Wow, you guys, 195 hits? 3 reviews? Dang! Thats awsome! I never expected that. Keep reading and I will keep writing!
Let me just make this clear that this story takes place 7 years after Arlena was born. We are just going to say that Tifa is 25...
Tifa reached over to turn her blaring alarm clock off. It was seven in the morning. She stretched and yawned before getting out of bed and heading into the kitchen. Moving to the small refridgerator, she grazed her fingers over the small glass of water that she had put the rose in. She smiled as the rose scent wafted into her nostrils, filling them with the sweet smell. She opened the refridgerator and pulled out a small jar of jelly, the last two pieces of bread, and a juice box. She reached into one of the cupboards and pulled down a jar of peanut butter, while focusing her other hand on pulling out a knife and a ziploc baggy from the drawer in front of her. She fixed a small sandwich, shoved it into the ziploc, then placed the ziploc and juice box into a pink "My Little Pony" lunch box that lay open on the stove.
Walking into the small bedroom of the apartment, Tifa gently sat down next to her 7 year old daughter, Arlena. She brushed her dirty blonde hair out of her face, and lightly tapped her on the shoulder. As the small girl blinked her eyes open, Tifa smiled.
"Hey sweetie, you gotta get up. You've got school in a few hours." Tifa said as she absentmindedly drummed her fingers on Arlena's shoulder.
Arlena sat up slowly, and scratched the back of her head, smiling at her mother before releasing a large yawn. Tifa got up and made her way out to the kitchen once more, removing the milk and three slices of cheese from the refridgerator. She got down two glasses and poured the milk evenly into each one. Moving to the living room, she set two slices of cheese next to one glass of milk on the coffee table, and took a sip from the other before unwrapping the orange square.
Shoving her hand into the seat cushion behind her, Tifa groped for the remote control. It took a few seconds, but she finally was able to point it at the television and turned it on. Scrolling through the channels, she found that Fullmetal Alchemist was about to come on this morning, and tossed the remote on the other side of the couch, just as Arlena was about to sit down.
"Did you brush your teeth?" Tifa asked as she bit into the cheese.
"Mmhmm!" Arlena mumbled, her mouth already full.
"Did you...Put your jammies under your pillow?" Tifa smiled as she gazed into the t.v., watching the many morning comercials, before the Adult Swim logo popped up.
"Yes, mommy." Arlena took a drink of milk.
"Good. Now since today is Friday, and mommy has another show," Tifa took a drink, "if you want to spend the night at Marie's house, you can." Tifa looked over at her daughter who was smiling.
"But mommy...Its the weekend of winter break! Can I spend the weekend over there and then come to the theater and watch you preform?" She grinned big, showing off a slot where a tooth had recently escaped.
"Well...," Tifa pondered on whether or not it was such a good idea, "sure. I dont see any harm in that."
"Yay!" Arlena pounced on her mother in a great big hug.
"Alright, now come on. We gotta go catch your bus." Tifa said, and gently pushed her daughter off of her and slipping her feet into a pair of slippers. Arlena grabbed her lunch box off of the table and rushed to the door, her mother walking swiftly behind, stopping to grab a robe off of the coat hook.
As they walked down the stairs, Arlena smiled a big smile as she looked up at her mother.
"Mommy?" She asked.
"Yeah, sweety?" Tifa still looked ahead of herself as they climbed down.
"Are we going to stay here forever?" Arlena inquired, slowly.
"I dont know, sweety." Tifa said as she looked down at her daughter, questioningly.
"Well I like this place." Arlena smiled, and rushed down the last few steps and to the door, waving at Mordrio as she ran by.
Tifa followed her daughter quietly, and as they went out to the street, Arlena climbed onto the big yellow bus that was waiting for her outside.
As it drove off, Tifa walked back into the appartment building, and sighed.
"I got somethin for ye, today, Tifa. A weird guy with red hair showed up and dropped it off. He was real chatty. This one big bald guy was following him around." Mordrio said, as he reached under the counter and pulled out a small brown box.
Tifa looked at it questioningly, and took it, as she walked back up the stairs. It had her adress, and her first name on it, but no last name. The return adress was listed to be in Edge. As Tifa hit her floor, she walked inside and sat on the sofa, pondering on whether to open it or not. Finally, she reached onto the coffee table and picked up a small hairpin, sliding it under the tape on the box. As she opened it, she couldnt believe what was inside. It was a glowing yellow orb. Next to it was a small note, which she read.
We havent forgotten. We know where you are.
-Vincent Valentine
Tifa was shocked that Vincent would send her anything, but the fact that they knew where she was made her upset. She didnt want them to know...
A knock on her door made her jump 90 feet.
As she walked over to the door, she cautiosly flipped the lock, then asked who it was. At that same moment, the person on the other side of the door rammed into it, breaking the lock in two.
She never expected who was on the other side of the door.