Never Let Go
A Fanfiction of Final Fantasy VII
Set a couple of years before Genesis started to degrade.
Ivory is a talented cadet who just wishes to become more than what she is, she just doesn't know what consequences that becoming a SOLDIER has.
CHAPTER ONE:
To be a cadet, and to be a female one at that.
The sun was too bright. Much, much too bright. Ivory groaned. She rolled over to her side, her hair spilling over the bed frame. She covered her eyes with her hand and yawned, stretching.
Her eyes fluttered open and she took in the amount of light there was. She groaned again, but managed to keep her eyes open.
Ivory got up slowly, wrapping her dressing gown around herself she pushed herself to go to the bathroom. Once there she inspected herself and rolled her eyes. Her hair was still perfect. She didn't care much about looks so she brushed it quickly then grabbed her toothbrush and brushed her teeth, grabbing the mascara she masked her golden tipped eyelashes. Who knows what people would think about them.
Ivory then went and put her cadet clothes on, pulling her combat boots on and equipping herself with her golden rapier.
She then walked over to the door, peeked out and then walked out. It was time for breakfast and just like usual she was late.
Ivory jogged down the hall, stopping in front of the mess hall and listening quietly before entering. Everyone ignored her, she didn't have any friends. She walked over to where she got her food, grimacing at the pink blob that her breakfast was. Ivory narrowed her eyes at it as she poked it, watching it sway back and forth.
She sighed, pushing it away and decided to starve instead.
Ivory sat there for the break, playing with the blob. She couldn't believe that some of the cadets were actually eating the stuff. She had never, in her two years of being here, seen such terrible food.
She rolled her shoulders, striding towards the training room, shoving past a few stragglers. The teacher was already there, lounging his feet against the rail.
He looked up as she came in, glancing at his watch, "Your early again babe."
Ivory ignored him, she leaned against the wall. He stared at her for a few seconds before passing his hand through his hair and standing up. He casually walked over to her, putting his arm to one side of her and coming quite close to her.
Ivory seethed inside, the instructor, Teef, was like every other guy in the place. They saw what gender she was and didn't give a shit about anything else. Ivory closed her eyes impatiently, she shoved him back, she was much stronger than what she looked.
"Go to a club if you want to harass a girl. They get paid to put up with guys like you. I on the other hand, wouldn't want you to harass me, even if I was getting paid." Ivory opened her eyes, narrowing them at him.
Teef just grinned cockily, "You will warm up to me eventually Iv's." He strutted off, missing her eyeroll.
Several other cadets walked in, grinning at each-other. None of them were girls, she was the only one in the place.
"Okay class, basic simulation. Them you will face each other in mock fights." Teef said, then lounged around again.
Ivory grabbed her simulation helmet and put it on, un-sheathing her rapier she readied herself.
Her vision blurred, then the helmet read: Exercise III Level 1.04 Haunted.
It was a third class simulation, she had heard of it whispered around by some cadets, none had passed. She was probably the only one doing it today, as Teef chose what simulations everyone got.
Ivory gritted her teeth, getting ready for anything.
The whole place was a mess, blood and guts were thrown over the walls, some bodies were already disintegrating and maggots crawled through their lacerated flesh. Ivory grimaced at the simulation. She was in the middle of a town called Indigo. It had been a thriving town full of happy people until a terrible virus spread to it, causing the children to go mad and kill everyone viciously. They also ate their skin.
Shinra had heard about it and sent in three teams; a first class soldier, three second classes and two thirds. Ivory was acting as one of the thirds and had the middle section of the search for the children.
"3 II, come in, we have spotted movement at the epicentre of the epidemic. Your orders are to go and check around that area, over." A voice came from her radio.
"3 II reporting in, roger that command sir, over." Ivory said, she then took a couple of steps forwards and jogged towards where the commotion was. She passed half dismembered bodies, wincing as she past a half eaten one. Ivory slowed down as she heard another set of steps following her. She cocked her head, listening hard. There it was, a mismatched set of steps, like an adult was taking small steps, or a child sneaking up on her. Ivory relaxed her grip of her rapier, ready for action.
The steps speed up and she heard when the child jumped. Ivory spun around, slicing her rapier through it's neck. Blood spurted over her, into her hair and eyes.
"Tsk." Ivory growled, wiping it off and looking at the body. The child's hands and feet were twisted and gnarled. Ivory looked away quickly, almost dry retching. She cursed her weakness and touch her radio button, "3 II reporting, I have taken down a target, turning on location device now, over." Ivory placed a tracker on the spot only piece of skin on the child that she found was still intact, its face. She stared at it for a moment, taking in the wide brown eyes, the small teeth and the mop of yellow hair. Ivory shook her head, clearing the image away and leaning forwards to close the child's eyelids. She sighed, turning around she wiped her rapier on her leg. She moved forwards, covering distance fast at her lope. As she rounded the corner to the town centre she almost slammed into a person in red leather.
"Hey watch it-" Ivory trailed off, gazing into brilliant aqua blue eyes. He was gorgeous, "Er, hi."
He didn't look at her, instead he just walked off before she could study him further.
"Hey, rude much!" Ivory growled, then remembered she was in a simulator. She chuckled, rolling her eyes. Then she saw the signal that the simulation was closing. Ivory closed her eyes.
When she reopened them she was in the middle of a empty training room. All of the other cadets had either passed or failed their simulations and already left. Teef glanced at her from his screen.
"Good work Iv's, I knew you would pass that one. But you almost dry retched." He stated, getting up and striding towards her.
She tensed up, "Well I bet you would have. I had never seen a dead body of a child before, and that was," Ivory paused, narrowing her eyes at him, "Gruesome."
He nodded, smiling slightly, "You handled it well. Your fast on your way to becoming a third class, and being a SOLDIER."
"That's the whole reason I am here sir." Ivory answered, she then glanced at her watch, dinner time already, "Permission to leave?"
"Granted." Teef said, flashing her a smile.
Ivory nodded, and started to head out, then she paused, "Sir, who was that man in red?" She asked, curious.
Teef laughed, "You will find out eventually."
Ivory nodded, heading towards the elevator, so she could go out and buy some real food.