A small girl was kneeling in the freshly turned dirt, her hands busying themselves with the task of taking care of the flowers. They were beautiful flowers, their majestic colors arranged in patterns to make looking at the small garden that much more enjoyable.

She hummed a tune she had learned from her mother. As she knelt she suddenly felt the presence of being watched. Looking up quickly she spotted a boy with black hair. He looked to be slightly older than she was, but he also appeared shaky and weak.

She stood up abruptly, titled her head to the side and asked, "Are you hurt?"

The boy grinned slightly, but it wasn't really a grin, more an upturning of one corner of his mouth. And that was all, he suddenly fainted, falling away from the post that had been supporting him.

The girl rushed over to the boy's side, turning him onto his back. She checked his breath, whiched seemed slightly eratic, but she sighed as she realized he was still alive.

She propped him up with one arm, and rested his head upon her knee. And for the first time she was able to study his face. It was soft and carrying, but it seemed to lack the wholesome look of a well fed boy.

She set him down gently and ran into the nearby house.

"MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!" She yelled as she burst through the door.

"AERIS?!?! AERIS, WHAT'S WRONG?!?!" Aeris' mother came rushing down the stairs, taking them three at a time.

"Mommy!! There'sthisboyoutsideandIwasjustplantingsomenewflowerswhensuddenlyIsawhimandhelookedback atmeandthenhesuddenlyfelltothegroundandIrushedovertohimandhewasstillbreathingbutIdon't knowwhattodoknowmommy!Pleasecomehelp!!" Her words were rushed and mingled together, almost undistinguishable.

But Elmyra simple took Aeris's hand and she seemed to get the picture, for as soon as the grasp between the two hands was firm, she practically dragged her out into the garden.

Elmyra knelt down by the boy, immediatly noticing his lack of weight.

She felt his forhead, checked his pulse, and then picked him up from the ground and carried him inside.

Laying the boy down on the couch she turned back to Aeris. "You really scared me that time Aeris."

"I'm sorry mommy, I just didn't know what to do, and I didn't want him to die."

"He's not going to die. He'll be alright if we simply let him rest and give him some food and water."

"I'll feed him! I'll feed him!" She jumped up and down, squealing with joy. Elmyra simply grinned back at the small girl.

"Alrighty dear, you do that. When he wakes up though don't be too rough with him."

But Aeris was already racing towards the kitchen to began ravaging for the supplies she would be needing.

Elmyra grinned again and then decided to resume her nap upstairs.

Aeris brought back a tall glass of water and an assorted plate of a few different foods. She knelt down by the boy and waited. She had learned patience very well with the help of Elmyra, but still her anxious personality seemed to demand that the boy wake up immediatly.

But rather than violently shake the boy she simple waited.

---

After sometime the boy finally stirred, his eyes fluttering open. "Wh-Where am I? What happened?" His eyes focused on the girl knelt next to him. Her eyes were closed and her head was bent down.

Then he saw the food. His stomach growled and his brain suddenly remember how hungry he was. He quickly devoured the contents of the plate, and downed the glass of water in record times.

After his appitite was slightly quenched he looked back to the girl. "Hello?"

Suddenly she blinked her eyes open and her head shot up.

"You're awake!" She cried.

"Yep...I guess so..."

She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly.

"I...uh...Thank you."

"For what?" She said as she released him.

"For the food, and shelter."

"Oh." She grinned with glea. "Of course!" She looked down at the empty plate, and back up at the boy. "You still hungry."

He nodded sheepishly, not really wanting to impose, but his stomach wouldn't have it any other way.

Her grin grew as she lept up and raced back into the kitchen, clamouring about, trying to fix up the boy a feast. Then, she carefully balanced the food and brought it back in.

She set it down on the ground and watched as he devoured the food once again. The grin never left her face.

"So, what's your name?" She asked as he finished off his meal.

"Zack." He said through a mouth full of food.

"I'm Aeris." Her face brightened as she heard his name. "I once named my boy dolly Zack. He went out with my other Dolly."

Zack's eye brows raised slightly, and then a grin brook out over his face as well. He couldn't seem to feel down around this newly made aquaintence.

"Got thirds by chance?"

She grinned and shot up once more.

---

A large blade sliced the air with amazing speed. The flash of silver, the crack of the air replacing itself as quickly as possible.

Silver hair flowed as the quick movement and slightly disturbed it.

"You're improving." Hojo's voice came from a darkened corner of the room.

"No thanks to you."

"But you owe all your thanks to me."

"You can take my thanks and shove it up your-"

Gast suddenly entered through the single door. Sephiroth's mouth shut quickly, and Hojo simple glared at the Masamune weilding man.

"Well, at least our age therapy hasn't had any ill effects." Gast said as he surveyed Sephiroth.

"Hmph."

"Besides his attitude." Hojo remarked.

Sephiroth simply snorted.

"Hojo-" Gast trailed off after saying his name, not really sure of what to do.

"Yes master?"

"Come with me."

"Yes master."

The door closed as the two men left, Sephiroth left alone once again. He began to slash faster now, his movements more flowing and rapid. His training had escalated since Zack had escaped. And they had aged him a few years so that he could weild the Masamune and match up with any adult.

"Hojo, we're working on memory alteration right now. Soon we'll be able to erase Zack from his memories, we'll be able to erase his child hood and replace it with an entirly different one. The possibilities are limitless."

Hojo looked somewhat stunned. "Already? I though this memory project wouldn't be done for some years."

"Well, a break-through was made, and they've finished quite ahead of schedule."

"I see..." Hojo scratched the small beard he had recently grew. He hadn't had time to shave in two weeks now. Constintly watching over Sephiroth and guiding him through the training, creating the perfect SOLDIER.

"The Jenova cells are awakening." Hojo said, suddenly changing the subject.

Gast stepped back, reeling for a second. "But they weren't supposed to awaken until WE awakened them."

"I know, but somehow they're already starting to dominate Sephiroth's body. His strength, speed, reflexes, all are increasing at exponentials rates. Soon it will be impossible to contain him."

"Not if we implant memories of a quite, and obeying child. In escense we can change who he is."

Hojo nodded. "Perhaps you better prepare the procedure."

"Alright, I will get right to it."

---

Elmyra watched as Zack and Aeris took a walk through the garden they had planted together. They had become such good friends in the few weeks they had been together, growing closer all the time.

She sighed as the little girl had already seemed to have fallen in love. "Amazing," She whispered silently to herself.

The two were holding hands, walking down a pre made path, talking of useless oddities.

---

"He's finished."

"Who?"

"The clone."

"I see..." Gast turned to Hojo, his hair greying around the edges. "Send him in then."

A small boy with blonde hair walked through the door, his eyes had already taken on the color of the Mako, they're glowing blue-green taking a back seat only to his spiky blonde hair.

"What the hell?!" Gast yelled as the boy walked through.

"Complications arose and we had to use some of Zack's DNA."

"I wanted a direct clone of Sephiroth. A spitting image, an exact copy."

"This is just as good Gast, he's just as strong as Sephiroth, just as smart, quick, everything. He just looks more like Zack."

Gast looked into the boy's Mako infused eyes. "Humph."

The boy looked back, unflinching.

"Well then, began implanting memories of a life for him. Make it a life of pain and suffering, the more the better the fighter he will become."

"Right." Hojo replied as he took the boy's hand and led him away.

Hojo stared at the ceiling, wondering how Sephiroth's training was going and what had happened to Zack.

---

Sephiroth stood in the center of the metallic room, his sword in hand, his silver hair cut short. A pile of the silver strands lay in the corner, as well as some of his food remains.

His eyes were cold and empty as he tried to pierce through the wall with them.

But in the end he knew it was useless, the wall wouldn't even scratch when he slashed at it. His muscles were much larger now, for they had become visible through his loose fitting shirt.

"HOJO!!!" He suddenly screamed, slicing the air with his sword. Being locked in the room for 4 days now had nearly driven him crazy. His mako and food were provided, but he couldn't figure out how. "No matter..." He whispered. "When he comes back, I will kill him..."

---

Zack looked at his feet, his knees hunched up against his chest, his arms wrapped around his legs. Aeris was asleep and now was his time to think. He tried to forget the memories. The battle he had fought, the dead bodies. Sephiroth killing more living people. Ending their lives. Forever.

He tried to curle himself more in a ball as the memories flooded back. Luckily he seemed to be away from the war, at least for now, here in the slums of Midgar.

A tear rolled down his cheek as he slipped into a light sleep.

---

Cloud rolled restlessly in his bed, his mind unsettled and his thoughts violently racking his soul to the core.

He shuddered as images of corpses filled his mind's eye. Violent killings ringed in his ears. "SHUT UP!!" He yelled. "GO AWAY!!!" His scream was high pitched and desperate. "LEAVE ME ALONE!!!" No one heard however, his hopeless cries fell on deaf ears.

Sobs threw his body into spasms, and the small cot he slept on creaked and shook with him. His "room" resembled the cell that Sephiroth was held in. It's greyish tones only setting the mood for the environment.

Hojo monitored the boy through a small screen in the room next door. No emotion showed on his face, not a flicker of sympathy, or a flash of empathy.

He got up slowly, seeing Sephiroth's monitor suddenly turn to snow.

"Gast. Problem. Sephiroth."

As Gast heard Hojo utter the three simple words, he wasn't surprised. Not at all. He knew Sephiroth would be escaping soon, it had always been a matter of time. And that time was now.

"Stop him." Gast, muttered, his eyes still closed.

The door was kicked in as Gast said the words, the two scientists jumped.

"That won't be nessicary." An icy voice chilled the spines of the two, freezing them in place, neither able to run.

"You've created a monster, now its time to face it." A quick slash sent one of the two sprawling in two.

Blood sprayed as the dismembered Gast flew in opposite directions.

"Amazing. He bleeds blood. I thought for sure his unhuman ways proved differently."

Hojo simply starred in astonishment at the silver haired man.

"Afraid of your own creation Hojo? Pity the pupil who does not surpass the master." With the the great Masamune flew not to the throat of the other man, but back to its sheath. A soft metallic sound was made as the great sword was put away.

Hojo simply shook, slowly backing into the corner. Sephiroth chuckled, obviously amused by Hojo's action's.

"I'll be watching you. Like you did me. Make one wrong move, and you will die."

With that Sephiroth left the room as quickly as he had came.

---

Zack huddled in the corner once again. Only this time Aeris was watching, and a worried look appeared on her face.

"Zack please, you have to tell me what's wrong!"

Zack shuddered and rocked back and forth.

Aeris looked into his eyes pleadingly, their relationship had grown over the past couple weeks, but now something was wronge. Terribly wrong.

"He's free..." Zack's voice suddenly broke the silence, its harshness suprising Aeris.

"What? Who?"

Zack shook his head.

"Zack! What's wrong? Why can't you tell me?"

"Sephiroth!"

"Who?"

His breath was quick and erratic. "One of the ones I was running from. One of them!"

Aeris's face continued to wear a look of confusion.

"Aeris, I have to go! I can't endanger you!" With he sprang to his feet and sprinted off. At first, Aeris tried to follow, but soon gave up after she lost sight of Zack.

With an exhasperated look she stomped back to her house and up to her room.


---

Cloud looked at the open door. All he could see was red. Crimson. Blood.

He knew it was blood because he had seen his own before. When they had beat him. To "toughen him up" they had said. He began to walk through it, his feet slipping and sliding, the red liquid seemed unhappy to be distrubbed.

He trudged through the hallways that he had long since memorized until he found the door marked exit.

He pushed through, the sun light suddenly blinding him. He cried out in pain as his eyes witnessed the power of the sun for the first time.

Slowly he was able to open them a crack, letting a small amount of the blinding light through. Eventually he could make out shapes. Buildings. Lots of them.

Having been raised in captivity his whole life, which had actually only spanned that of a couple weeks, although he resembled something more of an 8 year old, had not been the best of experiences.

He shut the door slowly behind him, witnessing the bustle of everyday life for the first time. His astonishment didn't soon wear off, for he continued to find new things. Water for intstance. He had never seen puddles of it sloshing on the ground. Only in small glass containers.

He took a sip of the water, as he had seen many of the adults in the lab do. And quite suddenly an older woman slapped him upside the head.

"What're ya doin child?! Drinkin off the street like ye're some kinda homeless child are ya?!" She had a strange bright face, with bright orangish hair to match. "Well then, a shy one are ya? Speak up if ya have any parents to call ye're own!"

"I have none." Cloud replied meekly.

"OH!? My my child, follow me and we'll get some meat on those bones o yers." She grasped his hand in a frim grip, not painful, but firm, and practically dragged him along the streets of the city until they reached a large elevator.

"This be the way down to mah house, ye're welcome there if ya want."

"I guess so..."

she took him by the hand and led him into it, and quite suddely it jerked and began its descent.

Cloud looked around, absorbing everything he could as they descended further and further.

"Where are we going?"

"The slums o course!"

"Slums?"

"Ya know, the not so rich part o Midgar."

Cloud simply blinked a couple times and scratched the back of his head.

Then the elevator jerked to a stop, nearly making Cloud loose his balance.

"Here we are now." She grasped his hand once more and led him down a series of paths until they reached a home near a small church.

She led him inside and showed him around. Where he was sleeping, where he could find food, etc. Then she left, told him to stay put and that she'd be back soon.

Immediatly Cloud left, wandering the streets of these slums. Observing everything.

He saw a small girl, crying in a corner. He wondered what he should do. But rather than stopping he kept walking, trying to forget the beautiful brown hair. But something else had caught his eye. A small white globe tied into her hair.

He pondered the thought of what it could have been as he continued to walk the streets aimlessly. Then he found the elevator once more, desciding to ascend back to the top of the city.

"I need out..." He said quietly to himself as he began to wander the streets once more. "Excuse me," he tugged on the pant leg of a passer by. "How can I get out?"

"Out?"

"Of the city."

"Why the devil wouldja wanna leave?! Bah! Nevermind, You go straight back that way and you should reach a big door, that's the exit." The gruff voice was strange to Cloud, and he tried to remember it as he mentally noted the directions.

"Thank you."

Cloud turned and began to walk down the road until he came upon the large gates. They were large indeed. They looked like solid metal. He tapped on it slightly and the two doors made a terrible creaking noise as the slid apart.

He looked out over the brownish area until he saw green.

"Green is good." He thought as he began walking once more without a purpose.

---

A small girl with long black hair tossed a ball high into the air. Another girl with blonde hair batted it into the air as it began to fall to the ground. And then another child followed suite and did the same.

All three were playing just outside their small town of Kalm.

"Tifa! Angela! Bryce! Dinner!" One of the three's mother's called.

"COMING!!" They all returned in unison as they dashed off toward the town.

Suddenly Tifa spun around on her heel to retrieve the ball they had almost forgot.

She stooped down, clutching the ball between her arms and then stood up, her face only inches from that of a spikey-blonde hair boy.

"Hello." He said.

Tifa screamed as she stumbled backwards.

A look of consternation crossed Cloud's face as he watched the girl fall back. He offered a hand to her, and to his surprise she took it.

"I-I'm sorry," She mumbled. "You just scared me."

Cloud remained silent, afraid he would scare her again.

"What's your name?"

"Cloud." He said after a few more moments of silence.

"I'm Tifa!" She spit on her hand and stuck it out.

Cloud looked at it quizitively.

"You're not from around here are ya?"

"Humm...nope."

"That's alright, me and my pals will take ya in! We've always got room for one more!"

"Thanks I guess.." He said, somewhat sheepishly.

"Common, follow me! Bryce's mom is making dinner! And trust me, she makes the best food in all of Kalm! A regular chef!"

Cloud followed quickly behind his new found friend, hopping that he was forever away from the city behind him.