I do not own Final Fantasy VII or any of the characters.
New Companion
Cody looked around as they were walking through the trees, seeing a young girl sprint past several on his left before hiding. She had her black hair cut short, a headband with a pair of strips of black fabric hanging from it, a green, turtleneck, sleeveless, sweater that left her midriff exposed, a pair of khaki short shorts, a what looked like a netting sleeve on her right arm starting below her shoulder to her orange, fingerless glove, a steel plate strapped to her right forearm like a vambrace. a steel pauldron on her left shoulder with a harness to hold it on with one strap across her chest to wrap around her torso just under her right arm, then another wrapping around the bottom of her ribs, a khaki-colored cloth over the outside of her left arm from the pauldron to the rounded end of it past her fingers, seeming to be rigid at the end, like it was wrapped around a shield or something, and there was a steel circle object sticking out of it about an inch about level with the back of her hand. She had on a pair of white leg-warmers that went from around her ankles and over the tops of her brown combat boots to her knees, then a netting sleeve extending up from over that on her left leg, reaching about her knee where there was a metal ring to hold it on, the ring attached to a pair of straps, one in front and one in back, that reached up to something under her shorts. In her hand was a large shuriken with four long, thin arms, the arms all blocky grips near the center before turning into double-edged blades. Cody hummed thoughtfully as he saw the shuriken and Jessie looked back at him.
"Should we do something about her?" Jessie asked.
"Nah," Cody said. "She looks young. She's probably a thief. And probably not a great one."
Suddenly, the girl leapt out of the trees, hurling her shuriken at them. Cloud slashed it into the air and a materia along one of the arms glowed softly as it spun back to her. She caught it and turned to fight, only for a weak Aero to crash into her from Cody, doing nothing but throwing her backward. However, as she hit the ground, Boko trotted over and stepped on her shuriken, Cody holding his gunblade to her throat.
"Aw, man!" the girl complained. "I can't believe I lost!" She huffed, rolling away before jumping up and away from all of them. "I'll let you have this one! But next time, I won't trip!"
"It looked like you lost," Red XIII said.
"Red!" Tifa hissed, shushing him as Aerith laughed into her hand.
"How dare you!?" the girl snapped. "Alright, fine! I'll take you all right now! Bring it on!"
She began to throw punches into the air in front of her, all of them being left handed. Jessie giggled, covering her mouth.
"Well?" the girl asked. "Aren't you going to fight me?"
"No," Cloud said flatly.
"What!?" Tifa asked, eyes wide before she grinned widely. "Oh, I get it! You're afraid of my awesome power!"
"Oh, we're petrified!" Cody said dramatically, grinning behind his mask. "I don't know what we'd do if we ever had to face you again. We'd be practically helpless. If only we had someone as amazingly powerful as you on our team."
Jessie twisted around to give him a questioning look before smiling, understanding filling her face. Living alone was horrible. With them, she could have friends, and they'd keep her safe.
"That would be so amazing!" Aerith agreed, clearly on the same wavelength. "It's a shame though. Someone like her would never stoop to traveling with weaklings like us."
"Wha-Oh!" the girl said. "Yes! That's right! You're not even worth the effort it would take to mug you all! Which isn't much!"
"Yeah," Jessie sighed. "It's too bad, too. Well, we'll leave so we stop bothering you now."
"What?" the girl asked as everyone turned, continuing toward Junon. "Just like that? You're not even going to beg?"
"There's no point in begging someone as amazing as you," Cody shrugged. "We'd just be wasting more of your valuable time."
She remained silent as they continued on their way and Cloud folded his arms across his chest.
"Are you guys serious?" Cloud grumbled.
"She's alone," Aerith said. "She needs friends, and while she's with us, we'll keep her safe."
Cloud sighed, shaking his head. "Fine. But I'm not babysitting her."
"No promises," Cody smirked, Cloud shooting him a dirty look just as Yuffie sprinted past them, once again holding her shuriken, and stepped out of the trees.
"Wait!" the girl shouted. "You can't just leave!"
"Oh, we weren't leaving," Cody said. "We were retreating. You're just too powerful. We couldn't have hoped to beat you, so we decided the best thing to do was run away while you allowed it. Especially since you wouldn't possibly want to travel with us."
Yuffie huffed, crossing her arms. "Well fine, then. If you're going to be so upset about it, I guess I'll have to travel with you. Otherwise I'd just feel guilty."
Cody grinned victoriously at Aerith, who smiled happily. "Well, if you're sure, we definitely don't have the power to stop you. So, since you'll be traveling with us, allow me to make the proper introductions. I'm Cody, this is Aerith, that's Tifa, the grumpy guy is Cloud, the giant teddy bear is Barret, he's a softy and will do anything you want for a pair of puppy dog face, the dog...thing is Red XIII, we're not sure what he is since he won't tell us, this beautiful creature is named Boco, and this ugly old hag riding with me is Jessie."
Jessie shrieked indignantly and drove her elbow into his side, Cody grunting. Then, Boco let out an excited "Wark!" and reared back. Jessie gasped and held onto his neck, but Cody was holding his offended ribs and yelped in surprise before he fell backward off the bird. He groaned as he lay behind Boco, who scratched a foot on the ground, throwing dirt and sand only Cody's suit. Boco looked back at him, amusement shining from his eyes and Cody gave him a dirty scowl.
"Very funny," Cody said.
Everyone but Cloud laughed, even the girl. Cody sighed, hauling himself to his feet and brushed the dirt off before hopping up behind Jessie again, tugging his mask down long enough to kiss her on the cheek before pulling it up again.
"What's your name?" Aerith asked sweetly.
"Yuffie," the girl said. "So, where are you all going anyway?"
"Junon," Aerith smiled. "We're trying to find someone."
"Your friend?" Yuffie asked.
"No," Cloud said flatly.
"Someone we need to beat," Cody said. "He's not a bad guy, so we're trying to stop him."
"Well, that'll be easy now that you've got the great Yuffie Kisaragi with you!" Yuffie smiled.
"It sure will," Cody smiled. "Shall we?" He gestured in the direction they were nodding and Yuffie nodded, turning and beginning to walk away, everyone else following, Cloud looking as disgruntled as ever.
"I am not a softy, or a teddy bear," Barret said. "Don't make me hurt you."
Cody laughed. "You're the biggest softy I've ever met when it comes to kids."
Barret huffed, also folding his arms across his chest. Cody looked back to Yuffie as she glanced at Boco.
"Hey Yuffie," Jessie said. "Have you ever ridden a chocobo?"
Yuffie hesitated before shaking her head.
Cody hopped down instantly, as did Jessie, and Boco trotted over to her instantly, lowering his head toward her. She reached out hesitantly before beginning to pet him, her fae lighting up instantly.
"Up we go," Cody said, lifting her up onto Boco's back. "keep your legs in front of his wings, and hold low on his neck, but don't pull out his feathers."
Yuffie nodded and Cody patted Boco on the side of the neck.
"You mind taking her for a ride Boco?" Cody asked. "Come back here if you meet any monsters."
Boco let out a "Wark!" and took off rapidly, Yuffie shrieking on his back, clinging to him, then began to laugh just as he cut left into the trees.
"You sure he won't just run off with her?" Tifa asked.
"Nah," Damian smiled. "Boco's intelligent. Probably as much as we are. He'll be back. He chose to come with us."
"Well, at least it gut rid of her for a little while," Cloud grumbled.
"Oh cheer up," Tifa laughed. "You know she's funny."
Cloud huffed and they all laughed, continuing on in silence for a while. After a bit, Boco returned with Yuffie still laughing, and began to walk alongside them. They walked along in silence for several more hours before finally reaching Junon as the sun was beginning to set. They looked around the small town in silence.
"Man, this place is a dump!" Yuffie said finally.
"Hey!" Aerith scolded. "You shouldn't say things like that! It's not very nice."
"So?" Yuffie asked. "It's true."
"Even so, it's not nice," Aerith said.
"Sorry," Yuffie mumbled.
They walked through town until they found an inn, Aerith volunteering to wait outside with Boco while they all rented rooms. Cody walked inside with the others and walked over to the man at the receptionist desk.
"Excuse me, we need..." he turned and did a quick headcount, "four rooms. Also, is there anywhere in town I can keep my chocobo?"
"He can stay outside, as long as he doesn't bother anyone," the receptionist said. "And we have four rooms, but they're all only one bed a room."
"Well, that's fine with me and Jessie, but what about all of you guys?" Cody asked.
"It's fine," Cloud said. "I can sleep on the floor."
"Well, we should have Aerith here while we decide," Tifa said.
"Is there anywhere we can by Gysahl Greens?" Cody asked.
"There's a general store just down the road," the receptionist said.
"Alright," Cody said. "I'll pay for the rooms now, and get the keys."
The man nodded and took the money, handing over the keys. Then, Cody and the others walked outside, heading for the store with Boco.
"So, we got four rooms, since we shouldn't book up the entire hotel," Cody said to Aerith. "But all the rooms only have one bed a piece. If you want, we can get everyone who's not me and Jessie their own room."
"No, it's fine," Aerith smiled, wrapping her arms around Cloud's arm. "We can make do with one bed."
"Who said I was staying with you?" Cloud asked. "besides, I'm probably going to sleep on the floor."
"That's so mean!" Aerith accused.
"I guess I can room with Yuffie, if that's alright with you," Tifa glanced at Yuffie, who nodded.
"Well, I suppose I don't mind sharing with Red," Barret said. "As long as you don't snore."
"You're the one who snores," Red XIII said. "I have no objections, though. If nothing else, I can always sleep outside and keep the chocobo company."
They stopped at the store and Cody bought enough Gysahl Greens for a month, the store's owner putting it into a bag for him and handing it to him, accepting his payment. Cody sealed it and began to turn, only to pause, seeing several Materia.
"What do you have for Materia?" Cody asked.
The owner glanced over at them. "Two Thunder, one Fire, one Blizzard, and one Cure. All base level."
"Do you have a holder bangle?" Cody asked.
The owner nodded and handed one with two slots to him, then held out the materia. Cody bought one of each, putting the Fire and Cure Materia into the bangle and held it out to Yuffie, along with the other two for her Shuriken, which had three empty slots.
"You're just...giving this to me?" Yuffie asked.
"Yeah," Cody said. "This should make fighting a bit easier, and if you're hurt you can heal yourself now."
Yuffie smiled, nodding, and accepted the gifts, putting the bangle on her right wrist, squeezing the sides to bend it so it fit her wrist, then put the other two Materia in her shuriken. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Cody smiled.
Just then, there was a roar from toward the water and a young girl's voice screamed. Cody and the others took off instantly, Boco running alongside Cody and glancing at him.
"I'll go on ahead!" Cody said, swinging up onto Boco's back.
Boco took off instantly, leaping onto a building's roof and sprinting across it, jumping to the next, then the next, then the next. Finally, he landed on the beach and Cody dropped off, sprinting forward where a little girl was about to be eaten by a giant fish-type monster. it had a long blue body, a red head with a wide mouth filled with fangs, a pair of transparent white fins at the base of its head, a pair of blue tentacles extending off its body where the rounded torso turned into a tail, and a dorsal fin matching the ones on its sides. Cody sprinted forward, out into the water, and swiped his left hand, sending a small fireball exploding into the fish's head, making it roar in pain before Cody stopped beside the child, lifting her with his left arm and summoning his gunblade, pulling the trigger with it in front of himself and launching himself backward to Boco. He gently lay the girl over him just as the others all reached the beach.
"Yuffie, I need you to go with this girl," Cody said. "Take her to the inn and protect her. It's very important. Can you handle it?"
"Of course!" Yuffie said, looking relieved.
"Good girl," Cody said, handing her the keys. "Don't care which room. We'll be there as soon as we deal with this."
Yuffie nodded and Barret lifted her onto Boco before Boco turned and ran off with his two charges. Cody turned back to the giant fish with the others as it raised its head out of the water roaring angrily. It sank back under water, but before it could flee, Cody used his gunblade to launch himself out into the water. He splashed down in front of it and it roared, streaking through the water at him. He turned himself, putting his feet against its upper and lower jaw, almost doing a split, then turned his gunblade over, stabbing the fish in the side of the head. He ripped the blade out and flipped toward the surface, driving it into the fish's back as it began to pass him, just as Cloud, somehow able to move quickly underwater, and float with his sword, caught up to the fish, stabbing it. Cody shook his head as the Fish shrieked and arched. He ripped his gunblade out and grabbed the wound before beginning to stab it over and over. As he did, it flailed and shrieked, then turned, streaking at Cloud, who it had thrown off a while ago. Cloud slashed, somehow managing to split the fish's side open. Cody let go of the fish and yanked his sword, tearing along the fish's back for about a foot before his gunblade slipped free. The fish shrieked, leaping out of the water away from the two of them, just in time for Barret to fire a burst into its body, then Tifa to burst out of the water behind it, slamming a glowing kick into its back and sending it crashing onto the beach. Aerith, Jessie, and Red XIII all blasted it with a Thundara at the same time and it flailed and shrieked before Cloud hurled Cody out of the water and high into the air before Cody launched himself at the fish, buzz-sawing before ripping his way along its side, splitting it open. It flailed and shrieked, roaring for a moment before Cloud drove his blade down into its head, killing it.
"That wasn't so hard," Cloud said.
"Be grateful that wasn't a deep-water battle," Cody said. "Or else you'd be alone. Maybe with Aerith."
"We need to get back to the Inn!" Tifa said.
"Right!" Jessie said. "That girl!"
They all turned to run back through town, Cody glancing out to sea and catching sight of a dolphin jumping out of the water a ways away before running after the others. After a few minutes, they reached the inn and found Yuffie in the room closest to the stairs with her, the girl awake but crying. Aerith walked over and hugged her instantly.
"It's alright," Aerith said. "It can't hurt you anymore."
"Not that," the girl said. "I don't know if Mr. Dolphin is okay!"
"He is," Cody said. "I saw him out in the water when we were leaving the beach."
"Really?" the girl asked hopefully.
"Yup," Cody nodded, smiling. "What's your name?"
"Priscilla," the girl said.
"Well, Priscilla, you're not hurt, are you?" Cody asked.
"No," Priscilla said. "She used a materia to heal me."
Yuffie grinned proudly.
"Good," Cody smiled. "Do you think you can get home on your own? Or do you want one of us to take you?"
"Can someone take me?" Priscilla asked.
"Sure," Cody smiled.
"I'll do it," Aerith smiled. "Is that okay?"
Priscilla nodded and the two of them left. Cody sighed, and everyone agreed to call it a night, separating into their rooms, Cody taking the time to go feed Boco first, then all headed to bed, Aerith finding her and Cloud's room when she got back.
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