About two and a half years passed. The remaining members of the group parted ways and hid from Lucrecia's Order. Cloud hid in Costa de Sol, Barret went back to North Corel, but had to leave two months later when the Galians attacked. He ended up in Rocket Town. Tifa lived with Nanaki at Cosmo Canyon. Cid was up in space. No one heard from Yuffie.

Cloud had helped outfit Costa de Sol with the latest in defense. Costa de Sol was now home to a large cannon half the size of Junon's. Costa de Sol was named capital of the new nation known as AVALANCHE Nation. Costa de Sol was named capital and Barret was named president. But he resigned and handed over to someone he knew from somewhere at sometime . . .

Cloud became one of the many who defended Costa de Sol from Lucrecia's Order.

Why is it Lucrecia's Order? They're spawn of that scum Vincent. Cloud thought as he laid the final brick in the Wall of de Sol. The wall was thick enough to withstand two blasts of the Junon cannon, more than enough to keep the Galians out.

"Cloud, meeting at seven with President Locke!" Vance, who was a fellow warrior, called.

"Thanks, Vance." Cloud said and dusted off his hands. He took a few steps back to look at the pale white wall.

Seven. Meeting.

"Be seated warriors. Tomorrow you deliver the blow. We're attacking Junon. Full force. You'll have till eight A.M. tomorrow to say you regards and goodbyes." Locke said.

Questions started to bounce off the walls. Cloud removed himself from the town hall. He went back to the beach house that was once President Shinra's. Now it belonged to him.

Cloud picked up the phone and dialed Barret. "We have plans."

That was the day, Cloud said to himself, the day of the truth.

Cloud, Tifa, and Barret were lying behind a small wall.

"There's the main building. Vincent and Reeve are probably hangin' out there." Barret said.

"There'll be a lot of soldiers in there. We have to move stealthily." Cloud said.

"That's why Nanaki chose not to come." Tifa said.

"In two minuets we move." Barret said.

"When is AVALANCHE Nation starting their attack?" Tifa asked.

"In three minuets." Cloud said, and smiled.

Should've been four. Cloud thought.

The three dropped in through a vent.

"Awright we've gotta move and fast! When the alarms start to sound lasers will block the vent openings. Lets move!" Barret explained.

The small group made it to the vent opening. And the alarm sounded.

"DAMNIT!" Barret screamed.

"We're trapped." Cloud said.

"No shit Sherlock!" Barret yelled. "How the hell we getting' outta this one?"

"We don't?" Tifa asked, turing around. Cloud turned also and saw two soldiers in their blue uniforms headed towards them. Barret ended their lives by blasting them with his Gatling Gun Arm.

"Barret, the vent opening!" Cloud ordered. Barret shot the grate and it fell. The lasers remained.

"The lasers are still there, genius! They'll cut you to bits!" Barret shouted. Cloud ripped a small mirror off of his belt buckle.

"Tifa, do you . . ."

Before he could finish Tifa had her compact in his hand. "When I say now jump down there. Then find away to disable the alarm." Cloud said. He took the two mirrors and started to see what he could do with the two lasers before him. He eventually got them in an ideal position. "Tifa, now." Cloud said. Tifa jumped down and landed in a hallway in which soldiers were running down. They paid no attention to Tifa.

"Hope she can do something." Barret said. He then blasted two more soldiers coming through the vent.

Ten minuets later Cloud saw the lasers disappear. And the lights go out. Tifa ran up to greet them.

"What'd you do?" Cloud asked.

"Cut the power. C'mon!" She ordered. Cloud jumped down. Barret shot away some of the vent shaft and came down hard.

The auxiliary power cut on. Barret watched the two laser beams that ran the entire length of the vent come on. The alarm no longer sounded. "Got outta there just in time."

"Think Vincent and Reeve are still in here?" Cloud asked.

"Yeah. I thought I saw Reeve. But he had plenty of soldiers guarding him." Tifa replied. "The head honchos are on floor thirty."

"C'mon!" Barret yelled, already running to the elevator.

Four Galians rushed up to Cloud as he passed what was once Cosmo Canyon. All that remained was Bugenhagen's telescope. He had some Umaro, the food that seemed to be a Galian favorite.

And it was their weakness. He threw some Umaro and three of them ran for it. One stayed. The one rushed at him. Cloud drew his Buster Sword and impaled the Galian just as he was about to rip into Cloud's face. He threw the unfortunate Galian to the others for them to devour. This was about the spot. Cloud made a special whistle and Goldie, his Gold Chocobo, ran towards him. Cloud jumped on Goldie and rode towards Midgar.

Almost.

A Galian knocked him off the Chocobo. It was one of the remaining three. Cloud delivered him a chop through the abdomen. Another one dashed towards him. Cloud stabbed him, but in his dying breath he knocked the Buster Sword out of Cloud's hand. It landed at least twenty meters away. The last Galian raced towards Cloud. Cloud cringed as he prepared to have the flesh of his face torn off. The teeth were there, about to clamp his face . . .

The Galian dropped. Nanaki stood where it once did.

"Good to see you again." Nanaki said.

Ding! "You've arrived at floor thirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr."

"Shut up!" Barret screamed at the elevator's voice as he blasted the intercom.

"I told you they'd come here." Vincent said.

"Did I say I doubted you?" Reeve asked.