Author's note: This story has undergone a complete rewrite. For those that read the original I hope you find this better. For those just starting I hope you enjoy it.
Disclaimer: I own nothing of final fantasy 7 and never will.
Chapter 1: New arrival
I watched the credits rolling for the millionth time. I must have completed final fantasy 7 countless times but it never got old. While others will say they prefer other goes in the series I felt and will always feel that seven was the most fulfilling. The story, the characters, everything just sucked you in and made you feel a part of it all. I often wished that I could somehow enter final 7 and take the journey.
Thinking of how Aerith died and how all those people were crushed in sector 7 always made me wish I could somehow change fate. Yes I knew consequently I might make the story worse by altering it but those deaths were pointless and cruel. The credits finished and the main menu popped up.
I closed the game and my background picture of the final 7 crew stared back at me. Some might say I was a little obsessed with ff7. After all I had forged Sephiroth's masamune at home. It currently was mounted on the wall opposite me. How the hell Sephiroth could wield that thing with one hand was beyond me. I could barely use it with two hands.
I got up and headed to the bathroom. As gamers I'm sure you know that toilet breaks aren't a high priority. I rinsed my hands after and splashed some of the icy water on my face. The water clung to my Tony Stark beard making it glisten slightly in the light. I grabbed a piece of hair and pulled it down my forehead. It stopped about half way to my eyebrows. Still a while before team next haircut. I thought. Whenever it reached my eyebrows I knew it was time to cut it. My hair curls when it gets too long and I can't stand it!
My brown eyes had red streaks around them. I had been awake till almost 3 am after all. I'll bath later. I headed to bed for some much needed sleep. I switched the fan above my TV on and fell into the bed. Rummaging in the cargo pants I had on I grabbed my phone and earphones. I clicked play and chuckled to myself as I heard the Deadpool/Moana mash up start.
Meet my two girls. Let's be clear. Yes it's me! Dwyane Johnson. Eyes up here. I know it's a lot. The black, the red but it's to hide the blood when you're all dead! So, what can I say except I'm Deadpool! With my swords, these guns you'll die! You better pray, it's ok. I'm Deadpool! I sang along, mentally picturing the video that went with it.
Before the song had even finished I was lights out. Considering the song is only a minute I must have been more tired than I thought. I found myself in a dream of ff7. The game was just starting and the logo came up. Only for some reason I WAS the green comet. Or rather I was inside it. When the comet met the ground I opened my eyes and saw darkness. What a weird dream. I thought and shut my eyes again.
"Wake up!" a voice said urgently.
I groaned. Not enough sleep. "Go away." I said swatting the air like I was fending off a mosquito.
I felt a chill creep over my body. I groped around trying to find my covers which I had somehow ended up on top of. Where the hell are these fucking covers? It suddenly dawned on me that someone had spoken to me. I lived alone so there shouldn't be anyone there. My heart started to quicken as adrenaline started pumping through my body. Someone is in my house! Is this a robbery? No if it was a robbery they wouldn't tell me to wake up.
I opened my eyes and turned to my right where I keep an 8 inch knife that I got for my 21st in my headboard draw. My hand connected with what felt like plastic bags. What the fuck? Letting my eyes adjusted I saw I had connected with a trash bag. What is going on here? I looked around quickly. Where the fuck is my house!? I was lying on a pile of rubbish bags in what appeared to be an alley. I tried to make sense of what I was seeing but my brain was still half asleep.
"Come on. We need to get out of here." Came the same voice I heard earlier. I jumped as I had semi forgotten that there was someone next to me. I found myself face to face with an elderly man who was fidgeting with his rag of a shirt.
"Who are you?" I demanded. Right now I didn't care if I was disrespectful. I wanted to know what the fuck was going on.
"My name is Dave." He replied holding his hand out. I watched it shaking slightly as he tried to keep it in place. Having been almost stabbed before when I almost shook hands with a homeless guy before, I made no move to shake his.
"Ok 'Dave'. Would you mind telling me what the fuck is going on here? Where the hell am I?" I asked harshly.
"Easy kid. I mean you no harm but they will if we don't get out of here quickly." Dave said quietly.
Is this guy mental or something? Who is 'they'? I looked Dave over suspiciously and asked, "Which one of my friends put you up to this? Adrian? Mahmud?" If any of them is behind this messed up prank I am going to kill them!
Dave shook his head. "I've never met any of your friends. First I saw you was when you appeared here in a flash of green light. Scared the crap out of me. That was about 20 minutes ago." He looked up and down the alley, "Listen I will answer all your questions later but we need to move now!"
The wind blew and I heard voices. Roughly 6 men if I guessed correct. If this is some hidden camera show or scare tactics then they had better come out quick. I'm getting tired of this shit! I could see Dave was getting more and more anxious by the second. What the hell has got him so scared.
"Who are they?" I asked in a softer tone than before. I didn't want to be rude to the poor man as I always try to help the homeless even after the one tried to stab me. I was so confused and groggy that I needed answers fast.
"Local gang. They come round every week and take all our gil. They say 'it's for protection.'" Dave spat on the floor. "Bunch of thugs is all they are."
I could feel the anger rising as I took in his words. One thing I hated was people who took advantage of the weaker. Dave started to shuffle away as the voices grew nearer. I watched him for a second then shook my head. This has to be a dream! I can't explain it any other way. Though I tried to believe it was a dream I had a gut feeling I was wrong. The cold hard ground under me, the stench of all the trash I ad been lying amongst. Even the dirty smell that Dave gave off all suggested this was real.
With a grunt I stood up. My back aching from the position I had been sleeping in. I still had my cargo pants and black vest on. My phone and earphones were in the one pocket but that was all I had. The voices grew ever louder and I heard a cry behind me. I spun around and saw Dave slump to the floor clutching his side. A man stood above him holding a knife. No! As I put two a and two together I gave a war cry and ran toward the man. He was going to pay!
The man grinned as he saw me coming and I felt something collided with my back. I winced in pain as the air left my lungs and I hit the dirt. My eyes watered as my back sent wave after wave of pain through my body. My old injury from work had resurfaced and was adding to the pain. I could hear the group laughing. Oh these punks are going to get it! I rolled over and sprung up like I had been taught in karate. Before they could react I landed a kick to the one guy's face. Feeling his teeth shatter only motivated me more. As he groaned and clutched his bleeding mouth I side kicked another's knee backward. With a sickening crunch it shattered and he fell screaming in pain.
Alerted by my attack the others backed out of my reach. Or so they thought. Ten years of training karate had taught me how to close distance quickly and in only a single movement. I launched myself into the air and kicked caving my target's chest in. His lifeless eyes locked onto mine as he fell. What have I done? I couldn't believe I had just taken a life. I had trained to defend myself and I always knew in a fight things can go wrong but the feeling of taking another human being's life left me feeling dirty. A stain on my soul.
In my moment of remorse they remaining 2 thugs grabbed my arms and pinned them. I could smell the alcohol on the breath. Makes sense. Their fingers cut into my arms painfully but I refused to show it. The man with the knife stepped forward.
"So you think you're a hero huh?" He punched me in the stomach. I grunted as the blow landed.
"You hit like a pussy!" I groaned through gritted teeth. My eyes never leaving the knife.
"Oh yeah? How about now?" I felt the knee collide with my jaw. Blood filled my mouth as I bit into my tongue and the insides of my cheeks. This is most certainly NOT a dream!
The force of his knee sent my crashing to the ground. I arched my back and cried out as I collided with the hard surface. Better.
"You're going to regret that." I said spitting out blood. The three thugs laughed. I kicked out the one's legs and kicked again as he fell. His neck snapped with a loud crack. I didn't feel any remorse this time. Now I wanted blood.
I got up slowly and watched the two remaining thugs. The leader looked pissed off but his crony looked like he was about to pissed himself. He might run. The leader said something I couldn't hear and the next second they both charged. I dropped into a fighting stance and waited. The scared one was slightly ahead of the leader. Despite his fear it didn't look like he was going to run. Sorry mate. I spun in a circle and kicked at his head. My foot connected hard and redirected the fast moving man head first into the wall. I heard a squish as he connected. His body slumped to the floor leaving a smeer of blood as he descended.
Searing pain shot across my back as I felt something sharp rip through my vest and into the flesh underneath. The leader smirked and backed away before I could retaliate. The pain made my eyes blurry but the adrenaline kept my mind alert. I narrowed my eyes and stared down the leader. This fucker is going to die one way or another.
"Still think I hit like a pussy?" He taunted.
I gritted my teeth and snarled. My eyes flickered down and I saw a hilt amongst the trash bags to my right. I'll take any weapon I can use against this asshole. I dove to my right hearing the leader charge as I did. I grabbed the hilt and twisted my body. I swung as I fell amongst the trash. The resulting cry of pain and the sudden spurt of blood that hit my face indicated I had connected. Getting up quickly I heard the leader howling in pain clutching his arm. It was then I saw what had happened. His severed hand lay on the ground at my feet. Knife still in its tight grip.
Serves you right. I left the leader still clutching his stub of an arm and checked on Dave. My heart sank as I saw the glassy stare in his eyes. I checked and confirmed there was no pulse. Hate rose and I turned back to the leader who was now kneeling on the floor. I marched over angrily and kicked him in the ribs.
"Why!?" I demanded.
He groaned and said something softly. I kicked again. "Louder! Why did you kill him?"
"He never payed the protection fee. All we wanted was his gil!" He cried.
I lifted the sword I had found and swung. His eyes filled with fear as he saw the blade approaching his neck. His bladder gave out and a pool of urine quickly formed under him. I stopped the blade an inch from his neck and dropped it to the side. I am not God. No matter how much you deserve it I can't.
He looked up at me shocked that I hadn't finished him off.
"Go. Before I change my mind." I said coldly turning away from him.
"Thank you!" He cried as he ran past the bodies of his unconscious and dead comrades.
What the hell is going on? Feeling the adrenaline cease I began to feel the extent of my injuries. Tears of pain ran freely and I felt my legs turn to jelly. I dropped the sword and heard it clatter on the floor. I started to feel drained and I realised I was losing too much blood. I tried to lift my vest off to tie up my back but without the adrenaline I could barely lift my arms. What have you gotten yourself into Bjorn?
Darkness started to spread across my vision. I heard a voice unlike any I've ever heard. It was cold and cruel.
Pathetic weakling...