"What do you mean that you don't remember?" a dark-haired maiden asked as she followed the man in the dragon's skin. She was trying to get a reaction out of him, but he pretended not to know her. He even tried to ignore her. But maybe he was like her, and she had no memory of this place. Tifa knew that she was summoned here one other time, but she wasn't sure how that ended. Or when she was allowed back to her world.

Even though a lot has changed here since the last time Tifa Lockhart knew with her soul that she'd been here. ... Even though it took a while to remember everything- well, there was still a lot of gaps in her mind about this place. At least she remembers the mankins, though she wished that she never forgot about them. She hated how those things could take on different forms. They could either appear as a friend or foe. She had no trouble with taken care of the ones that looked like enemies; it was the ones that looked familiar- the ones who appeared to be friends. Those… those where the ones that almost got her. And it was worse when she saw a copy of Cloud, no matter how mad he made her she didn't want to hurt him. Especially since it seemed like back in her world, they found some common ground as friends. Still seeing this thing masquerading as he made her wonder if he was stuck serving chaos, that they wrapped his mind and made Cloud forget about him… forgetting about the green eyes flower girl. While he was normal in their world, this world was different for everyone. But the fact I still remember home is strange, Tifa thought, I didn't last time. But that didn't change the fact that she was here… about ready to die- at least that's what she thought until someone fell from the sky and impaled the manikin with a lance. Tifa was going to fight this newcomer, thinking it was an enemy until memories started to resurface. The dragon faced mask, the gaze that never missed anything from the shadows that covered his eyes. The rest of him also… well, it looked like he just skinned a dragon and wore it as clothing.

"Kain?" Tifa asked as the word popped into her head. That was a name, wasn't it… his name? It sounded like it should, and the and the memories of him began to clear up and form. He was an ally, a friend- someone Tifa believed in when no one else did.

"Who are you?" he asked.

…

"Are you sure you don't remember me?" Tifa asked once more as she followed Kain through a golden portal. And Tifa watched as a meadow overlooking a castle turned into a sunny beach surrounded by cliffs He still refused to answer which pissed her off so much that she ran up behind him and kicked him.

Or at least tried to but he quickly stepped off to the side causing Tifa to slide forward a little. She probably would have fallen too. The wet sand made the ground slippery, so she easily lost her footing if Kain didn't catch her.

"Umm… thanks." She muttered.

"You're welcome," he muttered as he looked around, "and we're stuck here until another portal opens."

"How long will that take?"

Kain sighed, "honestly, I don't know. The portals have minds of their own. Materia or Spiritius can control neither."

"Materia?Spiritus?"

"Cosmos and Chaos have both perished. After…" he paused and gave her a sheepish look, " after we perished in battle ourselves a few of Comos's champions tried their best to fix everything. However, those days are long since past, and we were summoned for a new purpose."

Kain sat on the sand before he continued, "though we were summoned after a calamity that almost swallowed this world up. From what I understand, we might just need to gather energy- maybe finish what we started with the manikins."

Tifa thought she understood what he was saying, though it was a little confusing. But the one thing she wanted to know was, "why were you pretending that you didn't know me."

Kain shrugged, "my memory is a little hazy, though fighting and being around actual beings helps jog it. Figured you would be in the same boat, so I didn't want to overwhelm you."

"Oh… but has it never occurred to you that it might help to make me remember?" Tifa asked as she sat down next to him. It was strange to sit by a man that was strange yet so familiar. Comforting yet seemed wrong at the same time, was it because they were from different worlds and never supposed to meet? Or was it something else? But she couldn't argue the fact that she felt this weird pull that was almost forcing her into his path. Something she's never felt before. She didn't know what it was. Frankly, it kind of scared her, but at the same time, she loved the feeling.

"I don't know how you would react," Kain answered, "I attack everyone I came into contact with friend or foe. Someone had to knock some sense into me literally… Vaan helped too. Especially since I thought the warrior was still more or less glued to Sephiroth's side.

"Cloud?" Tifa asked.

"That's the one. It seems in the time we were gone we have gained Terra, Tidus, and Cloud as allies… though we lost Jecht. I'm not sure if Laguna, Prishe, or Yuna have returned either."

"Oh… Winsome and lose some I guess," Tifa said, turning towards Kain and trying to smile but she couldn't quite do that especially as memories of everyone gave her some pain. At least by the sound of it, there was still Vaan and Light. Perhaps the others were here too.

…

You win some you lose some, her words repeated in his mind, and she may try to hide it, but he could feel some pain in her voice. Even now, as he watched an artificial sunset. It was going to grow dark soon. And he didn't know if that could mean trouble or if they would be left alone until sunrise… or until a portal arrives. Then there was the matter of the maiden who fell asleep by his side. Tifa must have fought hard with little to no rest by the time Kain found her. At least she's able to rest, He thought, shifting slightly as he tried not to disturb her. As he closed his own eyes.