„Yuffie."
„Mmph"
„Yuffie. Wake up."
„Mmph!"
„I'm sorry, but I cannot understand what you are saying."
„It means `go away and let me sleep before I mutilate your body with a rusty spoon.´"
„Ah…"
„Mmhmh. So, mmph!"
„I'm sorry but we have to go now. It is already late enough. It will take us a week to get to Gold Saucer, and you are only prolonging the trip by lounging around lazily."
Oh yeah, well forgive me if I stayed up all night watching you like a hawk! I almost blurted out. But I caught myself in time. He wasn't supposed to know that I had seen him. Instead I turned away from him, determined to get the sleep that was compulsory. After all, I was a growing teenage girl, and they said that you grew in your sleep. If this was true then I definetely needed my sleep.
„I'm sorry, but you asked for it." I heard Vincent's reply. Suddenly my poor blanket was viciously tugged off me, and I shivered. My usual shorts and tank top were not suited for the morning chill. Wait a minute… morning chill? But Vincent had said I had slept late. I faced him, glaring at him with all my might.
„Vincent, what time is it?"
„Seven, why?" Came back the honestly puzzled reply. The blood boiled in my veins and I growled. Heavens, if this was late for him, then I sure didn't want to know what early was,
So I did what any individual in their right mind would have done. That's right; I used Mini on him.
I had of course run an extensive check on all his items when he had joined me, and had found no Cornucopia. So poor Vincent was stuck being half my size until I took pity on him. Which would not occur for a very long time. I couldn't hold back the laughter that welled up in me as Vincent ran around frantically, searching for Cornucopia or his Heal materia. For once he didn't look graceful or composed and it was hilarious. I was too busy rolling on the ground laughing, when suddenly I saw Vincent standing in front of me, trying to look menacing. The effect was lost due to the fact that he reached only up to my waist.
„This is not funny Yuffie. I demand you to return me to my original state."
„Nuk nuk nuk. Who says it's not funny?" I asked amidst peals of laughter. He glared and retrieved his pistol, pointing it at me.
„Oh whatever am I going to do, Vincent? Now that you've got me in your range, why, I'm a sure goner with that big gun of yours!" I retorted mockingly.
Of course I had to turn him back later on. He was just no fun after a while, simply glaring my way. So after a few miles I turned him back to his original size. After securing his gun of course; wouldn't want him to make any hasty decisions that he, ok, that I, would regret later. Meaning my death. After the transformation he had glared at me and stalked off, clearly demonstrating that I was to follow him, but not speak to him.
I sighed. I was back at square one, wasn't I? Couldn't he take a joke?
For the rest of the day I trotted behind him, once again assuming my job as the resident glarer. Well, I can't say I didn't enjoy it at all. After all, I daresay imagining thousands of torture methods for Vincent was quite rejuvenating. My personal favourite included suspending him by his ebony tresses and then sicking thousands of cute little bunnies on him. Yes, that would surely finish him off. Now, the only question was, where to get the bunnies?
Finally the dying sun set the fields ablaze, which meant that soon we would stop for the night. I was grateful. Stupid Vincent had made me trudge all day, and although I was used to the exhausted screaming of muscles that came hand in hand with traveling, I was in need of a rest. Especially from my lack of sleep because I had been too occupied with my newest mission: „Vincent watching". Yes. Some people watch birds, others watch animals. Some weirdos even watch bugs. But I watch Vincent Valentine.
I was craning my neck side to side, trying to catch a suitable place to spend the night when I saw it. I could not resist, I simply had to. So I turned to the left and set off quickly. I thought I heard Vincent turn and question me about my actions, but I didn't care. I was simply running towards my goal.
Finally I reached it; pristine white fields of perfection. All mine! I let out an evil laugh as I attacked the unsuspecting dandelions. I pounced and pillaged, setting free the tiny white seeds from the flower's grasp. After most of my murderous thirst had been quenched I settled for a slower pace, plucking each dandelion and closing my eyes as I blew the seeds away, each starting out on its own journey. I've always loved this small addiction of mine, although I've never really understood why. Perhaps it has to do with my yearning to be able to fly. Ah well, who knows, maybe one day I'd sprout wings… I secretly hoped so.
But I spared no more thought to that. It was enough to be doing this now. I didn't need to think about all those philosophical aspects. Just stand here and enjoy it.
Suddenly I heard that silky well known voice, „Yuffie? May I enquire as to what exactly you are doing?"
I opened one eye and cocked my head. „What do you think? What does it look like?!"
„Well," And he looked around awkwardly, „It seems to me as if you are unfairly executing all these hapless little plants, to fulfill one of your childish, and rather brutal if I may add whims."
„Correct!" I grinned and proceeded to blow the remaining seeds on my stem at Vincent. The white fluffs alighted on him, finding a particular liking to his hair. I giggled at the sight: Vincent covered with white dandelion fluff.
„Have I mentioned how low your maturity level happens to be?" He stated rather than questioned as he raised his eyebrow, and kept on looking at me with interest and slight disdain. I „hmphed" and gathered some more dandelions between my hands as I spread them and whirled around in a circle. The result was hundreds and hundreds of these little dandelion seeds floating in the air around us. Suddenly an idea came to me. I grinned wickedly and proceeded to pluck yet another dandelion, being careful to keep it all intact. I sauntered up to Vincent, who had not moved. I wasn't surprised. I'm sure there has been many a time when Vincent was mistaken for a statue. A very fiersome and despairing statue, but a statue nonetheless. When I was finally up close I stuck out the hand clutching the dandelion and brought it up to his face.
„Blow." I instructed with the sternness of a teacher.
„I beg your pardon?"
„You heard me Valentine, now come on, blow this dandelion to bits."
„No." He replied evenly, returning my stare.
„Yes." I narrowed my eyes.
„No."
„You have to. I won't move." I threatened.
„Oh really? And what if it is I that moves?" With that he sidestepped me and began to stride. Oh, but I wasn't going to let him off that easily. Nuh-uh. I whirled around, shielding the dandelion with one hand. I jumped in front of him in two steps, and refused to budge.
„You know I'll keep on pestering you. Just submit." I stated the obvious. Vincent sighed and I swear I could see a blood vessel bulging at his temple. Oh boy, I'd worry about my blood pressure if I was him. He closed his eyes for a second, presumably mustering his strength. That mustered, he leaned in and blew. Softly. So softly that only one or two seeds actually escaped the confines.
„That was a sucky blow Valentine!" I admonished.
„You never specified the strength of my blow, Yuffie. Now, will you stop, as you put it so correctly, `pestering´me?"
„Nuh-uh." I shook my head vigourously and smiled pleasantly. I suppose that did it. Vincent's eyes narrowed and for a second it seemed as if a shadow loomed over me. Briefly the thought „oh no, now I've gone and signed my death warrant" ambled through my head but was sucked up by the wonder when Vincent blowed all the seeds off forcefully. The tiny pods, buffeted by the strong breath whirled madly in the air. I grinned cheekily and jumped up and down.
„Woohoo! Vincent's finally blown a dandelion! Yay! Evil vampire wannabe he is no more!"
He stared at me, and not even the thought that I might consider twice about closing my eyes with him in the vicinity managed to bring me down. Yes! Yuffie earns a point. I was getting the hang of it… Ah yes, soon the man would be in my power, and I would convert him. And the materia would be mine… all mine. By now I was quite sure that I would recieve a hefty reward for this small miracle performed by yours truly.
„Now that you have excersised your little addiction and have celebrated your `triumph´ over me, could you please be so kind as to follow me? I'd loathe to hear your whining about not finding a good place to stay." He said as he turned to walk off.
„Hey! Whining is a perfectly acceptable weapon!"
„I'm sure…"
„Aw… but you still love me, don't ya?" I said mockingly.
„That was a rhetorical question I hope." He replied dryly.
„Yeah, well don't think I don't understand what you're saying Valentine! Just because I don't use the whole flowery speech technique doesn't mean I'm an incompetent brat."
„Yuffie, Yuffie. When did I ever mention anything about you being incompetent?"
„Oooooh. Look at me! I'm Vincent, and I just made a joke! Aren't I great?!" I mocked. Inside I was quite surprised. Vincent, and a joke? Someone, call the press! Was I already influencing him? Wow. I was good. Vincent made no remark and I simply strode after him. I had won the battle and I was content.
Luckily we found a nice shelter nearby. Once again it was a cave of sorts, this time located atop a gentle slope. I dropped my pack and sprawled outside on the grass, facing the sky and the plains. We had left the forest area early this morning, and all that I could see of it was a green smudge across the horizon. It was a tradition of mine to pluck grass and suck the sweet nectar out of it. Of course this only pertained to clean grass, but I was quite sure that this site was rarely visited, if at all. So I lay atop the slope, the plain spreading out below me, chewing thoughtfully on a grassblade. The sun was no longer visible, yet the last of its rays coated everything in a golden hue. I heard Vincent shift and sit down somewhere next to me, keeping as much distance as possible. Typical Vincent.
„Vincent?"
„Yes Yuffie?"
„What have you been doing these past two years?"
„Frankly, I believe that it is none of your business." He stated firmly, but politely. I was still irked.
„So sorry for being curious." I huffed. We sat in silence for a while. Guess who broke it first.
„Vincent?"
„Yes Yuffie?"
„… why must you be so hostile?" I was tired, so I suppose that is why I snapped.
„Hostile? What do you mean? Simply because I do not inform you of my every action does not make me hostile."
I glared at him in reply, and added, „Yeah right. But whenever someone enquires about your life, you bite their head off."
„I do not bite." He retorted.
„Stop avoiding the question."
„Sometimes it seems to me that I am not the only one who avoids vital matters." He remarked thoughtfully. I was confused. What was he talking about? Why did he have to space out so randomly and utter cryptical theories? Yet again silence resumed the throne as the last of the rays disappeared and we were plunged into twilight.
„Yuffie?" He asked tentatively. I was surprised, Vincent had been the first one to speak; his voice seemed so far away, as if he had just emerged from deep thought.
„Mhmh?" I replied, curiousity striking me.
„Why are you so cheerful all the time?"
I wondered whether I should fire back with a sarcastic remark about his usual speech habit, which was to say nothing at all, when I glanced at him. I saw that he was eyeing me thoughtfully, and I could not pick up the mocking mood that he sometimes assumed on his `better´days.
„Well, how can I not? I mean, there's so much to do… and, and, so much to see… And you've got forever to do it. How could you not be excited or happy?" I replied after a while.
„Forever? Do you mean that you believe you will live for eternity?" He questioned.
„Well… yes. In a way. I just can't accept death, even though I've seen it, even though Aeris…" There was a precise etiquette that we had to adopt when speaking of our old companion, but I had never heeded it. However, I trailed off for a second, collecting my thoughts. For not even I knew them completely, and they seemed a little muddled, even in my mind. „Even though I saw Aeris, it doesn't change a thing. Death isn't for me. It's something I don't think about."
„I can see that. But what if forever means an eternity of nightmares, would sweet end not be a release?"
„No, never. Life is only a nightmare if you let it be." I countered.
„But what if it does not rest in your hands?"
„But it does! And if it doesn't, then you'd better get in control straight away!"
„Ah, an aspiring eternal optimist." He said softly.
„Wish I could say the same for you," I snorted.
He ignored my remark, and instead asked, „So you honestly believe in," he leaned in and paused. „Forever?"
„Forever." There was no hesitance in my voice, and the word seemed to fall from my lips of its own accord. He did not answer me, settling for scrutinising me with those unnerving eyes. I turned my head, looking at the sky, but I could still feel those eyes boring holes into me for a long time after. Finally I heard a swish of cloth as he decided he had scrutinised enough for today, and he got up and retreated back into the cave.
„Oh Vincent, I could teach you how to live… if only you let me." My words hung in the air, uncertain of their existence, yet a solid promise. Of course no one else heard them. Maybe it was for no one to hear except for myself.
We traveled on for the next week, me being my usual self and getting us into trouble by day, and me watching him from the shadows as the moon played upon his features by night. It was always from the shadows, I could not bring myself to break this beautiful picture of torment.
Not yet.