Start Date: June 16, 2022
Windwillow
The bolded dialogue refers to Cloud's inner voice, just to let you know if you hadn't already guessed.
Final Fantasy VII
There's been a detour in the search for Sephiroth! Upon reaching the port city of Junon, AVALANCHE encountered a young girl and her dolphin, rescued her, and found that Rufus himself would be attending a parade in his "honor" high up above the slums. Barret, as usual, spouted curses and death threats, but it was Cloud who was to be the advance guard.
While the rest of the party prepared to bribe their way up top, Cloud was hurled up on top of a dolphin (yes, a dolphin) and launched into the sky. There, he encountered a trio of... less than capable soldiers, allowing him to disguise himself as a Shinra trooper and infiltrate Junon.
The parade is over, and now Cloud is given free reign of Junon to explore as he pleases. Well, at least until it comes time to send Rufus off...
Chapter Twenty-One: The Port City, Junon
Scene One
Following his... less than stellar... performance in Rufus' parade, Cloud was pulled to the side by Piette and heckled madly. Although Poe and Finn stuck up for him, Cloud remained largely unaffected. However angry Piette became, and however fervently Poe and Finn came to his defense, it didn't seem to matter.
"Do you have any idea what you just did?!" screamed Piette as he stomped his feet. For the umpteenth time, and for an equal number of times infuriating Cloud, Piette shoved his finger in his face. "I'll tell you what you done: you kicked a soldier in the nuts, ruined the parade, and possibly doomed my career! What the hell is wrong with you?" he screamed. Underneath the infantryman's mask, even with all the chaos going on, Cloud couldn't help but smile.
I don't care if you bitch at me about your job. It ain't my problem...
Despite Piette's bickering all along the way, Cloud and the three stooges ended up in front of a massive, diagonal lift engraved with the Shinra emblem. Several other soldiers stood at attention and, more importantly, Rufus and Heidegger were also present. Scowling beneath his mask, Cloud angrily spewed nasty thoughts in Rufus' direction.
I would love to tell him off, but with this stupid mask...
"So, let me get this straight..." Rufus sighed, folding his arms. He was clearly dissatisfied. As he spoke, Heidegger began to tremble with both fear and rage. "With all this pomp and circumstance, we still don't have the Highwind ready?" he asked sternly. As Heidegger nodded grimly, Rufus narrowed his eyes. "And the Gelnika?" he growled. Heidegger's reluctance only fueled Rufus' fire. He seemed ready to snap.
"B-but, S-Sir!" Heidegger stammered, struggling to keep himself composed. He swallowed hard, his job on the line. "The ship is ready any time now! And in three days, the airships will be ready! I promise!" he begged.
"Three days later than I'm leaving!" snapped Rufus. Folding his arms, Rufus furiously glared at Heidegger. "Is everyone my father employed this incompetent?" he growled. Rufus' eyes stared straight into Heidegger's soiled soul. "Do I need to search for a new Director of Public Security, Heidegger?" Rufus asked angrily.
"W-w-we're ready any time!" Heidegger said as he saluted. All he could do was buy time. "We'll cross the ocean by ship and find that bastard Sephiroth, I guarantee you!" With a snort, he began to laugh. The laugh sounded more like a horse was choking to death, though. Cloud's eyes narrowed at the mention of his foe. If Sephiroth was going there, he and his friends had to as well.
"Oh, quit laughing..." Rufus groaned, holding his head in his hand. "That 'gya-ha-ha-ha' of yours gives me a migraine like the dickens." As Heidegger fumed, Rufus turned to board the lift. "Come on, then. I intend to have a nice lunch before we head out. The cook's been notified his life is on the line, right?" Heidegger nodded nervously. "If my lobster is overcooked, I'll have him executed. If my steak is under cooked, I'll have him executed. I take my surf and turf quite seriously..."
"Y-yes!" snapped Heidegger as he gave a stern salute. The chef had been warned, and he'd written his will. "We have the gallows ready just in case!" he stammered. As he breathed in to laugh, the executive swallowed his phlegm and saluted instead. Cloud, outraged, could only seethe beneath the mask. Would Rufus really be that petty? And that cruel? Could he be that much worse of a tyrant than his father?
"Then we're leaving!" announced Rufus as he turned and placed his hand on the door to the lift. "And get onboard, you fat bastard. I will not be late to my meal." he snapped. As Rufus disappeared into the lift, Heidegger took the opportunity to batter at the soldier closest to him before entering as well, leaving the trooper with a black eye. The lift clicked into place, a steady rumbling quaking the ground around it. With a heavy clank, the diagonal lift disconnected from its platform and lifted itself high into the upper heights of Junon, where Shinra's base was situated and its pride and joy of a cannon, the Sister Ray, was manned.
"We got off easy!" one of the troopers sighed with relief. Met with a mean one-eyed glare, he quickly averted his eyes. "Besides you, anyway..." he muttered. "Sorry, Richie..."
"Well, it isn't just 'cause of the President that Heidegger's on edge," remarked another soldier. "The man in the black cape keeps popping up all over, and they can't cover up all those deaths, no matter how much of a gag they try to put over the press." Cloud froze solid upon hearing the trooper's words. Take one part black cape and one part murder and there's only one conclusion you could reach.
"Black cape?" Cloud choked out the words, swallowing his anger hard. Sephiroth again? "Is that... What happened?!" he stammered, rage building in his heart. Everywhere he went, Sephiroth showed up to butcher people.
"Rumor has it that's it's Sephiroth!" said Poe with a laugh. As he began to chuckle, it broke into a full-on laugh. "But you can't kill anybody if you're dead, and Shinra reported he was killed in action. Ain't no way it's Sephiroth, then!" he affirmed. "But still... how many bodies have they found?" he asked as he turned to Finn.
"Last count, seven..." Finn said with a sigh, putting his hands on his hips. "Every few days they find another corpse or two, with big-ass sword wounds on the bodies. I hear they couldn't even autopsy the bodies 'cause there wasn't enough left to examine! All those cuts just... mutilated the poor suckers! All they could say was that they were Shinra troopers, and that's only because they were still in-uniform."
His face ashen beneath the mask, Cloud's eyes began to twitch and his muscles tensed. Whether the fact he was right was worse than the things Sephiroth had actually done, he had to be stopped.
Yeah... that's Sephiroth! Dammit! I have to-
"Get your keister in gear, soldier! That isn't important!" Piette snapped, causing Cloud to turn around and get directly in his face. For once, he was in Piette's face. The officer seemed baffled at first, then a bit angry, and then went into full-on fury.
"Can it, jackass!" Cloud snarled as he grabbed Piette by the scruff of the neck. As he drew him in closer, even through the mask, Piette could feel him seethe. "After everything I've got to worry about, I don't need you pissing on those soldiers' graves!" he shouted. Piette could only fume, before pushing Cloud back with a rough shove.
"That's not..." Piette muttered, bowing his head. Cloud could see the remorse in his eyes. "That's not what I meant. One of the soldiers that got killed was my cousin, Jack." He sighed and patted Cloud on the shoulder. "Bastard ripped the guts right out of him... But we have to face forward and find the son of a bitch..." Cloud was legitimately impressed as Piette clenched his fist tight and swirled to face his soldiers, expecting a rousing speech.
"The President will solve the problem! He'll solve all the problems! It all starts with the President, and now we gotta send him off in grand style! Private Poe! Private Finn!" Poe and Finn snapped to attention, surprising Cloud. They began to clutch and shoulder their rifles in set formations, clearly part of a well-rehearsed pattern. As Cloud's eye began to twitch, Piette whirled around to face him.
"And if you can't get the rhythm down, keep trying!" Poe announced proudly. "Watch, we'll show you! Hoo-ah!" Shrugging his shoulders with a sigh, Cloud snatched up his rifle and began to mimic their movements.
These jokers are seriously nuts...
Scene Two
As it turns out, the routine wasn't hard to grasp. With Cloud's ingenuity, he'd managed to master the movements within half an hour. It wasn't that complex of a routine, just a few different ways of positioning the rifle. Expecting this to be the end, Cloud turned to leave only to be met by Finn's extended fist.
"Good job, brother!" Finn laughed, as he bumped fists with Cloud. He paused, suddenly unsure, then jolted straight up. "But we need a real killer move, something that'll prick Heidegger's ears up and make the President go whoa!" he screamed.
"Yeah, yeah, go whoa!" repeated Poe as he pumped his fist. Finn bumped his fist again, irritating Cloud. "You got a signature move, rookie? Y'know, something really stylish?!" he exclaimed. Seeing Cloud tilt his head in confusion, Poe grabbed him by the shoulders. "Like, a victory pose! Da-da-da-da-da dum-da-dum!" Cloud remained just as confused as he was to begin with.
Should I pump my fist and run away? Nah... I know just what to do!
Taking inspiration from his own favorite move, Cloud took his rifle and lifted it high. He took it in both hands, swung it in a wide circle, and prepared to stash it behind his back where the Buster Sword normally would be. But when he would normally reattach the sword, he deftly flipped it back into a ready stance in front of himself. The three troopers were absolutely astonished as he shrugged it all off.
"B-b-breathtaking! Holy crap!" Piette gasped as he put his hands over his mouth. "So... frickin'... cool! Poe! Finn! Practice at once!" he screamed frantically. Poe and Finn clapped to attention and began (clumsily) to mimic Cloud's pose, and Piette turned to Cloud with tears in his eyes. "You're on leave until 1900 hours, when we all assemble at the dock down below to send off President Rufus!" he sobbed.
As Piette dashed off to instruct Poe and Finn on how to perform the final send-off, Cloud could only stare in mute shock at how dense the three dunces were. With a shrug, he shouldered his rifle and turned to explore the town of Junon. Given that he could see the docks from where he was, it wouldn't be hard to head there when he was ready.
I just hope the rest of the guys get there...
Scene Three
The port city of Junon served as a secondary headquarters for Shinra Inc., where they trained and maintained the bulk of their army and put into action the plans and designs HQ sent them. Junon was, in effect, the head barracks of Shinra Inc. Also present was a titanic cannon attached to the side of the city, longer than even Junon itself: the Sister Ray, the ultimate weapon developed by Scarlet, the Head of Weapons Development.
All along the wide face of the mountainous base, several gigantic shutters were set in place to cover the city's front streets with a thick sheet of steel fortifications and a line of cannons in case of an attack by sea. It had been constructed during the Wutai War, more on Scarlet's whim than any actual necessity. Wutai could never launch a full-on naval assault, but she did so love her artillery, and there was a few billion Gil she hadn't spent that year. It was a pet project of hers.
Cloud explored these streets, dressed as a Shinra infantryman just as he was in his youth, long before he put on his SOLDIER armor. The people of Junon were a hardy lot, well used to the military occupational forces that girdled their city. There were a number of stores, Inns, and even bordellos lining the sunset strip.
"It seems almost as big as Midgar..." Cloud muttered as he wandered around, staring up at the multiple apartments that climbed the mountain like levels on an elevator. "If I don't stay sharp, I'll just lose my way and end up wandering around like a blind man..."
Although the entire city was laden with soldiers, what caught Cloud's attention was a shifty looking man dressed in black robes. Darting back and forth between the streets, the strange cloaked figure dragged one leg behind itself as if it had ceased to function. Dismissing it with a shrug, Cloud never heard the words it rasped from beneath the cloak. They were words he would have been very interested in hearing...
"Sephiroth..." it moaned, with a blood curdling rasp. "Reunion..." screeched the poor wretch, hidden beneath its clothing nothing but a twisted mass of distorted flesh. What once used to be human had been reduced to a gnarled husk, the tattoo of a Roman numeral etched crudely onto its shoulder symbolizing its horrific past, and as an omen of its impending doom. Its fate was grim, indeed.
"Hey, rookie!" Cloud turned to find a small soldier ushering him towards a back street, one lacking a rifle but armed with a sword. Some of Shinra's infantry had been trained for melee combat, specialized fighters who were used as bodyguards and assassins for the various Shinra executives. This one was, unlike others, reputable.
"Wanna join our club?" asked the soldier as he put a finger to his mouth. Though he seemed to imply it was a secret, it wasn't one. "Me and the boys run a beginner's hall for soldiers. You'll learn plenty of neat stuff!" he beamed. Before Cloud could reject him, the trooper took him by the wrist and dragged him into the building behind him.
The beginner's hall, as they called it, was manned by many different professions: mages, warriors, and in some cases skilled pickpockets who tutored willing infantrymen in their crafts. There was even a pot of magic water, stashed right by the entrance hall. Puzzles and an array of trials could be found, to test the mind as well as the body. But it was the three spectral, transparent figures, seemingly unnoticed by the rest, that froze Cloud solid.
There was a handsome brown-haired lad, sitting on top of a crate with his legs dangling. A second boy, an overweight blonde with a knife, and a third boy, one covered in piercings and tattoos holding a wooden sword, rested against the wall watching the soldiers as they trained. Their eyes were wide with wonder, the troopers' every movement like magic to their eyes. Felix, Javier, and Aaron had been unable to pass through to the next world, their curiosity and boundless desire tethering them to the world of the living. Somehow, their spirits had found their way to this place. Even in death, they idolized the warriors of Gaia, and had taken to observing them train. As he watched them, Cloud began to tremble.
Those three?! The ones from Sector Seven?!
"I like the guy with the spear!" Javier remarked, slowly whittling a piece of wood with his knife. His heavy form contrasted with his ethereal nature, even in death his paunch remained. "Always wanted to see one in action! And look at the guy with the Fire materia go!" he exclaimed.
"L-look at that sword!" gasped Aaron, fondling the wooden blade he held at his hip. In life, he'd carried the wooden sword everywhere, pretending to be a warrior. Even if he was the one that looked the most menacing, his excited stammering offset it. "It's almost as big as that guy from Midgar's! I want one!" he said eagerly.
"Nah," Felix shrugged, "the guy from Midgar's was way bigger!" During life, he was the leader of the bunch, and death hadn't changed it; he was always the alpha. It had been the same since the three were preteens, back when becoming SOLDIER was the truest dream, before Shinra showed its true colors. "And he was much cooler than these dudes!" he said.
"Yeah, yeah!" Aaron cheered, pumping his fist. He stumbled a bit as he put his wooden sword away, never having been very coordinated. "The SOLDIER guy was better than these guys 'cause he wasn't Shinra no more!" said Aaron with a smile.
"Hey, hey, hey!" Javier tittered, continuing to whittle. Whatever he was whittling, though, it didn't seem to be anything anyone but he could recognize. Best estimate was an animal head of some sort. "Think he got out of the Sector before we...?" he asked hesitantly.
"I'm sure he did!" Felix said resolutely as he folded his arms. He took in a deep breath, exhaled, and gave a toothy smile. His confidence came from experience, knowing that Cloud was stronger than steel. "You can't kill a cool dude like that by dropping a plate on him!" said Felix resolutely.
Cloud slowly started to inch away from the three ghosts, remembering seeing their broken bodies just before Sector Seven was destroyed. Here they were in perfect, if incorporeal, form, a silent tribute to Shinra's cruelty. The three youths had died at the hands of the corporation, faded into the shadow of death, and reemerged as phantoms watching over the lower echelon of Shinra as they studied ways to kill people.
"Say..." muttered Javier as he stopped whittling. Cloud had finally caught his attention, and he slowly put the pieces together as he recognized him. "Isn't that the guy from... Whoa!" he exclaimed, dropping his knife.
"Yeah, yeah!" Aaron cheered, drawing his wooden sword and lifting it high above his head. Just as quickly, he dropped it on his head and bonked himself with it. "He made it out, like you said! Hell yeah!" he shouted as he pumped his fist.
"But... huh..." Felix tilted his head, folding his arms as he watched Cloud shrink away. The last time he saw Cloud, he was a lot less... terrified. "He doesn't look so good. What's wrong, mister?" asked Felix.
"A-am I losing my damn mind?!" Cloud screeched as he gripped his head with both hands. Okay, part one, ghost. Part two, talking ghost. Part three... The only thing that made sense is if he were losing touch with reality. "How is this... how the hell is this-" Cloud exclaimed.
"What's the newbie's problem?!" called one of the trainees, shouldering his sword. A small crowd had gathered to stare at Cloud. "Looks like we found one with an addled head! Who let him in?" he groaned in irritation. Cloud could only respond by turning and running from the facility. He ran as fast as he could, putting all the distance he could from the ghosts. This was far too much to take in...
"Is it something on my face?" wondered Javier, as he brushed a spectral hand across his cheeks. When he did, he poked his finger through his face, though he didn't notice. "Did I get some crumbs on myself?" he wondered absently.
Scene Four
After fleeing from the beginner's hall, Cloud darted through the backstreets of Junon like a wild man. His movements were as erratic as his thoughts, passing by several citizens and soldiers as he stumbled through the city. Everyone assumed he was drunk. And as addled as his head was, he had about the same mental ability.
This is messed up... this is so messed up! What the hell did I just see?!
Eventually, he found his way into a darkened room, where the smell of cigarette smoke and cheap liquor hung like cobwebs. Cloud opened his eyes to find himself in a rundown bar of some sort, his vision coming back as he watched the shadows of infantrymen pass through the halls like the ghosts the boys were. They moved fluidly, an after effect of Cloud's hazed mind. But unlike the others, these were solid flesh and blood.
Calm down! Get a hold of yourself, man!
Oh, go screw yourself! I don't need you in my head, too!
"So, are you all patched up, man?" came a voice. Cloud's attention turned to three familiar faces seated at the bar: Reno, Tseng, and a very intoxicated Elena. Reno's face and neck were bandaged, and his goggles were worn loosely around his neck. Elena was the one who had spoken, albeit drunkenly. A faint blush of red coated her cheeks, a bottle of vodka clutched in her hand. For a secret agent, she couldn't hold her liquor.
"'Course!" Reno said as he sipped his drink. He leaned back and shrugged, brushing his hair trying to look cool. "Sure, I had a few broken bones, but so what? Considering I had half the city falling on top of me, I came out just fine! Heh!" he boasted.
"You are so freakin' cool!" Elena rasped, chugging the bottle of vodka. Withdrawing it with a loud pop, she lifted her hand drunkenly in the air. "Hooray for the Turks, man! Hooray for the Turks!" With a hiccup, she tried to wipe the red from her face. It didn't work. "Blushing like a school girl's first kiss! Must be in love!" she tittered.
"Oh, get a grip..." moaned Tseng as he tapped Elena on the forehead, prompting her to drop to her seat in shock. He turned to face her with a very dissatisfied glare. "A Turk ought to hold their liquor better than you. You're leaking alcohol like a sieve..." growled Tseng as he took a sip of his coffee.
"S-sorry, boss!" Elena moaned as she slammed the vodka bottle onto the bar. As she did, she nearly toppled off her bar stool. "Won't hearken again!" she said as she saluted. "I promise I'll be bright and girly for the next mission!" She coughed and gave a dry heave to the side. "'N, sorry 'bout the whole mess at the Mines! Shouldn't have blabber mouthed to the bad guys..." she stammered.
"If you recall," Reno chuckled, "we are the bad guys." He stared into his drink, watching his face reflect against the liquid as the ice cubes clinked together. A quiet, repentant scowl crossed his face. "Emphasis on bad. Can't say I'm proud about committing mass murder." Slowly, he took a drink of his spirits. "You sleeping well these days, Tseng?" Responding with a scowl, Tseng returned to his coffee.
"It's not something I'm proud of, if that's what you're asking..." Tseng muttered, placing a hand to his forehead. The weight had not been lost on him, of the lives sacrificed. He'd read the casualty list and nearly lost his lunch. Shinra's tactics made him utterly sick, as sick as Elena's stomach. "Not only did I lead thousands to their deaths, but I even-"
"What is it with you and that flower girl?!" Elena rasped with a burp, leaning back in her seat. She hiccuped again, taking a deep swig of her liquor. As she slammed the bottle down, she wiped the snot from her nose. "You're more torn up about pointing a pistol at her than you are than you are about killing-" she stuttered.
"Bite your tongue!" Tseng's sharp reprimand startled his subordinates as he slammed his coffee onto the table. Now having had his fill, Reno silently pushed his glass away. Elena simply gave another dry heave. Tseng needed no further words, as both Reno and Elena quickly took up a cup of coffee. They were used to his fury, even if it didn't happen like this very often.
"Great job," Reno chuckled as he took a drink. He wasn't as wasted as Elena was, but it was time to sober up. "I haven't seen him this ticked off in a while, kid. You really messed up good, girl," he remarked with a grin.
"Aw, shucks!" Elena blushed like a school girl, putting a hand to her flushed cheek. "I'm so glad..." She paused, gagged, and let out a massive belch. "Wait, what just happened?! Let's see, I came in, ordered some vodka, drank a couple bottles... Hic... It was pretty darn fun doin' all that drinkin', huh, Tseng!" she cackled.
"Drink your coffee!" snapped Tseng, slightly sobering Elena up. As Elena shuddered, trying to shake off her inebriation, he turned his eyes to Reno. He was the only one who knew how rattled he really was. "The last thing we need is for a drunk girl like you to stumble into Sephiroth and cause an international incident!" Tseng growled testily.
"Assuming we can find the guy!" moaned Elena, sitting back in her chair. Taking a drink, the red slowly receded from her cheeks. "The son of a bitch butchers a half dozen soldiers and he just vanishes - poof! What a bunch of bull-"
"That is enough, Elena!" Tseng angrily grabbed Elena by the shoulder. Elena started sweating straight off as he shook her violently. "How can an elite secret agent become this drunk?" he snarled. "What kind of assassin loses her reason just because of a bit of vodka?! Damn it, Elena!"
Cloud watched this with wonder, mixed with anger. Seeing the Turks again so soon was less than pleasing, and Reno was just as insufferable as he was back on top of the Plate. Still, seeing them show some remorse for what they did... Maybe somewhere, somewhere deep inside, there was a person that could be redeemed.
"Who the hell're you?!" snapped the bartender, pointing at Cloud. "This is a private club! Get the hell out!" Cloud's senses snapped back into place, and he quickly left the room, departing to the docks. It was almost seven o'clock, and he had to be on time to catch Rufus. Following Tseng's outburst, much of the bar shuffled out of the room. Tseng's anger was rare, but it was legendary. Within five minutes only the Turks remained, Reno having taken hold of his coffee. As he sipped it, he turned his eyes to his watch.
"Gettin' close to closing time, chief..." said Reno, placing his hand on the bar. As he rose, Reno gave a slight chuckle. "We have to go search high and low for Sephiroth, after all!" As he spoke, Reno punctuated his words with wide gestures. "'Course, if it weren't for that old fart, we'd have the Highwind by now..." he said with a grin.
"Cid, you mean?" Elena rasped as she sipped her coffee. "I hear the old man's still insisting on keeping control of the ship. Also heard that they're gonna be kicking him back to his little scrap heap 'fore long. Dumb bastard doesn't understand who signs the paychecks!" she said with another hiccup.
"All well and good, but we have bigger problems..." Reno muttered, leaning back in his seat and exhaling deeply. "Until we bring Rude into the fold, we're grounded. Everyone goes, or none of us do. That's just how we work." Tseng turned a fierce glare Reno's way, prompting a slight smirk. "Ain't it, chief?" he joked.
"Where is he?" Tseng asked icily, eyes narrowing. "And I want you to tell me now," he snarled. With a smile and a laugh Reno put a finger to his forehead and 'pulled the trigger.' Tseng's eye quickly twitched, his face matching it. This was typical Reno.
"At his weekly poker game, naturally," Reno chuckled. "Poor guy can't seem to get a straight flush these days..." As Tseng slammed his fist on the table, his smile widened. "Oh, c'mon, chief!" he chided, tapping Tseng's shoulder. We all need some downtime..."
"We don't need anything of the sort!" hissed Tseng as he pushed Reno away. "Sober this drunkard up and go drag that fool away from the table!" Elena snapped to attention, eyes widened and mind focused as Tseng's hand struck the bar. "I've got to report all this to the boss, and assuming I don't get fired, we'll all meet at Costa del Sol. Understood?!" As Tseng left, the bartender slowly inched away from the scene, well acquainted with his fury.
"Yeah!" Elena cheered, waving her hands wide in the air. "Costa del Sol, here we come!" As she chugged her coffee, though, a scowl crossed Elena's face. For the first time, she began to (almost) think clearly. "Wait a sec. Who's drunk?!" she hiccuped. "Reno, you on the sauce?!"
"Boy, oh, boy..." Reno took his coffee and finished it. He laid his glass down and slid it towards the bartender. "Never gonna drink with you again, girl..." he laughed. "Well... I guess if I wanted to have a good time, I might!"
Scene Five
Cloud managed to reach the docks in a forced march, passing through the entryways for the underwater reactor as he flitted through the facility. Before anything else, he had to get on board that ship, and being late wasn't an option. The only question was, could the others make it in time? As he arrived to find his three 'friends,' Cloud's face tightened.
Oh, come on. These three again?!
Both Poe and Finn snapped to attention, as Piette withdrew a new baton from his uniform. While Cloud desperately prayed it wouldn't happen, the brass band behind the soldiers showed that his fears were going to be realized. The ceremony was going to happen, whether he liked it or not. And he didn't.
Aw, hell...
"The President will be here in just a few seconds!" snapped Piette, drawing his baton up like a conductor would. This was still his job, and dammit, he had to make it count. "Remember the words: Rufus, Sir! Long Live Shinra! Long live Rufus!" He turned to the band and glared. "Chorus, get it right or we're toast! Drummer, drop that beat like your life depends on it! As for everyone else, just get 'er done!"
Beneath his mask, Cloud scowled. He was not going to say those words ever again. This time they had a chorus, and if Piette complained, screw him. If he wanted to try and bitch at him right in front of Rufus and Heidegger, it was his ass on the line. The elevator opened with a sharp clank, as Rufus and Heidegger entered the docks, Heidegger choking back his laughter to keep from being insulted. From behind him, Rufus appeared. He'd been berating Heidegger about his laugh again, and through the proud steps he took, Heidegger seethed with resentment. At least his father had a sense of humor.
"'Ten-shun!" Piette lifted his conductor's baton in front of his ashen face. There was still his job to worry about, and he wanted to take another coffee break after this. His energy was running low, and only caffeine could cure his ailment. "Rufus, Sir! Long Live Shinra!"
"Long live Shinra!" the chorus shouted as Cloud's partners lifted their rifles. As they continued through the routine, the lines came with more fervor: "Long live Rufus! Rufus, Sir! Long live Shinra!"
"Big finish!" Piette lifted his baton as Poe and Finn lifted their rifles. With all his might he slammed it down and the two soldiers (and Cloud) took their guns in both hands. With a wide, circular motion they spun the weapons with great vigor, placed it on their backs, and just as quickly flipped into a ready position.
Cloud was less than pleased, though. Dumb and dumber had actually replicated his technique quite well, and he found that less than amusing. Rufus seemed impressed by it all, though, given that he delivered a rousing applause as the performance ended. Even Heidegger had gotten into the beat, though he'd never admit it, and clapped right along side him.
"Excellent performance!" Rufus said with a smile. He turned to Heidegger, all the joy quickly vanishing. "Heidegger!" he snapped, and the executive snapped to attention as Rufus turned a fierce glare his way, but he was greatly relieved as his face brightened. "They deserve a few new materia for that, I'd say. Nothing expensive, maybe an endurance booster," he said softly.
"Sir, yes, sir!" shouted Heidegger. "I'll give 'em something nice and cheap!" From beneath his mask, Cloud scowled and stuck his tongue out.
Cheap bastard!
"And now, my dear soldiers," Rufus said with a bow, "I take leave of you. Hold down the fort here, will you?" A murderous sneer crossed his face. "Unless you want to be strung up..." he said with a sinister tone. "I assume you heard what happened to my chef, so I advise you to do your best." As Rufus turned towards the ship, Heidegger waddled behind him with an angry gait. He promptly slugged Poe in the face, gave a beaming smile, and disappeared into the boat. Finn and Piette tended to Poe's injury as Cloud seethed. Wholly uncalled for!
Now I wanna give him a kick in the ass, too!
Cloud's rage was stifled, however, as he noticed a familiar face pop up from behind one of the crates, unnoticed by all the rest. All he could do was put a hand to his head, as Yuffie's mouth contorted into a rather naughty smile and she gave a hearty thumbs-up. Cloud's head dropped as he watched her. However they got here, she was far too excited for it to be anything kosher.
Well, they're here... great...
Nursing his migraine, Cloud slowly and stealthily slipped past the ruckus Heidegger had caused. Within a minute, as the doors closed, he stood face-to-face with Yuffie as she pumped her fist and gave a hoot. As she proceeded into a short little happy dance, Cloud's face steadily dropped.
"Please, just..." Cloud moaned as his headache intensified. Yuffie cocked her head in confusion, but Cloud simply poked her on the forehead. There was just no way he could take any more of her bull. "Just never make that face again..." he groaned. "I think I might hurl if I ever see that dance again..."
Author's Notes
Gave a couple references here and there, ranging from Jack the Ripper to several three stooges moments. Nothing terribly interesting. The whole "da-da-da-da-da dum-da-dum" was supposed to be the victory music from the games, but I have no musical ability and thus it ended up like that. My bad.
The scene with the three boys from Midgar came from a side event in the game, where Cloud enters another "Beginner's Hall," like the one I based the first scene on, where the spirits from Sector Seven asked him to teach them more. All the boys were ghosts by then, so I adapted accordingly. The Sephiroth Clone was just a whim; I intended it to be the guy who invited Cloud into the Hall, but it developed differently.
Also of note is the Hall itself, a hallmark of earlier Final Fantasy games where first-time gamers could learn the ropes. I don't think it's shown up in quite a while, and they have all sorts of tutorials on tap for the player to learn from. Always had the obligatory magic water pot, too.
My first draft of the Turks scene was much shorter, but now I think I fleshed it out a bit better than I initially did. Writing a soused Elena amuses me about as much as Yuffie being Yuffie... Next up is the cargo ship, then Costa del Sol. I'm looking forward to writing those, given the notes I have ready for 'em. Expect some good action and longer chapters.