First real chapter! Same stuff, prop Square-Enix... this gives alittle insight into important characters, as well as a bit og the background to Yuffie and Vincent in this story... Enjoy!

Chapter 1: Prayers

Life…

Life was tough on Gaea now, even more so then anytime painted in the history books. Who cares about the fables of Sephiroth and AVALANCHE when there was no hope in the world? Well, maybe there was some, but it was held by children and fools…

People that didn't know GeoCorp could kill them at any moment, people that still prayed to the lost Aeon, that love could be restored. The people that still believed in fairy tales and magic. This world had been devoid of magic for along time.

Or so other's thought, but Minerva Kierkin believed that somewhere, there was still magic left, and that it would be what saved them in the end. Her attention was pulled from the window as she looked out over Neo-Midgar, a place far grander then it's name sake, sporting seven plate rings to it, rather then just the one, it had been originally dedicated to peace and prosperity… when the WRO was still dedicated to maintaining the planet. She glanced over to the girl in the bed, a wisp of a child, barely four and still so full of hope and promise.

If she only knew what had happened to her parents, and why she'd come to live with her grandmother… her brother did, but he would never talk about it. Watching one's parents being gunned down by cyborg soldiers tended to send a child, any child, into a shell. Patrick was, at least, talking now.

Lily looked up at her grandmother with big blue eyes, her golden ringlets hanging down her pink pajamas. "Tell us the story again!"

Minerva smiled softly and sat down, looking to the precious girl. "Are you sure you want that one?"

"Yes! It's my favorite!"

"But I just told it to you yesterday!"

"I know! But I love it most of all! Please Grammy!"

The old woman chuckled softly, running her hand through her salt and pepper hair. "Alright… Once upon a time, long ago, there was a Princess that was very stubborn, and she did not want to abide by the rules of her country. She ran away, stealing magic wherever she could, wanting to find the one spell to free her from the curse of being married without love. When she turned sixteen, she met up with a group of Adventurers, who were setting out to save the world from the dangers that threatened it, so she went with them, the gifted Ninja deciding that she would, instead, steal their magic away."

The woman smiled a bit and looked over to the boy, that was listening just as intently to her as Lily was, but not a word was passed through his lips… however the girl was full of questions. "Didn't she know that that was wrong?"

"She did, but she didn't care… she had to find the one spell that would free her, and let her love in return. Then, in her travels with the Adventurers, they came across an old manor, with high ceilings and broken windows, and here they learned that a man was being held captive, and the wily Princess decided that she would free him. They followed the hints, and fought a terrible monster, until finally, they retrieved the key, and went into the dark catacombs to find him."

Lily's eyes were big, even though she'd heard the story a hundred times before, she was wrapped up in the events, and it was like she'd never heard it. "Did they find him?"

The grandmother nodded, "They did, he was in a coffin, locked away in a crypt… the Immortal Gunslinger, left to stay there forever… but the Princess and her companions freed them, and though he had a terrible burden on his shoulders, he went with them to help save the world. Through many trials, they saved everyone, and the Princess had grown fond of the tall, dark and handsome man, not caring that he would never age, she accepted him as her friend, just as he was…

Perhaps she'd finally found the spell to release her from her vows?"

Lily giggled, "Was it love at first sight?" The old woman shook her head, "No my dear, something much more special… something enduring… she accepted him for who he was, even with the immortality and darkness within him, she took him as her friend, and that was fair more lasting then instant attraction. But, tragedy struck the Gunslinger, and he left, leaving the Princess heartbroken. She knew then, that all of her feelings weren't attached to magic or positions, that it was the Gunslinger that held her heart. She went to find him, but misfortune came again, and the Ninja was struck down, and in his desperation to save the one he'd come to love, he gave her his blood, dooming her to live with the immortality as well. But, the Princess, seeing the gift of life he'd given her as not a curse, but a chance at happiness, expressed her love for him, and he for her, and that caused them to awaken Eros, letting love back into the world. Some say that you can see the Crimson Gunslinger and his Princess still, silently helping those in the most need."

This time, it was Patrick that spoke up… "That's a stupid story! If the Gunslinger and the Princess were still alive, wouldn't they be helping us! They wouldn't have let Mommy and Daddy die! They wouldn't let them kill innocent people!" Minerva sighed softly, looking to the two of them… "It's just a story, please, get some sleep…" She stood and went out into the hall, closing the door behind her. The wizened blue eyes drifted over the city once again… "I've given up praying to God, but if you are out there Princess, help us…"

.:xXx:.

Yuffie Valentine sighed a bit and looked over the slum area of Neo-Midgar, her hand firmly planted in the gloved hand of her husband… "Gawd this place gets worse every time we come back." She sighed softly and looked up to Vincent, who still had Tsurugi strapped to his back. "I know," he said softly, and he gave her a tiny smile. It bothered him as well, but that was why they were trying to make a difference now. It had gotten too bad for them to hope it would straighten itself out…

"Hey! You guys look familiar!"

Yuffie blinked and looked over her shoulder, her long braid swaying behind her. A young man, maybe sixteen, was standing behind them, his arm extended and his finger pointing at them. "You're dressed like the people out of that old fairy tale." The ninja sighed softly and looked back up to her husband, giving a slight shake, and then she walked forward, striking a pose. Damn that Wutaniese philosopher and his freaking story! She put on a cheesy smile, "Great costumes, aren't they! We're going to a party, and everyone has to dress up. We're going as the Gunslinger and the Princess! Neat huh!" She turned back around and started to walk with Vincent again. "I swear, the next person that does that…" She rolled her eyes as the kid shouted 'nice costumes' after them. The crimson gunman slipped his hand behind her back and gave her a gentle rub. "Let us just get home, so you can rest…"

Yuffie let out a sigh as she spotted her house, "Thank Leviathian, I'll remember to pray more often if it will get me home with less hassle!"

.:xXx:.

Wendy Elliott-McFadden stood on her balcony overlooking the top Plate of Neo Midgar, whispering a prayer of her own… but her's was not one of peace of self preservation, but one spoken by a puppet master. The president of GeoCorp had few friends, and many enemies, but it wasn't known by many that she was also not the puppet master herself, but rather the slave to someone else's will. She served her purpose, and that was enough for the entity to keep her alive. Her small, brown dog let out a small bark and she looked down at her, giving a smile. "Yes my little Praline? Are you hungry?" She placed the dog on the ground with care, seeming to go against her ruthless image, her long, blonde hair falling over her shoulders, as her risqué top showed a bit too much of her generous cleavage.

She let the dog run off and looked back over the city… her city since she'd killed her father… it was his world, but her city… and she'd always see it as such. "I pray that this all comes to a head soon, and the rabble can be flushed out of their hiding holes…" The president turned and went into her chambers, pressing the intercom. "Death Squad! To my chamber! NOW!" Gliding over to her chair, all she had to do was sit down and wait… then the cleansing would begin.

.:xXx:.

Cole Strife ran his hand through his hair, his bright blue eyes scanning the area as he watched for GeoCorp soldiers. A descendent of the great Cloud Strife, the seventeen year old boy had found out in the last year that he was not only a family member, but he held the soul and memories of the long dead war hero. So much for a normal life serving the government.

Then the young blond was twelve, he'd lost his parents to one of the idiotic cleansing sweeps the Corp put on every few months, they had just disappeared, and the boy had fled to the underbelly of society to hide and preserve his family the best he could. A few years later he'd met Yuffie and Vincent, then all the memories had come back. It took months, but now he felt he was at peace with the new memories, and his new role, making both the reincarnated personality, and his into one, relatively normal person.

Well all except for the nagging feeling that half his soul as missing to begin with.

"Please Gods… let her be here too…" He spoke of his mate, the other half that he so longed for… once her name was Tifa, but now, he had no idea if she was even there with him. But if she were out there, he would find her. He saw the Valentines approaching the house from his vantage point, and slipped down to met them… "Let's get this started."

.:xXx:.

Yuki and Lazarus, two of the four Valentine children, sat in the living room of the large, converted warehouse, waiting for their parents to come back from their trip to Edge. The tall woman was clad in a black skirt and black corset top, her hair shoulder length and two toned, a white stripe framed her pretty face on each side. Her ruby eyes glanced from the clock to her brother, and she sighed a bit. "I hope to Leviathian that they are alright."

The thin man sitting across from her pulled his long, brown hair over his right shoulder, his gray eyes meeting his sisters, though in the dim light they looked pinker, with the small, red glow they held. "They'll be fine, they haven't lived for five hundred years to be stupid now…" Yuki nodded and sighed a bit, still worried about their mother and father.

Finally their patience was rewarded when the door opened and Yuffie and Vincent walked in, with a sack in hand. "Materia…" Yuffie whispered, a grin on her face when she saw her children were glad to see them. "It's begun…"