final fantasy vii and all its characters © squaresoft, inc.

a/n:
 School's off and 97/100 4 CHEM!!!!!!!!!!!!1111 I almost got busy with the Student Council Election 'cause out of my curiosity, I was chosen as the candidate!! Anyway, all is over and such... I'm not president too. I still gotta do some stuff for the bunch though, but it's okay. My report card is of satisfactory (amused) and school's finally out FOR A FULL MONTH so updates should be going faster for a while! (w00tw00t)

Anyway, sorry for the long update. Duh, two weeks, huh?

To the Sky
chapter seven: in the darkness

Midgar was like a parasite. A leeching black, disgusting parasite among the green face of the planet.

The territorial capital resembled a drained drop of ink on a yellowed piece of parchment. Colorless, with faded borders, and a pitch black mark. It was if it promised both the rich and poor an eternally monotonous sky with no trace of the golden sunlight.

The city was elevated, hovering, and forever coated by the sinful, coveting air. A tall, towering physique stood carelessly, caressing the thick, dull clouds as it faded to the mist. The strong, bordering edifice embraced the synthetic structure, supporting it with its matching raven-colored monochrome. Eight symbolic flames lit elegant turquoise glows, illuminating the dark, bold lines serving as entrance gates.

Even after dim shimmers of street lights, the tier would never grant a hint of brightness to what it was hiding underneath. It was once a dynamic vastness of greenery that transformed into an inky blackness, covered by the shadows of what the elitists and nobles worshipped. A sunless prison and residence to the class of bandits and radicals and who had given up their unfortunate life.

Day after day, the separating gap between the posh and poverty never cease to grow wider. The prominent grand plate was spotlessly clean. Not a single vestige of anything defying hygiene was ever found. To investors, the scenery of a sparkling, healthy realm was a regular. Even some were still pouting over how there was still a little trace of dirt hinted by the sidewalk. But to the lower class, it was a blissful, holy sanctuary.

In contrast, the slums beneath was filled by nothing but filth. It was inevitable for at least one dead body to go undiscovered amidst the huddles of debris and wreckage lined up throughout the avenue. Every once or twice a week, the government would send a group of public workers to sweep the dreaded corpses and threw them away to wherever the 'graveyard' was. To them, an empty street with waste dumps no higher than twelve feet and little groups of grass were what they call 'clean'. Even the dampen, polluted air was nothing worth complaining.

All things considered, Midgar was the very symbol of prejudice, bias, and inhuman.

"This is..." Cloud deliberated.

"The floating city plate," a royal female voice reacted. "the capital of the Midgar Empire, Midgar city."

"Aeris!" Cloud exclaimed as Barret and Cid spun to see three female newcomers. Aeris did not look too astonished by the scenery. It was inevitable she had been to Midgar. Tifa and Yuffie, however, did not stop to stare at the unnatural capital doubtfully.

"This! Midgar!?" Yuffie recapped dubiously, promoting her disbelief and utter amusement, "You mean we have to rebel against the folks who made this... thing!?"

Cid nodded. He heaved a groan. "Don't tell me you never imagine how powerful Shinra is." he vacantly watched the rest of his crew sulking over the unpleasant landscape.

"We just never know it would be..." Tifa pondered, "...so big..."

"Now you know." Cid countered, "You're gonna be even more surprised when you check out the slums. Anyway, we ain't landing there. We're gonna land outside the north gate since the security there isn't so tight."

"But none of them would let you in after they see your face, Cid." another voice, a rather deep one, riposted.

Vincent was just in time to reappear for the meeting before they land. Being a former Empire executive that he was, the man was expected to stay calm even after Yuffie pointed out how tall and lofty the city was.

"They're just ordinary soldiers." Cid defended, "Why do you gotta be some damn worried?"

"They're not stupid." Vincent said composedly, "Midgar has the most sophisticated technology in the whole planet. They could easily track you by hidden cameras all over the city, even the slums."

Cid looked taken back, as if he had forgotten one of the most important things. Aeris too gave a quick reaction to this, whilst Cloud furrowed his eyebrows slightly. The others, however, looked as if they obviously did not get the message.

It was expected a question or two would pop from the oblivious materia princess. "What are 'hidden cameras'?"

Cid, Cloud, and Aeris watched her vacantly.

"Cameras are those things you use to take pictures with, right?" Tifa reassured, "What's up with them being hidden?"

"Yeah, but these ones are different. These cameras are animated and they're not just pictures." Cloud enlightened, "These cameras' pictures are shown on televisions. I heard the Citadel also has some around the castle."

"So ya mean it's hidden so we can't see it when it's doin' its job?" Barret queried.

"Right."

Yuffie folded her arms in front of chest, watching the young blonde with a twitching eyebrow and full interest. "How do you know about these stuff?"

Cloud shrugged. "I just do."

"Parachutes." Vincent remarked, obviously was not paying any attention at all to the appointed conversation, "We can fly down with parachutes."

Cid cocked an eyebrow in interest.

Barret barked, marching to Cid's direction with a trail of heavy loud thumps through the wooden tiles. "Ya crazy!? That's &#$! dangerous!"

"What if the military spotted suspicious parachutes flying from an unauthorized ship?" Tifa bristled, crossing her velvet-covered arms.

"They're gonna frikkin' shoot us with cannons!" Yuffie placed her hands on her waist. "And soon as we're found dead, they're gonna put it on the newspapers and label us as killed parachute bungee-jumpers!"

"Yeah!" Cloud stormed, looking back and forth to the vast distance between the airship and the highest city plate, "And what about Aeris!? She can't ride a parachute with a gown, that's ridiculous!"

"Of course she can." Cid said casually, "It's not like it's gonna swallow her or anything."

Aeris nodded in agreement. "I suppose they are right, Cloud."

Discomfited by the princess' approval, the blonde groaned. Cloud peered over to Cid. "What about the cameras?"

"Once we're in there, they're just gonna think we're some ordinary bunch of everyday citizens." Cid said matter-of-factly, "And I don't think they're gonna shoot us with the cannons either so don't bother. They're gonna need all the ammunition they could get in at least," he thought for a moment, dropping his cigarette and kicked it. "two hours."

"One and a half." Vincent corrected.

"Right."

"Besides, we're in Midgar." Cloud pointed out, "They don't have weapons as destructive as in Junon. If we were there, it's going to be a totally different plan."

Aeris bobbed her head approvingly.

"Well, if it's the princess..." Barret mused, a look of uncertainty flashed through his bold eyebrows, "You have parachutes in this place?"

"'Course we do."

"I told you we should've hold hands when we jump."

"Hey, don't blame me if Barret's lost. It's not my fault there's a hole in his parachute."

"Oh, quit it!" Yuffie bellowed as she dropped her bottom on the asphalt walkway in front of a small coffee shop, "Barret's gonna show up sooner or later, just cool it off, okay?"

As Tifa tried comforting Yuffie with a hot espresso, Cloud and Cid were still arguing of Barret's whereabouts. Apparently, the team took Vincent's helpful plan and successfully landed on the seventh district. Unfortunately, there was an opening on Barret's parachute, which sent him cast away and separated from the rest of the party. Vincent presumed the terrorist was not too far behind, and might show up at the train station. However, it had been their third hour, and Barret was still nowhere in sight.

Although everybody seemed worried, it did not look like Vincent was all that concerned. While almost everyone was patiently waiting as Yuffie promotes her amusement, the bounty hunter was once again reloading his pair of shotguns by the street light. For the first time, it shimmered a gentle amber glow, as it reflected the dim light of the weary light bulb, as well as the wielder's image.

"But the city is sure cleaner than it looks like." Tifa commented.

"Yeah," Yuffie agreed, "it doesn't feel like it's polluted or anything."

"Because we are on the plate." the two heard Aeris said. "The reactors are built in the slums, whereas the people breathe into polluted air."

However, the princess never attended the lackluster realm, nor have seen it in photos. She only heard stories that the Empire were being utterly indiscreet as they sought the fate of the inhabitants underneath.

She gazed around the fountain plaza, which was surrounded by small decent gift shops and coated with porcelain floors. Nobody of the upper plate was insight, though, except the friendly neighborhood train station conductor, who kept letting out yawns every now and then. The stores too were mostly closed, with the exception of the humble coffee shop. Although Midgar knew not of night and day, it was apparent the city had reached midnight. Even the nearby clock tower said so.

It was unbelievable, at least to Aeris, that such beneficial expanse of healthy residence was an artificial skin of what truly resembled the hearts of the city's founding fathers. This place she was standing on was nothing but lie. It was the slums that sincerely reflected Midgar. The real Midgar. Without them, the city would be nothing but an empty, heartless vessel.

"Is the sky always like this?"

Tifa's query brought the princess back to reality. Aeris abruptly nodded.

"This city doesn't have any night or day." Vincent said calmly, "The sky has always been gray and starless."

"Well said." Cid added.

"But where is everybody?" Yuffie brooded, scanning the city square avidly as it was a completely different world to her.

Cloud snorted, "It's midnight already." he said as he gestured a finger toward the clock tower. "This cafe opens twenty-four hours."

Yuffie lifted an eyebrow. "I don't feel sleepy at all."

The blonde nodded. "Time zone differences."

"Anyway," Vincent stood up sternly. "we have to get out of here." he looked over at Cid then to Aeris. "If we stay here for too long, somebody's going to recognize Cid and the princess."

"Yeah." Cloud reassured, "But how are we going to get to the palace? Busting in through the front door might result more trouble."

"It will." the man in red ran a hand through his raven-colored hand delicately. "We have to sneak in."

"Y'know," Yuffie piped in, "for someone who doesn't seem to enjoy other people's company, you sound very helpful."

Vincent smirked. The closest thing to a smile he had shown for the first time. "My sole reason for being here is for the Empire and nothing more. Helping you out just happen to be a part of it."

Yuffie gave a distressed look. "You sure are desperate, huh?"

"So Valentine," Cid crossed his arms. "how are we supposed to get into the palace if not through the front gate?"

"From the slums." Vincent said simply, "I heard there are many secret passages that connect with some places on the plate, including the palace. These passages are usually used by pickpockets in attempt to steal from the upper class."

Tifa inquired, "But how are we going to get to the slums?"

"We can do it by going through one of the passages," the hunter peered his ruby orb toward Aeris. "but since some of us are decent-looking, we can safely take the train." as Vincent noted, everybody's eyes were glued onto the remainder of the subject. He cleared his throat audibly to bring back their attention. "These people look at the wardrobe first, then the face."

"And you're a hunter." Cloud added, "So the chances of having a thief or whatsoever is nil, which is good."

Vincent nodded vacantly.

"But that doesn't mean there ain't no thief 'round here."

"Barret!" Yuffie spun around, as the word 'thief' rang her more than anyone else.

"Where were you?" Tifa approached him worriedly. "What happened?"

Barret flashed an aggravated look. "'Landed on the other train station post and got knocked out by iron barrels."

"Whoa," Cloud commented sarcastically, "you didn't land on the poor conductor, did you? He'd be as good as a pancake."

The burly man was about to counter as a faint whistle echoed from afar. The crew turned to see a covering mist of white and gray fumes and a bright light shining through, contrast to their dark surrounds. As the resonant went louder and louder, a dim figure began to emerge into the picture. Accompanied with collaborating sounds of chugging machines and engine, the figure surfaced to what resembled a long mechanical snake with vivid indoors.

"Well, looks like the train's here." Cid said aloud, "Safe your rants for later, would ya?"

As Cid announced, the party marched into the sliding doors. Still tide with grief, Cloud and Barret did not stop to glare daggers at each other even after taking their seats.

"Are you still having a row with Barret?"

Cloud jolted awake. He spun his head around to find a pair of light green orbs pierced onto his, staring warmly at his navy-tinted ogle. The boy punctually backed away from the tension. He did not like being watched too avidly, even by someone who did not hold any grudge to him.

"Aeris!" he cried, "What is it?"

"Oh, nothing in particular." the princess smiled warily, "Is something bothering you? You look troubled." she pointed an index finger toward him. "Why are you avoiding me like that?"

Cloud waved a hand to her. "That's not it. You scared me."

"Oh!" Aeris gasped, "I am so sorry!"

"No, it's okay." Cloud moved back to where he was seated. "I was just too--"

"--deep in thought?" Aeris finished.

"Yeah," the blonde gestured a hand as approval. "kinda like that."

A hand covered Aeris' pale, rose-colored lips, as she giggled at Cloud's unexpected remark.

It was clear he was not too keen of this. "What's so funny?"

Aeris shook her head. "I thought you are one to never take things seriously." she lit up a smile she had not shown to him in the longest time. "So even someone like you could twitch, I never would have guessed."

Cloud raised an eyebrow. "Are you mocking me?"

His companion shook her head. "You are exactly the same as how Tifa told me about you."

"Tifa?" Cloud repeated the name in distress, which was alright for she was nowhere near the two, "What did she," he shook his head rashly. "What else did she tell you about me?"

Aeris watched at him as Cloud's face went glowing faint magenta. "It doesn't matter." she did not stop to smile. "I am more interested of what made you so pensive not to notice my presence."

Cloud wanted so much to know what else did Tifa said to her, but that would only make things difficult now that Aeris probably know all his deepest secrets by now. At Aeris' genial look, that waited patiently for his response, Cloud only sighed.

"It's nothing." he said in a leveled voice, which sounded almost vacuous, "Even if there is, I don't want to talk about it."

The brunette only rose her eyebrows. It was not as if something wrong had gone between Cloud and someone important, the row with Barret did not seem to be one worth a moment of silence. Two weeks of notice was enough to make her recognize the odds of something that had gone wrong. Perhaps something she did not have knowledge about? A disturbing past, for one? Although he was indeed her savior and temporary mentor, Cloud was almost as mysterious as what his name meant. He would talk about anything and everything to her, but never his background.

But after a silent fight between temptations, Aeris chose not to bother him. He had his own story to keep, and it seemed as if only very few people knew about it. Yuffie did not look like she knew about it too.

So she tried to change the subject. "Have you been to Midgar before?"

"Huh? Me?" clearly enough, Cloud was not as contemplate as before. "Well, yeah, once. A long time ago." his face turned back to its own color. "'Never been to the slums though."

"Oh," Aeris cast a surprised look. Not that she was surprised because such mercenary had been to a city like Midgar, but the fact he had never been to where the likes of him settled.

She was about to question him further when Cloud said first. "Instead of Midgar, I spent most of my times in Junon."

"Oh, really?" without warning, Aeris strike him with her usual rounds of questions. "Did you live there? What did you do?"

"Well..." Cloud gave a thoughtful look, recollecting the scattered memories in his head. "Sorta. I mean, c'mon, I'm a mercenary. I should be going around the world."

Right. Cloud was a mercenary. Being as adventurous as he was, would not be enough to just remain in one place. "When was it, since you were last seen there?"

"Four years ago." Cloud answered right away. "Right after the war, I guess."

Aeris frowned. "Right after the war?"

"Yeah," Cloud rested his arms behind his head. "things have been hectic ever since. Anyway, I went to Terrenus, 'cause that's the least wild place of all the world. But dang, it's too peaceful for me."

Aeris only smiled, which was smiled back. She continued on looking through the window, the window that showed a view of the pale green palace and its strong castle gates. Although the disturbing light shimmers hurt her eyes, the thought of Cloud's living in Junon during the war refused to go away.

Why would Cloud stay in Junon during that time of the decade? The most possible reason would be that he participated the Midgar militia.

But would a fourteen-year-old take such dangerous task?

Although there should be many soldiers around his age, if he were to be a mercenary, he would not be as selfless. Not to mention, Cloud isn't much of a mercenary with class.

Unless...

"Hey, Aeris!" Cloud's tinge of voice brought the princess back to reality, which slightly startled her. "Do you have a map of this city? I've asked the others and they don't seem to have any."

"No, I don't." she then pointed a finger toward what looked like a black screen neatly attached on the wall between an iron banister and the exit. "That should be the map though. I heard the underground trains have maps presented like that."

"Oh, right." Cloud stood up and approached the noted object. "I almost forgot about that."

It was a small, plain black screen, with a minimized model of the city and four blank squares neatly located by its right. Everything was drawn plainly with green significant lines. Imprinted on the bottom-left was a registered trademark and crest of the Midgar Empire. At glance, it looked like a detailed, richly-presented sketch of the Midgar metropolis drawn with green carbon pencil. People who see little of this 'map' would never guess that it was. But Cloud knew better.

"I don't know how to use it though." he heard Aeris said. "It is especially designed and engineered by the Empire's topnotch scientists. Outsiders like us would not normally understand how to activate it."

Cloud did not pay attention to Aeris' last words, however. He playfully drew his hand to a point one inch away in front of the second square, muttering, "If I press here, then that would be..." he touched it lightly, as seven labels of text and number emerged suddenly. "the sectors!"

"Cloud!" Aeris leaned over his back, crying out in amusement, "You know how to use this!?"

"Hey," Cloud confidently chanted, still looking at the screen with full interest. "I was a local citizen too, y'know." he drew again his finger to another square. "Then if I press this..." and pushed it. "the train route!"

"Is that our train?" Aeris' eyes followed the small, green line which was moving steadily in a pace. It was moving right under the sketch of the city plates.

"Yup," he pointed a finger through what looked like a worm on a panel. "it says here that we're around Sector Six," he pushed another of the four squares. "and this is the Sector Six train station."

"Wow." Aeris complimented, "I am impressed."

Cloud grinned triumphantly.

"So you know how to use it, eh?"

The mercenary promptly switched off the mechanic map. "W-Well, not really." he said spontaneously, "I just randomly press a few buttons and there it went."

Cid seethed his cigar. "I've been here since the part you said you were a Midgarian."

Cloud was about to shot back when the train whistle sounded. The announcer noted their next stop was Sector Six, which Aeris had already figured out. From the other side of the train, he saw the rest--led by Vincent--were walking hastily to the their aid.

The man in red half shouted. "This is our next stop! Everybody get ready!"

With a hint of suspicion, Cloud whispered to Cid, "How come he's the leader all of the sudden?"

"Don't mind him." Cid said tranquilly, "He knows Midgar helluva better than you. That's why he's excited."

"I know, but," Cloud cast an irritated face. "why are we stopping here?"

"'Cause we're heading to the most resourceful place of all the slums in Midgar," Cid replied enthusiastically, "Wall Market."

Cloud recapped, "Wall... Market?"

The announcement voice rang again. Together with Vincent's command, the doors slid open, revealing what did not look like an ordinary market piazza.

It was possibly the most colorful place of all Midgar, and the less agitating place of all the territories under the plate. The stores were lined up in no order, yet still intend to keep its exterior appealing and fancy. Hung on top of each loft were lights that formed a collaboration of vibrant colors and neon lights that shaped animated logos and advertisements. The customers too were as bizarre as their investors, as they decorated themselves with flashy attires and thick makeup the party found rather uncanny.

Indeed, it looked so much like a circus with acid.

"What... is this place!?" Yuffie squealed in disgust.

a/n
Boo. It's been a while since I made a scene with Cloud and Aeris alone together. Actually I wanted Tifa instead 'cause they're both childhood friends and they haven't interacted a lot after their meeting at Seventh Heaven. Well, maybe later.

Let me give you a quickie about this world my story is set in. Yes, it's a medieval world with the finest technology that includes ships, fire cannons, B&W televisions, etc. However, Midgar is a tad too much advanced than all that. They already invented stuff like mobile phones, computers, cameras, practically everything we have and yet to discover. As for the rest, I'll leave it to your own imaginations!

About Cloud though... well, it's about time he should be on the spotlight, right? The backstories of my characters are still blurred, but little by little, all will be revealed... and I still haven't forgotten that Aeris is an Ancient. The continuation of that and when Cloud is about to reveal it to her will be much later. Plus, some of the cast haven't made their appearances yet, so it'll take a while. A loooooooooooong while, I'm afraid. Like I said before, this is gonna be a long story... unexpectedly.

Oh, and this story is added to Torn Apart, a C2 directory for Cleris fics! xDDD Whoever added TTS there, you have my biggest thanks!

TBM, I know, it is weird and twisted. But you see, I have something set up for Cid later. Don't you see he was making a white lie? (Duh, that's one spoiler there.) References of Old Nibelheim will be added later, just you wait. Ummmm... the projectiles will of course have a potential role to the story in terms of warfare, but I don't think it's not going to be in this point of the story...

Clorith, it'll take aaaaaaaages for that story to be released. I gotta finish this one first!! (avoids flying bricks) And yeah, I'll try to update faster. Hopefully this one-month holiday would manage me to do it!

Peter J Marcroft, thanks for the critic. Yes, I do think my first chapters were... weird. Probably I got too excited that I made it sound medieval-esque, 'cause in the end, it goes back to the regular everyday English. But anyway, thanks for pointing that out! I knew someone was going to post a review about it. I'll edit it someday, but not now, as the odds of my getting a writer's block is paper-thin.

dogcollar, you didn't read wrong, did you? Rufus' appearance in Nibel was as a Midgarian guest star for Heidegger's birthday. Heidegger, though, is the king of Nibel so that's pretty much it. Nibelheim is a little like Midgar, minus the pollution and plates and black sky. I imagine Nibelheim as Lindbulm... so even though there're no plates, there're many buildings that makes the smaller ones overshadowed. On the other hand, Midgar is... Midgar. Get my imagination, here?

Y'know, this really bugs me. There're a number of people who added this story to their Author's Alerts and Fave Stories list without giving feedback. Duh, cut me some slack, please?? (whinewhinewhine)