#barrifa week

Oct 11: Midgar Oct 12: Costa del Sol Oct 13: Icicle Inn Oct 14: Mideel Oct 15: Cosmo Canyon Oct 16: Gold Saucer Oct 17: The Highwind

Barret pulled her back from the edge; Cloud vanished into the haze obscuring the slums. “We gotta go!” Tifa blinked, re-centering. How long until the bomb went off. If it was going to explode at all. Surely Shinra would not be about to blow up their own reactor? The metal of the catwalk groaned and shuddered alarmingly; now was not the time to pause. Tifa scrambled to her feet, each movement cause another shudder through the structure beneath their feet. Her ears still rang from the explosion. How much would Shinra know? How far back would they be? Barret ran ahead and Tifa pursued. “At least this part of the plan.” Getting back out of the reactor complex on the Sector Five side was far easier than the Sector Four side. Not much of the facility built-up here. A short tunnel and then some chain-link fence to deal with. Jessie’s second bomb to open the way out jostled against Tifa’s side as they ran. Little chance of pursuit but- The corridor terminated faster than expected. A world of difference between staring at the architectural plans and viewing this all in person. Barret skidded to a halt. “Tifa, about Cloud-“ Barret started. “It’s fine.” She shook her head. Not thinking about it. All those questions still unspoken. She pulled the bomb from her bag, running through Jessie’s instructions. Pull this clip, press this button, adhere to the door with this putty and press this button. She ran through the steps and backed up; Barret ducked in front of her, Tifa’s attempted shout of warning blotted out by the explosion. He had not gone far, simply put his body between the edge of the corridor and Tifa. Tifa shook her head futilely. “You okay?” Barret spoke, distant and muted. Impossible to tell if the explosion had impacted her hearing any further. “Yeah.” Her voice odd like this. Barret shouldered the ruined doors out of the way and swore; the staccato pulse of his gun-arm echoing. So much for any pretence of stealth here. Tifa was on his heels and bore witness to the problem immediately. A handful of Shinra infantry had been lurking; Shinra’s pathetic back-up for this situation. Heidegger seemingly had every faith in the Air Buster. Worked out better for them. Tifa sprang out from the door as Barret aimed at the nearest two Shinra goons. He might be able to attack fast, but he could not take all five of those present. Not the first time the pair had attacked Shinra; through-out their time together, the members of Avalanche had undertaken missions in so many configurations. Tifa and Jessie, Tifa and Biggs, Tifa and Wedge. Only with the reactor attacks had they mobilised so much of the group. But somehow the missions with Barret were the ones most comfortable. They were comfortable around each other, long since used to each other’s rhythms and reactions. No worry in Tifa’s mind of Barret catching her with a stray-shot. And Barret would know from long experience he should fear no attacks from behind; Tifa always had his back. Fighting was a fact of life since coming to Midgar; all her martial-arts training unknowingly preparing her for this. Tifa swept the legs from one grunt, caught another under his chin with her fist and took out a third grunt with a roundhouse kick to the head. A rush of air made her blink in surprise; a fourth grunt, hidden from initial view staggered and collapsed. Beyond him Barret lowered his arm. He stepped forward, eyes wide. “Tifa – I didn’t get you did I?” A rush of relief, of gratitude and despite everything Tifa smiled. “No. No I’m fine.” “Sorry. I just saw him and-“ They needed to move, needed to get away from here lest other reinforcements arrive. But- Tifa darted forward and kissed Barret. She held for long enough to begin to express her feelings, but not long enough to distract. Barret blinked at her, his lips quirking into a smile. “Thank you.”

Less than twenty-four hours after they first met, after Tifa extended Barret and Marlene an invitation to stay with her, and Barret wanted to help out. Fortunately a slower day in Seventh Heaven; no one saw him push the trapdoor open struggle up. “You should be resting.” Barret nodded, glancing back to the trapdoor. “I know. Marlene is, but I just can’t sit around. I need to do something.” Unsure if she would be so keen in his shoes; the brief conversations the previous day indicated Barret and Marlene managed to entirely miss Kalm on their way to Midgar. They had walked mile upon mile to reach the city, Barret carrying Marlene most of the way. She’d be dead on her feet- Her hand clenched at her shirt, right over the scar hidden beneath. Barret at least knew how he got her. Unlike her. “You sure you’re up to it?” She forced her hand back to the counter, thumb gripping the underside of the bar with more force than necessary. To keep her hand from straying to the injury. Barret shot her a smile. “Miner born and raised. Used to a spot of hard work.” But few miners around these days with the advent of Mako power. Another piece to Barret’s past. “Well-“ Tifa surveyed the bar. Far too used to doing things on her own, or co-opting Biggs, Wedge and Jessie to help out. The plates and glasses from the breakfast rush remained beside the sink. “You can do the washing up if you like? Not something on the line of mining but-“ He was already approaching the bar. “Really, anything for now. Just need something.” Barret glanced back to the trapdoor again. The half-formed idea of dispatching Barret to fetch some restock died there. Silly plan anyway; he was new to the city and hopefully new to the sector. No clue where anything was so not going to be of much help. But more crucially, she did not want to pull him away from his daughter. Life would be hard enough as it was when she woke up; Tifa’s own awakening in the perpetual twilight of a city without a sky had been quite the struggle. “’Scuse me.” Barret was close; Tifa pressed against the bar, Barret passing behind her. Fleeting sense of his warmth. Tifa blinked at the cascade of thoughts his proximity triggered in her and shook her head. Focus on figuring out the restock. But- Hard to fight the urge to glance back over her shoulder. To take another look at this new companion in her life. See him more relaxed, less tensed and ready to fight or flee. See him in a far more mundane situation. And all at once, her suggestion of the washing up was starkly and wince-inducingly wrong. Barret possessed only one hand; his other arm terminated in what looked like a gun. Hardly fair to ask- Barret went about his work unfazed; ran the taps, dunked the plates and cutlery under the water and washed with his remaining hand. His other arm remained at his side. Used to this and somewhat practiced. “I know you’ve done a lot already, but got a favour to ask.” Tifa glanced back, Barret still intent on his chore. “Yeah?” “Yeah. Gonna ask if you can watch Marlene for a bit while I see about finding somewhere for us to stay.” A pang in her chest. He would be gone; and with his leaving would reduce the time potential with him. “Don’t worry about it.” Bit too hasty, too blurted. “I mean; I’m not going to throw you and Marlene out. Take your time.” “Thanks. But gotta do my part-“ “Keep washing up and you can stay in the basement. Or-“ A cast around the room. “Or be the bouncer.” “Bouncer?” The word dragged his attention back to her at last. “Yeah. Keep troublemakers out. Resolve fights.” She shrugged. “That kind of thing.” He frowned. “What did you do before?” She smiled, her cheeks heating a little. “Oh, I did it. But makes it difficult to serve customers at the same time. So, if someone else could handle it-“ Barret nodded. “Two better than one for it.” “And in exchange, you and Marlene can stay here. Until you find something better.” He cleared his throat. “I- If that’s okay with you.” “It is.” She smiled wider. “Welcome to the Seventh Heaven family.”

Cosmo Canyon was a strange clash of feelings for Tifa. A respite – a true respite – at least. After leaving Costa del Sol and travelling along the old mining trails. After the survivors of North Corel and their bleak settlement. After the Gold Saucer and the uncomfortable secrets found around its base. After Gongaga and a frightening jolt from the past and far sooner than Tifa expected. A jolt oddly effecting Aeris too. Cloud was sat beside her on the opposite side of the Cosmo Candle, their conversation too low to hear. No matter. Tifa leant against Barret; he took the hint and put his arm around her. “You okay?” She forced a smile. “Yeah.” Not wanting to bother him with the concerns now. Of Nibelheim so close at hand but for now somewhat distant. To at last go home – or perhaps more accurately to where home had been. Five years gone and what would be waiting? Something like North Corel; those who escaped the fire attempting to continue their lives. A changed town accented with familiarity; perhaps the fire had not been so bad. Or perhaps nothing but crumbling and charred remains, mountain life overtaking what remained of home. Nibelheim was still an uncomfortable subject when it came up. Rarely came up in previous conversations with Barret over the years. And after North Corel the reasons were clearer. Neither she nor Barret were keen to dwell on their former homes and the events leading to their leaving them. Barret could remember his path; rescuing Marlene and making his long trek to Midgar. The mechanism of Tifa’s transportation remained unknowable. And unlikely to gain any answers when they made it to the base of Mount Nibel. Or perhaps revisiting home would be good for her. Barret was newly energized here after his unforeseen clash with Dyne, with returning home to what remained of the original North Corel. Or maybe not; maybe the past weighed on him still and instead it was the awe of reaching Cosmo Canyon. An almost mythical place, it’s inhabitants not out of time – there was so much technology on show – more out of attitude. They cared about the Planet, they believed in the same base credo fuelling Avalanche before they left Midgar and would do again after - or if Cloud was correct – with the prevention of Sephiroth’s schemes. They did not strike back as Avalanche had, chose instead to pull back from the world as welcoming as they were after Nanaki revealed their friendship. And naturally, it mattered a great deal the impetus from Avalanche had come from the settlement. From a man Barret met while travelling but never learned the name of. Asking the residents helped little. Many people left to explore, to try to change attitudes. Some never returned. The inspirational spark of Avalanche could have come from any number of them. Barret was of course thrilled and deeply humbled to be here. A long sought after dream now attained. Perhaps she might find the same. She could hope. Where Barret suffered the horrors of North Corel and the bedrock of the Gold Saucer, she would in turn suffer the horrors of Nibelheim and Mount Nibel. And come out the other side to- What? No destination lay ahead in the same way for her as it did Barret. Past Mount Nibel was little known to her. Wutai lay over there, but Tifa had never dreamed of visiting it – uncomfortably biased Shinra news article coming to mind too easily still and despite Yuffie’s presence. The comparison fell short but- She nuzzled closer into Barret’s side. She had been there for him at North Corel as much as she could be. He would be there for her at Nibelheim. Impossible to shake the certainty she would need him.

Tonight was special. Tifa left the bar to Cloud and took a long, long time getting ready. Hair carefully styled, make-up applied, one of the fancy dresses Barret found inside the Midgar ruins near inexplicably undamaged and overlooked for a few years now for such an occasion. An unexpected occasion and a chance for some fun. An indication the world was returning to normal. Back downstairs, Barret waited at the bar, chatting to Cloud. He tried but could not hide his smile when she descended. "You look amazing." Never any end of such compliments from him, but so satisfying every time. "Thank you. You've looking pretty good yourself." Barret was not one for suits or formal clothing normally, but tonight he made the effort. Not something of the old world like Tifa's dress - the appopriate kind of stylish suit suitable would run them into eye-watering amounts of gil. As such he made the best of it with a dress shirt and tie. "Thought I should make the effort." Tifa kissed his cheek. "Thank you." Cloud shot her a grin from the otherside of the bar. "Remember Marlene's bedtime. We should be back before midnight." "Take your time." He leant onto the counter. "Shall we?" Tifa took Barret's arm. He nodded. They lived in a city once more; the new one springing up from the ruins and around what had been Midgar before. While there was a general sense of not wanting to repeat the mistakes of old, it remained questionable how quick Mako reactors might have been put back into operation had they not been rendered useless in the destruction of Meteor. Rebuilding had been strange; the rush to recapture something like life before. The hasty recreation of buildings and roads. Shops and residences thrown up and shelters made as fast as possible. The rise of civilisation compressed into a few years. But not quite; they remembered the before and rushed to recapture it. Despite the rush, many aspects of previous life were slow to settle. Running the bar as a bar took some time to make sense given the fixation on survival paramount to so many others. But over time the news calmed. No longer a constant deluge of disasters and problems in the new world, of monsters over-running or breaching the perimeters of the fledgling cities; both here and over near where Junon rusted in the salt air. Tonight however might be the point where Tifa could truly believe life was settled and events were on-track to being better. Not the same as before - Shinra no longer existed to loom and subjugate. No more reactors leeching from the ground beneath them, destroying the Planet. No more hostility to Wutai, no SOLDIER, no Jenova, no Sephiroth. Perhaps better now, despite hardships remaining, so far down the priority list of ensuring humans could continue on in the post-Mako world. "You okay?" Barret's words shook her from her reverie; Tifa had wandered in a daze arm in arm with him for most of the street. "Fine." She smiled. "Looking forward to this." "Been a long time coming." They walked on, exchanging small-talk, headed for the outer edge of the city and the temporary stage. A explicit effort from the WRO to force the world back into something resembling familiarity. Rescued films, TV programs, comics and theatre had all run the gamut on the stage. Tonight however was a Jazz concert - one of Tifa's favorites. A chance for a more adult night-out. Not something appealing to Marlene, nor something Cloud had any interest in. Something Barret and Tifa could enjoy alone.

Tifa returned the grin and slid over to the other bed and embraced Barret.