Final Fantasy VII 1. Prelude

Path of Repentance

Chapter 1: Prelude

By Vermillion Dragoness

Disclaimer: Nothing is mine! Everything relating to Final Fantasy VII belongs to Squaresoft. New world is my twisted version ;)

**Feb/16/06**: Edited

**Sept/22/06**: Editied again. And I'm back:) And After finally coming back, I've fixed some nagging problems that having a more objective view gave me. Hope this draft is better! (and my last! )

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He was floating. Weightless. That was the first feeling he became aware of. His arms were loose at his sides and his legs bent slightly at the knees. It was both soft and comforting, this feeling. Soothing his weary mind. In relief he also noticed he wasn't in pain anymore. No muscles burning with exhaustion, no wounds burning where he'd been cut, no lungs burning in their need for oxygen.

Why was he suddenly reminded of fire? And a figure in the flames...

Wait.

What had he been doing before this?

He remembered a fight, though he didn't know whom it was with. The fire-person maybe? He'd been angry, that was undeniable. But he'd also felt sad? Or was it pity? And also ... excitement? Had the resentment really been that strong? He didn't know. Determination had overwhelmed all his conflicting emotions.

His train of thought was derailed when he realized he was falling, hair brushing softly against his forehead. But at the same time, it still felt like he was floating on something. Was it water? No, it was too thick for that. Could it be...?

What happened to the man he'd been fighting, anyway? How had he ended up here? There had been an explosion. Right. Then … shouldn't there be pain? Or was he … dead? With that last thought, he felt sick with fear that he'd really died, that he'd lost, that he'd failed to protect them. Again.

His whole world suddenly exploded in burning, white hot pain. It hurt everywhere. He couldn't think, let alone scream. If he so much as twitched a finger the pain would shoot up his arm. Burning. His very skin was on fire.

The panic passed. He did his best to push the pain to the back of his mind. He was pleasantly surprised when he forced it to a slightly manageable level. Enough to think, if not move. When had he learned this trick? The pain was too familiar, even the floating feeling was familiar. The only difference was the comfort he could still sense, even through the sudden pain. He forced his eyes open in a desperate attempt to distract himself, hoping for something (or was it someone?) whose presence would ease his pain.

Who he was hoping so desperately to see? … He couldn't remember.

White. That was all he saw. Not a blinding white. Just… White. Shouldn't it be green? No. This was different, he reminded himself. And that someone he'd been hoping to see was no longer alive. So why did he think he'd see 'him.'

At least he remembered 'him' now.

He closed his eyes again, struggling against the sudden rush of emotions and memories. Memories that he'd tried so hard to bury. Of glass cages and Green. _Always_ Green. Of needles and of pain. Of cold, prodding hands and of a cold, calculating voice. He'd blocked it all out so well last time. A little too well, really. Because he'd lost himself to the voices in the mako and … and he'd also forgotten 'him'. His first true friend. Although he wasn't sure if what he'd gone through to get that friend was worth it. They'd only been friends in passing before 'then'. No… that was unfair.

Zack had always considered him a good friend.

His train of thoughts was derailed again when he suddenly felt a hand on his forehead, and the pain that before was only slightly manageable, faded into a dull ache in the back of his mind.

Suddenly remembering the boy who'd died in his arms. And who'd called out to his mother as he became part of the Lifestream, Cloud questioned, "Mother?" Afraid to open his eyes and prove the lie.

"Again?" a hauntingly familiar voice answered. "I wonder, how many times have I been called 'Mother' today." How he'd missed that playful, teasing voice. _I'm sorry_, he tried to say. But he was too chocked up. His throat refused to work.

"What's wrong with it? Being dearly loved and all." A different, but just as painfully familiar, voice said. A voice that he never thought he'd hear again. _I'm sorry. I tried. Please, forgive me_. He wanted to beg. Now afraid to open his eyes, when before he'd been so desperate to open them.

"I don't need such a big child like him." She said lightly.

"Too bad." 'His' voice teased, "She said, there's no place for you here."

At that, his eyes shot open in surprise. _No! Please, let me stay with you!_ The hand on his forehead was taken away, and he stared desperately up at her, pleading with her not to send him away. By sheer force of will he was able to remain, frantically fighting the pull that was trying to take him away from them.

_There's no place for me back 'there' either_, he tried to convey with his eyes what he couldn't with his voice._  
_

She looked back at him in surprise, clearly not expecting his sudden resistance. Beside her, he could make out the faded, washed-out image of a man; the large sword strapped to his back standing out, clear and sharp.

"Go home and rest, Cloud." she soothed, "Your family is waiting for you, you know." He didn't want to be reminded of that, because as Tifa said, you couldn't call them a _real _family. Although, sometimes… sometimes he wondered if the feelings he had when he thought of them, were what someone from a real family would have.

"Did you think we wouldn't wait for you?" the other voice teased, bringing him out of the depressing turn his thoughts had taken. "You still owe me that sparring match!" Sympathy softened his voice as he continued, "Don't tell me you forgot!"

Cloud cringed at that. He _had_ forgotten. On the way to Nibelhiem, Zack had promised to tutor him. To help him get better so that, even though he could never become a Soldier, he could still protect people. So that he could one day return home and fulfill at least part of his promise to Tifa.

"Just worry about yourself now, Cloud." He knew she was trying to put his mind at ease, to tell him it was over. But ... _Was it really over?_ Despite Aerith's assurance, he just couldn't accept it. He still felt like he hadn't settled his past. 'His' final promise echoing too strongly in his mind.

The force he felt on his mind, trying to draw him away from them abruptly cut out. Leaving him slightly disoriented as the world around them took on a light green tint. A colour that, oddly enough, reminded him of what Holy had looked like as it swept over the Planet towards Meteor.

"What?" Aerith said. Her voice, full of confusion and shock, brought his attention shooting back to her. Watching in concern as she stared intently at some point in the distance.

"What's going on?" Asked Zack, sounding just as confused as himself. When Cloud glanced in his direction, he was shocked to see Zack's form fading away.

"No! He belongs here!" she exclaimed, speaking to a voice only she could hear, and moving to cradle his head in her arms as she said it.

"Aerith! What's happening?" he heard Zack, unable to see him at all now, besides a faint outline of his sword.

"It's Holy!" She was desperate now. Clutching him as if his life depended on it.

_Holy?_

"They're using it," _Who's using it..?_ he thought in alarm, having to struggle to focus on her voice. "Using it to pull him to them." But Holy's only purpose was to protect the planet from Meteor. Wasn't it? If an Ancient's prayer reached the planet. Right?

"Them?" Zack questioned, voice now as faint as his image, despite the panic in his voice. "Pulling him to where?"

He could feel it now. A gentle tug on his mind. Asking (or was it begging?) for his help. He was struck by how sad and lonely the voice felt, as if it had no hope. Something in the voice conveying to him that, after this, it would have nothing. Except despair. There was something else about the voice, something that made him struggle to listen, even as his mind started to feel like it was becoming lost in a fog.

"No! Cloud, hold on! You don't belong there! They're lying! Don't listen to them!"

_Them?_ He didn't understand. All he could hear was one voice. One startling and painfully familiar voice. Not promising him anything, just begging him to help it. To save it. _I already failed the two people I care about the most. _He told the voice. _Why do you think I'm fit to help you?_ It didn't answer, but he felt the pull suddenly gain strength. A feeling of desperate hope and need driving the sudden increase.

"Cloud!" Aerith called. Her voice almost lost in the haze his mind was in. It was desperate, and he could faintly feel her trying to maintain her grip on him. It was then, when he heard her cry out to him, that he realized why the other voice was so familiar. The last of his resistance to the other voice faded away with this recognition, and he vowed to help the owner of that voice. Protect it if he could. _Save_ it if he could. And, if he succeeded, maybe he could finally forgive himself.

"Cloud!"

Because the voice that he now felt himself spiraling towards, and the voice that was calling his name, rapidly getting fainter and fainter with each call...

Were the same.

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A/N: I was going to call this "Otherworld" but then I remembered Jade Tatsu's "The Other World." Which is also a Parallel U. fic, and that just felt too much like copying. "The Complete Opposite" by Duchess of Darkness, is what also inspired me to write this (caused a plot bunny infestation that just wouldn't go away!). I'll be using elements of her story that caught my imagination and I recommend you read both stories; if you haven't already:)

So what do you think? Caught your interest at all? Any constructive criticism (like rewordings, or general tips for example) would be very very very appreciated! Or just let me know if I was able to get something across well. Pretty please! puppy eyes

This is my very first story I've had the guts to post so let me know what you think!


	2. Stolen Materia: Part 1

Path of Repentance

Chapter 2: Stolen Materia (Part 1) Not supposed to be two parts…but the second half was being a bum.

By Vermillion Dragoness

Disclaimer: Not mine, Everything relating to Final Fantasy VII belongs to Square-enix

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A/N: Thank you 'Silverfang0000'! You made my day! I was practically jumping for joy when I saw your review! Yay first reviewer! (hope this is worth the wait)

To everyone, Sorry this took so long :P I think I rewrote some sections of this at least 3 times. I really want this to be better than average fic. but… I'm going to have to learn when to just say 'screw it' and post the chapter.

So in the spirit of saying 'screw it' here is part 1!

**Feb/16/06:** I reposted 'Prelude'. Added about 200 words, don't have to reread it, I was just unhappy with it.

**Sept/22/06:** Some editing and changing of Prelude and this chapter. The biggest change is this chapter. I'm actually fairly happy with it now:)

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Cloud was drifting. It wasn't exactly a pleasant feeling. He wasn't in pain anymore, thankfully, but he couldn't feel anything else either. It was just… numb. It was almost a welcome change from before, but the blanket of darkness was far too suffocating. The sharp contrast to the lightness from before was staggering. Panic was rearing its ugly head deep in his chest. Cloud tried to ward it off as best he could by turning his attention inward. He focused on his memories. What was the last thing he remembered?

He remembered… Aerith. That was a good start.

She'd been pushing him away? But also… begging him to come help? Something, or someone, had tried to stop him from going… It made no sense. How could she be pulling him towards her but at the same time, holding onto him as if his life depended on it?

It made no sense. Two of them? He hated this confusion and uncertainty. The numbness, the floating, the drifting sensations, they all led his thoughts back to a time that was better left forgotten. A time where he couldn't trust his own memories, or his own mind.

Thankfully, more started to come back to him. There had been a lightheaded feeling of moving far faster than was physically possible. Until he'd been afraid he was going to pass out from the strain. And then an odd compression. And a white light that he'd instinctively reached out for. He'd been just about to touch it when…

Nothing.

He couldn't remember!

He was distracted when he realized the suffocating numbness was beginning to fade. He could feel his eyes closed. Slowly he opened them, hoping to see 'Her' and an end to his confusion. Surprisingly, he did see something. An indistinct face surrounded by a brown halo was looking down on him and, encompassing both him and the face, was a soft white light. _Must be lying down_, absently floated through his mind as the facial features slowly came into focus. The eyes were first, the colour of freshly cut grass that he could almost _smell_. His heart soared in hope at the comforting memories it brought. The brown bangs, and the feeling of new earth between his fingers as he sat in his mother's garden, framing a kind smile came into focus next. Her face was drawn, and even against the faint white background she looked pale. For a brief moment, he was almost consumed with a fear he couldn't place. _Something's wrong, someth- _She was smiling at him though, and the relief and hope he saw in that smile gave new life to her weary eyes. And that forced him to shove his fear to the back of his mind. He was going to be strong for her, he swore, no matter what.

"I knew you'd come, Cloud." She softly said.

_Could it really be…? _It was almost too good to be true. Struggling to return the smile, he opened his mouth to ask, "Aer--?"

But, like most things in life, it turned out it _was_ too good to be true.

"OH MY GAWD!" Invaded the dreamlike vision. Bringing him painfully back to reality. The soft white light shattered to give way to a clear blue sky. And the sudden rush of sensations caused his mind to reel in shock. There was a sharp tangy taste in his mouth, and the smell of brine filled his nose. Sand cushioned him, and the stinging feeling of salt in his injuries was bringing the world into a painful kind of focus. The breeze shifted, and the stench of blood almost overwhelmed the smell of the sea. Vaguely, he worried about how much blood he must have lost so far. His eyes stung; his whole body ached.

He caught himself wishing for the numbness of before.

Over the undulating sound of softly breaking waves he heard swift footsteps, lightly crunching the sand, coming to a stop to his left. Blinking rapidly, he squinted up at a young boy standing over him. His eyes teared up as the boy shifted slightly, letting the sun shine briefly on his eyes.

"Aw man, looks like a goner. What should I do?" The boy's tone sounded speculative and he leaned over Cloud, starting to mumble to himself as he looked Cloud over, chin-length hair slightly obscuring his eyes, "...-blood...hmmm...-aybe reward..." The boy's voice trailed off as Cloud struggled to sit up and move away from the boy's measuring look. He managed to prop himself on one arm and the boy rolled back on his heels, looking surprised at Cloud's weak attempt. Cloud was only partially successful, half sitting up on his elbows, before the pain that shot through his shoulders overwhelmed him, freezing him in place as he struggled to stop their shaking. Fresh blood trickled down his arms from the sword wound in one shoulder, and the bullet wound in the other.

"Hey Mister! Are you alright? You look like Hell warmed over, you know? You shouldn't move." a tentative hand reached out to Cloud, real concern finally sneaking its way into the boy's dark brown eyes. As the pain started to recede, he finally took a good look at the boy, only to fall back with a disturbing squelch in a mixture of surprise and exhaustion.

_A girl?_

"Oh crap, oh Crap! wha'do I do?" The girl was looking around frantically first to the woods, then to the ocean. Whether looking for help or inspiration he didn't know. "That town's close but wh---,"The voice suddenly started to fade out as Cloud's vision began to spin. "Hey Mister! hold on!" Who was this girl? She looked strangely familiar, but...off...somehow. He sucked in a sharp breath as the pain behind his eyes suddenly intensified and he was forced to close them. Tears threatening to leak out again.

"They were ... glowing?" he heard the girl mutter, wishing she would either hurry and help him or leave him to recover on his own.

His shoulders were aching, throbbing in time to his slowing heartbeat. He felt lightheaded. His whole body ached and the pain behind his eyes was giving him a headache. The combination made his head spin. He tried to focus on the calming sound of the waves and push everything to the back of his mind like before, but he couldn't. He was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to sleep. But he remembered...She was out there… and in trouble! What was he doing just lying here! _Stupid Body! Get up! Get up! GET UP!_

"Don't worry Mister, I'm takin' ya to a doctor! Don't die on me, 'K?

As he started to black out, the last words he heard echoed in his mind and, vaguely, he realized he should recognize them from somewhere.

"Gross. Gonna get blood all over…Gross, gross, gross..."

_Who are you?_

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Cloud winced and shut his eyes tighter, trying to block out the uncomfortable stinging. The sun was too bright. For a confused moment he wondered if he'd collapsed in the Church again, the disorientation was the same. But that couldn't be right, he was lying on something… far softer … so… did someone find him … take him in? His mind struggled to focus, but it was as if a thick fog was blanketing him and he couldn't see two feet in front of his face. His dreamy haze was abruptly shattered, when a wistful sounding voice spoke to him.

**Been a while since I slept in a bed like this,** A young boy's voice said.

_You--?_ He thought incredulously.

**Better enjoy it while you can,** It warned, and faded away, leaving his mind racing at the startling new development.

He may not know where he was or how he got here, but he **did** know that voice. But… he hadn't heard it in two years. Not since… that time in the Lifestream. What did it mean? Hearing that voice again after so long. He wasn't… losing himself again…was he? No. He knew who he was. He told himself firmly. Even if his memories were full of gaping holes, and he only remembered bits and pieces of his childhood, and almost nothing of his two years at Shin-Ra. He knew who…and what… he was. Thankfully those lost five years with _him_ were no more than flashing images and emotions, nothing solid or concrete… even Zack… But could it be… A part of himself he'd forgotten, trying to reach him? But what-

"-ery severe." He was startled out of his confused musings by a muffled voice. He opened his eyes and turned his head away from the painfully bright sun. The thin white curtains did nothing to block the light from half blinding him. A quick glance at the small room was all that he managed before he was forced to close his eyes. It had looked like a hospital room, but it sure wasn't like any hospital he could remember. There was only a slight scent of antiseptic. Otherwise the atmosphere was too welcoming to be any hospital he'd ever been in.

"-ko poisoning." He could pinpoint the voice now. It was coming from the door beyond the foot of the bed, and getting closer until he could finally make out all of what was being said. "It will take weeks for him to fully recover, if he ever wakes."

"Aw Man!" a second voice said petulantly, "Then what am I s'posed to do with these two weird swords. The shop in town won't take'm."

Where had he heard that voice before?

"I'm sorry young lady, I've never seen a case quite like his. He may never wake up. And if by some miracle he does, he will have lost most of his memories." That's right, he remembered, it was the girl he'd woken up to on the beach. Apparently she decided to help him after all. And if he could remember that, then he was relieved to think the rest would come back to him, since the first voice seemed to be wrong on both counts. But he figured he could sort all that out later. What was most important now was finding out where he was.

"Hmph! But it's already been a week!" He opened his eyes in surprise, _A Week?_, " … I know, I know, I'm going already. Sheesh. Don't have to give me that look…" The young girl's grumbling faded as she noisily stomped off.

The first voice sighed as the owner opened the door to the room, speaking to someone behind him, "Every day she's---!" The man he now recognized as a doctor cut off in surprise. Staring at Cloud's glowing blue ones in disbelief. "You're awake?" The doctor quickly turned and stepped back outside of the room, speaking in hushed tones to someone beyond him in the hall. Cloud frowned. Something in the man's voice…it hadn't just been surprise at seeing him awake sooner then expected. It could just be his paranoia but… the man had looked disturbed by something. Or, could it just be waking up when the man thought he never would.

Cloud reopened his eyes as the white-coated doctor finally came back in, and bit back a grimace of distaste at the familiar design of the coat. "wh-…." He wheezed, trying to ask where he was. The doctor hesitantly sat in a chair to his right, silently offering a glass of water and a straw; closing his eyes against their constant stinging, he drank greedily. He tried not to think of the doctor's strange behavior too much as he drank. The man had most likely just recognized the mako glow in his eyes, most people wouldn't unless they knew what to look for… but this was a Shin-Ra doctor. When he finally finished the glass, he squinted at the doctor and tried to speak again, but it came out just as pathetic as the last attempt.

"I was afraid of that." The doctor sighed, getting up and walking around his bed to pull a heavy curtain across the window. "You are very lucky to be alive young man," he said as he tugged at the stubborn cloth. "If Miss Fey hadn't brought you in when she did…" he paused, turning back to Cloud and shrugging uncomfortably, "Well, you get the idea." The curtain finally fell into place after a frustrated pull.

_So the girl's name is Fey…don't know anyone by that name…why was she familiar?_

Cloud's eyes, no longer bothering him so much in the darkened room, followed the man warily as he walked back and took his seat. "I'm afraid our funding doesn't allow for any restore materia," He said, a slight bitterness creeping into his otherwise professional attitude, "So, we've done the best we can in wrapping your wounds. We will have to test the extent of your condition later."

Cloud's eyes narrowed as he watched the doctor. He'd barely looked Cloud in the eyes once. They would meet his for a moment, before jerking away, dancing from one object in the room to another, eventually finding their way back to the unnatural blue ones, before jerking away again. What was causing the man's jumpy behavior? He'd never seen a ShinRa doctor act like this before.

The doctor must've seen something in the look Cloud was giving him because he continued in a bit of a rush, "It looked as though you were caught in an explosion, and used your arms to protect yourself. We were able to salvage some of your clothes, but…I won't ask what you were doing, or why you were so badly wounded, but I need to know…are you a…" He paused here, almost fearfully; finally meeting and holding Cloud's gaze he asked, "Are you from SOLDIER?"

Cloud grimaced, surprised, and thought self-depreciatingly, _Yeah, I'm from SODIER...in my head… _and shook his head once. Wincing as the movement brought a fresh wash of pain down the sides of his neck.

The doctor's explosive sigh of relief was startling, to say the least.

"I'm sorry I asked, but I had to know for sure first, and with your quick recovery I thought…" He said in relief, offering Cloud a small, sympathetic smile. "Sorry. Well now that I know it's just the mako poisoning, we can finally begin healing you properly." Cloud frowned in confusion; he didn't feel like he had mako poisoning... He'd thought it just involved losing your mind to the mako-drenched knowledge. But… it might explain why his eyes were so sensitive, and why his whole body ached, not just his shoulders.

"You were exposed to the Lifestream for an extended period of time." The doctor continued. "I've never heard of a case of Mako poisoning quite like yours before. So far, your symptoms are comparable to the symptoms experienced after becoming a SOLDIER. As a result…the glow in your eyes may never fade…but don't worry though. I will find you something to wear until the oversensitivity wears off." Cloud guessed he should've told the man that he'd had a SOLDIER's eyes before he was brought here but… the sudden change in the man's attitude when he found out Cloud wasn't from SOLDIER… One moment he was frightened, but professional, then next, he was almost…cheerful. Something was very wrong about this whole situation…what was so significant about him not being from SOLDIER?

The doctor smiled and stood up, saying, "The disorientation will pass in time. And don't worry about your memory. Give it some time and it will hopefully return to youwe'll start your rehabilitation tomorrow. For now, get some rest and recover your energy." And walked to the door.

As the door closed with a soft click, Cloud's last thoughts were a frustrated, _I'm not tired…_ before he swiftly fell asleep.

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He was standing on a pillar. Looking down, two meters below his feet, he could see water as clear as glass, gently lapping at the base.

_NoNoNoNO!_

He recognized the blue grey colour of the pillar, a few more standing just on the edge of his vision. He recognized the water, descending to unfathomable depths. It was **this** dream again. A dream so vivid that it sometimes would stay with him for hours after he woke, replaying again and again in his mind's eye. So, he stared stubbornly at his feet, refusing to look up, even though…

Even though he knew it was useless. He'd tried this tactic before, but… the dream always waited for him, just beyond his vision. As soon as he looked up, it would be in time to see her face smiling at him, filled with hope and happiness, before… before it all came crashing down. And the worst part of it was, sometimes…sometimes he would be the one to bring his sword down on her…

Not this time though. He was going to wait it out, no matter how long it took. So he stared resolutely at his boots, forcing himself to concentrate on the way the water swirled around his pillar, creating mini whirlpools that would form and then break apart just as quickly. Fleeting bursts of violent motion on the otherwise calm crystal waters.

"Cloud," A voice whispered and his head shot up in surprise, and he cursed himself for being a fool. "You came for me." Tired but happy green eyes met his. She was kneeling in her usual position on the altar, but her hands were folded neatly in her lap instead of the usual prayer position. He noted with alarm that her clothes were not the usual pink dress and red jacket. Instead, she wore a faded grey, long-sleeved dress. There were many rips and tears in it, and he could see a mixture of blood and dirt in some parts. Her hair was in its usual braid, but it was coming undone, falling messily around her.

_This was new_. But…even if she was dressed differently, he knew the end would be the same. So he looked up expectantly, waiting for 'that man' to descend, not wanting to drag the moment out any longer than he had to, now that the nightmare was happening. She giggled, bringing his confused eyes back to her shining green ones.

"What are you looking at, silly? I'm down here." He felt hope swell in his chest, thinking that maybe this dream would turn out ok after all. But, still afraid any movement on his part would shatter this momentary tranquility, Cloud forced himself not to jump to her, instead staying on his customary pillar. This could still turn out to be one of the dreams where he ended it, instead of 'that man'.

His inaction appeared to sadden her, for her smile lost some of its vibrancy as she watched him. The light shinning down and creating a halo around her suddenly started to get brighter, making Cloud squint his eyes in an attempt to remain focused on her. She was fading away into the bright light, her lips were moving but he couldn't make out what she was saying. In a delayed and desperate move he tried to jump to her, but his legs refused to listen and he was left helpless as she faded away.

He was standing in a world of white.

Alone.

The ground beneath him unexpectedly gave out and he was falling.

Plunging down into the darkness. Clothes whipping around him.

Abruptly, he was swept up. Spiraling out of control.

At the mercy of an unseen current.

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A/N: So there you go! What do you think? If there are any blatant or not so blatant errors, tell me and I'll fix'em. Also, anyone who has any advice for me will be loved forever! Like the anon. reviewer, 'idiot-fan'. Thank you so much! Hopefully I followed your advice well. And I totally understand with the Harry Potter thing, I've read most of them, too :) Thanks to 'Lilly' as well! Some of what you said is close to what I've been thinking about, but you'll have to wait and see. ;) Also to 'Loke', 'Amer Noir', 'Xelena', and 'RubyMoon17' Thank you! I love you all!

Please review and guilt me into getting Part 2 out soon! (I'm still frustrated with it. Grrrrr)


	3. Stolen Materia: Part 2

Path of Repentance

Chapter 3: Stolen Materia (Part 2)

By Vermillion Dragoness

Disclaimer: Not mine, Everything relating to Final Fantasy VII belongs to Square-Enix

A/N: Revised versions of the first two chapters are also up.

**Oct/08/06:** Thanks to the reviews and excellent feedback, I reworked the Cloud/Doctor/Nurse scene and cleared up some other confusion. Some significant changes and I hope it works much much better. Enjoy!

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It was a beautiful morning. The sun was just peaking over the horizon. Bathing the town in an orange-red glow. The mist that lazily crawled through the streets made the town appear like it was floating in the clouds. When the sun reached just the right angle, the mist would gain a green glow, a side effect of living where the lifestream was so close to the surface.

Most people didn't get up early enough to marvel at the quiet beauty. The few tourists were all too busy sleeping to take the time to appreciate the phenomenon unique to this region.

Most people weren't awake at this hour.

Unfortunately, the man who recently washed out of the lifestream was not _most people_.

A pair of panicked feet pounded down the halls of the sleepy clinic. The front door was opened, slamming into the wall and shutting with a bang in their wake. Shattering the quiet morning. Repeated shouts of, "Doctor!" echoing.

Racing across the moist earth, the young woman didn't miss a step at the green haze engulfing the town. Too focused on reaching her goal just a few houses down.

A few of the locals, fishermen making their way down to the wharf, spared her a startled glance as the normally composed woman tore down the street.

Finally, the pounding feet came to a halt in front of a modest little home. "Doctor Lee!" She cried, proceeding to pound on the door. "You have to make him listen! He won't listen to me! He's going to kill himself and I don't-"

"Calm down, calm down." Opening the door, a concerned Doctor Lee soothed. "Who's causing the problem?" He asked as he wiped the last of the shaving cream off his face with a towel.

The panicked nurse took a deep calming breath to steady her nerves. "The patient Miss Fey brought in a week ago." She gestured back the way she came. "The man everyone thinks is a SOLDIER. I walked in to do my morning check-up, and he was out of bed- Standing on his own!- and-"

"He's in critical condition! He can't be moving around like that!" The Doctor interrupted, frowning in concern.

"That's what I told him! But he just-just-!" Her hands shook in frustration. "He just says he has somewhere he needs to be and won't stop."

Doctor Lee was taken aback by the slight tremble in her voice, and then what she'd been saying hit him. "You mean… he's trying to leave! That foolish-." He paused to collect himself. There was no time to finish cleaning up if he wanted to reach his patient before something serious happened. Tossing the towel into a corner he pulled his lab coat off the coat rack by the door. "Lets go." It sounded like he would need to look as professional as possible for this patient.

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Cloud was angry. Or more accurately, he was frustrated. He'd been out for a week. A full week! And that nurse expected him to just lie in bed for _another_ full week. He'd wasted enough time recovering. Never mind the fact that he was wrapped from neck to waist in bandages. Or that his headache was getting worse before getting better. Or that any sudden movements of his upper body would cause him to close his eyes and hiss in pain.

Aerith was out there and needed his help. What did his own injuries matter? If anything, that dream two nights ago had shown him how important it was to hurry up and move.

_Passing out for another two days after I first woke up…How weak have I gotten?_

He'd awoken this morning with a strong feeling of urgency pulling at him. Sitting up had been a bit of a challenge. He'd sat there with a hand pressed to his forehead for many agonizing minutes, sweating. It had been all he could do to concentrate on his breathing until the dizziness and nausea passed.

Just thinking about it caused him to stumble a bit and grab the bed for support. His arm burned in protest to the sudden and harsh movement. Head bowed, he clenched his jaw shut tight against the bile he could taste in his mouth. One hand went to his head and he tightly grabbed hold of his hair. Pulling it to try and calm the spinning room. Willing himself to focus on the throbbing in the arm supporting him, and the stinging of his hair.

It wasn't as bad as when he'd first woken up, just like a very bad case of motion sickness –or so he told himself, but he couldn't afford having this weakness.

His breathing sounded heavy and strained to his ears, but he forced his back straight and stared at the wall ahead. Clearing his mind, he focused on calming his breathing and fought to return to normal. This feeling was nothing compared to the Geostigma he'd suffered with for a year. At least he hadn't passed out yet. He knew he could beat it if he just remained focused on the present.

A small smile came unbidden to his lips. Free. He was free of the Geostigma. It was hard to wrap his mind around. It had been such a constant presence for the last year. Slowly getting worse and worse as despair tightened its merciless claws around his heart. He'd been dying. Looking forward to the release death would bring. But now…

_I want to live._

It was a liberating thought.

But he wasn't free of the phantom feelings yet. The claws imbedded too deep in his heart. But it was a start.

_I can keep my promise, to live on for both our sakes._

The hand in his hair slowly loosened its grip as his breathing returned to normal. Letting out a frustrated sigh, he readjusted his blue sunglasses back into place. He'd found them on the little bedside table this morning, and they were doing wonders for his vision. They were comfortably familiar too. Like a cross between his riding goggles and Reno's sunglasses.

_I hope Fenrir's okay._ He absently thought, remembering the rough beating it had received. _…And Reno and Rude_, he grudgingly added.

Earlier this morning he'd opened the curtains to test his new glasses out. (His eyes were still too sensitive to see comfortably in anything but muted light.) And had been surprised to find himself staring at an oddly familiar town. The town itself he didn't recognize, but the buildings were unmistakable.

He was in Mideel. Or somewhere that looked like Mideel. In the 2 years he'd spent running a delivery service, he'd never come across a place like this. It was far too…untouched. He had no memory of the old Mideel, but he'd delivered a few packages to the reviving town. And this place only held a passing resemblance.

With Mideel almost completely wiped out by the unstable lifestream and the WEAPON that attacked it, the population was very small. Only a couple hundred at most. But this new town had to be at least double that. And that was only based on the parts of town he could see from his window.

The most disturbing part was, it looked like it had suffered an attack, but the damage didn't come close to what one of the WEAPONs was capable of. And you could only tell it had been damaged if you knew what to look for. The patched up holes, some as large as a person, and others in a pattern that could only come from bullets- The paint was a little brighter in those parts.

_Doesn't matter_. He reminded himself._ I wont be here for much longer._

Zipping up his vest as high as it would go to hide what he could of the bandages, he took stock of his current possessions. His boots had somehow survived unscathed. But his pants and vest looked like they had gone through some heavy repairs. Nothing too noticeable, thankfully. Unfortunately, that was all that seemed to have survived. He couldn't find his shoulder guard and assumed it had been too damaged. Probably his sheath had met the same fate. Not like he'd need it, or his gloves, anyway, his swords weren't here, if the Nurse could be believed.

Hopefully he'd be packed and gone before the Nurse got back from wherever she'd run off to. Probably to get the Doctor, if he'd heard her cries right.

_What was her name again?_

Stuffing the last of the bandages into the sac he'd found in the Clinic's supply closet, he gave the little room one last sweep to make sure he wasn't forgetting anything.

The door to the Clinic opened, and the sounds of two people swiftly making their way to his room reached him.

_Damn, I was too slow._

She must've found that Doctor. There was no way out of the room he was in besides the lone door (the window would be too difficult to maneuver through with his injuries), and therefore, no way to avoid the confrontation that was approaching him with quickening footsteps.

Dropping the sac on the foot of the bed, he turned to face the door. Leaning back slightly and crossing his arms with a little difficulty, he steeled himself and waited.

The Doctor and Nurse burst into the room in a flurry of self-righteous urgency. But both stopped dead in their tracks and stared at what greeted them. Fear crept its way into their faces at the sight of a man who could almost be mistaken for a SOLDIER, First Class. They stayed like that, the silence awkwardly long, trying to get their frazzled emotions under control.

_What's their problem?_ He frowned at them.

The spell was finally broken, when Cloud winced slightly and shifted his weight. Bringing his arms, heavily wrapped in white bandages, to attention.

"You- you should still be in bed young man." The Doctor began, voice gaining strength as he continued, "You're in no condition to be moving around, let alone standing up." The Doctor took a few tentative steps towards him. "We haven't begun treating your mako poisoning yet. If you strain your body like this your condition will only get worse. So please, lie back down and-"

Irritated at the Shin-Ra Doctor's concerned tone, Cloud cut it, "I already explained it to _her_," nodding his head at the Nurse still standing in the doorway, "I'm leaving."

His tone of voice made the man pause, but he forged on, "But you just woke up. I can't let you go without assessing your physical and mental state-"

"I'm fine." There was no way he was going to lie down and let them examine him. He'd had enough of Shin-Ra poking and prodding where it wasn't wanted. The nightmares Hojo's lab was not something a person could just shrug off. Push to the back of their mind until it was suppressed to the point of forgetting it as well as many other memories, maybe.

It was bad enough he'd been under their care for the last 9 days. He wanted out and he wanted out **now**.

The Doctor was speaking again, in the kind of calm tone you would use to pacify a dangerous animal. Cloud found it very irritating. "I know you're confused, it's completely normal. The mako poisoning is affecting your mem-"

"Where am I?" He interrupted. He didn't have time to listen to what a Shin-Ra doctor thought was wrong with him.

"Uh, Mideel." The man said, a little thrown off by Cloud's attitude. "A small island off the coast-"

"I know where it is." Cloud stopped the explanation, frowning to himself. So he'd been right. But…what could it mean? Where had Aerith taken him? This Mideel either looked like what it had before WEAPON or… but that was impossible.

_The future? …No… it's been a while since I was last here. It's nothing more than that. Right?_

"Why are you being so rude?" The Nurse spoke up, finally regaining her courage, and jolting him out of his thoughts.

_Betty, that's her name._

Cloud shifted uncomfortably under her scrutiny. He'd been much more polite to Betty earlier. But he couldn't help that any connection with Shin-Ra put him on edge. No matter how nice the Mideel Nurse was.

He needed the space to think things through, plan a course of action. He could worry about where (or when) Aerith had taken him when he wasn't in a Shin-Ra facility. With a Shin-Ra doctor breathing down his neck. And as soon as the painkillers he'd filched from the supply closet took effect, the splitting headache would be gone and his mind clear. He didn't need to explain himself to them.

But maybe he was being too hard on them. Despite the Shin-Ra insignia on the Doctor's coat, they weren't acting at all like normal Shin-Ra employees. And they didn't remind him of 'that time' either. They'd taken care of him for the last week and so far had asked nothing in return. Maybe he did owe them some explanation at least. And the betrayed look Betty was giving him was still making him uncomfortable.

"We're worried about you. When Yuu brought you in we were frantic and you-"

"There's…" Cloud softly started, "A friend I need to find. She's in trouble. And I can't waste any more time here." Uncrossing his arms and taking his weight off the bed, he grabbed the bag and wrapped the strap around his left hand. Letting it hang by his side. Not trusting his shoulders to take the pressure.

"Slow down." The Doctor brought his hands up in a placating gesture, "You need to slow down and think this through. Your injuries aren't healing like they should be. Your mind and body are in shock. If you'd just lie down-"

Cloud's frown turned a little menacing.

"Ok…" He back-tracked, "Maybe later then." The Doctor opened his mouth, fidgeting with his lab coat, and closed it. Cloud watched dispassionately as the man struggled with himself. Finally, straightening his coat he asked, "Answer this, at least. Are you sure she's…real?

"What." Cloud said, his voice gaining a sharpness that shocked the Nurse but that the Doctor seemed to be expecting.

"She could just be a spirit from the lifestream." He explained, "A phantom, who you think you need to find because a piece of spirit you absorbed was looking for her when it died." Sympathetically the Doctor continued, "Strong desires like that tend to remain, even after the consciousness has passed on." When Cloud gave no immediate response, his tone turned pleading, "I know it sounds crazy, and it goes against everything you were taught in school, everything Shin-Ra teaches, but you must believe me. I've seen it happen to too many people."

Cloud clenched his jaw. The Doctor had it all wrong. He knew painfully well what a strong desire and strong willpower could do in the lifestream. He had the injuries to prove it, had unknowingly suffered for over a year because of it, and that was only his more recent encounters with 'Him.'

…_Sephiroth._ A name that always brought him pain. Inescapable. Unforgettable._ At least he's finally gone. His spirit cleansed of Jenova._

**I will... never be a memory**.

…_I hope._

But anyway, this was different. He'd know if this was a foreign desire. It wasn't. It was his own desire to find her. Protect her.

"If you give it time, the desire will pass as your body stabilizes. You need res-"

"I said no." He shifted his weight to his other foot. Uncomfortable with trying to explain," I know she's out there-"

"I know it must feel that way now but-" Cloud tensed in anger at the interruption. His hands fisted at his sides as he held himself back from doing or saying something rash to the irritating man. He took a few steps towards the door, and the Doctor quickly realized his mistake.

"Please, be reasonable." He begged as Cloud brushed by him.

"If she's real," The Nurse cautiously said, refusing to move from her place in the doorway. Blocking his exit. "Do you know where she is?"

Cloud thought about it, turning his head to look off into the distance. _This feeling…I can't explain it…_

"The Main continent?"

Cloud shrugged slightly; unknowingly he'd been looking north, then nodded. It felt right. Somehow, something was telling him to head in that direction.

From behind him, the Doctor sighed. "Are you sure about this? I've never seen a case of mako poisoning like yours, a normal person would still be at death's door and-"

"I'm sure." Cloud stopped him, still irritated at the Shin-Ra's concern. He was fine. He knew to any untrained eye he would look fine. Only a slight crease of his eyebrows betrayed his headache, his sore muscles, and his throbbing shoulders. But he didn't know how much longer he could stand here pretending none of his injuries bothered him.

"Could you at least," Betty tried, her head down as she fidgeted with the hem of her shirt. "At least let us help you find a ride over?" The Doctor sighed again, coming to stand beside him as hands, damaged from years of working with chemicals, rubbed a worn face in frustration.

Cloud was indecisive about letting them help him any more. He was in debt to them enough as it was. But…as wary as he was of Shin-Ra Doctors (his eyes always falling to rest on the red-diamond crest of the lab coat) he didn't feel comfortable leaving them on a negative note. Despite how much he might try to convince himself otherwise.

And it looked like they were resigned to him leaving. So there should be no harm in getting a little help from them, "I was going to rent" _More like Steal_. "A local Chocobo."

"You can't ride a Chocobo in your condition!" The Nurse's eyes flew up to meet his, horrified. "The journey alone will kill you if some monster doesn't get to you first. It's suicide!"

The shot at his weakened state changed his mind. He couldn't accept help from them; they'd only try to slow him down. Mistakenly believing to be helping him. His eyes reminded him again of the Shin-Ra logo. They might even try to drug him. "Look, thanks for helping me. I'll return the favor someday. But I'll be fine on my own. Don't worry about me." The shocked young woman stepped out of his way as he walked through the door and headed down the hall. The Nurse and Doctor followed, both apparently at a loss for words.

"If…" From behind him, the older man hesitantly began, "If you hurry… you could convince one of the fishermen…"

Cloud turned his head slightly to look over his shoulder and offered a, "Thanks" to the Doctor. It was a better option than his Chocobo idea, and a little of the tension left his shoulders as he walked down the halls.

He could feel critical eyes on his back, looking for any weakness in his controlled walk. It lacked his usual grace, but they would find nothing wrong. He wasn't going to give them any excuse to argue for him to stay. So he kept his head high, his bag thumping softly against his knee.

They both followed him to the front door, telling him to come back if he ran into any problems.

_Thanks but no thanks._ He thought, not bothering to turn and respond. And too focused on keeping his strides even. Not once did he look back, even at the whispered "Be careful" from Betty.

-----

"Is he really going to be alright?" Nurse Betty said. She'd clearly been expecting Doctor Lee to be able to prevent their patient form leaving.

"Hmm…" He shook his head. "I don't know… I've never seen a recovery so fast. With his mako poisoning, he shouldn't even be able to stand, and look at him. You'd never be able to tell just how close to death he's been for the last week. He's driven to find someone very important to him. For his sake…I hope she exists."

Betty didn't look convinced.

"Sometimes…you just have to learn to let the patient go. We can only help them up to a point and then… the rest is up to them." Doctor Lee said, turning and going back inside the Clinic.

She just sighed in response, watching the man she'd spent so much effort on to heal, stride away from the Clinic. He walked with a calm assurance. Despite how much pain she knew he was in. If it had been any of the villagers in his condition, she doubted they'd even be able to stand up.

He was confident in himself and his abilities. And was full of determination. She'd never seen anyone quite like him. So now, watching him, she couldn't help but think that maybe he really would be alright. His strength was uplifting. It was nice to know good people like that still existed in the current world. Even if he had been rude. She would never forget him.

Startled, she realized that in all the confusion…

She forgot to ask his name.

-----

One foot in front of the other. That's what he had to concentrate on. One foot in front of the other. Back straight, head high and confident. One foot in front of the other. Rest when you find a boat.

He'd only made it halfway to the Docks, and already he was starting to tire. He had to keep up the illusion though, so he grit his teeth and forced himself to observe what he could of the sleepy town.

A few of the locals were awake. And he was glad it was only a few. Too many for comfort were giving him awfully strange looks. It didn't help that his clothes made him stick out like a sore thumb. Everyone was dressed in such bright colors, the styles reminiscent of Wutai. It was nothing like the drab grays and browns most people in Edge wore. Most people couldn't afford the high prices of the dyed fabrics, with all the factories that had shut down.

They walked with an air of unhurried purpose that had unsettled him at first. It felt like there was something wrong. Something…missing.

It hit him like a two ton Dual Horn. Despair. The town was missing the all too familiar air of despair that had clogged the streets of Edge.

It was good to know Mideel had been spared.

But then, he knew for sure was he wasn't in the Mideel he remembered… were there more cities like this? Where had Aerith taken him? Could this really be the future? Was everyone still alive? Was he…alone?

He didn't know how she did it, but he vaguely remembered a soft green light pulling at him. But…when he tried to think any more on it, or if he focused too strongly on the memory, all he remembered was the dizzy feeling of spinning out of control that he'd woken up to. And then he would feel lightheaded and fear he was going to throw up.

So he remained focused on the town. And putting one foot in front of the other. Pushing his questions and doubts to the back of his mind. He'd figure it out later.

The town was pretty remarkable. Providing an easy distraction. Footbridges high above his head connected the two and three story high buildings. Others, on a higher elevation, were connected to the ones lower and closer to the wharf. The interlocking bridges were unlike anything he'd seen in his travels.

It was while walking under one such footbridge, that he heard an excited scream come from overhead.

"Score!"

Glancing up, he had enough time to register the sword aimed for his face before he jerked back, tripping over his own feet in his haste and landing painfully flat on his back.

"Ugh." He grunted.

He ground his teeth against the pain, black spots dancing in his vision. Blinking rapidly, he stared up at the underside of the bridge. Slowly he pulled himself up into a sitting position, his muscles shaking with the effort. He blanched when saw the sword imbedded in the ground between his legs, missing hitting him 'there' by less than a foot.

He felt sick. _Too close._

But then he did a double take when the sword's appearance finally registered. His mouth dropping in shock.

_Impossible._

But there was no mistake. It was the Hollow blade from First Tsurugi! Staring him in the face and imbedded right between his thighs. Reaching up with the hand holding his bag, he grabbed the split red hilt. With only a little effort he managed to pull himself up until he was kneeling, then standing, the adrenalin rush at his near miss giving him strength. He pulled it effortlessly from the ground, his protesting arm ignored in his excitement at the familiar weight in his left hand.

"Hey!" a voice called down to him and he looked up at the repositioning his glasses on his face. "You're that guy I rescued, aren't cha! You can have this back too!" She yelled down to him, dropping another sword, which he dodged (without falling embarrassingly on his back), to imbed itself in the ground. A sword almost as tall as him. And he stared in shock again. Raising a tentative hand he touched the red hilt, not believing it was real.

The Main blade, in the open position, gleamed at him in the soft morning light. A weight, or anxiety, that had been eating at him all morning, dissipated as he turned his right hand and firmly gripped the hilt.

He'd been worried about what he was going to do against the monsters he was sure to encounter. And not just any sword would do. But if these swords were here, could the others be too? The thought eased his mind.

"Don't need it anymore anyway. Thanks for the materia sucker!" His head shot up to see her waving a pale colored materia at him.

_That's not possible!_ His mind screamed at him.

She took off down the footbridge. Cloud pulled the Main blade free as he jumped up to the two story high walkway. He ignored the gasps of the people below him, the adrenalin narrowing his focus to the young girl running away.

He landed on the railing, a sword in each hand and his bag dangling from his wrist. Two people screamed when he appeared. But he only spared them a glance as they turned and ran away.

"Stop!" He yelled at the young girl. She turned and took one wide-eyed look at him before jumping off the bridge, falling two stories to land on the roof of a house below.

Cloud stepped off the railing and ran along the bridge. She turned and taunted, "You couldn't catch me in a million years old man!" Before taking off along the rooftops zigzagging and making impossible leaps in her efforts to lose him.

His injuries momentarily forgotten, Cloud was hot on her heels. Landing mere seconds behind her before taking off again. The tapping of their feet on the tiles echoing into the dusty streets below.

But he couldn't close the gap. Her head start gave her the advantage.

_What's wrong with me? I'm faster than this!_

The girl was getting desperate, her jumps becoming more and more risky as they started to run out of space and she realized she couldn't lose him that easily.

Before he knew it he was making his last leap, landing hard on the ground. Panting, he paused and coughed from the dust flying up from the impact.

The girl landed more gracefully. She tucked into a roll, turning to face him as she landed, the slight dust she kicked up quickly settling around her.

The chase couldn't have lasted for more than few minutes, but he was already reaching his limit.

_Dammit! This is no good._

The girl finally had a chance to take a good look at him and the fear in her eyes disappeared. Replaced by a cocky grin. She put one hand on her hip, the other waving the materia at him. "Heh! Not bad. But it'll still take ya a million years to catch me!"

_No…No way._ The dust cleared. And Cloud was finally able to get a good look at her, now that he wasn't chasing her. He froze.

"But what can you expect with skills like mine!"

The bravado, the clothes, the voice, the stance! They all pointed to one person. But he couldn't bring himself to believe it. His eyes had to be playing tricks on him. This couldn't possibly be who he thought. She had to be a relative! The Doctor had called her Fey for Holy's sake…unless he meant…

"Hey! You know how to use that?" She said, gesturing to the two swords he'd connected into one during their chase. His left hand was clutching his bag in a death grip. "Ya wanna go? C'mon!" She made some punching motions with her fists. A move so familiar it made him sick. "I haven't had a good fight in a while! C'mon…what's the matter?" she smirked, leveling a fist at him, "Ya Scared?"

_Fey…Yuu Fey…_

"…Yuffie?"

"Well ya should…be…" She trailed off, staring at him in horror. "How did you-? CRAP!" She turned and took off into the forest, disappearing into the trees in the time it took him to shout a startled, "Wait!"

He took off after, questions clamoring in his head. The most prominent one being, _What the **hell** is going **on**?_

---------

"I'm sure of it," a man said, watching Cloud disappear into the forest from his hotel window.

He snorted at something the person on the other line said, "Who could miss the bastard, with hair like **that**." A pause before he exploded, "Of course he didn't see me! I didn't go near the Clinic. What do you think I am? Suicidal?"

He was silent for a minute more before replying in a calmer tone, "North. Chasing after some chick. Want me to fol-?" he cut off, interrupted.

Another pause, and then he dryly said, "His status? He was hopping from roof to roof like a damned Jumping."

"…"

"And if they don't talk?" He questioned, anticipation colouring his voice.

"Understood." He smirked to himself as he hung up, and couldn't help but think that his shitty day had just gotten better.

-----

A/N: So very sorry this took so long :( Real life caught up to me, as well as my uncertainty about this story. I've been rethinking how I want this story to go and I have an idea for the ending…it's everything else that's the problem :P Does the Doctor-Nurse-Cloud conversation sound too forced? I finally gave up trying to fix it :P Are you intrigued? Confused? Was I clear enough? Please let me know what you think:)

Also, would anyone be interested in being a Beta? Even if it's just to say: "Shut up already and post it!" ;) **Any** help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks to everyone (I can't believe I'm on people's C2s!), especially Yanslana, Midnightdark, MysticMaiden 18 for reviewing and reminding me how long I'd been keeping people waiting. And don't worry, the next chapter won't take nearly as long. I'm very determined to finish this…even if it kills me!


	4. Ahead On Our Way

Path of Repentance

Chapter 4: Ahead On Our Way

By Vermillion Dragoness

Disclaimer: Not mine. Everything relating to Final Fantasy VII belongs to Square-Enix

A/N: Huray! Less than a month after my last update! Sorry this took longer than I promised some people (hittocerebattosai), but I had to do some serious outlining.

–hugs- Thank you to everyone who reviewed! They were very helpful and I fixed the last chapter because of some of your comments (1wngdngl, My lumps, Yanslana, kazuhiko). To Hikaru and yumemi, don't worry ;) To My lumps, thanks! And I'll try!

Special thanks to Yanslana for helping me with all the outlining so far (we'll finish eventually ), and vampirelf for doing an awesome proofreading job (love the little comments! )

**--------**

**Hey.**

_You again?_

**What are you lying around for?**

…_What do you mean?_

**Don't you have something to do…?**

_Yeah…_

**So why are you still lying there?**

_Right._

**Wake up.**

_Wait, what-_

**Wake Up!**

-----

Cloud's whole body jerked and his eyes snapped open. He blinked sluggishly and frowned. He stared, unable to grasp why there was moss and dirt in front of his face. Lifting his head slightly, clumps of earth stuck to his cheek, cool and wet. He slowly looked around, taking in what he could see, his mind slow to understand his current condition.

He was lying sprawled out on his stomach, his sword and pack forgotten. Panic rose in his chest as he tried to remember where he was and how he'd gotten there. But his mind was a blank. He swallowed thickly and pulled himself up onto all fours. His stomach shuddered. Cloud clamped a hand over his mouth, trying to stop the involuntary spasms that wracked his body. Nausea and dizziness threatened to make him pitch forward into a little ball.

_What the hell?_

Curling back until he was kneeling, hunched over, his other hand dug deep furrows into the ground. He stared at the moss-covered earth. His jaw clenched so hard it hurt, trying to force his stomach into submission.

The world was spinning, his nausea threatening to overtake him. Sweat slid down his face, dripping onto the ground below.

_Get a hold of yourself!_

He slowed his breathing down - taking deep, calming breaths through his nose until his eyes could focus on the ground through his blue-tinted shades. The last few minutes slowly came back to him as his jaw gradually relaxed.

_That voice again…_

He remembered hearing it when he first woke up a few days ago. Why was he hearing it again? He'd thought he was finished with weird voices dammit! What did a piece of his past have to do with his current situation? What could've triggered it?

Sitting up from his hunched position, he slowly lowered his hand and glanced around for some clue to how he'd wound up sprawled face down on the forest floor. First Tsurugi was a little behind him to his right - the two connected swords were glinting at him in the pale morning light. He brought a hand up to reposition his glasses, wiping some gunk off the side of one lens. Looking to his left Cloud saw his pack: bits of leaves and dew clinging to its sides. He stared at it blankly for a moment, blinking slowly. Turning to look behind him he saw his footprints leading up to where he'd collapsed.

His left shoulder felt wet. Still in a slight daze Cloud looked down to see blood soaking through his vest. He watched, oddly detached, as a small rivulet of blood ran down his arm – curling around his bicep. It stopped when it reached his bandaged forearm, staining it red. His eyes widened a bit as he realized he must've landed on that shoulder when he fell.

With that realization the throbbing of his shoulder hit him full force, all his aches clearing away the last of the haze.

_Yuffie!_

Eyes scanned the forest, looking in every direction for a hint of the elusive Ninja. Reaching for his pack and then his sword, he used the combined Base and Hollow as a crutch to pull himself to his feet. Stumbling slightly he dug it into the ground for support.

Questions that had been flying in his head came back to him as he tried to balance himself.

_Why did she suddenly run when I said her name? _It's not like she was ever shy about announcing herself to everyone, whether they were listening or not. Always, "The Great Ninja Yuffie this" and, "The Great Ninja Yuffie that."

_Why did she give the villagers a false name? _Had she done something to get put on a wanted list?Well, she did after all like disguising herself and slipping into restricted areas…the skills she'd learned stealing materia had come in handy during their travels. _Maybe she was trying to hide her fame as a hero of the Jenova Wars?_ Cloud snorted at the thought. _Yeah right._

But no…this place, or time, was different. **She'd** been different. _Why was she wearing those old clothes? _Her self-styled ninja outfit with the long white arm guard. She'd stopped wearing it, going into a long rant that boiled down to it being "uncool" when he'd asked. And now she was wearing it again. Or maybe she'd never stopped? He resisted the urge to roughly run a hand through damp spikes. This was too confusing.

All Cloud knew about where Aerith had taken him was that Yuffie was here. Wearing clothes she hadn't worn in two years, and looking much younger than the last time he saw her.

_It can't be the future if Yuffie looks like that…the past? Is time travel even possible?_

But the confusion about Yuffie aside, the most pressing question on his mind was not about the enigma she presented. Or even about where or when Aerith had taken him. It was:

_Why was Yuffie holding the White Materia?_

And it looked like she'd found it in **his** sword.

_What was it doing in First Tsurugi? Could Aerith have somehow put it there? But why?_

He'd chased after her with everything he had for answers, but she never stopped when he shouted at her. Only increased her speed. Expertly dodging between the trees in the dense forest. And he'd been unable to keep up. Slowing down as she got farther and farther ahead. And then finally, stumbling in exhaustion, he'd collapsed.

Well, this morning, Nurse Betty **had** warned him about overexerting himself…

_//"Your body can't take the strain. The mako poisoning is disrupting your body's normal biorhythms. If you'd just wait for it to get out of your system-"_

"_Look, Nurse…"_

"_Betty"_

_He'd sighed, "Look, Nurse Betty, I heal fast. You don't need to worry about me."_

"_I don't need-" she'd been in disbelief. "You've been on your back for over a week, you can't expect to just walk around like nothing's wrong. You'll collapse before you get anywhere. And how are you going to change your bandages…"//_

He shook his head to dispel the memory. He'd just have to be more careful. He couldn't afford to push himself like this until he'd healed some more.

…_Right. Easier said than done._ He thought, shaking his head.

There was no trace of Yuffie anywhere now, but he couldn't have been out for very long. Monsters would be drawn to the scent of his blood and he couldn't hear any signs of approach yet. He had to move now though - he couldn't take the chance that he'd be able to defeat them when they found him.

That thought didn't sit well with him. He'd have to get his hands on a Restore materia as soon as possible. You'd think he'd be used to sudden bouts of dizziness and weakness from the Geostigma, but this mako poisoning was different and he'd never enjoyed being weak in any respect.

Not knowing which way to go, Cloud decided straight ahead was as good as any direction. He used his sword for support while he walked, his breathing deep and controlled, and his senses on high alert for any noise or movement.

He kept his left arm close to his body, the light grip on his bag all he could manage. His sword sounded like a shovel, digging deep into the earth. He sent a mental apology to it, grimacing slightly at the dirt. What had Zack always said? Treat your sword with the same care you would a woman? Something like that… he couldn't remember.

He'd only been walking for five minutes when he heard noises up ahead. Shouts and whistles echoed through the still forest. The clanging of metal on metal and the ring of a bell suggested people at work. A lot of people. He picked up his pace, heartened by the sounds. Maybe he wasn't so lost after all.

And if the people were this close to where he'd collapsed in exhaustion, then it must be where Yuffie went.

Slashing his sword he cut away at the last of the branches blocking his path. Unfiltered sunlight hitting him in the face, he was finally able to see the source of the noise.

He let out a groan. Yuffie had led him in a circle! He was now near the beach, facing Mideel's port. All that running, just to wind up back where he started! Although closer to the docks.

Determination to find and catch the elusive little thief filled him and he walked out from under the cover of the dense forest. Mideel itself was to his left and farther up the hill, while the docks were down by the rocky beach. Careful of his footing on the uneven downward slope, he angled himself away from the town. He wasn't breathing as hard as before, but he still felt exhaustion fighting to bring him down.

A steady stream of people walked down the path connecting Mideel with the ocean. All walking with the purposeful strides of people who knew exactly where they needed to be and what they needed to do. He almost envied them. Their worries consisted of what to make for dinner, what mischief their children were getting into, what to say to the crush they liked. Simple worries for simple people.

But he didn't envy them, not really (that's what he told himself). He'd had the chance for a life like that. A simple life with Tifa and the others. He'd been content, happy with that life…but it couldn't last. What had started as a simple delivery of flowers from Elmyra to the crystal lake of the Forgotten City, turned into a restlessness he couldn't suppress. Traveling the world, making deliveries, remembering...regretting.

Maybe he just wasn't cut out for a simple life, always dreaming of bigger and better things. Or maybe…it was the two missing people, who'd taken more joy at the simple things in life than he'd thought possible. Two people who should've been there, to enjoy the simple life with him. If it wasn't for him they-

He shook his head to clear his wandering thoughts. This was no time for daydreaming about what should or should not have happened. He joined the crowd of people following the path down to the docks. He was here for a very important purpose, for a very important person. That alone should be enough.

There were a lot more people walking around now that it was a bit later in the day. The sun was still very low on the horizon. He was relieved that not as much time had gone by as he'd originally feared.

"WARK!" Startled, he jerked back. He'd almost stumbled right into a passing chocobo. The people around him jumped as well, and he was now at the center of many annoyed stares. The man guiding the chocobo gave him a dirty look and continued on.

What was wrong with him?

_I need to rest, that's what's wrong with me._

He glanced at the people walking by, noting the looks of disgust and fear he was getting… not one stopping to ask if he needed help. Finally taking a look at himself, a real look, he couldn't say he blamed them.

He was covered in muck and grime, the odd leaf here and there, and a bloody shoulder. Not to mention the gigantic sword he was using as a crutch. He needed some new clothes, or a cloak to cover himself. _Something_ to help him blend in.

Steeling himself, the blond man evened out his strides, keeping his eyes open for a suitable coat, and for Yuffie as he walked. It wouldn't be easy finding her in the mess of crates when he made it to the docks.

-----

The worn path soon gave way to little shops, the owners moving about setting up their wares on tables or blankets. Anything imaginable seemed to be on sale here. A group of children gathered around a table with little wooden carvings of chocobos, until the owner shooed them away. A few tables down a man shined various sizes of knives, his eyes daring anyone to try and steal from him. A man sitting on a blanket had multicolored jars for sale, the designs ranging from the simple to the bizarre.

Cloud kept his eyes open for a materia store, but after walking past 5 weapon and 4 armor shops he started to think he was wasting his time. It was the first place Yuffie would go, he hoped, because otherwise… he didn't want to think about what would happen if he didn't find her.

His strides were even, and he was no longer using First Tsurugi to hold himself up. His glasses hid his eyes, glazed with pain. The only outward indication of his exhaustion was how pale his face was. Both his shoulders were throbbing now but at least his left shoulder had finally stopped bleeding. He needed to sit down. His eyes blinked sluggishly. He needed to rest…

_No!_ He violently shook his head. _Focus!_

But it was useless, he was pushing his body past its limit and he knew it. He needed something to distract his mind, some hint of Yuffie, a sign she'd been here… Something, anything!

"-The finest silk in all of Wutai!" Broke through the fog over his mind. A little ways ahead, a young woman was selling different lengths of fabric. They were all the gaudy colours he remembered seeing people dressed in before he ran into Yuffie…or rather, after she almost impaled him.

"Fresh off the boat! Come and get the latest styles! Don't be the one left behind!"

Walking up to the stall it turned out they weren't just rolls of fabric. Scarves, sashes, belts, and gloves were also on sale, almost overflowing off the sides of the table. Although curious why things from Wutai were on sale, especially if this was the past, his eyes lit up when he saw the stall next to the girl's. A man was standing behind his stall, giving the girl annoyed glances. More practical clothes for traveling were on sale like boots, gloves, slacks, and…

_Perfect._

Various coats and cloaks as well. The only problem was, how to get one when he didn't have any money…

"Are these from Wutai?" He asked the lanky man.

"Huh?" narrowed eyes shifted their attention from the girl to him, assessing the grimy customer before him.

"No way!" The girl called over, "If you want the real deal come to me! What're you looking for? A gift for a girlfriend? Or if you want something more practical I've some other stuff too-"

"Hey!" He interrupted, his face going a little red, "Don't interrupt another of my sales, he asked me."

"You don't like the way I do business? Then go set up somewhere else." She said haughtily.

"It looks expensive." Cloud said to the girl, fingering a nice black cloak lying on the man's table.

"Nope! Isn't it great?" She gushed, "With all these new trade routes open, stuff from Wutai is easy to get, and better than the local crap he sells." She flicked her hand dismissively at the reddening face of the other man. "In the old days, you'd have to pay an arm and a leg to get something of this quality, but now that Wutai runs everything-"

Cloud's hand stilled on the cloak. _What?_

"You think things are better now!?" The man was now a violent red. He stalked over to the girl's table, "Mideel used to be free from Shin-Ra **and** Wutai, but now they're both interfering-"

Cloud's hand tightened on the cloak. That was too easy, all he had to do was discretely slide it off the table and walk away. But…

"So you'd rather go back to when Shin-Ra ran Mideel?" She frowned at the man, not intimidated at all.

_Shin-Ra ran Mideel? This is now Wutai's territory? What's going on?_ His first priority was finding Yuffie and the White Materia…but he couldn't leave yet…

"Shin-Ra never-"

"Oh, right. **Sorry.**" She said sarcastically, "I meant, when we were so insignificant Shin-Ra ignored us!"

"It's not like they send us **that** much more supplies now." He grumbled, loosing some of his steam.

Cloud cursed, he couldn't risk staying any longer. All the girl had to do was glance in his direction and she'd see him half turned away from the man's table, the cloak gripped in his left hand. He was being too obvious. He'd get caught.

He ducked behind a passing chocobo, using it as a shield to hide himself from the two storeowners. The chocobo spared him a glance, but didn't complain about Cloud walking so close to it. Maybe it was the hair. For once, he was glad his spikes resembled a chocobo's crown feathers.

The man holding the reins didn't even notice him.

"No, but since **we're** being used as a halfway point between the two……"

The girl's voice faded as he walked farther away. Adrenaline rushed through his veins until he could safely walk out of the chocobo's shadow. He could feel his heart pounding against his chest. He couldn't believe he'd gotten away with it! Was this what Yuffie felt when she 'acquired' materia from other people? His fatigue was completely wiped away. He had to hurry and find her, before his second wind wore off and he was left in worse condition than he was before.

But what had that girl meant, 'Wutai runs everything.' If this was the past, Mideel should be an insignificant town that neither Shin-Ra nor Wutai bothered with …But this **was** Wutai territory, there was no question in his mind about that. The clothes the locals wore, the design of the houses, and the bigger population suddenly made sense.

So Mideel was now a part of Wutai and also used as a midway point for ships traveling to and from Shin-Ra territory…for trade? …what had changed? Wutai should be a weak nation, barely in control of its own land. Had Wutai won the war? But then he wouldn't be in the past, he'd be…He scowled. Nothing made any sense. He hated this. He didn't know where he was, or when he was. And all he could do was fruitlessly think, '_What's going on?'_ He needed answers, more concrete answers. If only he could've stayed and listened to more of the argument…when he caught Yuffie, she would have a lot of explaining to do.

----

She stealthily ducked behind the crate, crouching low on the smooth wooden planks. A sailor ran by, his standard issue boots thunking as he ran along the dock. He was looking left and right, searching for her. But he wouldn't find her.

_Anyone with half a brain could hide from this guy. _She thought mockingly. No way was she gonna be caught by some lazy, worthless, low-level Shin-Ra sailor. _Just who do they think I am anyway?_

She shifted her grip on her large shuriken though, when he ran up to some other sailors. It never hurt to be too careful, especially with the way her luck had been going.

_Speaking of luck, where'd that freakish spiky-haired guy go?_ The little ninja nervously glanced back the way she came. Breathing a sigh of relief when she didn't see him. It was the first time she'd looked back to see if he was there… (_honest_!) It's not like she'd been looking over her shoulder like - every 30 seconds. Or been ducking behind people and crates. Or **anything** like that. It's not like she was afraid of him…

How'd he been able to keep up with her anyway? No normal person could have, unless they'd been enhanced by Shin-Ra or…

'…_Yuffie?'_ She shuddered. Or they were from Wutai…

But she'd found him on the beach! And half dead too. There's no way her dad could've sent him. So how had he known her real name? She'd been so careful to hide who she really was! She looked and acted nothing like a Kisaragi should. Had someone told him? Had Dr. Lee found out?

_Aaarrrggg! I hate this not knowing crap! _At least one thing she knew for sure, Mideel wasn't safe anymore.

It was time to head back to Junon, she'd wasted enough time waiting for spiky-hair to wake up and give her a reward. (_I mean, jeez, who'd save someone for free?)_ For a week (_a whole week!_) she'd been trying to sell those stupid swords of his, and no one would take them! She'd wasted valuable materia hunting time trying to get something for the swords. And it had taken **forever** to get the blood out of her clothes. If she ever saw him again, he'd regret making her pay (_with my own money!_) to get them cleaned.

A loud horn echoed across the docks, signaling that her target was getting ready to put out to sea. She darted out from behind the crate, zigzagging her way past the local workers. Some of them noticed her and turned to grin at their friends, whispering and discretely pointing at her. The Shin-Ra sailors never detected her though, not when she jumped over the guards and swung up into the rafters of the hold, not when she landed in a crouch in one of the far corners, and not when she pulled one of the white tarps over her head – completely concealing herself from view.

"…"

The ship lurched forward and a man's voice came over the speakers, giving orders to the crew in a gruff voice. The ship rocked as it made its way into deeper and calmer waters.

_At least the week wasn't a total bust_, she thought to herself as she settled down for a long ride. She pulled the strange materia she'd found out of her pocket. Spiky-hair's swords may have been useless, but the bigger one had hidden this odd-coloured materia in it. It was lucky she found it, a materia was much more valuable than the gil she could have gotten for the swords. Holding it up in front of her face, she admired the swirling white and green inside the materia. It was unlike anything she'd ever seen…

_I wonder what it does…_

"Urk…" A hand flew to her stomach, "I think I'm gonna hurl…"

-----

"Yuu Fey? Damn right I've seen her!" One of the burly workers said, "Little brat's always lurkin' around, stickin'er nose where it don' belong. What'd she get you for?"

Cloud shrugged, readjusting his new black cloak as best he could with his sword still in his bandaged hand. It had been a little difficult, trying to figure out how to get it on properly. He still didn't think he had it right. It would've looked like a sleeveless sheet wrapped around his shoulders if it wasn't for the clasp at the neck that held it all together. When his arms were at his sides, the cloak would close completely and hide the rest of his body from view – too bad holding his sword prevented that though.

Seeing no reason to lie to the worker he replied, "My materia."

"Ha! What, she get you in the forest?" He laughed, obviously seeing through Cloud's attempts to hide the state of his clothes.

"Something like that," was all the information he was willing to give. The big man threw back his head and laughed, and Cloud scowled up at him. He didn't want to attract attention again, but it seemed just mentioning Yuffie's alias had that effect.

"Not another one!" one of the nearby loaders said, dropping the crate he'd been carrying and coming over to join them. "You're the first one in weeks!" He was dressed similarly to the man Cloud had been talking to first, all-purpose grey slacks, heavy-duty gloves, and absolutely no shirt.

"After she found these two huge swords, she stopped doin' that stuff. Instead, she's been runnin' around, tryin' to pawn them off ont'a _us_." He flexed, showing off his overly muscled chest.

Well, he was disproportionate in Cloud's opinion at least. _Who's he trying to impress?_

"She must'a finally given up! But usually it's the Shin-Ra types she goes after - tough break kid."

_**Kid**!?_

The man opened his mouth to continue, and give Cloud a hearty pat on the back, but the blond ducked to the side and cut him off. He knew the type, and he didn't have time to listen to gossip while she got away…no matter how interested he was in what she's been up to.

_And I don't look like a kid._

"Have you seen her?"

"What? Oh, yeah." He said, a little put off. The sullen pout might've looked strange, on a man of his build… if Cloud hadn't known Barret, at least.

"You're too late." A third man said, striding up to join them. He wasn't dressed for hard labour, but the loose blue clothes suggested a practical mind. He scowled up at the two big men, undaunted by the good foot the two had on him in height. "What am I paying you for? This isn't teatime with the women. Get your lazy asses back to work!" The two walked off laughing, giving their employer a good-natured mockery of a salute.

"Too late?" Cloud asked. Maybe he'd finally found someone who could give him a decent idea of where she went. So far, all he'd been able to get were variations of the same conversations. Grown men gossiping about her and the many stunts she'd pulled on the Shin-Ra sailors. More people joining in until Cloud was either completely forgotten, or he left in frustration. He'd finally found someone who'd seen her…and now he was told he was too late? Too late for what!?

The man rounded on Cloud, looking him up and down - his eyes lingering on the sword Cloud couldn't quite conceal under the cloak. "She snuck onto the Shin-Ra supply ship, heading back to Junon not half an hour ago."

Cloud's heart stopped. _Shit._ How was he going to find her now? _Shit!_ She'd sell the materia before he found her. _Shit!!!_ She had no idea what she had and he was stuck on this Shiva-forsaken island!

"God **dammit**!" He swore, turning around and slashing his sword to relieve some of his frustration. The sailor took a step back.

"When's the next ship leaving for Junon?" He asked. He was breathing heavily, and his right arm ached like nothing else, but he couldn't bring himself to care right now.

"Not…not for another week." The man said, and Cloud couldn't ignore the irony of the sailor being fearless in front of the huge workmen, but hesitant with a man smaller than him in every way.

His shoulders slumped. That was it then. He'd have to wait a week here, and then spend another week on the ship. With a two-week head start, there was no way he would find Yuffie. No way he would find the White Materia…

No way he could keep his promise to Aerith.

She'd obviously given him the White Materia for a reason. To keep it safe? He'd failed her. Miserably. Spectacularly. Unquestionably. And he'd only just started!

"But…" The voice startled him out of his self-pitying rant. "My crew and I are heading to Fort Condor in an hour. It wouldn't be any trouble to continue inland up one of the channels. From there, it would only be a few days walk to Junon." Hope swelled in his chest, the tension in his arms relaxing. He turned to face the man, or was it the Captain? "You'd only be a few days behind her, since the Shin-Ra transport makes a quick stop in Gongaga." It still might be too late, but he at least stood a better chance than arriving in Junon two weeks after her.

But it was…incredibly kind of the Captain to offer…so what was in it for him? What did the man stand to gain by helping Cloud?

"I can't pay you, what do you want in exchange?"

The Captain regained that measuring look he'd worn earlier. "You any good with that thing?" He asked, nodding at First Tsurugi.

Cloud couldn't help the slight smirk tugging at his lips. Monster protection was it? That was easy enough. He may not have the rest of First Tsurugi (and he was disappointed the others hadn't been found with the Base and Hollow blades) but he could handle a few monsters. Even in his current condition. He nodded his head and, resting the sword against a nearby crate, he sealed the deal with a handshake.

-----

Rrring!

A phone ring echoed in the office. Loud and obnoxious.

Rrring!

It demanded attention. More forceful the longer it went unanswered.

Rrring!

Unfortunately for the man trying to sleep through it, the ring was handpicked specifically for him.

RRRING!

"Dammit, I'm off duty, call back later." He mumbled into the couch.

If only he hadn't lost that bet…

RRRRIINNGG!!

An aggravated sigh, and a hand reached up and fumbled around on the side table.

"What!" He said, not bothering to hide his annoyance with whoever was calling. A satisfyingly awkward silence hung in the air.

"Oh, it's you." He sat up, alert and all business now. "That was fast." He let the unspoken question of 'why' hang between them.

"You can't?" He said, voice gaining a dangerous edge. They needed that information, and if the moron couldn't get it out of the doctor, then that meant the boss would send one of them to that backwards town. "I didn't ask for an excuse."

His irritation vanished, "He's what? But you said…" He paused and listened intently.

"Shit, his destination?" Another pause, "You don't know!?" It was last year all over again.

"What else?" he ordered, and spent the next few minutes listening to the detailed report.

He sucked in a sharp breath. "A pale materia…"

He ordered the man to standby for further orders and hung up. Closing the flip phone with a sharp snap. He let out a long sigh and held up his hand, staring at the cursed cell phone for a moment, debating how he should break the news to his boss.

He wasn't going to be happy.

_Shit,_ he let out a frustrated sigh, _why do I always have to be the one…_

Flipping the phone open with his thumb and dialing, he leaned back into the ratty couch, trying to get comfortable. A few painstakingly long rings later, the call was answered.

"Yo, Mr. President…"

--------End!

A/N: Duhn, duhn, duuuhh. ;D So, what do you think? Love it? Hate it? Needs more work? Confused? (in a good or bad way?) Please let me know!


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Final Fantasy VII, Adventure, Angst