ⁿᵒ ˢᵘʳʳᵉⁿᵈᵉʳ ✧ 𝙵𝙵𝚇𝚅

XII

The next morning, Bella woke up, wondering what time it was. Bella yawns quietly, pushing Kirara's fur off her, she stands up walking outside seeing the sun barely rising over the hills while she walks to the clothes, she touches them feeling them dry. Smiling, she quickly dresses in her outfit. And when she was waiting for the guys to get up, she sat near the edge of the haven going deep into thought.

Bella thought about the time she's spent here in Eos, she didn't want to go home back to Cloud, but she missed him so dearly. She began thinking back on what he wanted to tell her, it was so important to him that he planned (probably with Tifa's help) a whole thing just for her. Bella sighs, bringing her knees up to her chest and set her head on her knees.

"What are you going up so early?" asks a familiar voice behind her, she shrugs not moving from her spot.

"Kirara, would you mind telling me what Cloud wanted to do that day?" Bella questions Kirara watching the sun bring light into the world. "I'd feel so bad if it was so important and if I died, I wouldn't know..."

Kirara sighs, sitting next to her friend swaying her tails back and forth gently. "He stopped by a legal place on one of his routes and asked about the process of you becoming legally his little sister," Kirara finally told Bella making Bella's eyes fill with tears. "He claimed for a little while that it's what Zack would've wanted so you wouldn't have to be alone,"

"..." Bella choked out a little sob putting a hand to her mouth. "He... He wanted to do that?"

Kirara nods slowly. "Absolutely. He loves you so much like a little sister – he wanted it to become official," Kirara puts her head on Bella's back, feeling the young woman shake. "Zack always told him to take care of you as if you were his own when he wasn't around, do you remember that?"

"I do..." Bella whispers with more tears streaming down her face. "I remember Cloud telling me not to worry about things when he was around and he would protect me, even after my brother died... After the whole incident with SHINRA, he took care of me. Made sure I was okay..."

Kirara keeps her head against Bella's back as Bella quietly sobs a little bit. "I owe him so much more than a thank you..."

"I'm sure he knows, Bells..." said a voice behind them, Bella's eyes widen turning around seeing Gladio standing there with his pants on. "Men like us – we know you mean so much and we know you thank us. We don't need to hear it all the time,"

"But..."

Gladio shakes his head. "Keep your head up and keep fighting. Make him even more proud,"

Bella wipes her eyes gently with a curt nod, smiling Gladio's way. Gladio then begins putting his shirt on waiting for the others to get ready and dressed.

"Are we ready?" asks the King walking out of the makeshift tent as everyone looks at him. "The Regalia is at the Aracheole Stronghold in Duscae." Noctis as everyone nods getting on their Chocobos, while Bella hops on Kirara and they all speed off towards the Stronghold.

The ride took around an hour and a half, the Stronghold looked impenetrable looking back to the tactician he looks like he was devising a plan in his head. Kirara stops by the Chocobos while Ignis keeps thinking. Kirara then jumps in the air scaring the men while Kirara took to the sky making sure the Imperial Army wasn't around the sky. Kirara keeps her distance while Bella looks down seeing the Regalia down there. Smiling, Bella nudges Kirara who quickly flies down.

Landing on the ground near the guys, Bella hops off Kirara keeping her smile. "I take it, good news?"

"I saw the Regalia, it's in the middle of the fortress, getting there may require a really good plan."