Chapter Text
Chapter 1
Trick
It was past closing time. Yuffie had graciously taken out the trash, leaving Tifa little to finish before bedtime. Her booted foot shoved a small beer crate through the kitchen door and into the bar. The loud scraping racket grated on her ears but thankfully signaled her last chore for the night.
At this hour, she was eager to restock, lock up and curl herself in bed. She straightened, hand rubbing at her aching back, and kicked at the box, wishing it would haul itself. She arched and tilted her head back.
…scraaaape…
Her eyes widened, big as the moon. A shiver peeled down her spine. And she stood motionless.
Slowly—every muscle locked—her eyes scanned the floor.
The crate now laid a foot further away.
She tensed. Glanced—eyes darting—around the darkened bar.
The only visible lights filtered in from the window on the kitchen’s swinging door. She’d turned them off in the bar after she’d chased off her last customer. The place should be empty.
Tifa’s chest quickened its rise and fall—she had to be hearing and seeing things. But now, the crate was motionless, and the only sound in the spacious room was her panicked breathing.
She was alone; she’d made sure of it before starting final clean-up.
Panting—echoed.
When she exhaled, her breath reverberated across the room, bouncing off the distant windowpanes and reaching back to her in a sinister greeting.
No—another was present. Breathing keeping time with her own.
Haunting memories slithered to the forefront of her mind, clinging to her suddenly rampant imagination. The train graveyard—grinding metal, gasping specters, whispers of laughter and death and despair—
Then by the barstools—a moan, faint and otherworldly—
But it was too dark to see anything. Whoever—or whatever—was in the bar with her was enveloped in shadow. Was someone seated there moments ago? A trick of her mind?
Tifa hesitantly peeked around the counter, eyes large and paranoid, unable to blink at the darkness she desperately tried to see through.
“H—hello?” Her voice trembled, unnerved. “Yu—Yuffie?!”
No answer.
The fighter inside her stirred, ignited by fear, by this mysterious terror. She reached for her gloves. Ghoul or no, she would fight it.
Smack! Smack! She was hit!
The invisible fiend clapped her back, and she lurched forward with her hands splayed to catch her fall. A short, shrill scream tore from her throat as she defensively swiveled to face it, shoulders shrinking inward.
“Boo!” A shock of red hair spooled at her feet, its owner doubling over with laughter.
“Reno!” Tifa cuffed his head—hard—and jammed the gloves back into her pocket. “What are you still doing here?!”
“Ow! Ha! Haha! Oh man, Lockhart! Aha!” Reno straightened and wiped a tear. “You shoulda seen the look on your face, yo. Wish I’d had a camera. Haha! Ow! Fuck!”
Tifa didn’t care to pull the punch. The Turk’s antics deserved a fair reward. “Out!”
“Tch!” His chin raised a notch. “I forgot my lighter, and you left the door unlocked! How’s I supposed to know you spook so easy—”
Tifa stomped a foot. “I said, ‘Out!’ ”
“Just having a little fun, babe. Lighten up.” Reno playfully growled at her fists as he sauntered toward the exit.
The lights flickered on. “What’s going on, Tifa?” Yuffie set the trash bin under the sink, eyes narrowing as the door closed behind the Turk.
Tifa lowered her fists and wiped at her apron. “Nothing. Thanks for taking the trash out, Yuffie.”
“That didn’t look like nothing.”
“Reno was just playing a little prank, is all.” Tifa turned the locks, fingers still trembling.
“Oh, was he?” Yuffie rubbed her hands together deviously. “How about we get a little payback? You come with me tomorrow. Help me look into a case me and Vincent are working on.”
“Tomorrow? Yeah, sure.” Her eyes dried out, still searching every lit corner for anything—or anyone amiss.
“It’ll be fun. Come on. Let’s get some sleep, and I’ll tell you in the morning.” Yuffie yawned and flipped the switch before disappearing into the kitchen.
Tifa dashed to turn the lights back on and examined the room, checking under tables before she speedily skittered upstairs to her room. Restocking could wait till morning.