When Cloud had finally been discharged from medical, the SOLDIERs had collectively insisted he not be sent back to the army. For one, he was already enhanced and needed an environment that was going to work for that. For another, of course, they were all collectively too protective to let him go back to the previous environment, with no squad to return to and the army's biases against the enhanced running rampant, never mind that it hadn't exactly been voluntary.

So, he was discharged to stay with a pair of Seconds that had worked closely with Kunsel, one of which had even been a roommate prior to he and Zack discovering each other and promptly filing for shared rooming. And while they hadn't been privy to Aerith's history, it was enough to know she was Cloud's soulmate. Not everyone had the luck of meeting theirs; it was a special thing. Cherished, even amongst ranks as jaded as the more experienced SOLDIERs were becoming. She was welcome to come and go as she pleased, and had been semi-adopted right along with Cloud by the duo.

And, of course, the Firsts. Fortunately, however, she wasn't with them when Tseng went looking for her. She was with Cloud, of course, but that was far less a problem. Cloud was understandably wary of them, which was only good sense even without whatever 'advice' he'd have gotten from the SOLDIERs and Aerith, but he wasn't hostile or even particularly adverse. He could work with that.

Aerith looked his way before he'd even properly entered the room, something she'd quit doing for a while, pretending to be 'normal' though he was sure she was aware of him. Was it a relief, he wondered, to finally be… if not open, exactly, not haunted by the weight of her heritage? To know that finally, honestly, the Turks were on her side. Hojo and the late President were gone. She was as free as one could be.

But, perhaps a rumination for another time when they weren't both looking at him, expectant. He inclined his head politely, approaching where they sat on a bench, still on base and easily tracked through the security cameras (a fact he wouldn't share) and likely enjoying the passably pleasant day. "Aerith, Cloud."

"Tseng," she murmured, watching him. "Do we need to go for a walk?"

He couldn't help a little smile for that. "Would you mind? This isn't exactly conversation to have in public."

"I had a feeling not," she said, and for once didn't seem bothered by it. She squeezed Cloud's hand, glancing at him, communication no doubt shared at the speed of thought through their telepathic bond, something that had only strengthened over time.

"I'll come," Cloud said, finishing the brief conversation aloud for Tseng's sake. He glanced up, arching a brow. "If that's alright."

"There's nothing he could need to say to me that you can't hear," Aerith said breezily, but those green eyes were sharp. Anyone who mistook her kindness and choice to be gentle as a weak spot did not take into account that she had been raised in the Slums; her staff wasn't the only thing with a core of solid steel. "Right?"

"Of course," Tseng agreed. Fortunately, it was true even if he'd have been forced to make the concession regardless due to the nature of their bond. "In fact, some of this will be of interest to Cloud."

"If it has to do with Aerith, it's of interest," Cloud said quietly, earning a quick, beaming smile from her and a faint, approving one from Tseng.

"Very well, then. Let's walk." Tseng waited for them to get up, gesturing back towards the building.

"Turk's offices?" Aerith guessed.

"It would be more secure," he said, somewhat apologetic.

"I think I know what this is about." She sighed, frowning. "…a park might be more beneficial, if you want answers."

"I'll take what I can get now, and you can think on it later," he assured her.

"Very well. Lead on," she said. "My access card doesn't cover that."

"Neither does mine. Just SOLDIER stuff, and presumably some of the old army things," Cloud said.

"That would be because you will eventually be trained for SOLDIER," Tseng pointed out. "You've been enhanced. There's really no other good option."

Cloud nodded. "Zack talked about it a little, but I don't think he wanted to overwhelm me at the time. I'm sure it'll come up again."

"It will, though more likely from Kunsel, or Drew Morrison," Tseng said. "As I recall, Morrison is in charge of the lowest ranking SOLDIERs."

"And Kunsel's overseeing things in general, alongside the General, yes," Aerith agreed. "We'll see. He's still adjusting."

"Better than initially expected, as I understand?" Tseng asked.

"Yeah, a lot better," Cloud agreed. "I've even been cleared for light activity. If I keep improving at this rate, I'll be cleared for more soon. The professor's just being cautious."

"As well she ought to be," Tseng said. He guided them to the elevator, swiping his card for access that was not easily available. They didn't need just anyone stumbling onto their offices.

"So… are you taking us to see anyone else, or is it just us?" Aerith asked, watching the floors tick by.

"Depending on what you have to say, we may speak with Maur or Veld," he said. "Or, perhaps, Valentine. Most likely, however, I will comprise a report of what you know so far, you'll need time to investigate further, and we'll reconvene at a later time."

"Is it about earlier?" she asked. "The… trip they had, below."

Tseng hummed in agreement, though he didn't put it to words until they'd safely exited to the appropriate floor. "I don't suppose you've spoken with the SOLDIERs about any of that yet?"

"No, not yet. I haven't even seen them today," Aerith said. "But… I admit I've felt them."

"How so?" It would be too easy to lead the conversation, but he didn't want to prompt something that might sway her interpretation of things. Not if he could merely gently encourage elaboration. It was a fine line to walk.

"His… other," she said, wrinkling her nose.

"Other?" Tseng repeated.

"It's not just Jenova cells," she said.

"The S cells," Cloud supplied. "From the whole… thing Hojo was doing with us."

Tseng hummed noncommittally and led them to his office, gesturing for them to enter and take a seat. It wasn't the most comfortable, but his office wasn't meant for long conversations very often. It would have to do. "You felt them when, exactly?"

"I wasn't watching the clock," Aerith pointed out. "There was just this sudden… upheaval."

"…upheaval." That was a strong word.

"A knot of ugly energy trying to overshadow his," she said. "Clinging to him. I sensed something wrong, but it took a while to get a solid feeling of what was going on. It was enough to alert me to something, but it wasn't for another… ten? fifteen? minutes that I actually could get any real feeling of what was going on, that it was even Zack involved."

The timeline might well have matched up with when they'd been in Deepground, the time between the climax of Zack's confrontation with the Restrictor and when they started getting above ground level again. He wasn't sure what limits there were to Aerith's senses, but it would make sense that that much distance would make things unclear even if she could sense things through obstructions like walls.

Tseng nodded thoughtfully, but didn't elaborate on his theories. Not yet. "What happened when things got clearer?"

"I try to focus on the energies I know," Aerith said simply. "It grounds me, in a place as loud as ShinRa is, with all the people in and out and especially so many enhanced. I'm not always focusing on them, but I'm usually aware of them to some extent. Nothing specific, just enough to know if they're still on base, usually. I can stretch further if I'm looking but for idle sensing that's about it. And he'd faded out for a while, but when he came back he came back wrong."

It was so hard not to ask leading questions, but Tseng had been trained in both doing it and avoiding it. He merely nodded, knowing she would continue.

"Zack is like… sunshine, and this was something dark and ugly and cold," she said, shuddering. She got up from her chair, pacing behind Cloud's, her hands fisting briefly. "It wasn't him, not naturally. It was more of the Calamity's influence than anything else, initially, but I don't know… I don't think it was just that. There was something external, another source."

There was a long moment of silence, as Tseng debated how much to comment, or what to comment on. He hadn't been there, after all. While he had information, it was possibly incomplete. Potentially misleading.

But she was clearly waiting for information, done with her elaboration for now; if he wanted to know more, he'd have to draw her out with carefully pointed questions. That, he could do.

"When you say 'an external source' can you clarify?" Tseng asked, finding that a safe starting ground.

"Something other than Zack, or any influences within Zack," Aerith clarified. "Another… person?"

"You don't seem sure if 'person' is the correct identifier," he noted.

"I'm not," she said. She seemed frustrated, which was understandable. "It felt like Jenova. But it wasn't the cells in Zack, or whatever is going on with his enhancements."

"Professor Rayleigh said he had Jenova cells," Cloud said. "As well as the 'S' cells."

Aerith nodded, lips pursed as she debated. "I want to say I would know if the remains of Jenova were moved here. I almost have to assume they're not, or Chaos would have had more to say on the matter. But that's what it felt like. A whole lot of Jenova."

Tseng frowned slightly. "Perhaps… we need to have a bigger picture here. It may be time we speak with Zack."