Chapter 7: Friend or Foe
After breakfast and various complaints from Yuffie about boarding the High-wind. They were all up and ready to go. The way Yuffie saw it was that all together they had 9 gold chocobos plus the rare and never heard of black and silver chocobo that could do everything the gold could twice as fast and could fly short distances. Cloud had stumbled upon this after they had returned from the fight with meteor and holy. The bird was just sitting in the stables. At first he and Tifa thought it to be hostile but when it spotted them, it ran up to Cloud as if he had breed it and raised it from birth. They studied it and the only conclusion they came too was that it was once a regular chocobo and had underwent some strange transformation. It was like nothing he had ever seen before, a silver and black bird (silver beak and every other feather is silver and then black: goes in a pattern. Use your imagination.) Cloud adored it and it adored him. Yuffie wanted to use the birds because this way they could get there faster, it would be less danger, and she could avoid her motion-sickness. But Cid would not have it. They ended up bringing the birds with them. How Red was going to ride one was beyond any body's comprehension. But that was a bridge that they would cross if the need be that the chocobos had to be ridden. Once in the air everybody went his or her separate ways. Cloud, Tifa, Barret, and Cid on the front deck trying to teach Cloud and Barret how to pilot the ship while Tifa watched at a distance at their confusion, with a smile. Red went to once of the rooms to rest, Yuffie went to her usual vomiting station, and Vincent went to the Lower deck to be in the shadows lost in his thoughts. The only people that didn't have usual spots were Aeris and Sephiroth. So they decided to go hang out in the open. On the top where they could see everything.
The black winged angel must learn to fly
And bring the golden one to the sky
In order to stop our most doomed fate
Each must find their long lost mate
The mate themselves have might power
Which will be used to breach the enemy's tower.
Hmmm..................
Vincent was lost. His mind went in all directions he just couldn't figure out what this was supposed to mean.
Well "I" know one thing chaos said from Vincent's mind.
" And what might that be" Vincent said plainly.
I know that this reede is meant for 4 of the people in your group. Vincent's eyes widened in surprise.
"Oh really" he said in his usual monotone voice his face betraying nothing of which he really felt.
This caused Chaos to shift uncomfortably in Vincent's mind. Vincent smiled at this and from within his mind urged the demon within to continue.
Think about it Vincent, he said calmly. The reede says that two must find long lost mates and two must learn to fly.
" I doubt it" Vincent said unusually calm.
This enraged Chaos and if his eyes were visible at the moment Vincent's glare would not have been able been able to match.
Fool Human! He spat and was gone.
This didn't worry Vincent much. They always had arguments like this and Vincent knew he would be back sooner or later. Preferably later.
If only Lucrecia.........was here he thought.
Lucrecia...
If the walls in the lower deck could talk. They would tell the story of a man whose heart has been broken. They would talk about all the tears that he has shed because his love was snatched from him so brutally. They would talk of Lucrecia's beauty and grace. They would talk about how she would never walk the face of this Earth again because her life was ended early.
Only if..the walls could talk...
Golden brown locks did a dance with the wind as she stood there on the open deck of the High-wind watching the landscape go by. He was mesmerized. He didn't want to admit it but he was in a trance as he looked at her standing there. Her hair in a pony tail hanging down with out her usual braid. Her hair whirling all around her as if she was the goddess of the wind and she commanded it to do her bidding.
Aeris felt eyes on her and turned around to see Sephiroth looking at her. She must say she thought that he was on the other side of the railing because he didn't want to be bothered. But she had turned around to see him staring at her, with something in his eyes that only her ex boyfriend Zack had in his eyes. She turned away blushing, she didn't want him to see her cheeks flush. Why is my heart racing so fast she thought, this is Sephiroth! She ignored the feeling and blamed it on the height that they were flying at. After a moment she decided to call him over and start a conversation. They were the only two that was on the open deck any way.
"Hey Sephiroth" she said lightly. "Come stand over here with me I want to talk to you".
He approached her very slowly, afraid that if he moved to fast she might disappear. When he reached her side she looked up and gave him a friendly smile.
"Its quite beautiful isn't it?" She said as they passed over the open fields near the chocobo farm.
They spotted a mother and father chocobo training their newborn how to walk. After the sight of the family was no longer visible Sephiroth nodded his head in agreement to Aeris' last statement.
"So what do you plan on doing when we finally encounter Jenova?" Aeris asked.
Sephiroth considered this for a moment. He had never really thought about that before.
"Well" he started..."I will probably ask her some questions" he said.
"I want to know why she made me do what I did. I have never told anyone this before, but I feel like I owe you this much. You were the one after all who gave the monster a second chance. While she was controlling me she would give me partial control over my mind. It was very hard for me" he confessed.
"Watching my self kill all of those innocent people and not being able to stop my self. I want to know why she did it to me. I have never done anything to harm her or even offend her in anyway. While I was still a young child probably about 10 years old. I always had a voice in my mind telling me to do all kinds of evil things. After a few years of dealing with Hojo's madness, I came to the conclusion that it was Jenova".
Aeris was on the verge of crying. For this one time she cursed her compassionate heart. She didn't want Sephiroth to see her cry. She turned her head away from him and let the wind dry what had gathered in her eyes and turned back to him.
"My whole life I have been shunned by many. Feared by all, and ridiculed by most. I never once had a real friend until Cloud came along in his SOILDER training. A couple of months before Cloud came the Jenova cells inside me started to diminish. Leaving less and less with each passing day. I would hear her voice lower and lower and lower until one morning I got up and she just wasn't there. It was the same morning Cloud had started training with me. Cloud and I became so close so quick, he said that I was his number one role model and he wanted to be just like me. I took an immediate liking towards him because he respected me as a person, he wasn't afraid of me, and was always a good friend. Then on the day before we were to go through with Operation: Nibelheim Hojo called me into his lab for a check up that was due months past."
She studied his face and what she saw was enough to make her lose her breath. At the mention of Hojo's name his whole face had changed, while he was speaking there was a look of remorse and confusion in his eyes. Now when she looked at him, when he began to speak of the professor he had a look of tightly controlled rage. She didn't even want to imagine the things he had suffered under the hands of the scientist. She too had been a victim of his madness. He had chased her for years and years, when he couldn't get her himself he then hired Shin-Ra's elite gang the Turks to get her. Eventually after a few more years of the chase she befriended the leader and they formed a bond. That was the only way she was able to avoid the labs for so long. But one day there was a change in command and she was captured, by the very same man she had called a friend. He apologized fiercely and said there was nothing that he could do about it. He did make a promise to keep an eye in her and eventually help her escape but she would have to sacrifice, just the same way he had sacrificed all those years. That was the first time she had came face to face with the mad scientist, and she had got a glimpse of the lust that burned in his eyes. She shook her self of the memories and returned her gaze to Sephiroth.
" When he took my blood test he almost had a heart attack. He realized that the Jenova cell percentage in my body was down to 12. He sent me off and told me to come back the next morning before I left. With the way he looked at me I knew when I saw him again it wouldn't be a nice. I told Cloud what was happening and he reassured me that it was nothing. That was another thing that I liked about him. He always had a positive attitude about everything. Anyway, the next morning I went to Hojo and he said nothing to me. He just pointed to a chair and I got the point. I sat down and he came over to me with a needle and told me to roll up my sleeves. Cant have anything bad happening to my General now can I? He said before stabbing the needle into my vein and releasing the liquid that was inside. As soon as the liquid touched my veins it burned......real bad. I couldn't take anymore so I just allowed myself to pass out. I woke up 45 minutes later. When I got up he explained to me that he had injected me with more Jenova cells and that this time he had enhanced them in such a way that they would stay permanently. What he said hadn't really dawned on me until I was walking back toward my dorm and I heard a female voice calling my name saying she was back. I turned around to see this female only to find out I was the only one in the hallway. Then my worst fears were confirmed as I recognized the voice and she dropped me to my knees with her brain control. She told me that she saw everything that I did, and she wasn't too fond of my new best friend...Cloud. She said she would have done something sooner but she was to weak to do any significant damage. She told me that she would leave him be, right now but eventually she would make him go away. I wanted to tell Cloud so bad but when I tried she warned me and said that if I told him she would put me through so much pain that I would pass out and never to get up again. While on the way to Nibelheim she ranted and raved about what she was going to do and how I was part of her master plan and how she and I would rule the world together. I was quiet for the whole trip and Cloud left me alone because he knew how I could get."
He paused a while to look at her, this was by far the most detailed description he had given anyone. He knew the details of the story were not pretty but he just wanted someone to know what he was feeling. When she looked up at him she gave him a reassuring smile and he continued.
" When we got there and the mission was complete, she just took full control and before I knew it I was slashing and killing all the people in town. Then I set it ablaze with my enhanced mastered fire materia. I saw the pain in Cloud's eyes I saw the tears, I saw the look of someone who had been betrayed and all I could do was laugh like a crazy man. That night she took me to the Goblin Island and I cried while going through torture for each tear I shed. I cried for those people that I killed and I cried for..Cloud. I could have never faced him again. But when I went into the Northern Crater and he approached me Jenova gave me all control of my self and left me to die because I could not finish the task. Meteor had been destroyed because of you and she was going to the pits of hell where she belonged. Or that is where I thought she would have ended up."
As Aeris looked at him he shook with rage and there was a deep hatred mixed with a deep regret. She could not hold it any longer. Tears were streaming down her face and she did not trust her voice. She turned to him and he to her.
" I am so............so so sorry" she chocked. She gave him a quick hug and left the open deck sobs racking her body like never before. Where their skin had touched he felt a tingle. And when it was time to get off the ship a stunned Sephiroth was still standing there.
When everybody had exited the ship they were about 10 miles away from Icicle Inn. Cloud sighed to himself as he thought. Tifa noticed the distressed look on his face.
"Hey you, whats wrong" she asked
" We are going to have to end up taking the chocobos it looks" he said simply. "It was a good thing Yuffie suggested it"
"OK everybody" he spoke up, addressing the team "we have a change in plan. We are going to take the chocobos to Icicle Inn because I don't feel like walking through this 2-foot high snow.".
One by one the team members each looked down to where they were standing and realized that they were shin deep in snow.
As they were unloaded, the birds gave a soft wark happy to be on solid ground again.
"Excuse me Cloud". Red said curiously. "How am I going to get on this bird?"
Cloud smiled and looked at the biggest Gold chocobo that they had.
"Lets try" he said as he led red over to the bird. Cloud took the bird's head into his hands and looked into its eyes.
"You are not to be afraid because Red is a friend" he said to the bird.
He turned the bird's face towards Red and then back to his. The bird warked happily as if he understood and cloud helped red on. When Red was finally settled, he looked quite comical. The rein was in his mouth and he looked like a rug on a chocobo put there for warmth.
When everyone was perched upon their mounts, an idea struck him. He noticed that everybody was in a straight line. As he stood next to Zamia (his black and Silver chocobo) he said:
"The last one to reach Icicle Inn has to lick Jenova's as- "
"CLOUD!"Tifa yelled, smiling.
"Well you all got the point" he said.
Everybody but Cloud was already looking at each other. Each sharing the same thought.
"On-----/' before cloud could say The Mark Get set GO!
Everybody had already left him and there was nothing left but tracks in the snow. Cloud looked at Zamia and she looked at him. They shared a thought of their own. He jumped on top of her and with a little kick to the flanks she burst from 0 to 80 mph in 2 seconds. Then with another nudge to the flanks she picked up speed once again, and then they were airborne.
Tifa laughed hysterically. She and Marzion (her male gold chocobo) were in the lead by at least by 20 feet. She looked back and saw amazingly that Red was right behind her meaning he was in second place. He catches on quick she laughed again. She smiled as she remembered what she did to Cloud. That will teach him to make retarded jokes she thought.
Then she was shadowed from above for a brief second but by the time she looked up whatever it was, was gone.
When Tifa arrived at Icicle Inn she saw Zamia sitting there and Cloud sound asleep in his bedroll. She burst out laughing and fell off of Marzion. She was laughing so hard that tears were in her eyes. When the rest of the team arrived Cid ending up in last place, they saw her there. On the ground in the snow laughing. Then they saw Cloud and realized that the black blur that they saw was him. He got up, scratched himself, rubbed his eyes and looked at them like he hadn't seen them in ages.
"Where have you guys been?" he said completely serious.
This just caused Tifa to laugh all the harder. Cloud finally broke his act and took a bow. Receiving an applause from his comrades.
" Damn!" Cid yelled "this bird is pissing me off". He turned to his chocobo and gave it a smack across the neck.
The bird turned around completely furious and began to peck at Cid's hair, face, and neck. Everybody laughed at him and Cloud finally offered the bird a green, which it ran too but not before giving Cid 2 more plucks.
When all was said and done and the team was ready to go and they headed into Icicle Inn. They wasted no time at all and went straight to the hospital. At the entrance they stopped.
"We will have to split into 2 groups" Cloud said. "One group will go into town and ask around for Jenova and the other group will go into the hospital and see if we can help with Mariah.//'
As Cloud stood in front of his team he looked around and analyzed them. He thought about their different traits and their different characteristics. This was an important part of being the leader of a group. For example with Yuffie's immaturity he would not bring her into a hospital where she would no doubtlessly be bored and in the end causing more trouble than was needed. He knew she would much rather prefer doing the field work, so while making being the leader sound all well and good, there were responsibilities that came with it.
When Cloud had gotten his mind straight and everything in order he called for their attention and spoke in a clear voice.
"The group going into the hospital will be Tifa, Aeris, Sephiroth, and I as the leader. And the rest of you will go into town and ask around for any clues on Jenova with Red as the leader."
Red nodded his head in acceptance at the task and sat back down. With a nod of agreement from all of his teammates they all said their goodbyes and went their separate ways.
Cloud and his group headed into the hospital and went straight to the front.
"Um...excuse me, could you please direct me to Miss Garner's room". He asked the nurse politely
OH, you guys are here to see Mariah, its so good to see that there are still a few good souls in the world today. I don't know who would have the guts to do such a thing in a city like ours. I know we are a quiet neighborhood, but nothing like this has ever happened before. Ever since her and her husbamd moved in next door to me I have never had a problem with them. I wonder any one would do this. Its so sad...so so sad." with that she turned away from them and dabbed her tissue at her eyes. "Fourth floor down the hall room 456" she said with out looking at them.
Tifa was about to walk away, but she stretched over the counter and put a reassuring hand on the nurse's shoulder. The nurse a little bit startled at the hand that was now touching her looked up and when she saw the compassion on Tifa's face, smiled a sad smile.
"It really is sad" Tifa replied taking her hand back. "We are from Midgar and we heard what happened on the news and we thought we would come to visit. We are going to do everything that we can to help her"
"Well is there is anything I can do, you guys just let me know" the nurse said.
Aeris spoke up."You said you lived right next door to them?"
"Yes, thats correct. I lived there for 50 years and those two had only been my neighbors for about 7 months." the nurse looked down at something she was writing and then focused on Aeris.
"Were you home when the....incident occurred?" Aeris prodded.
"Unfortunately not, the night when everything happened I was working a double here and I caught a glimpse of the body that they were rushing in, a ghastly sight. I didn't know it was Mariah until the doctors handed me her paper work." she turned away and focused on something that wasn't there. Obviously trying not to cry at the memory.
Aeris looked at her again.
"Well thanks for all your help, we will do our best".
This brought a small smile to the nurse's face and she nodded as they walked away.
"What a nice bunch of people" she said to herself as she looked at the TV. There happened to be a commercial being shown about the Planet's Saviors and Cloud and Tifa's faces were on the screen.
The nurse breathed sharply and snapped her head in the direction in which the group had gone. She didn't see them, but she did hear the soft "ding" of the elevator starting its ascent to the fourth floor.
The group boarded and followed the instructions that they were given, they got off on the fourth floor. While they were walking in the corridors they took in everything, the whole place was spotless white. As they walked, they walked with caution, there very presence seemed to be an intrusion on the pristine white. They walked easy, as if not to disturb the peace and calm that this place seemed to hold. All the while Aeris was praying to the planet. Asking for guidance and the words to say so that she could be able to awaken her powers and heal this woman. Deep down inside they were all hoping that Aeris would be able to help this lady.
They were finally in front of room 456 and they all stood their each pondering the same thought:
This better work, please let it work.
Cloud knocked on the door but then remembered that she was unconscious and pushed open. As they entered the room they could hear the beep of the monitor that was keeping her heart rate, and the quiet hum of the machinery They stepped up to her bed and Tifa had to fight back tears because of the condition that she was in. She had bruises that were black and blue, she had two black eyes and she looked broken and battered. Her head was wrapped in a bandage and her arms were shredded from what appeared to be glass shards. Sher neck was in a brace and she had multiple tubes in her face and and an IV in her arm. Cloud studied her for a minute and then turned to Aeris who was crying freely not afraid to show her emotions for the so badly injured woman lying in front of her.
Cloud put a reassuring hand on her back and urged her to continue. The faster we do this, the more likely the chance of her survival Aeris thought. She stepped up to the bed placed her hand on Mariah's for head and closed her eyes. She was silent for a while and then she spoke in a low voice.
"Guardian of the life forces. I call upon you for your help..."
Red led his group into the heart of the town were it was quite busy. He turned to them and said: "Everybody split up and meet back here in 20 minutes."
As everybody else went their own separate ways Vincent went to a house that seemed to be totally out of place. He somehow felt attached to the house, it so reminded him of himself....of his coffin. So that is the first place that he went. He knocked on the door softly...no reply. He knocked a bit more forcefully and an old woman appeared behind the screen.
"Well hello there young man" she said opening the door. "How may I help you?" Vincent looked her up and down and then smiled softly.
Young man? He thought, that was classic. He might look the part of a 27 year old but in all reality he was almost 50. He would play the part of a 27 year old for all eternity, that was his sin. The sweet tinge of death would always evade him like a morsel of meat on a long stick. Always so close that he could smell, but never taste. If he had his Lucrecia with him then maybe time would slip into oblivion. But he was alone and thats how he would stay. He turned his attention back to the woman at the door. She was looking at him funny, he still hadn't answered her question.
"I would like to ask you a couple of questions about what happened last night" he said lowly.
"You mean with that Jenova character" she said flatly.
"Yes" he replied, just as flat but a smirk playing on the edges of his mouth. He liked her.
"Well come on in" she said. "I just baked some cookies and I think the person you would like to talk to is my husband not me."
She looked around to make sure no one was listening. Then she whispered in a low voice.
"He was coming home late that same night that Michael was killed and he had a little run in with you know who."
Vincent nodded his head in understanding and stepped inside the cozy little house. Great full to be out of the cold. She led him to the kitchen and he sat in a chair. Vincent looked around the house and saw that it was falling apart. In their kitchen, part of the roof was caving in and the paint... what ever was left of it was peeling. Their stove was centuries old and they had an icebox. Not a proper fridge. She laid out the cookies and went out saying something about calling her husband. Vincent sat there staring at the cookies.
I Might as well he thought.
He picked one up and bit into it. Before he knew it he had devoured 8 cookies, smiling lightly to himself he looked over his shoulder as he heard foot steps coming down the stairs and a low muttering. When the woman came down she came with a man that looked to be about in his mid 50s. he looked like he had just seen a ghost. My name is Herda and this is my husband Lincoln. The old man sat down and stared at Vincent. His stare was a hard cold and empty one. They sat there for a while, just staring at each other. Neither saying anything. This man looked Vincent right in the eye as if threatening to see his very soul. No one dared look at Vincent that way, not even Cloud as the team's leader had the nerve to watch him directly in the eye. Vincent must say that he was impressed. He turned his glare up just a notch. From Lincoln's point of view it looked like Vincent's eyes got even redder and malice creeped into them. He finally looked away and Vincent smiled. He liked this man also. All this time Herda had been putting more cookies in the oven and was completely oblivious to the contest of manhood that had just transpired. Vincent looked to the old woman as she came to the table.
"There is a story for the telling" Vincent said turning back to the old man.
Lincoln just nodded his head and continued to look lost. Vincent checked the time and saw that he had 2 minutes to get back to the meeting place. He stood up.
"Where are you going?" Herda asked disappointed that their new guest was leaving so soon.
" I will be back he said.. I have a few friends with me, if you don't mind."
She shook her head, her smile returning and quickly went to the stove.
"Don't be silly!! Of course its fine. No one ever comes to this house to check on us or to even say hi, its good to have visitors again" she whispered with a smile. "bring as much as you can manage, I will have cookies for everyone!"
As she opened here eyes all she felt was an immense rush of relief. But she couldn't see. Everything was just white to her. So blurry. She tried to move her hands but realized that it caused her too much pain. She turned her head to the side and could barely make out the figures that were standing next to her. Mariah just thought that they were pictures on the wall.
Where am I ?she thought to her self. But then her memories washed over her like a tidal wave. She remembered Michael and that bitch Jenova. She knew that her baby was dead and she knew that Michael had suffered the same fate. Then she heard a voice. A soft female voice. She turned to the sound and then realized that what she thought were pictures were actually people. Have they come to finish me off she thought. Her heart raced but then slowed down when she realized that she really had nothing to live for. She and Michael had planned on starting a family weapon business. They were about to launch it next week. But then Jenova came and messed up everything. She tried to say something but nothing came out. She then realized that she was in a bed and from the faint beeping sound she figured that she was in the hospital, she knew she was pretty banged up, but she didn't know the full extent of her injuries. It must be bad. She thought. She tried to say something but nothing came out. She tried again but still to no avail. Then she let out a soft moan, to her surprise and to everybody else's.
Everybody heard the soft moan and opened their eyes. They were all in deep concentration. Aeris needed help because she realized that Mariah was a little bit too far-gone. They all crowded around her Aeris and Cloud on one side Sephiroth and Tifa on the other.
"Are you alright Mariah?" she heard someone ask.
She moaned softly again, she was trying to say 'just finish me off'', but it came out as a sorrowful moan.
Tifa took the cup of tea that the nurse had brought for her and handed it to Aeris. Aeris propped Mariah's head up a little and then brought the cup to her lips. Mariah saw the cup coming and accepted that this was what was going to finish her off. She opened her mouth great fully and accepted the liquid. After a while she realized that it was tea and it had loosened her voice a little.
Why are they helping me? she thought.
"Are you going to kill me?" She whispered to them.
She didn't want to sound so desperate but she needed to know.
Aeris spoke again. "Of course not" she said with compassion in her voice.
To Mariah she sounded genuine but she would just play along with their game.
" I cant see," Mariah said. There was a male voice now.
"Why don't you use a Regen spell", Cloud said, sure that his plan would work.
Regen! Mariah thought. What the hell is going on here. These were materia wielders. And apparently of great talent, she once had a cure materia but it never went past the first level. For them to have one of Regen they had to be strong. A pang of fear hit her as she felt the healing power of the spell take effect, within a few seconds the once blurry shapes now took form and within another few minutes she was able tot ell that there were four uninvited people in her room. Eventually she felt re-energized and ready to get up. The thing is that she didn't want too. When next she opened her eyes it was like she had 20/20 vision. She saw everything clearly and perfect. When she looked at her visitors. She saw that there were 2 makes and 2 females. She sat up in her bed very slowly. The Regen still healing her muscles. She noticed the 2 females first. One of them was about 5'4 had chestnut brown hair, that was pulled into a ponytail that reached down to her bottom and she was fair skinned. The most outstanding thing that she saw about her was her eyes. Her eyes were like 2 big pools of emerald green. She had two bangs coming down on either side of her face and she was a very beautiful girl. The other one was a little bit paler than she but had long dark brown hair that had to be at least down to her feet. How long did it take to grow that she wondered. This next female was very curvaceous and had pretty wine colored amber eyes. She was about 5'8 and was very attractive. Then her attention turned to the males. The first one that she noticed was about 5'11 and had spiky blond hair. He had steel icy blue eyes and the same complexion as the first girl. He was a good-looking man he reminded her of her own Michael. When she turned to the last one her heart skipped a beat. In her very room was the greatest General that ever lived. It was Sephiroth. She knew it had to be him. She heard that he killed countless numbers of people in the war. She had always wanted to meet him. Now that he was here she was excited but she was also terrified. She had heard rumors about this man who had gone insane and almost destroyed the world. But when she looked at him now he didn't look insane he looked cute to her as a matter of fact.
"What do you guys want?" she asked.
"My name is Cloud and we are here just to ask you a couple of questions. From the news we saw that Jenova attacked you and your husband. So we just wanted to ask a couple of questions that might help us on our mission. But first let us introduce ourselves. My name is Cloud, this is Aeris, this is Tifa, a this is--- "
"General Sephiroth" she cut in.
" Yes" Cloud said not surprised the least.
"We would like to tell you our story and would appreciate it if you listen to us."
With a slight nod from Mariah, Cloud gave Aeris the floor and the story began...
When Vincent got back to the town's entrance the team was waiting for him. As he got closer he heard Cid and Barret cursing about how this damn town was so useless and how they couldn't find a damn elephant in it if it was standing right behind them. When they saw Vincent, Red approached him with curious eyes.
"Find anything?" He asked.
"As a matter of fact, yes." Vincent said. "I found an old man that had a run in with Jenova before she left town."
Red raised his head and looked into Vincent's eyes with his one.
"What happened?" He asked.
"It seems like while Jenova was leaving town she got a hold of him and terrorized him a little."
Red shook his head in disgust.
"Well we should go to the hospital and tell Cloud what's going on."
They turned around and headed in the direction of the hospital. All the while Barret and Cid swearing that it was too cold.
Mariah sat back into her hospital bed and looked around her. Aeris had finished telling her story and she was taking it all in. It seemed to her that these people were doing some good and they were against Jenova and not with her.
"Well what was the questions you wanted to ask me Cloud?" she asked looking at him.
"Did Jenova say anything to you before she left? Meaning did she say where she was headed toward next." Cloud asked stepping forward at the mention of his name.
Mariah thought for a moment. She looked up with sorrow clear in her violet-purple yes.
"Why cant I think of what the hell that bitch said," she thought out loud.
Tifa noticed the sorrowful look on Mariah's face and walked over to the bed and placed a soothing hand on the woman's back.
"Its OK" she said carefully. "You've been through a lot last night and your mind is probably still very clouded". Mariah nodded great-fully and smiled.
Just then the rest of the team came into the room, and Mariah grabbed hold of Tifa's hand and started to plead for Tifa not to let Jenova's friends take her. Tifa rubbed her back gently to try to calm her down but she would not have it.
"Don't LET THEM TAKE ME," she bawled.
Cid who was the first one to step into the room was taken aback by the screaming woman. "What the hell is her freakin problem?" he yelled.
Tifa turned Mariah's face toward hers and looked into her eyes.
"Mariah they are our friends we are AVALANCHE. They are not going to hurt you. We wont allow it."
Mariah looked at her and pulled her into a hug and sobbed on her shoulder.
"I'm so sorry. She wept. I thought that Jenova's lackeys were coming to get me again".
Tifa had to fight back tears of her own. Jenova had put this woman through hell. After she had somewhat calmed down. She turned to Cid with red blotchy eyes and a tear streaked face and mouthed her apology, while fresh tears fell. The gruff pilot looked at her and his heart melted. He looked at her and didn't even know what was wrong but he had a feeling it was bad. He scratched the back of his head and shuffled his feet a habit he picked up from Cloud.
"Aw... its nuthin, I woulda screamed too if I saw me". This caused Mariah to laugh and Cid felt relieved at her laughter.
Cloud stepped to her bed again and introduced the rest of the team that had filed into the room during the commotion.
"This is Red", he said pointing to the feline like animal. Mariah looked at him in wonder.
"Nice to meet you" she said.
"The pleasure is mine ma'am," he said politely.
Her head snapped back to him and she was even further impressed with the creature. She was pulled out of her thoughts at the sound of Cloud's voice introducing the dark man in the corner.
"This is Vincent Valentine" she nodded her head toward him and he did the same.
"This is Barret Wallace and Cid Highwind the two foul mouthed bastards of the group," Cloud said as he pointed towards the two who were having a silent argument.
Barret waved his good arm and Cid bowed deeply. As Mariah studied the big black man she noticed that he had one good arm and one arm that seemed to have a gun grafted into it. When she was younger she had visited Corel and heard her grandmother talking about a man with a gun for an arm. At the time she just thought that the old hag was going senile but now she saw that this was the man that truly had a gun for an arm. She then turned her head toward who seemed to be the youngest member of the group. "Oh... and this is Yuffie Kissagri daughter of Lord Godo of Wutai".
"Behaagde ten slotte om uw aquaintense mijn dame te ontmoeten" she said in the ancient Wuitaneese tongue.
Yuffie's eyes widened as did everybody else's. "You are from Wutai, she said more of a statement not a question. Dat is, vervloekt zo koel". Mariah smiled to herself as did Yuffie while Barret muttered under his breath.
Vincent broke the silence that lingered after the small reunion with a cough and turned to Cloud.
"I found a couple and the husband had a run in with Jenova before she left town. I think that we should have a talk with them." Cloud nodded his agreement and turned to Mariah.
"We are very sorry for what happened to you and we will hunt Jenova down and bring her to her knees for what she has done. He turned to Tifa. "Can u please get Reeve on the phone and tell him to wire 20,000 gill to Mariah's account for the damages caused by Jenova. Also tell him to send the keys to our first apartment in Sector 4 so she could move into it".
He turned to Mariah as Tifa called Reeve and she was crying again.
"I hope that this is enough for you. The courtesy of AVALANCHE." She looked into his eyes and bowed her head.
"I will make a trade", she said. "You can keep all your things but let me join you on this quest. The only way that I can ever feel any better is for me to go back into the outside world and have part in the bringing down of Jenova".
Cloud completely understood. He looked her up and down and then broke into a grin. "Sure you can come, but under one condition"
"Anything" she said.
Cloud paused and then looked at her.
"You have to agree to keep the apartment and the money and you have to allow me to give you 500 gill so you and the girls could go shopping for your gear, we do have a long journey ahead of us."
Mariah smiled. She didn't even know this man like that but yet she felt safe with him already.
"Herda said that we could come anytime" Vincent said. The team nodded their heads and left for Mariah to get her clothes on and get ready to go. While the team was filing out Aeris felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Mariah. "Do you think that you can do that Healing magic again, my muscles need it". Aeris smiled and leaned in closer
"I've got something even better"
with that she conjured a Cure 3 spell, and Mariah moaned in relief. .
After Mariah had gone shopping and Cid went back with the luggage to the Highwind, the team and their new edition were knocking on Herda's door.
Herda came to the door and saw Vincent and let him in with his group of friends. She led them to the Living Room where they found cookies and juice waiting for them. They all sat down and Herda and an elderly man that seemed to be her husband sat down also. Vincent spoke up:
"These are my friends that I told you about and we just want to ask Lincoln some questions".
Lincoln just looked at them and sighed. "What kind of relationship do you have with that beast of a woman?"
"None what-so-ever" Cloud said "she is trying to destroy the planet again and we need to stop her before things get worst, we just came here to ask you what happened last night when she left town. Your wife said that you had an encounter with her and you were babbling things in your sleep". Lincoln looked up at her and she looked away.
Sephiroth smiled at this and refocused on what was being said.
"Well we just want to know what she told you and if she did tell you anything where was she going and what were her plans".
Lincoln closed his eyes and tried to recap everything that happened. It was not something that he really wanted to think about. This monster had literally held him in the air by his throat and talked to him about her vicious plans and how she had to get her son back and how she will destroy his friends and all sort of garbage. She also injected him with something through one of her tentacles and said that they will always be a part of each other. At that moment all of that garbage was swirling his in his mind as it did every night. She had torn his mind apart, how was an old man supposed to deal with something like this. Anytime he attempted to talk about it he would get headaches that felt like 6 million jackhammers pounding into his skull. He would just give up and let the pain fade. But not today he would not let her control him anymore, he would tell these youngsters what they needed to know pain or no pain. He could already feel the familiar feeling of the pressure building in his head. Better get this over with quickly he thought.
"Ask me what you want but make it quick", he whispered. "She has some mental powers over me after she injected me with what seemed to be her own blood. Please hurry he pleaded with his eyes still closed. She has already started".
Cloud sat on the edge of his seat.
"Where is her next destination?" he asked. Lincoln opened one eye and then the other. His vision swam and the pain increased.
"She is headed toward Mideel to taint the life-stream with her blood. She said that if she could get sufficient amounts of her blood into the life-stream the planet's own blood will be tainted and she will be able to awaken the first protector: Omega-Weapon. She said it would take her most of the day today to get enough blood into the stream and she would get there by mid-morning. Its already 3:00 and you guys need to get over there".
Cloud nodded and with a wave of his hand signaled the rest of the team to leave. Cloud stood up and shook Herda's hand because Lincoln had seemed to faint and was breathing rather harshly.
"Thanks for everything Miss Herda and we will try our best to stop her".
With that Cloud exited not noticing Vincent still standing there. He stepped up to Herda and gave her a small key.
"What's this" she asked surprised.
"I see that your house is not in the best condition and winter is only getting worse so this is the key to my mansion in Nibleheim you can go and make yourselves at home there" she tried to protest but Vincent was not having it.
At that time Lincoln had just came into the hallway where they were, looking a bit dis-shelved. He saw the key in her hands.
"Vincent here is telling us to stay in his mansion in Nibleheim." She said. He looked up at Vincent and patted him on the back.
"Thanks son" he said and then disappeared into the kitchen.
"Enjoy it like it was your own, and ill be back as soon as possible. If the townspeople ask, just say that I sent you. I will call one of my close friends and he will come pick you up in a helicopter. I suggest that you leave all your clothes and take only the things that are most important to you we have plenty of stores and there is money in the safe that's there. I have enough money so you may spend as much as you need. If anything goes wrong just call me."
He pulled out an extra PHS that had been given to him while he was a Turk. It didn't make sense for him to inactivate it if he wasn't paying for it.
"I am on speed dial 1". She looked up at him and embraced him like he was her son.
She wiped the tears from her eyes and tucked the phone in her apron. Vincent called Reeve and when Herda came back he told her that the chopper would be here in 20 minutes. With all that said and done with a final goodbye Vincent left the house and caught up with the team.
Before they left town Mariah led them back to her old house. They went into the basement and they were all in awe at what they saw. It was a weapons shop with some materia. Mariah spread her hands and allowed them to take anything they needed. She in the meanwhile went to a closet that was locked. She unlocked it and reached into it and retrieved a black box with silver trimmings and Wutaineese writings and pictures of Dao-Chao engraved into it.
Every one noted her solemnest and gathered around the table where she had laid the box.
"this weapon was created by my father for me before he died. I have never used it before because it was to precious, but before he died he said to use it in only dire situations. I think that this crisis is deserving of such a weapon. It took my father 4 years to make it and he died only a week after he completed it."
She unlatched the locks on it and when she lifted the lid everyone gasped. It was a whip sword and the blade was about 4ft long. It consisted of 25 ivory links. Each link had diamond shards protruding out of it. The hilt of the whip sword was silver with black marble incarnations. The sword was priceless. On the top of the hilt there was a button that when pressed it would change the weapon to a sword or back to a whip depending on its current state. Mariah lifted the weapon out of its case and clutched it to her chest. This weapon was unique because her father taught her the easy way to kill an enemy with a whip sword. She would lash out with the whip and catch hold of an enemies' neck. She would then pull the enemy toward her and switch it back to the sword and with a quick slash downward the neck would be right off. And if the hide of the animal was to hard or the enemy somehow had some protection from their neck coming of the diamond shards in each ivory cut link would do terrible damage. The ivory cut links were also special because they were all cut to be double bladed. It was made with ivory but had a ½ inch of rock diamond stuck to the sides to serve as a blade. In between the diamond on either side there is a sharp piece of ivory protruding, to give it the effect of a triple blade.
After Mariah had retrieved her belt to hang the weapon in whip state on, they exited and sent Vincent to get the chocobos.
When all the chocobos were present Mariah rode double with Yuffie, insisting that her queen not bruise her hands on the reins. Yuffie being as lazy as she is agreed whole heartedly and enjoyed the free ride.
When everyone was ready they rode into the sunlight and out of town towards the ship, leaving tracks in the snow.
