Disclaimer: Right, the usual rigamarole. I do not hold any rights to Vincent Valentine or any of the characters from Square-Enix's Final Fantasy VII, or any part of the compilation. I do, however, claim Tera Balia and her entire Scout squad.

Author's Note: Actually, all I'm going to mention is the chronology (as well as can be done, considering). This takes place more or less right after Advent Children and right before Dirge of Cerberus. It's the first (long) part of what looks to be at least a two-part series with these characters. It's called "Interlude" because I am crap at coming up with titles. I've had it done for awhile, but was waiting for final revisions. Please review, hopefully with constructive criticism. Thankee in advance!

Too much action and not enough sleep. I duck into an abandoned house to take a quick breather, and the next thing I know, I'm waking up two hours later. There's a shadow in the doorway. I curse and reach for my crossbow.

"Relax. I'm on your side." Anyone in the city would recognize that voice: Vincent Valentine, Guardian of the Night, has found me.

"Right," I mutter. "Thanks." He reaches down and pulls me to my feet. "Anything interesting happen?"

"No. You were lucky."

"I was stupid, is what I was. I know better than to stop in an unsecured location when I'm alone and tired." I wander over to the small kitchen and splash water from the faucet on my face, trying to gather my wits.

"What are you doing here?" The question catches me off guard. This is not someone known for his natural curiosity, after all.

"Our base was betrayed, and we scattered. My second and I got separated when he went to look for someone." I shrug. "Without someone to watch my back, I'm just lucky you came along."

"Second? You're organized?"

"Not anymore. I was, up until this morning, the leader of a largish, independent scout squad." I cock my head at him. "We prefer not to get involved with either side, if we can help it."

One black eyebrow rises. "You're mercenaries, then, who sell their skills to the highest bidder?"

I hide my annoyance by checking on my leg wound. Not like it's the first time I've heard that. "Generally, yes. We are licensed, and I am a full Master Scout." I glance up at him. "Mainly, after the city went all to hell, we've just been trying to survive. The best way to do that now is to stay out of the way."

"Someone thinks you're a threat. Why?" Gets right to the point, doesn't he?

"I'm the last Master Scout in the city, and my squad is the best." This isn't mere boasting; the numerous records we've broken have made national news more than once.

"Why didn't they hire you or pay you off instead?" He is not making a good first impression.

"Because I have integrity, perhaps? I won't let any of my people near that kind of trash." I begin to pack up to leave.

"You're tired."

"I've been tired. I'll live." I grin inwardly at his open eyeing of my stuff. One of the few privileges I take advantage of as a Master Scout is premium gear.

On top of fairly standard but still excellent defensive gear, I have some lovely throwing knives, a pair of customized melee daggers and my crossbow.

I'm used to contempt from gunmen at my lovely crossbow. I've been asked more times than I can count why I don't switch to a "real" weapon, one with range. My particular crossbow, however, is superior to any firearm, with the possible exception of Vincent Valentine's. On top of being enhanced by the standard magics, it has a mini-scope and customized range/damage materia. And it makes less noise. So there.

Valentine says nothing about my beauties, which is to be expected. He's not one for talking much. But something shows on his face.

"What?" I retort. Just because I'm used to the reaction, that doesn't mean I like it. "She's not Cerberus, but she doesn't have to be." Even without my own touches, she's a damn fine crossbow.

He looks faintly startled. "I didn't say anything."

"You didn't have to. My main focus is stealth, and it's hard to be stealthy when you're blowing people's heads off. This has at least the range of a sniper rifle, and she only hums when I fire." I stow her in her custom holster on my back, over my last two pretties: A matched pair of single-edged, slightly curved short swords, works of art all by themselves.

The eyebrow goes up again. "You're a walking armory."

I hop up and down with a grin. "See? No noise." I keep hopping and stretching to finish waking up. "I know what I'm doing."

"I noticed your injuries. You don't have healing materia?"

"Don't need it. I'm a field healer, so it's not worth sacrificing any of the materia I do have." I poke my head out the door. It's now full dark.

"Come with me." I twist my head around (and almost fall over) to stare at him. From what I've heard, Valentine prefers to work alone. Maybe he's thinking I'll fall asleep again.

"I don't make the same mistake twice, and I'm more than capable of taking care of myself."

I see a flash of something that, on anyone else, would be a smile. "To be honest, I want a closer look at your stuff, and I want to hear about your squad."

"Can I look at your gear as well?" I ask with a laugh. This, of course, is not the first time my crossbow has been propositioned. But I have no real plans for now, so a diversion can't hurt.

"Of course." We leave the house together.

As we travel through the dark streets of the city, I start wondering why the legendarily aloof Vincent Valentine has taken an interest in me. It's probably just the crossbow. Oh well. I've always wanted to see Cerberus as well.

We hear raised voices, and, without thinking, I back to the nearest wall and ready my daggers. Seeing the Night Guardian poised to jump around the corner, guns blazing, I revise my plan. Closing hand-to-hand would put me in the line of fire, so I pull my throwing knives out instead.

"How many?" I ask Valentine, who is peering around the corner.

"Ten, maybe a dozen. There's someone else with them." His voice sounds odd.

"Commander?" I ask.

He shakes his head. "Noncombatant."

I swear under my breath. Great, they have a body shield. I ponder for a moment. "How good are you at being impressive?" I ask.

He cocks his head. "Why?"

"I can get the prisoner out if you can draw at least half of them away."

"Why not the other way around?" He sounds anxious, and I realize he recognizes the prisoner.

"You're more recognizable than I am, and I'm better at being sneaky." I wait. He isn't a subordinate, but this idea is the best I can come up with on short notice, so I'm fairly sure he'll agree.

For the first time this evening, Vincent Valentine is actually looking at me. I'll admit I'm not imposing; I try not to be. But I'm as tall as he is, agile, and fit. He sighs. "I'll see what I can do."

I grin impishly at him. "Go wild. You are trying for a distraction, after all."

"Don't be too long." He takes me at my word, and stalks into the pool of light nearest to our corner, letting his cloak swirl. "Hello, scum." He opens the festivities by shooting the squad leader.

My smile lingers as I watch him work. He manages to lead off two-thirds of the soldiers, but a few stay to guard the prisoner. I get a closer look at her as I edge nearer to the guards, and privately disagree with Valentine's description. She does not look in the least "noncombatant."

I take the first guard out without a sound, gliding out of the shadows daggers first. The second and third quickly follow, and as soon as I cut the pretty brunette free, she takes out the last guard herself. I laugh, for as soon as she turns to me, I recognize Tifa Lockhart, another hero.

"Hi," she says. "I'm Tifa. Thanks for cutting me loose."

"Tera," I reply. "I'm here with Vincent Valentine, wherever he's wandered off to."

"Right here," he replies, three inches from the back of my head.

"Don't do that," I say, not turning. "If I hadn't been expecting that, I'd have stabbed you."

"Barret and Cloud are on their way," Tifa says.

"Sorry to wreck the big rescue, but we thought it would be too chancy to leave you here," I say.

Tifa laughs. "It's a good thing, actually, that you are here. They decided my death was worth more than the money." She has her own healing materia, so I let her tend to herself.

Vincent is looking over a scratch on his arm, though, so I toss him my pot of salve. I'm totally unharmed, but, after all, I hadn't been acting like a giant bull's-eye. "Great work there," I tell him. "Any of them get away?"

"No."

"Noncombatant?" My question is edged with just a bit of sarcasm.

"She was very tied up, Tera."

"Fine. I'll give you that one, but only 'cause you're cute." He flushes very faintly, while Tifa laughs and I just grin.

"Here we are, all ready to go dashing in on a rescue, and you're safe and snug, makin' small talk!" A new voice breaks into the conversation, as two battle-hardened men walk into the light.

"We kinda figured you wanted her alive," Valentine replies.

"True 'nough," one of the men says, a huge black man with a gun where his right hand ought to be. "You all right, Tifa?"

"Fine. You should have seen Vincent though. The stage is missing a great talent here." Vincent blushes again.

I step in. "My idea," I say. "He's much more conspicuous than I am, and Cerberus is much better at grabbing attention than my Shadowcat." I pat the crossbow.

"Who are you?" The other newcomer, a skinny blond with glowing blue eyes and the look of the perpetual loner, quite obviously doesn't trust me.

I roll my eyes. "Tera. Tera Balia: Master Scout, field healer, and other things too complicated to get into right now."

"Master Scout?" He looks doubtfully at me. I roll my eyes again and dig through my pack and pull out a golden disk on a leather thong: the crossed-daggers of Master Scout embossed on both sides. He studies it. "This looks genuine."

"It is. Can I have it back?" No one had ever accused me of faking my Master's disk. I put everything back in my pack, and stand up. "I apologize, but I'll have to see Cerberus another time. I'm never far away from the city. But I am not welcome here, so I will take myself elsewhere."

Both Tifa and Vincent give the blonde a Look. "Don't mind Cloud. He's not fit to be out in public," Tifa says. "This is Barret Wallace and Cloud Strife. Look, I at least owe you a meal for helping Vincent save me."

I haven't eaten more than handfuls of field provisions for a week, and I'm starting to like these people. Even Cloud, in his cold way. "Oh, all right. Vincent wanted to look at my crossbow anyway." I pull her out, remembering that the others haven't seen her yet. "This is my Shadowcat. In some ways, she's more dangerous than Cerberus."

Barret whistles as he looks at my crossbow. "I can see that. This is a piece of art, Tera."

I beam at him. "Why thank you."

Cloud catches a glimpse of my swords as I re-holster Shadowcat. "You do swordplay?" he asks.

"A bit. It's hard to maneuver in the city." I grin at him. "And something that makes gaping slashes in people should hardly be called 'play,' if you want my opinion as a healer."

As the (admittedly gorgeous) blonde smiles back at me, I think that most girls would commit murder to be where I am. "True enough," Cloud says. "I apologize for being so rude earlier. I worry about Tifa."

I shrug. "It happens."

Barret laughs. "It happens to Spikey here more often than most." He looks at Shadowcat again, and shoots Cloud a sly look. "Only a Scout would have a bow like that."

Vincent chuckles. At least, that's what I think he's doing. "And only a Master could afford it."

Cloud blushes bright red. I sigh and say, mildly, "The fact that you didn't think I'm a Scout is actually a compliment, Cloud. Don't worry about it."

Tifa gives me a grateful look and asks, "How are you at hand-to-hand?"

I show her the daggers. "Iffy, but it's usually unnecessary. I can convince people in far more tangible ways." I grin and add, "And as to materia, I'd rather not depend on it since I spend so much time alone."

"Sounds reasonable," Cloud says. "I feel better knowing that, since the last strange girl we ran into stole all of ours."

Another maybe-chuckle from Vincent Valentine. "That was before you met me."

"Not when she stole it. That was on the island."

"Makes no difference either way," Vincent shrugs. "I prefer not to rely on anything if I don't have to."

"Or anyone," Tifa mutters. This is apparently a standing argument. Cloud and Vincent wince.

Vincent turns away, the red highlights in his eyes becoming pronounced. I say, "It's not so much a matter of trust, or doubt in your abilities, Tifa."

"I don't need to be cocooned in silk, thank you. Cloud tries to exclude me to protect me." Her eyes are a deep garnet and brown, entirely different from Vincent's ruby and gold. "I don't know why they still bother."

"I can't speak for anyone else, but I have a limited number of friends as it is, and, other than that, I prefer to work alone because I don't want to risk anyone else in my judgment calls."

Barret snorts. "You don't seem like you'd get close to anyone," he says. "Not like us. Don't you have good friends?"

I am deeply offended by this. "Yes, and as a matter of fact, one of them is a friend of yours. I keep in contact with Commissioner Reeve Tuesti. And, at the moment, the only reason I'm in this part of the city is because I'm waiting for my second, Owen." I frown. "He ought to have been here by now."

Cloud says, "Describe him to me. I'll put the word out with our own people."

I smile at him. "Thank you. His name is Owen Qesarin, although I think I'm the only one who actually knows his last name. He's about your height, has bright red hair and green-hazel eyes." I roll my own, dark blue ones. "And he's the biggest smart-ass in town. Guaranteed."