Midgar: the pillar falls
At Shin-Ra Headquarters, Reeve is standing in front of President Shinra’s desk on the top floor. Heidegger comes up the stairs and joins them.
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PRESIDENT SHINRA
How are the preparations going?
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HEIDEGGER
Gya, ha, ha! Smoothly. Very smoothly. I’ve assigned the Turks to this.
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REEVE
Mr President! Are we really going to do this!? Simply to crush a group with only a few members at best…
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PRESIDENT SHINRA
Why this objection now? Do you have something you want to share with us, Reeve?
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REEVE
…No.
President Shinra gets up from his desk and walks around to where Reeve is standing, facing him.
But as head of Urban Development, I’ve been involved in the building and running of Midgar. That’s why I—
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HEIDEGGER
Reeve, flush those personal issues away with the rest of your crap before you come to work.
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Reeve turns to face Heidegger.
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REEVE
The mayor’s also against it.
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Heidegger faces away from Reeve and shrugs.
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HEIDEGGER
Mayor? The buffoon just sits in this building all day stuffing his face. You call that a mayor?
Heidegger turns to President Shinra and solutes.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, sir?
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Heidegger walks off screen. Reeve takes a few steps after him before stopping.
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PRESIDENT SHINRA
You’re fatigued. Take some time off.
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Reeve glances at President Shinra, then walks off screen.
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PRESIDENT SHINRA
We’ll destroy District 7. The reports will blame Avalanche, and the relief operation will be handled by the Shin-Ra Company. Heh, heh, heh… It’s perfect.
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Having fallen through Don Corneo’s trap door, Cloud, Aerith, and Tifa land in the sewers beneath District 6. Aerith and Tifa lie unconscious. Cloud goes to wake each one up.
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CLOUD
You all right?
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AERITH
Yeah.
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CLOUD
You all right?
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TIFA
Yuck! Man…This is terrible.
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AERITH
Well, at least we’re over the worst.
There’s a growl noise. Cloud looks around.
…Or maybe not.
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Don Corneo’s giant pet monster comes out. The party fights and defeats the beast.
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TIFA
It’s too late. Marin, Barrett, the people of the slums…
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AERITH
Don’t give up. Never give up hope. It can’t be easy to destroy a tower?
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TIFA
Yeah, you’re right! We still have time!
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The party makes their way through the sewers and climbs up a ladder until they reach the Sector 7 Train Graveyard.
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CLOUD
Aerith, you shouldn’t be here.
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AERITH
Don’t tell me to go home again!
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TIFA
We should be able to get past here by using the trains that are lit up.
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Making their way through damaged and abandoned trains, the party comes up to a nearly abandoned District 7 Train Station.
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TRAIN ATTENDANT NPC
I heard a rumour that the plate is going to be brought down. I’ve worked at this station for years. I can’t bear to leave. How heartless! Why would anyone…? I’ll just have to hope it’s not true.
Cloud, Tifa, and Aerith make their way past the train station to the gate surrounding the base of the pillar. A crowd is gathered around it. Gunshots and explosions can be heard.
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TIFA
We made it! The tower’s still standing!
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CLOUD
Wait. Above… You hear that?
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AERITH
Gunfire?
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The camera pans up the pillar, flashes of gunfire can be seen, and Barrett is visible at the very top. Wedge is with him, but falls off of the platform to the ground below by Cloud and party. Cloud, Aerith, Tifa and the rest of the crowd gather around Wedge. Cloud kneels by Wedge and shakes him on the shoulder.
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CLOUD
You all right? Wedge!!
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WEDGE
…Cloud. You remembered… my name. Barrett… He’s up there fightin’. Go help him. Cloud… Sorry about this…
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Wedge closes his eyes. Cloud shakes his head, stands up, and points up toward the pillar.
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CLOUD
I’m going up. Aerith, take care of Wedge.
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Aerith nods. Tifa runs over to Aerith.
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TIFA
I need a favour. My bar, the Seventh Heaven, is nearby. There’s a little girl called Marin there…
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AERITH
Don’t worry. I’ll take her somewhere safe.
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Tifa turns to the crowd and waves her arms at them.
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TIFA
It’s dangerous here. You have to get away from the tower! You have to get out of District 7!
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Everyone disperses, but doesn’t leave the area. Aerith crouches by Wedge.
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AERITH
Don’t worry. I’ll handle this.
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GUARD 2 NPC
L-look, this is my job, so… I have to be here until the very last second.
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REDHEADED WOMAN NPC
Ohh… I just LOVE men who have a sense of duty. I’m going to stay here, right by your side.
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ITEM STOREKEEPER NPC
Uh oh… Is the tower coming down? This is all too much. Do you need anything? I’ll flee if things get really bad. You don’t get to see something like this every day.
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MAN BY FENCE NPC
You have to do something! My special, little place…
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GUARD 1 NPC
This is the final straw! I’m done!! I never thought it’d come to this! It’s not what I signed up for! I’m quitting first thing tomorrow!
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If Cloud tries to leave the area…
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TIFA
Cloud! We have to hurry or Barrett…
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Cloud and Tifa run up the pillar’s staircase, they pass by Biggs who is leaning on the railing, injured.
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BIGGS
Cloud… You still don’t care… …what happens… …to the planet?
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CLOUD
-
No, I’m not interested
-
You’re wounded
BIGGS (No, I’m not interested)
Heh… haven’t changed a bit. …Never mind.
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BIGGS (You’re wounded)
Thanks, Cloud. Don’t… worry about me… …Barrett’s… fighting up top. Go help him.
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Climbing further up the staircase, Cloud and Tifa pass Jessie. She is lying on the stairs, also injured.
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JESSIE
Oh, Cloud… I’m glad… I could talk with you… one last time.
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CLOUD
-
Don’t say ‘last’
-
I see…
JESSIE (Don’t say last)
It’s okay… It’s okay… Be… because of our actions… …many… people died… We’re getting… what we deserve.
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JESSIE (I see…)
‘I see’… Hehe… The cool ex-Soldier. Always… I liked that… in you.
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Cloud and Tifa reach the top platform and join Barrett.
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BARRETT
Tifa! Cloud! You’re here! Watch out… The bastards have a chopper!
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TIFA
Better sort our equipment before they attack in full force.
Party prepares their equipment and materia.
Here they come!
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A helicopter passes overhead with Leno standing on it. Barrett fires at the helicopter. Leno jumps down from the helicopter and runs over to the platform’s control panel. Tifa, Cloud, and Barrett run towards Leno and stop. Cloud has his arm outstretched toward him.
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LENO
You’re too late, yeh. Once I push this button…
Leno pushes the button.
That’s all folks! Mission accomplished!
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TIFA
We have to disarm it! Cloud! Barrett! Do something!
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LENO
I can’t allow that. Nobody messes with Leno and the Turks.
The group begins to battle Leno. He casts his Pyramid spell on a party member.
Go on. Just try and break it.
If another party member attacks the Pyramid, it'll break. The fight continues until Leno says…
Looks like it’s time, eh?
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Leno looks at his watch and runs past Tifa, bumping into her, before jumping off of the platform. Tifa runs over to the control panel and begins pressing buttons.
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BARRETT
Damn! A time bomb!?
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TIFA
Cloud… I don’t know how to stop it. You try.
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Tifa moves out of the way for Cloud to look at it.
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CLOUD
This isn’t any old bomb.
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A helicopter rises with Zeng standing on it. Aerith is next to him, her head and shoulders slumped downward.
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ZENG
That’s right. You’ll have a hard TIME disarming that one. Hahaha! It’ll blow the second some silly fool tampers with it.
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Tifa runs closer to the helicopter.
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TIFA
Please! You have to stop it!
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ZENG
Haha… The Emergency Plate Release System cannot be cancelled without a decision from Shin-Ra’s executive board.
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Barrett aims his gun arm toward Zeng.
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BARRETT
Shut yer hole!
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Barrett begins firing.
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ZENG
I’d be more careful if I were you. You might just injure our special guest…
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Aerith raises her head and Barrett stops firing.
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TIFA
Aerith!!
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Zeng looks at Aerith.
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ZENG
Oh, you know her?
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How nice that you could see each other… one last time. You should thank me.
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CLOUD
What are you going to do with Aerith!?
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ZENG
Who knows? The Turks were ordered to find and capture the last remaining Ancient. It’s taken us a while, I can tell you. But now we can finally report this to the president.
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Aerith leans forward.
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AERITH
Tifa, she’s all right! The girl’s all right!
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Zeng steps over toward and slaps Aerith across the face. Tifa runs to the railing near the helicopter and reaches for Aerith.
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TIFA
Aerith!
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AERITH
Hurry and escape!
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Zeng begins to laugh.
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ZENG
Haha! Well, it’s almost time. Think you can make it?
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The helicopter starts to fly away with Zeng and Aerith. The camera pans up and the support pilar begins to explode above the trio. They frantically look for a way to escape.
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TIFA
Once the plate starts falling, we’ll have no chance! We’ve got to hurry!
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Barrett jumps onto the railing. There is a cable attached that he grabs onto.
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BARRETT
Yo! We can use this cable…
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Tifa jumps onto Barrett’s lap, while Cloud jumps onto Barrett’s shoulder. The three of them together use the cable to swing to safety as the plate comes crashing down behind them. The camera pans to President Shinra, who is watching from his top floor office of Shin-Ra headquarters and listening to opera music.
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The scene changes to the District 6 playground. The ground is littered with District 7 debree. Cloud, Tifa, and Barrett slowly pick themselves up and walk toward the gate that led to District 7. The gateway is impassible and completely blocked by the wreckage of District 7.
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BARRETT
Marin! Marin!!
Barrett runs closer to the wreckage.
MARIIIIIN!!
He runs back and forth, trying to find a way through the rubble.
Biggs! Wedge!! Jessie!!
He begins to punch the debree.
Damn it!
Punches.
Goddamn it!!
Punches again.
GODDAMN IT!!!! What the hell’s it all for!? Arrrrrgghh!!!
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CLOUD
Hey, Barrett!
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TIFA
Barrett!
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BARRETT
Arrrrrghh!!!
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Cloud and Tifa run to Barrett.
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CLOUD
Hey!
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TIFA
Barrett, that’s enough. Barrett, please.
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BARRETT
Urrrgghh!!!
Barrett begins to shoot at the debris and then falls to his knees with one final punch to the ground.
Argh! Damn…
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Some time passes and Barrett sits on the bottom of the playground slide beginning to calm down. Cloud and Tifa stand near him.
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BARRETT
Marin…
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TIFA
…Barrett? Marin… Marin’s… I think she’s safe.
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BARRETT
Huh?
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TIFA
Aerith said, ‘The girl’s all right’. She must’ve been talking about Marin.
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Barrett stands up.
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BARRETT
Y-you sure!?
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TIFA
But…
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BARRETT
Biggs…Wedge…Jessie…
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CLOUD
All three of them were at the tower.
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BARRETT
Think I don’t know that? But still! They fought beside us as comrades… I don’t wanna think of ‘em as bein’ dead.
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TIFA
And the people of District 7…
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BARRETT
Yeah! It’s all screwed up! They destroyed an entire district just to get at us! How many’ve died!?
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TIFA
Is this our fault? Because of Avalanche, innocent people died?
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BARRETT
Shaking his head. No, no, Tifa!! It don’t matter which way you cut it… that damn Shin-Ra did this!
Barrett turns and gestures toward the damage with his arms, while Cloud turns away and folds his arms pensively.
Those dirty crooks are suckin’ the life outta our planet! All for power, an’ to line their goddamn pockets with gold! Unless we take ‘em out, they’re gonna kill the planet!
Barrett turns back around to face Tifa.
Our fight ain’t never gonna be over ‘til we get rid of them!!
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TIFA
I don’t understand…
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BARRETT
You don’t understand!? What’s there to understand!?
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TIFA
No, not that. I just don’t understand… how I feel about all this.
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Barrett turns toward Cloud.
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BARRETT
An’ what ‘bout you?
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Cloud uncrosses his arms and looks up at the sky.
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CLOUD
…
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Cloud begins to walk away. Barrett reaches his arm out toward Cloud.
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BARRETT
Hey! Where the hell does he think he’s goin’?
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TIFA
Ah! Aerith!
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BARRETT
Oh, the girl… What’s her story anyway?
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TIFA
I don’t really know myself, but she’s the one I left Marin with.
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BARRETT
Marin!!
Barrett begins to run after Cloud, but stops before exiting and faces Tifa.
Tifa. There ain’t no turnin’ back now.
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Barrett leaves to run after Cloud. Tifa begins to follow, stops to take a quick glance back at the wreckage, and then continues on. As Cloud makes his way through District 6…
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BARRETT
Cloud.
Barrett and Tifa run until they catch up with Cloud.
Take me to Marin!
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TIFA
You’re going to help Aerith, right?
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CLOUD
Yeah. But, before that, there’s something I need to know…
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TIFA
What?
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CLOUD
The Ancients.
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The screen goes black, and a voice can be heard.
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MYSTERIOUS VOICE TEXT
The blood of the ancients flows within me. I am the rightful heir to this planet!
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The screen goes back to normal, and Cloud grips his head with one of his hands.
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CLOUD
Sephiroth…
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Cloud stumbles to one knee.
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TIFA
Are you all right?
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BARRETT
Pull yourself together, man!
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Cloud stands back up and the group continues on to District 5.