Final Fantasy VII: Lifestream - Book 3: Pursuit

NINETEEN

Priscilla's grandmother—an older woman in her fifties with brown hair that was a match for her granddaughter's aside from a few threads of gray here and there—arrived just after her grandfather and I had put Priscilla to bed. She was just rushing inside, her eyes wide and worried, when we returned to the family room.

"George!" she said. "I just heard! Is she alright?"

He nodded, taking her in his arms. "She's fine, Helen, don't worry. This young man here—what was your name?"

"Cloud," I said.

George went on. "Thank you. Cloud and his friends saved her and made sure that Bottomswell and his brood won't ever trouble us again. So just relax. Priscilla's sleeping in her room."

Helen sighed in relief. "Oh, I'm so glad! She's all we have, and I just couldn't bear to lose her. Knowing that terrible monster is finally gone, especially after what it did to her parents, makes me feel better. Maybe now... I can find some peace about it."

"I think we both can, honey," George agreed.

His wife looked at me and smiled. "Cloud, thank you. What you've done for Priscilla—and for this town as well—means everything to us. She was only three when that brute Bottomswell killed her mother and father. Our daughter and her husband."

"I'm sorry," I told her.

"Again, thank you," she replied. "I'm sure that you and your friends must be tired after what you did out there today. Since you're not from around here, you're staying at the inn?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

Helen chuckled. "I thought so. We own it, actually. So your rooms will be on us tonight. Please make yourself at home."

"Thanks," I told her.

"You're quite welcome," she said. "If there's anything else you need, please let us know. We'd be glad to help."

Although I appreciated their offer, I didn't think there was, so I just nodded and started to leave. But about halfway to the door, I paused as I thought of something. We still needed disguises for Barret and Yuffie. The rest of us had our Shinra uniforms from Fort Condor. I wasn't sure if Priscilla's grandparents could really help us with that, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to at least ask them about it.

I looked at them again. "Actually, there was something. We're going to slip into Upper Junon tomorrow, but we're short two disguises. Most of us are going as Shinra soldiers, but we couldn't find any uniforms to fit Barret and Yuffie. Any chance you could help?"

Helen glanced at George, then back at me. "Actually, yes. I do a lot of sewing, mostly for Priscilla, so I think I can put something together. Maybe not a soldier's uniform—those would be too hard to get—but a sailor's outfit should work just as well."

"There are lots of them folk in Upper Junon workin' the docks and the cargo ships," George agreed. "So your friends'll blend right in. After they've washed up and rested a bit, send them over here so my wife can take their measurements and get started."

"Will do," I promised.

Helen walked me to the front door and smiled. "They'll have their disguises by the end of the day, Cloud. Oh, and if you have them bring all your wet things with them when they come back, we'll get them dry for you. One less thing for you to worry about."

I nodded. "Thanks."

Then I left, and once I met up with the others outside at the base of the stairs, we all went back to the inn to wash up and change out of our wet clothes and into some extras that we'd brought with us. Then Yuffie and Barret returned to Helen and George's house to get started on their disguises. The rest of us took a little time to relax while they were gone. We had four rooms between us—Jessie and I in one, Aerith and Tifa in another, then Barret and Red, and Yuffie had the last one all to herself. Although it wasn't anything fancy, it was nice enough.