Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: Yo! Hope it hasn't been too long, and sorry about the prequel that was supposed to be up and still isn't. I've been stressed a lot, senior year and what not. But enough with my excuses—please review! Also, I'm terribly sorry that is shorter than the others I've been posting-but no worries! The next one will make up for it. This one's mostly filler.

Perhaps Not Her Finest Moment

Chapter VII

By Miranda Panda-chan

Yuffie growled to herself as she walked around the dusty grasslands where they'd made their camp. People were getting words of their plans. Preemptive attacks were their only advantage, and if the information kept getting leaked, well…that would be the end of Wutai.

"I bet you wish to Leviathan you'd have let me be leader now, huh?" the voice slithered up from behind her.

"They would have just shot you, not to mention, you'd have never breached the first layer of security measures Shelke set up for Reeve. To put it bluntly, if it weren't for me, you'd be dead by now." She said curtly, knowing how arrogant she sounded and not caring. She was so not in the mood for this.

Itachi glared at his leader, eyes steely, "You talk about the enemy as if they're our friends," he mocked, she whirled around, glaring daggers at the arrogant and haughty youth. She could kill him, so easily, and no one would question her…She scoffed.

"Because they were-!"

"They're trying to kill you and your people now! See? Talk like that is what will bring Wutai to ruin. Admit it!" she stood silent for a moment, arms shaking at her sides from the sheer effort it to keep from punching him in the face.

"That may be so…but forgive me for not acquiescing to the whims of a child." He glared at her—for all this child talk, she was only about six years older than him. He turned and walked, knowing she'd beat him in a fair fight. Besides, he had bigger fish to fry—places to be, people to see—stuff far more important than dealing with the girl who got everything because she was daddy's little princess.

Yuffie glared at his retreating form, not turning back around or relaxing until he was out of sight, despite the fact that she was a little surprised that he'd conceded defeat so easily.

She sighed, rubbing her arms slightly to gather warmth. She didn't like this; she was Yuffie! She hated being alone, she's was no leader—maybe Cloud or Vincent or Reeve or someone that wasn't her.

She scowled, she didn't want this. She'd never wanted this—this was precisely why she'd run away from Wutai so many times…so why had she returned to take a title she'd loathed since birth?

Kisaragi…blood heir to the throne of Wutai…

She wasn't sure. It probably had something to do with honor, and wanting to finally do something right that Godo would've been proud of her for…not to mention she knew the hardships that would've occurred had let the throne slip away to the hands of a new leader. Itachi was far more young and volatile and irrational than she was, which was saying something. He wanted to get away from the old ways, despite what he said. It was obvious to whom his rally call was truthfully directed, although he designed it to flatter and manipulate the more traditional ones. Only a fool wouldn't see that it was only skin-deep. The kindest name she'd come up with for him and his kind was 'suck-up.' She'd give him the credit, though, he was excellent at it…

…but Yuffie was no fool.

She knew his way would've led to war without question, provoked or not, and she'd learned when fighting Sephiroth and returning home to find only hatred for her heroic actions…even glorious victories in battle do not a resurrection make. No matter how many materia were stolen and resold.

No, he would've assured Wutai's ruin…

…but was she really any better?

Her insecurities had become more emphasized when she'd taken on the leadership role. She was scared, not that she'd ever admit that, but Leviathan help her if she screwed this up. People, hundreds of people, were following her lead without question (all but one, she corrected) to avenge their fallen ally or die trying. A noble cause, surely, but was it really—or were they all just using it as an escape route? Win a battle against the greatest army on Gaia, or die whilst fighting said battle so as to not have to live with the knowledge that the once praised and proud Wutai—that had once stood so tall, had caused many to pause and stare at its beauty—had become nothing more than Tourist Trash with ancient traditions and outdated values?

This was why she hadn't been sleeping despite her desperate need too.

"Lady Yuffie—you called for me?" Kuroichi asked. Yuffie nodded, it was a far fetch, but she was growing frustrated with her battle plans being leaked all over Gaia and then some.

"I need a favor…" she began, "but you have to swear to Leviathan you'll tell no one…"

"You have my word, my lady."

"Someone's been ratting on us, and I need to find out who."

"You mean…a traitor?" she nodded.

"I think so…there's no other way that every place we attack could know beforehand. Every move we've made so far has been countered. Surprise is all we've got, and if we don't have that…well, you can take it from there."

"But who would do such? All your men are honorable-!"

"Obviously, some are not nearly as honorable as we thought." She said cryptically. She mulled over it once more momentarily, chewing her lip as the faces of her soldiers flashed through her mind.

One of them was dishonorable, one of them was pulling a Cait Sith, and that one would not be treated near as kindly as they had treated Reeve.

"Ma'am…I have some bad news," it was one of the older soldiers, one of the men that had followed her father—one of the few trustworthy ones.

"I suppose it's nothing that we can ignore then, huh?" she asked, cocking her hip a little and looking at him pointedly, "So what is it?"

"We're running low on rations and supplies. Some of the men are still injured, and the journey is beginning to take its toll. The monsters in this area are ruthless, so…"

"Are there any villages or towns near by?" she asked, she had a good idea, and one came to mind…but she was hoping that perhaps there was another.

"Rocket Town is the closest one to the camp, and also the least armed. The most trouble we'll have is from—."

"Cid Highwind," she finished for him, the smell of cheap cigarettes came to mind.

"Yes, ma'am. Aside from Highwind, I forsee very little resistance from them."

"We'll take some men and get some supplies. They won't hand it to us willingly, but-," she paused, wondering if she was doing the right thing, "I'm going to mark a house with one of my shuriken. And if anyone so much as touches it, I'll kill him myself." She said, eyes narrowing.

"Of course," the soldier saluted before running off. Kuroichi looked at her curiously.

"Not that it's any of my business, but I am curious: who are you trying to protect in Rocket Town?"

"The one man that could ruin this operation, and his wife, Shera."

"Your whimsies never cease to amaze—why? Highwind can certainly take care of himself, and his wife will probably be hidden away-."

"She's going to have a baby soon, and me and Tifa are its God-moms—she and Cid have saved every penny to renovate that house for it…and whether or not he appreciates my intervention is irrelevant. The point is, I just want him to owe me." Kuroichi smirked, she was her father's child. She had the same arrogance that won people over, the same charm that could be used to manipulate or just goof off with friends.

"I'll gladly help carry out punishment on anyone that dares to harm the house you mark." Yuffie smiled, it was nice to know there was at least one trustworthy individual who believed in her.

"Thanks a lot, but if they dare lay a hand on the Highwinds' house…I'll be seeing to them myself."

Shera's eyes shot open as the yells outside filled the house. The glow of fire filtered through her windows, and Cid was already up—pulling on his boots, lit cigarette in his mouth as he grabbed for Venus Gospel—the spear he'd kept out of paranoia, not that he ever admitted to such.

"Cid?" she asked worriedly, afraid for her husband, and scared in general.

"Damn Wutain army comes knocking at our door and we're jus' lettin'em get away with it." he grumbled. He twitched just slightly, and immediately tensed as a loud thunk was heard from the front door. Shera looked frightened, one arm laying protectively over her swollen stomach and the other clutching the blankets that had been haphazardly tossed aside. Cid waited a moment, but there was no other immediate noise. Shera let out a shaky breath.

"Cid, if it's…if they're from Wutai…wouldn't that mean…?"

"Ah hell," he swore furiously under his breath, "If the damn brat's gonna pick a fight, it might as well be with me. You stay here, if they get in here, run to the airship—you'll be able to escape in that if nothing else."

"But-!"

"Not now, Shera—I'll be back, ya hear? So quite yer catter-whaulin'." He griped before she could even begin her catter-whauling, as he'd so kindly dubbed it. She watched exit the room, crossing her fingers, and praying silently that he'd come back safely.

Cid opened his front door, chaos meeting him at the threshold with enthusiasm. Silhouettes of people he knew and people he didn't casting shadows in the dark along the walls of the dilapidated houses. It was the Wutain army alright, and he'd be damned if the short one wasn't that fucking brat. He ran forward, eyes darting for any ninja-esque movement in the shadows that could possibly get him killed…or robbed blind, as he'd learned on his journey with AVALANCHE.

"Whatch'all doin' in my town, huh? Get the hell out! Ya got no business with us," he proclaimed as he took a swipe at three soldiers, only one of which dodged and got away from his first attack unscathed.

"We did not come to fight," one of them said solemnly, backing up the one who'd gotten away, "It was your people who attacked first."

"The hell they did—if you're anything like the brat, you were stealin' or doing something just as stupid." He spit, his eyes never leaving the soldiers that were following Yuffie of all people.

"We needed supplies, we cannot afford as much as we need—besides, it's not as if we'd have resorted to sneaking in if we'd thought you would have sold what we need to us without complaint or report to the WRO or some affiliate." The voice was young, and he shuddered to think on how old the kid behind that metal helmet really was.

"Well, lucky for you—you'll probably have a couple less mouths to feed after tonight," his laugh was gravelly and airy, his lungs heaving a little from the poison he consistently breathed in. The soldiers lunged as Cid took a defensive position.

And a shuriken whizzed between them, striking against something metal that resounded with a sharp clang! The two soldiers jumped back, looked at one another, and then ran in two different directions—effectively ending the would-be fight.

If it hadn't been for the fluttering of an all too familiar moogle-cloak, and the prior assessment that Yuffie would be there—he might not have noticed her standing on one of the roofs nearby, the wind challenging her hood as it and the pale fabric of her cloak fluttered around her, the gleam of a Conformer in her hand not going unobserved. Cid spat and cursed in one breath, wondering if she'd ended their fight for theirs or his sake. He still didn't know; didn't care that much to worry about it too hard, really. All that mattered was that Shera was safe, thereby keeping their unborn child safe, and that the brat hadn't gotten herself killed quite yet. He'd bet she was getting pretty damn close with all the losing battles she'd entered into unarmed, unprepared, with nothing but arrogance and pride as her armor. He sighed gravely, as the darkened figure slid away before he could truthfully pinpoint the distance between his and her locations. Another crash, the fire seemed to roar to life a little bit more, and the red glow's reflection on his face made him look unholy and frightening.

This was going to be a long night.

A/N: So here we are. I think it's coming along pretty well. Also, keep in mind, these are unbeta'd. And don't forget to tell me how much it did/didn't suck in a review! I'll love you forevers!

Panda out.