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I won't really bother doing a long intro. Oh, and sorry again if you're annoyed on how I spell Aeris' name. It's just always been Aerieth to me…I can't change that. Sorry.

On to chapter 8.

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            I recounted my story of the dream to him. I also said I was sorry to him several times for when I had yelled at him earlier today. He didn't deserve it. He nodded when I said this, and then kind of did a little bouncing of his head to tell me he wanted me to go on with the story. I finished the dream, and then, because Tifa appeared asleep on my shoulder (whether she was asleep or just pretending to be asleep so she didn't have to talk I never found out), I talked a little more about what had happened during the day. I left the details of what happened inside Tifa's bedroom vague…but then again there wasn't much to tell. I had walked in, she confused me for Barrett, I noticed she wasn't wearing hardly anything underneath the bed sheets, we talked, we reconciled, she tried to kiss me, I told her I wasn't ready yet to "take her away," and then we held each other for a long time. After that, she dressed, she slapped and then kissed me, and we left. Whoop de freakin do.

            And yet those moments with her had meant more to me then anything ever had before. I had never realized what she meant to me until then. To tell you the truth, I'm not sure if it's love. Maybe it is. Maybe it isn't. All I know is that I'm glad I'm with her right now, and that any thought of Aerieth, though sweet, doesn't seem to add up to what I'm holding in my hand right now…

            I was thinking these private thoughts but somehow at the same time managed to be talking to Red XIII at the exact same time. After a time I finally ran out of stories on how I had lugged boulders three times my size out of sector seven, much to the amazement of several young ladies who were watching, as well as to the pain of my back. I looked next to me and saw Tifa curled next to me. I was amazed how her hair seemed perfect even at this late of night. I also noticed how her earring offset her hair with a gentle golden hue. It was not the first time tonight she had captivated me.

            Again it came time for someone to speak, but Tifa still looked like she was asleep (I still had doubts if she was or wasn't) so I asked Red XIII to explain why he originally came to Midgar.

            "Well, it was for two reasons. The first was," he paused, "I was bored." "Bored?" I said skeptically. "Yes…Cosmo Canyon is my home and always will be. But something about our quest to destroy Sephiroth changed it. Or perhaps it was me who changed. Probably both…" again a pause. "Well, my family has always by tradition guarded Cosmo Canyon from the evils around it. When I went back a month ago I was eager to test my new strength and skills against the vast amount of mindless creatures that always stood by ready to pounce on the town, or through the sealed gate."

            He lowered his head in thought, and I waited. Finally he continued. "Some say that when Meteor came, the creatures that had always harried Cosmo Canyon became scared and ran off. Personally I don't believe that, because I met and fought many creatures on my journey home. Instead, I believe that when Meteor was destroyed, something in me changed. I love my home, but I have gotten so used to defeating the undefeatable, that the challenges posed at home seemed like nothing."

            I understood what Red XIII was saying, and yet I was totally confused. This wasn't the Red XIII I knew. He had always been the patient wise man…err…dog…that we could turn to. He had always told stories of home. He had often talked on how he loved how peaceful his home was and how he longed to return there, and get away from the war. He had, well, not right away, but after he discovered how his father Seto had died, he had always talked of his fathers brave actions, and how he looked forward to going home and protecting the very land that his father had sacrificed his life for.

            Now he was telling me that he was bored with his homeland.

            "So I decided, Cloud, to come to Midgar. I thought that perhaps there was something I could do here. I realize now that my presence is not needed, and I plan to return to Cosmo Canyon tomorrow, but if nothing else I'm glad to see you two again." "Same to you, Nanaki," I said. He beamed when I said his true name.

            "What was the other reason you came here for?" I asked. "Ah yes," he replied. "Recently I had a dream as well. It was different and not as troubling as yours sounded, but it definitely is interesting. I had a dream where I was a pillar of white light descending from a cloud. I walked up to it and realized it was an actual pillar. Not just a pillar of light, but an actual pillar. I moved forward and touched it. Its touch brought a feeling of comfort and reassurance. At the same time I heard a voice. It was pleading something. But not the way someone pleads for what they need, it was the way somebody pleads when they are pleading for the needs of another. I realized it was a prayer. Soon the prayer ended and the bright pillar that was before me lifted into the heavens. In its place was a small white stone. I moved forward and touched it. This time I heard another voice. It too was a prayer, but this time it was dark, and almost chant-like. It was the sound of evil. I noticed that the more I listed to the chanting the more the world around me changed. I was no longer in a peaceful meadow; I was now in a bustling city. It was Midgar. I also noticed that the white stone in front of me had become red. Deep red." He stopped his story and looked at me. "At this point, I woke up. When I woke up, I found a red stone lying next to me." He pointed to the small red materia on his necklace. "I realized then that the dream had purpose, although I'm still not sure what. I also thought that perhaps the reason why Midgar appeared briefly in my dream was because I could discover the meaning of the dream in more detail if I went there. Between that dream and my lack of patience, I decided to leave."

            "Have you discovered what that materia does?" I asked. "No, and that is a puzzle to me, a puzzle which I believed Midgar was going to reveal to me. However I was wrong. So this materia must remain an enigma for the time being."

            I stared at him for a moment, saying nothing. It was then that I felt Tifa stir. She brought her head lower to my chest and then she breathed in deep…was she just taking a deep breath as people sometimes do when they're waking up, or was she actually smelling me, like I thought she was? "That's weird…" I accidentally said aloud. "Mmmm….what's weird, Cloud?" I heard her say. She brought her head up and yawned. "Nothing…" I said. She let go of my hand and stretched. Red XIII put his head in the air. I could tell he was sniffing something. Tifa apparently didn't notice. Suddenly Red XIII stopped, looked at Tifa (who was still stretching her arms), and then at me. He winked at me, and then turning to Tifa said, "It is good that you have awakened, Tifa. Because now it is your turn to tell me about your dream."