Chapter 9 – New Experience, Old Lessons
Waking up in someone else's bed is strange enough, but not remembering why you were there in the first place is frightening. Yuffie had no idea why she was in Robert's room until her memories came back to her all at once. The restaurant, the gun pointed right at her, and the new guy Cid. An idea suddenly popped into her head and she threw the covers off of her. She was still in yesterday's cloths, minus the shoes. Turning to her right she noticed the bed was empty except for her, looking around the room she searched for her boyfriend unsuccessfully. Then she smelled it, the sweet aroma of eggs and something else cooking. She quickly pulled herself out of bed and ran to see if Robert was in the kitchen. There he was scrambling eggs and stirring in some other ingredients to flavor them. To his right she saw some hot flour tortillas and orange juice. This time he turned to her and asked, "You feeling ok Yuffie?" "I am. Thanks for asking." She said as she walked up to him and gave him a very appreciative hug. "Hey you two are up before me." they heard from behind. James looked worse for wear without looking sick. His hair suck out everywhere and he had half laden eyes suggesting he just woke up. For pajamas he had on some kind of camouflage cotton pants and wore a green wife beater shirt. Yuffie couldn't help herself; she had to make a comment about his getup, "Trying to blend into the night?" Looking down at his pants, James understood her remark. "All the better to get you my pretty." He said looking up at her and making pretend that he had a knife in his hand. Yuffie just smiled at him taking the challenge head on. She was glad to feel more like her old self instead of the scared little girl she was last night. "You have to get up pretty early to get one over on me." she said. "James just smiled and said, "You mean before noon?" "Ha, ha. Very funny." She said. "You guys have fun with this don't you?" Robert asked interrupting the spat. "He just likes picking on me so I pick on him back." She answered, finally forgetting the feeling of looking down the barrel of a gun. Robert laughed; it started out as a chuckle and grew until he couldn't contain it at all. Settling down he said, "Well I'm glad you're feeling better Yuffie, I like it better when you smile." Blushing furiously, Yuffie shyly said, "Thank you."
After breakfast, she decided to take a shower. A long shower, she let the hot water relax her thoroughly and massaging the stress from yesterday until it disappeared. Yet she still didn't feel like getting out. Just enjoying the relaxing shower she never heard Robert's questions. Outside the shower room, Robert was getting very worried, he had asked her three times if she was done, and another two times if she was alright. Checking the door he found it unlocked, worried for her he opened the door and poked his head in to see if she was alright. Not seeing her yet seeing the steam from the shower still spilling out the top of the shower door, he walked in and called out, "Yuffie are you alright?" Still no answer, so he hoped for the best and expected the worst at the same time, he ventured further into the shower room. Turning the corner he found Yuffie, standing there letting the water run over her and wash away her worries. Sensing someone nearby, Yuffie opened her eyes and turned her head to see her boyfriend starring at her naked form, both blushing feverishly. Snapping out of her shock, Yuffie screamed, and Robert ran out of the room and shut the door behind him. "Why didn't you knock?" she shouted, "I did knock and call for you but you never answered" he quickly answered. "You weren't loud enough." She said from behind the door. "I opened the shower room door and called out, you just weren't listening." He said back to her. Staying quiet for a few seconds, she calmed down and said, "Well, ok. I'll let it slide this time." Robert began to calm down as well, "Ok. Thanks for not killing me Yuffie." "No problem." She said, "We're even now." "Even? What are we even about?" Robert asked curiously. Yuffie eeped once and began to panic a little. "Well, uh, um," she stuttered trying to think of anything to excuse herself from telling Robert about her accidental peep show of him. "Yuffie!" he said sternly, she came up with a stall, "Where's James?" "In the shop, now how are we even?" he asked stopping the stall in its tracks. Out of ideas, Yuffie had to make sure, "Promise not to get mad?" she asked. "Why would I get mad?" Robert asked in confusion, "Just promise." Yuffie insisted. "Alright, alright I promise. Now what is it?" he said giving in. "I saw you naked." she said quickly. "What, when?" not quick enough. "Yesterday before the date, you left your door open a crack while you were getting dressed." She admitted. Silence was not golden in this case; Yuffie was scared out of her wits that Robert may be angry with her and kick her out of the house. Her worries were turned to shock when he finally spoke. "So that's why you were so stand offish in the beginning. Huh." Listening intently she heard a question she thought she'd never hear. "Your birthday's next Saturday, right?" "How did you know that?" she asked. "Guang told me." Robert admitted. "What else did he say?" she asked. Robert hesitated a little, he never liked lying, and that is why he tried to stay out of situations like this. It was either tell her the truth or lie to her and hope to heaven he did it right. His heart told him to tell the truth but his head said she would run away and to lie. One thing about Robert, he always followed his heart, "He told me to ask for your hand in marriage as a birthday present." Yuffie's breath hitched in her throat, she couldn't speak for the longest time and she knew why. If she said yes, she would have all the shelter, security and comfort she needed and wanted. But if it didn't work out, she would be miserable the rest of her life. "I thought so." She heard Robert say. "It's ok Yuffie. Sorry for telling you." Now she found herself wondering why she wouldn't speak at all. She wanted to say something, anything, but her mouth wouldn't move when she told it to. Listening as her boyfriend walked away with what sounded like a sad disappointment in his step, she finally found the strength to talk, but only after he was out of earshot. "Why not now?" she whispered to herself, looking down and dropping to her knees to cry silently.
Talking to Tiffa was one of the best ideas she ever had, especially on a subject like marriage. "…and then he just sadly walked away. I know I screwed up royally, but what do I do now?" she asked finishing her story. Yuffie had used the fastest way she knew to talk to the woman, she called the house Tiffa was staying at. On the other line Tiffa was listening intently to Yuffie's story but got distracted from answering, "RED THIRTEEN YOU STOP CHASING CAIT SITH AND CALM DOWN. I'm sorry Yuffie; Red ate some of Barret's powdered sugar doughnuts. Anyway, what did you want to say? Yes or no?" "YES, oh definitely yes…I think." The girl said. "Honey, your outburst says it all. Now why did you want to say yes?" Tiffa continued, however before Yuffie had a chance to answer, she heard Tiffa yelling again, "RED, DAMNIT GO OUT SIDE AND PLAY. I'M ON THE PHONE." "Oh, Tiffa said a bad word." said the hyperactive fox cub. Yuffie decided to answer before Tiffa killed the young fox. "I'm not really sure, I'd be set with the money and the house." She said. "Deer, you already are set with that and you know it." Tiffa scolded. "I'd finally have the security and attention I always wanted." Yuffie explained. Tiffa scoffed and said, "You have friends and Robert would protect you anyway, it's his nature." Tiffa said making it sound like no big deal. "No, he seems different around me." Yuffie said. "Yah, how so?" Tiffa asked knowing she was breaking ground. "He just is. I can't explain it. He's just so focused, and when I got hurt, he went ballistic, like it was the one thing he never wanted to see." Yuffie said beginning to daydream. "Go on." Tiffa encouraged. "And on our date, he did what I wanted to do without complaining once. Also when Kueng was arrested after pointing that gun at me, he comforted me and never left, he made me feel safe." Tiffa almost missed that last part, "Uh huh… what?" "Tiffa…I think I'm in love." Yuffie said, "I'm in love with Cloud. I'm in love with Robert." as she spoke, things became clear to her and as she admitted her feelings, she could feel them grow rapidly filling her heart and easing her sorrows, she felt great. "Thanks Tiffa. You're the best. Call you later with the news. Bye." She said. Just as Yuffie hung up the phone Tiffa called out, "Wait, when did you…" but never finished, Yuffie hung up and went to look for her boyfriend. Down stairs in the game shop, Yuffie found James dealing with a customer, but was in too much of a hurry to care, "James do you know where Cloud went? I can't find him anywhere." She said. Apparently James was mad at her. "After you rejected him, he left to clear his head." "I never rejected him, I just couldn't talk. I was in too much shock." She admitted. "And now?" he asked. "I want to tell him 'yes' duffus." she said in a huff. James' eyes went wide, "Oh, well he went right, and after that I don't know." Finally having a direction to go she said "Thanks James." as she ran out the door as fast as she could.
Robert's spirits could be considered nonexistent at this time, everyone that passed by him could tell, it was like he lost his best friend. Yuffie rejecting him was like taking a knife to the heart and watching it twist inside him. His depression worsened when he saw a young couple about his and Yuffie's age, the man kneeled sown in front of the girl holding out a ring box. The girl had a very different reaction than Yuffie did, she basically threw herself at her lover and wrapped her arms around him, and everyone could hear her cry of 'YES'. Robert couldn't watch any more. Lowering his eyes, he continued to walk for another thirty minutes before he came face to face with another person. Kueng stood there with a smirk on his face and a glow in his green cat-like eyes. "Miss me yet Cloud?" he said to him. "Kueng? What are you doing here?" Kueng lowered his eyes and said in an eerily calm and familiar voice, "Sorry Cloud, but Kueng needs a time out." Black mist came from his back, spreading across his body, changing it from short black hair to long silver hair; Sephiroth emerged from the mist and held the Masamune up to his eye level. "Sephiroth." Robert said as he Mako shifted, holding the buster sword out in front of him. "Isn't it wonderful Cloud? The two of us can come back as often as we wish, as long as there are those who are Mako Infused on this planet. You and I can now fight forever if we wish." Sephiroth began to gloat. "I already told you, I'm Robert, not Cloud." He said, just before Sephiroth lunged at him. Sephiroth's strike was far harder than he expected and it sent him careening toward one of the nearby buildings. Crashing through the wall, he just lay there trying to figure out what just happened. "Come Cloud, this is no time to shop." Sephiroth taunted. Getting up to his feet, Robert heard the silver haired man walk in his direction. Robert moved silently towards the opposite wall, trying to find an exit or someplace he could hide. Suddenly, he found himself suspended in nothingness. Just a vast white nothing. "This has never happened before." He whispered. "That's because you've never needed a pep talk before." A strange man's voice said from behind him. The voice was monotone and somewhat familiar to him. Turning around Robert saw a man about his height, with a sharp face and blond spiky hair that stuck out just about everywhere. He wore a black cotton sleeveless zip up shirt which he only zipped up until his color bone. The pants he wore were black and baggy, the bottoms were held up by a strap attached to the front of the pants themselves and covered black combat boots. On his left shoulder he wore a black shoulder guard with the figure of a lion's head attached to it as well as a single wide sleeve. The harness on his back looked like it was supposed to hold six different swords all at once. The scowl on the man's perfect face told Robert this man was not happy and his shining blue eyes had a bit of anger in them.
"I know you, you were training me in my dream." Robert said. "And you can't just run away from him. Why won't you fight?" the man said crossing his arms. "My head just isn't in it." Robert said. "This thing with your girlfriend?" the man asked. Robert looked down and said, "Yah." "I wish I had some advice to give you. You're just going to have to get over it I guess." The blond suggested. "Easier said than done." Robert reminded the man. "Then again she never did say 'no' did she?" the blond said smiling. As soon as he said that, everything went back to the way it was. Robert turned around to see Sephiroth spying his escape, and lunge at him. Putting the Buster Sword up to block, he once again found himself going through a wall and out through the other side of the store. Standing up a little faster he readied himself for the fight he knew was coming. As Sephiroth walked, he slashed and destroyed everything that was in his way, almost like he was showing off. The madman stopped in front of Robert, a few feet short of Masamune length. "You always beat me, every time I came to take the world and give it to mother, the rightful ruler, and I hated that." Robert remembered that line clearly, "Wait, Kueng used that line when he talked to Yuffie." "Ah Yuffie. So where is the little girl at anyway?" Sephiroth asked. Looking down, Robert felt his depression returning. Sephiroth chuckled a little, but before he could say anything, something hit him in the back of the head. Turning around with his long hair moving as if the wind, Sephiroth searched for his offender. All around him were nothing but buildings and signs, nothing out of the ordinary. "I'm right here." they heard Yuffie shout, her voice echoed from everywhere all at once, making it impossible to find her. "Quit playing games, girl." Shouted the silver haired swordsman. "Oh this is no game Sephiroth." They heard as her shurikan flew out of nowhere at him. Sephiroth dodged skillfully, back flipping over the flying weapon and watched as it traveled to a different spot and disappeared behind a building. The madman simply leapt to the building in front of him and smirched for the ninja and her hiding spot. Instead he found the shurikan flying at him again. Using the Masamune, he knocked the spinning weapon away effortlessly. "This is getting tiring Yuffie. Just show yourself and I'll make this quick, you couldn't beat me last time and you won't win this time." Sephiroth announced. "You sound more like Kueng than Sephiroth." she yelled from behind him. Spinning around, Sephiroth spotted her as she disappeared from sight behind the edge of the building he stood on top of.
On the ground level, Yuffie ran up to cloud and grabbed him by his left arm pulling at him to hide. "He won't fall for that trick long, let's get out of here." "No way. I'm going to fight, I have to." Robert said. "Why do you have to stay Cloud, Why can't we just run away now and get married next Saturday?" she asked with panic in her voice. Robert thought he heard her wrong, "Wait does that mean…?" "Yes. Cloud. It means I want to get married, but only to you." She said honesty and love filling her every word. "How touching. I may want to puke later." They heard from behind them. Turning around, Robert saw Sephiroth as he floated down to the ground. Readying the Buster sword, Robert stood his ground. "Your fiancé is quite the annoying one isn't she?" Sephiroth asked. "You won't lay a finger on her, I won't let last time be repeated." Robert called out. Sephiroth huffed and charged at him intending on knocking him away and letting him know just how powerless he was. Robert charged as well and when the two swords clashed, it was Sephiroth who was knocked back instead. Skidding to a stop, Sephiroth looked up to see Robert's eyes glowing again, just like last time. "Limit Break? This is getting redundant." When Robert charged this time his speed was astonishing. Before Sephiroth even had a chance to completely stand, Robert was on him and in mid swing of the Buster Sword, he looked like a blur of blue light. Sephiroth brought his Masamune up and blocked the strike, watching as Robert switched directions with amazing speed and accuracy. Sliding back about twenty feet while standing, Sephiroth opened his eyes to watch as Robert moved around to his left and attacked, Sephiroth swung the Masamune in Robert's direction, and the two ended in a stale mate. Vying for dominance the two warriors pushed against each other, attempting to overpower the other. "Were does this strength come from, Cloud?" Sephiroth grunted. "I told you, I'm not Cloud." Robert said before Pushing the Masamune out of the way and spinning around horizontally. The attack was unexpected to say the least, Robert continued his slash, bringing it high above his head, and bringing it down with as much force as he could. Sephiroth stepped back in pain, and Robert moved his sword to the right, coming across Sephiroth's midsection in the attack and swung back to his left. Sephiroth backed up slowly as he began to fade into his black mist. "This time you win Cloud, but I'm not through yet. I'll be back and I'll defeat you then." When the mist disappeared, Robert saw something he never wished to see again, Kueng was lying in his place dead, blood beginning to pool around him.
To be continued…
