She flipped her turquoise hair over her shoulder, the leather she wore was starting to chafe and become irritating. Her bright azure eyes gleamed bright in the noon sun. Her freckled kissed skin was bright in the heated day. She walked through the streets of Edge. Her mind weighed down by the dark thoughts that clouded her mind. Cloud. Yes, what an ironic way to think of it.
She gripped the hilt of her double edged sword as she again found herself standing in the front of the very familiar bar: 7th Heaven. She looked down, her black boots were dirty. In fact, she was dirty. She was great friends with Cloud Strife, Tifa Lockheart, Vincent, Yuffie, Cid… in fact she missed them all. She joined SOLDIER when Cloud did. She met Zack Fair before he did; she was the one who ran into Aerith that one fateful day…
Echo Fiera. She hadn't heard someone call her name in such a long time. She continued on down the street. No one was home anyway. Echo heard thunder rumble above her head. The sky was dark and cloudy, mirroring her brooding heart. It started to rain as she trudged forward. She needed food, sleep and a bath. She also needed money.
As she walked down the street thinking of how she was going to get through another night her cell started to ring. Tifa's ring lit up her phone. Echo hurriedly answered the phone.
"Hello?" she was breathless, but as for why, she didn't understand. She could hear Tifa laugh.
"Hey, Echo, I was wondering, I mean if you would want, would you like to, come over maybe?" Tifa sounded like it was very hard for her to do this, not that Echo could blame her. she did blame her for sleeping with Cloud, which she didn't, she would never. They were friends and simply that. Tifa also knew who her heart belonged to as well… but that may be another story. She heard Tifa cough on the other line, she was taking too long.
"Um, you know what, yes I would love to, when would you want me?" the tension cut loose after that, as though the awkwardness was in the question and not in the actual meeting.
"How about tonight at 7, the kids would love to see you again." Ah yes the kids, she smiled despite herself.
"Alright, sounds good, see you then." She hung up after that, goodbyes are too hard, after everything that has happened. Tifa knew how she was. Now all she had to do was getting rid of her dirty leathery outfit. Before she could put her phone away her phone rang again. She didn't know who it was, might as well answer.
"Yes?" her voice was suspicious. She heard a man's deep chuckle.
"ExSOLDIER Feira?" her face went white, as she heard shuffling of papers as though the man was looking at her personal files.
"Yes sir, this is she." Her voice was stoic and used to answering to her formal name, when she had worked for ShinRa. The man chuckled again.
"Good, I have been looking around for you." She shifted around, her anger sparking.
"Yes? And who is this?" her voice didn't shake to her surprise, but she could feel it become serious now.
"I'm surprised you don't remember." The voice was amused, she was far from. She gripped her phone then released it. Can't be breaking stuff she can't replace. She stood on her hip and balled her fist around her sword hilt. What the fuck was this guy playing at?
"Say I don't remember… Who the hell are you? And more importantly what do you want?" she silence on the other end didn't last very long.
"You never were one for bullshit, always forward and blunt. Told everything how it was, even when no one cared to listen or know. Echo… I have called to give you a job to do, a very important job, thus you will be paid very well for you services."
"I'm sorry sir, but I will not do that, no matter how low on cash I-" she was cut off before she could finish.
"No, no not anything likes that. A guarding position." She took this into consideration.
"Alright, but you never answered who this was."
"Rufus Shin-" Click went the phone, and all he heard was a raw dial tone loud in his ear. She sighed heavily as she put her phone away. What the fuck was he calling her for? It's been years, and she never came in contact with the President himself. She shivered. Getting sucked back into ShinRa's grasp was something she was not yet willing to do. But the sound of money made her think twice, even if she cringed at the idea.
She started walking in the general direction of her maybe but maybe not employer. The rain started getting heavier and harder. She watched as people ran around her trying to escape it. She mused to herself as she watched them. Didn't they see that they weren't going to get away from it completely…. She pulled her leather jacket's lapels up to cover her neck, her hair was now plastered to her face, a darker turquoise than her original light ocean blue. He eyes still gleamed, bright in the stormy weather. She looked down at her watch, its only 1300. She sighed as she picked up the pace.
She had been walking for about an hour the sun set out to dry what the clouds watered. She walked with her jacket hanging from her hand down her back. She was trying to dry off, even though it was futile, she was still cold and wet. She ran her fingers through her wet hair, she stood outside the gates to the building she knew he would be using.
An annoying face rang out on the speaker.
"Who the hell are you, and why you are so damn fine… in all that leather, must be really wet… why don't you-" But before he could finish it sounded like wrestling or something on the speaker. She giggled. The Turk Reno never changed, even after all these years. The buzzer went off and the gates opened. She walked through, still laughing at Reno. The hand around the hilt of her sword tightened, this was not going to be a pleasant visit.
Reno gladly met her at the door, with Rude of course. He seemed to have been on her side since she didn't seem the mood to take Reno and his ecstatic behavior at seeing her again after all these years. Elena showed up and led her to Rufus's office.
"It's been a while. How have you been?" Seeing Elena made her terribly sad, reminding her of Cissnei and how she was gone, like Elena was a replacement. But in actuality she was, Cissnei had a job to do, and Elena was there to take up her position, though Elena was nothing like Cissnei when it came to her personality, but Rufus didn't higher based upon charismatic personalities. This was a big reason why he had called her up.
Elena stopped her and was about to knock on the door when Echo grabbed her arm softly.
"I can take it from here, thank you." She gave Echo a skeptic look but moved out of the way and bowed. Leaving Echo in the hallway alone, in front of his door. Echo tried to collect her thoughts amongst herself and her raging war inside her head. She could walk away safely and unscathed. The door snapped open and stood in the doorway was a beautiful Rufus ShinRa, his golden hair falling into his dark eyes. She blushed as she looked at him, not meaning to of course. Well now it's too late to turn back now.
She could feel him look her over, and her rather unruly appearance.
"Long story." She mumbled as she shoved pasted him into his open office. He chuckled his deep laugh as he watched her walk in. she unzipped her wet leather jacket and flung it on the chair in front of his desk. Her wet hair stuck to her pale skin. it looked shockingly bright now for some reason. She dismissed the thought as she felt his warm hand on her shoulder. He spun her around slowly, leaning into her.
"Didn't think you would come." He leaned down, but she stopped him before their lips could touch.
"Well, yes I was quite surprised too, but it is not this kind of visit, Rufus…." She said pushing him away and moving aside from him.
"I am actually here about the work you said you had for me…." his eyes seemed hurt, but soon the emotion was masked and she couldn't see it there anymore. She starred at him more intently. He was getting thinner and looked much paler then the last time she saw him. The dismissed the worried feeling that bubbled inside her stomach and brought gooseflesh to her arms.
Alright mangs, just a quick little something that a whipped up inspired by crisis core and moving staight into advent children.