Chapter 12: Red Christmas
A/N: Hi, I know this Christmas chapter is late, but I'm really a month behind schedule as it is. . .I'm slowly catching up though, so I guess it's not so bad. However, for the completely unwritten New Year's chapter, it might get worse because I have midterm exams soon. Well, I'll squeeze it in somewhere, I just won't have much time because I need to save myself from failing chemistry. . .Somewhere, Lucrecia is crying. . .Anyway, Square-Enix owns FF7, LadyTifa26 owns Laura, miscellaneous authors own respective characters, and I own Christina and Rachel. Grr, property. Now, excuse me, for I am ill.
Bright, warm sun filtered into the bedroom window of Rachel's messy room. Last night it seemed there was a tiny little party for Tifa, who had to leave the prior morning, meaning this morning. Some partied maybe a little too hard.
Tifa yawned and rolled over to her side, hugging what felt like a sun-warmed pillow, but not quite. It felt a little harder than that, but still was soft and comfortable to sleep on. She smiled, and drifted to full sleep.
"Myuh, myum, myuu. . .Hah?" Steve sat up (for a rare, serial appearance). "What?" He suddenly realized he was asleep in his boxers in Rachel's room, where she was not to be found. "Who knew alcohol would make you drunk? Eheheheh. . .Oy." He lied back down. "My head. . .Eh?" He noticed a tuft of brown locks move against his arm and stomach, and immediately recognized it to be Tifa, and blinked. "Oh, okay. . ." He snuggled into a pillow, and fell asleep. ". . . . . . . . . . . . . .HOLY MOTHER OF-
"Was I called?" Cid was on the couch downstairs, thinking somebody called him through his own language. "Aw, (&&, don't wake me up on a weekend. . .Zzz. . ."
Steve was sweating and panting, to think what he might have done. ". . .Meep," he squeaked.
"Huh? Oh, hello Steve. . .," Tifa yawned, rubbing her eyes and sitting up. "Want some breakfast? I know you like pancakes. . . ." She curled up into his chest, by the way in a g-string and bra, hugging onto his back. "Nighty-night. . ."
Again, he blinked. ". . . .Eh?"
She yawned and smiled. ". . . .EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"Huh?" Rachel sat up between the two of them, hair a mess, wearing a long-sleeved pajama top and pants with little chocobos on them from her past experiences. "What's all the hubbub, bub?"
The two turned very, very pale.
"What?" Rachel asked. "Oh fine. . ." She held up a teddy bear. "You can sleep with him, too! I call him, 'Mr. Wuggles'! . . .G-guys?"
Their pupils contracted.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"Ugh, dammit dude!" Mike was knocking on the door, which forced them to be very, very quiet. "YOU SCREAM LIKE A GIRL! No mommy to help you with your little nightmares? Anyway, it's time to wake up."
Steve motioned to them to be quiet, and Tifa and Rachel were forced to sneak under the covers. "Er. . .Good morning." He stood and blocked the door when he opened it.
"Such a bright ray of sunshine in the morning, aren't you?" Mike asked. "Wake up. If we can't sleep in, you can't either."
Meanwhile, Tifa snuck out of the bed, scrambling to find her clothing, and some semblance of a quick fix to her minor half-naked problem.
"Tifa? Is that really such a good i-
"Shh. . .," Tifa hissed, crouched low to the ground. "Quiet. . ."
Rachel has this sad look, that was almost painful. "But. . .but TIFA-
"Shhh. . ." Tifa continued to gather clothes.
Rachel whimpered and crawled back under the sheets.
"Oookaaaaaay. . .," said Steve, talking slowly. "I'll see you laaater. . ."
"Are you okay?" asked Mike. "You look a little. . .sweaty. You hiding something?" He slanted his gaze, and Steve quickly blocked that, too.
"Noooo! What gives you-that-i-de-a!" Steve said, halting slightly in his speech as he moved.
"'Scuse me. . .," said Tifa, suddenly brushing past both, in a bathrobe that was too small to hide her bra, and past the guys who had gathered in the hall to drag their friend from bed. But then, she turned and halted in front of them, and looked at Steve and Mike deathly seriously. "NOTHING LEAVES THE BEDROOM." And with that, she headed off down the hall.
Mike blinked as Steve coughed. ". . . . ."
And still, the guys stared. ". . . . .GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Rachel was getting out of bed in her pajamas still, while she watched the carnage erupt in the midst of her bedroom. "Guys? Guys? Hello?"
". . . ." The guys, who already dogpiled Steve and into a headlock looked at the other girl in the bed. ". . . . .AND VIRGIN GIRL, TOO!"
"NOOOOOOOO!" Kiro screamed at the door, who just seemed to appear there. "GET 'IM!"
"AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
"Didja hear a blood curdling man-scream?" asked Jessie, shoveling a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal down her throat.
"No," shrugged Kiako, munching on some Froot Loops. "Did you, Little Vincent?"
A small, cute Vincent plushie sat at the table with a bowl of Count Chocula.
"I thought not," Kiako concluded.
"Hey, where's my Cookie Crisp?" asked Rachel, making it downstairs. "Heh heh. Little Vincent has Count Chocula. That's funny."
"But, I'm HERE," said Vincent, eating a bagel with a cup of coffee. "Why do you treat that thing like it's ME, and I'm HERE!"
"Um. . . .Because you supply the sex appeal for the breakfast table, we're the sheer adorable girls eating cereal like we expect to get paid, and Little Vinnie here is the raw, masculine, delightful cup of sugarlove," Rachel blinked. "Where am I?"
They fell over. "CAN'T YOU KEEP A THOUGHT IN YOUR HEAD FOR A MINUTE!"
"G'mornin'," said Tifa, still in the bathrobe.
Rachel smiled hopefully.
"Not to you," said Tifa, who didn't even look at her.
Rachel became sad again. "Wah."
"So. . .," Tifa continued. "What did you try to tell me upstairs?"
Rachel pupils contracted as it looked like she slipped into an unpleasant trance. "Well, you know how you were on the floor to get your clothes. . .And you wear a thong-
"I don't wanna know anymore," said Kiako, jumping away from the table.
"And you were crouching-
"Me neither," said Jessie, following in Kiako's wake. "COME, LITTLE VINNIE! PURE THOUGHTS!" She snatched it off the table and ran.
"And so I thought-
"Why didn't Hojo just remove my ears instead of my arm. . .?" Vincent sighed.
"Isn't that mine you're wearing?"
". . . .Wha?" Everyone peered in the room again.
Tifa was silent, then turned around and looked down into her robe, blinked, and was an unhealthy shade of green. ". . . . .It's not that it's yours, but. . .You. . .You. . .YOU WEAR THONGS!"
"G'mornin'," said Steve, walking downstairs in his boxers. A few guys came in after, with a few bruises.
". . .Eh?" asked Rachel. "But weren't YOU dogpiled?"
"Mmhmm," said Steve, getting some orange juice from the fridge.
". . .Ooookaaaaay. . .," Rachel said, blinkingly. "I'll only assume. . . ."
Later that morning after a fiasco that involved Kiro, Rachel's thong, and a pair of pliers, it finally came time to get serious. Seriously. (Hey, are you looking at me funny!)
"NOOOOOO! I cannot live without you! Forget your family! I AM your family. . .Be with ME. . ."
"Is Rachel talking to a doughnut again?" asked Tifa, walking in from the next room.
"I don't understand why you like this. . .," said Vincent, sitting next to Laura on the couch. "What's so great about soap operas?"
"NOOO!" Laura sobbed, watching the TV. "THEY WERE MEANT TO BE!" She shook him violently. "DON'T YOU THINK SO, TOO!"
He was a little afraid. "Uhhhh. . . .Sure."
"I KNEW IT!" she wailed. "Oh. . .Yeah, a good melodramatic cry is good sometimes."
"Right," said Vincent. ". . .Can we do something interesting now?"
"Shh. . .," said Laura. "The commercial break is over. . ."
". . .Laura?" he said, but had no response. ". . .Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmmmmm. . ." He yawned, and put and arm around her. ". . .Sooo. . ."
She pushed it off and curled up, hugging onto a pillow, biting on her lip.
"Diego! Diego! NOOOO! THEY COULDN'T CURE YOUR MINOR HEAT STROKE THAT EVENTUALLY LED TO AN ADVANCED CASE OF MENINGITIS, COMPLICATED BY HEPATITIS! HEPAAATTIISSSSS C!" cried a voice from the television. "I swear, I know you could've been saved. . .Diego, I will find that sexy love doctor Ramirez and sleep with him, AFTER I FIND PROOF HE WAS THE ONE WHO KILLED YOU!"
Laura sniffled. "D-Diego. . .DIEGO! WAAAAAH! HE WAS MY SEXY LATIN FANTASY!"
Vincent had the weirdest look, and retracted his arm, sighing in defeat. "Uh-HUH. . ."
"Oh, Vincent?" asked Lucrecia, walking up to him. "I have a question for you. . ."
"What?" he replied, curiously.
"Well. . .It's more like something SHOW you. . ."
Gathered at the table. . .
"What the crap?" asked Tifa, holding a little Tifa plushie. "What is this?"
"It's my new invention!" Lucrecia exclaimed happily. "I figure it's around Christmas, and these would sell like hotcakes if Rachel's story is right about us being videogame characters."
"B-but. . .," Rachel whimpered, "it's NOT just a story. ..It's TRUE!"
"Whatever you say," said Lucrecia, practically ignoring her. "I made little plushies! WITH ACTION PHRASES!"
"I'm Tifa!" said Tifa's plushie when she pulled the cord on the back, sounding friendly enough. "Cross me and DIE!" it shouted in a deep, inhumanly evil voice.
Tifa was a little afraid of it and almost dropped it on the ground. "Uh, Lucrecia? Won't this scare children? AND ISN'T THAT A LITTLE OFF!"
Cid pulled the cord on the back of his plush. "!#$$!" He shrugged. "Seems accurate to me."
"But," Lucrecia said, holding her tape recorder. "I spent hours getting voice clips of you all. . .And even though you DIDN'T say that Tifa, I installed a voice manipulation program on Kiako's computer."
"Heyyy. . .," said Kiako, hearing this. "You didn't even ask!"
"Here you go," said Lucrecia, handing her a Cid plushie to keep her quiet. "Have fun."
"WHEE!" Kiako squealed, immediately pulling on the cord.
"Where's my goddamn tea, &$#!" it cursed.
"WAAAAAAAAH!" she cried, running out of the room. "MOMMY!"
"Hey, I kinda LIKE these things. . .," Cid said, watching. "OW!"
Shera was giving him the evil eye after elbowing his stomach. "Hmph."
"Women. . .," he grumbled.
"Lookie!" said Lucrecia, pulling a few more out, handing one to Rachel.
"A Cloud plushie? SQUEE!" She was on Cloud Nine. "What's it say!" Enthusiastically, she pulled the cord.
"I'm, too sexy for my shirt, too sexy for my shirt, oh I'M TOO SEXY!" it sang.
"You recorded that when he was in the shower, didn't you?" asked Aeris.
Cloud whistled innocently.
Reno grabbed hold of one of his, pulling the cord. "CLEAN SHIRT! NEW SHOES! AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE I AM GOIN' TOOOO! SILK SUIT! BLACK TIE! I DON'T NEED A REASON WHY-Y-Y-Y! They come runnin' just as fast as they can! 'CAUSE EVERY GIRL CRAZY 'BOUT A SHARP DRESSED MAN!"
"Heheheh. . .," Reno snickered. "It's just about as much of a girl magnet as I am." He pulled again.
"BABY GOT SOME HOT STUFF BABY THIS EVENING! BABY GOT SOME HOT STUFF BABY TONIGHT!" it sang this time.
"And THESE will be a substantial source of income. . .How?" Rufus asked, condescendingly. "Why would people WANT these?"
Rachel was holding her Cloud plushie and a Tifa plushie, playing with them. First, she pulled on Cloud.
"Tifaaa! Where's my vat of hair gel!"
Next, she pulled Tifa's.
"I hate you all."
"Ooh. . .," said Rachel. "They're practically interactive!"
"Muahahaha. . .," Lucrecia laughed. "They're GOLD!" Lucrecia started pulling out other plushies. "This one's for you, Rachel."
It looked just like her. "OOOOOH" Rachel said. "It's me! How I looked in FF7 land!" She pulled.
"Duhhhhhh. . .," it said, in a low, stupid tone.
"I like these," Tifa blinked.
Rachel felt demeaned. "I hate you all."
Moving day. . .
Tifa was on the doorstep after Lucrecia's little display, holding the small box of her belongings. "Well, I'm gonna go now. See you people later."
"TIFAAAA!" Rachel sobbed, holding onto her ankle. "WHAT ABOUT BREAKFAST!"
Tifa growled. "MAKE YOR OWN DAMN BREAKFAST! LEMME GO!"
"B-but. . .," Laura sniffled, on her other ankle. "WE LOVE YOUR BREAKFAST!"
Cloud grabbed onto her wrist. "AND I DIDN'T CHECK THAT BOX FOR MY HAIRGEL!"
Tifa sighed. "Cloud, your bottle of hairgel is even bigger than this box. Try elsewhere."
"Could you buy me a new bottle?" he sniffled, eyes googling with tears radiantly from the MAKO infusion. "Pwease, Tifa?"
"FINE!" she shouted. "LET ME GO!"
"Heheheh. . .," he snickered, walking back inside. "Let the lady go and buy my very large and expensive hair care products."
"NEVER!" Rachel sniffled.
"I'll let you see me shirtless."
"HAVE A SAFE TRIP, TIFA!" said Rachel, bounding up after she let go. "WRITE US! DON'T BE A STRANGER! Come on, Laura! Time for half-naked sexiness!" She hoisted her friend off Tifa's remaining ankle.
"Well. . .Cloud IS pretty. . .So I'll watch!" Laura said, joining Rachel. "Later, Tifa!"
"See ya' later, Tifa-nator!" Rachel waved, before shutting the door.
Tifa now stood peacefully alone on the porch, turning around to face the direction of her new apartment. She sighed wistfully. ". . . . . .YAAAAHOOOO!" She jumped and clicked her heels. "QUIET! PEACE AND QUIET!" Excitedly, she dashed off for her apartment. "SWEETNESS!"
"Y'know," said Rachel, sitting on the couch in the room closest to the door, eating some popcorn as she watched Cloud take off his shirt. "I wish she at least was nice enough to start dancing five feet AWAY from the door."
"Meh," Laura shrugged, engrossed in the shirtlessness. "I'm just wondering if we can sell tickets to this."
Meanwhile, in the far corners of the city. . .
Sephiroth was strolling on the street, regardless of the stares he attracted from the people he walked past, ignoring the snickers of those loitering on the street. The click of his boots on the cracked cement was steady; he stood confidently, but his face was frustrated as if he were looking for something. His hand clung to his side. A small trace of red came, while he remembered the previous encounter he had.
"Heheheh. . .," laughed a guy, leaning on the wall with a few others. It was dark outside, and the laughter was irritating. "Well well, look at that! The "fairy" carnival's in town."
Sephiroth still marched dignified, knowing it was the least of what he cared about.
Until, one of them stood in his way. "Where d'ya think you're going? Ain'tcha got the time?"
Annoyed, Sephiroth went around and tried to pass.
"Hey, didn't you hear me, man!" The guy wore a hooded sweatshirt, hands deep in his pocket, with short, dark hair.
A smirk rose. There was some bright, yet dark quality to the glow in his icy green eyes. "I have time. . .," he said, quietly.
"Ah, good. . .," said the guy, smirking too while the rest of the others circled around him. "We have a special treatment to fags like you. . ."
"But. . .," Sephiroth said, his eyebrows loosening.
"Hmm. . ." the guy said, hand still deeper in his pocket.
Sephiroth took the sheathed masamune from his side, and before they could blink or even reason what he was doing, spun and winded them all in the gut, stepping over the guy while he lay breathless on the ground. "I don't have the time for you. . ."
The guy in the sweater held his stomach angrily, growled something, and took the switchblade he hid deep in his pocket. He crawled, onto his stomach. "Nn. . .GAH!"
Turning around, Sephiroth deflected the switchblade he had thrown, but not without it ricocheting at an unexpected angle that it cut his side. He winced.
The group was coming to, managing to stand and get around him again, all with knives. "I'd like to see you do that again, shitface! Especially while you're bleedin'!"
Sephiroth looked at the wound, stared at it with disgust, and then unsheathed his gleaming sword. "Really?" he said darkly, barely audible. "I'd like to show it to you, too. . ."
Vincent was browsing through the paper, back at home. "Hey, it looks like there was this multiple homicide in the city. . .," he said, fairly blandly. "Bunch of gang members with large cuts in them. . .One was cut in half, and one with a gray sweater was missing his right hand and his head. Was five feet away from his body in the garbage. Switchblade in his right hand still, too."
"Don't you love good news?" Rachel said with a gross look. "Ew. And just when I was about to eat, too. . ."
Surka peered around the corner. "What? Lemme see that!" She snatched the paper right out of his claw.
Vincent sighed, a little irritated by the rudeness. "What, you like that kind of news?"
Surka still flipped through it, then a few moments later handed him the paper back. "False alarm. . .," she sighed, walking out.
". . . .What was THAT all about?" Rachel asked.
Vincent shrugged, reading it again. "Don't ask me. . ."
"Hrrmmm. . .," thought Surka, sweeping the floor at her job. "Not many people could do something like that. . .But I don't see why he'd be here. . ."
"BOO-!"
THWACK!
"Owww. . .," said Konoshi, holding her nose where the broom handle hit. "WHAT'S THAT FOR, HUH!"
Surka turned around, not looking very amused. "I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm not. You want something?"
"You look like you're actually thinking," said Konoshi, also looking very turned off. "Just curious what could possibly stimulate your apparently very latent gray matter."
"Nothing," said Surka, turning back to her work.
". . .Hmph. Right," Konoshi shrugged. "Guess you can just really look like you have a brain, huh?"
"Shut up," Surka grumbled, starting to change the coffee filters in the silver latte machines. "You don't have anything important to think about."
"HEY, I HAVE PLENTY IMPORTANT THINGS TO THINK ABOUT!" Konoshi protested.
"Yeah?" Surka asked. "Like what?"
Konoshi thought. "Ummmm. . . . .Whether today's special should be White Chocolate Mocha or Cinnamon Spice."
"WHAT!" Surka exclaimed.
"Yeah I know, White Chocolate Mocha should be, but the manager says-
"That's not the point. . .," she sighed. "Look, I'm taking work off early, 'kay?" she said, taking off her red apron.
"But. . .You just GOT here," said Konoshi. "I'm not taking up your shift!"
"Ooh, can I take up a shift?" asked Chikara.
"NO!"
"Why not?" she asked. "One of you wants to leave, the other doesn't want to, and I do. Pweeaaaase?"
"Isn't this against child labor laws or something?" Konoshi asked, looking down at the quite young Chikara. "Meh. Suit yourself. But since Surka's going and I'm the oldest one here. . .," she said. ". . . .I GET TO BE YOUR BOSS!" She had a very pleased smile.
". . . .SURKA, PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME!" Chikara sobbed, hugging Surka.
"Eh!" Surka shouted, seeing the young girl clasped onto her. "Um…There, there?" She awkwardly patted Chikara's head, then bent down to her level. "Okay, see that?" she whispered in Chikara's ear.
"Uh-huh," Chikara blinked, looking at Konoshi, whom Surka was pointing to.
"Well, you see she's a scary lady, huh?" Surka whispered. "And even though she being your boss will be a living nightmare with pain only comparable to having your living flesh spliced by a thousand needles, you gotta do this for the TEAM!"
"W-what!" Chikara sniffled. ". . . Surka?"
She was already running out the door.
"Suuurrkaa. . .? Suuurrkaaaa?"
"Muahahaha. . .," cackled Konoshi behind her.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Tifa stood in the empty space that was her new apartment; the box she brought standing lonely in the center of the floor. Tucking in her legs to sit on them, she started picking through some articles in the box. Clothes, shoes, minor appliances were being issued around. She leaned over to plug a lamp into a wall socket. Brushing her hand through her hair and sighing, she picked up a picture frame, one of her and Cloud at a park that seemed very near Kalm and sat it by the lamp, a little stressed. She picked it back up, started rummaging through the box and inserted a picture with everyone, deciding the previous was a little more than dated.
"Okay," she said, standing up and looking at her watch. "I have a half hour before work. . .So I need to go if I'm walking." Hustling, she grab her uniform and belt and headed for the door, clicking off the light above the frame and shut the door.
"Myouuu. . .," said Rachel, in her sleep. "Myouuu. . ."
"Okay. . .," said Condrugon with a camera. "If this is the only way we can get money, I guess I'll give it a shot.
"Ah ha ha, that's my boy!" said Mars, attempting to slap Condrugon on the back until he caught a deathly glare. "Um. . .right. You ready, Mike?"
"Ready? I'm not doing anything," Mike said.
"True," Mars said. "We all know who the star is here."
"How much commission do I get for this?" Kiro asked, with Rachel's snoring head in her lap. "Not like I wouldn't already do it for free, but money makes things a whole lot sweeter."
"What the hell you guys?" Laura asked, walking into the room, suitcases in hand.
"Uhhh. . . ." Everyone fell silent. ". . .Do you like movies, Laura?"
"I already get it," she sighed. "Hey, can one of you take me to the airport?"
"Say what?" asked everyone.
"NOOO!" Rachel jumped up. "NOOOOOOOOOOO!" She clung onto Laura. "THAT'S IT! WE'RE GOING ON ANOTHER ROAD TRIP!"
Tifa, miles away, shuddered. "Ugh. . .Why did I get that bad feeling again?"
"No road trip," said Laura. "My parents want to see me back home about the current schooling arrangement."
"B-but. . .," Rachel sniffled. "IT'S ALMOST CHRISTMAS! Mistletoe, crowded shopping, and Santa-induced materialism! C'mon!"
"Sorry, no can do," Laura shrugged. "Besides. . .it's my PARENTS. . .If I don't go, they. . .they. . .," she sniffled. ". . .THEY WON'T SEND ME ANYMORE MONEY!"
They all fell over. "Aw, geez. . ."
Surka was roaming around the city, looking around for any trace of whom she was searching for. She trudged her boots around the dirty sidewalks, trying to remember the location the newspaper spoke of.
Clank, clank, clank. . .
She spun around and saw a can roll out of an alley. She turned back around, the flapping of wings signaled her head upward to see crows flying off a streetlight wire. Exasperated, she spoke.
"Okay, okay, you can come out now."
"Heyyyyyy, there little lady!" said Zack, jumping down from a roof. "How're ya'?"
"Zack, is it really such a great idea to just come out when she says so?" Ifalna asked, coming from the alley.
"Well, we are searching for the same person," said Gast, following his wife.
"What are you all doing here?" Surka asked.
"Sephiroth, you see, has well. . .," Ifalna said, starting to explain, "broken certain probation parameters."
"Including the brutal slaughter of innocents," said Zack. "Although, I wouldn't exactly classify gang members as 'innocents'. Didn't they provoke him?"
"But it didn't warrant him KILLING them. Could've just knocked him out," Gast said.
"Right," nodded Ifalna. "Naturally, we can't have someone like that under our care skulking about."
"Chances are, he's probably looking for you, too," said Gast. "He can probably sense when you're close, so we should try and get a lead on him." He stepped forward and examined the blood marks on the ground. "And I think we have a pretty good trail, don't you think?"
The students, all lined by rank were filed into the dojo. Tifa was teaching the class.
"I. . .DON'T think that's normal. . .," whispered one student to another, watching at Tifa was leading stretching, as her legs were spilt all the way to the floor, others stopping at least one foot to the ground before their legs could be apart no longer.
"Yeah, and I haven't seen her here before. . .," the other student muttered. "And I here there are some other new teachers."
"Ahhh!" Steve ran in onto the mat, and bowed to Tifa. "I'm late!"
Tifa stood up from her stretch. "Students, keep that position until I tell you to switch.
A loud, frustrated groan echoed in the room. "AHHH, GODDD!"
"Shouldn't you be more punctual?" Tifa asked Steve. "1,000 pushups."
"UHHHHHWHAAAAAAT!" the students exclaimed.
"Did I say you could talk? Keep stretching," she ordered. "Maintain your discipline!" She resumed speaking to Steve, who was already doing the pushups. "Good. I see you have no complaint."
"Not really," he said, like he was either used to doing a lot of pushups, or just being late for class. "I can't imagine what you'll do to-
"Yeah yeah, I know they're late, too," Tifa sighed.
"I. . .I'M DYING. . .," whined a student, whose legs could not take much more.
"SWITCH!" Tifa shouted, in which all the students fells over.
"PAINNN. . ."
"RUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUN!" shouted Rachel, running into the dojo.
"I CAN'T FIND MY UNIFORM!" Yuffie shouted, rummaging through a bag.
"THAT'S WHY YOU DON'T LET THE COMPUTER AUTO-ORGANIZE YOUR BELONGINGS!" Rachel exclaimed, in a changing room and pulling out a shirt from her own bag.
"BUT IT'S SO CONVENIENT. . .," Yuffie sobbed. "Why did WE have to drop off Laura?"
"'Cause everyone sucks, and we care," Rachel said.
"We do? OW!"
Rachel tossed a shoe at Yuffie. "YES, WE DO."
About one hour prior, Rachel, Yuffie, Cloud, and Vincent were dropping Laura off at the terminal. People bustled by, with no sign of stopping. The weather looked cloudy, and the dismal sky outside was colored an ashen gray.
"Gee, isn't this most familiar?" Laura laughed nervously, by her terminal. "Rachel, didn't you need to see Tifa for something?"
"She signed me up for this martial arts thing," Rachel shrugged. "I've already taken some, but I don't know why she wants me to do this again."
"Oh, y'know. . .BONDING. . .," Laura said sarcastically. "Y'know, 'cause she loves spending time around you. Tell me how it goes, 'kay?"
"When will you be back?" asked Vincent, sounding a little strained.
"I dunno," Laura shrugged. "Soon enough, I guess. It won't be long." She set her suitcase by a chair. "Shouldn't you hurry?"
"NEVAH!" Rachel declared. "NOBODY CAN TEAR AT THE BONDS OF FRIENDSHIP! Eh? HEY!"
Cloud started pulling her away by the collar. "C'mere. Let's go look at the, er. . .Let's go."
"WAAAH!" Rachel was trying to fight her way back, but it didn't prove to be very successful. "LAURAAAA!"
Cloud grinned and winked back at the two, dragging a very distressed Rachel.
"Heh," smirked Vincent, standing in a suit, not wearing his normal uniformal wear as to not attract attention. "Cloud's a good guy."
Laura smiled in understanding. "Yeah. When he wants to be. But I don't see why he had to leave us alone. Not like we're gonna do it right here."
Vincent blushed a deep rouge and coughed. "U-um, right. We're civilized. Not a bunch of animals."
There was a silence. ". . . ."
Finally, Laura spoke. "I've got twenty minutes."
"Let's go," said Vincent, hurrying off with her to the bathrooms.
"I sense something amiss," Rachel said, fifteen minutes later.
"Took you long enough," said Yuffie. "I sensed that about ten minutes ago.
"Hmm. . .Well, I can't put it together," Rachel shrugged.
There was a light chuckle from Cloud.
"Eh?" asked both Rachel and Yuffie in unison.
"AAAHAHAAA!" Cloud laughed. "THAT IS LOVE IN THE AIR, MY LADIES!"
"Cloud, you're scaring me. . .," Rachel whimpered. "Unless. . .YOU FINALLY ACKNOWLEDGE MY LOVE FOR YOU!"
"Uh-NO!" said Cloud. "Just that under certain stressful circumstances such as this, is when a couple gets sad, and BURST OUT IN A FIT OF PASSION!" he declared.
"Cloud, you're scaring the people around us," Yuffie stated.
"They don't understand," Cloud said. "Heartless bastards."
"So. . .What you're saying is. . .," said Rachel, dawning upon an idea.
"YES. . ." said Cloud, encouraging her with hand motions, partially in disbelief someone could be so slow.
"So. . .this fit of passion must be. . . .OH MY GOD!" Rachel exclaimed. "LAURA AND VINCENT ARE SUICIDAL PACT-MAKER LOVERS! WE GOTTA STOP THEM BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!"
Cloud and Yuffie fell over. "NOOOOO!"
Vincent and Laura sat awkwardly in a stall, clothing half on. They seemed to refuse to make eye contact.
"So. . .THAT was awkward. . .," Laura finally said after a while.
"W-well. . .," said Vincent. "It's been a WHILE since I've been with a woman. . ."
Laura snickered.
"What? What!" asked Vincent. "What are you laughing at?" He seemed a little insulted.
"You called me a 'woman'," she said. "You used to call me a child."
"Well. . .," he said. "A lot of time has passed."
"Vincent, it's been a year."
"So?" he said innocently. "A lot of things can make a person. . .mature."
"VINNIE-CHAN!" she shouted, after huggling him. "Mine."
"Orrr. . .NOT. . .," he reasoned. "Um. . ." He sought out for some subject matter. "Will you be back for Christmas?"
"Probably not. . .," said Laura. "I think that's partly the reason they want me there. And they don't see me together too often because they're divorced."
"Oh. . .Is it tough?" Vincent asked.
"No, it's been that way for a long time," Laura sighed. She turned the ring on her right hand that Vincent gave her.
"You still have that?" he asked, turning around to finally see her completely.
"Yeah," she said, with a light laugh. "Whenever I'm nervous, I start to turn it. It's not like I should be nervous, but uh. . ."
"What?"
"Er. . .Would it surprise you I'm 18 and I'm still a virgin?" she asked, with a slight hint of dread.
". . . .I wouldn't know. I lost mine at 16," he replied.
"HOT DAMN!" said Laura, then blushed to realize she was in a public restroom. "Um, I mean. . .I know it's getting younger these days and that there are like, 14 year-olds that do it, but. . ."
"Do it when you're ready," he said. "And good thing you told me."
"Why?" asked Laura, a little confused.
He smiled and snickered. "I wouldn't want your first time to be in the girls' bathroom."
Laura scowled, and grabbed his hand. "Oh, how sweet and considerate of you. . ." She pulled it up and looked at it, then turned his ring, too. "Okay, you're gonna promise me now."
"In the girls' bathroom?" he asked, a little uncomfortably.
"Does it matter?" she sighed. "All right." She looked very determined look, almost as if she really were a child. "I promise that I'll come home soon. Rain or shine, no matter what." She smiled and hugged him, then quickly let him go. She was energetic to hear his. "So? What is your promise?"
"I promise. . .," he said, thinking for a moment. "I promise to do what I do best."
Suddenly, she took on a very coy look and blushed. "Oh my. Vincent, YOU DEVIL."
"NOOO!" he shouted. "NOT THAT! Er. . .Only when you're ready, though."
Laughing, she asked again. "What's the promise?"
"To protect you," he said. "And to come for you if you don't return."
Blinkingly, she replied. ". . .Okay, sounds good."
"Sounds. . .good?" he asked. "What? Something else you have in mind?"
"Well, that first one sounded nice. . .," she said, with the coy look again.
"WHAT! THAT WAS NOT AN IDEA! YOU MADE THAT ONE OUT OF A MISUNDERSTANDING!"
"Oh my," said a demure voice, whose hand had opened the stall to see them together. "How romantic." It was Yuffie.
"Y-Yuffie!" asked Laura. "Um. . .How much DID you hear?"
"L-Laura. . .," Rachel sniffled, looking shocked who appeared beside Yuffie. "Y-you're. . .YOU'RE GONNA BE A WOMAN! I SALUTE YOU!" She immersed her friend in a bear hug. "AND IT'S BY VINCENT'S CLAW, NO LESS!"
"Sounds painful," Yuffie blinked. "Have fun with that."
"Ouchie," Laura concurred. "Uh, by the way, what time is it?"
"4:33," said Rachel. "Why?"
"OUTTA MY WAAAAAY!" Laura plowed through Yuffie and Rachel and out the door, and unfortunately for Vincent, she was still tugging onto his arm.
"WAAAUUUUGH!" Unexpectedly by him at least, he was dragged out of the ladies' room, and despite the number of looks he received while exiting, he kept running but trying to slow here down. "HOW LATE ARE YOU!"
"TEN MINUTES!" Laura yelled back. "RUUUN!"
"And that's what happened," said Rachel, talking to Tifa the hour after this incident.
"That. . .," Tifa sighed, "is. . .THE DUMBEST STORY I HAVE EVER HEARD!" She abruptly smacked Rachel over the head, and pointed into the dojo. "I have a class to teach. So, I want 600 sit-ups from the BOTH of you. . ." She also looked at Yuffie, meekly waving in a dark green uniform and Rachel in a black and blue uniform in which the colors were separated in a diagonal slant from the shirt to the pants, wearing a brown belt. ". . .You're only a brown belt?"
"It's intermediate. . .," Rachel said, innocently. "I'd be a rank higher but I forgot to turn my papers for testing in. That, and I had stopped for a few years so it took me a while to relearn all the forms and stuff. . ."
"Idiot. . .," Tifa sighed, wearing a uniform with a white shirt, black bottom, and her worn black belt with six little gold notches on the end.
"UH. . .UH-BUH!" Rachel and Yuffie were staring at the little notches. "Since WHEN did you have time to become a sixth degree black belt!"
"I lived in a BAR in the SLUMS after I left my sheltered little MOUNTAIN village, and I was already trained somewhat," Tifa shrugged. "Not only was it something I did well, but I practically HAD to in Midgar. But enough of my life story! GET CRACKIN'!" She spun around and kicked Rachel into the dojo.
Rachel landed flat on her butt, sobbing. "Waaah. . ."
"Uh, I'll just get going. . .," said Yuffie, walking towards the class. "Why did you want me here?"
"You're a ninja, aren't you?" asked Tifa.
There were a few whispers exchanged by the class at this question.
"Yeah. . .Best damn ninja, EVER. . .," said Yuffie, confidently. "But I'm sorta better at the. . .kleptomaniac perks?"
"Ahahahaha, no Steal command materia for you," Tifa grumbled. "C'mon, let's teach these kids."
"You MADE these?" asked a store manager to Lucrecia. The store looked to be like a giant toy store, all geared for the holidays.
"Nyess, it wasn't too hard," said Lucrecia, very vainly. "Muahaha, nothing can hold a candle to my genius!"
The store manager was a little confused, but looked at the little Cloud plushie in his hands. "I'm not sure if we can actually put these in stock. Will kids actually want them?"
Some 16 or something teenager ran up to Lucrecia. "FF7!"
Suddenly, the heads of other teenagers, dragged along with their younger siblings for their Christmas haul, parents, or those just staring at the videogames charged over. "FF7!"
"Eheheheh," Lucrecia laughed nervously. "Want one?" She pulled out a little Aeris.
Most of them looked like they were about to cry. "AEERRIIISSS! WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!"
"Lucrecia, you left the car unlocked. . .," said Aeris, running in and standing beside Lucrecia. "For a brilliant scientist, you sure don't have a lot of common sense."
The teenagers were now bug-eyed. "AAAEEERRRIIIIIIIS!"
"YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!"
"Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYY-OUCHIE!"
Gast stepped on Zack's foot. "Quit it. . .We're looking for a dangerous man, here."
"Uh-HUH. Well, YOU look like an idiot," said Zack, pointing out Gast's interesting wardrobe.
He looked like a British explorer from the late 1800's, what with wearing only tan clothes; shorts, button-up shirt, and the round tan helmet. He looked straight from The Jungle Book. "It's STYLISH. . .," Gast said, meekly.
"It's STUPID. . .," said Zack. "And aren't you cold in that? It's December."
"I'm dead, I'll live. . .," Gast replied, brushing off that fact.
"And you married him. . .why?" asked Zack to Ifalna.
"Oh, he's just so cute," Ifalna sighed. ". . .But really, shorts don't really suit you, dear."
"EVERYONE'S against me. . .," mumbled Gast, a little resentfully.
"Uh. . .," said Surka. "Can we worry more about Sephiroth and a little less about what pants Gast is wear-!" She stopped a little short as she turned around to the front, to face a tall man with silver hair and green, almost snake-ish green eyes.
"Finally," he said, pausing a little. "So. . .Can we get out of here now?"
"NYAHAHAAA!" Zack shouted, pointing a finger to Sephiroth. "I KNEEWW IT! I KNEWWW IT!"
"Who gave YOU sugar and let you free, huh?" asked Surka, a little freaked out. "Knew what?"
"We'd find him, naturally," he said, trying to look professional after his little outburst. "Can't hide from a SOLDIER, First Class."
Sephiroth sighed, and stepped forward, holding onto his injured side. "Ahem. . .," he coughed in a stout manner. "Let's go. . ."But he winced suddenly, sinking slowly.
Surka knelt down, trying to examine the wound. "You got this when you fought those guys, didn't you?"
"No, a squirrel bit me," he said sardonically, leering back up at her. "What else?"
She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Let me see it."
"No."
"Let me see it!"
"Get away from it! I'm fine!"
"You're such a woman!"
"I AM NOT!"
"I think he is," Zack sighed, scratching his head nervously. "Read him his Miranda Rights?"
"Oh, right. . .," said Ifalna, reaching into a pocket and strangely pulling out a long scroll. "Okay. . .Sephiroth, you are in violation of-
"That's funny," he said, still holding Surka's hands away. "You're saying like I almost did something wrong."
"But. . .you DID. . .," said Zack. "You know. . .bloody massacre?"
"I call it self-defense," Sephiroth spat back at him, growling and wincing when Surka managed to get on his wound. "AHHG! YOUR HANDS ARE LIKE ICE!"
"It's WINTER. DEAL WITH IT," she said, looking at it and checking for infection. "Don't you carry Restore materia?"
"Restore materia is for girls," he said, stubbornly. "Real men carry attack materia. Like FIRE."
"That's funny Sephiroth, you used to have Restore materia everywhere," Zack blinked. "But I guess that was just a phase. . .before, y'know, going crazy. Listen. . .," he leaned over on a wall, "just hear us out. Don't you feel guilt?"
"Don't know the meaning of the word," he mumbled, while Surka started healing him. "My conscience ran off with my innocence a long time ago."
Surka snickered.
"NOT LIKE THAT!" he yelled, then winced again. "Dammit. . ."
"Lucrecia. . .I feel uncomfortable. . .," Aeris said.
"WHAAAAT!" Lucrecia bellowed back.
They were in the midst of a crowd.
"I SAID, I DON'T FEEL COMFORTA-
"WHAAAAAT!" Lucrecia yelled back. "I CAN'T HEAAAR YOUUUU!"
"Tell me something I DON'T know. . .," Aeris mumbled.
"WHAAAT!"
"GODDAMMIT, LUCRECIA!" Aeris shouted in frustration.
The crowd of fanboys drew a long silence.
"I mean. . .," Aeris grumbled. "Oh golly shucks gee whiz, I sure do feel a mite uncomfortable so I might wanna skeedaddle in a jiffy, Lu."
"Right," nodded Lucrecia, in the silence, tallying the sales of her newly created plushies. "But who will help me sell these?" She pointed the ball pen in her hand towards the large stock of miscellaneous plushies behind her.
"Make someone else do it," she sighed. "Somebody these people like."
"BUT, WE LOVE YOU AERIS!" shouted the fanboys.
"Just when you thought you were an unloved character. . .," Aeris blinked. "And people wonder about my drinking penchant."
"Hmm. That DOES explain a lot," said Lucrecia. "But, c'mon Aeris. . .," Lucrecia started to say, while the throng of otaku started to cause their usual din again. "Pwease? Do it for widdle Cloudy." She pulled on the cord of a Cloud plush.
"Nyeheh! Boobies!" it chimed.
"Oh. Might wanna change that. . .," Lucrecia said examining it carefully, taking a screwdriver to its head.
Aeris sighed nervously, and gave into the crowd. "Okay. . .but only for a little while."
"Yay!" said Lucrecia, her smile clearly revealing her approval. "Five hundred more plushies, and you're free."
"WAAAHHH!"
"I feel like I died from the inside out," said Rachel, lying flat on the blue mat floor of the dojo. "And it's not because Tifa's the instructor."
"Oh, really?" asked Steve, still doing his regimen of push-ups. "Seemed to me like it."
"RACHEL! OFF YOUR LAZY ASS!" Tifa growled.
"R-right, Tifa. . ." Rachel stood up and scratched her head. "But what can I do? I can't teach a class."
"Would you prefer to be the punching bag?"
"As per usual?" Rachel said, a whine in her voice.
"Get moving," said Tifa, pointing to the rest of the class. "Maybe you'll learn something here that you couldn't before."
"How creepy sounding," said Rachel, slightly wide-eyed, thinking about it.
"Weirdo. . .," Tifa sighed. "All right, I think we should, right now, learn the secret to an effective fighting technique."
"STEROIDS! BOVINE GROWTH HORMONE!" Rachel shouted, raising her hand.
An irritable Tifa replied. "Why do you think THAT?"
"Well, it seems pretty obvious to me you've taken those. . .," Rachel replied, shyly.
Some of the class stifled giggles.
"It's the result of training. AND IT'S GENETIC, ALL RIGHT!" Tifa sniffled. "Geez. Anyway, effective fighting does not rely within muscle strength. A good example is tai-chi, which does not require so much strength entirely." Tifa started to pace along the front of the class. "A normal punch could do this." Walking up to a bag, she took a simple stance and punched, and being as strong as she was, the 200-pound or so kick bag shifted back and fell over.
The class watched now with interest (and I would too, if I saw a 5'4" woman do that).
"All right," Tifa said, bending over to correct the bag back. "There's physical strength at work for you. But you can also use the manipulation of the energy in things around you, creating force. That is like tai-chi in itself." She shifted back into a stance, and stuck her right foot a little farther back, then circled her hands into fists to one side of her waist. "Tai-chi's philosophy is to control 'chi', 'qi', 'ki', whatever you want to call it. . .Either way, it's still the same force." Slowly, her hands circled again. "But you can't just use physical strength alone to be a strong fighter. You can't do it by your strength alone." Her eyes narrowed now, focusing on the bag.
"A ruse, I bet. . .," muttered a student. "I've seen it done before, on TV."
Her eye glanced back, and suddenly she grabbed the hand of the student.
"H-huh!" He looked up at her, as he was just a kid. "I-I'm sorry sensei, I didn't mean to-
"It's fine," she said, not angrily at all, still holding his hand. "Okay?"
"Uh, okay. . .," he said. "But wh-
Before he could say anything else, she pushed out his palm forward, and the air in the room seemed to gust and empty itself onto the back, throttling itself to the back of the dojo and neatly tapping against the wall.
"A. . .Ah. . .eh?" the student went, blinkingly. "B-but. . .Y-y'know, I saw strings. . .Yeah. . ."
"No strings attached," she said, a little clichéd. "But that was all your chi, not mine."
The class was silent and suddenly stirred, muttering about each other, a few cheers coming from his friends.
"It was probably for the best," she sighed. "If I had done it, there might not be wall there, anymore. . ."
"It's true," Rachel grumbled, only expecting something this impressive from Tifa. "I've seen the stratosphere. Don't mess with The Chest."
"Say what?" Tifa leered back with an eerie glint in her eye.
"N-nothing!"
"I thought so. . .," said Tifa, clasping her hands together. "All right! Put on your gear for sparring!"
"Hey, do you guys know where Lucrecia went?" asked Vincent. He seemed unperturbed by the strange looks from everyone as he went back home, for he still only seemed to wear his usual clothes outside of school.
"Some toystore," said Mike, flipping through the TV Christmas commercials on the couch. "Personally, I don't know if that's good or bad."
"Probably not, knowing her," yawned Condrugon, on a nearby recliner. "Never is."
"I've never spent Christmas with other people in half a millennia, you know that?" asked Wraith. "I wonder if Tifa or Aeris would mind me putting up a mistletoe, nyeheheheh. . ."
Mars, sitting at the table with a beer, paused. "Mm, Kiro with mistletoe. . ."
"Dude, I think she would make out with you even WITHOUT the mistletoe," Mike sighed.
The others nodded in agreement.
"Well, as you deliberate your holiday girl troubles. . .," Vincent concluded, walking out the door, "I believe I know where she went, anyway."
"Aren't you gonna change. . .?" asked Wraith. "That's just weird."
"I'm fine," Vincent said, walking out the door, and shutting it into the cold winter air.
"That's not exactly what I was aiming for, but okaaay. . .," Wraith shrugged. "So. . .mistletoe. . .hm. . ."
"I don't like Christmas," said Dayna, standing out in the cold in a jacket outside the coffee shop.
"WHAT!" shouted Konoshi. "I mean, the happiness and goodwill part is disgusting, but the materialism is AWESOME!"
"I meant sitting around in the cold, ringing this stupid bell. . ." She was obviously collecting money as donations to the homeless shelters.
"Ha ha, your job SUCKS," Konoshi cackled. "I have my little subordinate in there for me while my manager is out."
"Konoshiiii. . .?" Chikara simpered. "How do the machines work agaaaaiiin. . .? Konoshiiii. . .?" She was sitting behind the counter, wondering how the cappuccino machines operated. "U-um. . ." On the tips of her toes, she started to pull out the coffee filters and replace them, looking into the tops. "Why did I have to be born so short. . .?" she sniffled. "I'm the only one shorter than Laura. . ."
"I felt a demeaning thought directed at me," said Laura, squinting her eyes as she buckled up on the plane for take-off. "SOMEBODY thinks I'm a midget, huh. . .? I'M FIVE ONE! FIIIIVE OONNNEEE!"
"Mommy, the crazy lady is scaring me. . .," a little boy whimpered in the adjacent row.
"Don't worry honey, if you don't make eye contact, the crazy lady should leave you alone. . .," said the mother, turning her son's head away.
Laura growled and slumped in her seat, hoping to take off before the gray clouds above started to snow. "Merry Christmas, my ass."
"I felt somebody thinking about Laura's ass," Vincent blinked, back away at the front of the toy store. "Oh, well. . ." He creeped open the door. "Lucrecia, are you h-WHAT THE HELL!"
"HIIII, VINCENNNNT!" Lucrecia waved spacily at him, a broad smile planted on her face. "COME ON IN, THE SALES ARE HOT!"
The store manager was crying tears of joy. "We're getting twice our Christmas revenue just on this one thing. . .BONUS! BOONNUUSSS!" he sobbed.
"Weirdo," Vincent said, bluntly. He walked through the crowd of people, which seemed to mysteriously part and some drew silent at him. "What, is it my breath?"
"They fear and admire you at the same time," said Lucrecia. "Like Laura, except without the fear and admiration and put in some obsession and desire for 'private time'."
"Then how would that be like Laura at all. . .," Vincent wondered quizzically. "And I wouldn't quite say that."
"VINCENT! VINNCENNT! SIGN MY FOORREHEAAAD!" shrieked this girl holding up a sharpie.
"WEIRD," he blinked again. "Are they selling well?"
"What do YOU think?" Aeris sighed, rushing back and forth to fill the demands. "The crowd is smaller, but. . .BUT. . ."
In the corner sat this small group of fanboys, occasionally turning to ogle her ass.
"I FEEL VIOLATED!"
"How can you possibly feel violated from that?" asked Lucrecia. "Besides, I stare at yours ALL the time and you say NOTHING!"
Aeris was a ghastly white.
"Huh?" Lucrecia blinked. "Oh right! I meant it's just because you're the last Cetra so you'd be WONDERFUL experimental material!"
"E-experimental. . .?" Aeris muttered in her blank state.
"You might as well give up, I guess," Vincent shrugged.
"Give up ogling her ass?"
"Um. . .sure, why not?" he said. "But when you're thinking she'd be a good guinea pig, why stare at her ass?"
"Why stare at her ASS!" she exclaimed. "Why stare at her FACE or her CHEST or her NAUGHTY BITS!" Lucrecia was now shouting, throwing her arms up in the air. "You get NOTHING!" And with that, she proudly marched off. "A RESEARCHER YOU ARE NOT, VINCENT VALENTINE!"
He sighed. "If that is what makes you a 'researcher', the Turks must be smarter than Gast."
"Somebody was thinking about me," said Reno. "And I DO believe 'twas a pretty maiden with long black hair, haha!" he laughed, half drunk.
"Since when did we have inherent psychic abilities?" asked Elena, sitting at the bar with a pink flush to her face.
Rude shrugged. ". . ."
On the other hand, to people who should NOT have inherent psychic abilities, Rufus Shinra was standing in line at a bookstore, looking down at a table of books to the side of the line, when he heard. . .THE VOICE (we're not talking white text nightmares like Cloud, people).
"Ruffy!" Keily was waving to him in line behind the counter. "You came to visit me at work!"
"Uh. . .," he was trying to find some excuse to avoid her.
"Come on Ruffy, I'll check you out here!" she smiled.
"Somehow, I feel that has double meanings. . .," he simpered. "Is anybody else open?"
The row of cashiers were filled.
"Anybody at all?"
Nobody made a move.
"Hey buddy, move your white-pant wearin' ass!" said an angry customer behind him. "Just go to the register, fer Chrissake!"
"BUT YOU DON'T KNOW!" Rufus shouted at the customer. "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT SHE'S LIKE!" he sniffled.
"Ruffy-kun!" she said, still happy and waving.
"FINE!" he shouted, marching up to Keily.
The line of customers behind him clapped and cheered.
"OH, SHUT UP!" he yelled at them. "Smart alecks. . .No funny business," he said, pushing the book he selected onto the counter.
"Funny business?" asked Keily, putting the book under the scanner. "What. . .do. . .YOU. . .MEAAAAN!" She was obviously having issues with the broken scanner. "WORK!" Suddenly, she picked up the scanner like a ray gun and started blasting red light at the book. "HOWDYA LIKE THAT, HUH! HUH!"
"Boop!" Finally, it worked.
"Ahh. . .," she said, contentedly. "Ruffy-kun?"
He seemed blank.
"I-I'm sorry Ruffy-kun," she laughed nervously. "It's just that. . .Ruffy-kun?"
What he seemed to actually be staring at was out the window where he could've sworn he saw some telltale silver hair. "O-oh, nothing. Did you scan it yet?"
Keily was silent. ". . .You're weird, Big Brother."
"STOP CALLING ME THAT!"
"Ruffy-kun!"
"Never mind. . .," he grumbled. "I'm gonna go now, okay?"
"Perfectly fine with me," she said calmly. "SKY, I'M GOING ON MY BREAK NOW!"
"Be sure the door doesn't hit you on the way out. . .," she muttered, browsing over a magazine.
"OUCH!"
"Mmhmm. . ," she said, still flipping it over.
"W-what?" asked Rufus. "O-okay. . .," he said. "But if that's the case and if what I saw is accurate, I get to use you as a meat shield."
"Ruffy-kun. . ." Without hearing a word, she was already snuggled up on his arm.
"I'LL TAKE THAT AS A 'YES'. . .," he said, trying to stifle the curses coming from his mouth. "LET'S. . .GO. . ."
"I. . .I think I just died a little on the inside. . .," Rachel panted, almost having to crawl out of the dojo.
Steve was flat on his back. "I just did a thousand push ups. Feel grateful. . ."
"Tifa, did you really intend to kill all the people in that class?" said Yuffie, walking out a little bit sweaty. "You made me sweat! I NEVER sweat! Those poor little people should've DIED!"
"I wouldn't say that so loud, Yuffie. . .," said Tifa. "And I didn't even break a sweat.
"'Cause you're inhuman," said Yuffie. "You carry twice the load here as anyone, and you're just fine!"
"Twice the load. . ?" Tifa pondered. "Don't think I want to know. . ."
"Surka, so what are you doing here?" Sephiroth asked, standing up at full health. "We were separated, and I knew you were here, but. . ."
"I'm staying with Cloud and the rest," Surka replied. "I know it's odd, but it seems Tifa feels that I could do with a second chance. . .I guess she doesn't know of many worse things that have happened that I have done, or that you're even alive. . . Although, it's just more likely that she doesn't think you're here in this world. How did you know I was here, anyway?"
Sephiroth nodded his head towards the angelic trio.
"Heheheh. . .," Zack chuckled. "Useful for more than miracles and opportunities! We're like a heavenly mapquest!"
Ifalna and Gast struck him an odd gaze. "S'cuse me, but we don't give maps, or the scenic route in all our directions."
Surka tilted her head and decided to get to the heart of the matter. "Sephiroth, I guess I'm with you again now. . .What's the plan?"
He had a narrow gaze and crooked smile. "I have an idea. . ."
"Hey-lo there. . .," said Kiako, typing on her laptop, putting on a pair of goggles.
"Stylish," Jessie commented, sitting next to her in the Internet café. "What's up?"
"Huge downtown fire. . .,' Kiako replied, typing madly. "Breaking news. I'm hacking into a satellite right now."
"How many times have I told you that hacking into a satellite will get the café in trouble. . .?" Chikara sighed.
"The boss isn't around," Jessie noted.
"OH, SWEET!" Chikara shouted. "HACK AWAY, LADY!"
"Shhhh. . .!" Kiako hushed. "It's a government satellite. . .Maps and tracking and stuff. I can only be here so long, and I personally, I think I'd like to take a peek." She typed in a few passwords, and all were denied. "Hmph. . ."
"Lemme see," said Jessie, taking the laptop aside. A few moments typing and a click sent them forward into the satellite system.
"What did you type?" Kiako blinked.
"BushWearsPanties," said Jessie. "I figured it was something to that extent."
"Nothing like accepting the truth. . .," said Chikara, scratching her head.
"Now, here we go!" Kiako said with enthusiasm. "Hm, by the looks of it, it's getting-HOOBAHWHATSIT!"
"That's a new one," said Jessie. "I like it."
"EXPLOSIONS!" said Kiako. "Think we're under attack?"
Chikara was already wearing an oversized helmet and a camo version of the apron she has to wear at work. "I AWAIT ORDERS, CAPTAIN!"
"Look, look, look. . .," said Jessie, pointing to a black blip on the screen. "Zoom in."
Kiako froze the screen, and zoomed in, frame by frame, until they came up with an identifiable face.
The face looked back and smiled its crooked smile and a flash came from its narrow eyes, when the screen blanked out.
"Time expired. . .Set a timer to boot us out before we were caught. . .," said Kiako. "But, we most definitely know who that is. . ."
"What's this?" Laura sat on her flight with the announcement it was canceled.
"Explosions downtown. They think it's terrorist activity," explained the passenger at her side. "Scary, how this can happen. . .I suggest you call your family and get to them fast."
The problem was, Laura's family was already overseas. But, she did have another family to think about. "Right," said Laura, nodding with a smile, getting out of her seat.
"Please, stay seated, ma'am," said the flight attendant. "We can't let the passengers off the plane yet."
"Come on. . .!" one person groaned. "I think it would be safer if we got off the runway and let us back into the terminal!"
"Let us go back to our families!" cried another. "We can get our luggage later!"
"I'm sorry!" the flight attendant apologized. "But, I can't-!
"Lookie here, lady!" said Laura, turning fiery. "I SIT HERE FOR AGES, THINKING I'M GOING TO SEE MY FAMILY FOR THE HOLIDAYS, I LEAVE MY BOYFRIEND BACK HERE, AND HE'S DEFINITELY THE SEXIEST THING WITH A CLAW YOU'VE EVER SEEN. . .!" she went on, shouting. "AND THEN YOU CUT ME OFF FROM ALL MY FRIENDS HERE! BESIDES, AIRPLANE FOOD SUCKS!"
"YEAH! WE AGREE WITH THE CRAZY GIRL!" they all shouted in agreement.
"Right. . ." Laura grumbled. "THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH ONE CAN TAKE! I SAY WE STORM THE PLANE!"
Everyone was silent.
"Uh. . .I SAY WE BUST ON OUT OF HERE!"
"YEAAAHHHH!" the cheered, charging from their seats. "POWER TO THE PASSENGERS!"
"Eh?" Tifa was looking at a TV out in the window of an electronics shop.
"Ooh, fire," said Rachel, stopping next to her. "I guess some arson happened down in the city."
"That happen all the time?" Steve asked.
"Sure makes me sleep better at night, right?" Yuffie chimed in. "Can we get home now? It's freezing, and I'm not done all my Christmas shopping. . ."
Tifa looked at her funny. "Yuffie, you're not Christian. . ."
"I CAN CELEBRATE WHAT I WANT!" she declared.
"Explosions? Terrorists?" Steve asked. "Should we hurry back?"
"Hmm. . .," Tifa picked up a ringing PHS. "Tifa here."
"YOSH!" shouted the three from the café. "WE'RE GONNA DIE!"
"No, you're not. . .," said Tifa. "Unless Konoshi is in charge there."
"Well, yeah. . .But that's not it!" they said.
"GERROFF!" There was a few shouts and thuds in the background, and then it was only Jessie's voice. "Hi, Tifa!"
Tifa laughed nervously. "Yeah?"
"Get home quickly, if you please," she said. "We're already on our way out."
"What's going on?" she asked, concerned.
"Something we all wished didn't have to be," Jessie replied simply. "We'll fill you in when everyone arrives."
"WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA, SEPHIROTH!" Ifalna shouted, amidst the blaze.
"The first stage is to bump Cloud and the others out of the picture," he replied. "If we drag them out here, they fight on our terms."
"It's really hot. . .," Surka groaned. "Such ideal fighting conditions, huh.. . .?"
"You'll get used to it," he replied. "We can't resume our plan of power if they're always here to stop us."
"Yeah, but you seem to be forgetting something. . .," said Zack.
"Don't worry, I'm only lighting up the abandoned houses, with the dried, wooden and nailed windows and doors. . .Dried up and rickety floors, stuff nobody will miss, and stuff that makes perfect kindling," Sephiroth smiled. "Now, we wait."
"What's the big plan here, chief?" Kiako saluted, goggles still firmly on her forehead. She filled Tifa in with all the details, which left her silent.
"Such a merry Christmas," said an exasperated Vincent, back with Aeris and Lucrecia. "But, I do agree with Kiako."
"There's really not much strategy to it. . ," said Tifa, quietly in thought. ". . .Cloud, do you have anything to say?"
He was clearly unnerved by the situation. "That guy never knows when to leave. . .," he mumbled, sifting his hands through his hair. "Well. . .There's not much else. He'll keep causing damage until we fly into his net. It's definitely a setup. . ."
Christina slowly walked up and touched his arm.
He smiled reassuringly. "It'll be okay," he said, but then walked away after losing eye contact.
She stared at the back at him with unease, and severely doubted his words.
"We have to act quickly," Tifa decided. "We can't let innocent people get hurt. I think a few of us know what it's like when we lose people along with a section of a city."
Barret, Cloud, and Aeris all exchanged gazes. Even Red knew of the destruction, although was not there to fully witness the leftover embers and ashes of the fallen sector.
"It's probably a trap, like Cloud says," she replied. "But, I think we can send him back crashing to where he came from."
Cloud smiled with confidence. "Yeah, that's the Tifa we know!"
"It certainly is," Aeris said with a calm grin.
"Ready for it?" said Barret. "Ya' know, it's rare when I get a word in edgewise."
Tifa had a coy smile. "It's not over yet! No getting off this train we're on!"
"This train we on don't make no stops!" said Barret, leading the rest. "Suit up, you slackers!"
"Be strong!" said Rachel and Tifa together.
Tifa shot her a glance. "Hm?"
"Heheh," Rachel laughed. "I knew you'd say it, like you always do," she said. "But somehow, it makes me feel a whole lot better when you do. YAIII!" Her equipment was chucked at her briskly.
"Go ahead, put it on," said Lucrecia, knowing more than she let on, as usual.
Rachel looked down at what seemed to be an ordinary white shirt with open stomach, sleeves stopping at the elbow, undone neck collar, bucked and buttoned front, and flap in the back of the shirt. Along with it were two, thick black belts, on for the waist, and one for the arm. A pair of long, blue pants, steel-toed boots, and titan bangle outfitted with a summon completed the assortment.
"And here," said Tifa, handing her a red ribbon. "It's yours. Merry Christmas. I know you wore one just like it, but it was just about the only thing we couldn't find with us. . ."
"And, your sword," said Cloud, handing her a new blade.
Its hilt was simple, much like his, and the blade itself was thick. Simple and missing a long, rectangular piece in the back, while having a circular piece cut into the upper portion of the razor-sharp cutting edge left it looking like any stab would not just hurt, but hook you to the blade itself. By no means was it fancy, but it didn't make it look any less effective.
"This is all my old stuff. . .," said Rachel, in a bit of awe, and taking the new sword and ribbon.
"I knew the old one broke, so I had a new one made for you. Nice how they have a sword and knife shop in that mall thingy. They really do have everything you'd want to buy there," Cloud said, grinning. "I hope you like it. I know you're used to wielding katanas, but. . ."
"It's great!" said Rachel. "I get a huge sword, just like you!"
"Well, I dunno. . .," he said with a perverted smile. "I mean, look at me. . ."
"Dummy," said Tifa, slapping his back. "Get your ass in gear! Scoot!"
"Don't wanna get you mad!" he said, running off in the scurry. "Come on, let's move faster!" he shouted, to everyone else.
Tifa slapped Rachel's back. "Don't die on me, slacker," she said, with a slight smile.
"You know it's hard to get rid of me," Rachel smiled back. "Thanks."
"Save the pleasantries for later!" she said, running off to make sure everyone was done. "Go and change, we have another world to save!"
"Si, captain!" Rachel saluted, clicking her heels together. "We're off!" She bolted away to the next bathroom to gear up.
Laura was on the cold airstrip, trying to make her way past security, back into the terminal. The guards were admitting them, after a brief check, and told them when and where they would be reunited with their luggage. But more valuable to her were the small blurbs of information she would catch. So far, she had learned the place was close to the Inner Harbor, and you clearly couldn't miss the fire. Firemen were having tough times reaching all the places of the fire, and roads were being blocked off from all ways to the inferno. She didn't understand what was going on, but she knew she had to be there. There was something more to just a fire springing up out of nowhere, with such sheer force and rapidness in its spreading.
"Know where I can get a cab?" she asked a guard hurriedly.
"Yeah, by the front," he replied. "But good luck catching one. Hm?"
"THANKS!" She waved back to him behind her back and turned around without looking twice.
He sighed. "Everyone's in such a rush today. . ."
"Tifa?" Cloud was waiting on the porch, night having been settled for quite some time. It was probably almost midnight.
"What?" she sighed, as the last of the preparations were being made.
"Good job," he congratulated. "You seem to be handling this well."
"Well, I am your common sense leader, you know," she replied.
A few came out from the house, ready to leave. "What now?" they asked.
"Go over there and wait," she replied, the corner of her mouth upturned, barely noticeable. "Our ride will be there in a moment."
They shrugged and ran off, figuring she had arranged for something.
"H-hey, Tifa!' said Rachel, just fastening her arm belt. "What's happening?"
"WHADDYA THINK!" she shouted, then calmed down. "Er. . .Sorry. Old habits."
"S'okay," Rachel shrugged. "Eh?" She was being scooted off by Tifa's hand.
"Go over there and be useful," she nodded, towards the others moving across the street.
"Hai!" Rachel explained, running towards them, as well as she could with the new, heavy sword. "I-I'M COMING!"
Tifa made a happy sigh, but a worried face.
". . . . .I know, you're worried," said Cloud. "I felt that way before any major battle I knew we'd have to face. But nobody's going to die."
"Thanks, that makes me feel so much better," Tifa replied sarcastically. "She can do it, I know. I just don't know why I still worry. . ."
"It's natural," he shrugged. "And, just WHERE are YOU going?"
Christina was trying to sneak in with them all. "What?"
"You can't come," he said. "You don't know how to fight, and I don't want you getting hurt."
"Dad, just please-
"Christina. . .," he started to lecture. "No, you're not coming."
"But, I know I can help!" she said. "You know I'm smart, and-
"No, and that's it," he said. "Go back inside, and wait here. We'll be okay, I promise."
She put on a sour face, and grudgingly skulked back inside.
Tifa rolled her eyes. "Harsh?"
"Come on!" He was shouting to the last people inside, jogging up and towards the group. He seemed final in his decision, and hurried to the others, Tifa following in tow.
"So, what's the plan?" asked Condrugon. "Get a hot vehicle, storm in, and bust some ass?"
"Well, not quite. . .," said Tifa, adjusting her gloves. She closed her eyes in a brief moment of silence, and sharply thrust her hand to the sky, a pulse of energy being sent into the clouds. They immediately began to part, a seal just noticeably being caught, with a screech crashing from the center.
"Oh. . .," said Holly. "This again."
The great dragon king shot like a bullet towards the ground, then pumping its wings to slowly decelerate.
"Let's go, let's go!" she shouted, while the wind from its wings blew past them like a mild tornado. "Climb on!"
"I never get tired of this. . .," said Cloud.
"Well, neither do I," Aeris replied, taking his hand, and charging forward with him as the group made their hurried approach.
Quickly, everyone took places on Bahamut, readying himself for takeoff, and before they knew it, felt the wings beating as strongly as they remembered, and soaring up from all obstructions.
"HEY, CABBIE!" Laura just knocked an elderly man from his place beside the cab door. "TAKE ME AS CLOSE AS YOU CAN TO THE INNER HARBOR!"
He stared incredulously. "In a rush, aren't we?"
"NO TIME, LET'S GO!" she shouted, jumping in and shutting the door. "I TOLD YOU WHERE, NOW LET'S GO!"
He sighed, thinking she had lost all sense (which may be quite apt), and sped off in the desired direction of the flames.
"You'd think the world is so calm from here. . .," said Sky, feeling the cold air brush against her. "Peaceful, even. . ."
"You're getting really into this, aren't you?" asked Keily. "I guess being worked up before a fight isn't really good, anyway."
"Nah, getting all tense before a fight is bad," said Steve, giving some pointers. "Relaxing is important. You don't want to get all strained out even before you throw a punch."
Rachel sat around listening to the miscellaneous conversations. "You know, I wonder where Laura is right now," she pondered.
"Not here, thankfully," Vincent said, sitting down next to her. "I wouldn't want her to be at risk."
"Such faith you have in her," said Rachel. "But, I guess if I were you, I'd also agree."
"Ever been in a relationship before?" he asked.
"No," said Rachel, innocently.
"Good," he replied.
"Oh, I wouldn't say that. . .," said Kiro, wrapping her arms around her. "She has a relationship with ME. . ."
"Maybe a love/hate one. . .," said Rachel. "I hate that you love me, that's for sure. . ."
"COME ON, RACHEL! JUST ONE KISS BEFORE WE FIGHT! IF WORSE COMES TO WORSE, WE COULD HOLD EACH OTHER IN OUR ARMS, OUR LIVES FADING FROM WOUNDS. . .," Kiro fantasized.
"I'D RATHER NOT THINK ABOUT THAT!"
"Listen up, lovebirds!" Tifa grumbled, overhearing that bit. "We'll be there in a few minutes! You all know your part to play! Complete them successfully, and we'll win this one!"
"What happened to our kind, compassionate leader?" asked Cloud. "You sound so stiff."
"You never had a kind and compassionate leader. Settle," Tifa replied. "Please, do your best!"
"Why would we do any less?" asked Rachel. "WIN THIS FOR THE HOME TEAM! WOO!"
"Good enough for me. . .," everyone shrugged.
"What now?"
Laura and the cab were just turned away at a blocked street, due to the ensuing damage to the city.
"That's fine," she said, getting out and paying her fare. "Thanks a bunch!" She ran off before he could drive away.
"Okay, we're coming up to the fire!" Tifa announced, standing on the top of Bahamut's back, and what seemed the edge of the orange smattering on the black clouds in the sky. "We're going to fly lower, and hopefully land within the ring of explosions, where there should be a good chance there are less buildings on fire."
Rachel raised her hand, "Teacher, if it's in the ring of explosions, how are there supposed to be LESS on fire?"
Tifa ignored the first part. "Er, well, I don't have to use common sense all the time, right? Anyway, I'm trying to say there was a literal 'ring of fire', or at least close, because not everything is one fire," she said, trying to come off as convincing.
Nobody, of course, believed her. "Um. . .I guess we don't have any better ideas. . ."
"Right!" said Tifa, with more confidence. "So we'll drop off onto a roof, but Bahamut can't stay. . ."
"Why not?" asked Sky. "Wouldn't that be easier?"
"I don't think we need to appear in the news with a giant dragon," said Tifa. "Any appearance with Bahamut will have to be brief. . .Sucks nut-bunnies, huh?"
There wasn't a word.
"I'm just trying to put this into simple language!" Tifa sighed.
Bahamut's neck craned down, and back began to arch, lurching forward towards the burning buildings.
"YOU THINK THERE WOULD BE SOME WARNING!" Rachel shouted, grasping onto Bahamut's scales.
"I THINK THE FIRE RIGHT ABOUT BELOW US WOULD BE A TIP-OFF!" Aeris shouted back.
Sephiroth smiled dangerously at the silhouette of the dragon. "Are you ready?"
Surka seemed fully prepared, having drawn her blade a few moments before, and already have checked her armor. "Yeah, I guess. . ."
"You seem unsure," said Sephiroth. "I expect you to fight to your utmost, unless there's something holding you back."
She had a nervous smile. "Well, I guess it's harder to fight your friends, rather than your enemies."
"But, aren't they your enemies?" he asked, implying something.
"I guess now they are," she sighed, a little sadly. "I'm your guardian, and you can't win against fate. . ."
"No, I guess you can't. . .," he said, still watching the black shadow swoop low. "But, you can still fight it."
Everyone began dropping down to the roofs of the buildings that fire did not yet reach, or at least were slowly burning. Most made it safely. One other, however. . .
"AHHH!" Rachel's feet missed the edge of the building.
"Rachel!" Tifa dove after to the ledge, but her fingers just missed.
"WHY ME!" Rachel sobbed, careening to the ground. Clasping her hand, she threw a shot of Ice2 towards the ground, then cast barrier, hitting the ice like a slope. However, she was knocked off balance, then rolled on the hot pavement, quickly and painfully getting to her feet, trying to cure her wounds.
A burning tip of a blade touched her chin. "Sorry about this." Surka looked down at Rachel, her gaze being close to the coldest thing around.
"Mm?" Rachel looked up at her curiously, and smiled, despite it being serious. "I guess people are really hard to change. That's okay, though." Faster than Surka would know it, Rachel clapped her gloved palms onto the blade edge, and hopped back and onto her feet, taking her stance. "All people have a good spot in them."
Angrily, Surka rushed, sword pointed at her heels. "I tried throwing that part of myself away!"
The orange flames roared up as she swung.
Sephiroth had already thrown three people aside. Around him was this circle, a fiery arena, that seemed to actually obey his command. When he motioned his hand, the fire danced with it, and when he commanded it to, flames would actually diminish and end their own lives, without any question.
Cloud rushed forward with intense fervor, and sword held back much like Surka.
A fire-like beast rushed forth to meet him, as Sephiroth's hand commanded it to. By now, he had knocked past five others.
Without blinking, Cloud cut through the beast as it bounded and pounced. The cold, ice blue in his eyes could only shine more strongly against the orange backdrop, even though he raged with hatred of the foreshadowing demon.
Sephiroth's back was turned, dealing with four others in a single strike. Ruthlessly he cut through the flock of fighters with unmatched strength, not at all weakened as before. Within a second, he blocked a sword as he held his behind his back, without even turning to look.
The force of the swords colliding sent a ripple across the flames, while Rachel still fought Surka who gave no mercy, and the rest who were preoccupied with the fire beasts.
"Why!" asked Rachel, spinning to kill a fire beast, then to parry Surka.
"It's impossible!" Surka replied, the two circling, swords held out in aggressive stances. "I can't keep the side of me that is good if I must be guardian at the same time."
"You just protect him because you love him, right?" Rachel dove and swung upwards, while Surka sharply blocked and leapt back.
"I do it because I was chosen to!" Surka jumped high and assumed the same stance that reigned in the memories of those of Sephiroth and Aeris.
There was a red whirlwind and a silvery flash that tore across the air and hit Surka in the stomach hard enough to send her flying back. There was the metallic sound of a pole that hit the asphalt quite confidently, and out there stood Konoshi. "Heya, what are we talking about here, huh?"
Surka growled. "This again?"
Konoshi had a very displeased stance. "If anything, I'm the one who should be mad!" She angrily pointed the tip of her polearm at her and began walking in her direction. "First, you take my man, then my destiny, and you say it's killing you! I can tell you don't mean any of that 'tossing out my good side' crap! You can't live up to being his guardian! You have no potential." The blade tip stopped when it reached Surka's heart.
Surka had an angrily indifferent face. "So kill me if you think you're qualified."
The halberd swung around to the blunt pole and hooked her, pulling her up against a brick wall. "Killing you right now would serve me no pleasure if you didn't fight back."
Surka grimaced, but replied with some satisfaction, "Well said." She grabbed the weapon and pushed, freeing herself, jumped and landed upon the halberd itself, then leaped behind Konoshi, taking the defensive stance. "I'd love to see you scream before you die."
Rachel stood confused. "Is it just me, or do they just really like to make each other mad?"
Konoshi tilted her head towards Rachel, smiling surely (it seemed she didn't throw her anger at unrelated people). "Go catch up with the others! I've been dying to do this."
Rachel hesitated, but unwillingly ran off, after thinking the two would be fine. Well, she hoped.
Few stood in the burning remains of the fire. Bloody, Cloud, Tifa, and Vincent were the only who could still stand after retaining all the damage.
"Impressive," Sephiroth smiled, scuffed a little with a cut on his cheek. "But, you seem worse than the first time. Peace getting to you, Cloud?"
"You bastard. . .," Cloud muttered. "You don't have any semblance of humanity. . ."
"That's because I'm taking over my rightful place as a god," he said. "Only I have enough power to control, like how I puppeteer the fire. . .And, yourself."
"It's just a cheap illusion using fire materia!" Tifa shouted in complete rage. She herself took a hand, and made the fire dance just like he did. "You're strong, but detestably dull to be a god!"
His eyes became slits and the fire raged upward. "Pathetic," he uttered.
Tifa spat up blood. Before anyone could react, the hilt of the masamune was driven into her back; he charged forward before anyone could move.
"Tifa!" Cloud tried to catch her, until he screamed with a pain from the metal edge slicing his chest.
"Again, pathetic," Sephiroth remarked. "And what about you? The one who calls me 'son'."
Vincent emitted a pure rage as hot the fire that slowly engulfed the buildings. Wires were snapping and exploding, electric poles had topped over. His eyes bulged, and the red hue of his eyes deepened; his pupils shrank and he hunched in his cloak, completely lost to fire and his senses.
"Vincent!" Laura ran from behind. "Vincent, what's wrong!"
His head reemerged, and it was dark and hairy, with two prominent horns on his skull. He growled and roared with an unparalleled anger.
Sephiroth smirked with amusement. "This ought to be good."
"Sephiroth!" The angelic trio was standing among the flames of a burning building. "I think that's enough. No killing."
He smiled even more wildly and starting to laugh. "I don't even have to fight!"
Vincent charged forward, towards Laura, losing sense of who was the enemy, and who wasn't.
Laura stood like a statue, firmly holding her ground. "Vincent! Wake up!"
The powerful jaws snapped her side shut. She screamed and bled.
"They're destroying themselves!" Sephiroth remarked. "Surka!"
Surka pulled herself away with a few wounds, while Konoshi was still picking herself up from the pavement. "I hear ya'!"
"Vincent!" Laura had tears and fought back screaming in both fear and pain. "C-come on!" She could taste blood in her mouth. "T-that's not you. . .!"
The Galian Beast breathed out a burning growl that made her wince. It still kept its jaws clasped on her arm, and began to eye her strangely.
Laura slowly reached over to her bloody wound that went along her side and up to her arm, and she wondered why she wasn't finished off.
A loud split was heard; the wooden electric pole had snapped.
Vincent looked up and released her. She looked at the arm and side, seeing the damage and the blood run freely. Terrified, she collapsed, and so did the pole.
Again, he roared and charged. But rather than bite again, he blocked the pole, and it snapped against the strength of his back.
She was confused; wasn't he trying to kill her? The heat and the smoke had sooner defeated her than Vincent however; she muttered his name hopelessly before she passed out.
He opened his jaws to finish her off, but stopped and backed off. A few grunts escaped him, and he saw what he did. He was overcome with a fear and dread, and away through the fire.
Sephiroth was already departing.
The last one to stand arrived, after navigating the flames. Alone, she saw the broken forms of her friends, and the last shadow of Sephiroth fade into the damp velvety sky. There were sirens and alarms, with the rain finally deciding to pour down. Rachel found Laura's mangled carcass. She was tossed speechless. She gulped and bit down hard. Finding a half-conscious Tifa, she immediately had to snatch her red materia, and jumble through it.
"Damn, I never know which is which by looking. . .!" Rachel said with the stress of the world, rushing back to Laura's side with what she believed was Bahamut.
Laura spat another round of blood, and the rest became a haze of fire and sirens.
AN3: Sorry for the short update here. I'm still sick. . .Anyway, that's the late chapter, and I'm sorry I couldn't include more people, but it was in a bit of a rush to get what I needed complete. Next chapter, we do our traditional New Year's episode. :sigh: . . .I don't like short updates.
Tifa: I can't believe I got knocked out.
AN3:laughs nervously: Well, there we go! Commentary! I'll give more updates next time 'cause my dad is mad. Bai bai.
Note: Ah! I am cured! It's about two days later, and now I need to rush 'cause the lab is closing. Sorry, the chapter was delayed because I strangely cannot access my stories from home. . .I hope it goes away. Anyhoo. . . See you next time.