Haha, I'm listening to Bleach OST and the firstopening song over... and over...


Springtime rolled around quickly. The most beautiful season, a season for blooming and nurturing, the trees and flowers smiled proudly of releasing its beauty… and yet, he wasn't here.

It's been a whole month since she last seen him, Cloud, since their promise; it seemed like a year to Tifa, maybe even longer. Days gone by slowly since his departure to Midgar; that might be the only reason Tifa wanted to learn from Zangan, to speed up lost time… But even so, it still might take a while.


She was once again surrounded in multiple covers due to the last storm that struck the town in surprise. The aftermath of the rainstorm filled the air with coldness down to fifty-six degrees during night and day. It was a good thing Zangan cancelled training. She needed the rest after some days of no sleep.

"Tifa!" murmured a voice behind a closed door. Tifa moaned as always, and slightly opened her eyes, then quickly put the white fluffy pillow over her head.

"Tifa, breakfast is ready. Hurry before it gets cold, and oh, don't forget; Zangan is going to train you today for missing yesterday." He yelled which sounded like a loud whisper being heard far away to Tifa ears.

"Okay…" she said slowly as her voice cracked. She planned to fall asleep again, but the smell of waffles and bacon filled the air. As the appetizing fragrance seeped into her nose, she removed the pillow from her face and threw it behind her. Then rose from her bed and decided to head downstairs.


As she descended down, she saw her father over at the stove, preparing the plates for two. A loud thump was heard against the wooden floor as Tifa reached the bottom, making her father seemed a bit surprised as if she came out of nowhere. He smiled slightly as greeted her with a warm "Good morning!" from his mouth. She responded with a wide smile on her face and sat down on a chair in front of a wooden table.

"Hope you like these," he said as he placed a plate in front of her, "I didn't have enough flour."

For a minute the girl looked at the plate as if in deep thought. She blinked a few times then looked at her father and grinned, "I'm sure it's still good father. Besides, you make the best waffles."

"I'm the only one who makes waffles Tifa!" He said in a very cheery tone, despite his deep voice.

Tifa couldn't help but smiling widely at her father. He's always there, in troubled times, or even just breakfast. She couldn't imagine what she'd do if anything happens to him…


The brunette finished breakfast quickly then thanked her father for the delicious food and suddenly started racing from the house

'It should come today…' she hoped as she ran past the lonesome, but recognized dog. Then a couple of houses and the Inn.

There it was; The Shinra Weekly Newspaper right next to the yellow brownish truck. She ran toward the old rusting truck, and by it was a pack of newspapers piled next to its tire. Tifa ripped the string wrappings off and took one for her. She looked at the folded newspaper in the palms of her hands, first feeling unsure to even look at it. 'He could be…' She said as she opened the newspaper. She was scanning through the articles read them to herself out loud,

"President Shinra make new reactor…" She turns a page.

"Another reactor explodes…" Another page is turned.

"War in Wutai fading…"

She looked over and over again. Her heart felt heavy as she told these words to herself, "He's… not on here…"

The girl's eyebrows came together as the newspaper slowly slipped from her hands and scattered all around her. She bit her lips as tears threatened to slip from her eyes. Slumping, she made her way to her house and ascended the staircase. It was a good thing her father didn't notice her; she was on the verge of breaking down.

She reached her room and closed the door behind her. Dragging her feet towards her bed, she sat on it.

Tifa looked up, 'Wait, what am I doing? I don't even know Cloud THAT much… so… I shouldn't care, right?" She told herself. The ruby eyed girl flew backwards toward the soft bed, her impact made her bounce lightly. She covered her eyes with her soft skinned arm,

'... Oh, what am I saying? I miss him… Ever since that night he promised me, I just can't stop thinking about him! I've been checking my mail, hopping to receive a letter from him… I've been checking the newspapers, to see if he is in an article… Nothing… nothing comes…'

'Cloud, how do you expect to keep the promise, if you don't at least write to me…? I miss you so much… I just hope you're okay…'

Minutes that seemed like hours passed as Tifa stayed in her room in complete silence. She continued to stare with a blurred vision at the ceiling above her until till she heard banging on her door. Tifa quickly wiped away any signs of sadness and answered to her father's knock.

"Huh?" she asked.

"Tifa, Zangan is here. He's waiting outside. Get your clothes on." He announced and made his way back downstairs with loud thumps against the steps.

"Oh yeah… Zangan." She sighed quietly to herself. Her master, it's been a while since they started training. From when the sun reached above the sky to when the sun sunk below the horizon. From simple breathing exercises to one step kick and punch. He always says comments to her, saying she's "The best student since he started to train" and "A fast learner". Of course Tifa is a fast learner. And maybe because of that, she's the most loved and popular person in the small village…

"Sigh…"

"Tifa! Hurry up!" Her father voice echoed around the house, and had interrupted Tifa's thoughts.

"O-Okay!"

Jumping off the bed, Tifa looked around her room aimlessly for her training uniform. She spotted something blue by her dresser, and that was it. Undressing from her pajamas to her blue stretchable pants and a fully covered tight but comfortable t-shirt, she then opened the door and paraded downstairs. As expected, Zangan was the door, his gruff looking face to her. Her father was with him, also glaring at her, with a slight bit of anger.

As he reached the front door, in front of Zangan and her father, she quickly bowed at them, "Sorry. I was thinking about something. I was… lost in my thoughts."

"It's okay Tifa. No harm done." Her father quickly responded. He looked at Zangan with an assuring smile, "You two can go now. I have to take care of some things."

Zangan nodded, "Alright then. Let's go Tifa."

Tifa and Zangan then walked out the door, marching outside of town.


Once they reached the plain voluminous grassy land that surrounded the front of Nibelheim. They both stood from each other, face to face. Both were merely two feet apart. Tifa slowly slid on blue gloves and tied a hand band around her forehead. Zangan watched Tifa do this while he examined of what to train today.

He crossed his arms and looked down for a few seconds. Suddenly, he shot his head up, and narrowed his eyes, "You ready Tifa?"

Tifa punched her palm with her fist, "Yes, Master Zangan!"

"Uh, Tifa…" he trailed off.

Tifa slumped and stared at her master in question, "Yes Master?"

Zangan closed his eyes again, "You will not call me Master Zangan no more."

"…Huh?" she raised an eyebrow.

He held his silence for about two minutes then finally shouted, which startled Tifa, "Call me, Zangan SENSEI! Or SENSEI!"

Tifa widened her eyes and cocked an eyebrow, and felt her mouth dropped "…E-Eh? M-Master Zangan…"

"For now, call me Sensei. Only until you surpass me, you call me Master!"

"It's the same thing…" Tifa said slowly.

Zangan shot open his eyes; Tifa widened her eyes and felt the heavy, grim atmosphere suddenly collapse over her. Things were about to get serious.

She frowned and stood with her right leg in front, digging into the grass, as her knees bent and her fists at the ready in front of her chest, while moving up and down in time with her breathing.

He stuck out his right leg, while lifting up his arms and bringing them down toward him. His gruff face turned dark as he stared at Tifa, "Fight me, Tifa. I want to see if you have impressed since we first began. Show me if you really are worth the praises I give you."

Tifa lowered her fists, "Mast… Er, Sensei, we've been training for only two weeks now. I don't think I'm ready yet."

"It's only practice Tifa. I won't hurt you badly." He assured.

She nodded slowly, unsure if he was telling the truth.

"Tifa, think of it as extra for missed practice."

"Okay…"

'Okay Tifa, you can do this.' She told herself. She rose up her fists once again and ready for anything, or so she hoped.

Tifa ran toward Zangan at lighting speed, her fist reaching for Zangan's temple. As expected he blocked with one hand, his hand covering her small fist. She pushed harder, then without warning, lifted her knee toward Zangan's rib cage. He choked as the knee gave an impact against his rib. His hands against his chest, she attempted to give another strike against his bosom, but it failed as Zangan grabbed her hand once again and spun her toward the malachite ground. Tifa grunted in pain as Zangan came over her smirking.

"The enemy may masquerade being hurt. Never attempt the same attack. Remember that, young one."

Tifa cursed under her breath as she kicked Zangan's back knee, to make him fumble to create an opening. He almost fell, but kept his balance at the last second. Tifa formed unto a handstand while twirling her legs in a rotation, creating a small whirlwind. Zangan jumped back cautiously as Tifa jumped into her pose once again. Her fists opened and closed as her inhaling quickly increased.

Zangan watched his student, "Well, well, you're really good. Better than I had expected. Maybe I was going too easy for you. Let's try a little faster, shall we?"

Tifa didn't respond but the glare in her eyes was a definite yes.

The next second, Zangan was behind her. Tifa didn't see it coming. But once she noticed, she widened her eyes… It seemed like it was in slow motion as she elbowed her on the back. She fell and sled across the grass.

'How… when?' she questioned herself as she looked at Zangan, whom was casting a shadow over her with a smirk on his face.

"A technique I mastered long ago… That is what you'll be learning soon. But for now, if you manage to ripe off the rubber band in my hair, we'll call it quits for today. If you can't, we won't stop until you do." He finished as he stepped back.

Tifa rose slowly, agonized at the constant back thumping. She closed one eye, staring at Zangan with lowered eyebrows, "Isn't this a bit… to much for a student you trained for only two weeks now, Ma-… Sensei?"

He chuckled a bit, "The way you just fought, you are more advanced than any two week learner. Don't try to excuse yourself from-"

Zangan was cut short as Tifa leapt up in the air then twisted behind him, grabbing his small elastic band. With no time to react, she ripped it from his ashen hair. He widened his eyes and turned to see Tifa with a huge smirk on her face, the band within her fist.

Tifa dropped the band in front of his feet, "Never talk while you're facing an enemy. It creates an opening for a sudden attack." She mimicked.

He stared at her continuously. Then he smirked a bit and picked up the rubber band that lied on the floor. "You are a fast learner, Tifa. You are most advanced than anyone I trained for two weeks. Tifa, you have great potential."

She looked at him with bright eyes, "M… Sensei, since I'm so great and all…" she trailed off a bit, but then continued her sentence, "Will you teach me that technique?"

Zangan looked at her for a bit, and then he closed his eyes, "We'll see, Tifa."

She broke into a wide smile and walked toward her Master. "Thank you, Ma… um, Sensei!"

He wrapped the broken elastic band into a ponytail once again and walked off, "Now, since were done with that, here the next thing we are going to do."

Tifa's smiled slumped into a tired frown. She was going to debate, "Wait! Now? But..."

He looked at her with a smirk and lowered his eyebrows, "Tifa, my advanced student, defeat me!"


Yeah, I combined this chapter with the last one, to make it longer. LOLOLOLZ. Yeah, it would be better combined... I hope I didn't do bad on the fighting scene. GAWD, that was hard! REALLY! But I hope you saw it as I did. I use my imagaination. A lot. Yeah... oh, another Tifa chapter! Why? I don't know! Cuz I'm still stuck as to what will gonna happen to Cloud now? Nothing but trouble... I really need to plan this out first :P

Oh, and thanks for the reviews! It really encourgaes me. It DOES! Or... does it...

Cloudbuddi