Doctor's Offers

It was pretty dark by the time we arrived in Costa Del Sol. It felt warmer than most places but still pretty cold for the winter. We hurried off the ship when the remaining crew were organising cargo, shed the uniforms and headed to the nearby inn. Cloud said we should wait until morning to head out. Personally I would have preferred to gain as much distance between us and them as soon as possible but we did need supplies and a lead as to where Sephiroth went. This time we couldn't rely on an anonymous tip to take us in the right direction.

We were hanging around the room for about half an hour or so before I was getting bored in the room. I was sharing with Yuffie in the smaller room while Aerith, Angel, and Tifa took the bigger one, with Cloud, Barret, and Nanaki taking the remaining room. We'd all congregated in the largest room to discuss our next move but I was starting to get fed up that we hadn't decided on where we should go.

"I'm still open for trying to listen in for rumours," I suggested, again, even though I knew why the group wanted to be careful. We were essentially bumping shoulder with Shinra still and some of us were still worried that the doctor had informed Rufus of Avalanche hitching a ride across the ocean with him.

"It's still to risky right now," Cloud answered, again. I gave a sigh and adjusted my position on the bed. I went on to stare at the map we had.

"We should just head to Nibelheim," Angel spoke firmly and pointed to its position on the map.

"What's left of it..." Tifa sighed. I did remember Angel saying she would travel as far as Nibelheim with us. Sephiroth burned down Nibelheim five years ago. I thought back to five years ago, on Spira... Sin always returned for its spawn. Maybe a similar thing applied here?

"Angel might be on to something," I said, looking around the team. "Cloud, you said that Sephiroth found things there about the Jenova Project, and Jenova was in the Nibelheim Reactor, right?" A nod of confirmation. "Then what if there's something still there?"

"If Nibelheim was burned, the mansion may have went with it," Angel said. "But the underground lab will still be there, including everything Sephiroth found inside. You might be right; he might be going back there for something."

"Makes two of you," I remarked. Angel didn't even respond. "So what's the best way to get to Nibelheim on foot?"

"Through the mountain passes," Barrett said and pointed to the nearby range. "Mt. Corel is nearby, then we'd have to cross the Corel desert." I noted the tone change in Barrett's voice but decided against saying anything.

"You'll have to pass through Cosmo Canyon before you reach Nibelheim," Nanaki added. "Unfortunately I won't be joining you after that."

"You said that's where you're from, right?" I asked with a nod in return for confirmation.

"Right. We'll head to Nibelheim unless we hear anything about Sephiroth headed elsewhere," Cloud decided. "We should get a couple of hours sleep before morning hits." Least that was something we could agree on. Well, almost...

As Yuffie and I got back to our room she flopped onto her bed, then sprung back up into a sitting position.

"Ugh, I'm not ever tired, you know that?" She groaned as I went into my own bed. I had the feeling I wouldn't be getting much sleep myself if Yuffie was active. "And everyone's in such a weird mood, like, you can tell right?"

"Trust me, after what we saw in the engine room... it's understandable," I told her, putting a hand to my neck. The feeling of that tendril trying to choke the life out of me was still in the forefront of my mind. "You didn't even want to go."

"Well, duh, I've seen what Sephiroth can do," she replied, her eyes shifting away uncomfortably. "I mean, well, you know him and Shinra pretty much stomped all over Wutai during the war..."

"Yeah..." I nodded, not sure what to say or add. I didn't know much about a war between Shinra and Wutai. I was tired but still didn't want to slip up. "How bad is Wutai now?"

"Total shell of what it used to be," Yuffie shrugged. "And just in such a short space of time... it sucks." She went silent and sighed. I knew she wasn't willing to divulge more.

"Well, we'll give Shinra what's coming to them, believe me," I assured her. I wanted to add that I had a good track record for taking down world organisations but I was trying to not draw suspicion to myself. "Try get a bit of sleep, Yuffie, you'll feel better for it."


I was worried I had slept in when I just woke with a start, like my body just forced me awake. I rolled out of bed and got myself ready, realising Yuffie was already out the room. I thought she would have woke me, or maybe she didn't manage to get any sleep and left during the night. I grabbed all my stuff and headed down to the front desk.

I didn't meet anyone at the front desk which, honestly, made me glad considering I wasn't going to be met with an annoyed group. I looked at the clock and it was just after half seven in the morning. The sun was only just starting to come up. So then where was everyone. I headed to the front desk and asked if anyone else from my group was awake.

"Two women from your party left the inn maybe about half an hour ago, then another one fifteen minutes ago," the woman said. I gave a nod and shifted my bag on my shoulder. "Feel free to wait in the restaurant, breakfast is being served. I'll inform the rest of your party when they come down."

"Thanks," I nodded and headed off.

The place was fairly quiet, I didn't suppose a lot of people would want to get up this early for breakfast unless they had to. I did a quick glance around when someone caught my attention. He was watching me, waiting for me to make eye contact. He was sitting by himself and motioned me to come over. I was suspicious and glanced around before walking over to him.

"I never realised you were staying here as well," Dawkins said and offered a seat. "Are you having anything? I can get you something, if you want."

"I'll get my own stuff, thanks," I said and went over to get some fruit tea. When I came back I sat down across from him. He was very relaxed compared to when I last saw him on the ship. He was out of the medical uniform and dressed far more casually, intending for travel it looked like. "So what do you want?"

"Am I that suspect looking?" He asked, giving me a quick glance and knowing the answer. "Fair enough, we didn't meet under the best of circumstances. I'm actually looking for some assistance. Your group... on the off chance you aren't heading in the direction of Rocket Town, are you?"

I remember Rocket Town on the map... it was past Nibelheim. Past the mountain range anyway.

"Why?"

"It's where I live. Shinra could only afford me the luxury of fast transport to the ceremony. I have to make my own way back," Dawkins said. "I wouldn't be in this predicament if they damn well fixed the Highwind but I couldn't be lucky in that regard. There's safety in numbers, Shinra couldn't afford to spare some ground pounders, your team doesn't appear to be affiliated with Shinra... basically I just want to get home without the risk of being torn to shreds. I don't expect your group to do this for free; I will pay you, in cash, when we reach Rocket Town, and I will also offer my medical expertise for the duration of the trip."

"We're not exactly... the most ideal group to travel with," I replied, taking a quick look over my shoulder. I don't think anyone was listening to our conversation and the others hadn't appeared yet.

"I won't beat around the bush: I know you're Avalanche," he spoke bluntly. "All personnel were given descriptions of you and your team in case you were spotted in Junon. Except for the girl from Wutai, I assumed she joined your team after you left Midgar. I don't have much love or loyalty to Shinra so I purposefully kept quiet. You understand I'm saying all this to ease the tensions and gain some trust, yeah?" He was watching my facial expressions with interest, getting a pretty good read of me as he spoke. He could have been saying anything to gain our trust. "My contract with Shinra was terminated early and all I'd like to do now is return home. I'm being as open as possible with you to avoid any conflict or confusion about my motives; I have none. Of course all of this is null and void if you're not even intending to go top Rocket Town, in which case I'd like to travel with you until we need to split ways."

"There's something else, isn't there?" I asked. His expressions didn't change and he remained relaxed and his eye contact remained steady. "You just want to go home so you decide to try and hire the people on Shinra's most wanted list?"

"Well, you have me there," he said, pushing his glasses up slightly. "I can understand why you're wary and, honestly, you're not an idiot. My interests in travelling with your group are solely personal and for my own benefit; yes, I do want to return to Rocket Town but as we're travelling I was hoping to figure out about your marks."

I squinted at him in questioning. The way he spoke obviously didn't mean he was talking about my burn scars. I couldn't think of any other marks he could be meaning though.

"And by marks, you mean...?" I asked. He was being pretty straight-forward with me so far and with any luck that would continue.

"You've had more than a few close encounters with death, and death himself, in your life," Dawkins said. "You've been saved from death and that leaves a mark, marks I recognise. Not only that, it's been more than once. Now my sister, I can hazard a guess at her participation, I'm curious about why Oblivion would personally intervene to save your life."

I suddenly became far more alert at the mention of Oblivion's name. I hadn't seen or heard from him in five years but I always knew there'd be a time he'd re-enter my life. Now that I'd travelled to a different world I always had his return in the back of my mind, especially if Angel was here. I just wasn't expecting someone else to know of him. I could only hope, for once, he didn't consider Oblivion an enemy.

"How do you know him?"

"He was my former employer," Dawkins said, rather matter-of-factly. "As was my sister. We both resigned but I can see Oblivion still sought Meredith out for work. I haven't seen her in years, how's she been?"

"I don't know anyone called Meredith," I said. His face dropped a little and he frowned, disappointed in my answer.

"Worth a shot but, considering the condition you would have been in at the time... bit stupid for me to ask, I'm sorry."

"Is it to do with the Superiors that you haven't seen her? That you both resigned?"

"Essentially, yes," Dawkins nodded solemnly. "Sorry, it is a little too personal for me to talk about. Slightly hypocritical since I've mentioning your deaths. Still, Meredith's a grown woman, if something had happened to her I'd know by now. It was a bit much to hope that you'd seen her."

"What are you doing?" The two of us looked over to Cloud, who had walked over to the table. I looked over my shoulder, seeing everyone else hanging back. I looked back at Cloud, then to Dawkins, then back to Cloud.

"He was asking for an escort to Rocket Town," I answered.

"We're not going that far."

"Then how about we go our separate ways once you go as far as you need to?" Dawkins offered. "As I've said to your friend I will pay in cash and offer medical assistance to the team if required. The other option is to awkwardly run into me every so often since we will be travelling on foot." I looked back to Cloud and he gestured me over to the side. I followed him to be just out of earshot of Dawkins and folded my arms, still deliberating on the matter myself.

"What do you think?" Cloud asked.

I shrugged and glanced over to Dawkins and then to Cloud. If he knew Oblivion and had worked for him then... well honestly I wasn't sure. He could be an ally or an enemy; at this point it could go either way. My experience with people knowing Oblivion didn't make me immediately trustworthy of them; Andra was different she was an outside party. Still if it is one of Oblivion's former employees...

I thought hard, racking my brains of everything I knew and the things Andra told me. Unfortunately not a lot of it was relevant to Death who worked for them. I looked to Cloud and went with my gut.

"He seems genuine," I said. "If anything happens I'll deal with it. Besides someone with medical experience wouldn't hurt."

"He was working for Shinra, though," Cloud replied while remaining sceptical.

"You were in Soldier, so did you," I shrugged. "Like I said I'll take the blame if anything happens. Really, though, I think we should take his offer." Cloud continued to stare at me, though I could his eyes flicking and debating over whether or not he should take my suggestion. Part of me felt a little selfish in trying to convince him to get Dawkins to join since it was, in part, out of curiosity on what he knew and if there was any deeper motive in him wanting to join. A small part of me wanted to think he was still working covertly for Oblivion but I couldn't be sure. In either case I felt like I needed to know.

"Okay. He can come with us," Cloud finally said. "Just keep to your word."

"Always do," I nodded. The two of us returned to Dawkins' table and he put his phone away once he noticed us arriving.

"You were taking your time, so I was phoning a friend back home," he said. "Anyway, what's the verdict?"

"We're accepting your help," Cloud said. "We'll take you as far towards Rocket Town as we're able to."

"And in return I'll pay for your services and offer my own along the way," Dawkins stood and extended his hand towards Cloud. After they shook he copied the gesture with me. "We should properly introduce ourselves: Dr. Oswin Dawkins, or Os for quickness."

"Cloud Strife. This is Christie Wilson," Cloud returned. We then returned to the group and began to explain the situation quickly as I noticed Aerith and Angel both returning to the inn.

After explaining the situation to the others, something there were a few objections to, it was firmly established that Oswin would be joining us. While getting everyone up to speed and confirming our travel route Aerith added in a few details of her and Angel's meeting with Hojo, a surprising event in itself, and his suggestion of heading west.

West, most likely to Nibelheim. There was definitely something in the ruins of that town and all roads were leading to it.