<//>
(Cloud enters a house near the southern edge of Gongaga. A man gets up
from a chair inside.)
"You a traveller? Hey wait, that glare in your eye... you in
SOLDIER?"
(A woman, presumably his wife, comes around the table)
"Oh you're right! Don't you know anything about our son?"
"His name is Zack."
"It's been close to 10 years since he left for the city, saying
that he didn't want to live in the country..."
"He left saying he's going to join SOLDIER. You ever hear of a
Zack in SOLDIER?"
Cloud
"Hmmm... I don't know."
(Aerith looks down)
Aerith
"Zack..."
"Young lady, you know him?"
"I remember he wrote us 6 or 7 years ago saying that he had a
girlfriend. Could that have been you?"
(Cloud turns to Aerith)
Aerith
"That can't..."
(She turns and leaves the house)
Tifa
"Zack..."
(She follows Aerith)
Cloud
"What happened to you two?"
(He follows them outside. Aerith is standing behind a house, facing a rock.)
Cloud
"Aerith..."
Aerith
"What a shock..... I didn't know Zack was from this town."
Cloud
"You know him?"
(She turns to Cloud)
Aerith
"Didn't I tell you? He was my first love."
Cloud
"............"
Aerith
"Zack.... SOLDIER First Class. Same as Cloud."
Cloud
"Strange, there aren't that many who make First Class, but I've
never heard of him."
(She turns back to the rock)
Aerith
"That's all right. It's all in the past now. I was just worried
because I heard he's been missing."
Cloud
"Missing?"
Aerith
"I think it was 5 years ago. He went out on a job, and never
came back."
"He loved women, a real lady's man. He probably found someone
else..."
(She walks to Cloud)
Aerith
"Hey? What's wrong?"
<CHOICE>
Poor guy
(jealous... envious...)
***Cloud
Poor guy
Aerith
"I don't really mind that I haven't heard from him. But I feel
for his parents."
***Cloud
(jealous... envious...)
Aerith
"Are you... jealous? Hmm? Hmmm? Are you, Cloud?"
(Cloud turns away)
Aerith
"I'm kidding. I'm sorry."
<//>
Aerith
"Let's go, Cloud."
(Tifa is standing outside a building.)
Tifa
"Zack......"
Cloud
"Do you know him?"
Tifa
"N, no, I don't know him!"
Cloud
"Your face tells me differently."
Tifa
"I told you, I don't!"
Cloud
"A, all right."
(She turns away)
Tifa
"..........."
(She turns back)
Tifa
"That sounds just like you, leaving town, and saying 'I'm joining
SOLDIER!'."
Cloud
"There were a lot of guys like that back then."
Tifa
"You must really be something making it in SOLDIER out of a group
like that."
"I really respect you..."
<CHOICE>
I just got lucky
I worked hard for it
***Cloud
I just got lucky
Tifa
"Don't be so humble!"
***Cloud
I worked hard for it
Tifa
"Hard work pays off, huh."
<//>
Tifa
"Cloud, thanks for caring."