walking proud
| 私の唇がひとつ嘘をついた それは些細な理由からで 誰の為でもなく ただ愚かな自分を 守る為だったんだろう |
My lips told a lie For a trivial reason I suppose it was for no one else But only to protect me When I was thoughtless |
When Tifa first encounters Cloud in Midgar, she is understandably troubled by his strange behavior; even more peculiar is his insistence that they -- two people who barely knew one another in youth and had parted ways so long ago -- are dear friends. Not sure of what to do, she politely agrees and decides to stay in his company. As time flows on, and Cloud's confidence continues to build, Tifa begins to accept his intricate fantasy world. Before she knows it, she too is living a dream.
| そんな道の途中現実から逃れた あらゆる痛みからも逃げた 今はこんなだけど いつか理想通りの 自分になるのだからと |
But I escaped from reality Escaped from all the pain I said to myself I'll be my ideal self some day Though I'm far from that now |
Even though Tifa has a grasp on the real events that transpired in Nibelheim and she has enough wits about her to know Cloud is not the SOLDIER he claims to be, she continues to feed his delusion as if it were fact, a seemingly innocent act of appeasement that eventually leads to Cloud's traumatic and (partially) coma-inducing revelation. Even if such harm was not intended, the damage is done, and Tifa's shoulders sag with tremendous guilt as she sits by his bed side, watching him deteriorate before her very eyes.
It is easy to toss the blame around; rapping her on the wrist and scolding her for her carelessness is the first conclusion at which many players arrive. Some feel the need to write her off completely, claiming she is nothing short of selfish for taking such a passive approach to her mentally unstable acquaintance. If Tifa were perfect, she would have gotten him help. If Tifa were perfect, she would not have embraced the illusionary life Cloud had constructed, rather she would have done everything in her power to shake the foundations of this dream world and set things straight.
It is easy to brand her a coward for not taking the bull by the horns and tackling the problem as soon as it presented itself, but the fact stands that Tifa is not perfect. She is only human, and the power of foresight is rarely on her side. However, even Tifa is not always content with this explanation, and she realizes that it takes more than a mournful apology and a guilty conscience to cover an ugly error.
| こんな声は届きますか 君の胸へ響きますか 君の背を生きる道しるべに 今日も歩いてます |
Does this voice reach you? Does it ring in your heart? I'm walking on today Looking at your back as a guidepost to live. |
What truly defines Tifa is not the allegedly aloof treatment of Cloud and his state of mind, but how she resolves to claw her way back out of the hole she has dug. She may not have been able to gauge the seriousness of the situation when it first surfaced, but now that it borders dangerously close to spinning out of control, she is not content to sit on the sidelines. Tifa is a woman of strong spirit and resolve; she does not wallow in self-pity, nor does she wither away when the going gets rough. She firmly declares that she will do anything she can to help Cloud recover. Whether that entails taking him by the hand and guiding him through his memories as they really happened or just sitting by as a ready shoulder to lean on, Tifa silently swears to be where she is needed most.
To accept that she has made a mistake is one thing, but to stand up and do something about it is another. The fact that she is able to push aside the unbearable guilt and do all in her power to set things right is a true measure of character. It is because of this that Tifa is able to walk on with her head held high in the face of all the opposes her, even if such barriers were originally constructed with her own hands.
Inspired by Ayumi Hamasaki's "walking proud" (MY STORY ); popular unofficial translation courtesy of Divine Ayu.
NEVER EVER is a fansite designed and maintained by Stacey Anne and is in no way affiliated with Square Enix, Sony, Ayumi Hamasaki or Avex. No infringement is intended with the making of this site; this is just the work of a fan wishing to share her appreciation. All lyrics featured on the site written by Ayumi Hamasaki; translations courtesy of Divine Ayu and Centigrade-J.