SCHOOL'S OVER HURRAY!!!!! Well how y'all doing anyway? I'm good, my computer's not... still overheating every few minutes. That's really going to put a dent in my typing. Well I see y'all have high hopes for this chapter lol. Hmm... is this really where I bring Cloud back? Or was I simply screwing with all of you? Hmm.. that's hard to answer because I don't even know. I wasn't planning on ending the last chapter like that, my hands had a mind of their own and made the last part up... damn! This is going to make things harder.
Oh well.. I'll just have to think of something evil for the up coming chapters, teeheehee. Sorry about not updating sooner but I went out and bought another gory game called Chaos Legion.. It was alright I guess, could of been longer and harder though. Beat the game in two days. I guess it's better to beat it quickly so I can work on this here fic eh? Well anyways I think y'all are tired of listening to me talking so I'll start up this long awaited chapter for you loyal readers.
Disclaimer- Hmm.. I'm running out of different ways to say I don't own Final Fantasy 7.. well I guess that'll do for now, going to need to think of something else next chapter though.
Chapter 39- Rima's Suspicions
Vain glares down at the surface of his table, trying to incinerate it with just his eyes. He's beginning to get to the edge of his impatience. He sent for Dregon two days ago and still he hasn't showed up. If he doesn't show up soon he'll just have to send someone out to kill him for not following orders. Drumming his fingers on the table, he didn't he notice the door open and the mentioned man walking in.
"You called for me?" Dregon asks snapping Vain out of his gaze.
Vain looks up and glares down at Dregon in annoyance, "Where have you been?" He immediately demands, "I sent for you two days ago."
"Busy." Dregon simply replies, "Now what is it you want?"
Vain's glare doesn't let up. He wants to question further on Dregon's whereabouts but it'll have to wait till later. "I have some news. That Kisasagi girl is searching for her friends. She has already have a small group formed." Vain's glare disappears as a smirk spreads across his face, "And since you seem to have a grudge against the girl, I figured I'd let you take care of her."
Dregon gives a smirk of his own, brushing a hand through his hair he says, "I already know about it. I'm already taking care of it. In fact, she will be taken care of soon. Now , if that is all you needed I will take my leave of you. I have pressing matters with that scientist." Dregon turns around, he begins to walk back to the door. He opens the door ready to leave.
"One more thing." Vain says, stopping Dregon from leaving. "A few days ago 'he' managed to escape from here."
Dregon keeps his back turned to Vain to conceal the knowing smirk across his face. Knowing who of which Vain is speaking about he didn't even bother to ask, "Oh really?" He asks uncaringly, "What makes you think he really escaped?" Dregon asks knowingly
Vain's eyes narrow in suspicion, "What is it you have planned Dregon?" Vain asks in a low demanding voice.
"Patience is a virtue." Dregon replies walking out the door.
Yuffie snaps awake. Her eyes scan the inn room seeing no one else there. She hangs her head in disappointment, 'Another dream.' She says climbing out of the bed. She walks over to the window and glances out into the night sky, 'How long was I asleep? The whole day went by.' She turns away from the window and walks over to the mirror on the dresser.
She sticks her tongue out disgusted by her own appearance. She brushes hair fingers through her hair getting the tangles out. Over the past two years, she's become more worried about how she looks. When she was with AVALANCHE going after Sephiroth, she really didn't care how she looked. Tifa and Aeris always tried to make her care more about her looks and would help do her hair, even though she had short hair at the time, but in the end she didn't care.
Wondering where Kao and Rima are, Yuffie heads out of the room. Yuffie's eye scan the lobby not seeing them there. She remembers this inn almost perfectly. She remembers when she first came here with AVALANCHE the owner of the inn could always be seen playing pool downstairs. This time though the owner is behind the counter reading a small book.
The owner must of sensed Yuffie's gaze on him because he looks up. The owner gives Yuffie a warm smile and waves, "Good evening." He greets friendly.
"Uh.. hi." Yuffie says.
"If you're looking for your friends. They're downstairs." The owner says.
Yuffie scratches the back of her head and grins, "Uh.. thanks." She quickly turns towards the stairs and heads down towards the pool table. Halfway down the stairs Yuffie freezes, her mouth hangs open in surprise.
Down the stairs sitting at a small table is Kao and Rima. The two of them are sitting across a man listening as he talks. Kao nods his head every once in a while as the man continues to talk. Rima's face is blank as she stares at the man and Kao looks a bit uncomfortable as if he doesn't know what to do or say around the man.
The man they happened to be speaking to is what Yuffie thought before she woke up a few minutes ago, was a dream. But right there in front of her, speaking with her friends is none other then Cloud. The shock of it all leaves her breathless, leaving her frozen as her mind races to fast for her own good, 'He's here! Cloud's here! It wasn't a dream! Where has he been? What happened to him? Does he know where the others are?' Are just a few of the questions within her head.
Rima looks towards the stairs seeing Yuffie standing there with her mouth open. Kao looks over to see what got Rima's attention and sees Yuffie as well. Confused by the two, Cloud slowly turns around. He sees Yuffie standing on the stares frozen as a statue. He chuckles a bit, scratching the back of his neck, "Hey there Yuffie" He greets nonchalantly.
Kao and Rima walk up the stairs, pass Yuffie, and out the inn, each thinking it's best to leave the two in privacy. "Interesting friends you've got." Clouds comments.
Yuffie clenches her fists at her sides, hanging her head she walks towards Cloud silently. Cloud tilts his head to the side questioningly as Yuffie stands in front of him. Cloud scratches his head, "What's-" SMACK! Cloud's face is thrown to the side from the force of Yuffie's slap. "What was that for!?" He asks in confusion, as he looks down at Yuffie. SMACK! Yuffie smacks him again.
"The first one was for sending me out of the battle." Yuffie says angrily. She looks up in his eyes, tears nearly falling from her own, "And the other one was for making me totally unaware of where anyone was or what has happened. I thought that you were dead most of the time! And here you are acting like nothing has happened!" Yuffie yells. She lifts her hand to smack him again, Cloud catches her hand this time.
"You're right." He says softly, releasing her hand, "I did send you away from the battle. What else could I've done?" He asks giving her a questioning look, "You were unconscious. It was for your protection." Yuffie quickly clings around Cloud's chest and sobs into his shirt.
Cloud hangs his head and slowly wraps his arms around her to try and comfort her, "Listen. I'm sorry I left you alone. I'm sorry you don't know where everyone is, but neither do I. I would of found you sooner but I was locked away in one of Vain's cells. When I escaped I stole a motorcycle and been searching for everyone since." Cloud explains.
"Motorcycle?" Yuffie says as she remembers something. She pulls away from him and looks up into his eyes, "I watched a motorcycle ride away form the Junon Ship. I thought it was you." She explains not understanding how he's in front of her if he drove away on the motorcycle.
Cloud crosses his arm and scuffs in embarrassment, mumbling something under his breath. Yuffie tilts her head to the side not understanding what he's saying, "What?"
Cloud sighs in misery and looks at Yuffie, "I said some punk stole my bike." He says pouting. Yuffie stands there for a few seconds, a blank expression on her face. Then she begins to giggle, then it grows louder as she begins bawling with laughter. The owner of the inn starring at Yuffie from behind the desk thinking she's gone crazy. So there those two stood, Cloud looking embarrassed, and Yuffie clutching her stomach as her laughter is heard throughout the night.
Outside The Inn
Kao and Rima are standing silently outside the inn listening to Yuffie loud laughter coming from inside. The two standing at the side of the door, each lost in their own thoughts. Kao glances over to the silent fighter, "He's seems uh... nice." Kao comments. Rima honors him with a glance before crossing her arms and leaning against the side of the inn.
Kao rolls his eyes at the woman, "Alright, that's it!" He declares. He walks closer to Rima, "Exactly what is wrong with you?" He questions. Rima doesn't say anything, she just stares into his eyes, allowing him to continue, "You've been acting more guarded or something since we got off the ship." He points out. He crosses his arms and holds his gaze on Rima, "And I want to know why."
Rima turns her head off to the side, looking towards the empty shops. Kao scowls, seeing he isn't going to get an answer from the woman, he turns around to leave, "I don't trust him." He hears faintly.
Kao stops and turns around. He gives Rima a look of confusion, "Why? He seemed nice to me when we were talking to him." Kao says.
Rima looks forward at Kao meeting his eyes, "This is a man who's supposed to have clones out there." She begins to explain. Kao nods his head once telling her to continue, "How do we know this isn't a clone?" She asks, actually wanting an answer.
Kao scratches his head in thought, "Um... well... by Yuffie of coarse! If she thinks it's him then it must be." He says as if it's the most logical thing in the world.
Rima narrows her eyes, "She thought the clone in the forest was him." She reminds him.
Kao smiles amusingly, "True... but Yuffie didn't black out in shock when she saw him." He begins chuckling to himself, "Besides, if he is a clone then he would of attacked us by now, right?" Rima doesn't say or do anything. Kao gives her a reassuring smile, "Come on.. you're just worrying too much."
"Perhaps I am" Rima agrees quietly.
Kao nods his head and looks at the entrance to the inn, "The way Yuffie acts.." He begins thoughtfully, "You'd think those two are a couple or something."
Rima thinks nothing of it and stares up in the starry sky, 'I still don't trust him.' She thinks silently to herself. Her thoughts begin to drift back to the dream she kept having when she was on the ship, 'Why is that dream continue to haunt me?' The stars dance across the sky making her feel more at ease. When she begins to relax a little, her senses kicked in. She senses 'his' presence. He's close, too close for her comfort. Her eyes narrow in hatred, 'You wish to die so soon?' She asks as she walks away form the inn leaving behind a confused Kao.
Dregon walks into a lab. Instruments are spread across the table and several vials filled with strange fluids are spread across the table tops. Across the room the insane scientist Hojo is tinkering around with something. "Is it finished?" Dregon asks impatiently.
Hojo looks over his shoulder, narrowing his eyes at Dregon. "You're lucky I decided to do this. I could of just let a moron, such as yourself, try and finish this up. All good things come to those who wait." Hojo gives an insane looking grin, "And since you've waited patiently, it's now down." Hojo says stepping away from the object he was working on.
Dregon walks over to the object, it's rather simple looking, it has a few switches on it, a small screen and a microphone that stands above the box. Dregon glances back over to Hojo, "Will this actually work?" He asks a bit skeptical about the success of this strange instrument.
Hojo gives a wicked chuckle, "Of coarse! You talk into this microphone here." He points it out, "And then this machine will send out radio waves to the small microchip I have installed." Hojo flips the switch on and the machine comes alive. The little lights across it light up. The screen on the machine however remains black.
"What is the point of this screen?" Dregon asks pointing to the blank screen.
Hojo gives a half smile, "It allows you to see exactly what my guinea pig does. Right now he must be asleep so that means so are the others. It's the perfect time."
Dregon smirks, "You've outdone yourself Professor." Dregon compliments, then he grabs the microphone in his right hand. He leans down to get closer to it, 'Let's see if this works' Dregon thinks to himself, "Wake up!" He says into the microphone.
That's it! All done! The chapter is now officially done and over with. I know I know you want more. But.. well too bad. My computer is overheating right now so I figured I'd get you this much at least. Well I have no more school left so chapters should, I repeat, SHOULD be coming in sooner. REVIEWS are always making me work faster lol. Well I guess I should hurry up and post this before my computer has a melt down. TTNC!