Victoria Strife

Chapter 1 Part 3

I know, Reno of all people, why would I go to him? I don't know. Despite all that he's done I, for some reason, still trust him. No, my brother doesn't know, yes he should know, in all honesty, I don't want him to know. After everything that has happened, I still deserve some privacy. Anyway, after Reno let me in I made myself comfy on his couch, it was difficult since he has poor taste in furniture. He knew not to ask me if I wanted a drink since the answer is always a yes, but, he started making me a coffee, maybe he could sense that this was serious given the fact I have turned to him for help which never happens. At all. "Somethings been eating you alive?" he asked me in a rather caring voice, "Yeah, I can't tell my brother because he'll be all over my case and I don't want him to tell the others." "So you come to me for help? It must be serious if that's the case" He's right, knowing that Genesis is still alive somehow and knowing he has something planned shouldn't be something I keep from people, after all this time it's becoming more of a threat to humankind. "It's about Genesis" that sentence alone brought a dark cloud over Reno, he gave me my coffee and sat down across from me "Do tell" "I know Rufus wants AVALANCHE to help you guys track him down and stop him. I was there when you went to the bar" "So you heard everything?" "Yes." Reno sighed lightly, it isn't the first time I've been somewhere, hiding, while the Turks were there, sometimes it was on purpose. I like eavesdropping. "You know something else" he leaned forward slightly "After the whole fiasco with Deepground I offered to help Professor Reeve with the clean-up crew, I heard a voice whispering my name, I ended up getting strayed away from them. It was Genesis. He told me he was planning something. Something big. He also said I had to leave everyone behind and disappear because it doesn't involve me. I've stayed...but...if it ever comes to it, I don't want to help" truth be told I was slightly scared of Genesis, I haven't admitted that. I and Reno talked for hours, he was trying to convince me to help if it ever comes down to that but I stood by what I said. I can't help them. I shouldn't.

I ended up sleeping on Reno's couch, after I woke it was 8 am, I made my way quietly out. I managed to make it home, I should move into the city but given the fact, there's a threat going on I can't help but keep away from it all. It's only been 5 years since Cloud had the battle with Sephiroth, everyone is still healing from that, even Cloud. He won against him, the city was at peace but deep down inside he still feels like everything that happened when he was working for Shinra was his fault. Can't blame him, after all out hometown got burned down and he lost two of his best friends.There was a knock on my door, I made my way from the kitchen, once I opened the door it was none other than my brother himself, Cloud Strife. "I didn't order anything" "Sarcasm never suited you" "Come in then" I stepped aside to let the spiky-haired man in then closed the door "I'm not giving you any of my food" "That's fine I didn't want any". Cloud never visits, at all, so I knew this was for something else. "Why are you here? And don't say visiting because you never visit" Cloud now stood on the other side on the kitchen island "You've been distant which has made me worry, plus you also didn't come to see Denzel before you left" I knew I forgot something, before I leave the bar I always go upstairs to see how Denzel is, I may also snoop around Clouds office but he never locks the door. "I'm sorry, I have something going on I've been needing to take care of" "What exactly is that?" "I don't have to tell you everything I have going on Cloud" something I should never say to my brother. "I worry about you Vic, Reeve told us you strayed away from the cleanup crew and when you came back it was like a whole different you took over. What happened back there?" He looked at me with such worry in his eyes, now I understand why Zack would call him a puppy. "It's not something I can just talk about. This is something I may have to deal with by myself. If I involve people they could get hurt" "And if you don't involve anyone you could get hurt or worse" "Cloud I know you're worried about me but just trust me on this, please?" I could tell this conversation was hurting him. "Let me help," he said after such a painful silence, "I can't" "Why?" "Because this is something I have to do alone, I can't always have you helping me and I know you want to but I'm not going to end up dead. I know what I have to do" that was a lie, I have no clue what to do but I knew if I didn't say that he would just press on. "Fine, just don't call me for help," he said before walking out "Cloud wait!" too late, he was already on his motorbike riding away.