Red Dawn

Red Dawn: chapter 2

Author: Sweetstarlights (sweetstarlights@hotmail.com)

Site: www.lonelykitten.cjb.net

***

Author’s note: There’s the next chapter, and I know what you’re thinking: why write a story where the bad guy wins? Well, I was playing Final Fantasy IX and I beat the game (though it felt unsatisfying) and sat there watching the end when a thought came into my head, what would happen if the bad guy won? Well... since none have I plan to give my own idea on what and how it would happen. Come on! Hasn’t anyone wondered what would happen if Sephiroth really destroyed the world and became a god?! And what better than a person named after the first woman created on Earth to help him! (Just be glad this isn’t another self input story damnit!) Now on with the killing!!!!!

***

“Are you sure that it was him?” Sephiroth asked impatiently. He had come to see if Eve had come back from Midgar when she nearly ran into him. She had then collapsed onto the ground and tried catching her breathe, she had run all the way there to tell him that the little bug Cloud had reappeared and it was time to begin.

“Positive. Not many people walk around with blonde hair that sticks up everywhere. Besides, he was carrying the sword he attacked you with back at the reactor,” Eve commented, she was talking about the incident five years ago. Though she wasn’t really there, Eve had witnessed it through the Final Fantasy VII video game back home. But Eve failed to tell Sephiroth that she had seen Cloud and Zack going towards Midgar a few days ago, and watched Zack get shot to death. Until now she had forgotten about it. If Sephiroth really wanted to know, he’d have to read her thoughts, she was still recovering from her flight there. Then she felt the same humming feeling when Sephiroth wanted information out of her but wouldn’t tell him, which only meant he had taken to reading her mind while her regained her breathe. “Is it really necessary to do that?”

“Yes. So, you saw Zack get killed and Cloud continue on to Midgar... Well that’s one problem I don’t have to deal with. How long before they reach the Shin-Ra building?”

“I’m really not sure. They have to fail at destroying sector five reactor, save Tifa, try to save sector seven... which gets destroyed anyway, then they go for the Shin-Ra building to save the ancient. All and all... two days. Maybe three, but that’s still not a lot of time.” Eve pushed herself up and dusted off the grass on her clothes.

Sephiroth stared out at the landscape and thought for a moment. He quickly turned and headed back in the direction of Midgar. “Come, if the both of us are to survive, then we must be ready for them.”

Eve glared at him and ran to catch up. “Let me guess... it’ll be my job to watch them and make sure we get there before they do.”

“Good, then I don’t need to tell you to,” Sephiroth replied with a smirk on his face. Eve frowned and moaned, she should have kept her big mouth shut.

***

Eve was walking once again the slums of Midgar. Sephiroth had found himself a place to hide, so it was up to her to track Cloud’s movements. She was walking around in sector six in hopes of catching Cloud and Aeris going to save Tifa. The only hard part was finding Cloud... he was 5’7” in height while Eve herself was 5’9”, she was taller than the entire woman population on the planet because most of them only grew to about 5’2”. This still didn’t help her when standing next to Sephiroth, who was 6’1”. Damn all the taller people, she thought. Eve got tired of all the crowds around her so she walked over to an area next to the Honey Bee Inn, where there wasn’t many people other than a few men.

Some drunken man walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Hey baby... you lookin’ for a good time?”

Sickened by the stench of beer on his breathe, Eve removed the hand from her arm and answered, “No and if you don’t leave me alone you’ll never have another good time again.”

“Hey bitch-”

He didn’t get any farther. Eve had pulled her daggers from the holders at her side. The green light reflected off the silver metal as she placed them on the man’s throat. “You wanna rethink that?” The drunken man stumbled off muttering about how she was a ‘crazy bitch’, but she paid him no mind. Cloud and Aeris walked passed the stumbling man and was close to Eve. Cloud and Aeris gave her a passing glance, but continued towards the inn. What luck. Now how the hell do I tell Sephiroth that he needs to screw with Cloud’s mind?

No need. I can hear you, said a voice in her head.

“Huh?”

Shhh... Now, why must I screw with his mind?

Oh, it you Sephiroth, he’s about to have sex with a whore... and... Ummm... you’re supposed to make him blackout so that he doesn’t. He doesn’t know that you can control him yet, Eve wasn’t in to the whole mind conversation, but this was easier than hoping that he’d know.

Hmmm... How very odd this is all turning out. But I don’t think this will be hard, I’ve already done this twice.

Wait, then you knew he was going to blow up the first reactor? Or at the ancient’s house?! Eve was confused, how did he know if she’d told him about Cloud?

I didn’t. I only knew that I had to, but now I know. Keep watching them as long as you can. Suddenly the voice was gone. A crowd had gathered around Aeris, the men drooling over her. If it wasn’t for the fact that she had to be good, Eve would have walked over and slapped her. Eve calmly stood there and waited for the blonde moron to walk out. When he did, he looked like hell. He had the look of anguish on his face, poor Eve had to hold in the laughter when she saw that he was wearing make-up. They walked past her as she tried to hold the giggles in; Cloud looked at her like he was going to be sick. Eve silently followed the two of them, staying hidden when they went into the dress shop. People eyed her oddly, but it was worth it. Seeing a buff man in a dress was funnier than hell. Eve thought that this would have to be the line of following the two; the next thing they were going to do was go into a whore house and save Tifa.

Eve walked away from her hiding place and walked over to the restaurant for some food. The person at the counter recognized her and waved her over. “It’s good to see you again Eve! You get the day off?”

Eve smiled and answered, “Yup. Infact, I’m going on a journey soon. So you might not see me for a while.”

“Oh really? That’s sad. You hungry?”

“When am I not?” Eve replied with a smirk. The person walked away and told the cook that she’d be having her usual. It helped sometimes making friends, like ones in a restaurant. Then you get free food when you become close enough. Besides, it was nice to talk to someone other than Sephiroth once and a while.

Eve slowly eat the food put in front of her and gave her thanks to the people there when she finished a half an hour later. She was going to go back and tell Sephiroth that she saw Cloud in a dress, but she didn’t get too far. There was a horrible explosion somewhere close, and then there was a rumbling. It got so bad that everyone fell to the floor, including Eve. The sickly green lights suddenly went out, chaos erupted everywhere. Eve was trampled by many people trying to run away, she drew her dagger and awaited the next person to touch her.

But before she could use the weapon, there was another terrible crash. Eve was once again on the ground, ache coming from her limps from the falling. The lights flickered back on, faint at first but stronger as the minutes went by.

What was that?! Sephiroth demanded.

That...was the sound of sector seven dropping. Which means it’s time to go up to the top of Midgar, Eve thought. But the only way to get up there now is to go threw a hole made by the drop and Cloud will be here any minute.

There was a long silence, but he replied, Tell me when he gets there, then we’ll leave.

When Eve knew he wasn’t listening to her thoughts, she said to herself sarcastically “Yes, oh great and powerful Sephiroth.” She had said it under her breathe, so no one heard her talk to herself. Like it really mattered.

People had started to go back to what they were doing when Eve walked up to the bar. She knew she was too young to drink, but she needed something to clear her mind. Sure, her dad had been an alcoholic, but Eve no longer cared about the family that she had left behind. Well... not all of them, Eve felt sorry for her brother. He was the only one that liked anything she did. And he was there when she left. She hoped that he was okay. After some time thinking over one drink, Eve walked back outside and looked around. Cloud, Tifa and Barret were walking towards the place where they would climb up to the Shin-Ra building and try to save Aeris.

Alright Sephiroth, they’re here. Time to get moving.

Eve didn’t wait for him to get there; she started walking for the area she was going to have to climb. Cloud was already far up the cable, so far that Eve could barely see him anymore. By the time Sephiroth finally appeared, Cloud and his friends were long gone. “Geez, you took forever.”

“I had to make sure he would be far away when I got here. Is this where we need to be?”

“Yes, this is the only way to get up to the Shin-Ra building. By now they’ve stopped the trains up to there, so the only way to get there is to climb. But this leads straight to the front door of the building.” Eve turned to start climbing but it seemed that Sephiroth was going to levitate all the way up to the top. He looked down at her from the top of the concrete wall and smiled before flouting up a little ways more. “Son of the bitch,” she expressed before she herself started climbing up the cable towards the first part of the journey.

***

Staring up at the huge building, Eve sat on the ground trying to catch her breathe after having to run up the cable just to keep up with Sephiroth. Damnit, why does he have to remind me that I can’t levitate and he can? Sephiroth was also staring up at the building, but only because he didn’t have the best of memories of the place. He pulled himself from the stare and turned to Eve, who was still sitting on the ground. “So, now what?”

Eve stood up and looked up at the sky. “First, you need to wait for Cloud and his lackeys to get caught by a couple of Turks. Then, when they’re locked in a cell, you’ll kill President Shinra and kill almost everyone in the upper levels. Oh! And take the Jenova thing with you.”

Sephiroth smiled at the thought. “I’m going to enjoy this. One problem, how are we going to know when all this happens?”

Eve thought for a moment, “Well, if they went through the front door then we’ll be able to get to the upper levels without a problem. If not... I guess you could kill everyone.” Eve started walking for the building with Sephiroth in her wake. The doors were wide open; no one was at the desk. Infact, there wasn’t anyone to be seen. “What luck, looks like things will be easy.”

Sephiroth walked past her towards the elevator. “What are you waiting for? Come on,” he called.

Eve ran over and got into the elevator just as it started to close. Sephiroth pulled a key card from his cape and put it into a slot in the machine. After pressing many buttons, the elevator began it’s ascent to the upper levels. Eve looked through the clear glass walls and saw how high they were going. Instantly she felt sick from the height. Sephiroth seemed to notice the fact that she was turning green, but he didn’t say anything. Maybe it was the fact that she was still human that he didn’t say anything.

Minutes later they emerged from the elevator. Eve didn’t know what floor they were on, but she could feel that it was really high up. Finally taking her eyes off the ground, Eve saw in bold letter that they were on level sixty-six, just one level under the holding cells. Everyone that was usually on the floor was gone. Sephiroth motioned for Eve to follow him towards the stairs. They went up the stairs to the next floor. They didn’t even have to leave the stair well to hear the voices of Cloud and Aeris. Sephiroth turned to Eve and said quietly, “Put them to sleep.”

Confused, Eve asked, “And how am I to do that?”

“Do not think that all the times you came here that you were alone. I know what you can do with your voice,” he answered her.

Eve’s cheeks turned a slight pick color at the thought of being followed, but closed her eyes and turn her CD player on. Her headphones were always on, they were the kind that were cordless and looked like head ordainments. Pressing random, Eve awaited the first song to play. It was Hiru no Tsuki [Daytime Moon] from Outlaw Star, Eve began to sing the words to the song. It was hard to sing when Sephiroth was staring straight at her, but somehow she got through the song without screwing up. When she opened her eyes she saw that Sephiroth was still standing were he had been, but with the same sickly grin he gave her sometimes. “Wait. How are you still awake?”

He placed a hand on Eve’s red cheek, “Because I’m immune to this Siren’s song.” He walked up the stairs and out onto the floor, leaving a severely confused Eve to gather her thoughts. Taking a deep breathe, Eve walked the steps and followed Sephiroth. Sure, Eve tried to forget that she had any emotions other than anger and depression, but they were still there. And with a guy like Sephiroth, it was hard to keep herself cool. Eve had a thing for guys with long hair, but she was only here to help him and it wouldn’t be anything other than that. Emerging from the stair she saw that everyone on the floor was asleep. Sephiroth strode across the floor and passed the holding cells. Eve knew he was going from the chamber that held Jenova, so she decided that she was going to take care of the guard that had the key to the cells. Eve stood before the guard who had fallen asleep upright. She slowly pulled on of her daggers out and held it before her. Eve had never taken a human life before, she was scared. But then ten years of hate flooded her senses. Eve rammed the dagger through the guard’s neck; the guard’s eyes flew open and stared into Eve’s own eyes. But all humanity left them. The guard tried to yell, but the dagger had gone through his voice box, the only noise he could was gargling. She pulled the dagger from his throat and as he tried to go of his dropped gun, Eve shoved her other dagger into his chest. She slowly pulled the knife from his chest and watched him slide down, all the life pumping out of him. The guard landed with a thud, blood covered Eve’s clothes from the thrust to the chest. She gave an evil smile; Eve had killed... and she liked it.

Steps echoed down the hall. It seemed that the three guards in the other room had awakened. Eve slowly turned around and greeted them. Holding blood covered daggers, Eve lunged at them. It was a small hallway, so only one could fit down at a time. Suddenly Eve blacked out; when she opened her eyes the three people were dead. Eve didn’t give it a second thought, that what she was doing was wrong. She merely stepped over the bodies and continued down the hall. She grabbed the key from the first dead guard and opened Cloud’s chamber. Luckily he and Tifa were still asleep. Eve walked back over to the guard and threw the key next to him. She walked back passed the other bodies and went to find Sephiroth. She pasted a lab technician who was dead, but continued to the warehouse. Eve found Sephiroth there pulling the door off of the Jenova chamber, fluid pouring everywhere. The thing flopped out of the container and started moving slightly. The head was gone, but it still looked somewhat like a woman.

“Oh man, that’s gross,” Eve exclaimed.

Sephiroth looked over at Eve and replied, “This coming from someone covered in blood.”

“Yeah, but that’s just gross. It’s a headless monster from space,” Eve felt like being sick as Jenova’s arms moved around. She had already told Sephiroth what Jenova really was, so he did not react when she mentioned it. Eve ripped part of a shirt off one of the dead bodies and wiped some of the blood off her arms and face. “That reminds me, where’s the head?”

“I lost it somewhere in the Lifestream. I was unconscious for a while, so I’m not really sure.”

Eve glared at Jenova, “Hey, if you’re taking that thing with you, then I’m switching sides. That thing’s really gross.” Eve tried to keep her lunch inside as the thing made disgusting noises.

Sephiroth looked over at the ever-sickened Eve as she tried to stay calm. He thought of Eve aiding Cloud in his quest or just staying hidden as Sephiroth got killed, he couldn’t risk that. She knew everything that was going to happen, if she told them anything, he was doomed. He looked down at Jenova, a plan hatched in his head. “No, even I can’t stomach something like this. Why do you think I only took the head?”

“Because you were nuts,” Eve answered plainly. Eve enjoyed poking fun at the fact that he had lost his mind, but it was back now. Most of it anyway.

Sephiroth gazed at Eve as she threw the bloody rag on the floor, “...That’s one reason, but it really isn’t the nicest thing to look at.” He walked over and pressed the button for the lift upstairs. Jenova slowly climbed over to the lift and got in. Sephiroth pressed the button and the lift rose to the next level. Eve stared at him with a dumbfounded look as he leaned against the wall. “Why waste energy fighting when Jenova could do it for us.”

“How do you know that thing isn’t going to kill me next?!” Eve yelled.

Sephiroth pushed the lift switch again, “Because I told it not to.”

Sephiroth stepped into the lift and patiently waited for Eve to join him. Eve stepped over the blood trail left by Jenova. She wedged herself into the corner of the lift, as if to keep herself for from Sephiroth as possible. Eve glanced up at Sephiroth and asked him, “How do I know you’re not being control by Jenova?”

“If I was, I would have tortured you until you told me the information I wanted and kill you. But I haven’t, now have I?”

The lift stopped and opened up to carnage. It seemed that Jenova was having a fun time killing everyone. Dead bodies laid everywhere; some slumped over the railing in Hojo’s lab. Claw marks ran up the walls and the blood trail lead up to the floor where President Shinra’s office was. Jenova had disappeared, but not without killing everyone on the floor. Sephiroth and Eve slowly made their way up to the President’s office. Eve climbed the stairs not cover in blood and ascended up. The President wasn’t dead; he was talking to Palmer about the space program. Shinra looked over at Eve.

“Unless you have an appointment, miss, leave now.”

Eve turned and saw that she was all alone. She smiled and walked closer to Shinra’s desk. “Actually, it’s not me that has the appointment... but I do have something to tell you... about the Promised Land...”

Shinra glared darkly at Eve as she glided across the room. “What is it?”

Eve smiled as she watched Sephiroth appear out of thin air above the President. “I’m to tell you that the Promised Land isn’t for you. It is only for the chosen ones...” Sephiroth started dropping down with his sword poised over Shinra. “And you are not one of them.” Eve watched the sword slide into the President and him slump over on his desk. She laughed softly as she walked over to the desk. “That was too easy. Now... what to do about your sword... How are you to leave it here so that Cloud sees it, but still be able to use it later?”

“I leave you here.”

“No way! You’re not bailing on me now!!!!” Eve yelled, she had completely forgotten that Palmer was hiding behind something, so she talked plainly.

Sephiroth sighed impatiently, “I didn’t say that. You’ll stay here and when Cloud leaves, you’ll take my sword. Leave the rest to me.”

“What are you planning?” Eve asked with a note of suspicion in her voice.

“Don’t worry so much,” was all Sephiroth said to Eve before he disappeared. Eve growled angrily and stomped off to find herself a place to hide while she waited for Cloud and his friends.

***

Horrified voices flouted down from the President’s office. Eve had hidden underneath one of the stairs and had heard Cloud run up them. She crept up the stairs as quietly as she could; Eve stood to one side of the door and listened to the conversation. Suddenly Eve remembered that Palmer was still in the room! He was going to blab about her!!!! Eve felt her heart sink as she heard Palmer yell.

“Sephiroth did it! I saw it with my own two eyes! He killed the President as some amazon of a woman in all red told him that the Promised Land wasn’t for him!!!! She was in it with him!! I heard it all!! She said it was too easy, and that he should leave the sword for Cloud to find!!”

“Is that true!?” Cloud asked.

“Would I lie!?”

“Where is he?!” Tifa yelled.

“Disappeared, the both of them! But the woman is still in the building somewhere!!! I’m outta here before she comes back!!”

Palmer ran passed Eve, he was so scared he didn’t even notice Eve as he ran by. Eve sighed silently in relief, she thought she was going to have to fight them. Thought it was a good thing they’d be looking for a woman in red, not a girl. People usually mistook her for someone younger than eighteen, her real age. It had been some time since someone thought she was older than sixteen. Then came the ever more comforting sound of the helicopter carrying the new President Rufus aboard. There was a rush of foot steps, everyone was running out the door, leaving Eve to get Sephiroth's sword. She peeked inside and saw that everyone was outside already, running to meet Rufus. Eve calmly walked to the over-sized desk and jumped on top of it. She grabbed the hand of Sephiroth's sword with both hands and pulled at hard as she could. But the sword was stuck, it seemed that it had lodged itself into the floor when Sephiroth killed Shinra. Eve put her full weight into the next tug, falling off the desk as the sword came free. She closed her eyes and waited to hit the ground, but it never came. When she opened her eyes she saw that she was outside, the darkness of night all around.

“See, I told you not to worry about it.”

Eve looked around and found Sephiroth a foot away from her, but what made things odd for her was the fact that she was hovering above the ground. Or, at least the sword was. Eve was only clinging to the thing for dear life. She let go of the sword and watched it flout over to Sephiroth, who grabbed it immediately.

“How did things go?”

“Oh just fine... though I’m an amazon woman in all red now. But they know you’re out here somewhere,” Eve yawned, it was quite late and she hadn’t slept for some time. And all the excitement wasn’t helping.

“Good, then if you wish to sleep in a bed, we should be going to Kalm now.” Sephiroth turned and started walking away, Eve slowly started following him. This was going to be the start of a very long journey paved in blood. Only time would tell if Eve being there would make any difference in the timeline she knew, because she herself didn’t know if it was going to work.

***

And that’s the end of this chapter. I find it easier to write if I’m writing about death and killing people. I’m having so much fun with this story!!!!

Big news!!! Square Enix [Square Soft] is making a Final Fantasy VII movie!!!!!!!!!!!! It’s based two years after the meteor! If you go to www.ff7-2.com you can see a trailer for the movie!!! Sephiroth looks soooooo hot, the movie looks so real. It’s not a cartoon, so the people look human. Go look at it now!!!!!!!!