Author's Note: Hello everyone!

Yeah, I know I'm supposed to be working on TOTGA, but I've been in a slump recently and ended up writing this to try and distract myself! Hopefully it works and I'll have my mojo back!

As always, please review !

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII and all associated characters, locations and plots are the property of Square-Enix. I own nothing, aside from my imagination and love for the series.

X X X

The warrior strode confidently up the burning red hills, the wind causing his red leather jacket to billow behind him, while his sleek, shoulder-length brown hair caressed his face.

The reward for his quest, his destination, all his hopes and dreams stood waiting for him atop that unforgiving hill.

It was a woman. Her smooth, pale skin stood at odds with her flaming red dress. Her blonde hair was pulled up into a stylish bun near the top of her head. "My hero! " she exclaimed, reaching her arms out to him, the slit in her dress sliding open to reveal a shapely leg.

Reaching the summit, the hero dropped to his knees before her. "My Lady!" He said, bowing his head.

"Rise, my brave warrior, " she said, reaching down to clasp both his arms in hers. "You came for me! "

"How could I not? " he said, rising to his feet to look deep into her large blue eyes.

"My, my, my, how touching! " A nearby voice jeered.

Gathering his love close into his arms, the Hero's eyes scanned the horizon until he found the source of the voice. "You! " he spat, upon catching sight of the sneering, silver-haired youth.

The villain grinned in response, twirling his black hat off his as he dipped into a mocking bow, his own black leathers fluttering around him like an evil bat, along with his long hair. "Surprised to see me? " he taunted, cat-like green eyes twinkling maliciously.

"Please! " The lady begged, seeking comfort in her hero's arms. "Save me! Don't let him take me away again! "

"Fear not, my love! " he replied, gallantly, releasing her. "For the wicked shall never triumph over the just!" With that, he swung his right arm towards his left hip, drawing his sleek and razor-sharp rapier from its sheath.

The villain grinned once more, as he reaches with his left arm to draw a monstrously long katana, easily half again as long as its wielder. "Now that I know what is most precious to you, I will take great pleasure in ripping it away from you! " he said as he readied himself for battle.

"Not in this life time, brigand!" The hero countered, his own body easing into a combative stance.

With a furious battle cry, the warriors charged at each other, their brilliant swords glinting in the light, and sending a spectacular shower of sparks flying each time they met.

X X X

"Please, like that would ever happen, " Tidus muttered sarcastically to his girlfriend, ignoring the furious glares several young women were shooting him in the packed theatre.

"Shhhhh!" His irritable girlfriend, Yuna shot back. Her eyes were transfixed on the elaborately choreographed battle on the stage.

"C'mon, Yuna!" Tidus refused to let it drop. "There's absolutely no way that skinny, metal toothpick would ever stand up to that long-ass sword; which, by the way, would be very impractical in combat, and awkward to use! "

"Would ya shut up! " an irate audience member hissed in his direction.

Pointedly ignoring him, Tidus continued to heckle Yuna about the nonsensical nature of the story. Eventually losing even her considerable amount of patience, she snapped, "How the heck should I know? Your missing the whole point! The theatre is about the romance, the drama, the fantasy! "

"Yeah, now would the two of you clam it!" Another woman shouted.

X X X

The hero stood triumphantly over his fallen adversary, his rapier having finally found its mark in the villain's chest.

"H-how did you-find the strength? " the villain choked on his own blood as he tried in vain to recover from his position on the floor.

"By remembering what I stand to lose if I was defeated. And what I stand to gain, " he paused to share a enamoured smile with the lady. "If I emerged victorious! "

The fanfare began playing as the hero walked to his lover, holding out his arms to gather her in a huge embrace.

"Is it really over? " she asked, staring into his eyes.

"No, my darling. It is only beginning! " The hero replied.

As one, they turned to smile at the audience, before sharing a passionate kiss, as the music soared, joined by an uplifting chorus and the roar of the applause.

The curtains began to draw, signalling the end of the production.

X X X

"And that's a wrap people! " Tseng shouted, adjusting his headset, as he briskly walked across the stage.

Heaving a sigh of relief, Genesis quickly disengaged himself from his co-star, Scarlet's mouth. "Must you be so clingy? " he demanded, swiftly disentangling his arms from hers. "And what happened to that dress? I told the designers I wanted a much higher neckline! "

"Since when are you such a prude, Genesis?" Scarlet rebutted. "The audience enjoys the leading lady to show a bit of skin! "

"Well, the director, demands just a hint of class and taste from his actors! " Genesis replied.

"You're just miffed that I stole the show! " Scarlet replied, nonchalantly snapping her fingers for a stage-side assistant to bring her a glass of water, and possibly a cigarette.

"You think you have problems, Genesis? " Sephiroth asked, as he got to his feet, wiping the fake blood from his mouth. "How come I always gotta be the bad guy? "

"Type casting at its best, my friend, " Genesis answered, as he helped the taller man to his feet.

"You wrote and directed the play! " Sephiroth protested. "I would've thought you'd be able to look past type casting! "

"Age old argument again, huh? " The pair's dark, heavily built friend, Angeal asked.

"You play a tragic psycho gone mad one time, and no one will take you seriously anymore, " Sephiroth calmly explained.

"Sorry to hear about that, " Angeal replied, checking his earpiece. "Now you see why I prefer the backstage side of showbiz."

"Places everyone! " Tseng yelled, having sufficiently crapped on Scarlet for her chain smoking. "We've gone through this production without a hitch so far! Don't stuff up now! "

What followed can be described briefly and accurately as pandemonium. Actors raced around backstage, panicking about whether or not their costumes and make-up were still intact, while producers fumbled over getting them in place.

"He never did learn that shouting tends to drive people crazy? " Angeal remarked, jerking a thumb over his shoulder in Tseng's direction.

Genesis shook his head, before giving a loud and shrill whistle. Instantly, the noise died and everyone present, including Tseng, stopped to look at the figure dressed in red. "Alright, people. We've done great so far, and guess what? The hard part's over! All we gotta do now, is go out there, take a bow, smile and wave, so get in position! "

With that, he clapped his hands a couple of times and in seconds, the cast was assembled and ready to face the audience out of character for the first time.

Genesis felt his face automatically shift into a wide smile as he heard the deafening roar of all those in attendance. He noticed Scarlet smiling even wider than he was, the perfect picture of innocent, Blue-eyed damsel in distress. Sour personality and diva-like tendencies aside, she was a good actress, it was just a pity she was a bitch.

Clasping his hand in hers, knowing the supporting cast would be doing the same behind them, he raised both arms above his head and dropped into a low bow at the waist.

Grabbing a mic from an attendant, Genesis waited until the cheers had died down somewhat, before he confidently strode to the edge of the stage. "Thank you, thank you, one and all for joining us on this very special day! "

Smiling once more as the audience erupted in renewed applause, Genesis began to pace across the stage, making sure to make eye-contact with each spectator as he walked. "Ten years ago, A Tale of Destiny debuted on this very stage, and today we stand, after several successful tours and shows across the globe, as one of the top-grossing stage productions in history!"

Taking a moment to catch his breath, the actor went on, "however, as we all know, all good things must come to an end, " he inwardly smirked, as a deathly hush fell over both the audience, and cast and crew behind him. He couldn't have picked a better time to drop this bombshell. "This does not mean the end, " he went on, noticing a quiet murmur pass through the crowd. "Loveless Productions will soon return to open next season with a completely new and original play! And until then, from myself and all those involved in this production, farewell! " he once again lifted Scarlet's and his hands and dropped into a bow.

X X X

No sooner had the curtain been drawn, then Scarlet rounded on Genesis. "What the hell was that? " she demanded. Soon most of the actors had swarmed around Genesis, all asking questions, babbling about whether or not they would be able to keep their jobs. "Like I said, we're gonna take our next project in a completely different direction! New music, new story, everything!"

"What do you mean? " Sephiroth asked, quizzled.

"You'll see, " Genesis replied mysteriously. "For starters, our heroine will completely leave the field of anything we've done. She will be strong, passionate, surreal! "

"Sounds like an impossible character to me, " Scarlet commented, absently puffing on her cigarette.

Genesis turned around smoothly, to regard her with a sardonic smile. "Which is why you won't be playing the female lead this time! "

"What? " Scarlet burst out, dropping her cigarette in shock. "You can't fire me! I've played the lead in the last fifteen productions! "

"I know, " Genesis said, smirking along with the rest of the cast, who had had quite enough of Scarlet's holier-than-thou attitude. "We need someone new, fresh face, someone younger! "

Clearly that was the last straw for the actress, she furiously huffed and spun on her heel and stormed out, stopping only to snap at some poor assistant who was in her way.

"Think you hit a nerve there, boss, " Sephiroth said, watching Scarlet's departure with mild interest.

Genesis gave an indifferent shrug. "She'll get over it, and if she doesn't, so much the better." He began pacing the stage. "First things first, we have to do something about that curtain call! You, boy!" He suddenly rounded on the timid-looking, blond curtain-boy. "What's your name? Stride? Strofe?"

"I-it's Strife, Sir," the boy answered. "Cloud Strife!"

"Well, Clyde Strife," Genesis sneered. "Work on that curtain, it's too sudden, too jerky! I want something smooth, flowing, ethereal! " he finished, lifting his arms up theatrically.

Strife muttered a quick apology, before running off. No doubt going to join an after party to get snot-faced drunk, by Genesis' reckoning.

Angeal cast a worried look at the fleeing curtain-boy's retreating figure, before turning back to Genesis. "Bitchiness aside, Scarlet's got a point. Where on this Planet are you gonna find someone that fits your description? "

"Where indeed, " Genesis mused, rubbing his thumb over his chin.

X X X

"Tifa! "

The young woman lifted her head from the textbook she was pouring over, her face splitting into a warm smile, as she brushed her sleek, long dark hair from her face. "Yeah? "

Her best friend, slash roommate, slash work partner , Aerith came walking in, fluffing her shiny, bubblegum-pink nightgown as she did so. "Studying again? "

Tifa smirked, shifting in the black, midriff-baring tank top and black bikini bottom she wore. "Well, someone's gotta do it! You think I wanna be stuck as a bartender, living with you for the rest of my life? "

Aerith shook her head in amused exasperation, causing her long brown braid to shake. "You know if you'd just listen to me and put those years of ballet and vocal training to use, maybe you wouldn't have to worry about law school! "

Tifa sighed, pushing a few stubborn strands of hair out of her red eyes. "We've been through this! I'm not gonna slap on a leather thong or ridiculously tight corset and prance around a stage like a street side special! Besides, why don't you try it?

"That's what I've been trying to do! " Aerith said, leaning forward, her emerald-green eyes brimming with barely-contained excitement. "Didn't you hear? Genesis Rhapsodos is set to direct and all-new production! And he's looking for a new leading lady! "

"Whoopedi doo!" Tifa replied, going back to her Jurist's Prudence notes.

"Tifa! " Aerith protested. "I mean it! This could really be my big break!"

"Aerith, " Tifa replied, tearing her eyes away from her work. "Not to sound cynical, but the last three auditions have been your 'big break'!"

"So my career had a couple of hiccups, " Aerith replied dismissively. "Genesis Rhapsodos never recasts his roles! This could be a turning point in stage history! "

"You keep talking about this Genesis guy, " Tifa raised an eyebrow. "Should I know him? "

Aerith's jaw dropped so suddenly, Tifa could've sworn she heard a clanking sound. "Only a dramatic genius! He's an acting and writing prodigy! His only the biggest name in theatre! And, " she clasped her hands together and looked at the leaking ceiling with a dreamy expression on her face. "He's the most handsome man in Midgar!"

"Wait," Tifa interrupted, finally putting her books down. "Isn't he the one on your cell phone wallpaper?"

Aerith quickly snatched her phone off the coffee table. "No, he's not! "

"Lemme see! " Tifa demanded, leaping on to the smaller girl. Aerith shrieked in protest as the two women descended into a playful, but violent scuffle for the pink bedazzled cellphone. The end result was Aerith was pinned under Tifa's backside, as the younger girl casually crossed one long, lean leg over the other and browsed through Aerith's personal files, ignoring her furious squirming.

"Jeez, Aerith," Tifa commented. "You have like sixty pictures of this guy! And this is the same guy on the poster you have! That's kinda stalker-ish!"

"Give it back, Tifa! " Aerith howled.

"Oooooh," Tifa laughed. "You have a separate folder called Shirtless Genesis! And there's one hundred and fifty images inside!"

With a final, desperate wiggle, Aerith managed to get out from under the buxom brunette. She collapsed, wheezing, as Tifa effortlessly skipped away.

Tifa gave a last giggle, before tossing her friend's phone back at her. "He's cute! "

Aerith didn't reply, just gave an exasperated sigh.

"What? " Tifa asked, following her gaze. She gave an annoyed growl, and stormed over to the window to see to jocks, half naked, and drunk despite it only being nine a.m. "Hey! " she shouted. "If you don't mind, we wanna take our clothes off and get dirty! So we'd appreciate a little privacy! " she hurriedly drew the drapes, a little more violently than she had meant to.

Aerith rolled her eyes. "Assholes! I really thought they learnt their lesson after I beat the last guy up with my umbrella!"

"I guess some pricks never learn, " Tifa huffed. "Remind me why we decided to live in this cramped up apartment block again? "

"Well, you wanted to be a lawyer, and I wanted to be a rocking superstar. Unfortunately, we're both broke, so this had to do, " Aerith replied, shuffling through Tifa's mess to find a Midgar's Fashion magazine.

"Huh, " Tifa replied with a shrug. "You make your goals sound so much better! "

"Well at least mind doesn't involve having to deal with lowlife, petty criminals, a corrupt justice system and tight-suit asswipes!" Aerith quipped, paging through the magazine.

"Yeah, but you have to deal with constant streams of losers that wanna sell pictures of you in compromising situations to magazines like that one, " Tifa countered, eyeing the glossy publication with distaste. "Not to mention, pointless, fickle existence, sexual harassment and potential career suicide! "

"No one's dream is perfect, " Aerith replied, annoyed by Tifa's pessimism. "Speaking of which, I'm auditioning at Genesis' studio at five? Wanna join me for moral support? "

"Uhhhh," Tifa's mind raced to find a viable excuse. "I gotta shower, then I need to get to the gym to give my MMA class, and on top of that i need to study, so I don't think I'll make it! "

"Tifa Marie Lockhart!" Aerith shouted, standing up and ignoring her fallen magazine. "I have been in a slump for the last two years! I've had to deal with criticism beyond compare, rejection at every turn and at the last two auditions I didn't get the parts because my boobs are too small! So forgive me if all I ask is just a little support! " her voice reached such a high pitch at the end, Tifa had to cover her ears.

"Alright, alright! " Tifa conceded. "If it's that important to you, lady, I'll come! "

Aerith gave a dangerous intake of air. "Great! " she said, with a remarkable return to her usually bubbly disposition. "Only, please dress appropriately! "

Tifa raised an eyebrow. "Meaning?"

"No bra-less, strapless or skirts above the thighs, " Aerith said, with the air of a teacher rattling off examination rules

Tifa blinked. "But then I won't have anything to wear. Unless you rather I show up in my birthday suit."

"Tifa!"

"Relax! " Tifa said, giving her a playful slap on the arm. "I'm only kidding! I will see you at five today, so you just psyche yourself up in the mean time! Now can I have my shower? "

Aerith tried to keep a straight face, but soon her facade broke and she smiled. "You may, " she said with a sweep of her arm.

"Excellent! " Tifa said, punching the air, before rushing off to their shared bathroom. "Oh and by the way, Aerith. I used your shampoo last week, really makes your hair soft! "

X X X

Author's Note: Enjoyed it? Hated it? Let me know with a review!