The next morning, the usual morning buzz filled Seventh Heaven. Tifa was wiping down the counter, humming a quiet tune, when the door creaked open.
A shadowy figure slipped in, a small, nervous-looking man in a rumpled coat.
He handed Tifa a folded piece of paper, his eyes darting around the room before he quickly melted back out into the bustling street.
Tifa unfolded the note, her brows knitting together as she read it.
"This is... bad,"
She murmured, a serious look on her face. Arthur, who was helping Aerith water the flowers by the window, glanced over.
"What is it, Tifa?"
He asked, sensing the change in her mood.
"It's from one of my informants,"
She explained, her voice low.
"They heard Shinra is moving some unusual equipment into the upper plate, near Sector 7's edge. Not standard Mako maintenance gear. My informant thinks it might be something... big. Something secret."
Her eyes narrowed.
"I need to check it out. Get a closer look. I'm going to go undercover."
Aerith, who had been listening intently, dropped her watering can with a soft clatter.
"Alone? Tifa, no! That's too dangerous!"
Her voice was filled with worry. She had grown close to Tifa, seeing her as a strong, kind friend.
The thought of Tifa going into a potentially dangerous Shinra operation by herself made Aerith's heart go uneasy.
"I can handle myself, Aerith,"
Tifa said, trying to reassure her, though her jaw was set in a determined line.
"I've done this before."
But Aerith wasn't convinced. She walked over to Arthur and gently tugged on his sleeve, her eyes wide and pleading.
"Arthur, please. Tifa shouldn't go alone. Can you go with her? You're... strong. You can keep her safe."
She then looked back at Tifa.
"And I'm coming too! I have a bad feeling about this, and I can help."
Arthur looked at Aerith's worried face, then at Tifa's resolute one. He knew Aerith was right.
Whatever Shinra was planning, it wouldn't be good. And with the Whisperers' warnings still fresh in his mind, he felt an even greater need to be careful, to be prepared.
Aerith's intuition was also incredibly valuable.
"Aerith's right, Tifa,"
Arthur said, nodding.
"It's better if you have backup. And Aerith's instincts are usually spot on. We'll all go."
Tifa hesitated for a moment, then sighed. She knew Arthur was powerful, even with his "energy manipulation" story. And she trusted him.
Aerith's presence, while adding a layer of concern for her safety, also brought a unique perspective.
"Alright,"
She conceded.
"But we stick to the plan. Get in, get information, get out. No heroics, understood?"
Arthur gave her a slight smile.
"Understood."
As Tifa, Arthur, and Aerith were discussing their plan, a silent figure emerged from the shadows by the dartboard. Cloudia. She had been observing them, her sharp gaze missing nothing.
Her massive Buster Sword, usually leaning against the wall, was now firmly strapped to her back.
"I'm coming too,"
Cloudia stated, her voice quiet but firm.
Tifa, Arthur, and Aerith all turned to look at her, surprised. Cloudia rarely volunteered for anything, preferring to keep to herself.
"Cloudia?"
Tifa began, a little taken aback.
"Are you sure? It could be risky."
Cloudia simply nodded, her eyes distant, as if looking at something only she could see.
"I need to know,"
She said, almost to herself. She didn't explain what she needed to know, but Arthur had a feeling it had something to do with the "impossible" power she'd seen him use, and the fragmented memories of Sephira.
She was searching for answers, and perhaps, for a connection to the unsettling feelings he stirred within her.
Aerith, seeing the determination in Cloudia's eyes, smiled softly.
"The more the merrier! We'll be much safer with all of us together."
Her optimism was a bright spark in the growing tension.
Arthur looked at Cloudia. He knew she was an incredibly skilled fighter, a former SOLDIER. Her presence would definitely make them safer, but it also added another layer of complexity.
She was trying to piece together her past, and his "powers" seemed to be a key to unlocking some of those painful memories.
He had to be even more careful not to reveal too much, not to draw the Whisperers' unwanted attention.
"Alright, Cloudia,"
Arthur said,
"But we stick together. No going off on your own."
Cloudia just gave a curt nod, her gaze already fixed on the task ahead.
The group gathered, the weight of their mission settling over them. They needed more than just a vague warning; they needed details.
Arthur knew from the games he'd played, that Shinra was going to collapse the Sector 7 plate. But this reality was already twisting, with Whisperers, so he couldn't be sure it would play out exactly as he remembered.
A new twist, a hidden detail, could change everything.
"We need more information,"
Arthur stated, looking at Tifa.
"A reliable source."
Tifa nodded, her expression grim.
"There's only one person who always knows the dirty secrets of Midgar, especially about Shinra's shadier dealings. Don Corneo."
Don Corneo was a disgusting, powerful crime boss who controlled the Wall Market area.
He was known for his love of beautiful women and his twisted games. Getting information from him was always a gamble, and usually, a very uncomfortable experience.
"Corneo?"
Aerith asked, a slight shiver running down her spine.
"Isn't he... well, creepy?"
"Understatement of the year,"
Tifa muttered, rubbing her temples.
"But he has ears everywhere, especially when Shinra's trying to do something on the sly. He loves to collect dirt on them."
Cloudia remained silent, but her eyes held a flicker of something close to distaste at the mention of Corneo's name. Even for a former SOLDIER, dealing with the likes of Don Corneo was usually beneath them.
Arthur, however, was already thinking. Don Corneo was a known figure from his "game" memories.
He knew the general layout of Corneo's mansion and his quirks. This was a chance to get solid facts.
And if things went wrong, if the familiar path of the game twisted into something far worse, he was prepared to act.
He knew the Whisperers were watching, but the safety of his friends and the thousands of innocent lives in Sector 7 outweighed the risk of drawing their attention.
If it comes to the worst, Arthur thought, a cold resolve settling in his heart, I'll unleash everything.
Whisperers be damned.
He wouldn't let Shinra destroy an entire section of the city and blame it on Avalanche. Not if he could stop it.
The journey to Wall Market was a strange one. They had to shed their current disguises and adopt new ones to fit in with the district's wild, anything-goes atmosphere.
Wall Market was a place where neon lights clashed with grimy alleys, where every kind of shady business thrived, and where the rules of the upper plate didn't apply.
Tifa, with her natural charisma, quickly slipped into the role of a confident, street-smart woman. She changed into a more flashy, but still practical, outfit.
Arthur adopted a more anonymous look, a dark jacket and hood, trying to blend into the shadows.
Cloudia, ever the imposing figure, donned a long, dark coat that somewhat hid her sword and made her look like a silent, watchful bodyguard.
Aerith, surprisingly, embraced the chaos of Wall Market with a cheerful spirit. She changed into a bright dress, her flower basket still clutched in her hand.
Her innocent charm was a stark contrast to the grunginess around them, making her strangely invisible in her own way. People just saw a pretty girl with flowers, not a threat.
"Alright,"
Tifa said as they navigated the crowded, noisy streets.
"Don Corneo's mansion is at the heart of this district. It's heavily guarded, and he has a strict 'women only' rule for his personal audience. Meaning, Arthur and…Cloudia will have to find a way in separately, or wait outside."
Arthur remembered this detail from the game. It was a whole questline to get Cloud into the mansion disguised as a woman.
"We need a way to get inside, all of us,"
He stated.
"Especially if things go sideways."
"There are a few ways,"
Tifa explained.
"You can try getting past the bouncers, or sometimes, if you're lucky, he'll hold a 'bride audition' and allow a few chosen women in. That's usually the safest way for me to get close."
Aerith, however, had another idea. She smiled sweetly. '
"What if we try the direct approach? Sometimes, being unexpected is the best way."
Her eyes twinkled mischievously.
"Besides, I hear he likes pretty flowers."
Arthur raised an eyebrow. Aerith, with her gentle nature, often came up with surprisingly bold plans. He trusted her instincts.
"Alright, Aerith. Lead the way."
They approached Corneo's mansion, a gaudy, sprawling building that screamed wealth and bad taste. Large, intimidating bouncers with bulging muscles stood guard at the heavily ornate front gates. The air around the mansion felt thick with a mix of cheap perfume, stale cigar smoke, and an underlying tension.
"Okay, stick close,"
Tifa whispered, her hand hovering near her side, ready for anything.
Aerith stepped forward, her flower basket held out, a warm, innocent smile on her face.
"Excuse me, sirs?"
She chirped, her voice light and friendly.
"I have a special delivery of fresh flowers for Don Corneo. He ordered them himself, for his grand hall!"
The bouncers, huge and menacing, exchanged confused glances. They weren't used to such a direct, sweet approach. One of them, a burly man with a scar across his face, grunted.
"Flowers? Don't think he mentioned any flowers."
"Oh, but he did!"
Aerith insisted, her smile never wavering.
"He said only the prettiest ones for his mansion. And these are the very best, freshly picked this morning!"
She held out a vibrant bouquet of Midgar's rare flora.
While the bouncers were distracted by Aerith's charm and the unexpected bouquet, Tifa subtly moved closer, her eyes scanning the gate's lock mechanisms.
Cloudia, a silent shadow, positioned herself to block anyone trying to interfere with Aerith. Arthur stayed a few steps back, ready to unleash a burst of "energy" if the bouncers decided to get rough.
Aerith continued to chat, her voice a gentle stream, completely disarming the guards.
"He specifically asked for the ones with the dew still on them, you see. Such a discerning taste!"
Just as the bouncers were starting to look genuinely bewildered, Tifa made her move. With a few swift, practiced movements, she picked the lock on a side gate, a smaller, less obvious entrance.
It clicked open with a soft thud, barely audible over the din of Wall Market.
"Right this way, gentlemen,"
Tifa said smoothly, pushing the gate open slightly.
"I'll make sure the Don gets his flowers. And then perhaps we can talk about the 'special equipment' he's apparently very interested in."
She gave them a wink, a dangerous glint in her eyes that made even the bouncers feel a flicker of unease.
They slipped through the gate, Aerith still holding her flowers and maintaining her sweet demeanor, Tifa leading the way with quiet confidence, and Cloudia and Arthur bringing up the rear, their senses on high alert.
Inside, the mansion was even more garish than it looked from the outside.
Plush, garish carpets lined the halls, statues of questionable taste adorned every corner, and the air was thick with the smell of cheap cologne and old money.
"Alright,"
Tifa whispered, leading them down a dimly lit hallway.
"Corneo's office is usually at the back. We need to find his private rooms, that's where he keeps his most sensitive information."
Arthur's mind raced. He knew the general layout, but this was real, not a game. Every shadow could hide a guard, every turn could lead to a trap.
And with the planet's Lifestream screaming through Aerith, and the Whisperers' silent threat hanging over him.
They were closer to the truth, but also closer to the brink of disaster.
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