Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ A Tale Of Tifa ❯ Oracles Part 2 ( Chapter 18 )

* Hi everyone! I'm back from the dead and I'm going to give you readers something to read that will keep you on the edge of your seats and no one, not even that Speed person can flame me for it. I have put a lot of hard work into this story and I plan to finish it! ^-^ *

Chapter 18

Oracles Part 2

Arlene sat on the couch watching the sun rise out from behind the mountains. She was the first one up and she felt excited to be on an adventure. It had been a long time since anything motivating had happened to her since… Her eyes began to water and she quickly wiped a tear away. She remembered that tragic day clearly…

"Arlene! You can't possibly go after him!" Brendan shouted. Arlene was only eighteen then and she had witnessed her fiancé's murder.

"I don't care if he's a damn Turk! I will kill him for it! I have my weapon!" she counterattacked. Brendan tried to argue with her but she was already running toward the ShinRa building. He ran up to her and smiled.

"Then I'm going with you. Serik was my brother after all." Brendan replied.

Arlene smiled at that part of the memory. Brendan was such a good friend and she never knew he loved her until…

"Arlene run! Now!" Brendan shouted. They were on floor 64 when some guards spotted them. They had both run up to the next floor to see two Turks talking with each other. One was blonde and the other a red head. They looked in their direction and noticed that they weren't ShinRa employees.

"YOU!" Arlene pointed her weapon at the red headed man, "You killed my fiancé and now it's your turn to die!"

"Reno, I thought I said no witnesses." The blonde man asked.

"No one was there when the job was done." The man named Reno answered, "I'll get rid of them." Reno had turned toward the two opponents and studied them for a few mere seconds. The girl was pretty, such a shame, thought Reno as he took out his gun and pointed it at the woman.

"NO!" Brendan yelled and ran in front of the bullet meant for Arlene. He fell to the floor limp and his breathing was shallow. Arlene was already on her knees and looking at her best friend inhale his final breath but not before whispering to her his undying love.

"Aww, such misfortune." Reno snickered. The blonde man turned away and whispered to Reno, then left. The woman before him was crying and clutching her fatal dart arrows with much force. He walked up to her then and knocked her unconscious.

Arlene felt the lump within her throat and tried to compose herself. She looked at the woman, Shera whom had just entered.

"Your up early, want some tea?" asked Shera. Arlene smiled weakly and nodded. Just then the whole group came in chatting about the journey ahead. Red walked up to Arlene and laid his head upon her lap curious to why she was so quiet. He could clearly read the pain that was swimming within her crisp green eyes.

"Come on, we are going to have a meeting." Red announced and then he walked away to a swearing Cid.

"Why the @$&# do we have to have a meeting?! We are just wasting minutes!" yelled Cid.

"I agree." Said Vince who was shrouded in the corner shadows.

"We are here to discuss important business." Said Cloud as he grabbed a seat. Sephiroth was already sitting at the table drinking some tea with Arlene.

"I don't know what's so important. We split into two groups. Cloud is leader of one and I of the other." Sephiroth explained simply.

"We have to pick Barret up from Corel City. We need his help and Yuffie's too, if we are to fight this new evil whatever the $%&# it is." Cid admitted.

"Well then the meeting is adjourned." Sephiroth said smiling arrogantly.

"Not before we decide who is in each group," Cloud stated, "Barret, Cid and Yuffie will be in my group."

"Fine, then Arlene, Nanaki, and father will be with me. I hope that's all right with everyone?" asked Sephiroth looking at Arlene and Nanaki.

"Out of the question!" Cloud said, "Arlene has no fighting skills and she will be in danger."

"I am more skilled then you!" Arlene shouted.

"What level are you on?" inquired Sephiroth.

"Level 63." Answered Arlene, "Even if everyone else here is at 99, I'm still capable of taking care of myself." Cloud was angry and he didn't want Arlene going into battle. She could get hurt and then what? He pondered his thoughts and came by one that surprised him. Cloud looked up into Arlene's green defying eyes and boom! The conclusion hit him like a ton of bricks…he cared about her, why? Maybe it was because of her green eyes, they reminded him so much of Aerith. She may not have the simple kindness, but she had spirit, too strong for him to win this argument. Or any other for that fact.

"Fine, but your in my group. Barret can be in Sephiroth's, agreed?" Cloud concluded.
"Yeah, fine with me." Sephiroth said.

"Then it's all settled…wait! What about Shera?!" Cid shouted.

"I'll be fine dear. Like I said before, the baby won't be here until another two months." Shera calmly said.

"Oh…right, I knew that." Cid murmured with a blush across his nose.

* * *

They stopped by Corel and picked up Barret and his thirteen year old daughter, Marlene. Barret said he didn't want his daughter to be alone while they were off on some wayward adventure.

"She'll be fine with me." Shera said to Barret as they boarded Highwind.

"Well I donno…yer sure about that?"

"Come on Daddy, I'll be fine. Aunt Shera will take care of me. Isn't that right?" Marlene assured cherubically. Barret looked from his daughter to Shera and sighed.

"Trust me. She'll be in good hands." Shera said confidently.

Once that was over, they headed to Watui, to find the ever happy and sneaky Yuffie. When they arrived, they parked the Highwind near town. Shera and Marlene stayed behind as the group traveled into the city.

Watui was a beautiful place in the summer. Their ancient like trees were always in bloom and the buildings were breath taking. They crossed a bridge and entered a weapon's store. A young man with fiery red hair sat behind the desk chatting with a girl, who obviously wasn't here for a mace.

"Excuse me?" Cloud asked, "Do you know if Lord Godo's daughter, Yuffie, is in town?"

"Yeah she's here, who are you?" the clerk inquired suspiciously.

"Please tell her that AVALANCHE is here to talk to her." Cloud said calmly and snickered to himself when he saw the man's eyes widen with surprise.

"Um, all right! Let me take you to her house." He said.

"That's all right, we know where she lives. Thank you." Said Cloud. As they left the store, Sephiroth whispered to Cid, "Does he like to do that all the time?"

"That's the #$@%ing first time I have ever seen him pull something like that." Cid answered back. Barret didn't say much to his old enemy, but he acknowledged him. Sephiroth hoped that Barret would one day accept him as a good person. But that was only one dream bound to happen soon, whenever that would be.

They arrived at a brightly colored house, with a materia sign in the front of the entrance. When they walked in, the whole place felt like a museum. Different types of Materia were displayed protected with glass cases. Arlene ran to one of them and began examining it. Sephiroth, Vincent, and Red stayed near the entrance, while Barret, Cid and Cloud rang the customer's bell.

It was seconds later that a young woman with shoulder length red brown hair came running out. She looked so much mature at the age of eighteen. She wore black leather shorts and a green tank top.

"Oh hi everyone…Sephiroth!!!" Yuffie yelled in surprise and took out her weapon ready to attack the world's greatest enemy, but Red stopped her.

"He's our friend now." Red said. Sephiroth was a bit moved that Nanaki considered him a friend. Maybe that dream was coming early? Who knew?

"But!"

"No buts, he has proven himself worthy." Red concluded. Yuffie put her weapon away and relaxed a bit, "So what brings you to Wutai?" Before Cloud could speak, Vincent had begun.

"We need you and some of your materia to help us save Tifa." Vincent explained.

"What's with Tifa? Is she all right?!" Yuffie inquired, her face full of worry.

"She's dying, and we need to get to this one island where a rumor has it, there is a type of elixir there powerful enough to save her." Explained Cloud.

"Not to mention a F***ing new crisis slowly approaching." Cid muttered to Barret.

"Boy, don't you love to be the bearer of bad news." Vince retorted. Yuffie stood there trying to put together everything that was piled down on top of her.

"Very well, I'll go, but I have to tell my fiancé that I'll be leaving." Yuffie answered.

"Um, Yuffie? Fiancé?" Red asked suddenly.

"Yeah…" just then a tall young man in shorts and a white t-shirt came walking in. No one could mistake him for his azure eyes and fiery red hair…Reno. Everyone gaped as Yuffie blushed and introduced Reno to her friends.

"Um, everyone, I think you all know my fiancé, Reno?" Reno grinned, "Um…hi?" The entire group held silent, "I guess I better go…" but before he could finish his sentence, Barret began to yell.

"Yuffie, what are you doing with a damn Turk?!" Barret asked angrily.

"He's not a Turk anymore!" Yuffie quipped.

"Well just leave it at that, all right Barret?" Cloud asked, "He's not of ShinRa anymore and if he makes Yuffie happy, then leave him alone."

"Thanks Cloud." Yuffie whispered and she clung to Reno's arm.

"All right, let's move out."

"The leader has spoken, come on we're wasting time." Nanaki ordered.

Arlene stood in the shadows frightened beyond imagination, but her anger equal to that of her fear. There stood the murderer of Brendan, smiling, happy with someone he loves and cares about. A few reddish brown streaks of hair fell in front of her boiling green hues as she walked out hidden by the bulky frame of Barret.

Nanaki looked to see if everyone was accounted for, but not before noticing the rage Arlene's body was displaying.

"You all right, Arlene?" Nanaki asked when they got outside, "You looked kind of uptight back there."

"I'm fine." Arlene said sharply and walked away leaving a confused lion behind.

* * *

The next morning the group found out that Reno was planning to come along, just in case they needed help. Though everyone knew he came because Yuffie was going. Arlene watched the two eat breakfast together, all happy and in love. But that would soon come to an end…Arlene had plans for Reno. She was going to show him how it feels like to loose a loved one…

"All right, we have only a few days to find an island somewhere on this planet. Note the few days we have. So where can we find an island covered with mist?" Cloud asked.

"Didn't that scroll say that it was dry mist?" Vincent asked, "It could mean a desert island."

"So where's the closest desert?" Sephiroth implored out loud.

"Wouldn't that be somewhere south of the Wutain continent?" Yuffie said, while drinking the last of her tea.

"Hmmm… we can start there, maybe we'll find a clue or something." Sephiroth murmured. Everyone else agreed and Cid set the airships course toward south of Wutai continent.

* * *

Reno stood in front of the bathroom mirror, shaving his day old beard when he heard a heart-shattering scream. He ran out of the bathroom, wet shaving cream falling to the wooden floor. He saw a figure run out of the room, but his eyes were on Yuffie who was on the floor, barely breathing.

"Somebody help!" he yelled. Reno ran to Yuffie's side and tried to see if she could wake up or something. He then noticed the puncture in her abdomen. He pressed his hand down upon the wound, hoping to stop the blood flow. He only wished he had some restore materia on him.

"Come on Yuff, stay with me here. Don't go leaving me behind…" whispered Reno.

At the airship deck, the whole entire gang heard the scream and Reno's cries for help. Everyone ran for the source, except for Arlene. She felt that her revenge was fulfilled, finally and that she could bare the painful burden no more. Though her conscience felt guilty of attacking the girl. But did he feel guilty for killing the only two men that loved her? She slowly followed along with everyone else to the scene where Reno with tears in his eyes was trying to keep Yuffie alive.

Shera was already at Yuffie's side with Curaga spells handy. Arlene was only disappointed when she heard Shera tell Reno that Yuffie still alive and would recover soon. Arlene played along, "I hope she'll be all right."

"If I know Yuff, she got a strong spirit. She'll be up and walking in no time." Barret said.

"So, Turkey, what happened here?" demanded Cid.

"Yeah, we all would like to know." Cloud added.

"I was shaving when I heard Yuffie scream. I ran out to find her lying on the floor, bleeding. I called for help and put pressure down on her wound and waited for you guys." Reno explained.

"Anything else that could give us a clue to who might have done this?" Vincent asked.

"I did glimpse someone running out, but I was pre occupied with Yuffie."

"This might help a bit." Barret said quietly, holding a piece of paper in one hand.

"Read it." Nanaki ordered. Barret cleared his throat and began, "This is payback…I hope you understand the feeling of loosing the one you love." Reno's eyes widened and he looked like he was about to cry, but he kept his face straight, even though tears were threatening to fall.

"I guess you got someone on yer tail, with revenge in mind." Arlene concluded.

Nanaki noticed Arlene walk out after that and he followed her. He watched with his keen eye as she entered her room calmly and slowly close the door. He silently crept up to the doorway to hear muffled crying and the one word, Brendan.

It was already five in the afternoon, when they heard the co-pilot, Rubin, signal that they were low on fuel and that they needed to refill their tanks. Cid agreed to turn back, but not before spotting land some distance off. When they landed the craft upon the sandy shores, Cid and everyone else felt the strong gusts hit the airship.

"Captain, you better come and look at this." Rubin said. Cid followed and slowly walked up to big window. He only saw yellow gusts of thick sands swirl outside at great speeds.

"Folks, I think we found our island. Dry mist? Dangerous? Damn right indeed! At this rate, Highwind is going to be in @&$#ing pieces!" Cid exclaimed angrily.

* Whew! That was a bit longer then others, but sorry to leave ya at this point! ^^() I've been busy lately with other stories, which I shall put up there soon, once I'm not grounded. But Yeah I do plan to finish this! R/R*