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Chapter 1

Cloud closed his eyes, turning his face up towards the falling rain. A shot rang out breaking the silence, the blonde's back arching as the energy bullet went through his chest. He fell to his knees, his vision flickering as the pain consumed him.

A few yards away, two silver-haired men stood, staggering slightly as they remained up right by sheer force of will alone. The rain fell on them, each drop disappearing into green and black smoke with a soft hiss as it touched their skin. The thinner of the two held a materia gun pointed at the now kneeling swordsman in front of him. "We'll go...together," Yazoo gasped, talking softly to his companion at his side. His arm dropped, the gun clattering noisily onto the ground.

"To...gether," Loz agreed, his voice strained as he struggled to speak. "We'll...play."

Cloud pushed himself to his feet, staggering as his chest throbbed painfully, but managing to keep himself from falling. His grip tightened on his weapon as he turned, his face contorting in rage. He ran forward, sparks flying from the blade as it was drug along the metal roof they were standing on, before the blonde leapt towards the clones, sword raised high to strike.

The Remnants each raised their arm, materia glowing brightly as they cast every spell at their disposal. The spells clashed, the resulting overload of magic causing a massive explosion. All three fighters watched, unable to react fast enough to escape before they were engulfed in the blast.

. . .

Denzel stared out of the rain-streaked window, watching the black plume of smoke rising from the area where he knew Cloud was fighting. "He'll come back-- he said that he would," the boy said, his tone betraying his emotions. He looked at the shorter girl standing next to him. Marlene's eyes were glazed over and unfocused. She didn't seem to be aware of anything around her, almost as if she were in a trance. Becoming frightened, Denzel shook her by the shoulders. "Marlene-- Marlene, snap out of it!"

The girl blinked, looking around as if only then realizing where she was. She glanced back out the window, her eyes widening as she saw the smoking building where Cloud had been standing a moment before.

"Are you okay?" Denzel asked, looking at her worriedly.

Marlene grabbed his hand, dragging him out of the room. "Come on, we gotta go!"

"What? Go where?" the boy asked, trying to keep his feet underneath him as she ran down the stairs, not loosening her grip on him. "I told Cloud we'd wait for him here!"

"Cloud needs our help!"

Denzel dug his heals into the floor, jerking Marlene to a stop. "We can't go out there! Didn't you see those monsters running around?! Besides, Tifa would be really mad if she came back and we weren't here! All their friends are out there-- they can help Cloud," he argued, refusing to move. "Besides, it's raining and you know how mad Tifa gets when we play out in the rain!"

The girl pulled on his arm almost desperately. "This is different! Tifa would forgive us this once! Look, it's already stopping!" she said, pointing to the window.

"That still doesn't mean we can go! Tifa's gonna be mad if we leave!"

"But I know where he is!"

Denzel blinked, obviously not expecting that. "What? How?" he asked.

Marlene took advantage of his surprise, pulling him out the door. "She told me," she answered simply, not giving Denzel a chance to change his mind.

"She? Who's she?"

"The flower lady."

They ran, splashing through the puddles formed by the short rain and avoiding the small streams water still falling from the rooftops. Denzel followed Marlene, trying to figure out where they were going as he noticed other children heading in the same direction. He shook his head, hoping they got back before Tifa did.

It took some time, but they finally reached the outskirts of Midgar. Denzel hung back, remembering the repeated warnings he had received on the dangers of going into the destroyed city without Tifa or Cloud as an escort. Marlene was apparently not bothered by such thoughts and the boy had to hurry to catch up. He looked around at the crowd of kids that had joined them, recognizing all of them from the group that had been taken to the Forgotten City by the silver-haired man. However, none of these children had the stigma anymore. He opened his mouth to ask one how he had gotten rid of it, when Marlene cried out.

"Cloud!"

Denzel's eyes snapped forward, locking onto the battered and beaten form of his hero. The blonde in question was hanging halfway out of a building in front of them, seeming to have been thrown through the wall from the force of the blast. His arms swung limply in the breeze, but other than that he did not move.

Marlene ran up to him, shaking his shoulder as if to wake him up while the other children formed a half-circle around them. The girl pulled her hand away, staring widen-eyed at the blood that covered it. She turned, tears shining in her eyes as she looked to Denzel for help.

"What are you all standing here for? She said we have to take him to the church!"

All eyes turned to a brown-haired girl with pigtails, clutching a stuffed moogle tightly in her right hand. Walking up to the prone form, she grasped the swordsman's arm and started to pull. Following her example, the other children moved forward and grabbed any handhold they could find, lending their strength as well. They managed to pull Cloud from the ruined building, more children gathering around him and helping drag him down the street.

. . .

To Be Continued

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