A/N: Sorry for the late update, I've been uber busy of late... :p

-oOo-

: Chapter Seven : A Little Excursion

Barret charged into Mr. Coates camping van, immediately followed by Cloud and the others. The tawdry man, taken off guard by the rude entrance, stood up in surprise, spilling some of his cocktail onto the crude carpet floor.

"What do you want!"

Barret grabbed him cleanly by his cheap tie.

"We want outta here, buster!"

Mr. Coates looked up at him fearsomely, dazed as to why this big man should be talking so aggressively to him.

"But I told you guys, you gotta talk to the boss!"

"Your boss is dead," Barret growled at him roughly. Mr. Coates' face turned pale, then red in anger.

"Hey, how do I know you're not lyin'!"

Barret clamped shut his mouth and indicated to Dyne's silver pendant around his neck. The man gaped at it.

"Is that proof enough?" Barret demanded gruffly.

"Okay, okay, I'm convinced!" the poor man shouted, his cheeks white again. "No one wears that but Dyne!"

Barret dropped Mr. Coates back to the floor.

"Well, now that you're finally convinced, let me tell you something. It was your old boss who went crazy an' killed all those people up there! Now will you please phone thatcrazy Dio guyan' get us out of here!"

Mr. Coates rearranged his tie begrudgingly.

"All right, all right, I'll see what I can do."

A quick phone call produced quick results. By early the next morning, a telegram was sent from Dio, who begged forgiveness for his terrible mistake. Cloud read it out to the others.

" 'Dear boy,

Sorry for what happened back there in the Battle Square. Mr. Coates explained the situation to me and I assure you that you will be fully re-endorsed. As a token of my affections, I have included one of the Shinra's newest automobiles as repayment. Hope to see you again at my Gold Saucer. Many apologies, Dio.

P.S. - By the way, your young friend, Sephiroth, is headed south, for Gongaga Village.' "

Cloud looked up from the note.

"I wish he'd stop calling me 'boy'."

"Hey!" Aerith exclaimed. "I wonder what that 'new automobile' is. Do you think it's a motorbike?"

Although wild fantasies of motorbikes seemed perfectly acceptable to Aerith, this was not to be. When they were escorted out of the prison and on to the quicksand plains, they found themselves presented with a shiny silver spray painted truck-like vehicle. Aerith exclaimed in disappointment.

"Hey, is that all?"

"Hang on a minute," Cloud began thoughtfully. "This could come in really useful. We can all fit into that truck - and it will take us places faster."

"Hey, you're right!" Tifa cried. "In fact, this is exactly what we need!"

Red jumped into the back of the buggy and looked back at them over his shoulder.

"Well come on then! I believe Sephiroth's headed for Gongaga, no? Then let's go!"

Filled with a new sense of enthusiasm, the six friends piled themselves into their new vehicle, Cloud at the wheel. He turned the key in the ignition and the truck sprung into gear smoothly.

"To Gongaga we go!" Cloud cried and they drove off, over the quicksand and desert, toward the south, toward Gongaga.

After travelling for a couple of hours or so over the desert and then the grassy plains of the southern New Continent, they began to near more wooded areas of land. The mood was generally one of elation amongst them - except for Barret, who seemed to be pretty depressed, which was understandable. Surprisingly though, he did not complain in the least, but sat like a lamb - if that could be imagined of him - in the back of the truck. It was Cait Sith, strangely, who seemed the most jumpy, but Cloud put this down to the fact that he was their newest member, and didn't quite know what was going on. It was left up to mainly Aerith and Red to explain about the purpose of their mission and the story Sephiroth. Cait Sith had seemed impressed.

"Wow! You wanna save the Planet from thiscrazy guy! Isn't that a bit far-fetched?"

"Well, we're not really only trying to stop Sephiroth," Aerith explained patiently. "The original reason why we went after Sephiroth was because Cloud had some unfinished business with him."

Cait Sith shook his head in awe.

"You've sure taken up some job!"

Tifa, meanwhile,had sat in the passenger seat at the front with Cloud, mainly blurting out her anecdotes of optimism, trying to keep everyone's spirits up. Cloud had smiled at that. Some things never changed.

Presently, on the horizon appeared the dense form of a forest. In the midst of the trees stood the ruin of an old Mako Reactor. Thin trails of smoke in the background provided evidence of some sort of settlement. Tifa leaned out of the window to get a better look at the place.

"Do you think that's Gongaga? It looks pretty run down to me." She pointed at the crumbling figure of the reactor. "It looks like that reactor's exploded."

"There's no other sign of habitation around here though," Red pointed out.

"Well, let's take a look at the place," Cloud decided. "If it isn't Gongaga, we'll ask for directions."

With everyone agreeing on this idea, Cloud drove on to the edge of the forest. Once outside, he got out of the truck. The surrounding woods did not appear to be very dense. In fact, it looked quite inviting and cosy from the outside. The tall, leafy trees let in large amounts of sunlight and various bracken and woodland flowers were growing amongst the pea-green grass and colossal oaks. Cloud walked back to the vehicle.

"It shouldn't take long to reach the village," he stated. Barret popped his head out of the window.

"Hey, Cloud! What if that place isn't Gongaga? There's no point in us all goin' if it isn't."

"Well, we'll split up then," Cloud shrugged.

"Good idea," Barret said wryly "But what if it does turn out to be Gongaga?"

Cloud rummaged in his pocket and produced the cell phone, waggling it in front of Barret's face playfully.

"Then you get to use your beloved phone," he replied. "If we give you a call, you'll know that we've found the place we want. You never know, Sephiroth might still be there. That sound okay to you?"

Barret gave the thumbs up sign.

"Great. Besides..." he looked embarrassed, "I don't feel like going traipsin' round at the moment."

Cloud nodded sympathetically.

"I understand." He looked round at the others. "So - who's going to come with me, and who's going to stay with Barret?"

Without much further ado, it was decided that the girls should go with Cloud, and the others stay and watch over the truck. Cloud, feeling a bitdubious about the situation - for some reason he always felt nervous around Aerith and Tifa - nevertheless led his small party through the woods.

It seemed pleasant enough at first. The place had its fair share of animals, which Tifa and Aerith invariably found cute. Then, as they travelled further into the forest, an unpleasant yet faint odour seemed to drift from between the sweet-smelling oaks and elms, one that did not go with the sunny woodland scenery.

"What's that smell?" Tifa asked, wrinkling her pert little nose in disgust. "It's horrible."

The smell became stronger as they ventured further into the trees, and soon became recognisable to Cloud.

"I'd know that smell anywhere," he mused quietly. "It's the smell of...burning Mako."

"Yes!" Aerith suddenly cried. "That's what you smelt like when you bought my flower the day we first met." She paused and smiled nostalgically. "It seems such a long time ago."

Tifa looked at her with a confused expression, and Cloud realised she knew nothing of how he and Aerith had first met.

"What are you talking about?" She didn't seem too concerned with finding an answer. "I guess this means there was an explosion at this reactor then."

Cloud nodded.

"Uh huh. It sure looks like it. I wonder what happened."

"Maybe some terrorist like you blew it up," Aerith suggested wryly.

At length, the woodland growth began to thin out and gave way to several small, sunlit clearings. From this Cloud deduced that the village and its Mako Reactor was probably nearby. The awful stench strengthened too, much to Tifa's discomfort.

"Where is this damned village?" she complained grumpily. "I hope it's air-conditioned."

"It would have to be, being situated in this place," Aerith answered, also beginning to be put off by the stink. It was at that moment that Cloud thought he heard voices nearby, unmistakably floating from somewhere within the trees and thicket. He stopped abruptly, put a finger to his lips warningly.

"Hey, you two, be quiet."

Aerith and Tifa ceased their chatter and walked over to where Cloud was, alarmed at his sudden instruction.

"What is it?" Aerith whispered earnestly.

Cloud cocked his head to one side warily. Very faintly, to his right, he could hear the distinct murmur of two conversing voices babbling on from behind a wall of bracken.

"Don't you hear it?" he persisted, looking at the other two. "It's over there, behind all that growth."

Both Aerith and Tifa looked about to where he had been pointing, attentive expressions on their faces. Then they both gave whispered exclamations.

"Yes! I can hear something!"

"It's two people talking, isn't it?"

Cloud listened again silently. There were definitely two people talking, and, as he began to creep into the direction the sounds were coming from, he was able to determine that it was actually two males conversing. And the voices, he realised, sounded distinctly familiar to him. Aerith and Tifa stared at him dumbly, suspense glazing their eyes. Turning to them, Cloud gestured for them to come to him. They walked over to his side nervously.

"What is it?" Tifa whispered.

"Two men, talking." Cloud replied in a low voice. "And they sound familiar."

"Familiar?" Tifa replied, eyebrow raised.

"Yes." Cloud answered simply. "I think we should see what's going on. It sounds suspicious."

The three tiptoed up to a small tangle of shrubbery. From here, the voices became much clearer. Secreting themselves behind the leafy bush, Cloud scrabbled a small hole in the greenery through which they could all peer. Signing for them to be quiet, Cloud leant forward, andsquinted through the hole and on to the owners of the voices.

Rude and Reno were standing together in a small, sunlit glade, talking to each other between puffs from two expensive cigarettes, complete with the Shinra's standard filters. They appeared to be having a very engrossing conversation, for even Rude, who never said much at all in normal circumstances, was at least talking without the use of monosyllables.

The hidden eavesdroppers looked at each other in blatant surprise. What were the Turks doing, hanging around in the forest, smoking cigarettes and having an old gossip? Waiting for Sephiroth? No, Cloud thought. They didn't look as if they were waiting for someone as important as Sephiroth. Turning his ear closer toward the two, he took the opportunity to eavesdrop properly. It was Reno who was talking.

"Hey, Rude, I've got this question I've been dying to ask you for ages."

The other man took a drag from his cigarette and exhaled the dusty white smoke smoothly.

"What's that?" he asked in his deep and sonorous voice.

Reno began to laugh helplessly, causing Rude to stare at him in mild alarm.

"What is it?" he probed, inquisitiveness filling his usually apathetic speech. "What do you want to ask?"

Reno calmed down a little and wiped his eyes over with the back of his hand.

"I was just wondering...I was just..." He began to break off into a fresh bout of laughter, and Rude, half-annoyed and half-curious, began to press him again.

"What? Hey, tell me, man."

Reno stopped chortling and gave Rude a devious, impish grin.

"I was wondering..." his mouth twitched and laughter threatened to break off his sentence once again, but he hastily stuffed cigarette between his lips, "...when are you going to ask Elena out to dinner?"

Rude stood wordlessly for a second, trying to decipher Reno's muffled speech. When he'd finally taken it in, he gaped at Reno in shock.

"What?"

Reno gave him a little dig in the ribs, winking at his flabbergasted companion.

"You know...it's a bit obvious, isn't it? I mean, you and Elena?"

Rude said nothing and quietly rearranged the shades on the bridge of his nose. Reno looked at him in confusion.

"Are you trying to tell me that it's not Elena you're interested in?"

Rude gave a polite little cough and finally shrugged.

"Well...I couldn't really say..."

Cloud felt Aerith shaking beside him in an odd manner. Turning to her, he saw that she had buried her head in her hands and was shuddering in suppressed laughter. Cloud gently placed a finger to his lips and shushed her, though he could hardly stop laughing himself. It was quite humorous to see the usually sedate and dignified Turks acting like human beings, and even more comical to see the sober Rude flustered. Cloud once more turned his attention back to the other two men in the clearing.

Reno was gazing up at Rude questioningly.

"So who do you like? I've got to find out the answer to this deep dark mystery."

Rude blushed, if that could have been possible.

"You've got to promise you won't tell anyone," he warned, and Reno promised eagerly. Rude took in a deep breath. "Well, you know that girl from AVALANCHE...?"

Reno gave out a cry of surprised delight.

"Tifa? Tifa Lockheart?"

Cloud and Aerith immediately shot Tifa staggered looks and Tifa shook her head wildly, just as astounded as they were.

Reno was still speaking.

"I mean, whoa, man! I thought you like Elena!"

Rude gave an embarrassed half-laugh.

"I do, it's just that..."

Reno nodded knowingly.

"Yes, that Tifa's a foxy-lady. Bit of a wild card though, I'd say. Not my type."

Tifa wriggled indignantly behind the bush, unable to resist speaking her mind.

"What?" she hissed. "Who's he calling a 'wild-card'!"

Cloud put a hand to her mouth before she could even think of continuing. Aerith began to titter uncontrollably, causing her to receive a few marked looks from Cloud.

"Well, you know who Tseng likes," Reno carried on unwittingly, beginning to laugh again. "He likes the Ancient."

It was Aerith's turn to put on a disconcerted look, and Tifa's turn to laugh. Cloud glared at them hopelessly. This was the worst of bringing girls along - they always seemed to cause trouble, whether direct of otherwise. Tifa was talking again, before Cloud had even realised she'd opened her mouth.

"I bet Reno doesn't like anyone," she muttered vindictively. "He's too busy fancying himself."

There was a sharp sound behind them of twigs cracking, and then the petite form of Elena emerged into the clearing. The two men looked up at first with an anxious look, then with disappointment as they recognised her.

"Well," Reno began, throwing down his cigarette and stumping it out with his heel. "Any signs of them?"

"No," Elena replied, obviously frustrated. "None. Our informant must be wrong."

"No," Reno disagreed mildly. "The informantwouldn't be wrong. Something must have happened."

"Well, I hope you're going to do something about it!" Elena retorted in irritation. "You know our present mission is to catch AVALANCHE as well as Sephiroth. I don't want to get a bad report in my first term as a member of the Turks just because you're so lazy! God, I'm so pissed off!"

"Simmer down, Elena," Reno replied easily. "I thought you were going to try to control your tongue."

Elena ignored the statement.

"Just look at you! How do you expect to get any work done like that? Smoking, having a nice little chat! I suppose you expect me to get all the work done! Well, I'm not having it! I'm reporting you to Tseng right away!"

"Go ahead," Reno replied with a shrug. Elena glared at him for a moment, then, with a snort of annoyance, she stomped off through the trees again.

"Man!" Reno exclaimed once she had disappeared out of earshot. "Why'd she have to be promoted? I can't think what you see in her Rude."

Rude looked embarrassed.

"Let's not discuss it."

"Fine with me. Just talking about her gets up my arse anyway," Reno shrugged. He looked about warily. "Do you think we should go back? Nothing's happened round here."

"Yeah, let's go. I need a piss."

"Okay then." They turned to go, and their voices continued, getting progressively quieter as they disappeared out of sight.

"Bit weird really. The informant's reliable...Can't think why nothing happened...Hope Tseng isn't mad...Probably will be after that idiot Elena opens her trap..."

The three get quite still until there was nothing more to be heard. When Cloud was sure that the two men had gone he heaved in a sigh of relief and stood up.

"Man, that was close," he breathed.

Tifa looked across at him, her expression puzzled.

"Hang on a minute. Did you hear what they were saying? Didn't Elena say something about 'information'? How could they have known we were coming?"

They looked at each other in silence. Cloud crossed his arms and tapped his foot on the ground.

"There's only one thing that I can think of," he began, "and that's that there's a spy amongst us."

"A spy!" Aerith looked surprised "But who could it be! I couldn't imagine that any one of us would stoop so low as that!"

"Neither would I," Cloud replied, dryly. "But it appears that someone has."

"This is bad," Tifa commented, looking troubled. "We're going to have to be careful. It'll be hard to know who to trust."

"Well...there's not much we can to about it," Cloud finally decided. "Rooting them out of our midst could be dangerous. We'll just have to keep on our guard."

It was agreed that each of them should keep quiet for the moment and not mention anything to the others.

"Let's find the village, shall we?" Aerith eventually asked. "I'd guess you were all tired after that fight. And we need to stock up on supplies too."

"Yes," Tifa put in. "Let's move on."

As they wandered further into the forest, it suddenly thinned out drastically to reveal a choice of two hacked back paths.

"Which one?" Cloud asked.

Tifa chose the second one, and they travelled down it over suddenly barren and dusty earth. At this point, the familiar, unpleasant and pungent odour became even stronger, causing the others to reel in disgust. They weren't given the chance to complain, for straight away the path ended to unveil a desolate wasteland that seemed to stretch on forever. Slap bang in the middle of the arid wilderness was the imposing structure of a Mako Reactor - but this reactor was crumbling to bits, smoke was emanating from cracks in it's huge metal body, and it was obvious that the smell of burning Mako was exuding from it's walls.

"So this is the source of that terrible smell." Tifa cried, but the sound of feet crunching on the gravel nearby caused her to cease, and the three to hide behind a length of rusty metal wedged in amongst the rocks and pebbles.

Cloud peered through a crack in the slice of metal. To his amazement, he saw two figures walking away from the derelict Mako Reactor. Tseng - and Scarlet.

Next: Cloud unwittingly faces a lost part of his past...