I do not own Final Fantasy 7 or anything from it, only my OCs and few other things. Well I hope you will enjoy this story since I have never ever published my work before :3
Also, let me tell you first that this chapter is something like an introduction to the main character so if you find this boring skip to chapter 2
Chapter 1 - Just a normal day-NOT!
It was my last day of school. A day I've been waiting for for a while now. Maybe you are wondering what am I am studying, right? I always wanted to be a doctor even if my parents wanted me to a professional dancer. It isn't like I'm not good or anything like that, I just like to help people. Anyway, my name is Arweniel Farrion or Arwen for short and I'm 20.
I've got only one friend, but he's all I need. We have known each other since we were little and I always got along with boys more. Girls were everyday talking about absolutely boring things like: "Look at my new clothes!" or "How do you like my new ugly make-up?". Okay, they didn't say that ugly part, but it looked like that in my point of view.
I like animals, especially wolves and hawks, cooking, spending time with my best friend, said best friend's random moments (there was that time when he kept talking about his Christmas tree and presents for an hour until I told him that it was July), working in the garden and secretly practicing my magic and swordplay. No, you heard me right I said MAGIC. The truth is that everyone can use it, but people forgot that over time and now they think of it as just an imagination from stories for little kids. And why would I need a sword nowadays people would probably ask me. Well, I don't really need it, but it's my hobby and not many people even know it (my parents for example). Personally, I don't think I'm good, but my teacher always says that since he first started teaching me that I had a talent, not that I believed him. Oh, and my teacher happens to also be my uncle from my mom's side.
His name is Damien and he was always looking after me when my parents were too busy to do doing it by themselves. He doesn't have any children on his own, his wife, Serena, died when I was 9, she was really nice to me and I liked her, plus she taught me how to use a gun, for self defense she always said. I don't use it, but it can be useful someday.
My training with uncle was difficult at first, but I got used to it and after three years, it became something like a routine for me to train with him after school or when I simply had some time. Which also leads me to a question of how haven't my parents found out about it yet. Not that I would complain, I don't want them to know. To some it would look like they are just very overprotective, but for me and my best friend, it's just that they are being selfish and think that they can tell me EVERY SINGLE THING that I should do. That's why it was a miracle when they allowed me to study medicine, it took me almost like forever to persuade them to at least consider it.
I try to stay away from my home as long as possible since they started considering that i would marry someone. Why would i marry someone because they say so you ask?
Let's just say that my family is quite rich.
My father runs a second biggest company in the world and my mother is a famous fashion designer. That's why I've been these 13 years training with my uncle as an excuse so I don't have to see them. Don't take this wrong, I love them, but I wish they would let me decide things for myself, I'm already an adult for god's sake! Anyway, where was I again? Oh right my likes and dislikes.
I don't like a lot of things, but naming them all would take centuries. One of those things would be broccoli, a girl from school who I would rather not talk about, my best friend's ex, my parents sticking their noses to EVERYTHING I do, skirts, dresses and pink girly things, seeing anyone dear to me get hurt and people who keep saying that FF7 sucks. Yep, that's right, I like playing final fantasy.
Crisis Core is my favourite. I know it might be weird, but I don't hate or at least dislike any character there (Maybe except Hojo, but who doesn't hate him?). My favourite characters are Sephiroth, Zack, Genesis, Angeal and Cloud
Back to the topic at hand. Even if it's 8 years old game it has always been a lot of fun for me to play with my best friend whose name by the way is Kagen.
So that's how I found myself dragging (quite literally) Kagen by the collar of his uniform for the last day of school behind me since we were late... again. 'Why does he have to be so lazy for the love of...' I asked myself for what seemed like the tenth time that day.
"Come on Arwen, I can walk by myself you know!" He was trying to make me let him go for some time now, which was totally not happening anytime soon since it's 15 minutes walk to school from his house. I live further from the town in the mountains.
"It's your own fault that we are going to be late again! Besides, how many times have I told you to go sleep early?" I shot back at him.
"Not everyone wakes up at 4 in the morning like you! And I can't help it with these new games mom bought me for my birthday!" Of course. His mother is always trying to spoil him. The only reason why he is still normal is because I keep beating some manners into his head from time to time. I finally decided to let him go since he started to turn unnatural shade of purple in the face.
" And was that really a necessary? You know you will be able to play as long as you want to when we get back from school right? Anyway, today you will have to go home alone since my uncle has something to tell me." I only wished I knew what it was because he sounded troubled when he called me this morning.
"Eh? You're gonna leave me alone with them? Why?" Oh god, not again. I swear he would make a great actor at times with his over dramatic reactions.
"Sorry about that, but I don't really have a choice. I will make it up for you tomorrow, what do you think?"
"Sounds good, well, we're almost there what about a little race?" He asked me while grinning like an idiot. I think that he forgot just who he was challenging because believe it or no, I never lost in a race or a fight in a long time. I smirked inwardly.
"Fine, bring it on then!" He nodded at me and stretched.
"Okay on one... two... THREE!" And we took off.
Kagen was fast, faster than most people in our little town, but with my training from my uncle, it was mostly a one sided race. I made it to school gates about 2 minutes before him and didn't even break a sweat, not to mention I wasn't running at my full speed.
As he finally made it to school out of breath, he started protesting "How... can you... be... so damn... FAST?!" I just rolled my eyes and laughed a little at his expression.
"Let's just get going, the teacher isn't going to wait for us forever you know."
Finally catching his breath again, he said "Fine fine. Jeez, we still have 8 minutes."
I shrugged "Better sooner than being sorry later." And with that we made it to our class for the last time.
Our teacher congratulated us all for passing and after an hour he finally let us go back home. Before school gates I turned to Kagen and said my goodbye and then went in the opposite direction.
The walk to my uncle's house was awfully quiet, which was strange because the part of town where he lives in is always very lively. Most of the people took vacation at this time of year I guess.
I knocked on his door and called "Uncle, I'm here!"
After a moment he opened the door and smiled "Ah, if it isn't my favourite niece! Come in I have a lot to tell you after our training."
I nodded and followed him to his training room which mind telling you was huge. We took our swords and warmed up before sparring with each other like we always do. What I never realised was the speed at which we were moving was barely visible to a normal human eye. Both of us were just blurs. Attack, dodge, block, counter, dodge, attack, block. Finally seeing an opening I slashed at his shoulder and he dropped his sword at the impact in the sensitive area.
Both of us stood there for what seemed like forever unmoving and then Damien started laughing "You really are something I must tell you. This is the 24th time you have defeated me in a row now! I think that it's time I to give you something."
I looked at him confused but followed him into the secret room anyway. I was never in the secret room before, so I can't really tell what it looks like in there.
"Hmm, where would it be? Aha!" He took a strange key from his robe. He unlocked the doors to a room with stone walls with a single ray of light which was coming from the hole in the ceiling. It also appeared to be very old. Damien gave me a torch which I lit with a low level fire spell. It turned out to be some sort of cave. We walked for 5 minutes before we reached an old chest with a symbol of raindrop and thunder on it. Damien took out a strange glowing silver key and gave it to me. I stared at it for a moment before looking at him and nodding. I opened the chest with a little hesitation, but what I saw shocked me a little.
Inside was a beautiful silver katana with glowing blue lines along the edge of the blade with matching handle. I looked at Damien with a confused look, but he only smirked and urged me to take it.
So I did and I was surprised at its weight because it was a little heavier than it looked. Almost nothing seemed heavy to me until now not even a wooden box full of metal junk that my uncle made me carry for hours just because he was lazy to carry it himself. Maybe I could have mentioned that I'm a little stronger that I look.
Then the strangest thing happened and I heard a soft voice say something, but I didn't catch what. I looked around before realising that I heard it in my head. It spoke again, louder this time and making more sense.
'Who are you?' Okay, now I knew that it was a female voice. Why was she asking me about my name? As weird as it may be I answered out of pure curiosity.
'My name is Arweniel.' I answered mentally. The voice went quiet for a while and then a strangely warm and calming aura washed over me.
'Arweniel...' I waited patiently for it-her I corrected myself, to finish.
'My name... is Ame no Habakiri.' She answered with a somewhat happy tone or at least I think that it was happy tone I can't really tell with that echo in her voice.
'It's nice to meet you?' I said, unsure of what to expect. I was so absorbed with talking to Habakiri (that's how I'm going to call her) that I didn't realise Damien left me alone a little while ago.
'Be my Master and I will be your companion, be my Master and I will help you wash your fears away...' Wow, this sounds kind of cool if you ask me having a sword talking about helping you with your fears. Still, there was something that I just had to ask.
'Who-no. What are you?' I was really nervous at the silence that followed, but I still felt that strange aura embrace me.
'It does not matter who or what I am. The only thing you need to know is that I will be by your side no matter what.' I sighed but accepted the answer. That's when I realised that I was alone and quickly took Habakiri and ran back through the cave.
When I made it back to the training room, Damien was waiting for me with katana in hand and a wide broadsword on his back. He gave me only a little while before charging at me. On pure reflex I blocked his attack with Habakiri. She started humming in what sounded like an enthusiasm but I paid it no mind since I was fully focused on my uncle and trying not to get hit.
We exchanged blows for 10 minutes during which I got used to Habakiri and was now blocking Damiens attacks with ease. What I wasn't expecting was for him to jump 40 feet back and change his katana for broadsword. 'Uh oh' I thought. This will be a hell for me since I knew from past experience that it's very difficult to block a broadsword with a katana. Despite knowing this I still got into my fighting stance again and waited for him to come at me.
Just as I expected it was very tiring. We continued like this for another 5 minutes and I started to consider if I have a chance to win this at all since Damien didn't look like he was going to stop anytime soon.
A sharp headache suddenly ran through my head and I mentally winced refusing to show weakness. What surprised me were Habakiri's word 'Do not consider giving up Master!' she cried at me mentally. I scoffed and answered 'How do you expect me to win then? I'm at a disadvantage here!' this was getting ridiculous what was I supposed to do?
'Master... can you use broadsword as well?' she asked.
'Yeah, I'm better with it than katana but where do you expect me to get a broadsword?' It was strange how I was able to talk to Habakiri and focus on the battle at the same time. It came to me just... naturally.
'Wish for it.' she replied calmly. I hesitated for a while, but then I did as she told me. I opened my eyes 'When did I close them?' and I saw as Habakiri was consumed by blue light. It was so bright that I had to close my eyes again. When the glow faded and I opened my eyes. What I saw shocked yet fascinated me at the same time.
Habakiri changed from katana to a big wide broadsword with a slightly different shape but still had that silvery color with blue glowing lines. Even in this form she was still beautiful.
"Wow." I said, looking at Damien to see him stuck in place with a shocked expression. If I wasn't fighting for my life just a little while ago I would have probably commented how funny he looked to me while keeping my usually blank face.
'Is this better Master?'
I blinked and realised that I still had to defeat my uncle who has already regained his composure and was ready to attack me again.
I smirked and with a little to no difficulty attacked first. And it wasn't me this time who had to be on the defensive. As I slashed at him with a little jump I created a little crater after barely missing him.
'Oops' I haven't realised until now just how much has Habakiri's weight changed. It was ten times heavier now, but that was expected since she was almost as tall as me now. In the end she was still a heavy sword that no normal human could lift. The only reason why I could was because of my training.
Finally, after half an hour of mostly me playing with Damien, he finally seemed to be tired enough for me to end this quickly.
A strange power surged through me and somehow I just knew that it was from Habakiri. As quick as lightning I kicked him in the stomach and he doubled over and before he had a chance to recover I disarmed him.
He was breathing heavily unlike me who was completely more refreshed than exhausted.
"So.." he started "... it looks like there is nothing more for me to teach you." That was it? He must have known what I was going to think and added "You have handled that sword like you were fighting with her almost your whole life and yet it has been only an hour."
"I already know that Habakiri is special, but why did you give her to me?" I kicked myself a little because I partly knew the answer already now.
"To see if you will finally be the one since my sister refused to have anything to do with this it was up to you to finally wake up Habakiri from her sleep."
"... My mother knew about this?"
"Yes, but she was very selfish at that time and didn't give it a second though. You on the other hand, are the one who finally managed to do something our family wasn't able to do for centuries."
"... uncle?"
"What is it?"
"Where... where was I born? I always though it was in America like my parents claimed, but I have my doubts about it lately..." That was true. I never looked like them at all. My mother has strawberry blonde hair and green eyes with somewhat soft features while my father has chocolate brown hair and matching eyes with stern look on his face even when it was neutral.
I on the other hand have somewhat spiky (almost like a porcupine) black short hair with side bangs and almost glowing like blue eyes with a thin green ring around the pupil. To say that I was pretty would be the funniest joke of the century. I looked like a boy and acted like that most of the time too. My face has a little frown, even when I try to smile it only looks like a grimace. Maybe that would be the reason why Kagen keeps laughing every time I try to smile...
"..." Damien was shocked and then saddened at my question.
"Please... please tell me..." I was loosing my patience quickly, but the expression on my face stayed blank betraying how I really felt at the moment.
"I... I want to tell you I really do, but I just don't know how." At the look of total despair on his face I calmed down and asked in a softer voice, knowing he would perfectly hear me.
"You don't have to right now if you don't want to-" he cut me off quickly "No, I will tell you just where should I start..."
I waited patiently for him to continue 'Master no matter what the truth is, it should not trouble you so please, try to listen with understanding.' at Habakiris words I mentally nodded to show that I heard her.
"It happened 21 years ago when your parents were expecting their first child they were really happy about it and started planning everything beforehand. However, on the day when Chloe (my mothers name) was giving birth the child didn't make it. Both her and her husband were devastated when the doctor also told them that they won't be able to have a child on their own again."
I was shocked. Could that mean that I'm...?
"Arwen... I think you have figured it out so..."
I stayed still for what seemed like hours unmoving and thinking about what Damien just told me. 'Does that mean that my biological parents didn't want me?' it hurt, but to think that even if it was true I dismissed it quickly and looked back at Damien.
Suddenly I started to laugh, I didn't know why, but I just did. Everything I felt at the moment washed over me like nothing before. Sadness, betrayal, confusion and... relief? I think it was just too much for me to think straightly at the moment. I was never a very emotional person so I calmed down after 10 seconds.
Damien looked startled at my sudden outburst, but seeing relief reflect in my eyes calmed him.
"I don't know if I should shout, cry or be relieved. But I should have expected this a long time ago right?" I smiled a real smile that actually didn't look like I was going to murder a puppy.
"As much as I want to ask you so many questions I have to go home now or mother will go all angry banshee on me again. Thank you uncle you don't even probably know how much it means to me that you told me the truth." With one last glance at Damien in the middle of the room, I grabbed Habakiri (back in her katana form), sheathed her and in a slight rush took off home in a sprint.
Houses passed by like a blur a after 15 minutes of running I reached my destination. With my keys I opened the front door and was greeted with my mothers usual muttering (or more like complaining) about her having a bad luck lately at work and not having enough ideas for new designs. She often made me help her when I wasn't busy with homework or a project for school.
As quietly as I could, I made my way to my room on the third floor (I already told you that we were rich) and shut my door. I sighed in relief and hid Habakiri in my closet, but not without getting a little sound of protest for that. After that I made my way down and greeted my mother who looked rather overjoyed and made me help her with her work for few hours while asking me about the smallest things I did today (I told her about everything besides the training and conversation i had with uncle). Before I realised it was already 3PM so I excused myself and made my way back to my room.
After locking my doors I took Habakiri and she started humming happily. After a little while I decided to play my favourite game. Oh yes, you heard me right I was gonna play Final Fantasy Crisis Core. I haven't played it for... 3 years? 'Wow, I really had to be very busy if I haven't played it for so long.'
Three hours later I was happily kicking Genesis copies butts (I actually like Genesis, but he is the villain so what can I do). Playing for another hour I actually saved the game and changed from my school uniform (men uniform since girls have to wear skirts 'blah') into a pair of fitting black pants and simple black shirt. I also took a pair of black leather gloves and black combat boots since I will be probably out until dark. Of course I had to take Habakiri with me.
I opened my window and jumped out dropping with a soft 'thud' before running off to my secret training place where I also go when I want to be alone. It was deserted when I came here because it was far from the town and no one in their right mind would go there just for a picnic... especially not in the late afternoon or night anyway.
After practicing my hand to hand combat and martial arts I was slightly puffed and decided to practice with Habakiri for a change. I went through every form and attack I knew for a katana and after a while I remembered that Habakiri can change so I mentally told her to do so.
This time she has changed without that blinding light and I did the same as I did with her katana just a little while ago.
By the time I was finished, I was breathing heavily a little because I went through everything for about five times but I was satisfied with my progress. Also, this time I have a chance to actually take a good look at her broadsword form. It looked like her katana form, but much wider and longer. Taking that I stood at 6'1 feet might sound ridiculous, but I learned to live with that a long time ago.
I changed her back and by 11PM I made it back home (I was walking this time) luckily my mother never bothered me when I locked my door so after climbing up a tree I got back to my room through my window like before. Also, just when I went into my bathroom I started to feel extremely tired ' Weird, I have been okay, just a little while ago' so I decided to just brush my teeth and without changing to my pyjamas fell on my bed. Just before I blacked out I though I saw my television turned on with Crisis Core on it.
Sorry if this isn't making any sense right now, but I can promise you that the next chapter is more insteresting or so I believe.