He twitched when he heard a noise, the sound of two guards talking amongst themselves by the train. "So who's that guy?" He could only assume they were talking about him, he didn't see anyone else around here. He was panting heavily, still damp from having walked through the rain at one point. He was wearing a soldier uniform, it was covered with blood and dirt, his fingers were raw from dragging his sword all the way to this point. "No idea, I heard of something much more interesting anyway. I heard some guys talking in Sector Six about an Angel in Sector Seven, apparently they saw a really beautiful girl, and here in the slums." The guard crossed his arms.
"Really? In Sector Seven? There isn't shit to do out there in Sector Seven though, you'd think she'd be spotted at the Honeybee..." The guard trailed off when the other one gestured for him to stop, a girl was walking closer to them, and she was breathtakingly gorgeous. "Excuse me, I wanted to ask if either of you have seen any Shinra personnel in the area..." She said with a voice of a delicate angel. "Y-Yeah, actually. That guy over there is in a SOLDIER uniform, right?" The guard nudged the other to get him to speak, he'd been staring at her mindlessly. "Uh yeah, guy right over there." He pointed.
"Thank you." She smiled and turned her gaze slightly, wondering what SOLDIER would be doing down here, she couldn't have them finding out where AVALANCHE had their headquarters. She walked over to the man slumped down, she frowned when she saw the traces of dried blood on the dirty uniform. The first intention she had coming this way and asking for Shinra personnel was to avert their attention from Sector Seven, but as she witnessed this mans condition she couldn't help but take pity on what appeared to be a very injured man.
'SOLDIER or not we're all still people...' She lent down and got a better look at the blond haired man, "Excuse me, are you alright?" She asked gently, checking for any fresh blood on the uniform. He looked up, his eyes widened slightly when he found himself staring into beautiful amber brown eyes. An angel with soft and delicate features, long dark hair contrasted to a pale complexion. Her voice filled with genuine compassion as the words left her lips, his fingers twitched as he stared at her, something in him stirred and it felt like a pain exploded in his chest and his vision burned white as he struggled through the emotions surging through him, but he never looked away from her eyes.
"Tifa?" He whispered. She stared at him for a moment, then she blinked, "Cloud...?" She murmured in slight disbelief. "Cloud is that really you?" Cloud sat up quickly, brushing himself off. "Yeah, I'm Cloud." He nodded. "Cloud... Well, are you alright?" Tifa asked with concern still laced in her words as she looked him over, he didn't appear injured. "Yeah, of course." Cloud nodded, Tifa frowned but nodded, turning away for a minute, It had been so long since she'd given up ever seeing Cloud again. Unnoticed to her, Cloud twitched and lifted his fingers to his face, twitching and clenching his fists tightly, his fingernails digging into his skull as pain filled his head and white intensity obscured his vision and burned into him, a high-pitched screeching in the back of his head made him tremble visibly.
He lowered his hands and regained himself before Tifa turned her gaze back to him, "How long has it been, Cloud?" She asked trying to remember the last memory she had, she remembered their promise at the well just fine, a few moments talking to each other here or there. 'Cloud still left that year though, to become a SOLDIER, that's right.' Tifa realized Cloud attained what he set out to do, as he was wearing a Shinra SOLDIER uniform. She caught herself smiling but a complicated emotion bloomed within her, she hated the Shinra, they took away everything she held dear. "It's been... Five years... Since I last saw you..." Cloud murmured, he didn't think it was possible for Tifa to get anymore beautiful than she already was back when they were kids. "Really...?" Tifa frowned, she remembered what happened five years ago though, five years ago her heart withered away and was burned by Sephiroths flames, her home, her family, and all her dreams went with it, including those of Cloud, her knight in shinning armor. She never expected to see him again, but here he was.
"I guess it's just been... A really long time..." She said softly, something was strange about Cloud. "So you got your wish, you're a SOLDIER?" She asked, unable to hide the small frown forming on her lips. Cloud scowled, an adamant feeling of disgust for Shinra grew in his chest, "No, Ex-SOLDIER." He crossed his arms. "Ex-SOLDIER?" She blinked. "I'll never forgive the Shinra." Cloud said confidently, crossing his arms. Tifa found herself smiling, his words mirrored her own feelings. "Really? So what does an Ex-SOLDIER do?" She asked curiously, a light tone to her voice now, feeling like a painful memory had been erased from her mind. "Anything. If the price is right." He shrugged. "Hmm, I think I might have something you could be interested in..." She said intently, looking around the train stationed and shaking her head, "But we can't talk about it here, come with me?" She asked somewhat uncertainly, she turned her gaze to make sure the guards at the station weren't on to them.
Cloud's head felt like it was going to explode, he clutched it painfully, hunching over and clenching his jaw to stop himself from screaming as white hot pained surged through him. When Tifa turned back he seemed fine though, appearing to not have been in pain at all, but it still coursed through him like fire, but he wouldn't show it. Not to Tifa. Never to Tifa. He stared at her somewhat mesmerized by her beautiful features, she seemed to stare at him with mild confusion on her face. "Are you sure you're alright?" She asked again. "Yeah, let's get going, I want to see whatever it is you think I'd be interested in." Cloud said lightly, crossing his arms. "Alright..." She nodded, something was definitely off, this was certainly Cloud but he wasn't anything like the Cloud she knew.
Something felt off about him, and it just didn't make sense, but it has been a very long time since they last spoke, Tifa concluded it was possible this was just how Cloud had changed. That answer didn't satisfy her though, she wanted to make sure he was alright, she wanted to be around him again, she missed Cloud. She looked over at him as they walked towards Sector Seven, she knew she should be rejoicing, that her heart should be swelling with happiness and this was the perfect situation, one she would have only though possible in her dreams.
Yet for some reason her heart felt as if it was breaking as she stared at Cloud, a chill running down her spine and a guard forming the instant she realized the deep nature of her anxiety. No matter how she tried to rationalize it, she just knew there was something wrong with him, and she didn't want to lose him again.