Hidden Identity (Book Two)-Complete

Year Five, Day Twenty-One

Cress POV

Chocobos. Big, yellow birds kind of chicken-like, but cooler and smarter, and a little parrot-like, too. I've never ridden one before. Cloud says it's fun, so it must be quite fun to leave an impression on him.

"Listen up! According to this guy who owns the chocobos, we have to remain as quiet as possible while we cross the swamps, got it?" Cloud announces when he comes back from talking with the chocobo farmer.

"Why?" Barret asks in reply.

"The Midgar Zolom. A giant serpentine monster that dwells in the swamps. Although I think we could take it down if we all work together, I'd rather not risk it due to our limited healing supplies in case one of us gets hurt. Understood?"

We all consent, some more understandingly than others. I can tell Barret still really wants to fight the Zolom anyways. He really likes fighting, doesn't he?

Six chocobos for the six of us, each getting our own chocobo. It's kind of funny seeing Red riding one. He has to lay across the saddle like a piece of luggage. 

Cloud shows me how to get on and ride one, "make sure you grip the sides with your knees to keep from falling off if we have to run, okay? Just not too tightly, that'll hurt the chocobo."

As he's talking, I notice that his blond spikes of hair are exactly like a chocobos feather tufts. At this, I try to hold back a giggle, but I can't. It slips out and makes everyone turn to look at me in surprise.

"What's so funny?" Cloud asks, looking slightly annoyed at having been interrupted.

"I'm sorry, but your hair looks like a chocobo's tufts," I reply, still giggling a little. The others join in my mirth, and Cloud's cheeks turn pink.

He turns on his heel and climbs onto his own chocobo. "Whatever. Let's just go."

-----------------------------------

Cloud POV

We crossed the swamps with no problems. No Zolom, nothing. Good. We're safe on the other side-

Suddenly, someone lets out a scream. All eyes turn to Tifa who looks horrified. She points the the cliffs up ahead of us. "W-what is that!?"

I follow her pointing finger to something amongst the large rocks. A colossal serpent is coiled near the path with its head impaled on a huge spike coming from the ground. Dark blood has created a small pool all around it's body which means it's still pretty fresh. Whoever killed it can't be far ahead of us. And I have an idea on who it was.

"Sephiroth is the only one who could have done something like that," I tell them all, grimacing from the stench of the decaying monster. I wonder why it hasn't dissolved into the Lifestream yet.

 "We must be catching up to him, then!" Barret says, sounding a little too excited about that.

"The Mines are also a tunnel, one that lets out near Junon. He's probably heading there."

"So, we follow him!"

"Right."

We dismount our chocobos and send them back to the farm. We won't need them anymore. I'm glad I had the sense to get a couple flashlights before we left Kalm because the Mines are very dark. Hopefully, we'll still be able to get some gil from these monsters. Gil are these little crystals left behind by monsters used as currency all round the planet.

Right off the bat, we get attacked by three purple crab-like monsters. With the six of us, they don't take long to defeat and none of us sustain any injuries. Once they dissipate, I scoop the left over gil off the ground. About 300-some gil total.

"The chocobo farmer used to work in these mines. He gave me his old map," I inform the others, pulling said map from my bag. "We won't get lost as easily this way."

"So? Where do we go, oh wise leader?" Barret asks sarcastically.

I shoot him a glare. Then, look at Cress. "Could you bring the light a little closer? It's really old, so the lines are faint."

She steps closer and holds the flashlight over the map. "Like this?"

"Yeah. Let's see...we're here," I point to the entrance to the mines, "if we take the tunnel on the right here, there'll be a tunnel leading straight out."

"That seems too easy," Tifa says. "Oh well, I won't complain. I don't like this place, so the faster we get out, the happier I'll be."

"Agreed," Aerith added, looking around warily.

"Alright, let's go," I say, leading the way down the tunnel. Soon, it opens up into a larger cave. The lights from someone else's flashlights hits us, and I cover my eyes at the sudden brightness.

"Hey, you!" a familiar voice calls out. It's that bald Turk that helped bring down the Sector 7 plate! There's a blond girl with him, too.

"You!" Barret roars angrily, aiming his gun-arm at them. "You're that Turk from the pillar!"

"Bringing down pillars isn't all we do! There's more than that to us, Turks."

"Who's this guy?" Cress asks me.

"A member of the Turks. The girl must be one, too," I tell her.

"What pillar are they talking about?"

"The pillar that held up the Sector 7 plate. He and his red-headed buddy blew it up and the plate came crashing down on top of the slums."

"What!? That's horrible!"

"That's not what we do!" the bald Turk shouts, sounding pained.

"Then, what do you do?" Barret growls.

The man opens his mouth to speak, then closes it again, then looks away. The girl puts a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, Rude. I know you don't like speeches. I'll explain for you."

She turns to us with an air of importance. "I'm Elena, the newest member of the Turks. Our job is to track Sephiroth and find out where he's going! And to end anyone who gets in our way, especially the lot of you!"

Suddenly, the Turk with long black hair comes walking around the corner. "Elena, you talk too much."

"Ah! Sir!"

"No need to tell them about our orders."

"Sorry, sir!

"And I gave you your orders. Now get going and don't forget to file your report."

Elena nods and salutes. "Yes, sir! Rude and I will go after Sephiroth at Junon Harbor-Ah! I did it again! I'm so sorry, sir!"

Honestly, I feel kind of sorry of the long-haired guy, who is face-palming right now, for having to work with people like Elena and that red-haired guy with too much energy. I've got a guy who likes fighting a little too much and red dog thing that has burned me with its flaming tail several times in the last few days, though, so I can understand his pain. Being the man in charge is hard sometimes.

"Whatever. Just get going and don't let Sephiroth get away," the head Turk states, dismissing them.

"Yes, sir!" Rude and Elena say, saluting again and running down the tunnel he entered from.

He turns to us, looking straight at Aerith. "Aerith. It's been a while. With Sephiroth pulling ShinRa's attention, you'll be safe from them for now."

"What are you saying?" she questions, making a face. "That I should be grateful to him?"

"No...I won't be seeing much of you...so take care."

"Strange, hearing that from you."

"Just try to stay out of ShinRa's way, Aerith," he says before following his subordinates out of the mines.

How odd. Almost like he was warning her, wanting her to be careful and stay away from ShinRa. He was the one who took her to ShinRa in the first place!