Sector 7 Sewers—Primary Treatment...
After traveling through the tunnels, climbing up ladders, and blindly walking through doors, the group soon found themselves at the primary treatment facility in the Sector 7 sewers.
Aerith spotted a ladder leading up to the surface in the distance. "Look. That must be the way out!"
Tifa gazed at the water that filled the canal. There was no way for them to cross safely. "I wonder. There must be some way we can lower the water level."
Lailah looked around. She saw a room not too far from their current position. "Think we could find something there that'll help us?"
"Don't know," Cloud replied. "But it wouldn't hurt to check. Let's go."
They entered the water control room. There, they found controls for the waterway.
Tifa recognized the setup. "Guys, check it out. Seventh Heaven's water tank has something similar. I'm betting we can use this to control the sewage level."
Aerith turned to the ex-SOLDIER. "Hey Cloud—you wanna give it a try?"
Cloud eyes the controls. "This oughta drain the water...right?"
"It should," Lailah stated. "Let's just hope it works."
The blonde walked over to the controls. He pulled the lever, only for four of the five bars to turn green. A small red light flashed and the console made a beeping noise.
"No luck?" Aerith asked.
"Must be busted," Cloud said.
Tifa saw a poster on the wall containing information that helped them with their current problem. She read it out loud. "A red light indicates a blockage, apparently. We can use the hand pump to clear the blockage." She turned to the others. "Sounds about right. I remember having to do this at the bar before."
"All right. I'll—" Cloud was promptly interrupted by Tifa.
"Aerith, you mind giving me a hand? Cloud, Lailah, you two stay put. Keep an eye out for more red lights."
Lailah's mouth fell agape in bewilderment. She knew what her friend was trying to do. "W-Wait, Tifa. Maybe I should—"
Tifa smiled at her. "Trust me. This is the best way to handle it. We'll be back soon."
Before Lailah or Cloud could say anything else, Tifa and Aerith left.
The shapeshifter awkwardly fiddled with her fingers. She refused to look in Cloud's direction. To slay the suffocating silence lingering between them, she tried to spark up a conversation and hoped it wouldn't be one-sided. "Hey, Cloud, I've been wanting to tell you something for a while now." She sat down on top of one of the desks, eyes staring down at her hands as they lay in her lap.
Cloud watched her every move. "What's that?"
Unconsciously, she raised a hand and placed it around her throat. The vellabloom had healed her, but the scar remained. She took a deep breath and pushed away her shyness and awkwardness so she could express her feelings. "Now that I have my voice back, I can say it." Steeling herself, she lifted her head and met Cloud's curious gaze. "I love you, Cloud. I have for a while. I...I really didn't know what these feelings were until a few years passed while I was in Tellus. I wanted to see you so badly and tell you, but I needed to become stronger before I could see you or Tifa again. After what happened to her and I couldn't do anything for either of you, I felt...useless. I was embarrassed to show my face in Nibelheim again. What's the point in being the descendant of the goddess of life when you can't save the lives of the ones you love and cherish the most?"
Realizing what she said, Lailah shook her head and looked away. "Sorry. I'm rambling again. For someone who hasn't been able to talk for years, I guess I have a lot to say," she laughed feebly. "I just...wanted to tell you that since Tifa decided to give us some time alone. And who knows when a chance like this will happen again."
Cloud had clung to each and every word she said. He didn't dare look away from her, even when she lowered her head. His heart was hammering wildly in his chest at her confession. He felt a spark of need and want he had been trying to suppress surface. Slowly, he closed the distance between them. Standing directly in front of her, he gently grasped her chin and lifted her head. He gazed into her golden eyes for a few seconds before leaning down and placing his lips over hers. His grip fell from her chin as they got lost in the kiss. It was a brief but gentle kiss, one they both wish had lasted longer.
Lailah couldn't tear her gaze away from his mako-infused eyes as their lips parted. As he pressed his forehead against hers and his hands came to rest on the desk on either side of her thighs, she wondered if what she said had caused this reaction. She opened her mouth to ask but promptly closed it when she heard what Cloud had to say.
"I love you."
Hearing those three words caused her heart to soar. She blinked owlishly before smiling sweetly. She lifted her arms and wrapped them around his waist. She moved her forehead from his and buried her face into his chest, smiling. She didn't say anything as she hugged him tightly. She was too happy to describe it with words.
Cloud wound his arms around her smaller frame. One arm looped around the small of her back while his other hand cradled the back of her head. He nuzzled his nose against the top of her head, holding her tightly. "Sorry, but I couldn't wait any longer."
She giggled. "I wasn't expecting our first kiss to be in the sewers, but I am oddly okay with that. I'm just happy to hear you say it."
He gingerly threaded his fingers through her snowy locks. "Better I say it now. Who knows what's going to happen to us after we get out of here."
"Whatever comes our way, I'm sure we can handle it."
Just then, they heard the control panel beep. The couple pulled away from each other to see what happened. Lailah hopped off the desk and followed behind Cloud to check on the controls. They saw the red light signaling the blockage was deactivated.
"Looks like Aerith and Tifa did it," Lailah commented.
At mentioning the two girls, the door opened. Cloud and Lailah turned to see the two girls had returned.
"Welcome back," the shapeshifter greeted them.
Cloud pulled the lever and successfully drained the water. "Nicely done," he complimented the two girls.
"We make a great team," Tifa smiled.
"Go team!" Aerith cheered.
"Now that the water's been drained, we can reach the ladder leading out of the sewers," Lailah said. "It'll be nice to finally get out of here."
"Yeah," Tifa nodded. "I think I've had my share of the sewers for a while."
They departed from the water control room. They encountered some sahagins before proceeding to the ladder.
Descending the ladder, they traveled through the now-exposed areas of the canal. Monsters jumped out of the water to ambush them, but they stood no chance against the group. They reached the ladder on the adjacent side and climbed up.
"Sure is nice to go up for a change," Aerith commented.
Tifa sighed. "Hope the pillar's not much further..."
Finally, they arrived at the ladder that led up to the surface. Cloud stopped the girls. "Hang back. I'll go on ahead and secure the exit." Just as he was about to ascend the ladder, he heard a collective gasp from the girls.
"Cloud!" Tifa shouted.
The ex-SOLDIER saw the large number of sahagins that were stalking towards them with their weapons drawn. He dashed over, quickly drawing his sword.
Tifa raised her fists. "Looks like they're hungry for more."
Aerith gripped her staff with a frightened expression. "We're not delicious! Not even a little bit!"
Cloud stood his ground as the creatures approached. "Get going."
"Now!" Tifa shouted at Lailah and Aerith.
"Okay!" Aerith replied, running to the ladder.
However, Lailah remained where she stood behind her childhood friends. Seeing one of the sahagins about to stab Tifa with its trident, she quickly dashed between them and erected a large barrier of light.
"Lailah," Tifa called out the shapeshifter's name.
The snowy-haired girl cast a smile over her shoulder. "I've got this. You two need to follow Aerith."
"No way," Cloud remarked, refusing to leave her behind to face so many enemies alone.
Lailah strengthened her barrier when the sahagins started to attack it. "Trust me when I say I'll be right behind you."
Tifa and Cloud were still reluctant, but they trusted her. They ran to the ladder while she blocked off the monsters. Tifa was the first one up the ladder and joined Aerith. Cloud was halfway up the ladder when he stopped to look back at Lailah. He saw the swarm of creatures shatter the barrier, which made his heart stop for a second. He was about to jump down to her rescue when he noticed the shards from the barrier pierced the sahagins and sent all of them hurdling backward. Their bodies slammed against the wall.
He quickly climbed up after seeing her run towards the ladder. He made it topside just in time to see the sahagins recover and storm over to the ladder. He was about to grab Lailah and pull her up the rest of the way when he noticed the markings on her face turn from silver to black. Black tendrils emerged from the shadows of the sewers and swatted the monsters away when they tried to attack her on the ladder.
With a huff, Lailah made it to the surface. She stepped off the ladder and looked down to see the monsters weren't smart enough to follow her up. She saw them give up and dive back into the water. "I never expected the sewers to be crawling with so many of those things."
"It was almost like they were waiting for someone to try and leave the sewers," Aerith said.
"Or maybe enter," Tifa added. "I would not want to be the person hired to maintain the water pump."
"I am happy all of us made it safely out," Lailah said.
Cloud poked the shapeshifter's forehead. "You were cutting it close."
She rubbed the area he poked. "And here I thought you trusted me."
"I do," he retorted, crossing his arms. "I just prefer you not to be in danger."
She met his gaze and stared into his eyes. "I feel the same way about you, but I know there will be times when we will be put in danger regardless of what we want."
The blonde sighed. "I know..."
The sound of a helicopter silenced them. The group looked up to see a Shinra helicopter fly overhead. Tifa gasped in horror when she saw what direction it was flying in. The helicopter soon vanished in the distance.
"Just on patrol," Cloud said to ease Tifa.
Aerith clasped her hands together and smiled at the sable-haired girl. "Don't worry. We'll make it in time."
"If it'll make you feel better, I could follow them for you," Lailah offered. However, her offer was shot with a chorus of "no's" from Cloud, Aerith, and Tifa. She was startled at their harmonized voices and flinched. She raised her hands and waved them innocently. "W-Well, that was quick...and loud."
"Shinra knows who you are and what you're capable of," Tifa explained. "If Corneo was desperate enough to get his hands on you from those leaks, I can't even imagine what Shinra is thinking. They might have tons of security officers searching all of Midgar for you."
"And because of that stupid hacker, there might even be more pervs after you!" Aerith added. She then addressed the ex-SOLDIER. "Cloud, I'm promoting you to be Lailah's bodyguard. Make sure to protect her from all those creeps or I'll demote you!"
Cloud placed a hand on his hip. "Don't have to tell me twice."
She never thought much of the repercussions of the leaked images and videos from their fight with the Airbuster. "I...never really thought about how bad this could be until now."
"It's all my fault," Tifa murmured sorrowfully, hanging her head. "I shouldn't have asked you to help us. You wouldn't have been dragged into all of this and Shinra wouldn't know you were in the city."
Lailah shook her head. "It's not your fault, Tifa. I'm the one who decided to help Avalanche. Shinra was bound to learn I was in Midgar sooner or later." She placed a caring hand on the younger girl's shoulder. "Don't blame yourself. For now, let's focus on getting to the slums, okay?"
Tifa took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah. Okay."
The shapeshifter turned around to see where they were now. She saw tons of trains and could feel a faint chill in the air. She could also sense a strange sensation that was only describable as being watched. "Where are we, exactly?"
"The train graveyard," Tifa answered. She pointed to a nearby train car that was right-side up. "Let's climb up and get a better view of this place."
They did just that.
The four climbed up the ladder and stood on top of the train car.
Cloud saw the convoluted layout of the area due to the various abandoned train cars. "We could get lost in here."
Tifa's eyes scanned across the area as well. "This is the train graveyard all right—a real treasure trove of scrap." She pointed to the large metal building across the way. "Sector 7 should be just past that large maintenance facility over there. I vote we stay past the light so we can see where we're going."
"Dark, dark, everywhere..." Aerith muttered.
Lailah spotted a train car that was functioning. The light outside the door was lighting the way. "Looks like we've got our path. Let's go."
They descended the ladder and came to a stop just outside the open train car door.
Aerith looked around. "It's deserted...and kinda creepy."
"People don't come around here often. And not just because of the monsters, but...because of the stories," Tifa said.
Lailah tilted her head in curiosity. "Stories?"
"What kind?" Aerith questioned.
Tifa's tone lowered as she told them the grave tale. "Everyone seems to think that the train graveyard...is haunted. "Those who lose their way out there in the dark of night will never, ever find their way back home again"."
"Hmm..." The shapeshifter tapped her chin. "Maybe they're not mere tales. I do sense we're being watched, but that could be just monsters in the area."
"D-Don't say that!" Tifa shivered.
Cloud glanced over at the snowy-haired girl. "Never took you to be someone who believes in ghosts."
"Believe it or not, I do," she answered honestly. "Back in Tellus, the Tenebris Tribe buried the deceased in tombs underneath Erebus' temple. Whenever my parents took me to visit for the first time, I remember seeing the spirits of the dead. My mother told me the spirits would soon vanish as Erebus himself would be coming to escort them back to the Lifestream. It is said in a tale that the Wolf of Darkness himself returned every century to escort the souls of those we lost. As my people say, "the body is temporary, but the soul is eternal"."
Aerith's eyes widen at hearing the story. She took a step towards the girl. "Wait, are you..."
"What is it, Aerith?"
She sighed, shaking her head. "Sorry, never mind. Let's keep going."
Entering the train car, they pass through and arrive on the opposite side of the pile blocking the path. They were spotted by a few wererats, who were disposed of within seconds. As per Tifa's plan, they continued to follow the lights through the train graveyard.
It wasn't long before they came across an abandoned warehouse. They thought nothing of it until the door opened with a squeak.
Tifa gasped in fright. "Guys, what was that?!"
Cloud slowly approached the door. He immediately stepped back when cripshays busted through the door and charged at them.
"Don't scare me like that!" Tifa shrieked as she punched one of the monsters.
The group wipes out the creatures.
As Tifa lowered her fists, she heard the sound of a kid giggling. "I think I just heard a little kid... Did you guys hear it too?"
"Why would there be kids out here this late?" Cloud wondered.
Her eyes widen. "What? Then—"
"Let's not jump to conclusions just yet," Lailah told her companions.
"R-Right..."
Entering the warehouse, they crouch underneath the rubble of the destroyed ceiling. On the other side, Lailah saw a few boxes stored in the corner. What caught her attention were the small handprints on them. Walking over, she squatted down and ran a finger across what she thought was paint. Then, she heard a little girl giggle. Looking over her shoulder, she didn't see a kid. She only saw her confused friends.
"What's up?" Aerith inquired.
Lailah still refused to jump to conclusions. "It's nothing. Sorry for sidetracking us."
Cloud arched a brow. "You sure?"
She glanced at the boxes a second time before nodding. "Yeah, let's go."
Leaving the warehouse, they located another train car they could travel through.
As they squeezed through the narrow opening to reach the other end of the car, Lailah's attention was drawn to a sphere of light hovering near the window. Mesmerized, she reaches out to touch it. As her finger brushed against it, the orb took the form of a little girl dressed in a pair of shorts and a floral tank top. The child smiled and giggled before vanishing.
"Lailah?"
The shapeshifter blinked a few times. She turned to see the others were waiting for her at the other end of the train car. It had been Aerith's kind but worried voice that called out to her.
"S-Sorry," she apologized, quickly making her way through the small gap.
"You're acting weird," Cloud commented.
She tried to smile but it faltered. "Aren't I weird in general? Y'know, the whole conjuring spells, shapeshifting, and all that other weirdness?"
"Let me rephrase that: you're acting weirder than usual."
She stiffened. "N-No...?"
The blonde sighed at her avoidance. "You seriously won't tell us what's going on?"
"I..." She huffed out a groan. "Not yet. I'm...trying to figure out if I've finally lost my mind. I'll tell you when I'm a hundred percent sure."
They hopped out of the train car. As they were crossing the tracks to reach another ladder, the sound of disembodied giggling echoed around them. Illuminated drawings appeared on the ground.
Aerith took a few steps back. She glanced at Lailah. "Now can we jump to conclusions?"
The snowy-haired girl stared in awe at the drawings. "Uh-huh."
Suddenly, cripshays appeared and pounced on them. Like before, they were no obstacle. With the monsters out of the way, they ascended a ladder located on the side of a stack of flatcars.
At the top, Lailah heard the giggles of the little girl she saw through the train window. Looking around, she spotted the child standing on top of one of the train cars. She gasped in horror after seeing how close she was standing to the edge. "H-Hey! That's dangerous!" She shouted, not realizing it was a ghost. The little girl didn't appear as a specter but as a real person.
Without thinking, she started jumping from train car to train car towards the little girl.
"Lailah!" Cloud shouted after her.
She was too focused on the little girl to hear his cries. She ran as fast as she could to the child. All she could hear was her thundering heart and labored breaths. She soon made it to the train car the little girl was on. She didn't stop running even when she heard the child crying.
The little girl, while rubbing her eyes, slipped off the roof of the train car. Lailah dove for her, wrapping her arms around the child as they fell from the train. She landed on her back in the gravel, groaning in pain from the impact. The little girl rested on top of her, clutching tightly to her shirt as she continued to cry.
The shapeshifter stroked the little girl's blonde locks to soothe her. "It's okay, sweetheart. Cry as long as you want." She didn't know the child's story, but that didn't stop her from caring. She sat up and held her tightly in her arms, tucking her knees underneath her.
After a few minutes, the little girl's crying stopped. She lifted her head and gazed up at Lailah. She wiped her small hand underneath her red, swollen eyes. "Y-You have pretty hair."
The snowy-haired girl smiled sweetly at her comment. "If my hair's pretty, yours is gorgeous. The person I love the most has the same hair color as you."
The little girl gently took hold of Lailah's ponytail and saw the multicolored tips. "Do you think I could color my hair, too?"
"Of course," she giggled. "I think you'd pull it off better than me."
The child smiled, but it didn't last for long. "B-But Mommy and Daddy wouldn't like it. They're always fighting."
Lailah gently wiped away a stray tear from the girl's cheek. "Is that why you're wandering around here?"
She nodded. "Mhmm..."
"I think this place is a little too dangerous for you. Why don't I—" Lailah's eyes widen when she felt her hands faze through the little girl's body. She gasped, noticing the child's body has turned into a spectral image. She tried to take the girl back into her arms, but nothing worked. She could no longer touch her.
The ghost child moved and sat on her knees in front of the shapeshifter. She was smiling and giggling. "Thank you for helping me. Mommy and Daddy would be sad if I got hurt."
Lailah smiled gently, pushing past her shock. "You wouldn't want to worry them, would you?"
The little girl shook her head. "Nope! But I did wanna check on my friends. They can be a little too rough sometimes. Maybe I should tell them I can't play today."
Suddenly, Lailah heard the voice of her mother in her head.
Bless this lost soul.
The words puzzled her. She wasn't sure what Gaia meant. "What...?"
Take the child's hands and repeat the Blessing of Eternity.
Lailah did as her mother instructed. Although she wasn't able to physically take the child's hand, the little girl knew what she was trying to do and followed her actions. Listening closely to Gaia, she spoke the blessing. "Though this body has perished, thy soul remains eternal. Although lost, thy soul has been found." Bright green marks resembling tree branches encircled her and the ghost. "With Gaia's blessing, thy shall return to the Earth Mother and never be lost again. This body's journey has ended, but thy soul will remain for all eternity as the blood that flows through this world until the day of rebirth. Return to the Lifestream, adrift soul. May you rest in peace."
The little girl's body was enveloped in an emerald light. She smiled and giggled one final time. "Thank you." Her soul morphed into a flock of emerald birds. They tweeted gently before flying away.
Lailah simply smiled as the spirit vanished. The branch-like marks vanished. She stared idly at the spot where the little girl once sat. A single tear cascaded down her cheek as she felt the warmth of the child disappear. She placed a hand over her heart. "Thank you, Mother."
Standing up, she looked around and found a way to the top of a train car. Looking across the train graveyard, she searched for her companions. She didn't realize how far she ran from the others or when she lost sight of them.
Deciding not to search blindly, she headed in the direction of the maintenance facility. She didn't encounter many monsters along the way, but she did discover more illuminated drawings. Every time new ones appeared, they were accompanied by the giggles of children. She wondered if there were more trapped souls in this place.
Within a few minutes, she arrived at the maintenance facility. Seeing Cloud, Tifa, and Aerith had yet to arrive, she waited patiently for them. Wondering if she could find them from a higher vantage point, she transformed into her wolf form and hopped onto a storage container. She reverted and sighed worriedly when she didn't see them.
Lailah sat down on top of the storage container. She dangled her legs over the edge, swinging them back and forth. As she stared down at the ground below, she heard more giggles and looked at the entrance to the maintenance facility. Bright drawings appeared on the doors. She couldn't help but smile, not feeling any malevolence from the spirits.
"Hey!"
The shapeshifter's head snapped to the left. She saw Tifa waving at her with a smile. Beside her was Aerith, who was also smiling and waving. Behind the two girls was Cloud.
As the three made their way over, Lailah hopped off the storage container. "Glad to see you three are safe."
"We should be the ones saying that," Tifa said. "Are you okay?"
The snowy-haired girl nodded. "I'm great."
"What happened?" Aerith asked.
She glanced between the three of them. She felt hesitant to tell them. "Well... I don't think you three would believe me."
"Try us," Cloud stated.
Lailah fiddled nervously with her fingers as she told them about the little girl and how she helped her soul pass on. She continued to twirl her fingers, refusing to look at them. It wasn't until Cloud stepped forward and grabbed her hands with one of his did she lift her head.
"I've known you a long time. You've always been a terrible liar. I can tell you aren't making this up," he said.
Tifa nodded. "Yeah. I wish I was there to see you help that little girl. This blessing sounds wonderful."
Aerith smiled. "Me too! It sound like you really helped her pass on."
Lailah beamed gently. "I'm happy I was able to help her find peace."
A smile, which was only reserved for Lailah, manifested on Cloud's face. Tifa and Aerith didn't know about the smile due to his back facing them. He moved his hand from hers and placed it on top of her head. "You did good."
She laughed. "Thanks, Cloud."
The ex-SOLDIER stepped away from her and towards the entrance to the maintenance facility. He was more than ready for what lied ahead. "All right, let's see what's inside."
The doors slid open without any of them doing anything.
Lailah placed a hand on her hip. "Looks like we're being invited inside."
Tifa stepped closer to the shapeshifter. She was afraid, but her childhood friend seemed to be calm. "Well, whaddya think...?"
"Hmm..." Aerith cast her smile toward Cloud. "I'm game!"
The ex-SOLDIER was taken aback at her willingness.
Tifa was still frightened about what waited inside for them. "But..."
"It'll be fine! We've got a bodyguard, don't forget." Aerith skipped over do Cloud and looped an arm around his. "Lailah's! Right?"
Cloud stiffened at the girl's touch. "Ghosts aren't my thing."
"In that case..." Aerith smiled in the shapeshifter's direction. "Lailah! You're our expert exorcist!"
"I don't think I "exorcised" anything," Lailah confessed. "It was more of a peaceful blessing than anything else."
Tifa looped an arm around Lailah's and tugged her closer. She was shaking as she clung to her friend. "You're just being modest! After you!"
"Still not an exorcist..."