Can I really do this? The question had been bothering me for the last six weeks. Six weeks of training, practicing, reiterating the same brainless speeches over and over again. I felt like such a faker, such a walking lie, it made me sick and I could swear I was shaking from it. I don't know if they will buy this pathetic act I've got to put up.

After all, it wasn't everyday someone meaningless like me would infiltrate a known band of terrorists.

Feeling absolutely naked and alone, I wrestled the skirt of my dress free from a tangle of thorns and vines, and stepped out onto the main forest path. The group was there waiting for me. I was so unbelievably nervous, how can I possibly pull this introduction off before my knees buckle and I completely blow it? Saying 'Hello!' was nerve-wracking enough. I cleared my throat.

"Uhm... Hi everyone!" I waved, cheerfully as I could, fixing my skirt and hair as I detached myself from the latest snags in the web of foliage.

The leader, a blonde man in his mid twenties, was the first to look up.

"Ae- Aeris?"

Can I really do this??

Sitting at my home alone minding my own business, someone started knocking on my door. I got up, got the door, and two men in blue suits and one in a labcoat with greasy hair invited themselves into my eleventh floor apartment.

"Excuse me, if you're trying to sell me a vaccum cleaner you can do it in the hallway," I protested as they invaded my hole in the wall. I backed up against my closet defensively, waiting to see what they'd do. My right hand twitched anxiously. I wonder if that tipped them off.

The labcoat-clad geezer acted first. By laughing like a lunatic. "Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha, yes! Perfect, absolutely perfect!" Then we went off into mumbled rambling.

"What the heck are you talking about?" I glared by best glare. It's never as effective as I want it to be. "You know what? Nevermind. Just get out of my home."

His friends eyed him cautiously as the mumbling and cackling got a little more audible. "Ancient... Experiment... Complete success!" he shouted suddenly.

"Hello~ooh, crazy guy! Mind shutting up and removing yourself from the premises?"

He cleared his throat. "Well Seria, it appears to me-"

"I don't remember asking for an explanation. I remember demanding that you leave. Now." If only I could shoot daggers from my eyes at will. I guess I had something better, though.

"Wait! It gets interesting! Does the word 'destiny' mean anything to you?"

"You are completely off your rocker, old man. Fine, if it makes you feel better, yak at me for a bit. See where that gets you."

"Do you know who your parents were?" I narrowed my eyes. "I take it you don't. Unfortunately as things stand today, they are both dead. Their names were Aeris Gainsborough, and Seph-"

"Wait wait wait. You're not building up to tell me I was grown in one of your filthy petri dishes, are you?" He nods, stifling another mad cackle. "And you decided to combine her DNA with his?"

He started laughing again. I swiftly slid open my closet, grabbed my katana and beheaded him. His Turk friends barely had time to flinch. I turned away unperturbed towards the bathroom. I guess my little twitch earlier didn't register for them.

The red-head was the first to react. He drew his Mag-rod and proceeded to swing at me with it. I lazily blocked it with the hilt of my sword as I continued to the bathroom.

"Reno is it?" I said, not even turning to face him. "Give me a minute. I've got blood on my sword and I want to wash it before it crusts on." I turned on the sprayer in my shower to rinse it off, then dried it off carefully with a towel.

"... What-"

"Whoever he was, he was a pain in the ass, and I think I just did the Planet and everyone that ever knew him a favour. That's why." I finished up and turned to face my two Turk friends. "Now, you have a job for me, no?"

"What do you mean by that? How did you know my name?" Reno got defensive, a sudden dark look in his eyes overshadowing his features. I guess he didn't like that I knew more about him than he potentially knew about me. Of course, as things stood, he was probably briefed on 'experiment #626' or some lab report crap like that.

"You wouldn't be here if you didn't have something you wanted from me. You looked like you wanted to skewer your scientist friend yourself, and Turks always have some ulterior motive. My guess is," I continued. "You want me to work for you, because apparently my unwitting and unknowing parentage were both privy to certain special skills. Reading minds is one of them, Rude."

Rude took a step forward threateningly, but Reno held a hand out towards him to stop him. "Well then, Seria, what do we do about the former Dr. Hojo here?"

"You guys help me get rid of the body and make up a story, and then we'll talk business."