Disclaimer: If I owned Final Fantasy VII, I would also own a nice, big villa in a Costa del Sol-like place, which I don't. So, therefore, I don't own Final Fantasy VII.
Note: Once again, thanks to all of my wonderful reviewers! My apologies for the semi-long wait to update this fic. My computer has been acting like a mentally challenged chicken for the past few days, so don't blame me, blame my mentally challenged chicken of a computer.
Second Note: There's going to be some hints of CidxShera throughout the rest of the fic. Just a warning in case you don't like this couple…
Chapter 16: The Search Grows
"We're here already?" Tifa asked, mildly surprised as the couple reached the outskirts of Nibelheim. Of course, she didn't need to ask; she could easily recognize her hometown from miles away.
"Of course. The walk from Coral to Nibelheim is actually quite a short walk if you don't make any stops," Vincent explained in his usual emotionless tone.
"Are we staying the night here?"
"Yes. And we will be staying in the inn, as the mansion is unsuitable for any human or human-like life forms to reside there for any length of time," the red-eyed man explained again.
"Oh. Okay…" In all honesty, the dark-haired woman didn't like the mansion much after her little "moment" with Sephiroth. I'll manage, she told herself firmly. Don't be so selfish.
"So, where are we going after this?" she asked cheerfully as they neared the inn.
"After this, we'll pass through the mountains and head to Rocket Town…"
"Rocket Town…? Shera lives in Rocket Town…" Tifa muttered. She sighed and shook her head inwardly. Yes, she loved Vincent, but she still wanted to be with the others again, and she wanted to let Cloud know she was safe.
I wonder if Shera kept in contact with Cid… she pondered. If they kept in contact, I could have Shera tell Cid where I am, and then I could be found…but then, I don't want to hurt Vincent's feelings…
"Oh, damn it," she muttered, knuckling her forehead. "Everything's too confusing."
"Is something wrong, Tifa?" Vincent asked, concern briefly flashing across his crimson eyes. They were right outside the inn at that point.
"Huh? Oh, uh, not really. I was just thinking," the dark-haired woman said awkwardly.
"…We'll talk more once we get our room."
Tifa regained her train of thoughts as Vincent paid the innkeeper and led her to the room. She didn't even notice that she'd changed where she was until she looked up and saw Vincent gazing out the window.
"So, what was confusing?" he asked, turning to face her after moving across the room to close the oaken door.
Tifa bit her lip. It seemed like Vincent had forgotten about Shera, and in all honesty if it meant her rescue (though she loved spending time with Vincent), she didn't want to remind him.
But he hadn't forgotten. "If you're thinking about Shera, you are not going to have the opportunity to talk with her," he said. He hadn't meant to, but Vincent said that in a tone of voice that reminded Tifa that she was the victim of a kidnapping.
"What? Why not?" Tifa demanded.
"…I am not stupid, Tifa, though I know you do not think I am. Cid calls Shera almost every night. I am very certain that she is aware of your situation. I am also very certain that if she is not, if you were to speak with her you would let slip your situation and ask her for assistance. If you were to ask her for assistance, I am sure she would help you and I cannot allow that to happen," Vincent said. Though his voice was soft, his wine-eyed captive couldn't help but find the harshness in it.
"So," she challenged bitterly, "if you know that's going on why are you even going there?"
"Chaos is instructing me to do so and as long as he is not instructing me to harm you, I have to obey him. Why he wants to go there, I am not sure, but I am sure of one thing: We will find out once we get there."
Tifa crossed her arms and sat on the edge of the bed, turning her head away from the man. Sighing, she shook her head. "Just when I think you love me, you go and do something to remind me that I'm just some dumb part of your demonic schemes."
Vincent was somewhat stung by those words. "Tifa, I do love you, more than anyone could ever imagine. If I was in full control of myself, none of this would have ever happened, but I am not."
"You blame Chaos for everything."
"Everything is Chaos's fault."
"I'm sure it is, but you're really gonna have to think of a better excuse than that eventually," she mumbled.
Vincent shrugged and sat beside Tifa, placing his natural arm around her. "Maybe I will. But right now, I'm going to go purchase some food. Do you have any requests?"
"Not really…"
"Alright, then. I will be back soon. Don't go anywhere."
The red-eyed man reluctantly removed his arm from around his captive, then moved towards the door. It creaked very slightly as he pushed it open.
"Pickles!"
"…What?" Vincent asked, turning to look at Tifa.
"…Er, I just had a sudden craving for pickles…if you find any, do you think you could get a small jar?" the woman asked in an almost childishly hopeful tone of voice.
The ex-Turk had one of his "I-want-to-smile-but-I-can't" moments. "Certainly," he said. "Don't go anywhere."
Red leapt off of the bed Tifa and Vincent had been in and shook his head. "Cloud, I can't find any evidence that they had sex. Stop worrying now, okay?"
"Are you sure?" Cloud asked anxiously.
"I'm certain. I can't smell any fluids, and I can't smell any birth control."
"Wow, you can smell a lot of things," Yuffie observed from the spot she was sitting cross-legged on the scarlet carpeted floor.
"Yes, I can. I think it's one of the blessings of being a dog-like guinea pig," Red said, shrugging. He turned his one eye to Cloud and shrugged again. "Really, Cloud, don't be worried."
Cloud let out a huge sigh of relief. "…You really, really don't know how relieved that makes me," he said, Tifa's skirt still clutched tightly in his hand.
"So, what now, Mr. Leader?" Yuffie asked, leaping up from her spot on the floor.
"I'm gonna call the others. You two, go back to the Highwind—and Yuffie that means go DIRECTLY to the Highwind. You are NOT taking any stops to do ANYTHING," Cloud instructed.
"Aww," the young ninja whined, pouting slightly as she followed her dog-like friend out to the aforementioned airship.
Minutes later, the remaining gang stood in the conference room, looking expectantly at their spiky-haired leader.
"So, Spike, what'd ya find?" Barret asked, scratching the back of his head.
"…It turns out that I was wrong, and that Vincent did, in fact, take Tifa to the Gold Saucer. Why, though, I'll never know…anyway, this means that they could be anywhere," the leader explained.
"So, what are we gonna do now? We have to go fight Sephiroth soon, or we're all doomed," Cait Sith said.
"You shithead, we have more time than you think, damn it," Cid barked, putting out one of his cigarettes to grab another and light it.
"How can you tell?" Cait Sith muttered, a bit hurt at being called a "shithead".
"That damned Meteor hasn't come an inch closer in three days! We've got some damned time!" the grumpy pilot snapped.
"…If what Cid says is true—and no, Cid, I'm not saying I don't believe you—than our immediate concern is to get Tifa. Anyway, BEFORE I was interrupted," Cloud growled, shooting a slight glare at the mechanical moogle-cat hybrid, "they could be anywhere. So, listen up, here's the plan!"
Red nudged Yuffie, who had been daydreaming. She then turned her attention to Cloud.
"Since we don't know where she is, and since she could be anywhere, we're going to split up. Yuffie, you're going to be in Wutai," Cloud started.
"Aww, man…"
"Red, you're going to be in Cosmo Canyon and Gongaga. Think you can handle two places?" Cloud asked.
"It won't be a problem," Red replied, standing up.
"Good. Barret, you're taking Coral, the Gold Saucer, and, though I'm nervous about sending anyone there, Costa del Sol…"
"Awright."
"Cait Sith, you're taking Junon and Fort Condor."
"Sure thing," Cait Sith chirped, bouncing once to show he didn't mind.
"Cid, you're still calling Shera, right?" the spiky-haired young man asked.
"Yep, I call her every other damned night!" he said after taking a drag on his cigarette.
"Okay. Cid, I want you to call Shera and have her keep a watch for her in Rocket Town. I want you to take the Highwind and patrol the skies—keep an extra eye on the places that I didn't assign anyone to," Cloud instructed.
"No shit," said Cid as a way of telling Cloud he didn't mind.
"So what are YOU gonna do?" Yuffie asked.
"I'm going to keep an eye on Nibelheim and the surrounding mountains. Cid, drop me off first, then drop off everyone else in whatever order you want, okay? I want you all to keep your PHS with you at ALL TIMES. If you find her, or if you find Vincent, I want you to hit the 'Alert All' button. The others will be able to tell who hit the button and where they are," Cloud explained.
"So lemme guess," said Cid in a grumpy tone. "Once someone hits that button, you want me to pick everyone up and head towards wherever the person that hit the 'Alert All' button is?"
"Exactly. And if you happen to be the one to hit the 'Alert All' button, I want you to get Vincent and Tifa onboard somehow. Vincent stays in the Chocobo Room, and Tifa is to stay with you at all times. Save your bathroom breaks until later, understood?" Cloud demanded.
Cid nodded.
"And even if you aren't the one to find them, Vincent still stays in the Chocobo Room. Tifa is to stay in the control room. Does everyone understand?"
The group nodded.
"Okay. Cid, call Shera, then drop me off, then drop the others off."
Cid nodded again and took out his PHS, then dialed a number. "Hey, Shera, I got some shitty favor to ask ya…"
Yumesuta: Looks like the fic only has a few chapters left. Oh well…I gotta think about what to put in the next chapter. So, PLEASE review!