For all who knew it, Sector 6 was the Ruined Land. A cave in years ago involving the failure of a support pillar had destroyed most of the slum, and what remained fit for traveling though was only barely so. The path through Sector 6 was littered with ravenous insect creatures of the sort Cloud had fought earlier, and other mutated beasts.
Cloud slammed his sword into a pile of trash and hopped up on top of it, using it as a step. He climbed over the top of the pile and helped Aeris up. Then they both worked to retrieve the large weapon. Next, they had to cross over a steel beam over a gap in the ground. To Cloud, this was an obstacle course and nothing else. To Aeris, it was a challenge, but a challenge she had mastered many times before. They crossed carefully, reaching the other side in one piece.
"Still think I should go home?" Aeris quipped.
"Now," Cloud grinned slightly, "Try to see things as I do. You get hurt, your mom gives me hell!"
She laughed. "Nah. She's used to me being in danger, and it gives her something to do when she nurses me back to health." It was only half a joke.
"Aeris," Cloud asked, "Why exactly do the Turks want you?"
She hesitated, and Cloud had a feeling the next sentence wouldn't be truthful. He was right. "I told you. They must think I'd be a decent candidate for SOLDIER." But hadn't her mother asked Cloud, at one time a SOLDIER, to disappear? Aeris was hiding something, but Cloud sensed she really didn't want to talk about it.
Before Cloud could change the subject, Aeris gasped suddenly and pointed towards a house. But it wasn't just a house.
"Cloud…I, ah, I've never seen one of those before."
"Be careful," Cloud warned, poising his sword. The miniature house hopped, actually hopped towards Cloud and Aeris, and for some reason Cloud didn't think it wanted to play nice.
Aeris sensed the same thing. She whispered quietly to herself, and a curtain of green energies surrounded her. She launched the Fire spell right in the house's face, quietly thanking Cloud for the Materia swap. Cloud ran at it and smashed his sword into the burning creature, ripping clear through it. The house shuddered, and instinct told Cloud to jump back. Sure enough, the house exploded, but it was not very violent. Aeris and Cloud stared for a bit, expecting nothing to be there when the smoke cleared. They were in for a surprise.
What remained was a square of wood with metal arms hanging out and a scrappy head. It was trashed, but still active. Before either person could attack it, it launched a small energy missile into the ground before them. Cloud and Aeris flew back into a pile of scrap, accidentally disturbing a family of insect monsters.
"Argh!" Cloud growled, fending them off, "Aeris, go across those beams! There's a path out of the Sector-"
"I know!" she said as she ran. Cloud shook his head, a little embarrassed. He spun around, hacking into the creatures and scattering them. The hell house lumbered towards him. The ex-SOLDIER figured he'd already tested his luck enough for one fight and ran after Aeris. They cleared the area seconds later.
Cloud almost laughed. Right before him was totally different scenery that inspired a totally different mood. A playground, ruined slightly, but usable was there.
"Oh, wow…" Aeris breathed, looking around, "It's still here!" The flower girl walked to a slide and climbed to the top. She sat on top of the whole thing, above the actual slide. Figuring it couldn't hurt, Cloud followed suit.
"You come here often?" Cloud asked.
She nodded. "Well, I used too. I've been pretty busy lately, though. I'm surprised no one bulldozed the place yet." She looked to her left, towards a massive metal wall. "That gate opens and leads to Sector 7. I guess you're home free, Cloud."
"I guess." They sat quietly for a while. "Can you make it home all right?"
"Ah, I'll be fine." She grinned. "I only need a bodyguard when I'm dealing with intelligent life forms."
Cloud laughed and prepared to hop down from the slide, but stopped when the gates started to slide open. A carriage appeared, pulled by a yellow bird, a chocobo. Aeris raised an eyebrow as well. On the back of the small transport, a figure in a rather kinky blue dress stood quietly, as though embarrassed…
"Tifa?!"
Cloud realized with a start. What was
she doing?!
"That's Tifa?" Aeris
frowned. "I thought she ran a bar."
So did I… Cloud didn't say. He looked towards the left, where the chariot disappeared behind some scrapped buildings. "Where are they headed?"
"Wall Market," Aeris answered quickly, "It's somewhat of a metropolis down here."
"In door plumbing, you mean?"
"You got it."
Cloud hopped down, Aeris following in turn. "I guess I'd better follow her."
"Then let's go."
"Let's…? Both of us?"
"Hey, I don't have anything better to do! Besides, I know my way around. I'll be like, your guide to the sights of Wall Market or something."
Cloud grinned a little. "Are you sure?"
"What?" she put her hands on her hips. "Still afraid of me getting hurt?"
"Actually? Yes."
"Well, stoppit! I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself."
"But you needed a bodyguard."
"…Shut up."
"All right," he conceded, "Come on."
"I shall try to be worthy of my post!" Aeris skipped off, Cloud following slowly.
"And this is the hotel," Aeris was being the tour guide she had promised to be. "In here, we have beds. And I'm not talking one bed. I'm talking lots of beds, and one toilet! Honestly, what kind of inn only has one toilet?"
Cloud laughed aloud. The flower girl had been merrily pointing out stations of interest in Wall Market, the lengthy section of Sector 5. It had it all, a hotel, a clothing shop, a Material shop, an item shop, a restaurant, even a gym! There was a huge weapon shop run by someone who seemed to scare a lot of people as well as a large bar. Perhaps the two most notable parts of Wall Market, however, were located on opposite ends of the sector. One was a whorehouse, a common sight in the slums, yet Cloud was somewhat disappointed to find one in an area as prosperous as Wall Market. It was a large house, too, called the Honeybee Inn. It was publicized like some godly attraction. Perhaps the thing that disgusted Cloud the most was that the whorehouse had made a man very rich. His mansion was sitting on the other end of Wall Market, and he was quite frankly the Don of the Slums. To Cloud's distaste, Tifa had been seen headed in that direction.
"Come here often?" Cloud asked, "You seem to know the place well."
"Not…really…"
"Aeris?"
"Um, Cloud?" Aeris settled down suddenly, looking nervous. "I think we'd better go find Tifa. This place, well…it isn't the safest place for a female to be." She looked in the direction of the Honeybee Inn. "You know what I mean?"
Cloud nodded, disgust filling him again. If anyone laid a hand on Tifa or Aeris…
Awful protective of the flower girl, eh?
There it was, the cursed voice again! "I don't know what you mean," Cloud thought, "I'm her bodyguard!"
Heh, right. Keep telling yourself it's that. Maybe you'll believe it.
"Cloud? Is something wrong?"
"No, no, nothing's wrong." He grinned sheepishly. "Sorry about that. Come on, let's go find Tifa."
Cloud walked somewhat speedily down towards the mansion, Aeris following closely, a little confused.
Don Corneo's mansion was a large, oriental style building that stood a good two stories tall, plus a basement. Cloud and Aeris inched their way to the front door, guarded by a tall, muscular man.
"Hold it, mon ami!" he barked at Cloud. Then he saw Aeris. "Ooh, la la! You shore got yerself a good lookin' heifer there, man!"
Cloud just blinked, and Aeris suppressed some dirty words.
"Right, well, we ah, we need to see the…" Cloud stammered, taken aback by the man.
"What exactly is yer business wit' da Don?"
"I'm looking for a friend of mine."
"So is the Don, 'cept it's for life! He's bride searching, which means he ain't interested in men, so beat it!" He looked to Aeris. "You on the other hand, cutie, we wouldn't object to."
"Yeah, well…" Aeris shrunk back, tugging on Cloud's sleeve. "One second…mon ami…and I'll get back to you!" They retreated a few yards.
"Damn…" Cloud grumbled.
"I hear ya…"
"I have to
get in there! People saw Tifa go in
there. I'm worried about her, but I
can't get in!"
"I can go!" Aeris offered.
"No, no,
heavens no!" Cloud shook his head
furiously. "That is a bad idea. You DO know what kind of place that is, right?"
"Oh, of course. Don Corneo's happy fun time mansion, if you
get my gist. But Cloud, you are worried
about Tifa, right? And if this is the
only way…" she stopped.
"Aeris?"
Aeris
grinned wildly but clamped her hands over her mouth. She broke into suppressed laughter, desperately trying to get
over it.
"Aeris? What is so funny?"
"C…Cloud?" she took a needed breath, still giggling, "Why don't you dress up like a girl? It'd get you into the mansion!"
"Wha…WHAT?" Cloud was appalled.
"No, no, no!" Aeris was trying to be serious but her huge grin betrayed that. "Think about it! We make you…cute…and the guards let you in! It's a good idea!"
Cloud was very red now. "Aeris…really…who here could…who here would want to help us?!"
"You'd be surprised!" Aeris insisted, "People get bored in the slums."
Cloud sighed helplessly. He had to admit that Aeris's idea had merit, but…
"Wait here!" She ran back up to Don Corneo's guard. "I'll be right back, okay? I have another cute friend I want to bring!" The guard nodded enthusiastically. Aeris ran back to Cloud. "Let's see. The first thing you need is…a dress! Yeah, that's it! And there's a clothing store in the area! Let's go!" She took off, and Cloud was left staring after her.
"…Damn." He shook his head and gave chase, wishing he'd stayed in bed that morning.
The Wall Market clothing store was located far from Corneo's mansion, and Cloud appeared out of breath as he reached the area. An energetic Aeris appeared fine.
"Excuse me," she said to the clerk, "But we need a dress! A special one!"
The clerk took a deep breath and shrugged her shoulders. "I'm sorry, but…well, this is embarrassing. My father makes the dresses here, and, well…he's been in a rut lately."
"Like?" Aeris prodded.
"Well," she fumbled, "He's in the bar a lot…get it? Doesn't really think anything is worth it anymore."
"Oh, I
see…" Aeris chewed her lip for a second.
"Hey, well, we really need this dress.
Do you think if we talked to him he'd perk up?"
"Oh, would you?" the clerk
replied, "I've tried, of course, but…well, you said it was a special
dress? Maybe if he knew that a
challenge awaited him…"
"I understand!" Aeris grabbed
Cloud's arm and led the reluctant mercenary outside, "The bar, right?"
"Thank you!" the clerk called after them.
The bar was far from the clothing store, so Cloud was breathless again. Aeris was just merry, though. A man sat alone at the front of the bar, fairly old and looking forlorn. It was a safe bet he was the man they were looking for.
"Excuse me?" Aeris piped up, "Does your daughter work at the clothing store?"
"That she does," he nodded, "Why do you ask?"
"Well, sir, we need a dress…"
"Bah! Go somewhere else! I'm through!"
"Sir, please…"
"Young lady, look around! This is a slum, people don't care about what they wear! Every day I got up and made dresses and shirts and pants and all that crap, thinking that I was making at least some difference. But really, what do I get for it? Enough gil to buy dinner, maybe? And even that isn't a whole load of yummy goodness! Life's lost its challenge for me!"
"Hrm," Aeris mused. "Cloud, could you excuse us?" He reluctantly did so.
"Eh? What's wrong?"
"Well, sir," Aeris lowered her voice, "The dress I need…it's not really for me, it's for him."
"What?" the man reeled.
"Yeah, well…he's always wanted to be cute, just for once. I thought maybe it would be a new thing for you. I mean come on! It's certainly not your everyday thing, is it?"
"No…" the man smiled a bit, and laughed. "I suppose it isn't. Almost interesting…"
"Come on, sir! Please, we'd really appreciate it, and it would be a challenge! Isn't that what you want?"
He thought for a moment. "Well, since you were so nice about it…I guess I do need a challenge. What kind of dress does he want?" The tailor had the courtesy not to address Cloud directly.
"Something…soft," Aeris tried to think of what would be most comfortable for Cloud, "And something that…" Something flashy, something to attract attention. "Something that shimmers!"
"Hey, okay, let's see…" He got to his feet and stretched. "I'm going back to my shop to get started. Oh, and young man," he turned to Cloud. "If you wanna be cute, you'll need new hair! The gym has people like you. Talk to the boss!" He turned and left.
Cloud was beet red. "People…'like you'? Aeris, what did you tell him?!"
"Nothing!" she grinned innocently, blushing a bit.
"Like hell!"
"Hey, it worked, eh? Let's give him some time to work and go for that wig."
"Aeris…"
"Yes, Cloud?"
"Do I have to go…?"
"Of course you have to go! You wanna be cute!" She laughed and grabbed his arm again, pulling him outside. "Come on! No time to waste! Tifa may need our help!"
"Well I'm glad YOU'RE enjoying yourself…"
Big Bro's Gym was near the bar, so the walk was short. Cloud was very antsy about going in.
"People 'like me' means they're either gay or cross-dressers, and I don't want anything to do with either type."
"Cloud, come on. Do it for Tifa! Besides, I'll be right behind you, and I'm not looking forward to meeting with those kind of people, either."
Cloud took a deep breath and went in. Apparently, the tailor had been there already, because Big Bro was there to greet Cloud. The gym master was a comical sight, big and burly, yet dressed in women's garments.
"You the one?" he asked, not bothering to sound feminine, "Who wants to be cute?"
Cloud breathed sharply and replied, "Yep."
"Well then," Big Bro nodded, turning to a large boxing ring and reaching underneath it, "I have some wigs for you…"
"Hey, Big Bro!" a voice boomed. A man twice the size of the gym master lumbered towards Cloud. "You givin' those away?" he motioned to the wigs.
"Yes, to this gentleman right here."
"Hell no!" the big man boomed, "I want them!"
Big Bro paused, turning to Cloud, then back to the man. "Sasha…really…"
"Hey," Sasha barked, "I'll actually earn the stuff! Come on, skinny boy! We'll compete!"
Cloud felt a bit sick. Without his sword, he couldn't rightly take this man down.
"No fighting," Big Bro interceded, "You'll do squats for them. Whoever has the most squats done after a minute wins. Fair enough?" Big Bro sounded tired.
"Fine with me!" Sasha replied.
Cloud nodded. Sasha was big on top, not on bottom, and Big Bro knew that. He wanted Cloud to have the wigs, obviously, so he'd assigned an exercise Cloud could do better. He hoped.
"One, two, three, GO!" Big Bro turned to his watch.
Cloud moved through the motions quickly and easily. His lighter build made it easy to outrace Sasha in speed, but the bigger man was pulling his weight rather well. Cloud stepped up the pace a bit.
"Five, four, three, two, one…STOP!" Big Bro turned to two other men who had been watching Cloud and Sasha…and Aeris. "How many?"
"I counted 26 for Sasha."
"Heh…29 for the spiky kid."
"Bull!" Sasha roared, glaring. "That's not fair, ya know? Really not…"
"Shut up!" Big Bro growled, and with one uppercut sent Sasha flying across the room. "Don't be a sore loser!" Then to a shocked Cloud, he said, "Pick a wig, winner."
Cloud looked through the set and chose the blonde wig, figuring it would appear more pleasing to the lechs in Corneo's mansion.
"You know," Cloud grumbled to Aeris when they were safely out of range of the gym, "I can't believe some people. All this over a bloody wig!" He shuddered. "T'will be all the better if I never come here again!"
"Aw," Aeris snickered, "But dontcha wanna hear the rumors about the mercenary who became a lady for a day and fooled the great Don Corneo?"
"We don't know if that will work."
"Sure it will! You're Cloud, dammit!"
"What does
that have to do with anything?"
"Nothing, I was just trying to
boost your self esteem."
"Oh…"
"You're welcome." She smiled to soften the phrase. They entered the clothing store to find an energetic tailor and clerk.
"It's done!" he glowed with excitement, "Here! What do you think?"
Cloud looked at the shimmering purple dress, unsure what to think.
"It's wonderful!" Aeris nodded approval, and turned to Cloud. "Go try it on, with the wig."
Cloud breathed deeply and took the dress. He stepped into the dressing room and got to work putting the dress over his armor and the remnants of his SOLDIER uniform. After a while, the noises inside became a bit annoying…and Cloud was taking forever.
"Cloud…?" Aeris asked, "Are you okay in there?"
"How…" he asked, completely embarrassed, "How do you put this thing on?"
Aeris and the clerk laughed aloud and the tailor grinned. The flower girl went up to the curtain and whispered some directions to Cloud. She turned back with a grin and waited. Soon, Cloud emerged, clothed in a royal purple dress and a long blonde wig.
"You look extravagant, Ms. Cloud!" Aeris said dramatically.
"Gee, thanks…" Cloud grumbled his reply and squirmed.
"Move more nicely, Ms. Cloud," Aeris instructed, "Like this! And soften your voice."
"You know…" the tailor mused, "This was fun! I like these new things! Perhaps life is worth it after all. I might make this a regular part of my selection, guys' dresses."
"Heh, thanks for getting my dad back," the clerk bowed her head to them.
"Hrm," Aeris leafed through the selection of dresses. "I think I want one."
"Oh!" the tailor and his daughter both moved to help.
"This one!" said the clerk.
"Nah, this one!" said the tailor.
"I want THIS one!" Aeris pulled out a crimson dress and went to the dressing room. "No peeking!" she added. She dressed much quicker than Cloud, who waited somewhat anxiously, unsure of what to expect. Aeris stepped out. Over her red vest and pink robe there was a bright red dress. She looked…well, beautiful.
"So!" she twirled around, "How do I look?"
They all smiled wryly at the show. "Aw," Aeris shook her head, "You're no fun." She took out a wallet. "How much do we owe…?"
"Oh, no no!" The tailor shook his head furiously, "You've helped me rediscover my passion! It's on the house."
"Are you sure…?"
"Positive!"
Aeris grinned and bowed her head. "Thank you, sir, and ma'am. Much appreciated!"
"Oh, and one more thing!" the tailor spoke, "Young man, you might want to go get some make-up. It will add drastically to the effect."
"Uh," Cloud stammered, "Where can…I find that?"
"Honeybee Inn. Tell 'em Corneo sent ya to get cute."
"I ain't doin' it."
"Cloud! Come on, we've come this far!"
"Aeris, no! It's very, very, very humiliating…"
"Yeah, well, what about Tifa, huh?"
Cloud sighed. "Damn." He stood at the entrance to the Honeybee Inn and took a deep breath. The fun house was on the lower right corner of Wall Market, and Cloud had spent the entire walk complaining. He was not looking forward to this.
"Heya, chicky," the guard grinned like a maniac, "What's your business here?"
"I'm, ah," Cloud tried to sound feminine, "I'm from Corneo…he wants me to get some make-up from here so I'm presentable! I'd like to be at least presentable to him."
"Say no more, girl! Go on in, the room you're looking for is in the back."
Cloud entered, biting hard on his tongue. Damn Tifa for doing this to him! The inside of the Inn was a pentagram shape with doors on all five sides. One led out, another led to the dressing room. Cloud went there. A bunch of girls dressed in honeybee outfits sat around making themselves ready for their "customers". Cloud's stomach rolled. He went up to one.
"Excuse me," said Ms. Cloud, "I'm sorry for intruding, but I need to use some make-up."
"Here, let me!" The honeybee started dabbing an embarrassed Cloud's face with all sorts of stuff. Cloud looked in the mirror and saw that she had done a good job.
"Heh, you're a strong girl!" the honeybee realized, "Bet no one messes with you!"
Cloud just nodded and left.
Aeris tore away from a pack of drooling men and joined up with Cloud. "Ooh, nice!"
"Gee, thanks."
"You're welcome. Ready for the big moment?"
"I guess. Come on, the sooner we get this over with, the better!"
"Hey hey, you're friend is cute, too!" Corneo's guard beamed at Cloud and Aeris. "Come on in! The Don will send for you…soon, I guess."
"Thank you kindly!" Aeris blew a kiss for effect. The door closed. They were standing in a massive lobby. Stairs led up to a second level with three different doorways.
"Well?" Aeris hissed, "Let's go find Tifa!"
"Yeah…" Cloud went upstairs, Aeris in pursuit. The first door was locked, the second one was locked, and the third one…wasn't even a door.
"This makes things easy…" Aeris muttered as she went down the steps. Cloud followed her into what had to be a dungeon of some sorts. There was even a rack…Cloud realized he liked Don Corneo less and less as time went on.
"Is that
her?" Aeris muttered of a figure in a blue dress standing quietly by the
wall. Cloud nodded and Aeris went
straight to the point. "Hello,
Tifa? My name is Aeris. I'm here with Cloud to…"
"Cloud?" That got her
attention. "He's all right?"
"Yeah, my flower bed broke his
fall, I think!" she grinned. "Right,
Cloud?"
"Cloud…?" Tifa frowned at the figure in the corner. Cloud gulped and moved closer. Tifa examined him closer…and jumped back with a start. "Cloud?! What in GOD'S name are you up to?"
"It was the only way I could get in here!" he snapped, "I was worried!"
"About me…?"
"Well, yeah!"
"I'm
flattered."
Cloud sighed. "Tifa what…what about you? What are you doing in a place like this?"
"Ahem," Aeris moved away a few feet, "I'll just plug my ears."
"Well," Tifa fidgeted, "After we bombed the reactor, we all escaped back to base. On the way, though, we caught a guy who had been asking a lot of the locals questions…about us. Barret squeezed out the info from him, and the Don's name came up. Barret said to leave the lech alone, but…"
"You wanted to get it straight from the horse's mouth."
"Exactly, except…I'm in trouble. Corneo is bride hunting, which means he gets two or three girls and selects one to be his 'friend'. The other two, well, I don't know what happens to them, but it ain't good. If I'm not picked tonight, I'm screwed."
"Sorry," Aeris grinned sheepishly, "I…couldn't help but overhear."
"It's all right," Tifa shrugged, "Do you have any suggestions?"
"Well, yeah. It's not a problem if you know the other two girls, right?"
"Hey, I like it…" Tifa nodded.
"Oh,
girls!" one of Corneo's lackeys called, "The Don is ready for you! Please come on up to the master room now!"
"Coming!" Tifa called.
"So, Tifa," Aeris said as they started upstairs, "You know Cloud…how?"
"Ah," Tifa replied, catching the hint, "We're childhood friends, nothing more."
"Uh," Cloud called from behind, still dwelling on an earlier statement, "I probably don't need to ask, but…the third girl is…me?"
"You're right," Aeris nodded without stopping her ascent, "There was no need…"
"To ask," Tifa finished.
Cloud shook his head in grief. He wanted this day to end.
Don Corneo
was a short, round man in a flowing red robe.
His hair was shaped into a blonde Mohawk, and he puffed on a large
cigar. In short, he was a pig, but
Cloud did not dare say that to his face.
He, Tifa, and Aeris were lined up in front of the Don's desk. To Corneo's right and left were his two
assistants, Kotch and Scotch. Brilliant
names for brilliant people, Cloud thought dryly.
"Ooh, I like what we have
tonight!" Corneo said in a less than manly voice. "Very much!" He hopped
over to Tifa and examined her. "Hey,
this is a lovely number! I smell a free
spirit!" He moved over to Aeris. "Ooh, this is a real cutie! Young blood!" He went to Cloud. "Ah, a
strong girl! Probably very brave!" Cloud blinked, amazed at Corneo's judge of
character. If nothing else, he could
respect that.
Corneo peered at all three of them. "Hrm. Who to choose? I like them all!" Cloud hoped and prayed Tifa and Aeris were more attractive to Corneo than he was. "Aha, I've made up my mind! My friend for tonight will be…" Cloud took a deep breath and said a prayer… "This pretty girl, the strong one!" …to no avail.
"Uh, um," Cloud stammered. He could see Aeris repress a grin. "Thanks Don!" He felt monumentally stupid, but what else would you say to such a man?
"You can have the other two," said Corneo to Kotch and Scotch.
"Yessir!"
"Thank you, sir!"
Cloud was
led off into Corneo's room, a large place decorated with bright lights, colored
walls, and a huge bed, to huge for Corneo's small size. The Don hopped onto the bed and patted it, a
signal for Cloud to get on.
Reluctantly, he did so. If Tifa
and Aeris had any brains at all, they'd kick the shit out of Kotch and Scotch
and get in here to interrogate Corneo.
He hoped they would do that…and soon!
"So, what do you want to do?"
the Don asked, a stupid question.
"Uh, whatever you want, Donny!" Cloud replied, feeling foolish.
"Wow! Well, come here then!"
Cloud just sat there for a while, about to obey when Corneo spoke.
"Oh, shy are we? That's all right, I like that!" He cocked his head. "I think I like you as a whole, actually!"
No, Cloud thought, you don't. "I'm flattered!"
"Really?" Corneo kept it up, "Well…do you like me?"
Cloud felt his face heating up. "Uh, y…yeah, sure!"
"Oh, good! I was worried!" He grinned like an animal, trying to impress Cloud and having no luck. Cloud humored him with adoring eyes. "How about a kiss? Huh?" He puckered up. Cloud felt sick. This was hell on earth. What had he done to deserve this? He closed his eyes and went to meet the Don…
"Hold it!"
"Don't move, Corneo!"
The Don leaped away, looking at the new arrivals. Tifa and Aeris were back in their original attire. Cloud hurried to join them.
"Cloud?" Tifa asked with a quizzical expression, "Were you really going to…?"
"No!" Cloud shook his head furiously and threw off the violet dress and wig.
Corneo reeled, totally taken aback. "You're a…but how…I mean…Kotch! Scotch! Get in here!"
"They're a bit…tied up," Tifa frowned at her own cliché. "We need to talk, Corneo!"
"Talk? Who's talking?" growled Corneo.
"You." Tifa glared. "What do you know about AVALANCHE? Their hideout? And their allies?"
"No!" Corneo shook his head, "No, no, no! I will not talk about that!"
"You gave yourself away, Don!" Cloud growled, "You do know something! Now spill it!" An idea came to his head. He knelt on the bed, gazing calmly at the cornered man. "If you don't tell us…I'll chop them off."
"Whoo!" Corneo pressed himself against the wall, wide eyed. "You wouldn't."
"Try me!"
"Ahh! Okay, okay! The orders were to find out where AVALANCHE, a small rebel group, was hiding out, okay?"
"Orders?" Tifa hissed, kneeling next to Cloud, "Whose orders?"
"Never!" Corneo howled, "If I told, he'd kill me!"
"Tell me, Corneo!" Tifa insisted, "If you don't talk…" She thought for a bit. "I'll rip them off."
"GAH!" Corneo cowered, "It was Heidegger! Heidegger of Shinra, Inc.!"
"Heidegger?" Cloud frowned, "General Heidegger is the head of the Public Safety Department of Shinra. What does he want to do?"
"Talk, tell us everything!" Aeris ordered. "If you don't talk," she said in turn, "I'll crush them!"
"OWCH!" Corneo was in pain just thinking about it. "You're s…s…serious, aren't you? W…well, Shinra wants to crush this small group. And they're really going to crush them…literally!"
"Huh?" Cloud was suddenly nervous, "How?"
"By breaking the support pillar that holds the upper Sector 7 plate above the slums, where their hideout is! And you know what'll happen then!" Corneo went on just in case they didn't, "It'll go SPLAT and crush everyone in the Sector 7 Slums!"
"What?!" Tifa was horrified. "They're going to get rid of thousands of people…just to get rid of US!"
"Horrible waste," Corneo agreed. "I'm just glad it's not here in Sector 6!"
"We have to stop them!" Cloud declared.
"Yeah!"
Aeris agreed, "I'm coming, too!"
"Aeris…"
"Cloud, come on! I'll be fine!"
"We'll need help, Cloud…"
"Okay, Tifa, Aeris, come on!" They gathered on the rug in front of Corneo's bed.
"Just a second!" the Don commanded, "How exactly do you think scum like me feels when they've just blown something this huge?"
"Well I don't rightly know or care," Tifa said flatly.
"Well, wait! A: They know they've won, B: They're terrified, C: They're feeling guilty as sin, or D: They don't know what the hell's going on?"
"So many could fit you," Cloud growled, "But I'll say D."
"Bzzt! Wrong!" Corneo cackled something fierce and flipped a hidden switch. The floor beneath the three disappeared and Cloud felt himself falling down and down and down for the second time in two days. Aeris's muffled "OOF" sounded in Cloud's ears, then, the darkness came back.
The air was thinner when you were up this high, but the men were used to it. They had far more important things on their mind. The massive outdoor office gave way to a massive desk for one small man, yet so powerful a man that he ruled the world.
At the top of the massive Shin-Ra Headquarters, Reeve could scarcely believe what he was hearing. The unimposing head of Shinra's Urban Development Division turned to acknowledge the demon who was President Shinra's right hand man, a bulky man in a green army coat lined with awards he didn't earn, yet was entitled to. Reeve hated General Heidegger for everything he stood for, from his brutal attitude to his terrible policies to…this.
"Preparations are complete, sir!" Heidegger boomed in his deep, throaty voice, hair of his long black beard swaying in the slight breeze. "Everything is ready and everyone is prepared to see the end of AVALANCHE, the 'Noble Terrorists'." He spat the last words.
"Sir," Reeve protested again, begging Shinra now, "Is this really necessary? An entire half-sector just for a group of six or seven people?"
"Reeve, we've been over this how many times…?"
"I know sir, but…as head of Urban Development, I've been involved with the building and maintaining of all Midgar. I hate to see it destroyed."
"I can see where you're coming from," Heidegger interjected, "But there are greater things at stake here! AVALANCHE isn't just a group of boys with toys; they've proven that! So we need to crush them while we still can!"
Reeve sighed. He wasn't getting anywhere and he knew it.
"Any chance of failure?" Shinra asked Heidegger, getting out of his chair and walking around his massive silver desk to see the men in "person".
"Gya ha ha," Heidegger laughed, "No sir! I've assigned the Turks to this one, Tseng and Reno in particular! They have their orders and their soldiers! They won' t fail!"
"Very good. You may commence the operation whenever you are ready."
Heidegger turned and started off. Reeve spun to watch the man who would doom thousands of lives disappeared down a staircase. "Heidegger, wait!" He was cut off by President Shinra's hand clamped on his shoulder.
"Reeve, you're tired. Take a few days off, hell, a week," he suggested, "I know what I'm doing, here."
"Yes sir…" Reeve conceded and followed Heidegger to the stairs, "I guess you do."
Shinra watched them go and shook his head. "Reeve, you're much to sentimental," he mused out loud. "How perfect, though. We destroy Sector 7, blame AVALANCHE and their bombs, and then the Shinra come in to save the day! People love us even more." Shinra turned around and looked out over the horizon that was his floating city. "Sorry, AVALANCHE, but every dog has its day, and yours is over."