The next morning Riyu was up early to see if Cloud and the others would stay true to their words. She stood outside the Inn and waited for the group to exit, she had already made her rounds at the shops and picked up extra rations of food, and a few potions. Granted she had materia equipped thanks to Shin-Ra but, she wanted to give the appearance that she was indeed a traveling historian. Before she joined the TURKS her father had immersed her in the world of history, starting her new life as a traveling historian wouldn't be hard for her.

She fidgeted with her steel case phone in her black shorts, as previous thoughts of Shin-Ra came back to her.

"Am I doing the right thing?" Riyu asked herself as she looked towards the mutated sky, the sky was laced with the sickly glow of Mako from Midgar. She wasn't too surprised at the reach of the green glow from Midgar, Kalm was the closest town to Midgar.

"Morning," a low grumble came from iin front of her. She quickly turned her attention to the spiky haired blond in front of her.

"G-Good Morning. Did you sleep well?" Riyu asked.

"It was Ok," Cloud replied as he walked over to her. He yawned and wiped his eyes from sleep, before he sleepily glanced at Riyu. Riyu bit her tongue as she looked at Cloud.

"Just like a Chocobo," Riyu said to herself

"That was refreshing," Aeris sighed as she walked from the Inn followed by Tifa, Barrett, and Red XIII.

"Are we ready to go?" Cloud asked.

"Can we at least get a quick bite to eat?" Tifa asked.

"If you have the gil, go for it," Cloud replied.

"Ok we'll be back," Aeris said as she, Tifa and Red XIII went to the nearest shop. Barrett and Cloud stood near Riyu in silence.

"Are you going to go?" Riyu asked. Barrett glanced at Riyu and remained silent.

"No. I'm fine," Cloud replied and yawned

Riyu looked Cloud from head to toe as she realized that the young man that she had once knew was no longer the same. His stoic and almost expressionless look gave him the look of a battle harden SOLDIER. The innocent energy that he had was no longer present, it was as if had died or been cut off from the source.

The Eyes of a SOLDIER.

"What happened to you?" Riyu whispered.

"What?" Cloud asked.

"N-Nothing. Just talking to myself," Riyu replied.

Cloud quickly looked Riyu from head to toe before turning to the group that walked over to them.

"Alright. Let's go," Aeris said before taking a bite of a piece of bread.

"Ok-" Cloud started.

"Where's our next destination?" Red XIII asked.

"My memory is a little hazy of the area...but there should be a mine somewhere...," Cloud trailed off.

"There's the Mythril Mine up ahead," Riyu spoke up.

"How do you know?" Barrett asked. Riyu glanced at Barrett taking note that Barrett might be a thorn in her side.

"I'm familiar with the area. You know from being in Midgar, being a TRAVELING HISTORIAN if that didn't tell you," Riyu jeered.

"Barrett. Relax," Tifa commented. Barrett scoffed as he turned away from the young woman.

"The Mythril Mines right?" Cloud asked.

"I think that's what it's called," Riyu turned her attention to Cloud.

"Then let's get goin' Shin-Ra is on a rampage killing the Earth," Barrett commented.

"Then shall we?" Riyu smiled.

Cloud nodded and turned to everyone in the group as he nodded to them as well.

"Let's get going," Cloud said and began to walk towards the Northern exit of Kalm. Riyu watched momentarily as the group headed towards the exit before pulling out her cell phone and looking towards her motorcycle that she used to get to Kalm and out of Midgar quickly. She took a deep breath and exhaled deeply before jogging off to catch up with the others.


"He wants us to find the Promised Land. He wants us to pull magic out of our asses," Reno grumbled as he looked at the file that he and Rude received at an earlier meeting. He was by no means excited for the vague mission, nor did his frustration change at Riyu abandoning the TURKS. He knew that the missions they were given were dangerous and anyone could die tomorrow, and getting attached to someone wasn't his thing.

But, Riyu was on his mind constantly. Theories of why she left was the hot gossip on everyone's lips, and how she was a traitor. It was a topic that he couldn't avoid since she was the last of the group of TURKS that decided to stay even though she had an opportunity to live peacefully back in her hometown.

Reno grumbled as he walked over to the elevator. Annoyed he punched the elevator button as he rolled up the file and shoved it into his back pocket.

"You're still butt hurt over Riyu leaving you?" a voice came from behind Reno.

"Piss off," Reno replied not even turning to see who it was.

"Definitely butt hurt,"

Reno quickly glanced over his shoulder at the man standing behind him a black suit. Ken Strands, one of the leads in the intelligence department of Shin-Ra, Reno first spoke to him years ago when the first AVALANCHE group appeared. He had played an important role in gathering information on AVALANCHE and the Zirconaide and Fujito

"What do you want Ken?" Reno asked.

"Well for one watching you wallow in sorrow is pretty amusing to watch especially because we don't even know the reason why she left. Slacking on your job Reno?" Ken sneered. Reno scoffed as the elevator doors opened, Reno quickly walked into the elevator hoping that he would be able to control himself from punching Ken in the nose. He wasn't in the mood, he was meeting up with Rude and had a date with an entire bottle of Whisky. Reno silently cursed when he followed him into the elevator, he pressed his floor and waited for Ken to do that same.

"I'm following you. We need to chat," Ken replied answering Reno's silent question.

Ding!

Reno watched the doors closed before the turned to the young man.

"What is it? I'm not in the mood for a 'friendly' chat," Reno said firmly.

"That's fine, I'm not here for that. You know that I'm all business. But getting straight to the point. I'm working with the TURKS on this giant project that President Rufus gave you," Ken started his jokester personality completely changed.

"Ok?" Reno said as he watched the numbers dwindle down to his floor.

"Also...as a side mission, I'm keeping an eye on the terrorist group, Avalanche-," Ken started.

"Ok so I'm not seeing a reason for this chat Ken. You're just rehashing that boring ass meeting I was at," Reno interrupted as he looked at Ken.

Ding!

The chrome doors silently slid open , Reno was out the door before Ken had a chance to reply. He just didn't care.

"It's about Riyu if you're interested," Ken called out to him as he held the elevator doors from closing.

Reno stopped in his tracks and slowly turned around.

"That got your attention. You're such an asshole," Ken sighed.

"We all have our days, and today is mine," Reno replied.

"You mean every day," Ken commented as he casually walked over to Reno.

"Well speak up. I have things to do and people to see," Reno commented.

"I'm sure you do. Straight to the point, Tseng has a suspicion that Riyu defected to Avalanche," Ken said bluntly.

"What? She wouldn't give up her condo or paycheck to join a shoddy wanna be rehash of the so-called terrorist group Avalanche," Reno belittled the group.

"Well I dunno Reno...she does have that strong drive to find out the truth about what happened to Chu Minamoto...and Cloud Strife is the only one who knows what really happens, and he happens to be a part of AVALANCHE," Ken started.

"Stop it. Don't paint her as a traitor," Reno growled.

"Oh...I see what's going on here. You had sex and now you're attached," Ken commented. Suddenly Reno roughly grabbed Ken by his shirt.

"Listen kid. It doesn't matter if I fucked her or not. I will NOT let you call her traitor. She is my comrade, and if I ever hear you talking about that shit I will kick your ass myself," Reno snarled and shoved Ken away from him.

"ughn!" Ken grunted as he caught himself from falling.

"Get it memorized," Reno sneered as he walked away.