Every now and again Yuffie wondered about what she actually contributed to her team in Radiant Gardens. She wondered what she gave to the worlds in general. It wasn't that unusual, everyone worried about whether or not they were worth anything at some point in their life, but it was rather strange to have it happen to the optimistic young ninja so frequently. It was happening increasingly too, she would be doing something totally unrelated to these upsetting thoughts, and suddenly her mind would be on them. Another rather strange thing was the angle she took on her fleeting moments of depression. Whereas most wonder simply if they are worth the oxygen they breathe- though that may be an exaggeration- Yuffie wondered why she gave what she did. Some things were obvious- she fought for her world and her people because she thought it was right, she did her turn in the washing up rota because she knew it was expected...and also probably right enough. But the biggest thing she gave to those around her was the one thing that no one ever really pin pointed that she was giving. Her seemingly eternal supply of optimism and hope were her greatest gift to the worlds, and most of them were unaware they were receiving it. It was there like oxygen and gravity. We know they exist, and keep us alive, but we rarely take a moment to thank them for it. And what a shame that none could thank her for it because it may have been the very thing that kept them going through out the long stay in Traverse Town and their battle against darkness. In the lowest, darkest times, Yuffie was as important as oxygen and gravity, she was the thing they lived and fought for. Yuffie was the light. But as it has been said, no one noticed her contribution to the multiverse except herself (and she was reluctant to point it out- she knew that it would sort of defeat the point). Well, herself and one other person in the multiverse, and he will be introduced later. As it were, he was far away and the ninja was left alone to remain burning bright. And that is right- it was burning her.
The great ninja Yuffie was lying in her bed staring at the starry painted ceiling. She had a good day; they had finally moved into the castle that had been overrun by heartless and received the news that the ice cream seller, Scrooge McDuck, had finally achieved one of his many money related dreams- he was now selling seasalt ice-cream worlds-wide. Yuffie was as addicted to the ice cream as most people her age- and all ages loved the stuff- were, and this was fabulous news. But now it came to the point when it was time to turn of the light and sleep, and Yuffie had complied with the first part. She had switched off her bedside lamp and as her room was plunged into darkness, so was her mind. It wearily turned to the thoughts she tried to ignore as it emptied itself for sleep. It was wondering as it usually did, why she always displayed herself as so happy, and why the worlds always accepted her light, and basked and were drawn to it, like moths to a flame. She used to love giving her glow to the world, and she supposed she still did. But now it just felt more. Forced. She sighed sleepily. i When did it start to happen?/i- she asked herself. iWhen did I turn from the sun that gave out light, to the moon- only a reflection?/i She smiled to herself as her eyes closed. iThough I suppose being the moon isn't too bad. It is still light in darkness, even if it is not so bright/i
When she woke up the day, Yuffie immediately remembered exactly when her shine started to become fake. It was when The Boy came from Destiny Islands, after she met him for the first time. She remembered it clearly, though she had met him since then. He was looking for a girl, Kairi. She had decided she didn't like Kairi. She rolled out of bed and got changed in her usual fast way. She bolted down the stairs into the kitchen thinking sadly- i He came back after he and his friend beat the Organization. He brought Kairi with him, but he had promised Leon when he saw him that he would come back and visit after they spent some time at home. He hadn't come back yet. /i Yuffie pulled her usual morning grin onto her face and cart wheeled over the banister into the kitchen.
"Dilly-Dally, Shilly-Shally! Hi Guys!"
Tifa dropped her coffe while Leon and Cloud actually looked up from their conversation.
"Yuffie, I swear you are the most hyper morning person I've ever met" Leon said in an even flatter voice than at a more reasonable hour.
"Naturally! I am the Great Ninja Yuffie" the latter proclaimed, twirling behind Cloud and hugging him from behind.
"So what are we doing today?" She asked through Clouds hair- only Cloud bothered trying to get her off, and even he knew it was a losing battle. As he tried to break her grip round his chest, Tifa replied to her question. Yuffie was so shocked she actually let go of Cloud.
"uNo way!/u Omigosh, I have to get ready" she screamed shooting back upstairs, narrowly avoiding knocking Aerith to the floor as she went.
There was a fairly long pause punctuated by Tifa saying with immense satisfaction- "I told you she has a crush on him"
Sora skilfully guided his two passenger gummi ship round several meteors without so much as a blink. He doubted there was much in this area of space that could surprise him now. He turned his thoughts to a more interesting topic- where he was going and why. His destination was Radiant Gardens and his reason... well, he wasn't entirely sure. He had told himself he was going to keep a promise, but while that was fair enough, he had the sneaking suspicion that there was another motive lurking. He thought he knew what it was too, but he wasn't quite ready to admit it to himself yet. He settled with the promise. i I wonder if they'll all be there./i he thought, shooting himself a pathway through a meteor he couldn't be bothered avoiding. i I mean, I suppose Cloud and Leon might be busy organizing the renovating and building, Cid will be doing usomething/u with the compute, Tifa will be stalking Cloud if he's not around. I don't know much about Aerith really...But Yuffie will be around. Hopefully. Wait, where did that come from? /i Sora shook his head. I hope they are all around. I did tell them I was coming.
He sighed softly. i When did I get all weird about stuff like that? Stuff like what...Argh, now I'm confused... /i He shook his head again to clear it. He had been feeling weird ever since they got back to the Islands. Ever since he'd actually had time to stop and think. He'd started to feel a bit of a phoney...not the whole 'Keyblade Master' shenanigan though that was a bit unbelievable. No it was more about the whole Light thing. Everyone had said he was like a representative of the light, him and Kairi. Kairi was a princess of heart, it was to be expected, but he. Well, he was a bearer of the keyblade, but still. It had started to feel like a charade he was playing to make sure no one was upset. They'd only just sorted the worlds out, no one needed random stupid hassle from the 'Chosen One' He sighed again and accelerated a bit.
i I wonder if Yuffie has missed me.../i
"Aerith!"
The brunette woman turned at hearing her name being hissed from Yuffie's room. The ninja's head was poking out from behind the door.
"Come here!" She whispered, and her face disappeared back round the door. Aerith raised an eyebrow, but walked into Yuffie's room. The door slammed closed behind her, and Yuffie jumped out from behind the door. Aerith was mildly surprised to find the young woman wearing only her knickers and bra, but didn't have time to think about it before she was forced over to the bed, where several different sets of clothes were lay out.
"Which one?" Yuffie asked, her voice low and anxious.
"Pardon?"
"I don't know what to wear" the ninja clarified, looking determinedly away from the older woman.
Aerith really was surprised this time. The great ninja Yuffie, loud and confident, sometimes slightly obnoxious, and a definite tomboy was asking her for advise on clothes?
Aerith looked blankly at the array of outfits. "That one" she said finally, pointing at a set consisting of a little blue top, with a white hood and black shorts. Yuffie dived at them and started putting them on.
"What about them?" Yuffie asked pulling her top over her head and pointing at some accessories on the floor with her foot.
Aerith obligingly inspected the gauntlets, leg warmers and all the other stuff Yuffie had displayed on the floor. She tossed the now dressed Yuffie a pair of fingerless gloves and leg warmers. Yuffie put them on and from Aerith to her selection of shoes. The ninja soon received a pair of converses and put them on.
"Thanks" Yuffie said gratefully, and then made a break for the door. Aerith was too fast for her.
"Ah, ah, ah" she teased. "Tell me why you're all worked up. You've never asked anyone for clothing advise before"
Yuffie looked at her in a way Leon would be proud of, which was far more frightening than if she had just glared.
Aerith looked at her closely. "What's the matter?"
Yuffie mumbled something incoherent.
"Yuffie..."
"It's Sora" she replied, her voice just audible.
Aerith giggled. "So Tifa was right"
Yuffie's head shot up so fast that she cricked her neck, but Aerith was already gone. Yuffie looked back forlornly to her bed and the clothes that lay on it. As she stared at them, the rough outline of an idea drifted into her mind... She smiled in a way that was half happy with her plan, but it was more obvious than it had ever been that this smile was forced. She walked back over to her bed, and swiftly started to change clothes.
A few hours later Sora was due to arrive and Aerith, Tifa, Cloud, Leon and Cid were given the shock of their lives as their little tomboy ninja shot down the stairs wearing a mini skirt and all garbed in pink.
"Bye!" she yelled over her shoulder at her usual volume but sounding slightly off.
"What the f-" Cid started bluntly but Aerith cut across him.
"Tifa?"
Tifa nodded seriously, and ran out after Yuffie. Leon and Cloud looked blankly at Aerith while Cid muttered expletives under his breath. Aerith smiled mildly at them, and promptly took off up the stairs to Yuffie's room. She saw all the clothes exactly where they'd been left, except the outfit she'd picked out which was dumped in a pile at the foot of the bed. Aerith had absolutely no idea where the pink clothes had come from. Until she noticed the a few pieces of pink and white material, that was immediately identifiable as part of one of her own dresses. There was a pair of scissors and some sewing equipment as well as a bag that was crammed with other pink clothing that Yuffie had apparently stolen. Well, who knew she could sew? Aerith flew back down the stairs and outside.
"%£&$%# women" Cid said flatly.
Yuffie ran through Radiant Gardens towards the town's only gummi hanger. She could hear another set of footsteps behind her, and someone calling her name. She didn't want Sora to see her being chased, and certainly didn't want him hearing the questioning she was undoubtedly about to be subjected too.
Groaning in an apparently uncharacteristic manner, she slowed and turned round to face Tifa. She felt herself blush as the older woman looked her up and down, a frown on her face. She felt stupid wearing a skirt, stupid wearing these shoes, and stupid stupid stupid for wearing all pink.
"Okay Yuffie, what the hell?" Tifa asked bluntly.
Yuffie grinned her well rehearsed cheerful smile. "Thought I go for a new look. What's the thing you say when you want us to move on? Dilly-dally-"
"Yuffie" Tifa said warningly.
Yuffie pulled an exasperated, and annoying face, then smiled brightly. " Bye now"
Tifa caught her white hood, and pulled her back. "If you're trying to impress Sora, why don't you go as yourself?"
Not really that surprised that Tifa had caught on so swiftly, Yuffie shrugged and the face she concealed from the world seeped out. Her eyes lost their sparkle, and she no longer looked like she was up in the clouds, without even her feet brushing the ground.
"He fell for Kairi like this didn't he?"
Tifa's grip loosened, because of her expression or words Yuffie couldn't tell, but she seized the moment to dart away, and this time she didn't stop.
Sora hopped out his gummi and looked around with a smile of happiness. It felt good to be back in Radiant Gardens after so long. He was looking forward to seeing his friends again. He walked off, towards the part of town they lived in, and was promptly knocked off his feet by a pink blur.
"Sorry Sora!" Yuffie stuttered from her position lying on his chest. She sprang to her feet as soon as she realised this, but she stubbornly refused to blush.
Sora gaped in a shell shocked manner at the girl before him. She giggled nervously, and span round.
"What do you think?" she asked, flicking a pink band that took the place of her normal dark coloured head band.
"You look nice" Sora replied promptly, who knew perfectly well what to answer if a girl asked you that question. He was rewarded with a bright smile, and Yuffie pulled him to his feet.
"Not too bad yourself" the ninja smiled, taking a moment to look Sora up and down. His outfit had changed since she last saw him, but it was still following a black and a few other colours scheme, and an unreasonable amount of belts.
"So how's everyone here?"
"Oh they're fine!" Yuffie said animatedly, and immediately plunged into a detailed recount of everything and everyone in Radiant Gardens. Sora was more than happy to listen to her talk; it gave him a little while longer to digest her new outfit- which if he was honest looked horrible on her, of course wild chocobo's would not have dragged the information out of him. It also meant that he might be able to avoid the slightly awkward question of-
"So how are the Islands? How's Riku?"
"Oh, they're all good too" Sora answered, not offering any more information. Yuffie had led him down a little side street and into a seemingly deserted house.
"Where are we going, Yuff?" Sora asked, looking uncertainly at the houses gloomy interior.
"My secret spot. All worlds have a little place where friends hang out. You should know that Mr Chosen One" Yuffie teased. Then her smile faltered.
"Oh, how's, um, Kairi?"
"Oh" Sora felt a twinge in his stomach and he wasn't really sure why. "Well she's fine. We've kinda, broken up though"
Yuffie stopped short, but Sora didn't notice. He had just walked into the house's lone clean room and was slightly overawed.
It was a nice room, and bore all the signs of use a good den has. The walls had been painted purple, rugs were thrown haphazardly all over the place and there were lots of comfy cushions scattered about and all looked well worn. She'd drawn all over the walls.
"Wow, Yuffie how many people use this place?"
Yuffie didn't respond.
Sora looked back and was surprised to see her still standing in one of the other rooms.
"Yuff?"
She didn't respond.
Walking over to her Sora snapped his fingers just before her face. She still did nothing. Sora was just getting worried when she let out a suppressed squeal. She moved her face round to look at him and gave him a very real extraordinarily bright smile.
Sora blinked, and gave a confused grin in return. Then he arched an eyebrow in astonishment as Yuffie let out a wail.
"I cut up Aerith's second favourite skirt!"
"...Err, what?" Sora asked blankly.
"I cut up Aeriths skirt to make this one" Yuffie explained anxiously, gesturing down at her body. "And you don't even, urgh I hate wearing skirts!"
Sora was more than a little bit lost at this point. He watched Yuffie squirm in aggravation and apparently repress a scream.
"..So why did are you wearing one?"
"'Cos I thought if I dress up like Kairi, you'd like me better!" the ninja clapped her hands over her mouth.
Sora looked at her dumbly. "What?"
"...I didn't mean to say that" she said through her fingers.
Sora started to laugh.
"Don't laugh at me!" Yuffie ordered, sniffing.
"I-I'm Sor-ry" Sora choked out. "But it's just...funny"
"It is?"
"You- You-" Sora noticed that Yuffie was looking crushed. He stopped laughing and straightened up.
"Not that you like me. Just that you thought that I'd like you better as a Kairi clone. I honestly don't think I could like you better no matter what you did"
It took Yuffie a few seconds to properly digest what had been said. When it did she let out a completely un-reserved shriek of delight and flung her arms around Sora. The boy hugged her back in a slightly bemused fashion. Simultaneously, both of the teenagers faces broke into identical smiles. True smiles that lit the room and would have almost physically blinded anyone that happened to be there with them.
Outside of the room, Aerith and Tifa looked interestedly at the edges of the closed door; light was glowing out from the edges.
"That's so cute" Tifa grinned.
"Yes...Wait, did she say she cut up my clothes?"