A Chance for Change

"Hey look, it's Sephiroth!" Jenny shouted excitedly pointing her finger at the screen as Zack ran up to the man with long, silver hair, blue-green eyes with cat-slits, and a giant black wing keeping him suspended in the air.

"You do realize he's nuts right about now, right?" I said, turning to her smirking. I always envied my friend Jenny for her looks: Shoulder-length, wavy red hair that lit aflame in the sun, with perfect ivory skin, a tiny waist, and eyes of emerald green. She always was the pretty one, and me? Well, I'm just plain. Eyes of chestnut brown, a few acne here and there, long golden-brown hair(which I personally think as my best feature), medium tan skin and a pudgy waist. I'm about size fourteen, so I'm not fat-fat, but still it's nothing compared to Jenny. "Ah who cares? Nuts, psychopath? He's dreamy!" She sighed, folding her hands in a dream-like fashion. "I'd let him skewer me any day." I rolled my eyes, turning my attention to the screen as Zack said something, but for some strange reason his voice mumbled to silence. My vision of Zack holding his gigantic sword towards Sephiroth blurred. "Marie?" I snapped my head up startled, whipping toward Jenny in bewilderment. "Are you okay? Sephiroth's going to beat you in no time if blank out like that!" I turned to the screen to see to my surprise that the fight had already begun. "Crap!" My thumbs began beating down the buttons as I try to regain control.—

A young maiden, wearing a pink dress that buttons up in the middle along with a red, short-sleeved half jacket, smiled to herself gently as she attended to her flowers; her pink ribbon bouncing with every movement. Aerith! "*GASP*" Aerith breathed whipping her head up toward the sky so hard, her long brown braid and side ringlets whipped her in the face. Aerith's startled green eyes calmed as she recognized the voice. Yes? We have some news about the future of this planet. Aerith faltered, then frowned confused. The Planet never tells her anything about the future, and for good reason, so…why now? What do you wish to tell me? A great darkness lies ahead, Sephiroth's heart will be plagued with the evil of she who comes from the void. Who is this 'she' that comes from the void? The one, whose cells are used to make SOLDIERs and had made Sephiroth, himself, the way he is now: JENOVA… Aerith's eyes widen in horror as the Planet revealed the horrifying image of a blue-skinned woman with snow-white hair, one eye was white as an angel's wing itself, but the other was red, red as blood and glowed as a demons. Aerith collapsed to the ground, the flowers rustling around her: so much, so much evil had come from that woman that it made Aerith's knees weak.

Never before had she ever sensed so much evil, not even from the crooks down here in the slums. She is the one who will plague Sephiroth's heart and mind; manipulating him to the point of insanity. She'll use him as a tool to claim this world as her own and you will be killed by his hand-"No!" Aerith breathed in horror, her eyes turning into saucers.-There is but one loud like this, she'd be considered insane, but now how people thought of her sanity isn't important, anymore. "What should I do?" –We will send her to you, a girl not from this world or the next. She is our one hope for your survival. We want you, Aerith, to lead her to the ShinRa building-"But you said if I went anywhere near them, they would kidnap me and hold me hostage!" Aerith shouted in horror.-That is true, they will-Aerith's face fell in dismay. "Then how will I be able to contact you?" Her voice cracked as tears rolled down her face.-You must not go within fifty yards radius near that building. Merely point it to her when it comes into view and tell her to head for it. Understand? Aerith's eyes, brimmed with tears, widen in hope then narrowed as the duty before her weighed on her shoulders. She gave a stiff nod, saying: "I understand, I will do as you ask." She folded her hands in prayer and bowed her head. ---

"Crap!" I grumbled as the words game over appeared on the screen, crossing my arms. "Told you he'd beat ya!" Jenny said cheerfully. "I knew that already!" I snarled. "Stupid, prepped up, long haired bastard!" Jenny giggled as I turned off the Playstation 3. "You have to go back home?" She asked, noticing me taking my backpack and math-book. I turned to her with a smile: "Yeah, mom will be mad at me if I come back late again, so see ya!" I ran out of her room.

"Bye!" Jenny called after me as I burst out their front door. Crap what time is it? I looked down at my watch: 4:55 p.m. I smiled. Good it's not six yet! I better hurry if I want supper. Green lights flashed across my vision, blinding me. "What the--?!" The light dimmed revealing a blonde young woman with blue eyes, wearing a garment of shields appeared in front of me. She held a staff in her hand, a smile gracing her lips. I looked at the green flowing lights around me, my eyes widen: The Lifestream?! I'm in the Lifestream? But it's just a game! No way this can't be real. As if reading my thoughts the lady's expression turned to amused as she pointed to my right. I looked at her dubiously, she gave an encouraging nod. I walked in the direction of her finger, something grabbed my body. My eyes widen in horror as the invisible hand dragged into the direction I was headed at a scary speed. A bloodcurdling scream, escaped my throat and echoed all around me as I fell into darkness…

"Hellooo!" A familiar woman's voice sounded above me. "Hellooooooooo!" My eyes opened, my vision blurred then focused. Aerith's relieved face broke into a smile, as she placed a hand on her chest, releasing a sigh: "Oh good, for a minute there I thought the Planet hadn't been gentle enough!" I looked up at her, blinking in disbelief. "Huh? 0_0" Aerith smiled pointing to the ceiling. "The Planet sent you here through the Lifestream and you fell from there!" She explained. "Wait a minute!" I stammered. "How could the Lifestream bring me here?! Wait-how am I here-how am I…talking to you?-this is impossible!-" I whirled away from Aerith. "-That's it Marie! No more Final Fantasy games for you." "Final Fantasy games?" I turned to a confused Aerith. "Uh, nevermind!" I said quickly, waving my hands animatedly. Aerith paused for a moment still confused, but looked as though to be listening. She's talking to the Planet! I realized in surprise. "Ah, now I understand what you meant 'not from this world or the next'." She replied, smiling, then looked up at me. "I know it's hard to understand at the moment, but we need your help, uh…?" "Marie," I introduced myself. "Ah, Marie. We need your help in preventing Sephiroth from… turning evil." She lowered her eyes worriedly to the church floor. "How can I help?" I asked in disbelief.

"I'm nowhere near him and he probably won't talk to me, plus I have no idea how to get to the ShinRa building. (I'm pretty sure that the city in real life is actually more confusing than in the game." Aerith rose her eyes to me and stepped forward. "I will lead you to the ShinRa building as close as I can." She answered, her green eyes reminding me of Jenny's, I felt a pang of homesickness. "But I have to go home! Mom will ground me!" I stated. Aerith looked at me sadly, then paused listening, then answered: "If you do this for the planet, they will send you home at the exact time that you have left. They promise." I lowered my eyes. "And if I refuse? Let me guess they won't send me home, will they?" Aerith shook her head no. "I'm sorry, but we're a bit desperate; I'm sure the planet will make you as comfortable as possible." I lowered my eyes to the ground with a defeated sigh. "Alright, tell me this plan that the Planet has for me."