Here's Chapter 9!

The Departure

"There is only one reaction we came to get from ya. Stop ya questions and just give us the reply we want. Girl, ya are going to Midgar with us."

"No. I won't leave Cloud alone."

"Right, so I heard. Young lovers aren't ya? Well, will ya still sacrifice this chance just this dumb puppy love after hearing what I'm going to say?"

Reno came uncomfortably close to Tifa, his lips pressing against her ears as he whispered.

"Ya parents aren't dead, missy."

"Pff, nonsense. Can't you come up with something original?"

"Yo, girl. Lookey at this picture then."

Reno flashed opens his phone, did a few clicks and pushed the phone just centimetres away from Tifa's face. In the photo, Reno seemed absolutely wasted, with his arms wrapped around a black-haired man with intense red eyes, and a beautiful woman with long brown hair, and chestnut brown eyes. They look around their early thirties.

"T-they are…"

"Yuppy, the two you watched rot in the car right?"

"…" Tifa could not believe her eyes. They were the faces she remembered smiling to her till their gruesome end.

"But seriously, ey're alive n kickin'. Took dis' photo with em' last month at Shinra company dinner."

"…Impossible…"

"Wha- Ya still' don' believe me?"

"I… Watched them die…"

"Are you sure?"

"W-What do you mean!"

"Noooope~"

"TELL ME! I WATCHED THEM DIE!"

"Missy, why don' ya go to Midgar and question em' instead of me?"

"TELL ME!"

"Things aren't dat simple, girl. Stop dependin' on others and seek the truth fer yerself. If not fer yerself, fer your parents. They too, are in quite a mess, eh, despite workin' for Shinra."

Tifa's eyelids nudged open when she felt a soft tap on her shoulders. The dream was a memory. Reno knows something, Shinra is plotting something, while she was a pawn. But what could it be? Is there a purpose things are turning out this way?

"Tifa, we're taking the plane from now." Aerith's soft words melted into Tifa's ears. Too musical to represent their fate, the separation with cloud.

Cruel… Whoever that is doing this to them is absolutely cruel. Tifa knew for sure how little they actually meant to a larger picture. Is it politics?

"Yeah. Thanks for waking me."

They've reached the outskirts of Nibelheim and further by car. And had arrived at a place known as… She looked towards the sign board "Rocket Town". So they moved us Northwest to Rocket Town, where they had the planes ready… Midgar isn't far now (Midgar is Northeast of Nibelheim).

The reality of separation sliced deep into her heart. Cloud… What is he doing now? Has he left Home? She clutched tightly at the rings around her neck.

Cloud did not send Tifa off. They had spent the night cuddled in each other's arms. He wanted their last memory to remain as that. She was already gone at daybreak, and when he watched her leave the bed, planting a kiss on his forehead, he could feel tears welling. 5 years… Not long at all, not long at all, not long at all.

After Cloud cleaned up his room and carried his backpack out, it was already past noon. He walked towards Elmyra's office, seeing that it was awfully empty, he gave a soft knock.

"Come in."

He pushed the door open to find Elmyra's back facing him.

"Zack and I are leaving at two."

"R-right! I'll get lunch ready." He could hear her voice trembling.

"Elmyra?"

"Yes?"

"Why didn't you leave with them to Midgar?" Cloud asked, sincere. Elmyra would be alone after Zack and him left. In this huge orphanage.

"Well… I am, not permitted to, I guess."

"Not… permitted to?"

"Cloud, you're really a curious child, aren't you?" Elmyra sighed. "Well, my sister Jenova betrayed the Shinras sometime back. She was punished, and I stood by her with no regrets."

Cloud closed the distance between them. "Jenova… Is she still alive?"

Elmyra chuckled bitterly. "Is she 'alive'? Well, I guess not."

For a moment, tart silence engulfed the both of them.

"I'm sure they will give you calls from Midgar." He placed his hand on hers. "They- no, we, all do love you deeply in our hearts."

"They say; if you love a child, send him on a journey… I'm sure all of you will grow into fine adults." Elmyra smiled, while a drop of tear slithered down her wrinkled cheeks.

"Folks, we have reached our cruising altitude now, so I am going to switch the seat belt sign off. Feel free to move about as you wish, but please stay inside the plane till we land ... it's a bit cold outside, and if you walk on the wings it affects the flight pattern. We will soon be flying over Costa Del Sol, known for its beautiful scenery. If you wish to, please proceed to the Well-Being room to enjoy a beautiful aerial view of the place and enjoy a glass of our finest champagne. This is Biggs, Pilot Cid Highwind's assistant. G'day!"

The plane was luxurious. That was the only word Tifa could use to describe. The seats were made with the finest leather, and they were seated with generous space. There were several cabins, and Tifa chose proceed to the lounge with Aerith, while the others continued to their individual staterooms for lunch or the "well-being" room, where they watched clouds from beneath their feet.

"Aerith, why did you decide to leave for Midgar?"

Aerith blinked at Tifa's sudden question that broke the previous silence. If that was the question, she preferred the silence.

"I need time to think and grow."

"What do you mean?"

"The events that happened between Zack, Cloud and I… It was all due to my immaturity."

"…"

"I… don't know how I feel towards Zack, or Cloud, or even you. Sorry, but it's the truth."

"It's ok, I'm glad I heard it from you instead of someone else."

"In the end I realised I'm just a possessive child."

"I'm sure they don't mind."

"But I do!" Aerith snivelled. "Whenever I think back about how Zack had silently accepted all my wilfulness, and how much it must hurt for him… I just… just…"

Tifa wrapped her arms around Aerith as she cried.

"Cloud was right. Zack knew it all along, but that doesn't mean it didn't hurt for him." Aerith sniffed. "I wonder what he's doing now…"

Lunch with Elmyra was silent. The portions were slightly bigger than normal, and Elmyra had already prepared some dried snacks for them.

"Do you have enough money?"

"Me?" Zack asked, returning the glances Elmyra made to him. "Y-yeah, I guess, and we could work on our way there. There's no hurry since Gongaga's always open to recruits unlike the other towns."

"… Well, I'm not particularly worried about Cloud," She eyed Zack again. "rather, about you. Take care of yourself, alright, Zack?"

"Wow, I'm the older one here, El!"

"But the immature one as well."

"I'll be sure to take care of him, Elmyra." Cloud assured.

Elmyra nodded and they continued eating in silence before Elmyra handed cloud a small pouch.

"Here's some money. Take it."

Zack's eyes widened but before he could open his mouth to reject Elmyra, Cloud stopped him.

"Thank you."

"It will be getting cold soon, have you brought enough clothing?"

"Yes, we did."

"It'll take about a week to reach Gongaga by train through Cosmo Canyan. Are you planning to go by that route?"

"Yes. We will proceed southeast straight, but passing through Cosmo Canyan."

"Hmmmm… Beside Cosmo Canyan, there's a forest. Known as the 'Ancient Forest', since the both of you have cetra blood, you'll hear the forest quite clearly."

"…Yeah…"

After lunch, Cloud put on a black warm coat with its interior made from treated animal skin, a birthday present from Zangan, above his leathered top and long black cargo pants, the warmest clothing he could find. He wore a cotton shirt beneath the leather for extra warmth and pulled out a cap and a pair of tainted glasses to protect his eyes in the cold night wind. He wonders if he is over-equipped. He wrapped a leathered sash across his waist and tied several daggers safely onto it before covering it with his leather top.

Cloud waited for Zack as he set his backpack down by the doorstep to Home's multi-purpose hall. The place he first met Tifa, he recalled. Cloud was standing by the wall, waiting for time to pass and go to bed, when the door budged open and Tifa ran into his life. That almost was 9 years ago. His hand naturally reached out for the small budge in the upper compartment of his backpack, where he had placed Tifa's past presents and the box from last night.

Cloud felt his heart tighten and began to tap his fingers impatiently on the wall. Anymore and Cloud will barge into Zack's room before he turn crazy with thoughts of Tifa.

"Zack, you done yet?"

"Yeah! Coming out now! Sheesh!"

Cloud looked at Zack when he opened the door, nothing much, just a black cotton sweater and long blue jeans.

"Wow, Cloud, aren't you a little too warm? We're taking the train, ya know."

"Shut up." Cloud blushed.

They then bid Elmyra goodbye while she planted kisses on their foreheads. Off to Gongaga now.