MARREND'S PROFILE

I know there's an option to include RTP while compressing data into a self-extracting executable within the context of Ace, possibly VX as well. I can't say for sure if that option exists in XP, since it's been forever since I've used it, and I no longer have access to it.

As a blind alternative, you can copy-paste the contents of the XP RTP into your game folder, or get a fresh download from RPG Maker Web. There might need to be an edit to the INI file as well to make it truly self-contained, but, again, I don't know precise details.

Last time, Cloud and company managed to get Wedge's unconscious body to Aerith's house. Naturally, Cloud pleads with Elmyra about how they are very likely not ever going to let her go, even if they get what they want from her, and that they should really, really, attempt a rescue. Elmyra is, naturally, not pleased to hear Cloud, and silences him.

I largely suspect Elmyra knows, both in her head, and in her heart, that Cloud is right. However, she isn't willing to admit that to herself. Still, the woman wants some time to think things over, and Cloud is gentlemanly enough to give her some space. Though, he can't seem to get any sleep. Barret's snoring isn't too-too bad, but, Cloud thought he heard something from outside. It doesn't take long to find who made that noise.

Tifa stands in the garden, and there's no doubt that she's got things running around in her head that might cause insomnia. She's lost two friends in Biggs and Jessie. If that wasn't enough, seeing the ruins of Seventh Heaven must have done it's own number on her mood. Now, Cloud's not exactly known for being sympathetic towards others. However, to his credit, he manages to give Tifa...



...a hug (dwaaaaaa!) as she trembles and cries her heart out as a certain theme...



...plays in the background. After some time, she claims that Cloud is holding her too tight. I kinda have my doubts about that, but, I suppose it's not impossible. Either way, she's thankful for Cloud for what consideration he's shown her.

I don't think it's reading too much into the game to think this particular scene is triggered off of Cloud's relationship to Tifa. To wit, I did a little research on this, and Aerith does seem to be a possible character to appear in this scene, with Barret as a third alternative. It's notable that Aerith being captured by the Turks was a plot point of the original FF7 to have the party move topside. However, since it's possible for Aerith to have a scene here, this indicates to me that there would have to be a different reason for the party to act. Or, maybe she allows herself to get captured after this scene in exchange for Marline? I didn't delve too much on this, so I cannot comment further.

Either way, the game fast-forwards to the next day. This time, it isn't just Cloud asking Elmyra to rescue Aerith, it's Tifa and Barret as well. Elmyra had considered what Cloud was saying, and accepted the proposal this time. Barret has a moment with Marlene before the trio takes to the roads.

The problem is that Aerith is on the top plate. Hell, let's be real. She's very likely tucked away in some lab in Shinra's HQ. The belly of the beast, if you will. Even if she was just on the top plate, all trains that would go there have pretty much stopped running for goodness knows how long. Even if train service is only down temporarily, I've doubts it would be up and running within any reasonable amount of time.

Tifa seems to think that the best lead the party has to getting on the top plate is the mob don in Sector 6. The trek aside, I'm not sure if it's a good idea to ask him anything. To say nothing about how to get him to cooperate with us. Well, perhaps that can come later. For now, there's a bunch of ground to cover.



Uh, let's make that a lot of ground to cover! There looks like there's nine sub-quests that just became available this chapter, so, let's hop to them.

First, a teacher from the Leaf House orphanage is missing her students. Again. A doctor is looking for herbs, among other components, to replenish his stock of medicine that was used after the plate dropped. Yay fetch quests. Three chocobos ran from a stable hand due to the mess of Sector 7. Guess somebody is going to go track them down. A reporter has a scoop on a thief that stole a key to the mob boss' vault. All he wants is information about the thief, but, if we happen to find the key, and the contents of the vault are still in tact, who's to say it was not the thief that took them? Speaking of thieves, a guy was mugged, and wants us to track down that thief, and get his stuff back.

That was what was available in Sector 5, though I had to visit Sector 6 to complete a number of them. As for quests that originated in Sector 6, there's monsters in an underground lab to be taken care of. Let me correct myself on this point. It was one monster, and it was a Behemoth of a beast. The party learns that some goons were scoping out Aerith's house. Said goons sic a Tonberry on the party, which was pretty bad business. Took me a couple of tries, thanks to Chief Knife's insta-death. The guys at the gym dare to challenge Tifa to a contest of pull-ups. This was similar to the squatting mini-game, but with a different button cycle. I wasn't as good at it as the squatting mini-game, but, I was good enough to win, and clear the side-quest. Which was all I really care about. The last one I found was a child who wants to play some music in a jukebox, and we're to provide her with the disks.

The tracks in question follow, courtesy of Toxic Snake.



This done, it's time to talk to the don. I'm pretty sure neither Cloud nor Tifa is looking forward to this, and I must share with that sentiment. However, it seems the don has retreated into the sewers down below. The guy that helped us out last time we were in the don's HQ, Leslie, seems willing to help us out once again. Barret's not particularly trusting of him, but, Cloud's reason is that if he dares to betray us, he'll kill him. Which is fine by Leslie.

This time, there's a ladder to the sewers, so it's not a one-way trip like it was before. After a bit of a chase, the party eventually confronts the don, only for him to sic a pet monster of his on them. Though, he does talk a little bit about Shinra's plan to flatten Sector 7 before doing so, as that's the kind of guy he is.

At any rate, the don's out of our reach for now, and all side-quests have been completed. As a parting gift, Leslie gave the party a set of grappling hooks to help ascend...



...a wall. While said wall might serve as a boundary between Sector 6 and 7, it might also serve as a way to get up on top of the plate. With only one way to find out, the trio use their grappling hooks, and zip up beyond the point of no return. What manner of trials await them as they attempt to rescue Aerith? Find out next time on the Final Fantasy 7 Remake LP!

Last time, Aerith was captured by Shinra, with Cloud, Barret, and Tifa barely escape alive from Sector 7's destruction. Naturally, the trio was knocked unconscious for a time due to the explosion and landing. However, players do not have a choice as to who to wake up first. At least, as far as I can tell. The cut-scene is from Tifa's perspective as her vision clears, and sees Cloud kneeling next to her. This could theoretically indicate relationship progress with her, but, it's probably that it's scripted to always be this way.

Either way, they do not exchange words as she gets up. The pair move ahead as they hear Barret's cries. Then, when they meet up with him, Barret is beginning to recognize...



...the depths of what Shinra's done. In the original FF7, I'm almost positive that it was Tifa that first recognized that Marlene was actually safe. In this game, it's Cloud that comes forward with that info, with Tifa adding support material. From there, the game pretty much forces a straight-shot to Aerith's house. The side roads aren't blocked off by rubble, but by the game. Okay-ku, then.

When the party arrives, Barret makes great noise that Aerith's mother, Elmyra, does her best to shush. The game made it sound like I might have to do another sneaking mini-game, but, thankfully, that didn't happen.

The game then moves into why the Turks are after Aerith. She's an Ancient. The last of an indigenous species whose values include being in a community with nature, and it's wonders. She goes into detail as to how Aerith came under her care, and a few anecdotes that provide clues to her unique heritage. This follows with the original FF7 in this regard.

After the blat, Cloud moves as if to go into a rescue operation, but, everyone, Elmyra, Tifa, and Barret, plead for him to think things through a little. Barret proposes a trip back to Sector 7 to see what could, if anything, can be salvaged. You can tell he's hoping his comrades made it out okay, but, I suppose we'll see if those hopes are dashed, or fulfilled, in due time.

Again, the game puts artificial barriers up so that I basically have no choice but to move forward with the story. The encounters in the Sector 6 slums aren't terribly different than before. The playground area has certainly seen better days. Sector 7 itself, well...



...yeah, same deal. Seventh Heaven is little more than a pile of rubble now. A cat's meowing gets the party's attention, and Cloud recognizes it as one of Wedge's cats. They follow it, only to have earthquake tremors open the paneling beneath them, and fall down.

The player now takes control of Barret for a while as he tries to reconnect with the others. He comes across Tifa first, but isn't terribly concerned about Cloud. A number encounters later is a rest stop, which gives me a number of premonitions about what might be coming up.

Barret and Tifa may have found their way back up to find an miraculously unconscious Wedge, but also find themselves against a host of...



...whatever the hell these things are. I don't know how many waves of these things there were before a big one came along to crash the party, and became the main target. Cloud arrived with it's defeat, and Barret shooting down walls brings them back to Wedge.

Barret wants Cloud to get Wedge to safety as he searches for Biggs and Jessie, but, Cloud can't help but to be realistic. He saw them at the pillar, and how wounded they were. Barret heaves the limp, but still alive, body of Wedge, and the trio marches to the only safe house they know, Aerith's house.

Thus ends this chapter. The question of what these three will do from here on out is still largely unknown. Maybe we'll find out next time, on the Final Fantasy 7 Remake LP!

The old promo...



...is pretty cool, if you ask me. If you really want to update it, I'd almost suggest the lazy solution of using the same clips from the show, but splicing current-year data/screencaps?