Final Fantasy
VII:
Before and After
Part 1
Cloud stepped out of the laboratory, looked around at the cold streets. He walked around for a while, getting used to his surroundings. A young girl with a basket in her hands was getting pushed around by some big towering men in black suits. Cloud walked over and asked them why they were beating up the girl. "Official business," they said. Cloud was getting angry. It did not look like she did anything wrong. Just selling flowers! He picked up his sword and batted them away with the flat part, just as a warning. "It's not polite to mess around with innocent young women now is it gentlemen," Cloud said, preparing for another swing if they charged. "Now, tell me who's behind all this, or prepare for a bigger beating than that." he continued. "Mr. Hojo, and his cloning team..." said the scared man in black. "...just please, don't hurt us!"
The two men ran away, and Cloud checked out the girl. "You alright?" he asked her. "Yes. Thank you so much for saving me. My name is Aeris. What is yours?" she asked Cloud. "My name is Cloud. I'm on a search for a man called Hojo. He is a mad scientist who has been cloning someone named Sephiroth." Cloud said. "Okay, maybe I can help you get him." said Aeris. "I sure do hope so." Cloud said. "Oh! I almost forgot! Would you like to buy a flower? They're only one gil." Said Aeris, with a hopeful look in her eyes. "Sure, I'll buy one." said Cloud as he handed over a coin to the girl. "Thank you." she said as she handed Cloud a flower. Cloud started walking down a long road and finally came to a church. Aeris had told him she wanted to stop here before they started on their journey. She went in and said a quick prayer, then turned back to Cloud. "HEY! OPEN UP!" said a voice outside of the sanctuary door. Six men with armor and guns with them busted in the door and ran straight for Aeris. "Get the girl!" the main man yelled. Cloud suddenly jumped in front of Aeris and gripped his sword tight. "One more step, and you can say goodbye to one of your body parts! And lately, I've been favoring the head! So back away from the girl, and no one gets hurt!" Cloud yelled. The men did nothing of the sort. They started shooting at the two. "Get down Aeris!" Cloud said as he lifted his sword down, as it was wide enough to guard both of them. Bullets sprang off of the solid metal, and sparks flew. The guns soon ran out of bullets, and the men panicked. Cloud leaped up, slicing most of their heads off or their helpless bodies. Aeris helped too, fighting them with her metal bow. Five corpses lay dead on the floor, blood puddles under each one of them. "Oh my god..." stammered the last man as he started running. Cloud watched him leave.
The team left the empty sanctuary, continuing down a long pathway to a city called Midjun. What was to come next for the two heroes? Would Midjun hold happiness, or only despair...
...to be continued