(Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story except for Kora.)

Ch.1 uncovered secrets

"Kora" the stunned blond smuggled into the thick morning air. "You look so…different".

The two old friends starred back at each other.

"Oh, this is just…"the creature paused not wanting to admit to her true form "(exhale) this is me, the way I really look .Its always been there, I just never really noticed until…" The door downstairs swung open, shaking the sleeping seventh heaven from its quiet slumber.

"WHERE IS SHE" Vincent shouted as he quickly stormed into the large building.

"Where is that little devil's spawn" he said in a lower yet still enraged voice.

Cloud turned and stepped towards the stairs peering down into the darkness seeing only Vincent's blackish red outline. Behind him, Kora jumped up above his head and grabbed the ceiling with her foot long silver fingernail/talons.

"Who is he looking for?" Cloud asked just as Vincent was passing the staircase. Hearing this, he tore up the stairs and grabbed Cloud by his shoulders, shaking him feverishly.

"Where is she" He demanded. "Where is Kora?" Cloud lifted a shaky finger at the ceiling.

"I'm right here" Kora said as Vincent lifted his head. But before he had a chance to see her, she pounced onto him, forcing him to the ground. She slashed at his face leaving three long, bloody lines on his pale white skin. They fought like animals, throwing each other across the room constantly. Vincent tried to throw her away from him, but she had already sunken her long nails into the collar of his overcoat.

"UGH" Vincent grunted as he was pummeled to the floor again. But as he came rolling backwards, Kora's nails slipped out in an attempt to steady herself and Vincent kicked her off. She tumbled over, then dug her nails into the hard floor, just catching herself before she hit the wall.

"You fight like a girl" Vincent scowled.

"Well gee, maybe that's because I am one, Casano-duh"Kora mockingly scowled back.

"IR-IRIR-IR-SQUACK" A small rooster squealed as it ran between the two raving monsters.

"What was that?" Cloud asked as he tilted his head slightly and watched the bird zigzag frantically.

"A chicken?" Vincent answered questionably.

"A very scared rooster" Kora said, sure of her answer.

"Breakfast!"Red13 said as he pounced between the three curious creatures and onto the screaming fowl. He trapped the chicken in his big furry paws and then stuffed it in is mouth as fast as he could. The frantic screams of the rooster pieced through his thick cheeks, until he bit down with his powerful jaws, forcing the hideous shrieking to cease.

"What" Red said after he turned around to face his audience and started to pick the remaining pieces of chicken out of his teeth.

"That was interesting" smirked Vincent "now back to business."

"Speaking of business, why are you here" Kora questioned.

"Sephiroth asked me to deliver a very important message" Vincent answered.

"Then why did you barge in so furiously?"

"I wanted to fight you to make sure that you where ready, and also, I didn't want to tell you."

"I'll say," Kora smirked, half under her breath "Well then, let's hear it.

"I think we should go somewhere private, free of unwelcome ears" Vincent commented as he motioned down the hall. Kora nodded and followed him into the dark hallway. Cloud watched them turn into one of the unoccupied rooms.

After a few seconds Red broke the silence.

"That news must be something pretty important, and probably private for Sephiroth to ask Vincent to deliver the message personally, I've never seen Vincent deliver a message with such…"

The door to the room opened, and Kora stepped out holding her arms as if the room she was stepping into was freezing. She concentrated on the floor as she slowly made her way down the dark hallway, past Cloud and Red, and into her room.

"That screams emotionally scared" Cloud stepped towards the door and reached for the handle.

"No," Vincent quickly stopped him and put his hand on the boy's shoulder "She needs time to think."

Cloud quickly brushed it off.

"Don't touch me" He uttered the words with such disrespect that Vincent almost took his talons to Clouds back, but seeing that the notion was out of mindless concern, he let it slide. Cloud entered into the room cautiously with Vincent close behind. He slowly walked towards the black and silver ball that sat on the bed with excruciating motionlessness.

"I've never seen her like this," Cloud said as he brushed the black and silver streaks of hair out of Kora's face. "I've never seen her so confused, ever" Cloud sat down on the bed directly in front of her, and starred into the girl's quivering silver blue eyes. The tone in his voice got deeper and filled with anger.

"If something could change such a subtle, and well grounded girl, such as her, to such a broken and unsteady creature as the one who remains before us…oh, he'll pay." He got up and sped past Vincent who turned to him, stopping him before he got out of the room.

"Where are you going."

Cloud answered just before leaving the room. "I have a date with the protector of the earth, and it's not one I'm likely to miss."