The first thing Natalie noticed about Wall Market were the lights. As bright as the daytime, strings of hanging lanterns, light bulbs, neon signs advertising this or that. Even bill boards, in the slums, advertising some drink or food or show. The sky was black, broken only by the sun lamps that hung from the half-repaired steel sky that was Sector Six. Even in the dark the lights of Wall Market lit everything near as bright as day light. Making the few shadows that could form very dark.
"Welcome to Wall Market! The pleasure capital of Midgar," A barker called. "We've got everything for everybody!"
Natalie's eyes swept the crowds on the ground, looking for trouble.
"Wow." Tifa said as she took in the lights. She had also avoided the Market, due to it's reputation.
Marin watched the crowd, seeing a mix of the more plain styles she had gotten used to in the Slums. But they were broken up by more fashionable, colored, and patterned clothes of people that had come down from topside to go 'slumming it' in Wall Market.
Natalie didn't see anyone watching them, or trying to hide.
"Aren't you the cute couple." The Barker called in Tifa and Natalie's direction. "We have a special-"
"We don't have time for this," Tifa told Natalie.
They both swept past the barker without another word.
Natalie could easily visualize where they had entered Wall Market, though the place was a warren of criss-crossing streets. And every corner looked the same as every other. Lit by different lights, sure, but they had a same-ness to them in the dark of night.
Natalie carried an extra bag, with a change of clothes for Tifa, when and if she could get out of her kimono-dress.
"It's so busy, you think many people come here from topside?" Tifa asked, while they both picked their way around the streets, looking for Don Corneo's brightly-lit Pagoda roof.
"Most of the people here are from topside." Natalie remarked. Glancing around at the clothes, that looked true. Of the people that could be seen standing around in the streets. Natalie turned to glare at someone who watched them from a lit alleyway. She rested her right hand on her sword's pommel, otherwise appearing casual.
The rough-looking man, that was clearly not dressed for topside, glared back before shrinking further back into the alley's darkness.
Natalie made a mental note to be careful once her and Tifa separated. She would need eyes in the back of her head in a place like this. Wall Market was the Don's place, and that meant trouble for people caught out on their own.
"Yeah, you're right." Tifa said, as they started up the steps of the last road, the pagoda waited for them at the top of the slope. "I don't see many people dressed like this around Seventh Heaven."
"Nervous?" Natalie asked the other woman.
They both took the stepped road closer to the red pagoda building.
"I don't know what I'm going to find in there." Tifa admitted.
"Neither do I." Natalie said, sounding deflated.
"It's too bad Sam could only sponsor one woman."
"Hmm." Natalie said. She didn't have a dress, never mind one as fancy as the Don might have approved of, that she would wear or could fight in. And she needed a plan B, if she didn't meet back with Tifa later.
"It won't be the first time I've found my way in or out of -fuck!"
"What? What is it?" Tifa and Natalie stopped on the peak of a decorative bridge. The mansion, red wood from the ground to the peak of the roof loomed before them.
Natalie stared up at the window-less walls, at the multiple pagoda roofs. And how each and every tier was lit around the entire circumference. The peaks were covered with dark terracotta shingles. But every vertical surface of wall was well lit. Anyone sneaking across that roof, trying to find a shuttered window. That person's outline would be visible from across most of Wall Market.
"I'm going to need to come up with another plan." Natalie told Tifa.
"What? What was your old plan?"
"A handy window, But the roof's as bright as the rest of Wall Market."
"You were going to sneak in?" Tifa's face crinkled at the thought.
"Shhh." Natalie hissed. Even though there was no one in earshot of the two of them.
Tifa lowered her voice. "You mean you were planning on sneaking into that place?"
"Was. Look, don't worry about me. We need to get you in there." Natalie put a light hand on Tifa's shoulder.
Even if Natalie needed a new plan, Tifa could still follow through on her plan.
Natalie was screaming internally as they walked up to the huge, wooden, double doors. She needed a new plan now.
The doors were made of heavy timbers, surprisingly not painted red. Banded with iron, the doors looked like they could hold up against just about anything thrown at them. Which included anything Natalie could think of. The place was a fortress inside the city. The Don wasn't making it easy for her.
Natalie put her hands on the doors, pushing in with not a small fraction of her upper body strength to push them open. With Tifa a step behind, they both entered the foyer to yet another set of double doors.
The next set of doors was blocked by three men. Natalie passed a couple of wheeled food stands, and an absurdly huge gong on the approach to the guards in front of the next door.
The one in the middle was inches shorter than the goons she had seen up to now, who stood on either side of the middle figure.
Yellow eyes, shaded by gray hair that was stuffed under a ball cap, regarded Natalie and Tifa. He had a quiet 'don't fuck with me,' aura of authority.
The two goons were trouble, smirking and leering at Tifa in her short skirt.
But the gray-haired one in the middle, stood squarely and sure of himself, in a black leather jacket.
Natalie's blue-green eyes met yellow as they took each other in. The man in the leather jacket wasn't visibly armed. Natalie could imagine several weapons that could fit under the back of his jacket or in his sleeves. Natalie had knives under her sleeves and a pistol under her coat. As well as the sword anyone could see hanging from her hip.
The man's eyes flicked down to Natalie's chest, flattened by her binder. Then he looked back up at Natalie's eyes, narrowing.
The whole exchange took seconds as Natalie and Tifa approached the three door guards.
"Hold on" the quiet, but firm voice of the man in the jacket spoke up. He only wore one leather glove. "Back up."
Natalie came to a stop but didn't step back.
"What do you want?" His question was for Natalie, but Tifa stepped forward, envelope in hand.
"I have a letter of approval here, from Chocobo Sam."
"So you do," He said, looking the paper over.
"Aww man," One of the goons leered at Tifa. Disappointed that she was here for the Don.
The other cackled with glee, while he checked out Tifa's stocking-ed legs.
Natalie only watched the man in the middle, saving all the ire in her glare for him.
"This is only good for one of you." The man told the two women.
Tifa glanced back at Natalie.
He continued, "And the Don doesn't approve of women that dress-down."
"What do you mean Lesley?" the goon on the left side asked.
"Go on, Tifa." Natalie urged the other woman.
The other goon was putting it together, slowly, looking Natalie up and down. "Wait a minute… you're a-?"
Since Natalie had settled in the Slums, the less days Natalie went without a binder. De-emphasizing her most feminine features, on top of no make-up. Lately she had only taken it off for sleep or laundry day.
The goons had disregarded Natalie at first, to leer at the seemingly only woman in the foyer. Now that they had changed their mind, they leered some more. One of them at Natalie.
Lesley shifted for the door to be opened, keeping an eye on Natalie.
Natalie waited for Tifa to start into the fortress of a mansion, while the gears worked in the minds of the other two men in the room.
The one in charge had given her a look that bothered her, but the goons now leering made her angry
"Yo, that's no man." The goon on Natalie's left said with surprise.
"What?" the other goon said.
Tifa looked at Natalie apologetically, as if there was anything Tifa could do to improve the situation.
Natalie folded her arms across her chest, making no moves for her weapons. She stared back at the goons instead. One hand casually fell onto the pommel of her sword. She imagined running the men through.
A shuffle of a foot caught her attention. Lesley looked ready for trouble. "I wouldn't try anything if I were you." He warned.
Natalie glared at the three men in the room. "I just came here to see that my friend made it to her audition." She moved her right hand to rest on her hip instead, in a fist.
Natalie continued to glare, but was no longer about to snap into action. She continued to hold Lesley's gaze. Not wanting to look back at the goons that had decided that Natalie was someone they could leer at.
"Well, unfortunately, she made it." Lesley surprised Natalie, sounding apologetic himself. Waving a hand at one of the goons, the goon moved to open the second set of double doors for Tifa.
"Don't worry about me." Tifa reassured Natalie.
"Hmm," Was all Natalie said as the goon at the door led Tifa further inside the mansion.
"Right this way," He chirped at Tifa.
The sonorous sound the doors made as they closed behind Tifa, bothered Natalie. Both by the implied weight of the doors, jut as heavy and thick as the ones outside. As well as the finality of the sound as Natalie was cut-off from her friend. Leaving her alone again.
"You're never going to see her again," Lesley cautioned Natalie.
Natalie had been staring at the doors. "Hmph." She was done here, there was no sense lingering any further.
The remaining goon was rubbing his chin, undressing Natalie with his eyes "You know Les, in the right dress, maybe…"
"Only those approved by the trio are let in," Lesley reminded the other man.
Natalie twisted on her heel, her skin crawled as she felt their eyes on her back. But she wanted out of the room before she tried anything. It could ruin anything Tifa was trying tonight. It was too soon to risk set backs for Tifa, like fighting in the foyer, or corridors of the mansion.
'The Trio.' Natalie thought, while the outer doors shut behind her, leaving her alone on the bridge.
Chocobo Sam was one. So there were two others. Cloud was heading back to the bar, where Barret waited. That left two people for Natalie.
'I need a plan C.' Her original plan had been sneaking in via rooftop. 'In case I can't do that. I'll have to deal with the rest of the trio.' She would rather break into a window than wear a dress though.
Natalie stood at the top of the stairs that went back down into Wall Market. Chewing on her tongue, she found herself leaning against one of the red pillars. It was topped with a lit lantern in a Wutai style.
Glancing back up at the multiple roofs of the Don's mansion. Natalie looked at the shadows that clung at the edges of the property. Natalie turned her mind to the current problem, she was going to have to get a better view of the full complex, before giving up on her original 'Plan B.'
Natalie squatted on a roof above the coliseum, one of the unlit rooftops. From here, she could sit in the darkness and watch the pagoda roof, thinking. The longer she looked, the more it looked like she would need a plan C.
While surveying her target, a familiar voice floated out of the crowd on the street below.
"Huh, yeah." A familiar voice said from nearby.
Natalie looked to the stairs far below, as a familiar spikey-blonde head of hair came up the stairs. Cloud was heading straight for Corneo's mansion. And he wasn't alone.
Natalie re-traced her steps, slipping back to the rooftop club in the area. Someone cried out to Natalie's back, when she appeared out of the darkness. She ignored them, taking the stairs down and around. Wall Market was a maze. But now she had been viewing from above for a while now.
The looping, brightly lit, streets were chewed up by her jogging steps. As Natalie came around and started up the slope to the mansion at the center of Wall Market.
Cloud was exiting the mansion as Natalie crested the stairs.
"Lee?" It was Cloud, with Aerith right behind him.
"Cloud."
Aerith peered at Natalie, her eyes sparkled in the seconds it too her to recognize Natalie. "Natalie?"
"Hi Aerith." Natalie said, still leaning against the red pillar.
Aerith and Cloud exchanged a glance and spoke on top of each other.
"You know Cloud?" she asked.
"How do you know Aerith?" Cloud demanded.
Natalie put up her hands, "Don't talk all at once now," she started.
Cloud shook of his question, rolling right into the next one. "Where's Tifa? Is she OK?"
"Tifa's fine," Natalie pointed at the mansion. "She's already inside."
Cloud's gaze hardened and stared at the mansion.
Aerith looked between Natalie and Cloud, looking torn.
Natalie hadn't seen Aerith often over the last few years. She wanted a hug, needed a hug, something anything.
"Do you have any ideas on how to get in there?" Cloud asked Natalie.
"I'm working on it."
Aerith bubbled over with eagerness, "We just need the approval of one of the Trio that runs Wall Market. And we can get inside."
Natalie asked "Yeah?"
"Mhh, hmm." Aerith answered. "The man inside was very helpful. There's Madam M, Andrea Rhodea, and Chocobo Sam. One, two, three." She pointed at each of them in turn, ending with herself.
Cloud caught something in Natalie's face. "What's wrong?"
"Someone already has Chocobo Sam's approval." Natalie told him.
"Tifa." He answered.
Natalie nodded. "A trio is made of three, and there are four of us."
Aerith looked undefeated, "Well, then, we'll just have to ask Chocobo Sam very nicely."
Natalie smirked, it deepened when she caught Cloud smirking as well at Aerith's determination.
"And if he says no?" Natalie asked Aerith.
Aerith perked up, "Then we'll just have to think of something else. But in the meantime," Aerith grabbed one of Cloud's arms. "Let's not leave Tifa waiting any longer."
Cloud looked pained, even as he let Aerith lead him back across the bridge.
Natalie turned to follow, when another person turned up on the bridge.
"So that's the way it is…." A red-headed man called from the other end of the short bridge. Who immediately launched into a monologue about saving Tifa.
'Johnny,' Natalie took in one of Tifa's friend. He was a bit of a fool, with red hair and a black jacket. But his heart was usually in the right place. Last she had heard, he had left town, the Sector Seven Slums. After nearly being arrested by Public Security the other day. And now he was here, in Wall Market. One town over and still ready to get into trouble.
Johnny finished his monologue about the trio and 'knowing what he must do now.' "Stay strong Tifa! Help is on the way!" Johnny finished, before running down the stairs into Wall Market.
Natalie just hoped that he didn't get into too much trouble.
Natalie, Cloud and Aerith watched his studded jacket run into the crowd, before leaving their sight.
"Not the sharpest tool in the shed," Aerith said, "Is he?"
Cloud answered simply, "nope." He started off, back into Wall Market himself. Leaving Natalie and Aerith to follow behind.
Aerith gave Natalie a small smile, while they were both several steps behind Cloud "It's good to see you again, Natalie."
"You too." Natalie managed a little smile, that did not reach her eyes. "And just 'Lee' is fine."
"Aww," Aerith patted Natalie on the shoulder. "Did you miss me?"
"Of course." 'Too much.' Natalie felt an ache, a something that could have been, if she had never left Sector Five.
Cloud threw a glance behind him while the three of them made their way through the streets. "How do you know Aerith?" He asked again.
"We met when I first came to Midgar." Natalie told him. She remembered, managing over the perimeter wall, staying in the church, a bed of flowers and a bit of music. As well as the Angeal-copy that had been staying there. Just the thought of the now-perished Angeal-copy caused an up swell in emotions. Her face was a mask to keep it in.
"Hmm," was all Cloud said.
Natalie put one foot in front of the other, between that and her training, she kept the emotions down. Pain lanced in her temple, distracting her from her next step and caught the edge of her boot on a paving stone. Her brain was stuffed full of memories, Angeal, Lazard, Zack, Sephiroth, even Genesis. She tried not to think of the time she had seen each of them alive last. Only a portion of them in the case of the Angeal-copies. Now all those people were dead.
A hand held Natalie's shoulder. "Are you all right?" Aerith asked.
Natalie hadn't noticed that she had come to a stop, she needed a drink.
Cloud was turned around, watching them both.
"Thanks," Natalie cupped Aerith elbow in her palm. "I'll be all right." 'Zack, I never told anyone about Zack.' She didn't want to when Cloud was wandering around fighting like him. Cloud had Zack's sword, Angeal's sword. Zack never would have given it up, unless…
Politely, Natalie pulled herself out of Aerith's hands. Pushing down thoughts of Zack, or the reasons she couldn't stay in Sector Five. Maybe one day Natalie could get over it and talk about him with someone. But not now, not tonight.
"You OK?" Cloud asked.
Natalie blinked, surprised by the concern in his voice. "I will be, let's get going."
Cloud turned and continued the way he had been heading before.
Natalie followed him, with Aerith behind her. Watching his back, Natalie considered that in the few hours that Cloud and Aerith had been around each other, he had already changed, for the better. She found herself with a little smile. Glad for the younger ex-SOLDIER's time well spent in the last day or so. It was becoming easier to treat him like he presented himself. An ex-SOLDIER, and not anything else.
Natalie hoped that a little of Aerith would rub off on her as well, they rounded the last corner that Cloud had been heading to.
Right back to Chocobo Sam's Taxi service.
Johnny was nearby, keeping to himself and cursing himself out for a failure.
"Not you two again." Chocobo Sam complained as the three of them approached him. "If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times-And you." He noticed Natalie now. "Don't tell me these two fools have you convinced to follow them in this plan."
Natalie only shrugged as Aerith stepped in.
"Now wait, here us out. You're one of the trio right? I need your help to get me an audition."
"Huh?" Sam grunted.
"Pretty please?" Aerith pleaded with him.
"Why not?" Chocobo Sam said.
Aerith brightened, "Really?"
"Sure," Chocobo Sam told her, "Next time an audition comes around, I'll put your name in the hat."
"Next time will be too late." Aerith clasped her hands together, pleading, "Can't you get me into this one?"
Chocobo Sam shut her down, "You want in now? No can do sweetheart. Already recommended Tifa. She's got this in the bag."
Aerith continued to take charge, "How can you be so sure Corneo will pick Tifa? You never know, he might pick me."
Natalie twisted the toe of her boot back and forth, the thought of Aerith in that place bothered her. It felt worse to think of Aerith or Tifa alone with Corneo. Even when Aerith and Tifa were strong enough to defend themselves.
"Damn," Chocobo Sam told her, "You really do want in don't you?"
"Sure do!" Aerith promised.
The man made a small smile and held up a gold coin, "then how's about we play for it?" with a flick of his thumb, the coin was in the air and just as quickly caught in Sam's fist. Pointing at his fist, he made a request of Aerith. "Call it Missy. Heads or tails. Guess right, and I'll grant you you're wish. Guess wrong and you'll leave me in peace."
While Aerith considered, Cloud broke his silence. "No thanks."
"Oh," Sam asked Cloud, "Not a gambler, huh?"
Aerith jumped up, "I am! Heads!"
"Hmm," Chocobo Sam opened the palm of his hand, revealing the Chocobo side of the coin. "Tails. You lose."
Natalie stared at the coin, it reminded her of a memory she couldn't place. While Cloud and Aerith sighed in defeat.
Chocobo Sam continued, "Hey, don't look so glum. You're a pretty enough gal, just… not quite Corneo's cup of tea."
Aerith only looked more defeated.
Chocobo Sam reassured her, "But if only the Don will do, try convincing one of the other two. That's why it's the trio and not just a me-oh. Now skedaddle." The man turned and headed back to his office inside.
"Wait." Cloud demanded. "Mind if I see that coin of yours?"
Chocobo Sam smirked and flicked the coin across the distance between the two men. Cloud snatched it out of the air as Chocobo Sam headed inside without another word.
Cloud turned the coin over in his fingers, then Aerith took it and examined it herself, gasping.
"Trick coin." Cloud explained, "I had a hunch."
Natalie swallowed, someone had given her a similar two-headed coin a long time ago. And she had lost it shortly after. Any further context was forgotten, devoured by the passage of time. She struggled to remember a two headed coin, or where she had seen it last. But the memory was gone like trying to grab smoke, dissolving to nothing in her hands.
"That's cheating!" Aerith declared.
Cloud went on, "and that's the Wall Market way."
Natalie had not thought about the man called Ardyn in a while, she scarcely remembered him at all. But her recollections were interrupted by another declaration from Aerith.
"Still cheating."
Natalie shook off her near-completely-forgotten past and interjected, "Mulling over a trick coin isn't getting any of us closer to approval from another of the trio."
Taking the coin back from Aerith, Cloud led the way back into Wall Market.
Natalie felt her stomach rumble passing so many food booths until they ended up where Cloud was headed. This lights of this dead end were brighter than the normal street.
Natalie looked up at the pink lights and wall of neon signage. The Honeybee Inn.
The eager crowd outside bubbled over about a show, men and women from topside. Also like Vegas.
"This the place?" Cloud asked the other two.
"Think so." Aerith said.
Cloud turned to face Aerith and Natalie, "Let me handle this. You two wait out here, OK?"
"And why would I do that?" Aerith asked him. "No, I'm coming with."
Natalie rolled her eyes, "hmm," she grunted.."
Cloud looked away from Aerith and Natalie, "I'm not really sure that-"
Aerith leaned towards Cloud, "you're a man of many talents, but talking isn't one of them."
Natalie added, "I'm not waiting out here alone."
Cloud sighed while his foot twisted back and forth. He did not argue with Aerith any further. Stepping up to the curtained doors of the Inn, Cloud went inside with Aerith and Natalie in tow.
Inside, the lights were lower than outside. The lighting was low enough to feel warm and intimate. With men and women in dance outfits coming and going. The other people inside were almost all topsiders, sitting around waiting for someone or the next show.
Cloud led the other two to the front desk, where they found a clean-shaven man in a honey-colored suit and a dark-patterned tie. Outside had been bright glamour and showiness. The design of the inside was designed for aesthetics pleasant to the eye.
It bothered Natalie how perfect everything looked. It made her feel like there was something to hide. Behind every glance from someone in a bee-themed outfit, every warm smile and wink. Natalie looked for danger, while she had an uncomfortable feeling that all this perfection was there just to get her to drop her guard. She didn't like it.
This was Wall Market after all.
The sharply dressed clerk welcomed the three of them, "Welcome to the heart and soul of Wall Market. The Honey Bee Inn. Is there a Honey Boy or girl who's company you desire?"
Cloud spoke first, "We're here to see Andrea Rhodea." Pronouncing the name the way Natalie didn't expect. 'Ann-drey-ah.'
"Ah," the Clerk responded, "The shining star of the Honey Bee Inn. Now, are you the one who made the appointment sir? Can I have your name?"
"Oh," Cloud realized, "We don't have an appointment."
The clerk continued to be the height of politeness, "I see, I'm terribly sorry sir. An appointment is required," the man sounded apologetic. "And the next available slot is three years from now."
Natalie narrowed her eyes, it had the sound of the man 'handling' the people that had just barged into the Inn.
Aerith shouted, "three YEARS?"
Cloud interjected at a normal volume, "All we want is five minutes. He can spare that."
Aerith brought her voice back down, "I need his help for the Corneo audition."
The clerk kept firm in not letting them get any further, "yes well. Regardless of the circumstances. You cannot meet him without an appointment."
Aerith kept trying, "is there really no other way?"
The clerk responded, "It is rare, but Mr. Rhodea does occasionally extend invitations to individuals who catch his eye. Otherwise," he started shaking his head, "I'm sorry. There really is nothing that can be done."
Aerith looked defeated, "I guess that's that then. Let's try someone else."
Natalie was studying the little rate sheet on the corner of the front desk. With her cache of Gil, the Honey Bee Inn could be easily afforded. There was nothing to indicate how much Andrea charged for his time. And in a building this glamorous, it had the feeling that if someone had to ask, they couldn't afford it. One of them would just have to 'catch his eye'.
Frowning, Natalie followed Aerith and Cloud back out into the street.
The three of them were snacking on street food, somewhere in Wall Market. Natalie had managed to get the other two to stop for the moment, and paid for their food herself.
"What now?" Aerith asked.
"There's only one member of the trio left." Natalie told her.
"Yeah, the owner of the hand massage parlor." Aerith was hopeful that they still had a shot.
"One more shot." Aerith said. Taking a last bite of the sweet bun Natalie had procured.
"Are you giving up already?" Cloud asked.
Natalie had to pause swallowing her next bite. There was something encouraging and playful in that tone. Very much not the hardened Cloud Natalie had come to know. It was good to see, but still surprising.
"I'm not giving up." Aerith told him. "Right Natalie?"
Natalie shook her head and swallowed the last of her bun. "Nope. Not giving up." She still didn't have a plan C formed, but she was still hoping that there was time for it.
Cloud dusted his gloved hands off, finishing first. "Let's go."
As much as a maze Wall Market was, they were in front of Madam M's Parlor in no time at all. Down one of the main streets to a quieter corner of the Market. With a low building in a more hand carpentry style that looked more homely, and less industrial than the rest of the Market. The roof, the timbers. Even the paper lanterns and low glow of the building. There was a back lit sign naming the business outside. But none of it used neon lights.
Inside was very quiet, with a tiled floor, wood paneling, and a painted wall paper aesthetic that also reminded Natalie of Wutai.
A woman in an elaborate updo, with her hair in a bun, decorated with several hair pins, greeted them. Wearing and elegant black kimono spoke up as the three of them entered the front of the establishment.
"Welcome," she purred, "Welcome. Just the three of you? Step right up." Fanning herself with a gold and black fan, made of either paper or silk. Probably hand painted too.
"Well then," the woman folded her fan and leaned over the front desk. "What manner of massage do you desire?"
Aerith asked, "Say what?"
The woman had a very warm smile, "Is this the first time in our establishment?" Continuing at Aerith's nod. "We are a hand massage parlor."
Natalie felt her eyebrows knit in confusion. As she listened to the hostess continue her explanation.
"An excess of fatigue and tension can make even the simplest task a terrible strain." She gestured with a perfectly manicured hand. "It is our pleasure to relieve our patrons of that tension. So now that we understand each other, what manner of massage do you desire?"
Cloud responded with, "we're not customers."
The woman quirked an eyebrow, "And you are?"
Aerith spoke up, "hoping you can get us an invite to get us an audition with…"
The woman cursed over Aerith, "Oh for the love of-" Her soft voice became hard and angry. "Say another word and I'll shove this fan right down your throat!"
That shut them up.
The woman started pacing behind her counter. "This is the last thing I need. You're young and stupid. So I suppose you'll think I'll let you off easy." She came around the desk and walked around Aerith, Cloud and Natalie.
"Well, you want a favor?" the woman in the Kimono continued, "Well, there's the thing. This is a massage parlor, a respectable establishment. But if you don't require our services…" Her voice jumped in anger, "then TELL ME!"
Aerith started backing up just under the force of the woman's words.
Natalie and Cloud only stared. They had both seen worse.
Their host continued, "is there any reason I shouldn't have all of you dragged outside and shot for wasting my valuable time!?" she turned on Cloud.
As short as he and Natalie was, they were both jut a little bit taller than the woman in the kimono.
She still acted like she was facing down Cloud. Her nose inches from his face as she ended with "WELL?"
Cloud wouldn't flinch under her glare.
The woman calmed down quickly, sizing Cloud up, and holding his chin with the tip of her fan.
"Hmm, name?" She asked him.
Non-plussed, Cloud looked across the fan at her. "Cloud Strife."
Natalie's mind started to wander. None of this was bringing her any closer to a plan to sneak into the Don's mansion. She started thinking about the darker part of the building in the back. She would need to case it again.
A giggle from the proprietor in the kimono, and the clink of Gil, brought Natalie back to right now.
Hiding her face behind her fan, the host instructed Cloud to head to the back room.
"Cloud?" Aerith asked.
He only shrugged and followed the owner to his hand massage. Leaving Aerith and Natalie at the front desk.
Natalie leaned against the wall as much as her belted sword would allow her. There were no chairs to sit on and wait.
Aerith broke the quiet before it became awkward. "So, did you find what you were looking for?"
Natalie shook her head, things were moving towards no visible end point any time soon, "No. I mean yes."
"Huh?"
"I'm still looking," Natalie corrected herself. "But I guess I found some things. Made friends, a place to hang my coat." She had an uneasy feeling about ShinRa retaliating for what they had done. But that was a 'tomorrow problem'.
Aerith brightened, "Good for you."
Natalie looked at the floor, reminding herself to be here, and not dwell on the unknown future. "How about you? What have you been up to the last month or so?" 'It's already been that long?' Standing in Banora, over the graves of one of her found family already felt like longer ago than that.
"Oh, you know, the usual. Finding strays and helping them along."
"Is that what Cloud is to you? A stray?"
Aerith smiled, "Why? What is he to you?"
Natalie looked away, considering her next words. 'That must be a record for talking about a guy so quickly after leaving us alone.' "He reminds me of my little brother, show him the ropes. Despite-" Natalie chose her next words carefully. "He's a natural leader, despite our age difference." Natalie shrugged.
"You're Second-class, right?"
"Was." Natalie reminded Aerith. Partly to spite the President and his words. 'Once a SOLDIER, always a SOLDIER.' "But I've been out of the program for longer." Natalie had more experience in general. But Seeing what Cloud was already capable of, it was easy to forget that he was playing at being a SOLDIER. Which was something she didn't know how to approach with the others, if ever.
"Why does that make you sad?" Aerith asked, full of curiosity and innocence, "Since you left?"
Natalie shook her head. "Life is just hard. I guess. But it's a little easier to do it with friends."
"So, you made other friends?" Aerith asked.
"Yeah," Natalie was sliding towards one word answers, while trying to tamp down missing the life she didn't remember.
"Like who? I remember you met someone at the Leaf House."
"Yeah, Biggs. He introduced me to his friends. And their friends."
"Like Tifa?"
"Yeah." Natalie sighed. The night was dragging on, but it wasn't that long ago that her and Tifa had parted at Corneo's mansion. Not long at all.
"Don't worry Lee," Aerith reassured Natalie. "We'll help Tifa."
Natalie smiled back at the other woman, though she didn't feel the smile reach her eyes.
Aerith's attitude was contagious.
"See? That wasn't so hard." Aerith complimented Natalie's smile. Her green eyes sparkling at Natalie.
"Hmm," was all Natalie said.
They both turned at the sound of a curtain being drawn and boots stomping on the wooden floor.
A distracted Cloud wandered out from the back, settling against the wall.
Aerith asked him if he was all right and got one word answers.
Natalie rolled her eyes where the proprietor could not see. 'I hope that was worth it.' She thought. Cloud paid at least a few thousand Gil for it. Natalie had no interest in a massage herself, and she told herself that it was because she was too cheap to spend a fraction of the Gil she had hidden on her. But it felt like a lie, there was another reason and she didn't want to think about it. About relaxing around someone, being touched by them. Natalie wasn't interested in any of that.
Meanwhile, Aerith was talking to the woman who ran the massage parlor, Madam M.
"Really?" Aerith responded, full of cheer at the affirmation Natalie had been a little too distracted to hear.
"But," Madam M continued, "you cannot go dressed like that."
Natalie was getting distracted, shifting gears to her own plan into the mansion.
Aerith turned to Cloud "Is something wrong with my outfit?"
"Does it matter what I think?" He told her.
Aerith turned to Natalie "Lee?"
"Look," Madam M sounded annoyed, "Just take it outside the parlor, would you."
"Sorry," Aerith apologized, "We'll stop. So, what should I do about the outfit?"
"Mmm, hmm." Madam M smiled. "Just leave that to me. I'll put you in a dress so fabulous, you'll look like a million Gil." She kept fanning herself. "So long as you can afford it."
Cloud stepped forward, no longer distracted. "How much?"
"What I said." Madam M told him.
Natalie's stomach sank, she had a lot of Gil. But even she didn't have that much.
"But don't worry," Madam M told them, "it's obvious you can't afford a dress with that kind of price tag. So listen, I have an idea. There's an underground coliseum in this town."
Natalie had heard of it. A lot of press about what was in Wall Market had spread through the slums. But making it in the coliseum came with a reputation, which Natalie never wanted. So she had never been.
Madam M continued, "Up for a fight Cloud? Good. Because I'm getting you into that arena. If you win the tournament, I'll turn Aerith into a drop dead gorgeous beauty."
Cloud asked, "there any prize money?"
"Yes." Madam M told him. "For the person who got you in. So, what do you say?"
Cloud answered without hesitation, "all right."
Natalie felt her lips press together thinly. She didn't like the sound of this or Cloud going in alone.
Madam M handed over the paperwork. "That's what I like to hear. You'll need this. They're already letting fighters inside. You should hurry, run along."
Cloud led the way out of the parlor, walking like a man on a mission straight to the coliseum building.
Aerith asked, "What have we gotten ourselves into?"
"Nothing good," Cloud answered. "I wouldn't expect a fair fight in this town."
"Neither would I." Lee added.
Aerith asked, "Think we can win it all?"
Natalie missed a step. Whatever Cloud and Natalie had assumed, Aerith was already talking about competing as a group.
Cloud hadn't noticed Natalie nearly losing her step behind him, "That's something I'm definitely sure of."
Aerith's smile could be heard in her words, "I appreciate the confidence, just don't get too cocky. Okay?"
Natalie only smirked. Cloud would be fine, especially with Aerith to watch his back.
They made the last turn to the coliseum. The street was far more crowded now. Full of people milling about to enter the area. Chatting, bragging, full of anticipation.
Natalie felt the smirk slide off her face. This coliseum, in this sort of town, had the markings of blood sport. They would have to be on top of their game and people could get really hurt. This was no Virtual Reality simulation. This was real.
The three of them lined up near the entrance for fighters. Where a man in a resplendent silk coat, with monkey-knot buttons, and gold details on his coat, greeted them. "What's this? You're here to compete?" He shook his head. "I want you to know, you're cutting it really close. The three of you are a team?"
"What?" cloud asked. "Team? No, it's just me."
Aerith leaned forward, bowling over Cloud's words. "Yes! The three of us are a team." Aerith looked to Cloud. "I really need to get into that audition, but I won't let anyone fight my battles for me. That includes you mister."
Cloud sighed as the man at the door responded. "All right, team it is."
"Is that all right with you, Lee?" Aerith asked Natalie.
Natalie shrugged, "It's fine. I can't help you get to the audition from the sidelines."