Cloud and the others continued to travel across the vast fields (having left Mount Nibel), until they finally came to Rocket Town. Rocket Town was a small town.
It was called Rocket Town, because there was a huge, old, abandoned space rocket in the town. The rocket could be seen all over the town, as it was so big. Cloud and the others went into Rocket Town, and they stared at the huge, old, space rocket.
"It's a huge rusty old rocket. I wonder why they would make something that huge," said Cloud, thoughtfully.
"Well, now I see why it's called Rocket Town," said Tifa.
"I don't think that Sephiroth passed through here. After all, the whole town's still standing," said Cloud.
He quickly managed to stop a man who was walking past.
"Hey, just what is with this place, and what's with the rocket?" asked Cloud. The man just shook his head.
"Better ask the Captain about this town. He's the one in charge of it," replied the man.
"Who's the Captain?" asked Cloud, puzzled.
"The Captain was a pilot when Shinra was still interested in their Space Program. He was going to be the world's first man in outer space, but then there was an accident. Ever since then, he's been wasting away his life here dreaming about going into outer space," explained the man.
"Did you see a man in a black cape?" asked Cloud.
"A man in a black cape? Nope, I don't know a thing about it," replied the man, and he walked off.
Cloud and the others walked up to the main house of the town, which seemed the most likely place where the captain would have been. Cloud knocked on the door a few times, but there was no answer.
"Hey, no one's home, you spiky-headed jerk! So let's just go in, and see what kind of Materia they've got. Come on," said Yuffie, and she then used a hairpin as a lock-pick, and opened the door. Cloud and the others decided to follow her inside.
Nobody was home, but the back door was open, so Cloud and the others went out the back door, into the back garden to see if anyone was there.
But in the back garden instead was a cool-looking pink and blue plane with the logo 'Tiny Bronco' written on it. This plane seemed to belong to whoever lived in the house.
They all looked at the Tiny Bronco plane in admiration, all of them suddenly realising that a plane like this would come in great use to help them travel longer distances much faster and therefore they would find Sephiroth in no time at all.
"Wow, would you look at that…" said Barret, in awe.
"There's a Shinra logo written on it. Tiny Bronco. This is cool," said Cloud.
"Shinra!? Alright, then! Let's take it!" said Yuffie.
Cloud frowned at Yuffie, and she turned away, grumbling.
"I wonder if we can just borrow it?" suggested Tifa.
Just then, a woman walked up to Cloud and the others. She had brown hair, and wore white clothes and glasses. Her name was Shera.
"May I help you?" asked Shera, politely.
"No, we're just looking at it," replied Cloud.
"If you would like to use it, then please ask the captain. The captain should be in the rocket. My name is Shera. What are your names? Are you with Shinra?" asked Shera.
"Hell no! We hate Shinra!" yelled Barret.
"I'm Cloud," said Cloud.
"I'm Tifa. Nice to meet you," said Tifa.
"My name is Vincent. My occupation is…no, just forget it," said Vincent, shaking his head.
"The name's Cait Sith," said Cait Sith.
"Hey, I'm Yuffie. Good to meet ya," said Yuffie.
"And I'm Barret," said Barret.
"My name is Aeris. And this is Red XIII. He's our….pet" said Aeris, trying hard not to giggle as Red XIII growled at her in annoyance.
"So you're not with Shinra? I thought that the approval for the reopening of the Space Program had come," said Shera.
Cloud and the others, especially Barret, were surprised and astonished, wondering if Shinra was coming.
"President Rufus is scheduled to come here. The captain has been restless all morning," said Shera.
"Rufus is coming!!?" shouted Cloud, alarmed.
Shera nodded, and she went back into the house.
Cloud and the others decided to leave to try and find the captain of the town, so they left the back garden, walked back out of the house, and they went to the rocket, where Shera had said the captain was.
They climbed the stairs leading up to the very top of the rocket. They then walked through a door leading inside the rocket, and they went in.
A man was already in the rocket, just like Shera had said.
This man wore a blue jacket with a white shirt, and he wore goggles above his eyes. He wore brown gloves, brown shoes and he had blond hair and blue eyes.
This man's name was Cid Highwind, and he was thirty-two years old, although he looked about ten or fifteen years older than that.
Cid carried a handmade spear, which he used for his own weapon. Cid always seemed to have a cigar in his mouth as well, smoking on it regularly every day.
Cid looked both thoroughly surprised and taken aback to see Cloud and the others in the rocket, and he walked over to them, now clearly annoyed and irritated.
"What the heck are you guys doing here? What the fuck do you want?" asked Cid, sharply.
"We heard that the captain was here," said Cloud.
"Captain!? I'm the captain, dumbass! My name is Cid Highwind. Everyone here calls me captain, though. What the hell do ya want?" asked Cid, sharply.
"What's the deal with this rocket?" asked Barret.
"Yeah, tell me about this rocket," said Cloud, curiously.
Cid's expression quickly changed from one of annoyance to one of eagerness.
"Wow! Not bad for a young man your age. Alright then, I'll explain it to ya. Did you know that Shinra Incorporated developed a lot of technological gadgets during the meaningless war between them and Wutai? Nowadays, Shinra is a Mako company, but in the old days, it was a weapons manufacture. Well back then, they came up with a new rocket engine. There was so much excitement about the thought of going into outer space. Our dreams got bigger and bigger. They put a major budget into it and they made prototype after prototype. Finally, they completed Shinra number 26. They chose the best pilot in Shinra…no, the best pilot in the whole goddamn world…me, of course," explained Cid, proudly, and then he paused for a moment before continuing, although he seemed to be getting angrier.
"And finally we got to the day of the launch. Everything was going well at first. But because of that damn no-good dumbass Shera, the launch got messed up!! And so, Shinra nixed their outer space plans after that. After they had told me how the future was Space Exploration, and they got all my goddamn hopes up!! Damn them!! Then the Space Program was all over once they had found out that Mako energy was profitable," explained Cid, with a sad sigh.
"Shinra didn't even so much as look at space exploration anymore. My dream was just a financial number for them! Look at this rusted rocket! I was supposed to be the first man in space with this! Everyday, it tilts a little bit more. At this rate, I don't know what will come first. This rocket falling down, or me getting out of here…" said Cid, with another dejected sigh.
"My last hope now is to talk to President Rufus," said Cid.
"Is Rufus actually coming?" asked Cloud.
Cid suddenly became excited at these words.
"Yeah, he sure as damn hell is! It must be news about restarting the Space Program! A young president, that's what we needed! He still has his dreams too," said Cid, excited.
"Can we borrow the Tiny Bronco?" asked Cloud.
Cid's excited look suddenly turned angry, as he glared sharply at Cloud as though he had just uttered a most disgusting insult indeed.
"Are you out of your goddamn tiny little mind!? That's my most cherished possession! I can't let you just take it!" snapped Cid, and with that, he ordered them angrily to leave.
Sensing that there was no use whatsoever in talking it over, Cloud and the others walked out of the rocket, down the rocket's stairs, and they went back into the town. They went back into Cid's house. Shera was still there.
****************************************************************
Meanwhile, Rufus had just arrived in Rocket Town. Palmer and Tseng were with him, as well as some Shinra troops.
"I'll go on ahead, sir," said Palmer, cheerfully.
"Any particular reasons why?" asked Rufus, sharply.
"I know the captain pretty well! We were pretty good friends up until the disaster of the Shinra No. 26 rocket that you can see in this town," replied Palmer, pointing to the huge rocket.
"Alright, fine, Palmer. Just make sure you remember what you're supposed to be doing," ordered Rufus.
Palmer nodded, and he skipped joyfully ahead to Cid's house. Rufus watched Palmer skip down the street. He just couldn't understand Palmer sometimes, he was just far too carefree to ever be taken seriously.
"How did my father ever get by with these executives?" muttered Rufus. Tseng walked up beside him.
"I believe that your father was more experienced with more incompetent help than you, sir. Your father managed to make use of his executives even with their many flaws. I believe that the reason the executives seem hard to control for you is because they themselves make it hard," replied Tseng.
Rufus turned to face Tseng, curiously.
"Tseng, you've been in Shinra Incorporated almost longer than anyone else has, right? You probably know everything about the executives, right?" asked Rufus, curiously.
"I was employed by your father for twenty-two years. The only other executive still in Shinra right now that was with Shinra before me is Professor Hojo," replied Tseng.
"And he's ancient," muttered Rufus.
"Yes, we would all like to believe that. As a Turk in service to Shinra, I am in service to the head of the company. That would be you, President Rufus. I know it may not be my place to say such things, as the leader of the Turks, but strength comes almost always in numbers, one person may be powerful, but will easily fall alone," said Tseng.
"But aren't you a friend of the Ancient, Aeris Gainsborough?" asked Rufus.
"I may have once been friends with Aeris, but I am in no way affiliated to AVALANCHE. I will be on the side of the Shinra for as long as I live, no matter how much it hurts to be against Aeris," said Tseng.
"This must be very hard for you then. Your fierce loyalty is…" muttered Rufus, although his face showed no emotion whatsoever.
"Think nothing of it, sir. We must go now," said Tseng, and they both walked to Cid's house after Palmer.
****************************************************************