Junon Inn

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Kadaj saw something out of the corner of his eye. "Kidd? Kidd Strife?" A flash of confusion passed over his face. "I thought you disappeared months ago. Amnesty believed you were dead. I could sense she was wrong, but even so, I think you owe us all an explanation."

[Kidd Strife]

Kidd palmed his face and sighed. Oh man... how do I explain this... "Hey, Ill explain later, but right now we need to go. I've just learned more about myself and in my prescence we're all in danger. We have to go!"

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Ami and the others turned to leave. Kadaj suddenly snapped out a hand to catch her. "Wait. Ami, you think he's wrong. You feel the danger we're in has nothing to do with him."

Ami sighed. "Kidd, you saw what Sephiroth did back there. He's still on the loose... and he's gotten desperate. I don't know why, but he just acted like... like there were no boundaries anymore. Like time was running out."

Kadaj looked grim. "So he's become a lone wolf, then. Honor no longer means anything to him."

"Did it ever?" Vincent asked darkly.

That earned a glare from Kadaj. "He was insane, I will give you that. But he behaved according to rules of his own, a self-imposed code of conduct. If even that has become void...

Rude completed the sentence. "Then G** help us."

[Kidd Strife]

Kidd stood his expression blank. He just nodded in agreement, then simply turned to leave. Great! Just freakin great! How unfreakin believable! First there were Sins, and Sephiroth, than ShinRa's after me, and now a... a Sephiroth who has abandoned even HIS morals!

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Reno intervened. "But seriously, yo... the suits ARE gonna be hauling a** after Kidd in no time. We better move, yo."

Kadaj nodded curtly. "Besides... we need to move on, to Kalm." He hesitated.

Ami took over. "Yazoo needs us." She got on her bike. "Come on, freakshow, let's get moving."

She got on her bike. "Kidd, ride with Kadaj. Vincent, in the sidecar. No buts."

Soon as all the seating arrangements were made, she sped off towards the airship.

Kadaj cranked his engine and followed. "Alone at last," he joked.

[Kidd Strife]

Kidd chuckled. "Technically you are considering that Im a 13 year old experiment at a growth rate above average." Ah great... here comes a long Kadaj talk... why do I get myself into these things?

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Kadaj had to laugh. "I don't swing that way, Kidd. Besides, I can only imagine what your 'father' would have to say about it."

[Sin]

Sin sighed and laid back. He was staying out of the plan discussions, and chose to hang out on the top of the ship. He was thinking of what Vincent had said. He had looked confused as well, for all the emotion he showed at least.

I know I am not the same as Vincent, and that my problem would not be the same, but I thought he would be able to help.... This demon thing inside me.... It is not even close to the same. Vincent... his does not attack him, but rather coincides with him. Mine wishes to kill me, and has nearly succeeded... damn!

[Kidd Strife]

"Well to tell you the ruth I myself was surprised by my origin. I had absolutely no clue that I am what I am." Kidd sighed ad looked to the ground, remaining silent for a long moment. Lookign at his face you could tell right now he was battlign something. This time maybe even deadlier than Sephiroth himself. Sweat started to stream down his face as his grip seemed to tighten. All his muscles tensed and claws began to grow on him. Then out of nowhre he seemed to snap back to normal, nothing unsual about him.

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Kadaj felt the bizarre change of wavelength for a few moments. "Kidd, how you holding up back there?" He had the feeling he didn't want to know.

****

Ami led the pack as they pulled up at the airship.

Tifa was there waiting, tapping her boot on the dirt. She looked less than happy.

Ami rolled her eyes and braked to a stop. "Oh, G**... here it comes..." She pulled her helmet off.

Tifa stormed up to her. "I suppose you mean to bring those THINGS onto this ship?"

Cloud camed out of the hatch and caught her arm, but she shook him off. "Tifa--"

"Yes, I do, because those THINGS back there are my brothers, and I owe every single one of them my life," Ami snapped back. "I was wondering when we'd come to a throw down over this."

"Here and now is fine by me."

Reno got off Loz's cycle. "Listen, yo, the girl's got a point--"

"You stay out of this, you d**n Turk," Tifa snarled back.

Reno was only mildly shocked. "Say what?"

"Shut up, Reno," Ami suggested. "This is between the b***h and me."

[Kidd Strife]

Kidd looked up panting. What the hell! He patted himself and looked at his hands. Nothing, as normal as a teen-creation-world-saver gets. They wee pulling up to the ship as he saw Ami and Tifa stare into each others eyes. For some odd reason though, he didn't care. Becoming paroniond he looked at his hands every five seconds to see the same thing ovr and over. "Yeah, I'm alright."

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Ami rolled up her sleeves to reveal the gauntlets beneath, auto-popping them.

Tife got out her gloves and pulled one on...

Cloud snagged the other glove and held on. "Tifa, no. You have to stop this."

She looked ready to explode. "Cloud, how can you of all people say that to me?"

"I swore never to forgive," he retorted. "But every time you hang on to the bitterness, they win."

"I'm an old hand at fighting losing battles," she bit back, snatching the glove back and yanking it on.

When she turned back, she found herself eye to eye with a Remnant. "Leave her alone," Kadaj growled. "She never did a d**n thing to you."

"Kadaj--" Ami tried to push him out of the way, but he barely budged.

His hand went to his sword sheath and Tifa tensed, but he held the sword away from himself, dropping it unsheathed on the ground.

"Take a shot at me if you want it," he said cooly. "Knock yourself out."

Tifa instinctively complied.

Kadaj didn't even move. He just let her hit him. And hit him, and hit him.

Ami gasped just watching and tried to intervene, but Loz held her back.

Tifa finally paused for breath.

Kadaj, totally neutral, wiped green blood away from his busted lip. "Feel better?"

Suddenly, Tifa felt chilled to the core.

[Kidd Strife]

Kidd just stared in amazement. Kadaj?!? Kidd took every low not physically(sp?) but spirtually. Why, we're all onthe same side. He watched as Tifa finlly backed off. Kidd took a look at is own hands, lthough thi time not concerned with thesame conflict. Is that what happens? Is that wat these hands are meant to do.? For all you kow they could be. Kidd jumped screaming and looking around. "Hello?"

[Amnesty Lazuli]

Tifa stood there, panting.

"She's not the one you hate," he continued evenly. "Not the one you want to tear apart with your bare hands. She was just the easiest target."

She screamed and aimed another volley at him. She still failed to get a reaction.

He blinked slowly, very barely suppressing a wince. "If I say you've hurt me, will you take my word for it?"

Tifa panted, bent almost double. She made no effort to answer.

He continued, relentless. "You're afraid of something. Not me." He paused. "The girl?"

Tifa looked up with hate still burning in her eyes, but unable to do anything about it.

"We won't go near her." Kadaj walked up the ramp into the ship. "I do not go back on my word. I simply do not."

He faltered slightly at the hatchway. Ami ran to support him. This he seemed willing to allow, just this once.

They disappeared inside.

Everyone stood for a moment looking awkward.

"I'm going in there now," Reno announced simply, heading after them.

The others began to file in after him.

[Sin]

Sin watched and looked over. He noticed Kidd, and the almost demon release. He tensed, and using his claw he hurled himself sideways and slid off the ship to Kidd. He landed with a roll, grunting as his knees popped from the blow. He staggered slightly, and walked to Kidd, patting his hand on Kidd's back.

"Hey... You nearly did the same thing I do..."