Tengoko: Finally got through this chapter. I'd been stuck on it for a while, but I'm pretty content with the final results. I'm going to try my best to deliver those speedy updates for you, but school has been keeping me pretty busy. Anyway, enjoy chapter four, and if you could, please review. Thank you.
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Rated M for language and romance
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Chapter 4: Conversations
Secrets lie waiting in the dark
Unravel them by the thread
It's time, at last, to embark
The path lies straight ahead
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Yuffie preferred for things to remain left unspoken. After the mysterious visitor vanished, she was quite content to pretend as though he'd never been there at all. Whenever Tifa tried to speak with her about it, Yuffie would hurriedly change the subject or find an excuse to leave the room. It never happened. Never.
There was one thing that Yuffie couldn't ignore: the letter. Soon, she would have no choice but to return to Wutai to take the throne once her father abdicated. Still, she couldn't help but notice the foreboding feeling that settled in the pit of her stomach whenever she thought about it. It was as if the encounter had been a window to the future, telling her that if she took the throne, something bad was going to happen.
Of course, she was being silly. He was one man. What could one man do? Besides, she was the great ninja Yuffie. She felt sorry for any man who thought they could take her on and win.
A week had passed since the night that Yuffie had seen the stranger, and with no sign of him since, she was beginning to think he was just some nut who had wanted to see with his own eyes if the princess really was working at a bar. Tifa didn't seem to think so, and her big sister instinct kicked in straightaway. Yuffie could no longer sleep with her door locked. She could no longer stay home alone or go out by herself. Constant surveillance just in case the man returned.
"I think you are overreacting a little," Yuffie had said, looking to Vincent to back her up on this. "Right, Vinny?"
His answer hadn't been what she'd expected. "I think Tifa is right. Obviously there is somebody out there who means to hurt you. You shouldn't be alone."
So, she hadn't had a moment's privacy for nearly a week. But now, she did. Tifa had fallen asleep while watching the news, and Vincent was out doing… well, whatever it was that Vincent did. She wasn't sure anymore. That man was a mystery that she'd never figure out no matter how hard she tried.
With the grace of a cat, Yuffie slowly made her way to the stairs, hoping that she wouldn't wake Tifa. Step by step, inch by inch. She was almost there.
Then somebody knocked on the door.
Tifa jerked awake and looked around, bemused. She saw Yuffie near the stairs, but clever Yuffie made it seem as though she were merely going to the sink to get a glass of water. Tifa looked at her skeptically before rising to her feet to answer the door.
Yuffie had her back to her friend, so she didn't see who was standing on the porch. But, judging my Tifa's reaction, it was somebody important. She turned around quickly just as Tifa gave Reeve a consuming hug.
"It's good to see you, too, Tifa," he laughed, hugging her back. "I've been meaning to come out here more often. But, they've been keeping me so busy with the WRO."
"We understand," Tifa said, nodding emphatically.
Yuffie walked up to them and gave Reeve a hug as well. "What brings you here?" she asked. As much as she'd like to think that Reeve had come to simply say 'hello', she knew better. He never came for such social reasons. There was always something when this man came to see you.
"Well, it's interesting that you should ask that—" he started, walking into the room. Tifa closed the door and followed him to one of the bar stools.
"Are you thirsty?" Tifa asked, cutting him off.
"No," he said, his stoic face giving way to a smile for a fleeting moment before returning back to his serious demeanor. "There is something that you must know, Yuffie. I am sure that you have already been informed by Godo that he is stepping down as monarch of Wutai."
"Yes," she said, her dark eyes now full of curiosity.
"You are planning on stepping up, correct?"
Tifa looked confused. "Yuffie… why didn't you tell me about this?"
She looked at her best friend guiltily. "Because, I wasn't sure until now that I was going to do it. It was something that took a lot of thinking."
The door opened again. This time, Vincent walked through, his tall frame filling the doorway as he moved with a haunting posture. His crimson eyes found the visitor, and he paused as though he were trying to find words to say.
"Vincent?" Reeve asked, standing up immediately. "I heard that you had returned. It is good to see you."
"Is it?" he asked, his deep voice lacking inflection. He chose to leave it at that. Reeve understood. After working with Vincent, he knew there was no breaking through the outer shell. In fact, he was surprised he received a response at all.
"I suppose you are wondering why I am here?" he asked, his mouth twitching upwards into a smirk.
"If that is what you suppose, then perhaps you should get to the point," Vincent said, removing his cape. Yuffie giggled at that, but quickly covered her mouth when Reeve's dark eyes came back to look at her. At first, she thought he was upset because she laughed at him, but she quickly realized that the conversation was about to turn on her.
"Some members of the WRO have informed me of a plot they uncovered. There is a plot— "
"Of course," Yuffie muttered, flipping her bangs out of her face. "There is always a plot."
"Yuffie… please. This is important," Reeve said. "If we don't get to the bottom of this, Wutai could very well be in danger. Some organization is scheming to over throw you the minute Godo relinquishes the throne."
"Why bother waiting?" Vincent asked, his arms folded, as usual, across his chest. "Do they think it'll be any easier defeating the gods of the pagoda?"
"They probably do think that it will be easier to take it from a woman," Yuffie said, hating the truth of that statement. "Besides, I'd be a new ruler… the people of Wutai aren't really familiar with me yet. If a new group of people take over, it would be no big deal to them. But, they are used to Godo, and they have all come to respect and trust him. If anybody tried to take the throne from him, there would be a revolt."
"That's the conclusion I came to, as well," Reeve said. "Yuffie, does your father know of this plan? Has he mentioned anything about it to you?"
"I don't think he does," she said, taking a stab in the dark. "If he did know about it, he wouldn't be so quick to give the throne to me. He'd take care of the problem first."
"Right. Then you should write to him and tell him. It's important that he know. Meanwhile, I will see to the investigation myself." He got to his feet and was about to say his good-byes when, suddenly, Vincent flung his cape back on and started towards the door. "Vincent?"
"I will be going to the Shin-Ra Headquarters with you, Reeve. If this does involve a hostile takeover, I can assure you, the Turks will know something about it, assuming they aren't the ones responsible in the first place, and I intend to learn all that I can from them."
Yuffie stared at him incredulously while Tifa chuckled a bit. "When he says it like that, you start to think that they already don't have a choice."
Reeve laughed. "Well, who am I to argue with him? Anything that can make Vincent sound long-winded must be important."
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Tseng was standing behind his desk, sorting through some papers at the last minute. Reno stood on the other side, awaiting directions, but not so patiently. His foot was tapping loudly against the tiled floor and he let out a lot of loud sighs that were meant to tell Tseng how edgy he was getting.
"Reno, I've asked you once before not to smoke in my office. Put that thing out… now."
Reno looked down at the cigarette in his hand and shrugged. "Whatever you say, boss," he said, walking over to Tseng's bonsai, taking on last drag, and then throwing the rest of the cigarette into the pot. Tseng glared at him but said nothing to indicate further annoyance. "How is it that Elena and Rude always get out of here quickly, but when it comes to giving me orders, you take a long ass time?"
"Reno, you haven't forgotten that you are on probation, have you?" This earned him a dark scowl from the younger Turk. "Rufus told me to pick your missions carefully, and that's what I intend to do."
"Figures," he said, rolling his eyes.
"Ah, found the perfect job for you," Tseng said, holding a sheet of paper up in front of him. "Reno, I'm going to need you to go to— "
The door to Tseng's office swung open, banging against the wall and then bouncing shut. The man who had opened the door had already entered, his blood-red eyes aflame, and his three-barreled gun pointing at Tseng's face.
Reno's gun was out in less than a second, and it was pointed at the intruder. Tseng had been startled, but luckily, there was no gun near him or he very well could have done something stupid.
"Drop your gun, Valentine," Reno snapped.
The door opened again, and this time, Reeve entered, rubbing a red mark on his forehead. "Damn it, Vincent, warn me next time you're going to slam a door in my face." He blinked after that, finally taking in the situation. "Oh, come on. Are guns really necessary?"
"They seem to make these conversations end quickly," Vincent answered, ignoring Reno.
"Oh, so it is a conversation you want?" Tseng asked, setting the piece of paper down and looking amused now. "Is this your way of saying 'hello'?"
"I'm going to get to the point," Vincent started.
"I'd imagine you are good at that."
"What are you planning to do with Wutai?" he continued, not slowed by Tseng's comment. The smile on Tseng's face vanished, and Vincent took this to be a confession of sorts. So, the Turks were behind it? "I thought Shin-Ra had given up on Wutai."
"I should say that I don't know what you are talking about," he began, "but it would be a lie. However, I think you are mistaken, Vincent. Though there is some truth behind your claim, the Turks, or Shin-Ra, for that matter, are not responsible for this. It's actually a coincidence that you came in now. I was just about to send Reno to investigate more about this issue."
"How did you come to learn about this?" Reeve asked.
"The same way you did, I'd expect," Tseng answered smugly. "The WRO isn't the only organization around here, you know? I've eyes and ears all over the map."
"Lower your gun, Vincent. If you are interested in discovering who is behind everything, it may just be best to work with the Turks."
Vincent said nothing, but he did lower his gun. Work with the Turks? Again? He had sworn that he never would do anything for Shin-Ra after what had happened to him. But, this was a different Shin-Ra than he had known, and the cause was too important to be pushed aside because of personal feelings of hate.
"I will help Reno," Vincent said with a note of finality. Once again, he left no room for anybody to argue, though the look on Reno's face told everybody that he would have very much liked to.
