8. A Change of Uniform
1
Aeris often found herself thinking about this and that since leaving the floating city of Midgar, but now, as she strolled around the quiet streets of Junon, she found her thoughts surrounding two handsome and somewhat-familiar faces.
She hadn't forgotten the uncanny similarities that she'd noticed between Cloud and her long, lost boyfriend Zack on the day that the first reactor had been bombed in Midgar, but now that things had slowed down a bit she found their two striking faces taking precedent over most of her other thoughts.
And besides the potentially daunting situation that the Planet was facing, along with the troubling antics of Sephiroth and Rufus as well as the strange secret conversations she'd been having with the Planet itself, she'd heard Barret's account about the ordeal on the beach and the poor girl, Priscilla.
All of this is going on right now and yet my mind is focusing on a relationship that ended – however abruptly – over five years ago.
The thing was, despite what she'd told the others who'd known about her relationship, she had loved Zack, and she'd been sure that he had loved her. That perception of love was the only thing after all these years that had assured her that the handsome black-haired boy had not abandoned her for another girl. Although this knowledge – as oddly comforting as it was – certainly could not make the situation any easier on her mind and heart.
Because if he didn't leave me . . . she thought, and then swallowed before realizing how dry her mouth was.
She knew what that other possibility was.
If Zack hadn't left her for another girl . . . then he'd probably gone missing on one of the SOLDIER missions he'd always seemed to be on.
Or . . . she gravely considered, but again shut off that foreboding stream of thought.
For the moment Aeris was out of her struggling mind and realized she'd almost walked to the looming cliff at the edge of the harbor town. She saw the lone Shinra guard staring her way so she leisurely turned around and began walking back towards the heart of the town.
So with everything and more on my mind, she mused, where does that leave me?
She felt a tickle of pride force away the obvious answer that swam into her head, but the thought couldn't stay back from long.
Jealousy? Is that what I really felt?
She again felt herself trying to deny it, and while she couldn't be positive that it had been jealousy that she'd felt after walking back into the old woman's guest room and seeing Cloud and Tifa sleeping on the same bed with their hands clasped, she could be sure that she had definitely felt something.
But if what I felt was jealousy, she thought, does that mean that I really do like Cloud? Could it really be something more than the strange comparisons I see between him and Zack?
Aeris had believed that the only adventure that she'd ever experience in her secluded life would be evading the Turks and keeping herself out of Dorian Hojo's laboratory, and at the time she'd felt somewhat saddened by that.
Yet now she found herself front and center in the adventure of a lifetime, and above everything else her emotions were focused on a peculiar yellow-haired boy with a sword.
"You're some kind of girl," she said to herself, but before she could reflect on this any further she heard an eruption of music sound out from the top of the cliff behind her.
She couldn't be sure if the exuberant fanfares had anything to do with herself and the others, but she knew that it'd be best to get back to her team all the same.
As she walked down the stomped-solid dirt street she again saw Cloud's limp hand encompassed by Tifa's own.
Instead of dwelling on this she took a quick breath and shook away the image, although pieces of it would not recede into the depths of her possibly-envious mind.
2
Out of the deep blackness of sleep Cloud heard the sexless voice in his head say, "You are such a good boy . . ."
Shocked that he was still hearing the strange voice inside of his head, the voice that he'd heard minutes before he had passed out on the beach, Cloud replied back to it, "You again? Who are you?"
There was a brief pause before the voice replied, "You will find out very soon. Although as good of a boy as you are . . . you're still not thinking about what we talked about."
"What do you mean, 'good boy'?" Cloud asked. "What the hell have I done that makes you say that?"
"Oh . . ." the quiet voice replied, "we don't need to get into that . . ."
But then Cloud had a thought. "Wait . . . does this have something to do with what happened earlier, with that girl Priscilla?"
There was a long pause, and Cloud imagined that he could actually feel the unknown source searching for an answer. Finally it said, "It may . . . but as you know . . ."
Cloud interrupted, "Yeah, yeah, I know . . . there's only so much you can tell me. I get it. But something happened earlier . . . those things the girl said . . . it felt right, yet bizarre, at the same time."
"The little girl means nothing," the genderless voice said. "I can tell you that much. Do not let her be a distraction for you . . ."
"But then, what does it all mean? If Sephiroth wants me – or us – to follow him, then why doesn't he just wait for us? Why all of this cat-and-mouse?"
The voice solemnly replied, "So many questions, boy. And I won't pretend that I can answer them . . ."
"No surprise there . . ."
"But," the androgynous voice continued, "I can say this. Wouldn't it seem . . . correct . . . that he who you follow might have more than one obligation? Possibly this business about the Reunion that the young girl mentioned?"
Cloud sighed. "I suppose . . . I just . . . I don't understand any of this . . ."
"Well, perhaps you're not supposed to, boy," the voice said. "In any case most of this seems well beyond your current state of mind."
"My current state of . . ."
The voice cut in. "I think it more important that you get back to the problem we discussed in our last . . . session . . ."
"I know, I know," Cloud exhaustively said. "It's just that there's so much going on. And I've never been good at figuring stuff out of my own, no matter how much I try to . . ."
"Then perhaps a different strategy is needed."
"Okay," Cloud said. "I'm listening . . ."
"Perhaps," the voice began, "you need to voice your concerns to the others . . . or even just to Tifa herself."
Cloud imagined that he was shaking his head, although he couldn't be sure if he was. "Talk about it with Tifa? Why does it have to be her?" Ha paused. "And hey, I thought the last time you mentioned this you told me not to talk to the others about this . . ."
"But with Tifa . . . I think you would be fine . . ."
Cloud sighed. "But why Tifa? And why now? What has changed?"
After a short silence the sexless voice responded, "During the incident on the beach you felt something . . . correct?"
"Felt something?" Cloud asked, but after a moment he remembered the weird moment that he and Tifa had shared. "Okay, sure. I felt something. And?"
"And perhaps Tifa would be the best candidate for you to talk all of this out with . . ."
"But I still don't . . ."
"More importantly, five years ago . . ."
Cloud was taken aback. The voice hadn't shouted but the words had felt like gunfire in his skull. "Five years ago?" he questioned. "Nibelheim?"
The voice continued, "When you went to Mt. Nibel, Tifa was your guide, right?"
"Yeah . . . I was surprised." Cloud didn't know where this was going but he wasn't going to pass on the chance to listen to the mysterious voice talk about Nibelheim.
"But where was Tifa other than that?" the voice eerily asked, that almost sinister quality present.
Cloud paused. ". . . I dunno."
"It was a great time for you two to see each other again."
He paused again, remembering that he'd gone to her house but that she hadn't been home, and that other than the hike to the reactor he hadn't really seen her. ". . . You're right."
"Why couldn't you see each other alone?" it asked, and Cloud felt a chill run through his mind when he heard the uniquely satisfied glee in the source's voice.
"I don't know. I can't remember clearly . . ."
It questioned, "Then why don't you try asking Tifa?"
"Yeah," he agreed, immediately forgetting the trepidation he'd had only minutes ago when the voice had suggested the same advice.
"Then, get up!"
3
Suddenly his eyes were open and he was face to face with Tifa. She was shouting, "Wake up! Wake up, Cloud!"
He slowly climbed out of the bed, blinking and partially disoriented. He could hear music being played somewhere in the distance. Before Tifa could walk out of the bedroom door, he asked, "Tifa . . .?"
She spun around, her eyes not quite meeting his own. "Yes, Cloud?"
He thought about what the voice had said. "Tifa . . . when Sephiroth and I went to Nibelheim . . ." he paused and then finished, "where were you? Why didn't we get together?"
Her face went blank so quickly that she looked quite frightened by the sudden question. She murmured, "Uh . . . but we did see each other, right?"
"The other times," Cloud asked, although the distant music was making it difficult to keep his thoughts on the current topic.
Tifa crossed her arms. She could barely stand still. Looking anxiously around the room she said, "No . . . it was five years ago. I don't remember." She headed for the door, and even just steps away from him her entire persona seemed to transform. She said, "But . . . something seems strange outside. Come on, Cloud."
He stood there only a moment longer, wanting to press the issue further. However, the music outside along with the importance Tifa stressed on the current situation forced him to forget about what the voice inside of his head had said to him.
For now . . .
4
The two ran out into the middle of the Junon town. Loud trumpet fanfares were playing up above at the military base. Barret, Aeris, and Red 13 were all standing together outside of Priscilla's house.
The crowd of townspeople was no longer gathered and it was only then that Cloud asked, "Did I sleep through the whole night?"
Tifa nodded. "Yeah, you were out cold . . ."
Barret stepped forward. "You all right?"
At first surprised by Barret's concern, Cloud then remembered the odd happenings on the beach before he had passed out. He looked at the gunarmed man and said, "Yeah, thanks. I'm fine."
Aeris motioned to Priscilla's house beside the team. "I heard that girl regained consciousness."
"That's good to hear," Cloud responded as he gazed up at the fortress towards the sound of the music.
Tifa asked out loud, "Doesn't it seem a little strange though, everything getting so noisy all of the sudden?"
"Definitely seems like something's goin' on up there!" Barret yelled, looking up at the city above.
Over and over the distant trumpets and drum rolls played on and on.
"But before we get to that," Cloud said. "What about what happened down here?"
"What do you mean?" Barret asked.
"I mean," he said, before stopping. "First off, I take it you all know about what happened on the beach yesterday?" After the various nods he continued, "Well, what do we think it means?"
Red 13, after scratching behind his left ear, said, "We've been discussing that very question on our own . . . and we'd kind of hoped that you would be able to shed some light on it."
"Well," Cloud said. "The girl said – well, I guess Sephiroth said – that I was taking too long . . . and that I wouldn't be in time for the Reunion . . ."
"And what's this Reunion thing?" Aeris questioned.
Cloud shrugged. "I have no idea . . . I was wondering that myself."
"Do you think the girl could've been lying somehow?" Barret asked. "I mean, I know I was there an' all, it's just that at the time it was all over my head."
"No," Cloud and Tifa immediately said simultaneously.
After a moment, Cloud said, "No . . . but I don't think the girl is evil or anything. I think it's just like she told us . . . Sephiroth manipulated her."
"Manipulated her?" Aeris asked.
"I don't know," Cloud said. "He did something to her that forced me to get to Junon faster . . ."
"Is that true?" Red 13 asked. "Did you really feel some kind of urge to reach this location?"
Cloud waited a moment and then nodded his head. "But . . ." he turned to Tifa. "You felt something too, right?"
Tifa was about to respond when the young girl, Priscilla, walked out of her house. She waved at the group in front of her in the childishly awkward way that only young kids can accomplish.
When Cloud saw her he waved back and asked, "Are you alright now?" He gave her a genuine smile.
She smiled back at him. "Thanks for helping . . ." She looked over them all. "I'm sorry I mistook you all for some of those Shinra, Inc. scumbags."
Aeris laughed. "Haha! 'Scumbags'!"
Cloud ruffled Priscilla's hair. "That's all right. No hard feelings. We're not . . ." he stifled a laugh. "We're not scumbags." He smiled again at her until she smiled back.
"Priscilla?" Tifa said, looking down at the child with a smile. "Do you remember what happened before you saw us on the beach?"
After a moment the girl replied, "I went looking for dolphins . . . and then . . . and then . . . and then you guys showed up and I tried to swim away . . ."
"You don't remember anything else?" Tifa asked.
Shaking her head, Priscilla answered, "Nope . . ."
"That's okay!" Barret said joyously. He then knelt down next to her. "Hey, do you know why all of this music is playing?"
She nodded. "My dad said that they're rehearsing the reception music for the new Shinra president."
"Rufus!" Barret shouted and then cracked his knuckles on his jaw. "I gotta pay my respects." He winked at the girl. "You see . . . Rufus is more or less King Scumbag."
Priscilla laughed but then quickly let out a long sigh. She looked past the team and towards the ocean. "Grandpa and grandma have always told me that this beach was beautiful when they were small. But after the Shinra built that city above, the sun stopped shining here, and the water got polluted." She stamped her small foot. "I was raised on that story and hate the Shinra so much!"
Aeris looked at Cloud. "You think Rufus is thinking about crossing the ocean from here? Does that mean Sephiroth has crossed it already?"
Cloud shrugged. "It makes sense. I wonder if they're having trouble with the airships again . . ."
Barret looked up at the base and said, "Don't know nothin' about that . . . but we gotta get to the city up there. Maybe we could climb one of the towers that are sittin' in the water?"
Priscilla stepped forward. "No! No! There's a high voltage current running underneath the towers. Don't wander near them. It's dangerous!" She looked curiously in the direction of the beach. With a joyous smile on her face she yelled, "But I think Mr. Dolphin can help you!" She quickly dashed towards the beach.
Smirking, Tifa shrugged her shoulders and said, "A high voltage tower . . . I guess that means Cloud'll be all right."
Cloud's eyes widened. Before he could speak Aeris replied, "Yeah, sounds dangerous. Better leave it to Cloud. He's got the SOLDIER uniform anyways."
Barret patted him on the back. "Good luck. I can't wait to get a better look at the new President of the Shinra Scumbag Corporation!"
Soon the group dissipated, and after a quick bite to eat at a nearby Food Stand Cloud and Barret slowly walked down to the beach, Cloud still wondering how he had gotten himself into this.
5
The music seemed to echo off of the ocean water. Priscilla was standing at the edge of the tide, blowing a whistle in the direction of one of the many support towers. From the look of it neither Cloud nor Barret could tell if it was truly a high voltage tower, but they weren't going to go against the young girl's word.
Priscilla turned around and winked at them. "Good! You're finally here! Watch this!" She blew the whistle. Almost concurrent with the whistle's piercing note a sleek gray dolphin stuck its head out of the choppy water. The girl giggled with pleasure. "Hi, Mr. Dolphin!"
"What do you know?" Barret said, looking at Cloud with something close to wonder.
Cloud agreed. "Yeah . . . there really is a dolphin." But then a thought occurred to him. "Wait a minute . . . how is the dolphin supposed to help me get up to the fortress?"
Barret shrugged. "I dunno, white boy. But I'm glad it ain't me!"
Cloud then turned to Priscilla and asked, "What do I need the dolphin for? Can't I just swim out to one of the structures?"
The young girl sighed exaggeratedly, her small hand placed dramatically on her forehead. "Didn't you hear me before? There's electrical currents running underneath the tower." She paused to look at the dolphin. "But . . . Mr. Dolphin can bring you to the tower safely."
"He can, can he?" Cloud asked skeptically.
"Well, yeah," Priscilla replied confidently. "I've done it before!"
Cloud raised his brows. "Oh, really?"
Priscilla sighed again and said, "Do you want Mr. Dolphin's help or not?"
Laughing, Barret said, "Yeah, Cloud. Do you want the help or not?"
Cloud nodded at the young girl and then gave Barret a particular gesture just out of the girl's eyesight.
Giving the whistle to Cloud, Priscilla said, "When you're in the water, blow the whistle, and Mr. Dolphin will swim to you. Then all you have to do is hold on until you reach the tower." She pointed to a brick-red beam a short distance away from the tower that sat on a manmade island. She continued, "It's really not that hard, especially since the waves aren't too bad at this time of day."
Cloud shrugged and for a second thought of all the other things he'd done in the past weeks.
I've survived up until now . . . mostly without question . . . so I guess I shouldn't think too hard about using a dolphin to reach the only easy way up to the fortress.
He smiled at Priscilla. "I think you're right. This shouldn't be too hard." He turned to Barret. "All my stuff is back at that lady's place . . . you going to take care of it?"
"Yeah, no problem," Barret said. "And good luck, Strife! We'll follow you later once we have a plan."
"You gonna try and come up?" Cloud asked, only now thinking about the consequences of the team's separation.
"Eh, you know me," Barret said, shrugging his massive arms. "I'll think of something . . . I always do."
Nodding, Cloud turned towards the cold water and slowly waded in. Cold water rushed into his clothing, chilling his bones.
Even I have to admit . . . this is a bit strange . . .
Behind him he heard Priscilla say, "Mr. Big Man? Will you please not tell my father that I used the word 'scumbags'?"
Cloud laughed and then fumbled for the whistle.
"Here goes nothing."
He blew the whistle and in seconds the dolphin swam over to where he was wading. When he saw its fin break through the surface of the water he gently grabbed onto it. In seconds however he was squeezing the fin with added strength as the dolphin gracefully pulled him here and there through the icy water.
Before he even had time to admit that he was actually enjoying the unique piggyback experience he was thrust up onto the small, manmade island.
With a quick sigh of relief he climbed to his feet, yelled back to Barret and Priscilla, and then made his way up the tower.
6
With music blaring and other extravagantly loud sounds all around him, Cloud did not have any trouble making a stealthy entrance. Now, off of the tower, his SOLDIER uniform soaked through but already drying in the high altitude wind, he slowly made his way across the grand airship deck, running and hiding behind each ship that could cover him. A mighty gray airship to his left majestically floated up into the sky, but from the sounds it was making he was positive the assumption he'd made earlier was correct – the Shinra were having problems with the airships.
Well, that explains why Rufus would need to use a ship to get to the Western Continent, if that really is what's going on . . .
He looked again at the airship floating over his head. The name on the side of it was, 'Highwind'.
With a large amount of soldiers and captains around the interior of the base he stopped sneaking around and started walking casually, hoping that they just would view him as every other SOLDIER. After all, he was still dressed in his old uniform.
Past one soldier.
Past another.
And another.
His plan was working.
He hesitated a split-second, and then opened the door that would bring him inside of the massive base. He tried to forget that this was the same door he'd entered through five years ago with Sephiroth and the others.
Ridding the thought from his mind was harder than he thought it would be when he stepped inside and saw that everything still looked exactly the same as it had all those years ago.
Once again no one seemed to be paying any fastidious attention to him. Three soldiers passed right beside him but didn't even give him a second glance as they proudly marched by in their blue and black Shinra guard uniforms.
Cloud felt sure that he was in the clear . . .
Suddenly one of the captains grabbed his shoulder and spun him around. Thinking that he had been caught he reached for his sword, only to remember that it wasn't there. He stopped short of attacking only when the captain said to him, "Hey! You still dressed like that! Come here!" The captain, wearing his proper blood-red uniform, pointed his brawny arm towards a room next to him. He continued to yell when Cloud didn't respond immediately. "Here! Get - in - the - room!"
Knowing it was the only way, Cloud walked into the room that the man was pointing to, going with the flow as best as he could.
The locker room contained a foul order, which was something he didn't remember from his previous visit. Immediately as he walked into the room he noticed the set of lockers that he'd caught Sephiroth staring at.
Two – One – Three – One . . . he thought to himself, but his thoughts were interrupted by the hoarse voice of the man in front of him.
Glaring his eyes, the captain said, "Today's the big day when we welcome President Rufus!" He threw a Shinra guard uniform at Cloud. "You know the drill. We're trying to get all of you guys dressed alike and there's plenty more guard uniforms than there are SOLIDER ones. So hurry up and change!"
Cloud caught the uniform, almost nostalgically mesmerized by it. He walked behind a white shower curtain at the end of the locker row and began to change. "Brings back memories . . ." he murmured to himself.
"Quit yappin'! Hurry up!" the arrogant voice of the captain called from nearby. "We don't have all day! Are you waitin' for Mideel to freeze over!?"
Still putting on the uniform Cloud whispered to himself, "A Shinra uniform . . . I was so proud when I first put it on." He let out a long sigh. "I wonder when it was . . . when I couldn't stand wearing this thing anymore."
Walking out in full Shinra attire he felt disgusting, but at the same time he understood that with the guard mask covering his face he would definitely not be recognized by any of the Shinra.
I don't care what the Turks said . . . I still don't want to be seen by any of the Shinra bigheads.
"Wow!" the captain said when Cloud reappeared. "You look good in it! You remember the Greeting procedure, right?" Cloud shrugged. Shaking his head, the captain muttered, "That lack of enthusiasm tells me everything that I need to know. All right, I'll show you again!"
With the help of two other soldiers the captain had called on, Cloud slowly learned the Greeting procedure, which was more or less a series of marches and salutes.
After a little while he seemed to have the gist of it. The captain nodded and said, "Good! Make sure you do well at the real parade!"
A third soldier ran into the room. Almost out of breath he announced, "Rufus has arrived! Preparation completed!" As quickly as he came, he went.
Following the soldiers and the captain out of the locker room, Cloud heard the captain say, "All right, show time! Don't disgrace yourselves!"
7
Elsewhere on the Junon Fortress, the welcoming parade was starting. Scores of soldiers began to march down the crowded street. The crowd's roar tripled when Rufus came into view. He was riding in the back seat of a cerulean-blue convertible, waving in true ticker-tape parade style.
On the sidelines one of the other captains looked around impatiently. To a colleague next to him he whispered, "Where is the last group of soldiers?"
8
Running down a various amount of hallways and stairs Cloud, the soldiers, and the captain finally reached a door that led to the street.
Opening it put a grim look on the captain's face. "Oh no!" he screamed. "No one's here! We're late! I'll lose by badge over this!"
He started to glance over at Cloud. Before he could yell, one of the other soldiers pointed down an alleyway. Through the alley they could see that the parade was still running on the other side of the complex. "Captain, we'll go jump in the parade down there."
The captain unglued his angry fix on Cloud and agreed. "Right! Good idea. Run for it, you blue bastards!"
At the end of the alley the soldiers, including Cloud, who could barely believe what he'd gotten himself into, ran one-by-one and joined the rear of the parade. Cloud thought that it would not be a predominantly good thing for the captain that the welcoming parade ended about twenty-five seconds later.
He saw the red-suited man watching solemnly as the parade came to halt. The captain then looked down at his badge, most likely knowing that it wouldn't be there much longer.
9
Soon Cloud was led away from the crowds and following the others to a paved platform at the top of Junon. Standing in formation with the others he saw Rufus and Heideggar standing in front of him. It was strange having the two men so close to him but not being able to do anything about it.
But this is about information, he thought. And this is about Sephiroth.
Turning to Heideggar, Rufus crisply asked, "How's everything going?" Heideggar didn't respond. He appeared to know what was coming next. Rufus continued, "Heideggar, what happened to the airship?" His tone was firm.
Scratching his head, Heideggar responded, "Um . . . the long range airship is still being . . . prepared." He let out a short, croaky laugh, and then said, "It should be ready in about three more days." He finally let loose, unable to hold in his boisterous laughter. "Ha, ha, ha!"
"Even the Air Force's Gelnika?" Rufus asked.
Still convulsing with laughter, Heideggar shook his head. "Can't use it. Ha, ha, ha!"
Rufus stepped towards him fiercely. "Stop that stupid horse laugh. Things are different now that my father is not in charge."
Trying to stop himself, Heideggar let out one more gruff, "Ha . . ."
Rufus continued, "I understand that these past couple of weeks have been difficult on all of us . . . especially me since I was not completely under the control of my decisions . . . but I will not sit through any more of that ridiculous and unnecessary laughter."
"Sorry, sir," Heideggar said, still a little red in the face.
"Now," Rufus began, "have you changed the assignments around as needed?"
"Yes, sir."
"And AVALANCHE?" the President tightly asked. "Are they being taken care of now as well?"
There was a pause before Heideggar replied, "Yes . . . I just don't understand why you want . . ."
Before he could finish Rufus said, "What I want is a little more respect from you . . ." Heideggar appeared ready to retort but ultimately thought better of it. More calmly now, Rufus asked, "Is the ship ready?"
"Yes, sir, it'll be ready shortly."
Nodding, Rufus entered a nearby tram car. Heideggar let out a little laugh, mostly from nerves, before following him in. It slowly ascended upward, bringing them to an unseen section of the Junon Fortress.
One of the other guards standing by said, "Have you guys heard? The President was under some kind of spell or something!"
"Yeah, I heard," another said.
A spell? Cloud thought, more than a little confused.
"You all heard about the man with the black cape that's been roaming around Junon?" the guard directly in front of Cloud asked.
Trying to find out more information, Cloud asked, "Man in a black cape?"
The soldier responded, "Yeah. He showed up two or three days ago. He killed some of our soldiers."
Cloud questioned, "Was he apprehended?"
"No," the guard said, turning away from Cloud and looking out towards the ocean. "He disappeared right after that." The man paused and turned back around. "There's a rumor going around that it was Sephiroth."
The captain, who had been lingering in front of the conglomerated guards, suddenly blew his whistle. "Attention! All you peons can stop running your mouths now . . . we don't need anymore rumors floating around Junon." He raised a fist into the air. "Dismissed!"
Cloud was just about to walk away, determined to somehow find out where Rufus and Heideggar had gone, when the two soldiers from the locker room that had helped him train for the Greeting stopped him. One said, "Hey, you made us late once today already, you're not gonna do it again!"
The captain walked towards Cloud. "It's time for the Greeting, you idiot. And you all better make up for the disaster that took place earlier!"
"It wasn't our fault!" one of the guards whined.
Just as the guard began to point a finger in Cloud's direction the captain shouted, "I don't care whose fault it is! I'm not losing this badge!"
The guards sighed and began to jog behind their swiftly-moving captain.
Following them to the dock, Cloud wondered if he would ever get to take off the horrid, blue uniform.
10
Waiting now, Cloud casually checked out the boat in front of them. It was being packed with an overabundance of gear and supplies.
The captain's stout voice yelled, "All right, it's time! President Rufus has now arrived!" Rufus and Heideggar, their faces tame, entered from the base through a set of automatic doors, and looked as if they couldn't have cared less for the ceremonial Greeting. The captain continued, "This is it. Junon Military Reception! Do it right, do it with enthusiasm! Ready!"
Just as they had done in the locker room, the soldiers and Cloud performed the Greeting procedure.
Surprisingly, everything went as planned.
Rufus stepped forward, clapping his hands, although he also appeared to be stifling a yawn. "Well done. Keep up the good work for Shinra, Inc.," he droned. Motioning to Heideggar to follow him, Rufus turned around and walked towards the boat. "Once the word gets out that Sephiroth's here, Cloud and his friends will show up, too."
Making a fist and swinging at the air, Heideggar boasted, "We'll crush them as soon as we find them!"
Rufus got into the man's bearded face. "Heideggar, we can't have them get in our way any longer."
"Leave it up to me, sir! Ha, ha, ha!"
Shaking his head, Rufus narrowed his eyes and put his hand over Heideggar's laughing mouth. Sternly, he said, "I thought I told you to stop that stupid laugh . . ." They both slowly walked onto the boat, out of sight.
"Dismissed!" the captain announced, glad everything had gone well. Cloud thought that he just might be keeping that badge of his after all.
Cloud began to ponder the words of Rufus and Heideggar, and how they did not coincide with what the Turks had told them, when he noticed two soldiers standing by the huge boat's starboard entrance, just beyond the retreating captain. The guards looked short . . . in fact, they generally looked too short when he compared them to most of the other soldiers walking around the active dock.
Then Cloud noticed a huge person dressed in a sailor uniform. While the two smaller-than-average guards stood looking out from the ship's entrance the large man hurriedly entered the boat carrying an enormous duffle bag.
The man was Barret.
One of the soldiers still standing besides Cloud said, "That was close . . . Heideggar's been really edgy lately."
"Why?" Cloud asked, trying to take his attention away from Barret and the others.
"Because Hojo disappeared a couple of weeks ago, leaving a letter of resignation," the man replied. "Heideggar's been forced to take care of that investigation, too."
"What?" Cloud asked, bemused. "Dorian Hojo resigned?"
The captain suddenly walked to them, his previously heightened mood nowhere to be seen. "We've got some cleaning to do, you blue bastards! Hurry your asses up!"
Following their ill-tempered captain the two guards ran away from Cloud's position on the dock.
The ex-SOLDIER looked down at his uniform, and then at the boat in front of him. He knew what he had to do.
11
He cautiously walked onto the Shinra vessel and winked at the two small soldiers, Tifa and Aeris.
We'll cross the ocean, to the Western continent . . . even if we have to wear these awful Shinra uniforms. We'll do anything to get to Sephiroth.
Only minutes later a growling horn rang out, notifying the crew that the boat would be departing from the dock. The massive ship slowly floated away from the harbor and then started west, crashing through the pounding ocean waves.
The crew aboard frantically ran to and fro as they completed their designated tasks.
Cloud went to find the others.
