Disclaimer: I don't own these Characters! If I did Zack would have never died!
Chapter five: Introductions are fun!
"Git off my ship! Vincent I will be here to pick you up sometime, be ready!" Cid walked back onto the ship before Tifa could make it to the group.
"Okay, Zack, we will first go to see Rufus about your back pay and then we will go shopping and then we will go to the house. Follow me. Vincent thanks for driving my bike to my house." Cloud was handing the children up to Reno as Zack noticed that something was moving fast towards Cloud out of the corner of his eye. Reacting with instinct, Zack lashed out and batted whatever it was away from Cloud.
Tifa screamed as she slammed into a bolder. Everyone was shocked and Zack realized that she wasn't a threat to Cloud.
"Sorry! You surprised me and I reacted without thinking!" Zack scratched the back of his head, bashfully as he offered his hand to help Tifa up, which she ignored.
"I don't know who you think you are, but what makes you think it's okay to attack people without warning!" Tifa snapped at Zack and then she looked for support from Cloud.
"Tifa, you are over reacting, he already apologized, get over it. Also as a Soldier First Class, he acts first and thinks later!" Tifa was shocked when Cloud defended this man over her.
"Yeah, you crazy chick! Plus Zack's a puppy, so not thinking is his strong point!" Reno hopped down from his perch.
"Not helping Reno." Rude was quick to place himself between Loz and Kadaj and Tifa.
"Cloud, who is this man? Aren't you going to introduce us?" Tifa glared at Zack and then she noticed the small silver hair children peering at her. "And who are the children?"
"He is—"
"ZACK!" Zack was tackled to the ground by a smallish blur.
"Who? Oh my god! It's you! Yuffie you have grown up so much!" Zack pulled Yuffie into a hug which she responded to happily.
"Well, his name is Zack Fair, he was the first class at Nibelheim when Sephiroth went insane. He tried to stop him and then free himself and Cloud from Hojo which only really freed Cloud as Zack was recaptured. He is the most liked Soldier ever. Wutai warriors like him and have been known to give him food when no one is looking. He is also Cloud Strife's best friend. Zack, here is the Buster sword." A man emerged from the same rock that Tifa slammed into.
"Who are you?" Cloud looked confused.
"It's, It's…" Reno pointed and grabbed Rude.
"Kunzel! It's been so long buddy!" Zack put Yuffie down and hugged his friend before he took his sword back.
"How the hel-heck did you know about this?" Reno edged away from Kunzel towards Yuffie. Tifa was still overwhelmed by Cloud picking this Zack person over her.
"I have my ways. Zack it was good to see you but I am very busy. I will message you. Here is a new phone. It has all of your contacts. Bye." Kunzel turned around and walked away, waving goodbye.
"Bye! See you around!" Zack looked through his new phone.
"Strange, but we have a tight schedule to keep. Tifa, I need to talk to you later. Let's go you guys." Cloud put Loz and Kadaj into the helicopter and got in after them, Zack followed him.
"Hey! I can come too, Cloud!" Tifa started towards the helicopter but Reno stopped her.
"Sorry, lady but it's full. You will have to wait. C'mon Yuffie, Bossman doesn't like to wait." Reno and Rude got into the cockpit. Zack and Yuffie got into the helicopter after them. Reno started it up and they left Tifa by herself.
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"Hmmm, the Planet's emotions are all over the place. I for-see a storm coming and it will only get worse until it completely cleans up. Aerith, I wish that you would talk to me like you do for Cloud. I believe that I need to go to Cloud." Nanaki walked away from the pool of lifestream he was peering into and towards the elders of his village.
"Seer Nanaki, what did you see?" The hunched over, cloaked figures spoke as one. Nanaki was still in awe that they could do that but they did have years of practice.
"I see a terrible storm coming. I need to go to Cloud and help him find the way to clean it away." Nanaki bowed his head towards group.
"I fear that, the cloud that protects us from the strife, will surely break if he does not have proper support this time around." It was impossible to tell which of the cloaked figures had spoken.
"Yes, young fire lion, go be with the protector of Gaia. He will need his true friends with him to weather this storm. Nanaki knew that voice to be his grandmother but he still couldn't guess where she was sitting amongst the group.
"I will start the journey tomorrow. I have a question. Do you practice to be this mystic and confusing?" Nanaki tilted his head in confusion.
"Young one, Elders do not reveal their secrets to anyone, that includes the Seer." The groups said as one again, with affection in their voices.
"I see. I will keep that in mind. I will take my leave now."
"Stay safe and may the Goddess hold you in her heart." His grandmother said.
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"Is that amount alright with you? I can have the accountant run the numbers again if you do not like the number." Rufus watched as Zack gaped at a copy of the check that had been deposited into his bank account he had just handed him.
"Dude, this amount is great!" Zack showed Cloud the amount, Cloud's eyebrows rose.
"So Zack, would you be willing to continue working for Shin-Ra? We could really use a real Soldier First Class again." Rufus knew the answer before he asked to question.
"Sorry man, but I am going to work with Cloud doing whatever he does. Sounds tons more fun than being a Soldier!" Zack wrapped an arm around Cloud's shoulders and smiled at Rufus.
"I thought so. I will just have to make do with what I have. Cloud, Marlene and Denzel will be done with their classes soon. This would be a great time to introduce them to their new family members." Rufus smirked as Cloud realized that the clones had once again attached themselves to his legs.
"Thank you for taking care of them, Rufus. Would it be too much to ask you to do the same with Kadaj, Yahzoo, and Loz once they get settled in? Should we work up a payment plan?"
"Of course the brothers can join Marlene and Denzel. I do not need any of your money. Hopefully, the children will work for me once they grow up." Rufus clearly had plans for everything.
"Found someone to give you a heir yet?" Cloud smiled as Rufus paled.
"There are many factors that are still unclear, but have no fear my bloodline will never die out." Rufus glared at Cloud.
The sound of small feet running filled the room and then the door was opened and in flew Denzel and Marlene running up to Cloud to hug him. The brothers moved out of the older childrens way. Marlene and Denzel notice the three younger boys standing beside Cloud look very timid.
"Cloud?" Marlene asked, while letting him go.
"Marlene, Denzel. These three boys are like me and needed someone to take care of them. I will be adopting them like I did with Denzel as soon as I can. Are you okay with making our family bigger?" Cloud knelt and looked into their eyes. Denzel and Marlene turned from Cloud and inspected the younger children. Marlene smiled and hugged Kadaj, while Denzel and Loz sized each other up.
"Okay, but do I have share my room with them?" Denzel asked after freeing himself from Loz's hug only to be caught by Yahzoo.
"Yeah our house is tiny where are we going to fit?" Marlene let Yahzoo inspect her braid and redo it better.
"I have already thought about that and talked to Rufus. WE will be moving to a new and bigger house, closer to where you guys will be taking lessons. Also, this is my best friend Zack Fair. He will also be living with us. The bad people got him and we just were able to free him." Marlene smiled at Zack.
"Uncle Zack! The Flower Lady told me all about you!" Marlene hugged Zack's leg before he picked her up and hugged her. Denzel was much more reserved at approaching Zack. He did not like that Cloud introduced Zack as his best friend, Cloud only had friends, never best friends before. Would he take Cloud away from them, like Tifa kept trying or would he be an ally?
"Hello, Zack, my name is Denzel Strife." Denzel held out his hand to shake Zack's but Zack ignored this and swapped Denzel into a hug which was reluctantly returned.
Slam! Reno flew through the door into a wall. He sat up in a daze.
"Reno! It is not okay for you to grab my….you-know-what! I can't believe you! You owe me something really expensive to make up for this!" Yuffie stomped into the room, bright red.
"That's my girl!" Reno grinned and hopped off the ground. He walked over to Yuffie and hugged her.
"Bossman, my shift is over! Going to show the princess around town!" Reno and Yuffie left but Rude remained.
"Try not to be killed by ninjas." Rufus warned.
"Well, Rufus is has been a nice visit but we have to go shopping, unpack all of our stuff in the new house, and then I have to talk to Tifa." Cloud's group left with Zack bounding ahead of them.
Chapter end
Author's note: Now there are two options, one I can write the shopping trip or move straight to Cloud and Tifa's talk and other stuff. Review to vote or it will be left up to my choice and I don't know if I am motivated enough to write about a shopping trip. =^.^=