Author's notes: YES! I know! I rewrote the beginning of the story again. I took yet a different approach, and I like this the best. So I promise, promise, promise not to delete it and rewrite it again!!!!!! Please forgive me! – Begs for forgiveness. – Anyway, usual disclaimer applies.

All Creation

Chapter 1 – Is This Goodbye?


Yuffie Kisaragi stepped into her hometown on Wutai, after two years of not having seen her village at all. Her father had called her back to discuss private matters, concerning her, her country, her people, and what she owed them. The place looked different, of course. For the longest time, her hometown was just ruins; remains of the huge metropolis of Wutai after the Shinra-Wutai War… a war most people referred to as The Meaningless War, from fifteen years past. She remembered when Wutai was that metropolis that expanded the entire continent; all the structures were lit up at night, and everyone was happy and busy. Since, only a handful of buildings had remained and though most of the huge population remained, most had moved on from Wutai to start new lives. But… "Godo must have really outdone himself this time." She commented as she walked through a hometown that was much different. She was astounded at how much her hometown grew and how many people had migrated back within the last two years she had been away working for the World Regenesis organization. It was amazing. Not quite the pre-war city it had once been, but it was pretty damn close. People also seemed generally happier. She smiled. This was the way she wanted to see her people; happy and full of pride. As she made her way towards the Pagoda, passersby would greet her by saying, "Lady Yuffie," or "Lady Kisaragi," or "Miss Yuffie," or things along the lines of those. She hated the formalities with a passion, but at this time she didn't mind because her people were happy and her country was prosperous once again. She walked up the steps and into the pagoda, expecting to see old man Gorky sitting there in his sea foam green yukata, sipping green tea. But instead she saw a man, younger, attractive, with long pinstraight black hair and amber-colored eyes. At first, she was reminded of someone else, but then realized the facial features were much different. He wore a traditional yukata, blue in color and tied shut with a gray obi. His silky black hair laid freely on his shoulders.

"Can I help you?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. Who was this man, and where the hell was old man Gorky? They were the questions running through Yuffie's mind.

"I'm here to see my father. Who the hell are you and where is Gorky?" Yuffie responded, ice in her voice.

"Lady Yuffie, forgive me. I didn't recognize you." He eyed up her outfit; mini shorts and a purple tube top, and combat boots. Completely underdressed for a Wutaian woman, especially one of her status. The only part that he was sure of was her Wutaian facial features, and such charisma could have only made her part of the Kisaragi bloodline. But where was her elaborate kimono? Yuffie didn't like the look on his face at all and generally recieved bad vibes from him. "Where are my manners, Lady Yuffie? My name is Mujou, and I am the former leader of the Wutaian Ninja assassins." Yuffie narrowed her eyes slightly. She knew of the Ninja Assassins. They were the Wutaian equivalent of the Turks. "Fortnight's past, Lord Gorky played his hand at death and lost. Lord Godo appointed me to the Pagoda of the Five Gods."

Yuffie frowned. "So, old man Gorky finally croaked? Damn, I'll miss the guy." She headed to the stairs, when he stepped and blocked the doorway from her. "Excuse me…?" She raised an eyebrow at him as he grabbed a hold of her hand, gently rubbing it.

"I never met the Princess in person before…" He looked up at her. She recognized the look of hunger in his eyes. "You are much more beautiful than the stories entailed. You are the embodiment of perfection, Lady Yuffie…" She didn't like the compliments one bit and yanked her hand out of his grasp.

"I don't think you are in any position to address me in such a way…" She pushed him aside and headed up the stairs, shaking off the effects from his advancement. On the next floor, she saw bratty little Shake doing okay. She always wondered how one so young could have been appointed to the Pagoda of the Five Gods. Thinking of Shake, her thoughts then turned to Shelke… who made Shake seem completely tolerable, and even nice. "Pfft… gimme a break." She said to herself. But her thoughts stopped there, because thinking of Shelke would make her think of him… And she hated to think about him…Even though he had, in fact, accompanied her to Wutai, even though he was waiting for her right now, she hated to admit her feelings for him. She shook the thoughts away, and ascended up the stairs further, passed Chekov on the third floor, and Staniv on the forth floor, who both seemed to be doing okay as well. As she climbed the forth staircase to the fifth floor to where her father awaited, she swallowed. She hesitantly walked into the room, facing her father who was sitting in the front center of the room, drinking green tea from a ceramic cup, wearing a dark green yukata, tied with a yellow obi. His face was round, which slightly pointed out at the chin, and he had some facial hair and wrinkles. His graying hair was pulled back, out of his face.

"Yuffie…" He said firmly, acknowledging her presence. She flinched slightly. She knew she was in for some kind of lecture. "You are not to return to WRO."

"What?" She knew Godo refused to cooperate with the WRO, mainly because it's head was former Shin-Ra executive Reeve Tuesti. Yuffie tried on many occasion to convince her father Reeve was a good person and was only concerned about peoples' safety and the world's health, but he was a brick wall, and held hatred for all things Shin-Ra related.

"You are nearly twenty years old. You are to prepare for your coming of age ceremony on your twentieth birthday, and then you will be eligible for…-"

"Ascendancy, right?" Yuffie mocked. "Yeah, yeah. I know. You're not getting any younger, right? It's the same old speech." She sighed. She hated to admit it, but her father was right. No more WRO. No more playing tricks on unsuspecting travelers in the middle of the woods. No more helping Tifa out with her bar. And most of all, no more Vincent Valentine. Well, it wasn't like he returned her feelings. There was no way she could possibly put a dent in the love he still had for Lucrecia Crescent, the woman who had betrayed him, but she was just content being near him, but now that she had to assume her responsibilities, it was all about to change. No more fooling around, she sighed. The next thing she knew, she was in tears, and running out of the pagoda, as her father called out after her, but she didn't stop. She didn't listen. She continued to run, through town, passed all the huge structures, passed curious gazes, and up the Da Chao mountain pass. At the top, she kneeled down in front of a gravestone, a saying carved into it, 'Our Beloved Empress, Lady Natsumi. May her soul be at peace in the lifestream..' "Mommy…" She sobbed, leaning against the tombstone. Brightly colored flowers surrounded the grave, and Yuffie's tears landed on their petals. She then felt a hand place itself on her shoulder, and she looked up in a teary gaze to see her raven-haired, crimson-stained man before her. "Vincent…" She whispered within her sobs.

"Are you alright, Yuffie…?" He asked gently. His face held no emotion, but worry was plainly obvious in his eyes. How could she tell him he would have to go back alone… "Yuffie, you'll feel much better if you say what's wrong…"

Yuffie remained silent and stood up. "… It's nothing… I just…"

"You were laying; hugging onto your mother's grave and sobbing. Did your father say something to upset you?"

Yuffie sighed. "No, more like… Wutaian tradition slapping me in the face. I'm almost twenty… I have to prepare for my coming of age trials and assume my position as Empress of Wutai…" She sighed. "In short, I won't be able to go back to Kalm..." …With you…

Vincent nodded. "Understandable."

Yuffie searched his face for any sign of emotion, but found none. How silly of her to think Vincent would have cared they would never see each other again.

"Is there anything else troubling you?" He asked.

"Absolutely, positively not." She said, walking passed him, but he could read her like an open book. "It's getting late. Would you like to crash at my place and rest, and then call Cid in the morning?"

He nodded and turned to follow the ninja princess. However, she was unaware the sudden turn of events was aching him on the inside. He'd be a fool to let that weakness show through though.