Final Fantasy VII: Emerald Dusk

Part I: Dawn

Chapter V: The Human Right

The engine was done. Cid and I had been working for an extra two days on it to make sure it was perfect. Wasn't easy fine tuning everything on it but I let Cid handle most of the work and we were fine. A lot of the time when we would be working I wouldn't be able to stop thinking about what I was going to do to Joey or Frank if I ever saw them again.

Esther came out with some lemonade for Cid, Alexander and I. Alexander had been watching us put the engine together the whole time. He seemed fascinated with everything Cid and I did. He annoyed Cid with the amount of questions he asked, but I liked having someone to work with who talked about other things than the stars, beer and cigarettes.

As we all sat there sipping on our lemonade (Cid drank his back in two gulps), my mind couldn't help but wander to violent thoughts. I imagined that I stood over Frank again, but this time I didn't stop myself from pummeling him; I continued to beat and smash his face and body, until all that remained was a bloody pulp. I was brought out of my day dreaming by Esther, who offered to top off my glass. I accepted before going back into my mind and reliving my fantasy again…and again.

Sweat covered my whole body when I woke up that night; scared out of my bed by the sounds of gun shots in my dreams. I clutched at the scar on my side where I had been shot…almost fully healed now. Yet I couldn't force down the rage, the continuing need to hurt the one that hurt me.

My mind raced to Akemi and the night we spent under the moon. Emotions of love and hate began to mix inside me, leaving a bitter-sweet resonance that made me feel even worse. Did I only want revenge on Frank and those gangsters because they shot me? Or did I want to use them as an outlet to let out all of my frustration on? The ladder didn't seem too much like me. I wasn't that kind of person.

I put Akemi out of my head and returned to focusing on Frank and Joey. Running through the moments before I was shot again and again, focusing on my need for vengeance instead of mingling it with my longing for Akemi.

I couldn't get back to sleep after that. I got up and began to move about the house; going downstairs to get a glass of juice and then turning on the television. There was a news report on about the rising crime rates under the plates of Midgar. Who would have thought blocking people off from the sun might agitate them? Soon though I heard footsteps above me as someone else began to move about…I must have woken someone up.

After a moment I saw my Father walk down the stairs in his night robes. His graying black hair was messy and he still looked as if he were half asleep. "What's wrong son? Can't you sleep?" I cast my father a weak smile, "No. I was sleeping. Can't anymore. Well I'd like to but I keep having bad dreams every time I do." My father came down the remaining stairs and sat on the couch next to me. "What's troubling you son?" He said in a calming voice. "It…I just can't get the sounds out of my head…the pain." I looked into his eyes, he knew what I must have been going through. "You were a Shinra Elite Guard Dad. You've been shot at and fought men. How do you get the images out of your head?"

There was a long pause where my father seemed to be gathering his thoughts. Then he spoke. "All those times in the war when I was in direct combat; I just had to keep telling myself that what we were doing was good for everybody. Sure a lot of people were against the spread of Mako energy, but it's made everyone's life easier, and it's helped to rid us of some of the diseases that plagued our world for so long. I slept after those things because I knew I was fighting for something bigger than myself."

I had heard him tell that speech before, but never had he told it to me directly. As much as I knew he was trying to fill me with hope, he did only to help push my rage and hate towards the men who did this to me. "But what about me dad? I fought to protect my friend…my co-worker, and as much as I tried to help I only provoked them even further. Esther told me that conditions have gotten even worse at the construction site, and that Franks been making regular stops by the site looking for me." I clenched my fists together in anger as I thought about how they were still walking around free after what they had done.

"They shot me dad. They could have killed me and what happens to them? Because they have the connections and the money they're allowed to get away with it? To come back to where they think I'll be and intimidate the people I work with. They used me to show everyone a message dad. And that message was that they can do what they want, and they can get away with it." I was shouting now and I hadn't even realized it. My father had brushed his hair back as I spoke, and when I was done he looked very calm.

He reached out and took my hand and led me back to my place on the couch. "Listen son." He said as he placed my hand firmly in his. "I know what happened to you was wrong. And you have every right to be angry…it's you're human right to be angry at those who harmed you and those you care about. But I want you to promise me that you're not going to do anything drastic."

He has almost squeezing my hand, with a look of slight fear in his eyes…it was the first time I had ever seen him with that look since Mom got sick. "Dad…it's not like I'm going to," "I want you to promise me you won't do anything stupid Alius…promise me." My father was almost shouting now. He seemed generally concerned. "I know what wanting revenge can do to a man…I've seen it. You can't let yourself go down that path. There's no telling where you could end up… especially when you're dealing with those kinds of people."

"Ok dad…I promise I won't do anything stupid." My father wrapped his arms around me and gave me a big hug. I heard him sigh heavily before he let me go. "Good night son. Don't be up too late." He said before he turned and went back up the stairs to bed. I returned my attention to the television. There was a report on about the new Shinra 'SOLDIER' program and the Super Warriors it was producing. The report was mostly about three young SOLDIERS not much older than Alius. The first was Genesis, who wore a long red leather jacket and was seen reciting the Loveless poem to a crowd of admirers. The second was Angeal, a very strong looking individual with a giant sword that hung off his back. The reports noted that he had rarely used his treasure weapon, preferring to keep the sword as untarnished as possible. Third the report mentioned Sephiroth, who had striking long white hair, and a long katana blade that measured over ten feet in length.

I quickly became entranced once the three 'SOLDIERS' began to display the amazing prowess they had attained through the SOLDIER program. I couldn't believe what I was seeing in most instances. They could leap thirty, even forty feet at a time with almost effortless ease; they were able to cut through most metals as if they were paper. Their strength and fortitude was impressive to say the least, and I couldn't help but imagine what would have happened on that day I was shot if I had strength like they had. I drifted off to sleep to that thought, and for the first time since the day I was shot, I dreamed that I was using Frank as a club to beat Joey to with. It was the first time I would go to sleep and wake up not in a cold sweat in what seemed like forever. But in the morning I awoke with a renewed sense of vigor, and a new idea birthing silently in the back of mind.