[ 002 ]

[runswitshuriken]

So it wasn't a hangover headache and hallucination.

Funny, I was kind of hoping I'd wake up and the past six months wouldn't have happened I'd be home. You know. Where Template is under massive reconstruction and the Mako reactors have been blown all to hell

Comments

[powersoul]

Of course. Why wouldn't you?

FILTERED LIKE WHOAH // Hackable

[runswitshuriken]

Well, uh. Oh boy.

Shalua died, Shelke started badmouthing her, so I punched Shelke. Vincent got mad. The rest is history?

OH RIGHT FILTERED

[powersoul]

You don't get along? ...At all?

FILTERED SOME MORE

[runswitshuriken]

No.

It's... he let Shalua die, and then he stood around and let Shelke badmouth her self-sacrifice, and then he got mad at me for getting mad at her about it.

I've mostly avoided him, but every time I see him I get so angry.

FILTERED EVEN MORE

[powersoul]

[Tifa sighs, sits down on the ground, then pats the spot next to her.]

FILTERED TO INFINITY. HOW YOU LIKE -THAT-.

[runswitshuriken]

[Yuffie sits beside her.]

FILTERED TO SOMETHING

[powersoul]

I think... [She pauses, obviously thinking herself, before continuing.] I think you should talk things through with him. Maybe there's a side to it you're not seeing.

just plain FILTERED

[runswitshuriken]

[Yuffie shakes his head.] I don't think I can, Tifa. I mean, it's been months since we said two words...

[Long, long, long pause. Very, very quietly.] I'm still mad she's dead. I can't get un-mad about it. Every time I think about her... [Dry laughter.] I just remember Vincent watching Shelke while I sat there and watched Shalua sleep.

Filtered

[powersoul]

[She reaches out to slip an arm around his shoulders.] If you wanted to try, I'd be there for you.

I know it's hard to lose someone, but... But understand, Vincent has lost just as many as we have, and he seems to have a habit of shutting himself off.

Filtered

[runswitshuriken]

[Wry smile.] What, to keep me from killing him? [Is he being serious, or is he injecting an element of humour into an otherwise serious conversation? Probably even HE doesn't know.]

I know that. But you'd think Vincent would get that it's never okay to let people say that kind of stuff about somebody who sacrificed herself. [Deep sigh.] I just don't know if I'm ready to forgive him yet. [The truth is, though, that he's not ready to forgive himself. But that's a little too deep for Yuffie; he's not all that introspective.]

Re: Filtered

[powersoul]

No. To be moral support.

[She nods and gives him a one-armed hug, then smiles in what is hopefully a comforting way.] It'll hurt less once you forgive him, I think.

Filtered

[runswitshuriken]

[Long, long, long pause as he thinks about that. If she's used to the Network, she might catch flashes of him thinking about Shalua--the sight of her in a coffee shop with a giant cup of coffee, Shalua tilting her glasses on her nose, smirking in the sunlight when they tested the anti-aircraft guns outside the WRO, Shalua asleep in her regeneration chamber--but they're all quick glimpses, not even lasting a second.]

Maybe. [His voice says he doubts it.]

Filtered

[powersoul]

[She doesn't catch them, so she gives Yuffie a final squeeze and nods.] It's up to you, but I know it can't be nice to feel so angry at him.

Filtered

[runswitshuriken]

[And there's where she's wrong.] It's better than being sad. [According to Yuffie, ANYTHING is better than being sad.]

Filtered

[powersoul]

I don't think there's any way to stop yourself from being sad.

Filtered

[runswitshuriken]

Doesn't mean I can't try. [Another small smile.] I'll think about talking things out with him, okay? [But his expression says: Can we talk about something else now? Something NOT depressing?]