Final Fantasy VII: Past and Future

Ch 1: Memories

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Days of Our Past, Remembering Sector 7 & Nibleheim

The day Sector 7 plate fell, it took the lives of friends and family. The once bustling sector was now a graveyard of twisted metal and broken dreams. Among the rubble, a group of survivors searched for any signs of life, their hearts heavy with grief and loss. Many of the people were had been friends for years., their bond unbreakable, but now they were torn apart by tragedy. As they dug through the debris, memories of happier times flooded their minds. Laughter echoed through the streets, now silent and still. The weight of their sorrow was almost unbearable, but they vowed to honor the memory of their fallen friends by rebuilding what was lost and creating a new future from the ashes of the past. In the days that followed, they worked tirelessly to restore Sector 7 to its former glory. Everyone's determination and resilience inspired others to join them, and soon the desolate sector was alive with hope and promise. Through they would never forget the friends they lost that faithful day, they found solace in the knowing that their legacy would live on in the hearts of those who refused to let their sacrifice be in vain. A young woman and her friends came face to face to that very deep nightmare. Two years later, trying to put the past behind her, Tifa looked blankly ahead at the wall. "Tifa, are you okay?" A small high-pitched voice asked with concern. Yuffie looked at Tifa with worried eyes while leaning back into the chair. Tifa continued to look at the wall, forced a smile, nodding as she brushed off the question, but deep down, she knew she was far from okay. A long-life friend she has been so connected with since before Sector 7 destruction, wasn't around. Of course, she has Yuffie and the others but just that one person in particular always made her feel at ease. He was so easy to talk to.

Running a business alone and looking after two kids was enough work to keep her busy. The memories of her past haunted her every waking moment, a constant reminder of the pain and heartache she had endured. As the days passed, Tifa found herself struggling to keep up the facade of being okay. She was always strong minded and well put together, even for Marlene and Denzel. She had to remain strong, in hopes of not being able to let them see her feeling broken inside. The weight of her past was becoming too heavy to bear, and she knew she needed to confront it head-on. Tifa sighed, thinking to herself that Cloud wasn't home. Mostly spending his days and nights at the church is what has been said around town. To Tifa, he's running again, away from the family he created, away from the ones that cared for him the most. Isolating himself and letting guilt wash over him. Still blaming himself for Aerith's death. In the midst of all the problems in the world, people started to become sick with a disease called Geostigma. Tifa couldn't help but feel a sense of frustration and sadness for Cloud and to know how he retreats further into himself. She knew that he was struggling with his own demons, haunted by the memories of Aerith's death and feeling responsible for not being able to save her. But she also knew that he needed to face his past and move forward, for the sake of their family and for himself.

Yuffie sighed and took a moment to look up at the ceiling. "Maybe you should talk to Cloud." Tifa pulled out an old photo from the kitchen drawer. A picture of Seventh Heaven bar in Sector 7. "Maybe, but I'm sure he's busy. I called him early this morning, no answer. In the meantime, I'll call and talk to Rufus. I heard he was in Healen, so I'll call and try to get him to find a way to reason with me on this situation. He started all of this. I know it's been 2 years since the plate fell onto Sector 7, but this was done intentionally. I remember back when me, Cloud and Aerith were a part of the Shinra Troops competition, he was willing to let us off the hook but did he really? I need answers." Tifa slammed her palm onto the counter, voice shaky. 'Dammit!" Yuffie shook her head, frustration evident in her voice. "I know. He's such a cocky bastard. You think he'll listen? Shinra is someone who doesn't listen to reason. He's too focused on his own power and control to care about the consequences of his actions, but we can't just sit back and do nothing. I still want revenge for what he did to my friend." Yuffie clenched her fists, determination in her eyes. "Hey, didn't he at some point put a stop his stupid shenanigans? I mean after all, there's no way he's still causing all this mishap with this new disease going around." Tifa put the picture away and looks at Yuffie with a stern expression. "I don't know, and I'm sure he's aware of the stigma. Nothing gets past him unnoticed." Tifa took a seat on the couch leaning back, looking up at the ceiling, she speaks softly. "Denzel has the stigma. I have no way to help, but to comfort him. Marlene has been doing an excellent job helping me at caring for him while I've been working." Tifa felt tired and exhausted from being on her feet. Yuffie yawned and stretched, relaxing herself. "Hopefully, Cloud will come home. I mean he can't avoid you guys forever." Yuffie states. Tifa nods. "You're right, he can't. I'll call him again in a little while. for now, I need to relax." Yuffie agrees and decided to take her leave. Before deciding to take a nap, she stops at the end of the stairway of Marlene and Denzel's room to peek in on how they are doing. Both kids were asleep. Tifa smiles and then goes into the bedroom and lies down. Drifting off to sleep.