Disclaimer: As always, nothing belongs to me!

A/N: Everyone's been acting so damn strange, huh? Well, it wasn't without reason. I'm pretty sure I've written this story with this one chapter in mind. Everything (well, almost) is about to be remedied so the real fun can begin! Enjoyyyy!

Back at the mansion a facsimile of lunch was attempted, but the still-shamefaced young princess got up abruptly during the meal and stalked off towards her room. Reeve shot a nasty glance at the Crown Prince, who didn't even see it, as he was staring blankly at the meal in front of him. Following his young charge, Reeve exited the dining hall and left Vincent to brood or stare or whatever it was that he was obliged to do.

Upstairs in the bedroom, Yuffie took to throwing herself on the bed, as she had so often been doing lately, as Reeve pulled out their suitcases and started packing. The young girl took no notice of this and just lay there, as still and as quiet as a corpse. Her guardian muttered and huffed to himself noisily about the kind of treatment they had been subjected to, and all other sorts of "Who does he think he is, anyway!?"-like admonishments. He was in such a furor that he didn't notice the girl had long since drifted off to sleep. Reeve really wondered what had happened to that spunky young girl that he used to take care of. Lately she was acting so meek and demure he couldn't help but wonder what was going through her mind. He wondered a lot if this is what she thought would make Vincent like her more. Someone lady-like and quiet; the exemplary Wutain woman. If this was the case, she was better off forgetting about the marriage and being herself. He knew by the deadened look in her eyes that there was no way she could ever be happy trying to pretend to be someone who she clearly wasn't, even if it meant giving up the hope of winning over a man she had always secretly hoped might be her's someday.

Walking up to his young charge, he gently nudged her until she responded. She looked up at him defeated and ashamed.

"Why don't we just go home, Princess?"

She shook her head defiantly.

"Come on, there's no use in being stubborn. This is no way for a beautiful young girl like you to be treated, for any reason. Is he really worth all this trouble? Worth all this heartache?"

"You don't understand, Reeve. I'm trying my hardest. I really am! I just want him to like me, that's all. And can you imagine what kind of shame I would have to endure if I went home now? Without even the slightest hope of hearing something good come out of this? I never used to care...but something in me does now. Something in me wants to do good and make everyone proud. And for once...I'd like for someone to love me. Even if it's not really for me."

She started to cry. Reeve stroked her hair consolingly and said nothing. He didn't know what to say.

Breaking the silence was the low-pitched buzz of Reeve's PHS ringing. Getting off the bed he hurried to answer it and quickly surveyed the number. It wasn't one he recognized.

"Reeve Tuesti of Wutai."

A midtone voice with a slight gangster drawl that he remembered oh-so well replied, startling him.

"I know who it is, dumbass. That's why I called this number, yo. Can we meet somewhere? I gotta favor to ask ya."

Glancing over at Yuffie who had once again fallen into a melancholy slumber, he replied:

"I suppose. Meet me at the bar by the inn at Old Nibleheim in fifteen minutes. Don't keep me waiting."

Hanging up, Reeve once more checked the young girl lying in bed. She was sound asleep.

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Reno shot Rude a thumbs-up. It looked like this wasn't a completely hopeless case. After all, Reeve hadn't hung up on him.

"The bar next door in fifteen."

'"Let's not keep the guy waiting."

The redhead rolled his eyes and shook his head as he rose from his chair.

"Man, you guys with goatees must all think alike coz he said the same damn thing."

The other man said nothing as they walked out of the room.

Reeve, who thankfully met no resistance leaving the mansion, nor did he run into that cad Vincent, easily spotted the two men, dressed as usual in their Turk uniforms. Coming up to their table, he sat down to a cool beer, pre-ordered for him by the two other men.

"Look, guys. I've been having a pretty terrible weekend. So if you're here to cause trouble could you please reconsider and just lay low, for my sake?"

"Sorry bud, no can do. But I totally understand your having a terrible weekend thing. I ain't been doin' all that great myself. And I'll tell you why. It's all coz of that cute-ass girl you introduced me to."
color shot up into Reeve's face almost instantaneously.

"You will NOT refer to her in that manner in my presence! Do you understand me?!"

"Ay man, what's got yer panties all up in a bunch?"

Even Rude was slightly shocked at the outburst.

"The Princess is here because she's trying to seal a...deal of sorts with the Crown Prince of Nibelheim."

Reno looked away with a sour look on his face.

"Yeah, tell me somethin' I DON'T know."

"Well, it's not going over quite as well as one would hope. Not that it's any of your business mind you. But it's been really hard on her, and I'm begging you not to go and 'chase her tail' so to speak, just because you're infatuated with her. This could be something serious if things go well, and I don't want to see her hurt any more than she already has been. I may only be her guardian, but I've raised her like my own, and it would kill me to see some idiot with a hormone-induced crush either make things harder for her, or ruin something that could be good. Okay? Level with me."

"See, that's the problem yo. I thought the same thing as you at first. I thought that this was just me thinkin' with the wrong head and trying to get her because I like the chase, and boy was this fox elusive. But then somethin' inside of me changed. I became like some kinda animal coz I realized for the first time in my life...I'm in love. And of course I had to fall in love with the one person I could never have. But if things are going as stupidly as you say they are, then Reeve, you got the power to change that. You can help her by helping me. This ain't a joke; I'm strung. I'm gonna love that girl from here til the end of the world...and all I ask is just an hour, just a chance to show her. And whatever happens, well, ya know, does. She can laugh in my face and I'll give in, a broken man. Or she can love me, and I'll work it all out. Coz I'm in this for the long haul, yo."

Reeve looked down, clearly vexed, at his empty beer mug.

"You guys must have slipped me something. Otherwise I think I just might have heard you wrong. It sure sounded to me like you want to try and get the princess to like you. And not just because you want to get in her pants, so to speak. Are you serious?"

A fierce light seemed to blaze in Reno's already bright eyes.

"Dead serious. What can I do? Will you help me? That's probably a stupid question. I don't see why you would...you have no reason to. I bet you're rooting all the same for that schmuck Valentine."

"I'm going to do the opposite and level with you. Yuffie...well...she's been in such avid pursuit of...this union, that she's not been herself lately. She's been rather depressed and acting very...submissive. I understand that she wants to make everyone proud and that she's had a girlish crush on the Crown Prince ever since she caught sight of him, but I don't think she's following through for the right reasons. She's been seeing a rather unsavory side of him throughout our little trip, and well, I wish she would see that these are his true colors and that she should not pursue him if she is only doing it for the sake of an infatuation and honor."

"Man, ain't nobody in this world she should have to change for. She's perfect just the way she is. A little hotheaded but--"

"Who are you to talk?" Rude interjected.

Giving his partner a knowing grin he nodded.

"Exactly."

"Huh. I'm going to be honest with you. I don't exactly trust you guys. For obvious reasons. You're also going to have a Hell of a time getting this okayed by Kisaragi Taishou, but honestly, I think you could get Yuffie to see things differently. Get her to understand that she shouldn't have to change herself. Or maybe just get her to recognize the change to begin with. So here's the deal. I'm going to give you one hour with her. I'll sneak her out and cover for you all for the span of an hour. All I ask is that you are prompt, and that you do not do anything that would compromise her integrity. Do you understand?"

Reno nearly killed Reeve in his enthusiasm as he clapped the man hard on the back and sputtered a plethora of jumbled phrases of gratitude and promises to follow by his terms.

"I'll call you when you can swing by the very front entrance to the path that leads up to the mansion to get her."

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Reeve had no trouble bypassing Vincent or any of his guards or staff. After the incident that had taken place earlier in the day, he had as little to do with his guests as he possibly could. He did send word that they were free to go and do as they pleased or order what they like and he would take care of it, but for the meantime it seemed as though the Crown Prince was abandoning them for a bit.

The biggest difficulty was convincing Yuffie to go out herself. Making flimsy excuses of having some things to do, and knowing full well that the Prince wasn't going to interfere, he managed to goad her into going out, claiming that it would be good for her, and one never knows whom one might run into.

After Yuffie had begrudgingly trudged out of the room, Reeve quickly PHS'd the two waiting men. Rude had agreed to pick the young girl up at the gate. After everything was settled, it was all just left to waiting.

Rude finally spotted the slow-moving form of the Princess approaching the front gate. She staggered as though she had little to no impetus for movement and seemed to struggle to continue walking. When she met him at the gate she was startled. She had never seen him before.

"Miss Kisaragi?"

"Who are you?"

"I'm a friend of someone you know."

"...That's nice. Who?"

"I can't really say. But I'd be much obliged to show you if you'd come with me."

"How am I supposed to know you're not some crazy kidnapper out to steal me and use me to get ransom money outta my dad?"

"If that were the case do you think I would bother standing here talking to you in front of the Crown Prince's mansion?"

Wincing at the mention of the Crown Prince, she nodded.

"Fair enough. I guess I can humor you for a bit. But if you try anything funny I'll go straight-up shinobi on your ass."

"Sure."

Taking her gently by the arm, he walked her over to a small bar further away on the outskirts of Old Nibelheim, bordering into the newer part of the country.

They walked into the bar, arm in arm, and sat down at a table not to far away from a shabby little stage at the center. Someone was just clearing off of the stage, having been booed off for reading a piece of terrible poetry. It was open mic night at the bar.

Rude gave a thumbs up in a random direction. Yuffie took no notice, as she was too busy flagging down a waiter to get her a drink. Just as she finished ordering a bottle of their strongest sake, the next act was making his way to the stage as the MC semi-introduced him.

"This young man wished to go unnamed, hopefully not because his act sucks. He did say that he would like to dedicate this to a beautiful young lady, whom he also wished to leave unnamed, but she should know who she is. Supposedly. Let's hope he doesn't make an ass of himself. Here we go!"

A tall, lanky man, with an unruly shock of red hair got up on stage and waited for the music to queue. He was so nervous that he didn't dare look to see where the girl he was singing for was sitting, lest he break his already strained concentration. Once it hit the specific point he was waiting for, he let forth a melodic wail.

"R...Ruuuude?!"

She was stunned and barely caught snatches of what he was singing to begin with.

"...One, two, princes kneel before you ... Princes, princes who adore you; just go ahead now. One has diamonds in his pockets - and that's some bread now. This one, said he wants to buy you rockets, ain't in his head now. ... Marry him, your father will condone you - How bout that now. Marry me, your father will disown you - he'll eat his hat now. Marry him, or marry me. I'm the one that loves you baby can't you see? I ain't got no future or family tree but I know what a prince and lover ought to be...Said if you want to call me baby - Just go ahead now. And if you'd like to tell me maybe, just go ahead now..."

She lost the thread of the rest of what he was singing because she was so shocked at what was happening. He was by no means a good singer. In fact, he was a little less than mediocre. But the fact was that she knew it, she knew that he was singing for her. And after everything she had gone through this weekend it felt good to know that someone was going out on a limb for her for a change.

He was just wrapping up the song as he grabbed the mic off the holder and went down in front of her where she sat and sang her the last, and most relevant part of his song to her.

"...Come on forget the king and marry me!!..."

Yuffie looked away from him, blushing furiously. Most of the people in the crowd had caught on to this already by the way he kept looking around the room as though to spot someone. Once he had gained the courage to keep looking at her, they noticed that he never once peeled his eyes away from her, even as she seemed not to be paying attention to him.

The MC started a round of applause for him as some amused and encouraging laughter rang out with praise and much clapping for his alright performance. Even the MC, who was not impressed with his singing, at least acknowledged his bravery and humor.

After taking a bow and swaggering off-stage with pride, he grabbed a chair and swung it round to the table where the Princess sat. She wouldn't look at him but still hid her cherry-red face while gulping down sake by the cupful. Rude grinned from ear to ear, impressed by his partner. He wasn't sure he would have actually gone through with it, and secondly, he wasn't a terrible singer. For being Reno anyway.

The redhead threw a cavalier arm around the girl and beamed.

"So how'd I do, Princess? Wanna jump into bed with me and start workin' on being mine for life?"

The girl, feeling a bit of that old fire coming back into her, whacked his arm off her shoulders and turned and glared at the young Turk beside her.

"Look, you. Just who do ya think you are goin' around and touchin' me like that? Last time we talked all you wanted was some action. Lemme tell YOU something buddy, the only thing you're gonna get from me is a fat lip!"

"Only if it's around my--"

Throwing one good left hook she caught him in the cheek. He fell of his barstool, but he grinned at her wildly as he rubbed the spot she hit.

"Yeah! That's what I like about you!"

She raised an eyebrow.

"Or maybe love."

Rude bowed his head and laughed quietly to himself as the girl sputtered and flung an empty cup at the fallen man's head. He blocked it and kept laughing and smiling, until she could do nothing but join in too.

An exerpt from "Two Princes" by The Spin Doctors © The Spin Doctors 1991