Hi everyone! Sorry for how long it has been between my last update. I was finishing my last year of school, and working a lot and trying to have a social life. Don't worry, I still have every intent to finish this story. I know the last chapter covered a bit of what Yuffie did after she woke up and learned everything, but the beginning of this chapter is going to add to that too. Again I'd like to thank everyone who has commented, favorite, or followed this story. It really does mean a lot.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy VII
*tick*tock*tick*tock*
The clock on the wall hummed its rhythmic beat as the girl stayed motionless in bed. It was eerily quiet as if time itself had stop.
She just sat there, staring blankly forward at the wall. She imagined that a comforting hand and a low husky voice belonging to a crimson-eyed man would tell her to come back to sleep, but knew nothing was actually going to happen.
Nothing…
That was exactly what Yuffie felt. She reached up to gingerly touch her lips. Remembering the light pressure she had felt on them only minutes ago. She closed her eyes, letting a small smile grace her face as she imagined the feel of silky hair between her fingers, the scent of earth freshly kissed by rain and smoldering embers intoxicating her nostrils, and then she made the mistake of opening her eyes.
And just like that, the illusion was gone. Instead of opening her eyes to a mixture of red and black, she was greeted by muted greys. Then, all at once, Yuffie started to feel again.
Pain was first. She grabbed her heart.
Oh gawd, did it hurt. She sat up in a kneeling position, hunching over to put her hands on her chest. She let out a strangled sob, feeling the tears stream down her face.
'Vinnie…Vincent…' she thought, repeating his name over and over like a mantra.
He was gone…she was never going to see him again, and the realization hurt.
'You left me…H-how could you do that?! I would have stayed with you..we could have come here together!', Yuffie screamed internally. She reached for her pillow, shoving her head in it to let out a muffled scream.
Then something in Yuffie snapped. It stopped hurting. Yuffie felt herself fill with hot anger. Why would this happen to her? She helped save the world multiple times and this is how she was thanked?
Yuffie lifted her head, hiccupping and roughly wiping the tears away. She got up and stumbled towards her vanity. She clutched the sides while looking at herself in the mirror.
Again, she was greeted with blue instead of violet, her orbs painfully reminding her what was sucked from her life. Yuffie couldn't stand to look at herself. She didn't deserve to be here, to be alive. She should have stayed with Vincent.
He had always been alone and she left him to be alone for Leviathen knows how long. Yuffie punched the mirror, hard, watching the glass shatter making spiderweb patterns. She should have yelped in pain, but she couldn't feel it. She watched the colourless liquid come out from her knuckles and drip down her hand.
The irony of this. She couldn't see red, yet it was the perfect colour to describe the intense anger radiating off her. It was a colour that was a huge part of her life, and she never noticed until now. Ignorance really was bliss.
*knock*Knock*Knock*
"Yuffie..?" a soft feminine voice called from the other side of her door.
"I heard a loud noise, is everything alright?"
Yuffie started to tear up again. She had watched, she had screamed, she had cried when the long blade had pierced through the beloved flower girl. Yuffie had watched her take her last breath, had seen the life drain from her eyes. Yet here Yuffie was, hearing her serene voice.
"Yaa Aeris, I'm fine… I just tripped and fell into my vanity."
'Aeris?'
"A-alright, I just wanted to make sure. Goodnight!"
Yuffie heard soft footsteps disappearing and the sound of a door opening and closing. She was thankful Aerith hadn't come in. She wasn't sure if she could take looking into her eyes, at her face.
That girl, she looked just like her dear friend who was taken from her, but at the same time it wasn't. That girl didn't know the real Yuffie, she didn't remember all the times they spent together on their journey.
This copy knew the restoration committee, not AVALANCHE; she knew munny, not gil; when she thought of pure evil, she imagined creatures with big yellow eyes, not silver hair and feline-green eyes.
Could Yuffie make her remember though..? And Cid, that old bastard, did her remember anything?
Aerith still had the reputation of the flower girl, and Cid still worked on ships…A glimmer of hope swelled up in Yuffie's heart. Could she bring her friends to remember like she did?
But what if she tried and failed…Could she handle that disappointment? What would happen to the relationships she had with everyone now?
Yuffie analyzed her behavior in this world. It definitely was similar to who she was in her old life. Her maturity was higher in the past, but she didn't think anyone would know something was different. She needed answers, she didn't need Aerith or Squall to be hovering around her if they thought she was acting abnormal.
Yuffie looked up into her cracked reflection.
"Heh, how fitting", she spat out.
The broken mirror was literally a reflection of how she felt, shattered. Yuffie let her head drop against the broken glass, causing some pieces to clatter on the vanity.
Yuffie sighed and turned her head to the side, her eyes landing on the connecting door.
'Cloud' she thought. Could he..? Did he..?
'I know you are in there Yuffie'
Yuffie blinked, she felt her chest getting tight. Did Cloud remember?
'Why did you steal his materia Yuffie?!'
Yuffie's breathing got faster.
'Why do our dates always end up with you hitting me?'
The room was shrinking. Yuffie felt suffocated. Did her former leader remember everything she did? All she had to do was open the door. But was she ready to face this?
Air. She needed some air before she could deal with this. The room felt so small. Her skin was pale and sticky from perspiration.
Yuffie grabbed her shuriken, opened up her window and jumped to the rooftop across from her room.
She skillfully ran, leaping from rooftop to rooftop, landing elegantly on her feet.
'Well, Squall will definitely know something is up when he sees how much I improved overnight' she mused as her feet carried her farther from the hotel.
Yuffie continued to run until her lungs burned and her legs ached. She jumped down from a roof at an angle, using the wall of the building across from her to push her legs against and back towards the other wall, so she could descend in a zig-zag manner.
She walked out of the alley and gazed up at Wutai's magnificent statue, Da-Chao.
Yuffie looked, gently smiling at all the times she'd climb on top and then have to face her angry father screaming at her to be more lady like since she was a princess.
Yuffie's reminiscing was cut short by some movement she saw on the ground.
Yuffie rubbed her eyes and looked back at Da-Chao, only for it to be the clock tower.
Her smile faltered, and she looked back to the movement on the floor.
Two beady yellow eyes stared back at her.
Yuffie felt her anger start to return. These things, these monsters, they took everything from her. They destroyed her once, and they were back to try again. She was already robbed of everything she loved and cared about, wasn't that enough?! Why did they have to follow her to this life too!
Vincent sacrificed himself to be the guide for other souls leaving the old world to come here, to a place he thought was safe.
Yuffie felt herself go numb again. Did Vincent give up his life in vain? Could he had been here, right now, next to her, instead of stuck in the lifestream? They could have continued to fight against the heartless, together.
The heartless had surrounded her while she was deep in thought. She looked around her and turned her head down, letting out a chuckle.
Her quiet laughing built up to a maniacal cackle. Her shoulders shook as she tightened her grip on her shuriken.
Then suddenly, she whipped it forward, cutting down a path through the clawed creatures. She lifted her hand and caught it gracefully. She strapped it to her back and pulled out two throwing knives, swiping her arm quickly to her side, catching a heartless that had decided to lunge at her.
Yuffie decided to make this more personal. Her grief fueling her passion to kill every last one.
The ninja threw a throwing knife to her right, simultaneously stabbing to her left. She back flipped safely away from the claws of a heartless, throwing a knife at its head while she was upside down. She quickly got back to her feet spotting an oil canister for the lamps near her.
She ran towards it, letting lose shuriken at any heartless that got in her way. When she was almost there, a couple heartless appeared, blocking her path.
A shuriken whirled through the air catching one in the gut. The ninja then slid on the ground, with a dagger in hand to cut down at the heartless feet. Getting up, she round house kicked another and then punched one to her left, making sure to position her knives between her knuckles.
Yuffie quickly turned around to use her giant shuriken to stab the gas canister. She threw it at an angle above the heartless, sending a knife after it to puncture another hole in the metal can.
Oil started to spray all over the heartless, who became momentarily stun by the foreign substance.
Yuffie used the opportunity to scale the closest building to her, and cast a fira spell once she was as a good spot to watch the show she had orchestrated.
The heartless did the unheard of and lit up the night. Their bodies made of darkness burning beautifully and fueling the mesmerizing flames in front of her.
Yuffie had a grin on her face as she watched the enemies she hated so much burn to a crisp, but it slightly fell when she noticed the flames, which should have been painted a whole palate of vivid reds, came off as greyish and muted still.
Once the spectacle had died down, Yuffie noticed a few more heartless had showed up, most likely curious as to the commotion she had started. The adrenaline started to pump through her blood again, and Yuffie decided she needed to show them the consequences of robbing someone of their favorite colour. With a quick shut of the eyes and a deep breath to inhale the scent of fire so closely related to the man in red, Yuffie leaped off the building into the monsters below.
She threw a knife there, stabbed another here, flipped, jumped, killed.
Then she was alone. Her heavy breathing the only thing to be heard. The heartbroken girl looked down at her hands, clenching them into fists.
'I promise Vincent, I'll find out how Sephiroth was able to bring the heartless to our world. I'll find out who was responsible. I won't let your death be in vain'
Unknowing to the girl, a shadow lurked in the alley, watching her. It didn't move. Just watched, before turning around and disappearing into the night.
A bright light pierced through my eyelids bringing me back to consciousness. My eyes fluttered open, letting the scarce amount of sun that rarely showed in Traverse town blind me momentarily.
I raised an arm, shielding myself from the annoying light.
'What happened last night?'
"Ahh…"
I suddenly remembered my little escapade. I looked at my hands, seeing the fresh cuts and new callouses starting to form from the hard labor I put them through.
'I must have completely exhausted myself. I didn't even dream' I thought.
I felt new tears start to prickle my eyes. I quickly wiped them away. I could feel how swollen my eyes were from last night, I didn't need them to get any worse.
It was probably better that I didn't dream. I don't think I could have dealt with being able to see his face again, just to wake up and for it to be gone.
I let out a sigh. I was surprised no one had woken me up. Usually Squall would have barged in here already to drag me out of bed to go train.
A quick glance at the clock showed that it was almost 10 in the morning, definitely way past our usual training time.
I stretched my arms out, thankful for the unexpected rest day. I wore myself out last night, and my body was in dire need of a break.
I pushed my troubles to the back of my mind. At night I'd deal with my past, during the day I had to be the same Yuffie that lost her home of Radient Garden.
I slowly dragged myself out of bed relishing the safety and comfort it offered to head to the bathroom for a much needed shower.
I flipped the lights on and turned on the water. I looked at my outfit I had set out while I waited for the water to heat up.
I compared each piece to my original attire I wore in my other life. There were some obvious similarities, but my current outfit had more of a childish charm to it.
I grimaced looking at the bright yellow scarf and blue buckles on my tank top.
"Oh gawd, this is bad. Alright, today I am going shopping."
Once the mirrors started to fog up from the steam, I stepped into the shower.
I let the scorching hot water run over my body and I felt every muscle start to soften and relax. This was just what I needed.
I began to clean every trace of my little adventure off my body, lathering my hair with extra shampoo, and scrubbing my body extra hard. New day, new me, right?
As I washed the suds off my arms, I started remembering what my past body looked like. Overall, I had the same shape, size, and build. I was about this age I was now when I had left my other world. The biggest difference where the markings on my body though.
I ran my hands over my shoulders and abdomen, seeing the flawless skin under the water. My previous body had been filled with scars, each one having its own tale and expressing the experience I had in battle.
'I'll make sure it stays this way. I'll be damned if I let the heartless put their hands on me again' I thought bitterly.
I finished rinsing myself before I got out, wrapping a big fluffy green towel around my body and a matching one on top of my head.
While I dried off, I made a few adjustments to my outfit. I opened up my wardrobe, sifting through my clothes.
"Aha! I knew I had something similar!"
My eyes landed on a green sweater Aerith had given me for Christmas one year. It was a turtle neck with long sleeves.
This would be easy to fix, even for me!
I grabbed one of my daggers and made a messy cut at the shoulders, making the sweater sleeveless. Then I cut the lower half of the sweater off, transforming it into a crop top.
"This sure brings back memories." I said.
This was my staple outfit when I was 16. My style had ended up changing to a more monotone scheme as I grew, but seeing a familiar outfit really comforted me.
I put on my makeshift crop top and my shorts. I ditched the scarf and pushed my thigh high socks down to my ankles for a scrunched effect. Glancing in the mirror, it looked very identical to my old outfit.
Just as I had finished pulling my fishnet warmers and gloves on, there was a knock at the main door of my room.
"Come in!" I yelled as I tied my headband around my head.
The door opened and I heard footsteps walking up to me, accompanied by the jingling of one too many belts hitting each other.
"You didn't come to training" a suave voice said.
"Well, Squall, I thought I could do for a little extra sleep"
I could imagine his eyebrow twitching at the annoyance of me not calling him Leon.
I turned around to face him ready for him to scold me. Instead, I saw his cobalt eyes look me over. I was painfully aware at how his eyes paid attention to every detail of my body and I could feel my face heating up.
"What?"
"It seems you were busy playing seamstress instead of getting extra sleep."
I puffed my cheeks out.
"Well, unlike you, I like to stay trendy and efficient. The scarf was going to get me in trouble during a fight one day, and this top is a lot easier to move in than my other shirt!"
Squall stood their giving me a dubious look.
"….Because poor craftsmanship is trendy?" He said, a smirk forming on his mouth as he saw me send a glare his way.
"So funny Squall. Now if you don't mind, I have some errands I need to do today." I retorted as I started to head towards my door.
"Where did you go last night?"
I hesitated and looked over my shoulder.
"What do you mean, I was here?"
He quirked an eyebrow.
"No you weren't. I heard Aerith check up on you after that loud noise. When I heard another noise come from your room I decided to see what the hell the racket was myself. I knocked but when you didn't answer I came in. Your window was open, Yuffie. Where did you go."
I turned to face him again.
"Oh, I stepped out for a minute. I got restless and needed some air."
"Restless, huh? Did smashing your vanity mirror in not tire you out enough?"
'Shit'
"Nyuk, nyuk…Well you see, I tripped last night and accidentally broke the mirror in the process. Then I was fully awake and decided to go for a walk. And getting a new mirror was actually on my list of errands today…so I'll go take care of that" I quickly rambled as I backed towards freedom and away from the agitated man.
I turned around and was almost past the threshold when a hand flung out and shut the door in front of me and landed right next to my head. I felt myself getting turned around and before I could side step out of the grasp, another arm came up on my other side, effectively caging me in.
I looked up following the lone scar on Squall's handsome face, resting my eyes on his deep oceanic pools. I felt my face heating up again at how close we were.
'Dammit Yuffs, now is not the time to swoon!' I mentally scolded myself.
"Yuffie, don't lie to me. You expect me to believe that the mirror was that damaged from you falling into it?"
"Yes, I do. Just like how I expect you to believe me when I say I will hurt you if you don't let me go".
Alright, maybe in any other situation I wouldn't have mind being this personal with Mr. Tall, dark, and handsome, but it was really annoying me how he kept demanding information.
His eyes narrowed at my response.
"You're hiding something. And you've always been shitty at keeping things a secret. So even if you don't plan on telling me yourself, you'll mess up eventually and I'll find out. So why not save yourself the embarrassment and just tell me now?"
It really irked me at how incompetent Squall thought I was. Sure, maybe the Yuffie he knew was, but that wasn't me anymore. I was a lot more composed and skilled than he knew, and I sure as hell would prove it.
I pushed off the door, bringing my face closer to his. I saw him shiver slightly as the space between us shrunk to a much more intimate distance.
"You know what I think Leon," I mewed into his ear, noticing him stiffen as my breath brushed against his skin.
"I think I like to keep secrets because it keeps things exciting." I leaned back a bit so I could look him in the eyes.
"Sure I could just tell you upright, but wouldn't it be more fun to just show you?" The words rolled off my tongue huskily.
Squall looked completely speechless. He stood there just staring at me for what felt like forever. I opened up my mouth to say something else, and just when I swear I saw him starting to lean forward, a knock happened.
The trance I created broke and I started to laugh.
"HA! You should have seen your face Squall! Man I got you good, I should really think about going into acting. I am damn good if I do say so myself!"
Squall just stood there, shock evident on his face while he looked at me with a slight blush on his cheeks. I had never seen Squall that flustered before. I had to admit, it was awfully attracted. Maybe it had been my imagination, but I swear he had leaned in just a bit.
Who was I kidding, this was Squall. I had too much to deal with to add another possible complication. Vincent flashed in my mind, and I instantly felt guilty about flirting with Squall.
"Hmph, if you really think that poor performance would make me forget about what I said, your mistaken. Like I said, Yuffie, I will find out what you've been hiding."
"Whatever you say Leon." I said flippantly as I waved my hand.
I put my hand on his chest and pushed him back a bit so I could open the door for whomever was knocking.
I was immediately greeted by green eyes and a soft smile
'You can do this Yuffie, act normal. This isn't Aeris, this is Aerith'
I swallowed any tears that threatened to fall.
"Hey Aer! Thanks again for checking up on me last night."
The cladded pink girl giggled softly.
"You're welcome. I was just worried when I had heard the loud noise."
I smirked, appreciating her motherly instinct.
"Ya, you know how clumsy I can get sometimes. So did you need something?"
She perked up rembering why she had came.
"Yes! I was wondering if you knew where Cloud had gone off to. I've been looking for him since this morning."
Oh right, Cloud…I needed to find him too. I had to know what he knew.
"Strife mentioned this morning that he planned on going to the coliseum today after training. He probably won't be back until later." Squall chimed in.
An idea hatched into my mind as I looked at Aerith's disappointed face.
"Don't worry Aer! I'll let him know you need to chat with him. I actually planned on going to the coliseum myself. I had some things I wanted to do at the shopping center today."
"You're going by yourself?" Squall asked disbelievingly.
"Well ya, I'm an adult. I'm fully capable of riding a gummi ship by myself." I sassed back.
Aerith seemed to like the idea.
"Oh Leon, she doesn't need a babysitter," Aerith turned her green eyes on me again making my heart wrench.
"Thank you Yuffie, I would appreciate that. Just be careful."
"Of course, the great ninja Yuffie is always careful!" I beamed at her.
She let out a little giggle before turning to leave. Squall watched her go and when the door closed he was right by me again, pushing me back against the wall.
This time he was at the advantage. He set his mouth right by my ear, every word he said caused his lips to lightly brush against my earlobe, causing my to shiver
"Aerith might not notice anything but I have. I'm watching you Yuffie"
With that, he leaned back, taking in my face. His eyes briefly glossed over my lips before he turned and walked out of my room.
My face felt warm against my hands, and again I guiltily remembered Vincent's last kiss.
I sighed, Squall and I were just playing mind games with each other. I know I couldn't live in the past forever with Vincent, and eventually I'd have to move on, but with the memories being so fresh in my mind, it felt wrong to even play flirt with someone else.
I lightly tapped my face to clear my mind and headed out to Cid's shop.
I strolled through town, taking in my environment as I made my way to the gummi shop.
I watched as people socialized and as children played. It was weird. I had spent a large sum of my life here in this universe, but with the new knowledge I acquired, it all seemed so new to me.
My mind kept wanting to see my old life, it wanted me to see the beautiful architecture of Wutai, not the simple square brick buildings of Traverse town.
I put my hand to my head. I could feel a slight throbbing in my temple. My brain was working overtime taking in my surroundings while simultaneously imagining what it wanted to see.
I deeply inhaled. Once I find Cloud and see what he knows, perhaps things would get easier since I wouldn't be alone. I picked up my pace when I saw the shop in sight. The faster I got there, the better.
*Ding*
The bell above the door rang as I stepped foot into the gummi shop the old man ran. I looked around, nostalgia overcoming me as I thought of Cid's old workplace. Something just didn't seem right without the smell of those cancer sticks in the air.
"What do you want, kid?" I heard a gruff voice say behind the counter.
"Hey old man, is that any way to treat your customer?" I called back
"Old man? Is that anyway to treat your elders, brat?"
I smiled enjoying the bickering, just like old times, even if he didn't remember.
"Ya, ya, calm down. Did you miss your chance for a senior discount breakfast this morning or something?" I chirped at him.
I swear I saw a vein throb on his head.
"Just tell me what you want and get out of my hair kid." He barked out.
"I need a gummi ship to get to the coliseum"
"Huh, you too? Blondie needed one there not too long ago either. Hey kid, I won't have to report you for stalking or anything do I? Leon been ignoring you too much so you need a new crush?"
I felt my face heat up again.
"No! Jeeze old timer, I just have some business I need to deal with there. Now are you going to give me a ship or not?"
"Heh, I was just kidding kid, no need to get all hysterical. Ya, here, take the ship in the far right bunker. You better be careful."
"I hear you old man."
I swiped the keys from his hand and headed to my ship.
Once I was in I set the auto pilot and popped a tranquilizer, learning from Cloud that this was the best way to tame my motion sickness.
I thought of the spikey headed man and flushed again and what Cid was saying. I had always had a crush on Cloud, but now was not the time to think of it. I had to get answers first.
I leaned back in my chair and braced myself for the ride to the coliseum, unsure of what version of Cloud I'd find.
Alright, there's some light playful fluff for you. So how will Cloud react to Yuffie? Does he actually remember? I'm sure people already know the answer to that. I know for a clouffie fic there's been more Yuffie/Sqaull interaction, but don't worry, the next chapter will have some nice Cloud and Yuffie flirting! Yuffie can't be hung up on Vincent forever. I'll try to update faster this time. Please, like, follow, or review, it really means a lot! Thanks for keeping up with the story everyone.
