Tifa was distracted with the sudden rush of business, but despite it being busy, she could not get Cloud's look out of her mind. She felt confident that whatever issue it was that Cloud could handle it. She also felt confident in Denzel's ability with a blade and Marlene's self defense abilities that they would be able to keep Betty safe; yet the little specter of worry continued to nag at the back of her mind. Tifa knew that she would just have to trust Cloud's judgement. Once the rush was finished, Tifa would return to being a mother again and give Marle a break.

Tifa took a moment to go back into the kitchen as Marle was making more formula for baby Aerith who was upstairs in her crib fast asleep. Tifa knew Yuffie knew how to make most of the drinks at the bar and actually enjoyed being a bartender. Yuffie still had that youthful attitude about her but also had the maturity of life experiences. Barret was right at home in the kitchen and could make many different types of dishes. Tifa almost thought it was a shame that Barret didn't return to being their chef full time again; but knew monster hunting and work with a new oil company was much more profitable.

"You think you can handle the bar for a bit?" Tifa asked Yuffie.

"You know me, love to incorporate my ninjitsu with making drinks"

"Never lose that love of life"

There was one table left and only two old men sitting at the bar who were locals who would sit and watch the news then gossip for an hour afterwards. Barret was back in the kitchen washing dishes, pots, and pans. The menial tasks brought back good memories for him which made him smile. Marle was finishing the formula in the back as she poured some into a nice sized bottle for baby Aerith. The rest of the formula she put in the other two bottles and placed them in the fridge.

"You're just in time for the formula" Marle said closing the fridge hearing Tifa's recognizable footsteps.

"Very nice, I'll take it and get her up. If she continues napping she won't sleep tonight"

"She sleeps a lot" Marle remarked.

"I know, she seems to dream a lot... but anyways here take this and Yuffie will make you any drink you want" Tifa said handing Marle four hundred gil.

"Now you know I can't take that"

"Please take it, you do so much for me. I'll be back down in a half hour so take a seat and relax"

Marle nodded and walked out into the bar taking a seat at the end. Tifa dashed upstairs with the baby bottle, but went into Cloud's office finding the carbon notepad of deliveries. The most recent address was left on the pink copy but it was difficult to read; however, she made out the word 'Kalm' at the bottom and the rest mentioned 'Crags' which made no sense. Now she realized why Cloud dashed out, and despite her desire to go chase after him, she knew she had new responsibilities and would have to trust Cloud. Tifa returned to their room and picked up a now yawning baby Aerith.

"Wake up sleepy head" Tifa smiled as her baby slowly began to open her bright green eyes and let out another yawn.

She sat down in the rocking chair Marle had given her years ago and began to rock and feed baby Aerith. It was intriguing how easily content Aerith would be whether she had a few toys or was just happy to look around and take in her environment. Being a mother now came first above everything else, Tifa vowed that Aerith would not grow up without a mother like she did. Cloud had agreed with that assessment once and had secretly told Tifa how much he really missed his mother and regretted not appreciating her enough. Cloud would always turn his face to hide the tears.

"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere" Tifa said cradling her baby in her arms as she fed while rocking gently.

Across the Kalm highway, Denzel and company arrived at their destination. Denzel cautiously approached the two overgrown super-human men wearing black suits.

"I'm here to pick up a delivery for Mr. Thane" Denzel tried to speak confidently. At first the two men stood like sentinels and did not respond, but before Denzel could repeat himself, the two men opened the bay door to the warehouse and began lugging the huge crates.

"I can help..." Denzel offered opening the back of the truck but was completely ignored as the two behemoth looking bald men with shades as they arranged the crates in the back.

"Look at these guys! It's like they aren't even..." Betty whispered to Marlene as they sat in the truck both amazed by their feats of strength.

"Let's not go there, I just want this trip to be uneventful without a hitch. Let's not jinx ourselves"

"Yeah, crossing these muscle-heads would not be a good idea" Betty agreed. Suddenly one of the men spoke in a very deep voice.

"These are your instructions, do NOT look in the crates or touch any of the merchandise or we will know" one of the men warned. The other man carried out a long piece wrapped in numerous blankets. The other man assisted his partner and placed it on top of two of the crates all while securing it in place with rope secured to poles on both sides.

"Yes sir" Denzel responded as the man who spoke to him looked directly at him for his confirmation of the instructions. Denzel closed and locked the back of the truck up as the two men disappeared back into the warehouse locking the door behind them. Denzel nervously returned to the cab and took a deep breath.

"I never knew Rude had two incredibly buffed brothers" Marlene nervously joked. Betty regarded Denzel who still had his eyes trained on the bay door of the warehouse.

"Denzel?" Marlene nudged him.

"Oh!" he jumped.

"Let's get out of here, I'm getting bad vibes" Betty mentioned feeling other sets of eyes now watching them.

Denzel quickly started their truck and backed out back onto the main causeway of Kalm to make their way out. Once they were on the main street, Kalm looked as nice and normal as it ever had, but even the nicest towns have their questionable areas. Kalm was housing refugees from the meteor fall from Midgar, but due to limited space, many were turned away or told they could no longer stay forcing them to return to the outskirts of Midgar, the city Edge. Mostly it was the well to do and those with highly accomplished skills who were allowed to remain. Real-estate had skyrocketed with an average flat costing nearly 2,500 gil a month.

"So what route are we going to take to get to Mr. Thane's compound?" Marlene asked as they exited the town of Kalm.

"I thought we would head toward's Chocobo Bill's farm and refuel in Chocoboville" Denzel answered as they slowly rode towards the fork in the road.

"Chocoboville?" Betty sat up a little confused.

"Yeah, you know? Bill and Billy sold some land to Chocobo Sam and he turned the area into a chocobo tourist spot. The town is mainly a few ranches that specializes in chocobo feed, a few stores, and a hamlet of residential houses. People from the city come who just want to get away on a chocobo expedition" Denzel explained. "So have you been before?"

"This is as far as I have been out of Edge in years other than the trip with my mother to Costa Del Sol, my father has an aversion to travel" Betty sighed.

"Why?"

"My mother travels for work a lot making the real money in the family, while my dad prefers to do his own side work tinkering at home with tech devices. He's always been a home body" Betty continued as they turned towards Chocoboville.

The trio continued up the path into the hills, the road was a bit nicer considering the money Chocoboville brought into the area. Once they reached the crest of the highway Betty noticed a herd of chocobos running wildly from the left side of the road.

"Denzel, I don't think we can beat the fast herd of chocobos coming towards the road"

"She's right Denzel, slow down" Marlene agreed.

"They look frightened" Betty felt their demeanor as they got closer. Denzel stopped the truck and pulled over on the side to get a better look.

"It looks like a mother chocobo and its baby are being threatened by a huge snake!" Denzel couldn't believe his eyes as he reached for his sword.

"Could it be a zolom that Cloud talked about?" Marlene said putting on her gloves which had material embedded in each one.

"Not sure, but it's even a snake that size would not dare get this close to human civilization"

"Unless it's hungry..." Betty said grimly. With that cue, Denzel jumped from the truck and began jogging to the aid of the mother chocobo and her chick. Marlene's heartstrings were being pulled on and she didn't need much convincing to go blindly running after Denzel ready to use Tifa's techniques. Betty sat in the truck not knowing what to do for a moment, she was not a fighter like her friends, but she had joined for a short time a self-defense course Elena and Emma had set up for the women of Edge. Betty had focused on using a gun. Betty reached in the glove compartment and grabbed her glock.

"Denzel and Marlene... what am I going to do with you?" Betty turned the truck off and followed her friends into the grasslands.

"Wark! Wark! Wark!" the mother chocobo squawked as the snake twice the size of a Burmese python coiled up with it's tale wrapped around her little chick pleading to be rescued by its mother. The mother scored one good spurred kick on the huge serpent which only seemed to make it become more aggressive. It reared it's head standing seven feet tall, slightly taller then the mother chocobo. Denzel and Marlene appeared by the side of the chocobo mother distracting her for a moment to determine if the newest arrivals were friends or foes. That was all the snake needed to score a bloody strike on the mother chocobo slowing her down a bit.

"Just like a snake to take a pot shot huh?!" Denzel screamed out a war cry. The twenty-foot reptile turned to face it's newest threat and immediately struck out at Denzel, but he was quicker and dived to the side. The beast for a moment loosened its grip on the baby chick just enough where it could get some air, then it fully struck out at Denzel and the mother chocobo. Denzel's adrenaline reached a peak as he jumped in the air mimicking Cloud's braver move dealing a massive strike on the serpent. The snake hissed loudly in pain but as it now had an open wound on its left side. The angered beast now put Denzel on the defensive as it began striking advancing forcing Denzel to focus on deflecting every strike this huge serpent made towering over him with its rattling tale now shaking to the beat of battle.

Marlene entered the fray and jumped kicked the huge creature just below its head then she went full force and did a connecting four hit combo down it's long neck. The creature turned on eye towards Marlene assessing its newest opponent. It struck out again lightning fast at Denzel who barely was able to deflect the huge fanged bite in time only for the monstrous thing to now strike at Marlene with its mouth wide open as if to try to take a huge bite out of her; but before it could follow through on its next attack a powerful stinging sensation hit not too far from its tail distracting it. A new foe appeared as three gun shots struck the creatures hide now leaving the baby chick free to run to its mother.

"Please Betty! Help the chick and the mother get as far from the giant snake as you can" Marlene pleaded.

"Gotcha!" Betty joined with the injured mother chocobo as the little chick came sprinting as fast as its little legs could carry it. Betty saw the mother chocobo was bleeding and knew she needed treatment soon. She had a cure materia placed in her gun, but time was the issue. Instead she decided to help the mother chocobo move further away from the fray. The serpent became infuriated as it was losing its meal, but Denzel and Marlene were obstructing its way; and it could feel its strength waning as the wounds that it was receiving continue to increase.

The serpent quickly backed away as Denzel and Marlene continued advancing blocking it's path, it began shaking its loud rattle of a tail and decided to charge both Denzel and Marlene so it could finish its hunt and potentially eat both chocobos and maybe that girl as well that's helping them escape. The prospects of an even bigger meal gave the serpent the second wind it needed to launch itself. Without warning it bull-rushed Marlene and Denzel forcing them to go on the defensive. The creature knocked both of them aside as it's tail passed, it slapped both of them to the ground.

"Betty! Watch out! It's coming your way!" Denzel screamed quickly regaining his footing quickly pursuing the creature.

Betty turned around as she was leading the chocobos behind the truck, but as she heard Denzel's scream; she turned around to see the towering serpent quickly slithering straight for them. She knew she only had less than ten seconds before the creature was upon them. Betty made the quick decision to go ahead and heal the mother's wound trying to focus hard ignoring the oncoming danger. After six seconds her hands began glowing green and she directed the energy towards the mother chocobo causing her wound to begin to mend. The mother chocobo instantly began feeling the strength returning to her as she quickly moved in front of her chick and Betty in an effort to protect them.

Marlene was stunned for a few moments as she hit the ground after being slapped by that hard rattle of a tail. Denzel was already a few yards ahead of her in pursuit. Marlene shook her head and stood up regaining her composure, then sprinted after Denzel. The serpent was unbelievably fast as it finally opened its mouth wide to gobble up her chick and Betty behind her; but the mother chocobo jumped up in the air with both of its spurred feet and kicked the creature in the mouth but also received a bite from the monster. The mother fell back as Betty urged the baby chick to retreat further behind its mother as she fell on her back leaving Betty and the baby chick open for attack. The baby chick huddled to Betty for protection unable to help its mother.

The serpent bit the mother again with a venomous bite making her weaker than before, then it towered over Betty and the baby chick.

"Oh no you don't!" Betty cried loudly. She aimed her glock and successfully fired another five rounds at the snake. Two shots hit the snake near its mouth drawing blood while the other three were randomly grazing shots. Now more determined than ever to make a meal out of both of them, it quickly wrapped itself around both the chick and Betty causing her to drop her gun on the ground. The chick squeaked loudly as its mother slowly began getting up to stand despite the poison to come to her baby's aid. The serpent began to tighten its grip ensuring neither of its prey would be going anywhere.

"Denzel! Marlene! HELP!" Betty yelled as loud as she could. The serpent opened its wide mouth, "Calling lightning! Strike down this evil!" Denzel said under his breath stopping for a moment reaching out realizing he would not get there in time. A blue orb quickly appeared and it transformed into a bright blue lightning bolt and struck the huge snake in the back just below its head. The shock stunned the creature as its entire body stiffened stunning it for a few moments giving Marlene and Denzel the time they needed to rush to Betty's aid.

"Time to break out the magic!" Marlene said to herself as she reached Denzel's side. "Calling fire, burn this abomination!"

Marlene stretched out her hands as the fire quickly took form and rolled as if blasted by a flame thrower and singed the belly of the creature causing it to let go completely of its prey which were also stunned from the residual lightning.

"Face us you cowardly snake!" Denzel yelled. The huge reptile realized that it would get no peace with its meal until it eliminated all threats. It fastidiously spun around unexpectedly and used it's tale to swat Denzel against the truck knocking him unconscious as he slumped to the ground with his sword still in hand.

"Denzel!" Marlene screamed. The huge serpent now only needed to focus on the final threat, Marlene. It coiled up and towered over her rattling its tail. "You can do this Marlene" she thought positively realizing it was all up to her now. Betty finally recovered from the shock, and deftly recovered her gun off the ground and dashed to Denzel's side trying to wake him up while trying to keep her gun trained on a critical area of this monster.

"Denzel! Wake up! Marlene needs you now!"

Marlene's practice with Tifa really began to awaken. "Remember Marlene, always observe your opponent's movements and anticipate what the next one will be" Tifa would always say. Now she had observed this serpent's movements enough to know it was preparing to strike with a huge bite, and predictably it did. Marlene did a somersault to the opposite side then anticipated the creature following her movements and stood up and jumped up in the air preparing to release Tifa's beat rush upon it. The snake followed her movements, yellow eyes and mouth wide open. As Marlene descended, she dexterously unleashed her two-hit beat rush on the serpent's head. Luckily her first punch landed on one of the serpent's eyes blinding it on that side. The other power hit landed on the side of its mouth forcing it to retreat and hiss loudly in pain now that its wounds were compounding.

"Denzel! Please!" Betty kept lightly slapping his cheeks. Denzel finally began to stir with a remarkable resilience, then quickly came to.

"Where's the snake? Marlene? Betty?" Denzel mumbled as he began to open his eyes. He could see Marlene was confronting the serpent by herself now, but the big serpent was hissing loudly.

"It's either now or never!" Denzel concluded as he easily returned back on his feet. He held his sword with both hands in anger, and dashed passed Marlene and jumped in the air with his sword raised high. The serpent could hear him coming but it now had to compensate with its vision now that one of its eyes could only see blurred images. It was too late; Denzel was in motion coming down hard on the monster's head ending its life splitting it in two all the way down to its neck. The body of the monster slumped to the ground and the rattling stopped.