Disclaimer : I do not own Final Fantasy vii or its characters. They rightfully belong to Square.

Of Fallen Angels and Jaded Devils

by : Danni

I guess it all comes down to you seeing that I'm just a jaded devil disguised as a fallen angel

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prologue

He delivered another punch directly into his opponent's swollen cheekbone after dodging a carelessly premeditated attack. The speed and stamina embraced and eagerly shown off was rather remarkable. His lithe body swayed with uncanny precision as if he was dancing with the staggering aggressor instead of actually fighting him. Time, also a gracious yet unnecessary contributor, crawled by in tedious progression; its intentions providing solace to the fast paced world of blood, guts, and glory.

A long, thin crimson pony tail flowed back unconsciously through heavy air as an unexpected kick to the chest sent him soaring straight into a barrage of empty cardboard boxes. He coughed and cursed silently under tainted breath for the unbearable pain incapacitating his tar stricken lungs. Hands, callused and shivering from tension, made their way to the cold ground in desperate attempt to support a weak and battered body while blinking to remove the thick haze paralyzing perfect vision.

"You always wanted to be free," a harsh, stoic voice pierced through reality's husky barrier as a hand snapped out, grabbed it's prey by the neck, and lifted him up without a single regard for the repercussions of this dangerous reaction, "To soar above everyone else, always doing things your way. Well, my friend, if you wanna soar that badly, here's your chance."

Minutes, which were already previously sagging behind as though they had been maimed, threw caution to the wind and froze in nauseating horror. The man who once held the upper hand in this desolate bloodbath was tossed out of a cathedral styled window and into the welcoming grasp of the crisp starry night sky. He stared up, without a valid expression marked on his scarred and blood stained face, at the man responsible for throwing him at the mercy of the ruthless reaper.

*They say you're whole life flashes before you're eyes the moment you know you're going to die. But that's not true. In all honesty, you're too fucking petrified and remorseful for your brain to process anything besides the I-wish-I-dids and the why-didn't-Is. You whisper unworthy prayers to a God that, is more than likely, up in the great beyond laughing his metaphysical ass off at the fuck you situation you know he's responsible for putting you in the first place. You want redemption and just enough innocence to make you remotely worthy of supreme happiness...well, fuck supreme happiness. It doesn't exist.*

Strands of blood trailed from his face and fell onto the badly crumpled standard white shirt, whereas focused eyes allowed themselves its final luxury of closing. His arms remained erected by his sides as a usual casually slouching back was now arched in ecstasy at feeling the symptoms of freefall ravage an otherwise limp body. His mouth, which was accustomed to kissing many different women in many different places, was parted the tiniest bit and drowning him in the nipping sensation provided when the increasing wind made contact with untreated, yet surprisingly decent, teeth. He breathed softly and felt dreams of discourse slip by him.

*I didn't feel innocent in the end, but then again, I didn't exactly feel evil either. I guess you can say I was undecided and just maybe a little bored. I've been a Turk for six years now, so death had become nothing more than old news to me. Now that I think about it, I can say I've walked down the valley of the shadow of death more times than Scarlet's been to the local gynecologist and tested positive for various STDs. And that's saying a lot. So was this a surprise? No. It was only a matter of time before I got tired and stopped fighting a destiny I was only briefly avoiding.*

Clean, shimmering glass basked itself in the soft illumination of the full moon during its fall. The shards surrounded the calm individual in reassurance as the night refused to emanate any comforting sounds besides the traditional whisking of the cool autumn air. He could feel loose strips of hair beat against his relaxed face in avid protest while twitching fingers became comfortably numb. Opening poisoned green eyes in awareness, he never did notice how breathtaking the stars against the canvas of an average black sky really looked.

*I also didn't have the ever so popular insight or afterthought haunting me as I fell into oblivion. I was a twenty-six year old who had been thrown out of an eight story building with nothing to look forward to but the ground breaking my fall and words of "The bastard had it coming" being the only ones regarding my untimely death. Does that deserve insight or afterthought? No, that deserves a hearty fuck you, asshole. I had no best wishes to a world that had targeted me for bad luck since the second I crawled out from in between my mother's legs.*

A high pitch scream was faintly heard piercing and separating the heavens above. He could identify the source easily even though the tone sounded rather scrambled and far away. Once again choosing to close his eyes, a thought and vividly painted mental picture lapsed into his dull mind. It was, surprisingly, something of rare beauty; something you would only see in an exclusive art museum behind thick bullet proof encasing.

*So why am I preaching to you about death, my atheism, and the gnawing urge to gather up humanity's toxic waste, put them all together in various, empty, piss-in-the-corner-or-don't-piss-at-all rooms, and use them for target practice? Because closure in narration is the only thing I can think of to get some peace. From my past, my present, and what I thinks my future. I don't have a lot to say and it's not all that complicated to understand. I guess it all comes down to you seeing that I'm just a jaded devil disguised as a fallen angel…Heh…but then again…aren't we all?*

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Author's Notes - Well, here's the beginning of my story, sort of a teaser (I decided to call it a prologue for professionalism's sake). Review and tell me what you think because if you do, I'll make it worth your while…with another chapter (and more money than you were ever schooled to count). Not that I'm trying to bribe you or anything...