Final Fantasy VII: Lifestream - An Unofficial Novelization

[Jairus]

Well, here it is! The last chapter of Book One. I went back and did some revisions across the whole story as well. Mostly minor, just tweaking things here and rephrasing things a little there, not enough to greatly change much in most cases but simply to make things flow better. I see writing as being like art, with the page being my canvas and the language, words, phrases, and letters as brushes. Sometimes you've got to do a bit of touching up before you're really happy with a piece, and that's the case with me.

There were sizable portions of a couple chapters that I did greatly change, because I wasn't satisfied with how they had originally turned out. Notably, Chapters 13 and 14, involving the AVALANCHE trio's fate - especially Jessie's. I extended Biggs' and Wedge's last scenes a bit and completely reworked much of Jessie's, though her final end is still the same. But how she gets there is different this time, as is much of her last conversation with Cloud and Tifa.

And I reworked Tifa's thoughts of the trio in Chapter 14 as well. I say all this because those events from Chapter 13 - Jessie's fate, in particular - are mentioned late in this chapter, and if you haven't read the revised version of Chapter 13 first - at least that part of it - it might throw you off a little. But if you've read Chapter 13 since 10/6/19, you'll be fine. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy the conclusion to Book One!

TWENTY-ONE - PDF | FF.NET | AO3

Also, if anyone would be interested in having a single PDF of all of Book One, just let me know and I'll post it in here for everyone to download.

 

[Jairus]

Well, here's the Book One PDF I mentioned before if anyone wants it. Made cover art to go with it, too. You can see it inside the spoiler tags, so check it out! I hope you like it!

BOOK ONE: MIDGAR

 

[Jairus]

Interlude and Chapter One of Book Two are up! The group arrives in Kalm, and Cloud begins his long tale of Nibelheim.

• INTERLUDE - PDF | FF.NET | AO3
• ONE - PDF | FF.NET | AO3

 

[Jairus]

Chapter Two of Book Two is up! The story of Nibelheim continues as Cloud and Sephiroth make a dark discovery on Mt. Nibel.

• TWO - PDF | FF.NET | AO3

 

[Jairus]

Just posted Book Two, Chapter Three! Cloud brings his tale of Nibelheim to its terrible conclusion, and as he and his friends begin to prepare for their long journey, they also hear of a certain troublesome young ninja thief that's been seen in the area. Check it out!

• THREE - PDF | FF.NET | AO3

 

[Jairus]

Book Two, Chapter Four is up now! Cloud and the gang's first run-in with that spunky ninja thief they've been hearing about, with Red chasing her all across Kalm in the process. Will they catch her, or will she get away? Find out!

FOUR - PDF | FF.NET | AO3

 

[Jairus]

Just posted Boot Two, Chapter Five! The journey from Kalm to the Chocobo Farm, with lots of character moments in between and a look at a typical day in the gang's travels. I hope you like it!

FIVE - PDF | FF.NET | AO3

 

[Jairus]

Finally finished Book Two, Chapter Six! Sorry for the long wait, been working on a mod for the PC version of FFVII as well - I've got a couple creative FF projects I'm doing at the same time, including this story, so it's a bit of a juggling act sometimes. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter! Chocobo wrangling and the beginning of the journey through the marshes!

SIX - PDF | FF.NET | AO3

 

[Jairus]

Book 2, Chapter 7 is up! The second half of the group's long and dangerous journey through the marshlands, with a foreboding sight at its end and unexpected help along the way. Don't miss it!

SEVEN - PDF | FF.NET | AO3

 

[Glaurung]

Looks smashing, dude. I find it very interesting how you use the first person POV, and I'm curious about how you will manage the segment where cloud is out of the group.

Also, it's a titanic piece of work

 

[Jairus]

Looks smashing, dude. I find it very interesting how you use the first person POV, and I'm curious about how you will manage the segment where cloud is out of the group.

Also, it's a titanic piece of work

Thanks, I appreciate it! It's first person, but not just from Cloud, and that's how I'll manage that part of the game. Everyone in the main group (aside from Aerith, for obvious reasons) as well as a couple others takes turns telling different parts of the story. Often the POV will shift within a single chapter, sometimes more than once. You'll know by the divisions between sections, and I've tried to give everyone their own distinct voice and style when they do it, so you can tell who it is even without being told.

It's a big project, but I do mean to finish it. I'm almost halfway through Book Two now, more or less, and there'll probably end up being about five or six books in total by the time it's done. I did the covers myself, too, using images from the remake and a couple from AC:C as well. My progress has slowed down some lately, as I'm also working on a mod for the PC version of the game which uses many (but not all) of the dialogue changes I've made in Lifestream as part of a script revision along with many other features. I'll put a thread up for it here at TLS and Quimm when I'm ready to show what I've got so far.

 

[Jairus]

Here's an art piece by Odysseus showing one of the new scenes in Lifestream, Jessie's breakdown inside the Sector 4 plate early in Book One when the weight of what she's done becomes too much for her:

Spoiler: Cloud and Jessie inside the Sector 4 plate

https://www.deviantart.com/thestrif...n-Cloud-827032464?ga_submit_new=10:1579075798

Very nice work, Ody!

 

[Odysseus]

Wait fuck it was sector 4 not 5? Oops.

 

[Jairus]

It's okay, it was just outside Reactor 5, so no big deal. It was probably close to Sector 5 anyway.

 

[Jairus]

I updated the cover art for Book Two using the new Sephiroth render and wallpaper that were released a while back. I hope you guys like it!

 

[Glaurung]

I updated the cover art for Book Two using the new Sephiroth render and wallpaper that were released a while back. I hope you guys like it!

Effing WOW!

 

[Jairus]

Thanks, MD. Glad you like it!

 

[Jairus]

Book Two, Chapter Eight is up! The trek through the Mythril Mines and another encounter with the Turks, including Elena's debut. I hope you all enjoy it!

EIGHT - PDF | FF.NET | AO3

 

[Jairus]

I've been working on a major revision/partial rewrite for Book One, which is why there haven't been any new chapters lately. Also because I started working on Reflections, the partner story to Lifestream. I won't be posting the revision until it's finished, though, so as to avoid any confusion, but I did post a teaser for the new Chapter One on FF.NET and AO3 to help tide you guys over for a while. Enjoy!

Author's Note/Teaser - FF.NET | AO3

 

[Windkaze]

I can't read it know but i love the covers and i think the content will be awesome.

 

[Windkaze]

I'll be waiting for the new version

I've been working on a major revision/partial rewrite for Book One, which is why there haven't been any new chapters lately. Also because I started working on Reflections, the partner story to Lifestream. I won't be posting the revision until it's finished, though, so as to avoid any confusion, but I did post a teaser for the new Chapter One on FF.NET and AO3 to help tide you guys over for a while. Enjoy!

Author's Note/Teaser - FF.NET | AO3

 

[Jairus]

Just begun posting the rewrite - it's still based on the OG, but with elements of the remake mixed in along with a lot of new content to form a new and expanded interpretation of the journey. Cloud and the others still tell it in their own words, so the style is very similar. I hope you enjoy it!

FOREWORD - PDF | FF.NET | AO3
ONE - PDF | FF.NET | AO3
TWO - PDF | FF.NET | AO3

 

[Windkaze]

Great! You and Gallagher are giving a lot of work to me xD
I'm waiting your new version of the history

Just begun posting the rewrite - it's still based on the OG, but with elements of the remake mixed in along with a lot of new content to form a new and expanded interpretation of the journey. Cloud and the others still tell it in their own words, so the style is very similar. I hope you enjoy it!

 

[Jairus]

Chapter 3 is up! Cloud and Jessie return from their first day of working together, and she makes both a request and an invitation. In the meantime, Tifa and Wedge chat about the new merc in town.

THREE - PDF | FF.NET | AO3

 

[Jairus]

Chapter 4 - Two weeks after arriving in Midgar, Cloud travels with Jessie across the slums, where they run into something from her past, destroy an eater nest, and face a deadly encounter.

FOUR - PDF | FF.NET | AO3