A/N: Just so you know, I uploaded thirty-eight chapters today including the prologue, and as to Kadaj's abilities mentioned in my story, they all come from a research I've made on the net with regards to said Remnant's abilities. I can't believe he's so capable.

Chapter 1: Trouble

Deliria's POV

I sigh as I make my way to the old Shin-Ra building. I can't help but wince at the destroyed and dilapidated façades of each building. These buildings used to be my home. I spent the last two years of my life here. Sighing, I walk to the broken threshold and step through the shards of glass sticking out of the once doorway.

I pass the ID Scanner that was once attached to the walls, and a couple of the ground floor labs that were barricaded with security codes. Only authorized personnel—the scientists—were permitted entry, and uniformed guards once had the areas in tight security. Well, all of that's in the past now. Today, all that's left are dented metal and wires sticking out of walls where emergency lights and alarms were once attached. I pass by the LV. 10 Training Room with its broken glass doors. There was nothing here but rotting memories.

Metal walls were dented and charred, and rats roamed the deepest crevices. Few active electric wires sparked here and there, but I know they're useless. I keep walking, focused on my destination on purpose. I'm heading towards Rufus Shin-Ra's old office. I know none of the papers and old documents might have survived the whole explosion and fire, but we were trained to use any form of remnant as a clue.

My sneakers make silent squeaking noises as I silently shuffle my way through burnt metal, splinters of glass, and bits of blackened paper. The reason I come here, is because I know information has survived. Shin-Ra once made fire-proof, and water-proof hardware that could withstand enormous grounds of heat and freezing conditions. One of their greatest, and weakest assets yet. I smile to myself and stop abruptly as my feet kick something hard and dimensional.

The room's too dark so I fumble in my backpack for a flashlight. Found it. I blink at the strobe of light that shines on the wall. Regaining my bearings, I shine it on the floor and catch a good omen. Bingo!

It was one of Shin-Ra's hardware storage devices. Biting my lip and examining it, I can see the metal connector is rusted, but the rest is fine. I shrugged. It wouldn't be too bad to give it a try. A piece of evidence was better than a surreal amount of surviving papers that were filled with rejected gibberish. I clutch the hardware device once and stuff it in my backpack. I switch the light off to preserve a bit of power. It's a waste, since I can see perfectly well.

Silently and fearlessly, I make my way to the back of Shin-Ra's one of many buildings, and come by the forgotten storage. This part of the floor levels were always barred and locked down, but now, all that was left were shelves and rows upon rows of Pyrex made materials that survived the impact. There were bits of dried up specimens on covered beakers. Test tubes had cracks all over them.

I know I can't possibly waste my time here, and so, I straighten my brown leather jacket, and quietly tighten the braid of brown hair I had. Next to the storage room was Shin-Ra's office. I walk the empty space of burnt metal, and come upon a problem. Miraculously, this hi-tech door seemed to have withstood the challenges of fire and nuclear explosions. Shin-Ra must be so desperate to keep whatever's hidden inside. I sigh, and my eyes train their line of vision towards the waiting security-coded keypad. I wonder if it's still working.

Reaching out with numb fingers, I dial the once used code in my training room. The wires sparked and a single blue line ran along its mini screen indicating that the code was wrong. Normally—and if the place was in good condition—a robotic female voice would've rung out in a hidden speaker, but this place was abandoned for two years. It's a good omen, and it's a miracle that such an electronic device had even survived.

I sigh and start racking my brain for answers, and occasionally curse under my breath for every wrong code. I think back to early advices and training mantras: "In a situation where you can't seem to decode a locked door, open your mind and see things—a way to move in. Use whatever thing you have. Gadgets we provide aren't always useful."

Well, what do I have? I dig in my pack and find a flashlight, a pen and a piece of paper, a skull cap, a 45 caliber gun with two bullets—I'm not expecting trouble, but just in case, and the hard drive I got a hold of earlier. Well, it's pretty much useless. So what now Deliria?

I can't give up. There's so much at stake for me. I can't possibly let all my other fellow initiates die without justice—without their deaths being exposed in the open. What am I thinking? It's just a locked door with the info behind it.I know without a doubt that there has to be way in. In every locked threshold is a secret entrance. Frustrated, I kick the metal wall near the electricity operated door, and it budged with the tiniest clank.

A grin makes its way through my lips as I give it another powerful kick, and this time, it was enough to let most of the weak metal sink in. I give another powerful kick, but it won't budge. Stuck. Damn. Without thinking, I reach for my gun in my pack. I have only one shot at this. I winced as a bullet made a loud sound once connected with the charred metal. A hole made by my bullet had formed. Somehow, something tells me an idea. I clench both of my index fingers through the hole and wrench it slightly apart. The jagged edges dig into the pads of my fingers, drawing crimson blood. I widened it until two, three, four, and then all of my fingers could come through, and finally my entire hand. I give another tug that tears the flesh from my bloody palms but I don't give up. I'd deal with the cuts later, but now, my own private mission was important. Stamping my foot against the now-sabotaged wall for support, I take my hands out and stick my thick leather boots through, widening the hole. Still, it isn't big enough for me to fit in. Cocking my head to the side, I think.

I need a chunk of anything stable, but narrow and wide enough to wrench this damage apart. I scan the area and come across another jagged chunk of metal. Somehow, this mission won't let me have a carefree, easy, task. It wants me to use my training and work my head for my answers. I take a firm grasp and wince as my cuts widen and began to bleed even more. Biting my lip with pressure, I swing and hit. The hole gets larger. A couple more, and I'm home free.

With patience, and determination, I finally made a hole huge enough for me to fit through. I step inside and take in my new surroundings, forgetting about my bleeding cuts that had the risk of infection written all over it. The office was like I remember it. A desk where Shin-Ra used to sit was now shred to splinters. Bits of wood were everywhere. I remember being told that after the explosion, none of Shin-Ra's rooms had survived. Somehow, this part of the building had. I guess it's a lie.

Closing the distance, I'm careful to leave any traces of myself in the area. Who knows when other Turks would be sent to investigate? I don't touch anything and was careful not to smear blood on the walls with mildew. Reaching in my pocket, I don my leather gloves and ignore the blood smearing on the inside making me feel like my hands were underwater—only they were coated in my own liquid. I sigh as I open a first drawer.

Folders and scattered documents. Normally they would've been arranged. Maybe someone's been here. Someone's found a way in and rummaged through the papers.Taking the scraps out, I come across a folder with the words COPIES in uppercase letters on the front. Frowning, I slam it on the desk and begin thumbing through several of the papers. Names and dates are everywhere, and at the very bottom of the pile are copies of SOLDIER's data. Related to resumes but much more complex than the usual. Dates and DNA counts are everywhere. Records of their latest missions are marked with dates and weeks. Numbers made me dizzy. There are pictures pasted on the upper right. There are a couple of notes scrawled in chicken-scratch at the bottom of the page. Words like 'genetic copies produced', and 'successful clones' but none makes sense.

But what reallycaught my attention was a page to Cloud Strife. I know Cloud's a part of SOLDIER, but seeing him from two years ago makes me feel weird.

Shaking my head, I know I need other information too. I did much research on SOLDIER and most of the notes scrawled aren't alien to me. I stuff it in my bag, and begin my search for more.

I found a shelf with its bottom wood bases destroyed, but the upper half was perfectly intact. Standing on tiptoes, I reach for the first thick folder my fingers grapple. This one was much thicker than the one I had in my bag. But unlike before, I stuff it into my backpack. I have plenty of time to read those later. For now, I need all the files I could get. I open another drawer with rows upon rows of folder-thick papers. A slight frown creases my forehead as I search for clues. I want to bring everything, but know I might have to come back if I want to clear this area, but who knows what intruder would come in here.

Randomly, I pull out a file with data all over it. There were words like '50% of DNA completed', 'BloodType: Unknown'. They all swim before my eyes. Nothing makes sense. I know I have to come back for each and every single one if I want clean info. I close it for now, and make my way for another drawer. This time, there were compact discs, USBs, micro chips the sizes of fingernails, and some chips that could be installed in a computers Center Processing Unit. I scoop them all and stuff them in a paper bag and place them inside. I had enough.

I prepared to leave when an explosion to my right froze me in seconds. I was caught…

Kadaj's POV

The building looms above me like a high rise tower, which knowing how it was built, it probably was. My bad. I dismount my motorbike and made my way inside. Scenes of charred metal and the smell of abandoned material greeted my nostrils. Typical of Shin-Ra to leave such a mess. I smirk at the chunks of metal and splinters of glass that littered the floor.

No matter. I came to this place for an easy purpose. I need as much info as needed, and nothing can come in the way of finding Mother. I sigh and shuffle my way in through gibberish. I come to the place and smirk at the oh so subtle damage on Shin-Ra's wall. Wondering how I intruded that area in the first place? Easy. I disintegrated to black mist to get through the tiniest space. Big deal on mortal's part. But seeing as someone's done the job I was so lazy to handle myself, well, this someone's in for a morbid surprise.

Without my knowledge, a wicked grin spreads across my face and I step through. I send a signal to make my presence known, and it startles her. All the more reason for me to have my fill of fun.

Deliria's POV

I gasp and whirl around to face my attacker, but before I could, a cold blade presses to the back of my neck. Breathing slow, hot, and heavy, he spoke with a dangerous purr that sends tremors up my spine.

"What do you think you're doing here?" My bottom lip trembles at the sound of his voice.

"It's none of your business!" I spat but find out all too soon that it's a crucial mistake.

"Wrong answer!"

He snaps, and I can feel his grip tightening around the back of my neck, and ready to crush the air out of me. His sword was drawn, and my weapon—the gun—was safely tucked in my backpack. I wish I could get my hands on them. My fingers freeze against the papers I'm holding. I inhale slowly, but it only causes his grip tighten, the blade of his sword pressing harder into my skin, drawing a bit of blood. Oh great. More injuries to my wounded palms. I sigh in frustration.

"I asked what you are doing here. Speak up and answer, girl!" He snapped at me again.

My heart pounds like a caged gorilla in my chest. My sweat was cold and I could sense the perfect determination to kill, and the thirst for blood shed that lingered in the filthy air.

"Who the hell are you?" I tried again. Even though I know I'm grasping courage from my stubbornness.

"If you value your life, you wouldn't speak like this and bend to my will instead. What are you doing in Shin-Ra's abandoned lab?" He speaks like a leader and is used to authority.

"I could be asking you the same thing." I finger the stack of papers I'm holding. Somehow, I could feel his eyes linger from me to the package I had.

"Drop it!" He orders, and I obey. "You're coming with me. Your scuttling in here tells me you know something about Mother and where they're keeping her."

I don't know what he's talking about or what Mother he's speaking of. All I know, is I'm in big trouble, and I can never complete my investigation if this happens. He's abducting me, and I can't fight back now, but I might be able to later on. All I need is distraction, and I'm free, but I know it's not easy. Escape plans are risky and spell DANGER but I have to.

"You're coming with me!" he whispers in my ear, his lips brushed the top of my ear.

And I don't know how but a swift mist of black whirls around me. I see nothing behind me, only air, but I could feel the blade against my neck. The black mist stirs me to the gaping hole I materialized from. When I couldn't see him, he felt solid, human, and compact, but now... nothing but air is gripping me. It somehow feels crazy like I was speaking to the air, but I see nothing. Just a jarring force that was pushing me forward, and dragging me quicker than possible. The black mist swirls around me and ahead of me. It didn't take human form or any other shape; just black murky mist, and a strong grip that gave me bruises, and the feel of the blade on my tender neck.

He drags me all the way to a black beasty motorbike. I gape in confusion and try to get my bearings. I swallow, hard. The mist's grip on me tightened to the point where I can't even escape.

"So what now?!" I try, and yell, but I know it's useless. Whoever, and whatever my abductor is, he's bad news.

"Now," a bone-chilling voice spoke in my ear, "...you're in for a pleasant surprise."

Color swirls before my very eyes, like a thousand blurred Christmas lights zoomed in from the wrong angle. The buildings felt like they were underwater, and a heavy pungent smell surrounds me. The colors faded to black spots as I cough and gasp for much needed oxygen. Manic laughter came from right above me, and then everything had gone...