Chapter 3

Vincent led them away from Midgar and towards Wutai. He figured they would visit Yuffie, and Sephiroth wouldn't be there yet.

"What will Sephiroth do when he finds out Cloud is dead?" Litta asked. No one answered. No one knew for sure.

"Sephiroth," Vincent started, "is hard to predict. He does what he wants, no matter what the cost is. He will raise Jenova no matter who gets hurt." That wasn't the answer Litta was looking for. They arrived at Wutai and Vincent led the way to Yuffie's house.

"Where are we going again?" Litta asked.

"To visit an old friend," Vincent told her. He knocked on the door.

"Just a minute!" a voice from inside yelled. A minute later the door was opened. "Vincent!"

"Hello Yuffie. May we come in?"

"Of course." She opened the door for everyone. "Hello again, Squall, isn't it?"

"Yes. Hello."

"And who's this?" She nodded towards Litta.

"This is Litta, Sephiroth's daughter," Vincent explained.

"Oh," Yuffie said. "I saw a storm in the distance. What's happened?" So Vincent explained everything he had been told, and Squall filled in the missing details. When it came to the storm and Sephiroth's return, Litta told what happened.

"We're not sure what Sephiroth will do when he find's out Cloud is dead." Vincent told her. "Cloud was the person Sephiroth wanted revenge on the most. One thing I do know is that he will want his daughter back."

"Litta," Yuffie turned towards her now, "you said you only read a little of the book. Why did you stop?"

"I remembered what I had been told about resurrecting Sephiroth and Ultimacia so I stopped. I didn't want to summon her too. What will Sephiroth do with me?" Squall only shrugged, but no one said anything.

"Maybe," Yuffie suggested, "we should talk to someone else who has had to deal with Ultimacia. Are any of your friends nearby Squall?"

"Zell and Irvine are in Balamb, that's only a couple hours from here. Quistis is farther away."

"Well why don't we go talk to them?" Yuffie got up and grabbed her weapons. "Well Vincent, what are you waiting for?" He hadn't moved, but now he got up. They left Yuffie's house and Squall led the way to Balamb. Litta walked with Squall.

"So, who are Zell and Irvine?"

"Their two of my friends who helped me defeat Ultimacia. They're kind of wild, so don't be surprised if they act a little crazy." I don't think anything would surprise me at this point. I've seen and heard so many things I feel like my brain is about to explode. "You ok?" She looked up to see Squall looking at her.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking, that's all."

"What about?"

"About everything that's happened. It's just been so fast, I don't know if I can take much more."

"I think you ought to learn how to use a gun better so you can help out more in the next battle."

"You think there will be another battle?"

"I'm sure of it. Vincent," he called him over, "do you think you can give Litta a few tips on how to use a gun?"

"That's probably a good idea." He took Litta back with him and Yuffie joined Squall at the front. Vincent showed her the proper way to hold the gun and how to aim.

"I never knew so much was involved in shooting a gun."

"It looks easier than it is. Now all you need is a little target practice." But before he could go on, Squall rushed off to check out some noises up ahead. "Squall!" Yuffie, Vincent, and Litta all ran ahead to see who had said Squall's name.

"Hey Zell, Irvine. It's been a while," Squall said.

"Squall, are these your friends?" Vincent had come up behind him.

"Yes. This is Zell and this is Irvine. This is," he turned to the other three people, "Yuffie, Vincent, and Litta." Everyone mumbled a hello or something like it. Litta noticed Irvine smiling in her direction. She quickly turned her head, not wanting the special attention.

"So Squall," Zell started, "what brings you to Balamb with a whole group of friends?"

"Can we talk about this somewhere else Zell?"

"You can come to my apartment," Irvine suggested.

"Good. Lead the way," Squall told him. So they followed Irvine into Balamb and found themselves in a rather tiny apartment.

"So what's up Squall?" Zell asked again. Squall repeated the story again, realizing that every time he had repeated it to someone it was always longer than before. When he was done, Zell was the first to speak up.

"So you're saying this Sephiroth is basically going to try to destroy the world with Ultimacia." Squall nodded. "But we defeated her before. How can she come back?"

"It's confusing, but basically what I can gather is the book that Litta has can somehow bring her back from the dead, using some kind of powerful magic." Zell thought for a minute.

"So what do you want us to do?"

"I'm not really sure yet. It was Yuffie's suggestion."

"I figured that Vincent and I know how to defeat Sephiroth, you and your friends know how to defeat Ultimacia, so we would have better odds that way. I act before I think sometimes." Vincent seemed to chuckle at that.

"So Squall," Irvine said, "how did Sephiroth come back? I mean you said that the book was in some other language, right?"

"That was my fault," Litta said. "I started reading the book out loud. I don't know how I could read it, though." Not that I know a lot about my past in general.

"I'm sure it wasn't totally your fault," he said.

"I just told you it was. There wasn't anyone else around to blame it on."

"I was just saying, that's all."

"Well since you don't know everything don't say anything!" Irvine looked surprised at her outburst. Squall tried to suppress his laughter. Zell too was laughing, but he made no effort to hide it.

"Irvine here is a notorious ladies' man," said Zell, "and isn't used to being rejected."

"I can handle rejection!" Irvine replied. "It just doesn't happen that often, you know. The ladies just can't keep their hands off me." Zell laughed again. Squall joined him. Soon Yuffie was laughing and even Vincent began chuckling. Irvine looked away to hide the red creeping into his face.

"Let's get back to business," Vincent said. Slowly everyone stopped laughing. Irvine turned around once his face was back to normal.

"We're still stuck with the question of what to do now?" said Zell. "What do you think Squall?"

"Why are you asking me?"

"Because you're good at being a leader. You became the leader at Balamb Garden when we had to defeat all of the sorceresses."

That was different, Squall thought. I was forced to become the leader in those situations. I didn't ask to become leader, it was just expected. I have no idea what to do in this situation, except keep everyone from getting killed and protect Litta. Litta... He wasn't able to finish that thought before someone cut in.

"Thinking to yourself again?" It was Zell.

"What's wrong with my thinking?"

"Nothing, it's just you do too much of it. What were you thinking about anyways?"

"Just...nothing. I don't think I'd make a good leader. I think Vincent would be better."

"Totally!" Yuffie agreed.

"Why me?"

"You know Sephiroth better for one thing," Squall said.

"But you know Ultimacia."

"But she isn't alive again yet," Squall pointed out.

"Come on Vincent," Yuffie prodded. "You always know what to do, or at least what not to do."

"I guess if that's what everyone wants."

"Anyone opposed?" No one objected.

"Great!" Yuffie yelled. "Now we have a leader."

"So what should we do?" questioned Squall.

"First I think I should take Litta out to practice some more with her gun. Besides that, we shouldn't stay in any place too long."

"Go ahead and take Litta out right now. When you're ready, come get us and we'll head out."

So Vincent took Litta out to practice. They walked out where she wouldn't hit any buildings or people, and gave her a few targets to hit.

"You're getting better," he told her.

"Really? It doesn't seem like it. I've missed half the targets."

"That's not the most important thing. What's important is that you learn what you did wrong and you fix it."

"I guess." Actually, I'm probably missing some of these shots because I'm not concentrating. What does Sephiroth want with me? Will he force me to read the book and bring back Ultimacia? Would I be able to resist him? Could I get him to spare my friends? Would he spare me? Crap! She missed the target and the bullet almost hit Vincent. "Sorry."

"What were you thinking about that made you aim so bad?"

"I was just thinking about Sephiroth."

"Try not to think about that for now."

"Why not? He's my father isn't he?" She paused. "Will he really come after me?"

"I don't know. No one knows much about Sephiroth."

"But do you think he'll come after me?"

"My guess would be yes. Would you go with him?"

"I don't want to, but he can control me somehow, so I'm afraid of not having a choice."

"We'll have to deal with that issue when we come to it. For now, since Rufus is probably looking for you at this point, you ought to practice shooting so you can protect yourself against the Turks."

"Turks." She said the name with disgust. Why do they even have to exist? All they do is hurt people. Someone needs to deal with them. Maybe that person should be me. They're already looking for me. I would have the perfect way to get into the Shin-Ra building. Hmmm... A plan started to form in her head.

"I think you've had all the practice you need," Vincent told her. "Wait here while I go get the others." Once he was gone, she wrote a quick note on with the pen and paper she had take from Irvine's apartment. She tacked it to a tree and ran off. When the others arrived, Squall was the first to notice the note.

Squall and company,

Sorry to run off on you, but I need to take care of something. I'll meet you in a day or two in Esthar by the northernmost entrance. Don't bother following me. I'll be fine.

-Litta

"What does it say Squall?" asked Irvine.

"She left to take care of something. We're supposed to meet her in Esthar in a day or two, and we're not to follow her." Why would she do this? Doesn't she know there are people after her? Where did she go? What could she possibly have to take care of?

"So what now Vincent? You're the leader," Zell said. Vincent thought for a second. "I think Squall and I should go after Litta. The rest of you should go to Esthar and wait." Everyone agreed, so Squall told them where to wait. Then he and Vincent took off.