Kakrikya's Shop

[Arissa Warrner]

((Sure thing))
Zeren smiled and shook his head at willow.
"You would be suprisd how much life is like a werewolf hunt." He said

[Willow]

ooc- I'm fine.

bic- "Not the first I've met," she replied dryly, glancing up. Rioku. For a moment, she felt lonely and wished Kirian was here.

Where are you? Willow asked. It was nearly a full moment before Kirian replied.

Ugh...Outskirts of the Imperial City. What's up?

Nothing, Willow dismissed, and returned following Cloud and Zeren.

[Gwydion Nefarine]

Cloud thought about Zeren's statement. What exactly did he mean by that? Cloud shrugged it off, not paying any attention to Willow's comment, and started towards Bravil.

((ok then. letsa go *says in Mario voice*- we all go to "Carrying Out a Threat"))

[anasa]

Kakrikya glanced at her little sister who was curled up in a corner, then shifted her gaze to Tifa's parents.

"Say," she said, "Would either of you want your fortunes to be told?"

[Gwydion Nefarine]

* *......A few days later......* *

Cloud and Tifa walked towards Anvil, to Kakrikya's shop. Their trip had been silent so far. Tifa had taken what Cloud had told her for an accusation, though Cloud had not meant like that. Finally, she simmered down enough to ask Cloud what he had been waiting for her to ask. "So who's that weird guy that was with you? And how can you trust that thief after what she did?" Cloud answered vaguely, "I don't trust her Tifa, but that 'weird guy' does, and he's someone who can help us find Vincent."

Tifa sighed with frustration. "Cloud! You're not telling me everything. What really happened? Don't you trust me? Do you have a reason not to?" Cloud looked at Tifa, her eyes cold. "I'm sorry Tifa, I just..... I do trust you. Well, Renardo gave us three locations: a hole in the ground in Anvil, a castle in the Imperial City, and some kind of city in a cave. Willow, the thief, helped lead us to you. The other one is a...... well, he's a vampire."

Before Cloud could go on, Tifa shouted, "A vampire?! Are you crazy? He would probably rather suck us all dry of blood before he would help us!" Cloud finally cut back in. "This vampire, though, knows about my past, a secret I have not told anyone. I'm not exactly sure how he knows, but he does. I think we can trust him, though Zeren doesn't." Tifa nodded and went back to being silent.

Cloud finally realized what was bothering her and said, "Tifa, what I told you back at the healer's house, I was just telling you that from experience. I don't think you'll ever be evil. I just thought I should tell you that. Revenge doesn't get us anywhere." Tifa nodded. "Okay." She said nothing more.

At last, Cloud and Tifa arrived at Kakrikya's shop. Cloud knocked on the shop door. "Kakrikya?"

[anasa]

Kakrikya answered the door with a smile.

"So...did you two have yourselves a nice little adventure?"

Geal sat up, drifting awake and rubbing sleep from her eyes. The red blanket fell slipped silently onto the ground as she wobbled towards the noise.

"Sister? Do we have company?"

The days she had spent without her youth potions had aged Geal by at least 20 years.

[Gwydion Nefarine]

Cloud ignored the question and greeted Kakrikya and Geal, as Tifa's parents came rushing to the door. "Tifa!" they said in unison as they both wrapped their arms around her. Mère laughed and cried at the same time and said, "Tifa, we're so glad you're okay." They drew back for a minute, looking her up and down for wounds. "Did he hurt you?" asked Pierre. Cloud and Tifa exchanged a glance. "I'm fine," Tifa said with a laugh, saying as if there was nothing more to say. Her parents seemed content with the answer and hugged her furiously again.

Cloud turned to Kakrikya and Geal and with a smile, said, "I hope you two got along while I was gone."

[anasa]

"Pfft! Hardly!" said Geal, now fully awake, "I'll have those youth potions now."
"Not so fast, sister," Kakrikya said, wagging her finger, "YOU have to go see Kreyo, remember?"
"Moif.." Geal said under her breath, eyes cast gloomily towards the ground.

[Gwydion Nefarine]

Cloud gave a small smile. "Well, Geal, I'd offer to take you there, but Tifa and I need to go. We have a pretty good idea where Vincent's hiding, and we have to get there before he leaves. Zeren is going to meet us there. After we're finished though, I will if you want me to."

Mère looked at him desperately, "Why does she have to go? Why can't she stay here with us?" before Cloud could reply, Tifa said, "I'm going because I want to. I'll be fine. Goodbye Mother. Goodbye Father."

Pierre and Mère hugged their daughter and wished her a safe journey. Cloud could tell that they were worried. He was worried, himself. Vincent was after Tifa -- he was sure of that.

Cloud nodded respectfully to Tifa's parents, Kakrikya, and Geal. "We must be going then."

[anasa]

"Oh, no," Kakrikya said with a knowing smirk on her face, "I wouldn't reccomend that."

"Kakrikya..." Geal said, turning her head towards her with a look of half-suspicion, half-trust (the kind of look that only family members can pull off,) "What did you see?"

"The bubbles in the brewing-pot," Kakrikya replied, pointing to the black cauldron in the corner, "They formed the symbol of the rat. If you leave too early, you will be robbed."

[Gwydion Nefarine]

"Robbed?" Cloud said. Then, with frustration continued, "I'm not going to allow that to happen Kakrikya. I have to go, now. Every second I waste is another second Vincent could be escaping." Tifa looked at Cloud with the same frustration, "You mean we, right Cloud?" Cloud nodded reluctantly.

[anasa]

Kakrikya and Geal shook their heads in almost perfect unison.

"Very well then," Kakrikya said, "But remember to stay away from perfectly split stones and riverbanks at night."

[Gwydion Nefarine]

Cloud nodded. "Goodbye, then." Tifa said "goodbye" to everyone as well and Cloud out the door. After a while, she spoke, "Cloud, why don't you trust anyone?" It was a question Cloud had never really been asked. He thought about it for a minute. He couldn't really come up with an answer. Tifa went on, "Zeren, Kakrikya, Geal, my parents, and I have all trusted you with our lives. I think that gives you enough reason to trust us." Cloud sighed. "Listen, Tifa, I......" Tifa cut him off, "Cloud! You think you have to fight alone, but you don't. We're all living proof of that. Let us help you Cloud. But to help you, we've got to know what is we're helping you with." Cloud said softly,

[Gwydion Nefarine]

Cloud nodded. "Goodbye, then." Tifa said "goodbye" to everyone as well and Cloud out the door. After a while, she spoke, "Cloud, why don't you trust anyone?" It was a question Cloud had never really been asked. He thought about it for a minute. He couldn't really come up with an answer.

Tifa went on, "Zeren, Kakrikya, Geal, my parents, and I have all trusted you with our lives. I think that gives you enough reason to trust us." Cloud sighed. "Listen, Tifa, I......" Tifa cut him off, "Cloud! You think you have to fight alone, but you don't. We're all living proof of that. Let us help you Cloud. But to help you, we've got to know what is we're helping you with."

Cloud said softly, "You know what and who I'm looking for." Tifa looked at him with confounded amazement. "That's not what I'm talking about. When Zeren and I asked you about your being a werewolf a few weeks ago, we practically had to force you to answer us." Speaking of that, Cloud thought as he got his "Tears of the Moon Goddess" out and put a drop in each eye. It was almost dark. Going back to the conversation, he said, "Things were different then."

Tifa shook her head. "Cloud, we both had your life in our hands at Geal's hut. We could have killed you then if we wanted to, but we didn't. I don't regret that decision, but don't you think that's cause enough to trust us? And when I asked you what was going on earlier, you tried to be as vague as you could. What excuse will you give me now?"

((I'm gonna move the rest of this conversation to "Lord Guerrier de Chateau"))

[anasa]

"I suppose that means I must leave, too," Geal said, heading towards the door.

"Sister..." Kakrikya said softly, "Perhaps...one of these days, you'll return to me? Not just for potions-but as a sister?"

Geal said nothing and left for Kvatch Sanctuary.