Chapter 7: To Nibelheim

I never thought I would return to my hometown of Nibelheim like this.

I just recently sent a letter to my mom with my allowance, telling her about my promotion. I might actually beat the mail and arrive at her place before the letter does.

It's already been almost a year since I joined the Advanced Weaponry Division. At first, I was just a tester with no title, but now I've been given the position of Captain of the Experimental Unit. I don't have any subordinates, but I was told that if they didn't give me a rank fitting my achievements, it would complicate how I'm treated going forward. It was decided before I even knew it.

It feels weird for a kid like me to get such an unprecedented promotion. Even if it is just a title, being a Unit Captain felt like too much, so I tried talking to Lady Scarlet about it once.

"You're far too skilled to remain a mere tester, Cloud. Do you even grasp the sheer volume of your training or the danger level of the weapons you're fighting? Honestly, it's impossible to keep bringing in people from the outside anymore."

True, even Zack gave his seal of approval regarding my training regimen.

"You're amazing, Cloud. No, really—ever since I started coming here, I've honestly thought the training level is insanely high."

Even after the Wutai War, Zack frequently pops in to use the Advanced Weaponry Division's simulators and helps me out with my training. I asked him once if it was okay since he's from a different department.

"Our Director says it's fine to hang out with other departments on our own time. Plus, look—I've actually gotten stronger since I started training with you."

From what I hear, he's taking the promotion exam for SOLDIER 1st Class soon. His skills are flawless, and fighting alongside me in Wutai seemingly proved he has the operational ability to lead subordinates in the field. It's true; he was always great at being considerate and issuing orders.

When I'm with Zack, I can just be myself. Honestly, it's almost too easy to talk to him about anything.

Being favored by Lady Scarlet brought some fierce jealousy from the regular infantrymen, and there was a time I got a bit neurotic about not causing her any trouble. But ever since I started hanging out with Zack, I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

"I had a mentor named Angeal—he's already left Shinra, though. I was just copying him."

Seeing Zack laugh it off like it was nothing made me think that if I had an older brother, he'd probably be just like this.

"You're awesome too, Cloud. You've only been with the company a little over a year and you're already a Unit Captain, right?"

"It's in name only. I don't have any subordinates."

"What are you talking about? The only reason I can use the simulators here is because you gave me clearance. Hold your head up high!"

It's strange, but when Zack says it, I actually start to believe it.

I was told that giving me a title was also to grant me a certain level of authority. Thanks to that, I can match Zack's days off so we can train together. The other day, he even dragged me along on our personal time to help out a girl selling flowers.

My salary went up with the position allowance, and just as I was thinking about heading back to my hometown to explain everything to my mom, I was handed a top-secret mission.

"I have some business at the Shinra Manor in your hometown. I need to extract some documents without the other departments finding out, so I'm giving you a special assignment."

My hometown, Nibelheim, doesn't have any particular local specialties. Apparently, it used to be a completely featureless rural town. But before I was born, the world's first Mako Reactor was built there, and a massive manor to manage it sits at the back of the village.

Whenever the village kids would occasionally go near the manor on a dare or out of curiosity, it was a given that the adults working there would yell at them. Then the village mayor would lecture them personally, and finally, their own parents would scold them. Because of all that history, the village kids didn't have a great impression of the manor, and by the time we reached a certain age, none of us ever went near it.

Since it's a Shinra facility, I assumed we'd get permission to enter, but apparently, the goal this time is to sneak in and smuggle the documents out.

Even though we're the same corporate organization, we aren't exactly a monolith. Naturally, I belong to Lady Scarlet's Advanced Weaponry Division, and if it benefits her, I don't see any problem with it. I've been told she's working with the Vice President to change how the company operates, steering towards a new future that doesn't rely solely on Mako Reactors. If I can support Lady Scarlet even a little bit by doing my part, then that's what I want to do.

That's why I ended up accepting the promotion, even though I initially wanted to turn it down due to a lack of confidence. Having even a bit more rank gives me more flexibility in a lot of situations, so I renewed my resolve to properly fulfill the responsibilities I was given.

When I was still hesitating about the promotion, I talked to Zack about it.

"The seniors always call me a puppy, but Cloud, you're exactly like Stamp, the faithful hound."

Zack laughed as he said it, and I ended up laughing right along with him.

"If you ever end up a stray dog, Zack, I'll ask them to make you my subordinate."

"Oh, you asked for it! Just because you outrank me now... you just watch. I'll make 1st Class in no time and show you up."

As he ruffled my hair, I reached over and messed up his hair, too. And then we just laughed again.

When I came to Midgar from Nibelheim, I hitched a ride on a Chocobo-drawn carriage belonging to a peddler leaving the village. Being out in the sticks, that was the only form of transportation, making it hard to go home for visits. But apparently, when Shinra employees head to Nibelheim, they generally take a helicopter.

Aside from my usual gear in case of monster attacks, I also packed a standard Shinra infantry uniform. With the helmet, my face won't be recognized. According to Zack, I'm apparently somewhat of a celebrity among the younger Shinra staff, and a secret fan club has even popped up.

Why on earth is there a fan club...? And Zack, why are you a member of it...?

While I was pondering that, Lady Scarlet arrived at the heliport. She was wearing her usual wine-red dress, but since an outfit like that would stand out way too much in the village, I was told she'd change into a suit like the ones the Turks wear once we were in the helicopter. Officially, this is purely a private trip, so we had to keep up a subtle disguise even upon departure.

Aside from the two of us, we were expecting one more collaborator from the Turks.

"Nice to meet you, Cloud. I am Tseng, from the Department of Administrative Research. I look forward to working with you on the way to Nibelheim."

He offered his hand, and I shook it. His black suit, combined with his calm demeanor, gave him a very mature aura. His slightly long black hair was tied back, and his handsome features matched exactly what Zack had told me—he was the picture of seriousness.

"Cloud Strife, Captain of the Advanced Weaponry Division's Experimental Unit. It's a pleasure."

"Don't be so tense. I've heard about you from Zack."

Zack and Tseng are apparently friends. They hit it off after going on a mission together a while back. When I asked him about it...

"That guy immediately befriends everyone he meets and decides they're best pals. You should be careful too, Cloud,"

he said with a slight, joking smile.

"I hear you'll be piloting the helicopter this time. You must be highly skilled. SOLDIERs drive motorcycles and cars for missions, but practically none of them can pilot a chopper. You're almost like one of us Turks."

There are several mandatory training requirements for SOLDIERs. One of them is driving skills; almost all of them are trained to operate motorcycles and cars. No matter how much stronger a SOLDIER is compared to a normal person, their running speed can't beat a machine. Being able to operate vehicles is an essential skill to expand their operational range and travel speed.

However, that strictly applies to land-based vehicles like bikes and cars. Things like boats and helicopters are normally handled by standard Public Security infantry who have received specialized training...

"I also act as a tester for pilotable weapons in the Advanced Weaponry Division, so I can operate pretty much any standard vehicle."

"I see. I'll leave the outbound flight to you, then. I'll take the stick on the way back, if that's alright?"

"Ah, actually, would you mind if I piloted on the way back as well?"

"I don't mind, but flying is quite mentally taxing. Won't it be too much of a burden on you? This is supposed to be a homecoming for you, after all; there's no harm in taking it easy."

Tseng was being considerate, but there was actually another reason why I wanted to pilot the helicopter.l

"T-To be honest, I get motion sickness really easily..."

"And?"

"I'm totally fine when I'm the one driving, but if someone else is at the wheel, I get terribly sick and become completely useless..."

I'm fine on trains, but when we attached a sidecar to Zack's bike and went for a drive, I got sick instantly. And something suspended in the air like a helicopter? That's the absolute worst. I'd have to spend the entire travel time fighting the chaos in my inner ear. If we're taking a chopper all the way to Nibelheim, suffering through the whole ride would just be too brutal.

"I see. Understood. If it prevents any issues, then that's for the best. I'll leave the piloting to you, but let me know immediately if anything happens."

"Thank you!"

Thank goodness. If he had worried about me piloting and made me sit in the back, I would've been groggy the whole time and caused trouble for Lady Scarlet. She probably would have been kind enough to rub my back or give me motion sickness pills out of concern, but feeling that pathetic would have crushed my mental state in a completely different way.

"Let's depart immediately, then. If we leave now, we should arrive before noon."

A short while after taking off from the heliport, Tseng, who was sitting next to me, struck up a conversation.

"How are you holding up?"

"I'm doing fine."

"Do you mind talking?"

"Not at all. Since I won't get motion sick, I'd actually appreciate the company."

"I see... It's been a while since you've seen your hometown. How do you feel?"

He opted for simple small talk rather than bringing up work. Was he being considerate just to make sure I didn't get sick? Zack did mention that Tseng comes off as a cold, overly serious workaholic and gets misunderstood a lot, but is actually a good guy at heart. Though if I told Tseng that, Zack would probably get chewed out again.

I wondered what to talk about, and decided to tell him the story of how I left Nibelheim and came to Midgar. How I idolized Sephiroth, and how I promised my childhood friend I'd become a great SOLDIER like him before leaving my hometown. But I couldn't make it into SOLDIER, and when reality crushed me, Lady Scarlet picked me up.

Talking about myself like this is kind of embarrassing, but looking back, all of this happened in just a little over a year.

"It's a shame that, given the nature of this mission, we can't let the villagers see you openly. As you are now, you could make a proud, triumphant return home."

"No, it's fine. I wouldn't get to go home easily without an opportunity like this anyway, and I have permission to at least see my mom."

"But you have to keep it a secret from your childhood friend, right? Even if you didn't make SOLDIER, you're a department head within Shinra now. You should be able to report that to her with your head held high."

It's true that I couldn't become a SOLDIER, so I can't keep the promise I made back then. But I think Tifa would still accept me for who I am now. Besides, I feel like now I could proudly reintroduce myself to her.

"You're right. It's a bit frustrating not being able to talk to her, but there will be other opportunities."

"If you want to, you could always invite her to Midgar. With your current standing, you could even afford to live on the Upper Plate."

Honestly, I am making a great salary, and more than anything, I've learned the value of a title. Showing my updated ID card grants me access to far more places than before, naturally. People in the Urban Development Division told me that I get employee discounts on shopping, and it makes applying for a mortgage to buy a house much easier. They were all as happy for me as if it were their own success, telling me that if I wanted a house, they could hook me up with a really nice place on the Upper Plate.

"Actually, the Urban Development staff asked me if I was going to bring my mom to Midgar. Apparently, it's pretty common for people who make good money out here to buy a house and send for their families."

"That's true. It's a very common scenario, especially for employees from rural areas who establish a solid foundation here. There are fewer monster attacks, and public security is well-maintained. The abundance of facilities, including hospitals, is a major factor as well."

"But my mom has her friends in the village, and I don't think she could even imagine suddenly moving to the city. Plus, I'd probably be away from home for work most of the time anyway."

Even if I bought a house and brought my mom over, I don't know if it would be a good thing. She'd be separated from friends she's known for years, and imagining her sitting all alone in a house while I'm away just feels sad.

Even when I left the village, I never planned on settling down in Midgar for the rest of my life. I just wanted to achieve my dream, return to Nibelheim, show Tifa what a great man I'd become, and eventually spend my days with my mom in our hometown.

I have to admit, I acted without thinking. I really wasn't looking at reality.

"That's how it is for boys who chase their dreams out of the countryside. I hear Zack also left his hometown when he was two years younger than you are now. Said he was going to be a hero."

"Haha, that sounds just like Zack. He was really pumped about taking his promotion exam soon."

"If that idiot fails, it'll undoubtedly be the written portion. If that happens, be sure to laugh in his face."

As we enjoyed our flight while sharing a laugh, I saw it—far below, sitting atop a massive mountain: the Mako Reactor. And at its base, I could see a small village.

I never imagined I'd end up looking down at my hometown from up in the sky like this.

I can pop into my house once we arrive, but I have to avoid interacting with anyone else as much as possible. You never know where someone might spot a Shinra employee.

I wonder how Tifa is doing? We haven't exchanged letters or anything. I wonder if she still remembers the promise we made back then...