Chapter 6

Litta began to regain consciousness shortly after being knocked out. She slowly realized that she was being dragged behind someone. She moved a little, but the person obviously noticed for she was dropped immediately.

"It's about time you woke up." Litta recognized the voice.

"What do you want, Danis?"

"You know what I want. If you honestly don't then you're even less intelligent than I thought." She gave Litta only a minute to sit on the ground. "Get up." Litta did as she was told.

"Why do you work for Rufus?"

"I'm not in the mood for conversation."

"Do you like taking orders from Rufus?"

"Shut up. My life has nothing to do with you."

"Then tell me why you became a Turk."

"You asked that last time you were in this position."

"You didn't answer me then either."

"If this is the only way to shut you up, then fine. I was seventeen when my house was burned down and my family killed by Sephiroth. I joined the Turks after that in hopes of getting back at Sephiroth. Happy now?"

"So that was two years ago, right?"

"Yes."

"So you lived in Wutai. I was there that night. I talked with Sephiroth after he burned down the town."

"I never saw you. The only people I saw were Tseng and Rude."

"I saw them too. They were told to leave by Rufus before they could bring me with them." While Danis was thinking about this, Litta was thinking of something else. She could be a big help if I can get her on our side. "Why don't you join us?"

"What!"

"Join us. We'll help you get Sephiroth. That's who we're trying to find right now. If you helped us-"

"I'm going to stop you right there," Danis said. Litta looked confused. "I'm fine being a Turk. I don't need you or your group of 'friends' to get my revenge. I'll find Sephiroth on my own."

"You can't handle Sephiroth on your own. I've tried it." Danis didn't reply. In fact, she hadn't even been listening. She was looking to the side. Litta turned to see what she was staring at. Sephiroth was coming through the forest towards them.

"What are you doing here Sephiroth?" Litta asked.

"No hello?" he asked her.

"Have I ever given you a hello?" Sephiroth made no reply, but turned his attention to Danis.

"I don't ever recall meeting you before," he said to Danis.

"That's because we haven't. You just burned down my house two years ago, killing my family."

"Oh. Am I supposed to apologize then?"

"I don't want to hear an apology. I want to see you dead." She fired some shots at him but none hit.

"You need to work on your aim."

"My aim is just fine."

"Danis," Litta told her, "you can't take him. He's too strong."

"I can take him, and don't think I need your help." She fired some more shots. This time, after they had all missed again, Sephiroth hit her with a lightning bolt.

"You can't aim or dodge, how sad." Danis just glared at Sephiroth. She got back up and fired one more shot. She realized that her gun was empty. "Did you run out of ammo?" Sephiroth was enjoying this.

"I don't need this gun to kill you." She tossed it aside and pulled out another. "I always carry an extra gun in case I need it. Good thing too." Litta watched this, unsure of what to do. She wouldn't help Sephiroth, but she didn't want to help Danis either. After Danis fired some more shots Sephiroth used his magic. None of her shots ever hit him, and he just countered with magic every time. About the third time he used Bolt, she was gone. She collapsed and Litta made her way over to her.

"You didn't kill her yet."

"That wasn't my goal. I just wanted her out of my way. Her bullets were becoming a nuisance." Litta stared at him.

"You really don't care about anyone else, do you?"

"On the contrary, I care a great deal about you."

"Well I'm afraid I don't return the feeling." She hoisted Danis over her shoulder.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Away from you. I can't stand being near you!"

"You may not be able to stand me, and yet you become more like me every day."

"That's not true! I'm nothing like you." I care about people. I don't kill them for no reason. Sephiroth seemed to read her thoughts.

"If you're thinking you don't kill people for no reason and you think I do, you are mistaken. Did you not kill Red XIII without knowing who he was?"

"That was different."

"Didn't you kill Yuffie, despite the fact she was your friend?" Litta couldn't stand it any more.

"Why can't you just leave me alone?" She dropped Danis on the ground with a soft thud.

"I think you are already alone."

"She's not alone!" Squall emerged from the tree he had been hiding behind. "She has friends that stand by her."

"But you have a very specific reason for standing by her, do you not?"

"This isn't about him," Litta said.

"But it involves him," Sephiroth told her.

"It doesn't matter. Why don't you just leave me alone, and my friends, and we'll get along just fine."

"No. You need to come with me and bring that book with you. Since you don't have it though, I'll kindly ask Squall to hand it over." He looked at Squall, turning his back on Litta.

"I'm not giving you the book." Please don't tell him you have it Litta. That was always your bargaining chip. If you tell him you have it, who knows what he'll do.

"I'll be getting it from you either way, alive or dead."

"Well then, you'll just have to try to kill me since I won't give it to you while I'm alive." He pulled out his sword and Litta got out her gun. Sephiroth made no move.

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Cloud had walked with Vincent without saying a thing. After half an hour, they realized that Squall and Litta hadn't been making any noise either. Cloud turned to ask them a question, but stopped when he saw no one behind them.

"Where did they go?" Vincent turned around to look.

"They must have left after I was done talking to Litta."

"What were you talking to her about?"

"Just what she did when she was with the Turks." Cloud asked no more. He knew Vincent better than to give away someone else's information.

"We should head back and look for them. It looks like it's going to rain so we'd better hurry." They began back-tracking their steps.

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As Squall and Litta waited for Sephiroth to make the first move, clouds began to move in. Thunder was heard and rain began to fall. At first it was light but then it steadily became heavier. Sephiroth was still standing between them, without any visible weapon. All of a sudden Sephiroth had a sword in his hand. They hadn't seen him pull it out, but then they couldn't see very well with all the rain. I know that sword, Litta thought to herself. That's the sword he killed Aeris with, masamune. That's what he used against me in my last battle with him.

"I'm sure you recognize this sword, Litta," he spoke to her.

"Less talk and more action Sephiroth. You just confuse people with your words." Litta couldn't wait any longer and fired some shots at him. He dodged and the bullets headed towards Squall.

"Sorry," she yelled, but Squall didn't hear her because lightning cracked right at that moment. It hit a tree close by.

"You need to be careful that you don't hit him," Sephiroth taunted her. He's trying to get me to attack again. I should have waited, but I know better this time. Squall chose that moment to launch an attack of his own against Sephiroth.

Sephiroth swung his blade once and blocked Squall. They were fighting too quickly for Litta to get in a good shot. Sephiroth was clearly stronger than Squall, but Squall was quicker. Litta then remember she had magic she could use.

"You're weak," Sephiroth said.

"You're slow," Squall answered back. Sephiroth only laughed. The next moment Squall jumped away from him and wasn't hit by the fire attack from Litta.

"You would hurt your own father?" Sephiroth asked her.

"What kind of a father are you?" She laughed a little. "You leave me for two years then take me away from my friends. You hurt me and now you expect me to keep myself from hurting you?" Sephiroth was still not hurt badly, so he got up and attacked Squall.

"You just don't get it, do you?" he asked Sephiroth.

"Get what?"

"That you won't win." Sephiroth wasn't pleased with that sentence. He put much more energy into the fight and knocked Squall to the ground.

"You said I won't win. I'm telling you that if I lose, you still don't win."

"How do you figure that?"

"By my definition of winning." With that he raised his sword to put his blade through Squall, but he had forgotten about Litta. She had seen him getting ready to kill Squall so she made a dash to where they were. She put herself in front of Squall, between him and Sephiroth's blade.

"Stop!" Sephiroth caught himself just inches away from Litta's chest.

"Move Litta."

"No. I won't let you kill Squall." Squall looked up and saw her in front of him. Why would she put herself in that position? She could have been killed. She still could be killed.

"I said move. I'm not a patient man."

"So I've noticed, but my answer remains the same. I'm not moving." Sephiroth was clearly not happy with the situation and was considering his next move carefully.

"If you do not move, I will be forced to kill you too." He slowly began raising the sword again.

"Litta," Squall told her, "just move." She looked at him like he'd gone mad. "There's no reason for both of us to be killed, and we can't both get away. Just move." She was still looking at him when Sephiroth decided he had given them enough time.

He wasn't happy about it, but he thrust his sword through Litta and even through Squall. Neither had been expecting it. Squall caught Litta as she fell forward, but could barely hold himself up. Sephiroth was coming to pick up Litta when Cloud and Vincent came into view. Squall couldn't make out much more before he blacked out.

"What did you do Sephiroth?" Cloud screamed. Vincent went straight to Squall and revived him. Squall woke up immediately, but they weren't sure what to do about Litta.

"Aren't you going to heal her Squall?" Sephiroth asked.

"How could you?" Squall stood up faced him. "She was your daughter, your own flesh and blood. How can you ask me if I'm going to heal her, when you just killed her?"

"I'm doing just fine. But if she's so special to you, which I know she is, why haven't you healed her yet?" Cloud could tell Squall was about to burst, so he stepped in.

"Sephiroth, just get out of here. I've beaten you once and I can do it again." Sephiroth stood for a moment then disappeared into the sky.

"What do we do with Litta?" Squall asked. "We have to heal her, but we all know what happens when we do that."

"I don't think we have a choice," Vincent told them. "If we don't, she'll be gone for good." Squall looked back at him.

"Do it." Cloud agreed. Vincent revived her, and she woke up seconds later. She screamed out in pain.

"What...happened?" she gasped. Squall was about to answer her when he noticed Danis stirring a little ways off. He walked over to her and tried to help her up. She shook him off.

"I don't need your help." She stood up on her own. "Where's Sephiroth?"

"He left." Danis swore under her breath. Then she looked over at Litta.

"What's wrong with her?"

"You're a Turk, you should know that."

"I'm sorry that I don't know everything. So is that one of our experiments?" Squall began moving her towards Cloud.

"Yes. If we heal her, her wounds heal but she experiences a great deal of pain." Danis said nothing. "What's your name?"

"Danis." Squall had nothing else to say, so he brought her to Cloud.

"Who's this Squall?"

"This is Danis, she's a Turk. Litta had her after she was knocked out by Sephiroth, and that's when I came." Cloud only nodded.

"I think we should get Litta to a hotel. The nearest town is Balamb." Squall only nodded. That means we might run into Irvine. I hope we can avoid that. "Danis, you'll be coming with us for now."

"I don't think so."

"Do you really think you can beat the three of us by yourself?" Danis looked around to Vincent.

"I guess I don't have a choice." She went with them, closely watched by Vincent. Cloud ended up carrying Litta, while Squall led them to Balamb. When they got there, Vincent continued to watch Danis. Cloud was in his own room and Squall was looking after Litta.

"Are you just going to sit and watch me the whole time?" Danis asked Vincent. He made no reply, just continued to watch her. She stood up and began to pace.

His name is Vincent, and that ex-Turk's name was Vincent. His picture is almost identical to this Vincent. It has to be the same guy. But that also means he's the one Hojo experimented on. I'd better avoid getting on his bad side. She continued to pace the floor, every once in a while glancing up at Vincent.

"Do you have more than one gun on you?" Vincent asked. He had caught her off guard, causing her to stumble.

"Why do you want to know?"

"Turks usually have more than one weapon on them. I asked if you had more than one gun, if you do, I would like for you to hand them over." So he expects me to hand over my weapons, leaving me defenseless? I don't think so. "What did you say?" She had said her last thought out loud without realizing it.

"You don't actually expect me to hand over my weapons, do you?"

"Yes I do. You can hand them over or I'll take them by force." She didn't want to give him an excuse to get angry, so she handed over both her guns and her knife.

"Feel better?" she asked sarcastically.

"I do, but you obviously don't." He sat down again and watched her continue pacing. "Why did you become a Turk?"

"Does everyone suddenly want to know why I joined the Turks or just you freaks?" She hadn't meant to scream at Vincent, but he didn't seem to mind. "I want to kill Sephiroth for killing my family. It's that simple."

"Why did he kill your family?"

"I don't know. It wasn't just my family either. He burnt down my whole town."

"Which town was that?"

"Wutai." Vincent considered this for a minute.

"Did you know someone named Yuffie?" She thought for a minute.

"Yeah, she was always running around the town. A little too energetic for me. Why?"

"Just wondered." She finally got tired of pacing and sat down on her bed. "Did you have anything to do with her death?"

"No. That was Reno and Litta. It was her second job." She wasn't looking at Vincent when she answered, so she missed the look of anger on his face.

"I'm sending Cloud in here to watch you so you won't get away. Do not mention Litta's missions to him. You'll regret it." He got up and left. Cloud came in only seconds after Vincent left.

"What were you talking about that got Vincent so angry?" Danis thought about what she should say.

"Just about being a Turk." Cloud said no more.

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Squall had put Litta on her bed and then sat in one of the chairs. He was going to make sure nothing happened to her. I don't trust Danis. She's a Turk and is supposed to bring Litta to Rufus. I won't let her get near Litta, not after what she's been through with Sephiroth. He continued to think until Vincent came in.

"I thought you were watching Danis?"

"Cloud's watching her right now. I need to talk to Litta." Litta turned around when she heard her name. She remained in a ball to keep the pain from getting worse.

"Can't this wait Vincent?" Squall asked.

"No. I asked her some questions before concerning Yuffie's death and Litta lied to me. I know she must have told you the truth and that's what I want to hear, the truth." He looked at Litta.

"But she's in a lot of pain right now. Are you sure you can't-"

"I want to talk to her now." Vincent hadn't raised his voice, but Squall stopped arguing. Vincent sat next to Litta on the bed and lowered his voice some. "Squall, would you leave me with Litta?"

"I'd rather not."

"Please." Squall walked out the door and shut it lightly. "Do you still claim that you had nothing to do with Yuffie's death?" She nodded her head yes. "I was talking with Danis and she says that you did."

"You trust her more than me?" The pain was easing up so Litta was able to slowly sit up.

"I don't trust her more, but she is a Turk. She knew what went on at Shin-Ra. She says that you and Reno were the ones who killed Yuffie. Do you deny it?" She sighed.

"No. I did it. I pulled the trigger on the gun and shot Yuffie. I didn't want to tell you because I thought you might tell Cloud. After seeing the way he reacted, I didn't want to know what he would do to me."

"I see what you mean." They heard a knock on the door and Squall came in.

"I see you haven't killed her yet Vincent." Litta laughed with Squall. Vincent made no reaction.

"I'll go take over watching Danis so Cloud doesn't kill her." Vincent left them laughing when he walked out. Once he was gone, they laughed even harder.

"I don't even know why we're laughing. It wasn't that funny," Litta commented. She had to stop though because the pain was coming back. Squall stopped too.

"Did you tell him what happened?"

"I had to. He already knew from what Danis told him."

"What did he say?"

"Not much, like always." Squall laughed again.

"He's not one to say what he's thinking."

"Neither are you," Litta mumbled.

"What?" He hadn't quite heard what she'd said, but he knew she had said something.

"It was nothing." The conversation halted and Squall left.