[Final Fantasy VII] Scars of Friendship: Chapter 4

[grownupneko]

Title: Scars of Friendship
Chapter: 4/50
Comments: Oh yeah. It's that chapter. Sorry in advance to all the cross-dressing Cloud fans out there though. Cloud isn't about to get his girl panties on in this fic. Also, if you're following this fic, please, please, please review or comment. I need to know if the fic is working for you readers or if I need to change things and I will only know that if you tell me.
Previous Chapters: Scars of Friendship | A Twisted Kind of Honour (Prequel)



Chapter Four:

Miss Aerith, Miss Tifa, Miss Elfé and Cloud

Cissnei stared up at the night sky. It was great to be able to see it properly. She'd never be able to return to Midgar after spending the last month lounging beneath the sky like this. Just as well that she never intended to return.

He last-minute husband was decorating their rented property. They'd got it at a discount because it had needed a lot of work doing on it. At the time they hadn't cared so long as they had a roof over their head, but now they were tired of the drains blocking up, the paint peeling off the walls and the smell of damp that permeated the air.

Now the smell of fresh paint, new carpets and plaster dust filled the air instead. They weren't unpleasant smells, but they gave her a headache after a while and she had to get outside.

There was also a building pressure within her. Every night she spent in the same bed as him, and every day they spent trying to work out what they could do for the rest of their lives. They couldn't live off Cissnei's savings forever. They were going to live together, spend the rest of their time together... But they hadn't had sex yet.

It was understandable. They hadn't been together before this debacle and they weren't exactly in love now. Sure, Cissnei fancied him, daydreamed about him, but that's all there was to it. It had all been too soon. It was all still a daydream.

But sometimes she could feel that urge, that desire, to make this face of a marriage real. Sometimes, when she lay next to his warm body, she got the urge to roll over and touch him, to see how he responded. To watch as he shivered from her touch and his eyes turned to her in adoration...

Those were still just daydreams however.

There was no way her husband would ever think of her that way.

Cloud felt a wave of nostalgia wash over him when he stepped into Wall Market. He wasn't really sure why though. He stared around him and tried to shake off the feeling. He hadn't particularly spent much time here while he was in SOLDIER, it was hardly a reputable area, so why did he feel so familiar?

"God this place is so creepy," Aerith said, putting her hands on her hips as she looked around as well. "Let's find Tifa fast and get out of here."

Cloud could at least agree with that, but when he looked around he hadn't got a clue where to start. Why would Tifa be in a place like this? He felt at a complete loss. Aerith turned to him, quirking an eyebrow.

"Well, don't just stand there! Come on, move it!" She walked behind him and gave him a push. Cloud staggered forward and turned round, scowling at her.

"Where exactly am I meant to 'move it' to? Have you got any ideas where to start?" he demanded. Aerith thought about it for a few moments.

"The only clue we have was that Tifa wasn't wearing very much," she pointed out. Cloud didn't think that was a very good observation. Tifa was never wearing very much. "So she obviously wasn't coming here just to shop."

Cloud's brain began to work furiously at that. If she wasn't coming here to use any of the stores, she was here for a different reason. There were only a few businesses in Wall Market that you would need to wear special clothes to enter. She could be going on a date in the restaurant, but then why would she pick Wall Market for that? She could be meeting someone in the inn, but yet again, Seventh Heaven was much more useful for that kind of thing. He clenched his fists.

"Let's check out the Honey Bee," he suggested. Aerith smiled and nodded.

"Worked it out huh?" she asked and fell into step with him. Cloud wasn't sure what to make of it all. The thought of Tifa in the Honey Bee made his blood run cold and boil at the same time. He found his hand twitching towards his belt, but he didn't have anything there that he could use.

The garish neon lights of the Honey Bee Inn loomed in front of them and Cloud grimaced. Outside men were hanging around with hazy expressions. Some were drugged or drunk, some were just staring at the building as though it were some kind of temple. He side stepped some of them and made sure that he was close enough to Aerith to protect her if any of them got any ideas.

The doorman was a fat man who was grinning at him sleazily. Cloud gave him the best glare he could but the man seemed completely unfazed. Beside him he caught Aerith shifting her weight uneasily as the man's greasy gaze settled on her.

"Welcome to the Honey Bee Inn! Whether you're looking to put some fun back into your love life or looking for that special lady separately, tonight you'll meet your destiny under our roof!" the man said in a way that made Cloud think of bad tag lines from porn films. He put his arm around Aerith's waist just in case the man decided to start touching her or something else inappropriate.

"I'm looking for a girl. Her name is Tifa," Cloud said. He felt Aerith tensing against his side and gave her a squeeze to tell her to relax. It wasn't like his hand was going to wander anywhere. He caught a whiff of flowers from her hair as she realised to play along and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Well, word gets around pretty fast, huh?" the man said, putting his hands in his pockets. "Tifa's our newest girl." Cloud felt his mouth dry up. He cleared his throat and tried not to look panicked.

"Unfortunately she's having an interview right now," the man continued, obviously not noticing the sudden tenseness in the air. Next to him he could hear Aerith's breath catching. "We usually let all the girls go for an interview at Don Corneo's before they come to work here. He's spent a lot of money with us, but now he wants to settle down and get 'married'."

Cloud scowled. "So Tifa is at this Don Corneo's place then?" he pressed. The man shrugged.

"Probably. You know, you're the second person to ask about Tifa tonight. She must be pretty popular," he said thoughtfully. "Then again with a rack like that, I'm surprised she wasn't put to work for this kind of thing sooner. She's gonna be a sweet little money maker-"

"This person-" Cloud interrupted, not interested in hearing this man's plans for selling his friend to the highest bidder. "-what did they look like."

"Oh, we know who she was. Name's Elfé. Pretty, short brown hair, wears lots of khaki," he said. Cloud breathed a sigh of relief. So Elfé was here too? He needed to find her. Perhaps together they could figure out a way to stop Tifa with... whatever it was that she was doing.

"This place used to be used as a base for AVALANCHE back when Elfé ran it but after the shoot out the management turfed them out. Damaged too much. The Red Room... they reckon it's haunted now. They reckon a Turk took about the whole organisation and that only Elfé and a few others survived," he continued but Cloud was barely listening. He loosened his hold on Aerith a little.

"Do you know where we can find her now?" he asked. The man nodded.

"Yeah. She said she was going to the Inn to get changed," he replied. Cloud nodded.

"Thanks for your help," Aerith chirped as they walked away. Cloud released her as soon as they were out of sight of the Honey Bee and put his hands in his pockets. He wasn't sure why but it had seemed very weird to pretend to be Aerith's boyfriend.

"So we find Elfé and then we go into Don Corneo's mansion and rescue Tifa?" Aerith asked. Cloud paused, standing beside a maneki-neko that was rocking from side to side a little from the last person who had knocked it. He put a hand out to stop it, staring down at its painted face.

"I don't think it's going to be that simple somehow. We don't know why Tifa is even here," he pointed out. "She might need to get into Don Corneo's for a reason we don't know yet. We'll talk to Elfé and then make a plan from there."

Aerith nodded, though she looked unsure. Cloud took his hand off the maneki-neko, watching as it began to rock again as though it had a will of its own. Back and forth, back and forth...

Elfé stared down at the dress she'd managed to retrieve from the Honey Bee Inn. One of the girls had recognised her and offered her some clothes for getting into Don Corneo's mansion. Green PVC ran over her hands and she awkwardly laid it flat against the bed. She'd been given matching long gloves and thigh high boots as well.

She really didn't want to go into the mansion looking like a cheap dominatrix, but Tifa's stupid plan was going to get them into trouble one way or another and Elfé didn't plan to sit around and wait for Shinra to get wind of everything. She had only one choice and that was to bust in and talk to Tifa herself.

Steeling herself for the inevitable she began to unbutton her blouse.

"You can't go in there!"

"Like hell we can't!"

Elfé pulled her blouse tightly around her as the door burst open and Cloud stormed in, dragging someone behind him. Elfé's first thought was to shriek at him and throw something, but she didn't let that show on her face. Instead she quirked an eyebrow and watched as understanding dawned on his face and he quickly turned around. A face peered around him. Elfé smiled when she recognised who it was and did a few buttons back up.

"Aerith!" she finished buttoning up her blouse. The Ancient rocked on her feet a little and smiled, though she glanced at Cloud worriedly. Elfé glanced at his back. Even from behind she could tell he wasn't so hot right now. His shoulders were tense and his fists were clenched tightly against the sides of his legs.

"So you made it through alive huh?" Elfé asked. Cloud didn't turn but he did rest a hand on his hip. Elfé noticed Aerith flinch and look away.

"I was careless. It won't happen again," he replied. Elfé didn't say anything in response. Truly, there was no point in calling him on his lack of SOLDIER-level abilities. He'd just get that blank look in his eyes and they'd lose him for a few moments while his brain wiped clean any memory that Elfé had managed to call forward.

"Why are you here? And with Aerith tagging along at that?" Elfé decided to ask, sitting on the bed and pushing the PVC monstrosity to one side. Aerith moved to sit next to her.

"I found Cloud when he fell from the Plate," she explained, tucking a curl behind her ear. "I agreed to show him the way back to Sector 7 and we so happened to see Tifa heading this way..."

Elfé wanted to pummel Cloud for letting Aerith come to a place like this. She looked at his back and then sighed. The crime was done now, she supposed, they'd just have to muddle through as best they could.

"Don Corneo accepts three women every night to his bedchamber. Of those, one of them gets chosen to spend the night," Elfé explained. "For some reason Tifa is trying to ensure that she is chosen tonight. I'm going to make sure that doesn't happen. No one is going to be touching Tifa. Least of all that sleazy old man."

"Got something to own up to, Elfé?" Cloud asked, a hint of amusement in his voice. Elfé felt colour rising to her cheeks and she didn't meet Aerith's eyes.

"Want to know how I fuck your childhood friend that badly Strife?" she spat out, trying to get over the embarrassment of getting caught out. She could virtually see Cloud bristling.

"Like hell Tifa would touch you with a bargepole," he replied. Elfé made a disgusted noise under her breath.

"That sounds an awful lot like jealousy to me, Strife," she barked back. At that moment Aerith stood up and stood between them. Cloud was oblivious, he still had his back to them, but Elfé could see the warning in her eyes. Yeah, yeah, don't push the mentally ill person...

"Regardless of who Tifa wants to sleep with, we all want to help her right?" Aerith said. Elfé stared at Cloud's back that was emitting petulence in waves. She was pretty sure she hadn't heard the end of this.

"I can see an easy solution to this," Aerith continued, beginning to pace in front of the bed. Elfé leaned back, watching the way her skirt hitched up her legs as she walked.

"He takes three right? Well Tifa is already selected. There are two more positions open. Elfé will take one and I will take the other," Aerith reasoned, pausing in her pacing when Cloud seemed to twitch as though to turn around and then stopped himself. Aerith smiled and turned to Elfé.

"It makes sense, right Elfé?" she pressed. Elfé couldn't see any flaw in the logic of the plan apart from one obvious one.

"What if you get picked?" she asked. "Are you strong enough to haul that monster off you?"

Aerith's face became troubled as she put her fingertip to her lips. Elfé sighed. She and Tifa were pretty muscular. They were used to outrunning Shinra operatives and fighting Roboguards. Aerith wasn't. She was soft. It was a good thing. Elfé liked the feminine nature that she exuded, but it wouldn't help her fight off around twenty-five stone of quivering flab.

"Only one gets picked, right?" she said after a moment. Elfé nodded. Aerith brightened.

"Then when the other two are let go they go get Cloud from outside and he can go and save which ever one of us is in danger of becoming a bloody splat on that man's matress," she said, virtually sparkling with determination. Elfé could see so many holes in that plan that she couldn't even begin to point them out. She stared up at Aerith with a kind of affectionate exasperation.

"You're sure that you'll be able to hold off the old horny whale while we get Cloud?" she pressed. Aerith sighed.

"I'm not some virginal nun, Elfé. If I have to I can use some womanly techniques to charm his trouser snake while someone comes to cut it off," she said, without a hint of irony. Elfé couldn't help but chuckle at that because the matter-of-fact nature of what she was saying, mixed with the sexual euphemisms, was so innocent and naïve that she couldn't help but admire Aerith's spunk.

"Cloud, I'm fully dressed and have been since Aerith started talking. You don't have to face the wall anymore," Elfé said. Cloud whipped around and glared at her before going to lean against a wall, facing them.

"Am I allowed in on this girl guide's meeting?" he asked sarcastically. Elfé was a little pleased to see some of the bite back in Cloud's expression. As a Turk he'd had plenty of rough-around-the-edges snarl that had been part of her attraction to him back then. With him thinking himself to be Zack, he had lost that and to see it returning... Elfé was glad. They were going to need it to survive Wall Market.

"Feel free if you have something constructive to say," she said. Cloud glared at her, his SOLDIER blue eyes boring into her. He opened his mouth, closed it again and continued to glare.

"I assume your argument was going to be either stupid or sexist or both?" Elfé asked. Cloud's mouth thinned into a line.

"Yeah, probably best you didn't say anything," Aerith said, smiling in a way that showed that she was obviously not joking. Elfé couldn't hold back a smile.

"I don't trust either of you," Cloud said and Elfé saw the hurt flicker across Aerith's face before it was hidden behind that usual, sad, kind mask. Anger flared in her stomach and she got to her feet, stomping over to Cloud and punching him.

It didn't matter that he didn't really know what he'd done wrong. It didn't matter that it hurt her fist more than it probably hurt his face. It didn't matter that he barely staggered. The shock in those blue eyes was enough.

"I don't give a flying fuck if you trust me, Strife, but believe in her," she pointed behind her to where Aerith stood, rooted to the spot. "Without her you wouldn't be alive now. Without her and her stupid boyfriend. Whatever the fuck happened to you... It's because they were around that you're even half the man you are now-"

She shut her mouth when a harrowing scream spillowed from between his lips. His hands went up to his head and he began to shake his head from side to side. He knocked into one of the cheap chairs and sent it flying. He stumbled over the corner of the rug and fell to the ground, curling into a ball and whimpering, his face screwed up in pain, his nails digging into his scalp and dragging through his hair hard enough to draw blood.

Aerith was immediately at his side, her hands skimming over his body. Elfé knew she was trying to heal beyond the bruises and scrapes he'd just caused himself, but she also knew that Cloud was beyond Aerith's help right now. Green eyes were staring at her, accusation heavy in them.

"I didn't know he'd have some kind of fit," Elfé spat in her defence. Aerith sighed and pressed her palm to Cloud's forehead. His eyes rolled back in his head and he stilled.

"Sleep materia," she explained when Elfé gave her a questioning glance.

"While he's out we may as well not waste time," Elfé said, helping Aerith move Cloud to the bed. He was heavy and they were both red in the face once they managed to move him.

"I'll stay with him... Just go pick me up a dress... Something sassy," Aerith said, sitting on the edge of he bed and putting her hands to her cheeks.

"I have just the dress in mind."

Tifa stared around the dark cellar and felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. There was all kinds of weird stuff down here. She ran her hand along the strange bench and shivered. She wanted to believe that it was a torture chamber, but she had the distinct feeling that this wasn't a torture chamber per se but some kind of sex dungeon.

"What have I let myself in for?"

Cloud rubbed at his face tiredly. He was exhausted. He couldn't remember having come up with the plan that Aerith and Elfé told him about but he apparently had. It didn't sound like one of his plans but he couldn't deny that it was one of the most sound ones.

So here he was, stood trying to look casual as Aerith and Elfé walked into the mansion. Elfé was wearing a tight, PVC gown that sucked in so much in the middle that it gave her curves she didn't really possess. Aerith was wearing a red dress that hung off her shoulders. She'd even unplaited her hair and was wearing it in a fancy up-do. Cloud had to admit that she looked absolutely amazing.

"Damn she's hot!" the doorman said, leering at Aerith. "Come in! Come in! Two super hot ladies coming through!"

Cloud wrinkled up his nose. He hated sleazebags like that. Elfé and Aerith walked past him, ignoring his obvious lechery. Aerith glanced over her shoulder at him as she stepped through the door before her attention was grabbed by something inside. Cloud watched the doors shut closed and clenched his fists. All he could do now was wait.

"Hey ladies," the receptionist said. He looked like a pimp to Aerith. There was no denying his involvement in some kind of crime circle just by the way he dressed. She attempted to smile charmingly. "I'll go let the Don know everyone is here. Wait here. Don't you two go anywhere now."

He wandered off upstairs and Aerith glanced at Elfé. The other woman was watching him as she pretended to check out her nails. The moment she heard the door close Elfé dropped her hand and looked at Aerith.

"C'mon let's look for Tifa," Elfé said, moving quickly and quietly up the stairs. Aerith followed, slightly less sure of herself in her high heels. She winced as the stillettos made loud clopping noises against the wooden steps. No one came out however as she made her way across the landing. Elfé was waiting for her at the other end.

"These stairs head down... I'm getting a bad feeling about this but lets have a look anyway," she suggested and began to descent down the steep stone steps. The air temperature was colder and Aerith shivered, wrapping her arms around herself. Actual flame torches burnt on the walls.

"What on Earth...?" she began and then she saw the table coming into view. She couldn't help but put her hand to her mouth to hold back a giggle.

"Is this the kind of stuff the Don's into then?" she whispered to Elfé who smirked in response and shrugged.

"Hey, whatever gets the fat guy off," she replied and they finally stepped into the main body of the room. Aerith glanced around, taking in the dusty medical equipment and obviously well used torture bench.

"Elfé?"

Aerith turned to see Tifa running towards them from where she'd been standing in the corner. Elfé put her arm around the other's shoulders to draw her into a hug. Aerith politely waited until Elfé let go of the brunette. After all, she could already sense the protectiveness coming off Elfé in waves.

"Oh Aerith! I didn't see you there!" Tifa said when she pulled away. Her cheeks were tinged rather pink. Aerith just smiled and waved her hand dismissively.

"It's fine. I'm used to being ignored in favour of hotter offers," she said with a wink. Tifa's eyes darted to Elfé then back to Aerith and her blush spread to the tips of her ears. Aerith put her hands on her hips.

"Well at least we're all together now!" she said brightly. Elfé chuckled.

"Yeah and what is one horny whale against all three of us?" she asked. Aerith nodded and reached down to adjust the straps of her shoes. She was nervous. She hadn't done things like this when Zack had been alive. Not really. There hadn't been that risk involved. She'd always thought he'd save her if things went wrong. Now...

"Where's Cloud? I thought I saw him with you," Tifa said. Aerith let her foot drop back to the floor.

"He's waiting outside. When we get the Don alone we're going to smuggle him in," Elfé explained.

"Yeah... Um, Tifa... I-I think it might be best if after all this you let Cloud rest for a while..." she said. Tifa frowned slightly.

"Why?" she asked. Aerith opened her mouth to reply when she heard footsteps from above.

"Heeeeeeey!" she heard the receptionist from before and sighed, putting on her best accommodating smile.

"It's almost time ladies. The Don is waiting! Let's go!" he said. Aerith followed him, looking at Elfé worriedly. One of them was about to be chosen by the Don. Someone was going to have to run outside to tell Cloud what was going on. Which one of them would be chosen though? Elfé looked like the Don's type, but then Tifa could be chosen easily. Aerith didn't know what she'd do if she was chosen. Bullying a man for ideas wasn't exactly her forte, for all her bravado with Cloud.

They were brought into a room that was decorated like a cheap Wutaian takeaway house. Aerith looked around her at the tacky furniture and wrinkled up her nose a little. It smelled like a cheap Wutaian takeaway house as well. The Don obviously ate in.

"Hmm... Good! Splendid!"

Aerith hadn't noticed the Don behind his overly large mahogany desk. He was leaning over it, his jowls quivering in excitement. Aerith tried to hold back a shudder of distaste as his eyes raked over her figure before moving onto Tifa. She was used to only Zack looking at her that way, and he had certainly been much more handsome and physically attractive than this blubber sack on stumps.

"Now let's see... which girl... should I choose?" he panted, walking around the desk and leaning in close to Aerith's face. She tried to look unfazed by it all but his breath stank of garlic and five spice and she found herself wrinking up her nose again. He moved on.

"This one?" he leaned forward so that his face was almost in Tifa's rack. The brunette stood tall and kept her face forward, her eyes slightly glassy but refusing to move an inch. The Don's smile grew lecherous as he moved onto Elfé and looked her up and down briefly.

"Woo-hoo. I've made up my mind! My choice for tonight is..." The Don paused, as if for a drum roll. Aerith's heart was beating so hard in her chest she could barely breathe. Please not me. I thought I could do this but the thought of being with anyone, even in an act to get information, it's just too much... I can't... I need to be faithful to Zack's memory more than I realised...

"This little beauty!" The Don announced, taking Tifa's hand. Tifa did an admirable job of not looking disgusted and smiled at him, sweeping her hair over her shoulder graciously and flashing a quick look at Elfé that quite clearly said get me out of here.

"Be nice, Don," she said though, walking to the other side of the desk and resting her hip against it.

"You can have the other ones," the Don said. Aerith's blood went cold and she looked at Elfé. The other had frozen as well, her back ramrod straight. The men licked their lips as the leered at the two of them.

"Oh shit," Elfé whispered under her breath.

Cloud saw Aerith as she stumbled from the door, her sandals clutched in her hands as she ran barefoot across the threshold. Her hair hung down around her shoulders where it had fallen out and her cheeks were high with colour. She had a large bruise forming on her cheek and Cloud let out a curse as he ran towards her.

She stopped just in front of him before launching herself at him. He held her awkwardly, realising she was trembling from head to foot. He stroked her back, letting one hand wrap firmly around her waist. He let her have a few moments before she pulled away.

"We have to go back in! Elfé and Tifa are still inside! Tifa's with the Don!" Aerith said, trying to hide her panic. Cloud felt sick to his stomach and let go of her.

"Are you okay to wait here without me?" he asked. Aerith nodded, her bottom lip trembling.

"Sorry Cloud. I just can't go back in there," she said, her hands were shaking as she folded her arms across herself defensively. Cloud shook his head and gave her another quick squeeze, pressing an impulsive kiss against her forehead before he ran towards the door.

It slammed in his face and he heard the heavy sound of a bolt sliding across the door. He banged ineffectually against the door but he couldn't get it to budge. He was tempted to take the Buster Sword and attempt to slash through it but then he stopped himself. That would damage the blade and he might need it later to fight with.

"Can't we get in?" Aerith asked, her voice wavering. Cloud looked over his shoulder at her and then shook his head.

"It'll have to be unlocked from the inside. Come on. Let's get you somewhere safe. We've just got to hope that Tifa and Elfé can look after themselves."

Elfé growled as she kicked the last moron in the face. She was lucky that they hadn't clocked on to the fact that she was clearly trained until the last minute when nearly all of them had their balls dislodged and somewhere around their navel. She left the room and paused. She knew she should head to check on Aerith but she was more worried about Tifa. The other had to deal with the Don. There was no escape for her and... Aerith had known what she was getting into.

She ran to the Don's room and through his office. In the bedroom Tifa was pressed up against the bed, her pose clearly uncomfortable. The Don was making grotesque wiggling movements that made Elfé feel ill. She growled.

"Get away from her!" she demanded. The Don turned around in time for Tifa to bring her foot into contact with his face and shove herself off the bed.

"You still don't get it Don Corneo?" Tifa asked, her gaze confident as she smirked. Elfé felt a surge of pride. Tifa was a strong girl. Strong enough that she could have handled this on her own.

"Get what?" the Don demanded. Elfé smirked and put her arm around Tifa's shoulders. The other was standing strong, the muscles of her shoulder tensed and ready for movement.

"We're asking the questions now," Elfé said trying to sound confident. Where's Cloud? He's meant to be here! Did Aerith not escape?

"What did your assistants find out? If you don't tell them your balls are in danger of being chopped off and force fed to you," Tifa ground out, leaning forward so her foot was on the bed in between the Don's legs. He looked down at her heeled foot and then back up at her before he swallowed.

"I'll tell you everything! Not that! Please not that!" he begged. Elfé sneered at him, folding her arms and leaning back against the wall.

"I made 'em find out where the man with the gun-arm was. But that's what I was ordered to do," Corneo said, his piggy eyes looking around him for a way out. Elfé unzipped one of her PVC boots to reveal her gunblade had been strapped along her thigh.

"By who?" she asked. Corneo was watching the blade, transfixed.

"No! If I told you that I'd be killed!" Corneo said. Elfé snorted.

"Shinra then. If you don't tell us I'll seriously rip them off and eat them," Elfé threatened, pushing up from the wall and zipping up her boot. Corneo put his hands over his crotch as though that would protect him.

"Heidegger! Heidegger the head of Public Maintenance!" he blabbed. Elfé smiled and tested her thumb on the blade. Perhaps she'd castrate him anyway?

"What is he up to? Tell us Corneo!" Tifa said, grabbing the front of the man's shirt and pulling him forward. Her foot nudged into his crotch and he squirmed.

"Shinra is trying to crush a small rebel group called AVALANCHE. Apparently the President has beef with one of the members specifically and wants to make sure that he gets the job done. He's going to break the plate support and let if fall on the sector!" Corneo said. Elfé felt her grip go slack on her gunblade as she stared at the man. Break the support? Was Shinra insane?

"They're going to wipe out Sector 7 slums?" Tifa asked, taking a few steps back. Her eyes were panicked and Elfé wanted to tell her to calm down. They had time yet to warn everyone.

"Let's go warn everyone!" Elfé said, turning her back to Don and dragging Tifa towards the door.

"W-wait a second!" the Don called after them. Elfé turned and saw the smug look on the Don's face a little too late.

"How do you think that scum like me feels when they blab on Shinra, huh?" he asked. Elfé didn't have a chance to respond before the ground opened up beneath her and her arms were flailing to grab hold of the slick surface of the tunnel down into darkness.

Reno looked up at the Plate. He'd had some good times in this Sector. Some real good times. But that was coming to an end now. The order had been so specific that there was no way for him to get around it. Tseng had tried to find a way to weasel out. There wasn't one this time.

Reeve had failed to convince otherwise and the Plate had to be dropped.

He looked at the gun in his hand that he'd brought with him to stop any resistance. Tseng had forced him to take it out of protocol. He undid the safety, pointing it at the Plate and shooting towards it. It made a loud banging sound then everything was quiet again.

"This is shit," he said, dropping the gun and kicking it over the edge. He would take what was coming to him. If the residents of Sector 7 managed to overpower him and take back their Sector, who was he to deny them? If they were going to do this to Sector 5, he'd be fighting just as hard.

He looked down at the sprawl of homes, the thousands of people who wouldn't wake up tomorrow.

"My job sucks."