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Chapter XXI – A Different Kind of Love
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"Tifa!"
The spell of stupor was finally broken.
Yuffie leapt from the bed, bounding towards the fighter with outstretched arms as wide as the smile on her face. Tifa took no time in welcoming her graciously into her own arms, the two women holding each other warmly in an embrace only true friends shared. It was a few moments before they finally parted, Tifa taking the young ninja gently by the shoulders and pushing her back a few steps, holding her at arm's length.
"I can't believe you're actually here!" Tifa appraised her with glowing warmth. "I haven't seen you since we all... met up a year after Meteorfall!" Yuffie grinned back before lightly spinning around on one heel with arms held wide, openly flaunting her presence in the spacious villa room and causing a laugh to bubble from the fighter.
"Well, here I am, so you better believe it!" Yuffie declared. The silly grin remained on her face before her jovial expression suddenly shifted into something close to serious. Tifa blinked, completely taken aback by the sudden change in demeanour: not to mention the utmost oddity of seeing such an expression on the adolescent's face. It was almost alien. She watched as Yuffie began sizing her up, hands planted on slim hips with an inquisitive gleam to her chestnut coloured eyes.
Tifa suddenly felt like a ball of Materia.
"... Yuffie?" she ventured, feeling a little uncomfortable under the teen's scrutiny.
The young ninja eventually replied, "You alright, Tifa? You're kinda jiggling around more than usual."
Tifa blinked. It took her but a moment to realise the ninja was referring to her chest and she swiftly brushed her off, shooting her a stern look of reproval. Yuffie was quick to defend herself, immediately jumping back while waving her hands, the white tassels of her sleeveless dark grey hoodie joining the shaky movement.
"H-hey, I was just saying! I mean, they're kinda distracting! Gawd!" Yuffie's energetic response broke Tifa's façade, her frown quickly replaced by her earlier smile. The ninja's own grin fell back into place, but the concern remained in her eyes. "Seriously though, are you okay? You look like ya need to take a breather or something."
"I'm fine, Yuffie," Tifa waved her off yet again, this time with gentle reassurance rather than admonishment. She was touched that the happy-go-lucky ninja had become so concerned on noticing her occasional struggle for breath. Even if it was noted through her chest apparently being, 'more jiggly than usual.' "It's a long story... I'll tell you later."
"Well, THAT'S a relief!" Yuffie said as she bent down to tighten the zigzagging laces of her beige knee-high boots. "I don't have time to listen to some long-winded borefest."
"Oh, is that so?" Tifa began, one hand now planted firmly on her hip. She knew the ninja was teasing, but she decided it was time to give her a taste of her own medicine. "Well then," Tifa began, tone laced with nonchalance, "I think I should go and report you... for breaking and entering. Unless you tell me... what you're doing here."
"Wha-!" Yuffie immediately bolted to full height. "But it's me! YUFFIE! Hellooo?!"
"Who?" Tifa pretended to think, raising her hand to hold her chin. "Sorry, never heard of her."
The ninja's eyes narrowed through the bangs of her short black hair. "... You drive a hard bargain."
"I know." Tifa could no longer stifle her grin. It was rare to see the teen when she knew she'd been bested. Especially since it was usually said teen deceiving the rest of the party by playing crafty tricks. Yuffie stomped her foot while pulling at the hem of her black tank top, stretching the white hibiscus flower print with the action.
"Jeez, you're just like my old man! Always asking what I'm doing and where I'm going..." Yuffie turned towards the window, the two loose strips of fabric from her black, white trimmed headband flowing behind her. "I've been away on business for him, but he still keeps calling to check up on me like every FIVE minutes..." Despite her words, Yuffie spoke in a distracted tone, one that was almost wistful.
Tifa didn't fail to notice this, but before she could question the oddity of the ninja's behaviour, Yuffie turned back to her with her usual boisterous air. "So when I came here I decided to take a break, but no way I'm paying the price of the inn! It's daylight robbery!" The teen brushed some imaginary dust from her khaki shorts before straightening the black arm warmer on her left arm, as if dusting the very idea from herself. "I know I'm a thief, but even I've got standards!"
"Apparently not enough to stop you from... breaking in here though," Tifa remarked, gazing around the villa. It was different from last she'd remembered, renovations clearly having been carried out on the place. Though the interior remained somewhat the same, the walls once enclosing a large bedroom were now gone, including the walls that had created a small office opposite. The two once been rooms had now merged with the entrance to make one rather lavish lounge suite, complete with beds and sofas. Though Tifa still saw no visible clues that Cloud had stopped by.
"Hey, the beds are waaay comfier in here, plus I know Cloud owns this place! 'Friends with Benefits,' right?" Yuffie's casual response snapped Tifa from her visual sweep of the room with a shocked and slightly horrified blink.
"Err, Yuffie, that term doesn't mean-" Before Tifa could hurriedly explain, the ninja interrupted.
"Whatever! So come on, spill it! My turn to be the bad cop and ask the questions!" Yuffie leaned forward, hands on knees with a devious intent to interrogate. "What are YOU doing here?"
Though Tifa sorely wished to correct the ninja's phraseology, (and also pry further in hope of getting less vague answers,) she decided to let the matter slide. "Well, we're all on a mission... to help restore the Planet. Reeve's been trying to get in contact-"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa..." Yuffie held up her hands as if she were trying to slow down a frantic Chocobo, a look of bewilderment on her face. "Reeve? What mission? What do ya mean 'we'?"
"Well, I'm not alone," Tifa smiled.
Yuffie opened her mouth to say something, then suddenly closed it again. Tifa grew confused at the ninja's continued silence, watching the befuddled expression on the teen's face fall into one of complete and utter shock. The fighter then noticed that Yuffie wasn't looking at her, but rather, what was over her shoulder. As Tifa turned around, she suddenly realised why the usually rowdy and rambunctious ninja was rendered speechless.
Just beyond the open doorway, halfway across the bridge of sun baked stone, stood Vincent Valentine. The man held a stoic expression as he gazed out into the distance towards the mountains, his cape teased by westerly winds. Tifa silently chastised herself; in running into Yuffie, she had completely forgotten about her aloof companion. She briefly wondered why he hadn't followed her inside the villa, but decided it was something to be addressed later. For now though, Tifa took a step to the side, shooting Yuffie a knowing look through half-lidded lashes accompanied by an expectant smile.
The ninja remained paralyzed, unable to do anything but look between Tifa and the crimson clad figure, her mouth opening and closing like a koi fish. Suddenly, the once reeling Yuffie bounded out the door with barely contained excitement and trademark enthusiasm. Tifa grinned, choosing to lean against the doorframe with her arms folded, eager to witness the scene of reunion.
"VINCENT!"
The man in question visibly tensed, his head snapping to the side with both brows raised, undoubtedly recognising the familiar voice instantly. On seeing the young ninja rushing towards him, Vincent completely froze, as if bracing himself. Just when she was almost upon the gunslinger, Yuffie suddenly slowed down – as if on second thought. Tifa watched in surprise, once again noting the ninja's sudden change in demeanour with confusion; it was not unlike before back inside the villa. Coming to a complete standstill in front of the man, Yuffie gave a small, self-conscious cough into her fist before straightening up and, instead, stretching out her hand.
Vincent slowly moved his rather stunned gaze from the teen's glowing countenance to the offered appendage, his brow slowly dropping into a suspicious furrow. Yuffie simply continued to beam back at him, a huge grin plastered across her face. After a few seconds, Vincent finally spoke.
"... You're not going to jump on me?"
Yuffie's impossibly large grin somehow grew even larger. "I thought you'd never ask!"
Tifa could barely stifle her laughter when Yuffie proceeded to leap upon the man in a grandeur hug, causing Vincent to almost stumble with the ninja in tow. After a few seconds, he stiffly stepped back from the teen who in turn released her hold from the shoulder folds of his mantle.
"Where the HECK have you been?!" Yuffie suddenly rounded on the reticent man with an accusatory finger. "Gone off to be all depressing on your own now, have you?!" Vincent looked behind the ninja and towards Tifa with probing eyes, as if he were asking his own questions through his gaze alone. When Tifa just smiled back at him with a slight shrug of her shoulders, he turned back to Yuffie and gave a simple, lazy blink.
"Perhaps I could enquire about your own whereabouts, Yuffie," Vincent coolly replied. Yuffie turned away with a huff, pulling at the white wristband around her right arm. Despite her clear display of irritation, the jubilant expression on her face ruined any gravity to the act.
"Yeah? Well, TOUGH! I'm not telling you anything unless you tell me first, so spill it!" She turned back to Vincent before leaning forward with a gleam in her eye. "Though I guess we could make some sort of deal if you've got any Materia..."
As Yuffie began to prance around the gunslinger, firing excessive questions with the usual gaiety expected from her, Tifa couldn't help but watch the scene with a small smile... and an added tinge of wistfulness. She had sorely wished to have found Cloud inside the villa, though the odds of it happening were slim. She recognised that fact before she'd even opened the door, yet it still didn't stop her from envisioning her reunion with her lost childhood friend. Though she was still pleasantly surprised and indeed grateful to have found Yuffie, she couldn't help but watch the ninja's reunion with Vincent and wish that it had been her own to have instead.
"You gone full vampire or something?! JEEZ! What's up with your eyes?!" Yuffie's sudden cry snapped Tifa from her own self-induced melancholy with a start. Tense with unease, she turned to watch Vincent for his reaction. The gunslinger stared down hard at the young teen before him, the molten glare to his irises giving his normally stern exterior a frightening edge. Yuffie ceased all jesting and shrunk back from the man's gaze.
Tifa quickly decided to change the subject. "Vincent's not the only one who's here, Yuffie. The others... should still be down by the beach." This most certainly caught the ninja's attention, her eyes widening as she turned to look at the fighter, an excited grin creeping across her face.
"What? Really?! Then what are we waiting for!" Yuffie bent down and pulled her knee-high black socks higher up her legs before suddenly breaking into a sprint towards the coast, hurriedly shouting, "Why didn't you tell me everyone was here?!"
"I tried to!" Tifa called back around a cupped hand before coughing at the strain. Vincent passed the fighter a fleeting glance of concern just as Yuffie could be made out over the bustle of tourists yelling, "Last one there gives me all of their Materia!" She sped off towards the shore before waiting for any form of reply, leaving her two stunned comrades standing in the middle of Costa del Sol's only bridge.
Tifa soon ceased her coughing and rested a hand on her chest as she strained out, "She's still got the attention span of Denzel... in an ice cream store." Vincent turned to the fighter with a raised brow, secretly amused at the comparison made between the ninja and the young boy. He tucked his chin further into his cowl before crossing his arms, now staring out over the opposite side of the bridge and across the busy plaza. Tifa moved from the open doorway to join him, resting both hands against the parched and arched brickwork of the bridge. Both parties turned their thoughts towards their most recent and unexpected arrival, a rather terse silence settling between them. It was a few seconds before Tifa finally broke it.
"May I ask why you... didn't follow me inside, Vincent?" The gunslinger turned his head slightly towards the fighter, meeting Tifa's eyes of russet. She could see he was weighing his response carefully, his continued silence only serving to intrigue her further.
At last he finally replied, "... I felt the possible want for privacy outweighed my presence."
Tifa nodded, though her brow furrowed in bemusement at his cryptic answer. While she appreciated Vincent's gentlemanly tact and consideration, she felt perhaps there was another reason why he didn't follow her. One which Vincent was unwilling to give. 'Did he actually guess I was looking for Cloud...?' Before she could give voice to her thought, Vincent continued.
"I was here if truly needed," he said idly as he turned back towards the torrid streets below. "Though given our most recent arrival, it would appear that was not the case." Vincent took a brief moment to recall Yuffie's entrance and in turn inwardly chided himself; he'd been so rapt in thought he hadn't even noticed the ninja's presence until the last second.
Tifa shook her head: partly towards the exuberant teen he was referring to, but also to shake away previous thoughts. 'I shouldn't jump to conclusions. He couldn't have known. Only me and Yuffie were with Cloud when he came back to buy this place.' Pushing the spiky-haired friend from her mind, at least for the time being, she turned and graced Vincent with a sheepish smile. "I'm sorry I didn't... give you much warning about Yuffie. To be honest... I didn't get much warning myself."
Vincent simply tucked his chin further into his cowl. He felt her apology was unnecessary, especially when he believed it was he who should in fact apologise. He'd wanted more time to consider his next move. While his decision to embark for Nibelheim remained unchanged, his resolve in abandoning the party had wavered. Or more specifically, leaving behind a certain fighter who was suffering from smoke inhalation. (Though it was something he did not at all readily care to admit.) As such, he'd decided to ruminate outside rather than follow Tifa, despite her earlier request.
Yet Vincent knew that was not the only reason.
'You never did require my presence, did you, Tifa? Your unease in entering the building was clear from the beginning, though for what reason remains unseen. What did you expect to find...?' His eyes narrowed slightly as he studied the woman beside him. She had caught his attention the moment she requested his presence; it was most certainly unusual behaviour for the usually self-assured fist fighter. Coupled with the fact she had a key to such a lavish villa, Vincent's suspicions only grew. In the end, the man ultimately decided it was none of his concern. After all, he had enough unanswered questions. Such as if he should remain with the group for the time being.
Then again, with the sudden and unexpected appearance of Yuffie, Vincent felt that perhaps reconsidering his decision to leave the party wouldn't be so improvident.
"You know," Tifa began, "I'm surprised you let Yuffie... hug you for so long." When Vincent met her comment with a raised brow, she continued. "Three years ago... you could barely stand next to her." Despite her words, Tifa spoke with a fondness that came with pleasant memories of the past. "I guess distance does... make the heart grow fonder. That or... recalling all the tricks Yuffie kept trying to play on us." The gunslinger considered her words. Though he found the young teen as obnoxious as ever, there was a certain charm to her light-hearted optimism that could not be ignored.
"She's like the little sister I never wanted," Vincent wryly commented, turning his gaze back towards the plaza.
Tifa blinked.
Did she hear right? Did Vincent Valentine just make a joke?
She shot him an incredulous look, not quite believing what she'd just heard. After a moment of stunned silence, Tifa gave a brief, disbelieving laugh. "She's like a sister to me, too," she chortled. "Well, one who stole anything she could... at every opportunity."
Vincent peered over his cowl at the fighter, watching her display of mirth with a hidden hint of his own. He couldn't help but recall the time the ninja had stolen all of the party's Materia during their journey three years ago, just before their arrival in her hometown of Wutai. He felt that perhaps Tifa was right. If distance didn't make the heart grow fonder, then fond memories certainly did.
"We should probably... chase after her," Tifa suddenly spoke up, rising from the dusty sandstone she'd been leaning on before brushing away the resulting fine powder from her hands. "Besides, if I get there first... she won't get my Cure Materia. And you don't have any to give... right?" The fighter shot Vincent a rare, audacious grin that immediately reminded him of the very ninja who'd just left moments ago. Reaching down towards the toes of her boots, Tifa held her fingers in place as she stretched her calf muscles. Rising and arching her back, the fighter took a deep and slightly raspy breath before bursting into a sprint and taking off after the ninja.
Vincent watched her go, secretly impressed with the speed in which she carried herself across the plaza. He turned and made to follow, but stopped when his gaze unintentionally settled on the open doorway of the villa. Moving closer, the gunslinger narrowed his eyes as he peered inside. A moment; then Vincent finally turned away, briskly following after the fighter in a flurry of crimson.
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~ oOo ~
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"HOODIE SIBS!"
It wasn't long before Yuffie was found by the beach surrounded by a thrilled Nanaki, Cait Sith and Marlene. The girl laughed and clapped her hands as Yuffie excitedly spun Denzel around, the ninja overjoyed at the prospect of finding another who wore similar clothing to herself. The lion-like dog and cat puppet watched their newfound comrade with big toothy grins, Nanaki's tail wagging back and forth in a fiery display of joy. On catching Tifa sprinting towards them, the fire-dog's tail began to sway more vigorously.
"Check us out!" Yuffie exclaimed as she let go of Denzel to address the approaching fighter, causing the poor boy to stumble over his feet in a dizzy daze. Despite her concern, Tifa had to bite her lip to stop herself from laughing at the sight. "'Bout time you caught up! You're SOOO slow! So who's this squirt?" Yuffie asked with a grin, jabbing her thumb in Denzel's direction.
"I'm not a squirt. I'm eleven," the boy stated with a hint of indignation as he straightened the hood of his dark green hoodie.
"This is Denzel," Nanaki spoke up as he padded beside the orphan, his spiked mohawk of a mane teased by passing winds. Yuffie simply shot him a blank look in response, raising her hands to give an exaggerated shrug of her shoulders.
"Ye dinnae know Denzel?" Cait Sith asked in surprise from his perch between Red XIII's shoulder blades. Tifa shook her head at the cat, struggling to catch her breath as she came to stand by the teen. The fighter recalled the last time she had seen Yuffie; two years ago when herself and Cloud held a group reunion to celebrate a year since Meteorfall. At that time Denzel wasn't with them, instead being taken into their care a year later. Since then, business visits and calls had been made and he had been introduced to most of the passing party. That is, all except for Vincent and Yuffie, and Denzel had finally met the gunslinger a few days ago.
"Nope!" Yuffie announced, placing hands on hips. "But if he wears a hoodie like me, then that practically makes us partners in crime!" Yuffie shot the boy a cheeky grin. Denzel's eyes widened at this and he looked to Tifa as if asking for help. The fighter gave him a small but reassuring smile.
"I'm not sure... Denzel would like that. You were taught not to steal... by me and Cloud, weren't you, Denzel?" The boy looked down at his sneakers and nodded awkwardly at the same time Yuffie spun towards Tifa in shock.
"Waitwaitwait- WHAT? You two finally tie the knot?!" It was Tifa's turn to blink in shock at the ninja's grand leap to conclusion and she gaped before finally finding what remained of her voice.
"Just because we took in Denzel, doesn't mean..." Tifa failed to hurriedly explain, the sheer weight of the thought bringing her mind to a standstill and a lump to her throat.
"If they were to be wed, I believe I have not been informed." Vincent's sudden baritone turned all eyes upon him as he strode up behind Tifa while passing a cursory glance over her sunken shoulders. Yuffie gave a hearty grin and quickly hopped her way over to stand in front of the gunslinger. When the ninja continued to stare up at him without a word, Vincent simply continued to stared back.
Finally, Yuffie thrust out her hand saying, "Cough up, mister! Guess you're getting slow in your old age, huh?" The others bar Tifa looked on in confusion while Vincent studied the expectant teen with a lackadaisical air. That was, until a voice cleaved his thoughts with a tone not of this world, but rather one from the abysmal plain of fire and Thanatos.
'GIVE HER A REASON TO RUN. THEN SHE SHALL SEE JUST HOW 'SLOW' WE TRULY ARE.'
Vincent swiftly stepped back, snapping his head to the side and causing Yuffie to recoil with a start, as if she'd been bitten.
"V-Vincent? H-hey, I was only joking. Sorta. Maybe." Yuffie's concerned voice was lost to the gunslinger as he struggled with the imperious demon, urgently trying to quash the near overwhelming urge that Chaos had this time brought with his presence.
The urge to kill.
"Joke's on you, Yuffie," Tifa quickly intervened, bringing the ninja's attention to herself. "I told Vincent to come here last... since he doesn't have any Materia." The fighter's planned distraction did the trick as Yuffie turned upon the woman with an appalled gape.
"YOU SERIOUS?! That's cheating!" While the ninja launched into one of her infamous tirades, Tifa shot Vincent a concerned glance to find the man had moved a considerable distance away to now stare out across the ocean.
"So what brings you here, Yuffie?" Red quickly defused the situation. "Last I heard, Reeve had no success in contacting you." This halted the teen mid-rant and she turned towards the fire-dog.
"He tried doing what?" Yuffie immediately fished in the back pocket of her khaki shorts and pulled out her PHS. "Pfft, I would have known if he tried to contact-!" No sooner had she spoke, one glance at her call list made the rest of her words catch in her throat. "... Oh." Tifa peered over the ninja's shoulder and blinked at the text scrolling across the screen reading: 'Twenty-four missed calls.' "I miiight have put it on silent to avoid my dad... Whatever! So, is someone gonna start tellin' me what's going on around here?! Or has cat got your tongue!"
"Ah most certainly 'ave not!" Cait Sith cried out while crossing his arms. "It's yer own fault ye dinnae know aboot oor plan." Before Yuffie could retort, a small voice intervened.
"Who are you?" Denzel suddenly spoke up. The others looked to the orphan in surprise while Yuffie just grinned. She hopped over to the messy-haired boy and bent down to meet his eyes.
"Me? I'm a NINJA." Denzel's eyes widened as Yuffie flicked the trailing ribbons of her headband as proof. "And him over there?" Yuffie prodded her thumb over her shoulder towards Vincent. "He's a VAMPIRE."
"Yuffie," Tifa warned, not missing the look of fear that flitted across Denzel's face; much like when he'd first encountered Vincent.
"Oh, OKAY. Maybe not, but he's gone off to be all moody again. Sure ol' Dracula was the same." Yuffie's grin slowly fell from her face before she looked over towards the gunslinger. "... Is Vinnie okay?" she asked. Tifa nodded and tried to give her a reassuring smile but it was small and weak, much like her belief in Vincent's wellbeing.
"He is fine," Nanaki spoke up to reassure both women, "Vincent is Vincent." Yuffie looked towards Red before beaming in response while Tifa nodded more assuredly this time. Red returned the gesture, a secret message conveyed between the fighter and the fire-dog; a promise to keep watch. "I believe Yuffie is owed an explanation to our presence. Though may I request we do it somewhere cooler?" Nanaki's tongue lolled from between the gaps of his canines and down the side of his jaw.
"Errm," Marlene hesitated, unsure of interrupting. "Can we go to the beach? There's umbrellas for shade... and I want to build a sand castle." She shrunk back in embarrassment at her admittance.
"Sand castle?" Yuffie suddenly spun towards the small girl, startling Denzel who was standing next to her. "Why do that when you can build a sand pagoda!"
A huge grin lit up Marlene's face. "What's a sand pagoda?" she asked with excitement.
"Come on, I'll show you!" Yuffie grabbed the girl's hand then, after a moment's thought, also grabbed Denzel's, causing Marlene to laugh at the boy's wide-eyed expression. Yuffie then danced and spun her way hand in hand with both children towards the beach. "Come on you bunch of squares!" she called back over a spinning Marlene and stumbling Denzel to her stunned onlookers.
"... If Vinnie is Vinnie," Cait Sith began, "then Yuffie is definitely Yuffie."
Nanaki and Tifa both nodded their heads in agreement.
Shortly after the ninja departed, Tifa recalled that Vincent still needed to speak with Barret in Costa del Sol's bar. On looking over towards the gunslinger however, she felt he was in no fit state to be bothered. Deciding she would just speak to Barret on his behalf, she let Red know of her plans. The fire-dog assured he would inform Yuffie as well as their mission to restore the Planet; at least, once he finally garnered the teen's very short attention span. After watching him leave with Cait Sith on his back, Tifa turned around and steeled herself to try and talk with her old friend once more.
The sun eventually began to decline as she crossed the plaza, the blistering heat slowly but surely waning to a bearable warmth. Despite the cooling air, Tifa was still grateful for the respite from the sun on entering the bar, the fresh blast from the air conditioning a welcomed blessing. Moving through the odour of lingering cigarette smoke from a recent patron, Tifa found Barret resting on the farmost barstool of Bar del Sol; exactly the same position she had found and left him in before. This time however, Barret seemed preoccupied with something he held in his hand. Quietly seating herself on the stool beside him, she just made out the small, golden pendant in his palm right before Barret hastily concealed the jewellery within the inner pocket of his vest.
"Jeez, you could at least gimme some warnin'..." he grumbled, returning to nurse his drink.
"Sorry," Tifa said, her voice lined with sincerity. "I just wanted to tell you... there's a surprise waiting for you outside."
This gained a bushy raised brow from the man. "I've had enough 'surprises' fer one day... it's not more of Cait Sith's singin', is it?"
Tifa gave a weak grin. "No, it's not." They sat in comfortable silence in the otherwise empty bar, the hum of the air conditioning replacing the absent buzz of conversation. The clink of glasses occasionally chimed as the bartender went about cleaning glassware behind the counter, keeping to himself.
"... Reeve called me earlier after you left," Barret began, the strain in his voice immediately evident. Tifa turned to him with her full attention. "I told 'im about... you know." Barret made a cautious glance towards the bartender and Tifa immediately understood he was talking about Shinra. "Tells me he's gonna track 'em, see what's goin' on. After that, he told me what caused tha' fire back in Junon." Here, Barret finally turned his gaze to meet Tifa's own, the pain held behind his burnt umber eyes causing her breath to catch in her throat.
"It was an oil fire." Barret looked down into his beer. "People still ain't used ta usin' fossil fuels yet. An' all it was? One small pan fire. Tha's what Reeve said. Thirty-nine people are already confirmed dead." Barret shook his head before turning back to Tifa, holding her eyes with a steady gaze. "… Four of 'em were kids, Tif'."
"Oh, Barret..." Tifa gently moved her hand to rest on the man's broad shoulder, squeezing gently. "Are you really blaming yourself?" she whispered. "How can you? You've done nothing wrong."
"How can ya say that?!" He twisted on his stool to fully face Tifa, his voice thick with a mixture of emotions. "I'm tha' one who's been findin' and deliverin' tha' stuff! It's jes' like Biggs, Wedge and Jessie-"
"What about them?" Tifa snapped. Barret stopped, his brow furrowing. "You weren't to blame... for what happened. We all know... who was responsible. They followed you because... they wanted to. It was their own choice." This time, Tifa was the one who turned away. "... They believed in you, Barret," she began softly. "And so did I." Tifa clenched her fists, looking back up to her friend with hidden fire in her eyes. "I still do. And if something happens to me... I hope you don't go beating yourself up over it. Cause then I'll have to go and... beat you up for you."
The fighter fought for breath once she'd finished, her throat flaring in pain at being used so much. Barret held an odd expression, almost as if he were offended and relieved at the same time. Suddenly, he wrapped his burly arms around Tifa and pulled her into a hug, almost pulling her clean off her stool. "I ain't gonna let anything happen to ya, Tifa," he muttered into her hair. "Ever. I promise."
Recovering from her initial shock, Tifa smiled and returned his hug wholeheartedly. "Don't make promises... you can't keep," she chided softly. She gently pulled away, resting both her hands on Barret's shoulders. "People believe in you, Barret. They wouldn't use this new fuel... if they didn't."
The dark-skinned man considered her words before he finally uttered with a half-smile, "... Mebbe yer right." Tifa nodded, watching her old friend return to the beer he was holding. However, rather than taking his usual swig, he instead swirled the contents around the glass. Seeing how he was absorbed in thought, Tifa felt like she was overstepping a personal boundary. Barret already seemed to know about the events Vincent had relayed to her and she felt she was no longer needed. She gave one last, firm squeeze to his shoulder.
"I'm going to head back out. I was going to tell you more about... what Vincent told me, but you already seem to know." Barret nodded in response. Satisfied, Tifa slipped down from her stool and with one last brief smile, made her way down the stairs to the bar's exit. Barret turned to watch her leave, a slight, troubled crease to his brow.
The bartender paused in cleaning out his glass, leaving the rag stuffed at the bottom of the tumbler as he also watched the woman go. "Hey, buddy..." he said as he came over. "You want another? I'll give you a double; on the house."
Barret gave him a brief glance before pushing his glass away. "... Naw, I think I'm done drinkin'."
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The sun was finally beginning to set when Tifa stepped back out into the plaza, the air still warm but allowing enough room for one to cool. Tourists could be seen making their way to their respective accommodations, while others headed for restaurants and bars seeking an evening meal or a good time; the resort town at last beginning to wind down for the oncoming night. The fighter watched couples slowly go about their way and took a steady breath, savouring the slight saltiness that came with the ocean air. Just as she grew dispirited and began to think on Cloud with a heavy-heart, a familiar voice called out to her.
"Hey, Tifa!" The woman turned to find Yuffie running up to meet her. This time however, the grin that was usually set on the ninja's face was nowhere to be seen. On reaching the fighter, the teen fiddled with her white wristband before fidgeting under the woman's gaze. "I'm sorry," she finally managed.
"Hmm? For what?" Tifa asked, genuinely confused at Yuffie's apology.
"... Red told me about Cloud." On hearing this, Tifa could feel the lump in her throat return from earlier and she turned away, looking out towards the beach. Music had just begun to play from somewhere along the sands. "Hey," Yuffie began softly. "I know what'll cheer you up." Tifa turned back towards the ninja, watching as her usual grin crept back into place. Just as she opened her mouth to question her, Yuffie grabbed Tifa by the hand and began to drag her away. "Come on!"
Why did she have a feeling she was going to regret this?
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'I knew I was going to regret this...' Tifa thought to herself as she pulled at the arms of her wetsuit. She looked down at the red and white striped board beneath her with distaste. She already missed her fighting gloves.
"Don't worry, it's easy!" Yuffie called from next to her. "Well, it is if you're a pro. Which you're not. Actually, neither am I but details!" Tifa shook her head as she watched the ninja on her own surfboard, the ebb of crystal waters bobbing her up and down.
"I thought you got... motion sick at things like this?" Tifa called out as she leaned forward and began to paddle towards the ocean, just like Yuffie had taught her when they'd rented out their gear.
"I normally do, but some really hot guy told me that surfing's a good way to try and overcome it!" Yuffie quickly lifted her chest as she hit choppy water, centring her weight on the board to allow the nose to stay above the surf. The ocean sparkled with the reflection of pink and yellow hues from the sky, the sun now a burning orange circle peeking above the horizon. "It kinda works, I can last for about twenty minutes before I start feeling sick. Controlling a board feels different than standing on an airship, ya know?"
Tifa nodded, wondering just how long the ninja had been in Costa del Sol. Though Yuffie was apparently still new to surfing, she manoeuvred her board in such a way that the fighter couldn't help but wonder if the ninja had a natural knack for the sport. Distant voices yelled at her back and Tifa stretched around on her board to wave; she knew the voices belonged to Nanaki, Cait Sith and the children who watched from the sand. However, she had to double-check when she spotted Marlene sitting on the shoulders of a heavy built man. Tifa waved more enthusiastically and was delighted when Barret waved back at her, thrilled to see her old friend had finally decided to join them all.
Music drifted from the shore as the tune she'd heard earlier was struck up from the band on the beach, the soothing melody joining the chorus of waves. Suddenly, the band began to sing. "Love power~ A little love power~ Stronger than the hurricane~ And softer than the summer rain~"
Bigger and bigger waves began to roll upon them making Yuffie grin and grip her white surfboard tighter, the yellow lined black lightning bolt design becoming lost in the surf. "Here we go! You ready?" she grinned, turning to the fighter. Tifa nodded, though she felt anything but ready. She'd only had a few hours of lessons from Yuffie who herself admitted to being a beginner. As the water began to swell, Yuffie swung the nose of her board to the left and towards the beach, ready to be taken in by the oncoming wave. Tifa watched carefully and copied the ninja, feeling the water begin to lift her board.
"Err," Yuffie hesitated, looking over towards Tifa with a sheepish grin. "Is now a good time to mention that I've never been able to stand up?"
"Wait, what?!" Tifa snapped her head towards Yuffie only to find that she'd fallen off her surfboard and was now being washed away by the very wave Tifa was being carried by. The fighter forcefully pushed down the jolt of panic that hit her and instead gripped her board tighter.
'It's okay. You can do this. Yuffie showed you how to do it, even if she can't actually surf...' As the wave began to pitch and surge with swirling water, Tifa found her thoughts to be less than comforting. Swallowing, Tifa focused on the technique Yuffie showed her as the wave swelled with a mighty roar, reaching it's peak. Now was the time to put it into practise. Quickly pushing up from the board so that both her arms were fully extended, Tifa fluidly pulled both knees up to her stomach before raising to her feet. Immediately, she felt her balance teeter and she threw her arms out to desperately regain it. Suddenly, Zangan's lessons from years past flooded into her mind.
A fighter was nothing without their footing.
Planting the heel of her foot firmly on the board, Tifa leaned back slightly and held the other close to the tail while remaining in a crouch, focusing her weight midpoint. Stretching her arms out to maintain her balance, Tifa kept her eyes front and focused. After the initial moment of fright passed, elation slowly took it's place. As did realisation.
She was surfing.
But those few glorious seconds passed and a split second later, it was over. The wave came crashing down faster than Tifa anticipated and her foot slipped from the board, sending her careening into the open maw of blue with a surprised scream. Just as she was enveloped by the ocean, Yuffie surfaced from the deep, sputtering indignantly before squirting water from her mouth.
"YUCK! Gawd that's nasty. I totally didn't fall, though! How about you, Tifa?" Yuffie looked around for the fighter, only to find that she'd disappeared. "Err... Tifa?"
Before Yuffie could truly grow concerned, Tifa rose from the depths along with her surfboard, quickly cupping both hands to wipe excess water from her face. Just as she managed to open her eyes, she caught a flash of crimson and gold through the blur and sting of salt water. As her vision cleared, she watched Vincent sprint across the sand towards her, gun drawn and at the ready. The rest of the party looked on in stupor, while realization dawned on Tifa that her scream probably alerted the once absent gunslinger to her aid. She gave a stunned blink before quickly calling out to him as loud as she could.
"I'm okay, Vincent! Really!" she coughed, spluttering from the salt water.
"Speak for yourself! Damsel in distress here!" Yuffie waved her arms madly at Vincent and flailed around in the surf, pretending to sink below the water and eliciting a laugh from the fighter beside her. "AREN'T YOU GOING TO SAVE ME?!" Vincent raised a brow and instead chose to cross his arms, clearly having every intention to simply watch the spectacle in front of him from the beach; much to the ninja's chagrin. "YOU TRAITOR!" she screamed back just as a wave came up from behind her and enveloped her in sea water.
Tifa hugged her board as she was succumbed with laughter, her sides aching from the strain of attempting to remain buoyant. Crawling onto her surfboard, she straddled the instrument as she tried to catch her breath. Watching the antics of her comrades around her, Tifa realised something that made her truly smile.
She may not have the love of Cloud, but she still had the love of her friends.
As they carried on with their shouts and laughter, the band continued to play and sing long into the dusky sundown. "Love power~ What kind of power?~ A little love power~ It can lift you~ Lift you up when you get low~ And make your life bright as the rainbow~"
