Chapter Seven:

The Broken Spirit

A ribbon of violet clouds swept across the trim of the sky. It sparkled like a sea of pyrflies. Cloud walked a broken path of crushed cement towards the clutter of destroyed buildings. It was as if this place had been swallowed by the sea, then spat back up. But with the silence, came doubts. Cloud could feel something coming. The feeling crept and burned inside of him. He skimmed around him, but there was nothing. Once again soaked, he made his way through the area.

He found a building of rubble where he would rest to regain his strength. Not much was inside. He sat on a fallen pillar, and studied the room carefully. Then he reached into his pocket. Digging through it was like reaching in bag of thorny leaches. Then he felt something. It was small, and hard…His PHS! How could he have forgotten it! He thrust it in front of his face, but frowned. It had been destroyed by the fall, and was covered in water. So, he threw it ahead of him onto the cold ground.

The clatter of it landing rang and echoed. Then, it was quiet again. Doubt crossed his mind again, but that was quickly flooded out by the memory of her. He remembered what he had seen at the farplane. Why was she praying, she seemed so full of sorrow, when usually, she's full of joy. He needed to know this, he needed his question answered. But, tomorrow would probably be better. So, he took the sword from his back, and set it next to him, then he rest his head, and slept.

* * * * * * * * * *

Back at the church in the slums, Reno, of the turks combed the front, while the soldiers swept the back.

"Did you find her?" he said holding his eyes on the flowers growing in light.

"Uh…no sir. I don't think she's here." Said one of the soldiers trampling straight through them. Reno looked up at the man. His eyes were cold, and pierced the soldiers angrily. The soldier could tell he had done something wrong. He looked down, at the crushed petals below his feet, then gulped.

Reno swiftly pulled out his gun, and shot the man without a second thought. The soldier lye dead, and Reno signaled the others to pull his carcass out of the building. They carefully picked up the body, and without damaging any more flowers, carried him out.

Reno awaited them outside of the door. When they came out, he looked at each one of their pale faces.

"Hedeigger wants us to check out the mountain if she wasn't here."

"But…uh…sir, why would she be there? How could she have know about the operation? It was top secret."

"Dumbass, don't you remember we found Zack taking refuge here. They could've told her about it before we got to him. Idiot, if it weren't for him, we could've had her already!" Reno angrily looked at the piles of junk that made up the walls of Midgar, and flicked the trigger of his gun. Then headed out. The soldiers, shortly behind.

* * * * * * * * * *

"DAMNIT TIFA! MOVE YOUR SLOW ASS!" a grunt voice said in a bar.

Tifa, the bartender, shook a glass of cold beer, then slid it down the counter into the hand of it's drinker. Then she set the nozzle back, and gazed into the wooden counter.

"You think he's ever coming back?" she asked to the man.

He chugged down the glass, then slammed it down onto the table, "…who?"

"You know…Cloud."

"…HOW THE HELL SHOULD I KNOW?!"

Tifa looked up at him, sighed, then walked out of the bar.

"Now look what you did, Barret." Said a girl from one of the tables.

"SHUT UP, JESSY!" Barret slammed his gun arm onto the counter, then got up. "DAMNIT CLOUD! WHY'D YOU HAVE TO GO AND GET YOUR SPIKY ASS LOST?!" Once again, he slammed his arm on the table, then stormed out.