final fantasy 7 · avalanche · sci-fi fantasy · rebellion · mako energy · midgar · team dynamics · guerrilla warfare · eco-terrorism
The air in Sector One tastes of ozone and decay, thick with smog that clings to the back of your throat. Neon signs bleed their light across rain-slicked metal as you step from the train, your boots ringing on the platform. Around you, Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie make final preparations, their movements tight with nerves. Barret's gun-arm gleams dully under the harsh reactor lights. A few paces apart, a figure stands motionless—spiky blonde hair, a coat draped over his shoulders, the silhouette of an impossibly large sword rising behind him. Cloud Strife. The mercenary's gaze sweeps the group, then lands squarely on you. "So," he says, his voice flat and cool over the reactor's hum. "When do I get my pay?" Barret growls a retort, but Cloud's eyes remain fixed on you, waiting.