Author's Note: Ok, so another day, another chapter.
Reviewer Comments:
Keyo-Red Angel of Hope- thank you. But no, I didn't make a mistake with Cid. It was optional to get Vincent the first time through, and with the "follow Sephiroth through the mountains" bit going on most people didn't even know there was another room. I'm basing this on the assumption that Avalanche's desire to catch Sephiroth in the mountains overruled searching the Shinra building. When they heard about the "keystone" they decided to search Nibelheim for any information on it and or Sephiroth. And as for the second part, I've had the conformer since about three minutes after I got Yuffie… and I have no clue where I found it… so yeah… that was a mistake. Heh. And I adore Vincent so I'm very happy that you think I'm doing well with him.
Lola Star- Erm, Thanks. And, eventually, they will get together… but yeah… gotta build up to stuff.
IamAudrey- … What the crap was that about?…
Lady Sonora the Black-Rose -… You're name is longer than your review was… Ok…
the Dr.- Hey thanks! Yuffie is a rather difficult character for me to write for, since I'm dramatically more like Vincent, so it's great to find someone who likes it. And yeah, I like a good Yuffentine too… and I intend to continue this story… at length…. Whether you want me to or not… ok…. Erm
ON TO THE CHAPTER!
A Door Beyond Absolution
Chapter Three: Nothing's Changed
Yuffie barely contained her gasp as she stared at Tseng. The Turk was speaking, but whatever he said seemed far away. The group had split into three groups as they departed from Corel, Tifa and Aeris had both demanded that they accompany Cloud. Barret and Cid said they would keep watch on Cait Sith, which left, Red, Vincent, and Yuffie, who had been the last group to enter the Temple of Ancients. By the time they had entered, Tseng was nearly dead, but he reached out to Yuffie with a blood stained hand, muttering words she couldn't quite hear.
"Yuffie," Red said and the ninja strode past him towards the dying man.
"You guys go on ahead," she told them as she sat down beside the grateful Turk.
"Yuffie, Cloud's instructions were to stick together." Red growled at her as she slowly pulled the dying man so he was laying in her lap.
"Then wait for all I care," she snapped as she began to stroke the poor mans face.
"He is our enemy!" Red growled at her, she glared at him.
"No body deserves to die alone!" She growled back as her fingers slowly traced the worry lines on the Turk's face. "No body deserves to die like this…"
Vincent stared at the Ninja in shock that didn't show on his face, her head bowed over the dying man, offering him the last moment of solace he had so desperately pleaded for. She suddenly wasn't the bratty, arrogant, sixteen year old girl who had been avoiding him, but a young woman, with strength and mercy unmatched by any of his new companions. She alone had decided to stay with this man as he died, a feat not even Aeris managed, even with knowing him. She alone had been strong enough to defy Cloud, something no one else even considered. She alone had shone mercy. Within that three minute delay, the first barrier between Yuffie and Vincent shattered.
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It was a few moments before Tseng looked up at Yuffie with glassed over eyes.
"Th-thank you," he whispered softly, his eyes sliding shut. Yuffie brushed his bangs from his face and lay his head on the floor, all the while muttering a prayer to the god Leviathan. She got to her feet slowly, aware of her two companions watching her intently.
"Yuffie…" Red began, but Yuffie followed his gaze to her khaki shorts. Her left leg was entirely coated with thick crimson blood, she shrugged and moved to the door her friends stood by.
"That was very merciful," Vincent said softly. Yuffie looked up at him with stormy grey eyes.
"I owed her that much," she whispered before sweeping through the door. It immediately opened into an enormous maze that took Yuffie's breath away. Every wall, every stair, was made of pure white marble, shined so well she could see her reflection in a near by wall. She ran her fingers over the marble in soft amazement.
"No one has set foot here in years…" Red said softly, Yuffie snickered.
"Actually it's only been about twenty minutes, lets go find the others." Yuffie chirped as she grabbed a set of vines twisting up the marble. Slowly she pulled herself up and reached out for another grouping of vines, she'd reached the top of the marble wall when she realized that neither Vincent nor Red had followed her. "What's the deal you two, it isn't that difficult."
Neither moved, Vincent slowly reached into his holster and drew his weapon, Yuffie turned white.
"Wh-What're you doing?" she asked loudly, gulping as she started to step away from the edge.
"Don't Move Yuffie," Red snapped as he fell into a low crouch, the hair on his back raised menacingly. She froze, arms locked at her sides staring down at her companions. Vincent took careful aim just next to her head and fired. She could literally feel the air as the bullet zipped past and she flinched. Much to her shock she heard a gurgled cry and a dull thud from somewhere behind her. She opened an eyes timidly and willed herself to turn around, there behind her lay a large, semi-reptilian creature with a single hole between its eyes.
Vincent and Red started climbing as she surveyed the creature on the ledge above. Red was draped over Vincent's shoulders like a large fur scarf, his tail dangling as far from the billowing cloak as possible, so as not to set the dark man on fire. When Red bounded up onto the higher platform she unfroze long enough to pluck a hi-potion out of the remains and help Vincent to his feet before turning her back on the two and vanishing into the maze.
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Yuffie raced across the hands of the clock, her feet barely touching the metal as she did so. When she was on the solid rock beneath the large Roman numeral for six she turned to stare at her more wary companions.
"Oh come on," she snapped, her hands once again placing themselves on her hips as Red stared warily at the narrow, and moving, metal dial.
"Yuffie, are you sure Cloud went this way?" Red asked her, she glared at him as she snatched a torn piece of pink fabric from the wall beside her.
"I dunno," she replied airily, "d'you think those monsters wear pink?"
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Vincent shook his head before sidestepping Red to begin his walk across the hands of the clock. He moved with slowly, with caution in each step, his eyes firmly locked on the ninja still glaring behind him. He gulped heavily when the hand began to narrow in a point towards Yuffie, who seemed to have momentarily forgotten Red in light of a more interesting subject.
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Vincent's face was pale, more pale than normal at least, his eyes determined not to look down, sweat beading on his forehead as he neared her. Suddenly it registered in her mind.
The Ex-Turk, Vincent Valentine, who faced dragons without blinking, and vengeful spirit's with an irritated sigh, was afraid of heights. He seemed to be looking at her, only his eyes were unfocused and clouded. He was only about four steps away from her now, making his nervousness that much more apparent.
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Red was trotting along behind Vincent, muttering about rude little ninjas with every step. He wondered where the others were, and what they were doing, but casually shrugged it off and continued to follow the former Turk, completely oblivious to anything in the dimly lit and moldy smelling corridor.
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He was only one step away, Vincent could've smiled from joy when he noted he was but one large step from safe, sturdy ground. He made the final step without thought, just wanting to get off the narrow strip of metal, when he felt something collide with his foot. He nearly fell off the edge of the unmoving hour hand when tiny fingers grabbed his forearm to steady him.
He looked up gratefully to see Yuffie glaring down at something behind him.
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Vincent was about to take the final step when Red closed the distance between them, clearly not paying attention. He nearly threw the man off balance when Yuffie instinctively grabbed the crimson eyed man's arm, pulling him onto the safe stone of the alcove.
"Watch where you're walkin', you nearly threw Vinnie over the edge!" Yuffie snapped, Red muttered something inaudible.
"Vinnie?" a voice said from beside her. She looked up at the suddenly composed Vincent and grinned impishly.
"Erm… slip of the tongue," she simpered. "Shall we continue?"
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"YUFFIE!" Aeris declared as the Ninja came bounding towards them as they stood outside a decorated door.
"Hey Aeris," she said before turning to Cloud. "Sorry we're a bit late, we were delayed…"
"She sat down with Tseng." Red muttered under his breath, Yuffie glared at him.
"We encountered a few problems that needed to be resolved," she said over him. "But it's all good now."
"We're re-grouping here," he said simply. Yuffie and Vincent nodded.
"What are the new teams?" Vincent asked, Cloud thought a moment.
"Aeris, myself and Red," Yuffie outstretched her arm and pulled it back sharply with a resounding 'YES'. "Barret, Cid, and Cait Sith." Yuffie did a little victory dance. "You two and Tifa." Tifa didn't look happy about this.
"I do not see Cid, nor do I see Barret." Vincent observed, Cloud nodded.
"They skipped out a few minutes ago," he waved his hand absently. "Cait Sith is being slow about leaving," he lowered his voice. "I think he's trying to listen in on us."
Tifa, who had been whispering to Aeris, came wandering over to the small group.
"Anywho," Yuffie muttered as she stretched her arms above her head. "What're our orders?"
"The way out is at door twelve, wait there for us." Cloud told them, the three nodded. "No matter what, don't come back looking for us."
"Be on the look out for Sephiroth, he could be anywhere; the Turks too." He stated before looking over at his own group, he turned back quickly. "And we'll try to hurry, Aeris' is startin' to freak me out. She's been hearing voices…" He whispered before he wandered off.
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Tifa crossed the clock theme bridge first, with Vincent right behind her, and Yuffie trailing after him in silence. She kept getting sharp, jabbing pains in her side, which usually meant something very bad was about to happen. Yuffie rubbed her side absently as she stood with her companions, Cid and Barret included. Tifa was talking with the two men about Cait Sith while Vincent stood nearby observing her odd behavior.
"Are you alright?" he asked in a whisper from where he leaned against the wall next to her.
"Uh, yeah… I think… just got a…" A scream interrupted her, almost as if on cue. "I've been better."
Tifa shuffled over and interrupted the whispered conversation.
"Should we go back?" she asked them
"He said not to return," Vincent stated mildly.
"But that was Aeris!" Tifa squeaked, Yuffie shrugged a bit.
"They've got all the best materia, they'll be fine." She stated as she played with a throw materia on her bracelet.
"But," Yuffie held up a frustrated hand her friend.
"He said to stay here and wait," she declared, everyone turning to stare at her. "So we're gonna wait."
"Where'd that fuckin' Mog thing get 'isself too?" Cid asked, surveying the area with his sharp blue eyes.
"Weren't you two supposed to be watching him?" Yuffie said suddenly, her eyebrow raised questioningly. Barret opened his mouth to respond when Cloud, Red, and Aeris came running in.
"We gotta get out!" Cloud declared, racing past them towards the door. The others made to follow him when a particularly sharp pain in Yuffie's side caused her to stop, Tifa stopped to stare at her questioningly when they both spotted Vincent rooted to the spot, his eyes glazed over and his lips moving.
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Vincent made to follow Cloud when a tugging on the back of his mind drew his attention inward.
'What is it Beast?' he thought to himself, unsurprised when a different voice answered.
'Do you feel it? There is an air about this room…' It replied.
"Speak plainly or do not speak at all," he muttered to himself.
'There! Do you feel it? The change? The Evil Aura?' It said, thrilled to feels something the man didn't.
"I feel it," Vincent whispered. "CLOUD LOOK OUT!"
The door seemed to surge forward towards the forerunner of the group, and Cloud only just managed to swing his sword in a lofty arch to keep it away. The others came rushing forward, weapons drawn, materia at the ready.
Yuffie attacked first, letting her shuriken fly towards the wall and slicing through what seemed to be a layer of armor, before it returned to her. The creature sent a bolt of lightening at her, which she just barely dodged. Barret and Vincent opened fire on the wall, aiming for that neat little slice Yuffie had delivered moments before. Tifa, Red and Aeris handled magic from where they stood at a further distance. Aeris using healing spells, Tifa using an Ice 3 spell, and Red using Fire 2. Cloud was holding his wrist out in front of him, a Red materia glowing in front of him. His eyes were filled with a glowing red that was reflecting off the materia, before he held his wrist high in the air and shouted a single word.
"BAHAMUT!" He shouted, throwing his arms out to his sides and his head falling back. The ceiling seemed to vanish as the dragon hovered overhead, rearing it's great head back it unleashed a powerful strike against the demon door, that sent it slamming back into whatever surface stood behind it.
Yuffie, being the opportunist she was, took half a dozen grenades from her bag and threw them, all at once, at the wall. They exploded with scattered force, keeping the demon writhing back against the real surface. Vincent stepped up next, crossing his arms and kneeling to the ground, he transformed into Gallian Beast and launched himself recklessly, past Yuffie, at the door.
It took a moment before Barret opened fire again, and nearly a full minute before Cloud jumped into the fight, his sword flashing wildly in the un-natural light. Tifa and Red continued casting their spells, while Aeris took the chance to summon Shiva. The onslaught of ice was the finishing touch.
The bricks of the wall came tumbling forward, scattering the fighters and giving Vincent a moment to change back, un-noticed. As soon as they had finished the battle, the room seemed to shrink, and Cloud rushed everyone out without an explanation.
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"You guys stand guard over there," Yuffie said in a mocking tone, pointing to where she now stood. "We'll get the Black Materia! LET'S MOSEY!"
She sat down in a fit of wild giggles that was interrupted by a gasp as a shooting pain pierced her side.
"Yuffie?" Tifa said as she knelt by her friend, Yuffie pushed her away and got to her feet to stare up at the hole that was once the Temple of Ancients.
"CLOUD WHAT'RE YOU DOING?" Aeris shouted from somewhere up there, and Yuffie took off running, praying to Leviathan nothing had happened. The others exchanged glances before following her up the large steps.
None of them were prepared for what they saw.
Yuffie nearly slammed into Red in her haste, falling to her knees she stared down into the hole, only to see Cloud holding out the Black Materia to Sephiroth.
"CLOUD DON'T!" She shouted, but it was to late. Sephiroth grabbed the materia and looked up at the ninja as her friends assembled behind her in various states of shock.
"Too late, little Ninja…" he said with an evil smirk that was obviously just for her. "But then… nothing's changed in seven years."
With that he shot up into the sky, leaving everyone to stare down at the writhing Cloud… Everyone except Yuffie.
She got to her feet in silence, not sparing a look around, she jumped into the hole and dragged Cloud up. Throwing his arm over her shoulder, she started trying to carry him, but he was too heavy and she faltered. Vincent hopped down beside her and seized his other side and, together, they hauled the comatose Ex-Soldier out of the remains of the Temple.
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Yuffie leaned against a tree just outside Gongaga village, where she could watch the families mourning over their lost children, husbands, fathers, mothers, or wives. She hadn't spoken since before they encountered Sephiroth, two days prior. Upon their arrival, Yuffie had gone to the first mirror like surface she could find to survey her looks. Her hair was shorter than it had been, she was definitely taller, but her face had not changed.
"Correct me if I am wrong," a voice said from somewhere to her right. "But in Wuitain culture, a girl only cuts her hair when in mourning."
"That's correct," she replied, her voice cracking from sudden use.
"Which would mean that someone close to you died, a she if I am not mistaken." Vincent said as he drew level with her.
"Tell Tifa I don't wanna talk about it." Yuffie replied sharply, her eyes locked on a man with his arms thrown about a relatively new tombstone, crying his eyes out.
"She would not take that very well, seeing as she only suggested that I try speaking to you." Vincent said as he too watched the man. "It is rather eerie without you around to break the silences."
Yuffie chuckled darkly and turned her back on him, walking towards the destroyed reactor. Vincent hesitated a moment before following. When she reached the ruins, she climbed up the jagged scrap metal deftly, choosing a dull, flat plain on which to stand, staring out at the world beyond the town's borders.
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Vincent stared up at her as she settled for staring around at the outside world before, he too, climbed up the ruins.
"You move like you were trained in the ninja arts," Yuffie commented as he stood beside her.
"…" Was the only reply she got.
"If you want to know my story, you have to tell me some of yours," she continued.
"…" He stared at a void space in the darkening sky.
"Or we can just forget this whole thing and you can tell Tifa that you don't give a damn about 'that worthless brat,' " She imitated Cid's angry drawl.
"I was born in Corel, when it was still a great mining town, before Barret's story takes place…" Vincent whispered, Yuffie jumped at the monotonous voice. "My parents decided to find a better place for me to grow up when I was five… They wished to see Wutai… We traveled to Costa del Sol by Chocobo, where we got on a boat headed for Wutai… About three miles from the shore, a storm hit… The boat capsized… I was the only survivor to wash up on the shores of Wutai… a woman named Alexia took me in… She worked…"
"At the pagoda…" Vincent stared at her, "Alexia is Chekhov's mother… she died shortly after I was born… Chekhov took her mother's place in the Pagoda at the age of seventeen."
"That is where I learned to move like a ninja," he concluded softly. Yuffie didn't look at him, instead she sat down on the piece of metal.
"So how old are you then?" Yuffie asked, he looked at her a moment.
"Physically, twenty-four…" Vincent turned away from her as she opened her mouth to change the question. "I answered your question, you have to answer mine. Who died?"
"I started cutting my hair when my mother died, seven years ago… at the end of the war…" Yuffie said quietly, Vincent glanced at her.
"What happened to her?"
"She was… the rightful ruler of Wutai, her father having had a daughter and her mother having no strength to bare my grandfather a son… But women can't rule alone, so she married my father… Three years later, the war began, the year after it began, I was born. I was training almost before I was walking… Things were never good, but they weren't too bad… Then.. When I was nine… it all went wrong…" Yuffie paused to take a large breath. "The war was getting heated, and closer to our borders, but we were taking more casualties… We were a threat… my mother, being rightful ruler, was the negotiator. She'd be gone for weeks at a time trying to find a peaceful solution that favored both parties… She was on her way home when the alert was raised… General Sephiroth had finally made it to the source of the trouble…"
"You do not have to continue…" Vincent said quietly, Yuffie didn't appear to hear him.
"My mother had gone to see my father on Dao Chao when they attacked. I went looking for her, and I found her…" she swallowed the tears that were threatening. "Sephiroth was looming over her, glaring down at her about half way up Dao Chao. I broke into a run, I was almost there when he stabbed her. She was still alive when I got there, and he was staring down at her with… this weird look… I tried to cure her but he shoved me down beside her and the materia skittered away…"
"Yuffie," Vincent whispered, gritting his teeth.
"He told me she had to die in order to restore peace… that she was the fuel to my father's fire… that her death need be the last… Then he was gone," Yuffie swallowed again. "The next day my father surrendered upon finding me clinging to my mother's dead body, that night I cut my hair… Two years later I…"
Yuffie stopped talking abruptly.
"That's a different story," she whispered.
"Your mother was ruler of Wutai…" Vincent stated, "that means…"
"I'm a princess." She spat out the word like it was poison.
"Why did you stay with Tseng?" Vincent asked, she smiled obviously not liking the subject of her heritage.
"Because when my mother died, I spent my mother's last moments being intimidated by Sephiroth, she died alone because I was being a coward." She hung her head. "I vowed that I would never again let that happen… and I cut my hair to keep that reminder."
"You have been letting it grow longer though," Vincent pointed out. Yuffie got to her feet and moved to the edge of the rusted metal piece.
"I'm atoning," she said before jumping down. Vincent stared after her, his mouth hanging open in shock. She of all people… Atoning?
Vincent followed the suit not long after, still pondering what she had said. She hadn't been mocking him, he was certain of that, but what could she possibly have to atone for? Then he remembered her mother.
'She blames herself for her mothers death.' He thought to himself as he wandered back towards the village. He stopped near the cemetery and watched his companions as they spoke outside the house Cloud was staying in. Something seemed to be wrong, but he didn't want to go find out what just yet. Leaning back against the tree Yuffie had occupied a short time before, Vincent stared up at the sky.
He watched the ninja from across the village, sighing to himself as he moved to join the others. Little did he know someone else was surveying him from the area just outside the town.
Aeris smiled to herself as she turned her back to the village.
Author's Note: Okay, before anyone says anything. I know they use random little phrases to summon creatures, I just don't remember what they all are. So for now it's Bahamut till I can get a list of all the phras-y things. Also, I think my way of handling Tseng was better than the video game, as well as Yuffie's story involving Sephiroth, and Sephiroth remembering her. I like the things I add to make this story affective, if you don't like it, go play the game again. Ok? Ok. Well, hope you enjoyed it and sorry that I seem rather harsh in my closing comments.