The Materia Thief!
Jazz music.
Where have I heard it before?
Outside the gates of Sector 7 that night?
But I wasn't there with Cloud and Aerith in the middle of the night, as a soft saxophone continued to play a slow melody. Piano blended into the scene, and instead of being in that playground, sitting in between Aerith and Cloud, enjoying it together, I was warped somewhere else. One look at Cloud, and I was suddenly pulled into a dim lit restaurant, and found myself staring out the window instead of in his eyes. Rain spilled silently against the cool glass, an active city at night filled with so many lights, more than Midgar.
"Aqua?"
I turned to look across the table, seeing Isaac's brown eyes fall to me across candlelight. The flame flickered in his eyes, dark eyebrows up with worry.
"Are you all right? You've been quiet," he pressed.
I looked down to my pale hands, seeing my fingers intertwined, the engagement ring there, reminding me that I had obligations.
I flashed him a small smile across our tiny table, and shrugged under a black turtleneck dress that night.
"Nothing. I was just daydreaming," I forced, not really wanting to talk about it.
Issac swirled his wine glass between his fingers, and took a small sip. I hardly touched mine, not desiring Pinot Noir, or any wine for that matter.
"Daydreaming about what?" He asked. I looked to my full wine glass, and put its stem in my fingers, something for my hands to do. I then looked out across the restaurant, seeing all the other couples at their tables, the same white table cloth, the same candles, same glasses with something of alcohol. Something about it all, made me feel heavy, and I didn't know why.
I looked back to my ring, seeing its sparkle to wake me up from my wandering state.
I turned back to my glass, and looked at the dark red wine within.
"I was thinking…" I began, afraid to bring it up. I bit my lower lip, dressed in dark red lipstick just like the wine, and took a deep breath.
"I would like to do Doctors Without Borders," I whispered.
I became watchful of Isaac, and noticed his eyes glazed over me. He chuckled a little just before taking a genius sip, and then set his own glass down.
"That was sudden," he began, clearing this throat. "What brought this on? Is it the wedding?" He lifted his serious gaze at me, hundreds of problems already being solved in his mind, ready for me to throw anything at him. I looked to the window again, seeing Manhattan glisten like millions of yellow gems mixed with the glistering red and white traffic lights.
"No, of course not. It's just, if I don't do it soon, then I'm afraid I won't be able to do it at all, once we," I swallowed hard and finished, "have kids."
Isaac gave me a loopy smile, and drew his hand across the table, waiting for me to diligently take it. I did so, and waited for what he had to say.
"You mean after we marry, then you want to go away?" He asked. His fingers squeezed around mine tighter than I'd like. I shifted in my seat and sucked in an uneasy breath.
"Well, just for a year. I mean, if not after the wedding, then when? When is it a good time to go?" I argued quietly.
Issac's fingers loosened, and he drew his hand back as he let out a long sigh. He crossed his arms while dressed fine in his blazer and collar shirt.
"Well, you can't go tomorrow, of course. And the wedding is in two months, so it will have to be after. But it's just odd, isn't it? Shouldn't this have been something you were supposed to do after graduating?"
I narrowed my eyes at him before looking back to the window. I knew I wasn't going to go then. There was no winning it, not unless I called the whole engagement off. Would I do that simply just to help in Africa, or South America?
Then I said something that almost broke it all off then.
"You need two years of experience to join, so…" I sucked in a deep breath and exhaled slowly with, "I didn't plan for you to propose to me after one year."
Issac pulled back in his plush seat, ready to shut down like he always did.
"We're not doing this right now," he finished, and took another long swallow of his wine. I was denied. I wanted to flee the stupid, expensive restaurant in tears.
"Then you shouldn't have agreed to marry me," he was saying darkly.
"I didn't know that I wanted to go until recently," I whimpered, being honest.
"Well, I want to get into that Neuo Surg Fellowship next year! I won't be able to go anywhere. And you can't just go alone for a year," Issac scoffed.
Why not? Why couldn't I go alone?
I stared at him, not surprised, and decided to drop it from there.
Isaac continued with, "you are in a great program here, in one of the best learning hospitals in the country. Why do you want to go to Africa to give vaccines that are mixed in with can colas in a cooler?"
I sighed, lacing my fingers again, and watched the fat rain drops skitter across the window, meeting with other fat drops until they blobbed together too large, and fell away with great speed.
Then, I shifted my focus, and saw my reflection.
I didn't like what I saw, a polished woman, already thirty, and yet feeling so unfulfilled, staring right back at me. Under that lipstick and loose silver blond bun, my eyes showed someone who could've been fifty or sixty, like most of her life has already been spent, and she had nothing to show for it.
Why did I want to go, indeed?
I dropped my eyes from her, and muttered with shaky lips, "adventure."
Birds chirped.
I kept my eyes open for a while, just laying there as I thought of that painful memory. When I had enough, I sat up, my head hitting the top of my tent. My hand fell to my heart as I recalled that night, the time when I began to have doubts.
Adventure.
Funny how life works. I looked at the inside of my tent, reminding myself I was, indeed, in for what I've wished for. But unfortunately, and what I've quietly known all along, I couldn't have Isaac too. It was one of those deep feelings one gets, but you just kept wanting to wait it out because you had some hope that maybe you were wrong, but that only seemed to extend the brutal game at play. The outcome was the same, it just depended on how much time you wanted to use before you got there. Smarter folks would take it in leaps to get to the finish line. And, like others, I would've waited it out, extended the years of that gut feeling of wanting to be free and explore more of the world, but ignoring it from pressure, social norms, and maybe cowardliness. These thoughts put me in an awkward feeling as a chilly layer seemed to penetrate my blanket. I shivered under it, the birds' calls barely a distraction. I tightened my hold of its cheap cotton around my shoulders, teeth chattering, and rubbed my forehead against bent knees.
What would've happened if I hadn't stumbled into this world then?
I didn't feel the need to extend those thoughts any further. It was wasteful. I was already here. No need to think of the 'what if' and 'coulda, woulda, shoulda' thoughts.
My face felt stiffly dry, and teeth like paper with lack of proper hygiene to satisfy my old city girl needs. I moaned like a zombie, hearing my little tent crackle as I shifted around to open up its front flap.
There was a smell of mildew in the air, along with remnants of last night's fire. When I poked my head out, the sky carried a hint of light orange behind a heavy set of dark grey. I feared there was to be more rain.
I sighed, and tripped as I got out, covered bravely in my blanket around myself and underwear. I put in a mental reminder to buy a decent pair of pajamas once we reached Junon. Ends of the blanket dragged behind me as I wobbled tiredly pass the old fire, the logs black over a pile of ash.
I aimed towards the stream, begging to dip my face in it. My barefoot steps were quiet, hoping everyone was still asleep. No other tent was open. No other movement to indicate others were waking up. Red slept silently under the open sky, but I made no assumptions that he wasn't aware, not after our discussion. Butters kept her eyes closed, sleeping next to Red with her beak in tiny snoring quakes.
My eyes could barely open, sighing at how heavy my eyelids drooped as I almost tripped twice before I got to the stream. I knelt down, and with no one around, released my blanket. It fell just below my shoulders, a brief exposure of my breasts, but I risked it as I dunk my hands into fresh water, and splashed it onto my face. It felt so good to rinse my face, waking me up and tasting it. I slurped the water from my hands in between face splashing, happy to feel it touch my skin. Nothing about camping was less satisfying than not being able to wash your face properly. I did a little bird bath, wetting my arms and chest, only to quickly wipe the drops away with the blanket as a towel.
After another satisfying drink, I sighed happily and made my way back to my tent.
I stopped short.
Something or someone was shuffling around inside it.
I held my breath, watching from across the dead campfire, and saw a view of tiny pale legs with tall white socks, prowling inside my tent with hurried squirrel like movements.
Should I scream?
I glared at those legs, noting orange sneakers that reminded me of Converse, and shouted, "hey!"
The body of those legs gasped, and suddenly, someone or something under a cloak of white with ears, scurried away quickly. I rushed to my tent to watch the creature disappear into the trees with such a nervous chuckle, I thought it was a child.
I looked back into my tent and crouched low to see if anything was missing. I slept with my bracer on, so that was not an issue. My clothes were still there, my boots, and money pouch with probably not even enough Gil to bother stealing.
I lifted an eyebrow, skeptical.
What was that about? What was the point of searching my tent if nothing was taken?
"Aqua." It sounded like Cloud. I rose and turned away from my tent to see him quickly crawl out of his, shirtless and in his SOLDIER pants. He already had his sword ready in his hand when he gave me a worried look.
"What happened? What is it?"
I tried not to get too distracted at his lean muscular nature, skin so pale, his scar showed easily under the weak morning glow. My eyes darted away while I consciously tightened the blanket around myself.
"N-Nothing urgent. Something was in my tent when I left it open. But it's gone now," I struggled.
Cloud sighed, like he got up for nothing, and settled his sword down. He squatted in front of his tent and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
"Well then, maybe don't leave your tent open next time," he advised, clearly still tired. I wondered if he got any sleep at all.
"Right," I forced, obviously just trying to fill the quiet void between us. I kept stealing glances at Red, wondering if he was listening despite appearing asleep.
About ready to return to my tent for maybe another hour or more of sleep, I muttered, "I'm going back to sleep", and started to aim back for my tent.
"Aqua…" Cloud called out, and I stopped, barely breathing. I haven't seen him since spying on his conversation with Tifa. After my talk with Red last night, I returned to camp just to know Cloud had settled in his tent, distant and not to be disturbed, while Tifa sat quietly by the fire.
I remembered the look she gave me when she glanced across the flames of the campfire. She looked like she wanted to squish me into her fighting gloves. It was so uncomfortable for me, I snuck away in my tent.
Now, out in the early morning with Cloud shirtless, I was pretty certain this was even more uncomfortable. I tried my damn hardest not to get distracted at his chest. He seemed to have grown out some since the last I've analyzed his figure, which was that night outside Sector 7 gates. How scrawny he had been. Now he seemed to have more muscle to his arms, and he didn't seem as pale.
I had almost forgotten that he called me, and quickly trembled a, "yes?"
Cloud stood up slowly, and stretched his arms tight behind him, not noticing the effect it was having on me.
"Why don't you help me collect some firewood?"
I bit my lips together and breathed slowly through my nostrils.
"Sure…" I answered uneasily.
Five minutes later, and both of us fully clothed, Cloud and I trekked through the woods, collecting bits of twigs and fallen logs. In the beginning, we were quiet, just listening to more birds sing to each other over our heads while I started a small pile of fallen branches and twigs in my arms.
Cloud pulled out his sword, and sliced off a few hefty branches from young trees.
I remained nervous around him, still thinking about his argument with Tifa. I was still not sure if he knew I was there or not, and I wasn't planning to ask. So instead, I tried filling the silence with shallow chatter.
"So… You got any sleep last night?" I began, taking a thick branch into my wood collection. Cloud scoffed as he hurled three large pieces of cut branches into his arms.
"Not really," he grumbled. I felt the irritation in his voice and tightened my arms around my pile.
And then he actually turned the question around to me. "Did you?"
I nodded absently, and gazed into my sticks and branches.
"Probably better than you. Though, I did wake up with a flashback, from home."
Cloud continued to hack, and another heavy branch fell. I picked it up and added it to my arms.
"A flashback about your world? What was it?" He asked, shifting this gaze between me and the trees to spot more good branches. It was odd to see him using his Buster sword cut at something that didn't have blood, though I still flinched a little each time he cut away a tree's limb.
"It was nothing special," and I suddenly didn't want to give too much detail.
"It's just funny how life works every so often. Even though I was engaged, in the middle of all that, I wanted adventure, and well, here I am, doing it!"
Cloud quietly cut another piece, and I picked it up. My wood pile was starting to feel heavier because each time I squatted to pick up another piece, it was getting more difficult to straighten my legs.
"It sounds like you didn't want to get married," Cloud muttered, his eyes on me again, intrigued, judging by his lifted brow. I swallowed after meeting his gaze.
"No, that wasn't it. I mean, I did, but I wanted to do other things before that. Isaac was one of my only friends, and having to propose, how could I say 'no'? I was afraid to lose him. People don't stay friends with you when you turn down their proposal," I explained.
Cloud picked up a log he chopped up, and exhaled.
"Good to know," he mumbled. "I guess I won't be proposing now."
I fumed, detecting his sarcasm. With pursed lips, I glared at him lightly and grumbled, "who would say 'yes' to you?"
Cloud hacked his sword across a branch with an exhalation, cutting it in half, and looked up at me, eyes large.
"Plenty!" He said a little too loudly. "All that attention I get from carrying around a sword, remember?" I didn't know what was funnier, hearing Cloud say all that in his monotone voice, or being slightly offended after my question.
I cracked a smile as I watched him with a reasonable pile of wood in his arms.
"Cloud, is there anything you want to talk about? I mean, do we really need all this wood?" I asked.
Cloud began to progress back to camp, but he did so walking slower, and I matched his pace as I stayed next to him, and waited.
"Like what?" His eyes darted to their corners to give me a bit of a coy look.
I bit my lower lip and avoided such a gaze.
"Well… Coming from you? Anything," I encouraged.
I could've sworn a small smile crept up Cloud's face when he said, "just more arguing with Tifa. Nothing new."
I lowered my eyes to my wood pile.
"Yeah…" I muttered, like I wasn't at all surprised. But then I gasped and suddenly corrected with, "I mean, ah, that's too bad! When did you guys argue?"
Suddenly, Cloud scoffed as he dropped his pile of wood near his feet with a loud rattle.
"Just stop, Aqua. I know you were there," he started, and he twirled to stare at me, his expression a hard blank.
Should I drop my wood pile now? I held on to it even tighter when my footsteps stopped, meeting Cloud's gaze. I cleared my throat as I tried to come up with a reasonable excuse.
"It was Aerith's idea," I put it bluntly. I thought I sounded like a child.
When Cloud crossed his arms, still staring, I lowered my eyes with guilt.
"I'm sorry," I immediately said. "I shouldn't have done that."
He let out a long sigh, like he didn't really know what to do with me, and then he replied, "No, I'm sorry… That wasn't something you had to hear, and yet…" he stared up at the trees, words faded into thoughts.
I walked closer to him and settled my pile next to his carefully.
"Are you glad I did listen?" I hinted, rubbing the bits of wood off my palms across my skirt.
Cloud's shoulders shook like he made a snort or a laugh.
"No! Some of that was pretty private," he replied, but he still smirked, and looked at me again. I smiled back.
"So, you think I'm your best friend, huh?" I teased.
Cloud's cheeks turned pink as he pulled his face back, about ready to run.
"Maybe I should be upset at you for spying," he grumbled.
I put my hands on my hips, still grinning. "But then you may not be talking to me about it," I played.
Cloud groaned as he whirled around and picked up his wood pile.
"Come on, let's head back," he grumbled, suddenly not in the mood to talk anymore, apparently.
I collected my pieces and followed behind him, grinning.
"So, have you two made up, then?" I asked.
Cloud didn't say anything. Was he ignoring me?
"It sure sounded like a fight," I said, planing to talk all the way up to camp, even if it annoyed him.
"So, what did you tell Tifa?"
I'm still being ignored. The climb was wearing down my legs, and my wood pile was feeling heavier till my arms wanted to give out. I stopped to take a breather, my arms aching. Cloud continued to march upwards, leaving me behind. I narrowed my eyes to his back, his sword, such a behemoth weapon, stared at me with its wide metal blade reflecting the trees.
"What was your promise to her?" I asked after taking a breath.
Cloud stopped, and I could hear him exhale loudly up to the grey sky, like he was asking the Gods to shut me up. He then turned around, and began to walk back towards me. Was he ready to have a conversation now? I tried reading his expression, but it was still blank, a typical military face.
He stopped in front of me, eyes soft but voice dull when he asked, "give me."
I didn't follow at first.
"What?"
Cloud heaved a sigh through his nose, and then reached for my wood pile.
I glowed with, "oh!" And finally understood as my arms opened for him to take it all. He rolled his eyes, piling my load into his arms, which didn't seem to bother him in the slightest.
"T-Thank you," I stuttered.
"Yep," Cloud muttered, ready to turn around.
"Are you just going to keep ignoring my questions?" I challenged him.
Cloud froze, eying me like I just asked for him to give me all of his Gil.
"That's really none of your business," he warned. I gawked, suddenly so furious, I wanted to shove him so hard until he fell with the wood on top of him. I balled my hands into fists in the air and glowered up at him.
"Why are you being so unreasonable?" I growled.
Now it was Cloud's turn to gawk at me.
"I'm being unreasonable?!"
I shouted, "I bet you're still pissed off from that argument, and now you're putting it all on me because I'm the only one foolish enough to talk to you afterward. We usually talk about Tifa, but now you've changed your mind and get upset? Well, grow up!"
"No!" He threw down the pile, and it clanked loudly at his feet, fed up.
"You grow up!" He pointed a gloved finger at me so forcefully, I flinched back as though it was a physical hit. "You need to learn to mind your own damn business. You say you're older than me, well, then you need to start acting like it!"
I began to boil. Was this the same Cloud that held me just the other day? The one who told me it was okay to cry on him? What happened?
My voice dropped when I asked seriously, "Cloud, what did she say to you? This isn't like you. I thought I was your best friend."
Cloud averted his eyes, guilt in them, and grabbed some wood, purposely leaving the rest behind as though the few more seconds it keeps him near me was too much to deal with.
"Well, you aren't, okay?! I just blurted nonsense!" And just like that, he turned around, and began to walk away again. Those words put hot tears down my cheeks. I clenched my teeth so hard while I wished he would trip and fall on his face.
Was he really doing this? Was this necessary?
Small sticks began to hit his sword, another poked on his shoulder before it landed with a crack.
"Wha-!" Cloud gasped when he turned around, and his eyes grew just before he dodged a decent size log I aimed for his head.
I crouched in the dirt and hurled small logs at him as I shouted, "you want me to grow up?! I'll show you, growing up! You stupid two-faced jerk!" I threw another small log, and Cloud easily cocked his head to the side to avoid impact, shocked at my behavior.
"Aqua-!" he gasped again as he dodged another decent sized branch. I was almost left with nothing but fat sticks, and I began to fling those at him too. It was pointless, but throwing things helped me feel better.
"You think acting like a jerk to me is going to give you Tifa points, then fine! Play that stupid game! I've been there, hell, I've started that game too! And you know what?! It never goes the way you want it! I thought you were better than that, you stupid jerk!" I gave all the strength I had in my right arm, and threw another fat stick right for his head.
My face felt hot and red, but each little burst of anger had been thrown away with each toss, dismissing it slowly. I was beginning to feel better, though left a little breathless.
Cloud used his logs to block the last hefty branch as he struggled to talk over me.
"Aqua, stop throwing things! Okay! Okay!"
I froze as I was about to toss another, eying him hard as I watched him drop his collection, and then he held his hands up in the air, wide eyes on me.
"Okay, stop," he said, calmer. I did, but still kept my thick branch in the air, ready to fire if I had to.
"Look, I understand why you're upset," Cloud began, walking closer with his hands still up. His eyes flashed to pain for a moment before switching to disappointment, and then he sucked in a deep breath.
"But from here on out, let Tifa be my business. I don't…" he dropped his hands just to cross his arms, and looked at the pathetic pile of sticks I had left.
"I don't want to us to talk about her anymore, please?"
I detected a sad truth in his voice as I looked at him. I began to soften, and lowered my branch while taking a deep breath through my nose.
"Okay," I whispered, though still feeling flustered.
Cloud slowly came for the thick branch from my hand, but then his fingers stayed there, swallowing mine up. His eyes softened as he said, "and you're right. You may be the one throwing the sticks, but I think I was the bigger immature one this time. I was taking it out on you. Since that argument with Tifa, I haven't talked to anyone. I thought collecting wood together would be a good excuse to catch up, but I blew it. I'm sorry."
We gazed into each other's eyes, trying to read one another. Cloud's were gentle, and he still kept his fingers around mine, comfortable with the touch. Unexpectedly, I was caught off guard, anticipating our argument would linger too far, but he gladly surrendered. My anger faded away as I savored his rare touch, and whispered lamely, "that's okay." I pulled my gaze away, face growing hot.
"I'm sorry I threw sticks at you," I half chuckled.
Cloud smirked, and his hand squeezed mine a little tighter. A part of me suddenly wanted to Search him, but I was afraid of what I would find. Was this a perfect time? I held his gaze again, intentionally waiting for the right moment to dive in. Cloud's gaze appeared inviting, soft, and strangely frozen, and we were suddenly stuck like that. Usually, one of us would awkwardly turn away, or find some kind of excuse to break eye contact, like a reflex. But I felt stuck, unable to look away as a strong wave of tingles washed up my neck and onto my cheeks. I've lost track of the surrounding forest, not even blinking to the gentle morning breeze that tossed some of my hair across my face. Loose strands of hair only heightened the tingling sensation along my cheeks, touching my skin so carefully.
I've then forgotten to Search Cloud, too distracted by his actually eyes. The Mako in them simmered quietly, the fighter in him asleep, so they appeared more cornflower blue. I was left with thoughts of what he was possibly thinking, and I wanted to ask, but too afraid any word would shatter such an occasion. This moment felt fragile, a time that may not come again for a while, so I held on to it.
But then, I noticed his eyes shifted, watching them fall right behind me, and I knew our time was up. Slowly, Cloud's eyes widened, and then he panicked.
His speed flashed in front of me, his hand with mine and pulled me down as he shouted, "look out!"
Something whizzed over my head sharply as I tumbled into the dirt with him, his body pressed over my back.
I shot my face off the ground. "What was that?" I yelped, spitting back pine needles. Cloud stayed focused, his eyes searching like mad up at the trees.
"I don't know."
I was ready to get up, but his hands pressed me to the ground again right before he drew his sword out. Something sharp slammed into the blade with a loud kink, and then it clanked on the ground by my shoulder. I glanced down at whatever thing Cloud blocked, and grew puzzled.
It looked like a four pointed weapon, one that spun in the air.
"What is that thing?" I asked.
Cloud got to his knees and picked up the weapon, eying it hard. It was the size of a dinner plate in his hand.
"Looks like a shuriken," he muttered.
Suddenly, something snapped, and thick white smoke engulfed us. It was not only tickling for my throat, but it also burned my eyes. I slammed my eyelids shut to avoid them stinging anymore and hacked, Cloud doing the same next to me.
"What in…(cough) the world?" I struggled, and coughed uncontrollably. I tried to see, but couldn't. Cloud's hand grabbed for my wrist, or at least I thought it was him, but his hand disappeared.
"Aqua, (coughs) are you all right?" I felt his hand again, and held on to it, almost wobbling. The white smoke began to clear, and I used my free hand to rub the burn out of my eyes.
"Yes, (cough) I think," I squeaked.
The white smoke began to clean, and I could finally see Cloud again, his eyes tearing a bit as he pulled me up. My ears picked up quickening footsteps, and I focused on it, seeing that same white creature skittering away into the shadows.
"Hey! It's that thing again, the one in my tent earlier!" I cried, pointing to it for Cloud. His eyes followed my finger and barely got a glimpse of the creature disappearing, too far to consider chasing it now.
We unlocked hands and stared quizzically to the direction where the creature disappeared to.
"What was that all about?" I asked.
Cloud scanned the ground.
"Whatever it was, it picked up its weapon. Maybe it didn't want us to see it," he guessed. I rubbed my fingers through my hair to get loose silver strands out of my face, and that's when I noticed my arm.
I gasped so loud, Cloud became alarm again. "What?"
My lower lips dropped and trembled as I gawked at my bare forearm.
The bracer's gone.
"It-It's g-gone!" I cried.
Cloud looked at both my arms, and then he glanced down at his, only to blink a few times, followed by a grunt.
"Mine's disappeared too, along with my Materia in it," he hissed. We checked our pockets. Cloud then looked to his sword and groaned.
"Shit. My other Materia isn't here either," he snapped. He swung his sword back in its place with a long, irritable sigh, and crossed his arms.
I huffed with irritation, tossing glances into the direction where the creature went.
"We have to go after it!" I demanded, and began to run, but Cloud grabbed my hand to stop me.
"Wait!"
I fumed silently as I waited, still anticipating of running as soon as he lets go.
"We don't even know what it is!" he said. "Besides, we need to wake the others and make sure nothing else was stolen. Forget the wood and let's just go in that direction together. Junon is that way."
Cautiously, Cloud let go of me, and he waited to see what I would do. My cheeks puffed with air, making fists as I thought of how badly I wanted to go now.
I blew out the hot air until my cheeks emptied, calming some.
"Okay," I growled.
We hurried back to camp, only to discover there was already a bit of chaos. Barret was rummaging through all the bags, while Tifa had her hands on her hips, fuming silently. Aerith sat on her usual log, head slumped like she was upset. Even Red was sniffing around the rocks and trees, his tail flicking wildly with annoyance.
"What happened?" Cloud asked, walking up to the group. Tifa turned to notice us and didn't question why we were off together somewhere, but she flashed it in her eyes, and then looked away.
"Our Materia is gone," she muttered.
"What?!" I gasped, and turned to Barret spreading the contents of his large bag out on the dirt to get a good visual of what was inside.
"Yeah. We woke up, wondering where you two went, and then suddenly, noticed our Materia was missing when we were adjusting our equipment," Barret yelled.
Something tugged on my long braid, but I already knew it was Butters, and turned to see the Chocobo enjoying my hair for breakfast.
"It was that white creature that must've done it!" Cloud announced, annoyed.
Everyone lifted their eyes to him, shocked.
"What creature?" Barret asked.
Cloud quickly folded his blanket and tent. "Aqua and I had been robbed as well, by an odd creature in the woods. It headed West. If we hurry, we still may be able to catch it!"
Red jumped in, his nose pointing to the grey sky.
"I may be able to help. I've picked up quite a funky scent," he announced.
After breaking down camp, we all followed Red single file through the same woods where Cloud and I lost our gear. I even spotted the scattered small logs and Cloud's pile as we passed it. Not even Cloud mentioned it as he followed closely behind an active sniffing Red, the rest of us following along through the mostly thin trail. We were trekking down the mountain, sometimes falling into zigzag patterns.
Butters, as it turns out, didn't seem to mind acting as our mule, easily carrying some of our bags on her back when strapped in place. Barret seemed pleased not having to carry it.
Red occasionally paused to take a whiff of a tree or somewhere in the dirt, and then continued onward.
"She seems to be all over the place. Such an energetic child," he mumbled, annoyed.
I think the whole group shrieked at once, "she?!"
It was a girl we were after?
Red stopped and looked over his shoulder at the rest of us, quiet for a moment, as though surprised at our poor human senses. He then proceeded downward, the greenery increased to tall grass. Pine trees faded, replaced with apple and oak ones.
"Yes. The creature, you speak of, is just a girl. A smelly one at that," Red confirmed.
We were speechless.
A couple of hours passed, and with no luck finding the Materia Thief. A sprinkle came down on us, tapping the leaves of the forest overhead. Tiny pools collected on each leaf, until the weight was too much, and leaves bowed, tipping rain water like fat drops. I put up my hood after a giant drop splashed across my forehead, startling me. I then sighed as I looked down at my two hands, becoming wet, and watched them glow intently with green light.
"Aerith," I began, and she perked up, walking close by.
"I want to finally learn how to use magic," I demanded quietly, no room for jokes.
I'd expected her to smile, but instead, she gave off nervous energy, her hand to her heart like it was pounding. Was she afraid of me?
We all walked quietly, but it seemed everyone listened in as Aerith walked next to me and said quietly, "you don't like watching us fight anymore, huh?"
I shook my head with an obvious "no."
"I'm tired of doing nothing," I muttered, a bit furious. "I don't need Materia to fight. Like you, I can do magic. I'm ready."
Aerith looked to the moist and dark grass.
"Okay, Aqua," she confirmed solemnly, and then her light eyebrows scrunched a bit, choosing her next set of words carefully.
"You can already see it in your hands, the Planet's energy, right?" she quizzed.
I looked down again, just to be certain, and still saw a faint green glow to them, like it was always there.
"You've already started," Aerith began. "The problem is, you need to channel it. I use my hands for curing spells when it's direct, and offensive white magic with my staff. But for you, I'm not sure what will happen. What kind of magic will you bring to us, Aqua?" That last bit was like she was asking this directly to herself, her words clearly delicate, eyes distracted at the thick branches we pushed away during our walk.
Aerith continued, "ask the planet to give you more energy, and feel it swell up inside you. And then unleash it with your-"
She stopped short, forgotten that I no longer had my bracer. I bit my lower lip and looked at my bare forearm, strangely feeling too light.
"It's okay. I want to try without it," I suggested.
Aerith pressed her lips together.
"I don't know it that's a good idea," she gently protested.
But I didn't wait.
"I'm going to try," I muttered, impatient. I stopped, and already began to close my eyes while hands clasped in prayer. There was the gentle sound of the rain tapping leaves, a surrounding symphony of nature as birds chirped, innocent creatures jumping from branch to branch with curiosity.
Footsteps stopped, suggesting the rest of the party paused to watch. Tension grew through the trees, like a fog beginning to slither off everyone, but not a word to be said.
The smell of fresh rain mixed with that moist wood smell quietly filled my lungs through my nose, and I breathed out warm air, relaxed.
In my thoughts, I prayed for the Planet to give me its powers. I thought I was supposed to imagine it but already, I could feel it, a tickling heat, crawl its way up my legs from the earth. Whispers drowned out the rest of the forest, even Aerith's nervous voice when I vaguely heard her, "Aqua, we don't know what will happen."
But she was gone, over run by the whispers that flew in through my ears, carried by the green energy that swirled up my body like little green ghosts.
Wind picked up, tossing my hair back and forth with disorienting gusts.
All the birds suddenly flew away, possibly to escape what was to come. It was a warning, and I should've stopped.
The whispers intensified until it was overwhelming, and I thought I was stuck in the middle of a crowd all talking at once.
Heat grew inside me, from my toes, all the way up to my fingertips. I opened my eyes as I held my hands up in the gentle rain, watching drops land into my palms as they dribbled down across my fingers. Green energy emitted off my hands. When I moved my fingers, it was like dragging a green fog with them, watching the hazy after layer follow. Soon, my hands were burning to the point of discomfort. My breathing grew, slightly unsure what was happening. More heat followed, growing inside my chest, till it burned.
I began to panic, breathing quickly as I snapped my eyes up to Aerith, her form barely seen through the cocoon of green energy around me.
"Aerith, what do I do next?" I gasped. Soon, it was too hot to breathe effectively, and I began to make small gasps, my heart burning inside my chest.
How did I make it stop? More of the energy was squeezing its way between every cell, almost suffocating. The voices grew louder. I thought I was being plunged into an ocean of green, unable to breathe, with its water too hot to even try to swim, and the voices still crystal clear. Through the green ocean, I watched Aerith's eyes grow wide as the wind picked up her hair. She opened her mouth, but unable to speak, scared stiff.
"Aerith!" Cloud's voice blurred with the voices.
"What does she do now?" He threw at Aerith quickly, and that seemed to snap her out of her panic state because she fluttered her eyes awake, and dropped her face to her feet.
"I-I don't know! I use my staff!" she gasped. Her eyes lifted to mine, unsure.
I shouldn't have started, but now I was harnessing all this energy, with no way to release it, and it was building more and more until it was too hot. My heart rate jumped. When I turned to my arms, I was shocked to find them enveloped by out stretched green flames. I panicked and raised my hands up over my head, thinking I could just release it all that way. I squinted my eyes shut and muttered, "release!"
But nothing happened.
The ground trembled slightly, and everyone gasped. Butters panicked with her high-pitched cries, flapping her wings wildly as she ran around in circles. Her loose feathers blew up into the sky.
Now I was too terrified to release what I've built up. What if I hurt someone?
"Aqua!" It was Red, watching me calmly as he patted his way through the group, the strong winds tossing aside his feather earring and tribal beads. I eyed him, the world around me in a green haze while I was breathing too fast. If I didn't do something, would I just explode? Would I die?
"Relax," he barked, sensing where my thoughts were going.
The quake only increased. Trees trembled violently, tossing leaves, loose branches and grass up into the sky by strong winds.
I snapped my eyes shut and clasped my fingers together again in prayer so that I could beg the Planet to stop. Please! No more!
Its offerings finally faded, but I was left with so much of it in me, waiting to burst, my body could scarcely handle such a suffocating experience.
"I can't!" I shouted to Red. Bits of energy flurried off my shoulders, released as a powerful gust that almost knocked everyone back.
Tifa crouched a little, trying not to lose her balance, and shouted, "we need to go somewhere safe!"
"We can't leave Aqua like this!" Aerith screeched.
"You want to turn into burnt toast?!" snapped Barret, his gun arm in the air.
"Aerith, give her your staff!" Cloud shouted, and grabbed at Aerith's rod without waiting for her to reply. It was suddenly thrown into my face, and I caught it with both hands, holding it vertically.
Without another thought, I slammed my eyes shut and just pointed the staff up to the sky, waiting to see what would happen.
Instantly, my hair and clothes lifted, as though all that energy was spiraling upward through my body and into the rod. Heat escaped, my hands scorched as tears floated out of my eyes. I could only think about lightning, and felt the energetic heat of it as it cracked across the sky in multiple branches of white light. Its energy cackled loudly overhead, and it echoed across the forest and out over the plains.
Aerith's rod trembled heavily in my hands, spreading in through my arms and into my whole body, till I could only imagine it was similar to a seizure.
My teeth chattered so hard, I clamped them down, pulling my face away from the lightning before becoming blinded by its white hot power.
It traveled into the clouds, shoving them away, and disappeared into space.
And then, everything became still.
My breathing didn't slow, but the heat finally vanished. I opened my eyes, and the first thing I saw, was the perfect blue circle inside a sky of grey, its radius for a couple of miles. Sunlight poured down, its heat welcoming like a gigantic column. I dropped my gaze, and found everything covered in its light of gold, and noticed the forest, all the grass, the trees, everything, averted away from where I stood.
Everyone groaned, slowly getting up, only to stop just to stare at me.
I looked at all my friends, observing them to be frozen and afraid. Aerith had cowered behind Cloud, her hand to her heart while her eyes were on me carefully, afraid, like I was going to attack. Tifa hid behind Barret's large form, one of her eyes poking over his arm to give me a glare. Even Red, with his jaw fallen, looked up at me with a whole new way, surprised.
I didn't want to, afraid to, but I looked at Cloud, expecting to find him uneasy.
But when I did, I found him only to be giving that same look, the one I've seen in Don's Mansion when I was boiling with power. I didn't understand it then, and still couldn't point out what it was he was thinking when he looked at me.
And just like it before, I wondered if he saw me as a dangerous creature, incapable of properly using magic.
I quickly looked away, and dropped Aerith's rod into view, only to watch my hands tremble around it. The rod suddenly felt brittle…And then…SNAP!
I gasped, holding the rod as two pieces in my hands. I flipped them over, seeing bright red skin, raw and painful.
"Aerith," I whispered, eyes moist. "I'm so sorry."
She ran up to take her broken rod in her hands, and squeaked, dropping both pieces in the grass.
"It's hot!" she gasped, blowing into her hands.
I looked back into mine, and cringed at the horrible blistering site, the nerve-endings probably shot.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know," I said, suddenly feeling exhausted.
"Man!" Barret snapped, his one hand on his hip while he looked up into the sky.
"That was something! Maybe go a smudge smaller next time?" he advised, and I was glad for his light humor into this because I was upset.
"Next time?" Tifa choked. She walked up to me, to peer down at my hands, and bit her lower lip when she saw the state that they were in.
"Wow. Magic burn or what?" She asked, curious.
I curled my fingers in, unable to feel them, and suddenly, I fell against her.
Tifa gasped, barely able to catch me. Cloud stepped in, and arm under my belly to stop me from falling face down into the grass.
I was so weak.
"Aqua!" Cloud panicked. Maybe he thought I was going to fall into another two day coma again. I was gently being hoisted, groaning while his hair smudged against my face.
"I feel weak," I whispered, ready to shut my eyes.
"Aerith, can you do something?" Cloud asked quickly. He laid me down gently, my face up to the sun.
"We can try an Ether," Aerith mumbled, her voice in pain, probably upset over her rod.
"Here," Tifa was calm as she took over, and I felt her soft fingers on my forehead and a bottle to my lips. I rocked my head up enough to swallow down the bitter contents, its red juice glowing ruby red as it disappeared from the bottle into my body.
I sighed after the last swallow, and relaxed in the wet grass.
"I'd say, that was too much," Tifa's grave voice warned.
"Yeah, that shit was scary," Barret chimed.
"Probably best not to do that again, at least without something to channel it,"
Aerith said. She then added,"I wish I knew how to help. I know nothing of destructive magic."
And then, Red's calm voice overlapped everyone. "I know who may be able to help her."
All was quiet. I squinted up, and found Red's eyes fall upon me, his face upside down. After the Ether, my energy was slowly coming back, but my stomach fell into knots of hunger. Slowly, I sat up, moaning, and Red nudged his forehead against my back to help me sit up straighter.
"Thanks, Red," I whispered, grateful for his help. My head was in shooting pain along the frontal lobe.
"Red," Aerith grew serious, "who do you think can help?"
Red circled and sat up next to me to smile punctually at everyone.
"My grandpa."
Barret suddenly sprayed with laughter. No one else laughed. I didn't find what was so funny.
Red shot arrows at Barret with his stare, and grumbled, "what's so funny?!"
Barret tried to relax, but then he would break into more bursts again when we thought he was done. He wiped a tear from his eye as his laughter died down some.
"Nothing!" Barret cracked, and then he cackled, "grandpa! Ha!" He started laughing again. Maybe he was picturing an older looking Red, with a beard and cane, and found the image hilarious. I thought Red was going to argue, but the creature decided to shift his attention away from a laughing Barret and told the rest of us, "In Cosmo Canyon, my home, is where Grandpa is. He is an Elder, which means he may know more about the Ancients."
I lifted an eyebrow. "What's an Elder?" I asked through the background of Barret's laughing.
"It means he's our tribal leader, and he studies the Planet," Red replied.
Aerith came forth, and despite her broken rod in one hand, she extended her other hand out to me. I hesitated, still cloaked in guilt, and couldn't meet her eyes.
"It's okay," she whispered, waiting. "You didn't mean to break it."
I lifted my eyes back up to find Aerith's hand patiently waiting for me, and then, finally, I took it. Her fingers curled strongly around mine, and she helped pull me up. I wobbled, almost falling into her, and she gripped my shoulders, Cloud close by with his hands ready to help. I took a hold of Aerith's arm, and leaned my head over her shoulder.
"I didn't know it would leave me so tired," I muttered. All eyes turned to Butters. The Chocobo had been quiet for once, her eyes fluttering at us with a slight cock of her head. Barret finally stopped laughing, just so he could grumble, "guess I'm back to carrying the god-damn bags."
Using a blanket as a thin saddle, I sat comfortably on Butter's back, leaning my head just behind hers. Her feathers were so soft, I may have fallen asleep while I rode along behind the rest of the group. We were close to the edge of the forest, all the trees bent away from my recent event. I closed my eyes to it all, wanting to forget all about it, and rubbed feathers into my face just to inhale the smell of hay and rain. I looked down at my hands, seeing the redness slowly fade away. The sensation of my fingers across my palms returned, though the sight was still cringe worthy.
I let out a sigh, and wrapped my arms wrapped around Butters's neck gently, more for my comfort than just to hang on.
"Aerith, what will you do now that you don't have a weapon?" Cloud asked her later on, among other conversations I heard through the group.
"I guess just do white magic. Who knows, maybe we will find something in Junon," she replied, her attitude still perky despite her situation. I was amazed at her resilience.
"I really want my Materia," Tifa was grumbling. "Red, have we gotten close?"
Red ducked his head, sniffing the grass.
"Well, unfortunately, I've lost the scent after Aqua's outburst. For all I know, the child could be long gone," he admitted.
There were a couple of sighs from the group as I groaned into Butter's feathers. The guilt only grew heavier until I feared her tall legs would buckle underneath me. Aerith held on to the Chocobo's rein, gently pulling her along more as a guide, and the forest began to thin out.
"We may just have to go on without our Materia," she said, something that no one was ready to admit to yet.
All of a sudden, out of nowhere, my ears picked up a familiar snap sound, like a firecracker. White fog made its way around the whole group, clouding everything in front of my eyes. I couldn't see a thing. Butters didn't react well to the fog and began to squawk angrily. She flapped her feathers and shook her head, irritated by the smoke that burned our eyes and throats. I shut my eyes, unable to see as I hacked, and then suddenly felt hands all over me.
Butters instantly dash away at the speed of light, ramming her head straight through branches and shrubbery to get out of the white haze. I held on to her neck tightly, coughing while something or someone was holding on to me! Hands gipped at my hips while a girlish voice wailed, "slow down!"
Butters rushed away from the smoke, and brought us out into the clearing, nothing but blue sky and green grass, but she didn't slow down.
I looked over my shoulder, and gaped at a white tooth smile of a teenage girl right behind me. Her white hood flew behind her, revealing short black tomboyish hair with a band around her forehead. Her dark brown eyes flashed uneasiness while she gripped tight to my waist, my braid flapping into her pale face.
"Hi!" The girl grinned, eyes shut, and her closed lip smile stretched further into a nervous look. I was so dumbstruck by her appearance, I had no words as she fumbled her hands around my body, grumbling, "I must've missed one!"
Her hands searched under my shirt, and even to my breasts, when I howled, "hey! What the hell are you doing?!"
Sea salt air hit our faces, and soon I could feel a gentle mist touch my red cheeks.
The girl stopped her hands, smacked on my thighs to rest.
"I'm looking for your Materia! You just did some incredible magic, and with that Materia, I can use that same magic to destory Shinra! Now, where is it?!" Her hands began to fill me up again, and I lifted my red face up to the sky and screamed, "stop! I don't have Materia!"
The girl's hands froze at my breasts, staying there more from falling off Butter's back than it was to search me.
She was confused. "Huh?"
Butters cried, freaking out as both the girl and I looked ahead to see a sudden drop off into the ocean. We were heading straight for a cliff. The girl screamed into my ear, her grip pressing down right on my breasts, but I was too afraid to care, and screamed along with her until Butters made for a hasty stop.
I flew forward, flying over Butter's head, and rolled across the grass with my left shoulder first to roughly land. I knew that was going to be a hefty bruise as the momentum flipped my whole body over until I ended up rolling.
Grass and blue sky came into a swirl of vision, dizzying, until I finally stopped with just a leg dangled over the edge.
I stayed still to catch my breath, my hands gripping the grass tight till I ripped a couple of the tiny blades out of the wet soil. My face rested there, nose tickled by the grass along with my cheek smudged into it. A gentle coastal breeze blew my braid away from the sea. I could hear waves crashing wildly below till remnants of mist sprayed up and tickled my face.
It took me a minute to catch my bearings as I wobbled my way up to my feet, my left shoulder in a sharp pain. Butters chirped and took a big bite out of my cloak, only to help me up with her incredible neck strength. I almost crashed into her feathers, a hand to her back to keep me steady.
"What in the world," I grumbled, my head still unsettled. It felt like being on a boat, moving along with the waves.
What had just happen?
I looked out behind Butters, seeing the edge of a forest beyond a stretch of green. Cloud and the others were on their way, running across the field as little dots.
But where did that odd girl go?
"Heeeelllp!"
I turned around, and fell on my knees before hitting the cliff edge. Grass turned into dirt, and then rock before a steep fall into rough waters below.
"Heeeellllloo!" Her voice screamed, shadowed by the waves. I gripped along the edge and inched my head forward to look down.
There, just about four feet below, the girl had her hands grip an extension of a root along a rocky wall. She hung on for dear life. Her legs dangled over a far drop to a potential cemetery of rock and ocean to turn her into seafood.
She noticed me and gasped, her white bear cloak ruffled around her from the ocean spray to reveal long pale legs and beige shorts.
"Hey! Help me!" She shouted.
I sucked in a breath and noticed my bracer circled her right arm securely. Despite how much it's been through, the bracer was still unblemished, and it glimmered under the late glaring sun.
Wind threw my hair back as I inched my head close above hers and shouted, "I'll help you, but only if you promise to give me back my bracer and everyone's Materia!"
The girl gawked, "are you flippin kidding me?! I'm going to die, lady!"
"I could always get it later, in the rocks after you fall," I put it lightly. It was a lie because who knows how in the world I would get down there myself, but I risked the wording and hoped the young thief will give in. I began to get ready to turn around.
"Okay, okay! Wait!" She shrieked. I stopped, smiling to myself and twirled around, my head over the ledge once more to give her a grin.
"You promise to give us our stuff back?" I yelled.
The root began to loosen itself from the dirt wall, which seemed to inch the girl lower. Anxiety began to actually rattle my chest when I feared I may not be able to reach her even if I tried. Bits of dirt and rock crumbled pass her and down below into white water.
"Okay! Okay! I promise, I will give you your stuff back. Just please help me up!" The girl screamed, tears in her eyes.
I made myself stick out of the ledge, my torso, and legs keeping me ahold while I extended my hand out to her.
I was too short.
If only I could reach two more feet. There was no way I could extend much further without falling myself. My arm stranded to reach, each of its muscles stretched as far as their muscle fibers would let me. The girl tried to reach up, but with each attempt she made, it only seemed to pull on her root, which lengthened it until she dropped another couple of feet with a gasp.
She held on with one hand tight and spun around while kicking and screaming, "help!"
Quickly, I slipped off my cloak. That should be enough length. I unraveled it and held on to one end, my hand in its waterproof hood, and threw it down like a rope, the end of the cape towards her till it hit her face.
"Grab on!" I cried.
The girl gripped the end of my cloak with one hand while the other was still clinging to the root, like she was afraid to trust me. She looked up at me, her black bangs flaring out of her face from ocean spray just to reveal fear in her large eyes.
"I'm going to let go-!" She was interrupted, the root falling away from the cliff wall. A second later, she took hold of my cloak with both hands. She was heavier than I thought, and I was instantly pulled over the edge, my legs kicking up in the air as I screamed.
Butters cawed loudly before taking her beak to my skirt, and stopped me from falling further. It must've been some sight to see: My skirt lifted by a Chocobo, with her wings fluttering to keep her from being pulled forward. All while I was held halfway over a ledge, holding on to a cloak that was being pulled by a skinny brat who was about to fall a hundred feet to her death.
And then someone took a large arm around my waist, and began to hoist me up. Barret grunted, pulling me back as he held me by the waist with his only arm, while I still took hold of the cloak. The threads of the hood began to gave way, loosening.
Cloud and Tifa jumped in, grabbing it, and then came the girl, huffing and puffing on all fours when she got on land.
Dramatically, she collapsed, face in the grass, while her tired eyes closed.
"Gawd!" She scoffed, blowing into the grass while still catching her breath.
Barret put me down while clearing his throat. I didn't know his dark face could get so red when I looked up at him. Cloud's face was also red, and he was unable to look at me when I lifted a brow at him. It took me a moment to wonder what I'd missed as I dusted myself off and folded my dirty cloak up into a small bundle in my arms.
"Aqua!" Aerith finally caught up, her face twisted in an awkward smile while she caught her breath.
I glared at her and raised both my hands up in the air.
"What?!"
She shook her head as she tossed her eyes to Cloud, hers knuckle over her lips to hide a potential giggle. I turned to Cloud again with a wild look, and he turned around, rubbing the back of his head, not saying a word.
I looked at Tifa, and she was actually smiling at me, fallen between half giggling and grinning. Only Red had a straight face, rolling his eyes while setting a paw over the thief's back to keep her from crawling away, though she seemed too exhausted to try.
I was getting frustrated.
"Okay, what's so funny!?" I shrieked, my voice across the sky and into the sea.
Everyone except for Red suddenly broke into laughter.
Aerith doubled over, arms across her stomach. Tifa held her six-pack with one arm while she settled a hand over her lips to hide her laugh. Barret howled up to the sky like an evil villain. Even Cloud put a hand over his red face and stifled a chuckle.
"I'm sorry!" Aerith laughed in tears. "You should've seen the way you all looked. Butters held on to your skirt, and-!" Aerith broke into another laughing spell.
"We all got to see your underwear!" She shrieked through her belly-aching laugh.
My face immediately burned.
I scoffed at Barret, fists up in the air.
"You saw?!" I gaped at the big man. He must've had because he just couldn't look at me, heavily avoiding my gaze when I tried to glare at him while he still snickered away in his low scruffy voice.
"Oh!" I smacked his gun arm, and turned my red face to Cloud too.
"Cloud, you too?!" I gasped. I almost never wanted to face him again, knowing he's seen my simple floral pattern, cover the whole-butt, kind of underwear. Practically granny panties. Of course, seeing any was an insult, but if it were to occur, I wish it was something a little more flattering.
Cloud hid his eyes under his hand, his head turned away.
"Not much. Just barely. Nothing to worry about!" He quickly replied. I scoffed and smacked his arm too, which only made him chuckle even more.
"I've never seen such pretty panties before. Are those hearts or flowers ?" Aerith teased. I flapped my hands down my skirt to hide as much as I possibly could, and shouted, "shut up!"
Friends are great.
Finally, after everyone finished teasing me, the laughing turned into giggles, and then it eased into a cheery mood with the Materia thief caught.
We all circled her, leaving nothing but the deadly cliff behind her as she slowly got back on all fours again, her tiny butt in the air.
Slowly, almost ashamed, she lifted her eyes up to find me, and when she did, she whimpered, "thank you for saving my life."
I put my hands on my hips, unsure if I should mention it was because I wanted our stuff back, but instead, kept quiet.
The girl sighed, sitting up in the grass while hoisting her awkward padded left arm over a stick bent knee, and chuckled to herself.
"I've been on a bad luck streak lately, so I'm not surprised," she muttered, eyes to our feet.
"Give us back our Materia!" Tifa demanded, her hand held out nice and ready. The girl sighed, her face almost back into the grass. But then, she jumped to her feet with such agility, she arched over Barret's head, and landed with ease. She began to perform air punches and high kicks with speed like Tifa's.
"How about a battle? Whoever wins, gets the goods?" she announced, a wicked open mouth grin on her face.
The rest of us exchanged looks with similar thoughts: hell no.
Cloud eyed the young ninja and shook his head. "No, thanks. We're done." He was back to his old serious self again, his face no longer red.
The girl sighed and turned around to eye us.
"Fine!" She scoffed. She looked to be in her late teens, her body still underdeveloped, with just stick arms and legs and a flat chest under a sleeveless green turtleneck hidden by her white bear cloak. I eyed at her shorts and pointed to its open button.
"Your shorts are unbuttoned," I mumbled.
The girl fumed, her armed arms at her sides with clenched fists.
"That's the style," she said through her teeth.
I pressed my lips together in a straight line and blinked. I was surprised she didn't lose her shorts over the cliff.
The girl approached me, a couple of inches shorter, and lifted her right arm.
"As promised," she chirped. She loosened my Mythril bracer and unlatched it from her arm, handing it to me. "Here."
I opened my hands out, and gladly accepted it. My fingers curled around the armor, its thick metal skin cold to the touch.
"Thank you," I whispered, glad to be with my precious item again. I let it settle back where it was supposed to be. I felt eyes and glanced to find Cloud with a tiny smile on his face. My face turned hot again, and I looked away, pretending not to have noticed.
The girl then took out a small black leather backpack that was hidden under her cloak, and zipped it open.
"And the Materia," she glowered. One by one, she gave each stone back, her face smiling. Too much smiling.
I eyed her suspiciously while she stuffed her cloak into her pack and slipped its straps over her shoulders. When she straightened, she asked us, "what's an odd group like you doing all the way out here, anyway?"
"Not interested," Cloud muttered, and began to walk away. Tifa scorned at the girl and left too. Red followed, along with Aerith taking my hand, and then Butters.
I whispered to Aerith, "are we just going to leave this kid all alone?"
Aerith just winked at me.
"Hey, where are you all going?!" cried the girl. I then asked myself, will she leave us alone?
We all still ignored her, walking along the grassy plain heading East. Through the ocean mist, I could already see a distant structure of a long rod up in the sky, pointing towards the sea.
"Hey!" the girl's voice called out, breaking my observation. She ran up towards us.
"Take me with you," she demanded.
Cloud closed his eyes, bothered by her voice. Tifa turned to him and shook her head.
"What if she steals from us again?" she asked.
Cloud shrugged, keeping his eyes closed as though he was trying to zen for a couple seconds.
Barret rubbed his hand over his head, eying the girl with curiosity.
"What? Why do you want to come with us, kid?" he asked the ninja.
She stopped and pointed a finger to what appeared to be a long rod sticking out of a dark grey mountain.
"You heading for Junon, right?" She was already starting to sound like a sales rep, reeling us in on some sweet deal she had for us if we agreed to have her tag along.
Cloud shifted his attention to her and crossed his arms. "Yeah. What of it?"
The girl poked her cheek bashfully, and grinned.
"And are you guys Shinra? it doesn't seem like it, but you," she pointed to Cloud, "you wear their uniform."
"I'm an Ex-SOLDIER," he muttered.
This only put a sparkle into the girl's eyes.
"Well, I take it you want to get into the city then, and that's guarded by Shinra security. But I know a better way to get in!" She sang. "The secret entrance by your's truly. You'll need me."
She looked at us with a determined look, like she had us right where she wanted, and smirked. But we all just looked at each other again, not intimidated if that was her intention. We all looked at Cloud to clarify, and he shrugged, indifferent. But Barret barged in and shook his head at all of us.
"She's right, ya know. There's an elevator into the city heavily guarded by Shinra. If we force our way through, it's over. Junon is a military city. I'd hate to be on their bad side so soon," he grumbled.
Tifa blinked up at Barret.
"Barret, how do you know this?" she asked.
He smacked himself on the chest as he replied, "Avalanche, baby! It's where some of our extended group members are, though I haven't heard from them for quite some time."
The ninja girl gasped, eyes large like dinner plates.
"You're part of Avalanche? You mean, you're all against Shinra then?" she was left open mouthed.
"Are you a Shinra hater, too?" Tifa asked her.
The girl closed her mouth and took a serious deep breath, her eyes focused for the first time. She no longer held that wide smile of hers, but an actual half smile, an expression that was genuine and not forced or hiding anything.
"Yeah," she bragged, and smiled a little wider at all of us.
"Wow, this was unexpected," she added, suddenly seeming embarrassed when she rubbed the back of her head.
"An enemy of my enemy is my friend," I quoted, and suddenly thought of Winston Churchill and World War II.
The quote pleased the girl, for she sparkled up at me.
"Hey, I like that! Yeah! Okay! I will show you the way into the city, and together," she paused her speech and slipped a hand on her hip while holding her shuriken in the air, posing for some odd reason. "We will defeat Shinra!"
I clapped, while everyone else was silent, which only made the whole display a little embarrassing. Barret chuckled lightly and muttered, "I like your enthusiasm, kid."
Cloud, however, wasn't impressed, and he hissed while turning his back to her.
"Whatever. Let's go before it gets dark," he demanded quietly, and already, he was walking. Aerith and I began to follow, side by side, along with Tifa and Barret, and then Red. Butters trailed along, following the queue to leave.
Left alone, the ninja thief squeaked, "hey! You guys didn't even ask for my name!"
We ignored her. I kept my attention to what was apparently Junon beyond the sea mist and afternoon haze. Dark clouds lingered over the strangely shaped city, and pointed to its long rod.
"What's that sticking out of the city?" I asked anyone.
"The Mako Cannon," Cloud immediately answered. He looked over his shoulder at me, and explained, "Juno is practically a Shinra harbor as well as a giant weapon. Shinra built it for the Wutai War, but since it's over, the cannon is practically useless."
"Oh…" I blinked at the distant cannon. It laid dormant for years, like a volcano. I wondered if it was still operable.
"Hey!"
We all turned around, just to see the girl run up to us with furious eyes before she shouted, "don't just ignore me, you jerks! Aren't you going to ask me for my name?! I'm Yuffie! My name is Yuffie!"
And, just like that, we added another member to our group.
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