Here is another story I have been thinking about recently. My goal is mainly just to practice in writing for FF7, maybe it will become more than that though :)
First person POV, Tifa centric...
Depending on where the story is and how it progresses the character telling the story is subject to change, but for now Tifa will hold that position.
OC's
There are going to be a few original characters in my story, though I do not know how far the characters will go.
R&R
Please let me know what you think! :) … I greatly appreciate your time reading, and reviewing.
I do not own FFVII, but Square Enix does… If I did though, there would be some changes ;)
Shatter! That's the sound the glass I was cleaning made as it came crashing to the floor. Now it was the glass I had to clean up. Throwing my hands down, I sighed, taking a moment to collect myself. Today was not my best day by far as the barmaid of 7th Heaven. There was something about the day that was unsettling. Something that, in the pit of your stomach, you just know isn't right.
Marlene was quick to help out though. She came rushing over to me, and I couldn't help but notice the ribbon in her hair. There are ways Marlene reminds me so much of Aerith it is unbelievable sometimes. I couldn't help but look down at my own ribbon I wore on my arm in memory of her death. I wonder what it would be like if she didn't die. Where would she go? Would she stay with us here and help take care of the kids? I guess it isn't really worth thinking about, because it only makes me more sad knowing that can never happen. Cloud was so far from us, all of us, because of the guilt he had for not being able to save her. I'm glad he finally forgave himself though.
I finished with the shattered glass before I tried again at cleaning another one, this time with more success. After completing my duties I headed upstairs to take a look at some the orders I would be giving Cloud to run. After all, he was a delivery boy, and what's a delivery boy without something to deliver? I eagerly sat down at a small table, fingering through a few of the papers laid out across its wooden surface. There were a few orders from local places, like Kalm, and some for places farther away. I continued looking through them, occasionally looking over at the picture of our small little family. I can't help but smile every time I see Cloud's expression. He has a funny way of showing his emotions.
After a few minutes, my phone unexpectedly starts ringing. Taking it out I look on the screen and realize it was from a friend who barely ever calls. With an excited expression I opened to the phone to answer.
"Vincent? Its good to hear from you. You know you should call more often, don't be a stranger. Anyways what do you need?" I said to our old friend.
"Yeah, well, I'll have to work on that... Is Cloud around by chance? I needed to speak with him about something. It's actually more of a personal favor I need to ask of him. I'm nearby so if you don't mind Ill come over," Vincent replied in his distinct deep voice.
"Sorry, he isn't around, he should have been back by now but he tends to get held up often," I pronounce.
"Alright. I'll call back another time then, is tomorrow good?" He asked.
"Of course Vincent," I said chuckling a bit, "You don't have to ask, and as far as I'm concerned your family to us."
"Whatever you say Tifa. I appreciate your kindness. Ill make sure to phone in tomorrow." He finished before hanging up.
I wasn't bothered by not saying goodbye to Vincent. Cloud and I were used to having short conversations with little to no goodbyes involved. It was just how we were with our friends because most of us are so busy now with all there is to be done. Barret and Cid finding new fuel sources, while Yuffie is busy taking on leadership for Wutai. A lot has changed since we saved the planet, and it goes without saying that we wouldn't be where we are now if it wasn't for us saving it. Not on just one occasion either if you add Meteor, the reunion – which was mostly Cloud to be honest – and all of us helping Vincent with the Omega incident.
I started to get worried though, because it wasn't like Cloud to be late and not call in. His delivery was to Junon, and even though that is a distance away, he still should have been back. He's going to get a mighty fine lecture when he comes through that door, making all of us worried sick about him.
I decided to lay down and rest a bit, which isn't something I normally get to do. Sometimes I wish I could actually go back to the days when we were fighting to save the planet. Flying around on Cid's airship, Highwind. At least then I got a decent amount of sleep. My thoughts started drifting, thinking about how good we actually have it here. Everything is finally over. No maniacs trying to destroy the planet, no insane demon beasts trying to eradicate us, and I can't remember the last time I fought a monster.
I just couldn't get this feeling out my gut though. I know it has something to do with Cloud, and maybe it's just because I've known him for so long and want him to be safe, but I can't help feeling like I need to check up on him. So I pulled my phone out and hit the speed dial for his number, which of course was 1. Praying that he would pick up, the phone continued ringing for a bit before I reached his voice mail.
"Damn!" I yelled at my failure to reach him.
Now I was really starting to get worried, and started to dial for Vincent before my phone started ringing. To my relief it was my spiky haired hero, so I calmed myself before answering.
"Tifa, you called, are you okay?" He said, in that voice I have grown so fond of since we were little.
"Yeah I'm fine, I was just worried about you, since you haven't called in yet. How did the delivery go?"
"It went as usual, not a whole lot of talking. You know me though, I prefer it that way," he said.
I grinned at his honesty. "Yeah your right about that. Well hurry back soon, we all miss you here." I finish.
"I'll be home within the hour," he paused for a second before returning to the phone. "Hey Tifa I gotta go, there's some people out here that look like they could use some help, be back soon."
"Be careful!" I got out, but was too late. The call had already ended.
I decided to stay up for a bit longer to wait for Cloud. So I had Shelke tuck the kids in. It's really nice having her around, shes very friendly and the kids love her. A little while later I get into the shower. Taking care of a bar is sticky business and its always nice to get cleaned off afterwards. The hot water washes my stress away as I lean forward and watch as drops of water descend from the tips of my hair. I get out, making my final preparations to get some shut eye, deciding it's probably just best to go to bed since I'm so tired.
It doesn't really matter how much I try to sleep though, because the gut feeling comes back. I toss and turn, trying to get even a bit of sleep. Time slowly starts to fade. Why do I feel like this! Cloud is fine, so stop! I think to myself, wondering if its even about Cloud anymore. I turn to look at our clock and gasp when I see that I've been trying to sleep for several hours now. There is absolutely no way Cloud should still be gone, even to help some people in the middle of no where, which is even stranger that people would be out there. I sat up, and once again pressed the speed dial for Cloud. Again, I got his voice mail. I figure he'll call back in a minute, so I wait for a few, but there's no call back. Sweat starts forming on my forehead now, and I start to panic.
I start dialing Vincent's number like before, but this time without being interrupted by Cloud.
"Tifa? Your still up this late?" Vincent says.
"Yeah, I couldn't sleep. I have this feeling something is wrong." I say, terror in my voice.
"What do you mean? Is Cloud home?" He asks.
"No, that's the problem. He said he would be home within the hour, and that was over 4 hours ago. I didn't realize how long it had been since I've been trying to sleep." I finish.
"Alright, Ill go out to search for him. You said an hour right? Where was he coming from?"
"He was coming back from Junon. Right before he hung up he said there were some people who looked like they needed some help. That was the last I heard from him."
"Ill try my best to see if he's still out there, maybe he had to take one of them back to their town or something, who knows. I'll keep you posted."
"Thanks Vincent. Ill let you know if he shows up here."
"Sounds good, ill let you go, but Tifa. Don't worry, this is Cloud we're talking about, he'll be alright." Vincent finishes, a hint of assurance that I have never heard before in his voice.
"Yeah... Thanks again." I say, hanging the phone up.
The more I try to go to sleep the more I am drawn into the thoughts that explode from my head about what might have happened. Like Vincent said, he could be taking one of the people back to who knows where, maybe even back to Junon. Maybe Fenrir broke down along the way. It became a big game of maybe's and what if's. Then I start drifting into more darker thoughts of what may have happened to him, but I quickly dismiss them because I know that those things would never happen... After thinking every scenario over several times, I eventually get a few hours of sleep.
I wake up, startled to find my red caped friend leaning against a wall in the room. His eyes closed and arms folded.
"Vincent, did you find him!" I say, pushing past the grogginess and fatigue from the night.
"No, I didn't find him, I'm sorry Tifa," says Vincent coming away from the wall.
My heart sinks, and suddenly my whole entire body feels like a huge weight has been dropped on it. The same feeling I had when I saw my father after he was killed by Sephiroth.
"You didn't find anything at all?" I say.
"Tifa, there was something. I don't know what it means, but-"
"Just tell me Vincent! I can handle it!" I yell. Now dowsed in total fear.
"I found his phone and it looked like this. It was near his motorcycle. Cloud wasn't anywhere near it though," the caped man says, tossing Cloud's phone to me.
I look at the phone, its destroyed and definitely beyond repair. The news fills my eyes with a few small tears, but I wipe them away quickly, trying to hide it.
"I suggest we call everyone. We need to get a bigger search going for him. Call me when your ready. We'll find him Tifa," he says walking off.
All I can do is stare. Stare at the destroyed phone, thinking about how he probably talked to me last with it, and thinking about the scene that might have unfolded. I continue doing so for a good ten minutes before shaking myself out of it. The kids will be getting up soon, and I have to have a keep this from them as best as I can, I think to myself, knowing that the kids will be broken to think Cloud is missing, especially Denzel.
I called everyone that day. Barret, Cid, Yuffie, Nanaki, even Reeve. We searched all the major areas around where he was last, in question, with no luck. Then we started asking questions in the major cities. Barret and I went to Junon, while the others went to check other places, like Kalm. We even checked odd places like the Chocobo farm we knew of. Still no Cloud though, and this has now went on for a couple of weeks. There hasn't been a single day now that I don't scream painful screams of sadness. I wonder how long it will be before my eyes have no more tears left to cry. The others have tried to comfort me, and its nice, but it doesn't matter.
It's the beginning of the third week now. I still put on a good face for the children, but they can see I'm hurting. They can see my sadness radiating right through, no matter how good I think I'm acting. I wonder if this is how Cloud felt before he forgave himself for Aerith's death, I say in my head. I have become an emotional wreck, wandering around and sometimes forgetting what I'm supposed to do. Even some of the regulars aren't coming back because of how drastic my mood has changed. I can't tell you how many times I have looked at that photo of us with him.
In all of this sadness though, I have another feeling. It's the same caliber of the one I felt before this all happened. I have a feeling he is out there. I know he is, he has to, and I won't stop looking until I find him. Even if the others give up, which so far only Vincent has because he has other things on his agenda as well. I can see it in the others though, and they're starting to lose hope. They hate this just as much as I do, even Nanaki has shown signs of sorrow. Eventually though the search will have to stop.
Suddenly the door opened up fast, startling me out of my stupor of thought. The bell, violently ringing from the top of it. Denzel comes running up to the counter top I'm cleaning.
"Tifa! There's some woman outside, she says she wants to talk to you." Denzel says, pointing outside.
An instant wave of suspicion comes over me and my eyes narrow a bit.
"Denzel go upstairs, ill go and see." I tell him, waving him up.
With an alert look I step outside and look to my right. Nothing is there, and as I turn to look on my left, sure enough, there is a woman directly facing me. I have never seen her before. She has a slender figure, and is pale looking. She also has long black hair. The most mysterious thing about her though is her eyes, they look white... an empty and hollow looking white. From what I see she's wearing a gray skintight under suit, pale brown shorts with a black leather belt, a tight fitting jacket with thin metal pauldrons too. She also has a darker brown colored pair of boots that stop just below her knees, with armored knee pads as well. If I didn't know any better I would say she was prepared to fight. Something about this woman felt all wrong, she gives me an aura of death as she blankly stares into my own ruby eyes.
"Tifa Lockhart," Her lips slowly pronounce, and a grin forming on her face.
"Who wants to know?" I ask, holding my ground. This woman is dangerous, I decide. I can just feel it.
The woman laughs and takes a few steps forward.
"Lilith," she says, the name coming off her tongue like a hiss.
My eyes find hers again, and the same empty feeling of death surrounds me. I quickly avert, and stay focused.
"Well what do you want? I'm very busy." I reply, a hint of hostility.
Lilith laughs again. "I guess you would be busy, looking for that blonde mutt of yours."
Thank you so much for reading. I hope you liked chapter 1 :D ... Please don't hesitate to leave a review... If I get feedback from people it lets me know how I am doing and motivates me to continue writing :)