Chapter 4: Learning To Hunt
Yuffie perched on the spire of the twisted, medieval style roof, her eyes piercing through the darkness spread out before her. Every muscle in her body was tense, every cell focused on her task. She listened intently for the signal, but heard nothing. After nearly ten minutes of utter silence, she broke her concentration and spoke.
"I can't hear anything," she whined to Vincent, who was at her shoulder, "Are you sure about this? Maybe it'd just be easier to hunt humans…"
At least they make more noise…
"And we don't have to kill them, just drain them a little…"
Vincent shook his head and sighed.
"That is your hunger talking," he replied morosely, "If you ever really killed a human, you'd spend the rest of your undead life regretting it. Trust me."
Yuffie made a guttural noise in protest, but reluctantly agreed.
"Now, focus!" Vincent said, placing his hands on the sides of Yuffie's head and turning it sharply so that her eyes once again met the field below her.
Yuffie narrowed her gaze and scanned the ground.
He really expects me to find a field mouse from up here by listening for it?!?
Suddenly, Yuffie's ears pricked. There was the faint sound of grass being moved in the field. As soon as Yuffie's ears caught it, her gaze zeroed in on it. It was a tiny rodent nibbling on a blade of grass. Without a word or thought as to her own safety, she jumped off of the rooftop and glided down to the ground. As a cat, she landed on her feet with a soft thud and promptly returned to a standing position. She waited silently for another sign from the tiny mouse as to its whereabouts. Again there came the gnawing sound from the tall grass. Yuffie lunged forward and in one swift move she grabbed the mouse and sunk her fangs in. The poor, little wretch squealed in fright, but was quickly silent.
Yuffie could hear applause nearing her and when she turned, she saw that it was Vincent floating down from the roof to her location.
"Well done, for your first hunt on your own," he said with a smile, "Now I don't have to worry about feeding the both of us, I suppose."
He stretched out an arm to her and she took it willingly as he led her back in the house.
"I'm surprised at how little we need to feed to survive," she said with a laugh.
"Well, you see, that was because with Hojo's experiment, he was trying to create the perfect SOLDIER. One who never need rest, food, water, or any other of life's necessities. Let's just say he nearly got it right," Vincent chuckled.
Reno came out the door in a huff and looked at the two undead skeptically.
"Hunting again?" he asked sarcastically.
Yuffie smirked and her eyes went black.
"Don't be jealous just because you can't see as well as we can….or hear as well," she hissed as she and Vincent exchanged bemused glances.
That was the final straw for Reno. All of this had happened unbeknownst to him and he had, up to this point, felt a great deal of guilt because of it. But since the day Yuffie had been turned, she had begun to slowly change. Her hair had turned a darker black and now twisted down to her mid-back. Her personality had become sarcastic and vindictive. She was not the sweet young girl that he had met in Midgar all those years ago. The worst part of it all was that she had begun to treat him differently. When she had joined his Shinra group several months earlier, he had thought that his chance to make her his was within his grasp; but now it felt like he was holding on to sand that was slowly escaping through the gaps in his fingers. It filled him with an overwhelming sadness and a feeling as though he had no control over the variables in his life.
He grabbed Yuffie by the arm and, although she resisted and had grown stronger since her conversion, he was able to pull her aside.
"What's wrong with you?" he berated her, "A few weeks ago you'd have never talked to me like that. You've changed Yuffie. This thing you've become…I don't recognize you anymore! You're pushing me away and when I leave, all you'll have is your empty, unbeating heart, and an undead mentor who is at least six or seven times your age!"
He released her arm and stalked away.
Yuffie stood speechless for a moment, but after the immediate shock of Reno assertiveness faded, the cocky smirk crept across her face once more.
He doesn't know what he's saying. He'll never leave me. He cares about me too much. Right?
She shook off her doubts and returned to Vincent's side.
"What a drama queen, right?" she laughed, looking up to her mentor.
"Umm…whatever you say, I suppose," he replied sardonically, "However, I have to say that it is not in your best interest to spurn him. He's your only tie to your former life, and, trust me, when I say that once you lose that, you'll forever carry an empty space in your heart. Even though it doesn't beat anymore, it can still feel the pain of loss…"
He shrugged and began to ascend the stairs to him chambers.
"Alright teach," Yuffie said buoyantly, "Whatever you say. After all, you've kinda been in this situation longer than I have."
She followed him up the stairs and accosted him momentarily for a hug, which he allowed even though it made him grimace. They then parted ways, each traversing another set of stairs to their own room.
Yuffie sat on her bedroom windowsill and stared out into the night. The moon shone down brightly on the vast, dark field sprawled out in front of the manor. She used to be moved by such a scene, but now she looked upon the night sky with disgust. She never realized how ugly the night could be when it was the only thing you ever saw. She had taken her time in the sunlight for granted and it saddened her to know that she would never be able to see it again. She would never be able to feel the sun's gentle warmth dance across her cheek, or sit under a shade tree and read a good book. Now it was dark all the time. She wondered if that was the reason for her new mood. Yes, she had noticed the change in herself, too. She was just too stubborn to admit it. She hated being wrong, especially when it meant that Reno was right.
I guess I'll apologize to Reno…tomorrow, maybe…