A/N: Well here's Chapter Two! A lot sooner then I planned but I couldn't stop writing. I'm getting really far with this story. I have it all played out in my head, I just need write it down correctly. Thanks to all who reviewed! It brings me joy! Oh and someone asked if Zack was like Lafu(?) from the movie. He sort of is. He's like Cloud's other half. They both think together and sometimes Cloud degrades Zack. Not too often though. I hope you enjoy this chapter. And, if any of you have read my previous stories, all of you know that I don't usually write a story in third person but I wanted to give it a shot. If you notice anytime if I slip and put an 'I' or 'me' or anything else relating to first person, let me know and I'll fix it.

Well, enough of my jabber. Enjoi!


Mr. Lockheart rode Dante out of town and into the Nibel Mountains. He was weary of traversing them but the mountains being the only way to get to Rocket Town he didn't really have a choice.

Hours later, the sun was beginning to set and he was still wandering around the Nibel Mountains. He came to a fork in the path when the sky began to darken and stars littered the sky with their incandescent light. He pulled a map from his coat pocket and began looking at it. He looked from the map to the side roads; unsure of which one he should take.

"We should be there by now," he mumbled to himself, turning the map this way and that making sure he was reading it correctly. "Well, come on, Dante. Let's go this way," he said, spurring him to the right.

After wandering hopelessly through the mountains Mr. Lockheart stopped Dante and climbed off his back. "Where are we, Dante?" He asked the black bird, scratching the feathers on top of his head.

Dante began flapping his wings and warking nervously, looking this way and that. Mr. Lockheart grabbed hold of the reigns in an attempt to calm him down.

"What's wrong?" He asked, looking around, trying to see what Dante was so nervous about. "Steady, boy, steady," he said, patting the bird on the side of the neck.

Mr. Lockheart jumped and whirled around when he heard something rustling in the bushes off to the right of the path. He moved closer to Dante and stared at the bushes expecting something to come crawling out of them. Sure enough, many moments later a pack of Nibel wolves crawled through the bushes one by one. Their gray coats were matted with dried mud, eyes bloodshot, teeth stained yellow and red. They growled and began to move closer to Mr. Lockheart.

He gasped and quickly climbed onto Dante's back just as the large bird took off running down the path. He half-turned in the saddle to see if the wolves were following him. Low and behold, when he set his eyes on the path behind him the whole pack was in hot pursuit. He quickly turned back around and gripped the reigns trying to get Dante to go faster.

Then Dante suddenly turned a corner and threw Mr. Lockheart from the saddle sending him rolling down the hill. He gripped the moist Earth trying to find some handholds in which to slow himself down with.

After many more moments he hit the bottom of the hill and quickly got up. He looked behind him to see if any of the wolves had followed him. He waited in silence but no wolves could be seen or heard anywhere.

Sighing, he turned around and continued through the trees and foliage until he came to a narrow cobblestone path. He looked down it to the left and his breath caught in his throat. The fabled Nibel Castle was standing before him in all its glory. He wandered out into the cobblestone pathway and looked at the sight before him. The castle seemed to reach to the heavens.

Looking around nervously he began walking towards the large gate to enter the castle courtyard. Upon reaching it, the gate seemed to open of its own accord. Shrugging it off as the gate being motion censored he walked towards the large double doors. He looked up at them and knocked. The echo sent a chill down his spine.

The door opened and he walked in. He examined the inside of the castle and found it to be more menacing and more gigantic on the inside then the outside. A distance in front of him stood a large staircase that went up and separated into two different paths. There were many different hallways and corridors off to the left and right just before the staircase. He walked forwards a small amount, trying to look for someone to help him.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" He called, hoping that someone would answer him.

He heard whispering off to the side and jumped. "Is someone there?" He said, nervously, backing up towards the door.

A young girl that looked about twenty-one walked out from behind a pillar. A younger girl only looking to be sixteen or seventeen years old accompanied her. The one had long chestnut brown hair that was tied back into a very elaborate braid, she wore a long pink dress with a red vest over it and she had stunning green eyes that seemed to sparkle. The younger girl had short dark hair that stopped at her neck. She wore a green tank top with a pair of beige shorts. Her eyes were a sort of lavender color that seemed to darken or lighten when light touched them.

The girl with the brown eyes stepped up to him. "Hello, sir," she said, in a sweet, melodic voice. "I'm Aeris and this is Yuffie," she said, pointing back to the young girl behind her.

"Nice to meet you," he said, shaking Aeris' hand. "I'm Paul Lockheart."

"How'd you stumble upon this place?" Aeris asked, folding her hands in front of her.

"I was on my way to Rocket Town when I got lost. My chocobo ran away and got chased by some wolves."

"Oh, dear!" Aeris said, covering her mouth. "Come, let me get you some tea. You can come rest in the study. You're welcome to stay here until tomorrow. Yuffie, go in the kitchen and make some tea."

The girl she called Yuffie nodded and disappeared. Aeris led Mr. Lockheart into the study and guided him over to an elaborate chair that was seating in front of the fireplace.

"Sit here, sir," she said, setting him in the chair. She grabbed a blanket and carefully wrapped it around his shoulders. Moments later, Yuffie walked in and set a tray down and made him a mug of warm tea. She handed it to him and he gratefully accepted it.

"Why, thank you," he said, taking a sip of the sweet, warm liquid.

"What the hell is goin' on!?" Shouted a voice from outside the study.

Aeris and Yuffie jumped and looked back at the origin of the voice. A gruff looking man in his thirty's with messy blond hair walked in and stopped next to Aeris.

"Girl, what are you thinking?! Bringing an outsider into this castle? You know we're not supposed to! Does the Master know about this?" He asked, looking from Mr. Lockheart to Aeris and Yuffie.

Aeris looked from the blonde man to Mr. Lockheart. "Mr. Lockheart, this is Cid Highwind. He's the castle's caretaker."

"Damn right I am!" He said, pointing at his chest with his index finger. "I'm the one that keeps this castle in tip-top shape."

Mr. Lockheart looked around the lavishly furnished room. "You do a wonderful job of it too, might I ad."

"Well, thank you," Cid said, smiling. "I try."

Suddenly, a ghoulish demonic roar sounded throughout the palace. Yuffie and Aeris jumped holding onto each other backing away from Mr. Lockheart and towards the fireplace mantle.

"Shit!" Cid cursed under his breath. "Now we've done it."

Mr. Lockheart set his mug down on the tray and hugged the blanket around him. He could hear the menacing clack of claws on the cold marble floor and impatient rustling of leathery wings. Yuffie and Aeris began shaking as the Master of the Castle stepped into view.

A large demon measuring to be about eight feet tall with gigantic black leathery wings and piercing red eyes looked around the room. He had hideously long claws on his hands and feet with three blades sticking out of both forearms that measured five, seven and nine inches. He had gruesome white fangs that stuck out of his mouth and he was covered in black scales from head to toe.

"There's a stranger here," he growled, low and in his throat, pacing inside the room.

Cid stepped up. "Master, I can explain. The ladies were just helping this man out. He-"

But Cid was cut off as the demon roared at him. "Silence!"

He walked around the chair and looked down at Mr. Lockheart. He bared his white fangs and picked him up by his shirt collar.

"Who are you?" He breathed. "You're not allowed here."

"Please, sir," Mr. Lockheart begged looking fearfully into the demon's blood red eyes. "I got lost in the mountains and I need a place to stay."

"What are you staring at?" He growled, pulling Mr. Lockheart closer to his face.

Mr. Lockheart began shaking his head quickly. "Nothing!"

"So, you've come to stare at the Nibel Demon have you?" He shouted, thrusting him up into the air far above his head.

"No, you don't understand!" Mr. Lockheart exclaimed, gripping the demon's scaly hand. "I just need a place to stay!"

"I'll give you a place to stay!" The demon shouted, dragging Mr. Lockheart out of the study.

"Please, no, no, please!" Mr. Lockheart begged until his voice could no longer be heard.

In the corner, Yuffie and Aeris were still trembling with fear as Cid looked on with his arms crossed.