Beyond the Sea "My love, you know you are my best friend You know that I'd do anything for you, And, my love let nothing come between us: My love for you is strong and true." - Sarah McLachlan ----------------------------------------------------------------------- The drool on her hand was a dead giveaway that she'd been sleeping. Coming upright with a jerk, she tried to feign interest in whatever Barrett and Red were arguing about on the map. She suspected that neither had much of a clue about dimensions and so when it came to crossing terrain that was unfamiliar to either, they'd end up lost. She'd sort of held out hope that Red, being of animal nature and sounder mind and body than Barrett had been since the collapse of the plate, would be more able to locate their whereabouts, if only from the sun, wind and scent of the air. No such luck, Tifa. No, you're stuck with Captain Clueless and his canine friend, Sir Haven't the Foggiest. She grumped to herself really as she wiped the drool off with the heel of her hand on the hem of her skirt, wincing only a little at the smear she left on the shiny material. Hopefully, if anyone noticed, they'd assume it was a spatter of rain to come. Yes, let it rain, she pleaded. In fact, to be original, rain fish? Go on, surprise me. The weather, as usual, was obtuse in ignoring her. Her dark eyes moved across the glade to where Aerith was brushing out her hair and plaiting it back into the careful hairstyle with agile, knowing fingers. Cloud didn’t sit too far away, going over their inventory of items they seemed to keep picking up along the way. She wondered briefly, but not too lingeringly, on why the monsters around these parts seemed intent on carrying items with them. Items that they had a cat in hells chance of using. For instance, the boomerang. A throwing weapon of dubious return value, it was a favourite of the harrier type bird enemies. Potions. Antidotes. Even bracelets. Was there a fashion and grocery outlet for monsters that she was as of yet, unaware of? Her eyes travelled as if drawn by lodestone to the figure of Aerith as she hummed softly, sitting just perfectly in the dead centre of a beam of light, haloing her perfect self as it fell from the gaps in the canopy, dropping down around her in a glow that could not be equalled. She smiled and tilted her head, enjoying this covert study of such a rare creature. A few more moments and she looked away, the lassitude of melancholia stealing over her and setting her full lips into a pink pout as the arguing reached fever pitch between the cat and the terrorist leader. She'd long since learned to block both howls and screeches out of her hearing, instead looking dimly down at the dusty glade floor and the branches, leaves and other natural litter scattered about it. Cloud loves her. But she's mine. Mine. I.. ...I what? I didn't see her first. I didn't promise to be there when she needs me, first. I didn't do anything first. Second best. Story of my life. Always the bridesmaid... She risked a peek back at Aerith then blinked, realising the Ancient was smiling back at her, with some colour back into those pale cheeks after finally expelling the illness after an intensive few days of treatment. Apparently the venom of the swamp snake had been rather too much for her Cetra system to handle, as it was directly evolved for human prey. So whereas a human would have simply fallen over and slept for a bit, she'd been knocked right off her feet. "How long have they been on about that map for now," the flower girl sighed, mimicking Tifa's pose. The martial artist blinked then smiled softly, realising she had her full attention finally for the first time in days since their rush across the mountain range. She tilted her head, earrings tinkling faintly: she'd specifically chosen to wear them because they made a sweet, bell like noise, a tone she figured the equally sweet Aerith would love. "Too long. Sooner or later, they'll come to us and ask us to orienteer for them." "Why not Cloud?" Tifa grit her teeth then laughed, was it a touch too strained? "Perhaps it’s because we've seen his skills in orienteering before?" "Oh yes, at Kalm!" Aerith laughed too and folded her hands together, "You'd think Red would be good at this though." "Its surprising that he isn’t. Either way, we're stuck in this wood for a while. Supposedly there's a river close by, we'll have water for drinking and bathing. Barrett's starting to smell a touch ripe on the downwind." "I'll remember to stand upwind of him then." "Wise choice." Tifa lowered her eyes and then found her voice from somewhere, "I've seen you writing in a book sometimes. What are you putting in there?" Aerith's eyes sparkled, hiding those secrets she managed so well and her smile was open, flourishing with good humour, "It’s a s-e-c-r-e-t, Teef." "I thought we were best friends!" "We are. It's just a collection of things I find, like plants and stuff, you know?" "Oh," she felt somewhat disappointed but stretched, trying to make it appear like every little hurt didn't automatically try to register itself on her face, "I mean, makes sense, you wanting to find cures and flower types. I didn't mean to pry, sorry." "It's alright. I was actually wondering when you'd get up the courage to ask me about it. I've seen you looking." Tifa gave a guilty start and dropped open her mouth to try and protest that it simply wasn't so as the whisk sound of something buzzed through the air and right across her cheek with a slice of pain. She clapped her hand to her cheek, blood trickling through her fingers. "Tifa!" Aerith exclaimed, getting up quickly despite all their warnings to try and take it easy. She was at her side within moments, cool fingers stroking at the cheek and prying her own, stronger fingers away. She let the Ancient do so, instead peering across at where the object had embedded itself, "Tifa's been hurt," the flower girl called to the others. Cloud put down his inventory list and frowned, standing up and moving over so he could see the object. A quick wrench at it tugged free a strange projectile weapon, much like a triangle with razor sharp edges - tree sap and bark clung to it, as well as the vague blush of Tifa's blood. He turned so Barrett and Red could see it, the cat shaking his head. "That's a Wutai weapon," he said. Even now he sounded so ridiculously calm! "Wutai, what's someone from Wutai doing throwing stuff about here!" She winced as Aerith's cooling breeze filled up the cut along her cheek, drawing back together the cells so she could heal quickly. "It could have really hurt me." "Well, those are specialised weapons -" the cat tried to explain but directly over the sound of his voice came a shrill war cry and from the bushes burst a young girl, perhaps sixteen if she was a day, waving a large four-pointed weapon about with unerring accuracy. However, those slender, long legs of the thin girl had trouble keeping up with the speed and halfway into her lunge she tripped and head butted Barrett in the chest. Barrett, being much like the mountain of muscle he is, simply stood there and stared as the girl reeled back, holding her head carefully and trying her hardest to blink stars from her eyes. "What th' hell!" he exclaimed. The girl was dressed in a most unique fashion; a turtle neck tank top in olive green and a forehead protector that was of the same colour marked with what had to be her tribe and clan sigils. The left arm wore interesting lapped armour which covered even to her fingertips, the right arm, set with a bangle that glowed with a materia, was sleeved in a fishnet material and a heavy work glove. A bare midriff and skimpy shorts just held together by a belt that looked as though it had seen better decades, coupled with leg armour on one leg she might add, and socks that kept trying to fall down from her knees to her sneaker-shod feet. The girl looked a mess. It was as if she'd grabbed the first clothes on the shelf and run out. Her hair was coal dark and her eyes, a touch unfocused from the head butt, were a violet-grey, but dark in tone. "Ouch, ouch, ouch," she muttered, twirling round and presenting her back as she tried to grasp her head, no doubt attempting to stop the dizzy spells. "That hurt..." "Well, what dya expect if ya go charging at me head first, kid?" Barrett looked completely confused. Tifa sympathised, the burning pain of where the shuriken had sliced faded now. Her eyes were locked on the back of the girl, but the giggles of Aerith drew her attention with some surprise. Sure enough, the flower girl was covering her mouth as she always did when laughing, a gesture that Tifa found unbearably adorable. Her green eyes sparkled with humour, looking across at Tifa then crinkling harder at the corners of the eyes - she'd have beautiful laughter lines when she was older, signs of a life filled with love. "Poor kid," Cloud muttered, rubbing at his spiky haired head, "You need to sit down?" "Don't baby me!" shouted the girl, whirling back to them and trying to haul a sock up at the same time, stretching the skinny leg out. "I'm sixteen! I mean... prepare to defend yourselves!" "Defend ourselves?" Tifa blinked. "Yeah, I'm here for your goods lady so cough it up." "You're a thief?" The girl's eyes narrowed and she gestured with the oversized throwing weapon at her; Tifa blinked once more - it looked horribly sharp. "You bet I am. You're the suckers who wandered onto my patch where I'm scouting for stuff, so just play it easy and hand it over - ow!" Barrett removed his hand from where he'd clunked the skinny, loud girl atop her head. She wailed and touched her scalp. "Don't be a foo'. Jus' run along and play." "Play?" That voice knew how to run up those octaves... "Yeah, play." It happened so quickly that she wasn't entirely sure she'd seen it. The girl moved her hand and tossed something with a cheeky grin at Barrett. There was a flash of smoke and then the burly man was running off, beating at his green jacket which had leapt into fiery life, burning away most merrily with a crackling noise. His terrified yelps only made the skinny girl laugh even harder, beating on her knee as she watched him run about like a headless chocobo. "Play with that, you big jackass!" she howled with laughter. Cloud tightened his hold on the sword, thrust into the ground and started towards the girl. She turned and frowned, lifting the shuriken and narrowing her eyes. "That wasn't nice." "I ain't a kid, like I told him. His own fault." "Fine then... let's fight if you want to so badly." Tifa and Aerith stood to the sideline, both watching. She knew Aerith hung back because she was waiting to cure their wounds, so wasting her mental energy on casting battle spells would be entirely pointless. Tifa hung back because, quite frankly, she had no desire to kick a little kid like that. Admittedly, for the cut on her cheek, throwing her around the forest grove about seventy times would have been extremely satisfying, but a small part of her exclaimed that she was above such nonsense. So whilst the men and the girl hit each other repeatedly, she got together the inventory and waited for it to end. It ended finally with Cloud hitting the girl in the face with the hilt of his buster sword. It gave such a loud crack that Tifa panicked that he may have broken her nose, or worse, her skull! But as the girl collapsed onto her back, nose dribbling blood and breathing hard, she began to laugh faintly. They're all crazy. She shook her head and then blinked as Aerith muttered hurriedly to Cloud, "I think she should come with us." "You what?" Tifa hissed, staring at the Ancient who just smiled glibly. "I think it'd do her good to be around responsible adults like," She paused and glanced at Barrett who was rolling in the dirt then looked back, "...uh, you and me." Cloud just lifted his brows, but wandered to the girl with both of them in tow, expressions curious. She looked like she'd come out the wrong end of a stampede of bandersnatches, her face bruised and her left arm held gently as if it were broken oddly. Her eyes glared at them despite the helpless chuckles of pain. "I...can't believe I lost..." she gasped, then sat upright with effort. Shockingly, she somehow made it to her feet waveringly. "You spiky headed jerk! Alright - one more time - let's go just one more time!" "...not interested," Cloud muttered, his usual taciturn self. Tifa and Aerith were both hard pressed to bite hard onto their grins. The girl's jaw dropped in disbelief, then with a quick recovery she smirked and smoothed back her hair, "Ah... thinking of running away? Stay! Stay and fight I said!" She laughed and held up her fist, the glove was slightly torn, "C'mon, what's the matter? You're pretty scared of me, huh?" His voice dripped sarcasm, "Petrified." Tifa stared. It seemed to completely bypass the girl as she grinned and puffed her chest out, trying to stand taller than her skinny, small height. "Hmm, just as I thought. Well, what -do- you expect with my skills? Heh heh...Good luck to you guys too. If you feel up to it, we can go another round, later." She hefted her shuriken and turned around, a flip of her hair done arrogantly, "...I'm really going to leave." She waited then added with stress, "Really!" Tifa covered her mouth as Cloud gave the shrug that indicated he didn't care - Aerith showed a little of her usually well hidden iron will and prodded him hard in the chest. He sighed and muttered, "Wait a second..." The girl turned and beamed brightly, "Aha, what's the matter? You still have something for me... hmmm?" Cloud's mouth fell open and that was it for Tifa, she turned away and giggled, holding her side as a stitch started from trying to hold it in. Aerith, she could tell, was having better luck, but her eyes almost glowed and her mouth was too much of a tight line. The girl plunged on, "Hmm, what should I," she tapped her lips and grinned, "But if you want me that bad, how can I refuse? All right, I'll go with you!" "...let's hurry on," Cloud murmured, looking harried and started away past Aerith and Tifa to the bags. Aerith finally giggled into a hand as the energetic girl bounded to their shoulders and outstretched a hand to Cloud. "Hey, HEY! Don't you even want to know my name! I'm the Great Ninja Yuffie!... HEY!" She hurried after Cloud, who gave the girls a mixed look of contrition and annoyance. Tifa laughed so hard she was sure her face was beet red, turning to Aerith and putting her hand on the slender shoulder, "Hahaha, that was cruel!" "But fun! Oh poor Cloud... but his expression! Heehee!" The both exploded into laughter as the cries of Yuffie filled the camp; "C'mon Mr Leader, Cloud, lemme help!" ----------------------------------------------------------------------- "What a..." she looked around and blushed, "...interesting town." She had wanted to say, 'what a dump'. Junon Harbour was a successful city-port, the second largest city in the world. It was the one city with the strongest offensive capabilities and home to the ShinRa naval fleet. Above, much like Midgar, people lived the life of Riley. Below where the original town had been was now only a few scattered homes sunk into a mire of dirt and smog that choked the lungs. Some houses were in utter disrepair, they had been left after they fell apart, the cost of rebuilding too high to consider for those living here. The people were sparse, wandering about with hopeless expressions and wistful eyes on the faces of the elder ones who recalled times when the world had not been reduced to one of shadow, of grim poverty and even grimmer times for the younger generation. "Say what you mean, Aerith," muttered Yuffie, who covered her mouth against the smog, "it's a cesspit." "Yuffie," she reprimanded. Tifa, who was still touching the cheek a week after the incident with the young ninja throwing a shuriken at them, lowered her dark brows. "She's right though, this place, it's being choked by ShinRa and there's nothing we can do right now." "ShinRa," she sighed and gripped her hands about the staff tighter. "You stay here with Yuffie and Red, I think us three will check this place out. Your face is probably on every bounty poster in the region." Tifa looked at her and she looked down instead. "It's not like I don't want you to go with us, but we'd be better off scouting the area, you know?" "I know." "We shouldn't be too long. You two, take care of her, alright?" "You know we will, Tifa," Red said, sidling close so she could feel his fur on her exposed shins. "Hurry back." Tifa hesitated and then summoned a smile; Aerith could see the effort it took to put the sun shining where she only wanted to frown and be sullen. The seperation pained her a little, Tifa, much like Cloud, had become the new building blocks of her life. So to not worry her, she smiled back and waved a little. The fighter took this as the indication she would be alright, and hurried after Cloud and Barrett. Us Three. She still thinks of them as 'Avalanche' and us others as outsiders. Aren't we fighting for the same cause? I'll just run my fingers on the glass walls of your world then, Tifa, and wait for the opening to let me inside. Together they entered the lower town and sat in one of the smaller shops towards the back. It was a tea room, so she ordered hot tea for both herself and Yuffie and a drink of lemon water for Red who claimed that it would slake his thirst far quicker than a heated drink would. They sat in a booth, Aerith with her back to the window and slightly sunk down so her pink clothes weren't so noticeable. The tea came, served in small cups and she pushed it about aimlessly on the saucer as Yuffie watched in silence. It's not hot chocolate and cream. I'm not sharing it with Tifa. Everything's starting to take a turn for the worse. Why do I feel so out of place? It's not the swamp water; I fixed that a week or more ago. What is it? I feel like running about, screaming, shouting, and crying. Like I should be in a blind panic. Even the voice of the Planet has a worried edge here. What is here? "Aerith," began the ninja and she jerked her green eyes up from the cup to peer intently at the dishevelled girl. She was only sixteen and yet so skilled she had been allowed to leave her Clan village in order to further her training in the real world. "Yes, Yuffie?" "Why do the others want you to keep hidden?" She looked down and then to the side where Red was laid out quite contentedly, his head tilted. But his golden eye watched her, weighing her answers. Like Red, the Cetra had been a special race. She wondered if they were creatures the Cetra, or the Ancients, had brought with them on their travels, long lived and wise, wiser beyond the humans that lived today. As an Ancient herself, she knew people expected words and actions from her that she didn't feel she was adequate enough to perform... "I was property of ShinRa, a long time ago," she said quietly. "I was their precious Cetra, an Ancient." "You're an Ancient?" Yuffie squeaked and then coughed, ducking her head quickly as people glanced about. "I mean, wow. I thought they were like, extinct or something?" "I'm the last one." "..." Yuffie stared at her, "You're all alone?" "In a sense. But I have Tifa and Cloud, Barrett, Red... and now you." Aerith forced her smile onto her face, "My new family, so I don't have to be alone." "Family? Me?" The ninja looked troubled and sat back, pouting, "I guess so. Like a little sister." "I always wanted a sister. Or a brother. I always wondered what it would be like if I had them. This is my first time seeing the world you know," she smiled; it was easier now, "I've seen beautiful things, sunsets, stars, flowers and smiles. But... this world is filled with such terrible things too." The killed swamp snake. The tangled lies of Cloud and Tifa. The pain and misery caused by ShinRa outside of Midgar. The Turks... "...but that's all part of being alive. I suppose. You can't have pleasure, without some pain. You don't get something for nothing." "Old alchemists," Red broke in softly, "called this an exchange." "I guess the ShinRa will always be after you then," Yuffie sighed. "Probably." Until my last breath rasps. There was a noise and she turned, peering over her shoulder at Cloud who squeezed past the soldiers in the front of the small tea room and towards them, shaking his head. It had only been an hour or so, but he looked much like he'd fallen in the sea. He left salty footprints on the floorboards. He stopped by their table and looked from one person to the next then sighed, "We got somewhere to sleep." "You ... alright?" Aerith asked softly as Yuffie gave a whoop and scurried past him towards the door and freedom. "Just had to save a little girl." "I heard some commotion earlier, save her from what?" "Yeah, there was a monster." "A monster? Cloud... are you hurt? Is Tifa okay?" He smiled, "You really care a lot for her, don't you?" A lot. More than a lot. A whole lifetime in a few short weeks. "Yeah, I do," she smiled back, "she's my best friend. Yuffie was just asking about why you guys wanted me to hang back. I think she understands now." She pushed the cup away and reached for her gil pouch, but before she could pay, Cloud had already dropped the coins needed next to the cups. "I can pay." "I know, but you were too slow?" "This is subtle revenge for putting you in a dress, isn't it!" she scolded, despite smiling as she stood up. Cloud flushed and grinned. Red coughed from the floor, where he'd seemingly be forgotten, tongue lolling out of his mouth, "Dress, Cloud?" The spiky haired blonde went even redder and fiercely frowned, "It's a long story." "He has great legs for a guy," she twinkled at Red, laughing and holding her stomach. "Aerith!" "You do! Oh, hahaha! Don't look so angry! I'll go and check on that little girl... oh Cloud, really, hahaha!" ----------------------------------------------------------------------- "Cloud, wake up." She shook him again until his eyes snapped open. Automatically she took a step back and then sighed. He got to his feet so slowly that she had time to examine the room where he'd slept, a homey, country sort of room. Wooden panelling, pictures on the walls of woodlands scenes and brown bedspreads, even brown rugs on the brown floorboards. Her clothes felt fresh, the kind old lady had washed them after spending so long half-assed washing them herself. "Tifa," he said slowly, "When Sephiroth and I went to Nibelheim, where were you?" She caught her breath, it dragged so hard. Her eyes wanted to fill with tears. You weren't there. I spent my time wondering why everyone I knew had abandoned me. "...w-we saw each other, right?" He looked up with piercingly blue eyes, "No, the other times. In the town... I don't remember... spending time with you." "It... No... It was five years ago, I don't remember." She shook her head and turned away, moving to the door, "But you'd better come quickly, there's something strange happening outside." She hurried out, dashing a hand across her eyes and trying to calm her irregular heartbeat. If she'd only been able to say those words, tell him about their web of lies they kept sustaining... but instead she'd choked, once again and it had kicked her hard in the heart. She went down for the count... Music blared, a horrific, brassy fanfare of madness from high above. "Tifa?" Aerith asked, looking at her quizzically from where she stood and grasping her hand. She welcomed the gentle fingers holding onto her own hand, she welcomed their firm touch, she welcomed their knowing guidance. "It's alright," her eyes roved across Yuffie who stood examining her shuriken, to Barrett and Red who were talking about possible ideas as to what the music was, and then Cloud who was talking to the young girl they'd saved yesterday after a freak accident near the power lines in the beach water. "I was... I just..." "Just?" "I tried to tell Cloud the truth, that his story wasn't right. I choked." "Ah," the ancient smiled her understanding. "Better luck next time?" Cloud came across to them and held out the red materia to Aerith shyly. Tifa peered at it, and then felt a stab of deep envy. I haven't gotten her a gift yet. I'll find one.. one better than that crummy red materia. You wait and see. ...what the HELL am I thinking? The materia exchanged hands and the Ancient studied it carefully, examining each facet before announcing softly that the summon inside the materia was none other than an ice elemental bound to the orb. She tucked it away, seemingly the stock handler for all their materia recently. "Yo," Barrett called, "What's that music? Sure sounds lively." The girl turned and beamed, "I heard that they're rehearsing the welcoming parade for the new President." "Rufus?" The dark skinned man grinned evilly, "I gotta pay my respects." "You think," Aerith suddenly said, looking up and around at their scenery - a dilapidated town and the vast sea beyond it. "You think that Rufus is thinking on crossing the ocean?" "Wait, woah," Tifa said and pressed her free hand to her temple, the light down here was so bad she was forced to squint, "Does that mean Sephiroth has already crossed?" "Cloud," barked Red, "Didn't you finish Rufus off?" "That's it, we gotta get up there somehow. Maybe we could climb that tower," Barrett gestured beyond them to the tower which supported the Gelnika flight path and part of Junon Cannon which faced seaward. Pricilla, the girl, paled and shook her head. "No, no! That's too dangerous. There's a high voltage current running underneath the tower, so don't wander near it! But... you might be able to... follow me!" She started running off and Tifa watched her go with a tilted head. "High voltage... tower... I guess this means Cloud is the man for the job." She smirked. "Better leave it to cloud!" "Good luck Cloud." "H-hey...wait a second," the blond tried to argue but no one was listening. Tifa grinned, feeling silly inside for acting on such groundless jealousy and walked off with Aerith, tugging down her miniskirt unconsciously. He stared about himself and then with an ‘ugh’ of disappointment, ran off after the girl. Barrett followed curiously, leaving them four to stand by themselves and look across at each other. "I don't know about you," piped up Yuffie, "But ain't no way in all the Hells I'm going up on some high voltage tower. I have a better idea..." "Oh?" Tifa muttered, "Does it involve hitting people with shuriken?" "No," the look she received in turn was withering, "Just watch." So they did. Yuffie took her time going up to the guard and within moments of speaking to the bewildered young man, she had the gate dropping down and waved to them all with the smuggest look on her youthful face. Tifa gaped and then jogged towards her, Aerith and Red in tow. "How did you do that?" she hissed as they got inside. Yuffie smirked and held up a pouch inscribed with Cloud's name, "I bribed the guard of course. Money makes the ShinRa world go around." Aerith laughed as did Red, but she just sighed and took the pouch - it felt light. Tifa mumbled sourly, "Cloud is going to kill us." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Hours later, she was feeling very off balance indeed. Back in the hold, Yuffie was lurching back and forth in her over sized sailor uniform, gulping and turning between green and odd shades of greyish-yellow. She was seasick. Aerith had never been on the sea before, but the rolling motion had hardly any effect on her at all as she perched on a crate and scribbled in her journal. A few more items were to be added to the few notes she'd made on Junon and the people, and the doodles she created next to her notes cheered her up, purposefully picking the brightest shades she could from her pack of pencils. She watched Cloud go past and smiled as he stopped and took a second look at her - she'd pinned all of her heavy long hair under the sailor cap artfully, leaving just her bangs to hang before her face. A bit of engine oil smudged on her cheeks disguised her feminine features as best she could, but she assumed her green eyes made her very noticeable. He grinned at her and looked her up and down. "Nice." "Thank you. I figured it was time I tried cross dressing for once," Aerith teased gently and was rewarded with a flush. "Did you see the airship at Junon?" "Yeah, I'd heard it was big but didn't expect it to be that big." "That was really something." She sighed, "Hey... do you think I could get on it?" His eyes lit up, "Keep hoping." "Wow? I'm really looking forward to it, then," she laughed. "I'd best check on the others." he said, drawing away reluctantly, "I'll tell Tifa you're down here." "Okay. See you soon." "...URP!" gasped Yuffie. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- He wiggled about like a worm on a hook, doing the tango. Or the salsa. Or both. A strange mixture of both. She fought very hard for a serious expression, watching Barrett hightail it round the corner of the ship and then sighed, putting her head into her hand, feeling the sticky softness of the odd leather gloves she had to wear whilst in her soldier uniform. The thing itched. She didn't want to question when it had last been washed. If it had ever been washed... Someone crawled up the smaller ladder and threw her a salute. Recognising the wisps of blond hair, she saluted back. "Yes sir," she said, pretending Cloud had said something to her, then slowly lowered her hand and fiddled with the gun she kept with her as part of her disguise. "Everything is quiet sir." Cloud shook his head and smiled the crooked vague smile. Tifa bit her lip and then continued softly, "But you know what? I really hate 'em all. ShinRa, war... it takes away everything, the people and things that you love. I wish they'd all disappear, right Cloud?" "Yeah," he said softly. She looked down, and then shut her eyes. "You're right." Then opening them, threw him another energetic salute, "I'll continue my watch sir!" Hours passed. The day trickled on. The uniform seemed to itch even worse the more she sweated and soon she was wilting from the heat over the railing when the alarm fired itself off. Sirens blaring, people began to mill in confusion, screams filling the air. She gripped the gun and then looked over the crowd anxiously as the faces of her companions gathered, recognisable by certain traits - such as Red's gait, Barrett's skin and Aerith's untameable bangs of golden brown hanging free of her hat. Cloud was rushing towards them so she gripped the railing and vaulted over, hat tripping free so her own dark hair flooded about her in a fury. "Everyone all right?" she asked, brushing down her clothes as she stripped the uniform off herself, tossing it to the side with relish. Damned clothes, she'd be grateful if she never set sight on them again! "Huh?" Aerith said, looking up from the diary she closed and tucked into her small backpack of clothing - bizarrely she was folding the sailor outfit away with it. "Everyone's here right?" Tifa frowned, "They said there's a suspicious character on the loose. I thought one of us might..." "You don't think that the suspicious character could be... Sephiroth?" Barrett exclaimed. More extreme than Tifa, he'd torn his clothes in the effort of removing them and their ShinRa brand stench from his body. "Really?" she asked without thinking. "How the hell am I supposed to know?" "Let's find out, then," Cloud said. They were all finally free of those uniforms and ready for action - he had his sword in hand. He nodded to the stairwell and as a group, they advanced together. Down the stairs, they were forced to go two by two because of the space, Tifa squashed up against Barrett unluckily. At the bottom, a body lay at unnatural angles. It was like watching the ShinRa building happen all over again and she flinched backward, even as Aerith broke free and ran forward to check the man for a pulse, her fingers soft on his skin. Then she sat back and shook her head, wiping the bloody fingertips on a piece of the clean uniform the corpse wore, "No, he's dead." The door to the cargo bay was left blown open. Tifa came to stand close to Aerith as Cloud stepped inside. The main generator of the boat still functioned but a body was hung suspended close to it, as if peering into the mako that moved the parts of the engine, hunting for an answer of sorts. Aerith gasped and stepped forward, only Tifa's careful hand restraining her. The figure twitched. "Is it Sephiroth?" the blond soldier asked. The figure twitched, twitched again and then revolved on the spot. He lurched to Cloud but with lightning reflexes, before even Barrett had chance to fire a round off, a shuriken zoomed past and knocked the man back. He fell down and as if eaten from the inside out by acid, faded, disintegrated before their very eyes. Tifa gulped down bile. "No, not Sephiroth." "After a long sleep...the time... ...the time has come!" A voice rang out. Aerith cried out as if struck and covered her ears. Tifa felt much the same but for different reasons. Snakes crawling on her skin, she froze and stared at the place where the body had vanished, hearing the sobs of Aerith only distantly. Sephiroth. "Cloud!" she cried out. Above them appeared the figure of the man she had reviled in her dreams: tall and strong, slender but dangerous, silver haired, handsome and with the green eyes of the devil, green eyes of the angel Aerith who was half buckled over in some agony. Dressed in black, he peered over them without any emotion on his beautiful, distant face. She wanted to vomit and rage, rage hard and kill him over and over until her hands were stained red forever. "Sephiroth, you're alive," Cloud muttered in disbelief. "...who are you?" The general frowned. "You don't remember me? I'm Cloud." "Cloud..." The blond made a sharp gesture with his hand, anger creeping into his voice and pose, "Sephiroth, what are you doing? What are you thinking?" "The time... is now..." Sephiroth spread his arms and then laughed, a deep toned laugh filled with hollowness. Then in a flash of light, he was gone but something else sprung up, tentacles waving and a dark presence pressing on the psyche of her mind. She put her hands to her chest as the others sprang into action. Aerith beside her, weeping still, brought her hand to the summons and together they fought, side by side, at Cloud's side, taking up the slack where another drew back for breath. She took blows for the fragile Ancient, hearing her body groan with each hit, feeling the blood trickle freely. Aerith was a spell casting machine, born to use the materia at such a high rate of skill that it made her jealous to watch, and proud in a fashion. Fire spell. Lightning spell. Esuna spell. Each magic crackled the air but left her unfocused for a moment or so afterwards. "Use the summon spell!" Shrieked Yuffie as she skidded past and tripped over Red into a pile of snarling bodies. The wounded monster thrashed tentacles about as Aerith fumbled for the Shiva magic. Cloud, seeing an opening, ploughed into one side of it deep with his sword, twisting so the blood gushed out hot across his skin in a foul green colour. Tifa saw the other tentacle descend and put her self in the way almost without thought. It crashed into her back and she went flying, the crates she flew the distance into smashing open and leaving shards of wood about the place. Groggily she stayed there as Aerith finally communed to get Shiva to spring forth. Ice filled the air and the elemental summon cast her hand about, shattering the skin of the monster and lowering the temperature in the room so dramatically that Tifa gasped and cursed the frost stinging her wounds. Moving to sit up as they finished the pathetic remains off, she felt her ribs and looked from face to face - it had been a difficult fight. They still lacked the real essentials of teamwork. "That was Jenova," she said, primarily to Cloud. "So it was Sephiroth." "Time for what though." She winced and drew herself from the rubble as Yuffie huffed in confusion. "I don't get it," she scowled, "This too confusing. Explain it properly Cloud!" "I'll give it a try," The mercenary shifted his weight and pulled out potions, handing them around. Tifa ignored him and went to Aerith who was weeping in a small huddle. Why was she still crying? "Sephiroth went off searching for the Promised Land, so he could become the ruler of the Planet. That was five years ago. Then he came back and killed the Old President ShinRa. And just now, we all saw Sephiroth. He was carrying Jenova with him... this much I do know. He seeks to go to the Promised Land with his mother..." A voice blared over the tannoy: "We'll be docking at Costa del Sol in five minutes. Please prepare for docking procedures." "Woah," muttered Barrett, "We'd best hide." "Yeah," Tifa said. She tried coaxing the Ancient into standing up, but she wouldn't. To make matters simpler, she just held her in her arms instead and stood up. Having the slender body held so close, she could feel the frantic heartbeat and gasped breaths of tears but she was finally glad to leave the dark, bloody room behind them in favour of the sunny beaches of Costa del Sol. The remains of Jenova ate through the deck slowly, behind them. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- He chased her through the branches and she skittered from him. The black King, chasing his white Queen. Check... Check... Check... "Such a pretty little angel. Such a caged little bird. What sad songs do you know? Why don't you sing them for me, little angel, little bird?" The forest was endless and she ran, gasping, sobbing for breath against his sweet promises and reasonable tones. She was torn and bleeding, she was scratched and dying with every burning breath in her lungs. "No!" "But I know your heart of hearts, the horrible fears, and the leftover wishes. Don't you want me to make them real for you? Just be the princess for me, sing your songs for me and we'll rebuild the world together, we'll make it how we wish it to be and travel until forever, beyond those stars, beyond the horizon. Ask and I would give it, I would change the world for you, my angel!" "NO!" She stumbled and screamed as hands held her up. Eyes searched upward in terror, expecting green, flame filled horror to be leering down at her, waiting to eat her soul with his soulless heart. But tender wine-dark eyes smiled back instead... Tifa smoothed the golden brown hair. Aerith had slept so badly all night, since passing out after the incident on the boat. Her skin was slightly sheeted in sweat and the white night dress hung close to her fragile, almost waif like body. Tifa tried hard to not focus on exactly where the night dress clung to so readily, instead watching the beautiful face trapped in a horrific nightmare that she seemed unable to break out of, the golden hair flung carelessly about in a halo. It was boiling hot in the Costa, even at night, so she was also wearing a standard issue hotel nightdress in pale grey with a black trim. Without thinking, only wanting the terrible nightmares to end for the girl she watched over so protectively, Tifa lay down on Aerith's bed and curled her arm about the slender middle, her other arm scooping under the neck so she could nestle her face closer to Aerith's cheek. Even with the heat, Tifa thought she would burn up from the inside, pressing herself slightly closer to the back of Aerith in order to try and stop the sudden jerk she'd given in her sleep. She felt strange, but... content. When had she last been content? In the dark of the room with only the moonlight from outside to silhouette them, she felt her eyes grow heavy with sleep, the slumber of the ancient calmer as the girl relaxed in Tifa's embrace. Her face moved closer to Aerith's cheek so her lips rested on the exposed shoulder of the flower girl, fringe covering half of her own face. "Aerith..." she mumbled softly, and slept with only the most blissful of dreams.
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