The Journey (A FFVII Story)

[I'm glad you enjoyed it. I fixed the italics with the last chapter. I hadn't realized just how bad I was with chapter 5 until you mentioned it. I was in a hurry when I posted it and I forgot to add those in. So thank you for mentioning that.

I also worked on the vocabulary when I was editing and working on the final draft of chapter 6, so hopefully it will be better this time.

Oh, and sorry to everyone for not posting for a few days. I've had a very busy week. So, without further ado, here's Chapter 6. Enjoy.]

Chapter 6: A Blast From the Past

Tifa and Cloud came to a stop by the rest of the group. The girl blushed faintly when she saw that everyone was staring at the two of them, at that moment realizing that they were still holding hands. Tifa felt awkward like this, but at the same time, she had no desire to remove her hand from Cloud’s. So she kept it there. Yuffie gave her a strange look, almost as if to say “I knew you two were gonna hit it off someday!†Tifa’s cheeks turned pinker at the thought, and she lowered her head hoping nobody would notice the change in her.

“Is everyone alright?†Cloud spoke first, the awkward silence not lasting long.

“Yeah, we got rid of those %&!& no problem. Dumb *!&#@.â€

Cloud nodded, that response being what he expected from Cid. Everyone was here, and they were all safe. At least, they were out of harm's way for now. The enemy didn’t know where this place was, but they would catch on if they didn’t move quickly enough. They needed a course of action, and a plan. And since everyone was looking at him, Cloud figured that he was probably the leader once again. Then again, it was a position he had never fully retired from.

“What’s the plan?†Cait Sith asked, voicing Cloud’s concerns.

Cloud thought for a moment. The only reason they were really fighting was to safe Tifa. There was no way they could fight this entire war to keep her safe, but what if they went after the Yurak leader? He would be hard to find, but if he was exterminated, then the war would also come to a close. That was really their only option. “We need to go for the leader,†Cloud mumbled, still lost in his own thoughts.

Tifa’s eyes widened at the concept. Go after the head Yurak? Preposterous! He would be very heavily guarded. They would use up all their strength going through the guard before they reached him. And then he would surely get rid of them by himself, no problem. “That won’t work,†Tifa said aloud, her voice coming out rushed and nervous. “First of all, it would be impossible to get through his guard. And if we did, we’d be too weak to fight him. He’d kill us by himself and not lose a drop of blood.â€

“What other options do we have?†Cloud reasoned. “We can’t fight an entire war hoping to kill of your enemies as we go through. We need to go directly to the source and end this quickly.â€

“We’d die!â€

“We have a chance of dying no matter what! *$&! it!†Cid yelled. “Now shut ur pie-hole so we can get this done with.â€

Tifa shot Cid a dirty look, instinctively releasing Cloud’s hand. Good thing he didn’t do the same, or she would have punched Cid right there and then. Instead, she spoke through her teeth. “Cid, notice how I said ‘WE’. WE would die, not just me or somebody else. I’m looking out for YOU right now, believe it or not.â€

Cid held Tifa’s glare, though he did eventually soften his stare. Perhaps Tifa’s words had gotten through to him. Either that, or he felt pity for her. After all, the ninjas were targeting her, not him. If he were in her position, he would be much worse than she was.

“Tifa has a valid point,†Cloud started. “However, I see it as our only choice.†He turned to the black-haired woman beside him. “Do you know where he is?†Cloud’s eyes had no insincerity in them, only concern. Tifa could see that he was only doing what he thought was best. Looking at it now, this was really their only option. They could alter the plan later, but they did need to target the leader. Tifa nodded at his question.

“The Southern Caves. It’s a man-made mountain range along the sea-line below Fort Condor.â€

“Isn’t Fort Condor home of an anti-Shinra force, willing to fight evil at a moments notice?†Red XIII inquired.

“Not anymore. The Yuraks use it as a prison now. They killed off the resistance and took the place as their own.â€

Silence fell upon the group. Only Tifa knew the full strength of these Jenova bred soldiers. Nevertheless, she knew the others would find out soon enough. It would take them a few days to reach the old Fort by foot, and then the caves were not far from that. They would see what she meant by the unbeatable strength the Yuraks possessed.

“We need to move, before they find us,†Cloud stated simply, taking control of the situation once again. Everyone nodded in agreement, but nobody made a move to leave. So, Tifa did. She took one step away from the group, but Cloud’s hand kept her back. Tifa looked back at the blonde man, perplexed as to why he wasn’t letting go or following her. “You’ll come with me on my bike,†he explained to Tifa. “We’ll go on ahead and the rest will follow.â€

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Things went very smoothly for this part of the journey. Cloud and Tifa rode ahead of the van the entire way, making sure it was safe for the others to come. They also stopped in several towns along the way to pick up fresh materia. There was no need for them to buy weapons, since their old ones were still in great condition. Tifa figured that everyone must have kept all the items safe in case they ever needed to fight another battle. Like they were about to do.

The group stopped for one night in Healen Lodge (now abandoned by the remaining Shinra) before continuing on their journey. They continued on their path until later that next night, stopping in a forest area. The van was parked in a clearing, which was the only area available for the large vehicle. Still, the trees did not cover them as well as Tifa had hoped. Not only that, but this place was strangely familiar....

“I’ll be right back,†she told the group. They were all too busy fumbling with tents to pay attention to her, so after a few moments with no responses, Tifa just left. She wasn’t planning on doing anything foolish; she just wanted to understand how she knew this place. The young woman walked through the forest, her brown eyes scanning the area. No...now this place looked unfamiliar. However, the open area ahead of her...Tifa picked up the pace, jogging through the trees. She reached the edge of the woods and took a few steps out, gasping when she saw the area lit by the moon.

This place... Tifa felt her heart drop. This was the place where they killed Trent. New emotions rushed to her heart. Regret. Fear. Sorrow. Hopelessness... Deep down inside, Tifa blamed herself for Trent’s death. He had stayed to help her, and if she hadn’t still been fighting, he would have fled as well. If things had been different, he would still be alive. Without him here...Tifa swallowed hard at the thought. He was my light in the darkness. Now my light has been snuffed out, and I have no way of finding the path again. I was so far away from the path in the first place, but with his kindness, he was starting to lead me back. And I lost him. I let him go. I didn’t protect him enough...

A rain drop suddenly fell from the sky, landing on Tifa’s nose. It startled her enough to make her jump, bringing her out of her thoughts. What? She looked up at the sky, but it didn’t look as if was going to rain that night. Then where did the water droplet come from?

“I sent him to help you,†a soft female voice came from in front of her. Tifa slowly lowered her gaze, afraid of what she would see. She was very shocked to see an old, dear friend standing five feet in front of her. The girl from Sector 5 of the Midgar Slums. The flower girl she had befriended so long ago. Aerith. Tifa opened her mouth to speak, but no words came. However, that didn’t make a difference in the matter, because Aerith started speaking again. “Trent was sent by me.â€

Tifa had trouble wrapping her mind around this. “Trent...was...â€

Aerith shook her head softly, her bangs moving in and out of her eyes. “No, he was not just a spirit like I am. He was very real.â€

“Then, how...?â€

“I can work in people’s hearts, Tifa,†Aerith stated softly. “I can lead them to do unthinkable things for other people. That is, if they don’t have their guard up and if they are willing to listen.â€

Tifa stopped speaking then. It was clear that Aerith wasn’t talking about Trent anymore, but about her. She had been so unwilling to let anyone in within the past year, and that must have included Aerith’s spirit. But—when had that changed? Wasn’t she the same person she was two months ago? No, Tifa knew she wasn’t. While she was back at home, she had slowly lowered her guard against those people. Aerith must have just been waiting for the right opportunity to come see her. By the way the flower girl stayed silent, Tifa knew she was right in her thinking.

“I’ve been worried about you,†the Cetra said quietly, finally speaking again. “You’ve given everyone a scare, especially Cloud.†Tifa’s heart skipped a beat at that name. Cloud had given up everything to help her since the start of this crisis, and it still burdened her that she had given him so much heartache. “He loves you, you know.â€

Tifa turned away, her eyes lowering to the ground. “Well, of course,†she said softly. They had been friends for so long, and close friends did love each other. That was obvious. Yes, that was what Aerith meant. It was the only thing she could mean.

“I didn’t mean it like that,†Aerith stated. “He loves you.â€

Tifa shook her head softly at that, not willing to fully digest what her friend was saying. “No, that can’t be right.†The woman looked up. “You’re wrong about this, Aerith.â€

Aerith locked eyes with Tifa, both girls suddenly silent. Tifa saw something behind those green eyes...something she was afraid to see. It was the confidence and wisdom she had always seen in the ancient’s eyes. Then she understood something new...Aerith was right. She wouldn’t lie about this, which meant that she knew for sure that Cloud really did like Tifa. No, not like...LOVE.

Tifa looked away, unable to hold Aerith’s stare. She looked over toward a tree, and all of a sudden something caught her eye. Something was shining in the moonlight. Taking a few steps forward, she silently made her way towards the tree. Aerith made no move to stop her, so she knew that she was alright in this movement. Tifa was both confused and frustrated at this fact, remembering how mysterious Aerith was sometimes. It annoyed her when her friend pulled the strings and became controlling, even without trying. But now, it seemed very planned.

The young woman gasped. She recognized this object. She ran the last few steps to reach the tree and then knelt down in front of it. No, this can’t be... Tifa picked up the object, gently holding it in her hand. A small blue crystal, attached to a piece of string. A necklace. The necklace. She stared at the object in stunned silence, her hand trembling slightly as an overwhelming sadness entered her heart. This was Trent’s necklace. He always wore it on him. But he couldn’t wear it anymore, since he wasn’t around. Trent...is...really gone, Tifa thought, her eyes shutting tightly.

She couldn’t handle this! It was too much heartbreak! There was no hope in this world, nothing to sustain her. This journey was pointless if there was no hope. Sure, there was hope of regaining her old life, but at what cost? At the cost of her friends? Herself? She had already lost herself to her sadness and anger a long time ago. Was there no hope of recovering what she lost?

Tifa clutched the gem tightly, pulling it close to her chest. A single sob escaped her lips, and then the tears started to flow. The tears were not only for herself, but also for her friends. For Trent, who had given his life so that she could live. For Aerith, whom she had lost to her most evil enemy. And now, for Cloud, who was willing to sacrifice anything for her sake. Why? What was she really worth?

“Tifa?â€

The black-haired girl brought her head up, turning it slightly to see who had called her. Cloud was approaching. And he was alone. Aerith had disappeared, and in a way, Tifa was glad. There was too much pain with the remembrance of that flower girl. But now Cloud was here instead...and he obviously noticed her distress by her body language and facial expression. Tifa made no move to wipe at her tears, knowing Cloud wouldn’t be tricked now. Once he reached her, he knelt down beside her form and looked at her with concern.

“You alright?†he gently brought up a hand, setting it on Tifa’s cheek.

“I’m fine.â€

“You don’t look fine.â€

Tifa remained silent, her brown eyes flickering to the ground. She had yet to open her hand, and for some reason, she didn’t plan on opening it any time soon. This charm was connected to her, not Cloud. It was too personal to reveal, as was her conversation with Aerith. Tifa’s cheeks warmed at that thought. But the thought also made another tear fall from her eye. This time, she did wipe at it.

“I am fine,†Tifa stated softly, a certain firmness in her voice. A firmness that hinted that Cloud shouldn’t question her any further.

Cloud took the hint and nodded faintly. He knew Tifa very well, and even if this wasn’t the same girl he knew a year ago, she did have very similar ways of telling people to back off. And this...this was one of those times. He stayed with her for a few more moments before awkwardly clearing his throat.

“I’m going to head back to camp,†he started quietly. “You can come back whenever you’re ready.â€

Tifa nodded softly, her eyes lifting up to meet Cloud’s for a moment before returning to the ground. She felt Cloud’s hand leave her cheek, and then she heard him leave. After he was completely gone, she let another tear slide down her cheek. She was worrying him so much...and for what? Sure, she didn’t mean to worry him, but that was a consequence of her erratic behavior. He didn’t deserve this. None of her friends did.

The girl stayed in that area for a little while longer before wiping away the last of her tears. She had no idea how long she had been there; it seemed like an eternity, but it could have been only a few minutes. It didn’t matter to Tifa, who was too lost in her sorrow to care about anything so insignificant. Once she was sure the tears were gone, she headed back to the camp. Fortunately, nobody seemed to notice her return. They were all too busy discussing something. They were trying to decide who would keep watch all night. This discussion turned into an argument somehow, but things immediately settled when Tifa volunteered to be the look-out. Cloud did not approve, but in the end, Tifa won.

She stayed up until about four in the morning, and then she fell into a fitful slumber, Nanaki taking over the watch the rest of the night.

 

It seems like things are starting to rail up towards the ending. I'm now waiting to see how this unfolds. Overall, the vocabulary in chapter 6 was better, if only a little bit; I know how hard it is trying to re-produce a chapter with lavish words. Good job so far.

 

[Sorry about the delay, my life got really really hectic in the past week. I'll try to be better with the updates. Here's chapter 7.]

Chapter 7: The Assault

“This is it,†Tifa breathed, looking out through her binoculars at the Southern Mountain side. Yuraks dressed in all black patrolled the area, looking very intimidating. There were so many of them! Tifa and her friends had just reached that area five minutes ago, and fortunately, they were unnoticed. At least for the time being, anyway. Because they were located on an elevation and looking down on the valley, there was no way for the Yuraks to spot them. Unless they patrolled the upper lands too. Tifa had uneasy feeling in her stomach knowing that they were about to fight these soldiers.

Cloud, who had been lying on the ground beside her, suddenly rose to his feet. Tifa followed him with her eyes, as did the rest of her friends. He walked over to his motorcycle and pushed one button. His collection of swords appeared, and he grabbed his favorite one. He can’t be serious, Tifa thought, her eyes widening. Cloud saw how many men they would have to fight through, and yet he was still leading them down there? It was suicide!

“Let’s go,†Cloud said. His voice showed determination and powerful leadership, which triggered something in everyone. Everyone rose to their feet, including Tifa. However, Tifa stood up for another reason entirely. And that was to stop this madness.

“Hold on.†Red XIII suddenly spoke, surprising Tifa. Perhaps he too saw the nonsense in attacking head on. Maybe, just maybe, there was another way to do this. However, when the animal spoke, his thoughts proved to be very different than Tifa’s. “Are we splitting into different parties?â€

Parties?! Tifa could have laughed at how stupid that was. There was no way they were going to break through the soldiers even if they were all together, let alone in different groups! The young woman turned her head to Cloud, and she saw that he was considering Red’s suggestion. Seriously? Could he not see how threatening this was? It was at that moment that she remembered how little experience her friends had with these enemies. They needed to act in a much different way than they were used to.

“Wait,†Tifa broke in before Cloud could respond to Red’s question. Everyone turned to look at her. “It would be foolish to just crash in and fight them head on. It would be suicide!â€

“What do you suggest?†Cid asked. Surprisingly, he was willing to listen to her. It was a great difference from the other day. Perhaps even cold-hearted Cid could have a change in heart. Then again, maybe he wasn’t so cold anymore. She hadn’t seen him in over a year...

“Tifa?†Cloud spoke her name, breaking Tifa out of her thoughts. She must have been quiet for a moment too long, since he was giving her a strange look. And by the look in his eyes, he was still concerned over what happened last night.

A faint smirk appeared on Tifa’s face. “I have a plan.†She went on to explain her idea, and as she went on with the details, she saw the others be more receptive. When she felt their support brewing, she became more confident in her plan. It was original, and surprisingly, she felt as if she were going to have fun with this. In the end, everyone agreed to hold off until night-time to put the plan into action. This was going to go very smoothly if everyone did their part.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“WHAT?!†Hiraku hollered at his captain. Hiraku was sitting in the middle of his cave fortress, relaxing with his concubine when his captain came in and gave him some startling news: Their soldiers were being assassinated and killed off. How was he, the all-powerful leader of the Yuraks, supposed to fight a war if he didn’t have any soldiers?! “How is this happening??â€

The captain shrank back, afraid at his leader’s rage. “They have just been disappearing as of late. Blood has appeared on the grounds, but there is no sign of struggle.â€

Hiraku growled and pounded the armrest of his chair. He had no idea what was happening here, but over the last three nights, they had lost six-hundred soldiers. They had been patrolling the outer caves areas, but now they were very short on men. Only four-hundred remained, and the rest were out on the Western Front.

“Whoever is doing this...I want them taken care of!†he shrieked, his face reddening in anger.

“Y-yes, sir. I’ll have the patrol be on high alert from this point on. This will not occur again.†The captain quickly dismissed himself, which was a wise move on his part. Hiraku had a reputation of killing his own men when he was enraged.

The leader growled again, blood boiling. If some resistance faction thought they could get away with this, they were very wrong. “Leave!†he suddenly snarled at those who had boldly remained in the room with him. All the women hurriedly left, along with the two other guards who had been standing at the door. Once alone, he abruptly rose to his feet and walked to a table on the right side of the make-shift room.

He snatched a piece of paper off the table and held it up, the lighting in the area sufficient enough for him to see what was on the paper. It was a photo of a young woman with black hair. Well, not a photo, per-se. Rather, it was a sketch of her. One of her soldiers had gotten close enough to her to see her face, and then he had fled and returned to the fortress. Hiraku was glad to finally have an idea of what his enemy looked like. This warrior; the one person who posed a threat to him.

Tifa Lockhart.

“You will be mine,†he stated softly. “The day you enter my sight, you will die.â€

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“I can’t believe it’s actually working,†Barret said under his breath, watching the panicked soldiers scan the area more critically than they ever had before. Over the past three nights, everyone from their group had snuck into the area below and secretly killed off many ninjas. Well, everyone except for Denzel and Marlene. Those two stayed at the camp, locked in the van. They didn’t travel in groups or even pairs; they were completely alone down there. It was for the best though, because then the Yuraks had no idea what hit them. So many of them had been eliminated over the past few nights that everyone had lost count. Yuffie claimed to have killed off two hundred herself, but everyone recognized the stretch. There was no way they could have killed more than four hundred. At least, that’s what they estimated.

Tifa smiled at Barret’s comment, the young woman standing beside him on the hill above the Yuraks. Yes, things were working out wonderfully. The scene below was much emptier than it had been before, and Tifa now believed that they had a chance at winning this battle. But only if they went down tonight and took out many more of the soldiers. They weren’t in the clear yet. Besides those wandering outside, Tifa had a feeling Hiraku stored back-ups in his lair.

“Teef, how in the world did you come up with this? It’s working great!†Tifa smiled at Barret’s praise. She shrugged at the question, though, unable to come up with a response. The idea had just kind of come to her. After her war experiences in the past year, she knew many strategies, and using knowledge from that, she easily formulated this plan. It wasn’t that big of a deal to her, but all of her friends called it a stroke of brilliance. Even Cloud applauded her for seeing something he couldn’t.

“Let’s just hope things go well tonight,†Tifa finally said. “If we get caught tonight, then everything else will have been a waste. We can’t get cocky.†Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Barret nod. Then they were both silent for a very long time. It was day time now, and they were the only two awake. Everyone else was resting; since they stayed awake late into the night and early morning to be sure there was no danger after their raids were done. Tifa didn’t mind being alone with Barret. They were such great friends before, and their bond was strong. Even if Tifa did leave him a year ago, they still had an unbreakable friendship. That was something Tifa really appreciated today.

“Are you excited?†Barret asked.

“About what?â€

“Being done with this. It must not be fun, bein hunted an all.â€

Tifa shrugged again. “We’re not home free yet, Barret,†she said seriously. “Things can change very quickly at this point. We can’t think about things that have yet to come into existence.â€

Barret nodded faintly, mumbling some kind of agreement. Tifa knew that wasn’t the answer he wanted, but it was the only one she could give. As relieving as it was to know that things were probably coming to an end, it was also scary. Because with this end, there was a new beginning. And starting over was a terrifying thought.

“Teef?â€

“Mm?â€

“I missed you.â€

Tifa lowered her eyes at that, sadness appearing in her eyes. Yes, of course her best friend had missed her. She had suddenly disappeared, leaving no way to contact her. She had even thrown out her cell phone. Now, however, Cloud had bought her a new one. And he forced her to keep it on her at all times. But that was beside the point now. This was about her and Barret, not Cloud getting her a new phone. How did her thoughts always drift to him...?

“I missed you too,†Tifa said softly, leaving her thoughts unsaid. In truth, she had. More than she thought possible, she really had missed Barret. Hmm, she had even missed his bear hugs. Despite his intimidating demeanor, he really was a big lug. He had such a kind heart underneath his rough exterior. She could see how Marlene could break down those walls, and now, Tifa saw that she could do the same. It was something she could do only because of their long relationship. She knew that she should never take advantage of the relationship again.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Barret take a step closer to her. Tifa turned to face him, and by his facial expression, she knew what he was thinking. The young woman stepped forward to meet him with open arms, the two embracing. Two long lost friends, and a sweet reunion. Tifa knew this was going to be her favorite Barret-hug.

They stood in each other’s arms for a long time, the rest of the world at peace around them. Tifa felt warmth from his embrace, and it was comforting to know he didn’t hate her. She would have been devastated if she had lost his friendship. However, she didn’t let her thoughts dwell on that; that was too miserable. Instead, she let herself soften into the embrace and enjoy the comfort it brought. After a while, Tifa started to feel tired. It was a combination of things, including her physical exhaustion from the action lately and the peace she felt in her heart.

“Barret?†she spoke, her voice sounding weak. Her embrace around Barret started to soften, and she felt Barret react the same way. When his eyes met hers, Tifa immediately knew he understood what was happening. He slowly and gently released her, his eyes never leaving hers. Once they were completely apart, Tifa gave him a faint smile. He gave one in return, and it just about made Tifa’s heart melt. She wished she could stand there with him longer, but she hadn’t gotten much sleep lately, so she really did need to rest. The understanding in Barret’s eyes was very comforting to her; it let her know that things were alright.

She turned around and headed towards the nearest tree, which was one of the only spots protected from the sun. Once she sat herself down with her back against the tree, she promptly fell into a dreamless slumber.

 

Chapter 8: Day of Fate (Part 1)

“Tifa. Tifa, wake up,†Cloud gently roused the young woman sleeping under the tree. Tifa furrowed her brows slightly, feeling a hand lightly rest on her shoulder. When she finally opened her eyes, she saw Cloud kneeling in front of her, his eyes piercing hers. Even in this lighting, his eyes were as bright as ever. In the darkness, she could still see their radiance. Wait, darkness?! Tifa suddenly became more aware, her eyes scanning the area. Everyone was standing around. A few were looking at her, but the rest were gazing down at the Yuraks.

Nightfall. Tifa realized this fact fairly quickly, startled that she hadn’t been awoken sooner. Her eyes were slightly wider than usual in anticipation. Hopefully her reflexes wouldn’t be too clouded because she had just awakened from her slumber. She set a hand on the ground and started to rise to her feet. Cloud’s hand slipped off her shoulder, but his eyes stayed on her the entire time.

“Why didn’t you get me up sooner?†Tifa asked, her voice sounding groggy.

“I was concerned about your health. You haven’t gotten much rest lately.†He paused. “Are you sure you’re alright to fight tonight? You don’t look too good.â€

“I’m fine,†Tifa said absently, waving off his concern. She still felt tired, but that wasn’t going to keep her off the battlefield, that was for sure. “Let’s just go,â€

Cloud nodded, and then turned his attention to the rest of the group. “Judging by their movement and patrol patterns, they’ve greatly raised their defense. We need to be very careful tonight.†Everyone murmured their agreements as they checked their weapons. Once everyone was prepared, they started to head down on their own. They were still going down as individuals, which was the wisest move they could have made. Tifa was second to last heading down, Cloud leaving right after her. He headed down the same trail she did, then broke off sometime when they were closer to the bottom.

Tifa snuck into the area and hid behind a bush. Every time somebody walked by, she would disable them and then throw them into the wooded area behind her. However, once she was there for a long time and nobody else came, she realized she must have finished off everyone who was supposed to patrol that area. So she went on the move, knocking out other ninjas in her general area. Things were going wonderfully for such a long time, that Tifa figured tomorrow night they would hunt down Hiraku.

Flash! A high-beam came on, illuminating the ground. But it wasn’t targeted at Tifa; it was on an area to her right.

“Hunt the imbecile who is eliminating out people!†a battle cry came from the entrance of one of the caves, a general apparently leading his people. Tifa jumped behind a group of trees, watching in horror as they all charged past her toward the lit-up area. No! They were going for one of her friends! Tifa suddenly felt enraged, and she charged out of her bush, ambushing the final line of soldiers. She took out five easily before the rest of the ninjas turned around and saw her.

“What?!†the general cried out. “It’s the infidel! Attack HER! Forget about the other girl.â€

“Girlâ€, Tifa thought. They must have seen Yuffie. Heh, some ninja she is... Tifa took a step back, fists raised as she prepared herself for a hard battle. There must have been fifty Yuraks surrounding her already, and she was sure there were more on the way. But she also had hope that her friends were on the way. A group charged at her, but she quickly swatted them off. One of them dropped a sword, and she picked it up, making a move of swinging in the air to scare off her foes.

“Come on!†she cried, rushing the nearest ninja. Before he knew what hit him, he was shredded to bits. A few more came in at her, and she had trouble dispatching them. She winced when a blade cut her upper arm, then another weapon impacting her leg. She fell back, but quickly picked herself back up. Unstable on her feet, she knew she couldn’t fight them off physically at that moment. A materia started to glow in her arm as she pulled back her hand. Three fiery bolts shot out of her hand, impacting nearly all of her enemies. Those were not impacted stepped back in fear and shock. While they were distracted, Tifa sent one more high into the sky. She understood that it would attract more enemies, but it would also let her friends know where to come.

One ninja recovered exceedingly quickly and charged forward, but Tifa merely grabbed his arm and spun him around. Once the speed was built up, she chucked him at a group that was just starting to rise to their feet. Three more charged at her, and she grunted in disbelief when she realized she couldn’t defend herself against them. She did the only thing she could do; she jumped backwards, landing in a tree. Instead of letting them gawk at her quick movement, she leapt down on them again, taking out the three that had gone for her in the first place.

Tifa stood still for a moment, scanning the area around her. It was then that she noticed they had formed a circle around her. In the background, she heard guns being loaded. They had no intention of letting her make it out alive.

Gunshots sounded around her, and she instinctively cowered to avoid any bullets. But they were not aimed for her. The ninjas surrounding her crumbled, most dying right away. The others lost their lives when the earth beneath them started to quake with such ferocity that it swallowed them up.

The young woman rose to her feet, eyes wandering. Barret was two steps away, gun aimed upward at the caves. That was the location of the gunmen. He fired away at them, his rage coming out in a growl. He hated to see Tifa hurt and endangered. To her left, Tifa noticed Red XIII arriving with Cait Sith on his back.

“You alright, lass?!†Cait Sith asked over the gunshots. He looked up at her, concern in his large cat eyes.

“Don’t worry about me,†Tifa said simply. “Worry about them.†She pointed to in front of them. More Yuraks were joining the battle. Red and Cait Sith looked at her a moment longer before turning forward, charging at the group. Tifa ran moments after them, hurrying to catch up. While running, two more people came along side of her. Yuffie and Cid. They both had more energy than she, so they made it to the group before she did.

Tifa finally arrived at the mass of Yuraks, taking down four of them in one combo move. Then even more came at her at once, nearly knocking her off her feet. The battle was so biased! Nearly all of the ninjas were going for her, not her friends. Sure, she was glad her friends weren’t in as great of danger as she was, but if this continued, she wasn’t going to survive the battle! There were too many going against her at once, and she was losing energy quickly.

A heavy weapon swung into her stomach, causing her a great deal of pain. Not only that, but it also sent her flying backwards. She had no control over her body as she soared through the air. Pain exploded from her head when she landed, her head banging against a tree. Her vision blackout for a moment, and she fought to regain consciousness of where she was. Come on, she thought to herself, gritting her teeth at the pain. She blinked a few times, the blackness finally disappearing. Just in time to see a bunch of Yuraks charging towards her. Her other friends were still caught up in their own battles, being distracted from a great issue here.

Tifa grabbed onto a low tree branch, bringing herself back to her feet as quickly as she could. But it was too late; she was already surrounded. Her legs gave out from underneath her, and she shakily fell to her knees. She put out her hands to catch herself before she fell on her face. A sick feeling entered her stomach when she realized she would either die here or she would be so seriously wounded she would wish for death.

The girl gritted her teeth together in frustration. How could she even think that?! She wasn’t giving up without a fight! She pushed up with her hands, coming onto only her knees now. The ninjas around her were raising their weapons. Tifa clenched one of her hands in a fist, another materia glowing in her arm. Bolts of lightning rained down on her opponents, the electricity so strong in them that they all either fell and lost their lives or stepped back. While they were distracted, Tifa broke through the back line, defeating the two ninjas that stood in her way. Then she escaped into the forest. She ran as quickly as she could, determined to get out of the battle for a moment to pull herself together. Fortunately, she didn’t hear anybody running after her.

A minute later, she broke through the woods, into a clearing. She gasped for air as she fell to her knees, weakness overtaking her. Several of her wounds were bleeding, and she was just plain exhausted. She let her eyes fall shut as she cast cure on herself, using up what remained of her magic. Relief immediately came to her, refreshing her. She sighed softly, feeling the pain start to weaken; however, it was still there. That is, until a few moments later. A tingling feeling spread throughout her body and the aches disappeared almost completely. She opened her eyes in surprise.

A young man was approaching her. Spiky hair, big sword...Cloud. Tifa put a hand on the ground and stood up again. She felt Cloud’s hand on her shoulder almost immediately afterwards. “You okay?†he asked, his voice sounding frantic. Tifa nodded. She was now, since she had a chance to cure herself of her aches. And Cloud had cast cure as well; that was the second healing she had felt.

Tifa suddenly heard a series of battle cries. Her eyes widened when she saw a bunch of Yuraks swarm the area. She prepared herself for battle, but then Cloud’s hand tightened on her shoulder. He pulled her behind him and raised his sword. His body began to glow faintly, and Tifa knew that he was about to use a limit break. She lowered her hands and nodded faintly, silently letting Cloud know that she understood what was happening. She took in a deep breath and shut her eyes. Moments later, the sounds of battle entered her ears. Then it stopped very abruptly. She opened her eyes, seeing Cloud standing a few yards away. All the ninjas around her were defeated.

Then Tifa saw one start to crawl away. Before Cloud could take the initiative, she stepped forward. She leaned down and harshly grabbed him by the top of his shirt. “Where’s Hiraku?!†she snapped, shoving him into a tree. The ninja only laughed. She brought her other hand to his neck, clenching it lightly. “Answer me! Or your death will be a slow and painful one.â€

“Hehe, I don’t believe you have that kind of power.â€

Tifa smirked. “Please. Hiraku has the nerve to send all his ninjas after me, and I have no power? Where’s the logic in that?†The ninja’s eyes darkened. “If you don’t answer me, I will break every, single bone in your body. I’m sure it’ll be agonizing.â€

“No, no please!†the Yurak cried. “He’s in an abandoned farmhouse. To the east of the mountain range. It’s a fifteen minute sprint from here.â€

“Is he alone? Does he have more men with him?â€

“O-only a few. But they are his finest assassins.â€

Tifa paused. “Does he know we’re coming?â€

“Most likely.â€

Surprisingly, Tifa believed him. A man wasn’t going to lie when he was so afraid of pain. This was obviously a rookie. A full-fledged ninja would not betray his master. The girl brought her hand off his neck and punched him hard on his chin. The Yurak crumbled and she released her grip on his shirt, taking a step back away from the body.

“What now?†Tifa turned at the voice, recognizing it as Vincent’s. The vampire was standing alongside Cloud, along with all her other friends. Apparently every other Yurak in the area had been taken care of. Tifa locked eys with Cloud, but he still did not say a word. It was then that she realized that he was allowing her to take over the leadership of this mission. He too understood how superior her knowledge was when it came to these people.

“We leave. We run straight for the farmhouse and finish this. For good.â€

 

[I forget to update this when nobody responds. 0.o So if you guys want me to remember and post on time, please respond to my posts. =/ ]

Chapter 9: Day of Fate (Part 2)

Tifa ran in the middle of the pack all the way to the farmhouse. Red XIII led the group, since he was naturally the quickest out of all of them. In what felt like no time at all, they reached the farmhouse. Everything was awkwardly silent. There was no sign of anyone, not Hiraku, not his Yuraks. It was at that moment Tifa wondered if the ninja was lying.

However, the arrow that soared through the air and almost pierced her heart made her consider otherwise. Fortunately for her, Cloud swatted the arrow away with one swing of her sword. Vincent shot a single bullet into the night, killing the man who had shot the arrow. So, Hiraku really was there. Tifa clenched her fist in anger, the girl staring at the entrance to the barn. Finally. Finally, she could finish this off. She could get rid of Hiraku and protect all those innocent people who found meaningful things to do with their lives. Her friends could return to their former lives. She would no longer be hunted. She ran to the door, her friends close behind.

With one kick, Tifa brought down the doors. She rushed in first, followed by the others. Wow, they’re really taking this leadership thing seriously, Tifa thought in the back of her mind. Even more than that though, her heart was beating in anticipation to what was hopefully going to happen here. Hiraku was about to die. The opening room was empty, but there was another door straight ahead. She ran for that, then broke it down in the same manner as the first one.

Once they all entered the room, they were promptly greeted by ten Yurak assassins, as promised by the apparently-truthful ninja from earlier. Three came for her, and then the others fought off the remaining seven. In the start, they had all been targeting her, but they couldn’t get too close; her friends had created a barrier around her to keep her safe.

Tifa Lockhart knocked out the last ninja with a hard punch. Her brown eyes wandered upward, and she saw an enemy standing on a pile of crates. Not just any ordinary enemy, but the worst of them all. It was the man she hated nearly as much as she hated Sephiroth. Hiraku.

She gritted her teeth together and walked forward, her eyes never leaving that man. The Yurak leader raised his hand, but nothing appeared to happen. However, Tifa was very wrong. A faint shimmering noise entered her ear, and she turned around just in time to see a barrier appear. It separated her from her friends. And more importantly, it left her alone with Hiraku. That coward, she thought viciously. He didn’t have the courage to fight them all at once, so now he was going to eliminate Tifa and then target the others. It was a great strategy; too bad he was the enemy.

Hiraku smiled warmly, like a wolf in sheep’s clothes. He jumped down from the boxes, his landing very graceful. “It is good to finally see you in person, Tifa Lockhart.â€

Tifa clenched a fist. So, this man really did know who she was. That meant he also knew about how she the most powerful Rebk out there. What else did this imply? How long had he been watching her...? The implications pierced her heart, making her feel a surprising sense of fear.

“Still, I am disappointed all the same. You were supposed to have been killed months ago. How you managed to escape alive, I do not know. But it will not be happening today. Today, you will die and be with your fallen comrades in the Lifestream. And soon, I will rule over all of you and control this planet, as Jenova has commanded me to.â€

Tifa gritted her teeth together in frustration and shock. The ambush that killed Trent...it was probably her fault. They were going for her, but Trent had stepped in and they had gotten rid of him. “SHUT UP!†she suddenly screamed, running forward. A moment before her fist would have reached his chin, he grabbed her wrist. Tifa gasped at his strength, that one movement stopping her completely. He chuckled, then threw her backwards. She rolled on the ground several times before coming to a stop.

“Tifa?!†Cloud yelled frantically. He stood helplessly behind the barrier, one of his hands on the translucent wall. This was torturous for him, having to stand by the sidelines and watch Tifa be in danger. In other situations, it had been a little better because he could protect her from harm. But now...

The girl rose to her feet, unharmed. “I’m fine,†she said absently, speaking over her shoulder. She glared at Hiraku in anger. “He was just toying with me.†Hiraku grinned. “Tell me Hiraku, why are you doing things this way? Wouldn’t it have been easier just to have your men stalk me through the woods a few months ago and kill me in my sleep?†She needed to buy some time; that barrier couldn’t stand forever.

“This will be much more pleasant for me to do myself. I have waited for this day for a long time, Ms. Lockhart.†Tifa shivered at the way he said her name. “Enough of this.†Hiraku raised his fists. “We will fight. Now.†Perhaps he too realized his wall wouldn’t keep Cloud and the others out forever. Tifa realized she had no options but to fight as Hiraku wanted her to. Either she could flee and buy more time (which would leave her more vulnerable to his attacks), or she could fight. She went with the second option.

Both of them charged forward and the fight began. They were both going fist to fist, thank goodness. If Hiraku had been using his trademark sword, then Tifa would have been doomed. However, she probably was doomed either way. He wasn’t the Yurak leader for nothing. He could take her down very easily if she wasn’t careful with her fighting. Tifa threw caution to the wind as she fought, using all her strength to fight him off. And surprisingly, she wasn’t doing badly. He wasn’t getting many blows in, but then again, neither was she. It appeared they were an even match. Unless he was playing with her again...

A few minutes into the battle, they both broke away from each other. Tifa gasped raggedly, trying to catch her breath. She heard Hiraku catch his breath as well, but he didn’t seem nearly as winded as Tifa. This battle isn’t going as well as I had hoped, Tifa thought. Oh well, she wasn’t going to give in. She ran forward again, this time coming up with a new strategy. There was a crowbar lying on the ground a few feet behind Hiraku. If she could just get a hold of that, it would help her. At least for the time being.

Hiraku raised his arms in defense, not seeing that her sight rested elsewhere. She leapt over top of him, landing right by the crowbar. The girl spun around and charged at his exposed back. The weapon impacted him with such great force that he flew forward a few feet. However, he didn’t lose his footing. So she attempted the same move again. But he was prepared for it. He turned around and snatched the weapon out of her hands before she even knew what happened. Then he knocked her over the head with it.

Tifa’s vision swam as she fell down, legs collapsed underneath her. Get up, get up! she screamed internally. However, her body wouldn’t respond. She felt Hiraku grab onto her white shirt, and then she felt nothing as she soared through the air. A loud thudding sound brought her out of her daze, as well as the pain of impacting a bunch of metal crates.

“Tifa!†Cloud cried frantically.

“Cloud, what we gonna do?!†Barret asked, panic in his voice. He too saw what bad shape Tifa was in.

Cloud composed himself. “Knock down the wall. Now!†He swung his hefty sword at the barrier. The wall didn’t fade for even a second. “Come on!â€

The sound of metal clanging entered her ears as Tifa shakily rose to her feet. It was her friends, using their weapons to try and break down the wall. The girl didn’t focus on that. Instead, she turned her eyes forward again. Hiraku was standing about ten feet away, hands empty. Apparently he decided to get rid of the crowbar and just beat her in a fist fight. As comforting as it was to see him weaponless, Tifa still knew this was a fight she could not win in. Unless Cloud and the others broke down that wall. She could buy them more time. “I’m counting on you,†she whispered into the air. The girl suddenly raised her fists again and charged for Hiraku.

Cloud’s eyes widened when he saw Tifa get back into the action so quickly. She had taken so many blows already; he had no idea what gave her the strength to continue on. The blonde-haired man swung at the barrier for what must have been the fiftieth time, though his eyes stayed on the fighting girl. She was fighting brilliantly, not even using material yet still dealing critical blows. He was impressed. After this was over, he would have to tell her that.

“It isn’t working!†Yuffie shouted in anguish. Cloud was just about to swing his sword again, but then he realized that she was right. He lowered his blade and turned to his comrades, who had also stopped in their attempts to break the barrier.

“Find another way out! Look for a weak point,†he commanded. The others all spread out throughout the enclosed area and started to work on new areas. Cloud, however, continued to work on his area. He hoped that with persistence, the wall would break. His arms swung the hefty blade again, but his attention was focused on Tifa. She looked so worn out. Multiple wounds appeared on her body. How much longer could she take this abuse...?

Tifa unleashed a battle cry as she kicked Hiraku hard in the stomach. The vulnerable man flew backwards, into his own barrier. Tifa was tempted to release a shout in success, but she knew Hiraku would be back on his feet soon. And sure enough, he stood right back up, hardly phased from her attack. Hiraku reached for a dagger in his pocket and threw it straight for Tifa, but he missed, only because of her quick reflexes.

“That’s it!†Tifa cried out in anger. She had enough of this. It was time to unleash her full power. The girl’s body started to radiate with a faint blue aura, signaling that she was about to use a limit break. Her eyes locked onto Hiraku, who was clearly surprised at the turn of events. She smirked as she charged forward. The fists started flying as soon as they were in range of each other, but only hers landed solid blows. She was so powered up, it was impossible for him to do anything. After one final kick in the groin, she jumped backwards, levitating in the air for a few moments. Her arms started to glow with the material, and all of a sudden bursts of magic rained down on Hiraku. Fire, wind, water...every element imaginable now impacted the Yurak leader.

Tifa fell back to earth, her landing not as graceful as it normally was due to the fact that she was exhausted. She landed on one knee, her back towards Hiraku. And she was facing Cloud and the others, who had gone silent. The young woman turned to look over her shoulder. Hiraku laid still on the ground, unmoving. At least for the time being, Tifa realized. Realistically, she couldn’t expect him to stay down. He was so strong; he would probably regain consciousness within the next few minutes.

Tifa picked herself up quickly, also grabbing the dagger off the floor. She needed to finish this. Now. Her feet carried her over to Hiraku quickly, and she hesitated for one brief moment. Killing humans didn’t come easily to her. He’s not human; he’s a monster, Tifa reasoned. He’s out to kill the innocent. Like Denzel and Marlene.

That was enough motivation for Tifa.

She knelt down in preparation to stab him in the back, the dagger firmly in her hand. Just as she went in for the kill, a hand stopped her. It grabbed her wrist. She gasped in shock; Hiraku had never been unconscious. Suddenly he kicked her, making her collapse to her knees. Then he beat her as if there was no tomorrow. And for her, there wouldn’t be. The pain was agonizing, and the wounds were surely fatal. She gave up hope of living to see the next day.

Hiraku threw her hard, her limbs flailing as she flew through the air. She hit the barrier very hard, then slid down to the ground.

“NO!†she heard Cloud’s scream enter her ears. He must have been right behind her to have been that loud. But his voice still sounded like it was faded. It seemed softer than it should have. It was at that moment Tifa realized she was losing consciousness. If she lost her grip on reality now, surely she would never get it back.

Cloud, I’m sorry, Tifa apologized mentally, having no energy to speak aloud. She suddenly heard footsteps coming towards her, and she knew it was Hiraku coming to finish the job. The only hope she had left was hope that death wouldn’t be too painful. But then again, it couldn’t be much more painful than what she was already experiencing.

A loud crashing noise suddenly entered her ears, and Tifa winced. The noise was followed by a scream. Hiraku?

Tifa opened her eyes just in time to Hiraku fly into the air, and then get knocked back down when a man intercepted him mid air. The mysterious man kicked Hiraku right in the back, instantly breaking his spin. Tifa winced once again when Hiraku landed. It was such a painful crash, and she had no doubt Hiraku felt even worse than she. The stranger landed and pulled a dagger out of a case to his side. He stabbed Hiraku in the back, doing what Tifa couldn’t do.

The girl forced herself up, still lying down but resting on her hands now as she stared up at the man. She didn’t understand...she didn’t know who this person was. Or did she? He seemed strangely familiar...But she didn’t know anybody who would dress in pure white like that. And the hood of his sweatshirt covered his face, so it was impossible for her to distinguish who he was.

And then he turned to her, pulling the hood off the top of his head. Tifa stared at the face that was revealed, totally awestruck.

“Trent?†Tifa gasped, pain evident in her voice. She tried to pick herself up again, but she wasn’t strong enough to stand up yet. But she wasn’t going to stop trying; not with Trent here. How he was there, she didn’t know. Either way, he was there. Perhaps he was going to take her with him, to a world without pain...

“Tifa? Tifa! Stay with me!†Trent’s urgent voice entered her ears, and Tifa realized she must have dazed off. Or was that Cloud’s voice? She couldn’t tell at the moment, too tired to care. No matter what the case was, the voice brought her out of her daze. Even more than that, she felt something against her lips, and that stunned her enough for her to open her eyes again. It was a potion bottle. The liquid poured down her throat, a tingling sensation running through her body. She swallowed the drink, her eyes staying open this time. It was at that moment she realized that she was sitting up partway, and she was in Trent’s arms. He was kneeling down beside her, holding that bottle to her lips. She blushed in embarrassment; he had never seen her at such a weak point.

Trent looked Tifa tenderly, concern in his eyes. “You okay, sweetheart?†he asked, lowering the bottle. Tifa blushed even more at this comment; that was a nickname he had used on her during their time fighting together. It sure did bring back memories. Not just bad ones, surprisingly, but good ones. Their friendship had been much stronger than Tifa had first suspected.

“I’m alright.†I just really miss you.

“You still look a little green. Here, why don’t you try to stand up?†Why can’t we just stay together here? I’m alright now that you’re here.

Tifa had little trouble rising to her feet, knowing that Trent was holding her hand and there to support her at any given time. As soon as she was upright, she did collapse slightly from tiredness, but not pain. Trent was right there to catch her. Tifa wrapped one arm around him, leaning into her friend for support.

“Trent,†Tifa said weakly.

“Try not to talk, sweetheart. I know how tired you are.â€

“...You’re not staying with me, are you?â€

Trent shook his head. “No, I can’t. Not this time.â€

“Why not?†Tifa asked innocently, a sense of naïveté coming through.

“I don’t belong here anymore,†Trent replied softly, gently brushing some of Tifa’s hair out of her eyes. “I’ve done what needed to be done.â€

Tifa shook her head, setting it against Trent’s shoulder. Tears welled up in her eyes as she spoke a simple sentence. “I still need you.â€

“Tifa...I’m still with you,†he stated tenderly. “Even if you can’t see me, just remember what’s important. It’s who you are. And how you work through the hard times. The tragedies are what turned you into the person you are today. But even through those terrible things...†he lifted her chin so she was looking at him. “There is still hope.â€

The brown-eyed girl nodded faintly. Looking into Trent’s eyes, she did believe that. Some part of her accepted the things that had passed. Perhaps she was ready for the future. But for now, she held onto Trent. She wanted to stay in his arms for at least a few more moments, because things were finally making sense with him there. He allowed her to hold on, knowing that she needed another moment of reassurance. The time they spent standing there was such a relief to Tifa, but eventually, their time came to an end.

“I have to go,†he whispered. Tifa only nodded. She slowly released him, and he did the same with her. He held onto her shoulders one last time and looked down into her eyes. “Don’t forget what’s important to you. And don’t let go of anything worth value. Okay?†Tifa nodded. Trent abruptly let go of her and turned to leave. There was a break in the barn wall that Tifa had failed to notice earlier. That was apparently the place where Trent had come from, and it was now the place he was exiting.

However, he stopped right in front of the wall instead of exiting right away as Tifa had expected. The spiky-haired man turned around and fixed his gaze on another person. Not Tifa, but Cloud, who was standing five feet away from Tifa alongside all his friends. “Watch out for her; I’m leaving her in your care.†He disappeared through the hole, and that was it.

Tifa stared at the door for a few more moments, lost in her thoughts. Trent had known exactly what she needed to hear, and he had said it all. Except for one thing...And that was goodbye. Tifa wasn’t ready to say goodbye completely yet. But that wasn’t up to her; Trent was already gone. Tifa’s eyes widened in recognition, sadness filling her heart. I didn’t get to say goodbye...

“Wait!†Tifa suddenly cried, rushing forward. She ran as quickly as she could to the broken wall, but froze when she arrived there. Looking outside, there was no sign of Trent; absolutely none. Tifa fell to her knees. I was too late. Tears flooded her eyes, threatening to fall at any second. Her friend was gone, and she would never see him that way again. Sure, he was in her heart, but she still felt awfully alone knowing he was physically gone.

“Tifa,†the sound of her name sounded alien in her ears, the girl feeling a bit too dazed to respond. A hand appeared on her shoulder; Cloud’s hand. She allowed it to rest there, all her emotions having been used up in the past hour. “We should leave now,†Cloud stated softly. Tifa only nodded. Yes, she supposed it was time to leave. She didn’t really want to, but she also knew Cloud wasn’t going to allow her to grieve right there and then. He understood better than she how tired she was and how that was going to affect her emotions.

The girl finally found the will to rise to her feet, but even the strongest will couldn’t keep her standing. She was far too exhausted from the battle and its aftermath to have the strength to stand on her own. So, just as she did with Trent, Tifa leaned into Cloud for support. He supported her small body as he half-led half-dragged her over to their other friends. Once they were with the group, they all left together.

Tifa made it about a quarter of the way back before running out of strength completely. Cloud carried her the rest of the way, his comforting and loving nature allowing Tifa to fall asleep in his arms on the journey back to the make-shift campsite.

 

I think this was good, except...the battle felt a little downplayed. My opinion is that it should have been longer. I understand that this was realistic, but it seems that most of the time Tifa is just playing the damsel in distress or just plain being abused and hurt way too easily.

In advent children she isn't that vulnerable. Another thing I noticed is that you mention Tifa left her friends and everything because she felt empty. How exactly does she rid herself of that feeling throughout the story? was it because of Aerith?

I'm comparing this to Advent Children, because it's kinda like that, in regards to AC being focused on Cloud moving on, and this one about Tifa moving on. But somehow this doesn't retain that much feeling due to some parts being a tad too rushed.

I made this for your story. Hope you'll like it. I saw this picture of Tifa and it jumped at me. The buster sword on the other side represents her bonds and friendships. And well...Tifa, since the story focuses on her. Note how the font is the same as the FF one.

 

Just saying this, I love Trent XD Sounds like the kind of guy I would date. The only thing that bugs me is Tifa keeps getting hurt. I'm not saying her wounds aren't realistic, since the Yuraks were targeting her, but it'd be nice if some of her friends got hurt, as casulties of circumstance.

And Chevliar, I ****ing love it.

 

Yes, Tifa's vulnerability is an unfortunate consequence of my writing. You see whenever I focus on a character, they tend to hurt emotionally and physically. I realize that she wasn't weak in AC, and perhaps that is why I try to portray her in a different way in my stories.

As for Tifa's emotional struggles, I get back to that in the future chapters. I was wondering if anybody was going to digest just how the story changes focus, and I'm not surprised you picked that out.

And also, I'm sorry to disapoint for the battle. Writing action scenes like that has never been my best asset.

I absolutely love the picture. <3 Thank you. And thanks for the critism, I greatly appreciate it.

EDIT: The only problem is that I forget how to put pictures in my signature anymore. =/

Yeah, that kinda goes along with what I said to Chevliar. It's just an unfortunate side-effect of my style of writing. =/ It's something I hope to improve on in the future.

 

It's pretty simple.

Here's how it would be linking to your story.

​

This would be the code you have to place in your sig space, which can be modified in the user CP. (without the * , of course)

Spoiler

[*URL="http://www.kh-vids.net/showthread.php?t=87807"][CENTER*][IMG*]http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg298/Pekola/TheJourney.png[/IMG][/CENTER][/URL]

 

Another good story PEANUT. I like where it's going, and of course that it's not over yet lol.

 

[Guys, I have a surprise for you. I was inspired by your comments and I realized you were absolutely right about that battle. That chapter could have been expanded greatly. And so, that is what I have done this past week. I think I've added about 2 pages of writing to it, including more battle and a little bit more to the ending.

So here's a revised version of chapter 9. I hope that you guys enjoy it much more than the first version.]

Chapter 9: Day of Fate (Part 2) *REVISED*

Tifa ran in the middle of the pack all the way to the farmhouse. Red XIII led the group, since he was naturally the quickest out of all of them. In what felt like no time at all, they reached the farmhouse. Everything was awkwardly silent. There was no sign of anyone, not Hiraku, not his Yuraks. It was at that moment Tifa wondered if the ninja was lying.

However, the arrow that soared through the air and almost pierced her heart made her consider otherwise. Fortunately for her, Cloud swatted the arrow away with one swing of her sword. Vincent shot a single bullet into the night, killing the man who had shot the arrow. So, Hiraku really was there. Tifa clenched her fist in anger, the girl staring at the entrance to the barn. Finally. Finally, she could finish this off. She could get rid of Hiraku and protect all those innocent people who found meaningful things to do with their lives. Her friends could return to their former lives. She would no longer be hunted. She ran to the door, her friends close behind.

With one kick, Tifa brought down the doors. She rushed in first, followed by the others. Wow, they’re really taking this leadership thing seriously, Tifa thought in the back of her mind. Even more than that though, her heart was beating in anticipation to what was hopefully going to happen here. Hiraku was about to die. The opening room was empty, but there was another door straight ahead. She ran for that, then broke it down in the same manner as the first one.

Once they all entered the room, they were promptly greeted by ten Yurak assassins, as promised by the apparently-truthful ninja from earlier. Three came for her, and then the others fought off the remaining seven. In the start, they had all been targeting her, but they couldn’t get too close; her friends had created a barrier around her to keep her safe.

Tifa Lockhart knocked out the last ninja with a hard punch. She heard a groan (not unusual during a battle) but this groan made her heart skip a beat. One of her comrades had been hurt. She hurriedly turned around, forgetting about everything except her friend. Barret had a hand around his stomach, and he looked in pain. Tifa felt a surge of panic run through her, then anger. Nobody hurt Barret. Despite the fact that Tifa had always looked to him as a protector, she now felt a need to protect him.

A malevolent chuckle reverberated throughout the room, making Tifa tense. Her brown eyes wandered upward, and she saw an enemy standing on a pile of crates. Not just any ordinary enemy, but the worst of them all. It was the man she hated nearly as much as she hated Sephiroth. Hiraku.

She gritted her teeth together and walked forward, her eyes never leaving that man. The Yurak leader raised his hand, but nothing appeared to happen. However, Tifa was very wrong. A faint shimmering noise entered her ear, and she turned around just in time to see a barrier appear. It separated her from her friends. And more importantly, it left her alone with Hiraku. That coward, she thought viciously. He didn’t have the courage to fight them all at once, so now he was going to eliminate Tifa and then target the others. It was a great strategy; too bad he was the enemy.

Hiraku smiled warmly, like a wolf in sheep’s clothes. He jumped down from the boxes, his landing very graceful. “It is good to finally see you in person, Tifa Lockhart.â€

Tifa clenched a fist. So, this man really did know who she was. That meant he also knew about how she the most powerful Rebk out there. What else did this imply? How long had he been watching her...? The implications pierced her heart, making her feel a surprising sense of fear.

“Still, I am disappointed all the same. You were supposed to have been killed months ago. How you managed to escape alive, I do not know. But it will not be happening today. Today, you will die and be with your fallen comrades in the Lifestream. And soon, I will rule over all of you and control this planet, as Jenova has commanded me to.â€

Tifa gritted her teeth together in frustration and shock. The ambush that killed Trent...it was probably her fault. They were going for her, but Trent had stepped in and they had gotten rid of him. “SHUT UP!†she suddenly screamed, running forward. A moment before her fist would have reached his chin, he grabbed her wrist. Tifa gasped at his strength, that one movement stopping her completely. He chuckled, then threw her backwards. She rolled on the ground several times before coming to a stop.

“Tifa?!†Cloud yelled frantically. He stood helplessly behind the barrier, one of his hands on the translucent wall. This was torturous for him, having to stand by the sidelines and watch Tifa be in danger. In other situations, it had been a little better because he could protect her from harm. But now...

The girl rose to her feet, unharmed. “I’m fine,†she said absently, speaking over her shoulder. She glared at Hiraku in anger. “He was just toying with me.†Hiraku grinned. “Tell me Hiraku, why are you doing things this way? Wouldn’t it have been easier just to have your men stalk me through the woods a few months ago and kill me in my sleep?†She needed to buy some time; that barrier couldn’t stand forever.

“This will be much more pleasant for me to do myself. I have waited for this day for a long time, Ms. Lockhart.†Tifa shivered at the way he said her name. “Enough of this.†Hiraku raised his fists. “We will fight. Now.†Perhaps he too realized his wall wouldn’t keep Cloud and the others out forever. Tifa realized she had no options but to fight as Hiraku wanted her to. Either she could flee and buy more time (which would leave her more vulnerable to his attacks), or she could fight. She went with the second option.

Both of them charged forward and the fight began. They were both going fist to fist, thank goodness. If Hiraku had been using his trademark sword, then Tifa would have been doomed. However, she probably was doomed either way. He wasn’t the Yurak leader for nothing. He could take her down very easily if she wasn’t careful with her fighting. Tifa threw caution to the wind as she fought, using all her strength to fight him off. And surprisingly, she wasn’t doing badly. He wasn’t getting many blows in, but then again, neither was she. It appeared they were an even match. Unless he was playing with her again...

A few minutes into the battle, they both broke away from each other. Tifa gasped raggedly, trying to catch her breath. She heard Hiraku catch his breath as well, but he didn’t seem nearly as winded as Tifa. This battle isn’t going as well as I had hoped, Tifa thought. Oh well, she wasn’t going to give in. She ran forward again, this time coming up with a new strategy. There was a crowbar lying on the ground a few feet behind Hiraku. If she could just get a hold of that, it would help her. At least for the time being.

Hiraku raised his arms in defense, not seeing that her sight rested elsewhere. She leapt over top of him, landing right by the crowbar. The girl spun around and charged at his exposed back. The weapon impacted him with such great force that he flew forward a few feet. However, he didn’t stay off balance. So she attempted the same move again. But he was prepared for it. He turned around and snatched the weapon out of her hands before she even knew what happened. Then he knocked her over the head with it.

Tifa’s vision swam as she fell down, legs collapsed underneath her. Get up, get up! she screamed internally. However, her body wouldn’t respond. She felt Hiraku grab onto her white shirt, and then she felt nothing as she soared through the air. A loud thudding sound brought her out of her daze, as well as the pain of impacting a bunch of metal crates.

“Tifa!†Cloud cried frantically.

“Cloud, what we gonna do?!†Barret asked, panic in his voice. The burly man had let go of his stomach a long time ago, too engrossed in the battle to care about the ache he felt. He, like Cloud, saw what bad shape Tifa was in.

Cloud composed himself quickly, knowing that getting worked up was not going to help anyway. “Knock down the wall. Now!†He swung his hefty sword at the barrier. The wall didn’t fade for even a second. But since it was his only option at that moment, he tried again. “Come on!â€

The sound of metal clanging entered her ears as Tifa shakily rose to her feet. It was her friends, using their weapons to try and break down the wall. The girl didn’t focus on that. Instead, she turned her eyes forward again. Hiraku was standing about ten feet away, hands empty. Apparently he decided to get rid of the crowbar and just beat her in a fist fight. As comforting as it was to see him weaponless, Tifa still knew this was a fight she could not win in. Unless Cloud and the others broke down that wall. She could buy them more time. “I’m counting on you,†she whispered into the air. The girl suddenly raised her fists again and charged for Hiraku.

Cloud’s eyes widened when he saw Tifa get back into the action so quickly. She had taken so many blows already; he had no idea what gave her the strength to continue on. The blonde-haired man swung at the barrier for what must have been the fiftieth time, though his eyes stayed on the fighting girl. She was combating brilliantly, not even using materia yet still dealing critical blows. He was impressed. After this was over, he would have to tell her that.

“It isn’t working!†Yuffie shouted in anguish. Cloud was just about to swing his sword again, but then he realized that she was right. He lowered his blade and turned to his comrades, who had also stopped in their attempts to break the barrier.

“Find another way out! Look for a weak point,†he commanded. The others all spread out throughout the enclosed area and started to work on new areas. Cloud, however, continued to work on his area. He hoped that with persistence, the wall would break. His arms swung the hefty blade again, but his attention was focused on Tifa. She looked so worn out. Multiple wounds appeared on her body. How much longer could she take this abuse...?

Tifa unleashed a battle cry as she kicked Hiraku hard in the stomach. The vulnerable man flew backwards, into his own barrier. Tifa was tempted to release a shout in success, but she knew Hiraku would be back on his feet soon. And sure enough, he stood right back up, hardly phased from her attack. Hiraku reached for a dagger in his pocket and threw it straight for Tifa, but he missed, only because of her quick reflexes.

The woman did an extra back flip before stopping, balanced now that she had a brief moment to recover. She was panting heavily now, sweat coating her trembling body. Fighting this way wasn’t working; she had to come up with a new strategy. Her eyes scanned the room, but she saw nothing to assist her. The only thing that she saw now was Hiraku charging at her. Tifa growled softly, curling her hand into a fist before running toward her enemy.

Something hung from his side, something she hadn’t noticed before. A sword in its hilt. It was then that Tifa knew what she had to do. Moments before they would have collided, Tifa flipped over her opponent. But not without reaching down and grabbing the sword out of his hilt. She landed gracefully and quickly turned around, sharp blade in her hand. Hiraku stopped and glared at her, shocked and angered that his sword had been stolen. Tifa smirked. There had just been a change in the tide. Before Hiraku could react, Tifa charged him again. She cleared the space between them within a second of starting her spring, giving Hiraku absolutely no chance to move. The sword cut right through him, and Tifa was oddly relieved to hear his scream of pain. Never before had she felt so good about hurting an enemy.

“You’ll pay,†Hiraku grunted, grabbing his stomach in discomfort. “I swear, you will pay.â€

“Not today.†Tifa ran at him again, this time cutting through his chest in a way that formed an “Xâ€. Or, depending on how you looked at it, it could have been a “T†for “Tifaâ€.

Hiraku moaned, but he still stood. He was an extremely strong opponent. Perhaps he was not as powerful as Sephiroth, but he was still a force to be reckoned with. The man flexed his hand and a dark aura started to radiate around his side. Tifa took a defensive position, sword in front of her in case she had to deflect an attack. But, to her surprise, he wasn’t going to send another projectile towards her. A sword formed in his hand. Tifa stood in stunned silence. She knew the Yuraks had powerful witchcraft, but she had never seen a form quite like this...

A battle cry entered her ears, and Tifa saw a blurred figure rushing towards her. She gasped and leapt into the air, only avoiding the sword by a fraction of an inch. She landed on a set of crates, but she didn’t stay there long. Leaping off the boxes, she descended on Hiraku. If he hadn’t moved, she would have landed right on top of him. Angered that she had missed her target, she swung her sword at him. He dodged it. Again, she swung at him. Again he dodged.

Then, at the same time, they both went to attack each other. Their swords collided, and they both fought to press down harder on each other’s blades.

“Fool,†Hiraku gasped. “This battle is meaningless. My power still surpasses yours and the power of your friends. What hope to you have to win?â€

“You’re gaping like a fish and bleeding as well, Hiraku,†Tifa replied smugly.

Hiraku chuckled. “Perhaps. But your strength is not your own; you are fighting out of rage. That eventually depletes your strength. Is it because of your friend? What was his name...Travis? No no, it was Trent...â€

“Shut it, you son of a...†Tifa murmured the last part, suddenly feeling weak at the name of Trent. She was fighting for him, but she was also fighting for herself. And her friends. And for the future. All these were reasons for fighting. She wouldn’t let Hiraku make her feel small for this.

“What’s wrong, girl? Did I hit a sore spot?†Hiraku smirked, egging on Tifa. “Are you--â€

“I fight for my friends. And for the future!†Tifa snapped. “But you will pay for what you’ve done...â€

“Then your friends will be disappointed at the end of the day. For this is a fight that you will never win.†Hiraku suddenly pressed down hardly on Tifa’s sword, knocking her back. Tifa blinked in surprise, then reacted just in time to feel Hiraku’s blade against hers again. But this time, it was not a stalemate. He knocked her several times, forcing her to back up to deflect the blows. A well placed kick hit her in the stomach, sending her backwards. Then the sword was knocked out of her hand and a hard blow impacted her head. Tifa’s vision went fuzzy and unfortunately for her, she couldn’t see Hiraku’s oncoming fist. He punched her square on the chin and kicked her in the stomach, sending her flying.

Tifa impacted the ground hard, a grunt escaping her. It was obvious to her that Hiraku was running on the last of his energy, as was she. Speaking of last energy...Her body began to glow with a faint blue tinge. It was time for her limit break. Her eyes locked onto Hiraku, who was clearly surprised at the turn of events. She smirked as she picked herself up and charged forward. The fists started flying as soon as they were in range of each other, but only hers landed solid blows. She was so powered up, it was impossible for him to do anything. After one final kick in the groin, she jumped backwards, levitating in the air for a few moments. Her arms started to glow with materia, and all of a sudden bursts of magic rained down on Hiraku. Fire, wind, water...every element imaginable now impacted the Yurak leader.

Tifa fell back to earth, her landing not as graceful as it normally was due to the fact that she was exhausted. She landed on one knee, her back towards Hiraku. And she was facing Cloud and the others, who had gone silent. The young woman turned to look over her shoulder. Hiraku laid still on the ground, unmoving. At least for the time being, Tifa realized. Realistically, she couldn’t expect him to stay down. He was so strong; he would probably regain consciousness within the next few minutes.

Tifa picked herself up quickly, also grabbing the dagger off the floor. She needed to finish this. Now. Her feet carried her over to Hiraku quickly, and she hesitated for one brief moment. Killing humans didn’t come easily to her. He’s not human; he’s a monster, Tifa reasoned. He’s out to kill the innocent. Like Denzel and Marlene.

That was enough motivation for Tifa.

She knelt down in preparation to stab him in the back, the dagger firmly in her hand. Just as she went in for the kill, a hand stopped her. It grabbed her wrist. She gasped in shock; Hiraku had never been unconscious. Suddenly he kicked her, making her collapse to her knees. Then a hand grabbed onto her shirt and Hiraku threw her hard, her limbs flailing as she flew through the air. She hit the barrier exceedingly hard, then slid down to the ground.

“NO!†she heard Cloud’s scream enter her ears. He must have been right behind her to have been that loud. But his voice still sounded like it was faded. It seemed softer than it should have. Tifa shook it off, hair down in her eyes. She wasn’t giving up, not now, not ever. She started rising to her feet, but it was taking an extremely long time to do so. Even when she fell back down to one knee it felt slower than usual.

He cast slow on me, Tifa realized numbly. Staring at the ground, she suddenly heard footsteps coming towards her, and she knew it was Hiraku coming to finish the job. Since she was sluggish now, she couldn’t even defend herself. What a humiliating death; fighting so hard for so long only to be killed off because a spell prevented her from moving. The only hope she had left was hope that death wouldn’t be too painful. But then again, it couldn’t be much more painful than what she was already experiencing.

A loud crashing noise suddenly entered her ears, and Tifa winced. The noise was followed by a scream. Hiraku?

Tifa opened her eyes just in time to Hiraku fly into the air, and then get knocked back down when a man intercepted him mid air. The mysterious man kicked Hiraku right in the back, instantly breaking his spin. Tifa winced once again when Hiraku landed. It was such a painful crash, and she had no doubt Hiraku felt even worse than she. The stranger landed and pulled a dagger out of a case to his side. He stabbed Hiraku in the back, doing what Tifa couldn’t do.

The girl forced herself up, still lying down but resting on her hands now as she stared up at the man. She didn’t understand...she didn’t know who this person was. Or did she? He seemed strangely familiar...But she didn’t know anybody who would dress in pure white like that. And the hood of his sweatshirt covered his face, so it was impossible for her to distinguish who he was.

And then he turned to her, pulling the hood off the top of his head. Tifa stared at the face that was revealed, totally awestruck.

“T-Trent?†Tifa gasped, pain evident in her voice. She tried to pick herself up again, but she wasn’t strong enough to stand up yet. But she wasn’t going to stop trying; not with Trent here. How he was there, she didn’t know. Either way, he was there. Perhaps he was going to take her with him, to a world without pain...

“Tifa? Tifa! Stay with me!†Trent’s urgent voice entered her ears, and Tifa realized she must have dazed off. Or was that Cloud’s voice? She couldn’t tell at the moment, too tired to care. No matter what the case was, the voice brought her out of her daze. Even more than that, she felt something against her lips, and that stunned her enough for her to open her eyes again. It was an elixir bottle. The liquid poured down her throat, a tingling sensation running through her body. She swallowed the drink, her eyes staying open this time. It was at that moment she realized that she was sitting up partway, and she was in Trent’s arms. He was kneeling down beside her, holding that bottle to her lips. She blushed in embarrassment; he had never seen her at such a weak level.

Trent looked Tifa tenderly, concern in his eyes. “You okay, sweetheart?†he asked, lowering the bottle. Tifa blushed even more at this comment; that was a nickname he had used on her during their time fighting together. It sure did bring back memories. Not just bad ones, surprisingly, but good ones. Their friendship had been much stronger than Tifa had first suspected.

“I’m alright.†I just really miss you.

“You still look a little green. Here, why don’t you try to stand up?†Why can’t we just stay together here? I’m alright now that you’re here.

Tifa had little trouble rising to her feet, knowing that Trent was holding her hand and there to support her at any given time. As soon as she was upright, she did collapse slightly from tiredness, but not pain. Trent was right there to catch her. Tifa wrapped one arm around him, leaning into her friend for support.

“Trent,†Tifa said weakly.

“Try not to talk, sweetheart. I know how tired you are.â€

“...You’re not staying with me, are you?†Please, please say yes...

Trent shook his head. “No, I can’t. Not this time.â€

“Why not?†Tifa asked innocently, a sense of naïveté coming through. “You’re here now; why can’t you stay?â€

“I don’t belong here anymore,†Trent replied softly, gently brushing some of Tifa’s hair out of her eyes. “I’ve done what needed to be done.â€

Tifa shook her head, setting it against Trent’s shoulder. Tears welled up in her eyes as she spoke a simple sentence. “I still need you.â€

“Tifa...I’m still with you,†he stated tenderly. “Even if you can’t see me, just remember what’s important. It’s who you are. And how you work through the hard times. The tragedies are what turned you into the person you are today. But even through those terrible things...†he lifted her chin so she was looking at him. “There is still hope.â€

The brown-eyed girl nodded faintly. Looking into Trent’s eyes, she did believe that. Some part of her accepted the things that had passed. Perhaps she was ready for the future. But for now, she held onto Trent. She wanted to stay in his arms for at least a few more moments, because things were finally making sense with him there. He allowed her to hold on, knowing that she needed another moment of reassurance. The time they spent standing there was such a relief to Tifa, but eventually, their time came to an end.

“I have to go,†he whispered. Tifa only nodded. She slowly released him, and he did the same with her. He held onto her shoulders one last time and looked down into her eyes. “Don’t forget what’s important to you. And don’t let go of anything worth value. Okay?†Tifa nodded. Trent abruptly let go of her and turned to leave. There was a break in the barn wall that Tifa had failed to notice earlier. That was apparently the place where Trent had come from, and it was now the place he was exiting.

However, he stopped right in front of the wall instead of exiting right away as Tifa had expected. The spiky-haired man turned around and fixed his gaze on another person. Not Tifa, but Cloud, who was standing five feet away from Tifa alongside all his friends. The barrier was gone now, but all her friends stood a distance away, probably knowing she needed a moment with the stranger.

“Watch out for her,†Trent told Cloud. His voice was very serious, but the tone was one of care for Tifa. “I’m leaving her in your care.†He disappeared through the hole, and that was that.

Tifa stared at the hole for a few more moments, lost in her thoughts. Trent had known exactly what she needed to hear, and he had said it all. Except for one thing...And that was goodbye. Tifa wasn’t ready to say goodbye completely yet. But that wasn’t up to her; Trent was already gone. Tifa’s eyes widened in recognition, sadness filling her heart. I didn’t get to say goodbye...

“Wait!†Tifa suddenly cried, rushing forward. She ran as quickly as she could to the broken wall, but froze when she arrived there. Looking outside, there was no sign of Trent; absolutely none. Tifa fell to her knees. I was too late. Tears flooded her eyes, threatening to fall at any second. Her friend was gone, and she would never see him that way again. Sure, he was in her heart, but she still felt awfully alone knowing he was physically gone.

“Tifa,†the sound of her name sounded alien in her ears, the girl feeling a bit too dazed to respond. A hand appeared on her shoulder; Cloud’s hand. She allowed it to rest there, all her emotions having been used up in the past hour. “We should leave now,†Cloud stated softly. Tifa only nodded. Yes, she supposed it was time to leave. She didn’t really want to, but she also knew Cloud wasn’t going to allow her to grieve right there and then. He understood better than she how tired she was and how that was going to affect her emotions.

The girl finally found the will to rise to her feet, but even the strongest will couldn’t keep her standing. She was far too exhausted from the battle and its aftermath to have the strength to stand on her own. So, just as she did with Trent, Tifa leaned into Cloud for support. He supported her small body as he half-led half-dragged her over to their other friends. Once they were with the group, they all left together. Back to the campsite. Then, after they got their rest, they could continue life’s journey.

They would walk it together this time. Tifa didn’t want to travel alone. For she had learned that not only was it alright to lean on somebody else for support, but it was also a part of life. Friendship is the greatest sweetener of life, and no friendship was sweeter than what she had with Cloud. And the fellowship she had with her other friends as well. She had walked away before, and now she was making a promise to herself and to her friends.

Never again would she walk away from what was important to her.

 

Very good. I see how you've improved in this. I like that you've made this more realistic and leveled in accordance with Tifa's true strength. The prolonged battle was definitely a plus. You've improved.

This still has some of the same spelling errors from before, but the point comes across. Everything else seems more coordinated, but at the same time, somewhat disjointed.

Like, why not use the sword to kill Hikaru, and use the knife that, I believe, was scarcely mentioned?

 

In my rush to get this posted I forgot to work around the knife. =/ I supose in my train of thought I was thinking the knife was simply easier to reach and handle for stabbing. It would have been better if I had gotten that point across better.

 

[Gah, I'm late again =/. So sorry guys, my life has been crazy hectic lately. I've had to write 3 papers in the past two days so I haven't had the opportunity to get on here and post chapter 10.

Here it is now; hopefully it was worth the wait.]

Chapter 10: Blame

A week later...

Tifa stood calmly on the cliff she had visited in the past week, the surroundings very familiar to her. This wasn’t just some random place she picked to think; it was also the place where Cloud kept the Buster Sword. I never did hear the story of that, Tifa mused, her eyes wandering to that weapon for a brief moment. Eh, it’s probably nothing exciting. She turned her attention back to the skyline.

It had been a week since the night at the farmhouse with Hiraku. In a way, it felt like it was an eternity ago. But at the same time, it was very fresh in Tifa’s mind. She couldn’t get Trent out of her thoughts, either. All the things that he had said...they stuck with her. However, she still wasn’t sure how to fulfill what he requested of her. How could she just forget all the wrong in the world? It didn’t seem like a simple task.

Maybe it isn’t about forgetting. Maybe it’s about accepting that things happen. Tifa scoffed at the idea. How was she supposed to accept that her father was killed by Sephiroth? And what about Aerith? She didn’t deserve to die. Tifa didn’t understand why terrible things had to happen; Sephiroth had deserved to die for his treachery, but Aerith and her father hadn’t committed any sin.

Tifa sighed softly, kneeling down next to the large sword. She was so tired of this. She was so tired of running away from everything, that she was finally trying to sort things out. But even then...the answers weren’t coming. Someday soon though, she was going to figure out what everything meant. She’d find a way to live her life even when the terrible things were happening around her. There was hope for the future.

“Oh, Miss Lockhart!â€

Tifa furrowed her brows, her hand curling into a fist. Not again. For the past week, Tifa had been trying to escape a rush of reporters who credited her for ending the war. She may have fought and weakened Hiraku, but nobody knew all of it. Only her friends knew, and the reporters didn’t care about what they had to say. They only targeted Tifa. Surprisingly, they were only now finding the place where she went to escape it all. The young woman got off her knees and turned around, her eyes scanning the area. There were so many reporters, practically one from each news station in the Edge. Tifa sighed; this was going to be annoying.

The reporters rushed her, cameras flashing brightly as the voices all mixed together. Tifa instinctively took one step back, but she was quickly surrounded by all the reporters and their crews.

“Tifa, how did you defeat Hiraku?†One reporter inquired.

“How did you find the location of the Yurak leader?â€

“Is it true that Hiraku is the reincarnation of Sephiroth?â€

“Will the rest of the Yuraks come out of hiding someday?â€

“What kind of conditioner do you use?†Tifa arched a brow at the question, her brown eyes finding that odd reporter. Apparently everyone else wondered who would ask that question as well, because they all turned toward the strange man and stared at him in stunned silence. He had a sheepish smile on his face.

A roaring sound entered her ears, and Tifa looked past the reporters and out at the open land in front of her. A small smile appeared on her face as she stared at an oncoming vehicle. It came closer and closer, not slowing down despite the fact that it was nearing the crowd.

“Look out!†one reporter cried, realizing the motorcycle wasn’t going to stop for them. He ran off to the side, most of the reporters and crews following his lead.

Tifa took one step back, the bike skidding to a halt right in front of her. The rider didn’t wear any goggles, and his blue eyes shone brightly as he looked at Tifa. His blond spiked hair wasn’t even ruffled from the wind. Tifa smirked faintly, wondering how exactly that worked.

“Looks like you could use an escape,†Cloud commented, a smile appearing on his lips as he gazed at Tifa. The young woman only nodded, her small smile widening at his statement. “Well then, come on,†he encouraged, extending a hand. Tifa slipped her hand into his without hesitation, climbing onto the bike behind him. Before the reporters could recover from their state of shock, the two had already sped off.

Tifa wrapped her arms around Cloud more tightly, the wind rushing by her. She hardly ever got a chance to ride with Cloud like this, and each time she forgot just how strong the wind was. The only way to avoid it was to use Cloud’s body as a shield. A relaxed breath left her lips as she leaned forward, her head resting against Cloud’s back. She didn’t mind being closer to him, and she was sure he felt the same.

The two had been riding for only a few minutes when Cloud brought them to a gentle stop. Tifa slowly released her friend as she opened her eyes, scanning the area. Awe overtook her as she looked around; Cloud had brought her to a grassy meadow. And in the flowers, there was a plaid blanket laid out. On top of that, there was a picnic basket.

“C-Cloud?†Tifa stuttered, releasing him all together as she started to get off the bike.

The blonde man chuckled. “I wasn’t hoping we would come here in these circumstances,†he started. “But I’m glad we’re here anyway. And while we’re here--†he took a few steps forward and picked up the basket. “--would you like some lunch?â€

Tifa laughed at his adorable facial expression. “I’d love that,†she responded, approaching the blanket. Her eyes only left Cloud’s when she looked down to set herself on the ground. The earth was so soft. The comfortable atmosphere around her made her forget all her troubles and the annoyances of life. At that moment, the only thing that mattered was her and Cloud.

“I brought ham sandwiches,†Cloud said, handing one to Tifa.

“Mm, my favorite,†Tifa smiled, taking it out of Cloud’s hand.

“I know; that’s why I packed those.†Tifa’s smile widened at that statement.

“Um, thank you,†the girl said after a moment, her cheeks reddening.

Cloud shrugged. “Making sandwiches isn’t that big of a deal.â€

“No...I mean...thank you, for the sandwiches too, but really...thank you for getting me away from the reporters earlier. I can never seem to get rid of them myself.â€

Cloud’s eyes softened at the change of subject. “No problem.†He set a hand on her knee and gave it a gentle squeeze. Tifa’s heart skipped a beat. I gotta say something, or I’m going to start being extremely shy again, she decided mentally.

“Why do reporters have to be so obnoxious?†Tifa wondered aloud, that being the only comment she could think of to make the awkward silence disappear.

“Because they want what they can’t have. They want to know what happened that night and get a juicy story.†Pause. “Me though, I just want to know what happened,†he stated more softly. Tifa looked away. She never had explained who Trent was. “Would you please let me know what’s going on?†There was no demand in his voice, only gently prompting. Tifa decided to be honest with him and just say it; it would be quick and painless.

“The guy that rescued me is named Trent. I travelled with him when I was with the Debks. He always was watching out for me in battles and everything.â€

“You were...close?â€

Tifa nodded faintly. “He was a great friend,†she started softly. “Too bad I didn’t realize it until it was too late.â€

“‘Too late’?â€

“Trent was killed in an ambush a couple months ago. I think that was around the time that Hiraku started targeting me.â€

Cloud fell silent for a moment, trying to compile all the facts in his head. “Trent was into martial arts as well?â€

“He was trained by a monk growing up, then joined the Debks when he saw what a threat the Yuraks were.â€

“How did you two become close?†Cloud was asking a lot of questions, maybe too many. It was bringing up too many emotions inside Tifa. She tried her hardest to keep them hidden.

“He somehow latched himself onto me, refusing to be rejected. Trent had that way about him. Once his mind was set on something, he wasn’t going to give up. That’s probably why he was fighting to the end.â€

“I don’t understand what you mean...â€

“He promised to always defend me...and always watch out for me. I was between a rock and hard place, and he didn’t flee from the battle. He died, when I should have.†Tifa choked back tears, her eyes staying glued to the ground.

Cloud was silent for a few moments, and that made the situation even more tense than it had been before. After a few seconds, Cloud lightly set his hand on Tifa’s head, running it down her long black hair one time. “And you blame yourself for Trent’s death,†he declared softly, his bright blue eyes never leaving her.

“Because it is my fault. He wouldn’t have been there if it hadn’t been for me.â€

“Tifa--â€

“And don’t try to convince me otherwise, because I know that’s the truth,†Tifa snapped. “If he didn’t have some kind of obligation to me, he would still be alive.â€

“He was doing what he saw was right. Even if you tried to convince him to flee, he wouldn’t have.â€

“I don’t care about any of that!†Tifa screamed, her emotions getting the better of her. She rose to her feet quickly, heart pounding in fury. Why couldn’t Cloud understand what she was feeling? She would try to get him to comprehend it all. “He’s still dead. You know why? Because I had to join the Debks and have the Yuraks find me. He was killed because I was being hunted. It shouldn’t have worked out that way!â€

Cloud rose to his feet as well, his eyes locking with hers once again. “Tifa, calm down,†he requested softly. Her rage was growing at an unhealthy rate. He was very concerned for her.

“No! You don’t understand this Cloud! His death...it’s all my fault. And I couldn’t do anything to stop it. It’s just like Nibelhiem!â€

“What do you mean?â€

Tifa was crying now. “If I hadn’t led Sephiroth to the reactor, he never would have gone insane. He never would have burned down the town, and he never would have gone on to kill all those other people.†Including Aerith, she added mentally. “I’m the one to blame. For everything.â€

Cloud grabbed her by the shoulders, not gentle at all, but very strong and firm. “Tifa, listen to me. You can’t blame yourself for any of this. You didn’t kill Trent. You didn’t hurt all the other innocent people that Sephiroth killed.â€

Tifa shook her head, looking away from Cloud. “You’re wrong.†The young woman brought up a hand and grabbed onto Cloud’s wrist, forcing him to release her. “None of that matters. I may as well have killed them. They’re all dead now anyway. A consequence of my sin. The only way to redeem myself is to fight evil and give the innocent the chance to live.â€

Cloud grabbed his wrist, clearly surprised that Tifa had gotten out from his grasp so easily. “That’s not logical, Tifa. You’re pushing away everyone who loves you trying to find redemption, but you’re never going to find that! You need to forgive yourself on your own. No course of action or lifestyle can provide that. You can keep fighting all you want, but it’ll never be good enough for you. This search you’re on...it’s never going to end this way!â€

That was all that Tifa could take. Cloud had taken it too far this time. “You don’t know what I want,†she hissed. “You think you’re so knowledgeable. Maybe you have experience with your own pain. I know when you were lost last year, you made my life miserable. Do you know how hard it is to love someone when they’re too depressed to even react to you?â€

“Yes, I do know how that feels,†Cloud responded softly, interrupting the young woman. Tifa froze. He meant her.

“H-how dare you? This is nothing like last year.â€

“How so?â€

“This is about me, not you. You have no right to judge me and think you’ve felt all the feelings I’ve felt. Until you’ve seen what I’ve been through my entire life and the last year, you don’t have the right to say anything.â€

“Teef--â€

“You know what? I’ll prove it to you. I’m going to go out and find my redemption. And I’m not coming home until I find it. There are still Yuraks out there. I’m going to get rid of all of them. Defeating Hiraku wasn’t enough. This will be.†She turned and started walking away from Cloud, not waiting for a response.

But Cloud wasn’t going to let her go that easily. He came up behind her and grabbed her wrist so firmly that Tifa had to turn around to face her friend. Cloud was being extremely forceful with her, surprising Tifa. He had been very gentle lately, and it was rare not to see that side of him. “I’m not losing you again,†he stated calmly, though he couldn’t hide the slight tremble in his voice. He was scared for her.

Tifa could see his concern, but at that moment, she couldn’t remember why she should care. He was her friend...However, her redemption was more important. Even if it came at a high cost, she would get it. Tifa raised her free hand and quickly curled it into a fist. She swung it right at Cloud’s chin. The fist never touched his skin, for with his free hand, he caught hers and stopped it dead in its tracks. Before Tifa could move again, he released her other hand and set his on the back of her neck. He gave it a gentle squeeze, his index finger pressing against a pressure point. Tifa collapsed in front of him, unconscious. At least for the time being anyway.

What have I done? Cloud wondered, his thoughts running through his head at a thousand miles per hour. He had no choice but to take action against Tifa; it was either him or her. Besides, now he had time to digest what was going on here. Hopefully Tifa would wake up and not be so erratic as well. Cloud sighed. He just hoped things would turn out all right here. Tifa was much more broken than he had originally thought. This could be the one problem he couldn’t solve.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Author’s note:

[Guys, I know this seems really random at the end and out of character, but it was the best way I could think of to write this story. If you didn’t like that, then hopefully what’s in chapter 11 will make up for it.]

 

I didn't mind any of this, except at the point where Tifa is next to the sword. I'm pretty sure in Crisis Core she saw it with Zack, because at one point he was defending her from monsters, if I remember correctly, and then again when she was injured from Sephiroth, though she might not remember that. That's the only issue, I can't wait for the next chapter!

 

[Oh geez, sorry for the 10millionth time. I was absolutely sure that I posted a chapter this week but I see that I didn't. D: Well, here's chapter 11. Hope that it was worth the wait.]

Chapter 11: Awakening

“You WHAT?!?!†Barret hollered into the phone, his raspy voice even louder than usual as he rebuked Cloud.

“I had to knock Tifa out,†Cloud responded calmly. “She was out of control. And about to leave again. I couldn’t just let her go.â€

“And you couldn’t just talk some sense into her, spiky?! She’s too special to be treated like that!â€

“Barret,†Cloud sighed. “If there were any other options available, I would have gone with one of those. Trust me with this. I did what was necessary. Don’t worry, I didn’t hurt her. And besides, she’ll be awake in a couple of minutes.â€

“If she tells me anything bad about you after this, I’ll hunt you down myself spiky. You better know what you’re doing.â€

“I do,†Cloud stated simply. “Trust me, Barret. I love her just as much as you do.â€

Barret softened up. “That you do.†Pause. “Bring her home and you better hope she doesn’t say one negative thing about you or you’s gonna walk away with this with more than a black eye. Got that?â€

“I understand.†Cloud hung up his cell phone. Another sigh escaped his lips as he turned to look at the sleeping girl. After thinking over the incident for a few minutes earlier, he had decided it would be wise to consult Barret on some of what happened. That didn’t go extremely well, but that was to be expected. Barret loved Tifa as if she were a sister. However, he couldn’t accept that she had to feel pain like a normal person did. If he could, Barret would take away all the pain and bear it himself. Life didn’t work that way. If it did, Cloud would have done that a long time ago.

Tifa had a little bit of peacefulness showing in her facial expression, but that wasn’t the only emotion that was there. Cloud could also see the hurt and stress from their conversation. Poor Tifa, he thought softly, suddenly having the urge to stroke her cheek. She had so much bottled up inside herself. Today she had reached her breaking point, probably because of the fact she told Cloud about Trent. Cloud felt a small amount of guilt for causing pain to rise up in her, but he knew it had to have been done.

The young man looked away, feeling awkward staring at his childhood friend as she lay on the ground. He knew he had caused this, and that didn’t sit well in his stomach. It may have been necessary, but it still wasn’t good. Nevertheless, Cloud had made a promise to himself; he wasn’t going to leave this place until he won Tifa’s heart. After what had just happened, he wasn’t so sure he could do that. There was no chance he was going to give up, though. He had hope. Hope that she would be able to leave her past behind, just as he had learned to do after his geostigma was gone.

Tifa groaned softly, bring Cloud back to the moment at hand. She must be waking up, he thought, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. Sure enough, Tifa rolled over onto her side, eyebrows furrowed slightly. Her bangs were in her face, making Cloud’s heart skip a beat. Compassion suddenly swirled inside his heart and he knelt down without thought, brushing the girl’s bangs out of her eyes.

Tifa’s eyes opened abruptly at the movement, Cloud’s hand still touching her forehead. Her brown eyes glance tiredly at the hand first, then flickered over to Cloud, who was staring at her with concern in his eyes. Tifa momentarily wondered why that was, but then she remembered what had happened. She had been acting so irregular that Cloud had to act the same with her. To stop her from going away, he had to take action against her. And surprisingly, Tifa wasn’t upset at him for doing that.

“You’re not going away now, are you?†Cloud asked softly, stroking Tifa’s hair as he spoke.

“No,†Tifa responded quietly.

Cloud nodded faintly, though that was his only reaction. His hand still rested on Tifa’s hair, and his eyes never left hers. Tifa could see thoughts swirling behind those mysterious blue eyes. But at that moment, his thoughts weren’t such a mystery. He was searching her eyes, trying to find a way to make sure she was alright. After a while, Cloud gave up, probably unable to find anything behind those brown eyes.

“Are you upset with me?†Cloud inquired softly, his blue eyes pleading that Tifa say no.

“No.â€

Cloud’s eyes softened at the answer. He was clearly hoping for more than one word answers. But Tifa wasn’t taking the bait. No matter what now, he was going to suspect that she was mad at him. Tifa registered all this in less than a second, and she let her guard down at Cloud’s raw emotion. She didn’t want to control him, not like this. She sat herself up, and unfortunately Cloud’s hand moved away because of the movement.

“I saw her,†Tifa said simply.

“Who?â€

“Aerith.â€

Cloud’s eyebrows shot up at Tifa’s answer, the chocobo-haired man clearly not expecting this. “When?†he asked when he finally found his voice.

“When I was asleep,†the girl put kindly. She wasn’t going to mention that Cloud knocked her out. It was better to avoid that statement. And besides, it didn’t make a difference now. Her heart sped up as she went on to describe her experience with her long lost friend.

“I hadn’t realized what had happened at first,†she started. “One second I saw nothing, and the next, I saw....myself. I could feel myself falling, but even more than that, I saw it happening. As if I were having an out of body experience.â€

“I know what you mean,†Cloud replied patiently, letting Tifa know he was comprehending what she was saying.

“Right. Well, then everything around me turned black. I couldn’t see you or anything else.†Her voice softened as she continued. “I was afraid. I called out for you in the darkness, but you didn’t come. Everything appeared to be so hopeless, and I gave up on it all despite the fact that I didn’t know what was going on. I collapsed to my knees, and I started to sob.â€

“But then...I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up through the tears and I saw Aerith standing next to me. And I wasn’t in the black place any more, I was in her flowerbed. Her eyes pierced mine, and for a little while we just stared at each other. The tears were still running down my face, but I didn’t realize that at the time. And then I heard her speak.

“‘Let it go,’ she had said. I started to weep at the words, since I knew exactly what she was talking about. I shook my head slightly and let my forehead rest against my knees and whimpered that I couldn’t. I kept on repeating that over and over again.

“For a long time, I just sat there in tears. Eventually, when I looked back up, she was gone. But I was still in her flowerbed. It was then that I realized something. She may not have been there with me any more, but my surroundings were as beautiful as ever. And then I realized that the world is a lot like that.†Tifa paused, compiling her thoughts. “Sometimes, even though you feel alone, if you take a step back and look around you’ll realize just how beautiful the world is.†A smile appeared on her lips as she stared up at Cloud.

Cloud returned her smile, his heart leaping out of his chest. “But not as beautiful as you,†he murmured, running a hand over her hair.

Tifa’s smile widened. “Is that all you want to do?†she asked quietly, referring to him stroking her hair. She didn’t want anything big, but she loved Cloud so much, that she just wanted a little bit more. Just a small kiss, even on the forehead, would have been fine. Her soft brown eyes gazed up into Cloud’s bright blue orbs. She hoped her eyes conveyed her feelings.

The blonde man chuckled softly, his cheeks reddening. Now this was the Cloud that Tifa knew from so long ago. It made her happy though, seeing that shyness in him. It was actually incredibly adorable. Cloud leaned down, his lips lightly connecting with Tifa’s. He gave her a small kiss before backing away, the smile still on his lips. Tifa understood his hesitation; he knew she was still absorbing everything that was happening that day. And if anything extreme happened, even if it was good, it may have sent her into a world of mental chaos. She loved him for watching out for her.

“Thanks for not giving up on me,†Tifa whispered. The girl lifted a hand and set it lightly on Cloud’s shoulder.

“Well, you didn’t give up on me,†he stated simply, a small grin appearing on his lips. He sobered after a moment. “In fact, I’m where I am today because of you.â€

“Me?†Tifa asked, tears appearing in her eyes. She didn’t know she had impacted Cloud that way.

“Of course,†he replied, tenderness in his voice. “Without you, I would have given up. You kept me going when I had geostigma, without even knowing what I needed. You gave me space, but you supported me at the same time. Sometimes I wonder ‘Who sent this beautiful angel to me, and what did I do to deserve her love?’â€

Tifa stared up at him, in stunned silence. He couldn’t be serious...but his eyes told her that he was. But if he meant all that...even if he meant a small part of it, Tifa was extremely flattered.

“And I promised myself, that I would love her and protect her the rest of my life,†Cloud continued, holding Tifa’s gaze. “My lovely angel.†Tifa’s tears grew in intensity, but she didn’t allow them to leave her eyes. However, one did escape, trailing down her right cheek. Cloud wiped it away without hesitation, the blonde still leaning over her. Tifa blushed, turning her head away. She had no idea Cloud could be a passionate man; she had never seen this side of him before...

“Will you let me love you?†he requested softly. “Please, I’m not whole without you.â€

Tifa swallowed hard before returning his gaze. “I need you to love me,†she stated. The girl leaned upward and let her lips connect with Cloud’s in a kiss, that moment of bliss making her feel complete for the first time in a long time.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Cloud laid flat on his back, staring up at the starry sky. He wasn’t too deep in thought, just reflecting on the change he saw in Tifa. She wasn’t the girl he had known so long ago; she was better. He knew that this version of Tifa was going to be more hard wearing. And now that he could truly call her his, things were going to be different. He was going to love her and cherish her for as long as he lived. That was his purpose for living now.

For so long, he had lived so that he could reflect on his own misery and loss. But a year ago, things had changed. He learned to cherish what he had. When he had lost Tifa, he was so frantic all the time. Never before had he realized how much he loved her. He wasn’t going to let her go any time soon.

“Thank you, Aerith,†he whispered into the night air. “For everything you’ve done.†The star he was staring at twinkled, and he knew his friend had heard him.

A faint noise entered his ears and he rolled over onto his side, seeing the girl of his dreams lying there next to him. She had turned in her sleep, and now she was facing towards him. Cloud smiled faintly as he reached over and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. Tifa remained unaware of everything, apparently too deep in her slumber to realize Cloud’s gentle presence. Cloud preferred it to be that way; he had no desire to awaken her from her slumber.

Rustling emitted from an area near-by and Cloud immediately forgot his thoughts and sat up, looking around cautiously. He and Tifa were alone...weren’t they? That noise told him differently. The warrior rose to his feet slowly, scanning the area surrounding him. A bush nearby moved again. Ah-ha, that’s what it is. Cloud stepped over Tifa and rushed over to the shrubbery, grabbing onto the person who caused the disturbance. He put a hand over his mouth and dragged him away, his heart pounding a hundred miles per hour. You’ve bothered Tifa for the last time, he mentally told the reporter, his grip tightening slightly because of his annoyance.

A few moments later, Tifa rolled over in her sleep once again, a cool gust of wind starting to make her more aware of her surroundings. She moaned softly, unaccustomed to the chilly breeze. Her brown eyes flickered open when a familiar voice entered her ears. Cloud? No, he was lying right beside her. Still, just to be sure, Tifa rolled over.

He wasn’t there.

Tifa sat up fully now, forgetting about the cool wind that had awoken her. Cloud? Where had he gone? The voice started up again, and Tifa listened closely to hear what was going on.

“....your name?†Cloud’s voice.

“Julio. Of the Midgar Times.†A reporter.

“Do you know who I am?†Cloud’s voice is so firm, Tifa thought. What in the world is going on? She turned her head and saw the outlines of two figures, one of them holding the other by the scruff of the neck. It was obvious who was who in this scenario.

“Y-You’re the one who defeated Sephiroth when he came to Edge.â€

“And the one who defeated him the first time,†Cloud added, scaring the man severely. “You know how tough Sephiroth is?†He didn’t wait for an answer. “Very tough. He’s killed a lot of people. But I was strong enough to kill him. You know, I haven’t had the chance to do that to anyone for a while...â€

Tifa could imagine the man shaking in his boots. Cloud, take it easy, she requested silently. The last thing they needed at that moment was for some reporter to leak word that Cloud threatened people who hadn’t committed any real crimes. Besides, Tifa didn’t really like seeing this side of Cloud. It may have been necessary to act in such a way, but it still wasn’t something Tifa wanted to witness.

“...So I have a message for you know,†Cloud continued. “If you ever try to get near Tifa again, I’ll do to you what I did to Sephiroth. Understand?†The man nodded vigorously. “Tell all your other friends that the same applies to them. Nobody stalks her anymore. No exceptions. Comprende?†Cloud smirked, confident he had scared the man enough for one lifetime. Julio nodded again, so much so that Cloud wondered if his head wouldn’t fall right off. “Now--†Cloud released the man and he fell to the ground. “Get lost.â€

Julio ran off into the night, wobbly at first because of the fear in his heart. Tifa watched him until he was out of sight, then turned to look at Cloud once again. He was still watching Julio, not satisfied quite yet. Tifa’s lover wasn’t going to stop watching until he was sure the threat was gone.

Tifa yawned softly, deciding then to just lie back down. Cloud would come back when he was ready to. She curled up on the cold ground, the wind blowing once again. The breeze chilled her, making the young woman shiver. Her brown eyes shut tightly as she tried to forget about the wind. It was hard to ignore, but thankfully sleep started to take her again. It’s still the middle of the night, after all, Tifa reflected sleepily. Her body started to become less tense as she relaxed, all her senses beginning to fade.

He’s gone, Cloud thought confidently, unfolding his crossed arms. He was sure that Tifa wouldn’t have any other reporters bothering her anymore. Tifa...he turned to look over at her, just then noticing that she looked cold. He silently walked over to her, careful not to wake the sleeping woman. Once he was back at the blanket, he pulled a blanket out of the extra picnic basket. He hadn’t realized it would become so cold at night, and now he was glad he had thought ahead to bring a blanket. The sheet was laid carefully over Tifa, but it didn’t seem good enough; she still appeared to be cold.

Cloud laid down beside her, gently setting a hand on her covered arm. Even through the blanket she felt cold. He started to stroke her arm, sympathetic eyes staying on the girl he loved. Gosh, she was beautiful when she slept...

Tifa, in her half-awake state turned over in her sleep, feeling warmth in the direction opposite of what she was facing. She instinctively moved closer to the warmth, her head coincidentally resting against Cloud’s chest. The blond haired man smiled at this, not objecting to the closeness. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer, remembering his vow to watch out for her and protect her. Even if it was from the cold, he was going to protect her. No matter what the circumstances were, he was always going to be her guardian.

Always.

[That's the end of the official fanfic, guys. The epilogue will be up soon. I promise I'll try and remember to post it. xD]

 

[Well guys, it's been fun writing this even though this didn't get many reviews or readers. Writing is just such a good way to release stress. :) Hope you guys enjoyed the story; here's the epilogue.]

Epilogue

2 years later...

The sound of rushing water abruptly ended when the kitchen faucet was turned off. The dishes were finally done, thank goodness. The business at 7th Heaven hadn’t diminished in the past few years, and customers were never happy when things weren’t perfect. They didn’t understand just how much work it was to run a store, considering most of them were the lower-working class.

Tifa Lockhart sighed softly as she put the last glass away. It was already closing time; 9 PM. It seemed like an early time, but it was a Saturday night, and every Sunday morning Tifa and Cloud went to Aerith’s church. Most of the time they just sat there to get away from it all. On rare occasions, they even heard Aerith speak. Or Zack, in Cloud’s case. No matter what the case was, going to the church was always a breath of fresh air. Quite literally, it was a breath of fresh air.

The light reflected off Tifa’s ring and she stopped what she was doing, taking a moment to stare at the diamond ring on her left hand. A smile appeared on her face as she recollected what had happened just a year ago at a new park in Edge.

“Tifa?â€

“Mm?†She turned to look at Cloud, who was sitting on a bright red bench beside her. He looked as if he felt awkward, which was a bit strange for the always-confident man.

“....â€

“Cloud?â€

“.....â€

“What is it?â€

“....â€

“Are you going to say anything at all?â€

“............â€

“Whatever it is, you can say it.â€

“It’s just, I, um.....â€

“Yes, Cloud?†Tifa responded, sounding patient but ready to explode inside.

While Tifa was distracted, Cloud moved down in front of her, kneeling on one knee. A black box was in his hand as well, and inside...

“Will you marry me?â€

Tifa giggled at the memory, the figment of her imagination disappearing as she gazed at her ring again. That had been her reaction to the question as well. She had nearly given Cloud a heart attack; he had thought she was laughing at him, as if it were a ridiculous request. However, she was really laughing because of his adorable puppy face at that moment. But as soon as Tifa noticed the distress, she kissed him and answered with a “yesâ€. They were married two months later.

Not taking her eyes off her ring, Tifa set her left hand on her enlarged stomach. At that moment, her expected child kicked her. The kick was nothing compared to what she’d felt when fighting crime, but it did take her breath away. She lost her breath partially because of the shock of being kicked from inside yourself and because of the awe she felt. Pretty soon, I’ll get to see you face to face, she thought giddily, her smile widening at the fact. It had been eight and half months since she had found out about her baby, so he was expected to come pretty soon. Tifa and Cloud had no idea if it was a she or a he, but they agreed just to refer to the baby as a “he†instead of an “itâ€.

A more powerful kick impacted Tifa, actually causing her to gasp audibly. No, that wasn’t a kick, it was much worse than that...she set a hand on the bar counter, trying to steady herself. Ultimately, though, she couldn’t keep her balance. She groaned, falling to her knees. A loud thud reverberated throughout the large room from the landing. Is it happening...? she wondered, clenching her hand into a fist. This pain....

A child ran in front of her, pulling her away from her thoughts. Marlene’s blurry figure cleared up as Tifa blinked a few times. The pain was so evident in Tifa’s eyes that it sent Marlene running.

“Cloud! Cloud!†the seven year old screamed, running toward the stairs.

Denzel suddenly appeared in Tifa’s line of vision. In fact, he was close enough that Tifa could reach out and touch him. He had grown up in the past few years, and although he had grown in height, his cute eyes didn’t change at all.

“You alright?!†he asked in concern, kneeling down in front of the pained young woman. Tifa didn’t have the words to answer, so her eyes did the talking. No. No, she was not alright.

Tifa groaned again, pain clouding her senses. Without thought, she reached out and grabbed Denzel’s hand, holding on tightly. The boy protested against the pain, trying to get across that Tifa was grabbing too tightly but failing. Tifa held on tightly, her brown eyes fuzzy as she tried to focus on the ground. Whatever was going on was not a good experience.

The pain stopped as abruptly as it had started, and Tifa fought to regain her senses before it happened again. “Huh? Tifa!â€

The brown haired woman instinctively released Denzel’s hand at the voice. Cloud. She looked up and immediately caught onto Cloud’s bright blue eyes. They shone brightly with concern, even more than Cloud’s body language itself screamed his worry.

“She nearly broke my hand!†Denzel cried out without thought, staring at his red, throbbing hand.

“Never hold the hand of a pregnant woman, Denzel.†Yuffie came out of the shadows of another room and entered the main area, a smirk on her face.

“Yuffie! This is serious!†Cloud snapped.

“I’m being serious.â€

Cloud turned back to Tifa ignoring the ninja all together. “Is it...†Tifa nodded tentatively. “We gotta get you to the hospital. Yuffie, stay here with the kids.â€

“But...Cloud!†the kids protested together, their voices eventually splitting off as they continued protesting.

“You’ll get to see Tifa later,†he promised, unaffected from their whining. The blonde turned back to his wife. “Can you stand?â€

“No,†Tifa whimpered. Cloud’s eyes softened at the response. “Can you help me?â€

Working together, Cloud eventually helped Tifa to her feet. His arm was wrapped around her from behind, and hers was around him as well. Without a word, Cloud led her to the door. Actually, it was more like dragging her. Either way, they made it to the entrance of 7th Heaven fairly quickly. Neither of them wanted to have their child born in that bar.

I feel...faint...Tifa thought, fatigue suddenly overwhelming her. This....this can’t be right...she had never felt such weakness before. The young woman leaned heavily into Cloud, actually forcing him to reset his footing to keep her upright.

“Taxi!†he cried, waving a free hand in the air. The first two vehicles drove right past them, but a kind third one stopped to assist them. Cloud hurried Tifa over to the cab, opening the door for her before gently helping her inside. Then he rushed to the other side of the car and sat himself down. “To the hospital. Quick!â€

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

This next part is where it gets complicated. During the taxi ride to the hospital, Tifa had barely been conscious at all. And when she was, she was in great pain. As soon as Cloud got her into the hospital, the doctors had taken her away from him. When he demanded to know what was going on, they told him that they didn’t know. But what they did know was that this wasn’t the way giving birth was supposed to work. So they took Tifa into an operating room for an emergency C-section.

Cloud paced the hallway outside the operating room once again, that being about the hundredth time he had done so. He was so worried; the doctors still wouldn’t tell him what was going on. So not only was he worried, but he was also angered. Couldn’t these doctors let him know what was going on with his wife?!

“Cloud?†A hand touched his shoulder, and he turned to see who it was. Yuffie stood to his side, the kids about five feet away with Barret. “What’s going on? You’re not answering your phone.â€

The warrior instinctively touched his pocket, his phone being inside there. He hadn’t even heard it ring. But then again, considering how distracted he was at that moment, he wasn’t surprised. The only thing he was concerned about was Tifa, not his stupid phone ringing.

“Hey...â€

“I don’t know what’s going on,†Cloud stated, a bite to his voice. He took a deep breath, then continued. “They took Tifa in for an emergency C-section. The doctors won’t tell me what’s wrong.â€

Yuffie gasped, bringing a hand to her mouth. “Teef...â€

A doctor suddenly exited the operating room, and Cloud approached him before the man had a chance of escape. “What’s going on?†he asked, his voice demanding an answer. His tone was one that said “ignore-me-and-die.â€

“There were some complications. We’re not sure what the problem was, but we have your wife on a drug that will make her stable again.â€

“Is she alright?â€

Before the doctor could respond, Cloud saw two doctors leaving the operating room at that moment, one of them carrying a baby wrapped up in a blanket. The baby was sickly pale. That baby was his child.

“My....†Cloud trailed off, eyes wide as he saw the doctors carry off the baby.

“He’s going to be taken to a special infirmary,†the doctor started gently. “He’s a bit premature, and he’s having trouble breathing.â€

“Will he be alright?†Yuffie asked softly. Cloud turned to look at her; he had completely forgotten she was there.

“With the treatment we’re going to give him, he has a better chance of survival,†the doctor responded. “He has a respiratory infection because an early loss of amniotic fluid compromised his immune system.â€

The doors opened again, this time staying open as they rolled out a stretcher. Yuffie gave a sharp gasp when she it, and the site took away Cloud’s breath. Tifa was lying there, looking frail and fragile.

“Tifa,†Cloud strode past the doctor and to the side of the stretcher. “Tifa....â€

“We had to give her an injection so she would be unconscious during the procedure,†the doctor stated. “You’re welcome to stay with her; other presences won’t make her susceptible to deadly germs.â€

Cloud nodded, not deeply assessing what he had heard. As long as he could stay with Tifa, then he knew things would be alright. He wasn’t going to allow anything to happen to her. Not now, not ever. The man wordlessly grabbed onto Tifa’s limp hand and walked with her and the doctors to a room.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Where am I?

What am I doing here?

What’s going on?

Tifa lay still on a cot, a million questions running through her head at that moment. She wanted answers, and she wanted them now. Mustering all the strength she could, she opened her eyes. The room wasn’t empty as she had suspected; people were scattered throughout the area. However, none of them were looking at her. Yuffie, Barret and the kids sat by the window with Vincent standing right behind them. Cid was standing a few feet off, just staring at the ground.

To her right, another man sat. He had one hand on Tifa’s and the other over his eyes. Although she couldn’t see his entire face, she could still see the tenseness of his features. Her brown eyes flickered down to the hands. She curled hers around his and gave it a gentle squeeze. The silence in the room was so heavy that Tifa didn’t dare speak anything audibly. Besides, she could convey her message without words anyway.

Cloud looked up at Tifa, his muscles relaxing a tad when he saw that she was awake. He moved his other hand on top of Tifa’s so both were gently resting on hers. “You’re awake,†he stated softly, holding Tifa’s gaze now.

As if on cue, everybody else turned around and stared at the two. The kids rushed forward, cries of joy escaping their lips. They had bad experiences in the past with family and friends being injured, so their excitement was understandable. Marlene jumped up on the bed right away, followed by Denzel, who was a bit more timid.

“I’m alright,†Tifa reassured them, making eye contact with each of the children. Both looked a little frightened, but they smiled faintly at the sound of Tifa’s voice. Perhaps they didn’t believe her just yet; after all, she was still lying in a hospital bed. But why am I here...?

Suddenly she remembered.

“Our baby...†she started softly, changing her focus to Cloud. She became afraid at the grave facial expression he wore.

“He’s being taken care of. He...has a respiratory infection....and he can’t fight it off.â€

Tifa’s heart broke. She had never met her child, yet she still felt this unfathomable love for him. My child....how could this happen?

The door suddenly opened, the hatches creaking slightly as a doctor entered the room. All eyes shifted to him and the air held an awkward and heavy silence. What news could this doctor possibly bring them? Was it good news or bad news? What about her baby? Was he alright?

A soft cry suddenly echoed through the room. Tifa gasped as the doctor turned around; he had a baby in his arms. A little baby boy, wrapped up in a blue blanket. Not just any baby boy; it was her baby boy.

“My child,†Tifa breathed.

The doctor chuckled. “Would you like to hold your baby?†Tifa nodded wordlessly. She anxiously watched as the man came over and gently laid the baby in her arms. He was so tiny, so vulnerable...so loved. Did he know what he meant to her? Did he know just how precious he was?

“It’s a miracle,†the doctor was saying. “We gave him a small dose of medicine and he’s already recovering. If we send home some antibiotics with you and you give them to him once a day, he’ll beat this infection in no time.â€

A miracle. When was the last time I believed in miracles? Tifa thought back, lost in her memories as she gazed at her precious, irreplaceable child.

“It’s a miracle that you survived,†the kind nurse said, tears filling her eyes. “You shouldn’t have survived that attack, but you’ve had a miraculous recovery.†This was back at the hospital months ago, when Tifa had first been there for the injuries of a Yurak ambush. That was the day that she had nearly run into Cloud outside the hospital.

At the time, Tifa had nearly laughed at the idea. She had wanted to tell that nurse that miracles simply didn’t exist. If they did, maybe her father would have gotten his miracle. Or Aerith. But no, they had both died. There were no resurrections to bring them back to life; they stayed dead. Was that reflecting the impossibility that miracles existed?

That was how Tifa had thought before, but now she knew better. Aerith had gotten her miracle, and that was Zack. He loved her and protected her while she was alive. Now they were together in the lifestream, having their “Happy Ever After.†Although Tifa didn’t know what her father’s specific miracle was in his life, Tifa guessed it was her mother. Though she had never met her, Tifa knew that her father loved her. They were together now too, probably contently watching over their daughter.

Not only that, but Tifa had gotten her miracle. Or miracles. She had rediscovered herself; she had found joy in the fact that her family and friends were happy despite the fact that they were no longer with her. However, her greatest miracle was Cloud. He hahelped mold her into the person that she was today. On their wedding day, he promised to always love her, cherish her, and be her guardian angel. Tifa promised the same for him, and it was then she knew that miracles existed. Looking back through her life, there was no way she and Cloud should have been together. But they were. And they always would be. Not just today, not just tomorrow. Forever and always.

“What’re you going to name him?†Yuffie asked, breaking through Tifa’s thoughts. Tifa pondered the question. She wanted a name of importance; she wanted it to mean something. At that moment, she knew exactly what she would name him.

“Mathew.†God’s gift.

 

That was a pretty amazing short story. You stuck through it 'till the end, and that is admirable. I must say that I enjoyed every part of it, and that hopefully you'll be bringing more stuff to KHV, even if you've left.

Great Job.

 

I luffed the end to death. My sister yelled at me for squealing too loudly. The complications and the problems made it better, the only thing that kind of annoyed me was when Tifa said "My child." The more common response is "My baby" but it still worked. I hope i get to see more soon!