Chapter 14

"Everyone, this is it. With Shin-Ra out of the way, the only thing that await us is Sephiroth. No one else can fight, so there is only one chance. If we fail to kill Sephiroth, no one else can. More over, we might not even be able to do anything about it. So before we continue, go home and see your loved ones. And if you want to come with me, be back here in two days. If you don't, if you just want to stay with them, I understand. Tonight, after dinner, Cid will drop you off anywhere you want. Everyone…dismissed."

While everyone went to their rooms, Vincent went up onto the observation deck. For near thirty years, he had been dreaming of this, of seeing Hojo die for all he has done. And he did not believe that the death he suffered was enough. But he was square with the house now, as they say. He was dead, nothing more need said about it.

"A gil for your thoughts."

Vincent turned and saw Yuffie join him. "I was just thinking about who I was going to go to. Thirty years is a long time for people to live through. I don't think I have anyone left to go see."

"…Then I will just stay with you," Yuffie said as she sat down next to his right. Vincent didn't even know how to reply to that. Alright Vinnie, time to make your move.

"That's okay Yuffie; you must have someone in Wutai you must want to see." What are you doing!

"No, I'm content to stay with you. And besides, who will cook for me if I don't?" The sudden change in her tone made him laugh.

"Alright, what would you like for dinner?"

"Some egg drop soup, and egg rolls."

"Right away, Lady Kiseragi."

Vincent went down to the Mess hall and made them for her and him. Putting them in a tray, he took a large bowl with the soup, two smaller ones, two spoons, a plate with eight egg rolls, a bowl of sauce, a pot of tea and two cups up to her. "Dinner, as promised," Vincent said as he set it down between him and her.

"Thank you," was all Yuffie said before she started eating an egg roll. Vincent poured himself a cup of tea when he heard something on the other side of the door.

"Yo, what are they doing?"

"Shut up or the vamp 'ill hear you. They are just sitting there eating." Vincent then heard foot steps coming up behind them.

"Ah, Cid, have you ever gotten the feeling death is hovering above you?"

"What do you mean, Barret? …Ah, hell, Tifa, we weren't doing nothing. Really."

"Stop talking, you #$#$ fool and started running!" The next thing Vincent heard was the sound of a fist coming in contact with two skulls and then her telling them not to bother him and her again.

"Vinnie, did you hear something?"

"Just some bothersome flies being swatted, is all. How's the soup?"

"Why do you ask that when you know what I will say? It is perfect." When they were almost finished, a cold wind started blowing. Yuffie moved the tray aside, moved next to Vincent and wrapped his cloak and arm around her.

The next day, Cid started dropping everyone off, starting with Red XIII

"Hello, Rain. Have you seen my grandfather?"

"Thank the planet, you're here Nanaki. Your grandfather is up in his house, he's dieing."

"What!" Red XIII ran through the buildings and went through the door to his grandfather's home. "Grandfather?"

"Ah, so good to see you Nanaki. I was afraid I was going to miss you."

"No, you can't die, not yet!"

"And when would you have me die? Don't worry, we'll meet again. Here, I've been saving this for you, it's you father's."

"I don't care about that, you have to be okay."

"Nanaki, you are going to go fight, correct? Make sure you beat Sephiroth. I would like everything on this planet to continue living."

"I will, Grandfather."

"Oh, how proud your parents must be to see you now. Ah ho…ho…ho."

"Grandfather? Grandfather!"

The next stop took Barret to Kalm, to Marlene. Cait Sith was dropped off at Midgar. He didn't have anyone to go to so he went to help anyone he could in the city.

Vincent and Yuffie he dropped off at the Chocobo ranch, and then he stopped outside of Rocket town and went to see Shera.

"You kids have better keep your clothes on!" Cid said as he made his way to Rocket Town. Cloud only dropped his head into his hand.

"So Yuffie, this is our last day off for awhile, what do you want to do?"

"…While we were flying around, I saw the last of Materia Caves. Let's go get them and figure it out from there."

"I'll saddle up Zen'Nathas and Sel'tur Z'har then." Five minutes later, Yuffie and Vincent were heading for the ocean. "So Yuffie, where is the next one?"

"In a desert blocked by a river and mountain, by Costa del Sol."

"What have we here?" Yuffie said as she picked up a support materia. Putting it in a slot, she closed her eyes. "Whoa," Yuffie said as she started to lose her balance.

Grabbing her shoulder, Vincent asked, "What is it, Yuffie?"

"…I'm okay now. It's just that I felt my life weaken when I put it in. But at the same time, I felt my mana rise significantly. In perfect proportion of the loss, now that I think of it."

"A materia that switches life and mana? What good is that? Mana is never large."

"I don't know Vinnie," Yuffie said as she took it out. "The next one is east by northeast of here, in an extinct volcano. I'll race you there."

Vincent jumped on the back of Zen'Nathas, "You won't win this time." Urging the chocobo onward, he looked back only long enough to see Yuffie was a second behind him.

The two chocobos ran as hard as they could; one trying to gain the lead, the other trying to hold it. When they reached the beach of goblin island, the riders pull the reins left, directing them north by northeast. With Zen'Nathas still in the lead, they climbed the mountain and went down the other side. When he touched the forest, Yuffie had Sel'tur Z'har jump the rest of the way. Landing right next to Zen'Nathas, it became a sprint to reach the cave first.

Dodging through the forest, the two chocobos were only a hundred feet away from the cave. Wanting to win as much as her rider, Sel'tur Z'har put on an extra burst of speed.

A jutting root that had gone unnoticed tripped her, sending both sprawling across the ground.

Stopping so hard it almost made Zen'Nathas fall too, Vincent jumped down and ran to Yuffie. "Yuffie! Speak to me!"

"I'm okay Vinnie; I just have a few scrapes and bruises. How's Sel'tur Z'har?"

Looking for the bird, Vincent saw her get back on her feet, shaking. "She appears to be alright, just unnerved." Picking Yuffie up and placing her on Zen'Nathas, he grabbed the reins and led them into the cave. Once inside, he gave both Yuffie and Sel'tur Z'har a thorough check to make sure nothing was broken, sprained, or strained.

When they both checked out okay, and Vincent wasn't worried anymore, he went over and grabbed the summons materia. Looking inside, he saw thirteen knights standing in a circle, swords raised and points touching.

Walking over to where Yuffie was laying down, Vincent showed her the materia. Her eyes grew wide at the sight of it and were instantly filled with greed. But before she could put it in a slot, Vincent put it in the Cerberus.

"Sorry Yuffie, you already have Typhoon and Leviathan, this one is mine. We'll leave in a half hour."

"And where do you plan on taking us?" Yuffie asked, pouting a little over the lost of the materia.

"…I know a spot that makes a nice camp site."

To Yuffie's standards, this site was not nice. It was on top of a flat mountain south east of Cosmo Canyon. It was dry, it was too warm, and there was no easy supply of fire wood.

"Okay, Vincent Valentine. How exactly is this a nice camp site?"

Vincent looked at the setting sun, picked up a handful of dust and let it drop, and looked at his watch. "You'll see in about…four and a half minutes."

Yuffie sat down and waited. After three minutes, the sun was gone. After four minutes, a cool south wind started blowing. And at the said time, flowers, that Yuffie thought of as nothing but weeds, started blooming. They produced a soft blue glow. The patterns on the inside of the blooms glowed a pale yellow and green.

The center of the mountain, a spring started flowing. The water flowed over the ground and it fell over the edge. On one of the few spots that remained dry, Yuffie's mouth was hanging open.

"That is how, Yuffie."

That night, when they finally made out their sleeping rolls, Vincent took the first watch. He already knew he was going to have trouble sleeping tonight so he planned on having the watch all night.

Besides the soft coos from the sleeping golds and Yuffie's breathing, he didn't hear a thing. In fact, if it wasn't for Meteor, this night would have been peaceful.

"Hey Vinnie, may I ask a question?

"You just did but go ahead."

"How do you know if you're in love? And how do you know when they love you back?"

That surprised him. "…Yuffie, I don't think I'm the person t ask questions like that." Looking at her, he saw she was only sleep talking. He sighed and answered her anyway. "When you put that one person before anyone or anything in your life is often a good sign of it. And I have no clue about the second."

Author's notes: You know I really don't have a clue about that. I would like to apologize to my readers about a mix up in order. The gold chocobo is the reward for the Desert Rose. The guide book is rewarded with the underwater materia.

I do not own Final Fantasy 7 nor any of the characters used above.