Violet Shadows (FF7)

24) Memory Lane

THE NEXT FEW CHAPTERS WILL FOCUS ON ADVENT CHILDREN, AND THEN WE'LL GET MOVING ON TO DoC! ALSO, I'M ADDICTED TO BLUE EXORCIST NOW. RIN IS BEAUTIFUL... CONTINUE, PEASANTS ;)

I sigh as another person walking by splashes mud on me when stepping in a puddle. Of course, Edge doesn't have much respect for those on the streets, and they hold even less for those with the Stigma. Looking to my right, I see a small group of children who dirty cloths of all kinds wrapped over the disease. To them, it's a way of healing. To me, it's like they're trying to hide it so that they can try to forget the life threatening sickness with no cure. A bark snaps me out of the stare I've fixed in a small girl with a Moogle toy.

"Hey Ruka," I smile softly, ruffling the shaggy dog's furry head. The mud covering her matted fur rubs off onto my hand, but I don't give it a thought, only hold it out to take whatever is in her mouth. Two stale cookies... Still wrapped in a plastic bag. The corner of my mouth twitches and I force myself to my feet, walking over to the group of kids slowly. They all pause and look up at me, grinning.

"It's the dog lady!"

"What did Rukie bring this time!?"

"I see something!"

I shake my head in amusement and crouch down to their level, opening the bag to split the treats. Four children, each gets a half... I pause and look back at the lonely kid with the Moogle doll. I can't evenly divide.

Yes you can, just give them fourths and have them give the rest to you.

No. I'll just give her something else.

You're starving half to death...

And she's dying!

What would Vincent say?

I pause, hand outstretched with the last cookie half. The last child hungrily snatches it and stuffs it in his young face.

He'd say nothing, only with me with his pretty eyes.

You speak the truth.

I chuckle and stand back up, looking at the small, lonely child. One I've seen the other four push away, say she can't play, that they don't like her because she cries so much. If only the children could understand what she's been through... I don't know myself, but anyone paying attention could feel the emotional pain radiating off her, something that I used to practically stink like. To think that a child barely older than five has to feel what I did... It makes me sick.

Ruka barks and I pet her head absentmindedly. I wonder where he is now? He saved my life after I blew Sephiroth to smitherines, saved Shadow from an eternity of prison inside my body. I can never thank him enough, mentally, of course.