Chapter 1: Idol-Sama

Zack knew what he was doing was wrong.

Departing without notifying his parents, solely to pursue his aspirations of becoming a hero, was unwise.

However, he couldn't remain in Gongaga; only by joining ShinRa Corp's SOLDIER program in Midgard would he realize his dream.

The raven-haired youth sighed deeply and placed a hand over his mouth as he attempted to slip out undetected.

The prospect of being caught by either parent or worse yet, HIS sister - who despite being two years younger possessed an impressive swing - loomed ominously.

He had dedicated himself to teaching her how to fight so that she wouldn't be relegated to the role of damsel-in-distress; contrary to popular belief, Zack knew that she wasn't fragile like a flower – far from it!

When Dalia was born, she fell gravely ill. The esteemed physician, Old Doc Brown, even feared for her survival. However, he sensed within his sister a tenacious spirit and remained by her side for three days straight, holding her tiny hand and urging her to fight on. Despite the despair in their parents' eyes, Zack refused to give up hope on Dalia's recovery. His unwavering faith was vindicated as she gradually regained strength.

Zack beamed with pride at his little sister's resilience - an indomitable force of nature despite their parents' overprotectiveness.

Therefore, it came as no surprise when he found her waiting for him in front of their home - blue eyes fixed squarely upon him and hands firmly planted on hips - sporting a fierce scowl that only added to her already formidable presence.

"And where do you think are going?", she inquired.

Until his death, he vehemently denied his whining.

"Dali, Lia, my precious songbird-"

"Flattery will not get you anywhere, Zack-Nii!"

"Imoto, please understand. I must go! I cannot become a hero here!"

Dalia scrunched up her adorable nose and let out a huff of frustration.

"You do not seem like much of a hero to me if you run away from home in the middle of the night without so much as a goodbye or letter left for me!"

Now he truly whined; the sight of disappointment on his sister's face was unbearable.

"I'm sorry, Imoto-Chan," Zack began.

"Just stop right there, Zachery," his sister interrupted sharply.

Oh no, he realized with a sinking feeling as she used his full name - this was serious. It seemed that things were not looking good for Zack.

As Dalia made her proclamation, "You have two options before I start screaming for Ma and Pa! Option one: turn around and get inside; never try to leave me again. Option two: leave a goodbye letter and we will go."

The older boy couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"We?!" He almost shouted but caught himself in time; there was no need to wake up the whole neighbourhood or alert their parents.

His little sister nodded vigorously, causing her spiky locks to bounce - another shared trait between them - while pointing at a bag by her feet. "If you go, I go! We are a team Nii-Chan! I won't be separated from you. You are the only person who treats me like an equal rather than some sick child."

"You're not sick; you're strong and clever- how did you manage to escape before me?" Zack complimented her with a grin.

Dalia grinned back mischievously. "I had an excellent teacher who sometimes makes questionable decisions."

Zack knew he deserved that jab at his character- it wasn't easy being the older sibling responsible for taking care of someone younger than him all the time after all...

"Shall we proceed now?" inquired the little girl, extending her hand to him.

"And what about the letter for Ma and Pa?" he wondered aloud.

The mischievous grin on her face returned as she replied, "I have already left one."

He snorted in amusement at his own naivety and took her hand as they embarked on their journey together.

"So I intend to join ShinRa and become a SOLDIER. What are your plans for Midgar, Dali?"

She squeezed his hand tightly before whispering conspiratorially, "I aim to become the biggest Idol that Midgar has ever seen!"


"Idol-Sama, Idol-Sama! Rosethorne? For goodness sake, Dalia, wake up!"

With a hefty yawn, Dalia Fair arises from the couch in her backstage room and stretches herself. She had dozed off - how peculiar that she dreamt about the time she ran away with Zack.

"Rosethorne!", the voice called out her stage name.

Dalia rubbed her drowsy eyes.

It seemed to be Amelia, her manager's voice.

Oh yes, it was Amelia!

"Hey Amelia, what is happening?"

The brown-haired woman facepalmed at Dalia while grumbling something about why she was stuck with such an unruly child - hey!

"You have a photo shoot in 30 minutes, Dalia. Get ready quickly," Amelia said with a stern expression.

Dalia groaned and checked her PHS for any messages or notifications.

Thus far, solely her cherished sibling had sent her a message.

A meme featuring a chocobo that elicited an amused snort from her.

Zack unfailingly knew how to lift her spirits.

The idol resolved to dispatch a brief message to her brother.

Songbird: Hey Nii-Chan, isn't Mister Angeal giving you a run for your money? You'll never advance beyond Second-Class SOLDIER if you're preoccupied with memes!

The response arrived promptly.

Puppydog: I'm on break! Kunsel says hi. Don't you have something to do, Imoto-Chan?

Blast it all!

Dalia hastily freshened up and donned the attire hanging on the door before adorning herself with makeup and affixing her crimson wig.

She couldn't help but ponder what mischief Zack was getting into at ShinRa today; it was nothing short of miraculous that he'd achieved even Third-Class SOLDIER status thanks to his mentor Angeal Hewley despite having caused significant damage during his acclimation period.

"Dalia, we must go now!" Amelia hollered from outside the door, rudely interrupting Dalia's thoughts.

With that said, Dalia retrieved her purse and accompanied Amelia out of the room in readiness for another day masquerading as Rosethorne - an idol worshipped by legions yet known by few except for Zack himself.

It suited Dalia just fine since she could lead a normal life as a sister to a SOLDIER without having crazed devotees swarming about while also experiencing life as an idol with fame and love from her fans.

As they stepped out of the building, Dalia couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over her.

Another successful photoshoot was completed without any hiccups.

She glanced at Amelia who was checking her PHS, probably making sure everything was in order for their next appointment.

Dalia's mind drifted back to Zack and she wondered what he was up to now. She quickly pulled out her PHS and sent him a message.

Songbird: Hey Nii-Chan, how's your day going so far? Any interesting missions?

She waited for a response but none came. She shrugged it off and slipped her phone back into her purse. He would message her when he had time or he would tell her when they were both home.

As they made their way to the car, Dalia thought about how lucky she was to have a sibling like Zack. Despite his antics and carefree attitude, he always managed to make her laugh and forget about any troubles she had.

The car ride was quiet as both Dalia and Amelia were lost in their own thoughts. Dalia couldn't wait to get home and take off the wig that was starting to itch her scalp.

As they arrived at their destination, Dalia took a deep breath before stepping out of the car. Another day as Rosethorne awaited her, but for now, she just wanted to relax and be herself with Zack by her side.

Amelia playfully inquired of Dalia if she was prepared to showcase her latest single.

Dalia responded with a smile, affirming that she had been eagerly awaiting this moment.

She went on to explain that the song held a special place in her heart and she couldn't wait to share it with everyone.

Observing Dalia's excitement, Amelia nodded in agreement - clearly just as thrilled for the performance.

As the lights dimmed and the crowd cheered, Dalia transformed into Rosethorne - embodying her Idol-Persona.

The red-haired vixen donned a short black sparkle dress adorned with a single red rose, knee-high white socks and black high heels featuring small roses.

Gloved hands grasped the microphone before taking a deep breath and beginning to sing.

The melody flowed effortlessly from her lips as she poured her heart into each word; it became increasingly evident that this was more than just a performance - it was an emotional journey that resonated with every member of the audience.

By the time Rosethorne finished singing, every member of the audience was standing on their feet applauding wildly.

It was clear that Rosethorne's music had touched them deeply leaving them inspired and uplifted.

As Rosethorne stood there beaming from ear to ear, she felt grateful for sharing her music with such enthusiastic fans.

In response to the enthusiastic demands of the audience for more music, Rosethorne graciously delivered some of her classic Number One hits.

The crowd was elated and joined in with her, their voices melding together in a beautiful harmony. The atmosphere was electric as the entire room filled with joy and the sound of music. Rosethorne's energy and passion were absolutely infectious, leaving all members of the audience craving more of her amazing tracks.

As she wrapped up her final song, there was a collective sigh from everyone present that it had come to an end.

However, Rosethorne had made an unforgettable impression on each person who was lucky enough to witness her performance that night.

Expressing her gratitude, Rosethorne exclaimed into the microphone and humbly bowed down. Applause reverberated throughout the room accompanied by joyous cheers and exclamations of adoration.

Smiling radiantly, she blew kisses to her devoted fans before announcing a special opportunity for one lucky audience member to meet with her for five minutes.

With bated breath, the crowd anticipated as she paused momentarily before calling out in suspenseful triumph: "The spotlight is on seat number 77!"

The occupant occupying seat 77 exhibited extreme shock, as evidenced by their reaction.

Rosethrone observed that the youthful gentleman with spiky blond locks and piercing azure eyes turned pallid like a sheet of paper.

Despite his condition, she couldn't help but notice how strikingly handsome he appeared; if she had to guess, he was her agemate.

So 15?

It seemed apparent that he wished to be anywhere else but here.

This piqued Rosethrone's interest; such a response was novel to her experience as normally her admirers would jump for joy or even faint (one time someone foamed out of their mouth), however, this particular reaction was quite intriguing indeed.

She walked towards him, her heels clicking against the polished floor.

As she approached, he looked up at her with a mixture of fear and awe in his eyes.

Rosethrone smiled warmly at him, trying to put him at ease.

"Don't worry," she said softly. "I won't bite."

The audience chuckled at her joke, but the young man didn't seem to find it funny.

"Come on," she said, holding out her hand. "Let's go backstage and chat for a bit."

He hesitated for a moment before taking her hand and standing up from his seat.

Together, they walked towards the back of the room as the crowd cheered them on.

Once they were alone in the green room, Rosethrone offered him a bottle of water and sat down next to him on the couch.

"So," she began, "what's your name?"

He told her his name was Cloud.

Cloud Strife.

Who named their son Cloud, she wanted to ask but had a feeling he was asked that a lot and it would annoy him.

All in all, he really seemed to not want to be here.

Rosethrone cleared her throat, attempting to alleviate the tension in the air. "So, Cloud," she inquired, "what brings you here today?"

Cloud shifted uncomfortably on the couch before responding. "I... I obtained tickets from one of my comrades...he couldn't attend and no one else had time or said their girlfriend wouldn't allow them to go to the concert of the Beautiful Rose of Midgar, their words not mine," he whispered softly.

"Comrades, are you affiliated with ShinRa?", she asked with interest.

"Yes Ma'am erm Idol-Sama?"

"We are the same age; Rosethrone is fine."

"Erm, right, okay. Yes, I'm a part of ShinRa. I aspire to become a SOLDIER!"

Wow! What an unexpected surprise it was that a SOLDIER candidate would be her guest.

Did he know Zack?

Unfortunately, she could not ask him since no one could know who Rosethorne truly was.

Rosethrone listened attentively as Cloud shared his aspirations for becoming a SOLDIER and described his training process. Despite his initial reluctance to be there, she sensed determination in his voice. As they conversed further, she became increasingly impressed by this young man's character.

Then Cloud realized how much he had been talking about himself and turned adorably red-faced. "I apologize for prattling on about my SOLDIER training without letting you speak at all," he whined slightly.

The young Idol waved it away."No problem at all! You didn't want to waste the ticket and just went ahead with attending anyway", she said."Well, I hope you're satisfied with your prize."

Cloud shook his head vigorously."No, no! It's just...it's all so overwhelming," he admitted."I'm not good with people."

Rosethrone smiled kindly at him."I understand exactly how you feel", she told him."Sometimes, it can be tough believing that all of this is real."

Cloud looked incredulous when hearing this statement. He asked hesitatingly, "You feel like that too?"

Rosethrone nodded affirmatively once more."Of course!" she exclaimed; "Don't get me wrong- I adore what I do, and am grateful for each fan, but sometimes, it can simply be too much."

They both sat silently for some time until Rosethorne spoke again: "Do you have any questions for me?"

The young men hesitated momentarily before nodding slowly ."Um, yes actually...How did music come into your life?"

Rosenthorn grinned broadly as she began recounting her origin story.

She explained how singing and performing were always passions but never thought it possible career-wise until Amelia, her manager heard her singing on the streets, was charmed by her voice, and took her under contract immediately after discovering her talent.

After a while, Rosethrone realized that their five minutes were up. She stood up from the couch and offered her hand to Cloud, who took it hesitantly. "It was really nice meeting you, Cloud," she said with a smile. "I hope you achieve your dreams."

Cloud nodded gratefully before turning to leave.

As he walked away, Rosethrone couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration for him.

She had met many fans over the years, but there was something special about this one.

Perhaps it was his determination or the fact that he didn't fawn over her like so many others did.

Whatever it was, Rosethrone knew that she would never forget meeting Cloud Strife.

And who knows? Maybe one day she would see him again - perhaps even in the newspaper as a full-fledged member of SOLDIER.


Finally, Dalia was home!

With a groan she took off her shoes and jacket, walking into the living room like a zombie.

Zack was already there, playing on his Gamestation.

"Hey Imoto-Chan, rough day?", he asked grinning.

She just hit him over the head with a pillow from the couch.

"Hey, for what was that for?!"

"Zachery, I had a photo shoot, a concert, then two interviews, one for the television and one for the newspaper, while wearing high heels, I'm this close to murdering someone."

Wisely her brother shut up and just kept on playing.

"What's for dinner?", she wondered, as she made her way into their kitchen, specifically looking for food.

There was a pizza carton.

"Again, pizza, Zack? I wanted Sushi."

"How can you like the uncooked fish is beyond me."

"How you can be a fit SOLDIER Third with the much pizza you eat is beyond ME!"

Groaning, Dalia opened the pizza carton and started eating, not bothering to heat it up.

Zack shrugged, "I didn't feel like cooking tonight."

"Well, I'm too tired to argue," Dalia said between bites.

As she ate, she thought about her upcoming schedule and sighed.

"I have another concert tomorrow night and a photo shoot early in the morning," she said to Zack who was still playing his game.

"Sounds like another busy day," he replied without looking away from the screen.

Dalia finished her pizza and went to take a shower, hoping it would help her relax after the long day she had just had.

After her shower, Dalia sat down at her desk to go over her schedule for the next few days.

She had a rehearsal with her band in the afternoon, followed by an interview with a music magazine.

Then, she had to attend a charity event in the evening.

The following day was even busier, with a radio interview early in the morning and a music video shoot later in the day.

Dalia felt overwhelmed just thinking about it all.

She knew she needed to stay focused and organized if she wanted to succeed in the music industry, but sometimes it felt like too much. She took a deep breath and reminded herself why she loved what she did - the rush of performing live, the connection with her fans, and the thrill of creating something new.

With renewed determination, Dalia got to work on preparing for her busy schedule ahead.

She made lists of everything she needed to do and packed her bags for each event.

As she drifted off to sleep that night, she felt ready to take on whatever challenges came her way - one concert, photo shoot, or interview at a time.

The young woman didn't expect to face some kind of freakish grim reaper wannabe that night!