Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy or the characters. All I own is the
plot and a few characters. I will only allow others to use my characters if
they ask me and I give them permission to.
Author's Notes: I have been addicted to Chinese history. It's Android Neptune's fault. Lu Xun, Sun Shang Xiang, Lu Meng, Gan Ning! All this Chinese names playing continuously in my mind. I like Dynasty Warriors! But not as much as Final Fantasy so I decided to try to take my mind off it and continue the fanfic.
=-*-= Chapter 3: Trouble Around the Corner =-*-=
Cloud bumped into Tifa again just after Aeris said that she and Zack had to go to their classes. "Sorry Tifa," he said, helping her back to her feet yet again. "That Kenaouru guy must be right. I'm a walking brick. That's the third time someone bumped into me today," he uttered with a smirk on his features.
Without looking up, Tifa immediately recognized the voice as Cloud's. "Probably, but it was my fault. I was kinda looking for you. Is it your recess period? I was gonna ask if you wanted to join us."
"I think so. Uhm, I hope you don't mind my asking but who 'us'?"
"Riyuji, Chase, Zell, Rikku and myself. The others are having classes right now." She looked quite eager to allow Cloud to meet the rest of her gang. "We won't be able to see them till lunch, that is, unless you already met some of the gang already." A curious look was plastered on her face.
Cloud turned a few shades of red and scratched the back of his head. "Well, I kinda met Kenaouru," he noticed that he was stammering slightly so he tried to correct that. "He's I acquaintance with Riyuji so I believe that you know him." He then tried recalling that girl who showed him around. "Oh yeah, and there was this hyper-active girl and her boyfriend. I think they were. Aeris and Zack."
"Oh, I see." She smiled and let out a soft sigh. She was quite glad to hear that Cloud managed to meet so many people in such a short amount of time. "Aeris is my best friend and Zack; well, I'm in good terms with him but I'm not that fond with him. He's kinda quiet and prefers to keep to himself while Aeris." She grinned slightly and let out a giggle. "I believe that you know how to describe her already. Quite outgoing and energetic isn't she?" She started walking ahead of Cloud, who simply ran after her till he reached her side.
"Oh really? I would think that 'quite' is an understatement. 'Really' is a better word to insert into that last sentence of yours," he said together with a sarcastic grin growing on his face.
Tifa's face started to cringe until she finally broke out in fits of laughter. She couldn't stifle the laughter and keep a straight face to a fact that seemed so true. Together with Cloud, who started chuckling himself, they were receiving a few stares from the people around them.
Tifa wiped the tears that she had collected in her eyes in the process. "Wow! You and Riyuji will really get along. The sarcasm bit might make you two real close sometime."
Cloud simply grinned and raised an eyebrow. "Do you think so?" he asked as he ran his hand through his wild, spiky, blonde hair.
Tifa nodded and said, "I'm not kidding. You two could really get along." She turned the corner, which lead to the field, where she was supposed to meet the others. She could see Riyuji standing on a tree branch holding a hotdog high in the air and Zell trying to reach him without falling off, "Probably trying to tease Zell again," she mentioned and saw Rikku and Chase sitting under the shade of the same tree.
Tifa was a few steps ahead of Cloud, so she turned back to tell him to hurry up. Unexpectedly, just as she spotted was about to call Cloud she saw Sephiroth and Amarant leaning on the wall by the exit. It definitely looked like trouble.
She motioned Cloud to follow her to the gang. They were just a few meters from the tree when Tifa felt a glove fall onto her shoulder. She took a gulp before she turned to see exactly what she expected. Sephiroth. "What do you want?" She said, her usually serene feature instantly changing to one filled with fury that has been hidden under a rock for many years.
Sephiroth kept the smug look on his face and flipped Tifa for her to face him. Seeing his 'girlfriend' with this new guy, to him it hadn't seemed right from the start. "Tiff! Why the hell are you hanging out with this goddamn loser?" he questioned, harshly shaking the girl in his hands.
"That is for me to know and for you to find out! But for a person with the I.Q. of four I extremely doubt that you'll ever find out the reason. Actually, it's none of you're business, Sephiroth! Now let go of me!" She struggled to somehow loosen his grip on her but she felt his palms tighten around her each time she even tried to get away.
"Getting feistier by the day, eh? You should know better than to mess with me! Especially because I could break up with you!
Tifa winced due to the pain Sephiroth was causing her. "What are you talking about? We broke up over four months ago!" It seemed that blood circulation was being cut off in her arms as she felt them becoming slightly numb.
Cloud stepped forward, trying to help the girl. "Let her go!" he shouted, cerulean eyes pierced into emerald ones, a serious look suddenly crossing over his features. His hands balled into fists and readied himself to either attack or receive a blow.
"So this is the punk?" Sephiroth said, violently tossing Tifa to the ground. He advanced toward Cloud and grabbed him by the collar. "I can't believe how stupid you are," he gloated. He twisted his grip in Cloud's collar and raised him to the air, making it hard for Cloud to breathe. "You, of all people, anew student, dare to mess with someone like me by hinting around with my chick!"
"You don't own her! She has the right to decide whether to be with you or not!" Cloud's face was starting to cringe. He could feel pain growing around his neck.
From afar Riyuji, who was still on a branch, saw the commotion from the distance. Hearing something like, "What's going on there?" from Rikku made him even more curious and caused him to jump into a hypnotic state for a moment.
Zell tried to advance on Riyuji and tried to grab the hotdog. "Yo man! I give up! Just give the damn hotdog to me!" he shouted and caused Riyuji to jump back to reality and slightly made him lose his balance.
Riyuji wobbled until he finally got into control again. "Here, take it!" he said, tossing the snack to his hungry friend. He heard him mutter "Booya!" before hearing loud munching sound from Zell. In moments the hotdog was devoured.
He turned back to face the crowd. "What's really going on there?" he questioned inaudibly. He tried to lean closer, grasping onto a tree branch, to get a better look. Terror struck him as he saw the blonde spikes of what seemed to be Cloud's hair being raised in mid-air. "Oh man! Don't let it be true!" He quickly climbed down the branches and made a mad dash to the crowd.
Rikku and Chase wondered where he was going. Zell didn't really care, being to content with what he had just eaten. Chase and Rikku stood and followed Riyuji, now both wondering what was happening.
Tifa got back onto her feet and shrieked. "Seph! Let Cloud go! He has nothing to do with this!" She felt a tear slide down her face. Her vision was blurring due to the crystalline tears brimming at her eyes. "If you want someone to blame. then," she hesitated but tried to sum up all her courage to continue. She then added, " Blame me!"
Sephiroth turned to her and gave her a death glare and loosened the grip on Cloud. Everyone thought that he was going to leave Cloud unharmed, that is until he chucked Cloud, who want flying to the cement wall.
Riyuji finally reached the scene to see Sephiroth simply toss Cloud aside like an old tattered doll. Tifa was in tears and Sephiroth was just staring maliciously at the young girl. He went forward and placed his hand on Tifa's shoulder, trying to comfort his friend.
Turning to the silver-haired bully he shouted at him, "Why do you always do this Sephiroth! Does it give you such pleasure to torment others?" He could feel himself shivering at the thought of what the ruffian could do to him.
Sephiroth just spat at him. "I have no time for nuisances such as you."
It seemed that another battle was about to commence, that is until they all heard the voice of the principal, Laguna Loire. "What is going on here?" he bellowed.
No one wanted to answer. Most were probably in a state of shock, other remorse for Cloud or Tifa. Laguna looked around but as he saw malevolent Sephiroth, the teary-eyed Tifa, the knocked-out Cloud and the furious Riyuji, everything fell into place. He shook his head wearily. "Sephiroth I would like to see you in my office."
Sephiroth gave another smug look and walked away with Amarant.
Laguna then turned to Tifa and Riyuji. "I also want to see either of you in my office in ten minutes. We have something to discuss about." Seeing Cloud again he added, "And could someone please take him to the clinic?"
Riyuji and Tifa exchanged glances. "So who'll go?" asked Riyuji. Tifa gave it a thought for a moment. "I'll go," she said. Riyuji gave off a shrug and watched her follow Principal Loire indoors.
He remembered Cloud still on the floor. "I, on the other hand, have to take sleeping beauty to the clinic," he thought and turned to see if there was anyone who could help him. "Yo! Who the hell thinks I could carry this guy alone?!"
Author's Notes: I have been addicted to Chinese history. It's Android Neptune's fault. Lu Xun, Sun Shang Xiang, Lu Meng, Gan Ning! All this Chinese names playing continuously in my mind. I like Dynasty Warriors! But not as much as Final Fantasy so I decided to try to take my mind off it and continue the fanfic.
=-*-= Chapter 3: Trouble Around the Corner =-*-=
Cloud bumped into Tifa again just after Aeris said that she and Zack had to go to their classes. "Sorry Tifa," he said, helping her back to her feet yet again. "That Kenaouru guy must be right. I'm a walking brick. That's the third time someone bumped into me today," he uttered with a smirk on his features.
Without looking up, Tifa immediately recognized the voice as Cloud's. "Probably, but it was my fault. I was kinda looking for you. Is it your recess period? I was gonna ask if you wanted to join us."
"I think so. Uhm, I hope you don't mind my asking but who 'us'?"
"Riyuji, Chase, Zell, Rikku and myself. The others are having classes right now." She looked quite eager to allow Cloud to meet the rest of her gang. "We won't be able to see them till lunch, that is, unless you already met some of the gang already." A curious look was plastered on her face.
Cloud turned a few shades of red and scratched the back of his head. "Well, I kinda met Kenaouru," he noticed that he was stammering slightly so he tried to correct that. "He's I acquaintance with Riyuji so I believe that you know him." He then tried recalling that girl who showed him around. "Oh yeah, and there was this hyper-active girl and her boyfriend. I think they were. Aeris and Zack."
"Oh, I see." She smiled and let out a soft sigh. She was quite glad to hear that Cloud managed to meet so many people in such a short amount of time. "Aeris is my best friend and Zack; well, I'm in good terms with him but I'm not that fond with him. He's kinda quiet and prefers to keep to himself while Aeris." She grinned slightly and let out a giggle. "I believe that you know how to describe her already. Quite outgoing and energetic isn't she?" She started walking ahead of Cloud, who simply ran after her till he reached her side.
"Oh really? I would think that 'quite' is an understatement. 'Really' is a better word to insert into that last sentence of yours," he said together with a sarcastic grin growing on his face.
Tifa's face started to cringe until she finally broke out in fits of laughter. She couldn't stifle the laughter and keep a straight face to a fact that seemed so true. Together with Cloud, who started chuckling himself, they were receiving a few stares from the people around them.
Tifa wiped the tears that she had collected in her eyes in the process. "Wow! You and Riyuji will really get along. The sarcasm bit might make you two real close sometime."
Cloud simply grinned and raised an eyebrow. "Do you think so?" he asked as he ran his hand through his wild, spiky, blonde hair.
Tifa nodded and said, "I'm not kidding. You two could really get along." She turned the corner, which lead to the field, where she was supposed to meet the others. She could see Riyuji standing on a tree branch holding a hotdog high in the air and Zell trying to reach him without falling off, "Probably trying to tease Zell again," she mentioned and saw Rikku and Chase sitting under the shade of the same tree.
Tifa was a few steps ahead of Cloud, so she turned back to tell him to hurry up. Unexpectedly, just as she spotted was about to call Cloud she saw Sephiroth and Amarant leaning on the wall by the exit. It definitely looked like trouble.
She motioned Cloud to follow her to the gang. They were just a few meters from the tree when Tifa felt a glove fall onto her shoulder. She took a gulp before she turned to see exactly what she expected. Sephiroth. "What do you want?" She said, her usually serene feature instantly changing to one filled with fury that has been hidden under a rock for many years.
Sephiroth kept the smug look on his face and flipped Tifa for her to face him. Seeing his 'girlfriend' with this new guy, to him it hadn't seemed right from the start. "Tiff! Why the hell are you hanging out with this goddamn loser?" he questioned, harshly shaking the girl in his hands.
"That is for me to know and for you to find out! But for a person with the I.Q. of four I extremely doubt that you'll ever find out the reason. Actually, it's none of you're business, Sephiroth! Now let go of me!" She struggled to somehow loosen his grip on her but she felt his palms tighten around her each time she even tried to get away.
"Getting feistier by the day, eh? You should know better than to mess with me! Especially because I could break up with you!
Tifa winced due to the pain Sephiroth was causing her. "What are you talking about? We broke up over four months ago!" It seemed that blood circulation was being cut off in her arms as she felt them becoming slightly numb.
Cloud stepped forward, trying to help the girl. "Let her go!" he shouted, cerulean eyes pierced into emerald ones, a serious look suddenly crossing over his features. His hands balled into fists and readied himself to either attack or receive a blow.
"So this is the punk?" Sephiroth said, violently tossing Tifa to the ground. He advanced toward Cloud and grabbed him by the collar. "I can't believe how stupid you are," he gloated. He twisted his grip in Cloud's collar and raised him to the air, making it hard for Cloud to breathe. "You, of all people, anew student, dare to mess with someone like me by hinting around with my chick!"
"You don't own her! She has the right to decide whether to be with you or not!" Cloud's face was starting to cringe. He could feel pain growing around his neck.
From afar Riyuji, who was still on a branch, saw the commotion from the distance. Hearing something like, "What's going on there?" from Rikku made him even more curious and caused him to jump into a hypnotic state for a moment.
Zell tried to advance on Riyuji and tried to grab the hotdog. "Yo man! I give up! Just give the damn hotdog to me!" he shouted and caused Riyuji to jump back to reality and slightly made him lose his balance.
Riyuji wobbled until he finally got into control again. "Here, take it!" he said, tossing the snack to his hungry friend. He heard him mutter "Booya!" before hearing loud munching sound from Zell. In moments the hotdog was devoured.
He turned back to face the crowd. "What's really going on there?" he questioned inaudibly. He tried to lean closer, grasping onto a tree branch, to get a better look. Terror struck him as he saw the blonde spikes of what seemed to be Cloud's hair being raised in mid-air. "Oh man! Don't let it be true!" He quickly climbed down the branches and made a mad dash to the crowd.
Rikku and Chase wondered where he was going. Zell didn't really care, being to content with what he had just eaten. Chase and Rikku stood and followed Riyuji, now both wondering what was happening.
Tifa got back onto her feet and shrieked. "Seph! Let Cloud go! He has nothing to do with this!" She felt a tear slide down her face. Her vision was blurring due to the crystalline tears brimming at her eyes. "If you want someone to blame. then," she hesitated but tried to sum up all her courage to continue. She then added, " Blame me!"
Sephiroth turned to her and gave her a death glare and loosened the grip on Cloud. Everyone thought that he was going to leave Cloud unharmed, that is until he chucked Cloud, who want flying to the cement wall.
Riyuji finally reached the scene to see Sephiroth simply toss Cloud aside like an old tattered doll. Tifa was in tears and Sephiroth was just staring maliciously at the young girl. He went forward and placed his hand on Tifa's shoulder, trying to comfort his friend.
Turning to the silver-haired bully he shouted at him, "Why do you always do this Sephiroth! Does it give you such pleasure to torment others?" He could feel himself shivering at the thought of what the ruffian could do to him.
Sephiroth just spat at him. "I have no time for nuisances such as you."
It seemed that another battle was about to commence, that is until they all heard the voice of the principal, Laguna Loire. "What is going on here?" he bellowed.
No one wanted to answer. Most were probably in a state of shock, other remorse for Cloud or Tifa. Laguna looked around but as he saw malevolent Sephiroth, the teary-eyed Tifa, the knocked-out Cloud and the furious Riyuji, everything fell into place. He shook his head wearily. "Sephiroth I would like to see you in my office."
Sephiroth gave another smug look and walked away with Amarant.
Laguna then turned to Tifa and Riyuji. "I also want to see either of you in my office in ten minutes. We have something to discuss about." Seeing Cloud again he added, "And could someone please take him to the clinic?"
Riyuji and Tifa exchanged glances. "So who'll go?" asked Riyuji. Tifa gave it a thought for a moment. "I'll go," she said. Riyuji gave off a shrug and watched her follow Principal Loire indoors.
He remembered Cloud still on the floor. "I, on the other hand, have to take sleeping beauty to the clinic," he thought and turned to see if there was anyone who could help him. "Yo! Who the hell thinks I could carry this guy alone?!"