Cloud Strife had moved back to Nibleheim with Tifa Lockhart, and though he preferred his previous job, they owned a small pub together. Sure enough it wasn't the 7th Heaven like back at Midgar in sector 7 before the plate fell, but Tifa thought that the new Odin's Bar was just as good. They had even bought the old ShinRa Mansion at the top of Nibleheim and turned it to a night club after they got rid of all the monsters that had inhabited it for so long. Although Cloud and Tifa owned the new club, they left management to their old friend, Vincent Valentine.
Cloud sat alone in his room this evening. He sat staring at the white materia that was left behind when Arith died. He had placed it in a glass case and lay it down on top of the dresser. In his hand was a small glass filled with malt whisky. He wasn't wearing his usual outfit tonight. He was getting ready to go to work at Odin's Bar and was wearing a pair of black trousers and a dark scarlet shirt. His blond hair was still spiked up and pointing forwards and he still had eyes filled with mako energy. At last he decided to get up and head to work. Him and Tifa had moved into Tifa's old house from when they were kids. And no matter how hard she tried, she could never persuade him to feel for her like she felt for him.
As he walked down the stairs Tifa was already waiting for him. She wore her usual outfit. A tight sleeveless white shirt that showed the full figure of her breasts, and a pair of tight denim shorts. Her pink legs were never fully covered and her long brown hair was never tied back. Her hazel eyes looked up the stairs as Cloud walked down. She smiled and let out a soft laugh.
"No matter how many times I see it I will never get used to it," she said referring to Cloud's choice of clothes.
"I'm not going to wear my battle clothes to work Tifa," Cloud replied with his usual tone of voice, "I like to look good when I'm out. Whether it's work or not." They walked out the door together and went towards the newly made building ahead of them. The street was quiet this evening. The lights of the Inn were still on and the well stood in the moonlight and glowed as if mako energy was flowing out of it. As they got closer to Odin's Bar they could hear the shouts and cries of the punters and a familiar voice rising above them all.
"All right ya bastards," it said, "which one'a ya wants ta die first?" Tifa walked in and put her hands on her hips and Cloud put one hand over his eyes, shaking his head. As usual, their oldest friend, Barret Wallace was making a fool of himself and starting trouble. Barret's dark skin was bulging from all the working out he did, and his black hair was shaved to almost bald. His beard was neatly trimmed and his gataling gun attached to his hand was posed and ready. Barret had obviously not made an effort to look smart. He never did. His brown shirt hung open showing his bear chest and his green trousers were ripped and dirty.
"Barret Wallace put your damn gun arm down this instant," said Tifa angrily, "every bloody time you come here you start a fight. Your one of my best friends so I don't want to have to bar you." Barret looked at her and slowly put his arm down. The punters got back to drinking and a slight smile came over his face.
"Good ta see ya Tifa," he said calmly trying to get her in a better mood.
"It's good to see you as well Barret," she said finally giving a smile and Barret a large hug.
Cloud went around to the other side of the counter and started to pour his old friend a drink. He looked above the bottles of spirits to wear a large sword hung. Even though he almost destroyed the planet, Sephiroth was still a big part of Cloud's life and would always remain his hero and idle. So it was only natural to have a memento of his worthy opponent. He looked back at the glass in his hand and continued to fill it with different spirits and a fruit juice. Barret always did like different drinks and Cloud made him a special cocktail tonight by adding a tiny bit of mako to it. As he handed him the drink Barret looked down at it and smiled.
"So what ya make this time Hedgehog?" Barret asked his friend.
"It's a little something me and Tifa came up with last week. We haven't named it yet but it's very popular around here," replied Cloud looking at Tifa, "I was thinking about calling it 7th Heaven in memory of the Sector 7 Slums back in Midgar." Great idea Cloud," said Tifa beaming at him, "I would have never of come up with that. You aren't as cold as you let out to be." She then turned to look at Barret. She knew something was missing, "So where's Marline Barret?" she asked slowly in case she hit a soft spot.
Marline was Barret's daughter. Adopted daughter that is. Barret took her in after he father, Diane, went missing. Barret could still remember when Diane blamed him for his wife's death. He had gone through the same operation as Barret and had a gun grafted to his arm. The two old friends fought it out until Diane threw himself off a cliff now blaming himself for every thing.
"She's with Arith's mum in Kalm," Barret replied. He had put a brave face on but Tifa knew he was hurting. Marline meant more to him then life itself.
The three friends talked while the night went on. Occasionally Cloud and Tifa would have to go and serve a few of their customers but would come back again. It was almost 9:00pm when the door opened and Vincent walked in. His dark hair hung down his back and his scarlet head band kept it out of his eyes. He wore a matching scarlet cloak over his dark shirt with silver trimmings. It wasn't quite his usual outfit but the cloak was never with out it's owner. He sat beside Barret and looked at Cloud with those burning red eyes.
"What can I get you Vincent?" Cloud asked him with a fairly uncomfortable smile.
Vincent laughed. "Don't smile like that Cloud," he said still laughing, "It doesn't suit you. I'll have that new cocktail you guys made." Cloud poured Vincent a 7th Heaven and handed it to his strange friend. Tonight was going to be special. All of their friends would be turning up. It was after all three years to the day since they beat Sephiroth.
Again the door opened and two of their old friends walked in. It was Cid, from Rocket Town, and Yuffie from Wutia. Cid walked in with his pilot goggles up around his smooth blond hair and his blue pilots jacket undone over his white shirt. His baggy combat trousers seemed to oddly go with the outfit. He had a cigarette hanging out of his mouth and his long spear was in his hand behind his back.
Yuffie wore her green top that showed her arms and belly button and her cream short shorts. The button was undone as normal and Cloud couldn't help thinking what the ninja girl would do if he unzipped them and let them fall to the floor. She wore a green head band around her short brown hair and a shield along her left arm that looked like an over sized shine guard. She carried in her right hand her weapon which was two pieces of wood crossed in the middle with sharp points attached to the ends. Yuffie started off with the group for only one reason. She wanted all their materia and almost succeeded, but when the planet was in trouble she put her selfishness to one side and became an important part of the team.
Both Cid and Yuffie walked to the bar and Cloud had already fixed their drinks. Tifa looked at Cid with an inquiring eye.
"You're late," she accused, "I take it you didn't bring the Highwind with you." "Nope," Cid said letting some smoke out through his nose, "That baby is to valuable for me to fly a short distance over the mountains. I brought the Tiny Bronco. I thought I'd pick Yuffie up as well." "Yea that was cool of him, "said the ninja, "I had no idea how I was going to get here otherwise. Nanaki and Cait Sith not here yet?" It was a few more hours until they turned up. Cloud had already closed Odin's Bar, but the six friends stayed behind having a few more drinks until their unusual friends joined them. Cait Sith was a very strange one. He was a small cat that rode on the back of an oversized stuffed Mog. In fact his body was at a secret ShinRa base and this was a devise used for him outside. Cloud thought to himself that he actually never seen Cait Sith's real body and wondered if that was even his real name. He had never really trusted the cat any way.
Nanaki was a large red lion. He had a scar going down his right eye and numerous tattoos around him. Including the number 13 that professor Hojo had in printed on him when he was captured. He had a birds feather placed behind his left ear and a strange earring hung down from it.
At last the whole group were together. After a few more drinks the friends went back to Tifa and Cloud's house to finish off the get together. The party went on for hours and when they finally went off to sleep, they had no idea that a figure was watching from outside the window. A figure in a large black cape.
Early morning and Cloud had got up to get the morning paper. He couldn't believe it when he saw them all. The entire of Nibleheim was swarming with ShinRa Guards. A mass of Blue uniforms, each holding a machine gun and keeping the tops of their faces covered by the metal visors of their helmets.
"Tifa come look at this," he called back in the house.
Tifa came out wearing a white bathrobe over her self. She held her head and her eyes were bloodshot.
"Cloud keep it down," she said slowly and quietly, "I got a head ach the size of Mt. Nible." She suddenly caught sight of the ShinRa Guards and her mouth fell open.
"We better get every one up and see what's going on," Cloud said putting his business tone of voice on.
Fifteen minutes later and the group were waiting in the living room for Cloud. Each one of them were dressed and putting the last touches to their weapons. Tifa was placing her red gloves on, which had metal knuckles, and Barret was wiping his gun arm with a white rag. Vincent was busy loading his shotgun when Cloud came down. Everyone looked up at their leader who was now dressed in his battle clothes. A blue sleeveless shirt and matching trousers. His left shoulder had a metal pad on it and over his right shoulder he held his large and powerful Buster Sword. The eight friends walked outside and marched towards the ShinRa Guards. One guard saw them and headed there way. Cloud didn't see any weapon so he halted the group and waited to see what the guard had to say.
"Cloud Strife?" the guard asked with a shaky voice.
"Yea that's me," Cloud replied, "Why are you here? I thought ShinRa was destroyed."
"It has been sir," the guard replied back, "we're all that's left off the guard. We thought we'd use our training and work for the people now."
"ShinRa aint nothing but trouble," said Barret, "you scum will never change. Ya say that ya here ta serve the people but why in such a force? Ya just a bunch o' liars."
"I was getting to that bit sir," the guard said quietly. Cloud could see he was afraid. Not very many people from ShinRa survived the attacks by the Weapons and AVALANCHE. "Last week Junon was attacked by what the people describe as… well to be honest sir, they say it was Sephiroth."
"What?" said Tifa her voice shrill and panicky.
"That's impossible!" Nanaki almost shouted it.
"I killed Sephiroth my self," said Cloud, "I know he's dead."
"Yes sir," said the guard, "the only thing we can think of is he's one of the clones."
"Ha. And you thought you could come here, capture him and control him," said Cid with another cigarette in his mouth.
"No sir. We came here in hopes to ask you, AVALANCHE, to stop him. We believe that this clone has the same objectives as the real Sephiroth. And if that's true we may be facing the end of the planet again."