21
Betrayed
I don't know how long I've been asleep, but when I woke up, it was still dark. There was only a trace of a very early blue coming through the small window. Birds were chirping and Cosmo Candle still burning, though the smell of mildew and the feel of my crusty eyelids told me it was still too early to consider getting up. I blinked at the cracked ceiling, rubbing my eyes roughly with fingers to get out the grime, and thought for a while. The air was cool, kissing my cheeks and blowing hairs over my face. I rolled away from the window, my back taking in the soft breeze, and edged closer to Cloud's relaxed form.
With his back to me, I pressed into him with soft, wandering hands, rubbing along his broad frame. Across his skin, there were those three familiar scars, along with a few other shallow ones, pink and grey marks scattered from old stabbed wounds and bullet holes. Cloud favored a chest plate over a back one, leaving his back vulnerable to attacks. Faintly seeing it under the dim lighting, it made him appear much older than he was, all the marks of his battles glaring at me.
I pressed my palms along the marks, his hard skin warm. I kissed the back of his neck, feeling the heat transmit onto my lips easily, tingling them. Cloud breathed slow and deep, giving no hint if he was awake. A craving for him made me shiver, rubbing his skin against my cheek, little kisses falling on him while my hands slipped through his arms to hold him close, molding him into me.
On his chest, my hand settled, and then there was excitement when I felt his hand touch mine with a squeeze.
I tried not to poke my eye out when I rested my forehead into the back of his neck, messy, spiky hair going all over the place. The spikes were growing out, falling more from the extra length instead of protruding out in all directions.
From the back of his throat, Cloud sighed before attempting to roll over to face me. I met him half way, lying on top of him with a brief glance at his blue eyes before falling into his lips without a word. His breath was warm, tasting fresh from sleep, and I gladly lost myself in the kiss. There was this unspoken language, our bodies in sync of what we both wanted. His hands ran up and down my bare back, mine holding his cheeks firmly to shove his mouth deeper into mine.
My heart was pounding, breasts rubbing his chest, our breaths quickening. After last night's temptations, I wanted to use my wish here and now, taking the lead to help ease me into it. After a long, deep kiss, I pulled away for air, Cloud taking the break to nibble down my neck. I melted, sighing from his warm lips. Slowly, his hands slid down, pulling at my underwear.
"I'm not gonna fucking do it," a distant voice grumbled. Cloud and I froze, hearing more voices behind the thick curtain at our doorway. I began to smell cigarette smoke.
"I walked in on them last time. It's your turn," Red's whispering voice hissed.
"Fine. Fuck it," Cid spat.
There was stomping of boots, and then a hard flap of the curtain being pulled to one side.
"Rise and shine kiddos!" Cid barged.
I gasped, rolling off Cloud to hide under the covers.
Cloud sizzled, sitting up abruptly as he shouted, "Cid! What the hell?!" His cheeks flushed as he scrambled to cover up his lap.
Cid puffed in white smoke, his arms tightly across his white t-shirt. Despite walking in on our privacy, he seemed unfazed. Upon a glance, I found his face hard when he muttered, "The Huge Materia is gone."
Cloud held his tongue, swallowing the rest of his cursing, and blinked back skepticism.
I sat up with him, taking the covers to hide most of me.
"What?" I gasped, gawking up at Cid with the hallway light cascading down his back.
"Not only that, but there's something else, too," Red added, walking in close to our bed. He narrowed his golden eyes as he mentioned, "Yuffie's gone."
Five minutes later, Cloud, Cid, Red and I scrambled up the steps to Bugenhagen's home. Barret was already waiting for us along the steps, uncrossing his arms and glowering at the sunrise barely seeping through the cracks of the canyon.
"Took ya'll a while," he grumbled.
Cloud glared at Barret.
"Where's Bugenhagen?"
We all entered the Planetarium, Bugenhagen gazing at the sun replica like a mosquito does to a lamp. His posture slumped a little too far forward, as though peering too deeply into the sun until his wrinkled eyes burned.
Upon inspection, the Huge Materia was nowhere to be found.
Barret punched his large fist into a floating planet, just to smash through its pixelated form.
"Fucking knew it! That kid was going to do this from the start, but finally saw an opportunity and grabbed it!"
"Wait, how do we really know it's Yuffie?" I asked, waiting to hear the claims. Yes, she's a thief and the way she's been staring at the Huge Materia, could be a hint, though I wanted more evidence than just over generalizing it.
Red's ears flicked as someone ran up the stairs. Reeve was huffing and puffing, as though he ran all the way up from the city center. He leaned over his knees, breathing hard as he spoke.
"There's been witnesses..." he paused to breathe. "A plane departed from down in the valley a little while ago...with a glimpse of red and black."
Cid blew smoke from his nose.
"Wutai colors," he hissed.
Reeve straightened, patting his wrinkled suit into place, though his efforts were worthless. He needed an iron at this point.
"But why would Yuffie do this?" He whined. Disappointment filled his innocent eyes.
"Because that bitch loves Materia more than she cares about her so-called friends," Barret spat.
"She's probably planned this from the very beginning, but with hopes of stealing our Materia instead of the holy grail of them all. Who the fuck knows," Cid shouted.
"Now Wutai has an advantage. This could lead to another war with Shinra," Cloud added.
"What, before fucking Meteor? I doubt they care at this point," Barret slashed.
"Guys, arguing about why isn't going to help us get the Huge Materia back," Red reminded.
Red was right. We were too busy thinking of Yuffie's motive, when we should be focusing on finding her and getting back the Materia before Shinra hears about it.
"Hooo hooo! It's my fault," Bugenhagen sulked, his arms drooping over his curled lap. He floated in towards us, his shiny bald head in view when his face dropped.
"I should've had this place better guarded. I didn't think about it. Nobody commits crime in Cosmo Canyon."
Red walked up to Bugenhagen to have his head rubbed by old fingers.
"Grandfather, it's not your fault. Don't say that."
Bugenhagen's eyes narrowed, dark glasses reflecting Red's flame on his tail.
"Then I shall help. What must we do?"
Cloud had his arms crossed, his armor put on and all ready for what he was about to declare.
"We take the Highwind to Wutai. Find Yuffie's skinny ass, and take the Huge Materia back."
His eyes darted to the corner of their sockets, eying me as I got a view of his profile, and he added, "We're all going, unless there are any objections?"
I smiled, glad not to fall into an argument against staying behind while the rest of them went off to find Yuffie. It suddenly became dizzying to stand up straight, my stomach twisting and throwing contents up into my throat.
Morning sickness.
"Great, see you all on the airship!" I shouted hurriedly, pretending that I wasn't rushing just to throw up in the tiny bathroom downstairs.
Reeve.
Barret.
Red.
Cid.
Cloud.
Our group has dwindled.
I tried not to sulk about it, keeping distracted to find a new guest on the airship as Cid piloted it West towards Wutai.
We were flying over the fading of the red canyons, bleeding into the grey mountains of Mt. Nibel, when I walked up to Bugenhagen peering over the glass.
"Bugen, are you feeling well enough for this?" I pried, standing close to him.
The Elder settled comfortably in his dark blue robe, its high neck lined with fur to keep his neck warm. His eyes twinkled out there at the view, taking note of the spots of clouds turned yellow from a rising sun. Its brilliant light reached into the bridge, giving us marvelous heat. I blinked rapidly to adjust to the light, warming up as my body turned to gold.
Bugenhagen chuckled to my simple question, keeping his hands inside his sleeves.
"Hooo hooo, no, but it will make me feel better. I wanted a reason to leave my home, at last one last time," he replied, giving me his twinkling eyes.
I returned his smile.
"Besides," he added, looking back to the sky.
"I love seeing the world like this, flying over it. I've never been up in the air like this before," he awed.
I was glad he had the rare opportunity to see the world fold out before him, studying how the lands blurred together. Taking a step near the edge, I, too, peered down over the round glass, and could see below just pass my sneakers.
Seeing those sneakers made me suddenly think of Yuffie. I'd like to think she had a true background story behind her sudden decision to steal from us, but either way, she should've just asked for our help. We could've done something. What did she hope to accomplish with the Huge Materia? What could Wutai do with it?
Someone poked my shoulder. I turned, and Cloud held out an apple for me.
"You should eat something," he advised, his blue eyes glinting something left over from this morning.
I blushed as I took the apple.
"Thank you," I greeted, and took a small bite through its red skin.
"Hey, Hey!" Cid shouted from his station. "No food on the bridge! How many times do I have to tell ya'll that?!"
Cloud rubbed his irritation from his eyes as he sighed, "Cid, it's an apple. Chill out."
Cid boiled.
"There's a lounge. Eat there!"
"Come on, we better do as he says before he stops this ship," I warned, smiling as I went. Cloud followed. We were out of ear shot range when he told me, "I, uh..." Cloud cleared his throat. I got a look at his red cheeks, and he dodged my wicked smile with his eyes tossed to the side. It was delightful to see him struggle in between bursts of blushing and explaining something, hinting that it was going to be an intimate conversation. He wasn't used to those.
"You seemed comfortable this morning, I mean, before all of this," he struggled. I chewed more of the apple, grinning.
"I was," I replied, and then swallowed the sweetness of apple down my tight throat.
Cloud's eyes grew.
"We're you thinking of using your wish?"
I wondered how red my cheeks were. They felt hot as I squeezed the chewed apple in my hand.
"I thought about it," I breathed, feeling easily flustered like I was back in high school. I'm not a virgin for fuck's sake. My lower stomach cramped, reminding me of that, and I paused to rub it away. I breathed through my lips, easing the discomfort where my little bean hibernated.
I watched my hands tremble over the small growth under the floral dress, wondering when the others will notice it? It was still easy to assume I was just gaining some belly fat.
Cloud's hands appeared, one gloved, the other his gauntlet hand, and together, they overlapped mine.
From behind, he hotly whispered into my ear, "You're blushing."
I swallowed, but there was no more chewed apple, just saliva and nervousness.
"Yeah, so?!" I gasped, turning my head to peel my ear away from his lips.
Cloud kissed my shoulder.
"Don't worry. After we find Yuffie, I will make sure we will be left alone. I want a day of just us." He kissed it again, tickling me gently.
A day of just Cloud and I. It sounded like a dream.
"Like a date?" I asked, spinning around to look up into Cloud's full eyes. They shimmered like Elemental Materia, and he replied initially with a timid smile.
"Well, sort of. I think it's going to be a little more than that," he hinted quietly, taking my face into his hands, and he pulled me up to him. A deeper glance into his eyes, I found ideas brewing in them.
"You have a plan?" I asked, smiling brighter. My chest fluttered, always another bird of passion hatching open to tickle my rib cage with its busy wings.
Cloud did a single nod, and one hand of his brushed fingers through my hair.
"I do. After Wutai."
He pecked me on the lips while I wondered what it was he was planning. Cloud closed his eyes and smirked before leaving me to dwell on it, sliding his hands into his pockets.
I twirled to shout, "Hey, aren't you going to tell me what it is?!"
"Nope," Cloud chirped, already ten steps ahead.
I fumed, glaring at the Hardedge on his back.
"No fair! You're always keeping secrets from me-oh hey, wait!"
I just remembered something, running to catch up.
"You said your plan after Sephiroth was about us. What did you mean by that?"
Cloud stopped, and he dropped his head, dim eyes to the grid floor while his thoughts wandered to where he said those words. The dream, when Aerith and I told him goodbye. I had almost forgotten what he said, making his final attempt to shout those words as he set out to run towards me. I remembered his gloved hand reaching out, the horror on his ghostly face.
That thing I wanted to do after Sephiroth?! I wanted it to be us! Aqua, wait!
Those words resonated with me, making a small gasp slip inside my lips and into my aching chest, where I clutched between my breasts.
Cloud barely turned his head, his spiky hair hiding his profile.
"You remember that, huh?"
I could hear him smile when he added, "Well, I didn't really want to talk about that here. After Wutai, when we go on our...date?"
He looked over his shoulder to smirk at me, and my heart skipped a beat.
"Don't worry. Our day will get here faster than you think. I prefer not to ruin it here."
Cloud turned away, muttering about wanting an apple, and he continued down the corridor of pipes. I stood there a moment, watching him shrink away while the last of his words echoed in my head.
Our day will get here faster than you think.
If only.
With what lay ahead for us at full speed, I wish I had the nerve to stop Cloud and twist his arm to tell me. Dear Gods, I prayed he wasn't going to propose, at least not this soon. I'm sick of weddings or anything that had to do with weddings for a while. Being asked to marry twice already in less than a year made me feel uneasy.
Even the thought of a wedding made my stomach twist again, and I groaned, taking in the strange sensation of the airship moving in midair like a ship sailing across sea. It didn't wobble, but something about it made me feel like the floor was rumbling occasionally.
I smacked my hand over my mouth, but it was no use.
I threw up in an empty Mako barrel.
—
Wutai settled in a long, narrow streak of land, mostly with mountainous terrain. I leaned over the railing, cold air throwing loose flurries up into my face.
"Holy Mother of Planet, it's cold," Barret grumbled behind chattering teeth. Dressed in his usually garments with only a black leather coat slung over his sleeveless vest, it's no wonder he shivered easily.
"Oh my Planet, I hate the cold," Red sighed, already hiding his flame tail between his legs.
Along the stretch of cold mountains, we flew between white peaks, the frigid air making me bundle up in a long, white coat Tifa left behind. She wouldn't need it in Costa De Sol. Gods, I wish I was there with her instead of here, my teeth smacking together continuously, thanks to the body's reflex to generate warmth.
Cloud didn't even tremble to the cold, the Mako enhancing his body to withstand high or low temperatures it seems because he just stood there, bare arms crossed, and gazed below the landscape.
"It's hard to believe it's already winter here," he sighed.
Bugenhagen grinned as he threw up his fur hood over his head.
"It is. Most of this continent is tundra and rock. The city of Wutai sits in the only valley where it should be slightly warmer," he explained, glad to have his face thrown into the cold. He closed his eyes, taking the snow and ice hitting his face like he enjoyed the chilly sensation, reminding him that he was alive.
Reeve clung tightly to a rail, keeping quiet. He's been quiet since we left Cosmo Canyon. Even in the lounge, when I walked in and smiled at him, he retreated to his phone with a mutter. Clearly, Yuffie's absence bothered him, and I tended to find out why.
I scooted closer to Reeve, grabbing the rail with him, and turned to observe his depressing eyes. He wasn't even complaining nor shivering like I'd expected him to display.
"You've been quiet for a while," I began, reeling Reeve away from his thoughts.
When he didn't say anything, I added, "Does it have to do with Yuffie?"
Reeve sighed through his nose, and I saw his fingers curl tight around the rail. As the airship descended, more snow clung to his suit, but he didn't seem to notice. Reeve sighed, and he shook his head.
"I just wish she told me. I mean, we aren't dating or anything but…" behind his beard, there was a hint of red.
He couldn't even finish, embarrassed or hiding it.
I decided to just ask.
"Reeve, do you have feelings for Yuffie?"
This made him open his mouth, gawking at me as the winds blew up his loose, dark bangs over his head.
"I…." he couldn't even speak. Reeve cleared his throat and looked back to the snowy range, his true age reflected in his tired eyes.
In a low voice, he replied sarcastically, "Where did you get that idea?"
His eyes sank to his cold, gloved hands, watching the snow melt through the black leather.
I bit my lower lip. "Call it a hunch," I hinted. He did sleep with Yuffie then. That had to be it.
"A hunch about what?" Barret intruded. Reeve tensed, struggling to come up with an explanation.
"Nothing! Nothing," he lied terribly.
"What are you two hiding?" Cloud asked, also barging in with a look of suspicion right at Reeve. That look made poor Reeve spin around to anxiously stammer at Cloud, "N-nothing! I swear!"
"Yeah, nothing!" I gasped, knowing too well that telling the others of Reeve's secret crush will annihilate his ego. The group won't let him hear the end of it.
Barret rolled his eyes as he fixed the dials of his mechanical arm.
"Suuuuure."
As for Cloud, he groaned, taking a hand over his eyes.
"This sounds familiar," he grunted sarcastically. Reeve was suddenly the new Aerith, and the two of us were keeping secrets from him.
Cloud threw his hand aside, and he tossed his eyes from me to Reeve. A hint of Mako speckled in there, giving me a hint that his insecurities were brewing once more. But instead of making accusations, Cloud smirked at Reeve, and he crossed his arms.
"Reeve, we're going to land soon. I know there are some spare jackets hanging in the storage room. Why don't you go check it out?"
I know what Cloud was really saying behind those words. "Get the fuck away before I hurt you."
Reeve got the memo and darted away.
"Gotcha, thanks!" He almost slipped as he went for the sliding door.
Cloud gave me a light glare, and I couldn't stop smiling.
"It's nice to see you a little jealous," I teased.
Cloud closed his eyes and scoffed.
"Jealous of that train wreck? Yeah, right," he muttered, and he watched a wave of frosted pine breeze pass us.
I wanted to say to Cloud, we're all train wrecks, including him, but I kept my lips shut.
After much mulling over where to land, Cid finally found a patch of a green field with what appeared to be frosted over with powdered sugar. The airship's propellers blew it all up in the air, turning the tall, stiff grass into bright green once more. Animals scurried away behind the trees, or under rocky earth. Snowfall was barely here, just enough to notice a few specks, glad to leave the harsh winds and cold up in the mountains.
We all took the ramp and walked through a scattered pine forest.
Cid blew into his brown gloves, his jean jacket and white scarf not enough to battle against the cold.
"Damn, I should've parked closer. God damn trees and mountains," he muttered before going into a smoker's cough. He kept trying to clear his throat, thanks to the smoke damaging the lining of his airway where mucus is supposed to be held up in there easily instead of loose and annoying.
Red cringed over the frosted dirt path, leaving behind his paw prints while taking bit of snow in each step.
"I already hate it here, but it will have to do," he sighed. He looked to Bugenhagen and asked him, "Are you warm enough, Grandfather?"
Bugenhagen nodded, keeping snug inside his robe and fur trimmed hood.
"Hooo hoo ho yes! This is splendid. I miss the snow. You know what this reminds me of?"
He floated comfortably on his orb along beside us, and he looked up to the grey sky, snow kissing his wrinkled cheeks. He smiled.
"This reminds me of when I used to visit my old friend. He had his lab at Icicle Inn, such a cold place. I waited until summer to visit, and when I did, I was surprised to still find snow and ice. I remember I asked him once, 'Gast, why are you cooped up in here? How do you get used to it?' And you know what he said to me?"
We all waited, and Red edged with, "What did he say?"
Bugenhagen chuckled to himself.
"He said, 'I didn't even notice.' That's what love does to a man." And Bugenhagen chuckled again, puffing tiny white clouds from his lips. Secretly, behind his dark glasses, an old grief lingered a moment, and he kept quiet after that.
"Love can make people do crazy things," Cid sighed, smiling at the snowy wonderland around us. We all knew what crazy stunt he did for love.
"Yeah, like Yuffie stealing shit from us because she loves Materia so god damn much," Barret spat. His heavy boots crunched loudly, snapping fallen twigs and through the two inches of snow on the ground.
Cloud and I shared a look, the both of us probably wondering what the other is thinking when it comes to love and crazy things. Cloud gave up the Black Materia for me, taking my place in the Lifestream. And yet, he was here, walking and breathing next to me, I couldn't believe it sometimes. Without a word, I took his hand, and leaned into his arm, rubbing my cheek against his unusually warm skin.
"Aren't you cold?" I asked, amazed to find him in his usual SOLDIER garments with only the added red scarf around his neck.
Cloud smiled until it melted the snow off my cheeks.
"The Mako, remember? It keeps my body's temperature regular, even in a climate like this," he explained.
"Lucky," I grumbled, my cheek smashed into my lips. It must've been useful for Shinra to send SOLDIER into Wutai during the war, not having to ship large amounts of equipment to keep them warm when the Mako in their blood was enough.
How cheap.
Cloud chuckled to my pouty look.
"Are you still cold?"
I shrunk away under the puffy white coat, its length to my knees as I trekked the light snow in sneakers. My toes were already numb.
"Just my feet," I chirped, looking down at them walking next to Cloud's rough, weatherproof ankle boots.
"We should be there, soon," Cid chimed in when he overheard. "Give another fifteen minutes. Look, see, I can already see the tops of Wutai's pagodas. There's tons."
I looked far ahead, above the trees, and saw a hazy horizon of pointed roofs behind tall walls.
"I see it," I cheered.
"Finally," Red groaned.
"I can't wait to try this crazy bar Tifa's told me so much about. She's gonna miss out," Barret babbled.
"Hoo hoo, I'll join you to that!" Bugenhagen joined, and he pumped his fist with Barret's, those two chuckling.
Reeve huddled into a thick green coat what was a little too big for him, hiding half his face behind a wrapped teal scarf.
He seemed to be lost in his daydreaming, not even noticing my concerned eyes when I settled them on him for a few seconds.
"What's the matter?" Cloud asked, taking note of my furrowed brow.
I relaxed and leaned my face close to his.
"I'm worried about Reeve. He's not usually this down," I whispered.
Cloud's eyes flickered with irritation.
"He's fine," he grunted, displeased with where my worries were. I squeezed his arm a little tighter.
"Stop that," I muttered.
"Stop what?"
"Being childish."
Cloud closed his eyes, not saying anything after that. With his hand into mine, he squeezed gently.
We came into view of Wutai's tall, stone walls. Red and black flags lightly dusted with snow, waved at us. At first, I was nervous by the walled-in city, reminding me of the Great Wall of China with its battered stone edges and cracks from old warfare. They recently had a war, didn't they? I could see the blemishing of the wall oh so cleverly tucked behind not only the flags of this great imperial city, but also...
Large, newly made billboards stood up against the wall, hiding the damage, as though Wutai wanted to hide the fact it was ever wounded in any way.
Advertisement...
It seemed off-putting, finding bright billboards and posters loiter all along an ancient wall at both sides. There were colors like yellow, red, and pink with bright characters I couldn't read, along with smiling foreign women with slanted eyes and dark hair holding beverages, or some kind of expression of awe.
We all took a moment to process the oddity.
"Uh, well, that's what happens after you lose the war, I suppose," Barret shrugged, cocking his head at one particular poster of an attractive girl hugging a Buddha statue.
Cid smirked at the boards, hands on his hips, and just grinned.
"Looks fine to me," he coughed.
Red groaned and looked away.
"This could easily be Cosmo Canyon if Shinra decided to take it from us," he grumbled, waddling away from the wretched display, and headed towards the main road.
"Better than fuckin Corel or bottom of Junon," Barret spat, following Red.
I didn't believe this town endured a better outcome than what happened to Corel or the fishing town of Junon. Already, without even passing through the walls, I knew Wutai's economy must've suffered terribly after the war, having to seek growth from tourism, one of the simplest and yet, most stripping of a culture's evolving identity.
I must've fell behind, too busy trying to read what the posters were telling me, when I finally pulled my attention away, only to notice Cloud lost in his thoughts as well. He didn't look to the boards but at the wall itself, the flags waving at him. There was deep wonder behind his blue eyes. I walked next to him, sneakers crunching over a thin sheet of snow, and asked, "What are you thinking about?"
Cloud seemed taken aback by that question, a man used to keeping his thoughts to himself. He inhaled sharply, surprised anyone would ask him, and turned his head to me to let himself know that I was standing next to him, not from a dream.
He looked back to the wall as he answered, "I was just thinking about what if I'd been recruited sooner, before the war ended. They would've sent me here, and then I would be..." he dropped his eyes, the wonder shifting to trouble.
"I would be killing Wutai's men, just because that's what I was supposed to do. Some of them would have probably been boys, fathers, grandfathers. It's just..."
He paused, gloved fingers under his chin.
"It would've bothered me now."
I smiled at Cloud sharing his thoughts, and took his free hand gently, squeezing his gauntlet fingers together.
"Would you look at that? Cloud Strife isn't a robot after all. He has feelings," I teased. Cloud flushed, facing me. "Of course I do."
I couldn't tell if he was offended or simply flustered. My smile widened.
"I know that," I chirped.
My cold, numbing toes lifted me to kiss him surprised. I felt him lean into it, relax with closed eyes, cold air quickly warm in our mouths.
Cloud felt it before I did, and he pulled back to turn his head and give Reeve squinted eyes.
Reeve gasped, looking away while tucking his red face under his scarf.
His hands went up, backing away.
"S-Sorry! I was just, um, watching, um-don't mind me!" He quickly walked away, stiff as a robot.
Cloud groaned in the back of his throat as we followed behind Reeve.
"Reeve, you're starting to creep me out, man," he hissed.
Reeve trembled, and he quickened his pace.
"I'm sorry!" He huffed, arms pumping. He was practically jogging now.
I had a feeling Reeve's actual intentions were nothing to what Cloud came up with in his peeved thoughts, though I kept quiet, waiting to ask about it later when the time was right.
Our footing hit the main road, watching a few Shinra jeeps and carts of goods pass through gates forever open for the rest of the world to plow through. Those jeeps left a trail of dark green Mako exhaust, creating a dim fog into the busy town.
I thought I'd stepped into a town inside Japan recently post World War II, a mix of old and new blended into a hot mess of adaptability and false smiles.
Geishas under fur coats shared arms with Shinra men, giggling together under tiny umbrellas. Local men in suits and thick robes, foreigners in bright snow coats. Shinra men on duty stationed themselves along the inside of the wall, keeping hidden under their three lens helmets, and frowned upon all the city having fun without them. Children chased around chickens, there were handcarts of fish and produce rolling through, slashing over puddles of melted snow along the narrow cobbled streets. Wooden sandals and sneakers clanking. Bells going off. People giggling inside lantern lit bars with good food smells.
The place felt cluttered, the short blocks of wooden homes and pagodas all mashed together with occasional pine trees. Snow teased pointy stone tile roofs, barely noticeable in a place that was already filled with distractions. The clues of its existence laid only to those who tried to take in a close detail, like sticking along the hard edges of flag poles, or clinging to the heads and shoulders of statues of samurai warriors.
Cid's eyes wandered to a huddled group of geisha women passing by. They gave him their blushing eyes as they passed.
Cid beamed at them as they hid their well-made up faces under umbrellas.
"I like this place," he announced.
Reeve seemed lost in the geishas as well, his mouth hanging open like a virgin stepping into a utopia of beautiful women.
"Me too," he gawked.
Bugenhagen chucked. "Hooo, hooo, let's not get too distracted...yet! Hoo hooo!"
I could already guess where the old man's thoughts were, and I rolled my eyes.
"Huge Materia, remember?" Red growled, glaring up at Cid specifically.
"I feel sorry for Shera," he sighed. Cid glared down at the red beast and blew smoke towards his face.
"Hey, I'm just lookin!" He argued.
"Hey, uh, now that we are here..." Barret began, his head turning left and right to search through the crowd of the natives mixed with Shinra men and foreigners. "Where the hell do we start with finding Yuffie?"
So many women and men with short black hair, with similar features to Yuffie, all blurring together into an almost impossible puzzle.
Cloud kept quiet, his eyes searching through the crowd, frowning.
"We may need to split up and listen for any rumors of her whereabouts," he suggested.
"Yeah, I know, literally, nothing about her," Barret threw in.
"Same. I just knew she's from here, that's it," Cid shrugged.
"Well, I-" Reeve stopped short, and we all looked at him, wondering if he knew something that could be of help, or even knew anything about Yuffie besides her hometown. However, under all our stares, Reeve swallowed, and looked away.
"Never mind. I know nothing about her, too," he shared. He hid his shame behind his scarf.
"Then, let's split up. If any of us find Yuffie, follow her. Barret," Cloud turned to the large man still shivering in his leather jacket. "You still have your PHS?"
Barret nodded as he hugged himself warm.
"Yep. I'll call if I hear anything."
"Hoo, Hoo, what's a PHS? I don't have that," Bugenhagen joked, pretending to sound more prehistoric with his old age and lack of knowledge for technology.
Cloud sighed, almost smacking his face into his hand.
"Right. Let's split into two groups then, so we can call each other easily," he recommended.
Barret nodded, agreeing.
"Yeah. I'll hit over this way," he pointed East towards a start of a market under a tent.
"I'll go with you," Red shared.
As they all discussed who was going where, I heard Reeve whisper next to me, "Aqua, um, could I come with you?"
I turned my large eyes to him, seeing how his face reddened when we locked eyes.
There was a sense of another potential therapy session, not just a thought of admiration behind his flickering eyes.
"Reeve, what is it?" I asked, feeling himself holding so much back. So much of what, though? He seemed pent-up with much to be said, and he did his nervous laugh before replying, "I, uh, actually wanted to have a chance to talk to you."
I blinked at him.
"Like, a therapy session?"
Reeve nodded, still blushing.
"Yeah. Something like that. I uh, want some advice, er, I don't know, input I guess." He rubbed the back of his head frantically when he tried to explain himself.
But Reeve grew silent as Cloud stepped in, and he flickered his eyes between us. I didn't pretend not to notice his careful look on Reeve.
"Cloud, Reeve wants to come with us," I clarified.
Cloud crossed his arms, simply staring at Reeve for far too long, enough so that Reeve grew nervous under his X-ray vision and looked away.
"If you two need time along, then, I can bother Aqua another time."
"Oh, so you really want to go where Aqua goes?" Cloud interrogated.
"It's not like that! I swear! I just want some of her therapy!"
"Reeve, we're not here to help you handle your little boy crush on Aqua. We find Yuffie, and that's it," Cloud sighed, already done talking.
"I don't have a crush on HER!" Reeve fired back. For the first time, he looked pissed, I was amazed he could even glare that hard.
Reeve really had a crush on Yuffie. If only Cloud could see it.
Cloud turned, walking away when he was done arguing.
"I don't care."
"Cloud!" I snapped, catching up to his side. After falling into a deep puddle, my sneakers became soaked, making the numbing feeling reach my ankle. I scowled at the drenched sneakers before reaching for Cloud.
I grabbed his wrist to stop him, and he froze, waiting without turning his head.
"Let Reeve come with us."
Cloud shrugged.
"Fine," he sighed into his red scarf, keeping this harsh remarks in his head.
Bravely, Reeve joined, the three of us coming together in the crowd of an early afternoon inside Wutai's busy entertainment district. There were many geisha houses here, women in fine robes under tile rooftops, loitering as display dolls to draw customers. There was sloppy singing from a noisy karaoke bar. A few Shinra soldiers were laughing at an unheard joke, their red faces smashed together while holding bottles of sake.
I stiffened as we maneuvered deeper into the section.
"This place is a riot," I muttered.
"Yeah, no kidding. It's like Wutai won the war," Cloud grumbled, displeased with all the drunken faces, even the locals joining in on the loose atmosphere.
"Or simple adapting. It's a hopeless cause to dwell on the loss, and just party with the old enemy instead?" I shrugged.
"Oh, maybe they are secretly plotting a plan to take back their city," Reeve wondered aloud.
"With what?" I asked.
"The Huge Materia," Cloud answered dryly. His eyes searched carefully among the crowd. I wouldn't be surprise if the Mako helped him see through walls, finding many locals already whispering their brilliant plan behind the backs of drunken Shinra men.
"Listen to the locals. Find any rumors," Cloud advised. "If Yuffie's smart, she would've brought what she stole to someone with a lot of influence."
I scratched my head at that, wondering if Wutai's old ruler was even still alive.
"You mean Wutai's old leader?" I guessed aloud.
Reeve snapped his fingers.
"That's it," he excitedly exclaimed. "Shinra didn't kill Godo."
"Who?" Cloud and I asked at once.
Reeve smiled widely, pleased to be useful with new information.
"Godo, Wutai's Emperor. He's just a figurehead now, but I bet where he is, then the Materia will follow."
Cloud crossed his arms, skeptical.
"I don't know. What if Yuffie just sold it? Could she really be doing this to help her nation rise back into power?"
"We need to know where this Godo guy is, then?" I asked.
Reeve shrugged as Cloud replied, "It sounds easier than finding Yuffie. Let's hope this is a good lead."
"Hey," Reeve pointed to a well lit bar with black and red flags around its lanterns. It seemed crowded, many loitering outside to smoke and whisper among each other.
"Let's try asking in there," he tried. Cloud and I didn't object. We made our way to the double story establishment, dusted with snow along its frozen water chimes. Many eyes were falling to Cloud when he passed, dark lips puckering and tongues clicking. He looked to be just another Shinra hire, blending with the environment of other SOLDIERs and infantrymen just trying to blow off steam.
Through tapestries and sliding doors, thick, hot air made me already push back my hood and unzip my coat.
My eyes grew at the crowded, colorful bar. I didn't expect it to be a theme of tropical paradise, with posters of turtles and oceans along the walls. Fake palm trees, tiki heads, lanterns, and visitors in island shirts made it seem the place was in an entirely different continent. I could already hear Jimmy Buffet singing "Margaritaville" as I watched a few girls clank tall, cold glasses of margaritas.
Reeve's eyes grew at the glasses, his mouth salivating over their salted rims. He squeezed into the hot, stuffy bar, and asked the bartender.
"Could I have one of those?!" He pointed to one of the glasses from a girl's hand.
"Reeve!" Cloud and I spat. The man was easily distracted, unless he wanted to numb his anxiety with a bit of booze. I can't say I haven't done the same.
A familiar voice groaned, "Reeve?"
Wait.
I froze, not realizing I was standing next to someone in a navy suit. His crazy red hair should've already given it away, but the young man had his head slumped over the bar, his rear barely hanging on his tall stool. I had to blink twice to recognize who it was, watching him struggle to sit up straight.
His hands brushed through his strained face, rubbing away the alcohol from his flickering eyes, three empty margarita glasses under his narrow chin.
Turquoise eyes found their way towards mine, and I watched how, slowly, he began to wake up from his daze.
They snapped wide, as though a jolt went right through him.
I gawked at Reno from the Turks.
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