It was a cold and drizzly morning when he awoke. His matted silver locks soaking in the rain as he walked to a nearby stream to collect water for the morning's breakfast. Running his agile fingers through his wet hair; Hope raised his teal eyes only to notice that the bucket was filled to its brim. He picked it up and headed back towards camp.
It had been four years since the fall of Cocoon and Gran Pulse, four years since he and his group of friends lost Fang and Vanille. He was a man of 18 now and all the others except himself and Lightning had moved away and settled down to start new lives. "Lightning" he muttered to himself.
He had followed her to the ends of the earth and would do so over and over. He had fallen for her when he was not much older than a young boy. He wished she would have seen that he was more than that. In his wishing for her to notice him he had joined the army to become a man worthy of her, his dear Lightning.
Just thinking about her made his heart race. That's how he knew for sure that what he felt for her wasn't a crush like Snow had said, but it was in fact love.He loved her enough to do something as stupid as joining the army just so he could prove to her his worth. In the 4 years since he joined he's become a high ranked LT. One that is known by everyone even Lightning yet she doesn't see him as the man he's become but as the young boy he was.
"I really need to stop thinking about her, especially since I'm on a recon mission" He says aloud to himself. Sitting next to his campfire he opens one of his ration packs and starts to eat. Halfway through his meal he hears rustling in the bushes behind his camp.
He jumps to attention weapon in hand ready to attack whatever it is. Minutes go by and nothing has shown but there is still noise coming from the brush nearby. He decides to head over to the undergrowth of the forest to investigate what is making that racket.
He's on edge now waiting for whatever it is to attack, but when nothing comes he is besotted with worry that something is wrong. He then thinks back to his mission. He's out here for a reason; a new terroist group has formed in the wake of the fall of Gran Pulse. Thunder is what they call themselves; he and the rest of the military have been hunting them for awhile now and they have spys every where. Its not good for him to be away from camp for so long.
But this insistent noise is bothering him to no end. he wants to find out whats making it; no he needs to find out. with that he sets off west in to the woods to find the culprit making all of the noise ringing in his ears.