Prologue

“This has to be the most boring train ride in my entire life,” Complained Zax Schultz, first class SOLDIER of Shinra Inc. “What about you Cloud?” Cloud simply shrugged, trying to prevent himself from vomiting, since he happened to suffer from motion sickness. “I think there’s about eight more hours or so until we get to Midgar… have any ideas about what we should do?” Zax asked quietly, thinking. If there was one thing that Zax despised, it was boredom.

“No,” Cloud replied, and then a sick expression came across his face. He then closed his eyes, and refused to say anything else about the matter, since he really didn’t want to do anything anyway.

“Well… how about my life story? You know; stuff like how I got in SOLDIER and so on.”

“Whatever…”

“So, it’s settled? My life story? Well… I think I’ll start around the time I first found out about Shinra, and of all the heroes it produced. I had always wanted to be of hero, to make my hometown proud of me…

~~

“Hey Dad, what is Sh…Sheenra?” I asked my father, Ronald Thomas Schultz, aged twenty-five.

“You mean ‘Shinra’, son. Well, Shinra is a group-a gigantic one, mind you. It is ruled by Christopher Shinra, a very ambitious man.”

“That sounds cool, Dad.” I automatically told him, hardly listening to the last half or so of his sentence. “What is SOLDIER?”

“SOLDIER is a military group, a branch of Shinra,” He droned on and on about Shinra, of how he knew many brave men that were in it as third-or-second class SOLDIERs. I listened patiently, hearing some of the tales his friends had told him before. Some were interesting; some… weren’t. However, they all caught my interest, and made me wish to be in this ‘military branch’ of Shinra.

“I want to be in SOLDIER…” I told my father, whom smiled at my words. “You can’t, not yet. You have to be fourteen to even get in the lowest job-so you’re got… what, six years or so? Besides, you’re far too lazy to do such a job!” At those words; he ruffled my then still-spiky black hair affectionately, while I contemplated how I could try to sneak in SOLDIER a few years earlier… heh, I really wanted to prove that I wasn’t the lazy little boy the whole town of Gongaga thought I was…

~~

Over the next couple of years that were to come, my dream of becoming one of the best SOLDIERs ever continued to dominate my thoughts completely. Every single time I mentioned to my parents, or even my older friends; about my dream, they simply shook their heads and frowned slightly. I still don’t understand why they reacted that way-being in SOLDIER is the best job I believe anyone could ever have.

~~

When I was twelve, I found out about this special guy that specialized in making false papers. Everyone told me I looked far older than I was, though I was incredibly immature, except in some matters-like girls, for instance. You already figured that out though, huh Cloud? Well, anyway, I told no one of my planned visit to this guy, not even my closest friends. There was no way I could wait another two years… by that time, I had already purchased my first weapon to do battle with-a small old combat knife, perfect for newbies like me.

This guy, he was forty or so. You could tell he was an alcoholic, by the way his breath smelled. His manner made me kind of nervous, though I tried not to show it. I wanted to be brave, like a first class SOLDIER. Like a hero.

“So, kid, what the hell you want?” The man asked, his voice gruff.

“I was wondering… if you could make me some… eh… papers…?” I asked, attempting to make my voice sound bold, but failing miserably, since it refused to come out the way I wanted it to, and instead making me sound like a scared mouse.

“Why you need my papers, kid?” The man questioned, leaning over me monotonously from his tall desk.

“I… want to join… SOLDIER…” I replied, wanting to say more, but my conscience telling me not to.

“Want to join SOLDIER? You? Kid, you got a rep, and it ain’t a good one, no sir.” He told me, and then chuckled.

“But… I… I…” I faltered, unable to say anything more, since I did have reputation that fit me. I always wanted to do my own thing, a habit of mine that I still have. It hasn’t ever helped me, I’ll tell you that.

“Look, I’ve heard of your little ‘dream’ there too, from a friend. Though I think you’re too young, I do believe you’ve got the right mind for a SOLDIER… good companion like person in a time of need. I knew some people your age that sneaked into SOLDIER… and proved themselves. Hell, I’ll make you one. Ain’t got anything else to do anyway.” He told me, and then a crooked smile came across his lips, an expression that he obviously didn’t use much. “Come back in three hours, and you’ll get your little papers, Zax Schultz.”

Hardly believing my luck, I was very hyper for the next three hours. I stayed by that little hut the whole time, trying to deplete my energy by running around it aimlessly. I literally counted every hour, minute… second even. I already had my money that I had saved to get to Midgar, so all I would have to do was get the papers, and then leave. To a big city. Finally. I was so sick and tired of that tiny little town, where there was no way to become famous.

~~

After exactly three hours had passed by, incredibly slowly I might add, I ran inside, to the counter. The man, whom I never found out the name of, calmly handed me the false papers.

“What do I need to pay?” I asked, expecting to have to give him at least a minor payment.

“Nothing, it’s on me. But, your little lazy ass better get well known,” He smiled, and walked off to the back of his hut, leaving me to do what I did best… my own ‘little’ thing, which at the time…

Was to leave that dinky little town once and for all.