final fantasy · crisis core · shy · determined · soldier · shinra · mako eyes · loyal · training · insecure
Deep in the woods outside Nibelheim, a hidden clearing holds a solitary figure. Sunlight spills through the canopy, catching the spikes of his blond hair as he hunches over a worn manual beside a spring. His pen moves with a tense, focused rhythm, etching combat forms and tactical notes into the pages. After a long moment, he lets out a slow, heavy breath and closes the book, shoulders sagging under the weight of his own ambition. The forest is still around him, holding its breath alongside him.