Chapter 3: Dinner with Phemie and Crisis

After she got off the train and make her way to one of Midgar item shop in Sector 7, she heard the manager's voice talking loudly to Phemie as she entered the shop.

"Phemie, girl ! Hurry up and put those boxes loaded with potions and hi-potions onto the top shelves now!" said the manager loudly.

"Right away, Mr Swensen!" Phemie answer him loudly as she began lifting the boxes one by one up to the top shelves.

"Need some help, little sister?" Laina asked.

Phemie's ears perked up upon hearing Laina's voice. "Hello, sister." Phemie said to her politely as she finished with putting the potion/hi-potion loaded boxes on the top shelves. "That's okay, I'm already done with it."

"I can see that, Phemie. You're truly a hard worker now."

"Thanks, sister." said Phemie. "So how goes your soldier training in Shinra company, sister? Is it still the same or getting harder?"

Laina was about to reply when the door open again from behind her to indicate the arrival of a customer. She knew without turning (and from the light blush on Phemie's face) on whoever it is that came in.

"Hello, Phemie." said a man's voice. "And hello to you too, Laina."

"Hello, Crisis." Laina answer back.

"Hi." Phemie answer him with a smile. The man named Crisis then move past Laina and stood next to Phemie, whose blush on her face increases. He had almost wild/unkempt red hair, a lanky but fit physique, dressed in an unbuttoned black suit jacket, untucked white dress shirt underneath, a loose tie and long black pants. A typical outfit of the Turks.

"So what brings you here in Sector 7, Crisis?" Laina asked him. "Are you here to buy something or…"

"I'm here to ask Phemie out for dinner with me, Laina." He told her mid-sentence. "Hope you don't mind, that is."

"And if I do mind, Crisis?"

"Then I'll have to…"

"Sister, Crisis, please stop!" said Phemie suddenly, stopping them both before things get worse. They both quiet down. "Sister, I know you don't like Crisis since he's part of the Turks but can you let it go just this once? Same goes for you as well, Crisis."

"Fine." said Crisis.

"Very well, Phemie." Laina reply reluctantly.

"So, back to my previous question. Sister, how goes your soldier training today in Shinra company?"

"Well…" began Laina but Crisis interrupted her words again.

"Why don't you join us for dinner, Laina?" asked Crisis. "That way you can tell Phemie all about your soldier thing."

"Yes, why not, sister?" said Phemie happily. "Join us for dinner."

Laina sighed before she relent. "Alright, I guess I can join you two for dinner."

Phemie squeal in joy and hugged Laina. Laina gave a laugh as she hugged Phemie back. Crisis just watch the sisters with a smile on his face.

XXXX

"So, your partner Zack got his ass handed back to him on a silver platter by Sephiroth in training again, huh?" Crisis said as they waited for their orders of food.

"Yes, unfortunately." answer Laina with a shake of her head. "Zack always does when it comes to Sephiroth, simulation or not."

"I feel sorry for you, sister." Phemie console her. "Having him for your partner."

"Nah, that's okay, Phemie. I'm sure he won't be so easily beaten next time."

"How can you be so sure of that, sister? Don't tell me that you fell for him like how I fell for Crisis?"

"W-What?" sputtered Laina as her face turn red. "Me, fell for him? Not a chance!"

"But your face is red!" laughed Phemie as she pointed a finger at Laina's face. "You do like him but you don't want to admit it!"

Laina gave Phemie a light glare before turning her face away. Phemie continue her giggling until their foods arrived. The three of them then take their forks and knifes and began eating.

"You must enjoy teasing your elder sister this much, huh, Phemie?" asked Crisis as he ate his pork chop halfway and stop.

"Yes, it's fun to tease her sometimes, Crisis." answer Phemie after she swallow her bolognaise spaghetti.

Crisis gave her a nod and continue eating. Soon they finished each of their dinner and desserts when both Crisis and Laina's handphone starts ringing. They both excused themselves from Phemie to answer their calls and left their seats but not far. Laina see the caller ID and it's from Kunsel, her and Zack fellow 2nd class soldier.

"Hello, Kunsel?" Laina ask him through her handphone. "What is it?"

"Laina, do you know where your teacher, Genesis is?" Kunsel ask her back, sounding slightly worried.

"Genesis? No, I don't know where he is." answer Laina. "Now that he mention Genesis, I haven't seen him for a month now. Usually he would be back early and quote his favourite "Loveless" all the time."

"So it's true. He did gone missing…" Kunsel trailed off.

"What? What do you mean by Genesis gone "missing"?" Laina demanded through her phone. "Tell me the details, Kunsel, now!"

"Alright, Alright!" Kunsel told her. "It's like this, the company sent Genesis on a mission to end the war with Wutai, but for some strange reason, he disappeared and so does the 2nd and 3rd soldiers that follow him. Sephiroth and the Turks were then sent to find/look for them but to no avail. So now the company thinks that he and the others must have deserted."

"Is that all, Kunsel?"

"Yes, that's all I know."

"He just disappear like that? With no signs of a struggle at all?"

"Nothing at all." said Kunsel. "He didn't even talk to us before he disappear. But don't worry, Laina. I'm sure he'll be back soon."

"Yeah, you might be right, Kunsel." answer Laina. "I hope he comes back soon."

She finished her talk with Kunsel and flipped her phone close before returning to the table where Phemie's still sat and wait. Crisis was nowhere to be seen.

"Phemie, where's Crisis?" Laina asked her.

"He said that he had an emergency and left, sister." answer Phemie as she sipped her drink. Laina sat down next to her.

"So, who call you, sister?"

"It's Kunsel. Another of my fellow 2nd class soldier."

"What did he say to you, sister?"

"Nothing." Laina lied with a straight face. "Nothing urgent, Phemie."

Phemie stayed silent while Laina had a bad feeling rising in her soul. "What's wrong, Genesis? Why did you just up and disappear like that? Where did you go?" Laina thought to herself as they both went to pay their food/drink/dessert bills and left the restaurant.