A/N- - punts writers block. - Well. I wanna give a thank you to all the reviewers and a sorry for not updating and for having no clue on how to write French. Lol.

Chapter Four: Accidental Ambush

Leon was suddenly attacked by a tango-dancing Cid.

"Cid!?" Leon yelled and pushed away from the man, rather surprised. Cid just laughed and took Leon into another tango dance, then, twirled him. Cid was really happy...And he was terrifying Leon by doing so. Leon pushed away again and kept up his hands in a 'stay away...' stance.

"Hah! Leon you wouldn't believe it!"

"...You turned homosexual?" Leon swallowed; hoping not.

"No, moron! I was walkin' 'round passing out them flyers and this broad came up who looked like Shera. Well, turns out it was 'er! So, we were talking and what not and she said she'll see me at the dance!"

"..." Leon blinked. And stood a little more upright. Aerith and Yuffie came running up the stairs in the library since they heard Leon yell.

"Leon, what's wrong?" Aerith asked. Leon gave a side glance and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Cid is in love." He replied. Aerith and Yuffie burst out laughing.

"It's true! I found Shera...Now I can tell 'er how I feel." Cid mumbled off and placed his hands at his sides.

Aerith and Yuffie suddenly stopped laughing and stared at Cid, then, glanced to Leon who only shrugged still slightly mortified from Cid's sudden dancing.

"Wow, good for you, Cid!" Aerith finally broke the sudden awkward silence, Yuffie nodded in agreement.

"Yeah! Maybe you won't be so crabby anymore." Yuffie added on.

"HEY! I ain't crabby!" Cid contorted back but only made Yuffie roll her eyes.

Aerith and Yuffie then went back down the stairs so Aerith could finish up their dresses for the ball. Leon scooted away from Cid and sat down at the desk which was still piled up with papers, and sighed. Cid blinked and canted his head to Leon.

"S'matter, boy?"

"Nothing." Leon quickly got out.

"Yeah, there is. C'mon, tell me. We're men 'ere."

"If Shera made it...What if Rinoa did, too?" Leon tapped his index finger against the desk. Cid shrugged.

"It could happen. What's wrong with that? Should be happy."

"Yeah..." Leon trailed off into thought. Cid shook his head and slapped Leon on the shoulder making him jump a little. "Loosen up, Leon," Cid grinned then glanced to the paper work. "So, what else do we gotta do?"

"Make new laws. These are too strict, but Ansem never had a chance to try them out. Which is good."

"You found Ansem's notes?" Cid sounded surprised.

"Yeah. He wanted to rule like a tyrant. Good thing Sora defeated him."

"Ooh, it's wonderful, Aerith! Thank you so much!" Yuffie squealed with happiness and twirled around in her new dress. Yuffie requested something to remind her of home, Wutai, so Aerith went passed her skill to make a kimono for Yuffie. The silk was the color of light blue with black intricate designs of sakura blossoms upon the sleeves and...Well, everywhere. Of course, Yuffie looked elegant in it rather than a pink-unicorn-princess.

Aerith smiled and had her own dress on. Just a simple dress, and something that matched the dress she wore when Cloud had to save the girl named Tifa by pretending to be a girl. The material silky, just like Yuffie's, but strapless with and bustier of a dark red, same with the bottom part, but it wasn't as "poofy" but more slender to show off Aerith's curves.

"I bet Leon will be surprised. I'll show him I'm not some frilly unicorn princess!" Yuffie inspected her kimono within the full length mirror. Right now they were in Aerith's room within the castle: A rather large room filled with mostly pink, dark red, and some whites. She had two large windows adjacent to one another that look over the city. The sun rays from the windows would light up the room.

"Maybe he'll ask you to dance with him?" Aerith smoothed down her own dress.

"Me? No way! He's probably gonna find some isolated corner and stay there."

"Mm, I don't know." Aerith smirked. Yuffie turned to Aerith and tilted her head slightly.

"Leon is a stuck up moron who needs to understand the world isn't going to just leave him alone!"

"But he is cute..." Aerith wanted to really know Yuffie's feelings.

"Well...I guess...Ooh! Aerith that's unfair!" Yuffie blushed and turned back to the mirror. Aerith giggled.

"Uh."

Aerith blinked and turned to her half-open door where two glowing blues were. She smiled and quickly walked up to her door greeting Cloud who leaned on the door panel casually, arms folded. He stared at her, not even blinking. She frowned.

"Is the dress too slut-ish?"

"What? No!" Cloud exclaimed while shaking his head. "It...Uhm..." He rubbed the back of his head, Cloud was horrible at romance. "Looks nice on you." It was said slowly, and awkwardly rather than smoothly. Aerith only smiled broader for she knew he really meant it no matter how odd it sounded.

"So, what's wrong?" Aerith asked.

"I...Wanted to know if you would like to, y'know...If you're not busy right now or anything just..."

"A date...?" Aerith had to keep her composure.

"Yeah." Cloud breathed. Aerith nodded happily and gestured to wait a moment and ran up to Yuffie and whispered into her ear. Yuffie grinned and nodded, then hastily left giving a nod to Cloud before leaving.

Aerith hurriedly put on her regular pink dress, brown leather boots, dark blue belt, and silver wrist bands about her left arm. Straightening up her hair and tightening up her dark red bow she then skipped up to her door and exited, closing the wooden door behind her and looking to Cloud, and beaming. Then, Aerith noticed that Cloud wasn't wearing his usual warrior-get-up but a simple dark gray long coat that reaches his knees and was unbuttoned showing a off-white shirt and simple jeans. He looked so handsome to Aerith.

"Ready?" He asked, and presented his arm to her. Aerith nodded and wrapped her own hands around it as he guided her down the long red carpeted corridor.

"You look very nice." Aerith nodded to his get up as they both walked the streets of Hollow Bastion and for a cafe nearby. Cloud just bowed his head trying to hide his blushing and nodded.

"Thanks..." Cloud's hand, which used to be encased in that claw, would now come closer to her own hand and then clasp around it. Aerith grasped back and now they looked like a full-fledged couple.

"Cid is getting better at dancing." Cloud tried to strike up a conversation.

"Yeah. Almost good as you." She teased.

"Almost. I can't believe he found Shera, too. Do you think--"

Cloud was cut short by the yells of people on the street. Aerith gasped and Cloud quickly searched the area -- Then found the source.

The Turks?!

Cloud blinked and gestured for Aerith to stay back, she nodded and stepped back a few paces. Reno had jumped down from a building and started to walk towards Cloud along with the brute Rude behind him.

"Reno? Rude? What are you guys doing here?!" Cloud asked out loud, his hand protectively out stretched before Aerith. The Turks only smirked, Reno of course would do the talking since Rude wasn't much of one.

"To attend the ball, of course. Oh, and kick your ass." Reno cracked his knuckles and brought his hand to his somewhat slanted belt, twirling out his Electro-Mag rod people started to scatter for fear of getting themselves shocked. Rude slanted his head to a side and gave a crack there, then, raised up his fists.

Cloud reached up to his back...Only to remember he was Buster sword-less, he groaned and gestured to Aerith to run. Aerith bit her lower lip and shook her head standing next to him.

"No! I know magic, that can assist you." Aerith then placed her hands together in a praying motion. Cloud just sighed knowing Aerith was always stubborn and only charged at Reno with a kick to the Turk's jaw.

However, before a full-fledged fight could commence Cloud was saved by the unlikeliest of friends...Or rather foe.

Sephiroth pushed Reno into a wall and wrapped his arms around his back making Reno drop his Electro-Mag and yell out in sudden surprise. Rude was actually taken down by a girl, Rude was twice her size! Cloud remembered her...It was Sabin. She placed her broad katana's tip to Rude's throat who was on the ground dumbfounded.

"I told you, Strife," Sephiroth turned to Cloud still with Reno pushed up against the wall like a arrested punk. "All I want is allegiance."

Cloud blinked and stared at Sephiroth. He seemed so truthful...So right. Though, Cloud only glared and stepped back to Aerith still trying to protect her. Aerith only stared in mixed confusion at the One-Winged Angel.

"Ah, Aerith," Sephiroth nodded. "Still alive."

Reno then murmured something, but it was hard to comprehend, Sephiroth only pushed him yet again against the wall making Reno smush his face against the brick. Sabin kept her back to Cloud and Aerith, and stayed absolutely silent.

"Let us be friends yet again, Strife." Sephiroth then out stretched a hand to Cloud, with a slight plea within those same mako drenched eyes. "Now that I have proven myself."

Cloud blinked and looked at this whole scene. He then flickered a glance to Aerith who only bit her lower lip and gave an un-sure expression within her eyes. Cloud was un-sure himself but had to think quickly.

Were The Turks and Sephiroth in lead and just making this look real?

Or did Sephiroth actually save Cloud and Aerith?

The questions played at Cloud's mind until he rubbed the back of his head. Looking over Sephiroth again and his still outstretched hand Cloud just made a inward silent groan.

Then, that same hand that rubbed the back of Cloud's neck would shake Sephiroth's skintight gloved hand.

End of Chapter Four

A/N- What is this? Sephiroth beating up on the Turks!? Hmm, and a cliffhanger. Oh my. What on Earth is going to happen now? ;)

YES I AM ALIVE AND BACK! I've been tired and sick lately.