I'm so sorry for the long update!

Lost and Found : Chapter 9

While Vincent and Ellie happily ate lunch...

"So right now, he's in some & weird place called Kenada!#"

The evening after Vincent's call, Cloud had called everyone else on PHS and informed them about Vincent's whereabouts and plans for the 12th of March, which was Ellie's birthday. Cloud was now on the phone with Cid, and he was giving him a headache and earache thanks to Cid's constant bellowing and cursing.

"Yes, Cid. You'll have to fetch all of us to Nibelheim," Cloud shuddered a little at the thought of going back there.

"$#&! I ain't no #$ driver for all you &# idiots!"

"Stop # cursing us, you #$ $#!" said Cloud exasperatedly, but he didn't really mean it.

"#$#! Mosey off, ya stupid playboy, see ya on March 12th."

"Playboy?" muttered Cloud, and hung up. He sighed, nursing his headache. Yuffie had practically squealed and jumped for joy, and he couldn't help but smile when he remmebered the conversation. Yuffie was probably tired of ruling Wutai and needed a break. Barret had almost dropped the phone and Marlene and he blamed Cloud with a blue streak. Now, he still had to find a way to contact Nanaki. The fire-beast couldn't exactly pick up a phone.

Vincent was impatient. This was a feeling he didn't particularly like, because he was usually a very patient person. However, watching Cloud "prance" in the parade, getting onto the Shinra boat, Yuffie's motion sickness bored him out of his (and Chaos's) wits. Even the comical sight of Red XIII trying and failing to look human and stand on his two hind legs served no proper amusement. Vincent watched boredly as Ellie directed Cloud everywhere on the ship.

Suddenly the alarm sounded on the ship. Vincent shifted his position slightly on the sofa, leaning forward.

Radio: Emergency alert! Reports of a suspicious character found! Those not on detail, search the ship. Report when found! I repeat. Suspicious character found on board! Those not on detail, search the ship. Report when found!
Cloud met up with his group.
Tifa: Everyone all right?
Barret: You all right?
Aerith: Huh?
Tifa: Everyone's here…right?
Barret: Hey, wait. You don't think that suspicious character is… Sephiroth?
Tifa: Really? Barret: How the hell am I supposed to know?
Cloud: …Let's find out.
Red XIII: It's the most logical thing to do. Then, who's going to go?
Yuffie: N, not me… I don't even like Sephiroth anyway. And besid……ugh……urk……

The menu screen popped out, and Ellie was required to pick two others to follow Cloud. After she had picked Yuffie and Aerith, she did the necessary materia arrangements and equipment. Vincent guided her a little, and instructed her on the allocations of materia. Once again Ellie wondered how he knew so much. Once again Vincent felt slightly uncomfortable at the thought of how Ellie would react when she finds out about him. Maybe I should tell her first...?

Upon reaching the engine room, Vincent noticed a chest on the right hand side of the screen. It contained a Wind Slash.

"What's Wind Slash, Vinnie?"

"I think this is a weapon, why don't you check your items?" said Vincent, absent-mindedly stroking Fluffy, who just leapt onto his lap.

"Okay... there it is. Doesn't look like a sword... what type of weapon is that?"

"It's a shuriken... Yuffie's, I suppose. Equip it on her."

Soon enough a battle occurred. Sephiroth dropped some tentacle-like slimy thing on the floor, and Vincent recognised it as one of the body parts of Jenova. The battle began and Vincent watched as the threesome did the necessary attack stuff. As usual, Ellie pounded Jenova with magic and attack and cured her party, waiting for anyone to reach their limit. Finally after a few series of attacks and Cloud's Cross-Slash, Yuffie's Greased Lightning and Aerith's effective Healing Wind, Ellie managed to survive the long battle.

"Phew... She kept casting Stop on me! Arghh..." growled Ellie exasperatedly.

"At this stage you do not have any higher-level magic to cure that in battle."

"I know..."

They got off the boat, and Ellie directed her party around Costa Del Sol. Exploring the area, she picked numerous things like a Fire Ring, Motor Drive and Power Source. She also bought some new accesories, namely Carbon Bangles and the like. She then headed down to the beach.

Aerith: Oh! Cloud!
Tifa: Look, look at that!
Cloud: Hm…? Who, Hojo…? Is that man over there, Hojo?
Tifa: Go over and talk to him.
Woman: God! What do you want?

If Ellie were more sensitive and aware, she would have notice Vincent clenching his fists and scowling deeply at the screen.

Hojo: No, I remember you all now…… Yes, yes. I remembered now. It's been a long time, Cloud.
Cloud: Hojo……
Hojo: Sometimes you just gotta do something like this.
Cloud: ……What are you doing?
Hojo: It should be obvious, I'm getting a tan.
Cloud: Answer me!
Hojo: Hmm! I believe we're both after the same goal.
Cloud: You mean Sephiroth?
Hojo: Did you see him? I see…… Ha! Ha!
Cloud: What is it?
Hojo: Nothing. I just remembered a certain hypothesis…… Haven't you ever had the feeling something is calling you? Or that you had to visit some place? ……
Cloud: I'll go anywhere Sephiroth is at! To beat him and put an end to all this!
Hojo: I see…… This could be interesting. Were you in SOLDIER? ……Heh heh heh! Would you like to be my guinea pig?
Hojo: Ha! Ha! Ha! (to Aerith) ……Say aren't you the 'Ancient'?
Aerith: I'm Aerith. The least you can do is tell me something, Professor Hojo… I know I'm an Ancient. My mother told me.
Hojo: Your mother? Oh, you mean Infalna. How is she?
Aerith: You didn't know? She died.
Hojo: ……I see.
Aerith: Professor Hojo… Is Jenova an Ancient? Is Sephiroth an Ancient? Do we all have the same blood?
Hojo: ……mumble…mumble…head west……
Aerith: He's mumbling slowly... That must means he's hiding something!
Hojo: ………………
Tifa: Hey! Answer us!
Cloud: It's no use. It's no go.

Hojo.. You bloody bastard, thought Vincent. I'm so glad I killed you...