I've got a headcanon where there are mythical creatures on Gaia that are rare, feared and revered, that shinra hunt down and kill out of fear of what they could do. Cloud is one of the more powerful ones hiding in plain sight and no one knows :)
Cloud is half human. He got his looks from his mother and his power from his elemental father. He’s been raised human so he could pass as one, but as soon as he starts showing his power his father begins to insist he train with his kind.
Cloud’s name actually derives from the part of nature he has some sort of control over. He can control the weather. He’s best at summoning storms, but his dad is concerned at at the amount of anger that lies in his heart.
He is used by his Dad as a spy to find out what ShinRa is up to. Cloud is pissed off at first, but ends up making a few friends and potential allies while he’s there. He has to leave when the Turks begin to suspect something about him.
Cloud is nearly in his thirties when he “joins” ShinRa. He ages much more slowly than normal humans. His Dad gave part his lifespan to Cloud’s mother. The two really do love each other and he and Cloud would be genuinely sad if she died.
Zack Fair starts a defection in SOLDIER, trying to find his lost friend and make he sure he wasn’t turked. Cloud isn’t against the idea of letting Zack find him. His dad wants him to err on the side of caution though.