Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ One Heck of an Adventure ❯ Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy 7-10 (yay! I'm doing something. This is going to be an interesting chapter because I have no idea where I'm going with this so good luck) I must give credit where credit is due. My dear friend, Donald, gave me a bunch of ideas on this because I was stuck so yay to you!

I woke up the next morning to the smell of scrambled eggs. The smell overwhelmed my nostrils.

"Wakey, wakey, eggs and bacy!" Vivi ordered. I groaned and rolled over. I lied there a few seconds then sat up. Vincent was watching some eggs bubble on a pan over a fire. He gently poked them with a stick.

"Where did you get the eggs?" I asked.

"Sometimes it's better to eat what you don't know then to refuse and starve at what you do know." He remarked, not glancing up. I went pale. "Ignorance is bliss, remember that." He remarked, handing me the pan with eggs, still bubbling. I blew on them to cool them down. I took a deep breath and gobbled them down before I could realize the taste.

"Okay now what do we do?" I asked, finishing the eggs.

"We go to the Ruins of the Centra, duh." Yuffie responded.

"So we're just leaving the others in the dust?" I asked.

"If they were smart, they would head there too and be quick about it if they wanted to catch up." Cloud muttered.

"You sound cranky; do you want some of my eggs?" I asked. He glanced down at the empty pan with a few bits of eggs still left.

"I think I'll pass." He muttered.

"Oh." I remarked, finally realizing I was just holding an empty pan. "Sorry about that." Cloud rolled his eyes and started to walk away.

"Come on now." He ordered everyone. "We need to keep going." He ordered. Everyone obeyed.

We began to walk again. I tried to spark up a conversation with Vincent or Yuffie but they didn't really seem to care about me so I spoke to Red XIII and Vivi.

"So Miss Emily, what are you doing, heading to the Ruins of the Centra?" Red asked.

"I'm finding out what the hell is going on." I answered. I explained to him about everything that happened. He listened with great interest, nodding at some points in understanding.

"It sounds like you had a hard time." He remarked.

"I have."

"Well, you don't have to go."

"What?" I spoke in confusion.

"You can just stay here. You don't have to find out what you are." I stared at him in confusion.

"What do you mean `what I am?" I asked.

"I mean, you're going there to find out whether you are the girl from the dreams and if you are, then are you willing to accept what you find?"

"I know I'm not the girl from dreams. I know this is all a big mistake. I know who I am." I remarked.

"Do you?" He asked, staring at me. Something was unsettling about him, like he could see right through me. "There is always that hidden power in someone, waiting to be unleash. Perhaps you'll find that power in the Ruins."

"Maybe." I answered, absent-minded, staring at the cloudy sky.

There was some sense to what Red said. It did seem like I changed ever since I came here. Something about me was different. I didn't know what it was. It wasn't the way I acted or anything. I looked the same and I act the same but something inside me was stirring. Bubbling and boiling, waiting to escape. I didn't know what it was. Was this my secret power? Was this what I was here for? What was it? A part of me wanted to know but the other part wanted to keep it locked up for so long. Like I was afraid to let the world see, afraid of what I would see. I couldn't explain it. Now the fear of discovery crept in the back of my mind. I knew I would find my power there but the real question was, do I want to know? Do I want my new friends to know? I couldn't run away from it, it was a part of me and that part was growing.

I knew I was strange. I felt it deep inside but I didn't know how I was strange. That I wasn't normal, I wasn't like anybody else. I was different. I always put that feeling aside, not ready to accept my difference. I think the kids felt that difference, no matter how hard I tried to hide it. It wasn't like I looked strange or acted strange; just the energy around me was strange, like getting a sudden chill during a warm summer day. All the children knew and stayed away from me. I was sort of a loner after that. I had a few other strange friends, able to accept the strangeness as one of them. I didn't want to be strange; I didn't want to be noticed. I wanted to be the crowd. I never talked but they still felt that strangeness. I feel it now but stronger than ever. Although I'm walking next to a talking wolf and a boy without a face, that strangeness consumed them, like I was the only one like me in the world, no, the universe. I felt alone and scared. I felt everything rush at me at unbearably moment. I felt weak and unable to go on. I stopped dead in my tracks.

"I don't want to go." I remarked to Cloud. He turned around and faced me.

"Why not?" He asked.

"I'm scared." I remarked, avoiding his hard stare.

"Scared of what? Sephiroth? We've gotten this far, I don't feel like turning around now." He remarked. He started to walk away but stopped when he realized I wasn't following.

"I'm not going."

"Are you afraid of what you're going to find there? Is that what scares you?" He asked. I nodded. "I thought you were so confident that you were not the girl in my dream, that it was a big mistake, what changed that?" He demanded.

"I'm different and I don't want to find out why?" I muttered, in almost a whisper.

"So you're afraid of yourself? You can't keep running. Face this demon or it will control you." Vincent remarked.

"I don't want to know that part of me that I've locked away so long ago."

"Then go home." Cloud ordered.

"I can't go home."

"If you can't go back, then go forward. You do want to go home; then go to the Ruins. Maybe there is a way back there." Cloud ordered. I nodded, beginning to walk on in Cloud's footsteps. I felt a hand slip in mine. I glanced at my side and there was Vivi.

"I won't let go." He remarked. I smiled at him and tightened my grip. Just knowing he was there was a reassurance. That strange feeling wouldn't disappear but I didn't have to deal with it now. I pushed it back into my brain once again and ignored it, hoping it would go away. I spoke to him in a friendly manner, forgetting that he was only seven. He was a very smart boy for a seven year old. I very much enjoyed his company, because he was the only one that would joke with me.

We headed on through the countryside until we were stopped by a thick forest. Mist covered the ground and I could barely see three feet inside. The trees were so thick that I couldn't even fit my arms around it.

"We're almost there." Yuffie exclaimed.

"All we got to do is get through the forest." Vincent remarked.

A sweet soothing voice hit my ears and lured me away. I suddenly was disconnected with everything around me. I couldn't put my finger on it but it was just so soothing and reassuring. I didn't know what came over me but I wanted to hear it. It was so sweet; I got it confused with a tender flute, instead of a voice. It was a gentle woman's voice, coming forth from the forest mist. I started heading towards the voice, drawn to the forest.

"Didn't we go through the forest before with a map?" Red pointed out. His voice was far off and distant. I didn't hear him. I wanted to drift away from the world and just hear that song. I stumbled around, heading towards the music. I didn't care where I was going, just as long as I was heading to the singing.

"Emily?" I head a faint voice call for me. I didn't hear it or understood it. I wanted to hear the music. There was nothing there except the singing and me. Everything else didn't matter. I didn't want it to matter. I twirled and danced, feeling light-headed but happy. I didn't want the music to stop. The singing abruptly stopped and I was brought to the real world. I felt a strong hand clasp my shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Cloud asked.

"Didn't you hear the music?" I asked. They all shook their heads.

"We didn't hear anything."

"Are you feeling all right?" Vivi asked with concern. I thought for a moment. I finally took a glance at where I was. I was right in the middle of the forest. Mist curled around my ankles and left a chilling feeling through my spine.

"Maybe you should sit down." Yuffie suggested.

"You mean you didn't hear any of the singing?" I asked. They shook their heads. I pondered for a moment.

"Never mind that, we got to get out of this forest before we get lost." Cloud remarked. He started heading towards one direction. Yuffie rushed in front of him. She pointed in a different direction.

"This is where we came from." She demanded.

"No, it was this way." Red pointed in a different one.

"I thought it was this way." Vincent muttered as he pointed in a different direction. They all began to argue and shout at the same time. I glanced at Vivi and he glanced at me. I shrugged my shoulders.

"I'm hungry." He remarked.

"Me too." I remarked back.

"I wonder how we're going to eat."

"It a forest, we're bound to find something."

"I wonder if these mushrooms are eatable." Vivi picked up a bunch of mushrooms off the forest floor.

"Only one way to find out." I remarked.

"I'm not going to eat these, they might be poisonous."

"Then we'll starve."

"So either way we'll die." Vivi pointed out

"Yup but we have a better chance at survival."

"Okay." Vivi took a deep breath and took a bite out of the mushroom and chewed it slowly. He started gagging and coughing harshly then he fell to the ground.

"Vivi? Are you okay? Vivi? VIVI!"

"WOW, YOU GOT TO TRY THIS, IT'S GREAT! SO WONDERFUL! IT'S AWSOME!" Vivi leaped up and exclaimed.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"I'M BETTER THAN OKAY! THIS STUFF IS GREAT, YOU GOT TO TRY IT!" Vivi exclaimed.

"Oooooookay." I took the mushrooms from his hands and took a nibble out of it. It tasted awful; almost unbearable and gross. I closed my eyes in disgust. I quickly swallowed it but the aftertaste was surprisingly refreshing. It was nothing I have ever tasted. It was like there was a party in my mouth and everyone hated it at first but then started loving it. I felt a rush of sugar through my body. A grin broke out but I didn't know why I was smiling.

"WOW! This is good stuff. Oh man, I could eat these forever." I took another bite out of the mushrooms. Vivi grabbed it out of my hands.

"Hey, quit hogging all the mushrooms."

"Why don't you!" I shouted.

"You want to challenge ME?" He demanded.

"I think I do." I remarked. "Make sure you don't catch yourself on fire." I sneered.

"What the hell are you two doing?" Yuffie demanded.

"He so started it. I was all like, gimme and he was like, make me and I was all like okay and we were about to fight because we were bored and you guys were too busy fighting and and and, yeah!" I exclaimed. Cloud cocked an eyebrow.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"I'm better than okay but this, this, this phhhhh was cramping my style." I exasperated.

"You didn't eat the mushrooms, did you?" Red asked.

"Yeah, DON'T YOU TAKE THEM AWAY!" I screeched, shielding the mushrooms away from them.

"Oh crap." Red muttered under his breath.

"I have a very bad feeling about this." Vincent remarked.

"Emily, give me the mushrooms." Cloud ordered.

"You'll never take it away." I started to laugh like a manic. I let out a yawn in the middle of my crazy laugh then continued.

"Not if I can help it!" Vivi leaped on top of me and tried to grab my mushrooms but I kicked him away.

"Mine I tell you, all mine!" I screeched.

"Oh dear." Vincent muttered.

"We need to get out of here now before that spell falls on them." Red remarked.

"What spell?"

"This isn't a fairy tale you know." Yuffie remarked.

"I know but the mushrooms have a strange effect on whoever eats them."

"Obviously."

"The eater's emotion doubts, and is addicted to the mushrooms, and then they will fall asleep."

"Good." Cloud muttered. "Some peace and quiet."

"Eternal sleep." Red stressed.

"That's not good." Yuffie remarked.

"Yeah, so we got to get the mushrooms away from them and get out of the forest as fast as we can." Red explained.

"The fastest way out here is a straight line, so we should just go in one direction and we'll get out of here." Vincent pointed out, scientifically.

"Come on Vivi and Emily; let's get out of this crazy forest." Cloud ordered. I just sat there with mushrooms in my hand and Vivi trying to get it. We were arguing and I bit him in the arm and he punched me in the shoulder and I kicked him in the leg and he kicked me the in face. Hr grabbed the mushrooms but my fingers were still latched onto them. I pulled it my way and Vivi pulled to his way. Vincent pulled out his gun and shot the mushroom, blasting it to a billion different pieces. The pieces flew all over the forest floor. Vivi and I stared at Vincent and then at the mushrooms in speechless awe.

"The mushrooms." I muttered, ready to cry.

"Yeah, they are gone, now let's go!" Yuffie ordered.

"But the mushrooms." I muttered. Vivi was on the ground, trying to eat up all the little pieces. Vincent grabbed him and propped him over his shoulder. He was kicking and screaming but Vincent had a tight hold on him. I just stared at the wasted mushrooms all around me.

"Come on Emily." Cloud began to drag me away. I was ready to cry.

"But the mushrooms." I remarked. Cloud sighed heavily.

Vivi was kicking and screaming the whole way but eventually relaxed, unable to escape Vincent's grasp. I muttered to myself about the mushrooms. I couldn't think of anything else. I MUST HAVE MUSHROOMS or I'll go insane. It was driving me nuts.

"Can I have mushrooms?" I asked Cloud.

"No."

"Can I have mushrooms?"

"No."

"Can I have mushrooms?"

"No"

"Can I have mushrooms?"

"NO! Quit asking." He demanded. I thought about asking him again but that buster blade was in his reaching distance.

"Are we there yet?" I asked.

"Does it look like we're there?" Cloud remarked, agitated. I opened my mouth to say something but he stopped me.

"If you ask me another stupid question again, I will kill you." He threatened. Although I wanted some mushrooms, I shut up real quick. I was fidgeting with my fingers, trying not to think about mushrooms but that one taste was so incredible. I wanted more. All I wanted to do was to eat. Eat until I die happy from mushrooms. I couldn't stop jumping. I had so much energy. Cloud gave me this look, ready to kill me. I stopped and tried to contain my hyper ness. Vivi was getting antsy too. He began to fidget and wiggle on Vincent's shoulder but Vincent didn't release.

"Are we almost out yet?" Yuffie asked.

"I can't tell with all this mist around." Red tried to peer through the mist but couldn't.

I was hyper but I was tired. I let out a yawn. My body was becoming heavier and heavier with each step. Vivi was about to drop dead from sleep, literally. Vincent put him down.

"Come on, you got to stay away." Vincent pushed Vivi along to get him starting walking. I yawned again. Mushrooms were still on my mind. Vivi shuffled his feet, trying to stay away but it was almost impossible. I felt the mist drape over me, blanket me from the world. I could have fallen asleep right there but Cloud urged me to keep walking. Maybe I can fall asleep standing up…NO. Must stay awake. I pried my eyes open, straining to keep up.

"Carry me." I ordered Cloud, about to drop down into blissful sleep.

"No, keep going." He ordered, pushing me along. I groaned loudly, hoping he'll pity me but he didn't. He gave me a stern glare and I continued staring at the ground.

Vivi was about to fall asleep standing up but Vincent kept gently pushing him. I stopped and was about to fall asleep but Yuffie shoved me harshly. I felt into the dirt and embraced the warmth of the ground. I nestled in leaves. I hear someone scream but I wasn't paying attention. It sounded so distant. I felt something yank me off the ground but it didn't arose me from my near sleep. Something bit me hard in the arm, waking me up violently. I shot up and glanced at my hurting hand. Blood was oozing out of a bite mark. Red spat out the blood to the side of his mouth.

"It hurts!" I cried. Vincent inspected it.

"It'll be fine, just a little bite."

"But it hurts!" I cried louder.

"It'll keep you awake though." Cloud muttered.

We continue on. I was nursing my hand as I plotted a way to get back at Red. He made my hand bleed; now he will die. I glared and gave him nasty looks in his direction but he didn't seem to mind. I wish he did. I soon lost my anger and began to grow sleepy again. A pain would shoot through my hand every time I let it fall to my side. I continued cradling it. Vivi was worst. He ate the mushrooms first and he didn't have anything bleeding to keep him awake.

He tripped and fell but he didn't get back up. The others struggled to keep him awake but I think it was too late. I dropped to the ground and warmed myself between the leaves. My eyes flickered and closed. I hear someone screaming and something was nuzzling my body but I didn't realizing it. I was on the verge of eternal slumber. I tried to stay away but my eyelids were so heavy. I heard this sound. It was heavenly but at the same time, chilling. I felt the mist cover in fear at the sound. It was so beautiful. I forced myself to hear it before I slept. It was the sound of strings of a harp being plucked with a gentle hand. I snapped my head up and glanced around. I had to know where that sound was coming from. I glanced at the guys to see if they heard it too. Vivi was wide awake also, listening. Nobody said anything for the longest time. All wanted to hear the sound. The music stopped and the last note reverberated through the trees. The note stopped and I got a nauseating feeling in my stomach.

"I'm going to be sick." Vivi remarked, holding his stomach.

"Me too." I ran behind a tree where I vomited. I barely missed Auron who was only a few feet away. I vomited all the mushrooms in one messy slop. Vivi copied, curing us of the deadly mushrooms.

"I'm so glad that you missed." Auron remarked. Titus and Squall was behind him along with Zidane, holding a hand held harp in his arms.

"You're okay!" I hugged everyone there.

"You're alive!" Titus and Zidane exclaimed when they saw Cloud. Zidane went hysterical when he realized that Vivi was alive too. It was a joyous occasion. Everyone was so happy and bright although it was in the middle of the forest. I was so happy that everyone was alive and well although I was close to a fate worst than death. I was enjoying the laugher and the fun until Auron interrupted everything.

"We need to get out of here before night falls." Auron ordered.

"How? We have no direction on where to go." Yuffie pointed out.

"We have a map." Titus reveled a tattered old map.

"Where did you get that?" Yuffie demanded.

"We bought it off some woman." Zidane grinned. Yuffie became to curse very loudly.

"There is no use of wasting time, let's just keep going." Vincent remarked.

We continued walking and my feet were dying. I was walking all day without a moment's rest. I glanced up and I thought I saw a light at the end of the forest. It was light! We're almost out of this stupid forest.

"Hey Emily, I'll race ya." Titus challenged.

"Bring it on."

"I'll kick both your asses." Zidane joined.

"Please, you all suck." Yuffie joined.

"I'll guess I'll join." Vivi entered along with Squall. Vincent was about to say go but realizing my disadvantage, I assumed I should get a head start. I began to run at set. They all cursed as they realized I was a few feet ahead of them. They all rushed at me with incredible speed and fury. I screamed as I picked up my pace, drastically. I forced my body to go as fast as I could to avoid the very fast, furious people behind me.

"It's just a race." I screamed back at them but they seemed not to hear me. I knew Vivi wouldn't mind. He was too cute to mind. I ran as fast as my body would take me. I never did see that root. I tripped and landed flat on my face. I felt bodies pile on top of my body, crushing my organs.

"Get off her." Cloud ordered. They all eventually obeyed. As soon as the last body got off of me, I realized that I was outside of the forest. In the light!

"Yay!" I shouted as I danced off through the green grass. It was rolling green hills as far as I could see. Small flowers bloomed in unexpected places. I couldn't stop smiling. Bright rays of different shades hung in the sky as the sun began to sink down. A chilly breeze flew by and the cold began to set in. I shivered a little bit. I turned back and they were starting a small fire but quickly grew to a large one. We all stared around, telling tales of our adventure with each other. We laughed a few times and bask in the peacefulness. I slowly started to drift into sleep without any fear in my head.