“What should we do?” Tifa asked
When no pursuit appeared
It seemed Shinra’d run out of guys
Which felt a little weird

“I say we chase Sephiroth”
A voice declared aloud
Some were just a little shocked
To hear it come from Cloud

“But he killed old man Shinra”
Barret said.  “Ain’t he our friend?”
Cloud said, “If you think like that
Our doom will soon impend”

“Cloud is right,” said Tifa
“Sephiroth is no one’s bud
He likes to plan calamities
That rival Noah’s Flood”

Aeris said, “I’ll go with Cloud
He is my bodyguard”
“I’ll tag along for now,” said Red
“As far as my own yard”

“Ah, what the hell,” said Barret
“I signed up to save the world
Mako?  Shinra?  Sephiroth?
In my mind they’re all swirled”

His riders were no better off
Some near at mouth did foam
Tifa regretted her great plan
Red wished he was back home

Finally, there came an end
To their crazed escape route
They fell prey not to the guards
But to a sign: “BRIDGE OUT”

‘Fore they could know how to proceed
A foe surged from behind
Shinra had one final way
To keep its pets confined

Now they faced the Motor Ball
A giant robot tank
Equipped with twin flamethrowers
Programmed their butts to spank

But they had had enough of this
They would not be held down
No damn robot was stopping them
They were ditching this town

Blade Beam, Sled Fang, Somersault
A Grenade Bomb or two
Aeris tossed on Healing Winds
To have something to do

He glumly sipped his coffee
Not sure that he could go on
They say the darkest hour
Is the one just before dawn

What he needed was excitement
For he was so very bored
Too bad he didn’t see the bike
As o’er his head it soared

As soon as his bike hit the deck
It to the left did veer
Cloud thought, “If I want to live
I need to learn to steer”

There’s nothing in the world that turns
Exactly like a bike’ll
This was, of course, Cloud’s first time e’er
Riding a motorcycle

“Okay, I admit it
I ain’t gave this plan much thought
But those are our two options
Outside (die) or inside (rot)”

From above a voice rang out
“And how ‘bout Option C?”
“God?  Is that you?”  “No.  Tifa
Come on.  It’s time to flee

Tifa stood by an old truck
From well before the war
Its engine bad, its steering worse
And . . . “Uh, this just seats four”

Then they heard a manly roar
And Aeris squealed with joy
Cloud, mounted on motorbike
Looked proud of his new toy

“She stayed back to wait for Cloud”
Aeris promptly explained
Barret said, “The hell she did!”
And curses poured and rained

Tifa was one floor below
Where Rufus and Cloud were
She thought she’d have to fend off guards
But no one bothered her

Soon her friend limped down the steps
With bullet wounds and fleas
Cloud complained, “You could’ve helped!”
“Oh, sorry.  Allergies”

Said Cloud, “We’ll take the stairs, I guess
Back to where we began”
Said Tifa, “Nah.  Don’t wanna walk
I’ve got a better plan”

The three did not anticipate
The troubles of the ride
In fact, just one shaft over
Was the Shinra’s joy and pride

The fabled Hundred Gunner
Quickly caught up with their car
They’d no choice but to fight it
For the fall was fairly far

Barret raised his trusty gun
“You all should jus’ stay back”
Red, wanting to prove his worth
Used his Sled Fang attack

“Not bad for a cat, I guess
You sure know how to run
But sit back in your chair
And let me show you how it’s done!”

Aeris did as Barret said
‘Twas prob’ly best that way
Wild midair combat
Really wasn’t her forte

“First, it’s totally unfair
‘Cuz shields are really lame
Secondly, is ‘Dark Nation’
Something you’d a cat name?”

Now Rufus, he was a crack shot
Dark Nation slashed and roared
But neither one could stand up
To the mighty Buster Sword

The shield did break.  Cloud raised his blade
“The Shinra line ends here!”
But then the chopper swooped down low
And he cowered in fear

Rufus hopped back on his ride
“My reign ends not today
Nor will I allow you to
All my great plans delay”

“Sorry for the rudeness
You all know I’m new at this
I see now you’re not a group
That I can just dismiss”

Cloud, who was still half-asleep
Thought he had heard enough
Plus he saw the perfect chance
To show that he was tough

“Aeris!  Tifa!  Other two!
You all get out of here!
I’ll fight this guy alone
For reasons not completely clear!”

A hand dragged Tifa back inside
“We’re going now?  That’s it?”
“My quarrel was with his dad
I’ll let him live . . . a bit”

The quintet stepped outside
Into the city’s foul haze
A man with bright blond hair stood there
“What’s this?  Five runaways?

“Spare me the introductions
I don’t want to know your name
I don’t care about your quest
Or how this far you came

“You see, I’ve got a brand-new job
And a lot on my plate
So, unless you’re Sephiroth
I’m ‘fraid you’ll have to wait”

“Hey, wake up!”  “Huh?  What?  We’re free?”
“Hmm . . . who would let us out?”
“Whoa, that’s strange.  JENOVA’s gone.”
“Don’t know what that’s about”

Up and up the blood trail wound
Until the very top
There they saw a grisly scene
That caused them all to stop

At his desk, the Shinra Prez
His face looked almost bored
There, protruding from his back
Was a five-foot-long sword

“This was the work of Sephiroth!”
Cloud’s shock could not be greater
“Sephiroth?” the others asked
Said Cloud, “Uh, tell ya later”