"Oh crap, where is everyone!?" The officer shouted.

Cloud and Gordon, who were dressed as Shinra troopers, were outside in the streets of the city along with the officer and a squad of Shinra troops, no parade in sight however.

"They might've gone on without us." One trooper said, "I have an idea."

The trooper then went over to a nearby alley.

"We can cut through here and meet up with them!" He said.

"Good idea, now let's move."

Everyone else followed the trooper through the alley. It wasn't long before the parade was right before.

"Alright, all of you get into position now and follow along! And don't screw up! This is being broadcasted across the world!" The officer shouted.

"Shit what do we do?" Gordon said to Cloud.

"Just get into the parade and act natural, don't do anything that would attract attention." Cloud responded.

"A-Alright." Gordon said.

Both him and Cloud split up into different marching groups, Cloud was in the group in front of Gordon.

Both of them stayed in line as best they could without breaking formation. Unfortunately for Gordon, an itch was starting to form……inside of his VR headset.

"Oh fuck." Gordon said, "I'll just scratch it real quick."

He pulled the VR headset away from his face and began scratching. While he was doing that, a Shinra trooper next to him looked over at him briefly.

What he saw made him scream, jump, and fall to the ground.

"What the hell are you doing!?" The officer shouted, running over to the trooper.

"Huh?" Gordon said, readjusting the headset back onto his face.

"What are you doing trooper!? Are you trying to embarrass us!?" The officer shouted.

"I-I-I-" The trooper stammered, very clearly shaken.

By the time Gordon could see what the commotion was about he was already a good distance away from where the trooper had fallen and the officer was lecturing him.

"What the hell was that about?" Gordon said to himself.

"Is the airship ready to take off?" Rufus Shinra asked.

Gordon and Cloud were able to link up again (although they have yet to run into Tifa or anyone else from the party) and were with a group of Shinra troops standing before Rufus Shinra, the current president of Shinra. Along with him was Heidegger, Shinra's head of public safety.

"It's almost ready sir!" Heidegger said, "Only a few more days until it's fully operational!"

"What about the Gelika?" Rufus asked.

"Same deal, only a few more days!" Heidegger replied, laughing while he said that.

"Ensure that they are both ready by then" Rufus said, cutting off Heidegger,

"Things might have been different when my father was running things, but I'm not as lenient. Now is my ship ready to set sail?"

"Yes sir." Heidegger said, this time in a more serious tone.

"Good." Rufus said.

He then boarded a lift. Heidegger then turned to look at the group Cloud and Gordon were apart of.

"What the hell are you all looking at?! Get moving!" He shouted.

He then boarded the same lift Rufus was on and the lift went upwards.

"What the heck's up with him?" One trooper asked.

"He's been like that since that guy in the black cape and that security guard showed up." One trooper replied.

"Guy in a black cape and a security guard?" Gordon asked.

"Yeah" A trooper replied, "They showed up a few days ago and killed a couple of our guys. Heidegger had us patrolling day and night without any breaks to find them."

"Do we know where they are now?" Cloud asked.

"No, they disappeared after that. Some guys here think it's Sephiroth along with that guy he hangs around."

Gordon then looked at Cloud in way that said 'They're here (or were here) we just have to keep following along and we'll be able to catch up to them'

"Enough chat!" The officer shouted, "Get moving now!"

The Shinra troopers then went in separate directions, leaving Gordon and Cloud the only ones left.

"You two, follow me! We're gonna go see President Shinra off!"

Cloud and Gordon followed the officer.

A line of Shinra troopers stood outside of Rufus Shinra's ship, in that line were Cloud and Gordon.

"This is our chance to sneak aboard." Gordon whispered to Cloud, "Do you think the others were able to make it through?"

"Maybe." Cloud replied, "Right now we just need to worry about getting onboard ourselves."

Gordon nodded as Rufus Shinra and Heidegger came out from the nearby building and walked over to the aircraft.

"President Shinra on deck! ATTENTION!" The officer shouted.

Cloud, Gordon, and the rest of the troops stood in attention as Rufus and Heidegger walked past them. He shot a glance at the troops as he walked by, and for a brief moment Gordon and Rufus' eyes met before Rufus continued on.

"Is the ship ready to cast off?" Rufus asked.

"Yes sir!" An officer shouted.

"Good." Rufus said, "Once news of Sephiroth and his accomplice's appearance becomes known, Cloud and co. are more than likely to come running over."

"Fear not sir! When they arrive we'll be sure to crush them!" Heidegger shouted.

"Ensure that you do." Rufus said, "But Heidegger-"

Rufus then turned to face Heidegger.

"The one in the orange armor, I want him alive at all costs. Understood?"

"Yes sir!" Heidegger said, as he and Rufus boarded.

Gordon stood their dumbfounded at what Rufus just said.

'What the hell does Shinra want with me?' Gordon thought.

He then looked at Cloud who had his head fully turned at him and was giving him a look that read 'What the hell does Shinra want with you?'

"All of you, get moving! We're boarding now!" The officer shouted.

Cloud and Gordon then boarded the ship along with the rest of the troops.

'I'll have to tell Tifa about this.' Cloud thought.