FF7 - Angel of Light

Living in the slums of Sector 7 had acquainted her with a collection of different sights, sounds, and experiences that might have been expected with the fast-paced city scene of Midgar. Certainly, it had been an extreme contrast to the peace and quiet of country living in Nibelheim when she had been growing up. But while it was somewhat of a trial in determination and perseverance to adapt to this new life she had chosen for herself, after her home had been burned to ruins and then overrun by ShinRa operatives, the young woman had been left with little other options. However, despite making this unexpected new start made out of necessity, out of tragedy, Tifa had faced what life brought head on, with as much courage the young woman could muster. The very same brand of determination that had been behind every angered step she took during her irrational confrontation with that man -- that monster -- everyone had once trusted and revered almost a lifetime ago. And that had only been the beginning of countless adventures that would take Tifa to the very edges of Gaia, facing obstacles that could had only appeared in her daydreams.

But nothing that had happened before could have quite prepared her for this encounter.

"It's okay. I won't hurt you."

Squatting down next to the dumpster, a hand pressed against the corner for support, Tifa tentatively reached out a gloved hand towards the young pup so as not to scare it further than it already seemed to be. It had been nothing at first, or so she had continued to tell herself, believing that an unhealthy level of suspicion had finally began to form within her psyche after so many years of fighting off horrid monsters and men alike. But after a while, there was no denying the small shuffle and rattle, the faint whispers of a whimper every single time Tifa made to continue down the alleyway towards the dumpster to dispose of the bag of trash in her hands.

And that was when she had found him.

Muddied and dirty from living on the streets of Edge, the little pup hardly looked like what anyone would have considered a healthy animal. And that was before taking into account it's injured front leg. But after living for Holy knew how long on its own with no one to care for it, Tifa was certain that there was some fight inside of the little guy despite outward appearances, especially after managing to survive this long by relying on its own merits. And at that familiar thought, the barmaid could not help but smile at the irony. But the moment passed quickly and the woman's focus was back to the matter at hand.

Smaller than even the average dog, Tifa was a little concerned that it had not even barked when she approached, merely inching itself away as best as it could from the friendly hand she offered. Strange behavior, even for a young pup raised on the streets of Edge, and perhaps even Midgar. The other strays she had come across were always so defensive, even fierce if they felt any sense of danger.

But there was more to him -- because indeed, it was a him -- than his ragged appearance showed.

"Come on, boy."

Underneath it all, the shy suspicion and wounded silence, Tifa could not help but see the strong spirit inside of him. One so very similar to...someone else she knew all too well, particularly in the dog's want to trust in another despite what instincts told him. A person very near and dear to her heart, right down to the very way the golden-furred pup -- at least she thought it looked golden; it was hard to tell under all of the dirt and grime that had collected in its coat -- tentatively tilted his head to the side and watched her from the corner of those bright-blue eyes.

"Uncanny..." the young Nibel fighter mumbled to herself.

Shaking the thought away, the barmaid reached out her hand to the young dog once more. Her soft smile was ever present as she called out to him, putting forth a sweet and gentle tone of voice to soothe his insecurities. He was young after all, and more than likely wary of the world, especially with the recent infestation of monsters and beasts alike after the appearances of Sephiroth's remnant clones. Tifa's only hope was that the pup would learn to trust in her intentions, and soon so that she could care for his injured leg properly. What happened afterwards would be his decision.

Finally, not long after she had slid off the leather glove, Tifa felt the light press of the dog's nose against the palm of her hand, a good sign that she was no longer regarded as a complete danger. And after another moment passed, the barmaid risked brushing the tips of her fingers along the ruffled fur of his neck, just to test the limits of their encounter. She could only smile when he made no move to shy away from her touch, even going so far as to give a tentative lick at the patch of skin between Tifa's thumb and index finger. Regarding that as an affirmation to continue, she stepped in closer and carefully gathered the young pup in her arms so as not to injure it even further. The last thing she wanted was to make matters even worse. But the small bundle in her arms never gave any indication of discomfort or pain, merely comfort and contentment.

"Good boy," she said softly with a smile, "Let's see if we can't get you fixed up, hm?"

A small yelp was her only answer, although it was soon followed by a soft whine as if to protest the idea of receiving any form of help from her. At the same time, the young pup made no attempt to escape the confines of her arms. In fact, it only buried its nose deeper into the nest of the young woman's arms. And in spite of herself, Tifa could only smile and chuckle softly at the irony of his actions. "Heh, yeah. I think the two of you will get along just fine."