Chapter 8: A Days break
Yuffie felt the ship suddenly lurch against something. "Are we finally there?" Yuffie's hope overrode her sickness as she ran up the stairs. When she opened the door sunlight blinded her. After her eyes adjusted, she looked to see the sun-baked Costa del Sol. Yuffie found and joined the others. "Hey guys."
"Feeling better?" Aerith said with concern. "You haven't moved from that spot since the fight."
"Yeah, thanks to you and that spell." Yuffie thanked Aerith, "so we finally made it?"
"Yes." Cloud answered, "Wait! Look who's here." The group peered over the railing to see a soldier under the deadly gaze of Rufus.
"Should we spit on him?" Yuffie joked.
"No, lets see if he has anything worth listening to." Cloud carefully leaned closer.
"So you let Sephiroth escape?" Rufus eyed the guard.
"Well, yes, but we know he headed further west!" The soldier stuttered quickly. "And we only had one casualty."
"At least you're good for something. Now stop blubbering excuses and find him." Rufus ordered as he boarded a waiting helicopter.
"So Sephiroth is already gone," Cloud scowled, "Guess we just follow him again. Shall we get started?"
"We should probably spend the night here." Aerith objected. "I know we need to catch him, but we still need to recover from our fight. Besides we only have a few hours till nightfall. Just one night?" Aerith's eyes continued her pleading.
Cloud almost objected, but lost his battle with her eyes. "One night."
"Thank you Cloud." Aerith smiled back.
"So what should we do for the rest of the day?" Tifa interjected after quick glances at the pair. Cloud and Aerith slowly looked away from each other.
"We should relax." Cloud said, "I'll go find some rooms at that inn. The rest of you just meet there later." Cloud turned and lead them off the boat. They all discarded their costumes along the way; Barret stuffed a bundle into his pack as they exited the ship. "Remember that we are staying here to recover from that last fight. Don't stay out late." Cloud warned.
"Yes, mother." Yuffie rolled her eyes. The group stared at her for a moment before letting out a sorely needed laugh.
"Fine ok!" Cloud laughed at himself, "Just remember to meet at the Red Lion inn." With that, he started for the inn and the group dispersed.
'Now what should I do?' Yuffie walked deeper into the town. She rounded a corner, her eyes immediately lit up. She had found the market. Each side of the street was lined with booths filled with wares. People flocked around, searching for a good deal. Yuffie came up with a master plan. 'Well I did need to trade some materia.'
Yuffie strolled down the street until she found a materia shop. She approached the booth, "Hello?" she called. A small bald man suddenly popped up from behind the counter.
"May I help you?" The man scrutinized her.
"Yup, I need to drop off some materia." Yuffie smiled evilly. The next hour was full of haggling and backbiting as the two fought over the price of the materia. When Yuffie finally left, she still had an evil grin. "That was fun." She tucked away her now fuller moneybag and her newly 'collected' materia. 'That'll teach him to try and cheat me.'
'Now what should I do with the rest of the day?' Yuffie thought as she strolled down the busy market. A swim shop suddenly caught her eye. 'Well this is a beach town.' She entered the shop. Soon she emerged from the shop with a bag. 'I should drop my stuff at the inn.' Yuffie turned back toward the inn. Yuffie entered the inn and got a room key. She excitedly entered the room and pitched her things onto a bed. She pulled out her new suit and ran into the bathroom. She looked at the black two-piece suit; something her father had forbad her from ever wearing. Without a second thought, she quickly changed and stood to admire herself in the mirror. 'I look good.'
She grabbed a towel and exited the room; a walking marshmallow met her. "Barret? Why do you still have that suit?" She held back the laughter.
"I, um, well." Barret stuttered, "What are you doing?" He pointedly looked at her suit. "That's not really something a brat should be wearing."
Yuffie wanted to kill him, but instead posed defiantly. "I wear what makes me look good."
"Whatever." He just laughed and entered his own room.
"I'll get you later!" She called after him then stormed out of the inn and toward the beach, mumbling various curses about Barret.
As she came to the stairway she was almost knocked down by a fuming Cloud, followed closely by a concerned Aerith and Tifa. "Well excuse me!" Her taunts fell on deaf ears. "I'll just play by myself." She upturned her nose and walked down the steps. 'What could have made him so mad?' Yuffie wondered. She continued her thoughts as she walked along the waters edge. The sea breeze gently teasing her hair, the sea spray covered her making her almost glow in the setting sun. Her feet were tickled by the flowing tide.
"Why don't you join the flock!" A shrill voice invaded Yuffie's thoughts. "I said come over here!" Yuffie looked over to see a small man sitting in a beach chair, surrounded by girls. He peered at her through small glasses that hid his beady eyes. His head was bald, but he had a small ponytail.
'Still can't admit the chrome dome.' Yuffie laughed to herself, 'That guy must have money for all those girls to be around such a hideous thing.'
"Are you coming or not!" The man was red in the face and nearly in hysterics. Yuffie turned and walked towards him in her most seductive way. "That's more like it!" The man relaxed slightly, the blood draining from his pointed face. Yuffie leaned down toward the man's face until hers was level with his. "Oh, you want a kiss?" The man got excited again. Yuffie nearly gagged at the smell of the man, so many different chemicals wafted from him. He leaned toward Yuffie.
Yuffie promptly gave him the bird, stood up, and turned making sure her towel smacked him in the face. She laughed as she walked away. "Come back here! I am Hojo! Head of Shinra's science department! Get back here!" Yuffie only laughed louder at the hysterics of the man, until the ocean drowned him out.
'What a stupid man! That was so much fun!' Yuffie danced on the beach. She tossed her towel on a dry rock and continued her dance into the water. When the sun had set she finally returned to the inn. No one else was around so she returned to her room and went to bed. 'I hope that the dark dude returns tonight. I almost miss him.' With thoughts of a crimson caped protector, she fell into sleep's embrace.