Start Date: August 3, 2022
Windwillow
The bolded portions are Tifa's flashbacks, from back when she was training with Zangan.
Final Fantasy VII
With all avenues exhausted on the eastern continent, AVALANCHE has turned its attention to the western continent and boarded a Shinra operated cargo ship bound for the resort town of Costa del Sol. To get on the ship, Cloud disguised himself as a soldier and Aerith... made a few questionable choices. But regardless, they got on the ship and were now on their way to Costa del Sol.
The trip was not without its problems, however. Tifa and Aerith found themselves at odds with their relationships with Cloud, Red XIII and Yuffie bonded, and Barret more or less pouted the whole way through. More importantly, along the way the party fought the creature Jenova: BIRTH, a manifestation of Sephiroth's "mother," Jenova. After fighting and defeating it, Tifa received the service of the Ice Eidolon Shiva, a bond that was forged from her desire to protect Cloud. Cloud also received a mysterious summon materia, but seems to have forgotten to equip it and so it now reposes quietly in his pocket.
Now the scene shifts to the town of Costa del Sol, where the party hopes to regroup and prepare for their next journey. There are a few familiar faces and a little bit of mischief awaiting them, and the realization of their next destination will silence Barret for the first time in a long time.
Chapter Twenty-Three: Vacation in Costa del Sol
Scene One
Shinra's purpose in launching the cargo ship was to ferry their army westward in search of the elusive (and might I add murderous) ex-SOLDIER Sephiroth. To that end, while AVALANCHE stowed away, the intended passengers, led by Rufus and Heidegger, have prepared to dock and leave for their mission. Rufus' insistence on receiving a report on the Jenova incident had fallen on deaf ears, for the simple fact that no one knew about anything Cloud and the party do about Jenova's appearance. All they found were frozen corpses and bubbling pus.
"So let me get this straight..." growled Rufus as he rose from his seat. He was far less than pleased to say the least while he walked through the ship's halls with Heidegger. "Not only did Sephiroth get away, but Cloud and his friends managed to make it here?" he asked Heidegger sternly, causing the latter to flinch. "And on top of that, we have twelve rotting, frozen-solid bodies and a pile of black blood as the only evidence of what happened?!" Rufus snapped, stepping onto the docks.
"Y-yes, Sir, I'm afraid so, Sir..." Heidegger stammered, now unsure if he still had a job, as he waddled after Rufus. The news was grim, indeed. "B-But... I have my finest investigators lined up here to conduct a full inquiry! My best people, my most talented-"
"Then you have nothing!" Rufus concluded with a sharp snarl, his blood boiling and his fist tightening. "You're telling me that the worst case scenario has come, gone, and would have actually been preferable to what actually happened?!" he shouted. As he calmed down, a sinister sneer crossed his face, one that chilled Heidegger's soul. There was the air of the devil etched on his face, a look of unknown danger. "Find Hojo if you can. I hear he's come here after quitting the company... And get the Highwind," he ordered, holding a tensed hand to his head. "Pry it from Cid's cold, dead fingers if you have to..."
"S-Sir, Yes Sir!" Heidegger shouted as he saluted, his boots clicking together with a sharp clacking noise. Finding Hojo was one thing, but Cid might choose to fight over surrendering his ship. "I'll put my best investigators on the job! They'll comb Costa del Sol, inch by inch! And I guarantee the Highwind will-"
"Just shut your fat face and do it," Rufus scolded as he stepped into his helicopter, his hand tightening against the rail. "I'm sick of hearing you squeal. If all you can do beg and grovel, I'll find someone who's actually competent..." he whispered tersely into Heidegger's ear, "and slap you with a pink slip..." With a sigh, Rufus moved away Heidegger with an eerie scowl. "I'm expecting results this time. Don't. Screw. Up."
A trembling Heidegger bowed his head as Rufus' helicopter departed, flying from the helipad towards their destination at Rocket Town. He knew that this would be his final warning, and so he had to deliver. His bear like fist clenching, he slugged the nearest seaman in the face, sending him into the water with a broken nose before storming off.
Scene Two
For Cloud and his group, the rest of the voyage went uneventfully, save for a janitor that Yuffie mugged when he entered the storage room. The ninja had hogtied him, stuffed his own skivvies in his mouth to silence him, and left the poor son of a bitch to struggle inside the tiny closet. While Yuffie was immensely proud of her work, as usual, the rest of the party could only sigh and pray for the man that he had good hygeine.
After redressing themselves, the party sneaked out a bit after Rufus and Heidegger departed. All of them were relieved to be in their normal clothes, while Red XIII's only thought was to shake off his claustrophobic episode with a sigh of relief. Everyone departed the ship, passing unnoticed by the sailors there; for some reason, no one questioned the man with a machine gun on his arm or the swordsman with a man-sized blade on his back.
"Hot damn am I glad we're out of that hellhole!" Yuffie shouted triumphantly with both fists raised. She even did a short jig to shake off the seasickness. "If any of you tell me I'm doing that again, I'm gonna slug you in the face and get the hell outta dodge!" she roared as she pumped her fist. "Solid ground never felt so sweet..."
"Hate to agree with the little punk here," Barret sighed as he shook off his fatigue, "but I feel fantastic getting out of that stupid sailor outfit!" As he stretched his neck, he flexed his muscles to relax them. "Wearing that thing just gave me some bad mojo!" he groaned.
"Oh, come on, Barret!" a smiling Aerith said. With a quick giggle, she gave a mischievous wink. "You looked so cute! It was like we were traveling with a big chocolate marshmallow! Why don't you keep the suit for jammies?" she beamed, to Barret's outrage.
"The hell you calling a marshmallow?!" snarled Barret, stomping his foot. As if he hadn't been irritated enough, Aerith pushed the wrong button. "I looked like a frickin' water balloon in that thing! One that was ready to pop! And damn it, I really do feel like I'm gonna frickin' pop!" he shouted as he beat his chest. "I'm gonna go rent a room at the Inn! I'll be waitin', so you better not be late!" Barret announced, waddling off the docks.
"Ugh, that's enough..." Red XIII groaned as he limped onto the dock, his fur damp as if he'd rolled in the morning dew. Hot weather didn't agree with his particular body type. "This place feels like the third circle of Hell it's so hot!" he moaned, stretching his neck with a sharp crack. "I'm going to find a nice, cool spot to curl up in... If any of you need me, look for the tail; I'll keep it up so you can see it..." Red XIII said as he slowly staggered through the heat into town.
"Heh-heh-heh..." Yuffie cackled madly, wringing her hands. The fact that this was a resort town meant there had to be a few pockets to pick. "I'm gonna find me something juicy! Save me a room at the Inn, and hopefully I don't have to slip past a wanted poster to get there..." she snickered as she ran into town with a smile on her face, leaving the other three to ponder their fortunes. Yuffie was, after all, Yuffie. There was no hope for her not to get into trouble...
"Ahh, I just love the feeling of the wind in my hair!" Tifa said as she took in a deep breath and stretched her neck. Unlike Red XIII, this temperature was perfect for her. "I think I'll do some shopping, and then go swimming for a bit..." she muttered, as Cloud's mind began to wander of seeing Tifa in a swimsuit.
"Ooh, sounds nice!" trilled Aerith as she rubbed her hands together. The possibilities were endless. "I bet you look killer in a swimsuit!" she laughed. With the mental image Cloud's will almost completely broke, though he swallowed hard and continued walking alongside the two women. "Oh, I almost forgot!" she tittered, turning to Cloud. "Do you like girls with tans? I can sunbathe in the-"
"Good bye, Aerith! I hope you enjoy your stay!" Tifa chirped as she cracked her knuckles, alerting Aerith to the danger she was in. Being here with her and Cloud was awkward enough without Aerith throwing kindling on her fire.
"Hehe..." Aerith giggled as she stuck out her tongue. She hadn't expected it to work as well as it had. "Kidding, kidding!" she trilled, waving to her friends as she ran from the docks. "I think I'll go swimming too! Think I'd look great in pink?" Aerith laughed as she left the area, her mischief having been made.
That left Cloud, Tifa, and a very uncomfortable silence as all that remained. Whereas Cloud was struggling not to let his mind wander, Tifa couldn't help but feel affronted by Aerith's little scheme, namely that it had made her as embarrassed as the flower girl probably hoped. That girl's wickedness was well afoot and this was almost a playground for her to mess around in.
"A-anyway," Tifa muttered as she swallowed hard, avoiding Cloud's gaze. As uncomfortable as she felt, Tifa also began to muster a feeling not unlike Aerith's own schemes. Two could play at that game. "I'm sure I can find a nice bikini somewhere!" she laughed, leaving Cloud lead footed in his tracks. "See you after shopping, Cloud!" Tifa tittered as she dashed into town.
And so all that remained was a very, very embarrassed Cloud Strife in the middle of the docks. Somehow, beyond his understanding, he still didn't realize he was being tugged by both ends of the rope...
Scene Three
The climate of Cosmo Canyon, his home, may have been warm in the summers, but the humidity Red XIII battled as he staggered through the streets of Costa del Sol paled in comparison. His fur felt it had been dunked in a barrel of boiling water, and finding a cool place to lay seemed a heavy task indeed.
"Good lord, it's so hot and muggy..." panted Red XIII, wandering the sandy streets of the city. There was nothing but sunlight and swimsuits as far as the eye could see, little shade in sight. "Humans are so lucky they can sweat the way they do..." he groaned. "Is there anywhere I can find some relief?!"
After a few minutes of searching, he at last found a patch of shade between the Pub and the materia shop, where fewer people had gathered to enjoy the heat. With a relaxed purr, he circled around a bit and laid down with a sigh of relief. It was when he was whacked in the head with a soccer ball that he jumped up and bared his fangs.
"Who did that?!" he snarled, eyes darting side to side searching for the assailant. "Who... I, err.. Um..." Red XIII found himself the source of absolute terror for the three young children playing soccer in the streets. As they stared at him in abject horror, the red-furred beast quickly swallowed his anger. "S-sorry, kids..." he whimpered, bowing his head. "I-I didn't mean to-"
"You're so cool!" gasped the youngest child, stomping his feet in place. Cristiano, the tiniest, had only been playing for a few weeks. "What are you? Are you a monster?!" he wondered aloud, tilting his head. "Nah, you're too nice to be a monster! I kind of like you, Mister!" said Cristiano with a toothy grin.
"Sorry, red guy!" said the middle child, bowing his head. Lionel was actually the founder of the gang, even if he wasn't the oldest. "I dunno what you are, but sorry for... um... kind of socking you in the face, y'know?" he muttered with a nervous grin. "We didn't mean to! Honestly!"
"My bad, my bad!" said Robert, the oldest child, as he bowed respectfully to Red XIII. "That was my shot, so... I'm sorry, sir!" he apologized with a deep sigh. Red XIII was taken aback, not only by the affability of the three boys, but the fact that he somehow wasn't angry any more. They were awfully sweet little kids...
"Hmm..." Red XIII hummed, tilting his head. He had an idea. "Maybe I can play, too?" he asked, much to the joy of the three young soccer players. After being passed the ball, Red XIII tapped it with his nose to stop it, allowing it to roll to a halt. "Do I do it like this?" Red XIII wondered as he stepped back and slapped the ball with his snout.
The soccer ball hurdled towards Robert, who deftly caught it and began to dribble. He nodded to his friends, and started passing the ball back and forth between the boys. Red XIII's eye gleamed as the ball was kicked towards him. Oddly enough, he was having fun! Putting pressure on his front paws, he reared back and smacked the ball with his snout, sending it flying towards Cristiano. The poor boy was nailed in the nose, dropping him to the ground with a harsh thud.
"S-sorry!" Red XIII gasped, rushing towards the boy. He intended to help him, at least as best a four-legged beast could do for a child. "I didn't mean to-" To his surprise, Robert caught the ball with his foot and launched it at Red XIII, who stopped in place and nudged it with his nose. As the ball was rocketed away, Lionel's foot touched it and sent it flying towards Red XIII once more. "Why, you little-" he snarled, but deftly stopped the ball with his snout and tapped it forward, where it zoomed into the net behind the boys. As the two cheered, Red XIII tilted his head in confusion. They'd forgotten about Cristiano. "But what about-"
"Oww..." moaned Cristiano as he stumbled to his feet with a smile. As he made a peace sign, the young soccer player bared his teeth like Red XIII had. Seeing Red XIII's confusion, he frowned. "Did I do that right, red dude?" he asked eagerly. "I tried to make the same face you did! Did I do a good job?"
"What a go-o-o-a-a-a-l-l-l!" cheered Lionel with both fists raised in triumph. Both he and Robert were more fascinated with Red XIII's goal than they were with Cristiano's injury, though Lionel's face quickly dropped as he watched Cristiano stagger. "You okay, bro?!" he gasped as he rushed up to his friend, who waved him off. He was dazed, and amazed, but fine.
"That was ultra super-duper cool, Mister!" Cristiano said as he jumped up and down. Somehow, he was more interested with the goal than he was with his bloody nose. "Your nose is a lot better than my kick, y'know?" he tittered as he wiped his nose. Red XIII stood silently, uncertain of what to do.
"Thanks for playing, Mister!" Robert beamed as he began to dribble the ball again. He and Lionel quickly turned towards one another and began to volley back and forth again. "You were fun, red dude!" he laughed.
"Why, of course!" Red XIII said with a smile. "I enjoyed-" Stopping suddenly, he realized that he'd forgotten all about the shade he sought. But somehow, his sticky fur didn't matter as much to him as it did before. He'd made a few unexpected friends. With a soft laugh, Red XIII circled around again and laid down in the shade. It was time for him to really relax...
Scene Four
While Red XIII spent his free time playing soccer (somewhat unwittingly), Yuffie wandered the streets of Costa del Sol with the eye of an eagle and the guile of a serpent. Someone, somewhere, had to have some materia! Or at least a few thousand Gil to make her effort worthwhile. Sad to say, for all the rich vacationers, she wasn't finding a whole lot of viable targets. Well, it was sad for her. Everyone else was just peachy.
"Gawd, what is it with these people?!" grumbled Yuffie as she walked through the streets looking for loot. She hadn't seen any materia, and it seemed like most of the people whose pockets she could pick were paupers. "Why isn't anyone wandering around with a fat wallet?!" she snarled, folding her arms. "Why do I have to deal with all these... ooh, hello!" she cackled as she rubbed her hands together mischievously.
She'd found a target! He was a portly, balding man wearing a full-body suit. Why he would wear the suit in this weather? She had no idea. But she did notice he had a wallet as fat as his belly. Slowly, carefully, Yuffie tiptoed her way closer, closer still, and deftly reached to snatch the wallet. Instead, the owner roughly bonked her on the head and sent her face first into the sands.
"Little thief!" hissed the businessman as Yuffie skittered to her feet. Trembling, the young ninja watched as the owner of the wallet folded his arms over his chest and looked her over. Silently, Yuffie prepared to kick him in the nuts if he made a pass at her, but instead he simply sighed and extended his hand. "Niccolo Panza, owner of the materia booth is my name!" he beamed. "I could use a cute girl to man the counter of my shop... and I choose you!"
Although she was at first flattered to be called cute, Yuffie quickly locked onto the word 'materia.' A slow, sinister smile crossed her face as she wrung her hands together mischievously. Somehow Panza didn't take notice (or he'd have probably rescinded his offer), so Yuffie grasped his hand tightly and shook it to seal the deal. This was better than picking pockets! Why search for goodies when you can literally sit on top of them and pilfer them that way?
Panza's materia shop was situated just a short way west of the Inn, where Barret had departed to rent their rooms. As it was, the merchant even had a name tag for Yuffie to plaster over her shirt! She wore it with pride, saluted him, and plopped down in her seat to "sell" materia.
Yuffie scanned the merchant's inventory, her trained eye detecting the more expensive materia for her to swipe. While there were the usual elemental and Cure materia, there were a few she didn't recognize. Of note was a "Life" materia, used for surgeons and first aid to resuscitate dying patients. Then there was a "Seal" materia, used for binding and attaching things to other things, a way of restraining people and objects (popular with sailors and bondage fetishists). What caught her attention was the "Heal" materia; it was one she didn't recognize right away, and even she had no idea what it was for. Yuffie naughtily wrung her hands and began to snatch as much of them as she could.
Perfect! A little of this, a little of that...
As customers passed by, Yuffie happily displayed Panza's materia as she pocketed the more expensive ones when no one was looking. To her disappointment, the "LIfe" and "Seal" materia sold out before she could pickpocket them, several people wandering by with an interest in medicine and rope tying, apparently. Still, through the chaos she managed to pocket a "Heal" materia and a few assorted goodies.
"Hey!" Panza shouted at Yuffie as he stormed towards his booth. He'd seen her ply her trade. "You ungrateful little monkey! Give me back my materia!" he yelled as he started running towards her. In her haste, Yuffie dropped most of the standard materia, managing to hold on to a couple elementals and the lone "Heal" materia. As she was chased away, Yuffie couldn't help but cackle.
"Hell to the yeah!" she laughed, dashing through the streets, trying to lose Panza as best she could. Fortunately for her, losing him wasn't difficult and she managed to sneak into the Inn unnoticed. "Hehe... Score!" she cackled quietly as she slipped inside the building, a sly smile just barely crossing her face before her head popped out of view of a frantic Panza.
Scene Five
The Inn of Costa del Sol was much larger than the one in Lower Junon, owing to the large number of customers that checked in during their stay. There were plenty of rooms for each of the party members to have to themselves, save for the fact that half of them were occupied. In the end, three rooms were available for purchase, each with their own bath and shower. But as he trudged through Costa del Sol, Barret found himself distinctly unwelcome. Local children, as well as multiple vacationers, stared at his Gun-arm as he passed and began to whisper amongst themselves. Barret began to feel like he was a walking side show.
"Frickin' punks!" Barret muttered to himself as he wandered the streets. To be fair, seeing a man with a blue beetle-like arm kind of made him stick out. Even so, their glares and whispers began to enrage him. "Ain't they ever seen a big dude like me before? Why they runnin' away?!" he growled, somehow unaware of the fact that the whole town looked at him like a monster because of his right arm.
It was as he entered the Pub for a drink that Barret first took notice of the terror that the patrons felt as they watched him trundle up to the bar. With a shrug, he plopped down in his chair, ordered a beer, and started to relax as he drank his booze. This was exactly what he needed, something to take the edge off. He hadn't had a good drink since Midgar went kaboom. After everything he'd been through with Cloud and the rest, it was great to finally take a minute and relax.
"Ain't too bad..." he muttered as he chugged his beer. The booze was fizzy, cold, and very relaxing to slide down his throat. "'Bout damn time I get something to drink! Lousy bastards... Fighting to save the Planet, and they still expect a tip! God!" Barret growled as he slammed down his drink on the bar. "Even so, I..."
Slowly Barret noticed the horrified stares he was receiving from all around the room. From the bartender to the patrons, there wasn't a jaw in the joint that wasn't dropped in his direction. While at first he felt anger, Barret quickly looked down at his Gun-arm with a dark scowl. He'd forgotten about the damn thing. After he paid, he stormed outside with a slam of the door.
"Suppose I get what they're looking at..." he muttered dejectedly to himself. Why it took so long for him to notice their terror stumped him. "Look at me! I'm a damn monster, ain't I?! Tch... I..." Barret sighed as he lifted his head to the sky. "I think I get what Sakaki was talking about... I ain't gonna be happy with everyone staring at me like I'm a monster... Even if I do fight for 'em, I still can't-"
Barret stopped suddenly in his tracks. With all his rumination and grumbling, he finally realized where he was when he started thinking of Sakaki. Back when he first got his Gun-arm, he'd passed through this very city to get to Midgar. Sakaki had given him his arm way back then, and he passed through Costa del Sol after leaving his home town of... North Corel!
Oh my god... Corel's next, ain't it? God, I...
"They're gonna kill me..." Barret sighed as he hung his head. With all the fighting, he'd never thought he'd return to North Corel. "Suppose they got that right... Coming back here probably takes more cajones than I got! Can I really face 'em? Can I really..." he paused, utterly dejected. There was no upside to the situation. "I-I better check us in at the Inn..." he said with a groan, limping off to the Inn.
Can I even show my face to them again? I... I ain't got no right... Not after what I've done...
Scene Six
True to its status as the hottest resort in all of Gaia, Costa del Sol boasted a number of stores and attractions for its visitors. While there were the usual stores, bars, and speak easies, a number of attractions like an amusement park and a disco were also available to customers. With all the vacationers, after all, they had to satisfy their every whim. Except for the dirty ones; there were no sexual services anywhere in sight. Those had been driven underground a long time ago, and trying to find them in the backstreets with all its thieves and thugs was not a wise idea.
Cloud's adventures through the city included visiting a number of item and weapon stores, the usual interests of a warrior on the go. He took particular notice of a number of katana and nodachi swords, curved one-bladed weapons from the western nation of Wutai. Katana were about the size of a long sword and sometimes dual wielded, whereas nodachi were more akin to a broadsword; not as big as the Buster Sword, but larger than a typical long sword. Those could only be used two-handed. Ignoring the bars and clothing stores, Cloud gradually came to find himself entering the local disco, complete with a roller skating rink. The large number of people and the fact that he was heavily armed dissuaded him from lingering, but as he turned to leave he saw a familiar face.
"Johnny?!" Cloud gasped as he stared at the gaudily-dressed DJ. Johnny quickly noticed his old friend and slipped away from his station, greeting Cloud near the door with a fist bump. "What the heck are you doing here? I thought you left Midgar for some desk job!" he laughed.
"Nah, I'm the local DJ 'round these parts!" chuckled Johnny proudly. Decked out in bright blue and purple colors, he almost looked more like a jester than a DJ. And the flashy hat didn't help much in the jester comparison. "When I first saw the ad, I never thought they'd actually hire a hick like me! Heh! But here I am!" he laughed, flexing his muscles. "Say, how are things back in Midgar? Are my parents doing okay?"
"Y-you never heard about...?" Cloud stammered, seeing the strange look in Johnny's eye and he felt his stomach drop. The news Shinra massacred an entire sector hadn't traveled further than Midgar, unsurprisingly. "I don't know how to tell you, but..." he took in a deep breath and exhaled. He had to just rip off the band-aid. "Shinra... dropped the Plate on Sector Seven. There were... there were no survivors. I'm so sorry, man..." Cloud said as he bowed his head.
"Yeah, right! W-Wait.. Y-you... You ain't lying, are you?" groaned Johnny as he gripped his head in both hands. Taking in a deep breath, he exhaled and hunched down to the floor. Cloud wasn't the type to lie to his face, so everyone really was gone. "Those bastards! Someone's gotta shove a foot up their lousy-" he growled, his anger building.
"Trust me," Cloud said as he gripped his friend's shoulder, "We will. We're fighting to stop them once and for all, but right now we need to find this bastard named Sephiroth. Then we're gonna take those monsters down for good!" he exclaimed, his grip tightening. "So just believe in us, okay?"
"Y-yeah... Yeah!" Johnny shouted as he pumped his fist. Believing in Cloud and Tifa was something he could get behind. "You give 'em a black eye or two for me, 'kay?! Say, you want my phone number? It's-"
"No, no," Cloud said nervously, waving his hand. There was no time to chat, and how useful could he be in this war? "It's okay. Right now, we need to find Sephiroth! He's a real son of a bitch, and he-"
"The same Sephiroth who went west over the mountains?" asked Johnny to Cloud's astonishment. He actually did have information? Johnny leaned back in his seat and picked up a beer. "Word 'round town is that the dude in a black cape with a big sword went west towards the mining town of North Corel. He-"
"Let's sit down and talk," Cloud said with interest. This really was worth his time. He pulled up a chair and sat backwards facing Johnny. "And I want you to tell me exactly what you know, 'kay?" he chuckled with a warm smile. "Once we deal with him, we're going to take Shinra out!"
"Seriously?!" Johnny gasped as spewed his drink in Cloud's face. As Cloud slowly swept the beer from his nose and gave a low growl, Johnny swallowed hard and began to wipe off Cloud's face. "Okay, yeah, y'see..." he stammered, watching Cloud's frown and beginning to fear for his life.
Scene Seven
While Cloud talked with Johnny and Yuffie went about pilfering everything she could, Tifa perused the clothing stores of Costa del Sol, looking both for some new clothes and the bikini she'd teased Cloud about. While she found a few new shirts and a skirt, her search for a bikini had turned up empty. As she walked through the streets with her purchases, Tifa ignored the hoots and catcalls that were sent her way. She was used to them.
"If I weren't carrying these shopping bags, I might bust some heads," growled Tifa as she strode through Costa del Sol. "But I suppose exercising discretion's better than bringing down the local police on us. Last thing we need is to fight the law. Even when we win, which we will, it's going to feel bad..." she groaned. "Besides," Tifa said with a sigh, glaring at a heckler and scaring him straight with a fierce look, "there's no point doing anything that I've held back from doing before... Not the first time I've been heckled like this..."
Tifa's eye was caught by the local weapon shop's store front, where she looked beyond the swords and spears to find a set of Mythril gauntlets up for sale. Thinking back to the Mythril Mines and the Madouge she'd fought - the one that she had to use her first Aura Bolt on - the idea of fortifying her fists with the mighty Mythril had its appeal. Wearing those would make her punches much stronger, and adding metal knuckles to her repertoire would boost her attack power.
"That would be awesome!" she gasped, thinking of the possibilities. Equipping a weapon would indeed strengthen her but there was a problem. If she did, she wouldn't be fighting with her strength, and as Zangan would have said, using a tool instead of strengthening herself would be a rejection of his teachings. "But, I can always use more power..." Tifa sighed, folding her arms. As she pondered, her mind wandered to a certain training session. "Wait. What did he say back then...?"
Launching a series of punches, Tifa steadily began to overwhelm her master. Each blow hit with the force of a pistol's bullet, her fists tightened with all the muscle she could muster. Zangan continued to block, being unable to evade, and as he reached the edge of the ring he opened his eyes wide - if she could push him out she would win, and earn a full month's worth of the best food in Midgar. That motivation had started the whole thing, one that Zangan regretted offering.
"Looks like I'm eating good tonight, Master!" laughed Tifa as she wound up for a final punch. "This is game, set, and match!" she said as she launched the final punch. Rather than be surprised, however, Zangan held his hand palm out flat, and prepared to take her attack. To Tifa's surprise, his hand was covered in a deep black sheen, dark as obsidian. As she connected, Tifa hit what felt like an iron wall and was repelled backwards with a bruised wrist. "Son of a bitch!" she cursed, nursing her damaged hand. "What the hell was that?!"
"Well," said Zangan as the black sheen faded from his palm, "I didn't want to pay for prime rib for the next month. Simple as that!" he laughed, as Tifa scowled and stuck out her tongue. Zangan slowly turned his hand over and stared at it, a gleam shimmering in his eye. "I had the will to succeed, and so my hand responded. Remember this, my pupil: steely determination bests real steel every time. If you have the willpower to do something," he said resolutely, "then your body will respond to your wishes."
"Master Zangan told me he didn't want to lose the bet..." muttered Tifa as she held her palm flat. "And if he used willpower to keep that from happening, then maybe..." Tifa whispered, eye turning to her right hand and remembering the force the Madouge's Mythril body had resisted her blow. "If my will is strong enough to get stronger, then..." She paused, turning her eyes to her bracelet and Shiva's materia. She had wished more than anything to protect Cloud back then. So, if she focused all her willpower to protect him and the others now...
It was worth a try. Tifa took in a deep breath, exhaled, and stared at her flattened palm. Thinking back and remembering the desperation she'd felt, slowly her fingers began to close, each digit carefully folding into a fist. With her every thought focused on the battle with Jenova and the emotions she'd felt back then, she clenched her hand tight into a fist and her entire hand turned a deep, shimmering obsidian. She startled, feeling the weight of her fingers like a lump of metal. It felt like her fist was made of Mythril!
"I-I did it!" she gasped, watching as her blackened hand slowly faded back into a fleshy color. She flexed her fingers, feeling her spry digits wiggle, and closed her fist again with all the determination in her body. Sure enough, her willpower solidified into a jet black sheen. "Maybe I should test it? Where would be a good place to punch something...?" she wondered. Taking out one of her hecklers was out of the question...
Sighting an abandoned alley next to the clothing store, she walked into it and gingerly set her bags down. There was a lone, abandoned barrel there just begging to be punched. So, hardening her fist, she struck it, but only lightly, expecting to create a small hole in it. Instead, the impact blew the barrel to shreds and scattered shrapnel all throughout the alley, some of it denting the clothing store's metal walls and blowing Tifa off her feet while leaving a small crater. As she slid back, Tifa gingerly popped back up and stared at the aftermath. Amazed, she loosened her fist again and began to laugh. She really had done it!
"Hey! What the hell did you do to my shop?!" came a voice. Pivoting on her heel, Tifa saw the manager of the store steaming mad at the end of the alley. His fists were closed tight and his teeth equally clenched together as he forcefully strode into the alley. With a sharp snap of his wrist, he snatched up her bag of clothing and stomped his foot hard. "Get the hell away from here!" he shouted angrily. "I'm confiscating these to compensate me for repairing the wall! Now get away from here and never come back, you hear?!"
Tifa, stunned, could say nothing. There wasn't much to say; she did wreck the clothing store's wall. Well, that, the barrel, and the alley itself. She nodded and bowed to the owner, and as he stormed away she looked back at the crater that she'd left. All that remained was an indentation in the ground and the shrapnel, every part of the barrel having been totally destroyed. So, with a smile, she took her fist and pumped it triumphantly.
Hell to the yeah!
Scene Eight
As her friends spread out around the city, Aerith was left sitting at a bench in the center of the square, where she looked into the mesmerizing flow of the water fountain. The water seemed to pulse with the breath of life, a brilliant sheen reflecting the sunlight into a prism of color. Watching it, her thoughts wandered back to Midgar, where the only water she'd observed was dark and polluted, stagnant in buckets and troughs.
So beautiful! I love all the colors! It's like a bouquet of flowers is sprouting all over the place! So bright, and cheerful, and... And... And it's so simple, too. Water's what gives us life, and watching it flow like this is hypnotizing... It's so mesmerizing...
After a few minutes of watching the fountain, Aerith decided it was time to look around, so she rose from her seat and wandered towards the center of town. As she walked down the sandy streets, she came upon a sleeping Red XIII. True to his word, his flame-like tail hung straight up, drooping into a tiny, limp tendril of fur. She smiled, and was about to speak to him before choosing to leave him to sleep.
Guess he finally got comfy...
The next part of town she went through was the shopping district, where Tifa had been shopping before being chased off by the clothing store's owner. She briefly stopped to look at the customers going about their business and walked away, not noticing the giant cracks in one of the buildings. As she passed through the streets, she was surprised to see Yuffie running full speed away from Panza, cackling all the way. All she could really do was laugh. Typical Yuffie...
Aerith's next stop was the Inn, where Barret had already checked in. Their rooms had been paid for and everything had been moved in. With a cheerful smile, she peeked in to Barret's room and gave a little chirp. Rather than see him respond, however, Aerith only watched as he laid on his bed and stared at the ceiling fan. Her smile quickly faded as she watched his eyes dead focused on the fan's blades. Whatever was bothering him, it was the only thing he was paying attention to.
Whatever is on his mind, I better just let him work it out...
She spent a few minutes looking over her room, which she would share with Tifa, before venturing out again into town. Having explored most of Costa del Sol, she found herself wandering aimlessly until she encountered Tifa relaxing on the bench she'd started on back at the beginning. After creating collateral damage in the alley, she'd wandered around for a while before plopping down to rest.
"He-e-ey! Ti-i-fa-a!" trilled Aerith as she waved her hand, alerting Tifa to her presence. Rushing up to her friend, she plopped down on the bench beside her. Tifa seemed to react slowly, her mind still on her successful new training method. "Having fun in town?" she asked eagerly. "I've been seeing all sorts of things!"
"Well, besides being chased off from my shopping trip," Tifa groaned as she put a hand to her head, "it hasn't been too bad, I guess. On the plus side, I figured out a killer new technique. On the other hand, I wasn't able to actually purchase any clothes..." she sighed. Remembering the tank top she'd been dying to try on made her frown a bit.
"Oh?" laughed Aerith, leaning back in the bench. "I guess that means Cloud's never going to see you in that bikini... Too bad for him..." Receiving a death glare from Tifa, Aerith cheerfully waved her off. "Kidding, kidding!" she trilled. Putting a finger to her mouth, she paused for a moment to wonder. "Where is Cloud, anyway?"
"Beats me," Tifa shrugged as she put her hands on her knees. The only place she hadn't been was the beach, so logic stated... "We should check the beach next," she said with a sigh. "I think that has to be where he-"
"You bastard! What the are you doing here?!"
Upon hearing Cloud's roar from down on the beach, Tifa and Aerith exchanged only a brief glance before rushing over there. What they found was a surprise to both of them: Professor Hojo of Shinra, laying back in a beach chair being fanned by two scantily clad women. Just as alarming, Cloud was breathing hard as he stared at him, his trembling hand reaching for his sword.
Scene Nine
"Cloud, don't!" shrieked Tifa as she dashed towards Cloud and restrained him with both arms. Though he struggled, Tifa's superior muscles kept him from breaking her hold. "Don't you dare fight here! You wanna bring the police down on us?!" she shouted as Cloud finally broke her hold and whirled around to meet her.
"Don't try and stop me, Tifa!" Cloud shouted as he pointed towards Hojo, who was relaxing in the sun and groping his attendant's butt. She didn't seem to resist, possibly because she was being paid to be there in the first place. "There isn't a chance in hell I'm not going to put this sucker in the ground! Don't you remember what he did to Aerith?!" he yelled, again reaching for the Buster Sword. This time, Tifa punched him in the gut, staggering him. "What's wrong with you?!" Cloud screamed as he held his stomach.
"You don't think I wanna beat him too a pulp, too?! Restrain yourself!" yelled Tifa as she gripped him by the shoulders. This wasn't the time or the place to fight. "Look! He isn't doing anything offensive to us!" Pausing, Tifa watched as Hojo moved up to his lady friend's breast. Her face fell and she cracked her knuckles. "On second thought, maybe I should kick his ass..." she growled.
"Hmm?" muttered Hojo as he adjusted his glasses. Cloud and Tifa turned as Hojo waved off his attendants and lifted his head towards the two of them. "Oh, you two? The ones from AVALANCHE?" he asked with a sigh. "Have you come to bring me my drink? I asked for a pina colada half an hour ago. Would you kindly bring me my drink, my little chickadee?"
"Oh, the hell you didn't!" Tifa shouted as she stormed towards Hojo, this time being restrained by Cloud. While he hadn't been able to break her hold, she couldn't break his either. As she struggled, Cloud's glare quickly convinced her to calm down. With a deep breath, she narrowed her eyes at Hojo and bared her teeth. "Fine, fine..." she growled, folding her arms. "But riddle me this: what are you doing here?"
"Me?" Hojo asked as he turned a lazy eye to the two party members. He sighed, leaning back in his chair and staring wistfully into the sunny sky. "I resigned from Shinra a few days ago," he said plainly to the shock of both Cloud and Tifa. "Is it so wrong for a man to retire for a vacation after decades of toiling for a corrupt enterprise?"
"I don't believe you..." snarled Cloud. His credibility was less than zero. Add to that the fact he was a pathological liar... "You can't honestly be saying they let you go in the middle of their search for Sephiroth! These are the kind of people who send assassins after ex-employees to clean up loose ends! Talk! What are you really doing here?!" he shouted.
"Oh-h-h? Is that how it is?" crooned Hojo with a smile. He turned his head up towards the shining blue sky and his smirk widened into a sinister sneer. "You say they're searching for Sephiroth... What about you? What exactly is the reason you're chasing him, hmm?" Hojo asked with a sigh, folding his arms as he looked up at the sky. "Do you have any particular... impetus for chasing him?" he wondered.
"I don't know what you're talking about, you jackass!" Cloud yelled as he clenched his fist. Taking in a deep breath, he exhaled and cooled himself down. "I'm chasing that bastard down to give him the justice he deserves!" he said. Much to his fury, Hojo loosed a chuckle. "What's so funny?!"
"Oh, me?" asked Hojo lazily. "Just an idle thought. With a genius of my caliber, thoughts come and go through my head like traffic on a highway..." he laughed. As Cloud fumed, he closed his eyes and his smile folded into a frown. His thoughts were more disturbed than he let on.
I'm starting to doubt whether my hypothesis is even plausible... At this point, I'm beginning to think I may have been wrong all along about the Reunion Theory...
"Professor Hojo..." Hojo cocked his head towards Aerith as she approached him. He seemed unconcerned at seeing her again, something that irritated her after all he'd done to her and her mother. "Do you remember me, Hojo?" she asked coldly, eyes firmly locked on the scientist.
"Ahh, the Cetra half-breed?" wondered Hojo, as he closed his eyes. Tifa was forced to restrain Cloud as Hojo's face cracked a smile. "Good to see you, my dear. It's been ages since you and I crossed paths, eh? You and your mother provoke such fond memories for me..." he laughed.
"Stuff it," snarled Aerith, her fists clenching. Remembering all he'd done made her want to deck him, but taking in a deep breath, she suppressed her disgust at the scientist. "I want you to tell me something, Hojo," she said calmly. "Are Sephiroth and his mother Jenova really Ancients? If anyone would know, it would have to be you..."
"Oh, them? Excellent question..." muttered Hojo. "My theory remains untested..." he sighed as he readjusted his glasses. "And to make any assumptions now would be quite unscientific. Thus, I must refrain from undue speculation..." As a waitress handed him his pina colada, Hojo took a sip and turned a lazy eye to Aerith. "And that's that. Be seeing you..." he said coldly.
"Don't give me that, you piece of-" Aerith started, but was held back by both Tifa and Cloud, who began to drag her off the beach, struggling all the way. As the three left, Hojo looked pensively at his drink, over to a struggling Aerith, and back to his drink. As he took another sip, a sinister smile crossed his face.
Her, on the other hand... I am quite confident in that hypothesis. She will lead us there, and perhaps to Sephiroth at the same time. Heh... Such a fascinating specimen. Not as pure as her mother, but she has potential...
Scene Ten
Though it took a few minutes to calm Aerith down, Tifa and Cloud managed to bring her back to the Inn to rest. Shortly thereafter, the rest of the party gathered together in Cloud and Barret's room to meet. He, Barret, and Red XIII would share that room, while Tifa and Aerith stayed in the other. Incidentally, Yuffie had her own room, much to her pleasure. Plenty of space to stash her stolen goods. She'd won the Roshambo earlier.
"Right, then..." Cloud muttered as he leaned back in his chair. It was time for him to tell the rest of them what he'd heard from Johnny. "Now that we're all back together, I guess it's about time we talk for a while. But, I'm kind of curious about what you guys did in town. Anyone care to start?" he asked.
"I found an excellent place to relax," said Red XIII as he sat up. He wouldn't admit it or tell them, but the soccer match with the boys had reinvigorated him. "And that's about it. The heat in this place is ungodly..."
"This place is awesome!" chirped Yuffie as she produced her stolen materia. She sat Indian style on the floor, admiring her haul. "Made out great! Took a part time job, then robbed him blind! If anyone's interested-" Yuffie was interrupted as Tifa bonked her over the head, the materia scattering around the floor. "Hey! I worked hard to steal all this!" she protested.
"And you're going to return it!" snapped Tifa as she knelt down to meet Yuffie's glare. Before Yuffie could protest, she was stared down by Tifa and forced to avert her eyes. "I won't tolerate common thievery from you! Give it back, beg for forgiveness, and that's that. Understood?" she asked as she cracked her knuckles. Yuffie flinched, unwilling to fight back and be bonked again.
"Gawd, what a buzzkill!" Yuffie snarled as she began to gather up the materia. Unseen by Tifa, however, she pocketed the Heal materia before she could notice. "Fine, fine! I'll slip it back in his inventory when he isn't looking. Tch... I did it for you guys!" she snapped. Inwardly, she also threw in a few dirty words in Tifa's direction.
"Oh, tell the truth! You did it for yourself!" Tifa growled, stunning Yuffie. Finally giving up, Yuffie handed the materia to Tifa. "If we're lucky, he won't press charges. But... then again, I can persuade him it's not in his best interest, so we'll be okay..." she sighed as she readjusted her glove, making her intentions clear that she would shake him down. Yuffie's face dropped. She was committing her own felony in that case. "What about you, Barret?" asked Tifa as she turned to him. "What did you do in town?"
Barret remained silent. While Tifa opened her mouth, Barret lifted his hand to silence her. Deciding not the force the issue, she turned back to Cloud. Unbeknownst to her, Barret shot her a fierce glare as she turned around. This was a sore spot for him, but he didn't want to let them know how he really felt. Cloud explained the situation to the party, telling them that he learned Sephiroth had headed west to North Corel. At the town's mention, Barret jolted and loosed a grunt, but no one noticed. The decision was quickly made to go west and cross the mountains to search for Sephiroth.
"Um... Cloud?" Cloud turned to Aerith as she looked at him uncertainly. He'd been present for the conversation with Hojo, and she had to ask a certain question. "Hojo called me a half-breed, but... how do you feel about me, Cloud?" she asked apprehensively. She had to see if he had feelings for her...
"How do I feel about you?" asked Cloud, confused. After a brief bit of thinking, he put his hands on her shoulder and gave her a warm smile. "You're my friend. Is there any reason why I should think otherwise?" he wondered. Aerith waved him off and the conversation ended there, but her thoughts continued to fester.
Do you still not understand how I feel about you...?
With a shrug, Aerith suggested that they turn in for the night, a motion that everyone agreed on. But as Tifa walked towards the door to lock it, she turned to Aerith with a weak smile. Aerith simply nodded her head and waved her good night, leaving Tifa to lock the door and plop down beside her friend. There were a lot of things to talk about, but she didn't want to do it tonight...
Author's Notes
This was the longest chapter yet! I didn't expect it would be as long as it was... But when I wrote the notes for it, I wanted to give each party member their own moment to shine. I believe I did that, so I'm satisfied.
The names for the three soccer-playing boys were based on some of the best soccer players in the world: Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Robert Lewandowski. My first idea was to use the three most common names in soccer in order - the most common first name is Daniel, the most common middle name is James, and the most common surname is Silva. I'm not sure what order I'd put them in, but the middle child would be called James. That's all I'd decided on. And please forgive me, but I know next to nothing about soccer. I hope I didn't make too many faux pas.
The name of the materia store owner comes from a couple sources. His given name, Niccolo, I took from the game Legend of Mana and its greedy merchant NPC. Panza in Italian translates roughly to "paunch," referring to his weight.
Tifa's section was heavily improvised, mainly because I wanted to include her new power up and make it flashy. Her hardened fist is based on "Haki" in One Piece, which is a manifestation of will power that creates a strong spiritual armor around the applicable body part. Just like Barret's air cannon, I felt a desire to include another reference to my favorite series.