Case of Tifa pt. 2

 
This last half is kinda jumpy with the narrative going from event to event. Sorry if it seems a little...eh, but I wasn't sure where to go with this.

As Barrett plans to leave and, "settle his past", he leaves Marlene with Tifa. Everyone sees him off, and Tifa wondered what type of life he’d find. As Barrett said goodbye, even his voice was shaky. He told everyone to learn how to give, not just take.

Tifa was grateful for her friends that she could rely on to not be suppressed by her sins. She thought that this was a family.

Several months later, Cloud comes back with an old motorbike. Before, they’d have to rent a transport when he went out to look for supplies for the bar. He’d have to repair it, though, which he did whenever he had the free time. This somewhat saddened Tifa as she was unsure about Cloud finding a world outside of her own. She compared it to how a mother feels when their children grow up and expand their horizons. So, while she was sad, she was still excited. She even encouraged Cloud to start his own delivery service. She or Marlene would take the calls and then carry them to Cloud. They called it the Strife Delivery Service. Unfortunately, with Cloud being away from home so often, their weird family life suffered. Not only did they spend less time together, but he also ended up being more distant to Marlene. While he never avoided her, he never outright ignored her. He just wasn't a kid type of guy.

One day, while cleaning, the girls went through some files for Cloud. One was a request to bring flowers to the Forgotten Capital by Elmyra, Aerith’s mom. Tifa feared Cloud facing his past would lead him to returning to the recluse he once was and, “tear his heart apart again.”

One day Cloud got home and drank some wine. He normally doesn’t drink, but tonight he went all in. Tifa tried to talk to him but was shooed away, causing her to snap. This resulted in a story of when Barrett called and spoke to Marlene. She told her father that the two aren’t getting along. Tifa didn’t want to get the girl involved. When she tried to talk to Cloud, she'd keep the serious stuff in private, but bring up happy stuff when Marlene was around. This resulted in some seemingly random topic shifts.

One night, when she was sure Cloud was asleep, she wondered if they were really a family. She asked Cloud if they’d be fine. There was no response. Then she asked if Cloud loved her. Cloud wakes up, so she quickly asked if he loved Marlene. He said yes, but has no idea how to approach her.

Not long after that, Cloud brought Denzel home. He thought it was Aerith guiding him to them, as they met in her church. Tifa also thought they were meant to be since he’s a victim of the Plate Bombing, which she’s partially responsible for. With Denzel around, Marlene had a friend to spend time with. Not only that, but the two grew close to Cloud. They’d ask him questions, and he’d respond in his way. Tifa would often answer in a more rewarding fashion. She got a little jealous when Denzel became infatuated with Cloud, and not her, but chalked it up to how that’s how families work. This entire section is wonderful. It shows that, despite how hectic and mishmash they are, they really are a nice family. Cloud starts to open back-up emotionally and takes fewer jobs to spend time with the kids. And it shows why Denzel wants to be like Cloud and the backstory of why he wants to join the WRO.

The story ends as she looks at the family picture and wonders if the last time she saw Cloud's smile was real. She tried to call him, but the call went to voicemail...

Does Tifa have survivors guilt? I’m no psychologist, but she’s got something wrong with her. She blames herself for so, so much. She believes that all the AVALANCHE stuff with the bombs, the plate, and Aerith’s death, are all her fault. She even wishes that all of Midgar was destroyed. As she grows accustomed to her new life, she’s unsure of everything. From her past, what a family means, even how to live, or even if she should live. My write-ups have done a terrible job of explaining this story, and the story as a whole being a random chain of events doesn’t help. A lot of things just don't get the time to settle or a proper explanation. I have a lot of questions that I don’t think were answered in the movie. Regardless, I think the story shows that there’s not always a happily-ever-after. When one struggle ends, another struggle begins.