Disclaimer: I really have nothing to do with Square-Enix, but I can still make shit up…

Chapter 9: Aftermath

Back at Kalm, the team had a chance to sit down and regroup. More importantly, a chance to let out some bottled up emotions.

"I can't believe he just left like that," said Yuffie

"It's just like him, he follows his heart, no matter what the cost, I don't blame him," said Vincent looking into the eyes of Yuffie. She smiled softly.

"It's just so horrible!" yelled Tifa as she got up and left walking back to her room.

Cloud went up and followed Tifa. Barrett sat down where Cloud was sitting. Cid, was standing at the counter with a triple-shot of whiskey in his hand. He was just staring off into the distance.

"Well….now what?" said Barrett, who for once, was at a loss for words.

The group just looked around, if seemingly they would find the answer to the question in a ceiling tile or out of the window. Finally Josh spoke up.

"Whatever we do, we have to Junon," said Josh. "Since Midgar was smashed, they have infested Junon and are turning a once nice city on the water to another-"

"Pizza," chimed Barrett

"Er…yeah…Pizza…" said Josh

Meanwhile…

"Cloud…I am sorry. I don't know what I would have done if it was you that I lost back there. You were all outnumbered. There was so much chaos. I just…I just…why can't this all be over already, can't Shin-Ra see what they did, and now, what they are doing again to this Earth?" said an exasperated Tifa with her head on her hands.

"Tif, I know…but no matter what, we have to do whatever we can to make this a better place for everyone. Remember when I saw you again? You asked me to stick around an do one more mission? And when Buster knocked me down into the Church down in Sector 7…you thought you lost me? I won't go down that easy, especially not when Shin-Ra still tries to run the show, and especially not when you are counting on me," said Cloud, determined and confident.

"Thank you Cloud, for everything, I know we can do this. As long as I have you by my side, we can do this," said Tifa as she put her head on Cloud's chest.

Cloud just sat there, his face a bit reddened, partly from the emotion, partly from his shyness.

Back at the main room at the Inn…

"Well, if we are going to go after Bruno and put a stop to all of this, we are going to need a new plan," said Barrett

"Not only that, but more guys, it was a close call back there, and that was with Bruno…granted Cloud didn't have his Ultima Weapon with him…but still," said Josh looking at the bandage on his injured leg.

"Yeah, I agree," said Cloud as he walked back in with Tifa next to him. "Especially if you wuss out from one little bullet."

The whole room burst out in a nervous laugh, but the light moment could not detract from the feelings of tension, with Shin-Ra trying once again to ruin things. Since Meteor, a direct result of Shin-Ra no less, everyone has struggled so much to rebuild and restore, and just when things seemed halfway decent, everything is plunged back into chaos.

"Well, where are we going to need some more friends!" said Cait Sith, chiming in from the couch where he was attentively watching a game show.

"Don't look at me," said Vincent

"No one was!" said Yuffie bursting out laughing

Vincent gave her a dirty look while everyone chuckled. Josh looked off in the distance, as if he was dragging out a painful memory, he shook his head. Suzie, unaware of this, spoke up.

"Hey honey, what about your old friends, you know from the old Wutai Army, Ace a- "

"They disappeared Suzie, neither Bruno nor I have been able to find them…" said Josh very sullen.

"Oh…sorry" said Suzie, a bit dejected.

"Ace? You mean one of the Wutai Royal Guard Assassins?" said Yuffie perking up.

"Yeah…" said Josh

"I heard he was killed by Shin-Ra after the war," said Yuffie

Josh put his head back in his hands. Suzie put her arm around him, and everyone kinda of looked at the ground to avoid the awkward situation.

"Oops, sorry," said Yuffie.

"Oh I heard about him, he helped us out back when we were under attack by Shin-Ra about 3 years ago," said Red XIII. Him, and another man, very brutish, but the strongest person I have ever seen. I can not remember his name, but he certainly had a hard time restraining himself. He was Wutai's top bodyguard.

""The Hammer of Wutai," the man known as Barbwire," said Josh. "Yeah, he disappeared too. There is no way Shin-Ra got him though.

"Yo, if this dude is so strong, we could definitely use this guy to beef us up if we are gonna stomp on them Shin-Ra bastards," said Barrett.

"Rumor has it, he wanders around up north near Icicle Inn. People who have gotten lost up in the snow have been telling wild stories about being rescued by a massive man wielding a humongous sword, literally being carried to safety and being protected from all of the monsters in the frozen mountains," said Josh. "I haven't had a chance to make it up there, seeing as I was preoccupied with a special rescue mission," added Josh looking into the eyes of Suzie. "I feel for Bruno, since Wutai collapsed, Shin-Ra put us to work by capturing the person who means the most to us," said Josh.

"Well, why don't we go to Icicle Inn," said Tifa perking up with a small grin on her face. "I haven't been there since we went snowboarding Cloud!" she said.

(Cloud sweatdrop)

"Well then, next stop, Icicle Inn" said Cid as he walked towards his room…. "But tomorrow afternoon, cuz I'm going to pass the F#$ out."

"I am going to see Marlene for a bit," said Barrett. "Tifa, Cloud, you want to come? She has been asking to see you two."

"Sure, let's go Cloud," said Tifa.

…with another day winding down…the heroes decide on a plan, to strengthen themselves and make ready for another showdown with Shin-Ra. For now though, they all agreed, Bruno has to stay strong and hang in there, wherever he is. Vincent was worried about his brother, and wondering what will happen to him. Josh, more angry about losing to Shin-Ra, and used to having his best friend go off, was more worried about his old friends, from the glory days of Wutai. Tifa, considered herself lucky, for she had Cloud at her side, but wanted nothing less than the dismantling off Shin-Ra, so she could finally settle down with Cloud, like she always wanted to….

…more stuff to come…prolly a lil later….enjoy, and have a Merry Christmas!

R&R!