Midgar, Sector 7, Employee Residential District, Rosswell Manor, [ μ ] – εγλ 1994, May 4th
"Solon…"
I don't want to wake up… this nightmare won't end… after the accident, everything…
"Solon, get up! Today is the big day!"
Will she disappear if I pretend to be asleep?
"Solon… please. You know how your dad is. Don't make this harder than it has to be. Your mom wouldn't have wanted this for you."
What's the point? Nothing changes, no matter what I do.
"In the new town, your dad will be busy. It's a fresh start for you… a chance to finally live your life. I promise you, your grandfather will take care of us. He's a good man, Solon. Kind, honorable. I can't explain everything now, but trust me. I'll… make things right. I'll create a miracle! For all of us. Just trust me, okay?"
Really? I don't believe it….
"Solon, please… I'll get in trouble too if we take too long."
…Mina.
Solon's large, gray eyes flutter open, dull and heavy. His left eye is swollen, a fresh bruise coloring the skin around it.
"Good morning, Mina…" His voice is flat, empty, like the room around him.
He stares at her, his room now just an empty shell. Everything of value has long been taken away. The only remnants of his old life are the countless SOLDIER posters behind him, gifts from his father, displaying various soldiers, some even promoting special fan clubs.
"Good morning, Solon. Happy 6th birthday!" a young woman in her early 20s responds, forcing a weak smile. She has dark brown eyes, hair tied into a knot, shiny, healthy brown skin, and is dressed in simple housework clothes. She gives him a small hug, gently stroking his head and playfully brushing through his messy-spiky hair.
"..."
"Now, let's get you dressed quickly… your clothes are already prepared. The whole manor is almost completely empty! Everything left is packed into a few suitcases. It's a sad thing… everything gone, used to repay your father's debts. Since your father's demotion, everything has gone wrong. I hope once you're back at your mom's home in Nibelheim, you'll feel better. We have to hurry… our ship leaves tomorrow morning, and we need to be in Junon by then," Mina explains, looking slightly panicked and anxious.
"..."
Why are you even coming with us? You aren't even getting paid… I heard you argue with… him. You don't owe mom anything!
Mina helps him into his clothes, her hands gentle but hurried. Solon's face is pale, his eyes hollow, his small frame looking even frailer than usual. His light brown hair, combed hastily by Mina, sticks up in sharp, unruly tufts.
Once dressed, the pair walks into the living room. The manor looks as though everything has magically vanished, with only a single shabby table left in the dining room. A man in his late forties sits there, eating a dry piece of bread. Beside him is a woman in her late twenties, looking absentminded and lifeless. A bit of drool trickles down her face, which she wipes away every now and then.
"Good morning, Mina. Thank you for getting that lazy bum out of bed. We have a long journey ahead of us, and we can't risk any delays," the man says, his tone strict.
"No problem, Mr. Rosswell. I'm happy to help."
"Please, Mina, call me Soren. You've been with us for many years now, and I'm aware of your sacrifices. Mallory always saw you as a little sister. By now, you're part of the family."
"..." Then why do you treat your family like servants and only order her around like a slave? You scare her too!
"Solon… today's your birthday, isn't it?" Soren's tone shifts, almost cheerful, as he gestures to a small chest on the table. "See that? It's your present. It was your mother's. I can't sell it because of … reasons, so consider yourself lucky. Now it's yours."
"..." A present? From you?
"Open it!" Soren orders aggressively.
Solon hesitates for a moment, then walks over to his mother. He glances at her, his mind faintly recalling the woman she used to be. There's not much love in his gaze, just a flicker of something distant and bittersweet. He grabs the chest, slightly struggling to lift it onto his spot at the table. He opens it without hesitation and finds an assortment of tools inside.
"..." What are those? Chisels? Hammers? Tools? I don't even know what these do.
"Do you like them?" Soren asks, his tone impatient. When Solon doesn't respond, he stands abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor. "You're learning quickly, Solon, at least in some ways. But you need to obey your father. I'm the one who'll shape you into someone Shinra will value. You won't repeat the mistakes your mother and I made. Now, what have I told you about answering when spoken to?" His voice is stern, filled with anger and rage.
"..." I hate you!
He slaps Solon, the sharp sound echoing through the empty room. "I need an answer now, boy!" he yells. Mina looks worried, hurrying toward them but unsure what she can do.
"Always answer every question as directly and politely as possible, Father," Solon recites quickly, the words hollow and automatic. He doesn't even understand what they mean anymore.
"Correct! Now, these tools are your future. Truth be told, I wanted you in the best private school Midgar has to offer… however… that man… that parasite…! He took everything from me! Even after the accident in the reactor, even after what happened to your mother, he never stopped his attacks on me! You will get me my revenge," Soren rants, his face filled with rage.
I DON'T CARE!!! IT'S YOU I WANT REVENGE AGAINST!!!
Solon looks at his father, desperately trying to hide his hatred.
"Anyway," Soren continues, his voice calmer now, "your grandfather still lives in Nibelheim, your mother's hometown. We're going there so she can spend her last years in peace, near the mountains she loves. As for you, you'll learn from your grandfather. He's a master blacksmith, mechanic, and even an artificer. His skill with materia-enhanced weapons and bracelets is unmatched. More importantly, he's also skilled at using his own creations. He could've been great, but he wasted his talent in that backwater village. Now he's old, and doesn't have much time left. He fathered your mother late in life, well into his fifties, and it's his wish to take care of her. Make sure you learn everything he knows before he dies. Extract his wisdom while I focus on his money and property. With that windfall, I can finally plan my revenge…."
Maybe he wants to be left alone, too? Nibelheim… it sounds like a quiet place. I feel sorry for him. I bet he isn't expecting this…. Will Dad destroy his life, too? I wish he would just destroy himself!
"I've got a job working on the town's systems and doing tests for the company. Despite all of his attacks, I managed to at least secure a gig like this. I won't be working inside the town but mostly doing reactor-related jobs. I'll also be moving around a lot, working in Costa del Sol from time to time. It'll be extremely tedious… It's a hard job… unbefitting for someone like me, but I'll endure this. I will climb back up… I will survive this treatment… until you can get revenge for me! I'll turn you into someone useful for Shinra! A SOLDIER! I hope you can someday even reach Second Class! Then my revenge… Forget it! For now, it's time to leave Midgar in disgrace! EAT UP QUICKLY! We're leaving now, and don't forget your tools. If you lose them, I'll break your arms!" His father, looking torn and angry, rants endlessly before leaving the table.
Meanwhile, Solon's mother sits quietly on the table, seemingly uninterested, shoving food into her mouth with her hands, most of it spilling onto the table. She picks it up and repeats the process, her eyes vacant.
"..." Second Class? So he's not even considering me reaching First Class? It can't get any worse than this. Maybe leaving here isn't so bad after all.
Solon, Mina, Mallory, and his father, Soren, leave their old mansion. Solon glances back at the towering Shinra headquarters at the center of the city.
What does it take to reach the top?
He descends the stairs of his old mansion one last time, gazing at the many reactors in the distance. Green smoke and Mako residue billow into the air, a constant reminder of the city's industrial might.
I'll miss this city; it seems full of life… what will become of me? A small boring village… will there be restaurants? Theater plays? Television? Games?
Despite the relative quiet of the Employee Residential District, Solon can still hear the chaotic sounds of the other plates in the distance. He longs for his former life when his family dined in luxurious restaurants, owned a car, and could do whatever they pleased. He even misses the closest thing he had to friends, the children of other Shinra employees he met from time to time.
They lug their heavy luggage to the station, board a train, and exit at the next stop. From there, they head to a travel bus bound for Junon. The bus is crowded with people, some dressed in straw hats and bright shirts, clearly headed to Costa del Sol for vacation.
As the bus arrives, Solon nearly bumps into a young girl, maybe 3 or 4 years older than him. Her long brown hair is tied with a pink ribbon, and her bright green eyes seem to glow. She carries a small bucket of flowers, her smile wide and inviting.
"Do you want to buy a flower? I'm a florist helping Mom earn money," she asks with a huge grin, offering him a small yellow flower.
A florist? What is that?
"I don't have money," Solon replies dryly, his face cold, depressed, and lifeless.
The girl tilts her head, her green eyes softening with concern. "You don't look so good… are you leaving the city? I have a feeling you'll feel a lot better once you're gone from this place! Here, I'll give you this one for free!" The girl smiles warmly as she hands Solon a small yellow flower, tucking it into the pocket of his shirt.
"Don't worry! This flower symbolizes reunion. I hope when you come back someday, you'll be in a better mood. You'll owe me one, though! I promise, everything will turn out fine!" Her voice is bright, almost like a ray of sunlight breaking through the gloom.
Solon nods silently towards her and hurries towards the bus, not wanting to risk another slap from his father if he's late. As he turns to leave, the girl reaches out, ruffling his spiky hair with a laugh. "Your hair feels so weird, like rusted metal! I like it!" She giggles, then skips away, calling out to tourists to sell her flowers.
As Solon enters the bus and sits by the window, the girl waves at him from outside, her face slightly concerned but doing her best to still smile.
Should have asked for her name…
— [Scene Break] —
A day later, Solon gazes out at the sea, enjoying the breeze high up in the city of Junon. The city, still a relatively new city, only recently fully constructed, is famous for its giant cannons, a symbol of Shinra's strength and pride. Lower Junon, the original Junon, is a small fishing village, a blight on the otherwise perfect-looking city, at least in the eyes of Shinra.
Solon looks down onto the old village beneath the new and modern Junon with curious eyes, wondering why it even exists.
Solon, Mina, his father, and his mother, who clings to Mina, board a large passenger ship, paying no attention to the unique sights of the Shinra-controlled town.
"Wow, this is amazing! I love this journey! I can't wait to reach Costa del Sol. Let's play on the deck and explore the ship!" A group of kids shouts excitedly, their smiles carefree and full of joy.
That kid's so happy… Why can't I be like that?
Solon's chest tightens as he leans against the railing, staring down at the churning sea, sharp rocks everywhere.
Should I just… jump? It would all be over. No more suffering.
Okay, let's end it…
NO! Mina would be sad… maybe… just a look…
Solon slowly walks toward the railing, climbs onto it, and stares down, determined to jump. Mina's face flashes in his mind, and he hesitates, trying to climb back down.
Solon suddenly remembers the girl on the train station and his mind shifts! I won't do it! This is crazy; what's happening to me? I need to fight, there is still hope! Things can become better!
Suddenly, Solon spots a strange ghost, a cloaked spirit with its face hidden beneath a hood. Its tattered clothes are dark gray. Without warning, it grabs his hand and tries to drag him over the railing.
"NO!" Solon screams, struggling violently. He falls back onto the deck.
Suddenly, he notices countless other spirits swirling around him.
"STOP THIS! HELP!" he screams desperately, crawling away from the railing.
A bright light explodes from his shirt pocket. The yellow flower flies out, transforming into a pure white ghost. It bursts into a blinding light, forcing Solon to close his eyes.
When he opens them a second later, everything is back to normal, as if nothing had happened. The ghostly monsters are gone.
Soren angrily rushes over and slaps Solon again. "Stop this childishness! What's wrong with you? Have you gone mad?! Don't make a scene, screaming like a crazed brat! You'll be punished for this tantrum when we reach Nibelheim!"
Solon rubs his cheek, his father's words barely registering, his mind still questioning what he just experienced.
What was that? The ghost… tried to pull me down the ship. I also suddenly felt the strong urge to jump… I need to stay away from the railing. And where are all those other ghosts? Where is the flower?
"Solon, let's go to our cabin, okay?" Mina says, her face filled with concern. Soren grabs his wife roughly, dragging her toward their cabin. Solon and Mina follow closely, Mina's eyes fixed on Mallory, who's being hauled like a sack by her husband.
Inside the cabin, Soren immediately throws a few books at Solon, one hitting him painfully in the chest.
"Since you're so smart and love to ignore me, you won't be wasting time playing around! You'll study! I've managed to get my hands on some useful books for you. Be grateful—these are treasures. I expect you to read them all, and don't think I won't quiz you just because I'm busy. If I catch you lazing around, you'll regret it," Soren threatens, his voice cold and sharp.
"... Yes, Father." Might as well read them… maybe I'll be left alone and ignored that way. Reading books is the one thing I actually enjoy.
It's been a year since I started reading books every day. This is the only time I actually enjoy. I get to read different books, and I'll be left alone. I wonder if it's about history again.
"The Basics of Harnessing Mako"… that's new. I only know a bit about this. What else is there?
"Materia - An Introduction"… Materia are these shiny orbs that give you magical abilities… I want one so bad! This is cool! I love these books.
As Solon begins to read, he notices his father sitting next to Mina, his hand resting on her left thigh. She struggles to stay composed, trying to act calm and strong. His mother sits lifelessly, staring at the wall and pointing her fingers at random spots.
"Solon… please go to the bedroom and read your books there," Mina stammers nervously, her face filled with fear, though Solon notices a hint of anger and determination in her eyes as well, along with something strange he can't describe.
As Solon hesitates, his father smiles, his face full of lust and impatience. "SCRAM! NOW!" he barks.
Solon stares at the ground. I can't help her…
Tears roll down his cheek as he walks into the bedroom, trying to lose himself in his books. But even after a few minutes, he can't concentrate. Suddenly, he hears an extremely loud "pop" from the next room.
My ears are ringing. What was that?
Solon tries to leave the room but finds the door locked. He knocks, but there's no response.
"Hello?"
"What happened?"
Suddenly, the same ghostly figure from before flies through the wall toward him, desperately trying to grab him, its icy fingers closing around his arm. Solon notices the spirit slowly disintegrating, but it still manages to seize him, pulling him closer to its chaotic, empty face, as if about to swallow him whole.
Solon grabs onto the door, fighting with all his strength to avoid being sucked into the monster.
"Ẅ̴̳̘̻̟̲̟̯͉̲͔́́͌͛̈̎̈́͌͝ͅr̸̻̭̘͓̥͉̳̻̙͛̽̄͌̿̉̏̓͜͝ͅơ̵̢̦̗̮̩̮̻̗̂̆͒̽͒̈́̉̂̀̀͌̄̽͘ͅn̷̘͈̠̹͇̩̥̜̲͇̱̬̾̈́͗̄̑̈́̔ģ̷͇̫̲͓͉͎̣́̇̋̐̋͘ ̵̧̟̳̽ǫ̷̨̡̠̮̙͉̖̲̦̘̯̉̚ͅͅn̴͎̠̪̬̱͎͚̰̯̱̅̓͊̆̾̂́̌͠e̴̡̋͆͌̽̃̀̕ ̷̼͖͍̗͉͍̥͖̘̤̼̫̃͗́̀̐͒̎̽.̴̨̨̢̛̭̟̮̦̦̖̥͙̙̲̙̆̾̂͘ͅ.̸̧̨̭̳̼̜̝̠̜̺̦͙̒̈́̆̾͗͂̈́̿̅̉̈̄͝.̸̠̪̑̌͂͑̈́̏̅̔͋̈́́͘͘͝ ̸̗̓͐̒̃̽̓͊́Ḑ̴̫̝̺̟̻̘͍̦̔̒̍͒̑̀͒́̿̓̐͂̚a̷̛̦͉͌͗̐̈́̂͛͗̃́̉̄̕͝ͅŗ̷̫͓̹͍͓̩̓̔̆̽̃k̴̛̮͉̩̭̙͚̻̣̳̘͔̯̺̑̾̐̈̓̂̓̐̌̎̿͂͗͠ ̶̧̝͚̟̈̆̍̽̇̄̊̉̔ō̶̘͍͍̱n̶̨̨̢̩̮̺̟̲̺̰̦̪͙̞͗̉͛̃ͅe̸̡̧̧̧̡̠̖͇̩̝͈̖̺̥͌̊͊́̍̂̕ͅ ̶̜̜̗͉̤͇̠̦̿ͅͅǧ̴͔͈̥̬̣̯̮̳͇̭̬̮̙̈͑̏̽ǫ̶̢̧̞͍̈́̒͐͋̿̒̾͛̚͝n̴̢̰͖͖̫̊͒͆e̷̗̳̺͇͎̞̣̠̘̩̦̭̞̽̂̍̈́̒͌͂͐̚͜ ̴̢̧̘͖̥̫̪̯̹̓̃͜͝.̵̳͙̘̲̪̬̼̩̪̠͙͔̳̙̈̀͆̊͑͆̌.̵̘̳́̈̀̓̋̿̒.̴̨͓̩̠͖̥͚͚͈͚̎͛̓͆̀͋͠ ̶̡̢̘̦̗̜͉͈̝͙͖̰̮͇̰͋͋͒́̅͋͊̈́͌Ǵ̶̰̺̤̝̤̙̥̲̱̝̪̤̙̀̒͒͋̑̋̂̔̅ŕ̶̰̫͇͐̿̄̎̍̚͠ͅͅe̴̛̛̜̟̓̏̾̓͌͋̊͑̀̽y̵̠̥͕̯̳̗̙̝̥̰̐̅̀̓̀͊ ̶̣̟̥̻͖͔̠̉̂̕ả̷̛̻̩̭͇̍̄̒̾̏̈̽̾̑̔̚͝n̷̨̻͔͇͙͕̲͎̝̫̪͑̉̀̿̎̈͠d̸̨̛̖̣̪͐̃͋̆̆̏̓̃̂̒ ̸̮̞͈̪̼͇͇̗̻̝̦̙̍̃̍͛͆̓͛̄̇̋͂̚͠ͅͅŴ̸̨̢̨͙̘̲̳̼̩̏͂̏̄̀̕h̴͕̔̉́͂́ͅì̵̘͐́̉͗̀ț̸͕̑̿̐̋͂̀̈́͝͝ͅĕ̴̤͉̥̘̱̤̻͔̗̦̥͉̯̦̤ ̸̛̱̦̺̟͈̜̏͋̽͑̽̓̽͒̈́̚̕ṟ̴̡͖̣͇̩͈̹̗̀͘ͅḛ̸͇̰̻͈̥̻̈́̋͆̾̏́̃̿̉͝ͅm̵̨̙̺̓̾̚ą̷̧̧̛͕̣̆͊͒̃̆̎̽̊̐́͊̕͝i̵̡̦̤̮͚̘̥̒̈̂̅̌̒͑́͆͘̕͘͜͝͠͝ņ̶͖͖̙̫̟͓̯͙͔̫͚̘͛́̊̈́̆ͅ!̷̖̘̱̩̲̗̘̖̏̓̀͒̋̀̎͐̅͘͝ ̶̨̱̤̦̣͕͉̳͖̤̗̙̰̥̃̎̎̎̑͋̔̿͆̓͋͑̈́̕Ḑ̴̢̹̣̦̫̪̙̻̜͈͔͙̑̽̆̔̚̕͜͠ė̸̱̫͙͚̦̭̯̘̳̝̯̘͜s̷̡̼̰̘̣͚͇̼̼̬͑͂͊̓̐̇̀̅ͅṱ̵̹̯͉̊̽͛̑͒ḭ̴̡͉̲̞͔̟̼̟̗̗̔͂̐̌͗́͑͑̾͠ͅṉ̵̥̲͙̞́͐͜͝ỵ̵̝͚̰͍͇͎͖̝̪̰̒̇͒̀̅̓̏͐̈́̐̅͛͠ ̵̺̖͖̬͎̯̹̱͆̌͌̉̂̒̂̆̔̆b̵̢̛̙̲̙͉͈̣̥̳̠̝̦̝̆͂̈́̇̀́͋̈́̆̂̊̍̉̾r̶̨̢̥͍̺̟̭̙̍͆̃̏̄̈́̄̑̇̕ȍ̴̧̫̪͕͚͆̍̌͜k̷̼̙̻͕̦̫͚̣̬̦̉͂̒͋̏͊̽̓̕ͅe̶̫̦͔̖̤̤̖̲̞̬̳͛̑͆̚͜ͅn̷͔̈́͋́̊̽̉̅͂̂̈̔͝͝ ̷̗͕̓.̸̧̹͉̻̒̄̈́̌̈́̍.̸̛̠͈̭̣͙͔̳̿͛̏́̊̊̊͜.̵̧̛̲̥̻̝̬̙͚͓͛͆̓͐̇͜ ̶̨̛̳̫̻͔̹̺̮̙͈̋̋͆̅͑̈́̅̌͗̕ͅͅA̶̜̮͕͔͇͎̣͇̱̞̫̿̏̊̄͆͛ ̶̡̠͖͔̬̹̞̪̝͋̈̏͐̅̾͝ļ̵̡̦͔͓̹͈̝̖̦̗͉̹̹͆̈́̒̋̂̈́́̇̇̈̎̿̆͆͠i̶̖̫̬͛̔͐͘͠f̵̨͇͈̼͙̩͍̼̮̫͓͕͕̞̪͆͂̆͗̎͌̑̾̀͗͘͘͝e̸̢̘͍̙̪̰͚̩͍͉̖̾́͐͐̓͛͝ͅ ̶̢̛͍̻͓̍͋͛̊̎̎̆͘̚͝ỉ̷̤͆͋̐̍̐͊͠s̶̡̞͓̍̈́̐̈̋̿̀̈̓̋̋ ̴͚̝̦͍̥͓͙̬̹̿̓̉̉̏̄̌̍̕͜͝ͅò̴̻̺̩̝͉͋̉̈́͊͑́̋w̸̧̭̫͉͉̬͔͐̍̓́͑͛͑͘̚̚ͅȅ̷̢͚͚̝̺͈̍͒͋̈́͑͛͘ḑ̶̳̹̱͍̪̩͇͇̙̠̫́̔̃̐̍̿̍̒́͛͒͐̋̅͘!̵̨͛̃̒͑͗̾͆̔̏̈́̕̕͝͝"
"D̶̢̧̛̤̗̐̍̑͌͝i̵̧̨̛̠̙̻͉̪͓̱̟͈̐̿̄̽̀̌͜͝f̴̫͋̐̇̅͠f̶̦̱̰̰̹̈͊͋̈̇͛̍̉̀̍̄̕è̶͗̂͐́͛̒ͅȓ̶̻̣̓͌̄̄̇̇̑̕e̴̛̟̤̖̟̮̱͙͍͕͓͚̟͛̈́̑͗̿̂̊̏́̀̕͜͜͝ṅ̴̨̛̛͖̠̟̺͇̲͓͕̝͕̘̠̓̓͌̊͌͛̍̉̎͝t̷͇̋̍͐̄̆̆̈́͌̍̊͛ ̴̝̘̝̻͍͓̙̮͖̲͕͔͛̄͋̅ö̵̪́̐͠͝͝ư̸̙͂̅̎̀͒̌́͐̌ṫ̵̡̧̤̩͙̱͇͉͎͈̱̙̹̼̣̋̽̓c̴̢̡̱̤̖̭͉͈̤̗̟̗͋̅̈́̃̀̐͜͝o̸͉̮̗̰͑m̶̨̡̳̜̾͌̋̓̐̎́̚̚ḛ̸̛̖̥͉̗̻͚͔͇̱͇̗̤͆͗̏̔̍̊̃̈́͌̽̄ ̶͙͍͈͔̭̣̅͐͋͂͐̿̋͊͊́̓̑̌͒̚͜-̶̺̺̥̱͍͉͖̖̜̣͗̏̌͐̕ ̶̧̺͈͈͎̥̹͊̃̈̋̓̉̕W̴̲͕̙̗̱̮̼̜͙̖͒̑̈́͜r̶̜͈̬̬̤̣̈́o̵͎̞͚̺͔̺̱̖̜̥̝͔͓̽̿̈́͑͌͛̓̊̓͋͗̔͐͜͠͝ͅn̴̢̛̙͓̱͌͌̑̀́̅̈́͋̓̅ͅg̵̬͂̈̀͗͐͆̈́̐ ̸̨͉̗̦̥̝̮̪̰̘̥̟͈̓͑́̈̔͗̀͛o̶̧̗̥͍̭͇͍͌̓́̽͐̒̑ͅn̵̛̼̫̗̺̓̃̂̈̑ͅȩ̴̲̬̭̭̫̯͚̝͉̣͚̥̘̀̓̿̀͝ ̷̢̡͙̦͚͖͕̠̘̠̔͜ḑ̶̢͇̩̼͓̻͈̞̥͙͔͇̌͒̆̅͊̅̎̏͆̚͜͜͠ȩ̷̙͔̙͙̤̏̃͠ą̸̗̗̰͔̝̜̬͓͓͇͕̫̭̥̓͒̍͐͌̅͋͘̕̕d̷̨͎̬͈̜̠̱̥̲͗!̶͚̫̞̬̱̮̻̐̍̈́̆"
"Y̴̡̻͈̳͙̗̟̘̭̣̞̼̙̩͐͂̉̅̔̏̃̚ö̶̹̲̗͈̫́̅̀̾̓́́̃̇ͅų̶̡̢͔̺̠̜̬̩͈̘͚͍͙͎̉ ̴̞̐͋͛̅ͅn̶̞̓̃̋̽̀̓͛̀̽̅̑̒̇̕ę̴̢̨̬̦̬͍͖̞̦̰͍̱͉͐͜ē̵̙̫͉̻͕͓̥̉̈́̃͒̓͒̊̃͊͜d̸̙̹͔̩͉͎̩̮̮̜͓̫̜̋͊̆̈́̎͊͋̒̃̊͆͜ ̴̱̝̰̺̱̥͈̼̦͎̆̒̔̀́̽̈̕͝ț̸̯͛̀̔̿̂̒̓͊͂͐͗̚͠ȯ̶̱͙͎̮̺̣̮͖̙̘̽̇̒̋͑̄̿̚͜͝ ̶̧̘̱͈̪̪̱̼͚̹̞̋̍͂̀͋̍̐̓̓͘͜d̸̨͓̬̠̻̙̥̻̑̎̊̀̉ȉ̷̮̦̟̯̯̣̯͖̣̩̺̼̺̗̱̿e̸͚͇̥̺̥̓́̈́͐͐͘!̶̧̬̗̞̹̣̩͙͍͍͛͑!̵̲̖̘̻̲͈̈́̇͆̋͆̂͌̀́͝ͅ!̴̢̡̨̛͖̻͉͔̘̤̝̲̲͌̆́̊̀̐̽͘!̸̜̝̺͙͍̘̩͋̂̾̌́̒͊̍͘͝͠ ̵̯̫̼͖̫̬͌͂̅̒̅͐͌͜D̵̨̹̤̪̾͌͐̒̏́̅̑͐͘̕ͅĮ̶̣̙̟̊̏͝E̵̦̘̻̝͍͍̬̰̽͗̌̉̅͋̄͊̈͐̽͗̚,̴̤̫̱̓̉́͐͛̿̕͜ ̶̨̺̹͕̳͚̼̎̿̿̈́̊̈́̕͝D̵̨̢̧̨͔̮̼͇̪̞̰͛̌͛̍̇̒̇̊͋̍̈́͜͝͠Í̵̢̨͔̻͕̪͈͍̠̠̈́̂̍̓̾̽͝Ȅ̶͉̗̬͖́̐͒̾͠͝,̴̨͔̳̮̞̯̼̰̣̮̥̫̝̭͛̒̀̏̋̐̉̽̆̕͠ͅ ̸̨̱̼̻͎̥͕̼̪͈̌́̃̃͝ͅḊ̶̢̨̗̦͎̣͎̝̘̻͇̣͈I̴̬̻̱̥̥̹͊̅́̍̇̈́̄̈́̾̆̉̕͠Ę̷̛̛̝̪̉̈͐̇̅̈̉̈̀͝,̵̤̣̺͔̰͕̗̈́̅̅͆͋̊̐͑ ̴̡̖̭̿͆̀̆̇̍͑̌̓ͅD̵͚͔̣͔͎̜͈͎̯̹̻̳̮̥͖̈́̑̾̆̐͘͝Ĩ̷̛̛͇̹͙̱͎̖͕̮̥͛̔̓͌̚Ĕ̵̛̥̼̖̠̦̟̺̲̈́̌̄̽͜,̴͍͈͕̰̙͕̟̞̘̭͔̂̇̀͑͛̄̉̋̀́̚ͅ ̵̞̒D̶̡̬̯̼͕̘̼̬̙̖̻̮̤̆͂̾͒̀̽̐̊̈́͝͝I̴̢̗͉̳͔͖̟̬̥̒̔̅̎̆̾̆̄̆̿͒̕͝È̵̡̢̬͈̫̯̪̘̫̩͉,̷̧̧̨̛͔̩͕͎̘̳̯̮̔͗̅͐̊͗͊̽̃̐̾͜͠͝͝ ̸̖̻̫͉̹̥͈̪͇̃̈́́̉̑͛̆͝D̵̗̪͍̤̱̫̦͉̺̬̬̓́͐͗.̷̲̯̞̌͆̽͆̒̆̈̈́̆̏̈́͘͠.̸̡̲̗̩̘̜͔̞̗̳̳͇͔̩͑͑̕͜Ḯ̶̡̢̧̞̫̗̺͕̱̣͙̮̫̙́ͅ.̷̙͓̣̺̞̋́͛.̸͈̳͌́̑̿̆͊͗̌͝É̸̢̻̘̩͖͍̀̂͐͑̔̇̅̋̎̊͊̄͘̕.̸̻̱̹̓.̵͈͔͖̇̿.̷̨̨̠̜̥̙̝͕̫͉͉̜̻̀̇͆͊͜.̶̻̙͓͕̹̝͂̉͂̎̇͋Ḍ̶̖̟͈̻͑͂͆̍̃̋̽̾̈́̌̀̎͒̚̚...….."
Solon hears the terrible, cursed voice and desperately holds onto the door, not understanding a word. He kicks against it, screaming:
"Please, help me!"
"SAVE ME!!"
"HELP!!!!!!"
"MINA!!!!!!!"
Solon's pleas fall on deaf ears, but suddenly, the spirit completely disappears, leaving behind nothing.
Am I going crazy?
"…"
Time passes, and after screaming for what feels like forever, Solon focuses solely on his books, shutting out everything else. His mind goes completely blank.
Suddenly, the door opens, and a Shinra Infantryman in full armor rushes in. He wears the typical helmet with three red dots, his high-tech equipment enhancing his natural vision. He looks at Solon.
"Premises secured! The child is safe. Come out with me little boy, nothing will happen to you," the man says.
Solon is dragged back into the main room, where he sees his father lying lifeless on the ground, his head bloody, his eyes empty.
Is he… dead? Why? How?
He looks around and sees his mother still staring at the wall, showing no reaction. She laughs from time to time, pointing her fingers at random spots. Mina looks panicked, showing a letter to another pair of officers.
"He just took out the letter, said to take care of his wife, and then began to cry, and… he pulled out a gun! I was so scared!" She repeats the same story again and again in different words, her voice trembling with panic and shock.
Father… killed himself? Father cried? Take care of mom? Mina is acting weird. This isn't normal… Is she… lying?
Hours pass, and officer after officer enters the room. Finally, Solon, his mother, and Mina are escorted out.
They are brought into another cabin, and Mina is asked to follow the soldiers again. After a few hours, she returns, looking sad and exhausted, but Solon immediately notices a small trace of happiness and relief on her face.
I've been watching Mina for years; she's the only one I care about. This is so strange! What's wrong with her expressions today? She seems… happy? What's happening? What happened to Dad? Was it the ghost? I need to know!!
"Solon, I'm so sorry. Your father… the stress from getting demoted, losing the manor… I'm afraid he couldn't handle it anymore, and he… he left this world," Mina explains, hugging him tightly.
"He… killed himself?" Solon questions, unwilling to believe it.
"I'm afraid so, Solon. Don't worry; I'll take care of you, and your grandfather will too."
Why does she even know Grandfather? How does she know him? Why would he take care of me when Dad was supposed to do that? She's acting like this was all planned.
But Dad… he is gone!
Solon's face twists into a strange expression, one he's never made before. Its meaning is impossible to decipher.
— [Scene Break] —
A few hours later, Solon, Mina, and Mallory leave the ship. Immediately, an older man approaches them, escorted by an extremely chubby man who easily weighs 200 kilograms (440 Pounds). The chubby man is otherwise unremarkable, despite his size.
The older man wears a classy leather outfit with dozens of tiny pockets, various small tools partly visible. He has on thick, technological-looking glasses with adjustable gears, giving him an antique yet oddly scientific appearance.
Mina hugs the older man, tears streaming down her face.
"It's all fine, Mina. It's over. Everything will be okay from now on," the man says. He then turns his attention to Mallory, who is spinning in circles and giggling.
"Mallory… my daughter. Don't worry, I'll take you home! To Nibelheim!" he says, hugging her tightly.
"H…ome?" Mallory responds, seemingly recognizing his voice.
"Yes, home!" The man then looks at Solon, his eyes a mix of sorrow, hatred, and concern.
"Your name's… Solon right? Your father decided on it, it seems, I'm your grandfather. You can call me Grandpa. Don't worry, you'll be fine."
"Yes, Grandpa," Solon immediately responds, as if he's been forcefully instructed to say those words.
His grandfather, surprised, takes a closer look at Solon and notices his bruised eye and a scratch on his cheek, also thinking about his quick, mechanical way of responding. "Your response… I see…"
He hugs Solon tightly. "I'm sorry, Solon. You're a victim, too. Don't worry, everything will be better now. I promise you! I am your Grandpa Mason Bluesteel. I'll take care of you, don't worry, I swear it on my life!" He repeats, this time, meaning every single word, beginning to cry as he holds his grandson in his arms.
"..." What's happening? I'm so confused…
Tears stream down Solon's face, though he doesn't even know why.
The group slowly walks through sunny Costa del Sol, passing people in bathing suits laughing and drinking in the middle of the day. Costa del Sol is a famous vacation spot, loved even by high-ranking Shinra employees. However, Grandpa Mason, his chubby assistant (apparently named Mick), Mallory, and Solon ignore the relaxing town, looking tense as they head straight for a carriage waiting just outside the city gates.
The group enters the wooden carriage, hauled by a pair of Chocobos. Solon takes his time staring at the two large yellow birds, never having seen one in real life before. He gently touches them, feeling their soft feathers.
Wow, these are REAL Chocobos! I've only seen their pictures in books.
Solon climbs into the carriage and immediately buries himself in his books, though his mind keeps drifting back to the ghosts and the events of the past few hours. From time to time, he glances out the window, but all he sees is endless wilderness rolling by.
— [Scene Break] —
Half a day later, they finally arrive in Nibelheim. Nibelheim is a small village, home to just a few hundred people. The only notable thing about it is the old Mako reactor in the nearby mountains. As the carriage reaches the village, Mallory has a strong reaction, tears flowing down her face and not stopping even after several minutes.
What's wrong with mom? Does she actually remember things? I hope she can recover…
Solon looks out the window, taking in the sights. He notices a boy with spiky blond hair standing stoically in front of a small house, watching the carriage pass. On the other side of the road, a group of four children stares curiously. The group is apparently led by a small girl with red eyes and black hair, dressed in a stylish and cute dress. She's surrounded by three boys, all of them eyeing the carriage with interest.
The girl and her three friends follow the carriage, running after it until it reaches its destination, a larger, older house a bit outside the village, on the edge of it.
"Hello, Tifa. Hello, Fiends. This is my daughter Mallory and her friend and caretaker, Mina… My daughter's a bit sick at the moment, so I hope you'll be understanding," Mason explains. He then turns to Solon. "This is my grandson, Solon. He just turned six on May 4th, so he's one year and one day younger than you, Tifa. Please take care of him as well. However, we may need a bit of time to… recover from our journey."
"Sure, Uncle Mason!" the girl, Tifa, says. She runs up to Solon. "Hi, Solon! I'm Tifa! Do you want to be friends? I like your clothes; you're dressed so stylishly, not like these country bumpkins here!"
Friends? I've never had a real friend before... maybe the children of Dad's coworkers... but were they really friends?
"Yes, I'd be glad to be your friend!" Solon's instinct kicks in, and he answers her question instinctively in the polite tone he's learned from his father. Remembering the punishments for failure, he unwittingly rubs his hand on his face.
"Wow, you're so polite! Are you from the city? There's no way!!! You need to tell us all about it! Hey, everyone, he's from Midgar! Did you see the new musical? I want to see it so bad. The costumes are so cute; I want to wear them!" Tifa gushes, her excitement contagious.
The other three boys get excited too and bombard Solon with questions.
"Have you seen a real SOLDIER?"
"What's it like living up in the sky on the huge plate?"
"Did you ride a motorcycle yet?!
Solon tries to answer: "I…"
"Children, I'm sorry. We had an accident on the way. Please give Solon a bit of time to calm down. He'll be able to play with you soon," Mason demands, looking a bit embarrassed.
The group of children known as the "Four Fiends" by the villagers, backs off, looking a little disappointed. They wave at Solon before running off, their laughter fading into the distance.
Solon, Mason, Mallory, and Mina enter the old but large and unimpressive house while Mick, the chubby man, drives the carriage to the side of the house and begins unloading their small amount of luggage. He quickly leaves afterward.
"Thank you, Mick. I owe you one," Mason says as Mick waves him goodbye.
Inside, Mason turns to Solon, his expression kind but serious. "Now, Solon… this will be a big change for you. Do you have any questions? I'll do my best to answer them. Mina will help too."
"Yeah, Solon, everything is alright now. You'll be safe here, and you're free now," Mina adds, looking happy and relieved.
I just need to know! Did I hallucinate all of this?! I'm going crazy. I NEED TO KNOW THIS NOW!
Solon, out of compulsion and without thinking, asks the one question that's been on his mind all this time: "…Did you kill Father and make it look like he did it himself? Or was it the ghosts who took him? I need to know!!" Solon questions them with a slightly crazed expression, shocking Mina and Mason.