***Did anybody else just randomly go to Wutai while playing FFVII? I always loved the design, although I have to admit that was one of my least favorite music selections from the entire game. Well, here we are again. Enjoy (and please review!)***
Chapter Thirteen – The Old Country
Everybody was on the inside observation deck when the Shera lurched to a halt just outside Wutai. Lulu remained in disguise, but Yuffie and Vincent saw no need for them to hide their true identities here. Godo had already been instructed to inform the guard to be on the look-out for suspicious characters, and anybody searching for Lulu as far away as Wutai would be foolish to so much as enter the village.
Vincent and Yuffie stood a friendly distance from each other; they had discussed letting Cid in on the secret, but decided against it for the time being. Cid was just too outward with his opinions, and would probably end up making a big embarrassing scene in front of everybody on board.
Lulu had her hands pressed against the concave glass, her eyes wide as she took in the sights from the high altitude. Even on the ground, they were at least three stories up and it was quite a view. From the deck, they could see every bit of Wutai and the Da Chao mountains beyond.
The beautiful sight of her beloved village made Yuffie's heart sink. Could she really say good bye? Did she really have to?
She was eager to leave the ship and took a moment to let her stomach settle and stretch before moving on from the ship. Cid, who had originally planned to head home and pick them up later, decided he could use a short vacation and made his way to the Turtle Paradise. He invited Vincent, Yuffie and Lulu to join him.
Vincent turned to Yuffie. "Shouldn't we go meet with your father as soon as possible?"
Yuffie shrugged. "The old coot can wait. I could use a drink, anyway."
"I wouldn't mind stopping for a little refreshment, either," Lulu chimed in. Yuffie smiled, linked arms with her and followed after Cid. Vincent trailed them inside and the four knelt – one on each side – of a low table, Wutainese fashion.
Yuffie was seated across from Cid, with Lulu on her left and Vincent on her right. She ordered a bottle of their best o-sake to share with the others. They made several toasts and were well into their second bottle – though Cid and Yuffie were doing most of the drinking – before it became evident that Yuffie was drunk.
She and Cid were arguing wildly about different weapon types and whether or not a spear would be any good against a shuriken.
"You're just a kid, so what the hell do you know about it?" Cid said, his cigarette dropping from his drooping lips.
"I know a hell of a lot more than an old fart like you!" Yuffie threw back. "Unlike you, I've actually had martial arts training."
"Buncha fancy pants dancin' if you ask me. You wouldn't last one round against me, girlie."
"Oh yeah? Wanna try me?" Yuffie was leaning across the table aggressively.
Lulu shot Vincent a look of concern and he knew he had to break this up before it got out of hand. He reached out and set his claw hand on Yuffie's shoulder, pushing her back into her cushion. "I think you've had enough," he said quietly.
"Naw, I'm good. Don't even worry about it, Vinnie. I've got this."
"You're drunk, Yuffie."
"First I heard about it." Hiccup
Vincent stood then and gently pulled Yuffie to her feet. "I think you need to lie down."
Lulu rose from the table and bent down to thank Cid for his company. Before she could get half a sentence out, however, Cid interrupted. "You two are doin' it!" he blurted out, much too loud.
Yuffie only stuck her tongue out in response, but Vincent looked abashed. He met Cid's gaze and gave him a pleading look. Cid waved him away and took another swig of sake. "Fine, whatever. I won't say anything. That's the weirdest thing I ever heard, though. No offense, Vince."
Vincent didn't stick around to answer him. He lifted Yuffie off of her wobbling legs and nodded at Lulu as she jogged past him to hold the door open. Yuffie's house wasn't far, he knew, and that would be the best place for her to recover from the drinking. Lulu kept pace with Vincent as he speed-walked across the ornate bridges, keeping her eyes on Yuffie all the while.
"Do you think she'll be alright?" she asked with great concern in her voice. At this point, Yuffie was only slightly conscious.
"She'll be fine tomorrow. Only I hate to keep her father waiting."
"You're anxious to get this over with, aren't you?"
"Hmph."
"I don't blame you. And… Well, never mind."
Vincent was curious to know what she might've said, but had more pressing concerns at the moment. Yuffie's front door was unlocked as usual. Upon entering, he and Lulu were suddenly surrounded by cats.
"Wow," Lulu muttered quietly. "Bet you didn't know you were dating a crazy cat lady."
"I did know," he said flatly, making his way up the stairs to Yuffie's bedroom. Her large, plush futon was covered in cat hair, but it would have to do. He laid Yuffie down gently and went to get her a glass of water and a cold wash cloth. Lulu was content to stay downstairs, despite the cats.
It was difficult getting her to drink the water. Her head bobbed back and forth dizzily as she pushed the glass away. "Not thirsty," she murmured.
"It will keep you from having such a bad hangover later."
"I don't… Okay…" She took a tiny sip and tried handing it back to him.
"As much as you can, Yuffie. Trust me."
"I do trust you, Vinnie. More than anybody else in the whoooole world."
Vincent forced away the smile that was trying to break through. "Then drink your water. Please, Yuffie."
"Fine." She sipped at it for a good twenty minutes, growing slightly more sober as the time passed.
For a while Vincent and she sat on the futon in silence. Vincent watched her carefully, making sure she didn't spill the water. When she had grown a little more coherent, she turned to look at him as if just noticing he was there.
"Sorry I got drunk," she said. "It kinda snuck up on me."
"Don't worry about it," Vincent replied. "Although I wish it could've waited until after you'd met with your father."
"Come on, Vince. Don't give me any crap."
Vincent sighed and fell back against the futon and soon felt Yuffie curling up under his arm. "You're not going to sleep, are you?"
"Maybe…"
"Hmph. Very well."
"Will you stay with me?"
"Of course, Yuffie."
She was snoring in a matter of minutes and soon Lulu ascended the stairs to see what was keeping them. She smiled and began tiptoeing when she saw that Yuffie was asleep. Vincent watched her with consideration as she sat at the foot of the futon next to Yuffie's feet.
She began unworking the double-knotted laces and looked up at Vincent who's eyes were still on her.
"Vincent, I… Just want to apologize to you… for the way I tried to get between you and Yuffie before. I can see now how much you care for her."
Vincent didn't answer.
"Also, I want to thank you for everything. You're putting yourself and Yuffie at risk to help me."
"You needn't thank us. Our only other option would have been to turn you over to Orias' men. No decent human person would've done that… Not that I exactly fit that description."
Lulu laughed softly. "I remember you used to be very funny. You had a unique sense of humor. I… Lucrecia sometimes fed off your gentle spirit, you know. Anyway, I'm glad you haven't lost that quality."
"Hmph."
"May I… ask you a question, Vincent?"
"What is it?" he asked, trying to conceal his irritation.
"You don't age, do you?"
Vincent's chin dropped. He knew where this was going. He gazed down at Yuffie's youthful face; in ten years she would be noticeably more aged than he.
"No," he finally answered.
"You've already thought about this, haven't you?" Lulu said with realization. "Of course you have. You overthink everything."
"Do I?"
"And you always have," she smiled. "Not that there's anything wrong with that. It may be why you're still alive."
"That's the idea. To answer your question, I have thought about it. It is… not a future I care to think about often. But I am no delusional. I've known all along that my friends are going to get older while I remain in this form. There is a good possibility I will have to end my own life someday, if I am ever to rest."
"I think… that would be a shame, Vincent."
"Would you want to live forever?"
Lulu got a distant look in her eyes then. "That might be nice," she said slowly.
At last she unknotted Yuffie's shoelaces and pulled the sneakers and socks off, laying them carefully at the foot of the futon.
"She is special, isn't she?" Lulu mused. "I've come to really enjoy her company. I… shall miss her when this is all over."
Vincent didn't know how to respond. He realized then that he would be sad to say goodbye when the time came.
Lulu stretched and yawned. "If you'd like to take a walk, I can stay here with Yuffie," she said. "I'm feeling a little sleepy myself."
Vincent nodded and carefully unwound Yuffie's arms from him before standing. Lulu slid onto the futon next to Yuffie and got comfortable.
"I won't go far," he said. "We can't be sure we haven't been followed here."
"Thanks, Vincent."
Once outside, Vincent walked to the edge of the embankment Yuffie's house was built on. The sound of the flowing water below was soothing. He could understand why Yuffie was so attached to Wutai; its beautiful landscapes and traditional architecture were unrivaled in the world – and he should know. It had been one of his favorite places during their original travels to stop Sephiroth.
He smiled fondly of the memory of a younger, more deviant Yuffie Kisaragi. At the time, he had been upset with her. She seemed to have had little concern for their safety, nor for the fate of the planet. In the end, however, her scheme had failed and she had repented for her selfish deeds. Cloud had said that he was certain she would not betray them again; that in being beaten at her own game, she had come to respect him and the others.
Vincent had been doubtful of her resolve, but had been proven wrong. Yuffie would later demonstrate her loyalty by becoming a powerful ally to the Avalanche group. Later, she would join the WRO and work to rid the world of the Deepground remnants. In doing so, she had become his dearest friend.
They had lost touch, temporarily, and he had sunken back into a stifling depression. Only she had been able to bring him back; only she had been able to make him feel his worth. He looked toward Da Chao mountain and thanked the spirits of Wutai for Yuffie.
"Nice view, ain't it?"
Vincent spun and pulled Cerberus in the same motion. A young Wutainese man stood before him, dressed in a black gi.
"You must be Vincent Valentine. I've heard a lot about you."
"And you are?"
"Kazuki, of the Honto family. More importantly, I'm employed by Lord Godo Kisaragi."
"It's a pleasure," Vincent said – forced was more like it – and held out his hand. Kazuki glanced at the extended hand and smirked.
"Let me be brief, Mister Valentine. You are harboring a fugitive here in our peaceful village. We'd like you to hand her over now, before the situation escalates into something… unpleasant."