Chapter 58: Attack at the Church

Yuffie and Sage walked through the slums on their way to the church, their faces duly masked.

"These masks are becoming a pain in the ass," Sage sighed.

"Don't tell me you want to be like the Downings," Yuffie replied.

"No way," Sage dismissed. "I never want anything to do with them. Never in my life."

Suddenly, Yuffie began to giggle.

"What's so funny?" Sage asked.

"What if one of their boys asked you out?" Yuffie replied.

"No thanks," Sage flatly replied. "I don't dig the chaperoned courtship thing. And I like wearing pants."

"So what would you say if one of them did ask you out?" Yuffie asked again.

"I wouldn't say anything," Sage replied. "I'd just kick him in the balls."

"You're thirteen," Yuffie reminded her.

"So?" Sage asked.

"So you're old enough to get charged for assault and battery," Yuffie replied. "They could put you in Bolton for something like that."

"The reform school?" Sage asked. "No they wouldn't."

"My cousin Miranda got put in Bolton when she was fourteen," Yuffie informed her. "And she was never seen again."

"What did she do?" asked the curious Sage.

Just then, Yuffie's phone began to ring. She eagerly answered it without checking to see who was calling.

She was lucky this time.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Yuffie," replied a familiar voice.

"Zack?!" Yuffie exclaimed. "Zack, where the fuck are you?"

"On the Western Continent," he replied in a monotone.

"The Western Continent?!" Yuffie exclaimed. "What are you doing there?!"

"Long story," Zack replied. "I'm approaching the teleporter. I'll lose you once I go in, but I'll be home shortly. And we can talk."

Suddenly, Yuffie became emotional.

"Yeah," she replied. "I'd like that. But I'm not home right now. I'm at the church in the slums with Sage. Why don't you meet us there?"

"Sounds good," he replied. "I'll see you then."

"I love you!" Yuffie said.

For a moment, there was a pause.

Then, there was a reply.

"I love you, too," he said.

Yuffie put the phone back in her pocket.

Her mood had suddenly changed, from miserable to happy.

"Zack's coming!" Yuffie exclaimed as she soon became her spunky self.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Sage objected. "You're just going to forgive him like that?"

"Not exactly," Yuffie replied as they reached the church. "But I'm sure there's an excellent reason for it all."

"Right," sighed Sage sarcastically as she followed Yuffie through the church's open door. "Goddam love chemistry."

"No blasphemy in the church," Yuffie reprimanded.

"You're a Buddhist!" Sage protested. "Jesus Christ!"

"I said no blasphemy in the church!" Yuffie again reprimanded.

The church was as they had previously left it. They walked through the aisle to see that nobody, not even a priest, was in attendance.

They stopped at the center.

Their ears were greeted by the sounds of two doors flinging open.

Sage immediately ran to greet Zack.

But it was not Zack.

It was someone else.

Yuffie quickly grabbed Sage as the intruder began to slowly walk toward them.

"You want to play?" taunted Loz.

Yuffie glared and extended her middle finger.

"I guess that's a no," Loz inferred before making his way straight to Aerith's flowers. "Where's Mother?"

Sage wrapped her arms around Yuffie in fear.

Meanwhile, Loz sniffed the flowers.

"Ugh! Gross!" he sighed. "Hey, where's Mother?"

"I believe you killed your mother when she birthed you," Yuffie recalled.

"Fine," sighed Loz as he extended his arms. "Play with me."

"Forget it," Yuffie dismissed. "I have a boyfriend." She then turned to Sage. "Hide."

Sage quickly took refuge behind a pillar.

Yuffie cracked her knuckles, and raised her fists.

"This'll be fun!" Loz taunted as he raised his own fists.

Yuffie was the first to charge. She threw punches and kicks at Loz at lightning speed, but he managed to dodge each and every one of them.

He then managed to taze her with his gauntlet, sending her several yards backward.

Yuffie then charged Loz again, and performed a roundhouse kick as soon as she reached him, only for him to jump over her, landing on the other side of the church.

Yuffie charged Loz a third time, and snap kicked, striking him in the chin, causing him to fall to the floor. She then stomped on his chest.

Loz ceased to move.

Yuffie breathed a sigh of relief.

Just then, Loz grabbed Yuffie's leg, and sprang to his feet. He twirled her twice before throwing her.

Yuffie miraculously landed on her feet, charging Loz once more. She grabbed his leg, twirled him, and tossed him into the pews, causing several to shatter to pieces.

Loz did not move again after that.

Yuffie then noticed the crucifix. It seemed to be looking down on her.

"Sorry, Jesus," she apologized as she knelt and crossed herself.

"I thought you were a Buddhist," Sage repeated again as she stepped out from behind the pillar.

"I am," Yuffie answered. "But I'm a guest here."

Suddenly, both girls heard the sound of a cell phone's ring tone.

"Zack again?" Sage asked.

"That's not my phone," Yuffie replied ominously.

Just then, Loz sprang out from the wrecked pews. He glared at Yuffie and Sage.

But he didn't attack them.

Instead, he answered his phone.

Yuffie couldn't make out what he was saying; it was something about someone not being here, and that he was not crying.

He then turned to Yuffie again.

"Where were we?" Loz said as he armed the Dual Hound.

Yuffie quickly went into attack mode.

This time, Loz charged first. He quickly took a hold of Yuffie, and pinned her up against the pillar.

"Playtime's over," he taunted before jabbing her with the Dual Hound.

He then threw her to the ground.

Yuffie tried to get up, but she couldn't. She suddenly felt a weakness, and realized she had been poisoned.

Loz quickly ran over to Yuffie.

He raised the Dual Hound.

"And now," Loz announced, "the coup de grace."

At that moment, he felt something strike his head.

He turned to see its origins.

Sage was there, having thrown a Materia orb from the box Zack had left.

"You obnoxious little shit!" Loz grunted as he started to chase Sage.

"Zack!" cried Sage as she backed away.

"Get the hell out of here!" Yuffie demanded.

Sage ran out the door, with Loz in pursuit.

MEANWHILE…

On the Eastern Continent, the masked Zack emerged from the teleporter, carrying his motorcycle up the stairs.

A lone masked guard prevented anyone from entering or leaving the continent; Zack was the only exception he was allowed to make.

"Ambassador Fair!" he greeted. "Welcome back!"

"Thank you," Zack replied as he mounted his bike.

"Strange," the guard said. "I was actually expecting Captain Mast. You didn't see her, did you?"

"I'm afraid not," Zack answered as he started up.

"Where are you off to in such a hurry," the guard asked.

"Home," Zack replied before taking off."