Chapter 8: Communication
Nanaki wandered through the cavern, watching the other lions cautiously. A few approached him as Bashiya had, eagerly exchanging greetings, or even staring at him openly with hope, longing, and sometimes envy. Many others, however, refused to meet his gaze, and as he tried to approach them, they would bare their fangs in warning, or worse, turn away and ignore him completely.
He padded through the large cavern dejectedly, no ideas on how to win the confidence of the divided clan forthcoming. It was looking hopeless, and the lion was ready to give up and return to the surface. A tumultuous squabble caught his attention. Making his way over to the noise, he found a small pack of young cubs playing with a familiar-looking strip of red cloth.
"What do you have there?" he asked, his voice booming over the excited argument of the children. They instantly rolled off of each other and stood at attention guiltily, eyeing Nanaki with mixed expressions of awe and intimidation. He felt a rumbling chuckle rising on his chest and brought his good eye down for a closer inspection of the leader of the pack, a spirited young kit with the strip of cloth hanging down from his tiny mouth. "What is your name, cub?" he said authoritatively.
"Mimacma, mir!" it answered, sitting ramrod-straight. Nanaki raised one eyebrow and sniffed at the cloth, which the cub guiltily dropped out of its mouth.
"That looks like it belongs to one of my friends, 'Mimacma'," he grumbled. "How did you come by it?"
"It was a dare, sir! Jaxx thought it was part of Vince's mane, and I wanted to show him he was wrong." The cub's tail wagged against the cavern floor, flickering slightly as his face set into a sullen sulk.
Nanaki bit back his chuckle and did his best to look intimidating in the face of the young cub. So familiar, he thought to himself as the kit bristled with pride. Was that not me just a few decades ago? He focused his stern glare on the cub. "That is not a part of Vincent's 'mane'," he corrected the children. "Human males do not grow manes as we do. In fact it is their women who usually wear their hair long. It grows from the top of their heads in many different colours."
"But Yuffie doesn't have long hair! Does that mean she's a boy?" Kikacha asked excitedly, processing the new information eagerly.
Nanaki rumbled slightly, his eye closing in amusement. "Yuffie is… an exception to the rules," he said.
"But Vince has long black stuff coming out of his head. Does that mean he's a girl?"
Nanaki felt his ears droop. "No, Vincent is not a woman, cub."
"So that black stuff isn't hair?"
Nanaki's tail twitched convulsively. I had forgotten how curious the young could be, he thought, his patience stretching slightly. "All humans look different from each other," Nanaki corrected the cub gently. "I have found there is no single rule you can rely on to judge them."
The cub mewled in disappointment, his ears drooping. "Aww! But how can we learn which humans to hunt if we can't tell them apart?" he grumbled. This caught Nanaki's attention immediately as his ears swiveled forward.
"Why are you planning to fight the humans, child?" he growled. "Have you ever even met one before today?" The cub sniffed and tucked his legs together, making him seem even smaller, and Nanaki tempered his stern lecture in pity. "Now that you have met my companions, do you still want to hunt and kill other humans?" he asked the cub gently.
This caused Kikacha to look confused. "I don't know. Yuffie and Vince don't seem that bad… for humans," he added, growling. "But Borah says humans are evil, and that we should hate them all. Borah's a mighty warrior, he's gonna lead us some day," the cub said stubbornly.
"The child is correct. Come, Kikacha, take your friends and run along. I have business to discuss with our… guest," came a low growl as Borah stepped into view. The cub and his band of friends took the opportunity to scamper away as the two warriors faced each other down with furious glares. "You shouldn't fill their heads with your trash, outsider," Borah snarled. "It will make them weak and vulnerable."
Nanaki's hackles bristled as he regarded the lion who circled him. "You have nothing but hatred inside, don't you, Borah?" he growled. "Why can't you accept the humans and live in peace? Can't you see that your clan is dying? Your children are small, your warriors weak, and your females unfertile! Is this your wish for the last of our kind? To die in this place having known only the taste of hatred?!"
Borah snarled, pacing around Nanaki viciously. "You are soft, son of Seto. You dwell aboveground with the humans, growing fat on their food and complacent with their attentions. You are no warrior, and you are certainly no savior of our people, no matter what my senile mother might claim." He gnashed his teeth together nastily, a grin spreading across his long muzzle. "Soon she will die, and I will rule here. You and your friends should pray to your gods that you are beyond the reaches of this cave before that happens, for I will show you no mercy."
"She is your mother! Your own flesh and blood!" Nanaki snarled back, offended on the elder lioness' behalf. "Is you hatred so deep that you'd forsake your own kin?" As he regarded the prowling cat, Nanaki came to a realization.
Borah was the one who stood in his way. Borah was the only one who had the power to unite the members of the clan. Nanaki's task did not lie in convincing the others to accept his leadership, but to change Borah's opinion of both himself and the world above. The other lion circled him, radiating hostility, and Nanaki knew in his heart that he would only be able to accomplish his task through bloodshed.
"We have played at this game long enough," Borah rumbled. "We fight, now, traitor!" Snarling, he flung himself at Nanaki, his claws extended. The two cats went tumbling over the rough floor of the cave, and suddenly the area was alive with golden eyes, all attention locked on the two combatants as a circle formed around them.
Nanaki growled, pushing the larger cat off of himself and springing to his feet. "Borah! Stop this madness!" he snarled, pacing the perimeter of the circle warily.
The other cat barked out a short laugh, his eyes narrowing as they blazed with hatred. "So you are a coward after all, son of Seto! But you are not in the soft world of the humans now," he sneered. "You will know pain!" He leapt towards Nanaki once more, his fangs sharp and ready.
Nanaki felt his blood rising. Here was the battle before him, the chance to avenge his mother and father. He had tried to prevent it, hadn't he? All that was left was to defend himself. Anger surged through his chest, and he met Borah's attack, his own powerful jaws snapping and tearing at the other lion. They broke off their onslaught, panting and trying to gauge each other's weaknesses.
Borah had the advantage of age, his body being larger and stronger than Nanaki's. But moreover, the fuel of hatred drove his attacks with a desperate, wild edge. As they flew together once more, Nanaki felt his shoulder explode in pain as Borah rushed his blind side. Though the other cat had strength, Nanaki was quicker, and he managed to twist and snap his jaws viciously, tearing away some of Borah's fur with his unexpected attack before the other lion could latch onto his throat.
It is like before, when I was young. Nanaki remembered the terror of the battle, the pain of his phantom eye suddenly flaring up once more as he saw his mother, fighting against the invaders in the canyon. She had been torn and bleeding, but still she stood her ground, a mother's fierce protection giving her the strength to remain standing until the battle was finished. But it wasn't the moment of her death that Nanaki remembered most clearly; it was the battle itself, when she had fought so fiercely against the Gi, her own kin, to save him. Why are we still fighting each other?
The two lions broke apart once more, each suffering from newly inflicted wounds. Murmurs rippled through the clan as the fight progressed; though both were capable warriors, it was beginning to seem as though the legends surrounding the hero of Cosmo Canyon were exaggerated. Nanaki was faring the worse, his face and body bleeding heavily from the slashes left by Borah's claws.
"You are weak," Borah grinned, his tongue lolling out of his mouth. "Without the help of your human companions, you are nothing more than a toothless child, incapable of even defending yourself! You cannot save our people. You cannot save yourself!" He threw his head back and howled his laughter, the murmurs from the clan turning into low, dangerous growls as the circle closed around them, predators who sensed weakness in their midst.
A snarl rippled from Nanaki's throat, and the murderous gleam in the eyes of the spectators died down. He glared at Borah with his one eye. Mother, I haven't forgotten your sacrifice. I am no longer the same helpless cub as before! Borah might have been physically stronger than his opponent, but Nanaki had one important advantage. He had the benefit of experience. It was Borah's mistake to assume that the great warrior of Cosmo Canyon, who had helped save the world from Sephiroth's final onslaught, was weak; a lesson that Borah learned too late as a dull red glow began to radiate off of the younger lion's brightly glowing body.
"I am Nanaki, warrior of Cosmo Canyon!" his voice boomed out, echoing through the cavern's halls. "Know my strength!" Fire exploded from the lion's body as he crashed into the larger cat with the combined power and fury of his ancestors. Borah was thrown clear out of the battle circle, his body slamming into a materia wall. The entire cavern shook from the force of the impact, sending shards of crystal tinkling to the ground like rainfall.
A hush fell over the tribe as they parted to allow Nanaki passage to the fallen lion. Borah stirred slightly, forcing his eyes open to regard the one-eyed warrior who stood over him, tall and proud. "You and your humans have won," he snarled, his anger overtaking him despite his injuries. "The clan is broken, the glorious days of the Gi are over forever. Finish it!"
Nanaki dropped his head and closed his good eye. Shall I avenge you, father? he asked himself silently. The clan stood by and watched silently, awaiting his decision. Finally, he sighed, and opened his eye to regard Borah's broken form. "There has been too much death between us already," he said as he tapped into the healing power of his materia.
Borah's roar echoed through the cavern even as the magic knitted his bones together and sealed his wounds. "You would dare! You are so depraved that you would deny me even death?" he screamed in frustration.
Nanaki sat back, the spell having finished its work, and allowed the other cat to rise. "Why do you hate us so much, Borah? There's room enough in the Canyon for both the tribe and the humans." He flicked his tail at the others surrounding them. "Surely you can see there is more to life than this. The cubs are still young enough to learn the scent of the wind and the feel of grass. Would you take that from them?"
Borah trembled in fury, venom dripping from his eyes. "There can be no peace until there is blood!" he snarled.
Only this would heal these people? Nanaki turned his head, studying the gaunt forms of the lions around them. He saw Kikacha's tiny head among them, the small cub's ears pointed forward as his large, terrified eyes watched them. Father… Bugenhagen… I'm sorry. I must protect these people, even if I don't understand them. He bowed his head to Borah, the unexpected gesture of respect and submission drawing murmurs from those around. "Swear you'll leave this place. Swear you'll allow the two humans safe passage to the surface. I'll give you what you want, if you swear this on the honour of the tribe."
The other cat regarded Nanaki incredulously. "You best me in combat, and now you offer me your throat?" Borah growled in confusion. "Why do you not just kill me and take the clan yourself? Is that not what my mother wanted?"
Nanaki shook his head slightly as he fixed his golden eye on the older cat. "Your mother asked me to save the tribe." He blinked, a rueful grin crossing his feline features. "You're right, you know. I am an outsider. I find myself more familiar with the customs and behaviours of my human companions than my own kind. I know nothing of your ways, and I couldn't lead your people to a new life. Only you could do that, Borah." He closed his eye, regret creeping into his voice. "I came here to find others like myself," he said quietly. "But I've learned only one thing here. Even if I were to strike you down, and become the Speaker…" He opened his eye and looked at Borah squarely. "I would still be alone. I can only do as your mother asked."
Borah regarded him silently, his eyes tiny slits. "But why?" he rumbled. "You owe us no allegiance. Do not give me some tale of honour and promises, either, whelp. I want the truth."
Nanaki drew himself up proudly, wrapping his tail around his feet. "I am Nanaki, son of Seto. I protect this planet, and all who dwell on it!" he growled. "Even you, Borah." He turned around and regarded the other lions. "Even the Gi. So give me your oath, on the honour of the tribe, and I will protect you."
The silence seemed to stretch on endlessly to Nanaki as he waited for Borah's answer. Finally, there was a snort. "Useless," he snarled, stalking past Nanaki. "Speaking with you is useless. You think like the humans."
Nanaki watched the other retreat, and called out loudly after him. "That I do, Borah. Do you understand now?"
The other cat paused, his tail twitching slightly, and then continued forward without turning. His words floated to Nanaki's ears as he stalked out of sight. "You and your friends can stay, son of Seto. We'll consider your offer."
Nanaki grinned slightly as the crowd dispersed, the thoughtful murmurs among the people growing louder. The battle is won.
… … …
"Nanaki!" Yuffie exclaimed as he entered the alcove where she and Vincent had been waiting. "What the hell just happened?" she wailed. "We heard you roaring and then the cavern shook and these big ugly guard-cats wouldn't let us leave and I was gonna get my Conformer out and start busting heads except Vincent stopped me and said it was something you had to do alone and I almost busted his head too when he said that and then everything got real quiet and I was so worried!" she let out in a rush, wrapping her arms around the lion's neck and burying her face in his mane.
Nanaki nuzzled Yuffie's head amusedly, and directed his eye at Vincent. "Thank you for understanding," he rumbled at the gunman, who only gave the barest hint of a nod in acknowledgement.
"Understanding? I don't understand anything!" came Yuffie's muffled reply as she finally looked up and stopped sniffling. "What's going on?" she demanded, tapping into her materia to heal his wounds.
Nanaki allowed himself a smug look and bumped his nose against Yuffie's outstretched hand thankfully. "Never mind, Yuffie. Just forget about it." He gave her a lopsided grin as her face scrunched into a resentful pout, but it faded as he remembered his earlier concerns. "Yuffie, we need to talk."
"#§!§'?# straight we need to talk!" she swore at him, opening her mouth to begin a lecture.
"About you," Nanaki amended quickly, his brow lowering. "Have you observed the tribe?"
"Well, duh, they're kinda surrounding us, Red. What's that got to do with me?" she asked, rocking back on her heels curiously.
"I don't know how long they have been living in the crater, Yuffie, but I suspect it's been a little more than just two years," he told her pointedly. She remained stubbornly silent, and he let out a sigh. "The mako poisoning, Yuffie. You must have seen what it's done to them."
Yuffie's fingers twitched spasmodically, and she didn't meet the lion's gaze. "Maybe they're just malnutritioned, y'know? Borah tried to get us to eat raw dragon earlier. It smelled so gross, it's no wonder they don't eat anything down here," she joked.
"Yuffie!" Nanaki's growl cut angrily. "The mako poisoning is doing more than kill them. It's transforming them into monsters. Look at yourself, Yuffie. You have the same symptoms!"
The girl shied away from him, her eyes shining brightly. "Stop it, Nanaki!" she yelled at him, her voice quavering. "I've always been skinny. I'm just a late bloomer!" She stood up quickly and turned away, but was stopped by a solid wall. Vincent's arms wrapped around her, preventing her escape. "It's not that bad," she yelled, trying to twist out of his grasp. "Just a little bit of glowing eyes. It's not that bad yet!" she gasped, even as her legs gave way underneath her. "I'm not turning into a monster, I'm not, I'm not!" she shrieked.
Vincent lowered her to the ground carefully, and Nanaki bumped his head under her chin comfortingly. "Yuffie, calm down," he told her soothingly as she wheezed and gasped, panic dilating the pupils of her eyes. "You haven't been exposed to as much as some of the others. There's still time," he purred comfortingly, licking at her face.
"I-I knew it was…" she whispered, pulling her knees into chest and dropping her head on them. "I mean, when I started understanding… they still want to kill me, you know, they hate each other, too, but…" The ninja let out a exclamation of frustration and annoyance, breathing deeply to try and bring herself back under control. "I think somewhere deep down I knew it," she finally admitted, resting her forehead against her knees. "I mean, I can't eat Tonberrys anymore, I just can't," she whimpered. "Oh gawd, I can't believe I didn't see it before!" she moaned, her face paler than usual. "Oh gawd, oh gawd, am I gonna grow spider legs and wings and eyes on the back of my head?" she babbled, shutting her eyes tightly and shaking uncontrollably.
A metal claw descended on her shoulder, and words of comfort came unexpectedly. "Then I would still be in good company," Vincent told her, his face as stoic as ever, but his eyes expressive and understanding. I will stay with you no matter what happens, he promised silently.
A blush rushed to Yuffie's face, and she returned his look with a tiny smile, suddenly feeling immensely relieved. "Thanks, Vincent," she mumbled, seeking out his human hand and squeezing it tightly.
Nanaki observed their actions and swished his tail curiously. Vincent and Yuffie? His intelligent feline brain quickly sized up the two. Vincent. Tall, brooding, serious. Yuffie. Short, loud, playful. Annoyingly playful. The rational part of his mind quickly discarded the idea as ludicrous and scrabbled for another explanation. "Did something happen between you two while I was gone?" he rumbled.
Yuffie glared at him as though she could see his thoughts leaking out from his ears. "Never mind, Nanaki, just forget about it," she smirked, mimicking his tone and sticking her tongue out.
He looked to the gunman for a clue, but Vincent was as cold and impassive as ever, his face revealing nothing. Even if he was sitting next to Yuffie. With his claw on her shoulder. And holding her hand. The large cat felt a distinct case of information overload and gave up. "Never mind. I'm tired," he grumbled, curling up into a tight ball on the floor and closing his eye to get some sleep.
… … …
To say that the three former AVALANCHE members were becoming welcome additions to the Gi tribe would have been a mistake. But in the weeks that followed Nanaki's fight, progress had been made; only a few stubborn individuals within the pride still viewed the humans as their enemies. Most had given themselves into weary resignation and acceptance, which wasn't truly optimistic, but it was better than the anger and hatred that had boiled through the clan before. But there were a few, mostly scattered among the very elderly and the youngest cubs, that looked to the clan's upcoming exodus with hope and eagerness, willing and ready to return to the planet's surface and come to know their two-legged neighbors more intimately.
Bashiya had passed the burden of leadership onto her son. Her surprise at his grudging change of heart had been apparent, and despite her feeble limbs and milky eyes, she had stood before Borah and the rest of the Gi and declared him to be the new Speaker with the glowing pride of a mother as well as a leader. After the ceremony of passing, Nanaki sought her out. The elderly lioness, however, declined his invitation to join the return to the world above.
"I am old and tired, son of Seto," she rumbled, resting wearily on her perch of stone. "There are many here like me, too feeble to make the journey, or too full of poison." Nanaki knew she wasn't referring only to the more mutated members of the tribe, but also those who were still filled with too much rancor to accept even Borah's sullen orders. "Someone must care for the twilight hours of our people, and my sins are great," she purred, her whitish eyes reflecting the eerie green of the mako light. "My place is here." The great lion had bowed his head respectfully, then, heaviness weighing down his heart. In another world and another time, you could have been my mother as well, he thought sadly.
The time for the move came, and Yuffie, Vincent and Nanaki found themselves busier than ever, their skills desperately needed to manage and protect their feline wards through the dangerous path back to the surface. The trio barely had time to exchange brief words of greeting with each other each morning before inevitably being called off to oversee yet another hitch or problem in the large group's progression. With so many of them on the move, they drew the attention of the monsters within the caverns, who attacked relentlessly.
"I think it is a final test of the planet," Borah had confessed to Nanaki after one particularly vicious battle. "We came to her willingly and now she will not let us go." Nanaki had focused his good eye on the older cat, his golden gaze piercing. "Then you must be reborn," he answered, and the other lion remained silent for a long time afterwards.
Vincent was given charge of caring for the elderly lions, his sharp eye and quick hand often providing them with the advantage their bodies could no longer give them over the crater's monsters. The pride had come to understand that Vincent was not a normal human, and his competence as a protector and silent demeanor earned him grudging respect even from those who had lived through the battle with Cosmo Canyon's humans more than 50 years earlier. It was a position Vincent was finding himself increasingly uncomfortable holding. He didn't deny the eagerness with which he threw himself into the task, finding the irony of using his skills to save lives to be to his liking. But seeing Nanaki remain on the fringe of the clan's tolerance while he was fast becoming accepted as their guardian bothered him.
He took the time to approach Nanaki on the evening that they reached the cavern of Materia Falls. "I apologize," he said to his friend as they held watch together, contemplating the lilting song of the materia. "It shouldn't be me they look to for protection."
Nanaki swiveled his ear slightly, his eye roaming over the many sleeping forms that lay before them. "That isn't important, Vincent," the cat responded after some time. "Take friendship and acceptance when it's offered to you. It's a precious thing that we're lucky to have at all," he rumbled contemplatively.
Vincent regarded his feline companion. "You're getting as wise as Bugenhagen, Nanaki. I think now I was fortunate," he trailed off.
Nanaki turned to him, sniffing curiously. "Oh? What do you mean?"
Vincent pulled down the lip of his cloak, revealing the contours of his face. It was an action that had become almost instinctive during his time spent in the crater. The gunman found himself questioning more and more why he had chosen such a restrictive article of clothing; the once-comforting shadows of the garment's rim were now only getting in his way. "I was not planning on spending time with you or Yuffie. I only wanted to see the old man," he said. He glanced down at his four-legged companion, a small hint of appreciation in his otherwise expressionless eyes. "Fortunate, that we don't always receive the things we want."
Nanaki purred agreeably to his companion. His eyes sought out Yuffie, who was sleeping soundly amidst an unruly pile of cubs. The ninja had been put in charge of overseeing the youngest members of the group, and naturally, the brave little Kikacha had declared himself to be Yuffie's protector. It could be said that she had the easiest time of the three of them, as the curiosity of the tribe's youth was still too fresh and innocent to be tainted with an innate mistrust of humans. But she also had the hardest time in quite another regard, running herself ragged trying to keep the mewling, squabbling mess of cubs around her in some semblance of order and safety. Nanaki chuckled slightly, remembering Yuffie's approach earlier that evening, her hair disheveled and her eyelids drooping from exhaustion.
"I swear, Red, I am NEVER having kids," she moaned to him.
"Hey Yuffie! Get back here, it's not safe over there! I gotta protect you!" a furious yowl had called out from behind her as she cringed and rolled her eyes.
"Nanaki!" she pleaded, her eyes displaying her sheer terror. "Help me!" she hissed as the insistent cub dug his teeth into her sock and began to pull determinedly.
"So it's true!" he laughed at her, "revenge IS a dish best served cold!" Yuffie had then taught him AND the cubs several interesting new curses that even Cid had never uttered before, something that it had taken her all evening to explain to a furious Borah. Now she slept soundly with the others, thoroughly exhausted from their journey.
"Not always fortunate," the lion said to the gunman, who had noticed the direction of his gaze and joined him in contemplation of the sleeping ninja. "Yuffie isn't going to be able to finish her materia quest, now that she won't be returning to the crater any longer," he rumbled with a hint of regret. "She's going to have to return to Wutai and face her father after this."
Vincent rubbed his face with his hand wearily. "You might be surprised, Nanaki," he hinted, his hand straying to a few of the orbs still faithfully embedded in his Death Penalty. "Still, I don't understand. The amount of work she's done so far is incredible. Why wouldn't Godo be pleased? What is she hiding from?"
Nanaki's tail twitched slightly as he considered. "She asked me not to tell anyone," he began slowly. "But I think she would want you to know, now."
Vincent stiffened at the words; he had been expecting something similar, but it still bothered him to know that Yuffie was keeping secrets from him despite their newfound attachment. Instinctively, he knew he was partly at fault for her behavior. He saw it in her eyes, the glimmer of hope when she glanced in his direction, that he might return her feelings of affection. For now they were stuck in a strange, comfortable yet confining quagmire, somehow more than friends and less than lovers.
"Yuffie's vow wasn't exactly made for the reasons she told you and the others," Nanaki continued, turning his head and giving the cavern a cursory glance. "The vow itself is no lie, of course. Wutai has always been known for strictness concerning the more technical points of preserving one's honour," he grumbled. "But she helped us save the world, Vincent, helped us defeat Sephiroth and meteor. She could take over leadership of Wutai any time she wanted. Godo Kisaragi doesn't remain in power by choice right now."
Vincent's eyebrow shot up in surprise as he considered Nanaki's words. Since the destruction of the Shinra corporation, Wutai was the single most powerful nation remaining on the entire planet. Now that he thought of it, Yuffie had managed to keep her original promise after all. Wutai could return to greatness, and easily, by virtue of its existence alone. He couldn't imagine Yuffie, so carefree and spirited, in charge of all that power. It was still strange enough to think of Cloud and Reeve as heads of state without the brash young ninja joining their ranks. "She doesn't want to rule," he said, more a statement than a question.
"Oh no," Nanaki surprised him with his correction. "Yuffie can be a mature young woman when she wants to. I'm sure she'd be proud to take charge of Wutai and do the things that Godo never could. You know Wutai's history? That her mother was the leader of their clan before the war with Shinra? A strong-willed woman, or so I heard. There wasn't anyone but Godo to take her place after Sephiroth killed her. Godo Kisaragi's a good man, but he never had the stomach for leadership," the lion growled. "But Yuffie does. I can see it. You can see it. Even her father can see it."
Vincent paused, considering Nanaki's words. It all made sense, he realized faintly. Except for one small fact. "Why doesn't she return to Wutai?"
Nanaki exhaled through his massive nose noisily. "Wutai is a land steeped in tradition, Vincent. Too deeply steeped, I would say. A woman can't take the throne without a husband at her side and the promise of an heir."
This stopped Vincent cold. "So she's running away," he said monotonously, wondering at the sudden weight in his chest. He remembered her words suddenly.
"My vow to Wutai has to be filled before I turn 25."
"Not running away," he corrected himself. "She is procrastinating." Suddenly he understood. Her loud complaints about the state of her romantic life. Her secret collection of mastered materia, carefully hidden from the others. Her self-made goal. She gave herself until 25, and then she will return to Wutai and marry some man that Godo places before her in order to take the throne, he realized. It left a bitter, unpleasant taste in his mouth.
"I don't like it any more than you," Nanaki admitted, "but there's nothing I can do." His good eye regarded Vincent almost accusingly.
The gunman wasn't listening to his companion, rising and letting his feet unconsciously carry him closer to the sleeping girl. He had promised to stay with her no matter what would come. That promise was now a dreaded burden, as he considered the future, one which was approaching much too quickly for his taste. What would happen in four years? Would he remain at her side, watching from the shadows as Godo handed her the mantle of Wutai's power with a puppet of a husband standing at her elbow? She should have told me sooner, a small part of him raged angrily, clawing at his heart. He forced his inner turmoil to cease as he gently shook the ninja awake.
"Nnn… g'way Vince, s'not mornin' yet…" she breathed, stubbornly squeezing her eyes shut.
"We need to talk," he said quietly.
The note of urgency in his voice won over the little demon in her head that was telling her to roll over and go back to sleep, and she grumbled irritably as she woke. Carefully extracting herself from the pile of cubs, Yuffie grabbed her weapon and pulled him away from the sleeping lions. When they were finally alone in the passage, she turned to him, eyelids still heavy with sleep. "What's up, Vince?" she whispered tiredly. He stared down at her, his face returning the hard mask she hadn't remembered seeing since his first arrival months ago at Cosmo Canyon. "Vincent?" she asked uncertainly, the last vestiges of sleepiness quickly being replaced by worry.
When he finally spoke, his voice was cold and bitter. "Why didn't you tell me, Yuffie?"
Yuffie's mind searched wildly for an explanation. "Tell you what, Vincent?" Her face suddenly darkened, and she growled at him in annoyance. "Gawd, Vinnie, you woke me up for that? Okay, I'm sorry, but Kikacha wouldn't let me have any peace until I did it. Listen, I only cut off a little bit, and it'll grow back before you even notice that it's gone. Don't get so excited!" she huffed.
Vincent filed this information away for later, his thoughts too upset to process it coherently. "Not that, Yuffie. About your vow. Godo and the leadership of Wutai. Your marriage, Yuffie," he hissed.
Yuffie's mouth closed with a snap, her eyes wide and glowing in the darkness. "I'm sorry, Vincent," she whispered. "I… I didn't think it was something you needed to know."
His eyes were like chips of red flint as they bored into her own. "You thought I wouldn't want to know? Or was this another clever Kisaragi plan?" he growled, advancing on her as a feeling of fury beat its wings violently inside his chest. "Did I catch your eye, Yuffie? Is that why you asked me to stay with you? All of this just a clever way to get Vincent Valentine into your bed?" He leaned down, pushing his face against hers until he was dangerously close, his eyes burning with living fire. "Am I just another convenient stepping stone on your path to Wutai's throne?" His scalding words bit deep, and she winced under his scrutiny.
Yuffie had never been much of a lady. Other women might have cried, or with a little more willpower, pushed Vincent away or even slapped him. But she was the Great Ninja Yuffie Kisaragi, and she didn't take crap, not even from her dearest friends. So it was without a second thought that she drew her fist back and punched him squarely in the face, sending him flying away in pain and surprise.
"How dare you, Vincent Valentine!" she said, shaking with fury. "You really think I'm that shallow? What, the past three months of baring my damn soul to you in this pit not enough to make you see that? You're a jerk, Vincent Valentine, a royal, number one, class-A jerk, and I hope that punch hurt a whole damn lot!" she yelled at him, tears springing up in her eyes. "'Cause it sure didn't hurt like what you just said," she added, before turning and fleeing into the dark depths of the passage.
Vincent pushed himself off of the wall, cupping his hand over his bleeding nose as he watched her sprint away. A low groan escaped him. "What have I done?"