Over in the sixty-ninth floor, Palmer walked down the halls while holding a porcelain teacup. Palmer is a short, overweight man with thinning gray hair and gray-blue eyes. He wears a white shirt and a double-breasted, tan-colored suit with a matching bow tie. He was making his way to the board meeting while casually sipping his cup of tea and talking to himself.
"Oh dear, oh dear. A man of my refined tastes running out of butter!"
Palmer chuckled as he looked at his teacup. He was commenting on the tastes of the drink.
"Shorn of its proper accompaniment, this tea might as well be boiled pond water!"
He continued to laugh, but his reaction changed immediately when he saw Sephiroth walking right down the hallway towards him. Palmer was so shocked to see Sephiroth that he dropped his tea, spilling the contents on the floor as he backs to the walls. At the same time, Sephiroth passes by him, not even bothered. Palmer couldn't help but feel ultimately intimidated by Sephiroth's appearance.
"N-no i-it c-couldn't possibly have been..." Palmer stuttered as he watched Sephiroth walking down the corridor.
Back at the Cosmos Theater, everyone couldn't help but comments on the bizarre presentation they had witnessed after the movie.
"Crazy-ass thing made me wanna puke. And not just 'cause of the presentation, but the content too. Oughta, come with a warning! That ain't for kids!" Barret spoke disgustedly.
"That wasn't just a movie," Cloud muttered.
"That huge meteor..." Tifa wondered, "What was that about?"
"I have a bad feeling after what just happened," Sara said.
"Like I said, "Barret insisted, "Nothing you should show a kid."
"Let's get out of here and head up to the next floor," Sara said.
Everyone moved to the door, and Sara put the card key on the console. After hearing a few beeps, the virtual guide spoke.
"Congratulations! You can call yourself a proud Shinra expert! Your mission is to go out and tell everyone about the wonders of Shinra! Next, you'll be visiting the repository for Shinra's expertise and know-how. Please make your way to the 62nd floor, the Corporate Ar...."
The virtual guide's voice is cut off and becomes static before going silent.
"What the?!" Barret exclaimed; everyone else started to worry.
The door opens, and standing in the doorway is an older man with slick white hair and has a three-forked goatee. He is wearing three layers of formal clothing: a tan sports coat with a dark red pocket square, a dark purple vest with pinstripes, and a white dress shirt with a red tie. He wears dark green breeches, tall brown woolen socks, and black dress boots. He wears a watch on his right arm.
The older man places his hand on his chest and makes a slight bow while talking formerly.
"Greetings and welcome, Avalanche, I presume? My name is Hart, and it's a pleasure to meet you. I've come to escort you to Mayor Domino, per his request."
"The mayor of Midgar?" Barret questioned, "The empty suit that's just a mouthpiece for Shinra?"
"Yes," Hart replied, "The Mayor of our dear Midgar, the most magnificent city ever built. That Mayor Domino. The Visual Entertainment Hall has been experiencing technical difficulties of late, and he suspected that these difficulties might impede your progress."
"So, what does the mayor want with us?" Cloud asked.
"I'm afraid you will have to ask him that yourself," Hart answered.
Hart said nothing else and proceeded to leave the area. Everyone else seemed very suspicious of this, but they were curious about why the Mayor wanted to see them.
"Guess we're supposed to follow," Barret scoffed, not liking the idea, but what choice do they have?
The group followed Hart up an escalator to the sixty-second floor and walked through an automated door. The room they walked into was a massive library, with wooden columns shaped in a circular chamber with bookcases lining the walls. The area is set up as a series of concentric rings, with each inner circle being set in a lower open space. A middle ring connects to the inner area below, where desks and chairs stand around a short central pillar. There were millions of books that filled the entire library. Yet, it seemed that hardly anyone was using the library or the library was closed.
"Look at this place!" Barret exclaimed.
Tifa and Barret were amazed at how many books were in the library. Cloud and Sara weren't all that surprised.
Barret turned to Hart, "So what you telling me the Mayor's some kind of crazy bookworm?"
Hart groaned annoyingly and gestured the group to follow him. The group was still suspicious of Hart, but they proceeded to follow him. Hart stops in front of one of the many bookshelves and pushes one of the leather-back books, which causes the bookshelf in front of them to slide and pull back, revealing a hidden stairwell. Hart goes up the stairs while the others follow him. They go up to the library's highest floor, and Hart stands in front of a door nearby.
"Through here," Hart said.
"If this is a trap, you're a dead man, y'hear?" Barret warned Hart.
The group heard a slight chuckle, and everyone looked at Sara, confused. Yet, Sara only shook her head as if it was nothing.
"The Mayor is waiting," Hart spoke as if he wasn't afraid of Barret's threat.
Cloud was the first to go into the room, followed by the others. Inside is a dimly lit room with a large wooden desk, two couches in the middle of the room with a coffee table at the center. Both sides of the room had several large screens with security footage. Behind the desk were several trophies. When everyone walked into the room, they couldn't help but wonder if this was the mayor's office. It sure didn't look like an office for a public figure.
"This can't be right," Barret said, looking at the room confused.
"Wonderful! You finally made it!" A cheerful voice said.
Everyone looked at the desk, and standing up from his seat was an older bald man with average built with fair skin, light green eyes, with a gray mustache and beard. He wears a brown dress suit, a dark red vest over a white dress shirt, a black ascot, a dark brown leather belt, and brown dress pants.
"I am the mayor of the great metropolis of mako—Domino, at your service."
Cloud, Tifa, and Barret were surprised that they were looking at the Mayor of Midgar. He didn't seem that surprised by their shocking reactions.
"I must say, you four haven't exactly been discreet," Domino said and pushed a few buttons on his computer.
The group looked at the larger screens in the room and were utterly baffled. The cameras showed the group walking inside the building even when they got in the parking garage. Domino walked over to the side of his desk while using a cane as he observed the group.
"I wonder who's been cleaning up all your messes," Domino said.
"What the hell's going on?" Cloud asked.
"Come on, think about it," Domino smirked, "You've been caught by security several times, walked in front of every other camera, and scared an accountant half to death. Do you hear the alarm? No? You're welcome."
Cloud, Tifa, and Barret still didn't catch on while Sara figured it out. She only smirked behind her mask and silently thanked Domino.
"I can only assume your cell wasn't looped in," Domino noticed the confusion in the group.
"I am Avalanche's man on the inside."
"Say what?" Barret's jaw dropped.
Though Barret's cell wasn't on good terms with Avalanche's HQ for a long time, to hear that the Mayor of Midgar is Avalanche's inside man with Shinra was genuinely shocking.
Domino humphed, "Is it really that surprising to you? You've seen where they put me. The mayor of the greatest city in the whole wide world tucked away in a secret broom closet in the damned archives! The nerve! Those stupid Shinra pricks thought I'd just shut up and accept their treatment, but they were wrong! Dead wrong!"
After hearing Domino's explanation, the group finally let out a breath of relief, knowing that they have an ally and someone willing to help out.
"Well, this oughta make things easier," Barret grinned.
"We need to break into Professor Hojo's lab," Tifa stated their reason for coming.
"What? Why?" Domino asked, surprisingly, "You mean you're not here to give President Shinra his comeuppance?"
Domino thought Barret's group had come here to assassinate President Shinra, not to break into Hojo's lab.
"We're here to save a friend who was taken," Cloud explained.
"But the president's gonna get his too! If I have anything to say about it." Barret added while sitting down on a couch.
"Well, I don't particularly care what you end up doing," Domino said, "So long as it hurts Shinra."
"Great," Barret grinned.
"So, I can get you as far as the 64th floor."
"Hold up, you telling me that's the best you can do?" Barret asked.
Domino replied grimly, "That is indeed the best that I can do."
"But you're the mayor," Cloud scoffed.
"BUT YOU'RE THE MAYOR!?" Domino's voice boomed that made the others widen their eyes.
"Does this look like the office of a mayor? I'm a glorified librarian, nothing more!" Domino ranted, "They don't even invite me to their meetings! Sorting records and reports that's all I do! My hands and fingers have more paper cuts than skin! No one knows my pain, my daily torment! They've made me a pathetic shell of a man."
"Okay! They did you wrong, like us, but we'll make it right." Barret quickly said he thought that the old man might have a heart attack on the spot.
"So just calm down," Barret insisted, "Deep breaths, man. Deep breaths."
After taking a deep breath, Domino turns to Sara, "Let me see that keycard of yours."
Sara quickly pulls out the keycard and hands it to Domino. Domino accepts the card and walks over to his desk, places the card on a console. After a few keystrokes on the keyboard, Domino updates the keycard and hands it back. Cloud takes the keycard this time.
"You can now use it to access the Recreational Facility on the 63rd floor," Domino said.
"And then what are we supposed to do?" Barret asked.
"You look for a fellow Avalanche collaborator," Domino instructs, "Identify yourselves, and he'll give you a keycard to the 64th. The countersign is...THE MAYOR IS THE BEST! MIDGAR'S MAYOR IS NOTHING LESS! EVERYONE SAYS HE'S COOLER THAN THE REST!"
Sara had to bite her lip, trying not to bust out laughing as if the collaborator would say all of that with such enthusiasm. No doubt it will attract attention, the others were thinking the same thing. But Domino quickly explained.
"Just say "mayor" to the guy, and if he goes "the best!" with gusto, then you've found your man. You got it?"
"Got it!" Barret replied with a grin.
The group started to leave the room, but Sara stayed behind.
Noticing this, Cloud turned to Sara curiously, "Sara?"
"I would like to speak to Mayor Domino privately," Sara insisted.
Cloud narrowed his eyes, but he decided not to pry about Sara's reason for speaking to Domino privately.
"We'll be outside waiting for you, don't take too long," Cloud said, then he left the room.
Sara didn't plan on staying too long, and she turned to Domino, who was curious to know why this woman wanted to speak to him privately?
Sara quickly took off her hood and mask, and when she did, Domino's eyes widened in shock.
"Well, by Shinra's arse! You're alive after all these years!"
"It's so good to see you again, Domino!" Sara quickly hugged him.
Domino laughed, "Hahaha! To think that Avalanche has you on their side if those Shinra pricks know of this, it will be the talk of the century. That is, I assume that Avalanche knows who you are?"
Sara shook her head, "No, I'm sorry I...haven't told them."
Domino could tell the hesitation in Sara's eyes and understood.
"It's understandable, but even so, they should know. After all, Avalanche has a potent ally on their side which is none other than you, and that is all the more reason to tell them. But, I don't think that this private meeting is for a reunion, hm?"
"You're right," Sara replied, "I was hoping that you would give me specific information that I'm looking for."
"Oh? And that is?" Domino asked.
Meanwhile, Cloud and the others were waiting outside Domino's office even though it had only been ten minutes. It's a wonder why Sara wanted to talk to Domino privately.
"Wonder what are they talking about?" Tifa asked.
"Probably catching up a few things," Barret replied.
"Or maybe she's hiding something," Cloud spoke coldly.
"Hey, she's a good girl," Barret said, "I know she's got some secrets. Like how she went flying in the lobby. I know she's not a normal person, but after coming this far, and not once has she done anything to betray our trust."
"True to that," Tifa agreed.
Cloud nodded in agreement too. Sara has not once betrayed them, and Cloud believes that she won't.
Sara finally comes out, wearing her hood and mask.
"Finished?" Cloud asked; Sara nodded.
Cloud and the others left the library and went up to the sixty-third floor.
Meanwhile, on the sixty-sixth floor in Hojo's central laboratory, Hojo stood in front of a containment pod, and inside it was Aerith sitting alone.
Hojo is a gaunt middle-aged man with a long black ponytail. He wears small round glasses, a white lab coat, a white oxford-style shirt, a blue tie, gray trousers with a brown belt, and gray shoes. He stares at Aerith with great interest.
"So, about this precious promised land of yours," Hojo spoke arrogantly.
He looks at Aerith, expecting an answer, but he receives none, only a stern look.
"Come now, Aerith. You misunderstand my intentions. I wish only to satisfy their material greed so I can be left to pursue my great work. Our great work, my dear."
Hojo made a sly smile, and Aerith only said nothing. But seeing that expression reminded Hojo of someone.
"You're the spitting image of her now. I regret it to this day. If she had only trusted me instead of trying to run, it could have played out quite differently. What a terrible tragedy to lose the last of the pureblooded Ancients, though not completely. Would you like to see your mother?"
Aerith raised a brow slightly; Hojo smiled as he caught her interest.
"Albeit through the lens of one of my microscopes," Hojo presses his hands against the glass of the pod as he grins and continues to marvel.
"Did you really think we'd leave such a precious specimen to rot in the gutter? We collected and cataloged every last bit of her. Hair, skin, organs, every fragment of every bone as breathtaking in death as in life! As you, my dear! Ifalna was elegance, right down to her cellular structure."
After hearing that horrifying statement, Aerith was still staring at Hojo coldly, making the latter smile.
"And there it is, that same elegance."
A loud beeping sound echoed in the lab. Hojo let out a groan and remembered something, "Oh yes, time for yet another meeting. Sit tight; I won't be long."
Hojo leaves the room, and once he is out of sight. Aerith lets out a breath and shudders after finding what they did to her mother's body. It was downright horrifying.
Sara and the others got off the escalator and headed to the Recreational facility on the sixty-third floor.
"Here's the 63rd floor, where loyal Shinra employees relax and recharge!" Barret exclaimed with enthusiasm.
"It's pretty late, but I bet people are still here dealing with the aftermath of Sector 7," Tifa said.
"It's their own damn fault," Barret stated the obvious.
"Stay focused," Cloud reminded them, "We need to find this guy."
"Yeah, yeah." Barret groaned, "Guess I better get working on my conversation skills."
Barret wasn't good at having a conversation. He is more of the doer than the talker. But, they had to find the collaborator soon. Cloud walked over to a door that had a console and placed the keycard on the device. The door opened, revealing a long hallway with glass walls showing bustling offices on both sides.
"They look busy," Tifa said while looking at the tiring employees.
"A plate did just fall," Cloud pointed out.
"Seeing them like this somehow makes me feel a little bit better," Tifa let out a smile.
"C'mon, let's find our contact," Sara continued walking down the hallway.
"Not seeing any security around," Barret looked around the area, "One less thing to worry about."
They walked into a massive open room that had two levels connected to a spiral staircase. The lower level has a large atrium with a tree held within, tables for the cafeteria, and a projector screen that shows news. Large windows around the room provide a view of the entire city. Along the place didn't seem entirely busy, but there were still employees using the facility.
"Where are you mister collaborator," Barret wondered.
"I think we just need to start talking to people who look the part," Tifa suggests.
"Remember, say "mayor," Barret added.
Tifa, "If they say "the best," then we have a winner."
They began to look around but sticking together. The employees didn't seem to mind or were unaware that a few wanted folks were walking around. They seemed more focused on relaxing before getting back to work. Cloud and Tifa did ask a few well-dressed men that could be the collaborator. But, when they mentioned the word mayor, they all got confused looks. They walked up the spiral staircase leading to the second level of the facility. The second level floor had tables and another cafeteria, much like the one on the lower level. But there was a dome in the back of the room.
"The hell's that?" Barret asked, looking at the dome curiously.
"Combat sim. You can use it to train for battle in a virtual space," Cloud explained.
"Does training in that thing really make you better?" Barret spoke doubtfully.
Sara rolled her eyes, "You'd be surprised. SOLDIERs usually train in virtual combat before they go out on missions. It keeps them on their toes and relieves some stress."
As they were walking around the floor, Cloud noticed a well-dressed man standing near the Combat Sim. He looked like he was waiting for something or someone.
Cloud approached the man who looked at him curiously. The man asked, "You work here? I don't recognize you. Can I help you with something?"
"The mayor," Cloud replied.
The man smiled and replied with enthusiasm, "Is the best!"
Cloud and the others were all relieved that they had found the collaborator.
"The mayor told me to expect you. Need access to upper floors, right?" the collaborator asked.
"That's right," Barret replied with a grin.
The collaborator crossed his arms and spoke sternly, "Before I trust you with this keycard, I need to see what you can actually do."
"Say what?" Barret looked at the man, confused.
The collaborator questioned, "Do you know what would happen if you got caught? We're putting our lives on the line here. Prove you're worth it. We have a state-of-the-art combat simulator. It can provide a real challenge, let me tell you. If you beat the sim, then the keycard is all yours."
"It'll be a piece of cake," Cloud spoke cockily.
"Then go in when you're ready," The collaborator said.
Cloud and the others walked inside the dome, and inside was an empty room. Once the door closed, everything around began to change, turning the space into an open field with pixilated stars all around.
Barret couldn't help but look around in awe, "Well, I'll be damn! This virtual stuff is really something!"
"I wonder what is it; we're supposed to be fighting?" Tifa wondered.
"We won't know until the sim shows up," Cloud replied.
As if on cue, thousands of digital blocks formed up into two digital blobs, transforming into two mechas. The mechas were sweepers and cutters.
Barret grinned, "Hah! Piece of cake indeed!"
Cloud turned to Sara, who nodded and said, "I'll hold back, don't worry."
Cloud draws his sword and begins to attack. Sara also struck the sweeper, but she only did minor damage to it. She knew she had to hold back for the others to show off their skills to the collaborator. That way, it didn't seem that they would rely on her but hold their own.
The fight ended quickly, and as they went out of the combat simulator. The collaborator smiled in satisfaction.
"All right, I've seen enough. I'm a man of my word," The collaborator gives Cloud the keycard, "Here. This keycard will grant you access to the 64th floor. You can use the elevator to get there. Once you're up there, just what is it you plan on doing?"
"We came to get one of our friends," Cloud explains, "She's being held in a research lab somewhere."
"A lab? Then she must be with Professor Hojo." The collaborator said, "It won't be easy to get to her. Access to R&D is limited to authorized personnel only."
"We'll find a way in," Cloud spoke confidently, "Know where we can find Hojo?"
"A board meeting is scheduled to start soon," The collaborator answered, "It's being held in the main conference room. President Shinra, Professor Hojo, and the other directors will be in attendance.
"Think they like surprises?" Barret exclaimed, "We can even take the president as a hostage. Think of the leverage!"
"Try it, and security will be on your asses in seconds," The collaborator warned him.
"We need to find out what they're planning." Cloud insisted.
"So you want to spy on their meeting? Hmm, I have an idea. Head to the men's restroom. You can climb into the air ducts there. They go all the way to the conference room." The collaborator suggests.
"Thanks for the tip," Cloud said.
"Good luck," The collaborator said and walked away.
The group headed back to the staircase, and as they did, two infantrymen walked up the stairs. Everyone's hearts sank, and the infantrymen noticed them. One was about to fire them, but the other stopped his comrade and looked at Cloud curiously.
"Cloud? You're Cloud, right?
Cloud was startled as the infantryman looked at him and seemed surprised as if he knew Cloud.
"Holy shit!" The guy smiles and turns to his comrade, "It's cool, bro. We went through training together." He turns back to Cloud, "Damn! So you still alive and kicking, huh? Some of the guys heard you got smoked, but I told 'em it was all bullshit!"
Cloud suddenly had a massive headache. He presses his palm on his temple while grunting painfully.
"Hey, sit tight, man. I'mma go get Kunsel. I'll be right back!"
The two infantrymen walk back down the stairs.
"Old buddy?" Barret asked. Cloud shook his head, but his head was still hurting.
"You okay?" Tifa asked worriedly.
Cloud's headache finally subsided, and he quickly replied, "Yeah."
"But you were just..."
Cloud interrupts Tifa, "I'm good. Let's keep moving."
Cloud continued descending the stairs, followed by Barret. But Tifa looked at her childhood friend worriedly.
"Hey, try not to worry about him too much," Sara said, trying to cheer Tifa up.
"I know it's just..." Tifa pauses and then says, "I feel like that there's something not right with him."
Sara raised a brow and asked, "Like what?"
"I don't know," Tifa shook her head, "It's hard to explain."
Tifa wasn't sure what was wrong with Cloud. She knew that he acted differently now than when they were kids. But there was something else that didn't seem right. She couldn't put her finger on it.
Sara placed her hand on Tifa's shoulder and spoke gently, "Dwell on it later; we've gotta save Aerith remember?"
"Right," Tifa agreed and decided not to dwell on her suspicions.
The girls caught up with the guys as they walked out of the Recreational Facility. They walked through the door that led to the elevators. As they did, they spotted Heidegger and President Shinra heading toward the elevator with Shinra security guards. They stopped their tracks as they watched.
Unaware that a group was watching him, President Shinra turned to Heidegger, "I trust the narrative is intact?"
President Shinra referred to the rumor he had spread about Avalanche and Wutai being allies. A word was acting as a coverup for the absolute truth.
Heidegger replied, "Rock Solid. The people have embraced the Wutai-Avalanche conspiracy wholeheartedly. I've almost come to believe it myself."
"Wutai's response?" President Shinra asks.
"So far, nothing," Heidegger replied, "And if those cowards do react, all the better for us and our story."
"Very well, then we shall stay the course," President Shinra stated.
The elevator door opens. Recalling something, Heidegger spoke, "If I may, sir, there was one other matter."
"Oh?" President Shinra raises a brow as he walks inside the elevator.
"A message from our man Palmer," Heidegger replied.
The elevator closes, and the passengers head up to the next floor.
Seeing the group leave, Barret cursed, "Dammit!"
"Barret," Tifa spoke with a stern look.
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Barret scoffed, "We came here to save Aerith. That's our first priority."
"That right," Cloud said, "We only get one chance. Hojo should be at that board meeting, so that'll buy us some time. We need to plan this just right."
Instead of using the elevator, the group decides to go up the escalators. They made it up the floor. The floor was well decorated with black polished marble tiles, several couches, potted plants, and several pillars. There were several doors along the walls. But there was one door at the center of the floor that caught the interest of the group. The door had a much grander style, and it had the Shinra logo above it.
"Do you think that's where Professor Hojo is?" Tifa wondered.
"Most likely," Sara replied.
"What's the plan?" Tifa asked.
"Little bit of recon," Cloud answered, "Need to find a way to infiltrate that room."
Sara rolled her eyes, "Did you missed what that man said? All we have to find is the men's restroom so we can get into the air duct. Luckily for me, I know where it is."
"You do?" Tifa asked.
"Yeah, follow me."
Sara led the way as if she knew this place through the back of her head. Well, she did work in this place, and so it was a good thing that she remembered where to go. They walked over to the back of the floor and found the restrooms. Sara and Tifa stood next to the doorway of the men's bathroom.
"All right, you two go in while we wait out here," Tifa said.
"Huh?" Barret looked at them confused, "You can't hang out here."
Cloud agreed, "It'd be better if you two waited inside."
The girls looked at each other, and both were thinking of the same thing. Two women going into the men's restroom? This was something that neither one of them was comfortable with.
"Maybe, but this is..." Tifa looked somewhat nervous.
"I mean, at least check it and make sure that no one is in there. We are girls, after all." Sara insisted.
Cloud shook his head, oblivious as to why the girls refuse to go inside. He came back out a few minutes and gave the girls an annoying look.
"It's clear."
Tifa and Sara both let out a sigh of relief while walking into the men's restroom.
Looking at the cleaner bathroom, Barret sneered, "Love to show them what the ones down below look like."
"Come on, let's just find that duct," Tifa insisted.
Cloud walked over to the end of the room and looked at the last stall, and above it was the air duct.
"Gotcha," Cloud smirked.
Cloud used the toilet as a stepping boost and grabbed the air duct, removed the vent, and set it off to the side. Barret looked at the air duct, not fond of the tight space.
Barret looks at Cloud, "Look, I'm..."
"On guard duty," Cloud tells him.
"Right," Barret nodded.
"So, can I go with you?" Tifa asked, "Don't wanna be here any longer than I have to."
"Same here," Sara agreed.
"Yeah, sure," Cloud said, "Just follow behind."
Cloud walks back to the stall and places his sword next to the wall. Sara also unstraps her katana and puts it next to Cloud's sword. Cloud jumps up and starts climbing into the air duct, followed by Sara and Tifa. Barret walks into the stall, shuts the door, and waits.
The air duct was small, but it wasn't too crowded for Cloud and the girls. They continued to crawl, passing over a few smaller conference rooms. They reached the end of the air duck and looked through the vent to see President Shinra and the other directors in the room. Sara and Tifa both were squeezing next to Cloud to get a better look. Cloud wasn't comfortable having the girls crawling on top of him, but he turned his focus on what was going on down in the conference room.
"I'm telling you, I saw him!" Palmer shouted, telling everyone his encounter with Sephiroth.
The meeting had just started, and Palmer began to tell everyone the news of Sephiroth's appearance. Cloud and the girls had no idea who Palmer was talking about, but they could tell that whoever it was, frighten Palmer.
"With my own eyes! Sauntering down the corridor!"
"We don't have time for this nonsense!" Heidegger exclaimed.
Palmer immediately stood up from his seat, "He was as close to me as you are now! The shock of it made me spill my tea!"
"Enough already!" Heidegger yelled while slamming his hand on the table. Palmer flinched seeing this.
Heidegger stood up and glared at Palmer, "If there are intruders in this building, my men will deal with them."
Palmer quickly walked over to President Shinra and pleading, "But Mister President! Sir! I swear to you!"
President Shinra raises his hand, silently telling Palmer to shut up and says, "Reeve."
"Sir," Reeve acknowledged, "I have the damage assessment for Sector 7, and I'm afraid the figures are catastrophic."
"Spare us the doom and gloom," President Shinra insisted. Reeve was stunned to hear this.
"Was there anything else?" President Shinra asked.
"Well, sir, I've also drafted a reconstruction plan," Reeve tried to explain, but once again, he gets cut off by President Shinra.
"That will not be needed. Not with the Ancient in our custody once more."
"Uh...with respect, sir, I don't see how."
"Two words, Reeve," Scarlet sassed, "Neo Midgar."
Reeve glared at Scarlet for her rude words. While President Shinra takes a slight drag from his cigar, he lets out a puff of smoke with a smirk.
"In their promised land, we will build a new mako-powered metropolis." President Shinra declared.
"Mister President!" Reeve stood up, "We still don't know for sure that the promised land even..." Reeve stops his words when President Shinra raises his hand. Reeve sighs before sitting right back down.
"Professor Hojo," President Shinra calls out.
"The test results were within expectations," Hojo reported, "The specimen is somewhat lacking compared to her pure-blood mother, but for our purposes, she should more than suffice."
"So, she can lead us to the promised land?" President Shinra asked.
"Well, Mister President, that remains to be seen," Hojo replies, "I would like your permission to secure her cooperation through more "forceful" means. Forceful yet gentle. She is a precious resource that must be handled with care."
Scarlet smirks, "Personally, I've never had a problem with torture."
"My armory is at your disposal, should you require anything," Heidegger offered.
"I..had something more...psychological in mind," Hojo states, "Better to scar the psyche than mar the flesh."
Palmer laughs at the idea; it seems that he had no problems with Hojo's idea. President Shinra lets out another puff of smoke before speaking.
"Proceed as you see fit," President Shinra pauses before giving Hojo a stern look, "However. You will not make the same mistake twice. Is that clear?"
"If I may, Mister President, I have an idea how we might mitigate the risks," Hojo suggests, "Simply put, we could have the Ancient reproduce."
Hearing this, Cloud narrowed his eyes, disgusted with Hojo's idea. Tifa couldn't help but feel horrified at the thought. Sara gritted her teeth while curling her fingers and relaxing them several times, trying not to lash out.
Hojo continued, "In the absence of a second specimen, we would need to identify an alternative mate. I would start with candidates from SOLDIER. These would, of course, include S and G types. Quite frankly, there's no telling what kind of properties a crossbred specimen might possess. So what say you all?"
No one in the room gave their response, or more like they felt awkward at replying to such an annoying idea.
Since no one wasn't saying anything else, Cloud and the girls slowly started to leave. At the same time, President Shinra begins to dismiss everyone.
"If there is nothing else."
"Mister President!" Reeve called out.
"Meeting adjourned," President Shinra announced.
"Please, sir!" Reeve tries to talk about his plan while the others, except for Hojo, leave the room.
Hojo crosses his arms while he leans back in his chair and grumbles, "Something stinks."
At the men's restroom, Barret waited patiently for the others to combat. Luckily, nobody came in the whole time while he did guard duty. Barret heard several loud noises coming from the air duct and saw the girls walking out of the stall. A minute later, Cloud comes back after he puts the vent back on the air duct.
"Anything?" Barret asks.
"The man in the lab coat," Cloud replies, "Head of R&D, we follow him."
"Okay, and then we kill the son of a bitch," Barret sneered.
"Not until he's led us to Aerith," Cloud insists, "That's the plan."
The group heads out of the restroom and into the lobby of the floor. They found Hojo near the escalators, looking around as if he was searching for something or someone.
Unaware that he was being watched, Hojo began to talk to himself and recalling what Palmer said at the meeting.
"Walking the halls of this very building. Who would have believed it."
Hojo thought about his plan on having Aerith reproduce.
"I wonder...were I to arrange a face-to-face..." Hojo chuckled as he marveled at the idea, "How I should like to meet their offspring. Ahh, but that can wait. First, we must have answers. A simple psychoactive agent should suffice. Nothing likely to cause any long-term damage."
Hojo walks over to a console and pulls out his keycard. A secret door opens as Hojo walks in.
"Let's go!" Cloud tells the group.
They all rushed to the door just when it was about to close. Barret barely makes it in, and once the door closes, they are locked in.
They walked down the hallway, trying to find Hojo. The rooms and halls they walked in were dim-lit and had many computers and storage containers.
Sara felt her blood boil, for being here brought terrible memories for her. A sharp pain was inflicted on her head and heart. However, she tried her best not to falter.
They found Hojo, standing in front of a doorway that is the entrance to his lab.
Barret rushes over and points his gun at Hojo and ordered, "Don't move!"
Hojo was curious to see who was throwing a threat. Barret warns him, "I ain't bluffing."
"What is this?" Hojo demanded.
"A dozen bullets in your head unless you open that door right now," Barret spoke threateningly.
Hojo annoyingly grunts but opens the door without much of a protest. They walk into a massive room that is mainly lit by red lights. The lab contains tanks filled with mako and other takes filled with strange creatures that were most likely specimens. Several scientists were doing their jobs until they saw Hojo being held at gun-point by Barret and became worried.
Hojo began to summarize as to who was the group that threatened him, "You must be the ones who've been stirring up trouble lately. The eco-terrorists?"
Barret says nothing but gestures to Hojo to keep moving. Hojo continues talking, "If so, I can't imagine what business you have with me. The president is upstairs. Go on, shoo."
"Shut up," Barret sneered, "Keep walking."
Barret pushes his gun at Hojo, who continues to walk. Barret turns to the frightened scientists after pushing Hojo and gives a warning, "None of y'all better move a muscle!"
"Do stop pushing," Hojo said, brushing off his shoulder, "Unlike you, I am less accustomed to physical violence."
"You'll get used to it," Barret insisted.
"What is it that you want?" Hojo questions.
"Our friend," Barret replies, "She's in your lab."
Hojo tilts his head confused, "Really?"
"Tell us where Aerith is!" Barret demanded.
"Oh, so she's your friend," Hojo said curiously and then began to think deeply.
"Well, well, well, in that case," Hojo muttered, "Yes, that might do the trick."
"Mind speaking up some?" Barret requested.
Hojo let out a smirk that Sara knew all too well. She felt her heart sank.
"It's nothing," Hojo said, "Just imagining how she might react if I were to present to her your fresh corpses."
Hojo pulls out a remote and pushes the button. Six walking like creatures that looked like walking one-eyed bugs. The other scientists quickly left the room. Sara and the others rapidly draw their weapons as they prepare to fight. Hojo walks over to a computer and then begins to release one of the specimens.
He turns to the group and laughs, "I promise you will regret this."
Hojo walks over to the elevator and goes up to the sixty-sixth floor. The group clicked their tongues but had no time to complain as they focused on the creature coming out of a tank. The beast was massive, had an octopus face, hoves of a horse, a crab's claw as a left arm, and an eagle talon for the right arm.
"Shit! We don't have time for this!" Sara clicks her tongue.
Noticing Sara's frustration, Cloud had an idea and made a suggestion, "Wanna let out some steam?"
Sara turned to Cloud with a look of shock and quickly asked, "You sure? I won't leave any room for you guys."
Cloud nodded, "We're on the clock, so take this guy out."
Sara chuckled as the beast let out a roar and started charging towards the group. Barret and Tifa were prepared to fight when something passed by them. It was so fast that the two fighters didn't even blink. In an instant, the beast and the little minions were all dead on the floor. Sara stood in the middle of the corpses as the bodies vanished into green wisps. It all happened so fast that the enemy didn't have time to attack. Tifa and Barret were shocked to witness Sara's unbelievable strength, but they had no time to dwell on it.
"Quick! Hojo's getting away!" Barret exclaimed.
They rushed over to the elevator, the same one Hojo used. As the crew went up to the next floor, inside a large test pod, a red canine beast that was sleeping began to awaken.
The group made it to the next level and rushed out into an open area. However, they were surrounded by a dozen of foot soldiers. Cloud spots a familiar flower girl in one of the tests pods.
"Aerith!"
Aerith sees her friends, but she starts to worry a little.
"Very impressive," the group heard a familiar voice through an intercom.
The group looked around and saw Hojo standing in a terminal room overlooking the lab.
"I really must thank you for providing me such invaluable combat data," Hojo smirks.
"Cocky little egghead, ain'tcha," Barret sneers.
"The results provided by my predictive models," Hojo explains, "Indicate that this force should be more than capable of handling you."
"Y'all 'bout to learn predictable," Barret exclaimed.
"We're taking Aerith back!" Cloud dictated.
"Oh? "Take her back," you say?" Hojo sneered, "Correct me if I am wrong, but did the girl not come here of her own free will? Or do you mean to tell me that she is your personal property?"
"She only came here to save Marlene!" Barret yelled, pointing at Hojo.
"I'm afraid you misunderstand," Hojo said; he raised his hand, signaling the foot soldiers to get ready. The infantrymen ready their arms. Cloud and the others prepare their weapons except for Sara.
"But I really can't be bothered to explain. This facility is home to extraordinary specimens that will change the world as we know it. Do try to be considerate."
"So predictable of you, Hojo. Always caring about your specimens and disregard everything else," Sara calmly spoke as she stepped forward out of the group in a confident manner.
"Hmm?" Hojo raises a brow, "What's this?"
Hojo didn't even look at the other intruders. He was only interested in data and nothing else. But to hear the masked woman speaking to him as if she knew him well. It piped his interest.
Behind the mask, Sara smiled coldly, "You've always been nothing more than a bucket full of mess. Professor Gast was a much better scientist than you. At least he had a heart than you."
Hojo becomes enraged for someone to compare him to that man. It made his blood boil. Hojo yells, "How dare you! You speak of that pathetic man as if you know him."
"Wouldn't say I knew him personally, but at least he is more worthy than you."
Hojo clenched his teeth, he was about to say something, but he halted when he saw the masked woman began to take off her hood and her face. Once Sara revealed her face to Hojo, he began to laugh madly.
"Hahaha! So you're alive after all this time! I must say this is indeed quite a surprise."
"Save your experiments for later four-eyes. We're taking Aerith back!" Sara demanded.
In a flash, Sara slashed the infantrymen before they could even blink. Once again, Barret, Tifa, and now Aerith were all shocked at Sara's inhuman strength. Cloud was not surprised, for he had first witnessed Sara's power. He was glad that Sara was not holding back this time because she was making things easier.
Hojo, on the other hand, began to clench his teeth. Sara looked over her shoulder with a cold smirk.
Barret sneered, "Looks like your models got it wrong."
"Well, no matter," Hojo shrugged, "Reinforcements will soon arrive."
"But will they get here in time to save you from Sara and me?" Cloud questioned.
Hojo looked at Cloud curiously and noticed a familiar glow in Cloud's eyes.
"My, are you a SOLDIER?" Hojo asked.
"Yeah," Cloud answered while putting his sword away.
"No, not quite," Hojo shook his head, then he recalled something.
"Oh, now I recall! My memory was mistaken. My boy, you weren't a SOLDIER..."
Cloud experience another headache. At the same time, dozens of grey phantoms came out of nowhere and went straight for Hojo, dragging him away. Hojo was startled to see this.
"What!? What is this fascinating phenomenon!? What's happening!? Where are you taking me!?"
"What are those things up to this time?" Barret wondered.
"Cloud!" Aerith called out.
Cloud looked back and saw Aerith still in the test pod.
"Barret!" Cloud ordered.
"Got it!" Barret nodded and turned to Aerith, "Stand back!"
Aerith moves away as he fires at the door, breaking the lock. At the same time, on the lower level, the test pod that contained the red canine, the lock was also damaged, freeing the creature.
"You came for me!" Aerith rejoiced.
"Yup," Cloud nodded.
"You good?" Tifa asked.
"I'm great!" Aerith replied she was more than that. She was grateful that her friends came to rescue her.
Aerith gasped and pointed behind the others. The group looks back and sees two giant robotic-like soldiers that are holding a lightsaber.
Cloud turned to Sara and asked, "Think you can handle them?"
Sara chuckled, "Well? Might be tough if a few more show up."
Cloud smirked, "Then that will be the one I take care of."
"Oh? You fighting too?"
Sara dashes to the giant soldiers, followed by Cloud. The others watched the two fighters, Cloud and Sara, both sync their fighting skills in a dancing ritual.
Tifa also chuckled and raised her fists, "Don't leave me out."
She dashes and makes several punches at the soldier's head, knocking him to the floor.
Barret turns to Aerith and says, "Thanks for saving Marlene. I owe you one."
Barret starts shooting at the enemy. Although Sara did most of the damage once again, the battle was over in minutes. Aerith immediately rushes over to them.
"Aerith, are you okay?" Tifa asks.
Aerith nodded, "Thank you."
"No biggie," Tifa smiled.
"C'mon, let's get you out of here," Cloud said.
As they were about to leave, the red canine jumped in front of them, growling. Its right eye is scared, while its left glaring eye is yellow. It flares its nostrils while showing its fangs before it jumps through the window of Hojo's control room.
"The hell was that thing?" Barret exclaimed.
"We need to go!" Aerith immediately chases after the creature.
"Aerith!" Tifa calls out, but the latter ignores her.
"Come on," Cloud says and chases after Aerith.
They follow Aerith heading up the staircase and into the control room. As they went inside, they saw the beast running after Hojo. The professor was staggering a bit after being dragged by the phantoms, unaware of the red canine. The elevator opens, and Hojo goes inside, in time as the doors closed, locking the beast outside.
Seeing that Hojo escaped, the creature turns to the group and starts walking towards them, ready to fight.
Barret glares at the beast and bellows, "What? You wanna go?"
"Stop!" Aerith insisted, "This child's a friend.
Aerith calmly walks over to the beast as it bares its teeth. The creature looked like it could attack Aerith at any moment, but Aerith showed no harm. Instead, she gently pats it on the head as a strange glow forms on Aerith's head. The beast relaxed, and Aerith smiled.
Now that the beast was calm and showed no hostility, everyone got a better look at it. The creature's fur is dark red and orange and a thin brown mane. It was adorned with various beads, earrings, and feathers around its head, with golden pastern braces and brands on its legs. Black patterns on its legs and its face had somewhat appeared to be face painting. There were also tattoos on its shoulders and thighs. The creature was indeed strange, but what made it even weirder was its tail. The end of its tail is a flame, but the fire doesn't seem to harm the creature.
"Uhh...so what the hell is it?" Barret wondered.
Everyone was unsure of what the beast was, yet the unexpected thing happened.
"A fascinating question." The beast spoke politely.
Everyone except for Aerith gasped in shock.
"Did it just talk?!" Tifa exclaimed.
"You asked what "it" is. Hmm..." the beast replied and sat down, "I am that which you see before you. Nothing more. I'd appreciate it if we simply left it at that. Agreed?"
Everyone was amazed at how the beast spoke so well but also intelligent.
Tifa notices a roman numeral "XIII" on the beast's shoulder, and wonders "Thirteen?"
The beast looks at his shoulder before replying, "Red XIII, the designation given to me by Hojo."
"Then...you must have another name," Tifa said, "What is it?"
Red XIII looks away and doesn't reply. Either he may have forgotten it, or he couldn't say it. Red XIII looks at the elevator where Hojo was.
"He got away," Cloud groaned.
"So are we gonna get the son-of-a-bitch?" Barret asked, demanding.
Instead, Cloud started acting strange; he moved slowly towards the elevator door at the end of the hall. At the same time, Sara began to breathe heavily and clutching her chest with one hand while bracing the wall with her other. Gritting her teeth as she tried to endure the sharp pain inflicted on her heart as Sara stared at Cloud with a painful expression. The others watched in confusion and concern for the two but were unsure of what to do.
Cloud began to mumble, "Je...no..."
Both Cloud and Sara could hear a familiar menacing voice but mixed with other strange voices. All are saying different things.
"Mother...together, we will reclaim our world.
"Mother...they have come again."
As Cloud walked closer to the elevator door, he reached his hand out and touched the door. Then a vision flashes in his head, a bare gray-skinned body with something resembling a heart at its feet. Connected to a heart-like organ are several tubes that reach different parts of the body, the largest of which, pinker in color and similar to an umbilical cord, inserts into its abdomen surround by water and contained in a glass tank.
Cloud looked up as if he was looking at the tank and mumbled, "Mother..."
Sara groaned painfully when not only her heart but her head was also in pain. Then an unfamiliar female voice spoke in her head.
"Come to me, come. It would help if you obeyed me. You and he are my children. You must carry my will."
"Urgh!"
Sara shook her head vigorously and took one step. Then in a split second, she was already where Cloud was as the latter began to collapse. Luckily she caught him in her arms just in time. While she looked at the elevator door with a vicious look, she was staring at the strange body that Cloud saw. She spoke in a low, threatening tone.
"I will never obey you."
At the general affairs office, Tseng was doing some paperwork while Reno and Rude were relaxing. Though the room seemed quiet, the atmosphere was filled with gloom. Reno was lying on the couch with a few bandages on his face and the chest. Rude was sitting on a chair; both men were not in the best of attitude.
"You know, Reno," Tseng spoke, "I think you might be due for some R&R."
"Nah, I'm good," Reno brushes the offer off.
Both Reno and Rude were thinking of the same thing. They were thinking about Sector 7. After all, the media is telling Midgar that Avalanche is to blame. But Reno and Rude knew that was a lie because they were the ones who destroyed Sector 7. They were the ones responsible for the lives that were lost.
"What are we going to do about Sector 7?" Rude asks Tseng.
Tseng sighs, "We are going to do nothing."
"Been thinking, was all that necessary?" Rude pondered.
"Had we refused, someone else would've completed the task," Tseng replied calmly, "We have spared that someone the burden of a guilty conscience. Perhaps that will ease yours."
Reno rolled his eyes and groaned, "Yeah...nope."
"Let's try another tack then," Tseng suggests, "They were a sacrifice to balance the scales."
"Say what?" Reno raises a brow.
"After everything we've taken from the planet," Tseng explains, "We were due to give something back."
"Do you actually believe that?" Rude questions.
Instead of answering, Tseng throws out a question, "Does it matter?"
The phone rings, and Tseng stops what he's doing and answers it. After a long pause, Tseng replies to the caller.
"Yes, understood."
Tseng hangs up the phone and turns to Reno and Rude.
"The VP needs us."
All Cloud remembered was darkness; he couldn't remember what had happened back at the hall. Slowly Cloud opened up his eyes and stared at a ceiling. He heard footsteps walking towards him, and a familiar face looked at him with relief.
Tifa, "Cloud!"
Aerith joined in, "Thank goodness! You're awake."
Barret and Red XIII were also relieved to see Cloud awake. Cloud looked around and saw they were in some room. He was lying on a large bed, beside him a small nightstand, and near the bed, Barret was sitting on an oversized couch. A small table, a computer, a small bathroom, and a wall with many drawings of flowers like some child had painted it.
Cloud asked, "Where are we?"
Aerith replied, "Where I lived when I was still a child."
Cloud saw his sword was propped up next to him, and got up, grabbed the sword, and clipped it to his back. He then turned to Aerith, ready to ask the one question he had wanted to ask.
Cloud, "Aerith before we break out of here. Talk to us; there is so much we don't know."
Aerith looked down with a bit of doubt, but then she replied, "I'm a descendent of the Ancients. That's pretty much it. But that's not their actual name. They call themselves the Cetra."
Barret began to recite the old poem he remembered from the movie, "We, who were born of the planet, with her we speak. Her flesh we shape. Unto her promise land shall we one day return. By her loving grace and providence, may we take our place in paradise."
Aerith smiled, "You know it."
Barret nodded, "Yeah, well, I used to think that was some mere fairytale."
Aerith sighed, "Shinra thinks it's true. They've been searching for the promised land for a long time."
Tifa began to fit the pieces and asked, "And they must think that you can lead them to it? Can you?"
Aerith chuckled, "Nope. Someday, maybe I'll find it in me. But now? Not even if I wanted to."
"Even if you could, that land belongs to the-" Barret paused then corrected himself, "I mean to you and your people. Shinra's after it because they believe it's rich in mako-mako they have no right to claim. But they'll try to take it anyway, won't they? Greedy bastards never stop."
"And even if you can't lead them to the promised land, they'll find ways to keep you here." A familiar voice spoke up.
Cloud noticed Sara, who was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. He decided to ask Sara the one question he had wanted to ask for a long time.
Cloud, "Sara, who are you? And don't avoid it this time."
The others looked at him confused; Tifa couldn't help but ask, "Cloud, what do you mean?"
Cloud explains, "Think about it. She is not an ordinary monster hunter, not with all that strength. I've been suspicious about her ever since what happened in Mako Reactor 1. From the way you've fought and how you seem to know Shinra pretty well. Then there's that other matter, and you know what I mean."
Ever since he and Sara started to see Sephiroth in visions and how the former SOLDIER talked to her so familiar, Cloud had been suspecting Sara from the very beginning. He knew in his gut that Sara was no ordinary person.
After a long pause, Sara let out a sigh and spoke, "All right, I'll tell you everything. But let me take something out first."
Cloud wasn't sure what she meant, but he waited as Sara walked over to a mirror hanging nearby. Sara took off her glove, looked up at the ceiling, reached for her eye with her fingertips, and then pulled out a blue color eye-contacted. After taking out the contacts, she blinked a few times and let out a sigh before turning to the others. She had her eyes closed, but when she opened them up, everyone was stunned.
Sara's eyes glowed, just like Cloud's; Those eyes were the mark of a SOLDIER.
Tifa spoke in surprise, "Wait a minute, you're eyes are-"
"Bathed in mako, so you're a SOLIDER too?" Cloud interrupted.
Sara chuckled, "Yeah, but don't you noticed that my eyes are different from your's Cloud?"
It was then that Cloud noticed them; her eyes were green cat-like eyes; he gasped, "No way, they look like..."
Sara smiled, "Like his, right? Like Sephiroth's." She paused and looked away with a smile of sorrow, "He thought of the same thing."
Aerith asked, "Who?"
Sara, "Sephiroth, he thought of the same thing when we first met."
Cloud looked at her with a stern look and demanded, "So what is your relationship with him?"
Sara looked up with eyes that almost seemed sad as she answered, "He was once my mentor, but also...my lover."
"WHAT?!"
Cloud's jaw dropped, Aerith and Tifa covered their mouths with their hands, Red XIII's eyes widened, and Barret fell right back on the couch.
This gave everyone a great big shock. Everyone in public knew that Shinra kept a closed lid on Sephiroth's background. Even regular employees could not look through personal data on the number one SOLDIER except his glory battles. However, it wasn't uncommon for 1st Class SOLDIERs to mentor 2nd or 3rd class SOLDIERs. Yet, Cloud knew that Sephiroth wasn't the type to mentor anybody, let alone a woman. Even more shocking is that all members of SOLDIER were men. Many believed it had something to do with their experiments, and women were unqualified to be in SOLIDER. So to see Sara, who has the mark of SOLDIER and her claim that she's Sephiroth's former student, was hard to take in. Even harder to accept that she and Sephiroth were in a romantic relationship. Most people knew that Sephiroth had no interest in such things.
Red XIII broke the long silence, "I believe that there is a story to all of these unanswered questions that everyone is thinking. Sara, you must tell us."
Sara nodded and said, "Yeah, and I believe we have time. I doubt Hojo will alert the President that I'm back. Also, Sara is not my real name; well, it's part of my real name."
Tifa asked curiously, "What is your real name?"
"My name is Saraphina. Saraphina Griffin and my story is long, but do listen, and you can still call me Sara."
Everyone sat down while Sara began to tell her story about her past.
It all began ten years ago when Sara was fourteen years old.