Note: Sorry I haven't posted in a while. Tuesdays and Thursdays are the days when I have more access to a computer, just so you know.

Note2: This chapter has more twists than a Japanese Rollercoaster. I hope you can keep up.

Chapter Nine- Growing Up Blind

Yuffie awoke to the sight of Aeris leading her by the hand into a bright light.

"Aeris?! What's going on?!"

Aeris glowingly smiled back at Yuffie and replied, "Vincent is the key. You'll love Eden, I promise it."

"But what about Hunter?"

"The angels will take perfect care of him."

"No! I want Hunter! I want to see my baby!"

"His young eyes are not ready to behold such beauty and divine temptation. He is resting in the arms of your God, and will be delivered unto you again, should you prove unworthy."

"Why aren't you in Eden, Aeris? You're a Cetra!"

"I was never infused with Mako. My body couldn't handle it."

"I haven't got Mako either!"

"You've been intimate with Vincent...that qualifies."

"I still want my baby!"

"God is taking very good care of him."

"Give me Hunter!"

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Yuffie was dragged into Eden, kicking and screaming. Vincent awaited her entrance under a silver peach tree.

"Yuffie, calm down. It's me, Vincent."

"Vince, *sob*, she took our baby!"

Vincent placed a finger on Yuffie's lips and whispered, "It's alright. He's in better care now."

Yuffie stood to her feet and exclaimed, "Vincent Valentine, nothing is a greater utopia to me than the moments I've shared with Hunter! For all the times that he's kept me up at night crying or spit up on my shirt, I wouldn't trade a thing! You can keep your trees of good and evil, if it means losing the comfort of my newborn son! I will shake my fist at God and invoke all of the wrath he has upon us for just one more day, Vince! One more day! What's so great about Eden anyway?"

Vincent turned his back on Yuffie and walked away.

"Vinnie! Don't walk away when I'm talking to you! Tell me, why were you so obsessed with coming here?"

"Yuffie...just beyond this hill is a sight that I know you're worthy of beholding. I did all of this for you. I was hoping you would like it, but I guess not."

"Wait...now wait, Vin. I see all of the trees, and the flowing rivers of honey, but it still doesn't seem quite like I expected. It's...quiet. Too quiet."

"...No. This is Eden. It's exactly what it's supposed to be. It's just that you're not used to being in an empty world."

"We're not on Gaia anymore, are we?"

"No. This is planet Earth. Welcome to the Middle East."

As Yuffie gazed into the sky, she noticed that there were many beautiful colors in the Eden sunrise. Except for one flaw.

There was a small patch of gray in the corner of her vision.

"Hey, Vinnie, what's that?"

"What's what?"

"That patch of gray up there."

"I don't see it."

"I didn't think you would."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing."

"I'm sorry, I still don't see it, Yuffie."

"Oh. Uh, I'm gonna get a closer look at it."

"No, Yuffie. It's nothing, trust me."

"Wow, Vince. You're getting defensive. You're not hiding something, are you?"

"Of course not. I just got here."

"If you say so. Hey, how's a girl supposed to get some food around here?"

"It's fruit and vegetables from here on."

"You've got to be kidding me! Are there any other rules I should know about?"

"The clothes."

Shocked, Yuffie stammered, "But I...I...no, n-no. I...I think I like my clothes on much better."

"But it's a rule. See, I'll do it."

Vincent stripped in the presence of his wife, but Yuffie was a bit more hesitant.

"But isn't Eden supposed to be ruled by some supreme creator?"

"I thought so. I'll admit, it is odd that we haven't heard a booming voice coming from somewhere."

"Well...only since you did, too."

Yuffie followed suit and stripped as well.

"Great, so now we're naked in an apple farm! Sounds rustic, doesn't it?"

"Yuffie...you're so funny!"

"...And there's a breeze in here. It feels good!"

"How do you like Eden now?"

"If this is Eden, where is God?"

"I told you, Yuffie. I don't know."

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The concept of being bare was one that Yuffie Kisaragi was not used to. In fact, she was hesitant to get too close to Vincent, even though they were married. After their first conversation in Eden, Vincent had decided to take a look around, while Yuffie wanted to investigate the mysterious gray area in further detail.

As Yuffie got closer to the oddity, she could see that it was not part of the skyline at all. It definitely seemed as if she was getting closer to it. Finally, Yuffie located the source of the gray area. It was located directly above her head, but there was no way that Yuffie could reach that high. All she could do was simply stare at it. Yuffie stared at the gray blob for at least two or three minutes, until everything faded away into nothingness. It was then that she realized, this was no dull splotch of gray paint. It was a fierce beam of gray light.

When she turned around, everything was dark. Yuffie had been blinded by the light.

"Vincent! Where are you?! I can't see a thing! The grayness is light! Vincent, please help!"

After a few minutes of rolling around helplessly on the ground, Yuffie could hear the pitter-patter of barefeet running across the land. She could feel a hand reach down and lift her up, but when Yuffie queried, "Is that you, Vincent?", she received a shocking answer, "No. My name is Eve. What are you doing in the garden!?"

"My husband brought me here! It's all his fault!"

"What are you talking about? There's not supposed to be anyone here except for me and Adam! Oh, man! If Adam finds out that there's another woman here...no! I have to hide you! It's the only way!"

"But if Adam would want me that bad, we'd get kicked out of here!"

"Exactly! I'm going to carry you into a cave, and I'll..."

"Wait one minute!", Yuffie exclaimed. "How is hiding me going to help? I'll still be here! And where's Vincent?!"

"Vincent is not here. He's never been here. You're the first human to enter the garden on your own."

"You're lying!"

Across the hills, Yuffie and Eve could hear Adam calling, "Eve? Where did you go?"

Eve rushed Yuffie into a cave, whispering in the blind ninja's ear, "You have to be cooperative, or it won't work. You're doing a very good job so far, so let's keep it up."

"What are you talking about?"

"Shhh...not so loud. Adam will hear us!"

Gullible Yuffie did as she was told. She kept quiet, blind to the sights of the artificial garden...blind to the recognition that Adam and Eve were actually Reno and Sakura...blind to the knowledge that Hunter was in good care behind a soundproof view screen with Vincent...blind to the sound of Vincent conversing with the dark doctor, Hojo.

"Thank you Vincent, for the fine specimen."

"I'm glad to help a fellow ShinRa employee...what kind of experiment was this again?"

"The Wolf Project. It will test the condition of the human mind after being lied to multiple times by multiple people. Her head will be spinning faster than a top!"

"What's the science behind it?"

"Elena wants to know the limits."

"The limits of what?"

"The limits of brainwashing.....I am surprised that you would accept my deal. I know that you loved her very much."

"I never really liked Yuffie..." Vincent stared deeply into the eyes of his son and said, "...But I love what she can produce. Are you sure that it's perfected now?"

"Yes. For the first time in the modern history of man, there are no longer any bugs in the process. Finally, my quest to create the perfect soldier will be a success! And in return, you will be compensated nicely."

"How long will it last?"

"As long as you want it to."

"Good...because I want it stopped now! Hojo, you're under arrest for unlawful experimentation on another human being."

"You can't arrest me! You're not a cop!"

"No, but a Turk has that power also. Remember, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, then you're just screwed. So let's get a move-on."

"But my plan was fool-proof!"

"Apparently not."

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As Professor Hojo was being hauled off to jail by Reno, Vincent lifted Yuffie from the cave floor and said, "We got him, Yuffie! We caught Hojo!"

"At the cost of my eyesight!"

"Don't worry, Yuffie. It should come back in a day or so. I've got Hunter right here, and I'll lead you home."

"Thanks, Vinnie. You're the best."

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Four days later, Yuffie was still firmly grounded in darkness.