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When I write, I often don't plan things too well ahead of time. Last chapter was an excellent example of that. But this will be interesting for later, because I do have some things planned for Cloud and the gang very soon, so let's see how Cloud and Tifa hold up against it. Chapter 6, let's go!

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Ever since the Shrina Corporation fell into ruin, a lot of the old guards and soldiers who had lost their jobs started creating their own little gangs. They always referred to them as "clubs" however, because gangs are illegal, for obvious reasons. Because of this it's now very dangerous to stroll around Midgar at night, especially anywhere near a bar. All it takes is one plastered Shrina soldier to take a swing at you and next thing you know you'll have an entire "club" on you.

Tifa and I walked down the Wall Market totally oblivious to what was going around us. I was lost in thought. One minute I was thinking about my dream, the next about RedXIII, the next about the planet and what it might be trying to tell Tifa and I, the next, Tifa, her eyes, her kiss.

As we walked down Wall Market I suddenly became aware of my surroundings after I started hearing some cat calls. Tifa gripped my hand more tightly, and I did the same to try and reassure her. Maybe this hadn't been such a good idea. As expected, a club of ex-Shrinas were watching us. Apparently one recognized me. He took a step back and looked at me with a sense of hate that you can only give to a guy who had managed to destroy the only life you ever knew. I watched him out of the corner of my eye as he whispered in his friends' ears, and saw to my amusement their countenances change almost instantly into that same face that screamed hatred.

I trusted Tifa. At that moment I didn't really have much of a choice. I knew I was no good at boxing. Had I had a sword I could have walked a little easier, walked a little straighter, and I would have had the confidence that had any one of them tried to pick a fight I could have ripped him to shreds…but I didn't and so, with my head lowered a little, I picked up my pace.

I sensed eyes following me.

I heard silence. Silence. That sound by definition means danger to me.

"Heh. Look boys! It's Cloud Strife! If it ain't that %$ himself in the flesh!" I heard somebody say in front of me. Tifa let go of my hand and popped her knuckles. She looked piercingly into the pale darkness ahead of us, trying to discern a face, a body, anything. I was doing the same, but I was distracted by the group of at least 6 guys walking slowly up behind us. Tifa wasn't saying anything, and nor was I. For once I was glad I had no words.

"Who's this girl he's got with him I wonder?" said a voice behind me. "It's not his body guard is it? Cloud Strife! The man that took down the Shrina Corporation needing a body guard! HA!" "No man, he ain't got no body guard," said another voice. "Cloud Strife's one tough %$#. He don need a body guard. Maybe he's picked her up. Tell me Cloud, how much for a broad like her? Must charge a high price; she's a real hooker…excuse me, looker." A few of them laughed and I tensed up in anger. My arm bulged as my muscles prepared to pulverize the next guy to even think about calling Tifa anything like that again. All I heard though was laughing, and suddenly a glint of something shiny. Tifa grabbed my arm and pulled me aside.

"Hey look boys! The dames taking him away! Hey maybe she picked him…so is this how you support yourself Cloud?" More laughs came as I yanked myself free of Tifa's grip. I heard someone scream NO as I lunged at the guy who had just said that comment. My hand hit something hard and I heard a crack. I still couldn't see very well because of the darkness, but judging by the groans of the guy on the ground and the blood on my hand I figured I had nailed the guy right in the nose.

SLASH…

I fell over doubled in pain. The icy cold of a metal object had slashed my side. Somehow the person wielding the knife had missed my arm, but I still felt my life seeping away slowly out my side.

'What am I doing?' I thought. 'I'm not going to give up this easy!'

With all the tenacity I had shown when I fought Sephiroth, I stood up, seemingly unharmed, and looked around until I saw the first uncertain face near me. I lunged at him and swung, swung, swung…My knuckles hurt as I grabbed a guy that had moved behind me and I threw him into a pole. I picked out another guy and dove into him, knocking him into a pile of crates. A moment later I heard a gun shot and again a heard a scream and then silence.

No…not silence.

I checked my body and feeling no new wounds I knew there was only one person who could have been hurt.

"TIFA!!!!!"

Red light flashed around me. My eyes glowed and I lost control. There were only three left that I saw, but suddenly it didn't seem enough. I laughed as I watched my body break out of its limit. Like a movie I moved forward and hit the closest one to me once in the head and then twice in the stomach. I saw him falling over groaning and then saw my hands clasp together and bash the middle of his back. I heard a deafening thud…

I moved toward the next. In what seemed like slow motion I kneed him in the stomach, grabbed his head, and then bashed it at least seven times into the same knee. I felt blood…

Blood…why was I doing this? Why such brutality?

I regained control of myself and then looked around at the devastation I had just caused to these two guys. Neither of them were conscious, and if they were I really couldn't imagine the screams of pain I would be hearing.

BOOM!

I had totally forgotten about the last one. The one with the gun.

I fell on my knees and pressed my hand to my chest. I felt my lungs fill liquid and I started to cough up blood.

"Serves you right you &%$ son of a &%$."

He grabbed my hair and I coughed out the dark blood in my throat. I heard him cock his gun and put it to my forehead…