I'll Always Stay The Same

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Disclaimer:

Final Fantasy VII, its characters, settings and items along with the music and weapons are all © to Squeresoft. I only own the original characters and the ideas of this story.

A Note Before Reading:

The events of this story occur 7 years before the Final Fantasy VII and doesn't follow Tifa and Cloud's background like stated in the game. I also added a little on Yuffie's background because we know nothing about her past. The poor kid…

Also, this story is a war story. It shows how much war changes people and how hard it is to stay the same even after the war. I got this idea after watching a war movie, shoot me.

Summary:

"War changes everything…"

Tifa Lockhart had always been the most popular girl in all of Nebilheim, but what changed her? What made her so quiet and so reserved?

When Tifa was 13 years old, her childhood friend, Cloud Strife decided to leave town and join SOLDIER in order to impress her because he wasn't like all the other boys, he wasn't as strong or as handsome or as smart as the boys Tifa hung out with. He thought that maybe if he left for SOLDIER, she'd be impressed and notice him once in a while. Little did he know that Tifa liked him just the way he was.

Before Cloud left, every other boy in the small town left Nebilheim looking for work and some were sent to Midgar to join SOLDIER. Tifa started to worry…

2 years later, the war between Wutai and Junon breaks, and everyone in SOLDIER were sent to defeat the Wutai ninjas, but they all failed and died.

Also at that time, Wutai ninjas found their way to the Mako reactors in each town they were built in. President Shinra sends a Sephiroth, a high ranked SOLDIER General, along with Zack, a 1st class SOLDIER and three other men who joined the army. There, a war breaks between the soldiers and ninjas and the Nebilheimians. Sephiroth becomes angry not knowing anything about his past and burns Nebliheim. That's when things start to change.

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Chapter One:

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"Today's headlines: 1st class SOLDIER, Sephiroth has been given the rank of 'General' and given the Medal of Honor due to his bravery and strength in the war in Wutai.

"President Shinra says that any war against Junon is a war against Midgar as well.

"Today, 15 low ranked SOLDIER men were killed by the Wutai ninjas.

"President Shinra-"

"Politics, that's all they show on TV these days." A tall man in his late 30's said, stretching in his chair.

"Honey, put it back on. What if those ninjas get to the Mako reactor in Mt. Nibel?" A younger woman said while washing the breakfast dishes along with her 13-year-old daughter.

"Mom, can I go outside? The guys want to meet at Leena's house and I'm already getting late." The girl had long brown hair and wine colored eyes. She inherited the color from her mother.

The woman shook her head, "Tifa…" She started.

The 13-year-old tilted her head to the side; it was a sign that meant that she was tired. Her mother smiled sweetly down at her, "Ok, ok, you may go now." Tifa smiled brightly and hugged her mother tightly, and then she took of her gloves, washed her hands and ran outside.

Her father turned to his wife, "She needs to learn to spend more quality time with her parents…she never knows when she'll lose us."

The woman hit her husband with her elbow, "Don't say that Alfred!" She sighed, "I just want her to be happy. I want to see her smile even after I…" She trailed off. Her husband got up and embraced her. "Don't worry Liz; I'll make sure that she's happy and healthy. And I'll make sure that you are as well."

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My name is Tifa Lockhart. At that point, I was only 13 and very naive. I was also the most popular girl at school.

"Hey Tifa!" A young orange haired boy shouted from her right. Tifa smiled and waved to him.

That's Johnny, he's very energetic. He's also very nice to me. I heard that he had a crush on me, I also heard that he STILL has a crush on me.

"Tifa! Wait up!" A brunette came running towards her. Tifa stopped until her friend caught up with her.

That's Leena, my only female friend. All the other girls hated me back then. They said I matured too fast and too early and that's why I'm attracting more boys. They used to call me bad names as well. Leena said that I shouldn't worry about what those girls said, but every single time I looked in the mirror and so how I looked like…I feel kind of guilty.

"Hey, Leena. Where are the others?" Tifa asked.

"They're not coming over today. They have to pack." Leena answered.

Tifa looked at her strangely, "Oh? How come?"

Leena stopped and stared at shock at her best friend, "Don't you know?" Tifa shook her head. Leena sighed and explained to her friend, "All the boys are leaving our town. They're going to find jobs at some other places, but some are going to Midgar."

Tifa raised her eyebrow, "Midgar…why?"

"They're joining the army that's going against the Wutai ninjas so they can come back and protect our town." Leena continued.

Tifa nodded her head, "I see…"

Leena sensed the sadness in her friend's tone and quickly changed the subject, "Hey, you know that boy who lives with his mother?"

Tifa looked at her friend with a confused expression on her face, "Lots of boys live with their mothers over here."

Leena shook her head, "No! I mean that spiky haired boy…what was his name…?" Leena paused for a while, thinking of the boy's name until she was interrupted by Tifa.

"Hey! Look! It's Cloud!" She waved to the spiky haired boy and he waved back, smiling slightly.

That's Cloud Strife, my childhood friend and crush. We've known each other ever since I was 3 and he was 4. He was so sweet and so kind…

Leena's eyes sparkled, "Yes! That's his name, Cloud. Huh?" Leena saw her friend waving to him and quickly took hold of her hand and put it down.

"What did you do that for?" Tifa asked as Leena dragged her to her house.

"Don't wave like that in public, people might see you." Leena hissed.

Tifa fought to get her hands free, "Let…go…of me…hand!" She withdrew her hand and glared at her friend, "What do you mean see me? I'm just waving to a friend. I've known him ever since we were kids and I've waved for him ever since, why not now?"

Leena sighed and tried to hide her impatience, "Because he isn't popular, duh!" She took hold of Tifa's hand again and pulled her to her house, but Tifa resisted and pulled her hand back. "What is it with you?"

"What is it with me? What is it with ME?" Tifa was growing furious by the second, "You were going to talk to me about Cloud, right? Well, what is it with him?"

Leena bit her lower lip, "He isn't leaving our town."

Tifa raised an eyebrow, "That's all? What're you going to do now? Make more fun of him?"

Leena shook her head, "No, I just wanted to tell you to stay away from him. People say things about him, bad things."

Tifa leaned closer to her friend, "Like what?" She demanded.

Leena shrunk back and shook her head, "No, I won't tell."

Tifa leaned even closer, "Tell me or I'll tell Johnny that you were the one sending him love letters."

Leena swore under her breath, "Shoot! I lost again. Ok, ok, you won. I'll tell you. People say that Cloud is…well, gay."

Tifa pulled back, eyes wide as if she had just been struck by lightning. She couldn't believe it…but Cloud…she liked him. He was the only nice guy. She suddenly felt pain in her heart and she fell backwards hitting the floor with her behind. Leena quickly was at her side.

"Is something wrong, Tifa? I thought you didn't have anything against homosexuality…" Her friend said, a worried tone touching her voice.

Tifa shook her head, "I don't. It's something else. Look, I remembered something. I have to go now. Bye." With that, Tifa got up and ran back home without looking behind leaving a very confused Leena behind.

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Tifa lay on her bed, crying. She couldn't believe what Leena said…any of it. She knew Cloud, she knew him better than anyone even better than herself. She refused to believe so, but she knew sooner or later she must accept it. Tifa cried until she heard a knock on her bedroom door.

"Tifa…may I come in?"

It was her mother.

"Yes mom, come in." Tifa said and quickly dried her tears with the back of her hands.

The door to her room opened and her mother came inside; she sat next to her daughter and took her hands in hers, "Is something wrong dear?" She asked.

Tifa shook her head, "Nothing biggie, it's just that…that…I found out that my best friend is exactly like all the other girls…" She sniffled a little.

Tifa's mother pulled her daughter closer and embraced her tightly, "Is there something else?"

Tifa buried her face in her mothers shoulder, "Yes…" She said softly.

Her mother pulled away and looked deep in her daughter's wine colored eyes, "What is it then?"

Tifa swallowed, "it is Cloud…he…"

Her mother silenced her, "Don't say another word. Whatever your friend said about Cloud is not true. They're just rumors."

Tifa shook her head, "But mom…"

Mrs. Lockhart shook her head, "Now go to sleep. It's going to be a long day tomorrow." With that, Mrs. Lockhart tucked her daughter in bed and kissed her goodnight. Then she walked over to the door and turned off the lights and smiled down at her daughter. "Goodnight Tifa."

"Goodnight mom."

Mrs. Lockhart turned to leave, but looked back frowning, "Goodbye…Tifa." She whispered.

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END


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Next Chapter:

Tifa's mother dies. How will Tifa react? Is it true what they say about Cloud? R+R and I will write more.

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