No killy-killy of the Akai for the contents of this chapter. Seriously - I need my head.

Title courtesy of Vienna Teng.

Takes place after Kairi's rescue; contains spoilers for the end of Kingdom Hearts.

Written from Cloud's perspective.

Ephemeral Blossoms

Akai Kitsune

Part 17: The Third One Between

Both Zack and I were quiet on our scouting mission that night. Usually if there was nothing going on or nothing to report, we would make use of our spare time to practice - Zack with his usual broadsword and me with a weapon borrowed from the barracks, since mine had yet to arrive - or even just discuss what we thought of castle life. I had meant to tell him about Cid's return, and the repairs done to the Highwind, but he'd told me - in as few words as possible - that Tifa had spoken to Yuffie earlier and gotten the same basic story, so there was nothing for me to add. And nothing I wanted to.

I wondered if he knew the conclusion of the conversation between Aerith and me, but he wasn't the sort to eavesdrop, and the only other way for him to know was to speak with Aerith, something I doubted he'd do so soon. He had seemed confident that I wanted what she offered me, and if it hurt him as much as I suspected, he wouldn't dare ask.

The hours passed by at an agonizing pace, but the silence was better than the anger I knew was inevitable, and I wasn't about to be the one to explain things just to break it.

Thinking about his reaction made me a little angry, truthfully. Who was he to decide whether or not I wanted Aerith? Just because he liked her didn't mean I had to! I mean, I didn't hate her, but... I didn't...

Did I...?

No! And I wouldn't let Zack's certainty change my mind or even help me make the decision in the first place. I'd made my choice, and he'd have to deal with it.

Knowing him, he'd probably be happy. This was what he wanted, wasn't it? This was what his little vow in the barracks meant. With me out of the way, he could protect her without my interference.

But no matter how I tried to reassure myself, I couldn't imagine Zack accepting that.

At the end of our patrol route, I thought I was home free; Zack seemed lost in his thoughts. His voice stopped me, though, as I turned to find my own way to the barracks.

"Cloud?"

Inwardly I groaned, but I replied with, "What is it? Is it my turn to report in?"

He shook his head, not going for my obvious attempt to escape whatever he was out to say. "Cloud... what would you have done if it was you?"

I blinked. "What?"

"If you were me," he added, his eyes carefully averted. "If you wanted something you couldn't have, when it's the one thing you've never been denied. If you realized you never really wanted it till now."

This time, I hesitated. What would I have done...?

It was an unfair question from my viewpoint. I'd given Aerith my answer, even though Zack didn't know that, so he still had a chance. I couldn't imagine what he was feeling, couldn't even try.

So I gave the only response I could: "I don't know."

He looked at me then, and I was surprised when he grinned. "Good."

I stared back at him. "Good?" I echoed dumbly.

Zack nodded. "Yeah... because if you don't know, then you haven't figured out how you feel. And that means you haven't given an answer yet."

Wide-eyed and practically gawking at him, I could only watch as he strode past me, that same smile on his face.

I hadn't answered yet? How could he say that? He didn't even know!

Do you? A voice spoke up within me, mockingly. I didn't know what to think of anything anymore. But one thing I knew - however much I wanted it to be, it wasn't over.

For three days I did my best to avoid both Aerith and Zack - a difficult chore, considering Zack and I slept and lived in the same dorm. We didn't talk much, and even when we did, he didn't bring up Aerith anymore. It was like we were both afraid to, though I wasn't certain why. Avoiding Aerith herself was simple enough, since all I had to do was steer clear of the garden. I think the most surprising thing of all was, while I was avoiding the others, Tifa seemed to be avoiding me.

She was subtle enough about it that I didn't notice at first, but there was a gradual change in her. Thinking back, it had began when she'd first seen me with Aerith... when we'd exchanged wary looks across the room, Aerith beside me and Zack beside her. Since then she had been hesitating a lot, watching me nervously when she thought I wasn't paying attention. She was civil to Aerith, and sometimes they seemed to be genuine friends, but... when we were together, I'd always felt two sets of eyes either on me or each other. It was making me nervous, and I was tired of it.

On the third day I was passing by the kitchen on my way to the servant's cafeteria, when I overheard Zack and Tifa talking in hushed tones, barely audible through the heavy wooden door. It hadn't really interested me until I heard my name spoken; silently, I pressed my ear against the wall, unable to suppress my curiousity.

"Have you told Cloud yet?" Tifa's voice was quiet, tense.

"Tell him what?" was Zack's reply.

Tifa groaned. "Zack, the train! Have you told him what happened?"

I froze, my hands instinctively clenching into fists. "What makes you think I know?" Zack asked quietly.

She hesitated. "... well... you acted like it. Maybe not as much then, but... I can tell you've been thinking a lot. And you're always watching him! It's like you know something's going to happen-"

"Of course I do," he said curtly. "Something always happens. I only watch him because of what happened back then; it's Cloud who will feel it first. And if it's him they're after, I want to be sure I can help him."

" 'If'?" she echoed.

I could hear Zack's rising frustration. "Yes, if. Nothing's for sure right now - not for you, or me, and especially not for Cloud. But something's going to change soon, for all of us. I want to be ready when it comes."

"How can you be so sure about this?"

This time, it was he who paused. Finally he murmured, "Because all this was too easy. Us escaping, joining Avalanche, living here... I didn't even change my name. It's obvious I was in SOLDIER, or at least got Mako treatments somewhere. Same for Cloud. Anyone could find out who we are if they bothered checking a few military records. And yet no one's questioned us. Why haven't they stopped us?"

"They didn't even seem fazed..." Tifa trailed off into a whisper. "Zack..."

"Someone's watching us pretty closely," Zack finished. I shivered at the certainty in his voice. "I think they're waiting for something. For us to find out for ourselves what's going on... maybe they've been leading us here all along."

"Then what's the point?!" Tifa burst out. "Why are we even trying? If-if it's not even us... if they're just letting us do all this, why should we even bother?"

"Didn't we come here to find answers?" Zack growled. "Wasn't it our own choice? No one forced us into this, Tif... we may have gotten unwanted help help, but this was what we decided, all of us. Even Cloud can't deny that. This... this is the only place we can go."

In a choked voice, she said, "I know. But I wish it didn't have to be."

"Me too," he responded faintly, "If you'll believe me."

"I do."

There was a long silence, and I thought for a moment that the conversation was over, when Tifa finally broke it.

"I wish it was all over, Zack."

"Do you?" he asked, a little surprised. "Funny. I wish it would start."

"Hm?"

"I'm tired of waiting."

"Oh." Another silence. "You know... we're kind of the same, now, aren't we..."

"Okay," Zack interrupted musingly, "Now I'm confused."

"Ah..." Tifa fumbled for an explanation; I could hear the footsteps as she paced the room. "I don't know how to... I mean... we've both lost it. We're chasing it, but it keeps running away..."

"It?"

"A dream," she said hastily, frustrated. "We're chasing a dream... it used to be real, but now it's not because we can't have it. But we keep chasing." She stopped for a moment, then hesitantly added, "It's stupid, isn't it...?"

Zack shrugged; I knew it, though I couldn't see it, because he always did. "If it's so stupid," he murmured, "Are you giving up?"

She laughed then, lightly, without humour, cutting off with what sounded like a sob.

"Never," she whispered. "It's a stupid dream. But... never, ever."

He didn't say anything back this time, and after the silence became unbearable I slipped away, my mood left uneasy by their words.

I thought about what Zack had said all that night, trying to figure out what he'd meant, what he knew, maybe even who our elusive 'helpers' were. No answers came, and I couldn't ask Zack for any answers he might have, lest I admit I'd been eavesdropping. Again. Besides, though I hated to believe it, if he wouldn't tell Tifa, I doubted he would tell me. It was unfair, and often infuriating, but it was who he was. And if there's one thing I knew about Zack, it's that he changed for no one but himself.

By morning, bleary-eyed and more than a little annoyed by my own ignorance in the matter, I'd come up with only one solution - search for any possible answers in the library.

The entire history of the Bastion was contained somewhere in the castle's library, ranging from the world's geography to ancient books of languages and cultures. The hierarchy of the castle and the world's leaders could be found when one knew where to look, something easier said than done. Part of the reason Aerith had been hired was to help organize the texts scattered across the shelves. Asking her for help would have been the easiest way to find answers.

I didn't ask Aerith.

When it was light enough that I could move around the castle without being questioned, I got out of bed and made my way quietly to the library, attacking the shelves at once, in search of anything - anything - that might give me some sort of answer. I flipped through fiction - briefly, for I wanted the truth, not false tales - maps and architecture - one book had layouts of the castle's lower levels, but not how to access them - books of the lost dialects of the world, but anything to do with Ansem and his mysterious studies, I could find nothing. Within a few hours I'd made it through a quarter of the library, but I was no closer to what I sought than when I first entered.

I was crouched over a history book from one of the upper shelves when I felt a hand touch my shoulder. Startled, and chiding myself for not paying attention, I whirled around and caught sight of Aerith standing behind me, watching curiously. "A-Aerith? What are you-"

"I think that's something for me to ask," she interrupted with a faint smile, "Since I work here and you don't." I lowered my gaze, face reddening. "You look tired. Have you been here all night?"

"No," I mumbled, glancing up at the clock. It was almost noon... "Just a couple hours, I guess."

"Zack was looking for you. He was a bit worried."

I balked at the thought, my eyes still averted. "You still talk to him?"

Her tone was hurt when she replied, after a pause. "Don't mistake me for you, Cloud. I'm not the one avoiding people, and neither is Zack."

At that, I swallowed hard. "I know..."

"If you know, why are you doing it?" She bent down to kneel beside me, forcing me to look at her. "Have I done something so terrible? Was it that repulsive to you?"

"N-no!" I protested, unsure. How could she think that? "I just didn't think you'd-"

"You were running away," she murmured. I gave no reply. "Zack said you didn't really give me an answer. Thinking back, I can't say for sure - only you can. And you won't talk to me."

"I didn't know what to tell you," I barely managed to whisper. I still don't...

Then she smiled again, reaching out to touch my hand. "It's enough that you said that. You didn't have to answer... you never have to answer unless you know. Okay?"

I nodded stiffly, and slowly drew my hand away, moving to put the book back in its place. She wasn't offended, but she took the book from my unresisting grasp, studying the title. " 'History of the Monarchy'? What were you doing, Cloud?"

Flushing again, I scowled and yanked it back, stuffing it in the shelf. "Just reading," I muttered. "I was bored."

"Bored enough to read about Lord Ansem's grandparents?" Aerith's lips curved into a teasing smile. "Do I need to tell Zack he really should worry - about you turning into the librarian or something?"

I scoffed, shaking my head, but inwardly, my mind reeled. "No... don't tell Zack. I'd never hear the end of it." Plus he'd want to know -why-...

"I won't breathe a word," she leaned in with a wry smile, "But only if you let me in on it!"

There was no escaping it, it seemed. Sighing to myself, I swallowed my pride and explained what I was doing, or at least trying to.

She was silent for a long time, lips pursed, deep in thought. Finally she looked at me and said, "It sounds to me like you're after Ansem's Report."

I blinked. "What?"

Smiling again, she stood, motioning for me to stand. "I was talking to the librarian... once she told me that Ansem was studying the Heartless in great detail. It's common knowledge among the inhabitants of the city - but everyone thinks it was meant to protect them. She said he used to store his findings here, scattered in the library in secret compartments and passageways. I'm sure that if we looked hard enough, we could find his secrets - maybe the report itself!"

I couldn't help but smile slightly at her enthusiasm. "Zack mentioned it, I think... while we were getting ready to come here, he said Ansem had the answers we needed. Maybe the report was what he meant." She nodded energetically, and I glanced around. "Okay, then... where do we start?"

Suddenly her smile faded. "I can't," she said quietly, "Not right now. And you can't either - while the librarian might show up. If she catches you snooping around you'll be thrown out for sure!"

I grimaced. "So, when?"

Aerith thought hard for a moment, then brightened. "Meet me back here in two hours. I'll talk to the librarian, see what her schedule is, maybe even get a few more hints and hiding places! How does that sound?"

I nodded slowly. "That's fine." I walked past her, tugging out the book containing the castle layout, offering it to her. "I found this earlier... it might help you."

She flipped through it, shook her head, and handed it back. "No, you take it. The librarian will get suspicious if I seem too eager. Look for possible ways of getting to the lower levels, maybe? If we can find Ansem's main research area, think how much we'd learn then, hmm?"

I took the book back somewhat reluctantly, then blinked again as she offered something else with it - a pale coloured flower, its petals wide and round, a mix of yellow and light green. "Um. What?"

Her cheeks were as red as the flower's center. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "I... it's Zack's favourite, he said. I don't know why - it's not even that pretty, is it? And he said roses were so much better, I..."

At my blank look, she swallowed hard. "I wanted to give it to him... to let him know he's still important to me. To tell him... well, maybe that a part of me does love him. I really do care." Her voice fell, eyes closing, even as she turned away. "But... he didn't want it."

"... Oh." I didn't ask why. Instead, my mouth dry, I asked, "Why give it to me?"

Aerith smiled then, but it was a little bitter. "You should know why," she said simply.

I couldn't respond to that; finally she walked away, climbing the stairs towards the upper level.

"Two hours," her voice drifted to my ears as a reminder, and then she disappeared into the hallway, the door closing loudly behind her. My eyes fell to the flower in my hand, the book and my search forgotten for the moment.

"You should know why."

So many things I should have known... far too many things that I didn't.

I was still speechless and staring at the flower Aerith had given me when Zack jogged out of the hallway from the lower door, his sword hanging at his back and a smile on his face as he caught sight of me.

"Hey, Cloud!" he called, waving me over. "It's mission time!"

My eyes widened. "What?"

-Now-? But... Aerith...

I can't just leave without telling her...

He seemed oblivious to my sudden flare of panic. "Yeah, Barrett got pretty huffy with this one when he heard about it; he wanted to make sure we both got it. It's just a night watch, that's all. There have been a few rumours of the Heartless appearing in a certain neighbourhood, down by the falls. You know the old forest?" I nodded numbly. "I figured. Grab your gear - time to make some cash!"

I hesitated as he moved towards the door, and after a moment he turned back, giving me a curious look. "Cloud?"

"I..." Swallowing hard, I lifted the flower, my face flushed. "Aerith just..."

Zack froze, his gaze averted. "Ah. Got a date tonight, kid?"

My face reddened a few shades. "N-no!" I blurted out. "But... Aerith wants me to meet her in the library soon. I... I promised I'd be there..."

I... I don't want to hurt anyone.

"You promised, huh," Zack echoed after a moment. I couldn't read the expression on his face. "Well, if it's a promise, it can't be helped."

I blinked. "Zack?"

He grinned at me, cuffing me on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it, kid. You can't let that girl down. I've seen it in your eyes."

"Th-that's not..." I trailed off, trying not to think about what he had said. It was true I didn't want to disappoint her, but... "I need a few hours, that's all."

He laughed. "Are you kidding? She could keep you happy all night. No, not like that," he shook his head, his smile broadening, as my face reddened. "She has more class than that. And you know it, too."

"I know," I mumbled sullenly. "So can it... can it wait, Zack?"

"Cloud, it's an assignment," Zack raised an eyebrow. "We can't just put it on hold. But like I said, it's just recon. You know the drill... and I can hold the fort alone for a few hours if that's all you need."

You'd do that? Even though you...

I'm... surprised, Zack.

But I probably shouldn't be.

You wanted her to be happy, didn't you...

"Are you sure?" I stammered after a moment, cursing my own mouth. Why was it that I always got nervous talking about her? "I could go find her now, ask her if we can talk tomorrow or something..."

Zack's lip quirked, forcing down another smile. "You'd drop Aerith for me? I'm touched."

I lowered my gaze again, face flushed. "I didn't say that."

"Good." He moved to stand behind me, pushing me towards the door and ignoring my protests. "Now don't be an ass, Cloud. Get going."

"Zack!"

He grinned at me, feigning innocence. "What? Now you don't want to?"

"I didn't say that!" I growled, then realized I was repeating myself. I turned my head to glare at him.

"Whoa, don't get mad." He stopped pushing me, fingering the sword at his back, and brushed past me. "I was just kidding. Take as much time as you want - I'll be there when you're done."

I didn't know what to say to that, letting my gaze trail away to the window, a safer target for my attention. I didn't want to think about his words; didn't want to think about what he was admitting or trying to get me to admit.

I won't... be forced...

"Hey, Cloud!"

I turned again, surprised that Zack was still around, and gasped in surprise as the Buster Sword was tossed towards me. I scrambled to catch it, nearly slicing my hand on the unsheathed edge. "Zack, what the hell-?"

"I told you!" He shrugged nonchalantly, lifting a finger as if to wave aside my objections. "The one who holds this sword will protect her. It's only been a couple days - did you forget already?"

I started at him in disbelief. That idiot, he actually meant all that junk he said?

But... Zack wasn't the sort of person to make idle promises. And no matter what, he never forgot about them.

"... Zack..."

"Don't try to back out now!" he grinned. "I made a promise, didn't I?"

"I didn't think you were serious!"

"With this face?"

I sure hoped it wasn't that face, because at that moment he was grinning like a fool. It wasn't the sort of expression you'd expect a guy to give someone who must've broken his heart. And it was because Aerith - against all odds, against all reason - chose me and not him.

"Idiot," I muttered aloud, weighing the sword in my hands, "What are you going to do without it-?"

"Unlike some, I'm not so emotionally attached to my weapons," Zack smirked, crossing his arms. "I can get another. It just so happens that the Bastion offers that sort of service for the right payment. I ordered one already, remember?"

I stared back at him, my skepticism apparent on my face.

"It's true! Besides, that old thing takes way too much maintenance for a guy on the go like me. It needs to be cared for properly by someone who's gonna settle down pretty soon."

His smirk was really starting to irritate me. "And how does that match me?!"

He laughed. "Well you know how it goes, Cloud... boy meets girl..."

"Don't even go there!"

Zack just walked off, still chuckling at me, leaving the sword behind. I watched him go, perplexed and more than a little awed by his strength.

His prize weapon, the one he'd wielded for years, and he just walked away. And once again I had to wonder if it was possible for me to ever be as strong as Zack was.

The library was too stifling after that. Sword in hand, Aerith's flower stuffed reluctantly in my pocket, I wandered the halls of the castle, trying to find a place to gather my thoughts. You'd think a castle with the kind of dark mood that Ansem's had would give a person a better chance to be alone to think...

I managed to find an abandoned nook around the Great Crest area, kicking my feet over the edge and sitting down, relaxing against a pillar. Zack's sword was on the ground beside me, and I eyed the handle, trying to ignore the wealth of Materia he'd left in it. He must've been feeling generous or something - he knew as well as I did I wasn't trained enough for them yet. I could only assume it was an unspoken promise; just as the gift was a mark of his earlier vow, he was making a new one along with it.

He's still going to teach me... even after all this?

I scowled, not sure whether to hate him or admire him for forcing such an unwanted decision on my shoulders. I hefted the sword with one hand, resting it across my thighs. It looked ancient, the metal worn and faded, but the edge was as sharp as ever. I knew he wasn't lying when he'd said it needed regular care.

And someone who takes care of his weapons can... take good care of other things... right?

You told me that once. I... can still remember those times...

Adamantly, I wished I could go back. Life was a lot less complicated then; training, work, a ritual where danger and secrecy wasn't an issue, and problems such as Ansem or Sephiroth were the furthest things from my mind. I saw Tifa every day, Zack nearly as often, and I was able to focus on what mattered. Truthfully I didn't want to be in some big rebellion out to save the planet. I just wanted to find out what was done to me.

My eyes narrowed at the thought. I'd almost forgotten... the real reason we were here.

And it wasn't to save the world. It sure as hell wasn't to fall in love. I came here for -me-... why should I let Aerith's problems bother me?

Zack... could give her more attention than I can. He's in the same situation as me but he... he just doesn't care...

I clenched the hilt more tightly in my hand, uncertainty flitting through my gaze. How could he expect me to make a choice like this?! There wasn't... supposed to be any choice...

I don't understand how he thinks he knows about all this when even I don't...

No. He -doesn't- know, and... I have to prove it.

Decision made, I stood up, bringing the sword with me and hoping I hadn't already missed my chance.

He was still in the barracks, pulling on his armor and getting ready for the mission I was - and I felt a twinge of guilt at the thought - leaving him alone to face. He didn't even look up as I entered, focused on what he was doing. Swallowing hard, I approached him, and coughed lightly to get his attention.

"Zack... I can't take this."

He blinked and glanced up at me, staring at the sword for a long moment, then took the proffered weapon from my hands. "Mind telling me why, Cloud?"

I pursed my lips, wringing my hands together nervously. "Because... because I haven't won yet, Zack. I don't even know if I want to win." I scowled at the quirk in Zack's lip. "Don't laugh! I'm not as sure about everything as you are."

"You surprise me, kid," Zack murmured. "You're usually not so uncertain."

"I'm usually not into this romance stuff," I retorted, without the vehemency I wanted. A faint blush crossed my cheeks.

He just chuckled, as I expected him to. "Okay Cloud, you beat me this time. I'll hold onto it - at least until you figure things out. But I'm telling you... you're making a mistake, because I'm sure as hell not."

I scowled, shaking my head and brushing past. I wished I knew how he could be so certain all the time.

"Hold on a minute, Cloud." I glanced back, as he turned away from me and reached under his bunk. "I have something for you, too."

Slowly he tugged free a large black carrying case, an unfamiliar insignia carved into the lid. He opened the clasps and moved aside so I could see what lay inside.

My eyes widened. "A... a sword?"

Zack grinned, taking out the shining broadsword and passing it to me. "Yeah, this is the one I had made a while ago, when we first got here. Took forever, but the finished product seems worth the wait, eh? Since you're so ungrateful that you won't take my old wreck-"

"Zack," I muttered warningly, and he just laughed.

"-I think you'd better take this one," he finished, patting my shoulder. "You'll need to use something when we practice. And... well, you deserve it, kid. We're partners, remember? We gotta stick together."

Partners... I still couldn't believe that.

"Th-thanks," I stammered, weighing the sword in my hands. It was lighter than Zack's, and was obviously made of a different type of metal. There were more Materia slots as well, which comforted me. I was getting more skilled every day, but I still didn't have the sort of confidence Zack had. Using magic gave me an edge I needed at the level I had reached.

Zack didn't respond; he just handed me the sheath and shoulder strap and smiled at me. It almost made me forget who he was doing all this for. My eyes fell again, this time focusing on the flower still sneaking its way out of my pocket. It only took a moment for his gaze to follow the direction of mine, the smile fading away.

A long, almost painful silence formed between us, like a wall with one of us trapped on either side. I couldn't speak, even attempt to break through.

But it was Zack who could - it was always Zack who could.

"The Heartless never had a chance, Cloud," he murmured, and I could feel his eyes watching me. "It's you who stole her heart first."

My eyes widened, and I whirled around to look at him, but by then he'd vanished into the darkness of the hall. I listened for his footsteps, but could hear none.

And... I knew he wouldn't want me following him anyway.

Just under two hours later I returned to the library, the book in my hands but little else. My hunt for Ansem's secrets and passageways hadn't offered any results; I was feeling frustrated, weary, and just wanted to get this over with.

Aerith was waiting for me in the library, thankfully, and the room was empty when I arrived.

"The librarian is sick today," she explained as soon as I entered. "Nothing serious, of course, but it turns out she has a few mild allergies." At my upturned eyebrow, she smiled wryly. "Funny, that the cook let Tifa help out with lunch for the first time today."

My lips quirked. "Funny," I echoed. "I hope she doesn't get into trouble."

She laughed. "Over a simple mistake? Oh, no. She'll be fine. Shall we get started?"

I nodded, and the scouring of the castle library began.

It was a partial victory for us, in the end. We found at least a dozen hidden compartments and several passages, but most offered little more than a bit of dust and the occasional cobweb. If anything, the fact that most of them were decently cleaned told us they'd been used recently... but that also meant we were too late to actually find anything useful.

"It was a good try," Aerith sighed, trying - and failing - to conceal her disappointment. "And I really thought we'd find something! I wanted to tell everyone..."

I shrugged. "They're empty now, but Ansem might use them later. Maybe you could check them once in a while - just in case."

She smiled faintly in response. "I can do that. It's something, at least."

"Yeah."

There was something in the back of my mind, an itch, a reminder, something I was supposed to do. I reached for it, a little confused, but I couldn't recall what it was.

Aerith looked up then, as if reading my mind, her expression a mixture of curiousity and concern.

"Where's Zack?" she asked.

And suddenly, I knew.

AN: Um. My bad.

This was a fun chapter! I might be taking a few liberties - how Aerith and the others might have known about Ansem's report, how it might have disappeared... that kind of baffled me in the game, so here's my answer. I hope it makes sense, vague as it may seem.

You know, I used to hate Aerith with a passion. Then she showed up in KH and I started to like her. Now she's acting kind of nasty... it's hard not to go back to hating her... le sigh. I'm a traitor to my own fic, in a way - I really do prefer Tifa...

Next chapter: For the love of FLUFF! And wow, we're slowly nearing the end... (of the fic, not of fluff. Fluff is immortal and shall never die, so there.)

Reviewer Responses:

Koorino Megumi: "Stuff... is coming." I could laugh now but you promised to protect me from maulage. grins and gives Zacksicle

link no miko: Gast was in the game, but not at Nibelheim. That was me being evil and twisting knives. Because I can and it's fun. Rawr.

sore-wa-himitsu-desu: You're probably one of the only ones who likes her... this amuses me. But way to understand the girl's perspective!

SugoiCat: Um... since my Zack is mostly from an RP, and he's 24 in the RP... I guess that would be his age. I never really got into that much.

Seishin Kibou: Well, Squall was in the beginning, and... cough The fic's not over yet... and did you see the flashback?

Till next time!