Chapter 1

A wave a soldiers marched through the streets of Junon, keeping a steady beat with their boots. As one being, they saluted their
commanding officers as they passed by the Junon-Headquarters. As the end of the formation begin to trickle by, a gentle mist set over the city.

"Sir! A member of Avalanche has been spotted near the camps!" A messenger hurried up to his commander, panting as he spoke. The commanding officer turned away from the parade of soldiers to speak to the boy.

"Really? Interesting…Thank you. Dismissed!" The elder man watched with curt patience as the young boy gave one final pant and hurried back off to catch the troops. He wiped a thin curtain of sweat away from his forehead despite the cool mist that was now turning into a light rain and sighed. "Damn Avalanche…"

***

General Briggs glanced at the paperwork on his desk. What was this doing here? Paperwork was his secretary's job. He was
needed for more important things.

Angrily he activated his intercom. "GRACE!"

"Eep! Ye-yes sir?" A meek voice came over the box.

"What is this paperwork doing on my desk?"

"Y-you're supposed to sign them sir!"

He gave an exasperated sigh, running his hand through his long black hair. "Grace?"

"Yes sir?"

"What have I told you about papers needing my signatures?"

"That I should just forge your name on them, sir, I know but-"

"No buts! Now, I'll let it slip this time, but if this happens again you're out of a job. Understand me?" His voice was cold and
uncaring.

"Yes sir!" The intercom gave an electric crackle, then died off.

The General got to work reading the papers, and signing the ones he felt worthwhile.

Request for more tents…denied. Request for more shoes…denied. His eyebrow went up as he read the next slip of paper.
General Briggs, we request your permission to sneak into the enemy city of Wutai for three days and three nights. We
believe that there is an Ancient hiding with in the city and we wish to track them down and bring them back for Shinra to
study.

"Interesting…" Briggs knew Shinra could always use another Ancient to study, especially if this one turned out to be male. Lord
knows that female was putting up quite a fight. Request granted.

Suddenly, his intercom crackled back to life. "Sir!"

"What is it Grace? I'm a busy man you know!"

"Sorry sir! But Captain Reice is here and needs to speak with you. He says it's urgent, sir."

"Fine, fine. Let him in."

"As you wish sir." The intercom shut off as a knock came at the General's door.

"Come in, Reice." The door swung open, and a short man with a worried look on his face entered. "What do you need, Captain?"

Reice hoped with all his being that he wasn't too late. "Sir! An Avalanche member has been spotted at the soldier camps!"

"Any idea why they are there?"

"No, sir. But it can't be any good!" The captain's tense look on his face intensified as the General gave him a hard stare.

"Agreed," he said after a pause. "Very well, thank you Captain, I shall send some men out to investigate it."

Sir-"

"I do not advise you to interrupt me while I am speaking Captain."

"Forgive me, sir."

"As I was saying, I shall send some men along with General Strife to investigate it. I believe he was on his way out there anyway."

"Very good sir, will that be all?"

"Yes, you are dismissed."

***

Captain Reice sighed as he left the General's office. Zack…what happened to you? We used to be such good friends…

With his down, he walked past the secretary's desk, a young blonde that was filing her nails. She casually glanced at the Captain as he left.

Hurry up…leave…she willed him silently. She took in a sharp breath of air as heard the door open, and waited for it to close.

She let a mental shriek of joy as she heard it click to a shut. Knowing that her time was limited, she took out her black leather
purse that seemed almost ready to burst at the seams, and pulled out a cellular phone.

Taking a quick glance around the office to make sure no one was around, she dialed in a number.

"Hello? Tifa's Seventh Heaven, Wedge speaking." An official sounding voice answered.

"Wedge!"

"Jessie! What's going on?"

"They found Biggs!" She was making sure her voice was low, and not carrying, but still making sure she looked casual so in case someone did walk in, she wouldn't draw attention to herself.

"…damn. Do they have him in custody yet?"

"No, Briggs is about to send Strife and some other boys out to find him though!"

"….damn!" He repeated. "I'll try and contact him…but he probably turned off his PHS…"

"Ok, just, do whatever you can! I gotta go, see ya."

***

Tifa Lockheart glanced at Wedge as he cursed into the phone twice. "What is it?"

The man looked at her for a second. "Biggs is in trouble."

The brunette woman looked up from her work immediately. "What?! How?"

"Someone must have spotted him 'cause Briggs is sending Strife and some others over…Tifa…" he said in a comforting tone as
the women looked down. "I know…I know how you feel about him, but he's obviously different now. Forget him."

She gave her friend a small smile. "I try to, gawd I try to! But it's so hard. I can't believe he grew up to be a Shinra general." She cast her head towards the bar.

Wedge stared at the woman with sorrow on his face. What he wouldn't give to be able to comfort her. "Tifa…"

***

Rufus Shinra sat comfortably in his leather chair, his feet casually propped on his desk, nor paying attention to what the woman in front of him was saying.

"Sir, she's bad for your image. I know not many people know about her, yet. But sooner or later it's going to spread and she'll be on the front of every tabloid on the Planet!" The woman, his personal secretary, paused, waiting for him to reply. "Sir?"

"Huh? What? I'm sorry, what did you say Cassandra?"

The red head shook her head. "Alli Shinra is bad for you. That's it in a nut-shell."

"So what do you want me to do about her? I can't just get rid of her!" He ran his hand through his beloved hair.

"Why not? I'm sure the Turks would be more than willing to-"

"CASSANDRA! Annoying as she may be, she is still my cousin and she hasn't done anything to make me quite that mad at her. I know how my father and everyone else feels about her, but I'm afraid I don't share their feelings to the same extent." He removed his booted-feet from his desktop.

"Yes sir, I know but…have you read the latest statement from her academy?" She moved to hand him a letter.

"No, I haven't…" he gingerly took the letter from her hand. His face contorted into a grimace as he skimmed it. "Oh dear…Alli
what have you gotten yourself into now?"

"Nothing I can't get out of," a young voice came from the doorway.

"Alli!" Rufus's blue eyes widened, then narrowed. "Cassandra, would you please excuse us?"

The secretary smiled. "Why certainly sir." With the flip of her long hair, she meandered out the office door, slamming into Alli on
the way out.

"Oh, pardon me, Miss Shinra." The young girl merely glared at her and strolled into her older cousin's office.

"Alli-"

"I know, I know. I royally screwed up. Well, I'm sorry ok." She took a seat in a chair opposite his.

"No Alli. Sorry isn't going to cut it this time."

"So I blew up a science lab? It was all in the name of knowledge." She shrugged.

"You didn't just blow up a science lab! You trashed an entire floor, and when they tried to track you down, you were no where
to be found! Do you know how much this is going to cost me?"

"Oh don't even go on about how much money this is going to take to repair, if there's one thing I've learned from being in this
family it's that money means everything and money means nothing. This is just a grain of sand compared to your bank account
Rufus!"

"I wasn't just talking about money." His voice was firm and cold. "You've scarred our name for life! And not just this time! Talk
about grains of sand, this is nothing compared to your record! I'm surprised your father kept you in his name at all!!"

Alli's eyes cooled over and her voice had an icy edge to it. "So why don't you just send your Turks after me, huh? I'm obviously
still an embarrassment to this family!"

"Alli-"

"You know," she interrupted. "I thought things would change once you got into power, I thought maybe you would be different!
But no, you're the same as old Daddy-Dearest." She scoffed. "Boy, what I wouldn't give to have seen the look on his face when I popped out. The first girl born into the Shinra family in 6 generations. And god forbid that he let a woman run his company when he's gone, he lets you take over everything! His nephew instead of his own daughter! Tell me, how did he get everyone to believe that you were his son? Most of these people were around when I was born, and I don't believe any of them thought you were his son then. Did he just pay them off? What?" She dropped her hands to his desk.

"Alli. Please. Leave. Now." Slanting his eyes, he crossed his arms across he chest.

"My pleasure. I wouldn't want to waste anymore time that might be spent with that little whore of a secretary you have stowed
away for rainy days." Muttering something under her breath, she stormed out of the office, slamming the door hard enough to
bounce back out of its latch.

Rufus Shinra shook his head. "I can finally see what her old man did now."

***

Cloud Strife, Shinra General, lead his troops through the city of Junon, heading for the camps on the outskirts of town.

Damn Avalanche, he thought to himself. Have to go poking their ugly little noses where they don't belong…well we'll show
them this time. He chuckled under his breath, noticing that they were nearing the camps.

"TROOPS!" he hollered loud enough for everyone to hear. "We are nearing the camps, I want everyone on their top guard,
report anything that looks out of place and if you encounter the Avalanche scum, bring them to me, dead or alive but preferably
alive. Everyone out!" The soldiers all scattered to their assigned places, not wanting to anger the General.

Cloud Strife…said to be the greatest general Shinra had ever seen since The Great Sephiroth. Deadly with his sword, he and the
other general, General Zachery Briggs, were not anyone the opposing side wanted to go one on one with. They killed without
thought, slashing their victims first through the heart, then through the neck, just to make sure they were dead and that they stayed dead.

Glancing around the now muddy camps, he brushed a wet-lock of ice blonde hair from his eye. They'd find the nasty little devil,
even if it took all night.

***

Aeris Gainsborough shivered in her cell. It was well past midnight, but she couldn't sleep. She could never sleep. She was too
afraid of what might happen if she did. And, oh she was in so much pain. She wasn't sure what those tests of Hojo's did, but
whatever it was it hurt.

Her eyelids began to droop just as she settled into a fit of coughing. Out of habit, she pushed hand up to cover her mouth, noting that when it came back it was smeared with blood. She didn't care.

She heard rumors of another of her kind, Cetra, or the Ancients as they were now called, hiding in Wutai. Lord Godo was
supposedly protecting them, if there even was one.

She'd heard Hojo's proclamations of joy when he'd found out. It had sickened her more than the daily injections.

"Just think! All of these test that we have designed for Specimen D when it gains the strength again, can be tested much sooner!
And, think of the possibilities! A full blooded Cetra….we haven't had one of those since Specimen C…ooh it gives me goose
bumps!"

That had given Aeris goose bumps. She hated the way she was referred to as it or Specimen D. She was every bit as humane as they, even more so! She at least had a heart, and a warm, beating one at that. They…they were cold. They didn't care the least is she died writhing in agony at their feet, so long as she didn't interfere with their project.

Settling into yet another coughing fit, she lay down on the cold, cement floor of her holding cell. I'll get out of this yet Hojo…just
you wait!

***

Biggs screamed internally as his PHS rang. Silently, and as slowly as possible her pulled it out, hoping none of the soldiers had
heard.

"Yeah?" he answered in a hushed tone.

"Biggs!" Wedge's voice exclaimed on the other line.

"Wedge! What do you want?"

"Strife's bringing down some soldiers…get out of there."

"A little late for that. They found me. I managed to run off and now I'm hiding in a crate of bandages. I figure if I wait
out in here long enough without them finding me they'll figure I ran off. Damn, they're coming, I better go. Bye." Praying
to himself, he slipped the PHS back into his pocket. He then proceeded to press his ear against the crate, trying to hear the
voices.

Mumble mumble…"Got away?"

"Nah…"mumble "here."

"Sure?"

Mumble.

"Don't…" mumble "so!"

"Let's…" mumble "then."

Mumble. The voices faded out. Biggs prayed that they had left, for he couldn't stand the crate any longer. Flinging the lid off, he
scampered out of the box. Without a taking a glance behind him, he rushed out of the camp as fast as he could.

***

James Archer watched Lord Godo's daughter argue with her father from afar. It was quite amusing for him. Whenever he had
seen the leader of Wutai's daughter, Yuffie he believed her name was, she was either arguing, stealing materia, talking, or
practicing her fighting skills.

He had to admit, she was quite good at fighting. He had watched her practice some, and though he was by no means
knowledgeable in the field of ninja's, but he really hadn't needed to be to tell that she was good, very good.

Yuffie had seemingly given up the argument, for when James looked at them again, she was storming off.

Godo, shaking his head, seemed to notice James for the first time. "Ah, James my boy, how are you?" He walked over to the man of twenty, sitting down on the floor next to him.

"I am….all right. I guess. As all right as anyone can be knowing that biggest corporation in the world wants to experiment on him." He glanced over at the older man, a weak smile on his usually placid face.

"James, do not worry. I won't let Shinra get their hands on you. I don't believe they will gain anything by experimenting on you.
The only thing they will succeed in is exterminating the Cetra."

James's smile grew in confidence. "Thank you, Lord Godo. It is good to know that some people can still be trusted in this day and age."

"James, there are many who can be trusted, one just has to know where to look. Now, if you will excuse me, I have a meeting
with General Joca," the old man raised himself to his feet and left the open room in the pagoda.

"Where should I look?" James sighed and swept a lock of his brown hair from his face.

"Look for what?" a questioning voice asked from behind him. The Cetra turned to see Godo's daughter, Yuffie, standing behind
him.

"For someone to trust. Your father told me that there are many who can be trusted, I just have to know where to look."

Yuffie smirked and plopped herself down beside the older man. "That's the biggest piece of b.s. I've ever heard. You can't trust
no one today. Not with this blasted war still going on…"

"Yuffie, can you remember a day when the war wasn't going on?" He raised an eyebrow.

"You mean besides those five years of supposed peace we had a while back? Nope. For as long as I can remember, we've been at war."

"How old are you, Yuffie?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"I was just curious. I've never really talked to you much since I came here, and I may be here awhile so I figure I should get to
know everyone."

"I'm sweet sixteen. Just old enough to join the army."

"You're going to fight in the war?"

"I wish! My stupid dad won't let me!" She shadow boxed in the air for a minute. "He just doesn't understand me, ya know? Did
your parents understand you?" Without waiting for answer she plunged into another sentence. "Probably not, no one's ever does."

"Actually…I never knew my parents…they were killed when I was still very young."

"…I'm sorry. Gawd! Now I feel like a dope! Me and my big mouth!"

"Yuffie, " James smiled. "It is all right. No need to…feel like a dope."

"James, how old are you?"

"Me? Twenty years old. Why do you ask?"

"Dang! Only twenty? You act like you’re my dads age!"

"…ok."

Yuffie giggled, "Sorry. Oh! I'm going to be late to lessons! See ya!" Leaving behind a smiling James, Yuffie hurried out of the
room.

"See ya."

***

Tifa and Wedge watched as the last of the customers finally left the bar. Wedge immediately went for the pinball machine, taking it down to the secret Avalanche meeting room to get some papers.

Tifa wasn't alone in the bar for very long, because before she knew it, a big, burly man with a gun on his left arm entered the bar, carrying with him a young girl.

"Barret, Marlene. Hello!" Tifa ran over and swept the young girl in to her arms, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Hi, miss Tifa!" The little Marlene chimed, used to being up so late.

"Marlene…how many times have I told you. Just Tifa."

Marlene giggled and nodded. "All right, Tifa."

Barret, wanting to get down to business, sat the girl on a stool at the bar, taking a seat next to her. "Have you heard from Biggs or Jessie?"

Tifa sighed. "We've heard from Jessie, but not Biggs…we think he's still in trouble."

Barret sighed, burying his face in his hands. "Damn…"

Marlene, busy playing with a doll she had brought along, said simply, "Daddy, mind you language!"

"Sorry Mar."

"Barret," Tifa muttered, taking her usual place behind the counter. "We all knew the dangers. I'm surprised we've gotten this far
without getting caught."

"But we have been caught, don't you see? Our faces are everywhere in Midgar, Junon, and Rocket Town, probably even in
Nibelheim!"

"But that didn't mean that we were in jail! Now one of us is probably going to be skinned alive in front of the whole population of Junon! We need to be more careful!"

"Tifa! Not in front of my kid!"

"I'm sorry Barret. But it's true."

"What's true?" Wedge asked, coming up from the lower level.

Tifa and Barret eyed each other coolly for a second, before the woman replied, "Nothing."

***

Tseng of the Turks smirked at his victim. Some people just didn't know when to give in and admit defeat; he liked that in a
person. Gave him more time to beat them.

"Ah!!!" his victim yelped. "I told you, I don't know anything!"

Tseng smacked him again, full across the face. "And I said I don't believe you! Now, where is Avalanche's headquarters?"

"Why won't you believe me?" He spit out a mouthful of tart blood-tinted spit.

"Because I know you're lying, you no good son of a bi-"

"Tseng! Rufus wants to see you immediately!" Reno entered the interrogation room, nightstick in hand.

The elder Turk frowned, then turned and punched his victim one last time in the gut. "Fine, take over for me, will you?" Without
waiting for an answer he left the room.

The man that was being 'interrogated' sat in a chair in the center of the room, tied firmly to it. Reno walked slowly towards him.

"Reeve, Reeve, Reeve…how do you get yourself into messes like these?" the Turk inquired.

The dark-haired man looked up at him, a morose smile placed on his face. He didn't answer.

"Well, no fear. I think…that I'm going to let you go."

"Huh?"

"Don't misunderstand me, I haven't gone soft. I just know that you have something that I want, and killing you won't help me any. So you, dear Reeve, are going to lead me to your little terrorist group Avalanche." He extended his nightstick to its full length. "Or else."

***

Tifa, Barret, and Wedge were started to worry. The fourth and fifth members of their usual meetings weren't there. Jessie was
excused, of course, but Biggs, whom Tifa still considered to be dead, was missing, as was Reeve.

"I knew it was too dangerous to let him work in the Shinra building!" Wedge threw his glass across the bar, shattering it into a
thousand miniscule particles.

"I'm sure he's fine!" Barret grumbled, waving his gun-arm around. "Maybe he just got held up-"

Suddenly, the door opened up, revealing two figures.

"Yeah, I was held up, kinda," Reeve muttered through clenched teeth, hanging on to Reno for support as they entered Tifa's
Seventh Heaven together.

"Reeve!" Tifa gasped, rushing over to him. "Are you all right? What happened?"

"And why are you with a Turk?" Wedge asked suspiciously, eyeing the redhead.

"Guys, this is Reno," Reeve stated, sitting down on a stool, while Tifa bandaged his wounds. "He…wanted me to bring him, and I wasn't about to argue."

Wedge glared at the Turk. "Why exactly did you want to come? You gonna arrest us?"

Reno let out a small chuckle. "Goodness no! I'm no betting man but I can see that the odds are not in my favor this time. Actually, I wanted to help your movement."

Everyone turned to stare at him. "You want to help?" Tifa asked, not believing him. He nodded. "Why?"

"Although I may work for Shinra, it doesn't mean I believe in everything they are doing. This war is plain stupid! Not mention what their science center does…" he shuddered. "It just sickens me!"

"So why don’t you quit?"

"Well, it's not that easy you see, to quit…it's a tedious process."

"What is it exactly?"

"A bullet placed at the base of your skull." Reno shrugged. "I don't know about you but I don't fell up to that. Now then, what do you say?"

The others looked at each other, asking the question merely with the look in their eyes. Should we let him in?

After a moment or two, Barret turned to him. "All right, we'll give ya a shot, but if you blow our cover…well, let's just say we
won't be to happy."

"Understood."

"Welcome to Avalanche, Reno."

Authors notes: Wow! This came out of nowhere! Its…almost good too! Yea! Expect more sometime!

To Chapter 2