Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII nor its characters, neither do I own the title of the song or its lyrics. Go U2!
Where the Streets Have No Name
We would be running. Running from the rest of the world; away from all the death, destruction, chaos- anything that would bring us harm, mentally and physically. Tifa, she would want to hide from it all, too scared to face what was ahead of us; she was hesitant for change, and I could hardly blame her. Me, a monster who slept in a coffin for three decades, who know faced a world that had long moved forward without him. My knowledge of the world today was skewered- my mind still thinking about the past. But with Tifa by my side, I could learn to let go, cease the ties that was my former life and move on.
Run.
Where would we go? I hadn't the faintest idea, so long as we kept running. We saved the planet, but what about our lives? What does a planet do to their heroes when they are no longer needed? We fade into the background, going back to our former lives- lives, at which seemed so secure, now seemed fake and uncertain. I could not see that for us, at least not now. We have come so far, a rag-tag group of mixed people, personalities to match.
But at the same time, my body wanted to rest. I was tired from all this running. I really did want to fade into background, but just as long as Tifa was there with me.
With her, I didn't mind becoming invisible.
It was near the afternoon, the time of day where the sky is stained with different colours, vibrant and glowing. Near twilight. If I looked up, I would be able to see both the moon and the sun, fighting for their lives as one would take over, the other would submit and fall down. Even nature continued its internal battle.
Our pace was leisure; nothing too hurried to make it seem we were running out of time, and nothing too slow for us to completely stop. It was a pace that I liked- a pace I wanted to keep for a long time. Tifa was a little ways ahead of me, not too far, but enough so that my strides would have to pick up a few times to catch up with her. Funny how it would always be me who would be farther ahead. Not today.
If I listened carefully, I could hear her humming a tune, singing some lyrics in between the music. Her voice was such a grace to old ears. Refreshing, light and reassuring.
"Where the streets have no name
Where the streets have no name
We're still building
The burning down love
Burning down love
And when I go there
I'll go there with you
It's all I can do…"
It took me several seconds to realize that she had been singing the whole time that we were walking. I promised myself that I would never take her voice for granted again. Her presence brought a kind of peace to my troubled mind, but her voice was able to creep into my ears and caress my demons, taming them, if only for a short while.
I had heard this song before, way back in my youth. The name of the band escapes me, but I did enjoy their music. Some of their lyrics, if I could remember, did justice to my current life. I can now understand how some people can relate to music. I'll be one more on that ever growing list.
I see that Tifa stopped and is now looking at me. A curious expression on her face as she comes towards me, one hand outstretched, indicating that I take it. A sense of calm washes over me as I hold her hand, and I know that she won't let go.
I can understand her reasoning to get away from all the memories that plagued her. She reassured herself that keeping in contact with the others is what she'll do, but it isn't her priority. Her friends know what their paths are and won't be deterred to take any shortcuts. Tifa doesn't believe in shortcuts.
She drags me along, hand still in hers, and I can hear that she has picked up the same song again. I should tell her what her voice does to me. As if I need another dubious look to be shot my way. It doesn't matter. I'm not going anywhere.
End.
Final Fantasy VII © Square-Enix