Many thanks to my beta Circle of Phoenix. Without her input, (and prodding) this chapter would have taken even longer and not been nearly as awesome. Secondary note after the chapter.
Chapter Twelve: My Kingdom for a Summon
In the ferry's main cargo hold, freshly healed crew members cradled the phantom aches of their former injuries and moaned as they sat up and staggered to their feet. After the door of the engine room closed behind the party, a navy-clad infantryman clutched the arm of another guard and cried in a high, feminine voice, "O...M...G... Patricia! Did you see what I saw?"
The man shifted nervously. "S-sorry, I'm not Patricia," he stammered, a faint blush visible beneath his goggles.
"Oh, sorry." She released him and cried, "Patricia!"
"Over here Kelly!" called another girl dressed in cobalt. She leaned against a wooden crate near the port side of the hold.
Kelly scampered between recovering crew members to reach the other girl's side. "Did you see who just went in there?" she half-squealed, pointing to the damaged engine room door.
"No," Patricia answered distantly as she fingered her newly healed skin through a bloody gash in her uniform. "I know someone gave me a potion, but..."
"It was them!" Kelly gushed, leaning forward, holding her fists to her chin, and quivering in excitement. Despite the grim atmosphere, a nearby sailor snorted at the sight of a "Shinra trooper" holding such a pose.
"Them?" Patricia repeated blankly.
"You know!" Kelly turned the edge of her yellow scarf down and flashed a pair of pins. One was black with the letters BV in violet. The other was yellow with a white GI.
Patricia's scarf shifted as her jaw dropped. "No. Way."
"Yes way," a girl disguised as a sailor chimed in from behind Kelly. She pulled out a chain and revealed the pendant inlaid with rhinestones. It held the paired logos of Black Velvet and Golden Illusion. The pair gasped and straightened to attention.
Patricia stammered as she watched the woman tuck the necklace away, "If I might ask... what does an upper echelon member want with us?"
"Relax, I wasn't promoted that long ago. Just call me Vanessa." She waved a hand dismissively and then leaned in close. "To be honest though, I need your help. Cloud Strife and his party went to face an enemy in there, but they took off their disguises."
"Uh oh," Patricia moaned. "With all of the people in here, they won't have time to hide or change!"
"Exactly," Vanessa agreed, folding her arms and nodding. "The captain is really strict about the uniform policy with stowaways and Cloud's group doesn't have time for a prison stay. I need your help convincing the crew to keep them secret."
"Can I help?" a young sailor asked from behind Vanessa.
The women blinked and regarded at the young man questioningly. He put his hand over the large, crimson-edged gash across his stomach and said, "I was listening in and I want to help. Not only did they save my life just now, but I knew Cloud before I transferred to the navy. He and Zack didn't deserve what happened to them."
Kelly held back a gasp and bit her lower lip in shame. Sometimes, in light of their handsome features she forgot about their tragic pasts. By the abashed frown on her friend's lips, she knew Patricia felt the same guilt. Vanessa nodded and shook the sailor's hand. "Your help is welcome. Do you know of any others that feel the same?"
"Yeah," the man nodded. "Zack was really popular. If I remind Bosun Smythie about him, he'll smooth things over."
"Someone beat you to it lad," Bosun Smythie rumbled from behind the sailor. The grizzled man waved his PHS. "Old Gossip Queen already filled me in. I'll let them off the ship, but I've got a reputation to keep. So here's the plan..."
Vanessa slipped away from the plotting group and sent a quick text. "K- This is 49B, Smythie is in. K-247, P-64, W-839 and possible others assisting. Rescue Op SOS is a go." She pocketed her PHS and snickered. "Save Our Stowaways indeed."
Tifa finished a Waterkick leg sweep on Jenova BIRTH and dodged a burst of its tail laser. The others weren't fast enough and hissed or moaned as the blue light burned across their bodies and weakened their stances. Cloud scowled up at the monster and stroked the red materia in his Hardedge. Concentrating, he forced his energy into the crystal and learned its name: Shiva.
The reaction was instant. Rainbow toned orbs bearing strange runes rushed into his body while he felt a great pull on his mana. Cloud and his allies faded from view but somehow they could still see into the engine room. A pillar of light appeared and motes of crystal sparkled as they fell around it. Cloud's eyes widened as a blue-skinned woman drifted down the brilliant column and floated above the ground. She was beautiful in an inexplicable, alien way. A scarf of lavender silk covered her in a make-shift bikini, the long strips trailing behind her. Her long, aqua-toned topknot danced in a wind Cloud could not feel as she raised her right arm high above her head.
Like an obedient pet, the fallen crystals rose to orbit around the brilliant blue light in her palm. She proudly waved her arm to Jenova BIRTH. The crystal shards, infused with the blue light shot toward the monster, their edges gleaming. Jagged waves of ice crashed against their wailing foe and then shattered, sending up clouds of icy mist.
Cloud felt his body return and noticed the others' amazed expressions mirrored his own. Zack waggled his eyebrows and elbowed him in the ribs. "Pretty hot for an ice lady, eh?" His breath steamed in the suddenly very cool chamber. He missed Aerith's glare at his back. Cloud rolled his eyes and tightened his grip on his Hardedge, Jenova twitched but wasn't dead yet.
For the first time on the voyage, Yuffie showed some enthusiasm. "I wanna summon too!" she crowed, brandishing the crimson orb in her armlet. The same lights as before surrounded her and the party vanished into some "other-place".
Red XIII growled, "This is most disconcerting."
A far away rumbling filled the air and the power of the summon twisted and stretched the dimensions of the engine room. A dust cloud formed in the distance and as the noise drew closer, a strange sight met their eyes. A moogle wearing a headband rode a charging chocobo into the engine room. The duo collided with Jenova BIRTH with an explosion straight from a child's cartoon. When the smoke of the impact cleared, the chocobo picked the dazed moogle up by the scruff of its neck before fading away.
The monster flinched and shuddered before slowly, dissolving into red motes of light. In shock, no one moved, spoke, or even cheered for their victory. A vaguely arm-like tentacle twitched on the pile of gil and items Jenova BIRTH dropped.
A small shudder started in the base of Cloud's spine. Much as he wished he could deny it, he knew he had a strange affect on all things chocobo. He dared not imagine what would happen if he used a chocobo summon. A small part of his brain drawled in a snarky voice, 'What did you expect from a summon you got from a chocobo?'
A quick glance to either side told him he wasn't the only one stunned at the spectacle. The corners of Yuffie's open mouth curled down in horrified dismay. Shrugging, Cloud knelt to inspect the twitching arm before it faded away. He shook his head and muttered, "Not only does Jenova turn an emotionless man like Sephiroth crazy, it takes the law of conservation of mass and flips it on its head."
"How does that differ from your bottomless bag?" Red XIII asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Hm, true," Cloud conceded, stealthily pocketing the gil and a new summon before Yuffie could see it. "What is this?" He picked up a bolt of silvery-white fabric and shook it out.
While the blond examined its length and texture, Red triggered his Sense materia and said, "It is a White Cape." Cloud didn't scowl at the obvious statement since he could sense the capitals in the feline's words. "It prevents mini and frog status."
An unholy light gleamed in Cloud's eyes. "Mine, all mine," he cackled, twirling the cape dramatically over his shoulders. Aerith tapped him on the shoulder and he stopped laughing. Turning to face her he asked, "Yes?"
"Are you planning on keeping that ice summon?" she asked in a quiet voice.
"No," Cloud answered popping the materia from its slot and putting his Cover back in place. "I was thinking of giving it to one of you."
Zack perked up, a wide grin on his face.
"Can I have it then?" Aerith asked before Zack could.
"Sure." Cloud handed her the materia and then paused, fingers still wrapped around the sphere. Suspicious of her triumphant smile he asked, "Why do you want it anyway?"
"First of all, to keep it from being overused," she drawled, shooting her boyfriend a sharp look. Zack laughed and scratched the back of his head, averting his eyes. "Second, to help cheer up Yuffie." She pointed to the dejected young woman. Shaking his head, he released the materia and rocked back on his heels to watch, eyebrows raised.
The young ninja stared mournfully at the summon in her hands, her eyes watering. Aerith walked to the girl's side and stroked her cheek. "There, there," she soothed. "Cloud gave me the Shiva summon. With her, I think we can build your ice tower."
"Really?" Yuffie asked quietly, not quite raising her head.
"Yep!" Aerith chirped.
"We could even charge people to climb it," Tifa added trying to help.
Yuffie's eyes lit up at the sound of future profit. "And make snow-cones?"
"Of course," Zack laughed, mussing the girl's hair.
Chuckling at the display, Cloud slipped to Barret's side and handed him the new summon. "Here, take this since the Cover materia didn't work for you."
Barret eyed the orb narrowly and hissed, "This ain't another weird-ass chocobo one is it?"
"I only got one summon from the chocobos," Cloud sighed, trying to stifle his exasperation. "This is the one Sephiroth threw at Yuffie."
Barret snorted and equipped the orb while the much happier Yuffie skipped to the engine room door. Once she reached it, she stiffened, suddenly remembering they were on a ship. She moaned pitifully and clutched her stomach. Zack scooped her bucket from the floor and tossed it to Aerith. She handed it to the rapidly paling girl and pulled the swaying ninja's arm around her shoulders once more.
Hearing a whimper from near the ladder, Cloud caught Zack and Barret's eyes and jerked his chin to the area. Zack scrambled up the ladder and helped the dazed Shinra grunt descend while Barret slung the shaking sailor's arm over his shoulder. The man's eyes were wide in shock and filled with an adoration that made Cloud squirm and fight the urge to look over his shoulder to see what sort of deity was lurking behind him.
With the monster slain and the survivors accounted for, Cloud pushed the door open and froze as several pairs of eyes locked on him. A hushed whisper rose from the gathered crew. The squint-eyed bosun spotted the familiar bucket in Yuffie's hands. "That explains a lot," he snorted, and then flicked his gaze to Zack's distinctive hair and SOLDIER attire, "and so does that."
"Why do I feel like I've been insulted?" Zack mumbled and shifted his grip on the cobalt-clad soldier. The man whimpered in discomfort, he was a lot shorter than Zack.
"There is no sting as bitter as gratuitous candor," Red quoted sagely.
Zack bit his lip, violet eyes flicking to Barret's resigned expression. Gritting his teeth, he fought down the urge to ask for a translation. Cloud shot Zack a worried look before turning his attention back to the assembled crowd.
"So what should we do with them?" an infantryman with a suspiciously high voice asked.
"They did use their supplies to help us," a young sailor with a vivid crimson stain on his stomach remarked.
"I say we let it slide," the sailor leaning on Barret said quietly. "I saw the monster they just took out... It would have killed all of us." A low muttering rose from the crowd and Tifa slowly slid her feet into a firmer position.
"We're almost to port anyway," Bosun Smythie sighed. "Lay low and we'll let it slide this time."
With quiet murmurs of agreement, the crowd started to disperse. A few infantrymen and sailors took the feeble pair from Barret and Zack. The former First sighed with relief, "Whew, I thought we'd have to walk the plank."
At the base of the stairs, Smythie snarled in a much more authentic pirate growl, "No, but I'd not be adverse to makin' ye clean out the bilge pipes if ye get caught."
"Yes sir," Zack yelped, rubbing the back of his head.
The instant the cargo doors opened in Costa del Sol, Yuffie shot from the ship and kissed the gritty concrete of the port.
"Stop Yuffie, that's disgusting!" Aerith cried, pulling the girl up. "Tifa, come help-" Aerith stopped and her green eyes narrowed at the back of Zack's head. She followed his gaze to a bikini-clad woman sunbathing on the wing of a sea plane. The sun gleamed on her dark, oiled skin and deep black hair. She was the very image of an exotic temptress.
Aerith's lip curled up in a silent snarl. Dropping the ninja's arm, she stalked up to the man and in a falsely pleasant voice asked, "Zack, what are you doing?"
"Huh? Oh, trying to figure out what that guy is doing," he replied, pointing to a shirtless man hopping from the dock to the plane and back. Dock, plane, dock, plane; he didn't carry any supplies, he didn't talk to the woman on the plane, he just... jumped.
Jealousy fading, she joined Zack in his observation, a mirror expression of confusion on her face. The man took the trip three more times before she muttered, "How weird," and then pulled Zack into the city after their companions.
Back with the ship, Rufus and Heidegger strode onto the dock. A few white-clad sailors tied lines and called out directions for unloading passengers and cargo. Rufus' eyes caught the flicker of Aerith's pink dress and he smirked lightly before hardening his expression.
"Heidegger," his voice was like a cold razor. "While you are here, look into purchasing some fishing nets."
"Gyah ha ha!" Heidegger's laughter rang across the concrete loading pier, "Yes sir, and what shall I do with the nets?"
Rufus tilted his head back and drawled, "Take it as a model for your security plans, since it will have fewer holes."
"Wha-what?" the man stuttered, his bushy beard quivering.
"Not only was my father's murderer on board, but Strife and his comrades managed bypass your questionable security. I already warned you, I'll no longer tolerate such gross incompetence. Pull your act together or I'll hire the fishing net." Rufus pivoted on his heel, brushing a few loose strands of his strawberry-blond hair out of his face. He strode across the deck, his white over-coat flapping in the draft of the company helicopter idling on the helipad.
Reno's sea-green eyes glinted with humor as he closed the door behind his employer. He climbed into his seat and cranked up the throttle. "Kinda harsh boss," he shouted over the noise. "You already knew Cloud and his buddies were on the boat."
Rufus smirked and glanced out the window at the shrinking dock. "I know that, you know that, and even Cloud knows that. It is hardly my fault Heidegger is unobservant as well as unreliable."
Reno cackled and asked, "So, we goin' to the villa?"
"No," Rufus spat, eyes narrowing in disgust. "My father's villa is not to my taste. Take me to my lodge and put the villa up for sale."
Heidegger scowled at the rising helicopter. Face red and fists clenched, he lunged at the two sailors working with some ropes at the edge of the dock. They yelped at the unexpected attack and fell into the bay. Still fuming, he dashed for the hopping man who paused his activities to watch the proceedings. As if all his jumping was preparing for this moment, he swiftly leaped out of the green-clad man's reach. Snarling, Heidegger stormed back aboard the ship.
The two young sailors climbed back on the deck, uniforms streaming water and clinging to their skin. "So much for a change of uniform protecting us," Wilkes muttered as he wrung out his hat and slapped it back on his sopping red curls.
"I don't know about you Wilkes, but I'm going shopping," Cowley snarled as he squeezed seawater from his low, black ponytail.
"What for?" Wilkes raised an eyebrow in confusion and paused in dumping water from his shoes.
"I'm going to get some fishing nets and straw," he replied. At Wilkes' confused noise, Cowley explained, "You heard the boss; straw for his floor since he laughed like a horse, and nets to decorate his walls."
Wilkes clapped his hand on his friend's shoulder and chuckled, "Sounds like a plan."
Cloud paused on the sand-colored arch of the bridge leading into the city. The hot, salty air tugged fitfully at his blond spikes. Music sounded from various corners of the tourist resort and he faintly heard the crashing of the surf. Most of the small towns they visited only had a small inn or private home. Yet here...he spied at least four signs for lodging on the first street and grimaced. "I need a volunteer to book us rooms at an inn that isn't too expensive."
"I'll do it," Barret volunteered and wiped his sweaty brow. "'S too damn hot."
"I will accompany you," Red XIII panted. "I concur, the atmosphere is detrimental to my physique. I also have an aversion to getting sand in my fur."
Cloud eyes flicked to Zack in time to spot his quickly hidden frown of frustration. He pulled out a stack of gil and handed them to Barret. "Send the details via PHS." He stepped to the side so the pair could pass and then turned to the rest of them. "As for the rest of us, we should check for information and restock our supplies for the next time we set out."
Yuffie tilted her head to the side asked, "Why do you think we'll have to leave again?"
Zack leaned against the low wall that served as a railing and snorted, "Despite what the commercials may say, if Costa del Sol was the Promised Land, Shinra would know by now."
Cloud snickered and then addressed the girls, "Zack and I are going for supplies, are any of you coming with us?"
Tifa shot Aerith and Yuffie a significant look and shook her head. "We have some business in town, so we'll meet you guys later."
Aerith grinned and linked arms with the other two girls. "To the photo store!" she declared with a cheer.
"I think a dozen is a good number to start with," Tifa mused as they walked away.
"Make at least thirty of the good ones," Yuffie interjected. "After that we need directions to the Coral Pony."
Zack raised an eyebrow and watched the trio round a corner. He opened his mouth but stopped when Cloud raised a hand. "Don't ask. I have my guesses, but I have a horrible suspicion..." he trailed off and tapped out a quick text.
Zack frowned and then his glowing violet eyes widened in horror. "They aren't... You think they're going to meet up with the fan clubs?"
Cloud sent the text and nodded grimly, "That's what I'm afraid of. I just asked Kunsel if the Coral Pony was related to his organization."
"Do you think he'll answer?" Zack asked, swiping a trickle of sweat off his cheek.
"He'll answer," Cloud muttered jerking his head toward some shade and leading Zack into it. They both sighed in relief and he continued. "I'm just afraid of what he'll say."
As if on cue, his phone chimed with a message alert. Cloud read it, eyes widening and then he swayed slightly to lean heavily on the wall they sheltered beneath. He groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"What? What did he say?" Zack cried, plucking the PHS from the blond's limp hand.
He read aloud, "'Cloud, you really should stop asking questions you already know the answer to, but for the sake of Zack who is'- Hey!" Zack yelped, looking up. "How did he know I was going to read this?"
Cloud moaned and waved a limp hand, "That's not important right now, just finish reading."
Zack shot a suspicious glare at his friend but went back to the message, "'For the sake of Zack who is reading this; yes, the Coral Pony is a popular meeting hub for our branch in Costa del Sol. P.S. Zack, I'm sure you'll love what Cloud will realize from this.' What does that mean?" he muttered, handing the device back to Cloud.
After slipping it back in his pouch, Cloud switched from pinching the bridge of his nose to rubbing his temples attempting to ward off a budding migraine. "Notice he said 'Costa del Sol branch'?"
Zack nodded.
"That means there's more than one 'branch' on this continent," Cloud sighed, pushing off the wall and crossing a small plaza in front of a large villa.
Zack grabbed the younger man's shoulder and hissed, "Cloud, that's the Shinra Villa, we are on the run from them which means avoiding it!"
Cloud patted Zack's hand before brushing it off. "Kunsel told me Rufus hates the villa." He boldly crossed the area, opened the front door, and continued, "He also told me about some prototype items gathering dust in the basement."
Zack hesitated and then followed Cloud inside. He sighed deeply as the cool interior air hit the sweat on his skin. Then he shook his head sharply and grumbled, "This is pathetic, Gongaga is way hotter and more humid than this. I've gotten soft." Dismissing the thought, he followed his friend to the back of the building.
Hidden behind some artfully arranged potted plants and a wall, they found a dark, narrow staircase into the basement. In wild contrast to the bright and airy upper floors, the small room below hearkened back to the Midgar underbelly. A slender man with stringy black hair dozed at a small desk against one wall. The slick, black slime on the brick walls glistened in the ruddy light of his desk lamp. Cloud crouched by a chest and pulled out a Fire Ring.
The man snorted and turned around barking, "Ye-Yes sir?" Zack would later deny squeaking in shock at being caught, but the man merely shook his head and yawned, "Oh, those things. Meh take 'em, no one here has use for them and they're just taking up space in my lair- I mean in the villa." He cleared his throat sheepishly and then hunkered down to finish his nap. Shrugging, Cloud snatched the Power Source and Motor Drive and headed upstairs.
"Whiskey what?" Tifa screeched, eyes widened in shock. A couple of women drinking coffee at one of the Coral Pony's tables flinched at her outburst. They glanced over the trio and exchanged grins before returning to their drinks.
"'Whiskey Dreams'," Sasha repeated with a grin. "Don't be so surprised, it was only a matter of time before you gained a following." The dark-skinned woman tossed her thick black braid over her shoulder and placed one lavender and one canary pamphlet on the counter. Aerith lifted the lavender one and opened it. She skimmed a few lines, her green eyes growing wider and wider.
Tifa snatched the yellow booklet and flipped it open. She blinked at a glossy color photo of Cloud striking down a security bot. Tearing her eyes from the image, she flipped the page. From the bullying, to Nibelheim's fall, to the escape and trip to Midgar, the pamphlet exposed it all. Stunned, she lowered the booklet. While the usual fan "stats" were included, it read more like a history.
"What is this?" Aerith asked, waving her brochure. "I thought this was a fan club."
"Oh we are," Veronica smiled, "but instead of admiring them for their talents or appearance, we admire them for the obstacles they overcame and the quest they've taken. Although their looks are a bonus." She winked and grinned at the three young women.
Satisfied with their rising blushes, she flipped her hand palm up and continued, "That is where you come in. 'Whiskey Dreams' and 'Flower of Gaia' admire you ladies for supporting your men and joining in their cause."
Aerith and Tifa blinked dumbly. Yuffie snickered at their horrified expressions and Veronica looked her up and down.
"Hm, as for you..." The woman tapped a few keys on her computer. "You haven't been with Avalanche very long so your following is still organizing. They're voting on your fan name; Rose of Wutai is in the lead. Anyway, you ladies came here to sell me some pictures. Let's get down to business..." She bared her white teeth in sharp grin.
"Add a couple more Softs," Cloud advised as he sorted through the various wares of the item shop. "Apparently there are some monsters that petrify around here."
Zack rolled his eyes and threw the items in his basket. "You know I came this way before right? Dragging your mako-soggy butt while I was at it!"
Cloud rolled his eyes, and then his expression turned grim. "While we're on this topic, I think you should tell them Zack. I'm sure if you explained things, Red would stop teasing you like that."
"No way," Zack snapped, shaking his head sharply. "They don't need to know."
"Not even Aerith?" the blond pressed.
"If she knew, she'd tell them to stop, but she'd also explain why." Zack spread his arms, palms up. "I don't want it getting out that I'm-"
"Damaged?" Cloud hissed, his voice like a blade of ice. "That Hojo's work screwed with your head? That you no longer remember things you used to? Sound familiar?"
Zack winced. In light of Cloud's scrambled memories, the loss of higher-level vocabulary didn't seem as daunting a result.
Cloud snatched a dusty dictionary off the shelf and tossed it into their shopping basket. "Here, at least you can do something about your problem."
Zack grimaced but nodded. "Yeah, I suppose. Maybe you should start a journal or something to help you."
"I can't recover what I've forgotten, and I don't plan on swimming in mako ever again," Cloud muttered.
"You never know, our trip has hardly been normal," Zack snorted, swinging the basket on the counter and pulling out his 'bargaining face'.
"Yep, I've still got it," Zack preened once they left the last shop.
The corner of Cloud's mouth twitched up in a half-smile. "I never doubted you."
They emerged from the shaded lane into an open plaza between the seaside bar and the inn Barret booked rooms at. Red XIII curled in the shade of the bar's awning, lazily watching a boy and a girl kick a soccer ball. The boy missed the ball and Zack trapped it under his foot.
His glowing violet eyes sparkled with mischief and he kicked the ball. It shot past the small boy and bounced off the dozing lion-beast. Startled, Red leaped to his feet, snarling. "Oops," Zack called, a painfully fake look of innocence on his face as he trapped the ricocheted ball under his foot again. "Let me try again!"
"I'm not standing up for you when he rates your falls again," Cloud stated, shaking his head and walking past the older man.
"You didn't defend me before," Zack huffed, abandoning the ball and following the blond down the stairs to the shoreline. Despite the heat, the beach wasn't very crowded. A group of surfers chatted by the showers and a few families played in the sand and swam in the shallows.
"I planned to tell him to lay off you next time, but you deserve it now." Cloud shrugged and shuffled through the sand.
"Aw man." Zack's shoulders slumped, then he blinked, scowling down at his friend. "Wait, what do you mean 'next time'? Why are you assuming I'm going to fall again? I-" Zack's rant cut off when he nearly collided with the halted blond.
Cloud shuddered and hunched his shoulders, looking for somewhere to hide. Frowning, Zack scanned the beach to determine the cause. A man in a full length lab coat sprawled in a deck chair not far ahead. Sunlight gleamed off his glasses and balding head. Three bikini-clad women surrounded him.
"H-Hojo?" Zack stuttered. "What is he doing here?"
Cloud narrowed his eyes at the despised man. Hojo tilted his tanning mirror, checking the image behind him. Their eyes met and Hojo's mouth twisted into a gloating smirk. The scientist wanted them to approach.
"I'm not walking into that one," Cloud muttered, turning on his heel. With his back to them, he missed the matching expressions of shock on Hojo and Zack's faces.
"Wait, aren't we going to ask him about where Sephiroth went?" Zack asked, scrambling to catch up.
Cloud snorted in disgust. "Why bother? There aren't many directions to head from here."
"True," Zack conceded, dodging a toddler's over-enthusiastic scoop of sand. "But he might shed some light on Sephiroth's motives."
Cloud stopped and turned, raising an eyebrow at his friend. "How do you figure that?"
"Sephiroth was his 'masterpiece' maybe he has an idea of his ultimate goal." The former First scrubbed a hand through his sweaty hair, grimacing at the moisture on his fingers.
"We already know he's headed for the 'Promised Land'." Cloud shrugged and climbed the stairs back to the plaza. "Shinra doesn't know where that is, so Hojo doesn't know. If we talk to him, all we'll get is-"
"Some creepy, cryptic speech," Zack interrupted with a wince. "Yeah, I see your point. We might as well meet up with the others. I call dibs on the shower."
Hojo frowned as he watched the pair leave the beach. The brunette to his left lifted the corner of her beach towel and checked a small digital clock. "You've got ten more minutes 'Professor'. If you want an extension you need to pay another 10,000 gil."
He scowled and then flinched as the skin on his face felt a size too small. The red-head by his feet perked up. "For 3,000 gil, I'll put some cream on your sunburn."
The scientist growled, ignoring the girl. So much for flaunting his superiority with the self-proclaimed heroes. He'd have to find some other way to let his former test subjects know about the Reunion.
Tifa, Aerith, and Yuffie stepped out of the Coral Pony, dazed and blinking rapidly. "Let me know if you re-consider!" a Veronica called from inside before the door swung shut.
"I can't believe we're gaining a following too," Tifa whispered in shock. "How did this happen? 'Supporting our men' seems like such a...fake reason."
"Popularity by association?" Aerith proposed with a nervous laugh. "Perhaps some jealous boyfriends saw us in pictures and decided to follow us in retaliation."
Tifa snorted, gaze flicking to the street signs as she navigated back to the main plaza. "It's possible."
"So why do I have a following?" Yuffie whined, looking up from her game of avoiding cracks in the cobble street. "I don't have a boyfriend with a fan-club and I've only been with you guys like a week!"
Aerith and Tifa exchanged a heavy look and then Tifa grimaced, "I have a feeling that is Kunsel's fault."
"Who is Kunsel?" Yuffie's asked bewildered, but she started walking again.
"Kunsel is Cloud's cousin. He's a master of information gathering and he started the fan clubs," Tifa explained.
Silence fell as Yuffie considered the information. They stepped out of the narrow streets into the wider roads of the markets. The setting sun dyed the cobbles and plaster walls a coral pink and their shadows stretched before them. The daytime vendors called for the last few sales as workers set up stalls and strung lights for the night market. When they finally reached the mosaic decorated plaza near the inn, Yuffie finally spoke, "So does Cloud's cousin have some sort of complex?"
Aerith choked on a laugh as she entered the inn. "I wouldn't say it exactly like-" She trailed off at the sight before her.
Cloud stared down at the PHS in his hand, face pale and a sheen of sweat on his brow. "I can't believe he managed to get my PHS number!" He moaned in a sickened voice.
"At least Kunsel said he can block him," Zack offered weakly, patting the younger man's shoulder.
"Cloud, what's wrong?" Tifa cried. She dashed to the blond's side and turned his gaze from the phone to her face. He shuddered and relaxed slightly, closing his eyes.
"We saw Hojo on the beach," Zack explained, pulling Aerith into his arms protectively. "Cloud decided it was pointless to talk to him and we left. Apparently, the Professor took offense and sent his cryptic message to Cloud's phone."
"Ick," Aerith shuddered and stuck out her tongue. "I'm sorry to hear that Cloud."
"Was the information relevant to our endeavor?" Red XIII asked from the couch.
"He said to go west," Cloud sighed, pocketing his PHS with a scowl. "But we already knew that. The rest of his message was... pointless."
Barret raised an eyebrow and asked, "What's that supposed to mean?"
Zack laughed weakly and scratched the back of his head. "Well, he hinted that Cloud might have some sort of attraction for Seph."
Tifa's jaw dropped and Cloud elbowed Zack in the ribs. The man wheezed, whining pathetically at the blond. Ignoring him, Cloud snapped, "Crazy words from a mad scientist aside, we need to plan our travel route."
"Oh!" Yuffie bounced on the balls of her feet. "I've got a map and I travel through here all the time!"
She pulled a worn and stained map from her pouch and spread it on the pool table. "We're here." She pointed at the northeastern corner of the displayed continent. "Now there's a ferry across the Corel River, but with Shinra after us, we'd better take different way. Instead, we need to travel through the Corel pass and go through North Corel."
Barret flinched and averted his eyes.
Yuffie trailed her finger from the mountains and past a desert to a river. "Since it is the wrong time of year to cross on foot, we'll have to catch a ferry across the Buckle River."
She moved her hand south to a patch of jungle with a town mark in the center and tapped it. "We can resupply in Gongaga."
Zack winced and shuffled his feet nervously. Oblivious to Zack's reaction, Yuffie traced north on the map, swooping under the massive mountain range nearly bisecting the continent. "The same problem exists for Cosmo River. After we catch that ferry, we can drop Red off at Cosmo Canyon."
The Wutaian's hand moved north, pausing on Nibelheim. Tifa paled, while Zack and Cloud grimaced. "We can use the Nibelheim pass and head up to Rocket Town. Now, last I was there, there was a strong Shinra presence-"
Zack, Cloud, Tifa, and Barret tuned her voice out and traded grim looks.
"This's gonna suck, isn't it?" Barret muttered.
Most of Costa del Sol still slumbered and the thick sea-mist still darkened the sky when they set out the next morning. Once she fully awakened, Yuffie gleefully led them along the weed choked cobbles of the old Corel Road. Several hours and Garangalans later, they reached the winding mountain road, and the variety of monsters increased.
Due to the narrow path through the mountains, the party found it most efficient to have only three members face the monsters. Cloud rotated the spearhead members out when they needed a rest, though he and Zack took the most turns. After a battle with a Bagndrana that Barret called the "dinosaur bug" due to its six limbs and segmented body, Tifa studied an object in her hand with interest. It sparkled and threw flashes of light as she inspected it. Shrugging, she called, "Hey Red, this is for you. It's a Diamond Pin."
"You have my gratitude," Red's deep voice rumbled. He sat placidly as she traded out his Mythril Clip and shifted his materia over.
"Aw man," Zack sighed. "I guess I'm the only one who doesn't have a new weapon."
Cloud rolled his eyes and pulled his Hardedge from his pouch. "I offered you the Hardedge when I switched to my Force Stealer this morning. Now will you take it?" He brandished the rectangular blade in his friend's direction.
"But-" Zack started to protest, but Cloud cut him off.
"After all, I seem to remember you saying something about 'wear, tear, and rust.'" The blond raised an eyebrow and Zack snapped his mouth shut, brow furrowed in thought.
"...Right. Hand it over," Zack sighed. Popping his materia free, they traded blades. The older man stroked the Buster Sword's handle once before it vanished into Cloud's bottomless pouch.
Despite his initial whining, the more Zack used the Hardedge, the more he grew attached to its stronger attacks and extra materia slot. He sliced through two Search Crowns, the fanged fungus splattering the dusty ground and crowed, "Aw yeah, beat that Cloud!"
Cloud smirked and spun on his heel, neatly bisecting three monsters at once.
Zack whooped and slapped Cloud on the back. "I knew you could," he cheered. Cloud laughed and shook his head. The chuckling pair simultaneously stopped laughing and tilted their heads, listening. Red XIII tensed and leaped to their side as another group of fungus shuffled towards them.
Yuffie sidled up to Barret, keeping a watchful eye on the fighting trio. "I've been wondering, why isn't Zack the leader? He's charismatic and he seemed to be a pretty high rank before he vanished."
Barret grunted and scratched the stubble on his chin, "Yeah, I can see why you're confused. It's not somethin' we talk about a lot but... Ya see, Spike and Spikier spent a lotta' time pickling in mako. That did some whack things to their brains. Spike's memories are holier than a saint, and Spikier... well.."
He jerked his head back to the ending skirmish. Zack yelped and caught a small green fragment that came off his bracer. While Cloud scooped up the small pile of gil and Hi-Potions, Zack raised the item to the sky, eyes widening.
"Cloud!" He cried, voice a mixture of shock and joy. "Alfonse had a baby!"
Cloud froze and then slowly looked up to give his friend a baffled look. "What?" he asked flatly, mentally hoping he heard wrong.
"Alfonse had a baby," Zack repeated, thrusting the newborn materia under the blond's nose. "I didn't know Alfonse was a girl! This is awesome! What should we name it?"
Shaking his head, Cloud stowed the last of the treasure and rose from his crouch only to have the small orb thrust under his nose again. "Cloud, you will be the godfather. Take care of Alfonse Jr."
Not waiting for a response, the former SOLDIER took the blond's arm and put the Transform materia in an empty slot.
Barret snorted down at the slack-jawed ninja and waved his hand in Zack's direction.
"...right," Yuffie whispered, eyes wide.
Author's note: Thank you for your continued support and patience! This chapter kicked my rear, as it delayed the publishing of chapter eleven and fought me every step of the way. (sigh) There is a scene I cut out that didn't quite fit. Would you be interested in a separate fic with the cut scenes and ideas that don't make it here? Let me know, reviews are love and inspiration! :D