Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy. Not the characters, not the scenarios, except that which is from my brainchild.

Cloud came to slowly. He sat up and put his arms on his knees and his hands together. He had just recovered recently from a Stigma attack...didn't he.

He took a look at his surroundings. He was in the Nibelheim Inn he and Zack had been staying at seven years ago. He was sitting up on the same bed he was laying in the day before Sephiroth locked himself in the the Shin-Ra mansion. Cloud couldn't help but notice the infantryman uniform he was wearing that day as well.

"Tifa's in trouble, y'know," a voice too familiar to forget.

Cloud turned to the bed beside his own. There was Zack Fair, the last SOLDIER 1st Class, the man that saved Cloud's life two years ago. Maybe a bit more than that. Zack was in his usual carefree posture and the nostalgic 1st Class uniform.

Cloud was confused. "How can this be happening? You're dead...right? And I thought only Aerith and Sephiroth (or at least I think he can) could talk to me from the Lifestream. Wait...what do you mean Tifa's in trouble?"

Zack laughed hysterically. "Same old Cloud: always asking me questions." After he recomposed himself, he continued. "Yeah, I'm dead. Yes, fortunately Aerith can; unfortunately, Sephiroth can too (I mean, he's an Ancient too, after all), but I can speak to you thanks to Aerith. Tifa, however...you remember those guys that attacked you in the wasteland earlier today? Well, the strong, burly one came there looking for his 'Mother?' She told him no one is there 'cept her and Marlene that is. Don't worry, she didn't forget you. Apparently this guy wanted someone to 'play with,' so Tifa is currently abliging him."

Cloud looked shocked. If he couldn't beat him, how could Tifa. Not that he was insulting her skill, but he's way out of her league. These guys...Kadaj's gang as Rufus called them, they're like SOLDIERs, but something else. Wait. Cloud was alone back there. Maybe...maybe together they can at least drive him off.

"I gotta go."

Zack chuckled. "Okay. Be seein' ya in your visions and dreams, if Aerith lets me."

Cloud nodded. He got up off the bed. As he approached the door, he faltered and turned around. "Hey. Thanks."

"No problem." Zack stood up and hugged his best friend. No, his brother. Zack released him out of the quick embrace and put his hands on Cloud's shoulders. "Like it, or not. You and me...we're brothers now. Okay, bro?"

Cloud nodded and put on a slight smile. He felt himself draw back to the present.

"Tell her after this is all over. It'll be alright."

Cloud opened his eyes to the scene in front of him. Tifa was holding off the brute of the gang. He turned his head to see Marlene hiding behind some broken part of the church.

Tifa had just landed after throwing the strongest of the three men with a striking resemblance of Sephiroth. Marlene started to run to her. All movement stopped at the sound of a fanfare. It sounded like it was coming from a phone.

It's not over yet, Cloud thought.

The brute exploded from the destroyed bench that was covering him. Cloud took this as an opportunity to stand up without being noticed, carefully making sure that the floor wouldn't creak.

The man pulled out the ringing phone, opened it, and put it to his ear. "She's not here...I'm not crying! ...No, I got it. I'll bring the girl." He clicked it shut and put it in his pocket. He looked to be setting his weapon to the highest setting. "Where were we?"

Tifa put on a defensive look. The man kicked a bench, which Tifa expertly broke with her mere arm. The brute had done a bit of a phasing motion and circled behind her with the weapon aimed at Tifa's abdomen. Cloud leapt forward. The man seemed to notice and activated the gauntlet. He watched in slow motion as Tifa was slammed against a pillar full force. She fell to the church's floor.

Cloud's blood boiled with anger. He wasn't even sure of the yell he heard was coming from him. It had been a long while since he had felt like this. Cloud swiftly unsheathes his sword and slammed it into the assailant.

The brute's back sharply bounced against the wall at the end of the cathedral. Cloud leapt up to him. He grabbed the silver-haired man and threw him towards the exit. To ensure that he wouldn't try to leap back at him, Cloud sent Meteorain at him.

Cloud landed in the aisle and slowly stalked to the recovering brute. Just as the man was about to get up, Cloud kicked him outside. The man recovered smoothly from his roll and hopped on his bike and took off. "Name's Loz, brother."

Cloud yelled after him, "Tell Kadaj to stay the hell away from my family!" He didn't realize he was breathing so heavily.

"Cloud!"

Marlene! Cloud ran back into the church. He scanned the room making sure that there were no more of them. Once there was no danger in sight, Cloud put his sword back in its harness and ran to Tifa and Marlene.

"Is she alright?" the girl asked the ex-SOLDIER.

Cloud put his finger to her pulse. He felt it. Cloud nodded. "Yeah. Just passed out." Cloud sighed.

"Cloud?"

"Hm?"

"He took the box."

Cloud inhaled sharply. He looked to where the metal crate that was full of materia had been sitting. Sure enough, it was gone.

"Damn," Cloud cursed under his breath.

Once again, the Stigma on his left arm attacked. This time with a vengeance. This was worse than last time. Black ooze was actually pouring down his arm. Cloud groaned repeatedly in pain. Yet again, he passed out on the church floor.

The truck ride was long and bumpy. What did Denzel expect from a wasteland? The sun was setting. He looked up from his lap to the Moogle girl sitting across from him.

"So who's gonna fix us?" he asked her.

"I dunno."

Denzel sighed softly. "Whatever. Like it matters anymore."

The girl looked at Denzel's appearance. He seemed to be well-taken care of.

"Who's been keeping you around?"

Denzel wondered whether or not to tell her. In the end, he decided to trust her. "Tifa Lockhart and Cloud Strife."

"The heroes of the Planet?"

Denzel shrugged. "There's also a girl living there. Marlene. They're watching her for their friend, Barret."

The girl nodded. "Why were you by yourself?"

Denzel took a while to answer. "Cloud left a few months ago. I think he left because of me. But, Marlene and Tifa went to that church in the slums and found he was staying there, so they're waiting for him."

"Sounds like you all really care for each other."

"Yeah..." Denzel was silent for a moment. "We'll be together again. This time, we'll be happy."

They stayed silent for a while again. She decided to break the silence. " What's your name?"

"Denzel."

"I'm Mei."

Denzel has made his first new friend.

"What happened to you Mei?"

"Well, one day, I went to sleep and everything looked good. The next morning, my bed was stained with black liquid and my shoulder to my neck was covered in black bruises. My parents got scared and threw me out. My little brother got it, too. He and I lived on the streets, but he died. His body wasn't strong enough. I can't even tell if I'll survive."

Denzel put a hand on her good shoulder. "You gotta. We've gotta survive. For our families."

Mei smiled and nodded.

Question: Do you want Tifa to go with Cloud to the Forgotten City? Let me know. If not, I'll just randomly pick.