I Never Let Her Die! (Aerith x Male Gamer Reader)

Disk 01: Chapter 06: Junon Harbor Reloaded

After the encounter with Yuffie we traveled on for several more hours before making camp for the night. Even with someone awake at all times during the night, the ninja somehow managed to slip into our camp undetected and make herself at home. We awoke the following morning to find her eating pilfered rations and asking how long it would take to reach Junon, the height of feigned innocence as if she belonged in the group all along. Tifa glared and Barrett shook his head and grumbled curses under his breath, but since we had agreed that she might be useful, nothing was said out loud.

In fact, over the next morning Yuffie did prove her worth in three monster attacks, and even Barrett started to come around to her, at least until the "Are we there yet's" started. The first one came around noon, and they continued every hour for the next four days.

It was like clockwork. Every hour, on the hour, Yuffie would loudly exclaim "Are we there YET?" and at least one of us would shout at her to shut up, and she would groan in exasperation. By the end of the trip, only Aerith had yet to snap at the girl, and I could tell that even she was getting very, very close. Fortunately, the last time she asked there was a different answer.

It was around one in the afternoon when Yuffie again asked the question, and from the front of the group Red answered "Yes."

The girl started to groan as usual, then realized the answer wasn't no this time. "Wait? What? Yes? We're actually here?"

"Indeed." Red replied. "Come and see." We all climbed to the top of a rise and looked down on the sea, and the port nestled against the cliffs.

"It's like a small version of the Midgar plate." Aerith noted, staring down at the base.

Barrett answered "Yeah. Way I understand it, Fort Junon was actually the prototype for the larger plate in Midgar."

"Are there slums underneath the base?" Tifa asked.

"Sure are. Shinra goes out of their way to hurt people everywhere they go."

Cloud said "If Sephiroth is here, it's unlikely he would bother with the old town underneath at all. He'd be up in the actual fort somewhere... But how can we get in there? It's gonna be guarded like crazy."

I said "Maybe we should head for the town itself first. With that ugly sun-blocking base overhead, it's bound to be full of people who don't like Shinra and might be willing to help us."

"Hmmph. Not a bad idea." Barrett admitted. "If anyone knows a way to get up on that plate it'd be the locals. Alright, let's go."

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Our arrival created a stir in town. Old women stared before pulling drapes closed, and little children hid and peered out from behind building corners and piles of debris. I was waiting tensely for the sound of a scream that would indicate Bottomswell's attack, but nothing was forthcoming. Then a lone man emerged from his home and approached us. "If you're who I think you are." he said. "You'll come with me before the security patrols catch sight of you."

Having little in the way of better options, we followed. Once inside and out of sight, Cloud said "We appreciate the help, but why are you doing it?"

"You are Avalanche, right?" the man replied. "Mr. Wallace's face is on wanted posters all across the continent. Yours too Miss Lockhart. None of us here in Junon has any great love for Shinra. If I can assist you, I'm not missing the chance."

"What we need is to get up to the Fort itself." Cloud answered.

"Hmm... That's tricky. There's an elevator, but they card everyone." The man turned his head and shouted "Pris?" A small girl ran into the room. "This is my daughter Priscilla. Oh, and I'm Jansen." He said. "If you need anything at all, just ask and she'll get it for you. Meanwhile, give me a day or so and I'll see about finding a way to get you up top."