Author's Note: I decided to post the first chapter immediately after the prologue so that you guys can get an idea where this story is headed. I hate leaving such a short entry. Hopefully this chapter will get the ball rolling and explain a few things. ;)

CHAPTER 1: Orphanage

Jade, that was what the adults in the orphanage called him. It was the color of his luminescent, cat-like eyes. As for his real name, well, it was a complete mystery along with the rest of him. Sitting alone at the edge of his unmade bed, the young boy quietly stared up at the bright blue sky through a large dirty window. It was mid-afternoon and a breeze entered through the tiny cracks of the glass. The rest of the children were outside, giggling loudly and playing hide-n-seek. Jade briefly smiled as he watched the fresh green trees outside sway gently back and forth while a few birds soared across his line of vision. Beyond the trees were enormous mountains. Already, Jade noticed the telltale signs of Fall. The air was cooler, the bright orange leaves scattered across the grass, and clumps of white had formed at the tips of the massive, rocky mountains. Hopefully, it wouldn't be too terrible of a winter this year in Nibelheim.

Jade paused when he noticed his face reflected on the large glass window. His hand slowly reached up to touch his cheek. He still didn't know his exact age. According to his reflection, he was somewhere in his teens. Fifteen? Sixteen, maybe? It was difficult to determine. His pale, flawless complexion was grimed with soot while his silvery hair had been cut short and uneven from yesterday's sloppy haircut. There was dirt beneath his fingernails and his ears needed to be properly washed. Meanwhile, Jade's oversized buttoned-blouse and baggy pants hung loosely over his frail and lithe form. They smelled at least two weeks old. Earlier today, the Headmistress of the Orphanage begged him to take a bath. One glance at the water-filled tub that she had prepared for him, however, and Jade screamed at the very top of his lungs until he passed out and was carried back to his bed.

Jade was deathly afraid of water.

While he couldn't recall much of his former life, there was one recurring memory that prompted the young boy to wake up in the middle of the night in cold sweat. Even now, Jade's stomach tightened at the memory. Surrounded by black water, Jade recalled being choked by another boy with similar-colored eyes. He had called himself Kadaj. The older boy's hands had wrapped around his tiny neck while he submerged him in water. Again and again, Kadaj's crazed eyes intensified as he manically laughed and squeezed the life out of him.

Unwanted remnant. Weak. Pathetic. Soft. Insignificant. Those were the peculiar words Kadaj had screamed to him while his hands worked their terrible magic. It was only until Jade choked underwater and stopped breathing entirely that the vicious jade-eyed boy finally moved away and disappeared, leaving him for dead. Jade was sure he'd died. He must have. He saw only darkness. His entire body was numb and cold. But then a female's voice had beckoned to him. It broke through the darkness and radiated his body with light.

"Not now, sweet boy," a kind voice murmured to him and softly laughed, "You're too precious to be lost in the darkness. You're the light he can never extinguish from himself; the passion he hid so deeply beneath his layers of misery and self-loathe. You carry within you his deepest secrets. It's time you go out there and rediscover your name."

Jade thought he saw a brown-haired beautiful woman dressed in pink lift him up from the cold black waters and carry him to solid ground. She hummed a merry tune and told him everything was going to be all right. Most importantly, she urged him to never forget his inner light. Minutes later, an aged man spotted his naked, drenched body near the black pond and took him to Nibelheim for medical attention. That was five years ago. Jade never saw that woman again. To this day, he wasn't sure if she was a dream or a part of his actual memory.

His encounter with the violent young boy, Kadaj, on the other hand, was real. While Jade didn't see him again he could feel Kadaj's aura all the same. It was true for the other two: Yazoo and Loz. Yes, those were their names. They all had jade-colored eyes and silvery hair like him. With that realization, though, came the inevitable question on whether they were his siblings. The youngest of them all, some part of Jade wanted to know, at least to understand where he came from and who his parents were. Alas, his initial encounter with Kadaj was enough to keep him away. The entire near-death experience left him afraid to know the truth and suggested his mere existence was an abomination. In short: Jade did not belong. Thus, when he heard an unknown and very masculine voice order him to rot away and die along with the rest of the pathetic dolts, the young boy kept his distance from everything and everyone.

Granted, Jade had remained connected to his three brothers. Even with the harsh presence that mentally blocked him out from his siblings' thoughts, there was an invisible rope that tied them all together. It was only when their link was mysteriously severed three years ago that Jade intentionally attempted to reach out to Kadaj. As twisted and horrible as he and the others were, Jade was concerned for their safety. They were the only resemblance of a family he had known. However, when Jade mentally beckoned to Kadaj and the other two he heard only silence from their end. He realized then he was all alone; abandoned and left behind.

Softly sighing to himself, the young boy stood from his bed to get a closer look of the desolate town outside the Orphanage. This was his home now; his world. There wasn't much to see except for more trees and a few structures. Nibelheim was practically out in the middle of nowhere. From what Jade heard, there used to be several more homes, a mansion, and a water tower at the center of square. But that was before the chaos of Meteor five years ago. Today, there was only the Orphanage, which used to be an Inn. Next door was a mediocre grocery store in dire need of more supplies. There was no town community, only an abandoned home that had seen better days across the street. Jade stared at the one-story ruined structure directly ahead.

According to the children, a mass murderer with eyes that burned ice-blue had once lived there. Carrying a massive sword on his back, the twisted swordsman took the lives of many townspeople several years ago. Red, the popular child at the Orphanage, claimed he had a terrible taste for children's blood. Each day, the children at the Orphanage gathered and dared one another to stay at the abandoned, haunted home. So far, no one was brave enough to get past the entrance door. For himself, Jade was tempted to take up the challenge tonight. He'd been in the Orphanage for five years now and was one of the oldest children there, but still he remained isolated from everyone and everything. Rarely, the rest of the children talked or played with him. His strange jade-colored eyes and silvery hair terrified them all. Jade knew it had a lot to do with his three older brothers. Their actions at some distant, faraway city gave everyone alarm. Jade hoped to change all of that, though, and convince them all he was different and not the vicious demon they made him out to be.

Taking a soft exhale, the young boy returned to his bed and slumped there. Hopefully, his mission to go at the abandoned, haunted home tonight would earn him some points and finally break the ice with the rest of his roommates. With that in mind, Jade lay down on the bed and stared up at the cracked cement ceiling. He wished he had a book to read to pass the time, perhaps some tale of adventure. Or tragedy. Like Loveless. Wait… Loveless? What was that?

Moments later, the door to the children's sleeping quarters creaked opened. A thin and very old woman appeared, hunched-like. Her face twisted into a frown when she found Jade lying on the bed. "Jade, you awright? You need to get up. I know you got freaked out earlier but it was for your own good, boy. You really need to take a bath."

Jade said nothing and stared at the ceiling.

The old Headmistress drew closer. With each slow step she took the wooden floor groaned under her weight. "Are you listening to a word I said, boy?"

"Yes, ma'am," he politely answered back without looking at her, "My apologies for not acknowledging your concerns."

"Then will you be a good boy and finally take a bath?" When Jade did not reply, she added, "If it helps, I will fill a little of the tub with water and help you wash."

At this, Jade slowly turned his head to her. His beautiful, cat-like eyes observed the woman in all of her detail. He knew this old woman would not let it go. When her compromise sounded reasonable and suitable for his needs, though, he finally gave it some serious thought.

Quietly, he remarked, "Your persistence is admirable, ma'am. You may fill a little of the tub. As for your assistance, that will not be necessary. I will bathe myself, thank you."

The Headmistress chuckled to herself. "I swear, boy, the way you talk… I forget you're a child sometimes. However, I will remain with you for your bath, to make sure nothing is wrong."

Jade made a face but did not reply to her comment. While he was annoyed by a lack of privacy, he did appreciate her concerns and understood her noble intentions. She was well aware of his fear of water and wanted to be there for him. Jade slowly rose from his bed and tossed his legs to the side. He stood on his bare feet and followed the elder Headmistress to the small bathroom at the end of a dark and narrow corridor.

Briefly, the young boy glanced at the old natural landscape oil paintings that hung loosely across the discolored and torn wallpaper. The air was heavy with dust particles while, above, a chandelier light was broken beyond repair. It was hard to believe this place was once an Inn. Often times, Jade wondered about its glory days as well as the type of people who previously rested here before the Meteor crisis. He imagined it was mostly writers and artists that had visited Nibelheim. It was the perfect sleepy town for creative minds and those who sought solitude and peace.

Jade set his thoughts aside once the Headmistress opened a wooden door that creaked loudly. With broken tiled floor and a barely workable toilet, the terrible conditions of the bathroom pretty much reflected the rest of the Orphanage. There was no shower overhead, only an old porcelain tub with rusted pipes. Both windows were broken. Thus, to keep the air out they had nailed them shut with large wooden panels. With the lack of electricity, only a few lit lanterns provided light to an otherwise dark and dreary place.

"Wait a moment, boy, while I prepare the tub," the old woman told him in her raspy but very soft voice.

She bent over the tub to place the cork inside before filling it with water. Moaning softly, the Headmistress winced at the back pain she immediately developed. Jade noticed and took a few quick and efficient strides forward until he stood next to her and gently guided her away.

"Please, ma'am, do not strain yourself. I will do this. You will stand there and activate the water for me instead, yes?"

The Headmistress smiled. "Such a kind boy you are, Jade."

The boy said nothing. Within a second, he placed the cork. Then he took several steps back. Preparing himself now, Jade shut his eyes and covered his ears with both hands to block out the sight and sound of rushing water. The Headmistress understood how even turning on the water faucet was still difficult for him, so she turned it on lightly to let the tub fill slowly and avoid too much noise. After a few minutes, the old woman switched it off and turned to Jade.

"Well? Is this good enough for you, boy?"

Lowering his hands from his ears and opening his eyes, Jade took a long and deep breath. After one step forward, he rose higher with his toes to take a quick peek of the water level in the tub. There were only a few inches of water there. Sucking on his lower lip, Jade considered if it was acceptable or not. A part of him wished the Headmistress drained a little more. Still, the woman had gone through some trouble making sure she accommodated his fears. Eventually, Jade bobbed his head once and stripped off his dirty clothes. With the old woman's help, he slowly climbed onto the tub. Jade had to close his eyes again when he lowered himself. His trembling hands clutched onto the woman, as if she were the only thing that could save him from ultimate despair. The Headmistress murmured many reassuring words to him until he, at last, settled down and sat inside a tub with just enough water to reach his hips.

The Headmistress grabbed a wooden stool, a bar of soap, and tin can nearby. Sitting on her seat, she carefully scooped up the water in the tub with the can and poured it over the boy's porcelain white skin. Once he was thoroughly wet, she grabbed the sponge and applied enough soap to make it foam white. As the old woman began to gently scrubbed away the grime and dirt from his skin, she smiled in admiration at how flawless it appeared. Meanwhile, Jade bent his knees up and rested his chin on them with a solemn expression on his face. Tensed by the sight of water, he tightly wrapped his long legs with both arms. He heard the faucet drip with one bead of water at a time and felt his heart pound against his chest.

"Oh my, boy, you have beautiful skin," the Headmistress commented and tried to put his mind at ease, "Be sure to wash your face and privates after I'm done, okay? Do you think you can handle that, boy? I want you smelling clean and like new."

"Yes, ma'am," the boy barely whispered back.

"I managed to reserve a spoonful of shampoo just for your pretty silver hair today. Oh yeeees, you are definitely in for a treat." The old woman laughed wholeheartedly.

The mention of shampoo prompted a small smile on Jade's face. Shampoo was a rare commodity here and he admittedly liked having his hair clean. With supplies running extremely low, though, Jade wondered if they could afford to waste it on him.

"But what of the supply shortage, ma'am?" inquired Jade seriously, his large green eyes intense. He did not blink. "Are we not keeping a close eye on our inventory? Mr. Coppers is not slated to travel to the city again so soon, is he, ma'am? I would not dream of him to venture out there in his poor heart condition right now."

At this, the old woman smiled and scrubbed his skin some more. "Oh, Jade, no need to worry over this. We will be fine."

Jade frowned; unconvinced. Slowly, he said, "Ma'am, I believe it is imperative you train us on certain life fundamentals, including on the use of proper transportation. We would be able to commute to the city and obtain essential supplies for our establishment. That would lighten your burden and prepare us for the world, yes?"

The Headmistress shook her head. "Now, don't get any wild ideas, boy. You will be staying away from those dreadful cities; they're too dangerous. There are many horrible people there who want to take advantage of boys your age, especially as beautiful as you are."

"Take advantage?" the boy asked curiously and raised his head from his knees, unsure of what she meant.

"Never mind."

Jade rested his chin again. He heard about the great cities beyond their quiet and isolated town. His crazed brothers had gone to them. From the brief visions he saw, they were vast and crowded places; filled with people and energy. Admittedly, Jade was both intrigued and frightened of them. They harbored shops and plenty of items. Each time Mr. Coppers returned from a trip there he brought with him new and wonderful items.

"Surely, ma'am, we would all benefit greatly if you acquainted us with the vehicle and city," Jade pressed again. "Mr. Coppers could rest and we would be able to obtain supplies faster upon your request."

"The city is a gloomy and dreadful place…" the old woman muttered back bitterly and scrubbed his skin a bit roughly. "The vast lands to the city are paved with gangs who will steal gas and other tradable items. I don't want to expose you to such horrors. Trust me, Jaden, everything will be all right. You have all that you need here in Nibelheim. Don't worry yourself with these kinds of things. At your age, boy, you should go out and play. Enjoy being a child. You only get one childhood."

Jade stared up at her for a moment. Then he bowed his head. Jade tried to mask the worried look on his face. Both Mr. and Mrs. Copper were pushing into their early seventies now. From his strange jade-colored eyes, he saw how faint their life's auras were. They had maybe ten years left. It was a depressing realization for Jade; one that kept him up at night. The loving and elderly couple had eagerly taken him in and nurtured him as a loving Mother and Father. The pair used their wits and strength to protect them all from starvation and the harmful monstrosities that plagued the lands. Unfortunately, with the exception of the grocery shop owner, who intended to move to the city soon, there was no one left in Nibelheim. No one would care for their little orphanage after their passing. While the rest of the children were oblivious to this great threat or simply didn't care, Jade wanted to do something about it while he had the chance.

The young boy sighed. He knew the overprotective elderly woman meant well. If he were any other boy, he would've returned to his naïve little world and pretend nothing was wrong. But this type of ignorance didn't help the future situation much.

"Where is Mr. Coppers, ma'am?" Jade politely asked. "I did not see him earlier."

"He went out to fetch dumbapples in the open field."

"Alone?" Jaden quickly asked. Immediately, he was worried for the old man's frail condition as well as any potential threats that hid within the trees. "What of the wolves out there, ma'am?"

"Oh, he'll be okay," the Headmistress reassured him. Her wrinkled face lit up when she added, "By the way, boy, he's getting the dumbapples because I plan to make some hot dumbapple pie tonight. Yum! Aren't you excited, Jade?"

"Hot dumbapple pie…" Jade slowly repeated.

Bath. Shampoo. And now hot dumbapple pie. Some major event was definitely afoot here. The Headmistress never hounded on him to take a bath like today. Nor did she bother with dessert due to limited ingredients and supplies. Surely, none of these gestures and actions was a coincidence. There had to be a valuable reason for all of this.

Curious, Jade asked, "Are we celebrating a special occasion, ma'am?"

The Headmistress started to rinse off the soap from his skin. "Nothing escapes you boy, does it? But you're right, today is a pretty special day. We are actually expecting company sometime today."

Jade blinked. "Company? Here?"

In all the years he had been here, no one ever visited their isolated town. The thick, overgrown trees practically made Nibelheim invisible to the outsider. Cold temperatures and wild wolves also kept the random passerby away. This definitely was a surprise.

"The grocery shop owner gave us a good contact number to get ahold of our supplies from the city," the Headmistress explained to Jade and began to apply shampoo on his hair. "It's great since it saves us a trip every month. We acquired this man's services just last week."

"Services?"

"Strife's Delivery Service," she elaborated.

Jade paused. Strife. For whatever reason that name struck a nerve with him. Yet, he didn't know why. The sensation eventually became a passing moment of déjà vu when the old woman massaged his scalp with the shampoo. Jade softly hummed and closed his eyes. The feel and smell of clean hair was always a pleasant sensation.

"Is this delivery man scheduled to arrive tonight?" Jade inquired shortly.

"Yes, boy. That is why I'm not too worried over our current shortage problem and why you children must be in your best behavior. Understand?"

"Yes, ma'am." He opened his eyes and looked up at her. "So I am to understand this man makes his living delivering packages and other essential items from one place to another?"

The Headmistress nodded and arched his head back. Carefully, she poured drops of water over his silver hair. She later smiled. "It's a smart idea, right, boy? In times like this, it's the perfect service to provide. Unfortunately, I'm not sure how much the delivery man will charge us. There's not only the gas to consider, but the rate of hazard. There are some places in this world still dangerous, including Nibelheim."

"Because of the mako monsters…" Jade commented softly and thought of the strange place at the peak of Mt Nibel. That area was overrun with all sorts of creatures.

"Yes, those creatures are still out and about," the elder woman replied with a sigh, "That is why I never want you or the others to go beyond this home or stay out too late."

"This delivery man must be efficient and well-versed in combat to brave all questionable variables and dangers," Jade noted offhand and actually smiled. "He sounds rather interesting."

The Headmistress stared at him; baffled. "Well, I'm really happy you're pleased with this news. That certainly got you off your funk, boy. Perhaps you can make this man feel right at home here with that darling smile of yours. Again, I don't know what he'll charge for his service so I'm hoping we can win him over with a nice dinner."

"Very well, ma'am, I will assist you with the dinner preparations tonight as well," Jade offered with a firm nod.

"You can cut the potatoes for me, boy. You're actually really good at slicing."

Jade grinned brightly.