Where the hell were Tifa and Aerith?

Cloud paced up and down the congested, so called parlor, which resembled more of a junk yard to him than somewhere you would keep guests. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the sight as he almost anxiously awaited the return of his friends.

Corneo's men said they would take them away for a few minutes, but it had almost been half an hour.

Come to think of it, those two Corneo men... He hadn't seen them before.

Something was certainly a miss, or was he just working himself up into a frantic mess because he was stuck in this parlor, dressed as a girl and now the only option on offer to Corneo it seemed.

Damn it.

Cloud tried to ignore the nausea arising in his stomach as he struggled to shrug off thoughts of being pounded into by that fat, underworld tycoon.

No.

What had he been thinking?

Of course he would never let Corneo get that far with him.

But what if he didn't have a choice?

What if he was forced?

Cloud was prompted from his disturbing thoughts as the wooden doors to the parlor split open, flooding the dingy room with an assault of light.

Was it Tifa?

Aerith?

Cloud's heart pounded as he squinted, attempting to make out the silhouettes before him.

"It's time." A man's voice tore through the room, violating any chance Cloud could see for an escape.

He was doomed.

And there was no Tifa or Aerith to back him up.

"Come!" The man prompted impatiently before stepping towards the blonde, his actions making it obvious that he doubted Cloud would comply.

He had no choice, he was out numbered and out gunned, not to mention on an unfamiliar playing field.

Cloud paced slowly forward before being steadily chased up a dank, musky stone staircase, lit only by the mere glow of candle light.

Where were Tifa and Aerith?

Maybe they had already been taken to where ever he was going now?

"Stand here." Another man commanded, pointing a specific spot in a comparatively well lit room.

Cloud obeyed as his eyes carefully scanned the room for either of his comrades.

His heart sank as he realised he was alone.

But then, what had happened to his friends?

Cloud's heart pounded as a disturbing series of possible events coursed through his mind like a torrential river. None of which were putting his mind at ease.

"Stand there." The man from before released the same commands, his words prompting Cloud from his thoughts as confusion consumed his expression.

But he was already standing where he was told to?

The blonde glanced around, his eyes seeking clarification before soon realising that the words weren't for him.

Into the room strode a tall redhead, her body adorned with a tight, halterneck, crimson dress that barely covered her ass. Her thigh high maroon boots showed everyone in the room that she meant business.

Where had this girl come from?

Her make up was even more flawless than his. Bright red lip stick accentuated her lips, giving the impression that she was down for anything. It was a presumption that Cloud wasn't sure was accurate, yet a maddening twinkle in her eyes suggested it was.

Cloud's eyes continued to scan his competition, they lingered for perhaps too long as he felt her attention drawn to him.

Was he being rude by staring?

Who was he kidding? Of course he was!

He attempted to draw his gaze away, yet it refused to obey him.

"You like what you see blondie?" The redhead winked, smacking the palm of her hand to her lips before blowing the kiss towards him.

Something about the woman didn't sit right.

Cloud opened his mouth to reply, yet no words formed on his lips.

What was wrong with him?

Surely he wasn't... Intimidated by this woman's beauty?

He continued to glance over her features, long red hair, curled in a fashion that vaguely resembled Aerith's.

Her twisted, sardonic smile.

Something was vaguely familiar about her.

Cloud's eyes widened as he noticed a vague red tattoo under each eye.

It seemed even make up couldn't disguise them completely.

Why hadn't he noticed them before?

Oh my god.

"You!" Cloud spat most ungracefully, instinctively stepped back from the redhead as his mind reeled to remember the man's name.

He's a Turk, that presumptuous redhead, Aerith's 'other' bodyguard.

Damn it, what was his name?!

Reno!

That was it.

But then, was he replacing Aerith?

"Excuse you." Reno's smile twisted into a smirk as he feigned offence at the blonde's audacious actions.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Cloud spat, forgetting where he was and the delicate role he was supposed to be playing.

"Well, it's not really your concern now is it, Cloud?" Reno chuckled maniacally, he didn't even seem surprised to see that it was Cloud standing next to him as his competition for Don Corneo's affection.

A prize he was sure neither one of them actually wanted.

"You didn't really think we would allow you to play such dangerous games in this neck of the woods, when one of your friend's is Aerith now did you?"

"What do you want with her? And where is Tifa?"

"Again, not your business yo." Reno's smug expression and the lack of information he was providing was starting to get on Cloud's nerves, but he was forced to hold his tongue as a new set of footsteps joined them in the room.

"Shut it you two and there, in between those two bickering bitches." The man's voice from before directed, a snide chuckle left his lips as his fingers gave orders to the final contestant.

"Excuse you!" Reno pouted, though Cloud wasn't sure which part of the man's phrases was more offensive to the Turk, being called a bitch, or being told to shut up. Either way, he was certain that if Reno were picked, they were both something he would have to get used to.

Corneo's men were doing nothing but aggravating Cloud now, especially the one giving the orders. He darted his eyes towards Reno, who he already knew was equally annoyed, watching as the redhead tilted his head away in a huff.

How Cloud would love to kick the ass of every single one of Corneo's men, especially that one, but could he rely on Reno to give him back up? Knowing Reno, he would expect Cloud to be his back up.

Cloud was prompted once more from his thoughts as a woman took her place between him and Reno. Only this woman was tall, even taller than Reno as her long silver hair cascaded over her shoulders, ultimately resting on her somewhat gothic themed dress. A tight black corset gave her body an unnaturally hourglass figure. A black lace petticoat gave life to the ankle length dress. A black flower made of lace adorned her hair, while deep burgundy lipstick marred her lips like blood.

A fierceness lived in her eyes, like she had not only seen the blood of her enemies, but she had tasted it too.

Cloud grimaced at what was probably the only real woman in the room.

Corneo better make the right choice, otherwise he was certainly in for one hell of a surprise.

A stifled chuckle escaped Reno's lips, but was quickly stifled by a somewhat stern gaze by the silver haired woman next to him.

What was so funny?

There was nothing amusing about the woman's outfit, it certainly appeared at least as sexy as Reno's outfit.

Reno's odd behavior made him run his eyes over the silver haired woman once more, this time focusing on her face, it's distinct features, her slit, cat like green eyes.

Cloud gasped as his own eyes widened.

Why hadn't he seen it before?

"It's good to see you again, Cloud." Sephiroth's eyes seemed to turn a darker shade of emerald as he made no effort to disguise the amusement encased within them.

"S-Seph-" Cloud began before being silenced by a forced cough in Reno's direction.

What the hell was going on here?

Why did he waste so much time earlier fretting over being the only boy disguised as a girl?

Never mind the fact of why Sephiroth was here?

It must be a mission?

It had to be?

Well, for Reno at least.

But does that mean that Aerith and Tifa are with the Turks?

"Ladies! Shut it!" The man from before now stood in front of the three contestants.

"And now, the one and only! Don Corneo!" The man announced the arrival of the one individual none of the contestants actually desired to see.

"Ohh!" Corneo smirked, his mustache accentuating the rise of nausea in Cloud's stomach as the fat under lord wasted no time approaching the three fine girls before him.

"Wow! Look at all of you!" Corneo ran his tongue along his lips, as though he hadn't eaten for three days before approaching his first victim.

Reno.

Though, the redhead didn't seem intimidated at all.

It made Cloud wonder about the Turk, what else had he been up to?

He didn't seem uncomfortable at all.

Was he used to this kind of thing?

If he was, then he was damn good at it, he couldn't deny that.

Would Corneo pick Reno?

Who would he pick if he were Corneo?

He couldn't deny that of all of them, Reno seemed the most convincing and with a temperament that he guessed would appeal to the likes of Corneo.

Cloud dismissed the thought from his head and simply prayed that the under lord would just not pick him.

A sick feeling clutched at his stomach like the claws of one of Hojo's twisted experiments. He watched, from the corner of his eye as Corneo gazed hungrily at Reno's form, his eyes lingering on where he expected he would find the redhead's breasts.

Cloud stifled a shudder as it ran through his body. He knew it was only a matter of time before he would be subjected to the same revolting gaze.

Yet Reno still didn't seem bothered by it, in fact, he almost seemed amused. Perhaps he simply loved attention, regardless of where it came from.

He was a strange guy, there was no denying that, yet he would be lying if he said he didn't find the man's lack of anxiety admirable.

With a stodgy side step from Corneo's feet, the under lord's attention was now on his second competitor, who didn't appear to take as much delight in the attention he was receiving as the first.

Well, this was certainly not a situation he ever expected to find himself in during cadet training. Him, standing next to the general of all soldiers, dressed as a girl.

Corneo's eyes ran over the same routine with Sephiroth's body as they had with Reno's, lingering over certain parts for an obscene amount of time.

How had Corneo not recognized Sephiroth? Everyone knew Sephiroth? But then again, he hadn't recognized him straight away either.

Damn it.

He no longer had a buffer, next in line for Corneo's sordid gaze was him.

Cloud braced himself, about as much as was possible at least as felt the man's eyes turn to him.

"Oh which ever one should I chose?!" Corneo cackled as he stalled in front of the blonde.

Cloud grimaced on the inside but was careful not to let it show on the outside as the under lord crouched down beside him, attempting to gain a better view of both his backside and, from what Cloud could gather, his groin.

Thank god this dress wasn't tight like Reno's as Corneo didn't linger as long as he had with the other two.

He had never in his life felt like such a piece of meat.

He winced, realising this whole thing had been an awful idea but relieved that Tifa and Aerith were no longer candidates.

This was bad enough knowing you were never going to have to go through with the act at the end.

Corneo would refuse his choice when he found out they were male, right?

Surely.

Oh no.

What if he didn't?

How would Reno react?

Would he go through with it? He seemed to be the one with the most stomach when Corneo was checking out each of them. Even so, he would probably just shock him with his EMR.

What about Sephiroth? There's no way he would let Corneo anywhere near him. The under lord would most likely wind up dead.

And so, where did that leave him if he got chosen? He would certainly refuse, but what if he go overpowered and it got back to Reno that he got nailed?

Why does he even care what Reno thinks of him?

He glanced at the man through the corner of his eye.

He couldn't deny that he made an attractive woman, and now that he thought about it, an attractive man also, though he would never admit that to him.

"Maybe I should just have you all?" Corneo chuckled as he continued to pace up and down before them.

"Actually, why not. Come this way ladies." Corneo smirked as he lead the way into what Cloud could only guess was his bedroom.

At least he wasn't alone in this as Reno darted his amused eyes between the two before leading the way.

Either Reno wanted this, or he had something horrendous up his sleeve.