Gaea

Chapter 3 

One year later…

            I picked up today’s newspaper.  I sipped some coffee and read the headline, “One year Anniversary of the Great Battle!”
            I wonder what Spike is up to these days.  It’ll be nice to see him again at the reunion.
            “Barret, Reeve’s outside waiting for us!” Elmyra was angry that I wasn’t ready yet.
            “Don’t worry, he can wait a few minutes for the President of North Corel.”
            “I got your bags Daddy!” Marlene was in the living room.
            “Alright, lets go.” Elmyra, Marlene, and me got in a long car with Reeve.
            “REEVE!” Marlene ran into the arms of the one of the Presidents of ‘Reeve and Rufus Power Productions.’
            “It’s nice to see you too, Marlene.  You grew a lot since I last saw you.”
            “I’ve been taking my vitamins!”
            “What you say the name of these cars were?” I asked.
            “They’re Limousines.  Our car division came up with it.”
            “Uh-huh.” We then pulled into the airport that was completed just two months ago.  The door was opened for us.
            “Welcome back President Reeve and President Barret.” It was someone in black.  I got out and recognized the red hair.
            “It’s been a while…Reno.”
            “This way President Barret.” Rude was on the Gelnika.  We boarded and saw some familiar people.
            Tseng and Elena were up front in each other’s arms.  Vincent was polishing his Death Penalty.  Rufus was on the phone.  Cid was in the cockpit.
            “Where’s Spike?”
            “He’s in Neo-Midgar with Tifa,” Rufus said.
            “I see.”
 

            Two hours later we were at Neo-Midgar.  Neo-Midgar is where Mideel use to be.  Midgar had been shutdown and made into a preservation for wildlife.  Marlene grabbed my hand and we left the Gelnika.  On the runway to greet us were Spike and Tifa.
            “Uncle Cloud! Auntie Tifa!” Marlene went running to get hugs.
            “Finally got a prosthetic arm?” Cloud asked.
            “What you talkin’ bout.  I still got one, it’s just that it’s hidden.” I released the seal and from the metal arm came a laser gun.
            “Should of known.  You never changed.” Tifa released Marlene and gave me a hug.
            “…You know I don’t like gushy stuff,” I complained as I stood there being hugged.  After what seemed like hours, she let me go.  Cloud looked at everyone and got a confused face.
            “I know Nanaki’s taking care of Cosmo Canyon, but where’s Yuffie?  I thought she would be here for the party,” Cloud asked.
            “When I was in Wutai, a couple of months ago, I heard from some merchants about Yuffie.  She apparently was still hanging with Sephiroth, and she had brought him to Wutai to learn swordsmanship from Godo.  After completing the training they left,” Vincent explained.
            “I wish she kept the PHS,” said Cloud.
            “Well, we should get ready for tomorrows parade.  Turks will show you to your rooms.  We’ll meet tonight for dinner.  Rufus…We got some meeting to get to.” Reeve and Rufus got into another one of those Limousines and left.
            “Let’s go Marlene,” Elmyra said and grabbed her hand.  I got the bags and followed Rude.

            Yuffie was clinging to my body, resting her head on my chest, sleeping.  We were riding on our Gold Chocobo, we bred and raised, towards Neo-Midgar.
            Why did Yuffie want this?
            It was starting to get dark.  Up ahead, I could barely make out a sign, “North Entrance.” As I got closer, I could see the huge city walls of steel.  We rode into the city and looked for an inn.  A flash of sudden light lit the entire city.  Signs were everywhere and all of them brightly lit and colorful.  I rode up to a man trying to give out flyers for some whorehouse called the “Honey Bee Inn.”
            “Hey, you know an Inn that has Chocobo Stables?”
            “Sure, just go five blocks down and make a right.  Place is called “Grand ChocoInn,” the man said.  He then held a flyer for me to take.  I took it and threw it away as soon as he couldn’t see me anymore.  I followed his directions and found it without any problems.  The stable was open and I rode on in.
            “Yuffie, wake up.  I need you to take care of Aya while I go get a room.” Yuffie yawned and got off.  I handed her the reigns and I went out of the stables to the Inn’s front desk.  An old lady was there.
            “Good evening sir.  How may I help you?” she asked.
            “Do you have a room with two beds?”
            “Yes, yes we do.  It will be 10 gil.” I gave her the money and she gave me the key.  Yuffie was waiting outside with what little we had.  We found our room and I went to sleep.
            “G’night Sephy,” Yuffie said and then went to sleep too.
            The sun rose and shined through the window to hit into my eyes.  I got up and tied my sword to my sash.  I turned to see Yuffie clinging onto the sheets.  She looked peaceful sleeping there, but I had to wake her up.  I turned my shealth towards her stomach and nudged it ‘till she woke up.
            “Time to go Yuffie.”