03-26-2003, 01:11 PM
Chaptr Two:
A Summer Promise[/size]
Cloud Strife stood in the noonday sun just within the window of their new bar, though it was still titled ?Tifa?s Seventh Heaven?. He smiled to no one in particular as he watched the people outside the window head to their new jobs within the rebuilt city of Midgar. Oddly, it had only taken two years to completely rebuild Midgar and make it prosperous again, but it was a trend for the better. The slums had been completely torn down, and suburbs had been built in their place. The new government cared for the people, which was good, plus food and money were bountiful, so there was no fear of an economical relapse.
?Hopefully we?ll have better business today? were the words that became spoken, albeit softly. With a sigh, he returned to mopping the floor, moving the wet tendrils from the mop in the same pattern he?d been using for the past hour. He?d, by this point, pretty much mopped the same spot for the last half hour, not even realizing that the rest of the floor had been neglected.
?I?m home~!? came the happy-go-lucky voice which snapped the blonde back from his trance. Arms wrapped around his waist, and a kiss came to his cheek, and he finally managed a smile. The baggy shirt that he wore wrinkled some as the woman took a step back. ?A bit sloppy today, eh Cloud??
?I felt that today should be ?casual? day here at the Seventh Heaven? he grinned back at her, and in response he got a powerful, yet playful punch to the shoulder. She may have been a woman, but she was still very strong, physically and mentally. After all, she was the only one who managed to bring Cloud out of his makou and Lifestream induced coma.
?Tsk-tsk, Cloud, you spiky haired fruit,? she would slyly say, before giggling ?Still as cute as you were on day one.? This caused a violent red blush over Cloud?s cheeks before he headed back towards the bar, and placed the mop up.
?That was a long time a??
?You?re blushing! How adorable!? by now Tifa was holding back her laughter as Cloud stood, flustered by her constant teasing.
?Ahem. Anyhow, I made you that promise, on that summer night long ago, that I?d come back to you and protect you,? he smiled over to her, ?and now, look. I kept it?through the Sephiroth battle, and even through the economical rebuilding. Everything is nearly perfect.?
?That?s true,? Tifa said thoughtfully, ?and I?m glad you decided to stay. After the others left, I was afraid no one would be there for me, but you proved that wrong.? She blushed slightly, before she turned away and cleared her throat. ?Anyhow, time to open up shop.?
By that time, it had already reached about ten in the morning, and the sun was slowly getting towards its apex in the sky. The ?closed? sign was flipped over to read ?open,? and people began to enter in order to get their morning coffee and a smile, as was always offered by the ?Seventh Heaven.? The fact that the ?Seventh Heaven? was technically a bar didn?t change how many people came in during the mornings for a cup of coffee, a bagel, or anything ? it was treated as a café instead of a tavern, which was perfectly alright with Tifa.
Tifa handed a little girl a bagel and smiled as she took the 5 gil for it, before a voice snapped her concentration. ?Miss Lockheart, correct?? as she followed the sound of the voice, there appeared to be a man as its projector. Standing just barely taller than Cloud, he wore a black business suit, and a pair of dark sunglasses. Short, yet slick black hair with violet highlights sat atop his head, pulled back to show a still extremely youthful face.
?Yes, that?s me. What can I do for you, sir?? she asked, though there was no apparent nervousness in her voice, she was worried. Suits and sunglasses caused that, as bad run-ins with the TURKs had made a bad impression in men dressed as such.
?We need to speak. Can I have a moment of your time?? He was very courteous, and his voice was full of an amazing enthusiasm. She nodded, and he headed over to a table, to which she followed and finally sat across from him.
?What is this about, mister???
?Hartline. Alexander Hartline, Miss Lockheart. And, it is about your brother.? He pulled off the sunglasses to reveal shimmering violet eyes, which amazed her. That was a color she had never seen before, and the way they glowed?she seemed drawn into them. Slowly, she regained herself.
?My bro??
?Miss Lockheart, we have reason to believe he is dead.?
A Summer Promise[/size]
Cloud Strife stood in the noonday sun just within the window of their new bar, though it was still titled ?Tifa?s Seventh Heaven?. He smiled to no one in particular as he watched the people outside the window head to their new jobs within the rebuilt city of Midgar. Oddly, it had only taken two years to completely rebuild Midgar and make it prosperous again, but it was a trend for the better. The slums had been completely torn down, and suburbs had been built in their place. The new government cared for the people, which was good, plus food and money were bountiful, so there was no fear of an economical relapse.
?Hopefully we?ll have better business today? were the words that became spoken, albeit softly. With a sigh, he returned to mopping the floor, moving the wet tendrils from the mop in the same pattern he?d been using for the past hour. He?d, by this point, pretty much mopped the same spot for the last half hour, not even realizing that the rest of the floor had been neglected.
?I?m home~!? came the happy-go-lucky voice which snapped the blonde back from his trance. Arms wrapped around his waist, and a kiss came to his cheek, and he finally managed a smile. The baggy shirt that he wore wrinkled some as the woman took a step back. ?A bit sloppy today, eh Cloud??
?I felt that today should be ?casual? day here at the Seventh Heaven? he grinned back at her, and in response he got a powerful, yet playful punch to the shoulder. She may have been a woman, but she was still very strong, physically and mentally. After all, she was the only one who managed to bring Cloud out of his makou and Lifestream induced coma.
?Tsk-tsk, Cloud, you spiky haired fruit,? she would slyly say, before giggling ?Still as cute as you were on day one.? This caused a violent red blush over Cloud?s cheeks before he headed back towards the bar, and placed the mop up.
?That was a long time a??
?You?re blushing! How adorable!? by now Tifa was holding back her laughter as Cloud stood, flustered by her constant teasing.
?Ahem. Anyhow, I made you that promise, on that summer night long ago, that I?d come back to you and protect you,? he smiled over to her, ?and now, look. I kept it?through the Sephiroth battle, and even through the economical rebuilding. Everything is nearly perfect.?
?That?s true,? Tifa said thoughtfully, ?and I?m glad you decided to stay. After the others left, I was afraid no one would be there for me, but you proved that wrong.? She blushed slightly, before she turned away and cleared her throat. ?Anyhow, time to open up shop.?
By that time, it had already reached about ten in the morning, and the sun was slowly getting towards its apex in the sky. The ?closed? sign was flipped over to read ?open,? and people began to enter in order to get their morning coffee and a smile, as was always offered by the ?Seventh Heaven.? The fact that the ?Seventh Heaven? was technically a bar didn?t change how many people came in during the mornings for a cup of coffee, a bagel, or anything ? it was treated as a café instead of a tavern, which was perfectly alright with Tifa.
Tifa handed a little girl a bagel and smiled as she took the 5 gil for it, before a voice snapped her concentration. ?Miss Lockheart, correct?? as she followed the sound of the voice, there appeared to be a man as its projector. Standing just barely taller than Cloud, he wore a black business suit, and a pair of dark sunglasses. Short, yet slick black hair with violet highlights sat atop his head, pulled back to show a still extremely youthful face.
?Yes, that?s me. What can I do for you, sir?? she asked, though there was no apparent nervousness in her voice, she was worried. Suits and sunglasses caused that, as bad run-ins with the TURKs had made a bad impression in men dressed as such.
?We need to speak. Can I have a moment of your time?? He was very courteous, and his voice was full of an amazing enthusiasm. She nodded, and he headed over to a table, to which she followed and finally sat across from him.
?What is this about, mister???
?Hartline. Alexander Hartline, Miss Lockheart. And, it is about your brother.? He pulled off the sunglasses to reveal shimmering violet eyes, which amazed her. That was a color she had never seen before, and the way they glowed?she seemed drawn into them. Slowly, she regained herself.
?My bro??
?Miss Lockheart, we have reason to believe he is dead.?
![[Image: ShinnSig.jpg]](http://morningview.net/chris/sigs/ShinnSig.jpg)
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