Disclaimer: I don't own anything in Final Fantasy VII, Okay? Stop asking!
This story is a result of my total lapse of inspiration for my other one, By These Hands. I am completely in love with almost every rock star, and everyone has to admit Vincent is totally perfect for that role. I mean just think of how sexy rockers are... Jim Morrison, William Beckett, Conor Oberst (not quite a rocker, but still). Something about them is just amazing... Well, hope everyone enjoys this story!
Read on!
Interviewer: Now, let me now if I'm getting to personal, but there seem to be a pretty dark past back there somewhere...what was it like for you growing up?
Conor: Dark? Not really... uh... actually I had a great childhood, my parents were wonderful, I went to a catholic school.
They have... they had money so... it... It was all... easy... basically I had everything I wanted... handed to me...
Interviewer: Really? So some of the references like babies in bathtubs, are not biographical?
Conor: Well I do have a brother who died in a bathtub, drowned... actually I had five brothers who died that way...
Interviewer: Hah!
Conor: No, I'm serious... My mother drowned one every year for... five consecutive years...
they were all named "Padriac", so, that's…they all got one song...
Interviewer: Hmm...
Conor: It's kinda like... Walking out the door, to discover it's a window...
Radio conversation between Conor Oberst and an interviewer at the end of the Bright Eyes song, An Attempt to Tip the Scales
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Miss Lockheart? Miss Lockheart? TIFA LOCKHEART, wake yourself THIS INSTANT!"
Tifa's eyes shot open, much to the merriment of her classmates.
Bewildered, she sleepily gazed around the room trying to figure out where she was. Tifa glanced up and was greeted with the red face of her homeroom teacher, Ms. Wormwood.She groaned aloud.
'I must have fallen asleep again,' she slowly realized, 'This is the third time this week!'
Ms. Wormwood's face deepened to an even darker hue when the girl groaned and she growled threateningly, spit flying everywhere, " So!… SO! My class is so boring you fall asleep nearly everyday, huh?"
She was on a roll, becoming exponentially angrier and angrier as the tirade continued, "And then after you've had your nice little NAP, you GROAN when I wake you up! Never in my teaching years have I encountered such an impertinent pupil, well let me tell you something! Yes, plan on detentions everyday after school for a VERY LONG TIME!"
Tifa could feel her heart flip flop in her chest, "But Ms. Wormwood, I have work! I can't miss that many days, or I'll get fired!"
The disgruntled teacher let out a satisfied grin at the teen's crestfallen face.
"That will teach you to take naps in as important a class as Algebra! Why, you're lucky that you're only getting detention, since I could have failed you just as easily."
Tifa muttered her thanks and slumped broodingly in her chair. Ms. Wormwood hadn't even said when the detention would end, which meant she was going to force Tifa to go as long as she felt like it.
She brushed her long, brown hair from her wine-colored eyes, and valiantly attempted to pay attention. Math was never her strong suit, and it took all the girl's willpower to keep her eyes open against the onslaught of apathy that was a direct result of algebraic equations.
A few giggles were still on her classmates' lips, and Tifa could hear a girl across the room whisper loudly, "Ohmygod, that girl is such a freaking weirdo!"
The brunette sank even lower in her chair, if that was possible, and hung her head. Without looking she knew who was insulting her. It was Scarlet Shinra.
Scarlet's lustrous blond hair, charismatic smile, and dynamite body sufficed to make her one of the most popular girls in school, yet there was something else that contributed to her popularity.
Yes, it's always a bonus to have your father be the richest man in town.
He owned Shinra Records, the most prominent record company in the music business. A record company that had alsosigned on Death Penalty, a band that was all the rage with the youth of Midgar.
Yet, despite her obvious beauty and appeal, Scarlet was one of the most cruel people Tifa had ever met. The blond never missed an opportunity to torture the girl, and took intense pleasure in turning all the students of Midgar High against her. Tifa had no idea why the queen of their senior class hated her so much, but deduced that it must be because she really was a weirdo.
Ever since the summer of freshmen year, Tifa had hardly spoken to anyone at school. Before that she had been another social butterfly, everyone knowing her name, but after that fateful day she withdrew herself from her friends. At first they were angry, confused, but after awhile forgot about her and turned to Scarlet as their new idol. Now, at eighteen years old, she was considered a loner and only had a few friends.
In fact, at that very moment her best friend, Yuffie, smiled reassuringly and flipped off Ms. Wormwood in an attempt to lighten Tifa's mood. Sophomore year, when Scarlet's taunting began, Yuffie was the only one brave enough to be friendly with Tifa. As a result she too became a social outcast, but the hyper teen wasn't fazed in the slightest by the other girl's cruelty. She was unwaveringly loyal as a friend, and the only person in the world who knew what happened to Tifa that summer.
After what seemed like hours, the dismissal bell rang. Happily bouncing out of her seat, Yuffie skipped over to Tifa and gave her a wide smile.
"Tifa that was hilarious! She is such an old hag, I swear! You know my dad's a lawyer, so I could totally have him investigate this cause there's no way that spinster could give you that many detentions for just falling asleep!"
Tifa smiled weakly at her excited friend and said, "Don't bother, it's okay."
"Whaddaya mean it's okay? You're just gonna take that from her?"
"Whatever, if I fight it I'll just draw more attention to myself, I'd rather not make a big deal out of this."
They exited the classroom and Yuffie shook her head disbelievingly.
"Sometimes I just don't understand you, girl. Now how are we gonna rise up to fight the man if you have a wimpy attitude like that? Huh?"
Tifa laughed and said, "Yuffie, your dad practically IS the man, and besides I couldn't care less about the corporate machine you're always talking about. All I care about is music and art."
Yuffie snapped her head around and yelled loudly, causing the students in the hall to stare at them warily.
"That's the point! The corporate machine is sooo trying to take over music! You'll see! Yeah, you'll see! One day your music will be all crappy and poppy and you'll be saying, ' Oh why, why didn't I listen to that beautiful, intelligent Yuffie! If only I had listened to her!'"
Tifa burst into a rare bout of laughter at this. Yuffie was one of the few people who could always cheer her up.
"Don't laugh! You already can see it happening! I mean, what is the bitch Scarlet's dad going to do to our beloved Vincent's band?"
Tifa didn't answer. The thought had already crossed mind a few times, and she definitely didn't like it. Vincent Valentine was the main singer of Death Penalty, and in the two girls opinion, the hottest guy in the world. Not that they were the only girls who felt that way. Practically all the females in Midgar were obsessed with him. Tifa nearly died every time she saw videos of him onstage, red eyes glowing and his long, raven hair and hips swaying passionately to the music.
He also was said to be the whole creative voice behind Death Penalty. The band's music was incredibly unique, and nothing was more alluring then the beautifully composed lyrics coupled by Vincent's soulful voice.
"Yuffie… if Shinra Records tries to change Death Penalty I don't know what I'd do…" The brunette sighed.
Yuffie glanced sideways at Tifa, and hastily changed the subject, "Whatever, when we go to the concert tonight we can change their minds, when the whole band totally falls in love with us!"
Tifa giggled and realized they had reached her car. Saying her goodbyes to Yuffie, she got inside while promising to meet at her house 8 o'clock sharp.
Yuffie stood, her arms wrapped around her lithe frame, and watched Tifa as she pulled away in her old, beat up car. She rubbed her shortly cropped hair and said to herself, " Now there's one messed up girl."
No Vincent yet... awww... don't worry I'm already half finished with the second chapter, so the update will be real soon. I almost made Aeris the main character in this story, but... I dunno... I just think Tifa is a sadder character than Aeris, and more likely to be in the music scene. Read and review! Critque would be nice!
P.S. Isn't that converstaion in the beginning amazing? I LOVE conor Oberst!
