Aeris' death becomes the harbinger of a rush of emotions and revelations that prove to be too much for Cloud to accept; frantically attempting to explain the dramatic chain events, Cloud becomes withdrawn and incapable of sensible communication. Despite their desperate attempts to drag him back, AVALANCHE has no choice but to flee the Northern Crater (where they had encountered Sephiroth and Shinra) as the Planet's last defense, a beast simply called WEAPON, exercises its wrath in an unrelenting torrent of fury that ultimately launches Cloud into the Lifestream.
AVALANCHE narrowly escapes the crater's destruction and the clutches of Shinra, though the entire escapade flies by in little more than a blur; so many losses in so little time. It is after a week of aimless drifting that they stumble upon the small island town of Mideel. Once there, the team catches wind of a curious rumor; a young man had washed ashore only days before and was currently being held under heavy medical attention. Tifa especially holds onto the words as a desperately needed shred of hope, and jumps at the chance to investigate this stranger's arrival. Sure enough, the hospital doors open to reveal Cloud, though not at all as any of the team had expected. In the place of the lean ex-SOLDIER is a broken man fully dependent on the assistance of others; he is not even able to form his words.
Doctor: Mako poisoning... Quite an advanced case. It appears this young man's been exposed to a high level of Mako energy for a protracted period of time. He probably has no idea who or where he is now... Poor fellow, his voice doesn't even work. He is literally miles away from us. Some place far away where no one's ever been... All alone...
Just as determined as she is heartbroken, Tifa excuses herself from her AVALANCHE duties to stay by Cloud's side and aid him in the healing processes as best she can -- despite how much he continues to deteriorate before her eyes. The rest of the crew meddles in Shinra's latest ploy to condemn Barret's hometown before returning to check on their previous leader's progress. Much to their dismay, Cloud's condition has not improved, and the stress is taking its toll on poor Tifa as she stubbornly remains at his side..
It is not long before WEAPON is spotted on the horizon with its sights on Mideel, and AVALANCHE has no choice but to face it. Tifa wheels Cloud from the quickly collapsing hospital only to have the ground sweep out from under their feet.
When Tifa comes to, she finds herself against an alien landscape where one abstract -- and oddly familiar -- location blurs into another. She is in Cloud's psyche, and the fractured landscape is the result of his fragmented memories. Although Cloud himself seems distant and unresponsive, she is determined to walk him through his memoirs and convince him -- and herself -- that he is not just a puppet or a failed lab specimen, but a human being.
Within the annals of his mind, they uncover the truth of their childhood. They were not the friends they believed themselves to be, only distant acquaintances initially tied together by a spontaneous, childish promise. He was the outsider, scorned and ridiculed, while she was the treasure of the town from whom he dearly wanted recognition. Wandering further, they discover his naive loyalty to her, reaching even to the point of willing to take the blame for her mistakes, and how such dedication went by unnoticed. Although plagued with guilt, Tifa insists on remaining by his side in the present as they further unravel his past.
Finally piecing together the true nature of the Nibelheim incident, Cloud undergoes a transformation; he is no longer the hollow guide of his memories, but a person fleshed out in every respect. Pleased with their success, and grateful for each other's companionship, they rise to the real world where the others are anxiously awaiting their return.
Source: Final Fantasy VII
