Tension Rising The golden moments in the stream of life rush past us and we see nothing but sand; the angels come to visit us, and we only know them when they are gone. George Elliot She could feel the dress moving unhappily on her skin, soft and the colour of a dark night sky in the blues and indigoes she had seen as a child, sparkling with the stars she'd made vicious promises on, stars she'd hung her endless sorrow on and waited for the tomorrow she kept smiling for to take them away. Only now the dress that was the backdrop of her dreams whispered to her that she was going to a place far away with a man she knew made her skin crawl but she was doing it so one day, that tomorrow would come. That her tomorrow would be here sooner and she'd no longer viciously wait on each tick and tick of the eternal clock, slipping time past her. Making her so old whilst she was already still so young. Her dark eyes sullenly watched the ground and dirt packed together tightly as she swayed in the back of the Chocobo drawn carriage, her hair left loose and the small satchel of her work clothes left to the side of her, so she could change from this clinging material when the time was right. It was dark, as far as she could guess, the strange pre-dawn dark of a new day and she felt as though grit had embedded itself into her eyes and prickled out tears she'd sworn never to allow to run down her cheeks ever again. So she tightened her knuckles on the railing and bit her lip. The gate to sector six opened and the carriage clunked through gracelessly, hitting a stone as it turned in ungainly fashion. Jolted, Tifa grabbed the railing harder as her middle was thrown into it and mentally said several words, forming a pretty little curse with the dark sentiment. Then she raised her eyes and stopped as she saw piercingly two figures sat atop the old slide in the children's playground that had fallen into misuse over the years, serving now only as a scrap haven. One of the figures was Cloud – her heart surged suddenly with elation and an odd possessiveness then was dampened with a stranger new flush as she looked across to the girl sat next to him. She looked slender and almost fragile, with tanned skin and golden brown hair that was drawn as best the girl could likely manage away from her face, oval in shape and home to sparkling green eyes that stared at her in puzzlement and wonder. Tifa ran her hand across her middle and chest, trying to figure out what this new feeling was, only partially surprised to see the girl mimic the gesture. But Cloud was there, dampened yellow hair and the same lost expression, the same distant aura surrounding him as always. She looked down quickly, shame blooming inside her as the carriage drew away, leaving behind the playground and the two figures. Was she unhappy because she'd seen Cloud with another girl? Not particularly, she mused to herself, but more that she'd believed him lost, that he'd fallen and she'd not even thought to look for him. The bite of her own betrayal bit deep into her heart and tears quickly formed in her eyes with no additional help from the gritting morning feeling that hung around her. She tried hard to control the tears as shops that filled the market rolled past. She brushed them away hurriedly and turned to see the sprawling mansion with the colourful pennants and the open doors where the man she'd contacted previously stood; a greasy looking gentleman with a face only a mother would love, called Kotch. Shakily, Tifa got out of the carriage and straightened her dress with a twitch of her fingers and shrug of her strong shoulders, letting it fall with ease into place. Then adjusting her hair, she adopted the confident strut and sauntered towards Kotch, "The journey was terrible," she simpered. "Well, it was either the carriage or walking, my little beauty," he leered. For a moment she thought he'd place hands on her person and tensed, ready to break several fingers if this turned out to be the case, but it wasn't thankfully. Instead he gestured so she could go inside. Tifa followed his motion and started walking in, painfully aware they were all watching certain parts of her anatomy and yet also thankful they couldn't see the expression of disgust written across her face. The doors behind her closed. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- She moved from shop to shop like a dancing feather, asking with a sweet smile and tilting her head coyly to coax information from each person. Behind her, Cloud watched with a bemused expression, so lost that she stuck her tongue out between short jogging trips and laughing softly as he rolled his eyes in amusement back. Once she'd gathered the information she needed, Aerith came back to stand by the Soldier's side with a cheerful little perk of her cinnamon brows. "This place is pretty scary," she nodded surreptitiously to the eager looking drunks lining the market with leers matching their already somewhat questionable looks, "In a lot of ways. Especially for a girl. We've got to find Tifa fast." His expression looked lost and she shook her head at his next words, "So where do we start looking." "I'm one step ahead of you. The little boy over there says the Honey Bee Inn might know some details... so we'll go there and ask, but just don't leave me on my own." Cloud wrinkled a brow and brought a hand up to tap his chin, "I don't know, you're a girl who thinks she doesn't need help from anyone." "Oh, you're terrible!" she pushed him lightly and they both laughed. But soon she was steering him in the direction of the Inn, through the alleyways as per the advice and directions of several passer-bys. She didn't stop to ask too many questions but she did watch the kaleidoscope of colours and all the different shops this place had, as well as the various scents trickling up her nose and delighting her sense of smell. The inn itself sat in a dingy corner of the sector, a vast growth where sounds of a somewhat eyebrow raising nature were coming out of. Men clustered around the front of the building and without thinking, she pressed herself in close to Cloud with wide eyes as he approached the doorman to try and pry some information from him about Tifa's whereabouts. There was the usual idle chitchat and she felt Cloud's hand on hers in a reassuring fashion. How shameful! To make such a fuss about how she could handle herself and then to be faced with this kind of situation. Firmly she resolved that one day she'd never be this frightened again of such a pathetic thing, really... Soon, he was leading her away and she was pulled into the relative light of the market, pushing hair from her eyes with worry. "Well?" "Follow me," he said and started walking. She didn't tell him he'd not let go of her hand and neither did see any reason to – after all, the looks seemed to be on the faces of a few thugs littering the streets on the way to the building Cloud was murmuring about, a mansion of some sorts where they were holding young girls. They passed several bars, she had to skip over a drunk and the insides of his stomach until she almost bounced off Cloud's back when he came to an unexpected stop. Instead, she retrieved her hand, and to alleviate the disappointed look she smiled softly and rubbed her wrist, "You gripped too hard." "Oh, I'm sorry..." "This is Don Corneo's Mansion." The door guard approached, looking the most normal Aerith had seen anyone look since they had arrived in this unfortunate sector. "He's a big shot here in Wall Market. Listen, the Don's not interested in men so you just get the hell outta here, okay?" His eyes travelled to her from Cloud and she smiled, even making the effort to stick a dimple in with it, "Hey! You got another cute one with you!" She studied the mansion and turned a little so her whisper would reach only Cloud, "Looks like this is the Mansion. I'll go take a look – I'll tell Tifa about you." She turned away and took a few steps forward, then blinked as Cloud caught her arm and dragged her away with surprising strength. She'd known he was strong but hadn't expected this kind of strength! "No, you can't!" His expression was confused, hurt and incredibly frustrated all at once, suffused with that little blush over his cheeks. "Why not?" "You... do know what kind of place... this is, don't you?" She wanted to smile but instead frowned, her amusement bubbling over from the inside and taking the bite from her words, "Then what am I supposed to do? Do you want to go in there with me?" He brushed a hand into his golden hair, "Well.. being a man, that'd be pretty hard... Besides, if I bust in that'll cause too much commotion..." She watched him and then a terrible idea struck her, accompanied with an image so strong that the amusement erupted inside her. She covered her mouth and held her stomach, laughing helplessly as the Soldier carried on, oblivious to her giggling fit. "But I can't just let you go in alone... oh man... first, we need to find out if Tifa is okay..." finally he noticed and frowned, "Alright, what's so funny?" "Cloud," she gasped past her giggles and reached for his hand with both of hers, unaware of how the light however dim made her large green eyes sparkle delightfully, filled with life, "Why don't you dress up as a girl? It's the only way..." "WHAT?" he jerked his hand back and stared at her in horror. She laughed and moved to the guard, grinning so energetically that the guard felt compelled to smile back, "Just wait, I've got a cute friend I want to bring along." "Aerith," Cloud said in strangled tones from behind her, "I can't..." She turned, the smile fading only a little, "You are worried about Tifa right? Then come on, hurry!" "But..." He sighed as his hand was grabbed by her this time. She smiled to herself on the inside and began drawing him away from the mansion and towards the clothes shop she'd seen as they'd ran past it in the hurry to get close to the mansion. Behind her, she could hear him trying to formulate all manner of reasons why it wouldn't work. In her heart she formulated all manner of reasons on exactly why it would... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Carefully folding her clothes and shoes up with her staff, she tied them into a bundle and pushed it out of the cubicle ahead of her. The dress she'd picked was red, the colour of love, passion, of vivacity. It was also the colour of blood. Her eyes lidded slightly as she pulled the ribbon from the bottom of the braid she wore and let her hair fan out carefully. The white materia glinted at her from the back of her pony tail and Aerith looked at it mutely, wondering to herself if she would ever be able to unlock the secrets of the materia. "Aerith, you ready?" "Yeah," she called out and opened the cubicle to look across at Cloud who had chosen the traditional silken kimono, the blonde wig and the careful selection of items they'd chosen to go with the outfit. She stepped out, feeling a little neglected because of these expeditions they'd done in order to pretty Cloud up. But the gasps of appreciation from the others in the shop made her warm a little on the inside. But the Soldier's expression was almost thunderstruck. "Oh, you're no fun," she said a little sadly, disappointed by his verbal lack of affirmation. Moving to pick up her backpack, she watched Cloud do the same with his gear and started walking after him, waving to the kind shop owners who'd helped them in their crazy quest for dress, items and wig. She lifted the dress hem clear of the floor and stepped after Cloud, conscious of how cool the evening air was getting. Soon they arrived by the mansion front and she stepped ahead of Cloud, offering that same energetic smile to the guard, "Hey again." "Damn, your friends hot too!" The strangled if muted sound of indignation made her giggle and she covered her mouth, thankful the guard had his back turned as he fumbled with the latch to let them in, "Come in, come in – two ladies, coming through!" She stepped in without hesitation, looking back to see Cloud fight against grinding his teeth. Perhaps this was his punishment for his less than desirable reaction on seeing her in a dress like this. "Hey ladies, I'll go let the Don know you're here, no wandering around!" They both nodded and when the man was gone, she turned to Cloud in the expansive foyer of the mansion with her hands on her hips and smiled, with grim satisfaction, the smile reminiscent of the old ‘told you so' chants as used by children the world over. "Now's our chance, lets find Tifa." They began an exhaustive search of the Mansion until they heard what sounded like a vague thumping noise from a room and together, braved down the darkly lit stairwell. To Aerith, it reminded her of walking into the throat of some demon, each step bringing her closer to the fate she knew waited for her, the heavy feeling growing in her stomach as shadows flickered everywhere around her. At the bottom was what appeared to be a torture room, complete with rack, furnace and hooks on the wall. Dark tell-tale smears made her avert her eyes with a gulp and press both hands to her stomach. By the rack stood the girl they'd seen on the carriage, complete with blue dress and up close, Aerith could see the wine-dark eyes that suddenly looked towards them. Cloud coughed in embarrassment and moved to the side to let Aerith past. She came down the steps and smiled to Tifa. "Tifa?" she ventured first, before the other girl could get a word in edgewise, "Nice to meet you. I'm Aerith. Cloud's told me a lot about you." She offered her hand. "...And you are...?" Tifa blinked and took the hand gently, shaking it, "Oh, you're the one who was with Cloud in the park." "Right, with Cloud." A strange air hung between them and then she almost felt guilty at the look of betrayal that white washed over Tifa's face, "Oh." "Oh, don't worry, we just met. It's nothing," she tried to insert hurriedly. "What do you mean, don't worry?" Tifa looked at her again, the expression shifting to something slightly more wistful and sad, "About...what? No, don't misunderstand. Cloud and I grew up together, nothing more." Then why are you so sad and lonely? Why do you look through me and falter on your words? What is going on with this girl? "Poor Cloud," Aeris suddenly smirked and hid it behind a hand. She wanted to roll around laughing, in all honesty. "Having to stand here and listen to us talk about him as if he's nothing. Right, Cloud?" "Cloud?" Tifa's expression was puzzled, but then at the flower girls gesture, she looked at the other ‘girl' who had followed the steps down and her eyes widened! Aerith turned away, trying so hard not to laugh as Tifa crossed over the space and poked at the makeup incredulously, "Cloud? Why are you dressed like... like that? And what are you doing here? ...forget about that, what..." there was a strange hitch in her voice and Aerith looked up at the pair, did Cloud not hear it? "What happened to you after the fall? Are you hurt?" "Hey, give me a chance to answer," he looked sheepish and almost brow beaten, if anything, "I'm dressed like this..." his blue eyes gave her an accusatory look and the giggles almost bubbled over again, so she bit her lip, "Because there was no other way to get in here. I'm all right, Aerith helped me out." "Oh... Aerith did..." Tifa's eyes travelled down to her hands, wrung together and once more, the flower girl frowned, trying to figure out what the problem was here. "Tifa... explain, why are you in a place like this?" "Oh..ummm..." "I'll just plug my ears," Aerith offered helpfully and covered both ears with her hands quickly, moving away to let the pair talk privately. In truth she was starting to feel entirely unsure about this whole situation. When he'd fallen into her church, she was certain that she and him were out to do something incredible, like change the world; the kind of things her real mother had spoken of. The weave of the lifestream and how it wound around the world, that she would be able to dip her hands into it and focus her energy, focus the magic and make anything possible because of what she is. But now Tifa was there and a second feeling almost as strong as the first, perhaps stronger in some ways, told her that she and Tifa were also going to do something even more profound than that which she and Cloud would do. Only she didn't know what yet... "...Everyday he gets three girls, chooses one of them and well... and then... anyway, I have to be the girl or I'm out for tonight." She lowered her hands from her ears and turned around, "I'm sorry," she said softly, drawing their attention from the despairing silence Tifa's statement had thrown over the room, "I overheard. If you know the other two girls, there shouldn't be a problem, right?" "No, Aerith, I can't have you get involved!" She turned her bright, lively eyes onto him and narrowed them, the first real sign of annoyance she'd properly given, "Oh, so it's all right for Tifa to be in danger?" "No...I don't want Tifa in..." he tried helplessly, making expansive gestures, but the martial artist cut him short. "Is it all right?" "I grew up in the slums, I'm used to danger." ...needles...tables...hunt me, catch me if you can...and the ghosts come, hunger...hate...and forever you'll run away... "Do you trust me?" Tifa drew close to her and she smiled, taking one of Tifa's arms, vaguely surprised that the feeling of being hit in the stomach finally quelled at having Tifa close to her too, as it did with Cloud, "Yes, thanks, Ms Aerith." "Please, just call me Aerith?" The two girls smiled at each other as Cloud gawped at them in the background, a voice ringing out from above, "HEY" they all looked up to the stairwell top and sighed, the man from the foyer looking back down at them, "It's time Ladies, the Don is waiting. I told you not to wander around... I tell ya, women nowadays... hurry up, will ya!" "I er," Cloud coughed and drew their attention, his expression miserable and resigned, "I probably don't need to ask this, but I'm the other girl, right?" "You're right," Tifa smiled, "There was no need..." Aerith finished, "To ask!" The both broke into laughter as they began to make their way up the stairs and towards the dangerous situation ahead of them... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The water was cold and smelt pretty bad. It lapped on her cheek in small tides, pushing up against her nose as she sat up slowly, hearing Cloud ask Aerith the same question he'd asked her not seconds ago. The affirming answer that she was alright, made Tifa sigh in relief. Her clothes however, the white shirt and mini skirt were covered in sludge from the sewer. Taking this time to wipe the muck off, she then drew on her gloves that she didn't have time to pull on before, hurried in the rush to save Cloud from Corneo. Speaking of that, she wasn't sure how she felt about a man being deemed more attractive than she, when dressed up as a woman. Aerith, she could understand; the flower girl was genuinely beautiful, with a sweet smile and eyes that just sparkled with whatever little light was in the area. Tifa got to her feet, eyes drawn to the lively yet fragile woman who stood with the aid of her staff, from around the side of the monster they'd defeated. She'd never met a magic master before, she knew they existed. After all, Materia shop owners all owned the basic precepts of using materia, but she'd never before seen anyone draw the hidden strengths of one of those crystalline orbs out with such ease. And the strange power she used as a refreshing wind in battle... She hitched her shoulder and worked at the muscle, feeling it give slightly and sighing, the dent in the pipe close by testament to the crunching blow she'd taken from the monster that had left her dazed and facedown in the sewer water, trying to count the stars that whirled in her head. Looking down she was aware both of them were looking at her, staring infact as she gripped her hands into fists, trying to mentally latch onto something. The old, ice cold grief was rushing up, the burning sensation hard in her heart, "It's too late," she tried to say, choking on the words. "Marlene... Barrett... the people in the slums..." A cool hand touched her upper arm and before she could think, Tifa recoiled to stare the couple of inches down into Aerith's bright green eyes, filled with comfort. "Don't give up," she said softly, "Don't ever give up hope. It's not easy to destroy the pillar, right?" Tifa stared and then gripped her hand over the delicate one on her arm and looked to Cloud – where had he been blessed enough to find this unrelenting soul, filled with such hope? "Yeah... you're right! We still have time." Cloud nodded back to her and together they set off through the sewers. At one point, Aerith stopped them and began to dig through some garbage. The soldier almost said something, but paused when the girl straightened up with a shining materia balanced on the flat of her palm, a radiant smile on her face. "People throw away even the most useful of things," she explained softly, slotting it into Tifa's armour. It made sense, Tifa wasn't exactly bad with materia, but the yellow glow of a command materia was better suited to her nature. "What type is it?" she asked as they walked towards the ladder leading upwards. "A sense materia I think." "Well, what does that do?" "When you're in a fight and say the enemy seems to be slightly stronger than you anticipated, right?" Aerith smiled up at her between steps, accepting the help from Tifa to get over a pipe that blocked their way to the ladder which everyone could see by now, "So you'd want to know their weaknesses and exploit them, even perhaps know how tired they were getting. A sense materia helps you to do that. Just cast the magic through the orb and it'll tell you all about the enemy and will continue to do so until they're defeated, either by a knock out or well... you know." "I gotcha," Tifa said. "There's a ladder here," Cloud said quietly and together they slogged over to it. Without a second word, he went on up ahead and Tifa placed the flats of her hands together with frustration. "He always does this, he doesn't think of anyone else sometimes," she grumbled. Aerith couldn't help but laugh, much to the martial artists surprise, "But, at least this way he won't be looking up our skirts, I think he was thinking about that." I never thought of that... how much of a tomboy have I become? "I ah... I guess so." Tifa laughed along with Aerith and stepped aside, "After you. I'll be under you so if you fall, I'll catch you." "I know you will." They locked eyes for a moment, then the flower girl was shinnying up the ladder with slow movements, not as physically robust as the rest of them. Tifa risked a glance upwards at the slender legs that moved slowly between rungs and sighed, holding her arms out as if ready to catch her. But quickly enough the girl was gone up the ladder and out of the manhole. Tifa lowered her hands and took a hold of the ladder, starting her own climb without a backwards look, bathed in the vague glow of materia on the slot in her bangle. The girl was a mystery to Tifa. At times she felt like she should hold her and run far away, so the world couldn't harm something so precious... and other times she wanted to keep her there forever, so she wouldn't feel so rejected. Her hands gripped the tarmac beyond the opening and she began to haul herself out, blinking as the cool hands of Aerith tried to assist, however clumsily the attempt was. The simple gesture brought a smile to her face and she looked up and winked, as she crawled out. "Aerith, I got you mixed up in all of this..." Cloud started, again. Tifa felt like knocking some sense into him, preferably with one of the old derelict trains left lying around. She recognised where they were and took a quick look around as her new friend berated him in soft, deceptive tones. "Don't tell me to go home." She smiled and lowered her hand, glancing back at them. "Let's see... if we get past the trains that are lit up, we should be able to get out of here," she pointed northward. "That way." "..." Cloud wrenched his blue eyes away from Aerith and then fixed Tifa with a faintly accusing look, as if she weren't helping the situation, then he started towards the trains with a grumpy sound. Tifa took Aerith's arm, to her own surprise and murmured, "Don't worry, he's just a little upset because things aren't going his way." "Poor Cloud," Aerith sighed. But she didn't take her arm back either... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- There was gunfire everywhere and she was forced to cover her ears at the loud barrage. Behind her, Aerith crouched over the body of the fallen Wedge, his round body broken from the massive fall. Tears stood, shockingly, in those green eyes. Tifa wondered how she could cry for a man she didn't even know, for a life she had never been a part of. The compassion in the hands as they gently felt the broken ribs and the bit lip where blood was drawn to rosy under the skin. She wished she'd never see the girl weep again. It was all their doing. ShinRa. Tifa clenched her hands, glaring at the ground as Cloud went to help open up the gate to let them through onto the pillar. But she didn't hear him, staring until the floor should immolate. "I'm going up! Aerith, you take care of Wedge." Without a second look, Cloud ran up the pillar base. Tifa hung on, moving to crouch by Aerith who was weeping silently even as her hands went through the useless motions. The hardened girl had seen enough death to know that the glassy eyes and the lifeless sprawl indicated Wedge was gone, that nothing Aerith did now could ever matter. "Aerith," she said softly, taking one of the hands and rubbing the back of it gently, "I have a favour to ask. I have a bar called ‘Seventh Heaven' in this neighbourhood. There's a little girl there, called Marlene." The sobs that wracked the body were lessening, and the smaller woman nodded, "I'll take her somewhere safe." "..." Tifa got to her feet and waved her arms around, yelling, "It's dangerous here, get out! Everyone get away from the Pillar, quickly! Everyone, get out of sector 7!" They stared at her, then immediately began to mill and gather items, precious, irreplaceable memories. Tifa looked behind her and saw Aerith get up slowly, and move woodenly towards the sector heart, where she could find Marlene. Then, the fighter took her first steps after Cloud... ...I've never seen angels cry before. Please let everyone live, please let everyone get by. What is this new silence? When did time suddenly stop for me? ...when the angel came into my life.
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