Last revision: 07/01/99 Last modified: 07/26/99 CAUTION: This videofic contains spoilers for future parts of "Conflicts of Interest". ^_^ --------------------------------------------- A Final Fantasy VII vidfic --------------------------------------------- SAD BUT TRUE by Metallica Metallica: the Black Album --------------------------------------------- Hey I'm your life I'm the one who takes you there [A Child Cloud runs into the kitchen and starts crying as he tries to tell his mother something. She barely seems to pay attention to him, absently nodding and not bothering to look at him as she continues cooking. As he gets more upset, she makes a vague, placating gesture and waves him away.] Hey I'm your life I'm the one who cares [As an unhappy Child Cloud slowly shuffles away from his oblivious mother, an indistinct ghostly form seems to put its arm around Child Cloud in a consoling gesture.] They They betray I'm your only true friend now [Several kids peek over their shoulders at Child Cloud, then start giggling and whispering among themselves. Child Tifa isn't laughing but she doesn't try to stop the other kids from gossiping or teasing Child Cloud. The indistinct ghostly form appears behind Child Cloud as if to lend its support.] They They'll betray I'm forever there [Child Cloud slowly turns away from the laughing kids, his face sullen and stoic. The ghostly form standing beside him momentarily becomes distinct enough to show a clear expression of pain and anger.] I'm your dream, make you real I'm your eyes when you must steal I'm your pain when you can't feel Sad but true [The ghostly form watches as Child Cloud is grabbed and thrown to the ground by some shadowy adult figures. They laugh drunkenly as tears slowly trickle from dull, empty blue eyes as they all start pawing at Young Cloud's body. Finally, one of the shadowy figures squats over Child Cloud and starts to rip the boy's clothes off while unzipping his own pants.] I'm your dream, mind astray I'm your eyes while you're away I'm your pain while you repay You know it's sad but true Sad but true [The ghostly form, now more distinct, whispers in Child Cloud's ear. Child Cloud, a wild gleam in his blue eyes, is seen setting a building in Nibelheim on fire, then running off. Tifa's father catches him and starts to beat him severely.] You You're my mask You're my cover, my shelter [The ghostly image of Strife is superimposed on a teenaged Young Cloud as he sullenly goes through his duties as a Shinra Trooper.] You You're my mask You're the one who's blamed [The ghostly Strife steps away from Young Cloud and smirks in cruel amusement as Young Cloud is publicly berated and slapped by his superior officer for some apparent screwup.] Do Do my work Do my dirty work, scapegoat [The ghostly Strife maliciously watches as a drunken Young Cloud threatens a skimpily dressed young woman with a broken bottle, throws her to the ground, then viciously assaults her.] Do Do my deeds For you're the one who's shamed [The battered and bleeding young woman, now naked, staggers out of the room screaming. Some hefty looking cops run in, arrest Young Cloud, and drag him out in handcuffs in front of a jeering crowd.] I'm your dream, make you real I'm your eyes when you must steal I'm your pain when you can't feel Sad but true [Young Cloud sees his name on a publicly posted list of people who rejected from the SOLDIER program. He turns and slowly walks away, shoulders sagging. However, Strife snarls in fury as he sees the other troopers laughing and jeering at Young Cloud's failure. Strife is no longer ghostly, but now appears almost as real as Young Cloud.] I'm your dream, mind astray I'm your eyes while you're away I'm your pain while you repay You know it's sad but true Sad but true [Strife follows the most obnoxious of Young Cloud's tormentors into a dark alley, then silently sneaks up behind him and stabs the other trooper in the back with a long knife. Strife grins viciously, then starts to laugh.] I'm your dream I'm your eyes I'm your pain I'm your dream I'm your eyes I'm your pain You know it's sad but true Sad but true [Flashing images of Young Cloud arguing, getting into fights, etc. as Strife continues to whisper in Young Cloud's ear and goad him on. Strife's image steadily becomes more distinct and solid.] Hate I'm your hate I'm your hate when you want love [At Nibelheim, with the almost solid image of Strife sitting beside him, Young Cloud watches the easy camaderie between Sephiroth and Zack. Young Cloud merely appears sullen, but Strife has a look of envy which changes to outright rage and jealousy as Young Tifa walks up to Zack and starts chatting in a friendly manner.] Pay Pay the price Pay, for nothing's fair [In the Mt. Nibel reactor, a smugly smiling Strife holds back Young Cloud, who ends up doing nothing to help the badly injured Young Tifa who's slowly bleeding to death.] Hey I'm your life I'm the one who took you there [Strife and Young Cloud are both huddled in one of the test chambers in Hojo's Nibelheim lab. As Young Cloud stares dully at Zack who's imprisoned in the neighboring chamber, Strife keeps whispering into Young Cloud's ear.] Hey I'm your life And I no longer care [Strife and Young Cloud are in the same test chamber in Hojo's lab, but now it is Strife who is solid and real while Young Cloud is merely a ghostly image hovering to one side. Young Cloud's image keeps shifting and starts to resemble Zack.] I'm your dream, make you real I'm your eyes when you must steal I'm your pain when you can't feel Sad but true [On an familiar-looking outcrop overlooking Midgar, Young Cloud, his ghostly image still erratically shifting between himself and Zack, stands off to one side as Strife smirks coldly. At first Young Cloud doesn't nothing as Strife lifts a huge broadsword into the air and slashes repeatedly at Zack's helpless and bleeding body. However, Young Cloud suddenly snaps out of his apathy. With an utterly horrified look on his face, Young Cloud starts fighting with Strife.] I'm your truth, telling lies I'm your reasoned alibis I'm inside, open your eyes I'm you [In a bathroom on the Highwind II, the present-day Cloud washes his face and stares unseeingly into the mirror. The reflection in the mirror is Zack. Suddenly, the mirror shatters. In the mirror's shards, the image of Zack is abruptly replaced by an image of Strife, whose glowing blue eyes burn with insane rage and hatred.] Sad but true [The present-day Cloud walks out of the bathroom, seemingly unaware of anything unusual. But in the shattered mirror's fragments, the image of Strife smiles darkly.] --------------------------------------------- madamhydra@aol.com /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/:E http://www.geocities.com/~madamhydra --------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== Disclaimer: "Sad But True" by Metallica, copyright 1991 Elektra Entertainment. All rights and privileges to Final Fantasy VII and its characters belong to Square Co., Ltd. The characters of this series are used without permission for the purpose of entertainment only. This work of fiction is not meant for sale or profit. All original characters are the creation of the author. All copyright privileges to these characters are reserved for the author. ======================================================================