Okay, so thank you to the FOUR people that reviewed :D I know, you all hate my brazen review-begging XD It's only because I really do want to know what I'm doing right and wrong.
Anyways, just so y'all know, this will not turn into a Reeve x Yuffie. I'll never pair her with anyone but Vince, and vice versa. Just keep hanging in there, this chapter explains it all! Also, I figured out how to make the em dash show up in my story! YAY!
Warning: This one gets a little shocking.
Disclaimer: Never ever ever ever ever have I owned FFVII. And never ever ever ever will I. Deal?
"We launch from Wutai, Commander," a voice declared, the fighter and owner of the voice saluting the leader in a show of respect. The little control room they resided in beeped autonomously from different areas as cameras flickered, some screens depicting footage of current news and media, some security tapes of various government buildings, still others, bugs planted as tracking devices. The entire layout of the room was fashioned with a plethora of advanced technological devices, all targeted toward a specific goal. The atmosphere reeked at once of incredible intelligence and utter conspiracy. If a stranger were to happen upon it, the first impression received might very well be an aura of foreboding.
The Commander stood, and with a great flourish and all of the refinement of a meticulously created death-machine, breezed toward the main screen, the focal point of the room and the largest of all the pixelated displays. It took up the entirety of one of the metal walls, its image pristine and clear and its sound at the perfect decibel to relay both pain and celebration, though the moment was undecided as to whether it was the former or the latter sensation. The image it projected truly portrayed the mood of the occurring event without impedance.
"As you can see behind me," a reporter stated, her white smile perfect and her black hair fashioned in a nontraditional Wutain style, "the government officials of the Pagoda of Wutai have assembled today in discussion of the peace treaty signed by W.R.O. commissioner Reeve Tuesti, a man who is often associated with the monolithic victories of the group AVALANCHE.
"Most people are unaware that Lady Yuffie Kisaragi of Wutai was exiled from her native country for adultery. By disgracing her family title with her promiscuity, she had to abdicate, for she no longer holds the power to rule her nation. Today, the assembly will meet in regards to who will take the princess' place, and how the country will go about economic reform. Back to you, Lance."
The screen flashed to another news room, the image of the lush green mountains and plains of Wutai vanishing along with the picture of the crowd congregated outside of the Pagoda. The leader assessed the news, then proceeded to hit mute, turning to the loyal followers seated around a large, rectangular conference table. Eyes soaked in every detail, every subtle slant of an eyebrow, every clenching of teeth. They were truly hellhounds salivating at the thought of blood-filled prey, ire in their eyes that could not be paralleled.
"And the missiles are ready, I presume?" The chilly voice held a slightly greedy delight, the tone rich with excitement. The Commander turned, back facing the minions and hands clasped there contemplatively.
The fighter saluted once more, confirming, "Ready and aimed at Target Alpha. Detonation determined for twelve hundred hours, Commander."
The Commander nodded, eyes steeled and mouth bared in a viciously anticipating sneer. "Very good. Proceed with the plan, and let no one hinder it."
"Yes, Commander," the fighter replied, bowing deeply to his superior.
Smirking, the Commander declared to the audience, "Today we shall be triumphant in the demolition of the country of Wutai. After we have taken the nation by force, we will coerce all able-bodied men, women, and children to adhere to us, and immediately deploy them in our army, ranked according to ability. With so many ninja, we will be most indestructible against W.R.O. forces come Armageddon."
"You are positive that we will break through their defenses upon invasion, and we will not be defeated upon entry into the land, or defeated while collecting the fighters in the country?" the warrior inquired, eyeing the Commander. The Wutain nation was not known to back down without a fight, especially with all of the acquired martial arts skills. The Commander continued smirking undeterred.
"Positive," the Commander replied arrogantly, "or my name isn't Shelke Rui."
Cherry blossoms drifted in the breeze as the elders of Wutai gathered before the red Pagoda, their faces not unpleasant, but not kind either. Many civilians collected in groups to catch a glimpse of the goings on within the special session, dying to hear a hint of gossip to whisper in another's ear. Reporters lined the artfully crafted paths, their movements animated as they recounted the events of the morning, which were rather dull, in any case, but exaggerated for the sake of the camera positioned before their charming faces. Children raced by their parents, not interested in the least about the political milestone about to occur, but more so in the game of tag that so many had joined in on early that morning, the little girls fumbling over their celebration kimonos as the boys chased them with toy swords, crying out gleefully as they screamed in mock terror.
The streets were filled with all Wutain people, the ages ranging in the oldest of the country to newborns cradled in their mother's arms, from the highest aristocrats to the lowest beggars. Many fathers stood by and discussed what plans the Lord of Wutai considered for the replacement heir, all hoping that their own family would get a chance at the title.
One elder turned to another, whispering about the odd case of Yuffie Kisaragi. No one besides Chekov and Godo knew of Yuffie's pregnancy, though everyone knew from headlines and from gossip in general that Yuffie had disgraced the Kisaragi name when she had slept with a man out of wedlock. Who the man was, though, nobody knew, though many threw around their suspicions. One of the most scandalously entertained ideas happened to be the suggestion that the W.R.O. commissioner, Reeve Tuesti himself had deflowered the princess in a twisted plot to have the great country Wutai collapse in political pandemonium and economic ruin so that he could take power. Of course, many tossed that aside as the rumor it was.
No one in the little country of Wutai knew the truth: Yuffie Kisaragi had fallen for and slept with the savior of the Planet and destroyer of Omega, Vincent Valentine. Nor did anyone aside from a select few — namely AVALANCHE and Reeve — know that a child had been conceived from the union.
A little girl raced past her brother, crying out in giggles as she dashed beneath his arm while he swung the pale-wood sword, screeching at her. She laughed and raised the bottom of her kimono, her little bun bouncing on her head as she ran in the thick, swaying grass. Her brother cackled as he fisted his hand in her obi and pulled, causing her to giggle and shriek, yanking away from his grip to flee once more with her blinding smile sprawled across her chubby face.
As she raced by a shop, a thunderous boom shook the ground, knocking her to her feet and spoiling her new kimono with grass stains. After she picked herself off the ground and wiped the dirt off her skinned cheek, she froze in confusion.
Screams of terror pierced the happy atmosphere like the quickly rising smoke of the building before her as it began to quiver, collapsing while red-hot flames engulfed it; the flames emitted such heat that the child backed away and wiped a bead of sweat from her brow. People who were unfortunate enough to be inside the shop came pouring out, crying in horrendous pain as they dropped to the ground, trying to extinguish the fire licking at their sides and melting their flesh revoltingly. Some people were crushed by the falling debris, and still, others were trampled in the chaos.
At the sight of a splintered wooden sword lying a few feet from a toppled pillar of granite, the child trembled, her knees wobbling in the that terror flooded her fragile body. Creeping forward and holding back sobs, she dropped to her knees beside the column, pain flooding through her at the sight of her brother crushed under the weight of the pillar. His eyes were lifeless, open during the shock of the moment with a horrified expression twisted on his lips. The little girl crawled toward him hesitantly, tugging on the arm of her childhood companion and closest friend, crying fat tears that rolled down her cubby, youthful face. She shook him, begging him pitifully to wake up and quit playing; she hated when he played like this.
Suddenly, the little girl's mother appeared, scooping up the sobbing child and turning her head from her brother's body. In a shaky voice, she demanded, "Don't look, my cherry blossom, don't look!"
The little girl buried her face in her mother's shoulder, her pudgy arms wrapping around her mother's neck and clinging to her as she cried inconsolably for her dead brother, the one she raced around the yard and climbed the cherry blossom trees with, the one who defended her from the mean boys down the road and washed her cuts when she got hurt.
Her mother rocked her gently and spun around in search of her husband. She found him kneeling beside an elderly woman, the lady sprawled out on the ground and suffering from incredible burns. People rushed around with no regards to the fallen, trampling those in their path mercilessly as they raced to get away.
"Mother, get up! We must go now!" the man pleaded, trying to help the elderly woman up as his wife rushed to his side. The aged woman could not stand and begged her son to leave. "No, I will not leave you!"
"We need to go," the woman beseeched her husband, watching with her dark eyes as he tried to get his mother to follow. "Our son is dead!"
The man went rigid and rounded on his wife, his eyes widened in pain and disbelief. He ignored the people shoving him around to get away from the madness. "Dead!? No, not my son!" he bellowed over the sound of tears, shrieks, and chaos.
The woman blinked her tears away, the image of her only son lying beneath the stone pillar and her daughter crying over his fallen form haunting her. "And we must leave now, or your daughter will be dead too! It is madness here, we will all surely die!"
The man gave one last pitiful glance to his mother as she cried out in agony, but then took his daughter from his wife's arms. Together they took off running, the six year old still clingy, desperate, and crying.
They raced through the lush forests and across the grassy plains for what seemed like hours, and finally, the coast was materializing before them. They knew there was a dock on the north side, a raft waiting to carry them to the safety of another place, a place far from Wutai. When they were but a hundred yards from the coast, a group of soldiers appeared with their weapons raised in threatening defense. By the characteristics of their faces and bodies, it was quite obvious that they were foreign and of no relation to the motherland. The man stopped in his tracks, shielding his wife and daughter as he cautiously gauged the soldiers.
"Why are you in our country!?" he demanded, furious. The soldiers remained silent, weapons still cocked and raised, ready to fire at a whim.
A soldier lowered his gun and stepped forward, replying, "We are here to recruit for our army. You and your family may either come with us willingly, or we will take you the hard way."
"No," the man answered, his arm out before his remaining family protectively. He would not let these foreigners apprehend his family without a fight. He was a proud Wutain, born and raised a ninja like his ancestors. Coolly, he added, "We will not go."
"Very well," the soldier replied indifferently, "Take their child and bring her back to the village. Her public execution shall be as an example to all of those who dare to defy the Tsviet Regime."
The soldiers stepped forward after the order, holding the man back as he roared in fury and tried to get to his daughter. The woman sobbed, wrapping her arms around her child defensively and begging through her tears for the soldiers not to take her. The little girl screamed in fear as a soldier gripped her upper arm and cruelly yanked her out of her mother's shielding grip, hoisting her up and smirking at her flailing arms and red, tear-streaked faced.
"Shut up, you stupid child. Do not fuss; it will all be over soon."
"Please, take me instead!" the woman sobbed, falling to her knees before the combatant. Her bloodshot, pleading eyes gazed into the soldier's cruel orbs. All of the love for her small child could be seen in that one beseeching, miserable look. "Don't hurt my daughter — take me!"
"Oh, madam, I assure you — I will take you. But not the way you think." He leered down at the woman nauseatingly, and her husband lunged toward him, readying a fist with a mighty roar. The soldier moved at the last moment, swinging the child with him. He threw his head back, cackling at the man as more soldiers moved in to restrain him.
They marched with the family back to Wutai to make an example of one and frighten one hundred. To make an example of one hundred, and frighten a whole nation. Wutai would fall and the Tsviets would rise up, taking the land in one fell swoop. And Yuffie Kisaragi would be nowhere to stop it.
Yuffie glanced at Reeve's door, wondering why the commissioner had called her in for a private conference. Usually he left her to her own devices while working, for she thought better under solitude, as un-like her as it seemed. But alas, he'd called her on her office phone, his tone urgent.
Entering his office, the first thing she saw was the grand TV screen on the wall across from her. Yuffie gaped at the scene unfolding on the news. Her beloved Wutai was burning to the ground and frantic civilians were racing around to find their children and families as buildings fell and crushed people beneath them. Yuffie raised a hand to her mouth shakily, the picture grotesque and causing her stomach to churn uncontrollably.
"Wutai," she whispered miserably. "My Wutai!"
Reeve nodded, swallowing thickly as he very gradually raised his gaze to meet hers, a look of sincere pain on his face. "Yes, Yuffie. Wutai is under siege. Reports are pouring in that it is a group that goes by 'The Tsviet Regime'. They are terrorizing the Wutain citizens, recruiting the men, women, and even children for their army, and making examples of those they don't."
"Why?" Yuffie inquired, quaking. The place she'd grown up in, dying in the red wash of angry flames and crimson liquid. Collapsing into fragments of rubble and smithereens were the structures where she'd spent the better part of her childhood. The red Pagoda was but ash on the burning ground…
The ache inside her clashed with the feeling of abandoning her country like it'd abandoned her. Wutai had turned its back on her, hadn't it? She owed this place nothing, no remorse or sentiment. Still, the scene brought hot tears to her eyes. She hated these conflicting feelings…
"I'm not sure," Reeve replied. "I believe they are planning on invading other places as well. It could possibly be their intent to overtake the W.R.O. and become the supreme rulers of Gaia."
Yuffie took an unstable breath, her heart hammering in her chest wildly. She was afraid and lost, not knowing what to do. She'd been banished from the land, so there wasn't much she could do, but she hated sitting around on her ass, watching the reporters tell her the body count of those she considered her family, of the place she was meant to have ruled.
It would be easy to turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to the obvious need for a savior, but that would be cowardly. Sure, the best thing the ninja knew how to do was run — but she was tired of running. The constant fleeing and hiding had worn her out and screwed up her life. When Hasonsuru beat her, she ran from accepting the fact and put on a front for her friends. When Valencia died, she ran from the pain by taking out her suffering on Vincent. That ruined everything for them.
If she ran now, it would be over. There would be no denying the fact that she was a deserter, taking the easy way out. No, she would be brave, and she would do whatever she could to help the place she once called home.
Deep breaths, Yuffie…
"My country in collapse — Leviathan, this is not good!" Yuffie bit her lip, pacing uncontrollably.
"Get my espionage unit. We need to find out where the base for the Tsviets is being held, my guess is in whatever building remains after they end the demolition. If there are no remaining buildings, it is likely they set up camp somewhere within the heart of the village, somewhere they can keep tabs on the villagers and smother any uprisings or rebellions should the men decide to fight. Either way, I'm sure there are many outposts around the perimeter of Wutai. They probably considered the fact that congregating in the center would present the opportunity for the men to attack from around. And they probably have a lot of soldiers scouting for intruders and anti-Tsviet forces. We'll have to take an underground route."
Reeve nodded, watching how effortlessly Yuffie transitioned into the role of a mature leader, her eyes determined and her mouth set in a grim line. It was why he chose her for the role of intelligence gathering; she might have appeared no more than an immature young woman, but she was the perfect pick when faced with a serious situation. Had she been given the chance, she would have been a great Lady of Wutai.
Immediately following her command, the commissioner reached for his phone and called his men, ordering them to adhere to the ex-princess. When he hung up, Yuffie turned to him with her jaw clenched and a fire in her eyes that could rival Phoenix.
"They killed my child. They killed Vincent. They've attacked my country… No more — this means war." She brushed past Reeve, her eyes targeting the door. Pitilessly, she commanded, "Take me to Rosso."
The only thought Reeve could muster was that he was incredibly glad to be Reeve, and not Rosso the Crimson.
The door slowly opened and Yuffie slipped inside stealthily, her ninja skills true. She narrowed her eyes, lips pulling from her teeth like a growling, rabid dog stalking its prey through a desolate alley. She tiptoed into the room, her fists clenching while Conformer poked into her back, as if reminding her that she was the dominate woman in the situation.
In the dim light, little flickers from the lone bulb in the center of the room cast shadows on the figure strapped to the chair. The occasional zapping from the frying circuit echoed in the damp and musty room. The place smelled like blood, sweat, and rats. Interestingly, a bloody, sweaty rat was all that Yuffie found in the room.
Like a bolt of lightning, Yuffie latched onto her shuriken and flew at Rosso, the woman crying out in surprise. Yuffie's fury overtook her in a hurricane of encompassing rage. Trembling, she pressed Conformer to Rosso's neck and shoved her knee into the Tsviet's chest. A bead of blood formed beneath the shuriken's point, dripping down the pale throat of her victim.
After the shock of the moment faded, Rosso laughed, crying, "It's the Wutai flea! How is your country?"
"Gyah!" Yuffie yelled, shoving a fist into Rosso's mouth, feeling some teeth dislodge. The Tsviet's head snapped backward, and when she lifted it again, blood leaked out of her mouth.
"You will tell me what I want to know," Yuffie demanded, her voice low and gritty, "or I will tear you limb from limb." At this, Yuffie used Conformer to slice the lobe of Rosso's ear, splitting it. The Tsviet grit her teeth, hissing in pain.
The need to end Rosso bubbled unbearably beneath the kunoichi's surface, but she struggled to maintain her cool. It would not do well for her to kill the woman before she got the information she needed out of her. Even so, just the knowledge that this creature had caused the death of her daughter was enough to make Yuffie's blood boil.
Patience, strength, and peace… Yuffie chanted to herself, praying to Leviathan to grant her solidarity. If Vincent could walk away without killing her, so can I. So can I. So can I!
Through a bloodied mouth, Rosso achieved, "And what do you want to know, little girl?"
With a cry, Yuffie split Rosso's lip, her eyes crazed. "I am not a little girl. You'll do well to remember that, or I'll show you just what you did to my little girl. I'm sure you remember — but it won't hurt a bit to remind you." The biting words were making it hard for Yuffie to reign in her anger.
Rosso raised a thick eyebrow, her maroon eyes calculating. "A mother who has lost her daughter – yes, I see. I have heard it said that a human mother is the only thing more dangerous than a dragon mother when her child is threatened. It's a pity your child isn't around anymore, hm?"
That comment stopped the ninja dead in her tracks. Whatever sliver of humanity and sympathy Yuffie possessed before vanished, leaving a brutal, ruthless corpse in its wake.
The only time the ninja had ever truly felt at peace was when she was holding her daughter, and this… this vile creature had taken that from her! She'd killed Valencia! This bitch had ordered the DEATH of her daughter — HER daughter! Those few words had killed off anything merciful. She craved blood.
Turning to Reeve, Yuffie's eyes were no longer the chocolaty-silver they once had been. They were almost black now, and with alarm, Tuesti noticed that there seemed to be an almost yellow glow to her irises.
Her voice was hard and uncaring as she ordered, "Leave and shut the door behind you, Reeve. If you choose to stay, I can't say you'll be spared much."
Reeve nodded in understanding and turned away. He had thought Vincent was bad – Yuffie would not show an inkling of mercy for Rosso the Crimson. Such was a mother who faced the murderer of her child.
And, if the screams following his exit from the chamber were anything to go by, he decided, Yuffie would be receiving her information. And on her own terms. In a speedy manner.
When Yuffie reemerged from the chamber, a small smirk graced her lips and there was clear delight in her eyes. Reeve took a step back, feeling apprehensive at the twisted spark that flickered in her chocolate orbs. Could this side of her prove insanity just within arm's length, one catastrophe away from the breaking point? She was standing on a precipice, one more step and she'd fall over the edge.
So much like… like Chaos… But why?
Yuffie took a cloth out of her pocket, wiped the gore from Conformer, and then examined the mess on her fabric after the weapon appeared at least slightly cleaner than before. The rag, once a creamy white, was now drenched in crimson. Reeve hesitated to say anything, watching Yuffie curiously as she stared at the material, her eyes gleaming oddly.
And there was still that tinge of yellow…
"Yuffie, are you alright?" The words came at last, hesitant and wavering. Though he loved Yuffie with everything he had, at that particular moment, he felt like locking her in a cell to be further analyzed.
With his tentative words, Yuffie snapped out of the haze, resurfacing in sanity. She bit her lip and shook her head, throwing the rag in a trash can down the hall. When she returned, Reeve placed his hand on her shoulder, watching as she raised a hand to her forehead and her eyes turned watery.
"Reeve, I'm losing it," Yuffie whispered, her voice meek, tremulous, and frightened. "I – I enjoyed making her suffer, Reeve. I wanted her to hurt… I… wanted to make her pay."
Her final statement came out sounding like a question of disbelief, as though she could not comprehend the malicious pleasure she took in harming another person. Reeve pulled the ninja into his arms, patting her back, and resting his chin on her forehead comfortingly. The child-like innocence in her swimming eyes made his heart ache, and he wanted nothing more than to make her sorrow go away.
"Yuffie, that is only natural. She ordered the death of your child."
"I don't want to feel like this, Reeve! I don't want to hate someone like this!" Yuffie broke into tears, her eyes shutting as she gasped for breath, remembering the sheer pleasure that came from the look of pain in Rosso's eyes. She wanted to feel sick, to feel guilty, but she couldn't bring herself to. She could only enjoy the tormenting of the Tsviet. Sickly, Yuffie wondered if this was akin to what Vincent had felt for Hojo, and she suddenly understood why Vincent had locked himself away for thirty years. It had all been to block out the monstrous inhumanity that threatened to end all rationale and transform a once good person into a demon.
"Demon…" Yuffie whispered, so low that the commissioner did not catch it. Something about the situation reminded her entirely too much of a particular demon…
Reeve kissed the top of Yuffie's head and pushed her back to cup her chin gently and look into her eyes. He brushed the tears away and replied, "But it's good to get it out. You feel like this because of what she did to Valencia, Vincent, and Wutai. You love them."
The words hat hit home, the hurt registering on her face as she bit her trembling lip. She hid her face in his chest and cried harder, calling for Vincent. Her heart yearned for the gunslinger and his crimson cape, the symbol of comfort and pure love. She wanted her Vincent, he could fix this just by being with her. She needed him to hold her in his arms and tell her that someday — even if it took thirty years of hiding in a coffin — this pit of despair within her heart would fade away and she would find peace again.
"Vinnie!" Yuffie screeched, falling to her knees and burying her head in her hands. She shook in agony, imagining her life with him beside her and knowing that she could never have what she wanted most: the man she loved more than life itself and the daughter that died before she'd even truly experienced living. "Why'd you have to leave me, Vinnie?"
Reeve stooped beside the ninja and collected her into his arms, rocking her soothingly.
Vincent, he thought, if I have ever needed you more, now is that moment. She needs you… Yuffie's dying without you, and I cannot bear to see it. I cannot watch the woman I cherish as a sister crying in hopelessness…
The little girl's execution stunned the Wutain population. No one spoke a word; no one turned to their companions and cried in outrage. Shell-shocked, the country of Wutai stood in submission, hanging their heads as they parted like the Red Sea to allow the Tsviets to march through the village, the soldiers stationing themselves among the population in case of riots.
A child — no, not quite that — skipped down the path, taking her place at the front of the army, a sickly sweet smile on her face as she addressed the residents.
"Citizens of Wutai, today is the day that you lay down your arms and submit to the will of the Tsviet Regime. So proud were the people of Wutai, unwilling to take help of any kind from outsiders, unwilling to abandon tradition, unwilling to accept your own Lady. That's quite a misfortune for you. She might have been able to prevent this humiliation, but you shunned her and scorned her, and now she is far more broken than you could have ever imagined. There is no longer hope for a savior. You are completely at our mercy.
"What a shame that this country will be forced in front of millions to succumb to the greater powers of the Tsviets – and against its will. How humiliating, how disgraceful. Great country of Wutai, from this day on you will be known as Ruinia. This will be the capitol of the new empire, where the Tsviet Regime shall reign. Kneel in subservience before your new sovereign, Shelke Rui."
And the country bowed.
Yuffie slipped out of her office and traveled along the halls of the W.R.O. building. At the moment, she didn't really know where she was going, only that her feet were carrying her. It was like her mind was on autopilot, locking everything out to numb the pain.
She arrived at and elevator and waited in front of the metal doors, shifting her weight. When the elevator dinged and its doors opened, the ninja slipped in and pressed the button for the second floor, feeling the elevator lower after the doors closed once more.
The typical muzak playing softly made her roll her eyes. It was the kind of music she expected Vincent to listen to while reading some old tome, lounging around on the chaise by the brick fireplace in their sitting room, leaning his pale cheek on his gloved hand. The picture that her mind conjured sent a pained shock up her spine.
It hurt just thinking about him.
The elevator dinged once more and Yuffie watched the door slide open slowly. When she exited the elevator, she took a look around, examining the mission detail floor. She traveled along the corridors, going in search of a particular room that she wasn't really aware she was looking for. When she found it, she slipped in and shut the door, locking it behind her.
Sitting down at the computer, Yuffie reached behind the monitor and pulled the picture of Costa del Sol out, smiling at Vincent's smirking figure. She traced his form, tears falling from her eyes slowly as she reclined in the chair and wondered what he was doing — if one even did much in the Lifestream.
"Do you miss me, Vincent?" Yuffie pondered aloud, closing her eyes. She knew she missed him with all of her being. "Are you trying to find a way back home, or have you accepted your fate?"
In all honesty, if he'd found peace in the Lifestream and not thought of her since he'd died, it wouldn't bother her. Her hope was that he'd at least found some form of happiness in the afterlife. And if that meant his memories of their time together had vanished, then she hoped that they had.
So many questions Yuffie had, but not one went answered. She questioned the state of Wutai, she questioned her sanity, she questioned where the Tsviets were planning to attack next. It appeared that her life was spiraling out of control and she was grasping for a hold, but any time she gained purchase, a rock came loose and she was falling again.
A sudden wave of nausea hit the ninja, and she remembered her predicament. She could be no more than a month or so along, maybe even less. The question nagged at her, and she wanted to see a doctor to get prenatal pills. But after her last hospital trip, Yuffie hesitated to trust a medic again. It would be incredibly foolish to directly put herself in harm's way while pregnant.
At least Vincent had left her with a piece of him. It would be tough to take care of the child after everything she'd experienced, but she'd be damned if she didn't try her best. Vincent might not have been there for her to love, but she'd put all the love she had for him into loving her child. The pain of losing her daughter and then her gunslinger was still raw, but she had to keep her chin up. She had to try.
"Little Chocobo," Yuffie whispered, caressing her tummy. "Do you know how much you've gone through? I swear all this stress is going to kill one of us eventually." All of the fighting, the wreck on the Highwind, the stress of her country being bombed on national television, Vincent's death — the effects of such negative emotion would surely be great, and if she endured much more, she would give out.
Tifa seemed to be losing faith, too. She'd devotedly remained by Cloud's side when they reached the W.R.O. headquarters and wheeled him to the infirmary. The doctors were working diligently to wake him from his coma, but it was taking them longer than they thought it would to find out what type of medicine or materia was used to put him into the medical stasis in the first place. Tifa cried for Cloud and begged the doctors to work harder, even though they were working to the best of their ability. Yuffie understood how she felt, however, and would not judge her. It had been hard to accept Valencia's death, but crushing to accept Vincent's on top of it all. She could only pray that Cloud would not experience the same fate.
And with everything going on around them, Yuffie felt more alone than ever.
Tifa had become her support beam, sure, and Cid watched over her like a hawk, always there to pick her up if she fell. Even Reeve gave her unending support — but it wasn't what she needed. What she needed was leather, gunpowder, and red cloaks. She needed loving embraces and tender kisses, crimson eyes and strong arms. She needed Vincent.
Closing her eyes, Yuffie allowed herself to fall asleep to the memory of Vincent's return, that morning after she'd been so afraid that he'd left again for good. It was the first time he saw Valencia, when he told Yuffie that they'd be a family from then on. If only things had worked out…
"Kisaragi Yuffie," a voice hissed, snake-like and chilling. Yuffie gazed around, the world surrounding her completely dark. She could see nothing.
"Yuffie…" the voice called, giving the impression that it almost slithered out of the shadows. Yuffie stood in the abyss, following the voice as it trailed away from her.
"Hello?"
"Yuffie…" The voice possessed an evil that frightened Yuffie to her core, yet she couldn't break away from it. She broke into a run, racing across the flat black void in search of the horrid voice. She spun around in circles, dizzy from her almost blind state. The pitch black oblivion disoriented her and strained her eyes painfully, yet she couldn't stop running. Nothingness existed beneath her, and she couldn't decide if she was floating or falling.
"Yuffie…"
"Who are you!?" Yuffie demanded angrily. "Show yourself, or are you too much of a chocobo!?" Admittedly, Yuffie hadn't thought through saying that, so it didn't come as much of a surprise when she was knocked to her feet in the airy abyss.
"Yuffie Kisaragi, the White Rose of Wutai. My host's lover, hm? You are a sight for sore eyes."
Yuffie gasped, attempting to crawl backwards but remaining trapped and pinned beneath the creature as it regarded her, its yellow-y-golden eyes glowing curiously. The demon assessed the ninja cautiously, the woman remaining still beneath him. A shiver ran down her spine when one purple and leathery hand caressed her cheek. Pale, bluish lips pulled back, a smirk breaking out on its face and its pointed fangs gleaming.
"Yuffie, let me introduce myself properly. I am Chaos, and I am in need of your help."
Yuffie scrunched her face up, refusing to give in to fear as she sneered, "Me, help you? As if!"
The demon shook its head, eyes closing slightly. "Yuffie, there is so much you do not understand. This problem is greater than you and I. If you value your 'Vinnie', you will do as I say."
Oh, he should not have gone there!
"What have you done to Vincent, you jerk!?" Yuffie barked, pushing up until her face was but inches from Chaos'. Her eyes crackled like lightning and she fought the urge to slap him — slap him harder than she'd even slapped that bitch Shelke!
"What have I done, dear girl? Nothing." The demon tilted its head, watching as Yuffie bit her lip, drawing blood in her rage. His eyes seemed innocent, and that made the ninja want to scoff in disgust.
"Then what does this have to do with you?" Yuffie spat, wanting to rip those leathery wings from their place in Chaos' back. That damn look on his face, that arrogant, superior glint in those cat-like eyes. That damn smirk on his tight-lipped mouth. That damn forked-tongue that flickered along his lips like he was imagining her doing something much more tasteless while he had her pinned beneath him.
"Vincent and I have bonded, as you know, through our genes. My essence formed with his when our DNA codes were copied. Lucrecia took a piece of my DNA code and inserted it into a cell where DNA was about to be replicated within Vincent. When the enzyme helicase separated one helix from the other, the transcript RNA was supposed to carry the correct gene code through messenger RNA, but my gene intercepted the proteins and rewrote the code. When it underwent translation, every nucleic base Cytosine, which should have paired with Guanine, experienced a mutation and paired with a base that technically should not exist. Well, long story short—"
"Too late," Yuffie grumbled under her breath.
"Guanine became what Lucrecia termed Chaonine, a form of Guanine that morphed into a new base through a science your humankind has not discovered yet. It is nonexistent here, but as a Demon, all of my DNA is different from mere humans. The problem stands that Vincent's DNA code is incorrect, and will affect his offspring.
"I am one with Vincent, even though my essence was extracted from his body during Omega when the bases returned to their natural state, allowing him the opportunity to age and experience life once more. Unfortunately, now that he has died, I must take root in another soul."
"What does that even mean?" Yuffie inquired, her voice bored. There was a reason she joined AVALANCHE at sixteen — she was running from her biology class. The demon deadpanned, his golden eyes dull.
"You stupid human — I will be reborn in your child!" Chaos felt smug satisfaction at the way Yuffie's mouth opened in horror, her chocolate eyes wide and bewildered. She struggled against him futilely, her eyes squeezed shut as she cried out and beat on his stone-hard chest, fighting the thought with all of her might. He kept his hold on her, not affected in the least by her strikes.
"What!? How is that possible!?" Yuffie cried, giving up and slumping back down, holding an arm over her eyes. Her limbs ached from struggling to break from of the demon's grip. Numbness overtook her as both dread and sickness washed over her. No, Chaos could not reside within her child! It… It wasn't possible, was it?
Chaos shrugged, replying, "Now that his soul has ceased to exist on Gaia, my spirit will be passed on through his genes. Unfortunately, he procreated with you before his demise, meaning that the only inhabitable body on this planet is the only other body that contains Chaonine.
"Yuffie, this child will be no normal child. This child will be a demon, a monster, pure and simple. You might have thought that summon inscription referred to your daughter Valencia — no. Vincent was not dead before her birth, so I did not need to move on. This is the child that will take the form of Chaos on the Planet."
Terrified, Yuffie quavered, "But the inscription—"
"Shelke Rui assumed referred to your first born. No, it simply referred to the child that I would take root in. A summon of sorts."
Yuffie shook her head in disbelief. The child inside her, a demon? And full of Chaos' essence at that. She ran a hand over her stomach, gulping. When she looked back up, Chaos was watching her closely, studying every movement with a sort of fascination.
"And Vincent, what does this have to do with him?" The way her voice broke at his name made the kunoichi wince.
"I know a way to bring him back, but it will take the both of us. He needs to be around when this storm hits."
It took a moment to sink in. But when it did, her heart raced and her body filled with a sort of elation she never knew existed.
Yuffie nearly cried out in happiness, throwing her arms around Chaos and catching the demon completely by surprise in her momentary lapse in judgment. It hissed and threw her backwards, eyeing her for her blatant lack of respect for his superiority. She stuck her tongue out at him. The nerve!
"I want my Vinnie back. Now." Yuffie stood on the airy platform, cocking her hip. "So are we gonna do this or not, Captain Chaos-Kitty?"
"Do not refer to me in such a derogatory fashion!" Chaos hissed. Yuffie rolled her eyes.
"Whatever, Drama Queen, let's get this show on the road."
Time passed in increments, sometimes feeling like seconds took the place of days, sometimes feeling like time itself remained suspended in a glass-like state. Vincent despised time, wishing for nothing more than to free himself from endless wandering. This place, Vincent believed, existed for the solitary purpose to punish him, not that he didn't believe he deserved it.
The barren landscape sprawled before the gunslinger, the desolate region arid but chilly. The ground seemed to be dry and cracked, but trees still sprouted from the dust, the trunks shriveled and dying, but the leaves healthy and a lush jade. The sky thundered overhead, thick grey clouds rolling along, yet the sky shimmered a pure tiffany blue, a shocking contrast to the otherwise dreary firmament. A glowing sphere hovered on the horizon, the rays a deep red and luminous silver, as if the sun herself had yet to determine if she was the herald of the day or of the night.
The paradox in which Vincent resided only served to frustrate him. He ran a hand through his hair, the silence screaming within the recesses of his mind. He continued to trek through the region, the wind pushing him forward and shoving him back simultaneously. Every step on the surface of the ground kicked dust into the air, the particles twinkling like glitter as they drifted around him. Instead of flying away or settling upon the ground, they seemed to climb into the sky, defying the laws of gravity.
"This land is strange." When Vincent spoke, the sound formed a breathless whisper, yet boomed through the silence like the loudest cry of a raven. He turned around, gazing at the land stretching beyond him. It seemed to be his past.
How Vincent knew this, he was unsure. Somehow, though, he seemed to know that he was traversing his life – almost like a state of his own mind. He moved to take a step back in time, and immediately was swept away, dust kicking up in funnels around him. The world faded to a dark grey, the light diminishing until the capability of Vincent seeing anything around him had died, even with his advanced sight. He turned around to find a glowing figure, the spectral sight at once beautiful and alarming.
"Hello, Vincent," a voice chimed, the tone sweet and feminine as it drifted across the abyss and caressed his face, bringing a wave of comfort and contentment over him, but also dread. "It's been so long, and I've missed you so, so much!"
He remained frozen, not daring to look and confirm or deny his suspicions.
"Vincent, love, it's me, Lucrecia!"
*Ducks as tomatoes are thrown* Uh... thanks for reading, yeah? Just when it looked like things were getting better, Lucrecia shows up and makes them worse. Story of Vincent's life XD
Thank you for reading, and please review!
Wait, do y'all think I start my sentences with the characters too much, or do I balance them? Like, a 'He...' 'Yuffie...' or do I put enough other sentence starters in there? That's always bugged me.