The scars from the life stream, holy and meteor still blemished the sky.
Made more vivid by every setting sun. They were heroes, protectors of the
planet. Fools, Cloud gritted his teeth in contempt. Did they have any idea
how many innocent people had to die, by his hand and because of Shinra.
Shinra.... he hated the word, wanted to scrunch it up in his fist and throw
it into the deepest abyss, forever, gone. But still, the memory would stay.
People were smiling and waving as the air ship crossed the sky. Happy,
saved. Cloud walked away from his group, he no longer felt the need to be
with them.
"Cloud.......Cloud wait!?" an unsure voice and urgent footsteps followed him. "Cloud were are you going." he stare at her for the longest time, hoping to unnerve her but she firmly stood her ground. He turned and walked away.
"Don't you walk away from me Cloud!" the voice was firm, light a mother scolding her child.
"I want to be alone!" hoping that would be enough to get rid of her he continued walking.
"Cloud, please come back soon. I have something..... something important to tell you." she was sincere, voice holding no trace of hate or contempt towards him. Tifa smiled at Cloud, Cloud just felt empty. He still didn't know who he truly was and didn't need Tifa there clogging up his thoughts.
"..... maybe." and he walked to the deck of the ship. Parachute secured on his back.
"Maybe," Tifa whispered, "what kind of an answer is that." she ran off eyes prickled with tears.
They were flying over some mountains now, were Cloud didn't care, it seemed a deserted place, good as any to hide away. He jumped. The freedom of falling invigorated him and he felt as if he would never open his parachute, just fall into its freedom, forever. Something tugged at his mind, his hand reached - as if it had a mind of its own - for the cord and billowing material slowed his decent.
When his feet grateful hit the earth again he stumbled and just manage to keep his balance. He looked around at the emptiness, no lights, no people, no nothing, just like him, just the way he wanted to be. Alone. A huge tree with a trunk so large it seemed it had been around since the dawn of time, gave a welcome shelter. He tied the parachute between two branches of the tree creating a makeshift hammock, the smaller branches stung on poked him but it was better then sleeping on the ground were he probably would have been eaten by some monster or other while he slept. He adjusted his position to find a comfy spot and tried to sleep under the stars. He was so tired, his brain hurt from thinking too much and he hadn't had any time to heal after the battle and had no potions on him. He fell into an uneasy sleep the cold air like a blanket.
The party that night was a bittersweet infection, many had died and the rescue mission was still going on in Midgar, but though who could celebrated their freedom all night long, it spread like an infection over the planet, sad happy face were seen all over. Tifa sat in her room thinking, they had saved the planet, got rid of Shinra and killed Sephiroth. She should be happy, so why did she feel so sad? Cloud. That was why, Cloud was gone and she hadn't been able to tell him. That time when she thought shed never see him again. He was dangling there and she wanted to tell him, but Barret pulled her away. When they found Cloud again she was so happy to see him alive so forgot, then she saw Aeris. She saw they way they looked at each other and she knew she couldn't tell him. She didn't blame Aeris, infact if she made Cloud happy then she would be happy. But the she saw them leaving the hotel together in Gold Saucer and her heart broke in a million pieces. SHe had cried that night, not load sobs, but silent tear until she fell asleep. Then she died, Sepiroth took away the person who made Cloud smile. And she was filled with hatred. Sepiroth had taken so much from her, her father , her home, and now a good friend and the person who made Cloud happy. Cloud got worse from there on, she could see he felt guilty, he had been through so much, and to have someone killed in front of him must have been the last straw. And there was so much she didn't know about him, what had happened? how had he escaped? and what happened to Zax? She knew so little about him and known him so long. She felt guilty, maybe if she had been nicer to him when they were younger, stopped the other kid from making him feel a failiour, maybe he would never have gone to join SOLDIER and then none of this would have happened, this would be someone else problem, not hers, not Clouds. But how could she wish this on someone else, she couldn't. It was bad enough that her friends had to go through this.
"Tifa?" a quiet tentative voice floated outside her door. Tifa wiped away the tears and splashed her face with cold water from the sink in her room.
"Who is it?"
"Yuffie."
"Come in." the door squealed open, sound like someone being tortured, Tifa flinched and Yuffie looked apologetic.
"Iv'e been sent to find you!" Yuffie smiled, Tifa wondered at the girls energy, she always seemed so active, "the ships landing and we've been invited to the biggest party you've ever seen!" the girls eyes shone with mischief. Tifa smiled.
"I'll be there soon."
"Ok," Yuffie walked to the door ready to leave, but then she stopped, "you haven't seen Cloud have you?"
"No."
"Ok, see you on deck soon." Tifa sighed as the door closed, she hated lying but it was for the best. If she told them Cloud had jumped ship she knew they would end up turning back to look for him.
When she got to the deck they were all there, looking happy and glad, Cid was even cheering a boasting using his usual cussing. Vincent sat somewhere in the corner looking as bleak as ever but there was a glint in his eye. Red XIII sat deep in though while Yuffie ran around shouting about stupid Sephiroth and saving the Planet. Caith Sith looked sad and guilty and kept muttering about all thoughts poor people in Midgar. Barret was hassling the pilot shouting that he had to go find Marleen. Tifa smiled, they were all still the same.
"I want to go to Midgar!" everyone looked at her, "it my home and i want to help." the others nodded their agreement and the pilot looked thankful the Barrett had finally shut up.
"Weres Cloud?" Vincent asked.
"Yeah were did that punk go off too?" Tifa smiled slightly trying to hide her discomfort, lying to one person was one thing, but lying to all her friends.
"I don't know, maybe he's gone to get some rest." the others seemed to accept this and Tifa let out a small sigh. She would have to tell them soon, she just hoped they wouldn't be too mad at her.
Cloud tossed and turned in his sleep. A dark familiar figure advanced on him, a knife glinted maliciously in it hand. And angry looks scared his face, it seemed moulded onto him as if it would never leave. It raise the knife, ready to strike Cloud to kill him. "No," Cloud muttered, he backed away but it was so dark, he was drowning, suffocating in the darkness. The knife came closer and closer, he couldn't see the man anymore, just the knife in his hand. Fear pricked him mind and choked him. "NO!"
His shout echoed over the mountain and he woke in a cold sweat, he shivered from the cold. Wishing suddenly for the warmth of an Inn with a blazing fire. He tried to go back to sleep but the vivid dream stayed with him, haunting him and keeping him awake.
And the party lasted through the night.
My first Final Fantasy fict ^_^ . Iv'e had the idea for this for a while now. I hope you like. Please review. The next chappter will be up quiker if you do ^_~
"Cloud.......Cloud wait!?" an unsure voice and urgent footsteps followed him. "Cloud were are you going." he stare at her for the longest time, hoping to unnerve her but she firmly stood her ground. He turned and walked away.
"Don't you walk away from me Cloud!" the voice was firm, light a mother scolding her child.
"I want to be alone!" hoping that would be enough to get rid of her he continued walking.
"Cloud, please come back soon. I have something..... something important to tell you." she was sincere, voice holding no trace of hate or contempt towards him. Tifa smiled at Cloud, Cloud just felt empty. He still didn't know who he truly was and didn't need Tifa there clogging up his thoughts.
"..... maybe." and he walked to the deck of the ship. Parachute secured on his back.
"Maybe," Tifa whispered, "what kind of an answer is that." she ran off eyes prickled with tears.
They were flying over some mountains now, were Cloud didn't care, it seemed a deserted place, good as any to hide away. He jumped. The freedom of falling invigorated him and he felt as if he would never open his parachute, just fall into its freedom, forever. Something tugged at his mind, his hand reached - as if it had a mind of its own - for the cord and billowing material slowed his decent.
When his feet grateful hit the earth again he stumbled and just manage to keep his balance. He looked around at the emptiness, no lights, no people, no nothing, just like him, just the way he wanted to be. Alone. A huge tree with a trunk so large it seemed it had been around since the dawn of time, gave a welcome shelter. He tied the parachute between two branches of the tree creating a makeshift hammock, the smaller branches stung on poked him but it was better then sleeping on the ground were he probably would have been eaten by some monster or other while he slept. He adjusted his position to find a comfy spot and tried to sleep under the stars. He was so tired, his brain hurt from thinking too much and he hadn't had any time to heal after the battle and had no potions on him. He fell into an uneasy sleep the cold air like a blanket.
The party that night was a bittersweet infection, many had died and the rescue mission was still going on in Midgar, but though who could celebrated their freedom all night long, it spread like an infection over the planet, sad happy face were seen all over. Tifa sat in her room thinking, they had saved the planet, got rid of Shinra and killed Sephiroth. She should be happy, so why did she feel so sad? Cloud. That was why, Cloud was gone and she hadn't been able to tell him. That time when she thought shed never see him again. He was dangling there and she wanted to tell him, but Barret pulled her away. When they found Cloud again she was so happy to see him alive so forgot, then she saw Aeris. She saw they way they looked at each other and she knew she couldn't tell him. She didn't blame Aeris, infact if she made Cloud happy then she would be happy. But the she saw them leaving the hotel together in Gold Saucer and her heart broke in a million pieces. SHe had cried that night, not load sobs, but silent tear until she fell asleep. Then she died, Sepiroth took away the person who made Cloud smile. And she was filled with hatred. Sepiroth had taken so much from her, her father , her home, and now a good friend and the person who made Cloud happy. Cloud got worse from there on, she could see he felt guilty, he had been through so much, and to have someone killed in front of him must have been the last straw. And there was so much she didn't know about him, what had happened? how had he escaped? and what happened to Zax? She knew so little about him and known him so long. She felt guilty, maybe if she had been nicer to him when they were younger, stopped the other kid from making him feel a failiour, maybe he would never have gone to join SOLDIER and then none of this would have happened, this would be someone else problem, not hers, not Clouds. But how could she wish this on someone else, she couldn't. It was bad enough that her friends had to go through this.
"Tifa?" a quiet tentative voice floated outside her door. Tifa wiped away the tears and splashed her face with cold water from the sink in her room.
"Who is it?"
"Yuffie."
"Come in." the door squealed open, sound like someone being tortured, Tifa flinched and Yuffie looked apologetic.
"Iv'e been sent to find you!" Yuffie smiled, Tifa wondered at the girls energy, she always seemed so active, "the ships landing and we've been invited to the biggest party you've ever seen!" the girls eyes shone with mischief. Tifa smiled.
"I'll be there soon."
"Ok," Yuffie walked to the door ready to leave, but then she stopped, "you haven't seen Cloud have you?"
"No."
"Ok, see you on deck soon." Tifa sighed as the door closed, she hated lying but it was for the best. If she told them Cloud had jumped ship she knew they would end up turning back to look for him.
When she got to the deck they were all there, looking happy and glad, Cid was even cheering a boasting using his usual cussing. Vincent sat somewhere in the corner looking as bleak as ever but there was a glint in his eye. Red XIII sat deep in though while Yuffie ran around shouting about stupid Sephiroth and saving the Planet. Caith Sith looked sad and guilty and kept muttering about all thoughts poor people in Midgar. Barret was hassling the pilot shouting that he had to go find Marleen. Tifa smiled, they were all still the same.
"I want to go to Midgar!" everyone looked at her, "it my home and i want to help." the others nodded their agreement and the pilot looked thankful the Barrett had finally shut up.
"Weres Cloud?" Vincent asked.
"Yeah were did that punk go off too?" Tifa smiled slightly trying to hide her discomfort, lying to one person was one thing, but lying to all her friends.
"I don't know, maybe he's gone to get some rest." the others seemed to accept this and Tifa let out a small sigh. She would have to tell them soon, she just hoped they wouldn't be too mad at her.
Cloud tossed and turned in his sleep. A dark familiar figure advanced on him, a knife glinted maliciously in it hand. And angry looks scared his face, it seemed moulded onto him as if it would never leave. It raise the knife, ready to strike Cloud to kill him. "No," Cloud muttered, he backed away but it was so dark, he was drowning, suffocating in the darkness. The knife came closer and closer, he couldn't see the man anymore, just the knife in his hand. Fear pricked him mind and choked him. "NO!"
His shout echoed over the mountain and he woke in a cold sweat, he shivered from the cold. Wishing suddenly for the warmth of an Inn with a blazing fire. He tried to go back to sleep but the vivid dream stayed with him, haunting him and keeping him awake.
And the party lasted through the night.
My first Final Fantasy fict ^_^ . Iv'e had the idea for this for a while now. I hope you like. Please review. The next chappter will be up quiker if you do ^_~