MEMORY LANE
Since defeating Sephiroth, stopping meteor and basically, SAVING THE WORLD, Cloud and Tifa have been living together in Tifa's house in their childhood town of Nibelheim. They have since had a child that they named Ifalna in loving memory of Aeris. One night on the eve of Ifalna's 10th birthday, Cloud awoke with a gasp.
"What is it honey?" Tifa asked soothingly, placing a hand an Cloud's clammy shoulder.
"I….she's here. Calling to Ifalna…" Cloud broke off.
"Mummy, Daddy," Ifalna called, creeping in slowly through their slightly ajar door.
"Mmm?" replied Cloud.
" I had a dream, no, a nightmare. There was this girl," Gulped Ifalna " She was praying at this alter, a small round one, with water underneath. No, not water, it was kind of like…the memories, or thoughts, hopes, dreams, it was almost alive. Anyway, this girl, she had blondey-brown hair, tied in a plait with a bright pink bow. She lifted her head to reveal striking green eyes and one of the most beautiful smiles I had ever seen. Then, this man, an evil one, with aqua eyes the colour of Mako, with long, grey hair came hurtling down from above with a Masamune and plunging it, right through her back, until it emerged out the other side. The pretty girl's smile faded, blood gushing out of her chest like wound to the whole world. Her ribbon came undone. Something shiny bounced down the stone steps and with a gentle splash, fell into the water. She collapsed limply onto the ground. The evil man pulled his Masamune out of her with utmost ease, and with a triumphant grin, spiraled upwards and out of sight. I suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable. I rushed over to her body and started crying. My mouth was dry, my eyes stinging, anger pounding in my chest…and then I woke up." Ifalna finished.
Cloud broke into a cold sweat and clambered out of bed. "Tifa, grab the PHS. Ifalna, get changed."
"What's going on Daddy?" Ifalna squealed.
"We're taking a little trip," Cloud said calmly, giving his daughter a hug and a kiss on the forehead. " Now, go get ready."
Tifa handed Cloud the PHS. He selected Barret Wallace's icon and waited.
"WHAT! WHO THE FUCK IS CALLING ME AT 2 IN THE FUCKING MORNING!"
"Barret, its me." Said Cloud hurriedly.
"CLOUD! You spikey-ass jerk! What you want?"
"Meet us at Bone Village. Don't ask. I'll explain when we get there."
"Awight! Ain't no stoppin' this train we're on!"
"Alrightyyyy then…………" Cloud said and hung up.
He rang all the others and told them the exact same thing. He pulled on his blue SOLDIER uniform, grabbed his Buster Sword and slung it over his back. Tifa changed into her white top, charcoal shorts, shoved on her boots and while she was fixing on her left glove, Cloud swore he heard her mutter "You've gone mad."
Upon arriving at Bone village, they, Tifa, Cloud anf Ifalna, waited at the entrance for the others to arrive.
"Stop scowling at me like that Tifa," Cloud yelled. " It's all connected. Intertwined. The threads of destiny woven long ago connect and fuse in the future. That future is now. You wouldn't understand that Tifa."
"Oh yeah? I wouldn't be so sure of that Cloud. You don't know just how MUCH I understand. Those...feelings Ifalna described in her dream are the exact same feelings you felt when," She paused, sniffing, a tear rolling down her cheek. " When...she...Aeris...was murdered." She winced, the thoughts coming back to haunt her. "And that night Cloud, at Gold Saucer, when the cable car broke down, when we stayed at the Haunted Mansion, you and Aeris, snuck out. I saw you. I was walking down the corridor, there was something important I needed to talk to you about. Then I saw you and Aeris sneak out through your door and into the Event square. I followed and sat in the audience and watched the play. I...watched you kiss her Cloud."
"IT WAS A PLAY TIFA! I WAS MERELY ACTING! SURE I LOVED HER, BUT ONLY AS A FRIEND!"
"STOP IT ALREADY! GAWD! YOU'RE BOTH DRIVING ME CARZY!" Screamed a strangely familiar voice. They turned and to their embarrasment, they found the gang ha been standing there all through their argument. It wasn't hard to match the plead to the face. It was none other than Yuffie Kisaragi. She was still as annoying as ever-just 10 years older :P
"Shit Cloud! How did you revive Aeris?" Exclained Cid Highwind, the old, now retired pilot.
"Huh?" Tifa looked stunned. "He hasn't done anything of the sort!"
"Uhhh, Yuffie," Cloud asked." Could you babysit for a few hours? Please?"
"Cloud! You know I don't do babysitting!"
"Wana see my new materia?" Asked Ifalna.
"Alright! Now you're talking my language! Lets go get some ice-cream...or whatever.Nyck nyuck nyuck" Yuffie said, with a twinkle in her eye.
"Okay!" And with that, Ifalna rushed to the ninja's side and they both started walking off.
"You owe me Cloud!" Yuffie called out over her shoulder. Soon, they were both but small dots in the distance.
"Cloud," Red XIII started, slowly trotting towards him. "Just who IS that girl?"
"Yeah Cloud," Cait Sith/Reeve said. "Spill the beans!"
"She's our daughter guys." Said Cloud.
"Her name is Ifalna." Added Tifa.
"Hey! That name...Ifalna...Wasn't that Aeris' birth mother's name?" Barretenquired.
"Shit Cloud! Why does she look just like..."
" So kid, what's your name?" Yuffie asked Ifalna.
" Ifalna. I was named after some girl Aeris' mother."
"You know, you look just like her."
"Who?"
"Aeris! DUHH!"
"Who is this Aeris everyone keeps talking about?" Ifalna asked.
"She was a good friend. Part of the gang. She was a strange one...Anyway, wheres that materia?"
"At home. (Yuffie had a look of deep disappointment on her face) What did this Aeris look like?" Said Ifalna with extreme enthusiasm.
"Well, she was quite pretty. She had blondey-brown hair."
"Uh-huh."
"And it was always in a plait, tied up in a pink ribbon bow."
"What!" Said Ifalna,surprised.
"What what?"
"She sounds just like the girl in my dream."
"Really, tell me about this dream you had."
" And then, she woke up." Cloud summed up his recollection of his daughters dream.
"You think Aeris is trying to tell us something?" Vincent Valentine asked.
"Maybe. I think thats why Cloud called you all here. Right hun?"
Tifa turned to find Cloud climbing the small wooden ladder to the second level and heading for the Sleeping Forest.
"Cloud?" TIfa chased after him, the others following close behind.
Cloud had walked for what seemed like a millenium until he realised something.
"The Lunar Harp.." He muttered and buried his hand deep into his key item pocket and pulled out a glistening aqua and gold munature harp. He played the tune similar to the one in the Temple of the Ancients. The forest glowed a strange fiery green and then he heard a loud, thudding behind him.
"Shit Cloud!" Cid bellowed. "You have to tell people where you're goin' before you go!"
"Yeh! Stop bein' such a spikey-ass jerk!" Remarked Barret.
"I need to go on alone."
"Cloud?" Tifa walked up to him and held his hands. "Are you sure?"
"I have to." Cloud replied and wriggled his way out of Tifa's grip.
"Whats gotten in to you?" She questioned. Cloud ignored this comment, turned, and walked out of sight.
"He's got issues." Barret said with a sigh.