Sunlight shimmered off a crystal sea, the warm waves sending water far inland. Winter in Costa del Sol could hardly be called worse than a temperate spring and tourists flocked to the resort town.
However, up the coast, on a small peninsula of land that served as an ideal breeding ground for chocobo, a new tenant built a house. There were monsters, of course, but Costa del Sol was willing to pay a great deal for an exterminator.
A paycheck safely in her pocket, Tifa stretched out on the sand and watched the sunset over her new home. The weather was balmy, and the flames of the three candles she'd brought leaned only slightly inland. By the candles rested a picture of her and Aeris at the Gold Saucer, shortly before being tossed into the desert penal colony. They were standing in line for the Speed Coaster, where a man offered to photograph them. Tifa nearly broke into tears glancing at the face of her friend, who had been gone for a year. An anniversary...
The picture brought back so many memories, and after a brief hesitation, Tifa stood in the sand, carefully removing her shirt and skirt.
("Tifa, do you love him?")
She didn't neglect her boots or socks, either.
("It's okay, you know. He's not playing fair.")
She cut her hair in an early act of rebellion and was now praying every day that it would grow back.
("We have ourselves and each other, right? Friends forever. Promise me, Teef...")
The water was cooler up north, and she could feel the goosebumps rising on her legs and arms, even as she pressed further into the dark sea.
("...Promise me, and when this is all over, we'll go swimming - just like we planned at Costa. Nothing but you and me, the salt water... and some cute guys. We'll wash all this behind us.")
She could float in the water and took the opportunity to do so, while the last rays of the sunset sank into the horizon.
(... I promise.)
Author's Notes: A final thank you to my kind reviewers (though I'm not sure how kind y'all will be now that I dumped Reno) and all you authors better get back to your authoring business. I've completed a story - I'm now _qualified_ to review all your works. :) Good night!
However, up the coast, on a small peninsula of land that served as an ideal breeding ground for chocobo, a new tenant built a house. There were monsters, of course, but Costa del Sol was willing to pay a great deal for an exterminator.
A paycheck safely in her pocket, Tifa stretched out on the sand and watched the sunset over her new home. The weather was balmy, and the flames of the three candles she'd brought leaned only slightly inland. By the candles rested a picture of her and Aeris at the Gold Saucer, shortly before being tossed into the desert penal colony. They were standing in line for the Speed Coaster, where a man offered to photograph them. Tifa nearly broke into tears glancing at the face of her friend, who had been gone for a year. An anniversary...
The picture brought back so many memories, and after a brief hesitation, Tifa stood in the sand, carefully removing her shirt and skirt.
("Tifa, do you love him?")
She didn't neglect her boots or socks, either.
("It's okay, you know. He's not playing fair.")
She cut her hair in an early act of rebellion and was now praying every day that it would grow back.
("We have ourselves and each other, right? Friends forever. Promise me, Teef...")
The water was cooler up north, and she could feel the goosebumps rising on her legs and arms, even as she pressed further into the dark sea.
("...Promise me, and when this is all over, we'll go swimming - just like we planned at Costa. Nothing but you and me, the salt water... and some cute guys. We'll wash all this behind us.")
She could float in the water and took the opportunity to do so, while the last rays of the sunset sank into the horizon.
(... I promise.)
Author's Notes: A final thank you to my kind reviewers (though I'm not sure how kind y'all will be now that I dumped Reno) and all you authors better get back to your authoring business. I've completed a story - I'm now _qualified_ to review all your works. :) Good night!