This is a small chapter, but one I think my Honeybee Inn fans will giggle about. Not too funny, but I saw the humor...
Disclaimer I don't own any of these characters or places. Maybe a little of the plot, though.
We were well known in the slums by then. Reno and I, we were the hottest couple in Wall Market. The girls would coo and such when Reno wrapped an arm around me in a protective gesture, and guys would somewhat watch out for us. They heard our story and were determined that nothing else would happen on their watch.
Ren and Cloud, they were a good match. Ren found his little boyfriend when he went out of Midgar to make a delivery to Chocobo Bill. He was in Kalm on his way back, and he saw a little blond getting dragged into an alley. He was putting up a fierce fight, but it couldn't throw his two attackers off. Ren made a split second decision to save him, and beat the shit out of them. He took the teen up to his room and took care of him, found out his story. They stuck together from then on. In a few days, they went into Midgar and into the Sector 7 slums to Ren's tiny room and left for Wall Market to find the remainders of resistance. They wanted to help with the cause and overthrow Shinra, or at least give them hell for as long as they could.
Obviously, I was Cloud, and Reno was Ren. We were setting a meeting with some important folks in the Honeybee Inn. It was one of the biggest spots for meetings possible, and also the least conspicuous. Reno and I took careful note of that information. We got dolled up in new clothes but kept our boots and guns and my jacket. Reno, I guess that I'll call him Ren for now, held his shotgun tightly. His other arm was around me and regardless of that my back was straight and my shoulders squared. We made a tough looking pair, and the girls at the Honeybee knew that we weren't customers. The girls in bee costumes flitted around and eyed the other men coming in. One came up to us.
"Your meeting is in the Group Room. This way." She led us to the left into the first room, and opened the door for us. A small group sat inside. Most were Wutaians but there were quite a few that weren't. They all seemed arranged around a woman sitting on the raised edge of a Jacuzzi. Her hair was cropped close to her head and her arms and legs were faintly muscled. I could tell because she wore a tank top and tiny shorts. She was pale and dark haired, clearly from the mountains, but so pale that she must have been there stuck under the Plates for years. Her sharp gray eyes were trained on them.
"Welcome, boys," she said with a rasp. "I hear you've been wanting to join forces with us."
Ren nodded and eyed her suspiciously. "First I gotta know what ya guys got planned fer us."
She grinned. "Oh I've got plans for you two." She signaled to a guy to give her a large folder. "We first need to know why you two are here. What do you want from us?"
Ren started to speak, but I nudged him harshly. "I have something against Shinra's personnel. Most workers have nothing to do with my grudge, so I don't want to eliminate the whole company. They push their SOLDIERs and scientists and overrun the small towns they force their reactors into. We had mako enhanced monsters attacking us at every turn, SOLDIERs taking advantage of us when they actually come to help us. The scientists are always there, hurting the townsfolk. We can't take it much longer, and some of us have been getting terminally ill from the mako running into our water supply and the waste filtering into our air. I'm the only one without anything more to lose, so I came to represent us and try to save us from them."
I filtered all of this from truth, and knew that his voice was harsh and unforgiving. The woman eyed me appreciatively. "Very good, kid. Where are you from?" I told her Nibelheim. She nodded sagely. "I'm from Gongaga. I know how it is. Or at least, I know how it was. Been fifteen years since I came to Midgar. I went to Nibelheim a few times, I saw how it was. Gotten worse, has it? That's a shame."
I nodded and glanced around at the men in the room. There were dozens of them. One was shorter than the rest and smaller, and he leant down to whisper in the woman's ear. She raised a slender brow and looked at me. "I hear there's more of a catalyst, though. Why exactly did you leave? You said you have nothing to lose."
I cleared my throat. "My mother and I were alone and hated in the town. I was never sure why. Because of our alienation, the scientists would filter in and out of my home, molesting me and my mother. She didn't know what they would do to me while they had her cornered elsewhere in the house. When she found out last year, she killed herself. The men were furious. They took over my home as a small lab. SOLDIERs came in and dealt with the monster problem, having their way with whatever townsfolk they wished. Since I was an orphan on the street, they took me in and used me as they saw fit. One tried to take me to the labs, and they tried to experiment on me, but I escaped. I ran from Nibelheim to Kalm, prostituting myself to get from day to day without starving. I have nothing to lose, and I want to kill the corrupted members of Shinra."
The woman whistled impressively. "You got a good case, kid. What about you, Red?"
He just glanced away. "Tired a livin under the Plates and wanna help him as much as I can. I been everything from prostitute ta drug dealer ta junkie ta assassin. I jus wanna get out."
She nodded slightly. "I need to test you two. Can you sneak around, Blondie?" I shrugged. "Okay then, we'll have to test you out then." She thought for a second. "In this building, a woman has a large jewel that she received as a gift from President Shinra. Find it and bring it to me. If you can do it without anyone knowing, you pass."
I nodded and thought for a second. I ran at the wall and used the momentum to take myself up the wall to reach the ceiling air vent. My fingers hooked in with one hand, and the other unlatched it to swing down. I was hanging precariously for a moment before I grabbed the lip of it to crawl in. Somehow I did this all quietly. I pulled the vent closed and latched it closed. I crawled through the vent towards the other rooms in the brothel. Looking below when I came to the next room, I cringed at seeing a customer thoroughly enjoying what he had paid for. With a man in a skimpy costume. I felt slightly like a lecher as I slinked to a fork in the vent. Listening carefully, I chose to go forward still, rounding to the room across from the entrance. Below, I saw a dressing room for the women in the brothel. They were chatting.
"I love when Shinra comes here." Bee 1 said with a high annoying voice.
"Yeah, the pay is great. If you get chosen, that is." Bee 2 complained with a raspy, buzzing voice.
"The president is supposed to come tomorrow. But he only picks Queenie. Sure, she plays the Queen Bee, but really? I would think he would like variety." This one was huffing. She seemed a little older than them, and wasn't in a costume. She was in a conservative suit and glasses to look like she was in charge.
Bee 1 sighed dreamily. "Queenie is getting older. Soon someone new will get to be Queen. I always wanted the Queen's Room. She even gets to live in the apartment above. I have to work harder to be second favorite, huh?"
Suit girl huffed again. "You'll have to be third favorite. Second is and always will be Honey. He is our only male, after all."
They all sighed and I moved on. I needed to find the Queen's Room. I crawled my way to the next room, and saw a man and a woman passionately going at it. I was pretty positive this wasn't the Queen's Room. I went forward again, passing another fork, and coming to yet another vent. Below, I saw a woman in a bee costume with a small crown adorning her head. I sighed quietly and looked closely at the room to see if I could find a way upstairs. There was a door off to the side and it definitely wasn't the way to the main room. She left the room to the main room and I quickly unlatched the vent, dropping with my hand on the lip still, maneuvering to find the vent and latch. I took a handkerchief from my pocket and tied it to the inner latch with one hand. It would have to hold until I could get back. I dropped to the ground and crept to the other door. It was unlocked, and it opened to stairs that I climbed silently. At the top was a luxurious apartment that I wouldn't have expected in the slums. There was a vanity next to the bed that had a large jewelry box. I opened it with my sleeves to prevent my fingerprints from showing. Inside was all manner of gems, but none that were exceptional. That is, until I noticed that it had multiple compartments. I finally got the top self off and underneath was a ring with a ruby that was at least a pound. I grinned and nodded, knowing that I had found my target. I put the box back together, heading for the stairs. I heard the knob turn and dove for the bed, hiding beneath. Queenie came in and changed out of her costume into a normal formal dress. It didn't take her long, and she left with a small sigh.
I followed her out, seeing she left the inner door open and went out of the other into the main room. I counted my blessings and ran at the wall once more to attach myself to the vent. I got in and latched it, crawling swiftly to the fork and across the main room, seeing it through a vent. I went to the Group Room where I saw Reno was glaring at a few of the men. I dropped down, surprising everyone but Reno.
I showed them the ring and they all hummed in satisfaction. Turns out I had a job.
Well, things are going well so far, eh? Let's see how long that goes. With Cloud involved, it's definitely gonna be an unlucky mission, but add in Reno? They're just as likely to sprout wings as to have it easy.
Review to keep me motivated!
