Home Sweet Slum

Chapter 3: Home Sweet Slum is the third chapter in Final Fantasy VII Remake. The chapter comprises the events after running through Sector 8, after Cloud Strife's party arrives to the Sector 7 slums and meets Tifa Lockhart at Seventh Heaven. Throughout the chapter, Cloud and Tifa help out around the slums while Cloud awaits his full payment.
Completing the chapter will unlock the bronze trophy Mercenary Endeavors.
==Story==
Cloud, Barret, Jessie, Biggs and Wedge have arrived at the Sector 7 slums station thanks to the last train home. Barret, Jessie, Biggs and Wedge celebrate their victory, with Barret telling them to be quiet as people are listening. He tells them to do some "R and R" and be ready for the next mission as they begin to return home. He informs Cloud that he would meet him at Seventh Heaven, the bar where Tifa works.
As Cloud chases after Barret, he finds an undercity resident who says that mako is the lifeblood of the planet. He tears down the Avalanche poster extolling the dangers of mako and admires the steelwork that is at the top of the Sector 7 slums. Cloud sees a vision of the steelwork collapse, with the resident asking him if he is okay. Cloud briefly sees two black ghosts hover around the resident.
Cloud finds Tifa and Marlene sitting at the entrance of Seventh Heaven. Tifa tells Marlene that Barret is back home, with Barret grabbing the girl onto his shoulder and enters the bar. Cloud gives Tifa the flower the flower peddler gave him. After he accidentally scares Marlene, Barret gets mad at Cloud, with Cloud asking Tifa about his money. Tifa thinks they should talk outside.
Once outside, she tells Cloud there is an apartment for him to stay for the night free of charge since the landlady is a friend of Avalanche. Tifa asks how the mission went as they walk to the apartment complex together. Once there, Tifa tells Cloud that room 201 is hers, while room 202 is his. Cloud wonders who lives in room next to his, with Tifa saying she will introduce them tomorrow. Once inside Cloud's room, Cloud ask Tifa for his money, saying that the group owes him 2000. Tifa only gives him 500, saying that the rest was spent on preparing for the mission. However, she reassures that she will be collecting water filters tomorrow to earn more and will pay Cloud the rest. Tifa asks Cloud to help her before realizing she would have to pay him even more. Cloud says there is no need to raise the price, making Tifa relieved. She tells Cloud good night and to meet her at Seventh Heaven tomorrow morning.
thumb|left|Cloud finds an ill man in black robes.
Cloud gets some sleep but during the night hears a noise from the room next to his and checks it out. Cloud wonders if the man inside is okay, opens the door, and finds Sephiroth. Cloud tries to attack him only for Sephiroth to jump on him. Cloud pushes him off and tries to attack him again, only for Tifa to yell at him to stop. Cloud tells Tifa to get back into her room as Sephiroth grabs his leg, and he sees a vision of a group of black robed people walking with one of them saying something about reunion. Once Cloud comes to his senses, he realizes the person who "attacked" him wasn't Sephiroth, but a black robed man named Marco with a 49 tattooed to his arm. Tifa wonders what Cloud is doing as she helps Marco back up. She tells Cloud to check on Marco sometimes from now on and see if he is okay, as he is taken by a mysterious illness and appears incoherent.
The next morning, Cloud leaves his room and sees the landlady, who introduces herself as Marle. She asks Cloud how was the apartment and tells him that Tifa is at Seventh Heaven. Cloud meet Tifa at the bar who explains about the filter job. Cloud says he is not a salesman, but a soldier. Tifa tells Cloud that if he is next to her, people will willingly pay her as she offers Cloud a grand tour of the Sector 7 slums as well.
They arrive at the Item Store and receive payment from the owner. Tifa tells Cloud this place is a good way to stock up on items and materia. Next, they visit Marle and collect her payment, with Tifa telling Cloud to be nice around the landlady. At the weapon store the vendor gets angry at Tifa because the last filter didn't work. Tifa apologizes and tries to collect the payment, but the vendor refuses. Cloud tells him to pay with the latter finally yielding. Tifa tells Cloud to check out the weapon store sometimes.
Tifa tells Cloud that he should network and do some small jobs to build a reputation as a merc. She suggests the Neighborhood Watch, but no one is at the office. She brings Cloud to the top floor of the weapon store, where they find Biggs and Wedge holding down the fort. Wedge asks if Cloud is joining the Watch, and Biggs explains their top priority is to take down monsters that enter the town. Tifa says that if Cloud joins the Watch, he can make a name for himself and people will likely to hire him. Biggs teaches Cloud how to enhance weapons after which Cloud asks where the monsters are. Biggs says they are in the Scrap Boulevard. Tifa joins Cloud to show him where it is.
After defeating some monsters in the Scrap Boulevard, Cloud and Tifa meet up with Biggs and Wedge again, saying that the slums should be safe now. Biggs and Wedge have told the people about him, Cloud wondering what they said, with Tifa telling Cloud not to worry. Biggs asks how the upgraded sword is coming along, with Cloud saying it is a good fit. Cloud experiences a little headache when thinking more deeply about his sword, worrying Tifa. She asks what happened after Cloud left the village a long time ago. Cloud says it is a long story, but Tifa wants to tell her all about it while looking for more work. Wedge wants to come along, but Biggs tells him to not intervene as Cloud and Tifa have not seen each other for years.
Cloud and Tifa return to the weapon store, where the vendor gives Cloud an iron blade and apologizes for his earlier behavior, having realized Cloud was the merc who defeated the monsters. Tifa tells Cloud to meet up with Wymer, who tracks what is happening at the Watch. Tifa introduces them and Wymer tells Cloud that if he has any jobs, he will contact him. Cloud and Tifa meet a young boy named Chadley who works for Shinra Electric Power Company. Chadley gives Cloud an assess materia and tells him to use it and gather intelligence in battle for him to develop new materia. Cloud refuses at first, since he doesn't want to work for Shinra, but Chadley tells him that he is actually working to undermine Shinra's efforts. Cloud promises to report to him whenever he feels like it, with Chadley saying that he is glad they are working together now.
Cloud and Tifa help out various slum dwellers. They help Chadley by assessing some monsters and help the Item Store owner by defeating doomrats. They help a junk dealer by defeating lesser drakes, and help out a girl named Betty by looking for her cats. Wymer informs Cloud that a wrath hound is in the Scrap Boulevard, and Cloud and Tifa head there to defeat it. Finally, they help a woman named Gwen by defeating a cerulean drake.
If Cloud and Tifa completed all odd jobs they decide to head back to the apartment to change their water filters. Marle asks Cloud to look after Tifa sometimes as well. After Cloud changes his filter, he heads to Tifa's room, who has just finished changing her filter. Tifa asks what happened after Cloud left the village. Cloud answers that every boy wants be a SOLDIER when they grow up, so he decided to become one. However, by the time he got there, they did not need heroes anymore, so he was just working for Shinra instead. Regardless, Tifa is glad they could meet again after going their separate ways a while ago. She wants to celebrate with Cloud by dressing in fancy clothing and hitting town. Cloud asks if she has any fancy clothing, with Tifa asking Cloud what would suit her. After Cloud tells her what he would like her to wear, Tifa tells Cloud to make sure his outfit goes with hers when that time comes. Cloud agrees, and Tifa thinks it will be fun. They say their goodbyes to Marle and head back to the Seventh Heaven.
They see a group of people gather and wonder what is happening. Shinra security is arresting a red-haired man named Johnny whom they have blindfolded and are dragging away. A resident explains somebody stole blasting agents from a warehouse, so Shinra security started asking questions and Johnny intervened. Tifa tells Cloud they need to save him and they slowly follow Johnny and the Shinra security guards. On an abandoned lot Tifa knocks Johnny out as she and Cloud defeat the security guards. Johnny wonders what is going on as Cloud wants to kill him to ensure he won't incriminate Avalanche, but Tifa tells Cloud to spare him. Cloud tells Johnny to leave town, and the still-blindfolded Johnny flees. Tifa admits that Cloud is scaring her and mentions his eyes have changed. Cloud explains the mako infusion all SOLDIER members undergo changed his eye color.
Cloud and Tifa find Barret and Marlene at Seventh Heaven. Barret tells Marlene to wait for Jessie as he tells Tifa to meet downstairs to discuss Avalanche's next bombing mission. Cloud asks Barret for his money, with Barret saying he will pay him after the meeting with Tifa and the others. Before Tifa heads downstairs to join Barret, she makes a drink for Cloud. If Cloud chooses "something hard", he wants the drink to be bitter. If Cloud is not in the mood, Tifa still makes him a drink. Regardless, Cloud praises the Cosmo Canyon cocktail Tifa concocts. Tifa heads downstairs to join Barret.
Jessie arrives and tells Cloud how Avalanche is on the news and asks if Cloud will join them on their next mission. Cloud says he will for a price and Jessie promises to talk to Barret about raising his payment. She says Tifa will be joining them even though she does not support the bombing missions. Jessie heads downstairs, with Cloud thinking he can kill some time by playing darts.
After some time has passed, Tifa returns and makes herself a drink and sits down with Cloud at the counter. Cloud asks if she is having second thoughts about the upcoming mission, with Tifa saying that even though they have to think big to make a difference, she feels trapped. Cloud tells her to not do the mission if it doesn't feel right. The rest of Avalanche come upstairs with Barret telling Tifa to get out the good stuff as they are going to have a party. He tells Cloud they won't be needing him for the next mission. Cloud is fine by that as Barret gives him the rest of his payment alongside a little extra. Barret tells Cloud to leave Seventh Heaven since the place is private now. Jessie apologizes, saying she tried to convince Barret to hire Cloud for the next mission, but Barret feels like they would put too much work on Cloud, and that it was their fight, not his. Jessie wants to talk to Cloud after the party is over.
Outside, Cloud find four gang members acting suspicious and approaches them. The leader asks if Cloud has seen a man with a gun arm. Realizing the hoodlums are looking for Barret, Cloud asks the group to pay him 500, with the hoodlum willing to pay 200. After some disagreements, the hoodlum and his members escort Cloud to a dead end. Cloud feigns that he doesn't know where the man with the gun arm is. The gang members attack Cloud for wasting their time, but Cloud defeats them. He realizes they are not members of Shinra and leaves, deeming the altercation has nothing to do with him.
Cloud returns to his apartment where he finds Jessie who wants to have a private talk in his room. She offers Cloud an Ifrit materia and again apologizes she did not succeed in having Cloud join their next mission. Cloud realizes Jessie needs help with something, Jessie saying she needs to head to the Sector 7 plate tonight. She wants Cloud to come along and keep this excursion a secret from the others. Jessie adds that if she doesn't do this tonight, it is only going to get harder for her. Cloud agrees to go with her. She tells Cloud to meet her at the Sector 7 slums station. Cloud says this is just another job as three white pigeons fly away.
==Quests==
===Main Scenario===
*Return to Base
*Noisy Neighbors
*Life in the Slums
*A Job for the Neighborhood Watch
*Problem Solving
*A Job Well Done
*Shinra Reacts
*Talking Strategy
*Ominous Shadows
*The Jessie Job
The first few Main Scenario quests up until "Problem Solving" are mostly linear scripted events, in which Cloud Strife explores the Sector 7 Slums along with Tifa Lockhart. In "A Job for the Neighborhood Watch", the party controls Cloud and Tifa while fighting gorgers in the Scrap Boulevard.
After this, in "Problem Solving", at any point running into Johnny's house in the northeast of the Residential Area commences "Shinra Reacts", and the Main Scenario quests can continue. Combat takes place in "Ominous Shadows", but the majority of remaining quests are scripted exploration quests.
===Odd Jobs===
*Chadley's Report
*Rat Problem
*Nuisance in the Factory
*Lost Friends
*On the Prowl
*Just Flew In from the Graveyard
After reaching the Main Scenario quest "Problem Solving", many Odd Jobs open up, all of which are completed with a party of Cloud and Tifa. These odd jobs are crucial both for affection mechanics with Tifa, and for unlocking the discovery quest to choose her dress.
"Chadley's Report" is a quick quest begun by speaking to Chadley who will give the , used to assess two enemies for the quest. It can be completed alongside other jobs. Another non-combat sidequest is "Lost Friends", in which the player must look for cats around the Residential Area. This quest awards a simple Maiden's Kiss for completing it.
The remaining Odd Jobs are combat quests. "Rat Problem" is begun by speaking to the Item Shop owner, and involves defeating wererats and doomrats. Completing it allows "On the Prowl" to be completed, where the wrath hound must be fought in Scrap Boulevard. "Nuisance in the Factory" allows access to the Abandoned Talagger Factory, where the objective is to defeat three lesser drakes. Defeating the drakes completes the quest and unlocks "Just Flew In from the Graveyard", in which the party fights the more powerful cerulean drakes in the factory. Completing it awards a Star Bracelet.
===Discovery===
*Alone at Last
"Alone at Last" is unlocked by completing all Odd Jobs. The quest is a scripted event where Cloud and Tifa return to the Stargazer Heights apartment. Crucially, a dialogue allows the player to choose a dress for Tifa in chapter 9, "The Town That Never Sleeps".
==Behind the scenes==
During the cutscene in which Tifa makes a cocktail for Cloud in Seventh Heaven, she wears Leather Gloves regardless of what equipment the player has. This is because the developers feared that, when equipped with Mythril Claws, she would serve drinks with a claw at the back of her hand, which would change the meaning of her embarrassed laugh.
==Citations==
Category:Chapters in Final Fantasy VII Remake