Chapter 2 "Trying to Find an Old Friend"
After about a day of traveling on foot, Cloud and Tifa were nearing Rocket Town. The two needed rest so they decided to set up a camp in the most flat part of the plains they could find. After building a crude lean- to and setting up a small fire, Cloud decided to practice with his sword.
Cloud was an expert with his weapon, the Buster Sword. As he slashed the sword about in the air, the faint bursting sound of the air being displaced was heard. Cloud never lost any grace as he attacked phantom targets. He was as steady as a weighing balance, never tilting too far in one direction or another, always careful to keep his eyes scanning for possible openings.
As he put his weapon down, Cloud saw his wife sitting next to the fire. She appeared cold. Cloud sat down next to Tifa and put his arm around her.
"I don't understand what is going on," Tifa said. This strangely reminded Cloud of the beginning of their adventure two years ago. How nothing seemed entirely clear until the very end.
"That's what we will find out. As soon as we get to Rocket Town we can get a ride to Midgar and find out about what's really going on." Cloud said in calm, relaxing voice to his wife.
"Do you think Cid will be there?" Tifa asked.
Cid. The mechanic, pilot, and shipbuilder never failed to stick by Cloud during the times of need those years ago. Cloud actually hoped the grumpy old man would be there. It would be good to see an old friend, he thought.
"Perhaps, we could use some help in shedding some light on this mystery hmm?" But Tifa was unable to hear Cloud now, for she was fast asleep, his shoulder acting as her pillow.
"Goodnight Tifa."
* * *
As Cloud ran down the steep hill, he breathed in the fresh mountain air, which made him feel happy to be alive. As Cloud reached the bottom of one of the small hills along the Nibel Mountains he thought he heard something, a voice.
"So, reverting to the old days."
Cloud seemed afraid but cried out in response, "Who's there?"
"Once again you fail to foresee what may be the end of you, how foolish."
A bright white light suddenly flashed, and Cloud looked up into a blackened sky, dimly lit by the sun.
"What is this?" Cloud asked.
"Whatever you want it to be. Be it happy . or sad."
"Who are you?" Cloud questioned again.
"Do you think that Aeris is really alive Cloud?"
"Maybe."
"Be mindful of the things to come Cloud."
"Okay," said Cloud, not ever quite sure what the voice was talking about.
* * *
Cloud awoke to a harsh scream, barely identifiable as Tifa's voice. He grabbed his sword and ran to see what was wrong. When he arrived beside his wife's side he found; she was being surrounded by wolves. The wolves were bearing their sharp teeth, and they looked like they would pounce at any given moment. This prompted Cloud to act quickly.
Without so much as a thought, Cloud rushed at one of the wolves, armed with his sword and skills. The first fell quickly, probably not even feeling the blade slice through its midsection with extreme accuracy. The others were not so lucky. One of the wolves pounced at Cloud, but was quickly deflected away as Cloud raised his sword to a blocking position.
Now that Tifa was free from being encircled by the wolves, she had joined in the fight as well, using her martial arts skills to fend her bloodthirsty adversaries. She kicked one in the torso, causing it to fly backwards and roll for ten feet until it stopped. Another had raced at her, but she was ready as kneeled down and swiped her leg across the running wolf's feet. This caused the wolf to trip and lose balance and also run into another wolf not too far away.
Meanwhile, Cloud was doing well on his own. He had already killed four of the beasts, and was now preparing to slice up the fifth. Before he could, another wolf came up and bit him in the leg. Cloud gritted his teeth at the pain and continued his attack, which only scraped a portion of skin off the wolf. As he was about to finish off his fifth opponent, another beast came rushing up behind him. This time Cloud was on guard and quickly slashed his sword in the wolf's direction, cutting it cleanly in two pieces.
No more wolves were to be seen. Cloud ran around for a minute searching for Tifa, until he found here fighting two wolves. Tifa had cuts all over but what troubled Cloud most was a large gash in her forehead. He was not about to have his wife taken by infernal beasts of the plains. Cloud drew his Buster Sword and rained down upon the wolves without warning. The first one died instantly as the large sword shattered its spine. The second was quickly dispatched as well. Cloud then turned to his wife and began to tend to her wounds. Not having any bandages or other medical tools, Cloud sheathed his sword and a yellow aura grew around him. As he pressed his hands together, the aura left him and appeared near his hands in the form of little green sparkles. The sparkles then left his hands and fluttered over Tifa, who instantly looked better.
"Thank the blessed heavens for the ancients." Cloud said in a prayer.
After about a day of traveling on foot, Cloud and Tifa were nearing Rocket Town. The two needed rest so they decided to set up a camp in the most flat part of the plains they could find. After building a crude lean- to and setting up a small fire, Cloud decided to practice with his sword.
Cloud was an expert with his weapon, the Buster Sword. As he slashed the sword about in the air, the faint bursting sound of the air being displaced was heard. Cloud never lost any grace as he attacked phantom targets. He was as steady as a weighing balance, never tilting too far in one direction or another, always careful to keep his eyes scanning for possible openings.
As he put his weapon down, Cloud saw his wife sitting next to the fire. She appeared cold. Cloud sat down next to Tifa and put his arm around her.
"I don't understand what is going on," Tifa said. This strangely reminded Cloud of the beginning of their adventure two years ago. How nothing seemed entirely clear until the very end.
"That's what we will find out. As soon as we get to Rocket Town we can get a ride to Midgar and find out about what's really going on." Cloud said in calm, relaxing voice to his wife.
"Do you think Cid will be there?" Tifa asked.
Cid. The mechanic, pilot, and shipbuilder never failed to stick by Cloud during the times of need those years ago. Cloud actually hoped the grumpy old man would be there. It would be good to see an old friend, he thought.
"Perhaps, we could use some help in shedding some light on this mystery hmm?" But Tifa was unable to hear Cloud now, for she was fast asleep, his shoulder acting as her pillow.
"Goodnight Tifa."
* * *
As Cloud ran down the steep hill, he breathed in the fresh mountain air, which made him feel happy to be alive. As Cloud reached the bottom of one of the small hills along the Nibel Mountains he thought he heard something, a voice.
"So, reverting to the old days."
Cloud seemed afraid but cried out in response, "Who's there?"
"Once again you fail to foresee what may be the end of you, how foolish."
A bright white light suddenly flashed, and Cloud looked up into a blackened sky, dimly lit by the sun.
"What is this?" Cloud asked.
"Whatever you want it to be. Be it happy . or sad."
"Who are you?" Cloud questioned again.
"Do you think that Aeris is really alive Cloud?"
"Maybe."
"Be mindful of the things to come Cloud."
"Okay," said Cloud, not ever quite sure what the voice was talking about.
* * *
Cloud awoke to a harsh scream, barely identifiable as Tifa's voice. He grabbed his sword and ran to see what was wrong. When he arrived beside his wife's side he found; she was being surrounded by wolves. The wolves were bearing their sharp teeth, and they looked like they would pounce at any given moment. This prompted Cloud to act quickly.
Without so much as a thought, Cloud rushed at one of the wolves, armed with his sword and skills. The first fell quickly, probably not even feeling the blade slice through its midsection with extreme accuracy. The others were not so lucky. One of the wolves pounced at Cloud, but was quickly deflected away as Cloud raised his sword to a blocking position.
Now that Tifa was free from being encircled by the wolves, she had joined in the fight as well, using her martial arts skills to fend her bloodthirsty adversaries. She kicked one in the torso, causing it to fly backwards and roll for ten feet until it stopped. Another had raced at her, but she was ready as kneeled down and swiped her leg across the running wolf's feet. This caused the wolf to trip and lose balance and also run into another wolf not too far away.
Meanwhile, Cloud was doing well on his own. He had already killed four of the beasts, and was now preparing to slice up the fifth. Before he could, another wolf came up and bit him in the leg. Cloud gritted his teeth at the pain and continued his attack, which only scraped a portion of skin off the wolf. As he was about to finish off his fifth opponent, another beast came rushing up behind him. This time Cloud was on guard and quickly slashed his sword in the wolf's direction, cutting it cleanly in two pieces.
No more wolves were to be seen. Cloud ran around for a minute searching for Tifa, until he found here fighting two wolves. Tifa had cuts all over but what troubled Cloud most was a large gash in her forehead. He was not about to have his wife taken by infernal beasts of the plains. Cloud drew his Buster Sword and rained down upon the wolves without warning. The first one died instantly as the large sword shattered its spine. The second was quickly dispatched as well. Cloud then turned to his wife and began to tend to her wounds. Not having any bandages or other medical tools, Cloud sheathed his sword and a yellow aura grew around him. As he pressed his hands together, the aura left him and appeared near his hands in the form of little green sparkles. The sparkles then left his hands and fluttered over Tifa, who instantly looked better.
"Thank the blessed heavens for the ancients." Cloud said in a prayer.
