Final Fantasy VII: Reflections - Book 2: Ascent

TWO

About an hour before noon that same day, I was in my shop doing another repair when the phone rang. I'd be heading out in a little bit to do my deliveries and on-site jobs across the slums, but I always tried to get my work here done first. Putting down my tools, I took out my cell phone, turned it on, and smirked when I saw who it was. I'd known she would call, it was only a matter of time.

"Hey there!" Tifa's voice came on the line when I picked up.

I sat back in my chair. "Hi, Tifa! What's up?"

She came back a second later. "Just checking in on you, Jessie. You gave me a hell of a scare last night."

"Sorry," I said. "I was lucky Cloud showed up when he did."

"You sure were! You've got to be more careful. I know you need the parts, Jessie, but it's not worth getting hurt or worse. Not even for what we're doing. Your life is much more important."

I sighed, knowing full well how right she was. "I know, Tifa. And I will, I promise. Thanks for sending Cloud after me."

"Just looking out for my kid sister," she teased gently.

"Ha! I thought you were my little sister, Tifa!" I laughed. Then, as I thought of last night, I smiled. "But really, you should've seen Cloud in action! He was so incredible! He swept in right in the nick of time and saved my ass! It was like being in one of those corny action movies and he was the hero coming to rescue me."

Tifa chuckled. "I guess you like him, then."

I couldn't help gushing about him. "He is really cute."

More than cute, to be honest. Hot and handsome, and it made my heart skip a beat to think about him and picture him in my mind. He'd been in there all morning, actually, and I'd caught myself daydreaming about him from time to time, imagining what it would be like to spend more time with him and get to know him. How it might feel to be held in his arms. Cloud didn't seem like the affectionate type, but I thought he could be with a little work. He was so attractive and mysterious, and I couldn't resist it. I was a moth to his flame.

"Can't argue with that," Tifa agreed. "He'll be over there to see you at noon before you head off to start your deliveries."

I sat up with an excited squeal, my eyes wide. "Really!?"

She confirmed it. "Yeah. I asked him to go with you and make sure you get to wherever you're going in one piece. And he'll be walking you home at night, too. Those thugs nearly killed you, Jessie. I'm not about to risk letting them have another chance at it."

"I hear you there," I said. "Thanks."

Tifa continued, getting into full lecture mode now. "You can thank me by sticking close to Cloud whenever you two are out there traveling across the slums. And by not taking any more stupid risks—you know, such as stealing from dangerous criminal syndicates like the Vice gang. Is that clear, Jessie?"

It was. "Like a bell. Tifa... do you think he'll help us?"

"You mean about what we're planning?" she asked, knowing what I meant. Our mission to shut down the reactor. "I'm not sure. But I hope so. We could definitely use him."

I laughed, thinking the same thing. "I'll say! If he keeps on fighting as good as he looks, we'll be in great shape!"

"I think so, too," Tifa agreed. "But I still have to convince Barret."

"Yeah. That's not gonna be easy, though, is it?" I said.

I didn't think it would be. Barret, as good a guy as he was, could be really stubborn and hard-headed sometimes. And he was slow to trust anyone he didn't know. I'd been a rare exception to that rule, and I had a pretty strong hunch that he and Cloud would probably butt heads for a while. They were both just so strong-willed.