Our Promised Land: Chapter 3 (Patreon)

The dress fit, even if it was just barely. It’s hard to outgrow a maternity dress, but Tifa’s body was sure doing its best.

What didn’t fit was the deep green scarf that she wore around her neck. It made her shoulders look even fatter, her whole stance looked like it was wobblingly wide, and didn’t match with her huge black sunhat nor the seafoam-mako color of her dress.

But it was the only scarf she had, and the large purple hickey wouldn’t have matched either, so Tifa had had to make a choice.

Cloud, that stupid handsome bastard, was wearing black pants and a black jacket over his mako green shirt. They’d also squeezed Zack into a similar getup, with both of her boys shining with their glimmering eyes while she wobbled, mostly, in a vampiric pale shadow.

She could have killed him if he wasn’t so absolutely perfect.

“The scarf looks fine,” he whispered to her.

“I know it looks fine,” she responded. “Who said it didn’t look fine?”

“I’m just saying. It looks fine.”

“Of course it looks fine.”

She spotted herself in the glass of a nearby shop. It didn’t look fine. But there was nothing for it now, so Tifa grumbled quietly and continued on. Zack held her hand tight in his, and Cloud had his other arm over her shoulder. 

She looked much fatter than she actually was, and she was fat enough already. Her belly wobbled and bobbed, striking the tops of her thighs as they fought side by side, causing her gait to be a lumbering waddle.

But the baby didn’t seem deterred by this. If anything, the little one seemed all the more hungry, and despite glutting herself on three plates of noodles, Tifa could feel the returning swell of that ever-present appetite.

Either that, or it was the nerves. Had it really been seven years? 

Eight, actually, since they’d finally settled down. She was almost thirty years old now. A couple more years and Zack would start school, and little baby… well… there was time for that later.

The nearby street was filled with people going about their day. Going on the right, coming on the left, with a gap in between for the few emergency vehicles and the non-mako forms of transportation. 

Edge was full of people. But that is a description that doesn’t seem to do the city justice. Edge was as full of people as Tifa was filled with love. And it, along with the young mother, was growing by the day.

A lot of people were having issues adjusting, but what choice did they have? After Midgar had been nearly flattened by Shinra’s hubris and the Planet’s judgement, there was nothing that could contain the mako reactors anymore. People had thought the explosion of reactor one had been bad, but the leaks from the other seven left the city inhospitable. 

The drills were shut off, the lifestream was healing, but it would be impossible to remove all of the mako from the areas and, the longer it sat, the worse it became. There was nothing they could do but wall it off and wait while someone smarter tried to come up with an answer.

But Midgar remained. A goliath that hung in the distance from Edge, visible even now as they walked down the street. A reminder for those who dreamed too big, and who were willing to kill the future to increase the comfort of the present.

Life was a struggle. There was no electrical grid, no easy switch to turn on the light, and nothing to keep most vehicles going. The established government was trying it’s best to drain the mako from the storage in the safest way possible, using the reserves to power equipment such as defensive equipment, ambulances, and higher-end medical machinery. It was what they had to use for Tifa’s ultra-sounds.

But most of the world now was forced to take several steps back. Using torches and candles to light brick houses and concrete buildings. They had to have iron lightposts set every forty-five yards, and special community members volunteered to light them each night with a match on a pole.

Tifa looked on the ruins of Midgar and felt her daughter subtly kick. Her hand fell to her belly. “Soon, baby,” she whispered. “Soon.”

It wasn’t safe. Not yet. The last time Cloud went he had returned covered in scratches, bruises, along with three broken ribs and two broken fingers. He also returned with a small white flower, and a name for their son. But the situation should only be getting worse.

There were some people who still felt the need to return. To leave the safe walls that Edge had put up and walk until they reached the mountainous buildings, a hazy image across an empty wasteland. Office workers who wanted their old jobs back, young men and women that couldn’t live without the tech. None of them ever came back.

The monsters were getting stronger.

Tifa continued to hold her hand over her middle as they passed by the Community Center, where a small crowd had gathered. There was a lot of shouting, too much to be anything good. 

“Well what are we supposed to do about them?!”

“Should just all leave!”

“The hell will we go? Wutai’s abandoned us!”

“What’s going on, Mama?” Zack asked. 

Her motherly instinct told her that she and hers were fine, that they should keep moving. But Cloud had already stopped. She reached back as he was about to walk away, catching him by the fringe of his jacket.

He looked back to her and she couldn’t meet his eye. She wanted to tell him not to get involved, to just leave it alone. But she knew him.

“Don’t agree to anything,” she whispered. “Just ears.”

Cloud hesitated before nodding.

He walked towards the group. Tifa could see the people, could be certain that not a single person had noticed him. But they moved all the same, making a hole directly for Cloud to walk up to the steps where an older man with a stubbly gray beard was holding a megaphone. He was dressed in jeans and the tan vest of the new city council, trying to get a handheld speaker to work.

Cloud moved up the stairs. That was when they saw him, and they went silent. The old man looked up at the crowd in surprise, then up and up into Cloud’s face.

She could see his mouth as he began stammering before Cloud cut him off. He wasn’t talking any louder than normal, but she could hear him clearly. “What’s the problem?”

The council member hesitated before speaking. “T-there’s another swarm of Grashtrikes at the walls again. They know we’re in here, and they’re throwing themselves against ‘em. They’re trying to get through.”

“We still have the sweepers, don’t we?”

“Mama?” Zack tugged Tifa’s arm.

“Hush, baby.”

Another nervous glance at the crowd. He raised his hand to whisper, but everyone heard. “We’ve lost three in three weeks, trying to protect the convoy’s route. We haven’t had a successful gathering in nearly five months. The Sector Five reactor-”

“I told Behrute to stay away from Sector Five.”

The man swallowed, taking a step back. “There’s something there. Isn’t there?”

Cloud said nothing.

“It’s the closest source of energy, and the lower we run the more des-”

“You will stay, away, from the Sector Five reactor.” He spoke slowly, making every word as clear as he could. “I told you that nearly five years ago. It’s going to be even worse now.”

The man slowly nodded before asking, “So, what do we do?”

Silence passed over them all.

“Mama?” Zack asked.

Tifa felt the bubbling worry welling up inside.

“The Sector Seven reactor-”

“Is on the other side of the city,” the man frowned. “It’s too far, and the entrance is impossible to get the trucks up to. The plate’s gone.”

Cloud looked over at the crowd before shaking his head. “If we can’t get in, that means nothing else can either. Which makes every mile it’ll take to circle the city by the outer rim worth it.”

The man sighed, shaking his head before he shrugged. “If we try and get thrown off, we’ll have used our stores for no return.” 

“It sounds like that’s already the problem.”

“That it is… I’ll bring it up in the next meeting. Will you come?”

Tifa saw a flash of his blue-green eyes. He had looked her.

“Cloud?” the man said even softer. “We need you.”

She saw his chest tighten, his shoulders flex. “I’ll be there.”

“Thank you,” the old man bowed. “Thank you, thank you.”

Cloud came back through the crowd. A few men, young boys who looked like they were part of the security force, thumped him appreciatively on the back and the shoulder. One of them said, “Could use you on the wall, SOLDIER.”

Cloud didn’t reply.

He came to Tifa, who wasn’t sure if she wanted to chew him out, to kiss him, to hold him, or to cry, and was about to do all of them at once when he stepped close and kissed her gently on her soft lips. 

“Come on,” he said when they separated. “They’re gonna be waiting for us.”

He took her around the waist and began walking away. Zack could tell something was wrong, but he kept thankfully silent as they reentered the crowd on the walkway. 

Tifa couldn’t stop looking at the Sector Five plate, wishing it would fall. She hated that terrible city.

“What’s in Reactor Five?” she asked.

He didn’t pull the punch. “A dark dragon.”

Tifa blinked before the recollection of cold shook her whole body. A shadow passed over her mind, the ghost of a dark cave that filled her vision as two tiny green specks growled out of the fog. She remembered.

Cloud was frowning. “If it’s not overdosed on all the pure mako, it could flatten Edge. It’s too much for any of them to handle.”

“Any of us,” Tifa corrected.

Cloud didn’t reply

“Cloud?”

“Well, it’s not a master tonberry. Or even a king behemoth.”

She dug her nails into his arm. “Cloud, no.”

He shrugged. “I was planning to go kill it anyway. We made a deal, remember? We’ve got to go to the church in Sector Five.”

Tifa made a guttural noise that sounded a lot like a king behemoth’s snarl.

“See, even you could probably take him. And I’ll be ready this time.”

“This time?!?”

Cloud’s lips pursed. He was suddenly looking away with a light mark of sweat near his bangs.

“Cloud…” Tifa growled.

Zack was, very obviously, trying to hide behind his mother’s thigh and peak around her pregnant tummy at the same time. He wasn’t sure if his parents were fighting or not, and didn’t know if he couldn’t speak.

The man reached around Tifa’s neck, gripping her between his thumb and forefinger. “You’re feeling really tense,” he said.

“That’s because I’m about to punch you.”

“Now what kind of example would that set for Zack.”

“A good one.”

Zack, hearing his name and figuring that meant he could talk now, poked his Mother in the bottom of her tummy. She hopped, her belly wobbling before loudly clapping against her thighs, and twisted to look down past her round chest. He only had a view of her eyes.

“Mama? Is Papa gonna go back to the old city?”

“I am right here,” Cloud said. Zack shied back another step.

“No, sweetie. He’s got to go talk with the leaders about how to get the energy though.” She looked up. “When is the next council meeting?”

Cloud let out a breath. “This weekend? Three days.”

Tifa sighed. “Fine. But I want to be there. To make sure you don’t do something stupid. Like speak.”

Cloud snorted, pulling her tighter and leaning under her hat. He planted a kiss on her cheek and the trio continued down the path. They walked for another two blocks past the city center, coming out into another communal area. A park had been given a four-block radius inside the city limits, with small paths and even a self-contained river and lake that was stocked with real fish. People were walking about, playing with their pets, or just sitting on newly built benches beneath real, full trees. 

Cherry blossom season had ended a few weeks ago, and the trees were now turning into a bright summer color. Tifa remembered how long she’d been without seeing a real tree. A real garden. Maybe that was why she liked the farms so much now. A country girl stuck in the big city. She wanted very bad to learn how to tend, but the needs of motherhood tended to eat up the day.

Across from the park was the best spot in town.

A short set of stairs lead up to an outdoor sitting area, which was packed with patrons milling about or sitting at tables. Above their heads hung a hand painted sign. ‘7th Heaven Bar and Grill.’

A young, black haired, serving girl came out from the main double doors. She wore a brown vest and a cute cowgirl hat that matched her knee-high boots and her long, pale legs. On her tray she carried two plates of smoking fresh burgers, an arrangement of shot glasses and large bottle of Titanic Whiskey. 

The smell of the burgers was enough to make her mouth water, but just the sight of the whiskey made Tifa start to drool. How badly she wanted the delicious burning sensation to coast down her throat, made even worse by knowing she could not indulge that particular taste.

They walked past the cheerful young girl, entering the swinging doors of the bar.

It was hardly midday and the place was packed. Thirty-four patrons filled out every single stool at the bar, and many of the tables were packed with drinks and with food. The floor was made of hardwood, with varnished dark wood for the settings and the shelves. Thirty-four bar stools, twelves sets of four for the high-top tables, with eleven booths to seat four and one to seat eight in the corner for a maximum occupancy of one hundred and thirty four customers. 

A nearby stage was supposed to be empty, but Tifa saw that the usual band she had booked had apparently come early. They seemed to be enjoying themselves as much as the rest, with multiple empty glasses sitting out on a tray. The lead was playing loudly on an acoustic guitar, backed up by the other two members for a familiar melody. It was an old song, easy and kind, but it made Tifa feel so warm. She tightened her arms around her Cloud and her Zack.

“Wow, they really filled up,” Cloud sounded impressed. 

Tifa was smiling. “I think I know why.”

The bottles were stacked in front of a long length of mirror, ensuring each customer would always have someone to drink to. But not a single person was drinking to themselves today.

A cheer went up as a young bartender hopped up on top of the bar, twirling through the air to land on her feet with super-human levels of dexterity. The girl was also dressed like a cowgirl as she stomped down the bar in high heel boots to the cheers of many, many, many young men, filling up drinks and taking a lovely swing for herself.

“Ladies and gentlemen!” Yuffie called, double fisting two bottles up in the air. “Welcome to the bar at the end of the world! The den of rebels and thieves, of terrorists and the SOLDIER! The spot where an avalanche brought down the great enemy! The last call for us all, our Seventh Heaven!”

There was a loud call of cheers and shouts throughout the restaurant. Yuffie had the people worked up into a storm. The band caught onto the electric energy, playing the country music with more energy. Tifa snorted when she saw Yuffie’s tip jar.

“It’s loud in here,” little Zack mumbled.

Tifa reached down and took Zack by the waist, hefting her baby up and then immediately regretting it. “Here, Cloud, can you hold him?”

“Sure,” Cloud took Zack. “Hey, soldier. How you feelin?”

“Good,” Zack smiled.

“Good.” Cloud lifted the boy easily, drawing out a large giggle as he placed him atop of his broad shoulders.

“‘scuse me,” came a gruff voice. “I’m gonna need to see some IDs. There’s no way that midget’s T for Teen.”

Tifa spun and felt a bubble of excitement that was instantly popped as she saw the lit cigarette in Cid’s mouth. He’d kept his blonde hair short, now tinted with short streaks of gray. He wore every day of his forty years on his face, but the wrinkles were at war with a boyish grin, strong muscles, and his juvenile goggles.

He was wearing black pants and a matching tee beneath a garnet colored jacket, a white ascot tied round his neck. It was as dressed up as Cid could ever get, looking as much like an admiral as his stance denoted a grease-monkey mechanic.

“Cid!” she scowled, reaching up and snatching the cigarette out of his mouth.

“Wha, hey!” 

“It’s so good to see you!” she ignored. “Zack, do you remember your Uncle Cid?”

Zack’s little fists were clamped inside of Cloud’s hair, the boy leaning so far back that it was a miracle that he wasn’t falling off.

The grizzled old man scowled at Tifa before ruffling in his breast pocket. “Fine, take the damn stick. I’ve got a whole ‘nother pack right- HEY!”

The moment he withdrew the pack, it was in Cloud’s hand. Tifa had been watching and she’d hardly seen her lover move.

Cid growled at the younger blonde. “You two got no respect! I outta add that onto your bill, Merc.”

“Gladly.”

Tifa frowned. “Bill?” she asked.

Cid brooded for a bit longer before rolling back and roaring with a barking laugh loud enough to drown out the bar. “You’re still on top, aint’cha?” Cid asked. He raised an arm, very obviously flexing, and the laugh redoubled as Cloud took it. “Who am I kidding, course you fuuu-dgein’ are,” he trailed off the cuss with a wide-eyed look up at Zack.

“You smell like flowers…” Zack muttered, his nose wrinkled up disdainfully.

“Hey, really?!” Cid grinned. “Maybe Thirteen’s onto something’ with all that natural wash. You folks need to get one of them springs in town, they’re hot stuff.”

Tifa was trying very hard not to laugh, but Cloud prodded her belly and she devolved into tiny piggy snorts.

When she uncovered her face, Cid was looking confused but no less boisterous. “Well, come on,” he waved them. “Vince’s got the table.”

Tifa and Cloud shared a smile as they followed him to the corner of the bar, where the large table had been marked off as ‘Reserved for Special Occasion’.

The owner of the bar knew that the corner should have actually been one of the brighter parts of the bar. There were mounted candles that were placed on either wall, and the window should have been pouring in with fresh sunlight.

It wasn’t.

Vincent Valentine was unchanged. A man that gave the impression of being worn by his jacket rather than the other way around, she could see just enough of his ashen face to know it was exactly the same as eight years ago. The jacket was folded over his front, his arms tucked beneath it like a cloak with too many clasps. But, strangely enough, his midnight black hair looked freshly groomed. No split ends, and without grime or grease. And though the red bandana had seen better days, it was more than she could have asked.

She wondered for a moment if he still had his golden claw, or if he was carrying one of his many shotguns tucked under that outfit, before deciding that it didn’t matter. She was glad to see him.

Even though it looked like the man was sleeping.

“Hey! I walk off for two seconds and you hit the snooze?!”

“Not sleeping,” came the deep voiced reply.

“Yeah, well wake up anyway! No manners. No respect!”

Vincent looked to Cloud and Zack. The black-haired boy gasped and let go of Dad’s hair, toppling backward. Tifa moved to catch him but Zack’s legs remained locked on Cloud’s shoulders, held by firm hands while Zack began laughing and swinging back and forth.

“You look well.”

Tifa turned to see that Vincent was talking to her. “Oh, uh, thanks Vince.”

“You kiddin’? She looks fatter than hell!” Cid exclaimed, sliding into the far side of the booth. “Look at her. I’m surprised you ain’t got him carrying you.”

Tifa sighed, rolling her eyes. “I’m surprised it took this long.” She reached down and placed both of her hands on her stomach. “Go ahead, poke fun.”

“I ain’t makin’ a joke of ya,” Cid shrugged. “You’re pregnant, you’re ‘sposed to look like one of them Pows they’re growing near Rocket Town.”

Tifa narrowed her eyes. “Excuse me?”

“You know. Them Pows. Pig-cows. Cow sized pigs.”

Tifa had the all too clear picture of a cute chubby piggy waddling on her hooves around an open prairie. Her brown eyes glimmered.

“That’s not a real thing,” Cloud denied.

“Course it’s real! It’s my damn,” Cid glanced at Zack, “Err, darn hometown!”

“Have you seen them?”

“Pfft,” Cid smirked. “No. But I seen where they’ve gottem. Over by the mountains, the open fields there.”

“Papa?” Zack asked in a soft voice. “Can we go see the Pows?”

Tifa held her hands over her tummy, her eyes locked with Cloud’s. She was trying not to look overly cutesy, but her feet were unable to keep from lightly moving as her hips bobbed back and forth in half-restrained excitement.

Cloud sighed. “Sure. Your Mother’d like that.”

“I-it’ll be nice to get away from the city,” Tifa blushed. She wasn’t hiding her excitement well.

“You, uhh, into… farms?” Cid asked.

Cloud grabbed a nearby chair. Tifa would very clearly not be able to fit into the booth.

“That’s how we grew up. Way outside of Midgar. After I moved here, I thought I’d never see the country again. Pigs are some of my favorite animals.”

“Ny-huh,” Cid nodded, his eyes falling to her stomach.

Tifa chuckled good naturedly. “Yes, alright. It’s very funny!” she placed her fists on either side of her hips, her tight dress pinched between the fat of her love handles. “Tifa got chubby, haw haw.”

“You’re more than chubby,” Cloud said while offering her the chair.

Zack snickered while Tifa blew out her tongue and took her seat. She had to adjust her dress, though she removed her large sunhat and placed it on the table. The scarf stayed on. She could handle being teased about her weight. After all, she was a big girl. But twenty-eight-year-old girls didn’t get hickeys…

Cloud placed Zack on the ground before moving in next to Vincent, and Zack hopped up next to him.

Cid coughed. “I’ve always been a dinosaur guy myself. How about you, Junior? What’s your favorite animal?”

“Ummm,” Zack frowned. Clearly, this was the toughest question of his longstanding life. He began to fidget with his hands, deeply vexed by the perplexing question. 

“You know what your favorite animals are,” Tifa chuckled, placing her hand on his. “Tell Uncle Cid.”

The boy swallowed. “Chocobos. Well, actually, I like piggies too! And, uhh, what’d you like, Daddy?”

“Cats.”

“I like cats!” Zack exclaimed.

Cid blinked at them before letting out a deep chuckle.

“I’ve always liked bats…” Vincent said softly.

“I knew they’d grow on ya,” Cid said to Cloud. “Always knew it. Said to myself, there’s a guy who’s gonna get a pet cat when this is done.”

“I got pet kids instead,” Cloud replied. “You’re the one who stuck with Thirteen.”

“Cloud!!” Tifa bounced, drawing a harder laugh from Cid and a teasing smirk from Cloud. 

The blonde dropped his hand on top of Zack’s heard, ruffling his hair affectionately and causing the young boy to try and push it away with a loud, “Blah!”

“HeHEY!” called a cheerful voice. Yuffie hopped up to the table. She wore her cowgirl outfit almost as well as she did the tipsy blush in her cheeks. A tan vest and skirt with a tight top to show off her muscles and her midriff, the now twenty-four-year-old bartender had grown her hair out a touch, wearing it as a shoulder-length bob. She elected not to wear the uniform cowgirl hat, instead wearing a black and white ribbon tied beneath her bangs.

She carried a tray of drinks and a basket of fried cheese with dipping sauce, causing Tifa’s belly to growl just enough to be heard over the din of communication.

“You fine folks look ready for a servin!” Yuffie grinned, using a false and horrendous country accent. “What’ll it be for ya?”

“Give me that,” Tifa stared at the basket.

Yuffie swiveled to look at her. “Wha?”

“You better give it to her,” Cloud instructed. “She’s about to grab it.”

Yuffie looked from Tifa to the basket. “T-this is for another tab-Aie!” A pudgy pale arm swiped for her tray. “Alright, jeeze! Gonna make me spill!”

The woman tossed the fried cheese sticks onto the table, where Tifa immediately snapped one up before the hungry drool could drip over her lips. It was soft and chewy, cooked perfectly with a flaky crust. The grease popped inside of her mouth, hot gooey fat spreading over her taste buds before sliding down to her tummy.

Tifa’s neck was covered in fat, bobbing once as she swallowed the blob of cheese whole. A happy sighed passed over her before she noticed Zack was also picking at the basket.

“Oh, do you want dipping sauce Zack?” she asked. She helped him dunk his stick into the red sauce before doing the same for herself, and mother and son chomped with delighted noises on their chewy treats.

She hadn’t even realized Yuffie was still there, taking everyone’s orders. 

“So that’s a Titanic Cola, one Highwind Delight, a bottle of Mako Ambrosia, and how about you, soldier boy?”

Zack blinked up at Yuffie. Today was filled with remarkable quandaries.

“T-Titnic…” he frowned at his uncooperative lips. “Titainc-”

“He’ll have a glass of milk,” Cloud said.

“Milk!” Zack grinned.

“You’ve gotcha. And how about you, Mama?” Yuffie leaned forward, wrapping a sisterly hand around Tifa’s waist. Her blush seemed much more drunk up close, the young girl radiating the warm heat of a gentle fire. Tifa’s chin folded, a similar blush flowing into her cheeks as Yuffie’s hand began sliding up the hills of her breasts. “You’re probably starting to fill up-”

Tifa caught Yuffie by the wrist and squeezed with all her might. “I’ll have a glass of cola, thanks.”

The grip had no discernable effect on Yuffie’s teasing grin. “You’ve gotcha boss. How about food? I know for sure you could-”

Tifa’s was trying very hard not to let it show, but her blush could have been used as a reusable energy source. She interrupted Yuffie’s jibe, “Two burgers, one with bacon and mayo, the other with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and both ketchup and mustard. Cook the tomatoes on the grill first and both patties cooked well done. Two baskets of fries.”

Yuffie licked her lip, glancing at her tray. “Uhh, I’ll be right back. Drop these off and then I’ve gotta write that down.”

She scampered off to one of the high tops, which greeted her enthusiastically. 

Tifa turned to her son. “Hey, you feeling hungry?”

Zack thought before nodding.

“He isn’t,” Cloud said. “He only just had breakfast.”

“Oh… yes,” Tifa said, feeling her tummy rumble again. She knew food was coming, and that made her all the hungrier. Tifa tried to silence her by going for another cheese stick, but she’d caught the scent of meat. There’d be no appeasing her until she got what she wanted.

Her daughter could be so spoiled.

“Should we be ordering food?” Cid asked. “The others still ain’t here. Barret’s getting slow in his old age.”

“Ooo,” Tifa purred to herself. “I hope Marlene’s finished baking that cake…”

“He’s only three years older than you,” Cloud reminded Cid.

“Yeah, and I’m going gray,” the old lifted a hand to his hair. “The body stops being so good when you get to our age. You may still got it, and that girl,” he nodded after Yuffie, “may still got it, but mark me you’ll go gray just like every man, and she’ll get big just like every gal does. Happens to all of us mere mortals. No offense, Vince.”

“I am mortal,” Vincet softly replied.

“Hey wait a sec!” Tifa wobbled. “What do you mean ‘get big?’” 

Cid shrugged. “That’s just the way for gals, ain’t it? The moment you hit thirty, your body just hits the brick wall of a bakery.”

The bar was suddenly much, much quieter.

A pregnant pause smothered every cheer, every call, every voice before Tifa asked, “How old do you think I am?”

“Eh?” Cid grunted, oblivious to the bubbling heat in her voice. “You’re, like, thirty-five, aintcha?”

“I’m twenty-eight!!”

Cid visibly recoiled, Tifa’s roar passing over him like a powerful spell. He looked over to Cloud for assistance.

The broad-chested blonde reached forward and took a cheese stick, holding it out to Tifa. “Are you? You still look like you’re twenty to me.”

Tifa’s cheeks brightened even as she called, “You stay out of this! Trying to flatter me!!”

Cloud shrugged. “Like you said, you’re chubby. I don’t think it’s a bad thing, it even suits you.”

“Cloud!!” Tifa’s cheeks were brighter than his Mako colored eyes.

Zack was giggling, looking from his smirking father to his embarrassed mother. “You are chubby, Mama!” he laughed, poking Tifa’s belly.

Tifa sagged back in her chair, emitting a growl that wasn’t clear if it came from her tummy or from her mouth. Her raven hair was able to reach all the way down to the bar’s clean floor.

“I still don’t think Pows exist,” Cloud turned to Cid.

“I’m telling ya that they do!” Cid seemed genuinely offended. “Thirteen’s seen ‘em, he can tell you ‘bout it when he finally gets here.”

There was another pause where Tifa snapped up another two cheese sticks, her body automatically seeking the comfort of food. Thirty-five, like hell did she look thirty-five! She looked like she was nearly three hundred pounds, but it was a good three hundred!

She looked down at her fatty breasts, hardly able to see the curve of her belly but knowing for a fact she’d be seeing more of it soon. The same feeling of watching her four-year-old son use materia at a higher level than she could muster filled her center. Shame began rubbing up against her hunger, battling for control of Tifa’s stomach. She wasn’t sure if she was supposed to be feeling butterflies or tummy rumbles, but feeling both was just making things awkward.

She would have liked to blame the baby again, but there was no lying to herself. Tifa’s weight was because she liked being fat. Spoiled and soft, she knew what she was. But unable to use materia? Mistaken for being old?!

She used to be able to suplex a dragon. Now she couldn’t even light a fire.

Zack made a noise as he crawled out of his seat, catching Tifa’s attention as he touched his mother’s thighs and held up his hands.

Tifa sighed, feeling the unmistakable pull of a soft smile. “You want to sit in my lap?” she asked.

The boy nodded.

“Alright,” she took him from under his arms and put him onto her leg. Most of her lap was filled with her belly, but Tifa managed some room near her knees for Zack to fit sideways on her legs. He leaned up against the curve of her belly, his small arms and tiny hands coming about halfway to his mother’s back. He put his head on the softest pillow in Edge and Tifa stroked his hair.

All had been made right once more as Zack whispered, “Hello baby sister.”