Disclaimer: I don't own final fantasy VII. Okay, cool.

Hello everyone! First off, I'd like to say thank you to last week's reviewers: Ledde, Guest, kyaval, Sue, tintinabar7, EdenXIII, esobb and lily! I was really comforted by your words, and I was glad to see all the different opinions and takes on characters that emerged! I'm glad so see a gathering of different thoughts like this, so thank you to everyone! ^_^

Now, to address a request. I know hat you all want to see a continuation of 'Discovery' . All I can say at this point is: perhaps. So, don't abandon all faith, be comforted in the fact that I know what you all want, and give it a while before you expect to see anything. Does that sound agreeable to you all? I hope so!

oh geez I've rambled on for a while today...

Enjoy!

050. Flower

I never actually knew of Yuffie. I never knew of her father either - it was her grandfather on the throne when I slipped into my sixty year sleep. It was a different time then, and animosity was barely brewing between the traditional, oriental Wutai and the quickly growing Midgar, with it's not so underground backer Shinra.

I may not have known of her, but she was certainly the most surprising of my new companions. The others were easy to read; Cloud was torn inside of himself, Tifa loved him unconditionally and Aerith was stuck between Cloud and a shadow of her past. Barrett was wounded both physically and mentally from the past, and Cid and Reeve were caught up in this due to company obligations. Red came the closest, being almost as old as me and feeling the effects of an eternity of youth. But Yuffie was the most different. She was loud and obnoxious and a kleptomaniac during the day, but at night she kept to herself and was an complete contrast. Even after Aerith's death she did not cry as much as I'd anticipated. In fact, she comforted Tifa. She surprised me, more than I'd expected.

I asked her one night, when she'd wandered off alone.

"What are you hiding?"

She snorted, her eyes lighting when she saw me. "Says you!" She stuck her tongue out, approaching the edge of the nearby river, and took her shoes off, dipping her legs in.

"You're hiding something."

"Well, yeah. Aren't we all?" She turned her face to look at the sky, the moonlight bathing her face in ethereal light.

She told how her mother died and her father sent her on an illegal quest without giving her an option. I saw her how she truly was, how pure she was despite her racy clothing. How secretive she was, yet seemed to tell everyone everything, without telling them anything. How virtuous she actually was, despite all that she did. I could see then, how she was truly the White Rose of Wutai.

I was stuck between her and Lucrecia. I loved Lucrecia, in my last life. She was my everything, and I never got the closure I wanted. Yuffie on the other hand was my new chance at life, she was what I could look forward to. A future. But they were both wrong, Lucrecia was dead and Yuffie was too young.

Yuffie was the one I chose. She was my future, and I... I loved her. She wasn't as elegant as Lucrecia, but she was just as graceful, and she was funnier and there was so much that could happen.

But I was too late.

She was gone, in Wutai, and there was nothing I could do but watch as she became the next empress. In a silken Red Kimono, embroidered with gold and magenta and purple and every other rich colour, sewn in the shapes of flowers and swirls and birds. Her face was painted white, and her lips were a bold shade of crimson; her eyes were rimmed with black and her hair grown out and pulled up, in a neatly done, elaborate pattern on her head. She looked beautiful, walking regally into the shrine, and there was nothing I could do. She was out of my grasp, and too far from my fingers. I was too late, but I couldn't tear my eyes away.

I climbed the Tower she now resided in that night, when the moon was at it's highest point and the stars were shimmering like jewels. She was on her balcony, looking out over Wutai - her kingdom. Her face was faded of the stark white colour, but her lips were still full and red, and her eyes were still rimmed in coal black. She was wearing a thin dress, and her hair was down, restring around her shoulders.

"You know...I love you. I really do." She began, her words a mere whisper on the wind. "But now... I've gotta atone for my sins. For all my stealing and lying. Gawd, I sound like you!" That brought me some twisted peace, I knew who she was talking about then, and I skirted around the building. "It's not like I want to do this, but I've gotta. For my country, and my people." She hugged herself and stroked the fingers that'd Seen battle beyond count down the soft sleeves of her silken dress. "I will never forget you, Vinnie. Never." She looked down, a letting out a shuddering breath and turning back into her room. She disguarded the simple dress as she went, and slipped into her bed, leaving me... Tightly strung.

I must've waited at least an hour there, thoughts racing through my head. She loved me. She felt in the wrong. She said she'd never forget me. I debated whether there was still a chance or not. If she'd even want me. But I crept into her balcony, and padded into her room. She stirred and held the sheet up to herself, silhouetted in the moonlight. She looked at me, with confused eyes, too alert for this time of night, and held the sheet more relaxed in her fist, her other hand retracting from it's leap to her Shuriken. I composed myself and looked her up and down, sweeping her body.

"You love me."

"Yes."

"Marry me."

Her eyes went wide and her mouth dropped open. "I... Yes."

We eloped that night, never looking back as she exchanged her surname for mine, and we gave each other plain golden rings. We didn't need much else, just the two of us in this vast world was enough.

I hope this was a little happier for you all? Vincent has a bit of a heart here, at least...?

Please review if you've got time and follow for more. Thanks!