EDIT: the story's now under a new username (it was formerly under nariko.hoshi) but I'm the same person, my hoshi account just got hacked. So yeah, don't report or whatever, please :)

EDIT 2: I've come back to edit this thing again. I think the tenses are sorted out, unlike before. It's past tense, loves. Sorry about the switchups before!

That place was a prison. I'd swear to— er…

Not God; I couldn't bring myself to believe in Him anymore. Maybe then… my father's grave. Yes, that would keep me telling the truth. Not that that was one of my problems- If I ever tried to lie, I just ended up stuttering myself to incoherency.

The orphanage was probably worse than a prison, actually- at least in a prison you would be left alone. There were way too many of us here to have any time alone. We were together every second of the day, the only exception being when we were using the bathroom- and even then, there would always be someone pounding on the door, wanting their turn.

Worst of all, most of us had been here for years. The war that had claimed so many of our families was long past, and we were still here. Only the tiniest, cutest ones got taken; the rest of us being too independent, deformed, gloomy, or otherwise undesirable as children.

Really though… this whole thing would be so much more bearable if we just stuck together, made friends… but none of us will… including me, of course. I was far too resentful for that.

So there we were: a bunch of bitter and resentful 'minors' stuck together, awaiting the day we finally turned 19 and would be free.

I, Guy Kutolah, had just had my 18th birthday the day before (December 13). It was the most agonizing birthday of my life! If only I had been one year older, just one bloody year! But no… so I'd spent all day gnashing my teeth and repeating Why? To myself, getting more and more wound up until finally I punched Raven, a particularly surly redhead who hated me because this other redhead, Pricilla, liked me. I didn't even like that girl… But after punching him, no matter how good it felt, I was sent to my room for the remainder of the day, birthday forgotten and missing my dinner once again.

They just didn't get it…

Right then, I was perched on a windowsill on the top floor of the orphanage- my favorite place in the whole cursed building, and the only place to be alone. No one but me could fit on this narrow ledge… those times were the only times I liked being so short and skinny.

I looked out the window to the long cobbled path leading to the orphanage. Fat snowflakes drifted lazily past the window, the wind occasionally blowing them in little swirls. I wished I was allowed outside… it was too hot in here, and so pretty there…

I pressed my face against the cool glass wistfully. It soothed my skin, and somehow my mood. I exhaled slowly, watching the glass fog.

Distantly, I heard the bell for dinner- well, it was called a bell, but whoever designed the thing must have been deaf- anyone else would know that bells are supposed to sound pleasant, not like a metal door being slowly and agonizingly squished.

I didn't move; my body had gotten used to skipping meals and the relief of the cool glass was worth missing the gloop they tried to feed us. Instead, I breathed on the glass again. This time I raised my left hand to write words. It was strange, I wasn't trying to do this at all, my hand just wrote.

I didn't plan it this way, but it read this place is a prison, but in mirror letters, so only those outside would be able to read them. It was true… may as well warn others away. I breathed again.

What does it take?

What did it take to what? I blinked… I had no idea. In any case, it didn't seem right, so I ran my hand over those words, smudging them out of existence. I replaced the sentence with a new one:

How long must I wait?

That satisfied me. I looked at the words for a moment, actually drawing back my head to see the full mirror-lettered effect. What had just happened? A feeling I didn't recognize resonated through me for a moment, but then it was gone.

How long must I wait… absently, I fingered my braid as I considered the words. It had measured my wait- I hadn't cut my hair since I'd come there, except for the bangs… The braid started out as a stubby thing that poked at my neck whenever I moved my head, and now it hangs nearly to my waist, reminding me perpetually of time.

I shut my eyes, feeling tired. I pressed closer to the glass, still loving the cold that radiated from it. I drifted slowly to sleep, thinking of my life… I wondered how much I'd wasted there. If I were to die the next day… a whole third of my life would have been exhausted there…

So there you have it. I've FINALLY gotten this fic started… and a HUGE thanks, plus many cookies, to Magic Pyro Anabeil for being an awesome person and beta-ing this (can I send you the next chapter soon? Do you mind?)! And anyone who doesn't know her should go read her stuff… personally, I love it all!

So anyway… you may have recognized, "this place is a prison," "what does it take?" and "how long must I wait?". If you did… congrats, you like good music! They're lyrics from the song, 'This Place is a Prison' by The Postal Service. I won't be doing any more chapters like this, but this song is what got me writing the fic in the first place. Though believe me, the mood and tone of it changes drastically.

And at the moment, I'm taking pairing suggestions! Chances are, they'll be listened too UNLESS it involves Pricilla. She's doomed to become an old crone with crooked teeth as far as I'm concerned. Anyway, the only definite pairings at the moment are MattGuy, LegaultHeath, and ErkNino. So all the other FE7 characters are up for grabs!

And so you know, this is more of a prologue than anything else. I know it's short and probably a bit boring, but please, please, please bear with me?

And, of course, leave a review. I mean honestly; How Hard Is It To Click And Type? (Aka: HHIITCAT?) (Aka: HITCAT?) (Yeah, I'm kinda tired and totally mental…). Even if just to vote for a favorite pairing!

And I know you don't know her yet, but I've posted a picture of the tactician of this story, Emma, at my deviantART account (link on my profile page), (EDIT: does not apply anymore xx;) and I'd love it if someone would check it out and leave me some feedback!

Anyway, think HITCAT? And review!