Prologue

As the sun reached the horizon, it turned a deep shade of yellow, matching the varying shades of orange painting the skyline. Godo stood on his balcony at the highest level of the Pagoda, enjoying the view, and sipping a cup of tea. Leafy green trees stretched far out of town, and beyond them he could see a sliver of ocean.

This was the most peaceful parts of his days. As long as the sky was clear, he would be found in the spot he was in now, just watching.

The peace was broken by a voice behind him.

"My lord?"

"Yes, Gorky?"

"A courier has come with a package for you."

Godo looked over his shoulder at him for a moment, and sighed. He took a longing glance at the view, before turning and heading inside. "Fine, fine. Send them up."

After a few minutes of waiting inside, Godo saw a pale, eastern lad who couldn't have been more than seventeen jogging up the last of the steps. In his hand, he clutched a manila envelope. Through quiet pants, he said, "From President Shinra, sir." The young courier handed it over, and made a quick exit.

His curiosity heightened, he unwrapped the string from the button closure on the envelope as he moved toward his desk. He set his tea down, and shook the folder a bit; several photos spilled out. Before he could get a good look at them, his desk phone rang shrilly, and he answered it quickly in a formal Wutaian greeting.

He got a response in the harsh dialect of the far eastern continent. "Goddamn it, man, speak Midgardian!"

Godo's jaw clamped shut. It had been several months since he'd last spoken to the President. He always seemed to get just enough time to clear his mind of the man, before President Shinra would call on him again. "My apologies. Good evening, sir. Or is it morning there?"

"Now is not the time for small talk. I trust you received the photos?"

Godo spread the photos out on his desk, to get a better look. "Yes, the boy just left." It was a series of photos of his daughter, with an interesting group of people. She was hunched over a lion creature's flaming tail, seemingly trying to keep warm. In the last few, she turned to look directly at the lens, showing the photographer her middle finger in the final image. Godo frowned. "What is this?"

"Those are photos of a known anti-Shinra terrorist group. I'm sure you heard about the tragedy that befell Sector 7."

"I did."

"They are the ones responsible."

"You're not suggesting that Yuffie was involved!" Godo ran a hand down his face. How Yuffie was stupid enough to get mixed up with a group like that was beyond him.

"Oh no, of course not," said the President, "Yuffie fell in with these criminals after they escaped Midgar, but even still, the idea that your daughter may be aiding them-"

"I doubt Yuffie would be capable of aiding anyone. It's a surprise they haven't abandoned her somewhere already."

"All the same," the President continued. "You can imagine how troubled I was to learn that the heir to the Kisuragi dynasty has fallen in with that lot. I can only assume your daughter shares their sentiments regarding my company."

"My daughter is a simpleton and a thief. She's probably trying to swindle them. Likely unsuccessfully. As my daughter, she is my concern. Not yours."

"Unfortunately, those terrorists are my concern."

"If you want to hurt the terrorists, the best thing to do would be to leave Yuffie with them. No doubt she'll do nothing but cause them grief."

"This is no time for jokes, man!" said the President. "You could imagine how terrible I would feel if something were to happen to your poor little Yiffie."

Godo struggled to keep the sarcasm from his voice. "I'm sure."

"Something must be done about your daughter. For all I know she could be using her position as princess to rally the people of Wutai to AVALANCHE'S cause. We do not want a rebellion on our hands, do we now?"

For the first time in years, Godo was feeling protective of his daughter. Regardless of how formal their relationship had become over the years, she was still his family, the only family that he had left. "Mr. President, please. My daughter has nothing to do with whatever schemes AVALANCHE may be hatching."

"You've no need to worry. I would never try to hurt your daughter. As a father myself I know that occasionally teenagers can make poor choices..."

Godo was relieved, but did not relax just yet. "You obviously have an idea of how you want this to be handled."

"Quite right, my good man. As I mentioned I am a father and I know that idle youths can turn their boredom towards less than productive ends. You know, my son is nearly twenty-five-years-old and I think it's time he started a family of his own."

Fortunately, the President was not there to witness the look of total bewilderment that crossed the leader of Wutai's face. "You're... not... you couldn't possibly be suggesting..."

"Why not? Are you saying your daughter is too good for my son?"

Of course she was. "Of course not!"

"Then what's the problem?"

"To be quite frank, I would worry for your son's safety." Godo wouldn't wish his daughter on anyone, including his worst enemy. He took a sip of his tea.

"Oh, Rufus is a big boy. He can handle himself. Besides, aren't Wutain women trained to be good obedient wives, pouring tea and all that." Godo began to choke, tea spewing from his mouth and spattering all over his desk. The President ignored the coughing fit and continued to speak. "Threaten her with dishonor or something. Honestly Godo, I thought you'd be more excited. Can't you picture it? Your grandchildren, heirs to Shinra."

Godo responded with silence, distracted by keeping his lunch down.

Ignoring the lack of response, the President went on. "We'll join our lands forever, this marriage will ensure a lasting peace, and we both want that."

As much as he hated to say it, it did make sense, when put like that. "I... don't know what to say."

"You could start by thanking me for the honor I'm giving Yippie... Yappie... your girl. She needs to learn responsibility, and what better way than serving her people as the mother of their bright future?"

Godo had always both hated and admired President Shinra's ability to make even the worst plan sound like it had value. He was disturbed to find himself actually considering the possibility. Something held him back, though. He and his daughter had never particularly gotten along, but that didn't mean he had to hand her off to a younger version of the man they mutually detested. "I've never even met your son. I'd imagine he's taken after you?"

The President sighed impatiently. "I can schedule a meeting, if that is important to you. I thought arranged marriages were traditional in your country."

"Generally the children know each other, at least. And we do not force marriage upon them. They must agree, and I'm afraid Yuffie will not."

"Can't you control your own child?"

Godo took an irritated look at the photos before him. "Obviously not."

"If your own daughter doesn't respect you, how do you to expect to be the figurehead of a country?"

Godo went pale. "Sir, I-"

"But I understand, my Rufus has been quite a handful himself. Children... they just need a firm hand. They need to learn that there are consequences. When my Turks located AVALANCHE they could have killed the lot of them then, but fortunately they recognized your daughter and held off the attack. Now I'm not suggesting that marrying my son is a form of punishment, but I would be inclined to be more lenient if she's cooperative."

"What happens if I say no?"

"Then her death will be broadcast on international television. The choice is yours."