After arriving at Costa Del Sol, the team decided to take a well deserved vacation.
"Would you hurry it up?" Aerith asked after an hour of waiting for Tifa to choose an outfit for the beach.
"Don't rush me! After Cloud's little shopping spree, there's only 1000gil left. I have to pick the perfect one."
Within 5 minutes, Tifa emerged from the changing room. She smiled before asking.
"What do you think?"
Aerith's eyes gleamed as she rushed to analyze each and every corner of Tifa's new outift.
"It looks nice and all, but why'd you choose a one-piece?" Aerith asked with her head tilted and a finger on her cheek.
"I thought I'd choose something a bit more modest." Tifa responded.
"Because you're definitely the queen of modesty." Aerith snarked.
"To be honest..." Tifa looked away in embarrassment. "I don't like all the attention..."
"Attention? What kind of attention?" Aerith looked around before locking eyes with Tifa and leaning in to hear her better.
"You know..." Tifa blushed lightly as she pointed at her chest.
"Oh...Oh!" Aerith backed up in a bit of disbelief. "I don't see what the big deal is. If you've got it, flaunt it girl!" Aerith giggled to lighten the mood. "Shall we?" She held out her arm.
"I believe we shall" Tifa smiled and linked hers with Aerith's as they both left the store…but not without paying of course.
Once they were outside, they headed straight for the beach. They could feel the hot sand gently massaging their feet and a cool breeze embracing their skin. For a brief moment they both closed their eyes and let it all sink in. This was paradise.
Their eyes shot open simultaneously the moment they heard people's voices coming from the shore.
"We've gotta find the perfect spot." Aerith ran off without giving it a second thought.
"Wait! We forgot to buy towels!" Tifa reached out to stop her, but deep down she knew better than to think she could stop Aerith once her mind was made up.
Aerith turned back while still running. "Don't sweat it. We'll just lay on the-"
She tripped face first into the sand. Tifa panicked and rushed to her aid. She pulled Aerith's head out from under the sand.
"Are you okay?"
Trying to regain her balance Aerith muttered "What the heck did I trip on?"
They looked behind themselves and saw a couple standing there. The woman had long jet black hair and was wearing a pink cross strap swimsuit. She leaned towards them, hands on her hips and a big pout on her face. The man had his hair spiked up and wore black and orange swim trunks.
"Excuse me!" The woman said annoyingly. "You just broke our sand castle!"
She grabbed her boyfriend's arm and gave him a dirty look. He shrugged at her which made her all the more furious.
"S-sorry. We can make you another one if you'd like." Tifa waved her hands franticly trying to avoid a conflict.
Aerith saw their footsteps and noticed that they led to two nice beach towels and a beach umbrella.
She stood up, put one hand on her chest, and exclaimed "We can make a better one!"
Everyone gave Aerith a puzzled look.
Aerith gathered her thoughts during the awkward silence. "What I mean to say is. I bet we can make a better sand castle than you two. If we win, then we get your beach equipment!"
The woman clenched her fists and closed her eyes in irritation "And what if we win?"
Aerith pondered for a few seconds. "Well…if you win then…"
"We get YOUR beach equipment." The man struck a creepy smile.
Aerith & Tifa were both flustered by the suggestion.
His girlfriend immediately slapped his face. "You pervert!"
He rubbed his cheek. "Look, babe, you've been wanting a new set of swimsuits. The way I see it, I'm looking out for your best interest."
"Ask me first before you make a hasty choice like that! Besides, my…petite physique won't help me fill out the one that cow is wearing" She pointed at Tifa without looking her way.
Enraged Tifa shouted "Cow? COW? You want to try saying that with my fist-
Aerith held her back as best as she could. "Tifa, she ain't worth it!"
Tifa let out a sigh. "Okay…okay. I'm calm."
"You're on!" Aerith gestured towards the couple.
"Are you crazy? We'll have to give them our clothes if we lose." Tifa screeched.
"Then we don't lose. Plain and simple." Aerith said confidently. She whispered in Tifa's ear "Relax Tifa, we'll just use Earth Materia and win instantly."
"Great idea Aerith, but there's one problem. Barret has it!"
Aerith's eyes widened. "What? Then what Materia do we have?"
They frantically searched Tifa's travel bag while the couple just stood there wondering what they were talking about.
"Time, Restore, Heal, Ice, and Fire." Aerith stated nervously. She slowly turned her head towards Tifa, with tears coming down her eyes "What are we gonna do!?"
Tifa ran through the possibilities in her head and she came to a solid conclusion.
"Don't worry Aerith, we can do this." Tifa stood up and faced the couple with a determined look on her face. "Ready when you are."
"Three, two, one, go!" The woman shouted as she rushed to collect all the sand she could into her pail while her boyfriend fetched water in another.
Aerith and Tifa had no pail, so they decided Tifa would be better for the hands on building while Aerith kept waiting for the couple to look away.
"Anytime now Aerith." Tifa whispered.
"Just waiting for the right…now!" Aerith cast Slow on the couple, decreasing their speed tremendously. They didn't seem to notice however.
"Okay what's next?" Aerith eagerly asked.
"When I throw the sand up cast Haste on me so I'll move quicker. Then finish it off by casting fire on the finished castle." Tifa said without taking her eyes off of the couple.
"Got it!"
She did as Tifa said. Once Tifa's speed was increased, she threw heaps of sand into the air and began shaping a castle. Bit by bit Aerith saw the castle coming into full form.
"Now Aerith!"
Aerith cast fire on the sand castle. Everything was now complete. Tifa and Aerith stood back to marvel their new glass castle.
"Oh my…" The woman was at a lost for words when she looked to see how far Aerith & Tifa had gotten.
"Baby, I got the water..." The man dropped everything once he returned and saw how big the castle was.
The woman threw the sand pail down and marched off the beach in a fit of rage. Her boyfriend began to follow her with his head down. "A bet is a bet…it's yours now." He left the beach.
"Phew! All in a day's work." Aerith struck a victory thumbs up to Tifa.
"That was a close one! The next time you decide to make an irrational decision, keep me out of it." Tifa let out a sigh.
They laid their backs flat on the couple's beach towels.
"Oh come on! You loved it." Aerith egged Tifa on.
A smile crept on Tifa's face "…a little bit."
They both closed their eyes again to return to that place of paradise.