Disclaimer: I don't own FF7 or FF13.


A week? Two weeks? Tifa doesn't know and doesn't care. She watches as the brown powder in the small glass container disappear and even Marlene knows to slow down the sweet, chocolatey consumption without Tifa's watchful gaze. Throwing the towel into the sink, Tifa huffs and looks around the empty bar. Not a single soul. She can hear Marlene's light footsteps up stairs but no one else is here. Cloud has once again disappeared, ran off to look for Aerith again and with every attempt Tifa makes at conversation with him or try to inquire about what exactly he does while spending all that time with the flower girl has resulted in nothing but a few short and brief answers that weren't really answers at all. She doesn't consider 'talking' a valid response.

He's definitely changed. No longer the shy and timid boy that had always been bullied but strong and... confident. Perhaps slightly cocky but really, it doesn't hold up a candle to Lightning. Now Lightning was an entirely different case. Anger flares at even a thought of that night and it boils in her gut until she fears it might dry up all of her kindness. The condescending stare, the stuck up belief that she was greater and better than them was a sore pain in the rear. The door bells ring and Tifa doesn't bother looking up to smile. Her mood doesn't allow her to without it coming out as wry or fake. "Welcome." She mumbled, still staring at the chocolate powder as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.

When no one answers, she uses all of her will to suppress a loud sigh and looks up, but that effort instantly goes to waste when she sees Lightning standing near the front door. The pink haired woman locks the door and approaches her with a rather intense and ever over bearing frigidity. "Where's Barret?" Cold, clipped and straight to the point. It upsets Tifa even more that Lightning doesn't bother greet her properly.

"Who knows."

The soldier scoffs and rolls her eyes, "Great."

Frowning at the sarcasm, it's entirely easy for her to speak out, "Well, you appear and disappear as you like. You don't expect us to be waiting here everyday."

"Find him."

"What?" Tifa had always, always prided herself on her unbending patience. Being a bartender, she's dealt with many people. Happy drunks, sad drunks, mad drunks and just crazy drunks. Some were rude, most intolerable, but even so she had steeled herself and managed to get through it unscathed. Lightning, though, was definitely off the charts and she wasn't even drunk. Were all Academians like this?

"I said, find him." Lightning repeated lowly.

"Why should I?" By the way the soldier's eyes narrowed dangerously, or how her body suddenly straightened stiffly, it was clear Lightning wasn't used to having people go against what she wanted as well. Great. Spoiled to boot. "You've never been here for us when we wanted to talk. You think everyone will just do whatever you say? It's been almost two months and I sometimes forget you were even here to begin with."

The pink haired woman only rolled her eyes before she reached into her pocket pulling out a floppy. "What do you think I've been doing, huh? Standing behind a counter making drinks?" Tifa's fists clenched tightly. Blue eyes darted down for merely a millisecond before they trained onto Tifa's face as if she was trying to burn a hole through her head. "I just want to finish this mission as fast as possible so I can get back to doing what I was doing before. I don't have time to waste here so I'm not going to let you or your rag-tag group slow me down. You want info? Fine." Tossing the floppy onto the table, the soldier continued barking orders, "Give this to Barret. I'm sure you have something in here that can read this ancient piece of junk."

Without another word and a cold shoulder, Lightning turned marching straight out of the bar. She had half a mind to tear the floppy in shreds and throw it back at Lightning's face but she knew better. Two months worth of work? Fine. She'll see how important this info is and if Lightning really is all that she makes herself out to be. Closing the bar, Tifa stomps upstairs hopefully to find a pillow to beat the daylights out of. She didn't know how long she had been pounding the fluffy comfort but she thanked the fact that her pillow wasn't made of feathers. It would probably be all over the place by now. "Uhm... Tifa?"

"What!?" Whipping around she stared furiously at her door watching as even Barret flinched underneath her scorching glare.

"Are you... ok?"

"Do I look ok to you?!"

"N-No."

"Really?!" Rolling her eyes, she slammed the pillow back onto her bed before she sat petulantly there, still seething.

"What happened?"

"Lightning did." Tifa spat.

"Lightning came?"

"Obviously. She's just - just - ugh!"

Barret snorted, "Welcome to the club."

"She thinks she's all that! It's so frustrating!"

"World's number one bitch." Barret hummed in agreement, "But what did she want?"

"A floppy."

"She wanted a floppy? Jessie has loads of them."

"No, she dropped off a floppy."

"Really... where is it?"

"It's-" Tifa's voice hitched in her throat and she stills.

"Yeah?" Barret encourages.

"I, uh..."

"Did you... loose it?"

"No. I just... give me a sec." Bad. This was bad. She can imagine the crap Lightning's going to give her if she can't find it. Glancing around the room, she pushed past Barret and went down the stairs. "Where is it, where is it, where is it?" Tifa muttered under her breath as she searched high and low around the bar. Where the hell is the stupid floppy?

"Where did you last see it?" Barret asked, following quickly behind.

"On the counter. She put it on the counter. I'll ask Jessie. Is she back?"

"Downstairs." Running towards the pinball machine, she pressed the hidden button without waiting for Barret yet he managed to scramble on. "Geez, what's the rush?"

"What's the rush?" Tifa repeated, "Lightning gave it to me. Can you imagine what she's going to say when she finds out I lost it? When it probably has loads of information on Shinra in it?"

"W-wait, it has what?"

"Shinra!" Tifa breathed wanting to tear her hair out. It seems Lightning's the first and only person to make her go insane. "It's what she's been doing for two months!"

"It had what?!" That seemed to catch Barret's attention or perhaps he finally understood what she's getting stressed for. Walking out into the basement, they ignored Jessie's curious eyes watching them.

"Why didn't you give it to me!"

"Well, I can't exactly find it can I?" Tifa retorted.

"Find what?" Jessie asks as she nibbles on a pack of chips.

"A floppy."

"Oh, I've got plenty of-"

"No, Lightning's floppy." Tifa stressed running a hand through her hair. "Did you find a floppy today? On the bar counter?"

"Yeah."

It was like someone had just dunked her into a tub of water after leaving her to burn in hell. Releasing a deep breath of relief, Tifa almost collapsed down onto a waiting chair. "You have it then?"

"Yep. Tossed it in with the rest." Jessie says motioning at a large crate filled to the rim with floppies. Blue, gray, red, the fighter staggers forward looking at the mound. "Which one is it?"

"I don't care which one it is!" Barret yelled from behind, "Find it."

"Wait, what's happening?"

Taking a deep breath, Tifa slumped down, "Lightning gave me a floppy today. It's the work that she has been doing. Thought it was about time she shared it and I... left it on the counter."

"And I tossed it..." Jessie filled in quietly.

"Yeah..."

"Hurry and look through them." Barret rushes.

"All of them?!"

"That's what I said ain't it!?"

Jessie only huffs as she seats herself in front of the computer with the box of floppies sitting at her side. "Why don't we just ask Lightning for-"

"Are you insane?" Barret yells over her, making the other two wince, "Imagine what she would say! Givin' us crap about being 'amateurs,' and worse, if she tattles on Raines! He'd probably think we're stupid-"

"Ok! I get it." Jessie sighs, shaking her head as Barret paces back and forth behind her, breathing down her neck occasionally when he would stop to peer over her shoulder. "Do you mind?"

"Barret," Tifa said as she took a seat at the large square table, "Calm down. We'll find it... in time and if not, then I'll just apologize. I mean, what can she do? It`s my fault that I lost it and it's not like she thinks too highly of us to begin with. Besides, she might show up another week later so we'll have plenty of time to-" The elevator cracks to life making the three turn to see who it was. Luck really wasn't on their side. Right when they think things couldn't get worse, it does. Of all people, it had to be Lightning. No greeting, nothing, the pink haired woman walks towards them as she stares expectantly at Barret.

"L-Lightning, you're here..." Barret stammers before he rushes Jessie to continue her work.

"I didn't expect to see you so soon again." Tifa quickly adds, hopefully prolonging the time Jessie has to find it. She could see the other woman hunched over the computer rapidly sliding the floppies in but it was also clear that Lightning wasn't here for small talk. She never is.

"Did you see the contents of the floppy?"

Perhaps their reactions had already given them away. It was slightly surprising that Lightning would choose to start with that question rather than calling them out on it. Now they were at a cross road. Admit their mistake or bluff. Swallowing thickly, Tifa prepared herself for the storm, "Lightning, about the floppy-"

"Of course!" The fighter's eyes widen as she turns to look at Barret. "About Shinra right?"

"Obviously." Dread settled when they watched Lightning pull out a seat to sit herself down, "So what are you going to do about it?"

"D-Do about it?" Tifa swore Barret was sweating as if he was being grilled alive, which they all would be soon if his bluff doesn't work.

"That's what I said isn't it?" She could see the blue eyes narrow again making Tifa idly wonder how someone's temper could be so quick to burst.

"Actually," Jessie's voice quivered as she spoke up, "We were just about to go over it again." Barret and Tifa whipped around to see Jessie push herself away from the computer to see a folder opened up on the screen. Several folders, each unnamed sat on the white screen. Was this really the real thing or was Jessie taking a huge risk? Tensely they each turned to Lightning but the soldier's expression remained the same; utterly calm and indiscernible. Well, calm as in she's not looking as if she wants to bite their heads off. "W-Wouldn't it be better if you guided us through it so we'll get a better understanding?"

Genius. Tifa could feel a small smile come to her lips. Let Lightning lead them through the information so all they'd have to do is nod in agreement. Lightning shifted and raised an eyebrow at them, "Are you illiterate?"

"HUH?" Every one seemed to gasp at the question.

"It doesn't get any simpler than that. What's there that you didn't understand?"

"I just thought..." Jessie's voice dies in her throat.

Pushing herself up from the table, Lightning crosses her arms again as her blue eyes levels over the room, "Neo-Midgar." She states, "I'm sure you know what that is if you've already read what's on the floppy."

"Yeah... Neo-Midgar." Barret added with a tense nod. "A-About that..."

Again Lightning sighs deeply and she's clearly annoyed now. "Tell me what it is then."

"Uhm... it's..."

"It's a plan that Shinra has. Once this planet is dead, they're planning on packing their bags and moving to a new, resource rich land that's really based off of nothing but some old Analects, a flower girl, and half a body that's encased in a tube."

Seriously? Tifa shifted in her seat internally mulling over what Lightning had said. It was crazy. Either this woman really was mad, or she's saying this to mess with them. Glancing to Barret, she could see similar thoughts pass through his expression leaving him stuck whether to play along with Lightning or call her out on it. "You... expect me to believe that?" Barret starts lowly, "That's crazy. Damn it, this isn't worth my time, not worth any of our time." Moving to the computer, he ejects the floppy before he throws it at Lightning but the soldier merely catches it with ease as it's dropped to the desk again. "Come back once you've found some real stuff. This Neo-Midgar shit isn't persuading anyone."

The atmosphere was so thick Tifa could've cut it with a knife. Glancing towards Jessie, she could see that the other woman was trying to suppress her laughter before she looked back at Lightning, though the soldier didn't seem the least bit fazed. There was almost like some form of glaring contest going on between Barret and Lightning before the soldier tore her eyes away to stare down at the side. A burst of triumph could be seen on Barret as a large smirk appeared on his face and even Jessie allowed a giggle to break through.

"Y'know?" Lightning starts and everyone suddenly tenses again. "I'd really be less pissed if you just admitted that you haven't seen what's on the floppy." Her tundra cold eyes turn back to Barret before she walks over. Her movements swift, precise with a dash of grace like an Ice Queen, "What did I expect though? You are...really just a bunch of amateurs who think they're all hot shots." The soldier stopped before the computer, her condescending eyes drifting over Jessie as if she wasn't even worth her time before she kicked the box of floppies on the floor, "Do you think I'm stupid? Well, I hate to break it to you but I'm not on the same level as you. It was obvious the moment I came down that you haven't seen what was on the floppy because you were too busy crammed over this ancient piece of junk trying to find it. Neo-Midgar?" The soldier snorted with a roll of her eyes, "Really, I thought that was something someone had pulled out of their ass when I first saw it but really... unless you've somehow hacked into Shinra's research databases, I'd say you were pulling crap out of your ass when you said you knew what it was. You're full of it. That damn thing isn't even on the floppy, genius. Real smart Barret." Rounding the table, Lightning stopped momentarily behind the large man, "I really wonder what kind of lies you fed Raines. The truth hurts when you're finally put in place. You're not worth my time." The soldier walks towards the elevator and on her way grabs the floppy and slides it into her leg pouch, "Oh, and one more thing." Lightning starts but she doesn't even bother turning around to look at them, "Who the hell do you think you are? I don't take shit from anyone much less from you."

They watch as the pink haired woman disappears before Barret explodes. "That bitch!" He slams his hand down so hard on the desk it almost cracks. At any other time, Tifa was sure she'd have no problem agreeing with him but not when she knows that it's their fault. As much as she doesn't want to do this, she knows that it's the right thing to do. Pushing herself up, she glances at Barret quickly before she heads up in pursuit of the pink haired woman.

"Lightning! Wait!" Tifa could see the said woman walking away at top speed as she ran to catch up. She skidded to a stop right in front of Lightning, clashing with the deadly blue eyes head on. "Look, I just want to apologize-"

"Apologize?" The soldier interrupted, "So... at least one person's smart enough to know what's good for them."

"Do you really have to say stuff like that?" Tifa was quick to retort, "I realized that what happened was our fault, no - it's my fault because I was the one that lost the floppy in the first place. Barret just didn't want to lose face-"

"He did a good job there."

She held Lightning's eyes strongly, if no one's willing to admit it then she'll do it. "I understand you don't want to be here. I know that you don't like us and frankly, we don't feel that much differently. I won't go into why we don't like you because I'm sure you have at least some idea as to why. So could you stop telling us how or why you don't like us? Stuff like that, we can keep to ourselves but you're here to work with us. What Barret said was wrong. You've been doing work, you've found information on Shinra for us and we've taken your help for granted. I'm sorry. I'll admit that we need your help since it seems I'm the only one that can keep a leveled head around here."

"Hn." Lightning walks past her. Well, can't say she didn't try. Tifa moves to head back to the bar but the soldier stops her, "Follow me." Tifa turns, wondering if she had misheard but she sees Lightning glancing back at her over her shoulder before she motions with her head for Tifa to follow.


Well, lets start moving the story forward. Ch. 10 out soon!