Disclaimer: I own no part of Final Fantasy VII. I am not receiving any payment for this story other than self-satisfaction.

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Chapter Three: Dirty Men Don't Always Lie

The gang stood around Yuffie's bed. She was snuggled into a large, queen bed with dark green blankets covering her body. All the makeup from her presentation had been removed for the doctors to check her out. A heart rate monitor was attached to her chest through the bottom of her pajamas someone had changed her into. Even with all the equipment attached to her and the large bandage on her neck she looked as if she was sleeping in peace.

"My scientists say the bullet could have killed her if the attacker intended her death, but there was some larger motive to the attack. The bullet was filled with a liquid rarely used these days. I have only heard of this drug a few times myself, and I thought it was no longer available anywhere," Godo said. He leaned back in his wheelchair and looked towards his daughter. "Yuffie was hit with a powerful sleeping drug called Resterion. It's a very powerful drug many scientists used to use when experimenting on large animals. Knocks them out so they wouldn't attack the scientist while the procedure was being done on the animal."

"Or human," Vincent said pulling all eyes in his direction. "When Hojo did his experiments on my body I was basically dead. But I was still aware enough the risk of my feeling the procedures was there. Lucrecia provided my body with the drug before anything was even attempted in the experiments."

"It's got to be strong to have any effect on a nearly dead body," Cloud said looking back to Yuffie as she slept. "How long do you think she'll be out?"

Vincent shook his head and looked to the sleeping princess. He couldn't believe someone was making such a heavy drug. If someone wanted answers they were going about a very interesting way to get them.

"Have you been bothered by anyone about Yuffie taking lead in Wutai?" Cloud asked. It was time to get down to business. They had been staring at their comatose friend long enough.

"Nothing outside of the expected," Godo said with a shrug. "A couple complaints to the Kisaragi line needing to step down, or how she would be too young to take on the task. No complaints we haven't seen before. In fact, they have been coming since she started reaching the age when we could consider making her queen. Nothing new."

Vincent couldn't help but smirk to the idea of Yuffie being queen rather than simply titling herself as a princess. If it was a hard image to take in for him then it would be terrifying for the ninja.

"What about someone she stole from?" Vincent asked looking around the group. "We all know she gets kicks from capturing materia from the innocent."

"She's not as interested in materia as she once was," Godo admitted. "She doesn't even carry her shuriken on her most days."

"Growing up," Tifa said. "We'll have to look around and take in as much information as we can find."

"Exactly," Cloud said taking over when Tifa fell silent. "I want all of us out digging up whatever we can find about Yuffie. See if she's been getting involved with things we never thought she would, see if people heard any plans to attack her, find wherever her name is mentioned and take notes! It is now in our hands to protect this girl."

"Should we make sure to keep someone here to watch over her while she sleeps?" Nanaki asked looking around. "No offense, Mr. Kisaragi, but you wouldn't exactly be the best to be her guard and our team knows how to fight."

"Good point. It would be wise for someone to sit with her," Godo agreed looking around the room. "Who wants to start out next to her?"

"I will and then after a few hours I can trade off with someone," Tifa said. In a way, they all knew she needed to calm down before she ran out digging up information. She wouldn't be able to think straight if she jumped on the hunt right away.

"Sure. I'll go into the back allies and dig up what I can around the darker areas of the city," Vincent said. "Once I'm done digging I'll return with all I gather and trade spots with you."

"That works," Cloud agreed. "Alright, let's head out everyone."

Vincent watched everyone leave and stood back with Tifa so he could stare at Yuffie a little longer. He could not believe how different so was compared to the last time he fought alongside her. He wanted to talk to her to see how much her personality changed. Appearance was one thing but he wouldn't be able to handle if she wasn't as happy as she once was.

"They're all running out," Tifa said looking out the window. She continued to look as if she wasn't supposed to be watching over Yuffie at that second. Vincent got the hint.

Vincent leaned forward and kissed Yuffie's cheek. He wasn't sure when it happened or how long it was there. But if felt as if Yuffie had been a part of him a lot longer than he allowed himself to believe. He straightened his posture and looked up right into Godo's eyes. Why hadn't he waited until the old man left?!

"Maybe that's why she's denied every man I've sent her way?" Godo said as he leaned back in his chair with a smirk. "How much do you care about my daughter, Vincent Valentine?"

"Enough to fly here to kill the animal that attacked her," he answered and stepped away from Yuffie's bed. Before he walked out of the room he looked over his shoulder to speak once more to Godo. "I was born in Wutai many years ago. I have not forgotten the meaning behind living in this nation."

Godo smiled after the fierce man as he finally left Yuffie's bedroom. He was presented with a bit of information to think about while the hunt was on.

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Vincent Valentine felt the chill in the air before anything happened. As he turned the corner of the building to reach the hidden streets he was welcomed by the smell of a fire burning nearby. A man with mold on his beaten tennis shoes and dirt on his teeth smiled up to Vincent. He rubbed his hands as he held them closer to the fire.

"What brings you to these street, my boy?" the man asked before he let out a harsh cough.

"Do you know anything about the incident involving Princess Kisaragi?" Vincent asked eyeing up the man and he picked at his dirty teeth as if his grubby fingers could really do the job.

"I did hear the gun fire earlier this day. Is the young miss okay?" he asked with genuine worry on his face. "I thought it was just another fight gone array out here, but then the shouting began. Oh, the rich people can really shout."

"Rich people?" Vincent assumed the man was talking about the audience watching Yuffie's announcement. But the sparkle in his eye stated there was possibly more to the term

"Well," he inched his finger to signal Vincent needed to lean closer. "Not all of those goody-two-shoes are so good. Are they? If I were to make up a plan to shoot at the princess I wouldn't doubt I'd be caught in minutes if not seconds for the crime. No, if someone wants the job done they need money to pay the right people."

Vincent gave the man a strange look. He was amazingly wise for someone covered in so much dirt. The chances were he never meant to be lost to the darkness of the backstreets. But if he knew about the rich making plans then there had to be more to his story.

The chances were there the man was either taking his time revealing the truth only to be dramatic. Deep down, Vincent knew he wanted a bit of profit to edge the story along. He took out his wallet and looked to the man's eyes.

"What else do you know and how much will it cost me?" Vincent asked ready to hand over as much gil as the man asked for.

"No, no!" he said and shook his head. "My worry for our princess in genuine and my information comes to you for no cost. I strongly believe once she takes over she'll clean up the shit her dear old man chose to overlook. Pass on my wishes and I'll give you all the information you care to hear."

Vincent put his wallet away and smiled at the muggy guy next to him. He slid over a wooden crate and sat down to hear all the juicy details his new friend was dying to spill.

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Vincent arrived at the mansion belonging to the Kisaragi family with a load of information from the man in the streets. Thanks to all the details he was given he had a more direct pathway for them to run along. The information was so important to their digging he wouldn't let the man deny a plate of food as payment. Yes, Yuffie would clean up the darkness in the city. Vincent would make sure of it.

"I have a lot of information to share," Vincent said once he was in Yuffie's room with Tifa and Godo sitting in silence. He looked to the other two people then whispered so quietly Tifa barely heard his words. "Tifa, call everyone to get them here and I need to search this room to make sure it's safe."

Vincent searched all around Yuffie's dresser and stands. The curtains were moved around and any piece of carpet was looked under. He peeked behind the headboard of her bed with a flashlight to see if anything odd could be seen. Her closet was empty and nothing suspicious was found. There was no way they weren't spying on her. He walked over to wear she was asleep and carefully moved the equipment out of his way. He leaned down to whisper to Tifa.

"Tifa, I'm going to pick up Yuffie and I want you to look under the mattress to see if anything is there," he said and eyed Yuffie's sleeping body. "I want to make sure it's safe before I reveal any information."

Tifa bobbed her head to agree and moved to the other side of the bed. She took hold of the mattress before Vincent picked up Yuffie.

He bent down next to her body to carefully slide his arms underneath her. The cords barely moved as he rose her tiny being in his arms. Her head fell to the side and landed on his chest. It was amazing how warm her body remained even after all the hell it had been through in one day. She was a miracle he should never touch. The temptation she offered made him lick his lips impatiently. Excitement danced in the back of his mind to the thought of what Yuffie would do if she knew he was lost to her entirely.

A large crash sounded in the room to pull Vincent out of his mini fantasy. He looked up to see Tifa stomping down on a black box. Once the plastic box was destroyed she ripped the cords out of the electronic equipment to finalize the end of the recorder.

Vincent smiled to Tifa's triumphant stance against the inanimate object. She was about to jump for joy before Vincent held up a single finger to silence her joy.

"I want to check on more spot," Vincent said and turned towards Godo. "Sir, may I look over your wheelchair?"

Godo's face grew angry at the idea Vincent was forming. Mr. Kisaragi looked towards the recorder Tifa had destroyed. In the end, that was enough proof there was someone around he couldn't trust. He bobbed his head for Vincent to approach him.

Vincent walked around Godo's seat taking in the easy to see spot another recorder could have been hidden. Obviously, all those areas were free of any bugs. He got to his hands and knees to look under the bottom off the chair. No one would ever need to look under his wheelchair unless they were moving it without him in it. Since the man never left the seat other than bed it could be a possibility.

Vincent instantly caught sight of a red dot blinking on the metal bar holding the left wheel in place. He grabbed the recorder with his metal hand and crushed the machine instantly. He returned to his feet with the broken pieces in his hands.

"Is there anywhere else you can think someone would hide something?" Vincent asked.

"Not in this room," Godo said scratching his chin. "But you know Yuffie, I don't know all the secret places she could have in here. The rest of the house has several hundred places these recorders could be."

"We'll only talk about this situation in her bedroom from now on," Vincent said. He gave Yuffie a half smile. "Chances are if she had a secret place then no one knows about it and we would never find it."

In about twenty minutes the entire AVALANCHE team was gathered in Yuffie's bedroom. They were all seated in a circle of chairs brought from the meeting parlor down the hall. Cloud was the first to break the silence.

"Well, this means someone working for you is most likely behind these attacks." Cloud looked at Godo as the old man sighed with regret. He could not live with himself if he was the cause to his daughter's forever sleep. "Is there any of them you've really pissed off? Maybe not directly. You could have done something to a friend or relative."

Godo shook his head and Vincent knew the truth. If there was someone furious with the man; Godo wouldn't know. He saw his life as fit and fine with no worries on his plate. As far as he knew, he took care of everything so Yuffie could take over his place with little to no troubles.

Vincent could feel the frustration pouring off his friends. Men like him were sources to a lot of the little troubles they faced when they were trying to take care of Sephiroth. The men able to allow themselves to believe they hadn't done anything wrong in the world. Money clouded people's views way too many times.

"I'm going to want a list of all the people you've fired, sued, or fined in the past five years," Cloud said. Groans filled the room. "Vincent, I want you to call Reeve and see if he can get his best people on this. Have him send out Cait Sith with whatever information he is able to connect from the papers we'll email him. Let's go guys. We're only half a step closer to solving this attack."

Vincent took out his cell phone and stepped away from the circle of people. They began talking with Godo about the location of any important papers holding answers to their current riddle. The list probably went on and on.

"Wondered if I would be hearing from you," Reeve said as he answered Vincent's call. "What can I do for you?"

"We've found some recording equipment inside Yuffie's bedroom. We aren't sure what the spies found, but we destroyed the machines to protect her a little bit longer. Mr. Kisaragi is gathering up records for problems he's faced with other in the past five years," Vincent explained to Reeve. He saw everyone stand to begin heading out to gather together all the paperwork Reeve would need to complete the search. "Is there any hope you could dig around this list of people we write up and email to you? Maybe you could find something we wouldn't be able to."

"Vincent, you don't even need to send me the paperwork. You know I have access to just about every crime, document, or contract ever created. I'll get my best people on it and as soon as I get an answer I'll send Cait Sith over to Wutai," Reeve said with an obvious smile on his face. "All you guys have to do is wait and guard the little ninja."

Vincent looked over to Yuffie and took in her laying under her comforter. No matter what anyone said they all were beginning to see she wasn't so little anymore.

"Thank you," Vincent said and ended the call. He could have gone after his friends to end their searching, but a part of him wanted to be alone with Yuffie.

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What do you think about a poor man tattling on the rich? He was able to help Vincent connect rich, dirty hands behind this crime! Well, maybe! Who knows if they're right or not? Strange things happen in the world of Final Fantasy, don't they?