A.N. Heya! Here's a new story 'bout my fav pairing Clerith! I thought it would be cool if Cloud meets Aerith 5 years earlier than he should^^ that means Cloud and Aerith meet in CC, after Zack met her, as you'll read later, about a few weeks after Clouds mission with Zack in Modeoheim. I still think how I could continue with it, so I probably need a bit time for the next chapter, although I already have an idea ^^
Well this is some kind of a prolog. The interesting part begins with the 2nd chappy.
Love is War
Chapter 1: First Mission
I sat there...all alone in the canteen with this ugly, but still kinda eatable food right in front of me. You wanna know who I am? Really? Well then you're the first one...The name's Cloud Strife. About my looks, well...let's see, I have spiky blond hair, blue eyes...that was all I guess...there's nothing special about me so you won't miss anything.
I just joined Shin-Ra's army, called SOLDIER. Why am I all alone you ask? Well I'm someone you call the "lonely wolf".
I didn't even want this! But I'm not really sociable, you know...But I don't really care. I was alone since I remember. I'm already used to it, but...It's kinda really lonely sometimes...But whatever, I was alone since I was a child and lived in my hometown Nibelheim. Talking about Nibelheim...you can laugh if you want. Everyone did.
There's nothing interesting about my hometown except there's...a girl...No not my girlfriend, but I hope sometimes...Hach, but it's just wishful thinking...She never would fall in love with me...Sorry for complaining so much, but it's just the way I am.
Uhm...and sorry, I digressed...You wanna know more about myself? Well the only family I have is my mother. I didn't ever met my father, I mean...not that I remember...Mom said he died as I was a baby, or even earlier. She didn't talked much about him and I didn't wanted her to fell sad.
And the name of the girl I like is Tifa Lockhart. She ignored me too, but I still kinda fell for her...I don't know she ever knew I even existed...until the day her mother died. She wanted to go to Mt. Nibel and I was the only one who followed her up there. I saved her...kinda...and that was the very first time she noticed me.
At the night before I left Nibelheim I told her about my plans, that I want to become a first class SOLDIER like Sephiroth and promised her whenever she's in danger I would come and save her.
Whatever, back to reality. I hope I didn't bored you with my life-story...
Well I continued eating and noticed someone's eyes on me and turned around. There's a guy with spiky black hair, the complete opposite from myself, is watching me. I also noticed his uniform...he's one of the first...I raised my eyebrow and turned my attention back to my food.
Once I finished eating I prepared myself for my next mission. Oh, I didn't told you guys my rank, huh? I'm a SOLDIER 2nd class, so soon a first. No, just kidding. I'm just an infantryman, not even close to SOLDIER...I sighed about this thought. I have to become stronger if I want to be a first.
Well on my mission I had to go to Modeoheim with one more infantryman, a Turk and a SOLDIER 1st class. As I entered the helicopter there's no sign of the Turk or the first. I wonder where they are...
Whatever, we started and flew straight to Modeoheim, but just as Modeoheim was in sight we were attacked and crash landed near there.
Ow...that hurts...I grit my teeth in pain as I regained consciousness again, but I had to pull myself together if I want to become a first! I stood up from the snowy ground, although my body still hurt, and saw the first and the Turk talking to each other. „Yeah, yeah, I'm a country boy.", the first replied, turned around and started walking. „Alright, follow me then!", he said over his shoulder and we head off.
We went next to each other, while the Turk and the other infantryman are far behind us. I glanced to him...he's the first who watched me earlier...„Yo! Don't fall to far behind!", he called to the others and turned to me. „At least someone's keeping up!", he said to me and smiled. „Well, I'm a country boy, too.", I replied and he seemed interested. „From where?", he asked and we stopped, while I looked to the ground. „Nibelheim." Just as I assumed he began to laugh and turned around. „How about you?", I asked him back, so he finally stopped laughing. He quickly turned to me. „Me? Gongaga.", he replied, while I began to chuckle this time, it sounds worse than Nibelheim.
„Hey, what's so funny about that? You know Gongaga?", he protested and I stopped laughing. „No, but it's such a backwater name."
„Ditto Nibelheim.", he said and started walking. „Like you've been there.", I countered and he turned to me again. „I haven't, but there's a reactor there, right?", he asked while I just nod. „A mako reactor outside Midgar usually means...", he began. „...Nothing else out there.", we both said in unison and began to laugh. That's such a great feeling to laugh with someone!
„Good new, Tseng! Me and...", he looked to me with a questioning expression. I took my helmet off and replied „Cloud." of his silent question for my name. „Me and Cloud here are both backwater experts! Oh yeah!", he called to the Turk who name's Tseng. „Good. Carry on then.", he replied and we started walking again. „By the way, the name's Zack.", the first introduced himself with a big grin on his face and I just nod.
Suddenly out of nowhere a few monsters appeared and attacked us, but Zack and I defeated them all, although...Zack did better than I...he had such a cool sword and what have I? A damn gun...I can't fight with this thing! I rather want a sword, but there's not a chance you can change your weapons...Damn...! „Let's get going.", Zack said, pulling me back to reality. „Yeah.", I replied and we continued walking.
„Hey, Zack, uh...", I called him after a short pause. „Hm?", he just replied, telling me he's listening. „Um, what it's like to be SOLDIER...?", I asked him and he thought for a while. „I don't quite get the question.", he replied, while I just „Um"ed, trying to explain what I meant, but he started talking again. „Well, once you join, you'll know what it's like.", he said and grinned at me, while I just let my head fell. „If I can join, that is..."
„Don't sweat it! If I can do it, you can, too.", he said to encourage me, but it wasn't really helpful...Zack's stronger than I could ever be, that's why he quickly became a 1st class SOLDIER. I sighed, which unfortunately heard Zack. „Hey, come on! Don't be so grumpy, or else you'll never make SOLDIER!", Zack said teasingly and began to pull on my cheeks so that I smiled.
„See? That's better!", he said and began to laugh and let go of my cheek, while I joined his laughter a bit. „Okay, back to work.", he said as our laughter died down. I really hope I found a new friend with Zack, well, he also would be my first and only friend...Zack patted lightly on my shoulder and went ahead, while I looked behind us to see the others are really far away from us.
„Hey, Zack, don't you think we should wait for them?", I asked him and pointed behind us. Zack turned around and scratched the back of his head. „Oh, right. Almost forgot about them.", he replied and laughed once again. What a cheery person..., was the only thought I had this moment. I've never met someone like him before...
„Hey, what do we have here?", Zack said in interest and I turned to him. There's some kind of a factory there...Tseng explained us what it's for and Zack head out to examine it from inside. Once he sneaked in there, so that the guards didn't noticed him, Tseng told me to follow him...ouf...I went off, down the hill and hide behind a wall.
I glanced around to see where the guards are just to see they're still there where I had to go...Why are they so freaking damn slow? Finally they went somewhere else and I ran in. I turned right and was about to round the corner of the warehouse as I saw there's still one of the guards!
Fortunately his back's turned to me, phew...But just as I wanted to go back another guard turned in my direction! I looked around frantically and hide behind some scrap. Phew, they didn't saw me...I was kneeling on my hiding place which felt like hours before they finally left, so I could enter the factory.
I went downstairs and took the elevator. As the elevator stopped I immediately was greeted by this weird professor...um...Hollander, I think, who was about to flee, but I held him back. „Stop!", I yelled and held him by his arms, while he struggled to free himself from my grip.
„Cloud, good work!", Zack said to me as he fought against some guy...um...guess he was a 1st class SOLDIER too, looks kinda familiar...um...Genesis...I think...I don't really know, didn't heard anything more about him, so...ask Zack.
At this time of carelessness Hollander hit me on my head and I fell backwards, tch! Hollander hide behind Zack and talked about the JENOVA cells and this stuff...Then suddenly Hollander passed me and fled, while Zack was attacked by Genesis, who blocked his attack. „Cloud, go!", Zack ordered, while I just nod and followed Hollander.
As I arrived the entrance of this whole factory thing I looked around...no sign of Hollander, shit! Tseng and the other guy aren't here either...bet they followed Hollander. On the left is a cave, guess they're in there, so I ran inside and arrived moments later Modeoheim. I didn't know where Hollander could hide so I searched everywhere, on this snowy, real little town, till I got to a place where monsters attacked me, must be the right way...I killed the monsters, although it last longer than I wanted it to be and continued my search.
I went through several rooms till I heard weird noises from upstairs. With a bad feeling I went upstairs and saw Tseng sitting there, while I ran to him. „Tseng!", I called him, but he's unconscious. I entered the room and saw Hollander there! I ran to him, but suddenly something hit me on my stomach, hard, and sent me back from where I came and crashed against the railing. „Ugh...!" The last thing I was before I passed out was a white wing...
As I regained consciousness again Zack was here and asked me if I was alright. I just nod, unable to talk now. „Down that way...", Tseng said with a still weak voice. „You have to catch Hollander. Angeal...is waiting for you."
Angeal? Isn't he a 1st class SOLDIER too? What's wrong with all of them? Zack ran into the room, I wanted to follow him and to help him, but I still didn't have the strength to even stand up...
Once I finally regained my strength I stood up and went after Zack. Tsend wanted to hold me back, but I just ignored him. As I went through a lot more rooms in search for Zack I finally found him. He was kneeling and held a giant sword in his hand and he's...crying? I wonder if I should cheer him up...but I don't really know how, I was never good in this. „Z—Zack?", I called him quietly, while he glanced to me and quickly wiped his tears away. He stood up and went towards me, his face showing no emotions, kinda scary...„Let's go. Mission's complete.", he said and passed me, while I stood there, confused. „Eh...", was all I managed to say before I looked to Zack who went ahead. „Come on, Cloud!", he said, suddenly in his normal, cheery voice again, which let my confusedness grow...I quickly followed him. „What happened in there?", I asked him in confusion, while he just shrugged it off. „Nothing important.", he replied and grinned at me, but I can tell there's something wrong with him...
As we all head back to Midgar Zack barely talked and I was kinda...worried. A few days passed since then and Zack was still depressed. And then the day came where the rookies were briefed, I was one of them and Zack finally was himself again. He changed his hairstyle and his sword. He used this giant sword which he suddenly got in Modeoheim.
Zack passed us, but stopped in front of me. I looked at him questioningly, while he put a hand on my shoulder and smiled at me. „So, you wanna be in SOLDIER? Hang in there.", he said to encourage me and continued walking. „So, is everybody here now?", he asked, while everyone replied with:„Sir!"
„You're all rookies, right?"
„Sir, yes, sir!"
„One piece of advice...", Zack started but went quiet for a moment. „No...an order.", he corrected himself and took his giant sword. He held it in front of him, like he's prying or something like that and then let it sank again. „Embrace you dreams.", he said. „And whatever happens, protect you honor as SOLDIER.", Zack finished and placed his sword back on his back. „Got it?", he asked us, while we all agreed.
Embrace you dreams, huh? And protect your honor as SOLDIER, no matter what?, I rethought Zacks advice...no, order in my head again. Do I even have dreams...?
A.N. Sooo~~ that was my first chappy of my new story.
I hope you all liked it^^ As I said up there this is just a prolog, to "introduce" Cloud to you.
As you read just now I used the Mission where Cloud and Zack first met, to tell you what might had happened in Clouds POV ('cause I didn't ever saw a fanfic with this). It's kinda weird to write Cloud as a wimp xD, but it's kinda funny too. And I know, it's really short but, I just wanted to do the introducing part and it's an prolog, hahaXD Well, it gets more interesting in the sec chapter. I guess you know what will happen thereXDD
So that was all.
Hope to see ya guys in my next chapter again, and PLEASE REVIEW! ;3
