Background :: Ever have one of those days when you and a friend are just really bored, and well…really nerdy? One of my best friends and I have this experience a lot, especially in the summer, which is the backdrop for this fanfiction. After playing eight-hour days of original FFVII, multiple run-throughs of Crisis Core, and the answer to the question of "What movie do you want to watch today?" always being "Advent Children!" we were inspired to write our own story. This started as just something to pass the time, being our respective favourite characters, and putting them all into one Crisis Core-like story-line, filling up a notebook as we wrote it back and forth (a bit like a role-play, but with more god-moding, if that makes sense). But we ended up taking a bit of pride in the result, so we decided to share it with the rest of the world, if anyone cares to read it. I'm posting it in pieces, but it is already written – just not all typed up yet, but at least it is done (or close enough).
Story :: This story takes place in a Crisis Core era of time in Gaia, with similar problems with Genesis. However, we took our own take on it completely, so though the problem may be the same, our approach is not the same as the game's. After all, what would happen if Zack Fair, Sephiroth, Reno, and Kadaj (a Turk for our purposes – she loves Kadaj, what can I say? Had to include him somehow) were all placed on the mission together? A good time, we thought!
Characters/Writers :: When the story is centred more on Zack or Reno (and later Genesis) – I am the writer. When the story focues more on Kadaj or Sephiroth, my friend is the writer. I will put a '' and who is writing in between our different sections to designate a switch in authorship, if only to give ourselves respective credit for the chaos.
Final Words :: Well, I just thought that all those things were important clarification before the story started – so now both my friend (whom I affectionately call Sephie) and myself both wish you happy reading, and thank you for giving our insanity a place to rear its head in public domain!
Disclaimer :: We own nothing but our own personal ideas used in this story – places, characters, and basis for situations are all owned by Square Enix and all those people. Believe me – if we owned it, we wouldn't hardly be writing fanfiction with it, now, would we?
Blueprints for Chaos - Chapter One
~Me
"Sorry, but I'm not looking for a SOLDIER guy."
Zack blinked a few times, confusion the dominant expression on his face as the woman quickly turned and headed in the opposite direction down the street. He had been about to question her about a rumour of some sort of monster that was apparently stalking one of the alleys near Sector Five. All he had accomplished toward finding said alley was tapping a woman on the shoulder to see what she knew and opening his mouth before he had been cut off by her remark and hasty retreat. It was a statement that he was hearing increasingly more often as he grew older. It made him question how some of his colleagues chose to spend their time between missions – but then, perhaps it was better to not know the details.
Zack shrugged, running a gloved hand back through his messy black hair roughly. This was clearly going to be a frustrating personal mission, he could see that now. He had only wanted an exciting way to pass the evening before his next mission (Director Lazard had not given him any details yet, but that only made it more tantalizing to him) and what was more exciting than conquering a monster? Not much in Zack's opinion, though clearly, others felt differently about the subject…no Zack, just don't go there.
Zack slowly walked towards the fountain in the middle of the square, swinging his arms a bit overdramatically to illustrate his boredom. His Mako blue eyes scanned the fairly empty square for something – anything – to capture his interest. Finally, after several severely disappointing minutes, Zack reluctantly decided to resign back to the ShinRa building. The only people that seemed to be around were the devotees to a few fan clubs established for the bigger names of SOLDIER, such as Angeal and Genesis – and of course, Sephiroth, though his fan clubs were almost as exclusive as his personality. Those women were always around the ShinRa building with hopes of seeing one of their "heroes," though, and had little interest in Zack. He let out a heavy sigh, and then headed back towards ShinRa headquarters with the stance of being defeated in a battle.
Zack entered the SOLDIER floor from the lift in an uncharacteristically bad mood, not tired, but not certain what else to do, either. He headed towards the small lounge area, keeping his eyes open for his best friend a fellow Second Class Kunsel. He was less than surprised when he did not find the other man – Kunsel was probably out in Sector Eight having a good time without Zack, like he typically did. Zack thought he remembered his friend mentioning something about going to see the play they made of the epic poem LOVELESS – not that it was important. No matter what, he was not there.
As Zack scanned the room one last time, his hands folded and rested behind his neck with his elbows sticking out. Casually, his gaze fell on a lone figure standing at the window overlooking Midgar, standing eerily still. The black trench coat and straight silver hair could only be one person – SOLDIER First Class Sephiroth.
Zack narrowed his eyes a bit in confusion for the second time that evening – what could someone like Sephiroth be doing down on the SOLDIER level? As far as Zack knew, Sephiroth usually was in Director Lazard's office when he was not on a mission. Sephiroth did not seem concerned that Zack was in the room. Rather, he just kept staring out the window. After shifting back and forth on his feet for a few moments indecisively, Zack finally walked up next to the older man, standing beside him at the window.
"I don't think I have ever seen you down here before," Zack stated, keeping his tone casual to match his stance. In reality, he was fairly excited to be seeing Sephiroth at all – this only marked the third time ever in person, and Zack was in his fifth year at SOLDIER. He glanced at the other man for a moment, before forcing his gaze back out the window, trying to see what Sephiroth found so interesting – but all he saw was the skyline of the city, lit up occasionally by pulses in the Mako being harvested.
Reno was not a happy person. At all. Less than usual.
The day had started out promising – special meeting with the President on the top floor of the ShinRa building for a "special" assignment meeting, and that was all the more description that Tseng had offered to give him over the mobile, no matter how much Reno had tried to "convince" him to say more. Although that had made Reno a bit suspicious, he had assumed the assignment was just too important to discuss on the mobile. He could not have been more mistaken.
When Reno had reached the President's large office, however, he had learned the true details of his assignment – take the newest member of the Turks with him to investigate rumours of an Anti-ShinRa group in the nearby town of Kalm. And Reno had not been able to say anything in protest considering the words were coming right from the President's mouth – instead, he had to endure staring as his typical partner and closest friend Rude stood behind the President's chair with a smug, knowing expression on his face. Rude knew what Reno was thinking without the two having to speak about it – many years of working together had that sort of result.
It was not long after that shock to Reno's system – he felt personally offended to be appointed honourary baby-sitter, which was how he always saw rookie situations – that he met the involuntary offender. The man had silver hair and greenish eyes, very similar to Sephiroth's, but his youth was also apparent in his features. Somehow, he looked less than pleased…
"I thought it was only a few kilometers to Kalm from Midgar."
"You're thinking correctly."
"Then why do we need to take the helicopter?"
"Because I said we were taking the helicopter."
Reno glanced to his right at the younger man for a moment – Kadaj, that's what he said his name was – to see a rather annoyed expression looking back at him. "And because I like the helicopter," Reno then muttered to himself before quickly taking off before Kadaj could make any further protest.
It was only a few short minutes before the ShinRa helicopter carrying two less than pleased Turks landed outside Kalm. As he climbed from the helicopter, Reno surveyed his surroundings – the small picturesque town looked like something out of a storybook. Compared to Midgar, it felt like going back in time. Reno had always been puzzled by how the two towns could be so geographically close, and yet be so far apart technologically. As his eyes moved to survey a group of three women wearing their long, modest dresses, he shook his head. Oh, how he absolutely hated any amount f time he spent in Kalm – let alone with a rookie.
With that thought, Reno glanced over his shoulder at this comrade for the day. "Is this your first time in Kalm?" he asked casually, general disinterest in his voice.
"Yes," Kadaj's reply was cool as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"I hope you were not expecting much. We shouldn't be here that long. I doubt we will find much, anyway," Reno paused, twirling his Electro-Mag Rod around a bit absently before adding, "Too bad this is your first mission." He smirked a bit with that, and then walked with his typical swagger towards the town.
He believed what he had told Kadaj – somehow, he found it hard to believe that an anti-ShinRa group could ever form in a town so populated by people that generally seemed to worship Mako and how "convenient" it made their lives, and how infatuated they seemed to be with Midgar. Generally, it left Reno with a feeling of disgust he usually did not bother to hide. "Let's just get this over with and get back to Midgar," Reno stated, his tone clearly showing he believed the order to be one of non-contestation.
~Friend
Sephiroth stood, his mind wandering over many things, not really focusing on any one thing for more than a few moments. It took his mind several minutes to register that someone was standing beside him and had spoken. After a brief moment of searching his mind he remembered the SOLDIER's name.
"You are Zack, correct?" he asked, enjoying the look of surprise that crossed the other man's face.
"You know my name?" the younger man had a look of slight disbelief now mixing with the surprise.
"Of course. I feel it's my duty to know all of SOLDIER. That, and I get the feeling we may see a lot of each other sometime soon." With that he turned, walking to the exit of the building, a small smile playing on his lips.
Sephiroth wandered around Midgar his mind occupied by the most confusing topic to him – Mother. He had never heard of such a thing until well into his teenage years when a fellow SOLDIER mentioned theirs. He had sort of had the concept of 'brother' explained to him, yet mother puzzled him, since he had never seen his.
After a while he shook his head as if to clear it, and turned instead to face the peson who had been following him for some time.
"Can I help you?"
"You are from SOLDIER, no?"
"Yes," he replied, knowing almost exactly what would come next.
"Well you see," as the woman paused he looked at her. Noticing his gaze carefully taking in every detail of her appearance, the woman seemed to get nervous. "If you're too busy I'll find someone else."
"No, please continue. I take it there is something terrorizing your home?"
"Not just my home, but the others around it as well."
Sephiroth sighed, knowing it was probably nothing more than a giant rat. "You know, there is a young, very skilled SOLDIER that I will send to aid you. I'm sorry, but I am far too busy to be killing monsters."
"What does he look like so I know him to ask for help?"
"Dark hair, light eyes. Answers to Zack….ah, so he's been here," Sephiroth said, noticing an embarrassed look cross the woman's face. "Well, I'll send him back, and next time, you'll know."
He made his way back to 'home base,' wondering if Zack would still be standing by the window. Upon entering the SOLDIER floor, he saw the youth sprawled on a couch, an arm over his eyes. "Zack, you are needed in Sector Five. There's been a report concerning a monster." He turned, walking away before the younger SOLDIER had time to react. In all reality, he was pretty sure he knew the reaction. It was probably the same as everyone else when Sephiroth 'sneaks up on them.'
He paused at the window outside the door leading to Director Lazard's office. Almost instantly he resumed the position he had assumed on the lower level. He wondered what would happen to the planet below if they were to expand Midgar, covering the sky completely, leaving only the smallest of spaces to let the light through.
If Reno was unhappy, he wasn't the only one. Kadaj was extremely upset. Not only was his first mission a severe disappointment, but so was the person he was going with. He already could see a conflict coming up, and they weren't even halfway there yet. He could feel the childish question coming to his lips, yet felt powerless to stop it. "Are we there yet?" he asked, glad it didn't come out in the whine he heard in his head.
"Clearly not," Reno replied, unable to hide the irritation in his voice. "If you have a problem with our speed, you can walk next time."
"No, next time I'll take my bike, and I'll get there in half the time," Kadaj said, settling back in his seat with a smirk. The older Turk was easily annoyed, which meant hours of amusement for Kadaj. Perhaps this won't be as bad as I imagined, thought Kadaj, his smile getting wider.
Now following his temporary partner through Kalm he began to regret his hasty judgment. The senior Turk was irritating, arrogant, and Kadaj was already thinking about how he wanted to just get it over with when Reno voiced the same thought.
"Finally, something we agree on. You," he aid to a man they passed on the street, "I'm looking for an anti-ShinRa group. Can you tell me where to find them?" He could almost hear Reno rolling his eyes.
The man laughed. "You will find no such things here. We are grateful to ShinRa for how much easier life has become. Again, you will find none against them here. I can tell b your dress you work for ShinRa – why do you look for those against them?"
"It's just my job. Thank you for your help," Kadaj added, not wanting to seem rude. The man smiled and continued on his way. Kadaj turned to find himself with an irritated, yet amused Reno.
"You have no subtly, do you? Do you really think they would tell you even if they knew of it?"
"Of course not, but I hate beating around the bush. Especially since this is not my first choice of a job." As soon as the words left his mouth, Kadaj regretted saying them. "I'm a straightforward person, and you learn more by catching people off-guard with a direct question than any other way. Or at least I have better luck that way. Now come on, I'm sure we can find out something somewhere."
They continued through the town, Kadaj blocking out Reno and any questions he may have been asking. His mind was going over what he let slip. It was true, he hadn't wanted to be a Turk, but had been chosen by ShinRa himself. If Kadaj could have picked, he would have been in SOLDIER. No, they weren't as exclusive, nor were they paid as well, but he would have preferred to be near the man he aspired to be. Ever since he was young, even if there was only a few years difference in their age, h wanted to be like the great hero Sephiroth. But, he thought with a sigh, I am stuck as a Turk, with no partner, no place, and no res-- He was jerked out of his thoughts by Reno's anguished cry from beside him.
Kadaj looked up to see the smoking remains of what used to be a helicopter. "I guess there is an anti-ShinRa group here somewhere," he said, earning him an angry glare from his fellow Turk. "What?" he asked, arranging his face in what he hoped was an innocent expression, "That is the most logical explanation; that, or there's an anti-helicopter group here somewhere." He stepped back just in case Reno took a swing at him. Although he didn't, Kadaj could tell the thought was in his head, and decided not to push things more than he already had. Getting an injury from his 'partner' on his first mission didn't seem like the best idea.
Author's Note :: Well, there's the first bit of it! I know it's a bit confusing to follow, and short (I want to make sure people want to read more before I post longer sections) but I promise it gets better as it goes – looks like you will just have to wait and see what happens next. Thanks for reading!