Chapter 1

Cloud lay on the cot wondering how long Rufus was going to keep him. What does he want me for anyways? Cloud thought. Before he could think any more though, he heard a commotion out in the hall.

"Let me go!" a female voice screamed.

"Rufus needs to have a little chat with you first." It was Reno.

"I don't even know who Rufus is. What does he want with me?"

"You'll find out soon enough. Put her in one of the rooms. I'll go see what Rufus wants us to do with her for now."

A door slammed shut and all was quiet once more.

Strange, Cloud thought. That voice, it sounds so familiar. He shook it off and went back to thinking about why he was here. Meanwhile...

"We brought the girl, just as you instructed," Reno stated.

"Excellent. Where is she?" Rufus was still facing the window.

"We put her in one of the rooms downstairs. Should I bring her up?"

"Please." With one simple word, Reno left to fetch the new prisoner.

"Get up," Reno commanded her.

"Leave me alone."

"Get up now or I'll get you up myself." She stood up slowly and walked in the direction Reno pointed. They took the elevator and entered Rufus' office.

"Please, sit," Rufus instructed. She sat, Reno stood to the side.

"Who are you?" she blurted out. Slowly, the chair turned away from the window to face her.

"I am Rufus Shinra, head of the Shin-Ra Corporation."

"Like your last name?"

"It was, but due to past events I've changed it a little."

"To what?"

"Shin-Ra."

"So what do you want with me?"

"Patience, patience. What is your name, child?"

"I'm not a child," she paused. "My name is Litta."

"And your last name?" Rufus asked.

"I don't know my last name, so I made Maynard my new last name," she said quietly.

"I see. Who are your parents?"

"I don't know that either. Why are you asking me all these question?"

"All in due time, my dear. Why don't you know the answers to these simple questions?"

"I can't remember anything before I was 15, ok. I've been wandering the streets in different cities ever since then."

"I see. Well, you must be tired. Reno, take her back to her room so she can rest. We'll talk more tomorrow Litta." He turned his chair around to face the window again, signifying the conversation was over.

"Come on," Reno said. She stood up and followed Reno back to her room. Once she was inside, she lay down and slept.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Come here," a kind voice commanded. She followed the voice. A man with spiked blonde hair led her out of the rubble.

"Where are you taking me?"

"To safety," was all he said. She went willingly, only looking back once at what was left of her mansion. They walked out of the city, into the forest, and ran into some other people. "Is this her?" one asked. "How can you be sure?" said another. Many questions floated around her head. She started to feel dizzy, and blackness consumed her...

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Litta woke up feeling strangely afraid, as if she could sense something bad was about to happen. Then she heard voices outside in the hallway.

"Cloud, are you actually crazy enough to think you'll escape this time?" Reno,

she thought.

"Believe me Reno, I'm not going to stay another minute in this place." Another prisoner I guess. "Where is the girl you brought here yesterday?" he demanded. "I'm only going to ask you once."

"That's not your concern Cloud."

"It's very much my concern, now where is she?" Litta decided to pound on her door to get his attention. "Well it seems you don't need to answer that question." Cloud walked over to the door and broke it open using his sword.

"Rufus won't be happy when he hears what you did to his door," Reno said.

"I don't care what makes Rufus happy. I'm getting out of here and she's coming with me."

"Why do you care about her?"

"That's none of your business. Now move away from the elevator door."

"I don't think so." Reno pulled out a gun and fired a shot straight into Cloud's chest. As he fell he thrust his sword into Reno, refusing to die alone.

"Litta, there's too much to explain, but," he paused for a breath. "You have to get out of here. Run into the North Forest and find Squall. Give him this," he handed her a paper. When she looked back up at his face, he was dead.

She took the paper from his hand and ran. She barely made it into the forest before the alarm went off. After running for about an hour, she looked behind her to see if anyone was following and ran straight into someone. She looked up slowly, afraid of it being another Turk, but instead looked up into the handsome face of a complete stranger.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going."

"No, you weren't," he said.

"I said I was sorry."

"What's your hurry? Is something wrong?"

"I just escaped from the Shin-Ra building, a guy named Cloud is dead, a Turk named Reno is dead, and there are more Turks after me."

"Did you say Cloud is dead?"

"Yeah, he was trying to get me out. He's the one who killed Reno. Why?"

"He was a friend of mine. But right now, I think you ought to keep moving so you can stay ahead of the Turks chasing you."

"I hate to ask you, but could you help me? Just show me to the nearest town. Please?"

"Sure, I guess. Follow me." After a couple of hours they reached Deling City.

"Thanks so much, uh. I didn't ever get your name."

"My name's Squall, and your welcome." She immediately thought of the paper Cloud had given her before he died.

"Before Cloud, died, he told me to find you and give you this." She handed Squall the piece of paper. As he read it, she watched his face change. When he looked up at her, his face was unreadable.

"What?' asked Litta. "What does it say?"

"That's not important right now. Come on, I'm taking you to a friend's house." Litta followed, not knowing what else to do. When they finally arrived, Litta noticed the house was more like a mansion. Squall knocked on the door, and a girl that looked about around Squall's age opened the door.

"Hey Rinoa. It's been a while."

"Yes it has Squall. Two years now?"

"About that long. I was wondering if my friend and I could stay the night."

"Who is she?"

"Can we or can't we stay Rinoa?"

"First I want to know who I am letting stay at my father's house. Is she a criminal or something?"

"Of course not. We just need a place to stay for the night. We'll be gone in the morning."

"If you just want to stay one night, go to the hotel."

"Rinoa, why can't you forget the past?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You're still mad at me for leaving you two years ago."

"Squall, you made the biggest mistake of your life then and I will never, NEVER forget it." She slammed the door in his face.

"Where's the hotel Squall?" Litta asked.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"I asked you where the hotel was. I'll stay there tonight. You can drop me off there and leave if you like."

"It's not that, it's just...Oh, forget it. The hotel's this way," and he started walking away from the mansion. As Litta took her last look, she saw Rinoa looking out the window. Litta turned around and ran to catch up with Squall.

After checking into two adjacent rooms, Squall said he had to talk to some people and that he'd be back later. Litta stayed awake for some time, but was eventually overcome with weariness.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A man with long white hair stood smiling at her.

"I'm so proud of you. You've taken your first step to following in my legacy. I have to go now and take care of some of my enemies, but I'll be back. Wait here for me. If I don't come back, take this book and run. You'll understand when you're older. Don't lose that book. Goodbye Litta."

"Goodbye Father."

------------

She watched in horror as her father was slowly beaten down by a man her father called Cloud.

"You're through Sephiroth. It's over. You can't hurt anymore people. I'm going to leave you here to die, so this is goodbye."

"Cloud, I'll return one day. You'll see. And when I do, you'll be the first to suffer my wrath." Cloud walked away laughing with everyone else.

"No!" Litta screamed. "You can't die. I won't let you."

"Litta, take the book and leave. Go, now."

"No, I won't leave you. I won't, NO!" she screamed even louder.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Litta, wake up." It was Squall.

"Squall, I, he, Cloud-"

"It was only a dream. Don't worry."

"But it was so real. Wha...what time is it?"

"It's three in the morning."

"Why are you in here?"

"You were yelling in your sleep."

"Oh, sorry. You can go back to bed now, I'll be fine."

"You sure?"

"Yes, go back to bed." Squall closed the door. Sephiroth, why does that name sound so familiar? Litta thought. Oh well, I'll figure it out in the morning. She slept peacefully through the rest of the night.