Chapter 6 – The Close Encounter

Hello again! I hope you people will enjoy this chapter and I hope you people will also review ^___^

Um… I'm sorry if Tifa is OOC but that's how I want to portray her as… Sorry guys!

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"Congratulations everyone," The shooting instructor announced after the tryouts ended, " The results will be posted on the notice board next Wednesday. I would also like to commend two promising, young students on their superb performance! Vincent Valentine and Rufus Shinra, please stand up!"

Reluctantly, the two stood up and attempted a smile. For Rufus, it didn't go too bad. But for Vincent, his smile was more like a sinister grin. The instructor smiled widely. " Alright people, you may leave now… But remember, results are coming out next week!"

The young amateurs then turned and left the field, a few of them polite enough to go up to the instructor to wish him farewell. Tifa looked at her watch. Oh no! It's already five. I thought they would have ended earlier… great! I'm going to be late. Without paying a single thought to her main objective – Vincent Valentine – she quickly rushed off without even greeting her old friend, Barret, who had been at the tryouts himself with a few of his friends.

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Tifa walked along, thinking about her day. First day of school, and already so many things happening! It was really amazing. She reviewed the tryouts once more in her mind and thought about the likeliest people to get onto the team. Hmm…There would be about 10 or so in the team. And the coach commended Vincent and Rufus. That's two… and the Turks…Man, they really were professionals. Barret and his friend, Dyne I think, were really surprising. I mean, they both look so jock-like. The gorilla looks… the rowdy behavior and the like.

Let's see… Rufus and Vincent… the Turks – Elena, Rude, Reno, Scarlett, Reeves… Then there's Dyne and Barret… that's 9 of them. Hmm… I wonder who the last one would be… maybe it'll be some totally unsuspecting person… like that… what's-his-name guy that was standing at the back. He looked really mousy. Hee… if he got onto the team, it'll be a miracle. 

Tifa was so deep in her thoughts; she hardly realized where she was headed. It was the ultimate no-no for a pretty girl like her, especially at that time. She had unwittingly walked into a deserted park that hardly anyone visited. It was ruined and run down, and even the benches were vandalized. "Uh oh," Tifa whispered to herself. Her martial art training was really vital at this time. She could feel eyes on her. "This is not good," She told herself, bracing herself for trouble.

What a dolt I am! This is a deserted park, yet I walked in here. What happened to my martial art training? I should have been more alert! I should not have let down my guard so carelessly. And look at this mess. I'm sure that sooner or later some idiotic gorilla men will come crashing down onto me. Oh… and everybody has been telling me, "Be careful of deserted places" Oh.. how dumb of me! Tifa scolded herself.

Tifa was not very surprised when a gang of about 8 or so thugs came out from the shadows. "Hey, pretty lady, wanna have some fun?" The gang leader, a largely built man with blonde hair leered. He was around 25 or so.

Tifa crinkled her nose. This guy was gross. Totally. "Oh, come on. I'm not so desperate. Now, excuse me," She replied coldly. A flash of irritation crossed over his not-so-handsome features. He gestured to two of his cronies. They moved swiftly to block her path.

He laughed. "You're not getting away so easily, my dear." Tifa frowned. At least she had learnt martial arts. She was a black belt and was trained specially. Hopefully they would be of great use to her in this certain situation. She looked up at the two thugs blocking her way.

"It's not polite to block a lady," she sneered. She swiftly punched the dumber one of the two squarely on the jaw and jump-kicked him, causing him to fall on the ground with a "thud". The other one was smarter. He swiftly blocked her punches and kicks with ease. "I'm a brown belt," He boasted smugly.

Tifa raised a brow. "Is that so? Well, too bad, I'm a black belt!" She clenched her fists and hammered the thug swiftly and professionally. Dazed, he staggered to a nearby bench, but fell before he reached it.

"Not bad," The leader commended. He tilted his head and motioned for the other 5 guys to move in. They were better than the first two, but not much. Tifa dodged their amateur punches and knocked them all out easily. Tifa turned to face the leader, smiling smugly.

"What do you –" She stopped in midway. Click. Uh oh. Is that a gun..? I'm going to die. I don't want to die. Dad, I'll miss you… mom, I guess I'll finally get to meet you.

"Well, well… Little Miss I-am-a-martial-art-expert has finally met her match. What do you think of my little friend here?" He motioned to the pistol in his hand. Tifa was too scared to speak. Her life, all 17 years of it, flashed before her very eyes.

I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'm never going to have kids, get married. I'll never be able to live again. I'll never be able to talk to my friends or dad anymore. I'll never get to see anyone ever again. I'll never… never… I'm going to die!

Tears flowed down her cheeks and the salty taste lingered on her lips. A gunshot exploded.

"Goodbye world," she whispered.

Then all was dark…

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Hehe.. cliffhanger! Well, till next time! ^______^

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