Whatever You Say
Okie… I've been DYING to write some FF stuff… so here it is! The first chapter in a mainly funny story starring Vincent and Yuffie. Set after Advent Children. Slight spoilers for the movie. YOU BEEN WARNED!
Chapter 1: Materia Hunt
"What the hell is all this!"
Yuffie Kisagari groaned as she sat down on the edge of the desk. She had snuck into the Shinra estate to pay Vincent a little visit. But of course, that wasn't the whole reason she was there.
People around the area had mentioned a secret stash of materia hidden in the estate. A stash so rare and powerful that all the gil in the world couldn't pay for it! Unfortunately, this stash was protected by a powerful beast that lived in the estate, so nobody dared come near.
It was a good thing Yuffie was a companion of this monster, or she might have actually had a little trouble.
Besides… he was more of a vampire than a monster.
Of course it was easy enough to get in. She had discovered several secret passageways during her time in the old building. Of course, this was when Vincent was out. He probably wouldn't approve of her snooping around in his house.
Her gray eyes scanned the bookshelf in disappointment as she began to slide books back into their proper places. After that, she would make them look dusty again so no suspicions were aroused when Vincent was in the library.
Hey… she was a ninja, right? She had to leave things the way they were. She wasn't sloppy!
She sighed again as she lifted up the last book containing maps of the Shinra estate. This particular book had been removed from a space on the top shelf. A stepladder had been needed for the girl to actually attain it without disturbing anything, and it now rest against the old wall beside it.
Yuffie took the ladder and carefully set it up in front of the shelf. After obtaining the book, she placed it under her arm and started her trek up the ladder to the shelf above her. The ladder was eight steps up, but unfortunately, the shelf was just a bit higher. Her attempt at bringing it down almost resulted in getting impaled by the bloody contraption!
Oh why did she have to be so small!
With a small grunt, she reached up on her tiptoes, balancing unsteadily on the top of the ladder. She could do it! She just had to reach a little higher…
She was surprised when the book reached the shelf and she pushed it in quickly. This, of course, resulted in her leaning forward and losing her balance. The young ninja let out a small cry and fell forward. Her feet slipped off the metal ladder and it clattered to the floor noisily.
Smooth, Yuffie… very smooth…
She reached up as she started to fall, catching a book that rested on the shelf second from the top. The book tilted out, suddenly stopping with a loud click. Yuffie blinked, looking up at the book in wonder. What had stopped it? Maybe a cockroach was sitting there? Eww… she hoped not!
Her thoughts were brought to a stop as the world started to shift around her. The girl was too stunned to cry as the bookcase she was on spun around and thrown onto the cold stone floor.
"Owww…" She moaned, clutching her sore head. Once her eyes focused, she realized she wasn't in the library anymore… but a dark stone passageway with stairs leading downward.
"I've never been here before…" She mumbled, standing up. Despite her knack for finding secret passages, she had never truly liked dark creepy ones like these. They always made her feel uneasy… like something was going to jump out and attack her.
The ninja quickly brushed aside any uneasy thoughts and started trekking down the stairs. The stairway was lit by a soft blue light, making it easier to see in the dark passageway. The stairway curved to the right as she continued to descend towards whatever was lurking down there.
She reached the last step and looked around, surprised when the torches around the room suddenly burst into a bright blue flame. Yuffie gazed at the circular room in awe. The walls were covered in intricate designs and four equally decorated pillars formed a square around a large Elizabethan style mat. Resting on the mat was a large stone box. The designs engraved around the corners and on the lid also matched the room.
"The box…" Yuffie breathed, her eyes widening. Was it…? Could it be…? "MATERIA!" She squealed, running towards the box in glee. The box was quite large, probably large enough to stuff Cloud inside!
That meant there was a LOT of materia!
The ninja grinned and placed her hands on the lid, pushing it aside. Once it was halfway off, she stopped and looked inside. Her eager grin immediately vanished as her eyes fell on the object inside.
"A book…" she stated aloud. "You mean all that trouble and all I get is this musty old-"
Yuffie's grievances were cut short as she found herself pushed forward into the stone container. She let out a cry as she fell in, twisting around just in time to see the lid slide shut over top of her.
"Hey! What's the big idea, you sonova bitch! Let me out of here right-"
"Why are you here, Yuffie?"
The small girl's eyes widened in shock at the deep, smooth voice of Vincent Valentine. She tried to push up with her feet on the stone, but it would not budge.
"Vinnie! This isn't funny! Let me out!"
"You didn't answer my question." He stated calmly. He could hear Yuffie trying to kick the lid off the box. She would have succeeded if it weren't for his added weight from sitting down on it.
"Why won't you let me out!" He heard her muffled voice say. Vincent's mako eyes glanced down at the box and he sighed.
"This seems to be the only way for me to interrogate you without you trying to escape." He replied.
Yuffie was still for a moment, which was quite a rare occurrence and one that only Vincent usually got to see. Yuffie did come once or twice to visit, and at least those times she'd be quiet for him… for a short while…
She was quite chatty, yes… but after she left, he couldn't help but find the old building too quiet for his liking.
"People were telling me…" She finally started, "… that there was a really valuable stash of materia at the Shinra Estate." She was quiet once again. "I wanted to ask you about it, but you weren't around when I came to see! I'm REALLY sorry, Vinnie! I didn't mean to make you angry! I was just looking through some books in your library and I accidentally pulled a switch or something."
"There's no materia here, Yuffie." Vincent finally said. "It's just a story someone made up." He looked down at the box with mild interest. "I'm actually surprised you would fall for something like that."
"Shut up…"
And so he did.
"Uhh… Vinnie… would you mind letting me out? It's really cramped in here."
Vincent didn't move.
"C'mon, Vinnie! Even your stupid coffin is more comfortable than this!"
He stayed sitting a little longer, finding mild amusement in aggravating the girl.
"Vincent Valentine! Let me out of this fucking box RIGHT NOW!"
It was one thing if Yuffie swore, but when she said Vincent's full name, he knew she was angry.
With a small sigh, the cloaked man stood up quickly and removed the lid, letting the young ninja loose. Yuffie coughed and sat up, fixing her hair with her hands.
"Of all things to do to me, Vincent, why shove me in a BOX!"
The gunslinger paused, regarding her almost thoughtfully. She was still pissed.
"It seemed befitting for you." He replied as if it were the simplest thing in the world. He watched her eyes flare with anger as he continued. "I guess you're rubbing off on me."
"That wasn't funny, Vinnie!" She cried. "And I'm not rubbing off on you!" Vincent found himself almost relieved when he heard that ever-annoying nickname. He and the rest of avalanche knew all too well what Yuffie was like when she was angry.
"So why is there a secret room with a big stone box just for a dumb old book?" Yuffie asked with a frown. Vincent frowned and walked towards the now open container, gazing down at the book with a scowl.
"I'm not sure myself, Yuffie." He replied quietly. "I wasn't aware that there was a passage here until today." Yuffie blinked in surprise, walking up to the opposite side of the box.
"Really? How did you find it then?" She asked, surprised. Vincent fixed her with an indifferent gaze before looking down at the book again.
"I couldn't help but notice that the book shelf was missing." He said quietly. The gunslinger waited as Yuffie choked, quickly recovering afterward. He then continued. "The ones that designed the doorway hadn't put much thought into it at all."
"I guess not…" Yuffie's voice was slightly raspy and her cheeks were red. "But still… all of this stuff just for an old book. What good is it anyway?"
Yuffie bent down, grasping the sides of the book before hauling it upward. It was a lot heavier than she expected. The book itself was quite thick, the cover made of a thick material. Strange symbols matching the ones in the room were written on the front and a leather buckle held it closed. Vincent regarded her warily as she unbuckled the binds with ease, flipping open the front cover.
"Wow…" She murmured. "This is no language I've seen…" She flipped a few pages in, making the gunman feel ever more uncomfortable. "I mean… listen to this! Eman sihs kaep sohwen…"
Vincent's scowl became more evident as he heard the words. "Yuffie I wouldn't read that if I were-"
"…oeht ye botsumes …"
"Yuffie, close the book." Vincent said sternly, glancing around at the pillars which had now started to glow a soft green.
"rucsih tyb tihsi…"
"Yuffie!" Vincent snapped; his voice much louder this time. The runes were glowing brighter now and the runes on the walls had started to do the same.
"…oh weh!"
Beams of light shot out from the walls, flying in no particular direction. Vincent shielded his eyes and Yuffie dropped the book in fear, bracing herself for whatever came. Vincent opened an eye, realizing that the light was becoming more organized, and were now spinning around them counter clockwise. Yuffie screamed, covering her ears, rambling out apologies to whoever would hear.
"Vinnie I'm so sorry!" The runes were now focusing above their heads, the bright green light shining down on both of them. Yuffie looked up in horror, her apologies silenced. The light was now focused on her and only her, spinning faster and faster. Her limbs felt like wet noodles, her feet petrified to the ground. Vincent rushed towards her as the light became a blinding white. A shockwave sent the gunslinger back just as it released a bright beam of light downwards towards the small ninja. He opened his mouth to tell her to move, but stopped when it came to a halt in midair, twisting around in an almost confused state. His eyes widened when he realized what was happening.
The spell was aiming for him!
Vincent had no time to react. The spell flew at his chest, sending him backwards into the wall. The power did not cease, continuing to drive its way into him, pinning the gunslinger to the wall forcefully. Vincent's eyes opened just long enough to see Yuffie running towards him.
The last thing he heard was her screaming his name.
"Vincent!"
The runes and magic that were attacking her old comrade vanished as she spoke and the gunslinger fell to the ground in a heap. Yuffie called his name again, rushing towards his fallen body. She fell to her knees, rolling the pale man onto his back. She was surprised to find his face relaxed, almost as if he were asleep. Yuffie's eyes welled with tears, but she blinked them away quickly.
She refused to cry in front of her friends.
"Vinnie! Please wake up! I'm so sorry! I didn't know that it would do that! Vinnie! Open your eyes damn it! Vinnie, wake up!"
She looked down at his face after she stopped shaking him, fearing that she had killed the gunman. What could she do? Call Cloud? Tifa? Cid could fly him out on the new Shera model… at least that one was a lot steadier than his first bloody contraption!
"Vincent…" She felt the tears form again. "Please don't die… I don't have any phoenix downs and I would never forgive myself if you did! Vincent please wake up!"
The ninja had lost almost all hope when the gunslinger's eyebrow twitched. She watched in amazement as his face contorted into that of pain before his crimson eyes opened up to look at her.
"Yuffie…" He choked. "You're hurting me…"
Yuffie didn't hear him though. She suppressed her sobs and hugged him tight, adding more pain to his injuries.
"You scared the crap out of me, Vinnie! Don't ever do that again!"
"L-let go, Yuffie…"
"Oh, I'm sorry!" She cried, releasing him. Vincent winced and propped himself up against the wall, his clawed hand scraping against the stone floor. Once comfortable, he glanced over at the nervous girl who was now biting her lip.
"How long was I out?" He asked her. Yuffie shook her head, looking away.
"Only a few moments…" She replied quietly. "Vincent, I'm really sorry… I didn't mean to hurt you!"
"I know, Yuffie…"
"I should have never come! I could have killed your or something!"
"It's alright, Yuffie I'm-"
"Vincent, just hear me out!" She cried. Vincent felt his mouth close immediately, his lips seeming to seal shut and his jaw locking. Attempts to open his mouth were futile as Yuffie continued to talk.
"I'm sorry I snuck into your house, Vincent." She said, looking down at the floor. "I know I shouldn't have done it and now I feel really bad about it! Especially because I thought I had…" She was silent for a moment. "Vincent… tell me… are you angry at me?"
Never before had Vincent seen Yuffie so down and serious towards anyone. He didn't know why, but something about the way she was acting made her seem… not like herself. This however, was not his main concern as he felt whatever bonds on his mouth he once had vanish.
"No, Yuffie, I'm not angry." The words had slipped out before he could do anything. Maybe he hit his head a little too hard. He decided to cover it up. "You knew as much as I did about that book. Although reading it aloud wasn't that intelligent, you can't really be blamed."
Either way, Yuffie seemed mildly relieved.
"But chances are, the spell you cast is still in effect." The gunslinger pointed out as he stood up. "I'm going to have to figure out what it is."
I can assure you, Vincent, you're not going to like it.
Chaos? Vincent was mildly surprised to hear the demon's voice. The beast hadn't spoken to him in months. You know of this spell?
I've seen it done before. He replied lightly. Are you sure you want to hear it?
It can't be that bad… Vincent replied. What is it?
Chaos was silent for a moment, as if to pick out the right words to say.
That spell is one that has been used on many a demon before to keep them under man's control. He explained. It's a binding spell used so that the one casting has total control of whatever he or she placed the spell on.
Vincent's eyes became wide with horror. "You mean…" He breathed.
You are under Yuffie's control, Vincent Valentine.
"What!"
Ah, poor Vinnie ; Couldn't resist having him under Yuffie's control. Tell me if you like. I'll continue if you do See ya!