Disclaimer: I found a penny in the street the other day. I gave it to my friend, who used it to buy an ice cream with some money she had. She ate the ice cream, and I was mad because I was hungry. It was strawberry flavored.
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This was it. She was finally leaving.
She had graduated with honors, an official ninja that was ready to roam the galaxies and save the poor, weak common people from the Heartless -- monsters that had invaded all of the worlds a few years ago. It had always been her dream to train at the Academy at Hollow Bastion, but the Heartless' arrival had made that decision final, and after three years in training, she was done. She could officially kill and get away with it (the best part of it, in her opinion), and was considered a legal adult despite the fact that she was still only seventeen. She was so happy that she could have screamed – which she did, after realizing that she could. Yuffie Kisaragi was free to do whatever she wanted with her life, now.
Yuffie beamed as she handed her ticket to the bored official, who motioned vaguely towards the gummi ship that she had bought a ride on. With a yearly salary of 1,000 munny from the Academy in the trust that she was defending people that needed it with her new abilities, there was no limit on her spending – she could finally get a first-class seat on a spacious gummi that only would fly five people at once to better provide for the people rich enough to afford the seats in the first place. With just an old, beat-up backpack on her shoulders and a long, heavy trench coat over her simple, comfortable clothes, Yuffie felt like the free spirit she had always been, finally away from the strict rules of the Academy and out into the world. And where better to start her new life than Traverse Town, the wildest world in the galaxy?
Tossing her backpack onto an overhead storage net, Yuffie flopped down onto a leather couch and put her feet up, enjoying the feeling of being her own person. She could do what she wanted, now, not what anyone else expected or demanded – and she was ready to start fighting these monsters for real. She had trained as a ninja, and had taken on the reputation at the Academy as the Greatest Female Ninja Ever, a title she had gladly adopted. She was the best, and she would prove it, as soon as she landed in Traverse.
A few hours later on the gummi, however, and she wasn't feeling so excited. She was tired, her ears kept popping, and she couldn't get comfortable on her couch. She didn't know where the fourth person on the flight was (Maybe there isn't one, she thought to herself), but the other three tried to pretend she wasn't there, since they obviously thought themselves of a better breeding than her. They drank martinis and smoked expensive cigarettes as if daring her to complain about the smoke, and so Yuffie folded her arms and tried to sleep again, only to fall off of the couch every time she drifted off. The gummi really was worth the price, with food fit for a restaurant and pillows that didn't feel like cardboard, but she soon realized that she would have been a lot more comfortable among fighters like herself.
Just when she was going to storm into the cockpit and yell at the pilot to make the snobs stop smoking, a tall, slender woman waltzed in from the spacious lavatory, her body swaying naturally, as if to draw even more eyes to her than her clothes already did. Her knee-high black boots elevated her at least two inches, if not more, while the black shorts she wore were so short that she might as well have not worn them at all. Her pink silk top was perfect for her fair skin, but her emerald eyes didn't match her appearance at all: they were kind, welcoming, and immediately settled on Yuffie. Her chestnut braid swung rapidly when she noticed something about the ninja, however, because she drew back sharply with an expression of revulsion on her face.
"You're not going to Traverse dressed like that, I hope?" she asked, her soprano matching her eyes – not exactly soft, but kind and understanding, all though now it was laced with disgust.
"Umm...why not?" Yuffie replied, sitting up and gesturing to her clothes. Sure, they were old, but Traverse Town couldn't be such a fashion hotspot that she'd be called out or anything, right?
The woman sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead and shaking her head slightly. "Because, stupid, you'll get thrown out as soon as you step through the doors." Walking over to her, she placed a hand on one hip in a rattle of thin bracelets and surveyed her carefully, as if taking measurements with an invisible tape measure.
"Why should I? At least I'm not attracting attention like you!" she spat, motioning to the scandalous outfit the other woman was wearing.
Squinting and angling her head as if taking a measurement at a different place, perhaps around one arm, she responded, "That's just the thing. If you went in there dressed like that, you would attract attention – more than anyone else. Plus the Heartless are fiends for that sort of stuff. Only people that are afraid dress like that in Traverse." Raising an eyebrow, Yuffie was about to ask exactly what went on in the 'rowdiest world in the galaxy' when the woman gave a short nod and strode over to one of the overhead storage racks. "I think I have something that'll help you out – a lot."
Yuffie wrinkled up her nose. She didn't want some stranger's clothes – but if this woman was telling the truth, than she might as well accept the gift. Pulling up one patched sleeve of her coat, she realized that maybe her choice of dress might need a little upgrade. Only a few minutes later the taller woman returned, a pile of clothes in her arms. She thrust them at Yuffie and instructed her to change and come out to report any problems. Thinking vaguely that the pink-clad woman must give advice like this all time, Yuffie went into the luxurious lavatory and changed.
It was definitely a change from her modest clothes from before. With khaki shorts as short as what the other woman was wearing and a green halter top that exposed most of her stomach, she hardly felt like the safe, secure ninja from the Academy, but...she also felt better. She was an adult; she could do what she liked. When she examined the knee-high white socks and the elbow-length fishnets in the mirror, she decided that she liked being an adult even more before adjusting a yellow cotton scarf around her neck and securing a silver bandana around her temples. Satisfied with the fact that she was making her own decisions and had no problems with the clothes, Yuffie returned to the cabin, spinning slowly for the other woman to inspect.
"Better," she said at last, tapping her chin. "And I'm Aerith, by the way. Aerith Gainsborough." Extending a hand, Yuffie stopped spinning and clasped it.
"Yuffie Kisaragi, the Greatest Female Ninja Ever," she stated proudly, planting her fists on her hips and craning her neck slightly to look up at Aerith. The disgusted look of before had left the older woman's face, replaced by a kind smile that crinkled up the freckles scattered across her nose. Somehow, seeing this softer side of the woman, Yuffie found it hard to believe that she would wear those clothes. "How are you so sure about Traverse Town?"
"I live there," Aerith replied casually, walking back to the overhead storage and getting her bags down. Yuffie glanced at the ticket she had crumpled in one fist and realized that they would be landing soon. The millions of stars were slowing down from light speed to a less nauseating pace, and the faint glow of lights coming from the world could be seen out of the windows. "I went to Hollow Bastion to pick up something for my friend. Why are you going?" she asked suddenly, rounding on Yuffie with her bag strap in one hand.
"I just graduated from the Academy and wanted to go some place that I'd feel like an adult," Yuffie answered defensively, hefting her backpack onto her shoulders after shoving her old clothes into it. She made a mental note to ditch them in a dumpster as soon as she landed.
Aerith rolled her eyes and gave a small laugh. "Well, you certainly picked the right place," she muttered, flinging a stray piece of russet hair out of her eyes. "Where are you staying?" There was an announcement over the system into the cabin to warn the people of turbulence and that they should be careful, since the gummi was about to descend, but all of the passengers ignored it.
Yuffie shifted her feet at the question. "I'm...not sure," she said finally, averting her navy blue eyes from Aerith's emerald green ones. She hadn't given more than two seconds worth of thought to that; just the fact that she was free had occupied her more than where she'd be living for who knows how long. Aerith, however, waved a dismissive hand good-naturedly.
"Don't sweat it. No one who comes to Traverse does," she explained, leaning against one wall with the bag strap on her shoulder. She pulled a piece of black string out of a pocket on her single piece of luggage and tied it loosely around her neck with the bow drooping on her skin. "You can stay at my place. I'll have Cloud move in with me to make some space."
"Cloud?" Yuffie questioned, grabbing onto the wall as the gummi began its rapid decline towards the world.
"Call him my boyfriend," Aerith advised, effortlessly staying upright without the aid of a wall. Yuffie merely gave her a puzzled look, but there wasn't a lot speaking time left. The gummi landed smoothly outside of the Doors to the World, letting off the five passengers. The three rich people strode ahead and pushed through the doors with smug looks on their faces, while Aerith muttered about the 'upper-class subordinates' and kicked open the huge doors as she hefted a heavier package on one shoulder that Yuffie hadn't seen on the ship. Yuffie didn't have time to question her new friend's parcel, however, because as soon as she stepped into the world, her breath was completely stolen away.
Neon lights flashed everywhere, from over shops and restaurants to highlighting bars and casinos. It didn't seem like a low-class type of place, but from a hurried explanation courtesy of Aerith as they pushed through the crowds, this was only the First District, as opposed to two others. The Second, she said, was much rowdier, while the Third was the most docile, with a small strip of houses and a nice, middle-class apartment building that surrounded a huge arena where monthly tournaments were held just to amuse the crowds. Aerith lived in the Second District, so they didn't spend too much time in the First; the older woman merely pointed out the best restaurant, simply called The Café, and a most convenient place called the Accessory Shop, where she said one of her best friends worked. Pushing through the heavy double doors to the Second District, Aerith pulled a short wooden stick from inside of her bag.
Curious, Yuffie asked about it, and Aerith's simple was response was that it grew the length of her leg and sprouted a small green bulb on the flat top, which proceeded to glimmer gently. "I'm a healer," she said to Yuffie's unasked question, "but, around here, everybody needs something to defend them." Yuffie nodded, slightly confused by the woman's cryptic answer, and pulled a small rawhide pouch of shurikens out of her backpack and tying it on to the belt hanging at her waist. "C'mon."
Aerith turned down the left-hand side of the street and didn't walk far before stopping under a gleaming yellow-and-orange sign that read 'Hotel'. She waited for Yuffie to jog up to her before pushing in the creaking doors and starting down the long, narrow hallway. Confused, Yuffie stopped, causing Aerith to stop and look back at her exasperatedly. "What is it now?"
"I thought you lived in a house," Yuffie said slowly.
"What? I never said that. I live in the Hotel. It's a lot easier, because I don't have to pay mortgage or anything and I get housekeeping to do everything I need doing. A couple of other people live in here, too, so don't be surprised if you get a knock on your door at midnight asking if you have any lavender-scented bath soap on you or anything like that," Aerith explained before proceeding to knock loudly on a red door embossed with small blue squares and Japanese symbols. There was a soft click, and she pushed on the handle, poking her head in and instructing, "Cloud, move your stuff over into the Blue Room. You can stay with me, 'cause there's a new girl that needs a place to stay. And the Yellow Room was just rented out a couple of days ago by some guy named Sora, so that's not an option." Cloud replied something Yuffie couldn't hear, but soon enough a sleep-looking blonde had shuffled into the hallway with a wicker hamper full to bursting with every assorted accessory. He yawned and glanced at her over the tall cowl of his indigo cloak before hoisting the hamper on his shoulder and going down the hall to what Yuffie could only assume was the Blue Room, the frayed hem of his cloak waving with his steps. "Here ya go," Aerith said dully, motioning towards the open door to the Red Room. "Home sweet home."
"Thanks," Yuffie said honestly, shifting her backpack on her shoulders before walking into the room and looking around. It was small, but pretty, with a tall bed adorned with blue hangings and a low dresser with a slim mirror. Japanese scrollwork decorated the bed's headboard and could be spotted in various places throughout the room, so Yuffie felt pretty much at home, just like Aerith had said. She threw her backpack onto the bed and pivoted slowly, taking in her new surroundings.
"Don't wait to call me if you need anything," Aerith said with only her head in the door. She gave one of her kind smiles and jerked her head down the hall to the Blue Room. "I have to go help the big baby down there get settled in, so could you give this to my friend next door in the Green Room? You have a connecting door over there" – she pointed – "but just knock first, or else you'll have a new enemy on your hands. His name's Leon, by the way," she added, pushing open the door wide enough to throw Yuffie the huge, lumpy package she'd been carrying since getting off of the gummi.
"Alright," Yuffie agreed, even though Aerith had already closed the door and couldn't hear. Shifting the heavy bundle in her arms – it was long and all wrapped up in black cloth – she awkwardly made her way to the aforementioned door and managed to rap her knuckles on the lacquered wood. The person inside – Leon, Aerith had said – responded with something that sounded like "Come in", but Yuffie couldn't tell; however, she also couldn't wait, and kicked open the door with a happy smile on her face and the bundle in her arms. "One...thing...direct from Aerith Gainsborough through Yuffie Kisaragi to a Mr. Leon," she greeted mailman-like, and would have saluted him if not for the package bearing her down.
It turned out that Mr. Leon was sitting on the edge of a bed in the corner, one leg stretched out needle-straight before him and the other lying casually next to it. He was sifting through a box of something and growled out a curse before slamming the lid on it and tossing it over his shoulder, which caused the box to hit the wall and the lid to pop open, spewing what was in it everywhere. It was an assortment of weird things – revolver rounds, a tin of polish, a few whetstones, a small can of oil, and several other items that he seemed to have no use for. When Yuffie took her eyes off of his supplies, she found herself looking at him.
She dropped whatever she was carrying and felt her jaw fall open, and wouldn't have been surprised had it dropped all the way to her knees. This guy was gorgeous. Not like Academy brainy-boy 'oh, you look cute' pretty, but surf-magazine model beautiful. If not for his cold stare and unsmiling mouth, he would have made her faint; as it was, Yuffie was surprised that she wasn't sprawled out on the floor. Shoulder-length brown hair, icy blue eyes, the perfect body...Why wasn't this guy married? She couldn't tell if he was or not, truth to tell, since he wore gloves, but still. In her opinion, he should have had women draped all over him. Why was he sitting here all alone? All of those muscles had to be for fighting, and the scar down the bridge of his nose wasn't the result of being jumped.
"Well?" he demanded, glaring at her like a lion at its prey. She couldn't help but yelp slightly before bending to pick up the bundle and carrying it over to him. She moved to place it in his lap, but he gave her the look of death, so she immediately reconsidered her course of action and instead put it beside him on the bed. He moved slightly, but also awkwardly, as if he used to be a graceful ballroom dancer that had one of his legs amputated. Of course, that theory was completely wrong, since this man could never be a ballroom dancer and both of his legs were still intact.
Pulling off the cloth, an expression of nothingness came over his features, wiping the anger away. Yuffie quickly reasoned that that must be his version of happiness, since it certainly looked a lot nicer than staring at his gloomy, I'll-hate-the-world-if-I-want-to look. Switching her eyes from his face (which was very nice to look at) to what she'd been carrying, Yuffie had to work hard not to drop her jaw again.
He was gently moving his gloved fingers over a gleaming silver blade which, oddly enough, was attached to the hilt and trigger of a revolver. A lion was embossed on the broadest of the flat planes of the sword-blade, but the handle of the revolver gleamed from being polished until it shone like the sun. Yuffie was astounded. Where had he acquired such a weapon?
"What are you still doing here?"
Her head jerked up, and she stupidly pointed a finger at her chest and mouthed 'Me?' He gave a curt, cruel nod, and Yuffie took an involuntary step backwards before realizing what she'd done. Why should she be afraid of this guy? She was the Greatest Female Ninja Ever; he was some lazy bum who made women do his work for him (what work she was still unsure of). She opened her mouth to tell him so, but suddenly his hands grasped the handle and spun the blade towards her, the tip just about to drive into her chest if she had taken that step forward. Yuffie couldn't help it; she let out a whimper and swallowed hard.
"Tell Aerith I owe her one." She gave a hurried, hasty nod, afraid to move in any direction for fear of being skewered alive. "Now get out of my room." This time she did salute before turning tail and running back through the connected door. She slammed the lacquered door shut and leaned hard against it, panting. Her heart was pounding like a drum, as if he would come through the door by shear force of will, and it took all of her reserve to calm herself down.
"Breathe, Yuffie. He's a lame tiger. You're the Greatest Female Ninja Ever. It's okay. Breathe, breathe, breathe..." she repeated over and over, a soothing mantra to calm herself down. Eventually she managed to make it back to the bed, where her backpack sat on the red comforter with her old clothes making the seams bulge. Realizing she really, really wanted to sleep, Yuffie carefully unfolded the scarf from around her neck and slid the bandana off of her forehead before laying them out neatly on the side table next to the bed, something very un-Yuffie-like, since she was not at all a neat person. Next came her pouch of shurikens, followed by the socks, fishnets, gloves, and shoes, until she was just sitting on the bed in the halter top and the too-short shorts.
Falling on her back with her legs dangling off of the end of the bed, Yuffie closed her eyes and breathed deeply, her arms twitching next to her. An adult. The title didn't seem so attractive anymore, nor did the possibility that she'd never see her friends again. At least she had Aerith help her out in a jam, now, but how long did relationships forged on a gummi ship last? She really had no idea. Deciding that she was overworking herself with stupid thoughts, Yuffie allowed herself to finally give in to her first night sleeping as an adult.
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Heya! Two stories at once? It won't be that hard, really, since Pieces of Light never got the big turnout I was hoping for, so updates won't be demanded. Heck, I don't think this'll get the publicity I want, but...it was worth a shot. I'm really trying to lay off of the detail here, so I expect no complaints! –stern look— Oh, and what's the deal with Aerith's clothes? Hey, I think she's got a bad side deep down inside; everybody does. And yeah, there will be Sora/Kairi and Cloud/Aerith in this – probably earlier than the Squiffie! What a surprise.
Please, make an author happy and review for her? It makes her feel sooo much better that she's liked...sort of. Please? –puts on Inuyasha ears--
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This was it. She was finally leaving.
She had graduated with honors, an official ninja that was ready to roam the galaxies and save the poor, weak common people from the Heartless -- monsters that had invaded all of the worlds a few years ago. It had always been her dream to train at the Academy at Hollow Bastion, but the Heartless' arrival had made that decision final, and after three years in training, she was done. She could officially kill and get away with it (the best part of it, in her opinion), and was considered a legal adult despite the fact that she was still only seventeen. She was so happy that she could have screamed – which she did, after realizing that she could. Yuffie Kisaragi was free to do whatever she wanted with her life, now.
Yuffie beamed as she handed her ticket to the bored official, who motioned vaguely towards the gummi ship that she had bought a ride on. With a yearly salary of 1,000 munny from the Academy in the trust that she was defending people that needed it with her new abilities, there was no limit on her spending – she could finally get a first-class seat on a spacious gummi that only would fly five people at once to better provide for the people rich enough to afford the seats in the first place. With just an old, beat-up backpack on her shoulders and a long, heavy trench coat over her simple, comfortable clothes, Yuffie felt like the free spirit she had always been, finally away from the strict rules of the Academy and out into the world. And where better to start her new life than Traverse Town, the wildest world in the galaxy?
Tossing her backpack onto an overhead storage net, Yuffie flopped down onto a leather couch and put her feet up, enjoying the feeling of being her own person. She could do what she wanted, now, not what anyone else expected or demanded – and she was ready to start fighting these monsters for real. She had trained as a ninja, and had taken on the reputation at the Academy as the Greatest Female Ninja Ever, a title she had gladly adopted. She was the best, and she would prove it, as soon as she landed in Traverse.
A few hours later on the gummi, however, and she wasn't feeling so excited. She was tired, her ears kept popping, and she couldn't get comfortable on her couch. She didn't know where the fourth person on the flight was (Maybe there isn't one, she thought to herself), but the other three tried to pretend she wasn't there, since they obviously thought themselves of a better breeding than her. They drank martinis and smoked expensive cigarettes as if daring her to complain about the smoke, and so Yuffie folded her arms and tried to sleep again, only to fall off of the couch every time she drifted off. The gummi really was worth the price, with food fit for a restaurant and pillows that didn't feel like cardboard, but she soon realized that she would have been a lot more comfortable among fighters like herself.
Just when she was going to storm into the cockpit and yell at the pilot to make the snobs stop smoking, a tall, slender woman waltzed in from the spacious lavatory, her body swaying naturally, as if to draw even more eyes to her than her clothes already did. Her knee-high black boots elevated her at least two inches, if not more, while the black shorts she wore were so short that she might as well have not worn them at all. Her pink silk top was perfect for her fair skin, but her emerald eyes didn't match her appearance at all: they were kind, welcoming, and immediately settled on Yuffie. Her chestnut braid swung rapidly when she noticed something about the ninja, however, because she drew back sharply with an expression of revulsion on her face.
"You're not going to Traverse dressed like that, I hope?" she asked, her soprano matching her eyes – not exactly soft, but kind and understanding, all though now it was laced with disgust.
"Umm...why not?" Yuffie replied, sitting up and gesturing to her clothes. Sure, they were old, but Traverse Town couldn't be such a fashion hotspot that she'd be called out or anything, right?
The woman sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead and shaking her head slightly. "Because, stupid, you'll get thrown out as soon as you step through the doors." Walking over to her, she placed a hand on one hip in a rattle of thin bracelets and surveyed her carefully, as if taking measurements with an invisible tape measure.
"Why should I? At least I'm not attracting attention like you!" she spat, motioning to the scandalous outfit the other woman was wearing.
Squinting and angling her head as if taking a measurement at a different place, perhaps around one arm, she responded, "That's just the thing. If you went in there dressed like that, you would attract attention – more than anyone else. Plus the Heartless are fiends for that sort of stuff. Only people that are afraid dress like that in Traverse." Raising an eyebrow, Yuffie was about to ask exactly what went on in the 'rowdiest world in the galaxy' when the woman gave a short nod and strode over to one of the overhead storage racks. "I think I have something that'll help you out – a lot."
Yuffie wrinkled up her nose. She didn't want some stranger's clothes – but if this woman was telling the truth, than she might as well accept the gift. Pulling up one patched sleeve of her coat, she realized that maybe her choice of dress might need a little upgrade. Only a few minutes later the taller woman returned, a pile of clothes in her arms. She thrust them at Yuffie and instructed her to change and come out to report any problems. Thinking vaguely that the pink-clad woman must give advice like this all time, Yuffie went into the luxurious lavatory and changed.
It was definitely a change from her modest clothes from before. With khaki shorts as short as what the other woman was wearing and a green halter top that exposed most of her stomach, she hardly felt like the safe, secure ninja from the Academy, but...she also felt better. She was an adult; she could do what she liked. When she examined the knee-high white socks and the elbow-length fishnets in the mirror, she decided that she liked being an adult even more before adjusting a yellow cotton scarf around her neck and securing a silver bandana around her temples. Satisfied with the fact that she was making her own decisions and had no problems with the clothes, Yuffie returned to the cabin, spinning slowly for the other woman to inspect.
"Better," she said at last, tapping her chin. "And I'm Aerith, by the way. Aerith Gainsborough." Extending a hand, Yuffie stopped spinning and clasped it.
"Yuffie Kisaragi, the Greatest Female Ninja Ever," she stated proudly, planting her fists on her hips and craning her neck slightly to look up at Aerith. The disgusted look of before had left the older woman's face, replaced by a kind smile that crinkled up the freckles scattered across her nose. Somehow, seeing this softer side of the woman, Yuffie found it hard to believe that she would wear those clothes. "How are you so sure about Traverse Town?"
"I live there," Aerith replied casually, walking back to the overhead storage and getting her bags down. Yuffie glanced at the ticket she had crumpled in one fist and realized that they would be landing soon. The millions of stars were slowing down from light speed to a less nauseating pace, and the faint glow of lights coming from the world could be seen out of the windows. "I went to Hollow Bastion to pick up something for my friend. Why are you going?" she asked suddenly, rounding on Yuffie with her bag strap in one hand.
"I just graduated from the Academy and wanted to go some place that I'd feel like an adult," Yuffie answered defensively, hefting her backpack onto her shoulders after shoving her old clothes into it. She made a mental note to ditch them in a dumpster as soon as she landed.
Aerith rolled her eyes and gave a small laugh. "Well, you certainly picked the right place," she muttered, flinging a stray piece of russet hair out of her eyes. "Where are you staying?" There was an announcement over the system into the cabin to warn the people of turbulence and that they should be careful, since the gummi was about to descend, but all of the passengers ignored it.
Yuffie shifted her feet at the question. "I'm...not sure," she said finally, averting her navy blue eyes from Aerith's emerald green ones. She hadn't given more than two seconds worth of thought to that; just the fact that she was free had occupied her more than where she'd be living for who knows how long. Aerith, however, waved a dismissive hand good-naturedly.
"Don't sweat it. No one who comes to Traverse does," she explained, leaning against one wall with the bag strap on her shoulder. She pulled a piece of black string out of a pocket on her single piece of luggage and tied it loosely around her neck with the bow drooping on her skin. "You can stay at my place. I'll have Cloud move in with me to make some space."
"Cloud?" Yuffie questioned, grabbing onto the wall as the gummi began its rapid decline towards the world.
"Call him my boyfriend," Aerith advised, effortlessly staying upright without the aid of a wall. Yuffie merely gave her a puzzled look, but there wasn't a lot speaking time left. The gummi landed smoothly outside of the Doors to the World, letting off the five passengers. The three rich people strode ahead and pushed through the doors with smug looks on their faces, while Aerith muttered about the 'upper-class subordinates' and kicked open the huge doors as she hefted a heavier package on one shoulder that Yuffie hadn't seen on the ship. Yuffie didn't have time to question her new friend's parcel, however, because as soon as she stepped into the world, her breath was completely stolen away.
Neon lights flashed everywhere, from over shops and restaurants to highlighting bars and casinos. It didn't seem like a low-class type of place, but from a hurried explanation courtesy of Aerith as they pushed through the crowds, this was only the First District, as opposed to two others. The Second, she said, was much rowdier, while the Third was the most docile, with a small strip of houses and a nice, middle-class apartment building that surrounded a huge arena where monthly tournaments were held just to amuse the crowds. Aerith lived in the Second District, so they didn't spend too much time in the First; the older woman merely pointed out the best restaurant, simply called The Café, and a most convenient place called the Accessory Shop, where she said one of her best friends worked. Pushing through the heavy double doors to the Second District, Aerith pulled a short wooden stick from inside of her bag.
Curious, Yuffie asked about it, and Aerith's simple was response was that it grew the length of her leg and sprouted a small green bulb on the flat top, which proceeded to glimmer gently. "I'm a healer," she said to Yuffie's unasked question, "but, around here, everybody needs something to defend them." Yuffie nodded, slightly confused by the woman's cryptic answer, and pulled a small rawhide pouch of shurikens out of her backpack and tying it on to the belt hanging at her waist. "C'mon."
Aerith turned down the left-hand side of the street and didn't walk far before stopping under a gleaming yellow-and-orange sign that read 'Hotel'. She waited for Yuffie to jog up to her before pushing in the creaking doors and starting down the long, narrow hallway. Confused, Yuffie stopped, causing Aerith to stop and look back at her exasperatedly. "What is it now?"
"I thought you lived in a house," Yuffie said slowly.
"What? I never said that. I live in the Hotel. It's a lot easier, because I don't have to pay mortgage or anything and I get housekeeping to do everything I need doing. A couple of other people live in here, too, so don't be surprised if you get a knock on your door at midnight asking if you have any lavender-scented bath soap on you or anything like that," Aerith explained before proceeding to knock loudly on a red door embossed with small blue squares and Japanese symbols. There was a soft click, and she pushed on the handle, poking her head in and instructing, "Cloud, move your stuff over into the Blue Room. You can stay with me, 'cause there's a new girl that needs a place to stay. And the Yellow Room was just rented out a couple of days ago by some guy named Sora, so that's not an option." Cloud replied something Yuffie couldn't hear, but soon enough a sleep-looking blonde had shuffled into the hallway with a wicker hamper full to bursting with every assorted accessory. He yawned and glanced at her over the tall cowl of his indigo cloak before hoisting the hamper on his shoulder and going down the hall to what Yuffie could only assume was the Blue Room, the frayed hem of his cloak waving with his steps. "Here ya go," Aerith said dully, motioning towards the open door to the Red Room. "Home sweet home."
"Thanks," Yuffie said honestly, shifting her backpack on her shoulders before walking into the room and looking around. It was small, but pretty, with a tall bed adorned with blue hangings and a low dresser with a slim mirror. Japanese scrollwork decorated the bed's headboard and could be spotted in various places throughout the room, so Yuffie felt pretty much at home, just like Aerith had said. She threw her backpack onto the bed and pivoted slowly, taking in her new surroundings.
"Don't wait to call me if you need anything," Aerith said with only her head in the door. She gave one of her kind smiles and jerked her head down the hall to the Blue Room. "I have to go help the big baby down there get settled in, so could you give this to my friend next door in the Green Room? You have a connecting door over there" – she pointed – "but just knock first, or else you'll have a new enemy on your hands. His name's Leon, by the way," she added, pushing open the door wide enough to throw Yuffie the huge, lumpy package she'd been carrying since getting off of the gummi.
"Alright," Yuffie agreed, even though Aerith had already closed the door and couldn't hear. Shifting the heavy bundle in her arms – it was long and all wrapped up in black cloth – she awkwardly made her way to the aforementioned door and managed to rap her knuckles on the lacquered wood. The person inside – Leon, Aerith had said – responded with something that sounded like "Come in", but Yuffie couldn't tell; however, she also couldn't wait, and kicked open the door with a happy smile on her face and the bundle in her arms. "One...thing...direct from Aerith Gainsborough through Yuffie Kisaragi to a Mr. Leon," she greeted mailman-like, and would have saluted him if not for the package bearing her down.
It turned out that Mr. Leon was sitting on the edge of a bed in the corner, one leg stretched out needle-straight before him and the other lying casually next to it. He was sifting through a box of something and growled out a curse before slamming the lid on it and tossing it over his shoulder, which caused the box to hit the wall and the lid to pop open, spewing what was in it everywhere. It was an assortment of weird things – revolver rounds, a tin of polish, a few whetstones, a small can of oil, and several other items that he seemed to have no use for. When Yuffie took her eyes off of his supplies, she found herself looking at him.
She dropped whatever she was carrying and felt her jaw fall open, and wouldn't have been surprised had it dropped all the way to her knees. This guy was gorgeous. Not like Academy brainy-boy 'oh, you look cute' pretty, but surf-magazine model beautiful. If not for his cold stare and unsmiling mouth, he would have made her faint; as it was, Yuffie was surprised that she wasn't sprawled out on the floor. Shoulder-length brown hair, icy blue eyes, the perfect body...Why wasn't this guy married? She couldn't tell if he was or not, truth to tell, since he wore gloves, but still. In her opinion, he should have had women draped all over him. Why was he sitting here all alone? All of those muscles had to be for fighting, and the scar down the bridge of his nose wasn't the result of being jumped.
"Well?" he demanded, glaring at her like a lion at its prey. She couldn't help but yelp slightly before bending to pick up the bundle and carrying it over to him. She moved to place it in his lap, but he gave her the look of death, so she immediately reconsidered her course of action and instead put it beside him on the bed. He moved slightly, but also awkwardly, as if he used to be a graceful ballroom dancer that had one of his legs amputated. Of course, that theory was completely wrong, since this man could never be a ballroom dancer and both of his legs were still intact.
Pulling off the cloth, an expression of nothingness came over his features, wiping the anger away. Yuffie quickly reasoned that that must be his version of happiness, since it certainly looked a lot nicer than staring at his gloomy, I'll-hate-the-world-if-I-want-to look. Switching her eyes from his face (which was very nice to look at) to what she'd been carrying, Yuffie had to work hard not to drop her jaw again.
He was gently moving his gloved fingers over a gleaming silver blade which, oddly enough, was attached to the hilt and trigger of a revolver. A lion was embossed on the broadest of the flat planes of the sword-blade, but the handle of the revolver gleamed from being polished until it shone like the sun. Yuffie was astounded. Where had he acquired such a weapon?
"What are you still doing here?"
Her head jerked up, and she stupidly pointed a finger at her chest and mouthed 'Me?' He gave a curt, cruel nod, and Yuffie took an involuntary step backwards before realizing what she'd done. Why should she be afraid of this guy? She was the Greatest Female Ninja Ever; he was some lazy bum who made women do his work for him (what work she was still unsure of). She opened her mouth to tell him so, but suddenly his hands grasped the handle and spun the blade towards her, the tip just about to drive into her chest if she had taken that step forward. Yuffie couldn't help it; she let out a whimper and swallowed hard.
"Tell Aerith I owe her one." She gave a hurried, hasty nod, afraid to move in any direction for fear of being skewered alive. "Now get out of my room." This time she did salute before turning tail and running back through the connected door. She slammed the lacquered door shut and leaned hard against it, panting. Her heart was pounding like a drum, as if he would come through the door by shear force of will, and it took all of her reserve to calm herself down.
"Breathe, Yuffie. He's a lame tiger. You're the Greatest Female Ninja Ever. It's okay. Breathe, breathe, breathe..." she repeated over and over, a soothing mantra to calm herself down. Eventually she managed to make it back to the bed, where her backpack sat on the red comforter with her old clothes making the seams bulge. Realizing she really, really wanted to sleep, Yuffie carefully unfolded the scarf from around her neck and slid the bandana off of her forehead before laying them out neatly on the side table next to the bed, something very un-Yuffie-like, since she was not at all a neat person. Next came her pouch of shurikens, followed by the socks, fishnets, gloves, and shoes, until she was just sitting on the bed in the halter top and the too-short shorts.
Falling on her back with her legs dangling off of the end of the bed, Yuffie closed her eyes and breathed deeply, her arms twitching next to her. An adult. The title didn't seem so attractive anymore, nor did the possibility that she'd never see her friends again. At least she had Aerith help her out in a jam, now, but how long did relationships forged on a gummi ship last? She really had no idea. Deciding that she was overworking herself with stupid thoughts, Yuffie allowed herself to finally give in to her first night sleeping as an adult.
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Heya! Two stories at once? It won't be that hard, really, since Pieces of Light never got the big turnout I was hoping for, so updates won't be demanded. Heck, I don't think this'll get the publicity I want, but...it was worth a shot. I'm really trying to lay off of the detail here, so I expect no complaints! –stern look— Oh, and what's the deal with Aerith's clothes? Hey, I think she's got a bad side deep down inside; everybody does. And yeah, there will be Sora/Kairi and Cloud/Aerith in this – probably earlier than the Squiffie! What a surprise.
Please, make an author happy and review for her? It makes her feel sooo much better that she's liked...sort of. Please? –puts on Inuyasha ears--