On the planet called Gaia lies the most technologically advanced city, Midgar. It is powered by eight giant reactors that are constructed by the Shinra Electric Power Company. This city resident rises three-hundred above ground level; steel plates surround the Shinra building offer comfortable residential districts for its wealthiest citizens. Yet, below these plates lies the dark and neglected place for the impoverished called the slums.

Here in the slums, is nothing but full of junk discarded from the upper city and ruins of buildings that were once called towns. The people that live here will go their entire lives without seeing the sun and the moon. While a wealthy man from the upper city will enjoy his coffee and read the local newspaper, a man from the slums will go looking for scraps to sell or slay monsters that have escaped from Shinra's facilities to make money to have a meal. Even the homeless have to make do with whatever shelter they can find. Yet the crime flourishes in this harsh environment due to the lack of law and order.

Like in the city up above, the slums are divided into eight sectors. On a long narrow dirt path leads to an abandoned warehouse, a young woman who appeared to be around the age between twenty-three and twenty-five. She wore a black hooded zipped jacket with a koi fish surrounded by cherry blossoms embroidery on the back, white fitted-shirt, torn-up black jeans, and black combat boots. Three silver chains dangle down on her right hip attached to her front belt loop, leather gloves, a spiked bracelet on her right wrist, and a silver necklace with a one-wing silver charm complements her look. However, her facial appearance is rather stunning long black hair with teal highlights at the ends, sharp but a gentle light in her brown eyes and light skin. Attached to her left hip is a long black katana with a purple handle.

She casually strolled towards the warehouse until she stopped when a large shadow leaped towards her. She side-stepped lazily, avoiding the incoming being. She looked over her shoulder and saw a significant canine being; its red eyes glared at her with killing intent as it snarled, showing large fangs and had grey fur with a long tail-like whip that went from the back of its head.

The young woman unsheaths her weapon as the blade gleamed brightly, the beast barked warningly as the woman took her fighting stance. She lunged towards the creature as it lunged at her, the edge of the blade made a single deep cut on the creature's throat; in an instant, the monster falls and gasps for air before laying still.

The woman approaches the creature, pokes it with her sword, confirming that it is dead. The woman sheaths her sword and walks away, heading back on the dirt path. After navigating through the twisted way, she came up to a slum called Sector 7 slums. She leads to a man who appeared in his mid-thirties wearing a blue cap, thick beard, brown hair, and blue eyes.

The man sees her and smiles, "Sara, you took care of that rogue dog?"

Sara replied, "Yes, Wymer, it was an easy task."

Wymer shook his head, "I still find it hard to believe that you manage to take care of it by yourself. You don't look the type of gal that can slay monsters. But the world is full of surprises, anyway thanks for your help. Its been a real blessing to have you around these last few months. Not too many people are willing to slay monsters."

In the slums, very few people are willing to risk their lives to slay monsters to keep the peace and let alone earn some money. Ever since Sara had come to Sector 7 a few months ago, she had been helping out with the latest pest control is what most people would call it. When Sara offered her help to Wymer on monster-slaying, he wasn't all that convinced but after seeing her fight during a hunt. He decided to allow Sara to hunt alone.

Wymer recalled something and looked at Sara, "Oh, I remembered something Tifa would like to have a word with you at the bar. Be sure to stop by when you get a chance."

Sara, "Tifa? What does she want with me?"

Wymer shook his head, "Don't know, but I'd say you might have impressed her or that big friend of hers, Barret. Better run along now. I'll let you know if there any monsters that need to be slain."

Sara, "See ya,"

Sara continued walking along the path, passing through shanty houses. Hardly any vegetation growing, scraps of metal and trash were in every nook and cranny in every direction a person would see. Neon signs of small shops and cafes were along the path and people walking around going about their business. The center of the town is a relatively big building with a large sign on top in a big, bold letter named Seventh Heaven that is both a bar and a restaurant. Sara walked over to the bar and walked inside. Inside the building are a large open room with high tables, bar stools, long tables, a jukebox, a pinball machine, and a long bar at the end of the room.

Sara looked around and spotted a young woman behind the bar with long dark brown hair that falls below her waist and is tied at the tips. The young woman wears a sleeveless shirt that exposes her midriff, a black mini-skirt with a belt and suspenders. The woman behind the bar had her back facing towards Sara while washing dishes. Sara approached the bar and sat down on one of the bar stools.

Sara, "Excuse me, Tifa?"

The young woman heard her name and turned around with a smile. She was showing red eyes, a white teardrop earring on her left ear. She was the owner of the bar Seventh Heaven, Tifa Lockhart.

Tifa, "Sara, glad you came."

Tifa always had this cheerful personality from what Sara gathered. Sara figured that Tifa was the type of person who would listen to anyone and cheers them up in their downtimes. But besides Tifa's bright personality, she was also a well-known fighter, specializes in martial arts, so her appearance should not fool one. Tifa can decimate almost any enemy with her fists.

Sara didn't want to start a small talk, so she went straight to the point, "Wymer said that you wanted to see me?"

Tifa, "Yeah, but it's not me who wants to see you."

Sara raised a brow, "Not you?"

Before Tifa answered, a loud bang from behind was heard from behind Sara, followed by the sound of loud footsteps walking inside. Sara looked over her shoulder and saw a heavy-muscular dark-skinned man wearing sunglasses with a hi-top fade haircut and a thick beard. Although one person would feel intimidated seeing this man, Sara was not scared of this hulking man, even the gun-arm on his right arm. Everyone in town knew this man, Barret Wallace.

Barret looked at Sara closely and spoke, "You, the girl everyone's been talking about?"

Sara crossed her arms, "Depends on what they are saying."

Barret, "They say that you are good at slaying monsters by yourself and done a really good job at cleaning up the pest control here."

Sara, "That would be about right, and what's it to you?"

Barret took his sunglasses off and looked at her in the eye, "I want to see it with my own eyes. See whatcha made out of, and you better be as good as they say."

It didn't take long for Sara to figure out that the reason she was called for Barret has something in store for her, and he wants to see her skills. The two of them walked out of the bar and headed for an area where scrap is all piled up, called Scrap Boulevard. This area is where many monsters reside, and some folks would go out to take care of the wild creatures. The two arrived at the gate guarded by one of the residents; the man carried a rifle who looked at Barret and tipped his cap. Barret opened the gate and walked into the scrap area with Sara following behind.

Barret pauses and turns around, "I'm gonna make this short if you impress me, then I'll tell you the real reason why I want to see whatcha made out of, and if you don't, then, I won't tell ya."

Sara rolled her eyes, "Whatever suits you."

Barret didn't like the tone of her cocky voice, "You've gotta problem with that?"

Sara, "I'd think you're wasting your time on bringing me here. But, I do understand your intentions as they say 'actions speak louder than words' so lead the way and tell me what to kill."

Barret scoffed and took the lead.

After a few minutes, a giant winged creature was flying around that appeared to be a wyvern with blue scales. It's yellow eyes spots Barret and Sara then makes a loud screeching sound.

Barret smiles and readies his gun-arm, "Come here sucker! Let's see if ya like this!"

Sara rolls her eyes and readies her weapon. She was dashing toward the wyvern while Barret fires the creature to distract it. Sara places her right hand on her katana's handle and jumps high in the air, quickly slashing the creature aiming for the neck. The wyvern had no time to reacted and fell on the ground died instantly.

Barret saw the whole thing and commented, "Well, I'll be damned."

Sara put her weapon away and turned to Barret, "Satisfied?"

Barret, "More than enough, come with me, and we'll talk."

The two of them left Scrap Boulevard and went back to the bar. Barret walks over to a pinball machine, presses a few buttons, and goes down. Sara was a bit curious, a secret elevator? The pinball machine comes back up from the hidden floor. Sara walks over to the device but is unsure of how to make it work.

As if Tifa knew she spoke, "Just press the button on the left twice, and it will go down."

Sara nodded and did as instructed, just like Tifa said, the pinball machine went down. The elevator stopped at the bottom floor, which happened to be a secret basement. The room was small floors and walls were all concrete, a large table at the center, a computer desk in the corner, a large tv screen, and a large whiteboard nearby.

Barret was already sitting across the table, looking at Sara with a rugged look. Sara wasted no time and went straight to the point, "Alright, are you going to tell me just what the hell is it you want from me?"

Barret, "Ain't you pretty cocky? Well, guess that's to be expected when you took down a monster that size in a single move. Anyway, ya right down to business, but first, let me ask you something. Did you used to work for Shinra?"

Sara's fingers twitched unnoticeably and asked, "Why do you ask?"

Barret, "There's this rumor about you that kinda bugs me. They say that you used to be working for Shinra doing their dirty work like those Turks. Or perhaps you were some guard dog like those SOLDIER bastards. Anyway, I want to know is did you or did you not work for Shinra."

Although it's not uncommon for those who leave Shinra for personal business, many couldn't handle the too long hours that the company forces their employees. So many would eventually go and find a better job. Some can't leave even if they wanted to, and if they tried, they would find themselves silent without a trace.

Sara, "If I did, what are you going to do about me?"

Barret, "Depends on how you respond to my offer to you."

Sara, "That is?"

Barret, "Join us, join our group, and help us to take down Shinra."

The group that Barret is referring to is an eco-terrorist group called Avalanche that seeks to save the planet from the misuse of mako energy that is the lifeblood of the earth. Their main enemy is, of course, Shinra. Shinra uses the lifestream or mako as an energy source, and because of that, many people can live comfortable lives. Yet, many believed that Shinra was taking the planet's life; thus, Avalanche was born.

But Sara wasn't interested in things about saving the planet. She was only interested in obtaining specific information that only Shinra carried nothing else.

Sara, "And if I join you, does that mean I get a chance to get into Shinra's main building and find what I'm looking for?"

Barret smirked, "Does that mean you have something against Shinra?"

Sara shook her head, "I'd never said that I'm only looking for information. If that means I have to help you take down Shinra, then so be it. Never like that company anyway."

Barret, "So does that mean you'll join us?"

Sara, "Sure as a volunteer."

Barret extends his hand out for a handshake, "Welcome to the group, newbie."

Sara takes his hand and shakes it, "Whatever you say, sir."

Barret, "Barret is fine, and just so you know tonight, we have an important mission. I'm counting on you to use those skills you have. Especially since we've hired some merc."

Sara wondered, "Merc?"

Barret explains, "Some bastard that's a former SOLDIER. Tifa says that he's a good fella, but I don't believe it. He's got this look makes you wonder if he is right. You'll see what I mean when you meet him."

Sara said nothing, but hearing that Avalanche has hired a former SOLDIER for an important task must be challenging to accomplish.

Sara asked, "So what is this mission?"

Barret smirked, "We are going to bomb Mako Reactor 1."

Are they bombing a reactor? Not only was it crazy, but Shinra's infantrymen will heavily guard the reactors along with robots, and who knows what. Yet, it was probably a wise choice to hire someone that used to work for Shinra and a SOLDIER at that.

SOLDIER is an elite fighting force of Shinra; its members are advanced super-soldiers with superhuman strength, speed, and agility. They are much stronger than Shinras infantrymen and the Turks.

Barret went over to the elevator and went up to the bar. Sara followed behind. When she went into the bar, she saw Tifa talking to a young man with stiff blond spikes and carried a large sword that seemed too big and bulky. The moment the man turned around, he wore a dark expression that clouded his handsome face.  What was noticeable was the "glow" in his eyes; that was when Sara realized this had to be the man Barret was talking about. The former SOLDIER, the only way to tell if someone was in SOLDIER, is by looking at their eyes; eyes that look like the deep-sea green or blue color the mark of a SOLDIER.

Tifa smiled and spoke cheerfully, "Barret, this is Cloud. Cloud, this is Barret."

Barret scowled, "Hmph, so you're SOLDIER boy, huh?"

Cloud, "ex-SOLDIER."

Barret, "Whatever meet up at the train-station at eight-o'clock sharp."

Barret took his leave and left the bar. Cloud sees Sara, who extends her hand out for a shake.

Sara, "Sara, pleasure to meet you, Cloud."

Cloud only looks at her before turning his attention back to the drink on the bar that Tifa made for him. Sara wasn't surprised by his aloof reaction. Someone like him who's seen many battles and behind-the-scenes at Shinra, Cloud doesn't seem like the type who talks a lot and prefers to use actions.

Tifa turns to Sara, "So did you accept Barret's offer?"

Sara, "You've got yourself a recruit."

Tifa's eyes shined with happiness, "Splendid, welcome to the group! Wait right here, let me get you something sweet."

Sara smiled and sat near Cloud as Tifa makes a sweet. Tifa sets down a large sundae with two chocolate cookies, whipped cream, and a cherry on top. Sara takes a spoon that Tifa gave her and digs in.

Admiring the sweetness, Sara commented, "Very good."

Tifa giggled before they knew it, it was time to leave. Tifa stayed behind while Cloud and Sara leave the bar.

Sara turns to Cloud, "Hey, I know you're doing this for the money but let's do our best, shall we?"

Cloud pauses and looks over his shoulder, "Just don't get in my way."

Cloud walks on, Sara crossed her arms a bit annoyed at the guy's attitude. 

Suddenly something catches her attention; a black feather falls in front of her. She opens her hand as the feather drifts to her hand and lands. She looks at the feather curiously before it crumbles right before her very eyes.

Sara looks up at the large plate above the slums with a foreboding feeling, "Let's hope that I can find what I'm looking for; until then, let's get this job done."