“Hello?” Yuffie asked as she opened the door. To her surprise, she saw
a familiar spiky blonde haired figure dressed in the infamous purple suit.
She blinked repeatedly, sure it wasn’t. I mean, he was dead! “Cloud?” she
asked doubtfully, and the illusion even grinned sheepishly just like he
used to, and scratched the back of his neck. This was one realistic illusion…
“Um…hi?” Cloud stated, and that was it. Yuffie let out a stifled squeal,
and promptly launched herself at him, laughing until tears ran down her
cheeks. He was real, and he had finally shown his face again.
“It really is you!” Yuffie cried happily, still hanging on Cloud’s
neck, giving him a bone crushing hug. Startled a little, Cloud hugged her
back a little. It was good to be back…
“You’re never going to believe this!” Christy said, leading Barret and
Marlene to the kitchen, where Cloud was currently talking to Tifa and Yuffie,
while Sephiroth just sat there, disinterested in the whole thing. She’d
have to jolt him out of his musings soon enough. It wouldn’t do to have
someone so silent at a happy reunion time.
“What is it? Is it a surprise! I love surprises!” Marlene exclaimed
opening the door to peek in. Yup, this is a surprise all right, a big one.
Christy thought as she heard Marlene squeal, “Uncle Cloud!”
Barret’s head snapped up and he asked, “Spike?” He too, looked in the
kitchen to see that Cloud was indeed sitting there, know rubbing the back
of his head sheepishly.
“Uncle Cloud!” Marlene said, and then jumped onto Cloud’s lap,
making all the wind come out of him, and then she proceeded to squeeze
the life out of him. “Geez Uncle Cloud! Everyone was so sad! Now everything
is gonna be fine!” Marlene said happily, giving Cloud another squeeze,
turning him an interesting shade of blue before she released him.
“Good ta’ see your spiky arse again.” Barret boomed, giving Cloud a
hearty slap on the back that nearly sent him sprawling. Tifa, Yuffie, and
Christy giggled, while Sephiroth just grinned a little. What a touching
reunion.
James walked down a narrow corridor to the ‘secret hideout’ that was
housing people still loyal to Shinra. If he got through to them, they would
spread the word, and thus, helping him get closer to his revenge. Annita,
I will avenge you. Annita… please forgive me… He thought, pushing the double
doors open, he stepped into the small room that reeked of alcohol and smoke
that was so think it made a fog. He sat down, and noticed seemed a man
who drew the most attention was the redhead in the corner, who had a hat
covering his face, only showing his mouth. Huh, he looks like a regular
bad boy. He thought, and turned to the guy sitting next to him, and decided
he would start conversation.
“Hey, have you heard that Shinra’s rebuilding?” James whispered to
a man who was nursing a cup half full of liquor. The man looked at him,
eyes wide, like James was his hero or something.
“Did you just say that Shinra’s rebuilding?” The man said, unable to
keep his excitement back. James smiled in triumph, knowing this guy had
taken the bait. He looked like the type who couldn’t keep a secret to himself.
“Yup, but you didn’t hear it from me. But anyway, a guy like you wouldn’t
be interested, am I right?” The guy shook his head looking anything but
such. “Alright, I’ll tell you. They’re looking for loyal employees, people
that can work good and hard. I don’t know about you, but I’m going to go
to the old Shinra headquarters first thing in the mourning.”
“You mean the underground one?” the man asked, looking like a child
who had gotten an ice cream cone. Noticing that the redhead was looking
in his direction, he decided that it was time to leave. James nodded, and
then turned to leave, his trench coat swishing.
Reno narrowed his eyes after James left, having heard everything he
had said. So, Reeve’s friend was telling the truth. He also got up and
walked away from the crowd, grinning and smiling at the women who tried
to block his path, but got out of the bar anyway.
“So, what did you find out?” Yuffie asked, jumping down from one of
the crevices that had formed in the cement wall that the corridor was made
from.
“Huh, should have known you’d follow me kid. Do you really find me
that irresistible?” Reno said, smirking while Yuffie scowled at him.
“C’mon! Don’t make me puke! I just want to know what the big buzz is
before everyone else!” Yuffie said, tapping her foot impatiently, like
a mother waiting for her child to confess it was him who took the cookies
from the cookie jar. Reno looked at her in annoyance, and sighed, rolling
his aquamarine eyes.
“Yeah, yeah, just let me tell Reeve first.” Reno said, swatting her
hands away from him when she tried to snatch his phone. He dialed Reeve’s
number, before getting his secretary. “Yo, Laura, yeah it’s me, Reno.”
He said, and he heard Laura’s delighted squeal. “Listen doll, I gotta talk
to your boss real quick, okay. We can talk later.” He said, trying hard
not to look at Yuffie, who was making kissing noises and such. He heard
Reeve click on the line, and he said, “Your guess was true boss. They’ve
already got people spreading the word. Tomorrow, they’re going to begin
rebuilding tomorrow. Sure boss, I’ll tell everyone, though they’re not
going to like it.”
“What!” Everyone in the room but Sephiroth exclaimed, and Reno winced.
“Shadow is back.” Reno let his words hang, eyeing each and everyone
one of them, showing them he was deadly serious.
“Shadow? What the heck is Shadow?” Yuffie snapped irately, crossing
her arms across her chest. She didn’t like the way Reno had said this ‘corporation’s’
name. Probably some big cover up or something. Well, as far as Yuffie
knew, anyone with ties to Shinra was bad news.
“Shadow is just what it implies. A little know corporation that trains
the best assassins and Turks Shinra has ever seen. Another thing. They’re
extremely loyal and lethal, so they’re probably after you right now, and
they’re not exactly push overs you know.” Reno stated, his face carefully
blank instead of his usual sarcastic and grinning face. Everyone glanced
around, but then everyone’s eyes rested on Cloud who looked troubled.
“Well, this good old company isn’t the only thing that has decided
to rise from the grave.” Cloud said grimly, and everyone else groaned.
Who else could be coming back to haunt them?
“Jenova.” Sephiroth said softly, and everyone looked at him in shock.
He didn’t look at all troubled to the untrained eye, but Christy knew this
news shook him to the very core.
“This is all fine and dandy, but does anyone sense deja vu? I mean,
hello! If Jenova just come back, we can beat her again like last time,
right? And besides! This ‘Shadow’ thing can’t be that bad. If they were
so good, someone would have heard of them!” Yuffie exclaimed, and Barret
glanced at her, his face scowling.
“It’s not tha’ easy. If it was, don’ ya’ think they wouldn’ have sent
Spike back?” Barret asked, trying suppressing the urge to go and destroy
this Shadow himself. He never had much love for Shinra supporters and workers.
Why couldn’t they accept that Shinra was dead?
“Barret has a point.” Tifa said, talking for the first time since they
had mentioned Jenova. “Just one of them wouldn’t scare the planet this
badly.” Tifa said softly, and everyone looked uneasily at each other.
“Are you saying there is more than one Jenova?” Christy asked, dreading
the answer. If there was more than one Jenova… she glanced back at Sephiroth
and Cloud, both of them had clenched their jaws, affirming everyone’s fears.
“Well, instead of being depressed and everything, let’s go wreck Shadow
now! No way is Shinra coming back while I’m here!” Yuffie stated, jumping
up excitedly. It had been a long time since anyone in Avalanche had a good
fight.
“I second that notion, but maybe you want to hear this first.” Everyone
turned to the doorway, and there in all his glory, stood Nanaki.