Lean On Me (FF7)

5

~Barret's POV~

Sunlight streams in through the inn room's window. The last time we were here, Cloud told us about his life. Either he was delusional or he lied. I don't care. Either way, I know he real story now. Lot more than I would've thought.

"Barret, you're stepping on my tail," a soft voice growls.

"Sorry Red," I move my feet. "Just been thinkin'."

"About what?" he yawns, his huge jaws separating to reveal his large teeth.

"That thing that Cloud did, grippin' his head or whatever," I start. "The first time he did that was when he was with me in a reactor. He started screamin' at somethin' until I told him to get his spikey butt off the floor and run."

"And?" Red looks very uninterested.

"That only happened when Sephiroth was alive."

"Can we please not talk about that creep?" He takes a deep breath.

"Fine. But can you stop burning my boot?" I look down at the natural flame that flickers from the tip of his tail.

"My pleasure."

We haven't been together in a group like this for ages. Looking around the room, I can see why. Vincent is standing up, trying to distance himself while he sleeps, arms crossed and black hair over his face. He give me the creeps, as quiet and smart as he is. RedIIX slept on the floor by my bed, seeing as he is some sort if talking animal thing. Yuffie is curled up in the second bed, like a little ball, her giant shuriken on the foot if the bed. It amazes me how someone so strong can become so small. Cid is on the last bed, arms hanging off at the sides and mouth hanging open, his loud snores filling the room. Last but not least, Cait Sith sleeps on top of his stuffed mog, curled up. How his crown manages to never fall off, I have no idea. But he is robotic in a way, so it could be welded to him.

My phone rings twice before I answer it, only waking Vince, who barely glances up, but his red eyes glow clearly. The they close again.

"Hello?" I open the door and step out of the room.

"Hey Barret. Listen, we're headed to the playground in Sector Seven. We'll meet you guys up there. Okay?" Tifa says cheerfully. Woman, it is seven in the mornin!

"Fine," I sigh and hang up. "Everybody up!" I yell.

Yuffie jumps awake, grabbing her shuriken and standing in fighting position in less than a second.

"Chill out there, ninja," Cid chuckles, yawing. "Why are you waking us up at freaking dawn?" he glares at me.

"Because Tifa told me to."

"Of course she did," he sighs, throwing his pillow over his face. How is he in his forties?

"Don't all pilots get up early?" Cait Sith says, his mog stretching underneath him.

"Not this old man."

"It's only been three years, get off yo butt," I scoff.

"You scared the crap outta me," Yuffie jumps from the bed, attaching the Conformer to her belt.

"Too bad."

"Some one's happy," Red stretches his back, butt in the air.

"Let's just hope he doesn't get even happier," Vince mutters before pushing past me.

~|~|~|~|~|~|~

"There they are," Tifa says loudly to get our attention. Somehow, that stupid plastic cat slide has managed to survive. Too bad Jesse didn't. Or Wedge. Biggs. Why am I thinking about them? The past is in the past.

"Yeah," I roll my eyes, jumping on top if the plastic play set.

"Easy there," I here a voice beside me. I look at Cloud, who is hugging his knees loosely. He looks pretty distant, not really caring if I dent this thing or not.

"How's the head."

"Crappy."

"Ah," I laugh. He looks at me with a small smile on his face.

"How was last night?"

"You mean in Kalm? It was okay, small room though. Could've done any better?" I joke.

"I wasn't really gone spend a ton of money in you guys," he smirks and raises his eyebrows at me.

"You still even have all that gil from four years ago, right?"

"Eh, it's hidden throughout the planet."

"So..." Yuffie sits underneath us in the slide part. "How's the guy talk?"

"Fantastic," I look down at her. Cloud remains silent, zoning out again.

"Cloud?" she looks at him with a frown. He continues to stare at the sky. "Cloud?"

"She took me here once," Is all he says. Aeris. That's where she and Cloud saw Tifa getting taken away to that weird fat guy's house. Creep. That's also the time Cloud dressed up as a girl.

"We kind of have a problem," Tifa starts to explain. "I'm sure you all remember what happened yesterday. As in, Cloud passing out and junk, but I'd kinda like to know what's going on?" she looks at Blondie. "Cloud?"

"Huh?" he snaps out if it. "Oh. I was just getting on my bike, but I couldn't find my fusion swords. So I was looking around the bike for them and then something all... just this huge pressure filled my head. And I could hear him..." he pauses for a second. "He kept telling me to do whatever he said to. Then, I guess it was Tifa, sat beside me. All I saw was him. And when she touched my shoulder, all I saw was the Geostigma. Then in blacked out." he concludes.

"Um... there are a lot of hims out there, kid," Cid says slowly. "Who exactly are we talking about?"

Cloud's eyes flash as he looks up, looking straight into Vincent's eyes.

"Sephiroth."

"And only Sephiroth can control you," Yuffie puts the pieces together slowly. Then She and Cloud's eyes meet. "Which means..."

"Sephiroth's alive," Cloud finishes for her.

The air remains thick and silent for a few moments.

"It might just be a coincidence...?" Red says hopefully.

"Yeah, don't you think you're jumping to conclusions, Cloud?" Tifa says. Cloud takes a deep breath and leans back on his hands.

"Look, you were the one that wanted me to tell everyone about my ideas. My idea is that he's alive."

"Cloud, it could be that mako thing," Cid says.

"Vince?" Cloud pleads with his eyes.

"Don't pull me into this one," the tall man says, shaking his head.

"Doesn't anyone believe me?!" he says, exasperated. I don't blame him, he's been through a lot, and never once has he comes lately failed us. And that's why I trust him, but Yuffie beats me to speaking as she does everyone else.

"I do." Everyone looks at her as if she's grown a horn out of her forehead. Uni-Yuff.... "I mean, he always manages to come alive again after we think he's gone for good. Doesn't he? So why can Cloud be right?"

"Exactly," I agree.

"So... What? We think he's alive because Cloud's lost his mind?" Cid retorts.

"No, we think he's alive because the only person that can control him is Sephiroth." Yuffie defends.

"Fine. So what are we going to do about it?" Tifa sighs, plopping her chin into one of her hands.

"What we did last time, I suppose," RedIIX sighs, lying down on the mulch. "Chase him all over the planet."