Chapter 3 is here and ready for you! Thank you as always to my friend and beta Rand0mSmil3z for taking a look at my chapters. Thanks for reading and I can't wait to hear what you think!


Aerith

The next morning brought with it a somber mood, accompanied appropriately by dark skies and the soft patter of cold, winter rain against her window. The lights in her apartment were all on, blazing against the dreary outside that threatened to match her mood. As she stood in the kitchen, finishing the preparations for her morning tea, Aerith found herself staring out the floor-to-ceiling window and contemplating the night before.

The window before her displayed views of the southern side of the city, which meant the now-destroyed Mako Reactor One was nowhere in her line of sight. Smoke had settled like a haze over the city below, however; it mingled with fog and blanketed the world so that all she could see were the faint, green glows from Mako Reactors five, six, and seven. Somewhere below, she could almost feel the tug of lives that were entering the lifestream once more, each leaving the lightest of sad touches on her heart before departing to the next life. Aerith almost envied them – almost.

She took her mug of steaming green tea and brought it over to the soft couch that faced the window, cupping the drink with the long sleeves of her sweater. She sank down into its plush depths, next to her second, less-used PHS, whose screen was still lit from when she had checked it a few minutes earlier. Aerith found her eyes sliding over to it again, wistful for some sign of life. Unfortunately, the only messages in the illuminated chat were hers.

K was trying to reach me on that PHS – sorry for the influx of messages.

You're really part of A? Not in SLDR?

Don't use full words that have anything to do with the company: they're watching.

The SOLDIER/Avalanche man from last night had read each of the messages, this she could see by the checkmark at the bottom of each message, time stamped relatively quickly after she had sent each one. However, she had not heard a reply yet and it was beginning to make her nervous. What was she even thinking, trusting a member of Avalanche? They had destroyed a reactor and killed countless numbers of people!

Aerith sighed and took her first sip of tea, flinching a bit when the hot liquid scalded her tongue. Just her luck. She set the mug down on the waiting coaster placed atop the end table and ran her tongue against her teeth, trying to sooth the sharp sensation.

Her PHS chimed, and Aerith's heart jolted. She practically pounced on top of the device, eager in her pursuit of finally receiving a reply. As she picked it up, her heart sank. There was no response from Cloud, the Avalanche SOLDIER, but there was a new message from Rufus, of all people. Moody now, she sighed heavily before jerking an angry finger to read it.

Please meet me in my office. A Turk will be by shortly to collect you.

Aerith huffed and tossed her PHS dejectedly against the couch, turning her body back to the window in a childish display of annoyance. She crossed her arms and fumed for a few moments, inwardly pleased that her mournful sadness had been replaced by a stubborn side she hadn't given life to in a long while. The party, the engagement – it all seemed so long ago already, and yet it hadn't even been a full day since she had been hit with the news. Now Rufus was summoning her…this wouldn't be pleasant. She sighed and disentangled herself from the couch, heading for the bathroom to try and make herself somewhat presentable.

The best thing about off days was that Aerith was free to dress as she pleased, and this at least was a small comfort to her as she admired her comfortable oversized sweater and leggings in the mirror. She would not be suffering from being cold today, no sir.

Her hair was wild, still unkempt from when she had rolled out of bed rather unceremoniously an hour or two prior. Aerith spent a few minutes gently combing the curls and twisting the hair into a plait behind her head, securing it with a small hair tie. Then she brushed her fingers across her favorite possession, a large, pink ribbon that had been a gift to her from Zack. She felt the silky-smooth texture, savoring the memories it brought with. He had been so nice to her, and he had made her feel like the person she truly wanted to be underneath the false fronts she had grown up behind in order to appease her guardian. She gently tied it in a neat bow at the top of her head, allowing the familiar weight to relax her.

Satisfied with her appearance for the time being, Aerith exited the bathroom and headed back to the couch again, picking up her tea from the end table and trying a second sip. This time the temperature was just right, and it warmed her throat as she swallowed. She sighed, sinking back into the couch and reaching over to rescue the PHS from where it dangled at the edge of the cushions. It was silent, still devoid of any new correspondence. She slipped it into her pocket.

A knock came at the door, rapt and alert. That would be her escort up to Rufus's office. Sighing again, Aerith downed a good portion of her tea and headed to the door to open it. On the other side this time was Rude, one of the Turks she actually didn't mind as much since he didn't often speak and he kept his expression neutral. He was the more tolerable of the pair that were Reno and Rude, and she was happy to see it was him.

"Come on in," she invited politely while she carried her almost empty mug back to the kitchen. "I'm almost ready, I just need to slip some shoes on."

Out of the corner of her eye Aerith watched as Rude slowly entered the room and stood next to the door, arms crossed as he silently waited. She finished her tea and rinsed the mug out in the sink, leaving it to soak so it didn't leave rings. Then she padded over to the closet behind the door, grabbing a pair of boots and slipping them on over her socks.

She smiled up at Rude. "Okay, ready," she affirmed with a nod. Rude nodded back and gestured for her to lead the way. Aerith locked her door behind her and slipped the key into another pocket, patting her PHS for good measure as she led the way back to the elevator.

Rude wasn't one to talk much, so she found the elevator ride up to the floor under President Shinra's enjoyable. She pulled out the PHS to check as she got a buzz, a thrill of excitement coursing through her. But it wasn't the mysterious SOLDIER from last night, just Kunsel.

He really doesn't like answering, came Kunsel's complaint.

Aerith hid a smile as she typed back, remembering her interaction with the man the night before. Maybe he's shy?

She slipped it back into her pocket before stretching her arms behind her and leaning against them on the elevator glass.

"You need to be careful about the company you keep," Rude said suddenly, startling her quiet experience. Aerith cocked an eyebrow at the other, but she couldn't read his expression under his favorite sunglasses. She smiled at him and chose not to answer.

The doors slid open and Rude once again gestured for her to exit first. Aerith stepped lightly off the elevator, glancing around her on the executives' floor. While not used often by their owners, the offices up here were reserved for the elite at Shinra. As she passed the ornate, intricate wood paneling of each door, she read the names she knew better than their human counterparts: Palmer, Reeve, Scarlet, Heidergger, and then Hojo. She suppressed a shudder when she read the mad scientists name; she had never liked the man, even though she'd known him for most of her life. Finally, at the end of the hallway read the plaque for Rufus Shinra, the Vice President of Shinra. Rude stepped around her, shoes clicking lightly against the shiny, dark floor, and he gave a curt knock.

"Come in."

Rude opened the door and ushered Aerith inside. Aerith surprised herself as she looked carefully around the office, taking tentative steps as she did so. She had never been in Rufus's office before, and she wasn't surprised to see it was a smaller, less impressive version of the president's office upstairs. Polished black floors greeted her first, distorting her reflection as she stared down. Next, her gaze traveled to the minimalist design of a couple easy shelves and a television screen pressed into a wall of black cabinets on the side wall. There was a single, dark green leafy plant in the corner that looked very out of place. Finally, her eyes found the full window framing the deep brown wooden desk in the back. Rufus Shinra sat in a large chair, eyes watching her impassively as he gazed at her over his pressed fingers. He looked so much like his father in that moment that it surprised her a little.

"Please, join me," Rufus announced into the space, waving Rude off and pointing to the single seat in front of him. Aerith obliged, moving closer and setting herself into the chair while Rude closed the door softly behind her. The chair was quite comfortable. She folded her hands in her lap, putting on her usual polite demeanor. Rufus stared at her for a few more moments, so much so that she began to feel a bit uncomfortable.

Finally, he broke the silence. "How are you feeling after yesterday?" he asked, tone indicating this was more a formality than anything. Here, there was nobody else around.

"I wish I knew more," she told him pointedly. "People are in pain. They're hurting. I wish I could help."

Rufus pushed his hands down onto the desk and raised an eyebrow. "You didn't answer my question."

"Fine," she sighed, glaring down at her hands. "I feel overwhelmed, are you happy?"

"About the explosion? Or our engagement?"

She whipped her head back up to meet his eyes. "Both," she replied instantly, a boldness swimming in her veins that she wondered whether it would be dangerous to voice. Nevertheless, she couldn't stop herself from continuing, "I've been here for most of my life, appeasing and distracting people for the president's sake, and I guess I was hoping I would finally have earned my freedom. You know what I am, what my job is here. I can't even go down to help the people who need it now. I'm stuck and I'm overwhelmed."

Rufus was silent and she watched as he began to smirk a bit. She didn't trust that expression.

"What if I said I had an idea?" he asked quietly, glancing over at his computer and then back at her.

"Like what?" she said cautiously. The last time somebody had an idea around her, it had resulted in Avalanche infiltrating the building. To say the least, she was a little wary.

"You wish to be free?" And at Aerith's nod, he continued, "What if I said that by the end of this week, I could help you with that?"

Suspicion clouded her thoughts as Aerith thought. Rufus wanted to…help her? No, that wasn't right. Shinra men were never helpful out of the goodness of their own hearts. In fact, she was beginning to think they were born without hearts altogether.

She narrowed her eyes at him and clenched her fists in her lap. "What do you want from me?" To say that she was beginning to be weary from being used was an understatement.

Rufus stood up, holding his hands out as if in a peace offering. "I need some information from my father," he said plainly. "You could easily extract this information and that is all I would ask of you. At least, for now." He went over to the window. "You're a great asset, Aerith. When I'm running the company, I could grant you the freedom you so desperately desire."

A light shiver ran down Aerith's spine as he spoke. Rufus had always been a bit of a shifty sort, and although she didn't know the full truth about why he had been sent away to Junon in the first place, she wasn't ignorant of the rumors of a planned coup. Hearing his words now only solidified her thinking.

"Will you let me go down to sector one and help out down there?" she asked then, redirecting the subject. Perhaps with this leverage she could finally go do what her heart had been asking her to do the entire time. "With an escort, of course."

Rufus turned around to face the window, arms relaxed at his sides as he stared down to the foggy city below.

"We need to discuss that first," he told her. His tone had shifted, sounding a bit more accusatory.

Aerith blinked in surprise at him. "What are you talking about?" she questioned slowly.

Rufus kept looking out the window. "Perhaps you were unaware, but the person you were conversing with on the balcony yesterday is not currently registered as a SOLDIER."

Aerith's heart picked up the pace. Her suspicions had been more than correct; she hadn't known Cloud after all.

"Oh?" she replied outwardly, schooling her expression and tone to match what she needed Rufus to see. He turned back around and shot a glance her way.

"It seems Avalanche has taken a keen interest in you," he said. "Especially after the previous incident. And yes, of course I know. The Turks are mine." Rufus waved a hand dismissively at her openmouthed surprise. "If, and I mean if you were permitted to visit below, you would need protection, and not just a single escort. Two Turks is the least I ask. I can have Tseng arrange the details, if that is what you want."

Aerith nodded her head enthusiastically, trying to ignore the rest of the details Rufus had let drop. It would only make sense that Rufus knew about her trip, and she was at least grateful he hadn't ratted her out to his father.

"I advise you to choose better company next time," Rufus warned her then, smirk falling for a moment as he stared at her. "The last thing we need is you sneaking off and getting hurt." The last part felt like a jab at a child and Aerith frowned back at him, not appreciating his authoritative tone with her. But that seemed to be all he had wanted, so Rufus waved his hand and dismissed her. Aerith stood up and was surprised when Rufus held out his hand. She took it uncertainly, looking up at him in confusion. He merely led her to the door, opening it to reveal Rude waiting silently on the other side. Rufus looked at Rude and gave him one slow nod. Then he turned back to Aerith.

"I need to know my father's schedule this week," he said, the sudden urgency in his voice surprising her.

"I can figure that out," she promised him. "I'll message you what I find out."

"If you could let me know by this evening, that would be perfect," he murmured lowly as his eyes were drawn elsewhere. Aerith turned her head slightly to see an unpleasant sight: Professor Hojo, having just exited his office, was eyeing them with something akin to benign curiosity and dissecting glee.

She shivered a bit. "O-of course," Aerith rushed back, looking back at Rufus. She could feel the professor's eyes on her still. "I'll get right on it."

"Rude," Rufus said then, voice carrying a bit purposefully as he addressed the Turk. "Please escort Aerith back to her room."

Rude nodded, understanding the situation. He gently took hold of her arm. Rufus once again kissed her hand formally, putting on the show for the audience of one. He sent her a quick smirk before closing his door and sealing them into the stifling hallway.

Rude quickly guided Aerith away from Rufus's door and down the hallway, past the grinning Hojo.

"Good morning, Aerith," he greeted, voice grating against her ears. She didn't answer as she allowed Rude to take her to safety. Hojo chuckled as they left the hallway and entered the elevator again. Aerith only allowed herself to properly breathe when the doors slid shut behind them, cutting off her view of the cockroach.

"Thanks," she said gratefully to Rude, who hummed in reply as he reached towards the buttons. "Can we actually go up? I would like to speak with the president now."

Rude changed his finger's trajectory, sending the elevator up instead. Aerith released the tension in her shoulders as she pulled out her PHS – still no new messages. She pulled up her conversation from earlier that morning with Kunsel, who hadn't known she didn't have her usual PHS.

R has some kind of plan, she typed out. Not sure what's going to happen. Keep an eye out.

The short elevator ride ended and the doors merrily chimed open to reveal the uppermost floor of the Shinra building. Aerith and Rude walked side by side along the long, dark hallway, following the red carpets that always adorned the president's world to his expansive, over-the-top office.

President Shinra was in, to Aerith's surprise. With the Promised Land situation well underway (of which she wasn't privy to know details), she had assumed he would be out there. However, with a Mako Reactor blown under his nose, perhaps her guardian had decided more pressing matters were happening at home.

She approached him now, seeing public security director Heidegger standing next to his chair, pointing at one of the screens as they talked. She couldn't catch what they were saying.

Rude fell into step behind her as she approached the desk nervously, watching as they both looked up and noticed her. Instantly, Heidegger straightened and Shinra waved away the screen's contents. Her guardian eyed her with hard eyes.

"Yes, what do you need?" he sighed, waving Heidegger back further. He beckoned her closer. Aerith gave a quick curtsy before approaching the desk.

"I was wondering what your schedule looked like this week," Aerith said with a polite, smiling face. A lie had concocted its way into her brain and it was pretty good – she could spin it. "You've been so busy lately that I thought perhaps we could visit the entertainment district when things calm down."

Shinra frowned at her, resting an arm on the desk and placing his chin in his palm.

"'Calm down' is one way to put it," he let out a light joke. Heidegger chuckled behind him.

Aerith morphed her expression into one of sadness as she let the conversation play out. "I'm so sad to hear about what happened," she said sincerely. "On such an important day, too. I was thinking the people of Midgar would benefit from seeing their leader resume normalcy in order to promote recovery and help the city return to normal."

Shinra was still frowning, but now his eyes turned thoughtful as they gazed at her. She was inwardly relieved to see no suspicion rested in his gaze.

"Perhaps…" he said slowly. "You make an excellent point. I will be busy the next couple of days, but by the end of this week I'll be free. Let's plan something for then. We can bring your new betrothed with you, too. The people will be expecting it."

Cringing inside, Aerith bobbed her head. "Of course!" she agreed. "An excellent idea."

She had gotten what she needed. Aerith took a step back and curtsied again.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your meeting," she said sweetly with a smile at Heidegger, the other man whom she had never cared for. He grunted in reply. President Shinra dismissively waved a hand.

"It's no matter," he said as he turned his head and met Heidegger's eyes. "Public security is important after a reactor explosion. With Avalanche and their devious partners Wutai on the loose in Midgar, it's the least I can do."

Wutai? Aerith frowned a bit at that but didn't press the matter as she knew it wasn't her place. She could tell she was dismissed then, and she backed up to where Rude was waiting, thanking her guardian and leaving the room again.

As soon as she was out of sight Aerith sighed deeply. Something definitely felt off, and she couldn't put her mind on what it was exactly.

"Are you taking me down to the city then?" she asked Rude brightly to make conversation.

He shrugged. "If Tseng asks me to," he replied simply.

Aerith rolled her eyes. "You should come!" she encouraged as they worked their way back to the elevator. "It'll be a good experience to help others."

Rude shrugged again, not answering verbally this time. She beat him to the elevator button and laughed. Her PHS buzzed again as they got into the elevator.

"You're popular," Rude commented with an eyebrow snaking above his sunglasses. She shrugged with a smile.

"No more than usual," she told him. "Just making friends is all. It's nice to have people that will answer me in a conversation," she added with a wink. Rude groaned and looked away, giving Aerith plenty of time to look over the now two messages waiting for her. Kunsel again.

Thanks for the head's up.

What do I have to do to get this guy to respond? Are you sure he's A? Maybe he's just a dumbass.

She stifled a giggle at Kunsel's frustration, understanding him completely. Her fingers flew across the keys, typing furiously.

I have an idea. Give me an hour and I'll see what I can do.

Switching messages, Aerith pulled up Rufus's chat log and sent the information he requested back to him. With that out of the way - and her heart pounding a bit nervously at what she could be assisting him on - her fingers guided her to a new chat with Tseng.

Rufus says I can go visit sector one to try and help out there. He said I had to have a couple bodyguards with me. I would like to go tomorrow afternoon. Does this work for you?

Tseng's answer came promptly and curtly, as usual.

Yes.

"Excellent," she said gleefully. Her plan was coming together. "Tseng is working out the details for me to go down tomorrow afternoon. Finally, freedom from this stuffy tower!" She swung her arms out, PHS clutched in one, as she brandished around the glass elevator. Rude shook his head as the ride slowed to a halt on her floor and the doors opened.

"Come on, you," he said easily, stepping off the elevator. Aerith smiled as she walked after him, feeling a bit better for the time being as a plan slowly began to formulate in her mind. She brought her PHS back to her and opened one final chat log, the one she'd been thinking about nonstop.

I'll be going to sector one tomorrow afternoon. Two bodyguards. Bring me the information we requested.


Cloud

Cloud stared at the device on the counter for the umpteenth time, reading the new message over and over to make sure he understood it correctly. For a moment he forgot how ridiculous he looked, wearing an old shirt and jeans under a faded apron that may have once been white. He forgot the tub in his hands that was balancing carefully between the counter and his hipbone. He had been avoiding replying so far, and now he didn't know what to do.

"Cloud," Tifa nudged with her voice, keeping her tone light but slightly scolding. Cloud blushed a bit and broke his gaze away from the PHS to meet her eyes. She was pointing to the kitchen with a wry smile on her face. He huffed and picked the tub full of dirty dishes up again, leaving the PHS's screen to blink off behind him.

He figured it wasn't the worst punishment he could have been dealt for messing up their mission last night, but still, Cloud wanted to be anywhere else except in the kitchen of Seventh Heaven, scrubbing dishes like he'd been doing when he first met Tifa to make some gil. No, he'd much rather put his uniform back on, strap his sword to his back, and go out and kill something.

Still, he didn't complain, because he was still fuming at himself for messing up his job with Avalanche, and therefore losing the gil he had been counting on to stock up on supplies. Worst of all, Tifa had been disappointed in him, even if she hadn't said it out loud. In some ways, he felt like that was the hardest thing to deal with. It felt like he'd broken a promise.

Cloud hefted the tub onto the counter next to the sink, sighing to himself in frustration as he dipped his pruned fingers back into the hot, soapy water to begin the next load of dishes. While he scrubbed, his mind wandered back to the PHS sitting on the counter behind the bar.

While he knew he had made a mistake last night, something wasn't sitting right in Cloud's mind. Try as he might to focus on the mission and the mission only, something about Aerith had distracted him. For all his hype and determination to be a mercenary, he had lost the disassociated edge that he had come to rely on to focus with his jobs. First of all, those green eyes of hers had seemed so jarringly familiar, they had thrown him off. Secondly, maybe champagne hadn't been the best way to try and drug the girl, but she had seemed so sad and lonely that he could still feel a pain in his chest from it. That pain had dug its way into his mind until it had convinced him this was not the way, and he'd gone and tried to…what, befriend her?

Cloud huffed again and stuffed the freshly rinsed stein in his hands into the drying rack with a bit more gusto than needed. It hit the counter and the sound of glass against metal reverberated around the room. He grit his teeth, regretting the move instantly. At least the glass wasn't broken. He set the next one down more carefully this time, not turning around when he heard somebody approach from behind.

"Everything okay?" Tifa's voice was cautious but light, as she had tended to talk to him when he'd suffered mental episodes back a few months ago. They had gotten better now, but he was getting tired of being treated like a kid. He dropped the rag into the soapy water and turned to face her, arms resting on the lip of the sink behind him.

"Yeah," he replied. "Just need to be more careful."

Tifa nodded and bit her lower lip, looking down for a moment.

"We should talk later," she said lowly, indicating with her tone that she wanted to discuss what happened the night before. Cloud sighed.

"Okay," he told her.

She perked up a bit, a smile flashing across her face. "Do you want to take a break? There's something happening outside and it's dead in the bar. I want to see what's going on!"

Cloud, thankful for any excuse to not do this stupid job, quickly tore off his apron and grabbed his buster sword, which had been propped up next to the pantry.

"Trouble?" he asked.

Tifa shrugged. "Shinra's involved, so maybe."

All the more reason to bring his sword. While his uniform was back up at the room Tifa had recently gotten for him, he had his sword and that would have to do for now. He silently followed Tifa out of the back, leaning around and picking up the PHS as they passed the bar. He pocketed it for later; he would need to reply sooner or later, if not to Aerith then to that pushy SOLDIER Kunsel who kept messaging him too.

There was indeed a scuffle in the clearing, coming from the direction of some buildings to the left. A small crowd had gathered as they exited the bar. Tifa led the way to watch from the outside deck and Cloud followed, eyes narrowing as a couple of Shinra troopers chased down a shock of bright pink hair and its owner, none other than neighborhood annoyance Johnny. Of course, if anybody would be in trouble with Shinra, it'd be him.

Tifa ran down the stairs and approached the crowd as soon as the infantry arrested and dragged a complaining, shouting expletives Johnny out of sight. Cloud watched him disappear, gripping his sword and choosing to follow. He headed down the stairs, coming to a halt in front of a worried Tifa as she finished speaking with a few members of the dispersing crowd.

"We've got to save Johnny," Tifa said quickly as Cloud approached. "He has his suspicions about Avalanche…and he's a talker."

"Don't I know it," Cloud growled while rolling his eyes. The guy had an incessant ability to get under his skin. If he was called 'bro' one more time… He nodded at Tifa to lead the way and settled in for a brisk jog behind her, determined to not let his friend's secret get told.

The Shinra troopers brought Johnny to a restricted area. Cloud and Tifa slowly and stealthily followed behind, Tifa worrying her bottom lip more as they listened to Johnny's answers to their demands.

"…never been anywhere near a Shinra warehouse!" Johnny scoffed as they came into earshot. Cloud looked to Tifa – it seemed her suspicions about Shinra were right. "Uh…unless it was Jessie! She jacked my ID!"

"Shit," Tifa swore. "All he had to do was keep his mouth shut."

"Yup," Cloud replied grimly, glaring at the retreating backs of their targets.

"You distract the guards, I'll… think of something," she said lowly. Cloud nodded and ran forward, wishing more than ever that he had his armor on. He felt a bit exposed in these old clothes, but at least his sword was a comfort. He angled it downward and raced to the next gate, barging through with weapon brandished.

"Let him go," Cloud demanded at his entrance, taking an offensive position as the troopers looked up to see him. A guard dog stood menacingly nearby, growling as it eyed Cloud.

"Who are you? The calvary?" one scoffed with a smirk. Johnny's head perked up as he turned toward the noise, blindfolded but face shining with excitement.

"Is…is that who I think it is?" he asked, quaking nervousness in his voice giving way to relief. "Hell yeah! You guys really came to save me! Ava –"

Cloud winced as Tifa kicked Johnny where it would hurt the most. He almost felt for the guy. Almost.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" a trooper shouted indignantly through Johnny's whimpering groan and subsequent curling in on himself.

But Cloud ignored Johnny's grunts of pain; he had a job to do after all, and he brought his sword forward, swiping through air and knocking the first trooper off his feet in a grand gesture. Tifa had her gloves up next to him and she was going to town on the guard dog, mixing an impressive set of moves that momentarily stunned the animal. Cloud resumed his attack, going straight for the leader, the elite officer. He shot a quick fire spell at the man, bringing the officer to his knees while he turned to the final man. A few quick hits and final thrust and the man fell in a heap to the floor, joining his comrades. Cloud turned back to Tifa just in time to see her land a square kick to the dog's jaw, dropping it instantly. She smiled back at him, relief shining in her face.

"Let's get Johnny and get out of here," she told him. Cloud nodded, lowering his weapon to his side and striding forward to meet the other man who was struggling to sit up.

"Thank you so much!" he was gushing. "I really appreciate the help!"

Cloud looked back at Tifa, who shrugged. She didn't know what they should do with Johnny. He was a talker, after all. Cloud knelt in front of Johnny, stabbing the sword into the dirt next to him. The grin on Johnny's face fell as he flinched.

"If you wanna live, you'll get the hell out of town," he threatened lowly.

Johnny bobbed his head instantly, struggling to his feet with his hands tied behind him. "Y-you got it, boss!" he promised. "You ain't never gonna see my face again, I swear!" And then he took off, running like a scared rabbit away from the scene. Tifa frowned at him. Cloud looked back at the guards.

"We should get out of here," he said.

"Let's, before they wake up," she replied nervously. They took off after Johnny who was now long gone, Cloud shooting one final glance over his shoulder at the guards. The last thing he needed to do was stir the pot, especially after last night. Hopefully they could get away with what they did and not have a retaliation.

Once they were away from the scene of the crime, Tifa slowed down. Cloud slowed too, to match his pace with hers. She looked troubled.

"Listen, Cloud," she said. "I've been thinking. Are you sure you're up for more jobs with Avalanche? If your heart isn't really in it…" she laughed dryly. "Like my heart isn't when it comes to hurting people, I suppose."

"It's a paying gig," he shrugged. "I'll do what's needed. And for your mission, I wanted to be there…to help." He put a hand on the back of his neck, feeling a bit sheepish. "I really didn't help though."

"Well, not yesterday, maybe," she said with a small smile. "Barret is planning another round with another reactor tomorrow night. Maybe you can do what you do best: be the muscle and tear through the opposition?"

"If that's where he wants me, as long as I get compensated, I'll be happy," he told her, and her smile widened. "Plus, this other situation with this PHS…"

Tifa frowned as he brought it out of his pocket.

"I still can't believe that Shinra's ward gave you that," she said with a shake of her head. "Is she using it to sabotage us or track us?"

"I don't think so," Cloud responded as he opened it again. Yet another barrage of messages from this Kunsel were demanding he respond. "She wants to know what happened to a friend or something."

"Yeah, somebody got killed by Shinra and we're supposed to figure out how," she sighed. "Where do we even start with that? I kinda bluffed my way into the party last night, saying I had information, but now that you have a direct line of contact…I've got nothing."

"Me too," Cloud said heavily, clearing the messages and pocketing the PHS again. "Maybe we can start with travelers to Midgar."

"Like you?" she joked. Cloud let a small smile slip past his usually stoic demeanor.

"Like me," he agreed. Sure, he couldn't remember how he got back to Midgar, but surely there were other regular travelers who would know. For that kind of sleuthing…

"We'll have to go to the upper plates," he said out loud.

Tifa pressed her lips together and slowly nodded. "I think you're right," she agreed slowly. "But how are we going to get up there?"

"Like regular people?" he offered. "We don't need to hide our identities for this. Shinra's ward – Aerith – is going to sector one tomorrow afternoon. Maybe we talk to her before we join up with the reactor gang."

Tifa pursed her lips further, contemplating.

"Well, she won't trust me, that's for sure." She sighed. "We tried to get her a few months ago. That was the same day I ran into you, actually – we had gotten wind she frequented an old church and were scoping out the place when she literally wandered into our search. I'm not sure if she saw me, but I don't want to scare her if you think she'll join us willingly."

"Call it a hunch," Cloud said. "I'm not sure of anything, but she's miserable up there. She doesn't seem to be a willing participant in anything."

"If you say so," Tifa said uncertainly. "Well, let's head back to the bar and figure out what's what. We don't need to tell Barret about our…side operation."

Cloud nodded in agreement, pulling the PHS out again to finally key in his first response, which of course, was to Aerith.

Count me in.