Chapter Three

Costa del Sol had grown quite a bit since the last time I saw it. We'd just had our first encounter with Sephiroth, and Jenova. Yet we'd still been pretty carefree. Like it was just some grand adventure. Maybe it was the sun and the sand, or maybe we were all still innocent fools. Looking back on it, I was more inclined to believe the latter.

Now my only question was, where to go? I had the entire world open to me, I could go anywhere I wanted to live, to escape. I went to the information booth and asked for a map of the continent, then for one of the world. Looking at the world map also reminded me of Avalanche, so I folded it up and stuck it in my pocket. Maybe I could bring myself to look at it later.

"Hey missie, you want a ride?" It took me a moment to realize the comment was directed at me. I turned to see a scraggly-looking man standing in front of an old Shin-Ra helicopter. I guess since Shin-Ra wouldn't be using it anymore, he'd claimed it as his own. I tried not to deck him when I walked up and saw him looking me up and down like I was something on a menu. I could tell by the way he stood there he thought he was the Planet's gift to women. He certainly didn't seem like a prize to me.

"Where are you going?" I asked him as politely as I could manage. He leaned closer, leering at me, and I could smell liquor on his breath. But for some reason, he didn't seem drunk, just perverted.

"I can take you anywhere you want girlie." He said, running a hand through his greasy brown hair. I couldn't help but wrinkle my nose at him, but still, he could take me somewhere a lot quicker than going by Chocobo or train. And if he tried anything, I could take him easily. So I nodded and handed him a handful of gil. He wagged his eyebrows at me, told me I could pay him when we got there, and climbed into the cockpit. I followed, making sure to sit in the back.

"So, where am I taking you?" He asked, seemingly in a more professional mood now that he couldn't see me. I pulled out the map of the continent and scanned it, looking for something that would jump out at me. Well, something did, but it wasn't what I expected.

"Nibelheim," I answered, surprised at what came out of my mouth. Why I wanted to go back there, I had no idea. Up until now it was the last place on the Planet I wanted to be. Still, maybe a trip home was in order. I could get back to my roots, sort out my thoughts in solitude. At least, I hoped I could. I told myself I could just try to ignore all the bad memories associated with the place.

I jumped out of the helicopter before the blades had even stopped spinning. I was afraid if I spent another minute in a confined space with the pilot, I might hurt him.

"So, how much do I owe you?" I asked. The look on his face wasn't at all what I wanted to see.

"I'll strike you a deal." He said slimily. "Now, I'm a very lonely man, so I wouldn't charge you anything for the ride," he paused, licking his lips. "If I got to take you for a ride." His eyes widened a little at the angry look in my eyes, but he quickly grinned, raising his hands in innocence.

"Now, now, no need to slap me or anything. It was just an offer."

"Oh, I wasn't going to slap you," I said sweetly, flashing him a brilliant smile. He smiled back, then fell to the ground as my fist connected with his jaw.

I was surprised to find the town still populated by the actors Shin-Ra had hired. I learned from the innkeeper that when Shin-Ra had fallen, everyone had decided that since they were already settled here, they might as well stay. To tell the truth, finding it full of people I didn't know was better than finding it abandoned. Seeing Nibelheim was still alive was reassuring. In a way, it made me feel that maybe I would be alright, too.

Luckily, no one had moved into my old house yet, and so using the last of my gil, I told the innkeeper I'd rent it out from him.

"No need for that, Miss. If it was your house, the least I can do is give it back to ya. After all, none of us were ever supposed to be here anyway."

I smiled at him genuinely, the first real smile I think I'd given anyone in a long time. It felt good, and so the smile stayed on my face as I headed to my childhood home. I paused before opening the door, glancing at the house next door. Cloud used to live there. Now it was occupied by strangers. This led me to look around the entire town square. None of it was supposed to be here. After all this time, I still couldn't shake the deep feeling that this town was not supposed to exist. I can still remember the look on Cloud's face when we walked in, and didn't find piles of burned rubble and ashes. It was probably the same way my face had looked.

But Nibelheim was still here, and I was still here, and so I figured I may as well make the best of it. I ran upstairs, pleased, and a little frightened, to find my bedroom exactly as it had been. Shin-Ra had really gone all out trying to cover things up in the wake of Sephiroth's destruction.

I fondly ran my fingers over the ivory keys of the piano. I knew it wasn't the one that had originally been here, but it looked exactly the same. It brought back memories, of happier days spent playing simple tunes, smiling at my father's applause. Maybe I could settle down here for awhile, make some extra money teaching piano, or martial arts, or something.

I took another look at my old bedroom, then outside the window at the old well. Above it was the same old sky, filled with millions of bright stars. I realized that for the first time in what seemed like ages, I felt happy. I felt . . .home.