Hello peoples, my first fanfiction. SO be easy (of course you won't) I don't really know what happened while he was in soilder, I don't even understand the story! So... don't review saying (THAT'S NOT HOW IT HAPPENED!) cuz, I don't care, it's MY story! Er... anyway, Lot's of OC's, but really important anyway, and I don't describe well, heck, I can't really describe at all,so, I'm gonna let you picture them, use your imagination. And it is a CxT story! Not CloudxOC! And Zack, or Zacks, or ZAX will be in this story too, but in later chapters. Read and review! And no flamers! Cuz, you people who have no life and flame people for the heck of it, your just wasteing my time.

Enjoy!

It was night. The stars shined alight over the small village, Nibelheim. The same rusty truck by the entrance, the weary dog in the center, barking, and howling to the chilling wind. Only a few houses lay built, and a private mansion of the back, followed by the Mountain the town was named after, Mount Nibel. From one of the houses, a young girl, no older than thirteen, slowly walks across the town. She crossed her hands in thought, walking past the lonely dog, and toward the well, her favorite spot.

By the well, Tifa arrived with her favorite blue knee length dress, with her same colored sandals. She saw him, Cloud, sitting alone. By the looks of it, he seemed cold, as he shivered slightly. It seemed like he didn't notice her come. She was late, due to thinking of weather or not to actually meet him. They don't know each other that well, just a "hi" or "good morning" every day, and went back to their regular activities. Maybe she did something wrong. Whatever it was, she was going to find out.

"Sorry I'm late." She apologized, "You said you wanted to talk about something?"

Once he saw a shadow cast over him, he turned around, his sapphire eyes locked on her ruby ones. He widened his eyes, and then quickly turned his back to her again.

"Come this spring…I'm leaving this town for Midgar." He said sharply. He didn't want to see her face when he said it.

"…All boys are leaving our town." Tifa sighed flatly as she sat with Cloud; she faced the opposite way, towards the vast grass land. Her back touched his as she leaned backward. She pulled her left leg to her chest and rested her head on her knee.

"But I'm different from all of them. I'm not just going to find a job," Cloud announced, "I want to join SOLDIER. I'm going to be the best there is, just like Sephiroth!" He said with triumph.

Tifa put her forehead on top of her knee. That name rang in her ears. "Sephiroth… The Great Sephiroth." Everyone wanted to become like him. That was everyone excuse to leave own. To get her mind off the subject, she quickly changed the topic. "Isn't it hard to join SOLDIER?"

"…I probably won't be able to come back to this town for a while."

"Will you be in the newspapers if you do well?" She asked.

He sighed, "I'll try."

Tifa lifted her face from the ground and looked ahead, "Hey, why don't we make a promise?"

Cloud opened his mouth to say something, but she continued.

"Umm, if you get really famous and I'm ever in a bind…… You came save me, all right?" She said happily all of a sudden.

"What?" He questioned, blushing.

She looked up, at the sky. 'The stars shined for this very moment', she thought. "Whenever I'm in trouble, my hero will come to rescue me. I want to at least experience that once."

"What?" he questioned again, louder than the first time. He turned his head, and saw her staring back at him, from the corner of her eye.

"Come on---! Promise me----!" she whinnied.

He smiled brightly. It was a long time since he smiled to anyone. During that time he made a promise to himself, 'I WILL get into SOLIDER, I WON'T fail Tifa. I'll be noticed by everyone in Nibelheim, in the whole world. I won't be just a shadow no more... I'll be someone.'

"All right…… I promise."

They both stared ahead; from each other to the sky above. The bluish purple sky was emitted by the stars that hung from it. Each and every star was visible, and it twinkled brightly. It was a night to never forget. Tifa felt her eyes water, she was going to cry. Fighting back the tears, she refuses to blink, but she had to. Tears fell down her cheeks...

He was leaving. It might be for good.


The next day came. It was midday, and a gray truck was outside of town, waiting for its new recruit for SOLIDIER.

Cloud was outside his house, his mother and Tifa, at the front of the town. Cloud carried his small amount of luggage on his back. A couple of extra clothes and maybe a bit of food to take along. It wasn't much he could pack. He walked in a steady pace toward the both of them, and the closer he got, the faster his heart was beating… What was he going to say? What was he going to do? He had to do something… Or else he would regret it on the ride to Midgar…

As he approached, the gray truck doors opened. He saw men dressed in navy blue army suits… Shinra soldiers. The Shinra soldiers walked out of the vehicle and headed toward Cloud. What was happening? The boy stopped and stared at the oncoming soldiers. As they reached him, they took the luggage and walked back toward the truck, stuffing his things with other bags. Cloud sighed and looked up at the truck behind the mother and Tifa. He saw moving bodies within the black tainted windows. 'I'm not the only one…'

It was almost time. The only thing left was to say good bye. He walked and stood in front of his mother and she did the same. There was a silence between the two until Cloud's mother began to cry. Her eyes became watery, and breathing became heavy, she sniffed as she hugged him and kissed him on the cheeks multiple times. "Oh, my baby..." she snorted. She held his head with her soft hands, and stared directly into his eyes. But Cloud couldn't return the gaze. He looked to the ground, and tried to avoid his mother's saddened look. He hates it when his mother cries. But not looking at her wasn't going to make things better… She sobbed as she gave one final kiss on his forehead and let him go.

Tifa. The one he wants to impress, the one he is doing this for. She looked just as sad as his mother. He walked over to her, and said softly, "I'm still gonna keep the promise, Tifa. I'll come." He nodded and gave a small smile. Her eyes swelled with tears. She hugged him, feeling guilty, that, they were going to know each other, but the opportunity was passed. She wasn't going to see him in a while; maybe never again… It played back again her mind. As they slowly broke away from their hug, Tifa finally replied, barely audible, "I know..." she managed to have a fake smile.

It was time. Cloud walked to the truck, and stopped at the door. He looked back to see his mother, crying her heart out, and Tifa, standing there, crying also. He waved good bye to the both of them, to the whole town, as he climbed unto the truck. With no moment to spare, the truck sped off, just as Cloud closed the doors. The boy looked as the town slide past him like wind… He was finally heading to Midgar.

By the time the truck was out of site, Tifa saw Cloud's mother, sobbing, on the ground. Tifa walked over to her and confronted her, saying the Cloud will come back one day. Tifa had doubt, but she quickly shoved it away. She was sure he was coming back.

He promised.


Inside the vehicle, Cloud wasn't alone, as he thought. Four other boys, and two girls, were also making the long trip. To be safe, Cloud avoided eye contact with anyone, and stared out the window, watching as the world pass by. One of the boys, with neck long red hair, next to Cloud, spoke to him first.

"Hey kid!" He said as he shook Cloud, "What's your name?"

Still not looking at him, he answered, "Cloud. Cloud Strife."

"Hey Cloud, I'm Hayro. I'm from Junon." The boy named Hayro said enthusiastically. He looked over to Cloud, but he was still avoiding him. "So---, I see you're from Nibelheim. Aren't you a little bored over there? What do you do for fun? Have you had any training in swords? Or guns? Do you have-"

"Geez, Hayro, stop asking so much questions!" one of the girls shouted.

"What? I'm just trying to make friends with him!"

Cloud turned to look at the people on the truck. They were no more than older than he. And Cloud thought to himself, he's on a truck with some "children". Sighing at that, he looked at Hayro. As he did Cloud.

"Let me introduce everyone. This," he pointed a boy with short black hair, "This is Nick." He pointed to two other boys, one with dirty blond and one brown haired, "Jack, and Ruben." Then he pointed the ladies in the back, one with short straight blonde hair, and one with long wavy black hair, "That's Cassity, and that's Juliet. Just like you, we are gonna join SOLDIER."

'I doubt it.' He thought to himself, 'Looks like you guys are gonna join a circus.'

Cassity spoke to Hayro, "Will you shut up? You haven't stopped talking since you came on! You're so annoying!"

"Hey, I'm sorry, but, it'll be quiet on here. I just wanna loosen up before we get to Midgar... I just talk when I get so nervous... Hey Cloud, why do want to join SOLDIER?" he asked him, now talking again to Cloud only.

He sighed at this question, "To be really famous, and such."

"Heh. I joined so I can be strong. Like the Great-"

"Sephiroth?..."

Hayro stared as Cloud finished his sentence for him. He wasn't surprised, just happy, they were finally getting some where. As for Cloud, he realized that maybe he can actually get along with them. He can't be shy no more, he can't think like an adult, not in front of his peers. At least they have something in common. Cloud let out a sigh and smirked at Hayro, his hand running thorough his blonde hair, "Yeah, me too"

Jack, next to Hayro, leaned over to look at Cloud, "Oh, have you been to Midgar before?"

Cloud shook his head, no.

"Well," Jack began, "Midgar is a really huge metropolis, and everything is so advanced. They use Mako energy more convenience."

Cloud pondered at this. "Mako? What's so great about this... Mako energy?"

"Greatest thing since oil!" shouted Cassity.

Nick finally spoke, "It's actually a sub for oil. In Gongaga , they barely used it, but in Midgar, they use that crap out of that stuff!"

Ruben came into the conversation, "Yeah, and it comes from the planet itself, so, I guess it's much more capable than oil."

Cloud listened to everyone and thought for a minute, then responded, "Mako, huh?" He crossed his arms and slumped in his seat, "Sound a bit interesting. I guess I'll go check it out."

Hayro jumped up and down on his seat, like the child he is, "Dude, there's lot's of things to check out!"

"Yeah? Like what?" Cloud asked.

"Well," he began, "I don't really know myself, but I sure it's the best place to live!"

Cloud knew that. He heard about from lots of travelers who came across town. He was always fascinated to hear the stories of others, especially travelers.


Cloud felt more loosened up as he heard the others talk. But he also felt as if he was being watched. That feeling sort of shaken him, then he knew where it was coming from. The girl who haven't said nothing, anything, since he gotten into the truck.

The girl. Juliet. He turned to her, and she quickly turned away towards the window beside her and pretended to stare into the distance. Cloud drew his eyebrows together slightly and turned away. She once again stared at the back of his face, and looked as if she was in awe. He once again felt that feeling in his veins. It was obvious he was uncomfortable from her constant stare. Turning again and stared at her, and she did the same. She blushed, and he, he just stared at her annoyed.

"Um... hi." Juliet managed to choke up. She smiled nervously and started to giggled slightly.

Cloud cocked and eyebrow, "...Hi?"

Juliet turned even more red, "I'm... um, Juliet."

"Cloud." he said flatly. 'Man, how weird.' he thought. He turned back forward and sat in silence. And she looked at her feet and sighed, totally embarrassed.

One the side of the both of them, the others laughed loudly, and had interrupted their moment of silence. But they weren't laughing at them, they were laughing at something else, unparticular from what the little moment they shared. That spared Cloud an awkward moment.

It seemed like a while to Midgar, Cloud thought. The blonde eventually turned over to the window again. As he passed the vast green lands, she was reminded of his mother's grassy eyes. His mother. It hasn't been a whole day, let alone a couple of hours, and he already misses her. And not just her, Tifa... she's the reason why- He shook his head to rid the memories and reminded himself to focus on becoming a SOLDIER. First Class.

As everyone else seemed to enjoy there ride, with the exception of Juliet. She felt strangely attracted to Cloud, but he doesn't even seem to even a bit interested in her. Is it someone else? Or is it just her behavior? Then she realized that she just answered her own question and wanted to slap herself on the head. Duh! Of course! She felt so stupid. Maybe she can try again when they reach Midgar...

"Hell yeah!" The sudden outburst interrupted Juliet's thoughts. It was Hayro that shouted, and he was glancing over to Cassity, whom seemed annoyed. He laughed loudly and pointed to her, "No wander your so cranky! You were just potty trained at ten! Ha!"

"Grr... Jack! How could you?" She shouted, her face turn from pale to red as a tomato. Jack, on the side of Nick and Ruben, laughed hardly. Cloud couldn't help but snicker.


It's been almost four hours since they left Nibelheim. But time seemed to shortened as the group of seven talked and laughed throughout the way. Cloud smiled to himself, 'So this is what it's like to have friends...' But he shrugged it off. Maybe not friends, but comrades. Yeah, that was the best way to say it.

Suddenly, a sharp turn sent everyone off guard and flying towards the other side of the truck. Quickly everyone returned to their positions and looked at each other. But Cloud looked out the window, and saw their location, Midgar.

It wasn't as they described it, or how he imagined it. To begin with, the land around it was spiritless and looked deceased. Nothing but dried dirt surrounding the metropolis. The sky above it was besmirching and tainted with the volcanic like fumes being swallowed by the wind. And it lost it's natural color of azure and indigo, to dusty livid green. Midgar itself looked extravagant and humongous, but even so, it looked as if the city it self was hiding something.

"Is this, Midgar?" Cloud asked, no one in particular.

"Yeah," answered Hayro, "That's Midgar"


The truck stopped in front of the gate entrance. The Shinra solider in the passenger seat gotten out of the car to I.D check. 'This place must be very high security.' Cloud thought as he drew his eyebrows together. He watched as the guard pulled out a key card and sled it across the machine. A "beep" sounded as the I.D was conformed.

The large circular gate opened slowly opened and the truck drove quickly inside the city. It was worst than Cloud had imagined.

As they drove in, the place the blackish and eerie. Cloud looked as he leaned closer to the window, people were passing by, and they looked homeless and poor. Dirty and nasty. The houses were made from broken parts of others, the shops were as worst. The ground they drove on was on steel then dirt. He has never seen a place as dirty as this. The truck passed by numerous sections and headed toward long a tunnel. The common saying, "don't judge a book by it's cover" quickly slapped Cloud in the face. So many great things had been said about this place. He couldn't believe it. He sighed loudly and crossed his arms.

"What you just saw was the Slums." Nick announced to Cloud.

"The... Slums?" Cloud asked as he looked over to the boy.

"The Slums are pretty much a place for the poor. People who moved into Midgar with no money with them. A community, a home for the poor. Living under a 'pizza'."

"Pizza?" Cloud questioned once again, being as confused as ever.

Cassity spoke, "The rotating pizza is multiple huge plates at covers the sky of the slums. It mostly traps the really polluted air within, and they barely see the sun much. You can't tell if it's day or night down here."

Cloud nodded, "So, what's above this "pizza" anyway?"

Jack spoke, "The Rich part of Midgar. The people who live the normal lives. Not suffocating of air pollution or anything. Plenty of food, everything that Midgar really is, the stories and such, is above the plate."

He nodded. Just when he was about to turn toward the window once again, Juliet whispered to Cloud in his ear. It was obvious she was shy too say this out loud.

"Cloud... You noticed that each place it divided into sections right?" she crossed her fingers and hopped that he will respond. And to her wishes, he did.

He leaned back and lowered the seat a little to hear Juliet clearer, and looked at her from the corner of his eye, "Yeah, what's with that?"

Juliet cleared her thought, speaking louder, but softly, "Each place is divided into Sectors. I don't really know how many are there, but... I heard they have some good shops for weapons and armor. Just in case if you wanted to know..."

Cloud nodded again and turned to her, "Thanks, I'll keep that in mind." Quickly after that being said, Hayro tapped him by the shoulder and turned toward him.

Juliet had a smile on her face, and was relieved. But a bit embarrassed and blushed. She looked at Cloud as he was talking to Hayro, and tilted her head and smiled. She felt really close to him, but did he?

Finally reaching the training facility, the truck pulled over toward the curve. Other trucks pulled in and out, dropping young and new cadets off. Cloud, as well as everyone else, claimed their belongings quickly as the driver was threaten to drive off.

The group stared onto the training facility. A large building, almost as tall as a skyscraper, with the words 'Shinra SOLIDER' in huge, bold letters of the building. One the sides of the rectangular building, large tubes of mako flowed. The building was being emitted by the green light, Cloud figured it was the mako energy.

"Cloud," whispered Juliet, "Feeling... nervous?" She asked. Cloud had a feeling that she was nervous herself. He tried to find the best way of consoling her a bit, "Well, no turning back now. But, hey, we'll pull though." He shrugged. She smiled a bit, then it turned into a frown as she walked into the building, "I hope so... Cloud." she said quietly to herself. The others followed, and shortly, so have Cloud.

Inside the halls were long, as if never ending, and many doorways surrounded the newcomers, the large group of people, about three hundred off them in hallway, confused and nervous. Numerous Shinra soldiers, and employees, guiding them though the halls and into the assembly room.

As they walked, Cloud looked around the crowd. He explored his surroundings, and his challengers. He was ready, for anything. The boy eyes narrowed as the reached the assembly hall. A gigantic room, speakers everywhere, and not only that, but Shinra SOLDIERS was standing on the pews, watching closely for any unusual activity. Mainly ADVALANGE.

Everyone walked toward the large stage, with a single podium and stopped. Everyone looked around bewildered, mostly complaining about the fact of them standing throughout the speech. Cloud stood as he was, looking forward. Hayro was near him, as had to say something to loosen himself up.

"Cloud, geez, I'm nervous. I wonder what are they gonna do. How they gonna train us?" He said, twitching his fingers.

Cloud, shrugged of his question and ran his hand through his hair, "To late to turn back now."

Just as Hayro was going to say anything, someone shouted the name, "President Shinra!" Everyone turned to look, it was really him. And of course, it wasn't to Cloud's imagination. He was fat and grunt, his blonde hair styled back, and this thick moustache almost covered his lips. He smoked a cigar in is mouth, and his icy blue eyes stared coldly at the crowd,

"To allwould be Shinra Soldiers, " He gruff voice announced, "Welcome, to Midgar. This is the place where your dreams come true. Your dreams of solider, of becoming one... well, it's finally here. You can become a strong individual, like the Great Sephiroth... Now it's time..."

At that moment, President Shinra's voice dimmed into nothing. Cloud smiled at the words of the person he admires, Sephiroth. To be like him, to become him, to be more powerful than him, and not a weakling, that was Cloud's dream. No. His GOAL.

"...And so, I present you, your hero, the great, SEPHIROTH!" Pres. Shinra announced and was walked off the side of the podium and clapped. Mountains of cheers, whistles, and claps sounded around the room. A man with a black cape came upon the stage. He wore two silver shoulder pads, everything was leather, even his boots that seemed to squeak when he walked over to the podium.

Cloud's blue eyes brightened to see his all time hero right there, in front of the stage. His long silver hair flowed behind him, and his long sword hung behind him. His eyes glow green, weird he thought, but it quickly ran out his mind as he stood and waved to the crowd. Cloud jaw dropped open to see the actual Sephiroth, right in front of him. Cloud waved back, though knowing the slim chance of him returning it, but it didn't matter now. He was actually there.

The President once again took over, "Everyone, follow your soldiers to your rooms. And good luck to everyone." He said quickly.

He said as he rushed Sephiroth off the stage. The soldiers quickly came to rush the new kids into there group rooms. Cloud stood there, mouth still opened, then smiled to himself. Hayro cocked an eyebrow and shoved Cloud with him to follow the soldier. Cloud, still smiling to no one, thought to himself, 'One day, I'm gonna be him... I'm gonna be Sephiroth'

Two weeks later, Cloud and his friends manage to stay in the same room. The girls slept on one side, the boys slept on the other. They all shared buck beds together, Jack and Nick, Hayro and Ruben, and Cloud to himself, and the girls, Cassity and Juliet shared one together. Each day, the group gets set to explore the surrounding stores and environment. Night or day, they didn't know, it seemed like a began to loss track of time.They finally felt like what the citizens felt like in Midgar, tired of the large city.

One day, inside the room, the seven of them talked about how there hometown is like, and how was it before they left. All but Cloud shared their answers. He laid on his bed, and stared onto the ceiling.

"Gawd, sounds boring in Mideel." Nick said to Cassity and Jack. "You have the Lifesteam sprout from the ocean. Big whoop."

"Whatever Nick, Costa De Sol sounds just as bad... Oh, hold up, I got to send this letter to my mom."

Just before Jack headed out, a Shinra soldier barged in.

"B-11? All B blocks are to report to the Shinra lab." With that he turned and headed out.

Cassity sat up and ran to Jack, "What is it?" she said softly.

"Must be some test or whatever."

Hayro started to get that feeling of talking again, "If I knew if there was a test, I would have studied!" When he ended that sentence, Cassity slapped him on the head, "Idiot! This is Shinra! I doubt they even have tests like that..."

Ruben jumped up and down," I can't wait! If it's fighting, I'm gonna kick all yer asses!"

"Yeah right," Jack jested, "If anyone is doing the kicking, it's gonna be me."

Juliet left the group and ran to Cloud, who was still laying on the bed. To her, he looked claim and relaxed, but, within, he was terrified. As she reached him, he quickly sat up and glanced at her. Suddenly she felt a limp on her throat as she began to talk, "Um... I guess this could be it huh?" She smiled.

"... yeah." He said flatly, "I hope it's not anything to rash. But I hope that it will be a challenge too."

"Hm. Yeah, I bet your strong too, so, I sure you'll pass." She blushed. Holding her hands behind her back, she looked down at her feet, "Look, Cloud, I was wondering if-"

Suddenly, an announcement was heard over the intercom, "Block B building, head to the lab, now."

Everyone looked at each other nervously. It was time, the test was now.

Knowing their way around the huge building, Block B, others along with Cloud and his comrades, arrived at the lab nervously. Cloud noticed large mako tanks everywhere, all round the place. He couldn't think of what could happen in the test. Mako... maybe something to do with mako.

He walked more toward the lab, lots of doctors and nurses gathered around the young cadets. But one in particular, caught Cloud's eye. A man with black hair and glasses... But it didn't matter now. What mattered was the upcoming test.

"Okay, everyone... There are enough rooms for the... thirty of you. A doctor or nurse will take you into a private room for the test. So... good luck." said a doctor briefly as he grabbed a random cadet.

"Yo, Cloud, nervous now?" Hayro said, leaning over to his ear.

"Yeah, a little I guess. Let's just get this over with." After he said that, Hayro was yanked from him. As he was being dragged, he shouted, "I see you back in Block B!"

Cloud nodded as he was yanked away by a doctor and taken into a private room.

The private room was small, a mako tank covering most of the room. He was pulled and thrown onto a chair. He was strapped up by the doctor. The nurse strapped him down as well. Cloud has gotten more nervous. What was going to happen?

"Now, " said the doctor, "Are we a bit nervous?"

Cloud nodded, "Yeah. I little a guess."

"Have you had any incidents? Any broken bones?"

Cloud shook his head, "Not really..."

The doctor nodded his head, and jotted everything down on to a clipboard. "Now, have you had any Mako poisoning lately? Or any at all?"

Cloud again shook his head, "No..."

"Good." He set the clipboard by the counter and turned once again to Cloud, "I'm going to inject you with something. It's called mako. Don't move. You'll feel a small pinch."

Cloud did what he told and kept still. He looked over and saw the nurse give him a tray full of syringes. I was about seven of them when Cloud counted. The Doctor ordered the nurse to leave and she walked out the room. The Doctor slapped on his gloves and grabbed one syringe.

"Okay, get ready." his deep voice echoed in the small room. Cloud closed his eyes shut and prepared. It was just a shot to the arm right? He thought it was.

But it wasn't.

Suddenly, the doctor held on to Clouds jaw and made him face right, and his neck exposed. He injected mako into his neck fast and pressed hard, the green liquid oozing into his veins. Cloud screamed helplessly as the doctor injected another one into his neck. He tried to move away, but the doctor had a tight grip on his jaw. Again, he stabbed another into his neck. Cloud screamed, cried, but nothing helped. After several, the doctor had one final syringe, the doctor injected him with it. He slowly pulled it out. Cloud felt exhausted and weak, panting harder and harder, his vision became blurry. The Doctor looked over him and smiled. It was the last thing he saw before he passed out.

The Doctor put his ear to his chest, listening for a heartbeat. Luckily, his heart was working fine.

But there were others that weren't so lucky.


Hours later, Cloud heard weeping. He saw a vision of his mother, crying, as he left her. She was alone in the darkness, as if floating.

She slowly faded away as he was slowly waking up, he blinked a few times and saw the white, but untidy ceiling. He had forgotten what had happened, but memory slowly walked back into his brain, which was beating hard.

Cloud sighed and ached as he sat up, rubbed his neck, and still heard weeping. It was a figure bent down on the floor, with it's head on top of a bed, grieving. It was Cassity. Cloud would have gotten up and walked over, but his legs felt weak and his head was a little foggy.

Trails of tears fell down from her hidden head to the stone floor beneath her. Cloud looked around and saw Juliet on the other side of him, still asleep. Hayro was still missing, and Nick was on his bunk, resting also.

Cloud looked at Cassity and asked her, "What's wrong?" He wanted her to stop, it reminded him so much of his mother.

Cassity, swelled up in tears turned to Cloud. Her face red, her hair a mess and her eyes pink. Tears fell down from each cheek. She sobbed and snorted. Sniffed and yelled. Grieving and aching.

Cloud was starting to get worried about why she was crying. He asked again, "What happened?" He sounded more urgent.

"C-Cloud..." she sobbed, "Ruben, and Jack...they're," she said, words interrupted by hard breathing.

Cloud listened closer, anxious to wonder what happened.

"They're...dead."