Home and Family! [Cloud Strife]

Cloud rode the plains on his huge motorcycle, Fenrir. The wind blew in his face as he whipped through earthly obstacles on his bike. Cloud never thought that he would see his own world again. He hadn't since he had come back from facing Sephiroth, but how he got he was quite strange. Before, Cloud went back to the place in Radiant Garden where he had disappeared with Sephiroth, Cloud thought that Aerith had been there waiting for him, however, he had been mistaken. It simply turned out to be a regular young woman. To say that Cloud was embarrassed would have been a complete understatement. Cloud apologized to the woman; she accepted his apology and left Cloud in that open space but before she completely left Cloud, Cloud turned to ask her a question. He couldn't help himself; he had asked the young woman if she knew who Aerith was or if she even knew where she was, but alas, she didn't. Cloud thanked her for her time; the woman smiled at him and bid Cloud farewell. Cloud then began to look for clues, anything at all that might have sent Cloud and Sephiroth to that other place to fight. After an hour or two, Cloud found nothing. Cloud crossed his arms and sighed. He simply got on his motorcycle and left the area.

Cloud decided that before he would even step foot into the bustling sugar rush-like chaos that was Merlin's house, he would get some fresh air. Cloud got on his motorcycle and put on his sunglasses. He put the kickstand back up and turned on the beastly engine of his motorcycle and rode off to the entrance of the city and out of it. Cloud didn't really pay attention to his surroundings but so he didn't really see his scenery change, but sooner rather than later, he found that the different colors and hues had changed from a blue/purple/orange mix to a green and blue and black mix of colors. Cloud widened his eyes and immediately power-slid into a stop. Cloud wasn't sure what had happened, but he knew the green plains that he had found himself on anywhere. Cloud was back home. Cloud looked all around him to see the mountains in the distance and different sections of forests all around him. It had been the first time he had seen the Planet since he got sucked into the war between Chaos and Cosmos. Cloud figured that he would ride to Edge, thinking that Denzel and Marlene probably missed him greatly. Cloud couldn't wait to see the looks on their faces but of course, the gleeful feelings were kept inside. Cloud's facial expressions were as blank as fresh white printing paper. Cloud adjusted his sunglasses and decided to ride to Edge.

He rode into Edge, and everything seemed pretty normal. He rode slow just to make sure but he hadn’t been in Edge for a very, very long time. That revelation didn’t really hit Cloud as hard as he thought it would, which worried Cloud. All he ever wanted was to take Yuffie, Cid, Tifa, and Aerith and just head home, but he knew very well that he couldn’t, not with the Heartless running around. However, then again, if he was home, maybe the others made it too! Cloud smiled lightly to himself. There was only one way to tell. Cloud decided to head to 7th Heaven to see if his friends were there. On the way there, he found a little girl sitting at a fountain. Cloud narrowed his eyes in the young girl’s direction. There was no mistaking who this girl was. It was Marlene. Cloud made a quick turn and rode to the fountain. He turned off the bike and put the kickstand out and walked over calmly to the young girl. It was then that something clicked to him. Marlene had been alone all this time. Cloud kneeled down in front of Marlene.

“Marlene, are you alright?”, Cloud said, putting a hand on her small arm. “Are you hurt?”

“It’s ok, it’s ok. You’re safe now, it’s alright…”, Cloud said as Marlene looked up and ran into his arms, holding his hand in her small ones.

Cloud couldn’t believe that he was back home. He didn’t know what brought him home. He didn’t know who brought him home, but he was glad that he made it. He really didn’t care who saw him hug what would appear to be some random kid on the street. Cloud was happy to see Marlene, but moreover, he was happy to see Marlene in his own world. He had been away for quite some time. In fact, he wasn’t quite sure how much time had passed. Had it been a week, a year, or a couple of years? Cloud had no way of knowing. Marlene looked the same but then again, Cloud knew that he could pick Marlene out from a crowd of little girls that looked and dressed like her. Cloud smiled when Marlene told Cloud that she did exactly what Tifa told her to do. That was another person that he missed dearly. He hadn’t seen Tifa since he faced off against Sephiroth at Radiant Garden, Cloud still didn’t know where he was either.

Cloud’s bright eyes looked into Marlene’s own and listened to her story, paying as much attention as he could with a warm smile on his face. He listened to how she waited at 7th Heaven but then when she fell asleep and woke up, she ended up being in a place that was quite unlike any town, city, state, or country in Cloud’s own world. Cloud’s eyes narrowed when she described the place. It sounded like Twilight Town. On top of that, Marlene hitched a ride with someone that she didn’t know. Cloud wasn’t sure what to make of that either, but the lady apparently was able to drop her off at the right world. 7th Heaven was empty according to Marlene as well. Cloud wouldn’t let it show on his face but it would appear that Tifa hadn’t made it back home yet, either that or she was out and about. The possibilities were endless due to the fact that all of these worlds have now been connected and tied together. It was frustrating that forces beyond Cloud’s control or jurisdiction were warping Cloud’s entire life and the lives of those that he cared deeply for.

“It’s alright. You did great, Marlene. I’m proud of you. I’m so happy you are safe and nothing has happened to you.”, Cloud said, taking off his dirty, battle-worn gloves and gently rubbing Marlene’s arms to reassure her.

This was bad. Cloud didn’t think that crossing worlds would affect anyone like Marlene, but now, even she was being tossed from world to world. Something had to be done. Marlene was in danger now. What if she pops into another world and she ends up being face to face with Sephiroth or a Heartless? Cloud couldn’t even imagine that. He wouldn’t want to be in the same room as Barret if he heard about it. What would he have thought about all of this? Cloud probably would have been shot on accident; Barret gets trigger-happy whenever he’s mad or sad…or just having a normal day. Cloud placed his hand on Marlene’s head and did his best to keep his smile on his face but Cloud had to do something. The worlds being connected and intertwined did not bode well for Cloud and now it was affecting Marlene.

“How about this? Let’s head back to 7th Heaven and see if anyone is home?”, Cloud said, standing up and holding out his hand for Marlene to take so that he could lead her to his motorcycle.

Cloud found comfort in knowing that Marlene was safe and sound; Barret wouldn’t have to attempt to rip Cloud’s head from his shoulders, at least for right now. Cloud held Marlene’s hand gently as they made their way to over to Cloud’s motorcycle. Marlene and Denzel always like Fenrir. Cloud remembered when Denzel would stay out with Cloud and watch him work on tuning his bike. He even helped on occasion. Cloud kept his eyes peeled, though. He tried not to let it show but his time in Sora’s universe made him a bit more paranoid than he was before. He was more alert, warier of what was around him, who was around him, and who happened to be around the people that he cared about the most. The mark of SOLDIER in his eyes glistened as he looked all around him inconspicuously, familiarizing himself with Edge, a city that he had been long absent from and not by his own doing in any way, shape, or form. Cloud and Marlene made it to his bike. Cloud checked the bike over, kneeling down next to it to take a look at it to see if anything looked out of place before he put Marlene on the bike.

Cloud heard the young one’s question, wondering if Tifa and or Denzel will be there to greet them. Cloud tried his best not to let it show; he had no clue as to where Tifa might be and according to Marlene, Denzel could be anywhere since she didn’t see him. There was so much to do, so much to protect. Cloud wished he could just close off this world so that people like Marlene and Denzel wouldn’t get hurt or caught up in all this mess. Cloud always wondered if that was the key to everything. Although, Cloud knew that he couldn’t. People needed him; he couldn’t be selfish. Cloud looked to Marlene and smiled.

“I don’t think, I know she'll be home soon, and so will Denzel. If not, then we will look for ‘em.”,
Cloud said with a warm smile.

Cloud exhaled as he kneeled in front of Marlene. If she let him, he attempted to pick her up gently and place her on Fenrir, with enough space for Cloud to straddle the bike himself so he could drive it. Cloud knew that he had to believe in hope; even when he couldn’t see the point in having any. That was what made all the difference in any set of circumstances that Cloud had found himself in. Cloud dug into his pocket to get his black gloves out. He slipped them on, turned on his motorcycle and let the huge engine roar to life.

“Grab on, Marlene, let’s go home.”