Amidst the grimy yet vibrant chaos of the Sector 5 Slums market, Johnny and Aerith walked side by side. They had just shared a warm steamed bun, chuckling over trivial things, when the atmosphere of the market suddenly shifted into something ominous.
A sharp burst of static cut through the din of the crowd. The massive Shinra monitor mounted on the rusted iron wall above the train station flared to life. The red logo of the Shinra Electric Power Company blinked, quickly replaced by the stiff, cold visage of a news anchor.
"URGENT ANNOUNCEMENT FOR ALL CITIZENS OF MIDGAR."
Johnny and Aerith Stopped in their tracks. Around them, the market-goers began to cluster together, their upturned faces filled with anxiety as they stared at the screen.
"We urge all citizens to maintain a state of high alert. A series of brutal terrorist attacks have just occurred in the Sector 8 Upper Plate and are spreading to the Lower Sectors."
The image on the screen shifted to show the smoking ruins of a building and Shinra troopers evacuating the wounded.
"These attacks were orchestrated by an extremist group calling themselves AVALANCHE. This group is led by a fugitive named Elfe, and supported by the radical strategies of the S-Class fugitive, Fuhito."
Sketches of Elfe and Fuhito appeared on the screen. Fuhito wore glasses and a cunning, cold smile, while Elfe looked mysterious, her face partially swathed in bandages.
"They have infiltrated Midgar's vital areas, sabotaged public facilities, and detonated Mako distribution lines. Field reports confirm civilian casualties. Shinra pledges to hunt down these rebels for the sake of peace and order. Remain vigilant."
The broadcast repeated, the sound of sirens wailing in the background.
Amidst the rising panic of the crowd, Johnny sensed something amiss. Not from the screen, but from the girl beside him.
"Aerith?"
Aerith stood motionless. Her eyes were squeezed shut, her hand gripping Johnny's sleeve so tightly her knuckles turned white. The Lifestream bond between them resonated—a cold shiver that pierced right through Johnny's spine.
"Enemy or ally, Aerith?" Johnny asked quietly, his voice heavy with protection.
Aerith opened her eyes. There were no tears, only a sorrow far too ancient for a child her age.
"Neither, Johnny. That is what I feel," she whispered, her voice trembling as she held back a 'scream' that no one else could hear.
"In one sense, AVALANCHE is right... they are destroying the reactors that suck the blood of this Planet. The Planet is indeed dying. But..."
Aerith swallowed hard, looking up at Johnny with pain in her eyes. "Rude and Reno told me in secret. Fuhito's ideology is horrifying. They don't hesitate to kill civilians, Johnny. To Fuhito, humanity is a disease infecting the Planet."
Johnny's jaw hardened. He looked at the monitor again, staring at Fuhito's face.
"So they sacrifice the weak for a goal they deem holy?" Johnny muttered, more to himself than to her.
"Exactly, Johnny. The Lifestream screams in agony when drained by the reactors, but... it screams even louder when the lives of the innocent are forcibly ripped away by hatred. The Planet does not want salvation paid for by the slaughter of its own children."
Johnny clenched his fists. Memories of the past surged violently. He remembered Griffith.
When Griffith returned again to Midland, only the Kingdom of Falconia was beautiful, while the rest of the world was consumed by monsters, demons, and darkness.
Fuhito's idealism sounded just as rotten to Johnny's ears.
"Then I don't accept it, Aerith," Johnny's voice was firm, cutting through the noise of the market.
"To hell with Shinra. To hell with AVALANCHE."
He lowered his gaze, locking eyes with Aerith's emerald ones.
"If we want to fix this world, it won't be their way. I've lived through that before, Aerith. When I was Guts... I saw where that road of 'sacrifice for idealism' leads. The only result is a pile of corpses and utter ruin."
Johnny stood tall, turning his back to the giant Shinra screen as if challenging the world itself.
"Sacrificing civilians, the elderly, and children to save the Planet? That is the logic of a madman. That is the path of a demon hiding behind a hero's mask. We won't let them destroy our lives here."
Aerith offered a faint smile, her fear slowly fading, replaced by a warm sense of security. She took Johnny's large, calloused hand in hers.
"You're right. We will find our own way. A path that doesn't make the Planet cry."