Chapter Two

Men and women gather around the huge Shinra monument as Shinra Officers stand guard. The immense marble monument, standing about a hundred feet is malevolent with a gloomy dread infecting the city of Midgar. The citizens of Midgar are thrusted into darkness and depression as five black Shinra helicopters fly to the enormous power plant. The citizens feel like war is coming as if SOLDIERs beat on their drums with the four new reactors being complete. They are bigger than the others and emit far more mako than usual. From the outside, it looks like the depression is worsening the more Shinra advances with their technology and power. It's mortifying. Sickening. It makes the hatred inside me grow even stronger with fury and determination. When they dropped the plate on my home, Sector 7, Shinra decided to turn the catastrophic heartbreaking experience into a war zone. Avalanche refuses to leave to this day. Every day, there is war, death, and sadness. What happens beneath the gigantic plates is dangerous and unforgiving.

"I hear that Sector 7 Slums is becoming infested with treacherous monsters these days. I'm still traumatized by the fall of that sector. Many new recruits never made it out of the sector yesterday. Haven't we had enough shooting for one day?" a Shinra Officer speaks quietly to his partner.

My heart sinks into a bottomless pit when I hear that. It's been five years when I lost everything. My home, my father, my cheeriness. After the plate was dropped on us, I became full of anger and uncontrollable rage. The only thing that kept lingering to me was that I needed to get revenge. In order to accomplish that, I had to become stronger. Capable of standing my own ground. Now, I am a Fourth-Class SOLDIER. Infused with mako and motivated to carry out my revenge, I must be patient. The infusion was turning into a disaster until my body finally accepted the mako. I've worked for so many years to get where I am today. The days were unbearable, harsh, and exhausting. Enlisting into SOLDIER broke me. Changed me. Traumatized me. Midgar isn't the same anymore. Every day, people fear for their lives as the city keeps evolving.

Where do we go now…? Who do we ask to protect us all…? Who…?

"Seriously? I didn't want to believe it. Why are they sending new recruits down to Site 0?" his partner asks.

My eyes close halfway as I keep myself hidden behind a door as he replies with so much melancholy in his voice, "the people who survived the catastrophic event refused to leave. Monsters have been reported viciously slaughtering anything they see. Sixty-eight mutilated remains were found of people scattered throughout the sector. Even SOLDIERs wound up dead if they are not careful. I'm blessed that I chose to become a peace officer ten years ago."

People start heading down the hall where the men talk. When I see my captain, I step out from behind the door and bow immediately. "Betty? What are you doing here? You're supposed to be prepping for your training exercise."

Shinra Officers salute the First-Class SOLDIER. Who is this First-Class SOLDIER that makes people show their respect for him?

"I'm sorry, Angeal—I mean Capt. Hewely. I lost track of time. It won't happen again!" he looks at me with a stern expression when I turn around and sprint down the hall.

I lost track of time! How careless of me! What's worse? I was caught being late by my own captain!

The aggravation hits me when I am the last one to show up late to the courtyard where my team is. A black Shinra helicopter sits tall behind them. Most of them turn around to look at me with their gawking eyes. They are all men. They are much older than I am. I am only fifteen. They look at me as the weakest teammate. Am I? I am still convinced that I got into SOLDIER with luck. With the guidance of my own captain being my true hero and mentor, I would have never made it this far. A push is what I needed. A push is what he gave me. We were all told to be responsible for our own uniform. It took me weeks to earn and save up enough gill for what I have. It's simple and not too complicated. I wanted something that didn't suffocate me, so I went with a rather obscene outfit. Wearing pants is uncomfortable to me, so I went with a short black skimpy miniskirt. Dark burgundy garter straps hold up my thigh high stockings. The shoes are quite comfy. They are black leather boots that reach the top of my ankles. I wear a black Lolita underbust corset with silver buckles going down the center. There's sufficient support from leather straps going over my shoulders, connecting to the back of my underbust. Underneath, it's just a plain white short sleeve shirt. My katana is what broke me with my savings. After getting it custom made, I ended up paying over 6,000 gil for it. It killed me. With months of working hard and earning money through training, I am successfully broke. Flat fucking broke.

The long slender black leather sheath moves against my thigh when I walk up to my team. The sheath is hooked onto my dark brown utility belt where I stashed materia and kunai knives. We were told that we were only allowed to bring four things of materia. I'm shit out of luck since I was too broke to buy good materia. All that I could afford was healing materia and fire materia. I'm going to fail this training exercise. The men on my team do not show cowardness or fear since we are heading to Site 0. They are overconfident. It's okay to be afraid. I'm horrified. The only way I can assassinate Shinra successfully is to climb to the top. It's now or never.

"Isn't she the girl who wasted 6,000 gil on her weapon? Why would the idiot spend so much money on her first weapon? Does she not know that it's going to break? Everyone knows that our weapons need to be modified by Shinra's Advanced Weaponry Division."

Another man speaks, discouraging me from my rookie mistake, "she's not going to last."

A man taps me on the back of my shoulder, but I ignore him when he speaks to me, "you should have spent more. That's 6,000 gil down the drain for you."

They are right…

They always pick on me. Thinking me weak and pathetic. They may be right, but I must keep bettering myself. Angeal approaches us without the amusement in his eyes. Unlike my teammates, he doesn't share their comical laughter as they mock me for my rookie mistake. "What's so funny?" the captain asks.

They pretend to cough with their voices becoming silent. "This is a practice exercise. We are going to the HQ in Sector 7. Do not become adventurous," people remain quiet.

HQ at Sector 7 isn't the heart of Sector 7. Whoever travels beyond HQ into Sector 7, they will be shot and killed on command. It is impossible to go into the warzone without being caught. Many people tried. If they weren't shot down by SOLDIERs, the monsters or bandits inside got to them. It's a horrifying thought to know that there are people who live within the chaos. People who never left. Sector 7 comes into view as the helicopter flies over the new plate that was constructed three years ago. The arena at Sector 7 HQ is gigantic. Just like the training room on the forty-ninth floor, they wanted something just as advanced. Just as the winds blow against me, an immense sadness settles over me when I look up at the wall. Chains clank together with people hanging from them. Way above, it's frightening. SOLDIERs and Shinra Officers laugh and go on about their day as if their barbaric ways aren't traumatizing.

They lost their way… Would I be able to save everyone…? Who will help me…? Who will help save Midgar…?

Two black helicopters fly over the heart of the Sector 7 as Shinra Officers march methodically into a perfect formation. The HQ is overwhelmed with the loud bangs and explosions coming from the inside of Sector 7. My team gets excited as we turn around to hear gunshots from afar. With their smiles and exhilaration, I show melancholy and worry.

The war… The chaos… The blood… There are innocent people who live in here still… When they are found… They are killed brutally for the public to look at them….

Black smoke is seen ascending from the sorrowful pit of the sector. SOLDIERs march through the open gates with a black helicopter rising to the plate. It's chaotic and overwhelming here. Angeal starts to lead us to the fortified building that's big enough to house most of the Midgar residents. The place is impossible to infiltrate. There are cameras everywhere and guards keeping watch. I've only been inside the building once when Rufus Shinra gave us a tour. The thought of him makes me sick to my stomach. The city is corrupted. Shinra is a roach, infesting every dark shadowy spot he sees. It's a sickness. A virus. An impossible plague to cure. There's no antidote for the corruption and war. If Shinra and the government focused more on the residents rather than advancing their military and weapons, they could fix the broken hearts. This place is dead to me. It has been since the day the plate was dropped on my home five-years ago. We all stop at the entrance for our keycards to be scanned. As I wait in line, I drift off into space when I hear two Shinra Officers talking about Wall Market.

Wall Market…?

5 Years Ago

Who knew a single smile could make the melancholy inside my heart disappear? The warmth of his hand is tender and soft. For the longest time, I always thought his gloves would make them sore and hard. His green eyes that illuminate under the pale moon is soothing. With his embrace, I feel at ease. Comforted and safe. Without my father, I feel lost and lonely. With him holding me, I feel found and important again. The sound of his beating heart against my ear makes me sleepy.

"You won't be taken away from me, will you?" my voice is faint and full of sorrow, yet I smile when feeling his fingers tangling through my hair.

"I won't let Shinra take me away from you."

A fire forms inside my chest when I tilt my head back to look up at Sephiroth. I'm only ten. Ever since the night we met, I felt a connection between us. A connection that I don't want to lose. Could he be a father figure to me? Do I want him to be a father figure to me?

"Can you adopt me? You can meet my friends. Why do you always come out at night? Are you lonely?"

We both end up looking at the sky together. It's been three weeks since we met and already, I want to live with him. Who is he? Does he not like people? Do they not like him? "I won't be able to take care of you. There's stuff that I must do. I'm in a dark place right now. I'm still trying to fight my way out," his voice is a lullaby to me.

I could fall asleep with him singing to me. It happened more than once already. Once the chaos starts, he keeps me close in his arms. Is my gift healing his sadness that he won't show me?

"I have business to attend to in Wall Market. I will come see you tomorrow night. That's a promise."

I miss you…