New Old Friends

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and all associated properties and characters are property of Square Enix. Kingdom Hearts and all associated characters are property of Disney and Square Enix.

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Barret let out a sigh as he returned to Johnny's Inn—which was little more than a bunch of sticks and straw held together with crazy glue and prayers.

"Hey, Barret!" the titular owner called out, balancing precariously on a ladder as he measured…something. "Any word on our human-shaped meteor?

"Not a damn thing," he grumbled. "You'd think some kid crashing into the ground hard enough to make a giant crater would've caught someone's attention."

Johnny shrugged and returned to his measuring. "I mean, to be fair, none of us heard anything either." Which was fair, Barret had to admit. Forget any questions as to how the kid had been able to survive, an impact that large should have shaken the earth hard enough for everyone in Costa del Sol to feel. But nothing. Which might have been a good thing, now that he was thinking about it. Barret had no idea who this kid was, or what he was involved with, but better he be in their hands than the like of Shinra's.

With any luck, Cloud, Tifa, and Red would find something around that crater.

He walked up the rickety stairs to the second floor—wincing when the wood cracked under his weight—and entered the door at the end of the walkway. Aerith and Yuffie, seated next to the bed, looked over to him.

He shook his head. "Didn't find nothing."

Yuffie scoffed. "That's because you went out to do a ninja's job." She pumped her fists in the air. "If I'd gone out there, I would've found a veritable treasure trove of information. Hi-Ya-ah, ah, OW!" Her last punch must've pulled something terrible, because she immediately sank back onto her seat and started rubbing her sides.

Barret chuckled. "Maybe you should keep that in mind the next time you think about trying to tackle Shoalopod."

"Be nice!" Aerith teased as she looked over Yuffie. Barret just rolled his eyes—not his fault the kid was so eager to prove herself she traipsed right into recklessness. As the girls occupied themselves, Barret walked over to the bed, looking down at the sleeping figure atop it.

He was remarkably unharmed for someone they'd found lying face-first in a crater. He was young—around Yuffie's age—with lightly tanned skin. His clothes were well-made and looked durable, the black, red, and bits of white and yellow coming together for an aesthetically pleasing look. He also wore a gleaming silver necklace in the shape of a tri-horned crown. But the most striking feature about him was his hair. Deep brown and spiky in a way that put Soldier Boy's to shame—something Barret had teased him about.

"Any changes?" Barret asked, staring down at the bed.

"Nope." Aerith stood beside him, a frown creasing her features. "I'm honestly shocked that nothing's broken. He only had some dirt and little pebbles stuck on him." As she stared down at the kid, she winced—a subtle thing, but Barret noticed.

"What's wrong?"

She hummed and wrung her hands together. "You're gonna think I'm crazy."

Barret smirked. "Aerith, I've seen more crazy shit in the last couple weeks than my entire life. I'm a big boy. I can take it."

Aerith didn't smile, like he'd hoped, simply staring down at the kid. She pursed her lips, before sighing. "The Planet doesn't like him."

Barret and Yuffie both stared at her. The latter snorted. "The Planet doesn't like him? Are we sure you didn't hit your head against a Shoalopod?"

Barret, however, began glaring at the kid. He raised his right arm, his left hand patting the gun attached to it. "Like Sephiroth?"

Aerith quickly shook her head, moving in front of him. "Not at all!" She looked down at the kid. "No. The Planet…it hates Sephiroth—what he's doing, at least. But him?" She sat back down in her chair. "It's like…when you see a stray dog on the street. It might be dangerous, but it's not doing anything, and you don't want it to start something, so you just keep it in your sight as you go on your way."

Barret arched a brow. "You're telling me the Planet's treating him like a rabid dog?"

"Potentially rabid." Aerith corrected him. "As to why…well, your guess is as good as mine."

"Maybe he's the next poster boy for Shinra's latest reactor." Yuffie snickered. "I bet 'the Planet' would be mad about that."

"You shut your mouth!" Barret sneered. "The Planet is the cradle which grants us all life. She cries out in response to the abuse we put her through, but still does what she can to provide us succor. She deserves nothing less than your utmost respect!"

Yuffie held up a hand rapidly opened and closed it. "Yack, yack, yack."

Suddenly, the kid groaned. "Donald," he whined, curling onto his side. "I'm trying to sleep."

Yuffie bolted out of her seat, pulling out her shuriken and making an exaggerated battle cry. Aerith and Barret simply took a step back as the kid yawned stretching his body until his joints popped. He slowly blinked his eyes open, rubbing them. Only to pause and shoot up on the bed and stare at the ceiling.

Barret pulled Aerith back behind him, Yuffie quickly joining her.

The kid looked down at his hands. "I…I'm out? When did…How did…?" He turned to Barret—his eyes as clear and blue as the sky. The kid blinked. "Oh! Hi there!"

"…Hey," Barret slowly replied.

He sat on the edge of the bed, sniffing the air. "…Are we by an ocean?"

Barret nodded. "We're in Costa del Sol." The kid didn't appear to recognize the name but did relax a bit. He muttered something about waves.

He shook his head. "Anyway, I'm Sora. What's your—" he cut himself off when he finally spied Aerith and Yuffie, who poked their heads out from behind Barret. He stared at the two, before breaking out in a wide smile.

"Aerith! Yuffie!" Sora exclaimed in joy. "I can't believe it!" When neither girl responded, his face slowly fell. He sighed and looked down at his legs. "Oh, c'mon, really?" He started to grumble. "I'd never forget the Great Ninja Yuffie."

Barret didn't have to turn around to see that Yuffie had gained stars in her eyes. "Of course you wouldn't!" she declared, ducking around Barret and standing dramatically before Sora. "Nor would the Great Ninja Yuffie ever forget about someone that knows about her greatness!"

While Yuffie made a fool of herself, Barret turned to Aerith. "You've never met him before, right?"

"I think I'd remember the hair."

At that moment, the door to the room creaked open, and Cloud stepped in. Whatever the merc had to say, however, was drowned out by Sora's loud exclamation of, "Cloud? Oh my gosh, Cloud!" Sora leapt off the bed and wrapped the ex-SOLDIER in a tight hug.

"The hell?!" Cloud shouted as he stumbled out the room and into the railing outside—thankfully, they didn't break it.

"I can't believe it!" Sora cried, his smile threatening to split his face in two. "I thought I'd never see you again!" He gasped and unwrapped one arm and reached to his left. He pulled and brought Tifa—as frazzled as the rest of them—into view. "And Tifa!" Sora stepped back and brought Cloud and Tifa's hands together before hopping in place. "I knew you guys would find each other again!" They both started to blush, but while Tifa was simply embarrassed, Cloud was getting close to blowing his lid.

Sora sighed and placed his hands on his hips—Tifa and Cloud still holding each other's hand, Barret couldn't help but notice. "Gotta, say, Cloud, I was really worried when you disappeared while fighting Sephiroth."

Everyone's blood froze, Cloud's anger fading into shock.

Sora pressed on, ignorant of the change in them all. "But you've always been real strong. Of course, Sephiroth never stood a chance!"

Cloud grabbed Sora's shoulders to look him in the eyes. "You know Sephiroth?!"

Sora arched a brow. "What're you talking about? Of course, I—wait, what's wrong with your eyes?" Cloud grunted as Sora gently pushed him away and looked at Tifa, Aerith, and Yuffie. "And…why do you all look so…" he trailed off, the color draining from his face. "Oh…Oh, no."

Sora shook his head and stepped away from Cloud, back into the room. "I'm sorry. I've made a mistake. I...I need to go."

Barret stepped forward; his left hand raised placatingly. "Now hold on there," he said softly. "Let's all just calm down and talk this out."

"I'm good, thanks." Sora said, eyeing the wide-open window to his right. But before he could move, Aerith, of all people, darted forward and grabbed onto his right arm with both hands. But she had a blank look on her face as she did so, and once she grabbed onto him, she sucked in a sharp breath, and let him go.

"Aerith?" Cloud asked, stepping forward, his right hand raised to grab his sword off his back.

"You can't go," she said, looking directly at Sora. "I…The Planet's telling me I can't let you out of my sight."

"The Planet?" Sora repeated. "You mean this World?"

"No." Aerith shook her head. "Maybe. Sorry just, it's never been so loud and insistent before."

"What do you mean?" Tifa asked, stepping forward and laying a hand on Aerith's shoulder.

Aerith hesitated, before haltingly saying, "It's saying…it's not about to let a Keyblade Wielder loose."

Barret had no idea in hell what that was supposed to mean. But based on the way Sora frowned, he knew that his life, for whatever nth time this was, was about to get even crazier.

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A/N: I only have three chapters planned for this little crossover. Also, the Planet as it is in FF7 is not the same as a 'World' as defined by KH. It likes to think it is, but it isn't.