Final Fantasy VII: Moving On

Chapter One

Tifa paced back and forth in her room on the Shera, Cid Highwinds new airship. She tried to piece together a bunch of thoughts about their last battle. Backing up the WRO she had been part of an assault on Midgar against an organization known as Deepground. Her thoughts then turned to Vincent. He had disappeared after the final battle and noone had heard from him since. Apparently Weiss had survived the final battle as well since they were unable to find his body in the rubble. Tifa then sat down on her bed and rested her head on her pillow. She closed her eyes and was about to fall alseep until her cell phone began to go off. She got up and answered it. "Hello?"

"Hey Tifa." Tifa smiled knowing full well who was on the other side of the call. "Hi Cloud."

"I was just wondering how soon it will be until you get here."

"I have no idea Cloud. It depends on Cid."

"Well I guess I am going to go. There is something I would like to talk to you about though."

Tifa had no idea what Cloud would have to talk to her about but she was intrigued. "Alright. I'll come see you as soon as we land. Where will you be?"

"I'll be at the 7th Heaven."

Tifa was going to say that she would be there but Cloud had hung up the phone before she could. Whatever Cloud had to talk to her about it would have had to be important. Tifa rested her eyes again and fell asleep.

Cloud had arrived in the town of Edge a few days ago but the aftermath of Deepgrounds assault could still be felt. The town originally had 500 citizens but that number drastically changed after Deepground was defeated. Slowly but surely more people came to Edge and it was close to becoming the city it once was. Cloud walked into the 7th Heaven bar and saw Yuffie and Cait Sith waiting for him. "What are you guys doing here?"

Yuffie smiled and said,"We were told by Cid to come here for a new briefing. We've got to begin looking for Vincent."

"That's right. We tried calling you but imagine our shock when we found out you were here already."

Cloud smiled at them and then got an idea. "I could use your help for something." Yuffie and Cait Sith looked at Cloud with curiosity.

"What do you need us to do?"

Cloud regarded Yuffies question for a moment and then said,"I could use a bouquet of flowers and I'd like one of you to call Cid and ask him if he can hold off the meeting for awhile."

Yuffie formed a smirk and asked,"Is this about Tifa?"

Cloud nodded and said,"Yes. That's the only information you'll get out of me though."

Yuffie jumped up and down and dragged Cait Sith so they could get to work. Cloud smiled and made another phone call.

Tifa awoke shortly after they had arrived on the outskirts of Edge. Red XIII peered into her room and said,"Were here Tifa."

Tifa got up and walked over to Red XIII. "When's the meeting?"

Red XIII and Tifa began walking down the hallway to the exit ramp and he finally said,"Cid said that it's going to be a couple hours before he finalizes his plan."

"Ok. I have to meet Cloud anyway." They proceeded down the ramp and met up with Cid, Shera, Barret and Reeve. Cid looked at them and said,"Alright. We've arrived but I'd like to finalize some more plans before the briefing." Everyone nodded in agreement and went their separate ways. Tifa took out her cell phone and dialed Clouds number. "Hello?" "Hi Cloud. Just wanted to let you know that we've arrived so I'll be at the 7th Heaven soon."

"Ok Tifa. I'll see you soon."

It hadn't taken Tifa too long to arrive. She walked into the 7th Heaven and she couldn't help but be suprised. There was a table for two setup in the middle of the room with a bouquet of her favorite flowers. She also saw two candles shining bright and smiled. She was suprised that Cloud would have went to all this trouble just to have dinner with her. It had been true that they had both been busy lately with Deepground and Vincents apparent disappearance but he knew all he had to do was just ask and she would have been happy to have dinner with him. She then saw Cloud walk out of the kitchen and he told her to take a seat. "Cloud. You didn't have to go to all this trouble."

Cloud sat down and looked at her. "I've done alot of thinking over the past few years about us and all we've been through."

"We've been through alot Cloud. Sephiroth, the Shinra, the Geostigma, Kadoj, and Deepground."

"I know Tifa and the one constant has always been you. You've always been there even when I haven't always been there for you."

Tifa looked at him. While it was true that he had grown distant after Sephiroth's death she had not let it get to her. In fact after the Geostigma was cured he had been a little more tentative. "You've been through alot. Hell, we all have but we've remained friends and always come through in the end."

"We've been friends for how long?"

Tifa acted as if she had to think about it before saying,"Since childhood."

"You've grown into a remarkable woman Tifa. You put your friends first regardless of the risk involved. You risked your life to save me back in Mideel when I was in my coma and helped me regain my memories."

Tifa smiled and took a drink of her wine. "It was nothing Cloud."

"I wouldn't say that Tifa. I've wanted to ask you something for a couple weeks now but was never really sure how to ask."

Tifa looked at him and began thinking back on all that they have been through together and realized that there were only a few questions he could ask. She took another drink of her wine and leaned forward. Looking straight into his eyes she asked,"What is it Cloud?"

Cloud looked right back into her eyes and said,"I have met a lot of people and fought many battles but some of the most happiest moments of my life have involved you. I just wanted to tell you that I-." Cloud was interuppted by a knock at the door before he could finish.

Tifa looked over at the door and quickly dropped to the floor as bullets entered the room. "What the hell is this?"

Cloud dropped to the floor next to her and said,"I don't know. We can exit through the back." He motioned for Tifa to go first and quickly followed. They entered the kitchen and Tifa pointed to the exit door. Cloud made sure that Tifa was safely out of the room and went to grab his sword before realizing he had left it at his apartment. "Hell of a bad time to forget my weapon.", he said aloud. He joined Tifa and they ran towards the Shera. "Looks like were not the only ones who got introduced to a barrage of bullets." They saw that the others were running towards the Shera as well.

Cid looked behind him and saw Tifa and Cloud running towards the ship. "As soon as their aboard we take off. Got it?" Everyone nodded in unison and it didn't take long for the Shera to take off.

Weiss looked at the airship taking off and smiled. Vincent hadn't been with them. Did this mean that he was dead? Weiss shook the thought from his mind and looked at his new soldiers. No matter he though. He would find Vincent even if he had to kill every last one of his comrades to do it.