Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Who's John ShinRa? ❯ Massacre at Fort Condor: Part II ( Chapter 16 )

Note: I do no own Final Fantasy VII.

Chapter 16: Massacre at Fort Condor: Part II

 

“And so then we all went down to the crater and fought all these monsters. I mean I've never seen so many monsters. And Jenova was there so we had to kick her ass. Oh, and then Sephiroth and Jenova merged or something and turned into this huge thing that we had to fight and man, that thing was ugly! But then we defeated that only to have Sephiroth morph again! I mean, how many times you have to kill a guy until he's really dead? But then Cloud, Tifa and Vincent beat the shit out of him and some other stuff happened, but the scary part was when the crater started falling apart. I really thought I was going to die. But then the Highwind came down and picked us all up and we all saw Holy work and fight Meteor, but it wasn't working and then the lifestream came up and beat-up Meteor. It was so cool to look at. Then we landed and well, you know the rest.”

 

Rufus merely nodded as he listened to Yuffie explain what AVALANCHE had done prior to him meeting them. He could have sworn that the young teenager didn't even stop to take a breath while she talked endlessly for what seemed like hours. None of the difficult lectures or studies he had ever had were as dense and fast-paced as the story Yuffie just told. He wasn't sure if he could remember half of what she narrated.

 

“So, what do you think of AVALANCHE?” the young ninja asked.

 

“Uh, fascinating,” Rufus said trying to sound sincere.

 

“Yeah, that's what I think to. Oh, do you want to hear about how I was able to steal my father's sword when I was thirteen?” Yuffie asked excitedly.

 

“Oh, no. That's ok. I think I'll ask Tifa a few questions about Chaos and what we're supposed to be up against,” Rufus said making-up an excuse.

 

“Oh, I can tell you about him! Well, what's first? Let's see . . .,” Yuffie said as she thought for a minute.

 

Rufus inwardly groaned as he tried not to give into temptation and trot away from the young ninja rudely. He looked to where Tifa was just a few feet ahead of him, but she didn't seem to pay any attention to him as Yuffie talked his ears off.

 

“Ok, I got it! First off, Chaos is something that--”

 

“Yuffie! I'll race ya to the Chocobo Ranch!” Tifa said suddenly.

 

“You're on Boobs!” Yuffie said as she kicked Maru in the side and brought her chocobo to a full sprint.

 

Tifa merely watched as Yuffie sprinted off towards the ranch and laughed as she turned her attention to the new AVALANCHE member.

 

“You know you could just tell her that you've heard enough. She'll get the picture eventually,” Tifa said amused.

 

“Thanks! I didn't think that she was so vocal.”

 

“Well, she is only sixteen, but she means well. Come on, while we're almost to the Ranch, let me show you how to ride the chocobo while it's at a full sprint.”

 

Rufus nodded his head with a smile, “Ok, tell me what I need to do.”

 

“To bring it to a full sprint you just need to kick it in the side a bit harder than usual and snap the reins. Once it breaks out, you'll want to hold your reins tightly and keep your weight forward. To stop, just pull the reins back to your chest gently. Think you can do that?” Tifa asked with a hint of a challenge in her voice.

 

“Hey, sounds easy. Just kick and snap, right?” as Rufus kicked Mortius in the side bringing the chocobo to a full sprint. “Oh, shit!”

 

“Remember to keep your weight forward,” Tifa yelled as she sprinted beside him.

 

Rufus was struggling to keep his balance as he bounced up and down on the saddle. He knew that falling off the chocobo right now would be extremely painful. After adjusting his body and grabbing the reins, Rufus was finally able to position his weight forward and found himself easily riding on the back of a chocobo.

 

“Hey, I did it!” Rufus yelled over to Tifa who was still beside him.

 

“Good, now try to catch up!” Tifa yelled as she edged her chocobo even faster and inched further and further away from him.

 

Rufus smirked as he watched the woman race ahead of him. He wished he had the trust of the chocobo and knowledge to force it to go faster, but Rufus didn't want to risk upsetting the bird and causing it to throw him off. He knew he would eventually find a way to beat Tifa's chocobo; he just had to have patience.

 

As Rufus rode, a small dot on the horizon was quickly getting larger shaping itself into a house. Realizing how fast the chocobos were sprinting, Rufus pulled on his reins as the Chocobo Ranch came into view. Numerous chocobos could be seen grazing in the fields around the ranch as the small country farm with its rustic look painted a serene picture in the vast fields. They had finally made it to the stables and saw Yuffie next to Maru wearing a huge smile on her face as the pair approached.

 

“Ha! I beat ya! That means I get your mastered Fire materia,” Yuffie said proudly while she stuck her hands on her hips.

 

“But Yuffie, you ran off before we could even bet on anything,” Tifa said innocently as she dismounted.

 

Yuffie's stature sank as she crossed her arms and pursed her lips in a pout. “Well, I should win something for beating you!”

 

Rufus shook his head as he slowly dismounted Mortius. As his feet met the ground, he wasn't anticipating his legs to feel so shaky after the short ride. Rufus's legs buckled underneath him as he fell into a heap on the ground.

 

“Ha ha ha! The city-boy doesn't even know how to get off a chocobo,” Yuffie clutched her stomach in laughter.

 

“Yuffie! Be nice. It was his first time!” Tifa chided.

 

“Sorry John, but that was really funny. Ok, I'll let this one slide. Seeing City-boy fall off Mortius was good enough of a prize for me,” Yuffie said as she stifled her laughter and walked off with Maru.

 

Rufus sighed as he watched Yuffie walk off after teasing him. Now he knew what he missed when he was sixteen and he was glad that he did. Slowly, Rufus picked himself off the ground as Tifa came over to help him up.

 

“Are you alright?”

 

“Yeah, nothing hurt but my pride,” Rufus said trying to avoid any eye contact with Tifa out of embarrassment.

 

“Don't worry about Yuffie, she's just like that. Also, sorry about that, I really should have warned you about how wobbly your legs can get after riding. For what it's worth, you did a great job for a beginner,” Tifa said with sincerity.

 

“Thanks. I've always been a quick learner,” Rufus said as he dared to look at Tifa.

 

He couldn't hide the blush that was creeping up his face as he stared into her soft burgundy eyes. Tifa was a beautiful woman and certainly more enjoyable to be around as opposed to his more loquacious traveling companion. Rufus swallowed hard as he tried to act casual and stroke Mortius's soft feathers.

 

“So . . . this is the Chocobo Ranch,” Rufus said trying to make small talk.

 

“Yep. Let me take you around to the stables so you can feed and water Mortius,” Tifa said as she took Sabina's reins.

 

Rufus merely followed as he silently cursed himself for sounding like an idiot. He didn't know what it was about Tifa that attracted him. It was probably his lack of experience around any woman. Scarlet was the only one he had ever been around constantly, but she was twice his age and also the type of woman you'd wanted to keep away from you at all times. He shuddered as he thought of the many times she had made unwanted advances towards him. He didn't know if his half-brother shared the same revulsion to her, but it wouldn't have been much of a surprise if he did.

 

Tifa had an opposite effect where Rufus felt drawn to her. He knew that he was probably in over his head for having an attraction to the martial artist, but he couldn't fight his feelings. The closest he had ever been to her while he was Rufus ShinRa was when they were escaping the Weapons that were coming out of the Northern Crater. He knew that they had captured her and were going to execute her, but John had been the one to interrogate her and lead her to the gas chamber. He had only been able to watch the interrogation from video surveillance as Heidegger insisted that the AVALANCHE member was too dangerous for him to interrogate or even be near.

 

Now that he was close to her and could really learn who she was, he knew he was starting to find himself thinking about her more and more. Even though he was developing feelings towards her, he knew that he would have to tread cautiously. If there was anything that he got out of the long speech Yuffie gave to him about AVALANCHE, it was that Tifa was in love with Cloud Strife. His death was probably hurting her more than she let on. Rufus knew what it was like to mourn a loved one and how long it can take to get over a loss. But more importantly, he wanted to wait it out to see if what he felt for Tifa was really something real or simply an innocent crush.

 

Tifa finally reached the chocobo stables where Yuffie was already tending to Maru. Tifa tied Sabina to a post and strapped a bag of greens to her mane as she gently stroked her chocobo's feathers.

 

“Hey Yuffie? Could you show John the ropes on how to take care of the chocobos? I need to go talk to Chocobo Billy for a sec,” Tifa asked sweetly.

 

“Sure! City-boy needs to learn how to be more country anyway,” Yuffie said with a smirk.

 

“I have a name you know,” Rufus said irritated at the ninja's nickname for him.

 

“Yuffie, be nice,” Tifa said as she walked out of the stables.

 

Rufus let his eyes follow her as he unconsciously stroked his chocobo's feathers. His silent admiration wasn't gone unseen by a certain mischievous ninja who's eyes glinted with a certain flare. Yuffie knew that tracking Chaos was not going to be a boring trip, but she never knew that it would also be the start of an unfolding drama. Rufus never saw the young ninja's smile widen as she stared at him and began to plot.

 

It didn't take Tifa long to find Chocobo Billy as she practically bumped into him while walking towards the house.

 

“Tifa! So good to see you!”

 

“Billy, it's good to be here,” Tifa said as she hugged the man.

 

“It looks like you cut your hair! It looks nice though.”

 

“Thanks. I thought I needed a little change,” Tifa said as she fiddled with the ends of her hair.

 

“It looks like you all are taking good care of those chocobos. Who's Mortius's new rider? I didn't think Mortius let anyone ride him except Cloud?” Chocobo Billy asked.

 

Tifa didn't reply immediately as her eyes did all the speaking.

 

“Did . . . did something happen to Cloud?”

 

Tifa merely nodded before she found the right words to say, “He passed away right after we defeated Sephiroth.”

 

“I'm so sorry Tifa. I really am. He was a great chocobo trainer, had a way with them. I know he's in a better place though.”

 

“Yes, I'm sure he is,” Tifa said softly.

 

“But what brings you all over here? I thought you'd be gone celebrating after saving the world?”

 

“The world still needs saving Billy.”

 

“The world will always need saving. You guys need to take a break or something,” Billy said shaking his head.

 

“I wish we could, but one of the reasons why we're out here is to see if you've spotted a monster flying around. Chaos, is loose,” Tifa said seriously.

 

“Damn, that thing? I thought Vincent controlled him.”

 

“We did too, but something also happened to Vincent the same time Cloud died. I don't know why it happened, but somehow Vincent lost control and we're not even sure he's still alive.”

 

Billy stood there pensively as he listened to Tifa and stroked his chin, “That sounds mighty fishy. I don't know if you've heard the news, but right after Meteor was stopped, there were a bunch of reports about some hooded men dropping dead right in the streets. There were several that didn't die, but came out with serious injuries and other that didn't have a scratch on `em. Mighty bizarre if you ask me.”

 

Tifa's eyes widened as she heard what Billy was telling her. She knew that Hojo had injected all those hooded men with Jenova cells. The fact that the bizarre occurrences happened at the same time that Cloud died and Vincent transformed only solidified her suspicions that Jenova cells were the key to it all. But she didn't understand how some people died while others survived.

 

“I think I know the link between Cloud, Vincent and the hooded men.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Yes, they were all infected with Jenova cells. I guess once we defeated Jenova and Sephiroth, her cells started to die.”

 

“But why did some people die while others got away without any harm done at all?”

 

“I really don't know the answer to that one Billy. I wish I did, but I'm going to find out,” Tifa said clenching her fist.

 

“I'm sure you'll find your answer Tifa. But about Chaos, earlier today the chocobos were really anxious for some reason. I didn't see anything suspicious and none of the chocobos are missing, but it was only about an hour ago when they started acting up like something was out to get them. I thought it was the Midgar Zolem swimming near the edge of the swamp, but it coulda been Chaos.”

 

“Thank Billy, that does help us out a lot,” Tifa sighed as she tried to think of where Chaos might be.

 

“Not a problem. Oh, one other question I have is do you know who John ShinRa is? I keep on hearing stuff about him in the news, but no one I've talked to has ever heard of him?”

 

Tifa bit her lip as she tried to find a way to answer him truthfully, but without divulging too much information, “Well, I'm not really sure myself. I only heard about him yesterday.”

 

“Maybe that's another mystery you can solve for the world, right?” Billy laughed.

 

“Yeah, maybe it is.”

 

“Enough chit-chat, you guys must be hungry. Let me get some lunch ready for you all and then you can head out on your way. And don't make that face as if you don't think I should because I know you road warriors never eat. Just make yourselves at home,” Billy said as he walked back into the house.

 

Tifa shook her head as she watched the older man walk into the country house. She knew that his heart was as large as his hospitality and she could never match it in her entire lifetime. After hearing what Billy had to say about Chaos, she carefully thought about where Chaos could be. She knew that he could be heading anywhere: Northern Crater, the ocean, Fort Condor or even back to Midgar.

 

Tifa wasn't sure exactly where to go, but she hoped that after talking it over with John and Yuffie, together they could figure it out. She also wanted to check back with the pair to make sure that Yuffie wasn't teaching John the wrong way to groom a chocobo. As Tifa entered the stables, the first thing she saw was John standing behind Mortius holding one of the chocobo's tail feathers.

 

“Are you sure this is something the chocobo likes?” John asked skeptically.

 

“I'm positive. Chocobos love having their tail feathers plucked,” Yuffie said with an innocent smile. “It's a unique experience for them.”

 

“Yuffie! What are you teaching him?” Tifa asked only knowing too well what Yuffie was trying to make John do.

 

“Oh, nothing,” Yuffie said coyly.

 

“Ha, just as I thought. You were trying to trick me again!” John quickly released the chocobo's feather and pointed accusingly at the ninja.

 

Tifa shook her head as Yuffie and John bickered like siblings over the small incident. She did admit that the sight of John standing behind Mortius holding one of his tail feathers was quite amusing. The loud buzz of Tifa's PHS jarred her back to reality and she quickly answered trying to ignore the squabble in the background.

 

“Tifa here.”

 

“Tifa, this is Reeve.”

 

“Reeve! How are things over in Midgar?”

 

“Right now that's not important. We just got a distress call from Fort Condor.”

 

“Fort Condor?”

 

“They report having a large black demon attacking them. I think it's Chaos.”

 

Tifa's faced paled as she listened to those last words, “When did the call come in?”

 

“Not five minutes ago.”

 

“We're on our way,” Tifa say choking back her fear.

 

“Tifa, be careful out there and give me a call after the situation's calmed down for a report.”

 

“I will, Tifa out,” Tifa said as she hung-up.

 

She knew that it would take at least fifteen minutes to get to Fort Condor on their chocobos at full speed. Tifa also knew that fifteen minutes was going to be too long to save everyone at Fort Condor. She only hoped that they could make it in time.

 

As Tifa turned to face Yuffie and John, she noticed that the pair had stopped arguing and were now staring at her panic-stricken face.

 

“What's wrong, Tifa?” John asked.

 

“Chaos is attacking Fort Condor.”

 

Yuffie and John didn't need any more prompting to know that their rest at Chocobo Billy's was going to be cut short as they busily regrouped their supplies and prepped the chocobos for another journey.

 

“Yuffie, meet me in front of Billy's house with Sabina. I need to tell him we're leaving,” Tifa said to the ninja before sprinting out of the stables.

 

Tifa quickly made it to the house and opened the door to find Billy putting some sandwiches into a bag for them.

 

“Oh, Tifa? I've got your lunches ready for you, did you want to sit down for some tea while you're here?”

 

“I'm sorry Billy, I don't think we have the time. I just got a call that Chaos is attacking Fort Condor. We need to leave right away,” Tifa spat out.

 

“I understand. At least take these sandwiches. I'm sure you'll get hungry after fighting,” Billy said as he handed the fighter the bag.

 

“Thanks Billy, for everything,” Tifa gave the man a quick hug before running out the door.

 

Tifa ran out just in time to catch Yuffie and John coming up alongside the house with Sabina. She hopped on and waved one last good-bye to Billy before kicking her chocobo into a full sprint.

 

Billy watched as the figures of the three riders faded quickly into the distance. He never understood why the members of AVALANCHE always put their lives in danger to save others. They seemed to carry the weight of the world on their shoulders never worrying about those problems ever crushing them. Ever since he met the group, he had prayed every night for their safety and now he knew he couldn't stop praying because if they were to be crushed by the problems they fought, then the world would fall apart.

 

The ride to Fort Condor was quiet as the three warriors sped through the swamp and mountains as fast as they could. Their minds were otherwise occupied by the urgency of their voyage. None of them knew what they would encounter once they got to Fort Condor, but that wasn't their main concern. They were all focused on trying to get there in time to save the people who were going up against a foe who could rival Sephiroth in deadliness.

 

The chocobos had cleared the rocky mountains as the large towering structure of Fort Condor could be seen in the distance. Tifa's eyes focused on the top of the tower to see if she could spot any disturbance, but they were still a few miles from Fort Condor and no human eyes could see that far. There were only two people who she knew had sharp enough vision to see the top of the tower, but one was dead and the other was supposedly at Fort Condor attacking its people.

 

Tifa wondered if Cloud and Vincent were still alive things would be different. She didn't think that Cloud would have hesitated as long as she did in getting to Fort Condor. Doubt started to plague her mind over whether or not she made all the right decisions and if they could have made it to Fort Condor earlier before Chaos could reach it. She knew that she probably wasn't as good of a leader as Cloud was, but she couldn't think about that right now. A leader had to lead without doubt and hesitation, Tifa knew that. Her main worry was whether or not they were going to be too late.

 

They finally got close enough so Tifa could see the activity on top of Fort Condor. Her face paled as she realized that they were already many casualties. She could see the form of Chaos on top of the Fort flying from one victim to the next as blood and body parts fell from the skies. The scene was something out of a nightmare that Tifa wished she could open her eyes and make the terrible vision vanish, but that wasn't the case.

 

Rufus and Yuffie also watched in horror as many men were being torn limb from limb on the top of the Fort. All three felt helpless as they were still too far away to help the men. Rufus knew that they would never get up to the top of the Fort in time to help anyone before Chaos decided to attack the residents still inside the Fort. He looked to both Tifa and Yuffie whose faces wore the mask of fear and desperation.

 

He shook his head as he realized that neither woman had any idea what to do. Magic only worked if they were in close range and he knew that his shotgun didn't have the right range to fire that far. He almost lost all hope until he remembered the new rifle that he had strapped to his back.

 

“Tifa, grab my reins!” Rufus shouted.

 

Tifa quickly reached over and took the reins, “John, what are you doing?”

 

“The only thing I can do,” Rufus said as he pulled the Death Penalty out and carefully aimed.

 

Rufus tried to keep the rifle steady as he put Chaos in his sight. He kept his concentration as he focused on the winged-demon's timing. He didn't want to miss . . . no, he couldn't miss. Rufus squeezed the trigger and prayed for the bullet to meet its mark. He watched as Chaos jarred back with the bullet's impact and flew unsteadily before veering off away from Fort Condor.

 

Tifa and Yuffie both shouted in unison, “You did it John!”

 

Rufus let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding in as he relaxed. He wasted no time in putting the Death Penalty back and gratefully grabbing his reins.

 

“I've gotten rid of Chaos for now, but I don't know if he's going to stay away.”

 

“We'd better hurry and get inside the Fort to see what help we can offer,” Tifa said with worry.

 

The trio quickly reached the foot of Fort Condor and tried to keep their eyes averted from the blood and body parts littering the ground. Once inside, they hurried up the ladders to reach the top of the Fort. As they ran through the corridors of rock and wood, they could see the people huddled in corners crying in panic and sorrow. The sight of the three AVALANCHE warriors helped abate some of their fears, but the emotional scars Chaos' attack left would take some time to heal.

 

They made it to the last corridor where many men were carrying the injured down from the top of the Fort. Blood covered the room as the men also dragged limp bodies draped in blankets down from the top. It seemed as if the blood flowed down the steep staircase like a waterfall as the men carried the injured and dead down from Chaos' battleground.

 

Tifa glanced at her glove making sure that her restore materia was equipped before turning to John and Yuffie.

 

“John, go up and help the men carry the injured and dead down. Make sure you keep your eyes open in case Chaos decides to come back. Yuffie, help me start healing some of the injured.”

 

The pair both nodded their heads in agreement before busying themselves with Tifa's orders. Tifa quickly scanned the room trying to see where she should begin. Her eyes landed on a small group of women huddling the body of a young girl. The large gash across her back looked fatal as the women tried to stop the bleeding with bandages while a baby condor nuzzled its beak along the girl's neck.

 

Tifa didn't hesitate to run over to the women and cast a cure spell on the badly injured girl. The green glow frightened the baby condor, but as the light dissipated, so did its fear as the bird continued its gentle pecking to try and wake the girl up. The women gasped sighs of relief as the cure spell stopped the bleeding and sealed the wound. The girl was out of danger now and Tifa rose to attend to the next person in need of aide.

 

“Tifa, is that you?” one of the women asked with tears in her eyes.

 

Tifa stopped to look at the woman with long brown hair. She remembered the woman from their last visit to Fort Condor. She and her family were devoted to helping the condor and preserving the species.

 

“Madeline?”

 

“Yes, that is you. Oh, thank goodness you're here. It was terrible!” the woman cried as she clutched onto the fighter.

 

“What happened?” Tifa said trying to calm the shaking woman.

 

“Darryl was up on the roof with Elly taking care of the baby condor when that thing came and attacked without any warning. Elly was able to save the baby condor, but . . . Darryl never came down those steps. No one will let me go up there to see if he's still alive. They won't even tell me if he's dead or not and my poor baby was mauled by that evil creature. She almost died, didn't she?”

 

“Shhh, it's okay now. Elly's not going to die now. She's safe. Just stay with her for now and I'll ask about your husband,” Tifa whispered.

 

Madeline still clung onto Tifa as she sobbed her thanks to her. Tifa did her best to comfort the woman, but she personally knew how hard it was to lose a loved one. She still couldn't forget Cloud and how sudden his death was. But Tifa knew she had to be strong because she promised him that she would be happy and she wasn't going to forget that promise so soon after she had made it.

 

A soft groan escaped from Elly's lips as she slowly moved her head. The baby condor squawked in joy and flapped its wings gaily. The women around the young girl all motioned for Madeline to quickly tend to her daughter as she was slowly waking up.

 

“Elly? Elly? I'm here for you honey. How are you feeling?” Madeline gently said as she stroked her daughter's hair.

 

“Mom? Is the baby condor safe?” Elly murmured.

 

“Yes, he's safe. He's been beside you this entire time watching over you.”

 

“Mom? Dad he . . . he tried to save me. But he couldn't fight the thing off. I heard him scream Mom. I think the creature killed him,” Elly said as she tried to choke back her tears.

 

“It's ok baby. I know. It's okay. You're safe now and that's all that matters. Everything will be okay, I promise,” Madeline hugged Elly close to her as both women wept in each other's arms while the baby condor watched on confused.

 

Tifa quietly walked back away from the pair as they recuperated from the attack. The martial artist shut her eyes as the sudden rush of memories breached through to her conscious. She let her finger trace the scar across her chest as Tifa pursed her lips in remembrance of the scar Sephiroth gave her.

 

She turned around again to look at Elly and watched the young girl as she painfully tried to sit-up. Tifa remembered what it was like when she first awoke after nearly being killed so many years ago back in Nibelheim. She had lost her father and watched her hometown be burned to the ground. She and Cloud were the last original residents of Nibelheim, but now she was the last.

 

Elly winced slightly as she carefully cradled the baby condor in her arms stubbornly refusing to let anyone else hold him. The young girl was so similar to Tifa in many ways. She also had watched her father die and was nearly killed by his murderer. When Tifa saw the prone body of her father the only thing she could think of was revenge and it was the first thing she thought of when she first awoke in Midgar. But Elly was different from the Tifa who woke-up to find herself alone and the world around her completely changed.

 

Tifa knew that Elly wouldn't devote her life to seeking vengeance against Sephiroth and ShinRa for the death of her father and the destruction of her hometown. Elly still had hope through her mother, the baby condor and even all the residents of Fort Condor who were still alive. Chaos may have killed many people, but Fort Condor is still standing and many of its residents still alive. Tifa knew that they had gotten here in the nick of time because through the thick cloud of death and dismay, there was still hope lingering in the air. She also knew first-hand that the situation could have been much worse. However, it wasn't another Nibelheim and for that Tifa was grateful no one else had to live with the same pain she did.

 

“Tifa? Is everything okay?” Yuffie's unusually placid voice quietly asked.

 

“Yeah, I'm ok. I was just remembering, that's all,” Tifa turned to face Yuffie slightly flustered as she tucked a bit of stray hair back behind her ear.

 

Yuffie wanted to inquire about what Tifa was remembering, but knew from the look in her eyes that she was either remembering the incident in Nibelheim of Cloud. Yuffie concluded it was probably both.

 

“You know Tifa? We did save a lot of these people. I already healed up everyone that was injured though there weren't many, but they're going to survive you know?” Yuffie said to try and lighten up Tifa's mood.

 

“I know Yuffie. These people are survivors and they're alive because they have each other to depend on,” Tifa said as pulled Yuffie into a hug. “Thanks Yuffie.”

 

Yuffie was slightly confused as to Tifa's actions. She gently pat the fighter's back as she felt Tifa slightly shake. Yuffie knew that Tifa was strong and she secretly admired the woman, but even a teenage girl knows that a person isn't invincible to stress and emotions.

 

“There, there. Just let it all out if it's going to make you feel better,” Yuffie said softly.

 

Tifa pulled back slowly from Yuffie's embrace and quickly wiped the tears that were in her eyes, “I can't let it all out just yet. There's still so much that needs to be done here. I can't let them see me crying when these people are looking to us for strength.”

 

“But Tifa, you can't let yourself get too stressed out. What would we do without our leader?” Yuffie whined.

 

“Don't worry, I'll be fine. I just need a hug every once in a while to let out some frustration,” Tifa said as she sniffed back a few tears.

 

“Well John and I are here if you ever need a shoulder to cry on. Though you'd probably want to use John next time because I'm too short,” Yuffie said with a slight tinge of mischief.

 

Tifa merely shook her head and smiled, “You're not too short Yuffie. Besides, you're still growing. But we probably should check on John now that you mention him. Since you've already taken care of things down here we should give everyone some room.”

 

The two women walked up the stairs leading to the very top of Fort Condor both in their own thoughts. Yuffie was thinking of different ways to gauge Tifa's feelings towards John while Tifa was busy planning what else AVALANCHE could do for the people of Fort Condor. They carefully made their way up the bloody stairs and stepped out into the roof only to see a gruesome sight.

 

Blood was splattered everywhere as various bits and pieces of ripped clothing and flesh drenched the area with death. If Tifa didn't already know that the baby condor was safe with Elly and Madeline, she would have guessed the baby condor was torn to shreds based on all the blood on the condor's nest. The noise of Yuffie puking in the background was the only thing that could be heard as men silently removed the remains of their friends and neighbors out from the rooftop.

 

“Tifa! Yuffie! What are you two doing up here?” Rufus shouted at the two women after hearing Yuffie vomiting.

 

“We . . . we wanted to help,” Tifa stammered for her words, still in shock over seeing the carnage.

 

“You two shouldn't have come up here. It's too dangerous and this isn't a sight you should see,” Rufus said as he tried to block the horrific scene from Tifa with his body.

 

“So much blood. It's just like that time in Nibelheim and the ShinRa Tower,” Tifa mainly muttered to herself.

 

“What?” Rufus asked curious about what Tifa was referring to that matched the carnage on Fort Condor.

 

“Sephiroth, Chaos, they're both the same. Neither of them care if they destroy lives or kill innocent people because they're both monsters. Why is it that when after one monster is finally dead, another one appears, why?” Tifa said as all her emotional barriers were crumbling as her voice cracked.

 

Rufus couldn't think of an answer that could satisfy her question. He watched her with concern as she helplessly looked past his body frame; mesmerized by Chaos's aftermath. Rufus didn't want her to continuously look at the blood and gore that was behind him as he put his hands on her shoulders to get her attention.

 

“Tifa, look at me.”

 

Tifa turned her head towards the gentle voice as tears started to stream down her face. She had no more energy or strength to hold them back anymore as she collapsed unknowingly into Rufus ShinRa's arms and poured out her emotions.

 

Rufus wrapped his arms around Tifa as he gently stroked her silky hair. He was surprised that Tifa had suddenly broken down in front of him. He wasn't sure what it was that Tifa was reminded of, but he would try to find out from Yuffie the first chance he got. Rufus hoped that he wasn't holding Tifa too tightly, having never really embraced a woman or tried to comfort one.

 

“Everything's going to be alright. We'll find Chaos and we'll destroy him. I'll make sure that no other towns have to suffer like the people here, I swear to you,” Rufus whispered into Tifa's ear to try and soothe her.

 

“Just hold me, that's all I ask,” Tifa whispered.

 

Rufus obliged to her words and stood there as he held Tifa Lockheart in his arms. He didn't know how long she needed, but he didn't care. Time seemed to stand still as he held her body close to his and smelled the sweet fragrance of her hair. His heartbeat quickened uncontrollably as Rufus felt her soft skin. He closed his eyes and realized he now had the answer to what he felt for Tifa as he held her in his arms. It was painfully obvious that he was falling for her and there was nothing in the world that could catch him because he was falling hard.

 

Yuffie glanced over her shoulder at the touching scene between Tifa and John. She continued to pretend to vomit as she tried to listen to their conversation. She put her hand over her mouth feigning sickness when in fact she was trying to hide the smile on her face. Yuffie was glad that Tifa was finally letting out the emotions that she was bottling up. The ninja was also glad to see John getting a bit of action as she smirked at the starry look in his eyes as he held Tifa.

 

Yuffie glanced around and knew that there wasn't anything that she could do to help the men who were busy cleaning up the mess made after Chaos. Quietly walking towards the door, she glanced back one more time to watch Tifa cry on John's shoulder. Yuffie smiled as she walked down the stairs. She knew that it was up to Yuffie Kisaragi to take over for a while and the first thing she knew she had to do was call Reeve and let him know how things were in Fort Condor.

 

The ninja pulled out Tifa's PHS that she happened to nab while hugging the martial artist and dialed the numbers to reach Reeve. Yuffie fiddled with her bag of materia as she listened to the dial tone.

 

“Tifa, is that you?”

 

“Sorry, Boobs isn't here at the moment.”

 

“Boobs? Who's Bo-- . . . Yuffie? Is that you?”

 

“The one and only!”

 

“Why are you calling? Never mind. What's the status at Fort Condor?”

 

“Well, City-boy shot Chaos and then he went flying away . . .”

 

“Wait, who's City-boy?”

 

“Oh, the new guy, John Wolfy or whatever his last name is. But as I was saying . . . Chaos went flying away and then we all got into Fort Condor. There were a lot of injured people and there was also blood and guts everywhere. But everyone's safe right now,” Yuffie narrated dramatically.

 

“How many people were killed?”

 

“Gosh, I don't know. There weren't many bodies left behind ya know. Chaos kinda ripped them up. But if you have to know, I think at least thirty or so. I heard some lady saying that they were all mercenaries or something. It's so totally gross out there Reeve, you should see it. I mean there are body parts on the ground and . . .”

 

“Yuffie! That's ok. I think I've heard enough. Do the residents of Fort Condor need any aide?”

 

Yuffie looked around the corridor and noted how most of the injured had been taken elsewhere and there weren't as many residents bustling around the area.

 

“They look fine to me.”

 

“When Tifa can come to the phone, tell her to give me a call before you guys leave Fort Condor,” Reeve sighed on the other line.

 

“If you say so, but she'll probably tell you the same thing.”

 

“I just want some reassurance. Nothing against your judgment Yuffie, but they might change their minds before you leave.”

 

“Ok, I'll tell her. Anything else?”

 

“No, that should be it for now.”

 

“Ok, cool. Bye then!” as Yuffie hung-up before Reeve could respond.

 

Yuffie put the PHS back in her pocket and then looked around for anything to do. There were no other people who needed healing and she didn't want to go back up to the roof since the mere sight of all that blood made her stomach churn. The young ninja looked around again for anything interesting in the room, but found nothing that interested her.

 

“Come on guys, I'm bored!” Yuffie said more to herself than to anyone.

 

Her eyes traveled to the stairs and she inched a little closer to them as she peaked up to try and see if she could still see John and Tifa. She knew that she shouldn't spy on them, but Yuffie was curious as to how things were developing. Carefully putting her back to the wall, the ninja stealthily moved up the staircase and crouched down low so she could see John and Tifa at the top of the staircase.

 

The pair hadn't moved from their embrace and Yuffie was wondering if they were going to stay like that there forever. She could still hear Tifa silently sobbing and for a moment, Yuffie felt a bit guilty about peeping in on their intimate moment. But her curiosity was greater than her sense of morality and she stood there waiting patiently until someone spoke or moved.

 

Tifa relaxed herself in John's embrace as she cried pent up tears on his muscular shoulder. The way he held her reminded her of the night everyone went to find their reason for fighting. It was the same night when Cloud held his childhood friend in his arms until dawn. Tifa could still remember the sweet smell of Cloud as he held her during the night. She almost thought it was the same scent she smelt, but she remembered that the man holding her now wasn't Cloud Strife, but John Woolfe.

 

She still didn't know what to think about the new member of AVALANCHE. He was still a mystery to her yet there was something about him that seemed familiar. Tifa raised her head to look up at John and gazed into his soft blue eyes. It was those eyes that Tifa gazed into that she felt some recognition. They were like Cloud's before his joined ShinRa's army; they were beautiful and hopeful.

 

“Thanks,” Tifa said sweetly.

 

“Anytime. Are you feeling better?” Rufus asked he tried to restrain his hands from reaching up to wipe away a few tears from her face.

 

Tifa nodded and smiled before she looked down at her feet embarrassed, “I'm sorry I broke down like that. I guess it's just everything that's been happening lately and seeing all these people suffer. I wish there was more that we could do for them.”

 

“You don't have to be sorry about that, you have been through a lot lately. Unfortunately, I don't think there's much more we can do for them right now except try and track down Chaos. We should probably leave soon if we want to be fresh on his tracks,” Rufus said trying not to sound too critical.

 

“You're right John. We'll get going after we double-check to see if there's nothing more that they need. I'll go and check downstairs with the residents if you see if there's anything left up here to do,” Tifa said as she wiped away the tears from her face.

 

“As you wish,” Rufus said slightly bowing his head.

 

Tifa smiled at his display of courtesy and slowly turned around to make her way back down the door.

 

“Oh, Tifa?”

 

Tifa turned around to face John, “Yes?”

 

“If you ever need to cry again . . . I mean, if you ever need to talk to just let your emotions out again, I'll be here,” Rufus said nervously.

 

“I'll remember that. Thanks,” Tifa smiled as she made her way back down the steps.

 

Halfway down the stairs, Tifa noticed Yuffie hunched against the wall heaving. Tifa remembered that Yuffie had been throwing up on the rooftop and gently put her hand on the young girl's back.

 

“Are you feeling alright Yuffie?”

 

“Yeah, I'm much better now,” Yuffie said trying to hide her smile. “Just needed to get down here were there was less blood and guts.”

 

“You have a really sensitive stomach, don't you?”

 

“Hey, that stuff out there was really gross looking you know?” Yuffie said defensively.

 

“I know. But I'm going to go check if anyone else here needs any help before we leave. Just stay here and recover because we'll probably be leaving here in a few minutes depending on how things are.”

 

“Gotcha. Oh, don't forget to call Reeve before we leave,” Yuffie said as she put her hands on Tifa's shoulders and slipped the PHS back in the pockets of its rightful owner.

 

“I won't forget. Thanks for reminding me though.”

 

Yuffie smiled as she watched Tifa walk down the staircase to the heart of Fort Condor. The young ninja couldn't help but notice how Tifa looked more relaxed after crying her heart out to John. Yuffie was glad to see Tifa look genuinely happy since Cloud's death. She didn't think Tifa was falling head over heels for John quite yet, but Yuffie was going to make sure that that changed.

 

“Yuffie?”

 

At the sudden call of her name, Yuffie reverted back to her `ill' demeanor and sluggishly turned her head around to find John standing a few steps above her. He sat on one of the steps as he motioned for her to sit next to him. Trying to keep up her act, she sat down with her head between her knees and coughed a few times.

 

“Yuffie, can I ask you a few questions?”

 

“Shoot,” Yuffie said with a cracked voice.

 

“Do you know what happened to Tifa in Nibelheim and the ShinRa Tower that reminded her of what she saw upstairs?”

 

Yuffie tried not to start talking energetically and paused for a moment as she collected herself, “Let me start with the ShinRa Tower because that one's a bit easier.”

 

Rufus nodded his head as he propped his hands on his knees.

 

“Apparently, AVALANCHE was in the ShinRa Tower when President ShinRa was killed by Sephiroth. Tifa never told me this story, but I heard from Barrett that apparently Sephiroth murdered so many ShinRa guards that the halls were splattered with blood. He also said that it was the first time they met Rufus ShinRa, but the main point is that Sephiroth killed people and made it look like they exploded into a pool of blood.”

 

Rufus listened carefully to her words and recalled the night he heard that his father was killed. Heidegger had insisted that John head out to the ShinRa Tower to see if the news was true. The General didn't want to risk having the entire ShinRa bloodline be wiped out by Sephiroth in one night. Rufus had only read reports about what happened that night, but none of them mentioned the grotesqueness to how Sephiroth murdered.

 

“And what about Nibelheim?”

 

Yuffie thought for a moment before she finally answered, “Tifa only told me this once, but I think I remember it all correctly. Basically, Sephiroth was sent on a mission to inspect the Nibelheim Reactor several years ago. I think it might have been five years ago or something. But to make a long story short, after fixing the reactor Sephiroth somehow went crazy and then started to murder everyone and burned all the houses killing everyone in the town.

 

“Tifa's Dad tried to stop Sephiroth, but he was killed in the process. Tifa said that after she saw her father die, she swore to get her revenge against Sephiroth and ShinRa for destroying her life. Tifa was almost killed by Sephiroth that day, but somehow she survived. She has a scar on her chest from where Sephiroth cut her.

 

“She and Cloud were the only ones from Nibelheim to survive, but now Tifa's the only one left alive who remembers that incident. ShinRa tried to cover the whole thing up by rebuilding the town and putting actors there, but I don't think she could ever forget how she saw Sephiroth murder everyone she knew and loved. She really blames ShinRa for having Sephiroth there and making him who he was as well as covering up the incident. But I think what happened today sort of reminded her of Nibelheim. Does that help?”

 

“Thanks Yuffie, that really helps,” Rufus said with his head hung low.

 

“Yeah, I'm sure you understand her a bit now. I mean . . . I would also hate ShinRa and Sephiroth if I were in her shoes. They took everything from her, more than ShinRa ever did to Wutai during the wars. Tifa deserved to get her revenge and I'm glad that Sephiroth is finally dead and everyone in ShinRa is too,” Yuffie said with a nod.

 

Yuffie turned to look at John who still held his head low as if he was in deep thought. She guessed he was sulking after hearing the horrible things that Tifa had to live through. Slowly getting up, Yuffie dusted herself off before stepping down a few steps.

 

“John, if you need to know anything else about Tifa, just let me know. I'd be happy to tell you,” Yuffie said with a smile as she turned around and left the man to his thoughts.

 

Rufus stared at the space where Yuffie recently occupied and rubbed his hand over his brow in frustration. He had never heard of what happened to Nibelheim. His father would have never told him and he knew none of the ShinRa files would mention it for fear of the files getting to the press. There were few memories that he had of that town, but the one of the little girl in the white dress played in his mind over and over again as he tried to think of the fate that befell her. He was certain that she probably perished alongside the rest of the town since Tifa was the lone survivor. He had never gotten her name and now he never would find out who she was.

 

Rufus set aside his memories as he focused on the pain Tifa must have endured and the hatred she harbored for all those years. He was amazed that Tifa could be as collected as she was having suffered from so much loss: loss that was partly the fault of his father's actions. He doubted that Yuffie's story exaggerated Tifa's disdain towards ShinRa and Sephiroth. But Rufus somehow hoped that the ninja was lying.

 

Rufus knew that he couldn't hide his feelings for Tifa, and he didn't think he would. But he had to hide his true identity to her. He could never let her know that he was really Rufus ShinRa; the son of the man responsible for her pain. He hoped that he would never have to reveal his true identity to the world. Rufus didn't want Tifa to hate him, but mainly, he didn't want to see her hurt. Rufus was going to remain John Woolfe for as long as he possibly could for Tifa's sake.

 

(continued…)