And some more Yuffie. I'm starting to think that I'm enjoying writing her, even if I don't like her very much. She makes for an interesting character to explore. Just like Shalua (sobs). I'm trying to think of un-cheesy ways to ressurect her, but it just ain't workin. But I believe I have a few differant ideas.

And in regards to Sasami10's comment about Yuffie's Chocobo shaped phone, I'll just say that it was his first phone and she stole it from him...like she steals everything else she owns (grin).

Try, Try Again will be updated sometime, just as soon as I get some more "Yuffie and Vincent centered story" inspiration. It'll come eventually.

So thank you much for the reviews and encouragements, and

Cheers!

Kyyrin

Chapter Nine

Yuffie stood silently, grieving for the unmoving human being in the tube below her named Shalua Rui. Her body had been moved into the only room with the one intact healing tube. Yuffie had personally seen to it that Shalua had been put there. She figured it was what Reeve would want. Oh Planet. Reeve. And Vincent. She hoped against all hope that they were safe.

She had willed herself not to cry for what seemed to be the billionth time that day when the doctors she had interrogated had told her that the chances for Shalua's survival were slim, if any. It had been a head injury. A serious one. And unless some sort of "miracle" occurred, they had said she didn't have a chance.

Yuffie had bolted out of the room, determined not to let anyone see her cry. She had run until she stood where she was now, and had broken down in a sobbing heap before Shalua's body. Luckily, there was no one still there to see her. The young ninja had cried until she was sure she had no drop of moisture left in her body.

First her mother, then Aeris, and now Shalua? The engineering specialist had been one of her best friends, and Yuffie had practically viewed her as a big sister, if not almost a mother. Yuffie had not lost contact with Reeve after the final battle against Sephiroth. Instead, she had stayed in touch with him and had visited him often. She had thought the poor guy would be lonely, but oh had she been wrong.

On her first visit to his newly built WRO Headquarters about two years ago, she had discovered that he not only had friends, but seemingly a crush as well………..

"REEEEEEEEEEVE! Open up, old man!", a seventeen year old Yuffie Kisaragi screeched into the speaker that welcomed guests at Reeve's brand new World Regenesis Organization Headquarters.

It had been a while since they'd seen each other, so when Yuffie had gotten Reeve's call asking her to come check out his new place, she had jumped for joy.

Now she stood at the front door, tapping her foot impatiently while she waited for Reeve to answer. And an answer came, though the person on the other end of the line was not at all who she'd been expecting.

"For Shiva's sake, calm down, chick. You just blew my eardrums to Mideel and back. And seriously. Reeve's not that old………", came a cocky female voice that was foreign to Yuffie's ears.

She stood there gaping, and unconsciously pushed the button that opened the door when a buzzer went off to alert the person waiting outside that the massive gate had been unlocked.

Still in a daze that not Reeve, but a complete stranger had answered the door, Yuffie walked inside, bent on finding out who the person was that dared step in for her friend.

She turned the corner into the ground floor of the main building, and came face to face with a young women that looked to be in her mid twenties, who was standing there and tapping her foot impatiently. The lady had bronze colored hair pulled up in a ponytail, and a lab coat pulled on. Yuffie noticed that the stranger had only one eye and a robotic arm as well. But those imperfections made her far from ugly.

"Well it's about time, girl. I know Tomberrys that can shuffle that route faster than you just walked it", the strange women gave Yuffie a pointed look, that morphed to a gaze of amusement shortly afterwards.

"Who---? What……?", was all Yuffie was able to manage, stunned that this lady was teasing her and getting away with it.

"Who? What? Alright. I'll answer 'who' first. I'm Shalua Rui, a scientist specializing in engineering. I work here. Nice to meet you, Miss Kisaragi, and you can call me Shalua", she stated, moving forward and stretching out her hand towards Yuffie, obviously thinking the ninja would accept it. She didn't, so the strange women reached over and grabbed Yuffie's hand, shaking it for her. She then proceeded on as if Yuffie's impoliteness had fazed her at all.

"What are you doing here, I suppose you're wondering. Well, Reeve told me he had a good friend coming to visit, but since he was caught in the middle of something important, he couldn't get away to open the door for you. So he asked me to. Happy now? And anymore……comfortable in this situation?", the women inquired, scrutinizing Yuffie so intently it made her feel like some prized Chocobo.

When Yuffie didn't answer, and instead just stared at the scientist, the latter sighed and plunked herself down on a nearby office chair.

"Well, Reeve sure is taking his sweet time getting here", Shalua mused idly, looking Yuffie over. "I've heard a lot about you, Miss Kisaragi. How do you like the Headquarters?"

By this time, Yuffie had found her voice. But instead of answering Shalua's question, she voiced one that had been on her mind for a while.

"H-How do you know my name?", Yuffie stuttered, wanting to know how a complete stranger came to recognize her.

Shalua gave her a 'don't be stupid' look, and cocked an eyebrow.

"Well, Reeve told me, silly. Do you think he'd send me down here to greet you without telling me your name or what you look like? I mean, Reeve can be pretty vague at times, but you're one of his best friends. And don't look at me like that! Geez. What do have against me? I mean, did you think that Reeve inhabits the entire headquarters himself or something?"

Yuffie realized she had been giving the women a rather unbecoming stare, and slowly let a small smile creep onto her face. Despite being rather annoyed that Reeve hadn't showed up to greet her himself, she felt herself beginning to like this lady. She was the type that one could have a decent conversation with. One filled with humorous banter and wit. And Yuffie was most definitely not letting her get away with teasing her, the great Yuffie Kisaragi, like one would a child. Maybe she had some spiffy materia on her as well……

"Alright, sorry for being rude and all", Yuffie began, putting on her best grin. "I guess it just takes a bit of time for me to warm up to strangers. And you can quit it with the 'Miss Kisaragi'. It's Yuffie, and don't you forget it!" She twirled around, the trail of her headband flapping wildly.

This produced a similar grin from Shalua, who gave her a thumbs up sign.

"Good to hear that, Yuffie, and apology accepted. Now we're just waiting for Reeve………well, speak of the devil", Shalua mused as said former Shinra executive stepped out of a nearby elevator and seeing them, walking in their direction briskly.

"Reeve! And here I was, beginning to doubt your existence!", Shalua called cheerfully, and stood to greet him. The tired looking Commissioner turned his head to her, and gave her a weak smile.

"I tried to get here earlier, Shalua. I really did, but there was just so much to do……", he trailed off, spying Yuffie.

"Yuffie! Am I glad to see you!", Reeve exclaimed, his tired expression changing to one of unsuppressed happiness. He cherished the rare times he could meet up with his former world-saving partners. They had grown on him and he realized that he kept in touch with them far too scarcely.

Walking over to his friend, he pulled her into a heartfelt hug that she returned with the same vigor. Though Yuffie was young, and often loud and obnoxious, Reeve had taken a liking to her positive, encouraging attitude that made some of the most morose people's faces brighten a little.

"I missed you, Reeve", Yuffie muttered into her friend's shirt, hugging him tightly. She couldn't stand her father, and in the time she had known Reeve, he had become something of a father-figure for her. He was always there when she needed a shoulder to cry on, or some cheering up, or just a friendly chat. It took a while for Yuffie to warm up to strangers, although most of the time, it didn't seem like it. But Reeve had struck her in a good way from the moment she had first met him. Yuffie was known to be a materia thief, and sometimes a thief in general, but she would never ever steal from Reeve. She respected him too much to do that.

Shalua, however, was another story. Yuffie was only in the beginnings of warming up to her.

"I missed you too, Yuffie", Reeve murmured back, kissing her on the head. He knew of her horrible relationship with her father, so Reeve attempted to treat Yuffie as something of a daughter, or a sister perhaps. He was fully aware that Yuffie didn't have any siblings either. And as far as he was concerned, no child should have to go without the love of a parent, let alone that of a brother or sister. And if he could even only partially be that for Yuffie, then he'd do it.

"But obviously not enough to take some time off work and come down here to greet me yourself", Yuffie pulled back from the embrace a little to look up at him indignantly. "So you sent her instead".

Reeve followed Yuffie's annoyed gaze to Shalua, who was leaning on the edge of a desk, looking at them calmly.

"O-Oh. Yeah, sorry about that, Yuffie", Reeve began sheepishly. "There was a machinery shortage somewhere in the building that I had to help take care of so that the power generators of the Headquarters wouldn't die on me. I hope you understand. Otherwise, no one would have even been able to open the door for you. And as for Shalua……"

Reeve turned to the attractive woman who was gazing at them.

"She works here, and……she's a dear friend of mine. I'm sorry I couldn't acquaint the two of you under better circumstances, but I'll do it now. Shalua, Yuffie. Yuffie, Shalua. There. It's official. Happy now, Yuffie?"

Yuffie scrunched up her face, and looked from Shalua to Reeve, and back again.

"Weeeeell……I suppose there's a chance that I can get to like her. But just for you, Reeve. And I'll need time to warm up to her!"

"Well, I have all the time in the world for you to do just that, Yuffie", came Shalua's amused voice. "So take as long as you need. But fact is, I'm in need of something else right now".

Both Yuffie and Reeve cocked an eyebrow.

"And wait would that be?"

"Coffee, Reeve. Coffee. Though I think Yuffie should drink decaf tea or something. With a nerve relaxant. She's a pretty hyper chick……"

Shalua grinned madly and pushed herself off the chair, walking towards the elevator. Yuffie's mouth dropped open once more, unable to believe that she'd just been insulted again for like, what. The fourth time in ten minutes? Balling her hands into fists, she stalked after Shalua, Reeve close in tow, but not before surveying the scientist to check if she had anything valuable on her.

Shalua would probably never notice if she just---------

"And before you try, Yuffie. I'll just take the time to tell you that I don't have anything of significant worth on me. Unless you want to be reaching down my bra or into other places that we won't mention right now".

Yuffie, as well as Reeve stared at Shalua dumbfounded. Reeve turned a few various shades of red, while Yuffie was left wondering how the hell Shalua had noticed that she wanted to steal something from her. Geez, this woman was too perceptive for her own good.

"Well, good that we got that cleared up. I'll meet you good people in the caf upstairs. Cheers!"

And with that, a smirking Shalua disappeared into the elevator.

A few moments later, Yuffie shut her unbecomingly wide-open mouth and glanced at Reeve. Without thinking, she began to snicker at the beet red that his face had turned. There was only one reason he could possibly be embarrassed………

"You like her, Reeve!", Yuffie cackled, grinning maddeningly at the former Shinra executive. "You really, really like her. And I mean, like like. Not just normal like. Get my drift?"

At this, Reeve turned an even deeper shade of red and began to walk towards the elevator muttering, "I do not. Drop it, Yuffie."

But Yuffie wouldn't leave it at that. Sure, Shalua and Reeve would make an adorable couple, she'd see to that, but if it meant that Reeve would devote more time to the scientist than to her………

"But Reeve, let's get one things straight. There's no way I'm going to let her take up any time you could be spending with me. Got that?"

Reeve paused at the elevator, and turned to face her slowly, a slight smile on his still bright red face. Ah, Yuffie. Selfish to the end.

"That would never happen, Yuffie. I promise."

Yuffie puffed up her chest.

"Good! I'll hold you to that! Now let's go get some uncaffeinated tea stuff. Or sake. Do you have any sake, Reeve?"

"Not for you, Yuffie. You're still underage……"

"But I bet you and Shalua drink sake all the time and -------"

"Yuffie……"

"And then you guys go--------"

"Yuffie!"

Another tear slipped down Yuffie's cheek, but she giggled softly all the same. Typical, shy, Reeve. It had been Yuffie the Matchmaker from then on. She had become the best of friends with Shalua, and little by little, had brought the two of them together. Yuffie would have loved to give herself all the credit for their getting together in the end, but she knew she couldn't. Reeve had, after all, had made the step from geek to manhood all by himself.

He had timidly asked, "Shalua…..I….um……do you want to…..erhm……go out to dinner with me?", the last half of the question having been spoken so quickly that even Yuffie could barely understand it. Shalua had stood there a moment, and had then begun to laugh her head off. Yuffie had tried her best not to join in, wanting to help Reeve salvage at least the last bits of his pride, but after a few seconds, she couldn't stop herself. Shalua had then pulled Reeve into a hug and kissed him on the cheek, afterwards saying, "You could have asked me to kick Bahamut in the balls and I still would have said yes. Of course, Reeve. I'd love to."

Reeve had turned as red as the ball on a mog's head and had grinned like a maniac.

Yuffie sniffed, and wiped away more tears. She hadn't actually thought she had any more left to shed. But it was just so unfair…….and all that for a sister that didn't even give a slight indication that she appreciated it.

Yuffie had decided, the second she had met Shelke, that she herself could have, and probably had already been a better little sister to Shalua than Shelke ever was. Or could be. That……girl, hadn't even seemed the least bit grateful that Shalua had sacrificed her life for her. She had just stood there, and stared into nothingness. No pain, no sorrow, hell, no emotion on her face at all. She wasn't even grieving.

But Yuffie supposed, or rather hoped, that Shelke might be grieving in other ways invisible to the human eye. Grieving was an art, after all. You could cry a bit and then put on a happy mask like she did, you could cry a bit and then suck it up but still reveal that you're hurting like Reeve did, hell, you could even just act like it doesn't faze you at all, like Vincent did. Does. Mostly. Yuffie didn't doubt that her silent friend grieved endlessly on the inside. He just wouldn't open up. But that was a different story………

Maybe Shelke was like that too. Like Vincent. Maybe she wouldn't let it show………thinking perhaps that it was a sign of weakness, to display one's feelings so openly.

But that was so…….strange, not wanting to show emotion after losing a loved one. Yuffie remembered the death that had hit her the hardest. But it was one that she had come to terms with long ago.

If there was one thing that Yuffie remembered about her mother, then it would have to be the endless story telling during her childhood. Her mother had been a fabulous storyteller. She could weave tales about anything and make them sound really. Yuffie had found it fascinating.

And there was one tale, the most wonderful of them all. The one story that her mother had assured her she hadn't made up. It told of a universe. A universe that was billions of times bigger than anyone could imagine in their wildest dreams. And in the midst of this vast universe was a tiny Planet. And inside that Planet, flowed a sparkling, green entity known as the Lifestream. The Lifestream was made up of all things living. Everything that had reached its life's end. When one's time on earth was finished, they would be absorbed into the Lifestream.

At first, Yuffie had been a little skeptical, not wanting to believe that she was going to be sucked into some 'green, gooey moving thing' after she died. It was then that her mother described to her the paradise that lay waiting for them in the open arms of the Lifestream. She had told of endless, crystal clear rivers, thundering waterfalls, fields filled with flowers, thick green forests, shimmering lakes………but above all, she had spoken of peace. Peace and reunions.

Her mother had told her that she would see all the people she'd lost during her lifetime here, in this place. And she could stay with them, forever. She would never have to worry about them leaving, or dying again. They would be together for all eternity.

And Yuffie had liked that notion. So much in fact, that she was no longer afraid of death, or afraid of the death of a loved one. But when her mother had died she had still bawled like a baby. As much as she wasn't scared of death, or people dying, it was still an emotional shock. She cried every time. But eventually, she got over it. That's just the way she was.

And she only hoped Shelke was feeling something akin to emotion when she thought of her late sister.

"You really did it this time, Shalua", Yuffie murmured to the lifeless woman in the healing tube. "You left me, and Vincent, and your sis, and………I really don't know how he's gonna take this, Shalua. You had better apologize to him when he gets up there, or I'll have your ass when I get up there. If the Lifestream is up there...or down there...or wherever……..in any case, Reeve loved the hell out of you…….."

She sighed deeply and patted the tube.

"He's gonna miss you something awful, Shalua. I just…..I just hope you knew what you were doing…….."

I am so totally in love with Shalua's character and personality that I'm beginning to wonder if it was wise to let her die. Hm. I'll just have to work on posting some more Shalua and Reeve centered stories. Difficult. Shalua isn't even a character on the Final Fantasy VII character list that this site has. Pity, really. Maybe I can ask them to include her...