Final Fantasy VII

Memories Not Forgotten

Author's Note: First things, big shout out to Cathy7. I'll try and update as often as I can.

On a side note, my own computer is not working properly. So I am forced to work on my mother's, until we can find out what is wrong with mine. Regardless, this won't stop me from updating.

I can't really think of anything else to put, except enjoy the following chapter.

Chapter 6

The Call of Battle

At first, all he could see was white. Nothing more, nothing less.

There was nothing. Nothing in the entire world but white.

"Ugh…"

He made the softest of sounds, and attempted to move, but pain ripped through his entire being.

"Hey, he moved!"

Suddenly, he heard a voice. Distant, while somehow being near. Faint, and at the same time loud.

"Is he conscious?"

There was another voice, but still there was nothing but white. It was annoying.

"Reno?"

At the name, his vision began to clear, slowly, yet surely. And he could barely make out at least three figures looming around his bed. He never liked to be watched, and silently wished he could move. But each time he had tried to do so, the pain only returned. The first figure Reno could make out was the all-too familiar spiked yellow hair, which was Cloud.

"Where am I…?" He had asked weakly, while trying to look around.

He was indeed in an unfamiliar place. It appeared to be a large room, as he had noticed there were two other beds, one on each side of the one he was in. And in each of them were Rude, and Elena. Reno couldn't tell what either of their condition was, as his own vision was still blurred.

"You're in the Rocket Town inn. You've been out for at least two days, now." The voice which answered was a soft female's voice. Reno turned to see who it was, and was met with Tifa's soft gaze. Apparently even she could pity one of the people who destroyed so many people.

"Reno, we need some information from you." This was Cloud's voice, no mistaking.

But Reno slowly shook his head, and suddenly wished he had some alcohol. "Tough shit… I don't feel like saying anything right now."

Cloud, on the one hand, was not looking for that answer. And, if Reno had been in even the slightest better condition, Cloud would have made it much worse. But even he could not injure an already hurt person. So instead he kept silent.

Tifa had knelt beside the bed, so that Reno could get a better look at her face, "Please, Reno. We need to know several things, from both you, and the others."

'The others… she must mean Rude and Elena.' He thought silently.

"What about Elena and Rude? How are they?" Reno had managed to choke out, between coughs.

Another unfamiliar voice answered. It was more gruff than Cloud's, though not so deeply. "We gave 'em each some potions. They'll be conscious soon enough." It sounded like the air pilot, to Reno.

'Yes… the old man with the spear…' Again Reno thought to himself.

"Why should I even consider helping any of you?" Reno could slowly feel his strength returning. Apparently another potion had been administered to his body when he wasn't looking.

Cloud eventually chimed in, "We need to know who that man is that was with you all. The one with blue hair, who said he wanted us dead."

Then, Reno had suddenly remembered what had happened. Narak had thrown them off of the cliff, after seriously wounding them all, leaving them for dead on the outcroppings. He remembered the man's plan to combine J-E-N-O-V-A's cells with Cloud's DNA, and transfuse into Sephiroth. But what would he do afterward? What purpose would that psycho gain? Still, Reno did not see what he would gain by helping Cloud. That is, until he remembered everything he and the Turks went through, during the time of Sephiroth, and Meteor. Always being pushed around, told to do this and that. And though Shin-Ra was no more, there was still the chance of SOMEONE from the company being alive.

Which is exactly why he didn't want to tell them anything. But on the other hand, he didn't want to be killed by some psychopath, either.

"I'll… think about it." Was all Reno said, and was about to let himself drift into an uneasy sleep, when he heard a familiar voice off to his right.

"Where the hell… am I…?" It was Elena.

Tifa had risen to her feat, and headed over to Elena's bed, where the blonde was trying to sit up and get out of bed. Judging by the look on her face, her injures weren't as bad as Reno's, as she could move about just fine.

"It's you guys…!" Elena exclaimed in a half-exhausted manor, and tried to take a stance. Clearly, she was ready to fight until she died, which might have been the worst thing to do. However, Tifa merely pushed her shoulder, forcing the Turk back down onto the bed, and replied with,

"Calm down, or your injuries will get worse."

Pain came back to Elena, and she immediately began to calm down, while looking over at Reno, who didn't seem very happy either, "What happened?"

Next to speak was Cid, "We found the three of ya' unconscious nearby. We brought you guys here to rest, because we needed some information."

"Information that you will tell us, once all three of you are in good enough condition to." This came from Cloud, who seemed to be forcing the conversation.

Naturally, this enraged Elena, and would have lashed out at the other blonde, had her torso not suddenly cringed with pain, a pain which made her instead scowl. "Like hell we're going to help any of you…"

Cid was not at all impressed by the way they all seemed to reply with the same replies, with different words, and exited the room. And eventually, Cloud and Tifa exchanged looks, and also left the room, making sure to close the door behind them.

"What do you think, Cloud?"

"I think all we need is to give them some time."

"Time? What for?"

"If that man did this to the Turks, it will sink into their heads sooner or later, and they'll want revenge on him. Then they will help us with whatever we need."

"But don't you think they would go after him on their own?"

"Hm… not if we keep them here."

At his last statement, a sly look came into those swirling green-blue eyes that belonged to Cloud, and Tifa couldn't help but smirk in return.

"What were you planning, Cloud?"

"Put Red XIII out here in front of the door, and either Vincent or Barret by the window to make sure they don't escape. With their weakened condition, they won't make it too far anyway."

"That's as good a plan as any, I guess." So the two trotted off from the inn, to round up Red and Vincent or Barret, whoever they got to first.

"Reno, what are we going to do?"

"Don't be stupid, Elena. There's nothing we can do."

As always, the situation was grim, and Elena was trying to be smart. Reno would kill for some type of alcohol, but all he was Elena's constant mouth.

"They're planning on keeping us holed in here until we crack. You aren't thinking of helping them, are you?"

Reno turned and looked over at her, sitting upon the bed, "Why should we? So they can go after Narak and kill him instead?"

"But you remember what he said, don't you? He's going to become another Sephiroth!"

"So what? We'll just track him down and kill him before he succeeds."

"Reno, you're an idiot. Look what he did to us! Do you think we stand a chance?"

He had to stop and think about that one for a minute. True that Narak's powers were far greater than he assumed, but the Turks went through far worse injuries.

"We just weren't prepared, Elena. Next time, we'll succeed."

A ray of light burst into Elena's mind, and she began to look hopeful, "But we should still tell Cloud about it."

"Why?"

"If Narak becomes another Sephiroth, then he'll likely try and destroy the world again."

"So what? What's that got to do with Cloud? Or us, for that matter?"

"… can't you two not fight for one full day?"

Both eyes looked to the other far end of the room, to see Rude staring at them with an unhappy look from behind those dark shades. He looked as though he was woken from a good dream.

"Rude, how are you?" This came from Reno, who eased his broken body up from the bed to sit straight up.

"Leg might be sprained, can't feel it." He replied in a low voice, as always. "I'll survive. The potions seem to be taking effect."

Elena again tried to stand up, but found her legs were also sore, and was forced to sit once again. "So what next?"

There was a silence. Then,

"It seems the only way we're getting out of here is to tell Cloud about Narak." It was Reno.

"So you're planning on helping them?" Elena again started to look hopeful.

"No, you idiot, I didn't say that. We'll tell Cloud about Narak's plan, then be on our way. Simple as that."

"…And what do you plan on doing after we depart?" Rude's voice came from behind the redhead.

"We'll go after Narak, of course. Who knows what he'll do if he succeeds in his task.

And so it was decided amongst the three; they would tell Cloud everything they knew about Narak, and then leave them behind, to pursue the fiend by themselves.

Cloud had taken it upon himself to settle just outside the entrance to Rocket Town. The sun was just over the very top of the sky, meaning that is was sometime after noon. Roughly two hours, maybe. Cloud was never the one to keep track of time. Not after 'she' died.

After Aerith fell at the Forgotten Capital, time, to Cloud, was nothing. Every day was a fleeting mass of emptiness, and a giant scar was left on his heart. A scar that would never heal. The flower merchant had left such a mark on all of their lives, her smile cheering them all up when times got bad. But even her bright smile did not save her from the Masamune. Cloud began to silently think what would have happened, if she had been spared… what would it have been like? Would Sephiroth had died sooner? Would Meteor have ever been summoned in the first place? And most disturbing, where would the two of them be to this day?

Such thoughts only brought more pain to his mind, and he wished he never even thought about it in the first place.

The only person he really had left was Tifa, the girl had had known since they were kids. True that the two never played together as kids, or even spoken much except for that fateful night at the well. But still, they grew up together. Both of them knew the other like the back of their hand. It seemed that the two of them would be perfect for one another, even if much of Cloud's own memory was nothing but an illusion. But due to Cloud's pride, he may never admit the fact that the two should be together. He couldn't, not until he got over Aerith. Before he could start a new life, he must first dispose of his old one.

Looking beyond the sparkling rocks that were lit up by the sun, Cloud looked to the southeast, where something had caught his eye. It was… smoke? What could it be? Perhaps some workers from Nibelheim burning down some brush, or some sort.

His question was soon answered, when every member of the party came running from the entrance of Rocket Town. They were all headed toward the Highwind, so Cloud dashed out to meet them halfway. "What's wrong, everyone?"

They all stopped, and the first to answer was Tifa. "We just received a distress call from Nibelheim. They're in trouble!"

Next was Vincent, "Apparently, some giant monster is destroying the town."

Finally, Cid. "We're going to destroy it, before it reaches the Mountains, where the people are hiding. Let's go!"

"But what about the Turks?" Cloud had to know.

As they all started to run, Barret had answered him, "The villagers agreed to look out for 'em."

It didn't take long for the party to load up into the ship. Cid had summoned the pilots to their places, as the crew tended to stay in the ship most of the time. The giant hatch closed, and a hissing noise indicated that it was sealed, and the ship was clear for take off. Next was a violent, yet brief vibrating, which meant the ship was starting up, and being lifted into the air. Instead of each person going to where they normally dwelled on the ship, everyone gathered on the main point, near the large glass. Cloud pointed out to where the smoke columns were twisting into the air,

"Let's hurry. The people won't last much longer."

Shabam. Next chapter will be an actual fight chapter. And depending on how I write it, will depend on whether I should change the rating, but we'll see.