Cloud was in the Highwind's briefing room along with the rest of the group. He had just finished telling everyone about his true past with SOLDIER, along with Benrey's involvement in Nibelheim 5 years ago. The box Tommy had when they were in Mideel was on the table.
"So you were never in SOLDIER?" Bubby asked.
"Yes Bubby," said Red XIII,
"That's literally what he just told us."
"But wait just a damn minute!" said Bubby,
"This doesn't make any sense! He's got all the attributes of one, down to the eyes too!"
"That's because of the JENOVA cells in me." said Cloud,
"Actually, it's not JENOVA….JENOVA isn't what we thought it was."
"What do you mean?" asked Barret.
"JENOVA isn't JENOVA…..It's Benrey."
"What?"
"It's hard to describe and I know it sounds crazy, but all this time when we thought it was JENOVA we were fighting, it's been Benrey all this time."
"So wait," said Cait Sith,
"If that's the case are you telling me that-"
"THATS RIGHT!" said Benrey,
"MY CELLS ARE IN YOU CLOUD! I'M INSIDE YOU! HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Hearing that sent a shiver down Cloud's spine.
"Well that's unsettling!" said Coomer,
"But it's given you the abilities that have made you what you are now, so it is quite the double edged sword!"
"I guess." said Cloud, still disturbed by Benrey's comment,
"But I'm the reason he's descending down onto the Planet and we need to put a stop to it. From what Tifa told me earlier we've found a way to destroy him?"
"That's correct!" said Coomer,
"We need to destroy the passports that are connected to him. We've already destroyed mine and Tommy's, but we still need to get Bubby's and Sephiroth's. We were on our way to Rocket Town where Shinra has Bubby's passport before we decided to come see you!"
"Alright," said Cloud,
"And Sephiroth's passport we'll destroy after we defeat him. Now Coomer-" He said, as he turned to face Coomer,
"What happened between you and that Weapon? What did you and him…..discuss, exactly?"
"Oh a number of things, Cloud!" said Coomer,
"Our life's dreams, what our favorite AJPW matches from the 90's were, and why they're rampaging across the Planet!"
"Well, what did it say?" asked Cid.
"Well it did say it loved the June 2nd, 1994 match between Misawa and Kawada, while that is an exceptional match, in my opinion the May 1st, 1998 match between Misawa and Kawada was their best-"
"Coomer!" Cloud interrupted,
"He meant what did the Weapon say about why they're rampaging across the planet."
"Oh, my mistake!" said Coomer,
"I'm sure I don't need to tell you that Shinra's actions in regards to getting Mako have been hurting the Planet greatly. But also because Sephiroth has told them to do so!"
"Sephiroth told them to?"
"That's right, but he really doesn't have complete control over all of them, just one it seems!" Coomer said,
"I was able to convince the one I spoke with to try and get his friends to stand down! They'll try and stay out of our way as much as they can!"
"You were able to convince them to do that?" asked Yuffie,
"How?"
"I can be quite persuasive!" replied Coomer,
"And it even said that their main focus is getting rid of the aliens too!"
"You mean the ones from Black Mesa?" asked Tommy.
"That's right!" said Coomer,
"Apparently to them the aliens are a threat to the planet and the Weapon's want them all eradicated!"
"Well that's a help, I guess." said Cloud,
"Which brings us to our last order of business: Gordon."
He turned to Cait Sith,
"What's the status of him, has Shinra been able to get what they want?"
"From what I can tell, no." Cait Sith replied,
"Hojo and his assistant have tried all manners of trying to prod him into opening this 'gate' Rufus keeps going on about but they haven't made any progress. As for trying to get him out or get you guys in I haven't found a way to do either."
"Alright," said Cloud,
"For now we'll head to Rocket Town and destroy Bubby's passport. After that we'll find a way to rescue Gordon. All of you are dismissed but all the members of the science team are to hang back, we're having a meeting."
Everyone nodded and all shuffled out of the briefing room. Leaving only Cloud, Coomer, Bubby, and Tommy. Their was a long silence that passed with no one willing to say anything, Tommy was getting more and more anxious as each moment passed.
Cloud then walked over to the part of the table Tommy was standing at. When Tommy noticed this he tensed up.
"Look at me." said Cloud, who was now standing next to Tommy.
Tommy didn't respond, as he began to breathe heavily.
"Tommy," Cloud said,
"Look at-"
Tommy then suddenly turned to face Cloud, hands behind his back. He put his head forward towards Cloud, who slightly backed away unsure of what Tommy was doing.
"Do it." Tommy said.
"Do it?" asked Cloud,
"Do what?"
"Hit me," said Tommy,
"That's what you want to do, right?"
"Tommy, what are you talking about?" asked Cloud.
"It's what you want, after what happened at the Forgotten City, you're still pissed at me, I can tell."
"Tommy I-"
"Just fucking do it!" Tommy shouted,
"I'm the reason Aerith is dead and I deserve-"
"TOMMY!" Cloud shouted, stopping Tommy mid sentence,
"I'm not going to hit you so just relax. While I am still mad at you for going with Sephiroth and Benrey I'm not going to attack you for it. So just calm down alright."
After a few moments, Tommy relaxed himself and moved his hands to his sides.
"And Tifa told me what you did for me."
"She did?" asked Tommy.
Cloud nodded.
"That's right, she told me how you went above and beyond to take care of me and…..and I just wanted to thank you for that."
Tommy looked away.
"I was….I was just doing what my dad told me to do, and-" He then grabbed the box off the table and held it towards Cloud,
"-This is for you, it's something that you'd like."
"What is it?" Cloud asked.
"Just open it." replied Tommy.
Cloud gave Tommy a curious look as he took the top off the box and looked inside.
What he saw inside caused him to salivate.
"Is that- is that?" Cloud said, trying to contain his excitement,
"Is that Mountain Dew Code Red?"
Tommy nodded.
"Well um- well-" said Cloud, trying to recompose himself,
"G-Good work Tommy, I'm glad you remembered my favorite soda. You can put it aside for now."
"How much is there?" asked Bubby.
"It's a six pack," replied Tommy,
"And it's only for Cloud."
"What?!" Bubby said, outraged,
"Why the fuck does he get the whole pack?"
"It was a gift from my father to him and that's that." Tommy replied bluntly, as he put the case of Code Red away.
"Speaking of your father," said Cloud,
"Tifa told me that he told you where to find me and where to bring me, and that he paid for all of my medical expenses while I was under Mako poisoning."
"That's correct." Tommy replied.
"And you don't know who he is?"
"No," said Tommy,
"I haven't seen him since getting dropped off at the orphanage."
"Tifa claims she saw him," said Cloud.
"What?" Tommy said, with a slightly surprised look,
"When? And where?"
"A little after we exited the Lifestream. She said she chased him but he was able to get away." Cloud replied.
Tommy looked down, unsure of what to make of the news of his fathers sudden reappearance.
"I….I…."
"We'll worry about him later." said Cloud,
"Right now there's some things about Gordon I want to ask you about."
"Like what?" Tommy asked.
"Like how did he know I was in SOLDIER when I really wasn't."
All three science team members looked at Cloud with surprise when he said that.
"What?" said Bubby,
"How the fuck did he know that?"
"That is quite peculiar!" said Coomer.
"He knew about your thing with SOLDIER?" asked Tommy,
"How?"
"I don't know," said Cloud,
"The first time we met him was over a week ago, he was in the Mythril Mines and claimed he saw Sephiroth and Benrey, and when he asked for my help in killing Benrey he brought up that I was with SOLDIER. Tifa said she picked up on it right away."
Tommy stood their and was about to open his mouth to speak but closed it. He did this several times but each time he closed it, hesitant to say anything.
"Tommy," Cloud said, picking up on Tommy's hesitation,
"Is there something Gordon knows that he told you?"
After a few moments Tommy finally got the courage to speak.
"Yes." He said,
"Back at the prison, the one we were sent to when we first went to the Gold Saucer, he told me…..he told me he knew things about this world and the people in it, things that even he said he shouldn't know about."
"Knew things?" Cloud asked,
"Like what?"
"He didn't say." replied Tommy,
"He also told me to stay by Aerith as much as I could and make sure Sephiroth didn't do anything to her."
"Well look how well that turned out!" said Bubby.
Cloud shot Bubby a dirty look before looking back at Tommy.
"Did he know something was going to happen to Aerith?" asked Cloud,
"Did he know Sephiroth was going to kill her?"
"I guess." said Tommy,
"He also said to make sure the Black Materia didn't reach Sephiroth."
"What?" said Cloud.
"He said if it did then it would've brought about unforeseen consequences."
Cloud had his mouth slightly agape. He had no idea what to make of what Tommy just told him.
'He knows things about this world he shouldn't?' Cloud thought,
"Just who is Gordon?…..Actually let me rephrase that: What is he?"
"U-Uhh-"
"And who are all of you?" Cloud asked the room.
"I'm Dr. Coomer!" said Coomer.
"I'm Dr. Bubby!"
"I'm Tomm-"
"I don't mean that," said Cloud,
"I mean….who are you guys and where do you come from?"
"I'm from the surface! From my mommy and daddy!" said Coomer.
"Are you from the United States?" asked Cloud.
"Hm?"
"Are you guys from the United States?"
"Why, yes of course!" said Coomer,
"I was born in Sacramento, California in 1946!"
"And that's a part of the United States?" asked Cloud.
"Correct!" said Coomer,
"California is a state in the Western United States, located along the pacific coast. With nearly-"
"Coomer!" Cloud interrupted again,
"I don't need a history lesson."
"Oh, alright Cloud," said Coomer,
"Is there anything else you would like to know?"
"Is New Mexico a state?"
"Why, yes of course!" replied Coomer,
"It's the state where Black Mesa was located, just 800 miles outside of Albuquerque!"
"And Gordon is from there?"
"Gordon said he's from New Mexico?" asked Coomer,
"I believe you might be mistaken Cloud, Gordon is from Seattle, Washington!"
"Alright, alright," said Cloud, slightly frustrated by another of Gordon's lies,
"And where is this United States exactly?"
"Um, well-" said Coomer,
"I don't really know how to put this Cloud, but the United States doesn't exactly exist here."
"Doesn't exist here?" asked Cloud,
"What do you mean by that?"
"Well, erm, I don't know how to put this either-" said Coomer,
"But I don't think we're from this world to be exact."
"What?" said Cloud,
"But that doesn't make sense, how can…" Cloud trailed off, before he remembered what Coomer and Tommy said to him.
"Coomer, you said you haven't seen Gordon in 25 years correct?"
"Correct!" replied Coomer.
"And Tommy-" Cloud said, turning his attention towards Tommy,
"You said that you haven't seen Gordon in 5 years is that right?"
Tommy nodded, as Cloud turned his attention to Bubby.
"And Bubby, when was the last time you saw Gordon?"
"15 years, I guess." replied Bubby.
"If I may interject," said Coomer,
"But I believe we may have gotten teleported here when we were supposed to go to Xen."
"Xen?" asked Cloud,
"Is that the name of the alien home world you were supposed to go to originally?"
"That's right." said Bubby,
"But we somehow wound up here! And I've been here for 15 years now!"
"25 for me!" said Coomer.
"I've been here for five." said Tommy.
"Well this is interesting!" said Coomer,
"We all arrived here at different points in time!"
"How is that possible?" asked Cloud.
"Slow teleportation I would assume." answered Coomer,
"It happened in the sequel!"
"But then what about Gordon?" Cloud asked,
"When would he have gotten here?"
"Hmmmmmmm," Coomer pondered,
"You did say the first time you and the others met him was at the Mythril Mines correct?"
"That's right." said Cloud.
"Well, this is just a theory," said Coomer,
"But I believe you met Gordon just as he teleported here!"
"Okay…" said Cloud,
"But that still doesn't explain how he knows all these things about us."
"Well," said Coomer,
"That's something we'll have to ask him directly."
Gordon gave a long, heavy and bored sigh. He was still tied up to the metal table and their were no clear signs to how he could escape. Hojo and Darnold had been in and out constantly trying to figure out how to get Gordon to 'open his eyes' but so far have made zero progress.
"Fuck man I don't know how long I can keep this up." said Gordon,
"I've had this freaking thing on for hours and my eyes are starting to hurt."
Truth be told, while his character model was tied up and he was unable to move in the game's world, in real life he could move his arms freely.
"They aren't in here, so if I just took this off real quick, applied some eye drops, I can get back to it and-"
"Dr. Freeman…" A familiar voice said.
The world around Gordon suddenly turned gray. The door to the room opened and a figure that Gordon was familiar with during his time at Black Mesa walked in.
It was the blue suited man.
"Oh, well look who it is." said Gordon, as the man walked in,
"Where the fuck have you been?"
"Dr. Freeman, it is quite good to see you again." The man said, ignoring Gordon's question,
"Although it is quite the shame it has to be under these circumstances."
"Yeah you can fucking say that again." Gordon replied,
"Anyway, why are you here now all of a sudden?"
"I am here to give you some news I'm sure you would be delighted to hear." The man said,
"One of your companions, Mr. Strife, as you know him, has made a full recovery and has rejoined the party." He said,
"But I'm sure you already knew that was going to happen."
"Yeah I had no doubts Cloud was going to make a full recovery." replied Gordon.
"Tommy has also been accepted back into the group. They have already destroyed his and Dr. Coomer's passport. Very soon they'll make their way to where Dr. Bubby's passport is being held. After that I have no doubts they will come and rescue you."
"That's good to hear." said Gordon,
"Anyway, I have a load of questions for you and I really hope you have the answers."
"Ask away Dr. Freeman."
"First, how and why are we here?" asked Gordon,
"And second, when the fuck did Benrey become pals with Sephiroth? And what the hell is their end goal in all of this?"
"Well Dr. Freeman," The man said,
"If I am being honest, your journey has definitely taken a most unexpected turn since leaving Black Mesa. As for why you are suddenly here, I believe Benrey may have had a hand in it."
"What?" said Gordon,
"What the fuck did Benrey do to cause us to get sent here?"
"Dr. Freeman, before beginning your journey through Black Mesa, you were in this world temporarily, were you not?"
Gordon had to pause and ponder what the blue suited man meant by this.
'Is he referring to when I played this temporarily before starting up that experimental version of Half-Life?'
"I…….guess?" said Gordon,
"I mean I was here more or less but not as I was when I was at Black Mesa, I wasn't fully in this world but I…….'observed' them as they left Midgar and went to Kalm. After that I stopped their and pla- I mean came in for the test. But what did Benrey do to have us sent here?"
The blue suited man brushed himself off before replying.
"This is only just a theory Dr. Freeman, but at some point during your adventure, while you were taking a rest before continuing on, Benrey may have accessed this world through you and made it so you would all get teleported here."
"Accessed it through me?" asked Gordon,
"What- what are you-"
A revelation then came into Gordon's head.
'Wait, during my rest, the times I would end the stream for the day and pick up on another session the day after I…my character model was left there, obviously I had my headset off that time and…' He thought,
'Could I have had the 'gate' open at some point and I didn't know and could Benrey…..could Benrey have accessed my Steam files for Half-Life 1 and combined it with FF7?'
"Okay, okay.." said Gordon,
"If Benrey had us sent here, then what is his relationship with Sephiroth?"
"You heard about it from Zack, I assume?" The man asked.
Gordon nodded.
"Then it's as he said, they met at some point during the Genesis War and have been together for quite some time. As for what their end goal is, that is on a strict need to know basis."
"What?" said Gordon,
"What the hell is that supposed to mean? And…..and how were you able to get a hold of Zack anyway? He's supposed to be dead around this time!"
"I used my…….resources to bring back a version of Zack that existed from a certain point in time in this world. Unfortunately I don't have the power to fully resurrect him."
"Okay…" Gordon replied, baffled at the man's answer,
"But what about-"
"I think it's time for me to get going Dr. Freeman." The man said, cutting Gordon off.
"Wait a sec!" said Gordon,
"Can you at least get me out of here first? You have time frozen with those powers you have."
"I'm afraid I cannot do that Dr. Freeman." The man replied,
"But do not worry, I have someone working on the inside."
He then made his way out of the room.
"And as for the things Aerith wanted Tommy to have, you don't need to worry about that."
he pulled out the envelope and stuffed Cactuar.
'Oh shit I totally forgot about that.' Gordon thought.
"I will make sure they will get into his possession when the time is right." The man said, putting the items away and walking towards the exit.
"Wait!" said Gordon,
"Who do you have working on the inside? It's not Reeve is it?"
The man didn't reply, as he exited the room. The world around Gordon suddenly had color again.
"Come on!" Gordon shouted in frustration,
"And my freaking eyes still hurt!"
The Highwind was making its approach to Rocket Town. The party was on the bridge and we're gearing up.
"Alright listen up." said Cloud, getting the groups attention,
"Shinra is most likely gonna have Bubby's passport under heavy guard, so we need to go in deep, and go in hard."
"Surely you can't be serious." Bubby said.
"He is serious," said Coomer,
"And don't call him surely!"
"So," Cloud said, trying to get their focus back,
"Bubby, Cid, you guys know the Shinra No. 26 better than any of us so you'll be with me when we get your passport."
Both of them nodded in agreement.
"Alright, the rest of you will act as a distraction as we move in." said Cloud,
"That's all for now. Tifa, can I see you for a second?"
Tifa nodded, as her and Cloud went over to different part of the Highwind's bridge.
"What is it Cloud?" She asked.
"Just want to ask you about my past, or made up past, about SOLDIER." said Cloud,
"How did you know I wasn't in SOLDIER?"
"Oh, uh-" said Tifa, somewhat taken aback by the question,
"A year ago before I found you at the Sector 7 train station, an envelope was delivered to my apartment."
"An envelope?" Cloud asked.
"Yeah, it had no return address on it but it was addressed to me." said Tifa,
"When I opened it, it……it had photos of you and Zack, you were both in the Inn that was in Nibelheim. And that wasn't the only thing, it had a dossier on you."
"A dossier on me?"
"That's right, it showed the report of how you were unable to make it into SOLDIER." Tifa said,
"At first I had no idea what to make of it. I never saw you when you were in Nibelheim when Benrey and Sephiroth were there. I wondered if it was some sick prank, and then I found you at the train station a year later. And after hearing your story, and how you said you were in SOLDIER, I put two and two together." She said,
"I didn't know what to say to break it to you, it hurt me so much to keep the truth from you and…and…"
She looked away from Cloud, guilt beginning to form on her face.
"Tifa," said Cloud, putting his hand on her shoulder and causing her to look back at him,
"It's okay, in the end you were able to bring the real me back. And I'll always be grateful to you for that."
Tifa's face slowly turned to that of confidence, as a smile began to form.
"Yeah." said Tifa, feeling slightly better.
"And this envelope," said Cloud,
"You said you don't know who sent it to you?"
"That's right," said Tifa,
"At first I thought it may have been Gordon, or maybe even Tommy's father when I first saw him, but after spending time with Gordon I don't think he was the one who sent it, and I don't know about Tommy's-"
"I SENT IT!" Benrey said from above,
"I WANTED TO SHOW YOU WHAT A LOSER HE IS! HE NEVER HAD THE MAKINGS OF A VARSITY SOLDIER!"
"Well, that answers that." said Cloud, shaking his head,
"For now let's get ready, as soon as we destroy Bubby's passport we'll go to-"
"Uh Cloud!" Barret said from the front of the bridge,
"You're gonna wanna take a look at this!"
Both Cloud and Tifa ran to the front of the bridge and saw what Barret was talking about.
As they approached Rocket Town, they saw Shinra ground forces engaged with Xen aliens that were attacking the town.
"Well," said Cid,
"This just made our job a whole hell of a lot harder."