Stained Souls

Chapter 3: The Coming Morning

Seconds past into minuets, minuets melted into hours, and soon the night slipped from Cloud's hands which still held his head and morning gave away. Its opening sunlight didn't make him stir. Instead it was the small creaks on the floor boards brought by little feet. Cloud looked up to have startled a little girl. She dug deeper behind the door but still kept her face out to see this mysterious stranger, but he was no stranger to her eyes at least.

Cloud continued to look at her without softening for her to enter. Surprisingly she did. The girl crept in; ignoring all the threatening stares Cloud gave her to back off. She clutched her stuffed bunny tight in her left hand but let the other dangle.

"Who are you?" Cloud asked politely just when he understood her innocence.

"Marlene." She whispered and Cloud nodded. "But I know who you are." She said in return, flickering Cloud's interest. "I see you in pictures Tifa keeps away when we're not looking." Cloud sat up straight, giving Marlene more space to come closer to. "One time I asked her about you…She told me you are the hero that saved us. She told me that you fight for good, but you don't look like a good person to me."

"Then what do I look like to you then?" Cloud didn't waste to play her as a child.

"Lost." She simply answered. Cloud didn't respond after that. The two looked at each other as if seas torn them apart and still did when they were in the same room. It was then that the girl's name made the child run off to the kitchen. Cloud followed after her thumping strides to the dinner's counter where Tifa wiped down its top.

"Marlene," Tifa lifted the girl up in her arms. "I need you to hurry up and get dressed. I have a lot of things I need for you to do for Denzel." Cloud hid behind the corner, no different then the girl. Marlene nodded 'yes' then ran past Cloud. It wasn't until then that Tifa noticed him. She immediately pushed her bangs from her eyes and hesitated to smile.

"Morning," she said as warm as ever. "Did I wake you?!"

"Who's Denzel?" Cloud came forth from the corner. Again Tifa hesitated by straightening her black apron that hung from her hips.

"The other orphan I have living with me. That was Marlene and Denzel is only a few years older then her." Cloud nodded as his eyes swam away from her, losing interest again. Tifa panicked for a moment before another topic came to mind.

"Vincent! He is waiting for you in the foyer to take you to your job…if you want it." Tifa failed in getting Cloud's eyes on her but gave up for the moment and watched him leave the room to Vincent. Once Cloud entered the entrance he noticed Vincent's blood red cape.

"Good," Vincent said as he saw Cloud hasn't left yet. "Come with me and I'll tell you on the way." He opened the door and made his way out with Cloud following from behind.

Unlike the night, people walked up and down the street but most of its populists were sitting on the side of it, staring out in longing. "Information is being departure from my contact through one of his most reliable men. There he will give you that information and bring it to me immediately."

"And this information is of what?" Cloud asked in a neutral tone.

"Nothing stirring up a local update from the Turk's Society." Cloud stopped which made Vincent pause.

"Society? Vincent…I have seen your numbers of Turks. There is no society anymore. And two months isn't enough to build that!" Vincent didn't show his feelings of how right Cloud was and didn't change his stare.

"Just give me the information that you are given." Vincent lead onward and cut sharply into a narrow alley way. The two walked deep into the space between the buildings until they met with a door. Vincent opened it as it was unlocked and opened them into facing a staircase.

Cloud followed Vincent up the stairwell to the first door on the first landing. Already Cloud was disappointed how unprotected this job was. As Vincent opened the door, Cloud walked into a room which must have been a large loft. Pillars were scattered throughout the medium sized room to lift the ceilings. Bookcases lined the room and to his left, hiding behind another pillar was a desk equip with a simple fax and laptop.

"This is the one who you will give it to." Cloud noticed Vincent wasn't talking to him and followed his eyes to the one sitting down far from the desk. He was just smoking a cigarette which Cloud smelt from the ground floor. The man dressed casual but with sharp style that seemed rugged and worn. His hair was fiery red embracing dark roots that lightly shone through.

The grin he worn was mischievous but his emerald green eyes were soft no matter how much he tried to hide them.

"You're late. Where you slow in walking him up half a block and some stairs?!" Cloud loathed his sarcastic tone.

"This is it?!" Cloud snapped. "This is the job?! To be playing messenger boy for you to get the newspaper every day!!"

"Every other day." Reno corrected. "Can't stand to see you everyday."

"At least you have a purpose." Vincent corrected before heading to the door. "And don't read the information. It'll only stir questions I don't want to get into." As the door closed Vincent was gone and the two were left alone. Reno and Cloud looked at each other almost in a snarling manner. Reno took another drag of his cigarette.

"You've changed." He said later after.

"You haven't" Cloud whipped before stealing Reno's seat.

Alright, I don't know the little girl's name so if I was wrong in any character information please correct me by REVIEW. And even if you don't have one please review anyway. Thanks.