I was heading back to Madam M's massage parlor when I noticed a commotion going on down the street ahead of me. A cluster of people was crowded all around the area looking at something or someone, but from where I was, I couldn't tell what had gotten them all so interested. Then I saw Johnny coming toward me, shooing aside the onlookers as someone followed closely behind him.
"Cloud!" he called. "Glad I caught ya. Look who's here!"
I stared as he stepped aside. "Aerith?"
It was her. She was wearing a strapless red silk dress and heels, and her hair had been undone from its usual braid and hung loosely down her back aside from her long bangs. Her pink ribbon was still fastened in the back, though, with that strange whitish-green materia of hers in the middle. Aerith also had a pair of red high heels on her feet, and her lips glistened with matching lipstick.
"Hi there," she said.
I nodded. "Hey. That's really..."
Aerith laughed. "I know. Corneo's got certain... tastes. The way he likes his girls to look. But this thing's so hard to move around in. Kinda gaudy, too. Or maybe I'm just not used to it."
"Right," I agreed.
"So?" she put her hands on her hips. "How do I look?"
I blinked. "Uh... nice."
Aerith shook her head hopelessly. "Well, you're a lot of fun, Cloud. You should've said something sweet like, 'you look beautiful, Aerith' or maybe even 'you're really hot in that dress.' Haven't you ever told Jessie how great she looks before?"
"A little," I admitted. "But not often."
She chuckled. "Obviously. Better keep practicing."
I shrugged. "Whatever. So, Johnny, I thought you were heading off to see Sandra. The girl from the bar?"
"I was," he said. "But I ran into Aerith on the way there. She was on her way to see you after leaving Madam M's place, so I went ahead and brought her back here so she wouldn't get lost."
"Thanks for the escort," she flashed him a smile.
Johnny did a low, sweeping bow. "No problem, Aerith! Always glad to help out a pretty lady."
She winked at me. "See! That's how you do it!"
"I guess so," I said.
"Well, this is it for me," Johnny grinned. "I'm off to see Sandra now. And I'm really glad you two are looking out for Tifa. So break her outta Corneo's den of debauchery, alright?"
Aerith nodded. "We will, Johnny. And good luck!"
With a jaunty little wave, he hurried away as I gave the small crowd that had gathered around us a hard stare. They dispersed quickly after that with hushed murmurs as I pointedly ignored Aerith's disapproving frown. No sense having people gawking at her like that, even if she did like the unexpected attention she was getting.
"So what now?" I said.
"Now it's your turn to get all prettied up, Cloud," Aerith giggled. "I can't wait to see how it turns out!"
I sighed. "Better head over to Gant's, then."
"Yep! And after you get changed, it's back to the Honeybee Inn we go! Madam M sent word to Andrea about us while you were gone, and he's interested in having a meeting. You'll need to impress him, though, to earn that letter of approval. I've already got one from Madam M. But I'm sure you can win him over, Cloud."
"How?" I wondered.
She shrugged. "Dunno. But it's sure to be fun!"
Laughing excitedly, Aerith led the way back to Gant's shop. I'd been able to avoid thinking too much about this part of the plan while doing all the different tasks to get ready for it, but now that it was time for me to actually change into my disguise—I pointedly avoided thinking of it as anything else—I found I wasn't looking forward to it. I didn't have a choice if I wanted to save Tifa, though.
"Wow, you look great!" Lydia beamed when she saw Aerith.
"Thanks!" Aerith smiled. Then she glanced pointedly at me. "Well, Cloud? Wanna give it a try?"
I scratched my head. "Um, you look great."
She smirked. "Well, it's a start, anyway. Thanks, Cloud."
"You ready?" Gant asked.
"I suppose," I said. "Let's get this over with."
He handed me the dress and wig, and I headed toward the dressing room to get changed. On the way, I glanced over my shoulder at Aerith as she trailed behind me. She stopped when she saw me looking at her, and I was pretty sure she knew why.
"Don't go poking your head in this time," I told her.
"Wouldn't dream of it!" Aerith promised.
I left her standing there with her hands behind her back, whistling innocently as I hurried into the dressing room and closed the curtains behind me. Taking off my merc's gear, I slipped on the dress, arranging it as well as I could. I realized then that Gant had padded it in the front of the chest to give me some curves and make it look more convincing. I couldn't believe I was really doing this.
After setting the wig on my head and making sure the braids hung down the front of my shoulders, I took out the diamond tiara I'd gotten from the materia vendor and put it on top. Then I sprayed myself with a bit of that perfume Sandra had given me at the bar. When I was done, I looked at myself in the mirror and sighed.
Aerith gasped and clapped her hands together in excitement when I stepped out of the dressing room. "Oh, look at you, Cloud! We're sure to get into the Don's mansion now!"
"We'd better," I grimaced. "And Aerith?"
"Hmm?" she asked.
I gazed firmly at her, folding my arms in front of me. "Once this is over... don't say a word. To anyone. Understand? Especially Jessie. You know how she is. I'd never hear the end of it."
She giggled. "But you're so pretty!"
"Aerith!" I looked away.
"Oh, you..." she laughed. "Hmm... you might wanna wear makeup to really sell the look. But Andrea's people can probably help with that. And try to walk more nicely. Like this."
I blinked. "Nicely?"
She moved gracefully down the aisle, her steps smooth and clearly feminine. I watched her closely, trying to see how she did it, but when I tried, it just felt awkward. Fortunately, Aerith was a patient teacher, and she spent a few minutes showing me what I needed to do, going side by side with me as I worked it out. By the time we were done and I moved up front to the counter, I was walking a bit more like her, enough that I figured I could fool anyone who looked at me.
Lydia gaped at me. "That's... really something!"
I nodded. "Uh, thanks."
"Not bad," Gant said. "Might be a new business for me. Looks good on you, Cloud. Really good, in fact."
"Yeah, I think you're right, Dad," Lydia agreed. Then she smiled at Aerith and I. "Thanks for your help, guys. You gave us a new direction, and Dad's motivated again. So the dress is on us."
Aerith hugged her. "Oh, you're welcome. You helped us, too."
"Good luck," Lydia said. "I hope you find your friend."
"We will," Aerith assured her.
Lydia slipped back behind the counter. "You two are gonna be just like Firebrand! I really admire her, you know. Some people say it's only a story, something made up because everyone's tired of Corneo and his thugs running things into the ground here, but I think she's real. I wish I could be brave like her, but I'm just a sales clerk. Not much chance for heroics in an everyday place like this."
Gant looked at her. "You don't need to be runnin' into danger, girl. It's tough enough worryin' about Don Corneo and whether he'll decide to bring you in for one of his auditions. I don't really care about sendin' him his cut of our profits, but I ain't handin' you over."
"I know, Dad, and I love you," she said. She turned back to us. "You see, ever since she outwitted Corneo and made her escape, Firebrand's become a symbol of hope for the young women of Wall Market. Not all of Corneo's potential brides come from the Trio. Those girls go to him willingly. But a lot of others don't."
"What do you mean?" Aerith wondered.
Lydia went on. "He often sends his men all across town to find him his girls, get them dolled up, and drag them over to his mansion. I had a close friend who was picked one night almost a year ago. Marcy. And I... I haven't seen her since then."
"I'm sorry," Aerith murmured. "And I think I understand."
"We're afraid of Corneo, all of us young women. Our families, too. He doesn't care if we're married or have kids. All he wants is to have his fun, if you can call it that, and then dispose of us when it's over. I'm just about the right age for his auditions. And I've seen his men outside the shop sometimes. I... I think they might pick me soon. I'm only sixteen, but Corneo's taken girls that young before."
I frowned. "Why don't you just leave town?"
"I couldn't do that," Lydia said.
"That ain't true," Gant argued. "You could go stay with your aunt in Sector 5. You'd be safe there, Lydia."
She shook her head. "We've had this argument before, Dad. It's way too much work for you to run the shop all by yourself. And your health isn't so good, either. Especially after all that drinking. I know the risks, but I'm not gonna leave you here alone."
Aerith smiled. "You're a lot braver than you think, Lydia."
"Huh?" she blinked. "What do you mean?"
"Risking your life to stay here and help your dad," Aerith answered. "Even though you could leave town at any time. Might not be as flashy as fighting monsters or Corneo's thugs, but what you're doing still takes courage. Firebrand would be proud."
Lydia stared at her. "Really? You mean that?"
Aerith took her hands. "You bet. I think I see why you girls look up to her so much. If she could get away from Corneo, then maybe there's a chance that any of you could, too."
"That's right," she said. "If I ever get picked..."
"You won't," Aerith told her.
Lydia gazed at her. "How do you know?"
"We won't let Corneo or his men hurt you," Aerith promised. Then she glanced at me. "Right, Cloud?"
"Right," I nodded.
Lydia blinked away a sudden rush of tears. "Thank you! I... I don't know what to say... I've just been so scared, waiting for the night when his men would come and take me away. You see, if Don Corneo doesn't get enough volunteers from the Trio, he makes up the difference using the girls his goons bring him. Three girls for every audition, no matter if they want to be there or not. And I don't."
Aerith squeezed her hands gently. "We're gonna deal with Corneo, Lydia. You don't have to be afraid anymore."
Lydia sped back in front of the counter and threw her arms around Aerith in a tight embrace as Gant ruffled her brown hair fondly. After a minute, she let go, then did the same to me. Caught off guard by Lydia's unexpected hug, I stumbled backwards a little and held my arms out to either side at first. But then, hesitantly, I slid my arms around her for a moment while Aerith grinned in approval.
Then Lydia finally let go. "Sorry, I just... me and all the other girls in this town, we've been hoping and waiting for someone to come here and finish what Firebrand started. And now... here you are. So go kick Corneo's fat, ugly ass for us, okay?"
"You can count on it," Aerith assured her.
"If you can put the smackdown on that toad, I'd be really grateful," Gant put an arm around Lydia's shoulder as he looked at us. "Lydia's all I have left. She was ten when Corneo's thugs took her mother away. My wife. I'd have left this town long ago, but..."
"But what?" I asked.
He glanced at Lydia. "You don't know this, hon. Never wanted you to. But if it helps these good folks put Corneo in his place, I won't keep it secret anymore. And you're old enough to hear it."
She frowned. "What do you mean?"
"The day after your mother was taken, I went right up to Corneo's mansion and demanded he let her go. Of course, I got turned away. He paid me a visit later, though. Knew I was a dressmaker. And that I had a daughter. Said if I didn't sew dresses for his brides, he'd send his men out to take you away once you were old enough. I wasn't gonna let that happen, so I agreed to his terms. I had to stay."
"Dad..." Lydia breathed.
He sighed. "But lately, I realized I couldn't trust him to keep up his end of the bargain. I've seen his men outside the shop too, Lydia. But I didn't know what to do about it. I felt stuck, out of options, and tired of it all. I was afraid to lose you, but I didn't know how to protect you. So that's the real reason I started drinking. It let me forget about it all for a while. Bein' bored making normal clothes was just a bad excuse. But... I can't be hidin' in the bottle anymore."
Lydia hugged him tight. "I love you, Dad."
"Love you too, sweetie," he told her. Then he smiled apologetically at us. "Sorry for gabbin' on for so long. But I thought you should know. It kinda felt good, gettin' it all out. But we won't keep ya any longer. Go save your friend and give Corneo a good thrashin' while you're at it. I'll have your gear sent to Andrea, Cloud. He'll get it to you once you need it. And Madam M's got you covered, Aerith."
"Yep, she does!" Aerith agreed. "Take care, you two."
Then we left, heading outside and through the winding streets. As we made our way toward the Honeybee Inn, I couldn't help but realize I was being looked at, noticed, and admired by a lot of the men that we passed. Aerith giggled at the low whistles and flirty lines they gave me, but I just ignored them, wanting to get this crazy plan done as fast as I could. I glared at the guys that tried to hit on us.
"You get this a lot?" I asked Aerith.
She shrugged. "Well, not so much at home. And it's partly because of how we're dressed. But being a girl does mean getting noticed. Can't get away from it completely. It's all part of being what we are. But don't you worry. You'll get used to it."
I grimaced. "Not sure I want to."
"You do make a really cute girl, though," Aerith chuckled. "Oh, and that reminds me. Madam M and I came up with a name for you to use during our little mission, something feminine. And you'll learn to love it, trust me! So, it's nice to meet you... Claire."
"Claire?" I blinked.
She smirked. "What do you think?"
I sighed. "It's okay, I guess."
"It's perfect!" Aerith winked, nudging me with her elbow. "Anyway, we're almost there. You'd better be ready, Clo—I mean, Claire. Madam M told me it's actually pretty rare for Andrea to take a personal interest in someone. He knows who you really are and why we're going into the mansion, though—she explained everything to him. So we'll march in there, talk with him, and get you your letter."
When we finally got to the Honeybee Inn, the doorman ushered us inside. To the left was a long, polished wood reception desk, and a soft red carpet lay over the black and white checked floor. Vases filled with silk flowers stood here and there, and past the desk, a set of stairs led to the second floor. A pair of cushioned sofas and a table sat on the other side of the room, with a few people there waiting, and just ahead of us, two wooden double doors stood closed.
The receptionist—a young guy wearing a yellow and black suit and tie—greeted us. "Good evening, ladies. And welcome to Wall Market's most famous entertainment extravaganza, the Honeybee Inn. How can I be of service? Is there a honeyboy or honeygirl whose company you'd enjoy sharing on this fine night?"
Aerith laughed. "No, thank you. We're here to see Andrea Rhodea. He's expecting us. Aerith and Claire."
"Ah, yes. Claire Farron?" the receptionist glanced at me. "I've been given instructions to send you and your friend Aerith through without delay. Please make your way to the stage."
"What stage?" I asked.
He pointed to the double doors. "The one in the back, ma'am. Just through those doors and down the hall."
I nodded, heading with Aerith through the lobby until we reached the doors. After pushing them open, we entered a six-sided room with a fountain in the middle. Like the room, it had six sides. I was halfway to the next set of doors when I suddenly stopped as I realized what the receptionist had called me.
Aerith looked me. "Cloud? I-I mean, Claire?"
"Nothing," I said. "Just... not used to being called ma'am. And lady. It feels a little... weird. No offense."
"None taken," she giggled.
I shrugged. "Guess we know the disguise works."
She grinned. "It sure does! But you know, you should probably try to do something about your voice."
"My voice?" I asked.
"Well, it's kinda deep," she said. "Try using a higher pitch."
I did as she said. "Um, like this?"
Aerith burst out laughing, her hands flying to her mouth. "Oh, that is so cute, Cloud! But, uh... we'll work on it, okay?"
"It's Claire," I reminded her.
"Whoops," she chuckled. "Anyway, let's go. Andrea's waiting for us. Do whatever you've gotta do to impress him."
I sighed. "I know, Aerith. I will."
Taking a breath, I went through the door to the stage, Aerith right behind me. The room was a large lounge area, with over a dozen tables set out in staggered levels that descended toward the actual stage itself. Each of the tables was built like a booth and had six sides, and a single candle burned in the middle of every one. The bottom two sides of the tables were open to the stage, and the cushioned seating was along the top four. I looked around but didn't see Andrea.
"Well, just look at you, darling," a familiar voice said.
I looked to my right to see Madam M walking to one of the tables. "Yeah, I know. Where do I find Andrea?"
She smiled. "Oh, don't worry. He'll find you."
"Gonna be a helluva show," another voice drawled.
"Sam!" Aerith waved. "Hi!"
I looked to my left, and there he was. "You're here, too? And what's this about a show? We watching something?"
He tipped his hat to me. "Oh, we are. But not you."
I didn't get it. "What's that mean?"
"Oh!" Aerith exclaimed, squealing in delight. "Are you guys saying that Cloud's gonna be—"
"And here's the lady of the hour!" another girl cheered.
I blinked as three honeygirls suddenly converged on me. They had skimpy black leotards trimmed with gold, matching lace stockings that covered their legs all the way up to their hips, black high heels, flowers made out of silk in their hair, and makeup on their faces. The girls also wore slim black headbands with curving antennae on top, a set of large plastic wings on their backs, and a plastic, black and gold bee's tail with a stinger. They giggled as they surrounded me.
"Chosen by Andrea himself!" one of them announced.
The third girl took my hand. "You're our honored guest, honey. So come this way! We've got a table just for you!"
One of her friends laughed. "The show's about to start!"
Giving Aerith a helpless glance as she followed us, I sighed and let the honeygirls lead me over to the table, where they sat us down before joining us on either side. Aerith was smirking the whole time, not even trying to keep a straight face. Then the lights dimmed and more of the honeygirls and honeyboys entered the stage.
They started spinning and dancing, flitting across the stage. In the back was a giant flower of pink and green plastic. It was closed for now, but when the dancers and the music reached a crescendo, it opened to reveal a man who could only have been Andrea.
He wore a dark purple outfit that was almost black, and it had gold trim like the honeygirls' suits, a high collar, long tails in the back, and a wide open chest with a weblike pattern of fabric across it. Short sleeves went almost to his elbows and had the same design, like a web. He also wore a pair of shiny black shoes on his feet, and his brown hair was cut very short along with his thin beard.
Suddenly I felt myself being thrust up on stage as the honeygirls on either side of me pulled me up and gave me a playful push before I had even realized what was happening. I stumbled up there, not sure what I was supposed to do, and then straightened and walked toward Andrea, understanding now what Sam had meant.
Andrea held out his hand. "Welcome to the Honeybee Inn, Claire. You seek to earn my approval, but to do that, you must first prove that you know how to move. Only then will you win me over. So tell me, do you think you can follow my lead?"
I had to... dance? There didn't seem to be any doubt about it. But I didn't have a choice if I wanted to rescue Tifa and get back to Jessie. So I reluctantly resigned myself to doing this little exercise. Thinking of it like that helped a little, so I blocked out the crowd as best I could as the music kicked in again and we got started.
It went better than I'd expected, and I kept up with Andrea's moves pretty well, spinning across the stage and stepping to the beat. It wasn't so different from battle, where you have to keep your eyes on whatever you're fighting at all times. I just watched what he was doing and acted to match it the best I could. From the cheers of the crowd, they seemed to like it, Aerith in particular.
"Yeah, work it, Claire! Keep it up!" she grinned, clapping her hands above her head and dancing in her seat. "Woo-hoo! What a show! You go, girl! You're a star! A superstar! Yes!"
Then several six-sided platforms rose up on stage around us as the honeygirls and honeyboys kept on dancing. But Andrea and I were the main attraction. A sign at the back of the stage read "Honeybee Inn" in bright lights as our moves carried us back and forth amidst a collection of sound and color. He bent me over backward, gazed deep in my eyes, and smiled contentedly as I stared at him.
"Perfection," he murmured. Then he let me up and stood back. "I'll make you into a vision of beauty, Claire. An avatar of grace. You have a good start, but I will finish it for you."
He snapped his fingers, and two honeyboys brought out a chair of black wood while a pair of honeygirls sat me down in it. Then the four of them all crowded in and put makeup on me. Although they worked quickly, they weren't sloppy, and when they finally moved away and the crowd could see me, Aerith gasped in delight.
Andrea offered his hand. "You have won my favor, Claire. Now, let us finish the show and take our bows. And when it is over, come speak with me upstairs. I'll be waiting for you."
I took it, and we bowed as confetti burst around us. Then I stepped off stage and headed over to see Aerith. She looked ecstatic, smiling ear to ear, and I knew she had enjoyed every minute of my performance. I was ready to move on, though. In a hurry. But Sam and Madam M saw me and came over before I could get away.
"My, don't we look stunning?" Madam M quipped. "Not that I had any doubt. Aerith told me about your little plan and that you'd enlisted Gant and his daughter to help you prepare. They did an excellent job, I must say. I'll have to give them my regards."
"Can't say I ever understood why you gals go to so much trouble to gussy yourselves up like that," Sam said.
She narrowed her eyes. "And I doubt you ever will."
Sam blinked and scratched his beard. "What's with the attitude, M? I say somethin' wrong?"
"Far more than you know," she huffed, fanning herself. She turned to me again. "Now, off you go, Cloud. Good luck. And don't forget that Corneo plays for keeps. Andrea will fill you in on the rest and give you your letter, so don't keep him waiting."
I nodded. "Understood."
Aerith bounced along beside me as we headed to the doors. "That was incredible, Cloud! You were amazing! Too bad Jessie wasn't here to see it. She would've definitely loved it!"
"Yeah, I know," I said. "But remember, Aerith. Not a word."
"Party pooper!" she stuck her tongue out at me.
I opened my mouth to reply, then shut it again. There was no point arguing with her about it. I knew if Jessie ever found out about tonight and my little dancing routine, she'd tease me mercilessly about it. With plenty of help from Aerith, no doubt.
When we entered the room with the fountain, I realized there were four other doors, two on each side. Before I could stop her, Aerith went to the first one on the right, giggling all the way. She probably would've explored every foot of this place if we'd had the time. Shaking my head in resignation, I decided it couldn't hurt to let her indulge her curiosity for a few minutes before we moved on.
The room we entered was a spa of some kind, with a hot tub on the far end and a large painted mural along the back wall. Opposite the tub was a king-sized bed with a thick blue comforter, and a finely-knit rug lay across the floor. It was a suite of some kind, and as steam wafted up from the water, I realized what it was for. From Aerith's knowing grin, I knew she had figured it out as well.
"Mmm, nice..." she smirked. "I bet you and Jessie could have a lot of fun in here, Cloud. Especially in the jacuzzi."
I blushed fiercely. "Aerith!"
She winked. "Aw, look at you! You are so adorable! Throw in some soft music, pretty flowers—from me, of course—and chocolate and it'll be perfect! Jessie loves chocolate, you know."
"I, uh..." I stammered.
"Well, that settles it!" Aerith laughed, her hands on her hips. "Once we save Tifa, stop Corneo, and everything's calmed down again, you're gonna bring Jessie back here and woo her with a night of romance and passion! We'll reserve the room before we leave!"
My eyes widened. "W-What? I mean—"
Before I could finish, a sharp pain suddenly shot through my right temple, and I gasped, grabbing it and gritting my teeth. Wincing at the throbbing in my head, I was barely aware of Aerith calling my name as my eyes slid shut and I bent over. And then I heard another voice, this one in my mind. The young boy, talking to me again like he had before I'd first met Aerith in her old church.
— Hey. What do you think you're doing here? —
I could ask you the same thing.
— You're not gonna change anything by just thinking about it. She'll die if you don't act. You know that. —
How can I save her? What do I need to do?
— It all comes down to time. —
What do you mean?
— You're gonna have to make a choice, buddy. And you'll only have a split second to decide. Go one way, and she'll survive. Go the other, and she'll die. Time is everything. And hers is running out. —
What choice? I don't understand.
— You will. In the meantime, be careful and watch yourself. He's out there now, awakening. Calling to the others. And you. It's begun moving. Waiting for him. Everything starts here. —
Then the voice was gone, and I was back in the world again. I felt a soft hand on my arm and looked to my right to see Aerith gazing at me in concern. The pain had vanished as well, and as I looked at her, I let go of my head and straightened up again.
"Cloud?" Aerith asked, letting go of me. "Are you okay?"
"I'll be fine," I answered.
Worry filled her face as we left the room. "Don't scare me like that! You just doubled over all of a sudden."
"Sorry," I said. "It caught me by surprise, too."
"Has this happened to you before?" Aerith wondered.
I nodded. "Now and then."
She sighed. "I don't like it, Cloud. And I'm gonna take a good look at you later on. I know a few tricks for healing bumps and bruises, and some things that go deeper. Sometimes I help Mom at the clinic, doing what I can to mend people's hurts. You remember me telling you how I took care of Jessie after she fought that hell house?"
"Yeah," I said. "She was in pretty bad shape, wasn't she?"
"Very bad. She'd have died if I hadn't found her and Maddy when I did. Took more than a healing wind to keep her with us. Though I did use a few of those as well when I could."
I froze about halfway to the fountain and stared at her. "More? Just how strong a healer are you, Aerith?"
"Strong enough," she said. "Tires me out, though."
I wasn't surprised. "Do the Turks know?"
Aerith didn't respond, and that told me all I needed. It made sense that her unique abilities were part of why the Turks were after her. But where did they come from? I didn't understand. Reno had said she was an Ancient, but what did that mean? Who where they? There were too many unanswered questions. I couldn't do anything about it right now, though, so I just sighed and moved on, following Aerith as she walked toward the door at the bottom of the room.
After going back to the lobby, we talked with the receptionist again and followed him upstairs, where he led us to a door at the far end of a short hall on the left side. After he was gone, we went inside and found ourselves in a large, luxurious suite with several cushioned chairs and a polished wooden desk in the main room.
Andrea was waiting for us. "Welcome. Please, sit down."
We did, settling into two of the chairs as he sat down in one across from us. I met his firm gaze. "The letter?"
"In a moment," he said. "You know what you're in for?"
"We're going into Corneo's mansion to rescue a friend," I told him. "We know what we're doing."
Aerith nodded. "We're gonna save Tifa."
"I have no doubt," Andrea said. "And don't worry. Your equipment will be delivered to you at the appropriate time. I know people, and we of the Trio have eyes inside the mansion."
I nodded. "Alright. Thanks."
"Mr. Rhodea," Aerith said. "Before we go, there's something I'd like to ask you, if you don't mind."
He smiled. "Of course. And please, call me Andrea."
She leaned forward. "What do you know about Firebrand? Madam M said you two were old friends."
"She is correct," Andrea said. "Firebrand once lived on the plate. A young woman of talent and beauty. But she had also endured much by the time we met. In the midst of her pain, she was trying to find herself again. So I did everything I could to help her."
"What'd you do?" I asked.
He went on. "I have a second establishment on the plate, and after consulting with a mutual friend of ours, I met her and transformed her much as I did you, Cloud. I tested her in the same way as well, to make certain she was ready to return to the stage."
I blinked. "She was a performer?"
"Yes, and extremely talented. It was her passion, a dream reborn. I wonder sometimes how high she could have soared if things had been different. But fate led her to the slums, and I lost contact with her for a time. When I saw her again here in Wall Market, she had changed. Yet her strength and determination were still the same as ever. So I helped her with her theft, and gladly. I gave her the letter of approval, just as I will give you yours. Madam M did the rest."
"Can you tell us who she is?" Aerith gazed hopefully at him.
He shook his head. "I'm sorry. After she left, the three of us made a promise to keep her identity secret, as Madam M has already told you. This was for her protection. Our way of thanking her for what she did. We also encouraged the growth of her legend amongst the people here, to give them hope in the face of Corneo's power and lust. It's much too dangerous for us to act against him directly, but our position allows us to try and minimize the damage he can do."
Aerith nodded. "If you ever stood openly against him, you'd lose it along with everything else. Even your lives. Firebrand must've been the first person to really threaten him."
"She did what you couldn't," I added.
"Correct," Andrea agreed. "Don Corneo has many men who serve him, animals who would kill without a thought. And he has used them before, to remind us of our place in the order of things here. Bodies of dead women, found in pieces near the sewers. If we tried to bring him down, there would be far more. And we couldn't allow that. Firebrand gave us the means and the opportunity to act against Corneo in secret, without risking harm to anyone else."
"You really care about this place, don't you?" Aerith said.
He folded his hands together. "Yes, Aerith. All three of us do. Wall Market is our home, and its people our family. We hope one day to see Don Corneo and his men gone from this place. And I feel that you two may play a part in making that happen. Firebrand set it in motion, but I believe you and Cloud can finish it."
Aerith's gaze was determined. "We will, Andrea."
"I have no doubt," he smiled, getting up. "Now then, I believe I owe you a letter, Cloud. Wait here for a moment."
Crossing the room, Andrea walked over to his desk, opened up the top drawer, and took out the letter. Then he took a pen, signed it with a flourish, and brought it over to me. It had a seal in the shape of a black and yellow honeybee on the bottom.
I took it. "Thanks."
"You're welcome," he said. "And good luck."
Aerith shook his hand as she and I stood up. "I appreciate it. Could you at least tell us where Firebrand went?"
Andrea thought for a moment, then nodded. "Very well. I believe I can trust you with that much. As Sam and Madam M have told you by now, she helped him. Sam's end of the bargain was to give her a ride on one of his carriages to her destination."
"Where did he take her?" Aerith wondered.
He gazed intently at us. "Sector 7."
Aerith and I shared a startled glance. Firebrand was in Sector 7? It made sense, though. Sam had said she hadn't gone far. Still well within Corneo's reach. No wonder the Trio had kept her identity and location secret. She must've used a different name during her theft than her real one to make it harder for him to find her later.
But that had been two years ago. And there was no way to know if she was still in Sector 7 after all this time. Still, we knew where to start looking for her. After we had saved Tifa and gotten back there. So I put it out of my mind for now as Aerith gave me a puzzled shrug and went with me to the door. She didn't seem to know any more than I did. But I felt like we were overlooking something.
It was probably nothing, but it nagged at me nevertheless. I had to admit, I'd gotten a little interested in the whole thing, but it wasn't why we were here. Aerith knew that as well as I did. And we'd have plenty of time to talk about it later. As tenacious as she was, I knew Aerith would keep digging until we finally found Firebrand.
Just before we left, though, she darted back over to Andrea, a small smirk on her face, and whispered something in his ear. He grinned and nodded, looking at me as he did, and then Aerith backed up, her green eyes glittering. What was she up to now? I found out a moment later as she came up to me and winked.
"Got you and Jessie your room," Aerith giggled.
Andrea bowed. "It will be ready whenever you arrive, Cloud. And I wish you and your lady friend a pleasant stay."
My jaw dropped. "What? But, uh... Aerith... I-I don't..."
"C'mon, Cloud!" she smirked. "Gotta go!"
After taking our leave of Andrea, we went downstairs and hurried out of the Honeybee Inn. Aerith and I ignored the cat calls and hungry whistles as we moved along the streets, and we didn't say very much on the way to Corneo's mansion. All our preparations were finished, and it was finally time to get this mission started.
The place loomed ominously ahead of us as we crossed the bridge, and a huge golden dragon statue wrapped sinuously around each wing of the estate. It was built like a pagoda, but shorter, with lots of red and yellow framed with dark wood. After gazing at it for a moment, I went with Aerith to the outer doors and pushed them open. We exchanged a determined glance, then hurried inside.