Chapter 6: "We'll Both Benefit If We Work Together"

"Over twenty-four hours and he still hasn't regain consciousness," Celes mused, leaning her forehead against her folded hands. "It's too long, too suspicious. They're using the attack as an excuse to assume full power."

She was seated at a circular table in the recreation center, one of the Shin-ra building's more innocent floors. It was a place she rarely visited, but that evening she'd been invited by a man she knew only by reputation: Reeve, head of Midgar's building and development department. He was a somewhat gangly man, with bony features and a stubble beard, giving him the appearance of an awkward boy in an oversized skin. His demeanor, however, was pleasant enough. Presently he handed the general a cup of hot coffee. "They've always had full power," he said, his voice characteristically withdrawn, as he was a timid man at heart. "They're just giving Midgar a taste of the truth."

"Damn it all. That means Rufus is in charge." She accepted the offering and twisted it idly back and forth. "I've known him for a few years…who knows what he's capable of?"

Reeve nodded. "One reactor blown apart by Avalanche, dozens of soldiers and technicians killed, his father assassinated and sister kidnapped all in three days. Not only that, but he now has the opportunity to do whatever he wants."

"It's a dangerous situation. We can't worry about politics with Sephiroth on the lose."

He bit his lip, brow furrowing. "Actually, that's part of the reason I wanted to talk to you."

Celes raised her eyes to him. "About Sephiroth?" Her tone dropped inadvertently at the mention of his name. "What is it?"

"Actually…it's the boy. Strife." He looked nervous all of a sudden, and worried. "And your friends in the slums. I know you've been collaborating with them."

She glared at him sharply, a sudden fear skating up her spine. It was quickly repressed. "What are you talking about?"

"I wanted to warn you," he continued. "Rufus' men found the transmission your friend Lucca made this morning. I was there. They traced it to Sector Seven and they're going to drop the plate on it.

"The plate? What do you—" Celes face paled, realizing at last what was going on. "All those people… If they drop the plate, Sector Seven will be completely destroyed."

Reeve went on. "They're blaming Avalanche for the assassination, and they're willing to use Sector Seven as an example. If people complain they'll just blame King Edgar, and visa-versa." He licked his lips. "General, it's only a matter of time before they find out you were helping them."

"I know that," she muttered, frowning. Her mind was spinning. "But I've got to warn them. They won't get away with something like this." She rose from her chair, started to go one way, then reconsidered. "Where's Lucca?"

"In her room, I suppose, but they're monitoring her."

"All right. I'll do it myself."

She started to go, but Reeve grabbed her arm. "Just a minute," he whispered. "There's one more thing I have to tell you."

Barret was forced awake by the annoying buzz of Jessie's computer, and with muttered curses stumbled to the display. "What the hell's wrong with this?" he demanded, pressing several lighted buttons. "How the hell—"

"Turn on the monitor," Jessie advised, coming up from behind him. She rubbed her eyes sleepily. "It's a signal."

After several frustration moments of static the screen cleared to reveal General Celes, her face solid. "Barret, we've got trouble," she said briskly and to the point. "Rufus is planning something—you've got to evacuate Sector Seven."

"What?" He scratched his beard, still attempting to awaken. "What for?"

"He's going to blow the support beam."

The news hit Jessie first. "My god…that means, the plate will…"

"Fall," she confirmed. "Wiping out the entire Sector Seven slums. In two hours."

"Two hours?" Barret stomped away from the monitor, fists clenching and unclenching in fury. "Damn it, those cowards. Those bastards. Shit."

His companion, however, was able to keep her head. "Isn't there anything you can do?" she asked evenly. "Or us?"

"Start evacuating," the General advised. "You've got two hours to get everyone out of there. There's not much I can do; this job is for the Turks, and I've got other problems."

"This is your fault," Barret snarled suddenly, jabbing at her image with an accusing finger. "You're the one that got us all into Shin-ra, and that mess with the President."

"You're the ones that want to save the planet, remember?" she retorted. "You got yourself mixed up with Shin-ra, and there's no going back. Telling you 'I'm sorry' won't change anything."

Still he looked unconvinced, boiling with anger and injustice, but he knew she was right. Still muttering curses he left the basement, and could be heard making a ruckus on the upper level. Jessie turned back to Celes. "What can we do?"

"What I've told you already. There's no stopping the bomb once it's in place, so be quick. I'll do what I can."

She nodded. "All right. And, General?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

Celes looked at her a moment, then only nodded. The transmission was cut.

By the time Jessie had reached the bar's main level Barret had already roused Biggs and Wedge from their rest. "We've got work to do," he thundered, reloading the cannon on his arm. "Get yur stuff and get ready."

Professor Hojo paced back and forth in his lab, mulling over everything that had happened. He only wished to have been a spectator of the scene when it was occurring, so that he might understand. A fierce curiosity gnawed at the back of his brain, until it drove him mad with the thirst for unattainable answers. It was a delightfully wicked puzzle.

"Sir Hojo?" He turned to see two soldiers leading the red beast Cloud had viewed in its cell earlier, now masked and muzzled. "We were told to bring this…animal to your lab."

"The experiment's been postponed for now," he told them. "Take it back to the cell."

The soldiers nodded and turned to go, but the beast resisted. A low growl emanated from its throat. When his caretakers tried to lead him on he pulled stubbornly against the leash, sinking low on his powerfully muscled lets. Hojo looked on with mild interest. "Having trouble?" he muttered.

The red beast pounced, and even though his eyes were covered he was able to knock the closest of his guards on his back. Without hesitating it bolted from the lab, dragging the free leash behind it.

Lucca could tell she was in trouble. Her room's computer had just alerted her of a trace, which meant Shin-ra was monitoring her system. They'd probably discovered her transmission from that morning, and soon she'd have Turks knocking on her door or worse. The only reason they hadn't come already was they were probably waiting for her to mess up again, all for their benefit. "Six years," she muttered hotly, dragging several boxes of equipment out of her closet. "Six years of doing everything they say, and they still turn on you. I'll make 'em pay for that." She struggled into an olive green turtleneck and bright orange jumpsuit, not caring about the contrasting color scheme. Also in the boxes were handguns and clips of ammunition as well as other handy items and a green backpack. She fastened it to her back using a complicated web of straps. "Amazing what a girl can accumulate over the years," she murmured thoughtfully to herself. Lastly she pulled on a radio headset, tuning it so that she'd be able to contact Tifa. Then she left the room.

Lucca Rannel was not like all the other scientists and technicians at Shin-ra; chosen for her genius she'd been "drafted" into the science department at an early age to serve as Professor Hojo's technical assistant. It hadn't been a bad life for her, but even as she lived with a larger than average salary and her own small apartment inside the building, often times the work wore away at her morality. She'd seen many strange and terrible things inside the laboratory that was her place of work. Somehow she knew that now it was all coming to and end, and she had to leave.

The hall outside her room was empty—or at least, it seemed that way. There could have been a spy anywhere, or motion sensors hidden in the walls. Knowing that her appearance would quickly draw attention she started down the corridor at a swift pace. Her footsteps echoed against the metal-framed paneling. Only a minute had passed when she heard a set that mingled with her own, but they weren't normal footsteps; softer, and in an odd pattern. She braced her back against the wall, waiting for the origin to appear.

To Lucca's surprise, Hojo's red beast trotted around a corner, pausing to scratch at the mask over its eyes. She watched as the fabric ripped away under its claws, the muzzle quickly following. Now free the creature took note of its surroundings, and she quickly found herself staring into its yellow cat eyes. "So, you got out," she said quietly, only hoping to break the unsettling silence. "I wonder who messed up."

The animal blinked slowly, and to her astonishment replied "Sometimes a 'beast' has to take matters into its own claws."

"You…you can talk?" Lucca stuttered, shocked and amazed.

"Of course. You never asked before, did you?" He turned and was about to scamper off again, but she called him back.

"Listen," she said briskly, "you're obviously a lot smarter than any of us figured, and I'm sorry about what's happened to you, but things are a little different now."

It looked her over suspiciously. "You're trying to get out of Shin-ra?"

"Yes. We'll both benefit if we work together."

"My name is Nanaki," the beast said after a brief consideration. "I'll help you, as long as I don't have to come back here."

She nodded. "Deal. Now let's go—we have to work quickly."

They made their way quickly through the corridors, as most of the soldiers had been moved to the executive floors and the other reactors. But Lucca was sure they were being followed. It always sounded as if her footsteps were making more noise than they ought to, and the rhythm was off, but when she tried doubling back to determine the source she found nothing. "What about you, Red?" she asked. "Smell anything?"

"My name is Nanaki," he replied, perturbed, "and I'm not a blood hound."

She shrugged. "Can't you smell something anyway?"

Nanaki sighed, shaking his head. "No, but I can still tell we're being followed. It's a woman."

"How can you tell?"

"Men don't usually wear heels, do they?"

Sure enough, a blond woman in a navy suit rounded the corner, aiming a handgun at the back of Lucca's head. "Don't move," she demanded stiffly, approaching them with slow strides. "Dr. Rannel, you're under arrest under charges of treason and as an accomplice to an assassination. You're coming with me."

Lucca turned and regarded the older women with wry amusement. "You're a Turk, right?"

"Damn right." Her eyes flickered back and forth between the girl and the beast. "Elena of the Turks. Now, put down your weapons."

The teen frowned, gazing down at the three handguns she'd strapped to her belt. "Gee, what weapons?" she retorted sarcastically.

"Stop stalling." Elena dug the barrel of her own weapon into Lucca's forehead. "Now get rid of the guns."

Nanaki began to growl, circling around the Turk until he was out of her view. She tried turning, but in order to watch him she would be forced to relinquish her vigil on Lucca. Biting her lips, she adjusted her grip on the firearm. "Tell him to back off," she demanded. Her confidence, however, was faltering, and it was obvious.

"What makes you think I can talk to a beast?" Lucca asked innocently.

"You were a moment ago."

"Was I?"

Nanaki edged closer to her turned back, the growling note raising a pitch. Elena cringed, trying to be still. "If he does anything," she warned, "I'll shoot you."

Her captive shrugged. "Do you think he cares? I helped bring him here in the first place."

The stress was too much. Elena turned around and fired, but by that time the beast had darted to the side and out of danger. With the woman's back turned Lucca was able to capture her from behind, jabbing her own weapon under her chin. "My, how the tables have turned," she said coolly. "I'm not too fond of taking hostages, so you won't have far to go. In fact, you can wait right here." She dug her fingers into the woman's shoulder, causing her to cry out. The next moment Lucca knocked her in the back of the neck, and she fell, unconscious, to the floor.

"It pays to know pressure points," Lucca muttered to herself, satisfied with her work. She glanced down at Nanaki. "Thanks for the help."

"It's all right," he said. "Let's be quick."

"Something's going on," Locke said, entering the small abandoned apartment he was sharing with his colleague. "I was just on a little sight-seeing tour. The black guy from last night is trying to get everyone to evacuate Sector Seven."

Glenn looked up from cleaning his sword; an activity her performed often. "Evacuate?" he repeated.

"Yeah, but no one's buying it. Says he's out of his mind."

"That man is the leader of Avalanche, is he not?" the green haired man said thoughtfully. "If he has drawn Shin-ra's attention…"

"Then we can't overlook the possibility that he's right," Locke finished for him. He began to gather his things together, stuffing tiny gadgets and materia spheres into his pouches and bags.

"Are you planning on going there?" his friend inquired.

"Of course." He fastened the pouches to his belt. "This is my chance to meet that girl again."

Glenn sheathed his sword and slung it over his back. "I didn't think the flower-seller was your type, Locke," he remarked.

"She isn't. But I heard those Shin-ra guys talking." He started for the door, and there waited for Glenn to finish his own preparation. "She's an Ancient, Glenn," he said, his tone serious for once. "She may have what I'm looking for."

Being a general, Celes was able to slip through Shin-ra without alerting any attention. But still it was difficult for her to leave, for she knew it very well might be the last time she passed through the immense building doors. What she was about to do would forever label her a traitor among those she'd trusted and obeyed for the past twenty-nine years—her entire life. She was sacrificing all her loyalties for a cause she wasn't quite sure she believed in. A strange calm came over her then, as she took a moment to paste the image of the Shin-ra building, looming over the city like a dark parent, into her memory. Somehow she knew she was making the right decision, and even if the new President turned his back on her, she was certain the other members of SOLDIER wouldn't. With a deep breath she set out into the slums.

There were people everywhere. Some of them had taken Barret's warning seriously and were packing their things to be moved; others only carried on with their lives, disbelieving or too stubborn to abandon their homes. Those were the ones she pitied. She couldn't understand why anyone would throw their lives away because of a rusted, broken-down dump of a city. There were more important things than a concept as irrelevant as "home."

By the time Celes reached the Sector Seven support beam everything had started without her. Gunfire rang out overhead, splitting the air with pained cries and sparked explosions. A form fell off the side and plummeted down the several stories of tower, landing with a crushing of bones on the dusty streets. She investigated only briefly, discovering that it was one of the black man's comrades. She allowed herself a moment of remorse before mounting the narrow staircase that led to the top. The exercise was nothing to her, but she paused before emerging onto the platform to cast a quick barrier on herself.

Jessie glanced up from where she was hiding behind the center control set. She took Barret's arm. "Hey, it's that general."

Barret grunted, keeping his focus on the Shin-ra soldiers across from them. He fired off several rounds of ammunition. "If she's not barbecuing their asses," he muttered, "I don't care."

Celes bolted across the platform, ducking with them behind the bulkhead. Instantly Barret was accusing her. "You said two hours," he snarled.

"I guess they couldn't wait," she replied calmly. "Have they planted the bomb yet?"

Jessie shook her head. "We've been able to keep them away from the center, but we won't be able to forever." She was already bleeding down the arm, and beside her Biggs had sustained a bullet to his chest. He wouldn't live much longer.

The general took quick stock of the situation. Both fighters were tense with frustration and fear, and she could tell that much of that was because of the dying man at their side. She moved over to him, carefully probing the wound. "Keep it up," she advised, tiny streams of azure light glittering from her fingertips. "I'll take care of your friend here; give us an extra pair of hands."

Jessie nodded gratefully, the relief shining in her eyes. She reloaded her weapon and helped Barret to drive the soldiers back.

"Don't…waste your strength…" Biggs coughed, a trail of blood snaking down his chin. "I'm… dead already."

Celes ignored him, ceasing the flow of blood. But just then her attention was drawn by the sound of an approaching helicopter. A pair of intense lights flooded the deck. She quickly spread her magic barrier to encompass the entire group, just in time to halt a barrage of spreading projectiles. The distraction, however, was all Shin-ra needed. A man in a navy suit slipped out of the ranks of soldiers, quickly typing in the access code in the support beam's computer.

Barret cursed, raising his gun arm, but the man's partner had his own weapon ready. "Don't move," the bald man commanded.

"So much for Avalanche," Reno muttered wryly, punching in the last of the code. "And so much for Sector Seven."

Celes was there suddenly, flinging him away from the controls. Barret flinched as Rude's gun aimed at his head and fired; however, her barrier calculations had been perfect, and the bullet ricocheted off its invisible surface and barely missed taking the Turk's ear off. Both men backed off as the soldiers resumed firing, but their enemies were left uninjured. "Try to disarm the bomb," the general said over her shoulder.

Jessie hurried to the counsel, bringing up the proper display. She cursed. "No good. This'll take me a while."

"There's no time," Barret growled, cringing each time an ammunition shell burst against the invisible wall. He knew better than to attempt retaliating.

"The whole thing's set for self destruct. I can't access the code menus."

Celes ground her teeth, straining to keep her shield in place, but her powers were already drained and the late hours made her weary. Something was pricking at the back of her mind, a feeling that had stuck with her for the past hours. It was anxiety, anticipation, and discontent all mashed together, churning in the pit of her stomach. The sensations were even more alive in her now, and she wondered at their origin. It wasn't like her to indulge herself in such tedious emotions.

The voice shattered her mind into dozens of tiny colorful shards, and everything after that was only a blur in her consciousness. The scene began to play out far too fast for her to comprehend. One moment she was on her feet, fending off the soldiers' onslaught, and the next a sharp pain in her thigh dropped her to the platform. She was dimly aware of another form that joined her on the bloodied metal. An alarm began to wail painfully in her ears. The gunfire sputtered to a halt, and she could see the navy-suited men retreating to the helicopters.

"Damn it—too late." Barret uttered yet another string of profanity before deciding on a course of action, moving toward the edge of the deck. Several thick cables had been disconnected from their host during the gun battle, and he quickly discovered that they would hold his weight. Scooping Jessie's body into one muscular arm he slid down the length and out of view.

"That coward," a voice spoke. Celes was surprised to find another man at her side, one that had not been there previously. "Leaving a woman behind. It's disgraceful." He hauled her off the floor, encircling her waist.

The general, still distraught and barely conscious, didn't resist as the man pulled her to the cables that Barret had used to escape moments before. "Hold on to me," he instructed, reaching for the metal vine. "We're going down."

Celes did as she was told, utterly devoid of all strength. She didn't understand what had happened to put her in this state. She closed her eyes. The voice she'd perceived before was still there in the darkness behind her shut lids, taking no form other than a flashing of dull lights across the screen of black. Someone was speaking to her. It was a cold tone, firm and crisp like a northern breeze through her blood. Chere it seemed to whisper. It's been a while.

"Whoever you are," she heard her voice reply, "leave me alone."

But I haven't done anything.

"Leave me alone!"

"Celes?"

General Celes opened her eyes, startled to see Lucca standing over her. She sat up—strange, for she didn't remember lying down. Her left leg was sore, and had been bandaged. She wondered how much time had passed.

"Can you hear me?"

"Yes." She rubbed her eyes. "Yes, I can hear you Lucca. What happened?"

"You passed out." She recognized the new voice as the man who'd rescued her, and upon seeing his face finally placed his identity as one of the men from their Shin-ra raid. He was smiling grimly. "The plate dropped, but I was able to get us to Sector Six in time."

"How long was I out?"

"Three hours."

"Just take it easy," Lucca advised, seated beside her. "It's not like you to just pass out. Do you remember what happened?"

Celes shook her head, trying to clear her mind. "My…something broke my concentration," she replied at long last. "My barrier dropped." She gingerly pressed the bandage on her thigh, expressing no sign of pain though it stung terribly. "Was I shot?"

Locke handed her a canteen, which she gratefully accepted. "Looks like there's a lot you don't remember," he said. "You're lucky I showed up. That Barret guy sure wasn't upset about leaving you."

Barret was sitting some ways away, his face grim with anger and remorse. He shifted his attention to them, grumbling "I saw her get shot. Thought she was dead." He crossed his arms. "Her own damn fault, working for Shin-ra."

"Cut it out," Locke snapped, suddenly angry. "I'm tired of listening to your cursing and shit. Stop blaming everyone but yourself—your friends knew the risks. This is what happens when you get in the way of Shin-ra."

The abruptness of this outburst surprised all of them, and no one said anything for a long time. It was obvious that the treasure hunter knew what he was talking about. After several minutes Nanaki returned with Glenn, who was carrying a young girl on his back. Upon seeing Barret her eyes lip up. "Papa!"

"Marlene?" His face flushed with relief, pulling the girl into a fierce embrace. "Thank God you're alive."

"Thank Locke," Glenn corrected. "He's the one that found her just outside the playground. He insisted that I take her."

Barret raised his head, gazing at his daughter, then setting his eyes on Locke. "Thank you," he said sincerely. "You don' know how much I appreci'te this."

He shrugged. "Don't worry about it. She said she was yours, and I figured we'd meet up eventually."

They all formally introduced themselves; Nanaki was the most difficult to explain. When that was finished the problem of a course of action arose. Celes was the first to speak. "Lucca and I can't stay in Midgar," she said quietly. "And I have to get to Cloud. I've got a bad feeling about everything. Besides, there's not much left for us to do here."

"That boy is stronger than you think," Glenn remarked. "I could tell, when I fought him."

She nodded. "He's stronger than anything you can imagine; I guarantee it." She climbed to her feet, testing her weight on the injured limb. "That's why I'm going after him."

"That means I'm in, too," Lucca added.

Locke exchanged a look with Glenn, then stood. "I guess we'll come along. Overstayed our welcome here, anyway."

Celes regarded him carefully, and her eyes leapt to Glenn's for only an instant. "It'll be dangerous."

"I'm counting on it."

The black man considered for a moment then shook his head. "I can't go with you. I've got nothing to do with Strife, and my fight's still here."

"I guess that just leaves me," Nanaki mused, rubbing his ear with his paw. "I'll come. You might need a 'beast' along."

Lucca seemed pleased. "Good. That means we have five. It's a start." She turned to her comrade. "So, which way?"

"West," Celes answered. Her eyes were focused on something distant that only she could see. "I'm not sure, but I feel like that's the way we should go. Intuition." She closed her eyes briefly. "I don't usually believe in intuition, but this is an unique situation. We'll go west."

Locke shrugged. "You're the general."

"Bye Mr. Locke!" Marlene called as they started off, and he waved over his shoulder. She sat with her father and watched as they disappeared into the alleyways of the slums.

When Tifa awoke she and Cloud were the only two left in the room. At first she was alarmed, but quickly reasoned that Sabin would have notified her if anything serious had happened. Also, Cloud was still asleep, and she had the feeling that nothing got past him. Yawning lethargically she climbed out of bed, brushing out her long brown hair through her fingers. I could use a good shower she thought to herself, tying the silken mass behind her. But somehow I think that won't be for a while.

As she suspected there might be, there was a small note left out on the table. Went out for stuff it read. Meet in square. Sabin.

"So articulate," she murmured humorously. She started for the door but paused, remembering that Cloud was still there, and she felt as if she shouldn't leave him alone in the room. His face was drawn tight in strain, and his breath was haggard. Certainly some nightmare was upon him, and she moved closer. "I wonder what you're dreaming of," Tifa mused aloud, kneeling beside the sofa on which he slept. Without realizing it she reached out to touch his forehead, twisting idly the spiky locks of his hair. "Do you remember living in Nibelheim together? Things were really strange back then, weren't they?"

He didn't respond, as she knew he wouldn't. She felt confused now, trying to remember those times in their past. Part of him had always stayed with her, even when he left to join SOLDIER at the young age of fourteen. He was the town shadow, she reflected, never associating with any of the children his age, but he was her shadow and no one else's. Only now did she realize, in looking back, how close he'd always been, and how much he must have cared for her.

Cloud's eyes fluttered open, groaning as he struggled to awaken. His head turned lazily to the side to regard Tifa with a dull gaze. "Tifa?"

"Hey." She smiled, pulling her hand back. "Sleep well?"

He sat bolt upright suddenly, a look of confusion and suspicion crossing his face, but the spell passed as quickly as it had come on. "Yeah, fine," he replied, scratching the back of his head. "Where is everyone?"

Tifa took in a deep breath, resolving not to acknowledge any of his strange behaviors for fear of the outcome. "Out getting stuff. You feeling okay?"

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Just making sure." She stood, taking a moment to stretch out. "You ready to go meet everyone?"

Cloud nodded. "Whatever. I want to ask around town, anyway; see if anyone's seen Sephiroth."

"Of course." She pulled him to his feet. "Let's go."

Nadia tripped and almost fell, unused to walking on uneven ground. She was also still wearing her evening outfit, with a long skirt that made travel difficult. The shoes weren't helping, either. But she was determined, and made her way out of town to a grassy hill overlooking the valley. There was already a woman there, lying on her back in the long grass, hands folded over her stomach. She didn't seem to notice Nadia's approach, but just as she was about to announce her presence Aeris said, "It's nice out here, isn't it?"

"A lot different from Midgar." Nadia sat down beside her, wrapping her arms around her knees. A breath of warm air caressed her bare arms and face. It was full with the scent of fresh flowers, clean and innocent like a child's laughter. She'd never imagined something as simple as sunlight against her skin and the wind ruffling through the grass could be so fulfilling.

Aeris was smiling faintly, eyes closed as she drank in every sensation from the beautiful land. "I haven't been out of the city in a long time," she said quietly, not wanting to disturb the delicate calm. "It's so beautiful. You can hear so many things."

"It's so quiet," the younger contradicted. "I can't hear anything."

"You have to listen harder."

Nadia sighed, unwilling to enter into a debate with her. She accepted the fact that she couldn't hear anything—somehow she knew she could never hear as much as this mysterious woman. Instead, she turned to watch the sun rising over the distant ocean. "I've never seen a real sunrise," she said, her voice a faint whisper of sadness. "I've lived in Midgar my entire life. I haven't left the Shin-ra building since I was three. I never see the sunrise."

"You'll see plenty of it on this trip," Aeris replied brightly, but her own voice was still soft. "We'll be traveling for a long time."

"Do you know where we're going?"

"Nope."

Nadia flopped onto her back, staring up at the wisps of cotton-like clouds that floated lazily overhead. She didn't speak for a long time, caught by the same peaceful spell that had entrapped her companion. For a moment she tried listening for those things that Aeris might have been hearing, but she found nothing. Finally she said, "You know Cloud pretty well, don't you?"

Aeris chucked. "Actually, not really. Two days ago he wandered into my garden and passed out. That's how we met."

"Oh." She paused. "For some reason I thought you two knew each other really well. Do you…like him?"

Aeris stifled a fit of giggles and turned to face the younger woman. "Let me put it this way:" she said, a hint of mischievous excitement glinting in her eyes, "I think he's handsome. I'll let you know if…if a liking develops." Her lips turned up in a bright smile, the kind that was usually attributed to a trickster or keeper of some illustrious secret.

Nadia nodded absently—usually romantic intrigue was enough to spark an intense curiosity in the girl, but now her mind was elsewhere. A question lay half-formed on her lips. Her mouth opened and closed as she struggled to voice her uneasiness. "But still," she started hesitantly, "you know him better than me. I know this sounds…" Finally she blurted out, "Did Cloud kill my father?"

Aeris' grin stayed, though the expression drained quickly from her eyes. She took her time in answering. "If he did, what would you do?"

"I…" Nadia broke off quickly, having found nothing to say. "I don't know. There's not much I can do now. But still…" She sat up, staring down at Aeris so that she could see her face. "I have to know. I have to know if he killed my father."

"I didn't see it happen," she told her quietly. "When we showed up the President was already dead, and Cloud was there. I never saw Sephiroth." She closed her eyes. "But we do know that someone else was there, according to what the guards said. And, if it was Sephiroth, he could have easily made you believe that Cloud was the one you saw."

"But if he did…"

"If he did, you'll have to find out for yourself." Her eyes reopened, gleaming with kind reassurance. "Take some time to look at him, Nadia. Look into his eyes when he's being himself, and not talking about Sephiroth. You can find all the truth you need by yourself."

Nadia considered this for a moment, and as if through some freak of fate two figures appeared over the hill: Cloud and Tifa. "Here you are," Tifa declared, taking up a stance of parental annoyance. "Sabin's note said to meet in the square. Have you seen him?"

"Uh-uh." Aeris stretched lazily, pulling herself to her feet. "I was up before him. Anything wrong?"

"No, not really."

Nadia stood as well, mulling over what Aeris had said. Locking her jaw she marched over to Cloud and placed herself in front of him, staring him in the face. He gazed back indifferently. After a moment she crossed her arms, and said "Gee, look who finally woke up. Thought we were going to have to drag you out by the ear."

Cloud straightened defensively, but then lifted an eyebrow. He put one hand on his hip in a stance that reeked of arrogant pride. "You have a problem?" he asked coolly.

"No. No problem." She took one last look at his intense blue eyes, gathering the convictions inside her. Then she started away. When she realized that none were following she called back over her shoulder, "What, did you all fall asleep again? Let's go find Sabin."

Cloud shrugged, turning to follow. Tifa feel into step beside him, and Aeris moved to walk beside Nadia. "Well?" she inquired expectantly.

"I don't think he did," Nadia replied, staring ahead. "There's something weird about him, ya know? Like there's more to him."

She nodded. "I know exactly what you mean."

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