The file you are reading is not meant for your eyes; put it down and walk away or I Tseng Director of the Turks, or my successor, will find you and silently and effectively remove you from society, to then slowly starve and torture you to your breaking point. It is as this point that we will bring you do the absolute middle of nowhere where you will be given your freedom of choosing how you would like to die. Should you ever make it back to society the Turks will take this is as you rejecting our kindness of letting you choose your own death, and will be subject to a death at either my, or my successor's, discretion. This is the record of six of my most extraordinary Turks. They came from another world, a world where Final Fantasy 7 is owned by Square Enix but this is their story and theirs alone. For the sake of the future I left a record of their adventures locked deep in the Turk Archives but only if the fate of the world is threatened should this file be opened. You have been warned. Read at your own risk.

-Tseng Akira, Director of the General Affairs Department, Shinra Electric Power Company

Chapter 21: The Joy Before World's End

"Where are we going?" Alanna asked Genesis, as she trailed after him down LOVELESS Avenue. He'd made her dress in the outfit she'd worn on her mission to distract the cadets, with the addition of a cardigan over her top to be modest. He was dressed casually, in jeans and a black shirt with a red leather coat over it. The dark wash jeans went very nicely with the faded red leather, especially from Alanna's place a few steps behind him. He turned to look at her over his shoulder.

"You'll see when we get there." He slowed to walk by her side. He reached out and hesitantly took her hand. Alanna flushed and looked down at the ground. He noticed and smiled, pleased.

"Does July 4th mean anything in your world?" He asked suddenly. Alanna smiled.

"It's Independence day back home." She replied.

"What is that?" He asked, curious.

"Well, it's the day our country's founding fathers signed the declaration of independence, declaring us a new and separate country from England." She told him.

"It's the day you rebelled?" He asked. Alanna nodded her head.

"Officially I suppose."

"Why would you rebel?" He asked, surprised. Alanna shrugged.

"They didn't want to be ruled by a monarchy any more, among other things. They wanted the right to choose their own rulers for themselves. Our country spread the idea to the rest of the world. We proved a democracy could work."

"What's a monarchy?" Gen asked.

"When the country is ruled by a king or queen, and passes the rule of the country to their children for generations."

"Oh, like in Wutai." He said.

"Yes, like in Wutai" She replied.

"So, you don't have a company ruling you either?" He asked. Alanna shook her head no.

"We elect our rulers every four years. But today's important to our country. Everyone has the holiday off, and families get together and have picnics and barbeques, and then at night everyone gathers to watch fireworks in their town."

"Everyone does this?"He asked, surprised.

"Well, most everyone, lots of people celebrate differently. Ryu's family had a tradition of running a race that morning, but her father's a bit crazy about running."

"Strange. To celebrate. To embrace freedom…" He mused.

"BITCH!" Someone yelled, as bright yellow slushies were hurled at Alanna from behind. "How dare you get near the great Commander Rhapsodos." Someone snapped. Alanna pushed her slushie drenched hair back from her face to stare surprised at members of the Red Leather Club. Her anger rose in equal parts with her humiliation and she took a step toward them.

Ryu sighed. It was so boring doing tailing duty. But with Alanna off duty, at Gen's request so he could take her out, she was stuck doing exactly that. Not that she minded really. Not if meant maybe the two lovebirds would admit their feelings to each other. But still, it was awfully boring.

"I detect known members of the Red Leather Club approaching from the north."Her goggles told her.

"Oh good, I wanted to hit something anyways." Ryu muttered. She rounded the corner in time to see the slushies being thrown, and Alanna's look of utter humiliation and rage.

"Aw, hell no. Not today, not ever." Ryu muttered. Rage boiled up inside of her. Alanna was, after all one of her best friends, but as a Turk she had to keep her cool. Ryu whipped her EMR free and with her jaw clenched as she stepped forward. As much as she wanted to watch Genesis beat them to a bloody pulp, which he looked more than ready to do, she couldn't let Gen or 'Lanna do it. That would be bad PR for him and the company.

"Well that was very stupid of you. But then the RLC has never been big on brains, yo." She drawled, idly swinging her EMR as she stepped forward. "Attacking an off duty Turk…" She tsked, looking at the half dozen or so members of the RLC. They fidgeted nervously, realizing they were facing an on duty Turk.

"There's no way she's an off duty Turk." One of them bluffed. Ryu smiled evilly and absent mindedly flipped her EMR in her hand.

"Oh, but she is. And besides, it's just bad manners to slushie your idol's date on his birthday."

"It is bad manners to slushie anybody for any reason." Alanna snapped at her, trying to wring her hair dry.

"True." Ryu agreed, "Gen, be a dear and run ahead. Get them to prepare some new clothes for your date, she's going to need to change." She paused and looked at the RLC, "In fact, take her with you, I'll deal with them."

"No! They embarrassed Alanna!" Gen snapped, his arm going around her waist holding her close to him. Ryu sighed.

"Genesis..." Ryu started.

"If anyone's beating them up, it's gonna be me. They slushied me!" Alanna snapped. Ryu partially turned to look at her.

"Neither of you will do anything. Both of you are off duty. To retaliate would bring about more harm than good, especially you 'Lanna." Ryu cocked her head to look at the members of RLC.

"Where do you think you lot are slinking off to? It won't do you any good, so you might as well stay and hear your fate." She said. She turned back to Gen and said,

"Go, take Alanna and get her cleaned up. I'll fill you in when I catch up with you." She said. Gen sighed. He knew Ryu was right.

"Damn Turk. I owe you, I suppose." He grumbled, a hint of affection in his voice. Ryu smiled.

"It's my pleasure, as your personal Turk for the day, to handle this." She said. Gen took off his coat and wrapped it around Alanna before he picked her up in his arms and walked off, with Alanna protesting strongly, both about leaving and being carried.

Ryu faced the members of RLC. She flipped her EMR idly in her hand, letting the grip smack into the palm of her hand.

"So, assaulting a Turk..."She began.

"We didn't know she was a Turk!" One of them protested. Ryu shrugged.

"Doesn't matter. Shinra takes the treatment of their Turks very seriously."

"Please..."

"In a word, no. You're banished from Midgar for life. If you are seen, and trust me we know who you are, you will be escorted out of the city. You have a week to leave the city." Ryu snapped, before she turned on her heel and walked after Genesis and Alanna.

Ryu walked into the shop, as the seamstresses rushed around Alanna.

"Wow." She said in awe. Alanna was dressed in a burgundy dress. It was cut in a straight line across her shoulders and neck line, long billowing sleeves with a silt from shoulder to elbow and another from elbow to wrist collected into cuffs at her wrists. The skirt fashioned after a pencil skirt ended somewhere before her knees. She was wearing matching heels. Ryu gave a short whistle.

"Well, look at you." She said, before she headed toward a bathroom. As she passed, she noticed it left a large keyhole section of her back bare. Alanna flushed happily. The slushie damage had already been repaired by the seamstresses, and the on hand make-up artist.

As Ryu came out of the bathroom, she spotted Gen standing by the wall, his slushie stained coat slung over his shoulder.

"So… " Ryu said, eyeing the flurry of action.

"I thought Tseng said all of you had today off." He commented. Ryu shrugged.

"We had to work the morning shift to get part of today off." Ryu said, as she leaned against the wall next to him.

"What, not enough Turks?" He asked, a bit snidely. Ryu shrugged again.

"A lot of us are on assignment outside of Midgar."

"Well, you guys will have tonight off, right?" He asked. Ryu nodded.

"And part of the afternoon and tomorrow too, so we can get some sleep. So we might actually be awake enough to enjoy tonight." She told him.

"Well that's good." He turned to look at her.

"Please tell me you have a dress to wear." He said. Ryu sighed, irritated.

"Yes, I have a very nice dress to wear tonight. Although, you may have to convince Morgan to let me out of my room in it."

"Uh?"

"Whenever I wear dresses, and I am sure by the way this is a problem for Matti as well, he has a hard time letting me out of my room to be seen in public."

"Why? Doesn't he like showing you off?" Gen asked, confused. Ryu laughed.

"You'll understand once you see Alanna at the club tonight, I think." Ryu said.

"Gen, I think you are misunderstanding how birthday's work." Alanna said, walking over to where they were standing. The bustling seamstress' seemed to be done for now. "You're supposed to receive the presents not give them." Gen smiled.

"This is a present to myself." He told her. Alanna scowled at him, playfully. She was enjoying herself far too much to truly glare. Ryu chuckled.

"You designed that dress, didn't you Gen?" She asked. Gen smiled.

"I did." He admitted. Alanna flushed and smoothed her hands down the skirt.

"There is one last thing." Gen said as he nodded to the tailor, and she disappeared into the back room. When she came back, she was carrying a box in her arms, which she handed to Genesis. Gen took it and opened it. Ryu's nose twitched as the smell of fresh leather wafted from the box.

"I think I know what that is." Ryu said. Gen flashed her a grin as he lifted the red duster from the box. Alanna stared at it wide eyed. It was tailored to fit someone that lacked Gen's broad shoulders. He approached Alanna and held it out to her.

"Go on, see if it fits." Alanna took it, with slightly shaking hands.

"Do me the favor, for my birthday of course. If you have to dress as me, wear that." He told her, as Alanna slipped into the duster. It fit her perfectly, and helped shape her feminine figure to look more like Genesis. Alanna looked up at him. Even standing on a raised section of the floor he was taller than her.

"Thank you, Gen." She whispered. He grinned.

"My pleasure." He told her. Ryu made a gagging sound behind them. Alanna scowled at her.

"Shut up, Turk." she muttered. Ryu grinned.

"Why don't you two get a room?" Ryu asked. Alanna flipped her off as Gen blushed.

"Kidding." Ryu said, "Are we done, or do you have more stops planned Gen?" She asked, as Gen helped Alanna out of the fresh leather duster. The leather was still very stiff. Her duster was placed back in its box which Gen took.

Ryu stepped out of the bathroom and paused.

"Well?" She asked. Morgan looked up from the computer screen and smiled.

"You look great." he said as he stood. Ryu smiled timidly. She was wearing a red, black and gold brocade dress with a dragon pattern. It was styled in the traditional manner of the Wutainese. It had a high collar, sleeveless, and ended mid thigh with slits along the sides. She was wearing black knee high boots.

"I have to get 'Lanna to do my hair." Ryu muttered. Morgan gave her a quick kiss.

"Are you going to nag me to get ready now?" He asked. Ryu smiled.

"You probably should think about it soon." She told him, before she left the room.

Alanna looked up at the knock on her door.

"Yes?" She said. Ryu cracked the door open.

"Can I get your help with my hair, so it'll stay out of my face?" Ryu asked as she came in. Alanna grinned.

"Wow, someone's being different today." Alanna said, as she took in the dress and heeled boots. Ryu smiled shyly. She smoothed her skirt nervously. Alanna patted the edge of her bed.

"Come an' sit, I'll do your hair in braids, how's that?" She asked. Ryu nodded her head as she sat. Alanna quickly created two French braids and then wrapped them together to make one long rope. She patted the top of Ryu's head.

"There, all done." She said. Ryu smiled.

"Thanks 'Lanna." Ryu said.

"Are you bringing your goggles?" Alanna asked her. Ryu nodded her head.

"They'll be in my purse, in case we need them." She said.

"You don't think anything bad will happen in the morning do you?" Alanna asked, referring to a popular fanfiction they had both read. Ryu shrugged.

"This isn't her story, but I suppose it might, we should be prepared." She grinned, "That's why I am leaving my goggles in the living room tonight when we get back. She'll wake us both up, if you wear your earpiece to bed that is, if something happens." Ryu said. Alanna nodded her head.

"Even off duty, you're thinking like a Turk, aren't you?" Ryu shrugged.

"Blame niisan, he's drilled it into me." Ryu said. Alanna shook her head.

"Come on, let's go wait in the living room for the others."She said, as she headed out of her room.

Mary was already in the living room waiting. She was wearing an ice blue and silver strapless cocktail dress with silver heels. She'd left her midnight black hair down, to gently brush her shoulders. She smiled when she saw Alanna and Ryu enter the room.

"I don't think I've ever seen either of you in something so short." She said. Ryu smiled.

"Well, I mean we can pull it off now." She said she said, striking a pose. Mary grinned.

"That's true." She agreed. Piper appeared. She was wearing black slacks with a bright orangey-gold top. Knots at the top of her shoulders tied the top together, her sleeves ended at her elbows, the slit running from shoulder to elbow buttoning closed. Matti and Morgan appeared behind her.

Matti was wearing black jeans with a dark blue button up tee shirt, and black converse like sneakers. Morgan was wearing dark denim jeans, a black sleeveless under a red unbuttoned tee shirt, and he was wearing black cadet boots.

Zack bounced in from his room similarly dressed, in what was probably his only non holey pair of faded blue jeans, with a deep purple button up tee. He paused when he saw the girls and tilted his head.

"Uh…"

"Yes Zack, girls in dresses." Matti agreed. Zack grinned.

"Why aren't you in a dress, Piper?" He asked. Piper shrugged.

"I don't like dresses, and I don't like dancing either, but I didn't get much choice about this." She told him.

"Awwww"

Cloud appeared in the door way to his suit of rooms. He was wearing medium blue jeans with a light blue button up shirt, the sleeves rolled up.

"Well, looks the chocobo cleans up nicely." Ryu said. He looked at her and flushed.

"I…I…" He stammered. They grinned.

"I was teasing, Cloud." Ryu said. He nodded his head and went to stand next to Zack, who promptly ruffled his hair.

Angeal strolled in during the exchange, and moved to stand next to Mary, who was still sitting in a chair. He was wearing black slacks with a light green button up under a black vest.

The apartment door opened and Reno, Rude, Chloe, Vincent and Tseng entered, having gone back to their apartments to clean up and change.

Tseng moved to stand next to Cloud, their hands brushing. Cloud shifted his weight towards Tseng. Tseng was dressed in black jeans and was wearing a tight fitting black sleeveless shirt under his black unbuttoned shirt.

Reno bounced into the room and then plowed to a stop when he spotted Ryu. His jaw dropped open and he stared at her.

"You're going out in that?" He asked, surprised. Ryu rolled her eyes.

"Why yes I am." She replied.

"Isn't it kinda short?" He asked. Ryu sighed as Morgan said,

"Thank you."

"Don't give him ammo, niisan." Ryu told him. Reno shrugged.

"Just saying yo." He told her. Ryu shook her head and studied his clothing. He was wearing black jeans that had seen better days, unless those rips were intentional. His red button up shirt had black wings emblazoned on the back, he'd rolled the sleeves up and left it untucked. His hair was pulled back in his normal tail, but he'd switched the normal hoops he wore for black crystal studs.

"What?" He asked, noticing she was eyeing him.

"Do you not own a pair of non holey jeans?" She asked. Rude shook his head as he moved to stand next to Reno.

"I think he buys them pre-ripped." He said. Rude was wearing dark denim jeans with a black button up with the sleeves rolled up and a dark blue tie, his glasses still perched on his face. Seph wandered into the living room.

"Isn't Genesis ready to go yet?" He asked. He'd pulled his silver hair back into a ponytail. He was wearing a dark green button up shirt over a dark grey sleeveless with faded blue jeans. Chloe moved to stand next to Seph. He smiled shyly at her. She was wearing a silvery gray, slinky one shoulder dress with tall black heels. Her short black hair was pinned back out of her face, the ends curling gently. Vincent moved to stand on his other side. He was dressed in black pants, a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a red tie. His hair had been pulled back into a tail at the base of his neck.

"No, you know Genesis. He takes longer than a girl does to get ready." Zack said, he looked at the girls in the room.

"No offense meant." He added. Ryu laughed and pushed Morgan.

"I always say Morgan takes longer than a girl, because he's running around filling his damn pockets full of crap, so none taken." She said.

"My wallet, phone and keys aren't crap." He pointed out, as the others laughed. Ryu raised an eyebrow.

"No but the lighter, the three knives, the comb, the random bits of electronics, and the two multitools are not needed to drive me home." She retorted. Morgan opened his mouth to reply, when Gen stepped out of his room.

He was wearing black slacks, with a black button up and a burgundy vest embroidered with gold thread.

"Well, here's the man of the hour."Tseng said.

"Finally." Mary muttered. Ryu casually nudged her in the leg. The four girls stepped forward.

"Happy birthday, Gen" Alanna said before they launched into a broadway version of Happy Birthday. As the others clapped once they'd finished, music came piping in over the surround system. The others sat as the mini concert began in full. They started with Wicked's Defying Gravity, threw in some Disney, Lion King, The Little Mermaid and Mulan, a bit of Madagascar's I like to Move, Move it, added some of The Wanted, Some Sweet Child O' Mine, and ended with Rent's Seasons of Love.

"Wow." Gen said when they finished.

"When did you have time to learn all that?" Zack asked. Alanna, Mary and Ryu smiled.

"Most of them were songs we'd preformed before, or loved to begin with." Mary admitted.

"It was amazing." Gen said, standing to hug them.

"It wasn't LOVELESS." Ryu said, "But Mary didn't want to memorize it to recite."

"I don't remember poetry very well." Mary said.

"I still enjoyed it." He assured them.

"If we're going to get to the club we should go now." Tseng said, as he stood. The others jumped to their feet to leave.

They all climbed into the limo Tseng had arranged for. Gen in the middle of the crowd. Mary and Ryu started dancing in their seats as popular dance music blasted in over the speakers. The bangles on Ryu's wrist chimed in time with the music. She saw Alanna crammed between Gen and Zack, and reached over grabbing Alanna's hands, urging her to dance along. Zack stared tapping his foot in time with the music. Cloud was lightly snapping his fingers in time with the music.

"You haven't even started drinking yet." Morgan told Ryu. She grinned at him.

"You might as well have fun. It doesn't happen all that often." She told him, sticking her tongue out at him.

When they finally reached the club, Zack, who was too eager to get out of the limo to wait, hopped out the sun roof, much to the pleasure of the people waiting for entrance into the club. Ryu rolled her eyes.

Zack stood on the top of the limo, looking at the crowd. Reno hopped out next to him.

"It's getting hot in there, yo." He said. Zack nodded his head, bouncing on his feet.

"Zack, Reno." Tseng called once he'd emerged from the limo. The two of them bounced off the car. To the crowd's great delight, next to emerge from the limo was Cloud. He eyed the crowd, who Zack was waving to eagerly, with unease. Next Angeal emerged from the limo to ecstatic screams from his fangirls.

"We're going to have our work cut out for us tonight." Ryu muttered still in the limo. Mary sighed.

"Just dance all over him Mary, then they can't get close to him." Ryu told her. Mary blushed. Angeal held out a hand to assist her from the limo. He smiled and tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow. Mary flushed at the gasps from the crowd of his adoring fans, and the snapping of hundreds of cameras.

Ryu exited without tripping over feet and moved to flank Tseng. Morgan joined her eyeing the crowd. Seph got out of the limo to the screams of delight from the crowd, which quickly turned to gasps of horror, as he helped Chloe from the car and followed Angeal's example, tucking her hand into his elbow. Chloe's cool gaze swept the crowd with a haughty look, that if Ryu didn't know her better, would have sworn was as snotty as Gen at his worst.

"She's a cool customer." Morgan whispered in her ear, his arm slipping around her waist. Ryu nodded her head.

"She's cool as ice under fire." She agreed. Vincent stepped from the car with Rude behind him. The crowd held their breath waiting, hoping, and to their joy, Gen stepped from the limo. Their cries of delight, as before, turned quickly to gasps of surprise as Gen helped Alanna from the car, and placed a kiss on her cheek before taking her hand and leading her to the entrance. Alanna smiled shyly, as hundreds of cameras snapped in their faces. The SOLDIERs, with escorts, would be all over the front paper the next morning. Alanna was glad she'd temporarily dyed her hair auburn. Not as auburn as Gen's, but a similar shade.

Reno came up on Ryu's other side and looped his arm through hers, grinning and winking at the girls in the crowd.

"Oh, so I have two men now, do I?" She asked, grinning. Reno lightly bumped her with his hip.

"Only 'til we get inside, then I am ditching to find a chick of my own." Reno told her. Ryu tipped her head back and laughed as they walked to the entrance.

"Besides, it would look weird if you walked in with Rude, and we can't have that, can we?" Morgan asked him. Reno nodded and looked back at Rude.

"No offense, but the ladies might misunderstand." He said. Rude laughed.

Tseng nodded at the Turks on duty to guard the 1sts as they entered the building. Since the party contained some of the most famous people in the world, they were allowed entrance immediately.

They acquired a table in the back and gathered around it, while Reno summoned a waitress over.

"Give us a round of kamikazes." He ordered, handing over a corporate Shinra card. She nodded and left only to return a few minutes later with their first round of drinks. Ryu took her glass with some hesitation; she'd had encounters with kamikaze shots before.

"Niisan, you are trying to get us all wasted." She told him. He grinned and grabbed his glass and lifted it.

"Happy birthday, Genesis. May there be many more." He said. The others toasted him with their glasses and downed the shots. There were several gasping gags from those who had never tried one before.

"That was awful." Mary said. Ryu nodded her head, making faces as she tried to rid her tongue of the lingering taste.

"Kamikazes are not only powerful, but nasty" She said.

"What should the next round be?" Reno asked.

"Something pleasant?" Matti asked.

"I want to try a Captain America." Ryu said.

"What's that?" Reno asked.

"1 part Vodka, 1 part blue curaco, and 1 part grenadine in a shot glass." Alanna answered. Reno shrugged.

"Sounds good, let's try it." He said. When the waitress returned he told her what they wanted. She returned with the drinks quickly.

"I hope this tastes better than the other one." Morgan said. Ryu picked up her glass.

"Live, laugh, love and learn." She told Gen and knocked the drink back, the others followed suit.

"Okay," Mary said, "No more shots."

"I don't think they have Smirnoff here." Ryu told her.

"No, but they should have some rum." Alanna said.

"Ohh, true, I like rum." Ryu agreed.

"Forget the rum, it's time to dance." Mary said, as the D.J. played good music.

"But I like rum, I want rum!" Alanna protested.

"Rum later, dancing now!" Mary said, excited. Alanna gave Ryu a pleading look.

"I like rum too. One glass wouldn't hurt." She agreed. Mary sighed. Reno grinned and ordered them some drinks. Ryu and Alanna took them with a sigh of appreciation. Mary finished hers in several swallows.

"Mary, you're supposed to enjoy it!" Alanna protested. Mary grinned and poked her.

"Hurry up and finish, it's time to dance." She said, bouncing in her seat. Ryu, Alanna and Chloe sighed, and finished their drinks faster than they wanted to.

Alanna, Mary, Ryu, and Chloe stood. The men and Piper looked at them. Morgan rolled his eyes and waved his hand at Ryu.

"Have fun." Ryu smiled.

"I will." She told him. The four made their way to the dance floor, their bodies swaying in time to the music. Ryu grabbed one of Alanna's hands as Mary took her other, the two of the dancing next to her.

"Smile 'Lanna." Ryu shouted over the music.

"Gen's watching you." Mary added. Alanna smiled. She knew they were worried that, like the last time they'd gone dancing, she'd break down crying.

"I'm fine." She told them. "It's not like I'm alone this time." Ryu smiled and gave her hand a brief squeeze before letting go. Mary did the same and then the four of them let loose and started dancing. It didn't take very long before all of them were dancing in a way that kept all the guys nearby very interested. Had they been paying any attention to the people around them, they may have been rather embarrassed by many of th looks they were getting.

When they needed a break, they made their way to the bar and found Rude sitting on a bar stool talking to a young woman. Ryu stood next to him and casually hip checked him as she ordered her drink.

"Where are the others?" She asked him. He shrugged.

"Some of them are at the booth still." He told her.

"Have fun, Rude" She said, after she got her drink. She fluttered her eyes at him and waved, before she followed the others back to the booth.

Morgan was lounging in his seat crowd watching, Piper and Matti where playing some kind of game on his PHS. Vincent was ensconced in the shadows of the booth. Seph was sitting uneasily in his seat watching the crowd in fascination. Angeal was studying the grain of the table in the dim light.

Ryu grabbed Morgan's hand.

"Come on." She said, dragging him back toward the dance floor.

"Good idea." Chloe said grabbing Seph's hand.

"Come on handsome come dance with me." She said giggling. Angeal shook his head, not in the least surprised. Seph flushed.

"Uh… okay." He said, letting her pull him to his feet. Mary smiled and grabbed Angeal's arm.

"Come on 'Geal." She said, tugging on his arm. Angeal looked at her, surprised. Alanna, standing next to her, gave him a sly smile.

"You know you want to, there's no harm in it, right? We all agreed to let loose tonight." She said.

"Pleeeassseee." Mary added, tugging on his arm again, "I hate dancing alone." She said. Angeal sighed and stood.

"Alright, but I can't dance well." He told her. Mary grinned.

"Doesn't matter, I'll teach you." She told him, pulling him to the dance floor.

An arm wrapped itself around Alanna's waist. She jumped, surprised, and then realized it was Genesis.

"'Lanna, dance with me?" He asked. Alanna rolled her eyes.

"You've been awfully clingy today." She noted.

"That's because I like 'Lanna best." He replied pulling her toward the others on the dance floor. Mary and Chloe were turned facing Angeal and Seph, teaching them how to dance. Morgan was trying to hide behind Ryu as he moved in time with the music. Zack bounced by the group, whirling a strange girl about the dance floor as she laughed, and was clearly becoming dizzy from all the spinning. Cloud and Tseng were in a dark corner dancing together, neither one of them noticing the girls trying to cut in. Reno was somewhere in the crowd dancing with several chicks.

"Gen…" Alanna finally hissed at him, after several minutes.

"Hmm?" He asked.

"I can't dance with you stuck to my backside like a barnacle." She snapped.

"Sorry." He muttered, moving backwards a bit. Alanna rolled her eyes at Ryu, who'd opened her eyes when she'd heard her complain. Ryu shrugged and closed her eyes again. Alanna giggled as she watched Morgan try in vain to tug Ryu's dress down. It seemed he thought it was riding too high for the crowd. Ryu slapped his hand.

"Leave it be. I'm not flashing anybody." She told him.

"But…" He muttered.

"No one's going to jump me with you here." She told him.

"Yeah but…" He protested helplessly. Mary laughed.

"She's not the same modest girl she was back home, Morgan." She said. Ryu laughed and threw her hands up in the air.

"Wooooo" She said, "I'm bad to the bone." She said laughing.

"No, you're not." Mary and Alanna chorused. Ryu stuck her tongue out at them.

"Just to the surface of your skin." Alanna said. Ryu shrugged.

"Well, tonight me and my little almost black dress are not behaving. I'll be a good little girl in the morning." She said.

"Deal." Mary said raising her drink into the air. Angeal rolled his eyes behind her head.

Zack bounced into the middle of all of them, and started dancing. Laughing, the four girls took turns dancing with him. Reno and his latest find joined them in their space, making them all crowded, but not packed as tight as they could be.

"Who wants to join the drinking contest?" Tseng asked, as he and Cloud joined the group.

"Reno and 'Lanna do!" Ryu yelled over the music. They broke out of the crowd and headed back to their booth, where the waitress delivered several rounds of shots.

Reno squared off against Tseng, while Alanna battled Cloud.

"Oh, this'll be good." Ryu muttered.

By the end of the contest, Alanna wasn't seeing straight and Cloud had seceded the title over to her. Tseng and Reno were still dueling. Ryu grabbed one of the shots left over from 'Lanna and Cloud's duel and knocked it back.

"Haven't you had enough yet?" Morgan asked. Ryu shook her head.

"Nope, remember, I spent the summer drinking with my family and 'Lanna. Tiny little me can hold a lot." She said.

"Just don't lay on the floor because it looks comfy, you'll get stepped on." Alanna told her. Ryu grinned.

"But things look different from the floor." She replied.

"Imagine that." Morgan muttered. Ryu laughed and kissed him on the cheek.

"Spoil sport, you're not even buzzed yet." She told him.

"It's more fun when you're buzzed, you just don't care."Mary said, handing him another shot.

"Come on, Morgan drink up."

"Just not too much, or Ryu might kill us for getting him beyond drunk."Alanna giggled. Seph gave her a confused look, as Morgan sighed and drank the shot.

"It's hard to do anything with someone who's limp like an over cooked noodle." Alanna informed him. Seph's eyes went round.

"Oh." He said. Morgan and Angeal both turned bright red.

"I don't think I'd be up for much other than sleep tonight anyways." Ryu said with a shrug. Mary wagged a finger under her nose.

"You never know." She said. Ryu grinned.

"Nope, you never do." She agreed, before she grabbed Morgan's hand and pulled him back to the dance floor. Alanna handed Angeal another shot.

"Liquid courage?" She offered. He looked at Mary, her body swaying in time with the music and threw it back before he let her lead him back onto the dance floor.

Alanna watched, smirking as the couple broke apart to dance alone. Ryu and Morgan danced near the edge of the crowd. Seph and Chloe had made their way back into the middle of the crowd, where the press of the bodies around them forced them to dance like they were one person. Tseng, who'd been beaten by Reno, was returning with Cloud to their dark corner. Zack was in the middle of a group of girls, appearing to be leading some kind giant ring dance, thing. Mary and Angeal were up near one of the speakers. Alanna smiled as she watched Mary sneak her fingers into his hair, running it through her fingers as they danced.

"'Lanna!" Gen said, as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tight against him. Alanna sighed.

"Yes, Gen?" She asked.

"Can we dance again?" He asked her. Alanna smiled.

"Sure, why not." She said, -I am not nearly drunk enough to handle a tipsy Genesis- She thought to herself.

The black lights flickered over the crowd and everyone with Mako glowed green. She heard Chloe laugh delightedly as Seph lit up like the proverbial Christmas tree. Gen groaned and buried his head in her shoulder.

"I hate black lights." he muttered.

"I think it looks kinda cool." Alanna said, studying her hand.

"It just points out how different we are." He said. Alanna smiled.

"So? It shows you're a SOLDIER." She pointed to Seph and Angeal who were still dancing, seeming not to notice the green glow every time the black lights flickered over them. Cloud and Zack clearly didn't care and in fact probably enjoyed it.

"They don't care. Why should you? It's part of what makes you, you." She told him.

"You think so?" Alanna smiled.

"I know so." She told him, "Come on, let's dance." –I'd rather have a drunken dancing Gen, than a drunken philosophical Gen.- She mused, pulling him onto the floor after him. They moved off into a section of the dance floor far away from all of the others, and danced like no one was watching, for the rest of the night.

Finally, all of them piled back into the limo sometime after four in the morning, and headed back to Shinra. Once they made it into the apartment, they staggered to their assigned rooms, seeking their beds. Ryu dropped her purse, open, on the table as she headed to her room. Morgan sleepily following behind her. The others made their way, with varying degrees of wobbliness to their rooms.

The doppelgangers had thoughtfully prepared for the results before hand. Each of them having laid out a pill and water to take before sleeping, and waste baskets next to their beds, just in case. None of them had ever been happier for learning that simple trick to prevent any and all hangovers. As long as they could get that simple pill down before bed, they would be fine.

"It's morning, it's morning, it's morning." Ryu heard over her earpiece. She groaned, pulling the covers over her head.

"What the hell?" She muttered.

"You should get up Ryuko. Mary has risen, and appears to be in a cheerful mood. Zack appears to be in great pain." Her goggles said.

"So I am hearing." She groaned, and rolled off the edge of the bed.

"Are you feeling ill, Ryuko?"

"No, just tired, really tired." She muttered. She made her way to the bathroom.

"I'm gonna shower, then I'll be out." She muttered.

"Ryu? You all right?" Morgan asked, slowly pulling his eyes open.

"Yeah. Mary's up and cheerfully so, if a grump wakes up I'd better be there to deal with them, not her. Go back to bed Morgan." She told him. He sighed.

"Why can't you let someone else be responsible for once?" He asked her. Ryu laughed.

"Because I said I would be the good girl today, last night." She told him.

"Meh." He muttered, before he stole her pillow and went back to sleep.

"No rest for the wicked." She muttered to herself, as she padded out into the kitchen wearing comfy sweatpants and one of Morgan's sleeveless shirts.

She squinted as she entered the living room. Mary had pulled back the curtains. Zack was curled up on the couch, a pillow over his head. Ryu paused to retrieve her goggles and slip them over her neck. Ryu crouched by his side. Mary could be heard singing in the kitchen.

"Zack?" Ryu whispered. He groaned.

"Don't yell." He pleaded.

"I'm not, do you have a headache?" She asked him. He nodded his head miserably.

"I bet Mary's singing isn't helping." She said. He nodded his head again, his hands still pressed tightly over his ears. Ryu stood and went into the kitchen. Mary was leaving with her breakfast.

"Go be sunny in your room, so the others can sleep." Ryu told her.

"Why? It's almost noon. They should be up." Mary said, "Lazy bums." Ryu sighed.

"When did we go to bed? Five? That's barely eight hours of sleep. Add in the alcohol everyone drank, and I am sure you can find it in your heart to be sympathetic to the hangovers, and the desire to sleep in on a day off." Ryu said, as she started a pot of coffee and looked for the SOLDIER class pain killers. Mary sniffed and left the room, quietly. Once the coffee was done, she poured a cup and left the kitchen.

Ryu entered Angeal's room, knocking softly. Once her eyes adjusted to the lights, she wished they hadn't. Angeal was lying on his bed, butt naked. Ryu thanked her lucky stars all she was seeing was his butt. She quickly pulled the sheet up over him.

"Well, I'm going to need some SOLDEIR class brain bleach. Mary will never forgive me for seeing this and not her." She muttered. He stirred and grumbled in his sleep. Ryu quietly set the coffee and a pill on his night stand, and grabbed his noise cancelling headphones.

"Coffee and pain pill for you, and I am borrowing these for poor Zack, who was just serenaded by Mary." She whispered to him. He didn't even stir. Ryu quickly left the room, quietly shutting the door behind her. She entered the kitchen again, to see Rude standing in his boxers, pouring himself a cup of coffee.

"What the fuck is with you guys and a lack of clothing today?" She hissed, as she closed her eyes.

"Sorry, Ryu." He muttered.

"Just give me a cup of coffee and one of the pain pills." She said. He obliged, and then returned to his room. Ryu entered the living room, set the coffee and pill next to Zack, and went to draw the curtains closed again. She returned to the couch and gently shook Zack's shoulder. He opened his eyes to squint at her. She handed him the coffee and the pill.

"It'll help." She whispered. Once he'd taken the pill and uncurled from his fetal position, she handed him the headphones.

"Go to sleep if you can. If you can't, you should eat something." She told him. As she stood she realized he too was in just his boxers.

"Gaia, have mercy on me today." She muttered, and headed to his disaster of a room and found him a pair of pants. She threw them at him. When he looked at her puzzled, she gave him a pointed look. He flushed and scrambled to get them on as she turned back to the kitchen to get her own coffee, store what was left, and make a new pot.

As she made more coffee, she pulled her goggles over her eyes and checked into the fan clubs. She chuckled over the images of Mary and Angeal, as his fans speculated as to who she was, and if they were an item or just friends. There were pictures of Zack's usual antics, including one of him and Reno, where Reno was identified as a high level Turk. And Seph's fans were aghast that he was seen in public with a woman, they wondered what was going on with him. And finally the RLC was up in arms and horror over Alanna and Genesis, and the banishment of half a dozen members from Midgar.

As Ryu was wondering if she could possibly wake Morgan up to check on the rest of the men, for fear they were in only boxers or even less, Rude came back out wearing his pants from the night before.

"Do you need any help, Ryu?" He asked quietly. Ryu sipped her coffee.

"Can you check on the guys? I am afraid to know how many naked butts I'll see if I do it." She told him. Rude chuckled.

"I can tell you Reno's fine, and wearing boxers. Last I knew he was half off his cot, snoring like a dog." He said. Ryu laughed and rubbed her eyes.

"Mary's already awake, Morgan is fine. Zack is on the couch with a severe headache. Angeal is naked and still sleeping." Ryu told him. Rude laughed.

"I am surprised you did not scream upon such a sight." He said.

"What sight?" Tseng asked, as he came out of Cloud's room wrapped in what appeared to be a blanket only.

"Angeal, naked as the day he was born Director." Rude replied. Tseng grimaced.

"May I have a side of brain bleach with my coffee?" He asked. Ryu poured him a cup.

"You don't need it as badly as I do." Ryu told him.

"So I take it you and Cloud are fine?" Ryu asked. Tseng nodded his head.

"I wanted coffee before I showered, so I will talk to you later." He told them. Ryu and Rude nodded.

"Well, that leaves, Sephiroth, Genesis, Chloe, Vincent, Alanna, Piper and Matti." Ryu said.

"I'll check on Chloe, Alanna, and Piper and Matti, if you you'll get the other three."Ryu said. Rude nodded his head.

As Ryu walked by Gen's room she giggled. Rude raised any eyebrow at the sight.

"Why is, is that Alanna's sock? Why is it on his doorknob?" He asked. Ryu giggled.

"I don't think he knows what that means." She said laughing. Rude raised an eyebrow at her.

"It means, well don't disturb, or you'll see something you don't want to." She said.

"Such as?" Ryu just laughed, and shook her head, entering Alanna's room with coffee and a pill.

"If you don't come bearing coffee get out." Alanna grumbled.

"But I do. Coffee, a pain killer, and a story." Ryu whispered. Alanna cracked one eye open.

"Tell quickly." She said, reaching for the pill and the coffee.

"Your sock is on Gen's doorknob." Ryu told her, handing them to her.

"WHAT!?" Alanna cried, surprised. Ryu nodded her head.

"Yep, saw it myself." She assured her. Alanna groaned.

"Does he even know what that means?"

"Unlikely." Ryu said before she left, gently closing the door behind her. She headed towards Piper and Matti's door when he emerged, in sweatpants and a sweatshirt no less.

"Thank Gaia, you're the first male I've seen decently clad all morning." She told him, handing him the other cup of coffee she held in her hand. He flushed and took a sip.

"Who's up already?" he asked.

"Tseng, Rude, Zack, Mary. Oh, and I had to enter Angeal's room, so I saw him in all his naked glory this morning." Ryu told him, as she headed back to the kitchen. Matti grimaced behind her back.

"TMI, Ryu." He muttered.

"Yeah, well I need brain bleach." She retorted. Matti grabbed a seat in the living room, as Ryu poured another cup of coffee and took a sip of her own. She headed towards the room where Chloe was sleeping. As she opened the door, a knife buried itself into the door.

"Good Gaia Chloe, is that how you treat the person who brings you coffee and medicine?" Ryu asked. She'd been lucky she'd known Chloe's nature, and so had opened the door and stood back.

"Sorry Ryu." She muttered. Ryu wrenched the knife from the door and handed it to her. She set the coffee and the pill on the floor next to her cot. Chloe rubbed her eyes.

"I feel awful." She muttered.

"That would be the hangover. You'll have to come drinking with us more often." Ryu told her. Chloe rubbed her eyes.

"I don't know if I want to." She answered honestly. Ryu laughed.

"Go back to sleep if you can."

"RYU!" Zack called, "I need an adult!" Ryu bolted from the room.

Genesis glowered at the world over his giant mug of coffee. He was in a foul mood. Mary entered the living room, and with a perky bounce to her step, drew back the curtains again.

He snarled, as Zack shielded his eyes in pain. Matti squinted.

"Mary, leave them closed." Rude said softly, as he walked over and drew them closed.

"Why?" she asked. Rude glanced at Zack.

"Some people are very sensitive to light after drinking. It appears Matti, Zack and Genesis are all such people." He told her, clipping the curtain closed to ensure no light leaked past. She huffed and crossed her arms.

"It's too beautiful of a day to have the windows closed." She snapped.

"I don't care how fuckin' pretty it is outside leave, the damn curtains closed." Gen snarled at her, his hand around his cup of coffee, clenched so tight he shattered the cup. Mary stared at him, shocked.

"Great Gaia, Genesis!" Rude exclaimed, and rushed to deal with the mess of crockery and coffee.

"I'm going to go check on Piper." Matti muttered, standing and leaving the tension filled living room. Zack whimpered and covered his ears over the headphones.

"Stop yelling." He whispered. Tseng wandered out into the living room in a pair of jeans and his sleeveless shirt from the night before.

"I think we should go drinking more often, it certainly was fun." He said, his empty coffee cup dangling from his hand.

"For you maybe." Gen snapped. Tseng looked at him, surprised.

"By the looks of you, I'd say you didn't get lucky last night." Tseng said. Gen narrowed his eyes before he launched himself at Tseng.

"RYU! I need an adult!" Zack yelled. Ryu dashed into the room, and took in the sight of Tseng and Genesis grappling on the floor.

"Matti, Alanna. Damage control, now!" She yelled. She skirted the fighting duo to stand near Zack. Matti tore in to the room from the hall, Alanna a few steps behind him, just in time to see Ryu and Zack leap away as they crashed through the coffee table. Both of them set their coffee down and approached the fight.

"Enough." Both of them said, "This will stop." As if wading through molasses, Genesis and Tseng slowed and separated, as Alanna and Matti clenched their jaws and fists and closed their eyes in concentration. Ryu picked up their coffee and held it, waiting.

Genesis and Tseng slowly backed away from each other, both of them glowering and straining to get the other. Genesis flopped into a chair, as Tseng backed up into Cloud's room, like a bull being cornered into a pen. Matti sat against the closed door and put his head in his hands.

"Oh god, my head." He groaned. Ryu topped his cup off and handed him the coffee. He took it and sipped, just as the door shuddered as Tseng kicked it.

"I just hope he doesn't get Cloud to kick it." Matti muttered.

"I'm hoping Cloud will calm him down." Ryu muttered, as she filled Alanna's cup and went to hand it to her. Alanna was shaking with fury, her control on Genesis' body complete.

"Of all the…" She hissed, "What possessed you?" She snapped at him.

"He started it." Genesis snapped, like an unruly child.

"Oh go degrade! See if I care! You're so selfish, everything is about you, isn't it Genesis? You have to be perfect and all of us lowly, lesser, humans can lick your boots. But we're not good for anything else are we?" She yelled, furious with him. He opened his mouth to argue.

"Shut up Genesis, I don't want to hear a word from you. Ever since we got here you've been the same. I don't even know why I thought there was something good in you! You're so vain and arrogant and self-centered. And you know what? You're never going to beat Sephiroth, so stop with this fucking competition you seem to think you are in! And to make it worse, you're never going to…"

"ALANNA!" Ryu snapped, breaking her tirade. Alanna whipped around to face her, a blistering comment on her lips.

"Suicide by puppy." She said calmly. Alanna froze, her eyes darting to Zack as they filled with tears.

"Oh no! What did I do?" She whispered, before she turned and dashed from the room. Ryu sighed and sank to the floor, and buried her head in her hands.

Genesis sat up; his anger dissipated by Alanna's rant, and subsequent melt down. Zack looked at Ryu, confused. Ryu rubbed her hands over her face repeatedly.

"Where's the redo button?" She asked, to no one in particular. Matti rested his head against the door.

"Well, that went well." He muttered, his eyes drooping in exhaustion.

"What do you mean suicide by puppy?" Zack asked quietly. Ryu looked up at him.

"Nothing, its code for something else."

"What?" he asked. Ryu sighed and stood, picking up Alanna's coffee.

"I can't tell you that." She flashed him a tired smile, "Trust me puppy, none of us want what it means to come true. We're doing everything in our power to prevent it from happening." Zack smiled wanly. Rude followed Ryu into the kitchen.

"Are you all right, Ryu?" He asked her. Ryu sighed and braced her hands on the counter.

"No." She admitted. She glanced at him.

"Do you ever feel like there's too much pressure? Like you're going to crack under it? Felt it so badly, you just want to run and hide from it. But if you do, something really bad will happen?" She asked him. Rude nodded his head.

"From time to time, on a mission." He told her. Ryu let her head rested on the counter.

"I've felt like that ever since we got here. Like there's been a weight hanging over all our heads, and just one wrong step will drop it on all of us."

"Can you talk about it?" He asked. Ryu shook her head and straitened up.

"No I can't." She told him. Reno entered the kitchen in his boxers sleepy eyed and looking for coffee.

"For Gaia's sake, can't you people put pants on!" Ryu screamed, frustrated beyond all telling. Reno gave Rude a confused look. Rude shook his head and gave him an ''I'll tell you later" look.

"I'm going back to bed, and pretending this morning never happened." She snapped, leaving the kitchen.

"Neesan…" Reno started. Rude grabbed his arm.

"Don't Reno, she's had a very stressful day already, and there's still Genesis' mess to clean up. You'd better get dressed and ready for the day." Rude told him.

"What did he do now…" Reno complained, before he chugged a hot cup of coffee.

"He and the director broke a coffee table for starters." Rude said. Reno spat the last of his coffee into the sink.

"What the hell happened?" He asked.

"I'll tell you as we clean up." He said. They entered the kitchen to find Seph picking wooden splinters out of Genesis' head and back side.

A/N: Whew! That's three in one day! Now all hell will truly begin to break loose.

Lanna: Mwahaha… got you all with the title didn't I? So, It may have been a bit of an exaggeration.

Mary: It's really not that much of an exaggeration.

Ryu: Meh. I don't want to admit things really got that bad.

Lanna: You guys ruin all my fun.

Mary & Ryu: And your big mouth will get all of the soldiers killed.

Lanna: *runs away crying* I'm sorry, Gen!