Consider this a cleansing. So long, my Sues. Oh, and the traits here are a composite. If I've ganked your Sue, then sorry. Anyone you remember from FF7 is of Square Enix. Anyone you don't I made up, but you can keep Sakura. Really. Oh, and some FFT love in the hizzy.


The full moon shone brightly over the city as the couple made their way towards the Pagoda and glory. They had cut a bloody path through Wutai and would now destroy this city and any of the spirit left in this rebellious nation. The female smirked at her companion and went forward.

She was in the traditional garb of the Wutanese ninja: a black leather halter top, tight black pants, and black leather boots reaching to the knee with just the right amount of heel. Long black gloves with no finger tips adorned her arms, as did armlets cramed with mastered materia. Being a general of Soldier certainly had it's advantages. You could turn your uniform into whatever you wanted, and giving honorable respect to the enemy she was going to decimate was as good a thing as any. As she moved, her long silver hair that flowed down to her knees swayed softly in the autumn evening breeze. Her sharp eyes, a brilliant gold and adorned with a purple eyeshadow, were now carefully watching for movements of the enemy.

"My goddess," came a deep, rich voice from behind her. Her partner. "Is everything all right?"

She smiled sweetly. "Please, Seph," she chided, "Call me Sakura while we're on a mission." He always seemed to forget his professional side whenever he was with her. She just had that effect on him. But Sakura Ammaphystia Neko Starlight, Commandress of Soldier, knew better.

---

Akira hated patrol duty. But since he was young, he always got the worst jobs, being vice-captain nonwithstanding. The monotony was broken whenever he visted Lady Okubo and Yuffie-hime, but that wasn't enough to make him even tolerate it.

A sickeningly sweet scent attacked his nostrils, nearly causing him to collapse. When he recovered, he saw a pair of silver and black blobs through still watery eyes. Damn. As if things weren't bad enough, now he was going to get killed by the Silver Ogre. At least he'd die defending Wutai, which was a death that seemed noble enough.

---

Sakura caught sight of the samurai walking towards them before Sephiroth did, because she was just good like that. He had to be someone important. No one would be stupid enough to be out while the two Generals of Soldier were attacking. He was young and not too bad looking, she thought. It was such a shame that he'd be crying for mercy soon.

She had decided that although he was weaker than she was, he still diserved to be challenged before she kicked his ass. She proceeded to address him in her perfectly accented Wutanese: "You! I, Sakura Ammaphystia Neko Starlight, Commandress of Soldier, hereby challenge you to a duel! Accept, or face a dishonorable defeat!"

Akira blinked. He was very sure that the woman did not mean to say "Neko neko wai wai kawaii ai shiteru!" He was also very sure that she had to be cold in her clothes, or better put, lack thereof. He was disturbed at the fact that cherry blossom petals were being strewn about, since it was autumn. He was most disturbed that he was still alive, but that could have been because the fearsome Silver Ogre was now hanging behind this... this... warrior like a timid animal.

"Well," Sakura continued, still in Wutanese. "State your name and rank so that I know how good you are and then can kick your ass!" She drew her faithful masamune, Angel's Wing, and held it menacingly.

After hearing a shout of "Hidoi kawaii neko neko sugoi, shimatta!", Akira was beginning to doubt the woman's sanity. The drawn nodachi, however, he understood clearly.

"I bet you think I'm weak, just because I'm a woman!" Ugh, it was always the same. No one had ever believed in her. Just like her stupid parents, and those jerks she was in Solder training with, and now Wutai. The only one that ever knew she would do it was Sephy, and that's why she loved him.

So she spoke Standard. What a relief. Akira had decided that enough was enough. His Standard would be terrible, but anything was better than listening to her speaking randomly. "The leader of my group is female, but that really is not the point."

Sakura blinked. He tricked her! He knew Standard all along, and had forced her to go to the dictionary--er, think in another language for that long! Oh, he was so going to get his ass kicked. "Well, state your rank, then! I bet that Godo sent you to us because you were the best warrior he had!"

Akira sighed. This was like The Tale of Heike, only more bizzare. "I am a vice-captain. I am of the Fujiwara family, who are not of high rank. I only saw you because I was sent to patrol the streets. This was unexpected." If this turned out anything like The Tale of Heike, she'd move on, disgusted that he was so low. Akira prayed for it. The smell radiating from her was going to make him faint soon.

"Fujiwara... Fujiwara..." The woman brightened. "Oh, I know! You've got a brother named Sai, right?"

"I am an only son."

"So... you don't have a brother who's a go master?"

"As I said, I am an only son." And I'm horrible at go his mind added as an afterthought. "Since I'm low ranking, I suppose that you would want a better duel somewhere else."

"You mean I can't even pratice before I go and kick Godo's sorry ass? Not FAIR!" Sakura stomped her foot
to emphasise the unfairness of it all. How could it be that the best Soldier on Gaea didn't always get the best fights?

It took all of Akira's discipline not to look down at her chest. He knew that the strappy contraption wrapped around her was going to fall off soon, especially if she continued having those kind of tantrums. "It is autumn. Would it not be better if you dressed for the season?"

"This is the traditional garb of the Wutanese ninja! It shows that I respect your heritage, even though I'm going to kill you all!" She sighed and adjusted her halter top. "Like, how stupid can you get?"

Akira didn't reply. The image of his old lord in the same costume had entered his mind. The unflattering results are best not described, but were enough to render the samurai speechless.

Sakura glared at him. He wasn't saying anything, though he was looking at her rather strangely. Oh noes! It could only mean that he was going to rape her! And right in front of Sephy, too! Just let him try something, she thought. Sephy will destroy him.

Akira wondered why the woman hadn't attacked yet. He also wondered when the Silver Ogre was going to snap out of that stupor and do something productive, like killing him. Akira's hand slowly reached back towards his hilt, hoping the finger movements would be subtle enough for the harpy and the lapdog not to notice.

"Well, then, if you're not gonna fight me, then go and tell us where to find some big name samurai!"

Akira snapped into attention. "Eh, you could try the Pagoda of the Five Mighty Gods." Considering that gods one through four were on separate fronts and the fifth was in his home, the attempt would prove fruitless. By that time he'd be back in the barracks, hopefully on his third sake or so, telling everyone about this absurd meeting.

"Five Mighty Gods? All right. Sephy!" She yanked the Ogre's long hair, dragging him off by it. "We're off!"

Akira hoped she wouldn't notice the Poison spell on her until well into a battle with a "more worthy opponent".