Chapter 4: Consultation
Some time after Yuffie's ill-fated dip in the springs, things slowly began to return to normal. Nanaki had been noticeably absent from the canyon proper for the last few days, but he had returned on the second evening with only a single gruff message, directed at Yuffie.
"I'll consider it." It was all the giant lion had said before he disappeared once more. From Vincent's point of view, Nanaki was still furious. For Yuffie, however, it was a cause for celebration.
"Do you hear that, Vince? He's over it! We're gonna go back to the crater together!" she cried, jumping up and down as a smile split her face. Leave it to Yuffie to overreact to anything, the gunman thought wryly.
Because their four-legged companion had left the two to their own devices for the past few days, Yuffie had taken it upon herself to be Vincent's "official guide through the Canyon." It was unnecessary, of course, as Vincent could clearly recall the most important features of the village from his previous visits. But his polite refusals couldn't keep Yuffie at bay. "You're such a recluse, you big dork. If I didn't show you around, you'd probably spend the entire day in your room staring at the ceiling," she had said. It wasn't a particularly accurate assessment, but it was true that Vincent would have preferred to remain alone, leaving the wonders of Cosmo Canyon to its inhabitants, had he been left to his own devices.
In retrospect, it was turning into a pleasant decision to have Yuffie show him around. Cosmo Village was actually quite a small settlement in the valley, but Cosmo Canyon was, in truth, a vast site that spanned well beyond the village limits. There were thick forests, materia caves, and hidden rivers that Vincent hadn't even suspected could exist within the Canyon's heights and depths. Some of them, Yuffie explained through their various visits, had been shown to her by Nanaki. But a few of the sites, particularly the ones with natural materia formations, had been discovered by the ninja herself during her time living there.
Sometimes at night, Vincent would leave on his own to return to the wild caverns, seeking their solace in the moonlight. The twinkling materia walls reminded him of the waterfall cavern's crystals, sending him into contemplation over the past and his dead lover. But it was never quite the same; there were no hard, symmetrical lines in the natural formations that sprung up around the canyon, and there was nothing cold and impersonal about the crystals embedded in the rocky walls. The caves were wild and unruly, filled with natural energy, and the materia within them was alive, singing with the inhuman voice of the planet in the moonlight. They were places of peace and tranquillity, and whenever Vincent felt his psyche slipping into dangerous levels of depression and anger, the materia would gently call him back and remind him of the surrounding life.
Yuffie's behaviour around him was also a surprise, although he hadn't yet decided if it was a pleasant one or not; he had been dreading the prospect of having to spend so much time with the hyperactive ninja. Gradually he began to realize that she was only lonely. She had admitted as much herself during their last trip into the canyon's depths, while babbling aimlessly about whatever crossed her mind.
-------- the previous day --------
"… and it was, like, so totally uncool! I mean, who in their right mind would've worn a hairpin that looked like that anyway?" Yuffie yelled, waving her arms in the air for emphasis. Vincent said nothing, his eyes narrowing only slightly as he trudged stoically behind the young woman. There was a moment of silence, and then, "You don't talk much, do you, Vincent?"
He said nothing, keeping his eyes trained on the ground by Yuffie's heels.
"I mean, I know I talk a lot. Probably too much. Hehe, at least, that's what Nanaki always says when I come back." The sound of crunching pebbles underfoot filled the silence before Yuffie started again. "You shouldn't talk unless you have something to say, Yuffie," she mimicked, dropping her voice a few octaves lower. "That's what he usually tells me after I've been going on for too long. But not you. No, Vincent Valentine just takes it like a man, right?"
His eyebrow had quirked slightly at this, but still he said nothing.
"I guess it's annoying. But think of it this way. I just want to have someone to talk to. You don't have to say anything back. So as long as you don't mind listening, it's a win-win deal here, right? If you're not listening, though, you better not tell me, or I'll have to show you my secret flying pinwheel kick," she giggled. "It's not like I care, really, it's just nice to have someone intelligent around," she added. "You don't know how insane it gets up there in the crater sometimes. Did you know some of those things can speak? Well, not really the way we do, but they can communicate with you, somehow…" Her voice had trailed off then, and her footsteps slowed. Vincent looked up sharply, regarding Yuffie carefully for the first time.
Her hand was stretched out, touching the canyon wall, and her feet were still moving as surely as a goat's across the rocky path, but her gaze was fixed over the open canyon beside them, and her eyes were unfocused. Yuffie's skin was unnaturally pale; the sun didn't usually touch the northern continent, and the grime covering her from head to foot when she first arrived had hidden the lightness of her complexion. Her body was lean and wiry, and while at a first glance she looked nothing more than a tomboy, even her jerky, spastic movements relayed the coordination and musculature of a skilled fighter to the trained eye. In a way, her mannerisms were even more deadly because of her unpredictability; if he had still been with the Turks, Vincent might have tried to recruit Yuffie as an assassin. She didn't carry herself the same way she had as a sixteen year old; it made him wonder what exactly she faced in the northern crater to make her develop in such a manner.
"It's not the same with the monsters, Vince. They're smart… smarter than some of us, I think. But they're all messed up in the head," she murmured. "I think holy fixed 'em up good and proper, because they're always so angry with us now, I mean, the rest of the world, y'know? No, I guess you don't…" She shook her head quickly, her eyes refocusing as she came out of her trance. Noticing his scrutiny, she blushed quickly and looked away.
"You can try talking with those freakazoid monster things for three months in a row, but they never really listen," she added quickly. "I mean, you wouldn't have to kill 'em if they listened, right? I always miss that when I come back, having someone there to listen to you blabber without wanting to gut you for it if they don't like what you're saying," she finished. "So you just keep on listening, and you don't have to say anything, Vince, and I won't mind at all. Just don't pull your shotgun on me, all right?" she joked, flashing him a quick smile.
-------- the present --------
Yuffie must have felt she revealed too much on that day, even for someone as open as herself, because afterwards she had been avoiding him. It was surprising to Vincent, but with both Nanaki and now Yuffie making themselves scarce, he felt as though something was lacking.
Could it be that I miss being around them? As friends? It was a disturbing question. Vincent prided himself on his independence, but now that he was receiving it he found its presence unwanted. He spent longer than usual in the materia caves that night, searching for comfort in the planet's crystalline voices. They soothed him as usual, but it didn't give him the same satisfaction as Yuffie's high pitched whine or Nanaki's low growl might have. So it wasn't an unwelcome sight when he returned to the observatory the next day only to stumble across Yuffie and Nanaki, sitting together at the table and joking as if nothing had occurred between them.
Yuffie grinned merrily as the dark gunman entered, waving happily at him. "Hey, welcome back, Vincent, we were just talking about you!" Nanaki rolled his one eye at Yuffie. "No, we weren't," he rumbled in irritation. "Why do you always have to do that anyway?" he asked as she fell into a cute pout. "Spoilsport! I just don't want Vince to feel left out!" she grumbled. Leaning over, she stretched out a foot and smoothly kicked out a chair, which slid towards Vincent. "Have a seat!" she yelled at him.
Vincent gracefully seated himself at the table, pulling down the edge of his cloak slightly. "So you two have made up?" he asked tonelessly, one fine eyebrow lifted.
Nanaki bobbed his head regretfully towards Vincent. "Yes… I should apologize for my behaviour, it was immature. And you had to suffer constantly under Yuffie's tender affections for the past few days. Unpardonable rudeness for a host to show his guest," he said, tail flicking slightly.
"HEY!" came Yuffie's cry of indignation. "Vincent and I have been having a fine time together without you, you meanie cat! I'm a good hostess, aren't I?" she asked plaintively, widening her eyes and making her best "cute" face at the gunman.
Vincent, as usual, refrained from answering the question, but surprised both of his companions by nodding his head slightly at the ninja. It was rewarding to see the look on Yuffie's face afterwards; she could trade insults with style, but accepting compliments was considerably more difficult. She fidgeted uncomfortably for a moment, and then reached for her mug of tea, burying her face in it to hide the red tinge on her cheeks.
Nanaki looked mildly amused, and trained his good eye on Vincent. "I should have asked you to visit sooner, Vincent, I didn't realize how skilled you were at silencing her." This caused Yuffie to slam her mug down on the table loudly as she glared at the lion. Nanaki cleared his throat, pointedly ignoring the fuming girl, and addressed Vincent. "There is something you should know," he said seriously. "I've decided to accompany Yuffie to the northern crater this time. If she really has found the last of my kind, it's my duty to seek them out. Even if they are the remains of the Gi tribe," he growled lowly.
Yuffie's glaring match with Nanaki's head was forgotten as she cheered and waved a hand in the air. "See, didn't I say so? I'm gonna have company when I go back this time! Cid's gonna §#!) a brick when we tell him, though." She scowled with annoyance as she said this. "How should we deal with him?"
Vincent looked between the two and frowned. "Are you sure this is a wise decision? Yuffie, we've seen the rate at which your body is absorbing mako energy from the crater. I thought it had been made clear that it would be too dangerous for you to return."
Nanaki interjected with a shake of his massive head. "That's true, but even if Cid didn't agree to take her, we couldn't stop her from going by chocobo. It would simply be easier for me to accompany her and ensure her safety, and also help speed up the process of mastering the remaining materia." His ears lowered slightly. "Besides which, only Yuffie knows where I can find the Gi, and she's vowed not to tell me unless she's in the northern crater herself."
"Blackmail," Vincent said simply, training his even stare on Yuffie, who squirmed nervously under his disapproving gaze.
"You make it sound like it's a bad thing!" she said, sulking.
"That's because it is a bad thing," he responded with a slight tone of annoyance. A sudden thought occurred to Vincent as he considered his two friends sitting around the table. It had been a slow process of realization, but they were his friends, and it was easier for him to finally admit that to himself. Friendship did not make one weak. It wasn't rest he had been searching for when he stumbled out of Lucretia's cave. It was companionship. And so, on a whim, he made his decision known to the others. "Very well. When will we be leaving?"
This made Yuffie spit out her tea and Nanaki's tail cease from its incessant swishing as they both eyed him in surprise. "'We' ?" Yuffie managed to say first.
"We," Vincent told her, the tone of his voice brokering no room for argument. "I will be accompanying you both to the northern crater this time." There was an uncomfortable silence in the room, and a fleeting moment of doubt and regret flashed through the gunman.
"Well all RIGHT!" Yuffie suddenly yelled, leaping up from the table and dancing around wildly as she pumped her arms in the air. "Major score! Vince is coming along too! This is gonna be so COOL!" she laughed, leaping over and catching Vincent in another one of her now-familiar "life-shortening" hugs.
Nanaki dipped his head in agreement, his one eye silently relaying his approval to Vincent before he spoke. "Yes, that is an excellent idea, Vincent. I'm pleased you suggested it," he added, the double meaning behind his praise perfectly clear.
A feeling of relief washed over Vincent, and for a moment, the hint of a smile flickered across his face. He allowed himself to sit back and enjoy Yuffie's antics and Nanaki's deadpan replies for the rest of the morning. Yes, it was going to be a very good day.
… … …
Cid was expected to return to Cosmo Canyon the next day, and Yuffie, Nanaki and Vincent had spent their remaining time preparing for the long journey. Yuffie had specifically requested that both Nanaki and Vincent make time to meet her in the observatory for materia shuffling and something she had referred to as a "full consultation." Vincent was unfamiliar with the term, but from the way Nanaki had eagerly accepted her offer, it was obviously something valuable and sought-after.
He discovered what she meant when he entered the small room, and saw five of the black boxes already neatly laid out on the table and opened, the shining materia within them winking in the afternoon light. Yuffie looked up from her study of the precious orbs and smiled as he entered.
"Hey, glad you're early, Vince, all we have to do is wait for Red now and then we can start." She pushed one of the boxes towards him. "That one's yours, by the way. Remember all that materia you gave me five years ago? Most of it is in there, so you can pick a few pieces out if you like. I wanna see your setup before we leave, though," she said seriously.
Nanaki entered at that moment, a small bag held loosely between his jaws. He dropped it on the table near Yuffie, who ruffled his hair slightly before reaching for its contents. "Great, let's start," she said, placing the Nanaki's bracelet and headdress on the table. Immediately, a frown crossed her face.
"This is isn't the Limited Moon," she said, picking up the headdress and eyeing it disapprovingly. "It's not even one of your better weapons!" she complained, tossing it off the table carelessly. "And what's this? A wizard bracelet? Are you suicidal, Red?!" She dug through the bag once more and pulled out a ribbon. "Well, at least you have some sense in that tiny brain of yours," she muttered as she placed the scrap of cloth on the table carefully.
"Yuffie! Be careful with that," Nanaki reprimanded her, looking at his discarded headdress. "I know the Limited Moon is my best weapon, but we need to help you finish your materia collection. I can't do that when I use my best equipment," he growled.
Yuffie crossed her arms and shook her head at Nanaki like a mother scolding a naughty child. "Don't you think I've thought about this before?" She did lean over and pick the small comb off of the floor, however. "We're going to be doing a lot of travelling, and the crater's only gotten worse since the last time you were there. You're gonna need all the help you can get. Now you can save me a whole lotta trouble by just bringing me your Moon and Mystile right now, or I can fight you while you're wearing this crap just to prove how useless it'll be," she warned. Nanaki grumbled, but got up and padded out of the room once more.
Yuffie rolled her eyes and threw her hands up in the air. "I swear, sometimes I don't know what that guy is thinking," she complained to Vincent. "Well, he's the loser then, let's start with you instead." She held out her hand expectantly, waiting for his weapon, bracelet and accessory.
Vincent's hand strayed to the Death Penalty unconsciously; he had never before let anyone handle it and was still reluctant to do so. Yuffie saw his motion and clucked her tongue in annoyance. "Relax, Vince, I'm not going to hurt it, I promise. You can stand right next to me and watch the entire time if you're worried," she said soothingly. He drew the gun out but still hesitated, and Yuffie decided it was time for extreme measures. "Oh Vincent," she said in as serious a voice as she could manage. "Don't you trust me?" Crossing her arms, she turned away quickly to hide the grin that was forcing its way to her face as her plan worked.
Vincent saw Yuffie spin away quickly from him, and her shoulders shook slightly. He sighed deeply; she had sounded hurt with her last question, and guilt overwhelmed him. This was no way to treat friends, and trust had to start somewhere. Carefully he laid his gun and gauntlet on the table side by side. He removed the ring he was wearing and placed it next to them. "Yuffie," he said quietly.
Whirling around, she beamed at Vincent and stuck her tongue out. "Gotcha!" she laughed, slamming her hands on the table around his equipment before he could protest. "Aww, Vincent, I didn't know you were a softie! I'll remember that the next time I want something from you," she teased, winking at him.
Vincent glared at the young ninja in annoyance and folded his arms together. "This had better be an extraordinary consultation," he warned her tersely. His annoyance quickly faded as he watched her hands skillfully remove the material inlaid in the Penalty and quickly sort it into his box. She was silent for a moment, and then she looked up at Vincent with a furious glare. He started, not expecting the sudden swing in her mood or understanding why it was directed at him.
"Listen, Vincent," Yuffie began, her voice utterly serious. "Reading other peoples' materia setups is a lot like reading their diaries," she said. "You can tell a lot about a person by the kind of magic and defense they choose when they fight." She gestured at the items before her. "I don't know what you've been doing for five years, but whatever it was, it's for sure not good for you!"
Vincent looked at his gun in confusion. "I don't understand," he replied.
Yuffie groaned and rolled her eyes. "Gawd, you might be worse than Nanaki!" she yelled. "Take a look at this. You're using your Death Penalty, a Ziedrich, and a Reflection ring." She moved her hand over the ring first. "This," she said, picking it up and fingering it, "is an utter piece of crap. You obviously don't want anyone getting close to you, to the point of throwing back whatever they might have to offer." She held the ring up to the light and turned it around, her lips pursed and her brow wrinkled. "But if you rely only on yourself, you end up closing yourself off from everyone, even your friends. And what's worse, you could end up getting hurt by your own attitude!" She sighed and dropped the ring. "You're probably not into the metaphysical stuff, so I'll be blunt. How do you expect us to be able to heal you if you're wearing that? Reflect rings don't even stop the most powerful monster attack spells, and that's what the beasties in the crater are going to be throwing at us."
Vincent blinked, surprise showing on his face. All that just from a reflect ring? Surprisingly, much of what she said struck a chord within him. Perhaps it was a bad choice of protection, after all. He watched interestedly as she dropped the ring and moved her hand over his gauntlet.
"The Ziedrich," she began softly, running her hand over the hard metal spikes on the intimidating looking gauntlet. "The most powerful armour known to mankind," she whispered, hefting it into the air. "It's a rare sight, I'll give you that, but it's still inherently flawed," she finished, placing it carefully back on the table. "You don't like allowing yourself to get hurt, and this gauntlet is perfect for blocking injuries. But look closer, it has a poor defense against magical attacks. And worse yet, not a single slot for materia." She looked up at Vincent, and for once he was the one who felt uncomfortable under her scrutinizing gaze. "You're trying to build a wall around yourself, to stay independent and not rely on anyone… or anything… else. You've even cut yourself off from the planet," she said, gesturing at the bracelet. "But even though you've physically gotten stronger, you're leaving yourself wide open to injury from other sources." She looked a little sad as she spoke. "Listen, Vincent, I don't really know what happened between you and that Lucretia chick," she said carefully. "But if you don't figure out a way to deal with it soon, your emotions might end up destroying you. You're probably more vulnerable than you think," she added.
Vincent gripped the table tightly as he glared at the traitorous gauntlet on the table. As if it had found a voice to tell Yuffie all of his carefully hidden secrets. How could she know this? It was just a piece of metal! His only comfort was in knowing that he had at least come to the same conclusion on his own, even if it did take an arduous hike through the jungle and the transformation into Chaos. Still, he couldn't help thinking wryly, it would have been easier to simply ask Yuffie for a "consultation" earlier. Something he might have discovered if he had bothered to stay in touch with the others over the years.
Seeing the hints of emotion flickering across his face, Yuffie realized she had touched upon a nerve. Biting her lip nervously, she cautiously tried to sooth Vincent's wounded pride. "Um, but it's still a really good gauntlet, Vince," she said quietly. "I won't force you to change it if you don't want to. It's just a suggestion." Noting his lack of response, she looked back down at the table and placed her hand on the Death Penalty.
"Your gun, Vincent. It's really an incredible weapon. I think I might even feel a pulse…" she said, her eyes widening as she touched the metal. She felt Vincent's piercing gaze and quickly removed her hand. Clearing her throat nervously, she launched into her analysis. "Um, well, there's nothing wrong with the weapon itself, it's a fantastic choice. But your materia chaining is all wrong! Look, you put that Odin and Added Effect materia I gave you into it."
Vincent relaxed, his guard lowering slightly as Yuffie moved back into the safer territory of technical analysis rather than psyche reading. "Isn't that what it's meant for?" he asked her quietly. Yuffie stared back at Vincent, her glowing eyes softening slightly with an emotion he was unfamiliar with seeing… and instantly disliked. It looked suspiciously like pity.
"Vince… this is a protective material chain I gave you. Odin is meant to be your guardian, not your weapon," she said softly. "Is killing really more important to you than saving your own life?" Seeing him tense, she shook her head quickly. "No, sorry, that's not right. Of course you wouldn't know, you've been using that Ziedrich, after all. Just… forget it, okay? Forget I mentioned it," she mumbled, a flush of shame spreading across her face. Way to go, Yuffie, why don't you call him ugly while you're at it? she thought to herself miserably.
To her surprise, Vincent broke the uncomfortable silence that was forming first. "I am the one who should apologize, Yuffie." He leaned back from the table and crossed his arms once more, looking at her. "Your reading was… unusually accurate. I was not expecting it," he said quietly. He gestured at the table. "Please, continue. I would like to know what items you think I should use."
Feeling the intensity of his gaze, Yuffie felt another blush spreading across her face, but she beat it down quickly before she could analyze it. I like blonds! Blue eyes and big muscles! Stop it, Yuff! Licking her lips together nervously, she threw herself into his request. "Well, first off you need a ribbon. It's a good thing I collected so many on the last trip, you can have one of those for free." Turning around, she drew one out of the safe and handed it to Vincent, who carefully wrapped it around his human wrist. "I know it looks weak, but the best offense is always a good defense," she told him. Then she looked at the Death Penalty. "The monsters we're going to be facing off with are pretty strong. If your weapon won't let materia grow, you might as well use the mastered stuff."
Scanning over the boxes on the table, she flipped one open and drew out a few multicoloured orbs. "This is from my personal collection, Vince, so you better not think you can keep 'em forever," she warned. "It took a hell of a long time to get these, too, and not even Nanaki knows about all of them, so don't you say anything. The others would have my butt if they knew I was wasting my time mastering this other stuff!" she whispered conspiratorially as she quickly inserted the materia into a few of the slots. Tapping her lips thoughtfully, she flipped open the Wutai collection and pulled out one of the large green orbs, slipping it into another slot on the gun. "And you better guard this one with your damn LIFE, Valentine," she warned him tersely.
Leaning over the table, he looked at the gun. And barely managed to hold back his surprise. "Yuffie, this isn't just mastered materia. This is Master Materia… and more than one!" he bit out, looking in surprise at the collection of orbs on the gun. "Master Command… Magic… Double Cut… is that a mastered Enemy Skill? Where did you get these?"
Yuffie frowned slightly at him. "Listen, don't start on me. Five years of almost constant materia training is a long time, and, well, let's just say I'm not in a hurry to get back to Wutai." She put her hands on her hips and smirked triumphantly. "Excepting the Master Summon materia, I probably could have finished my quest with the last trip." This caused Vincent's disbelieving eyebrow to raise even higher. "So I've been volunteering to help Nanaki out with the Cosmo Stuff and working on your other materia to waste a little time…" she mumbled.
"You're giving yourself mako poisoning. You can find healthier ways to waste your time!" came Vincent's sharp retort.
The ninja scowled back at him. "I don't want to talk about it. Now listen buddy, do you want me to finish your materia consultation or not?" Vincent eyed her angrily, but she remained tight lipped and defiant under his fierce stare. Finally he relented, and she gave him a tiny, if pressured smile. Satisfied, Yuffie regarded the huge, fierce looking gauntlet on the table with a pensive expression. An internal debate seemed to flicker across her face, and then she came to a decision. Turning back towards the safe, she carefully drew out another bracelet and placed it on the table next to Vincent's armour.
"Yuffie," he said immediately.
"No, Vincent. I want you to have this. I think you need it more than me," she said quietly, pushing the Mystile across the table at him.
Vincent glowered at the young girl. "That's Cloud's personal gift to you," he said simply.
"I KNOW!" she flared up, looking annoyed. "Listen, I've survived this long without it, another three months in the crater isn't gonna kill me. Especially with you two tailing me!" Seeing the resolute expression on his face, she rolled her eyes. "Fine, consider it a loan. And I'm keeping your Ziedrich hostage until we get back, ok?" She grabbed the huge spiky gauntlet and shoved it into the safe before he could protest.
Vincent looked at the deceptively delicate bracelet Yuffie had given him. The magic power radiating from the metal was enough to make his skin tingle faintly even from a distance. "If I take this, what will you wear?"
Yuffie shrugged and grabbed the large, clunky bracelet Nanaki had brought along with his headdress. "This'll do," she said simply.
A frown crossed Vincent's face. "You told Nanaki that was 'crap'," he said.
"It is… when it's empty," she replied, winking. "Don't worry, I'm the Great Ninja Yuffie Kisaragi. I can make it work!" Her face lit up momentarily, and she snatched the Mystile off of the table and quickly began inserting various orbs into its slots. "Nanaki should be back soon… lemmie finish this off for you," she said before he could reply. After a moment, she handed the bracelet to him and pushed his gun across the table. "Put whatever you like in the empty slots," she said with a smile. "But this setup will keep you going in the Crater, and it's not a bad one to use in your free time, either!"
Despite his strong feeling of disapproval, Yuffie was more thorough than a professional salesman, and he couldn't help himself as he glanced down at the materia she had placed in the bracelet. Odin and Added Effect… Phoenix and Final Attack. The ribbon, a Mystile. An almost impenetrable defense. No other summons, no offensive magic. She's trying to protect me? He looked up in surprise as Yuffie beamed back at him. Of course. For her, it's not about death. It's about life. It has always been about life. A small smile spread across his face for the second time, turning Yuffie another curious shade of pink. It was a strange, yet good feeling, to have friends who cared for his well-being. He finally understood why Nanaki was so eager to receive one of Yuffie's consultations; materia compilations were obviously not the only skill she had managed to develop during the last few years.
Yuffie's thoughts, on the other hand, were much more simple. She was repeating a simple mantra in the hopes that it would kill the suspicious colour on her face before Nanaki returned. Blue eyes and short blond hair. Blue eyes and short blond hair. But… he does look cuter than Cloud when he smiles. Oh, no… BLUE EYES AND SHORT BLOND HAIR!