CHAPTER 10

THE TRUTH

Of course Yuffie refused to climb more than five sets of stairs at a time. While Vincent could have climbed all the way to the sixtith floor without stopping, the girl ninja could not. She held him to his promise and he had no choice but to comply.

"Vincent," Yuffie said for about the fifth time.

He stopped. He knew what she wanted. He sat down on the stairs next to her. "Do we have to do this every five floors?" he asked her.

The ninja looked at him as if he were stupid. "Of course we do," she insisted. "It's good to take a rest every once in awhile. It's healthy. You don't want to over exert yourself do you?"

He shook his head. "No."

"Then don't ask me again."

Was she scolding him or considering him inconsiderate? With Yuffie you could never tell. Vincent as offended but as usual didn't show it. He never won an argument with her anyway.

Yuffie must have sensed he was agrivated. "Hey," she said. "I'm not insulting you. I just think it's a bad idea to go a long time without resting. Especially if you climb like ninety or sixty sets of stairs.

She was right as usual.

Vincent put a hand on her knee. "You're right," he agreed. "I'm sorry. I offend easily."

"I know I am," she said not even trying to be modest.

The ninja stood up. "Okay," she said stretching. "Let's go. But remember; we rest after a few more floors."

"I know," he said standing.

They headed up the stairs again.

As they climbed Vincent asked. "Yuffie, I don't mean to sound nosy or anything but did you ever have a boyfriend?" (He's making conversation and that's all.)

Yuffie rolled her eyes and shrugged. "Not really," she admitted. "Sure maybe I liked a few guys but nothing serious. My Father usually made the rules about who I could and could not go out with. He usually chose the biggest jerks for me."

"What kind of jerks?"

Yuffie looked at him with an expression that seemed to say "Isn't it obvious?' "Just the usual perves," she said.

"I'm sorry."

"Hey, it's not your fault. My Father needs to let me be. When I'm ready, I'll choose the man I want to be with. When I get him I won't let him go. Ever!"

Vincent said nothing. From the way she was acting it seemed she wasn't planning on telling any man she might be in love with her feelings. I can't blame her, he thought though this thought unsettled him for some reason.

"I'm sorry," he said again. "I hope I didn't offend you."

Yuffie's expression softened. "It's okay," she said. "It's not your fault. You just asked a simple question."

"I should not have even asked it," he insisted. "I have created yet another sin."

The ninja gave him a stern looked. "Will you knock off that sin talk!" she exclaimed putting her hands on her hips. "Vincent Valentine, it's about time you learn something. Asking someone a simple question like 'Did you ever have a boyfriend?' or something like that is not a sin. You didn't know. You were just curious about my life."

He looked away.

"Hey," she said walking down the stairs toward him. "Don't let it bother you. Honestly, Vincent, you need to learn to not let what people say bother you so much. If you think everything is sinning maybe you shouldn't talk."

He still didn't look at her. She put her hand on his face and forced him to look at her. "I forgive you for whatever you said," she said slowly, purposely.

Vincent sighed but still didn't meet her eyes. "Thank you."

Yuffie giggled and let him go. "C'mon," she said turning around and heading up the stairs again. "Let's get going so you can find those files."

The gunman nodded and followed her.

Suddenly she lost her balance. "WHOA!" she exclaimed flailing her arms.

"YUFFIE!" he exclaimed running forward.

Too late. She fell over the side. "HELP!" she screamed as she fell.

Vincent jumped after her. He reached out his hand and grabbed her's. With his other he grabbed the railing. (Hint! Hint! I got this idea from the manga they both star in 76th Star or whatever it's called)

Now they were hanging in midair. Yuffie opened her eyes (She'd closed them). "I stopped?" she said. She looked over her shoulder. "Vincent?"

He looked down at her. "Yuffie, can you jump down to the next landing?"

The ninja looked downward. "I think so," she said. "But..."

He swung her. "DO IT!" he yelled letting go of her hand. (I did not get this part's idea from the manga)

Yuffie screamed and flipped in the air. She landed safely back on the stairs and looked back up. "VINCENT!" she called.

He let go of the railing and landed catlike in front of her. As he stood he pushed some of his hair out of his face and looked at her.

"You saved my life," she said, her face showing a look of awe.

He turned away. "I couldn't let you fall now could I?"

"No," she said. "Thank you."

"I think that evens us out a bit," he said.

"Three to One isn't even," she shot back remembering the incident on the bridge and the plane.

"It's close," he said.

"Whatever."

He started upward again. Suddenly he felt a pressure on his waist. He looked down and saw Yuffie's arms wrapped around him. (Can we say 'Ackward hug'?)

"You saved my life!" she said again squeezing his waist a bit. "Three times in a row. You're my hero!"

"Just don't start doing favors for me."

Yuffie let him go. That comment had ruined the whole thing. "Sure thing," she agreed putting her hands behind her back and grinning.

And up they went again.

Suddenly Yuffe shot past him. Before he could ask her why she was in a hurry he felt a jerk on his arm and found himself being dug up forty flights of stairs. "Yuffie...?" he said.

She didn't say anything. She seemed to know what she was doing. He didn't try to stop her.

Vincent did notice she seemed to have gained a lot of energy. For the rest of the way up she didn't slow down or stop. I wonder why she's in such a hurry...

When she reached the top she did stop, but only because she ran into the door.

"Yuffie!" he exclaimed pulling her away from it. "Are you all right?"

Yuffie looked up at him panting heavily. He noticed her nose was bleeding. He reached into his pants and pulled out a hankerchief. He handed it to her and she stuffed it under her nose. "Thank you," she said through it.

"Okay."

"Well, we're here," she said walking away and leaning over the railing. "Floor fifty eight."

Vincent was more concerned about her. "You didn't have to do that," he told her.

Yuffie remained where she was. "I knew you were in a hurry to get up here so I decided since you saved my life, again, I'd do something nice for you."

"At your own expense."

Yuffie looked at him, the hankerchief still against her nose. "It's not that bad," she said.

The gunman didn't agree. "You ran right into the door and got a bloody nose!" he exclaimed. "Don't tell me it's not that bad!"
Yuffie looked surprised "You care about me?" she asked.

"If course I do!" he exclaimed grabbing her shoulders and shaking her. "You're one of my friends! I'd be a jerk if I didn't care about you!"

Her face seemed disappointed about something. "Oh," she said looking away.

"Oh!"

Yuffie grabbed his arms and forced him to let her got. "Since we're here we might as well head up and get those files," she said pushing past him.

He didn't seem to notice she was mad at him. "Wait!" he exclaimed grabbing her arm to stop her. "Let me go first and make sure it's safe."

"Okay."

He pulled out his gun and stepped into the hall. A minute later he came back in. "All clear," he informed her.

"Okay," she said again.

The ninja followed behind him as she stepped out of the stairway and into the building. She gripped her shurikan tightly. Even though he'd said it was all clear, she wasn't taking any chances.

They crossed the room and entered the elevator.

Once inside Vincent pushed the bottom for the sixty third floor and went up. Yuffie looked around the small moving room with interest. "Hey, Vincent, do you think if the elevator fell and we grabbed the lighting fixtures we'd live?"

He shook his head. "I doubt it."

"Why not?"

'The whole elevator would be smashed flat if we fell."

"Oh. What would save our lives if the elevator fell?'

"Nothing."

"Oh boy."

Ding!

The elevator doors opened. The two quietly stepped out. "Shh!" Vincent cautioned. "The Mayor works on this floor. We don't want him to hear us so we'll have to be very quiet."

"Oh please, as if I didn't know," she scoffed. "I am a ninja! I know when to be quiet!"

Vincent didn't argue with her.

They tiptoed to the first room they saw. "Wait out here," Vincent instructed her when they stopped in front of the door. "Keep watch."

"Why do I have to stay out here?" she demanded.

"One of us needs to keep an eye out."

"For what?"

"Security."

"Oh. Why can't I look for them while you keep watch?"

"You don't know what to look for."

She didn't argue.

"Okay?"

She sighed in frustration. "All right."

"Thank you."

Vincent ducked inside.

Yuffie leaned against the door and lightly stomped her foot in frustration. "Why do I always have to be the watch dog?" she asked herself.

Vincent scanned the rows of research books. He noticed they were very well organized being shelved by color, letter, and number. This should be easy, he thought, reaching up to pull a book off the shelf. All I have to do is look for books on the Jenova Project. That would be in the J section I think...

He pulled down the book and opened it. He read:

... it's been three days since I've injected myself with Jenova cells. I already fell a difference...

Vincent shut it. Wrong book.

That guy was sick! He even records what he does to himself! The gunman threw the book in the trash. That will keep anyone else from reading that garbage!

He ran his finger over the other titles. If that was Hojo's documentary on himself then the Jenova project files should be close by. I hope those other files are here too.

He pulled out another book. Still nothing. That's when it came to him. They maybe hidden somewhere.

He pulled all the books off the shelf and felt around for a switch or something. Wait a minute. If those guys at the Gold Saucer found them easily they must be easy to find. Like in plane view. After all; the best hiding place is right in plane sight.

Vincent's scarlet eyes noticed a book on a lower shelf. Experimants Most Successful. Could that be it?

He picked it up and flipped though it. The first chapter read; Lucrecia. This must be it! He started to read and instantly wished he hadn't.

(Author's Note: Don't get mad at me for what I have put down next. I always considered Hojo a perve)

The first chapter started with a very detailed description on how Hojo got Lucrecia pregnant. Vincent skipped the read along porn and went to the next chapter thoroughly repulsed. What a sicko!

The next chapter was about Ifalna. This too was not so G rated. Vincent skipped that one too. This book should be burnt!

Finally he found his own. It was just as bad as the others but since Vincent was a guy he didn't have sex with him. (Note here: Hojo didn't have sex with any of the guys he messed up or Aerith/Aeris)

The gunman read his file thoruoghly. His seemed worse than the women's somehow. Hojo had done a lot of horrible things. (I will not say what they are!). As Vincent read he began to feel sick and wanted to both vomit and cry. So that's what he did to me!

He closed the book with a bang and wiped his eyes. He did all that just because I didn't want him to hurt Lucrecia? What kind of monster is he!

A/N

:Sweatdrop: Umm... sorry for what I have at the end of the chapter. You might be offended but ..Come on! Hojo wanted to breed Aerith and Nanaki for goodness sake! That man in my mind is a sick psyco perve. (Get's bricked by Hojo fans) Who knows what his experiments were? Anyway. Sorry to all you Hojo fans out there. I really don't like that goon. I tried to even out this chapter a bit but it was hard. I hoped you liked it anyway (even though I had to put in that other crap). Just to inform you. I do not know when Hojo injected himself with Jenova cells. If he did it before he fought Cloud and Co. or even before the game was created it doesn't matter. It's just a fic. I'm trying my best to get things as accurate as possible. :sweatdrop: I don't know how I'm doing, though. HOW AM I DOING?

Anyway. One last thing. Sorry for any spelling, grammer, or character personallity errors.