CHAPTER 2: Tifa and Kanako HATE When Kit Plots
SUMMARY: As Christmas draws closer, Cloud Strife struggles with a very difficult and delicate decision, a decision that could change not only his life but the life of someone very close to him as well. With the help of loyal and supportive friends and allies, will Cloud make the correct choice? Read to find out. Rated for safety, implied sexual content (I can't write that sort of stuff worth CRAP, nor could I do so to save my life!) and for the mouths of Barret, Cid, Reno, and my O.C.'s – Kitara Miyuki Yuri Strife and Akihito Reynolds (rarely Akihito) – and H e a r tless f a i r ytale's O.C. – Kanako Alana Alethea Superior Strife. (HOPE I SPELLED HER NAME RIGHT, H e a r tless!!) Main pairing is CloudxTifa with side-pairings of KitaraxAkihito, VincentxKanako (Yuffie didn't get the balls to tell Vinny she loves him yet, Jei, so put up with it! ;P), CidxShera (they'll be at a party in one of these chapters), TsengxElena (will also be at a party in one of these chapters), ZackxAerith (they're gonna show up from the Lifestream at some point).
Thanks to lostsoulMiakis, vx-Luna-xv, and anyone else for alerting this story! You kick ass!!
Thanks to all who reviewed the first chapter!! I would've replied to your reviews, but FanFiction was being a bitch with the log-in system thingy for TWO DAYS!! TWO DAYS!!! WHAT THE HELL'S UP WITH THAT, MODERATORS, WHOEVER YOU ARE?! That's just not good, because that means we authors can't post our new stories and/or chapters, nor can we receive reviews because nobody can access the review page!!!
Kit: Okay... I was originally just gonna have this thing be a one-shot, then that idea turned into this fic being a two-shot, now I have absolutely NO CLUE as to how many damned chapters I'm gonna make this thing! All I currently know is that I was making chapter 1 way too damn long – sweatdrop – hence the little recap at the beginning of this chapter. Anyways... DENZEL!
Denzel: was right behind Kit Yeah?
Kit: WAUGH! O.O jumps seven feet in the air and clings to the ceiling as she looks down Denzel? PLEASE don't do that ever again! T.T
Denzel: chuckles Sorry, Kit.
Kit: lets go of the ceiling and lands on her back... HARD ...Ow. I think I just messed my back up even more. rubs her stupid scoliosis-ed back to soothe the pain
Denzel: holds up a glowing green Materia Want me to cast an Esuna??
Kit: O.o How do you have Materia, Mini-Cloud??
Denzel: Because I managed to sneak it away from Yuffie. And I'm not a mini-Cloud!
Kit: To me you are, now hush. Anyways... sure, cast an Esuna.
Denzel: smiles before screwing his face up in concentration for 2 minutes ESUNA!
Kit: watches as a prettily glowing green light moves behind her to soothe her back before disappearing a minute later ...Hm... rubs her back a little Sweet. Thank you, Denz. Now then... feel up to doing the disclaimer for me again??
Denzel: Do I have to??
Kit: Hey, I don't care if you just re-read everything off the cue-card from last time or use a random tape-recorder that you had on ya last chapter and used to record what ya said last time. Then again, if you don't wanna do it, I can just get Marlene to do it this time. shrugs I don't really care, so long as someone does the disclaimer.
Denzel: How did you know I had a tape-recorder on me last chapter?? pulls said object out of his pocket
Kit: jaw drops as her eyes bug out I actually didn't. I was just being random.
Denzel: So I can still use this?? holds up object
Kit: Yeah, sure, go ahead.
Denzel: presses PLAY on the tape-recorder
Tape-Recorded Denzel: KitaraStrife does not hold any claim to the Final Fantasy franchise, its characters, or any of its merchandise. All she owns is a copy of "Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII," a copy of the "Final Fantasy X" walkthrough guidebook, and – though most say it doesn't count – a copy of "Final Fantasy X-2" for the PS2. Any O.C.'s within this one-shot are entirely owned by KitaraStrife or one of her friends (namely those of H e a r tless f a i r ytale). She does not own any songs used in this story either, the artists who sing them will be stated in the ending author's note. Also, please note that her father told her in an irrelevant-to-this-disclaimer-conversation that bars tend to close at around 2 or 3 in the morning, effectively explaining the somewhat random appearance of an N.P.C. (or Non-Player Character) from the "Final Fantasy VII" video game named Johnny. And finally, she has no pocket money to her name whatsoever, save for random change in the form of a few quarters, dimes, and multiple pennies.
Denzel: presses STOP on the tape-recorder
Kit: Thank you, Denzel. Have another cookie. smiles and hands him a cookie just like last time
Denzel: Thanks! stuffs tape-recorder back in his pocket and runs off with cookie again
Kit: Okay, everyone. The O.C.'s in this chapter that are MINE are Kitara Miyuki Yuri Strife and Akihito Reynolds. Kanako Alana Alethea Superior Strife is (c) H e a r tless f a i r ytale of this very site. Other than all of that, the band mentioned last chapter under the title of "Blood Skulls" is also (c) ME and... well.... that's about it, except that this chapter is DEFINITELY longer than the last one! Now then... ENJOY THE CHAPTER!! runs off to hit her head against a wall for how suckish and LONG this opening author's note was
"words" means Person talking on the other end of any phone of any sort; Flashback-like sequences; Recaps in later chapters
"words" means Regular talking
'words' means Thinking
RECAP: While Tifa and the kids finished with the cookies, the shower was running upstairs. Standing under the water in his birthday suit, Cloud leant his head against the shower wall, the water splashing down on him from behind.
"You can't get sick, Cloud!" Denzel called after him. "You're too powerful to get sick!" Denzel's words kept playing in his mind, over and over, again and again.
"If only you knew how powerless I felt sometimes, Denzel," he said to himself, eyes closed. "If only you knew, then you wouldn't have said that." He stood like that for what felt like hours but was only five minutes, just letting the water melt away his aches and pains before he picked his head up and began to wash his hair.
"Zack... how the hell do I tell her? What if she doesn't like me?" he asked to the air, knowing that he'd somehow hear his old best friend's voice – whether it be suddenly showing up in the field of flowers fully clothed when he's truly naked or just the sound of Zack's voice, to him, echoing around the bathroom.
FEARTHESCENECHANGEFONTORZACKWILLSCREAM"ZACK ATTACK!!"ANDGLOMPYOU!!!!!!!!!
Five minutes later, Cloud stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around his waist and heading for his room to get changed.(1) Meanwhile, Tifa and the kids had just finished up all the cookies downstairs.
"Phew! That's the last of them," said Tifa, wiping her brow of the collected sweat from cooking all day. "Why don't you two go see if Cloud's out of the shower yet and get washed up if he is."
"Okay, Tifa," replied Marlene, smiling as she grabbed Denzel's hand and ran upstairs with the 11-year-old smiling as he ran after her.
"TIFA! WE'RE BACK!!" Tifa turned around to see the door between the kitchen and the bar area being pushed open and an 18-year-old girl with long blonde-black-silver-brown-and-orange layered hair tipped hot pink, bangs of red tipped turquoise, and a pair of dangling earrings – both in the shape of the skull-and-cross bones only with a black on the right and a red on the left – walk in wearing a form-fitting black tee over a three-quarters-sleeved red fishnet shirt, fingerless black fighting gloves on both hands, nails painted a blood red with randomly-placed white dots, comfortably form-fitting dark gray jeans, and red-and-black sneakers. She was followed by another 18-year-old female with long black hair layered with brown and silver and bangs of purple tipped red wearing a spiked black choker necklace around her neck; a low-cut and midriff-showing red tank top with black fishnet around the middle of the top; a short striped jacket with purple-green-blue-and-black stripes overtop her tank; a black fishnet arm wrap on her left arm with a red one on her right; a spiked green bracelet on her left wrist with a purple one on her right; a fingerless glove with the same colors and design as her jacket below the bracelet on her left hand, another glove exactly identical to it on her right except that it went overtop the fishnet until just below her elbow, the spiked purple bracelet overtop the glove; a red leather mini-skirt with a studded belt of a darker shade around her waist and dark purple shorts-like legging with black fishnet at the bottom hems underneath the skirt; striped knee-high socks with the same design scheme as her gloves on her legs; and finally dark purple zip-up, calf-high boots with a spiked dark blue belt around the ankle and near the top with a black fishnet design between the belts on her feet. A 19-year-old male – taller than the girls – with shoulder-length spiky black hair highlighted a mix of blue, blond, and brown, wearing a black hoodie with the "Blood Skulls" band emblem emblazoned upon it, gloves with Cloud's wolf symbol on them in silver, blue jeans, and black boots following her. The girls both had a guitar over their backs – one a bass and the other a regular electric – while the boy had a set of drumsticks in his back pocket.
"Hey, how'd the concert go?" Tifa asked, smiling as she started cleaning up the mess she, Marlene, and Denzel had made that day.
"It was great! Everyone loved us!!" the shorter of the girls immediately replied, bouncing around the kitchen and helping Tifa clean up after setting her guitar down. "Though, one of the fanboys tried to jump on stage," she added, pausing in the process of carrying a large mixing bowl over to the counter to be washed with a thoughtful look on her face as she seemed to stare off into space.
"Yeah, but Hito-kun took care of him by chucking a drumstick at his head," the older female finished with a small chuckle, placing cookie-cutters of multiple shapes and sizes in the sink after setting her bass guitar next to the other girl's, sending "Hito" a quick and faint smile. He just nodded and said, "He shouldn't have been trying to get on the stage in the first place."
"Yeah, well stop taking our business away from us, yo." The girls looked up to see Reno walk in just then with Rude following right behind him.
"It's not my fault you're slow to react," Hito jeered, turning away from the two Turks to start washing the dishes.(2)
"Reno, don't even bother trying to continue this petty argument with Akihito, or I'm gonna have an out-of-universe experience and go Haruko Haruhara on your mofo ass, ya hear me!" growled the girl with turquoise-tipped red bangs, death glaring the red-head with the challenge of defying her in her currently cat-like red eyes that could change to glowing Mako-enhanced green at any second.
"Yes, ma'am, Kit-Kat!" the red-head replied with horrified wide eyes of his own, knowing that when the girl's eyes changed colors and the pupils were like a cat's that he had better listen or he wouldn't be going on any missions for quite a while. Not to mention that he always suddenly felt like he was going to either wet himself, crap his pants, or both every time she did that.
Kit's eyes turned back to a calming hazel with normal pupils as she grinned. "Good Turk! Now then, go get our stuff outta the van, will ya?" she ordered, mainly to Reno since she knew Rude would do it anyway, as she picked up a dishtowel and began to dry the dishes.
"Kitara Miyuki Yuri Strife!" Tifa reprimanded, a sharp glare sent in the taller girl's direction.(3)
With a sigh, Kit added, "Please?"
"Of course," Rude replied with a smirk and nod of his head, grabbing Reno's shirt collar as he headed back out to the van, dragging his partner along with him.
"UGH! WHY do we have to have the Turks be our bodyguards-slash-bouncers again?" groaned Kit, handing Kanako a cookie-cutter to put away. "I mean, Hito can handle any retards that try to get a little too 'fresh'—" here she used air-quotes—"around us better than any Turk can, no offense to Tseng and Rude."
"What about Elena?" Tifa asked, putting away a bowl she had just dried, knowing full well that of any of the Turks it was Reno that Kit loved to pick on the most.
"Blonde-and-flat doesn't really have any special skills aside from her 'Googley-eyed-for-my-boss-named-Tseng-who-just-happens-to-be-standing-right-behind-you' stare attack," Kanako scoffed. Tifa rolled her eyes; she should have known that where it was Reno for Kit, Kanako loved to pick on Elena the most.
"So, Tifa? Any luck yet?" asked Kit, changing to subject to something she knew Akihito would keep quiet about as she, Kanako and Tifa talked about it. Her only response was a heavy sigh of disappointment as the older woman leaned against the edge of the stove.
"None at all. I thought you said he would ask by now?"
"I thought he would, too!"
"Maybe he needs some... persuasion." All three girls glanced at the boy in amazement, not expecting him to throw in his two cents on the topic all three thought he would never talk about with them.
"Wha-whaddja just say, Hito?" Kit asked, the first of the three girls to snap back to her senses, albeit with her jaw still hanging a bit.
"Maybe he needs some persuasion to ask," was the calm reply the drummer offered. Tifa, Kanako, and Kitara all looked at each other for a minute before nodding their heads.
"You're right, I think he does, Akihito." Tifa smile at the half-Wutaian, half-Nibelheimian teen that has always looked up to Cloud and probably always would, no matter what the two-time hero of Gaia happened to do.(4) ...Well, unless it happened to be something he disapproved of, then Akihito probably wouldn't idolize him anymore, but this authoress digresses. "The only problem is how to persuade him. Any ideas, girls?" She turned to Kit and Kanako, both of whom had stopped drying and putting away the dishes just like Tifa herself, all three subconsciously knowing Akihito – knowing all along that they probably would eventually – would finish drying and putting them away anyway.
"Hmm.... a song maybe??" Kanako suggested.
"What sort of song, Kan?" pondered the brunette as she leaned against the counter, finger on her chin in thought.
The kitchen was silent for a couple minutes as the girls thought, the only noises being Akihito drying and putting away the dishes just like the girls subconsciously knew he would. Then...
"GOT IT!" shouted out Kit with a snap of her fingers, startling her female companions and making her boyfriend glance at her as he put away the big mixing bowl.
"Well, what is it, Kitara?"
"Yeah, tell us, Kit, tell us!" Kanako urged, bouncing slightly, as she and Tifa both leaned more towards the turquoise-tipped red banged girl.(5)
"Ever heard of a song called "Into the Night" by Sado Kuroija?" she asked with a smirk, her face somehow changing into that of a humanoid cat's.(6)
Both Tifa and Kanako looked at each other before looking back at the other girl. "Yeah," they said in unison, the lilt of suspicion in their voices as they waited for Kit to explain.
"It will all be clear later," the 18-year-old bassist replied mysteriously, waving her hand in the air to dismiss anymore questions. "First, do you still dance at all, Tifa?"
With a quirked eyebrow, Tifa replied, "Yeah. Why?" 'I don't really like where this seems to be going, nor do I think I want to know where this is going!'
"Perfect." Kit's eyes turned from a calm hazel to a mischievous purple, scaring not only Tifa, but also Kanako who couldn't seem to penetrate her adopted older sister's thoughts to see what she was thinking which was a huge rarity. "Hito? Do you think Reno and Rude have gotten any of our crap out of the van yet??" she asked, turning to her boyfriend who was now completely done putting away the dishes and just leaning against the wall in a perfect emulation of Cloud.
"Probably only the amps. Why?"
"Oh, no reason." Smiling cryptically, Kitara told him of her plans via telepathy while still keeping Kanako out, catching his eyes darting to the staircase for a split-second before they were retrained upon her face once again. "We just need to get back to our practice room for a few hours before the party tonight."
"What exactly are you up to now, Kit?" inquired a slightly scared Tifa, taking a single unconscious step backwards.
"Just trust me on this, Tif, please," implored the girl with multi-colored hair as she grabbed the hands of her little sister and hopefully soon-to-be older sister-in-law and led them out the door and to the van, Hito following behind them.(7) Outside, the four of them saw Reno and Rude were just setting down the last of the amps from the large vehicle.
"Sorry to do this to ya, boys, but ya need to reload 'em!" Grinning at the squawk of indignation from the red-haired and tattooed man, Kit led the group in piling inside before she helped their "bodyguards" get the amplifiers reloaded by telekinetically lifting the heavy pieces of equipment into the air and into the trunk.(8)
"I hate it when she does that, yo."
"You know you still like her, Reno," teased the bald man with a small smirk towards his slightly shorter partner as the two climbed in back and shut the doors.
"Hang on to those amplifiers, boys!" Kanako called back as she started the engine. "It's gonna be a bumpy ride! YEEHAW!!"
As the van pulled out into the eerily non-existent traffic, Reno could be heard screaming one thing as they sped towards the little warehouse Rufus Shinra allows them to use for their practices so long as two of his top Turks remain the band's bodyguards, that thing being "WHOOOOOAAAAA!!!!!!!!"
1. Does anyone know if Cloud and Tifa share that room that Reno and Rude put them in after finding them in Aerith's church in the movie?? is confuzzled
2. Hey, there is NOTHING wrong with a guy doing the dishes! My dad does them almost all the time at my house! Then again, that's mainly due to me and my big sis being too lazyassed to do them ourselves. ...At least I'll rinse my dishes (most of the time) before just setting them on the counter, unlike my sis!! (DX)
3. Kitara Miyuki Yuri Strife, as stated in the full summary set above the beginning author's note, is my O.C. (or "Original Character" for those who don't/didn't know). Her name means "North Sun Snow Lily" when you ignore the last name. "Kita" means "north;" the "ra" at the end of "Kitara" is a little bit of Egyptian thrown in, hence the "sun" part; "Miyuki" is one of two names that means "snow" – the other being just plain "Yuki," but I didn't want to steal a "Fruits Basket" character name – for girls in Japan; and "Yuri" means "lily."
4. I have seen it spelled "Wutain" which, thanks to all the fanfictions I've read with it spelled like that, looks the most correct to me. But in my mind... totally different story! My mind says that any person from or any descendant of someone from Wutai should be called a "Wutaian", kinda like how anyone from or anyone that is a descendant of someone from Hawaii is called a "Hawaiian." ...Yeah, my mind's effed up sometimes. So sue me; this is about the time that I continued writing during major crunch time on my Graduation Project, so I have the RIGHT to be a little pushy on my opinions of things! :P All that, and I even made up a word for those from Nibelheim. XD My mind REALLY needs to get to sleep, doesn't it? -.-"
5. Okay... that sounded SO WRONG, but I was writing that part at 12:25 A.M. during the same time I wrote the 4th chapter note, not to mention I was running low on energy. Bite me, bitches!
6. Yeah... um... I just went with how I thought "Chad Kroeger's" last name would be pronounced in Japanese. XD And his first name in here is "Sado" because that's how Ichigo Kurosaki of "Bleach" mispronounces "Chad's" family name when he first meets him. XD Also, for Kit's face, pretty much just look up the anime "FLCL" and pay close attention to the character called "Haruko Haruhara"; pink-haired alien bitch is crazy, but I love her and know only one person who would be PERFECT to play her if they ever made a live-action version of "FLCL" or even a live-action movie: my best friend, "Shiori"! XD (yeah, "Shiori" ain't her real name, but that's what I'm gonna be calling her on here, so BLEH! ;P) Also, I'm taking a plot device that practically EVERY ff7 fanfic author uses to explain away Kit's ability to change her eyes to those of Sephiroth and the Remnants and change her face to look like a humanoid cat: BLAME THE MAKO!! XD roflao
7. Kit's nickname for Tifa here is pronounced "Teef". I've seen it spelled that way, but I wanted to be different. ;P
8. Once again, BLAME THE MAKO!! XD
Kit: Well, there you go, everyone! That's chapter 2 for ya! I was gonna make it a little longer, but I decided not to.
Reno: Do you enjoy torturing me?!
Kit: Dude, Reno? You're the comic relief of Final Fantasy 7; of COURSE I enjoy torturing you, just not as much as some other fanfic authors out there on the net.
Reno: And just what do you mean by that, yo?
Kit: That I could torture you MUCH more and MUCH worse if you give me enough reason to, Turk. Now then, could you do the ending author's note thing for me?? I'll give you a cookie.
Reno: Make it two cookies and the first payment being up front and I'll do it, yo.
Kit: Ugh! FINE! gives him one cookie Now say the ending author's note thing already, Brown Eyebrows!
Reno: almost chokes on the cookie MY EYEBROWS AIN'T BROWN, YO!
Kit: holds up a mirror Oh reallay?
Reno: looks in mirror and eyes widen in horror SHIT, YO!
Kit: That's what I thought. Now SAY IT!
Reno: Read and Review so I can get my second cookie, yo!
Kit: Oh, you don't want your cookie now? Okay then! BARRET! HAVE A COOKIE! tosses the big black man the cookie
Reno: O.O NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! dives after the cookie but somehow manages to hit a pole
Barret: catches the cookie with a smirk and a laugh Ha ha! Serves him righ'! happily munches the cookie
Kit: XD Poor Reno. Oh well! Anyways, below you will find a list of the hair colors that are in Kitara and Kanako's hair and their meanings. I got them offa a quiz thingy on quizilla . com and even saved and uploaded the pictures that accompanied the descriptions (whose grammar I slightly edited for this fanfic) onto my photobucket account. LATER, EVERYONE!!
KITARA MIYUKI YURI STRIFE AND KANAKO ALANA ALETHEA SUPERIOR STRIFE'S HAIR COLOR(S), MEANING(S), AND WHO HAS THE COLOR(S) IN THEIR HAIR:
BLACK
You would have black hair! You've a strong sense of justice and you're many-sided. Friendly and angry at the same moment. As a loyal friend you would fight to the death to save your friends. (Both)
BLONDE
Your hair would be blonde! A natural beauty with no fear. Blonde people have principles and nothing can change their minds. They are sensitive and can become easily sad and it's hard to get them out of this depression. (Kit)
BROWN
Your hair would be brown! People with brown hair are purposeful, proper can work hard to achieve a goal in life. And they hate criticism! (Both)
ORANGE
Your hair would be orange! It looks like fire if you run, and you run a lot because you're energetic, cheeky and your temper is hot like a volcano. You can be nice if you want but we shouldn't piss you off... (Kit)
PINK
Your hair would be pink! Pink hair is the hair of the romantic and innocent. You love daydreaming and have fun with your friends. Sometimes you wear a mask to not show when you're sad. (Kit)
PURPLE
Your hair would be purple! We can call you glamour girl! You're passionately with a classical elegance and a very strong will! Purple heads enjoy attention over all! (Kanako)
RED
Your hair would be red! Physically and mentally strong. Some people say that you're a Tomboy but you've no problems with that, because whether you do sports, fight or argue you always look so damn sexy! (Both)
TURQUOISE
Your hair would be aqua green! You would own the hair of the creative, honest and also moody people. You say what you think and you don't care what the others say about you. (Kit)
SILVER
Your hair would be silver! You're in every way special. Not moody but you can change your face from soft and friendly to rejecting and evil in seconds. You're careful in who you trust but then you're a great friend. (Both)
