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Part 2: The Return of an Old Friend

"You have 1,000 messages."

The phone said then beeped playing the messages back.

"Hey, Ai-chan how's it been? Call me!"

"Hi. . .It's been a while. . .How are you?"

"It's Tifa. . .Gosh we haven't talked in so long. . .just wondering how you're doing."

"Ya crazy psycho, what's happening? Better come visit us soon!"

"Hiya, it's Yuffie again. I'm always gearing for a fight!"

"Get your ass down here now! I'm dying to challenge your sorry ass in a drinking contest! Prepare to lose!"

"Hi, how you've been holding up?"

"Cloud again. . .I've been worried. . .Please call soon."

"Hey! You never called, Ai-chan you are so meaaaaaan!"

"No one ignores the grand Ninja master and gets away with it!"

"We're missing you, please stop disappearing on us! I'm itching to throw some ninja stars at your pillow!"

"Remember that date you promised me? The Reno man is still waiting!"

"That does it! I don't care what world you are hiding in! I'm taking my gun and hunting you down! Oh, ya think you are pretty clever in hiding all this time! Don't cha? Little trashy piece of. . ." That voice message ended in a long string of cuss words which are too obscene that they can't be mentioned out loud.

The woman standing near Zack's grave chuckled at Barret's message then flipped her cell shut with a loud click planning to hear the rest later.

"It certainly has been a while." She said looking at the
darkened sky. The ominous clouds were hiding the golden rays of the sun blocking out all of the warmth. She exhaled watching her breath come out in puffs.

"After all this time, you guys remembered."

Her vibrant crystal blue eyes landed on Zack's buster sword covered in rust from age.

"I was hoping to be a distant memory."

Picking up two small sleeping girls in her arms she walked into the city.

They awoke and walked beside her making sure to hold her hands.

She was dressed casually in dark blue jeans, a white spaghetti strapped shirt with black frills, and black heeled boots. A black leather jacket kept her warm.

"Where are we going?" The girl with long blonde hair asked looking up at her babysitter with shining eyes, blue like the clear ocean where the three of them lived.

"To a friend's place. She'll take care of you while I'm gone."

"But, aren't you supposed to babysit us?"

The woman squeezed the girl's hand, "Yes. . .But I have some things to sort out."

"Like what?"

Akari sighed, why did children have to ask so many questions?

"It's complicated." Her glare silenced further pressing.

"Can we see Aerith?" The girl on her right spoke up.

At the mention of Aerith's name, Akari stopped in tracks.

"We have to move before it rains."

She dragged the girls along then got lost and mentally kicked herself for not getting the world map sphere that was presented to her by a Moogle earlier upon their arrival.

Her eyes widened recognizing the church where her friend used to tend flowers.

"Aerith!" The girls cheered and were about to race into the church when Akari held them back. She smiled for them and hid the guilty expression well.

"Let's see her later, okay?"

Her tightened grip on their hands gave them little choice.

The girls reluctantly followed the female warrior to 7th Heaven.

Tifa just finished washing and drying dishes when she heard the bell signal a new customer. Dropping the towel on the counter she ran from the bar eager to see him.

"Cloud's home!" Marlene ran down the stairs eager to see the blonde soldier.

Tifa stopped in the hallway and her smile faltered seeing that it wasn't her blond soldier. "Hey, you're not Cloud!" Marlene glared at the woman.

"Marlene be nice." Tifa scolded her ruby red eyes never leaving a pair of glittering sapphire blue. "No, I'm not." Akari acknowledged the little girl with a single glance.

"Hi, I'm Marlene." Marlene smiled at the girls her age.

"I'm Hanami." The blond girl with ocean blue eyes spoke first walking up to Marlene with the other girl. The little girl with long black hair had the prettiest eyes Marlene had ever seen. "What's your name?" She stared into two different eye colors. One color was green while the other one was blue.

"A-Asuka. It's nice to meet you."

Asuka performed a strange bow which was expected for the little princess.

"I love your names, come on I'll show you around."

Marlene led them upstairs to play.

"I never expected to see you or the little girls again."

Tifa chuckled feeling a sense of nostalgia, a sense she hadn't felt in a long time.

"Yeah well I was busy." Akari's short and curt answer surprised Tifa.

The younger woman plopped herself on the couch closing her eyes.

"Would you like a drink?" Tifa asked and decided to take the silence as a yes.

Soon a cold glass of water was presented to Akari which she took gratefully.

Tifa sat next to her keeping some distance between them.

"No word from you for years and you suddenly show up unannounced?"

"Like I said I got caught up in things."

Akari lightly slammed the cup on the counter.

A period of silence was quickly followed.

Tifa sighed getting up, "Just like Cloud." she muttered under her breath so low that Akari didn't hear her. Akari heard the girls giggle from Marlene's room.

"Tifa I need to ask a favor for you."

"What is it?" Tifa folded her arms noticing it was sprinkling outside.

"I need you to look after Lady Asuka and Lady Hanami for me. It will be a couple a week or two." Akari ignored the surprised expression on older woman's face.

"They are your responsibility. You can't just abandon them!"

Akari glared back at her, "I'm not abandoning anyone. . .It's a simple babysitting offer if you can't handle it then I'll find someone who is more capable."

"Besides I want them to reconnect with everyone." Akari added feeling like she was being nagged by a certain mother she never liked. Tifa softened her expression and lightly touched Akari's arm who flinched away.

`Akari, why are you so cold. Why do you have to place barriers around yourself? Like. . my blond soldier. Why do you keep shutting everyone out?`

Tifa thought as she stared at her friend regretting her anger with the female soldier.

"I'm sorry. I'm sure you have your reasons. . .I'll gladly protect them for you. And Cloud will be thrilled to see them too."

"Where is Spiky?"

Akari listened to the pitter-patter rhythm of the rain upon the rooftop.

"He's on a delivery run and I'm not sure when he will be back."

"He doesn't call or anything?"

This surprised Akari surely Cloud wouldn't worry Tifa like that.

"No, he keeps me in the dark." Tifa stared at Akari intently and didn't voice what she was thinking. Akari tried to ignore the intense and slightly accusing stare Tifa was giving her. She really knew how to get under someone's skin.

"Wait."

Tifa suddenly remembered something as she faced Akari again.

"Cloud mentioned something about going to Shinra HQ. It's the last delivery on his list."

Akari nodded, "Then I'll wait for him there."

"It's getting late please stay here. At least for Hanami and Asuka."

Akari stopped at the door her hand mere inches from the doorknob.

It suddenly opened to reveal a little boy with brown hair and light blue eyes.

A look of confusion crossed his features when he saw Akari's face then stepped to the side to enter the bar.

"Hello, Denzel back from school so soon?" Tifa greeted with a smile.

"Yeah, we had an early dismissal." Denzel didn't take his eyes off the beautiful new woman through a fringe of bangs that hid his eyes.

"Denzel this is my friend Akari she was sort of part of Avalanche back in the day."

Akari did a little wave that was all the kid was getting from her.

"Hi." Denzel said careful to hide his face again.

"Denzel do you want to help me make dinner?"

"No, I'm too tired."

Denzel ran up the stairs to his room and closed the door.

"I wonder if there's something wrong."

Tifa left to prepare dinner leaving Akari to wander around as she pleased.

Seeing there was nothing better to do, the female soldier decided to confront Denzel on something he was hiding from Tifa.

"Oh, Akari. . . There's a spare bedroom upstairs on the left from my room. It surprisingly has three guest beds and the room is really big."

"Thank you Tifa."

Akari walked up the stairs, after grabbing an ice pack from the freezer, and found Denzel's door had been cracked opened.

"Hey." She greeted after knocking a few times.

Denzel looked up from one of the children's beds he and Marlene shared.

"Hi." Denzel gave her a confused look as to why she was here.

"You hid your injury pretty well."

A hand flew to the bruised eye which was still a little swollen.

"How could you tell?"

Akari smirked, "I have a keen eye, it's a soldier's weapon against the enemy to have piercing eyesight." Denzel sat up on his bed now interested.

"Are you like Cloud by chance?"

Akari leaned against the wall with her arms folded.

"In what way?"

"You're a soldier aren't you? Just like him."

She slightly nodded, "I am a soldier, but not the kind you expect. I have special magical elements to my weapons as well as abilities that aren't from this world."

Denzel's eyes widened, "Whoa, you're from another world? Does that make you the stronger soldier?"

Akari chuckled, "Strength is measured in different ways kid. Cloud is very strong, but I might be stronger. Perhaps he and I should spar sometime."

"You really like talking about Cloud."

Denzel blushed scratching the side of his cheek.

"Was it that obvious?"

Akari nodded, "Yeah, now tell me what happened."

Denzel lowered his head then finally looked up into those haunting sapphire blue eyes.

"Erm, Have you ever been bullied before?"

"No, but Cloud has."

Akari said finding it easier to talk about his past than hers.

"Really, but he's very strong!"

"He wasn't always the strong Soldier you know now. Cloud had a rough childhood from what he told me. . .Kids bullied him, Tifa especially didn't want anything to do with him."

"Wait, Tifa?"

Akari sighed, "Interrupt me again, and you'll get another bruised eyeball."

That shut the kid up real fast.

"Yes, Tifa grew up with Cloud, but they never knew each other and were never childhood friends like how everyone originally assumed including me. Cloud tried to be accepted by Tifa and her friends and got rejected many times. He then got himself into fights and never backed down from them."

"Tifa was really mean to Cloud." Denzel whispered and couldn't picture the sweet woman he knew as being mean to anyone. "You shouldn't back down either. Keep your chin up and face your bullies head on. Problems at hand need to be dealt with or they will never go away."

Denzel smiled at Akari, "Thanks Akari, I'm going to stand up to them tomorrow."

"Great, let me know if they give you any trouble in the future."

Akari kindly tossed an ice pack at him and left his room.

"Dinner is ready!" Tifa called from downstairs sometime later.

"Come on let's eat."

Denzel smiled at Akari then someone bumped into him.

"I-I'm sorry." Asuka bowed then darted downstairs taking the boy's breath away of how beautiful she was. Akari smirked seeing his stunned gaze and nudged him waking him up again. "Come on, Romeo." She steered him to the stairs and together they sat down for a meal like a family.

Description
Part 2: The Return of an Old Friend

"You have 1,000 messages."

The phone said then beeped playing the messages back.

"Hey, Ai-chan how's it been? Call me!"

"Hi. . .It's been a while. . .How are you?"

"It's Tifa. . .Gosh we haven't talked in so long. . .just wondering how you're doing."

"Ya crazy psycho, what's happening? Better come visit us soon!"

"Hiya, it's Yuffie again. I'm always gearing for a fight!"

"Get your ass down here now! I'm dying to challenge your sorry ass in a drinking contest! Prepare to lose!"

"Hi, how you've been holding up?"

"Cloud again. . .I've been worried. . .Please call soon."

"Hey! You never called, Ai-chan you are so meaaaaaan!"

"No one ignores the grand Ninja master and gets away with it!"

"We're missing you, please stop disappearing on us! I'm itching to throw some ninja stars at your pillow!"

"Remember that date you promised me? The Reno man is still waiting!"

"That does it! I don't care what world you are hiding in! I'm taking my gun and hunting you down! Oh, ya think you are pretty clever in hiding all this time! Don't cha? Little trashy piece of. . ." That voice message ended in a long string of cuss words which are too obscene that they can't be mentioned out loud.

The woman standing near Zack's grave chuckled at Barret's message then flipped her cell shut with a loud click planning to hear the rest later.

"It certainly has been a while." She said looking at the
darkened sky. The ominous clouds were hiding the golden rays of the sun blocking out all of the warmth. She exhaled watching her breath come out in puffs.

"After all this time, you guys remembered."

Her vibrant crystal blue eyes landed on Zack's buster sword covered in rust from age.

"I was hoping to be a distant memory."

Picking up two small sleeping girls in her arms she walked into the city.

They awoke and walked beside her making sure to hold her hands.

She was dressed casually in dark blue jeans, a white spaghetti strapped shirt with black frills, and black heeled boots. A black leather jacket kept her warm.

"Where are we going?" The girl with long blonde hair asked looking up at her babysitter with shining eyes, blue like the clear ocean where the three of them lived.

"To a friend's place. She'll take care of you while I'm gone."

"But, aren't you supposed to babysit us?"

The woman squeezed the girl's hand, "Yes. . .But I have some things to sort out."

"Like what?"

Akari sighed, why did children have to ask so many questions?

"It's complicated." Her glare silenced further pressing.

"Can we see Aerith?" The girl on her right spoke up.

At the mention of Aerith's name, Akari stopped in tracks.

"We have to move before it rains."

She dragged the girls along then got lost and mentally kicked herself for not getting the world map sphere that was presented to her by a Moogle earlier upon their arrival.

Her eyes widened recognizing the church where her friend used to tend flowers.

"Aerith!" The girls cheered and were about to race into the church when Akari held them back. She smiled for them and hid the guilty expression well.

"Let's see her later, okay?"

Her tightened grip on their hands gave them little choice.

The girls reluctantly followed the female warrior to 7th Heaven.

Tifa just finished washing and drying dishes when she heard the bell signal a new customer. Dropping the towel on the counter she ran from the bar eager to see him.

"Cloud's home!" Marlene ran down the stairs eager to see the blonde soldier.

Tifa stopped in the hallway and her smile faltered seeing that it wasn't her blond soldier. "Hey, you're not Cloud!" Marlene glared at the woman.

"Marlene be nice." Tifa scolded her ruby red eyes never leaving a pair of glittering sapphire blue. "No, I'm not." Akari acknowledged the little girl with a single glance.

"Hi, I'm Marlene." Marlene smiled at the girls her age.

"I'm Hanami." The blond girl with ocean blue eyes spoke first walking up to Marlene with the other girl. The little girl with long black hair had the prettiest eyes Marlene had ever seen. "What's your name?" She stared into two different eye colors. One color was green while the other one was blue.

"A-Asuka. It's nice to meet you."

Asuka performed a strange bow which was expected for the little princess.

"I love your names, come on I'll show you around."

Marlene led them upstairs to play.

"I never expected to see you or the little girls again."

Tifa chuckled feeling a sense of nostalgia, a sense she hadn't felt in a long time.

"Yeah well I was busy." Akari's short and curt answer surprised Tifa.

The younger woman plopped herself on the couch closing her eyes.

"Would you like a drink?" Tifa asked and decided to take the silence as a yes.

Soon a cold glass of water was presented to Akari which she took gratefully.

Tifa sat next to her keeping some distance between them.

"No word from you for years and you suddenly show up unannounced?"

"Like I said I got caught up in things."

Akari lightly slammed the cup on the counter.

A period of silence was quickly followed.

Tifa sighed getting up, "Just like Cloud." she muttered under her breath so low that Akari didn't hear her. Akari heard the girls giggle from Marlene's room.

"Tifa I need to ask a favor for you."

"What is it?" Tifa folded her arms noticing it was sprinkling outside.

"I need you to look after Lady Asuka and Lady Hanami for me. It will be a couple a week or two." Akari ignored the surprised expression on older woman's face.

"They are your responsibility. You can't just abandon them!"

Akari glared back at her, "I'm not abandoning anyone. . .It's a simple babysitting offer if you can't handle it then I'll find someone who is more capable."

"Besides I want them to reconnect with everyone." Akari added feeling like she was being nagged by a certain mother she never liked. Tifa softened her expression and lightly touched Akari's arm who flinched away.

`Akari, why are you so cold. Why do you have to place barriers around yourself? Like. . my blond soldier. Why do you keep shutting everyone out?`

Tifa thought as she stared at her friend regretting her anger with the female soldier.

"I'm sorry. I'm sure you have your reasons. . .I'll gladly protect them for you. And Cloud will be thrilled to see them too."

"Where is Spiky?"

Akari listened to the pitter-patter rhythm of the rain upon the rooftop.

"He's on a delivery run and I'm not sure when he will be back."

"He doesn't call or anything?"

This surprised Akari surely Cloud wouldn't worry Tifa like that.

"No, he keeps me in the dark." Tifa stared at Akari intently and didn't voice what she was thinking. Akari tried to ignore the intense and slightly accusing stare Tifa was giving her. She really knew how to get under someone's skin.

"Wait."

Tifa suddenly remembered something as she faced Akari again.

"Cloud mentioned something about going to Shinra HQ. It's the last delivery on his list."

Akari nodded, "Then I'll wait for him there."

"It's getting late please stay here. At least for Hanami and Asuka."

Akari stopped at the door her hand mere inches from the doorknob.

It suddenly opened to reveal a little boy with brown hair and light blue eyes.

A look of confusion crossed his features when he saw Akari's face then stepped to the side to enter the bar.

"Hello, Denzel back from school so soon?" Tifa greeted with a smile.

"Yeah, we had an early dismissal." Denzel didn't take his eyes off the beautiful new woman through a fringe of bangs that hid his eyes.

"Denzel this is my friend Akari she was sort of part of Avalanche back in the day."

Akari did a little wave that was all the kid was getting from her.

"Hi." Denzel said careful to hide his face again.

"Denzel do you want to help me make dinner?"

"No, I'm too tired."

Denzel ran up the stairs to his room and closed the door.

"I wonder if there's something wrong."

Tifa left to prepare dinner leaving Akari to wander around as she pleased.

Seeing there was nothing better to do, the female soldier decided to confront Denzel on something he was hiding from Tifa.

"Oh, Akari. . . There's a spare bedroom upstairs on the left from my room. It surprisingly has three guest beds and the room is really big."

"Thank you Tifa."

Akari walked up the stairs, after grabbing an ice pack from the freezer, and found Denzel's door had been cracked opened.

"Hey." She greeted after knocking a few times.

Denzel looked up from one of the children's beds he and Marlene shared.

"Hi." Denzel gave her a confused look as to why she was here.

"You hid your injury pretty well."

A hand flew to the bruised eye which was still a little swollen.

"How could you tell?"

Akari smirked, "I have a keen eye, it's a soldier's weapon against the enemy to have piercing eyesight." Denzel sat up on his bed now interested.

"Are you like Cloud by chance?"

Akari leaned against the wall with her arms folded.

"In what way?"

"You're a soldier aren't you? Just like him."

She slightly nodded, "I am a soldier, but not the kind you expect. I have special magical elements to my weapons as well as abilities that aren't from this world."

Denzel's eyes widened, "Whoa, you're from another world? Does that make you the stronger soldier?"

Akari chuckled, "Strength is measured in different ways kid. Cloud is very strong, but I might be stronger. Perhaps he and I should spar sometime."

"You really like talking about Cloud."

Denzel blushed scratching the side of his cheek.

"Was it that obvious?"

Akari nodded, "Yeah, now tell me what happened."

Denzel lowered his head then finally looked up into those haunting sapphire blue eyes.

"Erm, Have you ever been bullied before?"

"No, but Cloud has."

Akari said finding it easier to talk about his past than hers.

"Really, but he's very strong!"

"He wasn't always the strong Soldier you know now. Cloud had a rough childhood from what he told me. . .Kids bullied him, Tifa especially didn't want anything to do with him."

"Wait, Tifa?"

Akari sighed, "Interrupt me again, and you'll get another bruised eyeball."

That shut the kid up real fast.

"Yes, Tifa grew up with Cloud, but they never knew each other and were never childhood friends like how everyone originally assumed including me. Cloud tried to be accepted by Tifa and her friends and got rejected many times. He then got himself into fights and never backed down from them."

"Tifa was really mean to Cloud." Denzel whispered and couldn't picture the sweet woman he knew as being mean to anyone. "You shouldn't back down either. Keep your chin up and face your bullies head on. Problems at hand need to be dealt with or they will never go away."

Denzel smiled at Akari, "Thanks Akari, I'm going to stand up to them tomorrow."

"Great, let me know if they give you any trouble in the future."

Akari kindly tossed an ice pack at him and left his room.

"Dinner is ready!" Tifa called from downstairs sometime later.

"Come on let's eat."

Denzel smiled at Akari then someone bumped into him.

"I-I'm sorry." Asuka bowed then darted downstairs taking the boy's breath away of how beautiful she was. Akari smirked seeing his stunned gaze and nudged him waking him up again. "Come on, Romeo." She steered him to the stairs and together they sat down for a meal like a family.