Summary: Prince Noctis always wanted to know how it feels like to have a lowly commoner's life. And Cloud on the other hand, wanted his family to feel a life of luxury. Meeting each other at a bar, they decide to trade places. Things went well at first but what they don't know what fate will make their futures very sloppy. NoctisxLightningxCloud ^_^

Okay, first things first! I will not repeat this like many authors do and it's a waste of my time, so I'll only say this once: I DO NOT OWN FFVII, FFXIII & FFVXIII! This is a multi-character story. And I must say this honestly, I HAVE NOT YET PLAYED THE GAME! I only played Crisis Core and I did watch Advent Children though. So if I made a mistake about somewhere they originally lived, please, forgive me. However I will play the game as soon as my exams are over. I wish to get over with this quickly to be honest.

But enough chit chat, it's time to make this baby happen!

Prologue:

"In time my son, you will become King and you will succeed me nonetheless" said Noctis' father very seriously as he showed his son the kingdom he ruled over behind the window glass in his personal study.

It was around 8pm and for a personal study, it was really dark and Noctis could barely make anything out from his vision. The only thing that looked visible to him was an operative laptop on his father's desk and the majestic view of his ruled-to-be kingdom. Noctis was 12 years old and unlike any normal child, he is very mature. He barely went out of the castle (or rather his prison) and barely knew his subjects and yet his father expects him to succeed his throne without gaining knowledge of the commoners? What irony.

Noctis rolled his eyes and glared at his father for a moment. He wanted to say, 'Yeah, once you're dead I would rule over the kingdom alright, but how could I run it as a good king without leaving the castle grounds, huh?' or something like 'You're such an ass dad.' But being the respected and prideful prince as he is, his reply was only, "Yes Sir"

The king nodded and left his son alone to resume the work he has done with his still operative computer. Noctis looked at his father. It was always work, work, and work! He should at least spend more time with his family (not to mention his ONLY heir). Even just for a brief time. Noctis bowed to his busied father and left the king's personal study to his room. Only to be sitting back at the foot of his huge king sized bed and read a fairytale book titled 'The Prince and the Pauper' lying beside him.

The book apparently was his favourite and was his first fiction book that the King ever bought him. The rest of the books in his bookshelves or the royal library were all facts, politics and whatsoever important in life. He flipped some pages to his favourite part of the book.

'Like a mirror image, the prince and the pauper looked like twins. Having the same idea, they decided to trade places for a day. The prince took the pauper's clothes and the pauper did the same. And for a day, they learned each other's lives and were overjoyed about it.'

Noctis shut the book and immediately lie down on his bed lazily. Looking outside the city state of his curtain-less windows, he pondered in deep thought. 'Maybe being a commoner is not a bad idea. I would be free, no one telling me what to do and I would be away from this hellhole'

'I wish I could trade places with a pauper'.

"Cloud come here buddy!" His father called out to him.

"Coming dad!"

Cloud obediently followed his father who was sitting upstairs at the roof of his house whistling a tune. He had finished tucking his sister, Claire to bed and his mother who was singing a lullaby to his younger sister, Serah. They all lived in a two-story house in Midgar—well technically more like an old block rather than a house. His father was a SOLDIER second class. But even so, the income he was given were pretty much exploited. Talk about a Marxist job. His mother on the other hand worked as a florist selling fresh flowers in Midgar and in some occasions, his father would bring her dumb apples to sell as well.

Cloud came up to the roof and sat next to his father and swung his legs back and forth innocently thinking what his father was going to talk about. His father who immediately stopped whistling as soon as his son sat comfortably stared at the starry night sky. He then spoke.

"Son, do you remember what I told you about the dream I had when I was still a brat in SOLDIER?"

"Uh…" Cloud thought tentatively. "You wanted to become a hero right, dad? To protect all of us—mom, me, Claire and Serah"

His father laughed. He knew his son was too good to be true. Unlike him, his son was rather timid but nonetheless Cloud's very well behaved and knew too well that his son loves his family very much and would do anything to protect them. Even for a 12 year old.

He ruffled his son's hair and grinned proudly at his brilliant midget he and his wife produced "Well, since you know that. I will ask you this question." His voice suddenly became serious. "What is your dream, Cloud?"

He watched his son carefully as Cloud crossed his arms and tilted his head in deep thought. He knew exactly what Cloud's going to say.

"A hero like you dad"

His father raised an eyebrow as he stared at his son and sighed "The apple never falls far from the tree, huh?" Cloud tilted his head not understanding what his father had said. 'Man he is stubborn. Who did he get this from?' "Okay, then let me rephrase that question. What kind of hero?"

Cloud was silent for a moment "Like the Pauper from the Prince and the Pauper"

"Seriously?!" his father jumped in disbelief. Cloud only blushed quietly.

He had given Cloud a fairytale book entitled the Prince and the Pauper a year ago and it was very surprising that he read the book for almost every day now and then. He shrugged it off and smiled.

"Well okay. No matter what kind of hero you want to be, don't forget about the person that you were." He ruffled his son's hair for the second time and told his son to go to bed.

Cloud obediently went back to his and sisters' room near his parent's room and went upstairs to his bunk bed while Claire sleeps at the bottom bunk hugging sleepy Serah next to her. Remembering the words his father told him, he took out his favourite storybook underneath his pillow and switched on the wall mounted night lamp next to him.

'As the pauper became a prince for a day, he took the prince's responsibilities and gave a royal decree to improve the status of poverty; providing free education to the penniless and more food supplies to the poor. All of his subjects loved him and considered him as a hero.'

"Are you reading again?" Claire groaned seeing that she could see the bright night light showered over her sleepy eyes.

"Oh, sorry," He turned off his night lamp. "There. You can go back to sleep now."

Ignoring his brother, Claire went back to her slumber and Cloud put his book behind his pillow and pondered in deep thought. 'Maybe if I could be a prince, then I could protect my family. And then I would truly become a hero.'

'I wish I could trade places with a prince'.

This was just a warm up chapter. And yes, as I bet all of you people have guessed, Zack and Aerith are in this chapter. Honestly I really love them as a couple especially since both their seiyuus (voice actors) are married to each other. *squeals* Also, I would like to apologize early about the genre of this fanfic. I actually have no idea what genre this is. But I assume that it'll be adventure/humor/romance. All that shit. I would like to also apologize for my lack of description. I rather prefer to let my readers imagine the place in their own image. But I did leave a few details anyway. Btw, in this prologue, Claire is 11 and Serah is 7.

Please review and stay tuned to "Chapter 1: 10 years later…".