A/N: I guess this story can be considered AU, well, since Square did decide to make Advent Children. Well, whatever, read away.

New Hero and Adventure

Tifa wiped the bar counter for what may have been the millionth time. The taste of adventure a year ago left her feeling bored with routine things. Her bar may be reopened but it was nothing exciting about it. She didn't want to spend the rest of her life tending to it.

She missed him. Cloud Strife. He left as soon as they managed to finish off Sephiroth. Without Aeirth, he had no reason to stay with anyone else. He loved her and Tifa knew it.

That was a year ago. Times have changed and so had Tifa.

She sighed. It was so boring for her to be at the bar now. Barely anyone came in. She couldn't even remember the reason why she decided to open it up again. As the name implies, Kalm is a calm place but the makes for tons of boredom.

The door the bar opened and in walked in a man not much older than Tifa. He carried with him a small duffel bag. She stared hard at him as he walked up to the bar. He had on a strange attire, but then again, Tifa knew some people who dressed weird.

She noticed his dark hair, which seemed to have a blue tint to it. It wasn't too long, but it was gelled back. He wore a white trench coat, reminding her too much of Sephiroth, but it had no sleeves. The sleeves of his dark navy shirt he wore underneath his opened jacket covered his arms. Tifa had a habit to look into the eyes of anyone that walked in, but this time she couldn't. Blue rimmed, wire framed sunglasses hid his eyes from her.

He took a seat at the bar. He turned to Tifa, "Busy day?"

Tifa couldn't help but smile at his comment. She never had a busy day at Kalm, "Do you want a drink?"

"Please," He answered.

She poured him a glass from the tap and handed it to him. He gripped it firmly with his white-gloved hand. He took a sip of it and set it back down on the bar. Tifa sighed and started wiping the counter again.

"You seem bored," He said.

"That is an understatement," Tifa said. "There's nothing to do here, ever. I could've never figured that running a bar would be this dull."

The door burst open and a group charged in. The familiar three-eyed helmets confirmed Tifa's suspicion. They were ShinRa soldiers. They lined up against the wall and pointed their guns at her. One soldier stepped forward.

"Tifa Lockhart, you are to be taken under arrest," He said. His voice muffled with the helmet on. "Come quietly and no one will be hurt."

Tifa slowly slid her hand under the counter. She kept her Premium Heart under there for just an occasion. Ten of them, one of her, and one civilian. Odds were definitely not in her favor.

"It's one thing that you just burst into a woman's place without a knock," The man at the bar said as he got up from his seat. He drew a long sword from his belt. Tifa gazed at it, a long, slender sword with a red hilt. Eight slots and each of them filled with different materia. "It's another when I'm there."

One soldier accidentally fired his gun that was aimed at Tifa. She closed her eyes but the bullet never made contact. The man managed to block it with another sword, an exact replica but with a blue hilt.

"I don't think you have any business here," he said. He aimed his red-hilted sword at the leader, "Fire!"

The sword engulfed itself in a small flame and then shot it to the soldier. The soldier raised his gun to block the coming fireball. It hit him and knocked him back to the other soldiers.

"Shoot him!" He yelled.

The rest of the soldiers aimed their guns at the man and started to fire. Tifa ducked down behind the bar as glass started to rain down on her. She peeked her head up to see a small wall of ice blocking the man from the hail of bullets.

The soldiers stopped their shooting. The man jumped from behind the wall and with his swords ready, sliced their guns in half.

"Retreat!" the lead soldier said and they all rushed out of the bar in a hurry.

The man sheathed his swords. He walked up to the bar and placed a small amount of gil on the table, "For the drink. Sorry about your bar."

Tifa stood up and looked at the money on the table. She looked up to see him walk out of the bar, shouldering his bag. Many thoughts ran through her mind. With a determined look on her face, she ran out of the bar to catch up to him.

The man walked slowly away from the bar. He took off his glasses and wiped them with a piece of his shirt. He put them back on and turned around to see Tifa run up to him.

"I'm really sorry about your bar Miss. There is really nothing I can do about it though," He said as she caught up with him.

"Oh, its ok, I don't care. Tell me though, are you just traveling around?" Tifa asked.

"Yes, why?"

Tifa looked at him, "Can I come with you? I've been dieing for adventure and you come along and I cant stay here anyways cause ShinRa is now after me and…"

"Ok, breathe. If you really want to, I'm not going to stop you. It would be actually nice to have a companion," he said. "I'm Chase Sable, and you are?"

"Tifa. Tifa Lockhart," Tifa said. "Nice to meet you Chase."

"Well, Ms. Lockhart, before we go, do you want to take anything from your home. Clothes perhaps? A weapon?" Chase inquired.

Tifa smiled and held up her fists, "These are my weapons. But you do bring up a point; I do need to pack some extra clothes. Do you have an idea where you're heading next?"

"My next stop is Costa de Sol," Chase responded. "After that is where I have a blank."

"Do you mind waiting for me outside of town while I got get some stuff?" Tifa asked.

"Not at all," Chase said. "But hurry though."

They went off in their separate ways. Tifa couldn't believe her luck. She dreamed for a new adventure and here she is starting one. Then again, ShinRa is after her. Tifa shrugged that off; they wouldn't be able to do much anyways. ShinRa headquarters has been destroyed, not much else is going for them now.

A/N: And that's the end of chapter one. There is something about bars that makes me start a story with one. Oh well, it makes for a nice start nonetheless.