While working and living together for the past months a friendship had blossomed between the two mercenaries.
Revenge was still on the agenda, but Dagran had stayed true to his part of their deal: to help his new friend to adjust to her new life. Just as she kept a secret from him, he also withheld something. Something dark lurked within him. Something that threatened to go out of control at times. Something he feared with his whole being...
Tifa had promised Dagran that she would help him prove the judge's guilt. She knew of a materia fusion that forced the object of the spell to tell the truth. They just needed to get some evidence to back up that confession and that was their current objective.
Chapter 3: The Forest Cabin.
''Good morning, Dagran,'' Tifa said with a smile as he came out from the bedroom. ''I've made breakfast for you, its on the stove.'' she continued to write on her notes on materia fusion. Her mind was still on the secret she kept from him, about not being a mage but a fist fighter. She watched him discreetly, noticing the dark circles under his eyes. Wondering what it was that caused them.
''Thank you,'' he greeted her in return and glanced in her direction. She really works hard on that spell for me. He thought while studying her while she wrote in her notebook. He thought she looked good in the hunters clothes he'd bought for her to use instead of her old outfit. Black and red were colors which suited her quite well. He often found himself curious to see how she looked with her hair down, she always wore it up in a tight bun. ''Have you made some progress, perhaps?''
''I only need to improve one of the stones magic level. Then it's good enough to merge with the other one I have.'' She explained and showed him the two orbs. ''I'm sorry it's taking so long.''
''Hey, stop that...'' Dagran said and grabbed her chin, titling her head up so her gaze met his. ''I'm very grateful for the help.'' he returned her smile from before and sauntered over to the stove to get his food.
Tifa only smiled in return, her gaze still on him. She noticed the smile he had given her disappeared as quickly as it appeared, ''I'm glad to be of help.''
''I'm also grateful for your cooking skills!'' He told her, but laughed at the pointed look he received in return. He feigned a moan as he took his first bite out of his eggs and ended up giving her a wolfish grin when he noticed her lips fighting away a smile. ''and of course your company...''
''Good save.'' She replied smugly while putting away her things in the small drawer next to the table. She noticed the moment her attention was not focused on him, that he returned to looking troubled. Something is definitely up with him. What I can't even guess, but I am going to find that out...somehow. Though it's hard reading him! He is so handsome and mysterious, one look from him and my mind always wander. She thought to herself as she watched him eat. Tifa had known many handsome men in her time, but something about him was special. She knew about his past and the things he had done, but she did not blame in for any of it. She knew all too well what power could do to people's minds. Cloud, Vincent and even Sephiroth were perfect examples of that.
''Do I have something on my face?''
''Dagran?'' she blushed when noticing he was looking at her with one eyebrow raised. She had clearly missed something he'd said and had been caught staring.
''Yes?'' He said observing her red cheeks.
''Well, um...''
''Come on.'' He said smirking at her shyness. Wondering why she had such trouble with expressing her feelings. ''Out with it.''
''It's about your favourite gloves you were searching for...'' she avoided looking into his eyes.
''What about them?'' He replied already knowing that she took them a few days ago. He had found one of them stuffed inside her clothing drawer the other day. Not wanting to let her off the hook quite yet, he remained silent. Awaiting her answer.
''I took them and made some improvements on them...as a surprise. I never mean to keep them!'' She hurriedly explained, afraid he'd be upset because she had lied about knowing were they were. ''I attached some basic materia to them.''
''Why a surprise?'' he asked a little confused.
Tifa fished the gloves in question out of the drawer where she kept her materia research. Then she walked over to the table and placed them beside his plate. ''Happy birthday, Dagran.'' she merrily said, giving him a smile.
''What?'' He asked her quite stunned and even more confused. He looked at the gloves and noticed that she had done some small alterations. Several small materia stones had been placed in slots she had sewed onto the gloves. ''It's not my birthday today...''
''No, not your real one, but today is the day you were revived. So it's like a birthday of sorts.'' She explained as a matter of fact. Her eyes never leaving his. ''Today would be ideal for the break-in we have talked about. All your old friends should be by your grave today, right?''
Dagran immediately noticed the change in her tone, she had given this plan some serious thought. Her eyes shone with determination which he quite liked.
''You think the chest containing your personal stuff was in their bar, right?'' She asked and paced back and forth on the worn wooden floor. ''Today should be the best day to do it, considering the risk of getting discovered is close to none. If we pull it of, then we are one step closer to taking down that scum.''
''I like the way you think. You've certainty given it much thought. ''responded Dagran as he slipped the black gloves on. Ready to test her little plan with a counter question. ''But there is one problem, how are we to carry a big chest full of things without being seen on the streets?''
''Easy! I use a spell called Mini, to shrink the chest so it fits inside my pouch.'' She said with a smirk and produced another orb from her pouch on her belt, this one yellow. ''I would like to teach you how to use magic before we depart for the city.''
Dagran knew how few and precious her magic stones were. Yet, here she was giving him a gift like that. He admired her in many ways, but her compassion and kindness was what drew him to her. Ever since he woke up after the battle against his friends, something had been wrong with him. He did not know what, but he was afraid of it. What if he went out of control again? That was the reason for him not telling her. Though a small part inside him believed that maybe, just maybe, she could have a solution for it. ''You lead and I follow, it's your plan after all.'' He said with a nod of his head.
''All right! Then let's practise outside.'' she spun around and headed to the door with a bounce of excitement to her steps.
He followed her out onto the lawn surrounding the cabin. She stood over by the fence and quickly placed a few bottles on it. Dark clouds were looming over them in the sky, promising rain. It was a cold morning and even though it was useless, he still hoped that it would not rain.
''Now come and stand before me.'' Tifa instructed him.
Dagran did as he was told and walked to stand before her. Feeling how her arms came around him, gently holding his underarm and raising it. Silently he followed her unspoken instructions, allowing her to close his fist and point in towards one of the bottles.
''Your right glove is equipped with the following materia: Lightning, Fire and Ice.'' She explained while pointing on each orb. ''On your left you have: Restore and shield.''
''So many stones, are you sure I should have them?'' He asked her and glanced over his shoulder for confirmation, but only found her smiling as usual.
''Yes, I'm sure.'' She replied and nodded her head. ''Now, close your eyes and clear your mind. Then think about a ball of fire.'' She whispered calmly and instructive. He shivered slightly as her breath tickled his arm, but he firmly blocked those thoughts and did as she had asked.
''Now open your eyes, and focus on the target of your choosing. Then open your palm and feel the warmth growing there. Then simply release it by saying...fire!...'' She explained excitingly.
''Fire!'' He shouted and out of his palm flew a fireball. It met its target which exploded from the impact and tiny glass shards fell to the ground. Surprised that it was so easy he flashed a grateful smile at her, which made her grin in return.
''Good work!'' Tifa said and happily clapped her hands. ''Now I want you to cast cure on me: but, this time rest your hand just above the wound and concentrate hard on healing.''
She then took on of his knives and held up her arm. She bit her lip as she cut herself. Blood trickled down from the neat cut on her forearm and down onto the grass. Quickly she returned the knife and then held out her arm towards him
Dagran took hold of her arm very gently and concentrated on the wound. ''Cure...'' He whispered soothingly and watched the wound close itself. He caressed her arm to see if there was some trace of the wound, but it had vanished without a trace.
''Remember that if you don't cast cure immediately after being injured, It will not be able to heal as nicely as this wound. It will leave scars or bruises if not tended to right after you've hurt yourself.'' Tifa explained while he studied her arm.
''That's all you need to know...good work.'' Tifa carefully pulled her hand from his grasp hoping that he had not seen the goosebumps on her arm, ''Oh, one more thing. If you use too much magic it will tire you out. So use it carefully. Everyone has different limits which grows as you use it more.''
''You're really good at this stuff.'' he complimented her while inspected the orbs on his gloves. ''You must have had a good teacher.''
''I did, she was really good at these kinds of things...'' Tifa said softly with a hint of sadness in her voice. She then bent down to pick up shards from the ground. While Dagran gathered the remaining bottles.
''Was?'' Dagran asked softly, feeling like he was walking on thin ice because of the sad look in her eyes.
''Yeah, she died during a mission...'' Tifa told him sadly while putting the glass shards in a bucket next to her. ''I've told you about the group I was in? Avalanche. We started a rebellion against our own empire and she died before we succeeded in liberating the people.''
''Oh yeah...I remember now. Her name was Jessie...'' Dagran said and helped her up by hauling her up onto her feet. ''Well, I'm sure you made her proud, by remembering what she taught you.'' He smiled and squeezed her hands gently before releasing them. ''Thank you, I'll treasure them.''
''You're welcome.''Tifa answered him with a smile of her own. ''I'll need to check my equipment one last time before we leave. Just give me a few minutes.''
''I'll wait here, then.'' He shouted as she ran towards the house. His mind still on the sad expression on her face. She had told him about her life before coming here, but she always seemed so cheerful and strong. It made him forgot about the sad things she had been through before meeting him.
Tifa's gift had made Dagran understand that he had found himself a good partner. She looked out for him as he had done for her up until now. She had his back and for that he felt grateful.
As they travelled to Lazulis City, both came to the same conclusion. That they could trust each other with their secrets. Soon, however, that trust would be put to the test.
