Aerith was standing at the balcony of the inn, storm that had raged several days had passed. Floor of balcony was little wet still, but sun had started to push through on the sky.

Air felt fresh and clean now, that was one thing that Aerith had noticed when they left Midgar. Steel sky had been there as long as she could remember, that was first thing she had noticed.

Aerith thought how Cloud and Red were doing at they hunt. Were they already cut down the beast or still tracking it. She did not sense that Cloud or Red had "returned the planet", thought she was not so sure of her ability. Then she thought if they had wounded, what if they would need help and no one was coming.

"Morning." Voice from behind say.

Aerith gasp and turn to look at the door. Tifa was standing there smiling at her.

"Are you okay?" She asked when she notice that Aerith was spooked.

Aerith closed her eyes and took deep breath.

"I'm sorry, I was thinking about something and you came so suddenly." Aerith said and smiled to Tifa.

Tifa had new clothes, now she wear something that locals would wear. Longs shorts, shirt, boots and hat, clothes that give her move quickly and deliver lot of punches and kicks. Tifa was good fighter and in good shape. Aerith admired that in her. Aerith fitness was also improving, Tifa had helped with that, she had make Aerith improve her physique. Long trip in trains had give them time and there were not much to in a freight wagon. They had formed friendship, even there where little tension between them.

"What about?"

"I… I had some bad dreams." Aerith answered, Tifa looked at her, but didn't ask more, when she come next to her at the balcony.

"We'll considering what we have seen, we could consider yourself lucky that we only had bad dreams."

"Yeah."

For a moment both of them look down at balcony how people did move around street. Normal people with normal problems, unlike them. Aerith looked up sky felt so vast and terrible again. Aerith sighed deeply, that make Tifa to look at her.

"You know what, we need to hit the town Aerith." Tifa said and now there were enthusiasm in her voice.

"Are you sure, what if guards do recognize me." Aerith said and hesitated.

"There is not many Shinra Guards around this town." Tifa said. Aerith looked her doubtfully.

"Do you remember we did agree a date and going shopping at the town."

"Yeah, we were suppose to do that." Aerith said and smiled sadly, remembering when they talk in the sewers on they way to warn people of sector 7.

"Let's go and get you some new clothes."

Seeing that Aerith started to warm to idea, Tifa continued.

"Come on this will be fun." Tifa said and smiled, her smile did make Aerith smile as well.

"Okay, let's go to the market."

They walked across the market, there where quite a lot of people. Storm had lasted few days and now when it was over, people came buy things they needed.

Merchants were showing their products, many farmers did sell they vegetables others sell different kind of meat. Food was nearby farms and people who sell them have grown or hunted them self it. Thought in Midgar some hunted local monsters for food as well.

Talking about hunting, some stores did sell weapons to hunt and all kind of different kind of weapons. They pass one merchant who had large collection knifes on display.

Also there where hides, horns, skulls and other trophies of beasts that had been hunted from the grasslands or even further. One skull looked some kind of sea creature. Perhaps it was brought from the coast.

Then they arrive next to tent that sell clothing for travellers.

They looked through several clothes for Aerith. Clothes that would be good in the wilderness cover her if terrain would be rough. This was new to her in Midgar steel sky had protected under-city from sun and rain. Thought good boots were always something that Aerith appreciated, they actually find other pair of boots for her.

They get her travel skirt and shirts that would fit on the terrain.

"You start to look like hunter." Tifa said.

"Yes, I'm great hunter of the monsters and slayer of beasts." Aerith said and took posture that she had seen in few pictures in the inn. They both laugh at that.

Then they wander little around the marker, they turn to look small dance-show, few couple danced for small crowd on the market. People were smiling and laughing.

Aerith smiled when she rememberer Honey Bee Inn and how Cloud was challenged dance-off at the stage.

"Gil for your thoughts?" Tifa asked.

"Do you remember when you did see Cloud in that dress?"

Tifa grinned.

"Yeah, I actually didn't recognize it was him at the begin." Tifa said covering her mouth, she was holding up her laugh.

"He looked great." Aerith said and started to laugh. Her laugher make Tifa laugh as well. Soon they both laugh that much that few people started to look at them when the went pass.

"No wonder that Corneo pick him." Tifa added.

Aerith laugh at the moment, but soon laughter ended.

"That guy was a creep." Tifa said and disgust could be seen her face.

"I wonder what happen to him." Aerith said.

"We did run to him when we went to find to way to get Shinra building to safe you." Tifa said.

Aerith turn to look at her.

"You did meet him again?"

Tifa turn to look small tea shop next to them.

"Let's go there."

They both took a cup of tea and side table where other customers could not hear them.

Then Tifa tell how they did return sector 7 and by miracle they had find Wedge. Aerith did smiled remembering Wedge, they had met only briefly. They also had find underground lab that Shinra has used doing experiments with humans. Aerith listen silently, remembering moment at her mother Ifalna.

Aerith did listen when Tifa tell what did happen after they left her house at sector 5. How they helped people in there. They encounter with Ms. Folia how some of the kids from Leaf House orphanage had vanish, how in graveyard in sector 5 few ghosts had taken them but they managed to free them. Aerith felt guilt that she was not there help them, but she was relief that Oates and other kids were okay and return safely to Leaf House.

How they had run into Kyrie and Mireille. Tifa tell how they helped Kyrie, how she had took the key to Corneo's vault. Aerith did remember Kyrie but they had not been close in years.

Tifa tell that Kyrie had stolen Johnny's wallet and they return it and how Johnny then had left Midgar. Briefly Aerith thought if they would run into him, but she dismissed that idea world was too large that it could happen.

They even helped Chocobo-Bill to find some of his chocobos that had run away scared when the plate of sector 7 did fell.

Tifa tell how Madam M had warned them that some of the Don Corneos men had come to look for them in Sector 5. Luckily they had find them before they had come her mother Elmyra's house and find Wedge and Marlene in there. Aerith felt guilt how he did danger Elmyra and others. When Shinra did get her, they didn't need to guard house any-more, so danger was now there. Luckily they had driven Don Corneos men away. Aerith felt stab of guilt, her foster mother Elmyra and Barret daughter Marlena could still be in danger.

"How Barret is taking it?" Aerith did asked.

"Not good, but he understand this is important." Tifa said and took deep breath. She was worrying as well.

Then Tifa tell how they did run into Leslie in don Corneos mansion, Aerith was happy that he was okay. Leslie had helped them and had risked a lot, if Don Corneo would have find that out. She also tell that Leslie's fiancee had chosen to be Don Corneos "bride" months before and that was reason why he had helped them.

Tifa did tell how they had faced Conreo and his monstrous "pet" again. Aerith felt disgusted thinking those two again.

"Corneo did escape, thought he is now Shinra bad side. So he had to run fast to escape from them." Tifa said Aerith did just nod. Something did trouble her, but she could not quite place it.

Knowledge that Corneo had said that Shinra is intending to abandon Midgar was surprise to her. They really want to find "promise land" and they believe that she could do that for them.

Tifa did tell how they had also helped Aerith's doctor friend in sector 5 by get ingredients for making more medicine. Aerith had helped him before finding herbs and felt better knowing that he could help people.

Then Tifa tell how they had find Don Corneo's vault and there his treasure which they had given to help refuges from sector 7. Also how Angel of the slums has helped them as well. Aerith smiled remembering Mireille. Angel had deliver them her thanks and few gifts, then they went to save Aerith. Tifa tell how they had get to upper plate and inside Shinra building. Aerith smiled sadly, Cloud, Barret and Tifa had taken huge risk when they come to save her.

"Mayor Domino is Avalance inside man." Aerith whispered when Tifa did tell how he had helped them by covering they tracks and getting them inside.

"Quite surprise that mayor of Midgar himself is against Shinra."

"Yeah, but that proves that there is still people that fight against Shinra."

"Well, with mayor info and help from insider we get to hear meeting of Shinra executives."

"There we heard what they were planing and..."

Aerith looked at Tifa, she was hesitating and looking at her tea cup.

"What?" Aerith asked and looked Tifa, she was clearly uncomfortable.

"Then we find out where you were and we followed Hojo. Then well you know the rest." Tifa said, Aerith got feeling that Tifa was not telling everything. But before Aerith could asked about it, Tifa turned suddenly look at the market. Aerith was little surprised Tifa's sudden move, then she turn to look as well.

There were several Shinra troops coming from the street. Not just small team, there were dozens troops and there were guard dogs with them. They marched in lines then few mechs come on view those were walking among troops. Big moving weapon platform and some floating bionic support units.

People were moving at market, they did make way to Shinra Troops. Then they started to hear cheering, crowd did cheer them. Soon people were clapping and shouting encourages to the troops that walked through the market.

Then they noticed some troops that carry blades among them.

"Soldiers" Someone yelled in the crowd. Shinra's elite fighters were among these troops. Crow did get even louder and many gather to get sight of them.

Aerith look at Tifa, she turned look her as well.

"I think they are reinforcement for local garrison and more guards to look at the station."Aerith said, she felt coldness starting to creep inside her.

"We can't stay long in this town." Tifa said and look at Aerith more worriedly.

"You need to stay out of sight."

They did leave the market, but way back they could notice things had changed, people were more nervous and were moving more quickly.

"Like calm before storm." Aerith said quietly to Tifa.

"I have to go find Barret and warn him." Tifa said when they approach the inn.

"You should stay inside until Cloud and Red return."

Aerith did just nod and they did separate.

Later Aerith was in her room again, she would just have to wait until Cloud and Red return at the hunting trip. Hopefully they had been successful and they could get reward and buy supplies and then get out of here. If more Shinra troops were coming at town or going through it, chance that someone would recognize them would grow.

Aerith looked outside, sky had started to get dark again, new storm was coming.