Chapter 6: Tempest

They celebrated Aerith's awards by splurging on ice cream at the food court. Today, Aerith was Deedlit the elf and the wide shoulder pads on her outfit earned them plenty of room. Also on the up side as far as Tifa was concerned, 'Deedlit's' skirt was just as short as hers which meant Aerith couldn't flaunt the fact she could cross her legs today the way she had yesterday when she was wearing sensible pants. Tifa was wearing a smug little smile about it at the moment in fact.

"You know, I had someone offer me gil for my fairy picture – the one with the flowers."

"Yeah?" Tifa perked up at that. Her friend was talented with colored pencils and she'd always thought Aerith deserved some kind of recognition for it. Well, recognition beyond decorating the interior of Tifa's house and filling the walls of other friends' houses as well. Real credit.

The kind of credit that meant you got to move up to one of the Plate Sectors for instance.

Aerith twirled her spoon.

"I gave it to him instead. It was for his daughter's room."

"Aerith" Tifa shook her head. There was the practical part of her that wanted to shake her friend instead of her head. The practical, money grubbing part of her that knew exactly how much it cost to feed a family of four or pay for the power that ran the lights in a bar for a month or what a drought near Kalm did to the cost of alcohol the next year. It was the part of her that remembered sunshine all the time, not just on vacation and dreaded the thought of her friend's walks to the dilapidated old church in the evening gloom. But there was the other part of Tifa that not only approved but actually understood her friend's generosity. It was the part that knew how little kindness or thoughtfulness there was in the world and saw how even the smallest offer of it affected people. It was the part of her that found smiles more rewarding than gil and thought little children should always think the world was safe and fair and beautiful even though it wasn't.

The part of her that saw a little child inside of every adult.

Aerith just smiled at her friend.

"It's okay. I've already got another idea for that fairy but if I had her sitting in front of me, I wouldn't be able to draw it right." Tifa gifted her with one of those affectionate 'you're crazy' looks and finished off her ice cream.

"So have you seen Cute, Quiet and Blond today?" Aerith asked with a dancing light in her green eyes and Tifa shot her a look. Which just made her friend's face light up.

"You did? When? Did you get more snuggle time in?"

"Aerith" Tifa warned. "Total stranger. Not from around here. Never going to see again. Remember?"

Aerith gave her a narrow look.

"So? Like there aren't cell phones in Wutai?"

Tifa fought the urge to squirm and instead gathered up the small amount of trash from their table, stacking everything neatly.

"I don't do long distance relationships," she stated calmly and Aerith exhaled and gave her a soft, understanding smile.

"You don't 'do' relationships at all." Reaching out she patted Tifa's hand. "But its okay. I understand."

Tifa gave her a smile. A real, heart deep smile. Only Aerith didn't push, only Aerith just – just let her be who she was, mixed up and possibly not at all normal though it might be.

"There you are!"

Hands slapped down on the table in front of them and Tifa turned her head, startled to see the 'hastur' girl from yesterday. Looking dangerously excited. Today her shirt read: 'don't hit kids. No, seriously. They have guns now.'

"Here I am" Tifa agreed, not at all sure that was a positive thing. The girl grinned at her.

"We need more pictures." She got straight to the point at least. "We've found a Tempest and we want pictures. And you're the best Rita there is. We want Tempest and Rita pictures."

Tifa blinked and then frowned.

"Tempest?"

"You know – there was that free for all fight video game that came out last year. With all the characters from different movies? World Souls. It has Rita and Clash in it. And Tempest from the Last Dream video. Anyway, everyone thinks that Rita and Tempest should be together because in the video game he's really sweet and moody and Clash is still ignoring Rita and it would serve Clash right and make Rita happy."

Tifa listened to the explanation with brows that kept getting lower in confusion. Aerith made a little sound and started nodding.

"I remember. I played that when it came out. Aren't they going to release a sequel next year?"

'don't hit kids' nodded excitedly and turned her full attention on Aerith.

"Yeah! And I heard they were going to double up the attacks so you could power team with other players on line this time. Like Dead Fantasy only in video game form!"

"That's so exciting!" Aerith's face was all light and Tifa watched the two video gamers with a faint amusement. She didn't get it but Denzel and Marlene both enjoyed playing the same games on the battered game box she'd managed to get them last year. After they finished their homework of course.

"So that's why we need you" 'don't' was looking back at Tifa. "Because Sai is distracting him now but if we don't get you over there quick we'll lose our chance. Or she'll drag him off into a closet and have her way with him" she added after a moment's thought.

Aerith was now giving Tifa a look that seemed to indicate how bad that would be. Stifling a smile, Tifa stood up and picked up the tray, dumping its contents in the trash.

"All right" she agreed with a laugh. "Let's go save the video game universe."

"He was cute in the game. Is he cute?" Aerith wanted to know as they walked back toward one of the indoor waiting areas in the convention center. Tifa ran a hand through her hair and licked her lips to make sure she didn't still have chocolate on them. She could just see herself smiling for pictures with a mud mouth.

Tempest… Tempest… what the heck did Tempest look like? She wondered.

Like a tall guy with shaggy brown hair, a long gunblade and a short jacket over lean dark pants apparently, Tifa decided as 'don't's' friend from yesterday, Sai apparently, dragged him over by the arm. He looked about as amused but willing to go along with things as Tifa felt and returned her 'looks like we're stuck in this together' smile with one of his own.

"Tempest, Rita. Rita, Tempest" 'don't' gave the unnecessary introductions and Tifa stifled another laugh. It was awkward but it would have been more awkward if she or the 'Tempest' actor were taking it seriously. Which apparently by the looks on their faces they weren't.

"Okay" Sai dragged them both over to a nice mosaic wall. "Now these are sweet pictures."

"Romantic pictures" her friend called as Tifa handed over her camera to Aerith.

"He's saved you from a life of loneliness with Clash and she's healed the wound in your heart from losing the woman you loved" Sai set up the situation for them like a director giving actors their motivation.

"That was kind of you" Tifa told 'Tempest' and he laughed, eyes crinkling at their edges and shrugged.

"Apparently saving you from a jerk was the least I could do since you healed my heart."

"awwww" one of the two fan girls chorused and her friend elbowed her. Tifa stifled a snicker and stepped forward to face 'Tempest' who appeared to be waiting for her to make the first move. Probably terrified he'd do something wrong and have rabid fan girls at his throat or Tifa's fist in his nose.

Smart man.

'I'm Rita' Tifa reminded herself. 'I'm Rita in love with some guy named Tempest because I've gotten tired of waiting for Clash to pull his head out of his as-'

"Come on. Romantic" the 'director' instructed and Tifa rolled her eyes and stepped up to 'Tempest' to slid her arms around his shoulders and tip her face up to him. His hands closed around her hips but were behaved enough not to go anywhere else and his grey eyes met hers with a private, shared laugh in them.

"Do I have chocolate on my face?" she asked him while gazing up at him 'adoringly' and he chuckled, reaching up to move the hair back from her face.

"No. Do I have anything in between my teeth?"

She slid her hands down to rest on his chest as he stepped closer and lowered his head.

"All clear" she told him with a small smile, starting to feel a little heat seeping into her cheeks.

"I'm late, aren't I?"

The voice wasn't female and it wasn't from the man in front of her. Tifa's face turned to look just as the fangirls started to squeal in delight.

"Cloud – "