The Sea of Mist
Tifa awoke to find herself trapped in Vincent's arms for the second time that day, but she didn't mind at all. She had never loved someone as much as she loved Vincent; not even Cloud. Reluctant to leave the warm embrace of his arms Tifa snuggled deeper and tried to fall asleep but a low rumbling coming from Vincent's chest caused her to look up. Vincent was smiling at her with one eyebrow raised and a finger tracing her jaw.
"I believe, my love, it's been at least three hours."
Tifa giggled and reached a hand up to touch the underside of his chin before saying in a slightly amused voice,
"Well I can't help it if my stamina is low; it's been awhile since I've done...that."
Vincent laughed before getting up and pulling his clothes back on. Tifa stifled one last yawn before she too rose and dressed. Grabbing their packs and taking time to exchange a few more kisses the pair started down the tunnel once again.
The smell of water and life was becoming steadily stronger. Vincent would stop every now and then to study the map before starting off again with the promise they were almost at the end. This routine continued until at last the tunnel opened up onto the plains of Junon.
Tifa stood still for a moment before rushing up to Vincent and grabbing his hand. Her breath was coming in short excited puffs. Vincent on the other hand was looking at the scenery shrewdly. The tunnel had landed them not more than two miles from the sea, according to the map, yet no sea birds flew in the sky. On top of that a heavy mist covered everything and swallowed up the sound. Something was not right.
"Come on Vin! I can smell the sea from here; we could be in Junon by sunset!"
Vincent shrugged off the feeling of unease and started walking towards the shore with Tifa. The mist seemed to lift as they got closer to the ocean but still no birds cried in the air, even the monsters were making themselves scarce.
Tifa seemed oblivious and walked happily on. She was just so happy to breathe the fresh air and feel the soft give of the earth beneath her feet. After another half hour of walking the crashing of the surf against the cliffs of Junon could be heard and the faint sounds of the city drifted closer and closer.
At last they came to the gates of the slums of Junon, but there was no guard to ask who they were. Shaking the feeling of unease Tifa took Vincent's hand and walked through the gates into the port city of Junon. The fog wasn't as thick in the city but the plate and the bad lighting made vision difficult in the best of light.
Tifa strode confidently to the Mayor's door and knocked three times. After a five second wait the mayor appeared with a smile on his face and a glint in his old eyes that made even the coldest of men grin.
"My dear members of Avalanche! Come in and tell Mayor Junon where you have been? But where are the others? That blond fellow and the foul mouthed pilot, are they not with you?"
Tifa laughed and tugged Vincent inside the warm house. Vincent was aloof as always towards the man, who was almost a stranger to him, but where he would have usually shaken off Tifa's touch, he caressed her hand gently. Tifa was warmed to the toes at his gesture of love but didn't want to say anything in front of the Mayor.
"Well Mr. Mayor, Vincent and I were separated from the rest of Avalanche after the lifestream came. We are hoping to find some information on them here in town...have you heard anything?"
The Mayor laughed and nodded his nearly bald head.
"Your friends are safe and warm in Kalm. Midgar is little more than a pile of ruble, only a few survivors, so they deemed it best to stay in the nearest town until clean up could be performed. Although it has reached my ears that they are coming here to receive a welcoming party thrown by the rich on that shelf."
The Mayor's eyes hardened as he mentioned the 'New Junon' directly above what was once a peaceful port town. Unwilling to waste time Vincent bowed the Mayor and bid farewell before dragging Tifa from the house to the elevator. Tifa was still protesting Vincent's rudeness when they reached the upper level.
"You didn't have to be in such a rush!"
Vincent merely shrugged and continued through the Shinra pipes to the town proper. It was then he looked over the edge of the 'shelf.' The mist stretched for miles and miles in every direction. Tifa stopped and stared aghast as well at the sight that lay before her, but one thing in particular caught her eyes.
"Hey! Look at the way it seems to bubble from what was the temple of the ancients!"
Vincent looked at what she was talking about and saw what she meant. In the approximate direction of the old temple the mist seemed to boil and froth. Vincent scanned the landscape once again before saying in a solemn tone,
"It is like a sea of Mist."
Tifa giggled and wrapped her arms around his narrow waist. She loved this man more than life itself, even when he was too serious.
"Oh Vincent, I love it when you become overly serious."
Vincent grinned down at her and placed a gentle kiss on her lips before saying impishly,
"Let's find a bed, what a luxury that will be after such cold, rough stone."
Tifa awoke to find herself trapped in Vincent's arms for the second time that day, but she didn't mind at all. She had never loved someone as much as she loved Vincent; not even Cloud. Reluctant to leave the warm embrace of his arms Tifa snuggled deeper and tried to fall asleep but a low rumbling coming from Vincent's chest caused her to look up. Vincent was smiling at her with one eyebrow raised and a finger tracing her jaw.
"I believe, my love, it's been at least three hours."
Tifa giggled and reached a hand up to touch the underside of his chin before saying in a slightly amused voice,
"Well I can't help it if my stamina is low; it's been awhile since I've done...that."
Vincent laughed before getting up and pulling his clothes back on. Tifa stifled one last yawn before she too rose and dressed. Grabbing their packs and taking time to exchange a few more kisses the pair started down the tunnel once again.
The smell of water and life was becoming steadily stronger. Vincent would stop every now and then to study the map before starting off again with the promise they were almost at the end. This routine continued until at last the tunnel opened up onto the plains of Junon.
Tifa stood still for a moment before rushing up to Vincent and grabbing his hand. Her breath was coming in short excited puffs. Vincent on the other hand was looking at the scenery shrewdly. The tunnel had landed them not more than two miles from the sea, according to the map, yet no sea birds flew in the sky. On top of that a heavy mist covered everything and swallowed up the sound. Something was not right.
"Come on Vin! I can smell the sea from here; we could be in Junon by sunset!"
Vincent shrugged off the feeling of unease and started walking towards the shore with Tifa. The mist seemed to lift as they got closer to the ocean but still no birds cried in the air, even the monsters were making themselves scarce.
Tifa seemed oblivious and walked happily on. She was just so happy to breathe the fresh air and feel the soft give of the earth beneath her feet. After another half hour of walking the crashing of the surf against the cliffs of Junon could be heard and the faint sounds of the city drifted closer and closer.
At last they came to the gates of the slums of Junon, but there was no guard to ask who they were. Shaking the feeling of unease Tifa took Vincent's hand and walked through the gates into the port city of Junon. The fog wasn't as thick in the city but the plate and the bad lighting made vision difficult in the best of light.
Tifa strode confidently to the Mayor's door and knocked three times. After a five second wait the mayor appeared with a smile on his face and a glint in his old eyes that made even the coldest of men grin.
"My dear members of Avalanche! Come in and tell Mayor Junon where you have been? But where are the others? That blond fellow and the foul mouthed pilot, are they not with you?"
Tifa laughed and tugged Vincent inside the warm house. Vincent was aloof as always towards the man, who was almost a stranger to him, but where he would have usually shaken off Tifa's touch, he caressed her hand gently. Tifa was warmed to the toes at his gesture of love but didn't want to say anything in front of the Mayor.
"Well Mr. Mayor, Vincent and I were separated from the rest of Avalanche after the lifestream came. We are hoping to find some information on them here in town...have you heard anything?"
The Mayor laughed and nodded his nearly bald head.
"Your friends are safe and warm in Kalm. Midgar is little more than a pile of ruble, only a few survivors, so they deemed it best to stay in the nearest town until clean up could be performed. Although it has reached my ears that they are coming here to receive a welcoming party thrown by the rich on that shelf."
The Mayor's eyes hardened as he mentioned the 'New Junon' directly above what was once a peaceful port town. Unwilling to waste time Vincent bowed the Mayor and bid farewell before dragging Tifa from the house to the elevator. Tifa was still protesting Vincent's rudeness when they reached the upper level.
"You didn't have to be in such a rush!"
Vincent merely shrugged and continued through the Shinra pipes to the town proper. It was then he looked over the edge of the 'shelf.' The mist stretched for miles and miles in every direction. Tifa stopped and stared aghast as well at the sight that lay before her, but one thing in particular caught her eyes.
"Hey! Look at the way it seems to bubble from what was the temple of the ancients!"
Vincent looked at what she was talking about and saw what she meant. In the approximate direction of the old temple the mist seemed to boil and froth. Vincent scanned the landscape once again before saying in a solemn tone,
"It is like a sea of Mist."
Tifa giggled and wrapped her arms around his narrow waist. She loved this man more than life itself, even when he was too serious.
"Oh Vincent, I love it when you become overly serious."
Vincent grinned down at her and placed a gentle kiss on her lips before saying impishly,
"Let's find a bed, what a luxury that will be after such cold, rough stone."