He heard a loud pop. Like a crack of thunder. Then two more. He sat up in his bed, and turned and put his feet on the floor. He reached from the bed and snatched open the blinds. And there through the picture window he could see a rising mushroom cloud, and the emanating ring of destruction that was moving away from it towards him.

His phone beeped.

What do you do in the remaining seconds of life that you have? What is the most important thing to do.

He picked up my phone, and there was a text message. He looked up and the wave was getting closer. He looked down at the phone, and read the following message . . .

YOU HAVE BEEN SELECTED TO BE A SURVIVOR. NO HARM WILL COME TO YOU.

The wave of destruction passed over his home in a white blinding light.

When he awoke, he was in the back of a covered van, laying on the hard floor. Two men were in the back with him. One on each side of him sitting on small benches inside the truck.

He was instructed that he was to serve a agency outside of all government policies, in the apprehension of the person responsible for what had happened. He was told that he was a user of Materia, and that his body would accept it and use it. He was also told that he was a summoner. He had a connection with summon monsters that no other person had to date. The acceptance rate by which these summon monsters operated on was higher than any other human being. He was also told that the perpetrator of this villainy that almost wiped out the human race, was a being more powerful than any other.

He was told of the story of the first time that the Black Materia was used for the gaining of power by Sephiroth. Most people knew the legend, but many also taught their children this story as a legend, much like Santa Claus. This far into history since the calling of Meteor and the saving of the planet by Cloud Strife and Areis, most people didn't teach it as history but as a story.

He was given a spear staff and given the name Cid, and told that any name that he had gone by before was null and void. Certain groups of people were sectioned off into groups. By the types of materia that they could use, and the type of weapon that they used, based on names of the original saviors of the planet led by Cloud Strife.

Since he wielded a spear, he was Cid. Cid the Summoner of Tokyo 2099. Your name, type of materia, home, and the number in order that you were recruited from said city. Adam meant nothing anymore. As well, as he had nothing to live for anyways. He had been alone for a long time now, and he was on nothing but a track of self-destruction for the sorrow of his loss.

Nothing was more crucial than finding this villain, whose name he were not told at the time. Unfortunately, all knew that there were still Jenova cells in possession of people who were still above the established government, at the fall of Shinra Inc., and the death of the president of Shinra.

* * *

His first stop, was to be left at a training camp run by Rude and Reno of the now dissolved Turks. Since Elena's death, Rude and Reno were determined not to let happen what had just transpired with the desired collection of Jenova's cells from the Advent Children. Sephiroth was defeated again, thanks to Cloud Strife.

Cid was told that Rude and Reno were particularly hard on those that were left at their camp. However, only the highest ranking fighters, and most compatible materia users were left at Rude and Reno's camp. The rest . . .

Well ever war needs cannon fodder . . .

Sick world isn't it?

Cid trained alot. Reno in particular gave me no rest. Cid would summon for hours on end, until each and every summons that was resting in his body, was summoned to Reno's expectations. Cid particularly had trouble with Ifrit. He's a stubborn one. Hades and Alexander took a particular liking to him. That's funny . . . two sides of the coin. Dark and Holy.

Rude trained for the physical battle. One can't always rely on materia no matter how proficient one might be. Also, an important part of physical battle lie in one's limit. When one reaches their limit, the aura of one's soul releases an attack that is unattainable up until that point. Sometimes ones limit can turn the tables on the battle.

After almost a year of intensive training, Cid was to be paired with two others, and sent out on his mission. As a summoner, he was needed to be paired up with a green magic user and sometimes a bruiser, or one that had powerful physical attacks. Green magic users or healers, as they were sometimes called, were usually female. There was something about the female soul that made them good healers. There were very few male healers, or Red XIII. That is because men usually didn't have the pure soul that Red XIII did, and so most healers were female.

Now there were two kinds of female healers. One was either a Tifa or an Aries. Tifa's were also good fighters. Although not as many were Tifa's as Aries'. That is because Tifa's when reaching their limit had a powerful chain of attacks that not many people had a powerful enough aura to pull off. Areis' were 99% magic users, and were there strictly for healing and magic. That is why when paired with a Areis, one was usually paired with a Barret, a bruiser. Barret's have powerful attacks and could sustain great amounts of damage in order to protect the team's healer.

However, was not the case for Cid's team. He was paired with Tifa the Healer of Prague 717 and Yuffie the Commander of Brazil 997. Commanders were those that were proficient at the use of Command Materia. Commands such as Manipulate, Morph, Sense (although Red XIII were the best users of Sense), Mime and Throw.

All parties were given a said amount of items, weapons, armor and accessories. Items were also able to be retrieved from fallen foes, and then added to ones party.

Once Cid's team was paired and given their tasks they were to set out and accomplish them. They were one of the few teams that were actually given the task to eventually confront their enemy. The true villain. Of all those recruited, in the end, only three teams would confront the villain in the end, in hopes to defeat him.

It would be a task that would be most difficult. But Cid had confidence. Cid had a good team that were good with their weapons and their materia.

He had great confidence that they would succeed.

* * *

He could remember the day that she left him. My children and my life. Because since then, I have had none.

It was two years after the legend of Cloud Strife. Sephiroth had been defeated and Meteor destroyed by the planet's life stream. Although Midgar lay in ruins, the planet continued to grow and the wound that Shinra brought upon this planet slowly began to heal. With Nanaki (Red XIII was the name he was given by Shinra's scientist Hojo) and his legacy guarding the planet, things looked to be in favor of the planet.

That was before him . . . and the collection of Mother.

Both sides came together in this one. For Rude and Reno, it was to help Ruphus, son of the President of Shinra, and for Elena, who they were both fond of. For Cloud Strife, it was inevitable.

Damn him . . .

Kadaj . . .

She told me . . . I can still hear her words. The last words that I ever heard . . .

"I'm taking the boys to the store."

"Cid wake up!" Yuffie shook his shoulder to awaken him. Cid looked at Yuffie and she smiled. It was funny that they always seemed to place the Yuffie's with the original Yuffie's personality. Ever the optimist, ever the giddiest. Cid looked at Tifa, yet she said nothing. Cid liked Tifa . . . when she did speak everyone listened. Cid wondered sometimes if she was going to be the first female Cloud Strife.

"Cid, are we there yet? I wanna use my materia, and kick some ass out there." Cid looked up at Yuffie. Her petite body just bounced up and down out of the bench of the transport like it were a trampoline. Unlimited energy and optimism. So strange . . . to him. He could never understand such a view in the wake of such a violent and dangerous world. Nothing seemed to matter and the more that one tried to look to the good in the world some sort of evil came upon it. It was always in the wake of Sephiroth, the ultimate evil from the makings of Jenova cells.

"Cid, aren't you going to talk to me?" He wanted to say something, but he felt that every word that he spoke would crush this young girls hopes for the future.

"Sorry Yuffie."

Tifa looked over at him, as though he was the plague of all mankind. Which he kind of got a lot. Tifa's were exceptionally opinionated, and always spoke their mind. But this Tifa seemed different. This one was definitely hard to read.

"Cid . . . how come you never talk?" Yuffie stared at him, as though she was not going to let him go until he told her. She was such a young recruit too, as most Yuffie's were. But it almost felt like there was something evil and selfish about pulling a girl so young, with so much ahead in her life, to a somewhat accepted death.

There was something that Reno always told him when he was training, and he'd never forget it. One time when Reno dogged and dogged him to summon Knights of the Round, to end the battle, instead of summoning Phoenix to raise a fallen team member. He wouldn't do it. Reno told him something that he told Cloud Strife . . . your such a handful. Then he said . . .

"They may have classified you as a Cid, but your aura is that of the first Cloud Strife since the original."

"Cid, are you paying attention."

"I'm sorry Yuffie."

"Don't be, you say that too much."

[I]Kadaj . . . you have made me who I am. And I shall never summon for evil. Bahamut shall not be for evil. Never again. I never got to tell her I loved her. Penance shall forever be my shadow, and forgiveness shall always be out of my reach.[I/]

The transport stopped.

"Tifa, Yuffie, you ready?"

"Alright Cid, let's go kick some ass!"

* * *

They exited the transport, Tifa, cut ahead, followed by Yuffie and Cid. Yuffie was always so excited about everything. She seemed to jump up and down with excitement as they stood there. They did not quite know what lay ahead for them. This was as far as the transport would take them, Icicle Inn. From there they would have to trek through the Great Glacier and Gaea Cliffs to reach the Crater. It would be a cold hard drive, and it would not be easy. Yet there she was just rearing to go.

"Ladies, once we pass through the Great Glacier, we will have to climb the Gaea Cliffs. The Gaea Cliffs are home to some of the most dangerous monsters, next to those that reside in the Crater. The Marlboro in particular can attack with poison breath that can cause all kinds of status effects."

"We can kick them Cid!"

He looked at Yuffie. "But we must be careful. Yes, Tifa has posiona and esuna, but if she if were hit with confuse or sleep see will be unable to cast a spell. And I am the only one with a Ribbon." Cid looked back at Yuffie. "Yuffie do we have either a Poison Ring or Headband?"

Yuffie rummaged in her backpack for a moment. She produced a pale green stoned ring. "Here's the Poison Ring, Cid."

"Good, you were the Poison Ring, Yuffie. If we have a Headband give it to Tifa." Yuffie rummaged some more. She finally produced a thin cloth headband, and handed it to Tifa. Tifa took it, and tied it around her head.

"Now once, we climb the cliffs and get inside the caves, I know where there is another Ribbon that we can retrieve. But until we encounter a Master Tonberry that Yuffie can Morph to a Ribbon, we will have to make due with two."

"Let's go already Cid!"

They had a ways to walk before we reached Icicle Inn, where they could at least get a room, and rest, and possibly find a shop in which to buy supplies and possibly weapons. Icicle Inn was a small town that was at the top of the Great Glacier, and often did not get many visitors. The possibilities of being able to reequip with new weapons wasn't very likely. Cid always liked to keep at least three of his spears. Tifa's weapons were of course gloves, so it was much easier for her to keep more of them with her. Yuffie usually only kept one other Shuriken besides her original one. It was a gift from her sensi who taught her, her ninja skills.

They trudged through the snow silently, there wasn't much to say. Not much wandered in this cold except Bandersnatches and Jumpings. They were not difficult foes. It was the cold more than anything that was a deterrent to their progress.

Cid watched Yuffie and Tifa, as they walked in front of him. He could tell that Yuffie was just dying to talk to Tifa. But this Tifa had a way about her that was so strange. She seemed very cold and distant. She didn't want to share and she seemed to go through the motions as if they were to just keep the peace. Almost like she was a loner, but for some reason held onto the team. It really made Cid wonder, just what was under her skin. Maybe it was the effects of carrying so much materia.

Materia reacted differently to each person. Sometimes it would make people almost zombie-like, when given to much materia. However, summons and magic materia were the two worst. Command materia hardly ever did such things to it's carrier. Although there were Independents and Supporters, almost anyone could use Independent and Support materia. Many times, really close people, siblings; especially twins, married couples, and those with extremely close friendships could work together as one . . . one with Magic materia and one with Support Materia.

Support and Independent materia were hardly ever handed out to Summoners or Healers, except the obligatory All materia for a Healer. However Cid had scored a Final Attack materia to pair with his Phoenix summons. That was Reno's gift to him, and it could be the single most important materia that would keep them going. If defeated in battle, my Phoenix would be summoned with Cid's Final Attack and thereby raise any of everyone to life again. A true lifesaver.

"Cid?"

"Yeah . . ."

"Have you ever loved someone?"

"Yes Yuffie, a long time ago."

"What happened . . .?" she hesitated to finish.

"Kadaj . . ."

"Who?"