Cloud completed the final stroke, and put his forearm in front of his face when the monster exploded. He curled his lip slightly, hating everything about monsters. But at least the job was done now.

The blonde warrior strode out of the infested building, sliding his huge sword into place on his back again, and walking on the trail down the mountain. At least now he could get his payment from the idiot nobleman who had wanted the monsters all gone...

Of course, almost anyone would want those... creatures... gone, but the brainless man just wanted them cleared to have them gone. For absolutely no other reason. Cloud shook his head slightly, dissatisfied with the world.

People on the streets automatically parted to make way for him, but Cloud didn't even glance at any of them. They weren't causing any trouble, he felt no need to make any. As he walked, he winced every couple steps, due to a wound he had gotten when he let his mind wander. A monster had landed on him, and its jaws had chewed on his left shoulder- he had felt it grind. He put it out of his mind for now, because there was nothing he could do about it. The wound would require healing materia to fix, and that was something that Cloud didn't have at the moment.

He walked into the lobby of the place that the nobleman was staying, and said curtly to the front desk, "Mr. Andy Summers."

The clearly surprised receptionist ran a finger down the book in front of her, searching a list of names, and said quietly, "He's in room 102, sir, third floor."

Cloud nodded sharply, turning and heading for the stairs. He hated elevators. He hated enclosed spaces, period. End of subject. He ran up the stairs, not wanting the man to be able to get off of paying him this time. He scanned the door numbers, then went straight to the door that said 102. He knocked smartly on it with his knuckles, and after a few seconds, it was opened by a wiry man with gray hair.

"Strife."

"Summers. My payment?"

"Yes, yes," said Andy Summers, seemingly in defeat, and handed Cloud a small box. "It's all in there. Every bit."

Even so, Cloud took no notice of him, counting it all out. When he was satisfied that it was all here, he gave the man a curt nod, then turned and left. His job was done here. As he walked back down the stairs, Cloud was careful not to look at his left shoulder- it still needed to be healed, and right now, looking at it was one of the worst things he could do, because it would make the blonde warrior a little queasy. Naturally, he would hide it well, and act all nonchalant about it, but it hurt.

Cloud walked down the streets of Sector Seven again, his light blonde hair shielding his eyes, and at some point came upon a small bar.

Seventh Heaven, he mused. Maybe they'll have something I can use to help my shoulder. For even as he thought about it, blood still sluggishly dripped from the messy wound, and it had coated his sleeve. Making up his mind, Cloud walked into the bar, and saw that it was empty- the owner must have just opened it. He soundlessly walked to one of the end seats, and sat, blinking furiously at the pain. His shoulder throbbed, and it seemed to be just getting worse.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't hear anyone come in. What can I get for you?"

A soft, polite voice made Cloud turn his head, just enough to see who was there. All he could see was a woman's figure, but they clearly wore some black. Even as he watched, she walked up to behind the bar and turned so he could see her face for the first time.

His brain froze up.

The woman was beautiful, he could see. And not in the normal type of beautiful, either. She had dark, dark brown hair that was just past her shoulders, and some of it hung into her face. Her eyes were a rich, reddish brown that was somehow soft but steely at the same time, and Cloud could tell just by looking at her that she knew how to handle herself if anyone... misbehaved.

"Can I get you something?" she prompted, and Cloud blinked. But before he could reply, her eyes fell on his shoulder. Her face hardened. "I swear, sometimes..." she muttered under her breath, reaching up on the wall to retrieve a small bottle of hard liquor- the cheap kind. Then the woman handed him a white cloth, and shoved the bottle at him.

"Use it outside," she snapped, her nice attitude gone. It took Cloud a moment to realize that she had given it to him for his shoulder, but his brain was still a little fuzzy. His impossible blue eyes seemed glued to the woman's face.

"Outside," she repeated tersely, finally giving an exasperated sigh. She went around, grabbed his good forearm with a tight grip, and pulled him until he stood just outside the door. She released Cloud's arm, and leaned against the doorway, crossing her arms.

His memory went slightly faulty here. It hurt so much. He had gone through pain, but every time he had to do something like this he cringed.

The woman in black pulled him back inside, and fetched a small bag from behind the bar. Opening it, she pulled out a small roll of white bandage and some sort of ointment that Cloud didn't recognize.

"How did you get this?" she asked quietly as she gently began to put the salve on the angry red wound.

"Monster," Cloud said briefly. It was the first time he had spoken since coming in here, and she looked up in interest.

"A monster?" The woman eyed the huge sword on his back, then began to unwind the white bandage. Cloud wordlessly nodded, his deep blue eyes fixed on her face. But she was, it seemed, purposely not looking at him, and her dark brown bangs hid her eyes. She started to wrap his shoulder, having to push down his sleeve to do so, and Cloud wondered how a woman could have such a light touch. He barely felt her.

When she finished, she awkwardly pulled her hands back, and neither said anything as she repacked the small bag and replaced it behind the bar. She stood there for a moment, and neither of them said anything, unsure if there was even anything to say.

"Well," she finally managed, "Um... I-"

"Thanks."

The word, especially from someone like Cloud, was unexpected, and the woman just looked at him in astonishment, as though she were really seeing him for the first time. She was unable to tear her eyes away from his amazing blue gaze, and she let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, finally dropping her reddish-brown eyes.

"You're welcome."

Cloud stood, and quietly walked back towards the door. He was going to go back, maybe find some new jobs that needed doing... that involved monsters, of course. But he had barely reached the doorway when the woman burst out, "What's your name?"

The blonde warrior paused, and turned his head just enough to see her out of the corner of his eye. He saw no harm in telling her his name.

"Cloud Strife."

"Cloud," she murmured half to herself, nodding. "I'll remember that. Why... why don't you stop by, next time you're down here, I mean?"

He simply nodded, then asked, "Your name?"

"Tifa. Tifa Lockheart."

Cloud nodded, filing the information away in a small section of his head. Tifa.

A wonderful name for a beautiful woman.

Oh, yes. He would definitely be back here.