Above the Weapon's Shop was a room known as the Beginner's Hall. It was a dusty old room full to the brim with wooden crates. On top of the crates, children play-fought and tried to master the techniques they'd learned from the adults that were nearby.
Ah, to be a child again, Cloud thought. Not a care in the world.
While there, Cloud and his team managed to get their hands on an All Materia, as well as an Ether and a few other oddities that would surely come in handy for the next mission.
Just as they were about to leave, one of the children decided to up the ante and started hitting his combatant with all of his might.
"Help!" screamed the child, turning her back to her aggressor in the hope that he'd stop. When he didn't, Cloud intervened.
"You've got to hang in there," he told her. "Your limit gauge is just starting to build."
The three brawny adults that were stood in front of them screamed in unison, as if they had never before witnessed a fiercer fight.
Bunch of cowards, thought Cloud, shaking his head.
He watched the girl carefully as she hung in there and tried to block the boy's punches as best as she could. Her face was a picture of steely determination. As a seasoned professional, Cloud could tell when someone had neared their limit, and the girl had just reached hers.
"Ok! Now your limit gauge is full, go ahead and use it! Fight with your limit technique."
Taking Cloud's advice in her stride, the girl suddenly whipped around and threw brutal punches as fast as the wind, knocking her opponent to the ground in a flash.
"Great!" Cloud exclaimed.
Everyone in the room whooped and cheered at the girl's display of her hidden strength. After a moment or two, the boy stood up, dusted himself off and shook her hand.
"Wait!" shouted a man wearing a white tank top, jeans and a hardhat, just as Cloud and his team were about to leave for the second time. "You say you're a beginner?" he began, looking intently into Cloud's eyes. "But your eyes say you're not."
Cloud, feeling a sense of pride boom in his chest, said to him, "Don't mess with me. I used to be in SOLDIER. I'll tell you how much I know… an' for free too!"
The man took him up on his offer, which pleased Cloud greatly. He hadn't joined SOLDIER just to fight. He had joined to better himself in the world of combat. He taught the man everything he knew; he was, however, regretting that he'd tell it all for free!
Back in the Weapon's Shop, the trio were collared by the sales clerk.
"Hey HEY! Waitaminit you! You can't just walk outta here without buying somethin'... Might be unhealthy for ya, if you know what I mean."
The clerk, while maybe not having the best sales pitch, still managed to persuade Cloud to buy a few things.
Next stop was the item and Materia Shop. An elderly man owned it and was clearly surprised to see them.
"Oh! Look at this! This doesn't happen everyday. You a… customer?"
He laughed heartily, like he had just received some brilliantly life-changing news.
"Yes! Welcome! We sell! We buy!"
Cloud decided to buy a supply of potions and some new destructive Materia. Potions were a life-saver; destructive Materia just made fighting a whole lot easier.
They thanked the shopkeeper, who in turn thanked them for supporting his future, and made their way to the train station.
