The red sun was burning hot in the skies over Cosmo Canyon. It seemed every day was non-stop sunshine after meteor was stopped.
A red wolf-like creature was sitting by a grassy gravestone. With a look of both great despair and respect in his good eye.
He sat thinking about the one who would soon be under the stone.
"Grandfather...."
~~~
"CLOUD! GET UP!"
The spikey haired 22 year old mumbled a bit as he grogged out of bed. The owner of the voice came rushing into the room.
"You can't sleep all day, especially when you've got to go to work!" Tifa said, irritably.
"Cloud? I have a job?" Cloud said from his spot on the bedroom floor.
"Not for long if you don't get there soon! I got you a job in Midgar! Barret works there too."
"Huh? Doing what? I'm a mercernary...and those aren't needed any more...you know that..."
"You're not JUST a mercernary. You're working for Reeve. He took over Shinra to try to turn things around."
"Reeve?" Cloud forced himself to think for a second..."OH! The kitty!"
"Ugh. Yes...Cait Sith......except he stole that name from a summon..."
"What summon...I don't remember a summon called Ree-"
"STOP STALLING! JUST GO!" TIfa cried as she pushed him out of the door. For a second Cloud wondered how he slept with is sword and his armour.
He stopped after three seconds and shrugged. He stumbled out of the small ruined village known as Nibelheim and stared towards Midgar. He gave a loud groan when he remembered how far away it was.
~~~
"Damn fool....he's late. Not that we could've expected him to be on time," mumbled a big boned man with a gun where his right arm should be.
Reeve laughed at his seat in his office. He had a special job for the old buddies to do. Suddenly there was a knocking on the door.
"Finally...took the dumass long enough," grumbled Barret as he opened the door with his left hand. Except it wasn't Cloud. It was, in fact, three people.
"NOT YOU JACKASSES!!!!" Barret yelled when he saw who it was.
"Good to see you too," replied Reno, still in his TURKS uniform. In fact...they all were.
"..."Rude "said" as he peered around Barret into the office. He smiled when he saw Reeve at the desk.
"Oh GOODY! Now we can have jobs again! That meany Rufus had to go and die..." Elena said when she walked into the office.
"What do you want?" asked Reeve, his chin resting on his folded hands, with his elbows perched on his desk.
Before any of the former TURKS could answer Cloud sauntered lazily into the office.
"Wassuuuuuuuup." he said cheerfully. Reno was about to respond but Elena stopped him.
"Reeve...we really need jobs. We've tried EVERYWHERE! Even as chocobos at the Gold Saucer!" Rude emitted a shudder that everyone could feel. "You wouldn't believe how hard it is for
professional fighters to find a job these days."
Reeve looked at her with one eyebrow raised. "Have you considered not travelling in a pack?" The trio looked dumbfounded.
"So THAT'S what they meant when they said they didn't have that many openings..." Reno said as he stared at the ceiling.
"They really should've been more clear..." Elena said.
"Umm....Tifa said I'd be late...but you're not doing anything yet...." Cloud said, looking utterly confuddled.
Reeve nearly fell out of his chair. "OH SH*T! I FORGOT! Barret, Cloud....I need you to go to Rockettown and find Cid. You three," he nodded toward the TURKS who insantly stood alert, "Rude, you go to Wutai and find a ninja girl. Reno...go to Nibelheim and find
a man in a red cloak. Elena....go with whoever you want. Everyone. You're to tell the designated people to meet in Cosmo Canyon. The reason: Bugenhagen's funeral. They've got everything ready but we need everyone to be there."
~~~
