I Keep On Searching: Chapter 1
Cloud Strife groaned softly as he came to. For a moment, he lay there, waiting for the throbbing in his head to subside, relishing the feel of soft grass that cushioned him, the warmth of the sun shining down on him.
Then slowly, reluctantly, he opened his eyes, sat up, and suddenly, was hit with a sense of panic. His heart lurched and his head whipped from left to right. Where was he? How did he end up here? Cloud could've have sworn he fell asleep in The Church, Sector 7 of Midgar. How could his well polished warrior's instincts not have alerted him of movement?
From what Cloud could tell, he hadn't been hurt. There had been no use of drugs on his body. His sword, First Tsurugi, lay right next to him, which would have been an unbelievably and incredibly stupid move on part of his kidnappers. Cloud was even more astounded to find that his motorbike, Fenrir, in its shining glory, stood not too far off. What pathetic kidnappers were these? Were there even kidnappers?
Cloud was beginning to doubt it; he wasn't tied up, he had his sword and his bike, and it looked like he was in the middle of a valley with not another human being in sight. So then, he was back to the original question:
How did he get here, wherever here was?
Sometime a while later, Cloud realised that he wasn't going to get answers just sitting around. Gingerly, he stood up, strapped First Tsurugi in its sheath to his back and mounted Fenrir.
Looking around again, Cloud realised that this place was somewhat familiar to him. Weren't those the Nibel Mountains just a few valleys away?
It was about time he visited Nibelheim again, though it wasn't the real Nibelheim... no, that had been destroyed by Sephiroth a long time ago... this new Nibelheim was just another half-assed attempt from Neo Shinra to try to make up for their mistakes. His heart clenched and Cloud momentarily lost himself in a mixture of grief and anger.
But his mother's grave was still there, and it had been two years since his last visit. Yes, it was about time he visited his hometown, or at least, what it had become. He wasn't ready to face Tifa again anyway. Not after the last argument they had. Why couldn't the woman understand that Cloud, with the constant mentally depressed state he was in, was not at all ready to start a family? Much less start a family with her.
Besides Seventh Heaven, Cloud had nowhere else to go. So why not go see his Ma again?
Cloud nodded firmly to himself and started Fenrir's engine, heading in the direction of Nibelheim before he could let himself chicken out.
The road was longer than it had looked from the valley, and even though he hadn't run into any monsters or things of the sort, Cloud didn't arrive at the Nibelheim Inn until nightfall.
Even though Cloud hadn't visited in a few years, he hadn't expected such a drastic change in the small, rural town. It surprised him to find that Nibelheim was different, but whilst it was different, the town was oddly familiar.
Oddly familiar to how it was when Cloud grew up in it.
Neo Shinra had certainly done a damn good job in restoring Nibelheim to its former state.
Cloud parked Fenrir to the side of the inn and locked it before going inside. He walked through the doors, straight to the bar / front desk and almost balked when he saw the middle aged, bear-like man on the other side of the bar. The man was much too familiar to Cloud... in fact, could he be... he couldn't be Mr. Winderum could he? No, that was impossible.
Because Cloud had seen the Masamune slice off Mr. Winderum's head with his own eyes.
The man hadn't any children either. However, the resemblance was striking, and almost sickening to Cloud.
"What can I do for you, sir?" Well, at least the man didn't talk like him. Mr. Winderum would've said something like 'Hey there, sonny!'
Seeing the expectant look on the man's face, Cloud forced himself to abandon his thoughts.
"I'd like to have a room for tonight please," he told the other man politely, "and may I have the recent newspapers? I haven't been in touch with the world for a while."
The stink of his body and the infinite amount of dirt on his ragged clothes told him that he had been lying in that valley for a long time, especially since he had showered before going to bed, whenever that was.
"Sure thing, sir. How 'bout you wait here while I get Dora to ready the room," The man said, while reaching into a drawer, and grabbing a crumpled pile of newspapers. "Here you go."
Cloud took it with a thank you skimmed through the headlines and to say what he read was shocking would have been the understatement of the century. Planet! How long had he been out? Neo-Shinra was yet again at war with Wutai? The last Cloud had heard, the company was fully occupied with restoring and rebuilding. What in Gaia was Rufus thinking? Had he no respect for Tseng? Cloud had been sure he and Rufus were on the same page the last time they chatted about Shinra's future and the company repaying its debts to the Planet. Cloud was already thinking of some of the colourful words and threats he was going to use to put the new president back on track when he returned to Midgar.
Cloud also wondered whether the standards of 'The Planet Times' newspaper were declining. Rufus had made it explicitly clear that the new company was Neo-Shinra. Yet, this paper addressed the company simply as Shinra, which was the term everyone used to refer to the company under Rufus Shinra's father's, the former President Shinra's, control. Even the 'Kalm Morning Post', which was infamous for its fallaciousness could differentiate between the two names.
Nevertheless, Cloud continued reading until his eyes settled on something that almost stopped his heart. Cloud's breathing quickened, his eyes widened and his mouth fell open.
The date read: February 23, 1989.
Least it was according to the newspaper. Even substandard newspapers were right about the date though.
Cloud sat there, staring dumbfounded at the four numbers that made up the year.
"Your room will be ready in a 10 minutes sir." The man had returned with a key and handed it to Cloud who pocketed it. "You alright sir? You're looking a bit pale. Ah, did you just find out about the war with Wutai? Hopefully, you won't be posted there huh, sir?" The Wutai war had just started. Cloud's heart was beating so fast that he was convinced that it would jump out of his chest. Gaia, this man probably was Mr. Winderum.
"You sure these are the latest papers, mister?" Cloud asked weakly, while sending his prayers up to the Goddess. Maybe the man had grabbed the wrong pile. Though what the man was doing with newspapers from well over a decade ago was beyond Cloud. Or maybe it was April Fool's Day and that this was some sick joke. If it was, Cloud Strife was not amused.
"Hundred percent certain sir. Was reading it this afternoon myself." The man... Mr. Winderum... picked up a damp towel and started cleaning thee dirty beer mugs in the sink and stacking them up. "By the way, sir? Would you happen to be related to the Strifes just down the road? You look strikingly like that little tyke, Cloud. If you don't mind me saying. Though I can't imagine that boy being related to a strong SOLDIER such as yourself. That boy is a bit, uh, of a wimp. Even the mayor's daughter could beat him in a fight." Well, that cleared things up considerably.
Cloud couldn't believe what he had just heard. What the fuck? When and how, had this happened?
Cloud's throat suddenly felt dry, and he swallowed a few times before saying hoarsely, the only thing he could think of saying.
"I-I'm not a SOLDIER."
Mr. Winderum looked at him skeptically, "Your bright blue eyes tell me you are, as does that sword you have on your back, sonny."
"I- I am a swordsman, yes, but these eyes I got from... Mako poisoning. I grew up in a town like this one, with a Mako reactor. There was a leakage that I fell into being the stupid kid I was. My eyes have been like this ever since. Gives me trouble especially where SOLDIERs aren't liked." Cloud lied, shamelessly. Cloud was surprised and proud of his new found ability to just spout stories out of his mouth. He just hoped the stories were believable. But then, anything he came up with would be more believable than, 'I'm not sure what happened but I think, I travelled back in time.'
"My name is Christen Strife," Cloud went on, "but I know nothing of family in Nibelheim so I doubt they are relatives of mine. Strife is not an uncommon last name after all."
Mr. Winderum grunted. "You might want to pay them a visit, just in case." The older man paused in his work to look Cloud over again. "You really do look like an older version of that Cloud boy."
Cloud inwardly winced, wondering how he was going to get out of this one. Outwardly, he simply gave a sharp nod, as if unfazed.
The man continued gruffly, "I'm Tom Winderum by the way, and if you need any help in these parts, just come looking for me."
"Thank you, it was a pleasure meeting you Tom," as if Cloud hadn't known him before. "Have a good night." Cloud stood up and headed to his room. He needed to lie down. Cloud felt like he had aged a hundred years, which was ironic because he it seemed as though that, if this wasn't some cruel joke of Reno's or Yuffie's (Cloud couldn't think of any other people that would do something like this), or if he hadn't finally gone stark mad... it seemed as though Cloud had... had traveled back in time.
Gaia, Cloud could almost believe himself insane just thinking it. Thank goodness, he hadn't gone telling Mr. Winderum. Cloud had no doubts that he'd have been locked up by now or at least known as the freak of the town, again.
On the way up the stairs to his room, Cloud's mind was replaying his conversation with Mr. Winderum.
In retrospect, it had been a stupid move on Cloud's part to admit that his last name was Strife. But his identity was so important to Cloud, especially after he found out his memories had been mixed up with another's, even if it was his best friend's, and wandered across the Planet not knowing who he really was.
Cloud found it very hard to just completely abandon his name and take on a new persona. But then Mr. Winderum suggested that he paid a visit to the Strifes and Cloud knew that he couldn't get out of that one without looking suspicious. Nibelheim was a small town and news traveled faster nowhere else.
Cloud also knew that it cause a lot of problems if he just showed up at his mother's doorstep, being an older version of her son. But Cloud hadn't had a chance to say goodbye to his mom before Nibelheim was burned down, and he missed her terribly much. Even if his mother wouldn't know him, would think him a madman if Cloud just went over, hugged her and kissed her on the cheek like he used to, it was Cloud's one chance to say a proper goodbye.
Sighing, Cloud decided that he would figure out what to do after a long, hot shower and a good night's sleep. Maybe he was dreaming and he'd wake up the next morning and it would be 2015 again.
That's right, this was probably just a very, very vivid dream. No point worrying over nothing, then.
The next morning, when Cloud woke up and realised that he was still in Room 5, Nibelheim Inn, it finally sunk in that he was in the past. He was almost 25 years in the past and he didn't know how to get back to the time he was in before... will be in after and the situation confused Cloud to no end.
Cloud was too hungry to ponder for too long, however. He quickly brushed his teeth, got dressed, in clothes that he had washed the night before and left to dry while he slept. Then, feeling as refreshed as ever, Cloud made his way down the stairs of the inn to the bar for breakfast.
There weren't many people that were early risers like Cloud. Besides himself, there were only a four men, all in white lab coats, that occupied a table in the corner of the room. Cloud ordered a deluxe breakfast and sat down at a table himself, close enough to the men to listen in on conversation but far enough as to not look suspicious. It wasn't difficult given how quiet the bar was at this time.
He did this out of habit. The men were scientists, which immediately put them on Cloud's bad side. Not to mention they were very suspicious looking scientists.
Cloud had an inkling of who these scientists were and what they were doing in Nibelheim in the year 1989, if he had listened to Vincent Valentine's stories right. Cloud grimaced at the thought of one of his closest friends currently locked up in a coffin and in comatose. But Cloud could free Vincent earlier, this time couldn't he? In fact, he could even do it that afternoon if he put his mind to it.
Cloud, being one to adapt fairly quickly to whatever circumstances Fate liked to throw at him, was well over the shocking fact that he had somehow, miraculously, traveled back in time. The grande cup of coffee that Cloud had down as soon as it had been set on the table helped some as well.
Because really, how many times had Cloud wished that he could go back in time and changed something? He could kill Hojo and Sephiroth earlier, and prevent Nibelheim from being burned down, stop Zack from dying. Cloud figured that if he had the chance, he damn well shouldn't waste it.
The conversation of the other table pulled Cloud out of his thoughts.
"I can't believe we only have a three days to do all the experiments the boss wants us to do."
"Please, this is Professor Hojo. Has he ever been reasonable?" Cloud snorted softly at this. Not to mention, a familiar hatred churned in his gut at the mention of evil scientist.
Yes, evil. Cloud did not deem many things evil. Not even Sephiroth. Most people who did evil things were misguided or misunderstood.
But from what Cloud heard Hojo had done to Nanaki, to Vincent, to Sephiroth and to Zack and himself. To all of the man's test subjects. He did not hesitate to call Hojo evil. There was simply no excuse for him.
"You're complaining about doing the experiments, imagining being the subject of the experiment! I am eternally grateful that I am not that kid."
"It's for the greater good and scientific advancement." Cloud hissed a death threat under his breath at hearing this.
"But I can't help feeling that we'll go to hell for all this. What we're doing is wrong, and have you talked to Sephiroth? He's a good kid." Finally, a scientist whose moral compass wasn't broken. But a cowardly man.
What he had said confirmed Cloud's suspicions of what the scientists were doing in small town Nibelheim. Confirmed that Sephiroth was up in the mansion. That was convenient, Cloud could eliminate the threat as soon as that night.
"Don't let Hojo hear you saying things like that, we all know what happened to the Turk." Vincent. Cloud would have to take a detour to Hojo's bedroom and kill the man in his sleep... and do it as slowly and painfully as possible.
"Personally, as long as he keeps paying me what he does, I don't care. I have a family to support you know." He was the same one who had said that testing on a mere child was acceptable for the greater good and for scientific advancement. No doubt Hojo indoctrination. Nevertheless, it still served to make Cloud fucking furious.
If Cloud was going on a killing spree that night, he might as well throw in a couple of stupid scientists.
Cloud realised that at this point, he was clenching his fists so hard that his knife and fork were bent beyond use.
For the greater good? How could they disregard a life just like that?
If Cloud was not mistaken, Sephiroth would be ten, maybe eleven in 1989? A child, and even if that child was Sephiroth, he was still a child.
Which made what the scientists were doing all the more despicable. It took all the self discipline Cloud had not to slaughter them on the spot. Cloud's past (or was it future?) had honed him into a seasoned fighter and thanks to Hojo, he was a warrior overflowing with body-strengthening Mako. Though Cloud had left First Tsurugi in his room, it wouldn't be a problem to decimate them all with his bare hands.
Cloud breathed in deeply in a vain attempt to calm himself but didn't trust himself to move until the scientists had left.
"No," Cloud growled at himself. Do not pull a Sephiroth. Tame yourself.
Hadn't Mr. Winderum told him to visit his the Strifes? Yes, Cloud decided that he would. He missed his mother, even if she couldn't really be his mom right now. Cloud didn't know what he would do once he saw Elizabeth Strife, but he knew that he really wanted to see her.
The visit would distract him from the conflicting emotions the scientists' conversation had aroused.
He had heard about Sephiroth's rough childhood from Zack, from Hojo's boasting, and had read about all the horrendous experiments done to the poor child from the Shinra reports, but at the time was too filled with hate and anger at what the Silver General had done to take it all in.
However, now that he could think with a level head. Hearing all that from the tormentors themselves and knowing that those scientists were, right now, walking up to the Shinra Mansion to torture the child Sephiroth, Cloud felt a sense of sympathy that made his heart clench.
Because Cloud had gone through the horrors of Hojo's experiments for four years himself, and they were the worst four years of his life.
But Sephiroth had been in Hojo's grasp his entire life, from when he was a babe.
The only parental figure being the same person who ordered for his torture. It was no wonder that Sephiroth had sought the comfort his 'Mother' - Jenova. Even an alien calamity set on ruling the universe had to be a better parent that Hojo huh?
Cloud, at least, had his mother's unconditional love.
On the other hand, Sephiroth had had nothing.
Cloud stopped his thoughts in their tracks right there and shook his head violently to get rid of them. He couldn't feel empathy for Sephiroth now. It would make it harder to kill him when the time came, and unfotunately, Cloud had to kill him.
:: Why must you kill him? ::
Cloud narrowed his eyes. Who would ask such a stupid question as to why Sephiroth had to be killed? Sephiroth was going to burn down Nibelheim for goddess' sake! He was going to kill Cloud's mother, kill Aerith, and then kill millions more.
What happened... was happening... was going to happen... to Sephiroth was a tragedy, yes. Cloud could understand what drove the Demon of Wutai to insanity; a lifetime of Hojo, the loss of two best friends, a yearning for genuine love that made Sephiroth take what Jenova had offered without a second thought. Because of course, Sephiroth hadn't had a mom or dad who taught him never to take candy from a stranger.
:: If you feel that way, then why are you planning to kill him :: The voice was anguished.
It was sad that Cloud had to end one life to save others but he couldn't just sit back at let what had happened happen again. Killing Sephiroth would have to be done, it was for the greater good.
Realising what Cloud had just thought to himself, he sighed. How ironic. What a hypocrite you are, Cloud Strife.
Unwilling to just sit there and brood all day, as Cloud knew he could easily do. Cloud put some gil on the table (thankfully, he had his wallet in his pocket and some gil stashed in one of Fenrir's compartments that would last him a while), retrieved his sword from his room and left for the cottage where he used to live, where his mother and himself was still living.
Constructive criticism is most welcome. In fact, please please please review and tell me what you think. I know this is probably the most cliche storyline ever, but :)