CHAPTER 24: 7TH HEAVEN BAR (TIFA'S CONFESSION)
"And we're here!" Tidus announced as Squall landed the gummi onto the new planet. Yuna and Riku woke up from their nap, stretching as Paine grabbed her sword.
"Nothing seems unusual." Yuna commented, looking out the ship. The world seemed no different from theres. Except their seemed more peaceful. The small town they landed on was crowded with people shopping at local stores.
"What's that suppose to mean?" Squall asked, pressing buttons to secure the gummi wasn't going to blast off once they got out.
"I mean...I'm alittle disappointed. This is a new world! Where's the aliens?" She explained.
"For the last time, Yuna, just because there's other planets doesn't mean there are aliens. Like me, I'm not an alien." Tidus explained.
"Says who?" Rikku teased as Tidus glared at her.
"Less teasing, more looking for this Tifa character." Paine said. She got off the gummi and looked around cautiously, expecting someone or something to jump out at her.
"It's safe, Paine, no need to go slashing heads." Squall said, following her out the gummi.
"You think it's safe to just leave this gummi here, Squall?" Yuna asked, "No one's gonna steal it right?"
"No one else knows how to work it." Squall replied.
"What we looking for anyways? We have no idea what this chick looks like or where she could be..." Tidus began searching the crowds for the girl.
"Yuffie said look for a girl with big boobs and brunette hair." Squall said, glancing around at the small place.
Yuna, Paine, and Rikku rolled their eyes as Tidus smiled happily.
"This should be fun then!" He exclaimed. Yuna sent him a death glare as Rikku began jumping up and down with excitement.
"Oh! Oh! A bar! A bar! Didn't Yuffie say she worked at a bar now?" Rikku asked as she continued pointing at a bar.
"She did." Squall nodded, glancing at Rikku, "Good memory."
"Oh yevon, we must've landed in a new zone too. Since when does Rikku remember anything?" Paine asked, crossing her arms, "Does this mean I'm gonna become a klutz?"
"I am not a klutz!" Rikku replied, offended. She began walking towards the bar, tripping over a rock as she almost made it across the street. Squall quickly grabbed her before she could fall to the ground.
"My point has been proven. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen." Paine smirked as she took a bow.
"Meanie!" Rikku replied, looking at Paine as if she was the one that put the rock there.
"Do you think Tifa will cooperate with us?" Yuna asked as they walked towards the bar.
"Only one way to find out." Squall replied as they entered the bar. He was hoping he wouldn't have a hard time with her. Yuffie said that Tifa was a great fighter and very strong.
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The bar was small and somewhat cozy. It was crowded with lots of people but the atmosphere was cheery. Once Paine and Squall entered, lots of people stopped talking to stare at them.
"Oh yes, stare at the people who look like a threat. Ignore the two girls in skimpy clothing and the idiot with chocobo-hair." Paine muttered angrily. Squall smirked as he scanned the room for the busty brunette.
"Hey!" Yuna, Rikku, and Tidus yelled.
"Our clothing isn't that skimpy!" Yuna replied, looking down at her tank top and shorts. She looked at Rikku then realized that Paine was right. The people on this world dressed differently. They covered up more.
"And I'm the only one that can make fun of Tidus's hair!" Rikku added.
"Found her." Squall said, spotting Tifa serving a guy who was sitting in a dark corner. The guy was pale with a red crimson cape. He looked like he could be a threat if this confrontation went wrong. Tifa seemed to know him well.
"Oh! Oh! Me too!" Rikku shouted, pointing at Tifa. Squall quickly grabbed her hand and pulled it down.
"Don't blow our cover!" He whispered.
Rikku rolled her eyes, "Oh please. It's already blown. I'm the only person wearing yellow here! What's wrong with you people?" Some people stopped to look at Rikku in confusion and anger, "Oh don't give me those looks. For some world you sure have sucky taste..."
Squall quickly put a hand over Rikku's mouth as people began to glare, "Excuse her...she's alittle tipsy."
Rikku glowered at him, struggling to talk again. Oh sure, she knew they were on a mission. But when it came to people with horrible fashion she couldn't take it.
"Rikku, I'm going to release you, do you promise to be quiet?" Squall asked. Rikku sighed then nodded. "Good." He put his hand down, "Don't steal anything."
Rikku rolled her eyes as Squall walked towards the bar, Paine following him.
"What are we suppose to do?" Yuna asked, feeling out of place. The men wouldn't stop staring at her. In Spira it wasn't such a bad thing since there were plenty of other girls that dresses revealingly. But here it was different, her and Rikku were the only ones. She felt exposed.
"Let them interrogate the girl." Tidus replied, "But I can use a drink." Yuna and Tidus walked to the bar, Tidus putting a protective arm around her.
Rikku was about to follow until she felt someone's eyes on her. She glanced at the guy in the dark corner who was quietly sipping his drink. 'Ok...weirdo.' She thought as she joined the others.
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"Tifa Lockheart?" Squall asked as she finally turned to them.
"Uh...yes?" She stared at them in confusion, quickly telling that they weren't from around here.
"Name's Leon." Squall said, lowering his voice, "I'm here to ask you some questions."
Tifa's eyes widened in shock and confusion, "If this is about Sephiroth then I already told the other reporters..."
"This has nothing to do with Sephiroth." Squall interrupted, "We need to know some things about a girl named Lenne."
"Lenne! Lenne!" A little girl exclaimed, "Is Lenne back, Tifa?"
"Uh...no, Marlene, um, go play upstairs, ok?" Tifa replied, not taking her eyes off of Squall's.
"But...he knows Lenne! I miss her! She was nice!" The little brunette pouted.
"Have you met Lenne before?" Rikku asked, smiling at the small child.
Marlene nodded happily, "She was going to help daddy, Tifa, and Cloud fight that mean guy. But..."
"Marlene, please." Tifa interrupted.
"Fine." Marlene sighed, hopping off her stool to run upstairs.
"Cute kid, she yours?" Tidus asked.
Tifa looked shocked then smiled, "Oh no, just babysitting."
"In a bar?" Yuna asked, looking around the crowded place. This was no place for a child.
"Hey, this is a nice place." Tifa replied.
"Enough chat, tell us what you know about Lenne." Paine said, wanting to get straight to business.
Tifa looked them up and down and turned away, "I don't have to tell you anything." She grabbed a tray and turned to leave.
Paine quickly blocked her way, pulling out her sword, "Then we'll fight." She held the sword out at Tifa, waiting for her to get her weapon.
"Paine!" Rikku and Yuna gasped. She always had to threaten someone. Sometimes Paine's ways were effective but sometimes they ended messy.
The man in the corner stood up, pulling out a gun. He pointed it at Paine, "Is there a problem here, Tifa?" He asked, his voice low and dangerous.
Tifa glanced down at Paine's sword, then at the man, "No, Vincent, it's ok."
"Vincent!" Rikku exclaimed, "As in 'Vinnie'?" She looked at him in shock. There was no way this was Yuffie's Vincent.
"How did you...only Yuffie calls me that." Vincent said, lowering his gun slightly.
"I know! We know Yuffie. We're friends of hers." Rikku explained, smiling because she got to meet the great Vincent Valentine.
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"I can't believe you guys know Yuffie." Tifa sighed as she sunk onto a stool. She looked confused, happy, and alittle scared. Squall began wondering what she was so scared about.
"So will you tell us about Lenne now?" He asked.
She nodded slowly, still not looking at anyone. It seems everytime he mentioned Lenne she'd stiffen up...like that name brought bad memories.
"You guys talk...I'm gonna talk to him." Rikku said, running off to sit next to Vincent.
"Rikku!" Squall said, not liking the idea of her talking to that guy. He seemed like he wanted to be alone, and Rikku wasn't exactly the silent type. If she bothered him she could get hurt.
"It's ok." Tifa smiled reassuringly, glancing at Rikku and Vincent, "Your girlfriend won't annoy him...he's use to it. Yuffie loved trying to get him to talk. Then she left...and he became even more...darker. If that's even possible."
"And that's suppose to reassure me how?" Squall asked, not bothering to tell her Rikku wasn't his girlfriend. It was best if they didn't get into that kind of conversation.
Tifa smirked, "She'll be fine. Vincent's a nice guy."
"Looks like some weird serial killer to me." Tidus replied, taking a sip of his drink.
"Tidus!" Yuna yelled, "Don't judge a book by it's cover."
"Tidus, just because a man dresses better then you doesn't mean you can rag on him." Paine said, looking at Vincent's attire, "Plus I like his clothes."
"You would..." Tidus muttered.
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"Hiya!" Rikku smiled cheekily, settling next to Vincent.
Vincent glanced at her in confusion, then looked around the bar. "Um...may I help you?" He asked once he realized she was talking to him.
Rikku shook her head, a huge smile on her face, "Just...wanna ask you a few thousand questions."
"Huh?"
"About Yuffie of course!" Rikku said.
"..." Vincent turned from her, trying to drink his drink in peace.
"So, Vinnie, do you know where she's at?" Rikku asked, not getting the point that he wants to be alone.
"I think I hear your friends calling you." Vincent muttered, hoping she'd go away.
"Sheesh, it's worse then I thought...I thought Yuffie was just exaggerating when she told me about you." Rikku sighed.
Vincent glanced at her, his red eyes narrowing, "You talked to Yuffie about me?"
"No..." She smiled, knowing she was getting somewhere, "She talked to me about you."
Rikku could tell Vincent was getting interested in the conversation even though he showed no emotion. All those times she spent with Squall taught her well.
"...where is she?"
"Ahh, so you don't know?" Rikku knew he wouldn't. She had to 'disappear' like Tidus and Squall to help out with Kingdom Hearts too...leaving Vincent. 'Poor Yuffie...must've been tough.'
'Ok, we're losing him!' Rikku thought. She began wondering if Yuffie ever told him how she felt...and if she didn't then would she get mad if Rikku told him?
"She's in love with you, you know."
That got a response, "WHAT?"
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Tifa and Squall glanced over at Rikku and Vincent in curiousity. Squall wondered what they were talking about and Tifa was shocked that she heard Vincent say something out loud.
"Wow...she got him to talk." Tifa said, impressed.
"Rikku's good at that." Squall replied.
"Good? She's a fucking god." Tidus commented. Him and Yuna stayed in their stools next to Squall as Tifa kept giving them free drinks (non-alcoholic).
Tifa smiled, looking at Tidus. Then her gaze went to Yuna, causing her to gasp and drop her glass in shock. Several people looked at her as she qucikly began picking up the broken pieces.
"Hey, Teef, you ok?" A man asked from the couch he was sitting on.
"Er...fine, just...fine." She smiled assuringly, glancing back at Yuna. 'She looks just like her.'
"Something wrong?" Paine asked, sensing Tifa's shock.
"It's just...you..." She looked at Yuna, unable to say the words.
"Look like Lenne? Yeah...I know." Yuna smiled, alittle sadness in it.
"So how'd you and Lenne meet?" Squall asked.
Tifa looked hesitant but she decided to answer, "About a two years ago...I was still working here hoping to get some news about Cloud..."
"Cloud?" Squall asked, "What news?"
Tifa smiled, "He ran off to join SOLDIER. I waited for the newspaper everyday to see if he made it big like he said he would."
"How romantic." Yuna smiled, glancing at Tidus, "Isn't it, Tidus?"
Tidus glared at her then Tifa, "Hey! I can be romantic."
"No one said you couldn't." Yuna smiled.
"Anyways, news never came. Lenne did though." Tifa finished.
"So she just showed up on your doorstep?"
"I was watching tv one night when I heard a knock..."
flashback
KNOCK! KNOCK!
"Coming!" Tifa yelled, jumping off her couch to answer the door. It was late already and the bar was already closed. Even though it was a bar she didn't like to stay open all night. That's when the weirdos came, and considering she was a 16 year old girl didn't make it any easier. But she had to make a living somehow. Her dad didn't approve of it at first...but his mind changed once she began making big money.
Tifa opened the door to see a a girl about her age standing outside in the rain. Her head was hung low and her white dress was ruined with mud all over it.
"Oh my-are you ok? Come in!" Tifa gasped, quickly grabbing a blanket to wrap around the shivering girl.
She sat her on the sofa as the girl silently weeped. Tifa watched her anxiously, not knowing what to do.
"Do you...do you want some hot cocoa?"
"I...I don't know why I'm here." The girl sobbed, "She brought me here to hurt someone, I know it."
Tifa looked around in confusion, not knowing what to say, "Um...who's she?"
"I just wanted to escape...how did I end up here?" The girl looked around, her big brown eyes taking in everything, "She wants me here for some reason." Her eyes stopped on Tifa, "You."
"Me?" Tifa asked, she was beginning to feel alittle uneasy.
The girl shook her head, closing her eyes, "I should go." She got up and made her way to the door.
"No! Wait! It's raining out there!" Tifa said, stopping her. The girl looked at her, her eyes seemed to be looking into Tifa's soul and Tifa became frightened again. 'What is it about her that scares me?'
"Are you sure?" She asked, not liking the idea.
Despite her feelings, Tifa nodded, "What's your name?"
"It's...it's Lenne."
end flashback
"Lenne wasn't a bad person at all...she just gave off that vibe, you know?" Tifa explained.
"Odd...I never got a bad vibe from her." Yuna said, "I only felt love and sorrow...for Shuyin."
"Shuyin?" Tifa asked curiously.
Yuna nodded, "Lenne's lover."
Tifa busted out in laughter, causing them to stare at her in confusion. She wiped her eyes that began to water but could not control her laughter. She sensed them looking at her.
"I'm sorry...it's just..." She began laughing some more.
"Just what? Out with it, woman!" Tidus demanded, wanting to know what was so funny.
"She's finally found him? Her light?" Tifa asked, happy for her, "It's about time. Now she can finally rest and Samara can go to hell..."
"Actually, Shuyin's dead. And so was Lenne..."
"Lenne's dead?" All happiness left Tifa, "Did you just say Lenne's dead?"
"She was dead." Paine corrected, "But now she's just...missing."
"Oh." Tifa sighed in relief, "After all we've been through...I just couldn't imagine her dieing. That would've been horrible...a waste of her life."
"So Shuyin's Lenne's light?" Yuna asked, "Which means with him she can control her...inner demons?"
Tifa snorted, looking down, "Samara is no inner demon. She's like a disease that's incurable. I remember when I first met her..."
flashback
Tifa and Lenne became good friends. Lenne would help with the bar and Tifa took her shopping to get new clothes and belongings.
"What's wrong with black?" Tifa asked, offended. She looked at her black mini-skirt then at Lenne, "You don't like it?"
Lenne shook her head, "No...it's not that. Your mini-skirt looks great!"
"Then you should get one too." Tifa was about grab an identical skirt for Lenne until Lenne stopped her.
"I don't like wearing black." She commented, staring at the skirt in horror.
"Um...ok." Tifa said, still not understanding Lenne's fear of black.
Lenne smiled her gratitude then turned to take the clothes to the register. A sharp pain in her head stopped her.
Lenne...
"No...no, no, no..." Lenne muttered, shutting her eyes tightly, "Please, not again. Not here."
"Lenne, what's wrong?" Tifa asked in concern. She touched her shoulder, feeling a sharp shock. Tifa gasped in pain and backed away from her, looking at her hand. A heart began forming in her palm, "Lenne..."
"Tifa...run." Lenne muttered, falling to her knees as she held her head.
"Lenne, what's happening?" Tifa asked in fear, staring at her palm as the heart began to glow.
"Run!"
Tifa couldn't move. She tried to run like Lenne told her but her body wasn't cooperating.
You thought you could hide, Lenne? You can't. You can never hide from me because you're MINE!
"Leave Tifa alone!" Lenne cried out.
But she's such a good friend. Samara laughed inside her head.
"Lenne..." Tifa cried, not liking the feeling in her body. She kept blacking out as Lenne slowly stood up, her redish-brown hair flowing around her. 'Wait...since when did Lenne have red in her hair?' Tifa thought, trying to keep her eyes open as Lenne turned to look at her. Her pupils had hearts in them, just like the heart on Tifa's palm. That's when Tifa knew she was no longer Lenne.
"Don't be afraid, girl." She smiled, "You'll love being my friend."
end flashback
"What did she do to you?" Yuna asked, concerned and sad that Tifa was used and hurt.
"After seeing her face, I can't remember." Tifa replied softly, "But Lenne came back afterwards...she explained everything to me. Everything. Then bad things began to happen. And I knew I was now a slave to darkness. At nights I'd black out, she'd become Samara and we'd just...do horrible things to people. We couldn't stop, it was in us. It was in me. The darkness."
"She made you her little assistant." Squall said.
Tifa nodded, "Her partner in crime." She smirked sadly, "But Lenne was determined to save me, even if she couldn't save herself. She left one day...thinking that'll save me. It didn't...because even though she left the darkness didn't."
"And you never saw her again?" Tidus asked. He was no longer interested in his free drinks.
"Actually...I saw her one last time. It was awhile after I met up with Cloud and his team..."
flashback
Tifa was leaving. To where? She didn't know. Why? She didn't know that either. All she knew was that something inside her was forcing her to walk into the dark forest at night.
'Darkness...' Tifa thought angrily, 'It ruined me.' She looked down at her palm again, seeing the heart glow brighter.
"Dude, for the hundreth time...I'M NOT GONNA STEAL YOUR STUFF!" Tifa looked around, hearing a voice.
"Look, brat, I don't trust you, ok? Ninja or not, you're still a fucking thief!" A man yelled.
"Cid, Yuffie, please." A voice begged. It was nice and soft...almost angelic.
"He started it..." The girl was suddenly silenced when a hand clapped over her mouth.
"Shush."
"What is it, Vincent? You hear something?" The soft voice whispered.
"The vamp-guy hears everything." A man muttered.
Tifa felt her body bringing her towards the voices. She saw a light, it looked like a campfire. She walked towards it, stopping at a camp. The people there looked at her in shock and she began feeling the way Lenne did the first time Tifa met her. She was scared...no, frightened. She was sent here for a reason.
Yuffie slapped Vincent's hand away from her mouth as she stared at Tifa in shock, "Um, Cloud, you might wanna come out and see this!"
'Cloud...? No...no way...it couldn't be...' Tifa's eyes began to water as a guy with pointy blonde hair stepped out of a tent. His mako green eyes glaring st Yuffie.
"What is it now, Yuffie?" He asked, sounding annoyed.
Yuffie pointed to Tifa, who was still staring at Cloud, "I found something. Can we keep her?"
Cloud's gaze went to where Yuffie was pointing, stopping on Tifa. "...Teef?...Tifa?"
Tifa nodded slowly, tears falling out her eyes.
"You know her, Cloud?" Aeris asked, shocked.
"Hey! I found her! She's mine!" Yuffie yelled.
"Tifa...what...what are you doing here?"
Tifa quickly ran to him, hugging him tightly, "I'm sorry! I'm sooo sorry!" She sobbed onto his shoulder.
Cloud was shocked at first but then he began comforting her, "Shh...it's ok...what are you sorry about?"
"I'm sorry..." She cried again, not wanting to tell him. 'I'm sorry Samara sent me to hurt you...'
end flashback
"So when does Lenne enter again?" Squall asked, he was saving all this information in his mind for Rinoa. Won't she be happy when she finds out her cousin turned a girl into her dark partner in crime?
"It was the day before we went to defeat Sephiroth." Tifa said, "But I really don't wanna talk about it..."
"Come on, you've been doing good so far." Tidus said, encouraging her.
Yuna saw the pain and shame in Tifa's eyes, "I think she can stop there." She didn't want to upset the girl by bringing back bad memories.
"Yuna, you of all people should know we need to hear everything." Paine said, looking at Tifa, "Even if it is bad."
Tifa nodded, glancing around, "Ok...I went out to find more water for everyone when I found Lenne...unconscious in the woods. She looked exhausted, probably from running from herself. So I brought her back to the camp...stupid of me, I know, but she's still my friend and I care for her. We were waiting for someone to pick up Barret's new adopted daughter, Marlene, because it was too dangerous for her..."
flashback
"You just found her laying around?" Cloud asked, watching Lenne sleep.
"Yes...I know her. She's an old friend." Tifa replied.
"She isn't hurt...just...tired." Aeris explained, examining the girl with concern, "She should be up soon. Cloud, may I have a word with you?"
Cloud nodded, following Aeris out the tent. Tifa watched them, feeling jealous once again. Ever since meeting Cloud and deciding to join him on his mission, she's been feeling jealous of Aeris. Aeris liked Cloud and Tifa knew Cloud had feelings for Aeris back. They were always so close...
"Strong...so strong..." Lenne muttered, stirring.
Tifa quickly turned her attention to Lenne, "Lenne! Are you ok?"
Lenne stared at her in confusion and happiness, "I'm back in this world...? Cool."
"Welcome back." Tifa greeted, her face became alittle more serious, "Did...did Samara bring you here?"
Lenne shook her head, "I learned to hide from her..."
"Oh." Tifa replied, smiling happily, "Then that means you can join us?"
"With what?" Tifa explained everything about Sephiroth to her. Lenne agreed to stay and help.
"She's up!" Yuffie cheered, entering the tent, "What brought her out of her coma?"
"Good question." Tifa said, looking at Lenne.
Lenne hesitated, looking at Tifa, "Um...I really want some water."
"I'll get it!" Yuffie volunteered, running out the tent.
"What woke me up was jealousy." Lenne replied once Yuffie left. Tifa looked down in shame, not proud that she was acting so childish when it came to Aeris and Cloud, "That's not a good thing, Tifa. Jealousy...she can find me with that emotion..."
"I can't help it...Cloud...and Aeris...I'm just..."
"It's not all your fault. It has something to do with the darkness in you too. It's making the jealousy you feel come stronger...so strong that you become..."
"Bitchy?" Tifa finished, smirking sadly, "Yeah, I know."
"I thought if I left so would the darkness. But it's still in you." Lenne sighed.
end flashback
"Everything was going good until the jealousy of Aeris got stronger. Samara used it against us, all of us. Lenne was right when she said she could find us with that emotion. That night Lenne...kissed me..."
Tidus spat his drink out, "Kissed you? I don't know if I should be turned on or shocked!"
"Men..." Yuna muttered.
Tifa nodded, "But her kiss had intentions...and it wasn't Lenne. Samara...Samara entered me for awhile."
"She can do that?" Paine asked.
"Yes, if the emotion is strong and you have the mark then she can enter you for awhile. After she entered me...Lenne, the real Lenne, passed out...and I left to talk to Sephiroth."
"Sephiroth? The bad guy?" Tidus asked, "Why would you do that?"
"I had no choice...it's like being trapped in your own body. Now I know how Lenne felt. I saw him...heard his and Samara's conversation. She told him about what Aeris was going to do...about her praying in the altar. Sephiroth tried to have Cloud kill her...but he wouldn't...so..."
"Sephiroth killed her." Squall finished, "That's how Aeris died."
Tifa closed her eyes, nodding sadly, "I told Sephiroth the kill her..."
"Not you, Samara did." Yuna corrected, feeling bad for Tifa.
"It was my stupid jealousy that made it all happen." Tifa replied, trying to hold back her tears, "If I wasn't so childish..."
"It was the darkness." Yuna corrected.
"You do know Aeris is alive right?" Squall asked. He was listening to everything Tifa said, trying to figure out where Lenne could be.
Tifa looked at him in shock, "Aeris is alive?"
"What?" Vincent asked from the end of the bar, him and Rikku turned to look at them.
Squall nodded, "She's in...she's somewhere else but she goes by the name Aerith."
"Wow...Cloud would love to hear this..." She stopped, becoming sad again.
"Where is Cloud?" Yuna asked curiously.
"He left...after Aeris's death...but not before...saving me."
"Saving you? How'd he save you?" Tidus asked.
"He found out about the darkness in me...he took it. It's...it's in him now." Tifa explained.
"Cloud's evil now?" Squall asked.
"How'd he do that?" Tidus asked.
"He's not evil..." Tifa blushed at Tidus's question, "and I'm not gonna answer the second one."
"Eww." Tidus replied, causing Yuna to give him another glare.
"Guys! I'm thirsty over here! Vinnie won't share!" Rikku yelled from the end of the bar, waving her hands.
Tifa smiled, getting up to get Rikku a drink until she spotted something on Rikku, "Wait." She ran to Rikku and grabbed her hand, examining it in fear.
"Um...what's wrong?" Rikku asked in confusion. She became even more worried as Tifa began to cry.
"No, no, no, no! How did you get this? Where did you get this?" Tifa asked, looking at Rikku.
"Get what?" Rikku asked. Squall, Paine, Yuna, and Tidus joined them at the end of the bar, looking at Tifa.
"What's wrong?" Squall asked.
"This." Tifa held up Rikku's hand to them, showing them her palm. There was a light outline of a heart in her palm, "She's been marked. Samara wants her."
"Um...tell Samara I don't roll that way." Rikku said, not knowing what Tifa really meant.
"No, Rikku, that's not what she means..." Yuna gazed at her palm in fear, "She's gonna do bad things to you."
"FRYD? (WHAT?)" Rikku pulled her hand away from Tifa and looked at them in confusion and fear, "What are you talking about? What's going on?"
"If you were over there listening to the story with us then you'd know." Paine replied, sighing, "How long does she have?"
"Have? Till what? You guys are scaring me! Yunie's looking at me like I got a fatal disease..and you," Rikku looked at Squall whose head was in his hands, "You're looking like you always are when I do something bad."
"Have you been having dreams? Weird dreams?" Tifa asked.
"Um..well..."
"Yes she has. About two years ago." Squall answered for her, remembering what she told him at the camp.
"Why didn't you tell us, Rikku?" Yuna asked, on the verge of tears.
"Yunie...what's wrong? Why are you so upset?" Rikku asked in concern. Everyone was looking so scared and sad and she had no idea why.
"She told me..." Squall said. Yuna turned to glare at him, hitting him on the shoulder angrily.
"AND YOU JUST SHRUGGED IT OFF?" She screamed. Tidus grabbed her before she could attack him some more.
"Yuna, stop!" Rikku yelled, "It's nothing! They're just dreams..."
"And so were the dreams I had about Lenne and Shuyin!" Yuna said, trying to control her tears, "Rikku...something bad's gonna happen to you."
Rikku looked at Squall in confusion, "What's she talking about? Squall, am I gonna die?"
Squall couldn't look at her. It was taking his brain time to process the situation. Rikku was in trouble. Big trouble. How was he gonna save her from this? He glanced at Tifa hoping she could tell him the answer to his question, but she just looked at the floor.
"Tifa, my back's hurting again." Tifa turned to see Marlene standing behind her. She looked sleepy but her hands were rubbing her lower back in pain.
"Marlene, you have to go back upstairs." Tifa said, picking her up.
Squall spotted something on Marlene's lower back as her shirt raised slightly, "Wait...what's that?" He got up to get a better look at a forming scar on her back.
"It's nothing." Tifa replied hastilly, lowering the back of Marlene's shirt.
Squall's gaze went from Marlene's back to Tifa, narrowing his eyes, "She has a scar on her back. Where'd that come from?"
Tifa glanced at Rikku who was watching them in concern, "You guys have to leave now. You can't bring her here. It's not safe for Marlene."
"Why not?" Squall asked. He knew he was getting too nosey but Tifa was still hiding things. It reminded him of Rinoa.
Tifa sighed, lifting the back of Marlene's shirt slightly to show them the heart-shaped scar, "Because Marlene's the next one. Now go." She turned and ran upstairs with Marlene before anyone could say something.
"Maybe we should leave." Tidus suggested.
"What about Rikku?" Yuna cried.
"What about me? Yunie, I'm fine! See!" Rikku said, waving her hands infront of Yuna's face. That only caused her to cry more. "Yunie...don't cry." Rikku sighed, comforting her.
"Yuna's right. Rikku is in trouble and we need more information from Tifa to see if we can help her." Squall said, his eyes never left the stairs.
"Will someone tell me what's up?" Rikku asked, exhausted.
"Come on, Rikku. Let's get to the gummi. I'll tell you everything." Paine said. Rikku nodded as Yuna, Tidus, and Paine walked out the bar.
"Squall, tell me the truth. Am I in trouble?" She asked once she made sure they were out of hearing range.
"Let's get to the gummi." He replied. Rikku nodded, knowing that that meant yes. Before they walked out the door, Vincent stopped her.
"Rikku."
"Yeah, Vinnie?"
"Don't forget to tell Yuffie what I told you."
Rikku nodded and smiled, "I will."
"And I'm sure you'll make the right choice about the proposal to Gippal." He added. Rikku went stiff as she felt Squall's eyes look at her back in confusion.
"W-what?" He asked in shock, "What proposal?"
Vincent, knowing he shouldn't have said that out loud, grabbed his drink and left quickly. They heard him mutter something about Yuffie rubbing off on him.
"Er...Gippal kinda sorta proposed to me." Rikku answered, not turning aroung to look at him. She knew if she did then she'd see his angry/disappointed face.
"He proposed to you?" Squall asked, his voice low. Rikku heard the anger in it though, "And you said...?"
Rikku shrugged, "I told him I'll let him know when we come back from this world."
"Have you decided?"
Rikku sighed and turned to look at him, "Look, mister, I'm really not having a good day! I just found out something bad is gonna happen to me...Yunie's all sad...and you're here asking me about my love life! Hello, Squallie, my love life should be the last thing on your mind right now! Especially since you gotta tell all that info to Rinoa."
"You're right." Squall walked past her, "Nice way of avoiding the question too."
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Rikku couldn't sleep for more then one reason. One: When she got back to Spira she'd have to tell Gippal her decision. Which she still hasn't decided yet. She thought they were going to stay longer, but after Tifa freaked out they decided to leave. Also Vincent was trying to help her...which she found odd because Yuffie told Rikku stories about how hard it was to get that guy to talk and express his feelings. And two: Paine told her everything. Everything. It frightened Rikku but she hid her feelings and shrugged it off for Yuna's sake. While Paine was explaining every little detail, Rikku knew that Yuna was getting more scared then her. It was like watching a doctor as he told the one you loved that they had a deadly disease and had only a week to live.
She got up from her little spot on the floor, next to Yuna and Tidus. That's the only thing she didn't like about gummi ships, they were too small. At least in the airship it was huge with cabins. Here on the gummi, her, Yuna, Tidus, and Paine were forced to sleep on the floor next to eachother as Squall spent all his time in the driver's seat. She began to wonder if he ever slept. Her curiousity got the best of her as she made her way to the front of the gummi where Squall was.
"Why aren't you sleeping?" He asked, sensing her walk up behind him.
Rikku shrugged, "Can't. It's kinda hard after what Paine told me...also...the dreams are becoming worse."
Squall watched as she sat in the seat next to him, looking out into space. He noticed the bags under her eyes.
"You should really get some sleep. You got a big decision to make once you get home..."
"Tu hud cdynd fedr sa. (Do not start with me.)" She warned as she gave him a death glare. He just smirked and looked back down at the controls.
"Have you even made a decision yet?" He asked, not daring to look back up at her. He saw her shake her head out the corners of his eye, "Gippal's gonna love that."
"Why does it even matter to you, huh?" She asked, teasing him alittle, "Shouldn't you be encouraging me? You are the one that wanted me to move on. Plus you're engaged to Rinoa, shouldn't you be telling me how great it is?"
Squall chuckled, shaking his head slightly, "You're gonna turn this around and make it about me? It's not my life we're talking about, it's yours."
"Aqyldmo. (Exactly)" Rikku agreed, "Mine."
He looked at her sternly, "I'm just trying to help."
"No you're not! You're trying to make things more difficult."
"I'm not gonna start with you." Squall turned all his attention to the controls, not wanting to get into another argument with her. It was too late for this and he was tired. Tiredness brought out the worse in him and he knew it brought the crankiness out of her.
"No, go ahead. Tell me how to run my life." She said coldly.
"Rikku, you're becoming stubborn."
"Stubborn? I am not stubborn! You're stubborn!"
"You're just trying to pick a fight. You should really get to sleep." He heard her growl in anger and frustration, "See what I mean? Go to sleep."
"Tuh'd dymg du sa mega E's y lremt, zang! (Don't talk to me like I'm a child, jerk!)"
Squall sighed, knowing that if she did listen to him and go back to sleep then she'd have another nightmare which would just wake her up again. So he did the only sensible thing he could think of. He leaned forward to put the gummi on auto drive. Rikku watching him in confusion and anger. She knew she was acting childish but he was right about her being cranky. Lack of sleep did that to her.
He leaned back his chair alittle, putting the armrest up as he scooted over to make some room for her, "Come here."
"What?" She asked, confused and shocked. Was he telling her to do what she thought he was?
"Come here. I know you what those words mean. Want me to say it in Al Bhed?"
Rikku rolled her eyes, "I know what those words mean, no need for the smart mouth. Why do you want me over there?"
Squall yawned, "Because I'm tired and you're tired. Obviously you're having difficulties sleeping so I'm gonna help you."
Rikku looked at him cautiously, "You're not gonna like hold me and feed me warm milk as you sing me a bedtime song are you? 'Cause, Squallie, that'll be sooo weird."
Squall looked at her like she was crazy, "Do I look like the type to do that? I'd rather have you sleep in space."
Rikku glared at him, smirking as she got up to sit with him on the chair, "You're mean."
"I know." He replied as she rested her head on his chest.
It was weird because for the first time in a long time Rikku felt safe again. She didn't know if it was because she was with Squall, his arms wrapped protectively around her, or it was that she was finally comfortable. But deep inside she knew which one it was.
"Goodnight." She muttered before giving him a quick goodnight kiss. Once she did that she knew that she made a huge mistake. Sure it was innocent and it was just alittle peck on the lips...but that little peck sparked something big inside them. She tried to ignore it, putting her head back on his chest but he quickly grabbed her face and brought it back up to his pulling her into a deep kiss.
She almost resisted at first...but her body got the best of her. She sat up to straddle his lap, getting better leverage. The kiss seemed to go on forever as Squall began to move his hands up and down her body, exploring it as she moved her hands up his shirt.
They knew what they were doing was wrong and that either Yuna, Tidus, or Paine could wake up at any moment and see them but that didn't stop them from doing what they've wanted to do since Squall returned. Things were going well until Rikku felt something cold and metal against her hip. She glanced down at the object as Squall's attention was on her neck...it was his engagement ring. That brought her back to reality.
"Squallie, stop." She sighed, remembering Rinoa. What they were doing wasn't fair to her. Plus if they kept at it they might end up doing something they shouldn't. She didn't want that...especially with people sleeping less then a foot away from them. Squall didn't seem to hear her because he kept at what he was doing. She reluctantly pulled away and took his hands off her waist.
"What's wrong?" He asked as she got off him.
"Um...for one, you're engaged to Rinoa!" She responded, pointing to his left hand.
"Oh yeah..." He sighed, feeling irritated.
"Oh yeah?" Rikku asked, angrily, "All you can say is 'oh yeah'? Hello! Squallie, you were just making out with a girl that is NOT your fiancee!"
"What do you want me to say? I know I screwed up, ok? But I can't help it because..."
"Nope! Do not wanna hear it!" Rikku covered her ears, looking like a stubborn child, "Do not want to hear the rest of that because this is way more complicated then it should be! I am 19 years old! I shouldn't be having this much drama! I am going back to bed." She turned to make her way back to her little spot on the floor.
"Rikku, wait!" Squall said before she could lay back down, "Just sleep with me."
"Aqlica sa? (Excuse me?)" She asked angrily.
"Not like that." Squall replied, "You won't get any good sleep by yourself because you'll have those nightmares. Sleep with me. I promise not to touch you inappropriately."
Rikku glanced around the gummi, then looked back at him, "Ok...fine. But just to sleep...nothing else."
"Alright." He nodded.
Rikku smiled, satisfied and alittle disappointed and sad. Damn that engagement ring!
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"Why does this look so familiar?" Tidus asked as he scratched the back of his head. Him, Yuna, Paine, Lulu, and Wakka were watching the scene infront of them in curiousity and amusement.
"Should we wake them?" Lulu asked, picking up a stick. She was ready to poke Squall sharply in the arm until Yuna stopped her.
"No! Let them sleep!" Yuna smiled. She hasn't seen her cousin in such peace in a long time. Now she was sleeping soundly in Squall's arms on the little control chair.
"We can't, Yuna. For one, we're in Spira already and I'm sure they'd like to sleep in comfortable beds instead of squished up on that little chair." Tidus responded, "I mean, look at Rikku, she's being a bed hog. Poor Squall's got little space."
"He has more space then her!" Lulu said, glaring at him, "Rikku's nearly falling off."
"Nuh uh..."
"Enough." Paine interrupted them before they got into an argument, "But we should wake them."
"Won't they be mad, ya?" Wakka asked.
"Oh, don't wake them, Paine! They look so cute! Let me at least take a picture first!" Yuna begged, grabbing a camera she used to take pictures of the other world.
Paine rolled her eyes in annoyance as Yuna began taking various pictures of the sleeping couple, "We have to now. Look who's coming." She pointed her finger out the gummi at the Al Bhed that was making his way to the ship.
"Gippal!" Everyone gasped, knowing that if he saw this then he'd have a fit.
Yuna rushed to them, shaking Rikku violently, "Rikku, get up! You have to get up right now!"
"One more hour, pops." She muttered, turning her body away from them to snuggle closer to Squall.
"RIKKU!" Yuna shrieked in fear. Gippal was coming...
"I got this!" Wakka picked up his blitzball and threw it at Squall's head. It bounced off him and hit Rikku in the face. They immediately woke up.
"What the fuck man!" Squall yelled angrily as he held his forehead in pain.
"Owie!" Rikku pouted, holding her nose.
"Sorry, bruddas. Had to do it." Wakka smiled as Lulu took the camera from Yuna to take a picture of them.
"Hey guys." Gippal said as he entered the gummi.
"Gippal!" Rikku shrieked, realizing she was sitting with Squall. She quickly pushed herself off the chair falling to the floor, everyone watched in amusement.
"Hey Rikku," Gippal smiled, he looked at her in confusion as she rubbed her butt in pain, "Why are you on the floor?"
"Um...it's more comfortable down here?" Rikku replied, smiling sheepishly.
Lulu rolled her eyes, "How was the trip?"
"Interesting." Squall replied, glaring at Wakka then Gippal. He didn't know which one he hated more right now.
"Come on, Rikku, we have some thing's to discuss." Gippal said as he helped her up.
"Um...right." Rikku gulped.
"She can't leave yet." Squall said, standing up to stretch.
"And why not, Leon?" Gippal asked, annoyed.
"Because we have to have a group meeting first." Squall replied, equally annoyed.
"We do?" Tidus asked on confusion. Squall glared at him as Yuna elbowed him, "I mean...yeah."
"This is only gonna take awhile." Gippal replied, pulling Rikku towards the exit.
"So is this." Squall grabbed Rikku's other hand, stopping them.
Rikku sighed, not liking this game of tug-o-war. Secretly she didn't want to go with Gippal either because she still hasn't decided. And after last night she knew she wasn't ready for this kind of commitment to him yet.
RING! RING! A big smile spread on Gippal's face as he looked down at Squall's phone, "Telephone. I'm guessing it's for you, Leon."
Squall growled in frustration, grabbing his phone to answer it, "Yeah?"
"Squall?"
He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he glared at Gippal's smug face, "Hey Rinoa."
Gippal's smile went wider and Rikku frowned as Squall excused himself from the gummi to go talk to Rinoa in private.
"Meeting dismissed I guess." Gippal said as he pulled Rikku off the gummi.
"Well...that went well." Tidus sighed.
"Gippal cheated!" Yuna pouted, mad that Rinoa chose this time to call. Yuna loved Gippal as a friend and she knew he cared deeply for Rikku...but she also knew Rikku's heart wasn't with him like that. And secretly, Yuna wanted Squall and Rikku back together. They ended too soon.
Wakka shifted nervously, "Um...you guys don't think Squall's gonna kill me do you?"
"Yup."
"Uh huh."
"You're a goner, Wakka."
"Sorry, Wakka, but I think you should hide."
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"So, what have you decided?" Gippal asked as they walked onto the airship.
Rikku bit her lower lip anxiously. What has she decided? She loved Gippal...but she loved Squall too. But Squall's with Rinoa...this was starting to make her head hurt. Marriage is a big thing even though Squall made it seem like it wasn't.
"Gippal..."
"Rikku, I love you and care for you. We practically grew up together, I know you better then any other man. What's keeping you from saying yes?"
Rikku looked past him at Squall who was in the next room talking to Rinoa on the phone. He noticed them too, watching them closely as he talked.
"Um..."
"Rikku, I know how much you want a family. A big family, I can give that to you. Do you really think Leon would make a good dad?"
Rikku looked at him sadly, wanting him to stop. Her head was hurting and she was so confused that she just wanted to scream.
"Will you marry me?" Gippal asked again, getting on his knee.
That's when Rikku heard it, the 5 words that broke her heart and made her make up her mind.
"I love you too, Rinoa." Squall said, "Bye." He hung up the phone and placed it back on his belt.
'Love? He loves Rinoa?' She was angry, but mostly hurt. How could he say that to her after what he did or almost did with Rikku last night? 'Ok, Squallie, you and Rinoa live happily ever after. But I'm getting my happy ending too.'
"Yes, Gippal, I'll marry you." Rikku smiled.
Gippal's face lit up as he got of the ground to pull Rikku into a big hug. Rikku smiled, hugging him back in return. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad...
They heard a big crash as Rikku looked back in Squall's direction...he did not look happy. She didn't know if he heard her decision yet but she could tell he knew she said yes by how happy Gippal was. He was glaring daggers at Gippal, a furious look on his face. Gippal ignored him as he continued hugging Rikku but Rikku couldn't take her eyes off him. 'I've moved on, Squallie.'
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A/N- DUN! DUN! DUN! lol. anyways, sorrie i made u guys wait. i hope this chapter will hold u up for the rest of the month since i've ben busy. i dont kno when the next one will be out...jus wanna add that i love Tifa! And I love Lenne and I thought it'll be cool to see them evil! But now Cloud has the darkness in him (like in KH when he joins the dark side and searches for his light) I also put some Samara in this story to show alittle of her character and how she is to others. But what does she want with Rikku? And Marlene? More mystery...I know alot of u are gonna be mad that Rikku actually sed yes to Gippal. But don't worry...it doesn't end there. Sadly, there are only 4 chapters left to this story then it's done...i think im gonna cry when it's over becuz i love writing about squikku and these characters. but they will make an appearance in my other fanfic.
next chapter: Why did Rinoa call? How's ppl gonna react to Rikku's marriage to Gippal? Has Rikku really given up on Squall? Wut did Vinnie want Rikku to tell Yuffie? Tidus has something in mind for Yuna...i hear more wedding bells! And Lenne enters the story! People have different opinions of her...is she good or evil? Hear her side to the story. Maybe she can help Rikku...