Greener on the other side
by NihilisticAmbition313
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from this.
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Chapter #39-"Ziarre"
"You better thank your lucky stars he's okay, you big ogre." Yuffie scolded Barret as she entered the waiting room.
"I ain't do nothin' wrong. It's his own damn fault." the middle-aged man grumbled back, knocking a snack vending machine for effect.
"You're the one who barged in making a big goddamned fuss, Barret. You...You know what? I'm too tired to argue about it."
The young ninja helped herself to another cup of free (albeit terrible) coffee and sat in a chair that was situated in front of the room's television set.
"What are you doing here anyway? I thought you were playing in the dirt." Yuffie said, using the term that Cloud invented for Barret whenever he was handling things in Corel.
"I was, but somethin' told me to get over here. Somethin' told me that Cloud was gonna do somethin' stupid--"
"Barret, would you let it go? Even you can't seriously think this is all Cloud's fault."
"Everything's his damn fault."
"Oh, grow up."
Barret grumbled something that Yuffie could only hear the colorful parts of.
"...Look, are you gonna hang around here and be a nuisance or are you gonna go look for Tifa?" Yuffie asked as she curled her knees up to her chin.
"Hey, you don't tell me what to do. I'll leave when I get good and ready, you hear me?"
"Fine, then stay. Whatever."
"What the hell's yo' problem?"
"My problem? My problem seems to be everybody else's problems, Barret."
"Hmph."
"...I'm just really worried. Cloud's a wreck, Tifa's missing and gone batshit crazy..." Yuffie uttered as a stream of tears finally broke free from her grey eyes.
"Don't you go cryin' now. It ain't like we won't find her."
"It's not that, Barret. It's just that...We had a fight earlier, and I was so mad at her and the way she treated me...She's my best friend, you know? We weren't supposed to be fighting and pissed off at each other. Now I may never see her again."
"Shut up sayin' that shit!" Barret barked.
Barret was deeply unnerved, having been reminded of the broken friendship between he and Dyne that ended in tragedy.
"Look here, you're gonna see her again. And when you do, you're gonna make up with her. I'll make sure of that personally if I hafta."
"I think we'll manage on our own." Yuffie managed to chuckle.
"I don't know about Tifa. That girl's too damn stubborn sometimes...I'm too damn old to be runnin' around creation lookin' for people gone mad, but looks like I ain't got a choice."
"You're going?"
"Yeah, no use hangin' around here. You make sure Cloud don't do anything stupid, would ya?"
"You can count on me."
"Yeah...'Ey, I ain't mean what I said back there. You're a good kid." Barret grumbled.
"I accept." Yuffie said, knowing that was as much of an apology as she was ever going to get from one Barret Wallace.
----
"Krysten?" Andie spoke into her phone.
"Yes, Andie. I'm here." Krysten responded on the other end.
"Well, it's about damn time." Andie hissed, mindful of the sleeping children in the background at Yuffie's apartment. "Where the hell were you?"
"Huh? Pops didn't tell you what's going on?"
"I know what's going on. Do you?"
"All too well..."
On her end, Krysten was rubbing the aching shoulder that was courtesy of a Tifa tackle.
"Oh, well that makes it easier to say then. We're fucked."
"Royally." Krysten groaned.
"Now what?"
"I was kinda hoping you knew. I'm fresh out of 'now whats'. My plan was to find the materia and secure it. Mission failed, and with a beating for flourish."
"Beating?"
"It's nothing. Me and Reno got hammered by that bitch Tifa, but I'm okay."
"Oh my God." Andie gasped, feeling a pang of genuine concern for her sister.
"It's nothing, Andie. I'm better off than I could've been. Look, that's not important right now. What is important is finding Lockheart and separating her from the T.H.M...that is, if it's not already too late."
"What do you mean 'already'?"
"Well, the thrashing that Tifa put on me and Reno was pretty befitting of a budding goddess. Her power was incredible."
"So, you're saying the power of the T.H.M. has already taken her over?"
"Yes, Andie. You win a cookie. Good for you."
"Don't get testy with me, I'm not the enemy here."
"I'm sorry, Andie. I'm just really tired and in pain. Forgive me, will you?"
"Of course, yes...Kryss, are you gonna be okay? I can come over when I get a chance."
"You don't have to do that...I would like to see you in the morning though. There's work to do."
"Count on it."
"I'll see you then. Good night, Andie."
"Good night, Kryss."
Andie turned her phone off, and after a few moments it dawned on her that Krysten had not corrected her either of the times she called her Kryss.
"Oh, that's right. She didn't go 'my name is Krysten dammit'...I guess she didn't notice. Either that or, God forbid, we're actually getting closer...Yeah, right. That'll be the day"
"Closer to who?" a tiny, sleepy voice spoke up from behind Andie in the kitchen.
"Huh? Marlene? I thought you were asleep."
"Who are you talking about?" The ever curious child inquired once again.
"Oh, um...That was just my sister, sweetheart."
"You have a sister?"
"Yes, I have a sister."
"Why aren't you close to her?"
"Uh...Well, we didn't always know each other, honey. When we did finally meet, we didn't exactly start our relationship on good terms."
"So you hate each other?" Marlene pressed.
"Oh, no. No, we don't hate each other." Andie assured the curious little girl. "We started off being mad at each other, but we're starting to get along."
"Good. You and your sister should be close. I can only wish I had a sister, but Denzel's like my brother so at least I'm not lonely."
"Yes, you two get along very well...Marlene, if I may ask a somewhat uncomfortable question, what became of that young man's parents?"
"They passed away in the Sector Seven incident."
"Oh my God." Andie gasped.
"It was terrible. After they died, the poor guy got bounced around like a pinball, then got Geostigma to boot." Marlene spoke with the world-weariness of someone much older.
"Oh, no. That poor young man...But, he's okay now isn't he?"
"Yes, now. He's not bouncing around anymore 'cause Cloud and Tifa took him in...They were gonna adopt him for real after the wedding and be a real family...But now that Tifa ran away..."
Before Andie knew it Marlene hugged her around the waist and began crying. The young Neo-Cetra allowed it, for in her eyes she felt tears forming and daring to spill out. Unbenownst to either of them, Denzel lay awake while faking sleep, he too with tears threatening to come forth from his eyes...
----
"...Just like old times, yes Tifa?"
A woman that resembled Tifa Strife walked barefoot into Rocket Town...
"I remember coming here for the very first time...Oh, please forgive me Tifa. Your memories seem to be merging with my own. A side effect of our little partnership."
There was no one outside, not surprising given the late hour. This, however, did not stop the woman from proceeding to the inn and allowing herself entry...
"...Salutations?" The woman called to the empty front room. "Is anyone here? I wish to take a room."
Moments later, a kindly young woman came out to the front desk and was startled by the sight of a bloody, disheveled woman in tattered clothing.
"Oh, my God. Ma'am, are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I realize I'm a mess, but I'm fine. I just need a room, if there are any vacancies."
"Oh...Um, I don't know. I don't want any trouble."
"I assure you, I don't have anybody following me."
"Um...Are you sure you don't need to go to the hospital or to the authorities?"
The poor girl's unwitting insolence was beginning to wear thin on the woman that resembled Tifa.
"Look, I won't stay if I make you so nervous. Just allow me to clean up and I will go."
"O-Oh, please don't take it the wrong way Ma'am. Um...It's rather late, you know. I suppose you can stay."
"Hmph."
"Name please?" The girl asked as she prepared to make the next entry in the guest book.
"Name? My name is...Ziarre."