THE DEVIL BEHIND THE DISGUISE PART TWO- THEIVING AND BLOODSHED
I AM NOT THE OWNER OF SQUARESOFT, IF I WAS I WOULD BE FILTHY
RICH.
ANYWAY, HERE WE GO
Cloud reached his room and locked the door behind him, so he wouldn't be
disturbed. He didn't bother to change his clothes or close the curtains to
stop the neon lights of Midgar playing across the walls. He lay on his bed,
closed his eyes and automatically stretched out a hand over the other side
of the bed. He sharply withdrew it as if he had been burnt.
'No, I must live on without her' he scolded himself.
Cloud fell into a shallow, troubled sleep. Aeris drifted in and out of his
dreams repeating her words to him. Cloud walked towards her and stumbled
into the lake. I was freezing cold and he couldn't breathe, nor could he
move. He was drowning-
Cloud was awoken with a jolt. He was drenched in cold sweat and shivering
violently. He dragged himself off to the bathroom, stripped and took a
shower.
He pulled on a pair of torn jeans and a shirt, unlocked the door and went
downstairs to the bar. Cid and Barret were sat at the bar, groaning, both
clutching an aspirin and a glass of water.
As Cloud entered Barret looked up blearily.
'Hey Cloud' he grunted
'Hey' he replied
Tifa was behind the bar with her back turned, busily cleaning a glass and
humming to herself. When she heard Cloud entering she turned around,
smiling.
'Oh hi Cloud! I didn't see you go to bed last night, were you all right?
You seemed a bit...quiet'
'Oh, yeah, I was just a bit tired that's all' he said, fiddling with a coin
in his pocket.
'Oh...right' she gazed at him; her eyes suddenly lost all their warmness and
went stony. Cloud was actually surprised they were friends after what
happened on the mission...
'Um, Cloud I wondered if I could talk to you' she had asked on the
Highwind.
'Well, you are at the moment aren't you?'
She giggled unnecessarily.
'No! In private' she said. The walked into the plane's bathroom (as it was
the most private on the plane) and locked the door. Tifa was the first to
speak.
'Cloud I've been meaning to ask you for ages.....will you like...go out with
me? She said in rush, looking at her feet.
Cloud was taken aback at this.
'Tifa you know...I loved Aeris, I can't betray her...I...' his voice faltered. He
moved to unlock the door but Tifa grabbed his wrist and spun him around.
Tears spilled out of her eyes but she didn't look sad. Anything but sad.
She leaned closer to him. Cloud grabbed her shoulders and pushed her away,
giving himself enough time to unlock the door and sprint. He was just about
to run when he heard Tifa, in a voice quite unlike her own, speak.
'Wait'
Cloud turned to see a stony expression in her eyes.
'You made a big mistake Cloud Strife, we could have been happy together'
Cloud stared at her then breathed one word before returning to the cockpit.
'No...'
That same expression had reawakened that memory in Cloud's mind. It was as
clear as though it had happened yesterday. Cloud dropped his gaze and
hurried outside, grabbing his coat and hastily doing it up.
It was the middle of January there was a biting chill in the air and black
clouds loomed overhead, threatening rain, or maybe even snow.
Cloud looked around Midgar. It had changed a lot. It looked cleaner and the
air wasn't as polluted as it used to be. After the planet was saved, the
mayors and rulers of every city and country insisted on the rebuilding of
the capital of Gaia. There were more trees than before and the slums had
been torn down and rebuilt as smart, clean houses. The children's
playground had also been replaced.
He crossed the street and headed up past the weapons outlet. Cloud decided
to take a shortcut through an alley between a bank and a restaurant. It was
dark and much colder than out in the open. He started as a tabby cat ran
out in front of him and behind some bins. He was almost at the end of the
alley when suddenly his coat was forcefully pulled backwards. He landed on
the ground, hitting his head against the wall. Tiny stars danced in front
of his eyes. He heard a soft click- a sound he had heard often when
battling side by side with Vincent. He felt the gun being pressed against
his temple and a sleek voice speak to him.
'Kneel down and make no sudden movements'
Cloud had heard that voice before, but he just couldn't put his finger on
it. He felt a rope being tied around his wrists as a hand pushed him back
against the wall. He inclined his head this time so he didn't hit his head
again. The attacker paced out in front of him.
He was tall and slim; he was wearing a black suit and held the gun in his
gloved hands, pointing at Cloud. A scarf wrapped around his head and mouth
obscured most his face. All Cloud could see of his face were two mako green
eyes with narrowed slits for pupils, like a cat's. Underneath his eyes were
two, slanted blood scars.
'Reno' he breathed.
'The one and only' he replied.
Reno pulled the scarf from his face, allowing his long, red ponytail to
cascade down his back. His face was thinner than it used to be. His
cheekbones made his face look angular and sharp. He turned to Cloud and
smirked, his mako eyes narrowing dangerously. He moved swiftly towards
Cloud and put a hand in his coat pocket, removing his wallet. Reno opened
it and removed the little amount of money in it and transferred it to his
own pocket.
'I expected you to have more on you than this mister Strife.' He smirked
again and then continued.
'All in the bank? Give me your bank number if you want to live-' But Cloud
didn't listen to the rest of what Reno had to say. He felt something sharp
jab into the back of his hand. He rotated his head slightly and saw a
broken pipe sticking out of the wall. He had an idea. Cloud caught the
ropes on the pipe and jerked his hands upwards, while trying to look like
he wasn't doing anything. He felt the bonds around his wrists snap. Reno
paused and fixed his intimidating stare on Cloud before striding over to
him.
He was a foot away from him when a force hit him squarely in the jaw.
Cloud had punched him and sprinted at top speed up the alley. He risked a
glance over his shoulder. Reno had reeled backwards from the assault but
ran after him, closing the gap rapidly on them. Suddenly he felt himself
being thrown to the ground. Reno was surprisingly strong despite his
slender frame. He easily pinned Cloud down on his back. He swung at Cloud
and landed a punch at his head. The world swayed to and fro.
The next thing he knew Reno had got off him and started kicking him the
side with extreme ferocity. He felt several snaps in his chest as his ribs
were shattered with each kick. Suddenly the kicking stopped and he heard
distant footsteps running away. Cloud lay there for what seemed hours,
gasping for air. Each breath brought a new wave of pain. He smiled. If he
died now he be reunited with Aeris...
Content in lying in his own blood he relaxed and waited for death to claim
him. In the alley, no one would notice.
Cloud's vision started to fail, the alley was disappearing. When he thought
every essence of life was drained from him he closed his eyes and let the
shadows draw nearer.
The last thing he saw was a beautiful face framed with bronze hair, tied up
with a pink ribbon. Two emerald eyes gazed at him worriedly. Cloud sighed
and let his consciousness slip away as the sounds of traffic faded.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I'm sorry for the evil cliffhanger! I'll update soon!
I AM NOT THE OWNER OF SQUARESOFT, IF I WAS I WOULD BE FILTHY
RICH.
ANYWAY, HERE WE GO
Cloud reached his room and locked the door behind him, so he wouldn't be
disturbed. He didn't bother to change his clothes or close the curtains to
stop the neon lights of Midgar playing across the walls. He lay on his bed,
closed his eyes and automatically stretched out a hand over the other side
of the bed. He sharply withdrew it as if he had been burnt.
'No, I must live on without her' he scolded himself.
Cloud fell into a shallow, troubled sleep. Aeris drifted in and out of his
dreams repeating her words to him. Cloud walked towards her and stumbled
into the lake. I was freezing cold and he couldn't breathe, nor could he
move. He was drowning-
Cloud was awoken with a jolt. He was drenched in cold sweat and shivering
violently. He dragged himself off to the bathroom, stripped and took a
shower.
He pulled on a pair of torn jeans and a shirt, unlocked the door and went
downstairs to the bar. Cid and Barret were sat at the bar, groaning, both
clutching an aspirin and a glass of water.
As Cloud entered Barret looked up blearily.
'Hey Cloud' he grunted
'Hey' he replied
Tifa was behind the bar with her back turned, busily cleaning a glass and
humming to herself. When she heard Cloud entering she turned around,
smiling.
'Oh hi Cloud! I didn't see you go to bed last night, were you all right?
You seemed a bit...quiet'
'Oh, yeah, I was just a bit tired that's all' he said, fiddling with a coin
in his pocket.
'Oh...right' she gazed at him; her eyes suddenly lost all their warmness and
went stony. Cloud was actually surprised they were friends after what
happened on the mission...
'Um, Cloud I wondered if I could talk to you' she had asked on the
Highwind.
'Well, you are at the moment aren't you?'
She giggled unnecessarily.
'No! In private' she said. The walked into the plane's bathroom (as it was
the most private on the plane) and locked the door. Tifa was the first to
speak.
'Cloud I've been meaning to ask you for ages.....will you like...go out with
me? She said in rush, looking at her feet.
Cloud was taken aback at this.
'Tifa you know...I loved Aeris, I can't betray her...I...' his voice faltered. He
moved to unlock the door but Tifa grabbed his wrist and spun him around.
Tears spilled out of her eyes but she didn't look sad. Anything but sad.
She leaned closer to him. Cloud grabbed her shoulders and pushed her away,
giving himself enough time to unlock the door and sprint. He was just about
to run when he heard Tifa, in a voice quite unlike her own, speak.
'Wait'
Cloud turned to see a stony expression in her eyes.
'You made a big mistake Cloud Strife, we could have been happy together'
Cloud stared at her then breathed one word before returning to the cockpit.
'No...'
That same expression had reawakened that memory in Cloud's mind. It was as
clear as though it had happened yesterday. Cloud dropped his gaze and
hurried outside, grabbing his coat and hastily doing it up.
It was the middle of January there was a biting chill in the air and black
clouds loomed overhead, threatening rain, or maybe even snow.
Cloud looked around Midgar. It had changed a lot. It looked cleaner and the
air wasn't as polluted as it used to be. After the planet was saved, the
mayors and rulers of every city and country insisted on the rebuilding of
the capital of Gaia. There were more trees than before and the slums had
been torn down and rebuilt as smart, clean houses. The children's
playground had also been replaced.
He crossed the street and headed up past the weapons outlet. Cloud decided
to take a shortcut through an alley between a bank and a restaurant. It was
dark and much colder than out in the open. He started as a tabby cat ran
out in front of him and behind some bins. He was almost at the end of the
alley when suddenly his coat was forcefully pulled backwards. He landed on
the ground, hitting his head against the wall. Tiny stars danced in front
of his eyes. He heard a soft click- a sound he had heard often when
battling side by side with Vincent. He felt the gun being pressed against
his temple and a sleek voice speak to him.
'Kneel down and make no sudden movements'
Cloud had heard that voice before, but he just couldn't put his finger on
it. He felt a rope being tied around his wrists as a hand pushed him back
against the wall. He inclined his head this time so he didn't hit his head
again. The attacker paced out in front of him.
He was tall and slim; he was wearing a black suit and held the gun in his
gloved hands, pointing at Cloud. A scarf wrapped around his head and mouth
obscured most his face. All Cloud could see of his face were two mako green
eyes with narrowed slits for pupils, like a cat's. Underneath his eyes were
two, slanted blood scars.
'Reno' he breathed.
'The one and only' he replied.
Reno pulled the scarf from his face, allowing his long, red ponytail to
cascade down his back. His face was thinner than it used to be. His
cheekbones made his face look angular and sharp. He turned to Cloud and
smirked, his mako eyes narrowing dangerously. He moved swiftly towards
Cloud and put a hand in his coat pocket, removing his wallet. Reno opened
it and removed the little amount of money in it and transferred it to his
own pocket.
'I expected you to have more on you than this mister Strife.' He smirked
again and then continued.
'All in the bank? Give me your bank number if you want to live-' But Cloud
didn't listen to the rest of what Reno had to say. He felt something sharp
jab into the back of his hand. He rotated his head slightly and saw a
broken pipe sticking out of the wall. He had an idea. Cloud caught the
ropes on the pipe and jerked his hands upwards, while trying to look like
he wasn't doing anything. He felt the bonds around his wrists snap. Reno
paused and fixed his intimidating stare on Cloud before striding over to
him.
He was a foot away from him when a force hit him squarely in the jaw.
Cloud had punched him and sprinted at top speed up the alley. He risked a
glance over his shoulder. Reno had reeled backwards from the assault but
ran after him, closing the gap rapidly on them. Suddenly he felt himself
being thrown to the ground. Reno was surprisingly strong despite his
slender frame. He easily pinned Cloud down on his back. He swung at Cloud
and landed a punch at his head. The world swayed to and fro.
The next thing he knew Reno had got off him and started kicking him the
side with extreme ferocity. He felt several snaps in his chest as his ribs
were shattered with each kick. Suddenly the kicking stopped and he heard
distant footsteps running away. Cloud lay there for what seemed hours,
gasping for air. Each breath brought a new wave of pain. He smiled. If he
died now he be reunited with Aeris...
Content in lying in his own blood he relaxed and waited for death to claim
him. In the alley, no one would notice.
Cloud's vision started to fail, the alley was disappearing. When he thought
every essence of life was drained from him he closed his eyes and let the
shadows draw nearer.
The last thing he saw was a beautiful face framed with bronze hair, tied up
with a pink ribbon. Two emerald eyes gazed at him worriedly. Cloud sighed
and let his consciousness slip away as the sounds of traffic faded.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I'm sorry for the evil cliffhanger! I'll update soon!