Game of Seduction by Kawaii Kitsune
Alternate Reality
A slender hand grasped the stem of the rose, the thorns puncturing her tender skin. She meddled with the scarlet petals with her fingers, her fingernails painted a burnished black. A slick river of crimson trailed down her wrist and to the floor. She smiled with fierceness and her ruby orbs glowed in the darkness shrouding the throne she was upon.
"Mistress Belle!" The servant's voice echoed through the halls and he busted into her chamber.
"Yes, what is it?"
"It's a letter from Master Strife. I am very well aware that you are proud to be finally hearing from him, hm?" He smiled secretively and handed it to her. She took it carefully with her other hand and lifted the seal, taking the two pieces of paper from inside. She scanned it with internal excitement then she paused as her expression turned into a frown.
Mistress Belle,
I am deeply sorry for what I am about to say, as I am the general of the Shin-Ra affiliates. To report the following information is a great depression for I have been doing it millions of times and it is disconcerting, especially if it concerns young men, such as that man you claim to love.
But, skipping onto the real reason for this letter is that Master Cloud Strife has died in battle, or so it was said. Given details, we were forced to go into a battle that was unnecessary because most of my men were not completely healed from previous battles. Our adversaries were strange; they happened to be wearing dark clothes and an extra clothing; a cloak. Besides that, their eyes seemed to have an eerie glow.
I would not be telling you this if it wasn't requested by the President. He feels that you had the right to know…I am sorry.
Deepest apologies,
General Tseng
P.S. Master Strife composed the following letter. He wanted me to give it to you before he died.
Her heart shattered into tiny pieces when she read the last couple of sentences. Belle took a deep breath and read the second letter. Nothing could possibly batter her even more…
Dearest Belle,
God, how I missed you. I miss holding you, presenting my warmth to you. Sunshine, I'll be coming home later than the promised date. It seems we're going into a couple more battles than what were planned, but trust me, I'll be back. I promise you that. Throughout the past five years we were together I have been deeply concerned about you. To tell you the truth, you're the first to ever make me feel this way…that's why I am going to make the following proposal…
And the words that followed were like a crushing blow to the gut. It felt like a thousand daggers pierced her sides and most of all, her heart. Nothing could have saddened her even more.
Tifa, will you marry me?
Love,
Cloud Strife
She squinted, the tears falling down like an endless river, and onto the piece of paper. She slipped off the chair, then fell to her knees and, almost consciously, she cried in agony that escaped her mouth. The rose faded to a black color, which was profoundly strange. She gripped the rose's stem harder and ignored the searing pain.
With grave eyes, she looked up at her servant.
"I'm leaving. And don't you dare try and find me. Everything about me will change so it's a fact that it'll be impossible for you to bring me back."
"Yes…Your Highness." He hissed and turned on his heel.
*~--~*
The clock chimed twelve and one man was walking slowly, pacing himself. He turned a corner and bumped into a woman with eyes of a green color, having the same bright glow of his clan. She smiled, and boy did she look intensely familiar.
"Would you like to buy a flower?"
"No thanks." He replied gruffly and walked past her. That was, until she caught his arm with a forceful grasp.
"No one says 'no' to me, you stupid fiend. If I were you, I'd appreciate what you could get. I, fortunately, have the interesting "power" of blackmail. And let me inform you that this sort of blackmail is very likely pleasant."
Oh Hyne. "Aerith, your characteristics never seem to impress me. It now dawns on me that you were kicked out of our clan for that very same reason." He said.
"Exactly. I was once just like you, only now I'm a rebel. Hell, I could be as pure and innocent like these other mortals and I could be evil, tantalizing, seductive, and damned sexy like you. No one dares cross the line of Aerith Gainsborough."
"Woman, I admire your pride, but it's best for me to be looking for prey."
"You mean to eat?" She asked with a bit of hope. She hadn't eaten in awhile. Well, maybe except that man she met a couple of hours back but her appetite had increased as she saw Cloud. Either it was lust or she wanted something to avert her attention from him.
"Of course not you fool! The Game has arisen again. But as usual, you wouldn't know because you're so out of schedule, am I right?"
"I have a reason you weasel!" She countered. "For your information, I haven't been in the stupid association for quite awhile. Do you think I'd actually keep track?"
"I would think so. Seduction seems…" He looked her over with desire and passion. "A bit of your thing."
"You're such an animal." Aerith growled and pressed her lips against his. He did not protest and neither did he give in. He was used to sleeping with other women. They soon found themselves fully unclothed in a vast field of green grass. Cloud despised the smell, but the pleasure he had just received blanked the stench out.
However, it didn't end there.
"Ahem, excuse me? Can you please get off my property or do I have to escort you?" A woman dressed in a white summer dress said politely. Her outgrown bangs were in curls that fell to the side of her face and the rest of her hair was pulled up in a neat ponytail, held together with a lavender ribbon.
The two people who were tangled in their own clothes looked up reluctantly. They found themselves in an unusual predicament behind a huge mansion.
The woman felt her stomach churn but she quickly dismissed it. She turned around and stepped inside her house. And, with a quick glimpse at them, Cloud easily caught the compassionate grace those ruby-red eyes held. He growled inwardly. This was purely disgusting.
*~--~*
"Hey Tifa! Gimme another shot, will ya?" One of her earlier customers called out. She smiled affectionately at the guy who was sitting down in front of the bar counter, drunk like an ass. He had become a frequent visitor, a friend she had grown to rely on. The spiky-headed visitor waved his shot glass in the air. "I'm waitin', lady!"
"Yeah, keep your panties on."
He coughed and grinned lopsidedly at her. "I don't wear panties, honey. I wear boxers."
She giggled and handed him down another drink. He gulped it down in an instant.
"You're truly in love with the drinks, aren't you?"
"They're the love of my life. Right after you, of course."
"Don't flatter yourself," she said dryly and wiped off tables that were to be soon filled.
"I ain't tryin' to flatter myself. But I wouldn't mind either." He winked and rested his head on the counter. "Damn, I'm dizzy…guh, remind me never to drink that much again."
"I tried once and you refused to listen. I tried a second time and you yelled at me. I tried a third time and you flipped me off. I tried a fourth time and you ignored me. I tried a fifth time and you tried to seduce me. And what for? A glass of brandy." She reminded him, half grinning and half serious.
"Jeez, don't remind me. I'm tryin' to rid the thought." He groaned.
She shook her head in disappointment and headed out back. Tifa placed a couple of bottles down and heard moaning on the side of her building. This is going to be repulsive but it's my property and I have every right to kick people off it.
She moved to the side of the building and spotted no one there, except for one man there.
"If you plan on pleasuring yourself alone, try doing it in the hotel next door. They have sound-proof doors and windows." She smiled a sugary sweet smile, but was nearing a dangerous level. He stepped out of the shadows and Tifa found herself staring at the same man she saw back at her house. She almost gagged.
"I beg your pardon madam, but until you're queen of Midgar, you have no right telling me where to go." He gave her a sardonic smirk.
"Hn. I bought this property and I should think I have rights to the land you're standing on right now."
"I suppose you're right," he shrugged. Then, from inside his cloak he threw a rose towards her and she caught it with ease, but wasn't paying attention to the blood that formed between her fingers.
"Can I at least get your name?" Tifa asked. The second rose I received…
"I'm afraid that's confidential. But if you must know, it's Strife."
Strife… "Is that your first name?"
"No. But to unfamiliar people, I'd rather have them call me that. And you?"
"Tifa Belle Lockhart."
Cloud furrowed his brows. Belle?
*~--~*
Author's Notes- A bit on the corny side. Sorry if it wasn't very appealing. That stuff doesn't come until…the next chapter I suppose.
Sorry if Aerith sounds a bit evil but oh well. You'll live. Aerith fans, run. I daresay, run, because I'm not going to read reviews that insult me because of what I've done to the innocent. Please, I just warned you so don't go and flame me or flood my inbox with unnecessary complaints.
-Please excuse any spelling or grammar errors.
-R/R, please!