Again I don't own any of the ff7 characters. So don't sue e me.

Wraith has revealed his real name to tifa and now she has accompanied him to his home world. In the process he has given her and Vincent the revelation of his power. In the mean while cloud is having rash and rather jealous thoughts of the enigmatic stranger with whom he has yet to be properly introduced.

What will happen in this latest edition of bright eyes? Read it and you'll figure it out.

Who the hell:

He had no idea how he managed to get himself into these situations. From being the noble ex soldier to being a life sized ken doll. He had somehow wound up in the most ridiculous misfortune of playing dress up with yuffie

"Do we really have to do this?" he was concerned for what little dignity he had left.

"Look I'm not gona lie I like the whole spikey haired puck look on you but if you wana impress tifa you might wana try being a little more I don't know …… gentle…. You see tifa loves you cloud and with that she expects you to be concerned about what she may think."

"I am but……."

"Then no butts…. Now let's see first the wardrobe because damit do you need a new look…… whoa" she was shocked at the lack of color his closet portrayed. All black shirts with either nothing or armor attached to them. Solid black pants and combat boots. "Well I guess we can improvise…. Hmm…"

It took a few moments but yuffie eventually came up with the idea to take away from the clothing. She cut the sleeves off of one of the black shirts and removed the armor plating. As for the pants she simply carved the excess material off and while she busied herself preparing ideas and checking her pros and cons she set cloud to stitching them together again.

It seemed like the process took hours. He patiently obeyed the ninja and when he emerged he praised her for at least halfway trying to keep him dignified.

"Looks good. However try this out." She said as she tied a black hoodie around his waist

"Ha now you and teefs match…. Grrrarrr… mister strife I do believe this suits you. Now you look somewhat normal…. But you still have your emo vibe…… I think it's the boots…. Oh well now for the hair..."

"Oh god…" cloud took a moment to examine himself and admire yuffies handiwork before the inevitable hair conversation came up "yuffie I don't know if……."

"Just go with it…. We don't have a lot of time……. And you really need to get with tifa…… the sexual tension is killing the both of ya…. Honestly I don't know how much longer I can stand watching her stare at you. It's cute but kina creepy at the same time because its teefs…. Knowing she's undressing you with her eyes is rather disturbing…. "She admitted with a falsified sense of disgust as she walked towards the bathroom.

Cloud had to admit he had never felt so naked while clothed in his life. The pants fit rather snugly and the shirt had now become a V-neck tank top revealing more than he had previously felt comfortable with. The boots still stayed the same but other than that his basic wardrobe had been entirely obliterated. The hanging black sleeves and armor that he had adorned were now no longer there to protect him or hide his slightly paler than he thought arms. However in spite being out of his comfort zone he felt he looked rather good. He looked like any other person short of the eyes which were an unnatural blue tint. He had never stopped to take a look at himself before. He honestly never cared how he looked until tifa.

While his amusement was mostly focused on his new attire he also took a moment to register the nameless babble coming from the bathroom. Yuffie it seemed was searching for something in particular. He dreaded knowing what it was she would retrieve.

"Let's see……. Aha… here we go….. this ought to do the trick" she said as she emerged from the bathroom with a bottle of hairspray and a can of gel that to cloud signified a long battle of patients and personal dignity. "Now come here spikey….. I won't hurt you" she teased with a grin as she shook the can

"Uh yuffie……. This isn't a good idea……….. Uh… I think I hear the kids calling me..." he attempted to escape.

"Oh no you don't…… your getting the full go over……. No excuses and no escaping it. Now suck it up we're doing this…. Haiya….." she said as she kicked a small spinning chair she had brought out earlier into clouds knees. "Sit…… good boy…."

"Yuffie is this entirely necessary."

"Can it strife….. I can't call you spikey forever so now it's time for the ultimate killing of your old identity."

Yuffie seemed a tad too enthusiastic as she applied a small glob of the gel like substance into his soon to die golden spikes. She brushed his hair down with her hands until it lay flat upon his head. Afterwards with an immediate harshness resembling pest control she unleashed the hairspray. The image reminded cloud of an exterminator spraying overly large cockroaches.

The fumes of the spray settled within seconds and yuffie laughed maniacally when she saw her enemy locks lying in defeat.

"Ha there I win. Now I can call ya slick….." she struck a victory stance for a moment before clouds hair erupted into its previously spikey self. "What tha….. Maybe this'll do it."

She repeated her process again applying so much spray and gel that cloud felt dizzy from the combination of the fumes and weight of said substances. When the spray had settled yuffie sat at the ready with the can that couldn't possibly have held much more in its depths, and watched clouds hair as if daring a single strand to defy her authority.

"Whoowa….. Roll credits this episodes over……" she tossed the can into the garbage bin nearby with ease as she dusted off her hands. "Now let's see it come back from that" she stated smiling prideful of her accomplishment.

Cloud waited calmly as if he knew what was coming. Within mere moments of yuffies so called ultimate killing his hair as if his head had exploded sprang back into its standard positioning. And cloud laughed on the inside at the failed attempt to tame the wild locks.

"Its official you have a zombie growing out of your head….. What the hell do you do with your hair? That's not normal…… I put enough hair gel in there to sink an airship….. That's the entire can…." She continued her rant for several minutes as cloud waited patiently for her to calm down "okay first things first next time we give you a makeover were going shopping and then were going to a barber…… alrighty then. The boots are a necessity and the hair is a lost cause. Other than that you look alright to me now you stay here I wana see the look on Vincent's face when he sees the new you. He's a guy but he's got a lot of girl experience I'm sure….. As for tifa I can't wait to see what she thinks of this….." the energetic ninja bounded out of the room leaving cloud to his own devices.

He felt that the entire war of the hair could have been avoided. However he did look slightly less like a vigilante Goth. That in itself suited his fancy. The time was sure to have passed with ease after that incident. However tifa had not returned.

"Please come back……. You promised..." he whispered to the night in an attempt to reach tifa. He knew she couldn't hear him but a part of him hoped he would at least be felt as he allowed the rays of the moon to take his pain away through the window.

Images crossed his mind of what life would have been like if tifa hadn't been there for him. It was sad to say but in more ways than one he felt he owed her his life. Thinking this he made a silent pledge to repay his debt, and with a devotion he wouldn't allow to waver he set to work planning whatever it was a man in his position was supposed to plan. That whatever ended with a simple object. A ring. He thought back to all the times tifa had spun her ring upon her finger in frustration. The tiny wolf ring that she held so dear was a mere place holder for clouds ideal. The thoughts that Denzel had given him were now manifesting themselves into a pure drive. A devotion that he could not would not deny.

"I won't make you wait any more…." Another phrase he knew wouldn't be heard was spoken in an attempt to bring comfort to his beloved wherever she may have been.

The light around her had subsided and tifa fell to her knees. The unwavering feeling of nausea crippling her ability to stand.

"Oh god….. uhn…" she heaved as she attempted to breath correctly.

"I apologize for not warning you about the ethereal travel…… if it's any consolation Kara would often acquire the same sickness. It's called dimensional disorientation. Similar to the affects of air sickness. It will pass soon. Try not to move for a few minutes." Koty explained as he knelt beside her.

His words brought her little comfort as she continued to dryly heave, her stomach turning inside out in an attempt to ease its false suffering. For a moment she felt yuffie to be very strong. In the midst of such sickness she had never thought that suffering like the kind brought on by this event was even possible.

"tifa this city is called Atlanta. I have a few errands to attend to. Which means I will need you to fend for yourself while I take care of them? For now I will stay until your sickness has passed…… you know this is actually not where I'm from…." That was the first time she heard him speak what he didn't sound like a humorless drone.

"Its…. Ugn …not….." she was slowly recovering. "Then where are you from….. where is this …… uua… America……. You were….gua…. talking about…"

"my mistake. America is the country I am from. This city is but a small portion of that country. My home town as it would be is actually a speck in comparison to this place….. an off the chart town named Iuka. Its quaint but its livable. I was there for most of my childhood. Before the DPRD. After that it's a blank……. I'm sorry my memory is very limited as to what happened during my childhood….. or the events exceeding my knowledge of the infernal……. That is why I have come here…… to regain at least a portion of my past. I know where to look but bringing you along may put you in great danger. But at least here the mercs may not attack you….. its highly populated and they stand a risk of being exposed here….. that would be bad for business." He continued to talk to the steadily recovering tifa.

"so where are you going…… why wouldn't I be safe…….. what aren't you telling me…… and why bring me here if you're not going to let me tag along…… I can handle myself you know…."

"as I am well aware. But still your important to me. I owe you my life. You and Vincent. But to be honest that's not why I brought you here….. tifa I know this sounds ridiculous but you need me as bad as I need you. Without me the lithium mercs will over power you. And without you I have no real indicator of my past. For some reason I feel like being with you may solve both of our problems."

"whoa hold on we didn't have a problem until you showed up…. So you are my problem."

"then why didn't you leave me to die………"

"because……. Well ….. I don't know ….. it only seemed right."

"because you felt it…."

"felt what?"

"the pull of destiny…. Something telling you that I am important to you…… we all can feel it. It only matters how we answer."

She took a moment to let the conversation sink in. she had no idea why she didn't leave him to die. Or why she hadn't let him leave when he decided to. She didn't even know why she followed him.

"when I woke to see you I forgot everything. My memory fragmented itself and only glimpses of the past remain. I realize what I am but not how. When I am around your 'family' I get a sense of closeness to my own past. Forgive me for being selfish but I must know what happened. I only remember her. And only select things. Please……. Help me……."

The request that the obviously heartbroken man made cut tifas very soul as she looked up to see him on his knees staring at the stars. Her sympathy for this man turned into a full out maternal protectiveness as she allowed herself to embrace him.

"It's okay we'll get your memories back….. but first you have things to do."

"yes first off however you will need this" he spoke as he handed her a roll of folded up green paper.

"what's this?" she asked as she flipped it around in her hand.

"this is currency here consider it to be like……. Gil….. in your world gil is currency. Here it is known as dollars. Paper money. Use this to acquire things to keep yourself occupied…… I have a safe house on the outskirts of the city. The ally way we are in is safe and your clothing is quite normal attire for the area so if you stay here you'll blend in. if you come with me you may wind up dead."

"and what if you do how I get home." She asked now worried she would never see her knight in shining armor again.

"I won't be gone long and they won't send any large forces this close to a populated area. If they want to defeat me they will need a large force to do so. Therefore their window of opportunity is very small. I have only a few worldly possessions that I remember I will return when I have collected them until then do not leave the city. I trust you can handle yourself in a domestic situation?"

"if you mean a fight then yeah I think I can do it" she purred with an air of confidence.

"then I will be back shortly. Please take your time enjoying the sites…. I rarely get to so I need an outside opinion."

"hey koty how will you know where I'm at….." she turned to see the man had disappeared "well I guess this'll be my first time in another world. Better make the best of it."

She emerged from the ally way after she found her feet, thankful that the sickness had passed. However the sight of the area she witnessed made her dizzy yet again. Cars moving and bustling at alarming speeds and towering buildings that reached no end. She thought for a moment she had accidentally wound up in midgar a few years prior to meteor fall.

"hey lady watch were you're goin." An impatient man said as he bumped into her.

"I'm sorry."

"hey you dropped this" a younger man with obviously more patients said as he handed tifa the folded up paper she had dropped."

"oh thank you….."

"you should watch it. That guys a known pickpocket."

"then…… oh no…." she searched all of her pockets in vain finding that the only thing missing was the roll of money the younger man had just handed her.

"relax he didn't get anything else. Trust me I have pretty sticky fingers myself." He said with an smirk of confidence.

She momentarily blocked everything else out as she attempted to come up with a proper thanks for the person who had probably saved her a lot of grief in the future. However when she looked up and saw the man's face she froze.

"cloud……?" she gasped as the man who looked exactly like her knight stood before her.

"who?..... did you hit your head? Are you okay" he seemed confused. However he attempted to be polite "my names Jonah. Jonah fairwater. Do you have a name or do you have amnesia?"

"oh….. no I'm okay….. my names tifa….." she was both shocked that the man looked exactly like cloud and saddened at the thought that he wasn't.

"well do you know anyone around here. Are you new….? Cause I can show you some unique characters like Liz the bartender. And let's not forget about our own national celebrity cid."

"cid….. whys he famous……"

"you don't know cid castlebery… he's like the only astronot to ever make an actual space walk on mars. And you haven't heard." Suddenly the man's words seemed to sound strangely familiar. "come on ill show ya Liz. I gota wait for a friend at the bar anyway. Let's go….. I promise I'm not a rapist…. Want me to prove it?"

"you don't have to…."she spoke in vain as the man held up a finger pointing to his attire.

He wore a strange camouflage that looked like staring at the front of a television from three inches away. On the front was a small patch that read '1st sty .'

"u.s. marines. Nothing finer. Come on lets go. I'll show ya around." He may have looked like cloud but his attitude was a polar opposite. "ya know you remind me of Liz for some reason. Maybe it's because you look alike. And I mean short of the outfit you've got an uncanny resemblance." He was a talker.

"well I really shouldn't." she spoke in a shy tone knowing that it was embarrassing to mention koty as a friend but not knowing what else to use as an excuse. " I'm waiting for a friend."

"don't worry everyone knows the seventh ring." He spoke "do they know their way around?"

"yeah I suppose…." She was further embarrassed by the lack of knowledge she had of the man she just referred to as a friend.

"then their sure to find you here." The man was like a puppy in a pet store. He half reminded her of yuffie had he not had the face of her hero.

The two traveled wayward down streets and alleyways long enough to make her believe the man had gotten lost. But just as she was about to ask him if he truly knew his way bright lights caught her attention.

Loud music could be heard. Ear breaking percussion. It scared her to know what kind of rituals were being performed to be accompanied by such a sound.

"welcome to the seventh ring." He spoke as he bowed comically. "please keep all boring intentions and negative thoughts within the bottle at all times and enjoy the ride."

"well aren't you charming. "she joked as she began to loosen up around the strange man whose personality had captivated her.

"yup. Oh and whatever you do don't look weak…. If any of the guys in here get the impression that you can't hold your liquor. They'll try to get you sauced. Not that you don't look like you can" he said attempting not to insult tifa. "you can cant you?"

"yeah. What do you mean…. Are you gona get me sauced" she put on a display of fake innocence that made the strange man turn red in the face.

"well not that I wouldn't if I weren't. but I'm kina taken." He was attempting to distance himself.

"oh so you have a girl." She teased him

"well sorta. Liz is very….. envious….."

The conversation continued as he walked through the door. The place was obviously large. It looked as though there were hundreds of people dancing in provocative fashions. However the room was pitch black except for the bar and the occasional person who was adorned with glow sticks.

"So you like it?" the man screamed over the music. "not really a dancer myself."

He didn't wait for a response as he darted for the dj's table, dawning glow sticks as he jumped onto the stage where the dj was.

The two men shared a high five and several joking gestures including a short mock boxing match before Jonah proceeded to return to tifas side.

"that's Grieg he's a piece of work." He said as he laughed. "this way, you gota meet Liz shell get a kick outa knowing her twin."

She wasn't eager to meet this new acquaintance but the man's enthusiasm was almost contagious.

"Liz….. Liz! Come to the back you gota meet this chick." He said as he winked in tifas direction "come on Liz everyone's already drunk they can wait a few for another round….. come on….. you know your eager."

The two of them went to the back of the building to a room that resembled a closet. The close quarters made tifa uncomfortable as the man shifted from one side of the room to the other. She could feel his heat and for a moment almost forgot that he only looked like cloud. The feeling discontinued however when another presence made itself known.

"Jonah what the hell…. Oh." The voice of a young woman made its way to tifas ears.

It was like staring in a mirror. The hair, the eyes, even down to the last little muscular detail. She was an exact match. Tifa for a moment wandered if the fingerprints would match up.

"alright first of Liz….. this is tifa….. tifa, Liz…. Man you two are identical. Any way tifas new here. And I thought I would show her around…… guys…."

The words of the man were lost as the two women stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. They closed the distance between themselves and each put a hand out to feel the others. For a moment tifa was lost in the young woman's eyes.

The cold dark hazel color of the woman's eyes made her tense. And the touch of her hand was soft yet strong. Tifa almost let out a gasp as the woman touched her face. And then another primitive urge like the one she had experienced with cloud took over and tifa slowly moved forward allowing her lips to graze those of the strange woman.

The girl gasped as the feeling of tifas lips accosted her. As if by some primeval whim the girl pulled tifa in and their lips locked in a tight embrace. It was warm like a summer breeze and yet for some reason tifa couldn't shake the unfamiliar feeling of displacement and vertigo.

Suddenly a familiar dark voice erupted and tifas heart jumped in surprise " stop!!!"

"koty what the…… how did you……" she was cut short by Jonah.
"koty….. man it's been a while since the last time." He talked to the intimidating glare that had planted itself on him as if they were old friends. "how long now three years…… oh man….. did you hear about Kara….. I know that must have been hard……."

"…………" koty remained silent for a moment "do I know you?"

"wait…….. did you…….. koty please tell me you remember……… it's me Jonah….."

Kotys eyes turned white again as the familiar wind tifa was so use to feeling erupted. She could tell he was thinking by the analytical expression on his face. However what was a mystery.

"oh no….. you didn't…….. now I see…… did you?"

"now I remember……" tears formed in the man's eyes as he reached out to embrace the marine.

"yeah man….. it's me……… show me da love…….." the two shared a friendly embrace as if they were long lost brothers.

"tifa……. I'm sorry but you must not do that." Koty said after collecting himself.

"why not." She said almost asking herself why she had in the first place.

"did you feel any sense of displacement or dizziness."

"yeah why is that a bad thing."

"oh shit…… man I'm sorry koty I could have stopped them…. Damit" Jonah was vexed as he slapped his forehead in frustration.

"wait why….. what am I not getting……."

"yeah that's what I wana know." Liz spoke this time.

"I fear you may find an answer sooner than you think." Koty said just before turning around alertly.

"I got your back your back man." Jonah said as he reached to a shelf and acquired a rather large automatic pistol. "you lead reaper." The nickname was not what tifa or Liz were obviously accustomed to.

The music in the room outside stopped briefly. Jonah after hearing the silence loaded the gun.

"look man I think I know what happened now…… she doesn't hate you and neither do we." Jonahs words were surprisingly serious. "it'll be alright okay buddy. Now get ready looks like we got work to do."

After the short preparation speech screams of terror erupted from the room adjacent to them. In response koty kicked the door open and allowed the noise to penetrate into tifas very core.

People were running and screaming. Chairs at the bar lay overturned and some even broken. Bodies lay upon the dance floor bleeding and some even bearing teeth marks.

" a paradox…. Jonah get tifa and Liz out of here." Koty exclaimed " shit…."

The door to the night club was broken down and dozens of lithium mercs ran in firing. When they saw that people there were already in a panic however they seemed confused. Confused until one of the men was thrown against the wall with enough force to turn him into a giant ball of human paint. The man almost exploded. He was obviously a dead man.

The next few men fired into the air as they were cut down one by one. The shadows themselves seemed dangerous until one of the mercs managed to make a lucky shot.

A creature standing what looked to tifa being around seven feet in height and almost skeletal in frame suddenly appeared. It looked hungry to. It only stopped for a moment when the shot was fired however . it then moved one of its massive hand like appendages to the neck of the merc who had hit it.

"I don't think so" kotys voice echoed as his hand tore through the beast. The ominous light once again present.

The creature screamed and kotys attention turned to the mercs. As the monster faded from view it was apparent that the mercs attentions were focused on him as well.

"why are you here… leave" he said to them lowering his gaze

"you've played your role and we've come to see you get your grand finish." One of the mercs lifted his gun and fired.

Koty didn't have time to use his power before the bullet tore into Jonah. The marine then returned fire downing around four of them. Koty made use of his arm to thusly eliminate half of them in hand to hand before deciding to retreat. He leapt over the bar and Jonah slid in beside him.

"how's that wound." Koty said as he retrieved another pistol from under the bar counter.

" well I don't think it'll matter they've cut off the only exit…. I guess this is the end of the line huh."

"what?"

"we only have so many bullets and no offense but they've got a lot of man power to take out at point blank range."

Tifa and Liz had managed to continue hiding in the closet. However Liz attempted to finish the fight. Shots from the closet were heard and jonahs face became white when he saw it was Liz wielding a shotgun. She managed to kill several of the invaders before they opened fire.

"no Liz get out of there." The marine panicked in vain as the girl was gunned down "noooo."

"Jonah" koty attempted to hold the man down. "she's gone. Don't let her die in vain."

The marine calmed slightly at this as he lowered his head. "koty I always knew you'd make me famous. I want you to keep this…." He took his sgts patch and ripped it from its original post "send me out with a bang"

Koty hesitated for a moment before realizing what the young soldier meant. As the boy held his hand out koty relinquished the gun he had acquired. The feeling of hopelessness that had been building suddenly threatened to tear out tifas throat.

"just like old time huh Joe."

" ya got that right" the soldier now stood up and the bullets were silenced as the gunmen locked themselves on him "koty do it"

Kotys eyes turned again the ebony of before and thunder could be heard in the distance. Suddenly the roof caved in center and crashed to the floor.

"so you think you got what it takes….. come and get some." Jonah shouted as he unleashed a hail of bullets from the pistols he had equipped.

As the rain poured in the mercs attempted to retaliate by returning fire but the guns that they bore would not discharge.

"bio tech weaponry still has one weakness." Koty voiced as he rushed in to meet the enemy. "electronics don't work in water. That includes these worthless toys."

Jonah continued to fire trying to miss koty who effortlessly dodged his accuracy. However he soon ran dry on ammo and rushed in to defend his friend. Tifa had watched the entire time feeling afraid to leave. She had apparently brought this on koty and she felt that there was nothing she could do to make amends.

She had silently hoped one of the mercs would gun her down. However the thought faded as the sound of breaking bones and screaming men ceased. She clinched her teeth and looked out to see that the entire room stood still all of the bystanders either missing or horribly mutilated. The mercs still standing aimed their guns at the two men. The rain had all but stopped and tifa began to speculate whether or not that it was the result of kotys powers.

"oh no" she gasped as she realized that the rain meant koty may have run out of power to attack with.

It seemed like a night mare as they unleashed a hail of bullets. However koty managed to accumulate enough power to stop the barrage. Tifa cheered in her mind at the display. And She allowed a small hope to burn before noticing kotys strain. He was bleeding his power dry and she knew it would only be a matter of time before they broke him.

"silence….." kotys roar was heard over the bullets as the guns ceased to work.

The men in turn threw down their guns and drew combat knives. They were intent on finishing the job with their hands if necessary.

" man oh man. You guys just don't know when to quit." Jonah spoke as he easily took down multiples of the armed men.

Over and over the marine pummeled the men until the last one lay defeated. He looked both prideful and tired. As he turned to koty.

"well that's that. Hey koty are you okay….." He spoke to the man now lying on the floor

" jo…..nah….move" he attempted to speak as he lifted his hand.

A few seconds passed and Jonah turned to see that more gunmen had returned to take the place of those who had just fallen.

"Well I guess we've played it till it's gone huh…. So this is the price you pay to be free….. well then I guess that means I just bought the farm…… which means I'm taking you with me……rahhhhharrrrrrrgh" Jonah roared as he charged the men in a final display of valor.

Tifa turned her head and refused to watch. She had never felt so helpless in her life. She had barely known them but for some reason she couldn't bare to watch them die. She cried quietly drowning out the gunshots and screams. Allowing the hopelessness to enfold her. She cried for the people who died by her own selfish actions and for cloud whom she would likely never see again. She cried for koty whom it seemed trouble enjoyed following, and for Liz and Jonah who were obviously unrequited lovers. Her sorrow enveloped her until the rest of the world was silent.

"please come back….. you promised" clouds voice echoed in the back of her mind " I won't make you wait any more…."

The sound both comforted and tore at her. She would never get to tell him how much she loved him. She wouldn't get to see him smile and it was all her fault.

"ghraaaaaah" a loud but deep scream broke her silent tears.

At that she averted her attention to the scene outside again. Jonah lay bloodied on the floor and koty was kneeling over him. The scene didn't look good but tifa felt it right to watch.

"koty….. ghah….. how do I look……. Be honest…." He faked a laugh

"like a million dollar man……"

"man you suck at lying….errragh…… hey… you know they'll be looking for you now….ugraaah…… you have to ….. go ……"

"Jonah I'm so sorry. This is all my doing….." koty hung his head low as he fought the apparent tears

"shut…. Up……. As …. I was …… saying." His breath became shallow and labored. "you have to get out… of here…… they'll hunt …..you down…….. if you run….. at least…… they won't be …… able to keep up for a while…….. but koty……"

"Jonah?" he said both acknowledging his friend and morning his mistake.

"live man….. you gota live …… free….. baby free……. Now get goin……" he spoke as he pushed the man aside " but before you go……… send…… me …..out… with honor…."

As the last breath left his lungs koty paused , and a long enraged roar of anguish left his throat. Tifa couldn't believe what she saw. They were all dead. The soldiers the civilians, Liz and now Jonah. She felt as though she should have been nicknamed reaper.

Koty stood in a defiant stance as he collected himself.

"tifa are you in here….. are you safe…." He shouted trying to find the missing member of the party of four.

She saw that he was worried and her heart broke. How could he even be worried about her a complete stranger when his friends lay dead before him.

"I'm here…… I'm okay…. Are you?"

"I'm fine but we need to leave…….. I have one more thing to do now though….. let's go"

Tifa collected herself and left the building via the broken door. Koty followed close behind.

"die well Jonah you left with honor." He said as he set fire to the building leaving the burning wood and bricks to be destroyed by time..

"koty I'm sorry…. If I hadn't."

"it was only a matter of time…..now let's leave….. I'm taking you home…."

"what about you?" she asked as she started to cry again.

"There's nothing left for me here…….. Jonah is right. I suppose I will accompany you until the threat of lithium has ended. After which we will part ways………." The building at this point was at this point in a roaring inferno.

Sirens could be heard in the distance. Motioning for tifa to follow him koty ran down the alley way. It was dark and the only illumination was a small street lamp that served to illuminate the dead end.

"this should do….. cover your eyes. And hold on." Koty exclaimed as he picked tifa up and jumped forward at the wall.

At seventh heaven cloud was once again pacing the floor. An action that had been repeated several times that evening.

"cloud stop that" Vincent said irritated with clouds impatient.

"sorry. It's just….. she should have been back by now…. I'm just worried that's all……"

"jeez spikey you need to chillax……." Yuffie puffed as she stretched a little too far for clouds personal comfort.

Marlene could suddenly be heard screaming with a nameless glee. "hey everybody tifas home.

Cloud looked out the window to see tifa hanging on a strange man. She looked injured and hung on the man's neck with her arms. Arms that should have been around him. Her hands clamped nervously to the man's clothing. Hands that should have grasped for him. Finally cloud couldn't take any more.

"who the hell" he spoke before he quickly moved to acquire his swords.

"cloud don't be rash" Vincent hushed the ever restless blond as he put a hand on his shoulder.

"Vincent." Something about his embrace struck cloud the wrong way. He felt eased by the older gentleman's apparent concern. "I'm sorry it's just…… who the hell….. Is he…?"