“Ugh. Damn that hurts.”
Tifa looked around and tried to figure out where she was. That last thing she remembered was an earthquake…her bar split in half…and a high scream. Aeris’ scream? “Aeris?”
The fighter stood and immediately fell to the floor. A sharp pain ran throughout her right leg. “Shit…not something I want to deal with.”
Searching through her materia, Tifa found her Curaga. Concentrating, she cast cure on herself and her leg began to repair. Almost as soon as her leg began feeling better, the materia shattered and a green aura dissipated into the sky. “Fantastic.”
Tifa stood shakily. Although still sore, her leg was strong enough to support her. Reaching into her pocket, she took out a vial half full and drank it. Throwing the vial to the ground once she was done, she tried to shake the bitter taste out of her mouth. Yech. No matter how many of those I drink, the taste is still horrendous. Hm, that was my last one too. I hope there aren’t many strong monsters around. Tifa worked her leg a bit and began walking down the alleyway. A couple rats scurried by her and hid between the trashcans. Above her was a wooden sign: Hallow Bastion. Tifa grimaced, “that sounds pleasant.”
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Aeris shook her head and placed a hand behind it. Hm, yeah I’m gonna have a bump there. She slowly got to her feet and looked around. Something happened. Okay, a couple things have happened. One: she wasn’t home. Two: she was on a roof. Three: she can no longer hear the Planet’s cries. Aeris closed her eyes and tried hard to concentrate. Nothing. This…this isn’t good. I have to find someone. Tifa. She was with me. Maybe she’s here too. Uh, now to just get off this roof.
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Tifa was walking slowly and she heard a loud crash. Immediately, she took a fighting stance and faced the noise. Great, down another alley it is then. Moving cautiously she poked her head around the corner. A certain flower girl was dangling off a metal drainpipe, her feet searching for the fallen trashcan. The fighter smiled and moseyed up to the damsel in distress. “Ahem, having trouble?”
“Wha? Ti-Tifa is that you?”
“Guilty.”
Aeris tried to move her head around and get a glimpse but to no avail. “Mind helping a girl out? My jacket is caught.”
“I don’t know. This is kind of entertaining,” Tifa teased.
“Tif please! I’m losing my grip!”
The younger woman kicked the trashcan away and steadied her stance. She placed her hands under the girl’s boots and pushed up to unhook the jacket. Aeris released her hold on the drainpipe and fell into Tifa’s arms. “Oof! Have you gotten heavier?”
The honey-haired woman glared and said matter of factly, “maybe you’ve just gotten weaker.”
“No I don’t think that’s it,” Tifa responded as she put Aeris down.
“You think I failed to notice you not working out very much anymore? You’ve gotten chunky, Ms. Lockhart.”
Tifa huffed, “I have not! Plus, the bar has been busy lately!”
Aeris giggled as she watch her friend defend her lackadaisical lifestyle. “No need to get huffy about it. I hear size 26 is the new 4 anyways.”
“You’re horrible! Do you want to go back on that roof? I’ll throw you up there in a heartbeat.”
The flower girl leaned forward and hugged her friend. She kissed her on the cheek and smiled. “I am glad you found me. And…came to my rescue no less.”
A tint of red colored Tifa’s cheeks as she grinned, “I only wish I came in time to save your jacket. Unless you carry a sewing kit with lots of thread, this guy isn’t gonna make it.”
Aeris shed her jacket and frowned at the huge tear. She felt her friend’s face get closer and her breath on her cheek. “You know, if you weren’t such a heifer, your jacket wouldn’t have ripped trying to hold your weight. Just something to think about,” Tifa whispered with an evil smirk.
The older girl glared and turned slowly to face the fighter. Her emerald eyes sparked with ferocity. Tifa knew this look. Last time she saw it she was out 1500 gil and a seasonal pass to the Gold Saucer. They were the only recuperations the flower girl would take after Tifa accidentally punched her in the face. Lockhart still felt like she got shorted because for two weeks after, Aeris kept shocking her with a thunder spell.
The pink clad woman sauntered closer to Tifa, backing her into a wall. She pressed her body against the fighter’s and stood on her tip-toes to be on eye level. Tilting her head, she glanced at her lips and back up to wine colored eyes. Aeris knew Tifa got really uncomfortable when people were in her personal space. She promised herself she’d only do it if the fighter had it coming. At this point, she most definitely had it coming. Aeris smiled a shy grin. I wonder what she’d do if I kissed her? That might send her over the top. I’m already in her bubble, should I take advantage of her too? Oh the answer is so tantalizingly evil.
Oh no oh no oh no! She’s reeeaally close to me! She’s all up in my goodies and why can’t I push her away? I can feel her breath on my lips and her heartbeat against mine. What is she doing? Tifa swallowed hard. I have to move. Why won’t my legs move? They’re shaking. Uh, why won’t they shake their way away?
Aeris placed her hands tenderly behind Tifa’s neck. Hah hah, I’ll teach her to call me fat. She slowly lessened the space between their lips until there was nothing more. She felt the other girl tremble against her which caused her to smile. She pulled back minutely then kissed her again.
Ahhh what to do what to do -uumph! Tifa’s mind went blank as soon as she felt Aeris’ lips against hers. Her entire body shivered and it felt as if she was going to rupture. Shakily, she sat her hands on the girl’s hips, attempting to push her back. Instead, she unconsciously pulled her hips closer into her own. Aeris’ eyes shot open. She inhaled sharply and her body took over. She fervently deepened the kiss and brought Tifa closer.
“Oh ma gawd!!”
The two quickly separated and looked at the owner of the outburst. There stood a young ninja with wide eyes and a smile covering half her face. “I knew you two had something going on! Oh man oh man oh man this is so exciting. Forget us being in a strange place, this is so much more better!”
Aeris glanced at Tifa who was red, looking at the floor in distraught. She cupped the fighter’s cheek and brought her up to meet her pleading eyes, silently asking if she was okay. A small nod followed and she looked back at the ground. The happy-go-lucky ninja bounced up next to them and was giggling. Tifa sighed and glanced at the teenager. She could’ve sworn if Yuffie had a tail it would’ve fallen off by all the wagging. “How’d you get here, Yuffie?”
“I have no idea. I just woke up on some boxes and figured I look around. Get my bearings like any good ninja would. I was walking down that way when I heard a crash. Took me a while to find y’all but nothing is impossible for me. Although, I probably should’ve let y’all be. Eh? Eh?”
Tifa pushed away the girl’s elbow nudging her ribs and shifter her weight. She blushed slightly and shook her head. The flower girl smiled and smoothed out her dress. “So, you find anyone else?”
Yuffie shook her head, “nope. Well, not anyone we know. Just a geezer in a blue robe or something. He had a funny, pointy hat too. I think he’s a magician. We should go talk to him. Come on let’s go Tifa, Aerith.”
Both women questioned, “Aerith?”
Yuffie turned back around and wore a confused look. “Yeah.”
“You mean Aeris.”
The ninja’s right eye twitch, “uh, yeah…Aerith.”
“Aeris.”
“Aerith.”
“………………….Aeris.”
“Aerith.”
Tifa and Aeris looked at each other with quizzical expressions. “Perhaps the fall here messed with her head,” Tifa whispered.
Aeris nodded in agreement. “Still, it is a cute name for you.”
With that said, Tifa smiled at herself and followed Yuffie down the damp alley. Thus, leaving the girl in pink alone with the remark. She exhaled softly and looked to the sky above. What have I done?