==============================================================

Last time: Aeris is revived by a stranger who wishes to apprehend a
fugitive from justice. She and her new acquaintance meet the others at
Midgar whilst it is under attack. Afterwards, the whole party evacuates for
Kalm.

==============================================================
==============================================================

EPISODE TWO: Reunion

==============================================================
==============================================================


All clear everyone!
    Wait! This may just be the eye of the hurricane!
Relax. Can't you see how eerily calm it is?

    -- The Simpson's


==============================================================


    "Wow," Tifa sat in the darkness of the chocobo drawn wagon, "If he is
as old as says he is, then I've gotta learn how he keeps looking so
young!!"
    "Tifa!" Aeris giggled at her friend's reaction to her story.
    "What do you think he's going to do?" Tifa said glancing at the two men
locked in a quiet and grueling question and answer session.
    "Greylorn?" Aeris shrugged, "I don't know. Catch the man I suppose."
    "Do you think he'll try to ask us to help him?" Tifa's voice soft.
    "I - I wouldn't know. Why the worry?"
    Tifa caught herself and gave her a muted reply, "Oh, you know. I mean
with what he said about those things we fought. And that criminal of his.
It's kind of -- unnerving."
    "Yeah," Aeris saw through Tifa immediately, "I guess so."
    She's worried about him. About what might happen if Cloud decided to
risk himself for another cause.
    So, stop getting in their way, Aeris told herself as the wagon bumped
and clattered somewhere in the midst of chocobo powered vehicles. In her
mind, the image of a thousand wagons grouped together was rivalled only by
the hundreds of white specks that rained down on Midgar as the convoy
departed. There were no loud explosions or sudden flashes of light, but
Aeris couldn't help but feel an certain dread as the city she had called
home for so long disappeared from the horizon.
    "There is something about that man I highly dislike," Red's voice
wrenched her from her thoughts.
    "I know," Aeris said wearily, "He's pretty rude."
    "And pushy," Tifa added.
    "And a complete asshole," Cloud sat down beside Tifa and buried his
face in his hands.
    "Is he gone?" Aeris asked softly.
    "Yeah, took off to 'analyze the situation'," Cloud's fingers mimed
quotation marks.
    "So, he's through with you tiger?" she punched him playfully.
    Tiger? Aeris blinked. Another nickname? She chewed her lip.
    "Yeah," Cloud groaned and turned towards her, "How can you stand
him?"
    Aeris saw something in his eyes.
    Jealousy? She wasn't quite sure.
    "I don't. It's just that I can learn a lot from him, y'know?"
    "One can learn a lot from the scholars at the Canyon," Red intoned,
"And one does not have to bear witness to their arrogance."
    "Yeah," Aeris said, "but he knew my ancestors, Nanaki. Can Bugenhagen
say that?"
    Tifa gasped as Cloud looked away.
    "Grandfather," Red said slowly, "returned to the Planet while you were
gone."
    "Oh, I'm sorry! I --"
    "It's all right," the warrior shrugged, "You couldn't have known."
    But I should, Aeris thought. Why didn't I?
    I should have been able to hear him from Planet, she thought.
    "So, what'd he want to know?" Tifa changed the subject.
    "Just everything about Sephiroth, " Cloud paused, "The one we fought in
the Crater."
    "And?"
    "It gets personal after that," Cloud said his eyes downcast.
    Aeris knew why. Greylorn had torn through his lies. She could only
guess what Cloud didn't want the other man to know.
    "Huh?" Tifa stroked his neck, "C'mon, you can tell us. You're among
friends."
    "Tifa, maybe he shouldn't," Aeris said quietly.
    "Oh, don't worry. He's just a little shy," Tifa goaded him like a
mother would to get her child to speak up, "C'mon tiger."
    "Sorry everyone. Sorry Tiff, I won't," he shut his eyes and leaned
back.
    "Fine," Tifa huffed and lay down on the bench.
    The healer watched the couple drift off to sleep.
    "If it helps, you can talk with me."
    "About what?" Aeris asked innocently.
    "Tifa was right," Red licked his paws, "You are among friends. However,
there is obviously something more to that here."
    "You're talking about Tifa and Cloud," she said flatly.
    "I'm talking about you and Cloud," he heard her sharp intake of breath,
"and the feelings you must have right now."
    "It's over," she said quietly, "She loves him. And he, her."
    "Does he?"
    Aeris looked at him confused, "What do you mean?"
    "I am not sure if Tifa knows," Red lowered his voice until she could
barely hear him, "but he still thinks of you."
    "How can you be sure?" Aeris wiped her eyes.
    "Your scent," the quadruped said softly.
    "My scent?" she asked stilled perplexed.
    "He still has it," his nostrils twitched briefly, "Somewhere on him is
your scent. I'm sure of it."
    "I don't get it."
    "My nose, is more sensitive than humans. Everyone has a scent," he
explained, "He probably has something of yours. That is the most logical
source of it."
    "Cloud?" she asked in disbelief.
    "Yes," Red yawned and drifted off to sleep.
    My scent, she thought. Of course.
    Oh Cloud. Did you take my ribbon?
    Why did you?
    To torture yourself? Or to remember me?
    Aeris looked at her sleeping friend.
    Poor Tifa. Do you know?

   **********************************************************************

    Cloud jerked awake in cold sweat.
    He dreamt of it again.
    The Ancient City.
    He shuddered uncontrollably.
    Sephiroth.
    He spat.
    And --- Aeris.
    Still dark, he thought as his sky blue eyes cast about.
    Cloud shuddered as the wagon bumped along the ground. Tifa was snoring
quietly beside him, oblivious to his misery. He glanced at her bare
midriff. Even in the dim light, he could make out the smoothness of her
tummy. Whatever wound she suffered had been absolutely cured.
    Was it all an illusion?
    His eyes fell on the peaceful figure reposed before him.
    "Aeris," he felt his heart leap to his throat.
    So it was real, not some fever induced crap he had made up. Cloud
reached under his shoulder guard and touched his memento. He could throw
it away now, but it seemed such a waste.
    Aeris, tell me. His fingers brushed the ribbon lightly as he gazed
at her with longing.
    Tell me what to do now.

   **********************************************************************

    Aeris yawned and stretched out lazily on the bed. They finally arrived
at Kalm at the middle of the night. Reeve had negotiated some sort of
agreement with the city council for food and water in exchange for a hefty
sum of Gil and some of the remaining Shinra motor vehicles.
    A small price to pay for some peace and quiet, she thought.
    Everyone had drawn lots to see who would get rooms at the local inns.
Tifa, Cloud, her, and several others had gotten lucky enough to get them.
Aeris rolled onto her stomach and toyed with her dishevelled hair. She was
so adamant on getting here to town earlier, but now she wasn't so sure.
    She didn't know what to say.
    Hi mom, I'm back from the dead?
    The young woman pursed her lips and shook her head.
    No matter how many times she ran it through her mind, she couldn't form
the appropriate words.
    Giggles came from the next room followed by a peal of laughter. She
soured and plugged her ears even though she promised herself she would be
happy for them.
    So why aren't you?
    Their muted voices sifted through the walls as she heard creaking.
Aeris closed her eyes and tried to squeeze the thought out of her mind, but
she could not. The creaking didn't cease as she lay there and counted slowly
from one to a hundred.
    Aeris gave up after she topped three hundred.
    In Planet's name, she wondered, how long has it been?
    She dug her fingers into her ears and tried to shut out the sound to
no avail. The young woman shut her eyes and curled into a ball. Tears
brimmed in her eyes as her hand slid slowly between her legs.
    It's wrong --- but --- but ---
    She pushed the doubts from her mind as she began to move
her fingers in a rhythmic pace.
    This will be the closest I'll ever know you, she thought sadly. Always
within arm's reach, but never to be touched.
    "Oh Cloud," she whispered, "Hurry! Please hurry. I can't -- I can't
--!"
    She bit her lip as the bedsprings next door began to creak in ever
shorter squeaks. Aeris shut her eyes as a short cry of pleasure came from
past the wall. The silence crept back quickly as she muffled her own sobs.
    Her eyes opened to a rosy tinge.
    I must've fell asleep.
    She sat up and rubbed her eyes.
    What time is it?
    Eerie alien buzzing was coming from the hallway. She had never heard
that sound made by anything before -- not even by Planet. And it filled her
soul with a feeling of unnatural dread and loathing.
    ". . . I care not what rubbish they concoct in their chamber. Out here,
you speak to me."
    "Greylorn?" she whispered.
    More buzzing responded to his words.
    "That is my problem and it concerns you not."
    I'd better see what's going on, Aeris got up and opened the door a
crack. It was dim from the lights, but she could see Greylorn standing in
the darkness of the hallway, gesturing with his hands. The buzzing arose
again. It sounded even more inhuman than before as she tried to suppress
the urge to cry out in fear.
    "We all suffer, dream slayer," the man paused, "It is only a matter
of scope -- and intensity."
    The buzzing died down and the silence thankfully returned. Greylorn
stood unmoved. Relieved the sounds were no more, she began to shut the door
when it was suddenly yanked open.
    "What did you see?!" he grabbed her by the wrist.
    "Nothing!" her eyes wide with fear as she tried to back away.
    "Liar," his voice was cold with fury.
    "Please," she begged, "I -- I just saw you talking in the darkness.
That's all I swear!"
    Aeris sighed with relief as he released her.
    "Wh-what happened?" her voice full of fear, "Are they going to attack
again?"
    "No. They are crippled and are resorting to other methods," his face
soured, "They came to bargain with me."
    "What did they want?" she rubbed her wrists.
    Aeris gasped as he grabbed her again, but she breathed easier as he saw
a blue glow surround him. The swelling and the redness receded from her
wrists.
    "You should learn to use it on yourself."
    "Thank you," she said softly, "I thought you said you didn't care."
    "I do not."
    "Now who's the liar?" she whispered.
    He let her hands fall without answering.
    "What did they want?" she looked at him.
    "Something I cannot give them," he said quietly.
    "What? What couldn't you give them?"
    Greylorn turned around.
    "What couldn't you give them?" she repeated.
    He strode silently towards his room.
    "It's not healthy to keep things to yourself," she whispered softly.
    "Ironic that you do," he turned, his eerie blue gaze pierced her soul.
    "What do you mean?" she looked at him suspiciously.
    Greylorn mouthed a single word, a name.
    Aeris flushed and formed fists, "That's none of your business!"
    "My sentiment exactly," he shut his door.

   **********************************************************************

    "Okay, I'm ready," Aeris took one last look at the mirror before she
turned around, "What do you think?"
    "You look great," Tifa hugged her friend, "Now come on."
    Downstairs, they found Cloud and Red XIII were ready to greet them.
    "Cloud? Nanaki?" Aeris asked surprised.
    "Sorry the others can't make it," Cloud started.
    "We are ready," the red skinned warrior bared his teeth.
    "Guys, this is private," Tifa remonstrated them.
    "It's okay Tifa," Aeris smiled, "They can come along."
    The four of them walked the cobblestone streets in silence.
    "Here it is," Aeris glanced at the slip of paper Reeve had provided,
"Eleven Strasse-burg."
    "No one seems to be home," Tifa tiptoeing to peek into the window.
    "Tiff," Cloud pulled her away, "Control yourself."
    "Oh, right," she blushed and squeezed his hands, "Sorry."
    Aeris closed her eyes and ears from the sight.
    How can they make it any more obvious?
    "Someone's coming this way," Red perked his ears up.
    Everyone turned towards the direction he pointed.
    ". . . well, that quite nice dear," a woman's voice chirped, "Here's
something for you."
    "Mom," Aeris whispered.
    "And whadda ya say?" a gruff voice cut in.
    "Barret?" Cloud arched his brow.
    "Than geww!!"
    "Marlene!!" Tifa couldn't contain herself.
    "Teefwa! Fower gurwl!!" Marlene jumped and pointed in excitement.
    Elmyra froze in her tracks.
    "Hi mom."
    "Aeris?" she whispered unbelieving.
    "Miss me?" Aeris smiled as tears formed in her eyes.
    "AERIS!!" Elmyra ran and smothered her daughter with hugs and kisses,
"Oh my baby! My precious baby!" she wept, "I - I - I missed you!! I missed
you so much!"
    "I missed you too," Aeris cried.
    "Barret!" Tifa hugged the big man, "How've you been?"
    "Jez on my way from Market when I saw a buncho waggins parked 'side
town. Now, what's all 'dis 'bout?"
    "Great news. It's Aeris," Tifa nodded to the two embracing women,
"She's back!!"
    "Impossible," Barret blinked and scratched his forehead with his good
arm.
    "Yeah, heckuva surprise huh?"
    "Tiff," Cloud snapped, "Dammit ---"
    "Tiger, what's the matter with you?" Tifa made a face at him before she
bent down and smiled, "Hello Marlene."
    "Huwwo Teefwa," her chubby cheeks full of food.
    "Wanna say 'hi' to Cloud?" she asked her.
    Marlene was nibbling a piece of pastry and was too busy to be bothered
with anything else. Cloud slipped away while Tifa preoccupied herself with
the child.
    Red saw him leave and suspected it was out of shame.
    How many nights has it been since Elmyra learned from Barret of her
step-daughter's demise? How many times did she weep? Red XIII didn't know,
nor did care to find out. He wept too, when Grandfather died. But to lose a
child. It was something he hoped he'd never have the chance to experience.
    "Aeris, Aeris, I thought you were dead," Elmyra wiped her daughter's
eyes then her nose, "Mr. Wallace here, he said --"
    "She was not well," an icy voice rang out.
    "Who 'da heck are you?" Barret glared stonily at the newcomer.
    The intruder ignored his remark and continued, "Your daughter was
rendered unconscious and no more."
    "Whaddaya mean ya --"
    Red quietly nipped Barret's pants.
    "Hey!! Watchadoin --?"
    "Mister Wallace was apparently ignorant of her condition," the
stranger's eyes made Elmyra's hair stand on end, but she was inclined to
hear him out, "You must understand madam, in times like these, reports of
missing persons are often spotty and erroneous."
    "You mean Aeris?" Elmyra looked confused, "But I thought --"
    He silenced her with a gloved hand, "The man was not in the best
position to pass judgement on what happened."
    "Oh," Elmyra visibly calmed as she eagerly swallowed his lies, "I see.
And I suppose you were?"
    The man nodded.
    "Who are you?"
    "A good samaritan."
    "Unlikely," Red XIII muttered under his breath, but he saw the wisdom
in shrouding the truth.
    "He's Greylorn," Aeris chipped in, "He ah, found me and um --" Ripped
off my clothes and lived in the same room with me for two days.
    She cringed at the thought. Even though nothing had happened, Mom would
probably faint, or worse.
    "I took her to a local medical facility. I apologize for the lateness
of her return."
    Aeris let out a sigh of relief.
    "Oh! That's all right," Elmyra smiled and shook his hand vigorously, "I
must thank you um, Greylorn. If there's anything I can --"
    "Yes, there is."
    She blinked at the immediacy of his response.
    "I require a place for," he tapped his forehead, "field repairs. The
inn has been less than accommodating to my demands about the equipment
damaged by the gaunts."
    "'Gaunts'? That's what you call those things?" Red XIII chimed in.
    Greylorn dipped his head slightly towards his direction in
acknowledgment before facing Elmyra again, "You will be compensated for
your troubles."
    "That won't be necessary," Elmyra said, "I've already got something
beyond all my wildest wishes!"
    "Mo-om please!" Aeris tried to squirm out of her iron claw grip.
    "Very well," Greylorn paused, "Thank you again for your generosity. I
have matters to attend to. By your leave."
    "A good man," Elmyra remarked as he marched off.
    "Yeah, I guess so," Aeris was quiet.
    "Hey I know! Let's all go out on the town, together," Tifa chimed in,
"Sound good, tiger?"
    No response.
    "Tiger?" she craned her head and searched for Cloud. He was no where
to be seen. "Did anyone see him go?"
    Everyone shook their heads, including Red.
    "Hmm," Tifa pursed her lips, "That's strange."
    "Well if you see him, tell him he's welcome to attend Aeris' birthday
tonight," Elmyra chimed in, "and that other fellow, too."
    "Birthday?" Aeris blinked.
    "Why yes, dear," the older woman brushed some stray strands of hair
from Aeris' face, "It's day seven of the second month."
    "It is already?" the young woman blinked.
    Elmyra sighed, "Aeris I'd bet your head would roll right off unless it
was screwed on."
    "'Dis calls for a cel'bration!" Barret scooped Marlene up from the
ground.
    "Is there gonna be cake!?" Yuffie chirped.
    "Of course, I'll see what the shops still have," Elmyra wiped her eyes,
"With all the new arrivals, I hope we'll still have something left over."
    "Well let me be the first to sat 'Happy birthday Aeris'," Tifa hugged
her, "How many times do you get spanked this year?"
    "Tifa!"
    "Twenty three," Elmyra spoke up promptly.
    "Mo-omm!" Aeris flushed red, "You're embarrassing me!!"
    "I know," she kissed Aeris on the forehead, "But this is the happiest
day of my life!"

   **********************************************************************

    "Have you ever seen a sorrier piece o' crap?" Cid rapped his knuckles
against the metal plates.
    "I cannot say that I have," Vincent shouldered his weapon as the pilot
ran a flight check on a craft named the 'Highwind Too.'
    "Piece o' fuckin' shit is what the boss is expectin' me ta fly," Cid's
fingers ran over the air ship.
    Still, despite that it was beat up, old, and piss poor for anything
except a paperweight, it was at least a ship. Reeve had given it to Cid on
the condition that he get it airborne.
    "Hey!! What the hell do you think you're -- oh Cloud, it's you. Sorry,"
Cid stood up.
    "Hey," the spiked haired man returned without gusto.
    "Thought you'd be with Barret an' the others," Cid eyed his friend
curiously.
    "Yeah, well, I got bored."
    "Right."
    If Cloud didn't want to talk, that's fine with him. Cid was never into
the mushy stuff anyway. What surprised him were the next few words.
    "You didn't want to keep company with Tifa?"
    Cid looked at the pale gunman in surprise.
    "Hey mind yer own damn bizniz!"
    "It's okay Cid," Cloud leaned against a mass of safety mesh on the
vessel's side, "Maybe I finally feel like talking about it. Or not," he
straightened up as Tifa's head popped up from around the bow.
    "Hey you! What's the big idea sneaking off like that?"
    "Sorry. I got bored."
    The other two men suddenly found something else to do.
    "Bored?" Tifa's brow arched in disbelief.
    "Yeah, I just came out here to check up what the others were doing,"
Cloud lied, "You know, see if they need my help."
    "And do they?"
    "Shur," Cid tugged mightily on a lever, "Gimme a wrench would ya?"
    "See?" he tossed the tool over to the struggling engineer.
    "What's bothering you tiger?" Tifa softened her tone.
    "Nothing."
    "Oh really?" Tifa's eyes searched his.
    "Yeah, really," he stared back levelly.
    "Well," she huffed, "I'm glad to hear it. Because, Aeris is having a
birthday party tonight at her mom's place and I don't want you gumming it
up."
    Cloud looked up, "Birthday?"
    "See you there at six, tiger," she waved and left.
    The three men watched as Tifa walked back towards town.
    "Thanks Cid."
    "No problem."
    "Does she know?" Vincent asked when she was out of earshot.
    "Know?" Cloud kept his eyes on Tifa's swaying ass, "Know what?"
    "About your demons?"
    "Cid, what the hell --?!" Cloud started.
    The Captain held his hands up and shook his head.
    "He has nothing to do with it, friend," Vincent said.
    "Then how?"
    "I've seen your look before on my own face, long ago," he whispered.
    "Really? Oh right," Cloud remembered, embarrassed at his own
forgetfulness.
    "That man, he has a way of making people remember what's best
forgotten," Vincent coughed dryly.
    "You mean Greylorn?"
    "The same."
    "He interrogated you too?" Cloud was astonished.
    "I am not sure," Vincent shifted his weight, "I was riding the
perimeter last night when he came up not so loudly behind me."
    The man cocked his head.
    "I found myself thinking about -- Lucrecia. Suddenly, I had the
strangest feeling that I was being watched. I saw him look away just as I
turned around to take a look behind me."
    "What was he doing?" Cloud asked.
    "I have no idea. But I felt a certain uneasiness. It was like he was
making me think of Lucrecia."
    "You don't think of her anymore?"
    "I do, but . . ." Vincent trailed off.
    "But?" Cloud leaned closer.
    "Not during duty."
    "Professionalism, huh?" Cid snorted at the ex-Turk.
    "Yes."
    The three men fell into silence. Each wallowing in their own dark
thoughts.
    Of love found. And of love lost.
    "I gotta go," Cloud dragged himself up, "Gotta find me a cleaner or at
least a public laundry."
    "Doin' the clothes?"
    "Something like that," Cloud reached under his shoulder guard and
fingered the ribbon.
    It was time to give it back.

   **********************************************************************

    He tiptoed into the Burning Boar Inn.
    No sense in letting her see it, he cautioned himself.
    He sneaked up to the room and rapped softly next to the metal '6'.
    "Tiff?" he called out.
    "She's out."
    Cloud spun around to see Red XIII pacing down the hall.
    "Out?" he asked.
    "Shopping," the quadruped cocked his head, "For Aeris' present. I see
you're done already."
    "Oh this?" Cloud fumbled with the freshly cleaned ribbon at his side,
"It's a -- yeah, a gift."
    "Quite plain for a present," Red said dryly.
    Damn the observant bastard.
    "It's the thought that counts," Cloud smiled and opened his door.
    "Of course," Red continued up the hallway.
    Once inside, Cloud sat down on the bed.
    Well let's see, he thought glumly. Cid knows. That's one. Vincent
knows. That's two. Now Red XIII suspects -- aw fuck it, he knows. He
groaned and flopped onto the bed. This was bad. If they could all see
through him . . .
    Tifa.
    Cloud sat up. He couldn't let this go on. The ribbon felt smooth and
silky between his fingers. Do it. Or risk losing what he had now. But could
he?
    He paused, stood, and paused again.
    Come on. It's now or never.
    Right?
    Do it. NOW.
    He got up and headed out.

   **********************************************************************

    "Hey, how 'bout that one?" Tifa pointed.
    "1200 Gil, ma'am," the man smiled genially.
    "Expensive for something like that," she quirked her brow.
    "What about --?" she motioned.
    "1550 Gil."
    "This isn't easy on my purse," Tifa huffed.
    "I'm sorry ma'am," the shopkeeper said, "but times are difficult."
    Tifa caught Cloud strolling down the street at the corner of her eye.
    "Cloud!" she waved at the door.
    He visibly jumped at her call.
    "Tiff," he smoothed himself out, "What a surprise."
    "Don't gimme that," she thumped him on the chest, "You're shopping for
her too right? Lend a hand, would you? Things tend to cost one of 'em
nowadays."
    The shopkeep visibly soured at her remark and looked at Cloud, who only
shrugged.
    "How much for this one?" Tifa wagged her finger.
    "1600 Gil. Ma'am, if you'd like, I can drop the price to twelve," the
man glanced nervously at the other customers in the store.
    "Make it nine and we've got a deal!"
    "Nine?!" the man gasped.
    Cloud groaned. Women and their haggling. Can't we just buy the shit and
get out?
    "Hey!" Tifa tapped her nails on the counter, "Take it or leave it!"
    "Okay, okay. You got me," the shopkeep shook his head and opened the
case.
    "You sure you're not aiming to keep this for yourself, Tiff?" Cloud
cleared his throat as they stepped out of the shop, box in hand.
    "Don't be silly tiger," Tifa laughed hugging his arm, "It doesn't even
match my eyes."
    "Oh," he said not getting the joke.
    "Listen there's something I want to tell you," Cloud took a deep
breath.
    "Hmm? What?" Tifa looked up at him intently.
    He stared deep into her dark brown eyes.
    How could he break it to her? If he did it now, what about later at the
party?
    It would screw things up that's for sure.
    Later.
    Yes. Later will have to do.
    "I - ah. It - ah. It's nothing," Cloud lied.
    "Nothing?" Tifa's voice was filled with concern, "What did you do now?
You didn't do anything stupid did you?"
    "Huh?" his voice rose, "No!"
    "Well, if it's *nothing*," she winked, "Want to head back for the room?
We've got two hours before the party. Plenty of time for --," she whispered
suggestively into his ear.
    "Tiff!" Cloud's eyes widened, "That's the most disgusting thing I've
ever heard!"
    "Oh, come on tiger," she giggled and tugged enticingly at his belt,
"Have you lost your sense of adventure? I'll race you back to the inn!"
    She suddenly broke into a sprint and yelled back, "Winner gets to be on
top!"
    "Tiff! Wait!" Cloud had no choice but to follow her.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    ". . . dear Aeris. Happy birthday to you!"
    "Make a wish!" someone cheered.
    She blew out the candles in one breath.
    "Yay! Cake!" Yuffie squealed.
    "Yay! Cake!" Marlene mimicked her.
    "Yuffie, control yourself," Red growled.
    "Oh go howl Nanaki," Tifa laughed, "She's just a child."
    "Yeah, an' so are you if I 'member," Barret grinned.
    "As she is," Red nodded to Yuffie.
    "Hey!! I'm no kid you - you furball!"
    A chorus of laughter erupted around the table.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    That was hours ago.
    Aeris smiled as she remembered their mirthful faces. Everyone who
mattered to her had been there. Her friends, her family. All there.
    Except Greylorn.
    'I have matters to attend to,' he excused himself from the festivities.
    Not that it mattered anyway. Aeris never felt so content. So alive.
    It even felt better than the time when she first spoke to Planet.
    Yeah, Planet. I don't care what you say anymore. I just won't listen. I
have everything I want right here.
    Let other people worry about your fate, you lying sack of dirt.
    You're someone else's problem now.
    She sat on her bed and nuzzled the green stuffed moogle Cloud and Tifa
had given her.
    Cloud and Tifa.
    Aeris sighed.
    Be happy for them.
    I can't.
    The truthfulness of her answer was shocking.
    Why?
    Because.
    Aeris put down her moogle and went over to the window to deal with her
mixed feelings. From there, she watched the houselights wink off one by
one. Only the ones on the main street stayed lit. That was where the inn
she had stayed at earlier was. And where they were --
    Aeris made a face.
    From the shadows, a lone figure running up the street caught her
attention. She leaned forth a bit and squinted her eyes.
    Who could it be at this hour?

   **********************************************************************

    Cloud strode rapidly up Strasse-burg, his boots making a dull clunk on
its well worn cobblestones. He glanced at his watch.
    9:00.
    About right. He had told Tifa that he'd was going out to pick up
something. Cloud just hoped he'd remember what the hell it was he said he'd
pick up before he got back to her at the Burning Boar.
    He stepped up and knocked softly on the door.
    "Coming! Coming!" a woman's voice came past the thick wood, "Who ---
oh, it's you. Cloud isn't it?"
    "Yes ma'am," he took in a sharp breath, "Is Aeris still up?"
    Elmyra's eyes narrowed a little, "Is it important?"
    "Somewhat, I - I have something of hers I want to --"
    "Who is it, mom?" a voice called from upstairs.
    "Can't it wait until morning?" Elmyra asked, her eyes looked at him
warily.
    "Please. It -- it's pretty important," Cloud stammered.
    "You have a visitor dear," she stepped aside reluctantly.
    "Thank you."
    He can't blame her for being so protective. He couldn't imagine what
Barret had told her about Aeris, but it must have been horrible. She was
merely being courteous at Aeris' party -- but now, she wasn't entirely
thrilled to let him be within a half mile of her daughter.
    "Cloud?" Aeris came down the stairs in a simple white nightgown. He
couldn't be sure, but he thought he saw her figure illuminated by the
brightness of the light behind her. He sucked in a breath and tore away his
gaze.
    "Er, hi," he said softly.
    "Something the matter?"
    "No," he coughed, "I - I just wanted to talk to you."
    "In private," he added quickly.
    "Oh," Aeris bit her lip and turned to Elmyra, "Mom, would you mind?"
    Elmyra let out a sigh.
    "No funny business, understand?" she glared at Cloud.
    "Mo-om!" Aeris blushed.
    "Yes ma'am," Cloud dipped his eyes to the floor.
    "Don't be too late," she kissed Aeris on the cheek. Elmyra gave Cloud a
disapproving glance and headed upstairs.
    "So what do you want to talk about?" Aeris smiled and placed a kettle
on the stove.
    "Nothing. I mean everything. I mean --" Cloud felt a lump in his
throat.
    "Go ahead, we've got time," Aeris brushed her hair back and threw him
an encouraging smile.
    "You - you look great when you do that," his throat quickly ran dry.
    "Hmm?" she saw his eyes fall to the table, "Oh. Um. Thanks."
    They moved in silence for a while, each unsure of what to say.
    "So, how've you been?"
    "Better than the last time you saw me."
    "I -- see," Aeris poured tea into two cups.
    "I'm glad you're back."
    "Me too," she smiled and sat down.
    "There's so much I want to tell you --" he faltered and looked down
again.
    "Hey, I don't have a bed time," she stirred her cup, "Talk to me."
    "I don't even know where to begin."
    "Anywhere is fine," her eyes glittered, "I haven't been around lately."
    "Yeah," his eyes dimmed, "I guess you haven't."

   **********************************************************************

    Tifa glanced at her watch.
    10:30.
    Damn, she thought, how long does it take to pick up a jug of ale?
    Too bad this inn didn't have a bar downstairs.
    Burning Boar my sweet ass, she thought. The only thing they burned was
the crap the management maintained was food.
    "I can't stand this anymore!" Tifa threw her arms up and stepped out.
    There's gotta be a bar around somewhere, she scuffed the ground.
    Hmm, maybe Aeris might want to come out for some drinks and a chat. We
have a lot of catching up to do any way, she thought as she turned and
started towards Strasse-burg.

   **********************************************************************

    "So he's looking for a criminal?" Cloud eased back in his chair.
    Aeris nodded and sipped the last of her tea, "That's what he says."
    "Sounds important."
    "Yeah."
    He flashed her a grin. She braved a smile and stood up.
    "Well, it's late," Aeris said, placing her cup into the sink, "I think
I'll retire for the night."
    "Yeah. Me too. Mind if I walk you to your room?" he offered his arm,
"I'll let myself out."
    "I don't see why not," she smiled and took his arm.
    They said nothing as they inched towards her room in small, measured
steps.
    At the door, she brushed her hair back again.
    "Good night," Aeris murmured, her eyes on the floor.
    Cloud blinked and remembered why he came in the first place.
    "Oh yeah. I almost forgot. Here," he pulled out a small white box and
gave it to her.
    "What is it? Another present?" Aeris fluttered her eyes.
    "Not really," he shifted nervously, "But I think you'll like it."
    She opened it slowly.
    "A -- ribbon?" Aeris asked.
    "Yeah," Cloud grinned like an idiot, "I - I always thought you looked
great with your hair up, y'know?"
    "Why Cloud," she smiled coyly, "Thank you."
    "D-do you like it?"
    "Yes I --" she paused and held it to the light.
    Oh shit, he thought as she closed her eyes and lowered her head.
    When she opened her eyes again, she looked up at him inquisitively.
    "Cloud? Why did you take this from me?"
    He gulped.
    "Take what?" he said weakly.
    She pursed her lips.
    "Cloud, this is my ribbon. I had it on with me when I went," her
hand brushed his face, "Why?"
    "I wanted to remember you," he replied lamely.
    "Sssh," she placed her finger on his lips to stay his tears, "It's all
right, I understand."
    Her smile took his breath away.
    "I guess I'd better go --"
    "No wait," she tugged his arm, "Why don't you help me put it on?"
    "Right now?"
    "I just want to see if it still holds mother's materia," she stepped
eagerly to her dresser.
    "What do you want me to do?" Cloud closed the door.
    "Just hold my hair in a bundle would you?"
    "O -- okay," his fingers slid into her smooth strands of hair as he
savored its smell.
    "Just - a knot - here - and - there," Aeris' fingers nimbly tied the
knot and held it open as she slipped in a softly glowing orb.
    "Why is it yellow?"
    "Hmm? Oh, Greylorn said it glowed like that because that person he's
looking for is still around or something like that."
    "Really?" he let her hair sift slowly past his fingers.
    "That's what he says."
    "Are -," he cleared his throat, "Are you going to help him?"
    "Help him what?"
    "Catch the guy?"
    "I've done all I can," she swayed her head about before the mirror.
    It held. Good.
    "You've changed."
    She turned around in surprise.
    "What do you mean?"
    "Planet is in danger and you're not pulling out all the stops to help
it. That's not the Aeris I knew."
    "Yeah," she said, "I guess I'm not."
    Cloud looked at her surprised.
    "You want to know why?"
    He shook his head.
    "Because it lied to me."
    "What?" he looked up, confused.
    "Planet. It lied to me," Aeris trembled slightly, "You know I prayed
for Holy because I believed it could save everyone."
    "And you did --!"
    "And Meteor wound up killing how many at Midgar?" her voice shook, "I
trusted Planet. I trusted it with all my heart."
    "You stopped it," he said softly, "Planet stopped it. It didn't wipe
out everyone."
    "But that's what I thought for I don't know how long," she held herself
and shuddered, "When I heard Meteor had fallen on Midgar, I--"
    She stopped and curled her hands into fists.
    Cloud took up her hands into his. He felt them relax, then slowly open.
    "-- I felt like my whole world right then and there. To me, Midgar was
truly destroyed. Everyone I knew, everyone I cared  for had died. Did you
know how horrible I felt?"
    Tears welled in her eyes.
    "I - I can only imagine --" he looked at her sweet face.
    "And when I put it together, I was sure it was for certain," she cried.
    "Put what together?"
    "Everything I heard about Meteor and Midgar, along with what happened
in the Lifestream."
    "What?" his voice soft.
    "I - I heard your voice," she sniffed, "It sounds crazy, but I did. And
you know what that meant."
    "Yeah?" Cloud partially realized her fears, "Actually, I *was* in the
Lifestream," he said dreamily.
    "What did you say?" Aeris looked up from her misery.
    "I was in the Lifestream," he repeated.
    "When?" she shook her head in confusion.
    "It - it was after we travelled further north. After you --" he
stopped.
    "It's okay," she whispered, "Go on."
    "We met Sephiroth in the Crater. The whole place fell apart after I
gave him the black materia --"
    "Why?" she asked shock in her face.
    "He was controlling me," he heaved, "Something to do with Hojo and some
theory of his."
    "Hojo?!" Aeris wailed. Would the man never leave her life?
    "Yeah," Cloud went on, "Something about a 'Reunion', although I still
don't know all the details. The place collapsed in on itself and the next
thing I knew, I was in another town south of the equator, recovering from
Makou poisoning. The doctor said I was totally unaware during my stay in
the Lifestream."
    "Wh - why didn't you tell me this before?" she whispered.
    "I know what Hojo meant to you," he closed his eyes, "I -- I didn't
want to upset you. I can never forgive him for what he tried to do to you."
    "And to you," she looked up at him.
    "And --" Cloud's words came out painfully slow, "To - Zack." Aeris
gasped.
    "I found out he was part of it too. But --" he trailed off.
    "What?! What happened to him? Tell me!" she pleaded.
    "They killed him. I'm sorry."
    "Why?" Aeris cried.
    "Because we escaped. Hojo had both of us hunted down."
    "That bastard!" Cloud saw a fury burned in her eyes like never before.
"He'll pay for this."
    "Aeris," he put his hands on her shoulders to comfort her, "He's dead.
Let it go."
    "Who? Hojo?!"
    Cloud nodded.
    "When?"
    "He went mad after Sephiroth put up some sort of energy barrier around
the Crater. He was going to risk blowing Midgar to kingdom come with some
sort of Makou powered super cannon."
    "And you stopped him?" she asked expectantly.
    "Yes, we did," he corrected her.
    "I knew you would, Cloud Strife," she said softly, "Now do you
understand why I thought you died when Meteor fell?"
    "Because you thought I would die protecting all those people in
Midgar?"
    Aeris nodded her head.
    "I guess you're right."
    Cloud furrowed his brow before going on, "But how did you know it was
me in the Lifestream?"
    "I recognized your voice," she murmured.
    "You did?" Cloud's eyes widened, "Wow."
    "That and because you said --"
    "Said what?"
    Aeris gasped and realized just how far things had gone.
    She tried moving away -- except she couldn't; he held on to her too
tightly.
    "Said what?" he repeated.
    "Nothing, Cloud," Aeris tried to squirm out of his grip.
    "Come on," he chuckled, "What did I say?"
    "It's really nothing," she started, "Let go of me, please."
    "No, I want to know," he pleaded, "Really."
    "Cloud," she murmured, "you don't. Trust me."
    His face darkened a bit as he closed his eyes in deep thought.
    "All right. You don't have to, if you don't want to --"
    She breathed a sigh of relief.
    "-- because I think I already I already know," he whispered.
    Their eyes locked.
    "What, what are you -- doing?" her voice quavered.
    "Something I've should have done a long time ago," he pulled her close,
"Something I'll probably never get to do again."
    "Cloud," Aeris begged and half heartedly tried to push away, "Please.
Please don't."
    His hands slid down and caressed her back. Aeris fought desperately to
control herself but found it difficult to think straight.
    "Don't - Oh," she begged, "Th - this - isn't - fair to her."
    "To who?" his face close to hers.
    "To --" her words were muffled as he kissed her deeply.
    It was better than anything she could have imagined.
    Oh Tifa, she thought as she drew her arms around him, please forgive
me.

   **********************************************************************

    Ding dong! Ding dong!
    "Aeris! Get the door!"
    Ding dong! Ding dong!
    Elmyra sighed and got up.
    "That child is taking liberties with herself," she wrapped herself in a
robe.
    Her door's closed, so she must have gone back to bed, she thought.
    Funny I didn't hear the boy -- what's his name -- leave.
    Ding dong!
    "Oh for Planet's sake, it's almost a quarter 'till," Elmyra said moving
towards the door.
    "Ding dong!" Tifa mimicked the door chime in her own goofy way.
    "Coming!"
    She heard the door unlock.
    "Oh, good evening Elmyra."
    "Tifa?" the older woman rubbed her eyes, "What are you doing out so
late?"
    "Oh, um," Tifa placed her hands behind her and rocked to and fro, "I
was going out for a drink and I was wondering if Aeris would care to join
me."
    "I think you may be too late," Elmyra covered a yawn.
    "Oh well, it's okay, I guess I'll go with Cloud when he gets back then.
G'night," Tifa started to walk away.
    "W - wait a minute!"
    Tifa stopped and turned around, "Something wrong?"
    "'When Cloud gets back?'" Elmyra asked, "You mean he's not with you
right now?"
    "No," she said slowly, "Should he be?"
    Tifa saw the other woman's eyes narrow as she said, "When did he step
out?"
    "Huh?" Tifa blinked, "Over an hour ago, why?"
    "Did he say where he was going?"
    "Out to get a some ale, for er -- Hey is there something wrong?"
    "I don't know," Elmyra said coldly, "But I'm going to find out."
    Tifa wore an expression of puzzlement and concern as she followed her
up the stairs.

   **********************************************************************

    I'm in heaven, he thought.
    Cloud had yearned for this moment since he had met her.
    He had held her before, but --
    Cold.
    Still.
    Lifeless.
    Cloud shuddered as he harkened back to the stillness of her body. But
now -- now things were different. She felt warm, vibrant, so alive. As much
as he didn't like Greylorn or anything that had to do with him, Cloud had
secretly thanked whatever powers that were for bringing her back.
    An unwanted thought surfaced. He had dreamed of being in SOLDIER and
having never made it into their ranks, he had fashioned a world in which he
did -- and he had "lived" in it for some time. Was this all part of another
hallucination? Had he wanted her back so badly that he was making all of
this up?
    "Cloud?"
    He snapped out of his thoughts and saw her looking at him with worry in
her eyes.
    "What's wrong?"
    "Nothing." But something in his voice didn't sound right.
    "Tell me," her hands caressed his face.
    "H -- how do I know this isn't another dream?" he whispered, "Maybe you
are dead and I'm just --" he felt an inner pain well up again.
    "Sssh Cloud," she cradled his face and kissed away his tears, "I'm real
-- see?" Aeris took his hand and kissed it, "This is real too."
    She put her head on his chest. Her slow breathing comforted him as no
other kiss ever could. Her arms squeezed him tightly and he held her
gently. Aeris closed her eyes as he tipped her up for another kiss. They
were still pressed together when the knob began to turn. A loud knock on
the door made them jump out of each other's arms in time to see the shock
on Elmyra's face in the doorway.
    "AERIS!!" her shriek tore across the room.
    "M-m-mom?!" Aeris gulped wide eyed and started to straighten her gown
as she moved away from Cloud, "C-calm down. Um, I can - I - I can explain
everything!"
    That just made things look worse.
    This is bad, he thought.
    "Tiger?" another voice came from the doorway.
    Oh no. It can't be. His heart sank. Tifa stood stunned just behind the
furious Elmyra.
    Fuck me to tears. She locked eyes with Cloud for an instant before she
turned and fled back the way she came.
    "Tiff! Wait!!"
    "I think you've overstayed your welcome," Elmyra said coldly, her face
a mask of icy rage.
    "Go," Aeris didn't look at him as she turned away, "Before it's too
late."
    "But --!"
    "GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!!" Elmyra exploded.
    Cloud scurried out and hurried after Tifa.

   **********************************************************************

    Tifa sprinted down Strasse-burg back to the Burning Boar in a blur. She
heard him but the more he called, the faster she ran. She flew through the
lobby and was up in Room 6 before he finished the stairs.
    "Tiff!"
    She kicked the table before turning her attention to the wardrobe
closet which she overturned with a loud crash.
    "TIFA!!"
    Heated pounding came from the door.
    "Dammit! Open up!"
    "FUCK YOU!!" she screamed.
    Tears fell from her eyes as she reached for his sword.

   **********************************************************************

    "Well young lady," Elmyra had closed the door and stood now before the
bed, "Explain yourself."
    "Nothing happened mom," Aeris shifted nervously.
    "Really?" the woman's nostrils flared, "I don't think I believe you."
    Aeris hung her head and didn't reply.
    "I want you to pay a visit to that young lady."
    "Mom?" Aeris looked up.
    "Go on," Elmyra ushered her daughter to the door, "Put on a coat and
tell Tifa what you just told me."
    "B-b-b-but she won't believe me!"
    "No?" Elmyra feigned shock, "Why not?"
    "Because you don't believe me."
    "But you said it yourself, Aeris. Nothing happened."
    Aeris murmured something under her breath.
    "What was that?" Elmyra demanded, "Speak up young lady."
    "But we were --," Aeris shifted her foot nervously, "We -- we -- we --
were -- um --"
    "Go on," the woman tapped her foot.
    Aeris looked up, her eyes pleading, "Mom, please don't make me go."
    "Make you?" Elmyra's voice rose, "MAKE YOU!?"
    Aeris shrank back.
    "I did not 'make you' leave the safety of this house to go on wild
adventures!! And I most certainly did not 'make you' into a little
homewrecker!"
    "Mo-om!"
    "DON'T MOM ME!! You mind your manners and apologize right now!"
    "No!!" Aeris shouted back, "I WON'T!"
    Elmyra stood speechless.
    "What did you just say?"
    "I said," Aeris lowered her voice, "I won't," she said firmly, "It
wasn't my fault. He -- he went after me."
    A half truth, she thought bitterly.
    "I -- see," Elmyra's voice suddenly lost its edge, "I can't make you do
anything anyway."
    "Mom?" Aeris looked at her puzzled at the sudden shift of mood.
    "I can't make you," her voice cracked as she buried her face in her
hands, "I can't because you were never mine to begin with."
    "What are you saying mom?" Aeris asked softly.
    "Have you ever wondered why you just call me 'mom'?"
    "What?" Aeris blinked.
    "Have you ever wondered why you just call me 'mom'?" Elmyra repeated.
    "No. I - I never gave a thought."
    "Neither have I. Until today," Elmyra's eyes bore signs of prolonged
strain. Aeris thought she seemed to have aged considerably since the last
time she saw her.
    "Since the day that I found you at the station, I always considered you
to be my baby," Elmyra choked back her sobs, "And now --" she shook her
head ruefully, "Maybe I've been fooling myself all these years."
    Aeris fell silent before the despondent woman.
    "Do you remember?" Elmyra fixed her weary gaze on the young woman.
    "I - I saw some records," Aeris said reluctantly, "Back up north. I saw
pictures of -- of Ifalna."
    "Ifalna," Elmyra's face wore a sad smile, "You do remember."
    "Mom?" Aeris knelt beside her, "Mom? I - I'm sorry. About earlier. I -
I just lost my temper."
    Elmyra's tears kept falling.
    "Mom," the young woman begged, "Don't cry, please don't cry."
    "I was so sure I'd never see you again," Elmyra continued, "When Mr.
Wallace brought me the news, I wanted to see that boy dead. I could never
forgive him for -- for letting you go like that. And now --" she broke into
sobs.
    "It - it wasn't his fault mom," Aeris whispered, "Don't - please don't
blame him."
    "Aeris, I don't know how I lived after I heard the news," Elmyra
grasped her tightly, "I suppose that I never truly believed that you were
really dead. Now, I'm afraid someone will take you away from me again."
    "No one's going to do that," Aeris hugged her fiercely, "I never knew
how much you really missed me; and how much I hurt you. I will never have
someone else like you, mom. I promise. No matter what happens I'll - I'll
never leave you alone again. I love you, mom. Always."
    "I love you Aeris," Elmyra cried as she cradled her daughter, "My baby.
My sweet baby."

   **********************************************************************

    "Damn it to hell," Cloud gritted through clenched teeth as he ran down
the street.
    "TEEEEEFAAAAA!" he yelled as she ran into the Burning Boar.
    Cloud came in just seconds after her as she flew up the stairs to their
room. He reached the top just in time to see her slam the door shut.
    "Tiff!" he pounded the door. He cursed himself for leaving the keys in
her care.
    Nightmarish visions came to him as he heard clattering and other sounds
from behind the door.
    What the hell can she be doing, he wondered.
    Unless -- his sword.
    Oh my --
    "TIFA!!" he pounded the door with renewed vigor, "Dammit!! Open up!"
    "FUCK YOU!!"
    "Dammit," Cloud backed up and readied himself to break down the door.
    "Hey!! What the hell do you think you're doing?" the ashen faced
innkeeper, "Keep your disputes out of this place or I'll call the
authorities!"
    "I am authority!" Cloud shouted back, "Do you have an extra key to this
room?"
    "No, I --"
    Cloud turned his head in time to see the door crack open.
    "Tiff," he said relieved.
    His sword came flying out past the door and it would have hit him had
he not had the presence of mind to leap aside. The massive weapon crashed
into the hallway before he heard the door slam again.
    "Damn," Cloud picked up his sword gingerly and looked solemnly at the
door.
    Fuck, what the hell have I done?
    "Problems wid' de lady, kid?"
    He looked up and saw Cid in his trademark flight jacket.
    "You could say that," he replied hoarsely.
    "I'm headin' down to the Draggin' Dragon fer a drink," Cid struck a
match and lit a smoke, "Wanna come with?"
    "Maybe later," Cloud's eyes still on the door.
    "She ain't comin' out 'fer a wile," Cid scrutinized the scene, "You
don't have anything else sharp in there do you?"
    A flash of fear passed through Cloud's features and Cid tried to calm
his friend's fears, "Hey, don't worry 'bout it. If it'll make you feel
better, I can git some tools from the ship and --"
    "NO TOOLS!" the innkeeper pointed his finger at Cloud and screeched at
him, "Now, get out of here!!"
    Cloud shook his head.
    The smaller man grabbed him roughly by the collar and hissed, "Listen
to me, do you think she'll feel any better knowing you're hanging around
out here right now?!"
    Cloud blinked in surprise at the man's sudden surge of strength.
    "Get out of here before she decides to do something foolish," the man
whispered, "I'll have my wife keep an ear out for anything funny."
    "Thanks," Cid said quickly as he pushed a sullen Cloud down the hallway
and out the inn.

   **********************************************************************

    Tifa sat on the floor and rested her head on her knees. The murmurs and
footsteps receded from the doorway. A peek outside the window and revealed
Cid guiding a crestfallen Cloud down the street.
    She curled herself into a ball and wept.

   **********************************************************************

    "And remember," Elmyra squeezed her hand, "Be quick but gentle. The
sooner you get it over with, the better."
    "Got it mom," Aeris bit her lip, "And I won't be long."
    Elmyra handed her an umbrella, "Here, take this. Looks like it's going
to rain."
    "Thank you," she kissed her on the cheek and stepped out just as the
rain began to fall.
    Aeris walked slowly up down Strasse-burg, her shoes felt slick against
the just wetted cobblestone.
    Apologize to Tifa, mom said.
    Aeris agreed, but she had no intention of just leaving it at that.
    It was the right thing to do, she told herself, and it would cost her
dearly.
    But it was the best she could come up with.
    I'll blame the whole thing on me.
    I'll lose them, she told herself bitterly, but at least they'll be
happy.
    And what was more important than happiness?
    She gasped and hid behind the corner of the building as she saw Cid
lead a forlorn Cloud through the drizzle. Aeris quickly spun around and hid
herself with her umbrella. A moment later, she took a peek and saw that
they had stepped into a local tavern.
    Greylorn was leaning near the doorway of the establishment, puffing out
a stream of chalky white smoke. The man stared intently at her with his
cold, dead eyes before he tossed aside his smoking reed and headed down the
street.
    Aeris soured as she ushered him out of her mind before heading towards
the Burning Boar.

   **********************************************************************

    "Look 'oose comin' ta join me," Barret waved the two to the table.
    "Aren't you supposed to be with Marlene?" Cloud asked.
    "She's sleepin'," he answered, "No sense in hangin' round the 'ouse. I
figger I kin get in a couple mugs 'fore mornin'. Where's Tifa?"
    Cloud shrugged and headed for the bar.
    "What's g'wan?" Barret growled to the pilot.
    Cid followed suit and shrugged vaguely. Cloud quickly returned with
several mugs of ale.
    "Drink," he said simply.
    The young man sat down and quaffed one without taking a breath. He
set down the empty decanter before reaching for another. And another.
    "Not joinin' me?" his words quickly slurred.
    "Got mine," Barret tapped his mug.
    "Ale tastes like piss water," Cid said slowly.
    "Zuitsss me."
    The two men watched in silence as the young man finished the entire
round meant for all of them.
    "Gonna get some more," Cloud stood up and steadied himself.
    "Dis ain't good," Barret mused as he watched Cloud stumble toward the
bar and stay there, "Dat kid's gonna kill 'imself. Ya shur nuthin's wrong?"
    "Dunno," Cid looked down at the table, "You better ask 'im about it."
    "Shur, don' see why not," Barret got up and sauntered over to Cloud.
    Yeah and I can use a drink to along with it too, Cid soured and headed
over to the bar.

   **********************************************************************

    A slender hand knocked on the door.
    "Go away!" came a muffled cry.
    "It's me Tifa," Aeris said softly, "Is it all right to talk?"
    She heard heavy sounds of furniture being arranged and muffled
footsteps, then silence. Aeris stood lamely in the hallway, unsure what to
do or say.
    The door cracked open slowly. Aeris peered into the lighted room and
saw a bleary eyed Tifa still in her street clothes.
    "You look terrible," Aeris started weakly, "Maybe I should come back
tomorrow."
    "It's okay," Tifa opened the door wider, "You can come in if you want."
    The healer suppressed a gasp at the sight that greeted her. While the
bed, table, chairs, and closet were upright, all of them bore scars of
damage and in some cases, breakage.
    "Are you sure you're okay?" Aeris smiled nervously at her friend.
    "Yeah," Tifa sat on the bed, head hung low, "I - I got it all out my
system. You can leave the door open if you want."
    "That's okay," Aeris closed the door.
    Both of them lapsed into silence.
    "So, what did you want to talk about?" Tifa asked quietly, even though
they both knew the answer.
    "Aahh -- this, this isn't easy for me to say," Aeris drew in a breath,
"And I'm not proud of it --"
    Tifa stared blankly at her.
    "-- but, that whole thing was my fault. I -- I took him to my room and
I ah, I um, --" Aeris drooped her head, "Don't blame him, Tifa. I -- I'm
sorry about what happened. I didn't know what I was doing."
    "You're a terrible liar, just like me."
    Aeris looked up, "Wh --?" she stopped as the raven haired woman shook
her head sadly.
    "I can't stop him," Tifa whispered through her tears, "I can't stop his
heart from what it truly wants."
    "What -- what are you saying?" Aeris gasped, "Cloud and you -- don't
you --?"
    Tifa dipped her head, "What good is unrequited love?"
    Aeris stood speechless.
    Tifa looked up, her eyes wet, "He loved you from the moment he met
you."
    Aeris shut her eyes and shook her head.
    "And he kept loving you even after you were gone."
    "Don't say such things," Aeris cried, "You must have heard what he said
back at Midgar!"
    "Only because I was dying," Tifa held herself tightly.
    "You can't be serious," Aeris shuddered at her friend's reply, "How can
you be so sure?"
    "Your ribbon. Did he return it yet?"
    "How did you know?" Aeris reflexively touched her head.
    She had taken it off before she left the house.
    "I know. He thought I didn't."
    "Why?" her voice shook, "Why didn't you tell him?"
    "It - it was better that way," Tifa sighed and wiped her face, "I just
pretended that it wasn't there every time he and I --" she stopped and
looked down.
    Aeris put a hand on her friend to comfort her, but she gently pushed it
off.
    "I was just filling in for you while you were gone."
    "Don't," Aeris begged, "Please don't do this."
    "I always thought he was a chest man," her laugh bitter, "I guess I was
wrong."
    "Don't say such things!! You're much more than a pretty face!"
    "Aren't we all?" Tifa smiled sadly, "I'm sorry. I'm just not very good
company tonight."
    "But I can't just leave you alone like this!" Aeris cried.
    Tifa shook her head and firmly showed her out.
    "Good night."
    Quiet sobs came through the door as it closed. Aeris found herself
alone in the dark and silent hallway.
    Oh Tifa, she covered her face and cried, what the hell have I done?

   **********************************************************************

    "So I figger dats de best way," Barret slurred, Cloud's dilemma
forgotten.
    Cloud had lost track of what his friend said. Or what anyone else did
for that matter.
    They kept popping up in his mind. Aeris in her nightie. Tifa in her,
well --- street clothes. The look on their faces when the shit hit the fan.
Shock and horror in one. Fury and bitterness in another.
    The pounding on his back got stronger.
    "What? What?" Cloud said annoyed.
    "So whadday think?" Barret said drunkenly in his face.
    "Think 'bout what?"
    "Marryin' her."
    "Marrying who?" Cloud tried to clear his head.
    "Me," Barret bellowed, "And," he burped loudly, "'lmyra."
    "Elmyra?" Red XIII wrinkled his nose.
    He had stepped into the tavern earlier to observe how humans interact
in a social setting and instead wound up watching the three men trying to
drink each other under the table.
    "Isn't she a little --" Red searched for the right words, "domestic for
your taste?"
    "Nnnnaaaawww," Barret shook his head vigorously, "I'ma wactha callit.
Demestik too."
    "I see," the quadruped saw no sense in arguing with a drunk.
    "Whadda 'bout choo?"
    "Sherr-wa," Cid barely managed to enunciate, "I'd defnit'ly do her if
--- if ---"
    "'ey!! Youse got a chance," Barret sat smiling stupidly.
    Cid shook his head, "Not a good one though."
    "Least you've got a better chance than me," Cloud held his head.
    "I godda go," Barret got up and lurched for the door, "Get some sleep
'fore Marlene wakes up an' I hafta make her break fash. Den I'ma gonna do
it!"
    "Do what?" Red quirked up his brow.
    "Ask 'lmyra ta marry me!" Barret bellowed.
    "Der goes one happy sonovabitch," Cid shook his head as he watched big
man leave.
    "So," he turned his attention to Cloud, "you like her?"
    "Like who?"
    "I wuz hopin' you'd tell me."
    So much for that pathetic attempt, Red thought.
    "It is difficult to love one; more so to love two."
    "Da hell d'you know?" Cid took a long drag and glared at Vincent.
    "You can't even handle one."
    "Mind yer own fuckin' bizniz!" Cid downed another shot.
    "None of you are helping," Cloud covered his ears and tried to be
alone.
    Maybe I should just fucking leave, he thought glumly.
    Cid split a peanut in two, "You just pick one and don't look back."
    "'ere's Tifa," he put one half to one side, "An' thats Aeris. Now make
a choice."
    Moment of truth, Red thought glumly as he watched the spectacle.
    Vincent looked on in silence.
    Cloud's hand shook tremendously as it hovered over the bar top. After
what seemed like forever, he shook his head as he withdrew his hand.
    "I can't decide like this," he said dourly, "This is stupid."
    "You gonna hafta do it one day," Cid took another drag, "The later you
do, the more you goona hafta pay to make it stick."


==============================================================


I love the smell of napalm in the morning . . . it's the smell of victory.

    -- Apocalypse Now


==============================================================


    Sunlight filtered through and bathed him with its warmth and
brightness. Cloud jerked awake, half expecting to see a ceiling. Instead,
he found himself under a tree out on the veldt outside of town.
    What the? He sat up and rubbed his eyes.
    The previous night came back slowly, with alarming clarity.
    Tifa. His insides froze.
    Was she --?
    He stood up and steadied himself. Headache or no, he had to know he
thought as he raced to the inn.

   **********************************************************************

    "Good morning sleepy head."
    Aeris felt a heavy weight on her. Her eyes flew open and she saw Elmyra
leaning on her as one would on a table.
    "Mom," Aeris snuggled deep into her blanket and tried to sleep, "What
time is it?"
    "It's 10:30, dear."
    Aeris batted her eyes and yawned, "Really?"
    "You were up late last night remember?"
    "Oh right," the small woman quickly pushed those memories away.
    I'll deal with them later, she thought. Much later.
    "Are you okay mom?"
    Elmyra pressed playfully down on her daughter's blanket covered body
and smiled, "Of course dear."
    Aeris smiled back.
    "Mr. Wallace invited us out for lunch. He says he has a surprise for
us," she said, "Want to come along?"
    "Uuuuuuuhh," she groaned, "When?"
    "Noon."
    "Which means an hour for me to snooze," Aeris rolled over and shut her
eyes.
    "Oooh, since when did you become so lazy?!"
    Elmyra took the stuffed moogle and sat it on her daughter.
    "Wake up! Wake up!" she held it by its stubby arms and made it dance,
"Come sleepy head, time to get up!"
    "Mmmooo-oom!" Aeris giggled, "Okay! Okay! I'll get up!"
    DING DONG!!
    "I'll get it," Elmyra pecked her on the cheek and headed downstairs.
    The young woman stumbled out of bed and preened herself for the
upcoming engagement. Her hand absently reached out for the small orb on the
table. When she saw it, she hesitated.
    Maybe I shouldn't, Aeris bit her lip as she remembered last night.
    But, still --
    She clamped the thought down in her head and shoved it out of her mind.
    It's over, she told herself. All over.
    So why do you still dwell on it?
    Aeris sighed and wrapped the ball into her hair before heading down the
stairs. She found Elmyra in the kitchen preparing some tea and biscuits.
    "Who was it mom?"
    "Oh Aeris, you're up," she smiled, "It was just that blue eyed man. He
came by to pick up the rest of his things -- Grey -- something, right?"
    "Greylorn?"
    "Yes that's him!" Elmyra said, "He's still in the back if -- if you
want to say hello."
    Aeris knew that look, "Yuck mom. He's not my type."
    That didn't begin to explain anything, but it was a start.
    Elmyra smiled and shook her finger.
    "But a gentlemen, that's for sure. At least thank him once more. I wish
I could have something to repay him."
    "I think you did by storing his stuff," Aeris said and headed toward
the back of the house.

   **********************************************************************

    Cloud approached the Burning Boar with apprehension.
    What if she ---?
    Why were you so dumb to leave her alone in the first place?
    Because the guy told me too.
    'Because the guy told me so'.
    That's loser talk.
    You lecherous little fuck, if something's happened, you deserve it.
    The voice continued to rail at him, You deserve it, don't you? Don't
you?!
    Cloud succumbed to its barbs, took a deep breath and stepped inside the
inn. It took time, but his eyes soon adjusted themselves to the darkness
which greeted him.
    Why the fuck can't they turn up the lights in here, he thought angrily.
    "Tiff," he sucked in his breath. She was sitting by herself in a nook
by the inn's small kitchen.
    She must really down, he thought, for her to be eating the shit in
here.
    "Morning," a voice came from the side.
    Cloud turned and saw Red XIII coming down the stairs.
    "Yeah morning," Cloud returned his gaze to the young woman, "Cid and
Vince up yet?"
    "No, they were up all night fixing the Highwind Too."
    "For real?"
    Red shrugged, "That's what they said when they left the Dragon last
night, remember?"
    Cloud shook his head, "The only thing I remember was -- ," he stopped
and dug into eyes with his palms.
    Red stayed silent until the door.
    "Good luck," the quadruped coughed before he went out.
    "Yeah," Cloud said hoarsely, "Thanks."

   **********************************************************************

    "Leaving already?"
    The cloaked man spun around, ready to strike out.
    "Hey! It's me, remember?" Aeris put her arms up.
    He turned back to his packing.
    "Leaving?" she repeated her question.
    "Yes."
    "Where to?" Aeris propped herself up on a chest and let her feet
dangle.
    "Somewhere else."
    "So what are you looking for now?"
    "Clues. Of where he might be."
    "How are you going to get around? Where's your ship?"
    "It was destroyed in Midgar."
    "How?" Aeris blinked.
    He let out a quiet chuckle, "Do you think I attacked Niccola with my
bare hands?"
    She bit her lip, "Oh. I see."
    Aeris kicked the air frivolously, "Well, I just wanted to thank you
for -- for everything."
    "Your thanks should go to Council, not to me."
    "Well thank you for not giving mom a heart attack when you said you
found me unconscious. When you see your Council, would you thank them for
me?"
    "I do not think they would care," he rummaged through his things.
    "Oh," she made a face, "Well in any case, I 've never seen mom so
happy."
    He didn't respond.
    "I just wish everyone else was too."
    "It is never easy," he said slowly, "to return from the dead."
    "Yeah, I guess this is my first experience --"
    "-- And your last," his tone stern.
    "Yeah," she bit her lip. Aeris looked back up at the black figure, "So
tell me, do you have a family?"
    The man paused his work briefly before responding, "No."
    "How sad."
    Greylorn continued packing in silence.
    At least I have mom, she told herself.
    What about Cloud and Tifa? Their town scorched and their families
butchered. At least they have each other.
    And me, she thought ruefully.
    "Have you ever --," she cleared her throat, "-- ever met anyone --
special?"
    "Akin to a mate?"
    "Um, yeah."
    Aeris looked up in surprise as he nodded silently.
    "Who is she?"
    "Dead."
    "I'm sorry to hear that."
    But her curiosity kept her going, "And now?"
    He didn't answer.
    "W-what was her name?" she pressed.
    "Here," he turned and handed her a small metal stick about the length
of her hand.
    "What for?"
    "Anything to shut you up," he said quietly.
    Her look of hurt prompted him to add, "I wanted to give it to you the
day before, but I was busy."
    "Oh. You didn't have to," Aeris took it gingerly, "What is it?"
    "A gift," he replied simply.
    She made a face at him when he turned back to his bags. Aeris turned it
around in her hand and tried to guess its function. No openings that she
saw. A single button on the side, small, and almost hand sized. Almost the
right thickness. Hmmm it almost looks like a -- she gasped.
    "Oh!" her face turned beet red, "I - I -- don't know what to say, but
um. Thank you, I guess."
    "You are welcome."
    She looked back up and saw him staring at her with his eerie eyes and
she blushed, "Mom would drop dead if she saw this."
    And she won't as soon as I find a place to keep it in, Aeris thought as
the man returned to his packing. The young woman bit her lip and tried to
think about something else, but she couldn't. She remembered seeing such
things back at the wall market, but she never had the courage to actually
go in and buy one. Her fingers eagerly wrapped themselves around her new
toy.
    Maybe I should see if it really works. She felt her ears burn as she
gingerly fingered the switch. Aeris jumped when it suddenly extended itself
in both directions with a quiet SCHWIP!
    A dull CRACK! came from one of the timbers next to her. She sat wide
eyed and in shock; the palm sized stick was now a meter and half long --
staff. One end had cleanly shot through the foot and a half thick timber
she had been sitting next to. Aeris hid her mouth as Greylorn turned around
and gave her a disapproving stare.
    "Are you trying to kill me?" he asked spitefully.
    "Wh-what on Planet did you give me?" she whispered.
    "This is a fighting stick," he replied quietly, "Considering your --
lack of proper protection, I had thought this a prudent gift. How
unfortunate for I to be wrong."
    Aeris scooted aside and let the man yank the stick from the wood.
    "I thought -- thought it was --," her face flushed red as she looked
away.
    "Thought it was what?" he said dourly, "A toy?"
    The man adroitly twirled the staff and powdered wood sifted through the
air. A second flick and the staff retracted neatly into its former size once
more.
    "Here," Greylorn handed it back to her.
    "No thanks," Aeris shook her head, "I don't need something like this."
    "You may regret those words in the future."
    She pushed it away and looked at him with suspicion, "Hey, why are you
being so nice all of a sudden?"
    The man shrugged and put the stick back with his things.
    "Why the interest? I thought you didn't care if anyone lived or died."
    When he didn't answer she pressed on, "You like me or something?
    "What of your interest in me?" he countered.
    "Well, I --," she clammed up.
    Got me there, she thought.
    "I dunno," Aeris cast her eyes downward, "Maybe I guess I wanted to
learn more about my history from you."
    "I do not think Cetra history would be very -- appropriate for you to
learn."
    She frowned and looked up, "That's ridiculous! Why can't you teach me
about my own --"
    "You're still here!" Elmyra's head popped into the room, "Aeris, stop
interfering with Mr. Greylorn."
    "I was just leaving," he dipped his head, "Thank you again."
    "Well , if you're in town again," Elmyra shook his hand, "You're more
than welcome to --"
    "I will not be returning here for," he furrowed his brow, "a long time.
But your hospitality is most gracious, madam."
    Aeris wrinkled her nose at his pretentious display.
    Gee, mom how can you be so gullible?
    "Well, you're most welcome!" Elmyra beamed, "And thank you," her voice
soft, "for -- for Aeris."
    "You, are most welcome," he nodded, "I know how it is to lose a child."
    "What?" Elmyra subdued her jubilation, "Did yours --?"
    His face remained impassive as he spoke, "No."
    "Oh," Elmyra whispered, "I -- I'm sorry. I didn't know."
    Aeris perked up and looked at him with surprise. Was that why he acted
peculiarly? But still, he hardly gave it a thought about sacrificing all
those people in Midgar.
    Not to mention me when I didn't want to go along with him, she told
herself.
    "Quite all right madam," Greylorn regained his composure, "Farewell
then." He was about to step out the door when a voice chimed from nowhere.
    :: incoming message from jherana rure ::
    "Connect."
    :: stand by to receive ::
    A ghostly image of a creature conjured itself before them. It was
unlike anything Aeris had ever seen. It appeared to be a woman on top --
but she had the lower extremities of what appeared to be a giant snake. Six
human looking arms that were attached to her upper body.
    Was this for real? Aeris stared at the monster-woman in wonder. Her
eyes fell to the thing's bare chest. She saw the creature and Tifa had at
least two things in common.
    "You there?" the monstrosity whispered in an alluring, feminine voice.
    "What does it look like?" he said gruffly.
    She peered around him.
    "You're not alone," the creature's voice a bit shaken.
    "Ignore them," Greylorn's tone grew impatient, "What is it?"
    The creature relaxed a little, "You'd better get out of there while you
still can."
    "Why?" he shot back.
    Her six hands flexed nervously before she said, "Cthon neega eesha maaha
gragga zhro! Iasubba kymmen kuthera mozarro!"
    "What did she say?" Elmyra whispered to her daughter, fascinated and
frightened by the exchange.
    "I -- I don't know but it doesn't sound good," Aeris looked worried.
    "When did that happen?" the man barked.
    "Half an hour," she said quietly, "There's still time --"
    "Where?"
    "-- I saw them fifty klicks from your present location. Please
Krelaran, leave while you still --"
    "Curse them," Greylorn hissed and he made a rude cutting gesture,
"Sever transmission."
    The apparition disappeared.
    "What happened?" Aeris asked.
    "Pack your belongings."
    "Excuse me?" Both women looked at him bewildered.
    "Pack your things and leave, if you want to live," he started for the
door.
    "Pardon you sir," Elmyra moved in between them, "But who are you to
tell us what to --"
    "Madam," he turned towards her, "It is imperative you do as I say if
you and your daughter wish to live. This entire town is in danger of an
attack."
    Elmyra gasped.
    Aeris stared at him wide eyed, "But I thought you said--!"
    "I was wrong. Now move."
    "Is it them again?" she looked at him in fear, "Those -- those -- what
did you call them, gaunts?"
    "No," Greylorn ushered the two out the storage room, "Different
species. These attack from the ground."
    "You mean on the ground?" Aeris corrected him.
    "Afterwards. But they usually strike first from the ground. These
things can tunnel through soil as easily as we walk through air," the man
paused briefly before adding, "They are also quite fearsome with their
weaponry. In about ten minutes, everyone not in hiding or in flight will be
dead."
    "In Planet's sake we have to warn them!" Elmyra shouted, "All those
people, the Rhodes, Mrs. Axelby, Marlene, Mr. Wallace --"
    "No time."
    "But they'll die!!" the woman was becoming hysterical.
    "We cannot warn everyone in town," the man opened his bag and picked
out some of the neatly arranged assortment of alien objects, "If we choose
to save one, why not the rest?"
    "Why us then?"
    Greylorn crinkled his eyes, "Why not? We can hide here as they begin
their operations. With luck, they will miss us in the slaughter."
    Elmyra looked appalled at the man she had called 'a gentleman' earlier.
Aeris saw the disbelief in her mom's eyes as the woman realized his true
nature.
    "I am going to warn them, with or without your help," Elmyra said icily
and started for the stairs.
    "Mom!?" Aeris started after her.
    "Stay here," she commanded and hurried down the stairs.
    "She is brave," he said as she left, "And foolhardy."
    "I can't let her do this alone," Aeris whispered.
    "You will die if you leave," Greylorn said simply.
    "Better to die than to live a coward," she turned away.
    He caught her arm, "Sometimes it is better to live a coward than to be
the most glorious of all dead."
    "Let me go," Aeris said unkindly, "You let me be before, why not now?"
    Greylorn's mouth twitched slightly as he released his grip.
    "That's better," she backed off as he turned away. She hurried down the
stairs and ran out the door. Outside, people had already come out of their
doors. Some were muddling around and talking, others had their things
bundled but headed nowhere. The air was filled with murmuring, panic, and
excitement.
    She must be going up to the street house by house, Aeris wrung her
hands nervously.
    "Excuse me," someone came up, "But do you know what's going on?"
    Aeris nodded her head quickly and gave a curt reply, "Pack your things
and go. The town's in danger."
    She headed down the other direction without waiting for an answer and
began pounding furiously on the doors and shouting for the occupants to get
out. A dark thought surfaced as she reached her fifth door.
    Tifa.
    Cloud.
    Aeris looked around and tapped a man on the shoulder.
    "-- the hell is Shinra doin'?" he stopped as he settled his gaze on
Aeris, "Hey there! What's going on?"
    "Tell everyone to pack and leave. This place is going under."
    "Huh," the man snorted, "Right. Prob'ly just another Shinra trick to
get 'comodations for their ilk."
    "Just do it damn you!" her voice shook with panic as the man blanched.
Something in her eyes said this was no trick. This was for real.
    "Uh, shur. Anythin' you say."
    Aeris turned and fled down Strasse-burg towards the Burning Boar.

   **********************************************************************

    He inched slowly towards her table.
    What the hell to say?
    Tifa dug into her lukewarm porridge with little enthusiasm.
    "Hey."
    "Hey," she sounded off monotonously.
    "Mind if I sit down?" he croaked.
    "Go ahead," she didn't look up.
    Cloud took his seat opposite of her and tried not to stare.
    "What'll it be?" a server came up.
    "The special, what ever it is."
    "Great choice sir," the man set down some water in a cloudy glass and
left.
    He found he couldn't help but look at her until his food came. Her eyes
were red and there were dark bags under them.
    She must've been up late as me, he thought. I've never seen her look
this.
    Tifa ignored him in general as she half sipped, half chewed the chunky
mixture of grain soup.
    "Tasty?"
    Tifa shrugged and stirred her gruel.
    Of course it isn't you dumb jackass, he said to himself.
    "Hey, why don't we find someplace better?"
    Tifa continued eating.
    "The Dragon across the street has some decent food I think we --."
    Aww nuts, he thought, *that* was a bad choice.
    "Enjoy your meal," she had finished while he was talking and had placed
a few notes of Gil on the table before getting up.
    "Tiff," Cloud reached out and gently grabbed her by the arm as she
tried to leave.
    "Let me go," she said it without resorting to her usual fiery temper.
    He released her but he stood up and barred her way.
    "I -- I'm sorry Tifa," he began, "I know what I did was reckless and
stupid," Cloud faltered, "I -- I'm in no position to say this, but don't
put the blame on her. It was entirely my fault."
    She let out a quick chuckle.
    "Tiff?"
    "That's what she said too."
    Cloud's throat went dry, "You -- she spoke with you?"
    "Yeah, last night."
    Dammit, he shut his eyes, this is getting worse and worse.
    "If you guys lie, at least make it consistent," Tifa began to shuffle
off another direction.
    "No wait," he grabbed her arm again.
    "What is it now?" she grew impatient, "What else do you want from me?"
    "You dammit," he hissed, "I want you."
    "No you don't ribbon-boy," she spat back in tears, "You want her and
don't you ever lie about it ever again!"
    "She told you about it?" Cloud asked darkly.
    "I knew about your keepsake long before you gave it back!" Tifa tried
to wrench her arm free.
    "How?!"
    "I saw you," she wept, her voice rose alarmingly louder with each word,
"When you buried her you took it from her and kept it, you grave robbing
bastard!! I saw you but I never said a damn thing!"
    Cloud held her too stunned to speak.
    "Lemme go!" Tifa was starting to get unmanageable.
    Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the innkeeper reaching for the
phone.
    Well, the day was turning into shit already.
    What else could go wrong?
    A sudden rumble jolted them out of their struggle. Cloud felt her arm
slip from his grasp. She let out a scream before she hit the floor.
    "Tiff!" he crawled over to her, "You okay?"
    She was bruised, but not bleeding.
    "Yeah," she nursed her shoulder.
    Cloud let out a sigh of relief.
    "What was that?" she craned her head.
    "Beats me," he helped her up and batted away her hands when she tried
to stop him.
    "Thanks," she murmured. They stayed like that for a bit. The peace
shattered when a pink clad figure came bursting in through the front door.
    "EVERYONE GET OUT!!" her scream tore through the inn.
    "Aeris?!" the two of them looked at the hysterical woman in shock.
    "That's it! ALL of you get --" the innkeeper was suddenly cut off when
something large exploded through the front door. More precisely, it
exploded from underneath the front door. Tifa barely had time to pass
judgement on what was going on when someone uttered a terrifying scream.
    "What the FUCK?!" Cloud quickly flashed his sword as the formless
monstrosity headed towards Aeris. It would have caught up to her had it not
been for the innkeeper who blathered a string of obscenities as he opened
fire with a small handgun. Sensing danger, a flurry of whips lashed out in
defiance. Cloud, Tifa, and Aeris stared in horror as an ear shattering
scream came from the swirl of dust.
    "GO! GO! GO!!" Aeris roughly shoved them up the stairs as another
shriek filled the air. This time it was from the kitchen.
    "What's going on?" Tifa asked wild eyed.
    "The hell do I know?!" the young man snapped as he pushed both of them
in front of him.
    "Cloud look out!"
    He stepped aside just as the attack came thundering down at a blazing
speed. Aeris let out a desperate cry as Tifa strong armed her upstairs.
    "We've got to help him!" she wailed.
    "Don't be dumb," Tifa growled fiercely, "You can't even take care of
yourself in a scrape." Aeris shot her a mean glare but went with her
regardless.
    Once upstairs, the dark haired woman tightened her gloves and said
sharply, "Stay here."
    "You're going back down?" the small woman clenched her fists, "I'm
going with you."
    "No you're not," Tifa shot back, "You're staying up here where it's
sa---"
    The floor exploded between them, cutting her off.
    "Planet help me," Aeris whispered as her eyes settled on their
attacker.
    The tentacles were what were most obvious to her. Slick, writhing
bundles of meaty cables wavered this way and that. They were all attached
to a smooth jet black body ovoid in shape. On the very top was what
appeared to a mouth. Rows upon rows of thin needle like teeth lined either
side. Their white contrasted brightly against the rest of its dark tones. A
thin clear liquid coated each miniature fang and whenever the beast took a
breath, a fetid yellow puff could be seen coming out of the serrated
tunnel.
    But it was those horrendous tentacles which allowed the creature to
haul itself up through the hole it created to showcase the rest of itself
-- a serpentine body as thick as a tree trunk and moving in a sickening
concert with its other appendages. The beast's body-tail twisted and oozed
through the hole for it to gain a foothold.
    "TIFF LOOK OUT!"
    She heard Cloud's cry in time to roll away before the tentacle beast
took a poorly aimed swipe at her with its whips. Aeris tore herself away
from the sight before her and saw Cloud, bleeding and bruised feverishly
vaulting over smashed furniture and debris to get to them. The beast
turned and saw Tifa desperately trying to scramble back to her feet.
    She's not going to make it, Aeris thought as she reached out and
grabbed a small vase lying on beside her and threw it with all her might.
Her heart sank as it landed harmlessly a few steps shy of the creature. The
effort though, drew its attention.
    The creature turned towards Aeris and paused. She scuttled out of the
way as its sinewy cords tore up the wall behind her. However, there was no
place for her to run to. She was trapped in a corner and the creature was
advancing steadily toward her.
    "Hey over here!" Tifa took up a chair and smashed it across the thing's
back before pummelling it with a flurry of kicks and punches. The beast
only seemed mildly annoyed as its tail snapped about like a whip cord,
flinging the poor woman roughly into the wall.
    "Tifa!" Aeris cried out as she her friend slump motionless to the
floor. The plaster where she had impacted was cracked and crumbling.
    "Die damn you! DIE!"
    The thing spasmed as Cloud tore through its center with a meter and a
half of fine tempered mythril. A thick, mouldy green glop erupted from the
thing's body as its whips tried to swat the young man aside. Aeris could do
nothing except take cover as the beast's thrashings tore up the room.
    "Please let them be okay," she clasped her hands together and prayed
for her companions, "Oh please."
    A final piercing shriek sounded the death of the beast and she risked a
peek.
    "Aeris?"
    Cloud standing over the monstrous corpse and holding his arm. She stood
and literally flew to his side.
    "You okay?"
    He nodded quickly, "Just hurts a little. You all right?"
    "Yeah," Aeris said quietly, "I'm okay."
    Suddenly, Cloud jerked up, "Tifa. Where's -- oh my --"
    The woman lay crumpled on the shattered floor. Aeris hurried over and
bent down beside her.
    "Ungh," Tifa stirred and fluttered her eyes, "Aeris?"
    "You okay?" Aeris helped her up.
    "Yeah," her next words were full of fear, "Is he --?"
    "Right here," Cloud knelt beside her, "You sure you're okay?"
    Tifa nodded fiercely as he ruffled her hair.
    "Watch yourself," he growled, "You're a glutton for punishment aren't
you?"
    "Look who's talking," her hand grazed his bloody face lightly.
    "Um, guys?"
    "What is it?" they both turned and saw Aeris peeking outside.
    "We've got a problem."
    Cloud took one look and muttered, "Oh --"
    "--shit," Tifa finished.
    A dozen of the black things stood outside the Burning Boar. Some
carried outlandishly large blades, others bizarre alien objects. They
seemed to be preoccupied with something.
    "How are we going to get out of here?" Tifa whispered.
    "Maybe they'll leave us alone."
    "How can you be so sure?" Cloud asked.
    Aeris sucked in her breath, "Greylorn said they might ignore us if we
can hide from them."
    "Fat chance," Tifa pursed her lips, "How'd that one find us then?"
    "I dunno," Aeris replied morosely.
    Cloud glanced nervously about before he asked, "Where's Elmyra?"
    Tifa hissed at him as Aeris paled.
    "S-she went out to warn the others," she said weakly, "I hope she's
okay."
    "Me too," he muttered lamely.
    "This is bad," Tifa closed her eyes, "All those people out on the veldt
are not going to be okay. There's no where to hide."
    "I can't believe this!" Cloud said fiercely, "They're just going to
keep coming until we're all dead, aren't we?"
    "It looks that way," Aeris looked at the two warily, "We've got to warn
the oth--"
    ZZZZRRRRWWWWW!!
    She stumbled right into Cloud.
    "Sorry," she mumbled and backed away from him quickly.
    "It's o--."
    ZZZZZZRRRRRRRWWWWRRRRRWWWWW!! This time it was louder.
    "The floor's moving!!" Tifa exclaimed.
    ZZZZZRRRRWWWWW-CHNG-CHNG-CHNG!!
    "What -- in -- the -- ?" Cloud tried to remain upright by leaning
against the wall when the shaking suddenly stopped.
    "Look!" Aeris pointed out the window.
    The three of them watched as building after building began to shake,
rumble, and collapse. People were ejected from the windows where some would
land with a sickening crunch while others would pick themselves up and run,
only to be cut open in a sudden flash of steel or they would scream as they
were lifted and fed into the attackers' fearsome mouths. The street was
littered with sundered corpses, debris, and hordes of tentacle beasts.
    "We're dead if we leave," Tifa said fiercely and dipped her head.
    "We don't have a choice," Cloud said quietly and jerked his thumb at
the window, "If we stay, we'll be buried alive."
    The two women saw what he was talking about. The group of attackers in
front of their building were all gone except for one, and some kind of
floating disc like machine. Tifa had never seen anything like it before. It
looked like two dinner plates hemmed together at the rim except one was
flipped upside down, so its center was thicker than the edges. But what
alarmed her most was what was attached to the edge of the disc - two rows
of serrated teeth which spun freely around the disc, each in one direction.
    The lone creature busied itself with the disc. Tifa could see it
holding some kind of tool. The beast tossed aside something and she dimly
recognized as a piece of ruined metal. It stepped back and its tentacles
flailed wildly before it moved off down the street.
    The blades began spinning in a rapid blur.
    "Oh shit," Tifa muttered as the disc crept slowly towards the inn.
    "Out on the ledge," Cloud said suddenly.
    "What?" she looked at him, "Are you NUTS?!"
    "We're getting out of here," he pulled the two women out to the window,
"Over the roofs, we'll be safe -- for a while."
    ZZZZZZRRRRRRRWWWWWW!! ZHRONG!!
    That was new, he thought. Their building was not going to last long.
    "Out and hold on."
    "Won't they see us?" Aeris asked.
    "They can't catch us if we're quick," Cloud smiled thinly.
    "You don't hafta tell me," Tifa squeezed her busty frame out, "Where to
then?"
    "There," Cloud pointed to a building which was relatively untouched.
    "We're starting to slant," Aeris' voice grew worried.
    "Go," he ushered her out.
    CREEEAACK!!
    "Aaah!" Aeris lost her grip but strong hands grabbed her.
    "Got you."
    She looked up and saw Cloud holding on to her tightly.
    "Tiger?"
    It was Tifa.
    "Cloud!?" Urgency seeped in her voice.
    "Get back!" he ordered as the inn slanted further.
    "Give me her hand, damn you!" she shouted back.
    Cloud saw Tifa swing upside down and reach for Aeris with her hands.
    "What the hell are you lashed too?!" he yelled.
    "All -- most -- got -- her. I -- "
    CCCRREEEAACK!!
    "Aaaaaaaaaaahhhh!"
    "Tifa!!" Cloud saw her body fly past him.
    "Oof!" she barely hung onto the ledge.
    Fuck, he thought.
    This was not good.
    "Cloud!" Aeris was starting to slip through his grip.
    "Hang on!!" he tried pulling her up, but the tilting floor made things
difficult. He tightened his grip.
    CRACK!!
    "Aaah !!" the jolt loosened Tifa's grip.
    "Got you!" Aeris grabbed her friend's arm.
    Cloud groaned under the increased weight.
    "Dammit you two," he shouted desperately, "Climb up! Climb up!"
    CRAACK!
    "I can't!" Aeris hung on to Cloud with one hand and Tifa with the
other.
    CRAAACK!!
    "I can't," Tifa gritted her teeth, "I think I twisted my arm. Oh fuck,
it hurts. It hurts real bad."
    CREEACK!
    "Can you move it?" he shouted.
    "No," Tifa grimaced in pain, "Fuck it, I'm dropping!"
    "Dammit no," Cloud gritted his teeth, "That mobile meat cleaver's still
down there. I'm not letting go!"
    "Let go of me dammit!" she hissed, "I can make a run for it!"
    "You -- go," Cloud panted from the exertion, "I -- go."
    "Me too," Aeris whispered fiercely and tightened her grip.
    "But I can't hang on!" Tifa cried. Behind and below her, Cloud saw
three of the creatures advancing towards them. Remembering how high the one
he had fought earlier had 'leaped' to avoid him, his heart sank as Tifa
dipped lower and lower.
    "Tiff - Ae - ris."
    The two looked up and saw the young man straining not to let go,
"What?!"
    "Three - more of - 'em coming. C-can't hold on," his teeth were
chattering, "When you drop, run - run for it."
    "What about you?" Aeris cried.
    "I'll -- hold - hold them off."
    "Oh fuck me," Tifa whispered as the metallic whirring became louder.
The disc machine emerged slowly from the inn, its blades covered in sawdust
and a dark colored goo. Blood.
    "Cloud!" she screamed, "Cloud! Don't let go! That meatsaw's right below
us!!"
    "Oh --- f-f-fuck ---" he tightened his grip again. The tentacle
creatures slithered up and brandished their weapons. It was only a matter
of time. Suddenly almost on cue, a dull whoop-whoop-whoop sounded overhead.
    "I gotcha!!" a big burly arm wrapped around Tifa's waist. Cloud exhaled
sharply as the weight was lifted.
    "Barret!"
    "Yo!" the big man was lashed to the side of a dilapidated airship,
"Need help?"
    "Yeah!" Cloud shot back, "Get this one up too will ya?"
    "Jez a sec," Barret hoisted Tifa up with his good hand.
    Reeve and Vincent grabbed her by each arm. Tifa let out a scream as
they pulled her up mightily.
    "Her arm's busted!" Cloud shouted.
    "I apologize," Vincent said as Tifa clutched her arm in obvious pain.
    "S'okay," she clenched her teeth.
    "Okay, I gotcha." Aeris felt herself being hefted like a doll by the
big man.
    "Thank you!"
    She found herself on the deck of the vessel where she saw Tifa huddled
in a corner.
    "Let me see that," Aeris knelt down by her wounded friend.
    Tifa shook her head, "See if you can help them."
    "Barret has everything under control," Aeris put her hands on her arm
gently, "Now come on, let me see it."
    An aura surrounded her as Aeris began her healing trance. Tifa sighed
as the pain washed out from her body. When she looked up, Aeris had a hand
to her head.
    "Hey are you okay?" Tifa looked at her.
    "I'm -- fine," Aeris forced out a grin.
    "Thank you," Tifa mumbled, "That's one -- no two, I owe you huh?"
    "No, we're even," Aeris poked her, "If you didn't risk yourself trying
to pull me up, you wouldn't have hurt yourself. Besides, there's no tallies
between friends, right?"
    "Yeah," Tifa still looked glum, "I guess."
    Back on the ground, Cloud positioned himself at the window and waited
patiently for Barret when one of the creatures pulled out what appeared to
be a firearm of some sort.
    "Oh fuck," the young man stared as the weapon was methodically loaded
and aimed at him.
    "'ay!! EAT 'DIS!" A long burst of gunfire erupted from the side of
Highwind Too as Barret unloaded his gun arm on the three creatures. The
bullets tore through them, taking away chunks of gold meat and splattering
green pus all over the street. Horrid shrieks erupted from their slit like
mouths as they could do nothing to counterattack.
    Cloud laughed maniacally as the danger was removed.
    He was saved.
    Cloud one. Weird octopus snake things zero.
    "Thanks," he grabbed onto the hoist chain.
    "No prob lil' buddy," Barret gave the chain two quick jerks.
    "Is everyone here?" Cloud's voice carried through the air as he
alighted on deck.
    "Everyone except the other 50,000 plus people," Reeve said bitterly.
    "No. It can't be," he whispered, "Are they all --?"
    "Not yet," the suited man answered, "There're enough wagons and chocos
for them to make it out there."
    "As lon' as they keep runnin'," Barret said darkly, "We got plenty of
'em on board, when Cid saw 'dem."
    "Wait a minute!" Cloud looked around, "Where's Nanaki? And Yuffie?"
    "And Mom!" Aeris remembered, "She's still out there!!"
    Barret perked up, "She ain't wid' you?"
    "No," she wrung her hands, "She said she was going to warn the
neighbors or something."
    "'hoo?!" the big man roared, "Where she at?!"
    "I - I don't recall!" Aeris was getting hysterical, "Someone named
Rhodes was one of them I think."
    Barret shook his head, "Don' know 'em," he gripped the handrail
tightly, "Dis ain't good."
    "I have to find her!" she cried.
    "You can't be serious," Tifa held her, "You'll die down there!"
    "I have to!" Aeris was becoming hysterical.
    "You may not need to," Vincent pointed to the distance.

   **********************************************************************

    Meanwhile, Red XIII was sitting nervously on the roof of one of the few
houses which remained standing.
    CREEAACK!
    But not for long.
    "Oh boyoboyoboy!!" Yuffie stamped excitedly, "This ain't good!"
    Normally, he would have told her to shut her trap. But in the face of
impending doom, Red obliged by letting her have her way. The remaining
survivors had gathered up here, the last bastion in a town being literally
returned to the planet.
    The phrase struck him as funny.
    "Hey furball! What are you smiling at?"
    Red XIII looked up and saw Yuffie shaking her head.
    "It's over! ALL OVER!!"
    "Quiet Yuffie," he growled, "Be brave."
    "Who are you?" she whined, "My dad?" Yuffie stopped as the gravity of
the situation hit her, "We'll never get out of this!! I won't see him
again!"
    "Stop that!" Red went over and nipped her, "You're not helping," he
nodded towards the wailing children.
    Elmyra came over and held the sobbing girl, "Hush dear, don't cry."
    Red turned away and snarled, "I don't care. I'm not giving up without a
fight."
    "Well said," an iron voice rang out, "But there are always
alternatives."
    "Greylorn!"
    The cloaked man was holding a black staff.
    "What do you intend to do?"
    "Nothing," he staked the rod into the ground and sat down. Red looked
at him puzzled until the man's fingers grazed the rod slightly. The
quadruped and several others jumped when the rod began emitting a strange
hum.
    "What's going on?" Red asked.
    "This is a mobile camouflage unit," Greylorn said simply.
    "It will hide us?"
    "Yes."
    "Are you BLIND?" someone asked, "Nothing's changed!"
    "To you," the cloaked man said quietly, "But not to them."
    "But---!"
    "Control yourself," Greylorn gave them a steely stare, "or they will
find us and kill us."
    The man who objected earlier sat down muttered something under his
breath as several of the creatures came up Strasse-burg. Their bodies
slithered over the debris lined street as they stopped to prod the
occasional body.
    "They're coming this way," Elmyra whispered.
    Greylorn didn't bother to answer as he began assembling a mean looking
piece of hardware.
    "I thought they couldn't see us!" the man hissed.
    "They cannot," Greylorn's tone did not reassure him.
    "This is useless!" the man began his tirade again, "Useless!"
    "Restrain yourself," the blue eyed man said coldly as the man kept up
his ranting.
    "Quiet down," Red snarled. But he too was deeply afraid. What if they
saw through -- whatever it was on the roof?
    "Are you sure that thing works?" he asked the blue eyed stranger.
    "Yes. Against them," the man replied sourly and pointed, "But not
them."
    "What?!" Red looked down and saw several people desperately scrambling
from the attackers. One of them stopped and picked up a weapon from a
fallen body and fired. It turned out to be a foolish gesture when a dozen
bolts crashed into his body. Their companions did not stop to help him as
they ran screaming in terror down the street towards the house.
    "What are you doing?" Red hissed as Greylorn raised his weapon.
    The warrior's eye were glazed with apprehension as the blue eyed man
tensed and fired. A muffled report came from the muzzle and one of the
fleeing people crumpled soundlessly on the street.
    "Watch it!"
    "You killed him!"
    Another one, a woman holding a small child took two steps before
another silent blast halted her flight. Her child only had time to utter a
short cry of alarm before a creature came up from behind and cleaved it
apart with its weapon.
    "In the name of Planet!!" someone screamed, "He's going to kill them
all!"
    "Someone stop him!" Elmyra cried.
    "STOP!!" Red XIII had enough. "STOP IT!!" he charged straight at him
with murder on his mind.
    "CURSE YOU!" the man shouted as they both fell off the roof.

   **********************************************************************

    From the Highwind Too, Aeris could see some people stranded on a still
standing building.
    "Hurry! Hurry!" she hopped about in a vain attempt to get the vessel
moving faster.
    "I see Elmyra," Cloud squinted his eyes, "Red and Yuffie too!"
    "Cid!" Tifa shouted down the hatch, "Get this thing moving!!"
    "I can't!" came the reply, "Too much weight! Thisiz as fast as she
goes!"
    "What on Planet!" Reeve shouted over the din, "What's that maniac
doing?!"
    They could all see Greylorn standing on the roof and firing haphazardly
on the street below.
    "Is he trying to save them or kill them?" Reeve screamed.
    "I can drop him right now," Vincent hefted his rifle and looked at him
for the go ahead.
    "Wait! Look there," Tifa clutched Cloud's arm tightly and pointed,
"It's Nanaki!"
    Everyone on board uttered a cry of despair as both the red skinned
warrior and the crazed sniper tumbled off the roof.
    "Mom!!" Aeris shouted at the top of her lungs, "Mom!"
    The ship had ventured close enough so Aeris could see Elmyra, but she
could not hear her above the roar of the engines.
    "Cloud, Aeris, everyone!!" Tifa dragged some rope ladders over to the
side of the deck, "C'mon, c'mon!!"

   **********************************************************************

    Red had hit dead center of the body. Unfortunately, that also meant he
put himself at great risk for a counterstrike.
    He tried to rake the man's face as one last gesture of defiance, but
Greylorn effectively deterred that by lashing out a vicious blow which sent
him flying apart from his assailant.
    "You got guts," Greylorn hissed, "Even though the specifications say
otherwise."
    "You murdered them! Innocents!!" Red spat, "I'll kill you if it's the
last thing I'll do!"
    "You want my blood?" Greylorn hissed, "Then we can settle things as
soon as they get out safely."
    Red looked back up at the house and saw the survivors clambering aboard
the Highwind Too. He turned back just in time to see Greylorn stab
something into the ground and run. The tentacle creatures suddenly began
their advance.
    I've been had, Red thought. How could I've been so foolish to have let
him out of my sight?
    "DAMN YOU!" he ran.

   **********************************************************************

    "Furball!?" Yuffie peered over the roof as the house began to shake.
    "Come on dear!" Elmyra tried hustling the girl to the ladder to no
avail.
    "But Nanaki!" the girl sounded worried.
    "We'll worry about him later!" Elmyra pulled her towards the ladder.
    "DAMN YOU!!"
    "Na-naaa-kiii!!" Yuffie yelped with glee and slid out of Elmyra's grip.
    "No! Come back!" Elmyra stopped and chased after the fleeing girl.
    On board the air ship, Aeris looked at every face which came through.
    "Mom!?" she went from person to person as they passed by, "MOM!?"
    "She still down 'der?" Barret looked over their heads.
    "Where else could she be!?" Aeris looked over the side in desperation.

   **********************************************************************

    Red swore as he darted between the creatures' huge blades.
    "Damn you," he spat into the wind, "I'll kill you for this."
    He leaped one direction, then another in order to throw his attackers
off guard. He caught the glimpse of a flash from the corner of his eyes as
he saw Greylorn toss a flurry of small shiny beads from his hand. What ever
they struck -- creature or surface, a sharp crackling sound erupted along
with gouts of green tinged flesh or shards of wood and stone. He proceeded
to scoop up the weapons from those felled by the attack and used them with
lethal results.
    He's skilled, Red thought grimly as he rolled from another beast which
approached from behind.
    "Nanakiiii!"
    Oh no, he looked up to see Yuffie waving at him.
    "Get out of here!" he roared at the girl.
    "I can help!" she began clambering down the side of the tilting house.
    "Yuffie get back!!" Red leapt aside just in time. He was getting tired.
    Sooner or later, he thought grimly, I will be caught.
    "I wanna help!!" she yelled as she teetered dangerously close to the
edge.
    "Simmie!"
    Red craned his head at the madman that had gotten them into this mess
in the first place.
    "Get those two on the ship!!"
    Two? Red looked up and saw Elmyra leaning dangerously over the top of
the house and calling for Yuffie.
    "Move it!!" the man danced aside another strike before staking another
one of the attackers with a loose spar of wood. Foul smelling, green glop
flew forth from the creature as it writhed in its death throes. Greylorn
didn't stay to examine his handiwork as he focused on another attacker who
came up behind him.
    Red XIII obliged and ran towards Yuffie. She smiled and stretched out
her arms to greet him. Without warning, a black flash crossed her form.
    He barely had time to utter, "YUFFIE!" before a crimson gout of blood
gushed forth and her body teetered and fell backwards.
    "Yuffie!!" he tore into the fray, but it was too late -- her killer had
disappeared.
    "NO!!" Red's shriek reached to those aboard the Highwind Too. He heard
their shouts and their pleas for him to come back, but he ignored them as
he stumbled over to her calling to her over and over again.
    "Yuffie! Yuffie! Yuffie!" Red felt his legs give way as he knelt over
her body, "Don't die. Please don't ---" he choked on his words as he saw
the severity of the wound. Her head was gone. Nothing could be done now.
    Nothing.
    Nothing, save vengeance.
    "WHERE ARE YOU?!" he shouted, "I WANT YOUR BLOOD MURDERER! I - WANT -
YOUR - BLOOD!!" Red threw his head up and howled in a frenzied mixture of
anguish and rage. His eye focused as he caught a black shape in the sky.
    A gaunt.
    It flitted silently over the screaming masses of the dead and dying on
the ground.
    How could I've been so careless to let it slip by me?
    Red dug his nails into the ground as he watched it fly off, an alien
chittering rang in his ears.
    Suddenly a single piercing cry came to him above all the others.
    "MOM!!"

   **********************************************************************

    "Mom!!" Aeris screamed as the house began to collapse.
    Elmyra had clung onto the hope that the girl, Yuffie would come to her
senses and leave like that red cat thing had commanded. Instead, that hope
disappeared when something came out of the sky and skewered the girl. Now
she clung desperately onto the side of the house for dear life as the
beasts gathered below her.
    "Cid!!" Reeve shouted to the pilot, "Lower!!"
    The ladder dangled just barely beyond the woman's reach.
    "LOWER DAMMIT!!"
    Elmyra's fingers brushed the lowest rung.
    "More!!"
    Suddenly one creature stretched its tendrils and latched on to a
ladder. The other creatures quickly followed suit and as soon as they
secured their grip, they began to pull. Highwind Too tilted to one side
until it was dangerously close to capsizing.
    Barret and Vincent leaned over the side and shot at the monstrosities,
yet they still held on. From the ground, the creatures who were not engaging
in a tug of war with the airship opened fire with their weaponry. Those
bolts which didn't clatter uselessly against the metal hull, hit something
else.
    "Aaah!" Barret yelped and fell back bleeding.
    "Watch it," Vincent ducked in time to avoid another volley.
    "Get 'em off!!" Cid screamed over the pipe, "Or we're all going down!!"
    Cloud swept over and mashed his sword down on the ropes. Some of the
creatures lost their grip, but others saw what was coming and quickly
lashed on to the deck railing itself. Cloud heard the engines began to
thunder in an ever higher pitch as the ship fought to regain balance.
    "Mom!!" Aeris shrieked and looked at him wide eyed, "How are we going
to get her now?"
    "Cid!" Cloud yelled, "Lower the ship until I can reach her!"
    The airship creaked and groaned from the added weight as its engines
covered the ground with its down wash.

   **********************************************************************

    "Those fools!" Greylorn voice barely audible above the ship's engines.
    "STOP!! STOP IT!!" the man gesticulated wildly.
    "They're trying to save us!!" Red gave up his search.
    Yuffie, poor Yuffie, his heart raged. What will I say to her father now?
    "The engines are giving off enough noise to draw every one of them from
all around!" Greylorn shouted, "Even the lure can not help now!"
    "What? That thing you put into the ground?!"
    "Yes!" he turned and deftly gunned down another creature.
    "Why did you do it!?" Red demanded hotly, "You almost killed me!"
    "I think not," the man hissed, "It disorients them greatly. Do you
think it was luck the two of us could kill so many?"
    Red snorted and glanced at Elmyra hanging off the side of Highwind Too.
He couldn't help her directly, but he could still help. He looked up and
saw three tentacle beasts still latched onto the ship with their undulating
arms. Their comrades began tugging on their serpentine bodies forcing
Highwind Too to sink. Red saw his chance. He ran towards the ship, narrowly
avoiding being skewered by another beast blindly firing its weapon and
launched himself on top of them. His claws dug in and he tried to hang on
as gunfire erupted around him.
    "Stop firin'! He's on one of 'em!"
    Red clambered quickly up the creature and deposited himself on the
deck, exhausted. The gunfire immediately erupted again.
    "Glad you could make it," Reeve said as he pulled out a medikit, "You
okay?"
    "Tell Cid to ascend," Red wheezed.
    "What!?"
    "The engine noise. He says it will prompt them to attack."
    "Once we get everyone out," Reeve opened the case and pulled out a
small oxygen tank, "Here, this'll make you feel better."
    "I wish I could be," the quadruped half coughed, half wept as the mask
slipped over his snout, "Yuffie --"
    "We know," he said, "I'm sorry."

   **********************************************************************

    Elmyra's strength was about gone and she knew it. The things had cut
off her only means of escape. There was no where to go now.
    At least Aeris is safe, she closed her eyes.
    "Mom!"
    The woman looked up and saw Aeris and Cloud reaching out for her.
    "Give me your hand!" he shouted.
    "Get back!" Elmyra screamed as they pulled her off the building as it
collapsed.
    "I'm not letting you go!" Aeris reached down with her other hand.
    "We got one!!"
    Cloud heard a loud whoop and saw a string of bodies fall from the
corner of his eye. He focused on his task and began to pull the woman up
when one of the creatures made one last desperate grab to hang on. Elmrya
screamed as the snake grabbed onto her with its writhing tentacles.
    "MOOOMM!!"
    "Aaaahhhhhhh!!" the woman shrieked again as the tentacles began
wrapping around her body.
    "Leggo of her!!" Tifa ground her fists ineffectively into the pulpy
mass.
    Elmyra's eyes suddenly flew wide as the creature's constricted its
grip.
    "Mom!!" Aeris tried to pull her up, but the weight on the poor woman
was too much. Even Cloud was straining himself.
    "Pull damn you!!" Tifa had given up her attacks and gripped Elmyra by
the arm.
    "I AM!!"
    "Cut it off! Cut it off!!" Aeris was screaming above the din.
    "I can't!!" Cloud panted, "If I let go it'll be too heavy!!"
    "JUST DO IT!" Aeris screamed.
    "Dammit!" Cloud charged his materia. Within seconds, his blade was
freezing cold and was able to shatter steel with a single blow.
Unfortunately, as soon as he let go, everything happened exactly as he
thought it would -- they all slipped a little further over the side. Now,
he couldn't reach far enough to deliver a blow, let alone a strong one.
    He looked over and saw Barret and Vincent too engaged with the two
remaining string of creatures to help. Reeve and Red XIII were waylaid by
more boarders on the other side of the deck. Those people who they had
helped were running for their lives below decks -- or they were likely to
get shot down by a stray bolt.
    Fuck, Cloud thought, they had forgot about the safety netting on the
side.
    "Cut the nets!!" he yelled over to the two.
    Reeve turned to him and nodded.
    "Cloud!!" Tifa's scream brought him back to the matter at hand.
    "We're going over!"
    He could only hold onto Aeris and Tifa and hopefully keep them from
falling.
    "Mom!! Hang on!"
    Elmyra's eyes were beginning to bug out as she settled her gaze on her
teary eyed daughter. Her face was beginning to darken.
    She's not going to last, Tifa thought.
    "Pull Cloud! Pull!!" she screamed.
    "I am dammit!!" Cloud exerted, "They're too damn strong! I can use some
help over here!!"
    "Aaah!!" Everyone went a little more overboard.
    "Don't die mom!! Hang on!"
    Aeris felt the woman's grip slacken.
    "Mom! What are you doing!?"
    "Goo -- good -- b -- by --" her mouth worked to form words,
"d---g---g---g----."
    She barely managed a weak smile as she slipped away from her rescuers.
The woman spiralled downwards with a half ton worth of dead creature. Both
hit the ground with a sickening crunch. A disc lumbered out of the
collapsing building and shredded both bodies in its hurry to escape.
    "MMMMOOOTHEEERRRRR!!" Aeris lunged over the side in desperation. Tifa
pulled her back before she leaned too far over.
    "LET GO!!"
    "NO! Don't!!" Tifa tightened her grip on the distraught woman.
    "Get down!" Cloud pulled them back just in time to avoid the hail of
bolts coming their way.
    A wild eyed Barret rushed over and shouted, "Whut happened!?"
    "She's gone," Cloud whispered.
    Barret looked over the side and saw the bloody remains being avidly
devoured by two of the creatures.
    "DAMMIT!" he roared as he raised his gun arm over the railing and
poured a stream of rage induced gunfire at the creatures. The hailstorm
ceased only after the belt ran dry but the gun barrels kept spinning on
empty. Cloud turned away from the mourning man and came across Tifa holding
Aeris in her arms. He shook his head.
    "MO-O-HOM-OM!!" Aeris wailed and buried her face in her hands. Tifa
hugged the sobbing woman and held her while she wept.
    Cloud turned away as he felt the ship rise beneath his feet. He looked
up and saw a bloody Greylorn vault onto the deck of Highwind Too, his
cloaks tattered and torn and his movements fueled by bloodlust.
    "If we are going to do it this way," he strode over to the
communication tube and shouted, "Take off and set a heading 150 degrees
from the north."
    "Why?" Cid's voice came through.
    "Do it," the man snarled, "Or I will."
    Highwind Too rocked to the side and its engines began to labor audibly.
    "What are you doing?" Reeve asked him as the blue eyed man began to
assemble a long metallic tube.
    "Stand back," Greylorn pushed aside a wide eyed Reeve as he loaded a
purple egg shaped thing into what appeared to be a magazine, "How far along
are we?"
    "Comin' up on four!" Cid's voice came from the pipe.
    "Four what?"
    "Miles!"
    "Look down and cover yourselves!" Greylorn's voice carried over the
roar of the wind.
    "Why?!" Reeve asked.
    "Component one fifteen explosions tend to cook flesh," the man said
coldly as he adroitly lifted the weapon and fired before anyone could act.
    "Explosion?!" Reeve screamed.
    WHOOOOOSH
    Greylorn dropped the expended launcher and covered his face, seconds
before everyone else rushed to do the same.
    BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM
    Tifa felt a wave of heat wash over her as she hugged Aeris tightly.
Light flared in her eyes even though she had pressed her face firmly into
her friend.
    What in the name of Planet was that?!
    "YOU SONOVABITCH!!" Reeve raised his fists, "YOU JUST KILLED EVERYONE
BACK THERE!!"
    "Along with every last one of those multi-armed bastards," Greylorn
deftly tripped the attacking man with the spent tube and plowed it into his
back, sending him sprawling on the deck.
    Red XIII snarled and launched himself at the madman once again. He half
expected a repeat of their earlier scuffle but instead, Red found that
couldn't breathe. The warrior collapsed harmlessly onto the deck,
struggling for breath.
    "Still after me?" the man stood over the gasping quadruped. The unseen
pressure had been shifted from his lungs to his legs. He could breathe
again, but he couldn't move.
    "First the people then the town? You're moving up aren't you?"
    "If it had not been for you," Greylorn snarled, "The girl and the woman
with us on the roof would still be alive."
    "What the hell are talking about you sick fucker!?" Cloud brandished
his sword, "You just razed the whole town!"
    "Careful with that boy," Greylorn whipped around to face him, "You can
hurt someone with that."
    "Yeah," Cloud stepped forward menacingly, "You."
    "Nice toy," Greylorn snarled.
    "You wanna play with it!?" Cloud shouted and raised his blade.
    Greylorn marched straight up to the young man and ripped the sword from
his hand before he could react. The cloaked man ground the blade into the
grating of the deck before grabbing Cloud roughly by the pauldron.
    "Listen to me very carefully boy," the man hissed in his face, "We were
all safe and alive before simmie decided to play hero. Those people down
there were already dead."
    "Funny," Red snarled from the ground, "They looked pretty lively before
you put a round through their chest."
    "Use your vat spawned brain cretin," Greylorn snapped as he released
Cloud, "Those things may not see us, but they would wonder why their quarry
would disappear. Those people put us in danger of being discovered. But
your little stunt and this vessel's engines drew enough noise to literally
bring the house down."
    "It is logical," Vincent spoke up, "And sensible."
    "How can you defend him?!" Reeve stood up and looked at the gunman
horrified.
    "I'm not," Vincent dipped his head, "I'm just saying it is -- logical."
    "I thought you said they were unable to mount another attack," Reeve
brought himself under control.
    "I thought wrong. And I reacted appropriately."
    "Whut any sole jer'd do in war," Barret said softly.
    "Correct," Greylorn stood and passed his stony gaze among them, "I am
appreciative there are some of you who understand what such situations --
demands us to do," he turned to Cloud, "I was expecting no less from a self
described mercenary. How unfortunate I was wrong."
    "I don't care what you say," Cloud yanked out his grounded blade,
"You're just another murderer to me."
    "That goes for me too," Red found he could move again and picked
himself up.
    "Believe what you wish," Greylorn said simply and headed over to Aeris.
She was sobbing and didn't acknowledge him as he stood over her in silence.
The man reached into his cloak and drew out a slim dagger. Cloud was about
to yell out something when Greylorn casually dropped the weapon beside her.
    "Shed blood," his tone was terse, "Not tears."
    Tifa grew alarmed when Aeris picked up the blade and gripped it tightly
with both hands. When she tried to take it away, the small woman angrily
flung it overboard before resuming her soft mewing. Greylorn's gaze
wistfully followed the blade as it dropped to the earth below.
    "That was a perfectly good knife Cetra."
    "What more do you want!?" Tifa glared at the man with an eyeful of
hate, "Can't you leave us alone?"
    He was about to reply when a voice came from nowhere.
    :: incoming message from jherana rure ::
    "Pardon," he stepped away slightly, "Connect."
    :: stand by to receive ::
    A familiar blinking light zipped out from the depths of Greylorn's
cloak and formed into a transparent image.
    "Ia eetto zsha seebu?"
    Tifa thought the man's eyes softened if only for a moment before they
became steely hard again.
    "I am fine. Thank you."
    "You're hurt," the snake woman showed worry in her voice, "Isn't
Prometheus --?"
    "It has been damaged," Greylorn fingered an open wound and he smiled
thinly as he toyed with his blood, "It should be operational again soon."
    The snake woman clasped her hands together -- all six of them and
bowed, "I'm relieved."
    Several people on deck who could see the spectacle stared. Aeris
blinked. He was talking to that snake thing again. Just like he was back at
the house when mom was still -- she immediately began crying again. Tifa
held and rocked her gently but her eyes were fixed on the monstrosity
before her.
    "What -- is -- that?"
    Greylorn turned around and all but mimicked her voice, "Can't you leave
us alone?" Tifa glared at him before she averted her eyes.
    Jherana heard the exchange and cast her gaze on Aeris. She gasped in
recognition, "Wasn't she the one from earlier?"
    The blue eyed man nodded silently.
    "Oh," she covered her mouth with her two upper most hands, "How many?"
    "Iazzda kyapiiuudu subuutu," he said quietly.
    "I'm -- I'm sorry. M'tdu, she said --"
    He waved his hand, "Do not trouble yourself with it."
    "Still --," she stopped as he stared impassively at her.
    "Anything else?" his tone held a mild degree of annoyance.
    "No. I just wanted to see if you were well."
    "Then if you have nothing more, farewell," his tone dour.
    "No, there isn't," Jherana said ruefully and began to reach for
something beyond the image.
    "Send my regards to Basi," Greylorn said suddenly, "And to your
mother."
    Jherana looked up and blinked at the outburst.
    "I-I will," she raised a hand as if to touch him, but stopped,
"Farewell fath--"
    "Sever transmission."
    The apparition winked out of existence.

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Next Episode: Choice and Consequence

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