The stranger stopped, squinting towards the setting sun. She almost couldn't see the tiny town of Kalm hugging the cost to the northwest. She raised one hand to shield her eyes and snapped her chocobo's reigns with the other. Slowly the white golden bird waddled forward across the grassy plain, warbling softly.
"I know," she said, patting the bird's downy feathers on his head. "I hate this town too." The stranger sighed.
She had been around the world several times with SOLDIER and enjoyed her experiences, but this quiet little town held some of her worst memories. She hated going to Kalm and avoided it whenever possible, but she had to go where the work was. A few days earlier she had received a job offer from a man there. Many ex-SOLDIERs or any Shin-Ra had become wanderers or went home to help rebuild their cities. They seemingly wanted to forget the Shin-Ra and all of the atrocities they committed in the name of patriotism. She was not that fortunate. She could not. All of her family had put their trust in the company, and like the Shin-Ra they were dead. She alone survived, becoming a wandering mercenary.
"Warrk," the chocobo suddenly exclaimed, violently snatching the stranger from her thoughts. They had arrived outside of Kalm.
"Oh," she said, dismounting the bird. She ruffled the feathers on his neck in gratitude. "I think I needed that, Fox." The stranger smiled weakly.
A cool breeze rolled off the vast blue sea as seagulls flew gracefully over the boat going to a sleepy fishing town that used to be Junon. Tatsu practiced Tai Chi Quan and Yuffie watched him, yawning from time to time.
"Don't you ever get tired of that?" Yuffie asked, mouth wide open with a yawn. Tatsu simply ignored her and continuing to practice.
"Answer me!" she yelled.
" No…," Tatsu droned.
" No what?"
" No, I do not get tired of it."
" Oh…."
" ….And you should practice too."
" No Way!" She turned and ran off towards the bow of the ship.
Tatsu shook his head. " She will never learn to harness her hidden strength…"
Yuffie went below deck and Tatsu finished his focusing exercises and started his meditation.
"I must clear my mind, become like the wind…" he thought.
One day later….
"Ok Yuffie, this marsh is home to the Midgar Zolom….," Tatsu started.
"Yes, I know," Yuffie said, interrupting him. "Let's just go already!" She trudged through the murky water ahead of him.
"Whatever, but…"
"Hey! I bet you I can kill more Zoloms than you!"
A grin spread across his face. "….You're on."
Later that day….
"I still can't believe you killed 7 Zoloms by yourself," Yuffie huffed, covered in sweat and stagnant water.
"…I did not run…," Tatsu smirked,
"Like I was going to stand there in middle of the marsh!" she said as she continued to chase him.
"We are here…," he stated cryptically.
"Huh? "
Tatsu pointed to the town's sign. "Kalm. We are here…," he repeated coolly.
"Whatever," she said, running into the town. "I've got dibs on the shower!"
"Ok, Sweety. Just for a little while."
"Thanks, Daddy," the little girl said, wrapping her arms around her father's leg. "I love you."
"Me too, Kiddo. Just behave yourself. I'll be back in a few." He handed her five gil.
She jumped up and down anxiously and in a flash, she disappeared into the store.
With that the man walked off. (She'll be fine.)
The tiny girl ran into the store, brimming with excitement. Her father had never let her go into the store alone before. He was always watching over her like a hawk, when he was there. He was always away on business, saving the planet and all, but Marlene didn't mind. He loved her and did the best he could for her as she was constantly reminded. He was her hero, and in honor of his first year anniversary of saving the planet, she wanted to surprise him…but with what? She had tried to bake a cake, but only succeeded in soiling Elmyra's kitchen. She wanted to buy him a really nice gift but with only five gil, her choices were limited. Marlene sighed and resigned herself to looking around Kalm's general store for a suitable present. There were jars, boxes, baskets, and bottles of all sizes, shapes and colors on the various tables in the shop. She stared wide-eyed at the exotic fruits, vegetables, and various other items displayed on the counter. Even the owner, himself was amusing with his jolly, old face smiling down at her.
"What'll you have today, miss lady?" he asked leaning over the counter.
She slowly approached him. "My name's Marlene," she said timidly.
"I'm sorry Miss Marlene. I was just wonderin' what would you like?"
Marlene was a little apprehensive about speaking to strangers, especially men. And she knew shopkeepers were not to be trusted. She had seen her father, on more than one occasion, loudly and sometimes violently haggle with storeowners. "Um…I just want….a present for my daddy." She cautiously laid the five gil on the counter above her head.
The man's smile broadened. "Oh," he said knowingly. "I have just the thing." Reaching behind the dark wooden counter, he pulled out a box about the size of his large hairy hand. Inside were bright colored packets covered in large pictures of flowers. He nodded.
"What are those sir?" she nervously whispered.
"These," he said handing one of the packets to the little girl. "are flower seeds-all kinds."
Her face brightened. Ever since she had met the 'Flower Lady,' she knew that Aeris was someone special. Every time that she saw her she felt the serenity that surrounded her. She wanted to be like that when she grew up. "Yeah! "I'll take them!"
"Here you are." He presented her with the box and her change, two gil. "Thank you, Miss. Come again!"
Marlene bounced happily towards the door and suddenly stopped. She turned around on her heels and slyly asked, "Do I have enough for a piece of candy?"
"You sure do!"
"Yea!" Marlene ran back to the counter and set her purchase down. Darting across the room to the tallest cabinet, she reached for a large jar of oversized lollypops. She strained and stretched to get at the jar, but to no avail.
A graceful hand appeared over her head and twisted the top off of the jar.
Marlene froze.
The delicate, finely tanned hand reached in and pulled out an ocean blue sucker and replaced the lid.
She knew that it could not be the hand of the storeowner. And as far as she knew, there was no one else there. Curiosity made her turn to meet the owner of the hand.
The woman was taller and a bit older than Tifa. She had light brown skin and eyes with reddish brown hair, short and spiky in the front and long with a ponytail in the back. She was beautiful but not weak and demure in the least. She had two daggers strapped to her belt-a true warrior woman. Her clothes were fashionable, yet prepared her for battle; a black cloth tank top, a deep crimson leather jacket and matching pants.
Kneeling she smiled at the girl. "Here you go, Hon. It's Ultra-Berry blue….like your eyes." She handed Marlene the lollypop.
"Thank you, Ma-am."
Just as the woman started to reply, Marlene looked up behind her to see her father, Barret, scowling and looking at the woman in disgust. "What the hell do ya think your doin' with my kid,……Shin-Ra?" his voice boomed with a controlled rage.
The woman whirled around one hand on her weapon and the other on the back of her neck. "I was just helping her, sir." The woman's voice held back a bit of aggrivation. "No harm done."
"Look, we don't need no help from no Shin-Ra! Your people have cause enough problems as it is. So, why don't you just crawl back into whatever hellhole you were livin' in and stay your ass there."
The woman's free hand dropped down over her other dagger, revealing a tattoo of the Shin-Ra logo on the back of her neck. "Shin-Ra's dead now and even if it wasn't you have no right to judge me! I didn't hurt her did I? 'Cause I'm not that kind of person."
"Well then," he said with an unpleasant grin. "Look at what we have here! A goody-fuckin'-two-shoes- Shin-Ra! Gonna save the world one lollypop at a time? Shit! I don't think so."
"I don't have time to stand around listening to you curse like a drunken sailor in front of your child. I'm gone." The woman turned to leave.
"Damn, and a pacifist, too?" He laughed. "Or are you a coward?"
The stranger turned and raised a finger to say something but thought the better of it and left.
Barret finally stopped laughing. (Bitch.)
"I know," she said, patting the bird's downy feathers on his head. "I hate this town too." The stranger sighed.
She had been around the world several times with SOLDIER and enjoyed her experiences, but this quiet little town held some of her worst memories. She hated going to Kalm and avoided it whenever possible, but she had to go where the work was. A few days earlier she had received a job offer from a man there. Many ex-SOLDIERs or any Shin-Ra had become wanderers or went home to help rebuild their cities. They seemingly wanted to forget the Shin-Ra and all of the atrocities they committed in the name of patriotism. She was not that fortunate. She could not. All of her family had put their trust in the company, and like the Shin-Ra they were dead. She alone survived, becoming a wandering mercenary.
"Warrk," the chocobo suddenly exclaimed, violently snatching the stranger from her thoughts. They had arrived outside of Kalm.
"Oh," she said, dismounting the bird. She ruffled the feathers on his neck in gratitude. "I think I needed that, Fox." The stranger smiled weakly.
A cool breeze rolled off the vast blue sea as seagulls flew gracefully over the boat going to a sleepy fishing town that used to be Junon. Tatsu practiced Tai Chi Quan and Yuffie watched him, yawning from time to time.
"Don't you ever get tired of that?" Yuffie asked, mouth wide open with a yawn. Tatsu simply ignored her and continuing to practice.
"Answer me!" she yelled.
" No…," Tatsu droned.
" No what?"
" No, I do not get tired of it."
" Oh…."
" ….And you should practice too."
" No Way!" She turned and ran off towards the bow of the ship.
Tatsu shook his head. " She will never learn to harness her hidden strength…"
Yuffie went below deck and Tatsu finished his focusing exercises and started his meditation.
"I must clear my mind, become like the wind…" he thought.
One day later….
"Ok Yuffie, this marsh is home to the Midgar Zolom….," Tatsu started.
"Yes, I know," Yuffie said, interrupting him. "Let's just go already!" She trudged through the murky water ahead of him.
"Whatever, but…"
"Hey! I bet you I can kill more Zoloms than you!"
A grin spread across his face. "….You're on."
Later that day….
"I still can't believe you killed 7 Zoloms by yourself," Yuffie huffed, covered in sweat and stagnant water.
"…I did not run…," Tatsu smirked,
"Like I was going to stand there in middle of the marsh!" she said as she continued to chase him.
"We are here…," he stated cryptically.
"Huh? "
Tatsu pointed to the town's sign. "Kalm. We are here…," he repeated coolly.
"Whatever," she said, running into the town. "I've got dibs on the shower!"
"Ok, Sweety. Just for a little while."
"Thanks, Daddy," the little girl said, wrapping her arms around her father's leg. "I love you."
"Me too, Kiddo. Just behave yourself. I'll be back in a few." He handed her five gil.
She jumped up and down anxiously and in a flash, she disappeared into the store.
With that the man walked off. (She'll be fine.)
The tiny girl ran into the store, brimming with excitement. Her father had never let her go into the store alone before. He was always watching over her like a hawk, when he was there. He was always away on business, saving the planet and all, but Marlene didn't mind. He loved her and did the best he could for her as she was constantly reminded. He was her hero, and in honor of his first year anniversary of saving the planet, she wanted to surprise him…but with what? She had tried to bake a cake, but only succeeded in soiling Elmyra's kitchen. She wanted to buy him a really nice gift but with only five gil, her choices were limited. Marlene sighed and resigned herself to looking around Kalm's general store for a suitable present. There were jars, boxes, baskets, and bottles of all sizes, shapes and colors on the various tables in the shop. She stared wide-eyed at the exotic fruits, vegetables, and various other items displayed on the counter. Even the owner, himself was amusing with his jolly, old face smiling down at her.
"What'll you have today, miss lady?" he asked leaning over the counter.
She slowly approached him. "My name's Marlene," she said timidly.
"I'm sorry Miss Marlene. I was just wonderin' what would you like?"
Marlene was a little apprehensive about speaking to strangers, especially men. And she knew shopkeepers were not to be trusted. She had seen her father, on more than one occasion, loudly and sometimes violently haggle with storeowners. "Um…I just want….a present for my daddy." She cautiously laid the five gil on the counter above her head.
The man's smile broadened. "Oh," he said knowingly. "I have just the thing." Reaching behind the dark wooden counter, he pulled out a box about the size of his large hairy hand. Inside were bright colored packets covered in large pictures of flowers. He nodded.
"What are those sir?" she nervously whispered.
"These," he said handing one of the packets to the little girl. "are flower seeds-all kinds."
Her face brightened. Ever since she had met the 'Flower Lady,' she knew that Aeris was someone special. Every time that she saw her she felt the serenity that surrounded her. She wanted to be like that when she grew up. "Yeah! "I'll take them!"
"Here you are." He presented her with the box and her change, two gil. "Thank you, Miss. Come again!"
Marlene bounced happily towards the door and suddenly stopped. She turned around on her heels and slyly asked, "Do I have enough for a piece of candy?"
"You sure do!"
"Yea!" Marlene ran back to the counter and set her purchase down. Darting across the room to the tallest cabinet, she reached for a large jar of oversized lollypops. She strained and stretched to get at the jar, but to no avail.
A graceful hand appeared over her head and twisted the top off of the jar.
Marlene froze.
The delicate, finely tanned hand reached in and pulled out an ocean blue sucker and replaced the lid.
She knew that it could not be the hand of the storeowner. And as far as she knew, there was no one else there. Curiosity made her turn to meet the owner of the hand.
The woman was taller and a bit older than Tifa. She had light brown skin and eyes with reddish brown hair, short and spiky in the front and long with a ponytail in the back. She was beautiful but not weak and demure in the least. She had two daggers strapped to her belt-a true warrior woman. Her clothes were fashionable, yet prepared her for battle; a black cloth tank top, a deep crimson leather jacket and matching pants.
Kneeling she smiled at the girl. "Here you go, Hon. It's Ultra-Berry blue….like your eyes." She handed Marlene the lollypop.
"Thank you, Ma-am."
Just as the woman started to reply, Marlene looked up behind her to see her father, Barret, scowling and looking at the woman in disgust. "What the hell do ya think your doin' with my kid,……Shin-Ra?" his voice boomed with a controlled rage.
The woman whirled around one hand on her weapon and the other on the back of her neck. "I was just helping her, sir." The woman's voice held back a bit of aggrivation. "No harm done."
"Look, we don't need no help from no Shin-Ra! Your people have cause enough problems as it is. So, why don't you just crawl back into whatever hellhole you were livin' in and stay your ass there."
The woman's free hand dropped down over her other dagger, revealing a tattoo of the Shin-Ra logo on the back of her neck. "Shin-Ra's dead now and even if it wasn't you have no right to judge me! I didn't hurt her did I? 'Cause I'm not that kind of person."
"Well then," he said with an unpleasant grin. "Look at what we have here! A goody-fuckin'-two-shoes- Shin-Ra! Gonna save the world one lollypop at a time? Shit! I don't think so."
"I don't have time to stand around listening to you curse like a drunken sailor in front of your child. I'm gone." The woman turned to leave.
"Damn, and a pacifist, too?" He laughed. "Or are you a coward?"
The stranger turned and raised a finger to say something but thought the better of it and left.
Barret finally stopped laughing. (Bitch.)
