Chapter 20: The First Debate
March 4, 0008
Tifa sat on the couch in her pajamas. It was six in the morning, but there was no way she could go back to sleep. She was way too apprehensive.
This was the day of her first debate with Jack Balen.
"This is it," she sighed.
"You'll do fine," Cloud, who was sitting next to her, assured her as he stroked her back through her pajama top.
"This is Gongaga," Tifa said. "Everyone in town supports Balen. I won't even be able to walk the streets without getting jeered at."
Cloud took both of Tifa's hands in his.
"We can stay in then," he said, "until it's time. And then, the whole town will know who you really are."
Tifa smiled and kissed him; it was her way of thanking him for his support.
They sat together in silence for several minutes.
"That felt good when you stroked my back like that," she then pointed out with a smile.
Smiling back, Cloud resumed stroking her back through her shirt.
"Under," she requested.
Cloud moved his hand under Tifa's shirt.
The feeling of his hands on her skin sent chills up her spine.
THAT EVENING…
While the debate was supposed to start at eight that evening, it was delayed until eight twenty, when the auditorium in central Gongaga couldn't hold any more people. I was there, along with Tobin and Cloud. Elena and Tseng were also present, near the back.
Then, the two candidates stepped out, greeted each other with the obligatory handshake, and walked to their podiums.
Tifa was wearing a dark-blue pant suit; Jack Balen was wearing a suit and red tie. Mayor Keflavik was the moderator. He explained the rules of the debate and quickly began it.
I won't go into details about every little question, since you can find the whole thing online, but it was three major questions that cemented the debate's outcome.
"Our first question tonight is about your drug policies," Keflavik began. "Particularly the legal status of soft drugs such as marijuana for both medicinal and recreational purposes."
Jack Balen went first.
"Drug use is a cancer on the Western Continent," he began confidently. "As president, I will impose the strictest drug laws in history. This would include felony convictions for any drug users, and the death penalty for anyone who sells, trades, or traffics them."
There was an applause from the crowd; Gongaga was a fan of both strict drug laws and capital punishment. When Tifa had been taken to the gas chamber on live TV, almost everyone tuned in.
Tifa went second.
"I would regulate illegal trade and sponsor rehab centers for those who were trying to live a drug-free lifestyle," she responded. I don't think those were her exact words, but I remember it was something like that.
Tobin, Cloud, and I seemed to be the only ones in the audience who were impressed. But that was the least of any worries.
As soon as she spoke, I could tell this was not going to end well for her. The lights were bright and pointed in her direction, causing her to blink frequently. She seemed a little nervous and unprepared; though she was new to politics, so we really can't blame her on that one.
"But I would also decriminalize marijuana on the Western Continent," Tifa would continue. "And would, um, give former drug users a second chance at a successful life."
The crow was silent; this was not something most of them wanted to hear.
"What would you do if your son was smoking it," Balen asked.
Officially, he wasn't allowed to blurt that out, but, as practically the whole town supported him, it was tolerated.
At first Tifa was silent.
That, of course, made things worse.
"I'd be disappointed," she finally replied, in a soft, unsure tone of voice.
There was murmuring among the audience. I even heard someone say "If this is a joke, I'm not laughing."
The second fatal question occurred about halfway through the debate. The question was:
"What is your stance on crime?"
"I believe all those who break the law should be prosecuted in a fair trial, and convicted upon the presentation of appropriate evidence," Tifa replied.
"Really now?" Balen interjected. "Aren't you a criminal?"
"No," Tifa replied.
Of course, he would go there.
"Let everyone here tonight be aware that she just answered 'no' to that question," Balen continued. "But, alas, that is quite far from the case. Ms. Strife has a lengthy list of criminal activities. Handling and serving alcohol underage. Blowing up the Sector Five Reactor. Trespassing in unauthorized areas in the Shinra Building. Theft of Shinra property. Illegal boarding of a barge. Trespassing on government property. The list can go on forever!"
There was chatter in the audience. Looking up, I could almost see Tifa's face turn white.
"It was all to save the Planet," Tifa responded.
"You served drinks while underage to save the Planet?" Balen retorted. "So if I inject myself with heroin right now, it will somehow stop a volcanic eruption?"
There was some laughter, some applause from the audience.
Tifa didn't respond; there was no reasonable way she could.
But the worst came near the end of the night. The question was:
"A lot of your detractors are saying that you're not qualified to be president, mainly based on the fact that you're a twenty-year-old newlywed with no political experience nor a college degree, while Jack Balen is a fourth-four-year-old political veteran, well into his second term as mayor of Rocket Town, and with a master's in political science. How do you respond to that?"
Tifa hesitated again.
I almost wanted to smack my forehead, but I knew she would see me. She had just sealed the night's fate.
Finally, she answered.
"I do have leadership skills," she began, much less than confidently. "I led AVALANCHE in a battle to save the Planet. I led an expedition into the Island Gulag and freed hundreds of people, including my father, and my cousin."
That's Tobin, of course. I clasped his hand as she said that.
"It ultimately put Bismarck out of power," she continued, "allowing us to have the very debate we're having. In the end, it's what's making the Western Continent a democracy."
The audience was surprisingly silent.
Sure enough, he broke the silence.
"Were you the leader of AVALANCHE?" Balen asked skeptically. "Last I heard, it was Barret Wallace. You were the bartender. Serving drinks, despite the fact that you were below drinking age. You more or less followed his lead, blowing up Mako Reactors. Instead of negotiating peacefully."
The audience booed.
That's bullshit, of course. President Shinra would have either had her killed or tried to get into her pants if she asked him to take down the Mako Reactors.
"Does this mean that you're going to blow up the Shinra Building if President of the Eastern Continent does something you don't agree with?" he continued. "It wouldn't surprise me, since you invaded the Island Gulag instead of lobbying to get it shut down."
The audience applauded.
For Jack Balen, of course.
I don't think Tifa had ever been more embarrassed in her life.
If it can't be any more obvious, that debate was fixed. Bismarck wouldn't have listened to any pleas to shut down the Island Gulag because few knew it existed. And those who found out often ended up there themselves.
Tifa lowered her head in defeat.
She knew she had lost the debate.
THAT NIGHT…
Cloud lay on his back in bed.
Tifa lay on her stomach beside him. She was anything but happy. If there was one thing she could be happy about, it would be the fact that she was now home with the man she loved, softly holding his hand.
"I blew it, didn't I?" she said sadly.
"I wouldn't say that," Cloud assured her. "There's two more debates left."
"One in friendly territory," she added. "The other in Rocket Town."
"We'll figure something out," he said. "We have time. If you want, I can stay up and think of something."
"You're already wearing more," she laughed.
That was true. He was in his full pajamas. She was wearing a pink lacy silk camisole top and no bottoms, the moon shining on her bare butt.
"This came with pair of panties," she had explained to him, "but they itched too much."
Despite the semi-nudity, she was absolutely in no mood for sex.
Cloud wasn't concerned with that, of course. He just wanted to make her feel better.
"President or not," he said, "I'll still love you. I'll always want you by my side."
He then leaned in an gently pressed his lips against hers. She kissed back, but he could feel the sadness in her as she did so.
"You might change your mind after the election," Tifa said sadly. "I might not be able to be that independent woman you fell in love with."
"That's not all I fell in love with," he assured her as he stroked her hair. "Besides, would he really put cameras in our house?"
"I doubt it," Tifa laughed.
"Why don't we sail?" Cloud suggested. "Like you wanted? We can even sail into international waters, where nobody would have any jurisdiction over us!"
"Oh Cloud," she replied as she held his hand, "I'd love to. I really would. But think of everyone we would leave in Jack Balen's hands. Yuffie, Elena, Cissnei, Jessie, Sage, Reeve, and Parker. He would suppress or even hurt them all."
"There's still two more debates," Cloud repeated. "And the next one's in Cosmo Canyon. There won't be any bright lights in your face this time."
He does have a point, Tifa realized. It wasn't a fair fight this time. Next time would surely be different. And even if it wasn't…
Tifa suddenly climbed out of bed and stood up, feeling a sudden rush of energy rush through her.
"You know what?" she said, as she placed her hands on her hips, "If I do lose this thing, there will be another election when his term is up. And I'll be even more ready than I am now."
"I'm with you all the way," Cloud promised as he stood up to face her. "No matter what."
"Yeah?" Tifa asked hopefully.
"Yeah!" Cloud replied.
"Yeah!" she repeated.
"Yeah!" he shouted again as he grabbed her by the waist and lifted her off the floor.
Tifa laughed and pressed her lips hard against his cheek.
The second debate was two days away.
Next time, she thought, it will be different.
