CHAPTER IV (A): BACK TOGETHER
The Highwind has landed on the field. Everyone has gone back to Nibelheim to get themselves ready, except Zack. Once in Nibelheim, he immediately went to the weaponry store that Cait Sith had told him about. But when he asked the storekeeper for a nice-looking rod, he discovered another problem that he have had since he came to this world, money problem. Although he still has some money with him, the money used in this world was gil, not any of the money used in Zack's original world. He exited the store, disappointed a little, as the storekeeper politely asked Zack to come again.
*********
Over half an hour has passed as night comes, but Zack still has not found a weapon. He is wandering around town, thinking of what to do.
"AH!! This is hopeless! I can't think of anything!" Zack shouted in frustration as he stopped in his pace.
Then he realizes that he had stopped in front of Amber's house. He looks up to her bedroom window. Her room was brightly lit. Zack started to feel his guilt once more.
"Should I?" He walks to the front door; his hand reaches for the knob but then stops, "No, maybe I shouldn't."
He pulls back his hand. Then, suddenly, he hears sobbing sounds. He looks up and realizes that it was coming from Amber's room. Now, he feels even worse.
"Maybe I should. I have to say sorry to her. She might feel better then."
He then opens the door and enters the house. Inside the house, Zack went upstairs for Amber's room. In front of her bedroom door, Zack hesitated to knock the door. He thought to himself if he should or not. Then he hears Amber's sobbing again. He then decided again to do it. He hesitated a little before he knocked the door.
"Who is it?" Amber called out from inside her room.
Zack could sense the crying note when she called out.
Zack hesitated again as he answered, "It's. It's me. Zack."
"Go away, Zack! I don't want to see you!"
"It's all right. I-I." he looks down to the floor, "I just came to apologize for not being honest with you before."
Zack starts to feel his guilt once more, "I'm sorry."
"Why did you do it, Zack? Why did you lie to me about everything?" Amber finally replied after a short pause.
When she did, Zack could sense that her crying had lessen a little. Still feeling guilty, he thinks along as he answered her.
"It's because I. It's because. It's because I knew that no one would believe me. no matter how many times I say it's true. That's the only reason why I lied about myself."
He continues, closing his eyes, feeling really guilty, "I'm sorry."
Another short pause before she said, "You could've at least tried me."
"I knew that but. but I. but I thought. you, too, wouldn't have believed me."
Amber's crying had turned into soft sobs now.
After a long pause, Zack then continued, "Well, um. that-that was all I wanted to say to you. I'll-I'll. I'll see you some other time then."
As he finishes, he turned around to walk away.
"Wait!" suddenly Amber called.
Zack stops and looks around. The bedroom door opened, Amber stood behind it.
She sobs once more before she asked Zack, "Did you mean it? When you said that you were sorry?"
Zack looks at Amber's face. He was shocked when he saw her red eyes caused by her crying since that evening.
"Yes, I did," Zack answered as he turned around to face her. He faces down, his eyes shut, and continues, "I'm sorry, for not telling you the truth and making you cry. I'm sorry."
Amber sobs once again before she says, "Promise me, kay?"
She wipes away some tears off her face.
"Promise me, that you will tell me the truth about yourself and never lie to me again."
Zack realizes that she was feeling a lot better, "I'll promise you. if you promise me that you'll stop crying now."
Hearing that, Amber laughed softly and wiped away the rest of her tears.
"Okay, I promise," Amber said, smiling her warm and happy smile at him.
"That's good," Zack, feeling glad when he saw her smile.
"So, did anything happen while I was crying like a baby?" Amber asked Zack, in her usual cheerful voice.
Zack laughs at her joke, but it was only for a moment.
"Well, actually something did happen," Zack answered seriously, "Something that involved Sephiroth."
Hearing that, Amber's smile disappeared.
*********
Zack is now in Amber's room with Amber. He was telling her about the mysterious vortex that he and everyone else saw when they were on the Highwind and how he wanted to go with Cloud and the others to the crater.
"Now I'm still looking for a weapon and I have to admit. I'm really stuck."
"Sephiroth. I wish that he'll pay for what he did to my father and mother," Amber scowled angrily.
"Then why don't you go with Cloud and the others, too?" Zack asked, "Why you go and make him pay, personally?"
"No," she answered. Looking away from Zack, she continued, "I-I can't."
Surprised, Zack asked, "Why not?"
"It's just that I'm too weak to use my father's sword and I can't aim at all with a gun."
"Being weak is a problem, but trouble aiming can be helped!"
"Huh?"
"Vincent uses a gun as his weapon. Maybe he can teach you how to aim."
"Do you think he will?"
"I think he would. But if he says that he won't because you're a girl, we'll just remind him about Tifa, Yuffie and Cinna."
Amber laughed at that as he continued, "If he still has any other reason, we'll just say that it's for your father and mother."
"Thanks, Zack. So, what about your problem then?"
"I don't know. I have no money to buy a weapon. So, what can I do?"
He sat down on a chair, trying to think of a solution. Amber thought for a while before she got an idea.
"Zack, do you think you can handle a sword?"
Zack looks up at her, "Sure, I think I can."
"Okay then," she said before she got up and exited the room, while Zack just watched her.
When she exited the room, Zack, curious, got up and followed her from behind.
Amber had gone to the other room, the master bedroom, and now stood in front of a cupboard. She opened one of the drawers and took out a sword, which was in its sheath. She then took out a small pouch and put it in her pocket. After that, she walked towards Zack who was watching her, curiously, from the doorway.
"Here's my father's sword, the Ultimega Sword," she said as she holds out the sword.
"What? You're lending me your father's sword?"
"It's all right. I think father wouldn't mind, since I can't use it," she explained as she put the sword in Zack's hand.
"Thanks."
He took the sword out of its sheath and studied it. The sword was long but thin, making it kind of light. The edge of the sword was really sharp and the sword curved out a little at its tip. Two jewels of different shapes were placed along the hilt of the sword.
"Wow, this is a cool sword," he admired as he raised the sword in the air with one hand, "It's quite light even though it looks to be heavy."
"Father said that it was to trick the enemy that he was very strong to be using a heavy sword, when really he was just using a light sword," Amber explained to Zack, but laughed as she continued, "But actually this trick of his never seem to effect the enemy one bit."
Zack laughed, too, when he heard that. Zack then looks at Amber, smiling warmly.
"Thanks, Amber. You've helped me solve my problem and you are lending me your father's sword, too. Thanks. This means a lot to me."
Hearing that, she quickly faced down, trying to hide her blushing face, just like a shy schoolgirl, "You're-You're welcome."
Zack laughed when he noticed that. Amber just smiled while still blush.
==========
CHAPTER IV (B): CLARENCE AND GINA
Zack and Amber are heading to the mansion. Zack had asked Amber what was in the small pouch that she took out from the drawer earlier. She told him that it was her life savings that she had kept since she was small. She explained that it was to buy a pistol; after all, Sephiroth had cut her mother's revolver into two. After buying a pistol, the Star Achiever, from the weaponry store that Zack had visited earlier, they went to find Cloud in the mansion.
Along the way to the mansion, they could see Barret, like before, telling a bedtime story to Marlene through the same window of the same bedroom, but this time, together with Cait Sith. Cid was, like before, sitting on one of the floor-level windows of the mansion with one of his legs dangling, smoking another cigarette, but this time he was holding his spear in his right hand, with its bladed end to the ground. He was resting after having some practice swings with his spear, the Venus Gospel. Yuffie, however, was standing on the fence, the one surrounding the mansion, practicing what seems to Zack to be tai chi. RedXIII and Cinna were training in a practice battle against each other. When Zack and Amber did not see Cloud or Tifa, they guessed that the couple was inside.
When Cid saw Zack and Amber walking together towards the front door of the mansion, he couldn't help but tease them.
"So you two have gotten back together, eh?"
Hearing this, Yuffie, RedXIII and Cinna stopped doing what they were doing and looked at Zack and Amber.
As both of the two's faces turn red in embarrassment, Zack exclaimed, "Hey, you said it like as if there is something going on between Amber and I!"
Cid laughed joyfully, "It was just a joke, kid. Don't take it so seriously."
"Humph!" Zack sighs loudly.
"But it is nice to see that the two of you are together again," Yuffie explained.
"Yeah," Cinna agreed.
"Well," Amber said, still feeling embarrassed, "Thank you for your concern."
Cid then notices Zack's sword, "So, you've managed to get yourself a weapon after all. I'm surprised."
"Thanks to Amber. This was her father's sword, but don't get her wrong, she didn't do this out of respect for her father. It's just that."
Zack tries to assure everyone but doesn't know what to say.
"Don't worry, Zack. We know what happened to Amber's parents," RedXIII explained to Zack.
"Damn that Sephiroth!" Cid angrily cursed suddenly, "Killing them and even trying to kill Amber! Damn him!"
Zack and Amber were surprised to hear that from Cid.
"Thank you, sir. Thank you for being so concern of me," Amber thanked Cid, bowing her head to him.
"Hey, you don't have to be so formal, Amber," Cid said as she raises her head, "And don't call me 'sir', all right? Just call me Cid."
"Okay. Cid."
Cid smiled, "Now that's more like it."
"Zack," Yuffie called as Zack looks at her, "If you're looking for Cloud, he's in the dining room with Tifa."
"Thanks, Yuffie," Zack answered aloud to Yuffie.
He looks at Amber, "Let's go."
They then enter the mansion.
*********
In the dining room, Cloud and Tifa were sitting at the dining table, eating some dessert that Tifa had just made earlier, but Cloud was concentrating more on something else than the dessert in front of him.
Zack and Amber were about to enter through the door when Cloud suddenly spoke out, "I still can't believe this."
Tifa was surprised when he suddenly spoke out as she stared at him.
"I still can't believe that Sephiroth is alive," Cloud continues.
Zack then stood at the side of the door. Amber followed.
"No one did, Cloud. Everyone was surprised when he suddenly appeared," Tifa, looking down at the table.
"But that's not all. He knew Zack before he even met him," Cloud exclaimed.
Zack was surprised when heard him say that.
Cloud continued, "I wonder who was the one that told him about Zack. How is Zack involved in all of this?"
Zack is surprised when he realizes how much Cloud cared about him.
"I don't know, but do you think the one that told Sephiroth about Zack, may also be the one that revived him?" Tifa asked.
Cloud thought seriously before he answered, "I don't know, but he or she might be."
After he finished, there was a long pause. Zack stood still for a while before he walked into the room, pretending that he had not overheard their conversation. When he and Amber entered, Cloud and Tifa looked at them.
"Got my weapon, Cloud!" Zack shows the sword, "Now teach me."
"I'm amazed. I didn't think that you could get one," Tifa admitted, looking at him.
"Well, actually it's all thanks to Amber. This was her."
"Her father's," Cloud interrupted Zack as he took a bite of Tifa's dessert.
"But-But don't get her wrong, Cloud!"
He was going to say some more when Cloud says, "It's all right, Zack."
Zack looks at Cloud before Tifa explained to him and Amber, "We knew her father and mother three years ago."
Amber is surprised, "But why have I never seen you before until the incident at the reactor?"
Tifa then explained to Amber, "Well, let me explain how we met first. Cloud and I were walking around town one night, three years ago.
~~~~~~~~~
FLASHBACK: THE HAPPY COUPLES
Cloud and Tifa were walking around Nibelheim, hand-in-hand. They were just spending time together that cool night. After almost half an hour, they headed back to the mansion. As they did, they see a man and a woman come out from the house where Tifa once lived in.
"Oh, so you're the couple that is living in this house," Tifa said to the couple.
"No," the woman answered, looking at her, "It was us, the family, that is living in this house."
"Oh, who else is in your family?" Cloud asked, curious.
"We have a young daughter, Amber. She's sleeping now," the man answered.
Tifa looks up to the bedroom window, which was brightly lit, "I don't think so."
The man and the woman then look up to the window.
The woman then says, "My, my, my. I told that girl to go to bed but she did not listen."
The man laughs, "That's how children are these days, darling. They always try to stay up longer. It's all right."
Tifa also laughs, "It must be true if a loving couple says so."
The four of them laugh.
"Let me guess. You two are also a couple," the woman guessed.
"Yes, we are," Tifa answered, hugging Cloud.
"Well, it really makes me happy to see a younger couple like you two," the man said, smiling friendly.
"Oh, we've forgotten to introduce ourselves. I'm Cloud and this is Tifa."
"It's nice to meet you. I'm Clarence and this is my wife, Gina. As you know already, we've just move into town lately."
"Yes, we did, because that used to be my house," Tifa explained to Clarence.
"It was," Gina, surprised.
"So, where are you living now?" Clarence asked Tifa.
"Now, I live together with my hero," Tifa said, hugging Cloud again, this time tighter.
Gina laughed, "That's a nice thing to say about the one you love."
"No, it's true. Cloud did rescue me once, no, more than that. That's why I love him so much," Tifa explained to Gina, still hugging Cloud.
"I see. That's different than any other couples that we've met in our lifetime," Clarence explained before he started laughing.
"Well, we'll be seeing you some other time then," Cloud said as he and Tifa started to walk to the mansion.
"Bye," Tifa, waving at Clarence and Gina.
"Bye and have a goodnight!" Clarence, as he and Gina waved back at them.
~~~~~~~~~
.And then Cloud and I went back here that night," Tifa, finishing her story.
"And that's was how we met your father and mother, Amber," Cloud said, facing her.
"But that didn't answer my question. Why have I never seen you two until the incident at the reactor?" Amber asked the two, once more.
"Well, we never went to visit your house, but we continue to meet with your father and mother as we often went exploring together with them," Tifa explained.
Amber then recalled, "Come to think of it, I remember father and mother saying, a few times, that they were going exploring with some friends they met in this town. I guess they were talking about you two."
Cloud nodded, "They should be."
"After knowing your father and mother for so long, we know that they will understand if you lend your father's sword to Zack," Tifa explained to Amber, "Anyway, we know that your father would think that it would be a waste of his sword if no one was going to use it again."
Amber laughed softly, "Yeah, that's what I thought too."
"So, Cloud, are you going to teach me?" Zack asked Cloud.
Cloud thought for a moment before he answered, "Well, I guess so."
Zack is surprised. Cloud looks at him.
"After all, you've done your part of this, now it's my turn."
The Highwind has landed on the field. Everyone has gone back to Nibelheim to get themselves ready, except Zack. Once in Nibelheim, he immediately went to the weaponry store that Cait Sith had told him about. But when he asked the storekeeper for a nice-looking rod, he discovered another problem that he have had since he came to this world, money problem. Although he still has some money with him, the money used in this world was gil, not any of the money used in Zack's original world. He exited the store, disappointed a little, as the storekeeper politely asked Zack to come again.
*********
Over half an hour has passed as night comes, but Zack still has not found a weapon. He is wandering around town, thinking of what to do.
"AH!! This is hopeless! I can't think of anything!" Zack shouted in frustration as he stopped in his pace.
Then he realizes that he had stopped in front of Amber's house. He looks up to her bedroom window. Her room was brightly lit. Zack started to feel his guilt once more.
"Should I?" He walks to the front door; his hand reaches for the knob but then stops, "No, maybe I shouldn't."
He pulls back his hand. Then, suddenly, he hears sobbing sounds. He looks up and realizes that it was coming from Amber's room. Now, he feels even worse.
"Maybe I should. I have to say sorry to her. She might feel better then."
He then opens the door and enters the house. Inside the house, Zack went upstairs for Amber's room. In front of her bedroom door, Zack hesitated to knock the door. He thought to himself if he should or not. Then he hears Amber's sobbing again. He then decided again to do it. He hesitated a little before he knocked the door.
"Who is it?" Amber called out from inside her room.
Zack could sense the crying note when she called out.
Zack hesitated again as he answered, "It's. It's me. Zack."
"Go away, Zack! I don't want to see you!"
"It's all right. I-I." he looks down to the floor, "I just came to apologize for not being honest with you before."
Zack starts to feel his guilt once more, "I'm sorry."
"Why did you do it, Zack? Why did you lie to me about everything?" Amber finally replied after a short pause.
When she did, Zack could sense that her crying had lessen a little. Still feeling guilty, he thinks along as he answered her.
"It's because I. It's because. It's because I knew that no one would believe me. no matter how many times I say it's true. That's the only reason why I lied about myself."
He continues, closing his eyes, feeling really guilty, "I'm sorry."
Another short pause before she said, "You could've at least tried me."
"I knew that but. but I. but I thought. you, too, wouldn't have believed me."
Amber's crying had turned into soft sobs now.
After a long pause, Zack then continued, "Well, um. that-that was all I wanted to say to you. I'll-I'll. I'll see you some other time then."
As he finishes, he turned around to walk away.
"Wait!" suddenly Amber called.
Zack stops and looks around. The bedroom door opened, Amber stood behind it.
She sobs once more before she asked Zack, "Did you mean it? When you said that you were sorry?"
Zack looks at Amber's face. He was shocked when he saw her red eyes caused by her crying since that evening.
"Yes, I did," Zack answered as he turned around to face her. He faces down, his eyes shut, and continues, "I'm sorry, for not telling you the truth and making you cry. I'm sorry."
Amber sobs once again before she says, "Promise me, kay?"
She wipes away some tears off her face.
"Promise me, that you will tell me the truth about yourself and never lie to me again."
Zack realizes that she was feeling a lot better, "I'll promise you. if you promise me that you'll stop crying now."
Hearing that, Amber laughed softly and wiped away the rest of her tears.
"Okay, I promise," Amber said, smiling her warm and happy smile at him.
"That's good," Zack, feeling glad when he saw her smile.
"So, did anything happen while I was crying like a baby?" Amber asked Zack, in her usual cheerful voice.
Zack laughs at her joke, but it was only for a moment.
"Well, actually something did happen," Zack answered seriously, "Something that involved Sephiroth."
Hearing that, Amber's smile disappeared.
*********
Zack is now in Amber's room with Amber. He was telling her about the mysterious vortex that he and everyone else saw when they were on the Highwind and how he wanted to go with Cloud and the others to the crater.
"Now I'm still looking for a weapon and I have to admit. I'm really stuck."
"Sephiroth. I wish that he'll pay for what he did to my father and mother," Amber scowled angrily.
"Then why don't you go with Cloud and the others, too?" Zack asked, "Why you go and make him pay, personally?"
"No," she answered. Looking away from Zack, she continued, "I-I can't."
Surprised, Zack asked, "Why not?"
"It's just that I'm too weak to use my father's sword and I can't aim at all with a gun."
"Being weak is a problem, but trouble aiming can be helped!"
"Huh?"
"Vincent uses a gun as his weapon. Maybe he can teach you how to aim."
"Do you think he will?"
"I think he would. But if he says that he won't because you're a girl, we'll just remind him about Tifa, Yuffie and Cinna."
Amber laughed at that as he continued, "If he still has any other reason, we'll just say that it's for your father and mother."
"Thanks, Zack. So, what about your problem then?"
"I don't know. I have no money to buy a weapon. So, what can I do?"
He sat down on a chair, trying to think of a solution. Amber thought for a while before she got an idea.
"Zack, do you think you can handle a sword?"
Zack looks up at her, "Sure, I think I can."
"Okay then," she said before she got up and exited the room, while Zack just watched her.
When she exited the room, Zack, curious, got up and followed her from behind.
Amber had gone to the other room, the master bedroom, and now stood in front of a cupboard. She opened one of the drawers and took out a sword, which was in its sheath. She then took out a small pouch and put it in her pocket. After that, she walked towards Zack who was watching her, curiously, from the doorway.
"Here's my father's sword, the Ultimega Sword," she said as she holds out the sword.
"What? You're lending me your father's sword?"
"It's all right. I think father wouldn't mind, since I can't use it," she explained as she put the sword in Zack's hand.
"Thanks."
He took the sword out of its sheath and studied it. The sword was long but thin, making it kind of light. The edge of the sword was really sharp and the sword curved out a little at its tip. Two jewels of different shapes were placed along the hilt of the sword.
"Wow, this is a cool sword," he admired as he raised the sword in the air with one hand, "It's quite light even though it looks to be heavy."
"Father said that it was to trick the enemy that he was very strong to be using a heavy sword, when really he was just using a light sword," Amber explained to Zack, but laughed as she continued, "But actually this trick of his never seem to effect the enemy one bit."
Zack laughed, too, when he heard that. Zack then looks at Amber, smiling warmly.
"Thanks, Amber. You've helped me solve my problem and you are lending me your father's sword, too. Thanks. This means a lot to me."
Hearing that, she quickly faced down, trying to hide her blushing face, just like a shy schoolgirl, "You're-You're welcome."
Zack laughed when he noticed that. Amber just smiled while still blush.
==========
CHAPTER IV (B): CLARENCE AND GINA
Zack and Amber are heading to the mansion. Zack had asked Amber what was in the small pouch that she took out from the drawer earlier. She told him that it was her life savings that she had kept since she was small. She explained that it was to buy a pistol; after all, Sephiroth had cut her mother's revolver into two. After buying a pistol, the Star Achiever, from the weaponry store that Zack had visited earlier, they went to find Cloud in the mansion.
Along the way to the mansion, they could see Barret, like before, telling a bedtime story to Marlene through the same window of the same bedroom, but this time, together with Cait Sith. Cid was, like before, sitting on one of the floor-level windows of the mansion with one of his legs dangling, smoking another cigarette, but this time he was holding his spear in his right hand, with its bladed end to the ground. He was resting after having some practice swings with his spear, the Venus Gospel. Yuffie, however, was standing on the fence, the one surrounding the mansion, practicing what seems to Zack to be tai chi. RedXIII and Cinna were training in a practice battle against each other. When Zack and Amber did not see Cloud or Tifa, they guessed that the couple was inside.
When Cid saw Zack and Amber walking together towards the front door of the mansion, he couldn't help but tease them.
"So you two have gotten back together, eh?"
Hearing this, Yuffie, RedXIII and Cinna stopped doing what they were doing and looked at Zack and Amber.
As both of the two's faces turn red in embarrassment, Zack exclaimed, "Hey, you said it like as if there is something going on between Amber and I!"
Cid laughed joyfully, "It was just a joke, kid. Don't take it so seriously."
"Humph!" Zack sighs loudly.
"But it is nice to see that the two of you are together again," Yuffie explained.
"Yeah," Cinna agreed.
"Well," Amber said, still feeling embarrassed, "Thank you for your concern."
Cid then notices Zack's sword, "So, you've managed to get yourself a weapon after all. I'm surprised."
"Thanks to Amber. This was her father's sword, but don't get her wrong, she didn't do this out of respect for her father. It's just that."
Zack tries to assure everyone but doesn't know what to say.
"Don't worry, Zack. We know what happened to Amber's parents," RedXIII explained to Zack.
"Damn that Sephiroth!" Cid angrily cursed suddenly, "Killing them and even trying to kill Amber! Damn him!"
Zack and Amber were surprised to hear that from Cid.
"Thank you, sir. Thank you for being so concern of me," Amber thanked Cid, bowing her head to him.
"Hey, you don't have to be so formal, Amber," Cid said as she raises her head, "And don't call me 'sir', all right? Just call me Cid."
"Okay. Cid."
Cid smiled, "Now that's more like it."
"Zack," Yuffie called as Zack looks at her, "If you're looking for Cloud, he's in the dining room with Tifa."
"Thanks, Yuffie," Zack answered aloud to Yuffie.
He looks at Amber, "Let's go."
They then enter the mansion.
*********
In the dining room, Cloud and Tifa were sitting at the dining table, eating some dessert that Tifa had just made earlier, but Cloud was concentrating more on something else than the dessert in front of him.
Zack and Amber were about to enter through the door when Cloud suddenly spoke out, "I still can't believe this."
Tifa was surprised when he suddenly spoke out as she stared at him.
"I still can't believe that Sephiroth is alive," Cloud continues.
Zack then stood at the side of the door. Amber followed.
"No one did, Cloud. Everyone was surprised when he suddenly appeared," Tifa, looking down at the table.
"But that's not all. He knew Zack before he even met him," Cloud exclaimed.
Zack was surprised when heard him say that.
Cloud continued, "I wonder who was the one that told him about Zack. How is Zack involved in all of this?"
Zack is surprised when he realizes how much Cloud cared about him.
"I don't know, but do you think the one that told Sephiroth about Zack, may also be the one that revived him?" Tifa asked.
Cloud thought seriously before he answered, "I don't know, but he or she might be."
After he finished, there was a long pause. Zack stood still for a while before he walked into the room, pretending that he had not overheard their conversation. When he and Amber entered, Cloud and Tifa looked at them.
"Got my weapon, Cloud!" Zack shows the sword, "Now teach me."
"I'm amazed. I didn't think that you could get one," Tifa admitted, looking at him.
"Well, actually it's all thanks to Amber. This was her."
"Her father's," Cloud interrupted Zack as he took a bite of Tifa's dessert.
"But-But don't get her wrong, Cloud!"
He was going to say some more when Cloud says, "It's all right, Zack."
Zack looks at Cloud before Tifa explained to him and Amber, "We knew her father and mother three years ago."
Amber is surprised, "But why have I never seen you before until the incident at the reactor?"
Tifa then explained to Amber, "Well, let me explain how we met first. Cloud and I were walking around town one night, three years ago.
~~~~~~~~~
FLASHBACK: THE HAPPY COUPLES
Cloud and Tifa were walking around Nibelheim, hand-in-hand. They were just spending time together that cool night. After almost half an hour, they headed back to the mansion. As they did, they see a man and a woman come out from the house where Tifa once lived in.
"Oh, so you're the couple that is living in this house," Tifa said to the couple.
"No," the woman answered, looking at her, "It was us, the family, that is living in this house."
"Oh, who else is in your family?" Cloud asked, curious.
"We have a young daughter, Amber. She's sleeping now," the man answered.
Tifa looks up to the bedroom window, which was brightly lit, "I don't think so."
The man and the woman then look up to the window.
The woman then says, "My, my, my. I told that girl to go to bed but she did not listen."
The man laughs, "That's how children are these days, darling. They always try to stay up longer. It's all right."
Tifa also laughs, "It must be true if a loving couple says so."
The four of them laugh.
"Let me guess. You two are also a couple," the woman guessed.
"Yes, we are," Tifa answered, hugging Cloud.
"Well, it really makes me happy to see a younger couple like you two," the man said, smiling friendly.
"Oh, we've forgotten to introduce ourselves. I'm Cloud and this is Tifa."
"It's nice to meet you. I'm Clarence and this is my wife, Gina. As you know already, we've just move into town lately."
"Yes, we did, because that used to be my house," Tifa explained to Clarence.
"It was," Gina, surprised.
"So, where are you living now?" Clarence asked Tifa.
"Now, I live together with my hero," Tifa said, hugging Cloud again, this time tighter.
Gina laughed, "That's a nice thing to say about the one you love."
"No, it's true. Cloud did rescue me once, no, more than that. That's why I love him so much," Tifa explained to Gina, still hugging Cloud.
"I see. That's different than any other couples that we've met in our lifetime," Clarence explained before he started laughing.
"Well, we'll be seeing you some other time then," Cloud said as he and Tifa started to walk to the mansion.
"Bye," Tifa, waving at Clarence and Gina.
"Bye and have a goodnight!" Clarence, as he and Gina waved back at them.
~~~~~~~~~
.And then Cloud and I went back here that night," Tifa, finishing her story.
"And that's was how we met your father and mother, Amber," Cloud said, facing her.
"But that didn't answer my question. Why have I never seen you two until the incident at the reactor?" Amber asked the two, once more.
"Well, we never went to visit your house, but we continue to meet with your father and mother as we often went exploring together with them," Tifa explained.
Amber then recalled, "Come to think of it, I remember father and mother saying, a few times, that they were going exploring with some friends they met in this town. I guess they were talking about you two."
Cloud nodded, "They should be."
"After knowing your father and mother for so long, we know that they will understand if you lend your father's sword to Zack," Tifa explained to Amber, "Anyway, we know that your father would think that it would be a waste of his sword if no one was going to use it again."
Amber laughed softly, "Yeah, that's what I thought too."
"So, Cloud, are you going to teach me?" Zack asked Cloud.
Cloud thought for a moment before he answered, "Well, I guess so."
Zack is surprised. Cloud looks at him.
"After all, you've done your part of this, now it's my turn."