FLASH! Cloud blocked the strike just in time. He then counter attacked and cleaved his attacker in two. He looked down at his opponent. “Sephiroth!?” Cid and Barret glared down at the dead man. Barret cheered. “Well! What do ya know!? We killed Sephiroth! That foo’ was no match for us!” Cloud looked into the man’s eyes. Cid joined him. “What the %&@()? This thing looks like a %*& zombie or something...” Cloud shuddered at the thought. “He’s making clones of himself! We have to hurry!” Cloud began to run towards the number one mako plant.
The rainbow chocobo glared at the counter. “2% complete.” The chocobo was angry. The process was taking too long. It suddenly had an idea. “If I could turn on every other plant to full power, the world will explode in a mere matter of seconds!” The chocobo hopped off the chair next to the computer, and proceeded to head to the other mako plants.
Reeve looked at the ruins of the once-thriving metropolis, Midgar. He began to walk towards it. He was carrying something on his hand that was hidden underneath a handkerchief. Reeve opened the gate. “Come on. Let’s go.”
Run, Palmer, run. The fat man jogged as fast as he could. He huffed and puffed. “I must stop Sephiroth. I must stop Sephiroth. I don’t wanna go to hell.” Exhausted, Palmer stopped. He glanced back at Rocket Town behind him. All this time, he ran one kilometer from Rocket Town. “I’m not getting anywhere!” Palmer had an idea. He took out his cheesy choco jack crackers and ate a handful. “Mmm, good!” Palmer had another idea. He saw the rocket towering over Rocket Town and ran towards it. Shera was checking on the rocket’s engines when Palmer burst in and threw her out. “Sorry! I’m in a hurry!” The rocket blasted off. Shera stared and rubbed her head. Palmer was cheesing her off.
SNAP! “Shh! Quiet!” Vincent scolded Yuffie. “I thought you were a ninja! Don’t you know how to move in silence?” Yuffie, not paying any attention, happily skipped from broken building to broken building. Like Cloud and his gang, Yuffie and her group came to Midgar to stop the man in the black cloak. Vincent suddenly grabbed Yuffie. “Shh! What was that?” Yuffie, Vincent, and Red XIII stopped and looked around. A dark stuffed moogle wearing a black cape walked approached. He was followed by a bunch of other toy moogles and a couple of men with black capes. “Welcome.” Stray, the lead moogle, greeted the trio. His deep voice surprised the three, who never saw him talk before. “I see that you are trying to stop us. You’re journey ends here.” The moogle waved his hand, and the men in black cloaks drew their swords. The moogles began to approach Yuffie, Vincent, and Red XIII. “Bye.” The moogle in the black cloak disappeared in a puff of smoke. Yuffie stepped back. “Oh my gawd.” “KUPO!” The first moogle charged at Vincent. BANG! It flew back and fell down with a hole blown threw it. Vincent blew the smoke off from his pistol. More moogles began to approach. Red XIII turned to his companions. “This isn’t good.”
Vincent soon found himself divided from Red XIII and Yuffie. Yuffie watched as Vincent was engulfed by an army of moogles. Vincent suddenly turned into a monstrous satanic gargoyle by using the power of his Jenova influenced limit break. He roared and stood up, sending all of the moogles flying off. The five men in black cloaks began to fight alongside their moogle companions. Yuffie, Red XIII, and Vincent were backed up into a corner as the men with the black capes turned the tide. “WOOF!” Red XIII growled and lunged at one of the men. He chomped at the man’s throat, killing him. “Gawd!” Fifteen more Sephiroth clones arrived. Vincent glared at Yuffie. “We can’t hold out much longer!” “WOOF!” Red XIII was chopped. Although wounded, he was still alive. “What do we do!?” Yuffie suddenly remembered something she did in another situation similar to this. She ran. Vincent glared. “Coward!” Yuffie screamed her explanation. “I’ll be back! I’m going to stop these things at the source!” And she was gone. Vincent gave Red XIII an anxious look. “Well, let’s just see how long we can hold out...”
Cloud opened up the door to the number one mako plant. As it slowly opened, the squeeking noise of the door echoed throughout the large dark room. “$%(@)!” complained Cid. “I can’t @$)$% see a thing!” “You foo’!” Barret smacked Cid. “Be quiet!” The lights slammed on. Cid covered his eyes. “$%@&! I’m blind!” The man in the black cape stood at the other end of the room on top of the rafters. “Welcome.” Cloud confronted him. “Sephiroth! Where’s Tifa!?” The man scolded Cloud. “No no no. Not yet. Wait a minute. I have a gift for you.” Cid glanced around. “Shit. Something’s wrong, here.” Cloud didn’t realize it, but he was about to be assassinated from above.
Rude watched from the rafters as Cloud and the man in the black cloak talked to each other. He readied his gun, and took aim. Reno glared at him. “Man! Come on! Get the job done!” Rude smacked Reno. “This time, we’re doing it, my way!” He silently laughed to himself. “I am an expert sniper.” Rude pointed his gun at Cloud. “He doesn’t stand a chance.” Rude centered Cloud in the targeting circle. He smiled to himself. Now he would finish the job. “Goodbye, Cloud.” Rude slowly pressed on the trigger. Suddenly, he felt someone poking his shoulder. “Not now, Elena!” “Um, Rude? I really think you should turn around.” Rude quickly turned around. “What is it, Elena!” Rude, Reno, and Elena glared at the three people standing before them. Staniv, Chekhov, and Gorky smiled. Staniv readied his mace. “No one... NO ONE beats up Miss Yuffie’s boyfriend and gets away with it!”
Staniv’s mace sweeped through the air. “Shit!” Rude dived out of the way just in time to dodge the spiked ball at the end of the mace. Reno, however, wasn’t as reflexive. As Reno flew through the air, Chekhov slammed her foot right into Elena’s face with a jump kick. Rude, Reno, and Elena quickly backed off and regroup. Reno glared at the three. “Who the hell are you!?” Gorky smiled. “Let’s just say that we are here to help a friend.” Gorky bammed into Reno with his large mass and crunched him against the wall. Chekhov kicked Rude in the gut. Rude stared at her. “The Turks won’t lose this easily! I, myself, know a few tricks. Grand spark!” Rude punched his fist into the ground, and a shock wave soared along the floor and blasted into Chekhov. Elena tossed a firebomb, which blasted Staniv, who, in retaliation, brought his mace down upon Elena’s head. As Elena reeled in pain from the ensuing CRUNCH, Gorky picked up Rude by the legs and begun to spin him around and around and around. He then tossed him into Elena. “Neo Turk Light!” Reno shot a ball of fire which blasted off Gorky. “OUCH! POWER!” Gorky jumped high up and squashed Reno using his large body weight. Rude took out his gun, and began shooting at Chekhov. Chekhov hand flipped and dodged the bullets, until she flipped right in front of Rude. Rude threw a punch at her, but she dodged and wacked him in the face. “Take this!” Elena charged Chekhov from behind and slammed her fist into the back of Chekhov’s head. Reno laughed and jammed his electro-magnetic rod into Gorky’s belly. Gorky reeled back from the shock. He then glared at Reno, who glared back. Reno was surprised. “What? You should have been paralyzed by that...” Gorky bonked Reno on the head, and then karate chopped his neck. “URK!” Rude and Elena were fighting Staniv and Chekhov. “HEY! Reno!” Rude called. “Get over here and help us out!” “Sure!” Reno pointed his rod at Chekhov. “Golden Pyramid!” Chekhov was too preoccupied with Rude and Elena to see the globe of light flying towards her. It slammed into her, and enclosed her in a golden pyramid. “What the!?” Chekhov pushed against the walls, but couldn’t break out. “Ha ha ha!” Reno laughed, and trapped Staniv in a golden pyramid, also. He pointed his rod at Gorky. “And now, it’s your turn.” Reno shot his golden pyramid spell at Gorky. It slammed into Gorky and trapped him in a golden pyramid. “HA HA HA! Victory!” Reno laughed. SNAP! “Huh?” Reno, Rude, and Elena glared at Gorky. Gorky was too fat for the pyramid to contain him. The pyramid burst open under the pressure. Gorky glared angrily at the Turks. “EYAAAAGH!” He roared, and slammed into all three of the Turks. They flew right into Chekhov’s and Staniv’s pyramids. The pyramids were destroyed. “I’m free!” Staniv hopped around. He then smashed his mace into Reno’s face. “Take that!” Reno looked around. “Um... guys?” Rude replied. “Yes?” “Um... I’ve think I’ve had enough for today.” Reno looked at his watch. “OH! Look at the time! Gotta go!” Reno ran away. Rude stared at his wrist watch and left the battle too. Elena was preoccupied with her make up. “Bah!” She waved her arm at Staniv. “Next time!” Elena then ran away to join Reno and Rude. Staniv cheered. “I guess we showed them!”
The man in the black cloak tapped his foot impatiently. “Dammit! What’s taking them so long!?” He glared up at the rafters where the Turks used to be. They weren’t there, anymore. “#$&@*!” The man with the black cape cursed. Cloud stared at him, puzzled. “What’s going on?” The man watched as Cloud, Cid, and Barret prepared to attack him. “On to plan B!” He ran deeper into the plant. “After him!” Cloud, Cid, and Barret gave chase. They dashed into the next room, and found the man in the black cloak and Stray the moogle standing next to Tifa, who was chained to the wall. “Stay back!” the man desperately warned. He pointed his sword at Tifa’s neck. “Don’t move any nearer or else I’ll kill her!” The original Cait Sith moogle turned to the man and spoke in his deep low voice. “What? You’re going to kill her? But, why?” “Quiet!” The man in the black cloak slapped the moogle. “She will die!” The moogle stared at the man, then turned to Cloud. “I’m sorry. This is all my fault.” The man with the black cape glared at the moogle, then turned his sword to Tifa. The moogle drew back in horror. “I can’t watch! I can’t stand this, anymore!” The moogle ran away, crying. “Coward!” the man yelled. He cursed, then pointed his sword at Tifa’s throat. Cloud was horrified. “Tifa! No!” The man smiled. “Ha ha ha. That’s just like you, Cloud. You can’t stop me. After all, you promised Tifa that you’d protect her.” Cloud stopped to think. “Wait a minute...” Cloud glared at the man in the black cloak. “No one knows about that promise... except...” Cloud looked into the man’s eyes. “Zack?” The man smiled. “You figured out, Cloud.” Tifa turned her head up and looked at Zack. “Zack... You can’t do this!” Zack glared at Tifa. “Heh heh. Watch me. Hey, Cloud. Watch as I take away what you took away from me! Watch as I destroy your sweetheart right in front of your very eyes!” “WHAT!” Cloud and Tifa watched in horror as Zack raised his sword. Tifa screamed. “Zack! Don’t!” “TIFA! NOOOOOOOO!” Zack laughed as he brought his sword down. “Revenge! Ha ha ha!”
SLASH! “Argh!” Zack flew back from the attack before he could hack Tifa into two. He ripped the shurikan from his chest. “What the...!?” “Cloud!” Yuffie shoved Zack out of the way. Cloud ran up to Tifa and untied her. “Tifa!” The man in black stared. “%#@()!” Tifa looked at Yuffie. “Thanks.” The man cursed some more, than waved his arms. THOUSANDS of Sephiroth clones and moogles entered the room. Zack ran behind them all, and laughed, mockingly. “Let’s see you take this.” Cid stared at the army. “Shit.”
The entire army of clones and moogles charged at once. Cloud, Tifa, Yuffie, Cid, and Barret braced themselves for the battle. Cloud felt that the end was near.
A dark, dimly lighted room.
The moogle cried. It roared in anguish. “What have I done...” It began to cry, again. “What have I done? What happened to me? How could I do this? I have betrayed everything that I loved.” The moogle cried some more. “Waaah aaaah aaah...” The door creaked open. A small figure stood in the doorway. The moogle looked up at him. “Hello, Stray.” The cat walked up to his faithful companion. The moogle stared at the cat. “Cait Sith... you... I... waaah...” The moogle cried. Cait Sith patted him on the back. “There, there, Stray.” The moogle turned his head to the cat. “Cait Sith, I am so sorry. I betrayed you. I betrayed everyone. I destroyed the lives of innocent people. I helped an evil man rise to power. I don’t deserve to live, any more. I don’t deserve your forgiveness.” The cat looked down at the moogle. The moogle was still crying. “Look what has become of me. I have been stained by my evil deeds. No longer am I the pure white color I once was.” “Possibly.” Reeve walked up to the moogle. “But, there is always the chance to atone for your sins.” Cait Sith climbed up on top of the moogle and looked down. “Stray, you must help us. You must undo your evil.” The moogle looked up at the cat.
BAM! Cid slammed against the wall. “%&@()! I’ve had enough of this! Highwind! Let it rain down! ULTIMATE LIMIT BREAK, GO!” The army of moogles and clones were blasted by missiles from above. Even though the enemy was suffering severe casualties, Cloud realized they couldn’t win. They were just too outnumbered. Zack laughed at their helplessness. Barret was wounded on the floor, and Yuffie was seriously hurt. “Cloud!” Tifa, with a cut on her head, backed up against Cloud. “Well, Tifa, I guess this is it.” The group braced themselves as the moogles and clones backed them up against a wall, then got ready to charge and finish them off. “HA HA HA!” Zack laughed, again. “You will all die!” The moogles and clones were just about to attack, when...
“KUPO!” Everyone stopped and looked around to see where the noise came from. “KUPO!” Stray had discarded his black cape, cloak, and fur, and was now roaring at the moogles. He roared, again. “KUPO!” The moogles listened. They understood. They all began roaring in unison. “KUPO! KUPO!! KUPO!!!” The man in the black cloak watched in horror as the moogles turned on his Sephiroth clones. “KUPO!” Fighting broke out everywhere. “NOOOOO!” Zack screamed, and ran away. Cloud saw him. “Zack! Come back here!” Cloud, Tifa, and Yuffie chased Zack further into the mako plant.
“AGH!” Zack was breathing, heavily. “No! This can’t be! WHY!?” “ZACK!” Cloud approached Zack. “DAMN YOU!” Zack pointed his finger at Cloud. “AAAGH!” Zack ripped out his sword, and charged at Cloud. Cloud grimaced and prepared to block the attack, but Zack was kicked out of the way before he reached Cloud. Tifa glared at Zack, who was on the floor. “Zack. Why?” An infuriated Zack glared back. “WHY DO YOU KEEP ASKING ME THAT!? REVENGE!” Tifa shook her head. “Zack, why do you want revenge? Cloud was your friend. I was your friend. We didn't do anything to you.” “LIAR!” Zack glared at Cloud. “YOU! You ruined my life!” “What?” “You took her away! You took Aeris away from me!” Cloud helped Zack up. “Zack, I didn’t kill Aeris. Sephiroth did.” “NO! You fool! What you took away from me was much more than her life. You took her heart!” “What are you talking about?” “Now, Aeris loves you. She doesn't love me any more! I... She... We should have had an eternity of paradise together in the Promised Land, but she loved YOU!” “The Promised Land?” Cloud realized that Zack was talking about the afterlife. Zack kneeled his head down. “Why did she choose you... Why.....?” Tifa and Yuffie walked up to Zack. Yuffie looked down at him. “Hey... are you okay?” Tifa kneeled down next to him. “Zack? Are you... crying?” “Sniff... I... Aeris...” “Zack, it’s okay.” Tifa handed Zack the photo that Zack showed her. Zack looked at it. He remembered the picture. He looked at the three people. Tifa, Zack, and Sephiroth. “No it’s not. I have done so much to you.” Cloud walked over to Zack. “Zack, you can’t live your life like this. Look. You were given a second chance. You’re alive again. Don’t blow it all just for your revenge.” Zack looked up at Cloud. “A second chance?” Suddenly, a spaceship crashed through the ceiling of the room. Cid glared at the site. “SHIT! MY ROCKET!” Palmer hopped out of the rocket. “PALMER!!! YOU %@#$@ FATMAN!” Cid stared at the rubble that was once his rocket. Ignoring him, Palmer danced around. “Hey, hey! I’m here to stop Sephiroth!” Yuffie looked at Palmer. “You’re too late. We already did stop him.” Palmer looked at the Sephiroth clone, Zack. “That’s not Sephiroth! I learned (from Aeris) that the real Sephiroth is planning to destroy the world!” Cid glared at Palmer. “Where the #@$# did you get that idea!?” Palmer glared back. “It’s true!” Cloud mocked Palmer. “Okay. If it’s so true, then where is Sephiroth?” “He’s planning to inject Jenova cells into the lifestream using the mako plants here. It will cause a huge chain reaction that will destroy the planet!” Cloud quickly ran to the window. Surely enough, all of the mako plants were operating. Palmer looked outside. “If Sephiroth manually charges up all of the mako plants, the planet will instantly explode!” Cloud grabbed Palmer. “QUICK! What kind of body does Sephiroth have?” Palmer looked at Cloud. “A rainbow chocobo.” Cloud watched in horror as he saw a rainbow colored chocobo enter the last mako plant that wasn’t functioning. “We must hurry!” Everyone ran outside, and headed for the mako plant.
“Waaark...” Sephiroth, the rainbow chocobo, smiled as he grabbed the switch. No one could stop him now. He began to pull down. “There you are!” A voice interupted him. “Wark?” The chocobo turned, and saw Joe. “I’ve been looking all over for you!” Joe picked up his rainbow chocobo, and carried it away from the switch. “WARK!” Sephiroth roared in fury at Joe, who was ruining his plans. “WARK!” He began to peck at Joe’s eyes. “AGGH!” Using his enhanced power from Jenova, the rainbow chocobo forced Joe to the ground, and furiously attacked him. Joe cried in pain. The chocobo prepared to kill Joe.
“Wark.” The chocob turned around. A black chocobo slammed into him. “Teioh!” Joe smiled at the site of his black chocobo. “WARK!” Teioh and Sephiroth began to rip furiously at each other. Cloud, Zack, and everyone else dashed into the plant. “Sephiroth!” Cloud charged into the rainbow chocobo. “Wark!” Cloud cleaved the surprised chocobo with his huge sword. Sephiroth was mortally wounded. “Waaark...” He thought to himself. “NO! I must destroy...” The chocobo made one last mad dash using its lightning speed, zoomed to the computer, and pulled the switch. “HA HA HA...” Sephiroth fell down from his wounds, and died. Cloud watched as the computer read, “Download complete. Commencing Jenova injection.” “NOOO!” Everyone screamed. All of the plants began to glow, and mako energy soared into the plant that was the last to be turned on. As the mako energy poured in around them, everyone watched as it merged with the Jenova cells. It began to boil, and rumbling shook throughout the world. Yuffie turned to Cloud. “Cloud! What do we do...?” Cloud looked around. “Zack!” Zack suddenly knew what he had to do. “YAAAAAH!” He smashed into the computer, and Jenova power in him counteracted the reaction. The computer flashed, and everyone was blinded by the huge explosion...
“Ugh...” Yuffie got up and rubbed her head. She looked around, and ran up to Cloud. “Cloud? Are you all right?” Everyone else, including Cloud, got up. Cloud glanced around. “Zack!” He ran up to the dying man in the black cloak. Zack looked up at Cloud. “Ha ha ha. I guess... I finally did the right thing.” Tifa knelt down. “Zack...” Cloud looked at Zack with pity. “I’m sorry, Zack, that things turned out this way.” Zack turned his head up to Cloud. “Don’t be. Cloud, I finally understand. You were right. Thanks for giving me that second chance...” The man in the black cloak closed his eyes, forever. Everyone crowded over the body. Barret put his hand to his chest. Cloud looked up to the sky. “Goodbye, Zack.”
Epilogue
Tifa handed Cloud another drink. “I’m so glad that that’s over.” “Yeah.” Yuffie ran up to Cloud. “Hey, Cloud?” “Yes?” “I’ve been thinking...” Cloud looked at Tifa. They both knew what Yuffie wanted, this time. Tifa held Cloud’s hand. “It’s okay, Cloud.” Cloud turned to Yuffie. “Fine. I’ll go with you to the pageant. Even if it is just a charade, I guess I owe you one for saving Tifa.” Yuffie looked at him. “Thanks, Cloud.” Cloud looked around. “Just remember to give me back my materia, okay?” “Yeah!” Yuffie happily dashed out of the bar. Cloud sighed. Tifa looked at Cloud. “She’s not really going to give back your materia, is she?” “Probably not. She’s too selfish. She’ll find a way to get me to pose as her boyfriend and keep the materia. Oh well. I still have to thank her for saving your life.” Tifa smiled at Cloud. “Thanks for caring.”
Joe looked at the beautiful fireworks of the Gold Saucer along with his companion. “Wark.” Joe turned to Teioh. “I guess I’ve learned my lesson. Teioh, you’ve always been the chocobo for me.” More fireworks went off. “Even if I can’t beat Cloud in the chocobo race, you will always be my chocobo.” Joe put his arm around Teioh. His chocobo. His companion. His best friend.
“Fortune telling! Fortune telling!” “Kupo!” “Hey! Watch it!” Cait Sith screamed at the moogle with his megaphone. Although he was being ordered around, the moogle would have it no other way. Reeve smiled at the duo. “HEY!” Stray picked up Cait Sith and tossed him into the air. Reeve grimaced as he saw the cat fly. “HELP! MEOW!” Stray caught him. The cat looked at Stray. “Don’t do that!” Reeve, Stray, and Cait Sith burst into laughter.
“Tra la la!” Palmer happily took out the lolipop that he stole from the candy store. “Mine! All mine! I don’t have to care, anymore! I did my part! I stopped Sephiroth! No hell for me!” Palmer danced around. “I don’t have to be nice, anymore! Tra la la!” He danced right up to a little baby in a carriage. “Tra la la....?” Palmer looked at the baby. It was crying. Palmer looked at the lolipop that he didn’t open yet. He began to think about that sweet candy taste. He then looked back down at the poor baby. “Here. Phooey.” Palmer gave the baby the lolipop. The baby smiled. As Palmer walked away, he thought to himself. “Hey, that didn’t feel bad at all.”
Aeris kneeled down. Paradise. She looked down at the lush flora beneath her. She listened to the nearby babbling brook. She looked up, and smiled. “You came. You finally came.” “Yeah. I finally came. I will never be controlled by my anger, ever again. The true Zack is back.” Zack handed Aeris a flower. Aeris looked at it. Even though it was withered, even though all of the other flowers in the Promised Land were much prettier, Aeris felt that this flower was the most beautiful flower, ever.
The Annual Wutai Pageant...
It was a lovely night. Romantic music played and could be heard as it went through the night air. Godo and Gorky stood at the entrance, ready to greet the people attending the pageant. Godo and Gorky are wearing tuxedos, as are the rest of the men. All of the ladies are wearing dresses.
(Stop and think of your favorite romantic song, and let it loop over and over as you read this.)
“Hello, Lord Godo.” “Cecilia. Ross. Glad you could come.” Godo bowed down to Cecilia and Ross, who bowed down in return. “Lord Godo.” “Hey! Redea! Idge! You made it!” Godo bowed down to Redea and Idge, who bowed down in return. Gorky turned to Godo. “The pageant is a success, is it not?” “Ah, Gorky, my dear friend. It sure is.” Godo greeted the next couple. “Kole! Shere! Come on in!” Kole and Shere entered the building. Godo smiled. He then stared at the next couple. “Staniv!? Chekhov!?” Godo glared at the odd couple. Staniv waved. “What’s the problem, Lord Godo?” Chekhov laughed. “You’re acting like we didn’t have a date for the pageant all this time and turned to each other in order to avoid embarassment. Ha ha ha.” Staniv and Chekhov laughed together, then entered. Godo stared. “Whatever.” He turned to Gorky. “Ah, life is good.” Gorky looked at the approaching couple. “Don’t keep your hopes up, Godo.” Godo looked at Cloud and Yuffie. Cloud was wearing a black tuxedo, and Yuffie was wearing a white dress. Godo greeted Yuffie unemotionally. “Hello, Yuffie.” Yuffie gave a similar greeting. “Hello, Lord Godo.” They turned their heads away from each other. Yuffie and Godo then looked at each other again. “I’m sorry, dad.” Godo said nothing. Yuffie sighed, and put her head down. “Come on, Cloud. Let’s go.” They began to enter. As Yuffie passed by Godo, he whispered into her ear. “Yuffie, I.... I.... I hope that you and Cloud will forever be happy, together.” “Oh, dad!” Yuffie hugged her father.
(Turn up the volume on that romantic music)
In the middle of the large dance auditorium, everyone was dancing to the music. Everyone, except Godo, Gorky, and Shake, of course. However, Yuffie and Cloud just watched from the tables on the sides of the dance floor. Yuffie looked at the band that was playing on the stage. Shake, the caterer of the party, handed Cloud another dish of Wutai gourmet. Cloud poked at his food with his fork. Yuffie turned to Cloud. “What’s the matter? You aren’t hungry?” Cloud sighed. “Not really. This is all just... a farce. A show.” Shake smiled, and left. Yuffie looked at the dance floor, then looked at Cloud. “Wanna dance?” Cloud looked up at her. “What?” “Please? Everyone is expecting it.” Cloud sighed, again. “Fine.” Cloud and Yuffie got up, and began to slow dance. Gorky ran up to them. “Hey! Miss Yuffie and her boyfriend have finally decided to dance!” Gorky took out his instant camera, and took a picture of the couple. He handed Yuffie the picture. “Thanks, Gorky.” Cloud and Yuffie continued to dance, together. By now, everyone had stopped to watch them. Chekhov turned to Staniv. "Boy, I guess Yuffie isn't just a little girl any more." Staniv laughed. "Yuffie? Sure. I wonder if I should tell her that Godo also defied his father by choosing his own wife." Chekhov was surprised. "Godo did that? That's not a tradition." Staniv chuckled. "I guess that Lord Godo himself really doesn't like tradition very much, either. Go figure. But why are we talking about Miss Yuffie and her boyfriend, anyway? Come on. Let's concentrate on our own time together, instead." Chekhov smiled. "Hey, that's right. We can't let everyone else think that we're here just for the heck of it, can we?" The music continued to fill the dance hall. Yuffie looked up at Cloud. “Cloud?” “Yeah?” “I hope this night never ends.” Cloud looked around. “I could care less.”
The pageant was basically ending. Yuffie and Cloud sneaked out the back of the building when no one was watching. Tifa, wearing her usual attire and riding Cloud’s motorcycle, rode up to them. “Hey, Cloud.” She waved to her boyfriend. Yuffie looked at Cloud. “You’re going, already?” Cloud looked back at Yuffie. “Of course. I did my part. You’re the envy of Wutai. You don’t need me anymore.” Yuffie looked down. “Oh. Okay.” Cloud hopped on the motorcycle with Tifa. As they rode off, Cloud thought to himself. “Finally, I’m back with Tifa.” Cloud felt something in his pocket. He reached in, and pulled out four orbs. “What’s that?” asked Tifa. “It's my materia...”
The next day...
“Good morning!” Shake hopped over to Yuffie. “Hey! How’s it going!? Where’s your boyfriend?” Yuffie turned to Shake, and sadly replied, “We broke up.” Shake gave a sarcastic expression of pity. “Awwwww. That’s too bad. Heh heh.” Yuffie looked really depressed. Shake was puzzled. “Hey, what’s wrong? I know that it was all just a little scheme you put on in order to impress everyone.” Yuffie turned to Shake. “Yeah. Ha ha. It was just a little scheme.” Shake hopped away. Yuffie picked up a photograph, and looked at it. It was the photo that Gorky took of her and Cloud at the pageant. She held it against her.
“Yeah, Cloud. Even if it was all just a hoax to you, I will treasure
that night, forever.”