Steel Assassin - A Final Fantasy VII Fanfiction by Kuroda Kumiko
Chapter One: An unexpected visit - Someone familiar falls through the roof..
This little series marks my first ever fanfiction. I'm generally a poet, which is why it probably won't be very good. It's based on Cloud's younger brother, my own creation.
Author's Note: I know there's no evidence of a brother in FFVII, but I just decided to make things interesting, as it's the only idea I could think of. :D
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII or any of its characters, nor am I making any money off this. I do, however, own the name Metei and his personality.
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He had no idea where he was going. The truth was, he didn't even know the slums that well at all. He had been ordered to dress in his 'scruffiest' clothes, as not to recieve too much attention. But today, things were different, and it was obvious to tell he was very nervous, as he almost tripped over several times. All he was doing was heading further along until he found someone he knew. After all, there were several Shinra employees wandering around the slums as spies, to check the progress of the area.
' Oi, watch it! ' a sharp voice echoed through Metai's ears. Realising he had crashed into an old man carrying important papers.
' S.. sorry, ' he replied absent-mindedly, not stopping to help him collect his papers back again, and hurried off, continuing his way. He heard the old man tut and mutter something, but he was too hazy to hear or even care what he had said.
Suddenly, he realised he had reached the end of the sector. Blinking in confusion, he shook himself and turned around. Picking out the first place he saw, he headed inside. It was.. a church? Bah.. some luck. I pick a random place and I get this.. he thought. But as soon as he entered the building, he stopped in his tracks as beautiful music reached his ears. Someone was singing, a female. It wasn't a proper song, just a random tune.. stepping further inside, he noticed there was one other, obviously the one singing. She was bending down, and dressed in pink robes, skirt-style. A basket lay beside her, filled with pretty flowers. Metai felt strange, like he shouldn't either be here or stay here.
' Uh.. excuse me, miss, but I'm, uh.. I'm looking for someone, ' Metai began, feeling kind of foolish. The girl looked up with surprise, and stood up to gain a better look at the trespasser. He now realised she was about the same age, a little taller. She blinked but then smiled, a smile that made the young warrior stunned. Suddenly, she backed away, her eyes now wide. Perhaps she had noticed the way his eyes glowed, as his uniform wasn't exactly the Turk uniform right now.
' You're from Shinra! ' she cried. ' Are you a Turk? '
' Uh.. well, not exactly.. ' he added, shrugging. He wasn't really lying, he wasn't a full Turk yet anyway.
' Well.. who are you looking for? Maybe I can help you. Oh.. are you alright? You don't look very well, ' she replied. Metai stared back, a little dumbfounded. This girl noticed a lot of things that a normal person from the slums wouldn't even see or care about.
' He looks like me, I suppose, but he's bigger and - '
A sudden rumbled made him stop talking. Clearly the girl didn't know what was going on either, because she stumbled backwards a bit. Suddenly looking up, she cried out. Metai snapped his neck back sharply to view what she was pointing at, when she suddenly pushed him back and he fell against the ground, the girl next to him. What happened next, he didn't really remember - perhaps he blacked out, as several parts of slates and other sharp objects came hurtling down from the roof. Coughing next to him, the girl stood up, but Metai was still trying to regain his senses. Once the dust had cleared, he realised that a body lay on the ground where everything had fallen. Th.. through the roof? What the hell?
' Oh! ' she cried, running over to the injured person. Metai also stood up, shaking the cobwebs from his trousers, when he froze again. The person.. he wasn't an ordinary person. This was him, again! What the hell is going on here! he thought wildly. He had spikey blonde hair, similiar to his own, and the deep blue eyes that they also shared. He was wearing the old SOLDIER uniform before they changed it a while ago, so Metai realised he must be an Ex- member.
' It's Cloud.. ' he mumbled weakly, his throat hoarse. And he thought seeing him on the television had been weird.
' Hello, hello! ' the woman was saying, softly, raising her ear to Cloud's neck. And what is my brother doing falling through a church roof..? ' Are you alright? The flowers must have broken your fall.. '
She was right, Metai supposed. There was a great number of flowers and plants that circled the ground in front of all the stands, and his brother lay atop them, slightly moving his head.
' Where.. where am I? ' he asked, obviously just as confused as Metai was. His voice was deeper than his own, and sounded different, not as sharp but a little softer. The woman turned to me.
' Why.. it's uncanny! ' she exclaimed.
' We're brothers, ' Metai explained. People had always wondered whether they were twins, although it was obvious they weren't. They just looked similiar. She didn't ask that, though. She turned back to Cloud. Metai moved closer, and suddenly, after all the excitement he had felt before about meeting his brother he no longer felt. Now he just felt empty and blank now that he had actually caught sight of him in real life. But he wasn't a soon-to-be-Turk for nothing.
' ..Cloud? ' he began, stupidly. What should I say! he asked himself wildly. Cloud raised a hand to his forehead and blinked, rubbing his eyes with his other hand. Realising where he was, he jumped up.
' Sorry, miss, ' he said to the woman. He shifted the dust off his trousers. She giggled. Cloud suddenly caught sight of Metai, as he froze, his hand in mid-flick. Metai felt sympathetic towards him. First falling through a roof, now meeting the brother he had never talked to in years. But it didn't seem like he was so happy to see him, anyway.. ' What! Metai? Is that you? ' he added uncertainly, as if he might be an imposter. He nodded hastily, feeling nervous, the writhing knot in his stomach not helping. ' What are you doing here? '
' I'm.. ' Metai began, but then shamefully lowered his head. Cloud was in AVALANCHE. Maybe he'd even attack him, but he hoped not. ' I'm.. in Shinra.. '
' You haven't answered my question, ' Cloud retorted. Metai smiled and looked down. Persistant as he ever was.
' I saw you on television this morning. You're in AVALANCHE? '
' No. Well, sort of, I guess. I'm actually a mercenary. '
' EXCUSE me, ' the woman said, but had an amused expression on her face.
' Oh, sorry, miss.. ' Metai replied.
' I'm Cloud. '
' Metai. '
' I'm Aeris, the flower girl. ' Cloud seemed to remember her from somewhere, as he nodded. Metai, however, had never met her in his life, obviously. He shifted uncomfortably. The two people in front of him were very dearly wanted by the Turks. She must be pretty tough - although she doesn't look it - if she's escaped the Turks so far..
' Wait - why do the Turks want you? '
' That's kind of a long story.. ah! '
The doors were opening once again, and a familiar character entered, followed by several soldiers. It was.. Reno. Reno had bright red hair, was very laid-back and was a Turk. Metai had respected him, but now he realised that the Turks had betrayed him. They hadn't let on at all that he was secretly against his own brother. He raised his head high, hoping to let him know of his indignance.
' Metai? What are you doing here, yo? ' Reno began, raising an eyebrow. Then he realised that Cloud was there too, and opened his mouth to continue. Metai wondered if he was going to apologise.
' Don't bother with any excuses, Reno. You knew he was in AVALANCHE, and you never told me! ' he replied, his voice getting louder. He felt awkward around Cloud, as they hadn't exactly had the chance to talk. But now he was feeling extremely overprotective about his older brother. Reno smirked.
' But if I had told you, you would have been distracted, ' he explained simply, grinning. Metai growled and raised a hand to unsheath his sword. However, he felt a soft hand against his arm. Turning to see Aeris, she seemed to have accepted the situation.
' Don't fight here! You'll ruin the flowers! '
And so, somehow, Metai, Cloud and Aeris were hurrying into the back room of the church, with a Turk and several guard soldiers behind him. This day is just getting crazier and crazier..