CHAPTER TWO: Flowers

The attack on the Sector One Reactor was unprecedented. The explosion tore up through the structure blowing out level after level until it reached the dizzying heights of the top of the reactor where its roof was torn off, the metal being flung high into the air. The flames continued to spur from the roof for many hours like the steam from a boiled kettle. The ambition and scale of this attack had never been seen before; the little known group had exploded onto the scene. Thousands were killed; the worst of the damage was felt in the Slums where the close proximity of the many shanty homes was an easy target for the fire which spread from house to house, devastating Sector 1. Upper Midgar fared better but the damage was still widespread. By far the worst effects of the explosion were felt in the military area of the Sector. It would be no lie to say that the Shinra security forces were elite, by the time of the explosion hundreds of troops were amassed around the reactor. Not since the great wars was such a loss of life visited upon humanity, but this was a first for the people of Midgar.

It was so dark and screams of despair filled the air. Cloud coughed, no chocked, his airways desperately trying to clear away the dust which filled them. He opened his eyes, gingerly at first; the glow of his eyes became visible. He lay within the safety of a Sector Eight sewage tunnel. The tunnel itself remained intact but each of the exits were blocked when the explosion devastated the building above showering the floor with rubble. The detonation caused what could be described as an earthquake throughout the plate and Cloud had fell to the floor, the collision with the tunnel knocking him unconscious. Now he awakened to the dust filled world. The whole crew were up and pacing around the tunnel. Wedge who they had found in Sector 8 was busy setting an explosive charge at the mouth of the tunnel. Cloud stood up, the wound at his side causing him considerable pain, his shirt sticky with blood.

"OK boss" Wedge turned and nodded to Barret. "It is all ready to blow on your word"

"Good work" The man stood up and addressed the group. Worry seemed to have fallen off the fighter Cloud noted, gone was the scowl to be replaced by a slight smile revealing white teeth through the ashen gloom. "We've been lucky so far people, and the mission was a success, seeing as we're trapped in the rubble of our work, but it aint over yet yea" The small space filled with the small sound of rough laughter. "We have a train to catch in fifteen minutes, we won't be waiting around. From here we'll separate and meet at the station yea" Everyone nodded. "Take care people"

War had come to the streets of Midgar, that human state from which no place has ever been safe. It could not have been famine, pestilence or disease, Midgar provided, Midgar cared, but war was different. The cries of that night filled Clouds head as he walked through this nightmarish world. Tall flames could be seen in the distance but more immediate was the twisted architecture of the fallen masonry which littered the streets. More than once Cloud would glimpse the smallest sign of a body, all but hidden under the ruins. He walked on by, this was war and he was just a pawn in its unending game. He had learnt long ago that the game was only ever as glorious as the dead and maimed lying in the ruins of their lives, the ruins upon which victories were always built and where right and wrong often meant nothing. This was no different; the flames awoke distant memories of a distant time in the mercenary and the screams became more profound, like calls from the past begging for a second chance at their lives. If this wasn't the work of AVALANCHE then it would be the work of the Shinra at some point in the future. Maybe once upon a time he had felt different, but that was a long time ago and he had moved on.

The woman was knocked off her feet, the collision taking her completely by surprise. The man who had run into her was spun around by the force with which his feet had carried him. The young lady caught a glimpse of the man's face as he turned around to carry on his journey. She could be angry that the gentleman had not apologised, the empty eyes and slack jaw however painted a whole picture, at least for the flower lady anyway. He had been with friends when the attack had happened; his family had not and were at home. Pity filled the girl as she stood up and wiped the grime from her pink dress, it was her mother's favourite and probably hers as well if she dwelt on it. Looking around she surveyed the rubble of the town centre, the square was devastated, and even the fountain was damaged which she was most upset about. The sound of the water falling on water, to her more beautiful than a full orchestra or any other sound of man had never yet failed to cheer her up. Presently she noticed a man walking towards her, the huge sword on his back silhouetted against flames. He was looking ahead but his gaze was vacant. She sighed.

"Hello, excuse me"

He looked around sharply and saw a young lady, silently berating himself for not being more aware. She was stunning, her face and body would have attracted any man. Yet this wasn't what caught his attention, by her side was a basket of flowers. How unusual.

"Do you know what has happened?" The flower ladies voice was soft and calm; it was another thing that struck the mercenary.

The women openly stared into Clouds eyes, her huge blue eyes staring into the shaded calculating depths of his. "I really don't know" He held her gaze for a second and looked down. "Hey, you don't see many flowers here"

She smiled; her eyes still on his. "Oh these, I totally forgot. I'm selling them for a Gil each, would you like one?"

He brought one, and slid the crisp stem under one of his bangles. "Oh thank you" She smiled that lovely smile again. "Now I really must go". The thought passed through Cloud that he must as well.

Moving on through the ruined Sector he passed a trio of men who stood outside of a large warehouse staring up at its walls. Rudely daubed across the wall in red pain were the words DON'T BE FOOLED BY SHINRA. MAKO ENERGY DOESN'T LAST FOREVER! MAKO IS THE PLANETS LIFE SOURCE! THE END IS IN SIGHT! PROTECTORS OF THE PLANET: AVALANCHE!

Cloud looked down and carried on walking, the station nothing more than one hundred meters away to the left.

"YOU WITH THE BLONDE HAIR. STOP AND TURN AROUND!" Cloud swivelled around to see four Shinra soldiers, their rifles trained on him while they advanced. One of the men was frantically speaking into a radio. Cloud faced them and began taking large backward strides, his right hand gripping the hilt of the Buster Sword while he outstretched his left, the palm facing his foes. He couldn't afford to get drawn into a fight. Cloud walked to the end of the road which ended in a T junction. Taking the street left would get him to the station but just as he was considering this he caught sight of troops running in from both the left and the right in his periphery. Damn. With a flash he drew the sword, its imposing sight widening the eyes of the troops slightly.

"Do not think about resisting, we do not want to kill you"

Suddenly Cloud heard the sound of a train directly behind. Turning his head slightly he noticed that his back was against a waist high wall which protected people from falling on the train tracks 15 meters below where it entered into a tunnel. The realisation quickly dawned on him that he had missed his train and it was about to pass beneath him. The soldiers were too shocked to react, with a magnificent backward flip Cloud cleared the wall and fell roughly onto the roof of the train carriage, just managing to duck low enough to clear the lip of the tunnel.