TWENTY-FIVE

Three months after I had moved to Sector 7—four since I'd left the plate and my old life behind—things were going well for me. Work was great, and word about me and what I did both with the tech repair and water filtration had started to spread all over the slums. And that's how my almost daily trips began.

To help with those, I scavenged more parts and materials from the scrap piles, brought them to my shop, and made a wheeled cart to hold all the tools and equipment I'd need to take with me each day. I found a crate that would fit in it, too. Useful for holding stuff and keeping it all neat and organized. The cart was light enough that I could just push it along as I walked, but it was also pretty sturdy.

My trips took me not only back to Sector 5, but even as far away as Sectors 1 and 2. I guess I was famous again, just in a different way than before. I didn't mind, though, and it felt good to be able to help people every day and put smiles on their faces. I stayed well away from Sector 6 and Wall Market, though. Didn't really get any calls from there, but I felt it was safer to keep my distance after having pissed off Don Corneo the way I had. I knew he wouldn't forget about it.

Anyway, I had stopped by Seventh Heaven for lunch one afternoon when I saw the guys in there. Apparently, they'd had the same idea, and I waved to them and smiled when they saw me. Biggs and Wedge were almost finished, their plates all but empty as they talked, and I was just walking over to join them when I stopped as I realized what they were talking and teasing each other about.

"You're dreamin', buddy!" Biggs chuckled. "Cassie Raleine's cute an' all, but she ain't got nothin' on Jessie Jae."

Wedge shook his head. "Have you seen Cassie on TV?"

Biggs rolled his eyes. "Yeah. Doesn't mean she's hotter, though."

"There they go again," Tifa laughed, joining me.

I looked at her. "They do this a lot?"

She grinned. "All the time. They're always debating with each other about which LOVELESS girl is the most attractive."

"Have you seen the play?" I asked.

"No, but I've heard about it," she answered. "You?"

I giggled. "Ah, well… I'd have to say yes…"

Tifa blinked. "What's so funny?"

"Oh, nothing!" I said, my eyes twinkling.

I didn't really mind if my friends figured out I was Jessie Jae, it was just kinda funny hearing them talking about her without even knowing it was me. Especially the guys. And as I listened to them, I had an idea. Something to reveal who I was and have a little bit of fun with them at the same time. I was actually a bit surprised they hadn't connected the dots on their own already by now. But I knew that once they did, they'd keep my secret safe. I trusted them.

Tifa raised an eyebrow. "Nothing?"

"Yep!" I said. "Oh, mind if I grab a bite to eat while I'm here? Gotta refuel before I get back to work."

She smiled. "Not at all! Have a seat, Jessie!"

I went over to see the guys as she headed behind the bar to get me a drink. "Hi, boys! How's the watch treatin' ya?"

"Same as always," Biggs said. "Took out some eaters today."

Wedge polished off his burger. "And two wererats."

I smirked. "What a challenge, huh?"

"Hey, it's a living," Biggs said, taking a swig of his beer. "Sure as hell beats a lot of other jobs in the slums."

"I'll bet. So what were you talking about before?"

He shrugged. "Ah, nothin'. Just guy stuff. Probably wouldn't interest you, Jessie. Uh, no offense."

I winked. "None taken. Try me."

"Well…" Wedge blushed. "Just, um… talking about girls."

"Ooh, is there one you're sweet on?" I teased.

He looked away in a hurry. "N-No!"

Biggs snorted. "Like hell there isn't! I saw the way you were lookin' at Lena when she stopped by last week."

"Awww, how cute!" I gave Wedge a playful punch.

"Cut it out, guys!" he mumbled.

Biggs went on. "He could barely get two words out to her, the poor sap. He's got it bad, I tell ya."

I chuckled. "Poor Wedge…"

"Hey!" he said. "You guys done embarrassing me?"

"Sure, we'll leave ya alone," I laughed, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. "For now, anyway."

Biggs lifted his glass. "Yep! Cheers, buddy."

Wedge chuckled. "Thanks. We were just talking about LOVELESS, by the way. That big musical, you know?"

"I'm familiar with it," I smirked. "What about it?"

Biggs ran a hand through his hair. "Ah, well… we were just talking about which of the lead actresses we, uh… like. Actually scored tickets and saw it about nine months ago. Can't say as I know too much about theater, but it was a good show. Wasn't it, Wedge?"

He nodded. "Yeah, it was great!"

"Have you ever seen it?" Biggs asked me.

"Oh, you could say that," I answered casually. I wanted to burst out laughing, though. "Lots of times."

Biggs grinned. "Still have the flyer, actually."

"Carries it with him all the time," Wedge said. "He's had a crush on Jessie Jae ever since he saw the show."

I nearly choked on the drink Tifa brought me. "W-What?"

"Hey!" Biggs frowned at him.

"Show her the flyer!" Wedge urged him.

He shook his head. "I dunno…"

I winked. "C'mon, Biggs. Whip that sucker out!"

"Guess it can't hurt…" he sighed.

While he reached into his pocket and pulled out the flyer, I started humming one of the songs I'd sung as Sarah when I'd been on stage. As I did, I thought of those days, missing them so much. Being under the lights, seeing the emotion on people's faces as they watched the show. It had made me happy to be able to move them.

Wedge blinked. "Jessie?"

"Oh, don't mind me," I said.

"Well, here it is," Biggs laid the flyer on the table. It was me, but he and Wedge hadn't realized it yet, as different as I looked in that photo. I leaned closer, projecting an air of curiosity that wasn't entirely an act. I wanted to see if the guys would be able to figure it out.

I gazed at the picture of myself. "Hmm… nice. Did you ever get an autograph, Biggs?"

"No," he said. "We had nosebleed seats. Way in the back."

Of course I knew he hadn't. I couldn't quite keep a straight face as I went on. "Bet you'd have liked to, though."

He sighed. "In my dreams…"

"Well, you know what they say," I chuckled. "Sometimes they really do come true. You never know…"

"Maybe, if I ever—"

Biggs froze when he saw what I did next. I took the flyer, turned it over, got a pen out of my belt pouch, and signed it with a little flourish. As Jessie Jae. Wedge's mouth hung open, and Biggs' eyes went wide. As I put the pen away, I slid the flyer back over to him.

He stared at me. "Why'd you do that?"

"Do what?" I asked innocently.

"Sign the flyer," Wedge answered. "What gives?"

I sipped my drink. "Well, Biggs did say he wanted an autograph. So I gave him one. I hope he likes it."

Then I sat back in my seat and sang softly, still knowing the words by heart after all this time. I did the first few lines of Sarah's ballad, the one I figured the guys would probably know best. Tifa froze on the way back to our table, her mouth falling open.

"That was beautiful…" she murmured when I was finished.

I smiled. "Thanks, Tifa. It's been a while since I've done that. Guess I can still hit those notes, though. Oh, and I think I'll have one of your famous cheesesteak subs. But hold the onions."

Biggs looked down at the photo on the flyer, then back at me, then the photo again before his eyes—even wider than before—went back to me again. Wedge just looked at us in confusion. He hadn't gotten it yet, but Biggs was finally starting to see it.

"No way…" he breathed.

I clasped my hands together and grinned. "Surprise!"

Biggs' jaw dropped. "You're Jessie Jae?"

"Yep!" I said. "Well, I used to be. Until I came down here. Now I'm just plain old Jessie Rasberry."

"Whoa…" Wedge gaped. "It's really you…"

I giggled. "Took you guys long enough to figure it out!"

Tifa laughed. "Well, celebrity or not, you're still our Jessie. But you know, I've always loved that song. They still play it on the radio. Maybe you could sing the rest for us sometime."

"Private concert, huh?" I winked. "Sounds like fun!"

"Still can't believe it…" Biggs stared.

I decided I'd have be a little more convincing, so I stood up, walked away from the table to give myself some space, then performed a scene from LOVELESS' third act. Sarah had a long monologue in that part of the play, and I did the whole thing. I was actually kinda surprised I still remembered it so well. But it had become such a part of who I was that I suppose it was ingrained in me by then.

Tifa and Wedge applauded me when I was done, but Biggs just sat there, stunned as I took a bow. Must've come as a bit of a shock to him to find out I was a big star once upon a time. And not just that, but one he admired. I just hoped it wouldn't make things awkward between us. He was a good friend, and I didn't want that.

"Why didn't you tell us?" he asked.

"It's just not something I talk about much," I answered. "Sorry. I'm used to keeping it secret. I've got my reasons."

Tifa walked over to me. "But you don't mind us knowing?"

"I trust you guys," I said.

"We won't tell anybody, if that's what you want," she said. Biggs and Wedge nodded their agreement.

I smiled. "I appreciate it. But it's okay if Barret knows."

"He doesn't really follow theater, but I'm sure he'll get a kick out of it when he finds out," Tifa laughed.

"Man, all those stories, and here she is!" Wedge gushed.

I blinked. "What stories?"

Biggs gazed at me. "You don't know, do you?"

"Know what?" I wondered.

"Ever since you disappeared off the plate this past fall, people have come up with all kinds of theories about what happened," he explained. "You just up and vanished one night after doing a show. Some say there was gunfire in the street, but no one knows for sure."

I shivered at the memory. "I do."

"There was, wasn't there?" Biggs said.

"Yeah," I admitted. "But I'd rather not talk about it."

Tifa took my shoulder. "It's okay. You don't have to tell us any more than you want to, Jessie."

"Thanks, Tifa," I said. "That means a lot to me."

Biggs nodded. "And if you're in some kinda trouble, we've got your back. So don't you worry."

Wedge gave me a thumbs up. "What he said!"

"You guys are the best," I grinned. "So anyway, what kinda theories have you heard about what happened to me? I don't follow the news all that much, at least about me, so I didn't have a clue this was even going on. I'm kinda curious about it, actually."

He rubbed his chin. "Hmm… well, there's the one where you were kidnapped by ninjas from Wutai out to get back at Shinra for losing the war. Then there's another rumor that says Don Corneo fell in love with you and had his men bring you to Wall Market to be his bride. That's a newer one that's making the rounds."

"Eww, no thanks," I chuckled. "Next?"

Biggs took over. "There's another one that seems pretty interesting, Jessie. You've heard of General Heidegger, right? The director of Peace Preservation at Shinra?"

A burst of anger flared up in me at the mention of my father, but I hid it behind a mask of curiosity and nonchalance. Even so, my fingers twitched, and I barely avoided making a fist. Although my voice was as calm as could be, my blood boiled.

"Yeah," I answered. "I know who he is."

"Well, the theory says Jessie Jae's really his runaway daughter. She's been missing too, and for longer. Nobody seems to know why they'd be the same woman, it's just that they both disappeared within a few years of each other and were around the same age."

I froze. "Do people believe it?"

Biggs shrugged. "Dunno. Some do, some don't, I guess."

"What about you?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Sounds plausible, but without more than just a few similarities to go on, I wouldn't bet on it."

I relaxed as relief filled me. "Probably a good idea."

"Here you go, Jessie," Tifa brought me my lunch. Then she smiled. "You know, my favorite story about you is the one where you and your true love got tired of all the fame and attention, ran away from Midgar that night, and eloped. Now you're living a quiet, happy life together in someplace like Kalm under different names."

"Oh, I like that one!" I laughed. "Sounds nice!"

Wedge stared at me in wonder. "And to think, we've got the answer to the mystery sitting right in front of us…"

Biggs nudged his shoulder. "Hey! Lay off, will ya?"

"Huh?" he blinked.

"She told us she doesn't wanna talk about it," Biggs reminded him. "So just leave her be, buddy."

Wedge's eyes widened. "Oh, sorry! I forgot!"

"You're forgiven," I smirked.

"And on that note, we'd better be going," Biggs said. "Gotta stop by the watch base for a bit. See ya around, Jessie."

I started eating. "Have fun, guys!"

He and Wedge got up, waved, said bye to Tifa, and headed outside. After they left, Tifa went back behind the bar, made herself something to eat as well, and then came over and sat down with me. I didn't mind the company, so we talked and ate for a little while until Barret stepped into the bar and joined us.

"Hi, Barret!" I said. "You swing by for lunch, too?"

He nodded. "Damn right! Best food in town, but I'm bettin' Wedge already told ya that, didn't he?"

I grinned. "Oh, yeah. Lots of times."

"Want your usual, Barret?" Tifa started to get up.

"Sure, but there ain't no rush, girl," he said. "So you go on an' take a load off. You got a busy night tonight."

She sat back down. "Always. I like it, though."

"Where's Marlene?" I asked.

"Swung by the watch base on the way here to pick up some flyers," Barret explained. "She wanted to visit with Biggs an' Wedge, so I let her stay over there with 'em for a bit 'till I'm done here."

Tifa smiled. "Gives you a nice little break, too. Clever."

"Sure is!" he agreed. "Packed Marlene her lunch before we left this mornin', so she's havin' it with the guys."

"Good thinking!" I laughed.

He leaned forward in his chair. "That's the kinda thing ya do when you got a kid, Jessie. Always be plannin' ahead. An' speakin'a thinkin', I been doin' that a lot 'bout that opportunity I told ya 'bout a while back. To get even with Shinra, remember?"

I nodded. "I do. What've you got in mind?"

"Well, I gotta admit, I'm impressed with all the work you done here in Sector 7 these past few months. I hear a lot, Jessie, an' folks're happy with ya an' what ya do for 'em."

"Thanks, Barret," I said. "Glad I caught your eye!"

He chuckled. "Oh, you sure did, girl. You got good skills an' a good heart, an' you could be a big help to me an' the rest with what we doin'. It ain't much now, but I got plans for us. Big plans."

I was definitely interested. "I'm game. So what's the gig?"

"I'll tell ya later," Barret answered. "Wanna have a talk with Tifa an' the guys first. But come back to the bar tonight. We hang out here for a while sometimes after it's closed."

"You're gonna invite her in?" Tifa asked.

He gazed thoughtfully at me. "I'm leanin' that way, yeah."

She patted his shoulder. "She'll be great, Barret. You've got my vote! And I doubt the guys'll mind."

"I'll be here," I promised, excited. "What time?"

"Midnight oughta do it," Barret said.

I grinned. "Alrighty! I—"

The sound of the doors swinging open cut me off, and as soon as I saw Biggs and Marlene walk inside, my jaw fell open and I could barely keep from laughing hysterically at the sight. Marlene was almost totally covered in mud, all the way from her shoes and dress to her face, arms, and hair. She looked innocently at us while Biggs stood behind her, his own clothes heavily splattered with mud, too.

"What happened?" Tifa chuckled.

Biggs grimaced. "Took her to the playground for a bit while Wedge stayed at the watch base, and she went right for this big mud puddle in the back. Jumped in before I could stop her."

I smirked. "Wow! Looks like she got ya good, Biggs!"

He rolled his eyes. "Don't remind me…"

"Now what did Daddy tell ya 'bout playin' in the mud, girl?" Barret tried to act serious, but he couldn't hide his smile.

"Sowwy…" she said.

He laughed. "Aw, that's okay. Jus' listen to Biggs next time."

Marlene smiled. "Okay. Sowwy, Biggs…"

"You're fine, squirt," he winked. "I know you had fun. Even if I did have to go an' fish you outta there."

"Yeah!" she giggled.

Tifa gently picked her up at arm's length. "Come on, Marlene. Let's go upstairs and get you a bath."

She nodded. "Okay!"

"Gonna head home and hop in the shower myself," Biggs sighed as he looked at himself. "Catch ya later, guys."

Barret nodded as he left, then glanced at Tifa. "Jus' leave Marlene's dirty clothes out, Tifa. I'll get 'em washed."

"Sure thing," she said. "The rest are in the hamper."

As she carried Marlene upstairs, I grinned. "Never took you for the domestic type, Barret."

He chuckled. "Wasn't always what I am now, ya know. Back home, I did a lot. Besides, Marlene's clothes ain't gonna clean themselves. So I do what I can to take care of her."

"Well, you're really good at it," I told him. "She's great."

"Thanks, Jessie," he said. "She likes you, too."

I smiled. "Feeling's mutual. So, where are you from? You came here to Midgar a few years ago, right?"

Barret sat back in his chair. "Yeah, I did. Four years."

"What was home before that?" I wondered.

"Corel," he answered. "Big mining town. Well, it used to be."

I froze when I heard his answer, my glass halfway to my mouth. I'd been about to take a drink, but I slowly put it back down instead with a hand that wasn't quite steady. Corel. The town I'd unwittingly helped to destroy. As I looked at his gun-arm again and thought of how Marlene was clearly adopted, I closed my eyes and remembered a warning I had given to Scarlet before she had gone there:

"But you should let the soldiers know to watch their aim when firing the rifles. They use very high-caliber shells that could take someone's arm off if they're not careful. I'd rather we didn't have any accidents."

I knew it was my fault. Barret had lost his arm, his home, and who knew how much more. And Marlene must've lost her parents when the town was destroyed. I was glad Barret had saved her, but guilt ate at me for what they'd suffered. They were… my victims. How could I tell him what I'd done? How do you possibly tell someone it was your fault they lost everything? Where would you even begin?

"What happened?" I asked cautiously.

He shook his head. "Not somethin' I like talkin' 'bout, Jessie."

I knew the feeling. "Sorry. I understand, believe me."

"You're fine, don't worry," Barret patted me on the shoulder. "Ain't got nothin' to be sorry for."

I pushed back my plate and stood up, my appetite gone. "Thanks, I appreciate it. I'd better be getting back to work, though. Would you tell Tifa I said thank you for lunch?"

He nodded. "Sure. Take care, girl."

"See you tonight!" I said, waving at him.

Although outwardly I was cheerful as ever, on the inside my heart ached with pain and sorrow. I headed outside, seeing in my mind those terrible images of Corel in flames, the ones from the news report years ago when it had been destroyed. I remembered how I had run upstairs to Materials Storage on the 63rd floor and cried alone amidst the crates and boxes. And now, I was face-to-face with the consequences of what I'd brought about, however unintentionally.

Reeve and Cait had both told me that day that what had happened to Corel wasn't my fault, but even after all these years, I still couldn't let go of the sense of responsibility I felt for causing the disaster. My hands tightened into fists at my sides as I thought about that, and I came to a decision, one that I knew was right.

From now on, no matter what, I'd be there for Barret and Marlene. I'd do anything for them, whatever it was and wherever it led. I owed it to them, even if I couldn't even begin to tell them why. They'd both lost so much because of me, and I had to make it up to them. I had to make things right somehow. And I would if it was the last thing I did. Even if it meant giving my life. I'd do it gladly.

As I walked back toward my shop, I thought about Barret's offer. It would be the first step. I didn't know what it was all about, but it didn't matter. I knew I'd accept it without question. He wanted to bring me in on something important, wanted my help, and I was going to give it to him. I didn't have any doubt about that.

When I got close to the street leading to my shop, I noticed a flyer on the side of one of the nearby buildings. Someone must've slapped it there recently because it hadn't been there last week. Those things were always coming and going, though. Ads for the watch, for shops around town, and more. Even a few for LOVELESS. I always moved on quickly when I saw them. Didn't want anyone connecting me to the play if they ever saw me near one of those flyers.

This one caught my eye because it was different, and I went over to get a closer look at it. I'd seen a few here and there throughout Sector 7 but never really thought much about them until now. It was one of the flyers for that Avalanche group, talking about how mako energy was in reality the life source of the planet and how Shinra was draining it with the reactors, slowly killing our world.

Some people seemed to believe it while others didn't, just like a lot of ideas floating around. Others even made fun of these guys, whoever they were, writing them off as idiots or alarmists. As for me, I wasn't so sure. I knew from my time at Shinra and from what I'd learned during the Reactor 3 incident how bad things were in the reactors, and while I didn't know much about the planet being alive, I was well aware of the damage that mako processing did to living things.

I decided it might be worth looking into if I could ever find one of these Avalanche people to talk to. Nobody in Sector 7 seemed to know who they were, and my friends had always either been carefully evasive whenever I'd asked them about it or had changed the subject. Wasn't all that much else I could do, so I shrugged and headed back to work, not having any idea what tonight's meeting would bring. But it would turn out to be another major shift in my life.

Everyone was already there when I stepped inside Seventh Heaven just before midnight. Tifa smiled as she unlocked the door for me and let me in. The bar was closed, and it was just the five of us now. Barret must've put Marlene to bed upstairs earlier. He waved from his spot at the bar and motioned for me to come over.

"Hey, Jessie!" he said. "Glad you could make it."

I slid onto the stool next to him. "Happy to be here, Barret. Got me all curious about this business of yours."

"I bet I did," he chuckled.

"Want a drink?" Tifa asked as she walked over.

I nodded. "That'd be great, Tifa. I'll have… a Lifestream. I'm in the mood for something different tonight."

She grinned. "You got it! It'll only take a minute."

With that, she slid behind the bar and started making me my drink with her usual flair and style, expertly twirling and spinning the bottles with practiced grace. It was pretty cool, the way she'd toss them up and catch them behind her back. She got a lot of nice tips that way from the customers whenever she did that.

"You'll like it," Biggs said, lifting his glass. He and Wedge sat at one of the tables nearby. "Got a hell of a kick to it, though."

"Sure does!" Wedge agreed.

Tifa brought it over. "Here you go, Jessie."

It was a bright, clear green in the glass, and I took a sip. The flavor was definitely strong, tingling my throat, but I liked it. I had to blink a few times as I took another swallow, and I thought I tasted just a touch of mint in there as I drank.

"It's good," I laughed. "Quite a bite! Very smooth, though."

Tifa smiled. "Thanks. Glad you like it!"

Barret tapped on the bar. "Awright, people. Now that we all settled in, let's go ahead an' get started. Jessie, as ya know, we been doin' some business together, us four. We keep a low profile to stay outta trouble as much as we can. That'll change eventually, but we still gotta make sure no one knows it's us behind it."

"I'm not sure I understand," I said.

He nodded. "I know. You will, though. But first, there's somethin' I wanna ask ya. Have you seen them flyers posted everywhere? The ones 'bout Avalanche an' the planet?"

"Yeah, I've seen—" I started, then my eyes widened. "Wait… you're Avalanche? The four of you?"

"That's right," Biggs said. "Sorry for keepin' ya in the dark."

Wedge took over. "Barret asked us to. He said he didn't wanna put it on you all at once, that we should give you some time to settle in and get to know us better. I hope you don't mind."

I smiled. "It's okay. You were just being cautious."

"You see, we'd like you to join us," Tifa said, sitting beside me. "We think you could be a big help to what we're trying to do. The skills you have, and how much you care about others."

I stared at her "Really? You want me to sign on?"

"We gonna save this planet, Jessie," Barret said. "Shinra's drainin' it dry with their reactors, an' someday we gonna hafta do somethin' 'bout 'em. That's still a long way off, though. But there's other stuff we can do in the meantime. Little things to pave the way."

I turned it over in my mind. "The mako… that must be why it's so hard to grow things in Midgar. And why the land around it's so barren. I've heard the stories about how people return to the planet when they die, but I wasn't sure if I should believe them."

As I thought about what Barret and the others had said and what I had seen and learned when I was still at Shinra, I knew they were right. And if there was any chance at all that Mom's spirit was being damaged by Shinra's siphoning of the planet's life energy, then I had to do what I could to stop it. Striking back at Shinra for what they'd done to me was icing on the cake. And it would also give me a chance to atone for what I'd done at Shinra and to Barret and Marlene.

Avalanche was my redemption.

"They all true," Barret said. "Mako's the lifeblood of our world. We do all go back to the planet when we die. It's a natural flow an' the way of world, but Shinra's screwin' things up with their reactors, suckin' up all the life like soda in a cup."

Biggs looked at me. "Mako ain't just something you use to turn the lights on. Hell no. It's the essence of life and memory. You should go do some research on planetology, Jessie. We've got some books and stuff if you wanna check 'em out sometime."

"I think I will," I agreed.

"That's good to hear," Barret continued. "Those'll help get ya up to speed on things. An' if you got any questions, you jus' go on an' ask. We gotcha covered. But in the meantime, we need your help, Jessie. So how 'bout it? You up for savin' the planet with us?"

I smirked. "If you had any doubt, would I even be here?"

Biggs' eyes lit up. "So that's a yes?"

"Of course!" I pumped my fist. "Count me in!"

"Yes!" Wedge shot me a thumbs up.

Barret grinned. "Awright! Glad to have ya aboard, Jessie."

Tifa hugged me. "Welcome to the family."

"Thanks, guys," I said. "Feels really good, you know?"

Barret clapped me on the shoulder. "Damn straight! Now let's kick back an' have a drink to celebrate."

"Sounds good to me!" I laughed.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Biggs said. "Had a little something made for you today after I found out Barret was gonna invite you into Avalanche tonight. So here ya go. Catch!"

He took two items out of his pocket and tossed them over to me. I caught them easily and looked at them. They were both bright red, and I smiled when I realized what they were. The smaller one was a hair tie like the black one I was using. And the larger one was a headband, just like the one Biggs wore. It was perfect.

Setting them on the bar for a moment, I unfastened my hair—now naturally long and free of extensions—and put the black hair tie aside. Then I picked up the red one and used it to redo my ponytail. When it was nicely snug, I took my new headband and put it on, tying it firmly behind my left ear with the ends hanging down behind it. I felt good as I looked at the others, my eyes bright.

"Thanks!" I said. "So what do you think?"

Wedge beamed. "Awesome!"

Biggs nodded. "Super duper awesome!"

"Lookin' good, girl," Barret chuckled. "Tifa, another round!"

She was already on it, laughing as she got us more drinks. Once we all had ours, she sat down next to me again, a glass in her hand. I went with another Lifestream while she had gotten herself a Cosmo Canyon. The guys all had bottles of beer, and as we sat there, we all looked over at Barret and waited for him.

He raised his drink. "Avalanche!"

We all smiled and lifted ours. "Avalanche!"