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Chapter List
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Chapter 47: The Fight at the Bowling Alley
JUNE, 1995...
Two eight-year-olds sat by the well.
"If anyone ever bullies us," said Cloud, "I'm gonna punch him in the belly, and kick him in the butt, and break his nose, and break his two feet, and break open his skull so I can see his brain!"
"I'll just tell an adult," Tifa insisted.
PRESENT DAY...
Cloud awoke. His world slowly came into focus as he sat up. This time, his surroundings were pleasant. He was in a cabin aboard the Highwind. After having slept in a Shinra cell, a clinic, and countless unpleasant locations, he felt an understandable ease. Making his way to the bathroom in his cabin, Cloud realized he could breathe easy for the first time in days.
He switched on the shower, stripped naked, and stepped in. He had been through the worst. Less then twenty-four hours prior, he had been confined to a wheelchair, unable to utter, or, considerably worse, understand a word. He had no idea whom he was, and no access to the memories that made him whom he was.
But that had been the past. He got back his memories and his cognitive functions. He got back his ability to speak and interact with the rest of the world.
And then, he got something even more.
He got Tifa.
After all of the heartbreak, they were finally together. Tifa Lockheart was his girlfriend now. Of all the changes made to the timeline, this was the one he welcomed the most.
But the memories of all of that heartbreak persisted. He still was beginning to remember everything that occurred in a future that was now no more.
He remembered every time he tried to tell her how he felt. He would back away each time. He was not afraid of too many things, but he was indeed afraid of how she might respond.
He remembered when she got married. He congratulated her when he heard about the engagement, but, inside, he felt as if he had been stabbed in the heart a thousand times. Of course, he had wanted her to be happy. But the regret of not saying anything had been too much to bear.
He remembered when the invitation came. All he had to do was accept or decline. Ultimately, there was no action. He just let the invitation sit on his counter until well after the deadline had passed. He wanted to go to the wedding and support her, but he was not able to do so. He could not bear to watch. It would be his mistake in action.
Of course, wedding pictures popped up all over social media later that day. He was so upset he smashed his computer with a baseball bat. The police were called to make sure he was okay. "Girl trouble," was his response.
He remembered when she died. She looked at him with desperate eyes in her final seconds alive. He remembered when her body turned that light brown and crumbled to dust. It was the worst moment of his life.
And, of course, he remembered when he died. The pain of being shot in the stomach was beyond describable. So was the sickening feeling of knowing that he was going to die. The last thing he had seen was Bestla's cackling face.
And then, he suddenly found himself on the train, oblivious to what had just happened.
Until now.
The cloud in the Lifestream told them everything. But that was another life. He was alive. She was alive. They were together. He felt like a whole man again.
Cloud cleaned himself, shut off the water, dried himself off, dressed, and made his way outside of the cabin.
Cait Sith was the first person he saw. He was holding a piece of paper that he had just printed out.
"I found something that might interest you," the cat continued. He then handed him a photo.
Cloud's eyes squinted in disappointment. "A cheerleader?" he replied. "She looks like I could go to jail for dating her. Besides..."
"That's Bestla," Cait Sith interrupted. "That is to say, that's Bestla now. The Bestla living in this time."
"We need to worry about the adult Bestla," Cloud said. "Not the teenaged one. It looks like she's only interested becoming cheer captain her senior year and dating the star quarterback."
"On the contrary," Cait Sith corrected him. "She'll grow up. She'll take care of us and then travel back in time all over again. We have to break the cycle."
Cloud lowered the picture of the teenage Bestla. The cat had a point. Regardless of what happened with the adult Bestla, it was the teenage Bestla who would kill them.
"We'll deal with it once this crisis is over," Cloud informed him. "We have nine years."
A moment later, Cait Sith was gone.
Cloud was once again by himself. He realized that it would be the Shinra that they would have to go after first. They could not do anything about Sephiroth right now; there was a barrier protecting him. This also meant that Bestla could not do anything about him as well; her plans could not move forward.
"You're up late," announced a familiar sounding alto.
Cloud turned to view whom the voice belonged to.
Tifa stood there, obviously having been up for some time.
"It looks like we've got nothing to do for a while," Cloud replied innocently.
For a few moments, she stood there smiling with her hand on her hip. She then moved in and kissed him.
Cloud's heart was happy. Any reminder that Tifa was his girlfriend now was one thing he found pleasing.
"I've decided who we're going after first," Cloud said. "Rufus."
"Good choice," Tifa complimented. "We really can't do much about the other two."
Cloud nodded. "And now it's time to call a meeting and tell the others. I need to get back into the swing of things if I've been appointed group leader."
Tifa smiled and kissed him again.
"I love you," she said. "I'm supporting you no matter what. Don't forget that."
A FEW MINUTES LATER...
"And so," Cloud finished, "that's why we're going after Rufus first."
"What 'bout Bestla?" Barret demanded. "Doesn't she kill us in the future?"
"Bestla is more than an annoying fly that serves no purpose," Cloud pointed out. "But, again, she can't move forward as long as that barrier is there. She's caused havoc, but until that barrier's gone, we might as well regard her as a dormant volcano."
"What does she want?" asked Red XIII. "With us, I mean."
"I think I know why she destroyed Junon," Cloud continued. "She knows we defeat Sephiroth. That can't be any more obvious, or there wouldn't have been a future for her to have come from. She's well aware that she's vulnerable, even if it had been her nestled in the Northern Crater."
"That doesn't quite explain why she destroyed Junon," Vincent pointed out.
"Actually," Red XIII began, "it does."
"How?" asked Vincent.
It was Tifa who answered solemnly.
"She wanted us all destroyed at the same time."
There was a nasty silence. Nobody spoke, nor even moved. Then, they slowly began to look at one another. Finally, Yuffie spoke up.
"It's all our fault," she said sadly. "All those people died because of us!"
"This is Bestla's doing," Red XIII insisted. "Not ours."
"We'll deliver those people justice when the time comes," Cloud said. "Right now, we have the rest of the world to save. And when we do, trust me, you'll feel differently."
"I suppose," Yuffie agreed softly.
"When do we go for the Shinra?" asked Red XIII.
"When they launch the Huge Materia," Cloud replied. "That's not until the thirteenth."
"It's the eighth," Barret pointed out.
"I know," Cloud replied. "Sometimes we just have to wait for the right time."
There were a few audible groans.
"On a positive note," Cloud continued, "Tifa and I are together."
Everyone was silent at first. This time, it was not in a bad way. It was simply something that nobody saw coming.
Finally, the silence had to be broken.
"It's about time!" Yuffie shouted.
"Meeting adjourned!" Cloud announced.
Everyone silently cleared the bridge until only Cloud and Tifa remained. Neither of them minded that they had to wait a few days. It would give them time.
"Meteor won't be in range until the thirteenth," Tifa reminded him. "What should we do in the mean time?"
She knew what she wanted to do, and she would get the answer she had been hoping for.
"Well," Cloud began, "now that we're together, I suppose we should go on a date."
Tifa smiled. "Yeah, I'd like that."
"Five years went by between the time of that incident at the reactor and when you found me at the station," Cloud pointed out. "There would be a lot to catch up on."
"You're right," she agreed.
"So where do you want to go for our first date?" he asked.
"How about a bookstore?" Tifa suggested, after a brief hesitation.
"I didn't know you were a reader," Cloud said, somewhat surprised.
"I'm not," Tifa replied. "But there's a coffee shop inside. A perfect place for us to talk and get to know each other better."
Cloud smiled. He was curious about what happened with her over the years, and wanted to get to know here even more.
With a date at a book store coffee shop, he would get to know her more. Even you, the reader, would get to know her really well, and maybe even you will grow to like her. I am sure she would like that.
THAT NIGHT...
"You sure this counts as our first date?" Cloud asked as they walked into Out of the World Book Barn in Rocket Town.
"Of course!" Tifa replied happily as she led him over to the cafe. "Why wouldn't it?"
"Well," began Cloud as they sat down. "We kind on a date shortly after the incident in the mountains. I just remembered."
"You're not thinking about...THAT time, are you?" asked Tifa. "I think I just remembered, too."
"Maybe," Cloud shrugged.
"That wasn't a date, silly," she laughed. "It was my thirteenth birthday."
FLASHBACK...
Tifa and Brian sat at the kitchen table. Things were not remotely returning to normal, and it was obvious to both of them.
Tifa gazed at her arms. Her wounds were completely gone. At least her physical ones were. She then gazed at the empty seat Claire once sat on. Those wounds would never heal. It seemed as if her resentment towards her father would not, either.
"You're birthday's coming up," Brian said, breaking the silence.
"I know," Tifa replied. With all that had happened, she barely cared anymore.
"You're only thirteen once," Brian insisted.
"You said that when I turned twelve," she replied as she folded her arms. It was also her first birthday without her mother.
"Well?" asked Brian. "What do you want to do to celebrate?"
"I don't know," she replied with apathy.
"You can have a party," he said.
"I have one every year," she muttered.
"Two rules, though," he said, ignoring the apathy.
Tifa did not respond. A birthday party would not bring Claire back to life.
"No Johnny," Brian continued. "He's one of the two people you can't invite."
She did not care. She wanted little to do with him at this point, anyway. And then, she remembered he had said two.
"Who else can't I invite?" asked Tifa out of curiosity.
"Cloud," Brian replied.
"What?" Tifa exclaimed in shock.
"He almost got you killed!" Brian protested. "I don't want him coming anywhere near you!"
"We'll be supervised!" Tifa protested.
"I don't care," Brian retorted. "And don't go around trying to see him, either! Or no parties at all!"
Tifa sighed. She did not really want a party anyway, and certainly not without Cloud.
And then, she smiled. She knew exactly what she would do.
TWO DAYS LATER...
The highlight of that day, during the day, at least, was when Cloud opened up the sealed note that Tifa had handed to him in the hallway. She had written "OPEN IN PRIVATE" in capital letters.
He had wondered all the way home what the letter had said. Now that he was sitting alone in his bedroom, he had the answer.
"Cloud," it began, "meet me at Charlie's Bowling Basement at 6.
-T"
THAT NIGHT...
It was not a widely known fact that Nibelheim had a bowling ally. It was located near the front entrance of the town. Right inside the foyer, there was an escalator that led down to the alley.
Cloud felt nervous as the escalator carried him downward. He had seen Tifa at school since the bridge incident, but they had not spoken except for a few hellos. He almost wondered if she was going tell him she didn't want to be friends anymore. After all, she had to hate him.
As the bowling alley came into view, Cloud began to look around for a girl in a green dress, but could not find one. As he stepped off the escalator, he began to look around. There was no sign of Tifa anywhere. He almost wondered if this was some cruel prank in revenge for what happened in the mountains.
Then, suddenly, he felt two hands press on his shoulders.
He turned around to see Tifa's smiling face.
"Hi Cloud!" she greeted happily.
"Hey, Tifa," he greeted back.
"Glad you made it!" she said. "You ready?"
Cloud nodded.
"Great!" she said with a smile. "Let's go!"
They switched out for their bowling shoes and found a lane.
"I think we're the youngest ones here," Tifa observed.
"No worries," Cloud managed to utter. "You know what I'll do if anyone bullies us, right?"
Tifa giggled. "You'll punch him in the belly, and kick him in the butt, and break his nose, and break his two feet, and break open his skull so you can see his brain." She paused. "I remember that word for word."
It was true that they were the youngest at the alley. Everyone else there was in their late teens or early twenties.
But that was not what got Cloud's attention. What captured his attention was Tifa. For it was Tifa as he had never seen her before.
She was wearing a crop top. He was used to seeing her as a tee shirt and jeans girl. That was about half the time; the other half of the time she was always wearing her green dress. He had remembered she said she wanted to start wearing them, but he did not know whether she would actually go through with it. Her usually modest attire and the fact that she always wore one-pieces to the pool meant that he had never seen her midriff before (nor her lower back when she was turned away).
And her jeans. They seemed tighter than usual. He did not notice too much when she faced him, but, when she faced away, he saw that they really flattered her backside. Cloud took extra care to look as little as possible.
She was also wearing lipstick and earrings. She had never done that before, either. He did not even know her ears were pierced. He was wondering what was changing in her. They grew up as friends, and completely overlook that fact that Cloud was a boy and Tifa was a girl. Until now.
"What's wrong?" Tifa asked, noticing his silence.
"I haven't bowled," Cloud said. "Ever." That was true, although he wanted to hide the fact that he was checking her out.
"No worries!" she said as she picked up a ball. "Just have fun."
Tifa mainly got spares and a couple of strikes, but Cloud was only knocking down a few pins and even getting gutter balls.
"Any ideas?" he asked as he went up for the fifth time.
"You could always squat and push," she suggested with a smile.
"Isn't that for kids?" he asked.
"We're kids," she reminded him. She then got down. "Look, I'll do it first!"
Tifa squatted down and pushed the ball. It rolled straight down the center of the lane. Then, a mere yard from the pins, the ball rolled to the left and into the gutter.
"Ugh!" groaned Tifa as she stood on her feet. "I almost made it!" She paused. "Your turn!"
"Alright, alright," Cloud sighed. "I'll try it."
Cloud squatted and pushed. As with Tifa, the ball remained in the center of the lane. But unlike with Tifa, the ball did not veer away; it rolled straight into the pins. All of them fell to the ground.
"Oh my God!" Tifa shouted as she placed her hands on the back of her head. "What did you do?!"
"I squatted and pushed," Cloud replied as he stood up.
"You made my day!" she said as she high-fived him.
Despite Cloud's one-time success, Tifa still won the game.
They spent another hour at the arcade before stopping for drinks in the cafe.
Tifa was content. After all she had been through, she was having fun again. And she realized it was because she was with Cloud. No matter what the situation was, her friend made her feel happy. She almost wondered if she should ask him to become more than a friend.
"Date's over!" announced an unpleasant voice.
Cloud and Tifa turned to see another boy with spiked hair approach them. He was sixteen or seventeen, and was accompanied by a woman a couple of years older than him.
"You kids are too young to be in here this late!" he announced. He then turned his attention to Tifa. "And you," he continued. "Why are you dressed like a slut?"
"Excuse me?" demanded Tifa.
"Only hookers show that much skin off."
"Now just a minute!" Cloud began as he rose to his feet. "She can dress how she wants. That's her style. It doesn't make her a slut."
Tifa began to get nervous. She remembered exactly what Cloud would do if they were bullied.
"Why are you defending her?" taunted the boy. "Are you in loooooooooooove?"
Cloud immediately began to raise his fist, and almost as quickly felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Cloud, no!" Tifa exclaimed. "That's Rufus Shinra!"
"Who?"
"President Shinra's son!"
Cloud lowered his fist.
Rufus grinned. "You've been pussy whipped!"
Cloud had to control himself again. He found it difficult.
"Now leave," Rufus continued. "Skedaddle."
"Come on," Tifa said. "We can go to the ice cream parlor. My mom always said they were open late."
Cloud nodded.
They then began to leave.
"That's right," Rufus continued. "Go on. If that corpse of a slut said that place is open late, it's gotta be true."
Tifa was the first to stop. Her lips began to quiver, and tears began to flow from her eyes.
That did it.
Cloud suddenly turned around. "Come here Rufus," he commanded. "I want to tell you something.
Rufus happily obliged. It was an opportunity to insult them to their faces.
But he would regret it.
As soon as he was in range, Cloud drove his fist into Rufus's stomach. He then ran behind him and raised his leg, striking him in his butt. Turning his attention to his front side again, Cloud stared Rufus in the face for but a moment before popping his head into his nose, causing blood to flow from his nose. He then stomped on both of his feet as hard as he could.
Rufus, unable to stand the pain any longer, collapsed to the ground and began to cry.
Cloud quickly looked around for something to finish the job with.
"Hey!" shouted an angry voice.
Everyone turned to see an angry man of about seven feet tall enter the room.
"What the hell is going on here?!"
At this point, the whole alley had suspended their games, and had drawn their attention to the situation.
"He beat me up!" wailed Rufus through his tears. "I can't even stand up! It hurts so bad."
He began to cry even more.
"You!" shouted the tall man in Cloud's direction. "You know who I am?"
Cloud shook his head.
"I'm Charlie!"
"Charlie who?" asked Cloud.
"This place is called Charlie's Bowling Basement!" he said. "Who do you think?"
Cloud was silent.
"Here's what's going to happen," Charlie continued. "You're going to leave this alley and never come back. If you do, you're a dead man. Do you hear me?!"
"But..." began Tifa.
"Silence, missy!" Charlie demanded.
Defeated, Cloud and Tifa turned to leave.
"Banned for life, eh?" shouted Rufus, tears still on his face.
"If Tifa ever beats you," retorted Cloud as he boarded the escalator, "it'll kill you."
Rufus flaunted his middle finger before the two of them disappeared from sight.
OUTSIDE...
"Sorry," Cloud apologized as they stood by the well. He was beginning to feel like a big screw-up.
"Don't be," Tifa assured him, smiling. "That was pretty cool."
He scratched his scalp. "I didn't spoil your night?"
Tifa shook her head. "He's a bad boy," she continued. "Cloud, I've never had anyone stick up for me like that. Ever. Not even my parents."
"Well..." he began, but he was unable to finish.
He did not need to. Tifa was beyond happy. He had stood up for her when she needed someone. She badly wanted to hug him, but she knew he would hate it.
And then, she realized it. She almost wanted to do more than hug him.
"TIFA!" shouted a familiar, angry voice.
Neither had to look to realize that it was Brian, shouting from an open upstairs window.
"Get your ass in here!" he shouted. "Is that Cloud you're with out there?! And why are you dressed like that?!"
Tifa gave an innocent shrug. She did not feel like arguing; she knew she was in trouble either way.
"No party for you at all!" Brian hollered. "Was it worth it?"
She had been able to spend it with her best friend. She knew the answer quite well.
"You bet," Tifa replied.
...END FLASHBACK
Tifa giggled. "I should've said 'You bet your ass,' but I was in enough trouble already."
"We seemed to have made up after the bridge incident," Cloud observed as he sipped his coffee.
"You're right," Tifa pointed out. "Was that really the reason you joined SOLDIER? Or maybe was it something else?"
"It's still coming back," Cloud said.
"Take your time," Tifa insisted.
"So Tifa," Cloud began, "I've been wondering something."
"What's that?" she asked.
"When did you start to like me?"
"In that way?" asked Tifa. "When I first spent the night in your room."
"That early?" asked Cloud. "I couldn't tell then."
"I just felt...safe with you. In a way I didn't feel with anyone else. What clinched it was when you helped me spy on my dad," Tifa continued. But now that we're on the subject, when did you start to like me?"
"In that way?" Cloud replied. "When we went bowling."
Tifa smirked. "It was the crop top I wore that night, wasn't it?"
"I kind of thought you wore that for me," Cloud said. "Something just told me."
"I did," she admitted, slightly blushing. "And I wore those jeans to show my butt off. Well, now you know."
"I kind of figured," Cloud said. He chuckled slightly. "I completely forgot Rufus had freckles."
His girlfriend giggled. "They say nobody's ever seen him bleed or cry. It seems like quite a few people did."
He nodded. "I finished my coffee. "Want another one?"
"Sure," she replied.
He got up and made his way to the counter. He bought two coffees. Then he turned, and, to his surprise, Tifa was standing there with a grin.
"Boo!" she said.
Cloud jumped back, nearly spilling the coffee all over the floor.
"I can't believe I still fall for that!" he sighed.
"Gotcha!" she announced triumphantly.
She then kissed him tenderly.
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Premonitions: Uncut