FORTY-TWO

We were a week out from Midgar—six days from Kalm—when we finally made it to Choco Bill's Chocobo Farm & Lodge. A rolling sea of tall green grass was spread out in all directions, different from the hills we'd left behind after passing through a long valley with wooded slopes on either side of us. We were in the eastern part of the continent now, a place so different from the badlands near Midgar, so vibrant and alive, that it might as well have been another world.

I'd been driving for the past few hours, with Aerith and Tifa sitting up front with me in the cab while Barret and Red rode in the back, just like always. We'd seen signs for the Chocobo Farm for miles, and while there were others in the region, they were smaller and scattered around the little towns that sat out this way amidst the plains. Bill's place was a lot bigger, and after we'd taken the off ramp from the highway and rode up to it, it wasn't hard for us to see why.

Surrounded by well-tended fields full of leafy green vegetables and clusters of trees and bushes filled with all different sorts of nuts, Choco Bill's Chocobo Farm & Lodge was a large but cozy collection of bright, clean buildings with white wooden walls and four big paddocks spread out across several acres. A two-story farmhouse with two wings for the guest rooms and a wraparound patio stood ahead of us as we parked in the large lot by the nearest paddock, and past it on our right was a silo and some sheds for tools and equipment.

As soon as we got out of the truck, Aerith and Tifa both grinned at each other before dashing right over to the fence to get a closer look at the chocobos. The girls chatted together and giggled while I followed a little behind and Barret stayed close to the truck. As for Red, he just sat on his haunches for a moment and watched. One of the chocobos went up to fence, looked at us, and warbled softly.

"Oh, aren't they just adorable, Cloud?" Aerith gushed.

"I suppose," I shrugged.

Barret grimaced. "Could do without the smell, though. I can pick it up from way the hell back here."

"You're not the only one," Red agreed.

Tifa sniffed as she cooed lovingly at the bird. "Oh, don't be so hard on them, guys. It's not really their fault."

Aerith giggled. "Yeah! They're too cute not to like."

"If you say so," Barret muttered.

"Well, I do!" she smirked, sticking her tongue out at him.

As hard as he tried, Barret couldn't resist a little smile of his own at her antics. Neither could I. "I'll take your word for it, Aerith. But in the meantime, we'd better head inside and talk with the owner. We need to find out if Sephiroth's been over this way."

I was pretty sure he had, what with the rumors we'd heard in all the little towns we'd passed through on our way here. Whispers talking of a man in a black cloak and the bodies he'd left behind him. A few here, a few there. Enough to keep us firmly on the trail. And even though we'd been driving and he'd been on foot, Sephiroth had still managed to stay ahead of us somehow. I wasn't surprised, but I didn't like how we were being led along. He wanted us to follow him.

Aerith leaned against the fence alongside Tifa. "You guys go ahead. We'll stay out here with the chocobos."

"Fair enough," I agreed.

I watched for a moment while she and Tifa reached out and gently stroked the nearest chocobo's soft yellow feathers. It stood at least eight feet tall on two long, scaly legs with three toes on each foot, and its big blue eyes watched the girls from above its large, curved orange beak. It was right on the other side of the fence amidst the grass, and behind it, more chocobos milled about in the paddock.

Leaving the girls to it, I headed up toward the house with Red and Barret, the weather warm, sunny, and pleasant as we walked. Although it was pretty mild for early winter, I didn't mind. We'd find ourselves in the cold eventually if our journey went on long enough, so it would be best to enjoy the warm weather while we still had it. Putting it aside for now, I knocked sharply on the front door.

An older man in his late sixties opened it. "Well, hello there. Might you be lookin' to cross the marshes?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "Can you help us with that?"

"Indeed. Please, come in," he smiled, adjusting his glasses.

We followed him inside, my boots and Barret's clomping across the hardwood floor while Red's paws hardly made a sound. Ahead of us in a small kitchen was a plain wooden table covered in a white cloth with several chairs around it. A large, round black serving dish with several bright red apples in it sat in the middle. The walls inside were as white as on the outside except for on the left, which was almost entirely built out of red bricks and held the sink, stove, and oven, and in the back of the room, stairs led up to the second floor.

The farmer motioned for us to sit down. "The name's William, but everyone in these parts just calls me Choco Bill. Not hard to guess why. Anyway, if you're headin' south, it'll be safer to ride on a chocobo. The marshlands are more dangerous than ever these days, and most people who go in there don't come out again."

"Why's that?" I asked.

"Lots of strange monsters live in that place," Bill explained. "And it ain't always easy to find solid ground. Make one wrong step and it'll be your last. But with a chocobo, you'll be fine."

Barret frowned. "We got a truck. So why ride the birds?"

Bill chuckled. "Guess you've never been in these parts before, have ya? The road's been out for months, and your truck would never make it to the mines. Like I said, the ground's treacherous and deceptive. The marshlands go on for miles and miles, and it'll take you at least a week to get through them even with a chocobo. Everywhere ya go's a mess of bogs and mud that'll suck you right down."

"Go on," I said.

"Chocobos, on the other hand, have very sharp senses," Bill told us. "They also know what paths to take to get safely to the other side of the marshes and can outrun most any monster you'll come across. And it's the only way to avoid the Midgarsormyr."

Barret blinked. "The hell's that?"

Bill leaned forward in his chair and scratched his bushy gray beard. "It's the giant black serpent of the marshes, boy. Huge and ugly, at least thirty feet long and six across. Scales as dark as night, with sharp teeth as big as your arm. It can hear ya for miles no matter how quiet y'all are out there, and when ya least expect it, that's when it'll strike! Only way to avoid that is by outrunnin' it on a chocobo."

I wasn't sure I really believed him, and I didn't know if it was just a clever sales pitch or if there really was something out there. Barret and Red didn't look any more convinced than I did. But at the same time, it didn't hurt to be cautious. I didn't wanna take any chances, and we did need to get through the marshes, one way or another. But there were a few other things we needed to know first.

"Fine," I replied. "Has anyone else gone in there lately?"

"Two that I know of," Bill answered. "First one was a strange guy in a long black cloak. I heard he just walked right into the marshlands all by himself a couple nights back, slipped in there without a sound like a shadow. But since he was on foot and didn't have a chocobo to ride, I'd say the Midgarsormyr probably ate him."

Barret scowled. "Black cloak, huh? Sounds familiar…"

"Yeah," I agreed. "Gotta be him."

Red nodded. "Sephiroth. So our path is confirmed. But what of the other? Who else entered the marshlands?"

"A short, dark-haired girl," Bill said. "Wutaian, by my guess. It's the eyes, you see. Pretty young, too. Teenager, about the same age as Chole, my granddaughter. Girl came through here early yesterday and bought herself a chocobo, said she was gonna slip through the mines and head for Junon. Then she rode south into the marshes."

"Well, whaddya know…" Barret laughed.

"So our thief went this way, too," I said. "Should've guessed. It's the only path through the mountains that isn't being watched by Shinra. At least for now. Could change, though."

Red glanced at Bill. "What do we need to do?"

He stood up. "If you'd like to buy or rent a chocobo, just head over to the stables and talk to my grandson, Billy. And we have rooms if you plan on staying for a day or two. With a free breakfast included early in the morning. Farm fresh and the best around."

"Ain't a bad idea," Barret admitted. "Been a long drive, so we'd best take a breather while we can, merc."

I thought so, too. "Right. We'll do that."

After reserving a few rooms for us and the girls, we headed outside again. Aerith and Tifa were still right where we'd left them, by the fence watching the chocobos. When they saw us making our way over to the stables just behind the paddock, they came over and joined us, both of them still full of giggles as we all went inside.

There were a dozen stalls along the length of the stable, six on each side. Some of them were empty while a few had a chocobo inside. The place smelled like hay, straw, and greens, and afternoon sunlight shone through the windows at the far end as two older teenagers, a boy and a girl, busied themselves caring for the huge birds.

The boy noticed us first. "Howdy! What can I do for ya?"

"We need two chocobos," I told him.

"Well, then, looks like you're in luck, old-timers!" he snickered, his hands in the pockets of his green shorts.

I raised an eyebrow and frowned. "Old-timers…?"

"Just a little joke," Billy laughed as Aerith chuckled behind me. "My sister Chole and I are lookin' after most of these birds here for some of our other customers, but we do have a couple available today that we'd be glad to sell to ya. For a modest price, of course."

"How much?" I asked.

He thought for a moment. "Let's see… two thousand for the birds. But you'll also need saddles, reins, bags, some greens… so that'll come to probably another thousand, more or less."

Barret nearly choked. "Damn! Ain't that a bit steep?"

"If it's too much, you could always try to catch some yourself," Billy shrugged, the bright yellow feather in his wide-brimmed wrangler's hat bobbing as he did. "They wander all 'round these parts. You'd still need the gear, of course. So what'll it be?"

"We'll take the two you've got," I sighed.

Tifa glanced at me. "Can we really afford it, Cloud?"

"No choice," I answered. "We've gotta get through the marshes. All that monster hunting we did on the way here's about to pay off. I guess it was a pretty good idea after all."

We'd spent a few hours a day during our trip across country taking out monsters for a price around some of the smaller towns and villages that we'd stopped in for food and gas. People paid us good money to do it and bring back bits of the creatures to use for making different kinds of items and medicines. I hadn't been too sure about it at first, but we'd needed the gil, so I'd gone along with it.

Billy nodded. "Good! So, ever ridden a chocobo before?"

I grimaced. "No, none of us have."

"Well, we offer riding lessons, too. For an additional fee, of course," Billy said, eagerly rubbing his hands together.

"You serious!?" Barret sputtered.

Billy shrugged. "We've gotta make a livin', ya know. I—"

Suddenly his sister came up and slapped him across the back of the head, nearly knocking his hat right off. "Billy! Cut it out, will ya!? We're already chargin' enough as it is. I know how much we need the money, but Grandpa doesn't want us gougin' the customers, either! We'll teach these nice people for free. Understand?"

Chole stood there fuming with her blue eyes narrow and her hands on the hips of her plain burgundy skirt. She had a matching top with a white collar and a green crystal pendant around her neck, and her dark red hair was fastened into a ponytail with a bright purple bow. Seemed she was a little older than Billy, too. He rubbed his head where she'd hit him and looked sheepishly at her, then us.

"Alright, alright…" he said. "The lessons are on the house. And, uh, we'll say two thousand for the rest. Deal?"

"Done," I agreed.

After we'd picked out our gear and I'd paid for it and the chocobos, Chole reached into her pocket and took out a glowing red materia orb. "Here. Call it an apology for Billy tryin' to make it so expensive. I'm so sorry about that. Things've been tight ever since our parents died a few years ago. So don't be mad at us, okay?"

Aerith smiled. "It's alright. We understand. And thanks!"

"That's a summon materia, isn't it?" Tifa asked.

"Yeah," Chole held it out to us on the palm of her hand. "Chocobos like shiny things. One of ours dug this up out in the paddock last week near the fence. I'm sure it'll help ya in the marshes."

Aerith took it and put it into her staff. "Thanks again, Chole. Now, let's see… ah, how fitting! Chocobo and Moogle!"

I blinked. "What?"

"That's the summon, Cloud," she explained.

"And that helps us how?" I asked.

Aerith rolled her eyes. "Never used one of these before, have ya? To be honest, neither have I, but I've heard about them. When we use this, Mog and a whole herd of chocobos'll come fight alongside us in battle. They'll stampede right over our enemies. Nifty, huh?"

"Killed by cuteness," Barret smirked. "Pretty damn funny, if ya ask me. And you the perfect one to call 'em, girl."

"You bet!" she laughed.

Chole smiled. "Well, now that we've got all that settled, how's about we start teachin' ya guys how to ride chocobos? The ones we've got are all pretty calm, so you don't have to worry about them throwin' you off or gettin' spooked. I keep track of how fast, strong, and smart each bird is, so I know the best ones for beginners."

I nodded. "Sure."

She went on. "Great! Oh, and I've heard there are even some kinds of chocobos that can go places normal ones can't. Takes a lot of special breedin' to get 'em, though, and rare nuts and greens that can be pretty hard to find. Even we don't have 'em."

"Any idea where we can get them?" I wondered.

"Wish I could tell ya," Chole said. "About the only one who could is the Chocobo Sage. I heard he lives somewhere far to the north, and he knows everythin' about chocobos! If he can remember it, that is. Might take a bit of proddin'. He can be a bit… forgetful."

Tifa chuckled. "We'll jog his memory."

Chole grinned. "Thanks! And if you can, let me know what he says and I'll write it all down for ya. That way, if you ever decide you wanna breed your own special chocobos, we can help."

"For the right price," Billy added.

"Billy!" Chole poked his arm. "What'd I just tell ya?"

He scratched his head and shrugged. "Yeesh! Can't blame a guy for tryin'. Anyway, let's get started on those lessons."

Before we could do that, though, Aerith giggled and took a brown wrangler's hat off a rack on the wall and tried it on, grinning the whole time. She touched the brim and did a little bow. When she spoke again, it was with a pretty good impression of a chocogirl's accent. Barret and Tifa didn't even try to keep a straight face.

"So, whaddya think, Cloud?" Aerith drawled. "Ya like it?"

I smirked a little. "You sound like Sam."

She thrust her arm into the air and laughed. "Yeehaw! Time to ride some chocobos! This is gonna be fun!"

"Since you really like the hat, go ahead and keep it," Billy said.

"Oh, I couldn't," Aerith said. "How much?"

Chole smiled and shook her head. "Naw, it's alright. Y'all are givin' us some good business today. So… just think of this as a little token of our appreciation. From all of us at the farm."

"Thanks!" Aerith beamed. "I mean… much obliged, pardner! Now let's go everyone! Time to saddle up!"

"Don't bury yourself in the part," I reminded her.

She winked. "Ha! Come on, bodyguard!"

So we followed Billy and Chole back outside and got started. Chole worked with Aerith and Tifa while Billy taught me and Barret. Red just watched, and although the chocobos were kinda skittish around him at first, they eventually settled down and relaxed once they sensed that he wasn't a threat and wouldn't eat them.

"Guess ya can't really ride, can ya?" Billy said.

"No," Red answered. "And I have no need. On four legs, I can easily match their speed and keep up."

I nodded. "Right. Makes things easier."

We spent the next two days there at the farm, learning how to ride the chocobos and look after them while we were out traveling. It wasn't as hard as I'd thought it would be, and even Barret got pretty good at it, managing to steer his mount with one hand. He still complained about the smell, though. The girls had a great time, and overall, it was a good break after the long drive we'd taken to get here.

Early on the third morning after we'd gotten to the Chocobo Farm, we all set out together, ready now for the next stage of our journey. Bill had offered to take us and our chocobos to the edge of the marshlands, so we were riding in his big truck. Cloud had sold him ours since there was no way we could take it with us, and now he, Barret, and Red were sitting in the back in the covered bed with the chocobos as we went on down the highway while Aerith and I were up front with Bill, who was behind the wheel, his eyes on the road.

We'd spent the evenings planning our trek through the marshes as best we could, with some advice from Bill about the best place to enter. The main road was closed, of course, but Cloud still wanted to check it out himself before trying to go in from somewhere else. Both Billy and Chole had also told us plenty of stories, rumors mostly, about that area and the giant snake they called the Midgarsormyr. I wasn't too sure if I should believe it, but they certainly did.

I glanced over my shoulder for a moment to see Barret sitting with his back to the cab and his hand under his chin as one of the chocobos kept nudging him with its beak. It seemed to like him, though he didn't feel the same way. He'd never gotten too comfortable around them, and as the chocobo kept on lightly poking at him, he finally turned around and glared at us, his patience just about gone.

"The hell is it with these damn birds!?" Barret growled.

"He likes you," I teased.

He sighed. "Yeah, I got that impression, alright. He don't needta be all up in my face every damn minute, though."

Aerith giggled. "Only about six more hours to go…"

"Don't remind me," Barret muttered.

I could barely hide my own smile as I faced forward again, though somehow I managed it. Seeing the faint little smirk on Cloud's face had made it even harder. But I knew that Barret wasn't in the best mood, so I took a breath to compose myself as we drove on. The road wasn't very smooth, at least this part of it, and amidst the smaller jolts, a big bump abruptly sent me sliding into Bill, my chest pressing against his arm as Aerith was pushed into me at the same time.

"Oh, I'm sorry about that," I told him, straightening up.

He smiled. "No apology necessary, ma'am."

I didn't have any doubt about that. Bill was polite and professional, though, keeping his eyes on the road, and so I just sat back and relaxed as Aerith settled back into her spot on the passenger side. It was a nice, clear day outside as the seemingly endless plains and farmlands passed by outside. And about twenty minutes later, I felt a soft vibration in the front pocket of my skirt and reached inside.

Morning, Tifa, Jessie's message showed up on my phone as I pulled it out. Heading into the marshes today, right?

On our way. Won't get there 'till tonight, though.

She came back a moment later. Gotcha. Be careful in there.

I messaged her back. We will, Jessie. Thanks.

We'd talked a little over the phone when the others and I had been at the farm, and she'd loved the pictures I'd sent her of us sitting on our chocobos as Billy and Chole had taught us how to ride. Aerith had sent Jessie into a fit of hysterical laughter the other night with her chocogirl impression, and the guys and Lena had loved it, too. We'd gotten to talk with them on speaker for a little bit, all of us together. It had been good to hear from our friends again. I missed them and really enjoyed these rare moments where we could connect.

No problem! Jessie replied. Wish I was there with ya.

I smiled. Me too. Feeling better?

Her message came with a winking smiley face. Oh, I'm doing great! Been working out and training every day. Got some big things ahead. I'll tell ya all about it next time I see ya.

Can't wait! You're still in Wall Market, then?

For now, she said. But I'll be leaving Midgar soon to catch up to you guys. The plan's for us to get over to Fort Condor in time to help you and everyone else protect it from Shinra.

I messaged her back. We'll be happy to have you, Jessie. But how are you gonna get there before the battle starts?

We're still figuring that out. But I've got an idea.

Alright, I answered. See you there.

Jessie replied a moment later. Count on it. Anyway, gotta go. Almost time for another session with Madam M.

Okay. Take care, Jessie.

You too, Tifa, she said. Bye!

With that done, I put my phone back in my pocket. The rest of the drive passed uneventfully, and we made it to the edge of the marshes as the sun was starting to go down. Bill slowed and brought the truck to a halt near a construction barricade that looked to have been put up in a hurry quite some time ago, and we all got out a moment later, eager to stretch our legs and have a look around. When we saw what was ahead of us, though, we all stopped and stared.

The edge of the marshlands was less than a hundred yards away. It was a vast, dark place full of gnarled, twisted trees with long, drooping branches buried deep within the thick black mud that covered the soft, spongy ground. The air was dank, damp, and eerily still. The place was huge and endless, stretching on and on as far as we could see in almost every direction, all the way to the mountains. They were just a thin line on the horizon far to the west, south, and southwest.

"Damn, this place is ugly," Barret muttered.

"It's a swamp," Cloud reminded him.

Barret snorted. "Exactly."

"Best try to stay close to the road if ya can," Bill advised. "It's pretty easy to get lost in there, though your chocobos do have a good sense of direction. Oh, and don't travel after dark. That's when a lot of the more dangerous beasties in there come out to hunt."

"And the serpent?" Aerith asked.

Bill scratched his bushy gray beard. "It likes the nights, too. Usually sleeps durin' the day, far as I know. But it can still wake up if you're not careful. Nests underwater, and sometimes it'll wait in there for its prey to get close enough. Then it'll spring right out and take 'em by surprise, fast as lightnin'. So stay on your chocobos, folks."

I shivered. "We will."

Then, after we'd offloaded the chocobos and all our gear, he waved, got back into the truck, and left, probably to stay somewhere in one of the small towns we'd passed on the way here before heading back to the farm tomorrow. As for us, we made our camp in a small cluster of trees not far from the road and got what rest we could.

Dawn was still creeping slowly but steadily across the sky the next morning when we finally got ready to enter the marshlands. After we'd had a quiet breakfast, we got moving, packing our things away into the saddlebags on the chocobos and the new backpacks Barret, Aerith, and Tifa wore. We'd picked them up at the farm along with enough food to last us until we got through the mountains. There was a village outside the southwestern exit from the Mythril Mines where we could resupply before moving on to Fort Condor, but the one on this side was a ghost town now, abandoned thanks to the monsters.

I sat on my chocobo with Aerith behind me as Tifa guided her bird up to stand alongside us while Barret rode behind her. Red stood a few yards ahead of us as we all gazed uneasily at marshes. The sky was gray and overcast, and I smelled rain in the air. The place was ominous, and I didn't like it one bit. But we had to go through.

"How long do you think it'll take to get through?" Tifa asked.

I sighed. "At least a week. Maybe a little more. It won't be a straight shot, either. Not with the ground the way it is. Gonna have to pace the chocobos, so don't push 'em too much."

She nodded. "Right. A fast walk for now oughta do it."

"Yeah," I said. "We may need to run sooner or later, so let's try and keep the birds fresh and ready as much as we can."

Barret frowned. "An' if that big-ass snake shows up?"

"We run," I decided. "If Bill and his grandkids weren't exaggerating about it, that'll be the safest bet. There's no way we can fight something that big and fast, not without getting a hell of a lot stronger first. We've gotta make it to the mines. That's our priority."

Tifa glanced over at me from atop her chocobo, her eyes suddenly uneasy. "Do you think Sephiroth ran into it?"

"If he did, it's dead," I told her.

"Are you sure?" Aerith wondered. "It sounds powerful."

I didn't have any doubt. "Positive. Sephiroth wouldn't lose, not to a thing like that. I told you how strong he is."

"I know, it's just… hard to believe," she sighed.

I didn't blame her, though. Not really. "I know, Aerith. But it's true. I saw him kill that dragon in Nibelheim without even breaking a sweat. That snake wouldn't last ten seconds against him. He's more dangerous and deadly than you can possibly imagine."

"He is," Tifa added quietly, her eyes meeting mine. I knew she was thinking of Nibelheim, just as I was.

Aerith swallowed hard, adjusting her wrangler's hat with one hand and then the strap tied beneath her chin. "A-Alright. But you know, we should probably still be careful. Even if he killed it, there might still be others out there. It might not be alone."

"Right," I agreed. "We'll keep our eyes open."

"I've just got a bad feeling about this place," she murmured.

Barret checked his gun-arm. "Same here, girl."

I felt the same way as I eyed the swamp. "Yeah. Me too. We've gotta go in there, though. No other way."

"I know," Aerith sighed. She waited a moment before going on. "It's just that… the marshlands are a very wild place, Cloud. Full of life, but at the same time… dangerous and dark."

"You can feel that?" I blinked, glancing back at her.

She tightened her grip on my waist. "A little. It's a part of who I am, I think. The Cetra… they loved nature. They could feel the life around them and did what they could to nurture it. My real mother used to tell me about them sometimes, back in the church. But there's still so much I don't know, so many things for me to learn."

Tifa looked over at her. "Can you sense the serpent?"

"No," she shook her head. "It doesn't work like that, sorry. It's just a general feeling, really. Nothing specific."

"It's fine," I told her.

Red padded forward a few steps. "I went out early and checked the road. Beyond the barricade, it's in a state of extreme disrepair and gets worse further into the marshes. It doesn't appear to have been used for months. I think it must've once led all the way from here to the mines, but I doubt it still does so anymore."

I'd figured as much. "Alright, then. Let's get moving, everyone. Red, you go first. Scout out the land ahead of us and find us a way through. We'll be right behind you. And if you run into any trouble, hurry back to us, fast as you can. Aerith, Barret, you have the map and compass, so keep us going south and west as much as possible. We don't wanna get lost in there, especially after nightfall."

"I got the chills jus' thinkin' 'bout it," Barret shuddered.

"I know," I glanced at him. "Same here. So let's make sure it doesn't happen. I know you guys can do it."

Aerith's voice was calm and determined. "We will, Cloud. So don't you worry about us. We got this."

That was all I needed to know. I looked at everyone then, each one in turn, seeing the readiness and commitment in their eyes. We were a good team, and I knew we could make it across the treacherous swamp and into the mines. They knew it, too. Each of us had a job to do, and I hoped that by focusing on those tasks, it would help us keep our minds busy and prevent the anxiety we all felt from getting out of hand. It was gonna be a long and dangerous journey, our first real test since leaving Midgar. But it was one I knew we'd pass.

I lifted the reins, and we headed into the swamp.