Disclaimer: I don't own anything

My Eyes Can't Lie...

"So, Cloud. How are you now that you know Tifa is safe?" Cid asked.

"I'm better than I was, but I want to know what all happened, so that it doesn't happen again."

"But what if it was a good thing?"

"What can be good about being taken to a place you don't know and then come back looking like how she did? Don't mess with me old man!"

"Old? Did you just call me old, Strife? Here I was tryin' to be compassionate, and there you go bein' your fool self. &^%$@(&^%@$#!#O*^@$@($)^@#%$!@_$&@$!" Cid let out a mouth full of profanities as he started to walk out of the room. "I'm willin' to make a bet with you. If Tifa and Yuffie come out of that room all happy and better, you do what I want you to do for a whole day."

"Fine."

"Wearin' a woman's yellow polka dot bikini."

"...fine. And if I win, you do what I want for a whole day wearing a chocobo costume. Complete with the beak and feet."

"Alright, but I ain't gonna lose. Oh, and you can't talk to 'em either."

"Same goes to you. It's not like I can go in there and say, 'Stay mad and sad for the rest of the day, or at least until you get out of this room.' You know what I mean?"

"What ever. Nanaki can be the judge."

"Huh? What?" Nanaki asked looking up from his little nap. Cid was already out the door.

"This is going to be difficult. What if he is right? What if she was taken there for a reason concerning good?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"...and that is what she said. But that was only the first part. I think this next part is going to be a little...less depressing. I hope so anyways. Well, you know how you told me a long while ago your secret about wanting to ask Vincent to marry you? About loving him and all of that? Well, I accidentally told Cloud the night before your birthday. In the hotel after we ate at the restaurant. I'm sorry, but I don't think you will be mad at me that much, I hope anyways, because you told me to tell them anyways in your letter before you left to hide from the Dark Ninjas."

"..."

"I'm sorry. I hope you don't hate me now."

"..."

"Yuffie?"

"..."

"Will you say something?"

"..."

"Anything?"

"..."

"Please?"

"..."

"Yuffie?!"

"..."

"YUFFIE!"

"Well, what do you want me to say, Tifa? What is there that I can say? Oh, thank you for telling me that my dad and the whole &*^$@ city of Wutai have all lied to me about the death of my mother? And that I should be happy about it? I don't know what to say to you! I'm happy you told me the truth, but GAWD! I just don't know how to react." Yuffie started sobbing softly, holding the sheets of her bed to her face, so that the soft cottony material would catch all of her glistening tears. Tifa just sat in her bed, looking at her younger companion.

"I'm sorry if I told you at a wrong time. I'm really sorry."

"It's all right. I just...I'm just an emotional wreck right now. So, don't take my actions offensively."

"Is there anything I can do to make you feel better? Food? A bubble bath? Your pillow fluffed? Vincent?"

"Hehe, well, I could go for a bubble bath, but I think I will be OK after some lovin' from my Vinnie." Yuffie smiled a little to Tifa.

"Yeah. And I need some from Cloud too. Say, how about we have them both take us out? You know, to make us just happy. Then we can go to a spa and have a full body massage by cute guys all covered in oil, and...oooh. Now we have to go. I'm drooling!"

"OK. And while we are out doing our thing, we can have the guys clean my house. It needs a good cleaning."

"Alright. Let's go!" Tifa and Yuffie both got out of their beds and walked happily out the door.

"Oh, Cloud?!" Tifa said sweetly.

"NNNNNOOOOOOOO!" Cloud yelled. Cid came running in, with a big smile on his face.

"Huh? What's wrong? What did I do now?" Tifa asked as she ran to Cloud, who was banging his head on the floor. "And stop that! You'll go into a coma again!"

"I think I won, Strife. Hehehe. So, why don't you start by cleaning the Highwind. Clean Yuffie's *&^$@ area twice. Her @&^%$ chunks are just ~%@&*$ nasty and startin' to *&^$@ smell up that whole &(^%@# quarter!"

"Yeah, yeah." Cloud said.

"Oh, and before you go. You and Vincent are going to take us out later. And then you and all the other guys are going to clean Yuffie's house while we are out relaxing. And what is with this thing about Cid winning something. Did he win the lottery?" Tifa asked.

"No, he won a bet we made. You don't need to know about it. But I can't take you out and do what Cid says at the same time."

"Oh, yes you can. Tomorrow you can do everythin' I say. I can wait. I need to think up a whole bunch of *&$%@ things I want you to do for the whole *&$# 24 hours anyways. And I wanna rest so I can stay up the whole (*^$@ time."

"You are cruel, you know that?"

"Yup. D*mn proud of it, too."

"So, is Vinnie that tired where he won't wake up and greet me? That's OK. Let him sleep. I'm gonna take a shower and get dressed and ready for our day out. It'll take about an hour, so he should be awake by then. I'll be back soon, kay? Oh, and I'm gonna check in with the guys in the pagoda real quick too. You know, to see what I've missed." Yuffie said, walking out of the door towards her house.

"So, Cloud. What was the bet about?"

"Nothing."

"Cloud?"

"What?"

"What was the bet about?"

"Nothing."

"If you say nothing one more time, I am going to throw you out the window! Now, as I said. What was the (&^$#@ bet about?" Tifa asked getting annoyed.

"Whether you and Yuffie would walk out of the room happy or sad."

"That is so stupid. I don't know whether to laugh at you or be mad at you."

"Laugh at me. It will feel better than you being mad."

"Oh, you know I couldn't be mad at you unless it was really mean." Tifa hugged Cloud really tight, then sat on the couch. "And plus. I think you are paying for it by being Cid's slave for a whole day."

"That ain't all. I have to wear a woman's yellow polka dot bikini, too."

"Hahahahahaha! I have to see that!" Tifa giggled. "I can just picture you walking around Wutai wearing a bikini and holding your Ultima Weapon! Hehehehe! That is just...hahahahah...so hilarious! Hahahahahaha!"

"Yeah, yeah. Laugh it all out. Then soon you will get tired of it and quit."

~30 minutes later~

"Hahahahahahahaha! In a bikini! Hahahahahahaha!" Tifa was still laughing.

"Tifa, it really isn't that funny."

"Yes...hahahaha...it is!"

"No. It isn't."

"Yes it is. Trust me. I wouldn't have made you do it if it wasn't funny." Cid said.

"You are just lucky I didn't win. I'd make sure you didn't smoke any of those cancer sticks."

"Yeah, but the thing is, you didn't. I did. So just be happy I ain't goin' to make you *%#@ smoke one of my precious angels."

"Precious angels? More like destructive, life-ruining, expensive, nasty smelling, teeth discoloring, pieces of sh..." Cloud was stopped when Cid hit him on the head with his Gospel, yet again.

"Don't diss my precious beauties!"

"How many times are you going to hit me with that thing?" Cloud asked, rubbing his head.

"What, you mean you actually feel pain? With all that hair for padding? Wow. I learned somethin' new today." Cid said, looking up and smiling.

"You are a cruel old man."

"Yeah, and you are an obnoxious little boy who needs to cut his hair before he pokes someone's eye out."

"Shut up about my hair already!"

"No. You need to know what it is like when you have people teasin' you about stuff you stand up for, like you and your hair, and me and my smokin'."

"But my hair being long won't kill me."

"It can. One day, it will grow so long and gain a brain of its own and take control of your brain, and make you do stuff you don't wanna do. And just think. Your hair is so close to your brain. So you won't have enough time to do anything about it."

"I'm not that stupid. I won't fall for that."

"Oh, yeah you will. Just wait. This time tomorrow, you will have a haircut. Trust me."

"I don't think so."

"How much you willin' to bet?"

"5000 gil."

"Deal. Hehehe. Let's shake on it, for security."

"Fine." They shook hands.

"You don't know how much he screwed you, Cloud. Are you stupid, or just...never mind. You are just stupid. He just won 5000 gil!" Tifa said, smacking him on the head.

"What is it with people hitting my head today? And how? He can't make me...F*CK! &^%$!(*&^!#)*&%!)*&^#!)(&#^!)(#^~()^#!"

"Yup! I am a rich man. Now, what am I going to do with all that gil? Maybe buy some more cigarettes. I am running a little low. Maybe I can buy a little something for...and then...and..." Cid was talking to himself as he walked out the door.

"Cloud? Are you five years old mentally, or do you have some kind of brain damage? You are an idiot!" Tifa yelled.

"I know! You don't have to tell me! I know I am stupid. But it isn't my fault. I was operated on. Kinda. Experimented on, is more like it. My brain may have been replaced with someone else's!"

"The chances of that being true is slim, Cloud."

"It was worth a shot."

"...*yawn*...where is Yuffie? You are out of bed, so Yuffie must be also." Vincent asked Tifa as he got up and stretched.

"She went to take a shower and chat with the Pagoda Club before going out with Tifa." Cait Sith said. He was playing solitaire on the floor.

"Pagoda Club?"

"You know. The whole group at the pagoda. There are too many to keep the names in memory."

"There are only four."

"See! That is just way too much. Why waste memory on something stupid like that when I can remember something even more important?"

"Like how I am going to throw you off Da Chao in a few seconds?"

"Yeah, like that. HEY! What did I do now? You people are just so mean to me sometimes, you know that? I am very offended."
"Good. Now shut up."

"Why, what rudeness!" Cait Sith grabbed a handful of his cards, and walked to the kitchen, where Barret was talking to Marlene and Elmyra on the PHS. That is, he was in there until he was thrown out followed by a long line of obscenities.

"You d*mn cat! I'm on the *(&%@! PHS talking to my baby girl! Don't (&^%$# come in here with your &^%@# stupid self! I don't (*^$#!(*&^$ need you in here to &*^$@ disturb me! &%!$(!&*^#(*!&^$(*!&^@(*^!!#$%&@#$%*~@&!%*~(@*&$^!"

"Doesn't anyone love the mechanical cat?" Cait Sith asked.

"NO!" Everyone yelled.

"I do, daddy." Marlene said from the PHS.

"You don't like that cat, honey. You don't know where it's been. And plus, I can get you pets that are much better than...that...thing."

"Oh, OK then, Daddy. I don't like it."

"That's my little baby girl!"

"What happened here?" Yuffie walked into the room, Cait Sith following slowly behind her.

"Nothing. Just a few disturbances from an annoying cat. How are you doing, Yuffie?" Nanaki asked.

"Fine. But since when did you think Cait Sith was annoying?"

"Since I woke up to everyone yelling at him. I think he needs to learn after a million times that doing certain things can hurt you. How many times was he thrown out of a room? How many times was he thrown out of the Highwind?" Nanaki said, crossing his arms/front legs across his chest.

"&%$#! Something is really starting to &^$!~*& change you. What the *)^$~%@ is happening? Is there such a thing as puberty for...your species?" Cid asked.

"I don't know. Maybe."

"Oh my God. You are just...too un-Nanaki-like for me."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"So, what kind of food do you want to eat, Yuffie? Fast food or nutritious, or what?" Tifa asked. She, Yuffie, Cloud, and Vincent were all walking down the streets of Wutai, hand in hand with their lovers.

"Hmmm...I don't know. I feel like eating grilled cheese sandwiches. And tomato soup. I don't know why, but...I'm just craving that right now. (A/N: Meeeee tooooo!)"

"Well, how about we eat at that place over there. It says...The Tuesday Diner. It sounds nice."

"Yeah, actually, they have the best tomato soup!" Yuffie answered.

"Why is it called Tuesday Diner. Why not Friday?" Cloud asked.

"Because if you eat there on Tuesday, and you are the fifteenth person to order, your meal is free." Yuffie answered.

"Oh. We just missed it then. Today is Wednesday, right?"

"Actually, it's Monday." Vincent corrected.

"Wednesday, Monday, it is still one day from Thursday!"

"No, they are all one day from Tuesday!" Tifa said.

"That's what I said!"

"No, you said Thursday!"

"No I didn't!"

"Yes, you did!"

"No I didn't!"

"Quiet! We're here." Yuffie yelled.

"Yes you did!" Tifa whispered.

"No I didn't!" Cloud whispered back.

"I said shut up, Cloud!"

"She started it!"

"Cloud!"

"..."

"Thank you."

"Good after noon! Would you like a booth or a table? Smoking or non?" The waitress asked. She was tall, and had her light brown hair cut short, so from behind, she would look like a boy. She wore the waitresses outfit designed for women; It was dark blue and silver. The apron thing was silver, and the dress underneath was blue. The dress went down just above her knees. Her shoes were comfy white running shoes.

"Non-smoking booth, please."

"Alright. Right this way, please." She seated them to a booth next to a window where the sun was in their eyes. "I am Emily, and I will be your waitress. May I get you anything to drink?"
"A pitcher of the jasmine tea, please." Yuffie said before anyone could say anything.

"Coffee for me." Cloud said. "I'm gonna need it."

"OK, I'll be back with your drinks and ready to take your order. Here are your menus."

"So, I know what I want. What are you going to eat, Tifa?"

"I'm getting the BLT."

"I'll have the beef and cheddar supreme." Vincent said.

"How about you, Cloud? Cloud? What the hell are you doing?" Tifa yelled.

"I'm closing the shades! The sun is in my eyes!" Cloud pulled the sting, trying to close the shades, but they just came falling down.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Cloud and Yuffie yelled. They both had the window seat.

"Cloud, I am going to KILL YOU!" Yuffie yelled from under the wooden blinds.

"I'm already dead."

"You better believe it, Cloud Strife! You will stay right here in this booth until you fix these blinds! We are going to a different booth until then." Tifa got up and moved to the next available booth.

"Hehehe. Have fun, Cloud. Oh, and if you don't hurry, I'll just have to eat your order!" Yuffie ran to the next booth dragging Vincent behind her.

"Why me? This is just not my day. I lose two bets, get hit twice by Cid's &^%@# Gospel, and have no luck everywhere else I go. What is next?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"We'll call you when we are finished relaxing, so hurry up and start cleaning. All the chemicals are under the bathroom sink. Oh, and don't forget to clean the cat house. And feed and bath all my cats." Yuffie said.

"Anything else?" Cloud asked, his eyes as big as saucers.

"Oh, you can clean the pagoda too, if you really want to. And dad's house. And the shrine across from it."

"I was being sarcastic."

"Oh, well then you don't have to clean all of that. But I was serious about my house and the cat house."

"Fine. As long as you stay there for about FIVE MONTHS!"

"Don't yell or I will make you clean everything else!"

"Just shut up, Cloud. We can handle it." Vincent said calmly.

"Whatever."

"We'll be back, and if the place looks good, you will be rewarded!" Tifa said.

"Ooooh! Rewarded!" Cloud put on a big smile, and kissed Tifa on the cheek. "Bye, then. See you later!"

"Ummm...I think he just got the wrong idea. But don't tell him. He won't be motivated otherwise." Tifa said, slapping her head.

"I'll just go and get to work. Have fun, Yuffie! Tifa!" Vincent walked towards Yuffie's house as Tifa and Yuffie entered the big white building containing their key to a relaxing evening.

"Well, here we go!" Yuffie smiled.

They walked up the front desk, and told them their names. A girl led them to a room on the first floor. On the way, she was explaining the procedures.

"On every floor, there is a different way you are treated. We guarantee that by the time you get back down to the first floor, you will be completely rejuvenated."

"Different procedures on every floor?! I am going to love this!" Tifa exclaimed.

"Yeah! Me too!"

"Here is your room. The first floor is a facial."

"You mean with the cucumbers?" Yuffie asked.

"Yes."

"YEAH!"

"This will take about ten minutes. After that, we transport you to the second floor, where you are put into a bath with more bubbles than you can imagine, and jets, and massagers on the bottom, and cocktail weenies in blankets. (A/N: I think they are called, hors' devours? I call 'em cocktail weenies in blankets.)"

"I feel relaxed already!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"So, where should we start?" Cloud asked. He walked into Yuffie's house first, seeing that it wasn't really that messy. Just dusty.

"Well, I'll start in the living room. I'm taller than you, so I should be able to reach all the high places and get the dust off. You go in the kitchen." Vincent said.

"OK. That should be easy. I mean, she was gone, so there shouldn't be any dishes. And the floor shouldn't be that bad." Cloud walked into the kitchen. "I take that back."

There was a sink full of dishes, and the floor was wet with green slimy water. There were flies on the plates and cups, and there was a dishwasher that was wide open. There was a dirty sock inside.

"Wow. That's a lot you have to clean. Hehehe. See you soon, Cloud. I'll start in her room after I finish the living room. And if I finish her room before you finish the kitchen, I'll start on the bathroom. But you have the basement. Hehehe." Vincent walked out of the room after seeing the extremely messy kitchen.

"Yeah. Right. Why would she have a sock in the dishwasher?!" Cloud asked to himself.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"So, how do you like it so far, Yuffie?" Tifa asked. She was in one of the tubs, carefully feeding herself a cocktail weenie, trying not to get the facial stuff on the food or in her mouth. It may have been toxic.

"Oh, I like it! Hehehe! These little thingies are fun, too!" Yuffie's cucumbers were...well, not intact anymore. One had a bite mark, and another one was gone. It fell in the tub. Of course, she didn't say any of this to Tifa. She would have laughed at her. She was stuffing her face with the appetizers though.

"You are still the little kid Yuffie I know! But that's OK. I don't want you to grow up completely just yet."

"That's good. Because I don't want to completely grow up ever, either."

"Misses? We are ready to take you to the next floor." The girl said. "This is where you are going to have your faces cleaned and rinsed with our special herbal formula, and fully massaged and pampered. I'm sure you are ready."

"Oh, yeah! I'm ready to get this stuff off. It feels...like pudding. Brings back too many memories from when I was nine years old." Tifa stated.

"OK, then you may take off your cucumbers and follow me."

"Yo, Teefs! Can I eat 'em?" Yuffie asked, eating her last piece.

"Sure. I guess. If you really want to."

"Yay!"

"..." The girl just stood there, staring.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Cloud, I just finished the living room and the bathroom. Please tell me that you at least finished the dishes."

"No. I have those ones on the table left to go."

"Well, then I'm going to start on the bathroom. You shouldn't be near any of Yuffie's "toys" anyways."

"You are cruel when no one else is here, you know that?"

"Now I do."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"So, what is after this?" Tifa asked.

"I think it is a full hair treatment."

"Great. We get to...look at all the guys walk by while it is being done. Hehehe."

"What about Cloud?" Yuffie asked.

"He doesn't have to know."

"That's right."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Cloud, no wonder you haven't gone anywhere on the dishes. You put the clean ones under the dirty ones when you are done! You are such an idiot!"

"Why does everyone tell met that? I am not really that stupid!"

"Yes, you are. Any normal person would know that you don't put clean dishes under dirty ones. That is just stupid. I don't know how you did that!"

"Neither do I."

"I'm going to do the dishes, and you...do you think you can mop the floor properly?"

"With this stick with strands of thin rope on the end of it?"

"Yes, Cloud."

"Oh. How do I mop the floor?"

"You dip the thing in the bucket, and move it across the floor until it shines! It isn't that hard!"

"Well, I've never mopped a floor before."

"You are impossible!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Hmmm...let's see. After I make him clean the Highwind, maybe I should make him do my laundry. And make me lots of food." Cid had a long list of things he wanted Cloud to do.

"Well, I think I am going to continue this some time later, but for now, I am going to sleep. If I make too long of a *&%#@ list, he ain't gonna have enough *&%#!  time to do everything I'm gonna want him to *%#@ do, and all hell knows that no one wants the all great Cid Highwind to be disappointed. Hehehe!" Cid chuckled to himself.

"Wait. Did I just "chuckle"?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Do you have a seven?" Barret asked Nanaki.

"Go fish! Do you have a king?"

"Why do you always get at least one of my cards every *(&%# turn you get? I just keep gettin' cards, and you just keep gettin' the pairs! That ain't right! I think you cheatin'!" Barret yelled at the red...Nanaki.

"Why would I need to cheat. I have that talent naturally."

"Yeah, right. Whatever."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"..."

"..."

Tifa and Yuffie were too busy sleeping in the hair treatment room, that the people had to carry them to the next floor where they were going to have their nails and fingers done.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Are you done yet, Cloud?"

"No."

"That's it. You are going to finish this house all by yourself. I cleaned the cat house, fed and bathed all the cats, and all the rooms in this house, and you still haven't finished mopping this one room! You can mop the rest of this floor, and then clean out the attic. It isn't that messy. I just cleaned parts of it. All you have to do is put the boxes in one corner, sweep and mop the floor, and clean the windows."

"All of that?!?!?!"

"What do you mean, "all of that?" That isn't that much. I think you should try to clean everything I did!"

"But you are just...I don't know. A vampire with super speed or something like that!"

"Just keep talking if you wish to have a bullet up your @$$."

"..."

"Good, now get to work."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..."

Cid was peacefully sleeping, his list under his pillow. In his dreams, he was making Cloud clean the Highwind, and the day never ended.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"OK, now I know you cheatin'! You ain't able to win 50 straight games in a row!"

"It is luck, Barret. Pure luck."

"OK, that's it. Let me see you're carbon bangle. Now."

"No. That has nothing to do with anything."

"Oh, yes it does. You have luck plus, don't you?"

"...maybe."

"You *%#$#@*^%@!(&^$@*%^#~^ cheater!"

"How is cheating when you have a little help? It is my materia."

"I don't care!"

"Why are you so mad? It was just a game."

"Because! I just am!" Barret stood up quickly, and slammed his fist against the table. Five purple materias fell out of his armor."

"...Are those...luck plus materias?"

"..."

"You cheated too!"

"Yeah, but it didn't really help, now did it?"

"Are yours mastered?"

"No."

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Mine are."

"&^$@!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Many hours later *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"OK. That was refreshing. I feel like I slept for a million years!" Yuffie exclaimed as she ran out of the building.

"Yeah, me too!"

"Well, I want to hurry up and make sure my house is still standing. The guys better not have messed it up. It wasn't that messy of a house. All there was to clean were a few dishes, and dusting here and there. A few repairs, too. But that is all."

"Well, then it should still be there. Cleaned and ready for you to inspect!"

"Wait, Tifa. That is my house, and there is smoke coming out of the window in the attic. Oh my God! My house is on fire!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Well, I guess we are even, then." Barret said.

"Yes. I believe we are." Nanaki agreed.

"I'm happy that you two have settled your differences, so can I have my cards back now?" Cait Sith asked from the kitchen.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz" Cid still slept in his room, with the same dream.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"I can't believe it! Tifa, you go get the others. I am going to save my house and beat the crap out of the person or people who started the fire!"

"OK. I'll meet you there!" Tifa and Yuffie ran in opposite directions. Yuffie running faster than Tifa, and Tifa pacing herself for the six block run.

^*^ Please don't be Vinnie! If it is Vinnie, I don't know what I'll do. ^*^ Yuffie thought, as she ran through the door and up to the attic. She stopped when she saw who was in front of the source of the smoke.

"Cloud? What the hell are you doing?"

"Just burning these papers. They were old, and wet, and stuff, and I figured you didn't need them anymore. Why?"

"ARE YOU TRYING TO BURN MY HOUSE DOWN?! IF YOU WANT TO BURN SOMETHING, YOU DO IT OUTSIDE! YOU IDIOT!"

"But I have the papers in a barrel, and there is a top on. I have a hole for the smoke to come out of, too. I know what I am doing."

"No, you don't. What kind of moron would burn something INSIDE A HOUSE in THE ATTIC where there is lots of WOOD that is very FLAMMABLE?!"

"Ummm...me?"

"Thank you for admitting your stupidity, now get some water and come back up here and put out this fire. Then, grab this barrel and put it outside in the back where it should be. And you are never to go into my house again!"

"...fine. At least I won't have to clean the *&%$@!# place again."

"NOW!"

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"Hurry up! Yuffie's house is gonna burn down! And...Vincent? Aren't you supposed to be with Cloud?"

"I knew I shouldn't have left him alone!" Vincent cursed to himself.

"Then, let's go!"

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"Here. Is this good?" Cloud walked in with a small cup of water.

"Are you trying to piss me off on purpose? Dumb@ss!"

"What? There wasn't any other things that could hold water that were bigger than this!"

"Then you go and find some in the basement!"

"That would be smart, huh?"

"...yes, Cloud. It would be smart, but that definitely doesn't describe you, now does it?"

"That's it! I've taken enough crap from all of you today! Take this!"

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"Yuffie! Vincent and the others are here to...what is going on?"

"He started it! It is his fault. He said we were all being incredibly mean to him, and I don't think I was, and he just jumped me, so I am fighting back, because I did nothing wrong!"

"Yuffie and Cloud were struggling to try to pin the other on the ground, but so far, they were just rolling around on the floor. The boxes that Cloud stacked nicely were pushed over, and the contents spilled out on the once  sparkling floor.

"NO! I just cleaned that! I quit!" Cloud stood up and started to walk out, but was stopped by Barret.

"You ain't goin' nowhere. You gonna stay and help us clean this mess. You can start with your little bonfire over there. Do what Yuffie told you to do earlier. Now. Before I tear your head of your skinny shoulders!"

"Fine. It's not like I can't do what I want to anymore. I am just ordered around, and told to do this, and that, and I feel like all of my freedom has been taken away from me. You don't know how hard it is to deal with all of your criticisms every day, every hour! And to baby-sit you all, because you can't fight worth crap!"

"What did you say about our fighting?" Everyone growled as they all looked at him with angry glares.

"I'll tell you. You. Can't. Fight. Worth. Crap."

"Cloud! Stop it! You shouldn't be so mean!"

"Tifa, why are you standing up for them? They have all been so rude to me since the whole incident in the shrine! Especially Cid! I just don't understand why I am the one to be yelled at after all of this time, when it is obvious I am the victim."

"I just don't understand you. They were teasing you. You are actually meaning everything you say, and you are just about to burn down a house that doesn't belong to you!"

"You're right. You don't understand me. No one does. I don't even understand myself sometimes."

"Then let us help you, but don't seek revenge for stupid things. That isn't like you."

"Alright. I'm sorry Tifa. Everyone." Just then, Yuffie knelt down, and threw up.

"Yuffie!" Everyone cried. She ran downstairs to the bathroom, and washed up. Everyone followed closely behind, but were listening carefully through the closed door.

"Are you OK, Yuffie? Yuffie!" Tifa yelled through the door. Yuffie opened it, and walked out looking concerned.

"I don't know. I felt fine, but then I felt nauseous, and then I just...threw up." Yuffie explained. Then, she snapped her head up to meet everyone's eyes.

"Oh my God. I think...I think that...I...oh my GOD!" She fell on the floor, crying. Vincent knelt down, and hugged her, and rubbed her back.

"Yuffie? What is it? What's wrong? Are you...no. You can't. Yuffie, I can't believe I forgot! Yuffie..." Vincent gasped as he suddenly remembered a very valuable piece of information.

"What?! Did you forget a part of the whole killing of Goliath thing, or what?"

"..."

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OK. That was a very long chapter. Probably the longest I've ever done. So, you'll just have to wait until a little while for the next chapter. Please read and review (as always).

Ruri-sugar