Kairi was playing on the piano, trying to look for more words for their song. But nothing was really coming to her mind that felt right.

But something felt like it was missing.

She was so deep within the melodic music that she didn't hear her phone ringing until she opened her eyes to see it lightning up. she picked it up. "Hello?"

"Princess bunny. Come to the briefing room." her daddy told her.

What was with his voice? It sounded tense, like he was ready for a fight. "Did I do something wrong?"

"What, no. What made you think that?" he asked her in a much more gentler voice.

"I dunno." she said.

"No, you and Zack are up for a real mission." he told her gently.

"Ok."

Kairi closed the lid to her piano and put her music paper away into a folder and into her drawers where they're safe.

she put on her hoodie and boots and left her room, heading to the briefing room. There was Zack, talking to director Lazard. Her daddy was sitting in a chair beside the director of SOLDIER. Lazard looked at her, standing up and smiling at the 14 year old.

"It's so nice to see you again. You have grown into a beautiful young woman since I last saw you."

Kairi didn't say anything, mostly she still wasn't used to people saying those kind of things to her despite it's been 10 years since her daddy saved her from Billy's torture.

"Kairi, where are your manners?" her daddy said in a warning tone.

"Hello. Thank you." she said quickly, not wanting to start a conversation.

She walked and sat on the chair beside her daddy, then she noticed something on the board to see her uncle Genesis.

He really didn't like her much. Of course, she hasn't told her daddy about it before. It's better if he doesn't.

Kairi didn't want to be the one to break their friendship up. So she kept silence on it.

"Onto business." Director Lazard said.

"SOLDIER first class, Genesis. A month ago he went missing during a mission in wutai. You two know anything about this?" Director Lazard told them.

Kairi was never good at lying and she didn't know anything about this. So she shakes her head. "No."

"Not a clue." Zack told him.

"The mission is currently stuck in limbo. That's why we decided to send you two." Director Lazard told them.

Kairi looked up in shock, looking at him. But she didn't say anything, she didn't felt like she's had enough training for this.

What if she freezes like a deer in headlights?

"Yes, this war has gone on long enough." Director Lazard said, putting his hands together.

"I've recommended both of you for First." Her daddy told the both of them.

Zack's reaction was expected. He let out an excited exclaimtion and put his arms around her dad.

"Angeal! I love you, man. Ange-"

Her dad pushed him away, with a faint smile on his face. "Don't make me regret this, Zack."

"Sir!"

Her dad stands up from his chair, looking towards Zack. "Once you're packed, we'll leave at once."

Zack left in a hurry to get ready for the mission. Her dad then turned around to face her. he turned her chair around.

"Close your mouth, Kairi. You are not a fish." he said.

She closed her mouth and took a shakey breath in. "I'm not ready."

He forces her to look at him by pushing her cheek to him so she is looking at him. "I say you are. I know you don't think you are, but I know it."

"How do you know? I'm weak." she said, feeling tears coming to her eyes.

"No, you're not. You are so strong, that's what makes you special. You need to give yourself some credit. You're stronger than me, you've always have been. Now go and get ready."

Kairi nodded and left the room.

Angeal watched his daughter leave the room with her shoulders down with a sad look on her face.

"How has she been since the training incident?"

Angeal shook his head at the question, the training incident had given Kairi a huge set back. She was back to being scared of everything and keeping her guard up all the time. She's even flinching again every time he tried to give her a small hug.

Even her appetiate isn't so good at the moment, and she was low on weight again.

The nightmares, however, are the worse. She wakes up screaming with pure terror and fear all the time. He can barely get her to go back to sleep as it is.

Perhaps once Sephiroth is back from Wutai...just maybe he can get through to her.

Kairi and Sephiroth's bond is special, he has never seen anything quite like it before. It was like they are connected in a whole different way.

Angeal just can't explain what it is, but it could be a good thing.

"No, horrible night terrors about when Billy did what he did to her or about what he did to the dog she found."

"Perhaps after this, she will be back to normal." Director Lazard said to him, gently.

"That's what I hope for, especially after I speak to Sephiroth. He needs to know what's going on."

HE saw his daughter come in, her sword on her back and he smile, placing a hand on her shoulder, making her look up at him.

She had the SOLDIER uniform on, much to his belif. She hated it bbut unfortunately she has to wear it. But she had tied her hair back into a ponytail to keep it out of her face.

"Ready, princess bunny?"

Kairi does a small smile and nods. "Born ready."

He chuckled and pulled her in for a hug, for once Kairi wrapped her arms around his wraist, melting into the warm hug and he kiss her head gently.

Once Zack came back, they were on their way to Wutai.

They were now in Wutai, walking in the warm air, dark night down the path that led to the city.

Kairi run after her dad and Zack. They stopped as they look down the path.

"Fort Tamblin is straight ahead. Let's go, B unit is already standing by." Her daddy told them.

Kairi nodded. "Will we see papa, daddy?"

"Maybe." he said, not wanting to give her false hope. "But even if we don't see him here, we'll see him in Midgar again once this is all over. But try to stay focus and in the moment now."

Kairi nodded, knowing he was right.

As always.

"You three there, hold it!" A wutai trooper told them. One of the wutai looked shook as they took in Kairi.

"Sir, that's a girl. Since when does SOLDIER have female members?"

Her daddy put his arm in front of her, protecting her as always. But all she did is crocked her head to the side. People, no matter where they are from, always reacts like this.

She isn't stupid, she is very aware that she's a girl. But a girl can always do the same thing as a boy, if not better.

At least that's what her papa had told her more than once.

But still, there's a first time for everything. She took her sword from her back and joined Zack in the fight.

Kairi knows her daddy will jump in to keep her safe if needed to be. But she can handle a few troopers.

Kairi strike them down one by one, one tried to surprise her but she jumped away, landing on her feet gracefully. she raise her hand and took a breath, using her fire materia.

Once they were all down. She swayed her weapon away and she looked at her daddy with a smile, who looked quite proud.

"Okay, next!" Zack said.

"Zack, calm down." her daddy told him.

"No can do."

Kairi rolled her eyes and she looked at her daddy and he smiled. "Good, you were using your magic. I'm proud of you for coming over your fear."

"But...I haven't."

He lost his smile, but it came back. he kissed her forehead gently. "I'm still proud of you."

She smiled proudly at that. HE chuckled and squeeze her shoulder gently.

"-the director is watching, right? So I have to make a good impression." Zack was saying.

She watched as her daddy walked in front of them, then stopped. "Zack. Heard of dumplings?"

Ah, here we go. Kairi smirked in amusement, she knows why her daddy is going to tell him about the dumbapples. It had been her favorite story as a child for bedtime.

It's better than loveless that Uncle Gene had read more than once.

"No, what's that?" Zack said, crossing his arms.

"Incredible...you really don't know?" her daddy said, putting his hand to his chin then he starts to walk away. "Well, so much for you making first."

Zack didn't hesitdate to run after him. "Whoa, wait! What's this dumbapple?"

Kairi giggled, but ran after her daddy (they had to fight a few more Wutai troopers) but soon enough Zack caught up to them.

"So, Angeal, what's the deal with dumbapples?" Zack asked her dad.

He stopped walking and turned around to face Zack. Kairi couldn't help but smile with amusement again.

He is her friend, but she can't believe how stupid he can be, sometimes. It's like he's a child with being naive of this or that.

"The official name is Banora White. The trees bear fruit at random times during the year." her dad began the story, shrugging his shoulders. "Because of that, the townspeople affectionately calls them dumbapples."

She could almost imagine Banora, the trees that were like a tree archway with purple apples hanging on the trees.

But she never could imagine the taste. Even though her daddy did promise one day he'll take her there where she can taste one and that she could meet her granny.

"The local farms had plenty of them to share."

"Oh, really? So you stole them?" Zack asked, teasingly.

"We were poor, Zack." her daddy told him.

Kairi giggled, she had asked him the same thing, when he told her the story the first time. But still she listened to the story again, she could never be bored of it.

"Nice excuse." said Zack.

"But even then, I had my honor. the largest Banora white tree grew on a wealthy man's estate. It was rumored that those apples tasted the best. But I never stole from that tree, because the wealthy man's son was my friend."

Kairi smiled, he smile back and stoke her cheek, she leaned into it. But Zack had to ruin it.

"Well, if he was a friend, you should've just asked for some." Zack told Angeal.

Her daddy put his finger up to prove another point. "Honor can be quite the burden at times."

Zack put his hands on his waist, looking a bit confused now about the story. "And...what exactly does this got to do with me?"

"No story is not worth hearing." her daddy said, he turned around and walked away.

"What, that's it?" Zack asked her daddy, then he ran after him. "Yeah, well, thanks a lot!"

Kairi giggled and went after them, she stopped through, looking into the trees with her heart beating into her chest and her breathing hitched up. She felt really panicked about whatever she was feeling, she felt like someone was following them.

But then everything went dark as she tipped side ways.

She opened her eyes to find her dad cradling her and looking down at her with a worried expression.

"Kairi, can you hear me?" he asked with his voice full of nothing but concern. "Are you hurt anywhere?"

"Daddy?"

Her daddy gave a sigh of relief and sat her up, he took her face in his hands, trying to see if she was badly hurt.

Normally a lot of teenagers would hate it if they're parents fussed over them like her daddy was doing it at that moment, but Kairi liked it.

"Are you hurt anywhere?"

Kairi shook her head. "No, I'm ok."

"What happened? Were you feeling a bit dizzy?" he asked her.

"I felt like someone was following us, daddy. I got scared."

"You had a panic attack?" he asked and she nodded in confirmation.

"Yes, I'm sorry. I try not to do it again."

"No, don't say that. You couldn't help it. We've talked about this before." he said, he then helped her up onto her feet and took her chin in his hand. "Never apologize for things that are outside of your control and never ever apologize for your true feelings, all right?"

Kairi nodded and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Love you, daddy."

"I love you, too." he whispered and kissed her head gently.

Kairi smiled and he took her hand and they went after Zack, keeping out of sight. But Kairi still felt scared on who had been following them.

It made her scared for the future of what will happen, even if she didn't know what was to come after the war with Wutai.