Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy or any of its characters. It all belongs to Square Enix.
A/N – Hello again and yaaay, I have reviewers! Thank you so much for the support. It is really important for me to know what you think about the story, even if not liking, because criticizes do help a lot. It makes all worthy. Well, I though of adding a little bit of more comedy elements on this chapter since the last one had too much of a nostalgia touch in it. I love comedy, though this might turn out a little bit darker later on! I will be updating the story every Friday because that way I will have time to conciliate it with my job and life, especially to avoid any writer block. Anyway, enjoy it!
Tifa's Theme
Chapter 2 – Daily Planet Heroes. Say what?
Tifa and Marlene were standing outside of a huge building. They were on the sidewalk, both looking mesmerized. Marlene was right, she thought. The place could easily sell just about anything seeing the size of it. Above, a sparkling sign held letters that read 'Odds and Ends – We sell anything!'.
Subtle.
They could see ahead, behind the thick glass, a vast segment of merchandises displayed through many divided sectors and showcases. It looked no different from a regular Market center, though way bigger, fancier and organized. Nothing like the old sector 6 once held. Just a single thought about the place still gave her the creeps.
She wondered who could own a place like this and afford to run such a large business. Maybe there were many owners that rent a spot to sell their products on. But still, someone had built it on that purpose. It was amazing, not to mention profitable, she thought vaguely. Imagine just how much money one could yield out of it? Her business like mind would never cease to spin around such facts. She owned and ran a bar after all.
Her pride and joy.
The Seventh Heaven.
Speaking of which, since she had agreed on bringing Marlene to visit the huge new store, she had the bar closed for the day. In spite of losing the day's paycheck, she couldn't be happier for seeing such a stunned look on Marlene's face. The girl was beyond happy, and for Tifa, that alone was priceless.
Ever since Barret left Marlene to her care, she had become more like a mother to her. Tifa would never regret it. Marlene was the daughter she chose to have and she was glad that the girl had adopted her as well. They completed each other as a family.
Before she could blink again and spare any more thoughts on the matter, she felt Marlene's hand tighten on hers and she was suddenly being dragged along by the girl, inside of the building. It wasn't really that hot outside but she welcomed the changing temperature; a chilling sensation rushed through her skin and she bristled a little.
Marlene kept pushing her into unknown directions, and she distracted her mind again, eyes scanning everything around of their surroundings.
"Tifa! Isn't it beautiful?"
She heard Marlene state excitedly by her side.
"It sure is." She also didn't hide her own excitement on her voice.
"I don't even know where to begin with… There are so many things to see!"
Tifa watched Marlene for a moment. There were probably a whole bunch of things to look around and they had to establish some priorities first or else they would only get lost and spend the whole day and afternoon without really getting anywhere.
"Hmm… How about that; we go look for Denzel's book first and then go on and check the wishing thing you want to see?" She offered; knees folded to level her gaze with the girl's.
Marlene went thoughtful before promptly agreeing. "Okay."
Tifa straighten up to stand again and they walked in the middle of an extended hall; each side of it a different sector could be seen. Their curious eyes were devouring almost everything around. They felt it was incredibly to see all categorized and in order like that. Things were so new and shining. Tifa even had a caution instinct not to touch anything displayed; afraid of damaging it, while Marlene's hand on the contrary seemed to have created a life on their on as they walked freely through miscellaneous things and gadgets.
"How come you never wear any dresses, Tifa?"
The question startled her a bit.
Marlene had dropped Tifa's hand and stopped in front of a Female Clothing's section on the store, which had a beautiful showcase with many different clothes' styles shown. She was skimming her hands through a rack of dresses that were hanging on a particular display set.
"Don't you like it?" Marlene went on absently. "You'd be so beautiful if you wear one. Not that you're not. I'm mean," She stammered with her words "because you are and–"
Tifa shocked her head to cut her.
"I know, sweetie. It's not that I don't like it. It just doesn't seem much practical."
She got hold on a pink dress; a long one, and placed it in front of her body, trying to coordinate the cloth with her own movements. "You see?"
She tried to show her point to Marlene, though her brain traced along other lines.
"I wonder… how she could wea–" She hesitated.
Marlene looked at her expectantly.
"–well… I like my shorts better, that's all."
She put the dress back on the hanger.
Marlene seemed to catch where her thoughts have wondered because she reached Tifa's hand and squeezed it lightly.
"It's okay, Teef." Marlene looked up at her and told her softly. "I miss the flower lady too."
She nodded in surprise, but was comfortable with the touch. The girl never failed to cheer her up and enlighten her mood.
"C'mon Marlene, let's go find Denzel what he wants."
Marlene dropped a dress she had took to try on and grabbed Tifa's hand again to follow her; a happy look on her face.
She didn't remember when the last time she wore a dress was. It was not that she didn't like it though, as she told Marlene, it really was not a practical outfit if you had to fight monsters and creepy villains on a daily basic. Sure, that mini skirt she used to wear on her AVALANCHE days had not been any more practical either, but she had being young then and had kept a little vanity for herself as much as she could.
She had had a favorite dress once, long ago worn and forgotten. It was a blue one, the same blue as those eyes that had stalked her on her childhood years. The same ones that had promised to rescue and help her whenever she was in a bind. The same ones that had promised to be her hero. The same ones that held the promise to be only hers, many years latter…
They came to a stop at the clearly book's section. A beautiful paradise for the readaholics, one could say. Piles of shelves and stands with loads and loads of books and magazines were displayed. All of the sets were themed and separated along specific categories. They had splat up on their way to the infant section to search for Denzel's precious magazine or comic book. Whatever he liked to call it; was both their thoughts.
"Let me see." Tifa pursed her lips, concentrated. "Daily Planet Heroes... Where is it?"
She had her face close to a shelf and was scanning it for said magazine when suddenly she was surprised by a poke on her abdomen. She looked to her side to see Marlene standing there.
"Hey, Teef! I found it." She giggled. "Is that Daddy?"
She handed a book to Tifa. Its cover read, Daily Planet Heroes.
"Let me see."
Marlene was pointing to the cover where a man with tanned skin much like Barret's was draw. He had short black hair, huge muscles on his arms and chest abroad, since he wasn't wearing any shirt; shaggy green military pants on and black combat boots. Strange enough, he had perfect arms, both of them and instead of a huge gun-arm on his right forearm; he had a bazooka up on his right shoulder, aiming straight.
She averted her eyes to see the full picture on the cover, and had to raise a hand to cover her mouth and stand still so she wouldn't roll on the floor and laugh out loud. Was that supposed to be a joke?
On the cover of the thick comic book, was, with bright colors, a picture of a very interesting group. The funny thing though, was the fact that even if the draw showed exaggerated aspects of the clearly Heroes ahead, they looked mostly as their on group did on her AVALANCHE days, when they ran all over Gaia to save the world from Sephiroth, and tried to stop Meteor from crushing the planet.
"I think they are us!" Tifa was incredulous.
The main character, or how it seemed to be, stood right in the middle of all the others and had an army like outfit and a huge sword on his hand, a SOLDIER portrait, was her first though, followed by Cloud and a chuckle escaped her lips. The character was red-headed but it held gravity defying spikes on his hair the same way his did. His eyes had a flourishing green color, probably a hint in it of the Mako infusion. He had a fighting stance, sword in hand aiming straight with his knees a little bent over. One leg ahead of the other. His semblance was serious. Focused.
There was a blond girl right beside him. She had her whole body sideward and both hands were resting on his left shoulder. One leg folded up and the other one fixed on the ground. She was wearing an almost cover-nothing pink dress; all tighten up to her body showing generous curves, white high heel booty and a yellow daisy clip fixed on her hair. She had a smile plastered on her face and was winking one eye. What? How could they portrait Aerith like that? She was looking like a naughty baby doll!
There was another female character was on his other side. She also had blond hair, but with a much darker tone. What was this with blondies, anyway? She wore a micro-skirt; mini didn't quite fit its description; a white tank top and she had black buskins on. Her features matched one of an Amazon; tone muscles and a very tall figure. Taller than the red-headed dude. If possible, her breast was bigger than Tifa's. She had a wicked grimace on her face and looked like she was ready to bark. Oh C'mon! Tifa was disgusted. She had never exposed that much belly before. Sure, her clothes didn't hide much from view, but still… And what was she here, a huge-not-decently-dressed-beast? Now instead of amused she was starting to feel a little pissed.
There was a man at their far back; all dressed in an elegant smoking outfit with a long red cape attached to its back. He reminded her of Vincent. His hair had the exactly same length and color, jet black. The only problem was, he had a creepy pose on, with both forearms crossed in front of his chest, and he was actually levitating. That wasn't the worst part though. She narrowed her eyes to watch his face closely and he had, what looked like two pointed and sharp teeth going off of his mouth, one on each corner of his upper lips. Creepy! He actually had fangs! Huge ones by the way.
On the creepy looking guy's side stood a short and skinny brunette ninja girl with two small shurikens on both her hands. The hilarious part of it, was that Yuffie had been portrayed exactly as a kid, who looked not much older than 12. A grin formed on her lips, as she could only imagine the indignant look on the girl's face and the outrageous sentence she would come up with. 'How dare they pictures the great and only ninja Yuffie, the single white rose from Wutai, as a baby with two pins on her hand? Whoever did this should consider himself very luck for not crossing my way or else it would be the last thing he ever did! It would only take me 3 and a half second to… or… maybe 2… no! 1 and a half…' or something along those lines.
Tifa was now laughing hard and Marlene looked at her with a weird wink. The girl seemed amused with the fact that Tifa could display so many emotions in a short time. Tifa shocked her head dismissively at her and continuous to inspect the comic book cover on her hands. Did Denzel actually like this? What a trash!
"Does Denzel really read this?" Marlene voiced Tifa's question; a grimace on her face.
"I guess he does."
The latest–Cid, that is, was by what-was-supposed-to-be-Barret's side and had short brown hair and huge goggles on his eyes, meaning, really huge! The usual cigarette on his lips was replaced by a cigar. His weapon now was a big and round rod. The old Highwind was also part of the group, spotted on the far background of the picture. The sad thing was that it was not a ship; it was a big balloon. She could only image Cid's face… "What the #$% & is this $# $? How the hell am I supposed to fly that bucket?".
Nanaki had been replaced by an imposing gray wolf, with huge fangs shown and looked as if ready to attack at any minute while Cait Sith was simply reduced to being its big robotic moogle. Poor thing!
"Can you imagine Cloud's face when he sees that?" Marlene exclaimed.
Tifa muffed a laugh. Marlene beat her to answer.
"Like he's seen a Bahamut with three heads on!"
She looked down at the girl and saw that she was trying to express the face she thought Cloud would have upon looking Denzel's soon to be, peculiar comic book; a very comical look of disbelief.
This time Tifa did laugh. Hard.
"He would definitely throw it away!" Tifa had to agree.
She knew Cloud would never give any credit to such a dreadful magazine.
She wiped her eyes moments after, removing the last remaining tears of her laughing state, folded the comic book and grabbed Marlene, gently, by her forearm.
"C'mon, sweetie, let's buy this thing already."
Marlene nodded in affirmative still giggling. Tifa guided her to the indicated place where they should pay.
"Finally!" Marlene cried moments later.
She snorted and threw her arms theatrically in the air after they left the book's section. "I thought we were never going to leave that place!"
She didn't bother to reply since she knew the girl was just goofing around. Both of them started walking and back tracked their steps through the hall in search of the store that held Marlene's desired wish-maker thing.
As soon as they found it, she let Marlene enter the large artifact and weird old-stylish-things section ahead; a very excited look on her face as she ran away for her quest. So full of life, Tifa thought.
She didn't followed Marlene inside, finding instead a nice bench outside to rest; set between two large sections. She made way to sit.
At one side of the bench was the artifacts section Marlene had entered and since she was sited right in the front of it, she could lay her eyes and watch for when the girl left, while on the other side…
Tifa turned her head to see what kind of section there was and had to lift a hand to cover her mouth to stop her from gasping.
Right there, inside of the section, on a far corner, was one of the most beautiful things Tifa had ever laid eyes on.