The air inside the waiting room practically crackled with electric tension. Vincent had just informed them of Cloud's intentions, and all eyes were on Tifa, waiting for her reaction. Easily the closest to the lone-wolf ex-mercenary, his habit of shutting people out to deal with, or more often refuse to deal with, problems on his own affected her deeply.
After a few brief heart-beats though, the tension faded, Tifa's shoulders dropping visibly before she turned away from Vincent, toward Barret. "I guess there isn't anything else we can do here then. Ne, Barret. Marlene is still waiting for us back at the shop. After everything that's happened, she'll be wondering if we're all okay…" She was trying so hard to hang tough with this, to trust Cloud in his judgment. She wanted to believe this time all they'd been through would have a lasting affect on him, and maybe it was. She couldn't be there with him to talk about it, but he wasn't hanging back from this new and unexpected situation with this boy, Kadaj. He was facing right up to it, and that was good.
The rest of the party simply followed Tifa's lead in silence, ushered out by the TURKs Tseng and Elena to the out-door staircase that would lead them to the stretch of ground the Sierra was nestled over. Most eyes were still on the external portion of the building as the Sierra began to lift off, though Cloud and his strange ward would now be somewhere deep inside the mostly subterranean building. "Just like the fuckin' Shin-Ra," Cid Highwind sneered slightly around the filter of his cigarette, but no one really paid the snarky comment any mind.
Everyone was restless in their own way, uncertain of what this turn of events would mean. It had all been progressing so quickly, had seemed even, to reach a sort of conclusion, up until this, but now it did not so much look as though the battle for the fate of the Planet was at an end. No, just an uncomfortable standstill, the heroes unable to move freely until they could gauge if and when their enemies would attack.
Surprising herself, Tifa actually felt a tiny flare of anger at Reno for being so goddamned amiable through all of this. He and Rude had actually seemed to give a damn about her, Cloud and the children Kadaj and his brothers had kidnapped. Now it turned out that Shin-Ra was still keeping secrets and ulterior motives hidden, once again twisting AVALANCHE's arm with out them noticing. They were always using the little band of fighters as a tool.
Out of all of them the red-head was just such an easy-going guy. It was difficult to remember, sometimes, that he was a professional manipulator, assassin, even terrorist. Smoke was still rising off the edges of Sector 6 and the ruins of Sector 7 where the two had blasted Yazoo and Loz sky high, the damage obviously more extensive than was conceivably necessary… But, come to think on it, it was Reno who had dropped the plate on Sector 7 in the first place!
Suddenly that tiny flare of anger was a raging bonfire inside Tifa's chest and she vowed silently that if the TURK ever dared to show his fox-face inside her shop again, he was going to receive a memorable reception!
A drop of cool liquid against her bare upper arm distracted her from her heated seething though, and she turned to look as she brushed the aquamarine rivulet away. Life Stream… it must have come through the rivets in the flight-deck glass from the strange rain that had misted over Midgar, just after the defeat of Sephiroth at the hands of Cloud. It had always amazed Tifa, this strange substance that was fluid, but not quite water. Lighter, more ethereal, and though often cool to the touch, emanating with a warmth that touched the spirit rather than the nerves.
This single droplet warmed her thoughts now, like a familiar whisper against her ear, though there were no words, no sound. She closed her fingers tightly, forgetting to be angry with Reno and the rest of Shin-Ra for a moment, suddenly infused with a hope for better things; a hope without fear that it might go unfulfilled. "Because you're watching over us… Because the Planet is…" she murmured softly, which earned her a slightly sidelong glance from the red-furred Nanaki, seated not too far away.
The young Cosmo Canyon warrior and student of the Planet returned her smile easily enough though, when she'd shook her head slightly and smiled amiably to him. So it was alright if their path wasn't certain right here and now. They would take it one step at a time, while they must, and then charge forward once it cleared. Even if she didn't trust the Shin-Ra, she did trust everyone here, and she trusted Cloud above all.
He could be insufferably frustrating, could dig his heels in until she felt near to smacking him right across his cherubic, sullen face, but he had never failed to come through for her in the end. Once he finally got around to something, he could really do it, and had proved himself time and time again. Yes, she trusted him.
Turning around, away from the windows and the looming landscape of Midgar, Tifa cupped her hand to her mouth, calling up to Highwind.
"Cid! Your cockpit's leaking!"
Author's remarks: It's a short chapter, but I wanted to get something up even though I don't have much time to write during the weekdays. I've got a few ideas for chapter five in the works though, so hopefully that one will turn out a little more substantial and entertaining. This was really just a moment for reflection, and to bring in a brief reminder of everyone's favorite (chokes, coughs, gags) flower girl. (Ask me why the Forgotten City is my favorite CG scene in the game…snicker)