Final Fantasy VII Novel

by puddles123

A thorough novelization of the majority of the game's first 'Act', which takes place entirely in Midgar.

4. Chapter 4: Corruption

Chapter 4 - Corruption

Cloud took one turn after another as he followed Aeris' tracks. Soon, all around him, he noticed signs etched into metal. Some were propped up against the side of the road, others on metal plates simply lying around. Wall Market. He ran down into a tunnel ahead, a giant segmented tube. Inside, it was paved and modified into a road that the carriage, and Aeris, must have followed. When he emerged on the other side, Cloud skidded to a stop.

Ramshackle houses and dilapidated shacks grew out of the walls like caves in a cliff face. All around him were busy shops and glitzy scenery, a flashy bazaar set up against the wall as a sort of trading hub between sectors. The scene was abuzz with activity. The dirtied denizens of the slums perused stalls and wares, browsing among tents and shacks set atop dirt mounds and hills of metal. In all directions, signs and advertisements of all colors burned forth, covering the area in a dizzying jungle of neon light. Cloud tried vainly to pick out Aeris from among the many shoppers. Dozens of stalls and hundreds of people blocked his view. Nearby, he heard one heckler call out to passerby, dressed all in dusty brown.

"Earth shattering Materia in the palm of your hand! Come by Teel's for a taste of power!"

Across the way, a red-haired trinket salesman called out interestedly to a young man and his pretty girlfriend.

"That's quite a looker you've got there, my boy! Take her to the Don's place and you'll score a bundle!"

Insulted, the girl stormed off into the crowd. Her boyfriend followed, trying desperately to console her. The young man turned, shooting a glare at the shopkeeper. With a shrug, the merchant ignored him and looked back to his stash of goods. He resumed moving various baubles into a vaguely aesthetic assortment. Nearby to Cloud, a grungy man with oily gray hair started rummaging through a garbage can, clearly hoping for a free meal. Cloud began to stride through the people walking to and fro, moving each person gently but firmly to one side. Those who complained only had to gaze at the sword on his back to realize that they had pressing business elsewhere. Where was Aeris? Finally, he saw her.

Aeris was staring at a large building ahead. She stood at a cautious distance from its entrance, peeking at the structure from behind a faded red vending machine. In front of the building, bright pink fluorescent lights blinked on and off, casting an intermittent glow of blinding magenta throughout the area. Aeris turned, giving Cloud a short, tight smile of acknowledgment as he moved next to her. He didn't have to ask why she was there. Tifa must have come this way. Together, they inspected the building,

The neon lights gave the building an illusion of nonchalance and flamboyant character. But, watching closely, Cloud could detect more going on beneath the facade. Around the exterior, well-built men in closely cropped suits and dark glasses busied themselves playing cards and talking amongst themselves, pretending to be occupied as they clandestinely kept a close watch on the area. At the entrance, a small group of young women were escorted inside by a few of the men in suits, their scantily clad bodies eliciting hoots and calls from the men nearby.

Suddenly, both Cloud and Aeris flinched as a loud bang erupted close to them. A trash can rolled aimlessly down the path, kicked over by a staggering and drunk old man. With a gap-toothed smile, he made to follow the girls, his arms open wide as he advanced. Near to the entrance, a man with a solid black mohawk spoke into the base of his palm. Immediately, two of the guards with the group of women doubled back. Without warning, they swiftly grabbed the drunk's arms with sudden force. Ignoring his loud complaints, they took him into an alley around the corner. Cloud grimaced as he heard muffled thumps and the sound of metal on bone. He glanced at Aeris out of the corner of his eye and then gave a mental sigh of relief. She seemed not to hear it.

Aeris turned to him, her face and eyes beginning to light up in understanding.

"Is this the kind of place I think it is?"

As if to confirm her suspicions, a passionate and melodramatic squeal cascaded out of a window from far above. Immediately, Aeris' face turned red. At the same time, the guard who had spoken into his cuff spotted Cloud, and walked forward to confront them. Cloud strode out from behind the vending machine and stared at him without emotion. The man put a hand up in front of them.

"This is the mansion of Don Corneo, the most powerful man in Wall Market. He's not into men, so I hope you plan on selling this girl here. If not, then leave. Otherwise, I'm going to have to call my boys over and beat the crap out of you."

Cloud's glare turned icy. Next to him, Aeris emerged, giving the man a sheepish smile. She put her arm between Cloud's, dragging him away from the mansion. Catcalls and derogatory comments followed in their wake. It was only after they were two blocks away that she stopped pulling. Cloud looked at her questioningly and she shrugged.

"I didn't want a fight. I figured it would be best if we thought this over first."

He agreed. Together, they gazed at the pink luminescence in the distance. Cloud leaned against the brick wall to the side of the alleyway. Aeris patted her dress free of dust as she furrowed her brow in thought.

"Are you sure that was Tifa?"

Cloud gave a short nod. She looked at the mansion, puzzled.

"But, why is she here?"

Cloud shook his head.

"We need to find out who this Don Corneo guy is."

The shack could hardly be called an inn, yet that was just what it was. A wooden sign dangled weakly from the top of the lamp post nearby, its letters corroded and blackened by years of exposure to the pollutants of Midgar. The corrugated steel of the outside walls could be seen through flecks of peeling brown paint, as if it was shedding what was left of its humanity. Cloud walked to the entrance. He held Aeris' hand behind him, her face slightly smudged by the gray grit of travel and dust. Without a word, he stiff armed the screen doorway, slamming it to one side as he strode in.

Within, a long and dark steel counter split the room in two. Behind it, a fat and grizzled bartender scrubbed a glass with a metal sponge. He seemed not to acknowledge their entrance, murmuring to himself as they approached. A menagerie of ripped bar stools sat against the counter, all unoccupied except for the one furthest away from the doorway. That seat was occupied by a drooping middle-aged man deep in his cups. A pale blue cap adorned his head, pulled almost completely over his eyes, long ragged grey hair scattered across his back. He gazed over at Cloud and Aeris as they entered, his eyes reddened from either lack of sleep or too much drink.

Cloud casually sat down next to the unkempt man as Aeris slipped uncertainly onto the seat by the ex-SOLDIER. Silent, Cloud motioned for the bartender to give the regular a drink. As Cloud waited, he slammed some coins on to the counter, pushing them slowly towards the man at his side. The middle-aged man gazed at the ex-SOLDIER with a mixture of incredulity and fear. He sat expectantly, waiting for Cloud explain what on earth was going on.

"Don Corneo."

The man raised his eyebrows. Cloud continued.

"Who is he?"

The bartender placed a beer down. Drinking deeply from his new glass of swill, the middle-aged man glanced surreptitiously at Cloud..

"He owns Wall Market. He is Wall Market."

Cloud stared at the man, clearly expecting more. The man took another quick swig.

"He's an infamous dilettante, a man who dabbles in what I call illegal. Drugs, prostitution... you name it. Y'see Wall Market was all his idea. It's his own little domain, a trading hub between sectors that rakes in loads of dough from those wanting an escape from the slum life of Midgar's underbelly. And he makes a pretty penny from each and every transaction that goes on here. Protection money, y'see. And this has gone on for years... decades even!" The man took another drink, "But y'see, now... now he wants to settle down and is in the market for a bride. So he's havin' pretty girls from all sectors parade themselves before him in the hopes that they'll get picked. A life with the Don would be demanding, but it would be a life of luxury compared to all this."

He gestured around him lazily with one arm. The wall behind him was covered in decayed photographs and filth. The bartender glared at the man with milky eyes glazed over with age and infirmity. The drunk leaned closer to Cloud, his breath exuding a foul aroma of cheap beer. His eyes skittered from side to side, as if he was about to share some melodramatic secret. Cloud didn't budge. The man whispered loudly, his rancid breath passing across Cloud's senses.

"Rumor has it that he is in cahoots with Shinra."

Cloud measured the man for a moment, and then placed some more coins on to the table. The man gazed at them greedily.

"Y'see, the Don has information that Shinra wants, so his regulars have been replaced with Shinra guardsmen as part of the deal, for protection. At least... that is what the rumor on the street is. Seems pretty apparent to me."

Cloud nodded, rising to his feet. Aeris rose as well, looking to Cloud for guidance. He gathered her hand in his and they both walked from the inn out back into the urban jungle. Behind them, the drunk gave them a bleary-eyed salute, the yellowed drink next to him sloshing within its glass.

Cloud and Aeris found themselves watching the hustle and bustle of people from a set of flimsy chairs, watching the world move by. They sat by a decrepit table, outside of a closed restaurant nearby. Aeris played idly with a lock of her shiny brown hair as Cloud mused inwardly, thinking of what to do next.

"I can't bust in there. It'll be too loud. Too much commotion."

Aeris shrugged as if she already knew, looking pleased with herself about something. Cloud stared at her for a moment, then finally decided to ask.

"What?"

She trailed her fingers along the top of the table, outlining invisible shapes as she gazed at him out of the corner of her eye.

"What if... you dress up as a woman to get inside the mansion?"

Cloud looked at her as if she was crazy.

"What?"

Aeris tried to stifle a giggle, failing utterly.

"It's the only way!" she said, obviously entertained.

Cloud sat there, actually considering. It might be the only way. Finally, he leaned forward, his eyes as cold and forbidding as the pale light of the lamps nearby.

"No. Not going to happen."

Suddenly, their conversation was broken as a muffled explosion pierced the din of the crowd. Various trinkets fell from stalls and blew across the dusty streets as a low shock wave shook the area. All around, people recoiled and ducked for cover. The lamplight nearby flickered uncertainly, bulbs fizzing and popping as power struggled to maintain itself. Cloud and Aeris looked at each other. That explosion had come from the mansion. Cloud rose, pushing his way through the crowd with Aeris following in his wake.

They arrived unprepared for the scene that awaited them. The neon lights were powerless, casting the nearby area in a gray pallor as dozens of men in suits and shades scrambled to keep away onlookers. A few guards opened the main door. Four screaming women emerged from the entrance and flung themselves into the crowd, desperate to escape something. The guards were completely unable to stop them. Instead, some went within the entrance, shutting the door closed behind them.

Cloud cast a glance to Aeris at his side. She gave him a small, private smile.

"Here's our chance, Cloud. Let's go in and get Tifa while they are too distracted to give us their full attention."

With a grim smile, Cloud drew his sword, bringing it into an attack ready position in front of him. Aeris squeezed her staff as she held it before her. Together, they advanced on the entrance.

One of the guards saw them. He detached himself from the harried group at the front, very deliberately drawing a small sub-machine gun from the dark folds of his coat as he marched up in front of them. Cloud slammed his titanic weapon point first into the ground with a clang, patting his hands together and cleaning them of dust as he stared at the guardsman. Visibly intimidated, the man whispered something into his coat cuff and then prepared to launch into a tirade. But, before he could speak, he was brutally interrupted.

The silver rod whirred through the air, slamming into the hand holding the gun with a crack of metal on bone. The man howled in pain as he fell to his knees, nursing his injured forearm with the other. Cursing at them, he reached out for the gun. With surprising speed, Aeris' staff quickly rang against the side of his head. Unconscious, he hit the ground face first without another sound.

Cloud looked at Aeris in astonishment. She gave him a slight smile, placing a few strands of hair back behind one ear.

"What? Thought I couldn't take care of myself?"

Shaking his head, he moved to the door of the mansion. The crowd silently moved out of his way as Aeris followed. The people could not look away as the duo walked past. On one side, the tall spiky-blonde ex-SOLDIER advanced like a demon out of myth, a massive two handed blade held in front of him as big as he was. His eyes smoked with controlled fury, with a blood-lust not yet sated. On the other, the determined young woman approached. A tight pink dress hugged her body, a terrible beauty to match her terrible power, her silver staff shining with lethal intent, its tip bloody. They both came to a stop in front of the guards, their weapons at the ready. Behind the guards, the doorway trembled slightly, as if from a sudden wind.

The guards looked at each other, their thoughts unseen behind shades as black as night. As one, they nodded.

They drew their weapons with astonishing speed. Cloud grabbed something from his pocket, his hand a blur.

The guards stood in place, holding pistols and Uzis as the ready. Cloud's fist extended towards the guards. Aeris could do nothing but stare, her eyes round as dinner plates. Bright light shone from him, his arm wreathed in coruscating bands of lightning and white fire. Hesitantly, Aeris looked between the two confronting forces, unsure what to do. Cloud's words rang out above the crackles and pops emerging from his fist, his voice as deep as a distant rumbling thundercloud.

"Leave now, or I'll blast you all to a cinder."

For a moment, the guards froze in place, their weapons still readied. Then, slowly, they let them lower down to their sides. They walked away, their eyes focused on the ex-SOLDIER. Cloud kept an eye on each of them as they vanished, not letting his guard down for an instant until they all disappeared. Finally, the last one stepped away through an alley nearby. Cloud let himself relax, the summoned lightning dissipated as he called for it no longer. Aeris let out a breath she hadn't known she had been holding, sighing with relief.

Taking the lead, Cloud motioned Aeris behind him. He placed an ear to the hard wooden doorway leading into the mansion. On the other side he could hear muffled crashes and thumps. He glanced back at Aeris. Despite the tension, she was not panicking, not worried. She gave him a determined nod along with a vaguely sheepish smile, as if ashamed of her own nerve. He gave her a small smile of appreciation, then hardened his heart for whatever lay ahead. Turning back to the doorway, he drew back, then gave the door a single crashing kick.

The door burst open, shooting shards and planks of wood across the floor. Inside was a scene of complete devastation. Cloud looked around in awe. Bullet holes riddled a room carpeted scarlet, the walls themselves covered with lewd pictures intermixed with smoking holes. The cherry wood desk where a receptionist would sit was covered with torn papers and an unconscious guard, his head lying down upon them. His dark shades were crumpled and broken beside his face. A stairwell to the upper level ran around each side of the room, connecting to an open hallway that ran far above the receptionist's desk below. The pathway leading to the base of the stairs was strewn with groaning and moving bodies, guards thoroughly thrashed and defeated by some unstoppable force. As Cloud's gaze turned upward, he discovered precisely just what that force was.

There she stood on the floor above, dressed once more in her white tank top and short black combat-ready miniskirt. Her feet managed to find perfect balance as she fought ferociously with two guards nearby. The banister preventing them from falling was gone, an unexpected casualty in a contest of jabs, powerful elbows, and lightning fast kicks. So she fought on the edge of the hallway above the lobby below, the soles of her feet on the ground and her toes off the side of the edge, her shining black hair flying about her as she danced in the fury of battle. The men facing here were guards, one of them the man with the mohawk who had confronted them earlier. Together, they pressed her hard, competently working together to attack her footing and force her to fall.

The unknown guard's fist flashed towards her head. She stopped it with an arm block. With blurring speed, she grabbed his fist and squeezed forward, her arm muscles flexing powerfully. Bones cracked as the black suited guard screamed. She did not stop until the man fell unconscious from the pain. At the same time, she warded off the man with the mohawk with her other arm as he tried desperately to hit her, to distract her attention.

Cloud stood, staring awestruck below.

"Tifa?"

The shocked whisper permeated through the battle and struck a chord within Tifa, causing her to gaze down with surprise at the unexpected arrivals. Then she saw Cloud. She let go of the guard's broken hand. All she could do was smile as she saw him: his dark navy outfit, the impossibly large sword, the shock of blonde hair, and eyes of deepest blue. He was alive. Truly alive. Everything was right in the world once more.

A meaty fist smashed into the side of her face, sending her flying. Overwhelming pain shattered her senses. A small trail of blood flew away. She heard gasps from below as she fell from above. No. Not like this. Tifa gritted her teeth, reaching out in both directions with her arms. She grabbed the edge of the platform, barely managing to snatch the edge with the tips of her fingers. Her strength was just strong enough to keep her from plummeting. Up above, the guard with the mohawk rushed forward, moving to finish her off.

She had been so stupid. Her own body betrayed by her feelings. Her face alight with fury, she thrust herself up into a handstand, using anger to fuel sudden strength. She twisted her body into a spin, her legs whirling around with powerful force. Each kick crunched against the guard's face. Regaining her footing, she held her fists forward, ready to fight once more. The guard slumped to the ground, falling into a dreamless oblivion.

Tifa shrugged, turning to gaze down at Cloud and the girl. She pushed her long hair back behind her, the sweaty strands moving only reluctantly. Swiftly, she raced down the stairwell, running up to Cloud and sweeping him up into a tight hug. Just as quickly, she removed herself from the embrace and pointed an accusatory finger in his face. She struggled to hold back a smile.

"I thought you were dead!"

Cloud ran a hand through his blonde hair, looking downward, embarrassed.

"Sorry it took me so long to find you."

Tifa leaned over, perking her head up to look him in the eyes. She gave him a gentle smile.

"It's okay. I'm just glad you are still alive."

She noticed movement behind him. The young woman stood watching, uncertain. Tifa nodded her head in the girl's direction.

"Who's she?"

Before Cloud could answer, the young woman moved forward.

"... Tifa? Nice to meet you. Cloud has told me a lot about you."

Tifa gazed at her, sizing her up.

"And you are...?"

"Aeris Gainsborough. I'm with Cloud."

Tifa raised an eyebrow.

"Okay..."

Aeris shook her head quickly.

"Don't worry. We just met. It's nothing."

Tifa continued to look at her quizzically.

"Don't worry? About what?"

Tifa's eyes widened for a moment in sudden understanding.

"No," Tifa said,"You misunderstand. Cloud and I grew up together. Nothing more."

Aeris laughed.

"Poor Cloud... Having to stand here and listen to us both call him nothing."

They both looked at him. Cloud stared at them both as if they were clearly insane. Both of the women giggled, and then looked back at each other, their faces turning serious once more. Tifa shot Cloud a quick glance.

"What are you two doing here anyways? This isn't The Seventh Heaven."

Cloud folded his arms.

"We saw you coming from the Sector 7 gate, heading here," he said, "The real question is what are you doing here?"

He gestured around him. Unconscious guards in black suits continued to moan in pain around them. On the red walls, posters of naked women in scandalous positions were scattered throughout. A shining silver chandelier hung swaying from the ceiling above the center of the room. A gold plated door stood at the top of the stairwell, the image of dragons carved in parallel on each side, each rendered body scored and burnt by bullets shot earlier. Tifa gazed around, wincing as a loose piece of broken banister fell, clattering as it hit the floor.

"Yeah, um..."

She glanced at Aeris. Taking the hint, Aeris theatrically placed her fingers in her ears, moving back towards the doorway, rolling her eyes all the while. Tifa walked with Cloud, holding him confidentially by the shoulder. Once they were a short distance away, Tifa gave Cloud a private smile as she gazed up at him.

"I'm glad you're okay."

Cloud gave a short nod, looking at her expectantly.

"Thanks. What happened?"

She looked away, her eyes moving to the gold plated doorway at the top of the stairs.

"After you fell, we all went back to Sector 7," she said, "When we got there, everyone was acting strangely. The people in town kept giving us hooded glances, steering clear from us as we headed to The Seventh Heaven. For some reason, everyone was scared of us, scared of even being near or associated with us. Barret didn't like that. I tried to keep him calm. He went along with it at first, and let everyone do what they wanted without exploding at them. But once we got to The Seventh Heaven, one of the regulars pointed us out to someone watching from afar. There was a man in the shadows, a man who looked completely out of place among the dirtied people of the slums. We discovered very quickly who he was. An agent of Don Corneo, the most prominent man in the slums, overseer of Sector 6."

Cloud nodded, his face thoughtful and calm as he listened. Tifa gave a small laugh as she continued.

"Eventually, Barret couldn't take it. He determined to get to the bottom of it, as only he would. He marched right up to the man and fastened his gun arm on, slowly and deliberately. The man looked completely unimpressed. In fact, he stared right at Barret and lit a cigarette, as if to provoke him. He thought he was untouchable. When Barret pressed him up against the wall and roared at him, asking what his problem was; the man spat in his face. He said that we would all be sorry; he said that Don Corneo knew. He said that we were doomed. However, what Corneo knows we couldn't get out of him with any threat or injury. So I came here."

Tifa moved over to the receptionist's desk. She absently brushed papers aside as she sat upon the velvet top.

"Barret told me to leave the lech alone. But what the man said really bothered me."

Cloud moved to stand by her.

"I see. You wanted to get it straight from Corneo's mouth."

Tifa nodded.

"I made it here, but I was in a bind. I couldn't figure out how to get into the complex, how to get past the guards. Then I watched and overheard. Corneo was looking for a bride. Every day he would get three girls, choose one of them, and then... and, well..."

She looked away.

"Anyways, I figured that the best way to get inside was to be one of those girls."

Cloud raised an eyebrow at the devastation around her, raising a silent question. She shrugged, giving him a brief smile.

"A few of them tried to get to me before I got to the Don. I wouldn't let that happen. So I had to convince them to stop."

Aeris walked over to them, no longer maintaining the facade of not listening.

"So now we still need to confront the Don, right? Let's go get him."

Tifa inspected her, giving her a questioning look as she tightened her gloves. Aeris stared right back, serious and unmoving.

"I grew up in the slums... I'm used to danger and I plan on helping you out."

She extended a hand to Tifa.

"Do you trust me?"

Tifa took it.

"Yes... I think I do. Thank you, Aeris."

Aeris smiled.

"You're welcome."

The gold plated door burst open. Cloud rammed it full force with one shoulder. He continued charging with the momentum. Suddenly, he was torn to one side as a gun flashed within the middle of the room, spinning him to the floor as the force of the bullet slammed into his shoulder. Aeris gasped in shock. But, instead of watching in horror, Tifa gritted her teeth, burying the fear. Instead, she sprinted with incredible speed at the man who had fired. A plump and angry looking man in a fine red coat prepared to fire another shot, smoke pouring from the tip of the six-round pistol.

Before he had the chance, Tifa leapt on to him, forcing him backwards on to the gaudy love nest that was his bed. The man yelled in surprise. Tifa's arm moved, a blur. With a swift backhand, the pistol flew out of his hands, clattering to the ground and sliding across the wooden floor. Aeris ran into the room, covering her mouth with her hands. She quickly snatched the gun and moved away from the bed, so as to keep it away from the struggling Don. Sputtering in rage, the fat man strained and fought to break free from Tifa's iron grip. The small tuft of slicked blonde that was his hair wagged to and fro as he writhed. Tifa removed a hand from his coat, slapping him across the face, hard. As he lay there stunned, she snatched a glance over her shoulder at Cloud.

Cloud had dragged himself to a wall nearby, sliding up against it. One arm covered his left shoulder. Underneath his hand, blood trickled, falling into a small pool of scarlet beneath him. Tifa watched as he closed his eyes, trying to fight the pain. Aeris quickly moved over to kneel by him and tried to help Cloud stave off the bleeding. She made eye contact with Tifa, her face a mask of worry.

Tifa's face was rigid. She looked down at the Don, furious. Evidently, her features were terrifying, as the Don proceeded to yelp and struggle once more. She smacked the man again and again. Finally she stopped, reaching into her pocket for the healing Materia. She tossed it to Aeris, watching her closely to make sure she knew what to do with it. Catching it neatly, Aeris' brows furrowed as she concentrated. The green stone immediately flared into life, and she set to work. Underneath the glow, Cloud groaned slightly as his flesh began to knit itself together. Tifa held the Don down as she watched. The wound swiftly disappeared. When she turned once more to look back down, the fat man was apoplectic with rage.

"What the hell is going on? Who are you?"

Tifa ignored him.

"Shut up!" she yelled in his face, "We're asking the questions. Now... what did your assistants find out, Corneo?" She shook him hard. "Talk!"

Don Corneo looked up at her incredulously.

"Assistants? I have assistants everywhere in this city. You'll have to be a bit more specific, dear..."

Once more, she shook the front of his coat with a fury. His shouts for her to stop stuttered and broke as he thrashed about. When she stopped, the fat man looked around dizzily for a moment before focusing on her once more. Tifa glared down at him in amazement. Despite her threats, the Don just didn't seem to get it; his eyes betrayed a hint of slyness as if he was trying to think of a way out. But when his gaze shifted to door, his jaw dropped. Tifa looked over one shoulder.

Cloud stood powerfully beside her, the skin on his shoulder completely restored. Tifa stared at Aeris, surprised. It would have taken Tifa much longer to deal with the wound if she had been the one doing the healing. Aeris gave a slight smile as she rose to her feet unsteadily, drained from the use of the emerald stone. She leaned hard on her silver staff. By Tifa's side, Cloud held the Don's eyes with an icy glare.

"Sector 7. Those assistants."

Corneo wriggled nervously but did not say a word. Tifa gave the room a quick look. This was very much the den of a self-professed sex maniac. Nude pictures and tools of the trade were littered throughout the room, some even in their own glass cases. Cloud noticed this as well, and spoke, his voice low and deep.

"If you don't tell us..."

He put a foot up on the bed, placing one hard leather boot right next to the Don's face.

"I'll chop them off."

Corneo twitched. He looked at Cloud with shocked alarm.

"No! Not that! I'll talk. I'll tell you everything!"

Tifa pressed her fingers against his windpipe.

"So, talk."

Sweating profusely, he began to explain.

"I made them find out who the giant with the gun-arm was. That's what I was paid to do."

Tifa's brow furrowed as she looked down at the quivering man.

"By whom?"

Don Corneo shrunk back into the mattress, as if withdrawing himself from some terrible truth he was unwilling to face.

"I can't. If I told you that, I'll be killed!"

Aeris came around to the side of the bedside opposite of Cloud. She gave Tifa a wink as they made eye contact. Tifa looked down on the Don.

"Talk!" she said, "If you don't tell us..."

Aeris placed her foot up on the bed, right by Corneo's other cheek. Her musical voice rang out, bizarrely cheerful.

"I'll rip them off."

The Don's face turned ashen.

"Aaah, no! It was Heidegger of Shinra. Heidegger, the head of Public Safety Maintenance!"

Cloud stared at the Don, confused.

"The head of Public Safety Maintenance?"

Tifa leaned down to look the Don straight in the eye.

"Shinra? What are they up to? Talk! If you don't tell us..."

She squeezed one hand into a fist, the leather audibly creaking from the movement.

"I'll smash them."

Corneo looked about him, his eyes rolling about wildly as sweat poured down his face.

"You mean it, don't you? Oh boy... Oh boy... Okay. I'll tell you. Shinra's trying to crush a small rebel element called AVALANCHE, and have only now confirmed their hideout. And they are literally going to crush them. By blowing up the support pillar holding up the plate above them."

Now it was Tifa's turn to turn white. She backed up off the Don.

"Break the support?"

Don Corneo rose up on his elbows, gazing at Tifa, a malevolent glint in his eyes.

"You know what's going to happen? The plate is going to explode, and everything is going to get flattened. With my help they know that AVALANCHE's hideout is in the Sector 7 slums." He gazed aside for a moment in relief. "I'm just glad that it isn't here in Sector 6."

Tifa's eyes widened as her imagination spun out of control. She imagined twisted wreckage, torn bodies, all snuffed out in an instant. Cloud and Aeris moved to her side at the foot of the bed, looking at each other as they all confronted the magnitude of what Shinra was planning. Tifa thought aloud.

"They are going to wipe out the Sector 7 slums..."

Tifa let the fear and panic wash over her, gripping with its intensity. Then she grasped command of herself once more, not allowing her terror to paralyze her into immobility. She glanced at Cloud, imploring. He stood staring, stiff and immobile.

"Cloud, will you come with me to Sector 7?"

He nodded.

"Of course, Tifa."

"Just a second!"

Don Corneo sat up near the back of the bed. Cloud scowled at him.

"Shut up!"

Corneo's lips curled upward into a smile. Quick as a snake, he rushed a hand underneath the bed, clicking something below. Before Cloud, Aeris or Tifa could react, a trapdoor opened beneath them at the foot of the bed. They slammed into each other, all crushed close as they fell into the tight slicked pipe below, no time to react, no time to do anything. Tifa cast one last panicked glance up as they slid down, the light from above slipping further and further away. Together they fell into the darkness.

Reeve Tuesti straightened his tie and brushed his short black hair back. He strode forward, moving fast. His heart pounded. The steps from his passage echoed in the long metal hallway, his glossy black shoes hitting the ground with increasing frequency. Reeve came to the wall and pressed the button to call the elevator. He waited. With one hand he wiped at his forehead with a small white handkerchief, mopping aside a thin trickle of sweat.

The elevator rose up the side of the Shinra tower. It ascended, going up to the pinnacle, the steel floor vibrating gently under his feet. All around him, its walls were composed entirely of thick layered glass. He placed his forehead to the glass and breathed deeply, trying to relax. He let the fatigue and stress flow through him, allowing his eyes to close. When they opened, his eyelashes itched as they moved against the smooth glass. He took in the view. Far off in the distance, lights twinkled on and off from tall skyscrapers; tiny cars shifted below. It was a blended mix of electrical color, an abstract painting that moved before his eyes. Distant pillars of green smoke rolled out of the city in all directions. All directions except for one. Reeve squinted as he looked to the one spot without smoke, scratching his neat goatee in absent thought. The ruins of the reactor still smoldered, the fire crews still working on cleaning up the mess. Embers glowed, and the smoke that rose was not the emerald green. He watched it with mixed feelings.

I am a good man, he thought to himself. But these days he found it more and more difficult to say that with meaning, harder to say it without feeling a distant taint of hypocrisy. Long ago, he had opposed Mako, lobbying against the construction of Reactors. He had been but one voice among many as a member of Shinra's Urban Development Department. But it had felt good, to take a stand for something he believed in. He had not been able to understand where the energy came from, unable to discern if it was renewable or not, unable to assess if the harvesting was safe or dangerous. There was no definitive information, nothing that proved its worth. Yet, one by one, the scientists had put their reputations behind Mako, hailing it as a revolution in energy. He had figured that they must have discovered something he had not, knew something that he didn't. So, eventually, he shifted camps, moving to back the concept as well.

Reeve placed his hands against the glass and thought in silence, lights twinkling far below. How could he complain now? The result had been to his advantage. His support helped to push the idea from theory to practice, and Mako Reactors were soon the norm. With the power of Mako technology, Shinra was able to assume a role in world leadership. Over time, they were able to use their power and influence to supplant the sway of other nations, creating one unified government. One invention, one discovery, had changed the world, had created world peace. And now he was the head of Urban Development, one of the most powerful and wealthy men in the world. Successful and secure.

But then why did he feel so empty?

He jumped as the bell chimed and the doors opened. With a sigh, he walked out, moving to the dark stairwell nearby. The stainless steel of the stairs clunked beneath him, deadening the sound of steps as he climbed the flight. When he got to the top he stopped, to check his appearance one last time. He then focused his eyes forward, determined. Time to give President Shinra the latest report.

He walked into the President's office. It was a vast room, most of it empty space. The floor was decorated by interlocking black and white metal plates assorted symmetrically, to please the eye of an ordered mind. Near the back, a massive desk encircled the most powerful man in the world, a metallic table surrounded by ancient pillars robust and adorned with brightly growing globes of light. Dressed in a solid burgundy suit, President Shinra stood behind the desk. The President glanced at him, his jaw clenched into an impatient frown. As always, the man's blonde hair was carefully combed, and his suit impeccably tailored. Reeve did his best to harden himself, to look both professional and determined before he spoke. He started to deliver his carefully prepared statement.

The President cut him off.

"No, not now. Wait for Heidegger."

Reeve tried to hold back his surprise at the abrupt dismissal. He felt blood rush to his face as the wave of embarrassment rolled through him. President Shinra ignored him, gazing down at a computer on his desk. The light from the monitor covered his face in a pale sheen. Then, the President's eyes lifted and his features turned up into a smile as he responded to the loud clanks emerging from the stairwell. Reeve turned, trying to hide a frown as he watched Heidegger's pompous arrival.

The giant man marched out to the center of the vast room, giving a great bellow of a welcome as he walked. One meaty hand wiped away at the front of his wide green coat as the other moved up to scratch idly at the thick black shock of wiry hair that was his beard. Reeve watched this with annoyance, unable to understand how a man such as this had risen so high in the President's esteem. Reeve moved aside as Heidegger clomped before him. The President rose to his feet, gazing eagerly at Heidegger's arrival. He leaned against the long silver desk.

"Heidegger! How are the preparations?"

The large man barked a laugh.

"Ha! Smoothly, very smoothly! I've assigned the Turks to finish the job."

The President nodded in approval, a slow smile filling his face. He placed a few fingers to his yellow goatee in thought. Reeve understood, the horror suddenly dawning on him. They were seriously going through with that plan? And he had thought that it was just a joke!

"President! Are we really going to do this? Simply to wipe out a group with only a few members?"

President Shinra shifted his gaze to him, holding him in place with an icy stare. Reeve did not move a muscle, but neither did he break his gaze with the powerful man. Reeve could be proud of that much. Slowly, the President paced around the broad expanse of desk, coming to a stop in front of him. The President cocked his head to one side questioningly, standing before him.

"What's the matter, Reeve? You want out?"

Reeve looked down, hesitating. Did he? After a moment, he relented, shaking his head.

"... No. But, as head of the Urban Development Department, I have always been involved with the building and maintenance of Midgar. That's why..."

Heidegger interrupted. His booming voice rang out.

"Reeve, you should flush those personal problems down the toilet."

Reeve glared at him. He couldn't let them do this!

"The Mayor is against this."

The big man gave an exaggerated shrug.

"Mayor? The man just sits in his building all day, stuffing his face, stalking the news cameras. You call that a Mayor?" Heidegger sliced a hand through the air. "The Mayor is irrelevant."

The bulky man advanced to stand before the President. To Reeve's astonishment, President Shinra merely looked on in amusement. With a bombastic flourish, Heidegger gave a crisp salute. Reeve stared on in horror.

"Now if you'll excuse me, sir! I must finish the work!"

The President gave a brief nod as Heidegger dismissed himself. In disbelief, Reeve made to follow, defeated. He couldn't stop it, couldn't fight this madness. Despite all of his efforts to tone them down over the years, despite his efforts to make his position at all useful, they paid him as much attention as they would a trifling annoyance. To them, he was a termite, a gadfly. Suddenly, his back covered with chills. The President placed one heavy hand upon his shoulder, stopping him from leaving.

"Hold on a minute, Reeve."

Reeve froze. As he turned he tried to fix his expression into what he hoped was mild curiosity. The President stared at him coolly.

"You're tired, Reeve. How about you take a couple of days off and go somewhere."

It was a final stab to his heart. Reeve gazed downward at the floor. Nodding mechanically, he accepted the punishment without a word. As he walked out, he felt as if the world crumbled around him. Down the stairwell, his steps echoed into the room above, hollow and dull.

How could it have come to this?

Cloud careened through the dark, scraping for some handhold, finding none. Abruptly, he hit the bottom, splashing hard into water below. Suddenly, he was underwater. He struggled to find his way up. Filthy water filled his mouth, unbidden. He coughed reflexively, convulsing. He thrashed about, seeking something to grasp onto. Finally, his hand touched stone, and he hurled his body to its side.

He reached air. Coughing violently, Cloud pulled himself up onto the stone platform. He splayed out, spitting repeatedly to try and rid himself of the taste of the tainted water. Then he thought of the others.

"Aeris... Tifa!" he called, his voice hoarse and weak.

He rose to a crouch. Strangely, he heard a sound like chains skittering on the stone. And then it hit him.

Monstrous and black, it crashed into him; a creature feral and wet. In the dark, Cloud could not see it, could not see anything at all. The force of the blow took him off his feet, knocking the wind out of his chest and slamming him against a hard rock wall. Cloud's vision exploded in hot red pain, his back afire. The beast ripped into his stomach with rending claws, renting wide rifts of agony. Cloud screamed. The beast huffed and snorted.

Fighting the pain, Cloud formed fists with his hands and beat on the creature. His punches connected with slimy wet skin, depressing into its sides. The beast roared painfully in his face. Laces of spit and hot air washed over him. Suddenly, a blinding light rose from nearby. Both Cloud and the monster turned, trying to see the source of the bright flame.

"Cloud!"

Aeris' voice cried out with as much horror as concern. She held the lightning stone. The walls around her looked dank and grimy. They were in a tunnel. The middle of the room was a narrow sewer, its waters murky and dark. They stood on one of the stone floored sides. Beside Aeris, Cloud could see Tifa's hand grasp the side of the slick stone surface and begin to pull herself up. The beast growled and shied back for a moment, visibly pained by the light. Then, with astonishing speed, it whipped an arm forward. A long chain connected to it, and it whistled through the air. With shocking force it hit the side of Aeris' face, a dull thud. Her body hurled to the ground, unconscious. The world descended back into darkness, the Materia a dying star on the floor by her side.

Enraged, Cloud pushed himself forward, using his feet against the wall for additional force. With only one arm holding him, he wrenched himself out of its grip, wheeling around to kick the monster away. It backed up, snarling at him. In the fading light Cloud could see a thin and long tongue trail out of the monster's mouth, twirling and dripping saliva onto the cold hard ground. Quick as a blink, Cloud drew his sword. The beast hurled itself at him, its claws scraping against the floor. With a force reinforced by fury, he swung at it with his massive blade. A wretched ripping sound filled the air as it connected. There was one long moment, time seemed to stand still. Two splashes emerged as the creature fell into the foul water.

Silence filled the room, aside from Cloud's gasping breaths.

"Cloud... Are you okay?"

A small bloom of light emerged once more behind him. Tifa leaned over Aeris; she placed the lightning stone in one pocket as the healing stone pulsed in her hands. She gazed at him with concern. Cloud gave her a quick, pained nod. He put the sword back on his back.

"Yeah."

He felt his abdomen for the wound. Blood seeped from the slashes, though he could hardly feel the liquid with his already grimy hands. He looked to Aeris.

"Is she alright?"

Tifa focused down on the healing stone before her, holding it in the air over Aeris' bloodied forehead. After a moment, the flower girl winced, as if rising from a nightmare. Her eyes flicked open, and she looked at Cloud. She smiled gently. Reassured, Cloud moved to inspect what remained of the beast in the pulsing light.

The two pieces of the creature's sickly green body steamed from exposure to the air, the face of the beast frozen in a post-mortem scowl of pain. It was like nothing he had ever seen before. Its arms stretched as far as it was tall; two long and sagging yellowed ears hung draped across its back. Its jawline extended at least two feet, saliva still dripping from its perpetually open mouth. Cloud walked over, one hand held to his dripping wound and gave it a solid kick. It did not stir. Tifa glanced at him as she finished healing Aeris.

"What is it?"

Cloud shrugged as he looked around. In the flickering light, he noticed a curve in the wall further down. He limped over to the dark alcove. Reaching within it, he felt something smooth, hard and round. Cloud gazed at Tifa with pale blue eyes as he produced a yellowed human skull in one hand. Tifa looked up at the ceiling, at the opening from which they had descended.

"Corneo must think it the funnest thing in the world, dumping his enemies into a pit with this monster. I wonder what it was."

Cloud stared at her.

"Genetic engineering."

Tifa gazed at him for a moment. She tossed him the lightning Materia as she finished with Aeris. He willed it to blossom into light. Tifa rose to her feet with Aeris. She leaned heavily against the wall and buried her face into the side of her arm, shaking. By her side, Aeris squeezed her shoulder.

"It's too late," Tifa cried, "Marlene... Barret... the people of the slums. We can't save them."

Aeris turned Tifa around to face her. A thin trickle of tears ran down the side of Tifa's face. Aeris' brows furrowed; she gave a sharp nod of determination.

"We can't give up now, Tifa. It's not easy to destroy the pillar, right? There is still hope."

Tifa looked off to one side, dejected. After a moment, she looked back at Aeris, her face saddened but resolute.

"You're right. We have to try."

Aeris smiled. She turned to Cloud.

"Then let's get out of these gross sewers. We have to get to Sector 7."

Tifa grasped the side of the walls, her fingers sinking into the filth-encrusted stones. She grimaced, but she kept her hands where they were. It would be infinitely worse to fall into the disgusting cesspool that lay nearby.

They worked their way through the sewers, one long battle against grime, slick stones and an overpowering smell of waste and decay. As time passed, each of them took turns providing light with the Materia. The stones were as much a blessing as a curse, forcing them to travel at a slower pace to compensate for its drain on their energy. But without, they would have been lost, searching blindly through dark tunnels, unsure which way to go. Ironically, the only way they actually knew where they were going was through Shinra's industrial efficiency. At each junction, they found small, detailed maps painted on the side of the walls, obviously intended to assist those who maintained the sewers. When Cloud had seen the first, he had laughed darkly. Tifa could understand as she looked about. It was clear that nobody had been down to check on the place for some time.

As they reached another crossing, Aeris flinched next to Tifa. Crooning roars could be heard in the distance, echoing down the tunnels towards them. Cloud took the lead. Twice they were attacked, and twice Cloud was able to overwhelm the creatures with his blade, the only reliable way to kill the abominations within the sewers. It also helped that the monsters attacked without any regard for stealth, giving in to a driving mindless need to attack and consume. Tifa considered this as she walked behind Cloud. If not for their genetic tampering, the creatures would likely have been more formidable. The effects had increased their muscle mass substantially, yes. But it also destroyed their minds and any hunting instinct the monsters might have previously had.

Eventually, after what seemed to be hours of picking their way through the tunnels, they found thin shafts of light piercing through the darkness. Following the final tunnel, they put away their Materia. Cloud hopped down from the open concrete tube of sewage, then turned to help Aeris and Tifa down. After wiping themselves clean of the waste as best they could, Tifa looked around to see where they had ended up.

The machines were everywhere. Littered atop one another and strewn like wreckage as far as the eyes could see, husks of metallic monstrosities that were once trains lay all around them. Cloud and Tifa mutely looked on, in silence. Tifa started as Aeris moved forward, the plucky flower girl hardly batting an air. The girl swiped aside metal plates, swatting old junk aside as she climbed atop on of the ancient machines. She looked off ahead for a moment, scanning the distant gloom. She turned to them with a grin.

"Guys, we don't have very far to go. I can see the Sector 7 train station from here!"

Tifa looked at Cloud, smiling with genuine hope. They could do it; they had to! Aeris helped her and Cloud climb up behind her, extending her silver staff down within their reach. Together, they picked their way across the field of industrial behemoths, moving as quickly as they could without risking accident. Their goal lay in the distance, a dusty station platform completely devoid of human life. As Tifa climbed up onto the aged caboose of a worn old train, she thought about how strange this was. Why was nobody there?

As Tifa climbed she could remember Biggs and Wedge, only a few days before, as they had all prepared to get on the train to head to the Sector 5 reactor; she had laughed over their antics and exaggerated yawns. She could remember Jessie's quiet smile of amusement as she had followed in their wake. She could remember Barret's bellow, his gruff face and broad shoulders. Tifa couldn't wait to see them again. Then she realized that, deep in her thoughts, she began to lag behind Cloud and Aeris. She frowned and moved forward, her pace redoubled. They had to be warned or they would all be consumed in the death from above. She had to move faster.

Aeris and Cloud stopped for a moment for Tifa to catch up. Aeris put her back against the side of a train, to rest her aching muscles. She breathed fast, her untrained body trying to compensate for their accelerated pace. She wiped aside some sweat from her forehead. Shoot. She had to work out.

"Aeris."

She looked up at Cloud. The ex-SOLDIER stared at her with an apologetic frown, his ice blue eyes seeming to betray a hint of warmth.

"I got you mixed up in all this..."

Angrily, she pushed herself off, taking the lead as she soldiered on. Stubborn man. Yet, she could not ignore him. He cared. She looked back briefly, giving Cloud a look not without affection.

"Don't tell me to go home."

Tifa breathed a sigh of relief. The pillar still stood. As she ran with the others she passed the mounds of garbage and saw its stony reach. It ascended up into the air, a rocky sentinel, holding off the distant threat of the plate above. But her relief was swiftly replaced by panic once more as she saw what lay before them. A massive crowd of people gathered at its base. Their hands linked against the chain fence separating them from the pillar's foundation, looking both within and above. Tifa ran among them: touching shoulders, seeking what was going on, asking if Shinra had arrived and if there was any sign of AVALANCHE. In her hurry, the voices were just a blur of air, a white noise. A strong hand gripped her shoulder, and Cloud turned her to him; Aeris at one shoulder. He shouted in Tifa's ear.

"Do you hear that? Above us?"

He pointed up, his face tight. Tifa's gaze lifted upward. Then she gasped in horror.

"Gunfire...?"

The stairwell wound and wound around the pillar, lifting far up into the air. All along the stairwell, guns flashed and spat with a distant clatter. Dark forms hid behind sparse cover, shadows dashing in and out of the gunfire. Some twitched and fell, not to move again. Yet this was but a distraction compared to the drama playing out at the top. Atop the platform, a giant of a man fired from his arm, dark forms all around him. Chills ran up Tifa's spine.

"Barret," she whispered.

Suddenly, by her side, Cloud swore. Near the very top of the pillar, one man could be seen, his clothing brighter than the rest. It twitched and convulsed, becoming riddled with bullets from the dark men nearby. Finally, the force of the onslaught tore the man from the stairwell. The air filled with screams from the crowd as the body hurtled off the pillar. With a sickening crunch, the man fell right in front of Cloud, Tifa and Aeris. Tifa's heart pounded in her chest as she realized who it was. Horrified, she fell to her knees. Warm tears flowed down her cheeks, falling to the cold ground beneath her.

It was Wedge.

Cloud dropped to one knee slowly, as if born down by an unimaginable burden. Wedge was barely recognizable. His white shirt was now stained red with blood, and his face... well... his face was in even worse condition. Yet, despite this, he struggled to breath, struggled to speak. He coughed with short liquid gasps. Cloud whispered down to him.

"Wedge..."

Cloud watched in astonishment as Wedge's lips drew upward into a weak smile.

"… Cloud... You remembered... my name..."

Cloud nodded slowly as Wedge continued.

"Barret, he... he's up top... Help him..."

Cloud rose to his feet. But Wedge gasped once more, drawing Cloud's eyes back to him.

"And Cloud... Sorry I wasn't any help..."

Cloud shook his head and began to speak, to disagree. But Wedge was no longer there. His eyes were glazed over, passed away from the severity of his injuries. Tifa moved forward and gently slid Wedge's eyes closed. She looked to Cloud. Strands of hair stuck to the trail of tears on her cheeks, her face bent with sadness. Cloud stood stock still, then looked to the top of the pillar. Controlling his voice was more difficult than he had imagined it would be.

"I'm going up."

Tifa rose, and Cloud watched out of the corner of his eye as she turned to Aeris, who beheld the scene in silent shock. Tifa shook her gently.

"Aeris."

As the girl came back to awareness, Cloud felt another pang of grief. He had brought her into this, this horror and death. It was his fault. Tifa talked to Aeris as calmly as she could, wiping her face of the tears.

"Aeris, do me a favor."

Aeris looked to her. The young woman's face was suddenly determined, focused. Tifa looked at her with a new sense of respect, nodding with a smile.

"Aeris, I have a bar called The Seventh Heaven in this sector. There is a little girl called Marlene there..."

Aeris gave a short nod and smiled reassuringly.

"Don't worry. I'll go take her somewhere safe."

Aeris' feet scuffed against the dirt path as she sprinted off.

Cloud gazed at the pillar. He sublimated his fears, placing them and his sadness aside. He held his face emotionless and concentrated on the task that was ahead of him. With both hands, he drew his sword and held the massive blade before him, waiting for Tifa to join him at his side. Tifa shooed the crowd away from the fence.

"You all have to leave here right away! It is dangerous here. Everyone needs to get out of Sector 7, right now!"

For a moment, nobody moved. Then, gradually, the men and women started walking away. Soon, the crowd scattered. Tifa walked up next to Cloud. She stood at his side and gave him a short nod.

They were ready.

In an instant, Cloud was at the chained fence. With one swing, he ran it through with his sword, rending and cutting it open. Tifa at his side, they charged to the stairs and ran up, taking them two at a time. The corpses of Shinra soldiers were scattered throughout, the glass on their helmets often shattered, faces concealed in shadows. Every so often, Cloud looked up through the gaps between stairs, catching a glimpse of Barret, enraged, firing into the darkness around him. They had to get up there. The stairs were became a blur, his body focused on running up them as fast as possible. Then he skidded to a stop, grasping the rails at both sides. Tifa smacked up against his arm. She let out a small gasp as she saw what lay before them.

Biggs leaned over the side of the railing before them, his back covered with circular holes. The bullet wounds leaked blood down his front. Cloud moved forward, gently grasping him with Tifa at his side, picking him up off the rail and laying him to the ground at their feet. As Tifa desperately checked for a pulse, Cloud gazed down at Biggs, watching for any sign of life. Suddenly, Biggs' blackened eyes popped open, staring straight at Cloud. Cloud touched Tifa's side, to let her know that Biggs was still alive. Biggs spoke slowly, his voice piercing the din from gunfire above.

"Cloud... so you don't care... what happens... to the planet?"

The man struggled to laugh, but coughed instead. Tifa stroked his hair back, removing Biggs' red bandana. She placed it gently on the floor of the stairs behind her. Biggs looked up at her gratefully.

"You'll be all right, Biggs." Cloud said.

Biggs' lips rose into a sardonic smile.

"Thanks, Cloud."

He pushed Tifa's hands away.

"Don't worry 'bout me... Go help Barret... I'll wait down here for you..."

Together, Cloud and Tifa stood and looked down at Biggs one last time. With a final wink, Biggs closed his eyes. He did not stir again. Tifa leaned against the rail nearby with a sob. Cloud grasped her shoulder and brought her back up. They didn't have time; they had to fight the urge to stop and mourn. Both of them ran up the stairs as fast as they could.

A whirring, chopping sound filled the air as they continued to climb the stairwell. Tifa cast a quick glance to one side. A dark black helicopter approached, cutting through the black air, climbing up towards the top of the pillar. Gritting her teeth, she redoubled her effort, trying desperately to go faster. They had to get up to the top before Barret was overwhelmed. As they reached the final flight of stairs, right before the top, they stopped in their tracks once more. Jessie lay before them, unmoving.

Tifa hit the railing by her with her fist, in as much rage as anguish. Were they all doomed to die this night? She couldn't handle it. She looked away, out over Sector 7, her eyes filled with tears. She turned back in time to see Cloud kneel beside their fallen friend. His hand cupped the woman's cheek as he took in the extent of her devastating injuries. Jessie stirred, her eyes moving from left to right, blinded by her wounds and unable to see. Despite this, she seemed to recognize who it was that sat beside her, holding one warm hand to her cheek.

"… Cloud..."

Cloud stroked her hair, seemingly unsure what else to do. Jessie struggled to speak, trying vainly to cope with the pain.

"… I'm glad... I could talk with you... one last time."

Her fingers reached out, as if searching for something. Cloud grasped her hand tightly, squeezing and reassuring. Jessie gave a soft smile. Cloud looked down, his face masked in shadow.

"I'm sorry, Jessie."

"Ha... cool... as usual... ex-SOLDIER..."

She rubbed the back of his hand softly with one bloodied thumb.

"I always liked that... in you..."

Her hand went limp in his and she said no more.

Without warning, Tifa sprinted past Cloud and Jessie's body, shooting up the stairs three at a time. Cloud reached out to stop as she passed by, touching only a fluttering piece of her black skirt as it shot past.

"Tifa! Hold on!"

Ignoring him, Tifa ran up the final flight of stairs, Cloud in close pursuit. He reached the top right after her. Atop the pillar was a large circular platform, surrounding a control panel that blinked with green text. Next to the console was a dark red button. On the grating directly under the button, a dead Shinra soldier lay, his back covered with bullet wounds. Cloud and Tifa both stopped in their tracks, just for a moment, as they took in what happened before them.

Barret was held by three Shinra soldiers clad in dark blue leathers. The big man grunted in pain as a fourth soldier jabbed a nightstick hard into his burly stomach. Growling through the agony, Barret pushed forward in a rage, slamming his head directly into the man. The soldier crumpled instantly, falling to the ground before him. With a bellow, Barret thrashed about wildly, sending the other soldiers flying. One quickly came to his feet. The soldier rushed forward, backhanding Barret with his weapon and sending the big man to the floor with a hollow clang. Cloud reflexively looked to his side as Tifa launched herself forward. Her face was livid with incandescent fury as she sprinted at the two soldiers still rising from the ground.

The closest soldier didn't have a chance. Leaping into the air, Tifa's fist crashed into the soldier's face. Blood sprayed and the force of the blow slammed him hard into the grating below. As this happened, the other two soldiers rushed to their feet. Wordlessly they charged her from both sides. Her face a mask of rage, Tifa let herself fall to the ground. In midair, she lashed out with a fist at one guard, kicking the knee of the other at the same time. The soldier's knee snapped out of joint, his cry of pain ringing out as he fell to the ground. The other soldier's helmet shook to regain his senses, then he charged forward once more. Cloud watched in awe. The soldier swung and waved his nightstick before him as fast and powerfully as he could. Tifa ducked and weaved away from its reach, too busy dodging to strike back. But, while this soldier had received an effective and deadly training in Shinra's hand-to-hand combat programs, he was simply outmatched. Tifa was quicksilver in flight.

As the guard swung forward once more, Tifa assisted the swing's momentum, smacking the nightstick powerfully downward as she brought herself in close. The soldier cursed, the stick clattering against the grates below. Her eyes afire with concentrated rage, Tifa grabbed the soldier's neck with both hands. The soldier's shout rang out hollowly within his helmet, slapping and punching her arms weakly as he fought to break free. Suddenly, fast as lightning, she let go, one knee coming up to slam hard into the man's stomach. Wheezing, the soldier fell to his knees. Her fist was a blur, her hand slamming into the man's face, knocking him to the ground in an instant. He did not get up.

Cloud moved to the center of the platform as Barret came to his feet unsteadily. The big man gazed in confusion and surprise at them, wiping his bloodied face clean with one fist. Tifa stood stock still on the platform. The wind created from the nearing helicopter began to blow her long black hair out behind her. She waited for it to come. The machine chopped the air as it approached. Cloud walked up to Barret's side, helping the big man up as they both watched Tifa carefully. Barret bellowed in Cloud's ear to be heard over the din.

"Where have you two been?"

Cloud simply stared at him. There was no time to explain. His hands quickly produced the healing Materia from one pocket and he set to work repairing Barret's wounds as fast as he could. In the glow, Barret grit his teeth, reaching into his pocket flaps for ammo.

"Are Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie still alive?"

Cloud shook his head. Barret growled under his breath, snapping an ammo pack into his arm with sudden force. Flexing his arm, Barret shook Cloud off. The big man opened fire on the approaching helicopter, its bulk wreathed in darkness. Sparks shot off the dark metal plates as the bullets deflected away. Immediately, the helicopter dipped and descended to a safer altitude. Cloud's eyes followed as it descended under the grating and around the underside of the stairwell, protected from bullets. As Barret reloaded, the helicopter rose on the other side, dropping a rope ladder from its now open side as it did. Tifa crouched into a combat stance. Cloud readied his sword. Tifa's voice rang out, yelling to be heard over the noise of slashing rotors.

"Here they come!"

A dark form emerged from the side of the helicopter, a man in a rumpled suit with a shock of red hair. The man jumped down, grasping the rope ladder only for an instant. When he hit the grated floor, he rolled to his feet fluidly before any of them could react. Barret cursed as he hastily scrounged in his pockets for more ammo. From different angles, Cloud and Tifa charged him, but just weren't fast enough. The man made it to the console and looked back at them with a mischievous smile as he put a finger on the stark red button. Cloud exhaled sharply in shock as he recognized the man. It was Reno of the Turks, the same man who had tried to kill him and capture Aeris. Beside Cloud, Tifa skidded to a stop and raised her arms, as if plaintively, hopelessly trying to tell Reno not to do it. Reno gave them a cool smile.

"You're too late. Once I push this button..."

He pressed the button with a smirk. The console beeped sharply, and klaxons began blaring loudly all about them. The platform was immediately cast into a flashing scarlet, lights spinning alarmingly from atop the pillar's console. Reno reached deftly under the panel, pressing another button and causing the lights to just as quickly disappear. Wiping his hands together, he cocked his head to one side as he grinned at them dramatically.

"And that's all folks! Mission accomplished!"

Tifa hissed under her breath, casting a brief glance at Cloud and Barret.

"We need to disarm it!"

Reno drew a metal baton from a pocket behind him. He tapped it tauntingly on one shoulder as he shook his head, standing before them.

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that."

Without a word, Tifa sprinted right at Reno. Cloud reached out imploringly with one arm, as if to stop her. At Cloud's side, Barret backed up, preparing for a shot. In front of them all, Reno let his arms fall to both sides loosely, seemingly willing to let Tifa run him down. Everyone moved with blazing speed.

Striking like a snake, Reno swung at Tifa as she flew at him. She rolled underneath the blow, aiming a punch at Reno's midriff as she moved. With a quick motion, he managed to slap the fist to one side with his free hand. A cocky smile upon his face, he skipped back a few steps out of reach. He let his arms fall to his sides once more and raised an eyebrow, as if daring her to come at him again.

Cloud broke into a run, racing after Tifa as she charged at the Turk once more. This time, as Reno swung at her with his metal baton, she caught it with one hand. With incredible force, she bent his arm backwards, staring directly into his eyes, her face ablaze with fury. Reno attempted to push her off with his other arm, but soon was crying out in pain. Cloud came around the side as he readied his weapon, stepping closer. Tifa had trapped Reno in a painful hold, his arm bent into a near-impossible angle. But something wasn't right. Cloud's eyes flicked to her face. Tifa's expression suddenly took on a look of apprehension. Cloud stared at Reno. The Turk was smiling.

With a click, Reno hit a button on the side of his baton with his thumb. Instantly, Tifa began shaking uncontrollably. Her hand clenched tightly to the baton as the exposed parts of the weapon danced with sparks. Cloud cursed under his breath. The damned weapon was electrified. Tifa's eyes rolled back as she crumpled to the ground, swiftly losing consciousness. Above her, Reno gave a triumphant laugh. Cloud's eyebrows raised in horror as he realized the true danger. Tifa's hand wouldn't let go, doomed to hold tight to the electrified weapon as her muscles locked in place. Launching himself into a silent run, Cloud raced at them both.

Cloud collided with her, wrenching her free as they fell to one side. Reno grunted, falling to the ground. Cloud looked down at Tifa, taking advantage of the few elusive spare moments to check her for injury. He moved aside a few sweaty strands of curled dark hair from her forehead, holding her cheek for a moment before checking her pulse. But before he could do anything more, something poked into his back. Before he could react, arcing streams of pain rocketed through his body. He flattened down atop Tifa as he screamed. He tried to fight the effects of the weapon by mustering a wall of rage behind his pain stricken yell. He slammed the ground with one fist, fighting for control. Suddenly, the shocking stopped, the pressure gone. He forced himself to roll over, desperately seeking the strength to rise, fighting off the sick feeling in his stomach.

Barret grunted and bellowed as he backed up away from the console. Reno advanced on him, swinging his stick of contained lightning with each step, moving the big man away. Barret must have tried for the panel, forcing Reno to turn his attention to him. Every so often, Barret would raise his arm to fire at the Turk, but Reno was just too quick. The Turk threw himself aside or came at Barret in a rush with his baton, causing Barret's aim askew as the big man moved to avoid the weapon. Finally, Barret's retreat stopped as his back clanked against the railing at the end of the platform. With a roar, he brought his gun forward, to hell with the consequences, and attempted to fire straight at the slippery Turk. But, before he could fire a single bullet, Reno pressed his baton against the gun-arm. Waves of electric power bent Barret to the ground, the gun to fizzling and popping as it failed to fire. The big man roared in agony as he fell to one knee, twitching with electric jolts. Reno gave a small, tight smile as he brought the giant to the ground. Cloud watched on helplessly, still struggling to rise. Then, Reno looked over his shoulder. His eyes widened with shock, and he quickly turned around.

Tifa let her fist lead the way. Reno was fast, moving his head to one side, letting the blur ride right on past him. But Tifa was faster. Making her arm go stiff, she forced her attacking arm down and across his neck, snapping him to the ground. With a grunt, Reno kicked out at her legs, causing her to fall as well. Reacting quickly, she rolled over on to him. She shot her fists into his face repeatedly. Fighting through the pain, the Turk brought his knees up hard, forcing her to roll up and over him and away. Angry now, Reno came to his feet, rubbing one split lip with the back of a hand. Out of sight, Cloud pushed himself up against the ground and launched into a run. Reno turned as he heard the noise. The Turk's face suddenly turned pale as milk.

Cloud's sword blazed at Reno's face with unstoppable force as the ex-SOLDIER threw himself into the fray. Barely in time, Reno brought his baton up before him. The force of Cloud's blow blasted Reno to the floor. Cloud gazed down at the Turk coldly as he lifted his monstrous two-handed blade. With astonishing speed, Reno jumped up off the ground and tackled him. Cloud gasped, the air driven right out of him as Reno's head collided into his stomach. Breathless, Cloud couldn't respond as Reno straddled him with a grin. The Turk raised his sparking weapon. Suddenly, a booming voice split the air.

"Hold it, Shinra scum!"

Reno looked to one side, askance. Barret scowled with lethal intent, the big man's machine gun arm whirring once more, a foot from the Turk's head. Reno raised his hands in surrender, giving a nonchalant shrug. Cloud pushed him off and both the men rose to their feet. To one side, Tifa rushed over to the pillar's control panel. She tied her long hair into a pony tail behind her as she looked over the buttons and sliders. Her eyes raced over the console, widening with panic. She whipped her head around to stare at Cloud, her face filled with desperate need.

"Cloud! I don't know how to stop it!"

Cloud sprinted over to her and looked at the console. The control panel was a constellation of glittering red and green lights. In one corner, in small red text, a timer slowly ticked downwards. Six minutes left. Suddenly, gunfire erupted. Cloud and Tifa whipped around.

Barret cursed loudly, snarling. Reno was nowhere in sight.

"That speedy Shinra bastard jumped off the platform! I couldn't get him in time!"

Without warning, the helicopter reappeared, rising like a black phoenix from below. They all gaped as they saw Reno pull himself up on to the side. One of the doors on the side of the helicopter slid open, allowing him to pop inside. In his place, another man emerged.

Dressed all in black and white, standard issue suit for the Turks, this man had long hair the color of midnight hanging neatly behind his head. Strands of it whipped about in the helicopter-created windstorm. The man's face was severe, his brow and forehead in a permanent furrow. The man stood, holding on to a handhold within the helicopter as he balanced on one side of it. His eyes focused on them, viewing them with detached malice. Cloud winced. A memory flashed into being. This was Tseng. Leader of the Turks.

Tseng gestured in their direction with an imperious wave. Though he spoke in a normal tone of voice, somehow his controlled voice seemed able to pierce the clamor of the helicopter.

"You won't be able to disarm it. It'll blow the second some fool touches it."

Tifa withdrew her hands from the console as if stung by a snake. She whipped around, calling out with a plaintive cry.

"Please!" she called, "You have to stop it!"

Tseng shook his head slowly. Cloud couldn't tell if the man was genuinely saddened by his own refusal to help, or if he simply did not care. Tseng folded his arms.

"Only a Shinra Executive can set up or disarm the Emergency Plate Release System."

Barret's curse cut through the air like a knife. His gun arm whirred into life as he aimed it at the leader of the Turks.

"Shut your hole!"

Tseng crouched back into the helicopter. Bullets sprayed forth from Barret's arm, plinking and whizzing about the helicopter. In one fluid movement, Tseng brought forth a large mass wrapped in a dark shawl. He ripped it off. Confused and bewildered, Aeris emerged from underneath it. The girl looked about wildly, unsure where she was.

Quick as a blink, Cloud was at Barret's side, pushing his gun-arm down so that he did not hit her. Tseng grasped the back of Aeris' neck as he looked down upon them.

"I wouldn't try that again. You might force me to injure our special guest."

Tifa called out, her voice cutting through the tumultuous air.

"Aeris! It's going to be okay. We'll get you free!"

Tseng raised his eyebrows, bemused. He held Aeris' neck with one powerful hand.

"Oh, you all are acquainted? How nice you get to see each other one last time before the end. You should thank me."

Cloud stood forth before his companions. He slowly attached his massive sword back onto his back as he held Tseng's eyes in his.

"What are you going to do with her?"

Tseng shrugged, as if he honestly didn't know.

"I haven't decided. My orders were to find and capture the last remaining Ancient. Beyond that...? Who knows."

Cloud's eyes widened. Ancient? That word again... Tseng looked away with a faint smile.

"It's taken us a long time... a very long time. But now, finally, I can report this to the President."

Suddenly, Aeris leaned forward, her musical voice ringing out.

"Tifa, don't worry! She's all right!"

Tseng dragged her back. Powerfully, he backhanded into the helicopter. Aeris cried out in pain. Cloud grit his teeth. By his side, Tifa yelled out, her hair whipping about in the wind.

"Aeris!"

Determined, Aeris rose once more, dodging out of Tseng's grip to call out to the others below.

"You have to get out of here!"

Cloud, Barret and Tifa looked on helplessly. Behind Aeris, a dark form grabbed her arms and yanked her back into the helicopter. The girl fought, twisting and writhing. But it was not enough. The form in the shadows snapped a dark hood over her head, drawing it closed and taking her out of sight within the helicopter.

Cloud shook with rage, his hands curling into fists. The helicopter was too far out of reach above them. His mind wracked with shame as Aeris disappeared into the dark shadows of the helicopter. There was nothing he could do.

Flying above, Tseng pointed to the pillar, his features twisted into a cold grin.

"Think you can escape in time?"

He slid back into the helicopter, slamming the black door shut behind him. The helicopter turned and flew away.

Cloud froze as he saw the time left on the bomb to at Tifa's side. 00:01. Barret moved fast, pulling her back. Up above, the pillar began to shake. Massive chunks of rock began to fall; licking trails of fire emerged from the gaps. Concrete and gravel fell all around them, sheathing their vision in a gray rain. The entire world seemed to roar. Barret yelled to be heard over the din. Tifa shook her head furiously. They couldn't hear him. His eyes wide with urgency, Barret turned them around with his arms and then pointed to the side of the platform.

A thin metal cable was attached to the side. It waved about from the tremors. Wasting no further time, they sprinted straight at it. Up above, titanic blocks of fiery stone crumbled. Cloud glanced up above, his eyes widening. The plate descended from the skies, appearing larger and larger. They had to move. Cloud slashed out at the cable as Barret held in his hands, to keep it from flying away. All of them seized on to the big man and held as tight as they could. It was their only chance. Barret leaped into the emptiness. Howling winds buffeted them as the cable carried them away. Beside his arm, Tifa closed her eyes. Cloud understood the fear, the dreadful unease. They did not know where the cable taking them, but it had been their only chance.

Below, crowds of people stood forth, watching. All at once, they experienced the most absolute fear, a fear as ancient as humanity. The sky was falling. Up above, the massive metal plate that had blotted out the sun, that had hid the clouds, that had stopped the rains... The plate was coming down to kill them all. Some ran, seeking hopelessly to outrun its impact before it hit. Others sat down, helpless. The titanic hunk of metal descended, uncaring and lifeless. And crushed all those beneath it.

Further away, in a tall and bright tower, spotlights weaved about. The beams ran across the dark clouds above. From this high up, the pinnacle of the tower, one could see the plate falling. He looked out the wide pane of glass, gazing down at the damage he had wrought. President Shinra sipped his cognac lightly, savoring the taste, the letting the hot liquid run slowly down his throat. Below, a thick dust cloud rose. Within minutes, it covered the area in a smoky haze. The blaze of the explosions and the fires appeared only as small twinkling lights. From this high up, it was only a distant painting of fiery destruction. He did not see the lives snuffed out, in that final fateful instant that the plate hit ground.

He did not care.

Instead, he smiled, content in accomplishing what he had set out to do. The President swirled the drink in his glass, the golden liquid spiraling about in the smooth glass. He walked over to the wall, and pressed a button. Mellifluous sound filled the room, deep tones and rich notes ringing out. He closed his eyes for a moment in satisfaction. His favorite opera. With one finger, he delicately pressed another button, one painted dark red. Then he walked over to the maroon couch in the middle of the room, pushing it right up to the window before sitting down. Outside in the distance, he watched as dark helicopters slowly chopped their way to the fallen plate. Sitting heavily on to the sofa, President Shinra took one more long sip, and then smiled once more. All according to plan.