"Uh- miss? I think you've mistaken me for somebody else,"
"I don't understand," she said, wiping the tears from her eyes. "You look just like him, but yet you sound completely different- you even have his eyes," she ran her hand down his cheek.
"I'm sorry- my name is Dark,"
"No, I'm sorry for troubling you- it's just that for a moment I thought I'd been reunited with my childhood friend, that's all,"
"I'm sorry to disappoint you," he sighed. "Do you want a drink? You need to chill out for a while,"
"Sure, but how unusual, meeting someone who looks just like him in his very hometown,"
Inside there was a quiet café with small tables and fancy chairs. There were hardly any people in there, which was a good thing.
"So, who did you think I was?" Dark asked once they had been seated and the woman had finished sobbing.
"My childhood friend, Cloud," she sighed. "We were very close, but he died sixteen years ago. Maybe you're a relative or something- I never asked whether he had a brother or cousin or anything. What's your surname?"
"Strife, why?" the woman dropped the cup which she was holding, which smashed on the floor. "Why!" He repeated.
"So it's true,"
"What? What's true!" he said loudly, causing the few people in the café to look in his direction. He was becoming frustrated with this woman. "If you know something about me, you have to tell me! Please!"
"Cloud told me that he had a son, with a woman I also knew. I didn't believe him- I didn't want to believe him- but it's true…"
"Cloud… Is my father? That means that that man is after my father. What does he want with him?"
"There's more- a lot more of the story- but here isn't the place to talk. Follow me; back to my house, but brace yourself," Dark nodded and left a tip on the table, before following her.
"Who are you? How do you know so much about me? And my past? My father-"
"Listen-" she opened the door to her house and shut it behind them. "Take a seat, and I'll tell you,
"A long time ago, you father; Cloud, made a promise to me- that he would become a soldier, and that he would protect me when I'm in danger. Not long after, he left for training. A while after that, he came back as a soldier with a man named 'Sephiroth'- a hero and a world famous soldier and hero and was proud to be one of them. I was nothing but a mere tour-girl- but I was so happy that he had come back; just to see me. I took him and Sephiroth to an old mako reactor; there had been problems reported around there. However, Sephiroth saw something much, much worse. He saw something top-secret; soldiers being exposed to mako energy so much that they were forced to mutate. He lost his temper, and found that he was one of these 'mutations' too. He had been created from a being called an 'ancient'- an old race. Cloud challenged him as I did- he slaughtered my father. He defeated me with one blow. When I had awoke from consciousness, Sephiroth was in the library- searching for more information about himself. Cloud went to challenge him again, but Sephiroth disappeared- and by the time Cloud had left the library, the village had been burned down. His mother died in that incident.
"About two years after that, we met again. I had joined a terrorist group named 'avalanche', and our aim was to destroy the mako reactors in Midgar, which was the home to the Shinra company. Cloud had quit 'soldier' and was prepared to help us. He helped us destroy two reactors, and on the way became caught up in the affairs of a young woman. She was quiet and shy, but cheerful. Shinra were always after her for something, and so Cloud helped her out. She was captured, but Cloud went to rescue her, and avalanche followed. Whilst we were there, Sephiroth slaughtered the head of Shinra and most other people. Only we were safe because we'd been locked up. He also captured his 'mother' Jenova. We left Midgar, and formed s new quest- to kill Sephiroth before he destroyed the world,
"Somewhere along the way, you mother, Aeris, died. She too was killed by Sephiroth,"
"How do you know that Aeris was my mother?" Dark asked.
"No wonder Cloud was so upset when she died. All the time I felt, I knew something was wrong," she sobbed. "I never got him. If only I told him how I felt, maybe he'd be with me," she took a tissue and mopped her eyes. The front door slammed and in walked a girl.
She had waist-length black hair and deep, brown eyes. She was very tall- nearly as tall as Dark, with long, athletic legs. She tossed her mane-like hair and smiled.
"Mum? Are you okay? Who's this? Has he upset you?" she glared at Dark.
"I'm fine, Saria," she said. "Dark, this is my daughter Saria," Saria waved. "He's a son of a friend of mine," the woman explained to her daughter. Saria shrugged.
"I'll be in my room if you need me," she drifted away and heavy footsteps going up the stairs followed her. In a lower-voiced tone, the woman spoke again.
"To be honest, I think she's been a little down lately. Maybe she's missing her father. I'd go to her- but I think she'd trust someone a little more her age. I know it's a lot to ask, but would you talk to her? I'd be ever-so grateful,"
"Okay," Dark went upstairs to find Saria, who was sitting on her bed, cradling a picture frame. She hid it under her pillow when she noticed Dark at her doorway.
"Who're you?" she said defensively.
"Like your mother said- a friend of her's son. I er… Noticed you weren't looking too happy when you passed me back there. Are you troubled about something?" she snorted.
"Hmph. Like you'd care- or no for that matter,"
"You'd be surprised. Missing your dad?" Saria looked down.
"As if you'd understand," she replied miserably.
"On the contrary- I understand completely. I've never known my mother or father- they both died before I could see either one of them,"
"I'd give anything to see my dad again," she sighed. At that moment, Saria's mum walked up the stairs and joined them.
"So," she said. "Would you like dinner here?" Dark shook his head.
"No, sorry, but I've got to get going. That guy- Sephiroth – he killed my mother, and now he's looking for my father. I'm going to find him and get my revenge,"
"Maybe so, but look at you- you're dirty, tired and hungry. At least stay the night," Dark thought for a moment, and shrugged.
"I guess so, I'll stand no chance against him whilst I'm like this,"
Meanwhile, back in Midgar, Dr Black sat on his bed, his head in his hands. There was a knock at the door. He opened it, and Doctor Vynn greeted him, her arm in a sling.
"Sir-"
"I know, I know, I've seen," his face was pale and sweaty with worry. "What should I do? What have I done?" he panicked.
"I told you this would happen," she said crossly. "Look at the trouble you've caused! The power you've unleashed! And it's all your fault!"
"No! You're wrong! You see, now he's alive- all we need to do is recapture him! With our technology it should be so easy! And then- think of the power we'd own. I'd be made famous! The whole thing would go down in history!"
"The only thing that's going down in history right now is that he's gone and burned down another town!" Dr Black gritted his teeth.
"I want you to listen now, and listen good," he stood up powerfully. "I want you to take as much as our military sources; guns, soldiers, copters, airships- whatever! And I want you to meet me in Nibelheim in one hour,"
"Why Nibelheim?" she looked doubtful.
"That's where he's going to go, isn't it? He's going to look for Cloud in his hometown?" he said patronisingly. "What're you waiting for!" he exclaimed. "NOW!"
Dark scrubbed his blonde hair with a towel. He shook his locks as beads of soapy water splattered onto his surroundings.
"Dark," the woman said. "I've set up a temporary bed in the spare room- I hope its okay,"
"Uh, thanks- er…."
"Tifa, my name's Tifa,"
"So, did you and my dad ever... y'know…er…" He trailed off, hoping Tifa would understand.
"No," she sighed. "I'd known him all my life and yet he hardly gave me a second glance,"
"So who's the father of-"
"Saria? Oh, some guy I met not long after Cloud died. He works at Shinra, although we haven't seen him in about three years. We're ever-so worried. It's okay- I shouldn't be worrying you with tales of my life. You've had enough to cope with for one day," she patted his shoulder. "Maybe you ought to get some sleep," Dark nodded. Before he left, she held his face up to her. "You do look like him," she said quietly.
It wasn't very long before Dark was awoken in the middle of the night. Sounds of helicopters, voices and footsteps could be heard. He peered out of the window.