The moment Cloud began to cry, Tifa took over as leader. "We should get out of here."
P
The others nodded, and even Chrono's group seemed to agree. Neither Sephiroth nor his brother were back. They were searching, and hoping, against all odds they'd find some trace of Dragon Shadow or Jenova, or an indication of where they'd gone.
P
The others began to leave, but Tifa noticed that Cloud hadn't moved. "Come on Cloud, we're leaving…"
P
Cloud never looked at her as he answered. "Then leave. I'm not leaving until I'm sure she's dead. If it weren't for Shadow, we'd still be stuck in there. And even if I can't find her…" He looked up at the two figures in the sky. "I know they can."
P
Tifa was shocked. Not only was Cloud putting faith in the two he had wanted to kill earlier, but he was also waiting for a dragon who, according to what Tifa understood, had put Cloud in a situation he hadn't liked in the first place. "I don't understand. Why are you hoping she's still alive? I thought you hated her?"
P
Cloud shook his head. "It's a long story. But I think she's dead, at least in part, because of me. If I hadn't been so stubborn in the first place, she wouldn't have freed me, and she wouldn't have wasted her strength. What have I caused?"
P
The others, who had gone on ahead, finally noticed that Tifa and Cloud weren't following. They stopped, and waited for them. Tifa turned around, and when to speak with them. Shortly after, they all returned. Cloud, lost in his own thoughts, never even noticed. Dark Knight, Dark Wing, and the youngling went to examine the entrance to the castle. Shortly after Chrono, Luca, and Frog went to join them.
P
After a few hours, the brothers finally came down. Cloud didn't need to speak to them to know what they had found. The two went towards the castle as well and shortly after Cloud followed.
P
When Cloud did not return in half an hour, Tifa followed. When she arrived at the gate, she was shocked to see what had occurred. There stood Sefiroth, his sword to Chrono's throat. He was yelling at Luca to give him the key. Sephiroth and Cloud were standing there next to him, watching. Luca was yelling at them that it was not good idea to open the gate. Frog was drawing his sword, yelling at the three to fight him. The two dragons and Dark Knight were nowhere in sight.
P
Tifa could not believe that Cloud was helping Sefiroth and his brother to terrorized these people. "Cloud! What on earth do you think you're doing?"
P
Cloud looked at Tifa, and she knew something was up. "Stay out of this Tifa. This is something I have to do you, even if you don't understand. I won't let another die for me. Not this time, not if I can help it. And this time I believe I can help it."
P
Tifa was shocked. She began to wonder if she even knew this Cloud. She was about to say something, when Luca gave in.
P
Drawing the gate key, Luca began to move towards the blue hole, which Tifa had missed. As the key came into contact with the hole, it expanded into a familiar shape. Without so much as a second thought, Cloud and the two brothers leaped through the hole. It shut behind them. Chrono still stood where he had when Sephiroth had his sword to Chrono's throat.
P
Tifa looked in disbelief at the hole, trying to figure out what had changed Cloud. But she had no ideas. All she knew was that Cloud wasn't acting like himself. Not at all…
P
Luca walked over to her. "I hope your friends are all right. We don't know who, or what, made that gate. It wasn't here when we first arrived, and we don't know where it leads. For all we know at the moment, they could be stuck under the ocean, or worse…"
P
Tifa didn't say anything, then turned to Luca. "Only one was a friend. I don't care what happens to the other two. But Cloud wasn't himself… He would never harm anyone. Never…"
P
But then Tifa recalled what had happened after Aries's death. Cloud had been willing to kill then. And then she recalled how strangely Cloud had been acting ever since he had met them in the mountains. Acting differently towards Sephiroth and his brother. And never explaining why. "Is that really Cloud…? Was that Cloud? What happened? Why have you changed?"
P
It was then that Dark Wing came back. "I didn't see any other gates, as you call them. But it seems as if the whole structure collapsed, not too much further down."
P
A few moments both Dark Knight and the youngling came back and reported the same thing. Everyone was taken by surprise at the voice that emerged from the shadows.
P
"It is just as before, is it not?" Magnus came out, looking at the three. Frog, Luca and Chrono looked at each other then remembered the last time they had been here. It was just before Lavose hit…

PCENTER* * * * */CENTER

BP
The Dactals sped away from the castle. Before long, they were forced to land. The air had become violent due to the entry of the red star. Chrono, Frog, Alya and Kinos watched as the Reptit layer was destroyed.
P
As soon as he could, Chrono began to run towards the ruined castle. The star had vanished; the castle destroyed by it's landing.
P
"Lavose underground."
P
"What?" Chrono turned around to see the others run up behind him. Then Alya spoke again. "La means big, vos means fire. Big fire. It deep underground." She put her ear to the ground. "It still go deeper. Not good."
P
Frog left the other two. It was he who first found the gate. "Sir Chrono. Is this not a gate?"
P
Chrono and Alya came over to where Frog stood. Chrono nodded. "Yea. But how did it get here? And where dose it go?"
P
Neither of his compaions knew the answer. Chrono shrugged. "Guess there's only one way to find out." Chrono drew the gate key, and opened the gate. "Alya, you'd best go back to your people. I don't know if you'll be able to come back if you go with us…"
P
But Alya shook her head. "Alya go. Alya stop Lavose." She then turned to Kinos. "Kinos go home. Kinos be leaders. Alya help friends."
P
Kinos nodded. The three warriors opend the gate, and stepped into the world of Magnus's childhood. But none of them knew so yet…"

PCENTER* * * * */CENTER

/BP
Chrono turned to look at Magnus. "You saying this is the gate to your time?"
P
Magnus turned his back to Chrono, and walked towards the gate. "It would make sense, would it not?"
P
Silence reigned as those who understood thought about it. Finally Chrono nodded. "I guess your right. So what do we do now?"
P
Tifa turned to look at him. "I'll tell you what we do now, or at least what I do now. I'm going after Cloud. Something happened to him and I intend to find out what. I don't care what you do, but Cloud could be in trouble. And if he is, I intend to be there for him. Also there is something I must find out about. Something that has been bothering me for while now."
P
Before anyone could argue with her, Tifa turned and walked back to her companions./FONT/BODY