Merry Christmas to my readers who celebrate it! This year has been so tumultuous and I for one am still finding it hard to believe we've reached the end of the year. Having this amazing fandom to be a part of has certainly made 2020 better for me, that's for sure. I am thankful for all of you, no matter when you're reading this. As always, thank you to my wonderful beta and best friend, Rand0mSmil3z (SHE GIFTED ME THAT NESSIE LADLE EVERYBODY WANTS!), for editing my chapters!
Aerith
The first thing Aerith thought when she walked through not one, not two, but three sets of doors to get into Corneo's mansion was that this place was fortified like a mini Shinra building. As she was escorted inside, she was keenly aware of many guards – all of the male variety – who gave her looks anywhere between awe and hunger, the latter of which sent chills down her exposed back. She kept her smile polite and unassuming as she gazed directly ahead. Leslie himself led the way through the final set of doors and into a large atrium of a room, one surrounded by gaudy clutter that better suited the home of a hoarder. A single grand staircase spiraled up the right side of the room, leading to three red doors. Leslie gave a curt nod to a few more men. At least one of them was eyeing her figure up and down, and it made her stomach sink a bit. This place was not good.
"Don Corneo has set a special dining space for the three of you tonight," Leslie said impassively as he waited for her at the top of the stairs. These new heels were not making Aerith any faster, and she was incredibly frustrated with their lack of practicality, which was proving to be even worse than an average pair of heels from her fashion team on a good day.
She sighed instead, flashing him a suspicious look as she reached the top of the stairs. "So just Don Corneo, Tifa, and me?" she asked.
He nodded. "I'm sure a few others will be hanging about… I'll stick around, too," he said lowly as he paused in front of the middle of the rooms. He pushed the doors open to reveal a hallway and another set of doors. Aerith was beginning to think this man had a fetish for doors.
Thankfully this was the last set of doors, because once they opened the room before her came into view and she instantly met Tifa's anxious wine-colored eyes. The other woman was still in her nice outfit, but her makeup was a bit smudged and the worry that flashed across her face as they locked eyes left small foundation creases on her forehead. Aerith turned her polite gaze to the ruler of Wall Market, a short, pudgy man with a curl of hair on his shiny head and beady eyes that, complete with the accompanying smirk, also seemed to mentally undress her.
Maybe this was a bad idea. The thought flickered to the forefront of her uneasy mind, but Aerith pushed it back with a hard shove. There was no turning back now.
"Welcome to Wall Market," Don Corneo greeted in a high, reedy voice as he stood, raising his arms and giving her a cheeky grin. "I couldn't believe my ears when I heard our esteemed president's own ward was here watching the festivities of my colosseum tournament! What brings you down here, Aerith?"
He said her name in a pointed and drawn-out manner, ending the name with an exaggeration of his tongue between teeth. Beside him, Tifa looked down at her lap with wide eyes. Aerith let this slide.
"I may have snuck out of the Shinra building for some entertainment," she replied with an excited giggle. "It's quite fun to leave the stuffy atmosphere and come visit a place that's so vibrant and…refreshing!" While this wasn't a complete lie, saying it to the very obvious villain in the room felt wrong to her. She didn't have the opportunity to feel discomfort, however, as Corneo gestured her towards the chair sitting to his right. As she walked forward, she took in the surroundings with a quick, sharp eye – there were two other doors in the room, one straight back and one that led to the left. Both were sealed up tight and the one on the left had a guard standing in front of it.
Aerith took the offered chair and smiled thankfully as she sank into it. She snuck a curious glance back to Tifa, something that was not missed by the slimy man next to her.
"I see you've noticed my new to-be bride," Corneo boasted proudly as he lounged back in his chair. "Lovely little thing, isn't she? So…delicate." His grin was creepy enough to make the hairs on Aerith's arms stand up. Everything about him screamed danger.
"It's nice to meet you," she said brightly to Tifa instead, offering a warm smile that she hoped convey that she was here to help. Tifa didn't look very encouraged by the interaction, but she shot a tiny, stiff smile back.
"Food!" Corneo demanded then, shouting to the ceiling and startling both women. Almost instantaneously, a couple of very young, nervous ladies came out with steaming plates of food. Both were wearing some ridiculous outfit that revealed more than necessary, and Aerith looked away before she could see much more. The very sight of them made her fingers itch for the staff waiting for her to summon it and begin her conquest for her friends. Not yet, she internally reminded herself. Wait for an opening.
Steamed potatoes, meat, and a side of vegetables were placed in front of her. The food smelled and looked delicious, and considering the last time she'd eaten properly – aside from that chocobo pop earlier – was back in her apartment, it was no surprise as to why. The butterflies thrumming in her stomach didn't deter her from taking in a deep breath through her nose to enjoy the wonderful aromas. Across from her, Tifa looked like she was going to be sick.
"Only the finest for the Star of Midgar," Corneo said pleasantly, waving a utensil with a potato stabbed through it towards her. Aerith cringed at the tabloid nickname, but she nodded her head in thanks as she picked up her utensils to eat. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Leslie standing by the door, expression stoic as he watched them.
Watched her.
Aerith took a bite of her food, savoring the spices that pleasantly hit her tongue as she did so. She took a deep breath after swallowing. "So how long have you been here in Wall Market?" she asked Corneo conversationally, figuring that talking would be better than an awkward silence with chewing. In her head, she was debating the chances that Cloud was somewhere nearby.
Corneo laughed with a full mouth of food, some of which snuck out his lips and landed on the tablecloth. "I've been here for a few years," he replied jovially as he swallowed noisily while skewering some meat off his plate. "I've been here long enough to have raised Wall Market from the boring shanty town it was into the glorious spectacle you see today!" His gesture sent the freshly-skewered piece of meat flying. It hit the wall next to the guard's head and fell, forgotten, to the floor. Corneo shrugged and stabbed another piece. "People come from all over to visit Wall Market, the shining jewel of the Midgar slums. Even you were curious enough to peek at our entertainment." He smirked at her, and Aerith flushed a bit and looked at Tifa again. Tifa was watching her carefully. She hadn't even begun to touch her food, and Aerith doubted she would.
She let the subject drop for a bit as Corneo hummed contentedly to himself with his food. He kept grinning slyly over at Tifa while he did so. "Come on, kitten," he coaxed with a piece of meat on the end of his fork. "You need to eat."
Tifa turned her head away. Aerith's heart began to race as she thought quickly to herself. Tifa seemed a bit out of sorts for now, but would she be ready to fight if Aerith instigated one? They had only just met earlier that day, so she wasn't entirely sure.
Corneo went back to ignoring Tifa for a moment, something which Aerith was secretly happy for. As she did a quick scan of the room again, she looked for anything that might help their plight – and then she saw it. The soft glint of steel drew her attention to the back corner of the room, where an all-too-familiar oversized sword rested casually against a backdrop of maroon curtains. At its base on the floor was a small bag that was half open and revealing an impressive array of materia. At the sight of Cloud's things, she almost visibly relaxed. He was nearby and she was the only one who could help.
"So how long have you two known each other?" she asked Corneo cheerfully, indicating his relationship with Tifa in her question. A boldness that had been lying dormant before flared up brilliantly with the reminder that she wasn't helpless this time, and she most certainly wasn't unarmed. I got this.
Corneo set down his fork on a licked-clean plate, patting his belly in contentedness. "Not long at all," he replied with a malicious smile, "but I expect we'll be well acquainted soon enough."
"But how did you meet?" she pressed. Tifa looked up at her sharply, tilting her head as her gaze filled with confusion. Aerith smiled sweetly at her, pushing her plate away and resting folded hands on the table in front of her.
"It's a bit of a wild story," Corneo introduced. "It's one full of betrayal! Scandal! Secrecy!" the pleased tone of his voice did little to bring down Aerith's new assured confidence, and she just shot him a quick grin.
"Oh do tell," she encouraged. Meanwhile, Tifa's eyes had narrowed a bit and she looked from Aerith to the door where the bodyguard stood behind her right shoulder. Aerith realized that she was trying to tell her something. Is that where Cloud is, she mused to herself. Back at the table, Corneo was ramping up to tell some outlandishly long version of what she knew to be a very short kidnapping followed by some imprisonment on Tifa's part.
The determined anticipation thrumming in her veins and bringing adrenaline through her entire circulation system led Aerith to know that it was time.
"I -"
"Actually, I'm going to stop you right there," she interrupted with a cheeky grin. "I don't actually care very much. You can shut your mouth now." Standing up, Aerith stretched her arms and fingers above her head, exposing more of her bare skin than she would like but she figured a distracting article of clothing was all she needed to help her situation now.
"What are you doing?" Tifa asked insistently, her voice wavering and eyes wide as saucers as she watched.
Aerith winked at her before turning back to a suddenly dumbfounded Corneo. "I'm not here because I cared about your tournaments or your fancy entertainment, and I am most certainly not here because I cared for your company," she said boldly. "Actually, Mr. Corneo, it's the very opposite. I'm on a mission of my own, and you are making my mission very difficult. So I will be taking my friends with me now, thank you."
She gave him the biggest, flirtiest smile she could muster. Corneo's eyes narrowed and darted between the two women. "So you're friends," he muttered thoughtfully. "I have to say, I certainly didn't see that coming, especially since one of you is a terrorist."
"What can I say?" Aerith asked with a flutter of her eyelashes as she held her arms behind her, leaning forward with a leering smile of her own. "I'm a woman of many interests, none of which Midgar knows about. Now, about my request…" Having successfully exposed her true intentions, she knew it was now or never. With a quick snap she materialized her staff and brandished it at Corneo.
"Boss!" the guard over her shoulder yelped.
"Shut it!" Corneo growled, his face twisting as he stared at the staff in front of his chest. "This bitch doesn't know anything about using weapons."
That made Aerith's blood boil, and she held her staff up, focusing on the table before them. Magic flew from the staff to the table, effectively cracking the ornate wood in two and sending the fragile dishes scattering across the floor in a loud cacophony of glass breaking. The resulting crash made Corneo jump back and Tifa leapt from her seat, all traces of anxiousness disappearing from her face as she glared at the man who had taken her prisoner. Aerith turned around and shot a spell with her fire materia – yes! Elation sang through her veins as her dreams of using her first materia came to fruition– towards the other man in the room. He cried out as fire enveloped his chest and sent him sprawling to the floor.
Satisfied, Aerith looked back at Leslie, the latter of whom hadn't moved. He stood as impassive as ever, arms crossed as he silently watched the scene unfold. As much as she didn't trust the man, Aerith realized that he was on her side. That small victory sorted, she turned back on Corneo just as Tifa landed a well-aimed kick for Corneo's now-full middle. The pudgy man yelped and skidded back, lips twisting into a snarl.
"You bitches deserve what's coming to you," he spat as his hands brandished into fists and he leapt around his desk, rummaging in a drawer.
"That's enough from you," Leslie said calmly from behind her. Aerith looked back at him to see he held a pistol aimed directly at Corneo's head. His face was still as blank as ever, but Aerith thought if she looked hard enough she could see a brimming fire beneath his silver eyes. He walked forward, stepping expertly around the broken table and shattered dishes without looking away. "You're going to pay for everything you did. For everybody you hurt."
There was a commotion from the other side of the door Leslie had just left, and Aerith turned around quickly with her staff, only to see that a bar had been slid across the door and locked them in. Tifa ran over to her side, panting a bit.
"What are you doing here?" she asked quickly as she balled her hands into fists and kept an eye on the growing tension from the two men in the room.
Aerith smiled. "Saving you two, of course," she replied simply. "I won't let my friends get taken to my guardian, not when I know what he does to traitors."
Tifa stared at her for a long second, expression indecipherable. "Isn't that you too, now?" Her voice was quiet. Aerith shrugged while keeping the grin on her face, not letting the jolt of realization in her heart deter her from her current course of action. It wasn't as if she was worth anything to the president anymore, anyway.
"Leslie?" she asked instead of addressing the obvious answer to Tifa's question. "Do you want any help?"
As if waiting for her question, Leslie squeezed the trigger. A loud, resounding bang echoed throughout the room, causing Aerith's ears to scream. She dropped her staff and held her hands up to them, watching in shock as red blossomed on the side of Don Corneo's forehead and trickled down into his enraged, shocked eyes. The ruler of Wall Market's eyes rolled back into his head and he fell unceremoniously behind his desk. .
"No thank you," Leslie replied quietly, slowly lowering his weapon.
Tifa's hands were over her mouth. Aerith shook her head, trying to get rid of the ringing in her ears. The disruption outside the door became more pronounced as angry shouts overtook the room through the thick, wooden door. Aerith realized through a shocked, hazy mind that maybe all those doors were beneficial after all.
"You killed him," Tifa gasped. Leslie turned around to face them. The calm façade had dropped for now, instead replaced with one of surprising relief.
He sighed, removing his cap and running a hand through his silver hair. "He's not dead, I just grazed him. He'll live, but he probably won't be happy about it. I have been looking for an opportunity to overpower that son of a bitch for a long time now. He took my fiancé from me. I haven't seen her since," he explained bitterly. "The least I could do was pause the cycle of pain and suffering, and I needed allies to do it."
The fog was leaving and although Aerith couldn't quite get over a gun being used in the same room as her by this new ally, she felt her feet moving forward and she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "Nobody should have to go through losing somebody like that. Thank you for helping me."
Leslie's response was a quick sigh, and he nodded towards the side door. "Your friend is down there," he said as he reached into his pocket and took a key. He handed it to her. "You can get out the other door from down there, sneak around the other guys, and escape."
"But what about you?" Tifa asked as she came up behind Aerith. "Won't they hurt you?"
He shrugged. "I can defend myself," he answered. "Besides, if I can lock Corneo up, nobody is lining their pockets anymore. Wall Market needs new leadership. Maybe I can do something to help that. Now go, grab your gear, rescue your friend, and get out of here." He gestured wearily again. Aerith stepped around him and pursed her lips at the large sword in front of her. She wrapped her fingers around the hilt, giving a quick pull and finding it surprisingly lighter than she had anticipated. Tifa grabbed the bag of materia next to her.
With one final grateful smile towards Leslie, Aerith followed Tifa towards the door, key pressed tightly in one hand and sword wrapped in the other.
Let's go rescue Cloud.
Cloud
At the muffled crashing noise, Cloud jumped to his feet, white knuckles wrapping instinctively around his new, rusty weapon. There was a commotion upstairs now, and he moved over to the door silently as he wondered if this was his moment to try and escape. He kept his back pressed against the wall, chain held in one hand as he held his breath.
BANG.
The yelling from numerous people upstairs had dimmed now with the obvious sound of a gunshot, and Cloud wondered wildly if Tifa was okay. His adrenaline started pumping and his muscles tensed as he heard the unmistakable sound of noisy shoes clambering down the stairs. He tensed in anticipation, bringing the rusty chain up as he prepared to strike.
The door made a thud noise and Cloud looked at it in confusion, poised arm dropping ever-so-slightly.
"This key isn't working!" Tifa's voice sounded through the door.
"I can fix that," Aerith's softer voice replied, although a hint of an edge sat in hers.
Cloud dropped the chain in surprise. "Guys?" he asked uncertainly.
"Hey Cloud!" Aerith said cheerfully. "Stand back, I'm going to burn down the door."
"Wait, what –" Cloud was cut off as the roaring of a fire spell hit the other side of the door. Smoke began to seep in from underneath, and Cloud backed up quickly. There was a loud shout, and then the door – charring quickly from the flames that licked up it – swung open before falling off its hinges and crashing to the ground. Tifa stood on the other side, lowering the leg that had just delivered the excellent kick that opened his escape route. Both women were still dressed very nicely, and Aerith was holding a staff offensively, that even as he watched she made disappear before his very eyes. He gaped. Aerith, the President's ward, had a weapon?
Aerith whipped around and pulled something off the stairs – his sword, he realized in relief. His mind was still reeling as he accepted the sword and fit it on his back. The familiar weight brought a comfort he'd been desperately missing.
"How did you – what happened?" He tried asking multiple questions at once, flabbergasted as he stood there with his hands on his hips. All three of them stepped back as the door fully burst into flames on the ground in front of them.
Tifa nervously glanced the way they came. "We don't have much time," she rushed. "We need to get out of here before we get caught."
Aerith rushed toward the opposite door, pausing as she took in the various discarded objects around her dress's ruffled base. "Ew," she complained, "What is this place?"
"You don't want to know," Tifa assured. "Now come on, let's get going."
Cloud stepped around the fallen, smoking door just as Aerith turned a key in the lock and opened the other exit to reveal a small antechamber. The only purpose to this room seemed to be a path between his cell and a set of tall, ominous stairs that were poorly lit by flickering lamplight. The dark, damp stone walls were menacing already, but the steep incline that had his neck aching just to peer up made this place seem all the more dank and ominous.
While he had been studying the dismal conditions of the underneath of Corneo's mansion, Tifa and Aerith had already begun their ascent with a strong sense of urgency, Tifa leading the way. Cloud jogged up the stairs after the women, marveling at the way Aerith moved in the ridiculous heels that barely passed for shoes. He had no sooner thought that then Aerith missed a step and her foot crumbled beneath her. Cloud reached out and grabbed her elbow to stop her from falling the rest of the way back down the stairs.
"You okay?" he asked.
She let out a breathless laugh and nodded, face tinged pink under smearing makeup. "Yes, thank you," she responded with a radiant smile that rendered him speechless. Her smile grew as she planted her feet and cleared her throat gently. Cloud realized he was still holding her arm and he jerked his hand away quickly, feeling his face warm up as he looked elsewhere.
"Let's go," he urged as he gestured for Aerith to go first. She giggled a bit and obliged.
At the top of the stairs they entered a hoarder's dream of a room; filled to the brim with junk, there were only small paths throughout that led from this door to the one on the other side of the pile. Tifa stopped and her breath hitched. "We need to get out of here fast," she advised. "This room is rigged with gas."
That was enough for Cloud to move quicker, if his pain-induced hazy memories were any indication of the effects of said gas. He took the lead and reached the other side of the room first, but yanking on the door proved fruitless as it was locked. Aerith stepped forward with her key again and tried it, but to no avail. She shook her head with wide eyes.
"Do you want me to burn this door down too?" she asked. Her voice was laughingly soft for somebody looking to inflict violence.
Cloud smiled wryly, gripping the hilt of his sword and bringing it out. "Nah," he replied. "Allow me." With a quick swing of his favorite weapon, he'd knocked the knob clean off and the door shuddered, swinging open reluctantly. Cloud smirked as he holstered his sword and pushed the door open the rest of the way to reveal another long hallway to yet another door. He turned back for a moment. "Any enemies?" he asked, his tone deathly quiet.
Tifa bit her lip. "Maybe," she said in a hushed voice. "Our new friend was going to keep them occupied."
New friend? Cloud frowned.
Aerith opened her fist and the staff reappeared once again in anticipation. At the sight of his staring, she beamed at him and showed off the weapon. "Do you like it?" she asked, obviously pleased. "Of all things to happen, I didn't think Rufus would teach me how to use a weapon, let alone use it!"
Cloud eyed the staff distrustfully. "Rufus…Shinra? He gave that to you?" he asked uncertainly. "Why would he do that?"
"I think he has some nefarious plan, but I can't be bothered at the moment." Aerith shrugged, a grin stretching across her face as she lifted it and gestured for Tifa to open the final door back out to the main room. Cloud gripped the hilt of his sword once more, anticipation building in his muscles as he waited for the reveal. Tifa gave a heavy push on the door and it creaked open.
As they tentatively stepped into the hall, weapons and fists at the ready, they were greeted by an empty second floor. Aerith stepped forward first and peered down below, turning back to shake her head. "Nobody here," she whispered.
"Good," Cloud said firmly. "Let's get going then."
When they passed the middle of the three doors that made the upstairs, they heard scuffling and muffled shouting. Cloud quickened his pace to avoid whatever was behind there – there was no way he was allowing himself to be put in such a dangerous position again. Down the stairs and out the main doors, they were uninterrupted in their flight. It wasn't until they were all the way back at the entrance to the mansion that he let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and put away his sword. Aerith's staff disappeared again before Cloud could even catch it in the light of the lanterns from above. Tifa stepped ahead a bit and crossed her arms to hug herself as she determinedly looked anywhere but at the mansion they'd just escaped.
"What time is it?" Aerith asked quickly as she bent over to try and reach at the ruffles of her dress. She was obviously trying to grab something.
Confused by her question accompanied by her movements, he crossed his arms and tilted his head, questioning in return, "What are you doing?"
"My PHS is – hidden down – here," she grunted in annoyance as she huffed and straightened up. She crossed her arms too. "Can you help a girl out?"
It took a moment for Cloud to realize she was talking to him. He made a noise of confusion but obediently knelt. "Where is it?" he deadpanned, feeling a light blush creeping up his face.
"On the side there, see? Yeah, there!" Aerith encouraged with a gleeful cheer as he found the hidden pocket and pulled out the device. He stood back up and handed it over. She took it and began furiously typing.
Tifa sighed and turned back around, looking visibly uncomfortable. "Come on guys," she said in a whisper. "I don't want to be in Wall Market any longer than we need to be."
Cloud and Aerith both nodded, and they began walking away from the mansion at a quick but hopefully unassuming pace. Unfortunately, the women weren't dressed conspicuously enough to not be noticed, but Cloud's presence seemed to at least subdue the greedy glances coming their way. He grabbed the hilt of his sword and glared menacingly at any who looked too eager. His method worked.
Aerith flashed him a grateful smile and fell into step beside him.
"You did a great job in the tournament," she said shyly.
Cloud shrugged and looked off in the distance. "I did what I needed to do," he replied. Inwardly, he winced at the crassness of the words, and quickly added, "but thank you." Was that nicer?
"Did you really just get Cloud to use manners?" Tifa asked incredulously from in front of them. "You stayed to rescue us, deceived Don Corneo, had his own people turn against him, and you're teaching Cloud to say please and thank you? You are an absolute miracle worker, Aerith."
Aerith laughed, a rich, hearty sound that made Cloud's heart leap in his chest. His eyes drifted over to her as she glanced back down at her PHS. Her eyes lit up in the soft glow of the screen.
"Kunsel is waiting for us!" she announced and met his gaze once more. She beamed, and it gave Cloud pause as he remembered something important.
He slowed to a stop. "Hold up," he said to the other two. "We have unfinished business in Wall Market."
"What do you mean?" Tifa asked.
Cloud nodded towards Aerith. "We were supposed to come here and get some answers," he answered simply.
Recognition flooded Aerith's expression. "That's right," she gasped, bringing a hand to her mouth. "The man who might know about Za – I mean, about my friend."
Cloud's head gave a painful, nasty throb and he grit his teeth. Not now, he internally scolded himself. I do not need to deal with hallucinations again.
"I don't know…" Tifa trailed off, looking back towards the way they were headed. "I'd feel much better getting out of here first. Maybe we can come back another day?"
"Today's the last day he's here in town," Cloud reminded her. "Why don't you go on ahead and meet up with Aerith's friend, and I'll escort her to get her answers."
Aerith stepped forward and placed a comforting hand on Tifa's shoulder, adding, "Yeah Tifa, Kunsel is friendly! He could keep you company!"
Tifa bit her lip but nodded her acceptance to the suggestion. "All right," she sighed. "I'll go do that. But don't take too long, okay? Cloud will probably be recognized, so be careful."
"I'm not a child, I can defend myself," Cloud groaned, but he wasn't upset. Tifa's caring for his wellbeing was touching and made him feel not so alone. "Where is this man supposed to be, anyway?"
"The Honeybee Inn?" Tifa's response was unsure but that made Aerith perk up.
"I know the owner," she explained her reaction with a quick smile. "He's a friend, so I can get us in easily."
And so Tifa headed in one direction, while Aerith pulled Cloud along in another. Cloud, having been in Sector 7 for a few months but not having traveled out of his way to Wall Market before, was truly a fish out of water in this new location. He kept his eyes peeled to the back alleys that were everywhere, as each produced a different scene including shady characters he'd rather not meet with Aerith around.
Speaking of Aerith, she seemed to be having the time of her life. At some point she'd taken his hand and dragged him behind her, not giving him a say in the matter. Of course, he could rip away his hand easily – strength wasn't an issue – but for some reason, he didn't. Her hand was soft to the touch, something he could tell even with his gloves on, and the sudden human connection sent a small trail of tingling up his fingertips. She only let go when they reached a downward staircase, and there she dropped his hand just to pull up the dress she was wearing so she could get down the stairs more carefully.
"There it is!" Aerith said cheerfully once they reached the bottom of the stairs. She pointed to their right. "Tifa and I passed it earlier when we were trying to figure out if anybody had seen you."
Cloud's eyes narrowed at the obnoxious, lavender front with cheerful pink letters and the impatient patrons waiting outside the red curtain blocking their entrance. This place didn't scream fancy, but it didn't scream shady, either. He supposed that was a small victory as Aerith grabbed his hand once more and hauled him over to the entrance of the Honeybee Inn. Through the curtain was a small, posh entrance room with a few guests and another curtain leading further into the inn. A carpeted staircase led around an unseen corner and up to the next level. Excitement trilled the air from the fast-paced boisterous music that assaulted his ears. The entire place was far too much for his senses to bear.
Aerith approached the smiling clerk behind the counter. "Hi!" she greeted happily. "I'm Aerith. Andrea told me I could spend some time here."
"Welcome to the Honeybee Inn!" To Cloud's amazement, the clerk didn't even offer a second glance at her name or appearance. It was if he saw celebrities every day. "Mr. Rhodea mentioned you may be stopping by, so we have the best suite reserved for you, ma'am. He also insisted you indulge him in an evening of entertainment, if that interests you. The show will begin soon."
Eyes alight with curiosity and excitement, Aerith smiled wistfully at Cloud, who shook his head. They didn't have time to dally about, not when Corneo's men could be after them. Instead, he addressed the clerk. "We're looking for somebody. A farmer who comes through town every once in awhile, loves to tell stories. Any idea where we can find him?"
"Of course, you're talking about Fletcher," the clerk responded with a direct smile. "He usually habits the bar around this time, and he's bound to have a few drinks in him."
Good, Cloud thought to himself. May be easier to get information from him. He raised an eyebrow at Aerith, who accepted the keycard handed to her.
"Your room is upstairs and all the way down the hall at the very end," he instructed with a warm, genuine smile. "You should be able to catch the show and find Fletcher before the evening is out, if you're quick."
"Thank you very much," Aerith said sincerely as she gave a glance back to Cloud. "Come on, Cloud! Let's check out the room first!"
Cloud sighed. "Is this really necessary?" he complained, but he dutifully followed her up the stairs. Excitement hung off the woman like she was wearing another layer over her dress, and he had to admit to a very small part of himself that her mood was infectious – he was a bit curious as to what entertainment in such an establishment would look like, too. First and foremost though, he had to focus on his current mission: get answers from this Fletcher man and get Aerith back to her annoying SOLDIER friend.
Up the stairs and down a long, ornate hallway stood a large door, one that was obviously for VIP's to the Inn. Aerith swiped her card and Cloud pushed the handle in as the door unlocked, allowing her to enter first. He followed behind and scanned the room, first for enemies and second to admire the plush, comfortable atmosphere that lay before him.
The room was unnecessarily grand and circular, and the walls were adorned with deep purple fabric. A large round bed dominated the space at the other end of the room, its blankets richly red. A window above the bed had dark curtains drawn over it. The main source of light was from two lamps on either side of the bed, which stained the space in a warm color from lampshades that matched the color of the bedspread. On either side of the room were large, plush couches. It was altogether too much and absolutely not Cloud's taste at all. He made a face as Aerith spun around the middle of the room, awestruck by the accommodation.
"I wish we could stay here!" she exclaimed dreamily, pressing her hands together and taking in every detail. "Isn't this room beautiful, Cloud? It's better than I have in the Shinra building even!"
Cloud responded with a noncommittal grunt, turning from where he'd been peering into the bathroom. The bathroom was spacious and came complete with a massive shower, a bathtub large enough to be a swimming pool, and two marble sinks set in a vintage vanity. "We should find this Fletcher guy and get out of here," he countered as he crossed his arms. Aerith stopped twirling and pouted at him for a moment, which just made her look even more adorable with her dressed up look.
What the hell? Cloud thought to himself with a flinch. That was an unnecessary addition. Forcibly ignoring any internal dialogue that would stray down a path he didn't want to consider, he stepped forward. "Can we go?" he urged. "Tifa and your friend are waiting for us."
"Yeah, I suppose," she replied grumpily, but her mood wasn't down for long as she brightened considerably. "We'll get to see the show the clerk mentioned, too! Come on, Cloud!" She practically skipped forward to grab his arm and drag him along to their next destination. Cloud was tempted to pull away and remind her he had two legs and could walk by himself, thank you very much, but for some reason the words died in his throat. Memories of the past few days, of each of their encounters, played behind his eyes. Aerith was used to putting on a show of excitement, one that masked any true feelings she had for things. To see genuine happiness on her face threw him off a little.
That made him pity her tumultuous life. He therefore allowed himself to be dragged forward and out of the room. When the door was shut securely behind them, Aerith handed him the keycard. He tentatively looked at it. "Why are you giving me this?" he asked slowly.
Aerith smiled. "Just in case you're caught in Wall Market for the rest of the night and you need a place to stay," she answered matter-of-factly. "It's the least I can do!"
"Okay…" Cloud uncertainly pocketed the card, hoping he wouldn't have to come back to this place again. He'd had enough of Wall Market for a lifetime.
Down the stairs and through the velvety curtain separating the waiting room from the rest of the inn was a circular atrium – round being a common theme, Cloud noticed – with doors heading every which way. Excited guests were being ushered across from them into a large, dark room by women posing in ridiculous costumes shaped like bees. As they followed the throng of people and Cloud pointedly did his best to ignore the scantily clad workers, his eyes widened in surprise at the grand expanse of room that opened itself up to him. Plush carpet blanketed the space and laid a foundation for half-circle booths, all facing a dimly lit stage. More workers, both women and men this time, muddled about amongst the patrons in those same ridiculous outfits, offering drinks and appetizers on trays. Aerith delightedly picked up a couple champagne glasses offered to her, handing one to Cloud.
"Just like our first meeting," she reminisced with a smile as she took a sip and sighed happily. "This place is amazing."
Cloud, who had been eyeing the bar situated along the back wall, saw a few guests gathered around an animated man who had had a bit much to drink, something he could tell from even here. With a hand wrapped around the glass she'd given him, he pointed his index finger at the scene. "I bet the man we need to talk to is there."
Aerith followed his finger to the scene and her eyes dimmed, lips pursing for a moment. She seemed to be contemplating something. Cloud took a sip of champagne and watched in confusion as she thought; didn't she want to know what happened to her friend? Wasn't that the entire stupid point of being here?
"Okay, come on," she sighed, leading the way into the throng of interested bystanders. Cloud kept close behind, acutely aware of the many pairs of hungry eyes following her movements.
"I tell you, they were this big!" the man was exclaiming, throwing his arms out to gesture the length of whatever he was talking about. The drink he clutched in one hand successfully escaped his mug and sloshed down the bar. Behind the counter, the bartender sighed and rolled his eyes as he began to clean up the sopping mess with a rag.
A chorus of groans erupted from the listening crowd, and a few of them scoffed at such a ridiculous story. It gave Aerith the opportunity to sneak forward.
"Excuse me," she interrupted politely with a tap on the man's arm. "Are you Fletcher?"
The man – whom Cloud was pretty sure was indeed the person they were looking for, if Tifa's sources were to be believed – peered through the dim lighting to look at her. His eyes widened and his grin grew more in its lopsidedness. He was definitely drunk.
"You're the – the girl!" he stammered excitedly, voice raising to a new decibel. "On m' magazines! You're…a star! The star!"
Aerith laughed nervously, side-eyeing Cloud. He wordlessly set his now-empty glass on the counter and stepped up beside her as the rest of the group began to disperse. "That's me," she replied half-heartedly. "I heard you could help me find answers about a friend of mine."
But the man wasn't paying attention. He was staring at Cloud now. "You're…I know you," he said slowly, face deep in contemplation as he took in Cloud's hair, his outfit, his face – Cloud wondered if he could even see him properly between the dim lighting and his drunken stupor. But then the man's grin grew tenfold and he snapped his fingers. "Of course – you're Rufus Shinra!"
Cloud blinked once, opening his mouth and closing it again. "I'm not Rufus Shinra," he replied hotly.
"Nonsense, of course you are, you have the – the hair, and the girl," the man insisted with a drunken wink. "Congr'tulations on gettn' married. It is an honor – no, the honor is mine? No…" He huffed and turned back to Aerith, who was trying and failing to conceal her giggles. "I am Fletcher, yessir, that's me! What can I do you for?" He thrust his drink in her direction, spilling a bit in front of her as she squeaked. Cloud grabbed her arm and jerked her back so she wouldn't get alcohol on her dress.
"We were wondering," he growled, "about a battle you saw a few months back outside of town with the army."
Fletcher stopped and thought for a few moments. Cloud and Aerith glanced at each other as the moments drew on. Finally, his fingers snapped. His words came out in a jumble, "Ah yes, 'course, the battle…of th' SOLDIER and th' army! It's a dooooooozy. Sit down, kids – wait, not kids, y're the one people…"
As he trailed off, his body swayed dangerously. Cloud reached out and pushed him backwards. He fell into the chair behind him, apparently delighted that he'd found a seat. He patted the one next to him and Aerith tentatively walked forward to claim that seat. Cloud remained standing with his arms crossed, gaze darting around to see the activity around him. People were beginning to take their seats, but they probably had a few minutes to get their answers and get the hell out before whatever 'show' that happened here began.
"It all began on m' trip to th' city," Fletcher started dramatically, voice an octave lower and stare holding Aerith's entranced eyes. "I stopped n' picked up two people…refugees…no, SOLDIERs." He nodded firmly to himself, looking less and less confident of his memories. "Back of my truck was empty, 'course, I was getting supplies… But I told 'em, hop on in boys. Well one hopped in. Oth' wasn't lookin too hot. Ah yes, Mr. Shinra, tha's where I know you…you were sleepy."
"What are you talking about?" Cloud demanded. "I'm not –"
"Let's just keep going," Aerith rushed, shooting Cloud a quick apologetic smile. "So you drove two SOLDIERS to Midgar?"
Fletcher nodded, then changed his mind and shook his head. "Didn' make it t' Midgar, them two boys had t' bail. Here comes the army. Aft' two boys." His words were beginning to slur so much now that Cloud was having a hard time piecing together what he was saying. Of course, now would be the time for a headache to present itself, as he tried to turn over the story in his head and sift through what didn't make sense. Two SOLDIERS hitched a ride with Fletcher, the army came after them, and they left. He thought he could feel a leering familiar smirk on his back. He whipped his head around, relieved to see no hallucinations had presented themselves.
"What happened next?" he asked out loud, shaking his head a bit and hoping the headache would disperse on its own. The stale smell of alcohol reeked in this place, so maybe that was it – he just needed fresh air.
"Next? About what?" Fletcher frowned at him as if he'd completely forgotten the conversation.
Cloud sighed heavily. "The army chasing the two SOLDIERS."
"Ah yes! Army…SOLDIERS…" he set his beer down onto the counter and stroked his chin. "I hightailed it outta there, yup. B' before I did…" he dropped his voice for dramatic effect. "I watched the SOLDIER ta' on the entire army. Yup. Never seen an'thing like it."
"That's it?" Aerith's voice wavered a bit as she watched him, her eyes big and green and sad. "One of the SOLDIERS fought…the entire army?"
Fletcher bobbed his head and grunted. "'M impressed he ma' it as lon' as he did, tha' boy," he said thoughtfully. "Other one – Mr. Shinra – din' see him though. He musta got out."
"For the last time, I am not –"
Aerith sniffled, a small sound that effectively cut Cloud off from his annoying retort. He watched as she struggled to compose herself, wiping her eyes quickly with the back of her hand. "Thank you," she said sincerely at Fletcher, who nodded at her – no, he was nodding off to sleep. Cloud pulled Aerith off her stool as the drunk lurched forward unconsciously and fell at their feet. He began to snore loudly.
The lights dimmed then, signaling the beginning of the show, but before the stage lights could pop up and Cloud would actually get stuck watching the bloody thing – his inner curiosity be damned – there was a loud commotion at the door they'd come in. Cloud whipped his head around to see a group of dangerously familiar men loudly barge their way into the room, disrupting the hushed atmosphere of the venue. People began muttering nervously, many standing up and putting as much distance from Corneo's lackeys as they could. Cloud turned his body fully to face the bastards, hand itching to grab his sword as he blocked Aerith from view. He had a score to settle with these assholes.
There was a light tap on his shoulder before he could move, and Cloud flinched and turned to see the bartender standing next to them and pointing the opposite way. "Go," he urged quietly. "Mr. Rhodea is waiting."
"What?" Cloud asked in confusion. Aerith recovered before he did; she took his hand and they were off again, leaving behind Corneo's lackeys and the startled, anxious atmosphere.