The True Soldier
Prologue
"This is a top secret mission mister Sephiroth. Not even the soldiers accompanied with you will know about it."
"Where will we go?"
"Nibelheim. Mako Reactor."
"Nibelheim... That's where those vicious monsters are, right?"
"Correct. We know why is this happening. A couple of years ago, we closed an Ancient there. Professors Gast and Hojo found it."
"...It?"
"What do you know about Ancients, Sephiroth?"
"Also called as Cetra, extinct for over hundred years. They created Materia for the first time, by talking with the Planet they knew everything about dangers. They lived in peace, but a big Meteor crashed and destroyed everything. Those who survived, were killed by us, humans. They--"
"Okay, that's all. Humans evoluated from the Ancients, so they should also look like us. But the lifeform we found, doeasn't look like a human... Althought sometimes it changed its appearance, we only once saw it looking as a human. When we caught it."
"So what? Is it an Ancient, or is it not?"
President Shinra looked closely at Sephiroth, before he replied.
"We don't know..."
~~*~~
A tall man with dark hair just came back from the Honeybee Inn, and went straight to his friend, Cloud Strife. They were like brothers to each other. Looked like brothers, acted like brothers. Sometimes they were even mixing them. The only difference was theirs hair. Cloud was blonde, and Zack had black hair... Zack Halcyon, SOLDIER 2nd in command, right after Sephiroth. Proven many times in battle, he had only one big disadvantage in the battle. He couldn't hit a woman, even if he was ordered to. There were rumours, that he found a girlfriend, but he always was silent about this topic... Still, everyone had an impression of him as a playboy.
"Anything new Cloud?"
"Well, you got a message from Sephiroth.", saying go he gaved him a closed envelope.
"I see you didn't open it."
"Not my thing."
"Hehe, let's see what we have here..."
Zack opened the envelope, and started reading the letter.
Halcyon, I'm assigned for a top secret mission in Nibelheim. Right now I'm training on the Midgar grounds, so I gaved this letter to your friend.
This should be a very important, and dangerous mission. It would be better if you would go with me. We also need two more grunts as a backup help. I don't want to waste any SOLDIERs on it...
I should be back in the evening. Choose two soldiers, we're leaving tommorow.
"Tommorow!? What the fuck!?"
"...Bad news?"
Zack looked nervously at Cloud, then back at the letter.
"Okay, I'm gonna get killed for this, but I must. I have an assignment for you. You know the rest of the grunts, don't you?"
"Hardly, but let's say I do."
"Choose one soldier. We are leaving on a mission tommorow."
"What!?"
"Don't ask questions. Go find someone, I have to take care of something."
"Wait, just say where are we going!"
Zack was at the door, but he turned back and smiled at his friend.
"Your hometown."
~~*~~
"What? You're leaving!?"
"Sorry, but I have to. It's a very important mission."
"Couldn't they send other SOLDIERs??? Like Sephiroth!?"
"He's going also. Commander, and 2nd in command. Top people in SOLDIER..."
The young girl turned back. She knew everything about war, though she was only seventeen.
"...This is a dangerous mission. Right?"
"You might... Not comeback...?"
"You know you can die!"
"I don't want to miss you."
"Please Zack, stay with me..."
The soldier placed his hand on Aeris's shoulder, and she looked at him, with tears in eyes.
"I'll be back. I promise."