Marlene jumps and runs over to you.
Papa!!
She runs away to the corner. Tifa gets out from behind the bar and goes over to her.
Marlene! Aren't you going to say anything to Cloud?
Tifa comes over, and Marlene hides behind her slightly.
Welcome home, Cloud. Looks like everything went well. Did you fight with Barret?
* Yeah
I should have known. He's always pushing people around, and you've always been in fights ever since you were little. I was worried.
* Not this time
Hmm. You've grown up. When you were little you used to get into fights at the drop of a hat.
* (If you have a flower)
Tifa: Flowers? How nice... You almost never see them here in the slums.
Tifa: But... A flower for me? Oh Cloud, you shouldn't have...
Cloud: ...
* Give it to Tifa
Tifa: Thank you, Cloud. It smells wonderful. (turns and gestures the bar) Maybe I should fill the store with flowers.
* Give it to Marlene
She jumps and takes it, then returns to her safety behind Tifa.
* Marlene: ...
* Tifa: Sorry, Cloud. Marlene seems a little shy.
* Biggs: Aaah!! Nothin' like thay first drink after a job.
Biggs: Hic!! Why don't you have one too?
* No
What!? You tellin' me you're too good to drink with me? Don't act so big-headed, jus' because you were in SOLDIER!
* Yeah, why not?
Oh!! That's more like it!! Even if you were with SOLDIER, you're still a rookie here. So you'd better listen to whatever I tell ya!
* Biggs: Hic!! Oh... don't tell Barret what I jus' said.
* Wedge: Oh, Cloud! Tifa really knows how to cook. Mmm... Anyway, let me tell you somethin'
* About what?
Tifa always lets me taste her cooking. And look at me now, I'm rolly-polly. Don't know whether I should be happy or sad. But it's the good food and drinks that make this shop famous.
* I'm not interested in your stories
Oh well... Forget it then.
* Jessie: Hey Wedge, you're getting all excited. Stop making such a mess!
* Try to leave
Rumbling. Cloud sits on a nearby table, everyone else stands up. Barret runs in.
Marlene: Papa, welcome home!
Barret: Yeah. (puts Marlene on his shoulder)
* If you gave Marlene a flower
Barret: Huh? Where'd you get that flower?
Marlene: Cloud gave it to me.
Barret: Oh...
Barret: Did you thank him?
...
Marlene (turns to Cloud): Thank you, Cloud.
We'll take care of you.
Tifa: You all right, Barret?
Barret: Great!!
Barret: Get in here, fools!! We're startin' the meetin'!!
Barret goes down the secret lift. Biggs, Jessie and Wedge jump down after him.
Station
* Lamppost couple
Hey, come over here.
But people will...
Who cares?
But... There's a weirdo over there.
Huh?
Say, you're pretty gutsy.
Why don't you go snoop somewhere else, Romeo?
Sector 7
* Johnny: Hey!! Open up! C'mon baby!! It's me! Johnny! Mom!!
* Woman: Did you hear?
* 'Bout what?
About that little girl named Tifa and that bar called '7th Heaven'. I'm not only informed, I'm kinda nosey too. Anyhow, I got the scoop. You wanna hear?
* You bet!
That Barret and three of his henchmen are like this sometimes. Suddenly, they throw out a customer and start talking trash to him. It's strange, if you ask me. And that place always smells like gun powder. It's dangerous, I tell you. They must be doing terrible things in there.
* Don't care
Oh really? Well, aren't you a cool one!
* Don't care
Oh really? Well, aren't you a cool one!
* Orange man: There's a TV in there, but my cheap aunt won't let me in the house. Look for yourself.
* Orange man: Now that you mention it, there used to be an outside TV monitor here in the slums. But that Barret busted it up. Shot it up with that weird machine gun hand of his. Blam, blam, blam. I think it was when President Shinra was on, He was on again this morning, too, you know. Tifa had better watch out for her TV.
* Kid: All's quiet!! Shh, I'm spying now! OH!! There's something! DANGER!! ALERT!!
Seventh Heaven
* Tifa: Sit down.
Cloud does so.
Tifa: How about... ...something to drink?
* I don't feel like it
Tifa: OHH!! I can make a drink just as good as anyone else. Everyone says my drinks taste the best!
* Give me something hard
Tifa: Just a minute. I'll make one for you.
She takes some things off the shelves and mixes a drink. She gives it to Cloud.
Tifa: You know, I'm relieved you made it back safely.
Cloud (gulp): What's with you all of a sudden? That job wasn't even tough.
Tifa: I guess not... You were in SOLDIER. (gulp)
Tifa: Make sure you get your pay from Barret.
Cliud (gulp): Don't worry. Once I get that money, I'm outta here.
Tifa: Cloud. Are you feeling all right?
Cloud: ... Yeah... Why?
Tifa: No reason. You just look a little tired I guess.
* Tifa: You'd better go down below.
AVALANCHE hideout
* Wedge: You think I'm a little too uptight?
* Yeah...
The next mission will be to blow up the Sector 5 Reactor. Cloud, you're great! Don't you ever get nervous? Or are you like, impervious to feelings? Naw, that couldn't be it.
* No...
Well, that's OK. Don't worry about me. I don't look like it, but I'm a coward at heart.
* Jessie: Oops... Hey, look at the news... What a blast. Think that was all because of my bomb? But all I really did was just make it like the computer told me. Oh no! I must've made a miscalculation somewhere.
* Jessie: Hey, that was my first bomb. Makes me kinda proud.
* TV
President Shinra: ...today the No 1 Reactor was bombed. The terrorist group AVALANCHE has claimed responsibility for the bombing. It is expected that AVALANCHE will continue its reign of terror. But citizens of Midgar, there is no need to fear. I have immediately mobilized SOLDIER to protect our citizenry against this senseless violence. Thank you and goodnight.
* Approach Barret
Barret: Yo, Cloud! There's somethin' I wanna ask ya. Was there anyone from SOLDIER fighting us today?
Cloud (shake): None. I'm positive.
Barret: You sound pretty sure.
Cloud (nods): If there was anyone from SOLDIER you wouldn't be standing here now.
Barret: Don't be thinkin' you so bad jus' cuz you was in SOLDIER.
Barret goes to attack Cloud, but is held back by Biggs.
Cloud: ...
Barret throws Biggs into the camera.
Barret: Yeah, you're strong. Probably all them in SOLDIER are. But don't forget that your skinny ass's working' for AVALANCHE now! Don't get no ideas 'bout hangin' on to Shinra.
Cloud: Stayin' with Shinra? You asked me a question and I answered it... that's all.
Cloud gets right in Barret's face (despite being shorter).
Cloud: I'm going upstairs. I want to talk about my money.
* Marlene: Papa, you're so great!
* Barret: Shucks!! ... money...
* Try to leave
Tifa enters.
Tifa: Wait, Cloud!
Barret: Tifa! Let him go! Looks like he still misses the Shinra!
Cloud: Shut up! I don't care about neither Shinra nor SOLDIER!
Cloud makes to leave.
But don't get me wrong! I don't care about AVALANCHE or the Planet for that matter!
* Wedge: ...Cloud. You say you don't care, but you came to talk to me. Cloud... You just want friends. Isn't that right?
* Blow off
Yeah, well. You look kind of lonely to me. If you ever got anything you want to get off your chest, you can always talk to me.
* I really don't care
You're terrible. Real cold-blooded.
* Jessie: Money... Oh my. It must have been for a lot of it. Sure! Well, what the hell? It's a verbal agreement. Now let me figure this out. Oh stop it, Cloud! Did you hear me?
* Tifa: Straighten things up with everyone for me.
Seventh Heaven
Tifa comes up.
Tifa: Listen, Cloud. I'm asking you. Please join us.
Cloud (shakes): Sorry Tifa...
Tifa: The Planet is dying. Slowly but surely, it's dying. Someone has to do something.
Cloud (shrug): So let Barret and his buddies do something about it. It's got nothing to do with me.
Cloud nearly leaves. Tifa makes a stance.
Tifa: So! You're really leaving!?
Tifa: You're just going to walk right out ignoring your childhood friend!?
Cloud: What?
* How can you say that!
Tifa: ...You forgot the promise, too.
Cloud: Promise?
Tifa (bows head): So you DID forget.
Tifa: Remember? Cloud, it was seven years ago...
Cloud looks up.
Note: There is another choice, but I do not appear to have documented it.
Night sky
Pan down onto a well. Cloud and Tifa are right next to the camera, as if they are looking at a picture of the well.
Tifa: Look, the well. Do you remember?
Cloud: Yeah... back then.
Cloud: I thought you would never come, and I was getting a little cold.
A younger Cloud is dangling his feet from the well. A young Tifa peers at him from around the corner.
Tifa: Sorry I'm late. She joins him.
Tifa: You said you wanted to talk to me about something?
Cloud: Come this Spring... I'm leaving town for Midgar.
Tifa: All the boys are leaving town.
Cloud (shakes): But I'm different from them. I'm not just going to find a job. Gets up and strikes a pose.
Cloud: I want to join SOLDIER.
Cloud: I'm going to be the best there is, just like Sephiroth!
Tifa: Sephiroth... The Great Sephiroth?
Cloud climbs the well.
Tifa: Isn't it hard to join SOLDIER?
Cloud (nods): ... I probably won't be able to come back to town for a while.
Tifa giggles.
Cloud: ...Huh?
Tifa: If you make it, will you be in the newspapers?
Cloud (nods): I'll try.
Tifa: Hey, let's make a promise.
Tifa: Umm... if you get really famous and I'm ever in a bind... you'll come save me, all right?
Cloud: What?
Tifa: If I'm ever in trouble, my hero will come and rescue me. I want to experience that at least once.
Cloud: What?
Tifa: Come on! Promise me!
Cloud (nods): All right... I promise... (nods again)
Pan up a little. A shooting star streaks across the sky.
Back in Seventh Heaven
Tifa: You remember now, don't you? Our promise?
Cloud (shakes): I'm not a hero and I'm not famous. So I can't keep our promise.
Tifa: But you got your childhood dream, didn't you? You joined SOLDIER.
Cloud runs his hand through his hair.
Tifa: So come on! You've got to keep your promise...
Barret enters.
Barret: Wait a sec big-time SOLDIER!
Barret: A promise is a promise! Here!!
Barret tosses pay to Cloud.
Recieved Barret's stash, 1500gil! Could well be a writo on my behalf. I'll check.
Cloud: This is my pay? Don't make me laugh.
Tifa: What? Then you'll...
Cloud: You got the next mission lined up? I'll do it for 3000.
Barret (angry): What!?
Tifa: It's OK, it's OK.
Tifa (to Barret): ...psst... (We're really hurting for help, right?)
Barret: Uh.... ugh.... (That money's for Marlene's schoolin'....)
Barret: 2000! (turns)
Tifa: Thanks, Cloud.
Sleep.
Wake up in AVALANCHE hideout
* Tifa: Good Morning! Cloud! Did you sleep well?
* Barret's snoring kept me up...
Tifa: ...psst... (Keep it down, they'll hear you. Barret's always edgy before an operation)
* Next to you, who wouldn't?
Tifa: I don't know what you mean.
Tifa: I'm going this time.
* Barret: Our target's the Sector 5 Reactor. Head for the station first. I'll fill you in on the train.
Barret: Yo! Cloud! Before the next mission, I got somethin' I wanna ask you! I, uh... I don't really know how to use Materia! I'll give you that Materia we found. Just teach me how to use it!
Cloud: ...sigh...
* OK, I'll explain it
Menu screenBarret: &$*#! What's this, 'it wasn't that tough!' crap? I don't get it!... You just handle the Materia, Cloud!
Sure, I'll explain how Materia works.
First, access the menu.
You know the basic functions.
Press [MENU] to bring up the menu.
Directional buttons move the cursor,
like this.
Select each menu by using [OK]
If you want to leave the menu,
just push [CANCEL]
See? Let's go ahead.
Now you're in the menu.
Select the [Materia] sub menu.
Select who you want to use it.
Now look at my weapon here.
Each weapon and armor has slots in it.
Now select the Materia you want to use.
This is curative Materia.
If you want to know what its effect is,
line the cursor up with Check in the menu,
and push the [OK] button.
It's just like selecting battle commands.
Just line the cursor up to [Magic]
you can see that the available magic has increased.
Now you can use new magic [Cure]
And that's all there is to equipping Materia.
See? It wasn't that tough!
When you want to remove any Materia,
it's as easy as pointing to the Materia slot,
and pushing [MENU]
There's just one thing you have to be careful of
Whenever you equip Materia,
your situation changes.
Parts of you may become stronger...
while others get weaker.
Normally, when you equip [Magic] Materia,
your magic power will get stronger.
But your physical strength weakens.
So, Materia's kind of a double-edged sword.
On the left side of the screen,
you can see the Materia's effect on you.
It's not wise to overuse Magic Materia
But try out various things.
Push [CANCEL] to exit the sub menu.
OK, that's about it.
I'll give you some advanced tips later.
[Materia System]
Access the menu and select [Materia] to equip Materia.
Another note from Tubba: You can choose not to tell Barret how to use Materia.
Tifa: Cloud! I got a message from the Weapon Shop man upstairs. He has something he wants to give you. Don't forget!
Tifa: Marlene, you watch the store while we're gone!
Marlene: All right!! Good Luck.
* Marlene: Take care!
