Author's Note: This story happened about a year after Dirge of Cerberus; in this first chapter, it circulates around my character. This whole story is not really only about my character. It's mainly about someone else. However, i can't tell you because it will ruin/spoil you what's going to happen in the plot. i can say that a lot people like this character. Just dust to warn you, this story has sexual content. Plus, it will maybe have a little fluffy yaoi in the future chapters. yaoi is not my thing, but it might be added in anyway for some random reason. i hope you'll enjoy the story. i don't own Final Fantasy VII or it's characters except for Maiya Harada. For a another quick warning, this chapter is not proofread, however, hopefully in the next chapter it will be.

Put all the past in a box and seal it with shrink-wrap
Send it away to a place you'll never go
Smash all the glass that is keeping you trapped in a bottle
Take your first cold breath of hope
-- Melissa O'Neil

LUXAETERNA
06.03.09

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CHAPTER O N E :
…"worries"

The cobblestone streets of Midgar were filled with such white and beautiful snow -- much more than just beautiful. The grizzled aisles of the streets made it look as if they were just mounds of silver diamonds. It was certainly the perfect time for the children to go out and have fun. During the season of Winter, a lot of children loved this kind of time to go and play; there had to be so many out there who are playing in the snow at this time.

Of course, nearby was the two well-known children in the names by Marlene and Denzel who are doing the same. They seemed so happy as they giggled through the cold and stiff wind, they were warm enough in their appropriate clothing for this right weather. It didn't seem too cold for them because of that. A young brunette woman chuckled as Denzeldeliberately threw a perfect-shaped snowball at a young redheaded young man's clean face. This was certainly something to laugh about; he shivered vigorously through the great cold, the look on his face was really priceless. Before he could react, a batty girl's voice purposely laughed at him. She sounded heavy and coarse like sand paper. Of course, it wouldn't be that difficult to figure out who it was . . . Yuffie Kisaragi.

It was not that hard. She was known as the perky ninja. She was the most cheerful one of them all. She always was the one to even do prank calls on crews cellphone when she has 'nothing else to do' in her spare time. The young man growled viciously to her laughter. He could not think of anything that was more annoying than hearing that laughter she always seems to have when she like seeing him get humiliated in some kind of way. It pisses him a lot sometimes when she acts that way. It was hard to believe that he was used to the kind of behavior she was at. It was just more than revolting to him; it was more of a disgusting way for a woman her age to act. Sure, now he's acting like he's father now judging the hyper girl for who she was. The wandering of her voice kept running through his mind.

"Yo, what are you laughing for little girl?" His words weren't as harsh as they seemed. He wasn't every angry; it was nothing to get too over-reacted about, but at the same time he felt like she was a bumblebee that was flying on his face and just wouldn't leave him alone, but he felt that he had to ask the question to the girl because it wasn't funny to him. Though, there was one thing that made the girl confused. She has not asked it yet, but there was something obvious about what Reno was forgetting. His words were not as clean as soap, but they weren't dirty as a pig in mud.

Here they go. Yuffie might be really in a nasty mood to be bickering at him in the moment. Did he even think about if she was going to start her anger management rant at him or what it because he didn't care at all? He knew a lot of things that the girl despised . . .

"Hey, you better watch it!" Yuffie flew the cap from her head to the frosted ground angrily.

". . . I'll have you know that I'm twenty-one years old, you idiot!" She almost sent her angry balled fist into the redheaded man's clean face to make a spotless hit. She just wanted to pound his face in instantly and call it a day quickly. She did not like it all when people would call her names such as that. She would not be afraid to knock anyone out if she felt in the need to. She doesn't care if it's deliberately or not, it's fun to her getting somebody hurt for making her into a batty and frenzy. Having her into a cheeky smile would be much better than bringing a mess outside.

"Yuffie said a bad word!" Denzel and Marlene pointed at Yuffie accusingly. Yuffie couldn't react harshly against the two, because they were both still young children even though they were ten years old. The two kids seemed to love getting the ninja into trouble.

It's as if it was for entertainment for them to watch and laugh at -- this usually causes the girl to blush in embarrassment, and sometimes anger in certain times that they wish to see her get angry at them. Imagine it: the two children getting a skilled ninja woman angry. Doubtful as it is, they don't seem to think about what she can do to them for that. What was more irritating? Listening to Reno bickering or the children? Yuffie huffed and puffed at the two children.

Ridiculous.

"I think you two should be nice to each other for a change. It's almost Christmas and you two are certainly not giving great examples on how to being good people." The two of them groaned in nuisance. They wouldn't even want to think of being nice to each other, especially their circumstances between the both of them. This made them think hard. Why would they want to do that?

"Come on, Tifa. You're treating us like little kids." Yuffie hissed in almost anger. Her eyes were flashing for a moment at her. She disliked it when everyone would judge 's like every member was treting her as if they were the parent of a child.

Yuffie whinnied like a child as she slapped her cap back on and groaned at the scene that seemed so boring to her. It felt as if nothing interesting was happening at the moment and she didn't like how dull it was. She groaned as she felt her stomach getting infested with butterflies that just feel as if they were haunting her, She was apparently not nervous because of the kids—it was something else causing her to be agitated, but she just can't put her finger on it. No, it was not Reno either. That man's eyes is brown—not crimson red like bright roses. It had something to do with a certain man with such cold deep crimson eyes. They belonged to a seemingly a man's of course. Yuffie cursed out a few words, her stomach churning faintly with worry that no one would actually sense how she actually felt.

It was not the behavior she was supposed to have as a young adult. She pretty much didn't care because she was used to the habit of her cocky attitude around almost everyone. The group in name of Avalanche was always adapted to the behavior, so it was not much of a bothersome when they knew her at first; there are even times when they even have to 'torture' her in order to snap of it. Hell, she will never change how she is. She will always be the same as always to herself. Yuffie Kisaragi is the hyper-knuckle head to the family.

"Hey!" The two children felt a little offended by the statement she blurted out in front of them carelessly. To them it was an insult; they disliked at how Yuffie would use them as her excuse model for when Tifa tries to straighten what she's doing is wrong. This certainly didn't look good; it was almost Christmas, and they're already starting their little argument fest too soon. It was revolting.

Inside the home where the Avalanche lived, there was a young redheaded woman laying her lazy head against the comfortable cotton mattress of her quiet room. Her angelic face showed no emotion—nothing but sadness filled in her bright emerald green crystal eyes. The innocent look in her eyes made it look as if she were going to cry. It was not because she was so bored—it was more than that. There is so many things missing in her life. People around her are always telling her to move on. She can't . . . she just can't . . .

There are images of a raven-haired man popping in her head. Those were memories of her laughing, crying and being comforted by him made her smile a bit. Even by the first time they met, he mentioned his name by Zack Fair. Why isn't he here now?

Of course he isn't here . . .

He's dead . . .

Maiya subconsciously crinkled her nose in disgust at the horrifying memory. She wanted to let more tears fall down her cheeks, but she made a promise to Zack that she will try to move on in life, no matter how hard it may seem. While she sat on the bed, she wrapped her arms around herself, rocking gently. The memories—the memories that haunt her would always keep coming back. Her heart is now crying, telling herself to calm down.

Everything's going to be alright.

Right, everything is not going to be alright . . .

Her thoughts were jarred off a bit, noticing a pure white cat balling itself, after hopping on to the redheaded woman's bed to meet her arms. Sighing softly, the woman's emerald blue eyes met the white fur that belonged to the mammal. The animal's eyes seemed to be so much like hers. The green emerald that she bore on her forehead showed the resemblance.

"May." the female mammal called out her name telepathy and sadly. Her lips were not moving through this.

"You have not said a word since this morning, nor have you spent time with the others. What has happened to the Maiya I'm used to?"

The question seemed to have taken a while for her to respond to judging by the hesitance she had in her innocent crystal blue eyes. Maiya couldn't tear his gaze away. Shee kept the usual uncaring expression on her face, but on the inside, it's obvious that she's crushed.

"I don't really see any hope for me. What's the point of it? I'm missing so many things in life now." She stared at the empty space in front of her. I'm a freak, a mistake. She told herself.

Her voice sounded so weak and hopeless. She sat up on the comfortable mattress and groaned a bit annoyed. Minerva shook her small fluffy head in disagreement. She didn't like seeing the girl this way. She seemed so happy from the beginning and now she almost seeming like she's giving up so easily. To the looks of things, it looked as if everything was pitch black inside her own mind. His stormy eye, the only one visible since his silver bangs cascaded down to cover his right eye. Now she's reminded of Sephiroth. "I miss him a lot," she began again and Minerva didn't want to hear this, listen to her sorrows, like little nails that pinched everywhere, pulling this way and that, hesitant, yet sharp all the same.

"That kiss," Minerva's adult voice reminded her. This caused her to become wide-eyed. "Don't you remember that kiss that Zack grant to you before his last breath? It was not just some kiss, Maiya; it was also a promise for you to move on."

Maiya swallowed hard on her throat. Not only was the cat right, she wanted to know how did she know her 'little secret'. After thinking about this, vivid on pink blush appeared on her cheeks. Surprisingly, a smile curved on her pink-tinged lips, oceanic blue eyes shining brightly before she sighed.

"You're right. I can't just keep living this way. Thank you Mini." She giggled as she sat the cat down on the burgundy carpet floor. The woman knew she had a reason to change her mind. Her pretty eyes fluttered open slowly, When she smiled; Maiya's smile is all pearly-white teeth and bigbig heart and so much brighter than her own. she already seemed happy. It was better then to just stay sad all the time.