Across the Divide and Through Valhalla

Talk With Noel

Chapter 16

Noel looked shocked, but both Cloud and Genesis spoke up. Since they were talking over one another, she had a hard time hearing them, but she got the gist of what they were saying and held up a hand to stop them. She gave them both a pointed look. "First of all, most of you would draw too much attention in public. Not only are you eye-catching, but the way you are dressed would likely cause problems. We can address that if you end up being stuck here for more than a couple of days, but for now, please don't push to go with me. Besides-"

She cut herself off at that point, but Sephiroth gave her a knowing look when he spoke. "You want to speak to him while you are out."

She noticed it was not a question, but she nodded anyway. She hesitated to say anything, but she knew she had to give her purpose for choosing Noel first to satisfy them. Or at least part of it. "I have reason to believe it will be important that I speak to you in a specific order. I think that either Noel or Cloud should be first, but-" She looked at Cloud with a raised brow before she continued. "Out of those two, Noel would be less likely to stand out if he goes with me."

Cloud gave her a confused look, but it was Genesis that spoke up with a sneer. "You expect the rest of us to simply languish here while you are gone?"

She snorted at his dramatization before she pointed down the hall. "If you are bored, I have a large selection of books. I am sure you can find something to keep you occupied. All I ask is that you don't touch anything else in my office, please."

He raised a brow at her. "How can you presume to know what I might be interested in?"

She nearly rolled her eyes, but she did shake her head. "It is also a wide variety. Just look. You can yell at me later if you don't find anything." She then turned back to Noel. "Now, if we plan to eat any time today, we need to get going. Will you be coming?" His look was solemn when he nodded. She didn't say anything else before she grabbed her keys.

It wasn't until they were several minutes down the road that Noel finally spoke. "You are afraid that when the timeline changes that there will be nothing to keep the paradoxes from collapsing the timelines and best case, I will cease to exist. Right?"

She had been shocked from her thoughts when he spoke, but only gave him a grim look and a nod. "That is a very succinct summary. I still don't understand everything that I was shown, but in your case, especially, I can't tell if you will even be born in the changed timeline. Caius, the Caius you know, created so many paradoxes that led up to the destruction of Cocoon. If it isn't destroyed, I can't say what the future in your time would be like. I'm certain that it won't be as bleak, but there is no guarantee."

Noel nodded and looked out the window. It was several more minutes before he finally turned back to her. "I can't say I'm not scared of the thought of ceasing to exist, but if it means the people I love get to have a better future, how can I complain."

By that point, they had arrived. It wasn't until after they got a shopping cart and were walking down a lonely aisle that she finally responded. "Noel, I'm not surprised that you figured it out already, but there are probably a few things you should know. I'm not sure if it will make it better or not, but there is no reason for you not to know what the possibilities are."

He was looking around with curiosity when she spoke, but his face was serious when he looked back. "I already know enough to have realized that if I do live, I will never know Caius. He was never meant to be in my time."

She gave him a nod, but her expression turned sad. "You won't know Yeul, either. They were both 'blessed' by Etro. Yeul was cursed to live over and over, a new person and personality every time. If Caius never receives eternal life, then Yeul will not be cursed either. There may or may not be a Seeress, but if there is, it won't be her."

Noel stopped in the middle of the aisle and looked at her in shock. It quickly faded as he caught up to her. He was wearing a frown, though. "I hadn't realized that, but it makes sense. I still can't say that it wouldn't be for the better. Humanity wouldn't be dying out, right?"

She wished she had definitive answers for him. She knew thinking about it had to be tearing him up, but she also knew he would be alone otherwise. He had initially set out on his journey because all of humanity was gone. Despite how she was torn up at the thought of him losing what he knew, she also knew it would give humanity a chance on Pulse. She put her hand on his arm to try and soften what she was about to say. "I can only guess that would be the outcome. I can't see the future, but I don't see why Etro would have instigated this otherwise. And I am sure she had a hand in it since both you and Caius are here."

He gave her a nod before he started looking around absently again. She knew he now had a lot to think about, even if they would have little control once she talked to Caius. No matter how things turned out, it all hinged on whether the Guardian was willing to believe or not. They cleared a few more rows before Sherry remembered something else that might make a difference. She knew it would hurt Noel, but he deserved to know what would happen if nothing changed.

She softly called out to him to pull him from his thoughts. "Noel, there is one other thing to think about as well. If Caius lives and dies a normal life, then Etro will have no reason to pull Lightning. Cocoon wouldn't be as affected by his life, I don't think, so their journey is likely to still happen. I can't be sure, but if they do, then the people from Cocoon will probably be the progenitors of the remaining humanity on Pulse."

His look turned contemplative, but he finally nodded. "You're probably right. At least Sarah and Lightning will be together when it's all over."

Sherry closed her eyes and took a deep breath before she spoke. She didn't want to say what she was about to, but Noel needed to know. "There is one other thing. If... look, I don't want to hurt you but, if you keep going, if you defeat Caius, Sarah will die. She is a Seeress. Every change she sees will force her down the same path as Yeul. You can't stop it unless the changes never have to be made in the first place."

Noel stopped still, and when Sherry looked to him, she could see the pain clearly in his eyes. His voice was choked when he denied her. "That can't be!"

She stopped with him and could feel tears in her own eyes. At that moment, she didn't care if anyone walked down the aisle and saw them, she couldn't stand doing nothing. She quickly wrapped him in a tight hug. She didn't think about the fact that they were still strangers for all intents and purposes. All she knew was that he was hurting, and she couldn't stand the sight of it.

It was several moments before he wrapped her in a crushing hug. She could hear him trying to fight to get his breathing back under control. Neither of them noticed that several people started down that row, only to turn around at the sight of them. One old woman even blushed at the sight before she decided to look for something else.

After several minutes, Noel finally released her and stepped back. She could tell he was still hurting, but he had control again. She could also tell he understood, and his words confirmed it. "The Eyes of Etro."

He didn't need to say anything else. She nodded. "Yes, and Sarah knew it would happen. I don't know if it had happened yet before you were brought here, but you two got separated after a confrontation with Caius. He told her then what would happen if she continued, and she made the choice knowing the probability of it."

She could see the pain flare in his eyes, but she also saw understanding and determination. His voice no longer waivered when he spoke. "We can't let that happen. I will do whatever I can to help you prevent it."

Sherry couldn't make her voice work, so she squeezed his hand and gave him a nod. She wasn't certain if she was angrier that he had to live through this, or relieved that he was willing to help, knowing the possibilities. Either way, she could feel her heart breaking for him as they finally made their way to finish what they started.