Blood & Sympathy (FFVII: Vincent x OC)

Ch14 - The Keystone

Cid and Vincent came back shortly, with a few cases filled with tools and a few bags filled with spare parts that he was probably gonna use to repair the engine. Vincent and Shera helped him carry the stuff. They placed them by the sand near the destroyed airplane and Vincent let Cid and Shera do the work, fending away.

Barret, Red, Tifa, Yuffie, and Cloud had set off to find some wood for a campfire whilst Jocasta agreed to take care of Aerith, sitting on an abandoned bark of a tree. Jocasta remained silent as she watched Cid cursing and pulling together the parts with Shera beside him handing him tools. Vincent was staring at the sunset, probably brooding over some long-lost memory.

The sky was filled with only a few clouds. The dusk's orange merged with the sky's blue creating a magnificent purple color that touched the clouds. It was peaceful if you chose to ignore Cid's cursing.

"Where are the others?" Vincent's voice came, and she snapped her eyes up at him.

"Gathering wood for the campfire," Jocasta answered briefly.

Vincent let out a hum of acknowledgment and he turned around to check on Cid and Shera

Jocasta gave Aerith a look. The girl seemed lost in thought. It was unlikely for her to be quiet like that, at least that's what Cloud told her worriedly before they went in search of wood. Jocasta knew the situation was complicated. Only a Cetra could defeat Sephiroth. Jocasta looked at her hands. A monster she had failed to stop the creation of. Another boy she'd failed to save.

"So, you're Jocasta Ernchester," Aerith spoke.

Jocasta sighed. "Yeah,"

"My mom told me about you. You tried to save us," Aerith said.

Jocasta shook her head "No... I failed you. I failed you both..." she could feel tears gathering up in her eyes as she remembered what happened "...I tried to keep him distracted as long as I could..." she was talking about Hojo, of course. Every fault of the world's current state narrowed over that cursed scientist.

She'd given him all she had discovered on the JENOVA Project. Her entire life's work. She did anything she could to keep his mind off the Ancient, her husband, and their newborn child. She tried to give them their freedom for as long as possible. But it all went in vain. Hojo had Turks following Dr. Gast's footsteps ever since the beginning.

Aerith chuckled, as she lifted her face up and looked at Jocasta. She gave her a bright smile "You did all you could. That's what matters,"

"But-"

"All is forgiven," Aerith said.

Jocasta looked at the young girl's smile for a brief moment, before her gaze drifted back on the sand that surrounded her boots. She sighed again. How could the very person she'd wronged, forgive her so easily? Just like that. All is forgiven. And it sounded like she meant it. It was my fault her mother died yet she forgave her easier than she could ever forgive herself.

Then the others arrived, setting up a fire. Jocasta and Vincent helped them out to set up camp. Two tents weren't enough to house nine people. Jocasta and Vincent agreed to sleep outside and keep watch in shifts.

Jocasta had sat down on the soft sand, her back against the fallen tree trunk. Her head rolled back as she stared at the endless sky that spread vastly above her. The stars, countless, shiny dots that spread who knows how far away. Some of them were planets, some others even galaxies, and others just stars. The moon stood half and large in the middle. The lights reflected perfectly on the sea's calm waters. The sound of waves gently hugging the shore soothed her nerves and made her close her eyes for just a mere second.