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Yes, this is fine.

[The moment that they were set off to the side, Freminet found himself fidgeting once more. As he wondered if this was a bad idea, he knew he couldn't back out now. And yet, it didn't stop him from wondering the worst-case scenario. Would she reject him and his brother? He didn't know but he liked to think that with Tifa's personality, she wouldn't.

Still, he didn't say anything as he gave a long pause. Looking at the ground, there were so many thoughts running through his mind as he mumbled to himself. Taking a couple of deep breaths in, he had to get this done.]

....Ms. Tifa, whatever I tell you next, please don't blame my brother or my Father for this. I know it will be difficult to hear but I want to make sure my family stays safe.

[Patient as ever, Tifa gives Freminet all the time he needs to figure out how he wants to say it. God knows she doesn't know how to say things half the time, especially when it's something as delicate as this seems to be. Though, she can't even guess what it could be—even when he tells her, a thousand thoughts run through her head, none of them very good.]

Your Father?

[Is his father here?

Panic rises in her expression.]

Is your family okay!? And Lyney?

[With her panicking, it made Freminet panic just as much. This wasn't how he expected! However, Tifa was different from the others. She has no idea who the Knave or what the Fatui stands for! With a cough or two, he shook his head.]

Y-Yes, they're fine! Just...

[He said with a mumble or two.]

...We're working for an organization that isn't really well liked. We happened to do some things that some might seem questionable. I...I hope you don't mind that.

[Relief washes over her just as quickly as the panic had come. First and foremost, as long as Freminet and Lyney were safe and not in any danger, then that was what mattered. They were just as much a part of this diverse family as any one of them were, and she would do what she could to protect them.

Not that it sounds like she needs to, but she does give a confused tilt of her head.]

What do you mean, organization?

[And then, there's the unasked question that's laced beneath it: what questionable things?

But her voice lacks any judgment because, really, who on this ship can even make the call on what borders on questionable?]

[He was hoping he wasn't going to regret this. Forming his hands into fists, he had to remain calm. He can't panic, he had to do this, he had to tell her.]

I...Lyney, Father and I are in an organization called the Fatui. Back home, they have done some rather interesting thing. Some that I don't want to talk about but...

[In the back of his mind, he wondered if he said anything, would her opinion of him or Lyney would change. He already knew that Tifa cared a lot about him, he didn't want to break that friendship.]

...They have done some experimentations on children and citizens alike. They aren't afraid of harming or destroying cities if they have to. But...

[He said with a mumble or two.] Despite this, I...I want to let you know that just because we work for them doesn't mean we share the same ideas.

[Something different flickers across her expression. A lot, actually. Mostly confusion and dread, though not for the reasons Freminet might think. He is so young—he and Lyney both. What are they doing getting caught up in that kind of thing? In those kinds of people who are, as she steps back a bit and looks at the whole picture of what he's said, much like Shinra?

Still, her expression lacks any judgment, and she listens carefully, and what he finishes with leaves her feeling... somewhat relieved. Relieved, but no less worried for him.]

I get that.

[She gives him a slow nod of understanding.]

Just because you work under a certain faction doesn't mean you've gotta agree with everything they do. And I know that you and Lyney aren't those kinds of people. [A smile, though it's crooked.] I believe that wholeheartedly.

You do..?

[That wasn't something he was expecting to hear. Here, he thought she would reprimand him for doing such a thing. As he looked at her in shock, he quickly shook his head before coughing to himself.]

A-Are you sure? Because I know we...

[He trailed off before feeling a bit bold. If she understand then maybe...]

I have done some questionable things ourselves but it is for the sake of protecting the family.

[And not the organization. Even though they were part of the Fatui, Freminet would never work with them. Their ideas are terrible and downright cruel.]

[Another nod, as if to say yes, she's sure.]

Do you want to talk about it?

[It's asked simply, with no pressure whatsoever. If he doesn't want to talk about those things, then that's okay, but from the looks of it, this is something that he has been holding onto for a long time. Something that he seems to have been fretting and nervous about. If it would help for him to talk about it with someone he feels safe with, then she is willing to listen.]

[He wanted to tell her that he was an assassin. However, it wasn't that he wanted to. He just had to do it for the sake of his family and to make sure that they were okay. However, he really didn't know how Tifa would take it despite her caring nature.

There was a long silence before nodding his head.]

Y-Yes, I...what would you say if I did something dubious for survival? For...helping my family out?

[Despite sounding confident in the beginning, his voice slowly started to trail into a whisper. Almost as if he was ready for her to scold him.]

[Something dubious...

Tifa thinks she knows, or at least, she can make some assumptions about it based on his reaction alone. And for his honesty, she feels she needs to return the favour.]

... Mm. I'd say that while I can't condone anything bad, I'd also say that I have no room to judge. I don't know your world, or your life before this one. Maybe you needed to do what you had to to survive and to protect the people that you love because there was no other choice, I don't know.

[Once again, there was a long silence on his end. As he wanted to speak up, he wonders all the different ways this could do wrong. He took a deep breath in as he wanted what he should do. Shifting his weight around in his seat, he was just scared.

In that moment, he closed his eyes as he just hoped for the best.]

E-Even if it meant...killing people? Or anyone that can be seen as a threat to the family...?

[While he wanted to be confident in his words, he found himself whispering it the more he continued. Again, he was just waiting a scolding. Just waiting to see if she would reject him....]

[Her heart twists. It twists and it turns and it hurts for him. He's so young, too young. There is no one at any age who should have to kill someone just to survive. Again, she can't say that she condones it, nor does she really understand all that much the whys and the hows of it all. She's always been of the belief that there is always another way that didn't involve taking any lives.

But then again...

There had been a point in her own life when she would have gladly let her rage take over. She would have wanted to see President Shinra dead. Sephiroth. All of the SOLDIERs. She's had those moments, even now, but they are fleeting.

As for Freminet... She isn't mad at him. How could she be? But she is mad for him. To have someone so young be forced to kill is wrong. There is so much wrong with it that she has to pause to take a drink to wash the bad taste it leaves in the back of her throat.

She sees him fidgeting, sees his confidence wavering again, and... She's not sure that any sort of platitudes will help right now. They haven't so far, so it's time to try a different tack.]

Can I tell you a secret? About me, and some people from back home?

[She's not naming names because really, none of the others here had as much a hand in it, so it didn't really matter who.]

[The silence was killing him. Knowing that Tifa wasn't saying anything made him wonder if she was going to reject him much like what the others might do. Immediately, he found himself panicking once more as he looked around the area to see if there was anyone nearby. Of course, there was a chance for him to just walk up and go.

And yet, he couldn't bring himself to. He had to hear what she would say, it was the least he could do. Taking in a few deep breathes, he eventually gave a nod. Although, now with her words sinking in, he raised an eyebrow or two.]

Y-Yes...? Is everything okay?

[That wasn't something he expected to hear. However, based on his tone, he had to wonder. Did she end up doing something questionable too?

Perhaps...they would find something in common among one another?]

Yeah. Everything is fine.

[And she'll reach across the table for Freminet's hand this time, taking it under her own. Her grip is firm, yet yielding, warm, patient. And she smiles across at him, though her eyes are twinged with sadness that is not quite chased away by it.

She just hopes that it will help him be a bit more confident in coming forward about his own worries, knowing that he is perhaps not as alone as he thinks he is in this.]

Before I came here, I was part of a group called Avalanche. ... Our Planet, Gaia, is dying, and so we fought for it. Fought against the people who were draining it of its life.

[She takes a slow, steadying breath before continuing.]

We did a lot of bad things to get back at them. Just to send a message.

[Meeting Freminet's eyes.]

We bombed reactors, blew up whole parts of town. Destroyed people's homes, killed hundreds, maybe thousands... and for what...?

[As she took his hand, he was prepared for whatever she had to say. Was she going to reject his friendship? Was he going to tell the others? What about Lyney, what was she going to say about him? Once again, panic was starting to show on his face. At the same time, he also knew that she wouldn't do such a thing.

Trying to calm his mind, he was reasoning within himself that everything was going to be okay.]

I...

[Of course, as he heard her, his eyes slowly widen. To think that Tifa would ever be part of a group that would do something dangerous was a little unheard of. And yet, there was some hope behind his words. What she went through wasn't too different from what he and Lyney were doing now.]

....I'm sorry, it must have been a lot for you when that happened...

[He said as he looked down at her hand on top of his. It was still a lot to take in but it was comforting to know there was someone who understands.]

It was. Still is, sometimes, thinking back. It's not easy, coming to terms with that. It got worse over time, more extreme, and I hated what we were doing.

[She drops her eyes to their hands, and she gives his a small, comforting squeeze.]

What I'm trying to say is... I have a lot of blood on my hands, too. So many of us do. So... don't be afraid to talk about it. You can trust me. Us.

[The crew. Even if it isn't just her.]

Is that why Mr. Zack understood what it was like when I told him how difficult it was for my family?

[He said in a low voice. Back then, when he said he had to survive, Zack didn't question it. He just said that he understands. Now that he knew the context, it made a lot of sense. As he held onto her hands, he could feel his eyes starting to water.

For the longest time when he was here, he had to hide a dark secret. He feared what his friends would think knowing that he had done something terrible and that they would reject him. Now that there was someone...no, people that knew what it was like? He couldn't help but start crying.]

[Her head tilts.]

You talked to Zack, too?

[She shouldn't be surprised in the least, and she does smile a little at that, glad to at least know that Freminet feels safe enough to do so with people on the crew. Zack would be a good person to talk to about that, she thinks. Even if she's still working through her differences with him.

For that, she is relieved.]

What Zack and I did was... very different, and for a while, we were on opposite teams, but I think yeah, that might be why he understood.

[And even if he didn't, it just seems like something he would do.]

So, that's why you shouldn't feel scared to talk to us. No matter what it is, we're here to help. [A pause, as she thinks back to the rest of their conversation.] What exactly brought this on anyway?

[He didn't respond at first. He kept on crying as he struggled to calm himself. Trying his best to breath slowly, he was having a hard time. While he wanted to speak up, he couldn't. Not when he was just so happy to have someone who understands what his family had to go through. They weren't bad people, they just had to go through a life where they just had to survive.

After the heartache of having his friends questioning them, it just felt nice to know that he was safe. He'll have to ask Tifa and Zack what their dynamics were later but until then...?]

F-Father is here.

[He struggled to say. He had to focus on his words, he had to manage his emotions, he had to focus on the task at hand.]

...She...She is considered someone dangerous in o-our world.

[She lets him take all the time that he needs, her hands squeezing his just a little tighter with each sob and breath of his. How badly she wants to wrap her arms around him and reassure him, but she'll let him get everything he needs to say out first. She is patient, watching him closely, until he finally finds the will to speak again.

She's not quite sure yet what to think of what he says—whether or not she is glad to hear that Freminet's "father" is here, or what that even means. What it could imply. If she is a dangerous person, then...]

But you two aren't in any trouble, are you? She isn't going to hurt you or Lyney?

[It takes him a moment but he eventually relaxes. Taking another deep breath in, he eventually manages to get his emotions under control.]

No, she won't. It's what she has to do to make sure our family stays safe. That's what makes her dangerous.

[Not to mention how Father doesn't exactly believe what the other Fatui members are doing. While she might have to follow their rules, it doesn't means she has to agree with it.]

...And the people from my world know that too. I thought it would only be a matter of time before you found out too.

Okay.

[Well, that's a relief, but...]

Would it be alright if I met her sometime? You should bring her by the ship, so she can at least see for herself that her family is safe.

[She doesn't want any trouble, but if this woman is as dangerous as Freminet says, and if he'd been so scared to tell Tifa about her, then Tifa wants to see for herself, too.]

I wouldn't mind but...that is up to her to decide.

[Because as much as she wants Arlecchino to meet the crew, she knew she couldn't force her to.]

Although, I can try and see if she wants to.

It would be nice to. [And, to voice her thoughts:] I don't want to cause any trouble or make anyone uncomfortable. I just...

[Wants to make sure that she won't do anything to harm the crew, for one, but more than that...]

She should at least see what sort of place you guys are staying in. Meet the crew. So she can at least put her own mind at ease. ... And mine.

Then I can try to talk to her. Hopefully she wouldn't mind since I think she would like to see who Lyney and I spend most of our time with.

[That and given how she's a Harbinger, she probably wanted to give her children some time to themselves but...!]

...However, I think the fact that you simply accepted what I told you would make her happy. Not everyone is so willing to do that.

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