Chapter 2 - 7:14 AM, Nibelheim Standard Time, Day 2

My Silence Inside

I had awoken earlier today, around six to see the sunrise. The sunrise looks so beautiful when I see the sun slowly rise over the cold and barren Mt. Nibel. I was eating a small bowl of cereal in front of the TV. The national news from Costa del Sol is always on around this time.

"Reports of another robbery and murder in Gold Saucer, please stay tuned for the details," said the reporter.

Commercials began to air. I finished my bowl of cereal and placed it in the sink. I returned to the living room to watch the news. Once the commercials were finished the Costa del Sol news was back. The reporter glanced at the headlines and faced the camera, giving that fake smile.

"Around 11:00 PM CST last night, the same armed man with the shotgun has killed one person as he escaped from the Gold Saucer. It is estimated that ten thousand gil was stolen from the vaults of the owner of the Gold Saucer, Dio."

That was the third robbery this week, I thought. It was also the fifth person that was murdered in the last six months. Hmph, you're so predictable. I know that a lot of crimes were happening in the Gold Saucer, I never imagined it would get to be this horrible, and YOU would be the one doing this.

I was getting bored again. I headed outside to the front door wearing a straw hat and a medium sized watering can. The lilies on the windowsill needed water. The flowers on the windowills on each side of the front door were the only part of my house that wasn't bland. I loved seeing the blossoming lilies. There were purple, blue, and white flowers that really made my house stand out. I like keeping everything clean. I began watering the lilies along with the many other flowers that were on the windowsills. The lilies are my favorite flowers though, but I like all my flowers. I smiled as I finished watering them.

It was windy again as it was last night. The wind chimes hanging next to the door were softly ringing, such a beautiful sound. I was going to go back inside, it was getting chilly again. Before, I was about to twist the doorknob I heard heavy footsteps behind me. I quickly turned around and gasped in shock. Cloud...

"Hey Tifa."

What's going on? Why is he talking to me? Hasn't he forgotten that we haven't even spoken a word to each other in half a year? Even after what happened...

"H-hi Cloud, how are you?" I managed to say.

"Just fine, but I forgot to give this back to you. That's all I'm here for."

Cloud had a silver necklace linked around his right hand. I immediately recognized it...that necklace was mine. All silver and linked in small chains like a braid. Why does he have it? I began to blush.

"This is yours? Isn't it?" he asked me, smiling.

"Y-yes," I said nervously.

"Well, go on and take it. You must have left it in my house or something. I never noticed it until now."

I must have left the necklace in his house...'or something like that'. I remember I was missing it about four months ago. I walked closer to him, shaking and looking into his blue mako eyes. I held out my hand and he dropped it. It landed on my hand and I clamped it tightly and held it against my chest. I wasn't nervous anymore.

"Thank you," I said, giving a little smile.

"Oh, it's no problem, just try to keep your things more secure."

"Yes, I'll do that."

"Well, I'll see you later."

"Bye...Cloud."

He walked away back into his house and I heard his front door gently close. I stood speechless with the necklace still clasped near my chest. My hair waving along the cold wind and I was shivering all over. What just happened?

Entry #9, 11:36 AM NST

I'm writing earlier than usual today. The strangest thing happened to me. Cloud and I finally talked to each other, even after all the events that happened. He gave my necklace back, a silver one given to me from my mother before the day she died. Why does he just come out of the blue and talk to me and HOW did he get that necklace, I want to know the truth. Does he even REMEMBER what happened? Well, it's not like him to remember things anyway. But this was so important, so drastic, so...WRONG. I just want to throw all those past memories away...from Nibelheim six months ago. Yes, I want to forget it all, it's just too painful. I'm going to leave Nibelheim and go somewhere far away for awhile. But first, I need to call Yuffie. Right now, he's full of lies; this whole thing just pisses me off. I'm going to Wutai to think about this...