Monsters Make the Best Pack

Disclaimer: I own neither the characters, setting, or company of origin for this story. This story is fictional and any similarity to persons past, present, future, living or dead is purely coincidental as this is a work of fiction and entertainment.

Prologue: Gathering the Pack

Bright florescent lights buzzed overhead, overworked trying to light the subterranean space whispered in his ears a distracting cadence.

The rotten smell of stagnant mako overlaid by the sickly sweet smell of drying blood almost overwhelmed his nose.

Fear and sweat drifted from every corner.

The combined scent of fur, blood, gun oil, mako, and material poured from behind the heavy wooden door to his left. Close and familiar, but not quite right. Still further.

There the smell of cleaning chemicals, books and ink, the sharp tang of fresh new mako, and underneath the sweet smell of chocolate. Found you.

A flash of silver turned to see and …

The tinny chirp of thousands of mechanical birds still echoing in his ears carried even further on the chilly mountain breeze.

Jump over the natural mako pool to avoid the cluster of Bombs in the path.

Finally, the clean, uncontaminated scent of pine and fresh dirt.

Blond and silver and a hint of blue eyes, huddled together against pale stone face.

Heat and sound drown out the rest of the world.

Green Life growing higher and stronger twined together with glowing mako and singing Lifestream harmonized with gentle humming.

Raised voices from the open window were a jarring counter-note to the peaceful scene outside small building.

A decision made in green eyes much older than the face they resided in, and brown locks join blond and silver.

After the oppressive cold of the Northern Continent the light, sweet scent of strange purple apples and warm refreshing air was a shock to eveyones' systems.

Scent is useless because of the extreme permeation of apple scent on the breezes, however sharp ears catch the soft murmur of a poem long since memorized and oft repeated.

High in the boughs of a bent tree shone a flash of bright, exuberant red; and closer to the ground the steadying presence of calm raven.

Closer still, and now the smell of fire and earth mixed with mako and fledgling feather down.

A flash of radiant, divine light and ringing metal; and then…

He should not have been in there. The office of the man, who had taken a look at the obvious features of the people fighting so fiercely against the company of his employ and still accepted the young man into the elite ranks of blue suited individuals' was dim, lit only by the glowing computer screen.

Nibelheim, Shinra Mansion, Dr. Hojo, S project; the Northern Crater, Dr. Gast, Promised Land; Banora, Dr. Hollander, G project. Explosions and disappearances and distinct footprints left at all three scenes.

The quiet click of the office lock and soft tap of polished shoes on linoleum covered the quiet chime of the only computer in the building connect to the main server of the Shinra Electric Company.

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