Violet Shadows (FF7)

9) Freezing

I wake up before the girls in my room, sweating and thankfully not screaming from another nightmare. When I look at the digital clock on the nightstand, I see that it's already seven and I might as well get up anyway. So I grab my cloak and my shoes, hurriedly putting them on and leaving the hotel. The person at the desk smiles and nods as I exit, to which I not in return and continue my walk out into the snow. What should I do now? With a heavy sigh, I continue walking into the already awake town, children just starting to built snowmen and start snowball fights. One of the balls ends up exploding on my arm, a little girl no older than seven quickly apologizing. I give her a forced smile.

"It's alright. I did that to someone before ad I kid too."

"Oh, okay," she nods. "Sorry!" Then I walk off again, not really having any destination in mind. That is, until I see a weapons shop and decide to make a short visit. Blades, guns, and an assortment of damage dealing items line the walls. I personally prefer my bow or Nightmare. The rapier raises my strength, physical and magic defense, and does more damage the more I've taken. Much better than these crappy things.

"Well look who's here," I here a familiar drawl and smile at the blonde man behind me.

"Hey Cid. What're you doing here this early?"

"I'm usually an early riser," he brushes me up. "Why're you up? Couldn't sleep?"

"Yeah."

"Hey, if it makes you feel any better, Vin slept nice last night." I nod and look down at my boots silently.

"Is he still asleep?"

"Think so. Why?" His eyes drift up above my head. "Nevermimd." I whirl around to see that Vincent just entered the shop, nodding toward us stiffly before heading toward the counter to get some more ammo. Now that I think about it, I'm running out of arrows and Shadow's aren't that great. I wait until the guys leave to buy as many as I can fit in my quiver before leaving. Seven thirty. What to do now?

"Hey Violet." I fight the urge to roundhouse kick Cloud in the face for scaring me and nod toward him.

"Cloud. It seems everyone is up early today." He scoffs.

"Not Barret. And aren't Tifa and Yuffie still sleeping?"

"I guess," I shrug. "I don't really care." He nods and looks out at the snow banks around the houses. I finally notice that he's wearing a dark blue coat over his uniform, the collar of a turtleneck sweater pulled up tightly. I hate those things, they always make me feel like I'm choking. As if reading my mind, he looks my outfit up and down, raising an eyebrow at me skeptically. I know him well enough to know he's not checking me out, in case you're wondering why I haven't slapped him yet.

"Are you going to be warm enough? I've heard that the glacier is the coldest place in the world. People freeze out there all the time."

"I don't really... Like shopping," I finally admit. He fights a smile of pure amusement and shakes his head.

"Why don't you go with Teef?"

"No offense to either of you, I can't stand her."

"I understand," he nods. "She's kinda suffocating sometimes. But she's really not all that bad once you spend some time around her and she realizes she doesn't have to worry."

"I'll try," I sigh. "I'm going to have to get all my materia back now, I'm sure. See you later."

"Later," he nods, walking off. I fight a mental laugh. He's so short!