AN: Finally! They've made it to Traverse Town, I can't wait to write Leon!

Disclaimer: Sadly enough I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any other Final Fantasy characters that may appear in this story. Places too.

Postponing the Inevitable

Chapter 4: Formal Introductions

The bright lights assaulted her eyes, blues and pinks blazing through as she adjusted to her new surroundings. Eager to see her new home Yuffie flung open the door and jumped out, not paying any attention to Clouds protesting yells. Cloud landed the Gummi-ship and exited the vessel behind her. They stood in a stone square and scanned the beginnings of their new home. Before going any further the pair checked their weapons, just in case. Confident that nothing was going to jump out in front of them they walked towards the center, and were quickly run into by a strange little white furry creature with a red pom-pom, which had seemingly jumped out in front of them. Yuffie stumbled backwards.

"Kupo!"

"What is it?" Yuffie glanced at Cloud.

"It's a moogle. They lived in my home world." Quickly answering her next question, as to how he knew.

"It's so cute!" She walked up to it. "Can I touch your..."

"No! Why does everyone want to touch my pom-pom?"

"Sorry." Yuffie put her hands up in defeat and quickly backed away.

"Yeah, they usually don't like it when you do that."

"Well you could have told me that." They dodged around the moogle who was pacing the square and climbed the steps that lay before them. "There sure aren't a lot of people around here." Cloud nodded. "Think we should find someone who can tell us a little about this place or something?"

"Yeah that's probably the best idea." Finding no one outside, they decided to enter the shop directly in front of them. Yuffie hadn't bothered reading the sign and therefore did not know what awaited her inside. The two stepped inside taking in the store around them. Beige walls and a fireplace opposite the counter. Behind the counter stood an aging man who was lazily chomping on a toothpick.

"What can I do ya for?"

"We're just looking for some information about this town, we're new here."

"I can tell, we don't get many new comers. What brings you here?"

"Oh we're just traveling is all." The man eyed them suspiciously.

"Of course you are...I'm Cid by the way."

"Oh, I'm Cloud and this is Yuffie."

"Nice to meet ya"

"Nice to meet you too Gramps."

"What did you call me." Cid said addressing Yuffie for the first time.

"Nothing, Gramps."

"Whatever, Brat." Cid began to chew on the toothpick a little more vigorously. "Well there isn't much to tell about this place. We've got three districts this here's the first one, it's better if you stay in here and only travel to the others when absolutely necessary."

"Why?"

"Because I said so. And because the other two happen to be infested with those hell demons called heartless."

"Heartless? There's heartless here?"

"Oh, so you know what they are, that's good I didn't feel like explaining it to ya."

"We've had our own encounters."

"Really? Like what?"

"That's not really relevant." Cloud shifted his eyes and picked imaginary lint off his shirt. "So, what else can you tell us?"

"There's a hotel in the second district if you need it, and a café right outside. Oh, there's a wizard who lives in third district named Merlin he can usually help you if you have any problems...I think that about sums it up."

"Oh Cid how could you have forgotten?" The first three occupants of the room turned towards the new voice in the space. A young woman with chestnut brown hair done in a braid and tied with a huge bow stood in the doorway. Yuffie could describe her in one word...pink. Behind her stood a tall man with auburn hair and a scar across his nose, Yuffies word for him was leather. Other words she might have used for him were stunning, and handsome or just plain old sexy, basically he was the most attractive man she had ever laid eyes on. Which explained her current comatose like state as she continued to stare at him. She was brought back to reality when the others started to talk again.

"What d'ya mean I forgot something?"

"Well Leon of course, how could you forget to tell someone about our sole protector, don't you think it would be a shock for someone to see a man swinging around a sword?"

"Gunblade." If it was possible Yuffie would have melted right there, his voice was deep and melodic and she wished he would speak again.

"Yeah yeah." Cid grumbled and pulled out another toothpick from his pocket, the first one now a measly splinter. The girl in pink turned to face Yuffie and Cloud. She extended her hand towards them.

"I'm glad to meet you, my name is..."

"Aerith?" Everyone looked at Cloud, all wearing confused expressions except for Aerith whose face held one of utter joy, and Leon's which held well no expression at all.

"Do you know her?" Yuffie still utterly confused loudly asked Cloud.

"Aerith, it's really you isn't it?" At that the pink clad girl flung herself at Cloud wrapping him in a hug, and breaking down completely onto his shoulder.

"Cloud, I thought you were dead. Where have you been, oh I missed you so much." She somehow managed to get out between her sobs. As the crying girl quieted down once more Yuffie took this time to voice her on thoughts.

"What the hell is going on?" Yuffie threw her arms above her head to make her statement more dramatic, in actuality it made her look sightly mental. "How do you guys know each other? Would someone explain this to me!"

"We lived in the same world before I came to yours Yuffie, Aerith is one of my dearest friends." At his last remark Aerith broke down in another sobbing fit.

Yuffie wasn't sure why but something bubbled up inside her, a feeling of betrayal mixed with one of jealousy. Weeks worth of stress and aggravation decided to rear it's ugly head, and there was no way to stop it.

"Why don't you just go back to your old world if you love it so much! Just go, and leave me! Take you precious Aerith and leave me alone. You don't care about me or how I feel! You don't care that I've been living in hell for the past month! Just go!" By now she was screaming and tears were streaming down her face, when full realization of what she had said hit her she covered her mouth. Everyone was looking at her, even Leon had a look of bewilderment on his face.

What had she done, she had just insulted the only person who had been there for her through it all. There was only one thing she could do now, run. So she ran. She bolted past Leon knocking him out of the way of the door. She ran out of the shop and along the street, she didn't know where she was going but she had to get away. Finally she collapsed in the middle of an open square, she didn't remember how many doorways she had passed through one or maybe two. There was a fountain in front of her, but it didn't seem to be working. She crawled across the cobblestones and pulled herself up against the wall. Yuffie hugged her legs and set her head on her knees. She was alone now, there was no way Cloud would ever take her back. She would have to fend for herself, probably get a job but most importantly she had to leave. She could find a way to another world, that's it! She would go to the coliseum there would be hundreds of people there she could blend in.

She was in the middle of planning her escape when something whizzed past her crouched figure. Her head shot up, she looked around there didn't appear to be anything there. But when she felt a chill sweep past her she knew she was not alone. Yuffie silently stood up, loosening her shuriken, while keeping her back to the wall. There! She saw something move in the shadows, small figures began to pour out of the darkness, until a small group had formed and had started towards her. Heartless, crap. Yuffie moved into her fighting stance shuriken poised. She flung her stars at them taking out the first few, the others melted into the ground. They spread out and began to close in on her, she flung another star, missed, damn it. She felt one graze her leg, at its deathly touch a wave of memories set upon her. Screams of the cities people, her friends and family, the stench of death in the air. It overpowered her, she collapsed to the ground. The heartless took the opportunity and dove at her, their long claws tearing at her flesh. She screamed in pain with each attack. Then they ceased, she felt the cool touch of leather on her shoulder and looked up. Leon, shaggy haired and gunblade drawn stood above her, his hand outstretched. She grasped it and pulled herself up. "Thank you." She mumbled, and began to limp away.

"Stop." He called after her, and she turned around.

"Why?"

"Your hurt."

"So? I deserved it." He walked up to her and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Hold still." His warmth radiated through his gloves. Soon a new warmth incased her, a dim yellow light glowed from his hands and spread throughout her body. The shallow cuts healed themselves, and her body felt refreshed and renewed.

"What did you do?"

"It's called Cure, it's a magic spell."

"Oh." She had never been allowed to learn magic, it wasn't proper for a girl of her stature. Remembering her manners she thanked him quickly, and turned to retreat. Again he called after her.

"Stop. Your coming with me."

"Why?"

"You need to rest your body, it may be healed but it's still weak."

"Why?"

"I just explained it..."

"No. Why are you doing this, you don't even know me, and the impression you have of me is a jealous, spoiled little brat."

"That may be true, but I'm not going to leave you out here as heartless bait." He walked towards the stairs, and Yuffie jogged to catch up with him. He led her to what she supposed was the hotel and into a completely green room.

"You can sleep here tonight." He pointed towards the bed. Yuffie walked over and sat on the edge.

"I'm not you know."

"Not what?"

"A jealous, spoiled little brat. You don't know what I've been through. It just kinda all came out, I didn't mean to blow up at him. I love him, he's the only person I still have left, well had left. It's just Clouds never told me about his life before he came to my world. It's always been a touchy subject, so we've always avoided it. Maybe if he had just told a little about it before, I wouldn't have felt so left out tonight. I don't mean to blame it on him, it's all my fault, he didn't do anything wrong. I just want to tell him I'm sorry, and I hope he doesn't hate me."

"I don't think he does, you guys seem to have a pretty strong bond, I doubt a little fight like that could break it." Yuffie smiled to herself.

"Thank You. For everything, I know you didn't have to, it was very kind of you."

"Your welcome." He turned to rest his gunblade against the wall. "You should probably go to sleep, your body is still really weak."

"Ok." She took off her shoes, scarf and gloves and slid under the sheets. The blankets creating a cocoon around her. She flipped over to face him. "I guess we weren't formally introduced or anything. I'm Yuffie."

"Leon."

She turned around again to face the wall, and in a matter of minutes she drifted off to sleep, and into her first dreamless night in weeks.

Whoa again with the writing as I'm going. Hoped you liked it! Please review!

Laurel Leonhart