Chapter Twelve: With Love, Ashton Talbot
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7 or the characters, but I own the story plot. Mine. You can't have it.
Yuffie walked down from the deck to see Cid, Tifa, Cloud, and Vincent waiting for her. She noted the cheerless looks on everyone's face…even a hint of sadness on Vincent's. "What's wrong?" she half choked. Aw man…I know something is wrong…I just know it. Cid handed her the letter. "Kid…I'm sorry." He hung his head.
The ninja opened the letter, reading it in her trembling hands. "Oh Leviathan…" was all she could say as her face darkened. She clutched the parchment in her hands and hung her head. "W-wow…I never thought…I'd be so sad…when it happened…this is exactly how it happened in my…!" her voice cut off as she choked a sob. She turned on her heel and ran back up on deck.
Cloud clutched Tifa's hand.
"I thought she'd take it better. She always said she hated him…"
Tifa shook her head and then turned to Vincent.
"Would you talk to her? I mean, you knew Godo and you are pretty good friends with her…"
Vincent nodded.
"I will do that."
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Yuffie leaned her upper torso over the rail, letting her tears fall onto the earth below. "&$ you Godo…why did you have to die?" The shinobi buried her head in her arms. "I feel…so guilty. Just a month ago I called you every name in the book…just because you wanted me to let my hair grow out. I was…Heh, I am so immature. I'm sorry...I never got to say goodbye." The girl shuddered and lifted her head as a warm hand touched her cold shoulder.
"We all have done things that we regret, Yuffie."
The ninja looked up to see Vincent standing there with compassion in his eyes. If she weren't so upset, she might have seen even more there.
She sniffed.
"Hiya, Vinnie!"
The girl tried to dry her tears.
"Why are you out here?"
The man lowered his head.
"I wanted to see if you were okay."
Yuffie leaned further against the rail.
"Well…considering my old man just died…I think I'm doing pretty peachy!"
She sighed and looked out to see the ocean. Solemnly, she spoke. "My dream. This is how it happened in my dream in Nibelhiem. It wasn't the first time I had dreamed it."
She paused to frantically blink away her tears.
"I dreamed that Godo died and no one knew why. I dreamed I got a telegram announcing his death…"
Vincent turned her towards himself and put his hands on her shoulders. "Yuffie, you should have told me."
She shook her head furiously as his gaze never relented. Hot tears streamed down her face.
"Mom died. Now Dad is gone too. I don't…have anyone left…!"
The man instinctively pulled her close and whispered:
"You have me."
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The young owner of 7th Heaven poked her head out of the door to the deck. Tifa smiled as she saw Vincent holding Yuffie.
I remember when my dad died…back in Nibelhiem. But this is different: my dad and we didn't hate each other. I didn't feel the way Yuffie does now. She never got to say farewell.
Tifa began to walk in, but something caught her eye.
Vincent had opened up his cloak to wrap it around himself and Yuffie as she took comfort in him. Tifa smiled. I think… this is kinda like sunshine in winter…it's funny how opposites attract…She nodded and went inside, leaving Vincent to help Yuffie cope with her sorrow.
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"Vinnie?"
The gunman wiped away the last of her tears.
"Yes, Yuffie?"
The shinobi lowered her head.
"Will you come with me to Wutai? The letter…asked me to attend my old man's funeral…and I wanted someone to come with me…so I thought…"
He nodded.
"I will come."
Yuffie blinked.
"But…what about Chaos?"
Vincent stared off into space with an unreadable expression.
"If he doesn't have the demon, he can not use him…or me."
Yuffie smiled and hugged the gunman tightly.
"Thank you."
The man returned the hug.
"You're welcome."
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Vincent and Yuffie exited the airship the next day on the edge of Wutai. The young ninja led Vincent to Godo's palace which had been expanded on within the past year. They were solemnly greeted by Godo's best friend, Staniv. The man bowed in Wutai style to Yuffie and then to Vincent.
"Lady Kisaragi, I am truly sorry about your father. Please, allow me to offer both of you suitable clothing for the funeral this evening."
Yuffie bowed back.
"Thank you, Staniv; may Da-Cho bless you."
A man came and led Vincent away to another room while a woman in a formal Wutai garb led 'Lady Kisaragi' to another.
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Yuffie stood in front of the full length mirror. She had never liked to be dressed formally, but considering the circumstances, she did not care. Her kimono was black with a large white flower print on her hip with a white obi, her hair which had slightly grown out was done up into a small bun on the nape of her neck with her bangs shaping the frame of her face. Her eyelashes were darkened with black mascara and eyeliner. Her mother's earrings were attached to her ear lobes. But Yuffie didn't notice any of this. All of her thoughts were fixated on one question: why did he die? No one had told her because no one knew.
The Heir to the Throne of Wutai was brought out of these thoughts when she heard a soft knock at her door. She walked slowly to the door and opened it.
"Yuffie…it's time."
Vincent stood there, in the doorway wearing a black male kimono.
"That was dad's…when mom died. It fits you."
Vincent saw her face darken. Yesterday morning, she was an infuriating girl. Today, she is a woman in mourning. How quickly things change. He took her by the hand and led her into the courtyard where people with family ties wept and consoled each other.
All talking ceased when Lady Kisaragi held up her hand. She suddenly remembered how her father addressed the crowd at her mother's funeral. She had seen it done many times during the War.
Everything she did was robotic. She led the large crowd in the Prayer of Leviathan, and then laid a rose on the coffin. When Lord Godo was lowered into the ground, Vincent swore he heard her say, "Bye, Dad." He also saw her eyes widen when she caught sight of a small cavity in the side of his head. It wasn't an open wound…it had been dressed for the funeral and covered by hair. But she knew…he had been murdered.
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Yuffie sat in her bedroom that night, thinking about all the things she had said to Godo when he was alive. Many were clear in her mind: 'What's with you…you coward' and 'Humph! You're a sad excuse for a father!' Why didn't anyone tell me how he died! Murdered! If I were there…if only… she snapped out of her morbid thoughts as she saw a piece of paper and a small red metal object on her nightstand. Wait a sec, that wasn't there before. She picked up the metal thing…then dropped it on her bed. A bullet… Shaking, she read the piece of paper. It said:
To Lady Kisaragi, with love, Ashton Talbot.
Author's Note: Sorry about the late update. I've been kinda distracted lately. I had to think of a way to connect Godo's death to Ashton. I hope Vinnie didn't seem too out of character. Also, Yuffie will be back to normal in the next chapter…just a bit more angry and vengeful. Yay! Rabid Yuffie! Rawr…so remember to REVIEW!