Tifa lead, taking each step slowly. She was worried about Cloud. Ever since he'd rescuded them from the Dragons, he'd changed. "It's as if the past never happened…"
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Yuffie, who was walking beside her, looked over puzzled. "Did you say something?"
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Tifa looked around. "Who? Me? No, I was…. Nothing. It was nothing."
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Yuffie didn't look convinced. "If you say so… I don't like this place. It's too dark."
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Cid and Barret both laughed. "I though you liked the dark, thief!"
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Yuffie looked at Barret, murder in her eyes. "I am no thief!"
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Which only served to make the two laugh harder. Cid yelled back "If you're not thief, then I'm the tooth fairy!"
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The two men laughed even harder. Red shook his head. The damp hadn't done much good for him. His fur was becoming stuck to his body. "I do not like this either. And perhaps you'd best be quite. You wouldn't want to let the native know we're here, do you?"
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Cid and Barret quickly shut up. Tifa looked back in relife. "Thanks Red. Perhaps you should be leader. You seem to know what's going on, and how to handel it better than I."
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Red shook his head. "It is because you are distracted. I understand why, but I belive their must be a good reason for Cloud's actions. Do not worry youself so."
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As Tifa tried to get her thoughts under control, she kept thinking about how Cloud had seemed accepting of Sephiroth. (Why? Why can he do it, and not I?)
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Vincent was at the very end, just behind the youngling. Suddenly the youngling stopped, and looked around. "Something's happened!"
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The others turned to face him. Tifa tried to take her post as leader seriously for once. "What do you mean by 'something's happened'?"
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The youngling shook his head. "It's part of the reason the three dragons split up. We are able to tell if something's happened. And I know something's happened to Dark Wing. This is all a trap. We're expected. His group ran into a fight, and were severly outnumbered. Dark Wing's last message was that he was battaling them alone. Then I lost him. I don't know if he's dead or not…"
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Cait started to whine. "I knew this was too easy. Now what? We're all gonna die! I don't wanna die!"
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Yuffie looked over Cait, puzzled by his actions. "What have you got to worry about? You're only a dumb robot! And a bad fortune teller."
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Cait shrank into his moogle. "I'm not a robot anymore…"
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Everyone but Red, the youngling, and Vincent looked at' him in shock. "WHAT??"
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Cait repeated himself. "I'm not a robot. Ever since I arrived on this cursed world. Cait isn't a robot, he's a… well actually I'm…. what I mean to say is… AHHH! I can't do it."
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Red took that as a suggestion. "What Revee's trying to say is that, upon entering this world, he became Cait Sith."
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Cait sunk even lower into his moogle, as if it were possible. "You didn't need to tell them. Bad enough you and Cloud knew…"
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Much to Revee's surprise, no one said anything much. Tifa looked at the others. "We'd best decided what to do. If we keep going, we could run into a trap. But if we turn back…"
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Vincent looked at them, from his perch on the youngling's back. "We shall never be able to halt Jenova, or rescue the men Jenova has captured."
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Tifa looked a little upset. "I'm starting to feel unneeded by this group. It seems Red or Vincent would have a better time as leader…"
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Vincent shook his head. "A true leader must be able to feel. I can no longer do so."
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Red looked back at Tifa. "What should we do?"
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Tifa looked at the others, then thought back to her meetings with Chrono, Lucca, and the others. Her eyes began to shin with determination. "We keep going. For this world, and our own."
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Everyone nodded, and the procession began to travel down the passage.

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CENTER* * * * */center

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They had not traveled far when they came across a dead end in the narrow passage. Tifa looked up at the wall. "I guess we have no choice, but to head back. Maybe Cloud's having better luck…"
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However Vincent had more bad news. "We cannot go back. The passage has been sealed off."
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Yuffie looked around, suddenly very freaked out. "You mean we can't get out?? NOOOOOOOO! I need to get out. I need room. I need space. I need…"
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Cid wasn't impressed. "A little piece and quiet. Yuffie, shut up!"
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Yuffie looked around frantically. "But…but…but…"
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Red looked at her. "I believe Yuffie may be claustrophobic."
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Tifa looked in shock at Yuffie. "I feel sorry for her. But we do need to get out. And not just for Yuffie. Without a means of escape we'll fall into Jenova's clutches as well. And given our history with her…"
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Red nodded. "It shall be anything but fun."
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Vincent said nothing, but studied his claw. He ignored the situation, as well as all the discussion around him. (Only that form may have the power. But to unleash it here could kill those I wish to help. What must I do?)
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Gas began to pour in from some vents near the top of the chamber. Red, being the shortest, soon learned what it was. "I believe I shall take a nap…"
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He fell asleep. Tifa looked down at him. "Well, I don't know if this is good news or bad. Obviously, Jenova wants us alive. But I don't know why…"
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One by one, they were overcome by the vapors. Only Cait was immune to it. However, Vincent was not planning to go down easy. (I must warn Cloud. I cannot be sure of whether or not he knows of this…)
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Vincent transformed into Chaos, and flew to the top of the room. He only hoped that the gas would halt before it reached him…/FONT/BODY