Chapter 2: The Idol

Kyoko ran to catch up with Izaak as he made his way down the streets of Edge toward the bar Seventh Heaven. "Mom told you not to leave me behind when we're walking in this part of the city!" Kyoko huffed.

"You're old enough to take care of yourself, Kyoko." Izaak said. He didn't so much as glance at her as he walked.

Kyoko crossed her arms. "I know that. But Mom said…"

"Kyoko, she's not your mother! Stop acting like a child and grow up. They're only taking care of us until we're old enough to take care of ourselves and then they'll just forget us." Izaak said in a cold tone. Kyoko jumped a bit, she hadn't expected him to say something like that, no matter how sour he was. Tifa and Cloud would never do such a thing, she was certain.

"I don't know what you have against Cloud and Tifa, Izaak, especially after all they've done for you, but I know they wouldn't abandon us." Kyoko said. Her voice was soft, but there was a firmness and assurance in her tone as well.

"Believe whatever fantasies you want. I'm not stopping you." Izaak said as he pushed open the door to Seventh Heaven and disappeared within. Kyoko followed him in and glanced around the nearly empty bar. It would have been completely empty if not for Yuffie sitting on the barstool talking to Tifa and a couple men sitting at one of the tables drinking and sharing stories of the changes in Edge.

Kyoko walked up to the other barstool while Izaak walked straight for the stairs that led to the bedrooms of the house. Usually an orphan named Denzel lived there too, but he was visiting with Marlene and Barrett that day, so he wouldn't be back until tomorrow.

Kyoko sighed and sat down. Tifa smiled at her and Yuffie waved. "How'd it go today, Kyoko? Did Lujah have much trouble with you two?" She asked.

"Only Izaak. He's not a team player." Kyoko said as she stuck out her tongue.

"Reminds me of Cloud." Yuffie said as she rolled her eyes. Cloud had always been the lone wolf type, it seemed. It drove her crazy some times, she had to admit.

Tifa sighed. "Well, hopefully he'll learn. There are times when you have to fight alone, but it's good to be able to work with others too." Tifa said. Kyoko found her words to always be a comfort.

"I really doubt he'll ever believe that anyone could compare to his skill level and therefore do any good to him." Kyoko said as she crossed her arms.

"Sounds like he's got a big head." Yuffie commented. She had a frown on her face that looked rather comical, since it was uncommon to see her not smiling. Especially after the fall of the Tsviets.

"I sure hope Lujah will get through to him. Doesn't he at least respect her?" Tifa asked.

"I don't know. He acts like he doesn't. I think the only person he'll ever respect is Sephiroth." Kyoko said softly. She hated saying Sephiroth's name even. She just had a feeling that Sephiroth couldn't truly be gone forever, and that scared her.

"Huuuh! Sephiroth!" Yuffie exclaimed as she flailed her arms. "But he's looong gone!"

"I know, Yuffie…but…" Tifa shrugged. "I can't force him to change his mind on things. He's nearly seventeen. He plans on leaving on the day of his birthday, actually. Only a few days from now." She sounded a little sad as she mentioned this.

"Wow, he's some kid. Where would he go?" Yuffie asked as she tilted her head.

"I really don't know. I guess he just wants to make his way in the world. Alone." Tifa said softly.

Kyoko huffed. "He doesn't make any sense to me! Why would someone choose to be alone?" She asked. She enjoyed the company of her friends and adoptive family. She couldn't understand Izaak at all.

Tifa shrugged and glanced at the door as another customer walked in. He walked up and asked for a drink and then went to sit down at the same table as the other two men.

Tifa quickly got the drink and walked over to the table, leaving Yuffie and Kyoko at the counter.

"I don't understand people who want to be alone either." Yuffie said as she looked at Kyoko, bringing the subject back.

Kyoko sighed. "I know…I mean…maybe he's just bitter at the world." She commented.

"How come?" Yuffie asked.

"Well, he is an orphan. His parents were killed during the attack at Kalm by the Underground Soldiers. He was apparently rescued by Vincent Valentine before a creature took him to a storage container where other civilians were being ushered during an attack by the Underground Soldiers." Kyoko explained.

"Oh yeah? Wow, that would be tramatic. How'd he end up here?" Yuffie asked as she tilted her head.

"I don't really know all the details up to the day he came here. He refused to tell them. But I guess Tifa and Cloud just found him and brought him here." Kyoko said with a shrug.

Yuffie suddenly pointed in the air, as if she'd gotten a brilliant idea. "Maybe all the time inbetween, the time he refused to tell about, would explain the reason why he wants to be alone!" She said, smiling. Her 'brilliance' even surprised herself some times.

"Maybe you're right." Kyoko said slowly with a nod. She had considered this before, but hadn't dared to confront him on the matter. Izaak always brushed her off, anyway.

Tifa walked back behind the counter and looked at them. "What'd I miss?" She asked. She could tell Yuffie had come up with something, and Kyoko seemed to be thinking about it.

"Yuffie said that…all the time inbetween, the stuff we don't know about Izaak, might be what has made him so bitter and wanting to be alone." Kyoko explained.

Tifa sighed. "He could be like this because his parents died. Perhaps he's looking to exact revenge. I'm really not sure what he's planning…but I can't really force him to tell me or force him to stay here." She said. She knew knocking sense into men like Izaak and Cloud was very necessary, but too much force could push them away. It was important to not do that, or you might lose any sort of relationship you had with him.

"You could at least ask him to talk about his past more!" Kyoko urged.

"I don't want to lose the little trust he still has in us, Kyoko. I don't think he's going to cause any real harm. I believe he's a good boy. He's just afraid right now. Perhaps trying to figure out who he really is. At his age, and your age, you're still trying to figure out who you are in the world. What your place is. I'm not going to make him say anything he doesn't want to. Not yet, anyway." Tifa said. She was calm as she talked, and Kyoko smiled. She loved Tifa so much and was so glad that she had been taken in by her and Cloud.

"I trust you." Kyoko said simply.

"Good. Now get cleaned up. Dinner is in an hour." Tifa said as she pointed to the clock hanging on the wall behind her.

Kyoko nodded, then hopped off the barstool. She glanced back at Yuffie. "Are you staying?" She asked. She enjoyed the Great Ninja's company.

Yuffie waved her hand. "Nope. I gotta head off. But I'll be back around." Yuffie said with a smile.

Kyoko smiled back. "Alright. See you around then." She said. Then she ran up the stairs so she could get ready for dinner.

Yuffie smiled and hopped off the barstool as well. "Well, I'll be off." She said as she stretched her arms above her head.

"Alright." Tifa said with a nod and smile.

"If you ever need help interrogating the kid, just call me." Yuffie said with a wink.

"Yuffie, we're not interrogating him." Tifa said with a chuckle.

Yuffie sighed and shrugged. "Fine. But I hope you can set him straight." She said with a nod. Then she walked out of the bar.

Tifa glanced over as the three customers got up, placing the gil on the table, and left the bar. It was closing time now.

Tifa walked out from behind the counter and put the closed sign up and locked the door. Then she walked to the table and gathered the gil. She looked up and glanced at a window, smiling as she saw Cloud parking his bike, Fenrir, outside.

She walked up to the door and unlocked it, letting him in. "Glad you're back." She said as she smiled.

Cloud nodded. "How're the kids?" He asked after a moment of his usual silence.

"Just fine, Cloud. It's time for dinner, though. They're upstairs getting ready." Tifa explained as she closed the door again, locking it.

"How's Izaak?" He asked as he looked at her. His piercing, mako enhanced eyes looked concerned. Tifa had told him her own concerns about Izaak earlier that day, and Lujah had also expressed her worries.

"Same as usual. Lujah can't seem to get him to work together with Kyoko." Tifa said.

"And he still idolizes Sephiroth, doesn't he?" Cloud asked, glancing away. His greatest enemy was Izaak's idol, so it was not easy for the two to see eye to eye.

"Yes…that hasn't changed according to Kyoko." Tifa admitted.

Cloud sighed. "I'll talk with him later, I guess." He said.

Tifa smiled and linked her arm around his. "Thank you. That would be a very good idea." She said. Cloud nodded and then walked upstairs with Tifa.

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