Wow! This is the first time I've cranked out a new chapter at this speed! I'm so proud of myself!! ^^
Hope you read and enjoy!!!

Disclaimer:I own nothing in this story, except for the original characters and the storyline (of course).
Oh, and I don't own Cloud or Kadaj (though I wish I owned the latter...T.T)

Gamestop was pretty crowded when we got there. It seemed like geeks from all around the state were there. Lindsey bounced off to look at the game she had came there for. She'd never really been a big FF VII fan so she honestly didn't see what the big commotion was about. I, on the other hand, was totally stoked. I'd been waiting forever it seemed like to finally play the remade version of the game. I looked around. There were no posters indicating who the special guest was, but I did see a line at the back of the store leading to a section that was closed off by red velvet curtains. I guessed that was where the guest was. I quickly looked over at Lindsey. Seeing that she was safely occupied looking at the game and flirting with some weird guy in a wig, I made my way over to the back of the store.

There were tons of fans waiting and an armed guard at the front to boot, so whoever it was must have been pretty damn popular. That shocked me. No one ever comes to our tiny town.

After waiting for what seemed like forever (they were only letting a few people in at a time), it was finally my turn. Stepping past the armed guard, my eyes quickly adjusted to the dim light of the little alcove. Going around a few milling people, I spotted what everyone had come to see...and it shocked the living hell out of me. In a glass cage was a replica of my favorite video game character ever, Cloud Strife. I stepped closer to it. It looked asleep. I couldn't help but marvel at the talent of the man who'd made this statue. Everything about it was perfect and accurate, from the spikes in his hair down to the giant sword in the ground next to him. Lindsey had gotten the wrong information, but seeing this was definitely better than meeting the guy who voiced him.

It was beautiful; he was beautiful. I got even closer to the container, still marveling at his features. Gently, ever so gently, I rested my hand on the glass. At that instant, the replica's eyes popped open. Except his eyes...they weren't fake...they weren't a doll's eyes... they were real, they were deep, soulful eyes; eyes it seemed that had seen extreme sadness...and they were looking piercingly at me. I gasped and stepped back, not knowing what else to do. The eyes followed my movements and in that moment I knew. I knew that whatever it was in that bubble of glass wasn't fake: it was real. That was really somebody in there...and I gulped because somehow I knew it was the real Cloud.

But what was one of the most bad ass video game characters of all time doing out in the real world in a glass bubble at a Gamestop?! The eyes continued to stare at me and his mouth moved forming the words "help me". My eyes widened and I quickly nodded. I didn't know how, but I would get him out of there, somehow, someway. I placed my hand back on the glass reassuringly, and Cloud's eyes closed again.

I backed away from the bubble knowing that no one else seemed to have seen what I saw. That was good. The less people who knew about it, the better. As I turned to head for the entrance, a heavy hand fell upon my shoulder. I gasped and glanced up. There were three men behind me. The two behind the first were big, buff, and bald. One had an eye patch and the other had a long jagged scar running down his face and onto his neck disappearing into his suit collar. The man with his hand on my shoulder was quite handsome I suppose. He had nice strong features and long black hair, but his eyes were black and almost soulless it seemed. I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

"Hello miss, and how are you this fine day?" the man with the black hair asked in a deep, deceptively soothing voice.

I glanced down at my shoulder where the man's hand was. "It would be better if you would get your hand off my shoulder."

The man's eyebrows raised and the guy with eye patch growled. The man raised his hand off of my shoulder and held it up to signal to his companion that all was well. He smiled looking ever more like a snake. I couldn't help but feel a little like the poor bird that gets caught in its hypnotizing gaze. "I'm sorry. I should introduce myself. I am Luke, and these are my friends, Edge and Nicco," he said,

"They look more like bodyguards to me," I said, watching as the one with the scar, Nicco or Edge--I didn't know which--cracked his knuckles menacingly.

"Cannot one's body guards also be one's friends?" he asked with, what would have been to some, a charming smile. To me, it looked like he was contemplating someone's death.

"I...suppose," I said reluctantly.

Luke smiled. "And your name is?"

I bit my lip trying to decide whether or not to trust this man with that information. I was on the point of lying when I decided this guy would somehow know if I wasn't telling the truth. So shrugging I said, "Christina."

Luke's smile got wider. "Well, it is very nice to meet you."

"Umm...nice to meet you too, I guess."

Luke turned to Cloud. "A very nice replica don't you think?"

I was silent. Replica my ass. When I felt the man's gaze on me, I quickly said, "Yeah. It's very....realistic."

Luke gave a little laugh. "Yes."

I looked away. This guy was making me sick. "You know my friend is waiting for me, so I sort of have to get going."

"Ahh, a pity. But I suppose it cannot be helped. Until next we meet," he said bowing to me.

"Yeah, bye." I said, before basically running away from him and pushing several people in my haste to escape from him.

As soon as I was out of the tiny room, I found Lindsey exactly where I'd left her, still talking to the guy in the wig. I ran over to them.

"Lindsey we have to leave now!" I said urgently.

Lindsey looked at me. "Aww but I'm having so much fun!"

"Now!"

"Okay, okay, GEEZ! Bye. I guess I'll talk to you later," Lindsey said to the guy.

I looked at him. He was vaguely familiar, but my mind was too frazzled to care. Grabbing Lindsey's hand, I pulled her out of the store.

"Where are we going?," Lindsey asked.

"To a safe place where we can talk!"

Woot! Another chapter done! Please leave a review (and receive a box of pocky!^^)