Ice

I stood on the edge of the hilltop and wrapped my arms around myself.

"Yuf, it'll be fine." I didn't look at Cloud. "I know you don't want to go back there, but we need to know why anyone would have kidnapped you."

"I could wait here." It took me a minute to realise it was me that had spoken.

"No," Vincent said gruffly. "We are not separating again."

Cloud laid a hand on my shoulder. It fell through. "No, we're definitely not leaving you alone."

"You let me go by myself when..."

"That was different," Cloud cut me off. "That was something you had to do alone, for her to understand." He closed his eyes briefly. "I'm still not sure she understands."

Red wool swung into place around me. Startled, I looked up at Vincent. He reached over and drew the clasp into place, hiding all but my eyes from view.

I wasn't sure anyone would recognize my eyes now that they were glowing.

'Thanks..." I trailed off. Vincent had started down the hill. He stopped and turned back to us.

I pulled the cape closer together in front and Cloud and I followed him into Wutai.

I got some odd looks, but thankfully no one seemed to recognize me. "Hey, guys," I said quietly, "How about I just wait in my old house while you go talk to Godo."

Cloud looked ahead of us and winced. "I'd say yeah, Yuffie, except..." He trailed off and pointed.

My home was gone.

I stared in stunned disbelief. My beautiful house was gone, burned to the ground. After a minute I drew in a shaky breath and turned Mako-bright eyes back to my companions. "Alright, let's...let's just go." I tucked my arms under the cape, all my body but my now-unrecognizable eyes hidden from view. I threw a glance back at what remained of my house. "Although, I'm starting to think I'd have been safer outside."

Wutai had been, to put it mildly, displeased when it came out that the Princess did not want a Prince. Not now, not ever.

Girls with with girls and guys with guys was a big no-no in Wutai. If it hadn't always been that way, it had been for a long, long time.

Kinda made me wonder where in the hell Vinnie was from. Evidently not Wutai, though he certainly looked it.

I bowed my head to hide my glowing eyes and walked into the Pagoda, Vincent on one side and Cloud on the other.