Disclaimer: All Final Fantasy 7 characters, places and things all belong to Squaresoft and other involved companies. I own none of it. This fanfic is purely for the fun and enjoyment of others and myself. I make no money from it.

Cloud yawned loudly as he awoke from his makeshift, straw bed in the barn southwest of Midgar. A month had passed since the events that had taken place in the city they had all grown to hate. Ever since the Avalanche members had left the city, they had been traveling constantly. Finally, they had recently happened upon a small barn and had stayed there through the night. Ultimately, there were some cheery moments during their travels but at some points they would all fall into an uncomfortable silence. Most of the time, this had happened when mention of their late comrade came up in a conversation. For the most part, Cloud had become more sullen and withdrawn from the rest of the group, focusing more on his training then his interaction with his friends. It had seemed to everyone else, as if all that went through his mind constantly was to defeat Sephiroth. At one point Barret had even wondered about his sanity.

This brought a slight smile to Cloud’s face as he finished rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He knew his friends were only concerned about him but he couldn’t stop training. He couldn’t let his concentration drop. The memory of his inability to do anything the day he tried to fight Sephiroth rang painfully in his mind. He could do nothing to save his friend and he could do nothing to avenge him afterwards. He was weak and the only way he could think of to become stronger was to train. As a result, Cloud’s training had paid off greatly. He could now wield his blade with amazing ease and he could even manage to fight on the same level as he had seen Zack fight that one terrible day. He didn’t really understand how his abilities could push that far, only that he knew there was more room for improvement and he would exploit that improvement to its utmost limits.

Cloud gave a final stretch then eased down into a more relaxed position.

"Ahh, look who finally decided to wake up!"

Cloud cringed at the nagging voice but trained his eyes on the large form of his comrade as the man made his way through the entrance and towards him.

"Hey Barret. Good morning." He said as the big man walked closer to him.

"Hey Spikes. The girls were talking about staying here for a while to rest up. They figured since we’ve been traveling all this time anyway, its time for a small break. And don’t worry about the barn residents. We’ve already presented the idea to the old man and he agrees whole heartily. I guess he’s been pretty lonely tending to this barn with only his grandson around to keep him company. So what do you say? I think it’s a good idea."

Cloud lowered his head in thought. "Well… I don’t know. We do need to track down Sephiroth… This isn’t just some picnic you know?"

"Yeah I know that but still… We’re all still only human Spikes. Not everyone can train constantly nonstop like you."

Barret knew he had said the wrong words as soon as they slipped out of his mouth. The blond man’s eyes narrowed slightly then he simply turned away, heading towards the exit of the barn.

"Look, Cloud I know that was a low blow and I apologize. But man what I’m trying to say here is that we all need a break! If we don’t get back to realizing we’re still human then we won’t be any good against Sephiroth. We’ll forget what we’re fighting for in the first place!"

Cloud stopped in his tracks, thinking for a minute, then turned his head back towards the dark man slowly. "…If you all want a break then fine. I guess it won’t matter if we rest for a couple of days. Just don’t involve me in any of your leisurely activities. I’ve still got to train, you know."

Barret frowned a bit but nodded none the less. "Great. I’ll go tell the girls the good news. But on a more personal note, you do need to cool down a bit Spikes. You’re wound up so tight, you look like you’ll explode at any second."

"I appreciate the concern but I’ll deal with my problems in my own way and in my own time, thank you." With that, Cloud turned briskly and walked away.

Barret watched after the blond man for a moment, rubbing his head in annoyance. "Sheesh! Somebody’s got a major chip on their shoulder."

And with that he exited the barn room right after his leader.

****

Aeris looked up brightly towards the sky as she allowed the gentle spring breeze to caress her soft face. Over the past month things had been extremely troubling and painful for the green-eyed woman yet in the time that had passed she had also come to terms with a lot about herself and about her feelings in general. She had grown to accept the death of her friend Zack. However that didn’t mean she would forget all that he had done for her. He had helped her reach a new level of independence she had never found the confidence to shoot for on her own. She was just grateful she had got the chance to meet him before his untimely death.

Aeris also found that she appreciated her other companions as well. Barret was always constantly being arrogant and prideful but deep down she knew he had a sense of comradery stronger and more fortified than anyone.

Tifa was always trying to get things situated and was always so thoughtfully focused. Aeris couldn’t help the slight envy she felt for the girl’s structured, rational, mindset. At the same time though, Aeris knew Tifa had a well of uncertainty buried hidden inside of her. Over the past month the girls had talked more and more with each other and ultimately in the end, they had become very good friends. Aeris was happy about this. They both seemed to support each other in their own way. They each found they could talk with the other about almost anything. Oddly enough, they were both at a loss for words when their conversation leaned towards their feelings for Cloud. Aeris knew Tifa was in love with Cloud just as she was sure Tifa knew she had the exact same feelings. For whatever reasons though, the two girls could still remain friends not letting their feelings for the young blonde haired man interfere with the new sisterly bond they each shared with each other.

Then there was Red13. Aeris had to admit she was pleasantly surprised about the bright red animal. His real name was Nanaki and she found that he could be very supportive at times. Even though he revealed that he was only 16 in his estimated version of human years, he was very wise and seemed to always know exactly what to say when Aeris or anyone else in the group was depressed. She knew the tiger had a big heart but she also felt that there was some secret, some hidden pain that their furry, red haired friend kept to himself, buried deeply in his past. Again, Aeris mind wondered vaguely back to Zack and how his troubled past had tragically caught up to him. That was one fate she desperately hoped would not befall Red.

Aeris sighed softly. It seemed that now every time she thought about Zack, she would become depressed in a way. She knew she shouldn’t feel that way, that Zack would have hated for his friends to remember him with such sadness yet she simply couldn’t help it. It was almost as if she had no control over her troubling emotions.

"A gil for your thoughts?"

Aeris chuckled lightly at the comment. "If that were so, I’d be a gillionare." Aeris turned her face towards the new presence and her bright green eyes rested upon Tifa’s large sparkling brown ones.

"So what are you doing out here?" The dark haired fighter asked.

"I dunno really. Just admiring the scenery I guess. Couldn’t really do much of that back in Midgar you know?"

Tifa arched an eyebrow questioningly. "Is that all? Just admiring scenery? Come on Aeris I know you too well."

Aeris let out a defeated sigh and leaned back slightly against the fence she was sitting on. Tifa propped up next to her and soon both women were admiring the scenery together.

"I dunno… I guess I’m just concerned about Cloud. He’s been acting so withdrawn lately. He won’t even smile anymore. At least not in the same way he used to when…"

Aeris couldn’t find the voice the finish her statement, the memories too painful to be recalled. It was true she may have accepted Zack’s death but still the very thought of how he died troubled her to no end. There was so much blood, so much insane desired in the more experienced SOLDIER’s eyes when he carefully slide the blade away from Zack’s stiffening body. It made her want to cry when she remembered the flash of pain that struck the dark haired man’s face before his body fell lifelessly to the ground.

Tifa shifted in her position next to her slightly. "Yeah, I know what you mean. You don’t have to say it. I don’t know, I guess Cloud is just working through his emotions in his own way. He probably finds that it’s easier to vent his frustrations out through training rather then just talking it out."

Aeris nodded slowly. "They were very close. When I first met them they acted like brothers. Their bond of loyalty to one another was beyond anything I’d ever seen before."

Tifa nodded absently. "I never got a chance to get to know Zack that well but from what I’ve seen, the two of them seemed inseparable."

"Yeah…" Aeris shifted, uncomfortable with their current conversation. "So… Do you think Cloud will let us stay here for a while?"

A wistful smile crept up to Tifa’s face. "I don’t think he has much of a choice in the matter. If he doesn’t we’ll just ring his ears until he gives."

Aeris couldn’t help the laugh that issued from her throat as the very image of that depiction made its way into her mind.

"Is this a private party or can anyone join?"

Aeris eyes lit up when she saw the slightly ruggish features of their furry red companion as he walked up towards them. "Hey Red!"

Red smiled in his own way as he positioned hisself under one of the low bridges of the fence, between the two. "So what’s the topic?" He asked nonchalantly.

Tifa and Aeris traded amused glances with each other before answering in unison.

"Men." They both said then laughed wildly.

Red raised his good eye, not understanding what they were talking about. "Obviously I’ve missed something."

"Not much." Tifa replied readily. "Just girl talk. I don’t think you would have been too interested in it."

Red simply shrugged. "So have you given any thought to what you all want to do while we stay at this barn?"

"I haven’t really thought about it all that much. I guess just admire nature." Aeris replied. "Something to take my mind off of the cruel reality that continues to plague us."

"And what about you Tifa?"

"Same thing pretty much. We’ve all been so stressed out lately, I think we all could use a break."

"Especially Cloud…" She added, mumbling under her breath. Unfortunately she hadn’t taken into account Red’s acute sense of hearing.

A slight grin formed on the tiger’s lips as he continued to stare out into the sky with his one good eye. "Love is a strange thing is it not?" He asked in a reminiscent sort of way. "Just when you realize it’s there, the object of your affections has already gone."

Tifa and Aeris both turned their eyes towards Red now. The tiger chuckled and slowly stood up, stretching on all fours.

"What do you mean by that?" Tifa asked and could tell Aeris wanted to know the same thing.

"That is for each of you to figure out on your own." Red said and with that, the young tiger walked off into the distance.

::::::::::To Be Continued::::::::::

The night came quickly to the barn situated at the center of the Midgar region. However, for the fifth time that night, Tifa found herself waking up once more.

"Damnit!" She hissed as Barret’s enormous snores woke her once more. "What does it take to shut that guy up?"

Tifa grabbed a pillow, preparing to launch it towards her sleeping companion when she suddenly noticed something out of the corner of her eye. Aeris was gone.

Tifa immediately rubbed the remaining sleep from her eyes then walked over towards the entrance of their room. Oddly enough, everyone else was sound alseep. Even Cloud the workaholic, found solace in the night it seemed. Tifa gently brushed by the sleeping blond and walked out of the door into the night.

Tifa quickly wrapped her arms about herself from the shivering cold. In the distance she spotted the young brunette haired woman sitting atop a well staring into the star blazed sky. Tifa calmly walked up to her.

"What are you doing out here this late in the hour?" She asked gently.

"Oh!" Aeris softly cried out, startled by the sudden presence.

"Sorry." Tifa said, realizing what she had done.

"No it’s ok. You just startled me that’s all. Truth be told, I really didn’t want to be out here by my lonesome anyway."

"So what are you doing out here?" Tifa reiterated.

"Couldn’t sleep. What about you?"

"Barret’s snoring kept me up. Although an outdoors trip was not exactly what I had in mind for getting back to sleep."

"So why are you out here then?"

"Saw you were missing so I got concerned."

Aeris cheeks slightly reddened at her friend’s compassion. "Thanks. And sorry about dragging you out here."

"Don’t worry about it." Tifa said, waving her hand in dismissal. "Actually, aside from the few gusts of cold air, it’s quite nice out here. Geez, ya know I haven’t looked up into the night sky like this in ages?"

Aeris faintly nodded her head. "It’s beautiful. The sky, the stars, the soft waves of the wind as you can hear it traveling too and froo. It’s almost majestic."

"Mmm hmm…" Tifa nodded, lost in the whirlpool of infinite bright dots that filtered the sky. "Hey Aeris?" She said at last, still keeping her eyes locked upwards.

"Yeah?"

"Ever wonder… you know… what it’s like up there? Just floating freely through the sky without a care in the world?"

"Must be nice…" The green-eyed girl mused silently.

"Yeah… must be…" Suddenly Tifa caught something out the corner of her eye. "Hey!" She said at the flash of recognition. Tifa promptly hopped off the fountain and began walking in the direction of where her eyes had traveled only seconds before.

"Tifa? Tifa what is it?" Aeris asked in a confused tone of voice.

"It looks like we weren’t the only ones who decided to take a midnight stroll."

"What do you mean?"

"I Just saw Red13 walking off in that direction." Tifa replied, pointing out in front of her.

"Really? Were would he be going?"

"That’s what I’m gonna find out."

"Not without me, you’re not!" The green-eyed girl replied challengingly.

****

Red13 continued to walk towards the forested area just east of the barn as if possessed by some new mysterious force. He could not truly discern why he was taking such an action, only that he could not dismiss the constant crying voice that continued to assault his senses.

"It’s got to be close…" The red haired tiger mumbled to himself and he continued to roam forwards.

As he walked closer and closer to the destination at hand, he noticed his surroundings were becoming darker and darker. It seemed as if the tree’s simply died out. Wilted leaves hung limply from dead branches. Grass that had once been green, now crumbled into dark brown dust as he walked over it. Even the dirt was not fully tilled. It felt as if it were crumbled cement under his paws. The cloying scent of decay made the fiery tailed tiger almost want to gag yet he continued on. He would not simply pass over such a dreading feeling of emotion followed by the low cry’s that incessantly became louder and more defined as he closed the distance. Red would not stop until he had found the object of his search.

****

"Where do you think he’s going?" Aeris whispered into Tifa’s ear as the two women continued to follow close behind the red tiger.

"I don’t have a clue but something tells me it’s gotta be important."

"Tifa… I can’t fight the urge of thinking that just maybe Red has finally decided to take his own path and leave the rest of us behind. Isn’t this an invasion of his privacy?"

"It’s not an invasion if he isn’t aware that we’re following him now come on!" Tifa roughly Yanked Aeris arm to get her to move faster. Aeris grudgingly complied and the two women stepped forward when suddenly they turned to see Red staring them both dead center in the eyes.

"Well technically," The four legged animal said in a slightly sarcastic tone. "Since I’ve known the two of you have been following me from the start, it ‘is’ and invasion of my privacy."

Tifa found herself to be at a complete loss for words. It hadn’t occurred to her that they would be found out by the young tiger and so she could think of no plausible excuse for the actions she took.

"Red… I… I… I’m really sorry. We really didn’t mean anything by it."

"Yeah!" Aeris added in. "We were just curious as to why you were traveling all by yourself at night. We were wrong to do so. I apologize also."

The fire-tailed tiger simply huffed in irritation and turned once more towards his destination. "I honestly don’t care if you follow me or not. If you had simply asked me, you wouldn’t have found yourselves in such an embarrassing situation as this one."

"So then…why ‘are’ you out here?" Tifa asked tentatively.

Red sighed and looked skywards. "… As the two of you are human it is impossible for you to perceive certain things that I can. Sound for instance. It is the crying of the afflicted that draws me out this night."

"Crying of the afflicted?" Aeris asked softly. "What does that mean?"

Red closed his eyes softly and allowed the soothing breeze of the wind caress his face before answering.

"I honestly don’t know how to explain it. All I know is what I feel and what I feel draws me closer and closer down this path."

"Wow Red…" Tifa said in a flustered voice. "Can you be any more cryptic?"

The red tiger simply grunted his response and resumed his trek down the path.

"So… what do you expect to find at the end of this path anyway?" The young Avalanche woman asked anxiously.

"I don’t know." Came the flat response of the tiger, not bothering to look back or stop in his tracks as he responded.

Aeris shifted next to her. "Tifa I think we should follow him. He might need our help."

"Yeah…" Tifa nodded then began walking forward once more. "I don’t know what to expect on this weird journey of his but that red tiger’s piqued my curiosity and now I won’t rest until I find out what it is."

The two women quickly ran up along side the red tiger as he walked on. Together the three of them began to walk in relative silence, only the soft hissing of the wind and the low thumping of their feet on solid earth, reminding them that time had not stopped and that they were still part of reality. For reality was what seemed to be the main factor that fell apart as they neared closer and closer. Aeris began to wrap trembling arms about her shoulders as the winds grew more fierce. Dead leaves began to drift through the air and dead soil became as grinding sand. Truly the earth they walked on now was a desolate plane of nonexistence. Finally Red13 came to a complete stop and lowered his head slightly.

"Why are we stopping?" Tifa asked, her teeth chattering against the onslaught of cold air surrounding them.

"Beyond this, I cannot guarantee your safe passage…" Red said in a low voice which seemed to both women’s ears as if it carried a great deal of suppressed fear in it.

"Red…" Aeris asked softly. "What is it? What’s wrong?"

The young tiger turned his face towards the two women, an uncharacteristically concerned expression printed on his face. "There is no shame if the two of you decide to head back now."

"Red…" Tifa walked up close to the tiger and placed a comforting hand on his back. "What is it? What do you feel?"

Red13 matched his one eye with hers, taking on his usually expression of seriousness however this time with and edge of coldness to his visage as well. "That’s just it Tifa… I sense a void, I sense… darkness."

The young woman backed away involuntarily at the tiger’s expression. Red13 cast his eyes back towards the ground. "Like I said before, there is no shame in leaving."

"Then you can leave." Tifa said in an even, determined voice. "You can leave Red because I’m not going back. I intend to see this all the way through."

Red was silent for a few moments then nodded his head in acceptance. "And you Aeris? What is your decision?"

"I’m with you guys!" Aeris said almost too anxiously. "I… I can feel it too. The darkness the nothingness. It’s almost overwhelming but I can’t help but feel drawn to it somehow…"

Red stared at her for a few minutes then shook his head as if warding off some bizarre thoughts. "Very well then. From here on our path leads downwards."

"Downwards?" Tifa asked in confusion. "I’m not sure I understand what you mean by that."

"Watch." He said in a mystical voice then placed his paw a few inches onto the ground in front of them. Almost instantly the ground gave way revealing a dark underground tunnel.

Tifa felt a welling sense of dread fall over her. Aeris too seemed intimidated by the new path they were destined to take.

Red13 turned his eyes towards them with an even expression. "The Cries of the afflicted beckon us onwards. Let us be joined and may the light of goodness guide our path."

"I don’t f#ck’n believe this!" Barret yelled for what seemed to be the 100’th time. "You sure they didn’t say nothing to you about them going anywhere? Not a single word?"

Cloud sighed in irritation. "Look Barret for the fifth time, I was told nothing, alright? I was practicing the whole day and through part of the night and in that time I saw nothing out of the ordinary."

"I can’t believe the girls would up and leave like that man! The tiger I can understand. He made it clear he wasn’t going to be with us for the long hall from the beginning but the girls too? Something just ain’t right man!"

Cloud sighed. "Aeris and Tifa have just as much of a right to decided to leave as anyone else. No one is going to stop them. They are old enough to make their own decisions."

"That’s Bull$hit man and you know it!" Barret yelled then rammed Cloud against the far wall, gripping his shirt collar tightly. Cloud simply glared at the big man with a penetrating gaze. Barret met that gaze with an angry glare of his own.

"What happened to you man? You didn’t always used to be like this! You used to love those girls. No matter how messed up and warped that may sound, I do know you had feelings for them both. What happened to those feelings? Where have you hidden them?"

As if a cord was struck, Cloud powerfully shoved Barret away from him, shooting him a dangerous stare, fire swarming in his stark green irises.

"I’m not hiding anything Barret! Open your eyes! Look around you! Can’t you remember what happened a month ago? A war is going to break out! A big one and Sephiroth is positioned on the front lines!"

"It’s not even about that man!" Barret countered back.

"YES IT IS!" Cloud roared. "A month ago you pledged yourself to bringing Sephiroth down! You made a promise that you wouldn’t sit idly by and watch the planet die! What happened to that conviction? You may be hypocritical in your beliefs but I for one intend to see this through to the end! I will not rest until I have Sephiroth’s dead corps at the end of my blade!"

"Cloud…" Barret shook his head with a level of disgust in his eyes. "You’re loosing it man! You’re LOOSING IT!" Can’t you see what you’re saying? This isn’t about saving the planet anymore with you. It’s about getting your f#cking revenge! It’s about making Sephiroth pay for what he did to your friend!"

"Zack died so he could give us the opportunity you’re now trying to take for granted!"

"Zack died trying to save his friends lives and you know it! Man, Zack would never risk his life for anything as hollow as revenge. You know I used to be just like you. I used to think that the only thing left for me was revenge but you know what? ‘Zack’s death’ opened my eyes! Yeah you may be shocked to hear that but it’s true. It took Zack’s death for me to finally get it through my thick skull that there’s more to life then revenge and suffering. He taught me that we should enjoy the beauty of life while it still lasts otherwise it’ll just pass us by! ‘That’s’ what you’re friends sacrifice showed me! That’s what it meant to me! It’s not about Sephiroth or Shinra or revenge or even the planet for that matter! It was about the preservation and tranquility of human life! It’s about living to your best and sacrificing your all so that others have the opportunity to reach that level of happiness. Revenge has nothing to do with it."

Cloud found that he could say no words yet at the same time Barret’s speech did little to affect his soul. "You just don’t understand Barret!" The blond man seethed in anger. "You’ll never understand!" And with that, the young mercenary stormed out of the room leaving a frustrated Barret standing behind in his wake.

****

"Could it possibly get any colder down here?" Tifa said with disdain, wrapping her arms tighter about her shoulders.

"Stop complaining." Red hissed back. "We’re almost there. Just hold yourself together."

"Ha! That’s easy for you to say!" Aeris said through clenched teeth. "You have fur insulation."

Red13 merely grumbled a response then proceeded to walk onwards.

"Oh a lot of help you are!" Tifa hollered after him.

"I told you before you didn’t have to come!"

"Let’s just stop with the arguing already ok guys?" Aeris interjected, trying to be the peacemaker.

"Fine." Tifa said, waving her arms nonchalantly. "So exactly how much further do we need to travel Red?"

"I’ll tell you when we get there."

"Just tell us now!"

Red turned his head slightly so that he could regard them with firm, steady eyes. "No. Now come on! We’re wasting time!"

"Sheesh! This sucks!" Tifa said in a low voice. "Trapped in a dark tunnel, walking in a constant pool of what seems like water, I can’t even see three inches in front of my eyes, and all Red say’s is ‘I’ll tell you when we get there!" This sucks!"

Aeris smiled next to her. "Well at least we don’t have to worry about being bored on the barn."

Tifa sighed knowingly. "Yeah. I wonder what Cloud and Barret are saying now that we’re missing."

"Aren’t they still asleep though?"

Tifa gave Aeris a surprised look. "It’s been six hours! The sun set hours ago!"

"Really?" Aeris asked with deep interest. "That’s really weird. I could have sworn we’ve been walking for only two hours max!"

"Yeah I know what you mean." Tifa said in a mystified voice. "These tunnels have a strange feel about them. Almost as if time simply stops in it’s tracks while we’re here. If we’re not careful, our lives could pass us by down here and we wouldn’t even realize it!"

Suddenly Red13 stopped in his tracks, startling both of them. "That’s it!"

Tifa shot the tiger an annoyed look. "What’s it Red? Why are you stopping now?"

Red matched Tifa’s gaze. "This whole time, I’ve been wrestling with the idea of what exactly I was feeling. I know there is a force pulling me further down this tunnel but I couldn’t focus my mind enough to pinpoint the source until now. I suppose the whole feeling of timeless space down here is almost like a failsafe. If one doesn’t realize it, They could lead themselves in a never ending maze and not realize it."

"What!" Tifa was almost boiling with rage. "So you mean to tell us you were lost this whole time until now?"

"To be honest with you, yes. I think we were all in some weird trance and still are. However, the fact that we actually know what’s going on now, gives us an edge. It is our key to reaching our destination safely and sanely."

"That’s not my point!" Tifa yelled. "You could have gotten us killed down here just now! What do you have to say for yourself!?"

At this, Red13 turned around and walked towards the two women. Tifa stood tall, ready for anything the tiger had to throw at her. Much to her shock, Red simply walked right past her and stopped in front of Aeris. Aeris blinked in confusion and Red13 slightly lowered his head in a gesture of respect.

"Aeris, I thank you. If you had not brought the subject up, we would have never realized we were trapped in this reality warped prison."

The flower girl merely blushed while Tifa shot daggers at Red with her eyes. "Hey what about me? I helped figure it out too ya know!? Where’s my thanks?"

Red simply chuckled at her and resumed his place at the front. "I want the both of you to focus your minds on anything time related. If we keep our grasp on reality, we’ll make it to our destination safely."

Aeris and a grumbling Tifa both complied. Closing their eyes, the three of them began to focus intently on the reality of their individual lives.

Almost immediately, their whole surrounding shifted and pulled away to reveal a new area entirely.

"Whoa!" Tifa said in surprise. They were all now standing in a dark brown cave with access tunnels leading in five different directions.

"Where do we go from here?" Aeris asked curiously.

Red13 narrowed his eye slightly, concentrating on the inner voices in his soul once more.

Finally the tiger raised his head. "We go straight down the middle."

"Are you sure you’re not getting us lost again?" Tifa asked sarcastically.

Red13 ignored the jest and resumed walking down the path.

Tifa looked around carefully, continually keeping her mind focused on the present in the hopes that she would not lose herself in this weird, reality shifting, cave.

Suddenly Aeris cried out and fell over. Tifa’s eyes widened in shock as the woman clutched her head painfully.

"Aeris? Aeris what’s wrong?" Tifa asked frantically.

"I… I can’t… the voices! The pain!"

"Aeris… you feel it too don’t you?" Red asked, now standing in front of her with a serious expression on his face.

Aeris merely raised her eyes level with his and nodded mutely.

Red turned away, looking at the far wall then closed his eyes and nodded to himself silently as if confirming some unspoken realization.

"What is it?" Tifa asked, walking up to the tiger. "What’s wrong with her?"

Red sighed as he faced Tifa. "Do not concern yourself, her ailments will fade shortly."

"Don’t concern myself?!? Like hell I won’t! Listen here, you’re gonna tell me what’s wrong with her right now or I’m going to beat the information out of you!"

Red shot her a dangerous glare as if challenging her to compound on her threats. Tifa balled up her fists ready to strike at the tiger when suddenly a firm hand grasped her forearm.

Tifa turned to see Aeris clutching her arm and rising to her feet at the same time. "No… it… it’s ok Tifa. I’m alright now. We are all friends here, we shouldn’t be fighting like this."

"…Tell that to the tiger with the chip on his shoulder." Tifa mumbled under her breath.

Aeris either didn’t hear or ignored the comment all together. "We’re close now." She said silently. "I can feel pain and anguish… Is this what you were feeling also Red?"

Red13 simply nodded his head solemnly.

Aeris gave him a look of sorrow and compassion. "It’s awful." She said gently. "There’s so much pain."

"Pain is something we all must deal with in life." Red13 said mystically. "I have known and felt it all my life yet I have not yet broken in my resolve. Whatever it is that we will find down here, it too will not shatter my resolve. Yet I feel pity for it and wish that it not be forced to go through the same pain I have known in my life."

Aeris nodded in understanding. Tifa simply raised her arms in anxiety. "Look we can do the whole philosophy thing later ok? For now lets just get moving! Whatever we find, we’ll find when we get there!"

A slight grin touched Red’s face as he looked towards her. "For once, you speak words of wisdom Tifa. I am impressed!"

"Just keep moving!" Tifa said in an annoyed tone.

They continued onwards yet Tifa began to notice Aeris continued clutching her head with more and more intensity as if assaulted by some unknown force. She turned her eyes and noticed that Red13 also drooped his head low as they neared closer. Whatever was going on was affecting them both immensely yet for some odd reason she alone was not affected by it.

They continued to walk further on and after a while, Tifa was forced to half carry her green eyed companion who looked about ready to collapse from pain.

"Look Aeris…" Tifa said in a worried voice. "I’m really concerned about you. Maybe you should go back. You too Red. It seems to me like whatever this thing is that we’re getting to is sucking the very life from the both of you but not even affecting me at all. I’ll keep going while you two head back."

"I… appreciate the concern…" Red13 said in a heavy, pain-filled voice. "However, this is something I simply cannot avoid. My path is clear and this is what I must do."

Tifa turned her eyes towards Aeris. The green-eyed woman nodded her head as well. "I’m not backing down either Tifa. I’ve got to see this thing through to the end. I can’t explain it…"

Tifa nodded gently and continued on.

After a few more pain filled steps, the ground suddenly gave way from beneath them. "Damn!" Tifa screamed as she felt herself falling weightlessly towards the ground. She looked on either side and finally noticed that Red and Aeris were so far gone now that they were completely unconscious. Tifa might have said something, anything to bring them back to consciousness but unfortunately the bottom of the tunnel broke her fall and the consciousness she desperately tried to reawaken in her comrades.

****

The village of Kalm was a peaceful one at this time of the day. However, like most other towns, even in the most secure of areas, a bar is not always the warmest place to be.

Fortunately, for the heavily cloaked blond man who chewed absently on the end of his cigar, the solemnity of his surrounding never affected him much.

Instead, he was presently more preoccupied with other more demanding issues at hand. He sat back casually in his chair as the man sitting across from him grew even more nervous.

"So…" The blond man said in a heavily, cigar accented voice. "I got word that there’s a certain somebody who can wield a blade like no other roaming around in the area."

The bony, slightly freckled, man sitting across from him gulped in nervousness for a moment then slightly bobbed his head.

"Riiight.." The cloaked blond man said in an even, relaxed tone of voice. "I also got word that you know stuff normal people don’t generally take the liberty to know off hand."

The cloaked stranger almost laughed as the man quickly became even more rigid. He wasn’t surprised really. Anyone who lived on the streets knew about him and his partner as the infamous assassins. Whenever they were in the business of looking for someone, the person in question never turned up living much longer. It was no surprise at all that the man he was now talking to didn’t suspect he had the intention of killing him too once he received the information he wanted.

However, even though the blond reveled in the fear he struck into the man, he also was extremely low on patience. He raised his right arm and snatched the cigar out of his mouth then inched if close to the man’s face. The man immediately drew back in fear but not too far back for fear of causing a scene.

"Look kid…" the cloaked blond said in the same casual voice. "I can tell that you’re tense. Any self-respecting person in your position would feel the same way if they were dealing with people like me. But for your own sake, try to maintain ‘some’ self control eh? Just tell me what I want to know and it’ll all be over before you know it."

"W…w… what do you w- Want to know?" The man finally managed through his trembling lips.

"Information kiddo. Locations to be exact. This sword guy I mentioned earlier? I hear he’s supposed to be a guy of magnificent skill. Word has it he took down the Shinra building ‘bout a month ago and sped off with a crew of other folks. They say he killed everyone in the entire building."

"Y-… Yeah… I kn- know… the scoop on that."

"Good. Now what I want from you is information on where that certain person and his merry band of destructive comrades ran off to. I’ve got connects that say you know."

Once again the man gulped nervously. "I… I’ve heard there were some strange people the stowed in with a barn family just 5 kicks south of here. It’s on the Chocobo valley region. You ca- can’t miss it."

The blond man’s eyes glazed over slightly as he processed the information in his head. After a few moments he trained his eyes once more onto the man sitting in front of him. "Hmph, I know where that is. I appreciate the help, now here’s your reward."

The man trembled even more as the blond neared incredibly close to him. Without saying another word, the cloaked man then jammed the lit end of his cigar into the back of one of the man’s shaking hands, causing him to scream out in pain.

The cloaked blond smiled crookedly then rose up to his feet, still staring at the now agonized man in front of him. "From here on, stay away from dangerous information like this. Your next caller may not be as fortunate as I am, catch my drift?"

The man was so petrified, he could only nod his head. Once again the blond almost chuckled. "Good boy."

He then stood up and walked towards the silhouette of another shadowy figure sitting close by in the distance. "We got our lead." He said to his partner with a wicked grin on his face. "The sparks are finally about to fly."

Tifa moaned in pain as she slowly rose her head up from the ground. She made a grimacing face as she whipped the wet slime from her right cheek and elbow.

"What the hell?" She mumbled to herself, shaking the last vestiges of sleep from her mind. She anxiously rose up to her knees and looked around to scan her area. She found she was in an entirely new surrounding now. The caves were still dark brown but now there were traces of lime stone etched into the wall’s at some areas. And on top of that, she found that the area she was in was extremely damp.

‘Wait a minute…’ She thought to herself in confusion. ‘This cave shouldn’t be damp unless…’

Her eyes widened and she suddenly looked down to see that she was sitting in a large pond of neon green liquid of some sort.

"Shit!" she seethed, jumping out of the liquid quickly. Suddenly she heard a noise from behind.

"Ughh…"

She whipped her head around swiftly to find an unconscious Red13 lying not too far away from a similarly unconscious Aeris. Tifa almost cried out in alarm at their appearance. They both seemed as if they had been tortured as beads of sweat poured down their faces.

"Hey…" Tifa cried out, running towards them as fast as possible. "Are you guys ok?"

She promptly dragged them both out of the green liquid then knelt by Aeris, slapping the young woman lightly on the face. "Hey, c’mon wake up Aeris! Don’t die on me."

She then shifted towards Red13. "You either Red. Wake up will ya? Come on! Don’t let me down now!"

Slowly the tiger stirred slightly then his single eye fluttered open slightly. Tifa was overjoyed even if it was a slight reaction.

"That’s it Red! Wake up!"

The tiger slowly focused his eye on the dark haired woman. "T…Tifa? So weak… get… help…"

"What? Red what are you saying? I don’t even know where we are! How am I going to get help?"

Red’s eyes flickered a bit more then rolled into the back of his head and his lids promptly closed shut.

Tifa crew frantic once more. "Red?!? Red talk to me! Come on don’t do this!" Tifa quickly grabbed Aeris. "Come on Aeris! Snap out of it! I know you can hear me! Don’t let this thing get to you!"

Tifa was beginning to lose hope as neither of her companions responded to any of her pleas. She lightly lowered Aeris quiet form back onto the earth next to Red’s.

‘No matter what.’ She thought to herself in determination. ‘I’ve got to get them out of here!’

She rose up to her feet and once more scanned her surroundings, searching for an exit of any kind. Anything that would aid her in this moment of peril. Her eyes rested on a single darkened exit.

Tifa balled up her fists and boldly walked into the alcove. Remembering to keep her mind focused on the present she slowly walked deeper and deeper into the darkness. She could almost feel a new heat now. A sort of intensifying breeze of hot radiation. She angrily shrugged it off and continued forth.

Within a matter of minute she finally reached the entrance of a new room yet this one was darker then the rest. She slowly felt along the walls and took a single step forwards into the unknown. Suddenly, as if triggered by her footsteps, a blinding neon light, similar to the liquid she and the others had fallen into, glistened right into her face.

Tifa brought her hands to her face, shielding her eyes from the intense light. "Damnit!" She hissed, gritting her teeth.

Lowering her arm slightly, she took a glimpse at what was beyond the brightness. Slowly her eyes began to adjust more and more and before long, her hands were resting casually by her side once more. She stared into the center of the room mesmerized by what she now saw. Floating in the very center of the room was a single crystal green orb with some sort of creature inside. Tifa darted her eyes left and right, searching for any particular traps laid out for her.

She could find none. She anxiously reached her arms out and embraced the crystal with both hands. Suddenly the light burst forth knocking her right into the side of the wall. The crystal shard came to life, exploding with intense fury.

Tifa winked in pain then rose to a sitting position. Her breath caught in her throat as a new image suddenly materialized before her very eyes.

The green mist shifted and molded into the form of a man she definitely didn’t want to see at this particular moment.

"Sephiroth…" She breathed in shock.

The green mist shaped SOLDIER smirked ruefully as he looked down towards the trembling form below him. "Ahh… I understand completely now. This was not something I would have expected."

His words breaking her out of her stupor, Tifa’s eyes quickly narrowed into angry slits. "You bastard! What have you done to my friends!"

In one complete motion, Tifa leapt from her position on the ground and delivered an air kick towards the transparent figure. Her eyes widened in shock however, when she completely passed through him and landed painfully on the other side of the room.

Loud, maniacal laughter filled the room, making her blood boil.

"Poor girl. Do you not know the difference between what is real and what is not?"

"What do you want you f#cking bastard!"

Sephiroth stopped his laughter now and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "It seems I have underestimated the resourcefulness of your two companions. I never would have guessed they would have the foresight to bring one of you along in their recent state of mind."

"What are you talking about?"

"I led them here. I suppose you could call it a wild goose chase. It was a simple matter really. I easily killed all the chocobo’s in this once lively cave leaving only an orphan baby chocobo behind. After that I let it live simply so I could capture its essence and encase it in this mako orb. It was an ingenious plan. I used the Mako energy to enhance its cry for help and synchronize it with that of the planet. As you may already know, your two companions are already closely tied down with the planet as we speak. It was easy to let its power overrule their actions and lead them to this area. Little did they know that while the infants call was leading them here, the mako shell I had constructed was slowly sucking their life-force, draining all of their energy."

Tifa gasped visibly. "Are… are you saying that Aeris and Red are… Dead?"

Sephiroth smirked once more then gave a quick shake of the head. "No. Unfortunately, the mako orb I had created was of low caliber. It only has the ability to drain three fourth’s of their energy. However, I am not without a backup plan. Even though I could not kill them with my Mako Shard, I still have my triumph card. You may yet spoil my plans if you are able to pass the test. In any case, I have learned a great deal from this experience. I will simply have to find another more subtle way to get rid of your two friends but if push comes to shove, I’ll just annihilate them both with my own two hands."

Once again, maniacal laughter filled the room and Sephiroth’s form slowly dissipated back into green mist.

Tifa blinked in confusion. There were still many questions Sephiroth left unanswered for her. What exactly did he mean about Red and Aeris being connected with the planet? How were they able to hear its cry and not her? And most puzzling, what was this test he spoke of?

As if in response to her last mental question, a Huge jagged arm suddenly burst from the mist charging straight towards her. By sheer reflexes, Tifa jumped back, dodging the blow deftly.

"What the hell?!?" She hissed, assuming a fighting stance.

The green mist cleared to reveal a huge monster. It was huge, rising at two times her height and burley as well. It had a dark green/brown color tone to it and was reinforced with hard rock shell armor. Its huge jagged sharp teeth emitted foul green fumes as it leaked open and its blood red eyes narrowed dangerously towards her. It had sharp spikes protruding from every angle as it came more into focus.

Tifa took a single gulp and fastened her fingers into her palms forming tight fists. She narrowed her eyes to match its own. "I won’t let you harm my friends. Even if it means my life, you won’t get through."

In reply, the creature swung with lightning speed. It was all the young woman could do to hold her arms close into a blocking position, hoping to let her arms absorb most of the impact. Unfortunately this wasn’t the case, as the momentum of the blow sent her careening into the wall taking the very breath out of her lungs.

Tifa stumbled blindly to the ground falling on one knee while keeping an arm still tightly fisted. She vigorously shook her head to clear it, still glaring at her opponent.

"I… is that all you got? You overgrown, walking trash factory!"

The creature roared in anger then charged towards her once more. Again, Tifa found herself at a loss for the creature’s speed.

Once within range, the beast swung again. Tifa quickly ducked below the attack then delivered one of her own. Charging from her crouching position, she rose up with lightning speed and power, performing her dolphin kick.

The monster’s head snapped back from the intensity of the kick however unfortunately, it still wasn’t phased much. Still floating in the air, Tifa felt hard sharp coils wrap around her ankle as the monster grabbed her leg. A light scream was all she could get out before the creature swung her about like a rag doll, ramming her into wall after wall. Tifa tried her best to use her arms to protect her head yet it was all in vain as the intensity of the impact was growing stronger and stronger. Along with her head and back, Tifa’s loud screams of agony reverberated off the walls continuously until drifting into a low dull as she soon began to lose consciousness and blood.

It was over before it had begun and now the monster stood poised, holding the bloodied woman up by the leg, while she dangled upside down. Her face was a bloody mess and her arms and back bore the signs of her rough treatment.

With a low gruff, the monster dropped its arms to its sides letting Tifa hit the floor full force. Still holding firm to her leg, it then began its trek towards its two primary targets, dragging the poor woman along as if she were a mere toy.