Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ One Heck of an Adventure ❯ Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy 7-10

(I'm finally getting to this chapter! I was just in this strange funk lately. Hopefully I'll get out of it so I can write my chapters correctly. And Amy, I'm email retarded so I can't really send you an email but thank you. I should read yours and send you a review. I LOVE REVIEWS PLEASE!!!!! EVEN IF YOU THINK IT'S THE WORST THING YOU READ, TELL ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

"Emily, time to go." Squall's voice called me out of blissful sleep. My eyes flickered open and he was staring at me. "Come on, we got to go." He ordered. I forced myself out of the bed. The pain in my back was now a slight numbness.

"Do I have to jump in a crate?" I asked, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. Squall smiled.

"Not this time. Come on, everyone is waiting for you." I followed Squall down the steps of the inn where everyone was waiting for me. They all turned their heads towards me. I smiled back at them.

"Hey there sleepy head." Titus greeted me.

"It's good to see you up and walking around." Auron remarked.

"So are we ready to go?" Titus asked. Cloud glanced at me for an answer.

"Yeah! Let's go!" I exclaimed, rested up and ready for whatever that is thrown at me.

We left the inn and continued our adventure on foot again. I felt this excitement and happiness inside of me. Everything is finally slowing down. The cool breeze rustled my hair. The warm rays of the sun heated my worn out body. I had take off my sweatshirt and tied it around my waist because of the heat. I lifted my head towards the breeze and smelt the spring air. The tall grass billowed in the wind and brushed against my legs. Butterflies fluttered in the air. I wanted to say forever. I picked little white flowers along the way and made a little necklace. I made little necklaces for everyone, even Cloud. He hung it around his neck and smiled at me. I ran through the meadows, picking up little flowers and chasing after butterflies. For once, it was calm and relaxed. I wasn't running for my life at least for this moment. After all that's happen to me, I'm finally calm. I spun around, feeling free at last.

"I take it you're happy." Auron remarked.

"Yes, it's warm and I'm not being chased around. Things are finally slowing down." I continued spinning. Auron smiled. The world blurred and spun until I finally fell to the ground and lied there for a few minutes. I let out a few relieved breaths as a few birds flew overhead. Zidane held out his hand in front of me and he lifted me up.

"Come on, we got to concentrate." Zidane guided me in the right direction. I giggled and Zidane let out a few giggles then we were both giggling nonstop. Cloud rolled his eyes.

"Come on children, we have places to go." He ordered as the giggling eventually subsided. I stared at Cloud for ruining my fun. I stood on my tip-toes and glared at him. He stared at me in confusion then I burst out laughing. Cloud was about to say something but Auron interrupted him.

"Let her have fun Cloud." Auron ordered. I smiled and stuck out my tongue at him and we continued walking.

"Can I wear your sunglasses?" I asked Auron, shielding my eyes from the sun.

"You wouldn't need them if you stop staring into the sun." Squall remarked. I stuck out my tongue. Auron handed them to me with a smile on his face. I slipped them on my face and stared in the direction of the sun proudly.

"How do I look?" I asked.

"They are a little big on you." Titus pointed out.

"Are not." I turned to him violently. The glasses flew off my face and landed in the dirt. "Oops." I remarked. I rushed to find them and they were covered in dirt and mud. I breathed on it and cleared the mud off. I handed them back to Auron with bits of mud still on it. Auron took it and cleaned in properly.

It was so calm and peaceful; I didn't want it to end. We continued on until we got to a far ravine. Deep below was rushing water with sharp jagged rocks. I glanced down at the water then at the bridge. It stretched out as far as it cool, barely hanging on the other side. It swayed unsteadily in the breeze. The rope looked decayed and breaking apart. The planks were rotten and seemed not able to hold any weight.

"Okay let's go." Cloud ordered. I stared at him like he was crazy.

"Look at that!" I ordered, pointing to the bridge. Cloud glanced at it.

"So?"

"SO! It's falling apart! Do you want us to die?" I demanded.

"We have to get to the other side and this is the only way. Unless you got a better idea?" He asked, staring at me.

"No." I said grumbling.

"If it makes you feel any better, I'll go first." Cloud took a step on the first plank. It creaked but didn't break. He continued down. I swallowed my fear and took the first step. Titus was right behind me.

"Just hold on to the rope really tight and down look down." He ordered. I gripped the rope until my knuckles turned white. I closed my eyes to avoid the ground. I almost lost my footing so I decided to open my eyes. We continued on. I was right at Cloud's heel.

"Stop being so close." He hissed. I backed up. I was halfway through the bridge when the plank under me, gave way. My foot fell through and I lost all balance as I began to fall between the planks. A hand grabbed mine. Cloud was crushing my hand, with a stern expression on his face.

"You should watch where you're stepping." He ordered through clenched teeth. He began to lift me up but there was a snap the plank that Cloud was kneeling on snapped and he fell through. He was able to grab part of the bridge and still clutch my hand. My grip was slipping so I held on with both hands for dear life. I closed my eyes and tried to block out the ear-splitting sound of rushing water below me.

"Relax, I'm not going to let go." Cloud assured me. A sudden sense of déjà vu ran through me. That's the same thing I said to Vivi before he died. Tears began to flow down my cheeks as I remember Vivi again.

"Quit crying, we're not dead yet." Cloud barked. I obeyed. He struggled to lift me but I felt my grip loosening. My gloves began to fall off. Cloud clutched harder, almost crushing my bones into dust.

"I can't hold on much longer." I remarked.

"Damn Emily, if you let go, I'll jump in after you." Cloud cursed.

"But we could both die. I should just let go and let you pull yourself up." I pointed out.

"Emily, I said I would protect you and I wouldn't be doing a good job if I let you drop to your death." He remarked. I watched as his intense eyes stared at me.

"I'm not letting you go." He assured me. My gloves were slowly slipping from my hands. He tried to hold on as tight as he could but with no avail. I felt as the last fingers of my gloves slipped passes my fingertips and I felt nothing below me.

I had a strange sensation of like everything was a dream. Everything was a dream. I'm not going to fall in the river, I'm going to wake up on my bed and it'll be normal again. I saw Cloud release himself off the bridge and after me. I forgot about him. This was all just a dream and I was going to be fine. I closed my eyes and waited for myself to wake up.

The freezing cold water thrust me back into reality. I scrambled to the surface but the rough current held me under. The current dragged me across the jagged rocks at the bottom, cutting me but I didn't care. I needed air. I kicked in the water but it was no use. My lungs were on fire. I needed air. I took a gulp of water, hoping it would suffice for air. It didn't. My body panicked and tried to get more air but couldn't, only more water. I felt something grab my body and lift me above the water. I was able to spit out the water and breathe again but it didn't last long. I was pushed under again. I surfaced again, white form spraying in my eyes. I heard Titus's voice barely above the water.

"Keep your head above the water!" He ordered, screaming. I tried to listen but the current had other plans but the whole time, the arm wouldn't let go. I tried to think of a plan but the lack of oxygen made it difficult and I couldn't stay above water longer than a few seconds. I felt myself being pulled closer to Cloud. He forced me down. I felt his body tensed up as water rushed around us. The safety of the ground disappeared as I realized that we're going over a waterfall. I felt my body hang there for a few seconds before gravity caught up with me and I began to fall. Cloud wouldn't release. I closed my eyes as water covered us as we hit the water. My whole body shook with pain as water filled my lungs. Darkness crept on my mind.

I awoke in someone's arms. I glanced up at him. He had a deep shade of black on his head with a blood red bandana wrapped around his forehead. His deep red overcoat covered his wide shoulders.

"So you're finally awake." He remarked with a deep voice.

"Where's Cloud?" I asked groggily.

"Relax he's fine." He answered

"Where is he?" I repeated.

"Right over there." He placed me down gently. A few feet away, Cloud was lying on the ground, motionless. I rushed by his side.

"YOU CAN'T DIE CLOUD!" I screamed. His eyes flickered open and glared at me.

"I was hoping I could get some sleep while you were unconscious." He muttered as he sat up.

"Yay! You're alive." I hugged him tightly.

"Guess who else is alive." Cloud remarked, pointing behind me. I turned around and standing there was a strange assortment of people. The man that was carrying me before, a girl with short shorts and her zipper undone and with short brown hair, her giant brown eyes stared at me and a strange looking creature looking similar to a wolf but was a deep blood red color, a scar ran across his eye and a few bangs stuck out and Vivi. I couldn't believe my eyes. I stared at him and blinked at him to make sure that he's real. I felt tears well up in my eyes.

"Vivi?" I asked. He nodded. I rushed at him and held him close.

"I'm sorry that I let go." I cried.

"You didn't do anything. You really tried." Vivi assured. I held him close for a few minutes before lifting my head.

"How did you survive?" I asked.

"He fell right on top of me," The girl exclaimed, "and totally knocked me to the ground!"

"But it saved him." The wolf pointed out.

"And we've been looking for you guys ever since." Vivi explained.

"And who are you?" The man said in the back asked me.

"I'm Emily, who are you?" I demanded.

"Vincent."
"And I'm Yuffie, the great ninja warrior!" The girl exclaimed.

"I'm Red XIII."

"So now what?" I asked, glancing at Cloud for an answer.

"Isn't it obvious? We continue to the Ruins of the Centra." Cloud answered.

"What about the others?" I asked.

"If they were smart, they knew to head there too. Our mission is to bring you there and I'm not going to stop just because we are short of a few people." Cloud remarked as he began walking. I stared for a few seconds then followed.

We're supposed to just leave them? They were fine when we left them, maybe they'll get there all right. I continued on, chatting happily with Vivi. Soon, the hot sun began to sink and we set up camp. I was really tired from today's adventures so I went straight to sleep. Vivi slept along with Yuffie and Cloud and Vincent were left to watch the fire.

I slept for a few hours but the sound of low voices awoke me. It was Cloud and Vincent talking. I know it's not nice to eavesdrop but this wouldn't hurt. I pretend to sleep as I listen in.

"What's with the girl?" Vincent asked.

"She's important, that's all you need to know."

"How important? Important to let yourself drown?"

"Yes. Trust me, she's just important."

"How so?"

"I think she has a special power inside of her." Cloud remarked slowly, thinking of each word.

"What kind of power?" Vincent asked.

"I don't know, just something about her eyes. Something hypnotic and magical about her eyes."

"I didn't know you liked younger women." Vincent remarked.

"I don't know, maybe I do like her."

"So Cloud, do you love her?"

"I just have to protect her, that's all." Cloud remarked.

"So you-"

"I just have to protect her, that's all." Cloud repeated. "If you don't mind, I think I'll get some rest." Cloud walked away from the campsite. I knew he wasn't going to sleep.