CHAPTER 5

A Helping Hand

Midgar erupted with noise. It was now midday, but the clouds hid the sun from the world. The day felt dark, something was about to be unleashed, something bad. Cloud and Yunai arrived in MIdgar, stampedes of people ran by them, screaming in terror. Large dark beasts ran by, terrorizing them, some even dragging people in their mouths.

"What is that?!" Yunai practically screamed, pointing to the sky. Cloud raised his head. A monsterous sized flying beast flew above them high in the sky. It gave out a loud screeching roar, causing vibrations. Cloud took out two swords from his motorcycle and put them together forming one solid sword. Yunai watched in awe.

"Cloud!" a familiar voice called. It was Tifa who began running towards them. Denzel following not too far behind. Cloud's eyes lit up as he waited for her to approach him. Yunai looked surprised seeing that Denzel seemed to be fine. Yunai hopped off Cloud's motorcycle and made her way to Denzel to hug him. They came together, grasping each other tightly.

"I'm never talking to strangers again!" Denzel almost cried. Yunai brushed his hair with her hand. She sighed happily.

"I'm so happy your okay." she said relieved. She looked at him and smiled. She then turned around to face Tifa. Yunai faced her a bit embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, that I wasn't much help." Yunai said silently. Tifa looked surprised by her apology. She hugged Yunai tightly and unexpectedly. Yunai was surprised by her action, but returned the hug.

"I'm just glad that your okay." Tifa smiled. She then turned to Cloud, who looked a bit left out.

"Whoa!" a familiar voice cried out. Yunai looked up to the sky where the voice surprisingly came from.

"Yuffie?!" Yunai called out a bit shocked. Yuffie came down in a parachute, landing swiftly onto the ground. She threw the parachute over her head like a cape while smiling.

"So, who's been stealing my materia?" Yuffie asked. Yunai laughed lightly at Yuffies statement. Same old Yuffie.

"The bad guys, naturally," Tifa replied, as if giving the punchline to a joke. She waved to Yunai and the others, turned around and ran after the flying beast. As Yunai was about to run after her she heard another voice.

"Where can a buy a phone?" a tall man with flowing dark hair asked. It was Vincent. Denzel looked at him in awe and turned to Tifa. Yunai smiled, remembering what he had done to help them.

"Who are they?" Denzel asked.

"They're our friends." Tifa replied happily. She looked to Cloud once more.

"I took Marlene home." he said. He began getting his swords ready by placing one over his shoulder. " I feel lighter, all that dilly dally." he said almost with humor. Tifa smiled brightly. She began to get onto the motorcycle with Cloud, leaving Yunai with Denzel.

"Yunai, I need you to take Denzel home." she said sounding serious. Yunai looked up with a bit of shock.

"Um," she stated a bit nervous. Denzel grasped her hand gently. Yunai pondered at the gesture, "Okay, I will! " she finally said. Tifa smiled as Cloud zoomed off towards the flying beast's direction. They watched them until they made their way around the large monument that represented the fateful day when their world was almost once destroyed. It felt as if time was repeating itself, motivating Yunai to do what she needed to do.

"Let's go." she said to Denzel gripping his hand tighter, hinting that she was ready to make haste. He understood so they began to run through the crowds of people. The large beast began to center itself just above the monument, it's dim shadow casted over Yunai and Denzel. It began to screech and roar, causing everyones ears to ring. A glowing blue light began to form around it's mouth.

"It's going to blow something up!" Denzel shouted in fear. Yunai looked up and down at the beast, and then to the monument. It was going to hit the monument!

"We need to get away from the monment!" Yunai shouted while pulling Denzel with her as she tried to get at a much further distance from it or they would get the blow too. Right when Yunai took her eyes off the monument, a force came through her and all of her surroundings, causing her and Denzel to lift off the ground. She lost her grip on Denzel and went hurdling toward the asfault. She skidded violently onto the floor with metal pieces and rubble rolling over her. She laid on the floor motionless, but alive. She could feel that the right side of her body was scraped up. Her knees and elbows bled and stung like hell. She looked up very slowly, her head feeling heavy, and saw the remains of the monument that lay around her. She tried to move but her body felt heavy and paralized. She turned her head to look at her bottom half of her body to notice that there was a huge piece of scrap metal that lied on top of her.

Moments later a shadow lured over her. Yunai raised her head with much effort but could not see the person who stood before her.

"Damn, your pretty banged up." the stranger said sounding worried. Yunai shook her head carefully, trying to get up, but failed.

"Hey! Carefull . . ." he began to say. She began to feel the weight on her lower half lighten, her legs filled with feeling again which tingled like a thousand needles. The man held a hand out to her and without looking up, she took it. As she stood up, she tried brushing off all the dirt from her clothing, having not looking at the man who helped her still.

"Thank you." she said a bit hoarse. There's was so much dust in the air that it made it almost hard to breathe. She finally looked up to the man who had saved her, her eyes nearly tearing because of the atmosphere.

" No need to cry over it." the man laughed but then coughed. He wiped the sweat from his brow and then waved his hand in front of him, trying to relieve the dust clouds that surrounded them. Yunai raised a brow and her stare now became somewhat of a glare.

"I'm not crying! It's just the dust..." she trailed off while wiping her eyes.

"The name's Reno. You have a name? And why are you out in this battlefield all alone?" Reno asked her. Yunai's eyes became wide as she realized something very important.

"Denzel!" she shouted startling Reno. She began looking right then left. She went into a panic.

"I didn't know that was a girl's name." Reno joked while laughing lightly.

"No, that's my friends name! We got seperated from the explosion and now I don't know where he is!" Yunai stated with much worry, her voice cracking. Reno's face turned from being content to worry.

"Hey, don't get worked up over it. I'm sure you'll find him." Reno said, his words sounding sweet. Yunai turned to Reno calmly trying to keep herself under control. She was about to say something but she swallowed her words.

"I'm sorry I have to go now!" Yunai said as she began running the opposite direction. Reno watched her a bit surprised by her action.

"Uh...", he trailed, "... your welcome?" He smiled to himself and even blushed slightly. "What an odd girl. Cute though."

"Reno!" called a man from a distance. The man was fighting off two familiar silver haired men but failing miserably. Reno then made haste towards the battle with an electorod in hand.