A King and His Queen (Tifa x Male Reader)

Ch.11: Survivors

The four squeezed, vaulted, and crouched their way through the debris, eventually making out to find a crowd of people looking on in shock and confusion.

"I said, where ya going?" Barret asked as they walked down a path. "Aerith's house." Answered Cloud. "It's in the Sector 5 slums." "And that's where Marlene is?" "Where we hope she is." "Tell me she is! Give me something to hang on to! Even if she's not. I won't blame you for it. I swear! Who am I kidding. I'd probably try to tear your head off."

Cloud turned to Y/n and Tifa. "You guys know anything about the Ancients?" "I know I've heard of them at least." Tifa responded. "They come up in planetology books." Added Barret. "Meant to be the original stewards of the planet." "Apparently they were spiritually connected to the world that they could even speak to the Astrals, even the dead themselves." Y/n said. "That must be why the Turks wanted her so badly." Cloud remarked before suddenly groaning and clutching his head. Cloud looked up and gasped, slowlyng taking steps back which confused the others. "Cloud?" Y/n called as the blonde took steps back. "Cloud!" He was snapped back from his thoughts. "You okay?" "It's nothing. Let's go." Y/n looked at Barret and Tifa with worry, they too carried the same look before they followed Cloud.

The four eventually arrived at the entrance to Wall Market where Chocobo Sam greeted them. "Hey. Pretty crazy, huh? Can you believe this mess?" "You doing alright?" Cloud asked. "I am, but I can't say the same about my birds. Poor things are scared half to death. Y'all take care now."

"Look." Y/n pointed at the market square where several Shinra soldiers patrolled. "What the hell are they doing here?" Questioned Barret. "Their jobs probably." Cloud answered. "Just focus on seeing Marlene again. Nothing else."

The party decided to sneak around the main square down towards an alley where they stumbled upon Madam M. "Well, this is a fine mess." "What's the situation here?" Y/n inquired. "Compared to Sector 7, we're doing fine, but that's hardly an accomplishment. I'd say it's best that you all take care."

They continued once more and eventually made it out of the market, entering a more rocky area. "You guys run into Jessie at the pillar?" Asked Barret. "Yeah... Biggs too." Said Tifa. "They were both in pretty bad shape. But Wedge wasn't up there with them. He got out." "Alright." "I've been thinking y'all. We've gotta go find the others." "Huh?" "If we don't look for them, who will?" "...Right." "Cloud, Y/n. Gonna need your help with it too." "You got it." Y/n replied.

After passing through the rocky path, they arrived inside the Sector 5 center district. "This is Sector 5, right? So where's this place you said Marlene is?" "Where I think she is." Cloud corrected Barret. "It's a house on the other side of town." "Well, come on then, pick up the pace!"

The party arrived outside of the house and Barret wasted no time trying to get to his daughter. "Marlene! Marlene!" He called, running towards the door and barging in. The others followed after and saw Barret confronting Aerith's mother. "Where's Marlene!? Is she here!?" Elmyra gasped. "Barret!" Cloud shouted, calming the gun man. "Sorry, I'm Barret. Marlene's my little girl. Marlene, she's got short hair. She's cute as a button, with the heart of an angel. She wearing... uh... pink! She was wearing a pink dress today!" "She's sleeping upstairs." Elmyra informed. Barret gasped and turned darted towards the stairs. "I said she's sleeping!" Barret paused, slowly and quietly making his way up. "I wanna see her too." Said Tifa. "Come on, let's go look in on her." "Just keep it down, don't wake her." The trio walked up the stairs and saw a door opened to a room where Barret knelt beside a sleeping Marlene. "Marlene... my baby. Thank gods." The trio looked through the door with smiles. At least one family would be reunited this night.

Moments later, the four returned down stairs where Elmyra quickly approached them. "Shinra has my daughter now." "I'm sorry." Cloud apologized. "No. I'm the one who asked her to go get Marlene." Said Tifa. "We'd only just met, but she was so kind and helpful. I... took advantage of her." "It's not your fault. It was only a matter of time before she ended up back there." "Because she's an Ancient, that it?" Said Cloud. Elmyra sighed. "So she told you about that? She must trust you all a great deal. Yes. Aerith is an Ancient. Probably the last one living... other than the oracle of Tenebrae." Y/n gasped at the mention of the oracle. "Luna." He said to himself, but Tifa heard. "She's not my daughter." Elmyra continued. "Not by blood, I mean. If that's what you were wondering. About fifteen years ago my husband, he'd been shipped off to fight on the front lines. But then I received a letter saying he'd be home for a bit. So when the day came, I went to the station to meet him. But... he didn't come. I couldn't help fearing the worst, even then. But I told myself his leave must've been postponed, that he'd been delayed. Every day I went, to wait and to pray. And that's how I met her. Her and her mother.