DISCLAIMED: (07/07/09)
EDITED: (09/16/09)

Characters: Cloud/Yuffie, Godo, mentions of Rufus, eventually all of AVALANCHE
Rating: M - for language and eventual lovesmut;P
Summary: Cloud is on the road again, his inability to tell Tifa how he felt sending her into Reeve's arms. Now his only contact with the rest of the world is Rufus for a job and Yuffie, because she could. All games/movies compliant.

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Chapter 二

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[Godo] pointed at her. "You don't have much time before your coronation and though you talk big, I know you don't have the guts to confess to him outright. This way, he can finish the hard part while you work up the courage to tell him how you feel."

Yuffie's eyes looked sad then. "What if he doesn't return the feelings? What if it's all for nothing? I'll lose him as a friend as well…"

Godo sighed, looking very tired then. "Then he is a fool. And definitely not worthy of you."

Yuffie looked up at him, eyes big. "When did you stop being a rat-bastard," she whispered.

His smile was chagrined.

"We all have to grow up sometime."

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Cave One – Outside Kalm

Cloud aimed his flashlight at the ground. Rats ran scurrying away from it before he lifted the beam to shine on the walls. They were mostly bare except for a few cobwebs.

A loud scraping noise behind him had him turning to see the door slam shut, enclosing him in the dark with only his flashlight for light.

"Shit," he muttered.

Deciding to take care of the package first, he moved forward. Hopefully there was another exit somewhere.

The tunnel curved to the right before opening up. Cloud could see a circle of light ahead. He clicked off his light as he reached it.

The tunnel led into a large cavern to his left. It was spacious and empty except for a stone pedestal. Cloud glanced side to side, his sword raised as he walked towards it. Light from outside shown down on the pedestal. As he reached it, he lowered his weapon and studied the stone. He reached out with a gloved hand to brush the dirt off the top. Characters he didn't recognize littered the groove of the stone. Must be more Wutainese, he thought.

Placing his sword at his back, he pulled out the package. Looking decidedly unsure between the package and the podium, he set it lightly on the grooved area. It fit perfectly.

Nothing happened.

Cloud wasn't sure that something was supposed to happen, so he didn't know why he was disappointed. The ground began to shake then, but it wasn't from anything to do with the pedestal.

Cloud turned to see the blackest, ugliest and biggest spider he'd ever seen stomping out towards him. He immediately pulled his sword, getting in battle stance. He cast Big Guard and Regen on himself in quick succession.

When it was in range, he slashed at it. Its skin was as tough as steel and Cloud didn't make a mark. He cast Fire 3 on it and it hissed at him, while swiping at him with a long leg. It didn't appear hurt – just annoyed.

Cloud took a chance and used Scan:

Macura (Spider Demon)

HP: 100,000/100,000

MP: 10,000/10,000

Weaknesses: None

Great. His phone rang then as he leapt out of the way as a long leg came stabbing in his direction. He pulled out his phone as he ran behind a large rock wall.

"Hello?"

"Cloud? Thank Gaia! Are you okay?" came Yuffie's frantic voice.

"Uh…" Cloud was cut off as his hiding place was found. The Macura gave a loud scream and attacked. Cloud used the broad side of his sword to block it, forcing it back before taking off again.

"What the hell was that?" Yuffie exclaimed.

"Macura," Cloud replied. "I think I woke it up."

"Macura?"

"Huge spider demon? Wants to stake me and make Strife meat."

"Oh my god – get out of there!"

"Can't," Cloud replied looking over his shoulder, seeing the Macura gaining on him. "The door shut behind me and I didn't see any handles."

"Well…you used a password to get in; try it to get out."

Cloud turned the corner, running down the corridor he entered through. He glanced over his shoulder to see the Macura screech as it slammed into the opening, angered that it didn't fit. It stood up and after screaming loudly again, it turned and stomped off.

Turning back to the door, he said, "Koi wa moumoku."

Nothing happened.

"It's not working," he said into the phone.

"What?" Yuffie exclaimed. "Well open the package – maybe it says what you're supposed to do."

Cloud looked behind him as he said. "Can't. I left it on the podium."

"Podium? What podium?"

"There's a pedestal inside the cave. The package fit on top, but it did have characters on it – I think they were Wutainese."

"But the big ugly spider demon is guarding it, right?"

"Right."

"Dammit…" she cursed in the background.

Cloud frowned, misunderstanding. "Are you okay?"

"What? Oh me? Wow, listen to you – stuck in a cave with a big-ass spider demon and you're concerned about me."

Cloud looked down towards the cavern.

"Look, you know the Wutainese characters right?"

"Yeah, why?"

"If I can get over to see them and tell you what they look like, do you think you can translate?"

"…I can try. Oh, but Cloud it's too dangerous."

Cloud smirked. "Listen to you. On house arrest, bored out of your mind and you're worried about me."

"Oh shut it," she returned.

Cloud smiled.

"How bout if you DGI me right next to it, so you can concentrate on fending off the huge spider thing? Cast Knights of the Round on it or something."

"Got it," he replied, walking towards the cavern. "Ready?"

"Ready."

Peeking around the stone wall, he saw it was clear. Dashing towards the pedestal, he pulled the phone from his ear and pushed the DGI button. A loud screeching followed him along with stomping as the Macura bore down on him. He set the phone down on the pedestal right before back-flipping out of the way of the Macura's stabbing leg.

Yuffie gasped as she saw a flash of the Macura before turning and dropping to her knees to study the podium. The package still sat on top of it so she couldn't see anything. She turned back.

"Cloud! The package is in the way!" she called.

Cloud heard her and threw a flash bomb he found in his pack, blinding the creature as he dashed back to the pedestal. He lifted the package for her and she immediately recognized the symbols.

"Yakusoku. Promise…" she added in a whisper.

Cloud glanced at her sharply. He'd heard that word before…from the old man.

Yuffie looked up at him. "Cloud! Put the package back and say it."

Cloud shook himself and complied. As the words left his mouth, the pedestal exploded with light. Cloud and Yuffie shielded their eyes. The Macura screeched as if in pain. When Cloud could see again, he completely ignored the pedestal, seeing the Macura charging straight for him and Yuffie.

He leapt over the podium to circumvent its attack, slashing at it viciously, forgetting that Yuffie wasn't really there, just her image.

Meanwhile, Yuffie was staring in awe as the package unwrapped itself revealing a rectangular prism of purple light that floated up to revolve above the pedestal. It slowly melted into the Wutainese character imprinted on the pedestal:

They gave off a bright flash then, rays of it shooting off towards Cloud, infusing him in light. He jolted from it, lifting off his feet slightly, before collapsing.

Yuffie watched terrified as the Macura bore down on him. "Cloud!"

He rolled out of the way just in time, leaping to his feet. A surge of energy surged through him, enhancing his skill and awareness.

Cloud battled the Macura, defeating it eventually. Placing his sword on his back, he tried to slow his breathing as he turned to the DGI-ed Yuffie.

"Are you okay?" she asked, concern evident in her voice.

He nodded tiredly.

"I wish I could've helped."

Cloud looked at her surprised. "You did help… I never would've been able to defeat it if you hadn't translated for me."

"Yeah, but still…I could've seriously kicked butt."

Cloud choked out a laugh and nodded. He moved his gaze to the rotating characters.

Scratching the back of his head, he asked, "What's that mean again?"

"Yakusoku. It means 'promise'." Yuffie answered, biting her lip.

Cloud frowned. "The old man I got the package from told me that. What do you think it means?"

Yuffie shrugged. "I don't know." She looked at him worried. "Cloud, maybe you should head for Kalm. Or Chocobo Billy's ranch. You look like crap."

Cloud didn't argue.

"I'll give you a call in the morning, okay?"

Wiping his forehead and stretching his neck, he nodded.

"Cloud?"

Cloud looked up at her in question.

"I'm sorry."

He frowned. "For what?"

"…That this always happens to you. I mean," Yuffie looked to her lap, playing with the hem of her shorts. "You never ask for any of it and really shouldn't have to go through it but…"

"Yuffie."

She looked up to meet his gaze.

"I'm fine." He gave a half-smile to show he was sincere. "You don't need to worry about me." Yuffie looked unconvinced and he felt an uncontrollable urge to assure her somehow. So he added, "Besides, this is nothing compared to Meteor. Or even Omega."

Yuffie pursed her lips. "What about Sephiroth?"

"Nothing comes close to dealing with him." Cloud nodded.

Yuffie finally relented and gave a small smile.

Satisfied, Cloud returned it with a quick one of his own before glancing around.

"Now," he said, "How do you suppose I get out?"

"Maybe yakusoku is the password?" Yuffie suggested.

Cloud nodded, seeing the logic in her suggestion. "I'll try it. So, I'll talk to you tomorrow?"

Yuffie nodded. "Be careful, Cloud."

Cloud nodded. And with a quirky smile from her, Yuffie closed the connection, disappearing from view.

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A/N: Please Review;)