It was a nice and shiny day in the little known village of Nibelheim. Birds were singing, children were playing and not a nibel wolf insight. It was the perfect day especially for our little spiky-blond haired hero. Yes, this day is one Cloud Strife would never forget. The day of meeting his best friend, Tifa Lockheart.

It all started when he saw her come out of her house, running to her friends. Cloud was already outside playing alone like he usually does. The towns kids never liked him. They all thought he was strange. Was it the hair? The way he acts? He didn't know, but he didn't care, he had his mom to look after, and thay was all he needed. Anyway, he saw her running in her aqua-blue dress and long brunette hair whoshing in the wind. They have been neghboors since forever, but they never spoke.

'She probably thinks i'm strange, too.' he thought, lowering his head in dissapointment to the stick he was holding. He always wanted to be a hero, just like Sephiroth, the greatest SOLDIER ever. Everyday, he works hard by using his trusty "Sword" and using his tree in the backyard as his foe. 'I'll show her.I'll show all of them.'

He looked up, only to be met a bouncyball in the face. He fell back, holding his face, on the verge of crying, but refusing to do so. 'Hero's don't cry. I can't be weak.' he uncovered his face to see the kids who threw the ball, purposely, laughing and pointing at him. Cloud recovered his face again, hoping for a hole to pop under him.

" Hey! Stop laughing! Dat's not nice, meanies! ima telling your mommies!" the girl shouted at her used-to-be friends. She stompted off towards the little blond. She slowly padded up to him, "Hello, i'm sorry about that." he shook his head.

"...It's okay." he was balled up, forehead on his knees, arms holding them up. She tapped his arm, and he looked up.

"I'm Tifa." she whipped out her hand, wide red-brown eyes staring at him.

"...Cloud." he took her petite hand and she hauled him up and then giggled.

"'Cloud?' Dats a cool name." he blushed at that, and looked down to his now snapped in half sword that he just noticed. Tifa followed his gaze to the stick. "Uh oh...is dat your sw-sw-sword?" she asked. he nodded. she looked up at his face closely, "You sure dont talk much, do you? Anyways, let's fix it!"

"You don't ha-" he was cut off by her covering his mouth with both her hands.

"Nope! I'm gonna help you no matter what you say!" he sighed. "You wait here! I'll be back. Stay dere." She ran towards her house to get the supplies.

After a while, Tifa came back to Cloud's yard, who was proding at a leaf.

"I'm back!" she sang. She dropped all the sticky items she could get her little hands on which included, Tape, glue, bandaids, and gum. Cloud looked up at her while she plopped down right next to him.

"Okay! Let's get started!"

"Why are you doing this?" Cloud asked. Nobody except his mother ever helped him. These actions seemed pretty foreign to him.

" 'Cuz we're friend! Right?" After a long moments of hesitation, he finally nodded and a shy smile cprept across his face. "Hey, why are your cheeks so red?" she asked. Clouds face went from a smile to a childish scock at the question.

"Uh..." he immediately looked sown and scratched the back of his head.

"It's okay! It looks cute on you." she stoppped and covered her mouth with both her hands after she realized hwhat she just said. 'Oopsy.' she thought. Cloud started giggling. "What's so funny?" she shrieked. Cloud, trying to compose himself, pointed at her face.

"Your cheeks are red now, too!" he said in between breaths.

"Huh?" Tifa brought both her index fingers and poked her cheeks several times. "Na Uhh!" she cried.

"Uh Huh!" he resopnded, making a face as he did it.

"Na uh!"

"Uh huhh!" they stopped and stared at eachother for a moment and then started laughing. After several moments of laughter passed, Tifa finally caught hold of her breath and said,

"Okay, lets get to work, now."

"On what?" he said, oblivious to the pile of junk in front of him.

"On your sword, Chocobo head!"she picked up the broken stick. "How DO you get your hair like dat anyway? It's so...so KAPOW!" she picked up a lock of her hair, and stood it straight up, only to fall back down to her face. Cloud looked up, and patted on of his spikes.

"I dunno..."

"Oh, well. Guess we'll never know now will we?" he shrugged. "Whatever.." She picked up a piece of gum and handed it to Cloud, "Here, chew this, but don't swallow it! It'll come to life in your tummy and eat you!" Cloud made a terrifyed face that made Tifa laugh as she grabbed the glue. He stuck the piece of gum in his mouth (cautiously) and chewed it until he became tired of the strawberry flavor. He spit it out onto his hand and shoved it towards Tifa. "Ewwyy! You have cooties all over it!" she shrieked.

"Then what should I do with it?" he asked.

"Take dose pieces and put it in the middle, duh!" he scratched the back of his head oncemore. Cloud grabbed the pieces and stuck the gooey substance on them, and pushed it. Gum started oozing on the sides.

"It worked!" he said in astonishment.

"Of course!" She crossed her arms over her chest and a toothy smile of satisfactory. He chuckled. "What's so funny, now?"

"You." he managed to choke out.

"Why?!"

"Just cause." he laughed more.

"Just finish your sword." she demanded playfully.

"Okey dokey!" he saluted.

"You're strange..." she bluntly blurted out. Xloud looked at her in disapointment, then lowered his head.

"Really...?" he mumbled. ' So much for having a 'friend'.'

"I like it!" she said brightly. His head shot up.

"Really?" he said with more hope in his tone.

"Yeah! Mommy always tells me I'm strange, but it's not always a bad thing, you know?"

"I guess so..."

Ten minutes flew by as they worked on the stick, joking around and having fun, you know, kid stuff.

"It's done." Cloud anounced.

"Yeah! it looks great!" 'Great' wound'nt be the best way to describe it. Glue was dripping, gum was oozing, tape was scattered, and bandaids covered mislanious chunks.

"...Yeah." After a few moments of silence, basking in the swords glory, Cloud looked at Tifa,

"Teef..." he started. She made a humming noise showing that she was listening. "Thank you."

"For what?" she asked, now staring at him.

"For being a good...f-friend." he scratched his head again.

"Thanks. You, too." she cheered, flashing another toothy smile.

"Tifa! Time to come home, sweetie!" her mother yelled.

"Okay mommy!" she turned around back to Cloud. "Well, I gotta go. See ya tomorrow?" Cloud nodded. "Good! Bye!" She stood there for a few more moments. Suddenly, she lowered down a little to Cloud's height and pecked him on the cheek. She looked away, faces beet red. Cloud stiffend at the sudden contact. "Bye!" she said and ran away to her house, leaving a frozen red-faced Cloud in her dust, ' What was that? Did she just kiss me?' he shook his head, clearing the thoughts as he saw his mother coming with a bag of groceries.

"Hi Cloud, how was your day?"

"Great." ' Best day of my life.' "I...made a new friend..."

"Oh! That's great honey! Now, go inside and wash up for dinner."

" Okay mom." He walked towards his house door, taking the 'special' stick with him, and snuck a peek at Tifa's house. He found here peering out her window, waving at him. He smiled and nodded his head to her. 'Yep, Best day ever.'