Note: I have not played Crisis Core so Don't expect it to follow the story very well. Also this will be a two part story.

Prologue

WUTAI PROVINCE

"Do you have any idea what's going on?" The boy whispered, his breath showing in the frigid morning air. There was a touch of anxiety in his voice, adding to the already tense moment. The boy sitting next to him, sat up in the crudely dug hole which resembled a shallow crater. A blonde spike dangled in front of his right eye which he quickly shoved back underneath his helmet. His hands were numb so he kept them jammed in his armpits. His feet were much the same but wiggling his toes was all he could do for warmth.

"No." He whispered back as they both stared out across the frosty and empty landscape. The sliver of moon in the sky gave them little light as they tried to find the source of the commotion. They listened carefully, hearing the faint sound of something being dragged across frozen ground. The two boys looked from side to side, seeing the other young men and women that surrounded them in their own holes doing the same. They exchanged a few worried looks before turning back to their front. Something was about to happen. It had been quiet until now since they had been left ontop of that hill almost four hours ago.

"There's something out there..." The first boy whispered. His eyes wide now as he leaned forward and wrapped his hand around the pistol grip of his weapon. "Who's in the listening post?" He asked turning to the other boy.

"Bradley...Farron?" He guessed as he squinted through the darkness, looking for the small hole 100 meters to their front. He was able to make out the two shivering heads of the people that occupied the listening post but nothing else around them. The patter of feet behind them caused both of the boys hearts to jump. They spun around to see a man dressed in a red overcoat racing towards them. "Sir! I think-" The boy tried warning in a hushed tone.

"What the hell are you people doing!" The man bellowed as he stopped beside their hole. His uniform was clean and fresh, not dirty and half frozen like the people's around him. He stood painfully high above the hole the two boys were sitting in, naught but their heads showing. "Get out of those damn holes and move! You've been here for four hours, sitting on your asses when you should be moving forward!" He screamed at the teenage soldiers that surrounded him.

"Yes sir." The first boy responded, casting his fears aside. As the two of them rose from the hole to join their leader, a desperate cry for help was heard coming from the bottom of the hill.

"Help! They're down here!" Came the plea. It was quickly followed by a painful scream. Before anyone could breathe, the man in red and the first boy collapsed to the ground, a sickly penetrating noise coming from them. The second boy looked to see his friend crumple back into the hole he had just climbed out of, an arrow close to the length of a yard stick protruding halfway out of his neck and out the other man in red lay motionless on the ground, an arrow protruding from him as well. The boy jumped back into the hole as his friend lay dying in the frozen dirt. Gunfire erupted around them, lighting up the night sky. The boy watched as his friend bled profusely from the terrible wound in his neck, unable to make a sound except harsh gurgling noises. The boy looked away, not wanting to look at the horrible scene any longer. He dug his face into the dirt and cuffed his hands over his ears to try and block out the madness. The tug at his pantleg let him know that his friend was trying desperately to get the boy to help him but moments later,the tugging stopped. When the boy opened his eyes he had found that the night was still alit with gunfire but now there were men clad in colourful armour barreling down upon him. The glint of a long skinny metal blade caught his eye, a katanna, which was in the hands of one of the warriors almost on top of him. With mere seconds before his life would be slashed in two, the boy scrambled to find his weapon. Furiously he looked around his hole only to find that his dying friend had fallen on top of it. Before he even had the chance to retrieve it, the warrior was upon him, his war cry blood curdling. The boy fell back into his hole and raised an arm to block the oncoming attack, hardened cold steel flashing in the moonlight as it was directed on him.

Chapter 1: Step One

Two years earlier...

His bags were packed and lying dormant by the door. There wasn't much, a duffel bag and a suitcase, all the things he needed. The young boy sat next to the window at the front door, staring out eagerly across the small town.

"It will come..be patient." He heard his mother's voice. She walked out of the kitchen, rubbing her hands on her apron before taking a seat beside him. She ruffled his blonde hair, much to his annoyance and chuckled when he put up a small fit.

"I didn't cut it too short did I?" She asked as he batted her hands away.

"No mom." He said in an irritated tone. The small ponytail he had growing up was finally gone, and his hair was trimmed down to a more proper length.

"You're sure you packed everything you need?" She asked, knowing her mandatory mother questions were irritating him.

"Yes mom. They'll give me everything I need anyway." He told her as he spotted a vehicle approaching the town. "I think it's here.." He drifted off as his eyes lit up. Quickly hurrying to the door, he grabbed his luggage and swung open the door as his mother followed quickly behind. They walked to the center of the town, where a large well sat directly in the middle, to wait for the vehicle.

"Now Cloud.." His mother began as she turned to him. "I know you're set on doing this, but if things don't work out for you, just know that you'll always have a home here. I don't care if you become a big SOLDIER hero or not...I'll always have a bed ready for you." Her smile made him feel embarrassed and he mumbled an 'Okay'. "And you come home every chance you get." She lectured in an motherly tone. "Don't forget about your mother."

"I won't." He promised. Just then, the door to the town inn opened and out poured a dozen people. They all surrounded a young boy, similar to Cloud's age of 14. It was the other boy who was leaving town, Johnny. Cloud was never friends with him but then again he was never really friends with anyone in town. The people that surrounded Johnny were all wishing him good luck and giving him pats on the back while Cloud and his mother stood watching. That's when Cloud spotted her, Tifa, who was apart of the group. His heart fluttered at the sight of her and he quickly looked away to avoid being caught staring. He took a few glances at her, just one last time before he was to go away. She was the prettiest girl he had ever known. Long dark brown hair, hazelnut eyes he'd just get lost in, a smile that lit up his world, and above all, she considered him a friend. Someday, when he had made something of himself, he would return and sweep Tifa off her feet. That was plan anyway and he was just about to take step one.

"Good luck with the Shinra Guard Johnny." Cloud heard Tifa say as the bus pulled up to the town. He hoped she would wish him goodbye before he went, but with everyone else around, if she didn't he would understand.

"Well...this is it..the day you've been waiting for." Cloud's mother said to him as the bus stopped beside them. She leaned over slightly and gave him a big hug. He was embarrassed but this being the last time he would see her for at least a year, he hugged her back. "You be good now and stay safe." She said letting go as she started to tear up. "I love you."

"I love you too mom." Cloud said back a little awkwardly. Picking up his suitcase and duffel bag, he walked up to the bus. Before he stepped on, he stopped and turned to see Tifa staring at him. "Goodbye Tifa." He said quickly before hurrying on the bus.

"I'll miss you!" She called after him as he walked up the steps. Cloud gave a shy little smile before handing his bus ticket to the driver.

"Costa Del Sol?" He said aloud as he read the ticket. "You going on vacation young man?" The old bus driver chuckled.

"No sir, I'm taking a boat across to Junon."

"You're not planning on joining the Shinra Guard are you?" He asked as Cloud nodded. The driver shook his head in disapproval but Cloud paid no attention. Stowing his bags, Cloud took his seat at one of the windows on the small bus and waved to his mom. Once Johnny was seated the bus began to pull away. He waved one last time to his mom and once to Tifa, who waved back, much to his excitement. The bus picked up speed as it pulled onto the main road, his old life slowly disappearing into the mountains. Cloud had never been out of the small town before and already he was becoming slightly homesick. In three days he would be in Midgar and on his way to becoming a SOLDIER. He knew it would take time before he got to that point but it would be worth every minute if it meant that he would be close to becoming like his childhood hero: Sephiroth.

Slow start but things get hectic. Also in the next chapter be aware there will be some very colourful language.