He was…

Cloud Strife.

Blonde hair shaped in an unusual way, gleaming blue eyes, pale complexion and an air of fierceness surrounded him. He was handsome at some point but living off the streets concealed his good features. He was a scoundrel, a rascal. Stealing or fighting for his next meal. He was free-spirited yet something inside him aches for more.

He had a family once but was abandoned when he was a kid. He never knew why but his hard life started when he took a step inside the City of Midgar. He began to steal food from the restaurant kitchens but some children older than him would take away his food. When he refused, he would be beaten to a pulp. However, one fateful day, everything changed.

.-+-.

"Come on, Cloudy." A dirty, red-headed teenager held out his hand to the thin boy. The other children behind him smirked. "Give us your food."

Cloud's grip tightened on the plastic bag he's holding as his eyebrows crossed. "Get your own, Johnny!"

The boy sighed and he painfully held Cloud by the neck. Cloud swallowed when Johnny showed him a big fist.

"Do we have to do this again? Aren't you getting tired of being beaten, loser?" He spat at Cloud's face. "Weak people like you don't belong in the world, Cloudy! So why don't you give us that food and scram!"

Cloud spat back at him. "Do your worst!"

Johnny glared at Cloud and drew back his fist. When he was about to punch him, a big hand threw his body back.

"Who the hell!" Johnny stood up and his eyes widened when he saw a big man in front of him.

"What are ya'll playing at?" The man said with a gruff voice. "Ya know this kid's weak and ya still pick on 'im?"

"Come on Johnny we can't handle that!" A kid behind the red-head whispered.

Johnny glared at the man and turned to glare at Cloud. He stood up and ran. "We'll get you next time, Strife. Consider yourself dead when I see you again!"

"Hey! Where you runnin to, foo? Come back 'ere, cowards!" The man shouted. When they disappeared into darkness, the huge man turned to Cloud. "Ya alright?"

"You didn't have to do that. I can take care of myself." He muttered softly.

The man laughed at him. "You can take care of yourself? Why if I didn't threw that boy back you would've been dead by now. Look at yourself!"

Cloud shot a glare at him. "Don't lecture me! You're not my father!"

The man raised an eyebrow at him. "You know you got spunk kid. Why don'cha come with me an eat. Ya gotta have some meat in yer skinny ass."

"I don't need your help, mister!"

"Who you callin' mister?" The man chortled and threw Cloud like a piece of rag doll behind his back. "That don't sound right!"

"H-Hey! Put me down!" The boy protested.

"The name's Barret. An don't ever call me mister. Sends chills down my spine." The man walked towards the darkness. "Wha's your name, boy?"

Cloud sighed in defeat as they entered the darkness.

"Cloud… Cloud Strife."

.-+-.

The boss of the slum fights, Barret Wallace, took him in. He trained him how to be a fighter. The only way to survive in the world was to think of nothing but yourself. That's what Barret would always say. He was a father to him. When he was ready, he participated in slum fights. At first he would be beaten by people older and stronger than him; but as time progresses, he grew strong and defeated all his opponents. He was on top; but when the authorities knew of the slum fights, his whole life changed.

.-+-.

"Yo, Barret!" A blonde man approached Barret with a cigarette between his lips.

"Hey Cid! How's the wife doin?"

Cid grinned at him as he sat by his side. "Shera's having our second child. Yaddah, yaddah, yaddah! Been craving all the things I can't afford. But what can I do? She's gotta have it or else… I'm fucked up!"

Barret laughed at him and averted his gaze to the little arena filled with people shouting and placing bets. They were in a small space in the Sector 7 slums. Barret and his men built the arena and they've been holding fights ever since.

"How's Strife doin?"

Barret glanced at Cid and chuckled.

"He's doin fine. I couldn't believe a weakling like him could make it this far."

"Yeah? You shouldn't judge a person by the way he looks."

Barret stared at him, unbelievably. "Hey! Since when did ya become a preacher?"

"Since I got bored from starin' at nothin'! Go on! Let's get this fight started!"

The big man stood up and held out a hand. The people were silenced and they stared at him.

"Alright now! Ya'll placed yer bets?" The people shouted in response. "Ok then! Let the games begin!"

The crowd shouted once more.

.-+-.

This is it… Cloud thought as excitement was aroused in him. If I beat this man I'll have more gil than I'll ever dream. This'll be the last.

He breathed hard and ran a hand over his spiky blonde hair. He pursed his lips confidently and stepped in the arena. The people were silent as he slowly strides into the limelight. The man clad in black stared at every corner of the arena with a big sword at his back, gleaming brightly under the light. He smirked as he stared up at Barret. The big man grinned at the blonde man proudly.

"Strife… Strife…"

The crowd was chanting his name. It was music to his ears. He was once a nobody but now everyone knew him. Everyone wanted to see him fight. Cloud closed his eyes as the words repeated in his mind.

That's it… Louder… louder…

Then the people grew strangely silent. Cloud opened his eyes and turned back. A silver-haired man stepped out of the darkness. He was wearing a dark leather suit that hugged his masculine body and on his arm was a strange machine. He glared at Cloud with his green eyes. Barret stood up and pointed at the man.

"And our contender for tonight… Loz!"

The man let out a roar and grinned mockingly at the blonde man before him. Cloud glared at the man with his steely blue eyes, trying to intimidate but it didn't work. Loz stepped forward as the light was centered to the two fighters. Cid jumped from his seat and landed between the two men.

"Alright! The rule is no rules! Do whatever you fuck want!" Cid placed a hand between the two men. "Ok now! Fight!"

Cid jumped back and the two men collided with each other. Cloud's fist was on Loz's face and Loz's fist was on Cloud's face. The blonde fighter flinched when he felt an electric current that tore through his whole body. Loz smirked then he threw Cloud's paralyzed body to the side. Cloud clenched his teeth as he tries to stand up. After he had regained his stand, Cloud wiped the blood that trickled from his lip. Loz charged his weapon and grinned at him, deviously. The blonde man crossed his eyebrows and ran swiftly to his opponent. The silver-haired man prepared himself for another attack but Cloud disappeared from his sight. Loz looked around frantically then froze when he felt arms surrounding his neck. Cloud tightened his hold on Loz's muscle-clad neck.

Come on! Break!

Loz smirked at the blonde's pitiful attempt to break his neck. Using little effort, the silver-haired man tore of Cloud's arms from his neck and held it in a vice-grip. Cloud's eyes widened as clenched his teeth. With one swift movement, Loz hurled the blonde's body towards the end of the arena. Cloud's back hit the walls of the little stadium and he fell to the ground with a loud thud. He winced in pain as he tried to stand up again. But before he could regain his composure, Loz took a hold of his neck. Cloud glared down at the smirking man. His eyesight was blurry and the only thing he saw was Johnny's face. Anger rose up within him as a new kind of strength led his hands to grasp his opponent's upper arms. He brought his two feet on the wall and leaped forward dragging his enemy along. When Loz was under him, Cloud stepped on his ribs and felt it break under his feet. After that cunning move, the huge man's body fell onto the ground with a loud thump. Cloud jumped from Loz's body as it collided with the dirt on his feet. He turned back and glared at the paralyzed man, emotionless. The crowd cheered wildly at the blonde.

"Son of a bitch."

Cloud's eyes widened in fury as he kneeled beside Loz, Johnny's face was still visible in his mind. Cloud took Loz's collar and he punched him straight in the face. Blood began to leak out of the big man's nose and it splattered across Cloud's face.

"That all you got, loser?"

Blinding anger rose within him and he finally took out his huge sword. A sudden anxiety rose within Barret when he saw the madness in the steely blue eyes of Cloud.

Shit! He never uses his sword for nothin… not even for a serious match. What the hell is he thinkin'?

When he was about to stop the fight, a deafening sound surrounded the arena. Cloud raised his sword to finish off the silver-haired man but he quickly regained his consciousness when a siren rang in his ear. Shouts were heard from the crowd as they began to run away in opposite directions. Thundering footsteps came in the arena and strong hands took Cloud's shoulders. The blonde tried to fight back but his eyesight became hazy when he felt a throbbing pain at the back of his head. His eyes slowly closed and everything grew dark…

.-+-.

Wake up… Wake up…

Cloud slowly fluttered his eyelids revealing two gleaming azure orbs. He winced in pain when he returned to his senses. He looked back and realized that he was chained to a chair in a dark room.

"Had a nice dream?" A hoarse voice asked.

"Who are you? Where am I?"

Then a blinding light flashed in his eyes. He gazed up and saw a bulb showering him with light. He stared in front of him and saw an empty table. A man appeared from the shadows and sat opposite of Cloud. He was in a white suit and scorn was in his blue eyes. The blonde rolled his sapphire orbs as the man began to talk in a conceited manner.

"I'm Rufus Shinra and you are in the Shinra police headquarters." The man took out a few papers and raised it in Cloud's face. "You are Cloud Strife?"

Cloud smirked at him and shrugged. "Could be…"

"Don't play games with me, Strife. Believe me I've been there, done that." Rufus stood up from his chair and walked towards him. Cloud followed him with his fierce blue eyes. "Tell me… Cloud. Where is your boss' hideout?"

"You're not getting anything from me, Rufus Shinra." He grunted.

Rufus stared blankly at him and nodded at a crimson-haired man holding a charged electric rod. The man grinned at his boss and stepped in front of the blonde fighter.

"Tell me where your boss' hideout is."

Cloud stared at Rufus.

"Make me."

The rod merely touched the blonde's skin but it was enough for a huge amount of voltage to travel across his body. Cloud clenched his teeth in pain but his spirit remained.

"Hmmm… I see…" Rufus held out a hand to a bald man with shades. The man gave Rufus a big bag. Rufus dropped the bag onto the table and its contents scattered across the table. Cloud's eyes widened at the glittering gold. "Perhaps this will change your mind."

My money! Cloud scowled at Rufus. "Damn you Shinra! I swear if I get out of this I'll—!"

"Now, now… there's no need of vulgar words in my establishment." Rufus touched the blonde man's shoulder. "All it needs to have your money you worked so hard on is a single phrase. Tell me where your hideout is."

Cloud swallowed. Before him was the money he's been saving to be uplifted from the life he wanted to run away from; but Barret was the one who saved him from a life of stealing. He taught him how to fight and he was the reason why he had this money now.

I'm sorry Barret. Cloud's face was downcast as he spoke his treachery. "It's in the Sector 2 slums."

"Very good, Cloud." Rufus smiled at him and shifted his gaze to his bald henchman. "Release him…"

The man with the shades took the police cuffs from Cloud's wrists. Cloud pursed his lips and reached for his bag. Rufus noticed this and swiftly took the bag from the table. Cloud glared at him unbelievingly.

"Think of it as a fine for the disturbance of the peace and for your freedom." Cloud began to struggle to get the money off of Rufus but the bald man held him tight. The blonde investigator took Cloud's chin and smirked deviously.

"Look at you. You don't belong here or in any part of society. You're lower than dirt. The likes of you are better off dead." His blue eyes tried to penetrate through the fighter but he failed. Defeated, Rufus took his hands away from Cloud's face and wiped it with his spotless white handkerchief. "It's not like you're going to live longer anyway. This time, I'll pardon you. I'm a good man after all."

Cloud tried to lunge himself on the arrogant investigator and wipe the smug smile off his face but the bald man was too strong for him. Rufus laughed at the blonde as he was dragged out of the darkness. "We'll be watching you, Strife!"

And the fighter was thrown to the streets.

.-+-.

"Hey mister! Wanna buy a newspaper?"

A man in rags stared at the newspaper boy with steely blue eyes. The newspaper boy stepped back when he saw his blue eyes gleaming. The man stuffed a gloved hand in his pocket and took out a gil.

"Here." He said with a rough voice.

The newspaper boy quickly took the gil and ran off leaving the newspaper in the ground. The man watched as the boy ran away. He shrugged and picked the newspaper. The man took off the scarf that covered half of his face when he saw the headline.

Boss of slum fights and drug lord Johnny captured!

Now he's paying off his debt to society in prison. Proud investigator, Rufus Shinra, grins widely as he locks in alleged Johnny behind bars. More details of the said raid in the next page…

The man grinned as he crumpled the newspaper. He threw the wrinkled paper in a garbage can. The cold air was blowing from the north. The man wrapped himself in his ragged clothes and continued walking towards nowhere.

.-+-.

The next day he was back to zero. He had no money and had no friends. The place that he told Rufus Shinra was a hoax. It was Johnny's hideout so Barret was safe. He couldn't go back to Barret for the big man went back to his hometown in Corel. Crime was rampant in the city and the police have been busy catching criminals and thieves. He was safe yet he lived in the streets stealing for food. At night the cold air would give him shivers but his body wouldn't react to the cold. The training that Barret gave him made his body invulnerable to the change of weather conditions. But he was only human. The heavy rain and his hunger brought him sickness. There weren't any place to stay. That's when he found the church. With his remaining strength, he pushed the doors of the church. His blue eyes fell upon a girl illuminated by lightning.

An angel?

She was speaking but he was deafened by his hunger. His throat was so dry he couldn't speak.

Please… Help me.

His knees gave in. He slowly closed his eyes capturing the image of the girl's worried face. Then everything turned black.

Sneak Peek: Now that we know a little history behind Cloud and Aerith, let's move on to what happened in the very first chapter. If you all forgot, just go back to the first chapter to know what happened to fully understand the next chapter…^^v

Next Chapter!

Chapter 4: The Beginning

See you then!