Yuffie entered the hotel with a brown paper bag and a large satisfied grin on her face. Pausing slightly at the portrait at the entrance, the girl gazed at it for a moment before giving it a mock salute and continuing on her way. Offering a quick wave to Otis, the young girl bounded up the steps to the third floor. She was in high spirits. Things, though they hadn't turned out exactly as she hoped, still came out all right in the end. Reaching a hand into her pocket, the girl pulled out a white slip of paper, where a number was carefully scrawled. Yuffie smirked slightly. Her trip to the bakery had been completely spontaneous. She had been returning from her meeting with Uteki and his men when a sudden fierce hunger struck her. Walking into the store, the girl had intended to buy something quickly. A simple in and out thing. But as she came in, the young ninja noticed a redhead sitting off at a small table near the large windows. Deciding she had no commitments to worry about, Yuffie gave the girl a coy smile and a slight nod of the head. The smile was returned, and as Yuffie looked at the various pastries, the two girls surreptitiously glanced at one another, giggling whenever their eyes met. Paying for two sugar coated buns and a cupcake, the ninja sauntered over to where the redhead sat, and the girl's rich brown eyes met Yuffie's without a hint of fear. It was perhaps the girl's eyes that motivated Yuffie to sit down and begin talking to her. The girl's name was Illise, and she was a university student majoring in art and design. She had traveled the world, as Yuffie had, and enjoyed the outdoors. Her favorite color was blue, and she liked trying new things. Her nose and shoulders were freckled, and her lower lip had a tendency of sticking out when she thought to herself. ...But what kept Yuffie sitting at the table was the girl's eyes. After a conversation that took longer than Yuffie realized, she had been given Illise's number and had promised the girl she would call. Standing outside of her and Tifa's hotel room, the ninja held her copy of the room key absently, the small bit of metal hovering near the door knob. Her ears perked up at the sound of running water coming from inside. "Tifa's back," the girl thought with a slight grin. Entering the room, Yuffie called out tentatively, "Tifa?" When there was no response, the ninja stepped further into the room. Seeing that the bathroom door was closed, the ninja shrugged and set her bag of pastries on the bed stand next to her bed. "I got some treats, Tif!" Yuffie cried. Frowning at Tifa's silence, the young girl sat on the edge of the bed, opening the bakery bag and taking out the cupcake. Biting into it ravenously, the girl chewed and looked around the hotel room. Gaze falling into her lap, her expression turned thoughtful for a moment before she wiped the crumbs from her lips. "Y'know, I met someone down at a bakery nearby!" Yuffie said loudly, hoping Tifa would hear her. She took another bite of her cupcake, and waited for her friend to say something. When Tifa still remained quiet, she added, "She was a redhead. I think she really liked me." Yuffie smiled somewhat proudly. Tifa, who had been scrubbing furiously at her upper right arm with the soap, halted her movements as the ninja continued. The girl no longer waited for the fighter to respond to her statements. She had come to the conclusion that Tifa probably could not hear her. Regardless, Yuffie continued talking, feeling a sense of comfort from the sound of her own voice. What she did not realize was that Tifa could hear every word she said, and did so with bated breath. "She was kinda weird, ya know? An art geek. She kept talking about what a great subject I'd be for one of her drawings." Yuffie stood from the bed, taking a quick bite of her dwindling cupcake. Chewing thoughtfully, the girl walked toward the balcony and gazed out through the sliding doors. "She had this sort of energy about her. It was pretty invigorating. As it turned out she's actually a really active person. Into camping and hiking and all that...and she surfs! Don't you think that's cool?" Tifa grit her teeth and began scrubbing her shoulder again. The skin began to sting. Finishing off her cupcake, Yuffie crumpled up the paper holder in her hands and tossed it in the nearby bin. Sighing she stepped forward and placed a hand on the sliding glass door. Tifa's ears strained as she heard the girl speak again. "But you know what, Tifa?" Yuffie said, her breath appearing on the glass in a burst of fog. "You wanna know the absolute best part about the girl?" Tifa turned her back to the shower head, her fingers pressing themselves into her eyes. She couldn't make out her tears from the water. Yuffie pressed her forehead to the glass. "It was her eyes..." she whispered. Eyelids falling shut, the ninja allowed her hand to slide down the glass before she turned and leaned against the sliding door with her shoulder. Eyes easing open, the girl gazed longingly out at the dusky horizon. "Her eyes...their...their just like yours, Tifa." ---------- "So how was your day?" "Oh it was fine... I managed to find a dress." "Oh yeah? Can I see it?" "Yeah, it's in that box over there." "The box is all smashed on the sides. What happened?" "Oh, I uh...got scared. There was this couple walking a huge Rottweiler, and the dog kept barking at me." "Ya shoulda smacked it on the nose. I hear they quit barking when you hit 'em hard enough." "I highly doubt that would have helped." Tifa stood in the bathroom, clean and refreshed from her shower. Blow drying her hair with the hotel room's hairdryer, she had listened to Yuffie talk of the girl she had met at the bakery. She made it a point to sound happy for the girl. Tifa never considered herself a liar, but the ease that came with faking her emotions was almost surprising. "I guess I'm better at it than Yuffie is, because she doesn't seem to notice anything," the fighter thought dejectedly. Truthfully, Tifa wished her friend would call her on her bluff, but she seemed to remain oblivious. Hair now only slightly damp, Tifa crossed her arms and gazed into the mirror, her expression downcast. Yuffie was standing in the other room, holding the dress up and looking over it with admiration. "This is a pretty spiffy dress you got, Rusty." the girl said, her head tilting to one side. Carefully laying the dress on Tifa's bed, the girl turned and crossed the room to stand behind Tifa. Leaning on the door frame, the girl frowned at her. "What's with that droopy look of yours? You look so depressed!" Tifa glared at her half-heartedly in the mirror. "Don't say I look 'droopy.' It sounds terrible." Yuffie shrugged, "Well you do." The woman sighed. "Your a wonder with words, Yuffie." "But really, what's wrong, Tifa?" The woman paused at this question. Deciding against answering truthfully, she simply answered, "I don't know what to do with my hair, and I haven't got time to go to a salon. It'd take too long." That was still kind of true anyways. The girl shrugged, "Do you want me to do something with it? I wouldn't mind. I like brushing your hair." Tifa shook her head and looked back at the girl. "No, you still need to find something to wear, remember? If you do my hair, then we'll never leave the hotel." "Y'know we do have all night, Tifa." "Actually, we don't." Yuffie gave her a confused look. "Huh?" Tifa bit her lip and turned back toward the mirror. "I'm kind of meeting someone." The ninja grew still. "Oh...really?" The woman nodded. "But you've got someone you want to see too, right? That girl...what was her name?" "Illise." Yuffie answered, her voice faltering slightly. Silence. Yuffie licked her lips and turned her gaze down to the floor. Shifting slightly, she cleared her throat. "So, uh, where you meeting this person?" "The Neon Carnivale, on Roise Lane." Tifa answered, tapping Yuffie's borrowed comb anxiously. "This person got a name?" Yuffie asked, her voice taking on an edge. Not missing her tone, the woman's brows furrowed slightly. Self-righteousness now increasing the strength in her voice, Tifa answered, "It's no one you know. ...His name is Roland." Yuffie tongued her cheek. Turning from the bathroom, she muttered, "He sounds like a fairy..." Tifa smiled sardonically. The ninja stood for a moment glaring with a dark scowl down at the beds, her hands finding place at her hips. After a moment, she turned. "Your right, I need to find something to wear quick." she declared loudly as she walked toward the door, "Illise is probably going to want to do something tonight and I want to look nice." And with that, she was gone, the door snapping shut behind her. Tifa grit her teeth and ground the heel of her palm into her eye. Sighing, she lowered her hand and looked back to the mirror, her face tight with displeasure. Lifting the comb, the woman combed the top of her hair back. Taking a hair band from the counter, she pulled the strands into a ponytail, securing it just below her crown. A few strands fell from above her ears, but the woman ignored them, instead, she teased her newly created ponytail. Satisfied with the increase in volume this action brought, she took the ponytail and held it straight up, pinning it an inch above the band. Letting the ponytail go, the woman took the other portions and wrapped it in different directions around the base, pinning them down with bobby pins as she did so. Tucking the remaining side strands behind her ears, she took the end of the comb and pulled tiny strands of hair from the front. The strands fell against the sides of her face, framing it and brushing lightly against the skin. Satisfied, the woman set the comb down and turned her head slightly to admire her handiwork. She had done this style before numerous times. It had come to be her last resort on special occasions, a styling trick that her mother had taught her before she passed away. It was one of the few things Tifa knew how to do on her own. "Now if everything else could just be that easy..." Tifa muttered, turning. Walking into the bedroom, the woman crossed her arms and gazed sourly down at her new dress. "I've got a date with disaster, tonight." she sighed. ---------- Chauncey arrived at the hotel some fifteen minutes after the agreed time. Tifa supposed he was only being 'fashionably late', but this did nothing to soothe her anger as she watched him pull up along the curb. The sky above was already a deep shade of purple, the sun hidden beneath the horizon line. The stars winked sleepily in its wake. Hands on her hips, the woman, now in full make-up and wearing her new dress, stepped toward the sports car, her face a look of impending doom. The man grinned up at her, unaffected. "Hello there, sweetheart." he said as he climbed out of the car. For the evening, the man had shaved and was wearing a navy blue suit, a silk black night shirt underneath. Walking to the other side, he held the passenger door open for her. Tifa scowled at him. "You're late." The man held up a hand, "Sorry, but you know what some people say. 'On time is when I get there.'" he chuckled deeply. Tifa made a disgusted noise and slid into the car. "I don't believe I'm doing this." she muttered, wincing as Chauncey snapped the door shut. Returning to the driver's seat, Chauncey smirked, "Ready for some fun tonight?" The woman pressed her fingers to her temples. "You know, I'm not entirely sure." "Well..." the man pressed down on the clutch pedal and started the car. Shifting out of neutral, he winked at Tifa. "Ready or not, here we go." Tifa leaned back in her seat, her eyes rolling skyward. At the club, the sidewalk was filled with people, some taking a breather from the ruckus inside while most waited in a long line to get in. The line wrapped around the entire side of the building, turning out of sight around the street corner. Chauncey pulled in front of the night club, the large, neon-lit sign burning above. The Neon Carnivale made its mark by drawing heavily on the local culture and making itself as loud as possible. Show girls dressed in large, glittering, feathered head-dresses stood at the entrance behind the bouncer. The bass from the music inside reverberated along the asphalt, and Tifa marveled at it as she placed her feet on the carpet leading to the entrance. "How'd you come to choose this club to come to, Chauncey?" Tifa asked, staring at the club, deeply intrigued. The man shrugged as he stood from the car. "Its one of the most popular nightclubs in the world. Roland happens to know a few people here, so he pulled a few strings to get me to speak with the owner." Chauncey, a smug look on his face, handed his keys to the young valet. Offering his arm to Tifa, he said, with no small amount of pride, "Money makes a difference. I waved enough bills in the owner's face to get us on the list in. No problem." Tifa, though not very impressed by Chauncey's flamboyant use of money, was pleased to hear that she did not need to wait in line. Taking Chauncey's arm, she asked lightly, "How much did you pay him?" The man shrugged as he led her toward the bouncer. "'Bout a thousand gil." Tifa turned to him sharply, a bewildered look on her face. "That much!? But why?" Chauncey raised on eyebrow and looked down at her. "Well, let's see...you're probably one of the sexiest women on this planet...and oh yeah, you kinda saved the world. Hell, I figured a thousand gil was nothing if I got to spend a night with you." Tifa was surprised at the sincerity to which the man said this, and she looked away, somewhat flustered. Standing before the bouncer, Chauncey flashed a smile. "Chauncey Reynolds." the man said. The bouncer, a large man with black, trimmed hair, gave him a skeptical look before looking down at his list. His eyebrows rose high. "Oh! Well this is the first time I've seen your name here, Mr. Reynolds." the bouncer unhooked the velvet rope and stepped to the side. Smiling politely, he nodded to both Chauncey and Tifa. "Enjoy your time at The Neon Carnivale." Chauncey returned his nod, and with a cheeky grin to Tifa, led her into the nightclub. The two showgirls on either side of the doors gave small curtsies as they entered, and, inside, Tifa was introduced to a world of black lights and glow sticks. The club was made out by terraced rings. The first ring and outer ring, was where the dining tables were found. The second and middle ring, was a level lower than the first and held many of the performers as well as the bars. The final level was a circle and was meant to be the dance floor. On the western side of the circle, a stage was set for performing bands, but for the night, there was only a DJ, who was currently mixing popular songs together under a common rhythm. The clubs interior design consisted of glowing columns, ornate archways, and spiraling structures. Tifa gathered that the owner wanted his customers to feel they were spiraling down into a pit of pleasurable excess. At the sight of such extravagance, the woman found she could not help but get drawn into the atmosphere. It was a much brighter and lighter hearted thing to focus on than... "Do you want to eat, or would you rather go dancing first?" Chauncey asked her, raising his voice to be heard over the noise. "I'd like a drink, if that's all right." Tifa responded. The man blinked, than nodded. "All right, hold on to my arm, don't wanna lose ya." The kinetic energy was high in the club and down in the dance floor, the woman could see a sea of shadowy forms swaying and jumping to the high paced music that pumped through the air. The woman was entranced as she and Chauncey made their way to the second ring. At the nearest bar, Chauncey and Tifa stood at an opening and the bartender turned to them. "What'll it be?" he asked. "A mantini. Pale beer." Chauncey said, leaning forward on one elbow. He looked at Tifa, "What'll you have, sweetheart?" Tifa leaned forward onto the counter as well. "A zombie, please." she told the bartender. The man nodded and turned to make their drinks. Chauncey gave her a sidelong glance. "You aimin' to get tipsy?" "I might need to if I hope to completely enjoy myself," the woman sighed, turning. Glancing at Chauncey, she added as an afterthought, "No offense to you or anything." The man chuckled and shook his head, "No offense taken. It's already kinda clear you really don't care what I think. Isn't that right?" Tifa nodded, her gaze down on the dance floor. "Yep, that's about right." The man smirked and shrugged. "Fine. That's fine by me. I shoulda known from the start. You may have humored me, but you never pretended, not for a second." Tifa looked at him again. "Why did you agree to come with me, even after I told you I didn't like you?" The man looked at her as if she were stupid. "And turn down being with an amazing lady such as yourself? Pfft," the man turned to face the dance floor, leaning onto the counter with both elbows. "Wouldn't dream of it." he said, eyes roving the crowd. "Not even the most tireless womanizer could ever get so lucky." The man turned and grinned lazily at her. Tifa, surprising herself, smiled back. "Here's your drinks." a voice behind them said. Chauncey and Tifa turned to see the bartender set down two glasses. Chauncey's drink was in a martini glass and was filled with a pale amber liquid. He smiled and sipped at it immediately. Tifa's drink was in a twelve ounce collins glass. The dark, brown liquid sloshed slightly as the fighter brought the glass to her lips. The fruity taste masked the liquor beneath, making it a dangerous drink to underestimate, but Tifa knew the drink as well as her limits, and so without qualm, she quickly gulped down one-third of the glass. Chauncey stared at her. "Easy now." Tifa grinned at him in amusement. "This isn't my first time I've had one of these, y'know." The man only raised an eyebrow at her as she took another large gulp from her glass. The woman smacked her lips, savoring the taste that lingered on her tongue. In truth, she would need at least another zombie before walking a straight line became an impossibility. With just one glass, however, walking a straight line would not be impossible...it would simply require a bit of concentration. But in this place, what was the need to walk a straight line? The woman paused, the double meaning not lost on her as she the glass hovered a centimeter from her lips. Gazing down her nose into the glass, Tifa thought she saw something like guilt swirming about in the beverage. A reflection of her inner self. She had swallowed it down, quickly, recklessly...but had she given any thought to why she was here? Why she had lowered herself to the shallow amusements of her male companion? Tifa lowered her drink, uncertainty suddenly flashing across her face. Already she could feel the waves of the secluded world around her making rationality a difficult thing to cooperate with. Why think of tomorrow when the present pounded so clearly into her mind? The intoxication of her drink was quickly taking effect, and blearily, the woman blinked and stared into her glass, trying to make sense of why she was holding it. "We're gonna make a straight line," Tifa jerked her head up and looked at Chauncey in alarm. "What?" The man sipped at his drink and looked at her with raised eyebrow. "I said we're gonna make a straight line from here right to the dance floor. I'm looking out right now and I'm seein' the music and the people are way too invitin' to pass up. Don't you agree?" Tifa gazed at him softly, her eyes a haze. Tilting her head back suddenly, the woman finished off her drink with a single go. The buzz that went through her was enough to make her close her eyes for a moment and hiss. Chauncey frowned at her. "Are you sure yer all right with that?" The woman waved away his question and grabbed his hand. Pulling him with not a little force toward the dance floor, the woman only stopped when they were in the midst of the dancing crowd. There was a warm, damp smell here. A mixture of the smoke machines and the sweaty bodies rocking together at the beckoning of the synthetic beats and sounds. Chauncey's body crashed into Tifa's as she stopped abruptly and turned to him, her eyes now distant things that infinitely swallowed the lasers and lights like a black hole. She spoke to him in a low, luring voice that forced him to lean in close to hear. "...Dance with me." she breathed. Eyes wide, the man swallowed and gazed at her in wonder, realizing that there was a whole other side to the woman. A part of her that was capable of entrancing, commanding, and destroying men. But he did as she asked...did as she ordered. Somewhere deep in her voice, he recognized a broken note; an unhinged concept that was now hanging lifeless in her mind, jostled from some earlier conflict that he knew nothing about. But he didn't much care. Chauncey was a man born of their very environment. Why think of tomorrow when the present pounded so clearly into his mind? Taking her hips, he moved in time with the music as they rocked to the rhythm. In turn, her arms snaked about his mid-riff, her eyes burning into his eyes as they danced. Little did he know, that with each motion, each dip, each turn, her mind sought out an answer still. She willed some emotion to come to her, willed a feeling of recognition. This was what she wanted. ...Wasn't it? She wanted Chauncey. She wanted... "...A reason to forget." the words slipped out of her mouth before she could stop them. Chauncey, focused on feeling out the curves of Tifa's back, only glanced at her in distraction. At his inquiring gaze, the woman shook her head. The night barreled on to become one of debauchery and degradation. The dancers on the dance floor grew more furtive in their movements, and less clothes could be seen as they ground into each other, desperate to find their gratification in those around them. The patrons at the tables became louder and more loosely-lipped as drink after drink was consumed with dangerous vigor. The Neon Carnivale was becoming quite a spectacle. Tifa's breath now came in heavy breaths, her skin slick with sweat and her face now consisting of a languid smile. Chauncey was in similar state, his shirt unbuttoned at the top and drops of sweat rolling down the sides of his pleased face. "I need a breather..." Tifa shouted over the din. She was backing away, back out the crowd. Chauncey began to follow her, a smirk on his lips. "A breather sounds good..." Walking past a bar and toward the back of the club where the bathrooms were located, the fighter turned into the hallway leading out to the back alley. Stopping she leaned across the door to the ladies room, her eyes blankly staring at the sign on the door. Chauncey leaned on the wall next to her, his body creating a shadow across her form. Slowly, Tifa looked up at him, blinking slowly. "You aren't much for thinking...are you?" she asked slowly, her speech made somewhat thick from her intoxication. The man blinked back at her, then scratched the back of his head. Eyes rolling to the ceiling, he thought for a moment before frowning and looking down at her. "Is that a trick question?" he asked in a voice that was similarly thick. Tifa stared up at him for a moment before snorting a laugh, a hand flying up to cover her mouth as she slowly began to tip to the side. Chauncey, at first, only gazed at her in confusion. But after a second, he too began to laugh, only to jump forward with a cry of alarm when Tifa nearly tipped over completely. Catching her, the man straightened the woman, his large hands keeping firm grip on her shoulders as she looked up at him in delayed surprise. Hands finding places on his chest, Tifa's eyes locked onto Chauncey's. Already, he looked to her in lust. "I don't wanna believe there's a tomorrow anymore..." Tifa breathed suddenly, the thought tumbling out of her mouth before she could stop it. She reached a hand up to touch Chauncey's cheek lightly. "Every day brings something new, but each time I feel myself coming closer and closer to something I've never experienced before. ...I'm scared of it." Chauncey shook his head, leaning in toward Tifa's neck. "Don't be scared..." he said, his voice a deep rumble. Tifa's eyes turned half-closed as she felt Chauncey nip at her neck. Her gaze returned to the sign on the ladies restroom. A white figure of a person in a dress swimming in a blue diamond shape. A means of definition. "In the cocoon, its suppose to be dark. Maybe the light...it...it comes through, but what good does the light do to a set of eyes that have never seen before?" Chauncey gave a low 'mmm' as his hands trailed up Tifa's thigh. Tifa's breath came in short heady gasps as she continued her thoughts, the image of the sign burning itself in the back of her mind. "The change, the darkness, the light...I'm...I'm not really..." Chauncey nudged the woman's head, and she looked at him slowly with her distant eyes. Leaning her head towards his, the woman breathed, "I'm really...not much...of a butterfly..." ---------- Illise was talkative. She seemed in high spirits. "So are you taking me on a night on the town?" the girl had asked, her eyes lighting up in amusement. Yuffie smiled and nodded her head. "You aren't taking me to the new light show down on Horacio Street, are you?" Yuffie nodded her head again. A delighted squeal. "I can't believe it! I've been wanting to see that show for ages!" When the girl turned her back, the smile on the ninja's face faded considerably. Her eyes were wide, and yet she was elsewhere. Truth be told, when Yuffie called Illise all but half an hour ago, she had had no idea what she was going to do. Any night time ventures at the local clubs seemed too last minute for the girl to manage, and her mind had blanked on any other spots to hit for the evening. At mention of the light show, however, the ninja could feel her muscles bunch and her mind splinter into a mass of expletives. She had been meaning to take Tifa there, as a surprise. It was supposed to be the last thing they did in Costa del Sol. But here, she was going to go with Illise instead... Suddenly, Illise's voice made Yuffie grit her teeth. Suddenly, Illise's energetic personality made Yuffie impatient. Suddenly Illise's red hair made Yuffie embarassed to be seen with her. ...Suddenly, Illise's eyes made Yuffie's heart bleed. At her glances, the ninja would inwardly flinch, quickly averting her gaze elsewhere in an attempt to wipe her mind of certain unwanted memories. But the thoughts were persistent, even as Yuffie and Illise rode the ninja's motorbike across town, Yuffie could feel her mind wander persistently toward the one topic she wished to avoid. Who was Tifa with? And even worse... Did she really like him? Was it the sort of attraction that could lead to love? That could lead to 'forever?' The road sped by in a torrent of sound and movement. Yuffie, her hands gripping the handlebars tightly, pulled to the side of the road. Illise stared at her in confusion, her brows furrowing together as the ninja turned and gazed at her somberly. ---------- The Neon Carnivale was big, loud, and showy. It was the sort of place she would've picked, had she and Tifa still been together. The fact that Tifa's date chose this place brought a serious distaste to the girl's mouth. The line to get in was still long, despite the hour, and the bouncer standing at the entrance was as foreboding as ever. Yuffie sauntered up to him, her face set in determination. The bouncer's eyes flickered up as she approached, and his eyebrow arched as she stood before him. "I wanna get in there." She said, pointing behind him. The bouncer crossed his arms. "You on the list?" Yuffie glared at him. "Do I need to be?" Sucking on his teeth, the large man looked her up and down. "Yeah. I'd say so." The girl's cheeks turned slightly rosy and she clenched her fists. "Dummy! Don't you know who I am!?" The man gazed at her coolly. "A suck-ass ninja?" Yuffie grit her teeth, the anger pounding in her head. Turning stiffly she turned and walked away. The bouncer watched her for a moment before turning to the person at his side. It took everything in the girl to turn her back. Every muscle in her body screamed to rip the bouncer apart...but she knew better. Perhaps in the past, she would have attacked the man and forced her way through the entrance. But time had given her knowledge, with this knowledge she knew that by attacking the bouncer and fighting her way in, she would eventually be stopped prematurely in her search and find herself in trouble with the local authorities. At any rate...she would still get to enter the club. Though, at times of anger she forgot it, Yuffie was first and foremost, a ninja, and the ninja were a subtle clan adept at infiltration. So it was as she wounded around the building to the side that Yuffie noticed a group of club members smoking in the alley behind the club. Another bouncer could be seen at the door, but this man was smaller and younger, and seemed distracted with a conversation he was having with an attractive young girl. Seeing the club members throw the cigarettes to the ground, Yuffie quickly hurried toward them, falling into step alongside the group as they walked back to the club. The ninja gave a furtive glance at the bouncer as she entered the door close behind the group, but the man didn't notice her at all. Slipping in through the doorway, Yuffie found herself in the back of The Neon Carnivale. The hallway was dark, but from what she could tell from the brief snatches of light and glare, there was a set of doors at the other end of the hallway. There were vague silhouette's that drifted back and forth in the light, but as the ninja carefully walked forward, she noticed two people across from the nearest door, wrapped around one another in an intense embrace. Yuffie's eyes kept on their forms as she neared, something lighting in the back of her mind that there was something vaguely familiar about... With a sudden gasp, the two broke apart with force, the woman (who had been up against the wall) pushing the man away from her. "How dare you!" came the cry. Yuffie's feet came to an abrupt stop, her eyes widening as she recognized the voice. Meanwhile the two people didn't seem to notice her. The man held his hands up and shrugged, his body swaying slightly as he tried to regain himself. "You mean you didn't like that?" he asked cheekily. The woman glared at him, her hair falling about her flushed face in disarray. "If you ever touch me there again, I swear to the gods I'll-!" "I...I don't believe it." Yuffie breathed, her voice hollow. The woman's head snapped towards her, and in the dark, the ninja could make out Tifa's horrified face as she realized the girl was there. Chauncey, his head turning with similar surprise, blinked rapidly at the sight of her. The club's music fell away to a distant sound, its beckoning melody of carefree fun and total abandonment washing away from Tifa's sense like light retreating from darkness. Time somehow paused, life halting at Tifa's held breath. The horror crept fast up her legs and arms, painting her skin ashen and making her heart cold. In some vague way, she had wanted this. Secretly, she had yearned to see Yuffie's face when the girl found out who Tifa was with. ...But the look on the girl's face was wrong. The feeling that rested in Tifa's spirit was wrong. Yuffie's eyes seemed to glaze as their focus shifted from Tifa to Chauncey and back. The rigid anger Tifa had expected in the girl was instead a lax sort of shock. Truthfully, the ninja had actually reeled backwards, her chest rising in a sharp intake of breath as she steadied herself. Her shoulders slumped, and there was something bare and vulnerable about the girl's expression that caused such a terrible feeling in Tifa's soul, the woman could barely take it. Yuffie's voice was laced with defeat...and disgust. "I wanna take my fist," the girl began, lifting a shaky hand and looking at Chauncey, "And I wanna slam it into your face. I wanna feel your thick skull splinter beneath my knuckles and watch your stupid mug cave in on itself." she gulped and looked down at the ground, her face a scowl. "But somehow, I know it's mostly not your fault." Tifa closed her eyes and turned her head, swallowing the lump that grew in her throat. Yuffie's eyes glistened and she looked up at Tifa in distress. "Please make me understand." she begged suddenly. Tifa's chin crumpled and she shook her head, "Yuffie, I..." "No!" the girl cried, stomping her foot and tears falling down her face as she did so. "No, damn you! I want to understand! You make me understand what made you break your promise to me! You explain to me why it is that you turned me down and yet turned to this...this..." the girl pressed her hands into her eyes and lowered her head, unable to continue. Tifa leaned unsteadily against the wall, her vision blurring and the sobs ripping up her throat. "Hey, hey!" Tifa squeezed her eyes shut as she heard Chauncey speak. Gritting her teeth, she hissed. "Keep quiet, Chauncey." The man ignored her and stepped toward Yuffie, his walk unsteady. "I don't much 'preciate the rude interruption. We were having a fine time before you came and busted in. What do you think you're doin', anyhow? Tifa ain't like you, all right? Hasn't got her teams mixed up, if ya know what I mean." Yuffie turned her head and lowered her hands. They found place at her hips, and the girl gave a slight sniff before... A punch to the stomach. A cross punch to the face. It happened so quickly that Tifa, who's eyes still had remained closed, only heard Chauncey's cries of pain before she lifted her head and looked. There were screams as Chauncey fell to the floor right in front of the ladies restroom. Women hurried past in an attempt to escape the violence as Yuffie advanced on him still, her eyes burning with fury. Tifa rushed forward, panic setting in her at the thought of what the girl would do. "Yuffie, wait! Don't! Please don't!" Tifa's hands grabbed at Yuffie's arms, but the girl wrenched viciously out of the woman's touch. Turning, her eyes lit on to Tifa with such a look of vehement dislike that the fighter actually flinched to see it. The girl stared at Tifa for a moment, her eyes searching the woman's face. When it seemed she found what she had been looking for, the girl let out a sound of disgust and walked past her, back the way she came. Tifa watched the girl go helplessly. Chauncey lay prone on the floor, his nose bleeding and his eyes rolled into the back of his head. The fighter stared down at his body with soulless eyes. She recalled the feel of his rough hands along her skin, his lips on hers... Suddenly, the woman felt such a profound emptiness that she gave yet another sob before turning and walking away.
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