Characters
Narrator: Red XIII
Juliet: Aerith Gainsborough
Romeo: Cloud Strife
Rosaline: Tifa Lockhart
Lady capulet: Elmyra Gainsborough
Sir capulet: died before Aerith met him
Count Paris: Tseng
Juliet nurse: Jesse Raspberry
Prince Esculas: Rufus Shinra
Lady Montague: Claudia Strife
Sir Montague: president Shinra
Mercutio: Zack Fair
Tybalt: Sephorith
Fair Laurence: CID
Fair John: Barrett
Benvolio: Vincent valentine
Prologue & Summary
Prologue
Act 1 scene 1
A beast with a flaming tail, crimson fur, deadly claws, and with the ability to speak. Stepped on to the stage. His name is Nanaki but goes by Red XIII.
Two gangs,
both alike in dignity,
In fair Midgar,
where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge
break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood
makes civil hands unclean.
From forth the fatal
loins of these two foes
A pair of star-cross'd
lovers take their life;
Whose misadventured
piteous overthrows
Do with their death
bury their gangs strife.
The fearful passage of
their death-mark'd love,
And the continuance
of their gang's rage,
Which, but their friends end,
nought could remove,
Is now the two hours'
traffic of our stage;
The which if you with
patient ears attend,
What here shall miss,
our toil shall strive to mend.
Chapter 1
The air hung thick and heavy, a miasma of coal smoke and
desperation clinging to the lower levels of Midgar. A
colossal city, built on a series of colossal plates stacked
precariously atop one another, it was a monument to both
breathtaking ambition and stark inequality. Above, in the
shimmering, almost ethereal upper plates, life was a
spectacle of gleaming chrome, luxurious apartments, and the
almost arrogant display of Shinra Electric Power Company's
wealth. Below, in the suffocating underbelly of the city, a
different story unfolded – a grim tableau of poverty, despair,
and the ceaseless struggle for survival. This was the city of
contrasts, a microcosm of the world's injustices, a perfect
stage for a tragedy of Shakespearean proportions.
Aerith Gainsborough, a young woman with eyes as vibrant
as the wildflowers she tended, navigated the labyrinthine
alleyways with a practiced ease that belied her delicate
frame. Her bare feet, toughened by years spent traversing
these unforgiving streets, barely registered the grime
clinging to the cracked pavement. Her flower stall, usually a
vibrant splash of color against the city's grim backdrop, was
tucked away in a shadowed corner, a refuge from the ever-
present gaze of Shinra's omnipresent security forces. She
moved with a quiet grace, her movements economical and
precise, a dancer in a world where every step carried a risk.
The air reeked of desperation; the smell of stale sweat,
unwashed bodies, and desperation was an ever-present
companion. The cacophony of the slums - the groans of
overworked machinery, the cries of street vendors hawking
their wares, and the muffled cries of children—washed over
her, a constant reminder of the city's brutal reality. Yet,
amidst this chaos, there was a strange resilience, a stubborn
refusal to be broken. People here relied on each other, their
bonds forged in the crucible of shared hardship. They knew
each other's stories, shared their meager resources, and
offered a hand to those in need. Aerith was a part of this
intricate web, a vital thread connecting the community. Her
flowers, symbols of hope and beauty, were not mere
commodities; they were tokens of resilience, a small
defiance against the suffocating reality of their existence.
The presence of Shinra was never far away. The hulking
silhouettes of Mako reactors, throbbing with the city's
lifeblood, loomed in the distance, their incessant hum a
constant reminder of the corporation's power. Their
mechanical sentinels patrolled the streets, their cold, metallic
eyes scanning the populace, their presence a stark warning
against dissent. Any act of defiance, no matter how small,
could trigger a swift and brutal response. The Turks, Shinra's
elite intelligence unit, were the corporation's shadowy
enforcers, moving silently and efficiently through the city's
underbelly, their presence a subtle threat that hung heavy in
the air. They were the unseen eyes and ears of Shinra,
ensuring their control over every aspect of life within
Midgar.
Aerith, however, held a secret connection to the resistance.
She was not merely a flower girl; she was a vital link to
Avalanche, a clandestine group of rebels fighting against
Shinra's oppressive rule. They were a beacon of hope for the
city's downtrodden, a symbol of resistance against the
corporate giant. Their methods were often drastic, bordering
on reckless, but their conviction was unwavering. Their
shared cause created a silent understanding, a connection
built on the mutual desire to liberate Midgar from Shinra's
iron grip. Her knowledge of the city's hidden pathways and
her intimate connection with its inhabitants made her an
invaluable asset to Avalanche, a shadowy figure weaving
through the city's underbelly, passing information, and
organizing support for the rebellion.
The upper plates presented a stark contrast. Here, life was a
spectacle of unimaginable luxury and extravagance. Shinra's
executives lived in opulent apartments, their lives a
testament to their ruthless acquisition of wealth and power.
The air itself felt different, cleaner, less burdened by the
city's grime. The streets were pristine, patrolled by
immaculately dressed guards, a far cry from the squalor and
danger of the lower plates. This was a world of lavish
parties, exclusive gatherings, and the constant celebration of
wealth and power – a world seemingly untouched by the
poverty and suffering that festered only a few levels below.
This visible disparity between the haves and have-nots was a
constant reminder of the deep chasm that divided Midgar,
mirroring the ancient feud between the Montagues and
Capulets, a conflict that had been simmering for generations,
fueled by bitter rivalries and irreconcilable differences.
Yet, even amidst this opulence, the shadow of fear lurked.
The constant reminder of Shinra's power was omnipresent, a
palpable sense of oppression that permeated every aspect of
life in the upper plates. The inhabitants, despite their wealth
and privilege, lived under the watchful eye of the
corporation, their lives subject to its whims and dictates. The
veneer of civility and sophistication concealed a deep
undercurrent of anxiety and fear, a constant awareness of the
corporation's ability to crush any sign of defiance with
ruthless efficiency. This oppressive atmosphere created a
tension that contrasted sharply with the desperate but defiant
spirit of the slums below, creating an intricate tapestry of
fear and resistance that shaped the very soul of Midgar.
Aerith, a small flower of defiance amidst the overwhelming
power of Shinra, represented the heart of this rebellion. Her
actions, though seemingly insignificant, held immense
significance within the complex web of Midgar's political
landscape. She was a symbol of hope, a testament to the
enduring spirit of the city's oppressed, a silent warrior
fighting a battle against an overwhelming adversary. Her
vibrant spirit, untouched by the grim reality of her
surroundings, contrasted sharply with the cold efficiency of
Shinra, mirroring the passionate defiance of a Juliet
navigating the oppressive confines of a cruel and unforgiving
world. She was a force to be reckoned with, a delicate flower
possessing an inner strength that would soon become crucial
in the unfolding conflict. The city of contrasts awaited its
moment, its fate intertwined with that of a young flower girl
and the rebellion she silently served. The stage was set, and
the tragedy was about to begin.