Chapter 10

„ Time to leave"

-„ Yuffie!" – Barret shouted at the young girl, waving his gun arm in the air -„ Why did you attack those poor people?!"

Yuffie only made an angry face in response.

-„ We don't have any food so how would we survive? Besides, they were only two guys that were travelling to some town! You know that I'm a master in thieving"

-„ I understand the situation with materia… but stealing for food. Did you fall so low girl?"

-„ Heh" – Yuffie frowned -„ Only for food… I wanted cash!"

-„ That's new," – Vincent said quietly. He was sitting under the tree and enjoyed the shade that was made by the forest. Yuffie continued:

-„ I hoped that they would have some Gil, but they had none! They had some strange currency!"

Tifa was preparing some of the stolen sausages on the fire. She entered the conversation,

-„ That's really strange… I have never heard of that place. I think we have travelled a great distance. Don't you agree, Cloud?"

Cloud was looking at the sausages and at the fat that was dropping into the fire, causing it to hiss.

-„ Oh yeah, I think…" – Cloud answered, having been snapped from his moment of nostalgia.

-„ Hey Yuffie, weren't you afraid that those morons could be dangerous?" – Cid asked. He was searching for something in a brown bag. Near him, Red XIII was asleep.

-„ Well… they were resting so I just had to steal their bags. If they spotted me, it could have been bad because those two had blades"

-„ Those idiots had many useful things" – Cid said whilst he was rummaging around in the bag -„ Some maps, food, compasses, a first aid kit… they were prepared"

-„ I only hope that those two don't find us now," – said Barret who had calmed down -„ If you're saying that they had blades, they could be aggressive if they find us.

However, the group did not notice that up on the cliffs two people were watching them, a cat and a purple-haired boy.

-„ This is Cloud's party, Cait?" – Delgado asked as he turned his face to his feline friend.

However, Cait was still watching them. He couldn't believe that Cloud and the band were right here, right now. That means…

-„ Yes" – Cait replied shortly and added -„ This is the band that I was with against Sephiroth and the meteor. "

-„ They're funny" – Delgado smiled and looked again at the group -„ But I thought that you came alone."

-„ I came alone" – said Cait and smiled -„ But they followed me. Now I know that I mean more to them than just being a silly toy."

-„ Shall we go to them? I would be glad if I got to meet them"

-„ No"

Delgado turned his face again to Cait, but this time his face had a questioning look on it.

-„ Why?" – asked the boy

Cait turned and he walked away, putting his hands behind his head

-„ Because I will only return to them when I am real" – Cait replied -„ They were saying that as I am a robot, I'm a phoney and useless. I want to show them that I also have dreams, even though I am a robot, and now my dream is to become flesh and blood. And I want to do this alone, without feeling that someone will always have to save me because my attacks are too weak."

Delgado turned to Cait and he wanted to go with him.

-„ Well Cait I was thinking and…"

However, Delgado stopped. Cait looked back on the boy.

-„ And what?" – Cait asked

-„Uh, nothing now" – Delgado said as he went to Cait.

Cait knew that Delgado wanted to say something important and that Cait had said something that made the boy change his mind. They both turned when they heard that Cid was shouting.

-„ I think that we should leave now," – said Cait

-„ Good idea Cait. I have something to work on" – Delgado replied he took Cait into his arms.

-----------------------------

Cait saw that bedclothes were drying outside Delgado's house. Cait looked down at the boy and saw that he also saw them. Delgado's face became red and he looked in a different direction. They saw that Delgado's mom was at the front door waving to them. When they got, Delgado's mother was smiling, as always.

-„ How do you like the nature around here Caity?" – Delgado's mother asked the feline

Cait would like to say, „Don't call me Caity", but he decided to be nice.

-„ It's pretty" – he answered and made a little smile

Then she turned to her son:

-„ Del honey, I changed your bedclothes. Please try to not wet them tonight, okay dear?" – And she started to stroke Delgado's purple hair

-„ Mom please" – Delgado said. His face was still red from shame. He wanted to crawl down into a hole because his mother was talking about those things whilst he had Cait in his arms. How you would feel in his place, huh?

-„ Del, I'm saying this because I'm worried about you. I love you and I want everything to be good for you"- she said whist Delgado was now looking at the ground, searching for some kind of rescue.

-„ Mom I have something to work on… can I get in?"

-„ Oh sure honey" – she moved out of the way to let Delgado and Cait enter the house…

-------------------------------------------

-„ Can I see it now?" – Cait squeaked. He was sitting on the bed and looking at Delgado, who was sitting in front of his work desk.

-„ No, not yet" - Delgado replied shortly.

-„ C'mon, I want to see it!"

-„ I will show you it when it is finished"

Cait was now sitting on new, clean bedding. He lay on his back and looked around the room.

-„ You have lots of stuff in here," – Cait said.

Delgado's room was interesting. The walls were painted in a light blue colour, making them look like the sky. The carpet was red, and if you stepped on it, you could feel that it's soft. A model of an airship was hanging from the ceiling by a string. It was probably one of Delgado's little inventions. Cait looked at the shelves. There were some wooden figures, little machines and many books. The room only had one window, which had a wooden frame. The window also had red curtains with gold frills. Delgado's desk was also wooden and on it there were many useful items that could be used to create something.

-„ Yeah" – the boy replied whilst scratching purple-haired head

-„ Where did you get all of this stuff"

-„ Oh it is from when my dad was travelling" – and returned to his work -„ If he could, he would bring some stuff home and we would use it to create something fun together. I still have many of those things in my closet outside the house. In case I'm bored… sometimes…"

Cait looked at the ceiling.

-„ You know… your mom reminds me of someone…"

-„ Really?" – Delgado asked.

-„ Yeah, a girl. She looks like her… she also had a long ponytail. Your mom is really pretty don't you think?"

-„ Well… dad always said she was" – Cait saw that Del was smiling -„ But I think she's cares too much about me. You saw how she was outside the house."

-„ Yeah" – Cait made a grin -„ But you love her right?"

-„ Of course. She gave birth to me and brought me up. Mother is only one and she's holy!"

Then, they heard somebody knocking on the door.

-„ Del honey, time to go to sleep!" – They heard a female voice say.

-„ Sleep? So early?" – Delgado looked on the window. He could only see darkness and the faint light of the moon -„ Oh, I didn't notice that the time had passed so quickly…"

-----------------------------

-„ Will you tell me another bedtime story, Cait?"

Cait was lying on his back on Delgado's torso. The boy gave him an old book.

-„ Sure" – he was flicking through the pages -„ Maybe this one?"

-„A boy and his chocobo" - Del read the title -„ Sounds interesting"

Therefore, Cait looked at the page and started:

-„ In a little town there lived a little boy. He was always causing trouble for his parents. He was always naughty and would vandalise the town. The boy was very rude so he did not have any friends. One day his parents bought him a chocobo, but it wasn't a normal chocobo. This one was much smaller than the others were and had pink feathers on its forehead. The boy was not interested by the chocobo, and so still did naughty things, but the chocobo would follow him. The boy tried to not give him any attention, but the chocobo was always behind him. One day, the boy entered somebody's garden and fell into a trap. It was his neighbour's garden and his neighbour wanted to teach the boy good manners. However, the chocobo, who was following the boy, got him out of the hole. Because of this, the boy started to like the chocobo and they became good friends. After a while, the boy stopped vandalizing and teasing people. He changed because he finally had a friend. Moral: If someone wants to be friends with you, do not avoid that. You can miss out on a very good friendship. End." – then Cait closed the book and put it under the bed.

-„ Well… this story isn't as interesting as the one with the Espers" – commented Delgado -„ I think it's time to sleep" – and he turned off his bedside lamp.

Cait was getting ready to turn himself off. Delgado covered their bodies with the blanket.

-„ What are we going to do tomorrow Cait?" – asked the boy

-„ Tomorrow? Dunno" – Cait replied -„ I have no idea"

There was silence for a moment

-„ Cait?"

-„ Yeah?"

-„ If you become real… what will you do?"

This question was hard for Cait Sith, as he did not know what to say

-„ If the Espers really exist and you find them… and live with them. Would you have children?" – Del changed his question

-„ Well… I never thought about that. I mean, I am a robot after all. But if I become real, I would have many children because I like kids."

-„ Why do you like kids?"

-„ Kids are different than adults. Kids are always innocent and happy. Adults are not fun because they think only about work. In addition, they can make kids unhappy. However, there is also one other thing. Everyone has a little child, deep in his or her soul. They are always running, escaping to the child, so that they feel better."

-„ And you like me because I'm still a kid? And later when I am grown up, you will stop liking me?"

-„ That's right that you're a kid. However, I like you because you're different. You're innocent and you love nature Del. Moreover, you're the person who is listening to me. And don't forget that we are friends forever…"

Then Cait felt, through his sensors, that a hand was on his white belly.

-„ You're my friend forever too Cait… and I'm very happy that I met you"

-„ And I'm happy that I met you too Del" – Cait replied

Then Delgado fall asleep and Cait turned himself off.

Look at them. Delgado is hugging Cait by one hand. He has only known him for 2 days and now they are friends forever… it seems that they were made to be friends. Delgado felt now that he could talk about everything to someone else. For 5 years he only had his mother… and from nowhere Cait Sith appeared, as if he was sent for Delgado.

The moon was full and it was dark outside. Every creature that was outside was sleeping, except those that were active during the night. The wind was blowing the trees twigs.

Cait activated himself. He looked around the room and at Delgado, who was smiling as he slept. He carefully moved the boy's hand off himself and got out from the bed. He took his clothes that were under the bed. Suddenly Delgado turned in his sleep. Cait had a feeling that the boy had noticed that he was active, but he was mistaken. He put on his clothes and silently left Delgado's room. It was dark in the house. Cait was now in the living room and was heading to the front door. He could hear the woman's silent snoozing. He finally reached the door and pushed it open.

-----------------------

Cait was looking at the house from the hill. He was sad. He remembered the day when Delgado fixed him and then when he had troubles with Reeve outside this house.

-„ I'm sorry that I'm leaving you Del, but I must continue travelling to the west," – he said to the darkness that was the night -„ I only hope that you won't be sad or angry because of me. If I become real, I will return, I promise."

Then he turned and walked away…