Our story begins in the 'Rosary Garden' of the college 'Pandemia'.

The Rosary Garden was lush and green, filled with a cluster of trees and bushes, with a wide open acreage made distinctly for the frolicking of many creatures of varying natures, as well as the exploration (and training) of students who would be going out into the wilderness on their own. The coloration of the trees and even the grass was vivid and vibrant, and as the light hit it, there would be a slightly prismous effect, causing the occasional rainbow or two to pain the atmosphere, especially on the surface of the plantlife.

Tear Lacrimoso, a teacher and assassin of the college, was busy training one of his students, Krikor, in the matters of the soul. During this time, his fellow teacher, Tifaret -- or, Tifa, for short -- trailed behind them, trying to prove herself useful as a teacher to the veteran educator and his student. However...

'I can't believe I'm doing this.'

That was the only thought that raced through her head as she stepped forward into the Rosary Garden, trailing behind Tear and Krikor. There was fear in her heart... Fear that she also couldn't believe she was feeling. She gulped.

'... Why the fuck am I afraid...? I'm not afraid of... anything...'

Tifa didn't even understand where this was coming from. Nervousness? Anxiety? Embarrassment? Perhaps a blend of all three, and maybe even something more. No matter what, she couldn't believe that it was happening. 'Ugh, get it together Tifa... It's just... Fucking Tear...' She clenched her fists together and steeled her heart, working up the nerve to step closer to them. '... Yeah. It's JUST Tear. That asshole.' She scoffed again after working up her nerve again, briskly walking forward before she could stop herself. The fear was still there, but she ignored it, as she did everything she hated or didn't want to deal with. It was useful for some things; at least, for this. She pressed on, standing right before Tear and Krikor. "UM!!" she yelped in a manner totally unlike her, and her face became flushed because of it. Knowing that it was, her eyes hardened and her pupils sharpened, as if she were ready to engage in a battle. She said nothing more after that, finding that she was completely stuck, for some reason. '... Fuck.'

Tear continued to chuckle to himself, finding the interactions between all the parties before his eyes rather interesting. He kept a rather perceptive eye and his signature deadly nonchalant smile upon his face, simply letting things pan out as they would with as little interjection or interruption as possible. He could tell that there was something different about Tifa, and he was only itching to find out what it was. Already, many plots and plans were concocted in his head, but he'd never show them upon his poker face. He was a master at 'playing dumb'. "Oh, yes, Tifa? Is there something the matter? You seem ill, from the sound of your voice."

As Tifa drew near, she suddenly got more acute to literally everything going on around her, almost instinctively, as if walking into battle. She didn't know why she felt this way, but she also felt, for some reason, like firing a laser beam from her mouth straight at Tear. The chirping of a damn cricket... And then some other shit going on behind her was getting annoying. "Ugh..." she groaned, looking up to Tear's fucking face with that fucking smug ass smile. It was just too much right now. "... Nothing!" she cried out unusually furiously, storming back off as quickly as she'd come. "Fucking Tear..." she muttered on her breath as she exited the area.

Tear kept his eyes on Tifa, awaiting what he assumed would be another 'pragmatic' (sarcasm) response from her. He kept his wits about him, totally sensibly prepared for a come back, as they were accustomed, and had become so well versed in the art of... when suddenly, she turned away and stormed off. That was new, even for Tear to experience from her. Tifa certainly was acting unusual recently, and Tear could not quite tell why that was. He was beginning to worry about her now, for when she missed a chance to cut him up about one of his snide remarks in response to something personal and inside between the two of them, it was very clear that this would soon become something of an issue. This had to be addressed quickly... And hopefully in the least destructive manner possible. "Excuse me, Krikor. Please, keep training on your own. Tabritha, assist him, s'il vous plait~." Tabritha was the Nav-guide, which assisted those who were in need. Tear waved the two of them off lovingly with a hint of concern, hoping they would all do well on their own, but also torn between ensuring Tifa was alright, as well. He was already off right behind her, however, for he knew that with Tabritha around, Krikor would be just fine. Hopefully he could catch up with Tifa before she went too far, though. It was not proper to run indoors.

Tifaret stormed out from the Rosary Garden in a huff, as she was prone to do, but with a furious face that seemed different than her normal severe agitation. There was something more to it this time that even she didn't recognize consciously, yet she thought of constantly. These thoughts consisted mostly of 'Fucking Tear!' and 'That asshole!' Every now and then, a murmur of something along those lines would slip from under her breath as well. On a direct war path, everyone would either stand out of her way or be forced out of her way, for she was in no mood to really deal with anyone.

Eventually making her way to the courtyard, just before the gates of the university, she would pause momentarily simply to sigh heavily, grit her teeth and clench her fists. Her lustrous green eyes would narrow to serpentine slits with the furrowing of her brow and her body trembled with intensity. She was trying to calm herself down, but found it surprisingly difficult. The more she ran through it all in her head, however, the more she came to the conclusion;

"Fuck him..."

Tifa had been walking unusually swiftly, in Tear's opinion, which made it difficult even for him to keep up with and reach her. She'd nearly sprinted clear across the way and through the halls, but it was not difficult to keep to her path of parted students in her wake, fortunately. "So sorry," he had to apologize to nearly everyone that was knocked out of her way, "Please excuse us!" He was used to covering for Tifa's misdemeanors and reprimanding her thoroughly for her mistakes, but this time it seemed like there was something more to it all than simply her normal lack of emotional stability on her furious way. Tear, being an expert on wavelengths and the vibrations within them, picked up on that even before she left and was intent on finding out what the cause of all of this was in order to remedy it. He kept after her, making his way to her only once she reached the courtyard.

"Tifa!" he called out to her before she stopped, "What was that all about?" By the time the next few words left his lips, he right behind her, seeing her trembling and feeling the fluctuation of emotion going on within her, as well as the tensity of the vibrations around her. He expected some sort of haphazard destructive blow next, and was ready for it in case it was imminent.

"NOTHING!!!" she blurted out immediately, white hot energy gargling in the back of her throat, as if simply on reflex alone. His instincts about that certainly were spot on, though she wouldn't turn around to let him relish in that and gloat about it. She couldn't stand when he did that and wanted to give him no opportunity to do so. She wouldn't turn to face him. After the initial outburst, she took a very deep breath, closed her eyes and exhaled sharply, crossing her arms finally and turning her head slightly to the side, looking toward the ground, yet still not facing him. "What do you care, anyway...? Don't you have some pretty-boy things to do right now that DON'T involve me?" Her sharp response was filled with jagged edges meant to keep him at bay, yet simultaneously insist that there were more important things he should have been doing currently than to even be focused on her at all... Like doing basically everything for the school and ensuring things were kept proper or whatever. He had responsibilities that she was getting in the way of and that needed his immediate attention. Tifa wouldn't ever imagine Tear to even take a moment to stop what he was doing to give her the time of day unless it was because of a fuck up, which she figured, honestly, was the reason why he was here. "Or, did you think being an asshole to me was more important this time?"

Tear was able to easily tell that it wasn't 'nothing,' as was insisted by Tifa (and pretty much every other woman ever), yet knew that if she was already losing her head about it then it was pretty serious. It was different than normal; she hadn't done anything wrong nor was she being called out on anything prior, yet he could feel the tension as if she were expecting it from him. After stopping to actually think about these things and feel them for himself, he understood now why her response was so jaded and hostile, as well as why it was covered as it was. In this situation, there were only two options; leave it alone or inquire gently. Because Tear had assessed this to be something really important, especially from the last little bit she said, he would inquire further. When he knew what the stipulations of a situation were, he was all about the most key and prime inquisition for investigation. He persisted, therefore.

"This is one of those things," he began, ignoring the exaggeration and sarcasm in her speech and negating the effects with realism, "And I never come to anyone just to 'be an asshole,' as you insist I am." In this scenario, it was best to understand and accept her feelings on the matter, even if he was aware that he personally felt that she was incorrect about labeling him such. Yet, the labels didn't matter at the time of getting to the heart of the situation, so he would take the insult for the team. There was something greater at hand, anyway, and the smaller things should not be noted on unless to get to the larger picture. Tear cautiously, but gingerly stepped forward, slightly within her vision, seeing what she would do after he came into it. He kept his distance, though, just in case she was still reactive. He still needed to be on his toes just in case another beam came from her mouth, or something along those lines. "What I find most important of all is the comfort and stability of the students and staff, which is why I am thoroughly concerned about you." Suddenly, even in the midst of his very serious and formal approach, Tear became flustered, himself, continuing on. "You seemed like you had something to say before... And if you were willing to do so now, I would like to hear it, now that we're somewhere more private." Granted, the space was wide and open, but they were alone, which gave them both space and privacy at the same time. Hopefully, that made her feel comfortable enough to express herself unencumbered.

The moment Tear came into her vision, even if only slightly, Tifa turned her head away from him and gazed off into the other direction, muttering under her breath, yet loud enough to hear, "Yeah, whatever." She knew about him and his slick words. He was probably just saying something trying to be smooth, like he pretty much always was. It was difficult to tell when he was being serious and when he was trying to be all 'bishounen' about things, but she also couldn't stand not being able to accurately tell the difference very often. As keen as she was in terms of her discernment through sound, his tone of voice only had slight differences in cadence, and it really annoyed her that she couldn't differentiate them because of how he spoke. It was almost like he was doing it on purpose, or that it was practiced... Plus, the English accent didn't help at all, either. "Yeah, I did have something to say. Now I don't. Get over it. Move on with your life." The furrow in her brow deepened as she said these things, as if she were becoming angrier every time she had to open her mouth to speak to him. Yet, she also a bit moved that he was trying to be patient with her rather than just blatantly cutting his tongue at her, like he was so keen on doing whenever he got the chance. That may have been the only reason why she hadn't attacked or continued storming off yet.

Though she was being just as dismissive as ever, it was clear from her body language that she was, at the very least, still harboring some sort of intent to listen. Otherwise, she would have attacked or stormed off by now, Tear knew. He took this as a sign to continue on, even though she had said with her words that there was nothing to say. Communication came in numerous forms beyond words, and in fact, words were only about 7% of said communication. Therefore, reading into body language and signs would be a greater chunk of it; something of which Tear had been well versed in naturally. Therefore, he continued.

"... I apologize if I came off like an asshole. Certainly, that has never been my intent. I was simply..." Tear looked off to the side opposite Tifa, beginning to fidget a little bit, "... Playing, you could say." The two of them had a manner of interacting with each other that was pretty unique; they engaged each other through witty and snide remarks and clashed about pretty much whatever came from the others' lips, yet it was all in a sort of spirit of both challenge and fun. Rather, that was how it was to Tear. He rather enjoyed his time interacting with Tifa, save for when her anger got the best of her and she ended up destroying something. Even then, however, she kept him on his toes and filled to the brim with excitement; something the mundane tasks of everyday life nearly sucked from him whenever he engaged in them for too long. Tear certainly enjoyed keeping things prim and proper in both the people and the school, but even that took a tiresome toll on he and his spirit. He became bored rather quickly and was always in need of something to do in order to keep him from falling low in spirit, yet, almost inevitably, there were times where there was just nothing to do because he'd done it all. At least with Tifa around, things were always interesting.

Eventually, Tear thought of a better way to have this conversation with her; one that hopefully she would still agree to, even in the heat of the moment. His look of worry and concern slowly slipped into his signature deadly nonchalant smile once again, and at that, he would slide right in front of her and flash it, eyes shimmering like the silver moon. "... You know, it is about time for us to be on our way to that dinner we agreed on. Allow me to treat you to an evening of fine dining and peacefulness, in order to make up for what has transpired here, hm?" Quite honestly, Tear was anticipating this, himself. Hopefully it would build better relations between the two of them in the workplace and make Tifa feel more comfortable about Tear. The pent up tensions and frustrations she had toward him could hopefully be remedied with ease through their spending a little more time together without fighting or being forced apart after a fight. There was no time to actually sit and be in each other's company, and he knew that was detrimental to any relationship; friend, family or otherwise. "Are you still up for it, love?"

"Don't call me 'love,'" she snapped back with a sharpness befitting her mood, yet with cheeks slightly rosy. Her face seemed stuck in an infinite scowl, yet it was uncertain whether the strain of her disdainful look was the reason why or for another reason. Whatever it may have been, she was at least speaking now. Tifa was... moved, to a certain degree, by Tear's abrupt and seemingly heartfelt apology, even if the look on his face still genuinely annoyed here. Yet, when she looked into his eyes, she could see the sincerity that delved beyond the sight of his smug smile and into his true intent. It only took one look, much like before, for her own eyes to soften, as well as her mind and her heart. "... But... I..." Suddenly, what she wanted to tell him before came back up again, and like before, Tifa became a bit flustered. After looking at Tear directly, though, and knowing that if she showed him her feelings, even if he wouldn't be 'an asshole' to her like before, she didn't want him knowing at all. Her hardened expression very quickly returned to her face, as per norm, and she scoffed, saying, "... Tch, of course I am. I hope you're the one that's ready, because this is strictly business!!" Immediately after that, Tifa took off again toward the gates, ready to exit to the designated location before Tear could have a chance to respond... She knew if she gave him time to respond, he'd have something smart to say. So, instead, she would just give him nothing at all.

"..."

But before she got too far, she realized that she didn't really know the Delta at all, since she never traveled the land before, and she wasn't aware of where to go and how to get there. So, somewhat embarrassed, yet again, at her hasty decision and behavior, her cheeks became flushed and she spun around swiftly. "... Where the fuck is the fucking spot, anyway? Ugh!"

Tear chuckled lightly now, no longer with his playful contempt, but a hint of affection for Tifa's somewhat amicable quirks that he had been overlooking simply due to their initial clashing. Though he was still rather keen on her mistakes, when it wasn't something severely or heavily impacting the well-being of the school and its persons within, he found it rather adorable. He looked to her with lucid eyes as she returned to his guidance, merely walking toward her and saying, "How about we just go together and I escort you to the destination, hm?" Not only was this the most optimal solution, but it seemed to be one that would give them more time to adjust to each other. These sorts of things began before the actual intended or designated place and time, as well as during, and after. Tear was no slouch when it came to these matters, even if it seemed that he weren't the type to be interested in women. It was clear that he was keeping more from everyone than meets the eye, including his true capabilities. Extending his arm out to her courteously, he bowed his head slightly to acknowledge her, then returned his sight to her eyes. "Shall we, then?"

Tifa huffed with disdain, though was not nearly as upset nor embarrassed any longer as she may have appeared to be. Snatching his arm, she said with a sneer, "Whatever," and allowed Tear to 'escort' her, as he insisted upon doing. "Don't let this go to your head. I don't buy this whole 'gentleman' act for a second." He might have been really prissy and proper and pretty much had manners and etiquette and all that good textbook stuff, but she questioned if he knew how to actually treat a woman. Not that Tifa had ever really identified in that way in her youth, being more than tomboyish in pretty much every manner, but she did recognize that there were certain things that guys did for girls that she wanted to see if Tear really knew how to do. She wasn't fond of it personally; never was and never really would be, but this was more an inspection than anything, in her head. A test, if you will, to size Tear up and figure out just what he was after and what was behind that shady smile and shimmering eyes. He wasn't just a pretty boy, Tifa knew, and she wanted to get to the bottom of who he was, what he was hiding and what he knew. She hadn't forgotten why she was here. Not in the slightest.

The sound of someone's voice would whisper in the ear of Tear, something like a telepathic, yet also telephonic signal. "The Time Has Come." Nothing else was spoken, but that voice, in passing, would tell Tear more than enough. Even if no one else knew what it meant, he and only he would understand and must act accordingly.

Tear was ready to respond to Tifa in his normal manner, yet heard the sound of something calling to him silently. He grew very distressed for a brief moment, and everything that he was going to say to Tifa was suddenly blocked from him. His eyes narrowed briefly, for he knew what it meant. His time was up. Yet... He wouldn't say anything about it to anyone. Instead, it was better to just act natural and pretend like nothing was going on. With high speed calculation on how to keep and save face, he would turn to Tifa with his signature deadly nonchalant smile, letting none of the extreme darkness that had just overcome him show on his face for more than that split second. "Ahahaha~. Well, let's not stay here lollygagging, hm~?" With that, he would escort her off to the Cantina, where their arranged date would transpire. He'd deal with his... Mission later. He still had this much time, he knew... Just a little bit longer.

After Tear dealt with his summons, Tear and Tifa would arrive at the Cantina, as was planned for the arrangements they'd had with each other. Strictly professional, at least to the degree that was necessary for them to become more acquainted in terms of association and social interaction. It was important for the work environment that the two of them be able to get to know each other better and maintain stable connection via their wavelengths so that these outbursts and discrepancies did not disturb the wavelengths of the Children. Tear was very aware of how the instructors' conduct needed to be, and in this case, this would help with relations and better the school's environment. He was just pleased that Tifa was being cooperative to even this degree.

As they arrived at the scene, it would be like a large cafe and restaurant merged into one, with a vivacious outdoor populace littering the seats and speaking casually to each other. The building had a terrace for people to sit outside, and was filled with tables with umbrellas and many people; some looking more professional than others, and some being merely the teens coming to enjoy their time in peace. The Cantina was the ideal spot for any sort of casual or business interaction, even in its great diversity. Certainly, the inside was a bit more opulent than the outside, but it was still a top notch area, regardless. Not too fancy, yet also, not too shabby. Just right; a dubious social hot spot.

Tifa felt strange. She knew why she was here, yet couldn't bring herself past the feelings deep down inside of her that had been festering since the start of her bad day; something like a nightmare. And now, at the end of it all, she was here with Tear, about to go on what looked like a date. Even if he was just being polite and claimed all of this was for the school, part of her didn't trust what he'd said. There was something off about him, and she felt it when they were coming here. Somehow, she knew, and she didn't like it. She'd remain quiet until they were properly seated, yet kept her eyes open and her thoughts going.

When the two new faces would arrive at the Cantina, they would be greeted by one of the hosts that were outside. He was dressed in the typical attire of the Cantina; nothing formal, but something uniform in order to differentiate the workers from the people. He stepped forward and said to them, "Welcome to the Cantina! May I help you, or shall you help yourselves?" The setting seemed to be a fine blend of casual and formal, giving the customers the option of being waited on or to do for themselves if they'd not wish for this manner or level of service.

Tear immediately sensed something in Tifa. He didn't mind it. "Ah, yes, a table for two, if you will, with a menu, s'il vous plait~?" Tear waited to be waited on, turning his head to Tifa and brightening his smile only slightly.

Tifa glared back at Tear with the stalest face in the world; her eyebrows dug deep into her forehead.

"For two?" the host repeated, jotting down a note, "Alright! Outdoor or indoor?"

Tear's eyes cut Tifa a glare just as sharp as her own, with eyes glistening under the lowness of his lids, passing the question off to the lady... Politely, of course, with his smile never fading. "Tifa?" She'd been so quiet recently... He wanted to hear what her thoughts were. Besides, it was only natural that the lady get the delight of having the option of these things, to suit her comforts. To think that the man had to make such decisions was rather chauvinistic, and in fact, it was much more gentlemanly to worry about the delights of the escort, and adjust and adapt to the will of the woman. At least, that was how Tear knew it to be.

Tifa nearly scoffed at him, her own eyes narrowing further, showing a bit more of her disdain. A dirty trick. "Outdoor," she'd say bluntly, turning her attention away from Tear and toward the host. Her eyes looked like they would tear straight through him.

The host would kindly be jotting down the notes for the two when suddenly a chill went up and down his spine, and he would look up to see the rather intimidating woman glaring at him, and he became both puzzled and somewhat concerned. "Right then..." He was worried about if he'd done something that perhaps offended her, which was why she was looking at him like that. He would meekly ask in a manner almost afraid, "Is there... Something the matter, ma'am?"

"Just her face," Tear quipped quickly, wasting no time in between breaths to continue on after the ever-so-slight pause, "That is, she always looks like that. Not to worry, not at all." He turned back to Tifa, his eyes still piercing like daggers, "I told you it scares people when you look like that, love..." His deadly nonchalant smile shifted, right at the very tip of the corner of his mouth, into a lightly pointed smirk.

Tifa caught what Tear said and intended rather immediately, and it burned her up. He was testing her patience and getting back at her for looking at him funny... But she wouldn't let him off so easily. She gripped his arm tightly, letting all the tension in her face run right into her vulcan grip, threatening to break his arm off. "Yeah, I've just been having a bad day. If anything, my FRIEND here should know..." She smiled wide and brightly at Tear, smugly, closing her eyes, feigning her pleasantry as much as possible to keep up appearances in the light. She wouldn't make a fool of herself nor let Tear make one out of her. Not this time.

Clearly, there was something going on with these two that exceeded the knowledge of the host, and he certainly wasn't about to get involved more deeply than necessary. It wasn't part of the job description and it wasn't really any of his business. But the look he was given put him on edge. "... Right this way..." he said rather softly, somewhat timidly now. He would escort the two of them to an empty section that was away from most of the other people, just in case, since the woman said she was having a bad day. He didn't want it getting to the other customers, or perhaps, having the other customers effect her negatively any further. When they were brought to the table, their menus would be placed before them. "I'll be back with some water. Let me know when you're ready to order..." He wouldn't look at that woman at all anymore, though... Just in case.

Tear's face became grim and dark immediately as Tifa applied pressure to his arm, letting the wavelengths all diffuse throughout the rest of his body rather than be concentrated on that single spot, lessening the pressure to the point of a normal and gentle grasp. Yet, he felt all the tension and aggression in that action, and suddenly became rather displeased with Tifa's conduct... And her smiling face. He would say and do nothing until they were seated and given their menus, where he would see the waiter off with a light, "Thank you." Thankfully, he had placed them away from everyone else, and so that gave Tear and Tifa a little more leeway to speak above a whisper without attracting attention to themselves.

"What was that all about?" Tear snapped rather immediately, picking up his menu and studying it, giving no form of direct eye contact to Tifa anymore. The snap of his voice was like the crack of a whip, which was more than enough expression to his disdain for her behavior as it was.

Tifa's face immediately returned to normal, glaring at Tear as normal when she was given the first chance to do so. "ME? What about YOU? I didn't do anything." She could see that he wasn't looking at her anymore, and it made her sneer. She snatched up her menu and tapped her foot impatiently, hastily looking for something that she wanted to eat. It wasn't all fancy or anything, but it wasn't like they were here for the food. She found whatever was a decent price that she felt like she could stomach and was done with it. She didn't even care about having anything to eat, really. Already, Tear was starting to make her lose her appetite.

Before long, the host came back with two glasses of water for both the man and the woman, placing them right before the two of them. "Are you ready to order, or do you need more time?"

Tear was about to open his mouth to retort, when suddenly the host came back with their drinks. "Ah, thank you," would come out instead, yet he would avert all form of direct eye contact with Tifa, still. "Why, yes, I'm ready to order," he said, wasting no more time on her foolishness. "I'll have a personal sized pepperoni pizza with a lemonade. No side." He honestly wasn't very hungry at all, but he would enjoy something that was here while he was. His main focus for being here was for work... And it was best for the two of them to get every underlying issue out in the open right now. He hadn't the time to be dealing with petty shots flying back and forth between the two of them. In fact, he could tell that would only make things worse. Given this little 'break' in between fire, he would simply have to let her last little bit go for the sake of the greater purpose of this engagement. Fueling the flames for something petty and foolish was counterproductive, and Tear's calculating mind was nothing for being unproductive. The sake of losing a battle was best for winning a war, and for the greater good, he'd simply allow this time to clear the air. As he waited for Tifa to give her order, he would take a drink of his water, letting it flow through him and refresh him like a flowing spring, cleansing him and his inner strife completely.

Tifa finally felt like she could smile now, having known she'd shut that pretty boy's mouth right up. He started it, after all. When it was her turn to order, she'd say, "A burger. With fries. And BBQ sauce. And Mountain D*w." She crossed her arms and stopped tapping her foot, smiling somewhat smugly at Tear, now. She knew it would tear him up inside since he couldn't retaliate, and he would definitely would be thinking how Tifa had gotten away with getting the last strike in. She was feeling better already, again.

Jotting down the last bits of their orders, the host would say, "Coming right up!" and then be on his way to leave the two to themselves, preparing their orders as they had asked.

The very moment the host was gone, yet again, Tear would make that the opportune moment for him to speak, lightly placing his glass upon the table again. He gathered his thoughts and feelings, adjusting his own wavelengths to ensure that he wouldn't become tense or aggressive, nor take in anymore of Tifa's, which would cause him to be effected in that way. When he was very certain he was collected and the air was neutral, or, at least his own, he would begin again.

"... Miss Lombardi..." he'd say, eyes closed and fingers pressed together at their tips, "... As I'm sure you know, your conduct has been more than hazardous to the environment of the school. I know you are part of the Family and are also a person well versed in the arts of Manna and relatively such at Wavelength, but in order for us to make Pandemia a pleasant and comfortable place for the students and staff, we cannot disturb the air with wavelengths of negativity and aggression. Many of the students that are susceptible or sensitive to these things pick up on it and carry it with them, unable to rid themselves of these feelings and then pass them on to more students, or create conflict in the school environment. I'm sure you understand why that is intolerable." He would pause, waiting for her response, giving her the chance to speak with the air hopefully cleared by the talk about business.

Tifa sucked her teeth, not really feeling like hearing about how her 'conduct' wasn't 'suitable' or anything like that. At the end of the day, it all really boiled down to one simple thing; "Don't piss me off, then." She didn't see it any other way. Tear was just annoying, with his goody-two-shoes attitude and whatever. It really got on Tifa's nerves. "... And, I'm a 'Miss' now?" He was getting pretty fresh with her before, calling her 'love' and whatnot, and trying to embarrass her in public. Even now, he was acting like he was so much better than her, hiding behind that polite facade. She knew why he wouldn't look at her, and it was already getting on her nerves again.

"Are you!?" Tear snapped again with his eyes shooting open with a cutting gaze, clearly just as clever and witty as Tifa felt like she could be. It seemed like she was deliberately being defiant simply to justify the way she felt without actually thinking about anyone other than herself. It was hard to think that she'd changed at all since her time in her previous life, and it was clear that in many regards, she truly hadn't. "The way you've been acting, I'm finding it hard to believe, myself." As critical and harsh as Tear could be, he knew that this was not the time, and kept himself from saying anything further on the matter.

He sighed again to relieve the tension within himself, trying to find the words to deal with this... Dragon of a woman. "...If only it were so easy 'not to piss you off.'" He shook his head, wondering what made people feel like that was the only option of the matter. Was it a lack of self-control? Discipline? Or perhaps, self-entitlement? Ego? Perhaps, all of these things. "It's not just about YOU and YOUR emotions, I hope you know. This is about a COLLECTIVE effort, and to not take anyone into account but yourself is the most selfish thing. Are you really prepared to be an instructor? Because your behavior tells me that you may need to be placed with the students." Closing his eyes again, Tear sought to collect himself. This was not like him, to be so... Worked up. Despite his natural tension and strain from having to pretty much run the school by himself, the only person he could ask for help had such a bad attitude that he couldn't help it. Still, it wasn't like him, nor was it the type of person he wished to present himself as. He was always thinking deeply about things like this; his own demeanor and presentation meant a lot to him, which was why he acted the way he did. Perhaps, these things just didn't matter to Tifa as much, which was why she carried herself the way that she did. Even so... It didn't excuse anything. She still needed to think outside of herself.

Tifa clenched her fists and grit her teeth. That last comment normally wouldn't have fazed her, but something about the way that Tear looked at her was what really set her off more than the words, themselves. She just wanted to get up and punch him square in his smartass mouth, like she was accustomed to doing. It wasn't like she couldn't, since she could use her Manna, the Gauntletta Arctina, to generate a Gauntlet small enough, or even completely invisible, to give him a quick jab to shut him up... But that would just prove him right. More than getting her licks in, she was set on proving Tear wrong. He always thought he was right about everything, and it just made her want to prove him wrong that much more. "Maybe if you weren't such an uppity tight-ass all the time... It wouldn't piss me off just to talk to or look at you!!!" She was starting to raise her voice a bit, but she hadn't gotten too loud... Though, it didn't seem like she was beyond it, now. "Did you ever think that maybe it's not ME, but it's YOU? Huh? Did that ever cross your mind in the slightest?" He always thought someone else was the problem just for making the smallest little mistakes, or accidents or something. "Maybe you're the one that just thinks of your precious little school more than you think about other people, huh?" He seemed to always be talking about 'Pandemia' this and 'Pandemia' that, but even if he was talking about the school and the students, she couldn't help but feel like it was all just for show. He was only looking out for himself, just like everyone else in the world. He just... Was really good at hiding it.

"How dare you," was the first thing that came out of his mouth. It was clear that this girl just didn't understand what it meant to have manners, to be proper, to think of others and to actually take care of things properly. And yet, she had the NERVE to say that it was his fault. "Well, if everyone were like you, the whole place would be in shambles already and the students would be dead, right?" After the fiasco with their newest student, and Tifa nearly destroying the room and the student, himself, he couldn't believe that she would even utter such a thing to him! "And yet, I'm the one that doesn't care, hm?" It was clear that she wasn't thinking before she opened her mouth to speak. "Don't be so weak." She wasn't even logically looking at the full perspective of her own actions in comparison to what she'd just said. In fact, she were the one that were fitting her own description of what she said Tear was like! Though, that made Tear think... Perhaps, that was simply how she thought naturally, and so because that was how she thought, she felt like that was how everyone else thought. The simple notion passing through his head was enough to calm him entirely and alter the entirety of his wavelength, shifting the entire weight of the conversation. He was starting to see, himself, where the real issue was... and it wasn't with what was being outwardly spoken. Tear had come across this sort of thing before, yet it was always difficult to discern because of how the other party always thought it was him. Now he was seeing exactly why.

"... How about this; tell me everything that you dislike about me... And we'll go from there." He was aware that this girl had simply never had a responsibility like this before, and to be expected to do so much so soon was just as stressful as it was on Tear. She just handled it differently than he did because she had no experience, and Tear's criticism adding onto the pressures might have been too much. He couldn't expect her to be like him, yet he also needed her to be able to take proper correction when it was necessary. If she couldn't handle that much, then she was certainly unfit for any sort of position of power or any sort of position that involved her teaching someone else. A school was meant for instruction, and those who couldn't take proper instruction weren't fit to be taught, nor to learn. That was how Tear saw things, from the perspective of someone who had been teaching for a while. He just hoped she got it all out all at once. He could take it... He wasn't as weak as she thought, and Tifa wasn't as strong as she truly believed herself to be.

Soon enough the host would return to the table with the plates full of food. "Here you go..." he said kindly, "One pepperoni pizza aaaand one burger." He placed both plates down, as well as their beverages. "Can I get you two anything else? More water?"

The last few words of Tear had some weight to them. Something that actually made Tifa look away in a bit of shame. To think, he would call her weak... And be right about it. Even now, she couldn't stand it... But she couldn't deny her weakness. She was turning into something and someone she hated. As strong as she was back in the old world, that place was more about being more battle-strong than anything. When it came to actually being proper and presentable... Tifa really was weak, and it took Tear saying something like that for her to actually understand. Tifa fell silent, now avoiding contact. "... No," was the only thing she'd say to the waiter after that, with her plate placed before her.

Tear could tell in the wavelength of her voice that her entire demeanor had changed. What he said must have actually had an impact this time. And yet... He didn't feel as pleased about it this time as he thought he would have. "... Thank you, sir. That will be all," he finally said, dismissing the host. He was already calculating, even with his new disposition.

The host nodded his head. "You're welcome. Let me know if you need anything." Finally, he would step away and return to his other duties around the Cantina, serving another customer.

Tifa started eating her burger.

Tear knew something was up when Tifa didn't jump at the chance to tell him off in every way imaginable. Perhaps, he'd done a lot more damage than he really wanted to, and thought to mind his silver tongue a bit more. That had always been a problem of his whenever he actually did get upset, which was why he did EVERYTHING in his power to keep himself from getting so worked up, even in the midst of all the stress and strain in the world. He always devoted himself to his calm, cool and collected demeanor, generally for the sake of others... And this was why. Tifa hadn't learned that doing this was for the benefit of other people, but now, maybe, she would see. He was losing control of his tongue, and that was a sign of weakness in himself. He stared down at his plate, cursing his own self just as harshly and more intensely than anything he'd ever spoken aloud, as he always did when he lost control of himself, even slightly. Now, there was this awkward silence, and he felt like it couldn't be undone. He would take his pizza to his mouth, thinking. Calculating. Cursing. Beating. Striking. Cutting himself to pieces, and yet letting nothing show on his face nor anything coming from his mouth. If Tifaret felt only that small bit of what his tongue was capable of... Imagine what was going on inside of him after the fact. And yet, all he could do was eat, as well. He was ashamed of himself for his own conduct. If he wanted her to be more sociable, he couldn't give in. He should take his own advice... And not be so weak.

Tifa continued to eat quietly, thinking about what Tear said to her. It all made sense. What he said always made sense. It wasn't the fact that what he was ever saying didn't make sense... It was more about how he said it. This time, though, there was no denying it for her. Sometimes, she just played opposition because she wanted him to not be so damn haughty, but she couldn't excuse herself, either, for her own weakness. She was definitely not doing her best to not be a problem. Everything she was doing thus far was pretty much only to get back at Tear and everything he was putting on her, but what good was it doing? Letting him get to her so much was just a sign of her own weakness, like he said. She couldn't stand it... That he even THOUGHT she was weak at all. What was worse was that she agreed with him. Maybe that was something they could both agree on. That she was just weak. A weak little girl with no manners and no home training. Not like the home she came from gave her any of that. The woman she once called 'mother' was nothing like a person who would give her any of that. She was always out of the house getting into fights on the streets. Maybe he was right. She just wasn't cut out for this type of life. She was just... Too weak. All she could do was eat her burger and get this horrible day over with. Not like there was anything else to do.

It didn't take long for Tear to calculate the new solution, as usual. Yet, he wondered... What if it was because he was always looking for the best option and most efficient outcome that it was always such a bother for her to deal with him? Was he doing it too much? How could something that was being done perfectly correctly be wrong? How was he always coming to the wrong outcome when everything was always right? It was so difficult to understand. But that's when it hit him... That perhaps he was never looking at things from the perspective of the person that was wrong, which was usually the one on the other end. Tear always looked for what was optimal and efficient in himself, but if he was always right, then that meant... Someone else had to always be wrong. After realizing that, his eyes gleamed and he would stare at Tifa with shimmering, glimmering eyes. He'd been such a fool to even overlook something like that. And that was how he was always wrong, even when he was always right. Not that he could ever tell when there wasn't someone like Tifa around to bring that out in him. She was more precious than she thought.

When Tear came to his conclusion, he would keep it to himself. His mind was like that of a well-honed expert assassin, always looking for the kill at every single moment of the day for every little smallest fiber of a method for every little thing that ever crossed his mind. It was a blessing and a curse, and came from his background of having to pretty much handle responsibilities that were greater than what his age was at the time he had to... Especially with his first kills being his very own parents, of whom he found to be wicked in his own eyes. Their souls were tainted, so he killed them. It made sense, but... He'd become something that couldn't be loved, even if he was the best assassin that there was. He ran a school, he always hit his marks, was the go-to man for everything, and always came up with the correct answer... Yet, he was lonely and alone, because no one could compare, and also, no one wanted to be around him. He had to train himself to deal with seeing the souls of the afflicted and not wanting to kill them on the spot, and he'd done well thus far, but every now and then... like what had gone on with Tifa... his tongue got the best of him. Now that he was level-headed and had the answer he needed, his calm, cool and collected demeanor could return.

"... Not biting my head off? That's not like you." He took a bite of his pizza and let his lids lower back into their normal, half-open position, "That must be one tasty burger. Hahaha." He would take a sip of his lemonade, hoping that would lighten the air a bit. "... But I thought you were here to talk business, not play with your food. Don't let this moment go to waste playing games here. Never know when we'll have time like this again." With such a busy schedule in the school, specifically on Tear's end, that was a fact, and he hoped that Tifa would understand the same way.

Tifa continued to eat her burger, finally nearing the end. It seemed like she'd only just started, and now it was almost gone. What was she going to do when there was nothing left? They couldn't sit in silence for the entire rest of the meal. That wasn't what she was here for, anyway. In fact, she was almost forgetting that, in fact, getting lost in whatever this was that was going on. How did that happen, she wondered? Normally, she was more goal oriented than this, and always dead set on what she wanted. Nothing ever got in her way... But this time, this guy... Tear... And herself... Both were huge obstacles that her fists just couldn't break through. Maybe she could learn a thing or two about this... Maybe. He was a better teacher than she thought.

It wasn't until Tear broke the silence that she realized that he must have come to a similar conclusion and somewhat more swiftly than she did, and at that moment, mid-bite of her burger, she would look into his eyes and realize what he'd seen. Her own eyes widened for a moment, but she would quickly close them to prevent him from seeing anything else, and finished her bite. Using that time, she would think about what he said and smirk, still chewing, and gulp it all down. "... You're right," she finally admitted, having gathered up all the strength inside her soul to say those two little words to him; words she didn't think she'd be saying at all for any reason ever... Yet, words that required more power to say than flinging her fist. Somehow, she felt strong after that... Stronger than she'd ever been in any battle. Which incurred her to put her burger down and say flat out, "... Teach me."

Tear nearly choked on his lemonade mid-sip after hearing THOSE words come from Tifa's mouth. Hearing THAT from here was TOTALLY outside of his own calculations. "E-excuse me!?" His suddenly found calmness and collection had immediately gone right out of the window. "... What did you say to me!?"

"Teach. Me." she'd say again, this time with clearly more force and decisiveness in her voice. "Unless you think I'm too difficult to handle, or something." She chuckled to herself smugly, grabbing the little bit of her burger that was left and leaning back in her chair a bit more casually, like she liked it. "Don't be so weak." She took the last satisfying bite of her tasty burger, giving Tear a triumphant, but collected look something like he'd been so accustomed to giving her... And everyone else, really. Having him eat those words was more tasty than finishing that burger. And she got to work on her fries right after that.

Tear was dumbfounded for a good moment or two whilst she was talking, mouth hanging half open and a smirk on his face. This was simply unbelievable. And yet... This was exactly the sign of maturity in her that he had been looking for, and not expecting from her. "... Well met," he'd say, knowing when he'd lost. This was a win-lose situation for the both of them; a tie, so to speak, where the both of them came out with a gain from both submitting to the other. "Looks like you're learning already." He felt peace within himself as he took the straw to his mouth and continued to sip down his lemonade. Even he hadn't yet finished his pizza, since he was doing most of the talking to begin with. Yet, he was pleased with this outcome.

"However, I hope you realize... This isn't going to be a walk in the park." Tear already knew what to expect from Tifa, considering he'd already been dealing with it all this time. It was more about him learning to deal with himself than anything. He simply wondered if she would be able to deal with him. "... Don't expect me to go easy on you just because you've had this rather unexpected change of heart. I still meant what I said earlier about the school and the school environment, despite how convoluted it got in my own emotion." He had been speaking seriously to her the entire time, even through his quips, whips and cuts of the tongue. He was like that naturally, after having learned to tame such a thing. He could lash out a mark or two in between even the most serious situations and get away with it, which it was clear that Tifa could not quite yet do. Yet, after asking to be taken under his wing... Certainly, she would learn. He would be teaching her much more than she may have been expecting... And if she really meant what she said, then she would be great, without question. "The reason why I even insisted that you do this was because of your potential. When I see potential, I know it. I can see the soul, and yours..." He paused, looking away for a bit, and blushing, himself. "... Let's just say, there's more to you than even you're aware of, hm?" He snapped his eyes back at her and flashed his signature deadly nonchalant smile once more, then took his pizza to the mouth again, aiming to finish it off as Tifa spoke her mind.

"I know," Tifa readily admitted, finding this sort of thing to be much easier now that she'd gotten the first little bit out of the way. She wondered she it was so hard to do before. It seemed like it was a breeze now. Maybe there was something here that she wasn't quite clear on that Tear had been saying to her that she needed to pay more attention to. Then again, that's why she was gonna learn from him... And get every last little bit she needed to know. "You act like I was just gonna give up and walk away, like some weak-ass." There were plenty that had done the same to her all the time to her in the heat of a battle, and that's something she came to absolutely LOATHE in people; those who gave up and walked away when something got a little too tough for them to handle. She could barely believe that she almost became one of them, herself, to some guy like Tear. Had he really been so intimidating? Had she really tried to cover it up all this time? Well, not anymore. Tifa had her game face on and she was bringing her S-Game, since she knew that even the A-Game was too weak for someone like this. In order to be truly strong, she had to respect the strengths of another... Which made it that much easier to find their weaknesses. He was teaching her fathoms already, and she was loving every moment of it. Especially the part where she was gonna show him up and make him look an ass for underestimating her. She couldn't wait to get back to the school now. She snickered to herself, looking Tear dead in his eyes, defiantly eating her french fries.

"By the way," she had to add, munching away to her heart's desire, "You can't get all pissy like some old soccer mom if I don't get it right the first time. That's gonna piss me off." Tifa felt like she could compromise with his attitude as long as it wasn't as... overbearing as it was. "Just chill out and relax sometimes. You don't know how to cool it, and that makes other people all tense and uppity like you." She would take some of her Mt. D*w and have a sip, letting the bubbles scratch up her throat just like she liked it, "... Some people can't handle a lot of tension. Since you're so worried about your precious 'school environment,' I figured I might as well give you that little head's up. Not everyone's trying to act all... 'Professional' all the time." She took another sip, seeing how he'd take THAT type of criticism. If Tear couldn't handle criticism from the other end, then this definitely wasn't gonna work. Tifa definitely wasn't gonna get talked down to, especially if she saw that her own 'learning environment' was being compromised.

Tear couldn't help but laugh. Tifa certainly had her merit points on that explanation, and he could definitely agree to those terms. "You are definitely correct, madam," he'd say, finishing off the last little bit of his personal pizza pie, "And thank you for telling me that. Now I can tell you something about why I even do that at all." This sort of open and reciprocal communication was important for all relationships and environments, he felt, and knew, in fact, which was why he was such a stickler for them. Once Tifa started opening up and being less defiant to EVERY little thing Tear said, he could open up to her and be more pleasant and casual around her, as he was in only the privacy of his own space. He wasn't like this to anyone else, because he needed to feel that he could be more 'himself' around others, as well. "The reason why I am like that is because I expect highly of myself; so highly, in fact, that when I make a mistake, I get upset with myself the same way I do anyone else. It's not that I'm being too picky or critical to anyone in particular; it's just how I am. How I think. How I deal with myself to keep myself as sharp as a knife. And it certainly works, doesn't it?" Though, he knew why Tifa said what she did, and he certainly agreed. "Though, not everyone is me, and I cannot treat everyone as if they are, even if I expect the best out of them, the same way I do for myself." That was a serious issue that Tear had struggled with silently and unknowingly until faced with Tifa, who helped him realize. "And I thank you very much for helping me see the error of my ways." He bowed his head to her, having no problem with doing such things to anyone that helped to teach him. "You have taught me something here today about myself, as well, and it's only courteous and polite to acknowledge it, just as I would want anyone else to." Because Tear got corrected CORRECTLY so rarely, it was just a RARE sight to see him actually admitting to being wrong or telling someone else that they had done something to teach him. It wasn't that it was IMPOSSIBLE, but when people sought to do that and then ended up being wrong, themselves, Tear knew when that was so and wouldn't simply allow someone to attempt to correct him and be INCORRECT about whatever it was. Yet, he knew how to definitely bow to anyone who made him; something like a Kappa.

When he raised his head, his eyes were still as sharp and keen as daggers, and his tongue would reflect this, as he said, "You teach me and I teach you, Tifachu~?" Little things like that were his more 'casual' side, and to say them meant that he was being less 'uppity,' as she insisted. If she couldn't even handle him saying things like that, then they were going to have some issues. Just like Tifa, Tear needed to be able to express himself in an open and casual manner that was rather... unique, and sometimes difficult to deal with for people who couldn't handle it. "And yes, I did expect you to give up, for the record. Right here and right now. Ahahaha!!" He had no faith in Tifa, and that much, he would make clear without any hesitation.

Tifa was surprised at just how quickly and easily it was to get Tear to say that he was wrong about something. That made her feel reeeaaaal good, actually... And to think, if she'd never said and done what she did, she wouldn't have the satisfaction at all. She'd bask in it for a little while, feeling all sorts of inward joy which came as a pleasant smirk on her face... All up until he called her 'Tifachu.' "Thems fightin' words," she said flat out, being as straight forward as possible now, since that seemed to be the best method for dealing with Tear. "Suck my dick." Though, clearly said figuratively, she knew what she said, and would polish off her D*w right after she did.

Tear was pleased to see that her fighting spirit hadn't gone anywhere, and that now, instead of it being applied in the wrong places, it was placed properly, along with her feelings about the matter. The tension inside of him would lower, as well, and he could respond to her with a more casual response, as he actually preferred, himself. "Kiss my ass," he'd say, smiling at her.

"Spread them cheeks," Tifa retorted snappily, as if ready to go into all out war. She looked him in the eyes defiantly, as she was so accustomed to doing, and smiled right back at Tear.

"Watch your mouth..." he'd say just as quickly, as if knowing something lewd would come from it even before she had the chance to say it, "We're at the table." Despite how he was just as eager to test the limits of their bonds through war, he also was aware of other people around them and the fact that this could get out of hand rather fast if at least ONE of them weren't in control of it. "Be mindful of other people, love..." He narrowed his eyes and his own smile widened a bit, "... And save it for when we get back to the school." There, they two of them could be a little more 'casual' than they were right now in a public area. "Then, I'll really teach you a lesson... Yes?" He chuckled lightly, biting his tongue further, as he'd trained himself to do in the arts of war.

Suddenly, with a gasp, Tifa became silent. She had been ready to retort, but found that, even in her readiness, Tear was already a few steps ahead of her, having lured her into some sort of elaborate trap or some dumb shit that she only just realized when he'd found a way to lecture her and ceasefire all at the same time. She didn't know how to feel, but she'd gotten got, once again. This time, though, she'd accept it, since it was a pretty good one... Real good, in fact. "... Heh. This ain't over, slick. Not by a long shot." She finished off her fries and tapped her foot restlessly. "Let's go. Right now." She was more than ready to teach HIM a lesson now, for thinking he was such a hotshot. She NEVER turned down a fight, and him thinking he'd won was the LAST thing she wanted. She couldn't wait to get to a place where she could let loose, like she'd wanted to for so damn fucking long with no one letting her. All that 'school environment' shit was getting on her last nerves, and now that she knew she could let herself go, she wasn't gonna hold back. She would while they were in public, but not when they were alone. She wanted to give Tear a piece of her mind... And right the fuck now, in fact.

Tear muffled a chuckle, taking his sweet time finishing his lemonade. "Thirsty," he'd say with a satisfied and exasperated sigh, pointing to his drink and then setting it down. After a short pause, he'd continue, "... So hasty, this one is. We haven't even paid for the meal, yet!" He looked up to her with cattish eyes, then perked his face up cutely, something like a person straight out of an anime. Now that he was feeling more comfortable being himself around her, he could show her just how 'casual' he really was. "... But for the record, let me say this... The reason why I hold myself back in every way is... Not for the reason why you may think. I hope you're prepared to see a side of me that... No one really knows very well." Tear was an adept and keeping himself from breaking his 'calm, cool and collected' demeanor so that no one knew the TRUE face he was hiding behind it. If Tifa really wanted to see it and get to know Tear so that she and he could be as comfortable as possible, she'd have to wait until he felt comfortable enough to reveal that much to her. He was hiding it for a reason, and she would soon see... Exactly what that deep, dark, secret, hush-hush reason was.

"Tch." She caught what he did there, and it wasn't funny. But she knew exactly what WOULD be. "... Uh, I believe it's proper for the guy to take the tab, so uuuuuuh." Tifa's body suddenly started to glow briefly, but not too brightly as to cause any attention to herself. "I'll meet you there!" In a flash, she would be voided out, only to appear right back at the school, feeling better than ever... Especially knowing she got to dine and dash and leave Tear with the whole bill.

Tear chuckled to himself, shaking his head as Tifa dipped out on him. "She WOULD know something like THAT, right...?" Shrugging his shoulders and sighing, Tear would mutter to himself, "Typical Tifa... So hopeless." This time, however, there seemed to be some sort of endearment and sentiment in the phrase. He was looking forward to making her time at Pandemia a most pleasant experience from now on.

"Check, please~!"