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We arrived at Cosmo Canyon about an hour or so later. The only reason I made the trip in the half the time the other night was because I took advantage of Seraph's speed. On the way back I just let her trot.
I put Seraph in a chocobo stall and Vincent did the same. We walked together up to Red's Observatory. I knocked on the door as lightly as I possibly could so I wouldn't wake the cubs. Red's muzzle poked out of the door. A wide smile spread ear to ear on his face as he quietly ushered us in.
"Oh, Red!" I exclaimed as quietly as I could, getting down on my knees and hugging him. "When were they born?"
"Surprisingly, a few hours after you left. I was going to call you and tell you but I thought against it. Come, come see them!" he said, getting up and leading us into the observatory. Seta way lying on the blanket in the back staring down at five red fuzz balls that were cuddled up next to her. She looked up at us and smiled, beckoning us over to her.
I carefully walked over to her and looked down at the cubs with a gleeful look in my eyes. I kneeled down in front of her and looked at them. I looked up into her sparkling yellow eyes and pointed to one of the cubs.
"May I?" I asked, a hopeful look in my wine colored eyes.
"Of course," she said, nudging one of the cubs with her nose. "Here, take Seto."
"Oh, you already named them?" I asked, kind of disappointed as I carefully scooped the small cub into my arms and cradled it.
Seto opened his little eyes at the unfamiliar touch and looked at me, cocking his little head slightly. He meowed a little as he reached up his little paw to touch my face. I giggled as I took his paw in between my thumb and index finger and gently squeezed it before letting it go.
"Well, this is Seto," I said, sitting down cross-legged and settling him into my lap. "Um, what are the other's names?" "The two little girls names are Nariko and Naava and the three little boys names are Seto, Nova and Kayo."
"Those are beautiful names," I said, looking down at little Seto and tickling his stomach. I laughed as he put all four legs against my finger and try to bite it. I lifted my finger from his stomach and he began to bat at it with his paws.
I looked up at Seta and she had a genuine smile on her face. She looked at Red and spoke.
"Should we tell her what we decided to do?" she asked.
He nodded and came and sat next to Seta. Red looked at me with a serious look in his eye as he looked down at Seta once more.
"Seta and I decided this morning before you came that after the cubs are a few months old we want you to take two of them and keep them with you in Wutai for a little while."
I looked at Red and Seta in shock. Then I spoke my voice a little shaky.
"No, I couldn't do that. I couldn't take a mother's children away from her," I said, looking at Seta.
"Nanaki and I would be honored if you took two of our cubs. It would help us in the best way possible. When the time comes you may take any two cubs that you want."
"But, why?" I asked, still very confused. "Why would you want me to take two of your children?"
"It's not really 'taking,'" Red said, looking at me with an understanding look in his eye. "It's more like watching over them. I've read numerous books on our kind's history and when our kind mates and has cubs they would give two of their cubs to another family in their tribe to watch over and we picked you to watch over two of our cubs."
"Oh, I don't know. I'm not sure if I could. Are you sure?" I asked again.
"Positive," Seta said, looking at me with a smile on her face.
"How long would I keep them? Not too long hopefully." "Oh no. You would keep them for about nine months then return them to us. Sending two of our own with you is like sending them on their first adventure. After you brought them back they would tell us of what they did when they were staying with you."
"Oh, so it's sort of like preparing them?"
"Some what, yes. Will you?" Red asked, looking into my eyes.
"Of course, I'd be honored to. Yuffie probably would too. Hold on, let me call her real quick," I said, pulling my PHS out of my pocket and dialing Yuffie's number.
It rang a few times before Yuffie finally picked hers up. "Teef? That you?"
"Yep, sure is, Yuffie. What's up?" I asked, putting my hand down on the small cub's stomach and tickling it with my nails. Seto let a small squeak as he batted at my fingers.
"Not much. I just got finished with training for the day. What about you? How's everything going?"
"Just great. Reeve, Barret, Marlene and Red pass on their 'hellos.' You know Yuffie, I might stay here in Cosmo Canyon for a few months so I may need to make a trip to Wutai to pick up a few things and tell Krissy and Travis what I'm doing."
"Why are you staying so long? I thought you were coming back in a few weeks."
"Yeah, I thought so too but certain circumstances were brought to my attention."
"Like what?" Yuffie asked, getting impatient.
"Red and Seta had their cubs," I said, stopping and pulling the PHS away from my ear to prevent my eardrum from blowing out.
"Oh, Tifa, really!? Maybe I should come back with you so I can see them!"
"Well, you really don't need to do that because I'm bringing two home with me."
"What?! What do you mean?!" Yuffie screamed into the receiver.
"Red told me that it's an old tradition when their kind has cubs to give two of them to another family or someone that they deem worthy and they picked me. We're gonna be livin' with two red fuzz balls for nine months."
"Oh, I can't wait to see them! How long until you can bring them here to Wutai?" Yuffie asked, excitedly.
"When they're about four months. By then they'll be old enough to separate from Seta so I can take them. I might come by Wutai in a few days and get a few extra pairs of clothes. Is that alright?"
"Sure. I'll be here."
"Thanks, Yuffie," I said, closing the PHS and putting it back in my pocket.
"So I take it the very loud, high-pitched scream we heard coming from the other end that there was no hesitation in taking our cubs in."
"No, there certainly was not," I said, looking down at Seto and twirling my finger around in front of him.
"Which ones will you take?" Red asked, stepping back so I could see all the cubs.
"Well, how 'bout . . ." I creased my brow in thought as I looked at the four other small cubs. "Well, where's Nariko?"
Seta looked at the cubs and sniffed them each individually before stopping on one.
"This one, right here."
I nodded as I leaned forward and carefully grabbed the girl and set her in my lap with Seto. Having seen one of her brothers, Nariko let out a small meow as she sniffed Seto. Nariko looked up at me and cocked her head just like Seto did before lying down in my lap.
I smiled as I reached down and patted her head a few times before looking back up at Seta and Red.
"I'll take Nariko and Seto. Is that alright?"
"Absolutely fine," Seta said, smiling at me. "Both Red and I are overjoyed. Thank you so much, Tifa."
"Oh, it's no trouble. They're so cute! How could I possible say no?" I said, as I looked down at them and pet them. I looked back up at Seta as I carefully picked up the cubs and set them back before her.
The two cubs waddled over on shaky legs and lay down next to their mother. Seta looked down at them and sniffed them one more time before laying her head down between her paws.
I got up and followed Red back into the living room but not before stealing another glance at Seta and her cubs.
Vincent and I sat down on a small couch as Red sat in front of us. I crossed my left leg over my right as I lazily ran a hand through my long hair. Red looked at both Vincent and I before he spoke.
"So, Vincent, I didn't get a chance to talk with you earlier? How have you been?" he asked, cocking his head slightly to the right.
"Not bad," he said in his usual monotone.
"Well, that's good. Oh, if you don't mind my asking, Vincent, did you get to talk with Tifa?"
I looked over at Vincent. He swallowed as he looked down at his hands.
"I'm getting to it," he said, looking over at me.
I smiled at him and I swore I saw a certain sparkle flash through his blood red orbs but I thought better as I reached my left hand up and rubbed my eyes, thinking that my eyes were playing tricks on me.
I looked back at Red as I spoke. "Well, anyway, Red, I'm probably going to go to Wutai really quick tomorrow. Tell Krissy and Travis I'll be gone much longer then I expected and get a few more things from my house. Is it okay if Vincent stays with you?"
"Of course it is alright. He is welcome here anytime," he said, smiling in Vincent's direction. All Vincent did was nod and look away, finding the bookshelf very interesting. An awkward silence fell over the three of us. After a few moments of me looking around the room nervously I stood up from the couch and looked at Red.
"Is there a place for us to sleep?" I asked Red, pointing back at Vincent who was still sitting on the couch with his hands on his knees. "I'd like to get an early start tomorrow."
"Of course. There's a bed and a couch upstairs. If you need anything, please, come get me," Red said, turning and walking into the Observatory.
"Well," I said, looking back at Vincent nervously. "Shall we?"
He nodded and got up. I walked over to the wooden ladder and slowly began to climb up it. I heard Vincent start up after me. I sighed with relief as I stepped off the ladder and took a few steps inside the room.
In one corner of the room there was a small bed that could comfortably fit two people and in the other corner was a neutral colored couch. Vincent walked out from behind me and immediately walked to the couch. After taking his cape off and throwing it on one arm of the couch, he laid down.
I looked away from Vincent and over to the bed. I walked over to it and sat down. I unlaced my boots and slipped them off my feet. I looked down at the floor, looking for my bag. Then a thought came over me.
I left it downstairs. Nuts.
I walked over to the ladder and made my way back down it, ignoring the confused glance I got from Vincent. After stepping off the ladder I walked over to the couch we were sitting in ten minutes ago and picked up the tan backpack that was sitting next to it.
After retrieving the item, I made my way back to the ladder and put my back against it. I looked up and chucked my bag up onto the second floor then climbed up. I grabbed my bag after stepping off the ladder then looked up at Vincent. He had one eyebrow raised and his mouth was in a straight line.
Ignoring his penetrating stare, I walked back over to the bed and sat back down. I unzipped my bag and began to dig through its contents for the item I sought. Pulling out my hairbrush, I began to run it through my long hair then grabbed a hair tie off the handle and wound my hair into a tight bun. I looked over at Vincent as I put my brush back in my bag and set it on the floor next to my boots. I tucked my feet under me as I looked over at Vincent. He was still looking at me with one eyebrow raised.
"So, uh, you wanna . . . . talk?" I asked, tugging at the fabric of the comforter underneath me. "What are some of the things you wanted to talk with me about?"
He seemed to ponder what I said for a few moments before shaking his head and turning over so he was facing the couch.
"Not now," he said, waving a hand in the air. "Maybe we can talk after you get back from Wutai."
"Um, okay," I said, getting under the blankets and switching off the light.
The next morning, I got up about 6:30. After taking a quick shower and packing all my things I left Cosmo Canyon and heading to Wutai.
Once I arrived at Wutai, I immediately went to my bar and checked on Krissy and Travis. They thought I was back but when I told them I'd be staying in Cosmo Canyon for a few months they didn't seem to object. They just told me to enjoy myself.
After saying goodbye to Krissy and Travis I went to the house Yuffie and I shared. When I entered I thought she was gone, that is until she came bolting out of the kitchen and pounced on me.
I told Yuffie about what I had done so far then went to my room and packed some more clothes. I spent the rest of the late morning and early afternoon shopping with Yuffie. I bought some new clothes with the rest of my traveling money and put them in my bag.
Once we returned for the mall, I went around back and put Seraph's saddle back on. I was feeding her when Yuffie came around back with a mischievous look in her eye.
"So, did you get to talk with Vincent?"
I turned and furrowed my brow. I had told Yuffie about Vincent while we were shopping. It didn't look like she was very curious at first but it probably caught up with her.
"Well," I said, putting my hand on Seraph's beak. "Sort of. He said he had a lot of things to tell me, but he hasn't come up and straight out 'talked' with me since I found him. Maybe he just doesn't know what to say?" I said, turning back around and leading Seraph out of her stall.
"I don't know," she said, following me out of town. "Still sounds like the old Vince to me."
"Maybe," I said, stopping. "Well, I'll keep you posted. Maybe I can take a picture of Nariko and Seto and send it to you."
"Oh, Teef! That would be great! I'll see you soon!"
'Right," I said, jumping on Seraph's back and spurring her towards Cosmo Canyon.