Chapter Three
Lightning leapt from the sky and shattered the tree into. Yuffie grinned at the materia
in her hand. She obviously knew how to use it and she felt a strange fondness for the little orbs.
"Thats enough," Reno told her.
Yuffie nodded and placed the materia into the pouch tied around her waist. She now wore a
pair of Elena's jeans and a white button up shirt. Both of which were too big.
"What now?" she asked the red head.
"Let's see what you can do," Reno said, falling back into a fighting stance.
They were on a hill outside of Junon. Elena had chosen to go shop around for some cloths
for Yuffie after having taken her measurements earlier that day and Rude was bullied into coming
along to carry the clothing after making a comment on Elena seeming motherly toward the girl.
"O-okay..." Yuffie stammered.
She tried to mimic Reno's stance but soon fell back into one that seemed natural to her.
She waited and finally Reno took a swing at her. Something took over and Yuffie dodged his fist.
She swung her own out and hit him in the stomach. The red head didn't slow down in the least and
he brought his leg around, connecting with hers and bringing her to the ground. She rolled away
and leapt to her feet.
Flash
She was outside a town.. Gongonga? Something like that. Rude and Reno where there. She was with
the blond haired man, Cloud. And another girl, in a pink dress.... Aeris? They were fighting the
Turks. Reno rushed toward her like he was going to attack her, the suddenly veered off to the
opposite side and caught her in the head.
Flash
Yuffie blinked at the memory as Reno tried the same trick on her again. She ducked under
it and brought her elbow into his ribcage. She whirled around and punched him in the face.
He stumbled backward.
"Good..." he told her, "Really good."
"You! I remember that! That's a dirty trick!" Yuffie growled.
The ninja took the offensive and swung again. Reno ducked low and caught her around her
waist, lifting her off the ground.
"Thats enough for the day. You say you remembered something?"
Yuffie pounded on his back, "Put me down!"
Reno complied and dumped her onto the ground. Yuffie stood, muttering under her breath
and brushed herself off.
"I remember fighting you, and Rude." She started, and paused, "That weird spiky haired man was
there... and another woman. In pink."
"Yes..." Reno was silent for a moment, "So you want to find your friends now, right?"
"I..." Yuffie didn't reply.
"Well?" Reno pushed, wiping his hand across his jaw to find blood trickling down his lip.
Yuffie shook her head.
"No," she said, "I think.. I think maybe I'll remember more.. if I do things I used to more...
I wonder if its true another bump on the head would bring my memory back."
"Alright, wanna find out?" Reno joked as they headed back into Junon.
"You wouldn't dare!" Yuffie punched him in the arm, hard.
"Ow! Damnit!"
* * *
"I just wonder if it was the right thing to do," Tifa told Barret, who she was talking to over the
PHS, "I mean.. we didn't have time to think about it. She just went with them. Do you think
she's safe?"
"I don't trust those Shinra fer nothin," Barret replied, "but you did what you thought was right,
Teef. That's all that matters. Marlene wants to talk to ya."
"Alright, put her on," Tifa smiled to herself, she loved Marlene like a daughter. She looked at
Cloud across the table from her and wondered if she would ever have a daughter of her own one day;
or a son.
"Hi auntee Tifa!" Marlenes childish voice entered the PHS.
"Hi Marlene, sweety, how are you?" Tifa replied.
Cloud watched Tifa as she spoke into the phone. She was a beautiful woman, there was no
denying that; but so was Aeris. He'd do anything for both of them. So did he love her like a
friend, a sister, or something more? He could barely manage life without Aeris as it was, but he
tried to imagine it without Tifa. He couldn't. He let his thoughts drift to Yuffie. How was she
doing with the Turks? Maybe he should go after her. As Tifa had said, they really weren't given
time to think it over....
* * *
"I hope their alright, I don't really know what styles you like Yuffie." Elena said, as Yuffie
looked over the small wardrobe Elena had selected for her.
"Oh I love them! You have good taste in clothing, Elena," Yuffie replied.
She looked at the older woman for a moment, "You remind me of someone." ... Someone around
Elena's age, in her twenties...
Flash
A small, 3 year old version of Yuffie ran up to her parents as she was being chased by a
boy with a stick.
"Momma! Poppa!" The girl cried.
A blond woman setting next to a man with light brown hair smiled at the child.
"It's alright now Yuffie," she took the little girl into her arms and held her as the boy made a
haste retreat from the Lord and Lady of Wutai.
"Don't spoil the child, Eleanor." the man told the woman, grinning, "She's going to be a ninja
one day you know. Even better than her old man."
"Oh Godo," Eleanor laughed, "She will... I'm so happy... I wish we weren't declaring war..."
"I know.." Godo sighed.
Flash
Elena watched Yuffie with a puzzled face as tears starting streaming down the younger
girls face. Yuffie sat down on Elena's bed in which the clothing was laid out on.
"Yuffie what on the Planet's the matter?" Elena asked, looking slightly panicked.
"Oh god," Yuffie sobbed, "I just remembered who you remind me of.."
"Who?" Elena asked.
"My mother. Her name was Eleanor, she was so much like you," Yuffie wiped at her eyes furiously,
"She died.. in the war.."
"I'm sorry.." Elena replied, "If it makes you feel any better... You're recovering a lot faster
than most people would have.."
It didn't make her feel any better at all really, but Yuffie was greatful. Though Elena
had been more open with her, she was still wary of any Avalanche member and she was trying.
"Thank you.... thank you..." It was all Yuffie could say for the next few minutes...
* * *
A few weeks passed. The Turks occasionally got a call and left out on a job while Yuffie
stayed at Elena's; insisting all the time that she could help. More and more of her memories came
back to her, most were of battle when she was training with one of the three. At one point, Yuffie
remembered her crush on the red haired Turk. When Reno insisted on knowing if she had remembered
something and what, she finally gave in and told him. Elena and Reno had both cracked up laughing
and Yuffie had run from the room in tears. Rude followed the girl silently. He sat with her
outside on the apartment stairs and said nothing until she calmed down and returned inside with him.
She had admitted a lot of things to the bald man in her hysterics. Including when she yelled out,
"Damn me for liking that-that red headed creep so much! Damn me!"
* * *
Rude hung up the PHS as Reno drove toward Elena's to pick her up. They had just found a
hit job. The man wanted an executive taken care of at any cost.
* * *
"Who was that?" Yuffie asked as Elena hung her phone up.
"Rude, we've got a job to do Yuffie. You'll have to wait here." Elena replied.
"But I'm tired of waiting here! I've remembered all I need to know in a fight, what if you need me?"
Yuffie pleaded.
"No." Came the reply. Elena headed for the door as a knock sounded, "That's them."
"I want to go to!" Yuffie followed her to the door.
"You cant!" Elena replied, opening the door to a waiting Rude and Reno.
"I'm the great Yuffie Kisaragi! I can do whatever I want!" Yuffie insisted, hands on her hips.
She wasn't sure quite where that outburst came from, "And I'll follow you on foot if I have to."
"Let her come Elena, we don't have the time to argue! Our client wants this done today!" Reno cut
in.
He grabbed the blond Turk's wrist and drug her along out to the car. Yuffie followed
behind them and climbed in the backseat.
"What are we doing anyway?" She asked.
"Executive," Rude stated.
"Oh..." Yuffie knew the Turks were assassins, but she had never really seen what they did. She
only sat and worried, "So what do I do?"
"Stay with us and stay quite," Reno replied.
"Thats right!" Elena nodded.
"I was talking to you!" Reno laughed and swerved the car to the other side of the road after Elena
smacked him in the back of the head. He played chicken until both the girls yelling brought him
back to the right side of the road.
Then they finally arrived. It was a large office building that looked closed. Yuffie
followed the three around back. Reno pulled a tool from his pocket and began picking the lock to
the back entrance. A turn of the knob and the door opened. Yuffie followed them along the dark
hallway and up several flights of stairs until they reached a level with a few lights still on.
Rude, Reno, Yuffie, and Elena. In that order they edged along the wall up the stairs, the three
Turks with guns in their hands and Yuffie with her hand on her materia pouch.
"Ow!" Yuffie yelped when she hit her foot on the stairs. Reno shot her a look.
"Who's there?" A mans voice.
"Damnit, I wanted to do this the easy way," Reno cursed.
He climbed the last two stairs and turned into the room, gun pointed in the direction of
the voice. A man stood there, shock filling his face.
"Harold McCollins?" It was a statement, put in question form. Reno had studied the mans picture,
and the man before him was none other than their victim.
"Yes....?" Harold gulped.
"Time to say goodbye," Elena told him, as she and Rude also pointed their guns at the man.
"Elena..." Reno sighed.
"Sorry... Yuffie look!" Elena turned and pointed down the stairs as Reno's gun went off.
Yuffie didn't see the man go down because she was looking at the stairs, when she looked
back she realized that was Elena's intention. Harold grasp his chest as he fell, reaching up
weakly with his arm he pressed an alarm button hidden beneath the desk he had been standing behind.
"Shit!" Reno exclaimed, as red lights began flashing, "Lets go. Now!"
The four raced back down the stairs, on the third flight two security guards appeared
around a corner and shouted for them to halt. When they did not comply he began firing.
A bullet hit Reno in the shoulder and he fell to one knee grasping his gun. Yuffie saw this
and cast an Ultima spell on the guard. Reno looked at her gratefully as she cast a cure spell,
the continued running toward and down the next flight of stairs. The materia had taken a lot out
of her and Yuffie had fallen behind. A bullet hit her in the back as she reached the stairs. She
tumbled down and landed at the bottom, moaning in pain.
"Yuffie!" weither the cry escaped Reno or Elena's throat first was unknown.
The two rushed to help the girl while Rude aimed his gun at the top of the stairs. One
shot was all he needed and the guard collapsed as soon as he came within Rude's view. No other
guards where around. They were safe for less than a minute at least.
"Are you alright?" Elena asked, bending beside her.
"My back... I cant move.." Yuffie whispered, her vision blurred a bit.
"Oh god..." Elena mumbled.
"I... remember.. everything... And... and.. You guys were at Wutai. Reno and Rude.... helped save
us... Tell my friends I'm sorry... They can have my materia... I don't need it... its for....
Wutai," Yuffie replied, softly.
"Don't say that! We can carry you," Elena replied, standing, "Come on Reno, help me."
Reno shook his head, "We don't have time."
"Go," Yuffie said.
"But..." Elena didn't budge.
"Rude.." Reno looked to his bald friend.
Rude nodded and grabbing Elena he threw the blond over his shoulder and ran down the stairs.
Elena struggling all the way.
"Sorry kid.." Reno muttered, looking down at her.
"It's alright.... a good blow to the head.. did it..... they'll never take me alive, right?"
Yuffie looked up at him and he knew what she wanted.
"No... I liked you too, kid.. You've got nice legs." Reno replied, his grin was somewhat sad as
he pointed his gun at her head.
"Heh.." Yuffie closed her eyes.
A shot, she never heard Reno's footsteps as he ran down the stairs after his comrades.
Never heard the tires screech as they drove off. Never heard Barrets screams at the Turks for
letting it happen. Never heard Tifa's tears, never heard how any of them showed their love for
the 'little brat' after they found out. Never heard that the Turks were the first ones at her
funeral and the last to leave. Never heard Elena whisper that she might have started as one of
those Avalanche creeps; but she was and she died a member of the Turk's family. Never heard Rude
silently whisper that he would miss her.
Lightning leapt from the sky and shattered the tree into. Yuffie grinned at the materia
in her hand. She obviously knew how to use it and she felt a strange fondness for the little orbs.
"Thats enough," Reno told her.
Yuffie nodded and placed the materia into the pouch tied around her waist. She now wore a
pair of Elena's jeans and a white button up shirt. Both of which were too big.
"What now?" she asked the red head.
"Let's see what you can do," Reno said, falling back into a fighting stance.
They were on a hill outside of Junon. Elena had chosen to go shop around for some cloths
for Yuffie after having taken her measurements earlier that day and Rude was bullied into coming
along to carry the clothing after making a comment on Elena seeming motherly toward the girl.
"O-okay..." Yuffie stammered.
She tried to mimic Reno's stance but soon fell back into one that seemed natural to her.
She waited and finally Reno took a swing at her. Something took over and Yuffie dodged his fist.
She swung her own out and hit him in the stomach. The red head didn't slow down in the least and
he brought his leg around, connecting with hers and bringing her to the ground. She rolled away
and leapt to her feet.
Flash
She was outside a town.. Gongonga? Something like that. Rude and Reno where there. She was with
the blond haired man, Cloud. And another girl, in a pink dress.... Aeris? They were fighting the
Turks. Reno rushed toward her like he was going to attack her, the suddenly veered off to the
opposite side and caught her in the head.
Flash
Yuffie blinked at the memory as Reno tried the same trick on her again. She ducked under
it and brought her elbow into his ribcage. She whirled around and punched him in the face.
He stumbled backward.
"Good..." he told her, "Really good."
"You! I remember that! That's a dirty trick!" Yuffie growled.
The ninja took the offensive and swung again. Reno ducked low and caught her around her
waist, lifting her off the ground.
"Thats enough for the day. You say you remembered something?"
Yuffie pounded on his back, "Put me down!"
Reno complied and dumped her onto the ground. Yuffie stood, muttering under her breath
and brushed herself off.
"I remember fighting you, and Rude." She started, and paused, "That weird spiky haired man was
there... and another woman. In pink."
"Yes..." Reno was silent for a moment, "So you want to find your friends now, right?"
"I..." Yuffie didn't reply.
"Well?" Reno pushed, wiping his hand across his jaw to find blood trickling down his lip.
Yuffie shook her head.
"No," she said, "I think.. I think maybe I'll remember more.. if I do things I used to more...
I wonder if its true another bump on the head would bring my memory back."
"Alright, wanna find out?" Reno joked as they headed back into Junon.
"You wouldn't dare!" Yuffie punched him in the arm, hard.
"Ow! Damnit!"
* * *
"I just wonder if it was the right thing to do," Tifa told Barret, who she was talking to over the
PHS, "I mean.. we didn't have time to think about it. She just went with them. Do you think
she's safe?"
"I don't trust those Shinra fer nothin," Barret replied, "but you did what you thought was right,
Teef. That's all that matters. Marlene wants to talk to ya."
"Alright, put her on," Tifa smiled to herself, she loved Marlene like a daughter. She looked at
Cloud across the table from her and wondered if she would ever have a daughter of her own one day;
or a son.
"Hi auntee Tifa!" Marlenes childish voice entered the PHS.
"Hi Marlene, sweety, how are you?" Tifa replied.
Cloud watched Tifa as she spoke into the phone. She was a beautiful woman, there was no
denying that; but so was Aeris. He'd do anything for both of them. So did he love her like a
friend, a sister, or something more? He could barely manage life without Aeris as it was, but he
tried to imagine it without Tifa. He couldn't. He let his thoughts drift to Yuffie. How was she
doing with the Turks? Maybe he should go after her. As Tifa had said, they really weren't given
time to think it over....
* * *
"I hope their alright, I don't really know what styles you like Yuffie." Elena said, as Yuffie
looked over the small wardrobe Elena had selected for her.
"Oh I love them! You have good taste in clothing, Elena," Yuffie replied.
She looked at the older woman for a moment, "You remind me of someone." ... Someone around
Elena's age, in her twenties...
Flash
A small, 3 year old version of Yuffie ran up to her parents as she was being chased by a
boy with a stick.
"Momma! Poppa!" The girl cried.
A blond woman setting next to a man with light brown hair smiled at the child.
"It's alright now Yuffie," she took the little girl into her arms and held her as the boy made a
haste retreat from the Lord and Lady of Wutai.
"Don't spoil the child, Eleanor." the man told the woman, grinning, "She's going to be a ninja
one day you know. Even better than her old man."
"Oh Godo," Eleanor laughed, "She will... I'm so happy... I wish we weren't declaring war..."
"I know.." Godo sighed.
Flash
Elena watched Yuffie with a puzzled face as tears starting streaming down the younger
girls face. Yuffie sat down on Elena's bed in which the clothing was laid out on.
"Yuffie what on the Planet's the matter?" Elena asked, looking slightly panicked.
"Oh god," Yuffie sobbed, "I just remembered who you remind me of.."
"Who?" Elena asked.
"My mother. Her name was Eleanor, she was so much like you," Yuffie wiped at her eyes furiously,
"She died.. in the war.."
"I'm sorry.." Elena replied, "If it makes you feel any better... You're recovering a lot faster
than most people would have.."
It didn't make her feel any better at all really, but Yuffie was greatful. Though Elena
had been more open with her, she was still wary of any Avalanche member and she was trying.
"Thank you.... thank you..." It was all Yuffie could say for the next few minutes...
* * *
A few weeks passed. The Turks occasionally got a call and left out on a job while Yuffie
stayed at Elena's; insisting all the time that she could help. More and more of her memories came
back to her, most were of battle when she was training with one of the three. At one point, Yuffie
remembered her crush on the red haired Turk. When Reno insisted on knowing if she had remembered
something and what, she finally gave in and told him. Elena and Reno had both cracked up laughing
and Yuffie had run from the room in tears. Rude followed the girl silently. He sat with her
outside on the apartment stairs and said nothing until she calmed down and returned inside with him.
She had admitted a lot of things to the bald man in her hysterics. Including when she yelled out,
"Damn me for liking that-that red headed creep so much! Damn me!"
* * *
Rude hung up the PHS as Reno drove toward Elena's to pick her up. They had just found a
hit job. The man wanted an executive taken care of at any cost.
* * *
"Who was that?" Yuffie asked as Elena hung her phone up.
"Rude, we've got a job to do Yuffie. You'll have to wait here." Elena replied.
"But I'm tired of waiting here! I've remembered all I need to know in a fight, what if you need me?"
Yuffie pleaded.
"No." Came the reply. Elena headed for the door as a knock sounded, "That's them."
"I want to go to!" Yuffie followed her to the door.
"You cant!" Elena replied, opening the door to a waiting Rude and Reno.
"I'm the great Yuffie Kisaragi! I can do whatever I want!" Yuffie insisted, hands on her hips.
She wasn't sure quite where that outburst came from, "And I'll follow you on foot if I have to."
"Let her come Elena, we don't have the time to argue! Our client wants this done today!" Reno cut
in.
He grabbed the blond Turk's wrist and drug her along out to the car. Yuffie followed
behind them and climbed in the backseat.
"What are we doing anyway?" She asked.
"Executive," Rude stated.
"Oh..." Yuffie knew the Turks were assassins, but she had never really seen what they did. She
only sat and worried, "So what do I do?"
"Stay with us and stay quite," Reno replied.
"Thats right!" Elena nodded.
"I was talking to you!" Reno laughed and swerved the car to the other side of the road after Elena
smacked him in the back of the head. He played chicken until both the girls yelling brought him
back to the right side of the road.
Then they finally arrived. It was a large office building that looked closed. Yuffie
followed the three around back. Reno pulled a tool from his pocket and began picking the lock to
the back entrance. A turn of the knob and the door opened. Yuffie followed them along the dark
hallway and up several flights of stairs until they reached a level with a few lights still on.
Rude, Reno, Yuffie, and Elena. In that order they edged along the wall up the stairs, the three
Turks with guns in their hands and Yuffie with her hand on her materia pouch.
"Ow!" Yuffie yelped when she hit her foot on the stairs. Reno shot her a look.
"Who's there?" A mans voice.
"Damnit, I wanted to do this the easy way," Reno cursed.
He climbed the last two stairs and turned into the room, gun pointed in the direction of
the voice. A man stood there, shock filling his face.
"Harold McCollins?" It was a statement, put in question form. Reno had studied the mans picture,
and the man before him was none other than their victim.
"Yes....?" Harold gulped.
"Time to say goodbye," Elena told him, as she and Rude also pointed their guns at the man.
"Elena..." Reno sighed.
"Sorry... Yuffie look!" Elena turned and pointed down the stairs as Reno's gun went off.
Yuffie didn't see the man go down because she was looking at the stairs, when she looked
back she realized that was Elena's intention. Harold grasp his chest as he fell, reaching up
weakly with his arm he pressed an alarm button hidden beneath the desk he had been standing behind.
"Shit!" Reno exclaimed, as red lights began flashing, "Lets go. Now!"
The four raced back down the stairs, on the third flight two security guards appeared
around a corner and shouted for them to halt. When they did not comply he began firing.
A bullet hit Reno in the shoulder and he fell to one knee grasping his gun. Yuffie saw this
and cast an Ultima spell on the guard. Reno looked at her gratefully as she cast a cure spell,
the continued running toward and down the next flight of stairs. The materia had taken a lot out
of her and Yuffie had fallen behind. A bullet hit her in the back as she reached the stairs. She
tumbled down and landed at the bottom, moaning in pain.
"Yuffie!" weither the cry escaped Reno or Elena's throat first was unknown.
The two rushed to help the girl while Rude aimed his gun at the top of the stairs. One
shot was all he needed and the guard collapsed as soon as he came within Rude's view. No other
guards where around. They were safe for less than a minute at least.
"Are you alright?" Elena asked, bending beside her.
"My back... I cant move.." Yuffie whispered, her vision blurred a bit.
"Oh god..." Elena mumbled.
"I... remember.. everything... And... and.. You guys were at Wutai. Reno and Rude.... helped save
us... Tell my friends I'm sorry... They can have my materia... I don't need it... its for....
Wutai," Yuffie replied, softly.
"Don't say that! We can carry you," Elena replied, standing, "Come on Reno, help me."
Reno shook his head, "We don't have time."
"Go," Yuffie said.
"But..." Elena didn't budge.
"Rude.." Reno looked to his bald friend.
Rude nodded and grabbing Elena he threw the blond over his shoulder and ran down the stairs.
Elena struggling all the way.
"Sorry kid.." Reno muttered, looking down at her.
"It's alright.... a good blow to the head.. did it..... they'll never take me alive, right?"
Yuffie looked up at him and he knew what she wanted.
"No... I liked you too, kid.. You've got nice legs." Reno replied, his grin was somewhat sad as
he pointed his gun at her head.
"Heh.." Yuffie closed her eyes.
A shot, she never heard Reno's footsteps as he ran down the stairs after his comrades.
Never heard the tires screech as they drove off. Never heard Barrets screams at the Turks for
letting it happen. Never heard Tifa's tears, never heard how any of them showed their love for
the 'little brat' after they found out. Never heard that the Turks were the first ones at her
funeral and the last to leave. Never heard Elena whisper that she might have started as one of
those Avalanche creeps; but she was and she died a member of the Turk's family. Never heard Rude
silently whisper that he would miss her.