So, here's chapter two. This one is only in first-person point of view, I'm afraid, but that's because it's a summary of the years. In other words, it's what happened in the years before the main plot...or something like that.
I got some excellent suggestions for a name (Freya Strife sounds much more kickass than Freya Allen, though), but have ultimately decided to go with the name Castalia. It's a little more out there than I'd initially planned, but it was one of those names where, when you see it, it doesn't leave you alone since another part of your brain already decided it's the one you're choosing.
I laughed when I saw the meaning, though. I wonder if my story is trying to tell me something...
Anyway, I won't keep you. I hope you like this chapter.
[Edited on 4/23/20]
This chapter has been updated with new information that's come out since I first posted it. If you feel up to it, you can reread it. If not, I've mentioned the main changes in the latest chapter (11).
OoOoOoOoOoOoOo
Chapter 2
~1 week after arrival
This was surreal.
I know I came to the conclusion that I was somehow in a fictional world before I passed out, but it takes a while for something like that to really sink in, you know? I had been here for a week, and there were times that I thought I was insane- hell, I still could be. For all I knew, I was sitting somewhere in the real world, mumbling to myself and hallucinating. Other times, I found myself thinking about my family, and what they must have been going through right now. Neither of them were pleasant trains of thoughts, however, so I tried not to dwell on them too often.
It...didn't work most of the time, but I was trying.
To distract myself, I tried focusing on different things. Today, my attention was on the blonde woman in front of me, trying to come to terms with the fact that I was looking at Cloud Strife's mother.
The creators never really said much about her, which was unfortunate, but the bit that had been on wiki seemed accurate enough. Slim, but strong, with pale skin and a hair color similar to Cloud's. She was beautiful.
She also had a mean glare.
It was kind of funny, actually...so long as it wasn't directed at you, anyway. When the man- Matthew -suggested that he take me to the inn once I woke up, he lasted all of two seconds before he changed his mind. I wished I could do that; it was impressive. It was also then that I learned a bit about how Matt had found me and brought me here because I couldn't seem to remember anything concrete prior to our arrival to Nibelheim. Once I did, I couldn't believe my luck.
I had been worried about how I was going to get identification on Gaia. Again, the creators never really said how it worked, but knowing some of the things ShinRa allowed, it seemed like it would be vital to not be a nobody, as they were much easier to make vanish. Plus, I blamed the fans for making me paranoid about the Turks and how far they were willing to track down a person's records. Anything I decided to do would be way too suspicious if I didn't have papers, so learning that traveling merchants were abysmal at documentation took a huge weight off my back. My mood improved a bit after hearing Matt say he was going to register me. At least that was one thing I wouldn't have to worry about- whether this was some massive hallucination or not.
Now, if I could only get used to being a little girl again.
Going from just shy of twenty-two to five, at least judging from my appearance, was both disorienting and frustrating. Sure, I was a bit of a child at heart and was pretty easygoing most of the time, but not being treated as an adult when you were an adult would get on anyone's nerves after a while. Adding to that the fact that I couldn't reach anything anymore and was tripping over everything because I was used to a bigger body...well, I was not a happy camper.
"You have to leave the room eventually, you know."
I pouted, mostly because I knew she was right, but after tripping face-first into the toilet I had refused to leave the room I was sharing with Skye until I got some semblance of balance again.
It wasn't going too well.
"Come on, don't you want to see Cloud again?"
I fidgeted. Of course I wanted to see him- what fan of the game wouldn't? -but they had no idea how strange it had been to look at a one-year-old Cloud. It had been adorable and terrifying all at once. I couldn't look into his bright, innocent eyes without feeling sick to my stomach. I supposed that was because I knew that in a little over a decade, he would be in the hands of a sick, twisted man and tortured until he broke.
I'm sure this is the point where, in a story, the new character would take advantage of their younger body by training themselves for a few years. Then, they would bravely join ShinRa in order to prevent the bad things from happening- somehow making friends with all the right people and placing themselves in a position to help.
I couldn't help but wonder if those authors would still want to do that if they were in my position.
I guess it wouldn't be much of a story if they just sat in the background, but the truth of the matter was that ShinRa scared me. Call me a coward, but who in their right mind would want to join that company if they knew what it did? It would be like handing yourself over to the devil.
Den of monsters, indeed. Besides, what were the odds that I could even make a difference?
"Hey, you okay?"
I sighed inwardly. I really needed to stop zoning out. Eventually, the whole traumatized excuse probably wasn't going to work. "Sorry..."
Skye smiled, and it sent a pang of homesickness through me when it made me remember my mom's smile. Skye had nothing on my mom's smile. It didn't give me the same feeling of comfort, or safety, or love...
I wished she was here. I wouldn't feel so scared if she was.
"Come on," she said while picking me up (it was so weird to be small enough for that again). "I'll take you there this time, but I want to see you up and about on your own by the end of the week, okay?"
I nodded. What else could I do? If I was right, then I was probably going to be in Nibelheim for a while, so I should start getting used to it and figure out what I was going to do with myself. I just had to keep moving forward...I owed my mom that much, at least. I doubted she would want me to wallow in self-doubt.
I had a new life now. I had to make the best of it.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~6 months after arrival
Before I knew it, I'd been in Nibelheim for half a year.
Matt and I became permanent residents at the Strife household at Skye's insistence, causing a wave of rumors in the town. I felt kind of guilty about that. If it hadn't been for me, then Matt could have just passed by and gone on with his life, and then the rumors would have never started. Instead, he was now my guardian and, according to the villagers, Skye's lover.
I never liked gossip when in my other life, and it was things like this that made me remember why.
Skye had obviously still been suffering the loss of her husband when we'd met her. I learned that he had died in an accident while the two of them had been traveling to Nibelheim a little after Cloud was born. When she had arrived alone, the rumor mill had immediately started, solidifying her as an unmarried woman with a child before she'd even had the chance to explain herself. Since she had nowhere else to go, she had to face their scorn while mourning and struggling to take care of her son. I had a deep respect for her because of that, but it only worsened the injustice of having more rumors pop up about her.
I think Matt felt the same way since he did his best to dissuade those rumors. Not that they listened, but it was the thought that counted, I guess.
"Come on, kiddo. You don't want to be late for school, do you?"
I groaned and let my head fall into the couch cushion. If there was one downside I had to choose about being young again, it was school. Don't get me wrong, I loved learning new things, but it was the homework I hated. The world would be a great place if all you had to do was go to class and listen to what they were saying. Although, considering I already knew most of the Earth-based material (history of Nibelheim and lessons on the local wildlife were new to me) past high-school levels, even that was mind-numbingly dull.
"Do I have to?"
Matt chuckled and picked me up. I had to admit that being carried felt nice; I was going to be sad when I was too big for that again. "I know you're bored, but hang in there. Mayor Lockheart told me that if you do well this year, he'll let you take classes with the big kids."
Skip a couple of grades? Hell yes. The sooner I got schooling done with, the better.
"Really?"
"Yup! Although it took a while to convince the bastard," he muttered.
I couldn't resist. "What's a bastard?"
I had to try really hard not to laugh at the way his face paled. I felt a little bad at making him panic, but my inner child quickly pushed that aside with a cackle. Hey, if I was going to be a little kid again, I had to play the part right? It was so much more fun when you had the mindset to appreciate a prank like this.
"Nothing! It's nothing! Er...don't tell Skye, okay?"
"Why?"
"B-Because it...can be our little secret! Yeah! Wouldn't that be neat?"
I laughed. This man was horrible at dealing with this sort of thing. He should have just told the truth.
"Hey! You laughed!"
I blinked in confusion. What was so strange about-...oh. Hmm, thinking back, I don't think I've laughed since I got here. I've smiled, but I haven't laughed. I guess I just never realized it.
"This is great! Just wait until Skye hears about this!"
Almost as if summoned by the call of her name, Skye came rushing into the room, Cloud in her arms and a huge grin on her face.
"Matt! Matt! He spoke! Cloud said his first word!"
Cloud was clapping happily in her arms and giggling. "Ma! Ma!"
Okay, that was adorable.
Matt just laughed. "I guess this is a day for firsts, then! Cassie laughed just a little before you came in."
"Oh, that's wonderful! I'm glad you're happier now," she said with a smile before turning to Matt. "And if you're just going to call her Cassie all the time, why didn't you make that her name?"
"Because it gives her the option of having it be her nickname," he defended. "Trust me, it can get frustrating when what most people assume is your nickname is actually your name. My poor sister had to live with that for years and had the unfortunate luck of having the sort of shortened name that went terribly with a lot of the common last names in the area where we grew up. It bothered her to no end knowing that if she had the long version, it actually would sound kind of nice."
"...I suppose I can understand that. But, did you have to choose such a strange name?"
"Castalia is a fine name," he said with a pout.
"You named her after a character in a Nibel fairy tale."
"It was a neat story. Besides, the name's different, but not so much that it would be considered strange. That's the best kind."
"I'm sensing some name envy here."
"Yeah, well...we can't all have cool names like Skye or Cloud- oh hey! Ha, I see what you did there."
Skye just shook her head with a smile.
I watched them continue to talk (I ended up missing class) and gave a smile of my own. I missed my family so much that it felt like my heart was tearing in two at times, but...looking at the four of us together...If one didn't know any better, it was like we were a family of our own. I still felt out of place here, but I knew that if I didn't make some sort of bond, I would probably go crazy. I liked my solitude, but I also liked knowing that someone was there for me. Human nature to want company and all that, I guess.
I was just nervous about what that meant for the future. If I let myself get close to them...would I want to let them go when the time came?
OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~1 year after arrival
It's been one year since I arrived here. One. Thinking about it made my heart ache. How was my mom handling my disappearance?
"Da, did the new book come yet?"
I ignored the pang of guilt that went through me as Matt answered. I never really knew my dad on Earth- he'd died in a car accident when I was five -but there had been videos with him in them, and my mom made sure to tell me lots of stories. He was a kind, honest man who was always laughing or smiling, but he also had a good head on his shoulders, worked hard, and knew just when to be serious. My mom used to say he was a real man.
I remembered that I was really happy when I was with him.
That was part of the reason I was guilty. Him dying when I was young had, in a strange way, made it a little easier to accept Matt. He'd seemed so lonely when we'd first met, but I had slowly seen that go away the longer we stayed in Nibelheim. One day, when he'd been going through a pretty big slump, I pushed my discomfort aside and told him he was a good dad. He'd been ecstatic. After that, I didn't have the heart to stop calling him that. I knew my real dad wouldn't have minded, but it still felt strange. I told myself that I would get used to it. Matt was a good person, and I had forced him here. It was the least I could do.
Skye, however, was a different matter entirely.
With my dad gone, it was evident that I would grow close to my mom, especially since she never got together with another man. She was the one who had put up with me when I was angry, comforted me when I was sad, gave me guidance even when I didn't really want to hear it and so much more. She went through so much to make sure my brothers, sister, and I grew up happy and loved. She became my pillar, and I loved her with all of my heart. So, no matter how much Skye had told me that she and Matt had come to an agreement, and that she was okay with me calling her Mom, I just couldn't bring myself to do it. She wasn't my mom, and I wasn't sure she would ever come close.
That was the other reason why I felt guilty.
I could tell that it made her sad. Cloud had no problem saying Ma and Da (the accents in Nibelheim took some getting used to), but I only used Da. If I had been anyone else, someone who didn't have memories of a mother they loved, I'm sure I wouldn't have had a problem with it. She was definitely a good mother...just not mine.
I was going in circles now.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~2 years after arrival
I was now seven years old again.
"Play?"
I blinked and looked up from the book I was reading to see Cloud standing there with a smile on his face and a ball in his hands. I'd finished with the necessary schooling Nibelheim required about a month ago, but that didn't mean I was going to pass up the opportunity to learn all that I could. Even if I never left, it was still good to know things, especially since Gaia was so different from Earth (my sister would be laughing right now, I'm sure. I was hardly a bookworm in my old life). I'd gotten more than one concerned look from Matt and Skye, and if I were in their place, I would be worried too. So, I did my best to still act like a kid.
"Okay."
Besides, who could say no to the adorable sight that was a three-year-old Cloud?
I'd gotten used to him being so young, for the most part, but there were still times that I couldn't help staring in disbelief. He was so different from the future Cloud- all smiles, sunshine, and pretty rainbows as opposed to the serious angst fest he'd become. True, he was a little kid right now, but it was still weird. Wasn't he supposed to be this loner kid who actively avoided anyone but Tifa? Had I changed his character somehow just by being here?
I hoped not. I really doubted Cloud could beat Sephiroth with fluffiness.
Still, I had to admit it was kind of nice. I'd been the youngest child in my last life, and while my mother never played favorites, kids tend to see things that aren't really there. So, my brother and sister constantly got mad at me because they believed I was the favorite when it was more the fact that I didn't cause as much trouble, so she had less to yell at me about. The three of us did eventually learn to get along once we'd grown up a bit, but by then our past issues kept us from being fully tight-knit. Now, I was the older one. I had the chance to form the sort of sibling relationship I had always wanted. It was a little selfish on my part, but it wasn't all for me. I also wanted to give Cloud a bit of happiness before it all went to hell. I think he, more than most, deserved something like that.
This, at least, was something I knew I could do.
"Sissy, play!"
"I'm going! I'm going!"
OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~3 years after arrival
The transition between seven and eight brought the most changes, I think.
Since I was showing an active interest in learning even after finishing school, Matt went ahead and arranged for me to continue my education. Apparently, in towns that were out of the way like Nibelheim, there was an option to have material and courses sent by mail. The only catch was that you had to do exceptionally well. After all, it cost money to do something like that, and the board of education- or whatever the equivalent was here -over in Junon did not like wasting time and money on someone who wasn't going to take it seriously.
Ah, homework. The bane of my existence.
Besides that, I also began studying under Master Zangan. No, it wasn't because I'd randomly changed my mind and decided to join ShinRa or some stupid crap like that. It had been a complete accident. Some of the local kids had been picking on Cloud, and I'd gotten so upset that I'd punched one of them in the face.
The kid was a year younger than me, but I regret nothing.
Unfortunately, not a lot of people were too happy about it. They'd argued on what to do with me before Zangan stepped in and said he'd teach me to "reign in my anger." Maybe not those exact words, but I remember he'd said something that reminded me of old cliché martial arts movies. All in all, it was more of a punishment than a positive thing. He was strict- and a slave driver to boot!
I supposed it would keep me in shape, at least.
The last notable change had come out of left field. Seriously. Nibelheim only had one handyman- a man by the name of Cole. He was in charge of repairing buildings if they got damaged and that sort of thing. However, it was a well-known fact that he'd always wanted to open up a shop. Not just any shop, mind you, but a one-stop-shop. That meant that he would have to sell everything from materia, to potions, to weapons, and so on.
Being the handyman he was- and apparently a student at some special school way back when -he knew he had the weapons and armor covered. He also knew where to buy the more general items, so that was fine with him too. The only thing that stopped him was items like potions. The finished products were expensive, but the materials themselves were much cheaper, so he had always put his plan to the side, telling himself that he would find a way to get them at a better price or find someone who could make them.
Then, I'd come along.
To be honest, I had had no idea that he'd kept track of my progress when he first learned of the "little prodigy," or of the increasing discussions between him and Mayor Lockheart (and later him, Mayor Lockheart, and Matt) once I'd finished. It turned out that, with my "smarts," I was a prime candidate to learn the fine art of potion-making...or was it item creation? Synthesis? Alchemy? Well, whatever it was, it needed a person with a certain mindset. I wasn't sure I had that mindset, but Cole sure seemed to think so.
So, about four months after I began my mail-in education, Matt finally told me about Cole and what he wanted from me. He also said that it was fine to refuse; I was young (ha!) and should think about it carefully since it took a lot of hard work, study, and dedication. I had to admit that I'd balked a bit at the thought. I was lazy as hell, which explained why I hated doing homework, and it did not sound like it would be a fun time for me if I agreed. I already had daily torture from Zangan, and was finally getting some material that challenged me (including Earth subjects), so did I really want even more stress added on top of that?
Then I thought about it some more and figured I was crazy.
There were no potions on Earth. No phoenix downs or maiden's kisses. How cool would it be to learn how to make these things? And I was thinking about not taking this chance? Cole had already agreed to foot the bill for the extra stuff, so all Matt had to do was send a letter to Junon explaining the situation and what he wanted. I was basically all set to get a full scholarship of sorts- something every college kid dreams about.
So, I did what any reasonable person would do and agreed.
Accepting the offer might have also been out of some remaining desire of wanting to be a nurse back on Earth (I know, kind of contradictory of my lazy nature, but when I really wanted something I went for it), but at that point, I think I was thinking more about how interesting it was going to be.
I am Snape, the Potions Master.
Ah, Potter Puppet Pals. Always good for a giggle...Dang it, now I missed the internet again.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~4 years after arrival
I stared at her. She stared back.
This had been going on for a while, but in my defense, it was a little hard to believe what I was seeing after being on Gaia for four years now.
"Puppy!"
I couldn't help but snort. "Yeah, Cloud, it's a puppy."
Not just any puppy, though. My puppy.
How did I know it was her if she was a puppy again (and seriously, was that a requirement to come here)? She had the same coloring and the same scar on her back right leg from where she'd gotten surgery. It was strange that that carried over, considering she'd been an adult when she'd gotten it, but I supposed it was to make it easier to recognize her.
It also helped that when I picked her up, I noticed she had a letter tied around her neck that said:
They know where you are and wish you the best. Your mother also wants you to know that no matter what, she'll always love you.
Good luck,
Minerva.
Immediately, my heart ached and tears flooded my eyes. It was nice to know that my family knew I wasn't dead, but it hurt to have this brought up again. Was it supposed to give me closure? It sure didn't feel like it right now, especially when I noticed the photograph. My mother, my brother, and my sister, together and smiling even though I could see the sadness in their eyes. It seemed so final- like there was no chance of ever going back to the life I'd known. Maybe...that's what Minerva meant to tell me by sending me this...
Not that it made it hurt any less. In fact, it made it hurt even more.
Minerva had something to do with me being here, I knew that much now. The question was what the hell did she want from me? I wasn't a fighter or some genius prodigy that had happened to play the game so much that they knew every little detail, I was just a regular person with the basic knowledge any fan would have. So, what was I supposed to do? What could I do that someone else couldn't? Why choose me?
"Sissy?"
I jerked out of my thoughts and noticed Cloud looking at me, his eyes wide in concern, and smiled slightly. He really was a sweet kid.
"Let's go home, chicky."
He hesitated for a moment, but, seeing that I seemed to be okay, finally nodded and smiled back. "Can we keep him?"
"Her," I corrected, "and we'll have to ask Da and...Ma."
She wasn't my mother, and a part of me would always know that...but I was willing to let her try now.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~5 years after arrival
The war with Wutai started this year, and there were already rumors of three SOLDIERs who were starting to shine above the others: Sephiroth, Angeal, and Genesis. The paper didn't give ages, but they looked way too young to be on the battlefield. In fact, they didn't look much older than I was, which only reminded me of just how sick ShinRa was again.
Unfortunately, it also had the added side effect of making Cloud more adventurous
I don't know if it was because he was starting to get into that "I must join SOLDIER" mindset, or because he didn't feel so shy with me there, but he wasn't as timid or secluded as I thought he'd be. The theory that I was changing his personality came to mind again, but I quickly pushed it aside.
"Cloud? Cloud, where are you?!"
I'd been watching him play hide and seek with the other kids from the water tower, which was how I'd noticed him running out of town. After almost falling down the ladder in my haste to get down, I'd gone home, told Skye, and ran out before she could stop me from looking for him. I knew I was just a kid in their eyes, and after spending so long in a weird world in a little body, I kind of felt like it, but Cloud was family now- my little brother. I couldn't stand by and do nothing.
This did not bode well for my plan to stay away from the psychotic people.
"Cloud! Come on, this isn't funny!"
To my growing horror, what did I come across but the infamous ShinRa manor. I'd hardly given thought to the place since my arrival, and I figured I had good reason. It was creepy, full of monsters, and the less anyone had to do with it, the better.
...and Cloud was going in.
I swear my heart just about stopped, but it quickly started up again at double speed. Knowing what I had to do, but scared out of my wits because of it, I followed. If anything happened to him, it would be my fault, and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if he got hurt. I just hoped what little training I had would be enough to keep him safe.
As I found out, it wasn't anywhere near enough to do any good.
Some weird, propeller-like flower monsters- dorky faces, and idle part of my mind supplied -had blocked off the entrance when I stepped in, and they were about to surround Cloud. So, I rushed forward, knocked one out of the way (which is when I found out I didn't hurt them at all), grabbed his hand, and took off. Now we were running for our lives, I had no idea what to do, and Cloud was bawling. I didn't blame him, I felt like crying myself.
This was much worse than any horror movie.
Everywhere we went, there were monsters, making the next ten minutes nothing but a blur. All I could remember was the sheer terror I felt and the pounding of my feet and heart as we ran. I was no match for them, Cloud was no match for them, and I had no clue if or when help was going to arrive.
I honestly thought we were going to die.
Then, through a sheer stroke of luck (or was it Minerva?), one of the monsters crashed into the wall of the room we were in, revealing a hidden passage. My frantic mind suddenly remembered just who was residing in the manor, and, in a desperate gamble, I made my way down.
'I know we need a key, but please let Vincent be able to open the coffin from the inside...'
It was our last chance. If it didn't work...
It seemed Minerva really was looking out for us, though. While more monsters popped up, we were able to avoid them long enough for us to find the room full of coffins. Ignoring just how unnerving the sight was, I pushed Cloud in and shut the door behind us. It wouldn't hold for long, so I had to figure out where Vincent was and fast.
Of course, it would help if Cloud hadn't thought we were safe and started clinging to me.
"Cloud, let go! We need to find-"
A large boom echoed through the room, making me jump and Cloud scream. Both of us looked over at the door just in time to see something ram into it from the other side. By the third one, Cloud had added constant screams to his crying, tightening his hold so much that I knew I wouldn't be able to find Vincent in time. So, I just held him close, watching the door bend and groan with each hit until it finally broke open. I couldn't quite stop my own scream when I saw those monsters heading toward us, but I made sure to turn around so Cloud was shielded behind me. I didn't want the last thing he saw to be those things.
I froze when I heard the monsters screech in pain.
Hardly daring to believe it, I slowly opened my eyes and peeked to the side.
An open coffin...
I started crying when Vincent kneeled down beside us and asked if we were okay.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~6 years after arrival
I don't really know why, but Vincent didn't go back to sleep.
Instead, after taking us to safety, he just...kind of hung around the manor. Once I found that out, I really wanted to thank him for saving us- more than just the verbal thanks I'd given him. So, one day, I packed some of Ma's cooking and went to visit him. I was sure I'd be safe this time, since I'd noticed the monster population go down a bit and knew he was behind it, but I still made sure to grab the materia bangle Cole had given me and one of my first successful potions.
After that experience, I had put a lot more study into using materia, as opposed to just reading about them.
Anyway, that started up the weirdest friendship I'd ever had. At least, I thought it was a friendship...It was kind of hard to tell with Vincent. I brought him food, he would try to convince me to leave him alone before giving up and letting me hang out a bit, then he'd take me home. I felt a little bad for bothering him after he saved us, but I also kind of didn't want to leave him alone. Now that he was awake, he was probably wallowing in guilt or something like he did in the games. If I was going to give Cloud a little happiness before he left, then I didn't see the harm in trying to do the same for Vincent.
...Plus, there was still a bit of a fangirl in me when it came to him. He was just so cool.
Anyway, it eventually got to the point that he stopped trying to convince me. Although, there was that one time I asked how in the world he managed to not eat, drink, or use the restroom while he was sleeping in the coffin. He'd taken me home immediately...What? It was an honest question! It's always assumed it's because of the experiments, but I wanted to know for sure!
Needless to say, I learned to not ask those kinds of questions, since they were a sure way to cut my visits short. Instead, I just quietly wandered around, exploring the manor and cleaning it up a bit as a favor to him. It wasn't nice living in a dirty house, after all. I will admit that I got a bit curious when I got to the study, though. The contents of those books had made Sephiroth go insane...just what was written in them? What sorts of things had Hojo spewed out to make a man who hated him believe his words? I wasn't sure I wanted to know, so I left them alone.
I don't think Vincent would have let me read them anyway.
So now, here I was, one year after meeting him, reading one of my own books on a couch in the manor. I didn't have much else to do, really. Today was my day off from helping out in Cole's shop (which was doing surprisingly well, all things considered- I blamed the war), Cloud was in school, and Da had taken Ma on a day trip to Cosmo Canyon (I was still waiting for them to stop denying their growing interest in one another). All in all, a pretty normal day in Nibelheim.
"What are you reading?"
Cue the record scratch.
I looked up at Vincent in surprise. He wasn't one to start a conversation. In fact, he wasn't for conversation at all. He usually just made the occasional sound of agreement or disagreement to the things I said to him. "H-Huh?"
I couldn't tell if he was smirking in amusement under that cape of his, but something was definitely different. It was kind of scary after hanging around stoic, silent Vincent for a year. "Your book. What is it?"
"O-Oh...It's a book on the effects of natural and reactor mako on the environment. Da got it for me on his last trip to Cosmo Canyon."
"...Aren't you a little young for that?"
I couldn't help but snort a bit. "I finished the required schooling for Nibelheim three years ago, and I'm almost done with the Junon standards. The only thing I would have left, if I even decided to continue formal education, would be if I went to the university over there and picked a major. But, seeing as Junon University focuses mostly on preparing people to work for ShinRa, I'd rather leave it as is. I'm happy enough with my alchemy apprenticeship, thanks."
I gave myself an awesomeness point for making Vincent's brows raise in surprise, but at my mention of ShinRa, he was back to his strangely talkative self. "You don't like ShinRa?"
I hesitated. It wouldn't be strange to tell give him a few of my thoughts on the company, right? If he was talking, it was good to encourage it. That way, he wouldn't be such a prick when Cloud asked for his help...Still, I had kept most thoughts about ShinRa locked up tight in my mind. It was going to be uncomfortable talking about them now, especially to a man who had no idea how much I knew.
Well, honesty was the best policy, right? Everything fell apart in the game because of half-truths and lies, so I should avoid that as much as I could.
"ShinRa...scares me. What kind of company sends out such young soldiers to war? Or has them join the Turks- whose reputation is so bad that it even reaches other continents? It all seems a bit..." I sighed. "I dunno, strange, I guess. And, after reading some of this book on what refined mako does, it's creepy to think that they inject it into people. I just have a bad feeling about that place, you know?"
Vincent was quiet for a long time after that. Finally, he sighed quietly. "Yes...I know." To my growing shock, he placed his non-clawed hand on my head for a moment before walking off. "You are a smart girl, Castalia...More so than a lot of people."
I gaped. Did he just-...?
I barely held back the urge to pump my arm in victory. Oh, hell yeah! I just got a compliment from Vincent Valentine! My life was now complete.
Wait, no it wasn't. I still needed one more thing.
"Hey, Vincent...?"
He turned to look at me, and I couldn't help but smile sheepishly at what I was about to ask. "Do you think you could teach me how to do that super silent walk you always do?"
I will be the greatest ninja potions master of all time.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~7 years after arrival
I really wanted to learn how to do Young Justice Robin's cackle laugh.
After lots (and lots) of practice, I'd finally gotten the ninja walk down. Of course, it was technically more accurate to call it a Turk walk, considering who'd taught me, but those were unimportant details. What was important is that, after the walk, Vincent went ahead and taught me the rest of the famous bat moves.
It's funny because people called him a vampire.
Now, I was creeping around the manor with a really strong urge to laugh. I could tell Vincent could tell too, since he was shaking his head in that way that told me he was kind of amused but not really. Yeah, he didn't make sense sometimes.
Sorry, I'm just really happy right now...and I'm Batman.
"You're going to fall."
I sighed, coming down from my giddiness because I knew he was right. I really didn't want to push my luck on these old rafters by breaking out into giggles. Funny though the image was, it would end real quick if I fell. So, I focused on other things, like how human limitations didn't seem to exist here.
I never would have been able to pull this off on Earth.
I could jump from the ground to the ceiling easily now, and still manage to land so silently that it was mind-boggling. I could keep my feet from making noise when I ran. I could blend into the shadows. I think at this point, I was good enough that only people who were really aware of their surroundings, like Vincent, would be able to spot me. It was amazing- mostly since I hadn't thought I'd be able to do it.
A year of one on one teaching with one of the best Turks ever helped a lot.
Content to push that thought to the side for now, I dropped back down to the floor and looked up at Vincent with a smile. He'd loosened up a bit around me now, which made me really happy. I'd kind of missed having older people to talk to, and Vincent hadn't treated me like a kid (at least in conversation) since he found out how far I was in my education. I was grateful for it. It was refreshing.
"Can I wear your cape next time?"
Hey, I didn't say I was an adult all the time.
"Go home, Castalia."
Darn. Oh well, it had been wishful thinking the first time I'd dared to ask, and by now, it was just routine. If he ever did agree to it, I was pretty sure I'd die of shock.
"Okay. See you tomorrow, Vincent."
This was something else I was proud of. I'd gotten good enough with my fire materia that Vincent let me make my own way home. He still took care of the dorky faces (offensive magic didn't really work on them) and the other monsters that occasionally popped up in the manor, but everything outside was fine. I still wasn't a fighter, but at least now I could take care of myself a little better. I didn't want to be as scared as I'd been in the incident ever again.
Cloud had other plans.
He'd stayed away from the manor after Vincent saved us, but after that paralyzing fear had finally gone away, he was out playing again. Today, his spot of choice was the water tower.
"Cassie, look how high I am!"
I bit my lip as he ran around the small walkway. "Cloud, stop that!"
"You come up here all the time!"
"But I don't run around when I'm there! Seriously, you're going to fall!"
The irony of my earlier conversation with Vincent was not lost on me. Thanks, Karma.
"No, I'm not!"
Childish arrogance...how I hated it.
"What happened to the cute little chocobo head who used to follow me around?" I groaned.
Maybe I was being paranoid. Lots of children played in high places and never got hurt. Plus, we were mountain kids. We were used to that sort of thing...right?
Then why did I have the feeling something bad was about to happen?
When I heard the crack, I cursed myself for jinxing it. I looked up, and for a split second, everything was in slow motion. The board breaking under Cloud's feet, the way his face went from happy to shocked, the moment where he was weightless in the air...
THUD
It was the worst sound I'd ever heard.
"CLOUD!"
OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~Chapter End
There ends the summary of the years. I hope it wasn't too rushed.
So, I figured I'd clarify a few things as far as ages go. Castalia is five at the beginning of the chapter, and twelve at the end. Little Cloud is one at the beginning and eight at the end. Four years apart.
As for the others...
The three Firsts are five years older than Cass, making them ten to seventeen, respectively, as the chapter goes on. Zack is two years younger than her, putting him at three to ten. Tseng, if I decide to bring him in, is the same age as the Firsts. Rude is a year younger than Tseng, and Reno/Elena are the same age as Cass.
That aside, the whole thing with Skye and Matt was completely unintentional. It just happened. I suppose it's possible, considering they'd been living in the same place for seven years, and they both supported each other, but still...Sorry, Cloud.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it. I don't know when I'll get the next chapter up, but I'll try not to take to long. See you!
[Edit: 04/23/20]
Okay, this chapter had a pretty big change, though it's not immediately obvious.
As you can see above, I'd originally had the three Firsts as being five years older than Cass. This was mostly because, at the time, there had been no official age for them that I could find. It just made sense to me to have them be a good bit older than the rest of the cast given the mentor-student thing between Angeal and Zack.
It has since been revealed that they're a lot younger than I thought they were, or at least Sephiroth is.
Going by his stated age in FF7 and counting back, Sephiroth would only be about two years older than Castalia. That puts him (and the other two) at seven to fourteen throughout this chapter. I debated quite a bit as to whether or not I should move the war further down the timeline because of this, but ultimately decided not to.
Yes, this does mean that they are about twelve years old when they are in Wutai, but I figure if anyone would have child soldiers, it would be ShinRa. Plus, Hojo and Hollander probably had a say in it, wanting some combat data or something.
For obvious reasons, however, ShinRa knows that it wouldn't be good to reveal the ages of their new, shining stars just yet, so they are keeping it under wraps.
Everyone else's ages are the same. It does make Tseng and Rude younger than I'd intended, but it's fine. I can deal.
