AUTHOR'S NOTES: All Final Fantasy VII characters, vehicles and themes © Squaresoft, and no infringement is intended.
Repressed Memories
Prologue
Written by Cloud

     There were tears in her eyes.
     There he stood, on top of the well, the blue in his eyes matching that of the gorgeous sky. A shooting star burned brightly through the starlit heavens that rested so serenely above them. The night was absolutely perfect…except he was leaving. Cloud was leaving- and she'd never said a word, never told him how she felt about him. Still she couldn't. She wanted to beg him to stay, to be with her, but for some reason the words didn't come out quite right.
     "Isn't it hard to join SOLDIER?" she asked earnestly. Cloud only nodded,
     "I probably won't be able to come back to this town for awhile…" He didn't notice the tears in her eyes, the pain in her heart- and she didn't notice his. He hid his emotions so well, his face a callous mask to the world around him. Could he feel anything at all?
     "Will you be in the newspaper if you do well?" She asked, her hope for some reminder of him burning her alive.
     "I'll try." It was the only answer the SOLDIER bound young man could give her.
     "Hey, why don't we make a promise," Tifa managed, choking back her sobs. She couldn't let him leave without giving her hope, something to hold on to. "If you get famous, and I'm ever in a bind, you come save me."
     "What?" the young man asked.
     "Whenever I'm in trouble, my hero will rescue me. I at least want to experience that once." She could see that he didn't understand, his face was completely blank, but not so composed as it usually was. "Come on, Cloud! Promise me!" He nodded slowly, as another fireball flashed through the atmosphere, bathing the heavens in its beautiful wake. For the first time ever, Cloud pulled Tifa into his arms. She embraced him fiercely, as if this girl he had never really known would never let go. She was the only reason he hadn't left sooner, he knew. But she would never love him- he wasn't strong enough yet. He would be strong soon, and then even Tifa would have to notice him. The spikey-haired youth was going to be the best there is, just like Sephiroth. If Cloud the fool had only seen what was right in front of him the entire time, felt the beating of Tifa's heart against his own in that moment, reality would have forever shifted in his favor. Sadly, that was not the way for Cloud Strife, but as he held the girl he secretly loved in his arms, a smile crossed his face. He promised himself he would come back for her, someday. Then all too quickly it was over. Tifa's father called her into the house, giving Cloud a stare of hatred and contempt. The young man only smiled, he was used to being looked at like that by now. The older man silently herded Tifa into the house, before she could even say goodbye. The look in her eyes was enough for him though, enough for a thousand tomorrows to come, because even though Cloud had lost this day, in the end he'd truly won.
     Ten minutes later, Tifa looked out at Cloud's house from her bedroom window, tears streaming from her brown eyes and running slowly down her beautiful face. She hadn't told him, she wanted to so badly but it was all in vain. Cloud was gone, and there wasn't anyone or anything that was going to bring him back.
     Peering at the World with Mako Blue Eyes      I started packing my things to leave Nibelhiem as soon as I said goodbye to Tifa. I looked back on the moment and knew that I would never forget it for the rest of my life. She had been so kind, even cried. It gave me hope because I was really doing all of this for her, to win the favor of a girl whose friends had been so cruel. Everyone had been cruel. I knew I'd forever remember this place where I'd grown up as a realm of pain and suffering. Growing up here had been like burning in the fiery pits of hell for fourteen years. I was never understood when I was a child, I always wanted to fit in, to be like everybody else- but I was so different. Very different, it seemed- I never had a single friend. All I wanted was to be excepted, but somehow everything went completely wrong. I needed so badly for Tifa to notice me, I'd cared for her since I was too young to remember. She was like the bright sun, chasing the storm clouds away, something beautiful and radiant in my otherwise hideous life. I had waited around, hoping earnestly that it would happen, but it got too tough.
     And she had boyfriends.
     I could never compete with whoever he turned out to be, he was always popular and big and strong, the complete antithesis of myself. The typical one would beat the shit out of me for no reason, simply to try and impress the girl I had sought after for so long. I guess the truth of the matter is, I'm a coward. I'm leaving Nibelhiem because I'm a coward, because everything here reminds me of bloody noses and broken bones and people laughing at me. There was no kindness, no love, and no hope of anything. Maybe the rest of the world is different from Nibelhiem, maybe I'll find my way. I have to try.
     Stuffing my favorite clothes into a suitcase, I glanced out my window at Tifa's house. My heart poured open before me, telling me to race over there and take her with me, away from this infernal town, but I knew it was all a fantasy.
     "I love you, Tifa." I found myself saying aloud.
     "Then don't leave." I spun around, embarrassment tinting my cheeks with redness. It was only my mother, coming in to take care of me one last time.
     "Mom…" I sighed, "You know I can't stay here any longer…"
     "You're being a fool! Tell her how you feel, Cloud. Joining SOLDIER isn't going to change the past."
     "Maybe not," I replied in a haste, "But I'm leaving, and that's all there is to it. I promise I'll write. Don't worry about me, I can take care of myself…" My mother only nodded, blinking the tears away. I didn't want to hurt her, but I knew this was the only way.
     "Wait Cloud," the woman said, "I have something for you." She led me into her room and opened the only safe in our house. I had always expected money to be in that safe, but when she opened it I realized my assumptions were false. It gaped open, running clear into the wall. It was easily capable of holding ten thousand gil, but instead it contained a large rectangular box, almost five feet in length. She pulled the box out slowly, basking it in the low lights of our house. There was strange writing all over it, and a large, archaic lock that would have made breaking it open difficult without high level materia. My mother produced a key from her pocket and inserted it into the rusted old lock. With a resounding creak the lock slowly turned, falling unceremoniously to the bedroom floor. "Open it, Cloud" my mother almost commanded of me.
     The loud creak of the box assaulted my tired senses as I pried it open. Reaching into the darkness of the box, my hands felt around until I grasped a handle. I pulled the sword out of the box, brandishing it as it glimmered spectacularly. The blade of the sword was undoubtedly silver, or at least silver in hue. I knew that a sword forged of silver itself would be a weak weapon, but I could sense strength from this brand, it had a good balance to it. The hilt of the blade was as blue as the sky was that night- and just as magnificent in appearance. I couldn't keep the smile from spreading across my face, staring like a child at the sword that would soon be mine.      "It belonged to your grandfather, my father. He used it in defending truth and justice, but I fear that those things have died in this world." My mother smiled sadly, "Its called Quicksilver."      "Quicksilver." I said simply, brandishing the blade I was so awestruck by. I would put it to good use, I promised myself that.
     Later that night, after Mom had gone to sleep, I gathered my things and prepared to leave. My mother was sound asleep in the living room, blocking my exit from the hell that was my past. She always had to make things so difficult, no matter what the situation. She had a serene look as she slept, but I could tell she was troubled about something, having a nightmare it seemed. I kissed her forehead softly, opening the door and slipping out into the chill of the night. Finally, I would be on my own. Finally, I could be myself.