Life, As It Is Now
By: Jenna Mogavero
Sighing, I put my elbows on the polished wood of the bar and rested my head in my hands. I slowly looked around my new 7th Heaven, reestablished inWutai. Life since Meteor has been nothing but ordinary. Everywhere you go you have a fan or secret admirer.
For me, it's been a hellhole.
After Sephiroth was vanquished and Meteor destroyed everybody separated. I was hoping that Cloud and I could go somewhere together, but instead he left to go find Aeris. I was very hurt when he told me that. He told me he loved me but he didn't love me like he loved Aeris. So, he left. Yuffie didn't have anybody so I decided to go with her back to Wutai. I've always wanted to live in a place like this anyway. Isolated, away from everything.
That was about a year ago. A few months after I had gotten all settled in, word got to me that Cloud had died. Said that he committed suicide by impaling himself with his own sword. Red XIII sent me the article. He shut his sword in between his door so it was sticking straight out. Then he ran into it.
I didn't eat or sleep much after that. At least until Barret visited. He sat me down and gave me the lecture of my life. He told me to put Cloud's death behind me just like I did for Aeris and that's what I did.
So here I am. No family and now my childhood friend is gone as well. If I didn't have Yuffie here with me, I'd probably go crazy.
I looked up at the small clock hanging on the wall above the door. 11:30. Half an hour until closing time. I sighed again as I picked up a washcloth and began to wipe off the bar for the fiftieth time that night.
Gosh, I wonder how Barret and Red XIII are doing? Or even if Cait Sith is still with Reeve in Junon? Or if Cid is still living in Rocket Town? Maybe I should go visit them, but I can't leave Yuffie like this. But maybe I should go. I've been cooped up working in this bar for almost a year and the rest of my staff can take over for me if I wanna leave. That's it! I've made up my mind! I'm going.
Nodding my head I looked up at the clock again.
"Okay, people," I called out to the remaining people in the bar. "Closing time. Finish up your drinks."
I finished cleaning the rest of the glasses that were strewn about the bar then put them away. I walked out from behind the bar and into the kitchen. Krissy and her older brother, Travis were there, preparing food and washing dishes. Krissy saw me and walked over.
"Hey, Teef! Gettin' ready to close up?" she asked, in her cheerful singsong voice.
"Yeah, but there was something I wanted to ask you and Travis. Do you have a minute?"
"Sure," she said, with a wide smile. "Hey, Travis! Come 'ere! Tifa's got something to tell us."
Travis walked up to us and slung his dishtowel over his shoulder. "What's up, Teef?"
"Well, I'm gonna be leaving. I want to go and visit my friends and I wanted to ask you if you could take over for me while I'm gone."
"Sure, we can do that," Travis said. "How long are ya gonna be gone?"
"Well, a month max."
"Yeah, Tifa," Krissy said, looking at her brother then back at me. "We'll take care of things here while you go visit your friends. Don't worry about a thing."
"You guys are lifesavers," I said, walking up and giving both of them a warm hug. "I promise I won't be gone too long."
"Oh, take your time there's no rush," Krissy said, grabbing her purse and turning the lights off in the kitchen.
"You go ahead and go home, Tifa," Travis said, stacking chairs on the tables. "We'll close up tonight."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course. You just go home and get ready for your trip," Krissy said, ushering me out the door.
"Thanks, guys! I'll see you later!"
"Bye, Tifa!" Krissy said, before going back inside the bar to help her brother.
I smiled as I walked toward the house that Yuffie and I shared. Once I arrived, I walked around back to where I kept Seraph, my gold chocobo. She was sleeping but woke up the second I walked up to her. She warked happily and searched my hands for greens.
"Sorry, Seraph. I'll give you some greens in a minute. We have to get you ready. We're gonna be leaving tomorrow."
She warked again like she understood and backed up so I could enter her stall. I walked to the back and grabbed her blanket and saddle. I set the blanket down on her back then put the saddle on and strapped it on her. Then put the reigns around her beak. I grabbed a handful of greens out of a bucket and excited her stall. I held my hand out in front of me and fed her the greens then went inside.
By: Jenna Mogavero
Sighing, I put my elbows on the polished wood of the bar and rested my head in my hands. I slowly looked around my new 7th Heaven, reestablished inWutai. Life since Meteor has been nothing but ordinary. Everywhere you go you have a fan or secret admirer.
For me, it's been a hellhole.
After Sephiroth was vanquished and Meteor destroyed everybody separated. I was hoping that Cloud and I could go somewhere together, but instead he left to go find Aeris. I was very hurt when he told me that. He told me he loved me but he didn't love me like he loved Aeris. So, he left. Yuffie didn't have anybody so I decided to go with her back to Wutai. I've always wanted to live in a place like this anyway. Isolated, away from everything.
That was about a year ago. A few months after I had gotten all settled in, word got to me that Cloud had died. Said that he committed suicide by impaling himself with his own sword. Red XIII sent me the article. He shut his sword in between his door so it was sticking straight out. Then he ran into it.
I didn't eat or sleep much after that. At least until Barret visited. He sat me down and gave me the lecture of my life. He told me to put Cloud's death behind me just like I did for Aeris and that's what I did.
So here I am. No family and now my childhood friend is gone as well. If I didn't have Yuffie here with me, I'd probably go crazy.
I looked up at the small clock hanging on the wall above the door. 11:30. Half an hour until closing time. I sighed again as I picked up a washcloth and began to wipe off the bar for the fiftieth time that night.
Gosh, I wonder how Barret and Red XIII are doing? Or even if Cait Sith is still with Reeve in Junon? Or if Cid is still living in Rocket Town? Maybe I should go visit them, but I can't leave Yuffie like this. But maybe I should go. I've been cooped up working in this bar for almost a year and the rest of my staff can take over for me if I wanna leave. That's it! I've made up my mind! I'm going.
Nodding my head I looked up at the clock again.
"Okay, people," I called out to the remaining people in the bar. "Closing time. Finish up your drinks."
I finished cleaning the rest of the glasses that were strewn about the bar then put them away. I walked out from behind the bar and into the kitchen. Krissy and her older brother, Travis were there, preparing food and washing dishes. Krissy saw me and walked over.
"Hey, Teef! Gettin' ready to close up?" she asked, in her cheerful singsong voice.
"Yeah, but there was something I wanted to ask you and Travis. Do you have a minute?"
"Sure," she said, with a wide smile. "Hey, Travis! Come 'ere! Tifa's got something to tell us."
Travis walked up to us and slung his dishtowel over his shoulder. "What's up, Teef?"
"Well, I'm gonna be leaving. I want to go and visit my friends and I wanted to ask you if you could take over for me while I'm gone."
"Sure, we can do that," Travis said. "How long are ya gonna be gone?"
"Well, a month max."
"Yeah, Tifa," Krissy said, looking at her brother then back at me. "We'll take care of things here while you go visit your friends. Don't worry about a thing."
"You guys are lifesavers," I said, walking up and giving both of them a warm hug. "I promise I won't be gone too long."
"Oh, take your time there's no rush," Krissy said, grabbing her purse and turning the lights off in the kitchen.
"You go ahead and go home, Tifa," Travis said, stacking chairs on the tables. "We'll close up tonight."
"Are you sure?"
"Of course. You just go home and get ready for your trip," Krissy said, ushering me out the door.
"Thanks, guys! I'll see you later!"
"Bye, Tifa!" Krissy said, before going back inside the bar to help her brother.
I smiled as I walked toward the house that Yuffie and I shared. Once I arrived, I walked around back to where I kept Seraph, my gold chocobo. She was sleeping but woke up the second I walked up to her. She warked happily and searched my hands for greens.
"Sorry, Seraph. I'll give you some greens in a minute. We have to get you ready. We're gonna be leaving tomorrow."
She warked again like she understood and backed up so I could enter her stall. I walked to the back and grabbed her blanket and saddle. I set the blanket down on her back then put the saddle on and strapped it on her. Then put the reigns around her beak. I grabbed a handful of greens out of a bucket and excited her stall. I held my hand out in front of me and fed her the greens then went inside.