Morning, World Restoration Organization, WRO, Headquarters...

Zack entered the large building, stopping at the entrance lobby to catch his breath. He lost his way a couple of time on the way to the base; he ended up being slightly late to his meeting with Reeve. The lady at the receptionist's desk looked at him confused, making him a bit self-conscious. He straightened his posture and made his way to the reception. "Hi, umm... I have an appointment with director Reeve."

"A moment please Mr...?"

"Zack, Zack Fair."

"Mr. Fair. Yes, the director is waiting for you in his office."

"Good, where is the office?"

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Aerith moved to the kitchen in the back after Zack left, Barret grumpily went out to watch over the kids in the new playground that was constructed near the square. Tifa and Cloud were alone in the bar, sitting in the silent room. "We'll need to invest in a wheelchair for Aerith. Do you think we could get one."

"Yeah, it should be. I can pick one up on my way back."

"Drive safe."

"ok."

Tifa felt awkward after that exchange, she had hoped for something a bit more romantic but followed him regardless to the front door. She watched over him as he got the packages on the Fenrir, she muttered a quiet sigh.

"Is something wrong?" He asked, startling her from her daze.

"What? N-no nothing at all."

"You sure?"

"Y-yes, I'm sure-!" She gulped, Cloud was standing right in front of her without her realizing it. The fabric of his shirt was slightly touching the tip of her nose, he was too close for comfort. "Um, Cloud?"

Cloud lowered his face to Tifa's, kissing her. He guided her back into the bar and pinned her to the wall, not breaking their contact as it got deeper. They didn't part till they heard the crash of a pot and looked over to the direction of the kitchen.

Aerith waved her arms defensively "Oops! My bad!" She leaned her body over and picked up the pot that she had dropped by accident. "Don't mind me, please continue like I wasn't here!".

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Zack scratched his head, looking over the door sighs he just passed by with the label 'Research Lab'. He lost his way to Reeve's office, even after stopping a few employees for directions. 'This place needs its own map' he held the bridge of his nose and lifted his head up with a sigh. Lucky for him, one of the WRO Soldiers was in the hall with papers in hand passed him. Zack quickly went over to the Soldier and tapped his shoulder "Hey mister, can you direct me to your boss' office?"

"Uh? Oh yeah... first door at the end of the hallway."

"Ok, thanks."

Zack patted the busy soldier's back hard enough that caused the guy's helmet to fall off easily. The man was so surprised that he dropped all his papers and stood in shock for some odd reason, looking down at the scattered papers on the floor. The man then turned and stared at Zack surprised "H-how were you able to do that with ease?!"

"Eh?"

"No one could hit me before- wait a sec."

The man leaned forward, examining Zack from head to toe, He even rubbed his eye to fix his focus, just in case. His eyes got wide, stepping back, glancing between Zack and the papers on the floor multiple times "Y-your SOLIDER first class Zack Fair?!"

"Um... well yes."

"D-do you remember me?"

It was Zack's turn to stare at the man in front of him. He had Mako infused eyes, so that meant he was in the SOLIDER like he was, but his messy short dark brown hair wasn't very familiar. Though there was something about him that was oddly familiar. "Um... are you Luxiere?"

The man's jaw dropped, his hands clenched into fists with anger. He then punched Zack hard, making him fall on the floor "Of all the people you remember, you remember a traitor?!"

"I'm Kidding Kunsel!"

"Why didn't you say that first?" Kunsel placed a hand on his face trying to reduce his anger and stress. After calming down, he helped Zack off the floor "So, where were you hiding? Presuming that you were hiding... I lost contact with you a month before the Mako reactor bombing and all that."

"It's a long story, I'll tell you after I see Reeve."

"Right the boss. By the way, about Aerith..."

"Oh she's fine, she has SCI, but I'm trying to help her."

"But how? She was reported died three years ago Zack."

"So was I Kunsel, but apparently someone wanted us alive for their crazy experiments... I'll go through the details later buddy." Zack patted Kunsel's shoulder and made his way to Reeve's office that was across the hall like Kunsel directed him. Leaving the confused Kunsel to ponder over what his few ex-SOLDIER just told him.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Both girls were in the bar's kitchen after the awkward moment earlier. Tifa had opened the Bar around this time, and the customers had just started coming in. While the girls were finishing the setting up all the plates and glasses.

"Sorry if I ruined your alone time with Cloud before."

"It's not your fault, we should have made sure that we were alone to begin with" Tifa waved her arms defensively. It was silent once more between both girls.

"It's odd seeing this place empty after last night," Aerith noted as she glanced around most of the empty seats and tables surrounding them.

"It's just one of those days, and it's still too early to tell."

"I guess so. Everyone is at work at this time."

"Right, come around lunch time this place would be filled with cus-" She didn't have a chance to continue her sentence after hearing bell over the door ring, signaling a new customer had entered the bar. As the customer took a seat near the window, Tifa made her way to the seated man.

"New to these parts?"

The man looked up at her and beamed a smile "Why yes I am. I came here to... look for a friend of mine who's living in the city." The man's piercing Mako infused glowing eyes gave her a bit of a fright, but she didn't let it show.

"I see, so what will it be mister?"

"Please milady, call me Genesis, and I would like coffee to go."

"Right... coming right up then." Tifa walked back to Aerith and started brewing the coffee beans while Aerith watched the man from behind the counter. The name was familiar, but she couldn't just go and ask him what she probably thought she knew, could she? She shook her head deciding against it. Her eyes soon took notice to the book in his hand titled 'Loveless' that famous book that Midgar named a whole street after. She saw his lips move, reciting the poems collected in that thin volume with excitement as his voice was heard, barely.

"Hero of the dawn, Healer of worlds. Dreams of the morrow hath the shattered soul. Pride is lost. Wings stripped away, the end is nigh."

'Definitely a Loveless fan.' Aerith kept looking at the busy customers with curiosity. Her eyes widen in surprise after they made contact with his all a sudden. She awkwardly waved to him hoping to ease her mistake. Yet rather than getting a wave in response, he closed his book and walked over to where she was, taking a stool seat at the counter. "Hmm... can I help you sir?"

"Maybe milady, hows about your name?"

"A-Aerith, Aerith Gainsborough."

"What a lovely name. A fan of Loveless are you?"

"N-not really, My boyfriend would say a few lines every now and then."

"I see, I hope he's treating you well."

"Yes he does, he's also very protective."

"I'll do well to remember that milady." the strange man leaned on the counter and moved his red-ish light brown hair away from his line of vision, his eyes caught her attention like it did her friend, and he smiled. "I see you are interested in my eyes."

"You were part of SOLIDER?"

"Sharp girl, probably because your boyfriend was also part of it."

"Y-Ye-... wait, how did you know that?"

The man snickered and stood straight "I have my sources."

Tifa soon came out from the kitchen with the hot coffee and placed it on the counter in front of the odd man, intending to interrupt the conversation "Order up."

The man took the cup and handed her the gils before making his way to the door. He stopped half way and looked over to Aerith one last time "Even if the morrow is barren with promises. Nothing shall forestall my return. It was nice meeting you ladies". He turned his back and waved to them before walking out of their view.

Tifa placed her hands on her hips looking at the door as it closed shut "What a weirdo..."

Aerith just sat there quietly, her sights still on the door even after Tifa headed back into the kitchen.