Chapter VI: Fears (Reeve's Story)*
NOTE: The story has now split into three separate quests. Chapters V, VI, and VII (and possibly groups of other future chapters) take place all at once. This chapter is from Reeve's point of view.
"My, Barrett, what a large… gun you have."
"Why thank you, I only use the finest equipment in upgrading, and equip it with the best Materia around… if only we still had any Materia." He replied with a smug grin, caring less about something so important to him just a bit ago.
"I do believe… you have a boner, don't you?" asked the cute redhead sitting on the stool beside him.
"Err… no, not at all. In fact, I've never had one!" Barrett croaked, smiling broadly. "But perhaps you could give me one." Wiping my forehead, which was resting on my hand as I sat on the barstool two seats away from the intimidating vigilante and his acquaintance, I noticed the cold sweat forming above my brow. Trying to peek over at the strange couple, I glanced across the bar and caught the eye of the pub's lead singer.
"Really? You look like the kind of person that would have had one for quite a while. But sure, I could let you borrow mine… right now, if you wish." She replied. "In fact…"
"OH PLEASE! STOP IT! You're killing me! What is wrong with you, you perverted madman!?? Get a room!" I yelled at Barrett, eyes twitching. It was then I noticed the white ring around the girl's lips and the golden brass instrument in her right hand. Barrett, turning around and looking at me with disgust, shook his head after realizing my mistake.
"My god, Reeve, what the hell do you think we were talking about? Can't a guy talk to a female trombonist without your damn outbreaks!? You're just as annoying as the cat was!" Barrett noted gruffly. "Shit, you're the pervert with a mind ticking like that." He yelled, turning back to the disgruntled girl he had been charming only seconds ago, but then turning back again to add: "Geez! And you were with my Marlene! You sick jerk! I hope you didn't hurt her, 'cuz when we go see her, if she's hurt, I'll break your neck!"
"…Sorry Barrett. I didn't know what you guys were talking about. Perhaps my judgment is a bit skewered after staying awake for so long lately." I said softly, leaning my pale cheek back against my palm and looking the other way in embarrassment. "The helicopter is probably prepared by now, why don't we just leave now?" I suggested, twiddling with a colored toothpick on the bar table, figuring that he probably wasn't listening.
"Yea, sure." Barrett muttered, confirming my inquisition with a raised hand as he tried to again initiate a conversation with the cute brass player. "Yes, that sounds great. I've always loved brass. Listen, we kinda own a condo around here, so I'll be back again eventually. I'll see ya then, ok? I'd love to hear ya'll play again!" Barrett grinned, getting up from the bar and walking out half in joy and half in disgust aimed towards me, as the trombonist smiled prettily at him, which I noticed her do just before she frowned and rolled her eyes as she scoffed to the bow I made towards her as I exited and sighed deeply.
"You know, Mr. Wallace, I fought just as hard as all of you against Sephiroth, I think I deserve a little more respect! In fact, if it weren't for me, you never would have gotten the Black Materia, which… oh… my goodness…" I began, but ended quickly as I readied for a heavy attack from the looming giant of a man that Barrett was.
"YEAH! If it weren't for you, we never would have gotten the Black Materia, which ended up in the hands of SEPHIROTH! Who then used it to summon Meteor in order TO DESTROY the EARTH! Not to mention, YOU NEVER FOUGHT WITH US! You hid from behind your damn sissy computer and controlled some damn shit annoying cat thing that WAS INITALLY A SPY! YOU WERE AGAINST US FOR A MAJORITY OF THE TIME WE EVEN KNEW YOU! Or should I say, the Cait-Sith robot! Oh… and one more thing," Barrett said, preparing for the finishing blow as I cowered beneath his rage. "YOU THREATENED US WITH MARLENE! IF WE DIDN'T TAKE YOU WITH US, YOU WOULD HAVE BLOWN HER INNOCENT HEAD OFF! And you're asking for RESPECT!? Just wait and see what I do to you AFTER we get Marlene back!!!" he concluded, spit flying everywhere as the veins in his neck bulged during his erratic speech. Cracking the knuckles of his left hand loudly against the metal siding of the gun implanted in his right arm, he dragged me up onto my feet by my shirt collar, and stared deeply into my terror-stricken eyes. In the moonlight, I noticed his rage dwindling as he breathed deeply upon my face much like a raging dragon would upon a meal begging for its life. Quivering and whimpering with fear, I tried to speak with him, but I was simply too scared. Placing me back upon the ground, I collapsed in the dust of the unpaved street. Whispering something about Marlene, Barrett continued towards the docks, where the helicopter was parked. Slowly getting upon my feet and dusting my jacket off, I saw the others, led by Tifa, heading for where the Highwind had landed. Not noticing me in the darkness, I kept myself from yelling out a fond hello or goodbye. It was then that I realized my place, for no longer could I be a cocky, high-ranking Shin-Ra executive. Now I was hated and disrespected by my former enemies and now allies. Good god, what a fool I've been, trying to converse so freely with these great yet worn, unselfish heroes when I was trying to kill them just a month ago, I thought to myself.
Pointing at me and giggling while swigging Kalay Lite Drafts, a favorite of tourists visiting Costa Del Sol, a few teenagers mocked me as I sat still in the sand and thought quietly. Laughing and belting out comments about bums and drunkards, they stumbled about uncontrollably. Getting up and dusting myself off, I followed the fading shadowy figure of Mr. Wallace to the docks. Suddenly there was a sound of gun shots. Looking up from the ground as I had been walking, I began a full sprint towards the helicopter pad, only to be pulled to the side and behind a building halfway there. Barrett, eyes glowing in the dark, hissed at me:
"Reeve! What the hell are members of SOLDIER doing here!?? Without Materia, we don't stand a chance!" he whispered, searching frantically around for a quick escape, as the troops were just around the corner. Lifting his large hand off and away from my mouth and face, I tried to calm the heavily-armed maniac.
"Barrett! Shin-Ra's dead, remember? They're with me! Their employer company is gone, so many troops and guards have been hired as executive security, ok? After all, we may have worked for Shin-Ra, but most of what's left of the ruined corporation is trying to put back together a democratic government and rebuild Junon. Midgar, of course, is lost… That's what we've been working on for the last few days while you-all were fighting Sephiroth. Alright?" I explained, peeking around the corner of the warehouse down to where the dock was and spotting several of my guards in a defensive position along the road, yelling 'Thunder!', to which I responded 'Lightning!' in order not to be shot at and to signal that we were indeed allies, a strategy that many army factions use. Leading the hesitant Barrett out from behind his hiding place, we met with the four former members of SOLDIER who had accompanied me to Junon and were now guarding the helicopter until our departure for Kalm. Walking with us down to the docks, one pointed out that it was Barrett who had fired the shots at them, yet thankfully no one was injured.
"I dunno what got into me, I just freaked out when I saw the elite Shin-Ra troops heading slowly towards me. Um… sorry 'bout that." He said softly in response, scratching his head nervously, to which all the SOLDIERs laughed, which I realized was the first time they had done so since the time they were originally initiated into the Shin-Ra program. Soon after preparation, we were flying high above the crystalline midnight ocean, on our way to Kalm and… chaos.
NOTE: The story has now split into three separate quests. Chapters V, VI, and VII (and possibly groups of other future chapters) take place all at once. This chapter is from Reeve's point of view.
"My, Barrett, what a large… gun you have."
"Why thank you, I only use the finest equipment in upgrading, and equip it with the best Materia around… if only we still had any Materia." He replied with a smug grin, caring less about something so important to him just a bit ago.
"I do believe… you have a boner, don't you?" asked the cute redhead sitting on the stool beside him.
"Err… no, not at all. In fact, I've never had one!" Barrett croaked, smiling broadly. "But perhaps you could give me one." Wiping my forehead, which was resting on my hand as I sat on the barstool two seats away from the intimidating vigilante and his acquaintance, I noticed the cold sweat forming above my brow. Trying to peek over at the strange couple, I glanced across the bar and caught the eye of the pub's lead singer.
"Really? You look like the kind of person that would have had one for quite a while. But sure, I could let you borrow mine… right now, if you wish." She replied. "In fact…"
"OH PLEASE! STOP IT! You're killing me! What is wrong with you, you perverted madman!?? Get a room!" I yelled at Barrett, eyes twitching. It was then I noticed the white ring around the girl's lips and the golden brass instrument in her right hand. Barrett, turning around and looking at me with disgust, shook his head after realizing my mistake.
"My god, Reeve, what the hell do you think we were talking about? Can't a guy talk to a female trombonist without your damn outbreaks!? You're just as annoying as the cat was!" Barrett noted gruffly. "Shit, you're the pervert with a mind ticking like that." He yelled, turning back to the disgruntled girl he had been charming only seconds ago, but then turning back again to add: "Geez! And you were with my Marlene! You sick jerk! I hope you didn't hurt her, 'cuz when we go see her, if she's hurt, I'll break your neck!"
"…Sorry Barrett. I didn't know what you guys were talking about. Perhaps my judgment is a bit skewered after staying awake for so long lately." I said softly, leaning my pale cheek back against my palm and looking the other way in embarrassment. "The helicopter is probably prepared by now, why don't we just leave now?" I suggested, twiddling with a colored toothpick on the bar table, figuring that he probably wasn't listening.
"Yea, sure." Barrett muttered, confirming my inquisition with a raised hand as he tried to again initiate a conversation with the cute brass player. "Yes, that sounds great. I've always loved brass. Listen, we kinda own a condo around here, so I'll be back again eventually. I'll see ya then, ok? I'd love to hear ya'll play again!" Barrett grinned, getting up from the bar and walking out half in joy and half in disgust aimed towards me, as the trombonist smiled prettily at him, which I noticed her do just before she frowned and rolled her eyes as she scoffed to the bow I made towards her as I exited and sighed deeply.
"You know, Mr. Wallace, I fought just as hard as all of you against Sephiroth, I think I deserve a little more respect! In fact, if it weren't for me, you never would have gotten the Black Materia, which… oh… my goodness…" I began, but ended quickly as I readied for a heavy attack from the looming giant of a man that Barrett was.
"YEAH! If it weren't for you, we never would have gotten the Black Materia, which ended up in the hands of SEPHIROTH! Who then used it to summon Meteor in order TO DESTROY the EARTH! Not to mention, YOU NEVER FOUGHT WITH US! You hid from behind your damn sissy computer and controlled some damn shit annoying cat thing that WAS INITALLY A SPY! YOU WERE AGAINST US FOR A MAJORITY OF THE TIME WE EVEN KNEW YOU! Or should I say, the Cait-Sith robot! Oh… and one more thing," Barrett said, preparing for the finishing blow as I cowered beneath his rage. "YOU THREATENED US WITH MARLENE! IF WE DIDN'T TAKE YOU WITH US, YOU WOULD HAVE BLOWN HER INNOCENT HEAD OFF! And you're asking for RESPECT!? Just wait and see what I do to you AFTER we get Marlene back!!!" he concluded, spit flying everywhere as the veins in his neck bulged during his erratic speech. Cracking the knuckles of his left hand loudly against the metal siding of the gun implanted in his right arm, he dragged me up onto my feet by my shirt collar, and stared deeply into my terror-stricken eyes. In the moonlight, I noticed his rage dwindling as he breathed deeply upon my face much like a raging dragon would upon a meal begging for its life. Quivering and whimpering with fear, I tried to speak with him, but I was simply too scared. Placing me back upon the ground, I collapsed in the dust of the unpaved street. Whispering something about Marlene, Barrett continued towards the docks, where the helicopter was parked. Slowly getting upon my feet and dusting my jacket off, I saw the others, led by Tifa, heading for where the Highwind had landed. Not noticing me in the darkness, I kept myself from yelling out a fond hello or goodbye. It was then that I realized my place, for no longer could I be a cocky, high-ranking Shin-Ra executive. Now I was hated and disrespected by my former enemies and now allies. Good god, what a fool I've been, trying to converse so freely with these great yet worn, unselfish heroes when I was trying to kill them just a month ago, I thought to myself.
Pointing at me and giggling while swigging Kalay Lite Drafts, a favorite of tourists visiting Costa Del Sol, a few teenagers mocked me as I sat still in the sand and thought quietly. Laughing and belting out comments about bums and drunkards, they stumbled about uncontrollably. Getting up and dusting myself off, I followed the fading shadowy figure of Mr. Wallace to the docks. Suddenly there was a sound of gun shots. Looking up from the ground as I had been walking, I began a full sprint towards the helicopter pad, only to be pulled to the side and behind a building halfway there. Barrett, eyes glowing in the dark, hissed at me:
"Reeve! What the hell are members of SOLDIER doing here!?? Without Materia, we don't stand a chance!" he whispered, searching frantically around for a quick escape, as the troops were just around the corner. Lifting his large hand off and away from my mouth and face, I tried to calm the heavily-armed maniac.
"Barrett! Shin-Ra's dead, remember? They're with me! Their employer company is gone, so many troops and guards have been hired as executive security, ok? After all, we may have worked for Shin-Ra, but most of what's left of the ruined corporation is trying to put back together a democratic government and rebuild Junon. Midgar, of course, is lost… That's what we've been working on for the last few days while you-all were fighting Sephiroth. Alright?" I explained, peeking around the corner of the warehouse down to where the dock was and spotting several of my guards in a defensive position along the road, yelling 'Thunder!', to which I responded 'Lightning!' in order not to be shot at and to signal that we were indeed allies, a strategy that many army factions use. Leading the hesitant Barrett out from behind his hiding place, we met with the four former members of SOLDIER who had accompanied me to Junon and were now guarding the helicopter until our departure for Kalm. Walking with us down to the docks, one pointed out that it was Barrett who had fired the shots at them, yet thankfully no one was injured.
"I dunno what got into me, I just freaked out when I saw the elite Shin-Ra troops heading slowly towards me. Um… sorry 'bout that." He said softly in response, scratching his head nervously, to which all the SOLDIERs laughed, which I realized was the first time they had done so since the time they were originally initiated into the Shin-Ra program. Soon after preparation, we were flying high above the crystalline midnight ocean, on our way to Kalm and… chaos.