Title: Ominous Signs
A/N: Ahaha, I've been trying to post all my old fics and forgot to update this! Sorry about that! A long-ish? Update to make up for it? (well, longish for me, I have yet to get into the habit of 8k chapters).
Summary: Despite his surly attitude, Vincent was one of the best information brokers around. He knew the ins and outs of every town he visited, regardless of how long he'd been there. He'd definitely know when Tifa came to Midgar. Why she was so far from home. Why she was running a detective agency instead of being a model or singer or some other bright, aspiring dream.
If she still remembered what had happened that night. If she hated Cloud for it.
His throat tightened again.
…
…
…
…
Lucrecia's Cave hadn't changed a bit since the last time Cloud was there. The speakeasy was as dark and gloomy as the name suggested, a smoky place that was ideal for shadowy deals. Every time Cloud left the establishment, he smelled of a dozen different cigars. Fortunately, the thick smell was nothing like the suffocating scent of a fire.
The place was nothing like the glittering speakeasies run for the human side of town. The clientele here were from the seedy underbelly of the magical half of the world and it showed. The dulcet tones of jazz couldn't hide the cheap red couches, the heavy curtains of the private rooms, the sight of blood and meat carried by servers. Werewolves, vampires, and the like frequented the establishment, and their fare was not meant for human consumption.
Not that many humans frequented the place. Only mercenaries and the like came, and even then, it was only for a job. Cloud certainly wouldn't have come here if it weren't for Vincent. His vampiric weapon's dealer preferred the dark, and there were few places as dark under the midday sun.
Yuffie shielded her eyes with a hand as she squinted and scanned the place. "Now, where is he?" she murmured, fixated like a cat searching for its prey.
"Why block your eyes? There's no light," Cloud asked incredulously. His partner had always been a dramatic one. It was like she had a quota of useless actions she had to meet in a day.
"It's called ambience. Get with the program," Yuffie snapped back before standing stock still. Her cat ears perked as she found her prey and she licked her lips. "There he is."
This wasn't going to end well. She immediately bounced forward, her arms waving erratically. Even here, amongst her own people, she was the odd one out. Customers and servers alike couldn't help but stare as she all but ran in a straight line to a vampire sitting in a corner booth. The second he noticed her, he shot her a disgusted look but it was too late to get up. Too late to escape.
Yuffie was there and there was no running from her.
"Viiinnnceeennttt!" Yuffie chirped, drawling out his name for as long as possible. She had to be doing that on purpose, Cloud refused to believe otherwise. "Fancy meeting you here!"
And as expected, Vincent glared at Cloud, his red eyes glittering dangerously in the dark. His pale skin looked almost sickly in the dim light. "You said you'd stop bringing her."
"You try stopping her," Cloud retorted, just as grumpy.
"Guys, you're making me feel unwanted here," Yuffie sang cheerfully, utterly unrepentant as she plopped onto the table. She stretched her arms above her and kicked her feet lightly.
Vincent grunted, as brutally honest as Yuffie was forward. "That's the point."
"So mean." Yuffie didn't drop her cheerful demeanor as she scanned the room. She tapped her fingers on the table idly. It was a miracle she could stay still for so long. "I'm your best customer."
"He is," Vincent corrected, turning back to Cloud. His glare deepened. "Or was."
"Don't be like that." Yuffie giggled as she patted Vincent's shoulder lightly. "You know you'll never turn him down."
Vincent grunted in annoyance but didn't refute. "So. What do you want?"
Cloud unsheathed his metal gun-blade. Despite the lighter-than usual frame, it was still a heavy thing, and it made a clank as it lay on the table. There were scratches on the surface, signs of wear and tear. Or rather, of Cloud using it as a shield. "My weapon needs recalibrating. Cid'll need to see it."
Vincent ran his fingers along the gun-blade's edge, clicking his tongue in disapproval. "It'll take time."
"I don't have time," Cloud replied evenly. "Three days. Tops."
By this point, Yuffie had checked out of the conversation. She scanned the customers, her ears twitching as she inspected drunk after drunk. No doubt she was searching for an easy mark. Half-heartedly, she added, "I'll need more knives too."
Vincent rubbed his forehead. If it were possible for vampires to get them, Cloud was certain Yuffie was the origin for all of Vincent's. "You lost them?"
"Temporarily misplaced," Yuffie replied cheekily, grinning. She reached over and poked him in the cheek. "Don't worry about it."
Cloud snorted at the obvious lie. The knives were all left in the bodies of her targets. Retrieval was near impossible for anything other than an arena match. "There's nothing 'temporary' about it."
Miffed, Yuffie glared and retorted, "Better than you breaking your weapon every fight."
"It's not broken." Cloud's throat tightened at the thought. His weapon wasn't just a weapon, it was a memento, a reminder. "I can't—I won't break it."
She didn't notice his tone, his tense posture. Yuffie waved dismissively. "Yeah, yeah. It's chipped then. You abuse the poor thing."
Done with his inspection, Vincent set aside the gun-blade. "Anything else?"
Despite his surly attitude, Vincent was one of the best information brokers around. He knew the ins and outs of every town he visited, regardless of how long he'd been there. He'd definitely know when Tifa came to Midgar. Why she was so far from home. Why she was running a detective agency instead of being a model or singer or some other bright, aspiring dream.
If she still remembered what had happened that night. If she hated Cloud for it.
His throat tightened again.
It would be easy to find out now. At the very least, asking would quiet the voices in Cloud's brain, the ceaseless questions that piled up ever since they'd first seen each other.
His lips refused to form the words. Cloud turned away. "No, nothing."
There was a lengthy silence. Fortunately, Yuffie was distracted by potential marks and Vincent had never been one for prying. He merely gave Cloud a contemplative look before crossing his arms and leaning back against his seat. "Fine. Three days."
"I'll bring the usual payment," Cloud answered, forcing down the lump in his throat.
Yuffie zoned back into the conversation and wrinkled her nose. "Can't you take cash like a normal person? You know how annoying it is fencing gold and jewels?"
"Cash and governments can collapse," Vincent replied coolly. His jaw tightened, as though he were deciding something, before his expression returned to apathy once more. "The next part's free."
"Free?" Yuffie reached out to touch Vincent's forehead. "Can vampire's get sick?"
Vincent batted her hand away. "He's back."
Cloud raised a brow. A sense of dread ran down his spine. "He?"
"Sephiroth." Vincent's eyes were a dark, bottomless void. "He's been spotted in town. Be careful."
-x-
Tifa took a deep breath. Immediately, she regretted it. Denzel's home was out in the slums of the city, in a place with dirt roads where urine marked the walls. It was a forgotten place, abandoned by the upper crust of society. At one point, she had lived here, in the narrow corridors that were almost claustrophobic.
And now, here she was again, standing in front of a worn, wooden door. The knocker had broken off long ago.
"I thought they have a better place by now," Barret muttered from beside her. He was just wearing a vest over his dress shirt today, having given up on his jacket.
Marlene perched on his shoulder like a bird. "This is where Denzel lives?" she asked, worrying her lip. Her eyes were wide as she took in her surroundings and she clutched her father's head nervously.
"Don't worry, Marlene." Barret awkwardly reached up with his other hand, trying to pet her. "Papa's got ya."
Marlene nodded, though her eyes were still big and her wolf ears swiveled at any tiny sound.
Steeling herself, Tifa rapped the door.
Through the paper-thin walls, she heard a small thud and a groan. Then footsteps before the door swung open, revealing a disheveled Denzel. The bags under his eyes were more prominent, his skin paler. He looked almost like a vampire. Her heart ached as she reached out for him, but he shied away from her touch.
Somehow, that just made it worse.
"You're here," he muttered, suspicion clear in his voice. Despite her presence, he still didn't believe them.
That was fine. It was their jobs as adults to prove their words.
"We said we'd come." Tifa smiled kindly.
He didn't return it. Past him, she made out a darkened room, with a single light spilling out from under a closed door. The sickly-sweet scent of sweat filled the air. Even without asking, it was obvious his mother was worse.
Tifa glanced at Barret. He nodded and crouched. "Marlene, could ya wait out here for me?"
She clutched his head tighter. "I gotta?"
"Just for a little, honey." He grinned as she reluctantly scampered off his shoulder. Even then, her small hands clutched his pants and her tail drooped. Barret glanced at Denzel. "Hey, little man, could ya stay with Marlene?"
Denzel's eyes narrowed and he scowled. "Why?"
"It's just to keep your mom safe," Tifa explained quickly, her hands on her knees as she met him at eye level. "We don't want to crowd her while she's not feeling well. Please? It'll be a great help."
Marlene had always been quick on the uptake. It was both a blessing and a curse; Barret had always wanted her to have an idealistic childhood. The world had other plans. Today, though, it was handy as she perked her ears and let go of Barret. Taking a tiny step forward, she grabbed Denzel's arm and tugged. "It'll be okay."
His expression softened slightly, though he still shot them a distrustful glare. "Fine."
"Just don't go too far," Barret added, always the nervous father.
Denzel merely gave him a reproachful look before pulling Marlene down a side road.
"Kids these days," Barret grumbled, ducking his head as he entered the small hovel. "No respect."
Look who's talking,Tifa thought as she followed after.
The apartment was as small as she expected, just two rooms with an attached kitchen. In the dimly lit bedroom, Denzel's mother, Chloe, lay on the bed, as pale as sheet. Sweat beaded down her skin, her lips parted as she mumbled incoherently. Her once-lustrous black hair was limp and Tifa felt a pang, remembering how energetic the woman had been when they'd last met. It looked like she had one foot in the grave already.
If they'd come any later, it would have been too late.
It already felt like it was too late.
"Shit, how'd you get so bad?" Barret snapped as he stopped at the doorway, incredulous.
Tifa glanced around for a clean cloth before approaching the bed. Crouching next to the poor woman, she wiped the sweat off Chloe's forehead. "Are you okay?"
The muttering stopped and slowly, Chloe opened her eyes. Her gaze was unfocused as she stared blankly at the ceiling before turning slightly toward Tifa. She blinked once, twice, before squinting. "Tifa?" She shifted slightly, noticing Barret. "Barret?"
"We're here to help." Tifa gently clasped her hand. It was warm. Chloe was feverish but at least she was conscious. "I'll call for a doctor."
"I can't—" Chloe rasped before breaking into a wheezing cough. Her shoulders shook and she gasped as she tried to breathe.
"Shit," Barret swore, awkwardly sitting on the other side of the bed. His hand dangled uselessly in the air for a moment before he lowered it.
"Breathe," Tifa commanded as she carefully helped Chloe into a seated position. Soothingly, she rubbed her back. "Take your time."
Chloe managed a weak nod as she broke into another coughing fit. Tears spilled from the corner of her eyes as she slowly calmed down. Eventually, her breathing shallowed and she sighed with relief. Quietly, she continued, "I can't afford it."
"Don't you worry about that," Barret said, his jaw set. "What happened? This doesn't look like the flu."
"I don't know." Chloe's fingers dug into her blanket, and she hung her head. She shrugged weakly. "I just…I've been feeling bad for a while. And then it got worse."
"Since when?" Tifa pressed. Maybe it was her time investigating, but something didn't smell right about this. She'd seen Chloe before—the woman ran a tight ship, there was no way she'd stay this sick for more than a few days. And to hear Denzel tell it, Chloe had been down for over a month.
Chloe bit her lip, glancing at Tifa. "I…I don't know." She gnawed on her lip for a bit, pondering it. "Since…" Her fingers tapped the blanket. "Since…I guess, since our job moved locations."
Barret glanced at Tifa, sensing it too. "Where'd you move?"
"Into a warehouse." Chloe smiled weakly. "It's a bit dusty but…they changed our work, so I guess it doesn't matter what the place is like."
"Changed your work?" Tifa frowned, not liking the sound of that.
"Giving us tools and weapons to enchant." Chloe sighed sadly. "It's not what it used to be but the pay's the same at least."
Barret tapped his alchemical arm, looking even angrier. "You can do more than just tools."
"I know but management changed." Chloe shrugged helplessly, her expression worn and tired. "They changed everything else too. And the high quotas—"
Chloe coughed again. Tifa quickly patted her back once more, helping her force it out. They couldn't delay this any longer; the questions would have to wait. "Barret, call the doctor."
-x-
Honey Bee Inn was just as gaudy and loud as Cloud expected. The imposing building was covered in florescent neon sign saying "HONEY BEE INN" and a paper mache sculpture of a bee. The walls were bright yellow and dripping orange. The two-storied building's windows were heart-shaped.
It reminded him of a brothel, if less seedy than the ones he knew.
Yuffie didn't look off put in the least. If anything, she was even more excited. Pumping her hands as bounced in front of the entrance, she all but screeched, "We're here!"
"We're not catching a show," he reminded her, least she drag him into another situation.
"Of course not. You know how expensive it's here?" Yuffie shot back, her eyes glued on the inn's exterior. "That's for later, when the Don's paying."
"He's not going to pay for you," Cloud muttered, rolling his eyes as he started to study the perimeter.
The building was a corner one. That was a plus, easy escape. There was an alley nearby. The fire escape on the side wasn't in the best condition. There were way too many windows, and none with bars. Cloud could think of a dozen different ways to break inside, and that was without even entering the building. He'd bet a million the layout inside would make it even more insecure.
"Place is littered with holes," Cloud muttered, rubbing his forehead. He was just going to have to keep an eye everywhere. "This is annoying."
"You say that every time," Yuffie retorted, perching on the neon sign. Just when had she gotten up there? There was something catlike about her pose as she studied the streets. It didn't hurt she was now sporting her cat ears that swiveled around as she listened for suspicious sounds.
"I'm right every time," he countered easily, watching as she leaned backwards as she stared down a side alley. Anyone else would have fallen off but Yuffie's balance was second to none.
Her legs swung as she sat back up and wrinkled her nose. "Maybe. Not really."
It wasn't a refutation, and he crossed his arms. "Our work'll be cut out for us."
"Ugh, way to make things boring…" Yuffie's shoulders slumped and she scrunched her nose, irritated. "It's the Honey Bee Inn! At least pretend to care!"
"One of us has to work." Cloud looked at the main street once more. Should he look into how many side streets there were or hiding spots instead or—
A small girl, no older than five, peeked out from behind a tall, concrete column. She scanned her surroundings nervously as she fearfully clutched her dirty pink dress. Add in her messy bobbed hair and clearly she had gotten into some trouble.
Cloud quietly stated, "There's a girl."
"Huh? What are you—" Yuffie followed his line of sight and little out a small squeal, followed by a yelp as she got too excited. She almost fell off the sign. Her tail curled tightly around the metal pole as she scrambled to keep her grip. When she finally stabilized, she leaned tiredly against the pole. "That was close."
He snorted. "You overacted."
"Can you blame me? She's adorable," Yuffie purred, glancing around. "And no one to watch her, huh? Think she's lost? She's far from home."
"You know her?" Cloud asked, glancing up at his partner.
"Nope, but she doesn't seem to be from around here, right?" Yuffie grinned as she quickly scaled the thin, metal pole back down. "Too well dressed."
He coincided the point. Her clothes weren't upscale, but still far better than what the children here were wearing. And she looked far too nervous to be a local.
The girl was lost.
That only left only one thing to do.
Cloud groaned. While he didn't like to go out of his way to help someone, he also couldn't ignore something happening right in front of him. "Let's find out."
"Woah, seriously?" Yuffie skipped right up to him, her eyes bright. She nudged him with her elbow and flashed him a teasing smile. "You really do have a heart."
It was an old joke. Cloud gave a disgruntled grunt as he walked faster. One of these days, she'd retire the tired bit and move onto something new. Knowing Yuffie, though, her replacement joke would be just as annoying.
The little girl flinched as they got closer. Her eyes widened in panic and she pressed herself against the pole, as though the slim cylinder could hide her. It was a child's mentality. Fortunately, there happened to be a second toddler here to talk to the stranger: Yuffie.
Yuffie crouched in front of the kid, her smile bright and friendly as she waved. "Hey, I'm Yuffie. What's your name?"
The little girl hid her head behind the column like a turtle retracting. Now that they were closer, Cloud noticed the wolf ears on the girl, the slightly wild look in her eyes. A werewolf pup. At least that made it obvious which of Midgar's two populations she came from.
"We won't hurt you," Yuffie tried again, her smile not dropping a notch.
The little girl gingerly poked her head out, her eyes suspicious. "You won't?"
"I won't," Yuffie promised.
It was an unnecessary jab. All it did was make the girl look up at him now, her eyes wide and fearful. Cloud sighed, forcing his lips up into what he hoped was a smile. "I won't either."
The girl glanced at him, then at Yuffie. "I-I'm Marlene," she stuttered as she slipped out of her hiding spot. Noticing Yuffie's ears, her eyes brightened and she all but skipped to the woman. "You have ears too!"
Yuffie giggled and wiped her eyes. "Y-yeah. I have…" she snorted again. "Ears." She wiggled her cat ears. "He doesn't though."
Marlene looked at Cloud pityingly. She tugged on his pants with a chubby fist. "That's ok. Daddy doesn't either."
Yuffie was definitely asking for it now. Cloud bit back a retort. At least they got something useful out of this—her father wasn't a werewolf. Unfortunately, he didn't know the locals well enough to make use of it. "Great."
Marlene beamed at him. "What's your name?"
When Cloud didn't say anything, the still-crouched Yuffie elbowed his knee, sending a spasm of pain up his spine. With an innocent smile, she mock-whispered, "The sour puss is Cloud."
"Cloud's a pretty name," Marlene informed him with all the wisdom a five-year-old had.
"It's wasted on him," Yuffie lamented, wiping a fake tear from her eyes.
Not for the first time, Cloud questioned why he had partnered up with Yuffie in the first place. He could feel his energy draining just from the conversation. It was time they got to the point. "Are you lost?" he asked point blank.
"No, I'm with…" Marlene glanced left and right, then repeated the motions faster. Her expression grew panicked and she whirled around as she realized that she was lost. "Denzel? Daddy?" Her voice raised in pitch with each word and by the time she turned back to them, her eyes were bright with tears. "They're gone."
"Shit." Yuffie covered her mouth, flustered. "Whoops. Shouldn't say that. Uh." She forced a smile and held her hands out, gingerly grasping Marlene's. "Um. It'll…It'll be ok."
Marlene started sobbing. "Daddy…"
Frazzled, Yuffie looked up at Cloud pleadingly. "Right?"
Cloud stiffened. If there was one thing he was worse at than Yuffie, it was dealing with children. Especially crying children. Marlene's waterworks didn't seem like they'd end any time soon. The only thing he could remember was his own childhood, his mother rubbing his back as he sobbed after a nightmare.
His body now felt large and clunky as he knelt in front of Marlene. He wrapped an arm around her and awkwardly patted her back. "Don't cry."
She started to cry harder.
"Shit," Yuffie repeated. Her tail twitched as she glanced around for someone, anyone to help. A thought struck her and she stepped back. A poof of smoke and a black cat stood in her place. Despite how she complained it was undignified to act like a house pet, Yuffie purred and rubbed against Marlene's legs.
Still sobbing, Marlene pulled away from Cloud and looked down. When Yuffie purred again insistently, rubbing her head as though she wanted to be pet, Marlene hiccupped and gingerly scratched between the cat's ears. The purring increased and Marlene hiccupped again before giggling.
Yuffie's tail hit Cloud's thigh. He could almost hear her say See? That's how it's done.
As though they weren't both panicking a minute ago.
Cloud sighed. Either way, Marlene had stopped crying. The crisis was averted, if only for now. Yuffie's tail hit him again, as though reminding him to carry on. Awkwardly, he rubbed his neck. "Marlene…"
Fortunately, Marlene made the first move. She wrapped her arms around Yuffie, picking up the black cat clumsily. If this had been a normal cat, it would have slipped out of her grasp immediately. Squeezing Yuffie tightly, Marlene pleaded in a trembling voice, "I want my dad."
There was no getting out of this now. Cloud nodded. "Yeah. We'll find him."
Her eyes, bright with tears, were impossible to ignore. Holding Yuffie with just one hand now, she reached up with her other and grabbed his finger. She was so small that Yuffie's cat form looked like it was half her weight, that his hand could dwarf hers, that as they walked down the street he had to walk in half-steps.
He must have been this small once. His mother must have held his hand like this once. Cloud's memories of his past were fragmented and scattered, as though the fire that forced him to leave home had burned most of his memories, leaving only charred pieces in the ashes.
Clearing his throat, he asked, "Do you know where you live?"
"A big, rickety house," Marlene chirped immediately, absolutely confident in her reply.
Cloud bit back a scathing remark. They were surrounded by such houses. He'd have to try a different tactic. "Do you remember how you got here?"
Marlene bit her lip, her brow furrowed as she concentrated. She glanced around once, twice, thrice. Her frown deepened. After a few minutes, she shook her head. "No…"
Yuffie sighed and nuzzled Marlene.
"That's fine," Cloud lied. It looked like he had a long afternoon ahead of him.
-x-
The long afternoon lasted a solid two hours of them weaving between alleys, of Marlene looking more and more worried as they passed each street, of Yuffie purring louder and louder when her distraction was failing. Cloud was at the end of his rope when they heard a loud, booming voice call, "MARLENE!"
The voice sounded vaguely familiar.
Marlene clearly recognized it. As though she were burned, she let go of Cloud and dropped Yuffie. "DADDY!" she shouted as she ran forward, turning the corner.
Yuffie yowled as she turned midair and landed gracefully on her feet. Cloud was certain she just broke a physic's law, there was no way she had enough time to do that. It had to be magic. It was the only thing that made sense
Jogging after Marlene, Cloud turned the corner just in time to see her run up to an imposing black man, his muscle's as thick as Cloud's sword. There was a young, nervous Japanese boy next to him, his expression melting into relief as Marlene ran toward them.
"Marlene!" the man shouted again, automatically dropping to his knees and embracing the small girl tightly. Even if she hadn't called him Daddy, it would have been impossible to recognize his desperate and affectionate expression as anything other than a father's. "Don't go wandering like that again!"
"Ow." Yuffie padded around the corner now and rubbed her forehead with a paw. Despite how she acted, she was fine. If it had really hurt, she would have just lain there.
"Are you okay, Marlene?" the boy—her brother?—asked. He hung back slightly, as though he were in trouble.
"Yeah, that nice mister helped me," Marlene chirped, still pressed against her father. She giggled as he rubbed her head and her back, inspecting her for injuries. "That tickles, Daddy!"
"Let me have a good look at you," her father ordered, still studying her. When he was satisfied, he looked up. "Thanks for bringing my baby—"
When he cut off and stared at them suspiciously, Cloud raised a brow and glanced down at himself. Just what—oh. Right. He forgot he was carrying around a large sword gun. While his suit and hat didn't look out of place, there weren't many who carried such a large weapon.
"Did you try to kidnap her?" her father growled, protectively pulling Marlene closer.
Yuffie growled. In an angry poof, she transformed back into a human and snapped, "Of course not!"
Cloud merely snorted. "Why would we?"
Her father stiffened immediately. That obviously wasn't the right thing to say. Standing up now, he bit out, "I don't like that answer, pretty boy. Now—"
At that very moment, as though summoned, Tifa jogged out of a side alley. She wiped her brow as she stopped. "I couldn't find—Marlene?" She stared down at the small girl, shocked.
"Tifa!" Marlene waved cheerfully.
"Where did you—" Tifa cut herself off again as she noticed the clusterfuck she had entered. Slowly, she turned from the half-standing family unit to Cloud and Yuffie. "Uh." Fortunately, she had always been quick to adapt and she plastered a smile. "Did you find her?"
Cloud merely nodded as Yuffie snickered. "Yeah."
Marlene's father looked unconvinced. He glared at Cloud. "Tifa, you know these punks?"
"Well, uh, kinda?" Tifa answered, scratching her cheek. She gestured at Cloud. "I know Cloud, but…" She shot Yuffie a curious look. "You're…Yuffie, right?"
"You remembered!" Yuffie grinned, already over her previous irritation.
"Cloud?" Marlene's father snorted, his lip curling in distate. He grumbled, "Better to just call him pretty boy."
Marlene giggled, not catching the derision. She nodded her agreement eagerly. "Cloud's pretty."
Her father bristled and barked, "I don't like him!"
