Prologue:

"Mommy, mommy, who's that boy?" Said a little boy to his mom.

"I don't know sweetheart." Said the mom.

"Will he be okay?"

"I'm not sure; he looks like he's in pretty bad condition. C'mon let's get out of this neighborhood, it gives me the creeps."

"But what about the boy?"

"I said let's go!"

"Okay mommy."

As the boy and his mother left a young man was revealed with blood red hair and scars on his face and arms. He was in a torn up black sleeveless turtleneck along with black boots, black pants and a pair of black fingerless gloves with the SOLDIER logo on them.

"Ngh." Grunted the boy.

"Huh? Who's there?" Said Tifa.

As Tifa looked around she noticed the beaten and bruised boy sitting almost lifeless in the ally outside her bar.

"Are you okay?" Tifa asked.

"….." Said the boy.

"Your eyes! They're bright green!" Tifa gasped as she noticed the logo on his gloves and his uniform. "You're from SOLDIER!"

"Ugh, where?" The boy asked.

"You're in Midgar outside my bar '7th Heaven'. I found you laying here unconscious. Are you from SOLDIER?"

"Yes, I'm a SOLDIER 1st Class or at least I was before Shinra turned on me and left me for dead out here."

"That's terrible!" Tifa exclaimed. "The same thing happened to my friend Cloud. I found him passed out down by the train station."

"Hmm, I don't remember anyone named Cloud being in SOLDIER but I was always too busy to really know who anyone was." The boy said while slowly working his way up to his feet. "Where are my swords?"

As the boy got up Tifa realized the wolf ears on the top of his head. "You're not human are you?"

"Not entirely. I'm a wolf/human hybrid, genetically altered by the Shinra Science Department. What's your name?"

"Oh! I'm Tifa nice to meet you!" Tifa said with a big smile on her face. "Who're you?"

"My name is Noreku, You said you own bar?"

"Yep."

"Could we go inside? I'm starving."

"Sure I can introduce you to the rest to rest of the gang."

So, Tifa led Noreku into the bar to introduce him to her friends and get him a warm meal.

"Yo Tifa! What took yu so long? Me and Marlene are starving!" Said Barret to Tifa not yet realizing some company had arrived. "Who's this guy? An' why the hell's he wearin' SOLDIER clothes?"

"I found him outside the barely alive. The Shinra left him for dead out there." Tifa said to Barret while starting to make dinner.

"Man you sure do have a knack for finding ex-SOLDIER operatives unconscious don'cha." Barret said with a laugh. "So stranger wha's your name?"

"I'm Noreku, and you are?"

"Name's Barret, those are some pretty nice swords you got there an'," Barret paused seeing Noreku's ears and claws, "wha the hell you sposed to be?"

"I'm a wolf/human hybrid. I could ask the same about you. You have a gun for a hand."

"Ya, I lost my real hand a while back defending my village from the Shinra. So, I had it replaced with this gun."

"You fought against the Shinra?" Noreku said in disbelief. "That takes guts."

"Ya well we still are fighting the Shinra. We're on a mission to save the planet." Exclaimed Barret.

"Save the planet?" Noreku asked confused.

"Ya! You didn't know that all that Mako energy the Shinra use is really taking lifer from the planet?"

"No, I didn't know that but I'm not surprised. I've noticed wildlife unexplainably dying on my past few missions." Noreku said.

"Well if you want, you can join us." Said Tifa as she handed Noreku, Barret, and Marlene plates of steak and potatoes.

"Ya! With two ex-SOLDIER operatives with us we can't lose!" Barret said as he inhaled his food. "Eat up Marlene!"

"Yes papa." Marlene said starting to eat her potatoes.

"So, Noreku, if you're from SOLDIER how's come your eyes are green not blue?" Barret asked Noreku.

"When I was genetically altered into a hybrid it also effected my eye color. As for joining you, when I first joined SOLDIER I swore to protect anyone who needed me. Well it seems like now the planet needs me so I'll join you on your quest." Noreku said to Barret and Tifa.

"Awesome!" Tifa said joyfully. "Welcome to AVALANCH!"

"Hmm so this is AVALANCH. From what Shinra's said you're a terrorist group. But it sounds to me like they're the terrorists."

"Ya, many people don't notice that but we hope to make a change." Tifa said. "Oh! We should get you some new clothes."

"Fine but I'm keeping my gloves, they were a gift from when I first joined SOLDIER."

"That's fine. Come with me."

"Okay."

So Noreku followed Tifa into a living area at her bar where she gave him a red short sleeve shirt that zipped up, new black pants and some new shoes.

"Looks good on you." Tifa told Noreku.

"Thanks. So where is this other ex-SOLDIER, I believe you said his name was Cloud."

"Oh, he's resting. C'mon I'll take you to him."

"Okay, I'm kinda curious and wanna ask him some questions."

So, Tifa led him to Cloud's room at the end of the hall at the back of the bar.

"I'll wait in the front of the bar. You can have the room across from Cloud." Tifa said as she walked away. After Tifa was gone Noreku went into Cloud's room.

"Who the hell are you?" Cloud said as Noreku entered his room.

"I am Noreku ex-SOLDIER 1st class and a wolf/human hybrid. I just recently joined AVALANCH and heard another SOLDIER operative was here. You must be Cloud."

"Ya, and what's it to you."

"I have some questions for you about your history in SOLDIER."

"Ask away I have nothing to hide. Just don't waste my time."

"I don't recall anyone named Cloud in SOLDIER."

"It's been a long time since I was in SOLDIER. Maybe they never told you about me."

"How long ago? I'm sure I would've heard of you, I was in SOLDIER for over 10 years."

"Five years ago."

"Nibelhiem, when Sephiroth went insane and burnt down the entire city."

"Interesting. I read those files. There was nobody named Cloud listed there."

"That's impossible, I was there. I can remember the heat of the flames."

"The only SOLDIER operatives listed on that file were Sephiroth and Zack Fair. Nowhere in those files is a Cloud listed."

"Zack?"

Just then Cloud fell to his knees shaking and pale white.

"Cloud are you okay?" Asked Noreku.

"..." Cloud replied.

"Cloud?"

"Huh? Ya, I'm fine. We should head up front. Everyone is probably waiting on us."

With that Noreku and Cloud met up with Tifa and Barret as they got ready to go on their first mission.