Chapter 1: The end of an end, the beginning of a beginning

Your world is coming to it's end
But you don't have to be afraid - I'm here for you
Save your happiness for tomorrow
And today we'll drown in your tears
A drop of your blood tastes like wine today

Come closer my dear
It is just the beginning of the end
Yes, I'm here for you
Save your happiness for tomorrow
And today we'll drown in your tears
A drop of your blood tastes like wine today

"The Beginning Of The End"

HIM

Yuffie stared at him.

He did not stare back at her.

The ninja ignored this. Vincent Valentine was probably too busy dwelling in his boring past. Anyway, she herself was tired. Went-to-hell-and-back-tired. Stocks-plummeting-down-bad-tired. The kind of fatigue you get after saving the world from Meteor and mad Sephiroth.

And she needed a shower.

Oh boy, did she reek.

Her green turtle-neck shirt was stained with blood and was emitting a smell that was equivalent to the smell that Barret's socks let out. Conformer was strapped to her back, also blood-stained and even had some monsters' flesh hanging from it. At least Yuffie hoped they were monsters' flesh- it would be a total grossness if it was Sephiroth's.

The Highwind jolted again. The Wutaian leaned over the nearest railing as a wave of nausea consumed her. Two barfs later, a displeased Yuffie's lunch-covered Red XIII went over to her.

"Sorry Ruddy," she gave him an apologetic grin. "If only Spike over there could operate this piece of flying junk properly…"

"Hey! Have you tried flying these things!" Cloud Strife's voice retaliated. "Cid chose a bad time to get wounded." Since Cid got a concussion after the Final Battle, someone else had to operate the Highwind. And everyone chose Cloud to be the 'someone'.

Yuffie looked around the magnificent aircraft. Cloud was, naturally, on the pilot seat. The blond was gripping the steering mechanism nervously, his blue Mako eyes fixed on the grey sky ahead. Tifa sat beside him, encouraging the leader of AVALANCHE on, her hands 'unconsciously' around his shoulder. Yuffie felt happy for them. Tifa had finally declared her feelings to Cloud and the ex-SOLDIER (fortunately) felt the same about her.

Cid was in the cargo hold, being taken care by Barret, who was nursing a broken arm himself. Yuffie felt awfully strange without the two biting at her ass- she could not believe it herself- was she missing them? Reeve was tuning up Cait Sith on the bridge. Everytime the ninja spared a glance at her, she had to stifle a laugh. Reeve had shaved his beard-cum-moustache and cut his hair shorter, saying something about forgetting his ties with the old Shinra. He was now the president of Neo-Shinra- and the ex-Head of Urban Development had pledeged to help to rebuild Midgar and gave the people of the slums a better life.

Nanaki, as said before, was beside her, grumbling about Yuffie's vomit. The Wutaian was now looking at the new Guardian of the Canyon. The lion-like beast accepted his new responsibility with confidence, and like Reeve, determined to lead its people to a good life.

Standing across her was a red-caped man. His auburn hair danced around him as he stood under the Highwind air-conditioning system- not that he seemed bothered about that. His crimson Mako eyes flicked around wearily, an old habit of Turks that was yet to fade away. But he did not notice a pair of grey eyes staring at him. Vincent Valentine never noticed Yuffie Kisaragi. To him, she was probably another annoying brat. A thorn on the side.

And Yuffie Kisaragi hated being unnoticed.

"Hey, Vinnie!" Vincent flinched at the nickname before moving his gaze to her, but he did not say anything. "Vinnie, I'm talking to you!"

The gunslinger knew that if he ignored the teenager , she would bug him to no end. So, he sighed and said: "Yes, Yuffie?"

"So, what are you gonna do after the party huh? I mean, Reeve's returning to Midgar, Nanaki's coming back to Cosmo Canyon, Cloud and Tifa going to Kalm, Cid to Rocket Town, Barret taking Marlene back to Corel, while I'm returning to Wutai! With the Materias I've stolen."

Vincent frowned a little bit at the fact that Yuffie still had stolen Materias with her. "I may return to Nibelheim, to the Mansion." He winced. Yuffie knew what exactly he meant and felt sympathy for him. "Or I may settle somewhere else."

"Choose, the latter, Vin-Vin! You need to get a life! Come with Reeve; you might help him out. Or with the others, or…" her big grey eyes widened. "Go to Wutai with me! Forget 'bout your past, 'bout ShinRa, Hojo, and Lucreci—UMF!" she clamped her mouth with two gloved hands quickly. "Sorry, Vinnie, didn't mean…"

"I have severed my ties with the past, including Lucrecia," the red-caped man said quietly. Yuffie lowered her hand in surprise, her grin plastered back to her face.

Dracula Boy had just made the first step to re-live his life.

Somewhere near the ruins of the reactors…

Isaac Frank was just a poor little man who had survived all the bombings of the reactors and the destruction of Midgar. He lost everything in the raids: his job, his wealth, his wife, and his little Annie. Thankfully, unlike other people, he had not lost his sanity. All he wanted to do now was to scavenge enough usable scrap metals for a living.

He saw a broken Titan bangle which had one green orb placed on one of the slots and quickly picked it up. What a catch. Isaac did not care what kind of people threw the bangle away complete with a Magic Materia on it, all he cared was the money he was going to get from the Weapon Shop (or what was left of it) owner.

The dark sky roared and flashed to life. Droplets of rain fell and soaked Isaac in a matter of seconds, flattening his brown hair and obscuring his view. The rain did not prove to be a hindrance to his movement though, in fact, Isaac felt somewhat energized by it and he hastened his pace.

As the Midgarian passed the ruins of Reactor no 5, the ground shook a little. Isaac ignored it and continued his journey to the Wall Market. That was when a green liquid started to seep through the ruins, making its slow but steady progress towards the open ground. Isaac cocked his head in confusion. He certainly had never seen such strange liquid in his life… has he?

Gramma Ashley's voice rung in his head: "Curiosity kills the cat."

"Get outta my head, Gramma," Isaac complained to the rain. "An' I ain't no cat." His mind was made up as he closed the distance between him and the reactor, stepping on the strange liquid. The green stuff got thicker and thicker as he came closer to a huge pump like thing. Isaac did not know what it was; he had never worked in a reactor before. He had been dwelling in slums ever since he was born, thanks to those Turkeys- whatever they are called- who killed his parents.

There was a small hole on the steel thing, and a half hanging wheel barely sticking on it. The green liquid spewed from the hole and the gaping space near the wheel. Everytime Isaac's bare feet made contact with it, he felt numb and cold, almost pleasurable.

Isaac's brain was ecstatic with every contact. More, more! A tanned hand reached out for the small green liquid waterfall and Isaac felt as if he was in the seventh heaven.

More, more! The brain screamed.

Isaac obeyed.

In the darkness, passers-by could only see a man dancing happily in a glowing green liquid, singing off-key as he did. They ignored him. Mad men had become common sights in the slums now.

Isaac ignored the fact that people thought he was loony. The liquid was like the drug he used to buy back when he still had some money.

Little did he know he was swimming in Mako.

Reno of the Turks twirled his nightstick restlessly. A moment ago, which had felt like centuries, he was whimpering like the kid he was with the Meteor hanging above the Planet. He had let down his shield, letting everyone see that he was not as tough as he acted to be. Now that the threat was over, Elena was snorting whenever she glanced at him, as though she was trying her best to not stifle a laugh while Rude gave him he look behind his glasses.

He was disturbed by the funny looks his fellow Turks were giving him. Annoyed.

"Will you guys knock it off!"

Elena looked at him questioningly. "Knock what off, Crybaby?"

Reno growled at her. Finally, he decided to let it go. ShinRa had died, along with Rufus and Tseng. No more Turks. So, what would he care about them thinking of him?

Wait a fucking minute.

No more Turks.

"I have a very silly question: What will we do next?"

TBC…

(this is where all the review shout outs would be if I have some)

First fic, so tell me what y'all think by pressing the 'go' button at the bottom of the page!