Some Materia

Tifa couldn't believe she had said that last part. She wasn't trying to be flirty... Was she? She loved Cloud. She loved Cloud. She... She was bored. He was gone so much that she had often found herself alone at night. She knew he loved her and she did love him, but she needed some kind of excitement and adventure. She didn't need to jump into bed with Cecil though! She could tell that her comment had bothered him a bit too since he didn't follow her right away into the shop.

The clerk looked up and she noticed relief on his face. She knew the guy from her past and wasn't surprised to see him still manning his store.

"Tifa is that you? I heard you disappeared when all the weirdness happened."

"I'm still me. Have you got any materia available? I'm going to need some."

"Sure do, let me check the stock."

While he was working, Cecil came in. His face was a little flush as he gave her a weak smile. Yep, definitely bothered him. He glanced over at the shop keeper and looked curiously at the green, blue and yellow orbs the man carried over to the table.

"No summons I see."

"Sorry Tifa, but around the time all this happened, all the reds just shattered. The rest are ok but hear even Shinra lost their summon materia."

"Um, what does all this do," Cecil asked.

"What? What log you been living under to never have seen materia? This is the stuff of magic my man! Power, forged in the lifestream!"

Tifa chuckled and looked through the selection as the shop keeper continued to scold her friend. There was a Cure, Fire, Ice, and Lightning in Green materia, and an Steal Yellow materia. The Blue materia was an All. One blue, one yellow, and a few of each of the green. She selected a Cure, the Steal, the All, and two of each of the Fire, Ice, and Lightning. That would use up all the gil she had, but it would probably be worth it. They could worry about potions and such later.

She got the shop keeper's attention and Cecil gave her a thankful smile when she saved him. The man was clearly glad to have someone buying his stuff and even threw in an extra Cure, saying "Keep us safe Tifa."

She gathered up the Materia and Cecil, now with a slightly better understanding of Materia, asked her what she planned. She tossed him a fire Materia and before pulling out a the Cure, All, and Lightning Materia.

"That one is for you. Now watch." She took the Lightning and All Materia and began pressing them to her right arm. They began to glow and then sink into her skin. She gasped as she felt electricity surge through her for a moment. When it was over, she was panting for a moment.

"This will let me cast Lightning magic. I used the blue All materia to make it so I can hit multiple targets with one go. Now for this one." She repeated the process with one of the two Cure materia and this time felt a warm and refreshing pulse go through her.

"Now I can use some healing magic," she said while panting.

"I can use some healing magic as well, without Materia. But this should help in combat as well."

She started to warn him that it was Fire magic, but he was already pushing it into his right arm. He cried out as heat flashed through his body and was looked up at her in surprise.

"Heat. Lots of heat. I'm guessing that was fire magic."

She nodded and gave him a sympathetic smile. The rest of the Materia could be divided between the others. They started to head out the door, but heard some shouting outside.