Sorry for the long update...


Ferris Valentine finally found the elevators. He stopped running and caught his breathe, completely sure that he had lost his pursuers. He pushed the elevator button and stepped back to wait. Ferris glanced at the black, duffel bag hanging off his shoulders and grinned. A whimper came from the bag, and Ferris buried his fist into it.

"Shut up! No one's coming to help you!"

Above him, a ceiling vent tile was quietly being removed. The elevator bell rang, signaling the doors to open. Ferris sighed in relief and step forward to go into the elevator. In a split second, his eyes caught sight of a fine thread-like object darting in front of his face. His eyes widened in realization, but the fine wire wrapped around his neck to fast. The ends of the wire, with its handles, were pulled away from each other, and Ferris choked desperately. Already knowing what he had to do, Ferris reluctantly lowered the bag to the floor by its strap. More pitiful whimpers came from it. He almost wished to kick at the bag in contempt of his attacker, but he knew better. His hand reached and touched the thin wire, hoping to untangle it from his neck. The wire was then pulled tighter. He titled his head back, on reflex, and saw the woman, hanging upside down from the opened vented ceiling, with her fingers clutched around the handles.

"I could do away from you right now, and I wouldn't lose any sleep on it either…Ferris Valentine!"

With cruel swiftness, the woman tightened the wire, and a series of pitiful attempts to breathe came out of Ferris' mouth. In vain, he frantically tried to escape.

The hotel phone cut in, quickly waking Cloud up from his doze. In relief, he picked up the phone and answered.

"Speaking?"

"Hello," a man answered in Chinese. "It's me… I spoke with you this afternoon."

"And?"

"They are safe and in our hands…even as we speak."

Cloud heard a low, weary breathe through the phone.

"My father was right!" he continued. "You can't trust anyone…I've know him since I was a child…And now…I find out that he's been doing this all along…"

"But that's what you get for being a criminal," Cloud answered.

"I suppose so…"

The caller paused for moment and thought carefully about he was going to say next. He asked Cloud if he had a pen and paper handy.

"Do not worry about the kidnappers," he said. "We already have someone who is taking care of the matter…he could not possibly be crazy enough to cause more trouble...he'll already have enough on his own hands…but just in case…you will meet my men at the 5431 Tu Lein Fei…located a few miles from your hotel…be there in two hours... We have your sister and the young lady there."

"Do I come alone?" Cloud asked.

"Most preferably not…bring Shera Crescent too. If you must, bring one the ignorant travelers too…if any of them are close to the young lady…but choose wisely. Whatever you do, do not let your friend, Cid, accompany you. You will be separated from them for a while…one my more knowledgeable men will need to speak to you in private."

The young Shan Chu heard a chuckle come from the other line.

"Why is a man like you helping a man like me?"

"Because I owe a lot to you, my friend."

"I…I don't understand…."

"Of course you don't."

The phone was hung up without any formal good-bys, leaving him confused. It was almost cryptic. You don't understand why you can trust something you know you shouldn't trust, and yet you feel that you should trust them anyway?

"I don't know anything anymore," he declared, half-amused.

----------

Tifa stared at a picture of herself and Yuffie when they were teenagers. Gingerly, she let her finger slide across Yuffie's happy face and took a deep breathe.

"Yuffie…you better be okay…I can't lose you…not like him…"

She placed the picture on the nightstand and walked the towards the glass doors of her room. Tifa grabbed the curtains and closed them. A knock came at her door, and she darted over. Wisely, Tifa looked through the peephole and saw Shera standing at the door. Tifa opened the door and greeted her warmly.

"Shera? Why are you here?"

Tifa noticed the Shera was wearing a coat.

"Are you going out?" Tifa asked.

"We are going out," Shera said sharply. "Get ready!"

In baffled obedience, Tifa opened her closet and got out a jacket and high heels. Shera ventured into the room and made smacking noises with her mouth.

"Such a tiny room," Shera commented. "Cloud and I are staying in a three-roomed suite…with a living room and dining room to boot!"

Tifa slipped into her heels as she listened.

"You spoiled rich kids," Tifa mumbled. "I can't believe you two…letting us stay in these small rooms…and getting a big one for yourselves!"

Shera giggled and sat at the edge of the bed. She watched Tifa slip into her jacket and button up the top.

"Don't hate us cuz you ain't us," Shera crooned. "Beside, Marlene will feel happier to come to a nice room. And we won't cause attention by trying to book Yuffie a room either."

"You say that as if their safety is set in stone," Tifa retorted gloomily.

Shera got up and made a gesture to leave the room. Tifa turned off the lamp by her bed, and they went out the door together.

"It isn't exactly...but their definitely out of the lion's mouth…we're going to pick them up right now."

Tifa's jaw dropped in shock.

"T-t-their okay? J-just like that?"

Shera nodded with an agreeable look on her face and shrugged her shoulders. Tifa gave her a skeptical stare with a hint of fear and anxiousness, and Shera returned an assuring face.

"How?" Tifa asked.

"Ask Cloud. He knows better than I do."

Tifa groaned and become more uneasy.

"Are you sure that Cloud is…reliable?"

"Why do you ask that?" Shera questioned. "I think he's pretty dependable."

Tifa shook her head and waved her hand in the air.

"Oh," Shera said. "I understand you…it's the way he carries himself."

"I know about all the humanoids and this Sci-Fi junk…I can comprehend that. It's just that a part of me is skeptical…maybe I'm just worried about Yuffie…but I don't know how to take him seriously…I feel unstable around him sometimes…and he doesn't tell me anything…or at least very little."

"I know what you mean…but don't worry…for as long as I can remember…I've known that I can trust his judgment…"

Memories flashed her head. Shera suddenly stopped walking down the hall. Tifa quickly noticed, stopped, and stood in front of her.

"Shera?"

The prison yard was chaos. The screams of terrified and dying men and gunshots filled the air like an acid-hued symphony. Around her, Shera saw several dead prison guards and prisoners. Shera herself, with a gun handy, was shootingdown anyone she saw. It was like an amusing video game to her. She stopped firing for a moment and looked around, curious to see how everything was going. They were winning.

"Shera?!" Tifa said desperately.

"We have all… been led here."

Tifa watched as Shera held her head in pain; her eyes were dilated. Tifa put her hands on Shera's shoulders.

"Shera," she said restlessly. "What are you talking about?"

"You and me," Shera continued, "Reno…Vincent…Cloud…Yuffie…Marlene…we all have something in common…that's why…"

Shera shoved Tifa away from her and frantically continued down the hall.

"C-come on," she shouted. "My c-cousin's waiting downstairs…"

"Shera!"

Shera did not answer. She made it to the elevator first and pushed the button. Immediately, the doors slid open, and Tifa barely made it in after her. It was a slightly long ride down, so they had a moment of silence. Tifa looked at Shera from the corner of her eye and saw an unmoving, almost emotionless woman.

"Shera…"

"Please don't tell him," Shera interrupted. "Don't tell my cousin anything…about what just happened there. I've already gotten Scarlet in a tizzy…that's why she insisted on coming with me to America. But please…don't tell Cloud anything…he has too much to worry about right now…and I think that the same thing may be happening to him too…"

Tifa was rendered speechless. Shera turned to her and gave her a stern look.

"I'm serious! You mustn't mention a word to him…or anyone for that matter. You must pretend that you never saw what happened to me. You saw nothing…right?"

Tifa shook her head and Shera sighed in relief. The elevator stopped, letting more passengers in. Tifa barely saw them; her mind was in a sea of chaos.

----------

Miss Scarlet Crescent,

If you are reading this letter, it means that I am no longer alive. It is my duty to inform you of the impending danger that lies ahead for your sister, Miss Shera Crescent, and your cousin, Mr. Cloud Strife.

As you are already aware, because of unknown and unforeseen circumstances, your sister is starting to remember much of her past. That we can tolerate. However, I fear very much your cousin is also in peril of remembering; that would become a disaster. I cannot tell you very much, for I do not know very much, but what I know for sure is that Mr. Strife must not leave the country. Leaving America will only make him more accessible to the Triads, the Blue Lotus, and more unspeakable, Madame Jenova de Luciano.

Luciano has far more connections in Europe and Asia than she does in America and has more unwavering loyalty from the Triads than other crime syndicate. If she manages to get her hands on our two endangered, whatever she does to them will not be reversible. This must never happen, especially for Mr. Strife.

Along with this letter, I have given the liberty of inclosing three glass tubes. It is a serum that Mr. Strife and Miss Shera must be treated with as soon as possible. It serves as an antidote against anything the Luciano may try to give them. Treat them with my serum as soon as possible, preferably by deceit (I don't like that, but we have NO choice). If, for some unpredicted reason, Mr. Strife does leave the country before you receive this letter, follow him and treat him immediately. DO NOT WAIT! If, God forbid, you are too late, I fear that every one of us involved will be left to bleed one way or another.

Sincere regards,

Rufus Shinra

Juusang read over the wretched document with confusion. She was brought out of the letter by the loud rustling of clothes in Scarlet's closet.

"I hate being the eldest."

A few seconds later, Scarlet came out of her closet and threw a few random suits on her bed, right next to Juusang. The bed was already cluttered with clothes. She hastily went back to the closet for more.

"I have no time to choose the right things."

"What's going on around here?!" Juusang asked. "The Triads…serums…and who's Madame Luciano? What's going on in this family?!"

Scarlet came back with a small suitcase and began to stuff it with her things.

"It's complicated, kid," Scarlet answered. "I barely know anything myself. All I know is that I've got to get to Taiwan…pronto!"

"What am I gonna do here? Just sit around while all of you do God-knows-what?"

Scarlet slammed the suitcase shut, and Juusang flinched in terror.

"Think of yourself as the mistress of the household for a few days," Scarlet said. "As for me, I'm out of here."

"What am I gonna tell Barret and the maids when they find out you're gone?" Juusang asked.

"Pretend that you don't know a thing."

Scarlet lifted the suitcase of the bed and pulled up the roller handle.

"Help me sneak this to a car, will ya?"

Juusang rolled her eyes and did as she was told.

----------

"Oh goody," Tifa said sarcastically. "More hotels."

All three stood at the counter of the receptionist's desk; Tifa was in between. Shera felt her cell vibrate against her hip. She pulled it up, saw that it was her sister, and reluctantly flipped it open.

"Scarlet?"

Tifa watched as Cloud immediately tensed up on hearing that name. Shera listened to her sister's rambling for a moment and then handed Cloud her phone, reaching in front of Tifa.

"She wants to talk to you," Shera said.

A few seconds passed, with a long groan, and Cloud received the phone.

"Yeah?"

"Is that how you greet your cousin?" Scarlet asked.

"What do you want, Scarlet?! I don't have much time…"

"I found a piece of gum in my hair after you hugged me good-bye the other day. Very mature, Cloud."

The phone cut its connection, and Cloud was able to relax again. He handed Shera her phone.

"How strange," Cloud said, "that a woman like you would end up with a sister like that."

"I have a cousin like you," Shera replied. "That's already weird enough."

Shera saw her cousin's wide-eyed response and laughed. Tifa watched Shera with worried eyes.

----------

Yuffie was lying unconscious on the bed when Tifa saw her. Her complexion was paler than usual, making the cuts on her lip and face more visible. Yuffie was nestled underneath the covers like a young toddler deep in sleep, except for her arm that lay free on top of the covers. As Tifa watched over her beloved friend, she felt a revealed, yet maternal weariness.

"Yuffie…"

Gently, Tifa sat at the edge of the bed. The free hand beckoned for Tifa to take it tenderly, and she did just that.

In the hall, Cloud made sure to keep out of Yuffie's sight, while Shera let herself be exposed. The Asian woman, leader of the Triad soldiers, looked upon the spectacle of pure emotion with none of her own.

"Marlene is in different part of the hotel," she whispered. "Follow me."

Shera started to follow after her cousin, but Cloud stopped her.

"Stay here just in case."

Shera pouted but went back into the room. She began something about Cloud hogging Marlene to himself. The door was shut loudly, and Tifa turned back to see that Cloud was not there. Tifa breathed until her bangs her off of her forehead. Yuffie stirred and woke up from the noise.

"There he goes again," Tifa thought. "Why do I have a really bad feeling about this?"

"Hey," Yuffie whispered weakly.

Sympathetically, she looked at bruise on Yuffie's face. Tifa lightly brushed her hand against her friend's cheek, who shut her eyes tightly on reflex.

"I expected you to get a few cuts or bruises," Tifa said. "But I didn't think that it would be this bad. Did they torture you?"

"A little," Yuffie answered weakly, "but they figured out that I didn't have what they needed."

Tifa took her hand away. Yuffie struggled to sit up on her own, so Tifa supported her.

"By the way," Yuffie continued. "Have you heard of something called the Farfalle Velenose?"

The name struck Tifa like lightning. The name was familiar but not enough to be remembered directly.

"Farfalle Velenose…I think I may have heard that name from somewhere."

"Did you just say the Farfalle Velenose?"

All of the armed men stared at Yuffie as if she were a leper. Her eyes were wide with embarrassment, wondering if she had asked a taboo question. Soon, the armed men were talking loudly amongst themselves in Chinese. Yuffie was not well versed in the language, Tifa was decent, and Shera was fluent.

"I've heard some scary rumors about the F.V.," said one of them. "Some have told me that those among them are possessed."

"I've heard that the family that originally founded them practiced vampirism!"

One of the men scoffed and argued that it was probably just a patched up rumor. The third man chimed in and told his companions that he had heard that some of the Farfalle Velenose were middle and high school students that you saw everyday. The other two cursed and were horrified at the very notion that a twelve-year-old child in a school uniform had a weapon hidden on them. Yuffie sat in bed, lost in translation, while the other two women weren't sure what to make of it all.

---------

The bar and restaurant of the hotel was closed off to guests that night. A private party was going on amongst a group of people, some well distinguished, while others were flagrantly gauche. Amongst the laughing, shouting, and chatter, Marlene sat at the bar, her feet nearly touching the rail. She wore a pardoning gift from the Triads, an authentic, silk, white, Chinese dress with her bangs held up by a mother-of-pearl pin. Her blasé attitude towards the party was obvious; her elbows were on the counter with her hands holding up her head. The bartender offered her a drink (non-alcoholic of course), but she shook her head without a verbal answer.

Marlene had sat away from the people, wanting to be alone, and she felt annoyed when she "felt" someone sitting next to her.

"Mum and dad never took you to Taiwan," he said. "What a way to get introduced to the country."

Marlene recognized her brother's voice, and she quickly adopted a new, enthusiastic attitude.

"Missed me?" Cloud asked.

Marlene pretended to become scornful with him and turned up her nose. She crossed her arms and turned the other cheek.

"You're late," she muttered.

"Sorry..."

Marlene finally gave in and latched herself onto her brother. Instinctively, Cloud ran his fingers through her hair.

"It was really scary," she said. "But for some reason, I felt that everything was going to be okay."

"And why was that?"

"It felt familiar," Marlene replied. "Like déjà vu or something."

Cloud mentally flinched in confusion. Mai discreetly walked over and nudged him on the shoulder.

"If you please," she said politely. "My husband wishes to have and audience with you."

Marlene stayed stuck to her older brother like glue when they left the bar. As they passed through the tables, certain guests averted their eyes and saw nothing.

----------

A certain woman stood in front of her parked car and looked up at hotel in its tall stature. She gritted her teeth and snarled at someone who was not there. She turned around and locked her car, walking away at the mechanical chirping sound. With the walk of a vexed businesswoman, she reigned herself in.

"Stupid Seph," Lucy muttered. "Why does he get to go first? What a jerk! He always hogged Cloud!"

The parking lot still had a few people making their way to the elevators. She joined several people, much to her dismay, into the small area, and mentally cursed some more. Lucy hated crowds.

----------

"Good evening, Mr. Strife. Having a pleasant stay in Taipei?"

Respectively, the Shan Chu and Cloud bowed to each other. Cloud noticed a person sitting in the corner. Casually, Sephiroth raised his hand in a salute with a smile, without looking away from the ground. Marlene stared curiously at him and began to rub her chin. She walked towards him, trustingly, and Sephiroth acknowledged her playfully.

"Hey, babydoll," he said. "You used to be shorter."

"Who are you?" Marlene asked.

Sephiroth nearly did the anime fall onto the floor.

"I am Sephiroth," he said slowly. "We first met when you were four."

"It doesn't really ring a bell," Marlene said cheerfully, "but I guess I'll call you Seph-chan. Sephiroth's to wordy for me."

Poor Sephiroth groaned and held his head in agony. Cloud stared at the spectacle with amusement and uneasiness.

"She never remembers me," Sephiroth thought gloomily.

"I don't remember her meeting him at all," Cloud thought with horror.

The sound of the clank on a table quickly caught everyone's attention. Mai unlocked the safety lock on the briefcase and pulled it wide open. The Shan Chu overlooked the contents of the briefcase and beckoned Cloud to come closer. Inside, Cloud saw six strange objects: a gold pocket watch, a cross pendant with Jesus Christ carved on it, a twin pair of silver pistols, an English pocket knife, a thing with buttons that looked like a bracelet, and a picture of a strange woman with platinum blonde hair. All were different from the other, but they were strangely familiar to him. Forgetting himself, Cloud reached out to touch the cross pendant but took his hand back.

"Go ahead; examine them. They belong to you after all."

Sephiroth stood behind him unobtrusively. He glanced at the items, then Cloud, and then at the items again. Cloud hesitated for a moment but then took the Crucifix pendant out. With a closer look, the pendant turned out to be made of pure silver. A Latin word was etched above the Blessed head.

"Keep that on you at all times," Sephiroth commanded. "Preferably hidden if you can."

Obediently, Cloud slid the pendant in his jacket pocket. He went onto another item: the pocket knife. He slid the blade out and tested the sharpness.

"Cloud…Madame Luciano needs you."

It was late fall on the grounds of Madame Luciano's estate. As he spoke, all Lucy noticed was a young girl in a sweater and shorts, deep in a book. She looked around, and was startled to see three dead bodies, lying in their own blood, in the courtyard. Back in the girl form, sixteen-year-old Cloud casually sat at the stone bench, reading the book.

"I'll be there in a minute," he answered. "I'm almost done with this chapter."

Lucy noticed Cloud's pocket knife on the bench, opened and soiled with blood.

"Who were they?" she asked.

"Some weird assassins who wanted to kill Madame Luciano," Cloud replied in a nonchalant manner. "They thought that I was just a normal kid, so they began to talk smack to me. One of them even pulled my hair…hard. So, I lost my temper."

Lucy pulled out a piece of leather cloth, took the dirty knife, and cleaned it.

"Marciano's not gonna like this, kiddo. She doesn't like bloodshed on her property unless it is necessary."

"You and Seph-chan do it all the time," the teenager argued. "And it happened to be very necessary. I don't like people trying to harm the Madame..."

He still did not look up from the book.

"Seph-chan and I are adults," she scolded.

Lucy closed the pocket knife and handed it back to Cloud, who put it away into his pocket with a free hand. He dog-eared his last page and closed the book. Like a person who had just woken up, Cloud yawned and stretched.

"The "workers" can take care of the bodies?" Cloud asked.

Lucy saw the book on the bench and grabbed the book without permission. He realized that it was the bible and shook his head in disbelief. He flipped over to the dog-eared and saw that it was on Psalms 9.

"You're completely obsessed with the Psalms," she said. "You've been reading it over and over again for the past three months. Even stranger, you've been reading it in foreign languages. Are you looking for something?"

The supposed girl was taken aback. The question made him feel uncomfortable.

"I don't know. I just have to read it."

"Something troubles you, Mr. Strife?"

Cloud nervously put the pocket knife back into the briefcase. Marlene sat quietly away from the adults, finding it hard to mind her own business. The door creaked open, and a very angry Lucy Skandon stepped into the room, catching everyone's attention. Her hostility towards Sephiroth was similar to a blazing campfire just doused with bacon grease.

"What the heck is with that look?" Sephiroth asked.

Lucy carelessly tossed a small bag to Sephiroth. He panicked and nearly dropped the bag of fragile contents, and then growled while Lucy's back was turned to him.

"Big brother is strict, yes?" Lucy asked.

"He's more like a mom than a brother," Marlene answered.

A snicker was heard, followed by a smack on the back of the head and a cry of pain. Lucy and Marlene brought their attention to Sephiroth, who was rubbing the back of his head. He looked wearily at Cloud, who was pouting at the floor like an annoyed elementary student. Lucy stifled a laugh.

"Who are you?" Marlene asked Lucy.

"I gave you that geisha doll when you turned five."

"I don't remember," Marlene replied remorsefully.

Marlene scratched her head in frustration and racked her brain. Mai, who stood forgotten in the corner of the room with her husband, began to chortle in amusement of the chaos that was about to ensue.

"This is going to be very interesting," she whispered to her husband.

The Shan Chu nodded with a mischievous grin on his face. "Yes…this will be fun."

Marlene nearly forgot to breathe.

"Oh my God!" she shouted, in a valley-girl tone of voice. "Lucy! I can't believe it! It's you! I couldn't recognize you; I was six when we last saw each other. Hey, Cloud…it's Lucy! Don't you remember her, Cloud?"

Sephiroth glanced over and saw the shock on Cloud's face. The confusion in his eyes were entertaining, in a strange sort of way.

"Now that you remember Lucy," Sephiroth said hopefully, "Do you remember me?"

"Nope."

Sephiroth scowled and looked away.

"Stop leering," Lucy scolded. "It makes you look ugly…oh, wait…you already are."

Violent, graphic thoughts went through "Seph-chan's" head. Lucy walked past him and snatched the bag that she had tossed to him. As she pulled out her things from the bag, Sephiroth began to make obscene hand gestures and faces behind her back. As the two misfits were busy, Cloud walked over to his sister.

"Marlene…how do you know these people?"

"Lucy's part of the family," Marlene answered in surprise. "Don't you know that?"

"Pray tell," Mai interrupted. "Why don't you remember?"

While Cloud tried to contemplate the question, Lucy was busy adjusting a syringe. She carefully took a vile and extracted a substance from it. She looked back, signaling Sephiroth to make his move. Quietly, he snuck up behind Cloud, and caught him in a wrestling hold. Naturally, Cloud struggled to get away, but Sephiroth managed to pin him to the floor on his stomach and pulled his arms behind his back. Marlene watched in horror and went to help her brother, feeble as it may have been, but Mai quickly grabbed her.

"Cloud!"

"Forget that you are being pinned down to floor so savagely," the Shan Chu said calmly, "And honestly answer all of my questions."

Cloud gritted his teeth and slowly stopped struggling.

"Mr. Strife…as my wife already asked: Who do you not remember your relations to Miss Skandon?"

"I-I-I…"

Lucy was done with the syringe. She walked over, with the medical device visible in her hand, and sighed.

"Why do you not remember your relations to Miss Skandon?" he asked again.

"I…I don't know…"

Lucy looked away with a sad, tired look on her face. "Of course not."

"Next question," the Shan Chu continued. "After the unfortunate death of your parents, what exactly did you do during that December?"

"Mourning…what else?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

The questioner shook his head and went on.

"Do you remember the importance of that cross in the briefcase?"

"I didn't know it even existed," Cloud answered.

He began to struggle again, and Sephiroth tightened his grip. Marlene began to whimper in fear. Mai comforted her and rubbed her on the shoulder.

"It's okay," she whispered. "We mean no harm."

"Can you identify a woman named Madame Luciano?"

A long pause.

"A woman from Tuscany," Cloud answered. "She lives on an estate and owns a large vineyard."

Lucy turned from gloomy to cheerful in two seconds.

"Ah!" the Shan Chu cried. "So you finally have a straight answer. Tell me, how do you know that?"

"It's difficult to explain…I…I…I just know."

The young Shan Chu became more amused than ever. Lucy knelt down and began to wipe alcohol on Cloud's neck with a cotton swab.

"One last question…when I mention the words Farfalle Velenose, what are your first thoughts?"

"What is that?" Cloud asked.

The Shan Chu rubbed his chin and smiled again.

"I see," he said. "So…it's that bad."

"Huh?"

Lucy quickly jabbed the needle into the victim's neck. Cloud cringed at a slight burning sensation. Sephiroth finally let him go.

"The effects are slightly traumatizing," Lucy warned.

Cloud tried to get up and suddenly clutched his chest in pain. It became difficult to breathe, and his heart began to beat faster and his vision was becoming blurred.

"Don't try to get up!" Lucy commanded.

It wouldn't have mattered whether she said it or not because Cloud couldn't get up. His whole body was filled with a numbing pain. He felt arms suddenly wrap around him.

"Just stay still and let it pass," Lucy whispered quietly.

Everything went black.

----------

"I don't like it," Shera said. "He's been gone too long."

Shera leaned on the door and twiddled her thumbs nervously. Tifa nodded gruffly in assent.

"This is a large hotel," a guard said. "It may have been a long walk…you never know."

"Can we contact them just in case?" Tifa asked.

"We don't have that kind of power."

Sighing, Tifa took Yuffie's hand once again as she slept.

"I still have a bad feeling."

----------

Upon waking up, Cloud wished that he was still unconscious. A loud argument was already ensuing.

"I hope you didn't put too much in him," Sephiroth said. "An excessive amount could make him sick."

"With your handiwork," Lucy replied. "You'd knock him dead…literally."

Lucy looked down and noticed that Cloud was finally awake.

"Sorry," Lucy said apologetically. "We thought that you wouldn't have trusted us if we had just asked to stick a needle in you."

"How long have I been out?" Cloud asked.

"Five minutes."

Still dizzy, he realized that Lucy's lap was his pillow. He recoiled in horror and sat up quickly. The low blood pressure quickly got to his head. He recovered and looked around the room and saw Marlene staring at him curiously and smiling in relief. He also noticed Sephiroth, kneeling near him.

"How you doing, kid?"

Cloud suddenly recalled how Sephiroth had pinned him down. Two seconds later, Sephiroth was recovering from a swift blow in the face.

"How come I get a smacked around?!" Sephiroth yelled. "Lucy was the one who stuck the freaking needle."

Cloud shrugged his shoulders and said that it didn't seem right to hit a woman. Lucy unceremoniously wrapped her arms around him and squeezed herself close, to the point that her breasts were too close. Cloud literally squealed for help.

"Ah," Lucy cooed. "Isn't he chivalrous?"

"You and I are definitely not related!" Cloud shouted.

"Incest!" Sephiroth coughed out.

Lucy glared at him in contempt, not loosing her grip.

"I'm not incestuous!" she replied. "I'm just doting and affectionate."

"Whatever, kissing cousin,"Sephiroth muttered.

"Kissing cousin! What are you? Six?"

"No," Sephiroth retorted, "That's your IQ, blondie!"

"I resent that!" Cloud thought.

Mai had long stopped restraining Marlene and was thoroughly enjoying the bickering. Marlene was bewildered by the hostility. The Shan Chu smiled and watched as if they were his own family.

"Don't you just feel the love?" he said to Mai.

"You're sick," Marlene replied.

The bickering went on, and the two participants completely forgot that Cloud was directly between them. A vein popped in his neck.

"Are you two finished yet?!" Cloud asked.

The misfits stopped yelling and remembered what was going on.

"My God," Cloud continued. "What's wrong with you two? Can't you agree for just one minute?!"

"Sorry," Lucy said quietly. "It's not my fault that Seph's such an idiot…"

"At least I'm don't have a crush on my cousin!" Sephiroth muttered.

"Knock it off!"

Lucy and Sephiroth were silent once more. Radically, Cloud grabbed Sephiroth's hair and mock-examined it.

"Your hair is silver, Seph…that's considered platinum blonde…so I wouldn't be talking about IQ's and blondies if I were you."

Lucy snickered in triumph, but her turn was next.

"And Miss Skandon," Cloud continued. "Maybe if you weren't so clingly to your relatives…if I really am…let along your male relatives…maybe Sephiroth over hear wouldn't think that you were interested in your own kin. You are both in the wrong. Your arguments are pointless. It's rather annoying too. To make a long story short…SHUT UP AND GET ALONG!"

Cloud stopped and began to wonder why he was even mediating. Marlene watched with admiration and surprise. Another flood of lightheadedness hit, and Cloud became dizzy again.

"So that's why Madame Luciano grouped them together," the Shan Chu thought. "The elders bicker and fuss, and the younger, more mature one keeps them in line…"

"What did you shoot me up with anyway?" Cloud asked.

"An antidote, dear cousin," Lucy replied. "An antidote."


I've never wrote a chapter this long before. It's a new record.

Anyway...again...I apologize for the long update. Homework and life stared bogging me down during the past two weeks after a got the flu, and new ideas to the story kept popping into my head. It was painful!

-Lord Divestre Croft