Cloud sat in a large chair labeled "Heidigger." Around him at the table were, in order, Barret Wallace (who needs a shower), Vincent Valentine (he spends a little too much time with his guns), Cid Highwind (isn't smoking outlawed in the building?), Reeve (umm… Reeve Sith?), Red XIII (I like Nanaki better, I think), and Tifa Lockheart (who always seems to sit next to me). The seat where Yuffie usually sat, between Nanaki and Reeve, was empty. Cait Sith stood behind Reeve, immobile. The Shinra executive was discussing something executive, but Cloud wasn't listening. He was thinking of going back to Sector 5 to try and find Aeris' mother, if she hadn't already left. Or maybe back to Icicle Village, to find clues about Ifalna. So much to do… he thought.
Cloud remembered when they first encountered Cait Sith, before they met Reeve. He had casually asked him what his compatability with Aeris was. "Let's see… You were born August 19, right?" He never knew how the stuffed mog knew these things. "And she's… February 7… Leo and Aquarius are normally bad together," he had said, "but if they're of the opposite sex, then that gives them the best compatability!" He was happy to hear that. It meant that someone else out there wanted them together.
"…So what do you think, Cloud?" Reeve asked.
"Huh?" he snapped out of his reverie. He could see Tifa trying to get his attention, but he had been too far off to notice. "Umm… could you repeat the question?"
Reeve sighed. "Should we send the Shinra soldiers from Junon to clean up the west continent, or should we send the remaining Midgar force?"
"Well… I… ahh…" he faltered. "How many men do we have left here?"
The doors suddenly flew open and Yuffie rushed in. Thanks Yuffie, Cloud thought.
"Guys! Guys!" she panted, out of breath from her run. "I've got something really important to show you!"
"Calm down," Reeve said. "What is it?"
"Well," she gasped. She was bent over at the waist, hands on her knees. She was trying to regain her composure as quickly as possible. "I was in Aeris' church," Cloud perked up, "and there was this door at the back, right? And it had this funny keyhole thingy on it, so I opened it…" she tried to muster the will to continue. "and there was this huge… black… THING behind it!"
"Hmm…" Reeve said. "We'd better go have a look. Yuffie, you'll need to go again and show us. Cloud?" he gestured in the blonde man's direction. Reeve knew as well as anyone what Aeris had meant to him.
"I'll go." He stood up.
"Alright. Take Cait Sith with you." Reeve pulled out the puppet's control device. "I want to take a look myself."
"Come on Cloud." Yuffie beckoned. "Let's get this over with."
Sora and Riku stood outside the cave behind the trees.
"It's true! I saw it with my own eyes!" Sora said.
"You sure you didn't just hear it this time?" Riku seemed tired of Sora's games.
"What difference does it make? There's a huge monster in there, I tell you!"
"All right. Suppose there really is a monster… Think we can beat it all by ourselves, Sora?"
"No problem. Let's do it!" A low, rumbling groan came from inside the cave. "Listen! There! Can you hear it growling?"
"Shh, quiet. We've gotta be careful." They stepped quietly into the cave, Riku first. Sora stayed close to the older boy, but still didn't rule out running away.
Riku saw no creatures and admonished: "See that? It was just the wind making that noise."
"Aw, man. I wish it was a monster!" His attention turned to the large door at the end of the cave. "Hold on! What's that over there?"
Riku noticed it as well. "A window, or maybe a door?" He went over to it and attempted to pull it open. "It won't open."
"Geez, is that really all that's in here?"
"What do you expect in a boring place like this?" Riku kicked a nearby rock. "Hey, Sora."
"Hm?" the brown haired kid looked up.
"When we grow up, let's get off this island. We'll go on real adventures, not this kid stuff!" Sora could sense the seriousness in his voice.
"Sure. But isn't there anything fun to do now?" He suddenly remembered something. "Hey, you know the new girl at the mayor's house?"
