I opened my eyes to be greeted by a pair of azure eyes looking at me.
"Hey," he said as he brushed a strand of hair away from my face.
"Hey..." I said as I rubbed my sleepy eyes, a little embarrassed for him to see me like this.
"Barret was just in here, he said everyone is ready to go but I didn't wanna wake you," Cloud said as he ran a finger over my cheek. I silently debated what to do in my head. Cloud looked so relaxed and happy and at that moment I felt so happy too... maybe now would be a good time...
"Um Cloud..." I started as I took hold of one of his hands. "You know when we were kids... and you left and I made you promise..." I started, 'Ugh, I sound so dumb... I need to get to the point!' I scolded myself but before I had the chance to fit another word in the door flew open.
"Barret said you guys were in here! Come on Cloud, let's go... Tifa, you are SO lazy! It's a lovely day and you are here in bed!" Aeris squeaked obnoxiously. I sat up and glared at her.
"Cloud is in bed too!!" I said pointing at him, "and we had to fight a load of monsters before we got here... we are tired!" I was almost screaming in frustration. I felt Cloud put two of his hands on my shoulders and his lips brush against my ear as he whispered.
"It's ok, calm down she isn't worth it." he said. I tried to relax a little but Aeris always seemed to ruin everything and was always trying to make me look bad in front of Cloud.
"Oh Tifa, don't be silly! Cloud is our brave leader, he needs to rest. Now hurry up Cloud!" She left the room. I got out of bed and put on my boots and gloves fuming.
"Hey Tifa...don't let her get to you. You fought just as hard as me and we all needed a rest... just because she doesn't know how to fight! I pity Red and Yuffie actually, they do all the work no doubt," Cloud said as he also put his boots on. I smiled and felt so much better.
"Thanks Cloud... you are probably right. Now come on leader, I don't want to keep them waiting any longer than we already have," I said as I opened the door and stepped into the hotel lobby, closely followed by Cloud. Everyone was there waiting for us. Barret and Cloud started talking when Yuffie pulled me aside.
"Oh my God, Aeris came in just now all 'you won't believe this, Tifa and Cloud were in bed together she is acting so easy!'" Yuffie whispered to me. My jaw dropped. I knew she was malicious but this was ridiculous. "But then Barret heard her and was all 'I don't want to hear ANY talk like that about Tifa from you or anyone... you mess with her you mess with me!'" Yuffie said doing her best to impersonate Barret's voice. "Then there was this awkward silence and you guys came in!" Yuffie giggled a little. I was still shocked and looked over at Aeris, who was stood beside Cloud and Barret watching them talk... well, watching Cloud. I looked back at Yuffie,
"Why the hell does she hate me so much??" I asked. I really needed to know what her problem was.
"Simple, she wants your boyfriend." Yuffie said, also looking over at Aeris.
"Cloud is not my..."
"Tifa?" I looked down to see Red stood beside me.
"I can only assume Yuffie has been telling you what just happened. I want you to know that although I do not know you very well I do not think of you like that and I feel that Aeris would only say such a thing out of jealousy." He said. I smiled and stroked his head a little not quite knowing what to say.
"Thankyou Red... that's really sweet." I said. It was comforting to know not everyone thought like her at least... I hate being stereotyped as a slut just because of the way I dress and because I dared to act friendly with the man I love! It's not as if I'd even...
"And how was your sleep? You seem refreshed today... have the nightmares stopped?" Red asked pulling me out of my thoughts.
"Yeah," I said smiling at him. "I didn't have a bad dream last night... they seem to stop when..." I quickly stopped myself. This was waaaay too embarrassing.
"Right everyone, we will climb the mountains in the same teams as before." Cloud announced as he came over to me. "Good luck all of you...and be careful," he added as he followed Barret out of the door.
"I'll see you guys later, okay?" I said to Red and Yuffie as I quickly followed.
The walk over the mountains was long and tiring and the roads were desolate. It was really depressing. I liked having people around me. After some time spent walking, we found a man sat on some rocks all alone. His face was dirty and his clothes were torn, he reminded me of the poor people of the slums. He looked up at us hopefully.
"Whew! Hey!" He said looking up at me. "You're actually talking to me." He smiled brightly.
"What is it?" Cloud asked, his tone cold. He was always so suspicious of strangers.
"I just passed a guy in a black cape back there," the man said. All three of us looked at each other. "I just tried to tell him that it's dangerous up ahead, and he ignored me!" I bit my lip,
'He has just been here...he could be just over that hill... so close... '
"Sephiroth...." Cloud whispered. We were all silent for some time, I was terrified inside but I knew we had to go on... the sooner we caught up with Sephiroth the sooner this would all be over... one way or another.
"Let's hurry on." I whispered. Cloud nodded, I looked over at Barret who was stood with his back to us. Something was wrong. He was usually the one charging ahead but he didn't seem to want to go.
I handed the man a few gil then went over to Barret and put my hand on his arm.
"Are you ok?" I asked.
"Um... yeah... lets um... go..." He said as he walked past me. Cloud took hold of my hand and we followed him.
"Whats wrong with him? I'm worried..." I whispered to Cloud.
"I don't know... but please Tifa, stay focused and don't wander away from me... if Sephiroth is around I can't risk it...I can't risk losing you..." he said as he squeezed my hand. I nodded and felt slightly safer knowing Cloud was there to protect me... the last thing I wanted to do was face Sephiroth alone again.
As we carried on walking I kept a close eye on Barret, the further we went the more uncomfortable he seemed to get. We passed another reactor, I wanted to stop and look but Barret hurried us past it... something was very wrong.
Eventually we arrived at what appeared to be a campsite. I looked around shocked, the people were in the same state as the man we had met previously and they were living in tents... it reminded me of the slums but out in the open air.
"What is this place?" I whispered. I suddenly felt a hand grip my arm and I saw Barret beside me looking more distressed than I had ever seen him. I instantly put my hand on his.
"Tifa... we all have pasts...there are some things I never told you..." Barret said quietly. "Wait here." He strode off into the camp. I turned to Cloud distressed.
"Cloud... what's going on... what did he mean?!" Cloud put an arm around me.
"Tifa, don't worry... I don't know what's going on either but you know and trust Barret. Don't worry," he said as he pulled me in closer to him. I wrapped my arms around his waist and closed my eyes.
'Barret and I have always been so close... I know it has to be something terrible if he didn't even feel like he could tell me about it...but then again we all have elements of our past we want to forget... we block it out and it's like it never happened... I know I've done that.'
I suddenly heard the aggressive shouts of men.
"Well, lookey here! Never thought I'd ever see your face again."
"They kick you out of another town or somethin'?"
My instincts immediately told me to go and help Barret, I tried to run in to see what was happening when I felt two arms holding onto mine.
"Let me go Cloud!" I shouted in anger. "He may need our help!" I said struggling to free my arms.
"Tifa..." came Clouds voice, "he told us to wait so we have to wait... I know you want to protect him but you have to respect his decision... this is something he wanted to do alone." Cloud stroked my hands with his thumbs. I stopped struggling and looked up at him.
"You destroy everything you touch."
"You got a lot of balls comin' back here!"
"Look at this place! It's all your fault North Corel turned into a garbage heap!"
"But listen to all the horrible things they are saying to him... they can't talk to him like that... that's Barret... he deserves better." I said pleading with Cloud with my eyes. I wanted to make their harsh words stop. Cloud simply responded by pulling me close to him and holding me tight. I sighed and rested my head against his chest... What was going on?
"Why doncha say something!?"
"Or did ya forget what you done here already?"
"...I'm sorry...." Came Barret's voice. He sounded so depressed, a tone I had never heard him use before.
"^%$#! You ain't even worth the effort."
"Don't waste your time talkin' to the Techno-freak!"
I looked up to see Barret had joined us again. He kept his gaze to the floor, looking utterly dejected. I let go of Cloud and put a hand on Barret's arm.
"You heard 'em... It's my fault this town was... destroyed..." He said, almost inaudibly. He then turned and walked away from us as quickly as possible. My eyes were wide with shock and I could feel myself on the verge of tears.
I didn't understand. Barret, who had been like a father to me... he was the one who tried to save the world, not destroy it. I needed to talk to him... I needed to know what had happened here. I quickly chased after him and I knew Cloud was close behind me. I finally found Barret by what appeared to be a station of some sorts, along with Aeris, Yuffie and Red. They were all stood there in silence looking confused and upset. Barret was clearly doing his best not to make any eye contact with anyone. Aeris finally broke the silence.
"Barret, what happened?" Barret sighed and kept his eyes on the floor.
"Sorry." He whispered.
"What happened?" Cloud asked in a firm tone. I squeezed Cloud's hand, I didn't want him to push. I had never seen Barret so upset... so helpless... He sighed again, then began to speak.
"My hometown used to be around here," he said as he kicked at one of the many rocks on the floor.
"What do you mean, 'used to'?" Red asked.
"It ain't here no more. Heard it got buried... in just 4 years." Barret shook his head.
"But how could those people say those terrible things?" Aeris asked, confused.
"An' it's my fault. ALL my fault." Barret said as he put a hand over his face. "Corel was always a coal mining town. It's so dusty, but calm and so poor... a real small town, this one. That's the first time I ever heard the word 'Mako reactor' mentioned since that time..."
I listened to Barrets story about how the Shinra had tricked his poor village into believing Mako energy would make them money. None of this surprised me but what he told us next I did not expect.
"It happened when Dyne and I were out of town for a few days. Corel was burned down by the Shinra troops." He was almost whispering by this point. "All the townspeople........ All my relatives......... Everyone...... Everything......" he kept one hand over his face. I couldn't believe it... Barret's hometown had been burnt down just like mine and all these years he had never said a word about it. I had told him my village had been destroyed but I had never gone into detail... we had both kind of accepted we had bad pasts and didn't want to talk about it but we got on well and fought for the same cause. Cloud stepped forward. He had a look of confusion and hurt.
"Shinra troops? What for!?" Barret turned away from us.
"There was an explosion at a reactor. Shinra blamed the accident on the people. Said it was done by a rebel faction." He said. I couldn't stay quiet any more, Barret had lived with this guilt for years when really the only people to blame were Shinra!
"That's so terrible!" I started.
"Well, I guess that's true. But more than Shinra, I couldn't forgive myself. Never should have gone along with the building of the reactor..." He still wouldn't look at me. I walked towards him and put my hand on his back.
"Don't blame yourself. We were all fooled by the promises Shinra made back then," I said trying to comfort him. It was true. Shinra promised the people so much and we all lost out...
"That's why... that's why I get so pissed off!! Not only did they take advantage of me... But I lost my wife, Myrna, too..." He whispered. I could feel tears building up inside me... I sometimes got so lost in my own grief about what happened I had forgotten that the others must be hurting too. Each had their own story and their own reason to be on this mission.
"Hey everyone! If you want to go to the 'Gold Saucer', hurry and get on!" Came the voice of the ticket seller interrupting my thoughts. I turned to Cloud and put my hand on his chest.
"Cloud... you all go on... I need to talk to Barret alone." I said giving him a small smile. He nodded,
"Okay Tifa, I understand... If you need to talk or anything...." He said scratching the back of his head. I smiled properly this time and kissed his cheek.
"I know, Cloud."
I watched them all get into the small carriage before turning to Barret. He was facing me finally but still looking at the floor.
"Barret... you and the other villagers made a mistake, you didn't have any reason to not trust the Shinra back then. It's horrible and unfair of them to lay all the blame on you when really it's Shinra they should be concentrating their hatred on. You and I... we have both been through hell... we lost our families and homes and lives to this thing that is so much bigger than us... but we fought back. You are the one who taught me how to fight back and I won't give up, not until we win...for my father... for your wife...for everyone Shinra has ever hurt we have to do this." I said as I held onto his hand tight. I could feel myself shaking a little... I was so terrified of Barret just giving up... "I can't do this without you..." I whispered. I felt him put his hand on my shoulder.
"You really don't blame me for this? I must seem like such a hypocrite... I should have seen through them from the start!" He said.
"Barret, I acted as a guide for Sephiroth... I worked for the man who destroyed my life... I practically worshiped him. Some people you just can't see through... neither of us had any way of knowing but the important thing is we are going to right the wrong." I looked up at him.
"Yeah Tifa... they will regret the day they messed with Avalanche." He smiled a little. I hugged him tightly, so relieved to see the old Barret back.
"The other are waiting, come on you, lets go. I really wanna see the gold saucer." I said to him. Barret laughed.
"I know your game, you just wanna get back to Cloud." He said as he playfully pushed me into the carriage but he pushed a little too hard and I landed right on Cloud's knee making him jump in shock. I looked down blushing. Maybe he was right but I wasn't going to tell.
"Hey," he said as he brushed a strand of hair away from my face.
"Hey..." I said as I rubbed my sleepy eyes, a little embarrassed for him to see me like this.
"Barret was just in here, he said everyone is ready to go but I didn't wanna wake you," Cloud said as he ran a finger over my cheek. I silently debated what to do in my head. Cloud looked so relaxed and happy and at that moment I felt so happy too... maybe now would be a good time...
"Um Cloud..." I started as I took hold of one of his hands. "You know when we were kids... and you left and I made you promise..." I started, 'Ugh, I sound so dumb... I need to get to the point!' I scolded myself but before I had the chance to fit another word in the door flew open.
"Barret said you guys were in here! Come on Cloud, let's go... Tifa, you are SO lazy! It's a lovely day and you are here in bed!" Aeris squeaked obnoxiously. I sat up and glared at her.
"Cloud is in bed too!!" I said pointing at him, "and we had to fight a load of monsters before we got here... we are tired!" I was almost screaming in frustration. I felt Cloud put two of his hands on my shoulders and his lips brush against my ear as he whispered.
"It's ok, calm down she isn't worth it." he said. I tried to relax a little but Aeris always seemed to ruin everything and was always trying to make me look bad in front of Cloud.
"Oh Tifa, don't be silly! Cloud is our brave leader, he needs to rest. Now hurry up Cloud!" She left the room. I got out of bed and put on my boots and gloves fuming.
"Hey Tifa...don't let her get to you. You fought just as hard as me and we all needed a rest... just because she doesn't know how to fight! I pity Red and Yuffie actually, they do all the work no doubt," Cloud said as he also put his boots on. I smiled and felt so much better.
"Thanks Cloud... you are probably right. Now come on leader, I don't want to keep them waiting any longer than we already have," I said as I opened the door and stepped into the hotel lobby, closely followed by Cloud. Everyone was there waiting for us. Barret and Cloud started talking when Yuffie pulled me aside.
"Oh my God, Aeris came in just now all 'you won't believe this, Tifa and Cloud were in bed together she is acting so easy!'" Yuffie whispered to me. My jaw dropped. I knew she was malicious but this was ridiculous. "But then Barret heard her and was all 'I don't want to hear ANY talk like that about Tifa from you or anyone... you mess with her you mess with me!'" Yuffie said doing her best to impersonate Barret's voice. "Then there was this awkward silence and you guys came in!" Yuffie giggled a little. I was still shocked and looked over at Aeris, who was stood beside Cloud and Barret watching them talk... well, watching Cloud. I looked back at Yuffie,
"Why the hell does she hate me so much??" I asked. I really needed to know what her problem was.
"Simple, she wants your boyfriend." Yuffie said, also looking over at Aeris.
"Cloud is not my..."
"Tifa?" I looked down to see Red stood beside me.
"I can only assume Yuffie has been telling you what just happened. I want you to know that although I do not know you very well I do not think of you like that and I feel that Aeris would only say such a thing out of jealousy." He said. I smiled and stroked his head a little not quite knowing what to say.
"Thankyou Red... that's really sweet." I said. It was comforting to know not everyone thought like her at least... I hate being stereotyped as a slut just because of the way I dress and because I dared to act friendly with the man I love! It's not as if I'd even...
"And how was your sleep? You seem refreshed today... have the nightmares stopped?" Red asked pulling me out of my thoughts.
"Yeah," I said smiling at him. "I didn't have a bad dream last night... they seem to stop when..." I quickly stopped myself. This was waaaay too embarrassing.
"Right everyone, we will climb the mountains in the same teams as before." Cloud announced as he came over to me. "Good luck all of you...and be careful," he added as he followed Barret out of the door.
"I'll see you guys later, okay?" I said to Red and Yuffie as I quickly followed.
The walk over the mountains was long and tiring and the roads were desolate. It was really depressing. I liked having people around me. After some time spent walking, we found a man sat on some rocks all alone. His face was dirty and his clothes were torn, he reminded me of the poor people of the slums. He looked up at us hopefully.
"Whew! Hey!" He said looking up at me. "You're actually talking to me." He smiled brightly.
"What is it?" Cloud asked, his tone cold. He was always so suspicious of strangers.
"I just passed a guy in a black cape back there," the man said. All three of us looked at each other. "I just tried to tell him that it's dangerous up ahead, and he ignored me!" I bit my lip,
'He has just been here...he could be just over that hill... so close... '
"Sephiroth...." Cloud whispered. We were all silent for some time, I was terrified inside but I knew we had to go on... the sooner we caught up with Sephiroth the sooner this would all be over... one way or another.
"Let's hurry on." I whispered. Cloud nodded, I looked over at Barret who was stood with his back to us. Something was wrong. He was usually the one charging ahead but he didn't seem to want to go.
I handed the man a few gil then went over to Barret and put my hand on his arm.
"Are you ok?" I asked.
"Um... yeah... lets um... go..." He said as he walked past me. Cloud took hold of my hand and we followed him.
"Whats wrong with him? I'm worried..." I whispered to Cloud.
"I don't know... but please Tifa, stay focused and don't wander away from me... if Sephiroth is around I can't risk it...I can't risk losing you..." he said as he squeezed my hand. I nodded and felt slightly safer knowing Cloud was there to protect me... the last thing I wanted to do was face Sephiroth alone again.
As we carried on walking I kept a close eye on Barret, the further we went the more uncomfortable he seemed to get. We passed another reactor, I wanted to stop and look but Barret hurried us past it... something was very wrong.
Eventually we arrived at what appeared to be a campsite. I looked around shocked, the people were in the same state as the man we had met previously and they were living in tents... it reminded me of the slums but out in the open air.
"What is this place?" I whispered. I suddenly felt a hand grip my arm and I saw Barret beside me looking more distressed than I had ever seen him. I instantly put my hand on his.
"Tifa... we all have pasts...there are some things I never told you..." Barret said quietly. "Wait here." He strode off into the camp. I turned to Cloud distressed.
"Cloud... what's going on... what did he mean?!" Cloud put an arm around me.
"Tifa, don't worry... I don't know what's going on either but you know and trust Barret. Don't worry," he said as he pulled me in closer to him. I wrapped my arms around his waist and closed my eyes.
'Barret and I have always been so close... I know it has to be something terrible if he didn't even feel like he could tell me about it...but then again we all have elements of our past we want to forget... we block it out and it's like it never happened... I know I've done that.'
I suddenly heard the aggressive shouts of men.
"Well, lookey here! Never thought I'd ever see your face again."
"They kick you out of another town or somethin'?"
My instincts immediately told me to go and help Barret, I tried to run in to see what was happening when I felt two arms holding onto mine.
"Let me go Cloud!" I shouted in anger. "He may need our help!" I said struggling to free my arms.
"Tifa..." came Clouds voice, "he told us to wait so we have to wait... I know you want to protect him but you have to respect his decision... this is something he wanted to do alone." Cloud stroked my hands with his thumbs. I stopped struggling and looked up at him.
"You destroy everything you touch."
"You got a lot of balls comin' back here!"
"Look at this place! It's all your fault North Corel turned into a garbage heap!"
"But listen to all the horrible things they are saying to him... they can't talk to him like that... that's Barret... he deserves better." I said pleading with Cloud with my eyes. I wanted to make their harsh words stop. Cloud simply responded by pulling me close to him and holding me tight. I sighed and rested my head against his chest... What was going on?
"Why doncha say something!?"
"Or did ya forget what you done here already?"
"...I'm sorry...." Came Barret's voice. He sounded so depressed, a tone I had never heard him use before.
"^%$#! You ain't even worth the effort."
"Don't waste your time talkin' to the Techno-freak!"
I looked up to see Barret had joined us again. He kept his gaze to the floor, looking utterly dejected. I let go of Cloud and put a hand on Barret's arm.
"You heard 'em... It's my fault this town was... destroyed..." He said, almost inaudibly. He then turned and walked away from us as quickly as possible. My eyes were wide with shock and I could feel myself on the verge of tears.
I didn't understand. Barret, who had been like a father to me... he was the one who tried to save the world, not destroy it. I needed to talk to him... I needed to know what had happened here. I quickly chased after him and I knew Cloud was close behind me. I finally found Barret by what appeared to be a station of some sorts, along with Aeris, Yuffie and Red. They were all stood there in silence looking confused and upset. Barret was clearly doing his best not to make any eye contact with anyone. Aeris finally broke the silence.
"Barret, what happened?" Barret sighed and kept his eyes on the floor.
"Sorry." He whispered.
"What happened?" Cloud asked in a firm tone. I squeezed Cloud's hand, I didn't want him to push. I had never seen Barret so upset... so helpless... He sighed again, then began to speak.
"My hometown used to be around here," he said as he kicked at one of the many rocks on the floor.
"What do you mean, 'used to'?" Red asked.
"It ain't here no more. Heard it got buried... in just 4 years." Barret shook his head.
"But how could those people say those terrible things?" Aeris asked, confused.
"An' it's my fault. ALL my fault." Barret said as he put a hand over his face. "Corel was always a coal mining town. It's so dusty, but calm and so poor... a real small town, this one. That's the first time I ever heard the word 'Mako reactor' mentioned since that time..."
I listened to Barrets story about how the Shinra had tricked his poor village into believing Mako energy would make them money. None of this surprised me but what he told us next I did not expect.
"It happened when Dyne and I were out of town for a few days. Corel was burned down by the Shinra troops." He was almost whispering by this point. "All the townspeople........ All my relatives......... Everyone...... Everything......" he kept one hand over his face. I couldn't believe it... Barret's hometown had been burnt down just like mine and all these years he had never said a word about it. I had told him my village had been destroyed but I had never gone into detail... we had both kind of accepted we had bad pasts and didn't want to talk about it but we got on well and fought for the same cause. Cloud stepped forward. He had a look of confusion and hurt.
"Shinra troops? What for!?" Barret turned away from us.
"There was an explosion at a reactor. Shinra blamed the accident on the people. Said it was done by a rebel faction." He said. I couldn't stay quiet any more, Barret had lived with this guilt for years when really the only people to blame were Shinra!
"That's so terrible!" I started.
"Well, I guess that's true. But more than Shinra, I couldn't forgive myself. Never should have gone along with the building of the reactor..." He still wouldn't look at me. I walked towards him and put my hand on his back.
"Don't blame yourself. We were all fooled by the promises Shinra made back then," I said trying to comfort him. It was true. Shinra promised the people so much and we all lost out...
"That's why... that's why I get so pissed off!! Not only did they take advantage of me... But I lost my wife, Myrna, too..." He whispered. I could feel tears building up inside me... I sometimes got so lost in my own grief about what happened I had forgotten that the others must be hurting too. Each had their own story and their own reason to be on this mission.
"Hey everyone! If you want to go to the 'Gold Saucer', hurry and get on!" Came the voice of the ticket seller interrupting my thoughts. I turned to Cloud and put my hand on his chest.
"Cloud... you all go on... I need to talk to Barret alone." I said giving him a small smile. He nodded,
"Okay Tifa, I understand... If you need to talk or anything...." He said scratching the back of his head. I smiled properly this time and kissed his cheek.
"I know, Cloud."
I watched them all get into the small carriage before turning to Barret. He was facing me finally but still looking at the floor.
"Barret... you and the other villagers made a mistake, you didn't have any reason to not trust the Shinra back then. It's horrible and unfair of them to lay all the blame on you when really it's Shinra they should be concentrating their hatred on. You and I... we have both been through hell... we lost our families and homes and lives to this thing that is so much bigger than us... but we fought back. You are the one who taught me how to fight back and I won't give up, not until we win...for my father... for your wife...for everyone Shinra has ever hurt we have to do this." I said as I held onto his hand tight. I could feel myself shaking a little... I was so terrified of Barret just giving up... "I can't do this without you..." I whispered. I felt him put his hand on my shoulder.
"You really don't blame me for this? I must seem like such a hypocrite... I should have seen through them from the start!" He said.
"Barret, I acted as a guide for Sephiroth... I worked for the man who destroyed my life... I practically worshiped him. Some people you just can't see through... neither of us had any way of knowing but the important thing is we are going to right the wrong." I looked up at him.
"Yeah Tifa... they will regret the day they messed with Avalanche." He smiled a little. I hugged him tightly, so relieved to see the old Barret back.
"The other are waiting, come on you, lets go. I really wanna see the gold saucer." I said to him. Barret laughed.
"I know your game, you just wanna get back to Cloud." He said as he playfully pushed me into the carriage but he pushed a little too hard and I landed right on Cloud's knee making him jump in shock. I looked down blushing. Maybe he was right but I wasn't going to tell.