Blurring the Fine Line Between the Lifestream and Gaia
A Plan, A Preventor
Cloud arrived shortly after Cid called. Midgar was actually a thirty-minute ride from the mountains, but Cloud had his motorcycle go Mach 50.
A large, beautiful airship welcomed him. It was reflected by the sunlight perfectly, its gold-plated sides shining with triumphant awe. Cloud, though not usually overwhelmed by these machines, automatically opened his mouth. The airship, which Cid christened "Sierra", was hovering far above him. Although it was already a thousand feet in the air, the strong blades of the rotors circulated the relentlessly around him, and he almost got knocked back by the wind.
Cid tapped Cloud's shoulder and puffed his cigar. The thick made Cloud cough heavily.
"Not used ta smellin' some smoke eh? And yet you can withstand some Mako... You're weird." Cid exclaimed, puffing his cigar once more.
Cloud took out his scarf and covered his mouth and nose, obviously trying to prevent himself from inhaling the smoke.
"Cid, can I borrow Sierra sometime?" Cloud asked.
"For what?"
"Personal matters..."
Cid folded his arms and tapped his chin, trying to make his mind. While doing so, he puffed his cigar. Another cloud of smoke bombarded Cloud's face. Cloud coughed.
"Haha... Not so tough now, are ya?" Cid mockingly asked Cloud.
"Cid, this is no laughing matter. I'm serious. I need that airship now!"
"For what kid?"
"For... For looking a way to bring her back..."
Cid shook his head.
"Still not giving up, are you, Cloud?"
Cloud looked down to his feet. He didn't trust Cid too much, but he knew Cid would be sensible enough to lend him his machines. He thought Cid would understand his dilemma, considering that Cid himself had that kind of problem. But it was now that he realized that it was going to be a botched attempt. Something that isn't going to help.
"I'm... Sorry, Cid. I didn't mean to bother you..." Cloud apologized.
"Tch. Don't be so sorry. I appreciate your efforts, but..."
"It sounds really... Ridiculous, right?" Cloud asked his friend.
Cid smiled widely.
"It's not. Actually, it's a great idea."
"Thanks, Cid..."
"My pleasure."
Suddenly, Cloud's phone rang. He took it out and looked at the caller's name and number.
Tifa...
The phone rang wildly. For a while, Cloud was hesitant in answering. At the moment, he didn't like to talk to Tifa, but he gave in just so the phone would stop ringing.
"Cloud Strife speaking."
"Cloud, come here now. Please, I have something to tell you."
She hung up, and Cloud became a lot more bewildered. He didn't like the sound of what she said, and he definitely didn't want to talk to her at that moment. But at any rate, Tifa would still bug him and find a way to talk to him. He decided to just go.
* * *
Tifa waited patiently for Cloud to arrive. It was a long twenty minutes till she finally heard the knock on the door. Tifa stood up to open it and saw Cloud.
"Hi. I wanted to talk about something."
"So I've heard..." Cloud sighed sarcastically.
It was against his nature to do so. His sarcasm took him by surprise.
"What do you want to talk about?" Cloud asked as he sat down on a chair.
"I heard from Barrett that you're trying to find a way to save Aeris..."
"Why? Are you... disturbed by the thought?"
"No, it's because... Well..." Tifa stuttered, obviously trying to choose her words carefully.
"Cloud, I wanted to ask you... How desperate are you to get her back?"
He got quite surprised by the question and stared at her for so long.
Why did she want to know about this?
"Why do you want to know?" Cloud asked.
"You... Cloud, you didn't answer my question... Please, tell me..."
Cloud thought for a moment, trying to pick his words carefully. He did not want to hurt Tifa, but he also didn't want to deny her of the truth.
"Tifa, no word can describe my desperation. It's unexplainable. I want her to be back."
She nodded half-heartedly. She felt a pang of guilt. She felt that Cloud didn't like this conversation, but she wanted to let him know what and how she feels.
"Why? After... After these many years, why are you still so desperate?" Tifa asked.
"That, I cannot answer."
"But... Why? I mean..."
"You mean what? That you're here? That I could've just settled down with you and forget about her?" Cloud asked, anger inching slowly in his heart.
"Please calm down, Cloud. It's not that I wanted you to forget about her, because it's impossible. I wanted to ask why you didn't... didn't... you know, at least try to be with me?"
"Tifa... I understand you like me, but there's no one that could replace Aeris in my heart. Death is not an issue. It's nothing to me."
"But it's been almost three years! Please, Cloud, get over her death!" Tifa pleaded. Anger almost fueled her heart and tears welled up in her eyes, but she was doing her best to keep her composure.
"I will do whatever it takes, just to be with her. Nothing can stand in my way, Tifa."
"The Lifestream is where she belongs. Here, on the planet, is where you belong." She said.
Cloud hung up his head, sighing. He wanted to be with Aeris, but he didn't want to hurt his friend's feelings. He thought about what to say, because he saw her eyes. Her eyes, welling with tears. Suddenly, he remembered Aeris' face. Her eyes. She almost cried when she was praying on the altar, and yet she was happy.
Aeris...
"Tifa... Aeris promised she will come back... And I believe she will." Cloud stated defiantly.
"Cloud, you won't waste your time in looking for a way. There IS no way."
"Would I want to ask you, Tifa... Do you really like me for who I am?"
"Of course!" she said, hoping to get a good answer back.
"And no one could change that, right?" he asked, trying to make her realize.
"Yes, Cloud."
"Well, that's how I feel about Aeris, and no one could change that, too. I hope you understand. I'll continue to search for her. No matter what it takes. I don't care if I'll die..."
He walked out of the door and left Tifa alone.
Tifa stood up and picked the photo she had with Cloud, Denzel and Marlene. Tears dropped on the picture frame, as all thoughts of Cloud loving her disappeared. Her desperation to be with him, her desire that he would love her... All of them were lost. She still remembered their conversation in the past, many years ago...
Cloud was unsure in... answering me back then...
She felt a pang of guilt. Tifa knew that Cloud liked her when they were children. But she ignored him, until she knew that Cloud would come and join soldier. She felt the coils of anger squeeze her heart.
* * *
Cloud sat on Sierra's deck, looking at the sky.
Tomorrow, Aeris... Tomorrow, I'll go look for a way to get us back together...
A large, beautiful airship welcomed him. It was reflected by the sunlight perfectly, its gold-plated sides shining with triumphant awe. Cloud, though not usually overwhelmed by these machines, automatically opened his mouth. The airship, which Cid christened "Sierra", was hovering far above him. Although it was already a thousand feet in the air, the strong blades of the rotors circulated the relentlessly around him, and he almost got knocked back by the wind.
Cid tapped Cloud's shoulder and puffed his cigar. The thick made Cloud cough heavily.
"Not used ta smellin' some smoke eh? And yet you can withstand some Mako... You're weird." Cid exclaimed, puffing his cigar once more.
Cloud took out his scarf and covered his mouth and nose, obviously trying to prevent himself from inhaling the smoke.
"Cid, can I borrow Sierra sometime?" Cloud asked.
"For what?"
"Personal matters..."
Cid folded his arms and tapped his chin, trying to make his mind. While doing so, he puffed his cigar. Another cloud of smoke bombarded Cloud's face. Cloud coughed.
"Haha... Not so tough now, are ya?" Cid mockingly asked Cloud.
"Cid, this is no laughing matter. I'm serious. I need that airship now!"
"For what kid?"
"For... For looking a way to bring her back..."
Cid shook his head.
"Still not giving up, are you, Cloud?"
Cloud looked down to his feet. He didn't trust Cid too much, but he knew Cid would be sensible enough to lend him his machines. He thought Cid would understand his dilemma, considering that Cid himself had that kind of problem. But it was now that he realized that it was going to be a botched attempt. Something that isn't going to help.
"I'm... Sorry, Cid. I didn't mean to bother you..." Cloud apologized.
"Tch. Don't be so sorry. I appreciate your efforts, but..."
"It sounds really... Ridiculous, right?" Cloud asked his friend.
Cid smiled widely.
"It's not. Actually, it's a great idea."
"Thanks, Cid..."
"My pleasure."
Suddenly, Cloud's phone rang. He took it out and looked at the caller's name and number.
Tifa...
The phone rang wildly. For a while, Cloud was hesitant in answering. At the moment, he didn't like to talk to Tifa, but he gave in just so the phone would stop ringing.
"Cloud Strife speaking."
"Cloud, come here now. Please, I have something to tell you."
She hung up, and Cloud became a lot more bewildered. He didn't like the sound of what she said, and he definitely didn't want to talk to her at that moment. But at any rate, Tifa would still bug him and find a way to talk to him. He decided to just go.
* * *
Tifa waited patiently for Cloud to arrive. It was a long twenty minutes till she finally heard the knock on the door. Tifa stood up to open it and saw Cloud.
"Hi. I wanted to talk about something."
"So I've heard..." Cloud sighed sarcastically.
It was against his nature to do so. His sarcasm took him by surprise.
"What do you want to talk about?" Cloud asked as he sat down on a chair.
"I heard from Barrett that you're trying to find a way to save Aeris..."
"Why? Are you... disturbed by the thought?"
"No, it's because... Well..." Tifa stuttered, obviously trying to choose her words carefully.
"Cloud, I wanted to ask you... How desperate are you to get her back?"
He got quite surprised by the question and stared at her for so long.
Why did she want to know about this?
"Why do you want to know?" Cloud asked.
"You... Cloud, you didn't answer my question... Please, tell me..."
Cloud thought for a moment, trying to pick his words carefully. He did not want to hurt Tifa, but he also didn't want to deny her of the truth.
"Tifa, no word can describe my desperation. It's unexplainable. I want her to be back."
She nodded half-heartedly. She felt a pang of guilt. She felt that Cloud didn't like this conversation, but she wanted to let him know what and how she feels.
"Why? After... After these many years, why are you still so desperate?" Tifa asked.
"That, I cannot answer."
"But... Why? I mean..."
"You mean what? That you're here? That I could've just settled down with you and forget about her?" Cloud asked, anger inching slowly in his heart.
"Please calm down, Cloud. It's not that I wanted you to forget about her, because it's impossible. I wanted to ask why you didn't... didn't... you know, at least try to be with me?"
"Tifa... I understand you like me, but there's no one that could replace Aeris in my heart. Death is not an issue. It's nothing to me."
"But it's been almost three years! Please, Cloud, get over her death!" Tifa pleaded. Anger almost fueled her heart and tears welled up in her eyes, but she was doing her best to keep her composure.
"I will do whatever it takes, just to be with her. Nothing can stand in my way, Tifa."
"The Lifestream is where she belongs. Here, on the planet, is where you belong." She said.
Cloud hung up his head, sighing. He wanted to be with Aeris, but he didn't want to hurt his friend's feelings. He thought about what to say, because he saw her eyes. Her eyes, welling with tears. Suddenly, he remembered Aeris' face. Her eyes. She almost cried when she was praying on the altar, and yet she was happy.
Aeris...
"Tifa... Aeris promised she will come back... And I believe she will." Cloud stated defiantly.
"Cloud, you won't waste your time in looking for a way. There IS no way."
"Would I want to ask you, Tifa... Do you really like me for who I am?"
"Of course!" she said, hoping to get a good answer back.
"And no one could change that, right?" he asked, trying to make her realize.
"Yes, Cloud."
"Well, that's how I feel about Aeris, and no one could change that, too. I hope you understand. I'll continue to search for her. No matter what it takes. I don't care if I'll die..."
He walked out of the door and left Tifa alone.
Tifa stood up and picked the photo she had with Cloud, Denzel and Marlene. Tears dropped on the picture frame, as all thoughts of Cloud loving her disappeared. Her desperation to be with him, her desire that he would love her... All of them were lost. She still remembered their conversation in the past, many years ago...
Cloud was unsure in... answering me back then...
She felt a pang of guilt. Tifa knew that Cloud liked her when they were children. But she ignored him, until she knew that Cloud would come and join soldier. She felt the coils of anger squeeze her heart.
* * *
Cloud sat on Sierra's deck, looking at the sky.
Tomorrow, Aeris... Tomorrow, I'll go look for a way to get us back together...