Author's notes: First time to write a Kingdom Hearts fic. I haven't played the game so I wish I'm doing the facts right...
Disclaimer note: I do not own FFVII and Kingdom Hearts characters or anything about them. So don't sue me, ok?
"Hey Cloud!! You look so cute on that chocobo!"
Gleaming azure eyes looked back on the person who just shouted at him. Leaning on the fence was a vibrant girl in her twenties. Her chestnut brown hair was waving with the wind and her sparkling green eyes held a feeling of nothing but joy. He knew that girl too well. She was the same girl who gave him a flower just a few months ago. The lone SOLDIER stared at the flower girl and smiled. He jumped off the chocobo and he walked to her.
"You shouldn't yell things like that, Aerith."
The girl placed her hands on her hips and pouted. "I can yell all I want Mr. Cloud Strife."
Cloud froze but eventually he laughed. No one had ever made him laugh before. And it had been a blessing to meet someone like her. Someone who could make him smile. Make him feel emotions he had never felt before.
I was happy to meet someone like you
With your gleaming eyes and your bright smile
I never thought I could experience this feeling
And I don't want this moment to end
"You look like you was havin a nightmare"
Cloud blinked. At his bed was Tifa and Barret. They were both staring at him. Then he cringed when he felt a sudden pain as the memory of the sleeping forest appeared in his head.
"How you feelin?" asked Barret. Cloud shook his head slightly. "Oh… Then you'd better keep it to yourself."
"You know, Cloud. Aerith is gone…" Tifa said in a hushed tone.
"Everyone is out looking for her."
Cloud´s eyes widened and it turned to a darker shade. "The City of the Ancients. She's headed there."
"By herself?! Then why are you still sittin around?" Barret exclaimed.
"Lets go, Cloud. If Sephiroth finds her she's in trouble."
He knew there was something wrong but when he realized he had struck her before he began to have second thoughts. "No. I might lose it again. If Sephiroth comes near me I might…"
"Yeah goddamit! Its your damn fault why Sephiroth got the Black Materia." Cloud stared at the big man by his side. "I know you got problems. Hell, we all do but you gotta understand that they're no getting of this train until we reached the end of the line."
"No… I'm afraid…" Barret and Tifa went out of Cloud´s room. The blonde ex-SOLDIER sat at the end of his bed and he covered his face in dread. "I'm afraid…"
For how long have I been grieving
I don't want to lose myself again
Because when I do all I do is hurt you
And I don't want that to happen
Cloud… Cloud…
The ex-SOLDIER froze. "I feel it…"
Barret and Tifa stopped at their tracks.
"Cloud, what is it?"
Cloud faced them. "Aerith is here… And so is Sephiroth."
"Wh-What? Sephiroth?" Barret exclaimed.
"But how can you tell?"
Cloud closed his eyes as a cold breeze passed him by. "It's no excuse. I can feel it in my soul."
"Then, we better get offa our lazy asses!" Barret suggested.
Cloud nodded. "Right! Lets hurry and find Aerith."
Cloud, Barret and Tifa then went out of the inn and they headed to the City of the Ancients. The ex-SOLDIER was happy because he could see Aerith again. But there was another feeling Cloud just couldn't ignore while walking down the glass stairs that leads to the City. Cloud and the others arrived at the City. The ex-SOLDIER stepped into the first pillar towards the circular platform situated at the center of the City. He saw the flower girl there on her knees and she seems to be praying.
"Aerith?"
Barret saw her too and he stepped forward but Cloud waved his hand at him. He wanted to see her alone. There was so much to tell to her. He wanted her to know what he really felt inside. And so Cloud jumped on the remaining pillars to be with the flower girl. But when he stepped closer to her darkness covered his eyes. He took out his buster sword and he raised it. When he was about to strike his friend's voices stopped him from killing the girl before him. Cloud shook his head and he stepped back.
"What are you making me do?"
Aerith slowly fluttered her eyes revealing her exuberant emerald green eyes. Cloud stared as she smiled at him. The smile that made him fall for the flower girl. Then a searing noise came out from above. The one-winged angel came down and struck Aerith with his long sword. Her clasped hands broke apart as she bent down on the sword. Sephiroth flashed a devilish smiled at the startled SOLDIER before him as he slowly, painfully took out his sword from the innocent flower girl's body. Aerith's pink ribbon gave way and a white materia fell from entangled hair drenched in blood. And the materia fell to the deep dark waters below. Then Aerith's lifeless body fell down but the SOLDIER quickly held her. His blonde eyebrow's furrowed in shock.
"Aerith…" Cloud gazed at the pale face of the flower girl. He briskly shook her body hoping she would open her eyes and look at him assuring him that she was ok. But even he shook her as hard as he could she would never open her eyes again. "This can't be real!"
Sephiroth gave out a maniac laughter. "Do not worry. Soon the girl will become part of the Planet's energy. All that is left is to go North. The Promised Land waits for me over the snowy fields. There I will become a new being…"
Cloud shook, a burning feeling was in his chest. "…Shut up."
"By uniting with the Planet. As will this girl…"
"The cycle of nature and your stupid plan don't mean a thing." Cloud gazed back at the man clad in black with fury. Then he slowly averted his gaze to the limp girl that's in his arms. "Aerith is gone… Aerith will no longer talk, no longer laugh, cry… or get angry…"
Cloud held Aerith's body close to him. "What about us… What are WE supposed to do?" He slowly lowered her as he felt something happening to him that he had never experienced before. It was a feeling he had never felt before. "What is this pain? My fingers are tingling. My mouth is dry. My eyes are burning!"
Sephiroth slowly stared at the grieving man before him. "What are you saying? Are you trying to tell me you have feelings now?"
Cloud stood up and he glared at Sephiroth. "Of course! What do you think I am!?"
Sephiroth smirked. "Ha ha ha. Stop acting as if you're sad. And there's no need to act as if you're angry either." With those words Sephiroth flew up a few up meters away from the SOLDIER. "Because, Cloud. You are…" Then Sephiroth escaped leaving Cloud, Tifa and Barret fighting a monster called Jenova-LIFE. After the final blow was struck Jenova-Life disappeared right before their eyes.
"Because, you are… a puppet."
"I'm… a puppet?"
Barret bent down on the lifeless flower girl. He stood up and he went over to Cloud. He placed a metallic arm on the SOLDIER and he gazed at Aerith. Then Barret went down the platform. Tifa kneeled on her knees and she caressed the flower girl's head. She stood up and she held her hand on her mouth to stop her from crying. She ran down from the platform leaving Cloud with Aerith, alone. Cloud slid his left hand under Aerith's knees and his right at his back. The SOLDIER slowly carried the flower girl at the center of the lake outside of the City of the Ancients. With one last look Cloud lowered the body of the one he cherished most into the depths of the lake.
I didn't want to let you go
But what can I do when fate tell us to
If only I had the strength to face my fears
Then I would have lived on with you
"Where are you?"
Cloud looked at the sky. He was sitting at the stairs of the Coliseum. He had been there for a couple of months now. Training for a big fight between him and the demi-god Hercules. He was looking for someone. He just couldn't remember who but he knew it was very important to him. He had no choice but to work for Hades because only the lord of the underworld can help him.
"Hey you…"
Cloud glanced at his side. He saw a voluptuous woman clad in a pink dress with long flowing brown hair. She walked over to him and she sat by his side.
"What does Hades want now?" he mumbled.
"Why I never!" Meg placed her hands on her hips and pouted. "Hades doesn't control my life you know! Well, he does but he doesn't care what I want to do or not! The nerve!"
Cloud stared at her blankly and he sighed heavily. Meg glanced at him and she also looked at the sky.
"Looks like were on the same page. But unlike you I had been with Hades for quite a long time." Meg frowned but she smiled at him. "Why, it has only been a couple of months when I found you lying in the streets of Hollow Bastion."
"Then I worked for Hades… Same damn boring story… Again and again."
"I came out here for a reason, Cloud." Meg faced the man with a serious look on her face. "Don't fight Hercules."
Cloud's blue eyes slightly widened. "You know what my purpose is. I don't want to fail."
"But!" Meg breathed hard and she rolled her eyes. "Oh... Yeah… You're doing this for someone you were looking for all this time but don't even know the name. Come on, Cloud! Maybe you're only mistaken. Maybe it's just a dream, an illusion."
Cloud stood up and he began walking away from Meg. When he was a few feet away he gazed to the side. "Don't tell me what to do or what not to do. I'm doing this because I want to."
Because its very important.
"By the way Hades wants you to see him in the Coliseum."
Cloud continued walking. Meg irritatingly blowed away the hair from her face as she sighed at the sunset.
Cloud opened the doors that lead to the Coliseum. The light from the sun almost blinded him but he still retained his stand. He passed by a group of odd looking people. As he passed them he couldn't help but stare at the brown haired boy wielding a key shaped sword. He averted his gaze to the lord of the underworld and he walked towards him. He stepped into the darkness and Cloud leaned on the wall. Hades went closer to him and they watched the group of the brown haired boy preparing for the upcoming game.
"That little punk is your next opponent. Now don't blow it. Just take him out."
Cloud stared unbelievingly at Hades then he averted his gaze at the boy.
"The great god of the underworld is afraid of a kid? Sorry but my contracts says."
Hades irritatingly threw his hands up in the air. "I know. You think I don't know? I wrote the contract. I know it says you're only required to kill Hercules in this tournament. But you gotta fight that kid to get to him. Come on."
Hades peered in to the somber fighter. "Hey its like that old goat says, Rule 11: It's all just a game so let loose and have fun with it! I mean, a casualty or two along the way is no big deal right?"
Cloud stood up and he passed Hades without a word. Hades followed him with his eyes and he crossed his arms at his chest.
"Geez. Stiffer than the stiffs back home." The lord of the underworld smirked to himself as he heard growling noises at his back. "Still, suckers like him are hard to come by…"
"Hey, are you alright"
Cloud looked up to the brown haired boy in front of him. "Yeah."
"So why did you go along with him anyway."
Cloud lowered his face to his hands. "I'm looking for someone. Hades promised to help." He stood up and he gazed at the sky as he remembered the person's smile that remained in his mind. "I tried to exploit the power of darkness. But it backfired. I fell into darkness. And I couldn't find the light."
"You'll find it. I'm searching too."
"For your light?" Cloud stared at Sora. Then he walked pass him and he dropped something on the boy's hand. "Don't lose sight of it."
Sora smiled and he looked back at Cloud. "How about a rematch sometime? Fair and square. No dark powers involved."
Cloud stopped and he ran a finger through his blonde locks. "I think I'll pass."
He was now walking away. But will that be a good thing? How could he find the person he's looking for without Hades' help?
I begin to wander in every part of the world
I'm lost without you by my side
Looking for a light to seek comfort
From the darkness that's inside of me
The blonde fighter from the Colosseum walked through the hollow streets of Hollow Bastion. This was the place where Meg had found him. Cloud continued to walk until he reached a flight of stairs going to some of the stores in the town. He sat at the stairs and he gazed upon the sight before him. He sighed and he gazed up at the stars a vast in the night sky.
"Will I give up? Can I give up?" He clenched his fist and he pounded it at the stone stairs leaving a small crack. Cloud stared at his hand. "I need… I want to know… Who I really am. What is this pain inside me?"
He has no memories. All that he had was his emotions. That of guilt, anger, sadness… The darkness inside him is slowly scattering eating slowly minute by minute the heart he had. But he had one memory. A memory that still haunts him up to now.
The searing sound of the torch keeps buzzing in his ear making him unable to sleep. Cloud lay on his bed in the Colosseum. Hades told him to rest a bit for tomorrow's battle with the brown haired boy wielding the Keyblade. Cloud stared blankly at the ceiling.
"Who needs rest? That kid is easy enough to beat from the looks of him…"
"Just get some. Who knows the situation might alter and you'll loose." Hades turned his back on him. "You know the consequences right?"
Cloud closed his eyes attempting to drift off. Then he opened them. He was afraid. Afraid that darkness might get the best of him. He had nightmares since he had arrived at the Colosseum. He never wanted to have them but they just keep coming inside his mind. Darkness was a part of him. Cloud felt the heaviness of his eyelids. He tried to resist but… The fighter closed his eyes and he dozed to the world of dreams.
"See! What I told ya? That hunk can never sleep until he's taken medication."
"Do you have to go this extremes to let him have his rest?" Meg stared up at the smirking face of Hades. "I smell something. And it wreaks of something dead."
Hades glanced at her and he raised his arms. He sniffed his armpits and smiled. "Ahhh… The bittersweet smell of me…"
Meg looked at him disgustingly and she walked away. Hades peered into the sleeping Cloud and grinned. "Night, night! Little Prince…"
He was in darkness. No matter how he opened his eyes no matter he fought he was still in darkness. Cloud frantically searched for the light. Then his eyes fell upon the pale shoulders of a chestnut-brown haired girl clad in pink a few feet away from him. There was a heavenly halo that surrounded the girl and his heart began to fill with hope. He reached to the girl but his hand went through her body. Cloud stepped back looking at the girl in disbelief. The girl started to turn back. His heart skipped a beat when her face was about to show. But before she had completely shown to him a deafening sound woke him up.
"I need… to find her. She can tell me. She knows who I am. I need to find her."
Cloud stared again at the sky and he closed his eyes.
Images of you still haunts my dreams
Painfully reminiscing the times we had when we were happy
But now you only live in a memory
And we can never be together
Cloud walked through the battle arena of the Coliseum. He knew someone was there. Waiting for him, calling him… He stopped when he saw a black feather fell in from the sky along with two black boots. He looked up and he saw a man clad in black with silver hair holding a mock grin in his face. This man… He was his darkness. For so many a nights he had battled him in his mind… in his dreams. He was his nightmare.
"Finally, we meet." Cloud boldly said.
"I was searching for you too." The man replied.
"As long as you continue to exist I cannot wake from my nightmare." Cloud glared at the man his grip on his sword tightened. "You are my darkness."
"Then turn towards that darkness." The man raised his hands up in the air inviting, luring him into the darkness. "Eternally refuse the light to the nightmare of no awakening."
Cloud drew out his sword in front of him preparing for battle. The man smiled again and he placed his hand on his sword. Energy began to build up between the two. Cloud stepped back and he jumped towards the man. The man also did the same and their swords collided with one another. Cloud and the man jumped back from each other. Cloud grew a wing just like the man and he flew up to confront him. Swords clashed as the two sparred each other with all the strength they got. The battle began to become fiery as Cloud and the man took each other's blows powerfully. Then the man flew up from Cloud and he smiled down at his steely blue eyes. Cloud angrily stared up at the man and he flew up. Cloud slashed his sword through the air and he hit the man's sword. Then everything faded as a brilliant light blinded his eyes.
Author's notes: This is not the end… I'll be writing the second chap soon so don't lose hope, ok? And please leave some reviews. I'd really like that. I want to know if I'm doing a good job in writing this little ficcie!