Rogue ninja

Aerith tried in vain to hum a happy tune as she cooked breakfast. Though her tune was sounding more awkward and depressed as time dragged on.

Yuffie made this look easy.

Cloud almost barely touched his oatmeal. He folded his hands over his face, thinking. About what? Sephiroth? Yuffie? Life in general? It was anyones guess.

Aerith didn't even have the energy to tell him to get his elbows off the table. Inside, she was exhausted and desperately wanted to sleep the day away.

Squall walked in. Morely, he dragged himself in. He didn't get a wink of sleep, plus the guilt building a new civilization in his stomach wasn't helping.

Aerith stopped her pathetic attempt at lifting the mood. She sighed, "I'm sorry. I'm taking a nap. I can barely hold myself up as it is." She admitted. All the stress was getting to her. Her steps were wobbly when she exited the room.

Silence.

Cloud glared daggers at Squall.

"What?" The lion challenged.

"You see it, don't you?"

"See what?" He feigned ignorance.

Cloud leaned back in his chair. "No matter what, she made the situation less depressing than it was. Rain or shine, she kept a smile on her face for us. Even when she herself was hurting. Yuffi-"

"Don't say that name." He snapped.

"You already run from your name, don't run from hers."

They sat for what felt like a long time. Glaring.

They heard a loud thump in the next room. The guys sprung from their chairs and ran into the next room.

Aerith was on the floor, curled up. Tears poured down her cheeks. She trembled violently.

Cloud dashed to her side and helped her on the couch.

Squall, seeing he wasn't needed, trudged his tired body up the stairs. "... Yuffie..." He whispered desperately, scratching his nails on the wood. He tried convincing himself he didn't care, but he couldn't help it. The thought of her dead... it scared him. Scared him to his very core. Sighing once again, he decided work was out of the question. He was just to damn tired.

"Knock knock~!" Somebody sang at the door. A cheerful Tifa walked into the living room. She expected to see Aerith fauning over Cloud. She expected to see Yuffie annoying Squall. She expected anything, but that.

Aerith was curled up on the couch, humming like an old, emotionally torn widow. Rocking back and forth with her knees to her chest. Her eyes looked wide and blood shot, like she saw things a little girl should never see.

Cloud's body was slack and haunched over the table. He looked pale as death. He slid off the table and fell on the floor.

Cid was over in the corner, smoking three cigarettes at once.

The most normal looking one was Squall - scratch that. He collapsed down the stairs from exhaustion.

Tifa looked at the group with a questionable expression. "Um..."

They all slowly turned their heads towards her.

It creeped her the fuck out.

"I-I just remembered. I have to go do that thing - with the thing - a-and the - NEVERMIND!" She was out the front door in a flash.

Squall facepalmed. Is this really what they were reduced to in a matter of hours? Nutcases?

It's like all the horrors they've been through had reared its ugly head caught up to them. But why now?

Maybe because, without a certain perky ninja around to distract us, the reality and hardships of life are weighing us down.

Squall wanted to brush this inner voice off, but it was to right to be wrong.

But it was to late to fix things. For all he knew, she was dead.

His chest hurted so much.

...

A couple hours later, Aerith had finally fallen asleep. Cloud had carried her to their room. Yes. Their room. But instead of leaving, he cuddled next to her. A hand around her waist and his face in her hair.

The door was a creak open. Squall looked in, making sure Cloud didn't fall on his ass with an in-shock Aerith. He looked on with envy. It was just there in his chest. He didn't hate Cloud, but he sure as hell wasn't happy. It was upsetting.

Part of him knew why, but the other was denying it vehemently.

For the hundreth time that day, he sighed.

...

Tifa looked back at the castle with a raised eyebrow. "Oh-kay. Freaky." Turning her head, she left to find someone who tell her what was going on.

Tifa found herself at the wizards house. "Merlin!" Tifa called out.

A puff of blue smoke swirled around from the ceiling. The old wizard Merlin appeared. "Hello. I believe your here for some information. Correct?" It amazed Tifa how accurate Merlin could be.

"Eerr... yes. The others have been acting really weird. Like they lost reason to live. Why?" The fighter asked.

Merlin waved his hand and summoned a book. "Ah. Lets see..." He flipped through the pages. "So sorry. I've been behind on my spells, I haven't to far into the future."

Now Tifa knew. 'Hmph. Cheater.'

Merlin bit back a comment. "I see the problem now. Leon thinks Yuffie is dead. Aerith is becoming traumatized by flashbacks. Cloud is suffering a severe case of depression and anxiety. Yuffie is out for vengeance. And, don't tell anyone I told you this, but your getting a bicycle this christmas!"

Tifa blinked. "Wait what?"

Merlin slammed his book shut. "Oh! Now I feel terrible! I shouldn't have told you that! I completly ruined the surprise -"

Tifa shook her head. "No no! That's wonderful, but what did you say before that? About Yuffie."

Merlin smiled warmly. "Nothing to be worried about. It will all fix itself in the end." He puffed away in a cloud of blue smoke, before Tifa could question him some more.

Tifa rubbed her chin. "Sounds more serious than he's letting on."

Maybe it was. Maybe it wasn't. They would all find out soon enough.

Please review. I won't update unless i get a few. I'm dead serious.