Final Fantasy VII
The Marked Ones
Chapter One: Something Is Terribly Wrong
The evening drifted into sunrise without another violent encounter; and as the sun shined through the window upon Tifa, she awakened with her silk sheets and upon her bed. Looking around she realized she was in her undergarments and that the bandaged man was fast asleep upon the floor holding his sword upwards.
Quickly Tifa covered herself with the silk sheets, but realizing the man was asleep she released them and stood up from the bed. Kneeling in front of the man she gracefully ran the back of her hand upon his wrapped face. A lock of silver hair fell through an opening of the bandages. Studying his face she felt a chilling familiarity with this man, but no person came to mind for the moment.
Tifa then took out a patted sleeping bag, an extra pillow and laid it down next to the man. There she pulled the man into the sleeping bag, zipped it shut and turned her attention to his sword. She reached for it, and before even grasping it a shock to the fingertips ceased her reaching hand.
Softly touching her lips with her bruised fingertips Tifa peered into the full length mirror just at her side. She appeared the same, but there was a strange black marking upon her ribs where she had been stabbed at. This marking was a bold and thick cross with a triangle drawn from the intersecting lines and a piercing violet eye within that triangle. Carefully she caressed the strange marking which was tender to the touch.
Sounds coming from downstairs put Tifa on her guard. She dressed with haste then headed downstairs preparing herself for another round. But upon the base floor it was only Cloud, Denzel and Marlene cleaning up the bar from last night's affairs.
Cloud peered up at Tifa, "What exactly happened? Did some of the customers get a little too drunk and start mouthing off to the wrong people?"
"Cloud," Tifa stepped towards him.
Cloud went on in a playful nature, "I bet someone mouthed off to you, and you were all like," he began act out a bar fight scene with Denzel and Marlene encouraging him, "and then you got really serious," he jumped on a table, but slipped upon a slick surface and fell onto his back.
"Cloud, I have to tell you something," Tifa began again.
Lying upon his back, Cloud watched as Tifa crept towards him. He flipped up, sat upon the table and spun around to face her. There he grasped her shoulders and gave a slight shake trying to brighten her seriousness into cheerfulness. "Dilly-dally Shilly-shally."
With Cloud's glistening smile beaming at her, Tifa could not help but to move passed last night's evening, and the strange marking, and smiled back at him. "Dilly-dally Shilly-Shally." She echoed with a caring smile.
He leapt off the table and began cleaning once again, "Everything is okay I just wish you didn't have to show off. The poor bar probably got the worse of the fight."
"Cloud, I really need to tell you," Tifa started again, but quickly was interrupted by Cloud lifting her up and swirling her around.
"Your strength is a blessing and curse, you know that?" he stated finally letting her down upon her feet. He went back to cleaning only to notice that Tifa was rubbing her arm nervously; this made him turn back around and say, "Is there something else that happened?"
Cloud's expression softened to a look of worry; Tifa never liked that look. She never wanted him to worry even if it meant she had to suffer in silence. Touching her side she pondered if she should tell him or let it be for now. After all it was just a mark, what harm could a simple mark do?
But Tifa had to at least explain why there was a strange man in her room, and she needed to explain it in a way that Cloud would not get the wrong impression, or perhaps even jealous.
"Marlene," Tifa gave the girl some gil, "could you and Denzel go to the market and pick up some meat for tonight's rush? Anything will do."
Marlene gave a smile before dragging Denzel and heading out. Cloud watched them as they left then turned to Tifa, "So are you going to tell me what happened, Tifa, or will I have to tell you what will happen?"
"What will happen?" Tifa inquired with a raised brow.
Cloud dropped everything and moved closer to her with a stern look. He did not blink or look away as he moved close slowly pinning Tifa's back into the bar. She tried to raise her arm, but he quickly snatched it along with her waist.
Moments of silence lingered until Tifa went to speak, but Cloud interrupted, "I know about everything, Tifa."
"You do?"
"Yes," he said releasing her he spun around reaching inside his pocket, "I was foolish to think we could ever be friends, especially the way we've been acting."
Tifa's heart pounded deep inside, her palms became damp and she could feel her face flushing with nervousness. It appeared Cloud was pulling something out of his pocket when her phone rang. Cloud stood still tightening his free hand into a fist, and the phone rang again.
Shaking her head, Tifa reached for her phone and the screen read Barret. It rang a few more times in the quietness of the bar. But the last time, she answered it, placing the phone on speaker.
"Tifa, fuck…" Barret's voice seemed to be tense with loud gunfire in the background, "shit! Tifa, Tifa y'there?"
Cloud spun around and moved close as Tifa spoke, "Yes. Barret are you okay? What's happening?"
A loud explosion echoed causing Tifa and Cloud to cringe then followed by Barret stressed voice, "Marlene, y'have to take care of her! I don't think I can get through this fucking shit…Dyne…Dyne…Tifa, whatever happens don't let him take my baby girl! Tifa!?"
"I'm here." Tifa replied.
She looked at Cloud who was stunned, but then spoke, "Barret, where are you? I can get there quick."
"I'm still in the god-damn Ancient Forest," Barret let out a painful yell, "fuck! I don't think I can make it…watch Marlene…watch her, Tifa!"
"Barret, I'm coming for you! Don't you die, idiot!" Cloud shouted through the phone.
"I rather have Tifa, but I guess your dumb ass will do." Barret tried to joke when the phone shut off.
Cloud hurried to gather his things, strapping his Buster Blade on he headed for the door. Tifa slipped on her gloves and followed him, but he stopped her at the door, "You're not going Tifa."
"What? Why? I can help." She stated.
Cloud turned to her, "I need you to stay here, and watch Marlene and Denzel. You heard Barret."
Without another word spoken, Cloud walked out the door with Tifa following behind, "Cloud, about the fight last night."
"Tifa, I don't care about the fight," Cloud said as he climbed onto his bike, "you are all right, so that's all I care about."
Tifa gave a slight smile before asking, "How are you going to get across to the Ancient Forest? Your bike doesn't drive through water."
"We still have Chica, right?" Cloud referred to the golden chocobo they raised at the Chocobo Farm. Tifa nodded as he started his bike up, "Call then in advance and tell them I should be there late this evening. From there I'll take Chica, and I should get to the Forest in about two days if I don't stop."
"Right," Tifa nodded. Turning around Cloud grabbed her hand, pulled her towards him then gave her an unexpected kiss.
He looked up at her blushing face, "I want to finish our conversation after I recuse that idiot."
Cloud shifted into gear and zoomed off. Tifa watched until Cloud's bike was out of sight, and upon turning back toward the bar she saw the bandaged man peering out from the window. But quickly he backed away from the window when noticing Tifa peering up back at him.
/\/\/\/\
Tifa headed upstairs, and pushing open her door she saw the bandaged man sitting by the window as he stared out the window through the sliver between the curtains. He seemed unaware of her presence until she stepped inside. Then his glowing jade eyes peered over at her almost annoyed of her presence.
Making eye contact with those haunting jade orbs an image of the One-Winged Angel appeared inside Tifa's head. She shook her head, looking back at the man he was now peering back outside.
"I don't think I ever had the chance to thank you." Tifa uttered carefully moving towards him.
"Don't." the man murmured lowly, "Never thank someone if you do not understand their intentions behind an action."
His smooth, deep and rich voice; Tifa knew that voice, but for some reason she could not put that voice, those eyes and his shapely face together. Perhaps she has blocked a memory?
Taking a seat on the bed, Tifa peered over at the man, "You still, probably, saved my life. I don't care what you're intentions were, are, all I know is I'm alive right now because of you."
The man turned his head to look at her, "You think I saved you? That marking upon your ribs would suggest otherwise."
Tifa lifted her shirt, "You…you know how I got this?"
He sighed with annoyance, "Do not ask such stupid questions that you already know the answer too. Instead, why do you not inquire to reason behind the marking or perhaps who gave you such a curse?"
Tifa became annoyed with the man, "If you know so much, why don't you just tell me then? Why beat around the bush?"
"Because that is not my duty," the man said, "I do not need give you answers, because that curse is none of my concern."
"Curse?" she jumped up and began searching for something. The man looked back out the window as she pulled out Heal materia, "There we are. Curse no more, so I won't need your answers."
The man chuckled before Tifa tried to heal herself, but failed every time she tried. She then searched until found the Cure materia. She then tried to cure herself, but once again it failed against the marking.
"Why isn't this working?" Tifa inquired with a dumbfounded expression.
"It is not a curse you can simply heal with magic or materia," the man peered over at her, pulled back a section of bandage to revealing rotting flesh, "just let this cannot be simply healed by magic or materia."
Tifa held her mouth in disgust as the man covered himself back up. Absorbing the Cure and Heal materia again she then stepped to the man with her palms facing him, "Why don't I try? Everything seems impossible until someone tries."
As Tifa's palms began to pulse with light the man snatched her hands lifted them up as he leapt to his feet and pinned her to the wall. The light beaming from her palms burned her hands causing steam to float upwards as his eyes narrowed and his grip tightened.
"I warned you," he snarled with bitterness, "I cannot be mended with magic. Now cease this annoyance at once." Releasing her, the man went back and sat on the chair, exhausted from moving too swiftly.
Tifa rubbed her wrist glaring at the man, but stood the bitterness of her expression soften when she studied how weak he was. She felt pity for him; even though he seemed arrogant and overly confident.
Beginning to walk away, Tifa turned back and leaned against the doorway, "Do you know anything about what happened last night?"
"I know everything," he uttered softly, "and we are connected in many ways; most of all we are connected by that marking."
"Do you know the cure?"
The man looked over at her again, "Quid pro quo, Tifa."
Unsure of what the man truly wanted, Tifa asked, "Depends. How bad is this curse and what will I have to do?"
"Those are two questions," he smiled behind his bandages, "but I will answer both for one question in exchange. A question for a question, and to answer you first question, that marking will be the cause of your soul to be consumed by another."
He moved his chair to face her, crossed his arms as his jade eyes gloated over toward her, "Interested?"
Tifa nodded as she slowly closed the door behind her.