A/N: Just a little something that has been floating around my hard drive for quite sometime now. Thought I mind as well just post it up for your reading pleasure. I wrote it after watching My Wife is a Gangster 3 and Final Fantasy VII: Advert Children in one night. So there.

Prologue

Pivoting on the balls of her bare feet, she was a sight of grace and elegance as she danced in the middle of the grand ballroom. The material of her clothes wrapped around her slender body in velvet folds of white, not restricting her but rather adding to the majestic beauty that was already there. The floor was steady beneath her feet, smooth and cooling. The silence of the wordless music was welcoming, inspiring as she spun her body into a tight spiral only to release effortless. Her arms, like wings of a swan, was held out to her sides, holding her balance as she stepped onto one feet and steadily effortless, shifted her weight onto that feet, rising up on her balls.

The smattering applause that suddenly filled the ballroom reminded her of where she was, of why she was dancing and of who she was dancing for.

The Brethren of Aurelius roots ran far and wide, going as far as the lineage Wutai and many ancient bloodlines of Gaia. It was like the Lifestream that ran beneath the planet's crust, everyone dependent on their existence one way or another. It was even rumoured that Shinra once turned to the Brethren for assistance decades ago. But of course, none of that matter in the 500th annual secret meeting of the Brethren to decide their wise and long line of leaders for the next generation.

She turned back to the front of the room where a familiar old face beamed at her in pride. She bowed to him, the man she called father and known to the triad as the leader and head of the Brethren. The underground triad of Midgar consisting of many influential personnel within the world above. Its influences ran far and deep. Then from the corner of her eye, she noticed the middle-aged male seated next to him. He was smiling as well but it was not a pleasant smile. She did not smile nor did she bow in his presence, regardless of what her father thought.

She wasn't a child anymore. Hasn't been for the last ten years.

"Thank you, Saiya." the official master of ceremony said from his stand. "Now if we would proceed with the evening. May I invite our Lord Minasaki to present his speech."

Her father, host of the formal function, as he stood, nodded her cue to leave and she took it, eager to depart from the attention she was receiving. As he took center stage, she walked with her back straight, proud and defiant, knowing that there were people in the same room who wanted nothing better than to see her humiliated in front of the entire gathering.

That was why when a glass scattered at her feet without warning, she wasn't surprised. Instead, she seeked out the culprit and her gaze landed on a young man not older than her snickering amongst his friends at the table closest to her. He made a shrugging gesture that seemed to say 'oops!'

Behind her, her father's associate spoke up in mocking disapproval. "Steven, it's not wise to provoke young Ms. Minasaki."

The young man bowed before the man. "I'm sorry, Uncle Kaze."

But when he straightened, his eyes locked with hers, taunting her. Her cold gaze soon made him glance away.

"My apologies, Minasaki." Kaze was saying to her father. "My nephew is young and naïve. He has much to learn of the ways of the triad."

"That he does." her father agreed tightly.

"No hard feelings right, old friend." Kaze laughed.

"None, dear friend." Her father said. "Saiya, you may leave."

"I have a much better suggestion, Minasaki." Kaze said a matter-a-factly. "Perhaps as a sign of no hard feelings, Ms. Saiya would like to perform her rumoured sword dance for us again?"

She closed her eyes, knowing they were cornered and they had no choice but to abide by Kaze's carefully constructed suggestion.

"Saiya, if you don't mind…" her father trailed off.

She turned to face the front again and smiled politely. "Not at all, father."

She watched as Kaze sank back into his seat in satisfaction and from the corner of her eye, couldn't help but notice the young man, Steven chortling openly at her situation. Her eyes narrowed but nonetheless, she raised her arms in front of her as the music started up again.

Glass scattered near her feet again just as she stepped down and the pieces crunched beneath her sole. A quiet sharp hiss escaped her but she quickly pushed the pain aside and recomposed herself. From the corner of her eye, she could see her father stiffening, about to protest. But she wasn't going to let him.

She started to dance again, her hands reaching up to undo the clasp that held her dark mane in an up-swept. Her blood slicked the floor, painting it in a pattern of red. All eyes followed her, amazed with her endurance and gracefulness. Her dance path took her near Steven's table and he was still chuckling.

He never saw the dagger that sank into his palm and penetrated through the table. His scream broke the silence, startling everyone to see Saiya pushing the blade deeper into the table even as her offender gasped and squirmed in pain.

Everyone sprang into action, drawing their respective weapons and advanced on them.

"Stop!"

Her father's voice rang out, strong and true through the chaos and his presence demanded respect. Everyone obeyed, cautiously lowering their weapons.

"Minasaki, the triad frowns upon this sort of behaviour even if it is from your daughter." Kaze said, standing up beside her father.

"Kaze, if I am not mistaken, you said so yourself, your nephew provoked her. Saiya was merely defending herself and her honour. I see no offense in that." Minasaki said curtly. He turned back to the center floor. "Saiya!"

With a twist, she yanked out the knife and turned away, clenching the weapon tightly in her hand.

Steven bit down his pain and reached out to grasp the table knife. His blood rubbed against the table cloth, staining it in a similar way hers stained the floor. He grabbed the cutlery and lunged.

With a swiftness of a snake, his intended victim had turned and buried her dagger in between his forehead with a well-aimed toss, killing him at once. That, to her, was more than he deserved.

It was raining the following afternoon, light drizzle falling down on the recovering city of Midgar. The slums drained the water down to the underground drainage system below the plate. At the edge of Sector 2, a young woman with an umbrella to shield her long dark hair from the rain approached one of the many bars. Two black cars waited outside that bar, marking the presence of someone important within the bar.

The woman entered the bar, the door swinging in her wake. Barely a minute later, she stepped back out into the street again, opening her umbrella once more as she took her leave.

The rain continued to pour, flowing down into the sewer now red as the rain washed away blood from the bar drains.

The funeral lasted days with many members of the triad coming from over Midgar to pay their respects to the departed member of the triad's leaders. Black cars arrived to transport the dead man's subordinates. One of them being Kaze.

He bowed several times to the monument of the man and turned to the departed's family.

"My condolences to you, Mrs. Hua."

The rigid woman dressed in black, wrinkled with age regarded the man coolly despite her lost. At her arm was her son. "Is it true that Minasaki's daughter was responsible for my husband's death?"

Kaze inclined his head. "We were doing the best we can to resolve this. We have indeed been having problems with the Minasaki clan."

Hua Long spoke up with anger in his voice. "I will not let this go so freely."

His mother grasped his arm tighter, stilling his words as she spoke to Kaze once more. "I trust you to avenge Hua's death. His murderer will pay."

"I heard that your daughter was involved in Hua's murder."

"So I heard." Minasaki muttered in distress. He turned and regarded his closest friend.

"What should I do, Kerigi?"

"The Kaze clan will not hesitate to take this opportunity to usurp your position as High Leader in the Brethren of Aurelius." the Japanese man said wisely. "I think it's best for you to send her away. Lay low until this blows over."

"Perhaps you're right, old friend. But where can I send her? Where will she be safe? Whom can I trust with my daughter's life, Kerigi? Whom?" Minasaki questioned. "They will not rest until she is brought to justice."

"I'll not run, father."

Both men looked up as Saiya walked into the room of their well-furnished home, her expression a sign of defiance and stubbornness.

"I see you heard then." Kerigi said.

She stepped up to them, crossing her arms in front of her. "I'm not running because I know I am right. I can take care of myself."

"That I know, Saiya but the triad demands retribution for Mr. Hua's death. You are not safe here." Minasaki insisted. "Please do as I say and disappear from Midgar for the time being."

"That's your method always, isn't it, father?" she replied offhandedly. "Making the problem disappear."

"It's for your own good." he said firmly. "You'll obey me, Saiya."

She paused, staring at her father and finally nodded. "Very well. I shall leave as you wish me to."

Kerigi nodded. "Good then. I know a place where she can be safe. An old friend of mine from my younger days was part of a group called the Avalanche. Have you heard of them?"

Minasaki nodded. "Yes. They were the ones who went up against Shinra. How can they keep my daughter safe?"

"They are a group of capable fighters of all sorts. One of them, Cloud Strife was a First Soldier who killed the infamous General Sephiroth twice. Furthermore the Kaze clan could not think to look for her with them." the old family friend elaborated. "She will be safe with them."

"I hope so…" Minasaki muttered. He turned to his sullen daughter. "Pack your things, Saiya. You leave first thing in the morning."

She bowed. "Of course, father."

A/N: There ya go. R&R.