Final Fantasy VII 1. Prologue

PROLOGUE:  
The Tale of Seto  
  
  
  
The smell of tobacco filled the air. A heavy sigh let out in the small tent. The white door flap   
contrasted against the brown leather of the tent. It was torn in places, and had color worn spots covering   
it. Inside rested the living place of the tent's sole resident. Inside, the owner of the tent puffed more   
smoke off of the pipe that rested in his mouth. Inside, the owner lay, sick and old, on a single sleeping   
bag on the floor. The sleeping bag was covered with patches, from the many wear and tears of the road.   
After all of the travelling it had seen, its owner might as well sleep on the floor. The owner puffed on his   
pipe one more time, before laying it on the small, collapsible dresser. He laid back down on the sleeping   
bag, and retired to sleep for the evening.  
As he began to drift slowly into sleep though, a voice cried out from a bit beyond the door flap.   
"Grandpa Nanaki!"  
Nanaki sighed. He turned towards the flap, a smile on his face. "Come on in, Seto."   
A small figure entered through the flap. He stood on all fours, and his fur gleamed like fire. His   
eyes were a light blue, which stood out against his fur. A mane of brown and red trailed down his back.   
He stood with great posture, even though he was still a child by the standards of his species. His eyes   
showed a child like curiosity, as he had not seen much of the world. His small paws left footprints on the   
ground as he stepped into Nanaki's tent. Nanaki's great grandson now stood before him. Nanaki rolled   
off of his old joints. His back haunches creaked as he stood up upon them. "What is it Seto?"  
"Some of the adults were talking, and they were saying stuff that…"  
"Stuff that I told you to report to me, if they kept discussing it."  
Seto lay down on the ground in front of Nanaki. "Yes. They were saying-"  
"Saying things about the east." Nanaki interjected.  
"Yes."  
"What were they saying, Seto."  
Seto sat for a moment, fear in his eyes. Then he answered. "They were talking about how there   
aren't a lot of towns anymore. They were talking about how all of the armies are going to take over   
everything."  
"Well," Nanaki said sympathetically, "I don't know about everything, but yes. They do plan   
conquest."  
"And they were ALSO talking about the evil."  
"Evil?" Nanaki said, in genuine curiosity, "What evil?"  
"They were talking about someone who has been going around and destroying the villages. They   
also said that he isn't human."  
"Really then. Well, what do they say he is?"  
"They're saying that he's a de-de-de-" Seto stuttered, trying to pronounce the word, which was   
new to him. "Oh yeah. They called it a demon"  
Nanaki's eyes widened. How could it be? He has told the men who Seto spoke of not to talk of   
such things around him, but they were wise. They wouldn't say there was a demon unless they had ample   
evidence to convince them thusly. "What else did they say about this demon, Seto"  
"They said that it was really really evil. And… oh yeah! They said that it-, " a look of worry   
came over Seto's face, even darker than it had when he had first walked into the tent, "that it was going to   
kill every one. They said that, even if the armies would go away, with the demon around, even Midgar   
wouldn't be safe."  
Nanaki slowly shook his head as he listened. "Even Midgar wouldn't be safe"? The thought   
seemed surreal to Nanaki. After the lifestream had gathered around Midgar, to stop the dark spell, meteor   
from striking the planet, the city had been left without power or machines. It was perfect for the new   
world that the people would want. People had slowly decided to start a new life, without as many   
machines, though they had still kept essentials, and some cities far away from Midgar still had all sorts of   
machines. Midgar had since then become the capital of hope in the world. It was considered one of the   
safest places on earth. If any evil could take out Midgar, then the whole world would be at it's fingertips.  
"Well, Seto. I know a story that may cheer you up."  
"Is it the one about seproth, and clode, and Meter" Seto said, mispronouncing some of the names   
that Seto's favorite story revolved around. Nanaki often told Seto of his friends' and his valiant efforts   
that saved the world, and stopped Sephiroth from becoming all powerful.   
"No Seto. This is the story of your name sake."  
"WOW! I've never heard this one before."  
"Well. It was long long ago. When I was still little. Our people lived in a place called Cosmo   
Canyon. We were at peace there, with men, just as we are now. It was a happy life. "Nanaki's face   
turned dark, as h narrated the story. "But then the Gi came. They were a tribe of warriors, who sought to   
kill us, and take over the canyon. My mother fought bravely and died, along with the rest of our people,   
but it appeared that my father had run away. It was many years later, during my journeys with Cloud and   
the others, that I discovered that my father did not in fact run away. He in fact had gone to protect the   
secret back entrance to the canyon. He fought off all of the invader, alone, but he was turned to stone by   
their arrows of poison. He was a brave soul. Do you know what his name was?"  
Seto shook his small head.  
"His name was Seto."  
Seto's face brightened.  
"I insisted that my son name his son Seto, after his grandfather, although he told me that he had   
already planned to all along."  
"Wow! I want to be just like grandfather Seto when I grow up. I'm gonna be a strong warrior."  
"Well then, you had better get to training, if you want to become a strong warrior."  
Seto dashed out of the tent, jumping, and biting the air, locked in a fight to the death with   
imaginary warriors. Nanaki smiled. That had taken the child's mind off of things, but the news still   
haunted Nanaki. What if there truly was a demon, which sought to kill them all. Would they survive, like   
the last time the world was threatened. Nanaki sighed. If this turned out like it did before, the situation   
would be grave. After all, Nanaki was the only one of the group that was still alive, and he was in no   
condition to take on armies, much less a demon. He reached his jaws out, and bit his pipe with them, and   
began to smoke on it, once more. Then again he thought. There is one other person who is still alive, if   
that's what one would call being alive. But no one had a clue as to where he was, or if he even cared   
about stopping the demon. For all Nanaki knew, he could have fallen in battle a long time ago.   
No, that wasn't possible. He was too strong to have died during this peaceful age, though it was   
turning to war. Nanaki puffed on the pipe one more time. Vincent, he thought, where are you anyway? 


	2. At the Door of the Seventh Heaven

At the Door of the Seventh Heaven  
  
  
It was a peaceful hill. The sun rose slowly over it. Trees could be seen everywhere, with leaves of   
every color, from red to green, even blue. The trees were tall, and gave a home to many of the animals on   
the hill. Grass covered the hillside, spreading green all across it. Here and there flowers had popped up,   
and bloomed with the spring season.   
A slight breeze blew across the hill that day. It rustled the grass, and made the leaves fall from the   
trees. It could not be heard though. A large wagon was making its way up the hill, its back left wheel   
creaking with every turn. The wagon was brown, and had faded signs on the side which had once   
represented a well known transportation company, which had faded and become old and forgotten, much   
like its owner. The owner satin front, holding the reins of two large horses, which looked like they had   
seen their share of the road. The back held mass amounts of hay, stacked into heaps, being brought to the   
stables to feed the horses of the town which rested over the next hill. All in all, it was an ordinary looking   
wagon. It held a passenger, sleeping atop a bale of hay in the back, though, who was in no way ordinary.   
He lay on his back, his head resting atop his arms. His silvery white hair fell out across the hay. His blue   
eyes were shut tight to block out the sun. He wore a white shirt, which had no collar, and a pair of black   
pants, on which the very bottom of the right leg had been torn off. He hardly moved as the old wagon   
jostled down the bumpy road, which wound across the hills. As the wheel squeaked, his eyes twitched,   
but he remained asleep, as the wagon traveled on into town.  
Commotion filled the town square. People rushed past, carrying letters, or papers, grocery bags,   
and purses. A large statue rested in the center. Its head was smashed in, to represent the town's freedom   
from the person that the statue was of. The town had gone into economic decline, and a king of a nearby   
country had taken the opportunity to literally buy the town right out from under the people's noses. It had   
only been on a strange day, when bright flashes and explosions came from the kings castle, which could   
be seen across the country side, that the town had been freed. Now children ran amok in the streets. The   
only time the streets were even relatively quiet was when it had strange visitors. Now was one of those   
times.  
People noticed the man lying on top of the hay, and immediately began to stare. It wasn't that he   
looked that out of the ordinary, but there was a strange feeling of dread and wonder that overcame anyone   
who looked his way. It wasn't until the wagon passed that the streets became cheerful again. The wagon   
slowly made its way across the town, repeating the process, until finally it slowed to a halt. The wagon   
parked in front of a small bar. It was two stories tall, though it looked as if it was too out of repair for the   
second floor to support some ones weight. Two rickety doors blocked the entrance to the bar. The   
wagon driver shook his head, and spoke to himself, "I cant figure why he'd want to come here"  
The wagon driver shrugged, and slowly made his way to the back of the wagon. He hopped up   
onto the back, and nudged the sleeping man. "Hey, wake up.'  
The man moved for a moment, but fell back into sleep.  
The wagon driver sighed. "Hey, Cloud, wake up!"  
The man slowly sat up. "What did you call me?"  
Perplexed, the wagon driver scratched his head. "Cloud. That's what you said your name was   
right? Cloud Strife."  
For a moment, the man looked at the wagon driver as if he were crazy, but after a moment, a look   
of comprehension came to his eyes. "Oh. Right. Yeah, name's Cloud." He shook his head for a   
moment, "How long until we reach the place."  
The wagon driver motioned towards the bar. "Were there." He turned towards the bar and looked   
at the sign, "Seventh Heaven."  
Cloud nodded. "Yeah, this is the place. Thanks for your services Elian."  
Elian, the wagon driver nodded. "Your welcome. If you need another lift, I'm gonna be in town   
for a while."  
Cloud nodded before stepping through the door to the bar. A sudden must hit his face. He   
coughed as he continued into the bar. Several faces turned to give him a cold stare as he walked in.   
Voices muttered things like "dead meat", "pretty boy", and "easy mark". Cloud paid attention to none of   
them as he made his way to the bar. He took a stool, and motioned for the barkeep. The barkeep, a fat old   
man, who had a pleasant smile on his face walked over to Cloud. "Well, what'll ya have there." He said,   
his accent thick.  
"I'll have the hardest thing you've got." Cloud said calmly.  
The barkeep snorted in laughter, and picked up a glass off of a shelf. He picked up several bottles   
from under the shelf, and did something with them that he didn't let the customers see. After all, his   
secret mix was all that kept the customers coming. He poured it into the glass, and handed the drink to   
Cloud. "On the house." The barkeep said, looking around the room, "Odds are it'l be your' last drink.   
From the way the boys are lookin' at ya, I don't think they'll let ya out the door. If I were you, I'd be   
careful what you do around here, or you might just wind up dead."  
"I wish." Cloud said, as he brought the mug to his mouth, and swallowed the whole drink in a   
single gulp.  
The barkeep, and everyone who saw him take the drink stared in astonishment. It was unwise to   
drink as Cloud just had. In fact it was unwise to even drink the stuff that he had ordered, mush less   
swallow it all in a few gulps. Just the shock had given men of weak hearts illness. After putting the cup   
down, Cloud flipped the barkeep some gil and said to him calmly, "keep em coming" As the Barkeep   
went off to refill the cup, Cloud lowered his head in thought.   
What he failed to notice were the three men in the back of the bar, sitting in the shadows, watching   
him. All the tables around them were empty. No one dared sit that close to them. It would mean death to   
upset them, and no one took that chance. Between the three of them, the biggest one sat with his feet on   
the table with a cigar in his mouth, his large over muscular body putting large amounts of strain on the   
chair that he tipped back on. His shoulder length, grungy black hair hung down behind him. To his right   
sat an unusually tall man.. He wore black armor, which had rusted over his adventures. On is back was a   
large broadsword, and at his belt were two short swords. Daggers, knives, maces, and other weapons   
hung from his belt, and other places on his armor. Strapped to his right arm was a medium sized gun.   
Across from both of these two, covered in shadows was the third man. Hardly any thing could be seen of   
him, except a few strands of flaming red hair. As they sat, staring at Cloud, a quick bit of conversation   
went on between the two that sat outside of the shadows. They were cut off by a quick word from the   
man in the shadows. He said a few words more, and the first two rose from the table. They made their   
way to the bar. Several people scrambled out of their path as they walked past. They finally arrived at   
Cloud's location. They each took a seat on either side of him, and leaned closer to him. The muscular   
one spoke first.  
"Well hello there."  
Cloud turned to look at him coldly.  
"What do you want?"  
"Hey, no need to get defensive." The muscular one said, "Me and my friends are just worried   
about ya, that's all."  
The tall one continued. "Yeah, some of these bar folk are pretty shady. You never know when   
they might start something." He said, a hint of threat in his voice at the end.  
"I'll be fine, thank you."  
The muscular one leaned in again. "Well, you know, we could body guard for ya, for a small bit   
o' gil."  
"I said that I would be fine."  
The two slowly backed off, malice filling their eyes. "Well, if that's the way it is, then we cant   
assure your safety."  
As they started to leave. Cloud rose from his barstool. He slowly turned to them. "And I'd   
appreciate it if you would give back the gil that you just stole from me."  
The two stopped in their tracks. The tall one replied. "What do you mean stole? We get our gil   
doing an honest-"  
He never got a chance to finish the sentence. Cloud had leaped from his spot on the floor, and   
landed a punch on the mans face. The man fell to the floor, but quickly rose again, short swords drawn.   
Lunging at Cloud, he took a calculated swing, but he found himself hitting nothing but air. He stumbled   
forward, and a plated fist came down on his skull, cracking it open.   
Cloud turned to the muscular one, who was already preparing to take a swing at Cloud. The blow   
was easily dodged, even though none of the bra patrons even saw it being thrown. Cloud brought up his   
foot, and the bottom off it landed squarely on the big guy's chin. A loud snap! Was heard, and the big   
guy fell to the ground, and blood could be seen openly flowing in his throat. Cloud stood calmly over the   
two dead bodies. In the corner, the man who had been standing in the shadows could be seen rising to his   
feet. Several of the bar patrons began to clear out. As the figure rose, a bright glow came from within the   
shadows. Electricity spewed every where, and began to set things on fire. The figure lifted the light   
upwards, and pointed it at Cloud, for a moment revealing the figure's face. Cloud gasped.  
"Reno?" 


	3. BARFIGHT!

CHAPTER 2  
BARFIGHT!!!!  
  
Cloud stood stunned. He shook his head, unable to believe what he was seeing. It couldn't be, by   
all logic. Yet here it was. Standing in front of him, only a few yards away was Reno of the turks. Reno   
fixed him with a heavy gaze. No emotion penetrated those eyes. Who knew what those eyes had seen. As   
he stared at Cloud though, that gaze seemed to bore into Clouds soul, almost, with its burning stare. The   
bar patrons all fell silent, and watched. As Cloud stood there, he felt himself weakening. NO! He said to   
himself. I'm too strong to become unnerved in a moment of danger like this. Cloud found the strength   
deep within himself, the strength which he had found only on his recent travels, which even remained a   
mystery to him at times. His gaze, no longer startled by this ghost from the past, began to slowly sculpt   
itself into a gaze, not unlike this man who seemed so much, to be Reno. The silence continued. Not even   
the wind dared interrupt this sudden clash of wills, as the two opponents stared each other down. It was   
long moments before, finally the silence was broken. It was not Cloud, nor Reno, ho broke the silence,   
but a senile looking old man, who had wasted away in this bar. He whispered quietly to a fellow bar   
patron who sat across from him. The other man responded, and soon, voices began to chip in. It was mere   
minutes before the first catcall was made.   
"Quit standin' there and fight!" came a drunken voice.   
Bets were being made around the room. Slowly, from the corners, the red haired apparition began his   
crawling walk towards Cloud. It took him almost a minute to bring himself face to face with the silver   
haired Cloud. The two stared at each other, mere inches from one another, before the first blow was   
flung. A gloved hand had come up, and hit Cloud's thin face The blow was countered with a swift kick   
that, despite Cloud's closeness to Reno, hit the red haired man squarely in the jaw. Reno fell backwards   
to the floor, but within moments up-righted himself. Cloud was already coming his way with a brutal   
punch, but Reno, with inhuman reflexes managed to catch Cloud's arm, and twist it around. He viciously   
twisted on Cloud's arm, until he suddenly found himself being lifted off of his feet, as Cloud began to flip   
him over his shoulder. Surprised, Reno let go of Cloud's arm, and landed on the bar room floor with a   
deafening thud. But even that blow hardly seemed to phase Reno, as he jumped to his feet, and began   
throwing punches skilled furiously at Cloud. A few moments later, Cloud was knocked through the wall   
of the building. Cloud began to pull himself off of the street, but already there was Reno. The man   
reached down, and grabbed Cloud with suited arm. His arm twisted around Clouds neck, and held him in   
a headlock that was so skillfully held, that even the strongest would have a hard time breaking the grip.   
Reno kicked Cloud's legs out from under him, and, as Cloud dropped to the floor, Reno's arm squeezed   
into Cloud's throat. A grim chuckle came from Reno.  
"So, you thought you could come back, huh?"  
His knee came up into Cloud's back hard.  
"Wasn't the first time enough?"  
Now Cloud was becoming confused. What first time?  
"Where'd you get the nerve to show up here, murderer?"  
Murderer? What was he talking about. The world began to spin under Reno's grip.  
"Where'd you get the nerve…coming back from the dead?"  
Now Cloud was completely lost. Back from the dead? What had that meant. It was so hard to   
think, if the world would just stop spinning though….  
"What're you doing here….you little Jenova bastard?"  
Reno let up on his grip just a bit. He wanted a response. As the world began swimming into   
focus, realization began to dawn on Cloud. Jenova? His eyes widened. He thinks I'm…  
Summoning on the strength once again, Cloud let a out a roar of rage, and somehow, through the   
confusion, and the world spinning, found the strength to jump into the air, and turn, just slightly   
backwards.   
Reno let out a sharp cry, as Cloud smashed his one free arm on Reno's chest, with all of Cloud's   
mass behind the blow. The air flew from his lungs. Cloud drew in precious oxygen, and the world   
returned to him. He stood up, and stared down at the incapacitated Reno. He brought his foot around, and   
slammed it as hard as he could into Reno's chest. Reno cried out in pain, as the kick snapped two of his   
ribs. Cloud cringed on the inside. It wasn't that he wanted to hurt Reno that much, but he had to make   
sure that Reno wouldn't be coming after him for a long while. Cloud sighed, and headed back for the bar.   
As he did, he realized there was no door. He looked at the wall confused, only to realize that Reno had   
knocked him through the back wall. Seeing that the hole in the wall was five feet up, and cloud certainly   
didn't feel like climbing that, he walked around to the front.   
As he entered the bar, the patrons stared at him. Some with admiration, some with confusion,   
some with blank drunken stare, and of course, some with fear. He stepped over the two bodies of Reno's   
companions, and, giving the other bar patrons a cold stare, sat down at the barstool he had been at. He sat,   
and waited for the adrenaline to stop pulsing through his veins. As conversation returned to the bar room,   
he realized that something wasn't right though. He didn't know what though. Then he realized that it was   
a noise. He quickly began blocking out noises of the bar room. Then he heard it distinctly. Chanting.   
Chanting in the ancient language of the Cetra. As the chanting stopped, words silently left Cloud's lips.   
"shit!", and the only words of the incantation that were not of the Cetra language were spoken.  
"FIRE 3!"  
The entire back wall of the bar erupted into flames. A few bits of fire flew through the whole in   
the wall, and showered the bar with lames. Several patrons were killed from the flying flames. They   
would be later considered the lucky ones. As the fire quickly spread across the bar, the patrons rushed for   
the door. But in their drunken frenzy, they began stumbling over each other, and their efforts proved   
futile. Reno had, almost magically, appeared in front of the door, already chanting another Cetra spell.   
As cloud rose from his stool, with a firm resolve, he almost dashed to stop Reno. But if he were to   
accomplish his goal here, a goal on which many more lives may depend. He must hurry, and so the   
patrons' fates were sealed. Every last one of them would die. As the long chanting finished, Reno opened   
his eyes, which were now glowing red. An almost wicked smile came over his face. This time he did not   
shout out the spell-name, but whispered it, the evil grin never leaving his face.   
"flare."  
This time, no walls of the bar erupted in flame. This time it was the bar, and nearly every building   
in front of Reno. As the orange and red flames swirled around the bar, Cloud knew that he could not help   
the patrons now. They would die slowly in the magical fire, as would many more tonight. He almost fell   
to the floor in grief, but once again, he pulled from that power source, deep within, and managed to step   
forward, crouch to the ground, and began trying to undo the latch on the floor. It came open with relative   
ease. Before him lay a path down to the hidden parts of the bar, where all were forbidden to go. All   
except for Cloud of course. As he stepped down the stairwell . He came to a dank pathway. Fungus   
dripped from it's moist ceiling. Spiders skittered here and there. Knowing he was short on time, Cloud   
hurried forward. As he ran through, he was surprised to see how much life was down in that cellar.   
Spiders snakes, and other creatures far more dangerous littered the hallway. But as Cloud pressed on in   
grim determination, he realized when he had reached his goal. It was where all of the life began to turn   
into death.   
Instead of snakes and spiders, only skeletons were found down here. Even the fungus had failed to   
thrive this far down the path. Even he, who should have been immune to the spell cast over the corridor,   
felt something pulling on him, wanting his flesh. He shivered, wanting with all of his heart to turn away,   
and walk back, but he knew he had to press on. After several minutes of slow walking, he found the   
source of the evil field. It was a long thin box, made of wood, with the finest black leather coating it.   
Upon the front, were several runes. Cloud recognized them on sight. They were the runes which cast this   
spell of the death field. They were the very runes he had made of silver and lodged in the box himself,   
many years ago. They were to guard the valuable treasure that was in the box. As he stepped closer,   
though, he realized he may have made the spell too well. It was going to keep him out. As he came   
within inches of it, he reached a gloved hand out. As he did, gashes on his arm and hand began opening   
themselves. He winced with pain, but continued. As he finally touched the runes, the skin on his arm   
began to peel away. He screamed with the pain, knowing that if anyone was still alive above him, they   
couldn't hear him down here. Bringing forth the incantation he had memorized, he chanted it out loudly.   
As he did, his skin stopped peeling, and the pain and death surrounding him began to fade. He sighed   
with relief. He lifted the box from its pedestal, and looked at it reverently. He motioned to open it, but   
stopped. He had almost forgotten what was going on in the town. He had seen Reno's eyes, and had   
known right there that Reno was crazy. He had seen that look before, only once. It was a look on   
Sephiroth's face. It was the look of one who kills without regret. Cloud HAD to return to the town, and   
save as much of it and its people as he could. He sighed, tucked the box under his arm, and dashed back   
down the corridor. Jumping past snakes, and spiders, boundfats and hedgehog-pies, he made his way back   
to the hatch under the bar. As he lifted it, a most horrific sight greeted him. The bar had been burned   
down completely. He could now see outside. The entire town was on fire, people were running   
screaming everywhere. As he stared, he reaized that the light that flickered came only from the flames.   
He gaped in horror, as he came out of the cellar to be sure. Even as the figure to his right saw him, and   
began chanting the Cetra language, Cloud was filled with disgust. The sun had set. He had been in the   
corridor for hours. Reno had had his way with the town for hours. As he slowly turned to face the town,   
the voice to his right shouted out.  
"COMET!" 


	4. Resolution

(Sorry about the first couple chapters. They kinda sucked. It should get better…I hope)  
  
CHAPTER 3  
RESOLUTION  
  
Cloud flew across the ground as the cosmic rocks pummeled him. Rolling to his feet, he looked up   
at his attacker, and groaned. Reno stood floating some several feet in the air, surrounded by light. His   
stun rod was casually tossed across his shoulder, as always, but his face was filled with rage. As he   
floated to the ground, the ground seemed to depress beneath him.   
"It's time to die you bastard!" he shouted as he raised his stun rod, and with a touch to the trigger,   
an arc of constant lighting shot out, and connected with Cloud.  
Reno walked closer, and as a delirious grin came over his face, he spoke again. "Finally I'll have   
my revenge on you Sephiroth!"  
Aw shit! Cloud though as he struggled to stand up. He still thinks I'm Sephiroth! Cloud swore his   
appearance as he tried to stand up.  
"What you did was un-forgivable! I'll kill you, you bastard!"  
Aw geez! If this bastard would just let up for the second I need to talk!  
"I'll teach you to kill us!"  
What the hell is he talking about?! Kill them?  
Cloud finally stood up, and as he resisted the urge to pass out from the pain.  
"IM…NOT...SEPHIROTH!!!!!"  
The lighting stopped. Reno stood there, a look of confusion on his face.  
"What?"  
"You heard me, Reno. I know what it looks like, but I'm not Sephiroth!"  
Reno raised the stun rod into attack position again, but didn't fire.  
"You have 30 seconds."  
Cloud swore under his breath. As dangerous as the situation was, he couldn't explain the situation.   
He had to think of something, though, unless he wanted to get fried.   
"Damn it, Reno, it's me, Cloud!"  
Reno now looked clueless.  
"Listen, I can't explain it, but it's me Cloud!"  
"Why the hell should I believe you?"  
Cloud groaned. There honestly wasn't one.  
"Heh. Figured"  
Reno pulled the trigger. Lighting spewed out of the stun rod. Cloud rolled to the side. The   
lightning arced like a living creature, and burned at Cloud's leg. Swearing, he dropped to the ground, but   
the words of the Cetra were already in mind. As Reno swung the stun rod around to finish cloud off,   
Cloud's own lighting arced out, and met the on-coming bolt. As the two bolts of lightning met, they made   
an incredible crackling as they fought each other in the air. Cloud managed to stand up, and as he did, he   
raised the arm the lighting spewed from. He braced it with the other arm, and began calling up the   
stronger form of the spell he was using. As he finished the chant, he shouted it out. "BOLT 3!"   
Cloud's bolt spell shot up the stream of lightning, and hit the stun rod. Reno cried out in pain as   
electricity coursed through him. His hand limped, and he dropped the stun rod to the ground, before   
falling to the ground himself. Cloud walked over, and swiftly put his foot down on Reno's hand as it   
snaked out for the stun rod. Cloud leaned down and picked it up. He flipped it around once, before   
igniting the edge, and bringing it a few inches from Reno's throat. Cloud could feel Reno's pulse quicken   
as his wrist artery pulsed beneath Cloud's boot.   
"Reno. I'm not Sephiroth"  
Reno, who dared not breathe, lest he accidentally touch the lethal stun rod, looked up at the silver   
haired Cloud. He blinked a few times, then dared to shake his head in disbelief.   
"You…. You're not Sephiroth."  
Cloud sighed, and pulled the stun rod away from Reno, and let him stand up.  
"Then…then who are you?"  
"I told you. I'm Cloud."  
"That's impossible! You look nothing like Cloud, and besides…Cloud's dead!!"  
"Well, that would be why I'm in disguise."  
"I don't…"  
"Well, it would raise suspicions if they saw a famous dead guy walking around, wouldn't it?"  
"But…you're the spitting image of Sephiroth…. how?"  
Cloud sighed… "Sorry. But I can't explain that. You'll just have to take my word for it, that I'm   
not Sephiroth."  
"I know your not Sephiroth…you didn't have the look of a mad man in your eyes. That's how I   
knew you weren't him."  
Cloud sighed, and walked over to pick up the box he had dropped upon being attacked. Out of the   
corner of his eye he could see that Reno was retrieving his stun rod. As he picked up the box, he turned   
around to face Reno, who seemed to have already regained his casual composure.   
"So, Reno, what are you doing here anyway?"  
Reno pulled his sunglasses from a pocket, and put them on his head, jus above his eyes so that they   
rested in his hair.   
"Well, if you must know, I was here hunting you."  
Cloud took a step back, shaken up at this.   
"But…how… how did you know I was going to be here?"  
Reno laughed. "Well, if you must know, I knew you'd come for that box there."  
Cloud looked down at the long abyss black box under his arm. "You did?"  
"Well, I didn't exactly know it would be you. You see, after a certain incident with you…I mean   
Sephiroth…I cam across this town, and one day at the bar, I found that trap door, and went down there.   
At the end, I came across a field of magic. As I approached it, it felt like death itself was crawling at my   
skin. It felt familiar though, like someone I knew was there. I had no idea who though, so I settled down,   
and waited. Then you showed up and…you know the rest."  
Cloud looked around. He sure did. "But…why did you go berserk on the town?!"  
Reno looked around, and seemed shocked at the destruction. He suddenly dropped to the ground,   
and pounded the ground with his fist. "DAMN IT!!"  
"Reno?"  
Reno looked up, and it almost seemed as if he was about to shed tears. "Damn it! How long is   
this gonna go on?"  
Reno turned to Cloud and waved an arm at the collapsing town. "Cloud, strange though this may   
sound….this is not my doing."  
Cloud shook his head. Was Reno crazy or something?   
"Listen Cloud, I'll trust you about who you are, if you trust me about this."  
Cloud considered this for a long moment. But before he could say anything, there came a loud cry   
from afar. "The hell? What happened to the town?!"  
Another cry came out. "It's ablaze!"  
A third voice yelled. "It's got mako traces everywhere, this is an attack boys!"  
Footsteps sounded from beyond the hill.  
"Whats that?" Cloud asked  
"damn! Soldier!"  
Cloud sighed. "You had me worried there Reno."  
Reno turned on Cloud, dead serious. "Cloud, I don't know where you've been, but Soldier had   
gotten a lot stronger since you guys fought Sephiroth."  
Reno's statement was demonstrated, as several glowing white hot spheres came over the hill.  
"The hell? FLARE?!" cloud was astonished. "Since when can Soldier members use flare?!"  
"I told you?!" Reno shouted, as he ran for one of the few remaining clusters of buildings. He   
waved for Cloud to follow. Cloud, box in hand, ran for the building. As he crossed the threshold, Reno   
was already running up the stairs. Cloud followed him up, until they reached the top floor. Reno was   
huddled in a corner. Cloud curled up in an opposing corner, and whispered across the room to Reno.   
"Isn't hiding in the top floor of a building a bad idea?"  
Reno shook his head. "Its our only shot. If were lucky, they'll think that whoever did this is gone.   
Besides, they wont attack a building that isn't burned. There might be survivors."  
Cloud shook his head. "Well, what happens if they come looking for those survivors?"  
Reno's eyes bulged at this sudden concept. At the same time, they heard a single footstep on the   
floor beneath them. They simultaneously leapt from their spots on the floor, where, moments later,   
several white orbs burst through the floor. As they dodged the blasts, a slow ricketing came up beside the   
house. Cloud out side and gaped…there was Elian, sitting at the front of the old wagon. He waved at the   
two in the window, turning his wagon around,, so that the hay was facing them. Reno and Cloud looked   
down at the jump.  
"So, Cloud we got a deal?"  
Cloud took a look at the holy spells erupting from the floor, and the chant for ultima rang out in his   
ears. He grabbed Reno's wrist, flung him out into the hay, then jumped after him. Shouts of anger could   
be heard from the building, as Elian whipped the reins, and the old draft horse took off at a surprising   
speed away from the town. 


End file.

Final Fantasy VII, Adventure, Fantasy