Disclaimer: I don't own, just borrowing.
Once upon a time near the small city of Kalm, there lived a woman in a cottage. She was sitting on her windowsill, watching the clouds. The woman wanted a child, but had lost her husband in the Wutei War a month or so ago. As the clouds drifted gracefully through the sky, she started to cry. As she cried, she prayed to have a child. Thinking, if she were to have a child, her baby should have hair as vibrant as the afternoon sun, skin as golden and sweet as honey, eyes as bright as the sky, a voice as smooth as silk. Not knowing what magic she had invoked, the woman proceeded to imagine her child marring a handsome prince.
A few months later the woman gave birth to a... boy? Deciding to name him Cloud, for his glowing sky blue eyes and sun blond hair, she raised him as best she could. As the years passed she started teaching him to cook, clean and sew, so that he could care for himself while he went out and taught himself how to hunt, fight, and fish. She taught him how to read and write, though it was just the two of them she felt he needed to know how for when he grew up. As he got older, she got sicker. So often when he returned from hunting, he would be the one to cook something.
Cloud's mother died one day while he was out hunting. Still at the young age of 12, he was not old enough to live alone, he was sent to live with a man who claimed to be have been friends with his mother. Hojo was a wizard that liked to experiment, mainly on himself to make him stronger. Hojo forced Cloud to clean around the castle, and because he resembled a girl, Cloud was picked on constantly. Over the years as the fights continued, Cloud became immensely strong.
One day as Hojo was finding his experiments, he walked over to his magic mirror and asked, "Mirror, Mirror, on the wall. Who's the strongest of them all?" "Of all who've fought this day. Cloud is strongest, I'd have to say" came the mirror's reply. Upon hearing this, Hojo calls forth Tifa, his top assassin. "I order you to take Cloud out into the Sleeping Forest and kill him. As proof that you have done as I asked, you shall bring me his heart." Hojo commanded, "If you fail me I shall use you as materials for my next experiment." Not wanting to die Tifa sought out Cloud. Upon finding him, She convinced Cloud to accompany her out hunting that evening.
As Tifa devised a way to kill Cloud, she didn't pay attention to where she walked. They were walking along a ridge, one side a wall of rock, the other a sheer 50 foot drop to a river full of jagged rocks. Her foot slipped, and as she started to fall toward the river an arm wrapped around her waist. Once her feet touched solid ground, she looked to Cloud to see his beautiful face full of concern for her. Tifa's morals conflicted with her desire to live. Continuing down the path, Tifa made her decision. Upon reaching a clearing, Tifa pushed Cloud against a tree an explained the reason why she had asked him out there. Once reaching the end Tifa told Cloud that she was letting him go, and that he should run and never come back for Hojo would kill him on sight. Telling Cloud to stay in the forest, for it was enchanted and would block Hojo's strange magic, Tifa turned and ran back towards the castle, stopping only to kill a boar and cut out it's heart. As Tifa returned to Hojo's chambers, she thrust out the sack holding the heart. Hojo grabbed it and proceeded to drop it into a large pot after dismissing Tifa. Mean while back in the forest, Cloud ran as fast as his legs could carry him. It had started to become dark as he reached a small cottage near a clear lake. To tired to care if he would be harmed for trespassing, Cloud pushed open the door and walked inside. Not even caring if he broke anything, Cloud dragged himself up the stairs and towards the bedroom. One room had several small beds placed around the room, the other had a large bed against the wall, under the window. He went for the large bed, curling under the covers. Cloud drifted off to sleep to the scent of cinnamon and lavender.
Cloud woke the next day from a blissful sleep to the sound of people whispering. Not wanting to be bothered, Cloud curled up more under the covers. He wrapped the blankets over his head to muffle the voices. "He's awake!" screamed a high pitched voice. Groaning, Cloud turned over to face the owner of said voice. Several pairs of eyes focused on him as he turned. Sitting up, Cloud saw seven small, child like people standing around him. Cocking an eyebrow, Cloud says the only thing he could think of "Huh?" "Oh I'm sorry for such a rude awakening, but.." said the green eyed brunette, before being interrupted by deep gravely voice, "What the Hell are ya doing here!"
To be continued later, Neko Love first.