Typical disclaimer stuff. Only the words below this are owned by me. THEY'RE ALL MINES! … Everything else is owned by Square-Enix (i.e. basic storyline, characters, locations, etc). I'm eagerly waiting for the DVD to come out next month so if you people didn't realize by now, this does not go word-for-word with the movie. Yes, I'm talking to you people of the future… Scary isn't it?
Hmmm… Did anyone notice Kadaj holding a weird box in the trailers? I was watching the official trailer (for like the fiftieth time…) and suddenly, something came to my attention. In the scene when Kadaj talks about being a puppet (before getting interrupted by the Sierra), he was holding the dual-blade all funny. I looked carefully and saw him holding a little black and silver box in his right arm. Hmmm… I wonder what's in it… Maybe Jenova or a piece of it. Then again, it could be a box of chocolate for Cloud if he beats him… LOL
Author's Note: This is a Yuffie/Vincent chapter! Language may be an issue here so if you have virgin ears (or should it be eyes... You people are reading this instead of listening to it...), turn away from the statements in CAPS. That's all.
--- Wutai ---
"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING!"
A loud shriek of protest destroyed the afternoon calm, startling every citizen in the city. Faces turned toward the Pagoda Temple to where the disturbance came from. A few shook their heads in mirth for they knew who made the noise. Yuffie Kisagari, their dear princess, had returned.
"I HATE YOU!"
Lord Godo, the current ruler of Wutai, had been very worried about who would succeed him. He's getting old and even though he had a daughter, tradition favored a male leader. Even if Yuffie was allowed to rule, she does not possess the many necessary qualities of leadership. For example, holding tactful negotiations were not her forte.
"YOU'RE A FUCKING BASTARD!"
Another deafening yell echoed throughout the city. Mothers stopped what they were doing and quickly covered their children's ears, sheltering them from such crude language. All prayed to their god Leviathan for this human crisis to end. Unfortunately, this was merely the beginning.
"I'M ONLY EIGHTEEN!"
Even though Godo didn't want his daughter to be the lead in the future, the Kisagari dynasty must go on. He won't allow another family to reign if there is a way to prevent that. Call it a matter of pride.
"DAMN YOU!"
Back to the problem, there was only one other way for the Kisagari line to continue. It would allow a more reasonable person take charge but someone close would have to suffer. That method was…
"HELL NO! I AM NOT GETTING MARRIED THIS FUCKING YOUNG!"
Marriage.
"YOU'RE THE WORST FATHER A DAUGHTER COULD EVER HAVE!"
Yuffie was seething in rage, her hands clenching into fists and eyes promising torture to the elder before her. 'How dare he come up with such a suggestion! I'm only eighteen and there's still plenty to do before being chained down by a snobbish uptight aristocrat. In fact, there's no way in hell that I'm gonna marry one of those pampered crybabies! I rather face Sephiroth again than do that!'
"YOU CAN SHOVE THAT IDEA BACK UP YOUR ASS TO WHERE IT CAME FROM!"
Godo shook his head in frustration. He had expected this and knew that she would not agree with his proposal. However, from his point of view, her freedom was a necessary sacrifice. "Yuffie, listen to me…"
"NO! YOU LISTEN TO ME! I WILL NOT MARRY ANY STUPID GUY THAT WANTS TO TAKE OVER WUTAI!"
"But this is for the good of Wutai. Don't you see?" He tried to reason with her but knew that it would fail. They argued many times before and he knew right away that the two of them had different ideas about what's good for the city.
"FOR THE GOOD OF WUTAI! DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT'S GOOD FOR WUTAI? YOU THINK TURNING THIS PLACE INTO A DAMN TOURIST ATTRACTION IS 'FOR THE GOOD OF WUTAI'! FUCK THIS!"
Her father cringed every time she brought that topic up. Sure, in the past, he willingly converted their once-proud city into a gaudy resort. But it wasn't as if he had a choice. Right after their defeat in the Shinra-Wutai war, the greedy conglomerate gave an offer. The city could be restored in exchange for their full cooperation or it can be wiped off the planet and razed to the ground. Lord Godo accepted the first choice of course. It is better for the city to stand than to be wiped from memory. Yet, Yuffie didn't see it as a reasonable exchange. In her opinion, Wutai should have fought until the end.
"I UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON HERE! YOU WANT ONE OF YOUR STUPID FRIENDS TO RULE INSTEAD OF YOUR OWN DAUGHTER! WHAT KIND OF PERSON ARE YOU!"
Just a year ago, Godo had been so proud of her, believing his daughter fully matured and fit to rule. In the first and only mission he sent her off to, she gathered enough materia to fill the city coffers. Every gil earned through the thefts went directly to Wutai. A short while later, she joined an elite group of warriors named Avalanche. With their help, she mastered the skills of the ninja and helped them survive many battles. In the end, Yuffie avenged Wutai by aiding in the team's effort to end Sephiroth's madness. At the same time, she managed to save Planet and vanquish an omnipotent alien. Yet, this was not the most meaningful accomplishment of all. In his eyes, he believed her triumph through the Pagoda Temple challenge to be the most important.
"YOU SUCK!"
Yuffie defeated all Five Mighty Gods (Gorki, Shake, Chekhov, Staniv, and himself). By doing so, she proved herself worthy of learning the most powerful of ninja moves, All Creation. In addition, she earned her the right to summon their god whenever the need arose. Even today, she kept the Leviathan materia close to her, an endearing reminder of Wutai and its ancient ways.
"NEVER!"
After Avalanche defeated the Shinra ex-general and Jenova, he had expected her to come back and take the mantle of responsibility. To his surprise, she did not return. He did not know that Yuffie stayed with the group to help with the Midgar reconstruction efforts until some passing travelers told him. Initially, when he heard of her decision, Godo was pleased, assuming that she's being a caring person and helping others in need. But soon, a year had passed and he became impatient with his daughter. He sent out several messengers asking for her return. When the one sent to Midgar came back with a broken nose, the lord was furious when he learned that Yuffie did not have any intention of going back.
"I WON'T DO IT!"
So, with the future of Wutai at stake, he schemed of ways to bring her back. Eventually, one of his advisors, Staniv, proposed writing a letter. Inside, it would speak of an illness and how she needs to return to take over her father's position. By the time the message got to her, several suitors would be selected. Godo spent an entire week thinking whether or not to go with the plan. In the end, he agreed and the whole city became involved. Residents were ordered to dress in morose clothes, symbolizing death and mourning. When Yuffie arrived, everything in the letter would appear true and by the time the truth dawns on her, it will be too late to escape. Now that she fell into his trap, all that remains is the selection of a future husband. Godo cleared his throat and began saying, "Yuffie… I've picked out ten men that I think…"
"NO! I DON'T WANT ANY ONE OF THOSE SNOTHEADS IN MY LIFE!"
"Yuffie! I will NOT tolerate this! You will marry one of them willingly or not! You have one week to choose your husband!" His patience was finally exhausted. She had forced him and now, Yuffie will be kept under house arrest until she is wed. There was no other way. With a wave of his hand, a dozen men entered the room and two of them grabbed her arms. The rest held various weapons pointed at her, ensuring her cooperation.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
The ninja wailed but it was no use. Her captors had a fierce grip on her arms and despite all the thrashing, her legs could not kick free. Before she left the room, she glared at her father with as much malevolence as possible. Her eyes spoke of anger and betrayal. Even he had to look away, ashamed of what he done to her. 'I wish it hadn't come to this…' Godo thought as he left the room. 'What have I done?'
--- Somewhere in the Sleeping Forest ---
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
The sound of metal being shaped echoed throughout the forest. If one had very sharp ears, a few words can be heard.
"This is for my past filled with sins…"
CLANG!
"This is for the present and the many choices we must make…"
CLANG!
"This is for the uncertain future before us…"
CLANG!
"This is for redemption and the justice in which this shall deliver…"
CLANG!
A golden claw came into view, its sharp fingers glinting in the moonlight. The owner of the metal appendage held out his other arm, this one made of flesh and bones. With a quick jab, a small wound appeared on his forearm. Blood oozed out of the self-inflicted cut and three drops fell upon the hot metal before him. HISS! 'For my past…' HISS! 'For the present…' HISS! 'And for the future…'
HISSSSSSSSSSSSSS!
Another angry hiss could be heard as the device was cooled in the nearby stream. Vapors rose, obscuring the area for a moment. Then, after all the steam had dissipated, it was revealed. Submerged in the crystalline water was a gun or more specifically, a handgun. It had three barrels and at the front of it, there was a sculpture of a demon. Beautifully crafted, graceful lines adorned its surface, giving the deadly weapon an artistic look.
A red blur came down upon the gun. His long raven-black hair came down, swirling in a maelstrom of shining black. Piercing red eyes gazed at the weapon. A small smile hidden by the high-collar cloak showed on his face. Nodding in approval, he picked up his new gun. It was an advanced version of his beloved Death Penalty. With his unerring aim alone, very few things on the planet can survive an encounter with him. To endure all three bullets would require someone to be as powerful as him. To his knowledge, the only beings close to his abilities are his friends so he doesn't have much to worry about.
And yet, he created this weapon that is much more lethal than his old one. Why? It was all because of a mere feeling, more of instinct than knowledge. Then again, his intuition saved his life countless times in the past and it would be foolish to ignore such reliable senses.
"My work here is done…" The gunsmith spoke to no one in particular. "Redemption is born and from hence forth, Chaos is no more…"
He holstered his new weapon and walked off. His next destination: Wutai.
--- Wutai ---
"NO! NO! NO!"
For the sixth day in a row, screams could be heard. Unlike before, it didn't distract the people nearby for they've already adjusted to such random moments. That's because they're partially deaf.
"NO MORE SUITORS!"
Yuffie slammed the door and threw her Conformer at it. One of its sharp edges pierced through, barely missing the person standing outside. The maid sighed in exasperation. By now, both Kisagaris were being stubborn and the servants were punished for their hardheaded behavior. Godo threatened their jobs while Yuffie threatened their lives. Both were adamant about their decision and sooner or later, someone will get hurt. 'I hope I get paid overtime for this… Babysitting the both of them… Grrr…' The woman thought before leaving the ninja's doorstep.
On the other side, Yuffie flung herself onto bed. Tugging feathers out of a hole in her pillow, she silently wept. 'Why? This is so unfair… I don't wanna do this… All I want is to go back to Midgar and bug Vinnie…' Tears streaked down her porcelain face as she slowly cried herself to sleep.
At the same time, a cloaked man walked into the city, his metal boots clicking on the hard cobblestones. The first thing he noticed was the increased activity in the streets and bright decorations being put up. 'Could this be related to Yuffie?' He wondered.
"Excuse me sir," Vincent approached one of the workmen nearby. "Please enlighten me with the reason for such festivities."
"You must be passing through! The whole city knows that Princess Yuffie will have a husband tomorrow. We're preparing…" The man started to describe the wedding plans but quickly realized that the person he was talking to was no longer there. In fact, he disappeared.
Vincent turned a corner and ran down the street, not bothering with the rest of the gossip. 'Yuffie? Getting married? This must be forced because she'll never marry on her own... I must stop this. It's now or never…' He picked up his pace, the new mission screaming urgency in his mind. 'Now or never…'
--- The next day ---
Yuffie woke up and found her eyes dry. 'Cried myself to sleep again…' She thought. The ninja shuffled over to her bedroom bathroom and jumped. She saw her reflection in the mirror and the sight was frightful. Her shoulder-length hair was sticking up in every direction possible, looking worse than Cloud's. Her tear stained eyes showed the stress she endured for the past week. In all, she looked like a crazed raccoon. She giggled but the mirth soon went away. Her freedom will be taken away soon. Today, Godo will pick a husband and the wedding ceremony would be announced all over the city. To her, it meant a boring domesticated life, one chained down by the opposite sex. 'It's too late… If only I can turn back time…'
"Damn…" She sighed. It was going so well until she came back. 'I should have known… That old geezer can't die! He doesn't give a damn about me! How could I fall for that stupid letter? I'm so stupid! Stupid!" She banged her head against the wall, seeking solace through pain. 'Maybe if I keep doing this, it'll be postponed…' It didn't work and the day still went on even if she had a headache.
Right after lunch, Yuffie was dragged into Godo's room. Her stormy eyes were fill with rage but also defeat. There was no escape from her fate.
"Hmmm… You've beaten up every suitor I've presented you…" Her father started to berate her for what she'd done. Well, it wasn't her fault that every man sent to her was disgusting. When they started to advance on her, she didn't show them mercy and as a result, those men left with many wounds. Some of them had to be carried away on stretchers. 'Heh heh… Ninja skills… Handy… Booyah!'
"You're lucky… There was one man who volunteered and since I didn't want him beaten up like the others, you have to marry him." Godo finished and glanced back. Behind him was a room curtained off. Obviously, someone was in there and she knew that whoever he is, they'll be husband and wife soon. Much too soon for her liking.
"May I present… Mr. Arima Kanza!" Godo pulled a string with a flourish and the curtains instantly parted. Inside was a man but it was definitely not a stranger. In fact, it wasn't 'Arima Kanza'.
"Vincent!" Yuffie gasped, recognizing his typical red cloak. "Is that you?"
"Yes…" He then looked at the Lord of Wutai and narrowed his eyes. " We have to talk NOW about this… Marriage." Vincent took a step forward and looked down. Godo trembled with fear, wilting under the ex-Turk's gaze. Even so, he managed to speak. "W-W-What have you done to Arima?"
"He is safe and will be safe if you allow this lady to leave." Vincent said calmly. "Do we understand each other?" His hand hovered over Redemption, an extra incentive to agree.
"Y-Y-Yes… But who will be my heir?" Godo asked, still unwilling to give his daughter up.
"Yuffie will of course. She is mature enough to lead but only you do not see that. Trust me." He replied.
During this time, the female ninja still stood at the same spot, her jaw slightly unhinged. It fell completely open when she heard her friend say that. 'Vinnie? He's sticking up for me? Wow…'
Godo contemplated the same words. 'Is she truly mature enough? I don't know…'
As if sensing his doubt, Vincent spoke. "If you still do not believe her worthy, allow me to take your place until she has proven herself."
"What!" Both Godo and Yuffie were taken back by his proposal.
The elder was the first to regain his senses. "W-What! You're threatening me and you offer yourself the title of Lord? How dare you?" His face turned red with indignation.
"Name one fault of mines other than this event. After all, your decision forced me to appear in such a fashion…" Vincent countered.
Godo opened his mouth, expecting a torrent of complaints to come out. Instead, there was only silence. The ruler could not deny the facts. Vincent Valentine had proven himself many times in battle. He was both physically fit and mentally sound. Actually, he may be the perfect candidate for leadership, better than Cloud Strife. 'Hmmm… Also, if I'm seeing things correctly, Yuffie likes him… This isn't such a bad idea…'
"Well?" The cloaked man asked, impatient for the answer.
"Ok… Fine… I'll accept you into my family, but only when I retire!" Godo said, emphasizing the last condition.
"…" Vincent nodded and looked back at Yuffie. She still had not recovered from the shock. "Come Yuffie. Let's go home…" He grabbed her hand and walked out with the ninja in tow. After they passed the city gates, she returned to normal.
"Vinnie?" She asked. Her companion glanced at her, indicating that he's listening.
"Vinnie, you know if you become the Lord of Wutai, you have to marry the princess…" Then, after taking a deep breath, she said, "You'll have to marry me…"
"… What's wrong with that?" He replied with a small grin.
"W-What!" She stopped in her tracks, looking at him in astonishment.
"Is there anything wrong, Yuffie? Vincent asked innocently, stopping as well.
"N-N-No… It's just that… I didn't expect that answer… Especially from you…" Vincent almost chuckled at that statement but he didn't. Instead, he chose to move forward and soon, the two were walking again.
A short while later, Yuffie started to slow down. "Ummm…" Yuffie started to blush. "Vinnie? Do you still wanna hold hands?"
Vincent looked down and realized that they've been holding hands the entire time. 'How come I didn't notice that before? Damn… What am I thinking? This is not the time…' He quickly let go of her hand and turned away. Even so, Yuffie saw what was happening to his face.
"Vinnie… You're blushing," She said, noticing the twinge of red creeping onto his cheeks.
"No I'm not" He refuted.
"Yes you are…" She persisted.
"NO I'M NOT!" He vehemently denied, picking up his pace.
"Vinnie's blushing! Vinnie's blushing! Vinnie's blushing!" Yuffie started to dance around him, chanting that at the top of her lungs.
The ex-Turk groaned. 'I've saved her and this is my redemption… Ugh!"
FreeCorpKnight: Ok… I stopped playing GunzOnline everyday and spent more time on the story. However, as some of you may know, this update came a bit later than usual.
Tifa Lockhart: Why are you late if you stopped playing that stupid game of yours? (raises fists in a threatening manner)
FreeCorpKnight: (takes a step back) Ummm… I found some interesting manga…
Tifa Lockhart: (takes a step forward) And what manga would be more important than Final Fantasy VII?
FreeCorpKnight: (whimpers) Kare Kano.
Cloud Strife: (rolls his eyes) So you're too busy looking at some series about high school romance… Just great…
FreeCorpKnight: Hey! It's cool! It's about two perfectionists and how they realize their flaws. Along the way, the two discover their true selves and fall in love with each other! It's so… beautiful. (daydreams about the perfect relationship)
Tifa Lockhart: (shakes her head) Beautiful? You using that word scares me… I'm starting to doubt your sanity…
FreeCorpKnight: Hey! I am sane! Perfectly normal! (starts to count the number of dots on the ceiling)
Cloud Strife: (shrugs) Whatever… You abandoned the Cloud/Tifa moment just so you can read Kare Kano… Just bloody great…
FreeCorpKnight: It doesn't matter… This chapter is more about Vincent and Yuffie. You two don't play a big part…
Cloud and Tifa: (growls)
FreeCorpKnight: (starts to sweat) B-But you will in the next chapter! I promise! That's when you (points to Tifa) and him (points to Loz) fight. Big fight scene!
Tifa Lockhart: Great… I know how much you'll enjoy writing that part out… After all, I do lo-… Mmpmh!
FreeCorpKnight: (muffles Tifa) No spoilers! Now as for the rest of you (turns to audience), I hope you've enjoyed the chapter and please review…
Cloud Strife: (draws Ultima sword) You dare touch her! Die! (slashes at FreeCorpKnight)
FreeCorpKnight: (lets go of Tifa) Wah! (barely dodges the sword)
Tifa Lockhart: (clenches fists) Nobody has the right to touch me (murmurs under her breath) except for Cloud… (kicks at author)
FreeCorpKnight: Aiyee! (summons a chocobo and escapes with it) Freedom!