I narrowed my eyes behind my helmet, trying to see who – or what – was coming our way. I wasn't afraid, we were armed but that didn't mean I couldn't be cautious…

My vision was red. Our coordinates showed in the right hand corner. The heat sensor part installed in our helmets showed my companions, a SOLDIER, a Turk and my fellow Infantryman along with the person walking towards us, in red, orange and yellow.

I raised my gun, it making a soft click as I turned off the safety mechanism.

But the SOLDIER held his hand out, motioning for me and the other Infantryman – who, too, had raised his gun – to wait.

I looked at the other Infantryman in confusion, why couldn't we attack? He shrugged, just as confused as I was.

I wanted to disobey the SOLDIER's orders, not only because I personally didn't think it was wise to just allow this person a chance to attack us, but also because he was SOLDIER.

SOLDIER and Infantryman had carried a grudge against one another for ages…or maybe it was just the Infantryman that held grudges against the other unit. We were jealous of them and the SOLDIER looked down on us, a little like, I noticed, the relationship between a senior and a freshman in high school.

Tseng apparently noticed that I wasn't going to lower my gun and shook his head in warning, a cold look in his eye.

I scowled and curved my lip into a snarl, turning away from Tseng and glaring at the black-haired First Class standing in front of me with his hands on his hips.

His breath was making small clouds in the air. Tseng looked cold in that lame suit of his but the SOLDIER and the two of us, Infantryman, were warm.

Another thing I was grateful for.

My uniform kept me warm in any type of weather, despite how thin it was.

I lowered my gun reluctantly, not completely though.

I couldn't afford to disobey my superiors.

I saw the person come up over the small hill his head down. He hadn't seen us yet.

I reached up and hit a button on my helmet, bar lines appeared in my vision, bouncing up and down. LOADING DATA PLEASE STAND BY. The computer installed inside my helmet went to work, taking pictures of the man and matching them with other files. In seconds I had a complete biography of this man.

Smiths, Gerard Cody

Age: 31

Occupation: Merchant/Miner.

This was about all I needed to know. Everything else told me his history, and I wasn't interested in diving into this man's life and looking into things that I had no right to read.

He didn't look to be any potential threat-

"Hello there!" The SOLDIER cried out, interrupting my thought process.

-but you could never be sure...

I winced as the SOLDIER's loud voice echoed off the mountain.

Sure, just let the guy know we're here why don't you?

Gerard looked up, looking surprised to see such a large group, and hurried towards us, glancing nervously at the large sword on the SOLDIER's back and the guns my friend and I had pointed at his chest.

" It's alright. My companions here won't hurt you...that is, unless you wish to cause trouble. " Tseng reassured Gerard in a strange way.

He sounded like he was talking to a prisoner or something that refused to cooperate.

" Cloud, Jason lower your guns. " Zack, the SOLDIER, barked.

I rolled my eyes and lowered my gun, once more, being the faithful, loyal dog I am.

I growled deep in my throat. I'm starting to wish I was never assigned this mission, I wanted action!

" What can I do you for? " The man asked.

I snickered and Cloud looked over at me, trying to see what was so funny when he seemed to catch on to what I was laughing at and chuckled along. Tseng, Zack and Gerard looked at the two of us, puzzled.

Tseng and Zack shook their heads, warning us to stop, even though I could tell Zack was trying not to laugh as well. Cloud immediately quieted, trying to hide his laugh behind a cough, acting like he had something in his throat.

It took me a little longer to get back under control and I too, tried to hide my rudeness behind a desperate cough, glancing at Cloud who was flushing with embarrassment and looking everywhere but my eyes.

I smirked.

" Hey, Spike! What can I do you for? " I laughed.

Cloud flushed an even darker shade of red and bit his lip trying not to laugh. His cheeks puffed out slightly. My eyes bugged out, the effort of trying not to laugh way too difficult and Cloud's facial expression making it worse. I was in hysterics.

Zack scowled at me, the joke over and not funny anymore.

"Well, Tseng, it looks like we have a hyena on our hands…" He sighed, a small smile twitching at his lips as he watched Cloud and I struggle.

I stopped sharply and turned, a snarl on my face.

"Hyena my ass!" I yelled, rushing towards the SOLDIER. Cloud grabbed me by the arm and shook me gently, but enough for me to forget by sudden anger towards the SOLDIER First and look at him.

"Calm down! We're getting reported on how we behave on this mission, remember?" Cloud hissed to me, glancing nervously at Tseng and Zack who had now begun talking to the merchant again.

"I think it's stupid that the SOLDIER and Tseng get to lounge around while we're stuck doing all the dirty work! They haven't even given us anything fun to do! We're stuck on guard duty like we were in Midgar! Captain promised us that going on missions would be interesting – much better than city life – where there is lots of action! But noooo, that's just too much to ask for isn't?"

"I know," Cloud sighed. "It is unfair but we have to be careful! One bad mark from Zack or Tseng and we're done for, Jason. They'll kick us out of ShinRa faster than you can say Holy Chocobos!"

I smiled slightly. Trust Cloud to make me feel better with humor.

"You're right…I'm sorry. Thanks Cloud." I hung my head, feeling slightly guilty for my actions.

Cloud clapped his hand on my shoulder with a grin.

"Anytime, friend."

I smiled at his words. Did he really think me as his friend? I had never had many friends before…but maybe he was just saying that…surly he didn't mean it?

I glanced over at Zack and Tseng who were currently deep into conversation with the merchant.

Then I looked at Cloud. My comrade was frowning, deep in thought. He knelt down on one knee, staring at the ground.

I frowned, wondering what he was up too and knelt down next to him. Cloud traced the snow with his fingers.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

I couldn't see whatever it was Cloud was looking at.

Cloud doesn't look up but continued to scan the area around where we are kneeling.

"I don't know...but something...something's wrong...I can feel it."

My eyes narrowed in confusion, though the movement was hidden behind my helmet.

"What do you mean? Is it monsters? Villagers? Genesis?" I ask, hoping we found a lead as to where the rouge SOLDIER was hiding.

"Genesis? No. Not him. ... I'm not sure. It's not the villagers either...I think it's monsters...see how the tracks look? Though I've never seen anything like it before..."

"Should we ask Zack or Tseng?"

"Maybe, though it could be nothing." There was a long pause, broken next by Cloud. "Do you feel that?"

Cloud's head whipped up, searching for the source. He slowly stood up and I followed suit, dusting the snow off my pants and my shoulders.

I was super confused by now. Cloud was acting really strange...

"No, Cloud, I don't. What are you talking about?"

By now, snow was falling heavily down. I wanted to tell Cloud to forget about it and for us to go back to Zack and Tseng, despite how annoyed I was with them at the moment. I was cold and hungry and wanted to get to Modeoheim as soon as possible.

Cloud suddenly froze, staring.

"Don't. Move. A. Muscle." Cloud hissed to me.

I snorted. Since when did anyone ever listen when someone said that?

I did the exact opposite of what he said and, instincts taking over, raised my gun. I hadn't turned around yet, to see what he was talking about but saw another bigger, threat.

I paled. The thing - it looked like a snake, lion hybrid thing - was sitting on a ledge above us, staring down at me with hungry and curious eyes. I gulped.

"Hey, Clooooud?" I squeaked.

"Yeeeah?"

"Don't look behind you, k?"

"What?"

"You don't want to turn around." I told him.

"And neither do you."

"Why?"

"Because there is this huge monster-snake thingy that just fell from the sky and ... yeah." Cloud answered lamely.

"Really? What a coincidence."

"What is?"

"Why don't you turn around and see for yourself?"

"Alriiiight...but you don't want to see - holy shit!" Cloud cried once he had turned around, staring in shock at the monster that was much, much larger than the one behind him that I only just now saw. It was much smaller and an orange-red color, were as the one that Cloud was now facing was black.

The two of turned so we were back to back, our guns out in front of us.

"Damnit...we're so screwed." I swallowed down my lunch.

" Where's Zack...and Tseng? " Cloud asked, searching for our comrades.

I looked around too, not seeing them anywhere.

" Oh sure, the first time we need them they disappear. " I said sourly.

Cloud and I hit the buttons on the side of our helmets in unison, sending out a distress signal that gave Tseng and Zack our coordinates.

We both raised our guns and clicked off the safety mechanism at the same time too.

" Well you said you wanted action, Jason. Here's your shot. "

I nodded.

" This will be a fight that ... you are going to lose! " I cried towards the monsters, releasing a torrent of bullets at the hideous creature in front of me. Cloud did the same.

The creatures somehow managed to evade all the bullets shot at them.

Soon I was out of ammo.

Cloud, shortly after.

We were goners, I knew it from the deep dark sensation in my heart. We had no other weapons or ammunition with us.

Zack and Tseng were our only hope.

But that small hope was highly unlikely.

It had already been at least fifteen to twenty minutes since Cloud and I sent out the distress signal, if they hadn't come by now then they probably wouldn't ever come.

Why would they risk their lives to help out two lowly Infantrymen that they didn't even know?

I hung my head.

" I'm sorry, Cloud, for getting you into this. "

" What? What do you mean? "

" I mean, when you pulled me away to calm me down, we got separated from the group. "

Cloud snorted.

" Don't worry about it, Jase. "

I was slightly shocked. Cloud wasn't angry at me for getting him killed?

" You mean...you're not mad that I'm going to get you killed? "

" Of course not, you dolt. Well wait...when you put it that way...it does sound kinda bad...but I'm not mad at you. You didn't know that this would happen."

" Seriously? "

Cloud sighed.

" Why don't we try surviving instead of apologizing over stuff we had no control over, okay? "

I nodded again.

" Sure. What you said before...about us being friends...did you mean it? Am I really your friend?"

Cloud turned his head to glance at me.

" Of course you're my friend! Why wouldn't you be? "

I shrugged, feeling embarrassed that I'd asked such a question.

" I don't know..." I mumbled.

I saw that both monsters were advancing towards us, snarling.

I gulped and held my gun out to my side; when the beast came towards me I'd swing the gun like a sword and hopefully knock it out or something. I won't die without a fight.

Cloud noticed and copied my actions.

" Good idea. " He murmured.

The larger beast lunged at me, but I quickly evaded it and swung the butt of my gun at its head.

I was satisfied to hear it slam into my intended destination, it cracked it upside the head and the best fumbled for a moment before growling and charging me again.

I knocked it in the head again, laughing as the beast yelped and lay stunned in the snow for a second.

"Hey, Cloud! At this rate I'll be SOLDIER in no time!" I yelled to him, adrenaline pumping through my veins.

I heard Cloud cry out from behind me and turned to see if he was in danger.

I didn't get the chance to even turn around fully when the monster I was fighting slammed into my side, knocking me off balance and sending me tumbling into the hard ground. The snow did little to cushion my fall.

I swore and jumped to my feet.

But I was knocked down once more by Cloud, who had been pushed backwards by the hybrid he was fighting.

The two of us landed in a heap. Cloud rolled off of me and into the snow. There was blood running down his arm and down the side of his head.

He was still conscious, but only just. I could see his pupils dilating back and forth – going between large and small.

I was a little better off than he was.

The only wound I seemed to have was a gash on my side from where the beast slammed into me, it had hit me hard enough to break skin. Only that and a few bruises were all that I could see.

Cloud had lost his gun when he had been pushed backwards so I was our only hope, I was the only one that could save our lives.

Both beasts seemed to know that I was the only potential threat at the moment so they pounced on me at the same time.

Their jaws clamped onto my gun and I fought to keep the beast's jaws from tearing into my flesh.

I was lying on my back, fear clenching in my gut, holding my gun sideways a few inches above my chest, and fighting the beasts for control.

My strength was worn thin, from the fight and all that walking we had done earlier. My arms were shaking. I was done for.

I felt slight relief when the pressure lessened when one of the beasts let go of my gun and went over to Cloud, who was attempting to get up and assist me.

The other monster pinned Cloud to the ground, growling at him. Cloud was frozen solid with fear and maybe the cold too…his eyes were wide disks of ice blue.

Then the worst possible thing happened, my gun snapped, not being able to take the pressure of the creature's jaws any longer.

The monster jumped back with a startled yelp. That gave me a few seconds to think of something to do. I couldn't just let this thing kill me!

I did the only thing I could think of. I rolled into a ball, bringing my knees up to my chest to protect my stomach and my chest and wrapped my arms around my head.

The beast was on me again, tearing at my uniform. I felt it's claws rip through the fabric and dig into my side.

I gasped and curled up tighter.

It kept biting. And tearing.

I couldn't help but scream at the agony, I was being eaten alive and I was defenseless.

I thrashed out at the beast with my feet but it didn't work, it only dodged. I couldn't move my arms because then it would leave my neck exposed, so punching it was out of the question too.

Oh, Cloud, I'm so, so sorry. I'm glad…that I got to know you. I'm glad that you're my friend.

I heard Cloud yelling.

I saw him through pain-filled eyes, hitting at the beast that had him pinned to the ground with his fists, his eyes alive with fury.

"Jason! No! Get off of him, you bast – "

He was cut off mid swear.

I didn't expect what had happened next and by the look on his face, neither did Cloud.

Zack jumped down from the ledge the bigger beast had been standing on with his sword in hand.

He landed on the beast's back that was attacking me and ran his sword through it.

Tseng took care of the one that was on Cloud.

He shot it clean through the heart.

Both animals collapsed on top of the two of us.

My vision was getting foggy and I could see blood – I wasn't sure if it were the beast's or mine – seeping into the snow beside me.

Here's your adventure, Jason...happy?

My eyes closed, the last thing I saw being Zack's concerned face peering down at me after pulling the beast off of me.

Before I slipped into unconsciousness, I heard Zack's words break through the black.

"Jason? Jason! I'm sorry Cloud…he's as good as dead…"

Dead…

Dead…

Dead…

The word echoed through my skull and, at the moment, it felt nice to hear. The pain was too much…but now I knew that I wouldn't have to feel it anymore.