Summary: In which Tifa has not long opened her bar in the slums, when Aerith wanders in off the...
Dancing in the Dark (FFVII)
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Chapter I - Out of All the Bars, In All the Towns, In All the World
Summary: In which Tifa has not long opened her bar in the slums, when Aerith wanders in off the street, looking for a night away from her own thoughts.
Chapter I - Out of All the Bars, In All the Towns, In All the World
Given that her "Seventh Heaven" hadn't been open all that long, Tifa supposed it shouldn't be a surprise that business wasn't exactly booming. On top of that, what business she did get were surly, old drunks, and scoundrels looking for a place they hadn't been barred from yet. Neither of which did much for the atmosphere of her little bar. An atmosphere that was already pretty humid, and filled with the smell of smoke and sweat.
She sighed heavily. Really she should just grateful she was getting any business at all, because she was barely breaking even as it was. She'd known running a bar in the slums would be tough, but this had been beyond anything she'd been expecting.
Suddenly she squeaked, as she felt someone swat her soundly on her rear. Somehow she managed to retain her composure, keeping her back straight and her head held high, and ignored the raucous laughter that followed her back to the bar. Although by the time she reached it she knew her cheeks had to be bright red.
Of course, once she gained a better clientele, these old drunks were all barred.
She just about heard the wing doors snap open and closed behind her, and she plastered a pleasant grin on her face as she turned to greet the newcomer; only to be brought up short.
What she'd expected had been another grotty slum-dweller, some old guy who'd stumbled in out of the cold looking for something that would warm his belly and destroy some brain cells. What she found instead was a beautiful brunette wearing a short red jacket over a pink dress, and who looked like she could barely be any older than Tifa herself was. Yet her posture as she entered the room was full of a confidence and grace that made her a little envious.
She could also see the way some of the other patrons looked at her, bunch of lecherous old pervs.
The girl strode right on over to the bar, and sat on one of the unoccupied stools; which was all of them, because for some reason few people liked sitting at the bar, preferring to stick to their own table.
As the brunette sat herself down, she grinned at Tifa, and mischief shone in here eyes; a small glimpse at what lay beneath the refined exterior.
"So, what'll you be having?" Tifa asked.
"Give me something hard," she answered.
Tifa nodded, and almost breathed a sigh of relief as she reached beneath the bar for a bottle of whisky. She'd been half afraid that the woman would try to order to some kind of fancy cocktail. Those sorts of drinks were an extra expense she didn't want, and weren't the sort of thing her regulars were after anyway.
"I've got something hard for you baby," a new voice interjected.
The guy sat himself on the stool next to the girl, and Tifa almost snorted in disgust. The guy had to be at least three times older than the either of them, and he most definitely wasn't staring at her face.
The woman for her part looked less than impressed, and she didn't even bother to look at him as she replied.
"No thanks, I prefer younger guys," she said.
Tifa was caught halfway between amusement and horror. The way the brunette had spoken had been just so ridiculously cutesy and innocent, and so completely at odds with what she had actually said that it had to be an act; yet so somehow she'd pulled it off. On the one hand she'd found the put-down genuinely funny, on the other hand the guy was drunk, and who knew how he was going to react. The landlady tensed, preparing herself to leap in, just in case.
Except the man just sat there, his mouth opening and closing like a goldfish as he attempted to formulate a response, It seemed like the whole innocent little girl act had thrown him a little, but he quickly got over it, and a twisted little grin crossed his face as he spoke again.
"C'mon, don't be like that darlin'" he said. "Me and the boys can show you a good time."
"No thanks," she answered. "I'm having a good enough time with the bartender."
The man glanced over at Tifa, and she gave him her best unimpressed glare, the one she'd been forced to develop since she'd first come to Midgar.
The man snorted, and rose from his seat.
"Fine," he said, and he sounded almost indignant. "I know when I'm not wanted. But me and the boys are sat over there, if you change your mind."
The woman didn't look over to where he was pointing, and didn't even bother to look up as he stumbled back to his friends. In fact, she hadn't even looked at the guy at all for the whole time he'd been sat there. That was good, since coming here she'd found that guys like that tended to think you were just playing "hard to get" if you paid them any attention.
Still, it could have been nerves that kept the woman from locking eyes with the drunk.
"You okay?" Tifa asked.
The woman shrugged.
"You get guys like that all over, under the plate," she replied.
Tifa sighed, she supposed that was true, but it was kinda sad that a someone this young was already used to this kind of behaviour. Although that said, she wasn't exactly that old herself, and she was already largely jaded with this sort of thing. That was just the sort of effect this rotten city had on you.
"So what's your name?" she asked, handing the glass of whiskey over.
"Aerith," she answered.
"I'm Tifa, nice to meet you."
"Likewise," Aerith, responded.
Then the brunette raised the glass to her lips, and Tifa raised her eyebrows as she watched her drain the glass in one go. Of course, the effect was then ruined by the way she started spluttering and coughing.
"That's strong," she croaked, her eyes watering.
Tifa shrugged.
"That's the way my regulars like it."
"That's good," Aerith replied. "Another."
Tifa hesitated, then poured out another glass.
"You lived here long?" she asked, as she handed the second glass over.
"Almost as long as I can remember," Aerith answered.
That was surprising, this girl didn't look like the type of person who'd spent their whole life in the shadow of Midgar. Although, it almost looked like she could drink like someone who had.
"And what do you do for work?" Tifa asked.
"I work up on the plate," Aerith replied. "I sell flowers."
That gave Tifa pause, and she felt her cheeks almost burst into flame, she hoped to God that wasn't a euphemism.
Her thoughts must have been evident on her face, because the brunette suddenly burst into laughter.
"Not like that!" she exclaimed. "You've got a dirty mind, miss bartender."
Tifa turned her face away, and tried not to sound disgruntled as she said:
"So, do you work at a florist or something?"
Aerith shook her head again.
"Nope," she answered. "I just grow the flowers myself, then sell them up top for a gil a piece."
"That sounds like a lot of work for very little money," Tifa said.
Aerith shrugged.
"It's better than nothing," she said. "Besides, I like flowers, I'd grow them for free if I could."
Tifa actually smiled, that was the nicest thing she'd heard out of the girl's the whole time they'd been talking. In fact, that might have been one of the nicest things she'd heard since arriving in Midgar.
"Well," she replied. "At least you enjoy your work, I guess."
As though on cue, a voice called out from the other end of the room:
"Oi, more beer!"
Tifa sighed.
"Excuse me a minute," she said, stepping out from behind the bar.
From there the night proceeded pretty much the same way. Tifa spent most of the evening standing behind the bar and chatting to Aerith, only occasionally stepping out to fill an order from one of her customers, before quickly returning. It was nice, like finding a tropical little island in the middle of rough seas. It certainly made the time pass faster, and before she knew it the bar had emptied considerably; now it was only the most desperate drunks that remained.
Speaking of drunks, Aerith was leaning heavily against the bar now, and was taking her time with her latest glass of whiskey. She swirled the amber liquid around the glass, staring at it as though it would reveal the answers to life's questions, although Tifa thought she was still a bit young to be looking for that at the bottom of a glass.
"Hey, miss bartender," Aerith said suddenly. "How old are you?"
"What's this all of a sudden?" Tifa asked.
"Well, I just thought you looked a bit young to be running a bar all by yourself in the middle of the slums," Aerith explained.
The brunette was starting to slur her words, she was still intelligible, but definitely a little worse for wear.
"I'm eighteen," Tifa answered.
"And I was right," Aerith stated, and giggled.
Tifa sighed.
"And what about you?" she asked.
"What about me what?" Aerith responded.
"How old are you?"
"Oh, twenty," she answered.
Tifa nodded, she'd been right, this woman was only a couple of years older than her.
"Well, we'll be closing soon," she said. "So you might want to think about how you're gonna get home. Where'd you live, anyway?"
Aerith stared into space, seemingly having to think about it for a moment.
"Sector Five," she said, eventually.
Tifa just stared, and she had to force her mouth to stay shut. Then she groaned, there was no way she could let Aerith make that kind of journey when she was this drunk.
"Well, I guess I'll walk you home, then," she said.
Aerith waved a hand in protest.
"I'll be fine," she said. "It's not that far."
Well, that was relatively true, in that it was still in the same city at least; but that wasn't the main issue. The areas between sectors weren't well lit, there were a lot of unscrupulous people about even during the day, and that wasn't even mentioning all of the literal monsters the security forces didn't even bother trying to deal with.
"Maybe," she replied. "But it's dark, and your drunk."
"I'm not that drunk," she replied.
As though to prove her point, she stood up from the stool; only to immediately have to lean on the bar, as her legs refused to support her properly.
"Um, oops?" she offered.
Tifa sighed again, and ran a hand through her hair.
"No arguments," she said. "I'm walking you home."
The brunette groaned, but gave no further argument.
Then the bartender cupped her hands around her mouth, as she called out to the rest of the bar.
"Okay ladies and gentlemen, last orders please!"
As usual, she was immediately met by a series of loud protests, and she scowled as she stepped from behind the bar, to take care of the drunks that were too inebriated or too belligerent to leave graciously.
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Author's Note: So, I decided to give this story its own thread. Yeah, this first chapter is basically just the stuff that I posted over in the general Final Fantasy thread, but the second chapter is already finished, and should be up within the next couple of days.
I am trying to give this story something of a film noir feel, which probably isn't too evident in this opening, but should get stronger as the story proceeds, and the two women delve deeper into the seedy underbelly of Midgar.
Chapter I - Out of All the Bars, In All the Towns, In All the World
Given that her "Seventh Heaven" hadn't been open all that long, Tifa supposed it shouldn't be a surprise that business wasn't exactly booming. On top of that, what business she did get were surly, old drunks, and scoundrels looking for a place they hadn't been barred from yet. Neither of which did much for the atmosphere of her little bar. An atmosphere that was already pretty humid, and filled with the smell of smoke and sweat.
She sighed heavily. Really she should just grateful she was getting any business at all, because she was barely breaking even as it was. She'd known running a bar in the slums would be tough, but this had been beyond anything she'd been expecting.
Suddenly she squeaked, as she felt someone swat her soundly on her rear. Somehow she managed to retain her composure, keeping her back straight and her head held high, and ignored the raucous laughter that followed her back to the bar. Although by the time she reached it she knew her cheeks had to be bright red.
Of course, once she gained a better clientele, these old drunks were all barred.
She just about heard the wing doors snap open and closed behind her, and she plastered a pleasant grin on her face as she turned to greet the newcomer; only to be brought up short.
What she'd expected had been another grotty slum-dweller, some old guy who'd stumbled in out of the cold looking for something that would warm his belly and destroy some brain cells. What she found instead was a beautiful brunette wearing a short red jacket over a pink dress, and who looked like she could barely be any older than Tifa herself was. Yet her posture as she entered the room was full of a confidence and grace that made her a little envious.
She could also see the way some of the other patrons looked at her, bunch of lecherous old pervs.
The girl strode right on over to the bar, and sat on one of the unoccupied stools; which was all of them, because for some reason few people liked sitting at the bar, preferring to stick to their own table.
As the brunette sat herself down, she grinned at Tifa, and mischief shone in here eyes; a small glimpse at what lay beneath the refined exterior.
"So, what'll you be having?" Tifa asked.
"Give me something hard," she answered.
Tifa nodded, and almost breathed a sigh of relief as she reached beneath the bar for a bottle of whisky. She'd been half afraid that the woman would try to order to some kind of fancy cocktail. Those sorts of drinks were an extra expense she didn't want, and weren't the sort of thing her regulars were after anyway.
"I've got something hard for you baby," a new voice interjected.
The guy sat himself on the stool next to the girl, and Tifa almost snorted in disgust. The guy had to be at least three times older than the either of them, and he most definitely wasn't staring at her face.
The woman for her part looked less than impressed, and she didn't even bother to look at him as she replied.
"No thanks, I prefer younger guys," she said.
Tifa was caught halfway between amusement and horror. The way the brunette had spoken had been just so ridiculously cutesy and innocent, and so completely at odds with what she had actually said that it had to be an act; yet so somehow she'd pulled it off. On the one hand she'd found the put-down genuinely funny, on the other hand the guy was drunk, and who knew how he was going to react. The landlady tensed, preparing herself to leap in, just in case.
Except the man just sat there, his mouth opening and closing like a goldfish as he attempted to formulate a response, It seemed like the whole innocent little girl act had thrown him a little, but he quickly got over it, and a twisted little grin crossed his face as he spoke again.
"C'mon, don't be like that darlin'" he said. "Me and the boys can show you a good time."
"No thanks," she answered. "I'm having a good enough time with the bartender."
The man glanced over at Tifa, and she gave him her best unimpressed glare, the one she'd been forced to develop since she'd first come to Midgar.
The man snorted, and rose from his seat.
"Fine," he said, and he sounded almost indignant. "I know when I'm not wanted. But me and the boys are sat over there, if you change your mind."
The woman didn't look over to where he was pointing, and didn't even bother to look up as he stumbled back to his friends. In fact, she hadn't even looked at the guy at all for the whole time he'd been sat there. That was good, since coming here she'd found that guys like that tended to think you were just playing "hard to get" if you paid them any attention.
Still, it could have been nerves that kept the woman from locking eyes with the drunk.
"You okay?" Tifa asked.
The woman shrugged.
"You get guys like that all over, under the plate," she replied.
Tifa sighed, she supposed that was true, but it was kinda sad that a someone this young was already used to this kind of behaviour. Although that said, she wasn't exactly that old herself, and she was already largely jaded with this sort of thing. That was just the sort of effect this rotten city had on you.
"So what's your name?" she asked, handing the glass of whiskey over.
"Aerith," she answered.
"I'm Tifa, nice to meet you."
"Likewise," Aerith, responded.
Then the brunette raised the glass to her lips, and Tifa raised her eyebrows as she watched her drain the glass in one go. Of course, the effect was then ruined by the way she started spluttering and coughing.
"That's strong," she croaked, her eyes watering.
Tifa shrugged.
"That's the way my regulars like it."
"That's good," Aerith replied. "Another."
Tifa hesitated, then poured out another glass.
"You lived here long?" she asked, as she handed the second glass over.
"Almost as long as I can remember," Aerith answered.
That was surprising, this girl didn't look like the type of person who'd spent their whole life in the shadow of Midgar. Although, it almost looked like she could drink like someone who had.
"And what do you do for work?" Tifa asked.
"I work up on the plate," Aerith replied. "I sell flowers."
That gave Tifa pause, and she felt her cheeks almost burst into flame, she hoped to God that wasn't a euphemism.
Her thoughts must have been evident on her face, because the brunette suddenly burst into laughter.
"Not like that!" she exclaimed. "You've got a dirty mind, miss bartender."
Tifa turned her face away, and tried not to sound disgruntled as she said:
"So, do you work at a florist or something?"
Aerith shook her head again.
"Nope," she answered. "I just grow the flowers myself, then sell them up top for a gil a piece."
"That sounds like a lot of work for very little money," Tifa said.
Aerith shrugged.
"It's better than nothing," she said. "Besides, I like flowers, I'd grow them for free if I could."
Tifa actually smiled, that was the nicest thing she'd heard out of the girl's the whole time they'd been talking. In fact, that might have been one of the nicest things she'd heard since arriving in Midgar.
"Well," she replied. "At least you enjoy your work, I guess."
As though on cue, a voice called out from the other end of the room:
"Oi, more beer!"
Tifa sighed.
"Excuse me a minute," she said, stepping out from behind the bar.
From there the night proceeded pretty much the same way. Tifa spent most of the evening standing behind the bar and chatting to Aerith, only occasionally stepping out to fill an order from one of her customers, before quickly returning. It was nice, like finding a tropical little island in the middle of rough seas. It certainly made the time pass faster, and before she knew it the bar had emptied considerably; now it was only the most desperate drunks that remained.
Speaking of drunks, Aerith was leaning heavily against the bar now, and was taking her time with her latest glass of whiskey. She swirled the amber liquid around the glass, staring at it as though it would reveal the answers to life's questions, although Tifa thought she was still a bit young to be looking for that at the bottom of a glass.
"Hey, miss bartender," Aerith said suddenly. "How old are you?"
"What's this all of a sudden?" Tifa asked.
"Well, I just thought you looked a bit young to be running a bar all by yourself in the middle of the slums," Aerith explained.
The brunette was starting to slur her words, she was still intelligible, but definitely a little worse for wear.
"I'm eighteen," Tifa answered.
"And I was right," Aerith stated, and giggled.
Tifa sighed.
"And what about you?" she asked.
"What about me what?" Aerith responded.
"How old are you?"
"Oh, twenty," she answered.
Tifa nodded, she'd been right, this woman was only a couple of years older than her.
"Well, we'll be closing soon," she said. "So you might want to think about how you're gonna get home. Where'd you live, anyway?"
Aerith stared into space, seemingly having to think about it for a moment.
"Sector Five," she said, eventually.
Tifa just stared, and she had to force her mouth to stay shut. Then she groaned, there was no way she could let Aerith make that kind of journey when she was this drunk.
"Well, I guess I'll walk you home, then," she said.
Aerith waved a hand in protest.
"I'll be fine," she said. "It's not that far."
Well, that was relatively true, in that it was still in the same city at least; but that wasn't the main issue. The areas between sectors weren't well lit, there were a lot of unscrupulous people about even during the day, and that wasn't even mentioning all of the literal monsters the security forces didn't even bother trying to deal with.
"Maybe," she replied. "But it's dark, and your drunk."
"I'm not that drunk," she replied.
As though to prove her point, she stood up from the stool; only to immediately have to lean on the bar, as her legs refused to support her properly.
"Um, oops?" she offered.
Tifa sighed again, and ran a hand through her hair.
"No arguments," she said. "I'm walking you home."
The brunette groaned, but gave no further argument.
Then the bartender cupped her hands around her mouth, as she called out to the rest of the bar.
"Okay ladies and gentlemen, last orders please!"
As usual, she was immediately met by a series of loud protests, and she scowled as she stepped from behind the bar, to take care of the drunks that were too inebriated or too belligerent to leave graciously.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Author's Note: So, I decided to give this story its own thread. Yeah, this first chapter is basically just the stuff that I posted over in the general Final Fantasy thread, but the second chapter is already finished, and should be up within the next couple of days.
I am trying to give this story something of a film noir feel, which probably isn't too evident in this opening, but should get stronger as the story proceeds, and the two women delve deeper into the seedy underbelly of Midgar.
Last edited:
RichardWhereat
Feanor did nothing wrong.
- Location
- Australia
You should threadmark it, if only to stay in the practice of doing so.
I enjoyed the chapter. So, two years before the game starts should be interesting, and you gave Aerith more wit and steel than most do, which is great. More in fitting with the character. I forget, is Zack dead yet?
I enjoyed the chapter. So, two years before the game starts should be interesting, and you gave Aerith more wit and steel than most do, which is great. More in fitting with the character. I forget, is Zack dead yet?
Yep, during the actually game Aerith has quite the mischievous personality, and is definitely the less "innocent" between her and Tifa. I can only assume that her "holy maiden" thing throws most people off.
As to Zack, he and Cloud should still be trapped in Nibelheim at this point.
The fact Tifa is a bartending monk doesn't help there either.
Yeah, it's kinda interesting that Tifa was able to keep that sense of innocence whilst working a bar in the slums, and harboring a desire for revenge.
Mother Nyx
Mother of Elpis
- Location
- The Kei Klub
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Okay, so, yeah. You have sold me on this concept. I am supremely curious about where this is going to go.
Lead me on, wordsmith.
Lead me on, wordsmith.
Chapter II - Dangerous Streets
Chapter II - Dangerous Streets
The night air heavy and close, an inadvertent result of the metal plate hovering over their heads. Normally people would think that the saucer would provide plenty of shade, but during the summer it trapped all the heat, and didn't let it escape; then in the winter it functioned like a huge, empty storeroom, and amplified the cold. The passing of seasons always felt worse for those trapped in Midgar's shadow.
Still, at least she didn't have to deal with smell of unwashed hobos any more, Tifa thought, as she secured the shutters over the door to her bar. Once she was satisfied her bar was safe, or as safe as it got in this town, she turned to face her new friend.
Aerith was leaning against the wall of the building, and staring up at the bright lights coming from the underside of the plate. She actually looked a little forlorn like that, just staring into the space above her, whilst her pale skin was lit by the artificial lighting. Well, the landlady guessed people didn't try to drown their sorrows if they were happy.
"Okay," Tifa said. "You ready to get moving?"
The brunette pushed herself away from the wall, and although she stumbled a little, she managed to catch herself before she fell on her face.
"Ready when you are," she replied. She sounded cheery enough, but her words were still a little slurred.
Tifa nodded, and the pair of them set off. Their pace was slow and steady in order to make it easier for Aerith, because whilst the brunette seemed to be able to walk under her own power for now, Tifa hadn't forgotten the way she'd almost tripped over herself inside the bar.
The first five minutes of the journey passed in silence, and it wasn't exactly a comfortable one either. The atmosphere between them was kind of awkward honestly, and Tifa wanted to break it, but couldn't think of anything to start a conversation with. So she was honestly relieved when Aerith took the lead instead.
"So, do you offer this service to all your patrons?" she asked. "Walking them home, I mean."
"Just the pretty ones," she replied.
She winced as soon as she'd said it. That retort had sounded a lot better, and a lot less pervy, in her head.
The way Aerith giggled, only made the little twisting sensation in her stomach worse.
"Oh, that's right," she said. "I almost forgot you had a dirty mind, miss bartender. I hope you don't intend to trap me in some secluded corner."
Tifa felt her cheeks begin to burn again, as she responded:
"If I wanted that, I could have just kept you in the bar when I closed up."
Eyes widened, and she could almost have clapped a hand over her own mouth. Oh God, perhaps she should just keep her mouth shut from now on?
Thankfully, Aerith didn't responded to that outside of giggling again.
"So, um," Tifa began, grasping desperately for a change of topic. "How come you chose a bar so far away from where you live?"
She regretted her choice topic immediately, as she saw the grin slowly slip from Aerith's face.
"I'm not really sure," she replied, with a shrug. "I guess I just needed somewhere a bit further away."
Okay, that was vague, but Tifa thought she understood; it was easier to forget bad memories when you weren't around things that kept reminding you. There were times when she herself wanted to forget all the things that had lead her to this dump of a city, but there were also times when she clung to those memories fiercely. A person's relationship with their past tended to be complicated like that.
The conversation died completely when they reached the gate between Sectors Seven and Six, and Tifa felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. She'd heard a lot of unsavoury rumours about Sector Six, it wasn't a safe place to visit, especially not for women. The rumours were bad enough, that she'd actively avoided doing business with this part of Midgar.
Fortunately, the two them only really needed to skirt around the outside of the place in order to get to Sector Five.
The first thing that met their gaze when they passed through the enormous gate, was a children's playground. Only it didn't look like any children played here any more; half the equipment was rusted or broke, and she could see a couple of old needles scattered on the ground. About the only thing that looked intact was the cat statue in the middle, the one that had its tongue hanging out to act as a slide.
"This brings back memories," Aerith mumbled. "I used to play here all the time as a kid."
"I guess this place looked better back then?" Tifa asked.
"A lot better," Aerith answered.
The two of them passed through the playground without much trouble, and actually managed to cover a fair distance relatively quickly.
They were actually on the path to Sector Sive, this was were the lights dimmed, and this was where trouble finally found them. Although the lights on the bottom of the plate were always on, there were fewer of them in the areas between sectors, and they didn't receive maintenance nearly as often. Two figures stepped out of the shadows like the villains in some cheesy, old movie; one of them even had a knife in his hand, and was spinning it around by the handle.
Tifa quickly placed herself between the men and Aerith. She was confident enough in her skills to believe she could take down a couple of punks, yet even so, that didn't stop the icy feeling that dripped down into her stomach.
"Good evening, ladies," one of the men said. "Looking to pass through to Sector Five, are we?"
Tifa's mouth was too dry for her to respond, but Aerith had no such problem.
"Yep," she said. "So, if you guys could just get out of our way."
The man shook his head, and a clicked his tongue.
"I'm afraid I can't do that," he replied. "Y'see, this path has a toll, hundred gil a piece."
"And if we don't have that kind of money?" Tifa asked, finding her voice.
A sickening grin crossed the punk's face, and his eyes seemed to home in on her chest.
"Well, there are other ways of paying the toll," he said.
Tifa felt her face grow warm for what felt like the hundredth time that night, and at the same time the icy sensation in her stomach grew worse. Her fist became so tight that her nails began to dig into her palms, and every muscle in her body seemed to tighten even more. God, was this city just full of perverts?!
Right well, it looked like this conversation was over, and Tifa decided to make her first target the guys who couldn't seem to drag his eyes away from her boobs. She darted forward and the guy stumbled backwards as she approached, but not fast enough. Her fist rocketed forward, and struck him square in the sternum, briefly lifting him off his feet, and sending him tumbling backwards.
A low growl was the first sign she had of the other attacker coming her way.
She turned just in time to see a flash of silver, as he lunged at her with his knife, and she moved … but not quite fast enough. The blade nicked her bicep, drawing blood, but the wound was small, and with the adrenaline flooding though her she barely felt it.
As the guy came at her again, seeking to press his attack, she went low, sweeping his legs out from under him. Then as her was falling she used her moment to launch herself into a somersault, and planted her heel right in his gut just as he hit the ground. The man let out a little wheeze, before his eyes rolled into the back of his head.
Her moment of victory didn't last long, because a moment later she heard a little squeak coming from behind her.
She spun around, and found Aerith laying flat on her back, with two little worm-like monsters tugging at one of her boots. The brunette kicked at them with her free leg, but the little beasts were determined to cling on.
Damn it, the noise they made must have attracted them.
Without wasting a second, Tifa raced forwards, and punted one of the little creatures, sending it flying back into the piles of junk that lined the road. Sensing danger, the second released its intended prey and turned to face the predator, but it was too late. The foot that had sent its fellow flying, came down on its head, and there was a sickening crunch as its life was snuffed out.
Then with the danger finally passed, Tifa took a second to breath and calm herself down.
"My hero!" Aerith exclaimed, from her position on the ground.
Tifa looked down, to see the brunette smiling up at her.
"Glad I walked you home now?" she asked.
The brunette stuck out her tongue.
"I could've taken them," she replied.
"I'm sure," Tifa responded dryly, offering her hand to help Aerith up.
Actually, she thought the other woman probably could've handled the little worm monster things if she hadn't been so drunk, they hadn't been tough at all. However, the thugs would've posed a much greater threat to someone travelling by themself, especially someone who was inebriated.
Aerith took the offered hand gratefully, and Tifa hauled her back to her feet. However, when the brunette tried to stand, she hissed in pain.
"What's wrong?" Tifa asked.
"My ankle," Aerith replied. "I think I twisted it when I fell."
The brunette latched on to Tifa's arm to try and maintain her balance, and then it was her turn to hiss in pain. Aerith stumbled released the limb immediately, and struggled to maintain her balance
"You're injured," she said, staring at the wound.
"It's nothing, I'll be fine," Tifa replied. She really just wanted to get out of here as soon as possible.
"Hold on a second," Aerith said, and placed her hand on Tifa's injured arm again, although much more gently this time.
The landlady opened her mouth to protest, but promptly closed it again when a pale, green glow emanated from beneath Aerith's hand. Her skin began to tingle, but the pain quickly diminished. When the brunette removed her hand there was a thin smear of blood on her arm, but the wound itself had gone.
"How did you...?" Tifa began.
Aerith just stuck her tongue out again.
"It's a secret," she answered.
Tifa rolled her eyes. Okay, whatever, time to get out of here before more trouble found them.
Unfortunately, their going was now slower than ever. Tifa had Aerith's arm over her shoulders, whilst one of her own arms was around the brunette's waist, so that she could support some of her weight as she limped along on her ankle. Given that the night was already so warm, the presence of another body against hers was a little uncomfortable. Not to mention that from this close up she could smell the strong scent of whiskey on her breath.
The landlady kept herself alert as they made their way into sector five, but in the end it seemed like there was no need. It was like a ghost town; it wasn't that the buildings or street were any worse, but there was almost no one about, and it was quieter than she was used to. She almost snorted, she never thought she'd find a place less lively than Sector Seven.
"Which way is your house?" she asked.
"That way," Aerith replied, raising her hand.
Tifa set off again, helping the brunette limp along in the direction she pointed. The pair of them drew a number of curious looks from the few people still milling about, but Tifa resolutely ignored them.
In the end Aerith's house was easy to find, and the sight of it took her breath away. It wasn't so much the house itself, but that the land around it was so vibrant. It was like an actual garden surrounded the house, and the flowers were in full bloom causing a riot of colour.
For a moment she couldn't speak, it was the first time she'd so much greenery since first waking up in Midgar.
"It's beautiful," she whispered.
The feeling of Aerith giggling right down her ear made her shiver.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"You did all this?" Tifa asked.
"Yep!"
She didn't know why she was so surprised, this was her house after all. She vigourously shook her head, trying to get her mind back on track.
"So have you got a key or something?"
"Yep," Aerith answered, reaching into her pocket. "Gotta be quiet, don't wanna wake mom."
Yeah, that would be pretty bad. She really didn't want to have to try and explain to anyone why she was bringing their daughter home drunk, and injured; and she definitely didn't want to have to explain that she was technically the one who got her drunk. In fact, she didn't want to have to explain anything really.
No mam, I'm definitely not some seedy bartender deliberately leading your daughter onto a dark and dangerous path.
After Aerith turned the key, the pair of them stumbled inside; and even in the dark she could tell this place was well cared for. Everything look neat and tidy at least. For a moment she could almost believe she was anywhere but Midgar.
"Will you be okay from here?" she asked.
"Actually, I think I'll need some help getting upstairs," Aerith replied.
Tifa almost felt like groaning.
The staircase was actually a little narrow, so getting up them whilst still supporting the other woman's weight was a challenge. Tifa ended up pressed up against both firm, cold wall on one side, and Aerith's soft, warm flesh on the other.
Her heart was in her throat the entire time, she was convinced some old woman was going to burst out of a room on the next floor, and start demanding to know what she had done to her daughter. Every step seemed to creak and crack beneath their combined weight, and it sounded so very loud in the still and silent house. Not to mention the way they both grunted under the strained of try to squeeze up the stairs, the two of them were being way too loud!
Fortunately, they got to the top without waking anyone.
Eventually, after what felt like far to long, she lowered the brunette down on to her bed. Then, deciding that since she'd come this far she might as well continue to help out, she knelt down and began to work on the other woman's laces.
Aerith hissed as Tifa gently prised the boot of her left foot, and then Tifa hissed when she saw how her ankle had already become pretty red and swollen.
"Is it bad?" Aerith asked.
"I'm not sure," Tifa replied. "But you're probably gonna want to stay off it for a little bit."
"That's gonna be tough," Aerith said, and flopped back on to her bed.
Tifa rose back to her feet, grabbed on of the pillows from beneath the brunette's head, and used it prop up her injured foot. The drunk woman actually let out a cute little "eep" as her head fell back onto the covers. Then she tried to seat up again, looking a bit like an adorably helpless little puppy, with her clumsy, drunk movements.
For just a moment Tifa just sort of stood there awkwardly, she opened her mouth to speak, but Aerith beat her to it.
"The guest room's right next to mine," she said.
It took a second before Tifa realised what she was saying, and she shook her head gently.
"Thanks, but I need to get back to my bar," she replied.
Suddenly, the drunk woman darted forward, and almost tumbled off her bed; the only reason she didn't is because she wrapped her arms around Tifa's waist, using the other woman to keep herself up whilst pressing her face against her stomach.
"Nope," she said. "Not letting you walk home alone, it's dangerous."
"Come one," Tifa hissed, trying to pry her off.
"Nope," she repeated. "It's dark, and dangerous."
"Fine," she groaned. "I'll take the guest room."
"Good," Aerith responded. "And if you're not there in the morning, I'll come down to your bar and chew you out."
Tifa sighed, as she helped the other woman back into bed properly. Well, there went that plan.
"Good night," Aerith said, cheerily.
"Good night," Tifa mumbled, much less enthusiastically.
Which is how Tifa found herself laying in a stranger's bed, in a stranger's house, whilst still fully clothed; because she hadn't brought a change of clothes with her, and she certainly wasn't stripping down to her underwear in someone else's bed, even if she had been invited.
So she lay there, feeling weird as she stared up at the ceiling tiles she didn't recognise. On the one hand, it was all sorts of uncomfortable sleeping in a bed belonging to someone she barely knew, even if they did seem like an okay person. On the home hand, the house was nice, a little spot of tranquillity in the ocean of grunge and darkness that was the slums. The place had a vague sense of love and homeliness to it, something she hadn't felt in a few years, ever since...
Her fist gripped the bedsheets tight as the memories assailed her mind, her pulse raced, and her eyes stung; even now she could feel the flames singe her skin, and she could taste the ash in her mouth. She took several deep breaths and pushed her head into the pillow, as she tried to force the thoughts from her mind.
She lay awake for a couple of hours, and when she finally fell asleep, her dreams were strange and confusing.
The night air heavy and close, an inadvertent result of the metal plate hovering over their heads. Normally people would think that the saucer would provide plenty of shade, but during the summer it trapped all the heat, and didn't let it escape; then in the winter it functioned like a huge, empty storeroom, and amplified the cold. The passing of seasons always felt worse for those trapped in Midgar's shadow.
Still, at least she didn't have to deal with smell of unwashed hobos any more, Tifa thought, as she secured the shutters over the door to her bar. Once she was satisfied her bar was safe, or as safe as it got in this town, she turned to face her new friend.
Aerith was leaning against the wall of the building, and staring up at the bright lights coming from the underside of the plate. She actually looked a little forlorn like that, just staring into the space above her, whilst her pale skin was lit by the artificial lighting. Well, the landlady guessed people didn't try to drown their sorrows if they were happy.
"Okay," Tifa said. "You ready to get moving?"
The brunette pushed herself away from the wall, and although she stumbled a little, she managed to catch herself before she fell on her face.
"Ready when you are," she replied. She sounded cheery enough, but her words were still a little slurred.
Tifa nodded, and the pair of them set off. Their pace was slow and steady in order to make it easier for Aerith, because whilst the brunette seemed to be able to walk under her own power for now, Tifa hadn't forgotten the way she'd almost tripped over herself inside the bar.
The first five minutes of the journey passed in silence, and it wasn't exactly a comfortable one either. The atmosphere between them was kind of awkward honestly, and Tifa wanted to break it, but couldn't think of anything to start a conversation with. So she was honestly relieved when Aerith took the lead instead.
"So, do you offer this service to all your patrons?" she asked. "Walking them home, I mean."
"Just the pretty ones," she replied.
She winced as soon as she'd said it. That retort had sounded a lot better, and a lot less pervy, in her head.
The way Aerith giggled, only made the little twisting sensation in her stomach worse.
"Oh, that's right," she said. "I almost forgot you had a dirty mind, miss bartender. I hope you don't intend to trap me in some secluded corner."
Tifa felt her cheeks begin to burn again, as she responded:
"If I wanted that, I could have just kept you in the bar when I closed up."
Eyes widened, and she could almost have clapped a hand over her own mouth. Oh God, perhaps she should just keep her mouth shut from now on?
Thankfully, Aerith didn't responded to that outside of giggling again.
"So, um," Tifa began, grasping desperately for a change of topic. "How come you chose a bar so far away from where you live?"
She regretted her choice topic immediately, as she saw the grin slowly slip from Aerith's face.
"I'm not really sure," she replied, with a shrug. "I guess I just needed somewhere a bit further away."
Okay, that was vague, but Tifa thought she understood; it was easier to forget bad memories when you weren't around things that kept reminding you. There were times when she herself wanted to forget all the things that had lead her to this dump of a city, but there were also times when she clung to those memories fiercely. A person's relationship with their past tended to be complicated like that.
The conversation died completely when they reached the gate between Sectors Seven and Six, and Tifa felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. She'd heard a lot of unsavoury rumours about Sector Six, it wasn't a safe place to visit, especially not for women. The rumours were bad enough, that she'd actively avoided doing business with this part of Midgar.
Fortunately, the two them only really needed to skirt around the outside of the place in order to get to Sector Five.
The first thing that met their gaze when they passed through the enormous gate, was a children's playground. Only it didn't look like any children played here any more; half the equipment was rusted or broke, and she could see a couple of old needles scattered on the ground. About the only thing that looked intact was the cat statue in the middle, the one that had its tongue hanging out to act as a slide.
"This brings back memories," Aerith mumbled. "I used to play here all the time as a kid."
"I guess this place looked better back then?" Tifa asked.
"A lot better," Aerith answered.
The two of them passed through the playground without much trouble, and actually managed to cover a fair distance relatively quickly.
They were actually on the path to Sector Sive, this was were the lights dimmed, and this was where trouble finally found them. Although the lights on the bottom of the plate were always on, there were fewer of them in the areas between sectors, and they didn't receive maintenance nearly as often. Two figures stepped out of the shadows like the villains in some cheesy, old movie; one of them even had a knife in his hand, and was spinning it around by the handle.
Tifa quickly placed herself between the men and Aerith. She was confident enough in her skills to believe she could take down a couple of punks, yet even so, that didn't stop the icy feeling that dripped down into her stomach.
"Good evening, ladies," one of the men said. "Looking to pass through to Sector Five, are we?"
Tifa's mouth was too dry for her to respond, but Aerith had no such problem.
"Yep," she said. "So, if you guys could just get out of our way."
The man shook his head, and a clicked his tongue.
"I'm afraid I can't do that," he replied. "Y'see, this path has a toll, hundred gil a piece."
"And if we don't have that kind of money?" Tifa asked, finding her voice.
A sickening grin crossed the punk's face, and his eyes seemed to home in on her chest.
"Well, there are other ways of paying the toll," he said.
Tifa felt her face grow warm for what felt like the hundredth time that night, and at the same time the icy sensation in her stomach grew worse. Her fist became so tight that her nails began to dig into her palms, and every muscle in her body seemed to tighten even more. God, was this city just full of perverts?!
Right well, it looked like this conversation was over, and Tifa decided to make her first target the guys who couldn't seem to drag his eyes away from her boobs. She darted forward and the guy stumbled backwards as she approached, but not fast enough. Her fist rocketed forward, and struck him square in the sternum, briefly lifting him off his feet, and sending him tumbling backwards.
A low growl was the first sign she had of the other attacker coming her way.
She turned just in time to see a flash of silver, as he lunged at her with his knife, and she moved … but not quite fast enough. The blade nicked her bicep, drawing blood, but the wound was small, and with the adrenaline flooding though her she barely felt it.
As the guy came at her again, seeking to press his attack, she went low, sweeping his legs out from under him. Then as her was falling she used her moment to launch herself into a somersault, and planted her heel right in his gut just as he hit the ground. The man let out a little wheeze, before his eyes rolled into the back of his head.
Her moment of victory didn't last long, because a moment later she heard a little squeak coming from behind her.
She spun around, and found Aerith laying flat on her back, with two little worm-like monsters tugging at one of her boots. The brunette kicked at them with her free leg, but the little beasts were determined to cling on.
Damn it, the noise they made must have attracted them.
Without wasting a second, Tifa raced forwards, and punted one of the little creatures, sending it flying back into the piles of junk that lined the road. Sensing danger, the second released its intended prey and turned to face the predator, but it was too late. The foot that had sent its fellow flying, came down on its head, and there was a sickening crunch as its life was snuffed out.
Then with the danger finally passed, Tifa took a second to breath and calm herself down.
"My hero!" Aerith exclaimed, from her position on the ground.
Tifa looked down, to see the brunette smiling up at her.
"Glad I walked you home now?" she asked.
The brunette stuck out her tongue.
"I could've taken them," she replied.
"I'm sure," Tifa responded dryly, offering her hand to help Aerith up.
Actually, she thought the other woman probably could've handled the little worm monster things if she hadn't been so drunk, they hadn't been tough at all. However, the thugs would've posed a much greater threat to someone travelling by themself, especially someone who was inebriated.
Aerith took the offered hand gratefully, and Tifa hauled her back to her feet. However, when the brunette tried to stand, she hissed in pain.
"What's wrong?" Tifa asked.
"My ankle," Aerith replied. "I think I twisted it when I fell."
The brunette latched on to Tifa's arm to try and maintain her balance, and then it was her turn to hiss in pain. Aerith stumbled released the limb immediately, and struggled to maintain her balance
"You're injured," she said, staring at the wound.
"It's nothing, I'll be fine," Tifa replied. She really just wanted to get out of here as soon as possible.
"Hold on a second," Aerith said, and placed her hand on Tifa's injured arm again, although much more gently this time.
The landlady opened her mouth to protest, but promptly closed it again when a pale, green glow emanated from beneath Aerith's hand. Her skin began to tingle, but the pain quickly diminished. When the brunette removed her hand there was a thin smear of blood on her arm, but the wound itself had gone.
"How did you...?" Tifa began.
Aerith just stuck her tongue out again.
"It's a secret," she answered.
Tifa rolled her eyes. Okay, whatever, time to get out of here before more trouble found them.
Unfortunately, their going was now slower than ever. Tifa had Aerith's arm over her shoulders, whilst one of her own arms was around the brunette's waist, so that she could support some of her weight as she limped along on her ankle. Given that the night was already so warm, the presence of another body against hers was a little uncomfortable. Not to mention that from this close up she could smell the strong scent of whiskey on her breath.
The landlady kept herself alert as they made their way into sector five, but in the end it seemed like there was no need. It was like a ghost town; it wasn't that the buildings or street were any worse, but there was almost no one about, and it was quieter than she was used to. She almost snorted, she never thought she'd find a place less lively than Sector Seven.
"Which way is your house?" she asked.
"That way," Aerith replied, raising her hand.
Tifa set off again, helping the brunette limp along in the direction she pointed. The pair of them drew a number of curious looks from the few people still milling about, but Tifa resolutely ignored them.
In the end Aerith's house was easy to find, and the sight of it took her breath away. It wasn't so much the house itself, but that the land around it was so vibrant. It was like an actual garden surrounded the house, and the flowers were in full bloom causing a riot of colour.
For a moment she couldn't speak, it was the first time she'd so much greenery since first waking up in Midgar.
"It's beautiful," she whispered.
The feeling of Aerith giggling right down her ear made her shiver.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"You did all this?" Tifa asked.
"Yep!"
She didn't know why she was so surprised, this was her house after all. She vigourously shook her head, trying to get her mind back on track.
"So have you got a key or something?"
"Yep," Aerith answered, reaching into her pocket. "Gotta be quiet, don't wanna wake mom."
Yeah, that would be pretty bad. She really didn't want to have to try and explain to anyone why she was bringing their daughter home drunk, and injured; and she definitely didn't want to have to explain that she was technically the one who got her drunk. In fact, she didn't want to have to explain anything really.
No mam, I'm definitely not some seedy bartender deliberately leading your daughter onto a dark and dangerous path.
After Aerith turned the key, the pair of them stumbled inside; and even in the dark she could tell this place was well cared for. Everything look neat and tidy at least. For a moment she could almost believe she was anywhere but Midgar.
"Will you be okay from here?" she asked.
"Actually, I think I'll need some help getting upstairs," Aerith replied.
Tifa almost felt like groaning.
The staircase was actually a little narrow, so getting up them whilst still supporting the other woman's weight was a challenge. Tifa ended up pressed up against both firm, cold wall on one side, and Aerith's soft, warm flesh on the other.
Her heart was in her throat the entire time, she was convinced some old woman was going to burst out of a room on the next floor, and start demanding to know what she had done to her daughter. Every step seemed to creak and crack beneath their combined weight, and it sounded so very loud in the still and silent house. Not to mention the way they both grunted under the strained of try to squeeze up the stairs, the two of them were being way too loud!
Fortunately, they got to the top without waking anyone.
Eventually, after what felt like far to long, she lowered the brunette down on to her bed. Then, deciding that since she'd come this far she might as well continue to help out, she knelt down and began to work on the other woman's laces.
Aerith hissed as Tifa gently prised the boot of her left foot, and then Tifa hissed when she saw how her ankle had already become pretty red and swollen.
"Is it bad?" Aerith asked.
"I'm not sure," Tifa replied. "But you're probably gonna want to stay off it for a little bit."
"That's gonna be tough," Aerith said, and flopped back on to her bed.
Tifa rose back to her feet, grabbed on of the pillows from beneath the brunette's head, and used it prop up her injured foot. The drunk woman actually let out a cute little "eep" as her head fell back onto the covers. Then she tried to seat up again, looking a bit like an adorably helpless little puppy, with her clumsy, drunk movements.
For just a moment Tifa just sort of stood there awkwardly, she opened her mouth to speak, but Aerith beat her to it.
"The guest room's right next to mine," she said.
It took a second before Tifa realised what she was saying, and she shook her head gently.
"Thanks, but I need to get back to my bar," she replied.
Suddenly, the drunk woman darted forward, and almost tumbled off her bed; the only reason she didn't is because she wrapped her arms around Tifa's waist, using the other woman to keep herself up whilst pressing her face against her stomach.
"Nope," she said. "Not letting you walk home alone, it's dangerous."
"Come one," Tifa hissed, trying to pry her off.
"Nope," she repeated. "It's dark, and dangerous."
"Fine," she groaned. "I'll take the guest room."
"Good," Aerith responded. "And if you're not there in the morning, I'll come down to your bar and chew you out."
Tifa sighed, as she helped the other woman back into bed properly. Well, there went that plan.
"Good night," Aerith said, cheerily.
"Good night," Tifa mumbled, much less enthusiastically.
Which is how Tifa found herself laying in a stranger's bed, in a stranger's house, whilst still fully clothed; because she hadn't brought a change of clothes with her, and she certainly wasn't stripping down to her underwear in someone else's bed, even if she had been invited.
So she lay there, feeling weird as she stared up at the ceiling tiles she didn't recognise. On the one hand, it was all sorts of uncomfortable sleeping in a bed belonging to someone she barely knew, even if they did seem like an okay person. On the home hand, the house was nice, a little spot of tranquillity in the ocean of grunge and darkness that was the slums. The place had a vague sense of love and homeliness to it, something she hadn't felt in a few years, ever since...
Her fist gripped the bedsheets tight as the memories assailed her mind, her pulse raced, and her eyes stung; even now she could feel the flames singe her skin, and she could taste the ash in her mouth. She took several deep breaths and pushed her head into the pillow, as she tried to force the thoughts from her mind.
She lay awake for a couple of hours, and when she finally fell asleep, her dreams were strange and confusing.
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Mother Nyx
Mother of Elpis
- Location
- The Kei Klub
- Pronouns
- She/Her
...I ship it. I kind of, sort of, really ship it.
So, Aerith didn't have her combat stick yet?
So, Aerith didn't have her combat stick yet?
RichardWhereat
Feanor did nothing wrong.
- Location
- Australia
Making a chew her out joke would be weird, I think. But I still really really want to make one.
She has it, but she didn't use it. Remember right now Aerith is a little bit drunk.
- Location
- Texas
Well, this for sure left me wanting more. The writing is very solid and both Tifa and Aeris come off as in-character and interesting. Want moar plz. 
- Location
- Oymyakon
Wow, I really enjoyed this. You've got a solid grasp of the characters and the scenes flowed together really well. It was a lot of fun to see Tifa and Aerith's reactions to each other so far. I definitely agree with the others and can't wait for more!