Prologue Two: Marlene

I met her a year ago at Tifa and Daddy's twentieth anniversary. Twenty years, that's a long time to be married. I don't know how it works so well between them; Tifa is like such a child; so innocent and naïve in everything she does, always wanting to do the best and care for others. Daddy on the other hand is passionate and demanding, always wanting to do his best for all around him as he strives for perfection. I suppose they compliment each other well, both determined to do what's right by the people they love. And they both love me. That's why they shelter me so.

I have been packed off to Neo-Midgar from Junon as my parents have to go to the funeral of a friend. Neo-Midgar truly is a wonderment; no longer are there plates; instead people live in harmony with the nature on the land which used to be the slums. It is a feat in itself; to build without destroying the incredible nature that is all around her. Yet it is still an incredibly vibrant city regardless.

I absently twist my necklace around my middle finger as Uncle Reeve gives me another lecture about staying out late. It's sad really, I'm twenty-four and still I live like a sixteen year old girl. He only wants the best for me though, I know that. After everything I've been through I'm glad for the protection. Reeve notices my fiddling with my necklace and smiles. "It's important to you, isn't it?"

He knows why… he was with Daddy when the truth came out. Of course Barret isn't my real father… I'm an orphan. My mothers name was Eleanor and my fathers name was Dyne. "Yes, it is" I reply sourly. This is mother's necklace. It's odd, even though I have adoptive parents in Barret and Tifa and a second family in Reeve and Elmyra, I still cling to a family that I never knew.

He follows me as I go into my room, looking out of the window over the streets of Neo-Midgar. They are flawless beyond measure. He certainly poured his heart and soul into rebuilding it. "You want to go home, don't you?" he asks sympathetically. I do adore him in my own little way; he is such a foolish old man. I don't think he has any concept of how much time has passed since meteor. "I do not want to go home, I want to live my own life" I sigh, sitting on my bed and rubbing my eyes. I want to have fun and not have to go sneaking out to met people in the bars. I want to be able to explore the world; go to Cosmo Canyon and find out the history of the planet, I want to go waste all my savings at the Gold Saucer, but more than anything else… I want to see Priscilla again. I want to take her North Corel with me to find out my past, and then we could go to Wutai to find out about hers.

Daddy doesn't know about it, but Tifa does. She caught me one night back in our home in Junon with a girl in the passageways… Drakon, that was her name. She was one of my many one-night stands. Tifa just smiled acceptingly, and we've never talked about it. I always knew, it was never an issue. But there was something that was different when I met Priscilla. Maybe because she's married, maybe because she's off limits I'm even more interested. But ever since that one day I cant get her out of my head.

Priscilla Strife. Wife of Cloud. It seems ridiculous to me that someone only a year older than me can be married to a forty-one year old… maybe its just because she seemed so uncomfortable with him. After all Tifa is fourteen years younger than Daddy. She shook my hand gently, her warm eyes staring into mine irresistibly. I have never seen a face more beautiful than hers…

"If you want to go, I wont stop you"

I look up into Reeve's smiling face. "What do you mean?"

"You can go if you want. You can take my Chocobo. Its not like you're not old enough to look after yourself."

"Are you serious, Reeve?"

He nods, placing one hand on my shoulder. "If Barret asks, I'll say I let you. Sometimes… you have to be selfish to live your life"

I hug him fondly. Now I can be free.