Disclaimer: Cloud, Aerith, and co. are all copyright SquareEnix, Co. Reilena Gainsborough is copyright Vinja Ryou.
A/N: This takes place during the imprisonment/fight with Hojo's Samples. Creative liberties have been taken with this, so if it doesn't seem familiar...that's why. Oh yes...Reilena's gift is of vast importance that will be revealed in due time.
"So where's you takin' all of us now?" Barret asked gruffly, standing in the back of the elevator car. Rude peered over his shoulder just as the elevator stopped, and stood aside, allowing the large man to exit first. Across from them, Cloud and Tifa walked out of an elevator followed by Elena, and Red ambled out beside Reno. Rude nodded toward Reno, who led the group out of the 67th floor elevator corridor. Walking past Hojo's familiar storing area, the Turks led their prisoners down a hall of holding cells. Rude and Reno walked to the end cell, opening it up; Red walked in first. Rude quickly undid Barret's handcuffs and shoved him into the cell, shutting it before he could think of escaping. Laughing sarcastically, Barret looked around the cell. "Aw, real nice. I see Shinra don't waste its money on prisons."
"I swear, you're the most talkative prisoner we've had yet," Elena snapped, unlocking Tifa's handcuffs; a moment later she and Cloud were pushed into the cell next to Barret and Red's. The door was slammed shut, and the Turks left the premises. Cloud sat down on the cot in his and Tifa's cell, his arms on his knees, while Tifa sat cross-legged on the ground beside him.
"Well this is a setback," Tifa muttered to herself, fixing her gloves uselessly. Cloud glanced down at his longtime friend, blowing out a sigh.
No use talking to Barret at least, Cloud thought. I wonder how he's doing. Leaning back on the cot, Cloud listened through the stone wall of his cell; there was no real reason for it though, as the irate AVALANCHE leader's voice carried throughout the corridors.
Barret leaned against the wall of his own cell, glancing down at Red as he spoke. "Aerith and Reilena are Ancients, and the real name of the Ancients is the Cetra," he said, thinking aloud. "The Ancients know where the Promised Land is and the Shinra is searching for that Promised Land. Pfft, I only heard stories 'bout the Promised Land. I don't know if it even exists. Is that right?" Red remained silent, and Barret continued. "The Shinra believe that the Promised Land is full of Mako energy. Which means, if the Shinra get there, they'll suck up all the Mako energy…and the land'll wither away. The Planet's gonna get weaker." A determined look came over Barret's face, and he smacked his fist into the wall beside him. "I can't just leave 'em be…I'm recruitin' new members!! Me, Tifa, Cloud…and Aerith and Reilena too." Nodding to himself, Barret glanced down at Red. "How 'bout you?" Red merely looked up at Barret drowsily, and laid his muzzle back on his forelegs; Barret rolled his eyes, folding his arms. "You're so damn boring," he mumbled, sitting down on the cot. Near his feet, Red pawed at his muzzle, his brow furrowed.
"…Grandpa," Red murmured. Barret looked down at Red, wide-eyed.
"Grandpa?!" Barret covered his mouth, trying to stifle his laughter as he listened to the snoozing creature. "Grandpa, hmm…ha, ha, ha…" Suddenly, Red stirred, his eye opening, and looked up at Barret as he yawned.
"What's so funny?" Red asked; Barret shook his head, the smile still on his face, though his laughter had mostly subsided.
"Nothin'…ha, ha," he replied, holding his hands up in mock surrender. Red cocked his head, gazing over Barret. A moment later he sneezed, and lay back down on the ground.
Cloud shook his head, having listened to the entire little conversation between Red and Barret. Stretching his arms over his head, he glanced down at the floor beside the cot; Tifa leaned against the stone wall, braiding her hair absentmindedly. Cloud smiled lightly; he had to admit that he'd missed Tifa while on his SOLDIER excursions, and it had been nice meeting up with her again in Midgar. He worried a bit about her involvement in AVALANCHE, even though it seemed that she could hold her own well enough, not to mention Aerith and Reilena. Cloud glanced up at the ceiling of their cell with a low sigh; I wonder how Aerith and Rei are doing.
Aerith slowly reopened her eyes; her hands were still clasped before her. She had been praying; praying for hers and her sister's safety, for the Planet's safety, and for Cloud's safety.
She and Reilena had been captured by Reno not too long after leaving Cloud and the others; though Red had put up quite a fight trying to protect them, it had been to no avail, and the redheaded Turk had brought both Gainsboroughs to their cell. Elena assisted Reno, and took Red captive. Neither Aerith nor Reilena knew where Red had been taken, nor did they know how the rest of their group was, which was exactly why Aerith had been praying almost ever since she and her sister had been taken to their prison. Finally, Aerith dropped her hands to her lap, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she gazed across the tiny cell at her sister.
Reilena sat against the wall of the cell, rolling her silver Materia in her hands. She'd kept it hidden from the Turks when they'd captured Aerith and herself, and pulled it out only after she was certain Reno and Elena had left the premises. The Materia's glow was still bright, but it was deepening as well; even now, its glow was almost pitch-black. Tilting her head curiously, she glanced up at her sister; Aerith looked right back at her, a worried look in her eyes.
"Rei…where do you think the others were taken?" she asked. "I'm worried about them."
"You mean you're worried about Cloud," Reilena said. Aerith raised an eyebrow; her younger sister laughed. "Aerith, you like Cloud. It's so obvious, y'know, but Tifa likes him too. I can tell; she's getting jealous of you." Reilena turned her glance back down to her Materia as Aerith's blush deepened; as she dropped her gaze to the floor, Aerith noticed the darkening sheen of the Materia as well. Looking up again, Reilena saw the look on Aerith's face, and stopped rolling the stone. "Aerith, what is it?"
"The Materia…" she said, inching closer to her sister; once she was in front of Reilena, she looked down at the stone curiously. "It's almost black…why?" Reilena shrugged, quickly pocketing the stone.
"I have no idea. It just started about an hour ago," she murmured, not meeting Aerith's gaze. "I have no idea why it's doing that though - all the other times when it would glow, it would be a bright silver colour, but that was always before…" she trailed off, leaving Aerith to stare at her suspiciously.
"Rei…what aren't you telling me?" she whispered. Reilena shook her head, and Aerith took her sister's hands in hers. "You have to tell me…" she stopped suddenly, listening; she could've sworn she heard a familiar voice just across the corridor.
"…I only heard stories 'bout the Promised Land, though…" Barret said; Aerith stared at Reilena, hope glimmering in her eyes.
"That was Barret!" she whispered happily. "That means Cloud must be nearby!" Dropping Reilena's hands, Aerith rose to her feet and walked silently to their cell door. "Cloud…are you there?"
Wha?! Was that Aerith's voice he'd heard? Cloud sat up straight on his cot, leaning toward the cell door. "Aerith!?"
"Yeah?" It was she alright; Cloud breathed a sigh of relief.
"You safe?"
"Yeah, I'm all right." Aerith peered over at Reilena happily. "I knew Cloud would come for me." Reilena rolled her eyes; across the hall, Cloud chuckled.
"Hey, I'm your bodyguard, right?" he said. Aerith smiled.
"And the deal was for one date, right?" she replied. Reilena turned to her sister, wide-eyed; beside Cloud, Tifa sat up straight, jealous pangs running through her. She looked over at Cloud; he was now leaning toward the cell door, talking to Aerith, and she pouted.
"…Oh, I get it," Tifa muttered, loud enough for Aerith to hear; the older Gainsborough raised an eyebrow. Reilena smiled.
"Tifa! Tifa, you're there, too!" Aerith called. Tifa sniffed, walking over to the cell door. Peering through, she saw Aerith sitting near the door and gave her a solemn look.
"EXCUSE me," she said, inching past Cloud; surprised, Cloud sat back on the cot, allowing Tifa room to speak. She turned back to Aerith with the same calm look. "You know Aerith, I have a couple questions."
"What?"
"First off, where's Rei?"
"Right here," Reilena called; as Tifa watched, Reilena came up beside Aerith. "I'm fine Tifa…how about you guys?" Tifa smiled.
"Cloud an' I are okay; Barret and Red are next door. 'Far as I know, they're fine." Clearing her throat, she continued. "Now my second question for you both; does the Promised Land really exist?" Silence; Aerith and Reilena looked at each other, both wondering just how much they should say. After a moment, Aerith finally began.
"…We don't know," she said with a low sigh. "All we know is…"
"The Cetra were born from the Planet, speak with the Planet, and unlock the Planet," Reilena cut in. She clapped a hand over her mouth, looking over at Aerith. "Sorry 'bout that."
"Don't worry about it - we can both tell them," Aerith replied. She turned back to the door and continued. "It's as Reilena said…and…then…" she sighed again. "The Cetra will return to the Promised Land. A land that promises supreme happiness." She went silent, hanging her head. Beside her, Reilena leaned her head on Aerith's shoulder; across from their cell, Tifa shot Cloud a strange look, having waved him over to listen during the explanation.
"…What does that mean?" she finally asked.
"…Speak with the Planet?" Cloud mused aloud. Tifa looked over at him; Cloud nodded.
"Just what does the Planet say?"
"It's full of people and noisy," Aerith replied.
"That's why it's so hard to make out what they are saying," Reilena added. Cloud dropped his gaze; it sounded as if both Aerith and Reilena were a bit distressed from talking about it, but they needed to know as much as possible, as soon as possible…
"You hear it now?" he asked quietly, looking across the hall; Aerith and Reilena both shook their heads.
"We…we only heard it at the church in the slums," Aerith replied, her voice taking on a distant tone. "Mother said that Midgar was no longer safe. That is…our real mother," she said, taking Reilena's hand in hers.
"Someday, we'll get out of Midgar…speak with the Planet…and find our Promised Land…that's what Mom said," Reilena continued. Aerith nodded, wiping at her eyes with her free hand.
"We thought we would stop hearing her voice as we grew up, but…it's still there…still guiding, speaking…excuse me…" Aerith trailed off, leaning her head on Reilena's shoulder; Reilena stroked her sister's hair, hugging her as she cried quietly.
"Aerith's a little upset now, guys," Reilena whispered. "Best that we stop talking about it for the time being." Cloud nodded in agreement, sitting back from the door.
"Of course. I'm sorry," he said. Turning back to Tifa, he shook his head slowly. "So they really are the last of the Ancients…that's why the Turks were after them that day," Cloud murmured.
"What are you talking about?" Tifa asked, sitting back from the door. Cloud sighed.
"The day I dropped in through the church - Reno came in, looking for Aerith and Reilena. Said something about chasing them for so long," he explained. "And then of course, after all we heard from Elmyra…it just all makes sense now." Tifa nodded slowly, the thoughts finally falling into place, and glanced up at Cloud with determination.
"So is there any way we can get out of here?" she asked. Cloud stood up for a moment, a hand underneath his chin as he glanced about. The walls seemed too strong for him to break through with his sword and weak Materia magic…
"Leave it to me," he replied. Tifa grinned.
"Cloud, you're so brave!" she whispered. Cloud shook his head, climbing off the cot. Tifa shot him a curious glance, and he gestured for her to take it.
"Let's just get some sleep now. You can take the cot," he said. Tifa nodded gratefully, and laid down on the cot with a yawn. Cloud sat down against the wall, resting his chin on his chest as he shut his eyes. We have to get out of here, and soon. There's no telling what will happen if Shinra has the Ancients in possession.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
They were nearby; he could sense it. The Shinra had them. His glare narrowed, he stepped off the 66th floor elevator calmly. Just a few seconds later, he heard several footsteps running down the corridor, and shook his head.
"Stay right where you are!" a Shinra SOLDIER yelled. Still shaking his head, he stood in the center of the corridor, facing the direction of the footsteps. Four SOLDIERs came around the corner, each with their own Buster Sword, and lined up. Their leader raised his own sword to give out his next command, but stopped just short of yelling, eyes widened in fear. "Y-you're…but we thought…General?" the lead SOLDIER stuttered.
"You remember? I'm touched," he replied calmly. A low metallic shht cut the air; the four SOLDIERs gasped upon seeing the huge longsword. He looked over the SOLDIERs with a cold smile. "It'll be the last thing you do remember." The sword sliced through the air; Shinra's elite force had no chance. In seconds, the men slumped to the ground, their blood covering the ground and walls. He sheathed his sword quietly and continued on his way; there was someone he had to see before his 'meeting' with President Shinra.
He walked up the stairs to the 67th floor, toward the holding cells Professor Hojo had near his storage laboratory. Stepping out of the stairwell, the only noise he could hear besides his own footsteps was snoring; he raised an eyebrow, heading toward the cell corridor, and glanced toward the corner of the hallway. Elite SOLDIERs indeed, he thought, staring down at the sleeping Shinra guard. In one smooth motion he drew his blade, slit the man's throat with the very end, and replaced the weapon. Certain the SOLDIER was dead, he knelt down in front of the corpse and took the cell keys from its hand, then rose and walked down the corridor.
It wasn't a very long walk; he stopped at the second-to-last cell on his left and peered inside, glancing down for a second at the keyring he held. The cell key was simple to find; in seconds he unlocked the cell door and strode in, silent as he gazed around. He brushed his hair from his eyes, and spied what looked to be a person lying along the wall. Keeping as quiet as possible, he walked over to the body and knelt down beside it; it was whom he'd been looking for for the time being. Even in the darkness, he could see the dimmed glow of the gift he'd given her several years back. He picked up her wrist to check for a pulse; she was alive. The Shinra hadn't killed her just yet. A soft smile came over his face as he set her hand down and gazed down at her.
Silence; a moment or two passed by before her eyes started to open, slowly but surely. He stayed at her side, waiting; she stifled a yawn and glanced up tiredly. A split-second later her eyes widened, jolted awake, and she gasped. "Seph…!" He laid a finger on her lips, shaking his head, and she stayed silent, but still in shock.
"I told you I would return, Reilena," he whispered. "Did I not?" Reilena nodded, and Sephiroth dropped his hand, letting her speak. She stared at him wide-eyed, raising a hand to his face, then his hair; he was sitting there all right, this wasn't a hallucination or anything. Taking her hand back, Reilena glanced down at the floor for a moment.
"What's going on? Where've you been? Why are you here?" she rattled off, her voice shaky. Sephiroth shook his head, chuckling under his breath, and stood up, offering his hand to Reilena. She took his hand and he helped her to her feet, then continued.
"What I am here for…I cannot explain at the moment. I knew the Shinra had the last Ancients imprisioned though, and that is all I can say," he replied. A glance at Reilena's face to see the confused look she still gave him, and he nodded once. "I know Aerith and yourself are the last of the Cetra."
"How?" Again he shook his head, and took her face in his hand gently, making sure she looked up at him as he spoke.
"I can't explain. I promise though…" he continued, just as Reilena was about to argue, "I will begin to tell you everything soon. Until that time comes...I will watch over you." He looked into her eyes closely, trying to read her thoughts; Reilena glanced down, and Sephiroth dropped his hand from her face, taking her hands in his.
"So you can't tell me anything right now," she muttered. "After all this time, after what Aerith, Cloud, and I have been through…and you won't tell me a thing."
Cloud…so he's found them as well, Sephiroth thought irritably. He glanced down at Reilena, deciding not to ask her about the ex-SOLDIER, and nodded. "There will be a time when I will return again…then will I begin to explain everything," he replied. Reilena shook her head, taking her hands back as she lowered her eyes to the floor.
"Then go. You have nothing of importance to say or do at the moment, so go. Leave us to find out what the Shinra have planned for us," Reilena shot back. Sighing, Sephiroth reached into his trenchcoat, and held his hand out to Reilena. Arching an eyebrow, she stared first at Sephiroth's outstretched hand, then up into his eyes. "What is that?"
"You still have the Materia I gave you," he said calmly. "You were never able to do anything with it, correct?"
"Right…what are you getting at? Do you know anything about it, or does that explanation have to wait, too?" she said sarcastically. Instead of answering, Sephiroth took her hand and set down what he'd had in her palm. Still skeptical, Reilena glanced down at what he had given her, and stared back up at him, confused. "The hell?"
"The silver Materia will fit in the pendant. Trust me," he replied, gesturing toward the black necklace he'd given her. Reilena glanced down at the necklace - the charm was a small size, just big enough for the stone, and had what almost looked like simple claws on the upper and lower part of the charm. She reached into her pocket and took out the Materia stone, setting it in the pendant; just as Sephiroth predicted, the stone fit perfectly.
"You were right," Reilena muttered, glancing over the pendant. Sephiroth laughed quietly, reaching for the necklace. Reilena allowed him to take it back; to her surprise though, he stepped behind her, brushing her hair from her neck, and circled the pendant around her throat, fastening it quickly. Sephiroth then walked in front of Reilena again, a small smile adorning his face as Reilena looked down at the pendant. She glanced back up at Sephiroth, her eyes a mixture of confusion and gratitude. "Thanks…" He nodded.
"Soon. I promise you." Reilena sighed, bowing her head.
"Five years' soon…?" she began; black-gloved hands on either side of her face tilted her head up. Sephiroth shook his head, the same calm smile across his lips; a moment later he leaned down and kissed her, gently at first. She reached up to touch his hand, returning his kiss; to her slight surprise however, Sephiroth dropped his free hand down to her waist and pulled her close, deepening his kiss as he held her to him. Reilena glanced up at him, about to shove him back - he was being much more forceful than usual, and it was beginning to scare her - when he quietly broke his kiss, taking his tongue back into his mouth as he gazed down at her with the same calm smile.
"Soon…that is all I can tell you," he whispered. Reilena nodded once more, an eyebrow raised, and Sephiroth kissed her forehead before finally taking his hands away from her. With a silent wave, he turned on his heel and left the cell; just before he left the cell block however, Sephiroth peered into the cell across from the Gainsboroughs', his brow furrowed as he caught sight of Cloud slumbering beside the cot. I never thought I would see you again, either, he thought, shaking his head. Seconds later, he was at the elevator to the President's office, a hand on the hilt of his sword. It was time.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sephiroth…so he's alive? Reilena thought, touching her lips hesitantly. She went to sit down again, leaning her back against the wall so as to brace her fall, and felt something beside her. An eyebrow raised, Reilena's expression quickly changed to disbelief when she realized what it was. The cell keys! But if he had them…she rose to her feet again and peered out of her's and Aerith's cell, eyes widened at the sight of the dead soldier in the corner. Reilena quickly turned back into the cell, focusing her eyes on the dark corner opposite her, and took a deep breath, although her heart pounded like a jackhammer. Glancing down at the keyring she gripped, she noticed that the glow of the silver Materia was beginning to darken again. A moment to think about it; nodding to no one in particular, Reilena walked over to the cot and knelt down, shaking Aerith's shoulder. It didn't take very long to wake her, as Aerith turned to her sister, bleary-eyed.
"What is it, Rei?" she asked. Reilena held up the keyring, and Aerith gasped, wide-awake. She snatched the keys out of Reilena's hand and flipped through them. Sure enough, there were the keys to theirs, Cloud's, and Barret's cells, and she stared up at Reilena in absolute shock. "Where did you get this?"
"I…" How in the HELL am I supposed to explain that Sephiroth was here? Reilena thought to herself. Glancing back up at Aerith, she ran a hand through her hair, laughing nervously. "Funny you should ask, Aerith…uh…"
"Forget it," Aerith replied, cutting Reilena off. "Let's go let the others out!" She stood up from the cot and strode out of the cell; Reilena followed close behind, and Aerith handed her the key to Barret and Red XIII's cell. "You go let Barret and Red out. I'll wake Cloud and Tifa."
"Got it." Reilena left to go unlock the last cell; Aerith found the key she needed, and quickly unlocked the cell across from her's and Reilena's. Cloud and Tifa lay asleep - Tifa on the cot, facing the wall, while Cloud was on the ground beside the cot. Aerith sighed, kneeling beside Cloud, and shook his shoulder.
"Cloud…Cloud wake up," she whispered. "C'mon, let's get out of here." Aerith sat back when she saw Cloud's eyelids twich; a second later he sat up, staring at her.
"Aerith, what are you…" She shook her head.
"No time to explain. Wake Tifa," she instructed. Cloud turned, tapping Tifa on the cheek.
"Tifa…wake up!" Yawning, Tifa glanced at Cloud. He wore a solemn look on his face; behind him stood Aerith, and she jumped to her feet, no longer tired.
"What's wrong?" she asked. Cloud glanced over at Aerith; before she could answer, Barret's voice cracked the silence.
"How'd you get in here?"
"Don't ask. Let's just go," Reilena argued. Red nodded, on his feet, and Barret sighed.
"I never get any answers 'round here," he grumbled, following Reilena. Just as they stepped out, he spied the dead guard down the hall, and he glared at Reilena. "What the hell's goin' on?"
"Just what I was thinking," Tifa said; Aerith, Cloud, and herself were already outside their cell, and were staring at the corpse as well. Tifa, Cloud, and Barret turned to the Gainsborough girls, confused looks on their faces. "So…can either of you tell us what happened?"
"I wouldn't know…Reilena was the one who woke me," Aerith replied. She turned to her little sister; Reilena toyed with her pendant nervously, and Aerith raised an eyebrow. "Wait…when did you get that…"
"No human could have done this," Red interrupted. The group turned to the creature; Red stood beside the dead guard, shaking his mane. "I'm going to go on ahead and get to the bottom of this."
"And I'll clean up back here," Barret said, "so you guys go on ahead. And don't get caught by Shinra!" he added, walking over to the corpse.
"That's settled then," Tifa added. "Let's follow Red XIII." She started off after him, followed by Cloud. Aerith began to go after Cloud, but stopped to glance at her sister. Reilena still looked worried, but at the same time she looked a bit guilty, and Aerith could sense something around her…
"Rei, there's something you're not telling me, and I'm going to find out what it is," Aerith said. Reilena nodded slowly.
"I know." She strode after Cloud, leaving Aerith to stare at her sister's retreating form. Sighing, Aerith glanced down at Barret - he had already hooked his hands underneath the dead man's, and was dragging him into an open cell. He glanced up at Aerith, a solemn look in his eyes.
"What's the matter with your sister there?" he asked. Aerith shook her head, tossing her hair off of her shoulder; without answering, she dashed off after the rest of the group. Barret raised an eyebrow, then shook his head and returned to his own work. Whatever the hell's goin' on…I don't like it.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
"The Jenova specimen…it's gone," Cloud muttered. Red nodded, sniffing the air.
"Jenova specimen…" he nodded toward the elevator. "Looks like it went to the upper floor using that elevator for the specimens."
"The specimen…used the elevator?" Tifa asked, worried. Red nodded once, and cantered over to the elevator, waiting for the rest of the group. Cloud glared at the Jenova's canister, the same lightheaded feeling returning again, and shook his head, starting after Red. Tifa grabbed Reilena's wrist, tugging her friend over, and Aerith followed, having caught up to the rest of the group. Once they had all entered the elevator, Cloud pressed the button for the 68th floor, and turned to Reilena, arms folded.
"Do you know anything about this?" he asked, point-blank. Aerith's eyes widened, and she dashed over to Reilena, shielding her from Cloud's view.
"How dare you even think to ask her that!" she shouted. "Reilena would never do any of this!" Cloud merely raised an eyebrow, unfazed.
"You may not know your sister…or your friend," he said, peering back at Tifa, "as well as you think." Gesturing for Aerith to move aside, Cloud peered closely at Reilena. "So…you were the only one awake…you were the one with the cell keys…you tell us what happened." Reilena shook her head, still holding the pendant in one hand; before she could make a sound, the elevator stopped on the 67th floor, and Barret walked in, wiping his bloody hand on his pants.
"Took care of the corpse…what's goin' on here?" he asked. The elevator doors closed; Barret glanced at Cloud, who still stared at the silent Reilena. Aerith stood next to her sister, watching Reilena curiously, while Tifa and Red were in the very back, quiet. Barret raised an eyebrow, inching over to Tifa, and whispered, "What's goin' on?" in her ear. She shrugged.
"Cloud thinks Rei know what happened," she replied. Barret's eyes widened, and he stared at Tifa.
"No shit?" The elevator stopped at its destination before Tifa could answer, and Red pushed through to the front of the car. He walked out first, followed by Aerith, Tifa, and Barret. Just before Reilena could leave, however, Cloud grabbed her right forearm, holding her close, and they walked out together. Both Tifa and Aerith gasped.
"Cloud! What the hell do you think you're doing?" Tifa asked angrily. Cloud shook his head silently, not letting go; Reilena made no move to fight back. Aerith went to stand by her sister, and Red dashed around the corner, motioning for everyone to follow him. The group did so; once they arrived, Red nodded toward the ground. A trail of blood led up the stairs before them, seemingly headed toward the President's Office. Cloud peered over at Reilena again, tightening his grip slightly; she remained silent. Red glanced up, making no mention of the situation between Cloud and Reilena, and nodded toward the bloody trail.
"It looks like it leads up…" he muttered quietly. He trotted ahead slowly, Cloud and Reilena close behind, with the rest of the group following. The trail did indeed continue up the stairs, and the coppery smell assaulted the group as they continued upward; the blood was still fresh. Once they'd reached the head of the stairs, Red walked up to the doors of the President's Office. "The trail continues," he said calmly. Cloud gave a curt nod, pushing the doors open with his free hand, and walked in first; the rest followed close behind, identical looks of shock on their faces.
President Shinra sat slumped over his desk. Blood dripped from the front and sides; his arms dangled over the front. A longsword was impaled in his back, the blade still shining.
"He's dead," Barret finally said, having found his voice. "The leader of Shinra, Inc. is dead…" He stayed in place, as did the majority of the group; only Cloud went forward, pulling Reilena along with him, and peered closely at the sword.
"Then this sword must be…!?" Tifa mused, frightened.
"Sephiroth's," Reilena whispered. Cloud stared at the younger woman in slight surprise, and then glanced over his shoulder, stoic. Tifa covered her mouth with her hands, eyes wide.
"…Sephiroth is alive?" Cloud nodded.
"Looks like it. Only Sephiroth can use that sword," he replied. Behind him, Barret snorted.
"Who cares who did it?" he said. "This is the end of the Shinra now!" Cloud shook his head, walking back to the group with Reilena in tow; she had been looking over the sword, listening to the conversation around her. Barret narrowed his eyes at Cloud, folding his arms as Cloud glared over at Reilena. "Okay, what the hell is the deal, Cloud? Why you treatin' Rei there like shit?"
"An answer we haven't gotten yet," Aerith replied, shooting a cold glare at the blonde mercenary. Only Tifa and Red remained silent; Tifa because she didn't want to say anything to further anger anyone, and Red because he had no idea what was going on. Silent, Cloud glanced over at Reilena before turning to the group.
"The reason why is because I…" Footsteps; Cloud turned, Reilena still in his grasp, and came face to face with the portly, beige-suited man they'd seen in the Executive Room before. "Palmer, I presume?" Cloud said, calm. The man nodded quickly, holding his hands up in terror.
"P, p, p, please don't kill me!" he begged, having seen the murderous sheen in Barret's eyes. Cloud held his hand up, keeping his glance on Palmer.
"What happened?"
"Se…Sephiroth," Palmer stuttered. "Sephiroth came." Cloud stared at the man in shock, and then at the young woman beside him; did she possibly know anything about this? Shaking his head, Cloud turned back to the terrified businessman before him.
"Did you see him? Did you see Sephiroth?" he asked quickly. Again, Palmer nodded, wiping his forehead with a handkerchief from his breast pocket.
"Yeah, I saw him! I saw him with my own eyes!"
"Pfft…how can you be sure?" Barret grumbled; Cloud glared back, and Barret kept quiet. Turning back to Palmer, Cloud took a deep breath.
"You really saw him?"
"Would I lie to you at a time like this?" Palmer shot back; his eyes widened when he saw Barret raise his gimmick arm, and took a deep breath. "And I heard his voice too! Um…he was saying something about not letting us have the Promised Land."
"Then what?" Tifa spoke up, walking up to the Shinra exec. "Does that mean that the Promised Land really exists, and that Sephiroth's here to save it from Shinra?" Barret, Aerith, and Red walked up, Barret scratching his head in confusion.
"So he's a good guy then?" he asked; Cloud shook his head, reaching out with his free hand to grab Palmer's collar just as the portly man tried to escape.
"Save the Promised Land? A good guy? No way!!" Cloud replied. "It's not that simple! I know him! Sephiroth's mission is different!"
"How can you be so sure?" Reilena whispered. Cloud glanced down at her, as did the rest of the group, and let go of Palmer's collar so that he could hold Reilena by the shoulders. He glared at the young woman before him - she appeared listless still - and spoke to her in a calm though furious voice.
"There is something you know, Reilena Gainsborough, is there not?" he asked. No response; he sighed irritably. "You will tell us - if you don't, then you are the enemy, and not to be trusted."
"How can you say that?!" Aerith shouted, tearing one of Cloud's hands off of her sister's shoulders. Cloud merely glanced over at Aerith, and allowed her to take Reilena back; the younger woman made no move to fight back, and Aerith glanced down at her with concern. "Look Rei, once we get out of here, I'll talk to you about this, alright? There's nothing to worry about…I promise," she whispered, running a hand through Reilena's hair. Cloud threw his arms up in the air.
"If she knows more than she's saying, she had better talk soon," he argued. "I have reason to believe that she knows more about Sephiroth than she's willing to say…" before he could continue, a loud chopping noise echoed outside. Palmer snapped his head over to the window, and dashed outside before anyone could try to recapture him. Barret suddenly growled, slapping his hand to his forehead.
"Rufus! Fuck! I forgot about him!" he grumbled. Tifa arched an eyebrow, glancing at Barret in confusion.
"Who's that?" she asked. Barret shook his head, setting his gimmick arm as he started for the outside; the rest of the group followed him as he strode out, answering Tifa's question.
"Vice President Rufus. He's the President's son," he replied, shoving the door to the roof. It didn't appear to be inhabited…there was no helicopter to be seen, no other people besides themselves…
"So…So Sephiroth was actually here," a voice called out. The group spun around as a whole, looking up at the very top of the tower. Above them stood a man not much older than Cloud, with slicked back blonde hair, deep blue eyes, and a confident smirk playing across his face. He leapt down from the tower, his white suit still immaculate, and folded his arms as he glanced over the ragtag group before him. "By the way…who are you guys?" he asked, a superior air to his voice.
"I'm Cloud, former SOLDIER First Class!" Cloud shot back.
"I'm from AVALANCHE!" Barret growled.
"Same here!" Tifa echoed.
"…flower girls from the slums," Aerith replied quietly, gesturing between herself and Reilena.
"…a research specimen," Red spoke up, shaking his mane irritably. The young man looked across them, chuckling to himself.
"What a crew," he said sarcastically, running a hand through his hair before continuing. "Well, I'm Rufus. The President of Shinra, Inc."
"You only President 'cause yer old man died!" Barret hollered, his gimmick arm ready. Rufus nodded, the smile still on his face.
"That's right, and you know what? I'll let you hear my new appointment speech," he said, clearing his throat for show. "Old man tried to control the world with money. It seems to have been working. The population thought that Shinra would protect them. Work at Shinra, get your pay. If a terrorist attacks, the Shinra army will help you. It looks perfect on the outside," Rufus paused, walking around the group, and took Tifa's hand; she snatched it back, and he laughed under his breath. "But, I do things differently. I'll control the world with fear" - he clenched a fist for emphasis - "for it takes too much to do it like my old man. A little fear will control the minds of the common people. There's no reason to waste money on them, after all," he finished with a confident shrug. Tifa rolled her eyes, sighing loudly.
"He likes to make speeches, just like his father," she retorted. Barret nodded, the furious gleam still in his eyes, and started toward Barret; instead, Cloud set a hand on his forearm, and spoke in a low voice.
"Get outta this building with Aerith and Reilena!" he ordered. Barret glared at him in shock.
"What?" Cloud shook his head, motioning toward the office, keeping his glare on Rufus.
"I'll explain later! This is the real crisis for the Planet!" Now Barret stared at Cloud, an eyebrow arched.
"Now what the hell's that supposed to mean?"
"I'll tell you later!" Cloud growled. "Just take my word for it, now! I'll follow after I take care of him," he finished; across from them, Rufus sighed, brushing his nails on his suit coat. Barret glanced back at Tifa, Aerith, Red, and Reilena, and finally nodded to Cloud.
"Awright, Cloud! Good luck." Turning on his heel, Barret led the team off of the roof of the Shinra building; they remained silent until they reached the 69th floor. Aerith suddenly stopped in her tracks, Reilena right beside her, and glanced back toward the President's office.
"Cloud…I just thought of something," she said, turning back to the office. Tifa shook her head, grabbing Aerith's arm, and pointed toward the elevator; Red, Barret, and Reilena were waiting for them, and Barret held the door open.
"I'll wait for Cloud," Tifa said. "You go get to the elevator and get to the first floor!" Aerith glanced at Tifa - Tifa stared back at her, determined - and nodded, taking her arm back, and ran to the elevator. Barret inched over, allowing Aerith inside, and pressed the button for the first floor. Once the car was in motion, he let out a tired sigh.
"This is turnin' out to be one excitin' day," he muttered. Red and Reilena nodded, while Aerith glanced down at her wrists.
"It's going to get pretty ugly from here on out though," she thought aloud. Glancing at the rest of the group, she continued, "We should check on our equipment, be prepared for anything to happen."
"Of course," Red spoke up. Aerith nodded curtly as the rest of the crew checked themselves, arming their weapons and making sure that they were adequately protected. "Now that we're set, maybe we should make a plan of action once we reach the first floor," Red continued.
"He's right. What are we going to do…" Reilena began; the elevator car shook just then, and a massive screech assaulted their ears. Looking up above them, Aerith, Barret, Reilena, and Red XIII spied a mechanical creature ripping the top from the elevator.
"The hell?" Barret aimed his gun-arm at the creature, shooting it off the roof. The creature screamed, leaping to another car across from theirs, and shot out the glass walls. Barret growled angrily, aiming readily at the creature; Red braced himself to attack, whilst Aerith and Reilena drew their own weapons. "This what you was talkin' about, Aerith?" Barret yelled. "'Cause this is one big goddamned ugly thing!"
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Why do you want to fight me?" Rufus asked calmly, standing before Cloud. Cloud narrowed his eyes, bracing himself.
"You seek the Promised Land and Sephiroth," he replied, tense. Rufus tapped his chin thoughtfully.
"Hm, exactly," he replied, snapping his fingers; a moment later, Rufus pointed at Cloud, an eyebrow raised as he took a step toward him. "Did you know that Sephiroth is an Ancient?" Rufus asked, smiling at the look of confusion that crossed Cloud's face.
What? Sephiroth is one of them?! Cloud thought. He shook his head and glared back up at the self-confident President. "A lot has happened," he began, reaching back for the Hardedge. "Anyway, I can't let either you or Sephiroth have the Promised Land." He drew his blade, weilding it before himself readily. Rufus took on a sad façade, tilting his head as he snapped his fingers. A large black dog strode up beside Rufus, growling fiercely at the ex-SOLDIER before them.
"I see," he said, raising a hand toward Cloud. "I guess this means we won't become friends." Dropping his hand in a flash, Rufus stepped back as Dark Nation attacked; the dog leapt at Cloud, snapping at the young man's throat. Cloud slapped the dog back with the brunt of his blade, sending it sliding across the concrete ground. Rufus looked down at the animal and glared back up at Cloud.
"Sending your dog after me, Rufus? You're much too similar to your old man," Cloud taunted. Rufus growled, his eyes narrowed, as he pulled out a long, thin metallic switch. An eyebrow raised, Cloud stayed on his guard, and barely dodged the shot of Bolt that Rufus shot at him. Cloud regripped his sword and took a running start at Rufus; just before he swung his blade, he turned to Dark Nation and sliced downward, taking out the ebony dog instead. Rufus stared down at the dead creature, and turned his gaze back up to Cloud; the mercenary sheathed his sword, hands outstretched toward the new Shinra President, and Rufus stumbled toward the edge of the roof, gripping his electrocuted arm.
"How dare you…," Rufus snarled. Cloud smirked, taking out his sword again.
"All in a day's work, sir," he shot back, slicing Hardedge in the air. Rufus barely sidestepped the attack and whacked Cloud across the shoulders with the switch. His teeth clenched, Cloud turned on his heel and raised his sword in the air.
Above the two men, the Shinra helicopter flew overhead; seconds later, a rope ladder dropped down, and Palmer's pudgy face appeared. "Mr. President! Grab ahold!" Rufus glanced up, taking a ladder rung in hand, and smiled to Cloud.
"Heh…that's all for today," he said, waving calmly. The helicopter rose into the air as Rufus climbed up, and Cloud growled, replacing his sword.
"Goddamn bastard." He watched the helicopter fly away, and then strode back into the President's office, ignoring the body of the former President. Silent, Cloud walked back down the stairs, toward the elevators, and spied Tifa standing in the corridor. She ran up to him, glancing over Cloud closely.
"Where's Rufus?" she asked. Cloud shook his head, pressing an elevator button.
"I couldn't finish 'em." An elevator let out a pleasant ding, and Cloud stood aside, allowing Tifa to step in first. She pressed the button for the first floor after Cloud entered, and leaned against the wall. Irritated, Cloud leaned a forearm against the outside wall, watching the skyline disappear, and sighed. "Looks like this is going to get complicated…"
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Well, here we are," Reilena muttered, one dagger in hand. Barret snorted, striding out of the destroyed elevator, and headed for the building exit.
"I'll go on ahead…" he began; just before he could leave, Barret spied a large group of Shinra soldiers stationed outside, and turned back, punching his gun-arm into his hand. "Shit…surrounded, huh?" He glanced over the group, muttering to himself. "If I was alone this wouldn't be a thang, but I gotta reputation to protect." He went to motion for everyone to remain in place, when both Aerith and Reilena shook their heads.
"You all get out of here while you can," Aerith murmured, glancing up at the shocked looks on Barret and Red's faces. "It's not you they're after…it's us," she said, gesturing at herself and Reilena. Shaking his head, Barret strode up to the Gainsboroughs, and looked down at them solemnly.
"Yeah, well that ain't happenin'," he stated. "You got caught up in this over Marlene" - he turned to Reilena - "and you got caught up in it 'cause you're a friend of Tifa's and Aerith's sister." He faced both sisters. "Now, it's my turn to watch out for you!" Barret then turned on his heel and shook his gun-arm at the soldiers outside. "Ok, playtime's over for you jackasses…"
"…thank you, Mr. Barret," Aerith replied. Barret glanced over his shoulder, chuckling.
"Who you callin' Mr. Barret? That don't sound right!"
"Then thank you, Barret," Reilena said. Barret grinned, giving a mock salute; nearby, Red XIII sighed.
"Well then…if you are through talking, may I suggest that we think of a way to get out of here?" he asked, motioning toward the Shinra soldiers outside.
"Huh?" One glance out the window showed that the soldiers were still outside, and Barret nodded. "Oh, oh yeah…you a cold man, Red," he said, looking down at the scarlet creature. "Just like someone else 'round here I know," he added under his breath. Red glanced up at the AVALANCHE leader, his head tilted curiously.
"Did you say something?" Barret shook his head.
"Notta thing." Stepping out of the window's view, Aerith, Barret, Red, and Reilena regrouped near a corner of the room. Huddling close, Barret looked between everyone with a sigh. "So, what're we gonna do?" he asked. Red shook his head; Aerith shrugged; Reilena began to say something, but shook her head, and Barret blew out a tense breath. "This ain't helpin' matters…"
"Guys! Over here!" Startled, the group looked back to see Tifa waing madly. "Cloud and I found a way outta here! Hurry up and get over here!" she yelled, and dashed into what looked to be a garage of sorts. Barret, Aerith, Reilena, and Red glanced about themselves; a second later, Barret led the way to the door that Tifa had gone through, and promptly whistled.
"Nice work," he commented, jumping into the back of a pickup truck with the Shinra logo emblazoned on the side. Red quickly leapt in along with Barret, and Reilena, Tifa and Aerith climbed into the cab, Tifa taking the driver's seat. Aerith raised an eyebrow, glancing over at the female AVALANCHE.
"Where's Cloud at?" she asked. Tifa chuckled, nodding to their right; Cloud pulled up alongside the truck as Tifa started the ignition, revving up the engine of the motorcycle he'd found in the back of the garage. He motioned for Aerith to roll down the window; when she did, he leaned forward, speaking above the motorcycle engine.
"You guys follow me," he ordered. "I'll head out in front of you, and let you get ahead of me once we're out on the road."
"Are you sure about this?" Tifa yelled back. Cloud nodded.
"Trust me on this! I'm going to keep Shinra's goons off of your back while you guys get the hell outta here," he replied. Tifa's tension never left, but she shrugged a shoulder as the truck engine roared to life, and rolled down her window to yell back to Barret and Red.
"Hang on guys! We're going out!"
"We'll be fine!" Barret hollered; Red nodded in agreement. Tifa rolled up her window, placed her hands on the wheel, and smiled.
"Girls, hang on to your seats," she murmured, putting the car into gear, and floored the gas just after Cloud left the garage.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Where the hell are the fugitives at?" the SOLDIER commander shouted. In front of him, his comrades shrugged their shoulders and shook their heads.
"No idea, sir. We assume that they were able to escape with the ruckus Sephiroth caused…" one began. Before he could continue, the regime ducked down as a whole. The commander raised an eyebrow, peering over his shoulder; his eyes widened as he saw a motorcycle speeding through Shinra Inc.'s lobby, and hit the cement. Not a second later, the motorcycle smashed through the glass doors and over their heads, closely followed by a familiar Shinra pickup truck. The vehicles sped down the street, and the commander growled.
"MEN! TO YOUR FEET!" he screamed, pointing at the motorcycle and truck. "FOLLOW THEM! DON'T LET THEM GET AWAY!" Quickly, the SOLDIERs dashed over to their Shinra-issued motorcycles; seconds later a horde of red and orange motorbikes were hot on the trail of their targets.
"Heads up, Cloud!" Barret yelled. "You've got company!" Cloud shook his head, driving his motorcycle with one hand as he quickly unsheathed Hardedge.
"You tell Tifa to keep her eyes on the road ahead. I'll get these guys out of the way," Cloud ordered. Barret nodded, leaning back toward the truck's cab; in seconds, Shinra motorcycles came speeding up alongside Cloud in nearly every direction. He clenched his teeth, gripping his sword tightly as he sped toward their enemies.
It was easy to knock the orange coloured bikes out of transmission; either they were lousy bikers, or beginner SOLDIERs. Either way, Cloud had no problem getting them out of the way. It was the red coloured bikes that gave him a problem; no matter what he did, another one swerved up to the truck and rammed it. Growling, Cloud sliced Hardedge through the air, cutting a swath through the streets as he defended the truck as best he could.
"Tifa, watch out!" Aerith cried, gripping the dashboard tightly. Tifa snarled ferally, turning the wheel away from the railing as yet another scarlet motorcycle tried to ram her off the street.
"Fucking bastards," she growled. Beside her, Reilena twisted in her seat, watching for incoming riders through the cab window.
"Cloud's trying to hold them off as best he can," Reilena reported. Tifa snorted.
"He's doing what he can. I have to get us out of here though," she replied, ramming into a pair of bikes. They spun out of control, eventually slamming into the guardrail, and Tifa whooped happily. Glancing to her left, Reilena saw the tense way Aerith was gripping the dashboard, and shook her head, turning back to the bikers.
"Tifa, it's not going to happen," Reilena suddenly said calmly. Tifa glanced over at her friend, irritated.
"What's not going to happen?"
"We're not getting out of here without a fight," she said.
"What?" Out of nowhere, a horde of scarlet bikes came hurtling toward the truck. Tifa tried to outdrive them, but with no luck; three bikes rammed into the truck simultaneously, throwing it off-course. Tifa spun the steering wheel wildly, trying to keep the vehicle on its tires, but Reilena saw both Barret and Red leap out of the truck's bed just before the truck was flipped onto its right side.
"Aiiiiieeeee!" Aerith screamed for the three women as they slammed into the concrete. Once the truck stopped moving, Tifa let out a short breath and tore her seat belt off, kicking out with her left leg; the door flew off its hinges, and she climbed out, sticking a hand in to help the Gainsborough sisters out. Reilena held her head with one hand as she was pulled out; Aerith however, had a scraped up, bleeding right shoulder, but seemed to be alright despite her injury.
"What the hell happened there?" Barret said as he and Red rejoined the group. Tifa, Reilena, and Aerith shook their heads in unison; suddenly Cloud ran up to them, gripping his sword defensively.
"Get ready," he said solemnly. "Shinra's bringing out the big guns." Without argument, the rest of the party pulled out their weapons as an enormous tank careened toward them. Aptly named the Motor Ball, the machine halted just before the six-man party and pointed its guns; fire poured out, striking each person. Aerith was the first to regain her footing; without a word, she let go of her Striking Stick as she uttered a low chant. A surreal green glow came over the party, and the burns vanished, the Healing Wind having run its course.
"I say we give it all we've got," Barret growled, setting his Gaitling Gun. Beside him, Red snarled.
"I agree." Nearby, Tifa and Reilena glanced at each other, nodding simultaneously as Cloud leapt ahead, using his Cross-Slash to temporarily immobilize the mechanical giant.
"Then go!" he yelled. Barret attacked first, unleashing the Big Shot. Keeping up with the constant attack, Red hurtled into the gargantuan creation using his Sled Fang Limit Break.
"Now it's my turn to play," Tifa announced as Red returned to their ranks. She leapt toward the Motor Ball, beating it as best she could with her plated gloves, and ended it with a flip kick to the machine's controls. Jumping back to rank, she motioned for Reilena to follow suit; the younger Gainsborough, held her knives before herself in a seemingly submissive fashion, all the while the blades glowing with a golden light. A second later, she sliced the blades down to the ground as she dropped to a knee, casting Bolt on the machine instead of using a Limit Break. It faltered in place, having snapped out of its paralysis just in time to feel the sting of the Bolt spell, and turned to face the party.
"Duck," Aerith murmured. Cloud and Reilena were closest to her, and heeded her warning just as the Motor Ball took out its fury on them with Rolling Fire.
"Damn! Does this thing do anything other than burn us?" Barret hollered, shaking off his burned arms. Aerith nodded once, and pointed her weapon at the creation. The Striking Stick took on a gold sheen similar to Reilena's daggers, and Bolt once again rained down upon the Motor Ball. Instead of firing back, smoke began issuing out from the machine's hinges, and it crashed to the ground, causing everyone to leap back.
"Is that it?" Tifa muttered. She walked forward hesitantly, and kicked at the machine; it made no move to attack, and she breathed out a sigh of relief. "Well that's the end of that."
"But now what?" Barret asked. "We escaped from the Shinra, but we're at the end of the road." He looked over at Cloud, who had joined Tifa and himself. "What do we do now?" Cloud shook his head, bowing his head.
"Sephiroth is alive," he murmured, planting a hand across his chest. "I…I have to settle the score."
"And that'll save the Planet?" Barret shot back, folding his arms. Glancing up, Cloud nodded.
"…Seems like it." A smile made its way across Barret's face, and he punched his gun-arm into his palm.
"Awright! I'm going!" Cloud glanced over at Tifa, who nodded in agreement, and then turned to face the Gainsborough sisters and Red. The trio walked up to Cloud, Barret, and Tifa quietly, Aerith coming up alongside Cloud.
"We're going too," she added, gesturing between herself and Reilena. "I…we have things we want to find out." Cloud nodded, shooting Reilena a tense look; Reilena dropped her eyes to the ground, and he looked back at Aerith.
"About the Ancients, I take it?" Aerith began to nod, and then stopped herself, turning her face to the sky.
"…Many things," she said. Beside her, Tifa sighed.
"I guess this's goodbye, Midgar," she muttered, taking ahold of the rope that would lead them outside of the city's walls. Barret chuckled, climbing down the rope after Tifa. Red leapt nimbly down the wall, landing on his feet; Cloud, Aerith, and Reilena followed in climbing down the rope, regrouping at the base.
The land seemed to stretch out for miles and miles. Cloud peered across the plains, his eyes narrowed just slightly. I know you're out there somewhere, Sephiroth, and I WILL find you. Turning back to the party, he waved an arm onward. "Let's go!"
"Wait just a minute there, Cloud!" Barret held his hand up, shaking his head. "We need a group leader for our journey here," he stated matter-of-factly. "'Course only me could be the leader…"
"You honestly think so?" Tifa shot back, folding her arms. Barret glared over at her.
"You know it, too!" he argued. Tifa blew a strand of hair from her eyes, about to continue the argument; Aerith stepped between them, shaking her head.
"We all know it would have to be Cloud," she replied. Silent, the group looked over to Cloud; he shrugged nonchalantly, and Barret rolled his eyes, sighing irritably.
"Shit…awright then. 'Least let me give you directions to the nearest town," he muttered, striding up to Cloud. He pointed ahead, leaning toward the younger man. "Now listen up. Go northeast to a town called Kalm. If somethin' happens, we meet up there. 'Sides" - he paused, looking over the rest of their group - "we can't have six people strolling down the fields. It's too dangerous, so split us into two separate parties."
"Alright then." Cloud glanced over the party members; he knew for sure that Tifa would have to accompany him, but the question was who else should he allow to come with him? Red seemed able enough, as did Aerith; Barret was hotheaded, but a good fighter; as for Reilena, she seemed skilled enough in battle, but Cloud was still unsure of whether he could trust her or not, nevermind the fact that the Gainsboroughs seemed better off in the same party. Tapping a finger on his chin in thought, Cloud finally decided. "Tifa, Barret…come with me."
"Awright then," Barret said, walking up to Cloud's side. Tifa smiled lightly, following suit, and Cloud turned to Red, Aerith, and Reilena.
"You know the way to Kalm?" he asked. Aerith and Reilena shook their heads; Red nodded.
"I've been around there before. I'll lead the ladies there," he replied. Cloud bowed his head.
"Thank you, Red. We'll regroup at Kalm," Cloud said. Aerith and Reilena nodded in agreement; Tifa turned on her heel, impatient.
"Let's go, Cloud," she insisted; Cloud peered over his shoulder to see that Barret had already began walking off, and motioned for her to follow. Turning back, he raised his hand in a slight wave; Red nodded as Aerith waved in return, and turned to follow the remaining AVALANCHE members.