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Eyes open.
Green everywhere, everything
green. I'm in a tank.
Eyes close.
Eyes open.
There are people watching
me. Why am I alive? I challenged Sephiroth, should be dead.
Where is Sephiroth?
Eyes close.
Eyes open.
I look to my left.
Cloud? Yes, it's Cloud. Why is he in a tank, too? Sephiroth
ran me through. I shouldn't be alive, but I am. Ahhhh, Jenova.
They injected me with Jenova cells; I'm stronger than most because of it.
Why is Cloud here, though?
Eyes close.
Eyes open.
Cloud's awake now.
Those men are doing something, giving Cloud a shot. What are they
doing to him? They're leaving now.
They are gone.
I knock on my tank to try to get his attention. He looks over with
his
bright eyes.
Mako eyes. We are alike in that now. He is almost a reflection
of me.
"Cloud," I say.
"We're gonna get out soon. Gonna get away from these guys in
lab coats."
Yes, we'll get out
as soon as I am strong. Soon.
Eyes close.
Eyes open.
Glass shatters,
green liquid pours forth. I am free.
I bread open Cloud's
tank, he is weaker than I am. Why is he so close to death?
What
happened to him?
I carry Cloud out of
the room, past a dark hallway with a locked door. Climb up a ramp,
down some stairs, and
out of an old house. We're still in Nibelheim! We struggle
out of the village and camp for the night, Nibelheim behind a ridge.
"Cloud, what were you
doing in that tank? You were almost as bad off as I was."
"I went to challenge
Sephiroth, and he stabbed me…no…that was you."
"Was it? I thought
that you went in, and flew out of the chamber. He stabbed me, and
I
used his sword as a
lever to…no…you threw him into the Mako…no…Why can't I remember?"
"I don't know, but
Sephiroth DID get thrown into the Mako, and we did both get stabbed.
Those men gave me a
shot of Jenova. I guess I finally made it into Soldier."
"Welcome aboard, Cloud.
Let's get some sleep."
"Okay."
Eyes close.
Eyes open.
Walking, lots of walking.
We hitchhike. We're going to Midgar; we're going to be the best mercenaries
ever. Our ride drops us off, points over some hills. Midgar
should be there. Cloud is weak, I carry him. There are gunshots;
there is a warmth in my chest. I'm bleeding. I'll be dead soon,
the men who shot me left us for dead.
"Cloud," I whisper.
"You are stronger. You killed Sephiroth. Go be the best mercenary
ever. I wish
I could be as strong as you. Good luck."
Suddenly I realize
that for the past few months, I have been living in the presence of a great
man. Maybe he will shape the course of history. I wonder if
anyone will remember me.
For the last time,
my eyes close.
The End.