Disclaimer: I do not own FF7 or FF13.
Arc 1: Midgar
She had received the order; a mission she didn't want to take but Raines had insisted. The memories still haunt her to this day, and the terrified screams still echo in the silence of the night.
She wonders if it was right to send someone like her with so much emotional baggage to Midgar; the land at the root of the genocide, and her nightmares.
She's a soldier.
It was something she constantly reminded herself of. Calm, collected, and serious to a fault. No nonsense, efficient, and strong. Those were everything she modeled herself to be and had succeeded. She's a soldier and she's not the only one. Sadly, not all soldiers seem to share her perspective of what they ought to be what they shouldn't. "Great! Thanks a lot for your help!" Massaging her temple, she finally draws her cool gaze to her friend or another soldier in arms. With her wild black hair brushed back, mischievously seductive, or so she claims, cat-like green eyes complete with a beauty mark, she waves at the two departing men before she walks back towards her with a small piece of paper in her hand. "Look here. Said Seventh Heaven shouldn't be far. Turn right after-"
"Whatever. Let's just go."
Fang. That was the name of her partner. Oerban descent, complete with the accent and tribal garments which she had left back in Academia for civilian clothes in order to blend in. "Yeah, yeah, no need to get your feathers ruffled." Fang retorted with a lazy wave of her hand as if to brush her off. "The mission hasn't even started and you're already like that. What? Where's that lightning zap?"
She swore her eye just twitched with annoyance which was further fueled by Fang's mocking snicker. "Shut. Up."
"Think Raines is already there?" Shifting on her feet, she crossed her arms beneath her bust before she shrugged. She's come to expect and adapt to Fang's rather spontaneous and often off-topic questions. One minute she could be talking about one thing, joking and laughing and the next all serious and stone-faced. It's something she attributed to Fang's rather short attention span on various subjects. "Smells like daisies here." Fang continued, muttering as she crinkled her nose in disgust. Naturally; what did Fang expect? Actual daisies? Rolling her eyes, she snatched the piece of paper from Fang's hand finding herself growing more frustrated at the situation. After all that harassing she did, this was all she got? A poorly drawn map with squares and lines?
"What is this?"
"Don't worry. I've got it all up here." Fang hummed tapping her temple with her finger. "Now you wouldn't have this problem if you had just listened to what I said earlier."
"Let's go. I don't want to waste anymore time."
"Fine." Throwing her hands up in defeat, Fang started walking forward leading the way through the decrepit slums. Her azure blue eyes glanced over the cluttered area before her. The broken, dirty playground where impoverished children loitered, and abandoned old tires upon more trash formed heaps and heaps. It stank. She crinkled her nose, taking more measures to show her displeasure than usual. Frankly, it was sad. The orphaned children living in Academia and Cocoon didn't need her charity, these did. This was an eye opener. She knew it was bad, seen the many articles and documents on this, especially ever since Raines had decided to assign this mission to her. With the ever abundant rumors and stereotypes floating about, it was easy to do her research, of course, taking into account of certain prejudicial and discriminatory biases but with what she has seen so far, they were completely true.
It's common knowledge to know that Midgar is ridden with corruption of the rich and powerful while the rest of the people are oppressed. The great divide that separates the classes taking a physical form in the enormous plate; the 'upper' city infamous for murders and assasinations and the lower slums where people resort to thievery and prostitution. If Midgar wasn't so run-down it would have made for a magnificent city. She takes a while just to absorb the mere size of the plate that loomed over her.
There was no sky, instead she could see the large iron and steel beams that stretched across as far as she could see. No rain, no snow, no sunlight, and no wind. The ground was dry dirt unable to grow anything. That's why she hasn't even seen a single green plant ever since she arrived. It's impossible for plants to survive here and just down-right cruel to make people live here. The stench of sewers often hung in the still and muggy air. Imagine how humid it would get if it rained. Wonder if the plate leaked but since the sewage from the upper side always ran it's way down here it wouldn't really make much difference. She quietly followed Fang, keeping half a ear open to listen to the other's mumbles and comments and chose to keep her own to herself. Sometimes, even she doesn't like where her thoughts go. Trying not to reel in disgust at the drunkards flanked with skimpily dressed women draped over their arms or the blatant prostitution taking place that really would have her arresting people left and right if she was anywhere else, she kept her eyes trained forward.
"Are we there yet?" She was an impatient person and Fang knew that better than anyone else. The situation definitely wasn't helping either. Tense, uncomfortable; being a soldier adapted to undercover missions, she had learned to quickly adjust to unfamiliar territory but there was something else here that bothered her as well.
"Here it is." Fang finally spoke up but her statement sounded more of a question than anything else and she was hesitant to say so for a good reason. She really didn't know if this was supposed to be a bar or a run down wooden shack. The stairs leading up were worn from use, the paint chipped and old, and the sign above wasn't faring too well. She could barely make out the letters on the board making the place look utterly ancient.
"This is it?" Maybe her tone made it obvious that she wasn't impressed when she had heard Fang snicker. She could not believe she was going to be situated here in this rat's nest for maker knows how long.
"Come on, it's not that bad." Waltzing up, each step they took made the wood creak and groan as if it was going to break in half. Raking her knuckles over the door, she waited for someone to come but only silence greeted them. "Huh... that's strange." Fang muttered, "I swore Raines told me there should be people here."
She only rolled her eyes allowing her attention to drift again before she snapped to the flicker of a shadow that had crossed the dusted window. "There is someone inside." The soldier muttered, feeling a slight frustration well up in her. Pushing past Fang, she gripped the knob to rattle it loudly, "I know you're inside. Open up." Again, silence.
Her patience thinned urging her to reach into her pocket to pull out a small device her other friends had given her as a good luck charm for this mission. They always had handy and sometimes questionable uses but they were useful nonetheless. As Vanille had said with an enthusiastic clap coupled with a little hop, "It's perfect! Now you can break into anyone's house without a single problem." She worries about that one sometimes. It's a small little black cylinder, and fits over any older models of key and lock. Scanners do their job and done. It always reminds her that Hope knows how to do his job. He had gone into a long winded explanation as to how it worked but all that she really cared about was that it scanned and used that information to materialize a temporary key. Talk about a violation of privacy but in her line of work, it would definitely save her some time.
The door clicks open smoothly. She soaks in the new place the moment she steps in, mentally mapping out everything. The place isn't as rundown on the inside. Other than the rather messy corner littered with empty glasses and crumpled chip bags, everything else was in order. A small wooden bar with bottles lined up neatly behind, stairs to the right that led up and an old game machine in the opposite corner. Fang immediately walks over to the pinball machine, "Check this out. It has to be a collectors item now."
Lifting her hand for silence, the soldier walks up to the counter, "I know you're hiding behind there. Where are your parents?" Slowly, she watched as small eyes peeked out from a cup board door before a little girl climbed out. Dressed in an old but still white dress, she had one length brown hair that reached her shoulders with even bangs across her forehead. She could see the fear trembling through the young girl, at the most, around four or five years old. Too young to be home alone. Slowly and careful not to make any sudden movements, she waved Fang off before rounding the counter. The young girl's large brown eyes were wide as they watched her wearily. "Are you... Marlene?"
"Who... are you?"
Kneeling on the floor so she was relatively close to Marlene's height, she continued as softly as she could, "I'm someone that might be helping your dad in the future. Do you know where he is?"
"Most likely on the bombing mission he was so excited about." Marlene jumped at the third voice and she could feel her frustration simmer again. Poor girl was probably scared out of her wits by now but she didn't expect it when the little girl dashed as fast as her little legs could carry her towards Raines who had just entered pulling a large sleek black suitcase along. She latched onto his leg and peeked out at her again, brown eyes darting from Fang to her and then to Fang again. The man only sighed as he rested a comforting hand on top of the girl's head, "I asked you to meet me here; not break in. At least everything is still intact-"
"Oh shit!" Fang hissed as the game suddenly rumbled and shook. The woman stepped back, wincing as if she was waiting for it to explode but to her surprise the floor around it suddenly broke away, lowering down like an elevator to a hidden floor. Letting out a whistle, she peered down before nodding to herself, "I knew that was going to happen."
"Fang, just sit down." Raines sighed as he moved towards the adjacent wall to reveal a button hidden behind some posters. Pressing it, they watched half in amusement and half in curiosity was the game machine rose back up to it's original place.
"I didn't break it." Fang retorted but still did as told.
"Marlene." Raines spoke up as he motioned to the two ladies in the bar, "They're my friends."
"Ha!" Fang snorted loudly and the other rolled her eyes before crossing her arms to stare blankly at him.
"Whatever. Now what was that you said about a bombing mission?"
"Yes, AVALANCHE is most likely out right now to bomb one of the reactors." Raines answered, "I asked them what they were capable of and I guess this is what they've come up with.
"They're just going to draw unnecessary attention to themselves."
"Now, now. It's not unnecessary attention, though considering how you work, I suppose it's understandable that you would see it this way. It was necessary to draw attention away from us." Her jaw clenched but she remained silent as Raines continued, "Surely, even in disguise, I can only escape SHINRA and the PSICOM's eyes for only a few more times. I didn't pick a date when AVALANCHE was out on their first task to come by accident. They'll serve as enough distractions to bring what I need to bring into Midgar. We all know how much you love your Blaze Edge and I'm sure security wouldn't be too happy if you waltzed in with one."
"Barret waltzes around with a machine gun arm. I doubt-"
"But that's different. He's a citizen of Midgar but you're only a tourist. One of those typical snobs from Academia." Raines commented offhandedly, "Remember, just as the same with different countries and races of people; stereotypes exist. They'll pay more attention to you."
"Whatever." She bit back as she made a move for the black suitcase, "This is mine then?" With one hand, she hoisted it up, finding it heavier than she had anticipated. With a dead thud that made the table shake, her fingers went to quick work. Click... click... click, a small smirk came to her lips when the lock flicked open easily. "You should get another suitcase." She commented, "It takes me just as long as you to open this thing and I don't know the pass key." Ignoring the man's chuckle behind her, the suit case glided open allowing her eyes to fall onto her most trusted ally. Still sheathed inside it's rectangular hold, she yanks the entire thing out and secures it around her waist before she moves to grab the new black leg pouch that was designed to suit her 'outfit' that was specifically made for this mission. "So? When are they going to be back?"
"I could ask you the same question." Raines sighed as he took a seat at one of the tables, watching in amusement as his ace double checked all of her equipment consisting merely of a few gravity bombs and her favorite survival knife. "Eager?"
"Yeah right." She retorts before her gaze falls onto the extra weapon that laid inside the suit case. "What's that for?"
The man only smirked even wider as he lent in resting his chin in a steeple, "A little greeting present." Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a small device, slightly smaller than his finger as he slid it across the table, "I want you to go help them." Now he had her full attention. She may as well start early and get the job done quickly. "I've planted a tracking device on Barret so you should be able to locate him easily. Assist their escape from SHINRA."
"Can I go too?" Fang asked already cracking her knuckles.
"Very well." The man leaned back but didn't bother standing up as he saluted them lazily, and at the same time waved them off, "Remember though, play nice. Especially you."
"Tch." Slapping the laughing Fang on the arm, she slammed the suitcase closed not too nicely, carrying it along with her as they both preceded out like the trained soldiers they were. Fang launched herself off the stairs like a child with a mocking grin while she tried her best to ignore her, promptly dealing another punch. Some soldiers.
"Hey! Don't get pissy." Fang started but it was clear she was still intent of making fun of her, "Gotta play nice, remember?"
"Shut up. I do things my way."
"And that's why you always get into deep shit." Fang hummed as she fell into the soldier's steps, "Act like that and you're gonna make new enemies with the people you're supposed to become buddy-buddy with."
"I'm not here to make friends. I'm here to work."
"Fine!" With an exaggerated sigh, the woman followed her silently.
A short silence fell between them before she cleared her throat slightly peering at Fang, "I can do this on my own."
"Well, I never said you couldn't."
"Good."
"You're just gonna make things a hell of a lot harder."
"If you're so obsessed over making friends then you should have taken this mission."
"Oh no." Fang hummed, "I'm happy with my fresh air and blue sky back in Academia." Whipping around with a retort ready to clash with Fang's challenging smirk, the verbal beating got cut short when a loud explosion rippled through the air. The metal groaned above in protest. A feral smirk passed Fang's face as she stared directly from where the explosion erupted, "Looks like AVALANCHE has got the show on the road."
"Fang, this isn't-"
"I guess it's time we made our appearance."
"Wait, Fang-" The said woman had already darted off with speed almost enough to match her own. "Damn it." Gripping the case tighter, she quickly followed suit.