CHAPTER TWO
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------
Cloud awoke the next morning. He looked around the room," Where is everyone?", he thought to himself. He stood up and put on his clothes, yawned, and grabbed his sword. He walked over to the pinball machine and pressed the hidden button. When he arrived at the top Tifa, Aeris, and Barret were all sitting at a table talking.
" Hey, whats up?", Cloud asked, taking a seat.
Tifa turned and looked at him," Nothing, just thinking of what we're gonna do next.", She said with a smile.
Cloud turned his head toward Aeris. She was a beautiful girl, the same age as Cloud, she had brown hair and the prettiest green eyes that would steal your mind in their gaze.
" Cloud, what are you staring at?", Aeris said with a look of confusion on her face," Do I have something on me...what is it?"
" Uh...oh...it was nothing.", Cloud reassured her.
Tifa glared at the both of them. She had been in love with Cloud for years but was afraid to tell him, and when he met Aeris they both hit it off so well, this angered her.
" Excuse me lover boy...", a loud voice boomed.
It was Barret, the former leader of AVALANCHE, he had a look of concern upon his face.
" Would you mind getting your spikey ass out of here if your gonna distract the ladies?", he said grinning.
Cloud turned and looked at him, " Heh heh...sorry Barret...", he said leaning back in his seat. Barret looked at cloud.
" Ok, we were just discussing when and how we're gonna go after Sephiroth.", Barret said, putting his hand on his cheek. Barret had lost his other hand to some lowly Shinra guards back at his home town.
Cloud sat still in his chair, should he tell them about his memory? What if they didn't believe him? If they did, would they help him search? " Of course they would...", he thought to himself.
" Guys...I have something to say...", Cloud said looking at each of them.
" What is it?", Tifa asked quickly.
" I had a memory..."
" A memory, I thought we cured your scrawny ass of those?", Barret said sternly.
Aeris looked at Barret," Shut up...I swear...men these days."
Cloud chuckled and returned to informing his party.
" It was...a memory...about Zack...", He said looking at Aeris, who flinched at the sound of his name.
" It was...of the day he died...", Cloud continued,"...I think he's still alive..."
" THATS REDICULOUS!!!", Aeris screamed, tears starting to come from her eyes.
Zack was her first love. She had met him in the slums when she was a young girl and they dated while he was in SOLDIER, Shinra's program to create ultimate warriors. They had normally kept a close relationship with one another, talking, writing letters, seeing each other in person, untill finally his letters stopped and she heard from him no more.
" It's true...", said a voice from the door.
Everyone turned around to see who it was.
" ZACK!", Aeris screamed, running toward him, tears running down her face," Zack...I thought you were dead. Why did you not contact me...or...Cloud."
Zack looked towards Cloud.
" Still the same...", He said with a smile.
Cloud stood up, bewildered at the sight before his eyes. Was it really Zack, his old partner and best friend from SOLDIER.
" Zack...is it...really you?", Cloud asked staring into the man's cold mako blue eyes, " It is you."
" Yeah, its me Cloud. Long time no see eh?", Zack said, still embracing Aeris.
He released Aeris and walked toward Cloud.
" I came to talk to you, y'know...visit. I know I've missed out on a lot, but...I want to be with my friend.", Zack said looking at Cloud," I've also come to inform you about the group I was travelling with. The Black Hand."
Barret walked towards them both.
" Who the hell are they and how the hell do we know your still not with them?", he said carefully examining Zack.
" I assure you, my...", Zack looked up,"...My big friend, that I am no longer travelling with them. To answer your first question..."
Zack walked over to the table, grabbed a chair, and sat down.
" The Black Hand is an Anti-AVALANCHE group started in the outskirts of the plains just south of the old town of Mideel. They are highly dangerous, and are looking for you.", Zack said staring at Barret.
" Looking for us...?", Tifa said abruptly.
Zack looked at her.
" Ahh so you must be Tifa, Cloud had told me a lot about you back when we were in SOLDIER.", Zack stated.
At these words, Tifa's face reddened. Cloud could feel his doing the same.
" Well I don't give a damn who the hell is after AVALANCHE, I'll stomp em' dead. I aint' afraid of no damn Black Hand. Not as long as i got this ' Gun Hand ' right here.", Barret said.
Zack shrugged," I see...", he said sarcastacly.
Cloud turned towards Zack.
" So where are they?", he asked.
Zack pointed out the door.
" A couple of miles from Midgar, I'd say they'll be here befor sundown.", he stated firmly.
Aeris gasped and clinched her hands together.
" Dont worry Aeris...", Zack said," I'm here to help you all."
Aeris walked over to Zack, and put her arms around him.
" Oh Zack I hoped for you to come back. I thought you were dead, but I still had hope.", she said hugging him.
Zack looked at Cloud, he was staring at them.
" Whats the matter?", Zack asked Cloud grinning.
" Nothing...I just...want to talk to you...alone.", Cloud replied.
Zack stood up.
" Well we can talk after we take care of the Black Hand.", Zack said reassuringly.
He walked over to Cloud.
" Lets go practice. I want to see if you've improved."
" Oh, dont worry Zack...I've improved.", Cloud said with a smirk.
******************
Zack stepped out onto the dirt road outside of Tifa's Seventh Heaven, Cloud followed. He looked around and then faced Cloud.
" This looks like an afformidable place.", he said waving his hand.
Cloud looked around the area as well. He shrugged.
" Fine by me. Now lets get this little sparring match started, ok?"
Zack pulled out his sword.
" It's my new sword. It's an exact replica of the one I used to carry."
Cloud pulled out his sword as well.
" You mean this.", he said, holding it up.
" Yeah thats the one. Now let me lay down the rules...um...this is a sword battle, that means no magic of any sort.", he said with a grin.
Cloud shrugged," Ok. Now lets go."
Zack held out his sword in a defensive position. Cloud held his angled behind him. He knew Zack was a good swordsman, he just hoped he could prove him self an afformidable opponent.
" Haaa!!!"
Zack screamed and ran forward. He had noticed that cloud had lost concentration and rushed him immediately. Cloud gathered his thoughts and readied himself. Zack swung low, but Cloud had dropped his sword to meet Zack's.
" Good move!", Zack yelled attacking again.
This time his blow hit cloud, slicing his left arm. Cloud winced at this and then returned the favor, hitting Zack in the right calf. Cloud could see Zack thinking over the battle in his head, he used this time to attack. He jumped into the air and dove down upon Zack, Zack had been thinking over the battle, but was still completely focused. He dodged Clouds attack and hit him in the back with the hilt of his sword, Cloud fell to the ground.
" Had enough?", Zack asked.
" Nope.", Cloud said kicking Zack in the shins.
Cloud jumped up and regained his defensive posture. Zack did the same. They stood there, staring into each other's eyes trying to predict their opponents next move.
" Whats he gonna do?", Cloud thought to himself.
" Heh...I know what he's thinking...he's gonna use my old move against me. The Omnislash.", Zack said with confidence.
Zack readied hisself for the attack. It consisted of numerouse slashes with the sword, and he knew just how to counter it.
" Ok...here goes nothing...", Cloud thought," OMNISLASH!!!"
Cloud ran towards Zack and threw a cut. Zack quickly blocked this and countered with a low jab. It struck Cloud in the side, he fell to the gorund.
" How did you know what I was gonna do?", Cloud asked.
Zack smiled.
" Don't forget, I showed you that move. I know when and what's gonna happen."
Zack held out his hand. Cloud grabbed it and stood up. He brushed himself off and they both put up their swords.
" C'mon...", Cloud said,"...I wanna talk to you."
______________________________________________________________________
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------
Cloud awoke the next morning. He looked around the room," Where is everyone?", he thought to himself. He stood up and put on his clothes, yawned, and grabbed his sword. He walked over to the pinball machine and pressed the hidden button. When he arrived at the top Tifa, Aeris, and Barret were all sitting at a table talking.
" Hey, whats up?", Cloud asked, taking a seat.
Tifa turned and looked at him," Nothing, just thinking of what we're gonna do next.", She said with a smile.
Cloud turned his head toward Aeris. She was a beautiful girl, the same age as Cloud, she had brown hair and the prettiest green eyes that would steal your mind in their gaze.
" Cloud, what are you staring at?", Aeris said with a look of confusion on her face," Do I have something on me...what is it?"
" Uh...oh...it was nothing.", Cloud reassured her.
Tifa glared at the both of them. She had been in love with Cloud for years but was afraid to tell him, and when he met Aeris they both hit it off so well, this angered her.
" Excuse me lover boy...", a loud voice boomed.
It was Barret, the former leader of AVALANCHE, he had a look of concern upon his face.
" Would you mind getting your spikey ass out of here if your gonna distract the ladies?", he said grinning.
Cloud turned and looked at him, " Heh heh...sorry Barret...", he said leaning back in his seat. Barret looked at cloud.
" Ok, we were just discussing when and how we're gonna go after Sephiroth.", Barret said, putting his hand on his cheek. Barret had lost his other hand to some lowly Shinra guards back at his home town.
Cloud sat still in his chair, should he tell them about his memory? What if they didn't believe him? If they did, would they help him search? " Of course they would...", he thought to himself.
" Guys...I have something to say...", Cloud said looking at each of them.
" What is it?", Tifa asked quickly.
" I had a memory..."
" A memory, I thought we cured your scrawny ass of those?", Barret said sternly.
Aeris looked at Barret," Shut up...I swear...men these days."
Cloud chuckled and returned to informing his party.
" It was...a memory...about Zack...", He said looking at Aeris, who flinched at the sound of his name.
" It was...of the day he died...", Cloud continued,"...I think he's still alive..."
" THATS REDICULOUS!!!", Aeris screamed, tears starting to come from her eyes.
Zack was her first love. She had met him in the slums when she was a young girl and they dated while he was in SOLDIER, Shinra's program to create ultimate warriors. They had normally kept a close relationship with one another, talking, writing letters, seeing each other in person, untill finally his letters stopped and she heard from him no more.
" It's true...", said a voice from the door.
Everyone turned around to see who it was.
" ZACK!", Aeris screamed, running toward him, tears running down her face," Zack...I thought you were dead. Why did you not contact me...or...Cloud."
Zack looked towards Cloud.
" Still the same...", He said with a smile.
Cloud stood up, bewildered at the sight before his eyes. Was it really Zack, his old partner and best friend from SOLDIER.
" Zack...is it...really you?", Cloud asked staring into the man's cold mako blue eyes, " It is you."
" Yeah, its me Cloud. Long time no see eh?", Zack said, still embracing Aeris.
He released Aeris and walked toward Cloud.
" I came to talk to you, y'know...visit. I know I've missed out on a lot, but...I want to be with my friend.", Zack said looking at Cloud," I've also come to inform you about the group I was travelling with. The Black Hand."
Barret walked towards them both.
" Who the hell are they and how the hell do we know your still not with them?", he said carefully examining Zack.
" I assure you, my...", Zack looked up,"...My big friend, that I am no longer travelling with them. To answer your first question..."
Zack walked over to the table, grabbed a chair, and sat down.
" The Black Hand is an Anti-AVALANCHE group started in the outskirts of the plains just south of the old town of Mideel. They are highly dangerous, and are looking for you.", Zack said staring at Barret.
" Looking for us...?", Tifa said abruptly.
Zack looked at her.
" Ahh so you must be Tifa, Cloud had told me a lot about you back when we were in SOLDIER.", Zack stated.
At these words, Tifa's face reddened. Cloud could feel his doing the same.
" Well I don't give a damn who the hell is after AVALANCHE, I'll stomp em' dead. I aint' afraid of no damn Black Hand. Not as long as i got this ' Gun Hand ' right here.", Barret said.
Zack shrugged," I see...", he said sarcastacly.
Cloud turned towards Zack.
" So where are they?", he asked.
Zack pointed out the door.
" A couple of miles from Midgar, I'd say they'll be here befor sundown.", he stated firmly.
Aeris gasped and clinched her hands together.
" Dont worry Aeris...", Zack said," I'm here to help you all."
Aeris walked over to Zack, and put her arms around him.
" Oh Zack I hoped for you to come back. I thought you were dead, but I still had hope.", she said hugging him.
Zack looked at Cloud, he was staring at them.
" Whats the matter?", Zack asked Cloud grinning.
" Nothing...I just...want to talk to you...alone.", Cloud replied.
Zack stood up.
" Well we can talk after we take care of the Black Hand.", Zack said reassuringly.
He walked over to Cloud.
" Lets go practice. I want to see if you've improved."
" Oh, dont worry Zack...I've improved.", Cloud said with a smirk.
******************
Zack stepped out onto the dirt road outside of Tifa's Seventh Heaven, Cloud followed. He looked around and then faced Cloud.
" This looks like an afformidable place.", he said waving his hand.
Cloud looked around the area as well. He shrugged.
" Fine by me. Now lets get this little sparring match started, ok?"
Zack pulled out his sword.
" It's my new sword. It's an exact replica of the one I used to carry."
Cloud pulled out his sword as well.
" You mean this.", he said, holding it up.
" Yeah thats the one. Now let me lay down the rules...um...this is a sword battle, that means no magic of any sort.", he said with a grin.
Cloud shrugged," Ok. Now lets go."
Zack held out his sword in a defensive position. Cloud held his angled behind him. He knew Zack was a good swordsman, he just hoped he could prove him self an afformidable opponent.
" Haaa!!!"
Zack screamed and ran forward. He had noticed that cloud had lost concentration and rushed him immediately. Cloud gathered his thoughts and readied himself. Zack swung low, but Cloud had dropped his sword to meet Zack's.
" Good move!", Zack yelled attacking again.
This time his blow hit cloud, slicing his left arm. Cloud winced at this and then returned the favor, hitting Zack in the right calf. Cloud could see Zack thinking over the battle in his head, he used this time to attack. He jumped into the air and dove down upon Zack, Zack had been thinking over the battle, but was still completely focused. He dodged Clouds attack and hit him in the back with the hilt of his sword, Cloud fell to the ground.
" Had enough?", Zack asked.
" Nope.", Cloud said kicking Zack in the shins.
Cloud jumped up and regained his defensive posture. Zack did the same. They stood there, staring into each other's eyes trying to predict their opponents next move.
" Whats he gonna do?", Cloud thought to himself.
" Heh...I know what he's thinking...he's gonna use my old move against me. The Omnislash.", Zack said with confidence.
Zack readied hisself for the attack. It consisted of numerouse slashes with the sword, and he knew just how to counter it.
" Ok...here goes nothing...", Cloud thought," OMNISLASH!!!"
Cloud ran towards Zack and threw a cut. Zack quickly blocked this and countered with a low jab. It struck Cloud in the side, he fell to the gorund.
" How did you know what I was gonna do?", Cloud asked.
Zack smiled.
" Don't forget, I showed you that move. I know when and what's gonna happen."
Zack held out his hand. Cloud grabbed it and stood up. He brushed himself off and they both put up their swords.
" C'mon...", Cloud said,"...I wanna talk to you."
______________________________________________________________________