After the rain - Season 1

by Unlapin

Summary:

A second chance is given to Kadaj, Loz and Yazoo, who seek refuge in Seventh Heaven. Which isn't without its problems. Indeed, how do you live with those who were once your enemies, if not your victims? And above all, how do you find your place in a world for which you are not necessarily suited?

Notes:

• A translation of Après la pluie - Saison 1 by Zeegzag

Chapter 1: Episode 1 - Part 1

1

Cloud can hardly believe his eyes. Next to him, Tifa looks just as confused and has put a hand to her mouth, as if to stifle a scream.

Outside, the rain is pouring down in torrents; a real downpour that is making Edge drip, filling its streets with muddy puddles and making its gutters overflow. It can't be more than three o'clock in the morning, and in their neighbourhood, calm reigns. Behind the shutters of the neighbouring houses, there isn't a single light and, along the arterial road, public lighting is reduced to a minimum, giving the night all its darkness in many places.

Nevertheless, it's hard for them not to recognise the shivering figures who have come knocking on their door, waking them from a sleep that's usually far too short.

Instinctively, Cloud pushes Tifa behind him. His blue eyes focused on their visitors, he's ready to react at the slightest sign of hostility. But the other three, staring at him with their green eyes, barely seem able to stand. There's no aggressiveness in their expressions. They look weary, if not absent, and their silver hair dripping with rain sticks to their faces.

There is a moment of hesitation, during which the couple find themselves unable to decide on the right attitude to adopt. Then Kadaj takes a step in their direction. His gaze almost hidden by his hair, the voice that escapes his lips is weak, like a whisper.

“Big…”

The rest dies in his throat as he passes out, barely giving Cloud time to catch him.

2

After letting the three young men in, they had allowed Loz and Yazoo to gather together several chairs to lay Kadaj on. Keeping an eye on them, Cloud had fetched the old electric heater from behind the bar and brought it back into the room, plugging it in close to their chilled visitors.

Upstairs, he can now hear Tifa's footsteps as she gathers towels and blankets for them. With the Remnants facing him, he watches them, his expression still wary.

Loz is leaning against the table, supporting his head with one hand. Yazoo, for his part, seems barely conscious. His long hair falls in front of his face and he hasn't moved a muscle since he dropped into his chair.

As the silence threatens to drag on, Cloud massages the back of his neck before asking:

"So... what are you doing here?"

He knows from witnessing their deaths that none of them should be in Edge. He remembers Kadaj lying in his arms, clutching a hand that only he could see, and then vanishing in a myriad of greenish particles. Then his brothers arrived, also in agony. They had attacked him in the back, just when he thought his ordeals were over and he was savouring the end of the confrontations. With his Geostigmas gone, his future looked bright again... until death struck.

A suicide... these two had committed suicide, hoping to take him with them. Fortunately, Cloud had been rescued... and now he finds himself at home in the company of these three men who are technically his enemies.

"There's been a problem..." Loz begins, in a low, deep voice, too deep.

As if begging for more, Cloud raises his eyebrows. But it was Yazoo who continues:

"We haven't been accepted."

The latter is still in the same position, his neck bent forward and his hair dripping. It's as if he no longer had the strength to stand up straight.

"Accepted?" Cloud repeats.

At the same time, Tifa joins them.

Her arms full, she hands a towel and a sheet to Loz, then to Yazoo, before unfolding a blanket and laying it over Kadaj. As she does so, she observes him more closely, notices how pale he is and can't help but be concerned. At this moment, he seems so fragile, just an adolescent whose dangerousness is hard to believe.

Her stomach clenches as she recalls the events of a few months earlier. Is it going to happen again? Will this nightmare never end?

When she finally turns away, Yazoo has found the strength to stand up and wipe his hair. Loz, for his part, after vaguely rubbing his own, has wrapped himself in his sheet and looks more exhausted than ever.

"What do you mean by: you haven't been accepted?" Cloud insists, without returning the glance that the young woman is now casting in his direction.

"We...," Loz begins.

"It means that the Lifestream didn't want us."

Tifa startles. Behind her, Kadaj struggles to sit up on his makeshift bed. With a sombre expression and frowning eyebrows, he holds onto the nearest backrest with one hand and rivets his gaze on Cloud. If he wasn't so pale and feverish, you might think he's going to attack him. But what is distorting his face at this moment is not so much his hostility towards the blond, but rather his discomfort.

"It closed its doors to us and sent us back here!"

This time, Cloud meets Tifa's lost gaze. It makes no sense at all! Why would the River of Life take the risk of letting these three return to Gaia?

And Kadaj absorbed Jenova's cells…

And that's what worries him most at the moment. Kadaj fulfilled his Reunion and allowed Sephiroth to be reincarnated in this world. Will he be able to do it again once he has recovered? Is there a risk of another crisis with consequences as terrible as the last one?

As if reading his thoughts, Kadaj says:

"Mother is no longer with me. She's been taken away from me!"

And his voice, at this moment, vibrates with anger... no, hatred. A terrible hatred that makes his eyes shine and his body tremble even more. Yazoo, who has finished with his hair, finally abandons the towel on the table and wraps himself in his sheet. The bottom of his face disappearing behind it, he mumbles:

“She's been taken away from us…”

A whine from Loz, whose distorted features suggest he's about to burst into tears. 

Cloud scratches his head. He's still lost, but at least he's reassured to learn that Kadaj won't be able to give birth to their enemy again... at least not any time soon.

"But why did you come here?" Tifa asks.

That's what she can't explain. What was the point of knocking on their door, especially in such a weakened state? Instead, they should have stayed away from everything, far from civilization, hidden away somewhere, just long enough for them to get back on their feet. Because there's no doubt that right now, she and Cloud would have no trouble getting rid of their visitors. But she can't see herself taking it out on them, not when they can barely stand up, and she knows that her partner shares her feelings.

But the brothers are not supposed to know that…

In response, Yazoo shakes his head gently. As for Loz, he has closed his eyes, his face distorted by the pain, but far too exhausted to be able to cry. So it's Kadaj who once again sheds light on the situation:

"Because we had nowhere else to go!"

3

"What do you think?"

After inviting the trio to stay in the Seventh Heaven dining room for a bit of a rest, Cloud and Tifa went back upstairs, equally confused.

Without a word, Cloud opens the door to his room and enters, Tifa on his heels. 

On the third floor, Marlene and Denzel are fast asleep, having just woken up when the young woman went upstairs earlier. In a slurred voice, Denzel had tried to find out what was going on and, to her great relief, a few words had been enough to reassure him. And the next moment, he and the little girl were back in dreamland.

But now that she's alone with Cloud, the idea that their visitors could be a danger to the children makes her terribly anxious.

Turning on the light, the blond tilts his head.

"Well..." he begins, not quite sure.

"I'm scared."

Saying this, she curls her arms around her body, her nervous gaze directed towards the door.

"I felt sorry for them when I saw the state they were in, but now I'm wondering if we did the right thing by letting them in."

Cloud doesn't respond immediately. Learning that Kadaj no longer possesses Jenova's cells has reassured him and, in their state, it seems to him that the Remnants will not be an insurmountable problem to deal with should they prove hostile. But he understands his partner's fears, just as he can't claim to have perfect peace of mind.

"I'll ask them about their intentions later today," he reassures her. "But for the moment, I don't think we risk anything by letting them sleep a little."

In any case, it's obvious that he'll have trouble getting anything out of them until they've regained some of their strength…

4

When they wake up again, the sun has risen. Outside, Edge has come back to life and you can hear the engines of vehicles passing in the street.

Because of the events of the night, and for once, they both woke up late. On the first floor, the Remnants are still asleep, the three of them stretched out on chairs that they have lined up to form rough beds. After rousing them from their sleep, and noticing that they don't look any better than they did a few hours earlier, Cloud points them to his office upstairs. They can continue to rest there, he tells them, and there's even a bed.

So it's with grumbling and yawning that the trio make their way upstairs and into the office. At the far end of the room, Cloud's bed is unmade, and next to it is a desk containing paperwork, a telephone and a photo frame showing the four occupants of the house all in the same photograph. With his blanket still draped over his shoulders, Kadaj picks it up and looks at it sleepily. 

Yazoo, on the other hand, has already dragged himself towards the bed and lets himself fall into it. Closing behind them, Loz says:

"Take the bed too. Me, I'd take up too much space."

Kadaj blinks and puts the frame back down. Then he hands his blanket to his brother to use as a mattress. In the bed, Yazoo is wrapped up in his own sheet, lying on top of those of Cloud. Kadaj pulls on it to snatch it from him, earning a few indignant grunts in the process.

"Come on, give it to Loz!"

With some difficulty, he finally manages to tear off his sheet, which he throws in Loz's direction. He has already spread out the blanket on the floor and grabs the cloth with one hand. He stretches it out on what will serve as a mattress, before lying down on it and pulling his own sheet over his muscular body.

After forcing Yazoo to make room for him, Kadaj lays down beside him. With his brother's back pressed against his, he covers their bodies with Cloud's crumpled blankets, before grabbing the only pillow and throwing it to Loz as well. The latter thanks him with a grunt and places it under his head, before crossing his hands behind his neck, his gaze fixed on the ceiling.

Sleep is already weighing down his eyelids as he mumbles:

"Do you think we'll be separated...?"

Eyes half-closed, Kadaj straightens his neck. Behind his back, Yazoo has already plunged into oblivion.

"It's not going to happen!" he replies - and in his voice vibrates a dangerous determination.

"I'm scared, Kadaj. Me, I don't want to leave you. I want to stay with you forever."

His brother's tone has taken on a plaintive intonation, a sign that he is on the verge of crying. Kadaj sighs. He really doesn't have the energy to take care of him now.

"Sleep, Loz," he orders. "I'm telling you that everything's going to be fine!"

A sniff is heard, which he prefers to ignore. Resting his head against the mattress, it isn't long before numbness visits him and he drifts off to sleep - his sense of smell overwhelmed by a scent that is neither his own nor that of his brothers...

Notes:

This fic is so long that I'm intimidated by it now. Be that as it may, it will revolve around the theme of family. Because these little ones, the Remnants, make me sad and I want to see them find happiness within a new family.

English isn't my native language, so some errors may remain. Sorry for that!

No schedule, updates will be random.

I plan to write a sequel to this first season one day, but in truth, this one can almost stand on its own.

Chapter 2: Episode 1 - Part 2

5

Kadaj feels himself falling and has just enough time to grab hold of the blankets, before collapsing hard against a cold surface. A sheet falls in front of his face, blinding him, which he pushes back in annoyance.

For a moment, he can hardly recognise his surroundings. Then he sees Loz, lying on the floor, the desk with the photo frame, and glances over his shoulder. Yazoo is now on his back, arms spread wide, taking up all the space in the little bed. A dangerous mouth noise escapes him and he growls:

“Yazoo…!”

He's about to get up to push him away and get back into bed, when he notices that the bedroom door is ajar. An eye can be seen in the opening, as well as a small hand whose fingers grasp the doorframe. As their eyes meet, his observer blinks, before running away. Kadaj lets out a sigh.

If he's still tired, he discovers that he's also starving. With one hand on his stomach, he got to his feet. Then he steps over Loz - who is still sound asleep, breathing heavily - and goes out into the corridor. From here, he can smell food and hear the hubbub of conversation, the sound of glasses clinking, chairs creaking and cutlery clattering against plates.

The stairs groan as he makes his way down to the first floor. When he arrives, the customers turn their heads in his direction and, not recognising him, quickly return to their primary occupation. Only Tifa, behind her counter, momentarily loses her smile. Next to her is a little girl, whose fear makes her eyes widen. Kadaj has no trouble recognising her: she's the little girl Loz brought back with him to the Forgotten City. What's her name again...?

As he approaches her, Tifa tenses up even more, unsure of what to expect. Marlene immediately hides behind her and she can feel her hands gripping her clothes. In her chest, her heartbeat has quickened and she opens her mouth to greet the Remnant who declares:

"I'm hungry...!"

For a second or two, she's speechless. Then, as the words make their way into her consciousness, she stammers:

"Ah... yes... sit down. I'll make you something!"

With that, she hurries off to her stoves, Marlene on her heels. Kadaj comes out from behind the counter and takes a seat on one of the stools beside it. As he lets his gaze fly around him, his nose wrinkles in annoyance. There are far too many people here for his liking. Far too much noise, too.

At the thought that this is what his life is likely to be like now, that he will no doubt have to deal with all this mass, this swarming species whose existence he abhors, a hint of revolt seizes him. But he stifles it, knowing that letting his hatred out here and now is the last thing he should do in his situation. Especially as he has the responsibility of his brothers on his shoulders.

"There you go!"

Tifa places a plate in front of him, which he only glances at briefly. Prefers to look in the direction of the child who, still partly hidden behind the young woman, is watching him with a frown. As he raises his eyebrows, she disappears with a small hiccup behind her protector. The very next moment, Kadaj has grabbed his fork and, without a word of thanks for the woman still standing in front of him, begins to rummage through the pile of food he barely recognises.

For a few seconds, Tifa watches him in silence. Then she begins:

"Your brothers..."

Then she stops, realising that she doesn't know their names. Kadaj, swallowing his first mouthful, informs her:

"The burly one is named Loz. The other one is Yazoo..." Then, sticking his fork into a piece of meat, he looks up in her direction. "They're still asleep."

Then he takes off his gloves and places them beside him. Although he had slept until the early afternoon, fatigue still marks his features. His heavy eyelids and dishevelled hair give him a miserable appearance, not helped by his pale complexion.

As she fills his glass with water, Tifa thinks about how much she would have preferred Cloud to be here right now. In fact, she is relieved that his brothers are not there, as being in Kadaj's company alone is already making her uncomfortable. She doesn't know what to say. Doesn't know what questions she can ask. Not sure what attitude to adopt towards him. And although he's not showing any hostility at the moment, she's still worried, aware that the situation could degenerate at any moment and that she'll never have the strength to take him on.

Of the three, he's undoubtedly the most powerful... and I wasn't even able to defeat his brother.

A little bitter, she turns off the tap and puts his glass in front of Kadaj. Flinches, as he suddenly raises his eyes to hers. Strange green eyes, whose pupils remind her of those of a feline.

"We're not here to cause trouble," he says.

She opens her mouth to reply when a commotion breaks out at the other end of the room, followed by a flurry of swearing. One of the customers has just spilt his drink and is now complaining about the liquid staining his trousers. Tifa hastily fetches a mop and goes to clean up the mess, leaving behind Marlene - who is bewildered by this sudden abandonment. An exclamation escapes her and she looks up at Kadaj, who is watching her.

Desperate not to show him how terrified she is of him, she frowned and returned his gaze. Her little hands clench on the fabric of her dress.

"You should learn when to lower your eyes," he advises her, removing his fork from his mouth. "It'll save you a lot of trouble..."

In response, the little girl simply stares at him with even greater intensity, hoping that he will not notice the tremors that have taken hold of her. After a tired sigh, Kadaj returns to his meal and stops paying attention to her.

Clasping her hands behind her back, she stands up on tiptoe, rocking back and forth, not quite sure what to do now. At the same moment, the front door opens and Cloud enters the Seventh Heaven, a cardboard box under his arm. With a smile, the little girl rushes towards him.

Cloud stops when he discovers Kadaj at the counter. Having almost finished his meal, he raises his fork in greeting.

"Big brother... do you have a little time for me?"

Cloud blinks and drops his load next to the Remnant.

"It depends why?"

Kadaj allows himself a wry smile. Then he grabs his glass of water and, raising it to his lips, says:

"I think there are certain things we need to discuss... and I'd prefer it if we could just settle this between the two of us."

And as Cloud looks up at the ceiling, he informs him:

"They're still asleep."

The blond nods. Reassured by his presence, Marlene wrapped her arms around his waist and doesn't seem to want to let go. He turns to Tifa, who is walking back towards the bar, and asks:

“Denzel?”

"He's out."

"Ok. I'll be back in a minute."

With that, he pats Marlene on the head and goes behind the counter to the stairs. Kadaj pushes his plate away and follows suit. Then, as he passes Tifa, and to her surprise, he says:

"Oh! Thanks for the meal..."

Then he follows Cloud up the stairs.

6

In the office, it's dead calm, a sign that his brothers still haven't got up. Cloud is waiting for him at the top of a second staircase, leading to Tifa's and the children's bedroom. Kadaj follows him and looks round the warm room, where the personal effects of its occupants can be seen. The curtains on the only window are open, and the light filtering through is sufficient to obviate the need for additional artificial lighting.

Cloud sits down on the bed at the back, inviting Kadaj to do the same on the one opposite him.

"I'm listening."

After a glance at the bed, where there are some cuddly toys, Kadaj settles in. Then he runs a hand through his hair and sighs. He really can't believe he's in this situation.

"Something's happened," he begins. "It's hard to explain, but... to put it simply, I think we've been taken pity on."

He takes a moment to think about his last words and frowns slightly.

"Either that or... someone must have been really unhappy with us. Anyway, let's just say it was decided to send us back here. To give us a second chance..."

At least, that's how he and his brothers interpreted it. He has little memory of what happened between the moment of his death and the moment when the three of them regained consciousness near Edge. All they had left was a feeling. That someone, somewhere, had been moved by their fate, that of puppets who had been given no choice but to follow directives designed to make them disappear for the benefit of someone else.  But also anger. The kind of anger that is reserved for children who have made a big mistake and for whom it's now their duty to make amends.

"Well, probably. It's not entirely clear, but I think that as long as we don't try to threaten the existence of this planet, then we'll be allowed to live here."

"And if not?" asks Cloud.

Because he guesses that the mere idea of returning to the Lifestream is not enough of a threat to force them to obey. Especially not when they were prepared to sacrifice themselves to allow their Reunion to take place.

"If not..." replies Kadaj, whose gaze momentarily loses itself in the direction of the ceiling. "I think we'll be separated..."

At the mere thought of it, a lump of anxiety forms in his stomach. Again, this is only an impression. But the fear that he and his brothers have felt since their awakening, the certainty that they will be punished in this way if they prove disobedient, leaves little doubt as to the real nature of this threat.

"I don't know what will happen next... will we never be allowed to see each other again? Will we melt into the Lifestream? Will our consciousness be taken away from us and turn us into mere memories? What exactly are we supposed to understand?"

There's fear in his voice, which is slowly being eclipsed by anger. The revolt can be read on his face and, if he didn't have a threat hanging over his head right now, it's obvious that he would have let it express itself with all the violence that normally characterises him.

Silence falls between them, time for Cloud to meditate on what he has just heard. At the end of which, he says:

"But I still don't understand why you came here..."

The night before, Kadaj told them that they had nowhere else to go. This is probably true, but he also has the feeling that he hasn't told them everything…

"What else could we have done?" Kadaj grumbles. "We could have gone back to the Forgotten City, but I don't think we'll manage to stay on the right path without someone to help us."

"And you expect me to take on this role?!"

Cloud is completely surprised. Does he really realise what he's asking?

The Remnant' features tense up. His exclamation seems to have hurt him and he can feel the anger vibrating in his every word as he retorts:

"I know you don't care about us. You've always acted as if our problems didn't concern you. Even though we're family... !"

"You know... about this story..."

"It's easy for you to behave like this with us," cuts in Kadaj. "You're not alone... you know how to live in this world, and you've already got everything. Whereas we..." His fists clench on his thighs and his eyes shine with reproach. "But I can't run away from my responsibilities. I want Loz and Yazoo to be saved... they're my brothers and I won't let them down."

"That's really sentimental of you!"

The Kadaj of his memories seems much harsher to him... probably also too emotional, but incapable of feeling the slightest compassion for anyone other than Jenova. However, it's true that he only knew him to fight him. Just like his brothers. So he knows nothing about their relationship, or how they usually behave towards each other.

"What's so surprising about that?" the Remnant retorts, suddenly on the defensive.

The aggression in his voice, the dangerous stare he cast in his direction, everything about his attitude reminded him of a teenager who, caught revealing his feelings, is ready to pounce on the first person who dares to make fun of him. It would almost make him smile if he didn't know his true nature. So, as a precaution, he prefers to move on to something else, dwelling instead on a detail in his interlocutor's speech that disturbs him:

"You want your brothers to be saved, don't you? But what about you, Kadaj?"

Of the three, he is in a good position to know that he is the one they will have the most to fear from any potential deviation.

“Me? I'll be there to help them. And I'll do everything in my power to do so. After all, that's the role of a big brother, no? To take care of his cadets…”

Cloud decides to ignore the all too obvious reproach in his reply. Clearly, he will have a hard time getting him to give up the idea that they belong to the same sibling.

So... he's the eldest...?

His appearance says otherwise, but... as they're not human, it's not as if that means much. Besides, that probably partly explains the authority he has over the other two. 

Even so, Kadaj's answer only half reassures him and, as if the latter were reading his mind, he adds:

"I don't intend to cause any trouble, if that's what you're afraid of. No, I don't necessarily want to be domesticated, but I don't want to take the risk of ruining my brothers' chances either."

Cloud shakes his head.

"And you're counting on me to welcome you here and help you teach them how to adapt."

He sighs, not sure he likes the idea.

"What you're asking me," he adds cautiously. "You realise it's complicated?" And as Kadaj's expression hardens, he explains: "Me and Tifa... we're not rich and having three more mouths to feed is still a cost."

"I didn't say we'd be content to twiddle our thumbs. You own this place, don't you? We can work for you in exchange."

"It's not that simple. Besides, we won't be able to afford to pay all three of you a salary."

"We don't care! We'll make do with meals and a place to sleep."

"I don't know..."

"What? If you don't want us here, it would probably be better to say so straight away!"

"It's complicated, Kadaj, really..."

All the more complicated because he doesn't feel strong enough to take on the burden that the Remnant is trying to put on his shoulders. Besides, it's not as if he's the only one living here…

"If it's just a question of money, then we'll find a way of earning our own," Kadaj insists. "We just need a little time. So that we can get used to this life and then..."

He bites his lip, his eyes once again filled with anger and frustration. But instead of letting his feelings explode, he bends forward, in a gesture of supplication that confuses Cloud to no end.

"At least give us a chance!"

Clous blinks. For someone as proud as Kadaj, he can imagine how humiliating it's to find himself having to beg him. And if he's resigned to it, it's because he's much more desperate than he lets on…

He really must care about them...

And at this thought, he feels even more sorry to have to disappoint him.

"It's not that I'm necessarily against the idea, but I can't take this decision alone. It wouldn't be right..."

Above all, he's not sure it's possible to live with these three. He can't imagine Tifa's reaction when he tells her. Yes, there's not much chance of her agreeing to share her roof with them. Especially with the children…

Now bitterness can be seen in Kadaj's expression. Cloud gets to his feet and says:

"I'll discuss it with Tifa. In the meantime, you can stay here... for a few days at least."

He doesn't think he's taking any risks by making this offer, and in any case he can't see himself throwing them out without further ado, when they have nothing and are still exhausted from their experience. Even Tifa would probably have done the same…

He moves towards the door and puts a hand on the handle. Behind him, Kadaj still hasn't risen. He can hear him muttering to himself:

"I'm definitely useless..."

And these few words, at this very moment, resonate painfully within him...

Chapter 3: Episode 1 - Part 3

7

When they return to the first floor, two new things are waiting for them. The first is that Denzel is back and doesn't seem to be in a very good mood. The second is that Loz and Yazoo are now seated at the counter. One is pecking away, while the other is gobbling up his meal with the same eagerness as a starving man. As for Tifa, she doesn't seem very comfortable in this company, and a gleam of relief lights up in her eyes when she sees Cloud return.

Kadaj heads straight for his brothers and Loz, who raises his fork, mouth still full, says:

"We were wondering where you'd been!"

In response, Kadaj offers him a half-smile, before turning to Yazoo.

Unlike Loz, who has already regained all his energy, their brother's features are drawn and he looks like he's still half asleep. Kadaj puts a hand on his shoulder, which barely makes him look up.

"Why did you let them in?"

Cloud notes Denzel's scowl. Of course, he hasn't forgotten that the three men tricked him and other children into being their puppets, so he can only disapprove of their presence here.

Thinking it best to postpone this conversation, he asks him instead:

"Can you and Marlene take care of the customers? I need to sort something out with Tifa."

The little girl is currently behind the counter, keeping an eye on the Remnants. Loz in particular. Standing right in front of Tifa, looking determined, she gives the impression of wanting to fight any threat.

As Denzel nods in agreement, Cloud squeezes his shoulder in thanks. Then he joins Tifa and whispers in her ear:

"I need to talk to you."

Before dragging her towards the stairwell, where the young woman grabs him by the arm.

"I told them they had to change their clothes. They attract too much attention like that and someone might remember them!"

"I'll see what else I can find for them," replies Cloud. "Did they say anything to you?"

“Not really... the tall one... Yazoo? Isn't very talkative. The second one... well, that's another story.”

She rubs her forearms, suddenly nervous. She remembers her fight against him. Of her defeat, especially, when she thought she was capable of triumphing. But no, he had proved too strong... much too strong. As a result, Marlene was abducted before her very eyes, and she could do nothing to help the little girl.

"But he's almost always talking nonsense. What about you?"

"Kadaj explained their situation to me..."

With a single movement, they turn their eyes in the direction of the trio. Kadaj sat down next to Yazoo and closed his eyes. Tifa explains:

"He told me they weren't there to cause trouble..."

"It all depends on what you mean by that..." replies Cloud, scratching his hair."

"Why? What exactly did he tell you?"

"Mhh... It's complicated. Let's just say he thinks they were sent back there to... prove themselves, so to speak."

"Prove themselves...?"

In broad terms, he begins to tell her about his conversation with Kadaj, paying close attention to the changes in his partner's expression. When he finishes, she has started rubbing her forearms again and is staring at the Remnants. Kadaj reopened his eyes to return Marlene's gaze, which she clearly likes even less than the other two.

"What did you say to him?"

Embarrassed, Cloud looks away, like a kid who's just made a big mistake. It's lucky for him that Tifa isn't paying any attention to him at the moment.

"I told him they could stay here for a few days... until they recovered."

"It's probably the best thing to do," she agrees, before his silence prompts her to take another look at him.

Seeing him there, in his corner, looking more piteous than ever, she frowns slightly.

"You did tell him that it was impossible for them to stay with us any longer, didn't you?"

"No, I..."

He clears his throat, shifts his weight from one foot to the other, before confessing:

"I told him I wasn't totally against it, but that I'd have to talk it over with you first."

"Cloud!"

Her indignant exclamation draws the attention of the three Remnants, as well as the children. Unwilling to share the rest of their conversation, she lowers her voice to add:

"Do you realise that you're giving me the worst role? If I say no, I'll be the mean one!"

Cloud doesn't reply, as sheepish as ever, barely daring to meet her eyes. She lets out a sigh. A child being scolded by his mother, that's what the scene reminds her of.

"We can't keep them with us," the young woman insists.

"No, probably not..."

"Would you want us to?"

"I don't know... I know they're dangerous... but I still want to help them."

"It's a big responsibility. Are you at least aware of that?"

"Yes, I do..."

She sighs again. This time less out of annoyance than resignation.

"He said they would work for free...?"

"He says they want nothing more than room and board. We should be able to get by on that, shouldn't we?"

"Yes, we should..."

She runs a hand through her hair, suddenly feeling very tired.

"And it's true that a little help wouldn't go amiss."

Running a business like the Seventh Heaven is no easy task. Especially as she's alone most of the time to look after it.

"But it's not certain that they can be of any use to us..." she finishes, fairly certain that none of the three is capable of cooking even the simplest dish and already fearing the consequences of their behaviour on the clientele.

"If it doesn't work out, they'll look for another job... Kadaj told me they would, if we needed money."

Tifa observes her partner. He seems to have made up his mind and she senses that he's keen to give it a go. Truth be told, she no longer has the heart to kick them out now…

"One month," she says. "We can house them for a month, just for a trial period. If they're okay with that, and if they agree to leave without any fuss if we can't manage to live under the same roof, then..."

"I'll talk to them about it."

"Yes... oh, and Cloud: you really need to get them some new clothes!"

8

"It won't be easy at first, but we'll try to do better afterwards..."

Cloud is with the Remnants in his office. Clothes are strewn everywhere and, in one corner, pairs of shoes are piled up. As he didn't know their size, and they themselves proved incapable of telling him, he found them a whole assortment of different sizes – and those that don't fit will be returned to the charity that gave them to him.

Sitting on the bed, Yazoo finishes buttoning his shirt. Next to him, Loz gets rid of yet another T-shirt that's too small for his build, and grabs a worn pullover, checking its elasticity several times before putting it on. Only Kadaj is still wearing his leather outfit and stares bleakly at the T-shirt he's holding.

"A month..." mumbles Yazoo, freeing his hair from under his clothes and tossing it back. "That's a short time to try and adapt..."

"We can do it," retorts Loz. "As long as we stay together, there's no reason why we can't make it! No, am I right?"

Yazoo responds with an unconvinced pout. Unsettled, Loz turns to Kadaj. The latter sighs and places the T-shirt on the desk:

"I told you everything would be fine, Loz..."

He suddenly feels very exhausted, and inwardly angry at himself for lying to his brother, when he himself is not sure that things will turn out as he hopes. But he really doesn't have the strength to put up with his complaints and anguish. Right now, all he wants is to be left alone.

However, his answer brings a smile back to Loz's face. Reassured, he runs a hand through his hair and roughly fixes it with his fingers. Sitting on the bed, Yazoo has crossed his legs and is staring penetratingly at Kadaj, a little too much for his brother's liking, who prefers to turn away.

"You can rest for tonight," says Cloud. "We'll see about the rest tomorrow... Kadaj, can I talk to you?"

Kadaj follows him towards the corridor and closes the office door behind them. Cloud runs a hand over the back of his neck before asking:

"Nothing is won yet, you know that, don't you?"

"I'm aware..."

"It'll probably be up to you to guide them... to make sure they do the right thing. It's quite a heavy role..."

Kadaj shrugs his shoulders.

"As I said, I have to take my responsibilities. But there's a lot I don't know... or probably don't understand."

"I'll help you, of course," Cloud reassures him. But I'm not perfect either..."

Above all, it will be their ability to be accepted by the children that will matter most. He and Tifa will no doubt get used to them, but he can't say the same for the two little ones. And if they can't feel safe around them, if they can't accept their neighbourhood, then…

"Try not to argue too much with Marlene and Denzel."

He almost feels like he's treating them like children when he says this. However, he has the feeling that it's not entirely untrue... because despite their physical appearance, the Remnants still retain a great deal of immaturity within them, which is likely to work against them.

Kadaj nods in reply. Wondering what he has got himself into, Cloud thinks that the next few days are likely to be particularly stressful for them all.

"The bathroom is at the top of the stairs, on the right. Go there if you need to, but try not to use the hot water too much. There might not be enough for everyone, otherwise..."

His interlocutor still doesn't answer, just looks up in the direction of the indicated stairs. Right now, he looks nothing like the Kadaj he once knew. His tired features, his slim figure, and the concern in his eyes reveal a different, much more vulnerable person. It would be easy, at this moment, to forget everything about him: what he has done, what he embodies.

If only it could be that simple…

Cloud takes a long breath. He can't sweep away the past so easily, but... it seems to him that there is something he can do immediately. So, after a brief hesitation, he declares:

"You're not useless, Kadaj."

He sees the surprise on the Remnant's face. Without adding anything, he puts a hand on his shoulder, before moving past him.

"In this case," begins Kadaj in a whisper, as Cloud's footsteps reach the first floor. "Why is he the one she loves...?"

Anger and bitterness now ignite in his eyes - feelings he hastens to stifle before they overwhelm him.

Then he puts his hand to the door handle and joins his brothers who, on the other side, are waiting for him.

Notes:

OK, the first episode is now over. I wanted to post this one quickly. But it's possible that the others will take longer to appear.

Episode 2 will have 5 chapters. And I think I'll start posting it once I've finished translating it.

Chapter 4: Episode 2 - Part 1

1

Darkness, all around him is darkness. He has never felt so alone, so incomplete... so vulnerable. A cold universe, silent as death. The impression that there's no one left but him.

“ Loz…?”

No echo. His voice returns to nothingness after being born.

“ Yazoo?”

He's freezing. More than he's ever been in his entire life.

“ Mother!”

The call of a frightened child hoping that his parents will come to his aid. To console him, to reassure him, to awaken him from the bad dream that is holding him prisoner between its claws.

He's now chattering his teeth, only realising that he's naked. He tries to materialise his leather suit, in the hope that it will warm him up a bit, but nothing happens. It was as if it too had abandoned him…

Suddenly, he feels the urge to cry. A hiccup escapes him and he has to grit his teeth, stubbornly refusing to let go of the tears that fill his eyes. First he has to get out of here!

Behind his back, a hand emerges from the void. It comes to rest on his shoulder and sends shivers down his spine. He turns round and comes face to face with a man whose hair is as silver as his own. Long, longer than Yazoo's, with strangely familiar green eyes. A look of contempt in his eyes and a smile on his lips. Icy. Cruel.

The fingers slide to the back of his neck. He hiccups, feels himself being pulled forward, trapped in a powerful grip.

Free himself! He has to…

But no sooner has the idea struck him than it's already too late. The darkness closes in on him, shackles him, deprives him of all movement and begins to devour him. A scream escapes him as the other moves closer, drawing his body towards his own.

Then night falls on his conscience…

2

Kadaj opens his eyes. His breathing is ragged and his heart is racing. He can feel a weight against his chest, as if to prevent him from moving. But as panic overwhelms him, he finally recognises the room he's in - the office where he and his brothers have been staying since the day before.

A sigh escapes him and he closes his eyelids momentarily, before turning his attention to the weight still crushing him and grunting:

“ Yazoo…!”

The latter's arm is resting across his torso. With his head turned towards him, Yazoo sleeps soundly. His forehead almost touching his head, his breath tickling his neck. Inwardly, he swears and pushes his brother aside, who grunts, but doesn't wake up. He simply pulls the blankets over himself and wraps himself in them a little tighter.

Eyes still heavy with sleep, Kadaj sits up on the bed and scratches his hair. The blinds are closed, but two slats are missing, allowing a thin trickle of light to fall on Loz's face. Lying on his makeshift bed - to which another blanket has been added to pad his mattress - he's breathing heavily and has thrown his sheet to one side.

Making as little noise as possible, Kadaj straightens up, grabs the sheet in question with his fingertips and covers his brother with it again. Then he massages his forehead and, eyebrows furrowed, tries to remember his dream without much success. All he has left is this terrible feeling of emptiness... and above all, fear.

With one hand on the desk, his gaze falls on the photo frame... or rather, the photo frames. The one where Cloud is surrounded by his little family; where everyone seems happy, united. And the other, next to it, where the same scene is being played out, but this time with even more people. A photo immortalising the friendship that binds this little group together... with smiles on almost everyone's faces.

The sight of them arouses in him a feeling of anger, of pure hatred, and he is about to sweep them away with the back of his hand, before pulling himself together. If he does that, he'll wake up his brothers. So, instead, tensed up and with a feeling of rage on the edge of his lips, he stretches out his fingers towards them and folds them face down on the desk so that he no longer has to endure this vision of a happiness that seems inaccessible to him.

3

"Have you both understood? Peel and chop these vegetables while I do the rest."

Yazoo looks at the knife he's been given, while Loz does the same with the peeler he's holding. Then the two exchange a glance, before turning to Tifa.

"What exactly do we have to peel?"

“ Do we cut up the way we like?"

"Loz will peel the skin of the vegetables first," replies the young woman, taking his tool from Loz to show him how. "Just the skin! And once that's done, you give it to Yazoo to cut into slices." Then, turning to him, she adds: "Try to make sure that it's harmonious... that they're all more or less the same size."

Once again, the two brothers look at each other and Tifa tries not to let the nervousness inside her show. She hadn't expected to find herself alone with the three brothers so soon. Unfortunately, Cloud has received a call for a delivery and she now has to look after them, although she's not entirely sure she'll be able to manage.

"Yazoo, you should tie your hair back," she says, as she sees him leaning towards his workstation and as several strands of hair brush against it.

Under the counter, she retrieves one of the many rubber bands that are there and hands it to the young man. He accepts it without a word, his face still as closed off as the day before. Then he starts to put his hair in a ponytail, while Loz gets down to work.

Sitting behind the counter, Kadaj finishes his breakfast. The restaurant will be opening in an hour or so and, on their first day here, Tifa has asked him to help her in the dining room. She's not sure she's made the right choice, but... in any case, she's still struggling to evaluate which of the three has the least problematic character.

For the moment, he stares at his brothers, scowling, and she hopes he won't greet customers with that expression.

Behind her back, Loz's laughter rises.

"What exactly is it supposed to be?"

Tifa turns around to discover Yazoo glaring at his brother with an annoyed expression. Loz, still laughing, holds one of the slices of vegetable he has just cut between his fingers. The thing's so massacred, though, that it looks more like a half-moon. The rest aren't much more harmonious and, as she gets closer, she notices that there doesn't seem to be a single one that's the same size or shape as the others.

"What do you know about it, anyway?"

"I know a massacre when I see one," replies Loz with a broad smile.

Tifa, who can tell from Yazoo's expression that the situation is about to turn sour, glances at Kadaj. With his cheek pressed against his fist, the latter observes the scene. A sigh escapes him.

"It's okay, Yaz', I'll take care of it," he says, taking the knife from his brother.

Yazoo mutters something in response that no-one is able to understand. Without much delicacy, Kadaj pushes his brother's work aside with the blade of his knife and grabs a vegetable that is still intact. Loz, for his part, has already gone back to work.

Breathing easier, Tifa runs a hand through her hair. Because of everything that had happened since the day before, she hadn't really had time to finish the preparations for today's lunch. So she hopes that the four of them will manage.

She's just thinking that it's time for the children to go downstairs for breakfast, when an ominous sound comes from the Remnants. She turns pale and sees Kadaj squinting at the cut he's just made on his finger.

Yazoo lets out a frank laugh that earns him a glare from his brother.

"Shut up!"

But instead of calming down, Yazoo's hilarity intensifies. Furious, Kadaj pounces on him and grabs him by the t-shirt. Tifa rushes forward.

"Kadaj!" she yelps. "Put that knife down, it's dangerous!"

Repeated shocks are suddenly heard, forcing everyone to calm down. Three pairs of eyes turn to Loz who, having grabbed another knife, has just cut up the vegetable he has finished peeling. He gives his brothers a satisfied smile.

With a sniff, Yazoo grabs one of the slices and inspects it with a blasé air. Kadaj, meanwhile, has put his injured finger to his mouth and looks darker than ever.

"Well... that's good work," stammers Tifa, glancing at the result. "Yes... good work, Loz!"

His smile widens at the compliment. Now looking very proud of himself, he twirls his knife between his fingers. With an annoyed sound, Yazoo lets the slice drop. The young woman continues:

"Yazoo: You and Loz swap. Kadaj: You should go and take care of your finger. There's everything you need in the bathroom."

"No need," the latter grunts in response.

"If you're not going to do it for yourself, at least do it for the customers," she insists, as she sees him squinting at his bleeding wound. "There's a small box next to the sink. In it you'll find some disinfectant and bandages."

She can tell she's annoying him, but he complies anyway. Her eyes follow him as he disappears into the stairwell and she crosses her arms, her expression as worried as ever. Behind her, she can hear the other two talking in low voices…

4

Kadaj turns off the tap and looks at his injured finger. The water has washed away the streaks of blood that stained it, but the reddish beads that are already growing along the wound will soon ruin his efforts.

The light bulb above his head crackles and casts a sickly glow over the small room. The only window is a skylight over the shower cubicle. By the sink, he finds the box Tifa has pointed out to him and opens it. He takes out a nearly empty bottle of disinfectant, wedges it under his armpit and unscrews the cap. Then he pours a little on his wound, hisses in pain and reaches for a battered box of bandages.

He finishes bandaging his finger when the bathroom door creaks open, letting in a Denzel who immediately freezes at his sight.

The boy is still in his pyjamas and his hair is full of cowlick. Once his surprise has passed, his eyebrows furrow and his expression turns hostile. Kadaj simply ignores him, puts away what he has taken out and goes to close the box when Denzel says:

"Go away!"

As the Remnant turns his eyes in his direction, Denzel draws on the resentment he feels towards him not to let himself be intimidated. His fists clenched, he holds his gaze.

"Nobody wants you here. Cloud and Tifa don't dare tell you, but I don't care. You don't scare me!"

But Kadaj's silence - which simply observes him like a feline intrigued by a prey that's a little too bold - soon makes him uncomfortable. A shiver runs up his spine and, refusing to show his fear, he raises his voice, shouting aggressively:

"Stop looking at me like that!"

"Denzel, what's going on?"

A hurried step on the stairs. Tifa joins them and, for a moment, doesn't know how to react. A frightened gleam lights up in her eyes, but before she can ask for an explanation, Kadaj steps towards them, forcing Denzel to step aside if he doesn't want to collide with him. Tifa has just enough time to imitate him and feels the Remnant brush past her. He's already heading for the stairs when Denzel's voice is heard again:

"Not even one of them has apologised."

"Denzel..." Tifa murmurs, as Kadaj turns towards them again.

"What, it's true!" insists the kid. "They're imposing themselves in our house, but not one of them regrets what they've done! And then we're supposed to feel sorry for them!"

"I've already explained to you that things are complicated."

"That's not true! They expect something from us, so it's up to them to make an effort!"

"Yes, but..."

"I'm sorry."

Taken aback, Tifa and Denzel stop their exchange and turn to Kadaj. He is leaning against the wall with his shoulder, arms folded. His expression, however, is hard to read... almost devoid of feeling.

"I'm sorry," he repeats.

Tifa bites her lip, unsure of how to behave. Saying the words is one thing, but you still have to mean them.

After a moment's hesitation, Denzel shakes his head.

"Pfffff! You're not even sincere when you say that!" Then he adds to Tifa: "I don't like them: I want them to go away."

And without giving the young woman time to reply, he dashes into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.

 

 

Chapter 5: Episode 2 - Part 2

5

Tifa follows Kadaj with her eyes as he brings their order to a group of overexcited customers. 

At lunchtime, the Seventh Heaven is always crowded with people, so she sometimes has to ask the children to help her. Today, however, there's no sign of the kids anywhere: Denzel, after his altercation with Kadaj, has left the establishment, while Marlene has gone up to Cloud's office to - according to her - answer the phone in case any customers call. The young woman finds herself once again alone with the Remnants, which does nothing to improve her mood.

"If you ask me, it was high time that you hired some staff. Yeah, you couldn't go on like that, just with the kids."

She smiles awkwardly at her interlocutor. Seated at the counter, the man finishes his lunch by cleaning his plate with a piece of bread. He has sparse hair, a gaunt figure and his face is beginning to show deep furrows.

"Still," he adds. "I feel like I've seen them somewhere before. Especially the tall one with the long hair."

Saying this, he points to Yazoo with his piece of bread soaked in sauce. Standing next to Tifa, this one is bent over a sink, his hands wet and soapy. The young woman's heart misses a beat, while the Remnant looks up at the man - who leans in his direction and insists:

"Where exactly do you live? I'm sure I bumped into you not long ago."

Tifa is still trying to find a way to divert the conversation, when Loz, behind her, asks:

"Er... Tifa? Could you explain to me how I prepare this?"

She turns to him. Standing by the stove, he's holding the paper of his current order in his hand and looks very annoyed. She nods, notices Kadaj coming towards them and says, more eagerly than necessary:

"Kadaj! Would you mind replacing Yazoo? I think he'd like a bit of a change."

"I wouldn't say no," Yazoo agrees, wiping his hands on the apron around his waist.

Inwardly, she is grateful for his support. Because it seems to her that Kadaj will be able to handle their client's curiosity better than his brother - whose silence, in the long run, is likely to anger his interlocutor. With that, she joins Loz, who is now scratching his head and casting confused glances at the various ingredients on the shelves.

Kadaj takes a long breath and exhales loudly. He hands his brother his tray, who in return hands him his apron.

"Two iced teas and a glass of alcohol from Corel," he says. "For the table by the entrance."

Then he settles down behind the counter and, after an annoyed grimace, tackles the rest of the dishes.

As Yazoo moves away to take care of the order, the customer turns his attention to Kadaj and watches him for a moment, chewing his piece of bread.

"No, you, I don't think I've seen you before. But you're obviously from the same family. Yeah, the hair... and the same eyes. That's unusual! You don't come across guys like you every day."

"Thank goodness," grumbles Kadaj, by placing a dripping plate to one side.

"Were you from Midgar too?"

"We've just arrived..."

"Really? And where are you from exactly? Not that it's any of my business, but I'm curious."

Kadaj tilts his neck to one side, as if to relieve a sudden tension, and closes his eyes. The man is already getting on his nerves. He'd like to tell him to piss off, but guesses that won't be to their advantage with Cloud and Tifa. So he simply replies:

"From a hamlet near the Bone village."

His interlocutor seems very surprised by this.

"That's on the neighbouring continent! Gee, what made you decide to come all the way out here?"

"A change of scenery?" he suggests dryly, dropping several cutlery in the middle of the clean dishes.

The objects jingle loudly, attracting Tifa's attention. A worried crease appears on her forehead, as she guesses that Kadaj is about to lose patience. So she hands the spatula she's holding to Loz and asks:

"Can you handle the rest?"

Before letting him take his place behind the pan where an assortment of vegetables and meatballs are cooking.

Then she grabs a full pot of coffee and heads back towards the counter. With a smile on her face, she offers:

"Coffee, mister Douglas?"

Visibly shocked by Kadaj's attitude, the man's mouth drops open. The next second, he flutters his eyelids and smiles back.

"No, that'll do for today."

Saying this, he gets up and places what he owes for his meal on the counter.

"It was delicious, as always, Tifa. Oh, and... young man? I'm sorry about my indiscretion. With all the crap that's been going on lately, we all have experiences we don't necessarily want to talk about. Yeah, I know what it's like!"

After his departure, Kadaj grumbles:

"Someone should explain to him that when you hope to live long, you avoid sticking your nose into things that don't concern you." And as Tifa gives him a concerned look, he adds: "I wouldn't have done anything to him, but others might..."

New customers come in at the same time, casting a slightly disappointed glance around them as they see no empty tables. Yazoo heads in their direction before they have time to leave and points to the counter, where there are still a few seats left. 

Tifa watches him, rather pleased to see that he's doing rather well. Like Kadaj, his attitude isn't perfect, but where the former tends to be a little too sombre or dry in his behaviour, Yazoo just comes across as terribly bored... which, at the moment, is probably the best she can hope for.

She continues to follow him with her eyes, watching him collect the bill from a table of four people who are getting up to put on their jackets. The next moment, he's heading for the counter, his tray laden with dirty dishes and food scraps.

"The sponge," he says, placing the tray in front of Kadaj, before handing the money to Tifa. "The two men over there are asking if we can heat up the slices of pie they ordered for dessert."

"Tell them it's coming right up," replies the young woman, before moving towards Loz to show him how to use the oven.

The latter, who is just finishing preparing some extra sauce, listens attentively and follows her towards the fridge, to take out a tart protected under a cloche of plastic. Yazoo, for his part, has already left and, after wiping down the now empty table, heads for the customers waiting near the entrance. When he returns to hand the sponge back to Kadaj, he leans over to whisper in his ear:

"I already feel like smashing everything."

"Stop it," his brother replies, passing a foam-covered glass under the trickle of tap water. "I don't like it either, but we don't really have a choice."

"I know... in any case, Loz looks like he's having fun."

Kadaj looks over his shoulder at their brother. He and Tifa are leaning towards an oven, the door of which the young woman opens. Then she points to the various buttons on the device and begins to explain their function. Loz seems attentive, and even rather intrigued by this new machine he's going to have to use. Kadaj can't hold back a small smile.

"That's good... it takes his mind off things."

"Really?" Yazoo says gently, leaning against the counter with one hand supporting his chin. "I heard him crying this morning when I went to take my shower. I guess he didn't think anyone would catch him if he locked himself in the bathroom, that idiot."

"Did you ask him what was wrong?"

"No... I came back down discreetly. I don't think I'd have had the strength to console him otherwise."

Kadaj looks at his brother's exhausted face. If he naturally looks half-asleep, a used eye like his has no trouble understanding that he's not in his right mind. Of the three, Yazoo is having the hardest time recovering, but what's more, he senses the onset of a depression in his brother that he doesn't appreciate.

"It'll be ready in five minutes," says Tifa, coming back towards them. "And... Yazoo? I think someone's calling you."

With a blasé look, Yazoo glances over his shoulder and notices the last customers seated waving at him. A sigh escapes him and he straightens up to go in their direction. The dishes done, Kadaj turns off the tap, while Tifa leaves to attend to some customers at the counter. They speak loudly, congratulating her on her cooking and giving her the money they owe her.

"Come again, and have a nice day!" she says to them as they head for the exit.

When she returns to Kadaj, she has piled up the crockery they have used and leaves it to him, before trotting towards the oven from which a pleasant smell is now wafting. Loz, who is standing nearby, opens the door and, using a dish towel, grabs the oven rack to pull it out of its lair. Kadaj, on the other hand, leers aggressively at the dirty dishes and only just manages not to sweep them up with his hand. He's really starting to regret swapping places with Yazoo!

He has just set to work when the latter returns with the order from his customers. He hands it to Tifa and picks up the two plates she is holding - on which are steaming slices of pie. The young woman taps her lips with her finger as she looks over the order. Then she turns back to Loz who, with nothing left to do, yawns.

"I've already shown you everything on this order," she says, handing him the small piece of paper. "Do you think you can manage on your own?"

With one hand on his shoulder, which he massages, Loz looks over the list before answering:

"It should be fine..."

"All right. Call me if you need any help."

With that, she approaches Kadaj, whose expression is more scowling than ever; watches him place the dishes on the pile next to him and thinks that she's going to have to put it all away before it collapses. So she picks up a dish towel and moves to his right.

As she grabs a glass and slides her dish towel inside, she takes a long breath. Gathering as much courage as she can, she ventures:

"About what Denzel told you this morning...

"He's right," Kadaj interrupts. "The truth is, I don't regret anything I've done."

A brutal admission that left her hesitating for a moment. What is she supposed to answer to that?

Biting her lip, she wonders if the other two are thinking the same thing. Undoubtedly so, since it's more than likely that they share more or less the same morals. And while she's sure she doesn't like the idea, she can't help thinking about her own faults. To the tragedies she unwittingly committed or helped to commit. At the time, she didn't necessarily regret it either... no matter how many people died, if it was to fight the Shinra! It took her a while to understand. Before hitting the wall of his guilt…

"You know, we all make mistakes..."

Mistakes... is that really how she wants to describe her crimes? At that moment, she almost feels that her unfortunate choice of words is an insult to the victims.

"Sometimes it takes time to realise it."

"I'm perfectly aware of what I've done," he disabuses her. "I don't know if I've killed, but I could have... and I've tried. And I don't think I'd regret even that."

"You mean, if you had to do it all over again, then... there's nothing you'd want to change?"

"If I had to do it all over again..." begins Kadaj, before remaining silent.

His eyes darken. Anger shines through them, and hatred, even more terrible, soon eclipses it. His skin turned pale and he gripped the edge of the sink with both hands. Staring straight ahead.

Tifa holds her breath, sensing that he's about to explode, to give free rein to the violence that is growing inside him and trying to overwhelm him. Instinctively, she clenches her fists, hoping that she won't have to intervene to calm him down.

"If I had to do it all over again," he repeats, his voice as tense as it is bitter. "So I'd rather never have been born." And without giving Tifa time to react, he unties his apron and throws it in the direction of Yazoo, who arrives with a full tray of dirty dishes. " Let’s swap!"

With that, he steps out from behind the counter, grabs an abandoned tray and walks towards a couple who have just entered the establishment...

 

Notes:

This fic was written before the remake was released, so my Tifa is based on the one from On the way to a smile. And the two seem to me to have had a different vision of AVALANCHE's actions.

Chapter 6: Episode 2 - Part 3

6

"It's not easy."

4pm and the Seventh Heaven dining room is now almost empty. Tifa has sent the Remnants on an errand for her - keen to get them away from here for a while - and only three regulars in the background are chatting in hushed tones over a drink. To the left of the counter, Marlene has settled down with her sketchbook and coloured pencils. She traces a humanoid silhouette as she hums through her nose, her tiny feet swinging beneath her.

Cloud has returned from his latest delivery and settled down opposite Tifa, who is placing a cup of coffee in front of him. Behind her, the kitchen is at rest, the utensils used during lunch washed and returned to their original place.

"For the moment, Loz is the easiest to deal with," she continues, taking a seat on a stool behind the counter. “All you have to do is give him something to do and praise him when he does it well to keep him quiet. What's more, he's a quick learner, so you don't have to explain things for long for him to reproduce them.”

In a way, his behaviour is a bit like that of a child. Curious and no doubt sensitive to any form of boredom that might lead him to get into mischief. Keeping him busy and offering him praise, like a parent would do for his son, works well with him. What's more, unlike the other two, he's easy to get on with and talking to isn't an ordeal in itself. Well, like the day before, he has thoughts and words that seem incredibly stupid and others where logic can sometimes escape her, but… despite the bad memories she has of their first meeting, he is undoubtedly the one whose presence she will find easiest to adapt to.

"Kadaj," she adds, curling a lock of hair between her fingers. "Scares me more already. I get the impression that there's a lot of anger in him and that he's having trouble controlling it. In fact, he's probably the one who's going to cause us the most problems…”

It's not necessarily difficult to communicate with him either, but his conversation isn't very pleasant. What's more, she feels a sense of threat every time she stands near him, making her constantly on her guard. Not to mention his slightly too unpredictable character, which adds to his unease.

She has turned her eyes to Marlene and is watching her colour the hair in her drawing. Black and long… and judging by her outfit, it's probably a portrait of her. It won't be the first, as the little girl loves to doodle those she now considers to be her family.

Cloud's spoon tinkles as he finishes stirring his coffee and, raising his cup to his lips, he asks:

"And the last one? Yazoo... right?"

Tifa blinks, then sighs.

“Him... it's complicated. I can't figure him out at all. I can hear him talking to his brothers, but he ignores me most of the time. You never really know what he's thinking and he has a way of looking at you that frankly makes me uncomfortable. It's as if he's wearing a mask all the time.”

Yes, that's exactly it... a mask! The expressions on his face are more than limited and she only sees him come to life in the presence of his brothers. Earlier, she caught him exchanging smiles with Loz - not as broad and warm as the latter's, though - but she barely got a few glances of her own. It's as if he only recognises and cares about those he considers to be his family, while the others are mere shadows whose existence he doesn't care about. He has no problem communicating with customers, answering most of their questions, but it's always in a mechanical way, without much nuance, either in his tone or in his expressions. A machine... some kind of robot, that's what he reminds her of at times like this.

"They're doing well, though... they're doing what they're told and... yes, they probably won't have too much trouble picking up the pace, but..."

But she's worried that their strange behaviour will end up annoying the customers. Kadaj, for example, has far too little patience. And in this profession, it's a necessary quality, otherwise you'd spend half your time arguing with those who enter your establishment.

"You know," she continues, lowering her voice so that Marlene can't hear her. "Kadaj said something strange to me earlier... that he wished he'd never been born."

The Remnant's words disturb her more than she would like. She hadn't expected this sort of statement from him. Yes, he really did take her by surprise, and the negative feelings that seemed to be bubbling up inside him made his confession all the more chilling. Because she sensed that he was sincere... that it wasn't provocation or a momentary despondency.

She sees a shadow pass in Cloud's eyes. Putting down his now empty cup, he explains in the same discreet tone:

"From what I understand, he feels useless..."

"Useless?" repeats the young woman, leaning forward. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure... towards his brothers, probably. He feels it's his duty to make sure they'll be all right."

"Do you think he doesn't feel up to it?"

"Perhaps."

But there's something else too. It's like a dark, if not suffocating feeling, and all he knows for sure is that Kadaj didn't tell him everything during their conversation the day before. That he keeps secrets that worry him... because these could undoubtedly have a negative impact on all their lives.

But he's not sure how to broach the subject with him. Doesn't know how to get him to confess. He knows he'll have to deal with it quickly, before anything dramatic can happen, but for now, unfortunately, he feels that trying to talk to him about it will only hasten the catastrophe. That Kadaj is far too emotional at the moment to discuss the subject with him. No, he'll have to wait a bit... a few days... a week... just long enough for him to recover and adapt to his new environment.

Above all, to give me time to find the best approach…

He turns his eyes towards Marlene, who continues her drawing without paying any attention to them. Thinks that if Kadaj considers that he has the responsibility of his brothers on his shoulders, he himself is currently in the same kind of situation... and that two of the beings under his protection will be incapable of defending themselves if things go wrong.

"I think... it's going to be a bit complicated for us over the next few days," he finally sighs.

And Tifa, who remembers the scene between Denzel and Kadaj that morning, can only agree with him…

7

“I think I'm going to get used to it!”

Yazoo holds Tifa's shopping list between his fingers. From the back pocket of his trousers sticks out the money she has also entrusted to them. With a bored expression, he puts a hand to his long hair, distractedly detangles a lock that got caught in the zip of his jacket and says:

“Oh, really?”

Loz, who is walking a few steps behind him, nods in agreement.

"Yeah, I mean... Tifa's pretty nice, no? And it's not a bad job., I'm enjoying it, anyway. Yeah, I can't wait for her to teach me a few more things!"

"The first time you saw each other, you nearly killed her," Yazoo reminds him, making him wince.

"That's all in the past now! Look what we did to our big brother, and yet..."

“But it's not over yet for them. We scare them and none of them like us. Besides, I don't enjoy working there. Hands in dishwater all day... and if it's not that, having to look after these people and listen to their nonsense. They're noisy, they stink and what's more, they give you orders. How far we have fallen…”

"Why are you like this, Yazoo?" Loz whines. "We said we'd make an effort. That we'd try to adapt. It hasn't even been two days and you..."

"I know, Loz, I know," Yazoo sighs. "I'm going to make an effort. We're all going to make an effort..."

As he says this, he glances at Kadaj, who is trailing behind, walking with his hands in his pockets and his eyes downcast. He hasn't opened his mouth since they left the Seventh Heaven, looking darker than ever. His attitude is far from reassuring. He can handle Loz's mood swings, but Kadaj's…

Loz, who is also watching their brother, gives him a worried look. Yazoo shrugs in response. This isn't exactly the time to deal with this.

"This list goes on and on," he complains instead. "I'm feeling a bit exploited and..."

He doesn't finish, however, as two men are just coming out of a pub a little further down the street. Individuals in black suits, made up of a noisy redhead and a silent bald man. The trio stop when they see them and the Turks, who also spot them, do the same. Reno opens round eyes, at first too surprised to react, before swearing and reaching for his telescopic baton, which he deploys in one motion.

"Shit! What the hell is this?!"

Behind him, his colleague is still saying nothing, but you can tell from the way he's standing that he's just as lost and ready to come to blows. A smile appears on Yazoo's lips as he takes a step in their direction.

"I was just getting bored," he says, feeling the excitement of the fight building inside him.

With a laugh, Loz comes to stand beside him.

"Do you think anyone will mind if we get rid of them?"

"No... I'm sure not. It'll be a bit like doing this planet a favour."

“‘daj?”

Still in the background, Kadaj is also watching the Turks. There's something predatory about the way he looks at them and, for a moment, you can feel him ready to respond to the invitation. The negative emotions inside him are just waiting for an outlet, and as he takes a step forward, Rude and Reno take a step back.

However, in the end he says:

"Forget it: they're not worth it."

Loz turns to him quickly, looking like a kid who's just had his toy snatched away. Yazoo, for his part, simply looks at him over his shoulder, one eyebrow arched in question. Kadaj puts a hand to his hair and, with a suddenly exhausted expression, adds:

“Come on, let's go!”

Loz gives the Turks a disappointed look, while Yazoo lets out a throaty noise. The next moment, they follow Kadaj, who is already moving away.

8

Reno takes a long breath. He finds it hard to believe in their chances.

"They really clear off, huh?"

"Apparently," replies Rude, who is following the Remnants with his eyes.

A good deal of the tension inside him releases and his shoulders relax. They would never have been able to face them. Especially not with Kadaj involved. Yeah, that was a close one!

The redhead, who still can't seem to get over it, shakes his head.

"They were dead, right? Cloud said they were!"

Rude lets out a grunt in response. This is indeed what Cloud told them, but…

"Then how do you explain this?!" Reno continues, turning to him.

In the depths of his blue eyes, a concern that Rude shares.

"We must warn Tseng!"

Chapter 7: Episode 2 - Part 4

9

It's now 11pm and the Seventh Heaven has closed its doors. Tifa has just finished cleaning, while Loz, very proud of himself, serves his brothers the dinner he has made for them. Leaning on the handle of her broom, she watches them; sees Kadaj prick the contents of his plate with his fork, with a suspicious eye, while Yazoo tastes reluctantly and seems to enjoy it enough to continue pecking away.

She lets out a sigh. The evening hadn't gone too badly and, apart from Kadaj's sullen mood and Yazoo's lack of life, she has nothing to criticise about their last service. Loz - it's a good thing he's here - even had a little chat with some of the customers, who then told her how much they appreciated this new member of her team. Yes, it's a pretty good start on the whole. Apart from the children's behaviour…

Biting her lip, she turns her attention to the two kids in pyjamas who, sitting at a table, should already be in bed. She always gives them an early dinner to make sure they don't have to stay up as late as she and Cloud do, but that night, neither of them seems to want to go to bed. And while Denzel stares stubbornly at the door, Marlene is showing clear signs of fatigue. She yawns and rubs her eyes, her little head bobbing as if she's fighting the call of sleep.

Leaving her broom in a corner, she approaches the little girl.

“Marlene? Why don't you go to bed?”

But she shakes her head.

"I'll go when Denzel goes."

"And I'm not going to bed until I've seen Cloud," Denzel says, without taking his eyes off the door."

"You're going to be exhausted tomorrow"

"I'm not a baby any more!"

"And me neither," Marlene says, raising her head proudly.

However, she would be more convincing if she didn't have so much trouble keeping her eyes open. And there she is, yawning again and putting a hand to her now huge mouth. Upset, Tifa wonders what to do.

She shouldn't let them do as they please, but... she has a feeling, at the moment, that forcing them to go upstairs to bed might lead to unwanted complications. Denzel, she's sure, won't obey her. No, she rather imagines him getting angry, and she has no desire to start an argument now. Too late. Too many people. And she'd rather Marlene didn't get involved - which the little girl, she's sure, will.

At the counter, the three brothers continue their meal without seeming to pay any attention to them. Loz's voice is loud, and Yazoo sometimes responds to him. Kadaj, for his part, is the quietest of the three, only making vague mumblings here and there. His attitude doesn't seem to faze Loz, who carries on talking as if nothing had happened. Yazoo, for his part, occasionally gives his brother a sidelong glance, sitting between him and Loz. Something that Kadaj doesn't seem to notice, unless he's decided to ignore it.

We can't go on like this…

Tifa turns to the children again, going to ask them to at least brush their teeth, when Cloud walks through the door. Her heart leapt in her chest. Finally!

Denzel jumps to his feet, but Cloud gestures that he doesn't have time to handle him now.

"I've had a call from Reno," he says to Tifa."

And as she stares at him uncomprehendingly, he adds:

"He asked me about them." As he says this, he turns to the Remnants, who are now watching him. "He claims to have met them in town and wanted to make sure I hadn't lied to him when I said they were dead."

This time, a gleam of concern passes through the young woman's eyes.

“What did you say to him?”

"That I had seen Kadaj join the Lifestream and that you and the rest of AVALANCHE had seen the other two do the same. He didn't seem calm and I'm not sure he believed me." Then, with a shrug, he continues: "I told him I'd investigate on my own, but..."

But they can't lie to the Turks forever. Sooner or later, they'll learn about their new staff and come here. This doesn't bode well for their tranquillity. The Shinra know how dangerous the three brothers are, and may not appreciate the fact that they have offered them hospitality.

As for her, the last thing she wants is to see the company - or at least what's left of it - invade her life again.

Maybe we should contact Reeve and explain to him what's going on here...?

But before she can make that suggestion, Loz says:

"See, we should have got rid of them!"

At these words, Tifa startles.

"Did you attack them?" Cloud asks.

"We wanted to," Loz replies. "But 'daj told us to drop it."

"Supposedly they weren't worth it..." adds Yazoo softly, leaning against the bar and staring at a spot in front of him.

Kadaj shrugs.

"I thought we'd get into even more trouble if we did," he grumbles.

But you can sense that he's not satisfied, and no doubt regrets not having seized the opportunity to get rid of the nuisances.

"You did well," Cloud says. "Nevertheless..." 

He lets his gaze sweep over the trio. 

"You should have warned us that you'd come across them..."

Kadaj shrugs again, while Yazoo doesn't answer, looking terribly bored. Only Loz seems nervous, glancing at his brothers as if to ask them to confirm that they have done nothing wrong.

"Anyway," Cloud finishes. "We have to expect a visit from them soon. Let's avoid provoking them until then!"

With that, he goes behind the counter to the fridge, as if to say that the discussion is over. And so the Remnants return to their meal, muttering for Loz.

Denzel, as for him, explodes:

"What? That's it?!"

All eyes turn to the boy, who raises his voice again:

"Are you going to let them get away with that? They might get us into trouble, but you don't care?!"

"Denzel...," begins Tifa.

"But it's true! They've already done us harm in the past, and now they're going to keep dragging us into their affairs. Why should we accept that? Why don't you leave them to fend for themselves? It's none of our business!"

At the counter, Kadaj has returned to his plate, while Loz seems panicked by the turn of events. As for Yazoo, he's content to watch Denzel. With that cold, inexpressive look, reminiscent of a reptile. Cloud closes the fridge and asks:

"What would you like us to do? If the Turks come knocking at our door, we can't just turn a blind eye."

"Then they'll have to leave!" replies the boy. "Marlene and I don't want them here. We told you that, but you didn't listen to us. And now we're going to have more problems, and it's all their fault."

His finger points in the direction of Yazoo, who continues to observe him in silence.

"Why are you always like this?"

"Like what?" Cloud asks.

There's no aggressiveness in his voice. Nor in his expression, which is a little unsettling for Denzel, who suddenly has the impression that he's behaving badly towards him. His hero. The man thanks to whom he has a family again. He knows full well how much he owes him. To him and to Tifa. And this situation makes him sad. Why does he have to make such a fuss? Why can't they open their eyes by themselves? Bitterness tinges his voice as he answers:

“Always too kind…”

Then, anger blazing in his eyes, he turns to Yazoo.

"And you're taking advantage of it! You know they're like that. That's why you're here. No one else would have accepted you anywhere else, so you came here! And now we're supposed to feel sorry for you, when all you do is cause trouble wherever you go! I hate you! You have no right to take advantage of us like this and…”

"Denzel, calm down!" Tifa intervenes.

The situation is getting out of hand. Terrified by the boy's screams, Marlene comes to take refuge against her. Kadaj, on the other hand, continues his meal as if none of this concerned him. He simply beckons Loz to imitate him, as the latter's inability to figure out how to behave makes his panic more and more visible. Yazoo, for his part, still hasn't taken his eyes off Denzel. Exasperated, the boy returns his gaze.

"Why are you looking at me like that? Why do you always look at other people like that?! Who do you think you are? You might think you're going to scare me, but I'm certainly not going…”

Tifa sees Yazoo's hand reach out. Almost in slow motion. In a jolt of panic, she lets go of Marlene and leaps towards Denzel. But just when she was expecting something dramatic to happen, the Remnants' fingers simply close over the boy's nose, causing him to let out a comical exclamation and widen his eyes. Cloud, who was also about to intervene, feels a small laugh - both nervous and amused - rise up inside him, which he has to stifle.

"Stop shouting, you're disturbing everyone," Yazoo says.

His cheeks flushed red, Denzel curtly pushes his hand away and rubs his nose. His eyes shoot lightning.

Yazoo leans one arm against the bar.

"You seem to resent us. I don't quite understand, but I imagine you have your reasons..."

"He reproached me for the fact that none of us had apologised," Kadaj says, raising his glass to his lips.

"But why?" Loz exclaims, confused. "Do you know why you should apologise, Yaz'?”

Yazoo runs a hand through his hair.

"I attacked our big brother... I suppose that's enough to make him angry with me. And then I was the one who took him and the other children to our hideout."

"So what? We didn't hurt them!" protests Loz.

"In truth...," begins Cloud, but Kadaj cuts him off:

"Anyway, you two were only obeying my orders." Then, turning to Denzel, he adds: "If you really have to blame anyone, it's me. Them, they just did what I asked them to do."

"It doesn't work like that, Kadaj," Yazoo replies softly. "You can't take all the responsibility on your own shoulders. No, we obeyed because we wanted to."

"And he's waiting for us to apologise. I did try this morning, but he was annoyed that I wasn't being sincere."

"Because on top of that, you'd have to be sincere..."

"OK, but I didn't do anything to him!" declares Loz, crossing his arms. "Well, maybe the girl could be angry with me..." Saying this, he turns his eyes to Marlene, then shrugs. "But even so, we didn't hurt her either."

Cloud scratches his hair, while Tifa purses her lips.

"It's not going to be easy," he sighs.

"Are you serious?" asks Denzel. "Do you really think you've done nothing wrong?"

Yazoo turns his attention back to him.

"Since you're so keen for us to be sincere, then I'll be honest with you: I don't feel any guilt about what I've done. We did what we had to do and I don't think I'm wrong in saying that my brothers feel the same way."

"You heard them!" Denzel exclaims, glancing at Cloud and then at Tifa. "And now you really want to continue helping them?"

"You don't seem to understand," Yazoo intervenes, his tone as calm as ever. "In the context of our mission, your existence was of no importance whatsoever. When you squash an insect, do you really blame yourself?"

"Do you take us for insects?

"Or something similar... Which is not to say that we are not capable of evolving our vision, but to do that, you'll have to give us some time."

"That's nonsense! You can't ask us to be patient!"

"In that case," Yazoo continues, leaning forward slightly, as if to put himself at the same level as his interlocutor. "What can we do now to try and sort things out?" 

And as Denzel opens his mouth, he raises a hand to cut him off.

"Apart from leaving: you can say what you want, but I don't think it will excuse us from anything in your eyes."

The room falls silent.

Cloud and Tifa look at each other, wondering whether or not they should intervene. They know that constantly trying to avoid conflict between Denzel and the Remnants will not improve the situation between them. Nevertheless, it remains difficult to assess at what point things tip over the edge. At what point it's necessary to calm things down.

Kadaj, for his part, prefers to stay in the background. He simply looks at his brother thoughtfully, aware that his calmer personality is probably what is most appropriate in this situation.  But he's not unaware of how peculiar Yazoo's way of thinking can be - even for him. So he's ready to speak again, just in case he starts to go too far.

The silence continues. And soon it becomes clear that the exchange is coming to an end anyway. Indeed, Denzel has opened his mouth, only to close it again immediately. His eyebrows furrowed, he suddenly looks lost. Unable to decide what answer to give. To make matters worse, Yazoo continues to stare at him.

Finally, after a few moments of fruitless reflection, Denzel bites his lip and his cheeks turn red.

"It's not fair. You have no right to ask me that!"

With that, he runs off in the direction of the stairwell. It isn't long before his footsteps are heard upstairs and Cloud waves to Tifa that he take care of the rest…

10

“Denzel?”

Cloud finds the boy in the bedroom on the second floor, standing facing the window. He gently closes the door behind him and doesn't turn on the light, which Denzel has left off. Prefers to make do with artificial lighting from the street. As he approaches, his weight makes the floor creak beneath him.

"They don't care about how we feel," says the kid. "They're only thinking about themselves."

Cloud scratches his hair, embarrassed. He's never been very comfortable around children. But Denzel is attached to him, much more than he is to Tifa, and he felt he had to take the responsibility of coming to talk to him.

"I know," he sighs, sitting down on the bed behind Denzel.

"If that's the case, why are you keeping them here? Why do you let them say such things?"

His little shoulders have tensed and Cloud can see him shaking. The bed base beneath him creaks as he sits more comfortably.

"Me and Tifa... we try to put ourselves in their shoes." Denzel turns his face in his direction. " We think... that they probably deserve a second chance."

But he can see from Denzel's expression that he doesn't understand. That he even feels hurt by his words. So he asks:

"Do you know what they are?"

The boy shakes his head in denial. Cloud has a small smile and pats the mattress, inviting him to sit down. Denzel sniffs to show his discontent, but takes a seat next to him anyway. Then, grumpily, he says:

"They're not human, I'm sure of that... they're more like monsters."

Cloud takes a long breath. In a way, he's not far from the truth, even if he guesses that Denzel doesn't seriously think they weren't born human.

He wonders if he should tell him the truth... if it wouldn't just make things worse. Maybe terrify him more than necessary. Nevertheless, he feels that it wouldn't be right to lie to him. After what he's been through with those three, Denzel has a right to know.

"I already told you about Sephiroth..."

Denzel looks up at him, suddenly interested.

"In a way... they're..." He squints, looking for the right word. "Him?" 

He shakes his head. 

"No, it's a bit more complicated than that. They're them... but they're also him. Mhh... you know, you're not wrong when you say they're not human. They aren't. All they have is the appearance of it and…”

Again he scratches his head. How to explain it simply? Even for him, their existence remains largely a mystery.

"Let's say... that Sephiroth created them."

And seeing the worried gleam in Denzel's eye, he thinks maybe that wasn't the best confession to make.

"Of course, they're not responsible for that. It's not as if they chose... You know, it's a bit like a child being born into a bad family. Would you hold him responsible for whatever atrocities his parents might have committed?"

"No... but it's not like they haven't done bad things before."

"That’s true..."

"Does that mean Sephiroth is their father?"

Cloud takes his time to think about it, unsure of what answer to give.

"Maybe... I mean, not exactly. I think they see him more as their brother. They... they're sort of like parts of him. Parts of him that have come to life and developed their own personalities. Do you understand?”

A pout curls Denzel's lower lip.

"Not really."

"Ah..."

"But you say that you and Tifa think they deserve a second chance. Why? Would you give him, Sephiroth, a second chance?"

Cloud doesn't respond immediately. While he has told Denzel all about their battle against the man, there are many things he hasn't told him. You don't tell a child about something as horrific as the events at Nibelheim, for example - even less so when the child himself has lost his parents in an equally monstrous tragedy. A tragedy orchestrated by the Shinra, but in which he, Tifa and Barret - three people who now form his entourage - played a role. At that moment, he wonders if one day he'll tell him. Wonders what his reaction will be. Unlike Tifa, and while he will always regret not having been able to prevent the plate collapsing, he doesn't consider himself responsible for the tragedy. Nevertheless…

... one of the reactors I helped destroy killed quite a few people. And other children like him were probably orphaned after that…

"Frankly, I don't think so," he says finally. “You know, Sephiroth has committed... many crimes. And even recently..." 

He shakes his head. 

“What I'm saying is that if they have things to reproach themselves for, they acted largely under the influence. Erm... It's not that I'm necessarily making excuses for them, but I think that if they got off to such a bad start in life, it's not entirely their fault. That they have the right to try and make amends."

And he himself, who knows what it's like to act under his influence, can only put himself in their shoes.

"I don't get the impression that they're that keen to make amends," Denzel replies.

Cloud tilts his head to one side. Once again, he can't prove Denzel wrong, but…

"I don't like them."

"We're not asking you to like them. Besides, we're not sure we can either..."

Especially as mistrust reigns on both sides. Time will therefore be needed before they can hope to see things improve... assuming that this is possible.

"But we want to give them the opportunity to prove themselves. To show us that they are capable of change."

"And so... we'll have to put up with them for a month."

"We've given our word. I'm sorry, but we're not going to break our promise."

"And what if I still don't like them after a month? If I still don't want them to stay, will they leave?"

"What's important to us is that you and Marlene feel safe where you live. Also... if in the end it turns out that it's still difficult for you to accept their presence, then, yes, we'll ask them to leave."

"Promise?"

“Yes. But on your side, I'd like you to make an effort.”

Immediately, Denzel frowns.

"No way am I going to be nice to them!"

A small smile appears on Cloud's lips as he puts a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm not asking you to do that. But if you could at least avoid making any more scenes like the one you made tonight..."

And as Denzel continues to pout, looking more stubborn than ever, he adds:

"Hey, I'm not asking you for the moon!"

He continues to smile, in truth amused by Denzel's attitude. In fact, it doesn't take long for the boy to lighten up and smile back at him. Rubbing his nose, he replies:

"OK, I'll try!"

Chapter 8: Episode 2 - Part 5

Notes:

It’s been a while, isn’t it ? But no, this translation isn’t abandoned… not yet. And I hope to finish it one day. But, to be honest with you, from this chapter, this fic will mainly be translated with Deepl, because I’m too lazy. Of course, I will reread and edit the result but… yeah ! I’m not in the mood to translate it by myself anymore, sorry. ^^’

11

Tifa finishes heating up dinner for herself and Cloud. After he left, silence fell over the room, which she didn’t attempt to break. Deep down, she’s beginning to wonder whether they did the right thing by giving the Remnants a chance. It’s normal for the children to react this way, to be angry toward them, the adults who are supposed to protect them and yet have brought into their home people with whom they have only experienced trauma. Not to mention the fact that the conversation between Yazoo and Denzel still makes her feel uneasy. After all, they have undoubtedly forgotten rather too quickly that they were created from the remains of a being who, long ago, stripped himself of all compassion and humanity.

And yet, they’re capable of caring about each other's well-being…

She turns toward Marlene. Sitting on a chair, the little girl is now completely dozing off, her arms cross on the table and her face disappearing behind them. It's high time for her to go upstairs to bed, and as soon as Cloud comes back down, she'll send her upstairs without even asking her to brush her teeth.

A whisper from Loz. The latter leaned forward and speaks so quietly that she can't understand what he's saying. Yazoo leaned his elbows on the counter, his chin resting in the palm of his hand, and occasionally replies to him. Kadaj, meanwhile, has crossed his arms and closed his eyes.

After taking a deep breath, she approaches them.

“Yazoo...?”

The conversation ends, and Yazoo slowly looks up in her direction. At that moment, she almost feels as if his gaze is passing right through her, as if she were made of nothing. It's unsettling, but she forces herself to ignore it and continue:

“When you say that you are capable of transforming… your vision of things, are you sincere?”

Kadaj half-opens his eyes to stare at her. And faced with the silence that greets her, she thinks that her question was probably a little too awkward.

“What you want to know...” Yazoo finally rephrases. “Is whether we are capable of becoming like you, isn't it?”

For the first time, his gaze truly fixes on her, seeming to recognize her as a living being. However, it only lasts a few seconds, and already she feels like she is nothing more than a slightly annoying object in his field of vision.

“Rather... will you eventually be able to feel empathy for those outside of you three?”

She's not sure which gaze makes her feel most uncomfortable. Yazoo's lifeless stare? Kadaj's overly penetrating gaze? Or Loz's, who stares at her as if she were some kind of strange creature?

Yazoo makes a slight noise.

“Since we're supposed to make an effort,” he begins. “To… adapt; I guess there's no getting around it.”

“But it seems to bother you,” she notes.

Kadaj clicks his tongue in irritation. However, he and Loz remain silent, preferring to let their brother continue the conversation. With a distant look in his eyes, Yazoo tilts his head.

“Should I be honest?”

“I would prefer you to be, yes.”

Even if she suspects that she won't like what comes next.

“Personally, I'd like to stay as I am.”

She waits for a development that never comes. Feeling increasingly cold, she asks:

“Does it bother you that much to have to change?”

“It's tiring.”

“Do you think like him too?”

Loz frowns, lost in thought. Kadaj replies:

“Basically, we don't need anything more than what we already have.”

“So you don't like having to change either...?”

He shrugs.

“I don't care. If I have to change, I'll change. Even if I think it will be more of a burden than anything else.”

“To have feelings for us? Do you really see that as a burden?”

Once again, Kadaj shrugs and adds nothing. She turns to Loz, who still seems to be struggling to gather his thoughts.

“I... I want us to stay together. So, if I have to, I'm willing to change. I don't mind. And also..” (His eyebrows furrow again as he struggles to put his feelings into words. He turns to his brothers.) “Are we really that bad?”

“It depends on what you mean by ‘bad’...” replies Kadaj, closing his eyes.

“I guess it's a matter of perspective,” Yazoo adds. “And we don't behave with them the way we behave with each other. I think that's what they have a problem with.

Scandalized, Loz opens his mouth in a silent exclamation.
“We have to be with everyone else the way we are with each other? But that's impossible! We don't have to do that, do we?!”

His gaze swept over Kadaj and Yazoo, waiting for a response, before settling on Tifa.

“That's not what we're asking you,” the young woman assures him. “It's normal to behave differently with different people. Yes, there are people we like more than others. People who are closer to us. So we don't have to treat everyone the same, but…” She looks up at the ceiling, taking a moment to gather her thoughts. “But we should at least be correct.”

“And what does that mean?”

“Well…”

“What if it's someone we don't like?” asks Yazoo.

“If it's someone we don't like...” begins the young woman.

“If I don't like someone, I smash his head in!,” declares Loz.

“Don't get too carried away,” says Kadaj, opening his eyes halfway. “You know we have to be careful.”

“Yeah, but what if he starts it?”

“I'm certainly not going to remain passive,” says Yazoo, crossing his hands behind his neck. “I'm willing to adapt, but there's a limit.”

“Do you think they'll be mad at us if we fight back, Yaz?” Loz asked, leaning toward him.

“Kadaj?”

Kadaj lets out a sigh and shakes his head.

“I don't know, and I'm tired,” he says, standing up. “Leave everything where it is,” he continues, gesturing toward the remains of their dinner. “We'll clean up tomorrow morning.”

“I can do it now...” Loz begins, standing up as well.

“Tomorrow, I said! Yazoo!”

Yazoo finishes his drink before following his brothers. Tifa watches them disappear into the stairwell without saying anything, not having the strength to continue the conversation anyway.

I knew it would be complicated, but not to this extent...!

She looks down at their empty plates, wondering if she should clear them. Instead, she walks over to Marlene and gently shakes her shoulder, as she hears Cloud's footsteps echoing upstairs…

12

Yazoo closes the door behind them just as Cloud walks down the hallway. Near their bed, Kadaj takes off his clothes to put on his pajamas. A little lost, Loz stands in the middle of the room and looks from one to the other before asking:

“Something wrong, 'daj?”

Kadaj pulls his T-shirt over his head and throws it on the bed. Then, grabbing another one to replace it, he replies:

“No.”

“So why did you make us come back up?” Loz insists, rubbing his neck. “I’m not tired, and I still had lots of questions to ask.”

“Actually, we've already said too much,” Kadaj tells him, quickly fixing his hair before tackling his pants. “We have to avoid showing them that we're too different. Otherwise, it could work against us.”

“Do you think we scared them...?” Loz asks worriedly, glancing at Yazoo, who is leaning against the door, simply watching their brother.
Kadaj shrugs.

“Probably.”

He finally gets rid of his pants, kicking them into the middle of the room. Loz now has a pout on his face, looking frankly lost. Then he shrugs and takes off his sweater. Kadaj, who has just finished to put on a sweat pants that has seen better days, notices that Yazoo is still watching him. A hint of annoyance rises within him and he asks curtly:

“What?”

“Are you sure you don't have anything to tell us...?”

Surprised by the question, Loz raises his eyebrows and turns to Yazoo. Kadaj, who is holding his gaze, seems defensive.

“About what?”

Yazoo takes a few seconds to respond. And when he does, it's in a cautious voice:

“You're acting weird lately. And I really feel like you're…”

However, several knocks on the door put an end to the exchange. With a frown, Yazoo steps aside and opens the door just enough to see Cloud on the other side.

“I brought this for Loz,” he says, holding up an object in front of him.

Surprised, Loz turns his gaze toward Kadaj, before heading toward the door to open it wide. Picking up the rubbery object, folded into several layers, he stares at it, confused. Cloud explains:

“It's an air mattress. It's not exactly luxurious, but I imagine it'll be more comfortable than the floor. Here, I've got this to inflate it.”

Saying that, he also hands him a pump. Loz turns it over and over, before returning to his brothers and, with a broad smile on his face, proudly brandishing his new acquisitions.

“Hey! I have a mattress now too!”

Sitting on the bed, Kadaj replies:

“And what are you going to say to Cloud?”

And as Loz loses his smile and looks genuinely confused, he adds:

“What would you say if they were a gift from me?”

A glimmer of understanding flashes across his brother's eyes.

“Oh... um... thank you? That's right, huh? (Then, turning to Cloud:) Thank you.”

In return, the blond man gives him a small smile and leans one arm against the doorframe. Loz is already undoing his old mattress when he says:

“About Shinra... don't try anything, okay? I'll take care of it.”

Loz stops what he's doing and looks questioningly at Yazoo. They both then turn to Kadaj. With a nod, Kadaj lets Cloud know that they've taken note, ignoring the disappointed, if not annoyed, expressions on his brothers' faces.

Anyway, he had no intention of involving them any further...

Notes:

And that's the end of episode 2. I don't know how often this fic will be updated from now on, but I hope the next chapter won't take too long to appear!

Chapter 9: Episode 3 - Part 1

1

“Yazoo, get up!”

A distant “Mhhh” answers him. Lying on his stomach, Yazoo is tangled up in the blankets, taking up all the space available in the bed they share. Standing at his bedside, fists planted on his hips, Kadaj already looks as if he’s at the end of his tether.

Yazoo has always been a heavy sleeper, and except during times of crisis when they need to be on high alert, he has tremendous difficulty waking up. It was already annoying back then, and it's even more so now that they've settled here, in this secure environment where he can give free rein to this trait of his personality.

“I said get up!”

A grunt is heard, but Yazoo makes no move to get up. His face partially hidden behind his hair, one of his arms hangs off the bed. Kadaj takes a long, very long breath. Well... if that's how he wants to play!

He leans toward him and shakes him roughly by the shoulder.

“Last warning: get up or I'll pull you out myself!”

A louder growl rises. The next moment, his brother's arms close around his waist and, without giving him time to react, pull him toward the bed. Now half collapsed on top of Yazoo, he struggles, trying to escape his embrace while cursing.

“Stop that right now!”

Yazoo's eyelids open slightly and, with a small smile, he replies:

“Just five minutes.”

“No way. Let go of me!”

“Four minutes, then.” And closing his eyes, he curls up against him like you would with a big stuffed animal. “It's much nicer with Loz, but you'll do just fine.”

“Yazoo!”

Kadaj clenches his fists, ready to strike him. However, he changes his mind and calls out instead:

“Loz? Loz! Come here right now!”

Loz, who has just come out of the bathroom, rushes down the stairs four at a time. Discovering the scene, he protests:

“That's not fair! I want a hug too!”

“Idiot, it's not what you think! He won't let go of me, so help me!”

Loz steps forward and, with some difficulty, forces Yazoo to release his victim. As soon as Kadaj breaks free from his grasp, he grabs the blankets and disappears under them, grumbling. The next moment, a silence falls. Not even a strand of hair can be seen protruding from beneath the crumpled mound that now lies curled up in the middle of the mattress.

Loz scratches his cheek.

“Don't go near him when you want to wake him up. Me, I'm fine. I'm too strong for him to knock me over, but you…”

Then he looks down at Kadaj's slim figure. Kadaj shoots him an annoyed look. Looking more sullen than ever, he grabs the blankets and tries to pull them away from Yazoo, who holds on tight. He's cursing and using his foot to push against the bed when Loz says:

“Wait, that's not how you do it. I'll show you...!”

He gently pushes Kadaj aside and, with a broad smile, leans toward Yazoo, wiggling his fingers. The next moment, Yazoo is the victim of a tickle attack that quickly elicits complaints and bursts of laughter. He wriggles, tries to escape his brother, rolls onto his side, only to expose his back a little more. Loz immediately pounces on this easy target.

“Stop! Stop! It's okay, I...!”

With a sharp movement, Kadaj snatches his blankets away and throws them aside. Yazoo lets out a gasp and sits up on one elbow, his hair tousled and his clothes in disarray.

“In the bathroom,” Kadaj orders Loz.

An exclamation escapes their brother as Loz's arms close around him and he's thrown on his shoulder.

“Okay, put me down!” Yazoo protests, starting to struggle. “I'll get up, okay? I'll get up!”

Without listening to him, Loz follows Kadaj toward the hallway. Tifa, who is going upstairs at the same moment, freezes and sees Yazoo quickly raise his head when he sees her. He lets out an outraged scream, momentarily breaking the expressionless mask he likes to wear.

“Damn it, Loz, you're making me look like an idiot! Put me down, I said!”

But Kadaj, nodding toward the stairs to the second floor, orders:

“Throw him in the shower!”

Loz smiles, while Yazoo, increasingly indignant, begins to struggle again.

“What? No way! Loz? Kadaj!”

Ignoring them, Kadaj turns to Tifa.

“He wouldn't get up.”

The young woman doesn't answer, just watches the other two disappear into the bathroom, the door slamming behind them. Then there's a loud bang, followed by an exclamation as the shower is turned on. She bites her lip and has to turn away, her hand raised to her mouth, as a small laugh shakes her shoulders.

However, the strange look Kadaj gives her prompts her to regain her composure.

“Sorry,” she said, unable to suppress her smile. “I was actually coming to see you. I'm running out of spices, so could you go and get some for me from the Angry Chocobo...?”

“Now?”

“No, it can wait until this afternoon: I should still have enough for today.”

From the bathroom, they can now hear the voices of Loz and Yazoo, the former clearly amused, while the latter is furious. Kadaj nods his head in agreement…

2

It's just after four o'clock and the Seventh Heaven is deserted. Sitting behind the counter, Tifa is poring over her account book. Behind her, Loz is standing in front of the stove. The sizzling sound of oil against the pan fills the room, sometimes accompanied by the scraping of a spatula against the metal surface. Together, they have almost finished preparing dinner, and Loz is in the final stages of making their dish of the day: cooking potato pancakes to accompany bacon, as well as a spicy soup that is cooling in the refrigerator. There are also appetizers and desserts, mostly made up of leftovers that they couldn't sell the day before, or the day before that. At Edge, everything is kept as long as possible, as it is still difficult for some people to eat properly.

Sitting at the counter, Marlene is there. The little girl has finished her snack and, with a notebook open in front of her, is working on the homework she will have to hand in the next day in class.

Tifa puts down her pen and rests her chin on her hand. There is still no school worthy of the name in town, most of them having been built wherever possible, with whatever materials were available and whatever volunteers could be found. Three times a week, Denzel and Marlene go to the same school, where several classes still have to share the same room, all under the supervision of a teacher who tries to do his best with this overflow of students. This problem is about to be solved, because according to the latest news, neighborhood officials, assisted by the WRO, claim they want to look into it. The objectives are to build proper facilities and hire enough staff who are paid fairly, so that they don't end up with new vacancies every week that are difficult to fill.

One of the little girl's cheeks is deformed by the candy she's sucking on. It rolls under her skin, disappearing momentarily only to reappear and distort her other cheek, before retracing its steps. Sometimes her jaw gently closes around it, testing its solidity, before releasing it for another round. Eventually, however, a crackling sound can be heard, and Tifa warns her:

“Savor it! You know you won't be getting any more today.”

Then she turns to Loz, who places another potato pancake on the stack next to him. He then grabs the bowl containing the mixture they are made from and places a little in the pan. It sizzles as if in protest. With his greasy spatula in hand, he watches the cooking process carefully, watching the edges slowly brown; waiting for the right moment to finally flip the pancake, which lets out more complaints.

Tifa looks thoughtful. As she told Cloud the day before, all you have to do is get him interested in something and he'll devote himself to it completely and won't cause any trouble. He acts a little more boisterous when his brothers are around, but otherwise, she no longer feels so nervous in his presence and is, in fact, the first to be surprised by this.

Because it's not as if she could forget what he is. As the Remnant of Sephiroth, his existence remains a potential danger to them and even beyond their small circle. Cloud is well aware of this. Yes, he who has been implanted with cells from the former SOLDIER knows how difficult it can be to escape its influence—and Loz and his brothers, who were created for the sole purpose of allowing him to be reincarnated into this world, are undoubtedly even more sensitive to it.

Moreover, it is undoubtedly unrealistic to hope that all traces of Jenova have disappeared from this world. No, pure cells must still be somewhere, and if the Remnants were to get their hands on them, they fear that they would decide to throw everything away to achieve the Reunion that their conscience will claim from them.

The question now is whether what brought them back here will stop them in time, or not…

“Loz? Can I ask you a question...?”

His voice is a little hesitant, but she feels that this is the best moment to clarify a point that is particularly troubling to her. Neither Kadaj nor Yazoo would agree to answer her, and in their presence, Loz will imitate them, encouraged by their attitude.

Loz turns to her. His eyebrows are furrowed, and he seems a little wary. Tifa guesses that his brothers must have warned him about their curiosity. So she smiles at him, unsure if it's very convincing, and says:

“I was just wondering if…”

She searches for the right words, ones that won't upset him, but ultimately gives up because it's too complicated.

“Do you and your brothers still feel the need to find Jenova?”

She could ask him straight out if they plan to accomplish their Reunion, but that would probably be too abrupt. Besides, her interlocutor already seems to be on the defensive. He hesitates for a moment to answer her, before returning to his cooking and placing the pancake on the pile next to him. As he remains silent, Tifa thinks she has failed and is about to return to her accounts when, finally, Loz confesses:

“I... I'm not sure about Kadaj and Yazoo, but me... much less than before.”

He takes a deep breath.

“Well, it's not that I don't want to anymore... it's just that it's not like it used to be. Before, I... I could hear her. Not as well as Kadaj, but I could hear her. Now... it's getting weaker and weaker. And Yazoo says…” He shakes his head and decides to change the subject, remembering that it's probably not wise to repeat his brother's words: “Anyway, it's not as if we can keep looking for her.”

“Why?”

Loz shrugs.

“Because if we tried, we'd be separated, right?”

He turns his cat-like eyes in her direction, seemingly waiting for her response. She guesses that he hopes she will contradict him, but…

“Probably, yes.”

Loz's face tenses, and for a moment she fears he might start crying. However, he pulls himself together, adds a little more pancake batter to his pan, and sighs.

“It's not fair. All we wanted was to find her. She's our mother, so why shouldn't we have the right to know her?”

“It's complicated,” Tifa replies softly.

“I don't see how.”

“Well... if you did it... if you found her... it would put us in danger.”

Loz doesn't answer right away. First, he flips his pancake and stares at it for a moment.

“Maybe... she doesn't like you, that's true. And...” His mouth open, he hesitates, then shakes his head. “But it's still unpleasant... to feel her calling you. Even like that. Even now, it bothers me. And it makes me sad that she wants to see us and we can't. That we have to turn a deaf ear, because if we answered her…”

He presses his spatula down hard on the pancake, which sizzles in protest.

“I feel like a bad son.”

And Tifa wonders if he knows what Jenova really is. What it means for them to find her again. She finds it surprising that Kadaj, perhaps, didn't think it necessary to inform him and Yazoo.

“Loz,” she begins, sensing that she is venturing into dangerous territory. “Do you know what it means to accomplish your Reunion?”

To do so is to disappear. It's to give up your place to someone else. It's to be separated from your brothers. Tifa finds it hard to believe that this is really what he wants.

Out of caution, Tifa prefers to deny it and, to her surprise, sees a disappointed gleam light up in his eyes.

“Oh...! That's too bad. Because I don't really know either. But I have my own idea... I think it makes you really...”

He pauses, taking time to find the right word. His lips form silent words before he adds:

“Complete.”

“Complete?”

He nods in agreement.

“That's how I feel. There's this emptiness inside me…” As he says this, he places a hand on his chest. “I feel like I'm not complete. Like something is missing. Something that only Mother can give me.”

Then he goes back to cooking, leaving Tifa to ponder this.

“Kadaj...” he continues after a moment. “He made his Reunion. But he won't tell us anything. When we asked him about it, he claimed he couldn't remember anything. But Yazoo thinks he's lying, and I don't understand why…”

Tifa remains silent, well aware that the slightest wrong word could cause him to retreat into his shell. Behind her, she can hear crunching sounds—a sign that Marlene has finally decided to finish her candy.

“There's something strange about him since then. I don't know what it is, but I can feel it. It's like something really dark that keeps getting bigger. It scares me a little and…”

And as if he suddenly remembers that he's not supposed to talk to her about these kinds of things, he turns back to her and gives her a reproachful look. Tifa can see his expression change from mistrust to hostility. Her own body tenses, already prepared to react if necessary.

“When I say he's weird, I don't mean he's dangerous! I never said that, okay? Don't say that's what I said!”

“I've never…”

“Anyway, I don't want to talk anymore!”

And without giving Tifa time to add anything, he returns to his original activity with irritated gestures. The young woman decides it's best not to insist; instead, she turns her eyes toward Marlene, who is now nervously chewing on the end of her pencil.

Chapter 10: Episode 3 - Part 2

3

“Told you we'd run into him again if we stayed around!”

With his hands buried in the center pocket of his hoodie, Kadaj watches the two Turks get up from the outdoor staircase where they are sitting. Walking ahead, the redhead has already drawn his weapon and is tapping his shoulder with it. Behind him, Rude takes out his cell phone and puts it to his ear.

“We've just spotted Kadaj.”

Both go to great lengths to appear intimidating, but their target has no trouble seeing the fear behind the facade. Neither has forgotten their last encounter, but they're probably hoping things will turn out differently this time…

“You're comin' with us,” Reno says, stopping in his tracks. “There are a couple of things the three of us need to discuss!”

In response, Kadaj tilts his head. A smile spreads across his lips...

4

The plastic projectile crashes into the low wall, missing its target by a good ten centimeters. Denzel lets out an irritated sound.

The wasteland where it stands is deserted, swept by an icy wind that causes the posters sticking out of the surrounding ruins to shiver — half-collapsed walls and other remnants of former living spaces. Broken crates and other rubbish litter the place. The soil is arid.

Facing him is a low wall on which several empty cans found here and there have been lined up.

In his cold hands, he holds a fake gun that he was able to buy by saving his pocket money. The weapon looks real, and someone who doesn't know any better would easily be fooled into thinking that it's dangerous. And because he knows that Tifa would have found fault with it if he had brought it home, he usually hides it nearby, in a small hiding place he has set up for himself in this no man's land that doesn't quite belong to Edge.

Few people live nearby, so it is usually peaceful. Not far away, the railings that surround the town generally keep it safe from monsters that might try to break in, although the system is not always as secure as one might wish.

With the back of his hand, he rubs his nose and glances irritably at the cans, which seem to be taunting him from their perch. He started coming here to practice in the late afternoon at least two weeks ago, and so far his performance has been more than disappointing. He doesn't even feel like he's improved even a little bit, and that's definitely what angers him the most. If he can't even learn to aim properly with a cheap imitation weapon, what will happen when he has a real one at his disposal?

No one will ever take me seriously if I can't even do that!

Frowning, he raises his weapon and takes aim. This time, yes, this time he'll knock at least one of them over! But before he can pull the trigger, several shots ring out behind him, hitting the cans, which fall one after the other.

“Your position is wrong, that's why you can't do it.”

Denzel turns around quickly and his expression immediately hardens. Around Yazoo's body, his leather outfit crumbles into dark wisps of smoke, revealing a jacket and jeans. In his hand, he holds his weapon.

“I didn't ask you anything!”

Yazoo slowly lowers his arm and stares at the furious child standing in front of him. His lack of expression quickly makes Denzel uncomfortable. But refusing to show how much being alone with him in this isolated place worries him, he becomes even more hostile. He even tightens his grip on the butt of his fake gun—well aware, however, that it will be of no use to him in case of danger.

The Remnant finally takes his eyes off him and looks at the spilled cans.

“You're training, aren't you? Why?”

“It's none of your business.”

“I could be useful to you…”

“And I'm telling you again, I didn't ask you for anything!”

Yazoo's gaze returns to him, and he finds it extremely difficult to hold it. Finally, the Remnant shrugs and goes to sit on a small mound of collapsed stones a little further away. Suspicious, Denzel asks:

“What are you doing?”

“I'm going to stay and watch, if you don't mind.”

“I do mind, so get lost!”

“I'm staying anyway,” Yazoo replied calmly.

He placed Velvet Nightmare next to him and really doesn't seem to want to leave. Denzel must therefore resign himself, aware that he doesn't have the strength to force him to do anything.

Reluctantly, he turns away and grumbles:

“At least don't bother me.”

Before going to pick up the cans and put them back on their perch…

5

“It’s been a while, President.”

Leaning against the wall behind him, Kadaj holds Rude's cell phone to his ear. Apart from the two Turks moaning a little further away, the alley is deserted. Both try in vain to stand up, but the pain is too strong and they end up falling back to the ground each time. The redhead's weapon is now nothing more than a distant memory. Broken in two, it sizzles in the corner. A little bit of blood stains the ground.

“Kadaj.” Rufus greets him, “I’m surprised it’s you calling me…”

A appears on Kadaj’s lips, as he easily guesses the question underlying this remark.

“They're alive, but I think it's going to be painful for them in the days to come…”

Then, with a little laugh:

“You have a short memory to think that those two could do anything against me.”

At first, only silence answers him. Then Rufus's voice, still very calm, acknowledges:

“I probably made a mistake, indeed. Well... they were only there to talk.”

“They didn't give me that impression, though.”

Another silence ensues, after which his interlocutor decides to change the subject.

“That's funny. I was convinced you were dead…”

Kadaj looks up at Rude, who has managed to get on all fours and is shaking his head. His glasses, one of whose lenses is broken, are askew. His left eyebrow is bleeding and beginning to swell into a large bruise.

“I thought so too.”

“The Lifestream didn’t want you, I suppose?”

“Let’s just say… it probably had other plans for us.”

“But nothing that involves another large-scale disaster…?”

Kadaj tilts his head. Even though his interlocutor's tone is meant to be relaxed, he senses a hint of tension. Rufus inevitably remembers the dirty trick he played on them and must fear that he and his brothers are planning revenge. Not that he would be against it, but Kadaj knows he has to give it up. At least for now…

“Don't worry, President. Neither you nor this world have anything to fear from us right now.”

“Right now.” Rufus repeats. “I don't know if that's supposed to reassure me.”

Kadaj lets out an amused chuckle. He would have loved to see the expression on his interlocutor's face at that moment. Last time, Rufus's features were constantly hidden under that sheet he never seemed to take off. Now that his Geostigma have been cured, he no longer needs it, and no matter how well you control your voice or expressions, your eyes can never lie for very long.

“President... what if we made a deal?”

“ What kind of deal?”

“The kind that will prevent problems for all of us. My brothers and I don't really want to get into trouble again. We are trying to live normally... but if we are constantly being harassed by your men, I don't think we will be able to keep still for very long.”

“ And what about Sephiroth...?”

Upon hearing that name, Kadaj has to fight back the urge to scream. His expression becomes dangerous and his eyes fill with aggression, which just needs a target to unleash itself upon.

A little further away, Reno got back on his feet and, with one hand on the wall in front of him, tries to catch his breath.

Between his fingers, the plastic of the phone cracks.

“Let him stay where he is!”

Despite his best efforts, he's unable to control his voice. Resentment and bitterness ring through it, along with an even more disturbing note. Rufus, however, has the sense not to pick up on it and simply asks:

“ So... no more Jenova... no more Reunion?”

“No.”

“ And I'm supposed to take your word for it.”

“It's this or nothing. It's this or my brothers and I might decide to pay you a little visit. What do you say, President? Do you think you're strong enough today to get rid of the three of us? Are you really sure you want to try?”

On the other end of the line, silence. Anger still rages within Kadaj, who watches as Rude straightens up too, one hand resting on his knee, which he uses as support to give himself the momentum needed to pull the rest of his body up. Finally, a sigh can be heard in his ear.

“ I guess we don't really have a choice... All right, I'll call my men back, Kadaj. Could you give them back their phone now?”

K adaj pulls away from the wall and walks toward Reno. Reno, who is wiping the blood still flowing from his lips and burst gums onto his sleeve, clenches his fists as he sees Kadaj approaching. But instead of the blows he expected, the Remnant simply hands him the cell phone.

“For you.”

Although still suspicious, the redhead snatches the device from him and puts it to his ear.

“Reno,” he says.

Before frowning.

“Are you serious?”

Then he waves to Rude, who, seeing Kadaj walking away, steps forward to block his path. His frown deepens as his interlocutor gives him his instructions.

“Yeah... yeah, I get it,” he replies, scratching his head. “Okay, let's do that.”

The next second, he throws his cell phone at his colleague, who catches it with one hand.

Chapter 11: Episode 3 - Part 3

6

Tifa is helping Marlene finish her homework when the phone rings upstairs. Ruffling the little girl's bangs, she says:

“I'll be right back.”

After she leaves, Marlene suddenly realizes that she's now alone with Loz.

Loz, who's almost finished with his task, hasn't said a word since ending his conversation with Tifa. From the tension in his shoulders, she senses that he's still nervous, so she glances nervously toward the stairwell. Then her attention returns to Loz, lingering on his broad back, which reminds her a little of her father's, before turning to the pile of potato pancakes next to him and glancing toward a nearby shelf. There is a jar on it. A jar full of sweets that Tifa always takes care to keep out of her reach—Marlene having, in the past, had a nasty habit of helping herself whenever the young woman had her back turned.

Thoughtful, she puts her head in her hands. The day before, Tifa bought a whole assortment of fruit-flavored candies that the little girl loves. Especially the cherry ones, which make her mouth water just thinking about them. She finds her guardian really unfair on this subject, as she only gives her one a day, at snack time. As if that were enough to satisfy anyone! No, on the contrary, it only stimulates your appetite, making you want to consume more, especially since they never last very long once in your mouth. Just a few minutes of pleasure, and then frustration.

Her eyes return to Loz. For a moment, she seems to weigh the pros and cons, presses her lips together, and, finally deciding that the risk is worth taking, gets up from her seat.

Spatula in hand, Loz stares at the contents of the pan. Inside, guilt gnaws at him. He already fears Kadaj's reaction when he finds out that he has once again said too much to Tifa. Couldn't he just keep it from him? If he doesn't say anything, his brother will never know, right? Yes, but what if the young woman asks questions? What if she tells Cloud? What if Kadaj or Yazoo asked them where they got this information? He's bound to get in trouble again. He hates upsetting Kadaj and dreads being scolded by him. Every time it happens, he starts crying, which only makes his brother even more upset.

Really... really! He shouldn't have talked so much! Why did he do it, anyway? Yazoo told him to avoid being talkative, and Kadaj kept telling him to be careful. But him, him! Him and his stupid brain have messed up again!

He's about to hit himself on the head when, behind him, he hears someone clear their throat. Marlene is standing there and, judging by her expression, she's not feeling very confident. Looking worried, her little hands clutching her dress, she seems ready to take off running. Loz frowns, immediately feeling mistrust rising within him. Just because she's only a child doesn't mean he should underestimate her!

“What do you want?” he asks harshly.

The little girl takes a step back and bites her lip. A moment later, she points her finger toward a large jar on a shelf near him.

“Can you get it for me? I'm too short…”

Loz looks at the object, then turns back to her. Now looking suspicious.

“Why would I do that?”

“Well…”

Marlene knows she doesn't have much time before Tifa returns. Just enough to snack on a few candies and slip some more into her pockets. But she realizes that it will be difficult to get Loz's help. His conversation with Tifa really upset him, and he seems to believe that she is setting a trap for him. Taking a deep breath, she decides to play her trump card.

“You... you and your brothers want to be forgiven, right?”

He nods in agreement.

“In that case, if you bring it down to me, I'll forgive you a little bit.”

Just a tiny, tiny, tiny bit, she adds mentally.

Loz raises an eyebrow, seeming surprised by the suggestion. His gaze returns to the jar and he asks:

“Does it really work like that?”

“Of course! Helping others is also a way of earning forgiveness!”

Still unconvinced, Loz pouts. However, he eventually shrugs and goes to fetch the jar.

“Hold it, okay?” she says as he crouches down to her height. “I'll open it!”

With that, she opens the lid and feasts her eyes on the colorful array inside. Her hand dives into this sweet paradise and emerges with a pink candy, which she immediately puts in her mouth and bites into. She then takes a second one and asks:

“Take some too! They're really good!”

“I don't know... am I really allowed to?”

“Of course! They're there for us to eat!”

Loz then dips his hand into the jar, grabs a round, purple candy, and, after giving it a suspicious look—as if he fears someone is trying to poison him—slips it into his mouth. He lets it roll to the right, to the left, back onto his tongue, filling his entire mouth with its sweet taste. Only then do his features relax.

“Oh!” he exclaims. “This is good!”

“What did I tell you?”

“This is the first time I've tried it,” he admits, picking up a second one. “What's it called, exactly?”

Marlene stares at him wide-eyed, unable to believe that anyone in the world could be unaware of this.

“You really don't know?” And as Loz shakes his head, she adds: “Candy. It's called candy!”

“Candy... even the name is funny.”

“And there are lots of different kinds,” explains the little girl, spreading her arms wide. “For example, my dad used to buy me…”

But the end of his sentence turns into a frightened exclamation. Behind Loz, black smoke has begun to rise and fill the air with a foul odor. Loz lets out a scream and, in his haste, drops the jar. If it doesn't explode on the ground, it still hits it hard enough to crack, then rolls away, spilling its contents. The noise reaches Tifa, who is leaving the office at that moment and runs down the stairs in a panic.

“Marlene, what's...?”

The sight leaves her momentarily speechless. Loz has removed the pan from the stove and seems to be in a state of panic. Black smoke continues to billow from it, and he looks around frantically, as if searching for the right thing to do. Marlene, meanwhile, turns her guilty eyes toward the young woman. Her small hands are raised to her mouth, and a pile of sweets can be seen at her feet.

“What does that mean?!”

Furious, she approaches, sees Loz back away and bump violently into the stove. Marlene goes to defend herself, but Tifa already scolds her:

“We had an agreement, Marlene! Only one a day, no more! I've already explained to you that this sweet thing isn't good for your teeth. And now, look at this mess! You're going to clean this up right now, young lady, or else…”

In his corner, Loz seems panicked. His voice, when he stammers, sounds like that of a child afraid of parental wrath:

“It's... it's my fault. I'm the one who dropped it.”

“He dropped it,” Marlène repeats, hoping to appear less guilty.

Tifa raises a finger.

“But you were the one who asked him to go get it. If you weren't so gourmand, none of this would have happened! So now get to work, and if I see you eating even one, you'll hear from me!”

Then she turns to Loz.

“Next time she asks you to bring it to her, don't do it, okay? She knows she's not allowed to, but she can't help herself.”

“It's because you never give me enough,” grumbles the little girl as she picks up the candies scattered on the floor.

“Since you feel that way, you're punished: no candy for a week. We'll see if, after that, you still think you don't have enough!”

In response, Marlene lets out an indignant exclamation, which the young woman ignores. Instead, she takes the pan from Loz's hands and inspects its contents with a critical eye.

“Hmm... it's grilled, but it's probably still edible.”

With her fingertips, she lifts up one edge, sees the damage hidden underneath, and grimaces. There's no way she's giving this to customers! They'll have to get rid of it themselves.

With that, she gives Loz a reassuring little smile and says:

“Don't worry: it can happen to anyone.”

7

Three times, Denzel pulls the trigger, and three times, he misses his target. A grunt escapes him. Behind him, Yazoo says:

“You're really bad at this!”

The boy grits his teeth, refusing to respond to the provocation. Instead, he raises his weapon again, takes aim, and fires... with the same result. Frustrated, he feels his cheeks begin to tingle. Not only does he fail, but Yazoo witnesses his failure with his cold, snake-like eyes.

A sigh is heard, followed by footsteps approaching. Before he can react, Yazoo is already beside him, placing one hand on his shoulder while the other grabs his wrists to raise his weapon. He quickly breaks free.

“Don't touch me!”

“I'm just trying to help you…”

“And I didn't ask you for anything, so get lost!”

But rather than obeying him, the Remnant grabs him firmly by the shoulder and turns him back toward his targets. Denzel struggles, trying unsuccessfully to escape the grip that has also closed around his right arm. Leaning behind him, his hair tickling his cheek, Yazoo says:

“You won't get anywhere by continuing like this: let me show you.”

The kid sulks, but resigns himself to accepting his help. He lets him correct his posture and show him how to hold his weapon properly.

“Now!” Yazoo finally orders.

Denzel shoots. Twice. And while the first shot misses its target once again, the second sends it flying through the air. Faced with this success, a feeling of pride overwhelms him. With a smile on his lips, he turns around quickly, his eyes sparkling, before remembering to whom he owes his victory. His expression immediately turns sour. Yazoo nods in satisfaction.

Denzel snorts.

“I'm not going to thank you, if that's what you're expecting.”

“I wasn't going to ask you to.”

“Yeah, right!”

“But I'd really like to know why you're doing this…”

Denzel shrugs.

“I'm just having fun, that's all.”

There's no way he's going to tell him the truth! Not only is it none of his business, but he also has no desire for him to go around telling everyone. If Tifa or Cloud found out, they would definitely interfere. That's something he wants to avoid at all costs.

Seeing Yazoo's thoughtful expression, however, it is clear that he doesn't believe him.

“I could give you lessons...” he suggests softly.

“No need!”

“If you'd rather stay bad, that's your business.”

“I was doing just fine on my own!”

“And that's why you haven't managed to hit a single one in the last half hour.”

Denzel's gaze becomes aggressive. Seriously, what's it to him?!

“And also,” Yazoo continues, without paying attention to him. “You can't keep practicing with that toy forever... sooner or later, you'll have to move on to something more serious.”

“I will!”

“Oh! And how do you plan to get a gun, tell me?”

“I…”

Once again, he feels his cheeks tingling. It's as if he enjoys humiliating him!

“Get off my back!”

“If you want,” Yazoo replies without batting an eyelid. “But it would be silly of you to turn down my offer. I mean... I have one, you know.”

Denzel's eyes narrow, seeming to search for the trick, before turning to Velvet Nightmare, who is abandoned a little further away. Deep down, he must admit that it would be very useful to have someone to help him with his training. Especially if that someone can provide him with weapons that he would have difficulty obtaining on his own, but…

“Would you really let me use it?”

“Once you've learned the basics and can aim properly.”

“Easy! I'll have it down in a week.”

“Oh, really?”

Denzel grumbles. Okay, he's bad. Really bad, even. But the fact that a guy like him would dare to point it out to him is incredibly irritating. On top of that, he has no desire to owe him anything.

Because he knows exactly why he's doing this. Of course! He's trying to bribe him. He's probably hoping that by being nice to him, he'll change his mind about him... and his brothers.

Yes, he can see it coming a mile off! But…

But I don't see anyone else to help me.

Besides, if Yazoo tries to use him, there's no reason why he shouldn't do the same. So, although still aggressive, he says:

“Okay, I don't mind you teaching me. But don't think it's going to change anything! I don't like you and that's not going to change!”

“I don't care, that's not why I'm here. And besides... you still haven't answered my question.”

On the defensive, Denzel asks:

“Why do you want to know so badly?”

“Because I'm curious and bored?”

“And is it also because you're bored that you're willing to help me?”

“Your life isn't exactly thrilling…”

So, he's probably hoping it will distract him a little. Which isn't very flattering.

“Don't you dare tell Cloud or Tifa. And definitely not Marlene!”

“Why would I do that?”

“And not to your brothers either!”

“They won't say anything.”

“But I don't want you to tell them! All this...” He pauses, already annoyed at what's coming next. “It has to stay between us!”

Seeing no reason to refuse, Yazoo simply nods. Denzel, on the other hand, still seems a little hesitant, quickly weighing the pros and cons before admitting:

“It's because I want to join the WRO…”

Then he shrugs, looking frustrated.

“I asked to join it, but they didn't want me. Because I'm still just a child. So... in the meantime, I decided to train. To become strong, like Cloud and the others.”

At first, he considered asking Cloud to give him lessons, but had to give up on the idea. The young man works a lot, and Denzel would never have had the patience to wait several days before he had time to devote to him again. So, while waiting to find a better solution, he decided to turn to firearms. After all, he reasoned, it would be much easier for him to find people to advise him on this type of weapon than on swords—which are not really what people in the area are used to using.

Yazoo watches him thoughtfully.

“Do you really think you can do it?”

Denzel flinches with indignation.

“Of course I can do it!”

“The important thing is to believe in it, I guess,” replies Yazoo, ignoring the child's reproachful look. “By the way, what is WRO?”

The question surprises Denzel so much that he forgets his anger.

“The World Regenesis Organization... surely you've heard of it. Everyone knows about it!”

“Is it some kind of armed group?”

“Um... partly, yes. They…” Standing up straight, he holds his interlocutor's gaze. “They seek to protect and rebuild the world after what Shinra and Sephiroth did to it!”

If he was expecting a reaction from Yazoo, it certainly wasn't this simple nod. With a distant look on his face, the Remnant brought his fingers to his lips and seemed lost in thought. Denzel is a little disappointed. Cloud told him that he and his brothers have a connection to Sephiroth, but... hearing that name seems to leave him cold.

His gaze turns toward the horizon, that desert horizon, barren, the work of Shinra and its reactors, which have sucked all life out of it over the years. He squints, dazzled by the setting sun. He loses himself for a moment in the orange hues coloring the sky, before abruptly coming back down to earth.

“Oh no, look at the time! Tifa will kill us if we don't hurry!”

Notes:

I know that Denzel doesn't ask to join the WRO until several years later in the canon, but it suited me better for him to do so earlier, so I took that liberty. x,)

Chapter 12: Episode 3 - Part 4

8

Kadaj addresses a reproachful glance at the contents of his plate, as if he suspects it of having gotten itself into this state all on its own. Then he looks up at Loz, who is behind the counter, finishing serving Yazoo.

“Why is my meal charred?”

Loz exchanges a sidelong glance with Tifa before replying, somewhat embarrassed:

“Um... well, I wasn't paying attention and let it burn.”

“In that case, why do I have to eat it?”

“Because... um... because I don't like burnt food?”

“And you think I'm supposed to like it?”

“No, but... we couldn't just throw it in the trash!”

“Okay, but again, why do I have to eat it?”

With that, he glances at Yazoo, who has already started eating and pretends not to hear the exchange. Then he turns back to Loz. Sweat begins to bead on the latter's temples, and he now tries to avoid his gaze. Tapping his fingers on the counter, he insists:

“Loz? I don't want to eat that, so take my plate!”

So he goes to swap his plate with his brother's, but Loz lunges forward to put it out of his reach. And to make matters worse, he exclaims:

“Oh, come on, 'daj! Don't be childish!”

“Look who’s talking?!”

Busy heating up her own meal, Tifa senses disaster looming. Kadaj is about to pounce on his brother to snatch his plate, and in the ensuing battle, they'll likely knock over most of what's behind the counter. Eager to prevent this, she blurts out:

“To make up for it, you'll get two desserts, Kadaj!”

Her intervention causes a moment of uncertainty between the two brothers. Then Loz turns to her, looking envious.

“Hey! I want a double dessert too!”

“Please, help yourself," Kadaj grumbles, handing him his plate.

To which Loz replies, looking miserable:

“But I really don't like burnt food…”

“In that case...” says Kadaj, putting down his plate. “Too bad for you!”

Then, grimacing, he picks up his cutlery. It's not going to be pleasant to eat, but just to savor Loz's expression when dessert arrives, there's no question of backing out now.

In the minutes that follow, all that can be heard is Tifa bustling about behind her stove and the sound of their cutlery. Loz has come to sit next to Kadaj and mumbles from time to time. He looks deeply sad when his brother finally looks up at him. However, there is no question of him letting himself be softened or giving in to anything. Doing so would open the door to further whims in the future. So instead, he begins:

“By the way, this afternoon I…”

Before remembering that he is not alone with his brothers. His gaze shifts to Tifa, who has turned hers in their direction, and his expression darkens. Without another word, he returns to his meal, ignoring Loz, who asks:

“What?”

Getting no response, he turns his eyes to Yazoo, who discreetly signals him to give up. Understanding, he quickly glances at the young woman before wolfing down the rest of his meal.

Tifa bites her lip, suddenly feeling like a third wheel. She also senses that any topic they refuse to discuss in front of her is a potential source of concern for all of them. However, she doesn't see how to get them to return to the subject, and Yazoo finally diverts her attention by asking:

“Marlene and Denzel... they're not really your children, are they?”

The question surprises Tifa, as well as Loz and Kadaj. The former, in fact, now looks at his brother in astonishment, who simply ignores him. After turning off the gas, the young woman replies:

“Yes, we... Marlene's dad works a lot and can't take his daughter with him. Since he's a friend and I've known Marlene since she was little, we look after her for him.”

Besides, she thinks as she sits down on a stool behind the bar, you could say she's a bit like a surrogate mother to the little girl.

“Denzel, for his part, is an orphan we took in. His parents died a few years ago and... let's just say we know almost nothing about the rest of his family or how to contact them. So now, you could say that this is his home.”

A slight knot forms in the pit of her stomach as the conversation brings back bad memories. Deep down, even though she knows full well that it was Shinra that caused the Sector 7 plate to collapse, she will never truly be able to shake off her guilt over the tragedy.

Nevertheless, she must move forward, both for herself and for those around her, which is why she generally avoids thinking about this dark period of her past. Dwelling on it too much gets you nowhere. Yes, she prefers to work on redeeming her mistakes rather than living in a state of constant self-flagellation.

Her gaze falls on Yazoo and she notices his pensive expression. With his arms crossed, he has pushed his plate away and tilted his head, staring into space. She wonders whether she should take his curiosity as an encouraging sign. Because it's not insignificant, is it, that the person who seems to care the least about his surroundings is also the one asking this kind of question?

And as if to surprise her even more, he also asks:

“And Marlene’s mother?”

“She… she died a long time ago. When Marlene was still a baby.”

At these words, she can hear Loz gasp.

“Does that mean neither of them has a mom anymore? That's sad…”

Increasingly troubled, Tifa notes that he seems shaken by the idea.

“Do you really think so?”

Now it's Loz's turn to look surprised. He glances anxiously at his brothers, trying to figure out if he's just done something stupid. Now it's Loz's turn to look surprised. He glances anxiously at his brothers, trying to figure out if he's just done something stupid. In response, Yazoo simply shrugs, while Kadaj continues his meal without seeming interested by the conversation. Nervous, he bites his lip and returns to Tifa.

“Well... since we don't have a mom either... or rather, we're not allowed to see her... and that makes me sad... so…”

“So you put yourself in their shoes? You imagined how they must feel knowing their moms are dead, is that it?”

Although still unsure, Loz nods in agreement.

“Well done, Loz,” she congratulates him. “You did exactly the right thing!”

A broad smile spreads across his interlocutor's face, which relaxes. Very proud, he turns back to his brothers, but gets only a roll of the eyes from Yazoo. Kadaj grabs his empty plate and hands it to Tifa.

“Can I have my desserts?”

9

“Hey, Marlene... Psst! Marlene!”

The little girl grumbles in her sleep, but doesn't wake up. Partially hidden under her blankets, with only the top of her head visible, she has long since drifted off to dreamland. Her carelessness annoys Denzel, who has been tossing and turning in the bed next to hers ever since they went to bed.

“Marlene! Get up, damn it!”

With that, he grabs Cloud's pillow and throws it at the little girl. The object hits its target, who growls even louder. A moment later, Marlene's sleepy face emerges from her den and the little girl gives him a reproachful look.

“What?” she grumbles, rubbing her eyes.

“We need to talk about the squatters!”

“We've already talked about it... again and again and again and again…”

As she says this, her voice grows fainter and fainter. Her eyelids, heavy with sleep, are begging to close and send her back into oblivion. A yawn escapes her and she brings her hand to her mouth.

With his head propped up in one hand, Denzel is lying on his side. Frowning, he replies:

“And we'll talk about it as much as we need to! And besides, it's important. You see, this afternoon, I was...” Remembering just in time that it's not wise to tell the little girl what he does in the afternoons, he corrects himself: “In town. And there's this tall guy, Yazoo, who came up to talk to me.”

“So what?”

“So I think they're going to try to get closer to us. They know that to stay here, they'll have to win us over. They've already done that with Cloud, and I'm sure Tifa is about to give in too. So that leaves just us, and they know it. That's why we have to be wary of them. We're their targets, you understand?”

And as the little girl mumbles her agreement, he insists:

“Me, I'm fine, I'm wary. But you, they might fool you. That's why you mustn't let them try to befriend you. If you do, they'll get you too. So be careful, okay? And if one of them approaches you, don't believe a word they say. I'm sure they'll try to make us believe that they're actually nice, but it'll all be lies!”

“Yes, yes…”

“I'm serious, Marlene! Don't let yourself be fooled!”

“Okay…”

Inside, Denzel feels his patience wearing thin. However, he pulls himself together, aware of how difficult it is for the little girl to stay awake.

“We'll talk about it tomorrow,” he says to her as she pulls the covers up to her forehead. “In any case, we'll have to stick together if we want them to leave. It's the only solution!”

Marlene doesn't answer. Her body has gone numb again and she feels herself drifting back to sleep. From the bed next to hers, she can hear Denzel's voice, growing fainter and fainter, saying to her:

“That Yazoo... I think he's the smartest of the three. He always seems to have his mind elsewhere, but I'm sure it's just an act. Because in reality…”

The rest of his speech, however, must never reach her consciousness...