*Worens are a crossbreed between a person and a creature from the cat family (often tigers). The males are completely covered with fur, they have dark stripes, furry pointed ears and long tails. The females are however only furry from the waist down with pointed ears and long tails.

And now... Rei's 'Tail':

Rei lounged nonchalantly in the sun of an open window. A light breeze blew across his golden fur. A loud thump vibrated the floor beneath the slumbering tiger. He arose from his catnap and stretched. Lazily he pushed open the door and stood at the top of the stairs. The scene that met him, was one that didn't surprise him.

Ryu and Teepo were on the tile, rolling about and making such a racket Rei was surprised he hadn't waken up sooner.

Ryu socked Teepo in the head, "Stupid! What did you think you were doing."

Teepo grabbed his hair and tugged at it, " Come on! It was funny, funnee! Get it, funny? You know, Ha ha?"

Ryu bashed his head against the floor, " No it wasn't! What in the heck did you think you were doing?!"

Teepo grabbed Ryu by the arm and gnawed at his neck savagely, " I take that back then! It was HIL-ARI-OUS!!! "

Ryu gave Teepo a fiery glare but then shook loose of his hands, in surrender.

Teepo finally gave in, "Okay I'm sorry it was a joke."

Momo walked into the room, looking flustered and glaring around at them in annoyment, " And what exactly is all this commotion about?"

" It was him!" Ryu said, pointing quickly in Teepo's direction, " He called me-"

" It was not, it's all Ryu's fault. You see-"

The scowl that met both of their excuses caused an uneasy silence to ring around the room.

" I'm trying to sleep, here. Now do you two think you can keep it down, or am I gonna have to do some butt whuppin'?

" We'll be quiet." Came the quick reply.

" Good!" Momo said and then directed her attention toward the yawning Rei, " Did they wake you up, too?"

Rei looked indifferent, " It's okay, I was having a bad dream anyway. Now, you both are aware that tomorrow is Valentines Day, aren't you?"

Ryu and Teepo looked at each other, then turned their heads back to Rei, " Yeah, so." Ryu said blankly.

Rei looked slightly frustrated, " So!? Remember last year when the queen offered us one million dollars if we got girlfriends by Valentines Day?" he paused, " One million..."

Teepo thought about what Rei had said for a second and then replied, " No..."

" You don't? Well, now you know! And we're all going out there today to find someone."

Ryu gave a faint smile and thought about it, " So who do you think would go with me?"

Teepo looked equally thoughtful, " Or with me?"

" I don't know who but you'd better find someone, or you'll be out of a million." Rei mimicked the queen in an arrogant tone.

Ryu and Teepo looked at each other again and then shrugged, " Okay."

Momo looked out the window. Nina was walking casually up the path to the front door, " Hmm... Nina's home."

Ryu sprang into motion, " Nina?! Uh-oh, better hope she doesn't notice that vase you broke, Teepo..."

" The vase I broke? Oh no, you were the one who started thundering around and making a raucous!"

Rei looked at them meaningfully and the three boys disappeared out the back door.

Nina walked slowly into the house, " Hi!" She set her bag on the table, "I got groceries!"

" Their gone already," Momo said, smiling.

" Already?" Nina frowned.

" Yep."

Rei ran through the forest like a flaming tiger. The other two panted and raced to ketch up. It had been a half-hour of sprinting without rest and the two teenagers were far behind.

Finally Rei slowed, and finally stopped sitting down on a rock by a café in Windia, " This is the place to find the girls!" He said when they had reached him. He flashed the guards his ID and when he received a nod walked past the security.

Teepo started to enter the café but the security grabbed him,

" License Sir,"

Teepo made as if to leave but then turned to the guard and bashed his head with the handle of his sword.

The other guard glared at them, " You must be 21 or over t-"

Teepo kicked the other with great speed and accuracy.

The guards gasped and fell to the ground in pain.

Teepo grinned.

Teepo pushed Ryu in. There Rei was, sitting by a woman with red hair and green eyes, "Hi!" He said waving to the bartender for a drink, "How ya doin'?"

She gave him an odd look and moved to the other side of the room.

" Aw man!" Rei sighed, "Wait lady!"

Ryu and Teepo tried several other women. They too moved over to the other side of the room.

" Grrr...!" Teepo was growing frustrated, " Why?! W-h-y?"

Nina had gone to search for Ryu, Teepo and Rei. Garr and Momo were sitting down to a nice game of Chess when the telephone rang.

Momo picked it up, "Hel-,"

A woman's voice cut her short, " Listen Rei. We're gonna finish this business tomorrow!"

"Wha-"

" You heard me!" There was a click and Momo sighed.

Garr grunted, " Was that another one a those Syn City chicks after Rei?"

Momo didn't even notice Garr's remark, " So Rei's got a girl friend aye? Why did he never tell me?"

Garr was fiddling with a wineglass. He set it down and looked up, "Maybe because he's a cheater... he was a thief you know. Thief's tend to think they can get away with anything..."

She turned her back, se he wouldn't see her wipe her eyes, " But why would he do that to ME?! He has been so kind lately..."

Garr shrugged, " 'Cause he's cheating. When you cheat on someone, you have to be very nice to them so that they won't believe the truth when they here it."

Momo frowned, " He would never chea-"

" See Momo it's working on you already!" He chuckled, " You could be his slave and you wouldn't realize it."

Momo took a deep breath, " You really think so?" She looked concerned.

" I'm almost sure miss, Momo!" He sat back in his chair and looked smug. He had never liked Rei, " Momo, here's a letter to you I found on the table, and I think these go with it." He produced a beautiful letter with golden roses printed on the envelope and half a dozen wilted and crushed roses, " Maybe it's a love note!"

Momo opened it careful so as not to damage the beautiful envelope. Solemnly adjusting her glasses she held the note out from her body. She cleared her throat,

Garr nodded and smiled, " That's a love note all right! Probably from Rei or-..."

Momo tapped her forehead in deep thought, " But, Rei can't even write..."

" So what, that doesn't mean no one else can, either. Even if he is an illiterate moro-"

" Stop it!" Momo said, looking a little hurt.

" Sorry!" Garr backed his chair up and left for some beer.

Rei Teepo and Ryu sat dis heartily in front of the cafe. They had tried every girl in the whole town. Except, of course, the castle, which infested with guards who would put them in prison by order of the queen.

" I need someone considerate, and intelligent..." Ryu muttered.

" I need someone beautiful..." Teepo thought aloud.

" I need someone who will never make me brush my tail or take a shower..." Rei said to himself.

Just then, a cute woman with blue hair and a very exposed chest walked by. She was actually slithering, for she was an indigo clan's woman. The woman had just come out of a shop: "Magic Powders for the Immortal Indigo."

Teepo jumped up and grabbed her by the arm, "I remember you... You're that one naked chick..."

Ryu turned to Rei, " Uh-oh, he's gonna get slapped!"

" Actually," Rei shut his eyes, " I remember her, too,"

Ryu looked thoughtful, " Yeah, she does ring a bell... But who is she?!"

Suddenly Rei's eyes snapped open, " Bleu! The indigo sorceress!"

The woman turned to Teepo outraged, " What do you think you're do-"

" You're Bleu, aren't you?!" Teepo said looking hopeful.

She tried to shake him off, " Yeah... so what?!"

" Will you please go out with me? Just for Valentines Day..."

Bleu's expression softened, " A favor aye... so what'll you do for me??"

" Um..." Teepo thought hard, " Uh..."

Ryu jumped up, " We'll be able give you just about anything you want!"

Bleu turned and starred at Teepo and Ryu's hopeful faces, " Um... all right... which one of you?"

Ryu took one look at Bleu and rose his hand, " Ooooo!! Me! I want to go out with you!!"

" Naw-uh!! I saw her first!" Teepo glared at Ryu.

Ryu grabbed her arm, " What about me?!" He smiled youthfully.

She turned to Teepo, and gave her long dramatic speech, " I guess I'd better decide then... " She put her hands on Teepo's shoulders, " You're a strong man who needs a woman like me. I choose... you... "

" Pikachu..." Rei said distantly. Teepo gave him a dirty look, then smiled proudly and walked off with her.

Ryu sighed, " Well let's keep looking, then..."

They walked out of Windia and went to the café.

Rei walked up to the counter, " Four cappuccinos."

" For here or to go??"

Rei stepped up, " Ah, for here."

The cashier put the cappuccinos on the counter and gave him the bill, " Six-forty-eight, sir."

Rei turned to them, " Pay up!"

Ryu gave him a dollar-fifty.

Teepo gave Rei the same.

" Huh? Oh... I forgot, I spent all my money on some invisibility powder..." Bleu sighed as she dug around in her almost empty wallet.

Teepo handed Rei another dollar and a half, " Don't fret! Teepo is here!"

Bleu smiled and sat down, " Thank you Teepo!! That was very gentile-men like!"

Ryu rolled his eyes.

" So anyway, where do you think we could get Ryu a girl??" Rei sipped his cappuccino.

Bleu smiled mischievously, " Oh I know the perfect woman for him!!"

Momo looked to Nina as she entered the room, " So...?"

Nina shook her head and sat down tiredly, " They are nowhere to be found!! I searched everywhere!!"

Garr contentedly sipped his liquor without comment.

Nina sniffled, " Ryu doesn't like me any more, does he? How upsetting,"

Momo cracked up, "I'm sorry to have to break it to you but... did he ever?"

" I'm stronger than you!" Nina yelled as Momo laughed even harder, she swung her staff in an arch, missing utterly and knocking an empty beer can off the table instead.

Momo acted fast, and caught Nina under the chin with the butt of her bazooka.

Nina fell to the ground, unconscious. Garr caught her.

" Heh heh!! I'm never wrong am I?" Momo crossed her arms.

Garr set Nina down in a chair and walked to the door way, " I'm gonna see if I can find the matches, in time for the Barbecue. "

Momo looked puzzled, " What Barbecue? Besides, what's wrong with lighters?"

Garr leaned away from Momo, " Lighters? It's a long story... I'm gonna have a surprise Barbecue celebrating Honey's repair."

" When she fell off Rei's balcony I was pretty worried for her..." Momo smiled at Honey and Peco playing together in a corner.

Garr looked at Nina, " I guess I better have some fu- take care of Nina..."

Momo rolled her eyes and picked an engineering book off the shelf, " Do whatever you want!! Just don't bug me."

Rei, Ryu and Teepo stood in front of Bleu, " Wait a moment you guys... Okay! Are you guys ready to go?" She flipped through a weathered old book of spells until she came across the warp spell, " Ah!! Here it tis!! The warp spell!" Bleu waved her wand high and muttered something. There was a flash and they were standing in the street in front of two connected houses.

Rei walked up to a dog-man of the plain-runner clan on the front step of the house," So, uh, what's this town called?"

The guy lit up a cigarette and puffed a smoke ring around Rei's head, " This is Township, tiger dude!"

Rei ripped the cigarette out of his mouth and mashed it into the gravel with his foot, " Smoking is bad for you, okay?

Bleu gestured towards the house, " This is the place."

Teepo tried the door, " It's locked..."

Rei smiled, " That's where I come in!" There was a quiet clanking as he began to pick the lock, " See, I've already opened it," Light poured out the open door as he gestured toward it.

Ryu peeked through the open door and saw a big man in a rocking chair in front of a fire. A cute woman sat cross-legged in front of him with her head leaned up against his leg. Several other people sat upon the floor.

Rei looked in and decided to go, " Come on guys! I think I see a girl that looks perfect for Ryu," Rei walked in past the upset dog-man and sat behind a blonde haired woman to listen to what she said.

" When will Bow be back? He's was supposed to be getting dinner..."

Rei waved them over, " Come on guys!"

They crept in and sat behind him.

" Who's that woran?" Rei said looking interested.

" Katt! She's a pretty strong gal... but of course not as strong as me..."

Katt turned around and looked at them strangely, " Who are you?!?! And what are you doing in our house?" And then upon spotting the blue haired women said, " Oh, hi Bleu, these guys with you?"

Nina stood up and wrinkled her nose, " Hey! He looks like Ryu!"

The third Ryu shook his head, " I am Ryu!! The third in fact... I saved the world in the future!"

The second Ryu walked over to him, " What...?" He was taller then the third.

Katt took a long look at Rei, " Hey... you're a woran too!"

Rei nodded, intrigued.

Bleu went over and whispered in Rei's ear, " I think she likes you..."

Nina made a strange confused face, " But you aren't Ryu the third?"

" Yes I am! I really should know."

Nina sat down by him and started to interrogate him, " So Ryu the 3rd, are you going to stay here, or what??" She leaned in close to him, " If you need to, you can stay in my room." Her eyes were young and bright.

" Man you're prettier than Nina3!! And probably stronger, too..."

Bleu smiled, " And, Teepo, if worst comes to worst you may stay with me in my room."

Teepo looked smug, " Hmm... I sure hope worst comes to worst..."

Katt sat poking Rei in the shoulder and spoke to him with inquiry, " So, you're an alien... "

" No, just a worn."

Sten rolled his eyes, " Oh stop flirting!"

Rand yawned, " I'm getting tired."

Sten nodded, " It's pretty late, isn't it."

Bleu stood up, " Ahem... silence please. As for all of our visitors, several of us will have to share a room. I will share with Teepo. Ryu3 may share with Nina ... and Katt must share her room with Rei,"

Katt shook her head vigorously, " Oh no! No no no. He's a boy!"

Bleu glared at her and continued, " If any one disagrees then that's too bad. Now, it's time to go to bed."

Nina walked up the stairs behind Ryu as Katt moped behind Rei.

Rei sat down on Katt's bed, " So, can I s-"

Katt read his mind, " You'll be sleeping on the floor."

" Naw, I ain't!! I'm sleepin' on this bed alone or not."

Katt was not one to give up, " I don't think so! Especially if you're gonna ask me to be your guurl-friend! Bleh."

" Who told you that?"

" Bleu."

" Already got a girlfriend!" He said shortly and then gave her the irresistible puppy-dog look, " Aw please Katt!! Let me sleep on the bed... Please!"

Katt couldn't argue, " Okay, fine."

Momo sat in a softly padded rocking chair chortling as she read her favorite book, " Hey Garr, would you like to see several sophisticated photographic mediums??"

A deep growl protruded from the bedroom as Garr answered, " Hum, maybe a bit later, I'm sorta busy."

Momo sighed, " Well all right. Suit yourself."

Not long after, a scream followed by a loud thud was clearly audible.

"Garr?" Momo stood up, " Stop harassing Nina now and put on the food!! I'm starving..." She said, lazily entering the bedroom.

Nina was sitting on the bed as Garr lay on the floor rubbing his face, " He was trying to draw on my face, with a pink magic marker... I mean like how immature is that! A guardian drawing on a woman, let alone a princess with a Pink magic marker!"

Momo looked down judiciously at Garr, " I'm ashamed of your behavior guardian!"

Garr smiled childishly, " But it was so fun!"

" Go sit in time out and think about what you've done!" Momo pointed to a corner in the room.

" That's right!! Think about it for a while!"

As Garr sat in the corner, Momo turned to Nina, " Has he been drinking?" Her expression was harsh yet caring, " I don't think he'd ever do a thing like that. He probably wouldn't do it even if he were drunk!"

" Hmmm... You're right. He's probably being possessed by that psycho mercenary, again, sheesh, every other week." Nina thought about the last time Garr was acting strange.

" Actually I think you're right for once!" Momo looked quizzically at Nina.

A large blur crashed through the window and landed in front of Momo, " Your right lady. I'm possessing Garr, again. Sorta like a ransom this time though. See, I possess Garr until you give me some money, and then I'll let 'im go. But first you gotta pay me."

" Well speak of the devil," Momo murmured.

Nina tossed him a hundred zenny and looked down at her growling stomach, " Please set him free so that he can make some hotdogs. I'm starving!"

" Well if you put it that way, sure. But I can I come to the barbecue?"

" I'm sure we will have enough money to buy more hotdogs and hamburgers if we need some. Since Nina took out that loan from her parents we've had enough money to get Rei to stop stealing. He hasn't had to steal in ages!" Momo laughed, " By the way, who exactly are you??"

" Li'l ol' me? I'm Cloud Strife. I was a mercenary, but I was hired to posses Garr for Myria. Now that she's dead... I need money. My girlfriend is a bar-hostess so she doesn't make much. Myria hates Garr, he betrayed her you know? So I'm supposed to stalk him until he gives up and surrenders. Even though she's dead... She's still stingy when it comes to money... Even if I am in her will..."

Nina whispered something about Myria being dead and began to laugh.

Momo ignored Nina and looked at Cloud, " Cloud... will you work for us? Nina is a princess and could pay you as much as you want if you get on the Queen and Kings good sides. You can shop for us. You come on Monday and get the list and shopping money from me. Then you come back Tuesday, drop off the groceries and collect your pay."

" Sure! That's easier than stalking people. Can you help me find an apartment for me and my girl?"

" You can live here until you find one." Momo giggled and shook her head, " You can have Rei's room."

" Who's Rei?"

Nina smiled, " He owns this house but he's out right now."

" Ah! I see..." Cloud rose his hand and Garr stood.

Garr looked outside. " It's getting late I'd better put the food on!"

Momo grinned, " Come on Nina let's set out the lawn chairs,"

Cloud turned to the door, " Well, my girl-friend should be getting off work soon. I'd better go get her. I'll be back."

Ryu sat down by Nina and stretched. He leaned his ear to the wall. The noise from the next room was tremendous.

There was a loud bump and something hit the wall.

" Ooooh! That hurt." A voice came from Katts room.

Nina smiled, " I guess they are getting along after all..."

Ryu leaned his ear to the other wall, where Sten had just entered:

Stens voice came, " Hey Bleu, I had a question about-"

Ryu sat back down, " They're getting along well."

Just then Sten burst in, " Hey guys! Bleu made me come get you..."

" Okay... " Ryu said slowly.

They went to Bleu's door, " Hey Bleu... whaddya want?? I don't have time for this! I'm tired!"

Sten opened the door for them.

" Ryu, what's the title of that book by Aeris Gainsborough?" She said.

" What th-?"

" I gotta finish this crossword puzzle!"

Ryu looked exasperated, " A Heart Shaped Noose?"

" No no... That doesn't fit."

" Is it, An Ancients Guide to Stealing Other Peoples Boyfriends? "

" Too long."

" Queen of Hearts?"

" That's it! Thanks."

Nina helped Momo set up the lawn chairs in Rei's yard as Garr blew on the coals. Since they didn't have to worry about Myria anymore Garr, Rei, Ryu, Teepo (Ryu and Teepo always followed Rei around) had remodeled. They had put in a huge front lawn, two bathrooms, two more bedrooms and a kitchen.

Garr turned to Momo, " Hand me that flame thrower," He pointed to a red and black flame-thrower in the grass several yards away.

" Um, all right..." She tossed him the flame-thrower.

Garr bent down to ketch it. " All-righty-now." He took it and triggered the fire. A huge flame caught to the coals.

Nina's eyes widened, " Good Laden Garr!" She ran over to the grill.

He was bent over blowing the fire down, " I've got it under controll."

" Uh, no!" She pointed to his shirt-thingy, " You're on fire Garr!"

" Dam*itt!" He walked off into the house, " I'm gonna get a drink..."

Momo shook her fist at the guardian mockingly, " Don't get too drunk, you've still got food to cook."

Garr turned and spat contemptuously at her feet, " Hey, if you keep that up, and you want food, you're gonna cook it!"

Momo sighed, " Fine Garr! Just hurry up and I'll help you get the grill started."

Garr frowned, " I can do it myself!"

Cloud came up to the front of his new home carrying two duffle bags.

A beautiful red eyed and brown haired woman followed Cloud up onto the front lawn.

Cloud set down their luggage and looked over at Momo, Nina and Garr, " This is my girlfriend Tifa."

Tifa smiled. Her smile was beautiful and it seemed to glow some how, " Hello..."

Nina tried to hide her envy. She stuck her nose in the air and looked down at Tifa, " You aren't staying here, are you?" She said disdainfully.

Tifa was taken aback, " Um... "

Cloud glared at Nina from behind his girlfriend, " This is Momo, Garr and Nina."

Nina rolled her eyes and retreated back into their house, " Just don't touch my stuff."

Tifa rose her eyebrows.

Cloud whispered something to Tifa.

She giggled.

Nina glowered at them and slammed the door.

Garr followed Momo as she walked over to the grill and lit a match, " See, hold this down to the coals for a while, and wait till they ignite."

Garr picked the burgers and hotdogs up from their picnic bench and layed them carelessly down onto the grill and shut the lid.

" That wasn't so hard now was it?" Momo giggled.

Garr grunted.

Teepo lay on a bed by Bleu who was giving herself a manicure. He tried to sleep but the heat was too intense. The huge fan which Bleu had brought out of the closet wasn't helping either, " Why is it so hot in here?" He slammed the window open. Underneath the window some guys were talking, " Hey!" Teepo glared at them, " Shut up! Don'cha see, some people are trying to sleep up here!"

One of the guys looked up at him, " Who asked you long hair?"

Teepo blew his top, and took a bottle of Bleu's black nail polish and threw it at him. (He had forgotten the screen was there... But luckily-or rather unluckily-instead of bouncing back at him, it tour right through the screen to bring the whole mess down upon the two) " I did you!" Both of the men under the window where soaked in black nail polish and tangled in the weak window screen.

One of them threw a challenging fist in the air at Teepo, " Listen girl if you do-"

" Girl?!" Teepo roared.

Bleu looked up, " Who are you talking to Teepo? And why did you just throw my nail polish out the window?"

The younger one whispered something to the other, " He acts like someone from Syn City!"

Teepo didn't pay Bleu any attention, " Why I'm gonna go down there and- did you just say Syn City?"

The man nodded, " Yeah, they just blew up some chrysm plant. They recently got a new president... And you know what else, they're heading to some old chicks tower,"

Teepo smiled a grim smile, " Thanks for the info..." He sat down, " Hey Bleu uh... You heard the news 'bout Syn City?"

Nina called out the window to Garr, " Are they done yet?"

" No."

She waited a few seconds and then yelled at him again, " Are they done yet?"

" No."

" How about now??"

" No! Now leave me alone!"

" But I'm hungry Garr!"

" Then wait you whiny little brat!!!!!!" Garr yelled up at Nina.

Momo looked at Cloud and Tifa, " Boy, he's grouchy today!"

Tifa nodded.

Cloud laughed. " Yes, he's seemed pretty cranky lately," And from a strange look from Momo, he quickly said, " Not that I've seem him otherwise before..."

The phone rang. Nina leapt down the stairs and answered it, " Hello?"

" Hi Nene,"

" Teepo! Oh let me talk to Ryu! Please plea-."

" Listen Nina, let me talk to Momo all right?"

Nina hung the phone up.

Momo opened the front door, " Who was it?"

" No-one of your concern."

" In other words, it was for me, right?" She took a drink of something that she had swiped from Garr.

Nina sat down at the table and crossed her arms huffily, " I don't wan't to talk about it."

The phone rang again. Nina jumped for it. Momo swung her bazooka in an arch and in mid-air caught Nina across the face.

She landed on the floor with a thump, " That's not fair!" Nina whined, " Let me have the phone!"

" Hello?" Momo glared down at Nina.

" Hello Momo. Did you know that Syn City just blew up that one Chrysm Plant... I think your dad used to work there..."

" What?!" Momo dropped her drink. The glass shattered. Nina sat up, covered in brown liquid.

" Hey," Nina barked, " You got glass in my hair clumsy!"

Momo ignored her, " Are you serious?!"

" Yes, I'm serious. And get this, they're heading for you're tower, trying to overrun it or something."

Momo stamped her foot down on some of the glass, " So Syn City is still around... Really... I can barely believe it... They've been so quiet."

Teepo sounded extremely calm... " Well I just thought you might wanna know."

" Yeah yeah..." Momo wiped off her glasses.

" You wanna talk to anyone else?" Teepo paused, " Rei?"

" No!" A awkward silence followed.

" Okay then... Well listen I have to go..."

" All right."

" Later!"

" You'd think that Syn City had learned it's lesson by now..." Momo said huffily. She hung the phone up, rolled up her sleeves and stepped tenderly through the glass-covered kitchen. She walked out and approached Garr, " Syn City's back. Listen, I'm going out there because they nuked the chrysm plant and they're heading to my tower."

He looked at her strangely, " But they are way out from the plant... like on the other side of the country."

" I don't care how far it is." Momo said, infuriated.

" How disappointing." Garr sounded annoyed, " I thought we were done with them!"

Momo sighed, " Yeah... I did too!"

It was one in the morning. Teepo had finally fallen asleep after listening to Bleu complain about her nail polish and the cross word puzzle. " Pssst! Rei!"

" What? What?!" Rei sat up, rubbed his eyes and looked around..

" Rei. C'mon! It's Syn City we gotta go get 'em again..."

" You just woke me from a perfectly good dream!" Rei said dizzily.

" SO!" The voice nearly maintained a whisper.

" All right, all right, I'm comin'..."

The source of the voice took his hand and dragged him out into the lighted hall, " Rei! C'mon, let's go get Ryu. We're gonna bust Syn City!"

Rei looked at him quizzically, " What are you saying? Tomorrow is Valentines Day! We need to go show the queen out! Besides, all of Syn City is gone, I slew them myself!" And at seeing the strange look on Ryu's face he thoughtfully added, " Well sorta..."

" You're right! It is almost Valentines Day," Ryu looked dispared, " But we gotta bust 'um... but how?"

Rei shrugged, " Who know's. Ryu's the one who get's all the plan's."

" I have an idea!" Said Teepo almost as if he had not heard Rei's comment, " Let's go get Ryu!" Teepo gently opened the door to Nina's room.

Rei rolled his eyes and followed, " So," he whispered, " You wake him."

Teepo approached the sleeping dragon cautiously, " Um... Okay,"

Teepo tapped Ryu's shoulder. Ryu was sleeping very deeply. So Teepo shook him a bit. No use. Teepo resorted to the thing that he knew he would regret most. He pulled his hair.

In a trice Ryu was up and fuming, " Hey! Don't mess with the h-"

Rei covered his mouth, " Shhhh!"

Ryu glared at them, " Why'd you mess up my hair?!"

" Because we need you to help us with a plan. Please don't be mad..." Rei crossed his fingers.

Ryu looked a bit uncomfortable, " As long as it looks okay..."

Teepo gritted his teeth, " We have to go and stop Syn City."

" But it's Valentine's day!"

Rei laughed, " You think Syn City takes a break on Valentines Day!?"

" Look, I've found a girl-friend and everything, I'm not going to give up this shot at a million buck's even if you are." Ryu crossed his arms, " Now I'm going to bed." He lay back down.

" Ryu!" Rei whined, " You HAVE to go to Syn City with us!"

" NO I DON'T! I'm not going, that is that."

Rei gave Teepo a look that said 'help'.

" Ryu, you can't go back to her alone, you have to be with us, too. She did say that all three of us had to be there... Besides, is money more important than justice!?" He looked at him pleadingly.

Ryu pondered this for a moment and then replied, " Yes."

" There is no use staying behind. And what do you know, maybe we'll even be done in time to make it back before 12:00. With you with us, our chances of making it back in time are doubled. So if you come, there is a much larger chance we'll get the million. Right?" Teepo asked timidly.

" Right!" Rei said looking from Teepo to Ryu smiling.

" Yeah yeah, fine..."

" Your in then?" Teepo stared at him.

He rolled his eyes, " Count me in."

" All right! Let's get ready!"

Cloud unfolded an old patched blanket and spread it on what used to be Rei's bed.

Tifa smiled at him and began to un-pack her things, " They seem like nice people." She said.

" Well yeah, except Nina..."

She frowned, " What's up with her?"

" Dunno..."

"CLOUD!"

He jumped and turned to the door.

Momo stood in the door way, her face red with fury, " You're coming with me, boy!

" Whe-"

" We're taking a little walk over to Syn City, get ready!"

Tifa looked at her, " Do you want me to come?"

" If you can fight, you can come."

Momo marched down onto the lawn, " Garr! I want you to come. This is urgent. Leave the hot-dogs until later!"

" We're just gonna leave Nina?"

" Yes, we're leaving her here, she'll only get in the way."

Nina slammed her window, " I'll show them!"

Almost running, Cloud and Tifa reached Momo.

" It's time to get going, here! C'mon Garr." She knocked a raw hot-dog from his mouth and hit the beer can out of his grasp. Putting on a gallant face she began to walk.

" We gotta be quiet! Now let's go." Rei said.

Rei Ryu and Teepo were half way down the stairs when Rei tripped, he took all of them down with him as he crashed to the floor. Lights flickered on in rooms throughout the house as people opened their doors to see what the commotion was.

Bleu went to the top of the stairs closely followed by Nina and Katt, " What are you doing?!"

" Uhgggg... " Teepo groaned.

" I'm totally trying to sleep here."

Ryu coughed.

" Syn City..." Ryu trailed off.

" Syn City?" Nina asked, " What's that?"

" It's a really crappy bunch of dudes, who live in a city." Rei said.

Bleu sneered with sarcasm, " Like, totally thanks, man."

" We've gotta go beat 'um up!" Teepo said helpfully.

Katt grinned, " I wanna go, I like beating people up! If Rei's going so am I!"

Rei smiled slightly, but tried to looked tough. They stood up.

" Well I'm going then." Bleu said.

" Don't forget me!" Nina added.

Rei shrugged, " The more the merrier I suppose." He stretched, " All right, let's get cracking!"

It wasn't long before Momo, Garr, Cloud and Tifa reached Windia. Momo led them to the warping pad in the old hut just outside of the city. They stepped onto it as she typed in two words, " Syn City."

" This had better work!" She said as they disappeared.

The place they in arrived was just outside of Syn City, and they were not long in making it into town. Strangely enough, there was no-one there. The streets were barren.

" Hmm..." Garr said.

" Hmm..." Said Momo.

" Hey." Said Tifa.

They looked at her.

" Why are we here? Just asking..."

" That's a good question, why?" Cloud said curiously.

" Well, the Syn City people are nothing less than a bunch of thugs. They go around and harass people. But now they're after me. They just bombed my chrysm plant and they're headed to my-"

They all watched her.

" Oh sh*t..." She trailed off.

Garr who had never heard her sweat before, turned and watched Momo start running as quick as she could towards the ruins of the chrysm plant.

Everyone followed.

" Ryu! My legs hurt... Can we stop?!" Nina whined.

He shook his head vigorously, " Nooo! We gotta get there before those Syn City guys do!"

Teepo glared at the ground, muttering something about whiny people.

" Excuse me?" Nina said.

" Didn't say nothin'."

She gave him a glare and then sniffled, " Oh, I'm so tired..."

" Nina..."

" Yeah Ryu? What is it?"

" Can't you fly?"

" You're right!" She jumped up and down and took to the air.

Teepo gave her a tired glower.

Nina smiled and took out a small gem. She held it up. Suddenly, before their eyes Nina changed. She became a great winged bird.

Ryu opened his mouth, " Wow! I didn't know you could do that!"

Her beak curved into a bird like smile, " This will go MUCH faster! Get on my back, I'll fly you there."

Rei eagerly jumped on, followed by Bleu, Katt and Ryu. However, Teepo did not. He stuck his nose in the air, " Whiny little pigeon."

Nina took off into the air, " Are you coming?"

" NO! I'll walk, thank you!"

Rei shrugged, " Okay, bye!"

" I wasn't being serious!!" Teepo screamed, but they had already gone.

" Hmm..." Garr said thoughtfully, " Hmm... I think we're almost to your tower... Hmm..."

Momo nodded, " Look! That's it up ahead."

Cloud squinted, " I don't see anything..."

Garr pointed in its direction, " To the South-east. There, the tall gray building."

" Oh, I see it now."

Tifa began to run after the sprinting Momo, " Hold up!!!!"

" What is it Momo?" Garr said, stopping before the tower.

She clenched her fists in rage and began running up into the tower, " I'll find them!"

Nina's wings moved slowly as they hovered over the tower. In the dark- the hot red flicker of fire could be seen from the sky, and Nina flew down low enough for them to dismount.

There was a loud crackling noise among the air along with a blanket of thick smoke. Momo's tower had been caught alight, and there was little time to put it out as it had already spread up to the higher floors.

" I'll wait here to take you back!" Nina called at their retreating backs.

" Thanks." Ryu said raising his voice.

Rei stopped, crossing his arms, " Uh-oh, I think we'd better hurry up there bef-"

" C'mon dumb-brains!" Bleu said dragging Rei along.

Bleu was in the lead, dashing them along with a hurried hiss, " Come along there! There's not much time!"

Katt ran ahead looking up at the building. The huge mass of gray shone like a flaming stone against the pale black sky.

Bleu ran up to a merchant at the front, " Sir? Do you have any like... Uhm, a bucket?"

" For water?" He asked.

She nodded benignly.

" If you're trying to put out the fire in that tower you're gonna need much more then a b-"

The look of innocence suddenly became scathing, " Oh shuttup! Do I look stupid to you? " She said, and hit him over the head with her wand.

Rei looked astonished at Bleu as she smiled at the merchant's unconscious figure. She drew a large bucket from him. Rei's expression was a bit unsure, " Don't you think he was kinda right, Bleu?" She seemed distracted. Raising her wand she started to chant something and the bucket turned silver, " Nope!" She said definitely. Handing the bucket to Katt, she began to explain, " Look, we'll go ahead of you, just fill this bucket with water, and ketch up to us. I cast a spell on it so that it refills itself!"

Katt seemed un-easy but excepted, " Well, all right."

" Come on then, Rei, Ryu. On we go!"

As they entered the tower, they began to notice a definite increase in smoke and their vision blurred, they stumbled about through what appeared to be an endless maze.

" Tifa!" Cloud yelled out into the smoky darkness. They had entered a dank and slimy corridor where the smoke was thickest, " Tifa! Where are you?" He felt about in the hall, and finally found the shivering body of his girlfriend. Her body was pressed against the wall, her clothing ripped and stained with dirt. Cloud drew her away.

Something bumped into Cloud, something large. He jumped, " Eh, it's me. Garr."

Cloud silently sighed in relief, " Oh. Of course."

" Is she all right?"

Cloud nodded, " Yeah. She's still breathing."

" She'll come 'roun'..." Garr grunted, " Say... You haven't seen Momo around here have you?"

Cloud shook his head, " I think she went pretty far ahead."

Tifa coughed up something red, " Oooooh, ooooh n-no..." She moaned incoherently.

Garr looked sideways at her, " She looks really, really pale..."

" Yeah, somehow I don't think she just fe-"

" Cloud?"

" Huh?" He said looking around, " Oh..."

" Am I bleeding?" She whispered.

" Hmm...? Where?"

Garr looked between them, feeling a bit left out.

" Ack-Cloud."

Garr stared at her.

He turned her over to face him, " Uhm..."

Garr blushed ever so slightly and hid his face in his hands, " Don't worry, I won't watch." He listened as Cloud observed.

" Oh..." Cloud trailed off.

Garr blushed as someone of his bulk wouldn't be believed capable of.

Cloud shifted uncomfortably, " Uh... Not at all. Well, maybe... Actually, a lot. Yeah, completely covered."

Tifa opened her eyes and watched Cloud, " Its bad?"

" Very. What happened?"

" I-I don't know..."

" Hey! Garr, where are you going?"

" She's obviously fine." He said, still a bit red.

" Uhm... She can't even walk."

Garr looked at Clouds considerable build and then down at himself. He was definitely stronger than Cloud. He picked her up, careful not to hurt her with his overly long nails.

" Let's go." Garr said.

Cloud noticed that Garr had been looking overly thoughtfully at Tifa, " What's up with you." He asked. And then almost instantly he smiled, "Oh Garr, you have a very soft heart. Don't worry too much."

Garr kept silent.

" What's wrong? Worried for her?"

Garr considered, "...Well... "

Cloud smiled at him knowingly, " Admit it, admit it!"

" Cloud...?"

" Hmm?" He said looking at her.

" Please, leave me behind. I'll only slow you. I'll be fine, really, just need a – little – nap."

" No way!" He said looking extremely doubtful, " I'd never leave you alone."

Garr thought a moment. " Hey yeah, I'll stay with her!"

" Why?

" Well, you know. To take care of her and stuff. Through that door ahead is an abandoned bedroom. I remember from Momos last birthday party. I tell you, all it was was her teaching everyone about chrysm theory. But I got a good nap in."

Cloud nodded and smiled, " Thanks Garr."

Cloud hurried on as Garr disappeared through the door.

" All this smoke is clogging up my pours!" Bleu said with a cough.

Ryu looked droopily at Rei who was skipping up ahead of them, " We're almost to the top!" He said excited.

" Uh-huh..." Bleu said un-caringly. Suddenly a loud squealing came to her ears. She turned around, " What is it now!?"

Ryu was sitting on his bum and wailing like a baby, " My ankle! I twisted my ankle!"

" Oh shuttup! Get up you stupid little wimp."

" Wah wah! Momo! Momo, mommy!"

Rei rushed over, " Ach, no! Are you okay?"

" Boohoo..."

Bleu kicked him, " Get up or I'm leaving you here! We don't have time for this."

Rei looked sad but turned from Ryu, " I'll come back for you, okay?"

Ryu moaned, " Yeah..." He sniffed, " Okay..."

Bleu hurried before Rei.

Cloud coughed as he walked up another steep flight of stairs, breathing hard. Suddenly, he saw a shadow, " Momo...? Is that you?"

A gasp came from the figure and it turned it's head, a small sheen of orange hair catching the poor light, " I think we're at the top!" She said.

Cloud nodded, " Tifa's back there with Garr."

" Mmm..." She said, but before Cloud could inquire she bolted off up the stairs.

Not long after, they ran into a set of large doors. Momo tried the handle, but to her dismay, it wouldn't budge. The doors were well and truly, locked, " Now, I really wish Rei were here!" She said and sunk to the floor.

" Bleu... Do ya think, Momo, is okay back home? You don't think they've gone after her do you?"

Bleu stomped bad temperately down another smoky corridor, " I bet she's fine. Trust me that woman can take care of hers-"

Suddenly Rei stopped and stuck out an arm, " Shhhh!"

They both fell silent, standing until a considerable time elapsed and then they heard the slightest trace of a high pitched female voice... " Momo?!" Rei yelled. He began to run up flights and flights of stairs and through hallways. Finally, after both of them were panting and when Rei felt he couldn't go any farther, he saw them. Momo and Cloud were standing at the top of the stairs trying to unlock two huge doors, " Momo!" He yelled again and she turned,

" What are you doing here Rei?" She said with notable surprise.

" Looking for the fire, of course... And those Syns... And... You." He said slightly blushing.

Momo opened her mouth to say something kind in reply to him but was cut short by a meaningful look from Bleu, " Well, how are we going to get through this door?"

Cloud looked at her ingratiatingly, " Apparently, this is the top of the tower, Momo said that the people from the city must be up here. It's her dad's library."

" Of dirty magazines." Momo added disapprovingly, with a cough.

Cloud frowned, " No wonder you hate him. I would've too."

Rei looked thoughtful, " Dirty magazines? What a guy." At a look from Bleu he said honestly, " I didn't mean it like that..."

Momo sighed, " Anyway, how are we gonna get in there?"

Everyone shrugged until suddenly Rei looked up, " Did you say it was locked...?"

" Yep." Cloud said.

" That's easy!" He walked up to the large lock and started to dig around in his pockets. He kept pulling things out and tossing them over his shoulder. Momo and Cloud had to dodge a whoopee cushion, rubber chicken, plastic duck and a page out of a comic book before the parade of flying objects ceased. Finally he took out a small golden wire and began poking around in the lock. After a few grunts and clicks Rei stepped back and they saw the door swing slowly open.

" Oh crap! Dang you water!" Katt said, as another spill of water splashed from the bucket and onto her leg. Suddenly, she stopped (causing even more water to splash out) and listened. Her striped ears perked up and she opened the door to a room. She saw Garr's large backside but couldn't see what he was bent over. However, there were several anguished yelps and moans that didn't sound like they would come from such a big man, " Garr?" She whispered.

" Hmm?" He said straightening up and turning.

Katt could see Tifa laying half-limp on a bed, the red tell tale sign of blood glistening on her torso.

" Oh..." Garr said shifted a little looking depressed, " Just trying to bandage it up." He said, raising a hand full of ragged cloth."

" Oh... Eh... Ehm, can you tell me where Bleu or Cloud or someone is?"

" Oh, they went up the tower... Why don't you take a rest, you look very tired."

Katt considered then obliged, " Thank you." She whispered, then yawned, and was soon asleep.

As soon as the doors opened a loud laugh met them.

Momo looked up at Cloud and Bleu who had stepped in front of them and she tried to see past.

" Who passes?" A voice said.

" Why have you vandalized such a precious place?" Bleu asked calmly.

" You cannot pass without a fight!" The voice said and they could see a woman materialize out of the smoky gloom.

Rei and Momo drew their weapons, but Bleu stopped them, " We'll hold them off, you two go on alone."

Momo nodded but Rei stuttered, " Y-you'll be all right?"

" Of course you striped idiot, now go!"

Momo and Rei hurried to the back of the room between bookshelves and Cloud and Bleu became engaged in battle.

Within a couple yards of the door, Momo stumbled upon a stack of books engulfed in dust and fell down hard. Rei knelt and lifted her, she saw concern in his face, and couldn't help but blurt " Rei... Why'd you do it to me?"

" What?" He said innocently.

" Go off and hang around with those women from Syn city... I got a call from one of them this morning and-"

" Wh-what...? Oh... I know what that was, and she wasn't from Syn city." He laughed tightening his grip on her but then loosening it again as she winced, " She's a florist from Windia."

" A florist? Most florists don't sound like they're about to kill someone."

" Ehm, I think that's probably because I still haven't paid her for those flowers," He paused, " You did get them right?"

" If your talking about that half dozen wilted roses... then yes." Momo said.

" Wilted? Oh… Hmm, maybe a result of the florists wrathe."

" And was the love letter with them supposed to be from you?"

" Love letter? Oh. Uhm... I just wanted to ask you if you'd be m-" there was a loud rumble as one of Bleu's spells hit the shelf nearest them, engulfing it in flames.

" I guess now isn't the time though," Momo said, " You can put me down, I think I can manage, just a bruise." As Rei complied, they could hear blasts as Bleus spell hit their opponent and Momo rose to run towards the door, " Come on Rei, there's no time to lose."

Through the next door they saw something that not only amazed but scared them. Momo gaped in the darkness to find Rei's hand and clung to it tightly, " Is that a... dragon?" Rei squeezed her hand and stepped forward looking up.

The dragon turned, its scaly underside shimmering as its body smoothly shifted to face them, " What is this...?" A low voice boomed.

" Who are you?" Rei said in awe.

There was a shuffle of scales and the dragon brought its head down level with him. Rei cringed but then opened his eyes to see that it was smiling, "My name is Fou Lou. I am the first emperor of... the future."

Rei squinted and tried to work this into some since as Momo walked forward in awe, " Fou Lou...? Fou Lou...?! You're from the future!"

Rei looked back and forth between them, " What's so amazing?"

Momo unintentionally ignored his comment and looked up at the dragon, " How did you... get here?"

" That... Is a long story. But to make it shy... I hath come back in time to take thou forward in time."

Momo was flabbergasted, Rei looked chagrined, " Uhm, who, and-and why? Exactly..."

" All of thee. Thou, Momo, Teepo, Garr, Bleu, Cloud, Tifa, Nina, Katt... Everyone!"

Momo stuttered, " But-but why?"

" Thee wilst find that out, once we arrive." He said.

" Well... Uhm... Okay." Rei said. Fou Lou raised a thin scaley arm but before he could do anything a familiar BONG sounded from the top of the tower. It was silent as eleven more bongs followed and then Momo said bluntly, " Bell tower."

Cloud and Bleu ran in and saw the dragon. At a reassuring look from Momo, Cloud relaxed and asked, " What was that sound?"

Rei's ears drooped in disappointed realization, " It's midnight..." He whispered. Momo didn't understand why he was so upset but then smiled, " It's... Valentines day."

" That's not why I'm sad, it's becau- Oh... Nevermind." He said looking slightly put out. At a concerned look from Momo he realized something, " Momo... I.. would you be my... V-Valen-"

She smiled at him sweetly, " Yes. Why didn't you just ask me in the first place?"

" Because, well..."

" There's no time for a love scene, it's time we departed." Fou Lou said apologetically.

Bleu looked amazed, " What about Teepo? And Ryu, and what about, Nina?"

Momo laughed, " Nina3 isn't going too, is she?"

" Wait a minute though," Cloud said, suddenly distressed, " What about my girlfriend? I have to stay behind and watch over h-!"

" No, no... That won't be necessary!" He said and before Cloud could open his mouth and reply, there was a blur of color and then darkness.

What happened to Ryu and Teepo? And what happened to Nina 2? What about Nina 3? Is she dead yet? Look for the Queen of Hearts II and their quest, may be revealed.