Tifa looked at the time, then at her bar. Marlene was still happily serving drinks to the men and actually got a few tips.
Tifa cleaned her counters, since she had nothing better to do.
Suddenly, a man ran in and scooped Marlene up in his arms.
"Daddy! You're home!" Marlene yelled, hugging him tight.
Barret Wallace. Back already?
Barret pushed everybody out, leaving only him, Marlene, and Tifa left in the bar. Tifa couldn't see Cloud, but she saw Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge come in. She ran outside and looked around when Cloud was just walking up the steps. Right when she was going to run in, Cloud grabbed her arm.
"You sick or something, or are you just trying to avoid me?" he asked, making Tifa face him. She didn't answer, instead she stood there speechless. Cloud let go of her arm and walked passed her into her bar. Tifa had just wondered what had happened just then, because right now she didn't know. She followed Cloud into her bar, and once everyone was in, she locked the door behind her.
"Cloud! We're goin' downstairs! Once there, we'll talk about your money, okay?" Barret explained. Cloud nodded as he watched Barret go down a pinball machine/elevator. It was a brilliant idea. Nothing he would ever think of. Jessie, Wedge, and Biggs jumped down after him, not even waiting for the elevator to come back up. As Cloud was about to do the same, Tifa said, "So, you're just going to ignore you're childhood friend?" Cloud took several steps back and sat down on one of the bar stools. He replied, "Sorry. . ."
"Want a drink?" Tifa asked. Cloud answered, "Give me something hard." She quickly mixed something up for him.
"So, did you get along with Barret?" she asked, folding her hands in front of him. Cloud shrugged and said, "I guess." Cloud suddenly remembered the flower he had gotten from the girl on the street. He took it out, which got Tifa's attention.
"Here," Cloud said, looking away as he dropped it in front of him.
"For me? Thank you," Tifa said, placing it in a glass vase, which held at least ten other flowers.
Seems I'm not the only one who—
"Cloud, you'd better get downstairs," Tifa explained, taking the glass away from him. He nodded and stood up.
"Yeah. . . Guess I should, huh?" Cloud agreed. He quickly ran to the pinball machine/elevator and jumped down. He saw Marlene sitting on a little round couch, which looked as if it were made of silk. Barret was taking out his anger on a punching bag which was placed in the west corner of the small room they were all in.
"Hey, Barret!" Cloud called. Barret suddenly felt more anger and punched Biggs which sent him flying to the other end of the room. Cloud swallowed and felt sweat dripping from his forehead.
"Your pay, right? I'll meet you back up there in a few minutes," Barret explained. Cloud nodded and quickly emerged back upstairs.
"Back already, are you?" Tifa asked when she saw him.
"Yeah, well, you know..." Cloud said, getting quiet.
Ever since Cloud and Tifa were kids, there was always that awkward silence between them. Cloud didn't really know how to act towards a girl, even now. He really did miss Tifa, he just couldn't find the words to say.
"Hey," Tifa said, breaking the silence, "Do you remember that promise you made to me that night at the well?"
Cloud thought about the past for a moment. Nibelheim. . .Their hometown. It's been so long since he's been there. Then an image of the well placed slightly in the center of the town entered Cloud's thoughts. Yeah. . .It was years ago.
"Sorry I'm late," Tifa said, coming from the darkness. Cloud looked up at her.
It was a beautiful night out. You could see the sky perfectly, and it was the perfect temperature. Even though Tifa thought meeting at the well was a little silly, she proceeded with things anyway.
Tifa made herself comfortable, sitting next to him. She was always shy around him, even though all her friends were boys.
"I was surprised when you wanted to talk," Tifa said, looking at him.
"Sorry it was such short notice," he justified, clearing his throat. It was silent for a moment, but then Cloud said, "I actually wanted to talk to you about something."
"Oh yeah? What's that?" she questioned, swinging her legs.
"I'm leaving Nibelheim this summer," he stood up and faced her, "I want to join SOLDIER ." She looked up at him and smiled.
"Like the Great Sephiroth?" she asked. Cloud looked up at the sky and quietly replied, "Yeah. Like Sephiroth." He walked around the well for a moment, and then stopped, looking down at Tifa.
"Do you think I could do it?" he asked. Tifa stood up and brushed her dress off.
"I know for a fact you could," she replied. She hesitated for a moment, and then said, "So. . . This means I probably won't see you for a long time."
Cloud never thought about that. For some reason, not coming back hadn't crossed his mind.
"You could read about me in the newspaper," he replied. Her face lit up.
"You really think so!" she said happily, grinning.
"Well, I'll try," Cloud said shrugging. Tifa sat down again, staring up at the bright stars. Then, she had this crazy proposal she wanted to ask him.
"Promise me something," she said, not taking her eyes off of the stars.
"What?" Cloud said, sitting down next to her again.
"If I'm ever in a bind, promise me that you'll come and save me," she quietly implied. Cloud looked confused.
"What?" Cloud asked, laughing.
"I'm serious! I want you to be my hero someday, and I want my hero to come and save me when I'm in trouble," Tifa explained.
"Fine," he said, giving up.
"Really?" she said, looking over at him. He shrugged and looked back at her.
"I promise."
After he promised her, a shooting star flew across the beautiful night sky, making it the most memorable night of Tifa's life.
"Now do you remember?" she asked, sitting down at the table next to him. He stood up, his back facing her.
"Ah, Tifa, you know I can't keep that promise," he said. She sighed, but she wasn't giving up on him yet.
"You have to. Do you have any idea how much it means to me?" she asked, almost yelling at him. She stopped herself and realized that he wasn't the same Cloud that he was that night. He was different. Grown up. They were both grown up, and she knew she had to face reality. Maybe the promise was dumb and naive, a childish promise, maybe, but it meant the world to her knowing he'd always be there for her.
Cloud faced her now. He could see the hurt in her eyes, the same hurt he saw in her eyes when he left Nibelheim. He let out a deep sigh.
"I don't know if I can anymore, Tifa. I really don't know," he replied with honesty in his voice.
Just then, Barret came up the elevator, looking first at Cloud, and then at Tifa. He could sense that some sort of argument had been going on, but for once, he stayed out of it.
"Here you go," he said, handing him a bag full of Gil, "A promise is a promise." Cloud thanked Barret quite quickly, and started to head towards the elevator. He was exhausted and wasn't really in the mood to talk to anyone.
"Be up early tomorrow. We got another job," Barret called after him. Cloud stopped in his tracks.
"Wait, what?" he said, looking at Barret.
"Another Reactor," Barret answered. Cloud shook his head and said, "No, no, no way am I doing that again. I got what I wanted, and I'm leaving Midgar tomorrow once and for all." Tifa crossed her arms and said under her breath, "Oh, I see how it is." Cloud looked at her with sorry eyes.
"I'll pay ya double this time," Barret said. Cloud glared at him, "Triple, and you've got a deal." Barret sighed and replied, "Ah, Man, I need that money for Marlene's schoolin'! Double is my final offer." Cloud thought about it. He did need the money.
"Deal," he said. Tifa grinned.
"Thank you, Cloud. We really need the help," she said, walking passed him.
"No problem," he replied, looking straight at Barret. Barret rolled his eyes and said, "Well get to bed! We need the rest. It's been a long day!"
Cloud nodded.
Yeah, it has. Barret, you owe me big time.
By mid morning, things went as planned. Cloud didn't sleep much, since he had reoccurring nightmares. The funny thing was that when he had awaken, he could never remember what he dreamt about.
"How did you sleep?" Tifa asked Cloud, as he came up the elevator. He rubbed his eyes and yawned. Then he smiled.
"Next to you, who wouldn't?" he joked. Tifa lowered her eyebrows and replied, "I don't know what you mean. . ."
"Top the mornin' to ya! You ready for this mission, Cloud?" Barret asked, appearing from nowhere with Marlene on his shoulder.
Barret was a broad, dark man made of mostly muscle. His right arm was replaced with a firearm because of something that happened in the past, but Barret never talks about it. Everyone is afraid to even dare ask him, because a man of his size could squish anyone. Plus, with his bad temper, no one could really ask him anything.
"Yeah, I guess," Cloud replied, not so enthusiastic. Barret rolled his eyes at him and said, "Aighty! Let's get a move on! Biggs! Jessie! Wedge! Time to go!"
Everyone immediately ran out the bar door, and it was only Barret, Tifa, and Cloud left. Barret carefully set Marlene down on the floor, and Tifa knelt down to her height and asked, "Marlene, do you think you could look after the place while we're gone?"
"Wait, what? You're coming?" Cloud asked, confused. Tifa raised her eyebrows and replied in an annoyed voice, "What? Do you have a problem with me going?"
Cloud's face immediately got red.
"No. . . I just think it's dangerous," Cloud said, looking away. Tifa sighed and turned to Marlene again.
"Do you think you could watch the place while I'm gone, Sweetie?" Tifa repeated. Marelene nodded, but had a saddened look upon her face.
"I'm gonna miss you guys," she said, looking up at Tifa. Tifa smiled sadly and replied, "Don't worry, Honey, we'll be back soon. I promise."
As they all left the bar, Tifa heard snickers and whispers b ehind her on her way out.
"I'm leavin'," a drunk man said, getting out of his seat, "Hey, you, Tifa's Childhood Friend!"
Cloud turned around, facing the stumbling drunk man.
"You better take good care of Tifa, y-ya hear?" he asked, trying to stand still. Cloud exchanged glances with Tifa, and then he said, "Of course," and they were off.
On the way, it was very quiet between the three of them. Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge were already at the train station, and Cloud, Tifa, and Barret were following slowly behind.
Tifa, with her long, flowing, dark brown hair, was ahead of them. Barret and Cloud must have still been exhausted from the mission before, but Tifa didn't sympathize them.
When they got to the station, there was a couple barely breathing at the lampost. Tifa quickly ran over to them to see what was wrong.
"I've had it!" the women said, in almost a mumble.
"Same here," her husband said, closing his eyes. The women opened her eyes eagerly, and sat up, looking at him.
"You know, this is actually the first time we've agreed on something," she said.
"Hey, are you guys okay?" Tifa asked, kneeling down by them. The women looked at her like she was crazy.
"Of course we're okay! Just. . .tired," she said, laying down and closing her eyes again.
"Yeah. . .tired. . ." the man said. Suddenly, they were both sleeping. Tifa had no idea what was going on, but she never liked to butt into someone's personal lives, so, she stood up and walked towards the train, where Barret and Cloud were patiently waiting.
The porter at the train station eyed Cloud, and lowered his eyebrows.
"Good Mornin'," he lets out a deep sigh and continues, "Things never change around here. Now, you three don't get hurt! Come on again, ya hear?"
Cloud and everyone said, "Yeah, sure," and went aboard the train.
"ALL ABOARD! This train is now about to depart!" the porter called out. Tifa looked back at Sector 7 Slums, and this strange feeling something would go wrong, but she had to ignore it. She was on a mission, a mission to save the planet.