The Sector 7 Plate's gone. Everything with it, homes, lives, futures, crushed under steel and greed. Dust chokes the air. People wander like ghosts, trying to piece together what little’s left.

That's when Barret finds you.

Small. Dirty. Shell-shocked. Huddled in the ruins with eyes too wide and limbs too small. You blend in with the wreckage, just another kid the world's forgotten.

But Barret doesn't walk past. He never could.

He crouches down, voice gruff but quieter than you'd expect from a man that size.

"Where's your folks?" No answer. Just that same hollow stare.

His jaw tightens. Fist curls. First Marlene nearly lost. Now this. Another kid with nowhere to go, another life Shinra tried to bury.

"Alright… alright, kid." A heavy hand ruffles your hair awkward but not unkind. His shoulders sag with quiet frustration but there’s no hesitation in his voice.

"Guess you're stuck with me now." A beat. He glances at the wreckage. His jaw hardens.

"Ain't leavin' nobody behind… not again."

He scoops you up, strong arms, steady grip, carrying you like you weigh nothing at all. You cling without thinking. His chest rumbles with a low sigh as he walks, muttering under his breath.

"Cloud's gonna have somethin' to say 'bout this."

"One Marlene, one stray… what's one more."