[There's no question in Tifa's mind that Cloud cares about her. He's complimented her before, and thanked her, and made that clear in a million other ways. But he's being so open about it now, and the kinds of comments that she considers incredibly rare are coming much more frequently. It's not doing great things for her heart rate.
She laughs softly, suddenly very glad there's no way for him to see her blushing.]
If you're helping with her, I think that's probably where she gets it from.
[Really, she's always thought of him as the strong one.]
[Marlene has always been a tough, strong kid, and it makes Tifa incredibly happy to think of them spending time together. If that's how things end up, then they must have done something right.]
[This just keeps sounding better and better, really. He's painting a pretty flawless picture. The mention of Aerith's church still makes her chest ache, but she swallows and forces herself past it.]
[It seems like an odd answer, and it makes her pause again, unsure how to continue. She wonders if he's doing better, if he's happier, and she can't quite find the words to ask. It does seem that way, from the little that they've talked since he arrived.]
[It doesn't surprise her that he feels that way, because she'd rather be trapped here if it means he isn't here by himself. Still, though, she'd rather be here alone than have him deal with Norfinbury, even if he does make everything feel easier just by being around.]
We'll figure out a way back. There has to be one, right?
No. The only thing any of us remember is waking up in a house. But I think they must have at least examined us before we woke up. We all have medical records on file.
[She hesitates, trying to work through a gentle way to explain. Obviously, this would upset him, but he has a right to know, and she can't hide it from him just because she knows it's going to be difficult for him to hear. She'd already promised herself she wouldn't do that again, although that doesn't make the words any easier to find. Her tone turns softer, her voice quiet.]
I don't know much. We requested our records from the admin, and...
[She exhales, an excuse to stall as she pauses to think again.]
It seems like... whatever they do to take away people's abilities here, they do it before we wake up. Or maybe they... do something to us so that we don't remember. The admin has taken memories from us before. They immunized us, too, against things I've never heard of.
[She can't tell him whether or not they did anything else though, and she's realizing as she's talking that all of this is just going to sound terrifying, and she's not doing a great job of softening the blow, is she?]
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She's a strong kid. Probably gets it from you.
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She laughs softly, suddenly very glad there's no way for him to see her blushing.]
If you're helping with her, I think that's probably where she gets it from.
[Really, she's always thought of him as the strong one.]
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He does better when she's by his side, after all.]
She's the one who's teaching me.
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[Marlene has always been a tough, strong kid, and it makes Tifa incredibly happy to think of them spending time together. If that's how things end up, then they must have done something right.]
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Yeah. They both are.
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Both? What do you mean?
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... That's right. She didn't know about Denzel, did she?]
I found a kid when I was visiting Aerith's church. You've been taking care of him too.
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What's he like?
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Denzel's a good kid. He tries really hard.
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That all sounds so...
[Impossible.]
Nice.
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Well, you know what they say. If it sounds too good to be true...
And in this case it actually is!]
Sure about that?
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Isn't it?
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You didn't sound so sure.
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Yeah. I guess it would be.
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I wish you weren't stuck here.
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[If they had to be stuck in snow hell, at least they were stuck in it together.]
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We'll figure out a way back. There has to be one, right?
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[Because maybe if they could figure out how they were bringing everyone in, they could use the same route to escape.]
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1/3
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I lied, it'll be four
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[Please tell him you're lying Tifa these past two days couldn't possibly get any worse.]
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I don't know much. We requested our records from the admin, and...
[She exhales, an excuse to stall as she pauses to think again.]
It seems like... whatever they do to take away people's abilities here, they do it before we wake up. Or maybe they... do something to us so that we don't remember. The admin has taken memories from us before. They immunized us, too, against things I've never heard of.
[She can't tell him whether or not they did anything else though, and she's realizing as she's talking that all of this is just going to sound terrifying, and she's not doing a great job of softening the blow, is she?]
I'm sorry, Cloud.
1/2
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