Midgar: Mako reactor 1
Opening: Stars whirl and camera pans to a young woman's face lit by Mako. She is wearing a pink dress and has a flower basket. She hears a noise and begins to walk down the alley to a main Midgar street. Camera moves up to show the entire city of Midgar. It zooms in on a train entering a station. Biggs and Jessie jump off the train and take out two guards. Wedge, Barrett, and Cloud jump off next. Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge run ahead.
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BARRETT
C’mon, newcomer! Follow me!
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Barrett runs ahead and Cloud follows. Cloud fights two guards, and catches up with Barrett, Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie at the front gate to Mako Reactor 1. Jessie is attempting to open the door.
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BIGGS
Wow… You’re from Soldier all right. Still can’t believe one of their guys has joined a group like Avalanche!
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JESSIE
But Soldier are the enemy! What’s he doing with us!?
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BIGGS
No, no, Jessie… He’s not in Soldier anymore – he quit Shin-Ra. I didn’t catch your name…
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CLOUD
Cloud.
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BIGGS
Cloud, eh? I’m –
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CLOUD
I don’t care what your name is. Once this job’s finished, I’m outta here.
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Barrett runs to group.
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BARRETT
The hell you all doin’!? I told ya: never move as a group! Our target’s Mako Reactor 1. We’ll meet at the bridge in front.
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Jessie opens the door and Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge run through the door.
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BARRETT
Ex-Soldier, huh? Don’t trust ya. You can run by holdin’ X with the Directions. Try to keep up!
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Barrett runs ahead. Cloud looks up at the reactor. On the bridge, everyone but Wedge heads inside. Wedge remains on the bridge.
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WEDGE
I’m staying here to secure the escape route. Geez, we’re really gonna blow this huge reactor… It’ll be some sight, that’s for sure!
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Cloud heads into the reactor.
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BARRETT
Yo. You’ve been in a reactor before, right?
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CLOUD
Yeah… I mean, I was with the Shin-Ra Company.
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BARRETT
The planet’s full of Mako energy. People use it every day. But they ain’t got no clue what it is. How ‘bout you?
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Cloud shrugs.
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BARRETT
All right, I’ll tell ya… Mako’s the lifeblood of our planet, but Shin-Ra’s usin’ all this weird crap around here to suck it dry!
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CLOUD
Oh, spare me the speeches. Let’s just do this, okay?
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BARRETT
Right… You’re with me from now on.
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JESSIE
Biggs and I were given a lock code.
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Biggs opens first door opens and they run through.
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BIGGS
Just think how many sacrificed themselves for these codes…
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Jessie opens the second door. Her and Cloud enter the elevator with Barrett.
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JESSIE
Okay, push the button.
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Cloud pushes the elevator button.
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BARRETT
The reactors are slowly drainin’ away the planet’s life. And one day… that’ll be that.
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Cloud shrugs.
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CLOUD
Sorry, but I’m not interested.
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BARRETT
Don’t ya get it? The planet’s gonna die!
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CLOUD
I just want to get this job done before the roboguards arrive.
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Barrett turns and shakes his fist. The elevator reaches the bottom floor. Leaving the elevator, Jessie runs down the stairs. Following Jessie.
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JESSIE
Press O in front of a ladder to grab on to it. Then use [up direction] or [down direction].
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Jessie continues on ahead and stops. Says same response about ladders when selected. Barret and Cloud reach the reactor core.
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BARRETT
When we blow this place, there ain’t gonna be nothin’ left but a pile of rubble. Go on. Set the bomb.
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CLOUD
Shouldn’t you do this?
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BARRETT
I’m too busy watchin’ you do it. Try not to disappoint me.
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CLOUD
Whatever.
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For a moment, the screen goes red and there is a sharp humming noise.
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MYSTERIOUS VOICE TEXT
Wake up! This is more than a reactor.
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BARRETT
--is it?
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CLOUD
Huh?
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BARRETT
I said what is it? C’mon. Hurry it up.
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CLOUD
…Yeah. Sorry.
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BARRETT
Heads up… This one looks like the real deal!
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Enter battle with Guard Scorpion.
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CLOUD
Barrett, watch out! If you attack when the tail’s up, it’ll counter attack with a laser.
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Guard Scorpion defeated.
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CLOUD
The alarm… Come on. Let’s get the hell out of here.
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NON-CHARACTER TEXTBOX
10 minutes to detonation!
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While escaping the Reactor, Cloud passes by Jessie with her foot caught. He bends down to assist her.
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CLOUD
You all right?
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JESSIE
Gosh! I got my leg stuck. Thanks!
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With Jessie freed, she jumps over Cloud and runs ahead. If Cloud left Jessie behind, Biggs will say, “Where’s Jessie!?” Prompting Cloud to go back for her.
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BIGGS
Let’s go!
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Selecting Jessie, she runs and enters the code to open the door. Jessie and Biggs run through.
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JESSIE
Okay, let’s stay alert.
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Selecting Biggs, he runs and enters the code to open the second door. Jessie and Biggs run through. Barrett, Jessie, Biggs, and Cloud run out of the reactor and meet up with Wedge. Barrett bumps into Jessie and she falls. Cloud helps her up. Jessie and Cloud escape right in time before the reactor blows.
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In an escape tunnel, Jessie is setting up explosives to clear rubble out of their way.
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BIGGS
That should keep the planet going… at least a little longer.
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WEDGE
Yeah.
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BARRETT
…
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JESSIE
Done! Now, stand clear!
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The bomb blows and everyone escapes through the hole one by one. Wedge runs around as though on fire.
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BARRETT
All right, let’s head back. We’ll rendezvous at the District 8 station. Remember to board the train separately, like we don’t know each other!
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Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie run off in separate directions. Barrett starts to leave.
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CLOUD
Hey, wait!
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BARRETT
Look, if it’s about money, leave it for the hideout.
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Barrett leaves and Cloud runs up the stairwell to Sector 8 main. Citizens are panicking and one accidentally knocks over a young woman in a pink dress. She stands back up and brushes herself off and approaches Cloud.
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FLOWER SELLER
Excuse me… Do you know what’s happened?
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CLOUD
-
You’d better get out of here
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Don’t worry about it. Hey…
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FLOWER SELLER (You’d better get out of here)
Oh!? I don’t understand, but all right.
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CLOUD (Don’t worry about it. Hey…)
…
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Not every day you see flowers
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No, never mind
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FLOWER SELLER (Not every day you see flowers)
Oh, these? You like them? They’re only a gil each…
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CLOUD
-
Sure
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I’ll pass
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FLOWER SELLER (Sure)
Oh, thank you.
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FLOWER SELLER (I’ll pass)
That’s a shame.
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FLOWER SELLER (No, never mind)
Huh? What did you mean by ‘Don’t worry about it’!? Well, never mind. Um… Would you like to buy a flower? They’re only a gil.
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CLOUD
-
Sure
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I’ll pass
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FLOWER SELLER (Sure)
Oh, thank you. Here you go.
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FLOWER SELLER (I’ll pass)
That’s a shame.
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Flower Seller leaves and Cloud continues on to a part of Sector 8 with a large fountain.
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RED HAIRED NPC
What the hell just happened!?
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MAN BY WALL NPC
What’s that on the wall? Let’s see… Don’t be fooled by Shin-Ra! Mako energy won’t last forever! Mako is the life of the planet and someday it will come to an end! Saviours of the planet – Avalanche.
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Cloud reaches a street where a train runs through a tunnel underneath.
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SOLDIER
Hey! You!
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CLOUD
Shin-Ra soldiers, eh?
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Take ‘em out
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They’re not worth it
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SOLDIERS (Take ‘em out)
What the?
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CLOUD
Hmph.
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SOLDIERS (They’re not worth it)
Halt!!
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More soldiers arrive from a different direction.
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CLOUD
-
Take ‘em out
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They’re not worth it (No dialogue, Cloud will just run.)
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SOLDIERS (Take ‘em out)
There he is!
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CLOUD
Hmph.
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Cloud runs in the opposite direction from the soldiers, but more cut him off.
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CLOUD
-
Take ‘em out
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They’re not worth it (No dialogue, Cloud will just run.)
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SOLDIER (Take ‘em out)
Over here!
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CLOUD
Hmph.
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The soldiers surround Cloud above the train tunnel entrance.
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SOLDIER
That’s as far as you go.
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CLOUD
Sorry, but I don’t have time to mess around with you guys.
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SOLDIER
That’s enough of your lip! Seize him!
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Cloud escapes the surrounding soldiers by jumping onto a train coming out of the tunnel.
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Inside the cargo hold train car, Barrett, Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge are waiting.
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WEDGE
Looks like Cloud didn’t make it.
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BIGGS
You think they got him?
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BARRETT
Don’t bet on it. That guy wouldn’t let anythin’ get in the way of his god damn cash!
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JESSIE
Cloud…
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They’re silent for a moment.
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BIGGS
So, you think he’ll go on fighting for us?
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BARRETT
…The hell would I know? Do I look like a mind reader?
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Barrett bangs his fist on a crate.
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Hmph. It’s ‘cause of you screw-ups I hired that jackass in the first place!
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WEDGE
Oh, yeah, Barrett…about our pay?
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Barrett slams his fist on the crate again.
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Uh, nothin.
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BIGGS, JESSIE, and WEDGE
…sigh…
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BARRETT
Argh!
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JESSIE
Cloud…
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Loud bangs sound from outside. The door opens and Cloud flips inside.
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BIGGS, JESSIE, and WEDGE
Cloud!
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CLOUD
Late for our appointment?
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BARRETT
You damn right you’re late!! Come flyin’ in here makin’ a big scene!
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CLOUD
Not really. Just what I always do.
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BARRETT
Ugh! Jerk! Getting’ everyone worried! Don’t care ‘bout no-one but yourself!
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Cloud shrugs.
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CLOUD
Oh? You were worried about me?
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BARRETT
WHAT!? Ha! It’s comin’ outta your share, hotshot. Yo, people. We’re movin’ out. Follow me.
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Barrett moves ahead to next car.
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WEDGE
Hey, Cloud… Thanks.
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Wedge follows.
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BIGGS
Heh, heh, Cloud. Let’s keep this up for the next mission.
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Biggs follows out and Jessie walks up.
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JESSIE
Careful. I’ll shut this.
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She shuts the door and looks Cloud up and down.
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Eek! Cloud! Your face… It’s pitch-black.
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She cleans his face.
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There you go. Hey, thanks for saving me back there at the reactor.
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Jessie leaves and Cloud follows.
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TRAIN ANNOUNCEMENT TEXT
This is the last train departing from District 8. Our final stop will be District 7, Train Graveyard. Expected time of arrival is 00:23, Midgar time.
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As Avalanche members enter car, other passengers leave.
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SHIN-RA MANAGER NPC
This is why I hate the last train. Hoo-boy…
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TRAIN HOMELESS MAN NPC
Huh? Oh, this is my home, so please make yourself feel comfortable.
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BALD MAN NPC
You see the headline in the Shin-Ra Times? Apparently, the terrorists that bombed Reactor 1 are hiding out somewhere in the slums.
Imagine… Bombing a reactor… They must have a real calculating leader. I wonder where they’ll strike next…
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BARRETT
You’re not a damn kid. Siddown!
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BIGGS
Looks like the train still hasn’t switched over to the emergency security system. It’ll be a different story tomorrow.
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If Cloud clicks on Biggs again.
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That was tiring. Let me sleep to the station.
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If Cloud tries to enter the train car that the other passenger ran to, a train worker stops him.
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TRAIN WORKER NPC
Please! You’ll bother the other passengers.
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WEDGE
I’m gonna be famous thanks to Avalanche! Hey, Cloud… …don’t you think I’ve got a bright future ahead of me?
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CLOUD
-
In what way?
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Don’t hold your breath
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WEDGE (In what way?)
All my life, I’ve been nothing but a sidekick. But by joining Avalanche and saving the planet, even a guy like me can make a difference.
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WEDGE (Don’t hold your breath)
Oh, man. C’mon, Cloud. You’re horrible. So I’m gonna be a nobody after all? Well… I guess so.
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JESSIE
Hey, Cloud, want to look at this with me? It’s a display of the train route. It’ll be fun to watch it together. I’ll explain it to you. I’m into this kind of thing – bombs, monitors… You know…high tech stuff.
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Camera zooms in on Cloud Jessie looking at a monitor.
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Okay, it’s about to start. This is a wireframe model of the Mako city Midgar. It’s around 1:10000 scale. The top plate is about 50 metres above ground. A huge pillar supports the plate in the centre, and there are smaller ones for each district. The smaller pillars are known as mechanical towers.
…psst… (We destroyed Reactor 1, on the northern edge.) They’re numbered in order… 2,3… up to Reactor 8. The Mako reactors help provide electricity to Midgar. Each district had a name once, but no-one remembers them. Today we just use numbers. That’s the kind of place this is.
Phew. Next we have this. Take a look! This is the route our train is on. The track spirals around the central pillar. Right now, we’re about half way.
Each transit point has an ID- check area. It scans information from all of the passengers… …then cross-checks that data with the host computer at the Shin-Ra Building. (We definitely look suspicious, so we’re using fake IDs.)
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Camera pans back out to the train car and the car interior goes dark and begins to flash red.
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Speak of the devil… Those red flashes mean we’re passing through an ID-check area. (Because the lights go out, these trains are full of pervs who can’t keep their hands to themselves.) Well, enough about that. We’re almost home now. What a relief.
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Lights turn on and go back to normal.
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WEDGE
Argh! My eyes! I’m seeing stars! This sucks! I hate the dark!
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JESSIE
I know! I’ll make you a special ID card for the next mission?
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CLOUD
-
I’m fine, thanks
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Looking forward to it
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JESSIE (I’m fine, thanks)
Oh… I think you’re gonna regret it. I’m the type that holds grudges.
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JESSIE (Looking forward to it)
All right! I’ll give it everything I’ve got! Something with a little more pizzazz!
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JESSIE
We’re almost at the station. I’m all fired up after talking with you. I think you’ve lit my fuse.
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BIGGS
…snore… heebeehehe… Barrett, quit being so bossy!
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BARRETT
Look, you can see the surface. But this place has no day or night. If only that damn plate weren’t there, we’d be lookin’ at the sky now.
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Cloud walks over and leans forward to look out the window.
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CLOUD
A city suspended in mid-air… Pretty unsettling scenery.
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Barrett stands up.
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BARRETT
Huh? Never expected t’hear that outta you. You’re jus’ full of surprises. The world above—a city on a plate. It’s ‘cause of that rotten pizza the people below are sufferin’ so much. Mako pollution rains down on ‘em… The air is filthy, ‘cause it’s got nowhere to go… …an’ nothin’s bein’ done to clean it anymore, either. On top’a that, the Mako reactors keep pumpin’ out energy. Thanks to them, the land’s gone completely barren.
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CLOUD
Then why doesn’t everyone just move up above?
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BARRETT
Dunno. Probably can’t afford to. Or maybe… …’cause they don’t wanna live on a plate—they prefer land under their feet, no matter how poisoned it is.
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CLOUD
Yeah, I understand. No-one lives in the slums because they enjoy it there. They’re like this train. It can only run where the track’s been laid.
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Camera pans to the exterior of the train running along the track.