The Lone Pierrot's Performance
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
This fiction takes place during the game, after Cloud was manipulated by Sephiroth in The Temple of the Ancients. And when the team is resting for the night in Gongaga Village.
Title of this fiction work is inspired from the lyrics of "Reason for Being" by Dir en grey (Gauze Era).
Sephiroth x Tifa
-Please excuse the slow movement of plot. I want this to be as realistic and detailed as possible, since I did change much of the plot in the game. This way, I can build background and not confuse my readers. Romance between Sephiroth & Tifa will be gradual.
(There may be other pairings in the future)
All Final Fantasy Characters used in this fiction is copyright Squaresoft. Now known as Square 'Enix'.
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"Papa…no!"
"Leave, Tifa! Run! You shouldn't be here!"
"But how about you? You're wounded!"
"No… Tifa… Please… At least this way one of us will live…"
His breathing was caught in short gasps, Tifa knew that he wouldn't survive for long. The wound was fatal, but she wouldn't dare accept it.
"No, Papa! I have to get you out of here, too!"
"Tifa, just remember that I love you, that I will always be by your side watching over you…"
"I love you too, Papa! But don't leave me!"
He gave a weak smile, and his body finally gave in, becoming limp in her arms. She wept.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Tifa woke with a start, jolting up in bed, shimmering with cold sweat; it was still dark outside, and a sliver of moonlight could be seen through the curtains. She has been having these dreams continuously for weeks, now. And dreads for dusk to come, when she knows she will be warped into a world of nightmares and the reliving of her father's death. Her hatred for Sephiroth grew night after night. She hated him for ruining her hometown, for killing her loved ones, for destroying her life and the lives of many others. She hated him, and she wanted him dead. Preferably slain under her hands.
Hoisting herself up from the comforts of her bed, she quickly dressed and quietly went outside, daring not to make such a sound that would wake the rest of the team. They've just gotten back from The Temple of the Ancients; Cloud is still in bed, resting. He had been used as a puppet just the day before, handing the black materia to Sephiroth. It was beyond his control, thinking back, Tifa felt a tug in her heart. She loved Cloud, but it seems as though Cloud's heart belonged with the girl clad in pink. Her heart sank, Aerith is also her friend, and she could not bear hurting any of her friends, for it would not be of her nature. So she would rather be the one hurt, instead of any of her friends.
She strode out, towards the entrance of Gongaga, where they currently are positioned. It was a small village, quiet, peaceful, and next to the remains of a Mako reactor. Tifa leaned into the shadows of the trees against a wooden fence that led into a graveyard, a gust of wind blew, it felt good. The weather was unusually stuffy that night, her long mane fluttered in the wind in approval, radiating a scent of flowers, quite unexpected and exquisite. Staring fixedly at the tombstones she reminisced back to her father once again. She couldn't bear it; tears welled up in her large, mahogany eyes, allowing her eyes to dance before the tears landed on the ground. Just as suddenly as she squatted down against a tree trunk, she saw a pink blur pass her, and out the village.
'Was that Aerith?' She thought to herself. It made no sense, why would Aerith be up this time of night, wandering outside the protection of the village all by herself? Tifa stood up, and after a while of contemplation, she decided to follow the girl out of curiosity. Trying to make her presence unknown, Tifa kept a good distance from her victim, making silent strides behind Aerith. Suddenly Aerith stopped, looked around her, saw no spectators, (Tifa was well hidden amongst the trees) and darted forward into the night and out into the wildlands.
This took Tifa by surprise, and she darted after Aerith, they were in unnoticed pursuit for what seemed like hours, 'What the hell does she think she's doing? Out running this time of night, alone, with her bag… WITH HER BAG?' Tifa mentally slapped herself for not being observant before. Of course! Aerith was running away to keep from getting the rest of the team in danger. Aerith stopped abruptly in her tracks. There was a warm glow emitting from the horizon, now… 'Has she heard me?' No, Aerith was pondering her next move aloud.
"I should keep moving North, that way I will reach… yes, it would be perfect timing… and oh! How to get through the forest. Oh? There is such an instrument…?"
'She must be asking the planet for help…' Tifa thought. 'But where is she going? Ah, she said something about north, forest? The only place I know that's north and is near a forest is Bone Village, I remember when I was small, my father would say how much he wanted to go there and learn about excavating… he had such odd interests…'
Aerith started up again, and Tifa followed, now caught in a dispute with her mind whether to go and tell the rest of the team or not. But she had forgotten to take her belongings with her, having not even a PHS, she would have to go back, and without realizing, she is already hours from Gongaga. She settled on following Aerith further and once they reach a town, she would call up the rest of the team. The plan sounded simple.