• Rated T for Language and suggested themes, must be at least 12 years and above but no older than 17.

    Chapter Six

    "Hey, Jack! Where's Aurica?" Lyner asked the lone gunner eating green cotton candy with Misha. Jack frowned. "She just asked that a while ago. It looks like she's really worried about something, and I could tell she have been crying lately." He said just as Lyner frowned this time. "Crying? Well. Anyway. Where is she?" He asked again just as Jack pointed towards the tubes, which is the main travelling here in the Gold Saucer. "After we talked, she went towards the arena, she said." Lyner nodded and slipped inside the tubes.
    Lyner appeared at the entrance of the arena. The place is empty apart from a few kids playing tag and in the center of the place-
    "Aurica!" Lyner yelled at the lone young woman standing in the center. She looked at him tearfully. Aurica looked odd. Her hair was tangled at the edges, the green eyes are puffy and red from crying, and she had on a very strained smile, like something she was refusing a laugh. And all in the while, she is shaking her head vigorously. "What's up?" Lyner asked taking a few steps forward. Aurica snapped.
    "Lyner, don't!" She yelled just as Lyner crossed the magic barrier. In an instant, darkness surrounded them and Lyner heard Aurica scream. With no time to lose, Lyner dashed forward, not caring if he's going the right way. Whether he's imagining or not, he saw a silver white wing hovering in the distance. Lyner realized it is his, or rather, Yurice's mortal enemy, Sephiroth. He had a crooked smile matching his kind of ugly appearance. Lyner, his sword ready, charged at him. But he was knocked down by a surprising force "LYNER! AURICA!" A voice yelled. Lyner looked up through dazed eyes and saw Cloud, Yuri, Alice, and Aerith. Their weapons are out and ready. Especially Cloud, who looked like he could eat concrete.
    "Sephiroth! Let go of Aurica, NOW!" Cloud shouted fiercely. He was already walking towards them, his buster sword at his side. At the corner of his eye, he saw Alice chanting silently with her eyes closed. Aerith is behind her, casting a spell he doesn't know on the whole place. But he couldn't see where Yuri is. "And what do you wish, pathetic human?" Sephiroth said coldly. Cloud's pace turned to running, but he stopped in front of his enemy. "I wish that you die! Now, Yuri!" Cloud ordered Yuri. Lyner looked up, but instead of seeing the brunette, he saw a massive dark shape with wings charging towards Sephiroth. The God of Wrath, Amon. Lyner thought. He heard stories that Yuri is a Godslayer that he managed to obtain the soul of Amon. Lyner watched Yuri flew over Sephiroth and grabbed Aurica into his hands, just as Cloud used his Bolt ability to distract Sephiroth. The son of Jenova howled in pain just Alice screamed "Cloud, Yuri, its ready!" The both of them nodded together in time as Alice extended her arms saying "Advent!" Aerith used her staff to maneuver the magic as it grew slightly bigger. She aimed it at Sephiroth. "Lyner get outta there!" Yuri swooped low and grabbed Lyner by his waist. He took them outside the arena, letting them go. "Find Yurice and the others! We'll handle this for a while!" Yuri canceled Amon and fused into his best and last fusion, the Dark Seraphim. "Come on! We have to find Yurice! And the others too!" Aurica screamed, holding his hand, and ran. They stumbled for some time, until they were able to run properly and quickly. "Lyner! Aurica! What the blazes is happening!?” The pair turned around and saw Yurice, Nicolai, and Karin. Nicolai looked odd. He was sweating and red faced, he was supported by his little sister Karin, yet he was fine. “What happened to you?” Lyner asked.
    “I’m fine. I’m just helping Karin and Nicolai to the ship.” Yurice replied, Aurica piped in.
    “What happened to you, Nicolai-san?”
    “Just a slight headache. Don’t worry, I’m fine, Aurica-chan.” Nicolai smiled at her dazedly.
    “Lyner! Aurica! I want an explanation, NOW!” Yurice practically yelled at them, just as they heard a scream and a loud BANG!
    “Yurice! Cloud, Yuri, and the others are fighting him!” Lyner and Aurica shouted at the same time. Yurice’s eyes widened with frustration and horror.
    “LYNER BARSETT AND AURICA NESTMILE, YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME THAT A WHILE AGO! THEY COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BY NOW! HERE! TAKE NICOLAI TO THE SHIP AND GO BACK TO THE ARENA!” Yurice exploded in anger as she strode over Karin, forced Nicolai on her shoulders and pushed him towards Lyner, who nearly collapsed on his weight. “Go, and hurry! We’ll help the others.” Karin called to them, and ran with Yurice. “Did you know Yurice could lift someone like you? Oomph!” Lyner asked Nicolai. The Cardinal shrugged. “Don’t know. Let me go! I’m going to fight with her.” Nicolai easily brushed Lyner off.
    “But-!”
    “Yurice said-!”
    “Even if I don’t follow her orders, I promise my sister I will be there with her! Through life and death!” Nicolai staggered a bit, but he jogged evenly towards the arena. Lyner looked at Aurica. “You know, he’s right. Let’s go back and kick a Jenova a**!” He said.

    Chapter Seven

    “Aaaargh!” Yuri shrieked as he fell to the ground, hard. His whole body is burning, maybe because of Sephiroth’s own bolt ability. He really wished he shouldn’t have fused into Dark Seraphim, for two reasons. One, he knew that he is high in immobility resist, but low in Lightning attacks. And two, the only things to cover his hides are his dark wings and weird tattoos. At some points, he would sneak a glance at Alice to make sure she’s alright. She is though, yet it made him vulnerable. If that sonuva-you-know-what hurts Alice, Yuri would blow a gasket. Or most likely, blow a country apart.
    “Yuri!” Cloud yelled, casting reflaga at him, causing Sephiroth’s Heartless attack weak. Yuri looked over at Cloud.
    “Cloud, thank you!” The ex-SOLDIER was both shocked and glad at Yuri’s sudden reaction. But the grin faded away when-
    “CLOUD, NO!”
    Something hit him roughly and badly, causing him to wince. Whatever that spells is it pained his chest. He writhed and struggled, but the pain is too much. He screamed agonizingly as he felt blood leaked inside his garment. His vision clouded and he couldn’t see anymore. All he could see is a blurry, pink ribbon coming at his aid.
    “Oh my god, no!” Aerith screamed, running towards him. She didn’t care if she was hit by a spell, all she has to do is go to Cloud and help him to his feet. She would nullify the Paralysis ailment and cure his wounds. But she was just two feet away from him; she got hit by Sephiroth’s dark magic. She slumped on the floor, unconscious yet she struggled and tried to resist. “Cloud…” she whispered before her head lolled on her side.
    “Where is that damned arena?!” Yurice practically shouted to herself as she and Karin ran around the Gold Saucer. They were late because they have to disperse the crowd to get a better view of the place. But this place is filled with nothing but scraps of metal and tubes. “Yurice! I found it! Let’s go!” Karin screeched, tugging her arm to the west. They ran towards the arena and heard complimentary screams and bangs. “Okay, if Sephiroth is targeting you, cast Barrier on yourself then Surge. Crests and Magic can only defeat Sephiroth and that’s that. Good luck, Karin.” Yurice smiled warmly before opening the doors.
    Alice is getting tired. Her Advent attacks are weak against that stupid jerk, yet sometimes her Blessed Light lessens his resist on Light attacks. She would dodge some of that Jenova heir’s sword arts and sometimes she would rely on her Barrier for protection. Immobility effects are a problem to her. She would rely on Yuri to give her some Soul Benediction then get up and make Sephiroth go kaboom. But then she realized she and Yuri are the only ones fighting now. Cloud and Aerith are down. She was about to give up when-
    “SEPHIROTH, YOU DAMNED b*****d!” Someone shouted. Alice, Yuri, and Sephiroth looked up and saw Yurice and Karin. Karin’s Durandal is out and ready. But Yurice has no weapon. She only glared fiercely at the white-haired man. “Ah, Nicorin. Haven’t seen you for a while.” Sephiroth laughed evilly.
    “Want another fight, Nicorin? Like the old times? Like the time I took away your family?” Alice gasped at the last sentence. Is it true? Sephiroth’s the one who ordered that warlock to murder her family? Yurice glared at him, before finally saying. “Fine. I’ll take you on. But this time, I won’t let you kill my friends. I’ll be the one to kill you. REQUIP!” Light danced around Yurice, the kind of light doing the same to Yuri when he fused. Alice knew about Fairy Tail magic. And ‘requip’ is one of the rarest magic in Fairy Tail history. You can change your weapon and armor ready and on the go. Armors have special defenses depending on the kind of fabric or material used on making the armor. As the light faded Yurice appeared in a flowing white dress, with tricks of metal, shining silver wings, and a long sword, polished and obviously new. The Knight, Alice thought, remembering the pages on her father’s book. The Knight is Dark class armor, high in magic, low in Light attacks, yet perfect for this situation. And if Yurice is wearing Dark class armor, that means Sephiroth’s defense and attack is halved. “The Knight, huh? Well since I’m not in the mood to attack little girls.” Sephiroth’s lips curled into a sneer. “I’ll take a little hostage with me? To remind myself in the next time, ha?” Sephiroth knocked Yuri down while he strode towards Cloud and Aerith. His lips turned to a snarl, as he kicked Cloud away and picked Aerith. Surprisingly, he picked her up without harassment or anything that might hurt her. But to Cloud, he roughly violated for a few moments until Alice took the chance to hit him with her Bible. “I’ll see you soon, Yurice.” Finally with a swish of his long cloak, he and Aerith’s unconscious body disappeared.

    Chapter Eight

    “Karin, are you alright?” Nicolai asked, cradling her injured form. She smiled up to him. “I’m fine. But my question is that are you okay?” Nicolai grinned as he hugged her close. I’ll take that as a yes. Karin thought as she closed her eyes and slept.
    “Where are Barret and Cid, Yurice?” Alice asked Captain, who shrugged. “They are doing some work for me. Jack and Misha are still not here yet, so I’ll go look for them.” Yurice said her voice trailing away as she headed outside the inn. I knew she would be frustrated about what happened a while ago. I’m sure she’ll be fine. Alice thought and sighed.
    “Oh, and Alice?”
    “Yes, Captain?”
    “Keep an eye on Cloud and Yuri for me okay? If I were you, don’t talk to Cloud for now, he’ll go ballistic on what will happen next.” Yurice said seriously as she walked out of the door. Alice looked at Yuri and Cloud, who were talking so seriously that it scares her. Especially Cloud. Blood leaked from his chest through the bandages surrounding him and he has several scratches on his face. Yet he looked angry and at the same time, confused. Alice could still remember the look on his face when they told him what happened.
    “Yurice, where is Aerith?!” Cloud screamed in fury as he tried to get up and tried to strangle her, but Lyner and Yuri forced him down. “Cloud, get a hold of yourself!” Aurica cried, nursing Karin’s wounds. “I WON’T GIVE UP UNTIL I HAVE A DAMN GOOD ANSWER! YURICE, WHERE IS SHE?!” Cloud brushed off Lyner and Yuri and shook the Captain fiercely.
    “Cloud!” Yuri shouted.
    “Let go of her!” Nicolai yelled as he strode towards him and slammed him down in a choke slam. Cloud gagged and sputtered, while Yurice got off her trance.
    “Nicolai, NO!” She said as she helped Cloud to his feet. But Cloud batted her away and stared directly into her, making Yurice shudder a bit. Sapphire eyes met the bloody red ones.
    “YURICE, I’M GOING TO SAY THIS ONCE AND I WANT IT ANSWERED. WHERE THE ******** HELL IS AERITH?!” The Captain blinked twice until she took a deep breath and said a few words.
    “She’s kidnapped by Sephiroth.”
    Cloud let go of her and bugged his eyes, horrified.
    “No… Aerith… Ah s**t…” He muttered, silently collapsing onto the rug of the floor. No one spoke for a while until-
    “Don’t worry, Cloud. We’ll find her.” Yuri spoke, his eyes cast downward. Cloud snapped his head at him, hope filling inside of him.
    “R-really? Yuri…” He whispered, fixing a small smile. Godslayer nodded defiantly.
    A smile lit Alice’s face as she remembered what Yuri said. He had grown up. She thought. Maturing at the very least. She watched over the two get their plan on and sat down on a squashy arm chair.
    Meanwhile, in the New World, in a Roswell Researching Lab…
    “Ugh…. Cloud….” Aerith muttered, trying to stand up, but her hands were pulled down.
    “What the-“Aerith took closer examination and found out she was chained to the ground. She was in a cell, the walls made of plastic glass. As she took a closer look around her, Aerith saw she isn’t the only one chained. At least five people before her are chained, their heads lolling. The flower girl felt sorry for them. She tried to find her staff, but it’s nowhere in sight. “Are you alright?” A voice said softly. Aerith turned around and saw a young woman about her age. She looked somewhat like an Indian from some tribe of the southern side. She has blonde braided hair, tucked in with feathers. Azure blue eyes, like the skies. Pink pouty lips. Brown complexion. She wears a very short top, nearly exposing her breasts, very short shorts with holsters at the sides. Aerith reckons they might be the placing of her weapons. And thin, red slippers. Aerith just got to admire the boldness this girl has. “I’m Shania Garvoy. Shania will be fine.” Shania said with a smile. Aerith nodded. “I’m Aerith Gonosbourg. Aerith.” She tried to tug the chains clutching her wrists but they were clanged shut. “It’s no use. We tried everything. Even our Stellar Magic has no effect. Or rather their Stellar Magic.” Shania said hastily as she beckoned Aerith to her companions. They seemed to be sleeping. “You can’t do Stellar Magic?” She asked as she winced.
    “I’m a fusionist.”
    “What?!”
    “Sshh. Yeah, I’m a fusionist. But the common kind. Like I can only change up to four spirits.”
    “You make Soul Contracts?”
    “Yes. Are you a fusionist too? You sound like you knew a lot.”
    “Um, no. My friend is a fusionist.”
    “Really? Then I want to meet someone like him.”
    Aerith stared at Shania like she’s not a human being. She never knew how to be brave and bold like that. Shania grimaced as she tugged her chains.
    “May I know who the others are?” Aerith asked, gazing at the other people.
    “That one is Natan. He is my bodyguard, and the only other survivor of my tribe.” Shania pointed to a man in tribal face paint. He looks as weird as Shania. He wears a band wrapped around his forehead, tucking a few feathers. His face paint is an equal’s sign on each cheek. He has chestnut colored skin, black hair, and black eyes. He wears cowboy pants with the loose strings at the sides, a single piece of cloth hung around his shoulders, and brown loafers. Lastly, he has twin pistol holsters at each side of his hip.
    “Next to him is Johnny Garland.” Shania then pointed to a young boy, about sixteen years old. He has blonde spiky hair that stuck up in a weird angle, green emerald eyes like Nicolai’s and fair skin. Aerith thinks he’s an American. He wears baggy, olive-green pants, yellow and black jacket with words “GARLAND” stamped across it, red undershirt, and then brown-laced-up shoes.
    Aerith was able to meet the others, who already woke up. Frank Goldfinger, an old ninja who lived in the secretive forests of Brazil. And Hildegard ‘Hilda’ Valentine, a vampire who has taken a liking to drink blood from kids. Aerith liked them, and it’s quite nice to have some companions. Until the cell door open and her true hatred entered the scene.
    “The transplantation is ready to begin. Are you ready, flower girl?” Sephiroth said with a sneer on his face.

    Chapter Nine

    Yurice came back a few moments later with Barret and Cid. They were holding scrolls with ancient symbols. Jack and Misha came back a while later.
    “Okay, I have a hunch that I know where Aerith is.” Yurice said as she spread the scrolls on the table. One of them is a giant map of the New World. Alice memorized the map of the New World, you know, being a know-it-all. The New World is under Gaia and Elemia, where the rarest supplies were found. Yuri, Alice, Nicolai, and Karin are from the New World, considering them as real humans. Cloud, Aerith, Barret, and Cid are from Gaia. Lyner, Aurica, Misha, and Jack are from Elemia. And probably, Yurice is from the New World.
    Yurice pointed a finger to America. “Here, I think. In Roswell.” Yuri peeked over Alice’s and Yurice’s shoulder and saw a large country. At the East, he saw his Homeland in China and tears began to spill. He suddenly noticed Yurice staring at China too, with something glistening in her eyes. “Yurice, is something wrong?” Yuri asked, hastily wiping the tears of water from his eyes and stared directly at the crying Captain.
    “I just miss my family that’s all. Anyway,” Yurice silently flicked her droplets away. “Cid and Barrett have been doing work for me, and we have figured that Sephiroth is hiding Aerith somewhere in Roswell. Shinra has about 12 buildings, 7 of them are destroyed by Sephiroth himself, 2 of them are out-of-business, and the other three are still intact. The original Shinra building in Gaia, is the very last place Sephiroth would go in there, so it’s best we leave that place alone.” Yurice, Cloud, Cid, and Barret gulped, frightened. “There are two Shinra properties here in the New World. One in Roswell, America.” Yurice pointed to the large country. “And one in Petrograd, Russia.” She circled the other one. “Sephiroth has his own mansion in Petrograd, but we shouldn’t go there yet. So I figured he held Aerith hostage in the researching lab in Roswell.” Captain Yurice said, thumbing Roswell with feigning curiosity.
    “One question, Captain. How the blazes did you know that Aerith is in there?” Cloud asked frowning. Everyone looked at Yurice, who turned silent.
    “Come on Yurice! It’s not such a big deal! We just want to know!” Yuri fallen in the conversation.
    “Um, ah, how should I put this...?” Yurice’s voice trailed off as she stared at the floor. Cloud knew something was up.
    “Yurice, how did you know?” The Captain looked up and stared at Cloud directly in the eye.
    “Cloud I’m sorry, Sephiroth is going to use Aerith as weapon to destroy the Lifestream.”
    The ex-SOLDIER stared at Yurice for a long time until he sank to the nearest chair and closed his eyes, tears slipping out of it.
    He knew how Sephiroth would do to Aerith. I guess I have to speed things up a bit. Yurice thought, remembering what that b*****d said to her:
    “Are you ready to die, Nicorin?”
    “Not damn yet! You don’t even know how to destroy the Lifestream!”
    “Oh I do. I really do. All I have to do is take a Cetra and place her in my transplantation machine, and then there goes my victory.”
    Yurice shook that thought away. She knew there’s no other Cetra in these three worlds other than Aerith. That’s why she has to protect her from all costs from that stupid jerk.
    “Alright! Everyone gather up. First thing in the morning, we’ll be heading to the New World!” Yurice called as everyone placed their attention to her, hope beaming visible in their faces. Please be alright, Aerith. Don’t worry, we’re coming.

    Cloud’s POV
    Cloud couldn’t sleep. Some because of Barrett’s loud snoring and Cid’s heavy breathing. But most of it is of worrying Aerith. He made sure to rip that stupid a** of Sephiroth if they see each other again. Cloud closed his eyes, suddenly seeing her, smiling prettily at him, the pink bow tied to ponytail her rich brown, wavy hair. He remembered those forest green, emerald-like eyes, the smile, and the way she pouted to him that made her even cuter…
    He smiled for a while and closed his eyes to sleep. But thoughts about Aerith and Sephiroth haunted his dreams, making him wince. It’s painful. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing his friends again. After all that happened to Zack-
    Stop that! He screamed mentally to himself. Don’t you dare say another word about him, Strife. I say stop it! True he is best friends with Shinra’s top SOLDIER, but Zack is also Aerith’s first love. With Cloud left to tag along in his shadow. Well, he is dead, so no problem about Aerith and Zack, but the very last thing Cloud wants to do, is to fight his best friend.
    Cloud sighed and scratched the back of his head. Barret used to call him a ‘Spiky head’ because of his abnormally spiky blonde hair. Aerith used to comment that he looked like Zack, and then her eyes will cast downward at the name and tears will accidentally spill. And Cloud used to curse Zack for treating her like that, but though he couldn’t get the words right. The ex-SOLDIER could clearly remember what Zack spoke his last words to him:
    “Zack…?”
    “Hey buddy.”
    “Zack.”
    “Here.” Zack handed his Buster sword to Cloud, who accepted it in shock.
    “Take care of it while I’m gone.”
    “But Zack-!”
    “Embrace everything, Cloud.” Zack smiled at him ruefully as he roughly grabbed Cloud’s head and perched it gently above his chest, so the blood clashed through his hair.
    “Embrace your life, your soul, your honor, and your dreams.”
    “What about her? You meant to leave her forever?!”
    “A true hero cannot be called a hero if he cannot embrace his life.”
    “A true hero? I’m not a hero. If I were, I could have saved you.”
    “It’s not your fault. It’s just that you are too young to die.”
    “Then it really is my fault.”
    “No it’s not. You have to live on.” Zack’s grin faded as his head rested on the hard rocky ground.
    “ZACK!!!!!”
    “Cloud, take care of Aerith for me. Okay?”
    Cloud closed his eyes and drifted off to a deep slumber.

    Nicolai’s POV
    Nicolai rolled over and over in his bed until he felt himself falling and tumbled to the floor. Grumbling to himself, Nicolai picked himself up and went back to bed. Across the room, he could hear Cloud’s usual mumbling, Barret’s usual snores, and Cid’s usual deep breathing. He too couldn’t sleep for thinking about his sister, or maybe not, Karin. Those memories, they couldn’t possibly be true, right? But the more he thinks about it, the more it seemed to be real. Karin, but you looked so much like mother. Nicolai sighed, thinking that it must be a premonition. But then, he slowly began to realize that he’s treating Karin more like a sister, and more like a friend. Aww, no! I cannot be in love with my own sister?! Nicolai groaned as he remembered one particular person who entered his life, his first, or maybe second if you count Karin, love. They met at the New World before he and Karin took an airship to Gaia. She, in the other hand, is going to the Wings of Horus, Elemia. They talked for a long time, because the timetables of the airport kept changing, she said her name is Renald Skie and she’s a reyvateil like Aurica and Misha. She has a beautiful face, innocent and pure, with hazelnut brown eyes, heart shaped lips, long brown hair, and fair skin. To Nicolai she looked like an angel. Then, she finally said good bye as she ran for the gate. But before she do, she gave Nicolai a small kiss in the cheek and they both blushed admittedly. I’ll be seeing you soon. She said and waved, giving him a smile and then, that’s that. They haven’t seen each other again. Nicolai knew there’s a war in Elemia by now, fighting over the land between humans and apostles. But he did not dare think about that she died amidst in the battlefield. I’ll see you too. Nicolai thought as he smiled as he rolled over to catch a dream, still thinking about Renald.

    Chapter Ten
    “Wake up every one!” Yurice’s loud voice shattered the still morning. Yuri groaned as he stuffed a pillow to his head, just as the boys’ room door opened with a loud bang.
    “Wake up boys! Breakfast is in the Ghost dining room.” Yurice said cheerfully over the loud groans and muffled shouts by the boys, and the complimentary ‘GET OUT!’ yells from one of them. “Suit yourselves. I’ll have the pancakes all mine!” Yurice shrugged as she closed the door with a snap.
    Aurica got up towards the vanity dresser and tied her long brown hair into long ponytail with the usual pink-and-white hairclip her mother gave to her. The three other girls in her room also began to stir as they yawned and rubbed their eyes sleepily. “I hope Yurice doesn’t blow a gasket when she found out that the boys aren’t up yet.” Karin said, tying her flaming red hair into a short ponytail, leaving several strands for her long side bangs. “She will. But I worry about the boys instead much of Yurice. I mean, if they do something wrong or unjust, Yurice will unleash her inner fury.” Misha grumbled, knotting her hair into long pigtails. Alice quickly went to the bathroom and changed into her usual, but clean and laundered attire: a short blue skirt with a net layer under it, a blue jacket with long sleeves, white buttoned-up blouse, a blue bow for her white blonde hair, a gold cross tied around her neck, white stockings that reached her inner thighs, and blue shoes. She brushed her teeth with a complimentary blue toothbrush, also with blue toothpaste. For some odd reason, she loved everything blue, that’s why she loved the sky so much.
    “Hey are you finish there?” Karin knocked softly. Alice opened the bathroom door and walked out of the room to read something in her Bible. Her father thought her how to read the Bible, which she enjoyed very much. It became a habit to her, reading a holy book in the middle of the morning.
    Karin doesn’t like sharing a bathroom, but sometimes she has to endure it. Karin took a 3-minute shower and changed into her freshly laundered clothes: a pale pink halter top with a gold-and-black corset, an orange micro skirt with slits at the sides, tall brown boots with stiches at the sides, and a gold amulet to fasten her halter. Yurice always said that her attire is slimming on her, which made her blush. But sometimes, Nicolai will go red and Yuri will whistle when Alice is not around. And it made her think she’ll kick their stupid asses if they do that again. But it made her happy when it came to the other guys: Cloud, Jack, Lyner, Barret, and Cid. They treat her normally, especially Cid. He talks like he couldn’t care any damn thing. Cid is just, Cid. With the cigarette lit in the corner of his mouth, the goggles placed around his neck completing his piloting life, the white shirt tucked in with his blue pants, and his brown leather shoes, he never cared anything about his life. Except for his prized airship, the Highwind. He made that airship himself. It’s also the same airship that took Karin, Nicolai, and Yurice to Gaia, and then later made the Covenant, Yurice’s private airship. Karin always has a crush on Cid, but it said he doesn’t care about anything in this world except for airships. Cid already has a girlfriend, who broke up with him during the Cold War; until he found out she’s still in love with him. Karin doesn’t get her hopes up too much when it came to her love life. She and Cid are just friends.
    “Karin! Is it my turn?!” Misha yelled from the outside. Karin muttered to herself she has to wake up earlier than usual as she opened the door and got out of the bathroom. She crossed to her bed and took her Durandal and went outside. She is preparing for her fencing lessons with Nicolai.
    Yurice is having the time of her life, despite the disappearance of her best friend’s adopted sister.
    She’s at the Ghost kitchen, frying some breakfast in the frying pan. A little secret you must know about her is that she’s a natural and hospitable cook. There are about ten to twenty plates of different pancakes, strawberry, chocolate chip, blueberry, almond, honey, almost every pancake recipe ever made was cooked and set up on the Ghost dining room table. She also put up enough plates of eggs and bacon, orange and mango juices, pastries, and lots. The rents in Ghost hotel are terrified of Yurice’s group, particularly Yurice herself. She made a fight with the cook, clearly dissatisfied with the cook’s cooking. Barret and Nicolai have to stop Yurice from swinging the butcher knife to the cook himself, even though he’s a ghost. In the end, Alice and Yuri have to pay all the expenses and wreckage they have done, mostly Alice is the one doing the paying, and persuading them to let Yurice cook.
    “Morning, Yurice.” Yuri greeted her as he and Alice entered the kitchen. Yurice smiled.
    “Morning to the two of you.” The Captain said as she flipped another set of pancakes, raspberry this time. Yuri and Alice seated themselves in one of the chairs in the dining room, helping themselves to a plate of pancakes. Yuri has dark chocolate, while Alice has bright blueberry. It was all delicious.
    “Lo, Yurice.” Cloud said in a sleepy voice. He was accompanied by Barret, Lyner and Jack, who greeted her with the same sleepy attitude. The Captain nodded at their direction.
    “Here ya go! That’s the last batch!” Yurice heaved a huge gob of pancakes and settled it in front of her place. Then she sat on her seat and gobbled the pancake like a hungry raven. Little while later, Aurica and Misha entered the dining room, Aurica wearing her School Days outfit which consisted of a simple checkered skirt, white blouse, maroon jacket and short tie. She wears brown shoes with simple white socks and her hair lay down with a subtle taste of cinnamon shampoo that goes well with her wavy brown locks. And Misha, wearing the Sailor’s Outfit which consisted of a simple white sailor’s shirt, blue tie, and a clean blue skirt. Misha’s hair is laid down like Aurica’s, except her hair is black, long, and straight. They entered the kitchen looking like innocent-people-who-done-something-wrong bit. Mischievous Misha skipped towards Jack and whispered something in his ear. Between mouthfuls of blueberry and pancake, Alice heard Misha squeal delightfully about… what was that? Karin? A fight between Cid and Nicolai? She wasn’t sure. Alice nudged Yuri by the elbow and caught his eye. Yuri immediately knew what Alice is thinking about. Yuri fused his ears into Malakia’s ears and focused it towards Jack and Misha, who didn’t notice a thing about his strange pair of ears.
    “And they fought! I can’t believe it! Fighting over Karin’s love!” Misha exclaimed.
    “This is the corniest thing I ever heard from you, Misha.”
    “Come on, we have to stop them! Or Yurice might kick them out.”
    “Okay. But let’s give them some time think about it. You may never know that they are actually fighting for Karin as a prize.”
    Yuri quickly defused his ears and pretended to pry something off his pancake, which is wrong because Yurice is glaring at him like a true hatred.
    “Come on, let’s go outside.” Yuri whispered to Alice, who agreed. They pretended to do some business on their own, and then dashed hurriedly towards the outside.
    “SHADDUP YOU SON OF A b***h!” Nicolai roared in anger.
    “I’M NOT LETTING YOU TOUCH HER!” Came Cid’s voice.
    “WOULD YOU GUYS PLEASE STOP IT?!” Then Karin’s voice was raised as she choked up tears.
    Alice gasped at the sight; even Yuri reacted by biting his lower lip until it bled.
    On the ground lay Cid, his body bruised, but pasty white. Towering him is Nicolai; hand’s balled into fists and shaking nonstop.
    “You never stop, don’t you Nicolai?” A deadly voice said behind Alice and Yuri. They turned around to see Yurice, Cloud, Barret, Jack, Aurica, Misha, and Lyner. What surprised and horrified Alice and Yuri is that of Yurice. Her eyes were cast downward but something black, like a dark aura, is shining from them. She wasn’t shaking or balled-fisted like Nicolai, but something tells them to back away, especially behind her.
    “I’m not going to move or flinch to your surrounding Yurice. Not even Calicleo could stop me.” Nicolai laughed like a maniac and didn’t stop laughing like he couldn’t care less. Alice was confused. Who is Calicleo? She looked at Yuri for some help but she was surprised to see him calm. There was a definite sign of anger in his eyes, but there’s no doubt he looked calm.
    “No wonder there’s a flaw in my plan. You did good getting Aerith kidnapped, and luring the vampires to Yuri and Alice. Then, this is the third time I’m going to show Calicleo again, eh, Astaroth?” Yurice’s hair suddenly turned white, like the pure white ones, and light danced around Yurice, blanketing her with solid white light. “She’s not requiping.” Yuri whispered. “Alice, Yurice is a fusionist. And my sister.”
    TO BE CONTINUED…