As Cloud worked hard to clean the coffee out of his armor and Tifa cleaned the sofa, Barret ran upstairs and began preparing for the trip. He was sad that he would be leaving Tifa and Marlene, but he and Tifa had both agreed that one of them had to go, and there was no way he was going to let Tifa go. When he stomped into the living room twenty minutes later, he found Tifa and Cloud chatting about what had happened to each of them since they separated. The room was filled with beautiful music as Marlene practiced the piano. She had only been playing it for five months but it was already obvios that she would be a professional one-day. It seemed to Barret that Tifa was doing the most talking and that Cloud wasn't really paying much attention.
As soon as Cloud saw Barret enter the room, he leaped to his feet and said goodbye to Tifa and Marlene.
"Have fun, and please try to make it back in one piece," she begged.
"Don't worry Tifa," Cloud boasted, "What could possibly hurt two heroes like us?" He flexed his muscles and smiled charmingly at her.
"That's exactly what I'm worried about," she sighed as they left the house.
When Cloud and Barret stepped outside, Barret looked around before turning on Cloud in shock, "How did you get here? I don't see a chocobo anywhere!"
"Oh, I just ran here. I um… didn't think of bringing a chocobo," Cloud said as he shook his head, realizing his mistake.
"Okay then, I guess we'll just have to take my car. Where exactly are we heading?" Barret asked as they got into his rusty old Jeep.
After a moment of thought Cloud responded, "I think we should head for Cosmo Canyon to ask Nanaki for help. I'd also like to ask his grandfather, Bugenhagen, some questions."
"You just had to pick somewhere across the ocean didn't you?" Barret muttered.
The rest of the trip to Junon Harbor was quiet except for the music blasting from the radio.
They reached the harbor just in time to drive onto the first boat leaving that morning. After parking the car on the lowest level they walked to a two-person room and settled down. The room only had a small closet, a table, and two chairs, but the two men were glad to be able to stretch their legs as they sat down. Before they could get really comfortable they both faintly heard a strange sound from the closet.
"Did… you just hear a cough?" they whispered to each other at the same time.
Cloud lightly got to his feet and quietly walked over to the closet, while Barret readied his gun to shoot whatever might come bursting out. Cloud started raising his fingers and once he reached three he yanked the door open. An orange and green ball rolled out surprising both of them.
"Don't hurt me!" a female voice shouted and the ball started quivering.
Cloud and Barret shared surprised glances before lowering their weapons, realizing this strange ball wasn't a threat.
"You sound a lot like someone I know," Cloud said suspiciously, "Is that you Yuffie?"
"Cloud?" the ball said, un-rolling itself and a small girl dressed like a ninja stood up.
"Yuffie… why exactly were you in our closet?" Barret asked in confusion.
"Well you see, I wasn't hiding in your closet, I just needed a place to hide," Yuffie said as she blushed.
"Yuffie! What did you steal this time!" Cloud asked angrily.
"Nothing! I swear! I'm… just not supposed to be on this ship, " she said guiltily. "Anyways why are you two here? I haven't seen you in ages!" she exclaimed gleefully and ran forward to give them hugs.
Cloud put his hand out and stopped her, however, before she could reach him, "Thanks Yuffie but I would prefer to keep my materia," he said laughingly.
Barret looked down in shock and realized that he, in fact, was missing all his materia. "Yuffie!" he shouted angrily.
Yuffie smiled up at him sheepishly before she dug into her pockets and brought out his materia. "Sorry, sometimes I just can't control myself," she laughed.
The three of them chatted until they heard the horn announcing that they were approaching land.
"Hey guys it was great getting to know you but I'm afraid I can't go with you… Sorry but I have important business in the north. Maybe we'll see each other some other time okay?" Yuffie quickly blurted out. Before either Cloud or Barret could react she scampered out.
"That was… odd," Cloud remarked as they got into the car. "What business could she possibly have in the north? Oh well, on to Cosmo Canyon!"
Author's Note: I know this chapter didn't really advance the plot much but I needed some way to introduce Yuffie. I promise that the next chapter will progress the plot a lot. Don't worry Yuffie fans, she will be making another VERY funny appearance later on. Plz R&R!
Editing Notes: Once again added Marlene in as well as a few minor changes.