"Look at the sky," Tifa said. She had just returned with Cloud's dinner, and was looking out the window. Cloud got up and stood beside her, watching the meteor shower.
"Nanaki didn't say anything about this…" Tifa whispered. Cloud noticed that some meteors were different colors, and some seemed to be larger than others.
"Tifa…" Cloud spoke softly.
"Yes Cloud?"
"Where do you think the world will go now?"
"What do you mean?" She set down the food tray and drew close to the blonde man, who was still staring out the window.
"I mean, Meteor is gone, and so is Sephiroth, but something could threaten us at any moment…"
"You're still worried about that door, aren't you?"
"Yes." He looked at his hand, then back out the window.
"I don't know… Maybe we can start rebuilding Midgar, and open the bar back up. You could work there with Barret and I." Her voice dropped suddenly. "Or maybe…" She turned to face Cloud, who turned as well. Their lips met; Cloud's eyes opened wide in shock. What am I doing? he thought. This isn't Aeris… His thoughts of resistance were quickly put to rest as Tifa continued to kiss him.
Cid was strolling through the street, keeping an eye out for curfew violators. He was still mad at Reeve for giving him a constable post and not one of pilot, but he wasn't about to turn away from a paycheck, no matter how small. He had seen the meteor shower, but wasn't highly concerned with it. A small blue block hit him on the head with a resounding thud, and he quickly became much more involved.
"What the hell?" he yelled, looking around until he spied the object. It was perfectly cubical, and colored a solid blue, though it was translucent at the edges and corners. Squeezing it in his hand, he found it slightly pliant, but still very firm. It gave off no smell that he could sense, and felt perfectly smooth on all sides. He saw another object fall 10 feet away, this one green and cylindrical. He held one in each hand, and unconsciously found the two pieces gravitating together. The flat end of the cylinder met a face of the cube and adhered, forming one larger piece.
Suddenly his PHS rang, breaking his reverie. Grumbling, he answered it.
"Hello?"
"Cid, this is Reeve. You've probably noticed what's been falling from the sky…"
"Yeah, I got a nice WELT ta show for 'em!"
"Well, we've summoned every last Shinra employee from the science department left, and we need you too."
"Ta do what?"
"Analyze them and see what they're for."
"Do I hafta stay on the streets?"
"Nope."
"I'll be there in 20 minutes."
He stepped off the elevator onto the 68th floor. In the lobby were two people, one dressed in a sharp suit, the other in a lab coat and glasses.
"Shera?" Cid balked.
"Hello Captain." She looked embarrassed and shy to be with her old superior.
"She is the remaining scientist." Reeve interrupted.
"Why didn't ya tell me I'd be working with this…this…" he searched for the word. "…klutz!"
"Because then you wouldn't have come," Reeve replied coolly. "Just try to put your differences aside for once and do this, okay?"
"Ppff…" Cid retorted. He pulled out a cigarette and lit it. Reeve plucked the tube from his mouth and tossed it into a nearby receptacle.
"No smoking on laboratory floors," he said as he did so.
Turning to Reeve, Shera said: "Thank you, sir, for this opportunity to continue my work with the company."
"The company doesn't exist anymore, Shera. If you want to ally yourself with anything, do it for the Planet." She nodded in understanding. "We're collecting the blocks as we speak," he continued. "You should be getting more in every day. I have another meeting, but I expect reports as often as you can give them." He walked into the elevator and the door closed behind him, leaving a very awkward reunion behind him.
