Violet Shadows (FFVII)

VII) Ice Cold

Yuffie's teeth chatter audibly, the bitter cold air that brushes the cave nipping at her bare skin. I hardly feel the cold, ignoring everyone's complaints. Cloud meets my eyes as I speak.

"He said through the snowfields?"

"Yeah," he nods, looking around. "I wish it wasn't so dark."

"I can see a ladder." I point ahead of us and he sighs.

"I know. I just.... It doesn't feel to be moving so fast." It's odd for the two of us to speak more than a few words to each other, but it's not like there's anyone else to talk to. Vincent hasn't said a word since he uttered something about me honoring Aeris like I should be honoring my sister.

"It's fine." I offer a small smile. "I'm sure she'd understand. We can't let Sephiroth get away with the Black Materia." He nods.

"Be prepared for an attack," he calls over his shoulder before continuing. Yuffie shivers, huddling closer to Tifa. Barret casts a hesitant look my way before following the girls with Cid and Cait Sith hot on heels. I look at Nanaki and nod for him to follow me, leaving Vincent to himself. He'd rather brood over Lucrecia and compare her to a perfectly wonderful young woman by himself.

"This place is c-cold," Tifa says.

"I kn-know," Yuffie hisses, her lips blue.

"Hurry up," Cid urges. "The sooner we get into the sunlight the better, hm?"

"D-does that k-keep you warm?" Yuffie asks, gesturing to his cigarette.

"Yer not borrowin' it."

"Sh-shoot. Worth a sh-shot."

We reach the ladder, craning our necks back to look all the way up the rusty rungs that disappear into the darkness of the cold cave. I feel goosebumps raise across my body, a shudder rippling down my spine. Maybe it really is cold in here.

"I d-don't think this will supp-pp-pport much weight," Tifa stutters, turning her kind eyes on Cloud.

"Yuffie?" Cloud looks at the ninja expectantly, his silent message clear. The lightest member of our ranks should check it out first.

"N-no way!" Yuffie cries, a particularly heavy shiver rattling her bones. "Send Violet!"

"Have you seen Violet?" Barret demands, stomping his boots on the ground to kick off chunks of dirt. "She's skinny but she's twelve feet taller than you."

"It's fine," I cut in, meeting Cloud's grateful gaze. My voice is incredibly gentle, shocking even me. Vincent's eyes meet mine over Tifa's head, empty, cold. I tear my eyes away from the stare and reach for the ladder.

"Be careful, ya hear?" Cid warns me. The implications of his words are dark enough to stop everyone cold in their tracks. We can't take losing another member. Not today. My blood runs cold. Not even me? Taking a deep breath, I reach up toward the freezing rungs and pull myself up, up, up. My boots grip the metal below as I go, my legs pushing me up as my numb fingers hold me steady. I can't even see Avalanche anymore when Tifa's voice reaches me.

"Violet? How is it?"

"It's strong enough," I call down, looking around at the bland, iced walls of the cave that surround me. "But Barret should go last, just to be safe. I'm not sure how much higher it goes." My legs burn as I hurry up higher. In my haste, my toes miss the next rung, a sharp squeak echoing through the cavern as both my legs fly out from under me. A yelp of surprise escapes my lips, my heart pounding as I dangle, gathering my bearings.