Chapter 820 - 819: Next Stop — Aerith’s House in Sector Five."

After everyone unanimously agreed to head to Aerith's cozy home, the oppressive atmosphere in the ruined Seventh Sector became far less tense. Too many insane events had happened in one short hour for them to be adequately comprehended or discussed in detail right away. While everyone watched in silence and with a certain sense of peace the pleasant sight of the luxuriantly flowering trees, Alex sat down once more on the wooden steps.

And before he could get comfortable, Aerith was instantly right beside him. She embraced his arm with sincere warmth and trustingly rested her head on his shoulder. Clearly sensing her strained emotions and the fear she had endured, Alex gently ran his palm along her back, trying to calm her. He understood perfectly that every single one of them had been wildly worried about him and literally could not find a place for themselves, burning with the desire to pull him out from under the rubble.

Feeling the warm palm on her back, Aerith lifted her head from Alex's shoulder and comically wrinkled her little nose, expressing sincere dissatisfaction that he had once again subjected himself to such deadly danger. Softly poking a finger against Aerith's nose, Alex lightly joked that for him this was far from the first time something so incredibly heavy had been dropped on him from above.

In response to such an untimely joke he immediately received a tangible slap from Aerith, which was instantly followed by a series of lively smacks from Yuffie, Tifa, and Jessie, who likewise absolutely did not appreciate his inappropriate humor. Dryly coughing, Alex instantly put on an extremely innocent expression, as if he had never said anything of the sort.

Understanding that right now it was truly better to stay silent once more, Alex reached for his glass of whiskey, when at that very moment a deafening crash rang out from the depths of the ruined district. Turning his head toward the noise, Alex thoughtfully tilted his head to the side.

"Don't tell me something is collapsing again over there?" Biggs asked with interest, leaning on a wooden beam and turning his head toward the sound.

"Nah, most likely that's Dean trying to dig our stuff out from under the rubble. After all, we still had valuable personal belongings there and whole bags stuffed with gil and Materia… And leaving a treasure like that under the debris is definitely not worth it," Alex answered calmly, pointing a finger toward the dormitory that had turned into ruins.

"True enough! Someone would get incredibly lucky digging up such an incredible treasure," Aerith picked up, laughing lightly and happily nodding her head.

"And since we're clearly not pirates, we're definitely not going to leave a buried treasure unattended," Alex added with a smirk, unhurriedly lighting a thin cigar.

"And since the conversation has turned to that, we should also try to dig up our own things. Or at least whatever managed to survive of them… Don't you think so, guys?" Jessie said thoughtfully, turning her head first to Biggs and then to Wedge.

"I think it's definitely worth it! My junk isn't worth millions, of course, but grabbing a couple of spare pairs of underwear and clean T-shirts definitely won't hurt anyone," Biggs answered, bursting into laughter, and began descending the steps, intending to go search for the remains of his house.

"Ugh, Biggs, how crude you are! You shouldn't talk about your underwear out loud in front of ladies!" Jessie declared with demonstrative disgust on her face, looking at Biggs with open dislike.

"Ladies?! Who?! You, is it?! I can understand Tifa or Aerith… But you?! Nooo, that sounds more like some failed joke!" Biggs cut off with a mocking smirk, throwing his hands behind his head and looking Jessie up and down with a teasing gaze.

From these words an incredibly soft and fake smile slowly blossomed on Jessie's face, one that promised absolutely nothing good. Biggs himself continued carelessly laughing at his own joke, in his thoughtlessness forgetting that one should never anger Jessie—especially in such tense and nervous situations. Even Wedge let out a small snort of laughter, completely failing to notice how dangerously their friend's expression had changed.

While these two idiots were cheerfully laughing at the inappropriate humor, the others merely shook their heads sympathetically, knowing all too well exactly what was about to happen next. Even Claudia bestowed upon Biggs and Wedge a look as if the most hopeless fools in all of Midgar stood before her.

Continuing to smile extremely sweetly, Jessie expressively cracked her knuckles and slowly rose from the steps. However, before she could take even a single step down the stairs, she felt someone gently tug her by the arm. Turning her head back, Jessie met the gaze of Alex, who with a mysterious air raised an index finger, making it clear that he had something.

Releasing her wrist, Alex deeply shoved his hand into the inner pocket of his coat and extracted from there a compact but rather powerful stun gun. Setting the most tangible and invigorating mode, Alex unnoticed slipped the device right into Jessie's palm and with an expressive look pointed toward the unsuspecting Biggs and Wedge.

Understanding his entire plan without any extra words, Jessie cunningly narrowed her eyes and gripped the handle of the stun gun more tightly. Hiding her hands behind her back, she with the sweetest and most angelic smile unhurriedly descended the wooden steps and began slowly approaching the still giggling guys. Observing this scene from the height of the porch, Alex rubbed his palms with sincere anticipation.

Standing nearby, Barret with a mocking smirk casually leaned against the wooden railings and slightly raised his sunglasses in order to examine the upcoming performance in the finest detail. Yuffie, for her part, sat down next to Alex with laughter, propping her cheeks with her palms, and with a devilish smile stared at the victims of the future retribution.

"Okay-okay, sorry, Jessie! I just made a stupid joke. We needed to somehow defuse this tense atmosphere," Biggs finally stopped laughing and answered guiltily, only now noticing how close Jessie had approached.

"Oh, of course I completely forgive you! And you're absolutely right: the atmosphere around us really needs to be defused… And in the most literal sense of the word," Jessie said with an incredibly saccharine smile, gripping the stun gun more tightly behind her back.

"Uhhh… In what literal sense?" Biggs asked again with slight wariness, hearing this rather strange and ambiguous formulation.

"I'm telling you—in the most direct and literal sense! Not only the atmosphere around needs to be discharged… But also something else right inside you," Jessie answered with a dazzlingly bright smile, casting an incredibly cheerful look over Biggs and Wedge.

"Jessie… I don't like the way you're looking at us. And what exactly are you planning?!" Wedge asked convulsively, feeling on his own skin how a wave of wild anxiety was rising inside him because of this excessively happy smile.

"And this is…" Jessie answered with anticipation, slowly taking the sparking stun gun out from behind her back.

Hearing this rather familiar, ominous crackling coming from behind Jessie's back, both guys experienced an even greater and far more panicky attack of anxiety. And before either of them could react in any way, Wedge was the first to feel something hard press right against his belly. Lowering his gaze downward, he saw with horror the compact stun gun that Jessie was tightly gripping in her hand.

Abundant cold sweat instantly broke out on Wedge's forehead. Heavily swallowing the lump in his throat, he raised a pleading gaze to Jessie, intending to ask her not to shock him. But instead of tearful pleas, only a stifled, squeaky cry escaped his throat when he fully felt a tangible electric discharge rapidly pass through his entire body.

Seeing what unpleasant and invigorating fate had just befallen Wedge, Biggs, without thinking for a second, immediately spun on his heels and tried to make a run for it. But before he could take even the first step, he felt the sparking device press against his back in exactly the same way. Understanding what was inevitably about to happen, Biggs tensed entirely and slowly turned his head, hoping to beg for mercy with pleas.

And the moment he turned around, he met Jessie's cunningly narrowed eyes, who was looking at him with an incredibly sweet and angelic smile on her face. Already opening his mouth and intending to beg for forgiveness on his knees, Biggs experienced exactly the same thing as Wedge—a juicy charge of electricity pierced his body. Letting out a howl of pain and barely staying on his feet, Biggs finally sighed with relief when Jessie switched off the device.

Quickly coming to after such an intensive session of electrotherapy, Biggs and Wedge tore off from their places and bolted at full speed, dreaming of getting as far away from here as possible. Jessie, for her part, with a cunning and satisfied smile observed the fleeing friends from the side and immediately ran after them with enthusiasm.

Observing this chaotic running trio, Alex could no longer restrain himself and loudly, throughout the entire square, burst into laughter, heartily slapping himself on the knee with his palm. Sitting next to him, Aerith buried her face in his shoulder and quietly, stifledly laughed. Yuffie and Barret made no attempt to restrain themselves at all and laughed throughout the entire flowering forest at how elegantly and cruelly Jessie had taken revenge on Biggs and Wedge.

Claudia observed this scene with a light, barely perceptible smile, continuing to follow the chase with interest. And only Tifa sighed quietly and warmly, not wiping the soft smile from her face. Such a stupid, playful moment made her clearly understand: despite all the nightmare that had happened so recently, they were still alive, unharmed, and could still sincerely smile and fool around just like in the good old days.

"Oh, I really hope Jessie doesn't overdo it there… Even if Biggs and Wedge are sometimes rare fools, they definitely shouldn't be shocked with electricity too frequently for something like that," Tifa began speaking with slight concern, sitting down on the steps right behind Alex and casting a glance in the direction where the two fools had fled with howls.

"Don't you worry! Before I handed over the stun gun, I set it to the lightest, invigorating mode. It'll be painful and humiliating, but absolutely without any unpleasant consequences… Otherwise both of them would have already been lying unconscious on the ground long ago," Alex answered, laughing, and slightly turned his head toward Tifa.

"Well, that really is reassuring… The main thing is that they don't get seriously hurt," Tifa answered, slightly smiling, and playfully poked a finger right into Alex's cheek, forcing him to turn back.

"They're completely to blame themselves! How can anyone talk out loud about some underwear in the presence of decent girls?! That's just ew!" Yuffie inserted with righteous indignation and importantly waved a little fist above her head.

"Actually it's just ordinary clothing… And no one is forcing you to look at men's underwear against your will," Alex said, laughing, and slightly tugged Yuffie's chubby cheek.

"Hey! Stop constantly treating me like a little kid already! I'm actually completely grown-up!" Yuffie cried out offendedly and began indignantly slapping Alex's hand, trying to force him to finally release her face.

Feeling the soft, not at all painful blows of Yuffie on his hand, Alex slightly smiled, giving her complete freedom to express her childish dissatisfaction. And at the very same time from behind the dense flowering trees rang out yet another juicy series of howls from Biggs and Wedge, clearly indicating that Jessie had after all caught up with those two idiots.

Once again sincerely laughing, Alex turned his head to Barret and timely reminded the leader that right now he should gather things not only for himself, but also for little Marlene. And the moment Alex uttered his daughter's name, Barret immediately stopped laughing and nodded extremely seriously.

Not wishing to lose a single second, Barret climbed the wooden steps, intending to enter the premises. And before he disappeared behind the door, Tifa without delay followed him in order to help properly gather things for Marlene. For she knew Barret's hyper-protective character all too well: if he began packing things for his daughter on his own, it would end with him deciding to carry out the entire children's room in its entirety.

Hearing such concerns directed at himself, Barret immediately began habitually grumbling, repeating on the go that he would figure everything out perfectly well himself. Tifa merely expressively raised her gaze to the formidable Barret, heavily sighed, and began insistently pushing him in the broad back. She knew better than anyone exactly how Barret was able to "figure things out himself."

Having shoved the grumbling Barret inside the bar, Tifa for a second turned to the others and warned that they would finish very soon. Slowly nodding, Alex slightly leaned back and reached for the bottle in order to finish the remaining whiskey. Noticing that Alex continued to savor the alcohol, Aerith bestowed upon him an extremely tired look and softly poked a finger right into his cheek.

"Hey, pour some for me too while you're at it! My throat is already really dry from all this underground dust," Dean said with a satisfied smirk as he returned, dragging with him the plump bags dug out from under the rubble.

"Whoa, you really handled that quickly. I see you managed to pull out absolutely all the bags," Alex answered, reaching for a second clean glass, and nodded toward the cute Tonberry named Steve, who with an important air was carrying a separate bag with valuable Materia above his head.

"As time has shown, hiding all our main belongings deep under the bed was simply a genius idea!.. Listen, and where's the entire other half of our friendly group?" Dean answered, laughing, taking the filled glass from Alex's hands and with surprise noticing that someone was missing on the square.

"Jessie is right now fully chasing Biggs and Wedge with a charged stun gun at the ready for their incredibly inappropriate jokes!" Yuffie blurted out enthusiastically with a wide smile and waved a finger in the direction where the trio had fled with howls.

"Well, those two honestly brought it on themselves. Haven't they still learned the simple rule: if there's a cool girl in your combat group, you categorically shouldn't anger her?.. So, and where's our stern papa-bear and the beauty bartender then?" Dean said in an absolutely carefree tone, casting a fleeting glance in the indicated direction, after which turning back to Alex.

"Barret and Tifa went upstairs to gather things for Marlene. And Aerith proposed that all of us wait out this crazy night at her home," Alex explained with a light smile, carefully stroking Aerith's silky hair.

"Yeah! It'll be completely safe at my house… Well, only if Mom doesn't want to properly spank me right on the threshold…" Aerith picked up in a cheerful tone, but closer to the end of the phrase she still slightly hesitated, vividly recalling under exactly what crazy pretext she had recently run away from home.

"Well of course, our dear Flower Girl! She will absolutely definitely spank you! Running away from home and leaving a note with the words that you're leaving to become a professional terrorist—that's truly the 'best' way to calm a loving mother! And considering all the latest news, you're definitely in for a couple of solid smacks on the backside," Dean began speaking with a mocking smirk, slightly raising his glass in a toast toward Aerith.

"And I'm not afraid! I actually have a personal and very strong bodyguard! Right?" Aerith twisted out with a feignedly strained smile, looking at Alex with sincere hope.

"I'm afraid the same pitiful fate awaits me right on that same threshold… With words along the lines of: 'It's all because of you that my dear daughter got into trouble and became a terrorist!' And right after those words Elmyra will start thrashing me with an old broom," Alex answered with a tired smile and softly ran his thumb across Aerith's cheek, carefully wiping the remnants of settled dust.

Listening to Alex's reasoning, Aerith merely sighed resignedly, understanding perfectly that at home she was guaranteed a couple of solid smacks—both for the unexpected escape and for subjecting her life to deadly danger. Wearily catching her breath, Aerith tried to mentally prepare herself so that, as always, she could try to talk the strict mother around right from the threshold and save her own backside.

Sitting nearby, Yuffie with sincere interest peeked out from behind Alex's shoulder and looked at Aerith in surprise, completely not understanding why she was so upset. For, in her opinion, Aerith had acted incredibly cool! Showing lively curiosity, Yuffie poked a finger into Alex's cheek, asking why Aerith was worrying so much. Hearing this question, Alex leaned toward Yuffie herself—causing her to instantly blush slightly—and quietly whispered in her ear that Elmyra was a damn caring woman, but incredibly strict when it came to her daughter's safety.

Blinking in surprise, Yuffie leaned sideways and once more shifted her gaze to Aerith, who at that moment was frantically inventing a justification for her stupid note. Nodding understandingly, Yuffie immediately moved closer to Aerith, deciding to personally help her compose the most plausible and ironclad alibi. Observing how Yuffie on the go was coming up with more and more absurd and ridiculous justifications, Alex and Dean exchanged glances with a smirk, absolutely certain that with such "help" this noisy shinobi was guaranteed to earn her own smack on the backside.

Standing a little to the side, Claudia calmly listened to these half-joking conversations, continuing to patiently wait until the entire group finally gathered. Turning her head a little to the side, Claudia met the gaze of Alex, who with a smile extended a glass of whiskey to her, proposing that she relax a little while the others were digging through their things. Thinking a little, Claudia accepted the glass from his hands and carefully sat down on the step below.

"Listen, while I was pulling our bags out from under the rubble, I accidentally stumbled upon some strange basement and a passage right underground… What do you think could even be there?" Dean began speaking, without looking passing his glass of whiskey right into the little paws of Tonberry Steve.

"Most likely another secret passage into one of Shinra's abandoned laboratories… There are plenty of such hidden complexes throughout all of Midgar," Claudia answered, slightly narrowing her eyes and thoughtfully examining the amber liquid in her glass.

"Whoa! And what could be hiding there?" Yuffie immediately inquired, instantly switching her attention the moment she heard what was being discussed.

"A lot of things that normal people definitely shouldn't see. Shinra doesn't build its underground complexes far from the eyes of ordinary people for no reason. It's precisely in such dark places that the true, ugly face of this corporation is revealed," Claudia answered in a calm tone and slightly jerked her head, feeling a sudden, sharp stab of pain in the back of her head.

"We definitely need to check everything there… But definitely not today. The last thing we need right now is to fight some defective experimental products they bred in their test tubes," Alex began speaking with a light smile, generously pouring whiskey into Claudia's glass so as not to let her sink into yet another unpleasant bout of heavy memories.

"Of course I'm purely out of curiosity interested in what those bastards have spawned there… But if I have to choose right now, I'll definitely prefer a hot dinner before bed," Dean responded in a lazy tone, reaching for his glass, which he had to lift together with the clinging Steve, who categorically did not want to release the alcohol from his little paws.

Alex could not help nodding his head in response to these words: he himself would with great pleasure right now drink a cup of hot coffee and simply lie on a soft bed. Claudia likewise restrainedly nodded, fully agreeing that first the squad vitally needed to rest, and only then decide whether it was worth checking the secret underground passage found by Dean, or leave everything as is. After all, they still had to deal with a more global question: what to do further after the horror that Shinra had committed by dropping an entire Plate onto the slums.

Continuing to calmly sit on the wooden steps and unhurriedly sip alcohol under the casual chatter of Aerith and Yuffie, Alex slightly stretched and extracted elegant pocket watches from the pocket of his coat. Looking at the dial and noting that the hands had long since passed ten o'clock in the evening, Alex heard the familiar sound of approaching steps. Raising his gaze, he saw Jessie walking ahead with a weighty backpack behind her back and a satisfied, shining smile.

And a little behind her Biggs and Wedge trudged dejectedly, looking as if they had just been rolled on an electric chair for half an hour. Wedge's head even slightly twitched with every step from the shock he had endured. Sweetly smiling, Jessie jumped up to Alex and extended to him the trophy stun gun that she had just fully used.

Slightly laughing, Alex carefully pushed her hand back, proposing that she keep the device for herself—in case she once again wanted to charge someone with a generous dose of "positivity." Hearing this, Jessie joyfully lit up and hid the stun gun in her backpack, causing Biggs and Wedge to synchronously shudder once more.

"Great, since everyone has finally gathered, that means we can head to the Fifth Sector… But first we'll pick up Marlene," Barret said with a stern smirk as he exited the bar, holding huge bags stuffed with his and the children's things.

"Aerith, is your mom definitely not going to mind if we all barge in on her in such a huge crowd?" Tifa asked with slight concern, adjusting the slipping strap of the bag on her shoulder.

"Oh, no need to worry! Mom will understand everything perfectly. She's probably not finding a place for herself right now either after learning from the news about what happened here," Aerith answered with a soft, calming smile, rising from the steps and slightly brushing off her pink dress.

"Then only forward. All of us right now need to properly rest, and only then will we discuss in detail what to do further," Alex answered, slightly yawning, rising after everyone and picking up two heavy sports bags.

"Why do we even need to discuss and plan anything there?! We, damn it, are simply obliged to cruelly avenge Shinra! They ruthlessly destroyed our home and seriously think that we'll silently swallow this?! Well, to hell with them all! It's not enough for them that they're slowly killing our planet, so they also decided to level our homes with the ground! They wanted to break us… But from this we'll only become a thousand times stronger!" Barret declared in a loud, rolling tone and, once again launching into his fiery tirade, raised his massive fist high above his head.

Looking with a tired gaze at Barret, who with enthusiasm had launched into yet another manifesto about the merciless struggle against Shinra, Alex dejectedly shook his head and, grabbing the glass with the remaining whiskey, unhurriedly trudged forward. He had absolutely nothing against the leader's habitual fiery tirades, but such speeches always dragged on for far too long a time.

Dean likewise did not burn with the desire to listen to the familiar slogans: lifting his Tonberry Steve by the hood and habitually seating him on his shoulders, he lazily followed after Alex. Seeing that the two guys were leaving without extra noise, the others also picked up their pace and began catching up with Alex and Dean before they managed to go too far.

Having with difficulty made their way through the stone rubble and passed through the dark sewer passage that led exactly into the Sixth Sector, Alex was the first to climb to the surface and began helping the others up. While everyone in turn climbed out into the fresh air, Alex thoughtfully looked around. And although he had strained with all his might to minimize the damage from the collapse, part of the destruction had still inevitably affected the neighboring Sixth Sector. Everywhere lay twisted fragments of metal reinforcement and gigantic pieces of concrete.

Many ordinary people sat in deep numbness right on the debris, trying to realize and digest the tragedy that had occurred—for now absolutely all of them had in one fell swoop been left without a roof over their heads. And among the ordinary townspeople Alex with surprise even noticed local Grunts who were straining with all their might to help those who might have suffered under the rubble.

These were the very same Grunts whom he had earlier rather carefully dropped from the technical platform so that they would manage to leave the Seventh Sector before the catastrophic collapse of the Plate. Shaking his head at such a contrasting spectacle, Alex approached his motorcycle Fenrir and carefully laid a heavy sports bag on it.

"I see you're still in complete order, you incorrigible boy… Didn't get wounded anywhere at least?" the dry, creaky voice of Marla rang out as she approached their group, carefully holding little Marlene by the hand.

"And since when did I suddenly become incorrigible? I didn't even manage to do anything!" Alex asked with a light chuckle, turning his head and looking at the stern old woman.

"If I said so—then that's how it is! And since you're still continuing to snipe at me here, that means you're definitely in complete order and my dear Tifa won't have to worry about you once more," Marla answered, slightly rolling her eyes, and calmingly patted Tifa's trembling hand.

"Marla… Your house…" Tifa began speaking with deep concern and pain in her voice, gripping the elderly woman's palm more tightly.

"I know everything, my dear. I know everything… Our real home hasn't gone anywhere. And what just broke is just a stupid concrete box. We'll easily be able to rebuild it. The main thing is that absolutely all of us are whole and unharmed. And the main thing is that you're whole… For my old heart no greater happiness is needed," Marla said in an incredibly soft, warm tone, placing her second palm over Tifa's hand.

"Well, maybe something still survived under the rubble, after all we managed to find our things. And that means later we'll be able to dig up what survived!" Wedge intervened with excessively joyful and untimely optimistic notes in his voice, completely failing to catch the touching atmosphere hovering around.

"That's exactly what you'll personally deal with tomorrow! Maybe then at least you'll manage to drop a couple of extra kilograms from your plump belly… Because every time I look at you, you're always continuously chewing something!" Marla cut off with sincere irritation, bestowing upon Wedge an extremely heavy and empty look.

In response to these stern words Wedge could only resignedly nod his head: he knew all too well that with Marla it was better not even to try to argue. Standing nearby, Biggs with a sympathetic smirk patted his friend on the shoulder, expressing his silent support and perfectly realizing: if he himself uttered even a word, the same fate would inevitably befall him.

Listening to all these conversations, Alex was completely occupied with carefully arranging all the bags with things on the seat of his motorcycle so as not to drag the heavy load in his hands. Having finished with the bags, Alex proposed to Barret to seat Marlene right on top of the things so that he wouldn't have to carry his daughter in his arms for the rest of the way. Hearing such a proposal, the stern papa-bear in the person of Barret first looked questioningly at his daughter, wishing to learn her opinion.

But the moment this idea rang out, Marlene immediately nodded her head with a joyful smile, already intending to climb onto the seat without any outside help. Smiling at his daughter's sincere enthusiasm, Barret softly lifted Marlene under the arms and carefully helped her settle closer to the handlebars.

Having finished with the preparations, Alex took the remote for the motorcycle out of his pocket and pressed the button. Fenrir immediately responded with a deep growling sound of the started engine and at minimal speed slowly began moving forward. Before finally leaving, Alex extended a tight pack of gil to Marla so that she could without problems rent a cozy room at the Wall Market.

Looking at the extended money, Marla slightly sighed and turned to Tifa, who immediately nodded understandingly, showing that this would indeed be better for everyone. Softly smiling, Marla warmly patted Alex on the hand and took the pack of gil, not forgetting to add that she was accepting this help exclusively because she simply was not capable of refusing a request from dear Tifa. Slightly smiling, Alex nodded to her in farewell and together with Tifa followed after the rest of the group, which had already managed to go a little ahead.

Walking along the lively street leading straight to the Wall Market, none of the rare passersby paid particular attention to the strange large company walking next to a independently rolling motorcycle, at the wheel of which a happy child was sitting, while the rear part was loaded with an entire mountain of bags. Yuffie, for her part, instantly noticing the bright bustle around, immediately burned with the desire to dash into the crowd and sniff out what interesting things there were.

But before Yuffie could take even a single step aside, Alex deftly grabbed her by the collar of her jacket and pulled her back, not allowing her to escape. Once again helplessly hanging in the air like a kitten caught by the scruff, Yuffie offendedly folded her arms on her chest, puffed out her lips, and then deftly climbed up Alex and comfortably settled right on his shoulders.

"Seems the Wall Market is going to become even more lively and noisy in the nearest future," Jessie began speaking, observing the huge gathering of people as their group passed by the main arcades of the Market.

"There's someone to take care of order here now: Leslie and his girlfriend Merle are currently fully managing the Wall Market together with the remnants of the Big Three," Alex said calmly, taking a thin cigar out of his pocket and unhurriedly lighting it.

"I still don't fully understand why Leslie simply didn't get the hell out of this cursed place right after Corneo's death?" Biggs asked, slightly shaking his head in mild bewilderment, noticing how free rations were being fully distributed in the crowd of people who had lost their homes.

"Then go and ask him yourself, Biggs, if it bothers you that strongly," Dean responded in a lazy tone, deftly pulling the cork out of yet another bottle of whiskey with his teeth.

"I'll respectfully decline, I think. And why would he even answer my stupid questions?" Biggs answered, laughing, and threw his hands behind the back of his head, continuing to unhurriedly walk further.

"If that's the case—then don't ask stupid questions and just walk in silence," Barret grumbled strictly, walking close to the motorcycle in case Marlene suddenly lost her balance.

Laughing, Biggs playfully raised his hands in a sign of full surrender and continued the path with everyone. Continuing to unhurriedly walk forward, Alex carefully adjusted the position of Yuffie who had settled on his shoulders and turned to Aerith, who was walking side by side with him with a tender smile, habitually folding her hands behind her back.

Softly touching her palm with a finger in order to attract her attention, Alex asked whether she was very tired from the day. Sweetly narrowing her eyes, Aerith made it clear that everything was in complete order and she felt only light fatigue. Yuffie, for her part, the moment she heard this conversation, immediately began dramatically complaining at the top of her voice about her own inhuman fatigue.

Taking a deep breath, Alex was already preparing to mockingly remind her where exactly she was currently sitting, but instead of him Claudia did it—and in her signature, extremely dry and cold-blooded manner. From her pointed barb Yuffie began indignantly shouting protests even more strongly. Listening to this childish tirade, Alex quietly laughed, and after him the entire group picked up this sincere, warming laughter.

To be continued...

(So, here we are back at Aerith's house, from where we'll head to Shinra. We need a reason to go there—well, I've already come up with one. Barret has a reason to go too, so it doesn't take much to convince him. Now I can finally relax and grab a bite to eat with a clear conscience. I also think I should share my thoughts on the Wolverine game. Well, it was just an ordinary 14 hours of my life spent getting the Platinum trophy. I would have been better off spending that time playing FF XV, that would have been far more interesting. Peace, love, and pizza time.)

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