Don Corneo's Thugs

Outside, Tifa and Cecil found a group of thugs rounding up women and beating anyone who tried to stop them into submission. One big thug grabbed a beautiful young woman as he laughed.

"This little filly will do good in the Honey Bee. The Don is gonna love making his selection tonight. Fifty gil says he picks this one!"

"Nah, I bet he picks this doll right here," another said as he started trying to kiss the woman he was holding. She cried out and tried to push him away, making him laugh and push harder for a kiss.

Cecil felt himself growing angry at the scene. He had heard what the Honey Bee was and who the "Don" was, so he understood the situation. Don Corneo was branching out to Sector Seven now. He was about to draw his sword and rush to the rescue, but Tifa was moving before he could. She had some magic now, but she was still weaponless! Or so he thought. A few of the thugs saw her coming and two moved to grab her, but she easily evaded them and moved in close. The first thug was knocked backwards by a right jab to his chin. The second moved to grab her from behind, but Tifa moved as if she sensed the attack coming. She ducked and sidestepped under his grab, before coming up with an upper cut. Where the first man had simply been knocked back, this one was thrown off his feet. The big thug let go of his prize and pulled a club from his belt and joined the fray while two more grabbed metal bars up. Cecil could watch no more.

He charged with a battle cry and the two thugs with metal bars met him half way. He caught one bar with his shield and parried the second with his sword. He wasn't as quick and maneuverable as Tifa, but he knew how to hold his own against tougher enemies than this. He pushed out forcefully with his shield, taking the first attacker off balance before pivoting to swing his blade. The ceremonial sword was very sharp, but with a master swordsman holding it, it cut cleanly across the man's chest. He fell back with a cry that gurgled blood, while Cecil instinctively lifted his shield in time to block the other man's attack. This time he knocked the blow aside and spun to thrust his sword. He caught the thug in his side and the man stumbled back, holding his bleeding side.

The man pulled a potion out of a bag on his hip and downed it, letting it mend his side, but he didn't charge again. He looked past Cecil to the man coughing blood on the ground and Cecil stepped aside.

"Take him and go before he bleeds out."

The thug nodded thanks and carefully stepped around Cecil. He put another potion to his friend's lips and let it begin healing him as well. The man would live, but he was in no condition to walk, so his friend began dragging him away from the fight. Cecil turned and found Tifa still fighting her three thugs. The big man was hammering away with his club, but Tifa was never in the place he hit. She was quick and her fists were blurs of brown leather as they pummeled his side at every opening while still avoiding the grabbing hands of the other two men. Cecil smiled, for the first time realizing why Tifa was chosen. She was fast, filled with courage, and incredibly talented as a fighter. She swept the feet from under one man and danced backwards in time to avoid the next blow of the club. The man she had tripped wasn't so fortunate. The club took him hard in the chest and Cecil heard some bones snap. The big thug shouted a curse and spun, lashing out with the club again. Tifa ducked, but came up with a powerful blow to his wrist, snapping it and forcing him to drop the club.

The man grabbed his broken wrist and backed off while the remaining thug grabbed the remaining one on the ground.

"We'll be back bitch!" With that, the men fled.

Cecil walked up and patted her shoulder.

"And here I thought you were unarmed! You're pretty good."

"Not bad yourself Cecil."

More shouting sounded nearby and Tifa took off without hesitating.

"That came from the direction of the bar! We've got to go!"

Cecil took off behind her, not quite as fast in his armor, but running as quickly as he could.