Our heroic team gathers once again to decide how they are to continue with their trip... Kaz: Hey Bruce? Do you have my All materia? Bruce: No man, you didn't give it to me... Kaz: But I'm sure I had it here, linked to my lightning materia... Mel: Someone's losing his marbles around? Kaz: Ha-ha, very funny! Did you take it? Mel (spreading her hands aside): You're welcome to search me! Jun: (dangerously) Honey... Kaz: (Gosh!) It doesn't matter, All is born the easiest of All! Red: Your jokes are the worst kind I've ever heard! Kaz: WHAT jokes? Red: Exactly. Bruce: Yo! Shall we, or do you rather stay back and argue among yourselves? Kaz: Someone stole my materia and I'm not moving until I find it! Jun: Honey, where was the last place you saw it before you lost it? Kaz: I don't know, I'm sure I had it on me! Bruce: Maybe it fell on the way? Red: Materias don't just fall off... Mel: Are you sure we met no thieves? Kaz: Yes, I'm positive! Bruce: Yo, Red! What you whisslin' about so casually? Red: HmmM? Kazuya snaps at Red: Did you take it? Red: Upon my tail, no! Kaz: Did You take it? Red: I just told you~ Kaz: Was talking to your tail! At which stage, everyone is looking at Kazuya as if he just confessed to have an imaginary friend... Bruce (shaking his head): Ayeyay yay yay! Mel: Quite probable, he does tend to prefer doing certain things "alone"... Kaz: Watch it! (pointing a finger) Mel: (innocently) Whaaat? Jun: Please everyone, let's stay calm! Red: Anyway, small loss, the All materias are the faster to master due to their extensive use, so you'll have a new one in no time. In fact, soon you'll wish they stopped... Like bunnies, I'm telling you! Bruce: Yo, I say lizzen to the expert! Mel: That slang is getting to my nerves! Through the prairies our heroes travel, fighting monstrous creatures that raise their level and their money stash, up they go to hostile mountains. Even the air seems to hate them, as it is filled with smog and dust. There is a railway they follow but altough they hear a train, none they see... Bruce: Aww, sucks! And I wanted a trainie ride! Jun: But walking is so good for you! Mel: (grumbles incomprehensible things, glaring at the back of a brisky Jun...) Bruce: Narf, why must we always walk? Red: Hold it and soon you'll get transport... Bruce: A car? Oohboy, oohboy, oohboy! I'm gonna get a car! I'm gonna get a car! Aren't I, eh Red? Am I gonna get a car? Am I? Am I?? Mel: Huff, puff... shut it, damn it! Jun: Oh, honey... the echo of a train is worrying me... Kaz: What for? We all know who's going to be run over if it comes! Red: Do you always think only of yourself? Kaz: Grrrrrr... Red: Is that starting the growling before I do? Kaz: WRAAAAArrrrrrr... Bruce: Heheheeeyy! What of my car! Tell me more of my car! Is it gonna be big and hot so I can get the ladies? Red: You'll have to wait and see... Jun: Cars pollute the atmosphere~ Kaz: Jun, I DON'T think it's the right time! Jun: Why don't you enjoy the nature? Mel: Dust and dirt and the sun ruining my skin? You really are a masochist! (thinks over what she just said and looks at Kazuya in astonishment...) Kaz: ...WHAT? Mel: Oh... nothing... Kaz: Yeah, I bet my a~ No wait. Cancel the bet! Mel: Oh, you're no sport! On their way our heroes go before a reactor... Barret with the steal materia has become an excellent thief and so they are now full of Softs at hand... They make it past the train railings that crack and so they get various gifts... Don't forget to steal those idiotic green dinosaur like beasts... they have diamond pins: Red will love you! Jun: I don't know... stealing? Kaz: Honey, these are out to KILL us! Jun: But honey? Red: It's cheaper and better than buying. By the way, do we have 30,000 gil on us? Bruce: You're gonna buy me a car? Red: Sorta. Bruce: Heeey listen to the man I say! Kaz: What do you want with 30,000 gil? Red: I'll tell you when we get there. In fact... I'd recommend a good extra 2,000 gil for our first expenses... Kaz: First expences?!? Red: Yeah. Or you planned to take the gil to your grave? Jun: Please Nanaki, don't talk morbidly! Kaz: Your ideas better be worth it! Red: They are. Mel: I too want a diamond pin! Bruce: And I want a car! Hey! Oh I see! (all sweet and sugary): You ARE gonna buy me a car... Red: Sigh... And so with their pockets chiming with gils and their spirits somewhat brightened, our heroes finally reach the end of their trip... but what was Red wanting all the money for? In this trashcan of a town they arrive, there doesn't seem to be anything worth it... Welcome to Corel, my dear friends, although it's hardly a place one would wish to visit... Once a thriving mining town, it is now reduced to nothing but a junk yard. Misery and poverty above all are distinguished everywhere... Bruce: My, my, my, my... Mel: Is this my, my thing wearing on you, or is it me? Bruce (syrupy): You know it's you, sweet cheeks... Cool miner (as opposed to the rest, since he gets the best quotes in Corel...): Hey! It's him! Bruce: Eh? He... (looking doubtfully at the rest): He knows me! Miners gather around the first, approaching at the team... Kaz (whispering to Red): Showtime? Red: Nope... Bruce: (envisioning the next Tekken cover to have him displaying his naked torso, extending his fist to the distance and having a cool dark skinned beauty with long rasta braids and lots of champange and a sport red car and~) SBLAM! Kaz: WOAH! Jun: Wha... Mel (wide eyed in pleasure): There is a god after all! Rayden: Eh? Where? What has happened, you wonder? The motives behind that fabulous punch will be later explained, but for now, Bruce is recovering from the shock... Bruce: What the... Red: I have a nasty feeling about this... The grim faces of the miners as they're glaring at Bruce... and the first cool miner as he rubs his knuckles... Mel: Miners... I remember when I played Lemmings... Bruce: Why you... Red: Here comes... Just as the miner is trying to speak... VLAMMM! Wha... what is this? Bruce has retaliated with a left cross which has rendered the miner unconscious in the hands of his friends... What the?... Red: Just as I was afraid... Kaz: ... what? Miner 1: Hey! You ain't supposed to~ Miner 2: What the hell do you think you're~ Bruce: You [beep] hit me off like that and you~ Red: (sighing to himself) He hasn't read his script! Kaz: D-OH! Miner 3: Hey you! Yea, you with the wacky hair! Got some problem with it? Bruce: My man, stay outta this! Kaz: I wasn't intending to interfere~ Red: Silence! For one moment, SILENCE! Miner 4: Hey! It's Red XIII! Miner 1: Red XIII, what are you doing with that bunch of losers? Where are the others? Mel: Hey! Whom are you calling bunch of loosers? Bruce: Woman, stay out of this! Mel: (shrilling) Whom are you calling WOMAN! Bruce: HeyheyHEY! I'm on your side! Miner 2: You were not supposed to punch him! Jun: Now everyone, I'm sure we can work things out if we try~ Miner 3: Lady, stay clear or you'll get it bad! Kaz: Watch it! Miner 3: Whatch your hair, spikey a$$! Kaz: THAT had it! But good thing for Red - clever move not to substitute him, right? - well, Red, let us say, gets in the way and stops Kazuya before attacking the Miner and initiating a major rumble... Red: Let's go, we're unwanted. Bruce: Yo! I gotta fight those guys! Kaz: Me too! It's personal! Mel: (cracking her knuckles) Count me in for the feast! Jun: Calm down everyone! Cool Miner coming round: Wah... weee... Miner 2: Yo man, leave them, they ain't worth it... Miner 1: Yea, let's go... pfah... Red (to miners): Thanks a lot, people... Miner 4: Anything for you, Red XIII! Red: I admit this Red XIII thing is getting to my nerves... Kaz: Okay. So why did this guy punch you in the first place? Bruce: Hey! You were all there! Did I start it? Did I? Mel: Perhaps it's your ugly face... Kaz: Whatever. How if we moved on? Red: I was about to say so myself... Jun: I'm so sorry about these people honey... they have nothing for themselves... Kaz: Oh heavens! Rayden: Can you be a little more specific? Fujin: For complaints, next Cloud! Hey, get it? Cloud? Cloud? But Fujin is ignored as you understand and our heroes stride past suspicious eyes and poorly surroundings... In the far end of the town, if that's what it may be called, there is a ropeway station... Bruce: Jeez, why d'he attack me offa like it! Red: Sigh... Because supposedly Corel blames you for their downfall... Bruce: No way man, I'm innocent! Mel: Like hell you are! Bruce: Hey! Jes because I like you, it doesn't mean you can go sayin' things like that! Red: Point is, they accuse you of it and they hate you over it. And for the sake of continuation, there was this guy Dyne who was your best friend but whom you lost during the raid and he is the father of Marlene whom you look after. Bruce: What are ya talking about, I don't know anybody Dyne! Kaz: Oh sigh! But then the ropeway begins to move... Jun: Hey! Wait! Red: I suggest we hop on and I'll fill you in on our way up... Kaz: Wait a minute! Where are we going through there? For once a smile appears on Red's whiskers... Red: Didn't you want to see where your 30,000 gil would be spent? Bruce: MA CAR! YAY! We're gonna go to get my car! WEEEEEE! Oh man, I can't wait, come on, come on, come on! So Bruce is the first to step into the ropeway wagon while the rest of the team is watching at him preoccupied... Jun: I don't know... What Red said... Mel: I can't believe this guy! First he [beep]s me like that and now he acts like a kid for a car! Kaz: ... Red: Hm? I thought you would say something... Kaz: Have nothing to say! Everyone steps into the wagon and it sets off, climbing up to the skies... leaving behind the sad scenery of Corel. Next Chapter - Golden Saucer