II : Yuffie
Something told her to go back. Leon had given them strict orders to leave without him should Traverse Town fall. But she could not bear being separated from him, or any of her friends. The Heartless attacked them one at a time on their path toward the Gummi Ship. They were easy pie, however, there was a gnawing feeling in her chest that something went wrong.
"Aeris!" Yuffie cried, pulling her friends hand. Aeris looked at her, alarmed. "Aeris, we can't leave Leon."
Aeris' eyes went from the escaping townsfolk to her young ninja friend. A sea of trouble could be seen on her face. Like Yuffie, she was scared but was determined to keep everyone safe. "I know. But…"
"I'm going back." Yuffie started to run toward the inferno without letting Aeris answer. She could hear her friend calling out her name, but she paid no heed to them. All she could see was Leon all alone in the Town fending off the Heartless while they escaped. He should have escaped with them. It was all-useless anyway.
She knew that the Town would be lost.
Braving her way through the burning streets, she fought of two or three of the vile creatures. She was far swifter than most of them and she had no time to waste. The more she saw her Town crumble, he more she became desperate to find Leon.
She cried out his name while running. The streets were empty. The sky was lit ablaze by the fire. Above the crackle of the burning buildings, she could hear the laughter of the Heartless.
A shadowy figure suddenly leapt from behind the rubble and caught her unaware. They both tumbled on the road. A few seconds later, Yuffie found herself looking at the dark countenance of a Heartless. She frantically grabbed her shuriken* and leapt onto her feet. There was another one above her, just waiting to join in the fray.
The first Heartless leapt at her once again, and she avoided it. As she landed, the second Heartless attacked her. She slashed at it with her weapon, deeply wounding the creature. It wailed in pain, but did not retreat. Instead, it leapt at her and successfully pinned her to the ground.
The two Heartless sneered at their victory. She thought it was over, when a familiar gunshot rang through the air.
One of the creatures fell on it's side, defeated. The other slowly backed away from the three men that stood at the end of the alley.
Yuffie's heart leapt with joy. "Leon!!"
"What the HELL are you doing here!?" Leon scowled at her, roughly pulling her to her feet. He appeared to be unharmed, except for a few scratches and tears on his clothes. Before she could explain, he pulled her to a run toward the entrance of the Town. The other two men followed them, each of them brandishing makeshift weapons.
"Where are the others?" Leon asked as they ran.
"At the Gummi Ship. I don't think it's left yet." Yuffie answered. She hoped that Aeris had stalled Cid long enough to wait for them.
All of a sudden Leon stopped and pushed her through an opening in the alley way. "Stay there." He barked out and held his sword at the ready. The other two men prepared themselves for a battle. Yuffie heard the characteristic growls and grunts of the Heartless, many of them, nearby.
She collapsed against the wall of one of the buildings. Mentally cursing at their enemies for finding them when they were so close to getting away. The battle had begun. The horrible sound of metal and gunfire was loud against her ears. The Heartless continued to attack the last three defenders of the Town.
She had to help. If they were going to die, she'd rather die fighting with Leon. Gripping her shuriken harder, she said a silent prayer that Aeris be kept safe.
Yuffie stood up and started to run toward the opening, when a violent explosion shook her off her feet. She landed roughly on the ground as the vibrations continued to pummel her surroundings. Small bits of rock and wood fell on her, but none big enough to cause any serious injury.
It was silent when the rumbling stopped. There were no Heartless to be heard, no gunshots, no fighting. She bolted up in alarm and sped toward the alleyway. "LEON!!"
He was sprawled on the ground, twitching. Both his eyes were shut tight, and his face was distorted in pain. There were burns, on his arms and a terrible gash on his chest. Blood seeped through the wound, staining his white shirt and pooled onto the ground. He was still alive, but just barely.
Yuffie fell on his side. Calling his name while tears filled her eyes. She cried for help, but she saw Leon's companions on the ground as well. One was groaning and attempting to stand up, but the other lay motionless. All around them were the fallen heartless.
There was no one else but her while the Town around her crumbled. Again, the hideous sound of the Heartless had begun to move closer.
She cradled Leon's head on her lap and held him tightly. She could hear him whispering. A weak "…r-un…" escaped his lips. But she stubbornly held onto him. She would not leave him.
The Heartless were close now. Very close. When she looked up, the street had turned black where they stood. Sneering at her and at her loss. There were about a hundred.
Yuffie closed her eyes and pressed her head against Leon's. She was trembling with fright, but she refused to let them see that. She waited for them to attack.
All of a sudden, there was an explosion from behind the ranks of Heartless, throwing scores of them off their feet. The confused creatures turned toward their rear, only to meet another explosion and another until the remaining Heartless were less than twenty. They scampered out of the way of a roaring engine coming from the other side of the street.
On a strange, three-wheeled truck came a familiar worn-face. He held bombs in his hands as he drove his vehicle through the Heartless, crushing any that stood in his way. He halted just before where the surprised Yuffie sat.
"I've been looking all over for you!" He growled. "Get in the truck!" Yuffie scampered inside, while Cid leaned over to roughly lift Leon up by the collar and drop him at the back of the truck. Yuffie hurried to make the landing as soft as possible, she would have to talk to Cid later about his rough methods.
"Careful, CID!" She cried, securing Leon's head on her lap.
Cid reappeared with the other survivor and dumped him into the truck as well. "Later, we have to get out or we all don't get out." He jumped in the drivers seat and the vehicle sped away. The Heartless ran after them, but were too slow.
As they cleared the town, Yuffie stroked Leon's hair gently just listening to his labored breathing. He was alive; they'd still be together.
-------
From the moment the reached the Gummi Ship, Yuffie had busied herself helping the injured. Aeris had tended their wounds and saw that Leon's condition was stable. Being a bit more competent in the kitchen than being a nurse, Yuffie stayed in the kitchen to prepare meals for the survivors.
After serving them, she'd wash the dishes and the utensils. Something she normally never did back in Traverse Town. But things have changed all of a sudden. Their normal, happy life was taken from them without warning. She slapped the water all of a sudden, letting the soapy suds splash onto her face.
This has been her technique to bring her thoughts away from the sadness of losing their home. Again.
It wasn't until later when Aeris appeared in the kitchen. Her face was pale and worn. But she kept a brilliant smile on her lips that Yuffie always admired. Yuffie smiled and approached her friend. "Aeris, do you want to eat now? I saved mashed potatoes and chicken soup for us."
"That's nice, Yuffie. I'll have them later. I just came here to see how you were doing."
Yuffie stretched her arms and pretended to flex her muscles. "Aw, I'm doing fine! But you look tired, are you sure you don't want to eat yet?" She had to smile to mirror the always-happy exterior that Aeris showed. Hoping that both their energy would help ease the suffering of their companions.
Aeris shook her head again. "Okay, after I do one more round. You don't have to wait for me, though."
"Come on Aeris, you haven't had a bite since we got here. And that was like---a long time ago."
"Twelve hours." Aeris corrected.
"Right! I've been snacking a couple of times now." Yuffie confessed. "In a few minutes we'll be preparing another meal. I have no idea what time of day it is."
Aeris folded her arms across her chest. "Yuffie, you better tell them to use our rations wisely. We're not sure when we would find a new world to settle in."
The younger girl nodded. "Yeah! I'll tell them."
Aeris' face suddenly lit up. "Hey, Leon's awake."
The news was music to Yuffie's ears.
"Why don't you bring him something to eat? I'll join you after I've checked on the patients." Aeris patted Yuffie's shoulder and left the kitchen.
As soon as she was alone, Yuffie started to bring out the pans and pots. Heating the mashed potato and soup. She even threw in extra slices of bread and cheese and a piece of savory sausage. She arranged them on a metal tray and swiftly carried it out toward the cabin where Leon stayed.
When she reached the cabin, she tapped on the door softly and entered. The room was dark, with a single candle by the bedside. Leon was sitting up, bandaged on his chest and left arm. He looked toward her when she set the tray on a small table.
"Hey," she said. "I got you something to eat." Her voice was choked. Somehow, it became difficult to contain her tears while looking at her friend.
She didn't know why she was crying at that moment. Perhaps all that splashing of water, trying to repress all her emotions, pretending to be strong had finally taken it's toll on her. Or, maybe she was just happy to see Leon was all right.
Or both.
A moment later, she found herself running toward him. Leapt onto the bed and encircled his waist with her arms. She cried freely now.
"I was so worried about you!" She wept. In her mind she could clearly remember the scenario in the alleyway. Seeing Leon on the ground was a shock to her. She hugged him tighter, the horror of losing him relived itself. "I was afraid that you were going to---"
"It's okay." Leon said, laying a hand on her head.
"What happened? What caused the explosion?" Yuffie asked meekly. Tears still flowed from her eyes, however, she had reasonably calmed down.
"It was an accident. Someone cast a Flare spell, he didn't notice the gas tanks nearby."
Yuffie remembered the other man who fought with Leon. He was dead. Leon would have been killed too. "That's dangerous."
"Yeah." Leon readjusted himself on the bed, so that his back was propped against the wall. "Maybe it was luck that there were too many Heartless at that moment. They must have taken the burnt of the blow."
Yuffie responded by holding him firmer. "I'm not going to let go of you anymore. You're very important to me and I don't want to lose you. Even Aeris." They fell silent for a few seconds. Yuffie yawned. The soft bed made her realize how tired she herself was.
"You know," she said sleepily, "I punched Cid on the nose."
Leon chuckled. "You what?"
"Yeah. After he found us on the alley, he picked you up by the collar and dumped you into his truck."
"Idiot, he's just trying to help."
"But it was too rough!" Yuffie protested. "He could have made your injuries much worse!" She rested her head on his chest again. "I'm not going to let anyone hurt you."
She promised. They were the only ones she's ever had.
Later, sleep came over her. It was a long, comfortable sleep.
-----------------
Notesies: Poor Leon, all beaten up for the past two parts ;_; Thanks to all those who've posted a review :) BTW, I believe that this story would be best viewed as an "alternate universe" fic. One more persona to go, then we're off to another world! :)
Something told her to go back. Leon had given them strict orders to leave without him should Traverse Town fall. But she could not bear being separated from him, or any of her friends. The Heartless attacked them one at a time on their path toward the Gummi Ship. They were easy pie, however, there was a gnawing feeling in her chest that something went wrong.
"Aeris!" Yuffie cried, pulling her friends hand. Aeris looked at her, alarmed. "Aeris, we can't leave Leon."
Aeris' eyes went from the escaping townsfolk to her young ninja friend. A sea of trouble could be seen on her face. Like Yuffie, she was scared but was determined to keep everyone safe. "I know. But…"
"I'm going back." Yuffie started to run toward the inferno without letting Aeris answer. She could hear her friend calling out her name, but she paid no heed to them. All she could see was Leon all alone in the Town fending off the Heartless while they escaped. He should have escaped with them. It was all-useless anyway.
She knew that the Town would be lost.
Braving her way through the burning streets, she fought of two or three of the vile creatures. She was far swifter than most of them and she had no time to waste. The more she saw her Town crumble, he more she became desperate to find Leon.
She cried out his name while running. The streets were empty. The sky was lit ablaze by the fire. Above the crackle of the burning buildings, she could hear the laughter of the Heartless.
A shadowy figure suddenly leapt from behind the rubble and caught her unaware. They both tumbled on the road. A few seconds later, Yuffie found herself looking at the dark countenance of a Heartless. She frantically grabbed her shuriken* and leapt onto her feet. There was another one above her, just waiting to join in the fray.
The first Heartless leapt at her once again, and she avoided it. As she landed, the second Heartless attacked her. She slashed at it with her weapon, deeply wounding the creature. It wailed in pain, but did not retreat. Instead, it leapt at her and successfully pinned her to the ground.
The two Heartless sneered at their victory. She thought it was over, when a familiar gunshot rang through the air.
One of the creatures fell on it's side, defeated. The other slowly backed away from the three men that stood at the end of the alley.
Yuffie's heart leapt with joy. "Leon!!"
"What the HELL are you doing here!?" Leon scowled at her, roughly pulling her to her feet. He appeared to be unharmed, except for a few scratches and tears on his clothes. Before she could explain, he pulled her to a run toward the entrance of the Town. The other two men followed them, each of them brandishing makeshift weapons.
"Where are the others?" Leon asked as they ran.
"At the Gummi Ship. I don't think it's left yet." Yuffie answered. She hoped that Aeris had stalled Cid long enough to wait for them.
All of a sudden Leon stopped and pushed her through an opening in the alley way. "Stay there." He barked out and held his sword at the ready. The other two men prepared themselves for a battle. Yuffie heard the characteristic growls and grunts of the Heartless, many of them, nearby.
She collapsed against the wall of one of the buildings. Mentally cursing at their enemies for finding them when they were so close to getting away. The battle had begun. The horrible sound of metal and gunfire was loud against her ears. The Heartless continued to attack the last three defenders of the Town.
She had to help. If they were going to die, she'd rather die fighting with Leon. Gripping her shuriken harder, she said a silent prayer that Aeris be kept safe.
Yuffie stood up and started to run toward the opening, when a violent explosion shook her off her feet. She landed roughly on the ground as the vibrations continued to pummel her surroundings. Small bits of rock and wood fell on her, but none big enough to cause any serious injury.
It was silent when the rumbling stopped. There were no Heartless to be heard, no gunshots, no fighting. She bolted up in alarm and sped toward the alleyway. "LEON!!"
He was sprawled on the ground, twitching. Both his eyes were shut tight, and his face was distorted in pain. There were burns, on his arms and a terrible gash on his chest. Blood seeped through the wound, staining his white shirt and pooled onto the ground. He was still alive, but just barely.
Yuffie fell on his side. Calling his name while tears filled her eyes. She cried for help, but she saw Leon's companions on the ground as well. One was groaning and attempting to stand up, but the other lay motionless. All around them were the fallen heartless.
There was no one else but her while the Town around her crumbled. Again, the hideous sound of the Heartless had begun to move closer.
She cradled Leon's head on her lap and held him tightly. She could hear him whispering. A weak "…r-un…" escaped his lips. But she stubbornly held onto him. She would not leave him.
The Heartless were close now. Very close. When she looked up, the street had turned black where they stood. Sneering at her and at her loss. There were about a hundred.
Yuffie closed her eyes and pressed her head against Leon's. She was trembling with fright, but she refused to let them see that. She waited for them to attack.
All of a sudden, there was an explosion from behind the ranks of Heartless, throwing scores of them off their feet. The confused creatures turned toward their rear, only to meet another explosion and another until the remaining Heartless were less than twenty. They scampered out of the way of a roaring engine coming from the other side of the street.
On a strange, three-wheeled truck came a familiar worn-face. He held bombs in his hands as he drove his vehicle through the Heartless, crushing any that stood in his way. He halted just before where the surprised Yuffie sat.
"I've been looking all over for you!" He growled. "Get in the truck!" Yuffie scampered inside, while Cid leaned over to roughly lift Leon up by the collar and drop him at the back of the truck. Yuffie hurried to make the landing as soft as possible, she would have to talk to Cid later about his rough methods.
"Careful, CID!" She cried, securing Leon's head on her lap.
Cid reappeared with the other survivor and dumped him into the truck as well. "Later, we have to get out or we all don't get out." He jumped in the drivers seat and the vehicle sped away. The Heartless ran after them, but were too slow.
As they cleared the town, Yuffie stroked Leon's hair gently just listening to his labored breathing. He was alive; they'd still be together.
-------
From the moment the reached the Gummi Ship, Yuffie had busied herself helping the injured. Aeris had tended their wounds and saw that Leon's condition was stable. Being a bit more competent in the kitchen than being a nurse, Yuffie stayed in the kitchen to prepare meals for the survivors.
After serving them, she'd wash the dishes and the utensils. Something she normally never did back in Traverse Town. But things have changed all of a sudden. Their normal, happy life was taken from them without warning. She slapped the water all of a sudden, letting the soapy suds splash onto her face.
This has been her technique to bring her thoughts away from the sadness of losing their home. Again.
It wasn't until later when Aeris appeared in the kitchen. Her face was pale and worn. But she kept a brilliant smile on her lips that Yuffie always admired. Yuffie smiled and approached her friend. "Aeris, do you want to eat now? I saved mashed potatoes and chicken soup for us."
"That's nice, Yuffie. I'll have them later. I just came here to see how you were doing."
Yuffie stretched her arms and pretended to flex her muscles. "Aw, I'm doing fine! But you look tired, are you sure you don't want to eat yet?" She had to smile to mirror the always-happy exterior that Aeris showed. Hoping that both their energy would help ease the suffering of their companions.
Aeris shook her head again. "Okay, after I do one more round. You don't have to wait for me, though."
"Come on Aeris, you haven't had a bite since we got here. And that was like---a long time ago."
"Twelve hours." Aeris corrected.
"Right! I've been snacking a couple of times now." Yuffie confessed. "In a few minutes we'll be preparing another meal. I have no idea what time of day it is."
Aeris folded her arms across her chest. "Yuffie, you better tell them to use our rations wisely. We're not sure when we would find a new world to settle in."
The younger girl nodded. "Yeah! I'll tell them."
Aeris' face suddenly lit up. "Hey, Leon's awake."
The news was music to Yuffie's ears.
"Why don't you bring him something to eat? I'll join you after I've checked on the patients." Aeris patted Yuffie's shoulder and left the kitchen.
As soon as she was alone, Yuffie started to bring out the pans and pots. Heating the mashed potato and soup. She even threw in extra slices of bread and cheese and a piece of savory sausage. She arranged them on a metal tray and swiftly carried it out toward the cabin where Leon stayed.
When she reached the cabin, she tapped on the door softly and entered. The room was dark, with a single candle by the bedside. Leon was sitting up, bandaged on his chest and left arm. He looked toward her when she set the tray on a small table.
"Hey," she said. "I got you something to eat." Her voice was choked. Somehow, it became difficult to contain her tears while looking at her friend.
She didn't know why she was crying at that moment. Perhaps all that splashing of water, trying to repress all her emotions, pretending to be strong had finally taken it's toll on her. Or, maybe she was just happy to see Leon was all right.
Or both.
A moment later, she found herself running toward him. Leapt onto the bed and encircled his waist with her arms. She cried freely now.
"I was so worried about you!" She wept. In her mind she could clearly remember the scenario in the alleyway. Seeing Leon on the ground was a shock to her. She hugged him tighter, the horror of losing him relived itself. "I was afraid that you were going to---"
"It's okay." Leon said, laying a hand on her head.
"What happened? What caused the explosion?" Yuffie asked meekly. Tears still flowed from her eyes, however, she had reasonably calmed down.
"It was an accident. Someone cast a Flare spell, he didn't notice the gas tanks nearby."
Yuffie remembered the other man who fought with Leon. He was dead. Leon would have been killed too. "That's dangerous."
"Yeah." Leon readjusted himself on the bed, so that his back was propped against the wall. "Maybe it was luck that there were too many Heartless at that moment. They must have taken the burnt of the blow."
Yuffie responded by holding him firmer. "I'm not going to let go of you anymore. You're very important to me and I don't want to lose you. Even Aeris." They fell silent for a few seconds. Yuffie yawned. The soft bed made her realize how tired she herself was.
"You know," she said sleepily, "I punched Cid on the nose."
Leon chuckled. "You what?"
"Yeah. After he found us on the alley, he picked you up by the collar and dumped you into his truck."
"Idiot, he's just trying to help."
"But it was too rough!" Yuffie protested. "He could have made your injuries much worse!" She rested her head on his chest again. "I'm not going to let anyone hurt you."
She promised. They were the only ones she's ever had.
Later, sleep came over her. It was a long, comfortable sleep.
-----------------
Notesies: Poor Leon, all beaten up for the past two parts ;_; Thanks to all those who've posted a review :) BTW, I believe that this story would be best viewed as an "alternate universe" fic. One more persona to go, then we're off to another world! :)