A New Beginning: A Final Fantasy VII Fanfiction

Chapter 6 - The Gold Saucer's Only Resident. (Player: Cait Sith)

During the meteor incident of 2007, everyone who worked at the Gold Saucer left in fear. They all took residence in Costa Del Sol, in turn forgetting about the Gold Saucer. After the meteor was destroyed, everyone stayed at Costa Del Sol. Cait Sith returned shortly after the meteor incident, to find no one there. He then stayed there, shut down in the Battle Square, with the Gold Saucer falling into ruin. Two years later, the Gold Saucer was in a state of total disrepair, with the entire Round Square completely destroyed, and the whole place rusty. It was around this time that the Highwind showed up.

"Jeez Louise," Yuffie said. "What the hell happened here?"

"Well, if I had to guess," Aerith said. "This place probably went into disrepair after no one coming here for two years."

"Does this mean no Cait Sith?" Tifa said, nervously.

"Well, let's go find out." Cid said with the most enthusiasm out of anyone on the Highwind.

"Problem with that," Cloud said. "The only place to park would be the entrance, but that's way too small for the Highwind."

"You sure about that, Cloud?" Vincent said. "Last time I checked, that wasn't the only way in. Wasn't there a small train thing you could ride up?"

"Assuming it still works after two years with no one operating it." Cloud said. "Plus we'd have to leave the Highwind just outside of North Corel."

That name stuck to Tifa like glue. Corel. Barret's hometown.

"I don't see anything wrong with that," Tifa objected. "Plus, Barret might be there."

"Barret?" Aerith said. "Wouldn't he be in the Corel Prison Area?

"Maybe, worth a shot though." Cid said. "Alright everyone. We're going through North Corel. Captain's Orders!"

Cloud groaned as everyone cheered. Cid parked the Highwind just outside of North Corel and everyone followed Cloud into the run-down town. North Corel was as empty as it was 2 years ago. Everyone started asking around for Barret, except Cloud, who just stood against the train that ran through there. As Cloud was leaning against the train with his eyes closed, he heard footsteps and a shadow appeared over him. He opened his eyes and jumped. It was Barret staring Cloud down.

"Cloud?" Barret said, confused. "What the hell're you doin' here?"

"Nice to see you again too, Barret." Cloud said, sarcastically.

"Where's everyone else?" Barret asked.

"Looking for you, but I guess I was lucky enough to find you." Cloud said, his sarcasm levels going through the god damn roof.

"Hey, Cloud!" Aerith said. "How's it going trying to find... Barret..."

Now Barret and Aerith were staring right at each other. Barret was confused as hell.

"What the..." Barret said. "Aerith?! How the hell... wh... WHAT?!"

"It's a long story." Cloud said. "Too long for your attention span of 3 seconds..."

"Cloud..." Aerith said, staring him down.

"I don't give a damn how long it is!" Barret shouted. "I wanna know, damnit!"

"Ok, fine. I'll tell you the short version. Basically, Vincent was at the Forgotten Capital, fell down a hole, found a locked door, opened it somehow, and found Aerith there, alive, but chained to the wall." Cloud explained as Tifa, Vincent, Yuffie, and Cid walked over, excited to see Barret again. Everyone greeted Barret, then Cloud explained the plan of going to the Gold Saucer.

"Well," Barret said. "We all could do that, if there was someone to operate the tram. I do know someone here who can."

"That's great!" Tifa exclaimed. "Who is it?"

Barret smiled and looked at Cloud.

"Why are you staring at me?" Cloud snapped.

"I have an idea!" Barret exclaimed. "Cloud uses the button to move the tram, and I hold the door open so Cloud can jump in! What do you say, Cloud?"

"No." Cloud replied.

"Well you're doin' it anyways!" Barret retorted.

And before Cloud knew it, he was being pushed by Barret towards the area where he would be involuntarily thrown into an action movie.

"Alright!" Barret said. "We're all in the tram. Push the button Cloud!"

Cloud sighed and pushed the button, then ran as fast as possible to the tram, where Barret held the door open, and Cloud was pulled in by Aerith, Tifa, Yuffie, Cid, and Vincent. Then they were off to the Gold Saucer.

The Gold Saucer was in absolute disrepair, with the tram barely making it up. Once they got out, everyone gasped. It was all rusty, decayed, and decrepit. Reluctantly, Cloud led the way through the decrepit Gold Saucer. First they went to the Speed Square, then the Chocobo Square, and then the Round Square, just barely stopping short of the drop off section where the entire Round Square fell off. Then they went to the Event Square, the Wonder Square, the Ghost Square, and then finally, the Battle Square. They went up to the Battle area, and found Cait Sith hibernating there. Cloud booted him up, and Cait Sith was awake.

"What the... Cloud?" Cait Sith said, confused.

"Hey Cait," Cloud said. "Geez, this place is a dump now, isn't it?"

"Wait, WHAT?!" Cait Sith shouted, confused. "What do you mean, dump?"

"It's really hard to explain." Aerith jumped in and said.

"WHAT?! AERITH?! HOW?! WHAT?!" Cait Sith shouted, very confused.

"Do y'all have to explain that story every time you meet an old member of AVALANCHE?" Barret questioned.

"Yes." Vincent replied. "It gets very tiresome."

"Look, Cait, calm the hell down." Cloud said. "First, let us show you the decrepit state the Gold Saucer is in, then we'll tell you the story of how Aerith is alive."

"Ok." Cait Sith said after calming down.

The party went through the Gold Saucer, showing Cait Sith the whole place, making sure he didn't fall off the destroyed Round Square, and then back to the entrance, where Cloud explained the whole story, with Vincent there to vouch for him. Cait Sith was shocked, but immediately set his sights on the party.

"1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. There's only 8 of us. We're missing someone. I wonder who it is?" Cait Sith said as the rest of the party started thinking.

"We had 9, last I remembered." Aerith pondered.

"Wait a minute," Cloud said. "Aerith, wasn't that remaining AVALANCHE member going to be experimented on with you when Tseng took you to Hojo?"

"Yeah," Aerith replied. "I just can't remember their name..."

"Wasn't it a red lion thing with the number XIII carved into it's flesh?" Cait Sith asked.

"Hold up." Cid said. "A Red Lion, with the number XIII... Red Lion, XIII... Damn! I can't get anything."

"Guys!" Barret exclaimed. "I know who we're missing! It was either Cobalt XIV, Indigo XV, or Red XIII."

"Red XIII!" Yuffie shouted. "That's who we're missing! Red XIII!"

Everyone was happy that they finally remembered the last member of AVALANCHE, so they went on the tram back to North Corel, got on the Highwind, and took off for Cosmo Canyon, the hometown of Red XIII.