Disclaimer: I do not own FF7 or FF13.
The sky was blue. Not a single cloud in the air. Trees rustled in the breeze and for what felt like forever, Tifa could finally hear the chirps of birds. Moving from her perch in her room's window sill, the black-haired woman stretched her arms and released a satisfied sigh. The hospitals were overflowing and medical wards all across the city were filled with people suffering injuries from the war that had broken out in the center of their worlds. It was a harsh reminder in some cases; a reminder that there's so much more out in the world.
In a blink of an eye, they could easily lose what's most precious to them, their daily routines in life could be so easily upturned. Even if it would only be for a while, Tifa wanted the people to treasure what they have, because she knows that she would be forever grateful for what she has. There were hurdles, many great hurdles, but she had made it in the end. The part of Edge where her bar was hadn't been greatly affected, and only the main central area needed huge amounts of renovation to revitalize the city back what it once was. Peeling her eyes away from the streets where unharmed civilians started to pool to aid the city clean-up efforts, Tifa moved back towards the bed and gently took a seat there.
She could still hear Lightning's steady breaths, finding it amusing how one without a heart could still live as an entity so similar to a human. Lightning hummed softly as she snuggled closer into her pillow with her pink hair tousled. The woman hadn't even awoken once, her eyes pressed shut even as Barret had flocked over her with worry, nor the loud roar of Fang who had thankfully reverted back to her human self. During the whole time, Lightning had remained blissfully asleep nestled in Cloud's arms as if she was sleeping for all the times she had been deprived of sleep as the Goddess of Death and Reincarnation. Serah had giggled, but first and foremost insisted that they should take Lightning somewhere warm… and maybe a place that she could finally call home. At the same time, it had somehow reached a general consensus that Tifa's room would be that place. "How long do you plan to sleep for?" Tifa whispered as she pulled on the blanket and further tucked Lightning in.
A soft knock sounded on Tifa's door, drawing her ruby eyes away from Lightning's visage to see Aerith peek in, "You should take a shower." The Cetra stepped in refreshed and dressed in a simple white dress, "Wash off all that dirt. You're going to make the bed dirty."
"A bit too late now." Tifa laughed, and motioned at Lightning, "There's already dirt on it."
"Then you should've washed Lightning first before putting her to bed." Aerith sighed, "Is she going to wake up soon?"
"I want her to sleep." Tifa said, "She deserves it."
"Alright, alright." Aerith moved towards the door, "I'll get some food ready. I'm sure everyone's starving."
"Where's Cloud and Yuffie?"
"They went back to the AVALANCHE base to help. The panic's over, but things are still a mess. The people here are surprisingly resilient, although I guess that came from living under SHINRA."
"Y'know, you did too." Tifa hummed as she sorted through her drawers to pick out some fresh clothes.
"But I stayed in Novus Chrysalia. Never really got the chance to see what Edge is like."
"Novus Chrysalia huh?" Tifa mumbled, "I wonder what happened… or really, what's happening now. I guess that's a question for another time."
"After Lightning gets her beauty sleep, something to satisfy our lethargy, and maybe once things have calmed down a little more." Aerith perfectly summarized, "Well, I'm going to make some soup. I dug around your fridge."
Aerith gave her one more grin before closing the door behind her quietly. Truth be told, everything still felt a little surreal. The flower-girl that had been missing from their lives for too long had already begun making their place her home, and the sight of Lightning sleeping so carelessly on her bed was something Tifa could only dream of seeing. Yet here it all was, and it was real. Lightning might not be the Light from her past, but they had the same looks, same attitudes, and now the same soul. Although Light would always hold a special place in her heart, this Lightning was already working her way in without even trying. Slipping into the washroom, Tifa rested her back against the door and closed her eyes. Back then, she never would've thought that this day could be possible. Laughing quietly to herself, Tifa retreated into a hot and comforting shower.
The sound of trickling water touched her consciousness, and slowly, Lightning rose from her slumber. Her eyes fluttered open, to look upon the white ceilings. Soft light bathed through the curtains, casting everything in a comforting glow. Her body felt warm for once, and the sloth in her wanted nothing more than to hide herself away in the soft blankets. With great reluctance, Lightning lifted herself from the bed and looked around the vaguely familiar room. She had never physically been in Tifa's room before, although she did have the memory from when the fragment had been in Tifa's dream world. The sound of the shower failed to escape her, so she knew that Tifa was probably inside.
Wiggling her toes and accustoming the feeling of her bare feet against the warm wooden floors rather than the soles of her worn boots or the sensationless drift of Cosmogenesis, Lightning walked over to Tifa's dresser and pulled it open. She dug out the closest fit she could find and changed into the simple shorts and t-shirt. Although her skin was soiled from the dirt and dried blood, and with regret upon seeing what had smudged onto Tifa's bed, Lightning internally promised herself that she would clean up after herself… later. The door opened soundlessly. Her eyes noted the multiple photos nailed to the walls beside the stairs and she took a moment to look at all of them. There was Marlene, Denzel, Barret, Cloud, Tifa, Yuffie, and even one with Raines as well.
Fighting the temptation to sneak a look into the rooms with closed doors, Lightning headed towards the sounds of tinkering kitchen utensils. She stepped into the second floor kitchen, raising an eyebrow upon seeing Aerith standing over the stove. "I wonder if I can put this in too." The Cetra mumbled to herself, "It's past the best-before date… but that's really just a suggestion… right?"
"I wouldn't want you to die from food poisoning."
Aerith yelped, clutching her hand over her pumping heart and whipped around wide-eyed at Lightning, "Light! You're awake!"
"Obviously." Lightning mumbled as she stalked into the kitchen surveying the place.
"Tifa's in the-"
"I know." Lightning said and looked to the pot Aerith was busy tending, "You're cooking?"
"I'm making soup- hey, I don't like that tone you just used." Aerith reprimanded playfully, "I bet you just want to eat Tifa's cooking."
Giving the brunette a dry look, the pinkette crossed her arms over her chest, "I don't want to die from food poisoning."
"Like you're going to die from that."
"Wouldn't want to give Tifa heartburn."
"Just give it a try! I learned a lot at the Glutton's Corner. If I can make Nisbet hairballs taste good, I'm sure I can handle soup."
With a soft chuckle, Lightning grabbed a seat at the table, "Where is everyone?"
"At the base helping with the aftermath. Fang and the others have returned to normal but I'm sure you already knew." Aerith supplied, "We were going to eat up and then head back to base so the others can come back and refresh."
"I'll come too." Lightning swiftly stated, "I have a lot of explaining to do."
"That would be a good place to start."
The two sat there in comfort, but it wasn't long until Tifa walked into the kitchen, "Light-" she started before stopping. She paused and tried to process the fact that Lightning was wearing her clothes and seated at her dinner table while Aerith wore her apron with her pots in hand. Smiling warmly, Tifa shook her head and walked over to the table, "Is the food ready?" Everything had been so easy, so… strangely relaxing that she would now see Aerith and Lightning here in her house as if it were their own.
"Almost!" Aerith replied cheerily.
Tifa didn't hide her stare from Lightning nor the slight blush dusting her cheeks. Even if they were only a casual pair of shorts and a t-shirt, she had to admit with pride that her clothes looked really good on Lightning. Grinning at Lightning's curious stare, Tifa grabbed a seat in front of the pinkette, "How are you feeling?"
"Rested."
"That's good."
"You?"
"I'm… good." Tifa laughed.
"We're all good." Aerith said as she placed three bowls on the table and served them their meal, "Eat up! We still have a long day ahead of us."
Tifa found Aerith's motherly side amusing, yet she found Lightning's casual acceptance of it even more amusing. It was as if Lightning had long grown used to it. The soup was good, although Tifa couldn't identify the foreign taste to it. "I'll do the dishes." Tifa offered, but Aerith swiftly pushed both her and Lightning out of the kitchen and ordered them to get ready.
"You should take a shower." Tifa said, fixating her arm around Lightning's wrist before pulling her into the washroom. It didn't take long for Lightning to finish, walking out dressed in Tifa's shorts and t-shirt again but free of grime. During that time, Tifa had already changed the bed sheets. It was obvious Lightning didn't like to be babied, but the fighter only gave her a triumphant smile. Aerith was already waiting for them downstairs in the bar and together, they headed back towards the AVALANCHE base. The destruction was apparent; and why wouldn't it? Tifa tried her best to keep her eyes focused ahead of her, but she couldn't help but wander her attention to Lightning out of her concern. Although the pinkette remained stoic and seemingly aloof, it was probable that she felt responsible for the bloodshed and her concern doubled when she saw Lightning's tense fists at her side. "Don't think like that." Tifa murmured softly so that only Lightning could hear.
Soon, the AVALANCHE base was within sight. Soldiers and volunteers filed in and out, and from the looks of it, they had arrived during a break. "Tifa! Aerith!" They turned to see Cloud jog up to them, "Lightning, how are you feeling?"
"The others are inside?" Lightning asked, brushing aside Cloud's concern.
"Yeah, they're resting right now. I was just about to head back to the bar to check on you three."
"You should go back and get some rest." Aerith started, "Do you want me to go tell Yuffie and Barret-"
"Wait." Lightning interrupted, "I want to speak with all of you before you go. The sooner I explain things, the better. The city's in a wreck and I'm sure it's only sooner than later that the people are going to start demanding for answers.
"Right, follow me then." Cloud nodded, motioning for the three to follow.
They made their way towards the base, passing by workers seated on whatever debris that could be sat on. The bodies have already been cleared, trucks brought in to clear the rubble, but even so, the dark red stains of the blood spilt couldn't be washed off. Clusters of people were gathered in groups, some lining up for refreshments consisting of water bottles and a few light snacks that some volunteers had scrambled together in a short period of time. "Lightning?"
"Light!" It quick pink blur tackled Lightning, latching around her waist.
"Serah." The older Farron sibling greeted with a reserved smile on her lips.
"Sis!" Snow jogged over before the entire gang took notice. Fang, Sazh, Vanille, and Hope all came rushing, laughing and beaming at Lightning's arrival.
"Finally awake huh?" Fang snorted, "Good thing we turned human first or else they'd have to keep us locked up."
"Lightnin's awake?" Barret was the next to show up, walking towards the pinkette with Yuffie beside him, "About time!"
It was a short reunion, no hugs because Lightning wasn't one for hugs unless it was from Serah, but sweet yet concise. "I have something to tell all of you." Lightning started, "Somewhere private preferably."
"Yeah, sure thing." Barret said, motioning for them to follow, "My office?"
The office was large enough for everyone to fit. "I'd like to explain... the situation." Lightning started, pausing slightly to find the right words, "Or maybe the state the world's in right now. I don't know if you saw it, and frankly, it's kind of hard to miss, but Etro's Gate had opened."
"You mean the bright light in the sky?" Barret asked, leaning back on his chair, "With the dark stuff that came out of it?"
"The chaos." Lightning corrected, "Countless people have died; the Cavalry, the PSICOM, and all of these casualties summoned Etro's Gate even without my doing, but after my apparent death, it was like hammering in the last nail. There was nothing holding the Gates closed and chaos erupted."
"But the Lifestream had pushed it back." Aerith said, "I saw it, and I saw Novus Chrysalia too."
"And why wouldn't you? Etro's Gates lead to Novus Chrysalia. When that happens, it can only mean one thing; the Goddess is dead and there's no way to keep the unseen realm and this realm separate."
"Similar to when Valhalla merged with Pulse right?" Hope asked.
"Yes, chaos will spill and history will repeat itself. Even though Gaia wouldn't be directly affected, the decline of half the world would definitely take its toll. Your planet had probably realized this, and just like how it created those WEAPONS to defend it or how perceived me as a threat, the Lifestream pushed the chaos back behind the gate. The world... doesn't need Etro anymore and my death had been a necessity to get things rolling."
"No Etro? But-"
"None of that. No Gods or Goddesses. The planet will follow its own natural cycle, and with the Lifestream flowing through the Gate now, I doubt I can't close it even if I wanted to."
"The Gate is still open?"
"It is, and it won't be closing. The souls of the dead from Cocoon and Pulse flow with the Lifestream, because they're both headed to the same place now; Novus Chrysalia. You could say it's the new Promised Land from Cetra legends. A place where not all souls go, but those who are content. Others stay here in the Lifestream flowing beneath the ground, but the end, all souls will be reborn."
"So you say there's no need for Etro anymore, then... are you human now? Or are you still..."
"I am... still immortal." Lightning breathed, "And so is Tifa." Tifa could feel her heart drop slightly as she dropped her eyes to the ground. She could feel everyone's burning stare already. "I still have my powers, except I'm no longer the 'Goddess of Death and Rebirth' per say. I have no control over the Gates now, nor do I lord over rebirth or anything like that anymore. That's all up to the Lifestream now. Someone still has to protect the world in the future from people like Sephiroth... or even Sephiroth himself."
"Wait, what? I thought you put him down!" Barret protested.
"He's still alive." Lightning raised her hands as if to put an imaginary stop to the others concerns, "He lost his physical body, and I put a seal on his soul. He won't be returning to the Lifestream. Too dangerous."
"So what?" Fang asked, "He's just gonna sit God knows where and rot?"
"Essentially. In time, he'll lose his will, his sense of identity, and then... just disappear. How long that would take though, I've got no idea. I need to keep an eye on him, make sure he doesn't pull any tricks because the world definitely doesn't need Sephiroth's second coming."
It hadn't been the answer everyone had wanted and Tifa could see that as a fact in their expressions. Perhaps they had expected the best of the best, one where no one would have to make any kind of concession, but that was far from the truth of the matter. "So?" Fang sighed, "What now? Are we going to stay here or are we going back to Novus Chrysalia then?"
"Why not stay here?" Aerith proposed, "You can work for the Guardian Corps again."
"That's all fine and stuff, but uh..."
"We are... supposed to be dead." Vanille said quietly.
"Not to mention Hope's a wanted criminal here." Sazh said, nodding his chin at the young boy.
"Snow's still the patron of Yusnaan too." Hope said, "Fang is the leader of Monoculus, and Sazh still has Dajh waiting for him."
"We all have our own place," Serah started, "And for us, it's at Novus Chrysalia. That's our home now. Now that the Lifestream can reach there... there's probably going to be some big changes. We should try and help in any way possible."
"Serah's right." Snow agreed, "There's a lot of things we still have to do back in Novus Chrysalia, a lot of people there are counting on us."
"I guess that settles it then." Aerith sighed, "You're all going back."
"We'll see each other again," Serah beamed, "Besides, sis can always just open her portals, right?"
"If you keep that up, I might start charging a fee." Lightning retorted earning a sly grin from her sister.
"As if you'd do that." Snow laughed.
"Then when are we headin' back?" Fang asked, leaning back on the sofa and kicking her feet up onto the table.
"Maybe we can help a little more around here first." Vanille offered.
"Well, the faster we finish up here the faster we can go back right?" Fang pushed herself up, rolling her shoulders, "Might as well start early and finish early."
"I'm too old for this..." Sazh sighed. In an unspoken agreement, the group gathered themselves up and left the room. Fang and Vanille were inseparable, Sazh left with Barret and Snow, Serah with Mog and Yuffie, and then Cloud with Aerith.
"Tifa?" The said woman stopped, turning in mild surprise at Hope who had called out to her, "Can I... talk to you?"
"Oh..." She exchanged glances with Lightning, but nodded for the pinkette to go on without her, "okay."
They waited until the door closed behind Lightning's back before Hope spoke, "I... would stay immortal for Lightning, but I know that she wouldn't want that for me." So it was this kind of talk. Turning so she would face Hope fully, Tifa held his intense stare. There were so many emotions brewing behind them that she struggled to identify it. Ever since New Bodhum and after her shameful spectacle, she and Hope hadn't exactly been on friendly terms. "I was willing to become the Guardian of the Heart of Chaos... but she chose you even though I- I made a promise. No, Lightning and I made a promise back then... Eyes front and face forward because-"
"I've got your back." Tifa finished his sentence for him, earning a humorless chuckle.
"Yes... that. I love her, but... she sees me as a kid. She always had, no matter who she becomes, or how I look like. Even the fragments, all thirteen of them, saw me as nothing more than a little brother. At first, that was alright with me though. Lightning had more important things to worry about; that was what I told myself and maybe once this was over... she'd finally notice. Then you came along and... why you? I don't understand."
It was strange listening to his words because they hardly matched his appearance. To any other, this might appear like some jealous ramble of a fourteen year-old boy, but Tifa knew Hope better. "Y'know," Tifa started, "I don't understand myself either."
"But-"
"I won't lie or try to hide the past. In your eyes, she might've just been a fragment but... I had hurt Light and that's something I would never forgive myself for doing. Somehow though, I got a second chance... and I could still remain as Cloud's friend. I was so happy, so... grateful, and I promised. I promised that I would make sure that Light's never alone again." Tifa admitted, "When Lightning had first asked me to become the Guardian, I refused. I thought, 'why me?' I couldn't forgive her for taking Light away from me, I couldn't accept it... I thought she was being selfish but then I realized... wasn't I being even more selfish? Constantly clinging to the past... I couldn't move on at all. Like you."
"Me?" An immediate frown weighed on his brow at Tifa's suggestion, "I'm not being selfish."
"Lightning is though." Tifa breathed, "Hope, I'm not going to try to persuade you or explain why Lightning had chosen me over you. I don't know why she did. I don't know why she could continue loving me even after what I've done and said to her, but what's done is done. I can't go back in time and change things, and I wouldn't want to. I am who I am today because of the choices I made. Or..." Pursing her lips, Tifa bore into Hope's eyes, "I get it. Everything you've done until now, you've done for Lightning. The choices you've made... they were all for Lightning. Her feelings are something you think you deserve."
"N-No! I'm not like that!"
"Then-"
"I just wanted her to look at me!" Hope burst, and at those words, a resounding nostalgic pain rang in Tifa's chest. "She's always off doing whatever she wants. Getting herself in trouble, going to save the world, and- and- I can't keep up with her! I want to though because I'm supposed to have her back! I couldn't help her when she was fighting Bhunivelze, I was nothing but a tool... I was useless. If only I had been stronger... She wouldn't of had to suffer."
Tifa laughed softly. It was void of mockery, but instead it held a certain sense of empathy. She understood perfectly how Hope felt because she remembered a time where she had experienced the same feelings. "Do you love her? You do. A lot. Then... can you imagine yourself kissing her?"
"H-Huh?" Hope's face immediately flushed bright red, "I-I-"
"I can." Tifa continued over Hope's stammer, "That's the kind of love I have for her, but Serah loves Lightning as well. I think the reason why Lightning didn't want you to have the Heart is the same reason why she didn't give Serah the Heart." Walking towards him, Tifa playfully patted his head, "You're such a kid."
"What?"
"Stop worrying about Lightning and... grow up a little more." Tifa teased, "Then, you'll understand." She turned and headed towards the door.
"Promise me."
"Hm?" Tifa glanced over her shoulder at him.
"You'll have Lightning's back and... you'll never ever hurt her again."
"I promise."
The door opened and closed, and with a satisfied hum, the fighter started wandering her way out of the building. It didn't take long for her to find Lightning though because the pinkette had been waiting at the entrance. "Are you..." Her voice drifted upon seeing Tifa's semi-glare directed at her.
"You really need to start paying more attention to the people around you."
Lightning's scowl was a tell-tale sign that she didn't understand. Nodding her head back to Hope that had stepped out of the building shortly after her, the fighter left to give those two a moment. He tentatively approached Lightning watching Tifa's back as the fighter got farther and farther. "I'm more than a thousand years old." Hope started, "In all my life, she's the first person to tell me to grow up." With a chuckle, he looked up at Lightning with a wry smile, "I really failed didn't I?"
"You did?"
Rolling his eyes, Hope slapped his hand over his forehead, "Nevermind."
I'll see if I can wrap this up next chapter. We're almost at the end!
