Enigma

Rating R, Language, violence. Note; rating’s may vary in chapters.

Author: CloudyFire

Pairing: Pending

Summery; He had also discovered a secrete that will change his life. He meets a new friend but will destiny intervene? (Crossover with Naruto.)

Part 1 The Seeing


The hill was a lot steeper then he remembered. Not to mention trying to avoid the local monsters that were known to attack an unsuspecting traveler.

God it was hot and dry, one of the many things that he loathed. That and ignorant people, he could not stand that but he lived in a small town with his mom. And everyone knows little towns equal ignorant gossipers, that had nothing better to do than spread lies. Upon a pale face, blue eyes blinked rapidly trying to get the insulting tears at bay, he was thirteen for crying out loud.

If anyone was to see him right at this moment he would adamantly state the tears were from the shining great ball of fire in the sky, that and the hot air. And not because he was so frustrated and hurt.

Harsh labored breathing and strained mussels had also slowed down his progress, he too blamed the dry hot weather on this. Huffing he stopped and turned his head in the direction he had started, narrowing his eyes he snorted and pushed every annoying thought away in the back of his mind, before resuming his previous trek. Back turned and shoulders taunt to a small town hidden within the thick greenery, shining like a small lost star surrounded by towering mountains on either side.

All around the youth were tall green pine trees, their needles thin and sharp as they swayed in the ever increasing hot air. Their trunks narrow and rubbed raw from the wind, some even looked like dead hollow sticks that had shot up from hell itself. Shrubs of different shapes and sizes had also spouted all over the ground along with thick juniper, blanketing the ground in some areas. Rocks were another thing, small and large as they were, sticking up through the rocky path promising to trip anything that walked. He should know, he tripped on the little suckers twice already, no make that three times now.

Growling in annoyance that would put a mother wolf to shame, he straightened himself before brushing the dirt of his blue shirt and raised his head high. And if someone had seen this he too would have denied the accusation of falling face first in the dirt, but he didn’t stop and kept going up even though it would soon be dark. Already he could see the burning light of the star connecting and merging into one of the many mountains that surrounded this area. The only sound around the boy to keep him company was his breathing, and the thumping of his booted feet through the moss and hardened brown that was the ground.

The youth looked up briefly, brushing sweat out of his eyes, searching for his mark, and there it was a small slash in a dead tree trunk that was divided in two, no doubt from lightning.

He was almost there, his safe heaven, where he could feel safe and alone. He glared momentarily as he remembered the fight he had with his mom. It wasn’t his fault he was late and limping home. The local kids were bad mouthing him and his mother again.

He was just defending their family’s honor and... Wait he had to stop that train of thought and reach the secret place before night fell, or else the monsters would surly come and get him.

He had also stupidly ran out of the house in his haste and had left his most valued possession. A sword his late father had given him just before the accident, if that’s what you could call it that anyway. So now all he had on him was a stick, that he could even break. And it was all their fault, he hated all of them and just wanted to scream, but he didn’t on account that it would look like he was insane. But if a person were to come up to him at that moment he would state, it was because he did not want to attract the wolves that tended to roam these mountains.

He couldn’t very well tell them the real reason after all, being as how everyone suspected him of insanity already.

Shaking his head he breathed in the dry hot air deeply before moving yet again up the path. By the time he had actually crested the steep hill, which was more like a mountain, it was dark. The sun had just merged with the mountain, casting shadows and small slivers of left over light to be seen off into the distance, impeding the coming of night. But that didn’t matter because he had finally made it. Smiling, well more like a twitching of the lips, a little in joy he jogged the rest of the way, turning left first than when he met a certain bush or tree he would turn another left or right. At first if a person had come upon this little site they would be sorely confused. The youth appeared like he was just running around in different directions, turning on impulse. Then the boy stopped, looked around to make sure he was alone, which was a given, before dashing to the left and into a thicket of trees that were so interlinked one could not possibly tell which root or branch went where. Right in front of him coming into his sight was his own personal treasure, his heaven, a home away from home some would call it. And if he had seen someone come anywhere near his little treasure he would have hit them over the head with his stick.

He stopped and looked at the entrance to an enormous cavern. At a first glace it didn’t look like anything special. Just an ordinary cave that surrounded the small village where the boy lived, hidden among many bushes that swiped and stung.

The rock formation and the sediment were natural, dark and light browns meshing and mixing together like a stream flowing over a landscape. The floor littered with small rocks and dried dirt, reflecting the ceiling with tiny indents and holes. The further he looked into the cave, the darker it grew into night it would seem, for he could not see the brown floor or the moss covered sides but the black ink of night . He wasn’t scared, not one bit, he narrowed his blue eyes squared his shoulders, and set his jaw before marching in.

A determined spark could be seen from his eyes, as they swept through the seemingly darkness. He knew he was getting closer he could feel it in his marrow, his treasure only but a hop away. Then without rhyme or reason he stopped dead in his tracks, and sudden reached out with his hand blindly feeling for the cave wall. Feeling the soft slimy moss on his callused fingertips and the rough indented wall before walking forward anew, now at a slower pass. Searching and waiting patiently, until he found what he was feeling for. He ran his small hand into something then, feeling the difference, he than turned an abrupt right from seemingly nowhere, being swallowed up the darkness. He started to walk briskly through the maze, a knowing light in his otherwise dark eyes, ahead he caught a faint blue light up further through the path. Smiling even more he walked a little faster, almost at a run when he stopped in front of the glowing soft blue entrance. In front of the small boy was another part of the cave, but instead of the light browns or dark blacks that a normal cave would have. It was filled with different crystal lights shining and shimmering everywhere the eye could see. This was his treasure, his heaven, his home away from home.

The crystals were mostly green and blue but some were red and purple, even orange in little areas creating a image of colors all swirling and mixing in light hues, that when one glimpsed at them they did not create headaches, but rather soothing emotions. In the middle of this crystal small cave, like cove, was the largest crystal that seemed to have all the colors mixed within.

It seemed like there was liquid inside the crystal.

Making the colors switch from place to place, glowing softly with a pulsating beat similar to a heart. The small boy didn’t pay any attention to this though, instead he went towards the farthest left, where he could see a sort of makeshift bed. It had a couple of old blankets and some sheets that were wrapped into plastic bags so the wet moister of the cave could not touch it.

There was also some pictures of people on the cold wall, a small flashlight, some round tins for food most likely, and finally a tattered box in the corner. Walking over proudly at the little display, like a rooster guarding a hen, the boy plopped down gracefully on the floor taking the wrapping off the blankets and setting them just right on the ground. Absently rubbing his arm and gaze losing focus, he remembered the trouble he had gone through just because he had, “borrowed” a couple of blankets from their neighbors. God he hated that little town, did he mention that? With their town gossipers and ignorant people.

Fuck them all was his saying, but he did care for his mom, and besides they were too poor to leave the small town in the first place.

The only reason why they were there to begin with was because of his late father. The towns people saw them as intruders then and they see them as intruders now, even though they had lived there for the past ten years. As he had stated before he hated ignorant people. There was only one, well maybe two, people that he didn’t despise out of the whole community, which wasn’t saying much. Sighing he grabbed the box from the left corner and opened the tins, on the other side, for some food at the same time. Stuffing what looked like bread into his mouth he absently chewed, while unfastening the small stings from the ordinary shoe box, before carefully opening it like it was going to explode if he didn’t go slow.

A small plop could be heard throughout the small area as the boy went through the package. On the floor where the lid had fallen was a name scribbled in black, messily spelling ‘Cloud Strife’.

The boy, named Cloud, lifted the box higher in the air looking at the different colored smooth round stones. One was blue and another one was green, making the inside box glitter, like glow worms inside of a cave. This too was passed down to him from his late father, while the other one the last stone, was a smooth grey found in this very cave by himself. These were his treasured materia from his father. With these at his disposal he could feel the planet and the life stream, well presumably in theory anyhow, he was still working on it. He didn’t know how to apply them yet but he would, to make his parents proud of him he would learn. But first he would have to acquire educated training, and unfortunately that would mean leaving his mother here in this little hellhole of a village, ‘Nibelheim’ with those hateful villagers. How he hated them and their little games. They did not outright say to leave, no they did things in subtle ways, like charge a little more for their meat, or give them one of the more pathetic cuts in the market. They didn’t really bother his mom, but they did talk behind their backs and spread rumors that the Strife's were into black magic and the like. It really was stupidity on the villagers part, like he had mentioned unenlightened people.

He would need to go to Midgar City and learn to become a First Class Soldier. He would not be anything else but that, he wanted to honor his family’s last name, ‘Strife’ and prove to the villagers that he could make it. For as long as he could remember really, he had wanted to became a Soldier. To go out in the World, and have his name spread about with pride and good wishes. To punish the indecent and overall make a safer, cleaner World.

That had been his thinking pattern ever since he had over heard an old veteran talk about the Watari war and The General. Sephiroth, Cloud did not know what to think about that man. Sephiroth who had eventually won the Watari war, who was strong, smart, and handsome. He was also a First Class Soldier. Cloud didn’t want to say he wanted to be just like The General. That sounded to much like idol worship to him, and he bowed to no man, or at least that’s what he would say if questioned. No perhaps he did want to be like Sephiroth, just a little bit, maybe.

Nodding his head to make sure the thought would stay there, he carefully put the lid back on the box before putting the package right back where it was early. Cloud than shifted a little on his makeshift bed, turning his head to look at the pictures on the cave wall absentmindedly. See this was what happened to him whenever he was here in his little heaven. He would just sit here all day and ponder over his thoughts, for this was his little sanctuary. One the wall there were some pictures from his dad, a man with unruly blonde hair and sharp piercing green eyes, another with his mom, a beautiful smiling woman with long flowing light brown hair and crystal blue eyes. If his mother even twitched her lips, Cloud would swear that one movement could light up the whole room. That was his mom, always smiling and helping out when needed. He really didn’t remember his dad though, he did have fleeting emotions and maybe snatches of pictures long forgotten about a kind, proud, strong man.

Right beside her was a small boy with spiked blond hair that somewhat resembled a Choco bird. He had blue eyes and was dressed in a green shirt with black shorts on. The picture would have portrayed a nice smiling family were it not for Cloud, the small boy in the picture, had the biggest scowl in the world.

Ah yes he remembered that day, he didn’t want to take the stupid pose and right in front of Tifa, his friend somewhat. He remembered having to stand in line with all the other villagers because the crazy Mayor had insisted that everyone should pose for the camera man. Who just so happened to be a big shot in Junon Harbor. It had been a nice day to start out, the sun was up high with little to no wind and everyone was for once in high spirits. The mothers got together talking about their children or swapping recipes, while the men went over in corners and talked about less then appropriate matters. Cloud himself was only about seven maybe eight, and was stuck with Tifa and her friends. He had declined the other kids earlier and had not wanted to interact with anyone, but Tifa as always had dragged him off with her group. And when it came time for his picture to be taken, well lets just say he was not going to smile for the camera man, especially after the bastard had given him the nick name Spiky Head, and ruffled his hair up for the picture, and you know what the name stuck. Even now all these years later people still called him that name. Just thinking about it made him grind his teeth until it hurt.

Shaking his head and feeling his hair sway with the movement, he banished the thoughts and memories. Instead he laid down on his flat stomach and sighed on the cool material that was his bed. The surface of the cave was surprisingly smooth so he had no trouble at all if he wanted to fall asleep, but he didn’t, instead he thought of his mother. He hoped she was alright and not worried sick. Cloud dug his fingers into the cave’s floor. She was probably worried about him now, well good. It wasn’t his fault he was late in the first place.

Rather he scowled when he thought of the local kids, they were probably the most ignorant of them all. They always played childish games and never had they acted their age, nor did they respect the elders of the town. No instead of acting like they should and be respectful, they had picked on him. That sounded lame even to Cloud, picked on, but that’s what they did. At first it was because he didn’t have a dad, then it was because he was an outsider. The grownups were the cause to that last one, they had ill wishes on the whole Strife family and had passed that down to their children. Eventually it went into the pecking order as the years passed. Since Cloud wasn’t that big or tall yet, they would target him. But he wasn’t an easy target as he seemed, he knew how to fight and was pretty good with a sword. If only he could hit his growth spurt now and not later. He had even attempted to stretch out as long and painful as he could just to see if he grew an inch or three.

Sighing at the injustice of the world he rolled on his back, and looked up into the vast crystals, creating their own light. His thoughts took a different turn, for if someone was to ask him why he was laid out on his back and gazing into space totally relaxed.

It would be this, the animals and monsters for some reason or another stay clear of this place.

They do not venture within a hundred feet from the mouth of the cave. Cloud himself had given thought to this little insight many times. He believed the planet itself was sheltering and hiding this place so no one else could find it or destroy it. The crystals alone could power and create materia by the dozens.

This place was filled with raw materia and materials, and if someone happened to find this place it would be destroyed by greed and hunger for power. He was positive nobody could find this place, only he knew about this cave and it was going to stay that way if he had any say about it. Lazily scratching at his stomach, blue eyes drifted off to sleep.

Later after Cloud had accidentally fallen asleep, he had raced out of the cave and into the morning sunrise right down the hill and into the village. He had unpleasantly over slept, and his mother would most likely not approve. The sun itself was just rising over the mountains, like a heated ball, blinding everything it touched with it’s soft yet hurtful rays and casting the shadows away only for them to slither under rocks or holes. Little animals that seemed to have sprouted from the ground, scurried to and fro all around the cold dirt floor. While much larger predators of the night hid for the day only for the day hunters to come out and seek fresh meat, including the Nible wolves. Up way nigh near the reactor, thick green and brown haze had covered the air surrounding the reactor itself. Choking the planet or animal that dared trespass to close to the tall menacing building.

But Cloud was imperious to all of these happenings. He did not pay any heed to nothing really, just thinking about how royally fucked he was.

He must have ran the whole way there because before he knew it, he had made it into town. He could already see some morning people up and about, sitting on their porches smoking sage and reading the small news print from the local newspaper. While others were already at work with their gardens, namely Higgins, weeding out pesky plants and rodents that inhabited the small garden. In fact Cloud could swear he saw the rodents smile at the poor old lady before running away laughing at her attempt to catch them with her small withering bones. Breathing deeply Cloud dent over and gripped his knees right outside his own house. Steadying his mind he straightened his back and hung his head high, like he was marching to his own death. Slowly but surely he raised his hand to the knob and twisted it painfully slow. He was not stalling, no he was just taking in all the sights in front of him.

The door for example was made of sturdy hard wood, Cloud noticed. It had a light shine to it even though it had to be at least fifteen years old or maybe even older, but there were knots and indents in some areas. Indicating that it indeed was an old seasoned wood. Before too long Cloud was looking at the knob that was in his tanned hand. It was covered in brass but it looked like it was fading fast. For parts of it looked actually worn so deep the color was non existent leaving a rather disgusting brown and rust in it’s place. Hum, he would have to fix this, he did not want other people to think they were poor on top of everything else. Oh who was he kidding, he thought bitterly.

He was just stalling for time because he did not want to get in trouble with his mom.

He loved her and did not wish to cause her any more stress, she was already sick as it was. Cloud was momentarily distracted when he opened the door all the way and stepped in, not even taking note his surroundings, until now. He froze as soon as the door was closed behind him. Echoing all throughout his head, like a brass drum signally for battle, for to him it surely seemed like it. The normally peaceful cozy home, with a warm hearth burning brightly, and colorful pictures all over the walls was the image that greeted him. That and a very irritated sour mother, holding her hands at the hip and a frown upon the usually carefree face. Not to mention the angry glint in the stone cold eyes. Taking in all the features but for a few seconds, Cloud had determined with up most conviction that he was fucked.

Sighing for the tenth time that day, in less than two hours and forty seconds, but who was keeping track. Not him, neither had he written down the time it took for those sighs, nope not him. Stretching his arms high until they cracked he leaned back in his chair lazily, and looked out the window. On the desk lay a scattered array of papers and a ink pen not two feet away from the small scribble of words and tally marks. If one so happened to read, it would state total sighs right after, ‘kill me now’. The desk itself was an ordinary golden brown, with paper and books on the surface of the scratched worn top. Indicating the over usage of the furniture. Around the area near the desk was a lamp, which was currently off, while on the other side of the desk was a medium sized bed put neatly together with a thick warm blue comforter on it. The floor was mostly white with dark thread here and there, it was not soft when someone would pad on it barefoot but it was not hard as a rock either. The walls covering the room were of a deep blue, everything appeared customary in this small room, except the pictures.

There were news clippings and old stories that had every detail regarding ShinRa and Soldier on the walls, and of course The Great General Sephiroth. Right by the collected mayhem was a single small calendar, marking the day when he could leave and start his journey to Midgar. Rolling the chair around Cloud put his feet on top of the careworn desk before sighing again. Currently he was in his room, being punished. Again that sounded really lame to him, but here he was, in his room, being punished. Like he had thought, his mother had went over the deep end and had shouted at him that she was worried sick, and had thought a monster or the cliffs all around the area had taken his life. Then she had went on about how she had gotten no sleep at all and had the villagers go look for him. During all this he was moderately surprised that no one came knocking, insisting the noise level to be brought down.

Now during all this Cloud indeed felt like shit, he did not want his mom to worry, or stress about his well being. He did not ask her to worry for him, and so he had stubbornly lowered his head and narrowed his eyes on the faded cream colored floor. While he listened to his mother rant. The end result of that little stunt had him in his room, doing homework and not going outside to play.

Cloud snorted on that last thought, him playing, what was he expected to do, go outside and play hop scotch? He didn’t “play,” with the other kids anyway. So really his punishment was every light compared to some of the past ones. Sluggishly drifting his eyes out the window Cloud absentmindedly watched the village in all it’s glory. People were moving in and out of their homes, slamming shut doors and eying their neighbors suspiciously. Some talked to friends loudly, waving their arms high in the sky and making ridiculous jesters while others, namely Goldenbaum, sat constantly on their porches and yelled at kids running or walking to slowly in front of the view, shaking angry fists in the air.

Why there was even the soft hitting sounds in the distance, indicating kids were playing ball. Everything seemed to be normal, the small hotel was still up and running for those who found themselves lost or just wanted to stay the night in a small town.

It’s large overbearing shadow covering the towns square, with it’s pale blue chipped paint and rusted windows. The small mini bar that wasn’t really a bar, but more of a basement was up and running too. For Cloud could already see people stumbling out and others going in the house. ‘The Pelt and Sales’ was also doing fine. He could see a young man, even as Cloud sat in his chair, try to haggle a fine fur to a cheaper price but Cloud knew better then anyone that the old coot, Edwards would not be easily won over with cheap talk.

“Cloud,” hearing his name Cloud himself turned, and was met with warm chocolate brown eyes, and soft swaying hair, that seemed to reflect the sun, in the wind. Waving his hand half heartily at the girl, Cloud watched.

The girl in question smiled a little, today she had on a black long shirt, that did nothing to hide her ample chest, reaching to her knees with long blue pants, that had to be rolled up at the bottom. “Come on Cloud, come outside and play.” She said, or more like yelled. Shaking his head Cloud leaned on the window sill to see her better, “I can’t today Tifa.” He said shortly. Tifa herself smiled a little awkwardly, and left than without saying another word, leaving Cloud at his windowsill. The barely thirteen year old frowned at the spot where Tifa was just now. Tifa was indeed a weird one, she was the only girl that talked to him, and he had yet to decipher why. He himself did not go out of his way to say hi to her nor did he strike up a conversation with her, ever. So why was she always trying to talk to him and push him into interacting with the other kids. He hated to play there silly games of tag and hide ‘n seek, to him it was just a waste. Straightening out Cloud padded over to his bed and landed on the comforter, well more like gracefully fell, he liked to think. But back to the present, Tifa.

It seemed so many years ago now that Cloud thought about it. It was exactly like today, there was no wind and the dry weather was making everyone irritable. Cloud had been outside at the time, hauling in water for his mother, when he had over heard some kids were at the bridge. Normally he would not have thought anything of it, but he had not seen Tifa all day and she had not bugged him like she usually did in the mornings. Singing about how she would get stronger than any man in Nibelheim and come rescue him. Cloud, as he recalled, also had this tightening in his gut, warning him of something. So he followed his instincts and had gone to the bridge up near the mountains. Where the rocks were treacherous and monsters were in abundance. He remembered that he was really scared and had hidden at every sound only to ran faster as he heard a cry for help. Blanketing all other emotions at the time, Cloud had not thought of the monsters then but of what lay ahead. It had turned out his instincts were right after all. Tifa and some local kids were indeed at the bridge, but somehow the bridge itself had started to tremble and sway to and fro. Cloud without thinking, had ran down the path to the bridge right as Tifa,, who was still on it started to fall. And in that one breathless second Cloud had somehow grabbed her arm just in time, but he had not anticipated the vigorous pull and so both of them had tumbled down into the small creek below. Thinking back to that day, Cloud still felt chills all over his bare arms.

That was one of the most terrified experiences he had, and it turned out that the village had blamed it all on Cloud in the end, even though he had nothing to do with it. No he had saved a precious life and the villagers condemned him for it As he had said before ignorant people. Grunting Cloud sat up in his bed, with his arms behind him holding his upper body weight, and looked out the window. It was probably around three now with the sun shining high in the sky like it was.

Humming Cloud now had a problem, his mother was out for the rest of the day. Helping the store owner stock goods for the up coming winter. But she said he was grounded for the remainder of the day. It was three maybe even four presently, and to Cloud that meant the day was done, over, finished. Well he guessed he wasn’t grounded anymore. Smiling a little at his logic, and already coming up with scenarios if his mom found out he was gone. Cloud headed downstairs with light feet and straight to the front door. He wanted to check on something in the cave. He had left so early that morning that he feared he had not put everything away, and that if for some reason an individual did happen by the cave. He wanted all his belongings well hidden. So he hiked back up through the mountain side to his safe heaven.


The first thing that greeted Cloud should have been the nice soft glow throughout the cavern realm, that and warm hues of different mixed colors all dancing around, like a ballroom filled to the brim. Not hectic thoughts of, ‘What the hell is going on’. For just as soon as he had reached his sanctuary, away from human eyes. The ground had literally started moving and jolting a little. At first he had thought it but a fluke, maybe he had gotten lightheaded but no. It was making the tiny pebbles and dirt leap from the ground, as if they had suddenly came alive. Along with having the ceiling dust scatter all around Cloud’s head. He truly believed that the whole ceiling was going to cave in at any given moment.

Cloud knew when a earthquake was upon him and this was different, this was no ordinary earthquake. It wasn’t no jaw dropping tremble, but a slow continuous slid, that did not seem to end. He could feel the steady beat underneath his feet and the shifting. The walls were not moving though and yet the ground and ceiling were swaying, it did not make any sense. If Cloud was not mistaken either, the crystals in the cave seemed to be glowing more brighter then usual. Spreading their multi colored formation in every direction, creating a rainbow effect. Standing very still Cloud slowly edged along the interior walls, not wanting to be shredded up by one of the much larger crystals hanging from the top, but none of the crystals seemed to be in the least bit effected. In fact they stayed right where they were, while everything around them shook. This was not possible, the blond thought wildly, this had never happened to his safe place, his home away from home. What really frightened the blond for a instant or two was the large crystal in the middle of the area. It seemed like the thing was sucking in all the light around the whole vicinity, creating makeshift shadows all along the corners of the cavern walls.

Cloud quickly jumped up from his crouch and moved away, like a frighted animal, from the glowing crystal set in the middle. He could feel sweat bead down his brow and armpits as he tried to stay calm and collected. If he was not mistaken it looked like the crystal was growing larger by the minute. Shutting his eyes briefly, Cloud turned his head in the direction of the exit, gritting his teeth for the light was beginning to overwhelm him.

There was just one problem with the thought of escaping through the exit though. In order to leave he would have to come in close contact with the large crystal and right now he didn’t want to get any where near the thing. For all he knew it could be contaminated with something, like an alien virus, or maybe it was going to explode and take him with it. Or maybe there was an alien inside it and it had decided to come out and eat him. The blond thought crazily, but if he had taken the actual time deciphering his own thoughts, he would surely be humiliated, and would have denied the thoughts point blank to anyone.

Trying to stay on his feet and constantly looking at the crystals above his head which had not moved He wearily looked back at what was happening in the center of the cave. The large crystal that seemed to radiate ten times what it normally did, started to do something else besides apparently grow. The colors inside it had start to move in rapid spirals. Turning in every which direction, like a sunset just before the fiery ball would die down in between the mountains. It looked like the crystal was over heating for soon Cloud could see large air mass bubbling inside, creating steam to rise from the crystal itself. Creating an effect similar to that of a lake in the early morning, with rising steam coming from the smooth tranquil surface. By that effect it was making the whole cave area a misty shroud that hid everything, like a dirty little secret.

Fists were clenched at his sides shaking, and sweat had accumulated on his temple, due to the rising temperature, and dare he say it fear. Strangely there was no sound just the shaking of the earth, but Cloud did not notice this, nor did he question it. This was supposed to be his safe place, his heaven, and now it seemed even this little peacefulness would be shattered, ripped away from him like so many other things in life.

Would he get to see his mother again? Or the village he loathed. Was he going to die here all alone?

Cloud then noticed something, while he was semi lost in his own little world the shaking had lessened. It was gradually dying, but the light was getting worse. He could see on the cavern walls, where there was usually shadows, a bright reddish orange light flashing through the tiny cracks and bleeding through the dark browns before it suddenly blinked out along with the earthquake. Creating a blanket of pure darkness within it’s wake. Then came a loud shattering, like glass had just been dropped on the floor. It was so unsuspected and sharp that he had jumped a mile high in the air when he heard that horrid noise, crying out.

It brought back memories of his past childhood, when he had accidentally broke a neighbor’s window when he was playing catch with some other kids, of course he was the one to get in trouble and no one else was blamed. He had to listen to his mother blaming it on him, and how they had to pay for it out of their own pockets. At how his mothers face twisted in a disappointing scowl.

Berating himself for reckoning something stupid like that right now, he blinked and opened his eyes not even aware they had closed all by themselves. His heart was pounding too quickly through his rib cage it actually hurt, and his eyes stung something terrible. Looking around the walls to make sure he was not going to get blinded by light, and to see if he saw any E.T. shadows. He saw nothing but the soft hazy glow that usually beamed around the area due to the other many crystals. Taking a deep breath not wanting to turn around but knew he had to, turned slowly. What he saw made his breath hitch as his eyes grew wider, draining any color his cheeks might have had. Stumbling back out of instinct, his rear hit the cold damp wall with an echoing thud. Right in front of him only so many feet away, was a prone figure lying awkwardly on the cave floor surrounded by blueish green water. Quickly assessing the situation, he noticed that the large crystal was split in half, like a sword had cut clean through it.

The edges around the shattered crystal were dripping with green tainted water, while inside the crystal itself Cloud could make out a white lining. It looked like the inside of a snake’s egg with twisted veins and slimy entrails. Around the figure he could see small shards of melted rock and dirtied brown water. Now he knew what that breaking sound was, he thought distantly. It was the main crystal being ripped apart. Swallowing thickly, Cloud let his eyes shift to the figure, not at all eager to move from his spot . He could tell just by looking from where he was, the body was male by the lack of clothes, and that the person seemed to have blonde hair but he wasn’t sure.

Because the prone body still had the greenish blue liquid all over them, some sort of slime that was covering their entire body. Shivering Cloud got his feet steady underneath him and pushed from the wall, before treading slowly across the cave floor, scuffing up dirt to get a closer look. When he deemed it safe for him, for he did not know if this thing was human or otherwise, he bent down a ways and to his somewhat relief, he could tell that the boy was breathing, trembling but still breathing. Frowning lightly Cloud stood up and went over to his makeshift bed before grabbing one of the blankets, a blue one with soft white padding, than came back over to the figure and dropped it over him. Before steadily moving back not wanting to get to close. He didn’t know if this thing was contaminated. He didn’t know what it was, nobody that he knew or had meet, to his knowledge, had ever broke out or lived in a crystal.

He also didn’t know if it was a fiend, a monster that had been breed, or what but now he was tempted to just leave this place and never look back. Which was sad because this was supposed to be his heaven. No one was supposed to know about this place, this was his place, he found it. Not some alien monster living in a fucking crystal. Before Cloud knew it he was up and shifting ever closer to this intruder, but if he had been in his right mind he would have deduced that it was he, Cloud the intruder here. Crouching down quietly, Cloud narrowed his blue eyes and grind his teeth at this thing, before doing something that was completely out of character for him, he pouted.