Author's Note: Good GOD this took forever to put together -.-' but, here it is. Please don't hurt me.
Reviewer Comments:
SummonerXI: o.O you're welcome?
Sorceress Fujin: Sorry it took so long to get this out, for whatever reasont his became the hardest chapter to get started on, and finish... It was revised many times, and I certainly hope you like the finished product, especially since it took so long.
Ankoku Dezaia: Thank you.
Sonora Faye: ... not sure how to reply.
KADavid: hehe, that was a fun review to read . Hope you enjoyed that shower :P.
Kher: Thank you very much for the compliment, and I enjoy the pairing very much too… which might be why I'm writing it… or is it? o.O
KatoriTsubasa: I understand what you mean, about the rushing thing, I tried not to rush their relationship, though I imagine I did it anyways .
Airemir: Wow, I know I had a few really long reviews, but I think yours must be some kind of record. In response to your question about Dirge of Cerberus, I'm not sure if I'm going to go into any of that with this particular story, for several reasons. The first being that I have yet to play/beat the game, but my sister got it for Christmas so I may dabble a bit during summer. Other than that, I think I have a logical closure point in mind for this story, and possibly a few ideas for other stories. Thank you so much for your compliments, and I hope you enjoy the chapter.
Spirit Dancer: Thank you very much, and here's the update… that took forever…
Senzafine: Thank you very much, I didn't even know you read this o.O
Yumi: hehe, thanks.
Pepsilexxi: heh, thank you.
DemonSurfer: haha, if he had shouted "you're late bitch" in the movie, I would've hunted down every person who worked on that movie and hugged them. That would've been funny AND in character :D
pyro-witch2: YES! I loathe Lucrecia and anyone who dislikes her makes me happy… I did get some serious not-happy-people when I made her out to be a crazy-mean chick.
Hawk Chic: Thank you very much.
Noon6: O.O Wow, that was the… well, just wow. No, I'm not offended and… did you just call me miss? Woah, just… well thank you.
Shirox: Thank you, and here's the update that took eternity.
shygirl-sj: Thank you, and I thought about an internal struggle during the Sephiroth battle for Vincent, but I am still debating it.
Last notes: Thank you all for being so patient, college, a hectic personal life, and a huge writers block made this a really difficult chapter to get out, and I apologize for the long wait. I hope you enjoy it, and I hope it was worth the wait. I'm starting on the next chapter tonight, so hopefully it won't take nearly as long.
A Door Beyond Absolution
Chapter Fourteen: One Day More
It wasn't easy to disentangle herself from Vincent's grasp, but eventually Yuffie managed to slip off the futon. The first thing she noticed was how cold the world was when you'd been sweating till midnight and clinging to a person who, for all intensive purposes, was like a human generator. Despite what others said, Yuffie never got more then a few hours sleep, and almost never before one am; but something had registered in her mind that had never occurred to her before.
An island Cid had located, unmarked by any map, was inaccessible by airship. Covered in tall trees, and encircled by a high mountain range, the island had plagued Yuffie's thoughts for several days, and lying next to Vincent, Yuffie had stumbled upon the solution. Tugging on her panties and shorts, quickly putting on her bra and tugging her shirt over her head, Yuffie eagerly searched for her headband, her socks, and her riding boots; as well as her shuriken and armguard. Finally finding her socks, Yuffie sat down to pull them over her tiny feet; it was then that Vincent chose to sit up and wrap an arm about her covered waist.
"Where are you going?" he asked softly, his lips pressing against her covered shoulder.
"I've figured out how to get on that island," Yuffie said, lacing up her tan riding boots and getting to her feet.
"You are leaving?" Vincent asked, feeling suddenly like a jilted lover in one of Tifa's romance novels, the ones she insisted would help him feel. Yuffie turned to Vincent and leaned forward, brushing her lips against his.
"You're coming with me, stupid." She quipped lightly, pecking his lips again. Yuffie grabbed his pants, and cloak, dropping them in his lap. It was several moments before Vincent noticed something strange about Yuffie as she gathered things from the one room home. She moved without her leg brace, walking as normally as she did with it.
"Yuffie," he said, stopping the young woman's movements.
"What's up?" She asked, Vincent pointed to her knee. Looking down, Yuffie found herself walking and moving normally, without her leg brace to hold her back. Leaning back against a wall, Yuffie looked up at Vincent, her eyes wide with fear and excitement. As Vincent stood and put his pants back on, Yuffie suddenly launched herself at him, kissing him hard and hugging him tighter than ever before. "Thank you!"
Vincent stared at the young woman clinging to his midsection and awkwardly pulled her away to make her look at him.
"For what?" He asked simply.
"You fixed it!" She said happily releasing him and grabbed her satchel of throwing stars. Watching her bound about happily, skipping and kicking, Vincent didn't have the heart to tell her that all wounds heal with time. It wasn't long before both were dressed and ready to go, Vincent watched Yuffie as she peered out into the twilight world of Wutai through her curtains. He knew, she wanted to try now to preserve her honor; the honor he had taken from her just a few hours ago.
'Only a monster would do such a thing.' Chaos told him sharply, Vincent closed his eyes and brushed his hand through his long hair.
"Vinnie?" Yuffie said, looking at him. "Are you ok?"
"Yes…" He said simply, hesitating a moment before pulling her towards him for one more searing kiss before they went back to being comrades. Yuffie stayed in his arms, knowing as well as him that this wouldn't last. This couldn't last.
'In two years, all of Wutai will learn how you disgraced them…' That little voice in her head told her, Yuffie pulled Vincent closer, willing her body into his.
'All I have ever wanted was something that was mine to keep,' she told herself, her cheek pressed against Vincent's shoulder. 'If nothing else, let me have this…'
The voice understood, and it left her in peace to face the twilight world that was Wutai. Slipping out the door, Yuffie and Vincent began the short trek to the Chocobo Pen near her father's house. That's when things seemingly went wrong.
A throwing star embedded itself in the gravel at Yuffie's feet, and a shadow moved on the rooftop nearest them. With practiced skill, the ninja flipped off the roof and landed before them, a razor sharp fan in each hand.
"Halt," the voice said in accented common speech. Yuffie paused.
"Nari?" she asked softly, trying not to wake anyone. The ninja, her face obscured by the clay mask that covered the lower part of her face.
"Lady Yuffie?" she replied, dropping her fans at once when Yuffie nodded. Nari fell into a bow so low her brow almost touched the gravel. "Forgive me, my lady! I did not know!"
Yuffie set a hand on her shoulder and looking up, Nari gasped. Vincent loomed behind her, tall and precarious as ever, red eyes glaring around him; searching for would be attackers. Reaching out he pulled Yuffie back a step, but his hand lingered too long and rested too softly for him to be just a comrade.
"Nari, I need you to go get Shuju-kin from my father's stables." Yuffie said softly, "and maybe Lukia too."
"M-my Lady, Lukia was recently with egg, she does not leave the pen without them." Nari stammered, Yuffie grinned.
"Then pack them as well, how many eggs in all?" Yuffie asked, Nari thought a moment.
"I believe there was three of them, my lady, all gold." Nari told her, Yuffie nodded.
"The eggs are going to some friends of mine when they hatch, make sure they're packed securely, they'll be going on the airship with me tomorrow, along with Lukia and Shuju-kin." Yuffie told her, turning away Nari reached out and grabbed her arm, tugging her out of Vincent's earshot.
"My lady, what have you done?" Nari asked firmly, Yuffie stared at her.
"W-what do you mean?" Yuffie asked nervously, Nari removed the lower part of her mask.
"You have the glow of a true woman now he touches you as a lover, not a comrade in arms." Nari replied, Yuffie froze, fear shooting up her spine.
"Please don't tell!" She begged the older woman, clasping her arm tightly, Nari smiled.
"My lady, I would never tell and it is not a glow anyone but another female ninja would notice." Nari told her, suppressing a smile at the way Yuffie tried to brush the glow away from her skin. "Your grandmother was another single child born to rule, she made it so Ninja females could later in life have families and lovers; we ninja's are still not allowed to have lovers until we turn thirty."
"Why are you telling me this?" Yuffie asked.
"You know that upon your eighteenth birthday, bargaining for your hand in marriage begins. To ensure you are pure there is a ceremony in which a royal physician will… examine you to be certain you are still virgin." Yuffie nodded, her eyes thick with tears, when Nari told her this, "for years Princesses who trained in the arts, every princess, was slaughtered in disgrace. Your grandmother's father's choice of physician finally discovered that most women broke their barrier during training for overhead kicks."
"What?" Yuffie froze, her eyebrows drawing together in confusion.
"We are trained to be nimble, and some actions done while inflexible result in tears and strains. Most of which occur in the apex of the thighs, especially when we are being pressed to the floor in the splits to bend better. Ever since, every young ninja has an excuse to take a real lover, assuming they reached that point in training." Nari told her, bowing her head slightly.
"But pregnancy…" Yuffie began but Nari was ready for her, reaching into the small pouch at her side, Nari withdrew a package wrapped in ordinary brown paper.
"These herbs will keep away pregnancy mix it into your tea every morning." Nari told her, pressing the package into Yuffie's hand. She leaned close to the princess's ear and whispered softly. "You cannot love him my Lady, Lord Godo would never approve…"
And with that she was gone, sweeping through the streets to retrieve the chocobo, leaving Yuffie and Vincent alone.
"Are you alright?" Vincent asked softly, approaching her slowly.
"I think…" Yuffie began, pausing and turning to Vincent. "I think Leviathan has sent us his blessing."
Vincent quirked an eyebrow, confused and fascinated by Yuffie's declaration.
"How?" he asked the young woman, Yuffie smiled.
"Because the greatest Ninja in all Wutai has my back," she replied, Vincent stared into the darkness Nari had vanished into.
--------------------
It wasn't long before Yuffie had settled herself on Lukia's back, the large box containing her eggs tied to the back of the saddle. Lukia cooed mindlessly at her mistress, having missed the attentions of a capable rider in the many months of her absence. Lukia was a large gold, as females go; and as good tempered as they come. Shuju-kin was rather more reserved and bulky, a strong bird who would as soon toss his rider as gobble up a green.
It was Vincent the great bird was sizing up now, wondering if his mistress would scold him for tossing the big man to the ground. When Vincent ran his human hand along Shuju-kin's beak, the moody bird decided that he didn't exactly hate Vincent, and allowed him to mount up. It wasn't long before the two were launching, helter-skelter, north-west of Wutai, skimming over the great waters of the sea.
The island was bigger than she remembered as Lukia and Shuju-kin carried the lovers up over the crest, below them lay a brief stretch of trees, and beyond that the cave. Slowing Lukia and turning in her saddle to Vincent, who leaned in to hear her better, Yuffie told her plot.
"I think we should stick to the mountains till we get to the cave, then we can go find out what's in there. Be it treasure, materia…" She began.
"A large, chocobo eating creature…" Vincent mumbled to himself, noting how Shuju-kin glowered at him in understanding. Yuffie ignored Vincent as Lukia skirted along the mountains towards the cavern, Shuju-kin barely five paces behind his mate. Reaching the cave, Yuffie slipped off Lukia's back, patting her reassuringly as she fed her a few greens. The sun was not yet cresting into the sky, and Vincent guessed it was about three in the morning as he slid off Shuju-kin, who came instantly beside his mate. Yuffie removed her shuriken as she crept towards the mouth of the cave, peering inside.
"Vinnie," she said softly. "There's no one in there… but there's this creepy red light…"
Vincent looked at her as she crouched and crept forward, like a lioness prepared to pounce. She was silent, her breath soft and her eyes focused, gleaming with the red reflection of the cave as she went deeper. Before the light from the entrance had the chance to dissipate from the walls, Yuffie had found the source of the red glow. A natural wall of materia, like a great red vine, spread out on the wall of the cavern, reaching with beast-like, materia-fingers to the top, and cresting out towards the entrance of the cave.
"Oh, Vinnie!" Yuffie cried out, a hand planting itself on her heart in surprise. "Look at it, will you? It's so big! This must be the oldest mako fountain in the whole world!"
Vincent looked at her, eyes analyzing everything around her.
"This is no longer a fountain; it is, most assuredly, dried up." Vincent told her, Yuffie shook her head.
"It's still spreading, and budding… oh if I could get just a piece…" She said, her voice full of yearning as she reached out to touch the wall. When her fingers pressed into the warm crystal, it seemed as though the whole cavern shook. For a moment, Yuffie tried to pull her hand away, fearing she'd made some terrible mistake, but her hand was frozen to the crystal.
Panic overrode her system, and she began trying desperately to get her self free from the wall of materia, but somewhere, deep inside of her, Yuffie felt something pertinent was happening here.
As suddenly as the shaking began, it stopped, and the cavern pulsed brightly, causing Yuffie to cover her eyes with both hands…
'Both hands?' She thought suddenly, looking at her small fingers, free of the crystallization. A small tinkling drew her attention from her hands to the crystal she had touched, her hand print was left, solidly, in the hardened matter, and a small circle of materia stood in the very center of it. Plucking it from her hand print, Yuffie gazed at the summon materia, and in her mind, she heard a voice… Remarkably like her mothers.
'Your purpose is noble, the Planet accepts your terms, We grant you the Knights of the Round summon materia. Use this to conquer the invading force, and later to claim your throne. The Planet is with you.'
Looking at the orb in her hand, Yuffie took a breath, trying to keep the tears in her eyes. Vincent approached her, hesitantly touching her shoulder with his clawed gauntlet.
"You were right…" He told her softly, Yuffie turned around and looked up at him, a peculiar smile on her face.
"No, no I wasn't… It isn't treasure, it's a gift." Yuffie told him, showing him the orb. "The greatest summon in the world, my mother told me about it once, the 'gift of the gods' she called it."
Looking up with her bright eyes, Yuffie saw a future for the first time in years. Walking out of the cave, Vincent's arm around her back, both hands clasping the red orb to her chest, Yuffie saw the world anew. A world she could help forge after Sephiroth, in that moment, Yuffie knew they could win.
The ride back to Wutai was brisk, Yuffie driving forward with a new fervor that showed in her very stance. The gates loomed not far from them by the time the sky began to lighten, and Yuffie dismounted outside of the city, staring blankly up at the gates of her home.
"Yuffie?" Vincent inquired softly, his voice rolling over her senses and pulling her from her thoughts.
"Vinnie," she said gently, turning around with her grey eyes. Lifting her arms to wrap around his neck, Yuffie tugged her lover closer to her, watching him with her soft gaze. Gently brushing her lips against his, Yuffie closed her eyes, reveling in the brief kiss and soft breath. "I love you."
The words crashed on Vincent like a storm, he was shocked, and frightened, but nothing prepared him for his response.
"I love you too," it was soft, almost a whisper, and it left him reeling.
Their momentary kiss was too brief for Vincent, and he tugged her back urgently, devouring her mouth with the haste and hunger of thirty lonely years. He clung to her, drinking her into his being, absorbing her sweetness, her craftiness and her innocence. Vincent sought his absolution, not in the fight that would come, not in the years of confinement, not even in the cave of his former love, but in the arms of a teenage ninja. The sound of an airship tore the couple apart, and Vincent boarded the ship before his teenage lover to avoid any further distraction.
The group met in the cockpit, everyone anxious to see who had deserted them, and when Yuffie dropped in among them it seemed no one had thought to flee.
"She ain't gonna show up." Barret grumbled before Yuffie finally made her presence known. "'Least this time she ain't steal our materia. Guess we gotta be thankful for that."
"How could you say that!?" Yuffie demanded as she flopped onto the metal floor. "I came all the way here after being seasick as a dog! I didn't go through all that just to have you guys have the best parts all to yourselves!"
"Welcome back, Yuffie." Cloud murmured, looking at her with a mixture of guilt and gratitude, Yuffie tossed her short hair to the side and punched the air with her tiny fists.
"Gee, Cloud... that's so nice of you to say that." She said, sincerity hidden beneath her usual haughty tone. "...You sick? Well, whatever. I'm gonna be in my reserved seat in the hall... waiting... upp! ...Urk!"
As she darted from the room, she paused at the door, making eye contact with the yellow haired leader, a nod in the direction of the hall was the only indication she made of desiring a private chat with the man. He barely nodded in response.
"Thanks everyone," Cloud said softly.
"We didn't come back for your spikey headed ass! We came back for Aeris." Barret declared, his gruff voice rebounding oddly in the quiet of the moment. "Guess it's jes' my... whatcha call, feelings or somethin' I, uh I ain't got no words now..."
"...Although she's not here, she left us a window of opportunity..." Red mumbled, his head bowed gently.
"We can't let it go like this." Cid said softly, removing another cigarette from his pack and holding it between his lips as he sought his lighter.
"...Aeris. She was smiling to the end. We have to do something, or that smile will just freeze like that. Let's go all together. Memories of Aeris..." Cloud nearly choked on his words as he fought to keep his voice strong. "...Although she should've returned to the planet by now, something stopped her and now she's stuck... We've got to let go of Aeris's memory."
"Has anyone here changed their mind?" Cid asked, pulling his lighter out of his pocket. No one spoke for a long moment, and Yuffie peered in from the hallway, where she stood listening in silence.
"I'm counting on you, Cid." Cloud said, putting his hand on the pilot's arm. Before the pilot could respond, Cloud had walked out of the cockpit, intent on Yuffie as she sat in the hall.
"What is it Yuffie?" Cloud asked her gruffly, Yuffie looked up at him.
"I have something for you, all I ask is that when everything is said and done, I get it back." She said, reaching into her khaki pants and withdrawing the materia.
"Where did you… You didn't steal it? Did you?" Cloud asked, taking the materia from her. As he gazed at the red orb, his eyes lit up, and he looked at her sharply.
"I didn't," Yuffie assured him. "We found it, Vinnie and I."
"Where?" Cloud rasped, his hand clutching the orb to his chest.
"An Island off the coast of Wutai," she replied. "But I need it back when we're done, I'm going to use it to claim my throne."
Cloud stared at the youth as she clutched her knees to her chest, peering up at him with her fathomless grey eyes.
"I thought you didn't…"
"I've changed my mind," Yuffie said softly. "My mother would want me to do this."
"But you'll be giving up your childhood, your adventures, your freedom, your body and your life…" Cloud said before he could stop himself, Yuffie closed her eyes tightly.
"I know, but if I leave it to Godo, nothing will ever change." Yufie sighed, her eyes opening slowly. "Don't you see? I'm stuck, there's no easy way out and no alternative."
"There must be…"
"If we survive, and I bring that materia home, I've done everything necessary to obtain the throne. If I don't take my father's place, Wutai may go into a civil war when Godo dies, or worse, someone might assassinate the old coot." Yuffie slapped her palm on the metal floor, glaring at the shining surface. "As much as I hate the thought of it, I owe it to my family to uphold their traditions. I owe it to my mother to be the leader she was."
The jolting of the airship brought both parties back to their senses, and Cloud took off to see what trouble Cid had started in the cockpit. As he rushed back, Vincent eased his way into the hallway, and onto the floor beside Yuffie.
"You are not your mother, Yuffie" Vincent said softly. "You cannot hold yourself to her path."
Smiling, Yuffie looked over at her gothic companion, her heart fluttering when she caught his red eyes watching her.
"I'm not," Yuffie said sweetly, her smile brightening the drab room. "I'm going to dot his my way."
"And the first step?" Vincent inquired, leaning close to her face.
"Surviving," she replied, tilting her head up for a kiss.
---Fin---