2. Face From The Past
She looked terrified as she stared at the two
suited figures, one male and one female. Cloud eyes narrowed as he pulled out
the Executioner. From way she was looking at them she knew who they
were, obviously she's known them for a long time.
"Turks." He hissed pulling himself
into a ready stance. Aeris scared as hell quickly unhooked her Guard Stick ,
not really in the mood for a fight.
"Strife. Long time no see." The man
said as he removed a night stick from its holder.
"I'll handle this" Cloud murmured
to Aeris before looking at the man before him. A cold blue fire showing in his
eyes. "Not long enough Reno." The Executioner still in
position guarding his midsection from the hidden danger he knew his enemy
possessed.
"Reno, who is this guy?" The woman
asked.
"Ever heard of Cloud Strife,
Elena?" Reno asked her.
"Yea. Sephiroth's second in
command." She replied. "He went M.I.A. at Nibelheim."
"Well it doesn't look like it." He
replied as he looked into his opponents eyes. "Stay out of this
Strife."
"I don't think so. You're scaring my
friend here." He replied as four SOLDIER Third-Class appeared behind them.
However they seemed a bit reluctant to fight after seeing Cloud with the Executioner
ready to strike. Two of the SOLDIERs moved but Cloud was waiting for them, the Executioner
caught one on the stomach before being twisted and used to wrenched the others
weapon out of his hand. "Aeris grab the sword!"
"But I can't use it." She replied.
"Trust me." She did as he asked.
"Take out the Materia and put it into your staff." He avoided another
as he swung his weapon taking off ones arm.
'Thunder'
The young woman used the Lightning
Materia with ease as she took out one of the SOLDIERs behind Cloud. The he had
a thought, he grabbed Aeris gently by the arm and led her back into the Church.
"Is there any way to get onto the roof?"
"Yes you can get through the back."
They started running Cloud allowing Aeris to lead the way, as they reached the
stairs he saw the remains of the Turks party come after them. They climbed the
stairs and reached a large gap. "What do we do now?"
"Well we can't let them catch us can
we?" Cloud put his hand around her waist before he launched them across
the gap making it perfectly. "Come on up the stairs." As she finished
climbing Cloud slashed the top of the steps and quickly brought his blade along
the steps spitting the staircase in half. He led her out onto the Church roof,
where they hid out of sight until they were gone.
"Ha, ha." Aeris started laughing
half-heartedly. "They're after me again."
"Again. That means this isn't the first
time they've been after you?" Cloud was shocked.
"No, it isn't." She replied.
"Those two in the suits were members of
the Turks. They usually search out candidates for SOLDIER." Cloud replied
looking off the roof to make sure it was safe.
"That violently?" She replied.
"Well they're also involved with a lot
of other things too. They do all of Shinra's dirty work." Cloud said
looking around.
"They look like it." She replied
checking her new Materia.
"But why are they after you?" Cloud
asked.
"I don't know." There was something
in her voice he could tell she was lying, but he didn't respond to it.
"Maybe they think I have what it takes to join SOLDIER."
Somehow he didn't think so. "Maybe, do
you want to join?"
"I don't know… But I do know that I
don't want to be caught by those people."
"Alright we better get you home."
Cloud said as he started to jump the roofs. She followed him as he seemed to
easily leap over the gaps. She however was not doing so well.
"Hold on!" She shouted to him as he
arrived on a roof. She carried on after him to see him stop. "Wait! Don't
leave me."
"Funny I thought you had what it takes
to join SOLDIER?" He said with a hint of teasing in his voice.
"Oh you're terrible!" They both
suddenly broke into laughter. "Cloud were you in SOLDIER?"
"Yea… Or I used to be. But how did you
know?" He was interested there was more to this young woman than he first
realised.
"Your eyes have a strange glow."
She replied.
"Mako induced eyes, a sign of SOLDIER
but how do you know that?" Well it wasn't 100% true but…
"Oh nothing." She replied.
"Nothing?" Cloud this time didn't
hold back his curiosity.
"Right nothing." She said again.
"Now lets move bodyguard!" They made it off the roofs to an area near
the entrance to Sector 6.
"Which way?" Cloud asked her.
She looked in both directions getting her
bearings. "This way." She started towards the town. "She led him
past the Church again where he picked up the Materia that was left from their
battle. 2 Lightning, 2 Ice and 3 Restore Materias, all
level two, like his. He smiled before placing them into his Materia pouch.
"By the way what did you take off that Hardedge?"
Cloud asked her.
"What?" She asked.
"What Materia did you take out of that
sword?" He replied.
"Oh. Ice and Lightning."
She replied.
He took out the Titan Bangle he
found in the church by his sword and a Restore Materia and passed it to
her. "Here just in case." He explained.
"Thanks." They started towards the
main village of Sector 5 slums. The place like the rest of the slums was run
down, with a taste of what this town would have been without the plate. They
headed past all of the houses and shops to a house that stood out, it looked
pleasant and well kept with a garden that anywhere else. The sight was
unbelievable as Cloud moved through the garden looking around and picking up
the odd item and the piece of All Materia he found. "Do you like
it."
"It's beautiful." Cloud replied. As
he felt the petal of a white rose.
"Come on lets go in." She replied.
"Pardon?" Cloud replied as he moved
to her.
"At least allow me to let you have
something to eat for what you did back there. I never have known anyone to
stand up to the Turks before." She replied.
"Well no one has ever had the same
history as me." Cloud said as he looked up to where the sky should be.
"Really?" She asked.
"It's a long story." He replied.
"Maybe one day you'll tell me it."
She smiled back.
'What does she mean by that?' he thought.
You will see.
That voice again. It seemed to come to him at
important points in his life but he had never heard it as much as he was hearing
it now. He wondered why. They entered the house Aeris leading the way.
"Mom I'm home!" She called out as
she led Cloud into the room.
"Hello dear." Aeris' mother called
as she came down the stairs.
"Mom I'd like you to meet Cloud Strife.
My bodyguard." She introduced him
"Oh my! Were you followed again"
Her mother asked to which Aeris nodded then she asked. "Are you
hurt?"
"No mom I had Cloud with me." She
replied.
"Thank you Cloud. Let me introduce
myself, I'm Elmyra Gainsbrough, Aeris' mother." She introduced herself.
"A pleasure to meet you Mrs
Gainsbrough." Cloud said as he bowed his head.
"My, my a man with manners? That is a
rare sight these days." She stated as she began to walk away.
"So Cloud what are you going to do
now?" Aeris asked.
"Well I have to return to the Seventh
Heaven bar in Sector seven." Cloud stated.
"Right… Sector seven… To get to Sector
Seven you have to go through Sector six. Sector six is a dangerous place
especially if you don't know where you're going." She replied.
"I'll be alright. Tomorrow can you show
me how to get to Sector six." He asked.
"Of course." She smiled. "Oh
the Materia you gave me…"
"You keep it." He told her with a
smile.
"Thank you." She said as her mother
came down the stairs.
"Aeris can you go and make your
bed." Elmyra asked her daughter.
"Sure mom." With that Elmyra
watched her go upstairs, when she was gone she turned to Cloud.
"Cloud I have a favour to ask." She
started Cloud didn't like the way this was sounding. "When you leave
tomorrow I want you to take Aeris with you." … That wasn't what he
expected Aeris' mom to say.
"Pardon." He asked.
"Cloud for the past thirteen years of
Aeris life she's been hunted down by the Turks. Please don't ask me why, I
don't have the right to tell you. All I know is that you faced off the Turks by
yourself. I trust that you can look after her better than I can." She
said.
"Mrs Gainsbrough you don't even know who
I am or what I do. How can you trust me just like that?" He asked.
"I can't explain it now, just promise me
that you'll do it." She said.
"I'll think about it." He replied
as he headed upstairs.
"Cloud." He turned to her to see
the sad look in her eyes. "Please."
He couldn't take it anymore. "Alright if
she will come, I'll take her with me." He smiled.
"Thank you." She replied.
"Your welcome." 'S#&t why don't
I think about these things before answering?' He thought as he began to climb
the stairwell. 'Aw well.'
"Cloud your room is ready." He
heard Aeris state as he appeared at the top of the stairs. He nodded his reply
as he headed to the room she showed. "Cloud?" She said as he reached
the door, he turned towards her. "Good night." She smiled as she
headed down the stairs.
3. Night Raid
'So why are we here?'
'We are here to make sure none
of our SOLDIERs are doing things they shouldn't be.'
'I don't understand.'
'This is a red light district.'
'… … Ah.'
'I'll go into Wall Market, you
check over in that area.'
-FLASH-
'Where are you going?'
'To see my girl Cloud.'
'Zack I wouldn't if I were you,
Sephiroth is on the warpath.'
-FLASH-
He woke up suddenly disturbed by the dream,
he didn't put much thought into it.
'Prepare yourself.'
The voice. He quickly changed into his
clothing, his hand brushing the sword wound on his stomach. But he had no time to
ponder, no time to realise what was going on. As he quickly grabbed the Executioner
and headed out the doors to her room. He moved to her door silently. He paused
at the door, contemplating what fate had planed for him. After a second he
didn't give it another thought as he knocked.
She answered the door to see him fully kited
out as if he was ready to leave. He seemed surprised to see her fully dressed.
"I couldn't sleep." She tried to explain.
"Oh you don't have to explain to
me." He smiled as she let him in.
"Couldn't sleep either?" She asked.
"Yea." He replied
"You carry that sword everywhere with
you don't you?" She jibbed him as he looked at the weapon attached to his
back.
"Well I feel naked without it." He
replied as he looked out the window. "Aeris?"
"Yea?" She asked.
"Is there any other way out of this
house?"
"What?"
"Look out the window." She quickly
grabbed her Guard Stick and looked out.
"They're here?" She asked.
"It looks like it. As I said is there
any other way out?" He repeated the question.
"Yea through that door is the balcony we
can use it to get back into the town." She replied as she opened the door.
"We can just climb down the piping."
"No time." He replied as he gripped
her waist and jumped off the balcony, grabbing a tree branch in the garden and
then dropping to the ground. After a second Cloud led the flower girl into the
cover of darkness.
---
Elmyra watched the young man led her daughter
into the darkness of Sector 6 from the kitchen window smiling, at last Aeris
would be free from the confines of her home. She turned as the door was forced
open and Tseng of the Turks entered the house however before he could speak she
took the initiative. "If you're looking for Aeris, you're too late. She's
not coming back." She cried at Tseng facing the fact she may never see
Aeris again.
---
Cloud and Aeris entered the playground near
the entrance to Sector 7 deciding to relax a bit. Aeris looked around the
playground she used to frequently visit as a child. She sighed as she climbed
up the slide. "What am I going to do now Cloud?"
"Well I hate to tell you this but I
don't think home is an option anymore." He replied.
"No I doubt it." She said sadly.
"Well…" She turned to him. "If
you want you can stay with me. I mean it may not any safer but at least you
won't be alone."
"Well okay." She gave him one of
her smiles. "What now?"
"Now we head for the hideout."
End of Chapter 3
