AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey Guys! Sorry for this abominably short chapter, but its an interlude, and I'm in the zone, so the next update will follow shortly! Thank you for all the reviews! Haha Omega I threw my dog a bone and he jumped into the moon and made me invicible! So I'm gonna borrow a line from MC Hammer "can't touch this!"
Anyway, everyone got the VIII reference and that WAS julia in the diner. Interesting bit of trivia, we have finally reached 10 000 hits! :P hopefully we can reach the 100 review mark before the end of the fic!
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"Where the fuck are they going?" Cloud asked wearily as the carriage carrying Tifa disappeared around a corner. Both he and Aerith had tired after chasing it.
Aerith came beside him, trying hard not to breathe heavily. "They look like they're headed to Wall Market!"
"Wall Market?"
Aerith wiped some persperation from her forehead. "I keep forgetting you're not from around here. Wall Market is basically the biggest market in the entire slums in this sector or any other!"
Cloud nodded. "Wow, why the fuck would someone be taking her there? Unless..."
Cloud let the statement hang in the air, his eyes widened as the realisation hit him. Sephiroth! Did he have anything to do with this?
"Unless what?" Aerith asked curiously. "Cloud, she isn't in any sort of trouble is she?
Cloud shook his head. "No its nothing Aerith. I'm just worried about her."
Aerith stared at him for a moment. "You're lying Cloud," she said simply.
Cloud made to argue, but she cut him off. "Look we can talk about this later, right now we need to go see what's happening at Wall Market!"
Cloud could only nod. "Lead the way," he said as they hurried onwards.
XXX
"This place is fucking huge!" Cloud nearly shouted. "How are we gonna find Tifa in this shithole?!"
Wall Market was certainly a large area. Shops with bright flashing lights were everywhere, selling a variety of goods, ranging from bangles the shopkeeper claimed were made from Mythril, to Eye-drops. There was barely enough space to walk as it was bustling with people despite the lateness of the hour.
"Look, people are gonna talk. All we have to do is ask around and we'll find her soon," Aerith said quickly.
"Well where do we start?" Cloud asked.
"Well, ask the nearest person that's alone," Aerith replied. "That's how it usually works."
She approached a man sitting on his own near a building. "Uhm hi?" She began.
"Whatsup toots?" He said giving her what you could call a toothy grin, except he didn't have much teeth left.
Aerith tried her best not to grimace. "I'm looking for someone."
"On a night like this everyone's looking for someone," the guy replied, his grin widening.
Cloud was about to step in and intervene, but Aerith leaned in and whispered something in his ear. His face fell immediately.
"Well that's a right shame!" He said, sounding disappointed. "Well, now that you mention it, I did see a carriage with one of the hottest pieces of ass I've ever seen go over to the Honeybee Inn down the road!"
Aerith gave the guy a glowing smile. "Thank you!" She began walking back towards Cloud.
"What did you say to him?" Cloud demanded, seeing her smug grin.
"I told him I like girls," Aerith said nonchalantly. "And that I was looking for a specific girl tonight!"
"What? That's crazy even for you!"
"Well it got the job done!" Aerith snapped. "Now let's go to that blasted inn!"
They made there way past the various shops until the reached an area that was pretty empty except for a few misrable looking men.
Guarded by two burly men and an elderly fellow with a large beard, stood the Honeybee Inn. It was a huge building, easily dwindling every other structure in the vicinity. It was painted in a garish yellow and gold paint with a black trim, made to resemble a caricatured bee-hive.
Cloud glanced at Aerith and decided to ask himself this time. He walked towards the old guy.
On the way he caught sight of another man being forced away from the Inn by another bouncer.
"Awww come on! Lemme in!"
"No membership pass, no entry!" Came the stern reply.
Cloud gave them an uneasy glance, although he was in no way intimidated.
"Hello young man!" The old man said before he could even open his mouth. "Are you here to enter the place where every man's fantasy becomes reality?"
Instead of answering, Cloud decided to cut to the chase. "I'm looking for someone."
"Who might that someone be?"
"Tall, dark hair, reddish eyes," Cloud replied.
The old man seemed to consider for a moment. "Hmmm, I think a girl like that was brought in just a few moments ago. Had quite the figure too, her name was something with a T. Tina? Terra?"
"Tifa?" Cloud supplied, trying to keep the excitement from his voice.
The man looked delighted. "That's it!"
"So you can tell me where to find her?"
The man looked deflated at that. "'Fraid not son. She was only here for a few. Just to get ready for the Don?"
"Don?"
The man raised an eyebrow. "You been living under a rock or somethin'? The owner of Wall Market! Don Corneo!"
Catching Aerith's eye, Cloud nodded. "Oh yeah, sorry slipped my mind for a second!"
"Yeah well, you'll find the Don's mansion a little north from the Market!" The old guy said with a shrug. "I'm sure she'll be there."
"Thanks," Cloud said with a nod.
He returned to Aerith and was surprised to see a black look on her face.
"I've heard on Don Corneo, apparently his a sick perv, if Tifa is with him, I'd hate to imaging what she's going through now!"
"We'd better hurry then!" Cloud said urgently.
"Right!" Aerith said, before taking off at a run with Cloud hot on her heels.
They passed a gym and an inn on the way before arriving at Don Corneo's mansion. If the Honeybee Inn was impressive, the mansion may as well have been the Romanoff Palace.
It was immense, decorated in vivid red and yellow colours. Oakwood doors with gilded details decorated the mansion, with, as if someone had meant to show off the pure wealth of the owner, yet had not done a very tasteful job.
Cloud approached the man guarding the entrance with Aerith by his side.
"Ah another girl? And she's real cute too! Don's gonna be real chuffed tonight! Dunno how he's gonna decide, another girl was just brought in, very different to this one, but just as lovely!" He said enthusiastically. "Whichever he does choose, I hope I get the leftovers!"
His gaze lingered hungrily on Aerith. Cloud felt himself drawing her close and giving the guard a filthy look.
"Look I needa get inside!" Cloud said hurriedly.
"Sorry no can do, brother! Only women allowed in, strict rules!" The guard replied.
"Give us a second!" Aerith said, grabbing Cloud's arm and hauling him a few paces back. "I'm going in!" She said.
"No you're not! You heard that guy! This Don is a sicko! There's no way in hell I'm letting you in there by yourself!" Cloud snapped angrily.
"You want to save Tifa don't you?" Aerith demanded. "The only way to do that is if I go in alone or..."
Her eyes lit up in sudden inspiration. "Cloud, wait here, I've just had an idea!"
"Aerith, what're you-"
Aerith bounded back to the guard. "Hey listen, I don't want to see the Don looking like this. I'm gonna go make myself pretty and I've got another cute friend that would LOVE to come too!"
"Sounds good! Take your time baby, the Don isn't going anywhere soon!" The guard said happily.
Aerith came running back towards Cloud a wide grin on her face.
"This doesn't seem like a time to be smiling Aerith," Cloud said.
"I know but sometimes my brain surprises me sometimes! Come on, we need to get back to the market!" Aerith said grabbing his arm and pulling him along.
"And what's this about a cute friend?"
"You'll see," Aerith said with a wink.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE: I think everyone can guess what's happening next! Like I said it'll probably be up by the end of the weekend. So see y'all on the other side!
