"It's coming.... that rush.... power.... Mother.... I'm coming for you..... wait, just wait...... I'll be there soon...... Onii-san will be proud... The children are the key..... Wait, just wait, Mother..... You'll rule the world like you are supposed to..... and your children will be forever at your side..... My mother.... my Onii-san..... Jenova.... Sephiros.... Wait, just wait... I'll make him pay...."
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[Don't you just hate it? Seeing your mistakes over and over again.
You killed Zax...
You let Aerith die.....
Most of all, you killed the one person you amired most.....
You killed Sephiros.
Now tell me something....... How can you sleep at night?]
Cloud jolted from his nightmare. Images of Zax and Aerith's deaths danced in his head. Angrily he punched his matress. It was his fault. His fault and no one elses. If he wasn't so damn weak. He could have saved Zax and Aerith. And most of all...
He could have stopped Sephiros from ever summoning Meteor.
That was most definately his biggest regret. He tried to make up for it by taking in orphans who's parents died while meteor was attempting to hit Gaia. It didn't help his soul however. Especially when Geo-Stygma hit.
Geo-Stygma.... The after effect of the Lifestream coming to the surface in large quanities. Cloud's ultimate sin.
"Cloud?" A soft voice reached his ears. "Are you awake yet?"
"Yes Marlene. I'm up." He replied just as softly as she had been talking. Marlene smiled a bit. She slowly walked in with a tray of food.
"Here breakfast. Tifa told me you have client today. So I got up early and made it for you."
"Thanks.... You didn't need to though." He patted her head. Marlene was so young. She was what...7 now? She would never understand Cloud's burden. So he tried to be happy around her. He gave her small smiles and pats on her head. His smiles however were ones just Marlene would know. To the rest of the world Cloud Strife never smiled. To Marlene, his smile lit up the night. Maybe Marlene only knew of his smiles because she knew where to find them.
"You're happy. Your eyes are dancing again." She beamed and reached out to touch his nose. Cloud leaned forward humoring the girl and lightly nipped at her finger. She giggled as she pulled back as if Cloud was trying to bite her finger off.
After he was done eating Marlene took the tray and left. Groaning softly Cloud got out of bed, got dressed, and padded out of his room. He was greeted with sounds of dishes and idle children chatter.
The orphans were awake.... That also means Tifa is awake too.... Tifa wasn't one of the people Cloud wanted to see right now. He snuck passed the kitchen quietly, slipped on his shoes and exited the building.
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Tifa groaned loudly when she heard the roar of Fenreal as it zoomed out of the garage.
"Cloud at least you could say 'Hi, I'm going for a drive'." She huffed and then continued her duties of washing dishes. She didn't know what was worse, babysitting the orphans or babysitting Cloud.
"Cloud wins by a long shot...." She answered her thoughts out loud as she sighed. She cleaned a few glasses when the phone rang in the other room. Setting the items down gently she walked towards it and picked up the reciever.
"Hello, Strife's Delivery Service. How many we be of service?" She answered trying not to give off a bitter tone that would usually accompany her bitter mood.
"Hello, I was calling to make sure he was coming."
"I'm sure he is sir. Cloud just left about 10 minutes ago." Tifa glanced at the clock and grimaced. Cloud's in big trouble today.
"Good. I expect to see him soon. It's taken too long for this meeting to happen." The phone click on the other end. Tifa stared blankly. Meeting? Too long? Who was this man? [Oh!! Must call Cloud!] Tifa turned off the phone and then turned it back on.
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Ah did the wind ever feel so good. It was something that took his mind off of everything. Damn it... the phone... Why'd he get one anyway? Cloud stopped his bike and looked at the ID. Oh great Tifa.... She was probably mad at him for not telling her he left.
"Hello?" He asked gingerly.
"You have a client remember?"
"I haven't forgotten."
"They called here. Go see them now. You have the instructions don't you?"
"Don't worry Tifa. I know where."
"Good. And when you get home you are in serious trouble. House chores galore buster."
"Ah insentive not to return."
"Say that and I'll sick Vincent on you."
"......"
"That's what I thought. I'll see you when you're done." Cloud hung up. Why does she alway use Vincent as a threat?
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The drive to the meeting spot was uneventful. Thank God. Cloud was sure he was bein followed though. He felt as if he was being watched. No matter. He was where he needed to be. Meeting the client, finding out job, getting the money, and life will be easier. He opened the doors to the building and walked in.
"Yo Choco how's life?"
"Reno?" Cloud stared at the former red haired Turk.
"You came on time. The boss wanted to see you ASAP. So get your ass in there or else I'll kick it in there." Reno motioned to a set of double doors. Standing up the Turk walked to said doors and opened them. "Boss Choco's here."
"Thanks Reno. Please Mr. Strife come in." Cloud entered cautiously. He was greeted by another familar face and a man in a wheelchair covered by a white sheet of some sorts.
"Rude." Cloud nodded to the man behind the wheelchair figure. Rude just nodded back living up to his name. "Now, what is this job you want me to do so badly?"
"It's simple. Protect me from a man named Kadaj. That way I can complete my task. With your help it will be successful." the Wheelchair man spoke in a rather deep voice, Cloud sure he knew from somewhere.
"What's this task?" Cloud asked. More information was needed especially when the man was asking for a bodyguard. He had two trained Turks, why does he need a failed science experiment?
"I heard that you are living with orphans. The ones who parents died in the Meteor incident. Is that what you want for them?"
"What?" Cloud looked at the man, trying to figure out his 'task'.
"You feel the guilt of their parents dying am I right?"
"That's.. none of your business." Cloud turned his head slightly.
"Then maybe you'll help. I plan to re-build Midgar. Give the people who suffered the most new homes. I hope to find a better means of energy then Makou, since we all know how that went. I need your help Cloud. I need you to protect me from Kadaj at all cost."
"Re-build Midgar? Are you nuts? I won't be apart of that." Cloud spun on his heel and walked out.
"Man.... What's got Choco's panies in a bunch?" Reno scratched his head as the roar of Cloud's bike sounded his departure.
"He doesn't understand...." The Wheelchair figure sighed.
"Do you think he'll come around boss?" Rude asked looking down at the man infront of him.
"We can only hope." The man shrouded in white answer. Reno sighed and walked to shut the large double doors. As they were almost shut a small fist clothed in black leather popped through decking the Turk to blackness. Reno fell over and the doors swung open. A silver haired figure walked in kicking up his feet almost in a happy action, as if he was skipping one could dare say.
"You!!" Rude charged only to meet a sword handle to the gut. He soon joined Reno in the land of blackness and slumped to the floor.
"Good afternoon Mr. President. I do so believe you have something I am looking for. Either that or you know where it is." The boy's eyes narrowed into slits almost to emphsize their kitty like nature. "Or else I might just have to kill you."