[Book 2] «Final Fantasy VII» The After Years
Chapter 1: Day 000
Inspired by ~ Final Fantasy 7 + Myself

Hikari, Ashe, Ev, Zaer, Rufus, Cloud, Tifa ft. Reno, Rude, Barret

Vocab.:

Gaia: the planet
Neo-Midgar: the new civilized area near where Midgar used to be
ShinRa Electric Power Co.: ultimately responsible for the unhealthy harnessing of the planets energy up until the mako reactors were destroyed and the advent of Meteor; is currently attempting to re-build and make the world better without the use of mako energy; acts as the planet’s sole technological advancements company while giving up its reins on government and military to the WRO
World Regenesis Organization (WRO): volunteer organization committed to help restore and protect the planet; they are to replace ShinRa as the acting government and military
Lifestream: Gaia’s life-force so to speak; where the soul goes after death
Promised Land: where the mind goes after death
Mako: parts of the lifestream extracted from the planet and harnessed by Shinra
Avalanche: the group that went against Shinra and blew up the mako reactors
Materia: crystallized mako that allow people to cast spells, summon, use command abilities, boost stats, and give support abilities
Turks: special force the Shinra Electric Power Co. hire various tasks ranging from recon to kidnappings, etc.
SOLDIER: special military based task force created by Shinra Co.; members infused with mako
Edge: the major city in Neo-Midgar
Gyshal Greens: all chocobos' favorite foods

xx 06:00 xx
Edge of  Wutai
Hikari

Kweh! – Hey!

Hikari twitched slightly.

Kweh Kweh!! – Wake up!

She groaned sleepily as she felt pressure on her chest.

KWEH KWEH KWEH!!! – Hikari wake up!

Hikari gasped and shot up as the weight on her chest became unbearable. She awoke to the sight of a happy chocobo – her chocobo – which was currently prancing around her in circles.

“Okay, okay, I’m awake Chocopie… Jeez…” Hikari groaned as she glared at her pet.

It was the early morning; the multicolored sky was littered with clouds as the sun peeked over the ocean’s horizon.

“Way to early…” Hikari mumbled, rolling over and burying her head in her shoulder.

KWEH KWEH!!! – GET UP!!!

The yellow bird pecked the girl in the shoulder hard enough to bruise.

“OUCH!” Hikari yelped, jumping up onto her feet.

“I get it, I get it. I’ll get up.”

The green-haired girl sighed and plopped down on the floor while rubbing her eyes. She flipped open her bag and pulled out a box.

“Breakfast time!” Hikari smiled, opening the box and pulling out a leafy plant and a small bag.

“Here are some gyshal greens for you and some granola for me and – where’s Rella?”

The chocobo looked around while the gyshal greens were hanging out his mouth, perplexed at his master’s question as “Rella” was nowhere in immediate sight.

“Rella! Where are you!?” Hikari shouted as Chocopie ran towards the water where a boat floated.

He turned around in excitement, jumping up and down and kweh-ing constantly.

“Found her Chocopie?”

Chocopie nodded in excitement, a few yellow feathers floating down to the ground.

“I guess everyone is ready to go but me huh…” the girl mumbled.

She rolled up the blanket she was sitting on and stuffed it in her bag along with the box the food was in before slinging the back onto her shoulder along with her naginata. Walking over to the boat she gazed at the morning sky.

“I’m guessing it’s almost 6 so… We should make it to Edge by midday tomorrow… but first we gotta restock on gyshal greens so we don’t starve, right Chocopie?”

The yellow bird nodded in content and squealed, his breakfast already gone. Hikari rolled her eyes as she patted his back.

“Yeah yeah. I know you like the gyshal greens, chill. We have a long couple days ahead of us.”

She hopped on the boat and gestured the bird to do so as well. Chocopie spun slowly in a circle a few times before sitting down – almost as if he was a dog. Hikari poked the white cactus-like thing that was in the center of the boat a few times but it didn’t move.

“Hah… Wow you are so lazy Ella.” Hikari sighed, ignoring the cactus and grabbing the oars that were on both sides of her.

“Well, time to get rollin’. Time to leave Wutai.”

xx 12:20 xx
ShinRa HQ
Ashe

In the small ShinRa break room, a raven-haired female was alone at a round table for lunch. She sat lips pursed, arms and legs crossed, composure stoic – as per the usual during lunch time – as she stared at the area where her food should be had it not been for the manila envelope that was currently taking up its space. Today wasn’t particularly a bad day, but it wasn’t a good day either. She came in for work at the break of dawn only to be told she had the day off from the head of the company Rufus Shinra. But that wasn’t all he told her – apparently she was taking on a partner and would have to attend the highly anticipated event hosted by the World Regenesis Organization and ShinRa. She honestly wasn’t that upset about the partner thing – though she did have her reservations on the subject – she was mad at the blunt “Ashe you are going, you are wearing a formal dress, and you will participate in friendly communication at any possible time” speech given to her by Rufus. It was the dress thing that seriously bothered her, the reason why she currently was sitting lunchless.

Ashe groaned and slammed her fists on the table before getting up and finally deciding to leave. She grabbed the manila envelope and walked off, pulling out its contents to skim them over on her way out, expertly maneuvering around the other Turks and scientists. Ashe rolled her eyes at the grainy picture on the first page of the file.

Those WRO people should really step up their game.

Next was other basic information: birthplace, age, height, weight, et cetera. At first look the file seemed pretty normal but as she got deeper into the file black bars blocked out information. By the time she got to the end of the file, whole pages were out. Frustrated at the lack of honesty between the company and herself, Ashe shoved the file back into the envelope when she felt her phone ringing as she walked out the new ShinRa building. Seeing her friend’s name on the caller-ID, she eagerly flipped the phone open.

“Hey Tifa! How’s it going?”

Hi! I just got an email from Rufus – well technically it was for Cloud but that’s beside the point! Anyway, it was a confirmation for the party tomorrow and I saw your name was on the list!”

Ashe groaned as she walked down one of the more sparsely populated streets of Edge. Tifa laughed to herself on the other line.

“Well are you going?” Ashe asked,” I heard Rufus invited some ‘famous’ people and I’m pretty sure you fit the bill. And I could really use someone I actually like talking to at the event.”

“Hmm…. Yeah but only if Cloud goes.”

Ashe nodded as if the other female could see her.

“But that doesn’t mean we can’t go dress shopping!”

With that comment Ashe stopped dead in her tracks, eyes wide and grip tightening on the phone.

“You do need a dress right? …Ashe? Hello Ashe?”

She mumbled a yes and continued walking, this time in the direction of Tifa’s bar 7^th Heaven.

“Great! I’ll be expecting you! Got to go!” Tifa finished, hanging up the phone.

Ashe scowled as she shoved the phone back into her pocket.

“Tomorrow is going to be an experience…”

xx 16:00 xx
World Regenesis Organization HQ
Ev

Ev sat in the conference room with the rest of the WRO Research Branch and listened as the CEO of the organization gave her speech about the future of the organization.

She was leaving.

This was the last day of her employment with the World Regenesis Organization.

Tomorrow she would be transferred to ShinRa Electronic Power Company – the group that almost led to the destruction of the whole world.

But it was for the best.

At least that’s what everyone was telling her.

She herself, however, was skeptical on the matter.

Maybe it’s a good thing, she told herself.

It’s time for a change.

Although she was currently working for a volunteer organization, her time with the WRO was not easy, especially in the beginning. When she first joined up it wasn’t even her idea – and she wasn’t a scientist but a soldier. It was her long time friend’s idea. As they worked together in the organization she realized it was the best way for her to give back to the planet.

Eventually she created the WRO’s Research Branch which would study new ways to simultaneously help humanity and protect the surrounding life without possibly harming any other living creatures. Now, one year after the branch’s creation, her and her colleagues would all be transferring to ShinRa. According to the higher ups, WRO would no longer be hosting a research branch at all. Instead it will focus on the protection of the people while ShinRa Co. takes environmentally friendly innovation into its own hands.

And of course ShinRa and WRO couldn’t simply just transfer her and her group over; they have to make it a big deal with an expensive and elaborate party – a charity party.

As the manager of the branch, she would be the “star” of the event alongside some protégé working with the military that Rufus Shinra requested himself.

Ev sat and watched, listening to her superior as she addressed the room about WRO and contemplating what her future – and the future of Neo-Midgar – would hold. 

xx 22:00 xx
7^th Heaven
Cloud & Tifa

“Cloud! I’m talking to you!”

The tall, muscular blonde male turned around to face the female, bright blue eyes shining below drooping eyelids.

“Sorry Tifa, what were you saying?” he mumbled, rubbing his eyes gently – almost like a kitten.

She ogled at him, momentarily mesmerized by the cute way he fought off sleep before realizing how serious the situation was. Cloud had been out for three days and as far as Tifa was concerned he probably avoided sleeping as per the usual. “I don’t need sleep” he’d always say, “ex-SOLDIERs have great stamina” to which she would roll her eyes and punch his shoulder.

Leaning on the table, she stared him down square in the face,” You need to stop overworking yourself like this. I know you’re all mako-infused and have amazing energy but you can’t keep doing this by yourself. Let’s at least hire one more delivery person.”

“I don’t need help,” Cloud murmured, voice laced with fatigue.

She frowned and placed a hand on her companion’s shoulder.

“Please…? Cloud for me… and Denzel and Marlene and Shelke – for all of us.”

The man nodded, setting his hand atop Tifa’s tenderly and smiling faintly, the unruly spikes of his blonde hair falling in his face. She smiled back whole-heartedly, becoming her normal happy self once more.

“Great! Starting tomorrow we are going to put out a ‘hiring’ sign and see who comes along yeah?”

Cloud’s face contorted in annoyance and Tifa laughed.

“Come on, let’s get you to bed.” And we'll talk about the party tomorrow.
 

xx 22:45 xx
ShinRa HQ
Reno, Rude

Blue-green rays circled slowly around the man’s body, engulfing him yet not suffocating him. It seemed almost lifelike, like it was some kind of being. He stared down at his hands as the ribbons slowly sped up, swirling almost as if the light became more, well, more excited. A flash of white light forced the man’s attention upwards where an arm was reaching out to him. Straining his eyes, he attempted to see who the arm belonged to but the light was simply too bright. As he reached out to take the hand, the green strings fled towards the body before him. The green flared up suddenly as–

"Sir? Director…? Mr. Shinra?" 

A high pitched voice pierced through the man's consciousness, causing his head to shoot up as a woman’s hand landed gently on his shoulder. The blonde man sighed and pushed his associate’s hand off his shoulder without a second thought, simply disliking the improper contact. A different voice spoke up from the other side of the room, distracting the blonde enough to prevent him from chastising the female Turk – his own personal assistant – who sauntered quietly back into a corner of the room.

"Well that doesn't happen often."

Rufus simply glared at his untidily dressed, red-headed body guard who continued to speak as he lounged in a chair across the room.

"I don't think I've ever seen ya fall asleep at your desk before boss."

"I do not recall ever saying we could be colloquial Reno," the blonde countered as he fixed his eschewed tie.

Before Reno could rebuke his superior with some kind of snarky and unwanted – but inevitably disregarded – comeback, the doors opened and another man entered. He was wearing the traditional Turk uniform: a simple black suit, a white collared shirt and a black tie, but unlike the normal uniform this man was adorned with a pair of sunglasses and small looped earrings.

As usual, Reno was the first to speak,” Sup Rude! What took ya so long huh? Made me wait and watch Mr. Sleepy Shinra snoozin’ on the job.”

The bald man – Rude – didn’t give his partner a sideways glance but continued towards Rufus, dropping a few files on his desk along with a glowing pink ball small enough to fit in the palm.

“Sir, here is the material from the lab and the files you requested on the new… trainee and the scientist. I made sure to send a copy of the necessary materials to Ashe as well.”

Rufus nodded, separating the two files and staring at their covers as a certain red-head joined Rude before him. Of course, he had to start talking.

“So like, why is that one file so big compared to the other?” Reno gestured towards Rufus’ desk.

“And why is it stamped with ‘TOP SECRET’? I thought the scientist chick was brand-spankin-new? How could she have a record that long, or even that serious?”

The blonde picked up the material and stared up at his guards,” Who said that’s the file on the scientist?”
 

xx 23:59pm xx
World Regenesis Organization HQ
Zaer

The blonde inhaled sharply as she rounded the corner to the barracks, chest puffing out rhythmically in exasperation from her impromptu late-night run. She had been exceedingly anxious about what the next day would entail and hoped that exhaustion might be the key to sleep. As she entered her room she headed straight to the bathroom. Her blue spandex suit sticking to her sweaty body as she attempted to strip and rid herself of the cloying material. It had been a long day – grueling physical training paired with the long speeches by the upper management regarding what was to come the following day – so she figured she at least deserved a shower and a good-night’s sleep to prepare for the next day. Unfortunately for her, the day to come would be just as tiring but for different reasons.