Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Learning Curve Continuum ❯ Snake Eyes ( Chapter 11 )

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

Disclaimer: Definitely not mine; always returned to Square Enix after they’ve been thoroughly hornswoggled.

A/N: The World Map of the Planet shows a long finger of land jutting out of the north coast of the island where the Temple of the Ancients was located, running roughly parallel to the shoreline of a deep indent in the Eastern Continent.  The first scene is located here.
 
Warnings: Coarse language, violence, nudity.  

Bouquets to my wonderful betas, Kitsune13/TamLin and Ranuel.

Learning Curve Continuum
Chapter Eleven: Snake Eyes
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“Sephiroth’s heading north, too.”

Barret swallowed a mouthful of lunch before demanding, “Howdya know?”

“My Sephi-radar says so,” Cloud hesitantly admitted.

“How’s that work, anyways?” Yuffie asked between bites.

Cloud frowned into his bowl.  “It’s like... a ‘pull’, I guess.  I had the same feeling before, and it led straight towards the Temple of the Ancients.”

“Call the others,” Tifa instantly directed.  While Cloud patted his pockets for his PHS, she muttered, “Darn it!  We shouldn’t have allowed them to go on ahead!”

“Too bad we don’ have th’ Buggy,” Barret commented, picking his teeth.  

“We should’ve had Cid drop us back at Gongaga to pick it up,” Tifa groused.  “We’d be halfway to Costa del Sol by now.”

“After that, we might’ve had time to stop at the mako spring where we killed the Zolom,” Cloud piped up.

“What for?”

Cloud ignored Yuffie while giving Tifa a steady look; she thought about it, then shook her head.  “That’s not important right now.”

“It is to me,” he grumbled, and she flashed him a faint smile.  At that moment, Cid picked up; apparently the other half of the team had experienced some difficulties, judging by the excessive profanity flooding out of the receiver.  Cloud winced and walked off a short distance to spare them the worst.

Yuffie licked her spoon and reached over to sharply rap Tifa’s pauldron with it.  “What’s the deal with the mako spring?”

“Aerith’s altered Transform spell was really powerful.  In order to change Cloud back, we had to be submerged in mako-charged water to amplify the effect of the Restore materia.”

“Wow.  That’s not going to be easy to find.”

“Could be worse – I might’ve been stuck as a frog.”

Yuffie nodded vigorously in agreement, then sat up straight, excitedly waving her spoon.  “Hey... doesn’t a Maiden’s Kiss counteract Transform?”

“Usually,” Tifa cautiously replied.

The teenager put down her bowl and scrambled through their packs.  “We picked up a couple in Nibelheim, remember?”  Producing the odd-looking Item, she handed it to Tifa.  “Always reminds me of a shrunken head....”

“Eeyew.  Thanks for that,” Tifa shuddered.  She noticed that Cloud was watching the proceedings with intense interest despite the still-spewing PHS held to his ear and smiled a little.  I’ll bet he wants this to work even more than I do!  However, the counter-active abilities of the Item didn’t even lengthen one strand of her hair.  Sighing, she handed the Maiden’s Kiss back to Yuffie, who eyed it with a jaundiced expression before stuffing it into her knapsack.  “It was worth a try, but considering that Aerith thinks the Transform materia itself has been fundamentally altered, it was a long shot at best.”

“Cid says we have to reach the north side of Junon as quickly as possible.  They’re waiting until dark to cross the mouth of the bay to avoid Shinra air and sea patrols, and it’ll really slow us up if he has to do the same thing in reverse in order to pick us up south of the city.”  Cloud retrieved his food and began inhaling it.  “We gotta get our asses movin’,” he directed around a mouthful.

“Gonna be tricky findin’ a way across this,” Barret commented, gesturing to the broad stretch of water between their beachside lunch spot and the mainland.

“There’s gotta be a fishing village along here somewhere,” Cloud said confidently.  “We’ll pay someone to ferry us across.”

“How long ya been in SOLDIER, son?”

“Uh, er... me?  Not very long, sir.”

“I can tell - ya still got yer manners.”

Tifa blinked rapidly and decided it was safer to not answer that, since Cloud had been rather peremptory towards the man.  I’m having enough trouble not contradicting myself as it is!  She glanced towards the prow, wishing again that she’d chosen to sit with Cloud instead of in the stern with the garrulous fisherman and his grandson, who was staring at her with the most adoring doe-eyes she’d seen since Marlene had first met Aerith.  Barret caught her desperate look and nodded encouragingly, and she gathered her scattering wits.  “I’m sorry, sir, if you’ve been offended by other members of the organization,” she said politely.  “We should be setting the standard, not lowering it.”  

He chuckled heartily and tugged the brim of his cap before prodding the boy’s shoulder.  “Ya hear that, Rafe?  That’s a real officer an’ a gentleman.”  

The child nodded eagerly and Tifa experienced another guilty twinge as she spun another filament of lies.  “I’m only a Third Class, sir – not an officer.”  

The fisherman narrowed his eyes thoughtfully; she was starting to twitch when he asked, “Why’d you join SOLDIER, son?”

She promptly answered, “Because I wanted to protect the people I cared about,” and then blushed.  Well, it’s true – just insert AVALANCHE instead of SOLDIER!  Then she felt mildly uncomfortable with the idea that members of ShinRa’s military might have joined the military-industrial behemoth for the same reason before her gaze wandered back to Cloud.  Then there’s other people, who join to impress a girl....

“Good on ya, son.  Jus’ don’ forget the reason why ya signed up.”

“Er - yes, sir.  Uh, I mean, no, I won’t.”  Tifa stifled a sigh of relief at the apparent end of the conversation – until the little boy edged closer.

“Where’s your sword?” he asked breathlessly.

Help!  “Um... I, er, haven’t earned it yet,” she hastily fibbed.  “I haven’t done enough training.”

He appeared crestfallen.  “What do you fight with, then?”

She offered her hands, curling them into fists.  “These.”

“Wow - you must be pretty good!”

“I guess,” she sheepishly said, rubbing her ear.

“Will your sword look like his?” the boy asked, pointing to the massive weapon slung over Cloud’s back.

“Er, I don’t think so.  He’s a First Class – notice the different uniforms?”

“Oooh, so First Class SOLDIERs can choose their own swords?”

“Um....”

“Then I wanna be a First Class!” he proclaimed.

“Whoa there, Rafe - ya gotta earn yer commission.  Right?”

“Definitely – and before you can even join SOLDIER, you have to pass a test, too.”  Thank goodness for that conversation last night!

“Why aren’t your eyes blue like his?”

Thank you, Cait Sith!  “I have to pass another test first.”

“There sure are a lot of tests,” the boy grumbled.

“If you study hard in school right now, you won’t have anything to worry about,” Tifa said, aware that Yuffie was desperately trying to muffle her laughter in Barret’s shoulder and failing badly, until the big man growled a pithy warning.

“Well, now, Rafe – guess you’d better rethink yer idea o’ quittin’ school an’ livin’ in yer treehouse,” the man grinned.

“I suppose....”  The child heaved a great sigh, but then perked up.  “Having my own sword’ll be so cool!”

“Carrying a weapon and having the power of a SOLDIER are great responsibilities,” Tifa warned, acutely aware that Cloud was listening.  “You have to be ready to face the consequences of your actions.”

“Sounds like you might wanna wait ‘til yer all growed up, Rafe.”

“It might be better if you’re a fisherman,” Tifa suggested.  “They risk their lives every day, in all weathers, to make sure that people have enough food to eat – that’s a real hero.”

The little boy appeared surprised by the idea, but his grandfather gave her a broad wink as he again tugged on his cap.  “Here we are... watch yer footin’.”

Cloud was on the dock before the boat came fully alongside.  “C’mon, Laurence – step lively!” he bellowed in a fairly decent approximation of what she imagined a drill sergeant would sound like.  I’m so glad that Barret suggested that Cloud and I pretend to be part of a military unit – although I’m petrified that I’ll screw up when it really counts.

“Er, yessir.”  Tifa scruffed the little boy’s hair and bobbed her head to the old man before scrambling out of the boat.

He fixed her with a solemn look.  “Don’ ferget who ya are, an’ why ya joined up, son.”

She executed her best salute and jogged after Cloud, while Barret paused long enough to toss the man a bag of gil.  “Thanks fer the ride; much appreciated.”

Easily fielding the coins, the fisherman tucked the bag into his vest.  “Where’d you folks say you was headed?”

“Junon.”

“Watch yerselves, cos the Zemzelett’s are matin’ now and they’re right tetchy.”

“I almost feel bad for those Capparwires,” Yuffie commented, cleaning bloody feathers off her shuriken as she watched Tifa and Cloud lay waste to yet another pair of the sparking creatures.

“Good practice fer Tifa,” Barret grunted, snapping shut the ammunition chamber of his gun-arm.  

“Does she really need it?” the teen sceptically asked as a powerfully-executed Meteodrive created a small crater when a Capparwire exploded.  

“We’re gonna be fightin’ Sephiroth soon enough, an’ she’s gotta be the top o’ her game.”

“I guess... but why does Cloud keep calling her ‘Laurence’ all the time?  It’s getting on my nerves!”

“Prob’ly cos ‘Tifa’ is sweet an’ curvy, while ‘Laurence’ ain’t.  Plus, it helps keep ‘er in character.”

Yuffie pursed her lips.  “You don’t seem to be all that bothered by Tifa’s gender-change... or by Sephi-Cloud, for that matter.”

“Hell, knew Spiky was gonna be trouble right from the get-go,” the big man declared.  “As fer Tifa – well, I don’ mind what happened, cuz it’ll keep Spiky outta her panties.”

“Don’t you mean ‘boxers’?”

He lightly bonked her on the head with his gun-arm while she giggled.  “Don’ go there, kid,” he gruffly warned.

“Wark?”

Still cackling, Yuffied gently biffed away the questing beak of the large yellow Chocobo.  “Oi!  You’re a pesky one!”  The Chocobo made another hopeful sound; she fed it a small handful of greens and scratched the tuft of feathers on its forehead.   The two other Chocobo crowded in, intent on cadging their share of both food and attention.

Several dozen feet away, Cloud grumbled, “Your victory pose has lost some of its appeal.”

Tifa glanced at him, startled, as she relaxed her stance.  “What?”

“Never mind.”

“We made good time today, thanks t’ those Chocobo,” Barret said with some satisfaction, savouring a steaming cup of tea.  “If’n we can catch some more t’morra, we’ll be well north o’ Junon by th’ afternoon.”

“Will Vincent and Nanaki be enough if Sephiroth finds Aerith before we reach them?” Tifa worried out loud, poking the balky fire.

“Between Vincent’s sharpshooting, Nanaki’s fire attacks and Aerith’s healing magic, they should be able to hold him off indefinitely,” Cloud declared, pretending he wasn’t watching Tifa’s muscled behind, nicely showcased in the uniform trousers.

“I sure hope so,” she fretted, concern deepening her voice even further.  Yuffie noticed Cloud’s ogling and aimed a small stone at his head; he snatched the missile out of mid-air and tossed it back.  Tifa remained oblivious as she commented to the teen, “Is your motion sickness better?  You were okay riding on the Chocobo today.”

“That’s because I was riding with you,” Yuffie grinned, knowing full well that the distribution of mounts rankled mightily with Cloud despite Tifa’s exterior masculinity.  “Not being stuck inside that stinky Buggy helped, too.”

“That’s good to know.”

The teen bounced upright, stretched, and announced, “I’m gonna take a look around.”

“Don’t get into any battles that you can’t win on your own,” Cloud warned.

Yuffie stuck out her tongue.  “Tifa’ll rescue me.”  Cloud had barely settled into a decent glower before she was back.  “Guess what I found!  A really good swimming hole!”

“After the past couple of days, a dip will be perfect!” Tifa was in the process of digging through her knapsack when she sat back.  “Darn.”

“What?”  Yuffie looked up from gathering her bathing gear; in answer, Tifa held up the skimpy bikini and gestured to her male physique.  Rolling her eyes, the teen insisted, “I doubt you have anything I haven’t seen already while skinny-dipping with my cousins... besides, you’re a girl, so far as I’m concerned.”

“You sure?”

“Yes... however, you two stay put,” Yuffie commanded before whisking Tifa off into the forest.    

“Where d’ya think yer goin’, Spiky?” Barret challenged, when Cloud stood up after losing an internal battle that had lasted all of five minutes.

“I don’t like this.”

“‘Laurence’ can handle anything short o’ Sephiroth hisself... and even then, my money’s on her.”  As Cloud flinched, Barret casually pointed his gun-arm at his balky companion.  “Sit down, Spiky, an’ drink yer tea.”

“That’s Cid’s line,” he growled, but obeyed – although his eyes kept flicking in the direction the girls had taken, especially when various squeals and loud splashes were heard.

They sat in silence for close to fifteen more minutes, before Barret commented, “I kinda miss the damn cat.  At least he was amusin’.”

“Didn’t care much for his crappy fortunes.”

Something in Cloud’s tone made Barret inspect him more closely.  “Did he give ya one?”

“Even stupider than the first,” Cloud muttered, viciously jabbing the fire.   

“Two fortunes, huh?  What’d the cat say?”

“That I would lose something dear to me, and the second....”

“Back already, kid?”

“Tifa forgot her brush,” Yuffie breezily explained, vigorously rubbing her wet hair with a towel.  She’d no sooner located the grooming implement when Cloud extracted it from her hand.  “Hey!”

“I need to talk to her,” he said with steely conviction, and Yuffie fell back a step, then gave him a dirty look.

“Don’t blame me if you get another busted nose.”

What’s taking Yuffie so long?  Left to her own devices for the first time in days, Tifa examined her much larger hands while steadfastly ignoring the other changes to her anatomy, which were either gently bobbing against her thigh or trying to escape the river’s chill by retreating closer to her body.  It really could have been much worse, so I’m not going to complain.  There are some advantages – I’m a lot stronger – and the disadvantages are more like inconveniences.

If I keep telling myself that, maybe I’ll start to believe it.

“Tifa.”

She whipped around in the water, dropping into a stance, then relaxed.  “Cloud!  What’re you...?”  When he held up the brush by way of explanation, she slicked back her wet hair and scowled.  “Yuffie was supposed to bring that... what do you think you’re doing?”

“What’s the big deal?  We’re both guys.” Dropping the brush onto her pile of clothing, he seated himself on a rock and started unzipping his boots

Sinking up to her chin in the water, Tifa thought for a moment before carefully replying, “I think you used that reasoning once before – back in Midgar, when we were both girls.”  When Cloud didn’t answer, she exhaled heavily.  “What do you want, and why can’t it wait until we’re both dressed?”

“It could, but I need to be with you before my head explodes.”  Dumping his gear next to hers, Cloud tentatively stuck his foot into the river – and just as quickly yanked it back out.  “Shiva!  That’s cold!”

She couldn’t help smirking.  “Oh, c’mon; it’s downright steamy in comparison to that mako spring.  Oh, by the way, watch out for the....”

“Whoa!”

“Drop-off ,” she finished, chuckling as Cloud spluttered his way upright.

“Very funny,” he grumbled, spitting out about a gallon of river while treading water.  “Hey – are you standing on the bottom?”

“Yes.  Too deep for you?”

“Shaddup.”

Snickering, Tifa beckoned him closer.  “C’mere.  There’s a rock you can sit on.”  As he swam towards her, she moved aside, ready to help if he somehow missed the flat-topped boulder that Yuffie had been using as a diving pad.  

However, Cloud located the perch without any trouble, then tried to pull her to a seat next to him.  When she resisted, he fixed her with green-rimmed, bright blue eyes, the pupils appearing disconcertingly vertical in the millisecond after he blinked.  “Please.”

Crap.  The snake-eyes are new!  Tifa bit her lip, surveying the situation.  Recalling his uncomfortable body language during their hug of the previous night, inspiration struck.  “How about we sit back-to-back?  That way we’re touching... but not.  Know what I mean?”

“Sure.”  He didn’t sound all that happy, but she went ahead and seated herself on the rock behind him, then inched backwards until she made contact.  Bending her knees, she rested her elbows on them; a second or two later, Cloud exhaled heavily and leaned back against her.  “Where are your earrings?” he asked, out of the blue.

Her hands automatically flew up to touch her bare lobes and she had a mild heart attack, until she remembered.  “Safely packed away.”

“They were your mother’s, right?”

“Uh-huh.”

“I wish I had something of my mother’s.”  The sadness in his voice was palpable; she reached back and patted his arm.

“I always remember her wedding ring, because it was so unusual,” she commented.

“The wolf’s head was a play on my dad’s first name.”  He stiffened a little at her nervous chuckle.  “What?”

“I always thought it was a mouse,” she confessed.

“A mouse?  Like, as if a guy would pick something little and easily squished!”

“I thought it was cute.”

Cloud dryly commented, “I’m really glad Dad never found out that you thought his wolf was a vermin.”

“What was your father’s name, anyways?  I don’t think I ever heard it.”

“Lowell Strife.”  After a few moments of listening to the river and the wind in the trees overhead, Cloud said, “Cait Sith gave me another one of his fortunes.”

“Was it any better than the first one?”

“Depends.  Said Aerith and I were perfect for each other – that our stars showed a great future.”

Tifa went very still, then snorted in amusement.  “Well, of course she is.”

“Huh?”

“Think about it,” Tifa grinned.  “She’s the only eligible girl on the team – excluding teenage ninjas – because I’m not exactly feminine right now.  Maybe there was some truth after all in the furry little jerk’s predictions?”

“He was also right about the first one.”  Cloud shifted uncomfortably; Tifa wished she could see his face.  “I have lost something precious – my team’s trust.”

Tifa groped underwater, found his hand and squeezed it.  “Sephiroth made you attack Aerith.  We all understand that.”

“He can force me into doing whatever he wants – next time, it might be you.”

“Unlike Aerith, I can defend myself,” she pointed out, then threw caution into the river’s currents and turned around.  Wrapping her arm around Cloud’s shoulders, Tifa tugged him into a loose embrace.  

He remained rigid, not leaning into her in the slightest, and she was about to back off when he muttered, “Sure you want to hug a monster?”

Tifa froze, then grabbed his chin and forced him to look at her, relieved to note that his eyes were back to normal.  “Stop it,” she snapped, her voice low and angry.  “You’re not a monster – Sephiroth is.”

“He’s inside my head – inside me.  He’s planning to stop Aerith from interfering with his plans, and now that we know he can physically control me....”

“We won’t be taken off guard again.  You might be the strongest out of all of us, but I proved that I can take you down.”  Tifa softened her stern tone.  “Um, sorry for hitting you so hard.  Again.”

“You did what you had to do,” Cloud said tightly; Tifa yanked him close enough that she could press her nose into his wet hair.  

“What happened to Aerith is my fault, too,” she said quietly before releasing him.  “I could’ve warned the others, but I chose not to.”

“Because I asked you to keep quiet.”

She bumped his shoulder.  “We’re in this together, Cloud – equally responsible.”

“Some ‘knight in shining armour’,” he mumbled.  “Owww!”

While he rubbed the spot where she’d smacked him upside the head, Tifa calmly said, “I still believe in you, freaky green eyes, voices in your head and all.  Never forget that.”

“Why?”

“Because I know that you would never choose to be a monster.”

It was his turn to awkwardly wrap his arm around her. “Thanks.”

Resting her cheek against his hair, Tifa murmured, “No problem.”  They sat in silence for a little while longer, listening to the soothing sounds of the river and nature in general, until she said conversationally, “I don’t know about you, but my balls are about to freeze off.”

“Yeah... I was about to mention that.”  

When Cloud loosened his grip, Tifa slid off the rock and headed for the bank.  She had hoisted herself half-way out of the water when common sense warned; shooting a glare over her shoulder, she ordered, “Turn around.”

“You still have a great ass.”

“Thanks.”  When she didn’t move, waiting, Cloud sighed theatrically and noisily obeyed.  Tifa still checked before scrambling onto the bank and diving into the bushes with her clothing.  She had just zipped up her boots and run the brush through her hair when Cloud swam across the pool.  Slinging her armour over her shoulder, she stepped out into the open and offered her hand.  

He first looked at the hand, then up at her through his bangs.  “If I don’t get to peek, then you don’t.”

Tifa retorted, “I’ve seen your equipment before, remember?  I figured you might need some help, being as you’re sort of... um, short.”

“Rub it in, why don’t you?”  

Bracing herself as he took her hand, Tifa pulled Cloud up onto the bank without looking, then turned her back while he dressed.  She took the time to organize all the straps and belts of her uniform, and had just buckled the pauldrons into place when his arms slid around her waist from behind.  Forcing herself to not twitch, Tifa cautiously peeked over her shoulder as Cloud’s forehead came to rest against her back.

“You look like someone,” he whispered.  “His face and his name are just there, on the edge of my memory... but when I try to remember, my head just – argh!”

“Cloud!”  Spinning, Tifa caught him on the way down and was able to ease him onto his knees; Cloud had his hands clamped over his ears, his eyes screwed tightly shut in an expression of pure agony.  Crap!  Hastily equipping the materia, she laid her glowing hands over his and cast Cure repeatedly until he slumped into her arms.  Tucking his head under her chin, Tifa held him tightly until he pushed away.

Wiping his forehead with a shaking hand, Cloud mumbled, “Dammit.  Could Sephiroth be trying to keep me from remembering something important?”

“Possibly.”

“The bastard is probably planning to screw me over really good.”

Tifa bit her lip hard enough to draw blood.  Is this the right time?  Is there ever going to be a right time?  “Cloud, I know who it is you’re trying to remember,” she blurted out, nervously fidgeting.

“Yeah?  How do you know him?” he demanded suspiciously.

Gods, I hope this is the right thing to do!  Trying to calm her racing heartbeat, she continued, “He was in Nibelheim... with General Sephiroth.”

“One of the ShinRa troopers?”

“No... he was the other SOLDIER.”  Plunging on despite his baffled expression, Tifa said, “His name was....”  She broke off as Cloud’s eyes turned ice-green, the pupils compressing to vertical slits, just before he launched himself at her.  The impact of the collision sent them tumbling across the ground, Tifa desperately battling to protect herself.  Sephiroth’s trying to stop me!  

She ended up on the bottom, one arm pinned and in imminent danger of being broken.  He’s not a fist-fighter, so I should have an advantage – maybe? The crushing pain as his fist hammered her elbow not only disabused her of that, but also reminded her of Cloud’s superior mako-enhanced strength – which was now being used against her.  Swallowing her panic, she steadied her resolve.  I’m going to die here if I don’t stay focussed.  A fist covered by a studded glove drove at her face, missing only by a hair when she somehow managed to evade it in her trapped position.  Did he just... pull back on that?  Darn it, I can’t afford to be distracted!  

Shoving with her free hand at Cloud’s chin, she wondered if it was her longer reach that allowed her to shift his weight and give herself a tiny opening – or a miniscule hesitation on his part - but she didn’t stop to think about it.  Sorry, Cloud - this hurts me as much as it does you!  Viciously kneeing him in the groin, she gave a passing thought to the fact he didn’t so much as grunt before throwing him off and scrambling away.  His silence is utterly creepy, but if only Sephiroth knew that’s making it easier – sort of – for me to do this.  

As Cloud rolled up onto his feet, staggering only a little despite the damage she’d dealt him, Tifa said a silent prayer for divine help to whichever gods might be listening and charged.  A flurry of one-armed punches set him back on his heels, but as she threw herself into a Somersault she heard him snarl, “Won’t do it... you bastard!”  

Is he aware?  Taking a risk, she bent her knees – but not quite fast enough to compensate for her longer legs.  The steel toe of her combat boot caught the tip of Cloud’s chin, snapped his head back and sent him crashing into a tree.  Something audibly cracked, and his body slackened; crumpling to the ground, he laid very still.  Can Sephiroth animate an unconscious body?  Cautiously approaching, Tifa straddled Cloud’s waist and gripped his throat.  Peeling back one of his eyelids, she sighed in relief when the iris shone its usual shade of blue and allowed herself to slump, resting her head on his shoulder.

“I’ve heard of rough foreplay, but this is ridiculous!”

Rolling off Cloud’s limp body, Tifa flopped into the dirt.  “He went ‘green’ again.”

Yuffie approached, prodding the swordsman’s shoulder with the tip of her shuriken.  “Is it safe to be around him?”

“Mostly – just don’t piss off Sephiroth by threatening to reveal a secret.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah.  I tried to tell Cloud about Zack.”

“Ohhh.  Y’mean, what we talked about in Cosmo Canyon?”  When Tifa nodded, Yuffie shook her head.  “I thought we agreed to not tell Cloud about that?”

“He’s been suffering massive headaches every time he tries to remember who I remind him of, so I decided to take the risk.”

“Honestly, Tifa, this is complicated enough without making Cloud even crazier.”  Peering more closely at the supine swordsman, Yuffie grasped his chin and rocked his head from side to side.  “He isn’t breathing.”

“Crap!”

When Cloud finally sat up, the pain in one particular part of his body nearly making his eyes go crossed, he let out a hiss at the sight of Yuffie casting Cure on a rumpled, filthy Tifa.  “Shit – Sephiroth ate my brain again, didn’t he?” Cloud gritted out, trying to not grab his crotch and whimper pathetically.

“He really didn’t appreciate my attempt to jog your memory,” Tifa said, slowly levering herself upright and dusting off her uniform.

Ignoring Yuffie’s attempts to Cure him, Cloud anxiously demanded, “Are you all right?” as he struggled upright and reached for Tifa, only to pull back due to a combination of pain and guilt.  “Dammit!”

“Sit down, already” the teenager ordered, pushing on his knee and when he more or less collapsed, she briskly applied the materia’s healing power to his head.  “Tifa, you can Cure his, uh, more delicate injury.”

“Sure.”  Kneeling at Cloud’s side and equipping the materia, Tifa turned a spectacular shade of red while he flinched when she held the glowing energy to an extremely tender area.  They couldn’t look at each other for a few moments afterwards, until she touched his arm in a reassuring gesture.  “You fought him off, didn’t you?”

Cloud thought hard.  “I-I think so.  I knew what was going on – it was like watching through heavy mist – but a few times I think I managed to slow down my reactions.”

“That’s why you didn’t break my arm or my face.”

“You noticed, and you still bagged me?”

“I was trying to stay alive,” Tifa said apologetically.  “The important thing is, you were able to defy his control – do you know how you did it?”

Cloud ran his hand through his hair.  “I was unbelievably pissed that he was trying to hurt you, to take you away from me,” he slowly answered.  “And then the fog cleared.”

“Just in time for my boot to meet your chin,” she grinned ruefully.  “Um, sorry.  Although it’s a good thing that you were able to stop him, I think you’d better surrender all your Summon materia until we figure out how to deal with the situation.”

“I’ll look after them!” Yuffie gleefully offered.

“Thanks, but no thanks, brat.  I might want them back some day.”  Dropping the coloured orbs into Tifa’s cupped hands, Cloud rasped, “My worst nightmare just happened.”

Pocketing the materia, Tifa stood up, pulling Cloud with her, and impulsively wrapped him in a full-body hug.  He remained stiff, but briefly returned the embrace.  Releasing him, Tifa stooped to look him in the eye.  Noting the guilt darkening his expression, she whispered fiercely, “We’ll get through this... together.  I promise,” then lightly brushed her lips over his.  

“Wow... guy-on-guy action really is hot!”  As the pair hastily stepped away from each other, Tifa blushing and Cloud glaring, the smirking teen continued, “People would pay good money for pictures of that, y’know.”

“Lucky you don’t have a camera.”

“Yet,” she cheekily corrected.

“The point is,” Tifa said, attempting to return the conversation to safer ground, “I can bring Cloud back to his senses....”

“By snapping his neck,” Yuffie chipped in.  “Can I hit him next time?”

“Check our supply of Phoenix Down first.”

“What the hell is this?  Open season?”

“We need a what to traverse this forest?”

“A Lunar Harp.” The foreman lounged against the peeling doorjamb of his rickety office, which featured a faded sign grandly proclaiming ‘Bone Village Archaeological Site’ hanging precariously from the lintel above his head, between the oversized fangs of the huge fake skull forming the roof.  

“Sounds fucking bogus to me,” Cid commented dolefully, taking a long drag on his cigarette and ‘accidentally’ blowing it into the foreman’s face.

Waving away the pungent cloud, the man declared pleasantly, “You can’t dig for one yourselves, either.”

“Why not?”

“Can’t have amateurs compromising either our strata or our data.”  He laughed then, as if at a great joke.  “See, ‘strata’ rhymes with ‘da....”

“How much?” Cloud demanded.

“50 Gil per digger.”

“What?”

“That gets you five of my best.”  He held up his hand and splayed his fingers, implying Cloud was too dense to understand without counting them for confirmation.

Cloud crossed his arms over his chest, his brows lowering.  “Not interested.”  Motioning his companions forward, he stomped away from the building, towards the ghostly forest.

“I’ll be here,” the foreman purred, picking his teeth as he retired to his chair.

Fifteen minutes later...

“I’ll take the five.”  A bag of gil thumped onto the cluttered desk, raising a small puff of dust.

The foreman’s relaxed posture didn’t change.  “The rate’s now double.”

“What?”  

“50 gil is a one-time-only introductory offer; regular price is 100 gil per man.  Take it or leave it.”

“Why, you....”

Tifa firmly gripped Cloud’s shoulder and stooped to murmur in his ear, “Pay it.”

“But...!”

“We need to reach the others.”

“Fine.”  A second bag clinked onto the desk next to the first; the foreman smiled, revealing missing front teeth and Tifa wondered if they were due to previously displeased customers.  

“While you wait, I have a few Items you might be interested in.”  Dropping the money into an open drawer, he closed and carefully locked it.  Pushing himself upright, he shambled over to the door. “Oi!  A-Team, you have a paying customer who needs a Lunar Harp!”

Out in the field, two of the diggers looked at each other.  “Another one?  They’re sure popular all of a sudden....”

“It’s mine!  Mine, mine, mine!”  Yuffie whooped excitedly, chasing down the materia before it disappeared into the misty undergrowth.

“Why doesn’t she use a megaphone to let everyone know we’re here?” Cloud grumbled.

Tifa casually rested her hand on his shoulder.  “We can handle anything she stirs up.”  He definitely stays calmer when I’m touching him.  It’s just... trickier... finding ways of doing it that are socially acceptable for two males - not to mention acceptable to us.

“This place is makin’ my fucking hair stand on end,” Cid muttered, eyeing the pale trees stretching up overhead, their foliage rustling eerily in an unfelt breeze.

“Really?  I think it’s beautiful,” Tifa replied as Cloud fiddled with the Rune Armlet that she now wore.  She knew his dealings with the foreman deeply rankled, as did his loss of control the previous day, so lightly squeezed his fingertips in silent thanks.

Yuffie came bounding back to show off the Kjata materia before popping it into her pocket and then haring off ahead to look for more.  She disappeared from view, but before Tifa could call her back, the teen came racing out of the fog.  “Hurry!  You gotta see this!” she shouted, putting on the brakes and disappearing again.  

The rest dashed after her, coming to a stop on the shore of a mirror-like lake.  The image of a fantastical, shell-like structure shimmered in the dark water, and when they looked up, the reality took their breath away.  “Isn’t it beautiful?” Yuffie breathed, uncharacteristically subdued.

“Ain’t never seen nothin’ like it.” Barret was clearly in awe; Cid put away the cigarette he was about to light.

“Let’s move,” Cloud ordered, giving the ethereal building a cursory look as he followed an overgrown path along the shore.  

“Welcome!”  Nanaki emerged from the shadows.  “You have been missed.”

“Any sign of Sephiroth?”

“Not yet, Cloud-san.”

“He’s close.”

While the others looked around, as if half-expecting a black-cloaked madman to spring out at them, Nanaki shook his great head, his assorted Barrettes and Clips jingling.  “Aerith-sama and Vincent-san are waiting.  Come this way.”

Behind the huge shell, a cracked but still mostly intact set of interlocking paved pathways led throughout the remains of what was once obviously a great city.  Yuffie couldn’t contain herself; she zipped in and out of the open doors of the buildings, scrambled over the leaf-like roofs, calling for the others to come look at this or that wonder.  Cloud remained grim and silent, but he waited without complaint while the rest explored.

“How is Aerith?” he abruptly asked Nanaki.

“She is well.  Concerned for the safety of her friends, of course, but determined to thwart Sephiroth.”

“I... had another episode and attacked Tifa.”

Nanaki considered him thoughtfully for a long moment before bumping the swordsman’s leg with his shoulder.  “Do not concern yourself, Cloud-san.  We will protect you as well as Aerith-sama.”

“I wish I was that confident,” he mumbled.

“Believe in your ability to choose the right path.”  Nanaki hesitated again, then said, “My honoured grandfather detected a ‘darkness’ inside you that is blocking your full potential.  It must be Sephiroth’s influence.”

“But how do I get rid of him?”

Giving Cloud a steady look, Nanaki declared, “First you must face the truth about who you are.”

“Huh?”

“Hey, Nanaki!  Which way do we go?” Yuffie called, waving wildly from up ahead, where the path diverged.

“Vincent-san and I have cleared out most of the enemies during our stay, but there might still be one or two lurking in the dark.  Oh, Tifa-san... you would probably benefit from wearing this Water Ring.”  Bobbing his head to Cloud, Nanaki trotted ahead.  Pausing at Tifa’s side, he gave her instructions and after she extracted the Accessory out of his mane, he headed off Yuffie before she could enter a tunnel-like opening.

Examining the Ring, Tifa walked back to where Cloud was standing; she was close enough to hear him murmur, “Face the truth?”

“Pardon?”

He grabbed her hands and looked deeply into her eyes.  “Tifa... who am I?”

“You’re Cloud Strife of Nibelheim,” she answered, wondering uneasily what Nanaki had said.  

Nodding, he let go and stepped back.  Checking his sword, he quietly said, “Don’t hesitate to take me out, by whatever means necessary.”  

Adjusting her gloves, Tifa firmly replied, “Only if necessary.”

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