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It was a busy night at Seventh Heaven, end of the week, people wanting to unwind after working tirelessly day after day while still barely managing to scrape by. People found a way though. In their small community, there was always someone willing to lend an ear or a helping hand when called upon. The people in Sector 7 stuck together. They may not have had much, but they had each other, a sense of belonging, something worth fighting for.
Mike stood behind the bar with a rag in hand, wiping down the surface of the bar top during a lull in the night's bustling crowd. It was nearing the end of the night, people beginning to steadily filter out as the inflow grew less frequent. His announcement for last call would be coming soon, and the remaining patrons would rush to the counter to place their final orders. Luckily, there weren't many left, and the ones who were still there were calm, content to carry on quiet conversations amongst themselves.
He was tired too, ready for the night to be over. Nothing sounded better than being able to go back to his room and collapse on his bed. But no, there was a group meeting in the basement underneath the bar after closing time. Avalanche had an important mission coming up soon, so it was all hands on deck. He wasn't even a part of this one, but apparently it was still essential that he be at the meeting. After cleaning up the bar, of course. Which, he was getting a head start on now. Sweeping, washing dishes as they came to him, and now… wiping down the bar.
He was interrupted from scrubbing a particularly sticky spot when a piece of paper was slapped down on the bar in front of him. Mike looked up, annoyed, at the person who could have interrupted him a bit more politely. His eyes caught on the flame tattoo that started at his wrist, trailing up his forearm. Arms bare, a sleeveless black shirt hugged his chest and torso. The hilt of what looked to be a large sword peeked over his shoulder, seemingly strapped to his back. Mike took a moment to study the guy's face. A spiky red mohawk, a self-assured smirk on his face, the teal glow of his eyes around the pupil… from mako? Like SOLDIER.
Was he Shinra?
Glancing back down to the paper, his eyes shot back up to the newcomer. It was an Avalanche flyer, a call for help, support. Who in the hell would have put this up?
“Where did you get this?” Mike asked.
“Does it matter? I have it; it led me here. So, here I am.”
Chester’s smirk widened at the raised eyebrow of the man in front of him. He needed the work, and this was as good a lead as any. The man behind the counter was handsome. Pale skin, dark eyes, dark hair. The form-fitting white shirt showed off the lean lines of his body. Dark suspenders accented the broadness of his shoulders. The hard-backed gloves showcasing that he was a brawler.
“So, what kind of help is needed? I’m pretty handy…”
Chester finished his statement, with a bit of a wiggle of his eyebrows.
Mike stood up straight and crossed his arms over his chest. They had discussed hiring someone to help with these upcoming missions. Someone with inside knowledge, training that would be beneficial for what they might find inside the reactors.
But to put a flyer up? Where anyone could see?
“It's kind of suspicious that someone from SOLDIER would be asking about Avalanche. Don't you think?”
Chester understood his suspicion. Hell, he wouldn’t…didn't trust them either. Maybe, maybe a bit of information.
“I know how this looks. But, I, uh, I left. Escaped. We were going to…”
Chester rubbed the back of his neck.
“I didn't want this. Shinra took something from me. Something I'll never get back. Of course, there are whispers of you guys among the company. I know you guys are trying to tear them down. Let me help.”
Chester almost wanted to hide his eyes, the mark of his enslavement, of his ruined and broken childhood.
Mike nodded, his stance softening. Shinra took something from him too. That's what they did. Destroyed lives, leaving people with their own shattered hopes and dreams that they would try desperately to rebuild after having everything ripped away from him. He still had nightmares about that night, ones that would probably never go away.
Picking up the flyer, Mike studied it for a moment before looking up at… “What's your name?”
“Chester.”
He offered his hand to him.
Mike shook his hand. “Mike. So, I can't make any promises, but I can put in a word for you. You want a drink while you wait?”
“I'm broke. I left everything but the clothes on back in the dorm I was assigned to. So, as nice as a drink sounds, I can't pay you. I haven't seen if the shelter is still standing.”
Chester ran the flat of his fingers over his temple.
“That's another reason I'm here. I need to work.”
Mike felt a pang of sympathy for Chester, wanting to help in some way. He knew that feeling well. When he'd first arrived in Sector 7, he had nothing. But he'd found a home amongst the group of strangers that had quickly become his closest friends. Maybe he could help Chester in finding that too.
He turned to grab a few bottles off the shelf, a mixer, and a glass. Announcing last call, he noticed that Chester was now the last one left in the bar.
That's one way to clear a room, he supposed. SOLDIER walking in with a huge sword strapped on their back.
“That job isn't for another week.” He filled the glass and pushed it towards him. “I have a meeting. Can you wait here?” Walking out from behind the bar, he paused before heading to the basement. “Oh, by the way, that's the house special. Let me know what you think.”
He had no idea how the others would take to having an ex-SOLDIER in the bar, but they needed help, right? So badly that one of them was apparently dumb enough to put up a flyer.
Chester took the drink gratefully. It had a nice sharp citrus flavor with just a hint of sweet at the end. He loved it. The bright acid a familiar flavor, Chester wondered in passing if any of the fruit trees still stood.
He looked around the bar while he waited, nursing his drink. It seemed warm and comfortable, the kind of place where you could hear the day's gossip and learn folktales.
He put his head down. Worn out from the day's excitement, the uncertainty if he was making the right decision. He must have dozed off because the next thing he remembered was Mike waking him up.
“Oh. Shit, I'm sorry. It's been a long one.”
Chester ran his head over his face. Wondering why Mike asked him to stay. He asked the smaller man that very question.
Mike took a seat next to him at the bar, fatigue settling in as he was finally able to sit down. Some of the others weren't particularly happy about having an ex-SOLDIER as their only prospect. But that's all they had.
“You want to join Avalanche, right?” Mike asked. “You're in. But like I said, that job isn't for another week.”
Fuck. That was no good. Chester needed gil now. He wasn't lying to Mike when he said he had nothing.
“Well, fuck. I need to get paid sooner than that. I have no gil for a bed or food.”
Chester ran his hands over his face. It was too late to try and find work. He had no idea if the old church shelter stood. But he guessed one of the nice things about living in a closed city was that he didn't have to worry too much about the elements.
He stood to take his leave of Mike.
“Do I just come back here in a week?”
“No.” Mike shook his head. “You'll need to be filled in on everything, be at meetings and stuff.”
He tapped his fingers on the bar top as he thought. What he was about to do… he hoped he wasn't making a huge fucking mistake. But he felt that he could trust Chester. There was pull towards him, almost like fate had led him to Seventh Heaven.
“There's always odd jobs to be found around the Sector. Most of them won't pay much, but it's better than nothing. With your skills and training, they should all be cake for you. Everyone knows me around here, so I can help you. If you want, you can crash with me tonight, and we can get started in the morning,” Mike suggested, peeking up at Chester when he finished.
“Really? Are you sure?”
Chester couldn't keep the eagerness out of his voice. Having a place to sleep, away from the criminals and rats sounded lovely.
He followed Mike up the stairs. Watching as he gathered some extra blankets and a pillow. Mike led him to a small but comfortable room. A single bed and a sturdy dresser. Mike seemed apologetic about the lack of spare bed. Chester shrugged, accepting the blankets. Making a pallet out of three of the four blankets, he dropped the pillow at the head.
Unstrapping his sword and pulling his boots off, he reached for the hem of his shirt before stopping.
“Do you mind?”
Mike glanced back at Chester while he was pulling the blanket down on his bed. “No, go ahead.”
Chester nodded, pulling his top over his head. Getting comfortable he fell asleep right away.
***
Mike woke up the next morning, artificial sunlight streaming in through the cracks in the window blinds. How long had it been since he'd actually seen the real sun? He was starting to forget what it felt like even. The natural warmth on his skin, the life that sprouted beneath the sun. They were always hidden underneath the plate that blocked out the sky. There was nothing green that could grow underneath it, and Mike couldn't help but wonder what his life would be like if he could ever venture out from the plate. That's what Avalanche was working towards. A life without Shinra.
Sitting up at the edge of his bed, he almost jumped up at seeing Chester on the floor. He'd forgotten about saying he could stay in his room. Stepping quietly around him, Mike made his way to the bathroom. He looked so peaceful sleeping, which was odd since he was on the hard floor. It couldn't be that comfortable with only a few tattered blankets as cushioning. But there's no telling how long it had been since Chester had gotten a good night's sleep. Mike remembered him falling asleep at the bar when he came back from the Avalanche meeting. And that wasn't a comfortable spot to sleep at either.
He threw his clothes on in the bathroom and made his way down the stairs to the kitchen. They were going to have a busy day, so they would need a few things. Coffee being one of them. Food being another. Not knowing what Chester liked, Mike cut up a small assortment of fruit he'd bought from the vendor that came to town once a week. Popping the bread in the toaster while the coffee was making, he added some cheese to the plate of fruit.
He stopped and scratched the side of his head. There was no way he could carry all this upstairs, and he wasn't going to take it all up on a serving tray either. Chester would just have to come downstairs if he wanted coffee and food. It was early, and no one else was awake yet, so they didn't have to worry about surprising anyone with an unplanned house guest… who also just happened to be SOLDIER… ex-SOLDIER.
Because Mike also hadn't told anyone that Chester was staying. Not the brightest idea, but he knew they'd object, and he couldn't just let Chester stay out on the streets. No, he wouldn't have slept at all if he'd done something like that. Plus, they'd be out the door before anyone saw him.
Mike slowly opened the door to his room, seeing Chester sitting up on his pile of blankets on the floor. “Oh, you're awake.”
Chester nodded, rubbing his eyes.
“I smell coffee.”
Pulling his shirt on,
“Can I sit in your bed to pull my boots on?”
At Mike's nod, he pulled his boots on. Strapping his sword on.
“Lead the way to the coffee, please. And I promise as soon as I can, I will pay you back.”
Making his way to the bar, Chester picked a bit at the cheese, dug out all the citrus out of the bowl. Nibbling on his toast dry and taking slips of coffee.
“So what's the plan?”
Mike knew exactly how to answer that question. “We're going to check with The Watch. They'll have a list of things that need to be done. They know everything that's going on around here. So, as soon as we're done here, that's where we'll go.” He took a bite of his toast when he finished.
Chester nodded, chewing on his toast. He was grateful for Mike's small act of kindness. Not many would help an ex-SOLDIER. Finishing his coffee, he stood up. Getting to the door, he held it open for Mike.
“Well, lead the way.”
Mike led Chester out of Seventh Heaven after they cleaned up, into the early morning paths of Sector 7. Not a lot of people were out yet, using the day to get in a few extra hours of much-needed sleep. But he knew the people in charge of The Watch would be awake and in their office. They were always early risers.
“So, there's two people who kind of lead The Watch, Manu and Eddie. They pretty much have insight into everything that's going on in Sector 7. That's who we're going to go see.” Mike led Chester up to a metal door. “This is their office, but, uh, always knock and wait for them to answer the door before you walk in. You never know what they might be doing…” he added, wincing at remembering some of the things he'd walked in on.
Seeing Chester’s confused expression, he lifted his hand, knocked, and waited.
Chester was in awe. The man that answered the door was tall, broad and in remarkable shape. Pulling a shirt on, he greeted Mike with a smile.
“Mike! How are you? How's the bar doing?”
“Hey Manu. The bar's good. You and Eddie should stop by soon. We haven't seen you there in a while.” Mike gestured to Chester. “This is Chester. He's new in town. Is now an okay time for us to come in? See what's going on with any jobs?”
Chester watched as Manu stepped aside. The man with him, Eddie, Chester assumed, was sitting on a bed. In nothing but a loose pair of pants, bruises decorating his chest and neck. Chester felt his face flush red when he finally realized what Mike was wincing about.
“Well, Joe lost his cat again. Jumped out a window, I guess. Posted up a 50 Gil reward for him.”
Chester watched as Manu produced a piece of paper and handed it off to Mike.
Mike read over the paper that Manu had given him. It included a photo of the cat, description, and how to contact Joe, which he already knew. “Seems easy enough,” he said, turning to Chester. “This will be good for you to start out with.”
Passing the paper to Chester, he watched as he nodded to himself while reading through its contents. For someone like Chester and his background, this should be easy work. There's no telling what kinds of things he'd seen.
Mike looked up when he noticed Eddie getting up from the bed, his long hair now well past his shoulders.
“We don't have a lot right now, but it's still early,” Eddie told them, coming to stand beside Manu, wrapping an arm around his waist. “If you check back later, we'll probably have more.” He held his other hand out to Chester with a smile. “I'm Eddie. It's nice to meet you.”
Chester absently shook Eddie's hand as he read the flyer. The cat was small with brown fur. Should be easy enough. Chester wasn't sure if he could actually look at either man, knowing what Mike said. When he did look though, he saw that Manu bore the same scar he did. Chester couldn't help himself.
“You’re ex-SOLDIER too!”
Manu gave Chester a look he couldn't quite describe. And then, Chester realized he still had Eddie’s hand. He let go with a blush, stammering out an apology.
Knowing that it was a subject Manu didn't often talk about, Mike said his goodbyes and led Chester out the door. He remembered when it happened though. It had been big news at the time, something that gave people a reason to gossip. A SOLDIER showing up in Sector 7 wasn't common, and while there were people out there that still trusted Shinra, the slums never did.
“So, yeah, Manu used to be in SOLDIER,” Mike told Chester as they walked, seeing his eyes widen in shock. He understood that. Chester probably hadn't expected to see another SOLDIER, here of all places. “A few years ago, Eddie found him collapsed outside the Sector.” Mike shook his head. “He was in bad shape. Probably wouldn't have made it if not for Eddie. He brought him back, took care of him. They've been pretty much inseparable ever since. People were suspicious at first since he was SOLDIER, but he's one of us now.”
“Oh. But we need focus. Should we talk to Joe first? Or just try and find this thing?”
“We're going to talk to Joe first. Make sure he hasn't already found him.” Mike pointed to a small house up ahead. “This isn't the first time he's lost that cat. He's probably hanging out with the neighborhood strays. There's a whole crew of them here.”
Mike couldn't count how many times he or someone else has gone looking for that cat. Sometimes the cat came back on his own. But Joe was always just as panicked every time that cat disappeared.
He knocked on the door, smiling when Joe answered it. “Hey Joe, I heard you're looking for Dave.”
Joe looked just as worried as he'd expected him to be. “Are you going to find him? Yeah, he jumped out of a window this morning. Just took off before he had his breakfast. Dave never misses his breakfast, Mike.”
“That's what we're here for. Just wanted to make sure he hasn't come home yet. By the way,” Mike said, patting Chester on the shoulder, “this is Chester. The new merc in town. He's going to be the one to find Dave for you.”
He figured he might as well talk Chester up, spread the word.
Chester smiled confidently. How hard can it be to find a missing cat?
Joe seemed too lost in his panic to pay attention to who Chester was. With a lot of ‘thank yous’ they set on their way. Mike led him to an alleyway teeming with cats. Chester peaked over, looking at all the cats.
White ones, black ones, orange ones. Chester had no idea that there were so many types of cats. A few seemed to be interested in what they were doing, but most thought they were doing cat things.
Seeing a few brown ones, Chester ventured into the alley of cats. The first few steps had all of them scattering, into the various nooks and crannies. The alleyway came to a cul de sac type of end, and in the middle of it sat a brown cat. Small, pink nose, Chester was fairly certain that this was Dave. It sat calmly washing itself, seeming undisturbed by Chester’s presence. That made Chester absolutely certain that it was Dave. Striding over to it, he scooped it up.
Chester about threw the cat when it hissed loudly at him. Holding the cat up by the scruff, he looked at Mike. He opened his mouth to speak before he heard more hissing. Looking up, he saw a pure white cat on a balcony, back arched. Then, a yowl and hissing. Soon, he was surrounded by another three cats. All hissing. He took off running when one took a swipe at him. Still clutching the cat, he ran past Mike. Trying to get away from the cats in pursuit of him.
Mike trailed behind Chester when they entered the cul de sac. One lone cat sat in the center after all the others had fled. Stopping, he looked around and wondered where all the cats went while Chester approached the brown one. They normally didn't run off like that. Maybe because they weren't familiar with Chester? A lot of people left scraps of food for them, so that had to be it. Chester was just a new face. Once he was around for a bit, maybe gave them some food, they'd warm up to him.
Hearing a loud hiss, Mike's eyes snapped back to see Chester holding the cat away from him, about to say something. Mike took a step forward. He couldn't tell from where he was standing if that was Dave.
But then there was another hiss… a white cat on a balcony.
And another hiss… a calico cat was creeping out from a bush.
Then, there were three more cats. Their eyes all trained on Chester.
“Um… Chester…” Mike didn't think he heard him though.
The cats had almost completely surrounded Chester, slowly closing in on him. Mike took another step towards them right as an orange tabby cat made the first lunge. A gray one soon followed.
Well, this wasn't good.
He heard Chester curse, darting around cats as he ran past where Mike was standing. The pack of cats took off after him, right at his heels. Mike stood staring open-mouthed in shock for a few seconds before he got it together enough to chase after them. He followed them down the narrow alley, people dodging out of the way as they raced past. An ex-SOLDIER with a giant sword on his back, a herd of angry cats… and then Mike, the local bartender.
All those years of martial arts training were paying off though, because he was keeping up with them pretty well. Gaining on them actually. Until they reached the market crowd. There were people everywhere, and his progress was halted when Mrs. Duncan decided to push her cart full of groceries and whatever the hell else was in the overflowing cart right in front of him.
And unfortunately, Mike wasn't able to slow down in time. He collided into the cart, landing on top of it as it tipped over on its side, various items littering the dirt road.
Any hint of Chester and the cats were gone after that, lost in the overzealous shopping crowd.
Mike had to hand it to Chester for a couple of reasons though. One, he could still run extremely fast with that massive sword on his back. And two, he didn't let go of that brown cat once.
But another bad thing… he didn't think that cat Chester ran off with was Dave.
Chester was grateful for his SOLDIER training as he ducked and weaved through the early morning crowd. Hearing the yowling behind him and Mike’s rapid steps almost alongside him. Still holding Dave, he jumped on to a stand, thankfully sturdy enough to hold him. Having a moment to breathe, he looked around. Looking to find a higher place. Hoping if he got out of their reach, they would stop chasing him
Finding a series of roofs, Chester made a jump for it. The small moment of triumph he felt was quickly squashed by him sliding off. The pitch of the roof was steeper than he realized.
Knowing he was going to fall, he tucked Dave into his chest to keep him safe. Landing on his side, he felt Dave’s claws dig into his arm. He wondered where Mike was as he fought to catch his breath.
Mike walked the series of paths and alleyways in Sector 7 at a quick pace, looking for Chester. Or a bunch of cats. After a rushed apology to Mrs. Duncan and helping her toss all of her bought items back in the cart, he began his search. Sector 7 wasn't that big, so it shouldn't take him long.
He hoped.
And of course, he heard people talking about it. It wasn't everyday they saw a man getting chased by a mob of cats. He just hoped they hadn't left the sector. That would make it much harder for him to find them.
People were helpful, as they usually were. Pointing him in the direction they had seen the chase going off in, asking him questions about this new person they had never seen before.
Who is he?
Why are the Sector cats after him?
Mike didn't have time to feed their curiosity though. Well, he probably wouldn't have even if he did have time to. It wasn't any of their business. Plus, Chester could be in real trouble. There were… a lot of cats.
Someone eventually told Mike that they had seen a man with a sword jumping the rooftops just past the community center.
“I think he fell off one of them,” Jim Holder, who worked in the items shop, added in, overhearing the conversation. “I saw him tumble right off the side of the roof, cradling a brown cat in his arms.”
Mike ran a hand down the front of his face, praying that Chester wasn't hurt, before heading towards the community center. He slowed down when he reached the long narrow building, taking the time to check his surroundings. If Jim was right, then Chester would have fallen somewhere nearby.
But then… he saw something.
Not Chester, but a cat sitting on top of the shed next to the center. A brown cat with a blue collar.
“Dave,” Mike called in a soft voice. “It's me, Mike. Here kitty.”
The cat tilted its head to the side, observing him with big green eyes. Dave let out a quiet meow before jumping down in front of him, walking between Mike's legs. He really hadn't expected that to be so easy. Scooping up Dave and smiling as the cat began to purr, he rounded the shed to look in the alley behind the community center.
He almost started laughing at what he saw, covering his mouth with his free hand to stop it from slipping out.
Chester was there, lying flat on his back on the ground. At least a dozen cats sitting on top of him or around him. Some were cleaning themselves. One was on his chest, making biscuits on his shirt. Another was playing with the shoelaces on one of his boots. And there was the brown stray that started it all: sitting on Chester's face, its tail swishing back and forth across his mohawk.
Mike knelt down beside them. “Chester, I hope you can hear me, but don't move yet. I have time materia equipped on my glove. I'm going to aim a stop spell at the cats, and when you feel them stop moving, you can get up. Slowly though,” he added. “We don't want to hurt them.”
He shifted Dave to his other arm so he could reach the glove that housed the materia. Closing his eyes to concentrate, he focused solely on the cats. If he accidentally hit Chester with the spell too, it would be completely pointless. He felt the rush of energy expel from his glove when he opened his eyes. The cats gradually stopped their movements, resting still on top of Chester.
Mike grinned and picked up the brown stray from Chester's face, gently laying him under the shade of some awning. “You can move now. I did the weakest one, so it won't take too long before they start moving again. Oh also,” he held up Dave, “I found Dave.”
Chester sat up with a groan. Glaring sharply at Dave, on Mike's shoulders, looking like some kind of living scarf. He carefully picked the remaining cats off him. Taking a brief survey of himself.
With a grunt of irritation, he retied his boot. Damn cats. Standing up, brushing himself off, he hissed a bit in pain as some dirt got caught in one of the deeper scratches. Thankfully, they weren't bad. The cats only swiping at him when he tried to move.
“You wouldn't happen to have any potions or healing magic with you, would you?”
His side hurt from the fall, the numerous scratches did as well.
“I have a couple of potions with me.” Mike said, patting his pocket. “But we're going back to The Watch to ask about more jobs, right? Eddie will be able to heal you there, better than a potion would too. Plus, these are the only two potions I've got. We probably need to save them in case we need them while we're in the middle of another job or something. Do you have any materia?”
Chester shook his head.
“I wasn't kidding when I said I lost everything.”
Delivering Dave back to a very grateful Joe, a bag of gil shoved into their hands. Chester turned to go back to The Watch. Holding his rib as he did so, he didn't think the fall was that bad. He was eager to have Eddie heal him.
***
“Oh shit, what happened to you?” Eddie answered the door this time, luckily with a shirt on, and reached for Chester's arm.
Mike stepped inside their office when Eddie led Chester away, not waiting for him to answer as he urged him to sit down. Those cats had scratched him up pretty bad. Not to mention the fall Chester had taken. Mike had noticed how he was favoring his ribs, each step almost delicate as they trudged back to The Watch. Who knew that a simple cat rescue would have turned out to be so eventful for them?
Seeing Manu sitting at the desk and looking through some papers, Mike walked over to him after glancing back at Chester to see how he was holding up. He knew he was in good hands though; Eddie had a natural affinity for healing.
“Hey Manu, how's it going here today so far?” he asked, taking a seat in a chair on the opposite side of the desk.
“Quiet, thankfully. Well, as quiet as this sector gets.”
Mike nodded. There always did seem like there was some kind of mess that needed cleaning up at any given time. But that was part of life in the slums. Nothing ever came easy; Shinra made sure of that. Manu and Chester were both probably more aware of that than anyone.
Speaking of Chester… Mike peered over to where he and Eddie were, talking in low voices, Eddie surveying all of his wounds. He thought that maybe it would be a good idea for Chester to take a break, rest up some after the cat fiasco. But Chester had objected to that, saying he'd be fine after a bit of cure magic.
“So,” Mike started, looking back to Manu, “as you can see, we had a bit of, um, excitement while looking for Dave. Do you have any jobs that might be more… straightforward?”
“Yeah. Actually. A courier dropped off a package from Rocket Town. Something for Brad. The person was directed to us because either the courier nor the sender knew where Brad lived. Can you get it to him?”
Mike watched as Manu retrieved a package from the shelf behind him, placing it on the desk between them. “Thanks, Manu. This is perfect. Brad still lives on the outskirts of the sector, close to the train station, right?”
“Yes. Just a few doors down now. The roof on his old place collapsed. His landlord just hasn’t had the gil to fix it.”
“Yeah, I heard about that. Glad no one was injured though.” Mike remembered Brad stopping by the bar one night, relaying the unfortunate event to him. Thankfully, he wasn't at home when it happened. Mike had provided him with a hot meal every time he'd swung by after that, free of charge, while he was trying to get back on his feet. “Oh, do you know how much this one pays?” He felt bad asking, but he figured he should know so he could tell Chester.
“That area is getting worse. Not enough for us to need to step in, not yet. But I can give you a hundred gil for saving me the hassle. And for doing me the favor of checking in on him. I nor my eyes have seen him for a while.”
“Thanks again, Manu. This'll help Chester out a lot. We'll swing by again after, and I'll let you know how Brad is.” Mike stood up, looking down at the package on the desk, noticing the ‘FRAGILE’ stamped across the top and sides of the box. He and Chester could handle this, no problem. They'd just need to be more cautious this time.
Although… he wondered briefly if he should be the one to carry the package.
Chester sat gratefully next to Eddie. His long hair tied back with a simple band as he fussed over him. Seeming to take a survey of all his cuts and dings. Chester hissed in pain when Eddie probed at his ribs. Being the sole focus of Eddie’s attention was kind of overwhelming. His kindness was an unfamiliar thing for Chester. Eddie told him softly to close his eyes. Doing so, he felt one of Eddie’s hands on his ribs, the other on the worst of his scratches. Chester felt the warmth of healing magic go through his body.
Something in this felt different. It felt more like warm water washing through him. Calmer. Chester couldn’t begin to count the number of times he had felt his bones being knitted back together, but under Eddie’s care the usually sharp pain wasn’t present. A soft hand to his cheek had him opening his eyes again. There was a compassion in them that made Chester feel…
Sitting up, he shook his head clear. Trying to banish whatever thoughts he had of the other head of The Watch.
“Thank you.”
Eddie smiled. “You're welcome. Those cats can be territorial sometimes. Give them a little bit of food here and there, some affection, and they'll warm up to you in no time. Are you feeling better now?
“I saw that. Damn cats.”
Taking in Eddie’s warm smile.
“I am. Thank you again.”
Chester heard Mike and Manu talking. Then, he saw a plain brown box put in front of Mike. He watched Mike’s face as he studied the box. This should be easier, just a nice stroll through the sector. Taking a package for The Watch to someone. He would need to have Mike fill him in on the details. No cats, no people, just an easy walk somewhere.
Standing up to stretch a little, he walked over to Mike.
“So, what’s up with this?”
Mike tapped the top of the box gently with his hand with a smile. It would be a nice change of pace after the cats, an easy walk to Brad's to deliver his parcel. Maybe he'd be able to get to know Chester better too. Since he was planning on joining Avalanche, Mike figured he'd be around for a while. It would be good to learn more about him. “100 gil for a package delivery!”
It was in the back of his mind, however, how Manu had said the area was getting worse. That seemed to be a common trend in parts of all the slums. Higher crime, mutations of creatures that were the result from years of Shinra experiments. They all seemed to find their ways into small nooks within the slums.
He knew they needed to be watchful, but hopefully it was nothing they couldn't handle.
Chester wondered what was in the box and who needed it. Thanking Eddie again for healing him, he had made a promise to pay him for his service, but Eddie waved him off. Chester picked up the box off the table, watching as the two of them seemed to forget that him and Mike were still there. He watched as Eddie turned Manu’s face towards his. Chester turned away from the soft kiss.
Stepping outside, he turned to Mike.
“Where are we headed?”
Mike glanced over at Chester as they walked. “How did you get into Sector 7? Was it by the train station or where the chocobo carriage is?”
“The chocobo carriage.”
Mike figured as much. For a runaway SOLDIER, that would be the less visible way. “This package was dropped off to The Watch today to be delivered to a guy named Brad. He lives close to the train station. A while back ago, some housing complexes there, including his, had their roofs destroyed. We're not really sure how it happened, but some debris fell from the plates somehow. And you know how Shinra is. They're not going to fix it.”
Seeing the knowing look in Chester's eyes, the anger that so many felt towards Shinra, Mike continued. “The vacant space though has led to some safety issues. You know, all those empty apartments and houses are good places for people, or anything really, to hide out. I don't think it's gotten too bad yet, but we'll need to keep our eyes open.”
Chester felt his anger simmer. Shinra took so much from everybody. Nobody was safe; nothing was safe. He knew the home he lost had been long destroyed, but the breaking down of what stood in its place angered him more.
Keeping up with Mike’s steady steps, Chester kept the package close. The ‘anything’ comment had Chester a bit worried. He knew what Hojo was capable of. Seeing some of it firsthand and hearing whispers of him experimenting on humans. He wondered if Mike knew.
Chester went to tell Mike about the experiments that Hojo was known for, then felt his foot catch on something. Before he could react, he fell, face first. He dropped the package in an effort to catch himself. Hearing something shatter, Chester rolled away before crushing it. Oh, fuck. Fuck, fuck, he just broke whatever he was meant to deliver.
Looking around, Chester tried to find whatever tripped him, seeing nothing. He felt his face flush with embarrassment, shame. God, two jobs, both turned into disaster. He looked up at Mike.
Mike felt his mouth drop open when he saw Chester fall, heard the object inside the box shatter. It was one of those moments in which everything seemed to happen in slow motion. His arm shot out to try to catch Chester's arm when he saw him trip and stumble forward. He felt his fingertips graze the surface of his arm, but he couldn't get ahold of it before Chester was on the ground, the box laying beside him. The sound of something breaking let him know that it was indeed fragile.
Oh, this was really bad.
His eyes darted between Chester and the box, a look of pure panic on Chester's face. They had no idea what was even in the package. Mike was almost scared to look, not wanting to see how bad the damage was.
He held his hand out to Chester to help him stand. “Are you okay?”
“Aside from my embarrassment and pride, yeah. I’m fine.”
Chester held the box aloft. Fuck, he didn’t even know what was in here, and he broke it. He handed it off to Mike. Taking the offered hand, he got to his feet.
“Do you want to see the damage?”
Mike held his breath as he opened the package. Chester must have been too, because he heard him release a slow, drawn-out exhale as they both peered inside. Brightly colored glass littered the bottom of the box. It looked like the object inside was a lantern. A stained-glass lantern!
Okay, so this wasn't so bad after all. Maybe.
He looked up at Chester, nodding quickly as he spoke, “It's okay. We can fix this. Let's head back to the bar. It'll all be fine.”
Chester nodded. Turning on his heel, he started back to the bar, Mike in tow.
“What a fucking day. First, those damn cats then this. You must be regretting trying to help me.”
Chester walked to the bar with his eyes on his boots. Wanting to disappear from Mike's life.
Mike hated to agree with Chester, but it had been a hell of a day. First the cats, now the package. He wasn't even all the way sure he could fix it, but he was trying to stay optimistic.
“Of course I don't,” Mike said. “You're in a new place, trying to adjust. It's not easy.”
Regardless of what happened, he didn't regret trying to help Chester. Even with that show of overconfidence when he first walked into the bar, Mike had a feeling about him. He had learned long ago never to judge people by appearances, and underneath the SOLDIER exterior, there was a genuinely good person. Mike could see it more and more the longer he spent time with him. Chester didn't really care about the gil aside from it being a necessity. He actually wanted to make a difference. To help people.
Mike led Chester through the back entrance of the bar and into a work room. Once Chester was inside, Mike locked the door behind him. He didn't want to risk anyone seeing the destroyed package.
“You know that stained glass in the door at the front entrance to the bar?” Mike asked, setting the box on the table. “I made that.”
Chester reflected on the glass on the door. It was beautiful and delicate. He watched as Mike gently unpacked it. Large pieces of glass, some smaller ones. Pieces of orange, blue, black and purple littered the counter in front of them. Chester saw what looked like parts of a sun in some of the bigger pieces. Bits and pieces of dim stars in others. Much to Chester’s relief, there appeared to be a plane that just popped out. The base was a hammered metal, the top looking like something from Wutai. The tops rested on a square that was decorated at the corners.
“Do you think you can fix it?”
Mike inspected the loose pieces, pulling everything from the box. It was a lantern, each side showing a design of a sunset or sunrise. “Yeah, we got lucky actually. None of the glass is broken. Some of the pieces just popped out. I'll just have to resolder it.”
He plugged in the soldering iron and put on some gloves, taking a seat across from Chester at the table. “My grandma taught me how to do this. She would make pieces and sell them in Wutai.” Holding a piece of glass upside down, he used the iron to melt the old solder off. “My family was one of the first to join the resistance against Shinra during the war.” He squinted as he watched the solder melt away from the glass. “They had to relocate… I don't know how many times. Got separated. Eventually, we ended up in Corel. Then, the reactor exploded… and Shinra came in and… I'm sure you know how that went.”
Mike placed the glass gently on the table and picked up another piece. It felt strange to talk about. After so long of trying to forget that it had happened. Eventually, he learned that he would never forget it. And so here he was, with Avalanche, where his family had started all those years ago. “I'm the only one left from my family.” He paused and glanced up at Chester. “Where are you from?”
“Here, I guess. There was a small village; we grew citrus trees. That bottle of citrus liquor was originally a product of my village.”
Chester put his head on the bar. Talking mostly to the bar, it was easier that way.
“Shinra. Shinra came and burned it to the ground. Needing the space, I guess. Those who could serve…”
Chester looked up again, pointing at his eyes…
“Those who couldn't… well, there is a mass grave on the outskirts of the sector. l was still young, taken into the program.”
Chester rubbed his hand over his face.
“I know nothing of my home remains, but if I can protect this, like I couldn't my village… Then, everything will be worth it, you know?”
Chester fell silent watching Mike piece the delicate lantern back. The skill and knowledge impressed him, the way he fit the pieces back together, the gentle touch of the solder. Chester resolved to do for Mike what he was doing now. Impress him.
Mike had finished reapplying new copper foil to the glass pieces, beginning to resolder them before fitting the pane back into the lantern. He'd seen the graves before. Most unmarked, and those that were had probably been done so by family members that had survived somehow. “I'd heard there were villages here before, about what Shinra did to make room for Midgar. I'm sorry that happened to you.”
His heart ached for Chester. He knew how he was feeling, all too well. That desire to protect what still remains, to make a difference somehow. Even little things or gestures that might bring a smile to someone's face could sow the seeds of change. Chester was full of heart and good intentions. He could see that from the very beginning. Maybe that's why he was so quick to find a place for him, so eager to help him set out in the right direction.
He held up the repaired lantern for Chester to see. “What do you think?”
It was beautiful. The colorful glass shining in the light of the bar. It seemed he missed his calling becoming a bartender.
“It's beautiful. Hopefully, Brad? Yeah, I think it was Brad… won't notice that it was broken.”
Chester watched as Mike hunted around for a box. Finding one and sliding the lantern into it.
“You can carry it. I don't want to drop again.”
Chester wasn't uncomfortable in the silence that settled between them as they took off again for the train station. Getting closer, Chester stayed on high alert, not knowing what awaited them.
Thankfully, nothing attacked them. Chester's heart broke seeing the ruins of buildings and houses. It seemed Mike wasn't lying. This section looked worse than the rest of the sector. The distant whistle of the train pulled Chester out his thoughts.
Mike put a hand on his shoulder when they got to a building that was still in somewhat decent shape. Going to the third door, Mike knocked.
A tall, brown-haired and bearded man opened the door. He looked worn. Like life was never kind to him. Chester watched as Mike held the lantern out to him, only half listening to the chatter between the two men. He did hear him thank Mike. Chester thought the lantern looked even more beautiful in the light of the sector.
With that done, they made their way back to The Watch. Mike put his hand into the crook of his elbow as they walked. Chester took the moment to just listen to Mike's voice as he talked idly about the going ons in the sector.
Chester made a point to knock this time, waiting patiently for them to answer the door.
***
Mike watched as Eddie once again answered the door, greeting them both with a smile.
“Hey, you guys are back! Looking for more work?” Eddie asked as he scanned them both over, probably looking for signs of injuries. He couldn't say he blamed him after the cats. But they'd both made it through the delivery injury free. Luckily.
“Yeah, we think we have one more in us for the day,” Mike answered.
Chester had been pretty adamant about taking one more job. There was a glint of determination in his eyes, that want to prove himself. Mike could get that. So, he'd had a few slip ups today. Any of that stuff could have happened to anyone, really. Mike chalked it up to nerves. Chester was new in town, and people weren't always so trusting of Soldiers. He'd find his rhythm though.
Eddie led them in, pointing to the two chairs facing the desk where Manu was seated. “We've had a few people call in for different things. Anything particular you're looking for?” He went to stand behind Manu, leaning against him and resting his head on top of his.
Manu held up a piece of paper to Chester. Chester startled at Manu interacting with him. But he was grateful for the sign of trust. Manu moved his chair back a little, pulling Eddie into his lap.
“So, Emily recently acquired counter magic materia. She keeps it locked up, but she's had three separate break ins. Rumor has it that the thieves are going to try again. Like at some point today, so if you two could touch base with her. See where she needs you.”
Chester looked over the paper. It had Emily's shop address and a vague description of the thieves. He looked over at Mike.
“Do you know her?”
“Yeah, she runs the materia shop here. Honestly, it wouldn't hurt for you to check out her supply sometime.” Mike turned to speak to Manu and Eddie. “Brad was doing okay. Seemed a little worn down. I can see why though. That area looks worse than I thought it would.”
He had made a mental note to run by there from time to time, maybe bring Brad some extra food when he could. A thought passed his mind too that maybe he could get a few people together, work on trying to fix things around there where they could.
“We should go check in on him sometime. See if he needs anything,” Eddie said to Manu, before turning back to Mike and Chester. “Oh, we need to pay you for the delivery, don't we?” He shifted back and unlocked a drawer to the desk. “One-hundred gil, right?” he asked, handing it to Chester.
Chester took the gil gratefully. He still needed to pay Mike for the board and food. He stood, offering his hand to Manu.
“Thank you for trusting me.”
Manu shrugged.
“I was given a second chance. I can do the same for others.”
With a firm shake, Manu stood. Picking Eddie up as he did so. Chester smiled at the laugh that spilled so freely from the cleric. Putting Eddie on the bed, Chester watched as he dug through his desk for something. He handed Chester another piece of paper. This one bearing the mark of Shinra.
“I can't…”
Manu cut him off.
“Our second chance.” With a deep breath, “Now, get. Go talk to Emily.”
With that, Manu all but shoved them out the door.
Mike laughed when Manu shut the door on them. “He seemed like he was in a hurry to get rid of us.” He took a look at the paper with the job information that Manu had given Chester. “Emily's shop isn't too far from the bar. I'm kinda wondering why she needs a guard though. I'm pretty sure she has people for that already.”
He was really hoping that their guard duty would go by incident free. The other two jobs had turned out okay in the end, but it wasn't without some unnecessary hurdles. Plus, he was starting to get kind of hungry. His stomach was starting to growl, and he halfway wondered if Chester could hear it.
“Looks like this one pays two-hundred gil,” he said to Chester before he pushed open the door to the shop.
Emily greeted them from behind the counter. “Hi Mike, you shopping today?”
“Actually, we heard you needed some help around here. Guard duty? This is Chester. He's new in town.”
Chester shook Emily’s hand.
“So what's going on?”
Emily let out an annoyed huff. She gestured to the case behind her.
“A merchant sold this to me a few days ago. I don't think he knew what he had. Then, some shady looking guy came in a day later. Then that night, I was robbed! They broke in, took some fire materia and tried to pry this case open.”
She threw her hands up in irritation.
“Then! They cast a damn ward spell on it. So, I can't get to it. Something happened to Biggs and Wedge, so I went to Manu. See if he or Eddie knew anything. They had gotten information that they might try again today. So, I guess that's where you two come in.”
She looked at Mike.
“I can't dispel it, so don't try.”
She let out a deep sigh. She gestured to Chester.
“Is he good for a fight?”
Mike nodded. “Yeah, he is. We both are. How long will you need us here tonight?”
“At least a few hours. Maybe more? I have to make a run to Sector 5 for some supplies. Biggs and Wedge will be here, but it'll be later. I'm not sure if they'll be here before I get back or not.” She looked between the two of them. “So, you two up for it?”
Mike glanced at Chester, seeing him nod. “We are. We'll keep an eye on things here until Biggs and Wedge show up.”
“Thank you. I appreciate it more than you know. And I'll pay you as soon as I get back from Sector 5. Maybe you'll get lucky and those assholes won't show up again.” Emily looked down at her watch. “Okay, I've got to go. Thanks again, and good luck!”
She grabbed her bag from underneath the counter and rushed out the door, locking it behind her. Mike took a moment to browse through her materia selection. He hadn't been in her shop in awhile, but Avalanche's materia supply was scarce. They could use an extra cure materia. Elemental would be nice too, but those were hard to come by.
“You see anything you think might be useful for when you have the extra gil?” he asked Chester.
“I should get some cure. I’ve always been a bit clumsy. Maybe some lightning. That’s what I was given in Soldier…”
Whatever else Chester was going to say was cut off by the backdoor opening. Keeping Mike behind him, Chester went to investigate. Peaking around the corner, he saw two men in black walking in, assuming the shop was empty. They weren’t quiet, talking normally and walking loudly.
When they got close enough, Chester pulled his arm back. Catching the first one in the jaw, the other one spun around. He took a swing at Chester, who hopped back. The second one then charged at him. Chester, using the man’s momentum, threw him into the main part of the shop. Getting up, the man pulled out a baton.
“Get down, Mike.”
Chester pulled his sword out. Waiting for the man to charge, Chester stood between him and Mike. Getting the charge of his baton on, he charged Chester. Fighting off one, two blows, Chester defected the third one. Knocking his baton out of his hand, it went flying back. Falling into a shelf, it upset some ice materia. Chester watched as Mike rushed forward, but it was too late. Three pieces fell to the floor.
They all watched in horror as ice started creeping. Under their feet, up the shelves and walls, slowly freezing everything in its path. With a shouted curse, the man fled. Picking his buddy off the floor, they retreated through the door they came through.
“Ummm, Mike? What are we supposed to do?”
Mike cursed under his breath, aiming his stop materia at the slowly expanding ice. It did nothing though. He had some fire materia, but that was too risky. The ice had covered almost the entire store, inching its way across the ceiling. Although, it wasn't affecting him or Chester at all, and he wasn't sure why.
It was making it extremely cold though. As though they had stepped into a walk-in freezer. Mike tried turning to knob on the door, but it was frozen solid. All of the materia in the store had a layer of ice coating it, so they were unable to use any of it. And he had no solutions this time. Nothing. His mind was drawing a blank.
He turned to Chester with his hands gripping the sides of his head, panicked. “I don't know what to do.”
They heard a rattling at the front door, then a curse. Chester watched as the door knob slowly unfroze. Then, in stepped Emily. She looked at her shop, then at them in horror.
“WHAT DID YOU DO?!”
She placed her hand on the wall, closing her eyes in focus. Chester watched as the ice slowly melted away. Holding up a bright example of DeSpell.
“I had to enhance it so I could deal with anything. What happened?”
Chester listened to Mike tell Emily what happened as he picked up the shelf and loose materia. Picking up the baton, he handed it to Mike. He got the materia on the shelf. The ice that went off had a slight crack in it. He handed that off to Emily.
She shook her head. “I think I should get rid of this. It seems to be more hassle than it’s worth.”
She reached under her counter, handing Mike 250 gil.
“A bit more for combat pay.”
She walked off, leaving them behind, the ice materia in hand.
“Well, I know when I’m dismissed. Shall we?”
Mike shot Chester a tired smile. He was grateful they had already decided this would be the last job. Honestly, he didn't know if he would have had another one in him. What he really wanted to do was eat and then collapse into bed.
But if he went back to the bar to eat, they'd expect him to work instead.
He paused when they stepped outside the shop, turning to Chester. “You want to grab a bite to eat?”
Then after, he could sneak in the bar through the back, straight up to his room to sleep.
Chester nodded.
“Not the bar though. I think they would just put you to work. I saw a little diner just down the way. Let’s go there.”
Chester started walking that way, thinking about food made him realize just how hungry he was. As they walked, he realized that he had pocketed all the gil they had earned.
“Oh. I should give you half of our haul. Hell, maybe all of it. You saved my ass today.”
Mike shook his head. There was no way he was going to take that money from Chester. “Don't worry about it. Keep it, really. And that diner's perfect. It's in the opposite direction of the bar.” When Chester opened his mouth to protest about the money, Mike cut him off, “Why don't you just buy my meal, and we'll call it even?”
Chester nodded in agreement. He could do that. Maybe take this time to get to know him better. His acceptance made it easier for Chester to feel like he made the right decision, to go to the bar, to try and join Avalanche. Looking forward to some food and rest, he walked to the diner.