Other Fan Fiction / Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Distorted Perception ❯ Valentine Sensei ( Chapter 10 )

Chapter Ten

Valentine Sensei

 

Two years could be both an eternity and mere flash of time. It was all a matter of perspective.

 

For Cloud Strife, two years dragged on with mundane and bland days. It was a slow realization that his actions towards Vincent had been brash and out of line. At first, he hadn't believed it, not after the warmth and contentment he'd felt from sleeping together. It wasn't possible that something so chaste and pleasing could be anything akin to what Hojo and Sephiroth had done.

 

For Vincent Valentine, two years was the blink of an eye, and for the first time he felt what could very well be happiness.

 

**

Aeris sat at the bar of 7th Heaven. Legs crossed demurely beneath her usual flower girl dress, the longhaired Ancient wasn't completely comfortable in the newly renovated establishment.

 

Eight months since its opening, Tifa managed to keep the place in top shape, the darkly stained flooring never losing its polished shine, and the countertops on bar and table alike never held a spilt drink any longer than a minute. For all the hard work it took, the dark haired woman, whose body had become the fancy of more than a few men as of late, seemed entirely satisfied with it all.

 

The bar was Tifa's, run and owned by her alone. With the frequent help of Yuffie and Marlene, who was a waitress in training, each day passed with fulfillment.

 

Fame and fortune was something none of the heroes had been seeking, but it found them once the world found out about Sephiroth's demise and the key fighters behind it all.

 

While Tifa didn't plan on making a career out of it, modeling and having her pictures taken was almost a fun pass time that happened to bring a lot of publicity for her bar.

 

Now, on a Sunday afternoon, there were a handful of regulars hanging out at their usual tables. Mostly teens, coming for a bite to eat with their friends or lovers. The atmosphere was perfect for any sort of person. There were more secluded corners for someone who simply wanted to get piss drunk or have an intimate meal, or more social areas where the round tables that sat four, were closer together for groups of friends coming in to hang out together.

 

Aeris chose a seat up at the bar counter, because it was most convenient for a working Tifa, who shuffled around the back placing orders and drying mugs.

 

The dull whirring of the ceiling fans was a constant for background noise, and as the Ancient settled in and sipped on a tall glass of iced tea, it became almost lulling.

 

It was a lazy day indeed. The end of spring in Sector 7 brought an early heat wave that just made everything feel muggy, and made every person want to sit down and pass the time idly twiddling their thumbs.

 

With her long brown hair held up in a messy bun, Aeris let out a relieved sigh as the cold drink cooled her down and the slight drafts of air from above brushed over the back of her neck.

 

“Good?” Tifa asked with a knowing smirk.

 

“It's so hot,” Aeris replied, “Sector 5 isn't nearly this warm so soon.”

 

“Well, it is unusual. But, with the upper level under reconstruction like this, who knows how the weather will change.”

 

“Do you know what Shinra's planning now?” the green eyed girl questioned casually.

 

It wouldn't really matter if anyone was within hearing range, since there were no oppressive forces to stomp out all uprising, but Shinra wasn't exactly the sort of topic people just casually talked about all the time. So, when Aeris proposed the question, Tifa gave the area nearby a quick, subtle scan.

 

“Rufus is all but publicly confirmed to be running the company again. It's not like they're trying to hide that he isn't dead, he's seen everywhere,” Tifa informed with a small frown.

 

Not savvy by way of the political power struggles that went on, Aeris asked, “Why would they make a public announcement in the first place?”

 

Tilting her head to the side, Tifa set the glass mug on a rack just behind the counter. Absently wiping her hands on her drying rag, she stepped closer. “Well, if he were officially reinstated in the public's eye, it gives him a sort of extra control over the company. If people know he's running the show again, then it takes care of any protests that might arise now that everyone is against Shinra's control.”

 

Pink lips formed an acknowledging `o', just before taking another sip of the brown liquid.

 

“Should we be worried about this?” Aeris asked after a moment.

 

Tifa, who had busied herself with grabbing a plate of a freshly grilled tuna melt, signaled for the brown haired woman to hold the thought for a moment. Striding around the counter, her half skirt swaying with the movement, the dark haired kickboxer delivered the meal to the right table before returning.

 

With no one else to serve, Tifa sidled up along side Aeris and sat comfortably on the padded stool. Leaning forward, she stretched her bare arms across the counter and arched like a cat waking from a long nap.

 

“Man, am I glad we're closing early today. I'm tired,” she complained with a tone of jest. Resting her head against the bar top, she angled her dark brown eyes to look up at the concerned woman beside her. “I'll never get tired of it though, this place is my baby.”

 

Aeris chuckled good naturedly, finding Tifa's attachment amusing.

 

“You don't have to worry about anything. Barrett and I are keeping an eye on Shinra's movements. As far as I can tell, they're still in the doghouse, even with the elites. So, for a while at least, they won't be trying anything.”

 

“They've donated money to Sector 5,” Aeris commented.

 

With her head still against the counter, Tifa nodded. “I heard. Something about cleaning up and doing some major reconstruction.”

 

“They're giving a lot of money to fix the church up.”

 

“Really? I never took them for being religious,” Tifa responded with mild surprise. Even she hadn't known where the money was going exactly. Then again, that church was like Aeris' unofficial territory.

 

“Vincent told me,” Aeris added, seeing the pensive look on the younger woman's face.

 

Sitting upright swiftly, the darkly clad woman asked with evident surprise, “Vincent?”

 

“Rufus specifically donated two hundred thousand gil for Vincent's use.”

 

Mouth agape, Tifa stared for a moment. It was one shock to know that the president of Shinra was willing to give so much money to anybody, but it was another to learn that the receiver was one of their very own, and Vincent no less.

 

“A lot has happened in three months,” Aeris began with an air of mystery and underlying mirth. It had been that long since the two women had last spoken.

 

Willing to play along, Tifa prompted with a tone of excited impatience that Yuffie often held, “Like what?”

 

“Vincent and Nanaki left Cosmo Canyon. Now they're staying in Sector 5,” Aeris began to divulge, but left it there to tease the other woman.

 

“Are you back in Sector 5?” Tifa questioned.

 

With a shake of her head, a few tendrils of hair escaped the haphazardly set bun. “I'm still trying to track Cloud down all the time.” On this note, Aeris face lost some of its amusement, her eyes becoming a bit crestfallen.

 

“It's a waste of time,” Tifa huffed, “He's being an anti-social jerk, never talking to us like this.”

 

“Perhaps,” Aeris sighed.

 

Since sending Vincent away, Cloud had become distant and unapproachable. The blond swordsman never visited them, and it was rare that they were able to track him down and speak with him. Even as the leader of the band of fighters who saved the world, Cloud remained the blank face in people's mind. The unknown warrior that only rumors told of.

 

No one understood Cloud's reasoning behind suddenly leaving and changing, except for Aeris. Inside, the Ancient harbored guilt over the suddenly cold and detached aloofness their leader displayed. Only she knew what had caused it, yet she did not revoke her decision. Wherever Cloud was, whatever he was doing, Aeris could only pray that he was well and that he understood her reasoning behind forbidding him to see Vincent.

 

In all honesty, it had been a bit drastic. But, considering what the tortured gunman was going through and the time it would take to heal freshly opened wounds, she needed to make sure that Cloud, in his innocent and blinding infatuation, wouldn't inadvertently hurt Vincent further.

 

“You don't think it's like some post traumatic problem do you? I mean he was pretty obsessed with killing Sephiroth and the whole incident with Zack. You don't suppose the pressure of it all is finally getting to him, do you?” Tifa wondered aloud.

 

“No, this is something different. He just needs time to himself. I have a feeling it's like a phase, it'll die down,” Aeris assured with a small smile. She left out the part that it probably wouldn't die down for another year and some odd months, when the blond swordsman would surely visit Vincent.

 

Sighing loudly, Tifa slumped her shoulders and let the matter go. “I'm gonna yell at him the next time I see him. Poor Marlene keeps asking about him, I doubt she even remembers what he looks like.” Frowning slightly at a new thought, she placed an index finger against her lips. “Though, I can't say that I've seen a lot of Nanaki or Vincent either.”

 

“Nanaki had a lot to take care of in Cosmo Canyon. And Vincent, well he needed to spend time in one place for a while,” Aeris explained. It had been nine months or so since anyone aside from herself had seen Vincent and Nanaki.

 

“But, now they're in Sector 5?” Tifa questioned.

 

“Yeah, but Nanaki's only there to be with Vincent,” Aeris answered. Stifling a giggle, she said, “You should really see him. He's a teacher.”

 

“Nanaki?” Tifa questioned a little surprised.

 

Aeris shook her head with amusement. “No, Vincent.”

 

Mouth agape again, this time dropping an inch wider than before, Tifa stared. Blinking several times, the bar owner continued to stare in silent disbelief. The only sound that filled the void was the infrequent chatter in the background and the whirring fans above.

 

“The children love him,” Aeris added with an amused gleam to her bright eyes. “I started a small gathering in the church. I just wanted to teach them the basics, since the schools there are so terrible. But, I honestly can't do much beyond that. I grew up there, and the only education I've had is at those terrible schools.”

 

Still disbelieving, Tifa said with incredulity, “So, Vincent's doing it?”

 

“He came to see me, and he was sitting in on one of the meetings. It just sort of happened. They started asking him all sorts of questions, and even though he glared at them harshly, he answered every single one of them. You should have seen it, it was so precious.”

 

“I need a drink,” Tifa stated abruptly, standing from her seat and making to walk around the counter.

 

Excited to share the progress of the simple group she'd started, Aeris continued, “Now, there are three separate groups. I still manage the littlest ones, everyone from five to eight, but he steps in if I can't be there. They're more like a daycare sort of thing, but I like to teach them things like the alphabet and counting. Then there's nine to twelve, they're the most adorable.”

 

“Oh?” Tifa prompted, just to show she was still listening. Pouring herself a glass of water, she moved closer to again resume the position behind the bar as when they first began talking.

 

“No matter what Vincent does, they can't get enough of him. He scowls all day, but he never loses his patience with them. And they think he knows everything. They're always coming by after hours just to see him.”

 

“The scowling part sounds like Vincent, but I just can't picture him as a teacher. And I definitely can't picture a group of smiling kids actually enjoying his company,” the dark haired woman said wryly, setting her glass down after taking a long gulp.

 

Aeris didn't seem phased by the other woman's disbelief. “The oldest group, thirteen to sixteen, they were a bit of a struggle. When I started it, I only had the little ones. No one else seemed interest in going to school, most of the parents didn't place any stock in it. But, once Vincent got things rolling, we had a new group. The trouble was, most of them were forced to attend.”

 

Tifa thought for a moment about the poverty-stricken sectors below the plate. Education was not a priority on anyone's list. But, it never died out completely. If a person wanted to ever travel above the plate and maybe find a job there, they'd need to know the basics in math and science, mechanics above all else.

 

As it was, the strong willed kickboxer hadn't gone to classes since she was seventeen. But, there had been pressing matters that called her attention away.

 

The only ticket to a free education was to enlist as a SOLDIER. It made sense that if Aeris started some legitimate teaching in Sector 5, that a lot of the parents would think twice about having their kids out on the streets selling potions at forty gil a pop, or freshly picked flowers.

 

“I can imagine they didn't like having such a big change,” Tifa commented, thinking about how the slightly older boys and girls would react to suddenly having requirements set and not being allowed to hang out freely everyday.

 

“They were rude and vulgar, and one day they tried to douse Nanaki's tail. Vincent was beyond angry at that.”

 

“What'd he do?” Tifa questioned, curious as to what an angry gunman might do when his anger was directed towards a group of teenagers.

 

“I didn't get to see it,” Aeris half pouted, “But it's legendary among all the children.”

 

With interest, Tifa leaned a bit closer, her brown eyes never wavering from the Ancient's heart shaped face.

 

“According to Jonathon, Mr. Valentine flew through the air and threatened the two boys with the water that if they did it again, he'd rip their throats out. Before that, he had this glove that covered his gauntlet, but when he threatened them, he uncovered it.”

 

Gulping, Tifa pictured an unforgiving gunman menacingly flexing his golden claw. Somehow, that was an easier image to create than a silent teacher calmly instructing students. Still, it also seemed a little out of character. “Isn't that a little violent?”

 

Aeris laughed. “Very violent. It wasn't like him at all, especially with kids. But, since he's been with Nanaki, they've grown really close. I think he overreacted.”

 

“So, he scared the kids straight,” Tifa concluded with a bit of amusement. She doubted it would be amusing in the least if she'd been the one threatened by the red-eyed vampire.

 

“On the contrary,” Aeris refuted, “Jonathon said it was the coolest thing he'd ever seen, and he was one of boys Vincent was threatening. And, now all the girls have hopeless crushes on him. I've read a poem or two about his dark hair and pale skin, and a few other things that I don't sixteen year olds should be writing about.”

 

“Three months, huh?” Tifa commented, not quite believing that so much could change in only a few months. Then again, her bar had changed in what felt like a matter of days. Time had a funny way of speeding up and slowing down.

 

“Nanaki isn't really all that interested in teaching, but he's usually with Vincent all day anyway.”

 

“I would have pegged him for the teaching type,” Tifa stated.

 

Aeris shook her head slightly. “In his point of view, he's still just a teenager. I doubt he'd consider himself qualified.”

 

“True” Tifa nodded. As a gesturing hand caught her eye in the back, she looked up and took her leave for a moment. “Hold on a sec.” With that, she walked to the ordering customer.

 

Taking another sip of her tea, Aeris noted that the ice was melting. It still tasted sweet and soothed that nagging need for something refreshing on such a heated afternoon.

 

It was nice to catch up like this, to be here with Tifa and simply talk about what had changed in their lives over the time they were apart. It was also nice to spread the news of Vincent's recovering state, even if no one else understood the true meaning behind any of it. The gunman was far from forgiving himself about Lucrecia and how Sephiroth had turned out, but Nanaki seemed to have instilled some truth into the lost soul. The fire tailed tiger had contacted her the moment Vincent began to seriously question whether he'd done anything to deserve his years of experimentation. The poor man hadn't moved for days on end, simply mumbling random words that seemed to be two sides to an argument.

 

But, it was progress, and that was all that mattered.

 

Aeris had been moved to tears by the seeming devotion Nanaki had. Whether born from a common bond as Hojo's experiments, or something else, Vincent had accepted the formerly titled Red XIII's friendship. And, when the gunman made plans to leave, Nanaki had chosen to leave as well, not caring that Cosmo Canyon would be left behind.

 

There was a long way to go still, but heaven knew Vincent was better off with each day that passed. Her only worry now, was Cloud. It almost seemed as though one man's road to recovery had turned into another's road to destruction.

 

Tifa returned, calling out an order to the back, where the chef stood at the ready.

 

“So,” Tifa began to pick up where they'd left off, “How does Rufus factor in to all this?”

 

Coming back from her inner reverie, Aeris smiled and took a moment to gather her bearings. “It might just be a gimmick on Rufus' part, donating any money at all.”

 

“I don't doubt that it is,” Tifa added, quickly asserting her views.

 

“Well, Rufus was interested in meeting Vincent, since he's an ex-Turk and all.”

 

Narrowing her dark eyes, the young woman became serious. “That smells like trouble.”

 

“I know,” Aeris agreed. It could be more trouble than the younger woman would ever know. Men who desired power seemed to desire Vincent. The moment she'd first heard of Shinra's president taking an interest in the ex-Turk who'd been sustained for thirty years in a frozen stasis machine built by Hojo, the Ancient instantly became wary. If something were to happen, it could set Vincent back to the beginning and ruin all progress made. But, Nanaki had assured her that he'd stay by the gunman's side at all costs. “But, it seems to have worked out for the better. I haven't heard of Rufus wanting to meet with Vincent since two weeks ago, when he initially made the donation.”

 

Tifa hummed in understanding, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, simply taking the information in.

 

“The money will do wonders to buy text books and rebuild the church. This coming fall, it should all be finished, and Sector 5 will have a brand new school, open to the public.”

 

“Sounds nice,” Tifa said.

 

After a brief moment of relishing the prospect of the slums becoming a better place for people to live, Aeris' smile faltered. Sobering from the elated moment, she commented solemnly, “ I didn't want to be a burden to Vincent, but I think he's being so devoted to it because he knows it's my dream.”

 

“Your dream?” Tifa prompted, interested in hearing about the Ancient's dream.

 

“I never really had a formal education. My mom taught me what she could and I went to the only school they had, but by the time I was ten, I had to spend my time working. Selling flowers and helping out at Mr. Hernandez' bakery was all I did.” Green eyes turned to look into the dark haired woman's eyes. “It's not like I regret how things turned out, but I've always wished things could change, for future generations.”

 

Grumbling, Tifa busied her hands with drying an already dry mug. “You're too nice, you know that?”

 

“Eh?”

 

“If I were Vincent, I'd probably become a teacher to help you out too.” Tifa's tone wasn't reprimanding, but it did seem to be chastising the older woman a bit.

 

“You don't think that maybe he's doing it even if he doesn't-”

 

Tifa cut her off, “I hardly know anything about Vincent Valentine, but I do know that he wouldn't subject himself to the adoring eyes of teenage girls just because you want them to learn a little math.”

 

With a small smile, Aeris gave a nod of agreement. Inside, however, the green eyed woman was not the least bit consoled by the bar owner's assurances. The Ancient knew first hand just how far the gunman would go to please a person.

 

Subtly, Tifa caught the momentary lapse in Aeris demeanor. Setting the mug down with an ungraceful clank, she asked, “Does he ever smile?”

 

“Huh?” Aeris intoned in questioned.

 

“Vincent,” Tifa supplied. “I don't think I've ever seen him smile. If he's happy teaching at the church, does he smile?”

 

Mouth opened, about to reply, Aeris went still. Stopping, she thought back. “When he's grading papers… sometimes I swear that his lips twitch in a smile. But, it's so small, that I usually think I'm seeing things.”

 

Tifa smiled at this. “Don't worry, you're not seeing things.”

 

Aeris nodded uncertainly.