The Days Before
-Squirrel Tamer

Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts.

Cloud's Bad Hair Day

I'm hot.

Groans issued from every mouth in the room when Cloud Strife made this announcement. It didn't surprise them though, Cloud was vain. Especially with his hair. To him his hair represented him in all his glory.

You are gay, Squall told his friend, Really gay.

I'm not gay! I was just stating the obvious.

Well no one else thinks you're hot, except maybe Aerith, the young ninja informed him.

Came Aerith's not so pleased reply.

I think Cloud is cute, and so does Siru, Kairi said happily, We like your hair, because its pointy, but I like brown. (A/N: I'm trying to make a reference to Sora. Isn't it scary? Starting at a young age Kairi is naturally drawn to pointy haired men. :))

Thank-you Kairi.

You can't trust her opinion, she's just a baby! Yuffie protested.

Well so are you so I suppose I can't trust yours. I guess I'll leave if no one wants to admit that I'm hot.

There was complete silence.



And with that Cloud stomped out of the room. The others turned back to each other.

So...I know! Let's go get some popsicles! Yuffie suggested.



~~~~~

I am hot, Cloud muttered to himself, then glanced at his reflection in the mirror. It was dark and he was standing in his pajamas. He reached for a bottle of hair gunk and poured it in his hair. It was a different brand then he usually used. He turned back to the mirror and sighed. Then he turned to his bed.

There just jealous, because my hair is so much better than their's, He whispered to himself. Then he fell asleep.

~~~~~

Where's Cloud? Aerith asked, I haven't seen him since he stormed off yesterday.

He'll come around eventually, he always does, Squall said.

I hope you're right, Aerith whispered to herself.

Aerith! Squall! Come quick! They heard Yuffie cry from down the hall.

Let's go! Squall yelled and then leapt up pulling out a long blade that could be fired like a gun. He had received at as a present on his birthday. The only problem with the Gunblade was the fact that Squall wasn't strong enough to lift it far off the ground.

Aerith fled out off the room, followed slowly by Squall, who was trying to drag the Gunblade behind him.

Squall finally made it out of the room, he wiped his brow and then used the rest of his strength to lift the Gunblade.

Don't worry Yuffie I'll stop that... He trailed off as he saw his opponent. Slowly his frown turned into a grin and then it became a huge smile that went across his face. He began to laugh and couldn't stop for a very long time.

Beside him was Aerith, who was also grinning, but she managed to stop from laughing, though it seemed to be with great difficulty. Yuffie was on the floor rolling around in fits of laughter. Kairi was also giggling hysterically.

And in the middle stood Cloud, whose hair had managed to turn a light shade of pink.

It's not FUNNY! He yelled at his friends.

We know Cloud, Aerith said, laying a comforting hand on his shoulder. But the hand began to shake as Aerith tried to suppress another fit of giggles.

I hate you all! He yelled and then he stormed off.

Oh dear, Aerith said to herself. She turned to the others who were still laughing, We should all be ashamed of ourselves. Poor Cloud has never had a bad hair day in his life and now he has one and we all laugh at him. We all know how much his hair means to him.

They all stopped laughing at that. They knew the truth. Cloud's father had been by Ansem a year ago. Leaving him with the family cape, a Buster Sword and a bottle of hair gel, telling Cloud that it would help him be a ladies man. As funny as it sounded to someone who wasn't from Hollow Bastion, those who lived there knew what it meant. To be meant you were going to be used to help the world. But the children didn't know that. The only thing that children knew about those who were was that they didn't come back.

You're right Aerith, Yuffie said, feeling ashamed. Neither of her parents had been , but her grandfather had.

muttered Squall. Neither of his parents had been either, but his mom had died a long time ago.

I'm sorry, Kairi whispered, beginning to cry. Both of her parents had been , which was why she lived with her grandmother.

Aerith looked at them all, each one of them had someone who had been lost long ago. Aerith had lost her mother, when she was . She wiped the tears out of her eyes.

Let's go find the Cloud.

~~~~~

Hey Pinky, someone mocked from down the hall.

Cloud kept walking, heading toward the garage where Cid worked. Cloud thought that maybe Cid would know a way to get the pink out of his hair.

What the hell didja do to yer hair? Cid asked when he saw Cloud.

I don't want to talk about it, Cloud murmured, Do you know how to get the pink out?

No clue.

Thanks anyway, Cloud told him and then got up to leave.

What's bugging you kid, it has to be more than your hair, Cid wanted to know.

It's just...I wish my friends would be a little nicer sometimes. They all laughed at me, even Aerith! I felt like such a loser, maybe I am.

Yer not a loser kid. Your friends are good kids, I'm sure they'll apologize once they realize that they hurt you.

I don't want them to know that they hurt me, I have to be strong. For my dad.

Hey Cloud! Someone yelled for him.

He turned around to see all four of his friends standing there. Squall nodded, Yuffie grinned, Kairi waved and Aerith was running towards him as fast as she could.

When she reached him, she wrapped her arms around him. He let her hug him for a few seconds before gently breaking out of her grip, he didn't want to be thought of as a softy. She looked up at him, her eyes full of tears and guilt.

I'm sorry Cloud. I really love your hair, She whispered to him.

He smiled at her and then turned back to the others. Yuffie was screaming something.

I told you she thinks you're hot!



~~~~~

A/N: Wow that was sappy. This is for Jade Phoenix who wanted Cloud's story and DeathDragon66 who asked for Cid. Don't worry he'll be in more, he's mainly going to be used as the guy they go to for advise. Especially Yuffie.

This chapter tells about the . The are the people Ansem took and used as experiments for the Heartless.

Anyway that's all. Until next time.