Disclaimer: I don't own any aspects of Final Fantasy VII or the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII.
Author's Note: I've seen a lot of bashing on Cloud's characterization in Advent Children. So, why not look deeper into Cloud's character, figure out why he is how he is, and attempt to justify it? I'm trying to stay within canon as much as possible, excluding a few sections of the Way to a Smile novellas (particularly a few character reactions from Case of Tifa), and ideally, you should be able to read this as a sort of "Case of Cloud." If you like it, or even if you don't, don't hesitate to leave a review! Feedback is crucial to developing better writing skills.
Strife
Chapter 1: Bonfire
It could have been one of the most beautiful nights imaginable. The moon was full, glowing brilliantly in the darkness, illuminating the world below in a dim, gentle light. The stars, while failing to outshine the moon, shimmered brightly in their own right, backed by the richest and darkest of blues and purples. The land was serene, quiet, although not in a halcyon way; not even a breeze dared disturb the silence.
It could have been one of the most beautiful nights imaginable, had it not been for the obsidian-colored rubble in the sky. Fragments of it had already fallen off and burned in the atmosphere. The main body of the rock seemed to bleed crimson lava. The residents of Gaea had dubbed this ethereal rock, "Meteor." It had just appeared in the sky one day, but as the sun and moon tangoed around the Planet, Meteor steadily inched closer and closer. People around the world knew that the astral body would be the end of the world and life as they knew it. They went about their daily routine, pretending the death sentence above their heads wasn't actually real. But Meteor, harbinger of death, had arrived.
Almost everyone had run and hid in their houses, as though the feeble metal roofs could save them from the calamity. Morbid curiosity must have taken over, as people pressed their faces to their windows, leaving smudges on the glass. Cue the amazement when the world started glowing green; after all, could it possibly get worse? One girl in particular, with shoulder-length brown hair and a little pink dress, watched the glow intensify, her eyes widening. "It's coming."
The very life force of the Planet, dubbed the Lifestream, emerged from the earth as holy tendrils, radiating shades of blue and green light over the entire world. It appeared to thrust itself toward Meteor, like a mother would lunge at any threat to protect her children. The light became blinding.
And just like that, it was over.
The young man found himself absently staring at the bonfire; the orange-red flames reflected in his glowing azure eyes. The coils of searing heat seemed to dance, and with enough imagination, one could imagine the flames live. It almost seemed more lively than the person who sat beside it, the person who swam in a sea of his own thoughts.
It wasn't as though the man was unaccompanied. Several more folk were with him, arranging themselves in a circle around the bonfire. Though there were only 8 people in total, there was a single spot leftover. The bright fire cast a dark silhouette into the empty space. While the dancing tendrils changed the shape of the shadow constantly, it seemed to vaguely resemble a woman.
To an outsider, they must have looked like a bunch of misfits. A man who looked like he could have been in the military, a dark-haired woman with the warmest brown eyes, a large and intimidating dark-skinned man, a red-furred beast, a stuffed animal, an old-fashioned gruff man smoking a cigarette, a girl who liked to dress as a ninja, and a man in dark clothing, who wouldn't have been fashionable even 30 years ago.
The offbeat group, as different as they all were, did share one thing – exhaustion. For some, it manifested through their body, how they didn't sit as tall as they otherwise would. For others, it was displayed on their faces, a slight scowl or a serious expression, if any expression at all, or furrowed brows. Some displayed their fatigue more openly than others.
The dark-haired woman grew uncomfortable with the deafening silence. Twisting her hair with her fingers, she was the first to speak. "It's hard to believe it's already been a week, isn't it?"
The crimson-furred beast raised his left foot to scratch behind his ear. Some would say that he seemed to be more cat-like in both appearance and behavior, while others would disagree, saying he was like more a wolf. Regardless of what he was, he wasn't completely feral and uncivilized. He nodded, before adding, "It will be some time before the world gets back on its feet. What matters is that the Planet is safe."
The gruff-looking man put out his cigarette. After a scowl from the beast, he picked up the butt and hastily shoved it in his pants pocket. "Damn it, Red, I know." The man coughed, decades of tar and hazardous chemicals taking its toll on his body.
The dark-skinned man crossed his muscular arms in front of his chest. Interestingly, from the elbow down, one of them was replaced with metal. "Then why're we still sittin' here? Don't ya forget, I still got Marlene to take care of. Can't just keep sittin' on our damn hands all day long."
The girl, perhaps woman, dressed as a ninja, suddenly chirped up. "I gotta get back to Wutai! I promised Pops that I'd come back after this was all over, but I need some Materia first."
"Damn it kid, there's bigger things to worry about rather than Materia."
The dark-haired woman nodded and smiled gently. "You have a point, Cid, but Yuffie promised her father she'd be back. Maybe you could give her a ride in the Highwind?"
"I ain't a damn taxi, Tifa," Cid grumbled, "But I'll do it. Ain't no tellin' how bad the damn Lifestream tore up the Planet." Tifa grinned at the older man. While his language was rather foul, he did have a good heart.
Suddenly, the stuffed animal whirled to life. He was just a grey and white cat with a little golden crown on his head and a red cape around his neck, carefully holding a megaphone. The cat used a stuffed pink Moogle as a means of getting around, although the toy was starting to look old and worn lately. While the animal would normally speak with a silly accent, this time, the words came out normal, as if the voice actor behind him was too tired to keep up the charade. "I'll be retiring Cait Sith for a while. There's still work to be done in Midgar." Just like that, the cat seemed to be a lifeless husk again. Even he didn't really seem to fit in with the band of misfits.
The man in dark clothing finally spoke, raising his red eyes to meet the group. "I have business to take care of," he said simply. Tifa, used Vincent's brooding, simply and smiled and offered, "We'll be here if you need us." The dark-haired man returned a nod in thanks.
Tifa was about to speak but was interrupted by the beast, Red. He looked upon each member of the group with golden eyes, as if he was searching for something. "Yuffie will go home, Barret will take care of Marlene, Cait Sith will retire, Cid will return to Rocket Town, Vincent will take care of his business, and I will remain at the Cosmo Canyon a while longer. What of you, Tifa, Cloud?"
Tifa blinked, not having anticipated the question. She cast a quick glance at the blond haired man she had known since childhood, only to find him still lost in his own thoughts. She started playing with her hair again. Everyone else seemed to have a rough idea of where they wanted to go or what they wanted to go, but she hadn't really given her own future much thought. She looked at Barret, who still had his arms crossed, and asked, "Would you mind if I came with you, Barret?"
The large man seemed to chuckle as he replied, "Naw, it'd do Marlene good with you bein' there. Thinkin' of headin' back to Midgar, start a new life, now that the Planet's safe and Shinra's gone."
"A new life, huh?" Tifa wondered the question aloud, but it seemed to be rhetorical. After the stress after Meteorfall, maybe a change of pace would do her good. Even though Midgar was not exactly where she wanted to be, she lacked a hometown to return to, or even a family to come back to. "Sounds like a good plan."
Cloud shifted his weight, uncomfortable with how he was sitting. His muscles were tense, and his glowing eyes still lost in thought, focusing on the dancing tendrils of the fire. He knew it would be his turn to speak, and announce his plans for the future. Truth be told, he hadn't even thought this far ahead.
"Well, Cloud?" His ears recognized it as Red's voice, and he felt everyone's eyes upon him. His mind scrambled to think of something, anything, but he didn't have all the time in the world to think. He finally raised his eyes from the fire and admitted, to himself and his friends, "…I need more time."
Tifa's gaze met Cloud's, and she gave him a friendly smile. It reminded him vaguely of his mother, and he relaxed slightly. She gently reminded him, "Don't worry too much about it, Cloud. Take some time and figure out what you want to do. We'll be here."
All he could do was nod.