A/N:
Okay, here is part two of what is becoming a five part tale. It seems my one shot idea was blown out of the water yet again…ah well. I would like to thank everyone for their lovely reviews and I do hope you keep reading.
However, this and many of my others stories might be on a brief hiatus. Why? I'm starting my first day of college classes tomorrow. But, as I love writing, I will try not to be gone too much for too long…(I promise nothing come the semester point)
Anywho~
A special shout out to ScribeOfRED whom offered some lovely advice about my dialogue punctuation. So, hopefully I did it right this time. ^_^
Word Count: 7,100
Disclaimer: I still own nothing.
Something Different, Entirely Unexpected
By Catsitta
(Chapter Beta: blackcat686 )
2.
Once a year, they were obligated to meet.
Sephiroth had been none too pleased with the arrangement, but since he was already in Wutai, made no protest. At least, not for the first few years. It was when the conflict dwindled to some semblance of an end and he returned to Midgar, that he considered speaking up. After all, returning to a country that hated him and everything he represented, to visit the only child of the royal family—on his birthday of all days!—was not an enjoyable experience.
However, he continued to be silent, grumbling only when prodded by his closest friends, and fellow First Class SOLDIERs. The two men were slightly older than he, both from Banora, and despite growing up together, were as different as night and day. He could ask for no companions better than they, no one more loyal and full of unique understanding. They were the missing pieces of himself, in a way, Angeal Hewley and Genesis Rhapsodos. His brothers in arms…his brothers in heart.
Despite this, Sephiroth still did not feel comfortable confessing the reasoning behind his sudden deployment to Wutai. He could not quite find the words to explain his engagement, as an eighteen year old, newly fledged adult, to a four year old Princess of the country that scorned his very name. It was complicated, confusing and in an odd sort of way, humiliating.
The fewer people that knew, the better, for more than one reason.
One: It would place a target for assassination upon both his and Yuffie's backs. Two: It would give certain persons blackmail material. Three: It would ruin his poster boy image, one that needed preserving if he was to keep order among the ranks.
How long these reasons would keep the engagement a secret was a daunting prospect. He knew that the Empress had vouched for honesty and had wished to make an announcement upon the contract's signing. Only a great deal of persuasion convinced her to hold her tongue and wait for a while, to allow the fire of war to fade into smoke and ash before confessing the controversial union. Each day that passed while she held her silence was a small blessing.
Come the turn of every year, Sephiroth had taken to bowing his head in a semblance of prayer and thanks.
It was another cumbersome secret, but as long as everyone else could carry its weight, so could he, even alongside his haunting past of which he dared not speak.
With a sigh of resignation, Sephiroth tried to shake his head clear. The past needed to stay where it was and sooner or later all of his secrets would surface and bite him in ass…but until that day, he needed to keep his head high and his thoughts free of distraction. However, he had always been rather easy to distract—his mind never stayed in one place for very long. He could think on his feet in the midst of an unknown situation, formulate a dozen different strategies in a matter of minutes, and analyze an enemy for weakness without hesitation or fail. This skill to observe and calculate, his mind awhirl with a hundreds of ideas and idle musings, came paired with an unusual fault, one he kept well hidden until he was forced to sit still and listen to one person for more than five minutes.
What could he say? He had a short attention span, one that only seemed to worsen over the years due to more of his work consisting of documents and windblown speeches rather than the tactical art of warfare. How Sephiroth hated this new age of idleness. Masamune felt so right in his hand yet he could rarely sate their shared hunger. Mindless monsters were not enough…Over dramatic spars with his friends were not enough…
He needed more. He needed the thrill of battle. The thrill of a challenge! He needed something to be his distraction; otherwise, he would go insane from sheer boredom. What use was he as the ultimate weapon if he was shelved? None.
"We're almost to our destination, General." Tseng's voice rumbled through headache-inducing static of Sephiroth's headset, "Be prepared for landing." The silver-haired warrior grunted incoherently, his stupor of daydreams broken completely. Something about riding in a helicopter, whether it be the rhythmic thrum of the rotor blades or the fluid sway of the machine as it danced through the air—it put his body at ease, allowing him to rest the tension of his muscles even if his mind insisted on wandering to unwelcome places.
Slowly, he stretched in the limited space available, arching his back and straightening the crook in his knee. After a series of satisfying pops, Sephiroth hummed with approval, his eyes cast towards the large windshield before him. Two seats blocked his view, but he cared little. Wutai likely had not changed since he last stepped forth upon its soil.
"Seatbelt," warned the Turk, though only out of requirement. They both knew a crash from this height was not likely going to kill the SOLDIER, even if he was not wearing the safety belts or following other such precautionary measures. "Keep your eyes open, General," they were in enemy territory. Yes, there was a ceasefire and a tentative peace treaty between the two nations, but one wrong move could shatter everything, "And do try to enjoy your birthday, sir."
Why did the man have to remind him?
"I shall, Tseng." A small smirk appeared on his lips, "Do take care not to break out in song and dance, as you are prone to doing, and perhaps I can make something of this day."
There was a long pause and the helicopter was hovering only a few feet above the ground when the Turk responded, "Developing a sense of humor, General? Might I wonder what this world is coming to?"
"The end, Tseng," was Sephiroth's wistful reply,"the end. For the day I find a sense of humor is the day the apocalypse is upon us. Or at least, that is what Genesis tells me." Again, there was only static in his headset but he could see the quivering of the older man's shoulders as he restrained his laughter. They were different people, he and Tseng, with contrasting views of life and honor. And they were far from friends. But there was something else there, a not-quite-amicable sense of unity—it drove them to banter now and then, despite the hateful rivalry ingrained into them by their ranks.
"He speaks of things other than Loveless?"
"On occasion."
"Utter blasphemy, if you ask me."
"I haven't nor shall I."
Tseng let out a grunt of audible amusement, cutting their conversation off as swiftly as he landed the helicopter. The blades were still churning the air, deafeningly loud, when Sephiroth pulled open the door. Wind rushed over him, gusting through his hair and leather trench coat. One could say it was a fearsome sight, he, the Demon of Wutai, descending from the craft with his uniform and proud mane billowing behind him. He was cold and relentless looking clad entirely in black, especially when he retrieved his prized Masamune and held her in hand.
It was no wonder people feared him as naturally as they breathed.
So it came as a great surprise when he was intercepted on his way towards the palace by something small and shrieking, "Kitty!"
Sephiroth stiffened, recognizing all too well that dreadful screech.
"Yuffie…" he murmured, flinching slightly as the loud creature slammed into him and began to climb up his legs,"What are you doing?" Only a giggle came as a response and a few blinks later, he had a young girl perched on his shoulder like an oversized parrot. The General could almost imagine the surprise on his Turk escort's face as he watched the scene from the shadows. Why did his fiancé have to be a hyperactive child?
Then, without warning, the Princess tangled her hands in his hair,"I missed you, Kitty!"
Kitty. Of all the ridiculous things to call him, the great General and weapon of war…Kitty. Yuffie never could say his name quite right and just as he was leaving the previous year, she proclaimed him to be Kitty…and he had hoped she had forgotten. But for all of her silliness and games, she was fairly intelligent for a girl her age, with a memory that was selectively longer than that of a goldfish. And she had chosen to remember that nickname.
"My name is Sephiroth," he told her as he attempted to peel her from his shoulder one-handed. The agile little brat merely scurried out of his grasp. "Please try and remember that, Yuffie."
"Okay, Kitty."
"Yuffie…"
"That's my name!" she promptly wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed, hugging him awkwardly. Then she swung off his shoulder and dropped to the ground in a display much unlike any child her age. Already she showed an amazing level of dexterity that would benefit her greatly in many an art form, whether it be dance or fighting. "Did you bring me presents?" she smiled up at him, her mother's gray eyes practically glowing with unbridled energy.
Sephiroth attempted to level the girl with a stare, placing the intensity behind his gaze that made war-hardened veterans snap to attention. She had the good sense to balk for a moment, becoming quiet, but that phase was broken by her giggling. "You're so scary," Yuffie informed him with a smile, "but you're nice…"—said smile became impish—"…and you bring me presents!"
A long suffering sigh escaped him. The Princess of Wutai was spoilt rotten from her life of opulence and knew nothing of manners or boundaries. She should be a shy little deer, but instead she was a wild thing that climbed, ran and shrieked for all she was worth.
The little brat also liked shiny things with an unholy passion. He knew from experience that he had to be careful about his valuables, otherwise he would lose them to her sticky fingered ways. Last year she swiped his mastered Command materia right from under his nose and Sephiroth had almost left Wutai without it. Finding a toddler with an orb full of dangerous spells in her mouth was not exactly a pleasant experience, nor was having it pry it away from her. Yuffie had cried endlessly when he took it and only a promise to bring her something better the next year had quieted her complaints.
As a man of honor (no matter what people said), the young General always kept his word.
"Indeed I have a gift for you…" he flinched when Yuffie attached herself to one of his legs with a squeal. "…however, you must be patient and wait."
"Why?"
"It is good to learn patience, Yuffie."
"Why?"
"Patience is part of life."
"Why?"
He felt a head ache building, "It simply is, Yuffie. You need patience to achieve, to learn, to grow." Yuffie blinked up at him confusedly. Sephiroth lifted his free hand to rub his temple. He was not looking forwards to spending the next three days here, in fact, at this rate, having villagers curse his name and throw various trash at him would have been a preferable experience in comparison to dealing with a young child, "No more questions, please."
"Why?"
He growled lowly, but Yuffie did not seem to notice. He knew that he had to reign in his temper and quickly drew in a deep breath. "It is my birthday," Sephiroth began, noticing the widening of the girl's eyes,"It would be very kind of you to respect my wishes for today." She giggled again and after untangling herself from around his legs, immediately grabbed his elbow. Of course, she was standing on her toes, so he lowered his hand for her to take. Yuffie did and promptly began to pull him through the gardens towards the palace.
It was not long until he saw the Empress, her legs folded beneath her as she waited for her daughter's return. She was the epitome of Wutaian beauty and elegance, from the styling of her dark hair and the shape of her face to the way she held her shoulders. It was an oddity to think that she, or her traditional husband, would allow for Yuffie to run amok as she does, without any semblance of polite behavior.
"Mother!" the Princess was pulling with all of her slight strength, but Sephiroth hardly noticed her effort. "I found him! I found him! I found Kitty." Upon hearing the Empress' chuckle, the silver-haired warrior found himself grimacing, though to any onlooker, there was only a small downturn to his lips and brows. "He said he brought presents but he won't let me have them 'cause he said I should wait. Then he said it was his birthday!" Yuffie looked up at him,"Kitty…how old are you? I just turned four!"
"Eighteen."
"Wow…you're old…" she informed him with a wrinkle of her nose. "Not as old as my dad, but…old!" The fact that she referred to her father more casually than her mother escaped Sephiroth as recovered from her declaration that he was old. In many ways, he was young, hardly more than a child…but compared to her, he was certainly…old. There were days he felt it. But her words cut deeper than the physical strain of exhaustion—her words were like a slap to his very conscious.
"Yuffie, that is not very nice."
"Sorry, Mother."
The Empress offered an indulgent smile,"It is time for you to return to your studies, Yuffie. Go on."
"But…it's his birthday! And…and he only visits once a year…" she actually sounded disappointed.
"Do not force me to repeat myself," the Empress began, her tone firm. For once, Yuffie bowed out of the argument and hurried inside, stealing one last glance over her shoulder. Her eyes begged for him to stay just a little longer and he had no idea why. "General Sephiroth." He turned his attention to the older woman. "Welcome. As you can see, Yuffie was very eager to see you…and she has been practicing her Continental rather adamantly."
It was Sephiroth's turn to ask why.
"It was an ultimatum between the two of us," she replied, rising to her feet and smoothing the folds of her kimono. "I promised that she could visit you in Midgar once she finishes a certain level of her studies, which includes fluency in the language spoken there."
"I can speak most dialects of Wutainese, your highness." Sephiroth felt his headache growing at the very prospect of Yuffie visiting him in Midgar. He would have to take time off from work during the entirety of her stay merely to keep track of the hyperactive brat. With his luck, she would blow all semblance of quiet when it came to their engagement. "There would have been little difficulty for us to communicate should she have not learned Continental."
A wry smile played upon the Empress' lips,"There are others in Midgar who do not understand nor wish to understand Wutai's language. How would she communicate with them?" The arch of his brow must have revealed his inner thoughts. "Ah. You do not wish her to." she shook her head,"I understand your concerns, General, but they are for naught. No one will harm my daughter while she is in your care, even if they disagree with the engagement."
Silence fell between them for a moment, but the Empress seemed undeterred. With a flick of her wrist, she motioned for him to follow.
He did.
000X000
It was late into the night before Sephiroth at last laid down to rest.
Sleep often escaped him these days, with his mind and body attuned to the rigors of combat, he found himself all too awake when he most needed slumber. Now was one of those days and he could not help but stared aimlessly at the ceiling above him, his mako-enhanced sight cutting through the darkness with inhuman ease. No detail was left unseen, even if cast in shades of gray.
His temporary quarters were suited to the tastes of a lesser noble rather than a General raised in the minimalistic atmosphere of a laboratory. From the bed that filled a majority of the given space, plush and slippery with silk, framed with fine, polished wood; to the walls covered in art work, mostly of ink or watercolor landscapes and birds; to the marble floor masked with intricate, oriental rugs that were more distracting than practical. Sephiroth, had he the choice, would have slept in the servants quarters on a mat. The unyielding floor beneath him would have been preferred to the mattress that threatened to swallow his weight whole, and the sounds of others breathing would have been the comforting melody of barrack living.
He honestly missed the days he spent as a lower ranking SOLDIER. It was the best time of his life, those weary, aching weeks spent in crowded stations. Sephiroth was free of the lab then, and free of the binds of higher rank. There were few reports to fill and many missions to complete. When he and his fellow men returned from their assignments, he would spend the following days doing as he pleased rather than pleasing his superiors.
But, those were old memories. Becoming General at the tender age of fifteen had stripped from him what frivolous fancies he possessed and pushed him into the middle of ShinRa's politics. Not that he minded war, it was how he proved his worth and gained his pay, but he despised the hidden reasons that were behind them. It made Sephiroth feel useless…used… It made it difficult to trust anyone in power or anyone who sought it.
So he chose not to trust.
It made things tolerable.
However, his patience was drawn thin when he was shown exactly how much freedom he had lost since becoming a First Class SOLDIER. He did not want to be treated differently than he had been, yet he was thrust forth as an idol. A symbol to admire and respect. He could not quite comprehend why anyone would strive to be a pawn. A marionette held by unbreakable strings.
Few choices were left to him anymore.
Sephiroth shut his eyes, trying to block out bitter musings. Reminding himself of how little he controlled in his own life would not garner any sleep…then he heard it. The sliding screen being opened and someone entering, bare feet sticking slightly to marble.
Without warning, the young General flung himself out of bed and in that same movement, grabbed Masamune from where she hung above him on the wall. Steel flashed and someone screamed. A little girl. Sephiroth halted his strike, the edge of his blade precariously close to the trespasser's throat.
"Yuffie?" His eyes focused on the small form on the other side of the room clinging desperately to what she held in hand. She was breathing in an uneven staccato, her pupils dilated with adrenaline—he could only see the faintest rim of gray around them. Sephiroth lowered Masamune and glared sharply at the Princess. "Explain yourself."
She swallowed thickly, her whole body trembling with something that was not quite fear. He considered her for a while, realizing that it was excitement. Yuffie, a mere child, found thrill in her very life being in danger. Sephiroth was not sure whether to be impressed or disturbed by this revelation.
"I brought you a present…" Yuffie said as her shaking dwindled into a shiver. "…For your birthday." She held out what she had been clutching to her chest earlier. The silver-haired warrior assessed the situation, noting with discontent that the blind trust in her gaze had dimmed. She drew no closer. "I didn't mean…I'm sorry."
'No…I'm sorry.' Sephiroth could not find it in himself to utter those words. Instead, he replaced Masamune on the wall and closed the distance between himself and the girl. Yuffie, for all her vivacious courage, took a step backwards. "You should not be here," he informed her coolly, brusquely. Watching her flinch did not gain him any satisfaction. She was a mere child, one who needed discipline from a firm hand, but a child all the same. His tone was one that put the fear of Gaia into the most reckless of men…inappropriate for the situation at hand.
"I k-know…people say you're mean…you're evil…" Was he cold and condescending at times? Yes. Unnecessarily cruel? No. He had his honor. He did not harm children or those whom are unarmed. Never once did he strike an enemy from behind. He never raped women. He never caused undue suffering—he made sure his blows were clean and fatal. What about that behavior could be considered evil? "But you're nice…you bring me presents." Yuffie was drooping guiltily now. "You don't hurt me and you make Mother smile. I don't know why they said not to bother you…"
Sephiroth crouched before her, putting himself eye level with his betrothed. She stared at him, fidgeting as if she were struggling to comprehend what had changed between them. She did not understand why she should fear him until now. She had never seen the part of him that was engineered into monstrous perfection. "I am a dangerous man, Yuffie." his voice was perfectly even. It was as if he were discussing a topic as droll as the weather in Midgar.
"Is it true?" she asked quietly, drawing back the bundle in her hands and cradling it like one might an infant. "Are you…?"
"I am a warrior. Many lives were lost to my blade in the name of war," his gaze snapped to the bundle in Yuffie's arms when it began to shift and wriggle in her grip. The girl shielded it with one hand and looked away. He saw the word 'Demon' mouthed upon her lips. "Yes, Yuffie. I am the Demon." 'You have every reason to loathe my presence…to wish for my leave of this place. I will not blame you, come your eighteenth year, if you spit my name with hatred.'
Yuffie suddenly shook her head with disbelief and blindly thrust the bundle forwards again. To his shock, the misshapen cloth began to squirm and let out a pitiful squeak. "Mother said you were a good man…A quiet, lonely man who has done bad things. But a good man at heart." It was the calmest she had ever spoken, and her fluid speech patter surprised him. There was a distinct accenting to her words and her pitch was very high, but had he not known who she was, Sephiroth would have never suspected it be a four year old whom had spoken. "And…and I trust you…You let me call you Kitty and climb on your back. A bad man would not do that."
Like a silk curtain, silence fell around them. It was not harsh or biting, rather, it tumbled and caressed. Yuffie looked up at him again and smiled shyly. Sephiroth, his mind mulling over what had just been said, absently received his gift, which, promptly began to squirm, startling him out of his contemplations. It took only a moment to remove the cloth and reveal what lay beneath.
Two snowy ears and a pair of vividly green eyes greeted him.
He was about to ask why Yuffie decided it was a good idea to wake him up and give him a kitten in the middle of the night when he heard the clatter of footsteps. Sephiroth stood up, eliciting a complaint from the ball of fluff in his hands. The royal family had him housed him in the wing of the palace furthest from their own quarters and with the exception of himself, the Turk that was supposed to be guarding his door, and some servants, it was empty. The only reason there would be an influx of people was if there were some sort of emergency…
Immediately, his eyes fell upon the Princess at his feet.
Yuffie was not in her room and had screamed when he had almost attacked her. Someone either noticed she was missing or fetched guards when they heard her cry. There was about to be serious trouble and he was in no position to deal with it. After all, how is one supposed to explain why the child Princess in the same room as the Demon General in the middle of the night? Armed with an unhappy kitten and disheveled from sleep, wearing only a thin pair of sweatpants—Sephiroth was hardly the picture of prepared. In fact, traditionally speaking among the Wutaian people, his current state of dress around a female was considered scandalous.
Before he could even remember where he put the robe provided to him to use during his stay, the screen door was thrown open and a dozen armed guards flooded into his room. Yuffie, panicked by the behavior of the men, scurried behind Sephiroth's legs and clutched fistfuls of fabric in her little hands.
"What have you done with Princess Kisaragi?" demanded one of the men in Wutainese, his high rank glinting in gold on the edges of his uniform.
"She is well," Sephiroth smoothly replied, attempting to keep some of his dignity despite the fact that the kitten was climbing up his arm, its claws like tiny needles. The guardsmen did not take kindly to his response, as expected, and many of them pressed closer, swords drawn. He was surprised that they did not attack him on sight and actually gave him a chance to speak. Not they he suspected that they would listen.
One of men growled from the crowd, "Seize the Demon!" which incited similar murmurs from the others. Their leader was glaring daggers at Sephiroth, those dark eyes burning with malice. He was a man whom remembered the war and its losses. One whom likely did not know why the family he served allowed for the enemy to even step foot on Wutai's soil. One whom wished to wipe ShinRa's away like a stain.
Remaining steadfast, Sephiroth made no movement to escape or to fight back. He could feel Yuffie's heart beating wildly as she clung tighter to his leg. Then, the tension that was escalading too quickly to even hope to control, was broken. It was not by a guard. Nor was it by the young General. Rather, it was by Yuffie, whom threw herself between them with a wordless cry.
Everyone in the room froze.
"Leave him alone!" she snarled, emphasizing her point by crossing her arms and stomping a foot. "He is nice and it's his birthday." The kitten she then pointed at had managed to crawl all the way up Sephiroth's arm and was now attempting to climb onto his head, occasionally batting at an askew lock of hair, "No one would let me see him to give him a gift."
"Princess! You entered the room of the enemy," the leader of the guards attempted to grab her wrist, but she twisted away. "He ruined our country! You do not understand the severity of your actions…"
"He is my friend! He visits me and Mother says I can visit him in Midgar when I finish my studies."
Her announcement causes the man to let out a choked sound and pale. "Lies," he whispers, "Levithan forbid…tell me it is a lie…"
Knowing nothing else to say, Sephiroth lets out a sigh. Perhaps the Empress was right in her wishing to break the news to the public. It might have saved some trouble now…or could have created more at a later date. "She speaks the truth," he says, dispassionate, "Visitation is part of the contract written between the royal family and President ShinRa."
"Contract?" Yuffie frowned with confusion, "What contract?"
Every pair of eyes settled on the young General—undaunted, he met their stares with resolution. "The contract insuring peace between our nations. If not for it, ShinRa would have continued to fight Wutai until he controlled the entire country and his influence overcame your culture. As promised by said contract, ShinRa will station no troops within Wutai's territory and in return Wutai will allow for the construction of Mako reactors and ensure the safety of the men working there. The document was sealed by the sworn, future union of Princess Yuffie Kisaragi and President ShinRa's ward…General Sephiroth."
The men retreated from Sephiroth's room an instant later, their voices reflecting their disbelief and abhorrence for what his words meant. Yuffie was shuffled along with them and escorted back to her room, obviously confused by what she had just heard.
Praying to every god and goddess he could think of, the silver-haired warrior collapsed on his bed, hoping that he had not made a terrible mistake.
Sleep, of course, continued to evade him.
Morning had yet to peek over the horizon when Sephiroth rose from where he lay, realizing quickly that there was something fluffy curled at the crook of his neck. Said fluff stretched lazily, rolled over, and curled up again, content to continue sleeping. Again he wondered what possessed Yuffie to give him the small creature as a gift. As a SOLDIER, he had no time to care for a pet…
Then, the kitten yawned and its oversized ears and paws twitched slightly as it yet again adjusted itself.
Deciding to contemplate that issue later, he began his morning routine, cleaning up and changing clothes. He had just sat down of the edge of his bed to lace up and buckle his boots when the sliding screen door opened. Prepared for the worst, Sephiroth allowed his gaze to life towards his visitor.
Standing there, with a single guard at her side and Yuffie at her feet, was the Empress. Behind her was a sheepish looking Turk who refused to meet his gaze, leading the General to suspect that the man was aware of his negligence earlier and was feeling guilty. He had every reason to run screaming bloody murder for that was what Sephiroth was planning to commit at this point. Had the man simply done his job then the whole incident with the Princess would have never occurred.
"Your highness," he offered respectfully upon standing. The Empress smiled and her guard snarled about how Sephiroth was a disrespectable cur for not bowing. Of course, he ignored the man. Had the Empress wished him to bow then she would have asked it of him. A part of him suspected that the formalities of royal tradition and Wutaian culture were overwhelming for the woman, especially if she were what he suspected. If one is trained to be invisible, attention was usually the last thing you want..
"General Sephiroth," the Empress returned after her guard calmed down,"it seems that the news of your engagement has spread…its seed planted by your very lips."
"Indeed," Sephiroth folded his arms behind his back and fastened his eyes upon Yuffie, whom was playing with her mother's skirts. The Empress then touched her daughter's shoulder, love written plainly upon her face. It still amazed him how she could sacrifice something she held so dear to her heart so easily. Then again, Yuffie was a girl, something valuable to royals only if they could be married off to expand influence or improve relations. A son would be something too precious to lose…but had Yuffie been that male heir, there would have been no consideration of a marriage. There was a chance that the war could still be raging.
There was a chance he could have spent his life free to choose a life partner…or to choose if he wanted one. Marriage was far from high on his list of dreams, but it was a duty he would fulfill without resistance. Perhaps it would be a union of name only, allowing them both to choose their lovers freely. After all, when Yuffie turned eighteen, she would still be a child. She would want someone young and reckless with said youth, not a man hardened by his past. And when he was a man of thirty-two, likely he would not want a child at his arm or in his bed…
"Kitty?" it was the Princess, she had untangled herself from the Empress and had approached him with curiosity in her gray eyes. Sephiroth sighed and indulged the girl with a faint, but lifeless smile. Yuffie could not seem to read the severity of his mood in the expression and promptly ran up to him with a giggle. The silver-haired warrior tried to side step her, but she manage to grab his leg and crawl half-way up it like a damned cat yet again.
The guard looked ready to have a fit but a dismissive gesture by the Empress silenced any argument. "Yuffie, it is not polite to climb guests." she said, though without enthusiasm—amusement glittering in her eyes. It really did confuse Sephiroth, the way the Empress allowed certain behaviors that should be disciplined.
"But Kitty doesn't mind, do you Kitty?"
Sephiroth answered her with a glare.
"You should treat him more respectfully," she glanced at her gaping guardsman and shrugged one shoulder, deciding to ignore his pallor. "Not only is he a guest but he is your friend and betrothed." How could she be so nonchalant about the subject?
Reluctantly, Yuffie let him go, "Sorry." But of course there was little that dampened her spirit and with a series of little bounces from foot-to-foot, she asked,"I still get my present, right?" Did she not understand what the word 'betrothed' meant or was she too young to be anything but optimistic about the situation? In a few years she would hate him, he was certain. Perhaps he should appreciate these younger years where the girl still tolerated his presence.
"Of course…" Sephiroth conceded, turning away and unzipping his traveling trunk (his Turk escort had done one thing right in bringing it to his room unscathed). Yuffie was a ball of hyperactive energy and was ready to burst by the time the young General faced her again, present in hand. "I have little experience with children and scant knowledge of what would be deemed appropriate…" his gaze lifted to the Empress as he continued, "Pardon if my gift strikes you as…unique."
"It's sooo heavy!" Yuffie cried in complaint as she wobbled beneath the weight of the oddly shaped case in her hands. Then, she let out a huff and dropped it. Sephiroth merely shrugged, certain that the object within the case could withstand any abuse that a four year old could cause. "What is it?" she asked with a pout as she knelt and undid the clasps on the side. Soon her eyes widened and with two trembling hands, Yuffie lifted her prize from its velvet bed.
The Empress nodded with approval, something unreadable about her expression.
"It's a…a…" Yuffie scrunched nose as she struggled to remember the right word.
"Shuriken," Sephiroth finished for her,"It is a standard, four-point shuriken." The Princess grinned as she handled the weapon much too large for her to yet handle appropriately. "Which means," he continued,"it possess two materia slots." Yuffie peered into the case, gasping at what she saw winking up at her. "An unleveled Throw and Luck Plus seemed sensible choices."
"Materia…" the Empress stared with wonder,"we do not have these here."
"Are materia the magic stones?" Yuffie asked as she set her weapon aside and caressed the gleaming crystals.
"Magic is a vague, inaccurate term…but yes, materia possess unique traits that can be harnessed and channeled by a skilled user." Sephiroth stated simply. Every eye in the room was upon Yuffie as she picked up the yellow Command materia and began to make faces in the reflective surface.
"Your gift is most generous, General Sephiroth," at last, the Empress seemed to find the words to speak. The guard suddenly found his voice as well as began ranting profusely about how twisted and wrong it was for the Demon to give the Princess weapons and call it a present. He was ignored, mostly, but his hateful words did reach the young General's ear…so he listened. "However, the treaty strictly banned the usage, creation or ownership of materia on Wutai's soil."
"I am aware."
"You would break the vows made by a contract in the interest of keeping peace?"
"If it means protecting my betrothed,"—Sephiroth's voice was dead serious—"then yes."
The Empress laughed softly,"You are a good man."
"He shall have us all killed with this—!" the guard began, his voice taking on a strangled quality as he attempted to step into the room. However, the Turk did his duty and restrained the man, informing him that he was no to enter the boundaries of Sephiroth's quarters with the intention to harm. The guardsman growled and attempted to gain advantage, but the Turk had him on the ground, pinned, in a second flat.
There were few who could take a Turk in hand-to-hand or close combat and he was not one of them.
"It is time for me to take my leave," the Empress gestured for her daughter to come to her, and Yuffie did, but only after putting away her new 'toys' and picking up the cumbersome case. "Do try and enjoy your stay here…and do not be surprised if those you know in Midgar catch wind of your engagement before you return."
Yuffie grinned widely,"Thank you Sephiroth! Take good care of Princess." And then she was gone, leaving him momentarily stunned by two things. One, she had called him by his actual name for the first time in her life…and two, the kitten she left in his care was named Princess. What a day the Silver Elite would have should they discover that the fearsome General Sephiroth and Demon of Wutai had a kitten named Princess, of all things.
He blinked…realizing that he had decided to keep the fluff ball that had yet to leave the middle of the bed.
"I am never going to hear the end of this, am I?" he asked the now empty room, and he was answered with only silence.
Interlude
A brief passage detailing the whereabouts of a certain Turk when Yuffie snuck into Sephiroth's quarters. It didn't quite fit into the storyline, so, here it is.
.x.
Being a Turk was far from all fun and games. Every day, death dogged at your doorstep and you had to smile and punch it in the teeth. It was a way of life that most could not withstand, the pressure too great for them to handle. Watching people die, oftentimes at your hands, was a dehumanizing experience, one that you either grew numbly acceptant of, learned to enjoy, or broke because of.
Rod had seen the worst the world had to offer during the war, and was one of only a handful of Turks that did not shatter.
He was also one of the youngest.
It was this fact that often landed him in the least desirable of jobs presented to the Turks. Like monitoring the General…whom was perhaps one of the most boring teenagers alive! Unless the guy was beating shit up or having a verbal spar with his fellow First Class SOLDIER, Genesis Rhapsodos, Sephiroth never did anything.
The man did not drink.
The man did not party.
The man barely socialized.
And if the rumors were true, the man never had a proper fuck. Yeah, fuck. It was the right word for what most SOLDIERs did with women…or men…or whatever the hell they happened to fancy at the time. Most weren't picky. Probably the Mako…But, regardless of what the norm was for most males and SOLDIERs his age, Sephiroth never really fit in the mold. He was always odd, outlandish…different.
Oftentimes, for all his practiced elegance, Sephiroth was an utterly inept klutz when it came to basic social interaction. Those who saw his other side, the side that did not slay monsters without the batting of an eye or command great legions of men into the depths of hell, knew that the General had difficulty with something as simple as small talk. He could be unpredictable in his responses, some days he was morbidly serious, others he was scathingly sarcastic and he lost his temper all too easily when there was a situation out of his control or he was put out of his microscopic comfort zone. But what was most disturbing were the days that he remained utterly silent, observing and listening, his eyes narrowed with thought as he held himself proud and aloof.
It was on those days that Rod wanted to bash his head against a wall to relieve the utter dullness of it all.
Including when he was supposed to be on guard duty.
More often than not, he refrained from hurting himself in favor of other things. Usually medial, mindless tasks that distracted him from the dreaded silence.
The mission in Wutai was supposed to a break from the doldrums. Escorting the most hated man into the royal palace of all places should have been an awesome, thrilling adventure. But no…there were no crowds gathered in the gardens demanding blood in retribution. There were no death threats or assassination attempts. There had not even been a single soul in sight when the helicopter landed!
Well, not a soul except the Princess, whom raced up screaming Kitty like a wild thing.
Had he not wanted to keep his head between his shoulders, Rod might have been tempted to laugh or even dare to make some comment on the matter. Instead he kept his mouth shut, choosing to be the ever silent shadow.
And it was boring!
Come that night, he was aching for some action. Twitchy and seeing no harm in abandoning his post for a few minutes (or hours, not as if Sephiroth would notice him missing), Rod wandered away. His mind quickly jumped to memories of flickering lanterns and booze hard enough to knock a man flat in a single shot. Visiting the local bar sounded like a good idea. What was it called again? Turtle Paradise! That was it.
He would go there, drink himself into a stupor, and sober up in the morrning while Sephiroth was busy with meetings or paper work or other crap like that.
However, his plans were shattered by a scream.
Rod tensed, sucking in a deep breath of the night air. Freedom was so close, but he had to return to duty. Closing the door, the young Turk snuck back to his post, realizing only too late that Sephiroth's quarters were being swarmed by guards.
000tbc000
A/N: ( So how is everyone enjoying the story thus far? Please, tell me. I love feedback, idea cookies and advice. I'm a growing writer and I like to know where I stand with my readers. Also, feel free to PM me. I almost always open for a little chat or even a deep discussion. Bouncing ideas off of people is one of the ways my stories come to life. Thank you again for reading! )