Obligatory "I don't own any of the characters, places, etc." statement.

Meteor's presence made the Midgar sky look like sunset. Violent splashes of pink and orange gave way to the deeper calm of indigo and Scarlet was almost fooled into thinking it was evening. Executions were always dirty business, but the gas chamber was a godsend. No blood, no bullets – just twitching and jerking and sometimes foaming at the mouth, but she could handle saliva. She considered herself a tough bitch, as the late President ShinRa had called her, but blood made her feel dirty and in her mind cleanliness really was next to godliness.

Once, while clawing her way up the corporate ladder, someone had commented on that phrase. "It's referring to spiritual cleanliness, not physical," he had said, spreading his hands in a desperate attempt to get his point across. Scarlet laughed and said spirituality was for those too chickenshit to choose their own path in life.

This girl, though… This fiery rebel resonated that which she despised. Locking eyes with her in the gas chamber, Scarlet internally flinched upon seeing such strong spiritual strength. For the first time in her life, she wished to believe in something, anything unquestioningly.