Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Jenova's Infection: The cycle of lies ❯ 12 years later ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer : I don't own final fantasy 7 or any of its characters. So don't sue.

Truth. It something people are always searching for. That is why there are those who try to find the truth. To them, knowing what is fact and what a lie is the most precious thing. More valuable than money or any other object. But some are not so lucky. Sometimes its best not to know the truth. Secrets that people bury deep inside themselves are buried for a reason. When one finds the truth , they may not like what they found. Few disknowledge what they found and never speak of it again. While others decide to do something about it. What happens when sins resurface, effecting those we love. It spreads like an infection. Infecting the minds and souls of people who aren't strong enough to handle it. The cycle of lies and truth takes a heavy toll on man. The only question is, can it ever be stopped.

Kalm

The sun shined through the window hitting the face of a teenaged girl. She stirred as the light irritated her eyes and rose in a sitting position in her bed. She yawned, wiped the sand from her eyes, and walked to the sink in her room. Turning the faucet on, she splashed the water on her face savoring its coolness.

"Marlene, breakfast is ready"!!

She wiped her face with her towel. "OK, I'll be down in a minute". Marlene change out of her night gown and into her favorite tan shorts and white T-shirt, fixed her hair, and headed down stairs. Barret was already up cooking breakfast. Well, at least trying to. "Damn, how do ya work this thing"? Barret said trying to start Elmyra's gas stove. Tifa was also up. And amazingly she was not stricken with morning sickness unlike every other day. "Barret you should just let me or Elmyra do it". But the middle aged man was stubborn to move. "Tifa you and Elmyra just relax and let me handle this".

"Barret I'm perfectly capable of cooking. Even in my condition". Tifa was already six months pregnant. Shortly after Meteor She and Cloud finally got married but decided not to have children for a extended amount of time since they and rest of Avalanche were so busy rebuilding much of the world. They have been married for ten years and just last winter, made the decision to have a baby. Cloud had been beaming with such joy ever since he found out she was having his first child. Which also lead to everyone treating Tifa like one.

"Ok fine, just remember your supposed to be resting". Tifa and Elmyra took control of the kitchen probably saving everyone from Barret's cooking.

"Morning daddy". Marlene walked down the stairs and hugged her father. "Oh.. Good morning. How is my little princess today"?

Marlene grumbled to herself. "Dad I'm not a little girl anymore. I'm almost a full grown woman". Barret laughed lightly. " I know, but your still my princess aren't ya." Marlene sighed and hugged her father again. Then took a seat for breakfast. "What are we having"?

Elmyra searched the refrigerator. " How about eggs and juice"? Marlene nodded and Elmyra cracked open a few eggs and started cooking the meal. "Cloud your going to miss breakfast"! Tifa yelled to the upstairs.

No answer.

Cloud!!

Still nothing.

CLOUD!!!

Everyone was soon greeted by a groggy eyed Cloud Strife dressed in a pants and a bath robe hung over his shoulders. "Good morning honey" Tifa said kissing Cloud on the cheek.

"…ummm yeah morning" he muttered still half asleep. "So what's to eat".

"Not much" Elmyra said cracking open the last few eggs. "I definitely have to go grocery shopping this afternoon". She brought the food over to the table and they started eating. "You heard the news didn't you"? Tifa asked Barret. " Yeah the farm lands had another bad crop this year. If things don't get better in the farm lands then even Junon won't be able to help feed all the people cause they won't have anything Themselves". 'Jus when things seemed to be getting better, it somehow goes wrong again'. he thought to himself.

Marlene got up and turn on the TV. "Maybe the news will tell some GOOD news today". she said and hoped. She sat back down and watch with the others. " Council chairman Revee of the World Committee Confederation announced today plans to remedy the plague that has caused massive deforestations around the planet. Though science and agriculture officials have yet to learn why many plants and animals have begun to die out, many theories have stated that it could still be long-term affect from Meteor which destroyed most of Midgar more than a decade ago. Still nothing have confirmed, but investigators say there are one step closer to finding the source of the plague. This is WCC news.

" figures Revee would say something just to calm down the public. I bet he and that whole board have no idea what to do" said Barret. He then sighed to himself. So much has happened over the past 12 years.

Cid and Shera got married and now have a 2 year old boy, Revee along with Barret and the turks establish a basic government which revolved around a appointed committee of nine members, Barret, Reeve, and Palmer (who was allowed on the committee instead of being jailed because he begged for mercy and was good with numbers. There was also Nasu crage from Cosmo canyon, Opin Grieves from Junon, Rigu Keevin from the newly rebuilt town of Mideel, Wisone Maska of Icicle town, and Staniv Uamisha from Wutai. Red XIII took over most of managing Cosmo Canyon even though by some miracle Bugenhagen returned to them about 6 years after his supposed death. Vincent left the group and hasn't been seen for years. Revee had formed the WCC or World Committee Confederation. Though it he was able to bring the world back together and stabilize the demolished social society. After Avalanches work was done they settled down and resumed their normal lives. This was short lived with the arrival of the plague. Trees, animals , plants, even whole forests seemed to decay and disappear leaving nothing but wastelands. The strain has had its effect on the people and other wild life. And as it increases, leaving more and more of the world barren and lifeless with no real proven explanation it seems the planet might die sooner than anyone could think.

"So. What are you two planning on doing"?

" Me and Cloud have decided to move back to Costa Del Sol once the baby is born. I wouldn't want add another burden since you , Elmyra ,and Marlene have done so much for us during my pregnancy."

"You know, its not any trouble at all helping you and spiky. Other than being a tiny bit tight on money we're perfectly fine." Cloud shot Barret an annoyed look.

"I know. Thanks". Tifa said.

Marlene found this to be a good time to bring up the enlistment talk again. "Dad if we're tight on money I could always get a job or enlist in the service" . He looked at her long and hard. "I'm going to be 16 in few months so I'll definitely be old enough. Besides I want to get out of here and do something with my life" .

"Fine you can go to school , get education, get married , and NOT screw up your life by going somewhere as a piece of meat with a rifle".

"Dad you always say that"!

"Then why do you keep asking".

Marlene was sick of living in Klam. She had asked her father many times about the world. He told her stories about hundreds of miles of grass land that stretches of far as anyone can see. Lush green jungles , Cosmo Canyon , the mountains of Nibelheim, and even the frozen tundra of the Great Glacier that lays at the base of the Gaea Cliffs which surrounds the North Crater. But she never had time to visit these places. Many of these places like the Gaea Cliffs and North Crater had been quarantine by The World Corporation. The other places she just didn't have the time for. Further more Barret wouldn't let her go out of his sight little lone go anywhere outside the town.

Tifa sighed. "Your father just doesn't want anything to happen to you. You cloud do so much more with your life than do what we did.

Marlene got up from the table and picked up her school books. "Eventually you won't able to keep me from walking out that door." Marlene said sternly and left for school.

Tifa turned back around. "She becoming more and more like two people I know" . eyeing both Cloud and Barret.

"That's exactly what I'm afraid of". Barret mumbled and got up to get ready for work, leaving Cloud wondering which of themselves he was referring to.