Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. Too bad huh? Actually not really…if I owned Kingdom Hearts…you wouldn't want to see the results. :)
Summary: He's back, stronger than ever with the Heartless, but it's not Ansem. Yuffie, Squall, Aerith, and Cloud plan to stop him, but how can they if Sora's no where to be found? Squffie
A/N: Hey! I'm back and I'm updating for chapter seven! It might be a little confusing but that's okay. I'm trying to make my chapters a lot longer so it might take a little longer to update such as now. I haven't updated since the beginning of the month because I've been trying to make this longer but then again this month has been the busiest because of camp and b-day stuff and family stuff so tell me how you liked it and the longer the review is, the faster I update. lol
Oh yeah…If you've seen the FF8 ending where it's all white in that time zone place, that's what it looks like in the scene described below. The way they look when they move in the FF8 ending is similar as well to the scene below but in this they move slowly.
Chapter Seven
Numb
'It's hard to move…it's almost as if I'm moving in water and can't see…but I'm floating. It doesn't feel like liquid around me…Can I open my eyes? You should know how to do this. You do it everyday… What's so hard now?' She opened her eyes to look around. 'Clear? It's empty space with oxygen yet...I can't move normally. My movements are so slow…'
She turned her head slowly and her hair moved as if she were underwater. 'This is kind of cool…' Heavy…the feeling was beginning to grow on her. 'Tired…Stay awake…' The ninja looked around to survey the area. 'It's all white…Nothing more! And I'm floating here…Fun! Yuffie! Keep your mind on task. Can have fun later.' She felt as if she were on the moon. No gravity to hold her down. She jumped around and the curious eighteen-year-old would bounce up slowly then back down even slower.
"Where am I? Hello?" The brunette echoed. She looked at her hands and opened her mouth in shock. They were fading away into thin air. What was happening to her? So much was happening to her at that moment: her body was fading, she couldn't move as she wanted to, and she didn't know where she was. All she could do was let it take her in so she closed her eyes and succumbed to it…
Her body hit the floor with a tumultuous thud. She felt the pain searing through out her and she closed her eyes to try and shut it out. It was just a fall so why it hurt so badly?
"Ouch," she whispered, as she felt the bruised epithelium. She didn't know where she had fallen from in the first place so she couldn't really put state anything on that. Her legs burned the most with the anguish but she stood up, despite that rebellious cries her body gave against it. She cracked both of her eyes open to see where she was. Her curiosity always got the best of her when it came to times like this. She remembered Jafar pulling her through a portal of some sort.
"And Squall. It hurt to see that countenance when I went through…you must truly…" Yuffie asserted with a weary sigh. She couldn't finish for she felt as if she could not understand a feeling overcoming her.
She endeavored some strength to get her legs to move. At the moment, she didn't know what emotion she had felt. Fear? Confusion? Probably those mixed. She was as puzzled as ever. Anger began to grill inside her as well. Her fingers felt cold at the touch of her face. She ran her fingers through her hair and began to think aloud.
"Maybe I'm dreaming…Yes I must! I should pinch…oh wait…I already felt pain so I can cross out that option. So it's not a dream…then where exactly am I?!" She bellowed, as she stomped her foot having a cry follow.
Yuffie folded her arms in irritation and limped forward. "Stupid, stupid, stu-" She stopped cursing herself at that moment when she noticed a pair cerulean mako eyes where looking at her. The stumbled back and onto her bottom with pain.
"No get away!!" She hollered at him. She saw the smirk crawl up his lips as he began to advance forward.
"Oh dear Yuffie. Why back away from your savior?" He asked with a chuckle that mocked happiness. Yuffie growled at him in ire.
"You're not my savior but only a loathsome diabolical ravisher!" She could only think that after she had said that he would do nothing but strangle her. Then again…he made no move to show he was hurt. Only a chuckle escaped his mouth although she had a feeling that wasn't all he was feeling.
"Poor poor Yuffie. You do not see the bigger picture. I but only saved you."
"How can you say that? You took me away from my friends, threatened to take me away from my home earlier and took Aerith. I wouldn't call that saving me at all! More like torturing," Yuffie wheezed back at him. She was losing her breath too easily. She was feeling the need to faint.
'No Yuffie. You can't black out,' she thought as silence filled the room. His icy stare was still upon her and he was first to break the silence the moment. He turned his gaze to the sidewall and began to speak.
"You are home," the general avowed. She looked around and saw nothing but stone halls and the drips of water echoing.
She turned her head the other way and began to ask questions. "What is this place? I do not recall this as 'home'."
"It is of a place you have not seen in Hollow Bastion," Sephiroth replied with a demonic chuckle, which gave Yuffie a scare. Her brown eyes stirred with clouds of apprehension and her face felt light and pale.
"You mean…"
"Yes… Hollow Bastion."
(With Squall)…the star things don't work!! Grr!
He sat on the cold balcony with a light breeze blowing through his lustrous hair, looking up at the stars—worlds. One would blink out every so often and it struck Squall that Yuffie could be on any of those planets…ANY. He shifted his gaze down in ache at the thought.
His azure eyes focused forward when he saw that something was creeping around the corner. He cocked his head in curiosity but then shook it thinking, 'It sure as hell isn't my problem.' The disgruntled man shifted his point of view back to the spangled night sky and sighed wearily.
"I should've stopped them," he began inaudibly, "stopped them from taking you…you and Aerith!" He burst, cursing that he had done such a thing. His cry echoed through out the silent evening twilight. He clenched his fists tightly and let them drop.
"I guess…I should start thinking with Cloud and Cid. They would know," he whispered, taking a hand to his forehead and walked down towards the red room.
"Leonheart…you have changed," Cloud whispered in the darkness beneath the balcony in the ally. The click of his boots echoed briefly in the quiet terrain and he left back for the hotel.
(Moments later….)
He was slumped against the wall of the red room. The Gunblademan's shoulders were tense and sore in spite of his impediments lately.
"Strife, what do we have collected so far?" He asked quietly. The spike-headed blonde turned his bluish gaze towards the grieved male figure on the other side of the room.
"Sephiroth, a man who was once general and known as one of the strongest fighters in this universe, took charge of the heartless. He had taken Aerith to get to Yuffie, as she says," Cloud began, as Squall glared at the ground becoming his old self again.
"When she told me that, she was as scared as I've ever seen her," Squall volunteered out. Cloud nodded replying, "Yes…Who wouldn't be?"
"He knew of our travels that's why he sent the adversary in charge of that area, Jafar." Squall gave a grunt as Cid said, "and that Aladdin. He sure had the hotts for little ol' Yuffie…" Squall glared at Cid, but he added, "but I was just about ready to kick his ass." Cloud gave a slight chuckle and Squall rolled his eyes.
"Sora's missing, Aerith is probably with Yuffie, and we're gonna have to think hard of where they would be," Cid announced. Cloud then looked over at the silent brunette against the wall.
"I don't think Maleficent is back…she would be taking this rather much 'differently' than Sephiroth," Cloud whispered.
"They're not at the coliseum nor Agrabah. I doubt they'd be in Neverland or Halloween town so where would they be?" Squall inquired. Silence filled the crimson room until Cloud began muttering a couple things about the past. They began to think on there own when a shout startled them.
"I know!" They looked at Cid, whose face was filled with great excitement.
"Spill old man," Squall growled, impatiently. Cid narrowed his eyes into slits and screamed, "I'm not old! Gawd! You sound like Yuffie!"
"And you don't?!" Squall and Cid got right in one another's faces and growled. It was as if they were dogs fighting over a bone.
"Okay! Enough of the dog stuff!" Cloud chided over them. They both took a glaring glance at Cloud then turned the other way childishly and crossed their arms. "Okay…Now Cid. Tell us what you had in mind."
"Remember last time the Heartless invaded, they had a home base and can you guess where that is?" Cid began with a question. He pointed his finger up to the ceiling as if he were to show something. "Yes that's right gentlemen. Hollow Bastion. Although we think it's gone we don't know for sure."
A rare thing began to happen at that moment. Over against the wall, the brunette smiled.
"Looks like were taking a trip to Hollow Bastion!" Cid said, eagerly. Squall turned his head away wondering how to get rid of the smile. It wasn't going away…maybe he should slap himself.
"We leave in the morn-"
SLAP!
They all turned their attention towards Squall, who had a bright red cheek. They quirked an eyebrow at the odd man.
"Why did you er, um slap yourself?" Cloud asked. Squall gave a smirk and replied, "I had to stop myself." Cloud thought for a second and then smiled. He began to laugh and the clueless Cid stood in confusion.
(That night with Squall)
'I couldn't' sleep. The idea that you might be at Hollow Bastion has given me a feeling I haven't really known for a long time. I was…excited yet…afraid because I knew that it wouldn't be the same when this is all over,' Squall thought. The echoes a Squall's shoes were quiet to all the forms sleeping in their peaceful slumber. He was in the ally right now where no one could bother him.
Something shuffled to his left and he snapped his gaze over. His eyes widened at the figurine. "I saw that figure…earlier on the balcony." It took off running in the other direction and what shocked Squall is that he went running after it. It wasn't a heartless since it didn't make the noise of a heartless or even look like it. He just knew…but the figurine was rather……familiar.
"Hey wait!" He shouted, growling that the form didn't stop. Well, he wondered why it was running in the first place. The swordsman knew he had it cornered. It was stuck in a corner and then a small cry escaped it's lips. It sounded like a woman…no…more of a little girl. He advanced towards the girl in the darkness. He couldn't see her face but she seemed like she was six years old.
Squall inched forward when he heard the cry, "Don't come near me you meanie!" He stopped when something flew out of the darkness when he caught it between his fingers. He examined it with wide eyes. "A Ninja star…? What the?" He quickly went forward and had wide eyes. "Yuffie?!"
"Correction! The "Great" ninja Yuffie," she explicated. Squall was in too much of shock to get mad. What was different about this Yuffie was that she was a child. She was six years old and still had that ego problem.
"How?"
"What do you mean how? What I want to know is is how do you know who I am?"
"You're too young to be the Yuffie I know but you're her childhood self. HOW in the world is that possible?" Yuffie seemed to be studying Squall and then a smirk popped onto her face.
"Is that Squallie?"
"Leon."
"Leon? So you're not Squallie?" The six-year-old asked.
"I was Squall. Ten years ago." Yuffie's face twisted in confusion.
"So Squallie. How can that be? I'm only six. You should be like," she began, as she counted her fingers, "fifteen! You're like…a big person! And I thought you'd never sprout." Squall glared at the ninja. He used to be short…and she always made fun of him.
"It's Leon, Yuffiie. L-E-O-N and that's not funny! Look whose the shrimp right now!" She began laugh at him and replied, "Yeah, but I'm probably taller than you were before the growth spurt!" Squall glared and looked the other way. Yuffie came up from the shadows and Squall could clearly see her now.
"Yes…Exactly as I remember." Yuffie looked at Squall's hand and grabbed it to get her Ninja star. He opened his hand but as soon as hers touched his, he blacked out.
(Unknown)
She ran from bookshelf to bookshelf. Peeking from around the corner, the little ninja looked to see if he was anywhere in sight. She felt a grin take over and she sneakily ran to the next bookshelf. She jumped on the rail and peeked over to the door. No one was anywhere near the door.
"Nothing…He won't find this now," she whispered, holding out the ring with Griever embedded into it. She studied the silver lion slowly then put away the ring. "I know that it was for Rinoa, that two timing bit—wait wait…" Yuffie thought. "I won't think of it like that…Squall's happy with her. If she pisses me off, I can just her butt and blame it on someone else saying that I'm not strong enough." Yuffie cackled evilly for the minute when she didn't realize a dark figure approaching behind her. She stopped feeling like someone was watching her.
Her ninja instincts told her something was behind her so she did the most insane thing and jumped from the balcony down onto the floor. It was a wild ride because she heard the click of boots right where she was before. She hit the floor with a thud, barely catching her balance and snapping her head up. Yup…she knew it. It was an angry Squall with dark circles under his eyes glaring at her. His appearance scared her so she fled.
"Yuffie!" Yuffie burst through the wooden doors and on the upper story, she could hear Squall burst through the doors. Yuffie scrambled through and went up to the front door. She was fast, possibly faster than Squall but she doubted that. She was seventeen and he was twenty-six at the moment. He was scary and she was frightened so it worked out.
"Crap, crap, crap!" she muttered, fiercely. Yuffie reached the front door of Hollow Bastion with Squall hot on her tail. Her shoes screeched as she stopped to throw open the door. She pulled hard yet, it did nothing. "AH COME ON!!" She pulled harder…nothing. She then felt a pair of arms rip her back from the door and then securely wrapped one arm around her waist and the other around her neck.
"Yuffie," his voice reached her ears with dangerous tone, "You have something of mine and I want it back." He then turned her around as fast as lightening to come face to face with the brunette. He had his hands tightly locked on her shoulders.
Her eyes were wide when she saw Squall. His face was dark and murderous. She gritted her teeth in thought. This wasn't Squall. He was…different. His grip began to tighten deeply and her face contorted in pain.
"Squall, that hurts. What are you doing?" His face grew darker and then he whispered in voice venomously, "Yuffie, give it to me."
"Squall! Stop this!" Yuffie shouted as she pulled out the ring. She threw it so he'd let go, but he didn't. A hand was laid on Squall's shoulder and pulled him off of Yuffie.
"What the hell, Squall. You're hurting Yuffie," the blonde said. Squall turned towards the one winged angel and smirked.
"And what is this to you? Don't you know you're not supposed to butt into other peoples business?" He said, as he pulled out the Gunblade and attacked him. Cloud dodged the oncoming attack and came out only with a slice that went through his cape.
"Squall! What is wrong with you?!" He asked, forcefully.
"Cloud! That's not him! It's someone else!" Yuffie shouted. Cloud thought while dodging his swing. Cloud hit Squall with a blow to the chin. It caused the swordsman to stumble back, lose his sword, and regain himself. A purple mark began to show up on Squall's chin and he turned his neck making a crack.
"Strife calling for some? I think so." Cloud turned quickly to elude the blow but failed miserably. The blow was sharp and right to the stomach with Squall's elbow. He then next turned for a sideswipe to Cloud's waist then finally hit him in the chest knocking him halfway across the room into the wall, cracking some bricks.
Yuffie gasped with a sob. She put her hands over her mouth knowing Cloud was gone or at least on his way to death. Yuffie shrunk back in fear and slid to the ground. Her legs had given out and she gasped lightly out of breath when Squall snapped his head towards Yuffie. A smirk hit his face and he walked slowly. Yuffie gasped for breath. Her face was wet with tears at the moment so her vision was beginning to blur.
"C-C-Cloud…Squall…how could you?!" Yuffie yelled in soft cries. Squall walked forward at the slow pace and soon met with Yuffie. He was only inches away from her and he knelt down.
"Didn't I tell you before? Leon," he said, dangerously. She felt his hand slid up her chin and she glared up at him when he jerked her gaze up.
"Where is he? What did you do with him?" Yuffie asked, quietly but not softly.
"I am Leon. Yuffie, I've known you since you were born. Since then you've led me to insanity over you. I can't stop thinking of you and I've gone crazy at the thought of anyone else taking you so I'm stopping any thought you have of anyone else," he said, low and dangerously.
"I-"
He stopped her with his finger by gently putting it over her mouth to hush her. He crashed his mouth down onto hers. A gentle kiss it was and Yuffie closed her eyes. She didn't realize till that moment who she was kissing. She put her hands on his chest and pushed him with strength she did not know she had.
She jumped up and punched him right in the face. Yuffie backed up. She saw another mark on his face on his right cheek. He growled and she said as she massaged her hand, "You're not Squall." He walked towards the ninja then when she didn't realize it, he moved quickly and charged. Yuffie moved to her left and elbowed him in the back quickly and brought her knee to his stomach.
She saw Squall's face scrunch in pain, but he turned back and brought his arm back to come in contact with her face. She spun in a 180 before she hit the floor. It took her a second to regain her thoughts and vision. Squall was walking towards her slowly. As soon as he got close enough, she brought her leg up with much force and kicked his head from a side shot. He was knocked back in pain. He tried to recover in that time given by rubbing. She crawled a little before pushing herself up from the glacial floor. She knew the side of her face was bruised badly.
"Ah…" she whispered in pain. She shifted to her left when she felt a painful shot in her stomach. She was breathless and felt parts of her body go numb. He was so much stronger than her so she knew she didn't stand much of a chance. She felt another blow to her face and then a side kick at her legs to knock her down to the ground.
The seventeen-year-old didn't know if she could recover from this. So much pain came to her so she just laid limp on the floor. Perspiration was beginning to become visible on the mans forehead and he wiped it away. He looked at his gloves to see a little bit of blood.
"So she can do damage." Yuffie closed her eyes as Squall inspected his wounds. She felt the need to cry but didn't have the strength too. It was minutes when she heard him move for the first time but it was only to inspect more. Yuffie opened her eyes and felt something she didn't know she could. She had feeling in her body again…Why? How? She felt her strength returning then her eyes darted around.
A small gasp came from her when she saw the figure hiding on the second story. Aerith had healed what she could of Yuffie from the distance. Yuffie saw Aerith disappear in search of help and Yuffie looked over at the man, whose back was turned to her. She quietly got up and moved in a running motion.
"This is for Cloud and Aerith!" Squall turned his head and became wide-eyed. Yuffie was already in the air and jumped kick him with great coercion and knocked him to the ground hearing a crack. She knew she broken something of his but wasn't sure what it was.
Squall hit the floor with a loud thud. He laid there motionless for the moment. Did she knock him out? Yuffie drew in breath after breath to catch her breath. She moved cautiously towards the stable body and looked at him. He was knocked out cold and Yuffie gave a sigh but began to cry softly.
"Why did this happen? Cloud…" She remembered the spiky-headed man and turned her head towards the body against the crack brick wall. She ran over to him and studied him. She felt his skin and whipped her hand back at the touch.
"No…no!" She cried. His skin was cold and he was gone. She backed up slowly away from him shaking her head. She backed up and then hit something and she turned around instantly and backed up. He was conscious and was smirking. He hit her with his fist and gave her a bruised cheek again but didn't stop there. Squall continued to attack her.
"Try this." He punched hard to make her fall back breathless. He continued to give her a couple of hits and with his last and final cuff, the merciless man slugged her with the back of his hand and she fell to the floor lifelessly and numb.
His dark figure towered over her unconscious one and he smiled evilly. He studied the clammy looking teen. She had a now starting to get swollen, purple cheek, swelled knuckles, a bit of blood on her forehead, and ripped clothing. Yuffie brown hair was spread out around her head on the floor and Squall knelt down beside her.
"Still as beautiful as ever," he whispered, an evil twinkle forming in his eyes. Squall put a hand underneath her head and moved it down to her upper back and put his other arm under her legs and picked her up. He looked over at the one winged angel and smiled darkly.
"Sweet dreams and forever live in peace."
………………………………………………………………………………
He burst up in his bed and his eyes darted around the room. He looked around to see that he was in the one place he was before; the Greenroom.
"What the hell?" He sighed relieved. He had never left to see the six-year-old and never attacked Yuffie. He then felt a pain strike his right cheek. He got up and went to the bathroom quickly. Flicking on the light, Squall's mouth dropped at what he saw.
Squall jaw was purple and inflated. He quickly ran out of the bathroom and into the red room…..
………………………………………………………………………………
"So you mean you that the inflated jaw was because of Yuffie in your dream?" Cloud asked. Squall nodded and replied, "I don't know how it's possible though. It wasn't me…or at least that's what I think. Someone had taken over me and I couldn't stop it."
Cloud sat in thought and while Cid handed Squall an ice pack to cool down the swelling.
"I don't know…I'll have to look into in the morning so for now, let's finish our rests and go back to bed."
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A/N: Hey! I'm done with this chapter!! Tell me what you think!! I want to know! Yeah…it might've been confusing but in later chapters it will make more sense so tah tah for now!
Starling94