Chapter Two
Two Missing Children
"What is it, dear?"
Cloud turned around from the great window that over looked the Western plains that surrounded Midgar.. Tifa was standing there, her dressing gown glimering in the evening light.
"Oh, nothing," said Cloud, sighing as he spoke, "I was just thinking..."
"About what?" Tifa asked as she sat on the bed.
"Barret, Cid, Vincet, all of the old team. It's been almost a decade since we've actually seen them. Don't you think that's a little long? We don't even know if they're alive! For crying out loud, they could have dropped dead five years ago and we'd be none the wiser!"
"Oh, you worry to much," laughed Tifa, "I'm sure they're all fine. Come here and sit next to me, take a load off your feet."
"I'm sure they're fine too, but nine years is long time to be apart!" Cloud sat down next to Tifa on the foot of the bed. "I just want to see them again. I want it to be like old times again, you know what I mean?"
"Yeah, I do."
They both sat there, staring out emense window. Cloud had his eyes fixed on the tiny speck on the horizan line that was Kalm Town. He hadn't been there for years either. Not that he was unhappy living here with his family, but the world beckoned him, and he missed his friends. Cloud could almost hear the world calling to him to saddle up and set out again on new adventures. The evil was gone, but the ambition was still there, and still strong.
"Well," said Cloud at last, putting hims arm around Tifas shoulder, "let's turn in, all right, hon? It's been a long day today."
"Yeah," replied Tifa," I'll just go tuck the kids in."
When she tried to stand up, Cloud put a hand on her shoulder.
"I'll do it, it's been a while since I have anyway," spoke Cloud reverently. "I'm sure they'll want a story, and I've got a lot of those."
"OK, honey," said Tifa. Cloud turned and left the bed room. With a lot of effort they had managed to convert the whole top floor of the Shinra building into a luxruious penthouse. There were lush green plants everywhere, and the furniture was imported from Nibelheim. Nibelheim had become a major exporter nowadays with everything from teacups to tractors. He had heard from one of the people in the small part of Midgar that had been rebuilt that some supplies had been shipped to North Corel. Maybe Barret was fixing up the town.
Cloud figured Zack and Aeris, his son and daughter, would be in their beds, hopping up and down or talking about how much fun they had had that that and what they would do tommarow. Chuckling to himself, he opened the small door and entered their room.
"All right, kids, time to...."
The room was empty.
Cloud stared about the small room. Two beds, a large window like they had, a large toy chest in the center, numberous colorful drawings on the walls, and a two mirrors on the wall. With the exception the lack of occupants, the room seemed totally normal to him. Cloud thought that maybe they were in kitchen stealing a cookie or in the living playing with some toys. He left the room and headed the direction of the kitchen.
There was no sign of them in the kitchen, nor a sign that they had ever beent here (all the cookies were still in place). The living room was deserted, except for Tifas cat, Ruby. Now Cloud was actually worried. If they weren't anywhere in house, then they'd have to been somewhere in the city! If they were in city, who knows that kind of danger they could be in! It's true the only part of Midgar that was inhabitied was that small section that had been rebuilt, but who knows what creeps could lurk in the the ruined slums of the large city.
Without Mako energy, there wouldn't be any monsters. They were only there because of the energy that had drawn them to the great metal city. There was no more Shinra, so soldiers weren't a problem. However, some bum with a knife could be living in some old pipe down there, just waiting for some unlucky travler to come waltzing by. Clouds heart was pounding as he threw open the chest near the door to the elevator. The stairs were more safe, but he needed to get down there fast!
As he opened the chest, he gazed at its contents. His armor and old Buster sword sat there, untouched for nearly a decade. This was all he had left of his once great armory, the older Buster! His first and most trustworthy blade! Cloud slung the armor over his shoulder, then grabbed the blade. He stuck it into the sheath that drapped over his back, pushed back his hair (which was not so tall, anymore) and boarded the elevator.
For a moment, he was afraid it wouldn't work, but after a few seconds, it started to decsend down the long side of the building. At first, it was going very slowly, but then is began to pick up speed and he was halfway down before he even knew it.
Maybe I should have told Tifa, thought Cloud, she'll be scared when she finds both her kids, and her husband missing.
The elavator slowed down and stopped at the bottom. The doors parted, and an old bell gave a half hearted click. Cloud dashed out into the foyer and ran down the stairs, his sword clanging against the metal of his armor. Everything in this part of the building was not green. In fact, it was so old and destroyed, it seemed as if the top and bottom of the building were seperate structures entirely, instead of just differnt floors. Cloud hoped that eventually, all of Midgar would be green like his house was.
Then, after pushing back the doors whose glass panes had long since been blown away, Cloud stepped out unto the street. After glancing several times at what lay before him, Cloud dashed off into the city, calling out the names of little Zack and Aeris.
Two Missing Children
"What is it, dear?"
Cloud turned around from the great window that over looked the Western plains that surrounded Midgar.. Tifa was standing there, her dressing gown glimering in the evening light.
"Oh, nothing," said Cloud, sighing as he spoke, "I was just thinking..."
"About what?" Tifa asked as she sat on the bed.
"Barret, Cid, Vincet, all of the old team. It's been almost a decade since we've actually seen them. Don't you think that's a little long? We don't even know if they're alive! For crying out loud, they could have dropped dead five years ago and we'd be none the wiser!"
"Oh, you worry to much," laughed Tifa, "I'm sure they're all fine. Come here and sit next to me, take a load off your feet."
"I'm sure they're fine too, but nine years is long time to be apart!" Cloud sat down next to Tifa on the foot of the bed. "I just want to see them again. I want it to be like old times again, you know what I mean?"
"Yeah, I do."
They both sat there, staring out emense window. Cloud had his eyes fixed on the tiny speck on the horizan line that was Kalm Town. He hadn't been there for years either. Not that he was unhappy living here with his family, but the world beckoned him, and he missed his friends. Cloud could almost hear the world calling to him to saddle up and set out again on new adventures. The evil was gone, but the ambition was still there, and still strong.
"Well," said Cloud at last, putting hims arm around Tifas shoulder, "let's turn in, all right, hon? It's been a long day today."
"Yeah," replied Tifa," I'll just go tuck the kids in."
When she tried to stand up, Cloud put a hand on her shoulder.
"I'll do it, it's been a while since I have anyway," spoke Cloud reverently. "I'm sure they'll want a story, and I've got a lot of those."
"OK, honey," said Tifa. Cloud turned and left the bed room. With a lot of effort they had managed to convert the whole top floor of the Shinra building into a luxruious penthouse. There were lush green plants everywhere, and the furniture was imported from Nibelheim. Nibelheim had become a major exporter nowadays with everything from teacups to tractors. He had heard from one of the people in the small part of Midgar that had been rebuilt that some supplies had been shipped to North Corel. Maybe Barret was fixing up the town.
Cloud figured Zack and Aeris, his son and daughter, would be in their beds, hopping up and down or talking about how much fun they had had that that and what they would do tommarow. Chuckling to himself, he opened the small door and entered their room.
"All right, kids, time to...."
The room was empty.
Cloud stared about the small room. Two beds, a large window like they had, a large toy chest in the center, numberous colorful drawings on the walls, and a two mirrors on the wall. With the exception the lack of occupants, the room seemed totally normal to him. Cloud thought that maybe they were in kitchen stealing a cookie or in the living playing with some toys. He left the room and headed the direction of the kitchen.
There was no sign of them in the kitchen, nor a sign that they had ever beent here (all the cookies were still in place). The living room was deserted, except for Tifas cat, Ruby. Now Cloud was actually worried. If they weren't anywhere in house, then they'd have to been somewhere in the city! If they were in city, who knows that kind of danger they could be in! It's true the only part of Midgar that was inhabitied was that small section that had been rebuilt, but who knows what creeps could lurk in the the ruined slums of the large city.
Without Mako energy, there wouldn't be any monsters. They were only there because of the energy that had drawn them to the great metal city. There was no more Shinra, so soldiers weren't a problem. However, some bum with a knife could be living in some old pipe down there, just waiting for some unlucky travler to come waltzing by. Clouds heart was pounding as he threw open the chest near the door to the elevator. The stairs were more safe, but he needed to get down there fast!
As he opened the chest, he gazed at its contents. His armor and old Buster sword sat there, untouched for nearly a decade. This was all he had left of his once great armory, the older Buster! His first and most trustworthy blade! Cloud slung the armor over his shoulder, then grabbed the blade. He stuck it into the sheath that drapped over his back, pushed back his hair (which was not so tall, anymore) and boarded the elevator.
For a moment, he was afraid it wouldn't work, but after a few seconds, it started to decsend down the long side of the building. At first, it was going very slowly, but then is began to pick up speed and he was halfway down before he even knew it.
Maybe I should have told Tifa, thought Cloud, she'll be scared when she finds both her kids, and her husband missing.
The elavator slowed down and stopped at the bottom. The doors parted, and an old bell gave a half hearted click. Cloud dashed out into the foyer and ran down the stairs, his sword clanging against the metal of his armor. Everything in this part of the building was not green. In fact, it was so old and destroyed, it seemed as if the top and bottom of the building were seperate structures entirely, instead of just differnt floors. Cloud hoped that eventually, all of Midgar would be green like his house was.
Then, after pushing back the doors whose glass panes had long since been blown away, Cloud stepped out unto the street. After glancing several times at what lay before him, Cloud dashed off into the city, calling out the names of little Zack and Aeris.