Start Date: May 16, 2022
Windwillow
Final Fantasy VII
Shinra Inc.'s methods of making Mako energy had deceived most of the world. Cheap, efficient, easily accessible energy! All fine, except for the fact that Mako was drying the Planet into an unlivable husk. Mako energy was the same as the Planet's own lifeblood.
AVALANCHE, a small anti-Shinra organization, fights against the powers that be. They had just taken down one of Midgar's eight reactors, damaging the company and striking a blow against the establishment.
They'd also killed one hundred and twenty three people in doing so. While their leader was unaffected, the rest of his men now felt the weight of their actions. However, they still resolved to continue the fight - next up, the Sector Five Reactor!
A mercenary in employ of AVALANCHE, Cloud Strife, now insists on his pay to the exclusion of a higher morality. But among AVALANCHE is Tifa Lockhart, his childhood friend, and his indifference struck her like a dagger in the heart...
Chapter Three: Sector Seven
Scene One
"You don't mean that!" yelled Tifa. Stepping out from behind the bar, she moved directly in front of Cloud and stood in his face. She paused and shook her head. "You don't mean that..." she said softly. Her words, the way she spoke... Cloud found himself shaken.
I mean... Y'know...
"Maybe that was too much..." muttered Cloud, as he sat down at the bar. He snatched up one of the daiquiris and began to drink. As he ended his sip, Cloud turned back to Tifa and bowed his head. "Sorry..." murmured Cloud, mostly to himself. "I went too far. But..."
"All he wants is his cash!" Barret shouted. "Fine. Here you go, punk!"
He tossed a sack of Gil at Cloud, who caught it and looked inside to find fifteen-hundred Gil.
"I did all that for this? Better make it worth my time next mission." As he caught Tifa's gaze, he lowered his eyes. "I'll do the next one for three thousand."
Muscles bulging, Barret's good hand pulsed with blood. "Three THOUSAND?!"
"Yeah," said Cloud. "I'll do it for..." He turned to face Tifa, and narrowed his eyes. Sighing, he said "Two thousand and it's a deal. We good?" Despite Barret throwing a fit, Cloud quietly sighed again. "Is that amount okay, Tifa?" This time his eyes met hers. For the first time they locked eyes, and Tifa gave a laugh and a slight smile.
"We can go two thousand, right, Barret?" she asked sweetly. Clearly rattled, Barret opened his mouth just in time to close it. Barret knew he was over a barrel anyway. Besides, as his eye crossed paths with hers, she was too sweet to resist. With a sigh, he threw up his arms and turned towards the pinball machine in the corner.
The machine was really the entrance to AVALANCHE's real base, an underground complex with bunks for its members and rooms for them to develop weapons and plan operations. Tifa's bar was the front, but it also served as its kitchen.
Barret's fist tightened as he reared up and slammed his hand onto the machine, its mechanisms firing up. Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie hurried to his side and shuffled together, and the pinball machine sunk underground. As it fell out of sight, Tifa returned to the bar and settled in next to Cloud.
Neither of them said anything. They exchanged a few shy looks, but both looked away each time.
That's right, I almost forgot...
Reaching into his pouch, Cloud withdrew the flower he'd purchased from Aerith. He laid it on the bar with a nervous smile, one met with Tifa's own more confident grin. Just as quickly, Cloud swiveled around and rose from his seat.
"I think it's time to sleep..." muttered Cloud. "I hope that grows well for you..." The pinball machine lifted back up and he shuffled onto it. Turning to Tifa he tilted his head as she giggled slightly. When she offered her fist he stood solid. Instead, he bashed his hand onto the machine and began to lift himself down to base.
Tifa's fist was firm. Slowly, her fingers loosened and she moved to look at the flower Cloud had given her. It was a fine flower, and it would look great in a vase. She couldn't help but think how strange it was that a flower from Midgar could grow so well. Her hand hesitated before finally reaching out to grip the flower.
"Y'know..." She whispered softly, low enough that even she could barely hear it. It was probably bed time anyway. "You still have to make good on your promise, Cloud..."
Scene Two
And so the night passed, the members of AVALANCHE resting easily in their beds. After Cloud's sudden outburst they had regained their resolve and overcome their doubts, if only for now. Even Jessie slept well, in fact, when she was the one who was most troubled.
Morning dawned, what passed as light rising from the sky and brightening the slums with the warmth of an artificial sun. AVALANCHE remained asleep as Cloud's fist bashed the pinball machine, his blade on his back. The elevator rose and as it did he sighed, eyes closing in thought.
This isn't for me... I don't want to get her hopes up.
"And just where do you think you're going?"
As the elevator stopped Cloud stood face-to-face with Tifa, standing straight with her gaze hard on his face. He jumped, startled, his entire body freezing up. She was still mad? Tifa adjusted her leather gloves and flashed a sweet smile. Cloud put a hand to his head.
Oh, God... here we go...
"Why don't you join AVALANCHE?" Tifa asked. "The man I know wouldn't leave Shinra to pollute the Planet and drive it to death."
"Maybe I'm not that man," Cloud shrugged as he moved past the elevator. "It's been seven years since..."
"... since you promised me."
Cloud tilted his head. It may have been seven years, but he didn't remember saying he'd save the world. "What did I promise you?" he asked. "I..." Tifa's face dropped, the skin of her lips tightening.
"So... you did forget..." Tifa sighed. "I thought you'd remember what you said seven years ago! Have you forgotten what you said at the well back home, before you left for Midgar?"
The well... wait...
"The promise!"
The promise...
Scene Three
Situated in the far western mountains was the town of Nibelheim, a land of beauty and home to one of Shinra's accursed reactors. Seven years ago both Cloud and Tifa called it home before a certain incident seperated them and cast them to the winds. There was a far corner of the town with an old, abandoned well, a hangout spot for the children of Nibelheim.
I didn't thought you'd actually come. Back then I never thought you noticed me. So, when I saw you there...
She looked almost like the same brunette she was in modern times, minus seven years and plus a cowboy hat. As she arrived a young blonde's ears perked up, and when she sat next to him, he almost felt like fainting.
"Sorry I'm late," Tifa said as she faced Cloud with a smile. "So... what did you wanna talk about?" Seeing her smile sent the butterflies in his stomach all aflutter. Somehow, he managed to swallow hard and face her with a straight face.
"I... I'm going to Midgar after this spring."
"Really...? Soon there won't be any boys left in town..."
Cloud tightened his fist and his resolve. "But I'll be better than all of 'em! I'm gonna join SOLDIER and be just as great as Sephiroth!" Tifa giggled at that. Was he really serious?
"But not everyone can be in SOLDIER... Isn't it going to be tough...?"
"Yeah," Cloud nodded. "And I won't come back for a while, but I can do it! No, I'm GONNA do it!"
And then I asked...
"Will your name... be in the papers?" asked Tifa, red flushing her cheeks. When Cloud nodded with confidence, she giggled again. "I can't wait! I wanna hear all about you being SOLDIER!"
I never doubted it when I said...
"You'll read my name right next to Sephiroth's!"
And then...
"Then..." Tifa whispered, looking away. She had to ask! "Then if you're a hero..."
Promise me...
"... promise me you'll come save me when I'm in trouble! I've always wanted to be rescued by a real hero, so... can you...?"
Scene Three
Through silence came a smile, one shared by both warriors. First a slight grin, then a wider one, and finally a shared laugh. Tifa's tensed fist reached forward and Cloud's own touched together, sealing the pact. Their laughter grew steadily, as the fist bump broke ranks into a full-on hand clasp. Though their eyes met, a slight ache pulsed through Cloud's face, something that neither of them noticed as more than a mere twitch of the eye.
"AVALANCHE has a new teammate, then?" mused Tifa. Cloud bared a toothy grin in response. His hand broke from hers and lifted into a thumbs-up. As their fingers loosened a sound caught their attention, and Barret's rugged face slid up from underground to face them.
"Hey, punk... You made a choice or not on the two-K?" Cloud's response was a confident nod. "Then welcome to the party..." Barret gave a toothy grin. "Partners?"
"Partners," affirmed Cloud. "But first I wanna know all about this new job. The specifics, the goals, how we're supposed to pull it off - the works. Shinra's not going to sit by and let us blow up another reactor without giving us more of a fight. Next time won't be so easy."
"Right. The plan is to blow up Sector Five's reactor." Barret nodded, and he folded his arms in quiet thought. "Jessie's got the bomb and the blueprints, and I'm gonna back you up again. Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie will act as support and distract the Shinra while we make the thing go up in smoke."
As a pause stilled the conversation, Barret's face was twisted in contemplation.
"Is there a problem, Barret?" Tifa asked. "I think you pretty much summed everything up..."
Barret nodded, embarrassment flushing his face. "I was, uh... wonderin' if you could tell me about that materia you picked up at the reactor. Only materia I've seen 'til now is Tifa's two materia, and I saw you use some weird tricks during the raid. What happened when you plugged it onto your wrist?"
A wry smile crossed Cloud's face. "You need a tutorial on Materia?" asked Cloud. "I'd think you have something of your own..."
With a shrug, Barret grappled his Gun-arm. "All I need is this baby. But, uh... I've always wondered how that stuff works."
"You wanna know?" Cloud mused. "Fine. Materia is highly compressed Mako, refined into a tiny sphere that gives access to magic abilities. Wear one and you can make the impossible possible. What are Tifa's materia?"
"I've got two: fire and ice," explained Tifa. "I can cause explosions with my attacks and hurl daggers of ice to attack at mid-range... But I've never been good at doing anything from a distance."
Cloud nodded. "Normally, I have two as well: fire and lightning. The Bolt materia gives me control over electromagnetic forces, and I can use it to enhance my sword's speed and cutting power by making it vibrate; and I can also use it to create electrical arcs to shock people, and disable machines, but only from mid range."
"So, you got that..." Barret muttered. "But you also used some sorta fire magic like Tifa can back there."
"That's my fire materia," informed Cloud. He lifted his left arm and opened his palm. There, from a tiny ember a round orb of flame sizzled into being, stunning Barret. "I can throw balls of fire, lash out with waves of flame, and so on. That lets me attack from a longer distance and shores up my melee-type battle style."
Pausing, Tifa tilted her head. "Wait... you said 'normally.'
"Exactly." The fireball extinguished and Cloud's palm became covered in light blue energy. "What I picked up back there was a cure materia. Using magic I can mend and stitch wounds and seal them up in battle, as well as refuel stamina. It takes my own energy to do it, but with cure materia I can heal battle fatigue and simple injuries, even my own."
Barret growled. "Fancy. How do I use it?"
Cloud raised his left arm and grabbed a small, red sphere from the gauntlet and detached it. "You've gotta 'equp' the materia. I attach it to this gauntlet and use it to channel its Mako energy for when I want to use it." He reattached the fire materia. "Where does Tifa store hers?"
"Here!" Tifa said as she pulled back her left wrist to reveal a small bracelet with two orbs, one red and the other blue, attached opposite each other. "My mentor Zangan left these to me before he left me. I had to equip them on the bracelet, but now that I have it under the glove all I need to do is will it to work! There's a store that sells basic materia in the slums... Wanna swing by?"
A dull pause followed. "Nah," Barret muttered. "Not my thing."
"Not smart enough?" Cloud joked. Barret's Gun-arm lifted and leveled at the mercenary's face. "I'm kidding. When do we leave?" Though the gatling gun lowered Barret's blood pressure stayed high. "I don't see the others..."
Tifa placed her hand on her hip. "They've already gone on ahead to the train. It'll be you, me, and Barret that will lead the raid. And don't give me that look!" she scolded when she saw Cloud's mouth open. "I'm coming whether you want me or not!"
"Who's in charge of the bar?" wondered Cloud. When the pinball machine lifted up again and Marlene hopped off he slammed his hand to his face. "You're gonna let a four-year-old manage a speakeasy? God almighty..."
Marlene shook her head. "I have a stool!" she protested. Arguing seemed useless, so Cloud just ran with it. His hand moved to the Buster Sword's handle and gripped it tightly. Then he loosened his grapple and clenched his fists. He was ready to rumble.
Seemingly reading Cloud's mind, Tifa shook a finger in his face. "Not yet! You need to know who you're fighting for!" Cloud cocked his head. "I want you to go around the slums and talk to everyone."
"Oh, come on! Don't we have a terrorist bombing to do?!" Barret grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and Cloud shook him off. "Whatever you want to call it, we're on a timetable, right? Why do I need to hobnob with the locals?!"
"Because!" grunted Barret as he dusted his pants off. "Just 'cause you're workin' for us, ya ain't doin' it outta the kindness of your heart. I want you to see how the people feel about what we're doing!"
Cloud sighed, throwing his hands up in frustration. "Fine! So I have to visit everyone?" Barret and Tifa nodded. "Then hurry up and wait! I'll go talk to the damn people, so get yourselves ready to actually DO this!"
Scene Four
The Sector Seven slums were filled with shanties and miserable hovels. Regular civilians, Shinra employees, the homeless and penniless - they ran the gamut. As in any town there were businesses, from grocery stores to weapon merchants.
Inside the weapon monger's shop, its owner had set up a huge shooting gallery in the back. Even if it was crudely painted, the basic idea was there. In the sights of its junkyard peashooter, Imad narrowed his eye towards the center of the circle. The rag-covered slum rat took aim and fired, though the shot ricocheted off a pot lid, rebounded against the steel wall, and nearly took Imad's eye out.
"Dammit!" Imad cursed, stomping his foot as he threw down the gun which bounced back towards the door. "Dammit-dammit-dammit! I almost had it!"
"Like hell you did! You weren't even close!" shouted the shopkeeper, whacking the boy on the head. "You come in here every day and you STILL haven't figured out how to use the gun!" As Imad recoiled, the weapon monger flicked open his lighter. "You're, what, nine? Guns aren't for kids."
"Nine and a half!" protested Imad. Fire set the cigarette aflame, as the shopkeeper took a deep drag. "So I need some practice, who cares! This is my house, so shut up!"
The shopkeeper spewed smoky breath in the child's eyes. As he recoiled, the monger took another deep breath. "I pay my rent. So shut up and..."
A gunshot rang out, stunning them both, and turning their attention to the target - hit dead-center. They whirled about to see Cloud pointing the smoking gun towards the circle. There was a silent pause, as the shopkeeper puffed out a shallow breath.
"I think the barrel's a bit off," said Cloud with a smile plastered on his face. He tossed the gun into the air, and the stunned boy caught it. "You need to work on your grip. Let me show you..." Cloud's hands folded over Imad's as he slid the boy's finger into the trigger. "Hold it like this." Molding the youth's hands under his own, he adjusted Imad's grip. "Look at the target through the sight... There isn't a bonus for speed."
Imad tensed up, but as he followed Cloud's advice confidence filled him. After taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and opened them to stare through the scope. The rings seemed more solid, and as the target came into view a blurry vision tightened into a hard lock.
This time, the shot hit dead-on.
"Holy... I did it! I did it!" cheered Imad as he pumped his fist. "For the first time, I...!" He turned his head to Cloud and the young boy's face curled into a wide grin. "You've got the right stuff! Where the hell'd you come in from?"
With a cough, the weaponsmonger lowered his cigarette. "I'd like to know too. Not very often we get a shot like you in a place like this." He took another drag. "You could be a Shinra with an eye like that." Breathing out, the shopkeeper smiled. "Bet'cha are."
Cloud nodded. "Used to be in SOLDIER. I worked my way up through infantry, and this was day one material."
Eyes wide, Imad's face widened till it was almost painful. Just knowing a real SOLDIER came in and gave him a tutorial... That's the kind of thing every boy dreams of! (Other than doing inappropriate things with the opposite sex)
"Wanna stay here?!" Imad shouted. "Room and board starts at 10 Gil!"
"I got business," explained Cloud with a shake of his head. "Maybe next time."
The shopkeeper extinguished his cigarette. "You mean... you're working with AVALANCHE?!"
Imad's jaw dropped. "So you aren't with those jerks anymore?! You're even more awesome than I thought!" Cloud tilted his head, confused. "That means you're fightin' for the Planet, right?!"
They seem awfully... excited. Is Barret's gang really that big around here...?
"Any friend of AVALANCHE is welcome here!" chortled the shopkeeper. "Need ammo? A new gun?! Looks like you already have a hell of sword, though... I'll give you a top-class discount!"
Imad nodded. "You're so COOL! I'll bump the rate down to 5 Gil if you gimme an autograph!" The shopkeeper whacked him on the head. "Ow! I was just jokin', y'old fart!"
Looks like AVALANCHE has a fan club. I wonder if the rest of the slums is so keen on hosting a terrorist organization?
Scene Five
They called it the Beginner's Hall, because all the wannabes gathered together there. A chain link fence and a group of crates, they called it their fortress. When Cloud entered, a gang of three teenagers had huddled together by a makeshift fire.
"Alright, soldiers!" called out the leader. His name was Felix, a fairly handsome brown-haired young man with all the gusto of a fighter and the gumption of a dreamer. To his left was his 'lieutenant' Javier and the 'chief of staff' Aaron. The first was a chunky young blonde - looking much like a younger Wedge - while the latter was more of a common thug, with piercings and tattoos decorating his face. "What's our mission?!"
"Subue the bastard Wutai?!" screamed Javier. Folding his arms, he palmed a dagger like it was a playing card. "Show 'em how Shinra owns the world?!"
"No, make the world safer!" Aaron cheered. He slowly drew a wooden katana from his belt and brandished it like a knight would his saber. "Root out the vermin 'n kick some ass! For the greater good, right?!"
Felix shook his head with disbelief. "You have to ask?! Of course..." Mid-sentence he caught sight of Cloud. "Hey! This is private property!"
Javier's dagger flipped and twirled as he nimbly tossed it in his hands. "Yeah, enter on pain of death!" When he caught the blade and cut his hand he quickly threw it to the ground, shrieking in pain.
"You got a problem, punk?!" Aaron screamed as he drew the wooden sword up into a kendo stance. "Lemme show you the power of SOLDIER!" As he reared back and swung Cloud subtly stepped to the side, and the sword bounced off the wall and smacked the teen in the head. Cloud tilted his head, unsure of how to react.
Soldier? They're playing soldier or something?
Cloud held his face in his hand with embarassment, then turned to Felix with a sigh. "You wanna try your luck too, or are you the smart one?" The youth shook his head with frightened fervor. Lowering his head, Cloud eyed the three morons with something resembling affection. "Listen... I didn't mean to interrupt. I was just here to..."
"H-holy crap! COOL!" After silencing the birds circling his head, Aaron reached out towards Cloud's sword. Reacting on instinct Cloud shoved him back and detached the great blade, swinging it to just within an inch of Aaron's face. The street punk gave a mighty scream and fell back, skittering across the floor like a spider. "I didn't... I mean... I didn't... Holy CRAP!"
Slurping the blood from his palm, Javier watched the exchange. Naturally, seeing a sneak attack has a way of moving people to action. His action was to spew the spit and blood from his mouth and join Aaron in cowering on the floor.
For his part, Felix really was the smart one, as well as the bravest. Although he swallowed hard he didn't step back. Instead, he faced Cloud and offered up his hand. "I'm Felix, captain of this brigade!" He bowed his head low enough to smack that hand out of the way. "Who are you, soldier? State your name!"
Is... he serious? My God, he is... May as well play along.
Taking the Buster sword in hand Cloud lifted it in a circle, spun it, and reattached it to his back, much to the wonder of the three goons. "Cloud Strife, ex-SOLDIER first class," he said with a smile. "Good to meet you."
An awkward silence reigned as all three boys lowered their jaws in amazement. They got lower, then lower, until they snapped back on their faces with a grimace of respect. Living in the slums, who'd expect to meet a real SOLDIER?
"Y-you... y-y-y-y-you..." Javier sputtered as he drew up into a salute. "Reporting for duty, SIR!" It was around then that he remembered he was wounded and went back to licking said wounds (literally).
Aaron stumbled and fell forward in a flurry of awkwardness, scrambling to his sword and snatching up in his hands. "Were you really...? Really...? REALLY?! Holy crap! You're so cool, dude!" As he stood he attempted to mimic Cloud's move but failed miserably, whacking himself in the head again and dropping into a bunch of crates.
These guys are... amusing... Sort of takes the edge off.
Felix managed to gather himself, such as it was, and snapped back to reality. "S-sorry man... We're just... well... we wanna be SOLDIER, too!" Pausing, he cocked his head. "First class? They have classes?"
"Of course they do," nodded Cloud. "SOLDIER has three classes, first through third. The third-classes are the elite troops compared to Shinra grunts, but as you work your way up the ladder they get stronger. First class, you've got your Sephiroths."
Sephiroth...
For a moment Cloud felt a spasm in his head, but he shook it off quick enough. "But there's only a handful of first-class SOLDIERS in the world. Most of them deserted after the Wutai War, though..." Seeing the blank look on the youths' faces, Cloud sighed in frustration. "You do know what the Wutai War was, right?" he growled testily.
Felix and the others took that as a threat and jumped again. As they recoiled, only Javier got the courage to speak. "We know the Wutais tried to take over the world! They're the bad guys!"
"No, no..." groaned Cloud. "When the Wutai nation didn't agree to build a Mako reactor, they declared war on Shinra. The Wutai War was what ended up happening. When you compare ninjas and SOLDIERs the outcome isn't hard to guess. After the surrender they withdrew into their own country and became isolationists."
"Wait..." Felix gasped, his hands jumping to his mouth. "That's the war SEPHIROTH fought in! Oh, God did you KNOW Sephiroth, dude?!"
I wish I didn't...
Cloud shook his head again. "That isn't important," he said with a sigh. "Anyone know what makes SOLDIER what it is?"
"Brute strength?!" guessed Aaron.
"No, man, magic and wizards 'n stuff!" Javier snapped.
At least now we're getting CLOSE...
"SOLDIERs use Mako energy, like materia. But it's more than that. Take a look at my eyes." The three peered in and stared at Cloud's eyes, finding them a deep blue with a flowing green glow around the center. "SOLDIERs are infused with Mako, right into their blood. The Mako acts like materia but stronger, giving SOLDIERs super strength and innate magic abilities."
"C-c-c-c-cool!" All three pumped their fists in amazement, while Cloud's eye twitched with much the same emotion. "Does every SOLDIER get a sword like yours?!"
"This...?" Cloud asked with surprise, as he fondled the broadsword's handle. "This is my Buster Sword, one of a kind. It means a lot to me, though... SOLDIER's honor and all that."
"Where'd you get it?!"
For a moment Cloud's vision blacked out, reforming in pixels and shadows.
Where'd I get it...? I got it from...
Sharing the visual blackout were Cloud's own thoughts, which jumbled around inside his head until they scattered and slammed back into words.
"It belonged to a friend of mine," he explained. "his father spent all he had making it, and then he gave it to me."
Did he, now?
Wait, what?!
Cloud stepped back in shock at hearing the voice in his head, the same he'd heard at the reactor. It was almost like he was being laughed at... But by who? The three wannabes watched in silence as Cloud gathered himself.
Yeah. He gave it to me... back in...
A flash and static passed through his eyes.
Nibelheim.
"Nibelheim. That was where I was born."
What the hell?
With a sharp pang Cloud's senses refocused and he returned to the present. The pixels reformed and crafted the sight his eyes reflected into a composed smile and a clean face.
"Back in Nibelheim, he gave it to me... my friend did."
Oh, brother.
Having shaken off his doubt, Cloud continued on by lifting his hand palm-up. "Let me show you something..." A small ember flared into a small fire, creating a ball of fire. "This is from materia... it's magic."
"Does it come from... your heart...?!" gasped Aaron. Cloud held his head.
Okay, this is just stupid. I'm done.
Cloud shook his head in frustration. "I've got work to do, guys, so I need to leave..."
"A-AVALANCHE?!"
Wait, what?
"You work for AVALANCHE now?" Aaron clutched his hands together and bowed his head. "Awesome!"
"Super cool!" nodded Javier. "They're the best! 'Round here, they're our heroes!"
"Hey, hey!" Felix smacked the two boys on the head. "He said he's busy! Let him go do some hero stuff!" He turned to Cloud and nodded. "We're countin' on ya! Give 'em hell!"
All that SOLDIER talk and now AVALANCHE...? What a bunch of nutcases. I'm done with these guys...
Scene Six
It was a small house just north of Seventh Heaven, nondescript but filled with love. There were three inhabitants: a redhead youth named Johnny and his parents. He was a lively young man, discontent to stay on the lowest rung of the ladder. A passionate drinker, he was also passionately in love with a certain Tifa Lockhart. She'd mixed him killer cocktails, and on more than one occasion tossed him out the door.
Johnny managed to net a job in Costa del Sol, a resort town far west of Midgar, where the world's richest men (President Shinra included) went for their lavish vacations. At the doorway of their modest home, the lucky man came to say his goodbyes. But since Tifa was out on business, much to his chagrin, he couldn't snag a last drink.
As he slung his belongings over his shoulder, Johnny prepared to leave.
"Y'know I owe it all to you!" Johnny exclaimed as he bowed his head to his parents. "And I feel bad leaving you two here in this hellhole. Are you sure you don't want to go with me?" His mother caressed her son's cheek, shining the smile he'd always loved to see.
"You already heard our answer," she said quietly. "We've got all we could ever ask for here, and we'd just get in the way. I wouldn't leave my friends anyway! We've been here for decades."
"Just live your life," his father chided him. "You don't need to worry about us. Here on out, it's all you, son." His hand reached out and interlaced with Johnny's own, pulling into a firm handshake between equals. "Be sure to write!"
Johnny nodded and bowed again, putting one foot behind him and turning... straight into Cloud's face. Whereas some might be apologetic, he instead was defiant. Not having a cocktail for the road had soured his disposition.
"And where are you goin'?! Get outta my house!" Before he could shove Cloud, his father's grip dragged him back by the scruff of the neck. The old man glared at his son, and he let out a sigh of irritation. "What're you even doing here, kid?"
"Tifa told me to talk to everyone..." muttered Cloud, standing directly in Johnny's face. "And since you guys are everyone, I had to come over. I still don't get it..."
"Ohh, I get it!" Johnny sneered. "Tifa sent you here to break up with me, huh?! Just 'cause she's your old 'friend'!"
Cloud sighed. "She was never with you to begin with. The only time she danced with you was when she kicked your sorry ass out of the bar. And like I said, don't blame me. I'm just here to talk and get on with my life..."
What began as a sneer flipped into a smirk, followed by a hearty laugh. "I'm bustin' your chops, bud!" he said as he patted Cloud on the shoulder. As he met Cloud's glare, he quickly retracted his hand. "Err, what I meant was... I'm sure she just wants you to get to know the neighborhood, if you're going to be staying here."
"I didn't say I WAS," Cloud sighed. "I'm under contract from AVALANCHE, and that's all that keeps me here."
Johnny gave a perverted smile. "I thought it was getting to sleep next to-" As Cloud's hand clutched the Buster Sword he backed off sharply. "I, uh, forget I said that. What I mean NOW is that you aren't just here 'cause it's your job."
"And why is that?" asked Cloud.
"'Cause Tifa's here!" Johnny laughed. "Threaten me all you like, but I can tell you guys are meant for each other."
"It isn't like that!" Cloud shouted with a grimace. Johnny smiled, not pervertedly this time but oddly... sage.
"Right, right. My bad..."
Johnny's mother reached out to Cloud, pulling him into a hug. "Tifa cares about you," she said. "And because she wants you here, you're staying here, right?" Cloud responded with a growl. "Just remember why you're here, son. Whatever reason you have, keep it in your heart and cherish it."
She sounds just like MY mother...
She DID say that. Try to remember.
"What the hell are you-" Cloud screamed out, dropping back with his hand on his face. Johnny tilted his head, confused.
"Uh... I ain't gonna ask."
Cloud lowered his hand from his face. That voice, whoever it was... was it trying to mess with him or something? He shook his head. "Sorry, I just got confused."
Johnny's father nodded. "We all have things to think about. Don't worry too much about anything son! Whether you're here for AVALANCHE or something else, you're still fighting to make a difference. Y'know, everyone here is behind you."
Another ringing endorsement for AVALANCHE. Seems like it's unanimous... But I'm here to do my job, not save the Planet.
But he smiled anyway. "Thanks for the support," he said with a bow. Johnny and he exchanged goodbyes and a hand-bump, followed by the departure of both men. If Johnny knew what was about to happen, he might not have left alone.
Author's Note
I didn't originally intend this chapter to exist. I sort of wanted to add to the atmosphere, expand on the people of Sector Seven, but it turned into its own chapter. It happened before in my previous fics, actually: the chapter in Chrono Trigger where everyone decides whether to fight or not was wholly ad-libbed. Incidentally...
Imad means "support" or "pillar" in Arabic. I figured the plate on Sector Seven made a nice pun.
Felix means "lucky, successful" in Latin. No reason why I chose it other than that it was cool.
Javier is the Spansh varient of Xavier, derived from Basque for "the new house" and the surname of a Jesuit priest. Again, no reason I chose it.
Aaron is derived from a Hebrew name, possibly meaning "high mountain" or "exalted", in addition to being the name of the biblical Moses' brother. Again, no meaning.
Whenever I add new names to the fic, I'll be adding this section to explain the origin.