Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy 7 or any of its characters.
A Man Alone
It had been 20 years since Meteor had been stopped by Cloud and his friends. They had been heroes and everyone had known who they were but fame wasn't something that Cloud had ever wanted. At least not after he had seen what it had done to his idol Sephiroth. That kind of fame Cloud had decided that no one really needed since it would drive a person mad.
After they had saved the world Cloud had not felt that much better. Aeris had been killed in the attempt and he had failed to save her. He would never forgive himself for that and to tell the truth he never wanted to be forgiven for the act. It was his fault she was dead and there was no other way around it.
His friends had tried to tell him different but he knew better. She would never have been along if he had been strong enough to tell her that she wasn't wanted on the quest. If he had been strong enough to tell her to stay home where it was safe instead of running off to fight evil with him for no reason.
Cloud shook his head at the memories. He would not shed a tear since that would belittle her at least in his own mind. She had been strong and hadn't cried as the blade had plunged into her chest so he would be strong for her and never shed a tear of sadness for her. He felt that she wouldn't want that.
Just then he felt a splash of water on his face and he licked the water off his lips. The water tasted of Salt just like he knew it would. It was the ocean water that had splashed him. He was on a ship called the Mermaid and it was taking him to the city Costa Del Sol. There he was going to see all of his old friends who had bought houses there and decided to settle down.
Cloud was surprised to find out that Tifa had bought a house there as well instead of moving back to her hometown of Nibelheim. He had thought that she would go there but she had surprised him and moved to Costa Del Sol. Red had moved back to Cosmo Canyon as Cloud had known he would so he wouldn't be there to meet him at Costa Del Sol but Cloud knew that Red would be with him in spirit. Cait Sith wouldn't be there either because he was back to his old job. That or he was dead and Cloud couldn't be sure which one it would be since Cait Sith was so damn annoying. Cloud wouldn't be surprised if he was dead.
The rest of the group would be there as well Barrat, Yuffie, Cid, Vincent, and lastly Tifa. He didn't and he did want to see her. He owed her an explanation for why he had left and he knew that she would want one. Cloud's vision blurred and he shook his head thinking that it was some of the ocean water in his eyes making his vision blur. He never knew how much he loved her until she was never around. He had loved her with all his heart and yet that wasn't enough because he feared for her if he was around. He felt that she would be a target if he was around and he couldn't live with that. He had decided that he would rather be alone then have her in harms way.
The ship rolled beneath his feet but he was used to the feeling and it didn't throw him off balance. He watched as Costa Del Sol came into view in the distance and a knot tightened in his stomach. He knew why it was there but it didn't make it go away. He was nervous about seeing his friends for the first time in nearly twenty years.
Cloud decided that he needed to get his equipment ready so that he could depart the ship as soon as it docked. He went to his room on the ship and looked around. He had been on the ship for more than three weeks and the room was as close to a home as he had had in the last twenty years.
Cloud walked over to where his backpack was and started to pack what few things he had. He packed his few cloths as well as some food that he had with him. He never went anywhere without at least a few rations. He then picked up from the dresser that was bolted down a picture of Tifa. He looked at it and then gently rolled it in a shirt and placed it in his backpack. Then he walked over to where his sword was propped against the wall and picked it up.
Cloud gazed at his old friend. His sword was the companion that he had always had and would always have. It would never fail him as long as he took care of it. The blade was his blade that he used to kill Sephorith with. He opened the dresser and picked up the materia that was there. He put them in the blade and then watched his reflection in the mirror-like surface of his companion. He hadn't aged in twenty years. He should have had a few lines on his face or his muscles starting to go soft but there was no hint of either of those things. He then sheathed the sword on his back. Cloud wasn't one to really rely on the materia anymore but he always liked to have it around just in case he needed the magic.
Cloud grabbed his backpack and slung it over his shoulder and headed back to the bow of the ship. Once there he wondered what his friends needed. He had gotten a letter from Tifa saying that she along with the rest of them needed to talk to him. They wanted him to come and see them.
Cloud closed his eyes then and just waited for the word that they had docked. After awhile he got the word from the captain that it was time to leave the ship and so Cloud leapt from the ship on down to the docks and headed into town. There were more people there than Cloud remembered but that didn't really bother him.
Cloud headed down the streets and came to a corner that he remembered all too well. He remembered Red sitting against a wall with some kids kicking a ball at him trying to get him to play with them. Cloud smiled sadly at the memory. Those memories were too few that he had.
Cloud pulled out the sheet of paper with the note on it. The note that said that his friends had wanted to talk to him. In that note were the directions to Tifa's house where they would all meet. He hoped that he was the last one there because if he was the first one there then he would have to deal with Tifa and he didn't know if he was tough enough to do that.
Cloud turned down a side street and was hit right in the chest by a young woman. She had long brown hair and was wearing a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. She looked vaguely familiar but he couldn't put a name to the woman and so he decided that she wasn't anyone that he knew.
Cloud reached down and offered her his hand which she took. He helped her to her feet and said, "Are you alright."
"Yeah I'm fine it is just that I wasn't watching where I was going," she said and she still hadn't looked at Cloud.
Cloud noticed that the girl was very pretty with her long hair and her brown eyes that held such innocence. Cloud wished he was innocent but he knew that could never be and the more he thought on it the more he was glad that he was the way he was. She was wearing a flower in her hair as well.
The girl stood up with the help of the man she had ran into. She couldn't believe that she had run into someone. What was worse was that the man she ran into didn't even move. It had been like running into a wall. She hadn't looked at the man because she didn't want him to see how red her face was from embarrassment.
She reached up and pushed the hair out of her eyes and she caught a glimpse of the man she had inadvertently ran into. He wasn't as tall as most men but he was extremely well muscled. He looked to weight close to 180 or more which was nothing but pure muscle she was sure after running into the man. He had a sword strapped to his back and a backpack slung over one shoulder. That was when she saw his face framed by a head full of spiky blonde hair. His eyes were a bright blue that said he had been exposed to Mako energy and he was handsome she thought.
She shook her head and really looked at him as she stood up to her full height which was nearly as tall as him. She couldn't believe who was standing there right in front of her! It was Cloud Stryfe who she had known as a little girl because he had helped out her father in Avalanche. She could tell that Cloud didn't recognize her so she thought to surprise him. She threw her arms around him and yelled into his ear exitededly, "Cloud it is so good to see you again. I have missed you even though you probably thought that I wouldn't."
Cloud watched as the young woman stood up and then she brushed some of her hair away from her face. She looked at him then even though she tried to hide it. Then he saw her shake her head slightly as if to clear it and then she stood up to her full height and really looked at him. Just then she threw herself forward and wrapped her arms around him which took him by surprise. That was a feat in itself. She then said that she had missed him! Hell he didn't even know her how could she have missed him!
Cloud reached up and pulled her hands down and away from around his neck. She made her stand still in front of him and he said firmly, "Young lady I think that you have me confused with someone else. I don't know you and I don't believe that we have ever met."
"Oh come on Cloud you really don't remember me," she almost seemed to plead.
"Honestly I don't," Cloud answered.
"Well then I guess that I will just have to tell you who I am then won't I. I am a little older now than the last time that you saw me Cloud. Actually I am now over twenty. Just so you know for the future I am Marlene, Cloud and I am all grown up now," Marlene said by way of explanation.
"Marlene? You mean you are Barrat's daughter. You sure have grown up into a beautiful young lady," Cloud said quite stunned at finding Marlene all grown up. He remembered her as the little girl who didn't necessarily like him all that much.
"Yes it is me and since I have found you I am supposed to take you to Tifa's house," Marlene said as she turned and started to head down the street.
"What do you mean you finally found me and now you are taking me to Tifa's," Cloud asked raising his eyebrow slightly.
"Well," Marlene started to say slowly. "I was supposed to be at the docks so that if you appeared I would be there to show you the way to Tifa's now let us just go huh," Marlene said.
Cloud shook his head and walked on in silence wondering if he would get the same reception from everyone as he had gotten from Marlene. He hoped that they didn't hate him for leaving but he couldn't be sure and he figured that they were all entitled to their own opinions as it was.
* * * * *
Marlene led Cloud to a nice house towards the outer edges of Costa Del Sol where he was told that Tifa lived by herself. Cloud had hoped that Tifa would marry or something for that way she wouldn't have been alone for all those years. Cloud though was happy to find out that she wasn't married even though he would never let anyone know that.
"Well everyone is in there except for you and me so are you ready to see everyone Cloud," Marlene asked.
Cloud hesitated for he wasn't sure that he could face them after all the years that he had been away without ever really talking to them. He just wasn't sure about anything when it came to his old companions. Marlene caught on though and asked, "What's the matter Cloud?"
"I just don't know if they will accept me anymore that is all," Cloud said as he stood as if rooted to the spot he was on.
"Hey they aren't that different than the last time you saw them except, well, they didn't age as well as you did Cloud. Except for Tifa maybe but that doesn't matter. Just don't say anything about Dad's silver hair or you may get shot," Marlene said trying to hide a giggle.
Cloud took a deep breath and decided that it was time for him to face his old friends. "Lead the way Marlene. I am ready now."
Marlene opened the door and went into the house and Cloud followed her though a little ways back so that it didn't appear as if he was too anxious because he really wasn't that anxious to meet everyone again.
Inside the house Marlene led him through what appeared to be a study with bookshelves lined with books and a piano in one corner of the room. She led him to a room that Cloud took to be the living room where everyone that he was told would be there was. They were all sitting around a table made of oak that was rather large for a person who lived alone Cloud noted.
There was Vincent sitting next to Yuffie holding her hand. He was his old self stoic as ever except now there was a warmth about him. It seemed that he was allowed to age again Cloud noticed and smiled. It was good that he had found happiness with Yuffie.
Cloud looked at Yuffie and saw that she had red eyes as if she had been crying. There were dried tears on her face as well and Cloud could see where she had been chewing on her hair like she was nervous about something. She was all in all quite a mess and Cloud didn't know why. He almost felt the need to go and comfort her and yet he didn't because that was Vincent's job.
Cloud looked at Barret and tried not to laugh at the man. He had a full head of silver hair and so was his beard. The old man was truly getting old now and instead of being muscular he was mostly going to fat. That didn't stop Barret from mouthing off though Cloud knew.
Cloud saw Cid there still smoking but now the man was getting too old and the smoke was catching up to him. The smoking he had been doing for so long was giving him a bad time making it hard for him to breath. Cid wouldn't be left out of something though if there was a way that he could be used. It was the same with Barret.
Lastly Cloud looked over at Tifa who was sitting next to Yuffie as well. She was comforting her just like Vincent was. Strange Cloud thought. He had never pictured Tifa as one who would comfort Yuffie at all. Of course Cloud had never pictured Yuffie being devastated as she was at the moment. He wondered what the problem was but all he had eyes for at the moment was Tifa.
She had changed he could tell. She had aged well having no lines on her face or any other such markd to show her age. She still looked like she was in great shape and it seemed as if she had learned to be even more caring if that was possible. She had her large brown eyes and long hair yet. Cloud almost smiled at her but he didn't. He couldn't bring himself to do it.
Just then Tifa looked over and saw Cloud. She slowly stood up and it appeared as if there were tears in her eyes. She slowly walked around the table to Cloud who steeled himself for whatever she was going to do to him. He was ready for it because he knew it was coming. He had known for a long time. She came up to him and stood right in front of him. She hauled off and slapped him so hard that his ears rung and she said, "I'm so glad that you are back Cloud." She threw her arms around him then and started to sob into his chest.
He looked around and decided to say the obvious thing. "It will be alright Tifa. Whatever it is I am here now and I will do whatever I must," Cloud whispered into her ear. He stroked her hair as his chest was soaked with her tears.
Cloud looked up from Tifa to see everyone staring at him and then Barret said, "Yo man we need you know so don't be doing any of that running off crap."
"You got that right," Cid said as he puffed on his pipe. He had changed to a pipe as he got older thinking it made him look more sophisticated.
"Cloud," Vincent's voice began sadly. "We really need your help and from what we are told you may be the only one who can do what needs to be done."
Cloud looked around confused. They hadn't asked him here as a social gathering that much was now clear but then what did they want him for. He wasn't the man they remembered. He had lived alone for too long and had learned to like being alone. He wouldn't give up on his friends though. He would do whatever it was that they needed his help with.
"What is the problem my old friend. I can tell that Yuffie is saddened by something but I have no idea what it could be," Cloud said as he held Tifa close who was still sobbing in his chest though she was now trying to control herself.
Tifa pulled away from Cloud but as she did she whispered into his ear harshly, "We will talk later,"
Cloud nodded his head as he turned to look at Yuffie. She was still sobbing and new tears were streaking down her face. Cloud walked around the table to kneel down beside her. He took her hands in his and said as gently as he could, "Please tell me what I can do to help you Yuffie."
She looked at him for the first time and a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth but didn't appear. She was too sad to smile for anyone. She looked and Cloud and she reached over and hugged him and Cloud let her when normally he wouldn't have for fear of his materia. Those days were gone Cloud knew and he also knew that something bad was afoot or else Yuffie wouldn't be acting the way that she was.
"Cloud," She said in a broken voice that almost made Cloud's heart wrench. She was so sad and it reflected in everything that she did. The way she talked, moved, and especially acted. Yuffie was losing herself to her grief and Cloud knew that if that happened there would be nothing any of them could do to get her back.
"Cloud," Yuffie sobbed. "They have taken my children. My twins. They have taken them," Yuffie cried into Cloud's shoulder as he just held her not sure what else to do.
"Who took them," Cloud asked and when had she had children Cloud wondered. I don't remember ever hearing about that but of course he hadn't been in touch with them at all so it really wasn't that much of a surprise.
"The followers of Sephiroth. His cult took them thinking that if they sacrificied my children the children of one of the heroes then they could resurrect their leader Sephiroth," Vincent said from where he was seated. His voice was the same as it always was yet Cloud picked up a deep hidden anger that Vincent hadn't ever shown before.
"That is impossible and any sane person would realize that," Cloud argued trying to pragmatic in the face of everyone who wasn't.
"Yo Cloud they tried to nab Marlene too but me an old Cid here stopped them. We may be old but we can still go," Barret said calmly considering how his body trembled at the thought of them getting Marlene.
"It is true Cloud. They are trying to get the children of us and if they do then they will have us. There will be nothing that we can do to stop them for fear of our children's lives," Tifa said and Cloud noticed that her eyes were now dry.
"Cloud they sent Vincent and me a note about our children. They said that the only way that we would ever see them again is if you went alone and gave yourself up," Yuffie said and then she became angry.
"Where have you been for the last twenty years. If you had been around they wouldn't have taken my children. They would have taken you and my children would be safe at home right now. Damn you Cloud why did you leave all of us like you did," Yuffie screamed in his face as she slapped him.
Cloud stood up slowly and rubbed his cheek where she had hit him. For such a slight girl she could hit hard. He knew that she was angry and he felt that her anger was justified. "How do the rest of you feel," Cloud asked his gathered friends.
"I agree with my wife Cloud. You shouldn't have left us like that. We had become like family and then you abandoned us to go off on your own. That was something that I don't think that I will ever be able to forgive," Vincent said as he held his wife Yuffie who was still sobbing.
"Barret, Cid, Tifa do you feel the same," Cloud wondered aloud.
"Yo Cloud ya know that we became friends but friends don't run out on friends. You left us in the gutter and went on your merry way. I don't think that is very friendly," Barret said as he puffed his chest out as he always did.
"They are right Cloud. You ran and that was just wrong. What kind of man are you who would run from your friends. I am old and I have at least stayed in touch with everyone. Don't you think that you could have done the same since you are so much younger than I," Cid asked mildly as he puffed on his pipe.
"Tifa," Cloud almost whispered fearing what she would say and yet knowing that he deserved whatever she said or did.
"Cloud how could you run like that. We were family nearly and all I wanted was to be happy with you. I wanted us to be family more than friends. You ruined that by leaving. Why would you leave the woman who loved you with all her heart huh Cloud why. Why did you leave," Tifa asked near tears again.
Cloud stood erect and looked calmly at everyone there and knew that they deserved an answer. They deserved an answer and yet he didn't really want to tell them anything yet. So instead he turned to Yuffie and said too calmly for everyone present to fully believe, "Since you hate me now yuffie and it seems that everyone is on your side there then I will end your grief. I will give myself up and you will have your children back. I will allow myself to be killed so that you may have your children. I will leave now so that my presence doesn't make you sick or do something that you would later regret."
Cloud turned on his heel and left the room. He went back the way he came and left the building. At the steps outside though he met Marlene who said, "You know they don't hate you Cloud. They are just so sad now days. Stay here at least for a day until you find out where you need to go. I will find out for you and then I will tell you."
"Thank you Marlene I really appreciate it. You are wrong though. I think that they do really hate me. It is understandable though. I left them without so much as a word. They have reason," Cloud said as he went down the stairs. At Marlene's voice he turned around.
"Cloud I think that they will understand all you need to do is tell them why you left. They would listen and possibly believe you," Marlene said softly.
"Maybe," Cloud said as Barret's voice bellowed from inside the house.
"Marlene stop talking to that spikey headed person. I don't want you talking to him in case he rubs off on you," Barret yelled.
"You better go Marlene it seems that I am not wanted at all. I won't be missed no matter what happens so don't worry about me. I will endure like I always do," Cloud said as he turned and walked down the street in search of a hotel to stay at for the night.
* * * * *
Of the heroes there will be one who will be like time itself. He will be unyielding and made of steel. Time will be his ally for he won't know it's ravages as others shall. The hero will be the one who must save the world from a blackness that is older than people are. It shall attempt to return a score of years after the fall of a would be king. When his weapon would be beat aside by the forces of good. Only the heroes can save our ally of time though.
His name shall ring with the heavens and his sword shall never dull for he is always vigilant. Death will be his shadow and yet life will be behind him always. The group of heroes shall be his friends no more and yet given time they may yet know friendship that never was. Cloud will walk the world with his mighty blade and he won't age for his spirit is one that is eternal and it is the spirit that protects the world. He is guided by the Ancients though they are forever gone from the world.
The Lost Book of Shadows
