Part 2
"Never in my 23 years of existence have I ever seen a stranger group than our own. Well, I guess this is the start of a beautiful friendship…or death wish. Whatever comes first."
-Cloud Strife
The next day, Selena sat up in a room that looked as if it belonged to children. She couldn't help but smile at the two pictures on the wall. "That's cute." She cooed as she looked at the grumpy looking "Cloud" and smiling "Tifa" being portrayed. "Oh you're up Selena!" Selena turned to look at the familiar freckled face of the boy she had gotten to know before the current situation. "Denzel, what are you doing here?" she asked quietly as he clambered on to the bed and sat at her side. "Well, I kinda live here Selena." He explained and Selena nodded. "Oh yeah, that's right!" she chimed when everything clicked and she hugged him. "It's nice to see a friendly face, ya know." She laughed and Denzel couldn't help but blush. Denzel pried himself out of her grasp and said sheepishly "Everyone's downstairs waiting for you. C'mon and I want you to meet Marlene too!" Selena cocked an eyebrow and asked "Is Marlene your girlfriend?" and swiftly, Denzel's head shot up and he rapidly shook his head. "No!" he growled defensively and Selena laughed. "Okay, okay! She's not your girlfriend…Well, technically she is because she's a girl and she's your friend." Denzel sighed and tugged on Selena's arm. "C'mon Selena! You're so slow sometimes!" Selena rose from the bed with a fake sigh as she followed the young boy downstairs.
As she reached the bottom step, a blush crept into her cheeks as her eyes collide with Mako blue. "Ummm…good morning?" she grinned sheepishly and Cloud smirked. "I take it you had a nice nap, huh?" he chuckled as she pulled up a seat next to him. Selena ran a hand into her golden hair. Her head was throbbing a little as she asked "Was that suppose to happen?" Cloud shook his head as he laughed. "No, not until you down a few more, but there's always a first for everything." Selena rolled her eyes and grumbled "Sure laugh at my expense, but you just wait Cloud." "My Lady, how are you feeling?" Selena turned to see Shibuki and Sigmund walk into the room. "I'm fine. How's Faera?" Shibuki nodded and said "She's getting impatient and wants to stretch her wings." Selena grinned, got up and ran up stairs. Cloud watched her in a puzzled manner. "What was that all about?" he asked. "It seems Selena wants to fly today, but I doubt that's possible with Faera's arm being injured." Sigmund answered. "Fly? What do you mean fly?" Suspicion reared its head like a cobra in the back of Cloud's mind. Shibuki waved it off and said bluntly "I fear it's beyond your comprehension. Leave it be." Cloud frowned a little and sighed. It was either the mild mannered Shibuki wouldn't tell him anything or the dangerous Sigmund, who'd shoot glares and bare his teeth at him. Either way, there was no way he was going to pry answers out of these two formidable beings.
"Cloud, I think we have a problem." Cloud looked at Tifa, who held the phone in her hand. She looked distressed about something. "Cloud, I think something happened to Cid. I was talking to
him, when someone else took over the conversation." She explained and Cloud was on his feet. "What'd they say?!" Tifa shook her head. "I don't know. They were speaking some strange language that I've never even heard of before. The accents didn't even help either." Sigmund growled and ran upstairs, leaving Cloud and Tifa gazing suspiciously at Shibuki. "Alright, what the hell's going on?! Our friend's been kidnapped, so you better let us in on the big secret." Tifa growled, but Shibuki shook his head. "I fear that matter is out of our hands. I am sworn to silence." He uttered, shifting his noble catlike gaze upon the two. Cloud unsheathed his sword and growled "when I get through with you, you'll be singing a different tune my friend." Shibuki welcomed the challenges with a smirk edging on to his tanned lips. "If you fight me, you will die. I'm much stronger than I look."
"My Lady please! It doesn't concern us!" Sigmund howled as Selena burst into the room, eyes ablaze with anger. "What happened?!" she demanded, her usually cheer faded and replaced with an air as cold and harsh as a steel blade. "If we tell you what happened will you tell us what's really going on?" Tifa bargained and Selena stared at her for the longest time. "Our Ladyship does not have to answer to the likes of you mortal! If she chose, she could have you executed for-" "SIGMUND THAT'S ENOUGH!!" Selena yelled and Sigmund cringed a little. She turned her gaze back to Tifa and Cloud.
"It would be easy for me to say that 'I will', but after we get your friend back, we'll be on our way. There's no sense in putting you all in danger at my expense." Cloud shook his head. "So who's ever got Cid is after you…Even if we get Cid back, what's to stop them from coming to the bar? What about the kids that live here?" He growled and Selena looked away. She knew he had a point and she knew she couldn't let Artemia's guards hurt the children. She'd never be able to live with herself if something happened to her friend Denzel. "My Lady, if I may, can I say something?" Sigmund mumbled carefully, lest Selena should be angry with him. "Sigmund, if you plan on swaying me into fleeing this battle, I fear I will not allow it." She said softly. Sigmund sighed and tried weakly to explain "But my Lady, without you, life on this planet will be lost. Under no circumstance can we afford to lose you." Shibuki sighed and added his sense. "For once, I believe Sigmund is right Lady Selena. Your life is more valuable than any mortal's." Selena shook her head wildly and banged her fist against the table, smashing the piece of furniture into the floor.
"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND AT ALL!! I am in debt to that man!! He showed us kindness by bringing us here on his airship and for us to turn and run away is a dishonorable slap to his face!!" She argued, her eyes lighting up to a shocking bluish green. Cloud and Tifa looked at the heap that was once a table to Selena's glowing irises. "Mako? How'd you get that?" Cloud asked a little surprised at the turn of events. Selena calmed down a little and growled "Never mind that now. We need to get your friend back." She then turned to Shibuki and Sigmund. "I want you two to track them and alert me as soon as you find them." She ordered and the two just looked at each other. "But my Lady, I don't feel that it's safe to leave you unprotected and Faera is still trying to recuperate." Shibuki countered and Selena smiled as
she pranced over to Cloud and Tifa. "I'll be fine. Cloud and Tifa will look after things here. Just please go and help their friend, this Cid fellow." Shibuki sighed and motioned for Sigmund to follow. Before they went out the door, Shibuki turned and growled "If anything happens to Lady Selena, I will come back and make your lives a living Hell. That I promise you." With that said, Sigmund and Shibuki went out the door. Moments later, a heaven shattering roar and a blood curdling howl could be heard outside the bar. "Wha-what was that?!" Selena looked at the terrified Tifa and answered "Shibuki and Sigmund in their true forms."