Lifestream

Tifa followed him, of course. He was fast enough to leave her far enough behind so that she didn't know if couldn't hear her calling him, or if he was just ignoring her. Tifa's mind questioned the wisdom of following him alone, but her heart ignored it. She rationalized it by saying that she didn't want to let him out of her sight. Besides, she couldn't bring herself to believe that Cloud would actually do anything to her. And she wasn't trying to stop him, as he'd warned against, since she didn't know what he was planning.

The plains were beginning to turn brown, but the weather was still hot, and she soon became aware of the sun beating down on the side of her head, and the sweat running down her back beneath her uniform. Cloud had taken the most direct route out of the town, but was now circling around it, striding generally northward through the overgrown areas between the eastern edge of the town and the mountains. She no longer had the sun at her back. The weeds grew tall here, and Tifa soon found herself pushing through them to make a path for herself. Ahead of her, Cloud did the same, spreading his arms to bend the waist-high weeds out of his way, and allowing them to spring back into place behind him. At first, Cloud had seemed to be trying to leave her behind, but after a few minutes, he had slowed to a steadier pace that she could keep up with, with effort.

She lost sight of him for a moment, as he passed the town and entered more open grasslands. But soon after Tifa broke free of the cumbersome weeds, she saw him again, about sixty meters ahead. Mount Nibel loomed larger ahead of them, and its they were soon within its massive shadow. The chase plodded on, and the sun dipped lower. Suddenly, of all things, a monster appeared to help Tifa catch up. It was an overgrown green lizard with yellow frills the attacked Cloud from behind; nothing compared to the more vicious creatures that had once lived here, and certainly no match for Cloud's Masamune. The lizard's attacks were ineffective, and one casual swipe of the massive blade separated its head from its shoulders, but this gave Tifa the time she needed to, by running, close the gap between them. To her surprise, instead of trying to move on, Cloud just stood there, allowing Tifa to get within three or four steps before calling sharply, "No closer, Tifa."

Tifa stopped and the two exchanged stares for a few seconds. Cloud seemed intensely focused on something, and even more oblivious to the world than he had been an hour ago. Finally, Tifa ventured, "Cloud? Can't we talk about this?"

"I don't have anything to say to you. I'm not going to stop what I'm doing, and I'm sure as hell not going to let you manipulate me any more."

Tifa suppressed her anger, trying to stay calm. "I don't understand. I have no idea what you're planning to do, and as for 'manipulating' you, I never…" She stepped forward as she spoke.

"I said, no closer! I think this conversation's gone as far as it's goin' to go," Cloud cut her off.

"No." Tifa finally allowed her voice to give in to intensity and anger. "No, it hasn't. I don't know what the hell you're ranting about me controlling your life for. I never asked for you to become obsessed with trying to please me, and I've never encouraged you to be anything but yourself." For the first time, Cloud seemed to really see her, and his determination wavered. He suddenly looked as confused as he'd seemed for a moment, back in Nibelheim.

"Cloud, I don't know what's wrong with you, but we understand each other, at least, we did. Let me try to help you." His eyes softened.

Tifa stepped closer towards him, which she immediately recognized as a mistake. She flinched backwards as out of nowhere, the Masamune sprang up at her. Staring into Cloud's uncaring eyes, she seemed to see another pair of equally dispassionate eyes from her past as the Masamune bit into her shoulder.

01-05-17-09-15. Nothing.

Tifa wasn't even paying enough attention anymore to be frustrated. She just mechanically moved the dial to the next position. This could take hours, she realized, if not days, but it needed to be done.

01-05-17-09-16. Nothing.

After getting her wound treated, she'd returned home to Nibelheim. One thing she definitely didn't miss about Mako was media technology. As something of a celebrity, she could understand why people hated reporters. News and gossip about her injury would spread, of course, but gossip couldn't shove a camera or a microphone in her face.

01-05-17-09-17. Nothing.

Tifa was clearly ready for a journey. She had her own sackfull of provisions now, and had strapped her weapon of choice, the Premium Heart, around her right hand. She had abandoned her Highwind uniform in favor of her usual traveling outfit… if a half-t-shirt and shorts could really be called an 'outfit.' All that she needed now was some of the leftover Materia from the safe in Cloud's house, but he'd changed the combination. Fortunately, the safe wasn't booby-trapped or anything, but she'd spent the last half hour trying combinations, and there was no end in sight.

01-05-17-09-18. The safe opened, to Tifa's immense relief. Thankfully, Cloud had had the decency to start the combination with a low number. Something bothered her, but she shrugged it off, and gathered up some shards of Materia. Cloud had vetoed the idea of just leaving the Materia lying around after the defeat of Sephiroth. It could too easily fall into the wrong hands, or worse, Yuffie's hands. Instead, it had been locked in this safe in Cloud's house, by the stove. As Tifa had suspected, Cloud had taken most of the best orbs, but there were still a few of interest here, including Bahamut, Comet, and FullCure. Tifa stocked up, glad that even after their war with Sephiroth, the little group had kept their foresight.

Sephiroth. Cloud's face had been so much like Sephiroth's when he had attacked her. The same single-mindedness and disconcern for the affairs of others that Sephiroth had shown while retrieving Jenova's head. Maybe it was the sword itself. Tifa swore for a few moments. The Masamune must be turning Cloud into another Sephiroth!

But he had held up. That was why her wound hadn't been as severe as the one Sephiroth had given her five and a half years ago. Cloud had stopped himself. He could have killed her.

Tifa's optimism left her only one explanation for this. Cloud was fighting the effects of whatever was possessing his mind. She had been about to get through to him. The real Cloud was still there, and she wasn't about to let him go. As she walked towards the door, determination coursing through her, she realized what was bothering her about the safe's new combination.

01-05-17-09-18. It was a simple alphanumeric code.

A-E-R-I-S.

With a chilling certainty, Tifa suddenly knew exactly where Cloud was going and what he was trying to do. The chill came from the fear that she wouldn't be able to stop him.

On to Chapter 3.

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