The Color of Blood Chapter 3

Following Months

By Brady Bryner, Bill Shofstall, & Anthony McKinley

Cosmo Canyon, Doctor's Office 3:34 PM Mar. 3

"No... You mean that she... She's... And I'm..." The doctor nodded. "I'm too young to be a father! BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! Thats it! Kianki, be unpregnant right this minute."

"Sorry... I don't think it works that way."

"It damn well better!" The doctor laughed.

"The pregnancy is six months along... How didn't you know?"

"I just thought she was gaining water weight!"

"Well... It is a twelve month pregnancy. The cubs are already about fifty percent along." Kianki and Anthony walked back to the observatory.

"I don't think it will be so bad... Some of our very own children..."

"I know... But we're too young!" Kianki brushed up against him.

"Thats okay... We'll manage... I'm sure..."

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Shinra Building, Reeve's Office 7:34 PM Mar. 3

"Hi Reeve... Is Cait around?" Tifa smiled.

"No... Why?" He looked up.

"All the better... I wanted to talk to you."

"Sure..." He stopped writting and folded his arms on his desk. "What do you need?"

"Reeve... It's about Cloud... I keep... I keep dreaming about him."

"Sounds normal... Why so worried?"

"He... I always thought there was one true love in life... What if I lost mine?"

"And what if there are two?"

"What do you mean?" He scratched the back of his neck and stood.

"Well... I'm trying to say..." He cut himself off. "I followed you to Gongaga for a reason..." She still stood confused. "I... I..." He sat down on his desk.

"What?"

"I followed you because at first at felt sorry for you... You were so worried about Cloud. When you were shot...I realized something... Tifa... I want to say something... I just can't find the words..." Instead, he kissed her lightly. She finally realized what he meant.

"Did that help you cough up any words?" She giggled. Reeve sighed, relieved.

"A few..."

"Love you too..." She kissed him back. "But Reeve... You're eight years older then me!"

"Point?" He smiled. He whispered in her ear, "I'm really just twenty four... I lied out on the field. I've been here for eight years."

"That's still six years..."

"Only six years. Lots of people do this... Much further apart in age."

"You sure?"

"Of course I am! Besides... You want to love me, don't you?"

"Yes... But I feel like it would be wrong..." She turned away, looking down with her eyes closed. Reeve placed his hands on her shoulders.

"It wouldn't be wrong, whatever you choose..."

"Then whatever I do...would be right?" She began to walk away, but turned and kissed Reeve.

"And if you leave now... I'm shaving my goatee!" She giggled and ran toward the elevator. "That isn't funny!" He dove after her. "Tifa Lockheart! You come back here before I call security!" He slid into the elevator, only he and Tifa inside. Tifa smiled, resting her head on his chest.

"I do want to love you..."

"You DO want to love me?"

"Okay... So I DO love you. Point being?" Reeve smiled. He stumbled backwards purposely and hit the emergency stop button.

"Damn... Looks like we're stuck here for a while..." Reeve looked at Tifa with an almost devilish grin.

"You! You're as bad as Anthony!"

"But I'm not a horn dog..." He laughed, not realizing Tifa wrapping her arms around him.

"You can try for a night." She kissed him again.

"I always wondered how they did this for so long..." He kissed her yet again. "I love you..."

"I know... I also know your a little drunk."

.

Rocket Town, Cid's House 9:23 PM Mar. 3

"Thanks for putting us up here for so long Shera... You're a saint." Nanaki shook his fur off, as rain pelted down outside. Shera stood, smiling forcefully, water dripping off of her. "I'm so sorry... It was a mistake.." He backed up a bit and was about to shake off again. Shera put her hand out.

"No no no... I'll get a towel." She ran and got a towel, drying him off so he needn't shake off in the house.

"Thank ya' ma'am." She smiled again, genuinly.

"No problem..." She patted his nose. He began to paw at it, trying to scratch it. Lord Cait was sitting by Shera's new pipe stove with Markus and Mog. Choco was tied up in a small stable, but had a roof over his head, and plenty of greens.

"Shera..." He was still pawing at his nose. "I was wondering... Where are you from?"

"A very, very cold place... I don't remember the name of the village, although I do remember the people well. My parents never talked that much too me, but a lot to my sister Ifalna."

"Wait... You're sister... Her name was Ifalna?"

"Yes... My twin sister. Why?"

"Did she ever marry?"

"No... I think... She disappeared for a while... I moved from my home to here. I heard Ifalna had a child back in our hometown, but I never got to meet the child."

"Yes you did..."

"When?"

"Miss Gainsborough..."

"The girl?"

"Yes... She told me one night, while the others were sleeping, what she knew about her family. Miss Elmyra had told her."

"No... It isn't possible that I'm her aunt..."

"You're an ancient..."

"No..." She knew much about the ancients. "Impossible. I'm too stupid..."

"Thats what Cid used to say... You're an intelligent woman... You've done incredible things..."

"Like what?"

"You lifted a seven hundred pound tank off of Cid before it totally crushed him."

"Just adrenaline...."

"Adrenaline doesn't make you that strong..."

"It was filled with air... Light as a feather."

"The air was compressed... It should have made it heavier."

"Yes... But it wasn't. And ancients aren't supposed to be strong, are they?"

"No... But what were you thinking when you did it?"

"I just concentrated on this image of the tank lifting itself up."

"Telekineses. Shera... You're an ancient..." Shera slapped her forehead.

"Uh huh. I think I need a nap... Think it over..."

"You do that. When will Cid be back?"

"He has a meeting in Midgar tommorow... He should be back in the afternoon."

"Okay... Good. We want him back as soon as possible..."

"Uh... Nanaki! We need to visit the site of the ancient's body." Markus rose his hand into the air.

"Very well..." He bared his teeth, remembering Aeris's death.

.

Rubble of the Forgotten Capital, Pool of Water 12:34 AM May. 1

They all stood, in the rubble of a once great city. They snuck in past the build up of cities and gaurds, finding this area deserted totally.

"Nanaki... It's so dark... How will we find her?"

"I don't know..." Nanaki looked back at Cid. "All I know is that she is at the bottom of this pool." Mog stood near by.

"I know! Lets get Leviathan! He can see in the dark waters!"

"But how will we get him here?" Mog held up the summon materia, and called the serpent's name. A huge dragon beast appeared in the air and sunk into the water. His head surfaced.

"Yes Mog? How may I be of assistance?" Despite the creature's form, his voice was refined, sounding like a modern gentleman.

"We need to find the body of a young lady... She is supposedly at the bottom of this pool."

"Alright... I will return in a moment." He dove into the water, shooting down at tremendous speeds. Finally he stopped at the bottom of the water, seeing a body. A young lady. The body showed no signs of decay or any signs of even being in the water. Leviathan nodded, worming his way under her corpse, and lifted her to the surface like a jet. He lay his head on the bay, resting her body sadly, then vanishing. Nanaki and Cid walked over to her body, amazed.

"Cid? Hit me very, very hard in the skull... If that doesn't work... Kill me."

"Wh... Why?"

"Because... I'm going crazy... She has been here for almost a year... She is completely intact..." Nanaki panted heavily.

"How?" Cid dropped his cigarette.

"I guess because she is an ancient... But... She should..."

~~~

"Is that an interesting book, Nanaki?" Long before meeting Cloud, Nanaki was a mere child.

"Yes sir... It is about di...di..."

"Divine?"

"Yes. Divine beings. Their bodies don't decay! It is so odd."

"Nothing is odd to open minds..." Bugenhagen left the young Nanaki to study.

~~~

"She is divine..." Nanaki just stopped. All at once, he checked for her stab wound. He found it. A stab wound through the spine, through the heart, and out between the breast. He noticed that there were no blood traces, despite the stab through the heart, and the blood caused by the hole. Nanaki remembered it vividly. The others were over looking Nanaki's examination of the body. His eyes began to well with tears, but he closed his eyes, brutally fighting them.

"HEY!" Nanaki fell backward, staring at at an apparition. Aeris.

"OH SHIT!" Cid burned himself with his lighter.

"What the... Ae... Aeris?" Cid and Nanaki looked around. They were in darkness. The espers were gone.

"Hey Cid... Nanaki... How are you two doing?"

"Okay! This is where I draw the line! You! You go back! I'm sorry, but some one slipped something a little extra into these cigarettes! No wonder these things are so damn expensive!"

"Cid... I'm real..."

"Okay then. Where are we?"

"Purgatory."

"Why?"

"To talk to me."

"Oh... Can't we go somewhere...nicer?" Aeris smiled.

"We could... But... Uh uh..." She hugged Cid first, pecking his cheek with a kiss. "It's nice to see you again too..." She smiled with sarcasm.

"Well... It's just that you're here and all. It's nice to see you again, miss."

"Whatever." She bent down and hugged Nanaki and gave him a kiss on the side of his face. He just smiled and looked down.

"It's good to see you, ma'am." She brushed some black fur from Nanaki's eye.

"I'm happy to see you too." She laughed. "Well... I didn't come here to talk about old times or how much I miss you... Though I'd like to. What I'm here for is to talk to you Nanaki."

"Then why is Cid here?"

"Matter of circumstance. Cid will be able to help you. The espers must prepare for war. They will be gone when you awaken. Nanaki... I want you to go to Midgar. Talk to Reeve and Tifa."

"What is she doing there?"

"She is..." Aeris couldn't lie. "She is with him. Talking and such."

"How long will she be there?"

"A while..."

"You're being vague."

"I'm not all knowing or anything! Geez. Anyway... Talk to him about Valhalla. It is a giant city on the island. Cid, build your rocket, but don't go to the moon. I know for a fact you get to, but not for a while." Cid beamed.

"Sweet! I KICK ASS!" Aeris patted Cid on the shoulder.

"Take your medication Cid..."

"Oh... I almost forga'... I don't take medication!"

"Get a doctor to prescribe some..." Cid grumbled. "Then Nanaki... Keep Shera alive at all costs... She is the last of the ancients..."

"Wait!" The two felt extremely hot, but then fell upon the ground. Cid rubbed his hand over cool metal, opening his eyes. The Highwind. Nanaki however was in the observatory with Anthony and Kianki, both asleep.

"What the fuck?" Nanaki shook his head. "Anthony?" He nudged Anthony awake.

"Hmm..." He explained everything that transpired. "Woah dude... Hey! Kianki is...pregnant." Nanaki smiled and slapped Anthony on the back with a paw.

"Wheeling out the little ones already, eh?"

"That isn't funny..." Anthony slapped Nanaki with a paw.

"It is..." Nanaki slapped Anthony harder. "...too!"

"Not!" Anthony leapt at Nanaki and pinned him.

"Too!" Nanaki kicked Anthony off onto his back.

"Not!" Anthony pummeled Nanaki on the head with his paws.

"Tu'..."

"Stop it you two immature little freaks!!!"

"Yes ma'am!" They both cried in unison.

.

Reeve's Condo, Reeve's Room 7:26 AM May 3

Reeve's eyes looked at the clock. "Oh shit... I should be getting ready for work." He got out of bed rubbing his temples.

"Why do you have to work today? It's my birthday! Lets do something fun!"

"What about the comp..." Tifa pressed her lips to his.

"Angus can deal with it."

"I'll get him on the phone in a second..." Reeve called Angus, telling him to fill in. "What did you have in mind for today then?" Tifa started to open her mouth. "Wait! I'm taking you to the fanciest damn restruant in the city! An' it's actually in the lower portion of the city!"

"Really? Whats so great about it?"

"It's in the lower portion of the city, so it is always dark and romantic, it has great service ever since some one threatened the host, and Elena told me the secono crab there is delicious."

"I don't know about sea food... It always just makes me hungrier."

"Good! Plenty of room for dessert! Tseng told me not to try the bogu sushi though. He couldn't see straight for an hour or so." Tifa laughed mildly.

In an hour, Reeve and Tifa were sitting in a restruant ordering. "Yes... I want two secono crabs, two bottles of wine, and a bowl of shrimp and crab stuffed mushrooms."

"Will that be all, mister president?"

"Yes... And call me Reeve or Mister Bannon or I hurt you." Reeve handed the man several hundred gil. The man's eyes grew wide as he scurried off to the kitchen. "I taught Tseng to pay off the waiters. They go a lot faster. Tseng usually only gives them a few gil because he is a cheap son of a bitch."

"And you're not?"

"Not what?"

"A son of a bitch? I know you're not cheap."

"Well...yeah... But..."

"Shut up Reeve."

"What did I do?" The waiter came by with two plates and a small bowl with salad and shredded shrimp and crab stuffed into small white and brown mushrooms. They ate their meal with total disregard for the others in the restruant. Anyone who complained to them, Reeve's reply was always simple. "I'm the president! If you value your existence, go!"

.

Niblehiem Reactor, Jenova 4:34 PM May 3

Sephiroth walked up a plank of steps to a large container. Rufus's last futile hopes of hiding Jenova from anyone, in an old reactor. Sephiroth's blood boiled at knowing he had served that creature. The creature was alive, and took the form of a woman. "Sephiroth..." Her voice was demonic, but light and wispy all at once.

"What!?!"

"Dare you allow human emotion to sucede me as God?"

"I don't serve you."

"But I'm your mother..."

"Cram it, bitch!" Sephiroth ripped part of the railing up. "I'll make you headless again you ol'..." Jenova rose her hand and sent him flying backwards.

"Insolent! You belong to ME!"

"I did at a time... Not now..." Sephiroth lunged forward and fell back onto the platform. "Come on..." Jenova walked up to him and touched him. The black sludge began to slide under his skin. "Not this time..." He gritted his teeth, concentrating hard on the black slime. Suddenly, Jenova shot back, Sephiroth being freed of her. "I am Sephiroth... The great general... I HAVE A SOUL! I DO NOT BELONG TO YOU! Jenova..."

"I am not known as Jenova to my race..."

"Your race is long dead! It won't be long til' you join em'!" Sephiroth leapt at her and grabbed her by the neck. Jenova melted away into an oil and appeared behind Sephiroth. Jenova split into the last form she had been seen as. The ressurection. Sephiroth jammed his hand through her. She hissed and melted away. Sephiroth grabbed his head. "Damn it..." Sephiroth punched the ground furiously. "DAMN!"

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