Sephiroth, Cloud, and Zack waited in the garage for Chu for their new assigned mission. Cloud glanced at Sephiroth noting his normal stoic expression and then turned his attention to Zack who was currently doing squats.
"Do you guys know where Chu is?" Cloud asked meekly.
Sephiroth looked at Cloud as Zack stopped doing squats and straightened himself.
"Good question, where is she Seph since you know where she is all the time," Zack said, sarcastic jealousy coated his voice. Cloud looked at Zack surprised at his friend's bold statement of jealousy. Sephiroth easily brushed off Zack's jealous jab and kept his stoic expression, he shifted his stance before answering his comrade.
"She is on the 68th floor, Hojo's laboratory," Sephiroth replied.
Zack scoffed as he looked away from Sephiroth, Sephiroth glanced at Zack for a few moments before turning away, hiding his small smirk. Cloud looked between the two men feeling a sense of awkwardness wash over him and their mission. He sighed heavily knowing that his ride home was going to be more stressful and dragged out than needed.
"Chu...Where are you…" Cloud mumbled to himself.
Chu stood in front of Professor Hojo's laboratory, hesitating to enter.
"What…if I'm pulled off duty…" Chu said quietly to herself.
Chu continuously thought about her hidden predicament, the voices, the dreams, and the moments of time loss that plagued her. She avoided talking about it to Zack or Sephiroth, but she managed to gather the courage to tell one person, The Turk Riyu.
-Two days prior -
Riyu was currently sitting at one of the café tables on the 61st floor of the Shin-Ra building.
"Riyu," Chu said as she walked over to the table. Riyu turned around and smiled.
"Hey what's up? You sounded pretty serious on the phone." Riyu said with a small smile as she watched Chu sit down across from her.
"Yeah…this is serious." Chu replied.
Riyu's smile faded as she saw the expression on Chu's face.
Ever since their fist meeting Riyu and Chu had became good friends. The two young women would complain about work, talk about men and other various gossip. This time was different…a secret.
Riyu looked at Chu from across the small circular table.
"Chu-" Riyu started.
"I don't know how to explain this…and you're probably gonna think I'm crazy…" Chu started and looked at Riyu.
Riyu's expression had changed from serious to worried.
"It's been half a year since it started…but I've been hearing voices…having blackouts…strange dreams…the dreams are so bizarre…" Chu started.
"Chu. You're just stressed with becoming an Elite SOLDIER…and the thing with Genesis. You need to relax," Riyu replied her smile return to her face.
"Riyu…," Chu started. Riyu looked at Chu, her smile fading once again.
"You're serious aren't you?" Riyu asked.
Chu nodded, Riyu sighed in response. The two women sat in silence as the employees of Shin-Ra continued on their ways ignore the two.
"I can't…I can't figure out what it could be…professor Hojo said the Mako wouldn't—" Chu started.
"Mako? You're taking Mako?" Riyu asked surprised.
"Yes. How else do you think I got to the Elite status in such a short amount of time?" Chu asked. Riyu closed her eyes.
"Stop taking the Mako treatments, that's probably what's making you loony," Riyu said.
"I haven't taken any for a few months…" Chu replied.
"And you're still having these problems?"
Chu nodded in silence.
"It's actually gotten worse." Chu replied.
"How long has this been going on?"
"Six months," Chu replied.
"Why did you wait so long?" Riyu asked getting angry.
"I figured it was just temporary. It was something new in my system. I thought it would all go away…but apparently not," Chu said sullen.
"Why are you telling me this?" Riyu asked. Chu looked at Riyu and smiled, Riyu gave Chu a suspicious look.
"You're my backup plan," Chu said with a small smile. Riyu began to study Chu before she decided to reply.
"Backup plan?" Riyu repeated.
"Yes. Just in case if something happens to me,"
"How about we think happy thoughts?" Riyu suggested. Chu smiled once again, but this time sadness was apparent in her smile. Riyu looked at Chu who was staring stoically at the people walking around. Riyu opened her mouth to say something but held back. She clenched her hands underneath the table as feelings she wasn't prepared for rushed into her.
Fear…sadness…uncertainty…
Chu gathered her courage and prepared for the worse as she entered the laboratory.
Sephiroth, Zack and Cloud were still waiting for Chu in the garage. Sephiroth glanced at the clock on the wall behind him and sighed.
"Sir! We are ready to leave," the driver of the truck yelled from the truck, Sephiroth nodded in response.
"Zack, Cloud go to the truck, I'll go find Chu," Sephiroth said as he pulled out his cellphone.
"I'm waiting for her too," Zack replied.
"Me too-" Cloud started.
"In the truck, now," Sephiroth ordered. Cloud jumped a bit and hesitantly walked to the truck, Zack held his ground. Sephiroth looked at Zack and became more annoyed. Chu was already late for some unknown reason and the fact that he knew where she was, in Hojo's lab made him cringe. At the moment Zack wasn't making him feel any better by disobeying his order.
"Zack," Sephiroth started.
"Chu." Zack said and walked pass Sephiroth ignoring him completely.
"Are you two fighting again? Geez I can't leave you two alone," Chu said with a smile. Sephiroth looked at Chu, seeing if he noticed anything different about her, what he didn't noticed is her expression change.
"Relax he didn't do anything, Come on let's GO!" Chu squeaked as Zack put her over his shoulder and walked away.
"Z-Zack!" Chu squeaked.
"You had us worried Chu, What the hell were you doing?!" Zack said as he continued to carry her to the truck.
"ZACK! PUT ME DOWN!" Chu yelled.
Sephiroth waited a few moments before following them to the truck, he began to realize that he was no longer confident about this mission, a feeling that was foreign to him. The blantant jealousy of Zack, Chu visiting Hojo's laboratory before leaving a mission.
"What are you getting us in to?" Sephiroth said to himself as he approached the truck.