Author's Note: This chapter takes a little of the tension out, as this story has gotten quite serious. Don't worry, you'll be able to see what happened, so enough. I plan on finishing this story this week, that's why I've been updating so quickly...

Chapter 20 – Back in Reality

"Tifa!" Nanaki shouted, just moments after she disappeared. He watched as the rounded fruit fell from where her hand used to be, landing with a light thump on the ground. He sniffed at the fruit for a moment, and then sunk his fangs into its flesh. His lips curled and he spat it out again, trying to get the taste out of his mouth.

"Apples?!" he said incredulously, "More like gym socks..." He sputtered some more, tongue lolling out of his mouth every couple of seconds. The taste would not go away.

"Godammit! Tifa! Red! Get your asses back here and untie me!" came Cid's inevitable shouts, muffled by the walls of the ship. Nanaki gave one last look at the statue, and for a moment almost thought it winked. He shook his head and ambled over to the ship.

Some Time Later, Elsewhere...

"What happened?" the man said, looking directly up at the sky as he lay on his back. He hazarded to sit up, feeling his stomach reel as he did so.

"Where are all the others? Did we succeed?" he said cautiously, woozily turning his head to take in his surroundings. There were trees, grass and bluest skies; a surreal world indeed. His memory felt sticky, and he pried at it, grasping around for the images, for the words.

He decided to look down at himself. The first thing his noticed was the bloodstain, abloom in the field of silver that was his clothing.

"What..." he began, but suddenly felt foolish talking aloud. Maybe it was the feeling of his voice, or his sudden embarrassment that triggered it, for a rush of images flooded his brain.

"Lucrecia...Hojo..." he muttered, hoping to hold his mind in place for a moment, "I hope that the Lifestream suits you..." His senses were suddenly overtaken by exhaustion, and he fell back to the ground.

"Surrender..." he whispered, closing his eyes.

Elsewhere...

"Do you think she'll reappear?" Cid asked cautiously, stubbornly chewing on the stub of an unlit cigarette. Nanaki stared up at him, his eyes glazed with worry. They had been waiting for some time now, and the sun was beginning to set. Cid peered at the orange hue, waiting for something to settle in his mind.

"I don't know," Nanaki said, feeling weary and afraid. He knew how she handled things, and worried that she might put herself into unnecessary danger.

"Ah, don't worry, Red," Cid said, suddenly cheerful, "We've seen her in battle before; she's a real tiger, that one." He found the match, holding it in front of his face a few moments, considering it. Then he struck it casually against a strip of metal on the strap of his goggles, bringing it to light the cigarette. He puffed.

Something stirred within the bowels of his ship, and Cid was momentarily caught off balance. Nanaki smirked as he nearly toppled, but soon realized the reasons for his loss of control. The ship was moving.

"The hell?" Cid gasped, noticing that the various levers he used to control the ship were moving of their own accord. He tried to approach them, but felt a chilling numbness pass through his limbs. He could not move, not even to remove the cigarette from his mouth.

"I can't move..." Nanaki informed him, straining his face a little. Cid snorted.

"I hope we're landing soon," he mumbled, gritting his teeth. Almost in response, he felt its descent.

"How far could we have gone?" Nanaki asked, glancing around as best he could without being able to turn his head. Cid exhaled.

"A few miles," he said tiredly, "She's a fucking fast ship, but we weren't airborne long."

Nanaki, with his view of the window, noticed the man first, a small speck against the land, which steadily took on human form as they got nearer.

The light shaking of the ship told them they had landed. Cid tried to move, and oddly, felt a slow heat building as he regained control of his muscles. They heard a light rapping on the hull, and Cid nearly jumped. Nanaki smirked.

"Open the door," he told Cid, watching as the man was vainly sorting out things in his head. He gave up and complied with Nanaki's request.

They stared for endless moments at the figure standing just beyond the door, unable to comprehend the reasons he stood before them.

"You look like you've just seen a ghost," the man said, idly scratching behind his ear.

"Ah..." Cid began, but couldn't finish. It was Nanaki who found his voice first.

"Cloud?" the beast asked cautiously, straining his feline eyes, "Why are you wearing Sephiroth's clothes?"

"Sephiroth's?!" Cloud said skittishly, holding out part of his shirt as if it would burn him. Cid chuckled.

"Definitely Cloud," he said, gaining back his usual ease. Nanaki was not as accepting, however.

"Are you the one she called...Surrender?" he hissed, eyes narrowed and intently gazing at him. Cloud shrugged.

"I can't convince you, I suppose," he said, still inspecting his garment warily, "But maybe I can tell you a story."

"Story? What kind of damn story?" Cid snorted out, having gotten himself a new cigarette, after flicking away the previous one with disgust.

"I have all these strange memories," he began, carefully walking into the ship, "I saw Lucrecia, and Hojo..." He found a seat, sitting down and holding his head.

"They told me I couldn't die properly," he said quietly, brow furrowed, "That I also couldn't exist in the real world. That is why I was with them."

"Damn voodoo sort of crazy stuff," Cid muttered, giving Cloud a sideways glance. The blond man shrugged again.

"It's almost like when I was in the Lifestream," he continued, rubbing his temples, "But I knew I wasn't there. I remember seeing you all, after the fight...and then there was this man, but he wasn't a man...and he talked in riddles, with a haunting voice. After that, I was in this strange place."

Nanaki and Cid were silent, transfixed on their former leader.

"And Tifa..." his eyes grew wide for a moment, "What happened to her? I remember something strange, she was crying, and I was making her so, telling her things...and I could hear Lucrecia whispering to me 'You have to fight him. You can control him, if you have the strength' and I just wanted to make her stop crying..." He bowed his head for a moment.

"Do you know where she is now?" Nanaki asked forcefully, desperately. Cloud shook his head.

"What have I done?" he said, looking up at them with a haggard expression, "How long have I been gone? Did she pull the trigger...?" Nanaki's eyes widened.

"Cloud," Nanaki began, his voice gentle, "Did you see her? And what of Vincent?" Cloud starting shaking his head violently, covering his ears.

"Tifa!" he gasped, now clutching his chest, "I wasn't strong enough...go. Go! You have to hurry!" He spasmed and slumped over, the last of his strength worn.

Yes, he's alive. Why? Do you remember from earlier, someone said that Sephiroth and he cannot exist in the same world together? Well...you can guess where Sephiroth is now...