The story had been told time and time again, the legend repeated by word of mouth like an echo in a well. Much like the well that sits in the middle of a quaint little town where a hero once lived. But he is not the hero of this story. His existence may as well be a simple mannequin blended into the background. Nor is his hometown where this story will start.<br/><br/>On the surface of Gaia, at the center of its lands, lies a city plagued by pollution, crime, and an imbalance of wealth between its citizens and the ones who control their lives. Midgar is no place to call home, yet many do. And in its center sits a monolith, a building that towers over the skyless city. Looking down at the titanic pizza of a plate that blankets over the slums below was a little girl with her nose pressed against a large window, staring into the vast darkness or the clouded sky. She found it to be beautiful, in a grim sort of way. It felt as if she could hear the whispers of the denizens below, like a light breeze brushing across the lobes of her ears. It tickled her as she brushed a dark brown strand of her hair behind it.<br/><br/>She blinked her eyes and smiled to herself. Teri knew it was silly to think she could hear any of that, but it was still a strange feeling. When her eyes opened, she saw the grey orbs staring back at her in the reflection of the glass. It was getting late. She knew it was getting close to lights out for the small orphan girl, but she had no plans on sleeping that night. There was news spreading about schooling for her. When she’d sneak around the Shinra Tower floor, she eavesdropped on the scientists, exclaiming how they despised some other department for trying to take her away. Who was going to take her away? They said that these new people would teach her to be a “better asset to the company”...whatever that meant. There was disgust dripping in their voices when she listened to them. She never cared for the scientists who watched over her, but the thought of somebody else looking over her scared her, especially if she had to be moved to another floor. It would be even harder to see Lucien anymore.<br/><br/>She pushed her face away from the cold window and sighed, her smile having shifted to an expression of melancholy as she thought on it. Lucien was the only friend she had in this whole tower. He was like her, another kid under the microscope of the Shinra scientists. She could confide in him with anything. She had to tell him, tonight. Turning away from the window, she snuck out of her room to find him in the same spot they’d always meet: inside the holding cell with the broken door lock, at the very back of the floor.<br/><script class="js-extraPhrases" type="application/json">
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