-7th Heaven-
Shoji stuffs his hands into his pockets turning to look up at the darkening sky, he glances at June with a raised brow.
"Ya sure he's coming," he mutters turning to her.
June shrugs placing her hands on her lap, it had been a long time since Cloud and Marlene had left her, the rain had stopped and the already grey skies were turning dark again. June leans over pressing her hands into her stomach, it felt numb and sharp twangs of pain shot through her.
Shoji looks back at his friends apprehensively before walking over to June, she looks up at him and he frowns.
"Hey, what's wrong!?"
June shrugs and he sighs, "can't you do anything else?"
As June goes to speak a loud rumbling noise erupts from her stomach, she gasps grabbing it again, Shoji scratches his cheek.
"You're hungry...ha-ha why didn't ya just say so?"
He reaches into his pocket yanking out a large hunk of fudge, "but only because you're so cute."
June cocks her head when he pushes the brown sticky mass into her hands, he pulls back licking his fingers.
June raises the mound to her lips and its smell wafts into her nose sending her stomach into righteous fury once again, she looks at the boys once more before biting into the chocolately treat.
It was like an explosion in her mouth, June moans stuffing more of it down making Shoji and the other boys laugh.
Shoji turns to his friends saying "too bad we gotta go home soon...my mom said I can't bring girls home...so we're gonna have to leave ya."
June wipes off her mouth nodding, the prospect of spending the night next to this store didn't sound too fun but it was better than that amusement park of terrors from the night before.
June nods her head to them saying "thank you...for everything."
The boys laugh rubbing the back of their heads in unison, Shoji turns to her holding out his fist.
"Don't worry, we'll be back bright and early tomorrow!"
June smiles and he turns leading the other boys away, once their gone June stands creeping over to the edge of the building, people still made their ways through the streets but no one paid her any mind, she was like a forgotten person; lost in the shadows of society.
The sound of a jingling noise draws her attention to someone standing next to her, a woman stood at the door of the store, she folds her arms with a sigh.
"You've been out here all day...that's called loitering ya know?"
June looks down giving the woman a chance to look her over, she sighs.
"You don't have a family...anywhere to go...and look at you...all messy."
June looks at the woman with a quirked brow, did she just come out there to make June feel badly about herself?
The woman shakes her head when June gives her no answer.
"Come on."
She turns opening the store door and holding it open for June, June glances back at the corner she'd been in all day.
What if Cloud came back and she wasn't there.
"Well?"
June nods following the woman into the store and upon the doors closing she hears the jingling noise again, two bells sat above the store door.
Before June could turn her complete focus to the bells the woman comes back holding a mound of clothes, she pushes them into June's arms saying "the bathroom is in the back."
June looks down at the clothes and then up at the woman who grimaces.
"My mother always taught me to never knock someone down without extending a hand to lift them up...I've watched you all day...you're a weird one...just sitting out there with the kids all day but...you look like you need help."
June smiles saying "thank you."
The woman smiles as well, "you're welcome...by the way...what's your name?"
"June," June utters nodding her head.
The woman does the same saying "well my name's Kay."
As June goes to speak again Kay pushes her gently to the bathroom, "I find it hard to talk to you while you have chocolate all over your face."
She pushes June into the bathroom closing the door behind her, June looks around.
The room was mainly white but little golden ducklings swam across the blue spotted wallpaper that covered the entire room, June sets her clothes on the top of a blue spotted bin before turning to the shower. She could remember some of what she'd been shown about showers, she leans over touching one of the metal knobs. She turns it and water shoots into the tub, June sniggers. What a funny little contraption.
June glances back at the door before turning another knob and the water pressure picks up, she reaches over touching the water, it was a little cold but nothing she couldn't handle.
"Time to get clean."
Kay looks up when June walks into the main store area again, she nods saying "there ya go...I knew you were pretty under all that gunk."
June smiles looking down at herself, she wore black form fitting pants, a white t shirt and a large creme colored cardigan with sleeves so long they nearly covered her fingers. On her feet were boots that Kay had managed to stuff into the mound of clothes.
Kay walks around the cash register saying "so tell me...where are you from?"
June grimaces, what if she told her and Kay decided to banish her like everyone else had.
June looks down and Kay raises a brow, just as she goes to press on June some more the door opens behind them.
Cloud looks at June then Kay and then back at June again.
"Sorry I took so long...Fenrir broke down...so...," he mutters folding his arms.
June nods, though she didn't know what Fenrir was she was happy just to see him.
She walks over to him before turning to Kay again, "thank you."
"Uh...yeah you're welcome," Kay mutters cocking her head, clearly she had questions but something kept her from asking them.
"Come," Cloud mutters walking out of the store, June waves to Kay before following him.
Once outside June turns to Cloud with a small smile, he frowns and she clasps her hands together.
"I thought you weren't coming," she says nodding, "I was...scared."
Cloud nods turning and walking again, "even if I wanted to leave you behind...Marlene wouldn't let me."
June cocks her head walking behind him, he glances back at her saying "we're taking the train."
The train, June knew of trains, large locomotives that carried many people over large distances, she rubs her hands together.
"Why can't we walk?"
Cloud shrugs a shoulder saying "it's dark and monsters come out at night...I don't feel like dealing with them again."
"Oh," June mutters looking ahead again.
Cloud frowns when he feels June's gaze on him, he glances at her saying "what?"
June leans over bringing a finger to her cheek, "what made you want to help me?"
Cloud sighs shaking his head, June looks ahead again; he wasn't much of a talker and many of his words to her seemed sort of short and dismissive.
June drops her arm, maybe now wasn't the time to speak of such things, maybe he just didn't feel like it at the moment.
In silence they make it to an old train station, dozens of people stood around on platforms chattering away about their plans to get home.
Cloud leads June onto a platform and over to one of the waiting trains, he goes into his pocket pulling out two slips of paper, the woman at the trains entrance smiles saying "welcome Mr. Strife. Cloud nods back at June before leading her onto the train.
June gasps, the train was truly a sight to behold.
Even more people sat on the train but their faces were set and their demeanor not as open as the people on the platform, a woman moved down the middle of the aisle with a small buggy carrying treats and drinks. On the bottom of the buggy sat a little girl who reached up every now and then stealing treats off the top.
Cloud moves forward taking the first seat available to him, June follows sitting across from him, he looks at her and she smiles.
"You said you didn't know anyone...what about that woman in the store?"
June shrugs saying "she just decided to help me."
Cloud turns to the window next to him not giving her anymore feedback, June places her hands on her lap looking down; it would be a long ride she could feel it.
"Whoa-whoa-whoa...looky what we have here!"
Cloud scoffs and June looks up to see two men standing above their seats with grins on their faces.
"Cloud," one of men shout holding out his hands.
June looks him over, he had the reddest hair she'd ever seen and it was in a messy ponytail down his back, the man next to him wore shades and his head was bald.
The man falls into the seat next to June, "long time no see yo!"
"Not long enough..."
The man grimaces, "ey ya don't have to be rude...eh...ey!"
June gasps at the man's sudden outburst, he leans out of the booth calling to the buggy woman, she scoffs walking over to them, the man grabs a bottle of water saying "yeah thanks."
He cracks open the water taking a long swig before holding it out to Cloud, "you don't have to be mean Cloud we're on the same side now."
"Heh-heh Reno don't be rude...I think we're interrupting something," the bald man mutters nodding to June.
Reno looks at June with a smile, "hey a cutie!"
June smiles saying "June."
Reno pushes his messy bangs back saying " Reno...hey cutie what are you doing with Cloud..."
June looks at Cloud who still watched the window with his melancholic gaze, she rubs her arm and he looks at her, she looks at Reno saying "we're...going to the bar."
Cloud rolls his eyes looking at the window again, "when is this train going to start."
Reno frowns looking at him and as he goes to speak the train starts up, June's eyes light up and she presses close to the window to watch the passing scenery.
"So Cloud, what are you doing in town, everybody knows you don't stick around here too long?"
Cloud looks at him, "why are you talking to me?"
Reno laughs and the other man does as well.
"Oh Cloud you never change...Rude and I just wanted to say hello...make some small talk but you're always the same," Reno mutters shaking his head.
Cloud cocks his head saying "really...tell me...why are you riding the train when Shinra provides you with vehicles."
Reno shakes his water bottle at Cloud saying "that's official business."
Rude nods shifting his gaze to the end of the car, he nudges Reno saying "look."
Reno turns in the seat to look at Rude watched, he snorts turning back to Cloud and June.
"Fucking punks...," he mutters taking another sip of his water.
June looks at him and he smiles at her, "sit back babe...Reno will keep you safe."
Cloud snorts and Reno narrows his eyes at him, he pats June on the arm before standing and he and Rude make their way down the car, June scoots to the edge of the seat peering around to watch them.
Reno takes a black stick off his side pointing it in the face of a young man, the man laughs looking back at his friends, June glances back at Cloud who watched the window again, she turns back to the debacle at the end of the train just in time to see one of man stand and push Reno into Rude.
"Stop it," the buggy woman shouts rushing down the car.
June gasps looking at Cloud again but this time he already watched, she scoots closer to the end of the seat only to fall forward onto the floor, she laughs to herself glancing back at Cloud who watched her with what looked like boredom. She sighs going to stand but another shout from the end of the train brings her to her knees again.
The men had gotten up and this time one of them held a red glowing orb in his hand, he bucks in Reno and Rude sending them onto the laps of the people across from them, the men suddenly begin running down the car, June gasps when they come toward her she tries to pull herself to her feet but they were coming too fast. Cloud stands yanking her into the booth, she falls into her seat and walks out of the booth following the men. June goes to peer out again but Reno and Rude running past her pushes her back into the booth, she rushes out into the car to see the men moving down the cars and further through the train. She glances back at the watching people before following.
Just as June makes it to the car they had taken their stand in a large explosion is set off at the end of the car, the back of the train is blown open and a large dragon appears at the end of the train.
"Aghh...what are we supposed to do now!?"
June looks at Reno who ran in the other direction of the dragon, the group of men crowd onto the back of the dragon.
"So long suckers," they yell in unison as the dragon pulls away from the train and the people in the train are yanked toward the opening, Cloud grunts digging his sword into the bottom of the train to hold himself in place. June falls into a seat nearly crushing her ribs in the process.
"Cloud," she calls reaching for him, he looks at her and he frowns.
Reno suddenly comes rolling down the car toward the hole in the train's end, June gasps when she stumbles forward falling into Cloud's sword, she holds her head; luckily it was the back-end.
"Rude...help," Reno sputters grabbing the leg of a seat, Rude nods launching himself forward only to throw himself off the train.
"Rude...noooooo," Reno shouts.
June turns getting to her knees, maybe she could do something to help, they couldn't hold out for much longer and who knew what would happen if they got thrown off the train like Rude, she struggles to her feet using Cloud's position in front of her to help her keep her balance.
She closes her eyes trying to think, what could she do?
"I'm...losing...my grip," Reno screams.
June opens her eyes saying "please...don't let go."
She looks at Cloud who still held firm to his sword but she could see his body beginning to shake, she pushes past him going to reach for Reno only to be thrown forward herself, she screams waiting for the long journey to the ground but it never comes. She groans when she hits a wall, Reno scoots forward when the pull of the train stops, Cloud loosens his grip on his sword turning to see June leaning against a large pale blue barrier, she moans holding her head.
Reno whimpers grabbing his face then running his hands down his cheeks to his chest, "I'm alive," he shouts throwing his fist into the air.
"All passengers going to Edge...we will be disembarking in five minutes...all passengers going to Edge gather your things."
Reno stands turning to look at the barrier as well, he folds his arms about to comment on it but his eyes widen and his face drains of color.
"Rude!"
He turns rushing through the train calling for the train to stop.
Cloud walks over to June who moans shaking her head, he bends down in front of her and she leans forward suddenly falling into his chest.
"Out," Cloud mutters shaking her gently, he looks up when the train slows to a stop and the barrier fades. He sighs getting to his feet, now his interest was picqued, she had no Materia that he could see and nothing outwardly special about her stood out to him either but she managed to create a barrier large enough to cover the train.
Cloud lifts her into his arms jumping off the end of the train.
Tifa looks up when Cloud kicks open the bar door, in his arms lay a sleeping June, Tifa tosses aside the dishrag walking over to them.
"What happened," she mutters folding her arms.
Cloud shrugs saying "she did something...that...she tired herself out I guess..."
Tifa quirks a brow when Cloud walks toward the stairs, Cloud and his short answers.
Before he goes up he pauses saying "Tifa...have you been to the church?"
Tifa shakes her head, "no...why?"
Cloud shakes his head walking up the stairs, Tifa shakes her head walking back around the bar and picking up the dishrag to finish washing the dishes.
Suddenly the door behind her slams open again making her drop the rag again in frustration, in two months the door had to be fixed five times, between Cid, Cloud, and Yuffie's kicks the door didn't stand a chance.
"Hey Tifa!"
Tifa turns to see Yuffie toting a large bag over her shoulder, she drops the bag on the bar as she falls onto a stool.
"Hello Yuffie...what brings you here this late," Tifa asks leaning against the bar.
Yuffie snorts and Tifa sighs, that's how Yuffie started all of her outlandish stories.
"Yeah well...you know how my dad and is crazy and stuff...well...he's tryin ta get me married!"
Tifa raises a brow, what was with all the marriage drama in the group.
"Like engaged and stuff to some fuddy duddy dude in Wutai...and I'm all like...heck no...not me...not Yuffie Kirasagi that greatest ninja in all the world...I'm all like come on man...I'm too young...too free...too-...and he's he's all like well that's the problem," Yuffie grumbles.
Yuffie flips her short hair before continuing her story.
"And I'm all like...not happening daddy-O...I'm a free bird ya know...and so...we argued for days...until I just and couldn't take it anymore...and I left so now-"
Tifa grimaces, she knew what was coming now, Yuffie did it every time she and her father got into it. Not that Tifa didn't like the company it was just that having Yuffie around was like having another child, she didn't clean up, cook or even bother to help and she still hadn't gotten over her kleptomania, instead of Materia she'd turned her obsession to random items from random angry people who randomly showed up at the bar for a random beating.
"You can stay," Tifa sighs.
Yuffie squeals grabbing her bag and rushing up stairs, Tifa puts a hand to her hip sighing.
"What did you do..." Cloud mutters looking June over who lay in bed still asleep, he sighs folding his arms, he turns walking over to the the empty dresser.
He had jobs to do with Cid so if she didn't wake up soon he didn't know when he would be able to get some answers from her, Cloud turns to leave but a loud stomping down the hall brings him to a halt.
"No," he whispers when he hears her, the very bane of his exsistence.
"Cloud...where ya at man!?"
Yuffie rushes down the hall past the room, Cloud breathes a sigh of relief but suddenly she backs back to the front of the door.
"Cloud," she shouts hugging him.
Cloud gently pushes her away and she sniggers, she turns to look at June and then she looks at Cloud again with a raised brow.
"Ooh a girlfriend...how cute," she teases poking him in the stomach.
Cloud scoffs walking past her out of the room, "she's not my girlfriend."
Yuffie follows saying "oh so who is she?"
Cloud shrugs, in truth he didn't really know but he had plans to find out.
"Her name is June...that's all I know," Cloud mutters walking into his bedroom.
Yuffie nods walking over but she stops at the threshold, Cloud had clearly taught her well.
"So...she's just a guest...sleeping in my favorite room!?"
Cloud narrows his eyes at her and she frowns, Cloud walks over to the door before shutting it in her face.
"Fine Cloud, keep being a jerk!"
Cloud sits on his bed shaking his head, he was happy to be leaving; he didn't have the patience for Yuffie at the moment.
Next: Learning More of the World