Living Life
By DragonSquallZ

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Twisting, turning, living, learning
Forever changing when we arrive
Plotting, scheming, hoping, dreaming
Two steps forward, One step back

= "Angela Via - Wonderland"
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Prologue

He had been living there ever since he was a small boy. His parents, like most were loving and respectful for their only child. They moved into the slums after the crash of the Sector 3 stock markets on the world above.

Over the years he had grown to enjoy the company of his next door neighbor friends, the two boys Biggs and Wedge lived down the street. Jessie stayed with her father at the run-down local item store. Next door to him lived a friend from the distant town of Nibelheim. Tifa had worked and lived at the bar next door called 7th Heaven for the last few months.

The small group often hung around outside on the 7th Heaven front porch chatting during the bar's less busier hours. More often than not it was about their thoughts of the outside world. Barret had promised them all a trip to Cosmo Canyon one day and their dreams often reflected them. "Open fields to run and play on all day."

Often the kids would ask Tifa about life on the other side. Beyond the city of Midgar. He remembered Tifa often giving them her thoughts about life outside the slums. "There's too much outside of where we live to explain. You'll never understand it until you've seen what's out there." Johnny thought long and hard about those words. See what's out there...

He lay down on his bed one night listening to his radio. "...and that was Boko's song requested by Telfi. Coming up on S7 Radio is some ads before some more cool tunes..." As his mind drifted away from reality, he dreamed of a carnival under the starry skies. Is this what lies outside Midgar? He shook his head indiscriminantly, shrugging off the thought. The path outside of this place is close... Johnny raised his hands, pretending he was slinging his green backpack on his shoulders. The touch of a cold hand on his own unexpectedly flashed his eyes open.

Looking down on him was his father, his hands gripping Johnnys own shaking ones. "You were sleep-talking son."

Johnny slowly eased his hand away from his dad. "I didn't say anything stupid did I?" he asked quizzically.

"...something about having fun at Gold Saucer. Sounds to me like you, well..." His father paused. "Would...you like to see the world son?"

The feeling of guilt was in him. Johnny knew that he would probably never leave here. But, ever so slowly Johnny nodded. His father closed his eyes. "It will be sad to see you go but..." his father sighed and looked at his son. "...life will go on. Even without your parents by your side we'll always be there for you." He hugged his father tightly. His mother wept slightly in the doorway.

News of Johnny's trip spread like wildfire. Many people asked him to bring them back presents and as usual he agreed. His life was soon going to take another milestone. In the afternoon, Johnny gave a note for Barret to pass on to Tifa that evening. He wanted his final days here to be with the friend he cared for the most.

With his trademark grumble Barret Wallace snatched and pocketed Johnny's note before stumbling off back home to Marlene.

As the lights above dimmed signaling nightfall he waited by the gates underneath the Sector 7 Pillar, sitting silently on the outlying pipe. Nearby stood the two guards, blocking all from entering the restricted area. Eventually he could hear them. Footsteps getting closer.

Tifa sat down next to him. "I heard the news."

"Yeah, well...I personally wanted to thank you...for the advice."

She streaked her hand through her radiant brown hair and smiled. "It was no problem. Really. I'm happy for you."

"...I'll be going in three days." She nodded in acknowledgement. "...I'm going to miss you all, especially you Tifa." Johnny scratched the back of this head - an obvious sign to her that he didn't have much confidence in what he was going to say next. "Wh...What I was going to say is that I lo-"

The echoing sound of tearing metal nearby muted his words. Johnny turned around to see the two guards eyeing a man near the station. "You were saying?" continued Tifa.

Johnny got to his feet. "Uh...don't worry about it Tifa. I'll tell ya about it later. Ok?" She nodded. "I...guess I better get packing so I'll be off. Bye."

As Johnny disappeared around the corner Tifa remained seated on the pipe. Her mind was not thinking about her friends feelings but about friends of her past. "I'm going to miss him so much. Just like I miss all of my lost friends...like how I miss..."

A second metallic clang was heard. Tifa turned around, half expecting to see Wedge around the corner asking for some more stew. To her surprise she saw the commander was struggling to restrain his underling. "Keep still or you'll be reported! Understand?!" ordered the Commander.

"But the man's dying!" snapped his reply. "Now let me try to help him!"

With a shove the commander let him go. "Have it your way! But, you're losing a months pay!"

Tifa peeped around the corner to see the guard kneeling over a person. As the guard came back for medical supplies the person was revealed to her. Tifa gasped. "It can't be...Cloud?..."

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The next day Johnny was introduced to one of Tifa's childhood friends. Although Cloud was not the most talkative of people, he and Johnny were always able to get a conversation going between each other.

The days passed by unnoticed by most except Johnny. The night before his departure Tifa told Johnny to watch out for their special leaving present. Indeed it was one he wouldn't forget for quite a long time. Amidst the echoing sound of explosions from the plate above somehow Johnny slowly fell into a deep sleep.

A slither of light shone across his tiny bedroom through the slightly opened door. "Let's hope he can handle the horrors of outside..." said his father. He switched off the hallway light and closed the door.