Cloud, hefting his gear onto his shoulders, stepped off the bus and into........
"Oh no! There's even more snow here than in Wutai!" groaned Red. He stepped lightly into it, trying to keep as little fur from touching it, but to no avail. He started to shiver.
 "I think it's a little refreshing. Everything looks so......clean......." said Tifa, trailing off in the middle of her sentence, realizing that even the stark freshness of newly fallen snow wouldn't make Kotts look cleaner.
 "What a DUMP!" whined Marlene. "We took that long bus ride just to get HERE?"
The town was small, and had obviously seen better days. According to the tourist guidebook Tifa had taken with her, Kotts was once a prosperous mining town. But when Shinra's Mako Reactors created the world energy monopoly, the market for coal had dried up.
 This was just another town that had been brought down this way. North Corel, Junon Harbour.......the list went on and on. The buildings were shabby, but seemed that in the past they were great structures where important business dealings took place.
 "Well, let's get started," said Red purposefully. "We should ask around and find out if anybody's seen her."
 Cloud yawned. "Are you serious? It's 11:30! We're exhausted."
 "Oh, yeah....... sorry. I'm tired too," Red said.
 "We'll get started in the morning, then," said Tifa. The group walked towards the town inn. Beckoning warmth drew them in as Tifa pushed the door open. An old woman smiled as they entered.
 "Can I get you folks a room?" she said. She glanced down at Red. "Sita!! There you are! Your grandfather's been worried........oh!" She gasped, and put a hand to her chest.
 "Pardon me?" asked Red.
 The lady laughed uneasily. "Oh, it's nothing.......I just mistook you for somebody else......" She turned her attention back to Cloud. "So, a room for the four of you?" Tifa nodded, and the lady smiled and gave her a key.
 "Thanks," said Tifa, reading the number on the key. "Come on."
 A few minutes later, after changing into her nightclothes, Tifa flopped down on her bed in their room.
 "Ah.....this bed sure is soft. It'll feel great to get a good night's rest."
"Yeah," said Cloud, pulling the blankets over himself.
 "Even the carpets are soft......" said Red, rolling over on his side. "But before we all go to sleep, can we talk about something?"
 Tifa sat up. "Okay."
 Red cleared his throat. "Have you ever been somewhere where it seems that everyone is staring straight at you?"
 Cloud nodded, a smile forming on his face. "Yeah.......when I was in the first grade, I accidentally walked into a class of fifth-graders. Everybody, and I mean everybody, was gawking at me."
 "Same here," said Tifa. "How about you?"
 "That's what it's like wherever I go."
 "Oh......." said Tifa. "You must feel like you're sticking out like a sore thumb."
Red shook his head. "Not really. I'm used to it, and I ignore it. But today.....was different."
 "Different in what way?" inquired Cloud.
 "When you're so used to something happening and it doesn't happen one day, you really notice. That is what it was like just now. Not a single person in this town was looking at me." Red looked at Tifa hopefully, and she nodded.
 "The receptionist called you something. What was it?"
Red thought for a second. "It was 'Sita,' I think. He grinned.
 "What are you getting at...." said Cloud suspiciously.
 "If people are familiar with my appearance, and If I was mistaken for somebody else...."
 ".....Then she must be around here somewhere!" finished Tifa.
 "Exactly!" exclaimed Red.
 "Wow....." breathed Tifa. "This whole thing could be over by tomorrow......"
"Yeah! This is great, Red." Cloud let his head fall to his pillow. "Well, good night."
 Tifa looked down at Red and yawned. "Have a good sleep."
 "Thank you," he said, but Tifa was already asleep. Red shut his eye, but couldn't sleep. Too many thoughts buzzed around in his mind. Slowly he got to his feet and padded to the window, peering out into the darkness.
 "Sita," he said contemplatively. "What a beautiful name."

 The next day couldn't have come any earlier for Red. He was practically shoving Tifa, Cloud, and Marlene out the door of their room. He tried not to be so impatient, but his excitement got the better of him.
 "Excuse me," Red said to the lady at the reception desk. "We were wondering if you knew where someone named Sita lives. If you could tell us, it would be most helpful."
 "Sure can, dear." She gave him a rosy-cheeked smile. "Sita lives out in the woods with Doctor Hamlyn, about a mile to the east of here." Her smile started to fade. "But..."
 Red looked at her, confused. "But what?"
 "Well, we haven't seen her around here for about three days. The doctor's been searchin' through the woods, calling for her. He's been worried sick about her. You just might run into him."
 "Thank you, Ma'am," said Cloud. They were about to leave when the old woman beckoned to Red.
 "Can I talk to you for a minute, dear?" she asked. Red nodded and took a few steps towards her.
 "What's your name?' said the lady.
 "My name is Nanaki," he replied. The lady beamed at him.
 "Nanaki, eh? I'll have to remember that. And how old are you?"
 "I'm forty-nine," Red said. She petted him on the nose.
 "Well dearie, you're just Sita's age! If she comes by, I'll tell her what a cutie you are. I think you're just the kind of guy to calm her down! She's quite impulsive, y'see...."
 If Red could blush, then his face would be glowing scarlet with embarrassment.
 What have I gotten myself into? he thought frantically.
 "Ah, yes.......I mustn't keep my friends waiting, hahahaha!......" Red blurted nervously.
 "All righty then! You just run along!" The lady pushed him out the door, then she waved vigorously as Red walked briskly away from the inn. When he got to where his friends were standing, he breathed a sigh of relief.
 "What were you two talking about?" asked Tifa enthusiastically.
 "That old woman was trying to set me up with somebody I've never even met, that's what! She said that 'I was just the kind of guy that could calm her down!!!'"
 "Ooooooh!!! Naki's got a GIRLFRIEND!!!!" Marlene giggled.
 "Ha ha ha!! You're gonna have no problems, Red!" laughed Cloud.
 "What, may I ask, is so funny?" he exclaimed snappily.
 "Look's like you're the one who needs to be calmed down!" joked Tifa. In response, she received a harsh glare.
 "Can we just forget all of this and get on with the task at hand?" Red sighed. "She said that Sita lives out in the woods, so let's go!" The group began to walk down the town's main street, towards the forest.
  "Red, I can tell how excited you are. Why don't you go on ahead? I feel like we're slowing you down," said Tifa.
 "All right," replied Red. "I'll see all of you later." He turned and ran off, down the street.

 The forest was almost totally white; every surface wore a cap of snow. Aside from the sound of Red's breathing, the silence was total. Nothing moved, except for the tiny flakes of snow that managed to reach the ground. Unlike the snow back in Wutai, which had been a grey, sleety slush that had soaked his fur and chilled him to the bone, this snow was dry and powdery. It gave the place an ethereal atmosphere.
  Red raised his head and inhaled through his nose. There was no trace of the scent he'd experienced several weeks before. He moved on, the snow muffling his footsteps. He kept walking for several minutes, stopping occasionally to sniff the air.
 He heard a rustling in the bushes to his left. He turned, and saw a large, fat, white rabbit, its nose  working busily, apparently totally unaware of him. Red's stomach growled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten since yesterday afternoon. He hungrily licked his lips.
 Red crouched to the snowy ground, the tip of his tail flicking back and forth. He crept forward, an inch at a time. He would get only one chance. The rabbit still had no idea that there was a hungry predator sneaking up behind it........
 Red smiled devilishly. Finally, he pounced, snatching the rabbit in his jaws and crushing its skull with one bite. Red dropped the limp rodent on the ground and began to eat. However, the beast was totally unaware of the old man walking towards him.......
"Sita! So there you are!! Where on earth have you been?"
 "Aahhh!" shouted Red, looking up from his meal. "What's going on?" The old man gasped.
 "Oh, you aren't Sita........" he sighed, the despair evident in his voice. "Who are you?" Red cleaned his paws and stood up.
 "I'm Nanaki, of Cosmo Canyon," he replied.
 "I'm sorry I scared you......It's just that Sita loves to hunt, and I mistook you for her......." said the man.
 "Do you know her?" inquired Red.
 "Yes. I take care of her. I'm her adoptive grandfather......" he trailed off. "Ah, how rude of me! I haven't introduced myself. My name is Tobias Hamlyn." Red's eye lit up.
"So, you're the Dr. Hamlyn I've been looking for. I need to talk to you." Tobias nodded.
 "Is it about Sita? We can discuss it back at my cabin." He turned around and began to walk deeper into the woods.
 Several minutes later, they arrived at Tobias' cabin. It was a simple, old-looking building with few external adornments. Tobias pushed the door open, and they went inside. The cabin's interior was much like the exterior. In the living room was a bed, a large black stove, a table, a chair, and a large stone fireplace. The other room was his office, with an examination table and other medical equipment. There were several other rooms, but their doors were shut.
 "Would you like some tea?" he asked, pouring himself a cup.
 "No thank you," Red replied. Tobias sipped from the cup and sat down in the chair.
"So, Nanaki, what are you doing all the way out here in Kotts? You're pretty far from Cosmo Canyon," he inquired.
 "I heard there was another member of my species out here, and I couldn't resist." Red swallowed. "I also think I saw Sita several weeks ago."
 "Ah ha!" Tobias exclaimed. "So YOU'RE the guy she told me about! Out by Mt. Onasuke, right?" Red nodded. Tobias picked up a framed photograph and put it on the floor. "Is this who you saw?"
 "I don't know. All I saw were the eyes." Red looked down at it. It was a picture of Sita. Her silky-looking fur shone in the sunlight, and was a lighter shade than Red's. She appeared to be slightly smaller than him, and had the same spiky hair and mane as him as well, but the color was more of a brown-grey than red. It also was much longer, hanging down in front of her face and eyes and along her back.
  Her eyes were large and curious, and her face was more pointed than his. Her tail had no glowing tip. It was the same colour as her mane.
 A green crystal hung from a silver chain around her neck. That was the only adornment she wore. Red noticed a tiny tattoo on the inside of her ear, a number XII. In the picture she was smiling happily, sitting on her haunches underneath a snow-covered tree.
 "She's....beautiful," said Red simply.
 "Yes, she is. That child is very close to me. I raised her like my own. She's quite mischievious, and she's very independant. But...she's got her sensitive, caring side, too, the side she doesn't let people see. She's a voracious reader, and she loves classical music." Tobias sat back in his chair. "I love her so much, so I was devastated when she disappeared." He stood up, shaking his head.
 "But you, Nanaki......." he said sadly, turning towards him. "You should just give up your search, for your own sake."
 Red reared back a bit. "What?"
 "You see......how can I put this....she hates you.