Fandom Final Fantasy VII Refrain

[ReaperMelia]

The Junon parade was easily the worst parade Aerith had ever attended. Of course, it was the only one she had attended, but she couldn't imagine it getting much worse than a failed assassination attempt that put a massive target on her team in the middle of a crowded city full of Shinra soldiers. And to make matters worse, she managed to lose her friends in the chaos. Aerith knew Cloud was leading a diversion to try to make things easier for the rest of the party, but the droves of civilians and confused soldiers frantically running up and down the streets of Upper Junon ended up separating Aerith from the others.

She also knew the team's objective: the ship that would ferry them all far away from the madness and hopefully give them a chance to rest before they set off for their next destination. Unfortunately, it seemed that the path to the harbor was now blocked off by a wall of soldiers, and while she was still in the Midgar 7th Infantry uniform she stole prior to the parade, all of the troops were now aware that there were disguised fugitives on the loose. She knew there was no way she'd be able to pass through the blockade on her own without raising suspicion.

Aerith's mind raced as she thought over potential backup plans. If she knew her way around the city, maybe she could find a less obvious path there... Too bad she didn't get enough time to explore the upper city and figure out a good escape route. Wandering aimlessly in her uniform would probably make it obvious that she wasn't really with Shinra, but she didn't know what other options she had. Maybe if she could get somewhere quiet to have a moment to think...

Unfortunately, it seemed like she wouldn't have time to run off to do that. A soldier approached Aerith, and judging from his decorated uniform, she assumed he was a high-ranking officer. "Soldier, what are you doing here?!" He growled at Aerith, clearly frustrated to see one of his fellow troops out of formation.

Aerith took a moment to consider her response. "I... was separated from the rest of my squadron in the crowds, sir! I'm trying to find out where they went. I didn't want to give our position away over comms in case the assassins were listening, sir!" She gave the officer a salute as she finished her explanation, hoping it would sound good enough to give her a pass.

The officer sighed and muttered under his breath. "7th Infantry newbie, I bet... Damn slackers got the president's commendation, but they run around like wild Chocobos when there's real danger." He locked eyes with Aerith. "If you can't find them, go help the team securing the path to the airstrip! We can't let the Avalanche scum escape!"

"Yes, sir!" Aerith responded, still holding her salute. Once the officer departed, Aerith glanced around before making her way towards the airstrip. It wasn't the harbor, but the new order gave her an idea. Maybe she could find some sort of transportation there... She'd just need to figure out how to actually use it.

Aerith pushed her way through the crowds running about in all directions, scanning her surroundings for any sign of her comrades. Barret and Red XIII would both stand out pretty easily, but for all she knew, they had already made it to the ship. Cloud went in a completely different direction, and Aerith doubted she'd run into that very energetic ninja who initiated the assassination attempt in the first place. She did her best to observe the faces of the Shinra troops around her in case Tifa had also managed to get separated, but she was beginning to think she was on her own now.

 

[aggravatedspacedolphins]

Upper Junon was in complete disarray, chaos bursting at every corner, civilians shouting while soldiers herded them like cattle in doors, and all the while, Tifa Lockhart felt herself frozen in place. One hand grasped at the top of her head, making sure her stolen Shinra soldier helmet was still attached. The other hand clenched tightly into a fist. Her upper incisors found the soft spot of her lip as she nervously chewed at the skin.

What were her options at this point? She walked backwards slowly, finding a brick wall underneath the overhang of a nearby materia shop. She dipped her head down, letting the helmet fall over her eyes so if anyone was looking too discreetly at her face, they wouldn’t be able to put two and two together and recognize her as a renowned Avalanche terrorist. Not that she expected anybody to, but with the entire Shinra army now on high alert for someone dressed in stolen uniforms…

What a thing to be known for…

Cloud had run ahead as a distraction, and pulled most of Midgar’s Seventh Infantry after him. Cloud could take care of himself. He had his sword after all. He was…or he said he was…an Ex-Soldier. He fought like one at least. He was an adult. He’d be fine.

Red XIII was an old soul, and while she didn't quite know his entire back story, he seemed to know more about the world and how to sneak around. She hadn't been quite as worried about him. Barret, on the other hand, was her problem child. There were more times than she could count that she had cooked him a warm meal after a long night of drinking and planning, or made sure he got back to his apartment safely. He had a way with diving headfirst into things that made her nervous. If one person mentioned Avalance…As long as he was with Red, he'd probably be fine.

That just left Aerith. Aerith, who was definitely not a damsel in distress princess, was probably still in uniform, and without Cloud to parade both of them around and give them both crash courses in Shinra Army Etiquette 101, was probably feeling just as lost as Tifa felt. She had to find her, and they could at least maybe both fumble their way onto the boat out of here…and if the boys didn't make it…

*’Don’t think of the worst, Tifa. You promised yourself you'd stop thinking like that.’*

Tifa unclenched her fist and sucked in her breath. Right. Priority was finding Aerith, and then finding the boys. She pushed herself off the brick wall, and stretched her arms over her head, just in time to see a squadron of Shinra soldiers running past. She ducked her head down, pulling the helmet down low over her eyes, as she joined their march down the strip, and towards another building. Their leader stopped and listened for a moment, finger tapped to his helmet.

“Right…uh-huh. Yes. Yes sir. Right. Attention.”

The squadron leader turned around and saluted, which caused the others to snap their heels and salute too. Tifa was a step off, enough to make the man next to her elbow her by mistake with his own salute. Tifa winced at the contact but otherwise kept her composure.

“New orders. Everyone is falling back to the airstrip to secure the area, and protect the President. The suspect has apparently been spotted fleeing to the harbor. The Midgar Mobile Unit has been spotted tailing them. Move out!”

The soldiers yelled out with a thunderous “Sir!” and finished their salute, before marching out. Tifa mouthed the shout, and quickly looked around before falling steps behind the soldiers so as to not look entirely suspicious.

They must have found the little ninja, or…Cloud really was providing the ultimate distraction, and it could be even more disastrous news if they caught him. She wouldn’t put it past Rufus Shinra to broadcast a public execution of terrorists who had caused so much pain for his great city of Midgar. Tifa shook her head, the helmet that she had been trying to keep so low on her head popping up just enough for her amber red eyes to slip up, and a sliver of ebony hair to come loose from her ponytail. In that brief moment, she spotted a familiar face, looking just as nervous as she felt. Her breath finally exhaled as she paused in her running, and changed direction to run towards the woman. How long had she been holding that breath inside?

“Aer-” She stopped mid shout, as she paused in front of Aertih, her hands finding her knees for a moment before she stood up. Every part of her resisted grabbing her and hugging her, or giving her a high five. Shinra soldiers didn’t do that. They also probably didn’t use their real names, especially ones that were plastered on Wanted posters scattered around the city. Tifa shook her head.

“Hey. You’re safe. I heard we have to head to the airstrip…but maybe we can…”

“You two! Didn’t I just have a word with you?” A high commander was glaring at both of them, and Tifa snapped back to attention. He turned back to Aerith.

“I see you found your squad. Now, both of you, get your asses to the airstrip! Now!”

“Yes sir!” Tifa found herself automatically shouting and saluting, watching the commander rush off to bother another troop before she turned back to Aerith.

“Shit, do we have a choice?” Tifa mumbled, sighing and rubbing at her head. “Also, could they get maybe more comfortable helmets? My head is killing me in this.”

 

[ReaperMelia]

The sight of another troop running in her direction made Aerith tense up as she tried to decide if she should preemptively give another salute or get ready to bolt off in any other direction for cover. Thankfully, the soldier's helmet momentarily bobbed up enough mid-step to reveal a pair of familiar red eyes and some black hair. Aerith nearly shouted her friend's name, but Tifa cutting off her own exclamation made Aerith realize it was probably best to draw as little attention as possible. Still, she couldn't help but give Tifa a smile.

Once again, Aerith was about to speak up to respond to her friend, but the return of the same captain she spoke with earlier made her drop that thought and snap into a salute with Tifa. "Yes, sir!" Aerith shouted in unison with her companion. She breathed a sigh of relief once he ran off. "If I run into that guy one more time, I think I'm gonna scream," she muttered under her breath, a faint pout on her face. Tifa's questions brought her focus back to their present situation.

A quick peek around their surroundings confirmed that there wasn't really anywhere they could go hide for now. Soldiers were stationed at every building and alley along the strip, most likely to ensure that the would-be assassins didn't try laying low or escaping the city. They didn't really have time to search around for some sort of hidden route that had gone unnoticed, either. Aerith had already been yelled at by the same officer twice, and any continued dallying could draw more attention and suspicion. "I guess we play along for now and improvise from there... It's a good thing we got that marching practice with Cloud earlier, huh?" She tried to lighten the mood, but she could feel her legs tremble a bit as she stated what was surely a plan that would lead them to being captured. She took a moment to rub her own head. "I don't know if my headache's from the helmet or that officer shouting in my face. But hey, at least we won't need to wear these things for much longer, right?" On that note, she began marching towards the airstrip.

As one would expect, the airstrip was packed full of Shinra troops and other personnel. A perimeter of soldiers stood watch, ensuring no one who appeared suspicious was able to set foot anywhere near the transports. A couple helicopters prepared to take off and scan the city from above. One of these helicopters was being boarded by a trio in black suits. Seeing the Turks made Aerith double-check that her helmet was low enough to cover her eyes; she'd spent enough time around them to know that they'd easily recognize her. Luckily, they seemed too busy preparing to take off to notice any soldiers walking by.

There were a few other unmanned helicopters and some smaller transports being boarded by non-military personnel looking to evacuate, and at the center of the airfield was Shinra's greatest airship, the Highwind. A group of soldiers entered it, but more notable was the man they were escorting: Rufus Shinra, the newly inaugurated president of the Shinra Company. Aerith couldn't see his face, but she could imagine he probably still had a smug grin plastered on it even after he had almost been killed. She had only run into him a couple times now, but he seemed like the type to never lose his confidence. And why would he? He survived the assassination attempt and had troops covering every inch of the city. Now he had an excuse to show off his military might and convince the world that Shinra's brutish ways were necessary to crush violent dissenters like Avalanche or the Wutaians under his heel, even if it also meant stomping out any civilians who happened to be in the way. Barret was probably furious about what was surely a victory for the young president, but Aerith was too busy trying to figure out a way out of her mess without panicking to share his frustration. The closer she came to the busy airstrip, the more it seemed like she was walking into a dire situation with no way out.

 

[aggravatedspacedolphins]

Tifa gave Aerith a soft smile. She was always one to try and make things more positive than they seemed. Tifa should really try and embody that attitude. There was a bitter twinge in the back of her mind. Was she jealous of her female companion? No, that wasn't what this was. It surely couldn't be. She looked back to where the aggravated and angry officer was yelling at two new soldiers for going down a dark alley that was already occupied by two different soldiers, saying something about expanding their resources, and if they were blind. Tifa half expected the higher ranking officer to slap the others, and she quickly turned her head back to Aerith.

"Right. The quicker we get out of this city, the faster we don't have to remember the good old Shinra Two-Step." Tifa winked. She started after Aerith, following her in line as they marched. Every so often, she glanced over her shoulder, maybe on the off chance that she'd spot the familiar Buster Sword swinging off the back of one of the other soldiers, or an overly large man in a too tight sailor outfit, or their red canine with his tail giving off just the faintest glow in a dark alley. "They're probably fine." Tifa mumbled again, looking back at Aerith, matching her arm movements to her own. Even if it wasn't exactly like that of a well-trained Shinra soldier, it was better that they both looked in sync rather than swaying and wobbling all over.

She had thought that the airstrip would be pure chaos, that maybe there would be even the slightest chance for them to sneak down a docking elevator to a lower level, but everything was organized and pristine. No one wanted to seem the slightest bit unprofessional. She took note of the Turks, boarding their own helicopter. Tifa placed a hand on top of her helmet as she stopped, pressing down on it securely and biting at her lip. The Turks had opt'd to leave them alone for the most part, except for a few moments where they had to show off their power, remind them to keep their place, and let them know that they had a common goal. The men in the black robes...They were probably leaving the assassination attempt up to the army. They couldn't risk losing a lead...or...maybe they had already found their target. Tifa braced herself as the helicopter blades started up, her stance broken as she raised a hand up to block the strong wind from the blades.

After a few moments, Tifa paused and looked over her arm, spotting the familiar white coat flapping in the breeze as Rufus Shrina prepared to board the Highwind. If Rufus left, perhaps the military presence would die down in the city, just enough for them to maybe get down to the docks just in time...

"You two! Seventh Infantry?"

A soldier with a clipboard approached them. Tifa twisted her arm up into a salute and brought it down, "Yes, sir." She mumbled, although a little shakey. It didn't seem like this man was as cutthroat as the one who was barking orders at her and Aerith earlier.

"You need to board now. There's no time. The winners of the president's commendation can't even be bothered to show up for their escort. Ridiculous. I know, I know. It's a terrible situation, but you need to board, and you need to board now. You'll get your orders on the ship because I'm sure you will be reassigned."

Tifa felt the bubble in her throat grow. Board...the...the what? The Highwind? No, there had to be another like smaller little helicopter or something, and even then...maybe Tifa could knock out the pilot before take off and they could hide out inside until everyone left. That sounded reasonable too right? Tifa frowned, watching the clipboard snap to the soldier's side and he saltued before pointing at the Highwind and taking off. Tifa looked back at Aerith,

"Maybe it's a first class trip, like luxury rooms? Maybe we can make the boys jealous, yeah?" Tifa tried to smile, although it was obvious her lips were shaking a little. Barret would have jumped at this chance, and would have charged head first in. She wasn't like him. She looked around again. Every exit was blocked. There was no escape, not without making a huge scene, and she wouldn't put it past Shinra to shoot them both on spot...well...shoot her on the spot. Aerith would be taken back to Hojo....

Tifa looked back at Aerith, and reached her hand down, grabbing it quickly. "It'll be fine...right? We will be fine?" She rubbed at the soft spot on the girl's hand, right between her thumb and fore finger before letting go quickly, so as to not look too suspicious. "Think of it like, we are...Turks but not Turks. Tinks? Trunks? Tarks?" Tifa tested out name's as she tried to focus on anything that wasn't walking slowly towards the Highwind.

 

[ReaperMelia]

Aerith did her best to contain her relief as the Turks took off; while they were still right in the middle of enemy territory, the Turks were the ones who worried her the most here... Well, aside from President Rufus, but it looked like he was busy boarding the Highwind and wouldn't be bothering them any time soon. The two were still completely surrounded by Shinra soldiers and employees, but it seemed that they were at least doing a passable job of pretending to be real troops. They'd just need to find somewhere to lay low...

Or not. Aerith sharply inhaled as another soldier approached. Thankfully, it wasn't her new least favorite Shinra officer coming back to yell at the pair again. She gave a quick salute along with Tifa, doing her best to stay in sync. "Yes, sir!" She listened to his order, initially wondering if he was reminding them of their upcoming vacation. She felt her heart sink as the soldier pointed at the Highwind. So much for finding a place to hide or some sort of escape vehicle. They weren't riding in just any Shinra transport; they were taking the Highwind, an airship that would be full of soldiers... and that was carrying the president. If he got a good look at their faces, it would all be over. Even if they weren't on wanted posters slapped on every notice board between here and Midgar, they had a run-in with Rufus just before their daring escape from Shinra HQ. There was no way he wouldn't recognize the fugitives.

Aerith checked her helmet again once the man departed, doing her best to make sure it was secure. She also took a moment to gaze around for anything they could use to get out of this situation, but Tifa's voice drew her attention away before she could waste too much time looking totally lost. She returned Tifa's smile, hoping her quivering lips wouldn't betray her own fear. The two were in this mess together, and they had to do whatever they could to focus on staying safe.

"Yeah, Shinra's just really spoiling us for that awesome performance! It's gonna be way nicer than that ship the guys are taking." She let out a soft chuckle, just as focused on calming herself down as she was on helping Tifa relax. If anything, Rufus clearly led a lavish lifestyle, so he probably figured it wasn't a big deal to give his best soldiers a fancy ride to ensure he kept their loyalty... He certainly wouldn't do it out of kindness, but Aerith was sure that he could spin it as a nice thing even when he had his own ulterior motives.

Aerith was pulled out of her thoughts once again by Tifa after she took the Cetra's hand. Before Aerith could think to grip Tifa's hand back, her friend let go. Probably a smart move given where they were, but Aerith could tell Tifa was still feeling anxious and needed more reassurance. Instead of risking drawing more attention by slowing down, Aerith nodded before walking up to the Highwind alongside her companion. "We're here together, so we'll definitely be fine!" She smiled and took a moment to consider a name. "I like Tinks." She looked back at the ship now looming right in front of them. "Ok, time for the Tinks' first mission: enjoying a first-class ride to Costa Del Sol!"

The interior of the ship wasn't quite as sleek and majestic as its exterior, but it was still a technical marvel... Not that Aerith necessarily understood how any of it worked, but it looked very complicated. Pipes and metal boxes lined the walls, and she could see a large set of stairs leading up to a higher level. A few signs throughout the ship directed its passengers to different rooms: the cockpit, an operations room, and even a chocobo stable. Aerith paused for a moment to gaze around the ship before turning to face Tifa. "So... where do you think the luxury suites are?" She asked, a bright smile on her face... A bright smile that was still hiding a sense of fear and confusion in a completely new environment for her, but she had to keep their spirits up somehow.

Before she could take more time to talk to her companion, a woman in a red suit and cap approached the two. Aerith quickly recognized her as the commander of the Seventh Infantry. "I was told my troops finally arrived... Was it really just you two?"

"Yes, ma'am." Aerith snapped into a salute.

The commander pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "Why did I get put in charge of such slackers...?" She shook her head and redirected her attention towards Tifa and Aerith. "Well, you two are going to have to do. As a reward for actually showing up instead of dilly dallying in town, you two are being given the most important job on the Highwind: guarding the president's room. Don't leave your posts unless I personally come to relieve you of your duty. We still have no clue if there are any more terrorists hiding in our ranks, so President Shinra must be protected at all times. Understood?"

Whatever false bravado Aerith had managed to build up began to shatter as she received her order. Could they get any more unlucky than they had so far today? They weren't just on the same ship as Rufus... they'd be stationed right outside his door. If he left and tried talking to them, they'd be in serious trouble. It took all of Aerith's strength to continue standing at attention and salute the commander. Yes, ma'am!" She managed to squeak the words out.

"Good. Follow me." The commander began walking towards the room, heading down a somewhat isolated hall tucked away in a corner of the ship. Aerith began marching, keeping an even stride and just thinking about how they'd at least get a nice, relaxing break at Costa Del Sol once they were finally out of this nightmare. She took a quick glance at Tifa to make sure her friend was managing to stay at least a little calm, too.

 

[aggravatedspacedolphins]

Aerith was such a positive light in the darkness. That familiar tinge of jealousy bit at her inner heart as she watched Aerith bounce just slightly ahead of her, a spring in her refined and newly acquired Shinra march. Tifa felt her lips tug up in a smile. She hoped that Aerith would never change, no matter what happened. It was as if a wave of peace was waving over her as she marched behind her, following onto the ramp of the Highwind and up into the silver metallic, and hopefully not a, death trap. Costa Del Sol better have hot tubs hidden away, or personal massages for everyone who stepped onto their shores. She resisted the urge to crack her back as they walked up the ramp together.

Tifa was a little surprise at the lack of color among the interior. For a high priority first class airship, she would have thought they would have spent a little more money on plush carpets or couches. Maybe that was all hidden away inside of the rooms. It was always advertised as a battleship, but it was the President's...and the President had to have guests from time to time, right? Important guests who would like to be treated to some form of wine and probably A Thousand Needle Cactaur cotton sheets?

"If I had to guess, I would say..." Tifa walked up to her companion, finger on the edge of her chin tapping away as she pointed down a nearby hallway, "the most interior section of the ship, in case of any kind of attacks. "If we just keep following this..." Her hand jutted out from her chin to point down a hallway, just in time to see a woman in red approaching. The finger pointing quickly came up to her helmet, holding a salute to the Commander as she approached. They wouldn't get so lucky it would seem. Tifa had hoped that Cloud was still distracting most of the Seventh Infantry but she had honestly completely forgotten about the Commander.

"Yes Ma'am." Tifa repeated at the same time as Aerith, matching her salute as best as possible.

If a few months ago, someone would have told Tifa that she would be guarding Rufus Shinra onboard his high class airship, she would have told them to have another Cosmo Canyon and shut up because they clearly didn't have any idea what they were talking about. Now, she wish she had her own shot to wash out this terrible taste in her mouth.

"Ma'am." Tifa mumbled, although a bit shakey as she walked behind her, looking over at Aerith occasionally as she tried to hide the fear in the bottom of her stomach. It sat there, like a weight that couldn't be lifted by even the world's heaviest heavyweights. Her movements were slightly sluggish as the Commander turned down the hallway that Tifa had just pointed down momemts earlier, and was already approaching two other Shinra soldiers. Both were stationed on either side of the door, their rifles crossed across their chest, their helmets and chins held high, and their posture absolutely perfect. Tifa hoped that the Commander wasn't planning on leaving them alone for two long. Tifa didn't have a problem with staying in what looked like a typical military position for hours on end, but Aerith...

The soldiers saluted as the Commander stepped in front of them, saluting them back and waving them away. The two soldiers shoulders slumped with relief and they were already running down the hallway, relieved of their duty. The Commander gave a wave for them to take their position.

"The President is checking things are alright, but will retire here shortly before takeoff. He may or may not have General Heidegger with him, but you will still treat him with the upmost respect. You will screen anyone who comes into the room, other than the President or General Heidegger. Obviously, it was not him who commandered this coup, but he gets rather angry if he's pestered with too many stupid questions. You will keep the position as long as possible, until I return, understand?"

Tifa nodded and saluted the woman, looking over at Aerith, out of the corner of her eye before she arched her back and put her chin into the air. The woman gave a nod of approval, saluted them both, and then began to march down the hallway. As soon as she rounded the corner, Tifa found herself already slouching, the gun sliding down to the floor as she looked at Aerith.

"So...maybe it's not the most luxurious...but...we might get a nice edge of a broom closet if we are lucky." Tifa smiled a little. "Costa Del Sol better have a hot tub suite tucked away somewhere? My back might never recover after this." Tifa reached her hands over her head, letting the muscles and bones crack and pop as she twisted and stretched a little.

"What do you want to do when we get to Costa Del Sol? I heard there's..."

Footsteps were rounding the corner already, and Tifa grabbed her gun, assuming back the position and looking over at Aerith. She hoped that her helmet would tip down low enough to cover her eyes, that Rufus Shinra wouldn't be able to recongize them...or even bother with them. They were just lowly guards, nothing more and nothing less....just that they had his life in their hands...

'Barret would have a hay day with this...'

 

[ReaperMelia]

Aerith's glance confirmed that Tifa was just as stressed as she was... if not even more. She gave her friend a brief yet warm smile before facing ahead and marching along, doing her best to keep her pace equal with the commander's. If at least one of them was managing to keep up, maybe it would be less noticeable that the other was lagging behind a tiny bit.

The flower girl silently took note of the positions of the two soldiers guarding the door. While she had done plenty of marching, guard duty was new to her, and she'd need to make sure she looked as official as possible. Luckily, it didn't seem too tough. She'd just need to stand up straight and hold her gun a certain way, right? Of course, having to keep her head held high would make it much easier for someone to get a glimpse of her face and recognize her... She silently hoped that Rufus had decided to retire to his room early and sleep after the parade and assassination attempt.

Unfortunately for her, the commander immediately tore that hope into shreds by stating he would be returning shortly. Aerith fought hard to keep her breath steady, not wanting the commander to see even the slightest sign that she was worried. She'd just need to do everything she could to make sure the president wouldn't see her face. Aerith nodded and saluted with Tifa to verify that she understood her new orders, and the moment the commander left, she also shifted to a more casual posture. "I'll take a broom closet at this point as long as there's space to sit... My feet are killing me. These boots are about as comfortable as the helmets." She let out a sigh as she joined Tifa in her stretches. "I think we deserve the best suite in Costa Del Sol after this mission!"

Aerith began to think over her response to Tifa's question, but the sound of approaching footsteps made her snap back into her guard position, rifle held across her chest. She'd have to save that thought for later... Assuming they managed to get out of this next encounter safely, anyway. Rufus Shinra swiftly rounded the corner, his brows slightly furrowed as he began to stride down the hall. Like an obedient dog on a leash, Director Heidegger followed closely behind the president, a faint smile on his face as he looked wistfully off ahead at nothing in particular. Was Rufus even just a tiny bit rattled by his near-death experience? Or was he just plotting out his next move? Aerith figured it was probably the latter, though she didn't quite understand why he'd still be mulling over a plan before a vacation. Either way, the Cetra chose to not dwell on it too much. After all, taking too much time to study his face might draw more attention than she wanted.

Heidegger's confidence, on the other hand, seemed obvious to figure out. He and the president had escaped the assassination scene unharmed, the parade had been a huge success up until Yuffie interfered, and Shinra now had even more reason to rally its people against groups like Avalanche or the Wutaians. If there was anything Heidegger liked, it was a big show to prove why Shinra's iron fist was necessary to protect civilians... And he got to be right at the center of this one. Aerith could only imagine what Barret would do if he was in their position, but thankfully, Aerith and Tifa had much better self control. As mad as Aerith was at the two, she knew when to bite her tongue and let them be. She'd just need to keep herself composed and hope Tifa could as well.

Rufus seemed to practically glide across the floor as he approached the door, barely even glancing at the two. Aerith wasn't sure if she should do anything to acknowledge his presence. Perhaps there was some sort of gesture she should make? She ultimately figured it would be best to just stay perfectly still. After all, he didn't seem particularly interested in talking, so it was best to not do anything that could lead into any sort of conversation. That being said, Heidegger seemed a bit more interested.

"Seventh Infantry, eh? Well, at least a couple of you have proven yourselves to be capable of more than putting on a good show." He said with a chuckle.

Rufus' hand stopped just a moment before touching the door. Aerith felt her heart sink back into her stomach as she kept her eyes focused straight ahead, not daring to glance at either of the men before her. Rufus retracted his hand a bit and nodded. "Yes, it is a shame that your comrades didn't seem to make it. In fact, I heard one of them was causing a lot of trouble near the harbor." He glanced at the two, giving them the same fake smile he loved to flash around. "But you two are clearly dutiful soldiers. Perhaps a reassignment to a more hard-working team would suit you well."

Aerith hadn't prepared for a conversation with Rufus, especially not with Heidegger also present. Would they recognize her voice? She wasn't sure, and she also wasn't sure if she wanted to find out. She gave a sharp nod to show she was listening, but she chose to not speak. The two probably wouldn't care about any sort of response she'd give anyway... right?

 

[aggravatedspacedolphins]

Every muscle in her body tensed, not willing to let go for a fraction, as she heard the two sets of boots walk around the corner. Heidegger looked as if he was ready to cackle and laugh at any moment, probably reveling in the fear of the Upper Junon people and the chaos of what was taking place. Rufus looked as stoic as ever, her eyes straight and narrow, not even showing a glimpse of emotion. Tifa sucked her lips in, and straightened her back, attempting to make herself look taller than she actually was. She hoped Aerith would do the same, or something similar. She couldn’t expect them to greet them at the door, right? They were just simple infantry men, now personal body guards to the president. They couldn’t both be expected to know what to say to him, right?


There was a small bit of hope that they would slide right past, and they would be left alone, but the Director had other plans entirely. He turned to look at the patch on Aerith’s shoulder. Tifa tried not to look as if she was sweating buckets underneath the tightly fitted awkward helmet. Her lip curled under her teeth as she straightened her back even more and gave a curt nod to the Director. If Cloud was here, he might be able to direct them to say something that would be more courteous than a nod and a salute.

Cloud.

They had been so close. Rufus’s fingers gripped the door handle before he looked between them. Shame they didn’t make it? Surely, he just met they didn’t make it onto the Highwind, not that they had been killed, right?

The harbor? Did any of them make it onto the ship?

She couldn’t let her anxiety drive at her now. Not as Heidegger was turning towards her with an awkward grin on his face, prepared to laugh. Rufus was leaning closer to Aerith, smirking. They were doomed if he even stepped any closer. Think.

Tifa snapped her heels together and saluted both of them, clearing her throat in the proces.

“Whatever you think best, Director sir and President sir.” She deepened her voice, knocking her helmet with her fist and lowering it slightly over her eyes in the process. A loosened strand of black hair fell from the tangle she had thrown it up into when she had placed the helmet on and she quickly froze. Heidegger laughed a little, raising his hand and clapping Aerith on the shoulder and then Tifa. She buckled under the weight of his grasp just for a second before she pushed up with enough force to keep her footing. Rufus raised an eyebrow, the slight smirk on his face fading before he turned back the door, his wrist turning as he opened it.

“Perhaps something in Weapons Development, or maybe we can talk Midgar Security detail when we land back in-“ Rufus motioned for Heidegger to follow, and the Director moved ahead, mumbling more to himself, a third expecting the Infantry men to be listening, a third talking to himself, and a third laughing at the idea that he had just barely escaped an assassination attempt. The door shut behind them, twisting in response but not before Tifa heard the words.

“The new headquarters was lovely, but I’m excited to see the reconstruction when we return. Sure, it’s only been a few days but the slums people are eager to get their metal sky back.”

Midgar? They were talking about Midgar? Of course they were. That’s where Shinra HQ was. They had to be going on a little vacation though. They had to be talking about returning after Costa Del Sol. There would be no soldiers to promote once Tifa and Aerith got off the Highwind. Maybe they should be both go sneaking around now? Tifa looked over at Aerith. She cleared her throat again and went back into position, occasionally her eyes drifting down to the door handle again and then back at the girl across from her. There was a quiet rumble as the engines of the airship heated up and Tifa frowned. She looked around the hallway before she moved over to Aerith’s side of the door.

“Should we try and get off the ship now? We might make it or do you think he just meant the others aren’t on the ship? You don’t think they returned to the life stream , right? Maybe we should stay. Free trip to Costa Del Sol, right? I’m worried about the others.” She kept her voice low and closed her eyes, lifting the helmet slightly so it would stop rubbing against her forehead

“They have to be following the black robes too, right? Maybe we could sneak around. There’s got to be other Turks on board too. I’m just, I’ve got this bad feeling, Aerith. It’s like the time right before Cloud, Barret and I went to Reactor 5. Something’s not right.”

 

[ReaperMelia]

Tifa's response to the president's musing helped Aerith set aside her concerns for a moment. If Tifa could push through the mess they were in, so could she. She followed her friend's lead, saluting and deepening her voice to try to throw them off. "We'll help Shinra wherever you need us, sirs!" Was her tone professional enough for a response to the president and one of his directors? Aerith was worried it wasn't, but thankfully, the amused clap on the shoulder from Heidigger suggested their performance was enough to fool the two. Of course, it also nearly knocked Aerith off balance, but she barely managed to stand up straight and stay on her feet. The flower girl held her breath as the two men entered the room, only releasing it once the door was shut.

She didn't care much about where Rufus would reassign them. After all, they'd break away from Shinra as soon as possible after landing. It was Heidigger's comment that caught her attention. Why would he be talking about his return to Midgar when they were going on vacation? Was he just overly attached to his job? Aerith tried to convince herself that was the reason, but she couldn't shake the feeling in the back of her mind that things weren't quite adding up. They were going to Costa Del Sol, right? Why wouldn't they?

Aerith was a bit surprised to see Tifa slip closer, but with no one else in sight, it was probably safe to relax. Aerith slouched a bit as she rubbed the shoulder that Heidigger had grabbed a moment ago. The armor was uncomfortable and ineffective against giant hands, an awful combination. She released a little sigh before thinking over Tifa's words. While she felt a connection with the planet, Aerith couldn't tell if someone had returned to the Lifestream. That being said, she still shook her head before responding in a hushed tone. "If anything happened to the others, I bet Rufus and Heidigger would be gloating about taking down Avalanche. They have to be safe."

Of course, Aerith was trying to convince herself they were fine, too. As sound as the logic was, she couldn't help but worry about them. For all she knew, they were still fleeing or fighting Shinra troops right now. All Aerith could do was hope that they had made it to the ship and would get away safely. They'd see the others in Costa Del Sol soon enough.

As for Tifa's other question, Aerith smiled. She figured it was too late for them to get off the Highwind, but it did at least give them a chance to learn more about their enemy. "A little stealth mission sounds like the perfect job for the Tinks! Maybe we can figure out who the black robes are or learn Shinra's plans for tracking us. It would be good to use that against them." She glanced around the hall for a moment. "We'd need to figure out how to not get in trouble if they leave and see we aren't here, though. Snooping around would put a big target on our backs if we aren't following orders." She wondered if they could find some others to shift the job over to, but if the commander found out they left their post at all, they'd be in serious trouble...