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[forgivensoldier.livejournal.com]

Who: Cloud, Denzel, Anyone else living at 7th Heaven
What: Finally getting home
Where: Edge
When: During closed hours
Rating: PG



Even though it was parked, the engine of the Fenrir was still hot to the touch. The pocket on the side of the motorcycle was being emptied. Cloud Strife lifted a medium sized bag that had been rolled up at the top, then he took a box that had been secured so it would fly off on the way. This box was rather large though he managed to hold it quite easily. Taking a deep relieving breath as he turned looking at the bar.

The sign showing in the window read "Sorry, we're closed" but of course that didn't impede him. He walked over to the door and turned the knob with the hand holding the bag. or at least he tried to, it was locked. He fished into a pocket and pulled out a keyring with only a few keys. With a turn and a click the door opened. Quietly, he closed the door behind him. The bar was of course empty with all the chairs upside down on their tables. Cloud's attention was caught by the pictures lined along the wall.

The one of all his friends and family from when the geostigma was cured caught his eye enough so that he lingered on it before he continued walking. He set the bag on the table as well as the long, wide box. When he looked at the box, he remembered that he was home. He took off the large sword on his back and set it on the counter as well. He was home finally. No need to have it within arm's reach. Not here.

He crouched down and began searching for the ingredients for a certain drink wondering if he had truly managed to sneak in unheard.

Comments

[wantstobeahero.livejournal.com]

Denzel pulled up a bar stool and climbed up onto it. "How was Wutai? Did you see Yuffie?" He liked Yuffie, she made him laugh and was a lot of fun! "I hope she didn't steal any materia!"

His grin soon turned to a frown at the mention of Sephiroth and his 'brothers'. The Remnants scared him. He didn't like them, at all.

[forgivensoldier.livejournal.com]

"Wutai was amazing!" Cloud said as he poured the root beer into the glasses of ice cream. "They were holding a festival and Yuffie was a part of it, so I didn't get to talk to her really. But I made sure that all my materia was safe." He grabbed a long spoon from under the counter and put in the drink sliding to Denzel so it would stop just next to his plate of sandwiches. "We'll have to go there when they have another one. I'll call Yuffie and ask about the details."

He made no mention of the long, wide box even though his eyes flicked from Denzel to them with a small smile.

As he poured the root beer in the other glass he listened to Kid. His smile fading and his face becoming more thoughtful. He put a long spoon in the glass and slid the other rootbeer float to Kid as she fumbled around on her phone before getting the recording to play. The conversation between Sephiroth and Kadaj made Cloud's eyes move from the phone to the large sword that lay on the bar nearby. The last he had seen of the remnant was when he had been taken into the Lifestream. By her.

Sephiroth's mention of Tifa's supposed return to Midgar during the recording again forced Cloud to look somewhere else. To the stairs that led to the living quarters where she would have been right now. He knew she wasn't there when he saw Denzel's face.

Out of all the recorded conversation, what made Cloud wonder the most was that they didn't seem to be following Jenova's destructive path, but their own. That could either make things easier, or more difficult.

Cloud had no words of comfort to give Kid about Schala. In fact he had never met her before. "Splitting up isn't the worst idea. We'll cover more ground that way. Just tell them to be careful." The last time Cloud tried to do things by himself, neglecting his friends' help, it wasn't too successful.He would have to make some calls himself and see if his friends weren't too busy to help him locate Schala.

He picked up the ice cream and put it inside the freezer. As the cold air from inside it hit his face, he thought some more, his eyes looking over the frost that had built up inside. He closed it slowly. "Right."

Turning back to the bar he put both forearms on the bar standing in front of Denzel. "You going to open it or not?" he asked pointing a single finger at the box that held a broad sword that was half the length of Cloud's sword though just as wide.

[wantstobeahero.livejournal.com]

Denzel soon abandoned the sandwiches in favour of the ice cream, digging his spoon into it and taking a far too big spoonful, shovelling it into his mouth.

He tried to distract himself from the conversation going on around him. He blamed himself that Tifa was taken in the first place, and for her to not've returned yet was painful to him. He didn't want to lose another mom.

He was brought back from his daydream at Cloud's words, blinking at him with confusion. "Huh?" He looked at the box, scrunching up his nose, pushing his ice cream aside. "What is it? Is it for me?" He got off the stool and moved over to the box, poking at it for a few moments, before beginning to open it.

His eyes widened at the contents. His mouth in the shape of an 'O' as his lifted the sword out of the box. "Woah~"

[forgivensoldier.livejournal.com]

"It's a bit heavy, but you'll get used to it." Cloud said with a smile after seeing Denzel's reaction. "We can practice together on my off days. Just be careful with it. I made sure it had some slots for materia. We can go over that after basic training." Cloud gave a quick wink before he looked back at Kid.

"I'll try and find Tifa. Keep in touch and let me know if Glenn and Serge find Schala." Cloud's search would be a lot easier now that he had purchased that airship. He put the cap back on the root beer and slid it back under the bar. "Tomorrow I'll gather up some things and head out. I'll be back before you know it." he added looking from Denzel to the shiny new sword that lay in the boy's hands.

"Thanks for keeping things together Kid." he said as he took his own sword off the bar and put it on his back. "7th Heaven is Tifa's pride and joy."

[kid-cc.livejournal.com]

Kid nodded, her smile returning upon seeing Denzel's. "No problem. Till then, I can make sure Den here gets some proper trainin'. I know me way around magic and the like."

Upon hearing the compliment, Kid smirked. "This place is me home now too ya know? 'Sides, least I can do for losin' to that bastard pretty boy." Her smirk faded however, recalling a certain piece of information. "Oh yeah! Glenn found another piece of info, though this may make ya laugh a little...or creep you out like me. Apparently, Balamb Garden had this little party, but the dumbasses actually let Sephiroth pass! Glenn tried to get a preemptive strike, and, well..." She chuckled; imaging Glenn in pain in comedic ways always brought her joy in times of strife. "Les jus' say he ain't exactly welcomed around any hunters there."

"But anyway, he was seen leavin' with some guy with black hair and some weird claw. All I got sadly from the dumbass, other than the guy looks like a vampire." Rolling her eyes, she took another sip from her drink, nearly moaning from the taste before finally putting it back down. "Good stuff. Anyway, not sure how that'll help, but it might give us a good lead. Worth checking out when ya got time."

[wantstobeahero.livejournal.com]

Denzel lifted the sword from it's box, gripping it with both hands. It was rather heavy, but he would get used to the weight eventually. He took a step backwards, giving an experimental swing, letting out a laugh. "This is the coolest present ever, Cloud! Thank you so much!"

Now he had a cool sword, he was one step closer to becoming a hero just like his idol. And then he'd be able to protect everyone and keep all those he loved safe.