Chapter 4

“Stop it...”

The couple were standing in front of the window facing the sight of the star lit night. Aeris was in Cloud’s arms, with her back against his chest, with Cloud caressing her. The smile on her face still haven’t disappeared yet, and she wanted this to be forever.

“Come on...I know you want it.”

Cloud whispered to her ears and leaned his head against her shoulder. She purred a bit and cuddled up with him. They hadn’t stop loving each other since they got married. Wonder how long will this feeling last...

Suddenly, Cloud’s expression changed. The smile disappeared. He let go Aeris and looked out of the window, then faced Aeris again.

“Did you heard that?”

Cloud asked. Aeris shook her head as a reply. Then, Cloud stared into space again. This time, Aeris heard a slight noise too.

“it must be the wind. Come on, let’s go to bed.”

Cloud told Aeris and pulled her into the bedroom, still puzzled. Then, he locked the door and the lights went out. It was quiet in the house, nothing but the noise that came from the night activities outside.

Almost unnoticeable, a figure was seen slowly moving in through the opened window. It sneaked into like a cat without even the slightest noise. Tiptoeing, he reached for the couple’s room and checked the door. It was locked.

The figure concentrated and then the lock seemed to move a little. Then, a slight click was heard. The figure pushed the door and it opened. He saw the couple sleeping soundly, wrapped in blanket in the bed at the corner of the room. Then, he pulled out something from his back. It seemed to be a saw-edge sword. He drew it out fully, then he readied it, preparing to strike, and then the sword went right down towards the blanket.

A clashing sound was heard. The figure backed out and the blanket ripped in two pieces immediately. Then a man with a huge sword was reveal with a girl standing behind him, staring at the figure. The figure, quickly concentrated, threw his arm into the air and then a ball of fire blasted into the ceiling, making a hole in it enabling him to escape. Without much thought, Cloud kicked the floor and jumped up against the ceiling with his sword upright, striking up right through the ceiling as if it was paper. Cloud saw the figure ducked the moment he shot out of the rooftop like a bullet. He missed slicing the figure by only an inch.

The figure jumped into the air and then cast a spell. The air around him glow and then sharp chunks of ice began to form. It then started to spin violently and started shooting towards Cloud like a machinegun firing. Cloud’s sword immediately emit a bright glow and then Cloud spun his sword around his finger in front of him, deflecting every chunk of ice away. Without much delay, the figure charged up and then cast a dreadful spell. The fearful ultima spell.

The green light started to form around the figure. It vaporized every time that was in it’s radius and sent chunks of debris flying around, knocking every in it’s way. Cloud looked at the figure casting the spell. He dashed towards the figure but was immediately knocked back by the powerful force. He prepared to cast a spell. He didn’t need any materia. All he need to is...

“Bolt!”

A shouted was heard and struck down onto the figure, stopping it from casting the ultima spell. But it wasn’t Cloud that cast it. Cloud looked around and saw Aeris on the ground in front of their house, holding a materia in her hand. Cloud smiled. Her magic skills hadn’t rust up.

Cloud returned to the figure but he wasn’t there already. It jumped towards town and Cloud followed him. Aeris saw it and ran after the two that were jumping on top of roofs.

When the figure reached the center of the town, it stopped and Cloud tried to get nearer to him. A stream of fire came blasting from beneath him and he absorbed it in time with his sword, making it glow even brighter. Cloud looked under him and saw another figure, with his hand pointing at him, and smoke his finger tips. Now Cloud had two enemies to confront.

“Let us kill you and your wife or the whole town blows up.”

The figure threatened. Cloud, amazed to listen such a ridiculous treat looked at the two. Allow them to kill him and Aeris? How on earth could he fulfill his threat without dying? Besides, he been through many threats before, Meteor, the ancient army, the all mighty Sephiroth, Jenova, even death itself. What else could be worst these two can do?

“3...”

The figure started to count.

“2...”

Cloud looked around and saw Aeris coming through the street.

“1...”

Cloud looked stupidly at the two.

“Die.”

The two figure started to float in the air and then a black mass appeared far away in the star lit night. He could see nothing but darkness inside. Then, he saw something approaching in the dark mass. It looked like a light, a bright light...it looked a metoer...a meteor?!

Cloud was alarmed when he saw this. A meteor was heading this way! What the hell is these two capable of?

The roar of flames started to become clearer. They could see a streak of fire behind the meteor. It was heading towards them in incredible speed and increasing. This whole place with be demolished, along with everybody! What are they going to do?

Aeris was now not far away from Cloud. She looked up and saw the meteor coming too. She saw Cloud casting a few spell trying to distract the two figures but was deflected. The meteor was not far now. Only a matter of seconds.

“No!”

The meteor was now in front of their eyes and then something strange happened. The surrounding seemed to flicker and moved in a wavy form. The meteor seemed to stop there for the moment, along with everything. Then, a huge explosion was heard and then everything went black.

“Oh my god! Look at that!”

Cait Sith cried out when he stared into the southeast, looking at the bright light that flicker in the dark star lit night. It looks like the marsh is on fire. It is spectacular sight, yet frightening.

“Wat happened?”

Barret asked as he stormed out of the room, still in his pajamas. A sudden earthquake woke him up. He looked around. He saw Tifa, Vincent, and Cait Sith looking out at the awesome sight. Barret was amazed too. He hadn’t seen something this big for quite some time already.

“The others are outside asking the neighbors. Red XIII and Yuffie still hadn’t came back yet.” Tifa answered. Barret looked at the bright light. It looks like it was still burning and won’t put out for quite some time. Hopefully, there will be a rain to put the fire out. Suddenly, Cid stormed in with Shera and a terrified look on his face.

“I asked the general store keeper. He said he saw a mass ball of fire suddenly appeared in the middle of the sky and crashed down in the marsh, causing the surrounding area to quake violently.” Cid saying while catching his breath.

Everyone looked at Cid in astonishment. Mass fireball, where had they heard that before? Of course! The meteor! A meteor crashed right at the marsh! But what in the world caused it? There were no meteor warning from Observatory from Cosmo Canyon, not even a fireball that hang in the sky for days like before. How in the world would a meteor crash without nobody even noticing it?

“It was a minor trans-dimensional meteor spell. Don’t worry, the fire will go out by itself in a few days time.”

The Avalanche turned around and saw Red XIII, Yuffie and a stranger standing in front of the door. This kind of technical-magic spell term usually only come out from Red XIII’s mouth but it wasn’t. It was from the stranger.

“Wat trans-dimansiona spell?” Barret asked in reply in an angry tone.

“A spell to teleport a meteor from somewhere in the universe to the designated target, causing mass destruction.”

The stranger replied. Barret stared at him. He don’t understand a bit of it.

“This is...” Tifa asked Yuffie who the stranger is.

“A man that we met at the street, he wanted to see Cloud.” Yuffie answered.

“But Cloud isn’t around! Nobody will know when he will come back!” Tifa replied.

“I will wait here till he come back.”

The stranger said and the others looked at him. He really wanted to see Cloud. But waiting here? Cid’s house was already cramped up at the moment! Now they had to invite another person in?

“I won’t take much space. I will just stand here.”

The stranger said and stood in front of a window that have a clear view of the fire. The others looked at him. It was like he read their minds and knew what they were thinking. He looked out of the window and stood there quietly, just like a statue of a guard standing.

“I will try to make some space for you.” Tifa said, trying to offer the stranger a room. The stranger just kept quiet. No reply.

“You need any pillows or blankets?” Tifa asked again. Still no reply.

“Damn ya *&(&*(#$()# !!! Say somethin’ will ya!!!”

Barret shouted at the top of his voice. This time the stranger finally had some reaction. He turned around, looked at Barret and smiled.

“Why yer )*#(#@$)(*@*@&#(@&#(**((%!!!”

Barret’s temper skyrocketed at once. Tifa pushed him away and persuaded him to leave him alone. The others stole glances at him, thinking what a strange person he is, and then quietly leave the man alone, going back to their rooms they share and shut their doors.

Now, only the stranger was left alone in the living hall, still standing in front of the window, gazing out into the sky. That moment really bring back memories...

It was already late evening in Nibelhelm. It was dark already and people are at home either enjoying the warm fireplace or a hot meal.

But the light in the blacksmith’s shop just went off. A man walked out, and locked the door. The blacksmith left earlier and the man worked overtime till late at night. He doesn’t have a family, just a lone person, working till late at night doesn’t really bother him. He slipped his key into his pocket, preparing to head home into the woods, where he dwelled there.

The moment he turned around he saw the girl standing behind him with a basket in her hand. She was looking at him, with a smile on her face.

“Just finished work?”

The girl asked. The remained quiet and slightly nodded. The girl opened the lid of her basket and took out a sandwich. She handed it to the man.

“I bet you haven’t ate yet. This one’s on me.”

The man stared at the girl and quietly received the sandwich in her hand. He then sat down on the steps in front of the blacksmith’s shop and slowly munched on the sandwich.

The sandwich taste real good. It was only a simple one, with bread, lettuce, a piece of ham and some butter but he felt that it was the best food he ever tasted. Silently, he chewed on the sandwich and then stole a glance of the girl. She was staring at him and he quickly looked away, staring away into the streets not knowing what he was looking at.

The girl is special to him. Every time he saw her he felt something strange that messed with his heart. He didn’t what it is, it felt so strange...but yet so good. She was like different from the other females in the town, her looks seemed to be sweeter, her voice capable of soothing him, and he wouldn’t bother having her around him, while he almost rejected everyone in town. This girl is different...the only one person that bother to care about him.

“What is your name?”

The girl asked but the man kept quiet. He continued munching his sandwich, not looking at her. The girl waited for a moment until he finished his sandwich, and waited again. No reply. She was used to this.

“Can you smile?”

The man looked at the girl and stared her in the eyes. He saw her smiling, not knowing what good it will bring.

“Come on, try it!”

The man continued staring at the girl and the girl smiled again. The man’s face remain dull. No reaction.

“You...don’t know how to smile?”

The girl asked the man and the man looked away. She stared at him and she caught him stealing a glance at her again. She tapped him on his shoulder but he shrugged it off.

“Try lifting up your face muscles, little by little...”

The girl got up, knelt in front of him, looking at him and said. The man’s face moved. His cheek lifted up, he was...it looked more like a frown.

“No, not like that! Like this...”

The girl lifted her hands and reached for the man’s two end of his lips. The moment the girl touched him, he stood up like a storm brewing, turned around and faced the other direction. The girl just stood behind him, not giving up on teaching him how to smile.

The girl then walked to the side of him and looked at him. He looked in the opposite direction again. The girl just waited. Then suddenly, the man turned his face around, with a smile on his face.

That...was a real forceful smile. The purpose of the smile is just to fend the girl off. His cheek lifted up so much that it made eyes into a line. She can’t see his teeth, just a lip that formed a U shape. Never mind, at least he tried.

“So...where are you going later? Back to the woods?”

The girl asked the man and the smile on his face disappeared. The man again remained silent. The girl looked at him, waiting for an answer but failed to get one. The man then walked away, into the darkness, into the woods where he dwelt for the past few weeks. The girl looked at the spot where he was. Not knowing why, she wanted to spend more time with this man, even though virtually no words came out from his mouth.