Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Learning Curve Continuum ❯ Rude Confessions ( Chapter 6 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Disclaimer: Definitely not mine; always returned to Square Enix after they’ve cleared the air.

A/N: Cheerfully corrupting, er, co-opting relevant bits of Crisis Core’s version of events for this chapter and making up other bits out of whole cloth.  The timeline of events in CC has been fudged slightly to allow Zack and Aerith more interaction.  

Warnings: Coarse language and canon-abuse.

Bouquets to my wonderful betas, Kitsune13 and Ranuel.  You make writing this fic so much more fun!

Learning Curve Continuum
Chapter Six: Rude Confessions
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“If it ain’t ShinRa’s two ‘Most Wanted’,” the red-haired Turk drawled, gently bouncing his crackling weapon on his shoulder.  “Your luck’s run out, Cloud-o.  It’s payback time for Sector Seven.”

“You’re joking, right?”

“You punks messed me up… my delicate constitution is still recovering.”

“Thousands of people in Sector Seven will never recover – because they’re dead,” Cloud snarled.

Reno smirked. “Just like when the Sector One Reactor blew, yo.”

“Fuck off,” Barret snapped.

Ignoring the seething man, Reno amiably suggested, “Why don’t you give yourselves up, already?  Then we can take some time off.”

Tifa made sure she kept him in her peripheral vision as she faced off against his silent colleague.  Magic prickled her scalp as Aerith powered up her staff, and the barrels of Barret’s gun-arm whirled, but their battle preparations couldn’t quite distract her from noticing the way Rude kept smiling at her.  A shy sorta smile, that made him look something less than intimidating despite his menacing stance, but it was making her extremely uncomfortable.

“You’re a particular pain in the ass, Cloud-o,” Reno continued in an aggrieved tone.  “Chased you and your buddy nearly all the way back to Midgar, playin’ mailman for Miz Cetra over there.”  Behind Tifa, Aerith emitted an anguished little noise and the magic vanished, as if shut off by a switch. Barret muttered encouragement and the mage regained some of her composure, but her shock was palpable.

For her part, Tifa was also taken aback.  Cloud’s buddy?  Playing mailman for Aerith?  What?  

Cloud spoke, his voice low and hard.  “You’re fulla shit, Turk.  Bunch of low-life kidnappers, murderers an’ spies.”

“Just followin’ orders, yo,” Reno laconically replied, twirling his weapon.  “Same for Sector Seven - nothin’ personal.”  

There was a sudden crackle, and Reno swore violently as he barely dodged a gout of flame; Red sent another fire-blast at the Turk, then lunged at Rude.  The safety clicked off on Barret’s gun-arm, and Tifa ducked under the hail of bullets.  “Dammit, Spiky!  Stay the fuck outta my way!” Barret roared as Cloud went after Reno with murderous intent.

The Turk adroitly parried Cloud’s vicious swing as he skipped backwards.  “Yo, Rude, no goin’ easy on the ladies – ‘specially your crush,” he directed, daring to wink at Tifa.

His partner grunted in reply, sending Red flying with a hard punch to the ribs – Tifa thought she heard bones crack - that sent the leonine creature staggering back to Aerith.  Calmly deflecting Tifa’s roundhouse kick a split-second later, he didn’t retaliate, merely moved out of range; she chased him for a few more attacks until she realized that Rude was drawing her away from her defensive position and hastily backpedalled.

“Gotcha!” Yuffie yelled gleefully as she hurled her shuriken, but Rude easily sidestepped the spinning weapon.  With a well-timed kick, he sent it careening off on a new trajectory and out of play.  “You fat-headed jerk!” she shouted, shaking her fist as she sprinted to retrieve it.

Cursing luridly, Barret pushed Tifa behind him while blasting another volley.  “Can’t get a clear shot at that red-haired fucker without hittin’ Spiky,” he snarled.  

Despite his best efforts, Cloud couldn’t quite wipe the arrogant smirk off the Turk’s face.  “Nice sword, Cloud-o,” Reno purred, sparks flying as their weapons connected.  “Your buddy woulda been real proud o’ you, protectin’ his woman an’ all.”

Cloud faltered and Reno bared his teeth in a feral grin, stabbing under Cloud’s guard to deal a withering jolt of electricity to his stomach.  Barret yelled and snatched the twitching swordsman out of the way, only to be encased in a glowing pyramid that prevented him from emptying his clip at point-blank range.

“Damn.  Wasn’t aimin’ for him, but it worked out okay,” Reno grumbled, staying out of Cloud’s reach just in case.  Glancing at his watch, he added, “Wouldja look at that - we’re off the clock!  C’mon, partner... time for a victorious retreat.    It’s payday tomorrow, an’ I got a hot date with a cold beer.”  Grinning, he flipped off his stunned opponents and turned his back.  Over his shoulder, he taunted, “We’ll let ya run around loose a little longer, but remember, boys and girls – the Turks always get the job done.”  Rude straightened his tie and tipped a polite salute to Tifa as he backed away, signalling that the encounter was over.  

Static electricity haloing his body, Cloud launched his own Lightning attack and nailed Reno square between the shoulder blades; Rude grabbed his crumpling partner, threw him over his shoulder and ducked behind a rocky outcropping.  “Bastards,” Cloud growled; it seemed to be taking him longer than usual to shake off the effects of Reno’s weapon.  

Tifa rushed past him, energy coating her fists. With a powerful blow, she shattered the pyramid; Barret caught her hand before the follow-through hit him.  “What the fuck was that?” he demanded, visibly shaken.  “Couldn’t fuckin’ move, couldn’t hardly breathe.  Fuck, my knees are shakin’!”

“Something like Petrify; hopefully he can only use it on one opponent at a time,” Cloud grimaced, using his sword to prop himself upright.  Waving off Tifa’s concern, he wobbled in their wake as she guided Barret back to where Aerith worked on Red’s damaged ribs.

“That was quite the brawl, laddie!” Cait cheerfully commented as he popped out of the buggy.

Aerith shot the stuffed cat a cool look.  “If I didn’t know better, I’d think they knew we were coming,” she mused as she stood up.  

Red rolled upright onto his feet and cautiously shook himself, then stretched.  “Thank you, Aerith-sama.”  Fixing his one eye on Cait, he blandly observed, “I must agree with you - it does seem rather odd that the Turks chose a remote place like Gongaga for a picnic.”

Cloud slapped his sword onto his back.  “We were set up by Dio,” he growled.  “He’s a ShinRa employee.  Shoulda known better than to take him at his word, but I didn’t have much choice.”

“Fresh out of hunches?” Aerith lightly asked.

“Right now?  Yeah.”  Cloud gripped his forehead, wincing, as if he was nursing a massive headache.  “Might as well check out the place.  Maybe we can score some provisions.”

“What a dump,” Yuffie muttered.  “I’d feel bad stealing from these people.”

“Yet another example of how a mako reactor brings the exact opposite of prosperity,” Tifa said, inspecting the tight cluster of shabby huts.

Cloud squinted against the sun.  “Let’s get the hell outta here.”

“Wait, please,” Aerith pleaded. “I want to see if my friend’s family is still here.”

“Whatever.  Don’t be all damn day.”

As Cloud stomped back towards the buggy, parked deep in the shade of several large trees, Yuffie curled her lip.  “What’s up with him?”

“He had another chance at that fuckin’ Turk but couldn’t kill ‘im,” Barret replied. “An’ got a bellyful of electricity to boot.”  

“What was all that stuff about ‘Sector Seven’, anyways?”

“Sit down, kid, an’ I’ll tell ya the story.  Missy... take someone with ya if yer goin’ ta knock on doors.”

Aerith caught hold of Tifa’s hand, but instead of pulling her towards the nearest house, she checked the materia in her array and added one.  “Go see if Cure will help Cloud’s mood,” she directed.  “Red?  Will you come with me?”

“Of course, Aerith-sama.”

Tifa listened to Barret with half an ear as he began telling Yuffie about the failed battle for the Plate while she watched Aerith approach the first house.  An elderly man answered the door; he was obviously a little hard of hearing, since Aerith had to repeat her question more than once, but he finally nodded and came out onto the stoop to direct her deeper into the village.  When Red’s tail-flare disappeared around the side of the hut, Tifa made her way towards the buggy.  

Cait Sith hopped down from the fender and scuttled past, heading for Barret and Yuffie.  Tifa narrowed her eyes as she watched him go.  I agree with Aerith and Red; seems more than a little coincidental that the Turks ‘just happened’ to be in this remote location, but Cloud’s also right about Dio. Reaching the buggy, she stooped to peek beneath the half-open door. Cloud’s booted feet protruded from the end of the middle row of bench seats; he lay on his back, his eyes closed, his expression pinched.  He looks like he’s really hurting... strange, because he shrugs off most injuries.  

“What?” he demanded abruptly and she jumped, banging her head on the door.  “Is Aerith finished with her trip down memory lane?”

Rubbing the tender spot on her scalp, Tifa answered, “Um, no.”

Exhaling harshly, Cloud groused, “Can’t a guy get a little peace around here?”  Stung by his sharp tone, she beat a hasty retreat, but had only gone a few steps before he quietly called, “Did you want something?”

“Er, a Cure for your headache?”

“You can try.”  He sat up as she entered the vehicle, but as soon as she saw the pain etched on his face, she made him lie back down.  Squeezing into the narrow space between the seats, she equipped the materia and pressed her glowing hand to his forehead; he hissed through his teeth, but slowly relaxed by increments.

Softly, she asked, “Was his attack that powerful?”

“A little,” he reluctantly admitted, then peered at her through his lashes.  “I know I’ve been an ass, but could I borrow your lap?”  Tifa nodded; as he propped himself up on his elbows, she unfolded her legs and awkwardly slid onto the seat.  He settled back, shifting his head against her thighs until he was comfortable, then caught hold of her hand.  “Do it again?”

As she activated the materia and watched the tightness around Cloud’s eyes ease until he dozed off, Tifa worried her lip.  I have so many questions I want to ask, but I don’t know where to start!  While Cloud snored lightly, she feathered his bangs away from his face and struggled to find the right words.  If he escaped from Hojo’s lab, somebody must have helped... maybe this ‘buddy’ was also being held there and together they fought their way out?  That would explain why he’s been called both an ‘escapee’ and a ‘deserter’ because ShinRa would’ve been after him on both counts.  

Cloud rolled onto his side and nestled closer, his breath tickling her bare stomach.  That Turk didn’t seem to be joking about Aerith’s letters; they’ve had her under surveillance for years, so I’m not surprised that they intercepted her mail.  But... why would they suddenly decide to deliver it?  Gazing out the window, Tifa pondered Aerith’s reaction to Reno’s comment.  This ‘buddy’ of Cloud’s... he was important to Aerith, and something happened to him before the Turks found either of them.  Frowning, she cast her mind back to the fateful meeting at the train station.  Cloud was definitely alone; he was filthy dirty, scratched and bruised and...! Tifa let out a sharp noise.  Jessie commented on it - his trousers were blood-stained from the knees down, but he didn’t have any wounds on his legs! Like... he’d knelt in a puddle of blood?     

Biting her lip, she contemplated the possible ways that the man sleeping comfortably on her lap could have ended up with his clothing bloodied while not suffering any injuries... and all the potential circumstances made her feel extremely uncomfortable.  Assuming the Turk was telling the truth about the buddy, then someone died violently and Cloud was involved – but as a bystander, or as the killer?  Examining his relaxed countenance, her stomach twisting, Tifa couldn’t ignore the obvious implications.  He’s killed plenty of times to protect us, but I don’t know for absolute certain that he wouldn’t murder someone in cold blood.  Racking her brain for more memories, she had to force herself past the traumas of Sephiroth’s rampage and her mother’s death.  When we were kids, he picked plenty of fights – and usually ended up losing, because he was smaller than most of the other boys – but he wasn’t a dirty fighter.  However, he was in the ShinRa military and then the SOLDIER program, and neither organization is big on ‘honour’ as it applies to outsiders.  It was the military who destroyed Corel, and a member of SOLDIER who burned Nibelheim.  

Combing her fingers through Cloud’s unruly spikes, Tifa heaved a deep sigh as she made a decision.  I know that he’s capable of violence, but I don’t believe that he would ever attack someone that he cared about.  If his buddy died, it was at someone else’s hands.  Realization gave her goose-bumps, and she was suddenly sure.  Cloud’s sword once belonged to the other man – and Aerith recognized it.  Cold promptly settled in her guts.  She also probably thinks that Cloud killed him for it.  All those questions that she asked in Kalm... I have to talk to her, and soon!

“Cloud-san?”  She almost gave herself whiplash turning towards the voice; Red gave her a quizzical look as he continued, “Aerith-sama is ready to depart.”

“Tell Yuffie to beg, borrow or steal a proper barf bucket.  Her aim is terrible,” Cloud directed without opening his eyes.

“Agreed.” Red disappeared again.

Tifa reluctantly left off stroking his hair.  “Feeling better?”

He yawned.  “Cure helped, but being close to you is what quieted the screaming to a dull roar.”

“Screaming?”

“The noise inside my brain,” he clarified, sitting up.  “Something that asshole Turk said made my head feel like it was gonna explode.”

“What did he say?” she asked, holding her breath.

“Can’t remember.”  Sliding along the narrow bench, Cloud scooted up to the front and dropped into the driver’s seat.  Punching the ignition button, he declared, “We’re leavin’ in two minutes.”

Tifa pushed the door all the way open and beckoned to the others, then immediately noticed Aerith’s new accessory.  A thin black ribbon was looped twice around the other woman’s slender throat and tied into a bow, the dangling ends emphasizing her delicate collarbone.  Aerith appeared subdued, her eyes downcast as she twisted the silver bracelets on her wrist.  She took a seat behind Tifa and was quickly joined by Red, who took up the rest of the bench with deliberate sprawl.

“Where to next, Spiky?” Barret asked as he climbed into the buggy, along with Cait Sith and Yuffie.  The teen was carrying a battered bucket; she took the rear-most seat and opened the windows on both sides.

Cloud started to say something, but the sound of a helicopter interrupted.  They all hunkered down despite being inside a brightly-coloured vehicle, listening as the chopper banked overhead.  As the wash from the rotors whipped the branches of their fortuitously-chosen parking spot against the buggy’s metal body, Barret hoarsely demanded, “Do the fuckers know we’re here?”

“They’d be using us for target practice if they did,” Cloud tersely answered, killing the engine.  The windstorm outside abated as they watched the helicopter, marked with the distinctive ShinRa badge, land in the vicinity of the ruined reactor.  “They’re not trying to capture us - wonder what they’re doing here?”

“Picking up the Turks?” Tifa hazarded.

“Shit.  An’ they’re too close for us to sneak past ‘em.”

“Isn’t this buggy supposed to be the off-road model?” Aerith piped up.

“Don’t know the terrain well enough to risk it.”  Cloud continued staring in the direction of the reactor.  “Wish we knew what those bastards were up to.”

“I’ll go!”  Yuffie was gone like a shot.

“Shit,” Cloud muttered again, his hands tightening on the steering wheel while the teenager vanished into the underbrush.  “Get your weapons ready.”

“Damn kid.”  Coiling the loaded ammunition belts inside his gun-arm, Barret continued in a disgusted tone, “Nice enough, but subtlety ain’t her strong point.”

While Tifa marvelled over Barret’s choice of words, Red briefly touched his paw to Aerith’s hand.  “I wish I could be of more assistance, Aerith-sama,” he murmured.

Her fingers sought the ribbon at her throat.  “I’m glad that you were with me,” she quietly replied and he rumbled soothingly.  “Won’t you consider remaining with us?”

“I will think on it.”  Slipping off the bench and moving forward to sit behind Cloud and Barret, Red ignored Cait Sith and peered over his head through the side window.  “Yuffie-kun returns,” he announced, and a moment later, the breathless ninja threw herself into the buggy.  The chopper took off and rapidly vanished into the distance, giving no sign that its occupants were aware of their audience.

“Well?” Cloud demanded.

Yuffie milked the suspense for all she was worth before reporting, “They’re lookin’ for, to quote the blonde bitch, ‘big, large, huge materia’ so that they can make the ‘perfect weapon’.”

“Perfect weapon?” Cloud repeated.  “Powered by ‘huge’ materia... huh.”

Enjoying her moment in the spotlight, the teen added, “Those two Turks boarded, then all three of ‘em went quiet after the woman insulted somebody named Heidegger.”

“Three?”

“Red and Baldy called him ‘Director’.  He was tall, skinny and dark-haired – real serious.”  Yuffie imitated an upright posture and stern expression.

“Definitely Tseng.  The woman was blonde?”

“Trampy red dress as loud as her voice.”

“Scarlet.  What the hell is ShinRa up to?”

“They got a Huge Materia in Junon, powerin’ the Sister Ray,” Barret pointed out.

“Scarlet must have a new project in the works.”  Cloud scratched his chin.  “Can’t do anything about it, so let’s move on.”  Turning, he threw his arm around the back of his seat to grin disarmingly at the group.  “Any suggestions?  My Sephi-radar is offline.”

Red cleared his throat.  “My home is not far from here.”

“Cosmo Canyon, right?”      

“Woohoo!”  Barret almost let off a few rounds inside the cab out of sheer excitement, but restrained himself at the last second.  Vacating the co-pilot’s seat to make way for Red, his craggy face lit up with a huge smile, he squashed in beside Tifa.  “Back before you joined us, I promised the rest o’ them – Jessie, Biggs, Wedge – that we’d celebrate with a drink at the Shildra Inn in Cosmo Canyon once we defeated ShinRa.”  His expression fell, and he abruptly lapsed into silence; Tifa wrapped her hands around his fist and squeezed, offering wordless comfort.

Pressing the ignition button and throwing the buggy into gear, Cloud eased it out from under the concealing branches... and Yuffie promptly and loudly made use of her new bucket.  “Shiva’s icicles, brat!” he exploded.  “Glad I don’t have motion sickness!”

This bonfire is making me remember things I shouldn’t.  The crackling firelight of the Cosmo Candle only increased the cold feeling in the pit of Tifa’s stomach that had set in after Bugenhagen’s lecture.  Zipping up her sweater and wrapping her arms more tightly around herself, she examined the ground between her boots and tried again to arrange her thoughts into some semblance of order.  

The collar of her coat pulled up around her ears, Aerith sat next to Tifa and about a million miles away.  I imagine that she’s as deeply affected as I am by what we learned about the Lifestream.  Tifa shuddered anew.  The idea that mako reactors are literally burning up people’s souls is horrid – another reason why ShinRa has to be stopped!  A related idea made her sit up straight.  Materia is highly compressed spirit energy – therefore, also made up of people’s lives!  Biting her lip, she inspected the glowing orbs that made up her array, seeing them in a whole new light.  If using mako energy is wrong, shouldn’t using these also be wrong?  I guess it’s a necessary evil, if we’re to defeat Sephiroth and stop ShinRa – but I’ll be more careful about how I choose to deploy it.  

Beside her, Aerith sighed heavily and looked up at the stars; Tifa noted unshed tears glimmering in her vivid green eyes.  That scream of the Planet just about made my hair stand on end!  It must be so hard for her, being able to hear terrifying sounds like that and to know when someone dies, not to mention being the last of her kind.  Maybe I should wait until a better time to talk to her about Cloud?  Glancing around the circle, though, and realizing that a ‘better time’ might not present itself, Tifa made the impulsive decision to broach the subject now.  There’s no privacy in the buggy, and Cloud’s gone with Red – er, I mean, Nanaki – with Bugenhagen for who knows how long.  Barret’s talking to Cait Sith and Yuffie’s taken off, so this is probably my best chance... at least until we have to go rescue the ninja from whatever mess she’s gotten herself into.

Sucking up her courage, she lightly touched the mage’s arm.  “Um, Aerith?”

The other woman blinked, and slowly turned to look at Tifa, as if she’d been pulled back from a place very, very far away.  Her gaze was soft and dark, and the deep sadness in it tugged at Tifa’s heart.  “Yes?”

Tifa kept her voice low, both to avoid drawing attention and because she couldn’t keep it from shaking.  “We need to talk.”

Aerith tilted her head, and Tifa saw the exact instant that the defensive walls went back up.  “What about?”

“Cloud... and the man who once carried his sword.”

Her mouth dropped open in surprise, but Aerith quickly recovered. Nodding briskly, she stood up; in answer to Barret and Cait’s questioning looks, she said, “We’ll be back in a bit.”

“Need an escort, lassies?”

“What would you do if someone bothered us?  Annoy them to death?”

“Er, are you sure you’re comfortable here?”  

Aerith glanced up at the glowing model of the solar system moving silently overhead.  “Yes.  This is where I finally realized what it means to be a Cetra.”

Tifa shifted on the narrow step.  I never thought she’d suggest the Observatory!  

“You don’t care for this place.”

“N-no.  Now that I know what the sounds mean....”  She trailed off.  “I can’t imagine what it must be like, to be able to hear this sort of thing all the time.”

“It’s in the background - most of the time,” Aerith said, toying with the ends of the black ribbon tied around her neck.

Following the motions of the other woman’s fingers, Tifa blurted out, “Did you hear something when the other man died?”

“Who?”

“The man who owned Cloud’s sword.”

“How do you know he’s dead?” Aerith’s voice and eyes were as hard as Mythril.

“I d-don’t... n-not really... b-but all those questions you asked about it – in Kalm – a-and then you said something about ‘it was him’... the b-buddy and letters those Turks mentioned....” Tifa stuttered to a stop, quelled by the other woman’s dangerous expression.

After a long, tense moment, Aerith exhaled and again looked up at the fake stars.  Then she began to softly speak, with anger, sorrow and affection infusing every word.  “Seven years ago, a young SOLDIER fell through the roof of the ruined church in Sector Five and landed on the bed of flowers that I tended.  He was funny, handsome, extremely charming and had the cutest dimple when he smiled, so when he suggested that we go on a date to thank me for ‘saving’ his life, I accepted.”

“On our first date, he bought me this ribbon.” Slender fingers stroked the knotted silk holding back her hair.  “One date led to another, and I began to trust him despite his duty to ShinRa, to look forward to his company.  I started wearing pink dresses so he could pick me out of the crowd at the train station when he returned from a mission.”  Smoothing her skirt, Aerith continued, “He gave me the Transform and Heal materia and showed me how to use them, and he also built flower carts so that I could sell the blooms from the church to earn gil.”  A quiet, wry chuckle.  “SOLDIERs were trained to destroy things, not create them.  The first cart was quite frankly a disaster, the second was a huge improvement and the third – oh, my, we had so much trouble over it!  We were always being stopped by patrols on the Plate because it looked like a weapon of some kind.  I wasn’t sorry to see it go.”  

Aerith smiled tenderly, her gaze focussed inwards.  “He once tried to help me sell flowers; he was very enthusiastic, but I think people bought them because he scared them into it!”  She finally met Tifa’s eyes, and some of the hardness was back.  “He had a mentor, a top-ranking SOLDIER named Angeal Hewley, who he absolutely idolized; he even grew out his hair to look more like him.”  Leaning forward, never taking her eyes from Tifa’s face, she continued, “General Hewley bequeathed his heirloom weapon to him, called the Buster Sword.  He carried it everywhere, including a mission five years ago with General Sephiroth to repair a reactor in a mountain town on the Western Continent; I think you know the place quite well.”

Tifa could only stare in horror as images of a teasing, blue-eyed SOLDIER spun through her mind and stalled on the final one.  I told him I hated him...

Aerith watched the emotions playing across Tifa’s face.  “I didn’t recall the name right away when you said that Nibelheim was your hometown.  You must have met him?”

Her throat dry and her eyes wet, Tifa managed to rasp, “I guided him and General Sephiroth to the Mount Nibel reactor.”  

“When he didn’t return, I started writing letters; I figured he might have been wounded in the battle, if even the great General Sephiroth had ended up being given a state funeral.” After a short, reflective pause, Aerith murmured, “I never realized how much he meant to me until he was gone.”  Giving herself a little shake, she continued, “Five silent years later, I gave up and wrote my last letter to him and not long afterwards the Planet told me he was dead.  Three months later, Cloud fell through the roof of the church, carrying the Buster Sword.”

Overwhelmed, Tifa burst out, “You think he killed him, don’t you?  That Cloud’s a murderer!”

“I believe that you once admitted that you don’t know him very well, even though you grew up together,” Aerith murmured silkily.  “After knowing him only a few weeks, how can you expect me to believe that he isn’t a monster?”

Tifa hunched miserably.  “My gut feeling still says he wouldn’t.”  Desperately grasping after straws, she insisted, “It couldn’t be Cloud, because there were only two SOLDIERs in Nibelheim and he wasn’t one of them!”

“He claims he was there,” Aerith pointed out.  “In fact, he’s quite sure of it.”

“I know, but...!”  Tifa scrubbed her face with her hands.  “I suffered a head injury, which might have scrambled some of my memories, but I have absolutely none of Cloud during the entire ten days that the ShinRa team was in Nibelheim.”

“Hmmm.”  Aerith chewed her lip, then suddenly held up a finger.  “Cloud mentioned some ShinRa infantrymen in his version.”  

“Yes... there were two, like he said.”

Aerith drummed her fingertips on her knee, her brow furrowed in thought.  “Did you see either of them without their helmets?”

“No... oh, no.”  Tifa’s world tilted sideways.  

“They would have witnessed the same incidents that you did, right?”

“Yes... but Cloud was wearing a SOLDIER uniform when I found him at the train station!” she protested weakly, feeling very ill.

“Give me five minutes and a ShinRa supply depot, and I can make anybody look like a SOLDIER.”  Yuffie balanced on the observation deck railing above their heads before dropping onto a lower step.

“How long have you been up there?” Aerith demanded, while Tifa groped after her composure.

The teen shrugged diffidently.  “The whole time.”  Yuffie plopped onto the stair and propped her chin on her hands.  “You gonna continue with the story?  This SOLDIER boy of yours sounds kinda familiar.”

“I doubt it,” Aerith snapped.

“Did he serve in the Wutai War?”  Aerith blinked, and cautiously nodded; Yuffie pursed her lips.  “Tall, dark, handsome... a dimple when he smiled?”

“Zack Fair,” Tifa whispered, tears burning downing her cheeks.  Aerith lost the man she loved; I can’t imagine how she felt when she saw Cloud with the Buster Sword!

“He gets around,” Yuffie pouted, shooting Tifa a dirty look for stealing her thunder.

Aerith pinned the teen with a glare.  “Explain.”

Yuffie rolled her eyes.  “Don’t get your panties in a twist.  After Fort Tamblin fell, Zack seemed the least scary of the SOLDIERs who occupied Wutai – I mean, in comparison to someone like Sephiroth, he was a big puppy dog.”  She smirked.  “He wasn’t too bright, though; I used to steal stuff from him all the time.”

“Sounds like you were a total brat,” Aerith commented acidly.

“Feh.  I was just a little kid; if he wanted to, he coulda squished me easily – but he never did.”

“Too bad he showed restraint.”

“Oi!”

“If Cloud was actually the surviving ShinRa trooper, that would explain how he knows so much about what happened in Nibelheim,” Tifa said, very quietly.  Bravely meeting Aerith’s stony gaze, she bit her trembling lip and went on, “He did fight Sephiroth at some point, because he was stabbed through the body with a narrow blade.  You must have seen the scar that time in the bathroom at 7th Heaven?”

Aerith looked vague.  “It’ll be easy enough to verify your claim.  Go on.”

Shaking off an image of Aerith wheedling Cloud into undressing for her, Tifa continued, “After he reacted so badly to Hojo at the Costa del Sol, Cloud told me that he had fuzzy memories of what he assumed was a hospital, but might actually have been a laboratory.”

“You mean... he might have been experimented on, too?  Like Nanaki?” Aerith exclaimed.

“That would explain Cloud’s ‘mako eyes’,” Yuffie mused.  “ShinRa could’ve pumped him full of all kinds of crap.”

“ShinRa only announced Sephiroth’s death - the rest of the squad that went to Nibelheim weren’t even listed as ‘missing in action’.  I suppose both Zack and Cloud could have been held in a lab somewhere,” Aerith slowly said.

“If they were here in Midgar, Zack would’ve looked for you first, to take you with him.  They must have been somewhere else.”

“How about another continent?” Yuffie suggested.  “ShinRa has facilities all over the Planet.”  

Tifa sat bolt upright.  “The ShinRa Mansion!  Officially, it was a research centre connected to the reactor.  They could’ve been held there, because it was close and had the right equipment!”  Smacking herself in the forehead as another thought occurred, she continued, “I’ll bet that’s also where they prepared their victims before sealing them into the mako-filled pods inside the reactor.”

“Eeyew!  Lucky they didn’t do that to Cloud!” Yuffie gasped.

“They wouldn’t do human experiments like that in Midgar; too hard to hide if one of the subjects escaped.  A remote location like your hometown fits the bill.”  Aerith rubbed her chin, thinking hard.  “Maybe... they were locked up in the Mansion and somehow managed to escape?  And were on their way to Midgar when....”

“ShinRa caught up with them.”  Even though Aerith’s train of thought neatly dovetailed with her own, Tifa was startled by the sudden strength of her conviction that they’d guessed the truth.  “Cloud got away – because Zack protected him.”

“This is only speculation.”  Some of the sharpness was back.

“From what I remember of Zack, he would’ve sacrificed himself to save a friend because it was the honourable thing to do.”  

“Yes… yes, he would’ve,” Aerith murmured, touching the dangling ends of her choker.

They sat in silence for a moment.  “"Cloud said that he felt like his brain was going to explode during that battle with the Turks," Tifa confided.  "And then he couldn't remember what Reno said to him."

“Trauma may cause repression of memories,” said a new voice, and Tifa shut up.  Nanaki padded out of the shadows and ascended the staircase.  Seating himself on the step below Aerith with his tail-flare curling overhead and casting flickering light onto their faces, he addressed Tifa.  “I have experienced this myself, from my time as Hojo’s test subject.”

“Like Aerith said, it’s all just speculation at this point,” she mumbled, feeling like she’d somehow betrayed Cloud, but also glad that almost everything was out in the open.  I didn’t tell them that he hears voices, or that he ‘goes green’.  Her relief only lasted a second or two.

“I must pass on something of importance regarding Cloud-san,” Nanaki said.  “My honoured grandfather has detected great turmoil inside him, which is blocking the full unleashing of his potential.”

So much for keeping that entirely a secret! I wonder – if we could solve this ‘turmoil’, maybe his memories would fully return?  “Does Bugenhagen know of a way to unblock it?” Tifa asked hopefully.

“That is uncertain.  Grandfather says that Cloud-san must defeat the darkness, or be swallowed by it.”  Nanaki nodded gravely.  “However, I believe that with our help, Cloud-san will be victorious.”

“You seem different, somehow,” Yuffie commented, looking Nanaki up and down.  “Less gloomy.”

He arched a furry brow, but there was no denying the contented aura he exuded.  “I have had a misunderstanding regarding my father cleared up, and I am prepared to continue with you on your quest.”

“Wonderful!”  Aerith threw her arms around his neck and hugged fiercely; Tifa swore that Nanaki blushed.

When the young woman released him, he shook out his mane and addressed Tifa.  “I wish to answer your earlier question – when you asked if any of the monsters we have fought smelled human?”  Half-afraid of the answer, Tifa nodded.  “I have yet to scent human, but I will let you know if any reek of mako energy, as that may indicate one of Hojo’s unfortunate victims.”

“Thank you very much.”

“This conversation is over – for now,” Aerith declared.  “I still have some reservations, but I’m willing to consider your point of view, Tifa.  Stick close to Cloud and let us know if his memory improves.”

“Nobody mentions this discussion to him... right?” Tifa stared directly at Yuffie.

“No duh,” the teen snorted.  “Why would I give Captain Cranky-Pants another reason to be a pain in the ass?”

“Accommodations have been prepared; shall we?” Nanaki invited.

As they all stood up, Tifa gathered her courage again.  “Um, Aerith?  May I ask about that ribbon?”

“Zack’s parents didn’t even know that he’d become a SOLDIER, never mind that he was... deceased.”  Aerith reverently touched the black silk.  “They were crushed by the news, but his mother gave me this as a symbol of both remembrance and mourning.”  Her eyes suspiciously bright, she added, “She said she was glad that Zack had met someone like me.”  Tifa would have hugged her, but she didn’t think that Aerith was in the mood for comfort, at least from her.  Nanaki briefly nuzzled Aerith’s hand; that seemed to be enough for the mage.

“I wonder where Cloud’ll drag us off to next?” Yuffie speculated, linking her hands behind her head as she bounced down the stairs.  “Someplace less boring than this one, I hope!”  

“‘Less boring’ often equates to ‘more dangerous’,” Nanaki dryly observed.

Tifa cleared her throat.  “How about Nibelheim?”

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