Marlene: The Importance of Annoyance
Revised Edition. FFVII is owned by Squaresoft!
Chapter 1: The Burn
Once upon a time, in a run-down council flat in North Midgar lived a young girl named Marlene. She was around 7 years old, had short, brown hair and wore very scruffy clothes. Sleeping away in her bed, as it was still quite early in the morning, Marlene was jarred awake by the football-shaped alarm clock at the side of her bed. Raising her fist, she brought it down hard on the alarm clock, smashing it into pieces. She rubbed her head and groaned in pain; she could not remember the night before. It was obvious what she had done, by the several bottles of vodka that lied mysteriously empty on the floor. Coughing up some phleghm into her hand, she sat up in her bed and pushed the covers away, not very happy at having to start a new day.
-
As she lit up a cigarette that had been lying on the floor, Marlene suddenly remembered that last night she had a dream. She couldn't quite remember the images exactly, but it involved Cloud; of that she was sure. Her day instantly brightened up. Any thought of Cloud was send her up into the clouds, forgetting her abysmal situation. Aeris' step-mother had thrown her out of her house a few weeks ago, as she couldn't stand the little brat. Marlene had brought home gangs of guys every night who smashed up the place and she even set the house on fire with a cigarette once! Now Marlene lived alone, only being checked up on a few times a week by Tifa. But Marlene did not like Tifa, not one little bit.
-
Slamming the kettle on, Marlene glared outside the window as she waited for it to boil. As she looked outside, she caught a glimpse of Cloud, peering up into the flat's windows. He wasn't looking at her windows, though. He was watching Tifa's windows. Marlene went green with envy. Picking the kettle up in anger, she accidently poured boiling water all over her hand.
"Oh, for fuck's sake!" she cried, dropping her cigarette. "I've done it again! Hospital time, I guess..." she trailed off, picking up the phone with her un-burnt hand and dialling 911.
-
As Marlene walked out of the hospital with her brand new burns wrapped in bandages, she bumped into her father, Barret, who had heard about this little accident.
"Marlene!" he hollered, grabbing her shoulders and shouting into her face. "Are you all right!?"
She backed off a little and started her fake-tears routine; Tifa had done this by making her angry... she would pay!
"Tifa poured boiling water over my hand." she wailed, tears streaming her face. With a furious look in his eyes, Barret walked off, leaving Marlene to skip merrily home, alone, in the quiet streets of Midgar where people were shooting at each other and prostitutes earned their living.
-
Peering out through a pair of binoculars, Marlene spied through her bedroom window, a lit cigarette planted firmly in her gob. Smiling, she saw Tifa through the window; she counted herself lucky she could see into that bitch's apartment for this! A few minutes passed, and then suddenly she saw her father kick the door down in Tifa's apartment and enter it. In complete shock, Tifa stood still, only to be kicked down by Barret's hob-nailed boot. Marlene was a little disappointed that she couldn't hear Tifa's cries, but was glad she could at least see it. Laughing manically, Marlene cackled with glee as she witnessed Barret beat the shit out of Tifa and leave after spitting on her. Putting down the binoculars, Marlene lay on her bed and puffed deeply on her cigarette in exaltation. Just then, she heard someone calling from the street. She quickly rushed to her feet and peered out the window; it was Cloud, calling out for Tifa.
-
"Tifa! Tifa, where art thou, Tifa!?" Cloud cried in the middle of a crowded street. People were pointing and laughing at him as they passed by, but he didn't notice. Tifa approached the window and looked down at Cloud. Not wanting him to see how awful she looked, she quickly drew the curtains. "My fair love, Tifa, come back!" he called again. She did not reply. Marlene ran towards him, kicking him in the shin.
"What are you doing, Cloud!?" she cried. Cloud drew his attention away from Tifa's window and sat down on the road. Sitting beside him, Marlene tried to edge a little closer to him, but he was rocking back and forth like a lunatic.
"What was on her face...?" he whispered.
"Oh... she ran into a door repeatedly..." Marlene lied, smiling lightly. "She's horrendously ugly now. Still gonna marry her?" she asked, sipping whiskey from a hip flask.
"No matter how she looks, I'll always love her, you know.." Cloud whimpered.
"Yeah, yeah." she replied, shrugging off his little comment. "Want some brandy?"
"Uh... no, thanks Marlene!" Cloud replied, standing up. "I've gotta go!"
And with that he ran quickly away from Marlene, who was yet again left alone in the middle of the street, with only a flask of whiskey for company.
-
Later that night, Marlene was sat on her bed watching her favourite television programme, Strictly Come Wanking, when she heard noises coming from Tifa's apartment.
"Maybe dad's come back for more..." she thought with glee. Grabbing her binoculars she ran over to her window and peered through them at Tifa's window. But it was not her father. Through the window she could see Cloud and Tifa, as naked as the day they were born. Tifa was sat on top of him, taking a shit on his chest. Marlene, after drinking heavily all afternoon, vomited on herself and fainted in disgust.