Before Nibelhiem

Before Nibelhiem 4

 "I'm bored." Fulsion complained stopping their three way game of tag.

Dale paused from his fleeing. "You're just saying that cause now you're it." He accused, hands on hips.

Cecile's head shook. "No, he's right. It's more fun with Tifa. I hope she's ok." Cecile sighed.

Dale waved his arms in exasperation. "Would you stop with Tifa?! She's probably not going to make it so we're going to have to have fun without her."

Cecile gasped in surprise at the boy's bluntness.

Fulsion's eyes filled with tears. "Maybe she'll leave us cause she wants to see her mom again."

"It's her own fault anyway." Dale muttered with a huff.

Cloud couldn't take it anymore. "Take that back!" He shouted angrily from where he'd been watching them play and stood, balling his fists.

"Yeah right!" Dale was unimpressed. "What are you going to do? Fight me?"

Cloud yelled and jumped at the other boy, surprising him. The two toppled over each other, Dale claiming the upper hand when they rolled to a stop. He began hitting Cloud's head repeatedly.

"Stop it!" Cecile shouted in horror.

"Guys!" Fulsion begged.

"Hey!" Cecile's father came running out of the inn. "That's enough, boys!" He grabbed Dale's arm as it was pulling back for another punch and dragged him up and away from his target. Cloud reeled from the abuse. "What's gotten into you?"

Dale pointed an accusing finger at the blonde boy. "He started it!"

"I didn't ask who started it." The man glared. "Both of you go home." He ordered.

Cloud got to his feet and started for his house, Dale crossing his path behind him. "Stupid Cloud." He complained just loud enough for its intended victim.

Again the boy felt the frustration of his own powerlessness and learched at Dale. "Shut up!" The tackle worked and they landed roughly in the dirt.

"Hey! Knock it off!" Cecile's dad snatched the back of Cloud's neck and hoisted him to his feet steering him roughly towards his house. "Cloud, what is wrong with you?" He pulled the young man along.

Cloud didn't say anything, just glared at Dale until the man redirected his head. Cloud attempted to shake free of his captor. "Let go of me!" He demanded rudely.

"Boy, you better straighten up!" He held firm and opened the door to the Strife home.

Cloud's mother looked up from her cleaning and began making her way over. "What's going on? Oh, my goodness, your face." She commented on his battered features.

"The kids were getting in fights so I figured it best to split them up for now." The man answered.

"Cloud." His mother scolded. "Thank you." She bowed and Cecile's father exited. "Cloud, what's going on?" His mother bent to examine his face.

The boy pushed out of his mother's grip and walked over to his bed, ignoring her.

"Cloud, what's wrong? What's gotten into you?" She put her hands on her hips but he persisted in silence folding his own arms.

She shook her head, "Well, you can stay right there until you tell me what's going on." His mother went back to work.

When she was distracted, Cloud reached under the bed and pulled out the newspaper again reading his favorite article about the hero Sephiroth who had made a powerful impact in the Wutai war. He's so strong, Cloud thought to himself. I wish I could be like that. While he was daydreaming he dozed off.