Only moments after Yuffie had hung up the phone there was another flash and six people came through the machine. She gratefully recognised Tifa, Reeve and Vincent, jumping up and down before giving them each a brief hug. Squall stepped forwards and nodded to them. Vincent met his eyes and also nodded; they already understood each other.
"My name is Squall Leonhart. This is Quistis Trepe and Irvine Kinneas."
"Vincent Valentine," Vincent responded in his usual dry tone, "with Tifa Lockhart and Reeve Tuesti. Are these your friends?"
The look on Selphie's face said everything. "Of course we are! Although we still need to know if those there are YOUR friends."
"Well, duh!" Yuffie rebounded. "Yuffie Kisaragi, ninja and heir to Wutai. And who might you be?"
"Well, I MIGHT be Ultimecia," Selphie joked, but it was lost on them. "You see, Ultimecia was… oh, never mind. Selphie Tilmitt, SeeD."
"Excuse me… seed?" Tifa asked. She hadn't had the chance to question them properly earlier. Squall's eyebrow flickered but he betrayed no other movement.
"SeeD. An elite mercenary group, trained to fight Sorceresses and available for hire. There are three Gardens – one in Trabia, one in Galbadia, and one in Balamb. I am the Commander of Balamb Garden, the only Commander at all as it happens. Quistis is an instructor." She smiled so that they knew which one she was. "Selphie organises the Garden Festival, and Irvine is a sharpshooter."
"Sharpshooter extraordinaire, actually," Irvine interrupted.
"Yeah, with an eye for the ladies to boot," Selphie snorted. Irvine glared at her but this only made her laugh more. Squall gave them a pointed look and continued.
"We are currently in Esthar, the laboratory of Doctor Odine. Rinoa Heartilly there is the secretary of the Balamb Garden Headmaster Cid. Zell teaches fighting arts and is a SeeD just like us." It was a moment before anyone realised that Squall had finished talking. Cloud stepped in to cover the moment.
"I'm Cloud Strife, ex-SOLDIER and member of AVALANCHE along with everyone here apart from Reeve." Reeve coughed delicately.
"I was there as Cait Sith, a robotic Moogle, but I still worked for Shinra on the outside," he explained.
"Well, this is all very well and good, but we can't let them wander around looking like THAT," Selphie protested. Tifa was about to retaliate but remembered that apart from Aeris, they were all in eveningwear. "You in pink – you're the only vaguely normal one."
"Aeris. Aeris Gainsborough, actually," Aeris replied, somewhat indignantly.
"Whatever," Selphie brushed off the comment. "My point still stands."
"I agree with Selphie," Quistis said. "We need to get you some normal clothes."