Not My World - Book III (Final Fantasy VII - Meteor)

by Bananaretusko

Aqua has made it back to her home world after a crippling escape from Cloud's world. Unable to grasp how she's left things, but unsure as to how to return, she quickly realizes New York City was never for her. She leaves the bustling shallow city to retrace her steps back to her roots while holding only one proof she was ever in Gaia. (Warning - foul language, sex, violence, blood)

23. Chapter 23 - The Kisaragi Family

23

Wutai: The Kisaragi family

Meteor lurked behind the lantern lit sky like an evil grinned killer standing behind a black curtain. It took a few seconds to find it, a tiny red ball of fog behind the lumpy black and orange blanket. Just patiently waiting.

I shivered, dropping my eyes to pretend I didn't notice. Not even the heavy snowfall nor the thick clouds could hide it anymore. One would have to scurry indoors to pretend everything is fine. I remembered many memes at home, posted on the internet or plastered on a car or fridge as a magnet, some cute character smiling in the middle of a wildfire, claiming that, "Everything is fine."

I felt exactly that.

Just a cute, cartoon me, sitting calmly in the green grass somewhere, while Meteor is seconds away from hitting earth, and all I can do is sweat uneasily as I muttered to myself, "Everything is fine."

Everything is not fine.

And yet, here I am, dressed as a Geisha, walking through the snowy streets of Wutai's nightlife, standing in between Cloud and Reeve.

I didn't even realize Cloud was talking, my mind so far away at the biggest threat. After a breath, I capture what I could at what he was mumbling about, finding him with his arms crossed over his bright pink kimono.

"No going alone with Godo. If he tries to pull what Corneo tried to do with you, I'll kill him, too," Cloud vented. It was so bizarre to witness a beautiful, blond Geisha to say such things, her man voice telling this to me in my ear.

Flashes of Corneo's death suddenly made me cringe, and I whispered, "I hope not."

"Wait, that was you?!" Reeve shrieked when he overheard.

"Pretend you didn't hear that, Reeve," Cloud sneered. Reeve rambled off about how no one could trace Corneo's murderer in Midgar, while I fell into another troubling thought. I didn't want Godo's fate similar to what happen to Don Corneo. I'm certain the people of Wutai wouldn't be too thrilled to have their figurehead murdered, but then again, I wondered how many of them still respected their old leader.

From the sounds of the bartender and Mother Tsuyo, I had a guess that no one may care if Cloud plowed a sword through him, but let's avoid that, shall we?

As we walked towards the tallest pagoda, Shinra men and tourists whistled at us. I hid my face under a dark blue umbrella, ignoring the stares. Cloud did the same, sighing each time he suppressed flipping somebody off.

He wasn't even done setting things straight, which surprised me to hear him talk this much.

"Let's get this straight: We get in, entertain, pour sake, what the fuck ever, and figure out where the Huge Materia is. No one is to sleep with anyone. No one is to go off alone with anyone, and I mean you." Under his pink umbrella, I caught his hard blue eyes, and I stiffened.

"Hey, the last time wasn't my fault!" I spat, trying to keep composed under Cloud's radar.

He scoffed and looked back to our destination, ignoring my excuse. Just ten or so more blocks until we get there.

"What about me?" Reeve dared.

"I don't care what happens to you," Cloud snapped. I think Reeve was ready to finish what they started in the dressing room, hiding a fist at his hip.

"How does Aqua put up with you?!" He leaked through his teeth, lips bright red.

Cloud actually dropped his gaze, taking note of the snow filling up footprints a little faster. He smirked, eyes quickly growing gentle under red eyeliner.

"That's a good question," he chuckled.

"Yeah. I don't know how I put up with him," I murmured. When Cloud gazed at me in disbelief, I winked at him, and he relaxed.

—

We finally made it.

Godo's Castle, the tallest pagoda in all of Wutai, stood hidden behind tall stone walls with snow and more advertisement sticking to it. Rows of too many Shinra guards lined the entire wall. There was a captain in the red uniform approaching us when we neared the sealed metal doors.

"I already got a call from Tsuyo. Godo's expecting you three. Go on through," he grunted, his gloved thumb jabbing for us to pass.

Heads turned, a few whispers and eyes going bug-eyed at Cloud when he passed. I sighed, trying not to let my ego get too deflated when the man I'm in love with, is even more beautiful than me when he dresses up.

There were a few teeth clenching, some hissing over Reeve when he walked through the gate. I followed closely, hiding between him and Cloud so that I could avoid my own calls of judgement.

The castle was surrounded by a mote, a single arched bridge to take us over it. I spotted the few cracks and cannon holes along the castle's base, surprised to see it not in ruin after the war. Four Shinra men waited for us at the entrance, their serious faces glued on even when they got a good look at us. One of them scanned Reeve up and down, and made a bitter face.

"Two hours. That's all we are giving tonight. Then be gone," one of them warned.

Massive, double doors made of stone, opened.

We were escorted, keeping hushed. I could feel Reeve's nervousness, his arms huddled together under his robes or constantly fixing the buns in his wig.

I tried not to grip Cloud's arm, keeping my hands to myself with fingers meshed nice and tight.

The inside of Godo's castle made Don Corneo's corny mansion look like some cheap, generic knock off.

The hallways were well-kept, with polished wood floors and shoji doors keeping the rest of the property hidden behind thin paper sheets. Sturdy wooden beams loomed over our heads, carrying paper lanterns flickering with warm light. There were distant sounds of someone practicing on a shamisen, followed by laughter. It seemed there were many private stories happening behind these walls, the hallway as enclosed as possible with little open for me to poke my head through and spy. Could Yuffie be behind one of these doors?

The Huge Materia could be anywhere, and seven floors was a lot to cover. I tried to calculate how to even get a chance to get away and explore the place, picturing possible scenarios in my head.

"Small group tonight," one of the Shinra guards commented.

Were they waiting for one of us Geisha to speak? Reeve was too uptight to even consider practicing his woman voice, and Cloud just didn't care.

"Mother thought we would be enough to give Lord Godo the time of his life," I tried, pretending to be shy behind a fan. There was a bit of chuckling from our four escorts.

"Well, he's not alone tonight. So, he may have to share," one of them hinted sourly.

At the end of the hallway, the four Shinra men leered us to a staircase that spiraled up through the center of the whole palace.

"To the fifth floor," one of them ordered.

Cloud went first, while Reeve hesitated.

"Uh..." he almost broke into his voice, and stopped short, clearing his throat.

"I mean, uh, is there an elevator?" He asked in a high-pitched tone. I thought he sounded like a poor imitation of Mickey Mouse.

Already four steps up, Cloud stopped just to sigh, embarrassed for Reeve.

I snapped my lips together to keep myself from laughing, rattles of it tickling the back of my throat.

One of the guards twisted his face at Reeve.

"What? No. Get the fuck up there," he grumbled, and shoved Reeve up the first step, but he wasn't done until he smacked his rear. Reeve let out a startled breath, gripping the rail to steady himself before considering blowing a curse at the guard. He then looked down to his feet, squished together by his tight-fitting kimono.

"Okay, I can do this," he told himself quietly.

"Get goin!" Another guard spat.

I nervously watched Reeve take a step, and then another, taking his time to keep his large slippers flat before proceeding.

"By the time we get up there, Godo will fall asleep," one of the guards joked, laughing.

There was a sudden smack on my butt, and I straighten on a step before twirling around. Like a reflex for a stranger to do such a thing to me, I hit the side of his helmet hard with my hand.

"Don't touch!" I simmered.

The guard fixed his helmet, and his visible lips just grinned.

"Oh, I like them feisty," he shared, and his lens zoomed in on me until I backed away.

I wondered if Cloud was taking a mental note of who's ass to kick if our plan falls to plan B. I observed how he stopped on his step to look down and take a photo memory of the guard, his fist curling tight over the rail as he did.

It took Reeve ten or more minutes, but we made it. The butt-smacking guard sighed irritably, rushing ahead into the main hallway.

"Maybe if Godo is asleep, and then we can enjoy these women," he rattled.

"Nah, I doubt it," another grumbled.

"Dudes, let's be grateful, remember?" Another reminded.

The butt-smacker hissed, heading towards large double doors with four more Shinra guards.

"What a waste of the company's money, keeping this guy entertained and drunk. It's ridiculous," he grumbled.

"Hey, it keeps us happy, too," his optimistic comrade chimed, smiling at us Geisha. I forced a smile in return, and the guard blushed under his helm, looking away.

In between tall, paper lanterns, a tapestry of gold and silver thread hung, forming short stories written in symbols I'd wish to translate.

The grand doors opened, leading us into another hallway with more doors, layers upon layers until, I knew, we were one door away from Godo.

Double dark polished wooden doors with carvings of dragons all along the paneled white paper, greeted us. There were the sounds of music playing and laughing of two men behind the doors. I held my breath, taking a glance at a composed Cloud and squirming Reeve to observe how they stood. Two Shinra guards waited, bowed their heads at us, and slid the doors open without a word.

I peered over Cloud's arm, unconsciously gripping it, when I got a glance inside the large tatami room.

Long, low tables lined up near the walls, which displayed elegant paintings of warriors. Tall paper lanterns took to each corner like pillars. Giant glass vases stood scattered around the edges of the room, extending long branches of blossoms, uncertain if they were fake or not. Candles were flickering soft light from the tables. Red and black cushions empty on the floor. An old radio was playing oldies music, a woman singing cheerfully. It brought me to songs in the 1950s.

The table to the far back of the room was the only one occupied, two men in robes chatting lightly about something, clanking glasses together and throwing shots of sake down their throats.

The two men must've known we were here because they put down their glasses and all turned their attention to the doors where Cloud, Reeve and I stood, waiting.

Butt-smacking guard stepped forward and bowed.

"Lord Godo, the women you've asked for," he greeted.

I prayed that the thick man in a dark purple silk kimono wasn't The Godo. With drad, I watched him rise from the corner of the table farthest from the doors, and smacked his hands together like he just scored the lottery. He had a short, pointy black beard, slick and oiled. His long, black hair speckled with grey, combed back neatly with more oil. For a few seconds, his face was hard, dark brown eyes glaring at three of us Geisha, and his thick eyebrows angled sharply.

That man had to be Godo because the other only guest in the room was…

"Gwahahaha, I've never been entertained by women of this region before," snorted Heidegger. What was HE doing here?

My nails dug into Cloud's sleeve before I discovered what I was doing, and pulled my hand back, trying to remain calm.

I could practically hear Reeve swallow hard.

"Hmph, Mother Tsuyo only sent three?!" Godo snapped, pointing at us.

"There's two of you, and three of us. That's enough, isn't it?" Cloud snapped, not at all hiding his voice. Somehow, no one thought that suspicious. Maybe he's just a Geisha with a rather low tone voice? Mother Tsuyo certainly had that going for her.

Heidegger chuckled over Godo's fallen jaw once he gazed upon Cloud.

"Wow, your women here have a mouth, too," he snickered, sitting back across from Godo in a dark green kimono, massive feet tucked under the table.

Godo sighed, sitting back down on his cushion.

"Fine. Fine. You-!" He pointed at Cloud. "Sit by me."

Cloud grunted, but he followed Godo's blunt command, strolling across the large room with his head high, and maneuvered around the table to sit right next to Godo, knees on his cushion. There were thick wooden doors behind him, a small gap revealing nothing but the outside world where traces of snow could sneak on in. Cloud seemed unaffected by its tiny outstretched hands of wind, his bangs swaying gently over his irritable eyes.

Heidegger lifted a finger at Reeve.

"I pick that one. You, lady, sit by me," he ordered. Reeve was already sweating, I could see it clearly from his gleaming neck when the glow of the paper lanterns glistened on him. His white makeup began to already cake, and I grew nervous.

Heidegger may recognize one of us. I followed behind Reeve, taking a seat next to him and across from Cloud.

The four Shinra guards stood behind us, keeping quiet to keep the place well in surveillance as they settled by the doors. I could've sworn I felt their stares hard on my back, causing me to straighten when Godo asked Cloud to pour him sake.

Cloud fumed silently, taking a beautiful, clear vase of sake from an ice bath, and tilted it to pour clean sake in Godo's glass.

"Good girl," Godo purred. Cloud shoved the vase back into the ice rather roughly.

"You see, Heidegger, here in Wutai, we enjoy the practice of beautiful women pouring drinks for us, putting up with my sorry ass, and get to only smile for it," Godo reported with a large grin. His cheeks and nose were red, perhaps the man already had too many cups of sake.

Heidegger laid a large hand on Reeve's thigh, jerking Reeve to hold his breath.

"Yes. We do the same back at home. They are called mistresses" the big, bushy bearded man bellowed, and he laughed his large mouth to the low ceiling.

Godo chuckled along with him.

"Either way, we pay for them!" And both men laughed, Godo smacking his knee.

My fingers fiddled over my folded legs, wondering what to do since Cloud and Reeve had been assigned. If it weren't for Reeve's makeup, his face would already be white when Heidegger peered closer, pausing with thought.

"You look familiar," Shinra's executive grumbled.

Reeve swallowed, trembling.

"Uh, I mean," he cleared his throat. "Why do you say that?" He asked in that Mickey Mouse voice, and forced a giggle. Like Godo, Heidegger's rough cheeks were red as well, his wrinkled eyes squinting at Reeve as though trying to decipher the man behind his makeup. He got as close as the large bush of his black beard allowed him to before reeling away with a sigh, and lifted his empty cup.

"Never mind. It's nothing," He responded bitterly.

Reeve knew it was his cue to pour.

"I have to say, Godo. It pleases me to see your city in order now. Aren't you enjoying yourself with no more worries of your old hierarchy system? I'd give to do this everyday like you do," Heidegger snickered. Was there a bite to his words? I couldn't tell until I spotted his little smirk behind his sip.

Godo either didn't notice or just ignored it. Instead, he swooped an arm around Cloud's broad shoulders.

"I can do this everyday until I die," he joked, winking at his special guest. Godo then became baffled by Cloud's shoulders, dark eyes wide.

"Whoa, your shoulders are so….big," he gasped, leaning his face in closely to smile sweetly at Cloud.

I pressed my teeth together, praying Cloud will stay composed, even when he sizzled under his kimono. He closed his eyes to hide the Mako from glowing.

"A blond Geisha. I've never seen a foreigner take up such a hobby before. Tell me your story," Godo begged, his sloppy face leaning towards Cloud's hardened one.

Cloud turned his head away, blinking back his flashy eyes as he bit rude words down his throat.

Godo took it lightly, adding charmingly, "Too shy to tell me? Is it that bad? Don't worry, papa is gonna take good care of you now. I'll make sure to send more funds to Mother Tsuyo's house, just to keep seeing your pretty face."

Cloud hissed, and he secretly threw his glowing eyes at me across the table until I gulped. His eyes were much too bright to ignore, and he saw my expression hint that much. Cloud closed his eyes again and tried to relax, taking deep breaths.

"It's a shame Rufus couldn't join us. The people would've loved to see their new leader after his father passed. He hasn't even stepped into this country yet, has he?" Godo mentioned, taking a bite of a rice cracker loudly. His chewing on the cracker made me wonder if he was pretending to chew the head off the man who took his power.

Heidegger shook his head.

"He's got too much happening in Midgar, our Cannon Project almost complete," he replied smoothly.

Godo's thick eyebrows grew closer together.

"Yes? Is that our last hope, then? Destroy the shield and then, hopefully, kill the guy who summoned Meteor?"

Heidegger suddenly coughed, and gulped all of his sake from his cup. He smacked it down on the hardwood table, and shook his head once, like he was snapping his thoughts straight again after being jumbled.

"Yes. That's our last plan," he replied, and grinned. Again, as I inspected the way his red cheeks rose above his beard, I wondered what he was really saying behind those words. Was the cannon project just for show?

Godo already lost interest. I felt his lingering stare, and tried not to jolt when I gave him a glance. He cocked his head at me, eying my hair.

"Are you a foreigner, too, sweetheart? Your hair is like white or silver, I can't decide. Never seen anything like it." He leaned his chin in his hand, elbow propped on the table, and ogled his eyes at me.

"Where are you from?"

I swallowed, uncertain how to explain a false tale of my persona so quickly, and just blurted, "Nibelheim!"

My cheeks would be so red now if it wasn't for the white powder all over my face, feeling very hot from all the stares. Reeve especially inhaled sharply, stunned by my blurted answer. The music suddenly sounded too quiet. Could someone turn it up, please?

I pulled out my folded paper fan and began to fan myself quickly.

"I'm a runaway," I simply declared. Let Godo fill in the rest with his twisted imagination. Heidegger stared hard at me over Reeve, like my answer was the worst possible choice I could come up with. Whatever he thought to it, he said nothing.

Godo on the other hand, had his eyes melting as he poured a cup of sake.

"I can't imagine what you've been through. And no chaperon at this small dinner party. Maybe I can get my son to join us, and you won't be as lonely," he purred.

I clenched my teeth behind closed lips.

Having enough of Heidegger's glare, I would lean back or forward to avoid his stink eye, using Reeve as my shield to play peekaboo.

Godo slide a cup of sake across the table to me.

"For you, honey. Drink with us," he encouraged.

I absently looked down at the sake cup under my nose, some of its contents already splashed on the table. One deep breath later, I lifted my gaze to catch Cloud looking steadily at me, and then I turned to see Reeve nod. Godo waited. Refusing a drink could be considered a rude gesture, and I didn't want to ruin our chances.

I bit my lower lip and just pretended to drink the sake, barely having it wet my lips.

Smacking the cup down quietly, I replied sheepishly, "Delicious. Thank you, Lord Godo," and bowed, hair ornaments hitting my cheek.

Godo smiled, pleased.

"Drink more. I like my ladies a little bit buzzed and have a good time. You too, my blond future wife!" He handed Cloud a sake cup, and there was no hesitation, Cloud swooped the cup from the older man's hand and drank it quickly.

Godo's hard eyes softened, growing big.

"Someone's thirsty," he commented. His eyes wandered the table, noting the bowls of rice crackers and empty sake glasses.

"We're out of sake…" he grumbled.

A fist smacked on the table.

"You!" He threw his dark eyes on me, and suddenly, I could see the resemblance between him and his samurai son, the one named Stani. Those thick eyebrows, the long face with a square jaw, high cheek bones and dark eyes that have seen too much misery.

I tensed just as Godo cried, "Get us more sake, and I want sushi! Now!"

Me?

I stood up without thought, uncertain what to do from here, when a felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to spot a Shinra infantryman behind me.

"We'll show you the kitchen. Follow me," he demanded. It was the butt smacking one, I could tell by his voice, and I snapped my teeth together. I began to sweat, looking over my shoulder at Cloud, and he lightly nodded, giving me assurance that this was my chance. Go find Yuffie or the Huge Materia.

I took a deep breath, hearing Godo's impatience come out of his sigh, and I bowed politely before leaving. Heidegger's eyes stared at me like knives cutting into my face, a hard hand under his beard. He probably thought of me as familiar too, but he didn't say, keeping his words to himself while I skittered away quickly before he figured it out.

Obediently, I followed the lone Shrina man out of the room, and prayed he was really going to show me the kitchen, or give me a good excuse to throw his ass in a closet somewhere.

—

"Don't be shy, beautiful," the Shinra guard chatted. Without permission, he slid his arm around my waist, guiding me down the stairs. I held my breath for ten seconds, counting slowly, before considering shoving him away. He slipped his arm away anyway, and grabbed my hand instead, pulling me with him into a hallway somewhere on the fourth floor.

"The kitchen is this way."

Seriously, I doubt it.

I let him take me anyway, my ears trying to pick up any voices or hints of Yuffie anywhere.

From observsation, all inside the castle seemed hidden, everything done in private behind each door. It was remarkable how closed off it all was, leaving me to wonder how close this Kisaragi family really were. Did each child of Godo have their private floor? Did they sit and eat meals together? How did it all work inside the family home?

My thoughts were cut short when my companion slid open a shoji, and whispered to me, "This way."

I rolled my eyes, following him into a room with low cushioned seats and a large low table; an oriental style lounge. It appeared that we were alone.

What a coincidence.

He closed the door and slid his helm off, revealing exciting brown eyes under a messy mop of blond hair. He couldn't stop grinning.

"I'll pay you double what Godo is giving if you give me a good time," he began, taking out his wallet.

He fumbled through his paper bills, unaware that my body glowed in bright, green light.

If a servant or guard was in the hallway, hopefully all they might've heard behind a shoji was a quick yelp, and thought nothing of it. I slid the Shoji open, revealing the Shinra guard encased in ice behind me. Quietly, I whispered, "Thanks for the opportunity," and slid the door shut to keep his frozen frame out of sight.

I only had a limited time before someone would find a frozen Shinra infantryman in a formal living room. After a deep breath, hand to my chest, I straightened, and turned my head left and right with little direction of where to start.

This was the fourth floor. I had to remember that as I began, stealthily, open each door, peering through each small opening. Many rooms appeared empty, some with nothing in them but artwork or more tatami mats.

I, then, thought, if I were to start anywhere, it would either be the highest floor or the first floor. Traditional Japanese homes had rooms designated for guests only, while other parts of the home were cut off strictly for family. Are similar customs followed here? Were five floors all for show? Where do the guest floors stop and the family spaces began?

I decided to test the highest floor. Guests would retaliate to take to the stairs all the way up to the top floor.

Four flights up, the seventh floor seemed identical to the others, though I heard voices coming through the bright wooden hall. More lanterns, feet shuffling around, and chatter behind a shoji.

I leaned into it, trying to listen through the rice paper and wood work.

"How long until that bastard leaves?" A man grumbled.

"Staniv, shush!" Hissed a familiar woman's voice. Chekhov?

My fingers played with the doors, trying to slide one with as little movement as possible to sneak an eye into a crack. I gave myself barely enough, only seeing glimpses of long black hair sway from side to side, along with a huff of impatience.

"I know, I wish Father would listen to us. Why do we even need him anyway? We could do this ourselves. It's obvious he's a lost cause. An old man with an old mind," Chekhov spat.

There was a blur of red, hinting that it was Staniv's robes, the monk sitting quietly as his older sister fumed.

Perfect.

"I can't stand him either, but we can't rebel against Shinra without letting Father being in the loop. If he doesn't cooperate, then boohoo," another voice whined.

Yuffie!

My heart was beating so fast, forcing my hand to fall to my chest to settle it, unable to contain my excitement when I smiled. Thank goodness for paper thin walls.

"Then, you need to convince Stani. Without his approval, Father won't listen to any of us, especially you," I heard Chekhov sneer.

I only imagined Yuffie fuming, her arms tight around her, large eyes trying to be threatening.

"But he's against it," she muttered, sticking her lips out.

"With good reason," pried Staniv.

I could see a movement of a hand, followed by red, until I saw the monk lift a finger up.

"Think of the damage we would cause using this power to drive away Shinra's forces? It could be catastrophic, Yuffie," he advised. But Yuffie had none of it, throwing him a raspberry.

"I've been searching for over half a year to get the best Materia I could find, finally found it to give us enough magic to kick Shinra's ass, and NOW you are just reconsidering this?" Yuffie protested.

I saw a shake of the monk's bald head.

"What does it matter, with Meteor on its way to kick all our asses?" He argued, and grinned like a boy.

Yuffie stumbled her words. When she finally sorted, her tone dropped.

"Because my friends may stop it."

"You mean those people you stole from?" Chekhov mused.

"And now they are in the city," Staniv reminded them.

Yuffie sighed.

"Yeah, but there's no way they can get in here. They can try," Yuffie clucked.

"The more reason to hurry this plan before it is interrupted. Yuffie, find Stani and try to convince him," Chekhov ordered.

There was a scoff.

"Why? He listens to you, not me."

I was so hooked on this conversation, I didn't even sense someone was standing in the hallway, watching me, not until I heard a voice close to my ear.

"You're not supposed to be here," a young man sang.

I froze, registering that someone was behind me. My neck felt stiff when I turned my head very slowly, and spotted a man maybe a year or two older than Yuffie. He stood in ninja robes, his face visible to show me a wide grin. He seemed satisfied to have caught me peeping.

I gulped, struggling to speak as it grew hot under the four layers of my kimono.

"I couldn't find the kitchen. I wanted to ask them, but I'm afraid to interrupt," I tried. Could this ninja kid detect my lie? His grin didn't shift, only cocking his head at me.

"Is that so?" I don't think he believed me because he began to walk towards me, almost too uncivil, and I began to walk backwards until I twirled around and walked away.

"I'm sorry. If you just show me the way," I quivered innocently, taking a left turn into another hall, and stopped short.

The same ninja appeared five feet in front of me, waiting. How did he move that fast?

I turned around, and discovered there to be two of them.

The twins.

My head darted back and forth, watching the two ninja boys come in closer until I had no choice but to run to the right.

As good as I could in soft slippers, my feet hurried down the corridor and made for a bend. Like magic, there was already one of them there, and I gasped, stopping short. With a twirl, ready to go back, I was shocked to find the other waiting, until I was cornered, stuck with a shoji to my back.

"No guests are allowed on this floor," giggled one of the ninjas. They walked towards me with naughty grins. Their smiles were identical, strange to see the two of them so alike, almost fooling me to think I was having double vision.

"Please, just show me the kitchen," I begged, not wanting to use force. I'd hate to fight these two.

One of them pulled out a razor chain whip, letting it slump sharply across the floor like a thin, wicked tail. I gulped, eying the weapon's sharp edges. My hands went behind me, feeling a door there, and before anyone made a move, I slid it open and slipped through.

I stumbled into someone's bedroom, taking only enough time to notice a bed, and instantly rushed to hit through door after door until I lost the two ninjas long enough to hide. There were so many doors, sliding them open and closing them until I could find a suitable place to hide. More personal furniture, like wooden chests, wardrobes, bookshelves, and a desk gave me options. I went for the wardrobe, seeing it open, and rammed inside, squeezing in between hanging garments of mulberry silk.

My hand reached, ready to grab the door and close it to hide me in darkness, but as I was about to, I zapped into a statue. Someone was there, and my eyes latched on to them.

Half dressed, the eldest son, Stani, stared right at me across the room. He stood still, black hair long and loose silkily over one bare shoulder, one of his hands frozen with a comb halfway done with its lengthy journey.

I couldn't tell if I turned red or white, lost for a second at the man's strapping chest before the voices of ninja shattered the scene.

"Stani, sorry to barge in," one of them muttered, not in view, but I could hear them in the room.

"We have an intruder. A wandering geisha," the other growled.

"She needs to be punished!" the unstable one chimed, and I heard the chain of his whip hit the floor. I assumed that ninja had a nutty grin on his face.

I held my breath, hands clutching my pounding chest, and silently prayed, when Stani finally blinked to look away. He walked across the room, hand outstretched to take me and pull me out, just to give to the twins like a lost rabbit tossed to a pair of wolves.

But, to my surprise, he closed the door to the wardrobe instead, and I crouched, hidden in the dark.

Voices muffled behind the door.

"Punished for getting lost?" Stani questioned, his tone particularly serious.

"No one comes to our floor but us. It's odd to see a wandering geisha come all the way up here," one of them began.

"Unless she's searching for something," the other ended. Even their voices were much too similar to distinguish which twin was speaking.

"You assume that every time you catch one like a cat does a mouse, scaring them away. It's no wonder fewer want to visit," Stani chuckled.

The twins muttered in jumbles.

"If you see her, just show her where to go, understand? No hurting guests," Stani ordered light-heartedly.

"She's not OUR guest," one of the twins grumbled. Soon enough, footsteps shuffled away, a door sliding close, and then nothing.

I breathed steadily, keeping quiet while fretting when Stani will open the wardrobe to let me out. He waited another half minute before opening the door, and light poured in behind his trim body.

"Are you going to explain how you came all the way up here?" the eldest son of the Kisaragi family asked.

I took a couple of deep breaths, stepping out and glad to feel cooler air.

"I couldn't find the kitchen. I got lost. I'm sorry," I explained, bowing slightly to him.

Stani sighed, pulling out a long silk shirt from his wardrobe, and tossed it on a cushioned seat, along with a kimono and slash.

"The twins are always messing with father's geisha. I don't blame you for hiding. I'll show you where to go, just give me a minute," he grumbled. He was a lot kinder than I anticipated, but then I remembered he stopped Chekhov from taking my life just a few hours ago.

I spun to look away from his half naked body, giving him privacy to dress.

"You are very kind," I whispered.

Stani scoffed.

"Apparently too kind," he grunted, slipping on a long sleeve silk shirt.

Footsteps were growing nearby, and then a voice though two rows of shoji.

"Stani, may I come in?"

Yuffie!

Should I hide? Should I stay? Will she recognize me if she sees me? What was I supposed to do? I stole a glance at Stani to see the same thoughts pour over his sharp face, and before he decided, Yuffie already barged in. Patience wasn't her strongest ability. Immediately, I pulled out my fan and hid my face behind it, pretending to be embarrassed for having her stumble into something that appeared intimate. I could only imagine what poured in her thoughts when she walked in on us.

Yuffie had her white cloak removed, wearing a long sleeve mesh shirt under her single pauldron and metal bracers, followed by long, black leggings. When she spotted me, she jolted back a step, mouth open and arms out like she wasn't certain what her hands should do.

Her eyes widened when they shifted to her brother behind me.

"Stani, Uh….I didn't know, um, you were, um, into that," she struggled, cheeks turning pink.

Stani slid his kimono on, and wrapped a sash around his slim waist to hold it together, shaking his head.

"Nonsense. I simply saved her from the twins' wrath. She needs to find the kitchen, is all," he justified calmly, and began to comb his hair like there was nothing to fret about.

Yuffie couldn't compose herself as well as her older brother, her eyes bouncing from me to him, back and forth for far too long, until it was awkward. She pointed a finger at him.

"Is this why you never have a girl-"

"Yuffie, why are you here?" Stani interrupted. I continued to fan myself, now to keep me cool as my body heated with hot nerves, afraid that Yuffie would speculate me at any second.

She didn't seem distracted by my possible familiarity, too focused on Stani. She put her hands on the hips, flashing nervous eyes at me.

"Um, I would rather do it in private," she muttered through her teeth, tense. I was so close to stumping in front of her and demanding to know where the Huge Materia was. I found Yuffie. Now what? My plan didn't go past that, and I certainly couldn't ask her now where the Huge Materia was stashed.

Stani tossed his comb on a vanity.

"Fine. Wait here. I'll be back after I take this geisha to the kitchen," Stani ordered.

Yuffie fumed, tapping her soft slipper much too quickly.

"Don't take too long," she grilled, crossing her arms.

Stani scoffed at that, and turned his head to give me a neutral look.

"You. Let's go," he sighed, gesturing me to follow him.

I hesitated, glancing at Yuffie who smacked me with her eyes, still tapping her foot as though she couldn't wait more than a minute. No signs of suspicion from her, the child too busy hating me for taking her brother's precious time. I'd wish I had hidden myself better, but grateful to not be whipped out of the castle.

Quietly, I followed Stani out of his room. The last I heard before sliding a door, was Yuffie sighing sharply before slumping on the floor, arms and legs out as she gazed up at a paper lamp.

Stani was silent the whole time as he escorted me back to the fifth floor. There was a kitchen just down the hall to the left of where Gordo is waiting, a quick route between kitchen and guest dining room. I prayed I hadn't left Cloud and Reeve waiting too long. What will I walk into?

"Stani, you're always so kind with the ladies," one of the kitchen staff admired, hands up her wrinkled cheeks. Stani looked away while three bottles of cold sake settled in my arms.

"Just being polite," he muttered.

The kitchen lady brought out a large platter of sushi on a black stone dish, and her eyes blinked at my load before considering Stani.

"Stani, be a dear and carry this while you are here? It's much too heavy for me," she kindly requested, and smiled up at him.

Stani sighed, taking the heavy plate from the counter and muttered, "Fine, but I'm not coming back. Let's go," he threw that last bit to me, and I gasped, trying to keep up with him when he left so quickly. I didn't want to get lost again.

The walls started to look familiar, stepping through door after door opened for us by Shinra guards.

The same oldies music was going, and more laughter. That's a good thing, right?

The last of the doors slid open, and three Shinra guards noticed me and Stani.

"Hey, where's Justin?" One of them asked. Did they mean the butt-smacking one?

I pressed my red lips together before fumbling with, "He had to use the bathroom. I tried to find the kitchen on my own, but I got lost."

My story seemed realistic because the guards just shrugged and backed off.

"Dude's gotta go, he's gotta go," one of them mumbled.

Godo's eyes lit up across the room. Cloud straightened, his blue eyes scanning Stani. Heidegger and Reeve turned their heads.

"Stani!" Godo greeted mightily, rising with his arms out. "You found her!"

Stani avoided gazing at his drunken father, walking across the tatami mats and settled the massive sushi platter in the middle of the table.

"She got lost," he muttered.

I shuffled in, and set down three bottles of sake. Godo immediately swiped a bottle and cracked its lid open to pour a cup. He tried handing it to Stani.

"Please, son, sit down. Enjoy my good friend, Heidegger. He flew in all the way from Junon!"

Stani practically spat at the table.

"No, thanks."

He turned to leave.

Godo's face turned red, just standing there, boiling. I sat back down in my cushion, sharing a look with Cloud. There was no way to tell him what I know except putting up seven fingers against the table's edge stealthily for him to count. Maybe he will get it and think, "Oh, seven fingers. Maybe she means the seventh floor." But there was no way to know how he interpreted that when he saw them.

"Stani! Please! We never get to sit down as a family anymore," Godo begged. A part of the drunk man dissolved, and someone broken stepped into his robes.

Stani stopped short, and he was hit where it hurt. Was being together as a family so important to him that his own father was going to use it to have his way? He crossed his arms, thinking quietly for a few seconds. He then twirled around to frown at his father.

"I'm supposed to be meeting with Yuffie. You do know that she's here, don't you?"

Godo waved it off, forcing a smile.

"Yes, I've heard. Well, sit with me for a bit, then maybe I shall think about having a chat with her," he suggested, throwing out there a lovely bargain. Was Stani going to take it?

He considered this, sighing hard and looking at us at the table, our eyes silently watching him think on it. He threw his hands down with a grunt of, "Five minutes. That's it."

Godo cackled a cheer, and smacked a sake cup right next to mine.

"Perfect! You can sit next to this lost one. Come, come, eat a bit. Raw fish still your favorite, right?"

Godo sat back down, and I could tell, he really smiled this time, his hard face dissolving into something of warmth and a bit of old, good times. Stani sat cross-legged next to me, and with a glance in my direction, muttered, "Don't pour for me or anything."

He should be friends with Vincent and Cloud.

"Okay," I squeaked, and slid my sake cup towards him.

"You can drink mine. I, uh, don't like drinking on the job," I whispered.

Stani swigged his first cup and smacked it down. His hair was so long as he tilted his head back, it spilled on the floor behind him. He took my cup and drank that, too.

"Sure."

Heidegger leaned forward and eyed Stani.

"So, Stani is it? What is it you do here for Wutai?" He asked, and stuffed a sushi roll in his mouth loudly, licking his fingers. Having to be so close to the sticky, wet sounds of Heidegger's mouth, Reeve turned his head away to show me the sour look on his face. I tried not to laugh as I leaned in, and we almost knocked foreheads together, suppressing laughter.

Cloud frowned, clearing his throat.

Stani looked down at his empty sake cup.

"I make sure my brothers and sisters don't do anything too reckless," he replied in a serious tone. I couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic. Heidegger went along with it.

"Ah, I see. The oldest has the most responsibilities. Will you be the next leader of Wutai then?"

Stani looked over mine and Reeve's head to glower at Heidegger.

"You mean to be the next symbolic figure? Well, I can't say Mr. Heidegger. We used to be a monarchy system after all, but considering where things are now, I don't understand your question."

It was like acid coming out of his mouth, and Heidegger burned with it, his thick eyebrows coming together.

"Okay, who wants to play a game!" Godo swooped in, saving the day.

"Oh, I do!" Reeve volunteered, too excited. I rolled my eyes before watching him gulp another sake cup already. Thanks to his geisha make up, I couldn't tell if his face would be flushed from all the sake, but I knew I didn't have to see it. His breath blew strong sake smell in my face. How much sake has Reeve gulped down?

Godo smiled timidly at Cloud, and then to the rest of us at the table.

"How are all of you comfortable at kissing?"

Most of us blinked, uncertain what he was talking about. Stani sank his face into his hands, already knowing where this was going to go.

Five minutes later, there was a plate of biscuits shaped like sticks. I just consider them to be pocky or long, thin pretzel sticks.

Godo couldn't stop smiling, taking a pretzel stick.

"Okay, how this works is, you each take one end of the stick, and chew, getting close to the kiss. The first person to chicken out, or drop the biscuit, has to take a shot. Got it?"

Reeve seemed especially on edge, glancing at Heidegger with dread, and he straightened like he was ready to jump up.

"Uh, is there another game?" He whined.

"I'll go first!" Godo declared, and he jabbed the biscuit into his mouth. He turned to Cloud.

"Ready to play, my beautiful blond princess?" He teased, edging the free end of the biscuit towards Cloud's twisted face. Cloud reeled away.

"Yeah, no, thanks," he muttered.

Godo jabbed his cheek with the biscuit.

"You're so shy. Please, just show them how to do it," he begged.

"Pa, stop. She doesn't want to play this stupid game," Stani sighed, hiding his eyes behind a hand.

But Godo boiled.

"If you won't play, then just leave," he barked at Cloud, and he even eyed at me and Reeve to be dragged with him. Reeve and I inhaled through our teeth, not wanting our plan to be blown just because Cloud was being stubborn.

Cloud sighed, probably wishing not to do this in front of me, and hissed, "Okay, I'll play the stupid game."

Godo smiled again, his treacherous emotions too easily hot and cold.

Cloud took his end of the stick, and together, they chewed. It was like a scene from "Lady and the Tramp", but with a long pretzel stick instead of a spaghetti noodle. Godo's smile widened as he inched closer and closer toward's Cloud's face, his lips puckered.

Cloud had none of that and seemed to purposely drop his end of the cookie.

"Oops. My bad. I got shy. I guess I'll have to drink instead," he muttered, and he poured himself a cup and took it all into his mouth. Godo was left with as much disappointment as there was lipstick left to Cloud's cup.

Heidegger, Reeve and I let out sounds of "awww" pretending to feel heartbroken.

"My turn," Heidegger snickered.

Reeve squealed inside his throat, inching away from the biscuit until it was shoved through his lips.

"Chew, chew, chew," Godo kept chanting. Cloud smirked and joined in, his flat voice contrasting to Godo's enthusiasm when they both repeated "chew" with fits smacking the table.

Heidegger didn't get nearly as close, not when Reeve nervously bit his end off. He gladly took the "loser" route, and drank as well.

"I dare you two to try," Godo snickered, jabbing his finger at me and Stani. I smacked a hand on my chest.

"Uh, no way!" I squealed.

Only Godo and Heidegger laughed.

"I think that's the point, sweetheart," Heidegger bellowed.

Reeve and Cloud had to do it, so it was my time to be humiliated. I took a biscuit and jabbed it in my mouth. When sucking on it, it tasted like gingerbread. I turned my head, almost poking Stani's eye out with the biscuit hanging from my lips, and shrugged.

Stani just looked at me like he didn't know what to think, wondering what my true intentions were. He didn't seem to decide what to make of me yet, just a simple-headed geisha, or someone here with purpose. His eyes were a lot like his father's, brown, easily empty, and melancholy. He didn't want to do this. He didn't want to be here. Hell, he probably didn't want to be in Wutai anymore, not with the way it's transformed. Stani's old home, gone. Sure, the city stood tall and lively, but its heart had been eaten away. Its walls and buildings were nothing but bones now.

That's what I thought, anyway, when I looked into his eyes. Stani was very delicate. He was so pained by the war, those feelings laid buried behind a thin, paper wall.

I was caught off guard, suddenly feeling his teeth munch on his end of the biscuit, and already, I was uncomfortable. I swallowed, my face only half a foot away from Stani's, too stunned to chew or do much of anything except dart my eyes away from his face when he neared. Do I wait and chew off my end? I didn't want to drink, but I could pretend. Maybe he will mess up and drop the biscuit? Of course, I was thinking far too hard about this, not paying any attention except reeling away until I bumped into Reeve. Everyone seemed to lean in to get a look as Stani's face grew closer to mine. I pressed my lips together hard, eyes shut tight, and felt his warm lips peck mine.

There was a hard pound on the table.

I flushed, covering my face up with a cold hand to hide the awkwardness, and turned my head away to let out a gasp. With quick observation, I found Cloud to have a fist on the table, cracks under it. He barred his teeth, eyes shut tight to hide the Mako leaking from them as he sizzled.

Reeve swallowed loudly. Stani lifted a brow. Heidegger grinned. Godo rubbed his hands together. I fanned myself, grateful for the paper fan.

"Oh, I got it. I want you two to go next," Godo suggested, pointing to me and Cloud while smirking.

"Two geisha? Godo, you're a riot," Heidegger cackled.

Cloud pulled back his fist, still boiling in silence, just as he gave me a look that told me, "bring it on."

Godo handed me a biscuit, and I just took it without much thought.

Really? This is what I'm stuck doing? How the hell do we get out of this? Maybe we should've just switched to plan B and crash the whole place. This was getting ridiculous. Like Yuffie, I had impatience as I walked over to Cloud, sitting next to him with a biscuit in my mouth, and lightly glared at him with irritation. Cloud reflected that look, though it could just be my childish kiss with Stani that got him peeved. Or maybe he was just as done with this as much as I am. I could try to freeze everyone in this room now, and we could rummage through this entire castle instead of playing this stupid game.

Cloud bit into his end of the stick, our eyes locked with similar goals in mind. Will we end it with a kiss before I decide to lift my hands and summon ice on everybody? As we chewed quietly, I snuck a glance over at Stani. He was without a sword, so he would be of little threat. There were the three Shinra troops near the doors. With a look towards Heidegger, he didn't seem to hold any weapon, but it could just be concealed under his kimono. And then there was Godo. I couldn't see him behind Cloud's head, but if my memory serves me, I didn't recall seeing a weapon on him. The man was too busy pounding on the table, repeating "chew" along with Heidegger. Reeve joined, his face goofy from all the drink. Stani just sat patiently, watching with unusual interest.

I locked eyes with Cloud again. It was easy to look beyond the makeup because I saw only him, feeling both shy and eager when his lips neared. Everyone will be seeing two geisha kiss for the fun of a drinking game, but really, it was lovers glad to sneak one little touch of affection before chaos were to erupt.

Cloud's warm lips touched mine. With impulse, I closed my eyes, enjoying it far too much to give our audience what they all expected. His lipstick tasted like crayons, his tongue giving me a taste of sake and him.

The Shinra guards dropped their jaws to the floor.

Godo spat out his sake, spraying it over the table.

Reeve gaped, releasing a "Whoa!"

Heidegger snapped a photo from his flip phone.

Stani's eyes widened, blinking with amusement.

"Are you fucking kidding me, right now?!" A voice shrieked. It sounded like Yuffie!

Cloud and I broke our kiss, turning our heads to get a view of Yuffie gawking at all of us.

"Sorry sir, um, got distracted," one of the Shinra guards muttered.

Yuffie curled her fists up to her chest, brown eyes throwing shurikens at her older brother.

"Stani, I've waited long enough. I'm done!" She huffed, marching closer to glare at her father.

"Father, I need you to listen to me!"

Godo leaned back on his cushion, frowning up at Yuffie with exaggeration.

"Yuffie, you just ruined the best moment," he sniffed.

Yuffie's face turned red with rage, hands on her hips.

She shrieked, "Argh, you're such a pig?! Whatever happened to the Great Lord Godo, Samurai Lord of Wutai?!"

"Yuffie, don't," Stani warned, rising to rest a hand on her shoulder, but she shoved him away.

"No, I've had enough being toyed with!" She looked at Godo again, her eyes expanding.

"Father, I came back home with something extraordinary! Please, I need to speak to you in private about this," she begged. Her eyes nervously landed on Heidegger, and then to the rest of us, and she seemed to shrink, arms and legs closing in tight until she was as tight as a pole.

"No!" Godo rose from his seat, towering over the table with his chest puffed, frowning at his daughter with a fierce gaze, and pointed towards the doors.

"No! Leave at once! You've barged on in here, embarrassed me in front of my guest! No! I will not speak to you. Get out before I make you!"

Yuffie let herself have a few seconds feeling stunned, the life out of her eyes with her mouth open. I could see her as a little girl, ready to cry for upsetting her father. But she wasn't a little girl anymore. Yuffie shifted, her eyes glaring at Godo as she slipped off a backpack from her shoulders.

"Just listen to me," she begged, and hurriedly, she dug into her stuffed bag to pull out a bright-green stone.

Cloud leaned into my ear, and whisper, "Plan B, now."

I blinked, and thought the room had slowed down to a crawl. All I could hear was my heart fluttering in my ears, white paste burning off my cheeks from the sudden sweat collecting after registering Cloud's words. I held my breath as the room glowed incredibly green, Yuffie holding up the Magic Huge Materia in her hands like a green sun crashed into the room. We all were covered in its light, slow-moving shadows dancing around Yuffie. She had no idea she just unleashed a bomb. Not the crystal itself, but the entirety of the room shifting to a different tension all of a sudden, and we all moved at once with our own objective.

Heidegger's eyes grew, his jaw falling to reveal an undigested sushi roll. Slowly, his hand reached inside his robe. Godo eyed Heidegger, a hand slipping into his elegant violet robe as well. Reeve looked to be ready to stand and ram into Yuffie, whether to catch her or to push her out of the way of possible gun fire.

Stani reached for the table, taking a chopstick. Cloud mirrored Stani, reaching for his chopstick. Shinra guards pulled their pistols from their hips.

As for me, I pressed my feet hard on the floor, ready to propel towards the shoji behind us, and reached. I could already feel the frozen gust as I attempted to pull the door open, preparing to jump out to the balcony.

Hitting back to full speed, I slid the door open, and snow came into the room at full blast, flipping my ornaments in all directions. My leg was cut short by my kimono's restriction, unable to fully widen my stance, and stumbled forward until, hands first, crashed onto the red ornament railing, snow and ice kissing my face. I gasped, head overboard, and gazed across the view of Wutai at night in a snow storm. Under the hue of scattered yellow lamps, much of the historic city laid under a thick cushion, softening the night until almost a peaceful bliss before the first gun shot.

Hearing it break through, the room gasped me awake, and I straightened, raising a hand up to the sky. I grew heat, channeling all the Planet's green energy into my hand, and unleashed a fireball high into the sky, imitating a single firework.

The signal.

Yuffie's screech pulled me back to the door, peaking inside to see what chaos unfolded. I was afraid to step back into the room.

Cloud and Stani dueled, surprisingly well, with chopsticks, using them more like in a dagger fashion. Stani made an effort to jab one of Cloud's eyes, but with his inhumane speed, Cloud blocked with his hand, his palm taking the stab, and it rammed through. A small amount of blood leaked.

"Enough of this shit," Cloud grunted, pissed off. With his chopstick hand, he pulled off his wig, revealing his spiky hair mess. Stani's eyes widen after a blink, gawking at Cloud like he's seen a ghost.

"Well, that explains a few things," the Samurai grumbled.

Meanwhile, Reeve was lying on top of a bewildered Yuffie, a bullet hole gushing out from behind his shoulder. His golden autumn robe began to stain in red.

"Reeve!" I gasped, running towards him while my hand fumbled for a potion in my secret pocket.

Godo held a katana to Heidegger's neck, and the Shinra guards froze.

Even Cloud and Stani held chopsticks up to their thyroids, waiting for the other to take a hit, when everyone stopped.

"What the hell is going on?!" Heidegger hissed through his teeth. He flexed his neck as far from Godo's blade as possible, his head tilted up with clenched teeth to the ceiling.

"I was going to ask you the same thing," Godo asked.

"Why the hell did you jump in for me?!" Yuffie cried, scrambling to crawl out from under Reeve's damaged body.

The three Shinra guards held their guns and aimed for Godo, though uncertain what to do. Should they follow orders from Heidegger? Or Godo? Who owned who? Without much thought, it seemed confusing, but to make it simple, Heidegger had more power, and he used a hand to gesture them to put down their guns.

I knelt next to a gasping Reeve, planting a hand over the gunshot wound to stop it from spouting any more blood.

"Reeve, drink this!" I ordered, handing him a bottle of potion. Yuffie seemed lost, like she stumbled into a film set without knowing the lines. She shook her head uncontrollably, scrambling to stand.

"Reeve? What the?!" She looked up at Cloud.

"Cloud?!"

And then at me.

"Aqua?!"

I nodded, glaring up at her.

"You couldn't have picked a worser time to show up with one of the Materia," I grilled.

Yuffie's face turned white, and then a hand to her stomach like she was about to vomit.

"I…."

Her face dropped, eyes large at her home slippers.

"I didn't mean….."

Cloud and Stani lowered their chopsticks, and the doors blew open. I was ready to smile, expecting to see the rest of the gang bursting in with weapons and backup.

But it just got a whole lot worst.

"God damn it," Cloud sighed. "What are you three doing here?"

A fist flew in front of my face, and I was grateful to lean back in time before Rude's gloved knuckle had a chance to smash me in the nose.

Reno wobbled in less gracefully, tapping his zap stick over his shoulder.

"Daddy called us," he struggled, his face green. His suit had been wrinkled, speckles of lime still clinging to his white collar.

Elena rushed in with a grenade in her hand, shouted, "Clear," and threw it at our table without mercy.

Everyone hissed, scurrying to get away. I was afraid the entire room was about to explode, caught in its fire with little time to react beforehand. My eyes locked on the grenade as it bounced on the table once before it went off, releasing a cyclone of smoke. Everyone coughed. I couldn't see a foot in front of me, still holding a wounded Reeve while my knees sat on the floor. The green light from the Huge Materia disappeared, along with the smoke.

When the smoke cleared, the Turks and the rest of the Shinra guards were gone. And so was the Huge Materia.

Yuffie gasped, her hands pounding over the tatami mats and slipping everywhere as though she could feel for her backpack. She sat up, gasping, her eyes to the doors.

"Son of a bitch," she hissed.

Heidegger snickered, and his eyes steered towards Godo, the old Samurai lord still holding a blade to his short neck.

"I thought something was fishy here," Heidegger began, his phone in one hand and a pistol in the other when his hands went up in surrender.

"As soon as that one mentioned she was from Nibelheim," he pointed at me, "I knew, something was off. And of course, Reeve," he finished through his teeth.

His eyes flickered to Reeve struggling to drink a potion.

"I knew it was you, I just wanted to play my cards right. While you were all having fun with these drinking games, I texted the Turks to show up. If you are all here, then so is the Huge Materia. I see that I was correct."

Godo's eyes flared, pressing his sword deep into Heidegger's neck until there was a little blood, but the scruffy man just chuckled.

"Are you really going to kill me? Think of the consequences Godo. Let me go, and I will leave this place with my men. I have no need to fight you, nor our friends. I got what I came for," he snickered.

"Kill him," Yuffie encouraged.

Cloud and Stani just watched.

I could feel Reeve's life draining away, my hand pressed into his shoulder to feel how his heart quickened. He was going into shock.

Too many little things happened at once: Godo put down his sword, and Heidegger rose quickly, keeping his gun visible. He glared at Cloud, and then at me.

"Rufus thanks you all to give back what was stolen from him. I'm certain we will use them right away," he huffed, his gun aiming at anyone who set out to move towards him. Cloud tensed, fighting every bone in his body to not leap out and jump Heidegger with a vengeance. Slowly, Heidegger walked away and left the room where more Shinra guards waited, holding up their guns in case we went after them.

To my annoyance, Heidegger, his men and the Turks all left.

With the Huge Materia.

We practically threw the prize back into Shinra's hands with horrible planning, and Yuffie's unexpected appearance. I grind my teeth together hard, magic pulsing through my veins.

When the room barely settled, I rolled Reeve onto his back, traces of the healing potion spilling in the floor. I grabbed the bottle to dribble the rest of the potion into his mouth.

"Drink, Reeve!" I cried, watching the blue liquid spill into his gasping mouth. Reeve coughed, but he was able to swallow it down, his black wig falling off his perspired head.

"Yuffie, I don't understand," Godo sighed. He shook his head at the state of the room. Sake glasses, sushi, and chopsticks on the floor, Reeve's pool of blood, Cloud and Stani cautious around each other. Wutai's lord sighed again. Despite not being in a fight, he already appeared defeated, his hard face sagged and shoulders low.

Yuffie knelt beside Reeve, cradling his head into her lap. She looked down at him resting, his face shifted from tense to relax. His makeup had been smudged from the potion, revealing a large smear of his skin tone across his cheek and around his wet eyes.

"Reeve, why did you take a bullet for me?" Yuffie whimpered. Her eyes watered, hands shaking around his cheeks. Reeve sighed, and he fluttered his eyes open to stare up at her, smiling weakly.

"I'm in love with you, silly," he grunted, and he closed his eyes again, either to avoid Yuffie's blown-away expression, or to grit through the last episodes of lingering pain. I admired Reeve for how gallant he was: taking a bullet for Yuffie and expressing his feelings for her. My lips smiled, taking one of his shaky hands, and squeezed.

"You did great, Reeve," I whispered. He opened his eyes again and smiled weakly at me.

"I do what I can," he struggled.

I looked over my shoulder, finding Cloud relaxed. He still looked like a geisha, but with crazy hair. He crossed his arms and sighed, looking away from Reeve with an unsettled expression.

"Reeve, I….I didn't know it was Yuffie," Cloud muttered, finally forgiving towards his injured friend. He winced as he pulled the chopstick out of his hand, and tossed it on the floor, drops of blood scattered.

"I thought….Look, I'm sorry I gave you a hard time," Cloud finished, tossing his dark blue eyes down at Reeve.

Reeve gave Cloud a shaky thumbs up. "It's cool, Cloud."

Stani frowned at Yuffie.

"Yuffie, what's going on?" He asked.

Yuffie sighed, helping Reeve get back on his feet. Slowly, Reeve and Cloud peeled out of their robes while she spoke.

"Father, I came back to bring your incredible Materia. With it, I thought we could strike Shinra back. That's why I've been wanting to see you," she started. Her large brown eyes fixated on Stani.

"Stani, you never took me seriously. I got impatient, waiting for you. I get so in the moment, I didn't realize bursting in here…" she paused, eyes to the floor. Her lips quivered.

"I really messed up this time, huh?" Yuffie whimpered.

"You sure did," Cloud bluntly fired. He used a cloth napkin to wipe white powder off his face. I jerked my sharp eyes to him as I spat, "Cloud."

This was no time to make Yuffie feel worst. I bravely endured Cloud's glare when he flashed his disgruntled eyes at me, and kept his lips sealed to smear off his lipstick.

Yuffie sniffed up tears, and lifted her watery eyes to Godo.

"Father, I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused," she whispered, her head bowed. Godo's body sagged, rubbing the back of his tanned neck.

"Yuffie, I…." He was at a loss for words, pressing his lips together. His eyes ventured around the room, eying us awkward geisha.

"I suppose these are your friends?" Godo asked, trying to uplift the mood of the room.

Yuffie nodded, smiling up at Reeve. He was down to his last layer until he was in nothing but a tank shirt and underwear.

"Yep. They are. I mean, if they are okay with that," she worried, eying Cloud and then at me. I could understand where Yuffie was coming from. She stole the Huge Materia to benefit her family, her people, and her city.

"Yuffie," I sighed, reaching until my hands joined hers. She squeezed hard and bowed her head.

"I'm so sorry," she sobbed, bobbing her head up and down. I was ready to say something encouraging, but Yuffie stopped me short by pushing my hands down and hugged me tight instead. I was startled, her body more rigid than I anticipated, and took a step back to steady myself. Her body went into tiny spasms to cry into my shoulder quietly.

"I'm so sorry," she kept repeating.

I looked at everyone else in the room, holding Yuffe like she was almost my child. I was fourteen years old when she was born, making me feel ancient.

Cloud and I exchanged a look of tiredness. I was relieved to find him almost looking like his old self: the hair ornaments, cheap jewelry, the makeup, ribbons, bows, and robes all laid on the floor around his bare feet.

Cloud watched Yuffie sob on my shoulder and rolled his eyes, not taking any of this to heart. I should've known better, but I rubbed her back and soothed, "It's okay, Yuffie. You didn't mean for this to happen. We're back together, aren't we?"

I felt her nod on my shoulder.

Stani crossed his arms and looked at Godo with his eyebrows up.

"Well, Father?"

Godo looked down at his belly, a bump under his robe, and patted it like it was a blob. He swallowed, and looked out the doors to see a bit of snow flurry inside.

"I have been going soft, haven't I?" He asked directly to his eldest son.

Stani nodded.

Godo walked around the table to lay a strong hand on Reeve's shoulder. Reeve looked a little younger with his face shaven, but I was going to miss his black beard and mustache. He gave Godo a crooked smile, cheeks red because he was in his underwear in front of Yuffie's father.

"Young man, thank you for saving my daughter. You're welcome back here anytime, do you understand?"

Reeve grew more color on his face.

"Sir?!"

Godo laughed and patted Reeve so hard, he awkwardly stepped forward.

"Of course. Anyone who can put up with my daughter, declare their love for her, and take a hit for her, is welcome in my house!"

Reeve bowed.

"Th-thank you, sir!"

"And you, Yuffie…" Godo turned towards her to lay a hand over her pauldron free shoulder.

"I'm sorry I haven't paid any attention to you, nor this family. I want to be a better father," Godo vowed.

Yuffie still seemed to be trembling over my shoulder, her hands glued to my back, but her movements changed until her shoulders began to shake.

"Tehehehehe," slithered out of Yuffie's lips, and then her head bounce back to laugh up to the ceiling, her face perfectly pristine. Not a single tear.

"Hahahaha! Just shaddup old man! Shuddup!"

Well, the deep emotional feel of the room was ruined.

Godo's face twisted. Yuffie pushed away from my arms and pointed a finger at Godo.

"Ha! I don't care what you do, old man. You're just a poor excuse for Wutai's leader," Yuffie spat, and she blew her tongue at him.

"Yuffie!" Reeve and I hissed. Suddenly, I wanted nothing more than to drag her out of here, holding her by the ear.

In response, Godo turned red, his fist up and tightening as hard as his teeth.

Stani slapped his forehead.

Cloud grew impatient, stepping in with a mutter of, "Okay, Yuffie. Enough of your bullshit. We need to go if we want to stop Shinra from taking the Huge Materia to the Forgotten City. Are you done?"

Yuffie stuck her tongue at Cloud.

"You're never any fun. I hope you never become a father, or you will be just as bad as this guy," she shuddered, and jammed a thump up to her father taking all of this as calmly as he could without exploding.

Cloud made an effort not to be offended by Yuffie's rant. I caught his eyes when they flashed with violence for a second before stopping himself.

"Oh, um Reeve?" Yuffie took his hand and looked deeply into his eyes. Reeve swallowed, trying to maintain eye contact with her.

"Y-Yes, Yuffie?"

"I probably should've told you this sooner, but I didn't know until we had that night together. So, here it goes…."

Yuffie took a deep breath, and nodded, telling it in her head first before telling Reeve and the rest of us.

"I'm a lesbian."

An anchor came crashing down, and hit Reeve and Godo on their heads. I thought Reeve was going to faint. He seemed a little unbalanced, a hand to his stomach, and his mouth went slightly open to let out a wailing, "what?"

I dropped my jaw, not expecting that.

Yuffie nodded and twirled around to smile brightly at her outraged father.

"Yep. I'm a lesbian. I love women, pa" she confessed, slapping her sides like she didn't care to hide this secret of hers anymore.

"Uh, what did we walk in on?" Barret's voice gasped.

By that point, Reeve slapped his face and began to fall backwards.

"Why me?" he disoriented man sputtered, and then he passed out.

Luckily, Cid caught him with a loud gasp.

"Whoa, there!" Cid hoist him over his shoulder, snow on his jean jacket. He grinned so wide, smiling at all of us in the room.

"Oh man, what did we miss?" the pilot asked, intrigued at what he stumbled into. Barret dragged the Hardedge sword to Cloud, and muttered, "Another shit show it looks like."

Red didn't seem as interested, tucking his ears in.

"Lucky for us, all Shinra have left the palace. We just walked right in," he explained.

"Unlucky for us, it's because Heidegger and his troops have the Huge Materia," I shared, wincing.

Barret, Cid, Red and Bugenhagen had questions written all over their faces.

"Hoo, hooo! What happened?" wailed Bugenhagen.

"We'll explain on the way. Come on, we have to hurry to the airship," Cloud ordered. We began to leave, not minding that Godo was still fusing like a bomb about to go off.

Stani smiled wickedly as he passed his father, and eyed him with something up his sleeve.

"I have a confession to make, too, Pa. You want to know why I never have any girlfriends? I'm in love with Chekhov. There you go."

And he left, jogging beside Yuffie.

"Really, you and Chekhov? Eww," Yuffie snorted. Stani told her to shut up.

From the hallway, we could hear Godo scream on from the top of his lungs, turning into a ferocious monkey trapped in a cage. Yuffie snickered, pleased.

"Oh man, he's going to be so pissed for a long time," she clucked to her brother. He smiled down at her.

"Too bad. The truth hurts."

Nothing like family love.

—

We took to the airship.

Stani stood in the snow, waving us off, while everyone headed for the bridge.

"Stani, are you sure you don't want to come with us?!" Yuffie cried with her hands around her mouth.

Stani shook his head, his loose black hair waving wildly by the harsh blizzard.

"Nah. I got things to take care of here. You do what you do best, sis. Go see the world while it still lasts," he encouraged, smirking.

I found his eyes glint at mine, and he added, "Thanks for the kiss."

My hand smacked my mouth, saying nothing, but my expression was enough to satisfy Stani to a wide grin.

"What kiss?" Yuffie threatened at me.

"Nothing!" I squeaked, scrambling up the ramp to disappear.

Cid climbed the ladder up to his station, cursing to himself.

"Fucking Shinra. They have planes here now. Who knows if we can catch up with them. We got enough fucking Mako reserves to push us to the North. And then it's refill time," he grumbled until I couldn't make out his words anymore because he was busy pushing buttons.

"Hey, don't just stand around, help me get the Highwind back online!" Cid shouted to his men already in motion. Orange vests scattered, taking to their stations.

"Mako fuel twenty percent!"

"Turbines on."

"Body damage is in pristine shape!"

"Navigation system points to Bone Village. ETA eight hours."

In one corner, Cloud was busy giving Barret, Red and Bugenhagen the scoop about tonight's event. Reeve was resting over two bean bag chairs squished together.

Yuffie was left alone, looking through the curved glass sphere, her eyes stuck to the strip of her city sparkling over the horizon of snow covered trees.

I walked next to her, taking notice to the floor of the ship rumbling when the engines turned on.

"Yuffie?" She couldn't hear me, her thoughts too far deep, as the female ninja looked at her home with longing. I noticed how her hands shook around the rail. She held a lost look when she spoke quieter than usual.

"I didn't expect to leave this soon," Yuffie whispered, suddenly not sounding like herself. The color drained from her cheeks, her eyes suddenly gleaming. I've never seen her truly, not-a-joke, hurt before.

I watched Yuffie look up, and there was Meteor, a faint red eye in the sky glaring down like it was judging her for leaving her home and family behind. There was only a matter of time before it was too late. Yuffie began to increase her breath, her head shaking.

"No," she fretted, spinning around.

One co-pilot chimed, "Captain, all systems green when you're ready for lift?"

Cid took hold of the wheel while fighting back a yawn.

"Okay, fellas. Let's go-"

"Wait!" Yuffie raised her arms up in the air for Cid to notice her. He peered down at her with squinted eyes, smoke sizzling onto his wrinkled forehead from his cigarette.

"What is it, Yuffie?!"

Everyone straightened and turned their eyes to Yuffie. I clutched to the collar of my kimono, feeling tense when Yuffie shook her head, her bangs hiding her eyes. Her lips opened, but no words came, not yet. Her hand shook at her side, her fingers curling and opening.

"I…." She sucked in a deep breath.

"I can't go," she choked.

"Well, thank God," Cloud jeered.

"I was afraid we were stuck with her," Barret joked. I suppressed a giggle, keeping a hand over my lips to hide my grin.

"I'm having a moment, here!" Yuffie screeched over her shoulder at those two.

She looked back to her hand, seeing her heritage in her palm, or maybe her family in the lines of her skin.

"I need to stay. I…." her lips trembled. "I want to spend time with my fucked up family."

I smiled at Yuffie's back, my eyes heating until I knew, I was ready to cry.

Not you, too, Yuffie.

Everyone was slowly pulling away, taken to the pressure of Metero's mighty glare.

I didn't blame her, but I couldn't help but breathe a little shallower, afraid I wasn't going to see her again. Like Vincent and Tifa. And of course, Aerith. Our group was dying.

Keep your friends together. Only then, you can save both worlds.

Mother's advice felt pointless, as limp as my hand when it fell from my lips to my thigh.

"I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused, really. But, I can't leave my family the way that I did. I like torturing my old man, yes, but…" Yuffie lifted her head, and she clasped her hands under her trembling chin.

"I need to stay," she finalized in a whisper.

"Yuffie…" It was Reeve, standing from his resting place, his eyes stuck to the girl he fell in love with. He was speechless, stumbling closer to Yuffie until there they were separated at arm's length. Yuffie dodged Reeve's heartbreaking eyes by dropping hers again.

"Reeve, um, thanks for all that you've done for me. If it wasn't for you, I may not have found out what I truly am," she revealed. Reeve's eyelids lowered. His loose black hair was a mess, blood caked to his tank shirt, arms and legs still inflamed from recent waxing, and yet he still stepped forward to give Yuffie a mighty hug, startling her. I melted, watching Yuffie's eye grow, half her head peering over his shoulder, hands in the air. Reeve gripped her tight, grimacing.

"It's okay. Just come back, okay?" He shuddered.

"I think I'm going to puke," Barret muttered to himself. Red hid a chuckle behind Barret's tree trunk leg. Cloud stayed quiet, watching the romantic scene with a little more respect. Bugenhagen was sniffling, dapping his eyes with a handkerchief.

Yuffie finally clutched to the back of Reeve's dirty shirt, and she nodded, a few tears streaming.

"Okay. I will," she gasped. They took in one last squeeze before Yuffie slipped out of his arms. I stepped forward, hugging Yuffie. She smelled like old snow and incense, her hair wet from the blizzard when I pressed my cheek into it.

"We'll miss you, honest," I reminded her.

Yuffie chuckled, breaking our embrace, and smirked up at me with her tomboyish grin.

"I know that," she replied, and winked.

In the end, I watched Yuffie running back towards Wutai, her frame a tiny shadow against the Highwind's exterior lamps. Her long skinny legs reminded me of stilts, her bright red sneakers leaving footprints in the snow until she faded into the shadows of a blizzard. I touched the glass, feeling how chill it was in my hands, and squinted until I couldn't see her anymore.

Goodbye Yuffie.

I sighed, fogging the glass between my hands. The Highwing hovered towards the black sky, shaking snow off the pine trees.

"Hey."

I turned my head to discover Cloud stepping over the railing and into the glass dome with me. His boots tread lightly over the glass, and he put a gloved hand to it to feel how icy it was.

No longer in his kimono, Cloud was left in his black thermal layers, a thin long sleeve shirt and long, fitting joggers. Gazing at him concentrating on the wintery world outside, it was easy to see him as just any regular guy and not a fighter. Yes, he had that strange hair that knew no rules to gravity, but nonetheless, just normal.

I smiled only a little, and let out a weak hello at him. My hands felt the pull to grip my small stomach. Whenever Cloud was near, there was a tiny pulse of something there, my body telling me that I held a part of him inside. Once more, I looked out to the dark world of Wutai, its only lights clustered together into a giant lit square. It diminished, until the city vanished behind the heavy clouds. And then, the world turned black.

It was unsettling, seeing nothing out there, but feeling the rush of the wind barely stir the glass when I set my hand next to Cloud's, the both of us feeling the ship trembling.

"Are you okay?" He asked, turning his head to me.

I pressed my lips together. My fingers curled over the glass. Thanks to the dim lights of the bridge, I could see into my reflection, and there was a fragile looking geisha frowning at me.

"I want us all to stay together, but…." I swallowed, sorting my next words.

"But I can never ask for that, not at a time like this. We may fail. Time with family, the people we love, being at home. I mean, nothing can replace that," I shared.

Cloud's hand crept over mine, queuing me to turn my head and meet his eyes.

He held a weak smile, his longest streak of blond hair kissing his right cheek.

"I know," he breathed, nodding. There was a squeeze from his hand.

"Home," he whispered, the word heavy on his tongue, and he took a deep breath, feeling the pull from the darkness, and he had another look.

"It can be a place, or it can be just with the people you care about," Cloud reminded me. The insides of my chest grew restless, and I squeezed his hand in return.

Cloud is my home now. If only I could say that to him, but I didn't have to. It was already known, deep in our bodies, a secret message that needn't be voiced. I could feel it tremble between us, my Ancient blood and his Mako blood spiraling energy together until it synced.

"I'm scared," I voiced, blinking at the darkness. How could Cid pilot in such conditions without anxiety, was beyond me. But it wasn't the dark world out there that frightened me.

Cloud ducked his head a little, his eyes to his boots instead of to the dark below us. We could be flying over the ocean for all we knew. Not even stars could be seen, just a remnant of red from Meteor hiding behind high black clouds.

"We'll stop them from opening the portal. I'll make sure of that," Cloud assured me, persistent.

I lifted the corners of my lips a little more.

"Thank you, Cloud."

Our hands slipped off the glass, still joined between us. Cloud smirked at me, and his cheeks reddened a little.

"You want to wash that makeup off?" He encouraged, poking my cheek with his free hand.

My face felt heavy wearing the thick powder and paste, and I couldn't think of anything more pleasing than to wash it all off. I let go of his hand so that I could step over the railing carefully, wanting to say something that was not meant for anyone else's ears. My face became hot, and I almost didn't want to say, the words stuck in my throat. I swallowed, and spun around to glance shyly at Cloud.

"You want to…." I touched my hot cheek, glad to have an ice-cold hand to soothe half my hot face.

"…..Join me?"

Cloud blushed. His lips stayed partially open, his breath held when his chest rose from an inhale, but he didn't exhale for five long seconds.

"Uh…" Cloud had to compose himself, settling a hand on the rail in case he were to tilt sideways.

"Of course, I do," he whispered, and gulped. I couldn't help but smile at his inner nervous child, thinking that there was a part of Reeve in everybody. Getting the chance to watch Cloud fumble as he stepped over the rail, his thoughts racing of potential scenarios distracting him, I giggled.

Even if everyone else were to scatter, there was at least the two of us.

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