Blood & Sympathy (FFVII: Vincent x OC)

Ch40 - The Next Step

The faint figures of bodies laid in the waves of that sea of Mako that surrounded whatever was left of Mideel. The team and the Highwind's crew had set off to help the injured people that were left in the half-destroyed town. The Hospital was left intact thankfully and all the doctors and nurses offered all the help that they could. Jocasta too put her knowledge to good use, patching up the wounded, casting her healing Materia that was going to make sure they were okay.

Yuffie, Cait Sith, and the Highwind's crew were scattered around the bunch of Mideel's townsfolk, handing them food and blankets and everything they'd need. Cid's orders of course. Cid, Barret, and Vincent had set off to look for Tifa and Cloud, and when Jocasta's senses spotted Barret's loud voice shouting out that they had found them, she immediately stopped what she was doing and she hurried towards them.

Vincent's hands reached for the buckles of his cloak, ready to take it off and jump into the Mako sea, but Cid's hand found his shoulder stopping him.

"It's alright, Vinnie, Barret and I can handle this," Cid said as he took off his boots.

"You're sure?" Vincent asked.

"Aye!" said the Captain, before he jumped into the sea with Barret following closely behind, and the two of them swam towards the familiar figures that floated in the green liquid. They dragged them out on the shore and Jocasta immediately casted her healing Materia, making sure that whatever Mako they had swallowed, wasn't enough to drown them. Tifa was the one to open her eyes first, and Yuffie knelt beside her immediately, grabbing her friend's hand.

"Hey! Teefs! You're alive! How're you feelin'!? Do you need something?! I could get ya a-" Yuffie bombarded her with questions worriedly, but she stopped once she felt Jocasta's hand on her shoulder.

"Yuffie, give her a moment," Jocasta said and the young girl sighed knowing that Jocasta was right.

"How're you feeling?" Jocasta asked as she knelt beside Tifa.

Tifa's attention immediately turned towards Cloud, who was still lying unconscious on the beach nearby. She had to make sure he was safe first, before saying or doing anything further.

"He's gonna be alright," Jocasta assured her and Tifa's gaze fell back at her.

"I know. H- he... he found himself," Tifa said vaguely before she laid her head back down on the sand and she closed her eyes tiredly, letting out a breath of relief.

The Highwind's crewmembers came and picked up Tifa and Cloud and carried them both back into their rooms in the ship. Cid's orders, again. They all knew that they couldn't wait any longer. They had already lost much time, and Meteor was reaching closer and closer each day. They all knew it was only a matter of time.

So, after the team helped Mideel's people for a little bit more, they headed back into the Highwind, where Jocasta tended on Cloud and Tifa, till they were both ready to explain what had happened.

It turned out; Cloud carried the memories of someone else's. He'd never made SOLDIER, but the memories he'd confused as his own, were one's that actually was a SOLDIER First Class. Zack Fair. His friend. As if he was somehow into an illusion, all he could see was himself in Zack's place during the Nibelheim incident. Cloud had gathered his team in the bridge of the Highwind, and explained his story in utter disappointment in himself.

"Pretty damn strong for an illusion, I'd say," Barret said.

Jocasta sighed "It's not impossible considering Hojo took you and infused you with JENOVA cells and Mako..." her hand found her chin as she thought about it for a moment "...considering JENOVA's keen into messing with the people's minds, fusing your memory with somebody else's, it makes sense,"