A/N:

I like this concept. So I'm continuing this story, despite the lack of reviews. And I'll keep writing it until my brain decides it's over. I want to thank PhsycopathicHeartbeat for reviewing :D It got me started on this story again.

And thanks to everyone who reads!


There was a collective silence between everyone at that moment. Even Red XIII, who was usually calm and collected, seemed to be nervous at the idea that their partner was already handpicked for them. Tifa stiffened at the thought herself. It wasn't like she didn't get along with anyone in their group; she just would have preferred someone rather specific…

"Oh God. Please not Yuffie."

The ninja hit the pilot in retort.

"I assure you that none of you are being forced into this situation at all. If for any reason…"

"Well hell then, I'm out."

Reeve blinked, "Already Cid?"

"Hell yes, already. Me and Shera got some other stuff to deal with."

Yuffie sniffed, "Like what? Gotta build another useless fleet?"

The older pilot just grumbled, "And besides. I rather get in on this action than be the horses you're betting on."

"Well…I guess I'll just take Cait Sith out and move Cid's partner to Cait Sith's…"

Cloud was losing patience, "Reeve, can you just tell us?"

"Now wait, I don't like leaving Marlene again. If Cid's out, I'm getting out too." Barret crossed his arms in pure determination.

Reeve sighed, "This is turning out well…but okay Barret…then I'll put Cait Sith back in with…"

"Oh! Barret, you can take Denzel too, can't you? He misses Marlene."

"Yeah, yeah. Sure, Teef. Want me to take them to Gold Saucer? It'll be a nice little…"

"HEY!"

Barret stopped talking, seeing the short ninja become a little red from the sudden outburst. Yuffie straightened out her tube top and placed her hands on her hips, obviously a little frustrated. "If you don't mind, I'm kind of really curious who I am going to be trekking around the world with, am I right Chocobo Head?"

He didn't comment, but he couldn't help his eyes flash in a certain someone's direction for a split second. Yuffie continued, "So…if you all could just SHUT UP and stop dropping out, maybe we could let Reeve finish, okay?"

The group simultaneously nodded, still shocked that Yuffie actually put so much interest into this little hunt. Cloud shrugged to himself. Must be the materia.

Reeve smiled, obviously pleased he would get to continue. "Thank you, Yuffie. Okay. Since Cid and Barret have dropped out, that still leaves us with an even number. Now, I think the teams will try to be as fair as possible, so Nanaki, if you don't mind taking Cait Sith since he can't really move well on his own."

Red XIII nodded, "Of course. Cait Sith has accompanied me before. It'd be an honor to work with you again, Reeve."

"Hey, Hey! Is that really fair, Reeve? You control Cait Sith, and you're the one making this hunt!"

"I assure you I don't know where any of the materia is, hence the reason for this hunt."

The obviousness shut the ninja up quickly, "Right…anyway…continue."

"Yuffie, I thought it would be best if I paired you with…"

"Vinnie!"

Reeve narrowed his eyes at what he was clearly not going to say, but soon realized that the ninja wasn't suggesting the idea, but simply noticed that the red caped man was approaching them, gun holster and Cerberus still at his side. She continued towards him and even gave the dark man a quick hug. "…Yuffie."

"Glad you could make it Vince! Reeve is apparently sending us on some sort of hunt."

Vincent nodded, "So I've heard." His red eyes flashed to the WRO commissioner. "I hear you have a partner for me?"

"Right, yes. Now if I can finally finish, I decided to put you with Cloud."

The blond could hear the ninja's jaw crack. "No, no. I was the first not to shotty the angsty boy."

"I think he meant me, Yuffie." Vincent's deep voice replied.

That relieved Cloud a little. Sure, Vincent wouldn't have been his first choice, but it would have been a lot easier than going on a materia hunt with Yuffie. Reeve was smiling to himself. "Yes, it can be like a 'boys vs. girls' hunt. Sound fun?"

Yuffie didn't look pleased at all. Her face twisted from her energetic smile into a distorted grimace. Cloud didn't exactly know what was going on with the ninja, but she wasn't too thrilled to have Tifa as a partner for one thing. Though Tifa just smiled towards Yuffie, "This will be fun, won't it Yuffie?"

"Yeah, yeah, Teef. Real great." She directed her attention back to the WRO commissioner. "Those teams final?"

He ignored the question. "Let's meet at WRO headquarters a week from today, okay? Whoever has the most materia wins the prize."

Tifa blinked, "What prize?"

"That's still to be determined. Good luck! You can begin the hunt as soon as the party ends!" Reeve gave one last pat to Cait Sith and placed the robotic cat on Red XIII's back before walking back to his employees.

Cloud didn't know what to say. It was all kind of sudden…this quest…if it even could be called that. It's more like a game. And he wasn't exactly sure he had time for games. He was finally settling into his life here in Edge. No more reasons to feel guilty or run away. He was finally ready to just live at home with Denzel and Tifa like a proper family. Well as close as I'm going to get anyway.

But he was also slightly worried about his materia. Even the simple Fire and Ices could be incredibly dangerous at the Master level. He should get them back, and they would be handy if he ever had to deal with any other sort of crazy Jenova/Shinra enemy again. Let's hope not.

"You don't mind stopping the delivery service for a while?"

He turned to see Tifa, with only a slight look of concern on her face. Cloud shook his head, "I could use a vacation. Though I imagined it a little differently." He couldn't exactly tell her what his ideal vacation would be. Her and him alone on the beach somewhere quiet and far away may give his long friend the wrong impression. "What about you and the bar?"

"I don't mind at all. I'm kind of looking forward to it, as long as Denzel doesn't mind."

"It's only a week, Tifa."

"Yeah, he'll be fine, I know. And this could be fun…exploring Gaia again."

He hadn't thought about that. Cloud got to travel a lot for his deliveries, but Tifa's been in Edge for a while. That must have been quite different from their adventures a couple of years earlier. "Yeah…it will be…"

"Teef! Can I talk to you? Make a game plan?" Yuffie soon grabbed her hand, tugging the martial artist away from the blond. "You two can flirt later. I have business to discuss." She gave a toothy grin before dragging Tifa away.


"…You think I'll be a bad partner?"

"No, it's not that Tifa. I just…I'm doing you a favor. See?"

She didn't quite understand. Well, yeah, she understood, but she thought that her constant denial towards the situation would be a sort of hint to the ninja that she didn't really want anyone finding out. Okay, so maybe it was obvious by the way she looked at him or how she acted around him, that yeah, she had a slight crush on Cloud. "You don't need to do this, Yuffie. I see Cloud every day. One week together isn't going to be that much different."

"Oh! But it will be. Just picture it." She raised her hand for dramatic effect, "You and Chocobo Head, winding across the desert on that stupid bike of his, sleeping together under the stars…or not sleeping if you get my drift. Just you two. Alone. No children to stop you guys from finally breaking that barrier you're too afraid to cross."

"It's really okay, Yuffie. I want to spend time with you too. And me and Cloud…" She shook her head a little. "Yeah, sure. Maybe I thought we stood a chance after Geostigma, but it's been a while and nothing's happened. We're the same. We'll always be the same." Tifa smiled, but she could feel herself cracking already, "And that's okay. I've accepted that now. I think it'd be fun if just the two of us could just go out and have some…"

"No."

That answer shocked her. Yuffie's tone was so firm and so serious, so incredibly unlike her. "What?"

The ninja twisted her hands together and sighed. Her dark eyes glanced up to Tifa and then back to the ground. "Can you keep a secret?"

She smirked, "What do you think I've been doing?"

"Ah, touché." Yuffie looked around, but no one at the party seemed to be paying any attention to them. "Look...I may have a little tiny secret too."

Tifa felt herself smile and her mouth fall open a little. Whoa. "Really, Yuffie?

"Yeah…probably not as long as your little crush but…"

"Aw, Yuffie. It's cute that you like Vincent."

Her face immediately paled. "…you know?"

"Why else would you want to switch partners?" She likes Vincent? How does she expect that one to turn out? But then again, she couldn't exactly put it past Yuffie. She could be…convincing at times. "You want any help with him?"

"Well, um, wanna let me borrow your boobs for a couple of days?" Yuffie sighed, seeing Tifa's un-amused expression. "You're not exactly the best at getting guys, Teef."

She felt a little insulted at that. "I've been asked out plenty of times, Yuffie."

"Yeah, but never by someone you like, right? I got this one, Teef, but thanks."

Tifa couldn't help but laugh, "You got this? You know it's Vincent we're talking about, right? He's been in love with Lucrecia for over 30 years, Yuffie."

"Yeah, oh and where was Cloud all those months before? In who's church?"

Her bitter tone caused Tifa to cringe back a little, "…Okay, I get it Yuffs. I shouldn't have said anything."

"I mean, it's not completely bizarre is it? I do make him laugh…sometimes. And he's really not all that much older…"

"If anyone can break him, you can." Tifa didn't fully believe that until it came out of her own mouth.

Yuffie smiled, "Thanks Teef." She flipped back her straight, short hair. "Sorry I was being a bitch before. You and Cloud…you know you're made for each other, right?"

"It isn't that easy…" Tifa huffed.

"Oh sure it is! You just need a little motivation." The ninja suddenly grinned, a brilliant idea bubbling in her brain. "You wanna make a bet?"

"About who'll win?"

"No…something a little more interesting." Yuffie turned Tifa around, facing her towards Cloud's direction. "You want him, right?"

Tifa immediately flushed, "…Yuffie…"

"I'll take that as a reluctant yes…and if you look over there…" Yuffie pointed her head to Vincent, who was getting further details about the hunt from Reeve. "You'll see the guy I want."

She still wasn't getting it. Tifa turned herself away, focusing back to Cloud. "So?"

"So…" Yuffie had that mischievous grin on her face again, one that would always remind her of that time she lifted all their materia. "Why don't we go on our own hunt?"


A/N:

Once again I want to thank everyone for reading. Reviews would be awesome, and I'll be sure to update soon!

-ASX