Chapter 1: The Child
Promise, though not lacking in residents or
business, possessed an eerie silence on this comfortable autumn morning. True, it was a new town, but it was
acclaimed as being the “New Midgar” with its bustling neighbor Kalm not even a fifteen-minute
drive away. In addition, dedicated
civil service workers customarily roamed the streets of Promise, directed by
not only caring officials but also the town’s founders. Still, the 23rd of September was
unusually placid.
As Cloud Strife walked leisurely down the sidewalk,
he uneasily noticed the lack of commotion that was ordinarily present. After a moment, he shrugged his qualms
hurriedly away and continued at his regular pace as though nothing was amiss. But inside, Cloud was not in the least bit
reassured.
Of course, Cloud reasoned, it was a Monday at an
hour when most people would already be engaged at work. At this notion, he quickly reproached
himself. After all, HE should be
working. When Cloud lingered on this
unpleasant train of thought, he reminded himself, as he had again and again,
that he had not been to work since August 15th, four days before his
25th birthday. Relentlessly,
Cloud had mulled over the unfortunate circumstances leading to his injury from
the time of its occurrence. As a result, no one could lift his despair,
including his wonderful wife, Tifa.
So here he was, depressed and agitated. Naturally,
Barret was increasingly optimistic that Cloud would be back on the job in a few
short weeks, but Cloud still shook his head in dismay. His ribs, although
frustrating, he knew would heal. On the
other hand, Cloud didn’t know if he would ever sleep a full night again. As it happened, ever since Aeris’s death,
his nights had rarely included dreams, and they remained that way, but now it
was becoming worse. When he closed his
eyes he saw and felt nothing. He
allowed Tifa to think that his undesire for sleep was due to his injury, but
actually he had lost all feeling when he slept and was finding it harder to
wake from each slumber with every passing day.
It was as if he wasn’t alive at all, succumbing to the numbness of death
every night…..
These troubles, with the added realization that he
couldn’t be sure that he would be able to wake up the next morning, was bottled
up inside of Cloud like a time bomb. Of
course, he didn’t want to worry Tifa, or for that matter, any of his
friends. He had decided to deal with
this on his own, but it was becoming increasingly more difficult and tiresome.
Not to mention, Tifa had recently been expressing a
want for a baby of her own. Cloud saw
how she crooned and smiled at Shera and Cid’s little girl, Lark. He wanted more than anything else to give Tifa
her every wish…. But in the case of a child, Cloud remained aloof. What if these sleeping problems were just
early symptoms before his death, which would leave Tifa to care for a baby
alone? Worse yet, what if his Jenova
cells were passed on to the baby itself?
Cloud dealt with his problems without regret, but he could not inflict
these same troubles on a helpless child.
With all his apprehensions, Cloud had sunk into a
low. No one could help him. He began to
feel as if he was all alone, estranging himself from his co-workers and even
close friends. He just didn’t have the
strength to keep fighting a battle that was hopeless. He couldn’t even dream of a better future for Tifa and himself.
Cloud roughly ran a hand through his hair. What he was thinking was defeat, and he
loved Tifa too much to just give up. He
sighed deeply and pushed all thoughts except that of his immediate task from
his mind. He had plenty of time to
worry later. Right now, he was striding
under the yellow autumn sun that hung low in the cloudless blue sky. The trees
around him rustled in the breeze with an occasional brightly colored leaf
drifting to the ground.
Without even gracing the ongoing traffic with a
glance, for all this morning the cars had been few and far between, Cloud
stepped casually into the street.
Before even going two paces from the curb a small wail jolted Cloud to a
stop. He spun on his heels to meet an
out reached little hand.
“Mommy doesn’ let mee ‘ross the ‘treet by my own,”
Skylar announced firmly, still holding out his hand for Cloud’s.
Cloud looked at the little boy in disbelief. There aren’t any cars! Cloud sighed, finally giving Sky his hand
while he tugged the little boy across the desolate street. If it was one thing he had learned from all
the times he’s been signed up by Tifa to watch Skylar was the kid was stubborn….
rooted in a one-way tunnel, in fact. In
addition, this morning Cloud had nonchalantly allowed Sky to eat ice cream for
breakfast. Of course, the kid got sick
and Tifa had reprimanded Cloud for his neglect. In Cloud’s mind, this was just another reason for them not to
have kids. Obviously, Tifa felt he could learn….
Cloud veered off the sidewalk, heading through a
gate on a worn dirt path. He walked
aimlessly under the colorful fall trees, shaking off the little hand that
attempted to restrain his every once and a while. He spotted Yuffie again as she bounded from leaf to fallen leaf,
looking for ones of a distinct color or design. She had been prompted to come along with Skylar and himself to
the park and had quickly taken advantage of the opportunity. After all, winter was right around the
corner.
Cloud glanced at his side as Yuffie gleefully called
for Sky to join her in the hunt.
Skylar, though interested in Yuffie’s urgings, happily skipped along
side the brooding Cloud. It was just as
well, in Cloud’s view. In any case, the
park was now in sight and he didn’t really feel like trying to find or watch
Sky as the kid ran around in the huge tree-spotted field. A contained area always served as a blessing
when caring for Skylar.
“Sl-iiiiiii-duh!!!!” Skylar yelped as he ran wildly
from Cloud into the playground. He
grasped the first rung of the slide tightly and with a heavy, pushed his tiny
body upward. As he reached the top and
plopped himself down, Skylar wavered feverously at Cloud, who seated himself on
the shady wooden bench with folded arms.
Yuffie dropped down with a huff beside Cloud.
“Sky sure is sweet… thank gawd he’s nothing like
Cid,” she commented lightly while returning the child’s gesture. Then, Yuffie proceeded to piling up all the
red, yellow, orange, and spotted leaves she had collected and placing them
delicately into her small backpack.
Cloud glanced at Yuffie without interest and allowed
her further chatter, mostly centered around herself, to slip by him
unheard. It wasn’t as if anything she
said mattered… It was all twisted to her point of view, which Cloud knew was
one-sided. Cloud rolled his eyes and turned
his attention back to the slide. It, of
course, was deserted.
Cloud raised himself slowly, interrupting Yuffie’s
story of how a rude storeowner had accused her of stealing a pocketknife she
had owned all her life.
“Where’s Sky?” Cloud questioned while scanning the
area thoroughly and then taking a few steps toward the slide.
Yuffie shrugged before leaping to her feet and
craning her neck to see around the different park equipment.
“SKYLAR!!” Yuffie bluntly yelled as Cloud
disappeared into the playground. “SKY HIGHWIND!!”
Cloud, remaining calm, walked cautiously through the
area, looking for the kid. At that
moment, he stopped dead in his tracks. He could hear bits and pieces of a
conversation in which Cloud knew the four-year-old was apart of. Keenly following the voices, Cloud
discovered the missing boy near the swings.
“Uncle C-oud!” Skylar smiled innocently.
Cloud lingered motionlessly as he stared at Sky in
dismay. The kid didn’t even realize why
he had come to find him. Cloud saw
Yuffie catch a glimpse of them and with a sigh disappear in the direction of
the bench. Now, Cloud was left along
with Sky…. and a girl?
Until now, Cloud hadn’t even noticed the skinny
little girl swaying quietly on the swing by Skylar. She had wide green eyes and her cheeks were streaked with tears.
She gently brushed her shoulder-length brown hair from her face, tucking it
carefully behind her ear, and looked at Cloud with apprehension. Her hand
trembled and she lowered her head under Cloud’s expressionless stare.
“This is Alyssssa, Uncle C-oud. She’s my fwend,”
interrupted Sky proudly.
Alyssa’s eyes remained downcast as Sky spouted
apparently all the information he had learned of his “new friend” to Cloud
without hesitation. Cloud stood and listened.
“Who’s watching you?” Cloud asked finally in a
thoughtful voice. He hadn’t seen anyone around and suspected Alyssa might be
all alone..
The little girl shook her head, “I’m all by myself.”
Cloud nodded.
“You can stay wit us!” Sky offered gleefully,
shining two pleading eyes at Cloud.
Alyssa’s eyes widened hopefully. “Can I?”
Cloud rubbed the side of his face with worry. Alyssa was obviously around seven-years-old
and needed help, but what was he going to do? He could take her home with him
and call Barret, Promise’s police commissioner. Leaving a little kid alone was definitely out of the
question.
“Ok,” Cloud announced, “Let’s go home and call
Barret. He’ll help us out.”
Skylar jumped joyfully off the ground, hugging
Cloud’s legs. Sky smiled at Alyssa and grabbed Cloud’s left head in his own
happily. Following her new friend’s
example, Alyssa meekly slid off the swing and shyly reached her hand for
Cloud’s. Cloud saw her sadness and
remembered his own life without parents.
Then, he showed Alyssa one of his rare genuine smiles and took her hand
gently.
“Let’s go.” Cloud stated as he led the two away from
the park and back towards the streets where some people had resurfaced. They nodded their greetings to Cloud, the
infamous hero of the world and one of the founders of Promise, and thought
nothing of the two children going with him.
Everyone was aware that Cloud trained new recruits for PLANET, a world
protection organization. On August 15th, one recruit turned on him,
breaking his rib in a surprise attack.
This encounter with a former Shinra, Inc. employer had shaken the town,
but seeing Cloud now reassured everyone.
Cloud sighed as he looked at the two kids beside
him. Glancing behind him, he remembered that Yuffie was still at the park. He
stopped for a second, then thinking better of it, continued on. After all, Yuffie knew her way around. Right now his only thought was getting home.
After all, this girl, Alyssa, made him feel
something he hadn’t felt in year… like a familiar smile or look lost years ago…
I can feel what’s happening…I just hope this isn’t
the beginning of something we can’t handle, Cloud breathed deeply, Or maybe it’s the end of
something started long ago…