"Wounds Never Lie"
By: Elf Fanatic Lark
Disclaimer- Oh sugar monkeys...I still don't own any FF7 stuff...unless Square would be so kind as to hand some of their rights over...Heh heh heh..Yeah right..In what millennia? On with the story!
Chapter 5
*Surreal Surroundings*
"It still looks the same....I wish Tifa was here." Cloud whispered out loud, no one was here, so how could they listen?
He walked past the wooden well that had been erected in the center of the town square, and continued toward a plain looking house, across from the black entrance gates to the city. Tifa's house. He walked in, not caring to who was there, this was a ghost town. The Shinra execs that had played the parts of the townspeople had fled when Meteor landed. His footsteps echoed drearily throughout the house as his boots pounded against the hardwood steps. He scoffed as he ascended the stairs and saw the dusty old piano in her room. He still remembered a tune she had taught him on it as a child. It was one of the few things he got to do with her...without the other kids mocking them and whispering insults about himself behind their chubby hands.
He sat down on the bench which moaned eerily as his dead weight settled on it, and wiped the dust off of some of the keys with a gloved hand. A piece of old and tattered sheet music still clung to the ledge of the piano it had been placed on so many years ago. It was the exact tune that she had taught him. He placed a shaky hand onto the antique,and searched his mind for the lessons she had given him. His expression turned into one of dismay as his fingers moved in a state of disarray atop the ageless piano. His ever increasing frustration peaked as his fingers refused to sweep gracefully across the keys, like Tifa could.
"Forget it!" he said suddenly, standing up and slamming his hands down on the cold keys of ivory. The shrill sound echoed throughout the small establishment as he exited the house. Another building caught his attention, not one as big as Tifa's, but a smaller, more quaint looking one. Its paint was chipping, and the bricks that covered its front looked on the verge of crumbling, just like his innocent spirit. He stood for a short while staring at the house, a smile straying across his hardened features, but as soon as it came, it seemed to disappear, almost scared away by a memory of its owner's mother. His gaze widened as a woman stepped out of the house he had been staring at.
"Cloud?...I-is that you?" The woman whispered, slowly lifting her head to stare at the young man who stood weakly before her. She lifted her head, revealing a crown of gold from out of the shadows. Cloud nearly fell over...it was his mother. She looked at him, her gaze unfaltering, as she bolted over to him, grabbing him in a hug.
"M-mom? I thought you were dead?" he stifled, almost gasping for air, surprised by the strength she had, as she barreled into him.
"Me dead? I thought you were a goner." She looked away mournfully. "I haven't seen you for 5 years Cloud. T-The Shinra, they said you were dead. I even saw you..." Tears welled up in her eyes, as she stared at her long lost son. Her grip never letting up, she obviously didn't want him to go away.
Her eyes seemed to be a endless ocean of blue, and her hair also spiked out in various directions, but most of it was conservatively pulled into a low ponytail. This was definately his mom, but she had died in the "Nibelheim Incident," as Tifa had dubbed it. She looked up at him.
"Cloud? What's a matter?" She backed away, and looked him up and down, frowning. "Didn't you eat anything while you were away? Come on.." she said giggling, while grabbing his hand. "You look like you haven't had a decent meal for awhile!" She led him away into his old house, her happiness seemed to be contagious as a smile planted itself firmly on his face, and his always serious facade melted.
"Just like old times! We've got a lot of catching up to do!" She laughed, as she started to get some pans from a cupboard. He smiled back to her.. Yeah,..just like old times...
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Tifa stirred in her sleep, and opened her eyes wearily, morning already? She sat up and glanced at the source of the light, a gray shuttered window with sloppily hung drapes over it blocked most of the light, except for a thin beam of light that shone through a missing slat of the left shutter. They had just completed the bar, but they didn't have the time to decorate all the rooms with care. So, like the others her room was still a mess of boxes and some of her old junk from her old home in Nibelheim. She sat up and stretched, looking at a pile of boxes, that hadn't belonged to her, she did seem to have a little bit of everyone's stuff in her room. She felt a crystalline object in her hand and opened her palm, which held the object of question. Her fingers gently released the grip they held on the object, and she stared dumbfounded at all the beauty the ruby-red crystal held in its endless depths. She held it up to the beam of light that shone through the room, and gazed in awe at the rainbows of red appeared on her bedroom walls. Where had it come from? She could only guess. She shrugged as she wearily gave up on thinking of the crystal's origin, as a stack of boxes caught her attention.
The smaller boxes in the corner had belonged to Cloud. She grinned sheepishly as she crept over to the boxes placing the crystal on the simple chain she wore around her neck. Surely he wouldn't mind if she had a quick look. He was probably still sleeping on the couch, I mean if he hadn't wanted me to look in them, then why would he leave them in here? She liked her way of logic, but she would have a fit if they even thought of going through her stuff, kind of like when Cloud had said he had gone in her house when she wasn't there, this was only fair. An eye for an eye, like they always say.
She lifted one of the corners of the lid and peered inside...nothing out of the ordinary, just the usual clothes and materia.. But then she saw a blood red folder and a once white book, splattered with red droplets at the bottom of the box. Her interest seemed to skyrocket. She picked up the two items and placing them on her bed. A wave of uneasiness swept over her as she picked up the book, which reeked of Mako, causing her to absentmindedly rub the blood-red crystal that lay on her neck. As soon as she opened it an old picture fell to the comforter of her bed, she picked it up carefully and her eyes widened as she saw who it was of. The picture was of herself, a man with black hair and Sephiroth, she remembered an eager photographer who had insisted on taking their pictures, promising to get them all a copy. Who was that man to her left? Where was Cloud? Then it hit her. He hadn't been there, he had told her that, why had she forgot so suddenly? She flipped the photo over to see a message written hurriedly on the back. It was written by Cloud.
Tifa....I'm sorry I let you down. Sorry I couldn't protect you. I wonder if you'll find this. I hope you can survive, because life seems to be passing me by. Shinra is coming, I know the sounds of their vehicles..They're coming for me an' Zack. I know I couldn't save you..But would you save me? I think I'm dying 'cause everything is getting kinda blurry and the dim lights seem so bright, it hurts my eyes to look upon them. But, it doesn't matter as long as you live. I miss you already, even though I can still see you...barely. You'll be okay 'cause I told Zangan you were with us before we left, he'll help you when I couldn't. Please survive...not only for yourself..But for me, okay? I-I lo...
The note ended, before Tifa wanted it too, she noticed red covered the rest of the photo, Cloud's blood covered the photo. He had written it at the reactor, where he had stopped Sephiroth, but had not been able to save himself from a mortal injury. Had he really died there? Had Sephiroth been right? She shook her head. She wouldn't listen to the corrupt words of a psycho! The tainted book still laid in her lap...she feared to read its contents. She made up her mind. If Cloud wanted her to know, then he would tell her. She hurriedly placed the contents of the box back, and rushed down the stairs to check on him, she took one final look in the mirror as she passed it, glancing at the crystal gleam in the little light of the hallway, before heading downstairs.
She rushed downstairs, to see everyone, to her surprise, awake. They were all gathered in the bar around the banquet table, discussing something. She couldn't understand what they were saying. She snuck up behind the wall, and listened into their conversation not wanting to intrude until she heard all of the details.
"So you all know then?"
"Yes."
"Do we follow 'em? I mean if it was one of us...Spike would be out there on yo trail in seconds.."
"We'd have to ask Tifa."
"Why you always so calm Vamp?!"
"I wouldn't worry you guys...I'm sure he only went for a walk right?"
Tifa knew what they were talking about. He was gone. Cloud had left while she was asleep. She knew it would happen. He was always one to not involve anyone. She hated that, but she knew that he feared for their safety, and he would never have been a part of this group if it hadn't been for his concern for the people's lives, but it was mostly for revenge against Sephiroth. She held the ruby in her hand tightly...Cloud had left her the crystal. She bit her lip, to hold back the tears that threatened to fall, as she thought of him alone on some impossible quest.
"He's gone isn't he?" Tifa asked quietly, while walking in.
"Yeah, Spike jus' gone and disappeared on us!" Cid exclaimed, his lit cigarette nearly falling out of his mouth.
"What're we gonna do Tif? I know he's in trouble! We gotta help 'im, and these losers can't make up their minds!" Yuffie yelled, jumping out of her seat, and raising her Shuirken in a fighting stance. "We'll beat the crap outta anyone who tries to hurt him!"
"Right!" Tifa said brightening up. "Cid is the Highwind fixed yet?"
"....Y-Yeah I guess. But, you lil' *!#@#$#% better not make me fly it to no damned crater again ya hear?!"
"Don't worry Cid...We'll just search around some towns to see if he's there okay?"
"!@%#&%&^%#&^%# Fine," he said gruffly as he left to start up the Highwind.
We're coming to help you Cloud. It's my turn to save you. She smiled as she stepped out onto the plains of Kalm, the blades of grass crumpling beneath her steel-toed boots, and the wind created by the Highwind's motors, caused her hair to billow out behind her. She stared graciously up at Cid who was beckoning the others onto the ship, yelling cusses out to amplify his impatience.
"All right here we GO!" She yelled, as she felt a new energy rush through her veins...hope.
"Real great..." Yuffie whimpered as she scurried to the back of the ship clutching her stomach.
(A/n Well how do you like it! I'm trying to make it more in depth with the characters feelings...but, I didn't want to completely ruin the main plot. ^__^ Please review even if you already have! Poor Yuffie, I know how she feels. Planes and me don't mix well either... Ah well...Please R&R, and I'll try to update soon!)