"How long was I out?" Cloud wondered as he woke up and surveyed the area. It wasn't prison, or at least it didn't look like prison, and it wasn't any place he recognized. Tifa looked better now that the guards were reassigned to guard the front entrance because of a threat of an attack. Cloud tried to remember how he got there but all he remembered was the big lump on the back of his head given to him after the attack began. He tried to get up and started to search around, but he couldn't move. "How long was I out?" he thought out loud. "Too long, I didn't think you were ever going to wake." A man appeared from the shadows. He was wearing a red robe with armor underneath. His hair was short and spiky, jet black, and a piece hung down his forehead. His one arm was in a sling, while his other carried a great big sword in his hand.
"Who are you?"
"You don't recognize me?"
"No."
"Oh boy, I guess I may have gotten the wrong guy, you are Tidus right?"
The look Cloud gave him told him that he was most definitely not Tidus. "Well then if you aren't Tidus, then who are you?"
"I'm Cloud."
"Cloud you know as in Cloud Strife?"
"You are Cloud Strife? You are in our history books as the greatest swordsman ever. Is it true?"
"No, my opponent was the greatest swordsman ever. He's only a memory in my mind now though."
"Now back to my first question, who are you?"
"My apologies, my name is Auron and it is a great pleasure meeting you. Tidus is a lot like you, some even say he is your reincarnation, though I don't believe so. But now that I see you, I am not so sure."
"Well, if he is then I feel sorry for him, no one should have to go through what I went through. I tried to put my past behind me but it seems to just keep catching up to me."
He looked at the sleeping Tifa lying on a bed hurriedly tossed into the floor. Blood was covering both mattresses. Tifa stirred. "How long have you been Married?" "13 years." It was an answer he was proud of. Nothing would hurt him more than to lose Tifa. The bed stirred again. "Cloud?" The barely audible voice landed softly on his ears. At a moment's notice he was by her side. "You have to find our son Denzel. Only he can help Amaroq now, you will won't you, Cloud?" "Yes," Cloud looked to Auron for help, and Auron agreed to come along until he found Tidus. Cloud gave Tifa a goodbye kiss, and followed Auron out.
