Final Fantasy VII
Angelic Requiem
Prologue
The wind continues to howl, hurling tiny white flecks of snow throughout Icicle Village. The citizens of the town go about their business as usual, shuffling about the cold streets, hunched over and bundled up against the frigid air. To the unknowing eye, the day is an ordinary one, with no special events or occurences to speak of today.
But one forgotten house, no different from the others around it, conceals a well-kept secret. Hidden away beneath the wooden floor, a dark room lies barren, abandoned. Left as it was over two decades ago, the room is filled with high-tech electronics and notes scribbled across hundreds of sheets of scattered paper. Black and silent, the room seems as if it will stay in this state until time erodes away all that remains of it.
Silently, and almost imperceptibly, a small red light upon one of the many computers in the room blinks into existence, flashing on and off every few seconds. Shortly after this light's activation, a section of the wall nearby begins to slide away, revealing another chamber. There's even more technology crammed into this small room, cords and wires passing between computers and other unrecognizable machines. However, all of them are hooked up to a single steel capsule, with one small porthole revealing the container's aqua-colored contents. Beneath the small window is a brass plaque, upon it inscribed: For the protection of my precious daughter and for the rest of mankind, a slumbering savior whom I wish was unnecessary.
The liquid within the capsule brightens minutely and a few small bubbles rise past the porthole. Beyond them, a single eyelid rises, exposing the red iris beneath it as the 'savior' awakens for the first time. The hatch to the capsule hisses as it unlocks itself, releasing its protected treasure unto the world...
Chapter One: Home Again
Although it's only been open for two years, Tifa is still dissatisfied at the lack of customers 7th Heaven is suffering from. Sure it has its regulars who stop by every other night or so, but for the most part, business isn't going so well for the bar. She finishes cleaning up the last of the dishes, and with a sad glance at a nearby clock, departs the room to go to her office.
She strolls into the small, photograph-laden room and has a seat at her desk. Reaching into a drawer, she pulls out a list of figures, then worriedly rests her head upon her hand. She glances over at a photo standing on the desk's surface, staring at her own image, surrounded by the faces of those she loves...and supports.
She looks at the photograph anxiously for a moment, but her attention is suddenly pulled away from it when she hears a familiar motorized growl from outside. Forgetting her concerns for the moment, a smile finds its way to her face and she leaves the office, rushing downstairs and out the bar's back door.
Out front, Cloud pulls Fenrir up into the building's garage and takes his driving goggles off, hanging them upon one of the bike's handlebars.
"Cloud's back!"
Dismounting the motorcycle, Cloud turns and effortlessly sweeps Marlene up into his arms as she runs in after the bike. Cloud can't help but smile as he holds the young girl in his arms. Turning back to the garage's doorway, he spies Denzel standing there as well, never far from his younger female friend.
Denzel returns Cloud's smile as his hero begins to walk out of the garage. "Hey, Cloud! You bring me anything?"
Cloud laughs to himself as he walks out into the sunlit streets of Edge, Marlene giggling at Denzel's question. "Come on, Denzel. You know I'd bring you something if I ever found anything good enough."
Denzel persists though. "Does that mean you found something good enough this time?"
Cloud looks down at the boy sorrowfully. "Nope."
Denzel looks heartbroken for a moment, then lets his head droop and sighs. "Oh, I see."
Cloud smirks slyly, then kneels down, releasing Marlene from his grasp. Reaching into a pouch on his belt, he produces a small, green, spherical jewel. Holding it under Denzel's gaze, the boy's eyes light up.
"Wow! What is it?"
Cloud gazes at the boy proudly. "It's your first materia." Denzel looks up at his caretaker, amazed by the gift and captivated by Cloud's words. "When you're a little bit older, I'll teach you how to use it, okay?"
Denzel nods briskly, but then Marlene butts in. "What about me?"
Cloud laughs, then produces a second one for Marlene, who takes a firm hold on her own green gem and holds it tightly to her chest, gazing at it adoringly. Cloud watches the two children examining each others' gifts and excitedly expressing their joy at having them with a serene smile, truly happy for one of the first times in years, what with all the global-scale events involving him and his friends so often.
"So, bring anything for me, Cloud?"
At the sound of the deep voice, Cloud's smile fades and he rises to his feet, the children following his gaze as all three glance at a young man leaning against the garage's wall. The boy is an older teen, probably close to twenty years old and has black spiky hair with silvery gray tips. His eyes are a dull green and he wears a dark outfit consisting of a black leather vest over a dark gray shirt and baggy, dark pants to match. His arms are folded across his chest and he fixes Cloud with an intense stare, a tiny smirk evident on his face.
"Nope. Sorry, Peshe. Nothing for you."
Peshe frowns and looks a bit hurt. "That's not fair. You brought them presents!" He points at the small children at Cloud's feet defiantly.
Cloud snickers. "Jealous of two little kids? I'd be embarassed if I were you. Besides, from what I hear, Tifa pays you more than enough to satisfy whatever wants you may have."
Peshe struggles for a good argument, but is cut off before he can think of anything.
"He's right. And I'm not paying you to sit around and chat with your pals."
Peshe turns to see Tifa strolling around from behind the garage. Denzel and Marlene try to conceal their enjoyment as the older boy nervously apologizes to his boss, giggling and snickering behind their hands. "Uh, yes, right ma'am. Sorry." With that, Peshe departs to go do his job.
Tifa watches him head inside, then turns back to address the children. "Why don't you two go keep an eye on him, make sure he doesn't slack off."
Pocketing their presents, the two kids take each other's hand and follow the teenager inside while Tifa turns her gaze to Cloud, who smiles back at her.
"So, how was the trip?"
Cloud shrugs. "Oh, you know, the same old story as always. Pick up the package, drive halfway across the continent, maybe fight a few monsters here and there, drop off the package, and return home to start all over again."
"You make it sound so boring," Tifa says jokingly.
Cloud makes another gesture of uncertainty. "Well, after you've saved the world a few times, just about anything else seems pretty tame, don't you think?"
"I guess," Tifa says unconvincingly. The two remain silent for a moment, the sounds of the city around them filling the space before Tifa asks, "Sooo...bring me anything?"
Cloud grins, then wanders into the garage. Opening a hatch on his motorcycle, he produces a small bouqet of blue and white flowers. "All the way from beyond Fort Condor," he says as he hands them to her.
Tifa takes them in her hands gently, gazing at them adoringly before looking back into Cloud's eyes. "They're beautiful, Cloud." The two are again silent for a moment. Tifa shifts her weight from foot to foot and is about to say something else, but then Denzel's voice cries out.
"Tifa, telephone!"
Looking annoyed, Tifa shuts her eyes, then turns and heads back into the bar. Cloud smiles to himself, then closes the garage door and follows her inside.
Elsewhere in the world, a vast plain of grass, bordered by small mountains, receives the gentle caress of a stray gust of wind. The breeze gently rustles the leaves of the trees that dot the area, the movement producing a soothing hiss. As one such branch rocks back and forth slowly, a slim hand clad in a black glove reaches up and plucks a single violet and white apple from the tree's grasp.