take responsibility. That was one lesson that his life had taught him. He couldn't hide from what he had done and what he had to do. He simply had to take it, like he had refused to once and caused the death of so many people...
He not only was angry at himself for letting this happen, he was also upset that he had lost some of the only people he had let himself get close to...after what kept happening...he always kept losing the ones he loved and yet he never learned...he always kept getting attached...
How many of his friends had their own regrets, their own things they wished they could take away forever? How many had sins like his own that needed so badly to be atoned before they could be put to rest...?
He knew the pilot had his own sad thoughts which he kept hidden...Cid didn't have any illusions, which let the two get along...he would regret missing him...he'd regret never really truly knowing Vincent, which he felt a bond with somehow...never truly speaking to Red XIII to listen about the birth of AVALANCHE...
Cait Sith and Yuffie...even though the two were aggravating, they must have had their own story to tell...
His footsteps sounded hollow on the floor. He peered around cautiously, not sure of what he would find...dark eyes looking through the darkness...
There was a flickering orange light which caught his attention. Light from...a fire, he was sure of it...
He would have to put it out before it spread. Walking forward purposefully, he readied himself for the blast of heat that would come from rounding the corner where the flickers were coming from. He held his good arm in front of his face and, in case of attack, he readied his other arm in front of him.
There was no blast of heat, which surprised him, and he lowed his arm and looked around.
A little flickering flame dancing on the top of the metal, tapping back and forth gently. He smiled to himself as he found the body of Red XIII. The fire lion...that was what had caused the light.
Moving closer, his heart quickened with excitement...Red XIII was lying on something...
Kneeling next to the cloak-wrapped bundle, he stared at it with utter relief. So they weren't dead...! He hadn't failed again after all! All of them were here...Cid and Cait Sith and Vincent and...
Yuffie...
He looked around, but saw no sign of the young ninja. Worried slightly, he made a mental note of where the rest of the party was sleeping and headed towards where he had left Cloud and Tifa.
Still no sign of the ninja anywhere on the ship. This worried him badly. Shaking the remaining two, he found that they refused to wake, despite everything he tried. Shrugging, he walked back to where Vincent and the others had been resting.
The guilt and worry that had been building in his heart had been erased by his discovery and he felt free. The constricting feeling around his lungs and his heart was gone at the realization that, for once, he had not failed.
He sat down next to Vincent, who slept peacefully, and stared at the sky. His only concern now was where Yuffie had gone...
And whether Marlene was safe or not...
He glanced at those beside him and sighed. One of his responsbilities had been taken care of...but he was never truly free...
He'd wait until everyone woke up again...then he would advise they head to Midgar...to see what happened to everyone they had left...and all the things he had yet to do...
He waited and stared at the flickering flame on Red XIII's tail, letting it dance back and forth in his eyes until they became everything he saw, and then he unintentionally slipped back into dreams.

To Be Continued...


Da Northern Crater has been searched by peeps.

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