Disclaimer- I own nuffin.
The inn was a small, cramped building. The roughly placed floorboards creaked under Tifa's weight as she walked to the receptionists desk, and the light bulbs didn't seem to be working properly. They blinked occasionally, causing the shadows to dance on the peeling wallpaper. She made a quick sweep of the place with her eyes. To the immediate left was a door with the word "Bathroom" written in sloppy, scrawled writing. Next to the bathroom, was a small closed door, presumably a closet. On the far end of the main room two or three beds could be seen; they sagged slightly in the dim light. Directly in front of her was what looked like a vending machine, selling various kinds of sports drinks, with the slogan "Energy for all day and night!".
The receptionist himself somehow managed to keep himself clean, despite his surroundings. His full head of red hair rested atop a thin face, and quick, cunning eyes. Tifa opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off a second before she could make a noise. "Welcome to the Wall Market Inn, a safe, family orientated house. How may I serve you tonight, Miss?" he said, in a raspy voice that didn't seem to fit the figure. Tifa wondered vaguely how such a run-down shack could be "family orientated". The man seemed to read her mind as he continued his obviously well learned sales pitch, "This may not be the fanciest inn, but around here we run a respectable business," and then added in a bitter undertone that never the less carried across the room, "Unlike some of our...competitors". The last statement was a brief shock for Tifa, but it only lasted a tenth of a second. However, the knot in her stomach drew even tighter. "I'd like a room to stay in," she said, trying to sound casual. The Receptionist smiled, "Of course. It's 50 Gil a night. I am sorry the prices are so high," He said in a voice that sounded entirely truthful.
The price was steep, but it was to be expected. Nothing in Wall Market is cheap. Tifa swung her backpack around, so it rested against her side while one arm was still strapped in, and began to dig for her sack of gold. Her hand clenched around the small bag. Months of saving every extra Gil, every last tip, it was all in this bag. She paused for a moment. Her Bar, Marlene, AVALANCHE, it all depended on tomorrow. It all depended on her being there early. It all depended on her staying in this inn. It all depended on the sack of gold clenched in her sweaty hand. Summoning all her willpower, she managed a smile as she tipped the Gil into the mans hand. "Thank You, please enjoy your stay" he said, and gestured to the back room, "Oh, and feel free to use our shower and bathroom". Tifa replied, "Thank You" and with a slight bow she turned and walked to her room, closing the door behind her. The Receptionist watched her, with a slight pang of guilt. Taking Gil from a poverty stricken girl wasn't exactly a perk of his job. He quickly mashed those thoughts down, and added Tifa's fee to his own bag. He needed to eat too, after all.
The room was built to handle three people at once, but the extra room felt nice to Tifa. Compared to her usual space cramped among Barrett, Marlene, and the AVALANCHERS, this was paradise. She tossed her backpack on the far right bed, and collapsed face-down on the middle one. The bed heaved from her weight, but still remained on all four legs, the mattress not touching the floor. She wasn't tired, more nervous then anything. Breathing in the smell of the musty pillow, she rolled over and stared up at the cracked ceiling. She traced them from one side of the room to the other, pointing up at them with her finger. Subconsciously she was thinking of the coming day. She was due at the Don's Mansion at exactly 08:00 SMT (Standard Midgar Time). Tifa rolled over on her side to stare at the neon alarm clock. It was only 19:00, much too early for her to sleep, no matter how nervous she may be. She had been staying up till the wee hours of the morning for as long as she could remember, 7th Heaven was most active at night, and who was she to turn down people dishing out Gil until they passed out? Extending her arm, she grabbed the clock and set the alarm to go off at 06:00. That would give her plenty of time to get ready for her interview. The thought of her meeting made the knot in her stomach jump uncomfortably, but it was something she would have to think about eventually. Tifa set the alarm clock back, and rose from the bed. She walked over to her backpack, and flipped it upside down, emptying its contents onto the bed.
Several pairs of her suspenders and white T-shirts flopped onto the sheets, along with what looked like a skimpy reddish-brown leotard. Something black and yellow striped made of plastic with rounded sides seemed to be attached to the hindquarters of it, and it ended in a long, sharp point. Large bug- like wings were sticking out of the back. Tifa put her hand deeper in, and pulled out a hairband with two long pairs of antennae attached. Her feelings towards these garments were considerably mixed. On the one hand, this interview could make her tons of money, and on the other...it seemed degrading to herself. Tifa had been mulling the idea over in her head for months, but when her water was cut off, it was the deciding factor. Swallowing her pride, she had made her own homemade bee costume. With a little luck, her money problems would be over. Tifa let the idea of money to burn wash over her, and with that happy thought she fell back onto the bed once more, this time determined to go to sleep. It was an early morning tomorrow...and the Don isn't interested in sad, tired looking girls.
-----------------------That's it for Chapter 2. Please Review!-------------- ------------------------
-----------Also a big thank you for reviewing to Candace and Noacat!-------- -----------------
The inn was a small, cramped building. The roughly placed floorboards creaked under Tifa's weight as she walked to the receptionists desk, and the light bulbs didn't seem to be working properly. They blinked occasionally, causing the shadows to dance on the peeling wallpaper. She made a quick sweep of the place with her eyes. To the immediate left was a door with the word "Bathroom" written in sloppy, scrawled writing. Next to the bathroom, was a small closed door, presumably a closet. On the far end of the main room two or three beds could be seen; they sagged slightly in the dim light. Directly in front of her was what looked like a vending machine, selling various kinds of sports drinks, with the slogan "Energy for all day and night!".
The receptionist himself somehow managed to keep himself clean, despite his surroundings. His full head of red hair rested atop a thin face, and quick, cunning eyes. Tifa opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off a second before she could make a noise. "Welcome to the Wall Market Inn, a safe, family orientated house. How may I serve you tonight, Miss?" he said, in a raspy voice that didn't seem to fit the figure. Tifa wondered vaguely how such a run-down shack could be "family orientated". The man seemed to read her mind as he continued his obviously well learned sales pitch, "This may not be the fanciest inn, but around here we run a respectable business," and then added in a bitter undertone that never the less carried across the room, "Unlike some of our...competitors". The last statement was a brief shock for Tifa, but it only lasted a tenth of a second. However, the knot in her stomach drew even tighter. "I'd like a room to stay in," she said, trying to sound casual. The Receptionist smiled, "Of course. It's 50 Gil a night. I am sorry the prices are so high," He said in a voice that sounded entirely truthful.
The price was steep, but it was to be expected. Nothing in Wall Market is cheap. Tifa swung her backpack around, so it rested against her side while one arm was still strapped in, and began to dig for her sack of gold. Her hand clenched around the small bag. Months of saving every extra Gil, every last tip, it was all in this bag. She paused for a moment. Her Bar, Marlene, AVALANCHE, it all depended on tomorrow. It all depended on her being there early. It all depended on her staying in this inn. It all depended on the sack of gold clenched in her sweaty hand. Summoning all her willpower, she managed a smile as she tipped the Gil into the mans hand. "Thank You, please enjoy your stay" he said, and gestured to the back room, "Oh, and feel free to use our shower and bathroom". Tifa replied, "Thank You" and with a slight bow she turned and walked to her room, closing the door behind her. The Receptionist watched her, with a slight pang of guilt. Taking Gil from a poverty stricken girl wasn't exactly a perk of his job. He quickly mashed those thoughts down, and added Tifa's fee to his own bag. He needed to eat too, after all.
The room was built to handle three people at once, but the extra room felt nice to Tifa. Compared to her usual space cramped among Barrett, Marlene, and the AVALANCHERS, this was paradise. She tossed her backpack on the far right bed, and collapsed face-down on the middle one. The bed heaved from her weight, but still remained on all four legs, the mattress not touching the floor. She wasn't tired, more nervous then anything. Breathing in the smell of the musty pillow, she rolled over and stared up at the cracked ceiling. She traced them from one side of the room to the other, pointing up at them with her finger. Subconsciously she was thinking of the coming day. She was due at the Don's Mansion at exactly 08:00 SMT (Standard Midgar Time). Tifa rolled over on her side to stare at the neon alarm clock. It was only 19:00, much too early for her to sleep, no matter how nervous she may be. She had been staying up till the wee hours of the morning for as long as she could remember, 7th Heaven was most active at night, and who was she to turn down people dishing out Gil until they passed out? Extending her arm, she grabbed the clock and set the alarm to go off at 06:00. That would give her plenty of time to get ready for her interview. The thought of her meeting made the knot in her stomach jump uncomfortably, but it was something she would have to think about eventually. Tifa set the alarm clock back, and rose from the bed. She walked over to her backpack, and flipped it upside down, emptying its contents onto the bed.
Several pairs of her suspenders and white T-shirts flopped onto the sheets, along with what looked like a skimpy reddish-brown leotard. Something black and yellow striped made of plastic with rounded sides seemed to be attached to the hindquarters of it, and it ended in a long, sharp point. Large bug- like wings were sticking out of the back. Tifa put her hand deeper in, and pulled out a hairband with two long pairs of antennae attached. Her feelings towards these garments were considerably mixed. On the one hand, this interview could make her tons of money, and on the other...it seemed degrading to herself. Tifa had been mulling the idea over in her head for months, but when her water was cut off, it was the deciding factor. Swallowing her pride, she had made her own homemade bee costume. With a little luck, her money problems would be over. Tifa let the idea of money to burn wash over her, and with that happy thought she fell back onto the bed once more, this time determined to go to sleep. It was an early morning tomorrow...and the Don isn't interested in sad, tired looking girls.
-----------------------That's it for Chapter 2. Please Review!-------------- ------------------------
-----------Also a big thank you for reviewing to Candace and Noacat!-------- -----------------