Chapter One
Once Upon A Time….
(I don't own any of the Final Fantasy characters for they all belong to Square Enix. I only own Rozen and Akram. I also will like to add I will start nearly every opening of my chapter with a quote from my favorite author or movie that ties in with the chapter your about to read. So sit back relax and enjoy the story. Also I apologize if my spelling sucks)
"Everyone has an Angel. A guardian who watches over us. We can't know what form they'll take. One day an old man, next day a little girl. But don't let appearances fool you; they can be as fierce as any dragon. Yet they're not here to fight our battles, but to whisper from our heart. Reminding that it's us. It's every one of us who holds power over the world we create. "(Spoken by Sweet-Pea Sucker Punch)
Angry black rain clouds hung low over the once bustling city of Midgar that now lied in shambles. No longer were the streets of Midgar filled with bright colorful venders selling flowers or a variety of items. The shops sat there empty with broken windows, doors; lied there in the darkness of the once a major city abandon and forgotten about. An eerie silence clung to Midgar except for the few rumbles of thunder that could be heard through the city. Very few stayed behind in this once major city either too poor to afford a new home or too scared to leave Midgar behind no matter how the city looked. They all feared one thing and one thing alone… Sephiroth for he ruled over Gia with an iron fist and nothing escaped his evil Mako green eyes. He lived along with his two younger brothers in the old Shinra building that over looked the city of Midgar.
The tall black building sat in the center of the city where he could see everything from his office on the top floor. It was a place filled with evil, sadness and death. No one ever dared to venture to Shinra anymore unless they were dragged there by Sephiroth Remnant SOLDIERS who were once everyday SOLDIERS that worked for Shinra and protected the city of Midgar. However after the fall of Mr. Shinra; SOLDIER was pumped with so many Jenova cells that they no longer held a human appearance to them. With their big long thin arms with big sharp spikes on the elbow and forearm; large hands with thick deadly claws at the end of them. Their legs like their arms were long however thick made for running at a high speed and leaping a great distance. Like their hands their large feet had large deadly claws that could kill a man with one swipe. Their necks were longer now with spikes running up the spine of it; their faces small narrow like with two rows of yellow razor sharp teeth. Upon their back their only form of arm they wore a thick heavy metal plate that covered half of their back and head. Their bright yellow eyes gleam through the tiny slits in their armor so they could see the world around them.
These things didn't obey anyone but Sephiroth and his two brothers for they controlled this army from hell with their voices. Everyone near and far feared Sephiroth, his brothers, Shinra and his Monster army for no one ever dared to defy them because to defy them would mean death. Only one person ever defied Sephiroth was Kadaj.
Kadaj was just 18 at the time still very young, still very new to life outside of Midgar and very naïve. No Kadaj was not dumb; he was very smart however upon his first mission outside of Midgar he fell in love with an angel who saved his life from near death. The angel who saved him was named Yuna; who is said to have a heart so pure that she saw right past Kadaj's evil aura that clung to him and saw good within him. Over time the unlikely pair grew closer and closer till finally Kadaj realized he was deeply in love with Yuna. Sephiroth never believed love for he found it weak, pathetic and useless. He very slowly began to learn that Kadaj betrayed him along with Jenova for the love of this woman named Yuna.
So Sephiroth in the middle of the night kidnapped Yuna in hopes to lure Kadaj back to Shinra. Angry that Sephiroth dared to take the one he loved away from him; Kadaj in a blind angry rage quickly fled the small refuge of the town he was staying in to save Yuna and to destroy Sephiroth forever. About two hours after Kadaj left the small town he was staying in; Cloud realized Kadaj had gone after Yuna and soon followed pursuit to stop Kadaj from doing something over the top and insane. However by the time Cloud arrived at Shinra all he found was a destroyed lobby and Kadaj kneeling in a pool of blood holding Yuna's nearly lifeless body to him. Upon the floor next to Kadaj lied his blade covered in blood as he rocked there in the pool of blood holding Yuna to him with tears rolling down his pale face.
Cloud never did like Yuna falling in love with Kadaj however he did except Kadaj once he saw how much Yuna loved him until now. Seeing Yuna nearly dead in the arms of one of Kadaj made Cloud's blood boil for he saw it was Kadaj's fault Yuna was dying. He knew Sephiroth killed Yuna but he blamed Kadaj fully for her death for if Kadaj had left like Cloud told him to nine months ago then Yuna would have been alive. But Kadaj didn't leave and now Yuna was dying.
Cloud took her from the arms of Kadaj not caring if Kadaj could save her with magic; he just wanted Yuna to get away from this foul evil creature that brought her so much pain which caused Kadaj to finally snap. All Kadaj sought now was revenge on Cloud for taking Yuna from him when Kadaj could have saved her and for the last six years Kadaj traveled Gia looking for Cloud.
Then on this cold dark stormy night Kadaj finally found where Cloud was hiding all this time. A dark smirk played on his once handsome face that was now burned as punishment from Jenova who lied deep within Shinra. His Mako green eyes held nothing but insanity to them as he walked out of Shinra dressed from head to toe in black leather into the stormy night. Finally after six very long years his revenge on Cloud was going to take place.
"I'll show him what it is like to feel pain," Kadaj said softly in an icy voice as his insane bright green eyes scan the darkness of the city of Midgar.
Meanwhile
In the Forgotten woods Tifa sat kneeling on the wet grassy ground with a soft friendly smirk on her aged face. Her long dark hair was pulled up into a lose messy pony tail and her jeans stained with grass stains. Crawling on all fours she ducked her head under the outdoor table laughing a bit.
"Got you Rozen," she says then pauses as she lets her big brown eyes scan the empty space under the table.
Standing slowly from the wet ground; she began to pace around the small clearing she had lived in for the last six years with her arms crossed over her well-endowed chest. Cloud had built them this small tiny wooden hut in the middle of nowhere to protect Rozen from her insane family. He wanted Rozen to be raised good and not evil. Even though Tifa had to give up many things such as her pretty little beach house, her leather clothes and fancy items; she was more than happy to help Cloud raise the child who would one day might save Gia from the darkness that clung to it for so long.
Right now Rozen should have been in bed however the tiny six year old escaped while Tifa's back was turned to play a game of Hide and Go seek outside in the coming storm. When Rozen played hide and go seek it could take hours to find her for she would hide anywhere. The rumbles of thunder began to get closer; the wind slowly began to pick up causing Tifa to pause for a second with a worried look on her aged face. Even though it was difficult to find Rozen it never worried Tifa like this be for.
"Maybe it just the coming storm," she thought turning her brown eyes onto the stormy sky above.
Somewhere in the darkness of the woods a twig snapped causing Tifa's eyes to snap away from the sky and into the darkness of the woods. A slight chill came over her as she stood there gazing into the darkness then she jumped slightly hearing another twig snapped. Slowly a large shadowy figure was moving towards her causing Tifa to gasp out loud. As the figure stepped out into the clearing she let out a small sigh of relief and placed her hand over her chest.
"Cloud," she says softly moving towards him "you scared me."
Cloud's bright blue eyes turned on Tifa for a second then looked beyond her at the trees behind their small house they lived in. Saying nothing to her at all; he moved passed her to stand at the base of the house holding his arms open to the roof.
"Rozen," he says in a stern yet soft voice "you come down here and get to bed this instant young lady!"
There was a soft rustle of tree leaves on the branch that hung just above the house and a small pale face appeared from the thick leafy green leaves. Slowly the small pale face wiggled out of its hiding place reveling a small pale body in an oversized black shirt. Crawling on her hand and knees to the roof's edge Rozen gazed down with her big bright Mako green eyes at her Uncle Cloud. How he knew she was hiding up there was a mystery to her but she titled her small head lightly as she stared down at him.
"I had Tifa looking for the last hour," she says in a giggly voice as she sat at the edge of the roof.
Cloud with his bright blue eyes gazed up at his niece Rozen then sighed softly at the state she was in. Tree leaves stuck out of her long silver hair and her pale face was streaked with dirt. Reaching up he gently lifted her from the spot on the roof and placed her on the ground in front of him. Kneeling down in front of her; he gazed into her bright green eyes with his own bright blue ones then sighed softly.
"Rozen how many times do I have to tell you not to go out at night," he asked her in a stern voice "you don't know what lurks out there in the darkness. It's not safe Rozen."
"Yeah I know Uncle Cloud," Rozen said softly hanging her head letting her long silver hair hang over her pale face "I am sorry."
Cloud smiled softly at Rozen for he could not stay mad at her no matter how much trouble she caused. Scooping her up in his arms he cradled her gently in his arms to his chest. She might look just like her father however she had her mother's heart and no evil lurked within her heart. Only goodness but where her wild rebel streak came from was still unknown to Cloud because both her mother and father had no wild rebel streak in their blood. Perhaps Rozen got this wild rebel streak within her from living in the wild for so long and never having anyone her own age to play with. Yet Cloud was thankful that Rozen was only a little wild rebel and not evil like the rest of her family on her dad's side.
"Now my little one it is time for bed," Tifa said softly approaching the two of them and slipping Rozen from the arms of Cloud.
Yawning in the arms of Tifa; Rozen let her bright green eyes linger on the edge of the forest from where they stood just a few feet away. Lighting flashed throughout the night sky and thunder crackled loudly as Tifa moved towards the house with her long dark brown hair blowing behind her in the wind. The whole time Tifa walked towards the house, Rozen's bright green eyes remained on the edge of the forest. When the lighting flashed again a shadow of a man could be seen at the edge of the forest causing Rozen to speak softly in Tifa's ear.
"Tifa who is that man," she asked her softly causing Tifa to pause.
Tifa froze when the words left Rozen's pale pink lips with her body stiff of fear; turning her brown eyes onto the forests edge a soft gasp left her lips as she clutched Rozen tighter to her body and began to back up slowly towards Cloud.
"Cloud," she says softly not removing her eyes from the edge of the woods "he is here."
No sooner did the words leave her lips; Cloud sprung in front of her with his sword ready for battle. His bright blue eyes filled with anger as he gazed at the shadowy figure that stood be for them. Taking one last look over his shoulder he gazed at Tifa and little Rozen.
"Go Tifa," he said "take her and go." He paused for a second then turned his gaze back onto Kadaj who slowly began to emerge from the shadows of the woods. "I will meet up with you guys. I promise." Then with that he dashed towards Kadaj.
Tifa turned on her heel and took off into the darkness of the forest clutching Rozen tightly to her chest and that is when they heard it the slicing of a blade beheading someone from the clearing behind them. Tifa only paused for one second to glance over her shoulder at the darkness that lied between them and the clearing.
"Cloud," she asked softly?
A high pitched evil laugh filled the darkness around Tifa and Rozen causing Tifa's brown eyes to brim over with tears upon hearing the words coming from the mouth of Kadaj.
"I have done it. I have finally done it. I killed big brother," Kadaj's maniac voice rang through the darkness around Rozen and her.
Letting a soft sob escape her lips, Tifa turned once more dashing deeper into the woods as tears began to flow down her aged face. In her arms was Rozen who sat there shaking with fear; her pale face hidden in Tifa's chest as she tried block out the evil laughter that ran through the darkness only a few minutes be for.
"The boogeyman got Uncle Cloud," she says as tears start to brim over her bright green eyes "now he is going to get us. I am scared."
"Hush little one," Tifa says stroking the back of Rozen's silky silver hair "Genesis and Angeal will protect you from the boogeyman. I promise you little one."
Tifa knew she had to be brave right now for little Rozen and get to the hideout where Genesis was along with Angeal. It would take many days to travel there for Tifa was going to avoid the roads but once they arrived Rozen along with Tifa will be safe from Kadaj, Sephiroth and Shinra but until then Tifa had to be brave for the little girl in her arms. And then it finally began to rain as if the planet was crying for the loss of a great man who had fallen at the hands of evil. All to protect the little girl in her arms named Rozen who might someday save the