A/N: I never got a lot of reviews for either "Blind Love" or "The Guide" as of late…however, I decided that I was going to add another chapter to this particular story after so long. But perhaps I am hoping for too much when expecting reviews…even though I ask politely. So do read and review would you kindly? I really want to learn how to improve on my stories, and your reviews will help me in that many oh-so-much.

Sunday…two weeks later…

It was in the afternoon, and Yuffie was waiting in the abandoned apartment about two blocks across from 117 Hikaru St. for her partner in crime to show up so she could requisition the dossier she needed from him by showing him the identity of her client's target. This particular target was the very man she saw just a few days ago, and the client was asking for quite a bit of help in bagging the good doctor. Although she could not blame her—what was there not to like about him? Sweet, a bit reserved, sincere…not a single flaw on his body, red eyes that both scared and mesmerized potential dates; yep, he's got it all…she could only wonder as to how he would've been on a date with…

She slapped herself out of her smutty thoughts…Yuffie was dealing with a client! A client for Leviathan's sake! She shouldn't be crushing on the mark! And besides, she remembered why she started this little matchmaking service in the first place! There was no way this was going to be another Reno—in fact, that's why she avoided starting any relationships in the first place! "How are you holding up?"

Yuffie turned and found herself looking up at her cousin. Tseng was well-known in the family for wearing a tilaka on his forehead, and for deviating from normal customs by even dating a foreign girl…a foreign girl she had the pleasure of befriending, and playing cupid for at the desperate behest of said cousin due to Tseng's shyness. "I'm holding up well, you?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but Elena has me doing stuff that would be considered slave-driver work. But all in all, I'm happy with her. So, you said you needed my help with someone?"

"For a client; she's looking for a particular man for up to seven years."

Tseng whistled at that. "Who's the lucky or unlucky man?"

"I'm showing him to you in a bit…in fact, judging by my observations for the past weekend, he should be showing up right about…now!" It was at this point that Yuffie handed her cousin the extra pair of binoculars and directing his gaze to the man in the window. Upon seeing the man she was referring to sitting down at a table, a bit of recognition flashed in Tseng's eyes…and a bit of smile crept up on his lips.

"Oh, I'll be in for a long haul after all…"

"What is it?"

"I remember that man…during the Civil War he was a big-shot special operations trooper. I first met him on that mission in Wangzhou while I was under the command of Colonel Hiroyuki…best damn soldier I ever ran into—apparently, he served under Captain Saika's 239th Rangers Battalion. Surprisingly, he was only a cagey teenager at that time, and he proved to be really good at what he did—he was also, from my viewpoint, probably the best shot in the Civil War after Captain Saika Magoichi himself. After the Civil War, nobody's heard from him since. I'm actually surprised that he'd wind up as a doctor…normally the special operations soldiers opt to stay in the army; some I heard even became members of the imperial guard. Why that is not the case with this particular person, I've yet to figure out."

"Do you at least have a name I can work with?"

"I believe his name was Vincent Valentine. It actually makes sense that it's his name—he looked biracial to me, as I actually see the Southerner in his blood."

"Do you think you can get me a dossier on him?"

"Oh, I can try…that is, if you'd like to risk being the one to explain to your father during the next family reunion why we're one cousin short!"

"The dossier is that top-secret?"

"Yeah…all spec ops, black ops, and even covert ops soldiers have their files black-tagged as top-secret, with spec ops soldiers having relatively the lightest amount of secrecy in their files. Black ops and covert ops guys tend to have heavily and moderately redacted files respectively. If I try to go in to get that file for you, you'd better be ready with that explanation…just because the spec ops files are most lightly-protected dossiers in Wutai does not mean that I can take it lightly."

"So there's no way I can get anything else to make my job easier?"

"No, but I tell you a bit of a rumor I heard about him…according to several people, he comes from a family of doctors…"

"He told me that his parents were doctors, but that was about it. And that was when I first met him."

"Well rumor has it that both of those doctors are rather famous…they are Grimoire Valentine and Li Xiaoyin whom we both know as Hongfeng Gongzhu."

Yuffie's eyes had widened upon hearing that. "You have got to be shitting me!" She knew that Vincent said that his parents were doctors with his father being a Mideelean doctor and his mother being a specialist in Traditional Wutainese Medicine, but this was on a whole different level past what he had said! Doctor Grimoire Valentine was a rather well-known surgeon and general practitioner of medicine for not only being the best surgical genius in the world, but also for his habit of travelling the world to meet his patients. He was also well-known for charging his patients ridiculously large amounts of money for each operation, but with that payment came a huge chance of success in the case of diseases and injuries that seem impossible to treat or cure—a fact that spoke volumes about his skills that put all other doctors in his field to shame that an overly-skilled doctor without a license was making more money than any of them. In addition to that, the man was also known well in the scientific community…his studies in the area of human physiology and anatomy from his operations were the talk of the world, with many people aspiring to be scientists as great as him if not greater.

While she knew that Grimoire Valentine made a name for himself as an extremely skilled back-alley doctor and an equally brilliant scientist, Yuffie knew that Vincent's mother was well-known in her own right—however, there was nobody under the heavens in the island of Wutai that did not hear of the beauty that was Hongfeng Gongzhu. Her title was due to the fact that her treatments were rumored to have been able to save people that have recently died…as if phoenixes obeyed her joyously resurrecting people left and right on her command. She also headed the militia group the 12 Falcons of Chishan…nobody would dare start a crime in the port city of Chishan with the 12 Falcons watching, however it was also known in whispers that one should never mess with Hongfeng herself. With her outer beauty matching that of her inner-beauty, one would not expect that the very much graceful curves of her body that would have earned her the title of goddess of love and beauty with arrogant ease also hid a power that would put the almighty Susanoo to shame. It was rumored that due to the fact that her martial arts skills were at the level of a grandmaster at age 28, Hongfeng was given an offer to join the Southern Wutainese Imperial Guard, which she refused, humbly stating that she was a doctor and not a soldier and that her martial arts skills were learned so that she could defend her patients. To think that she would have a son with a disreputable man like Grimoire Valentine was a very big surprise…and the 12 Falcons were tight-lipped about the issue for some reason, even after the death of their master.

"It was inconclusive that it was the case, but who knows? Maybe they are in fact his parents…or perhaps it was only a rumor after all."

"Interesting…"

"Look, I'll see if I can get anything else on him to make your job easier…dossiers, files, anything I can find even if it is more rumors. Until then, you're working in the dark …so do us both a favor and be careful—I know from experience that those spec ops guys are already capable of tearing us regular army men apart quite easily, and I don't want to be the one to tell Uncle Godo that you died because were messing with a spec ops man."

This was not good. Normally, Yuffie had a dossier or a file at the very least to study her targets courtesy of Tseng and his private detective work. The arrangement was simple; whenever she got hired for another cupid job, Yuffie enlisted Tseng to aid her in getting more information in exchange for a quarter of her profits (he would have asked for more, but Yuffie threatened that he'd risk being broken up with Elena if he did)…the more information she got, the easier it was to get the job done. However, if she was working in the dark, then that would mean she'd have to get information the hard way; by getting it from the source. It was easy to get the information she needed from said source if she was working on the personal level—what was difficult however, was getting the information without getting attached. "Okay, okay! I'll be extra careful on this job. The sooner this is done, the sooner I can leave him in the hands of Ms. Right."

"I'll see you later then." With that, Tseng left his cousin to her own devices. It was there that Yuffie began making plans as to how to get Vincent to open up more.

Later that night…

9980 Gilgamesh Rd. was the site of "Enrique's Del Solian Bar and Grill"…a small but well-known restaurant in these parts due to the fact that the founder and head chef Enrique Trujillo was a reputable wine-tasting judge, and was well-versed in the art of cooking Del Solian-style delights such as 'Vanilla-spiced roast beef with a side of green beans and rice pilaf', 'Baked chicken breast with jalapeño sauce', and even the simple but no less delectable 'Tacos del pescados con arroz'. In addition to the customer-attracting wine selection of such choices as St. Schneider's Monastery 2010 Riesling and Chateau Dubois 2006 Merlot, it was also far from 117 Hikaru St. and from prying eyes.

Within a shadowy corner, two figures sat at a table. One of the shadows was older and smelled of jasmine and lavender, while the other appeared to be significantly younger (perhaps around in her late twenties) with a different scent. Both shadows were effeminate. "How are things going with you?" asked the younger shadow, concern lacing her features.

"We're doing well. It's been so long since I last saw you. Are you sure you don't want to wait for the meal before we get to business?"

The chuckle of the younger figure signaled her amusement. "Please, I've been here before. Enrique's reputation is based upon his belief in quality above speed…so we have some time before our orders arrive."

"I suppose you're right. I suppose you want to know how the research is going, do you?"

"Please go on…I'd like to see how the ninja girl works."

"I don't spy on people like I used to…I have an image to keep after all. But I will tell you this; I could see the determination in her eyes…she most definitely wants to get this job done."

"How good is her accomplice?"

"Rather good, but even he has limits. The task of making his cousin's side job as cupid on this case easier would be very difficult no doubt. You said he was in spec ops right?"

"Not anymore…he was promoted."

"Yes, he will most definitely have a challenge on his hands. But either way, the game is afoot."

"It seems we are right on schedule then; and just in time too…" As if on cue, the waiter arrived with a tray carrying their orders: a lamb basted in jalapeño juice with a side of oyster mushroom, a peppered chicken breast barbecued and marinated in authentic vanilla sauce from Costa del Sol with a small salad, and two glasses of Monsieur Garnier 2003 Chardonnay.

The older figure picked up her glass. "In order to bring us good luck, I toast to our endeavors."

The younger figure followed. "With this glass, I swear that the plan will come together. Cheers."

The two figures toasted. And with the meal, they sealed the deal…

A/N: Oh dear, a twist…I wonder who those two figures are. To those who have guessed the identity of those two women and what they are planning to do, I commend you on your observation. I wanted to base Grimoire and Hongfeng on two doctors in fiction that I rather liked. This version of Grimoire was based on Dr. Hazama Kuroo, who would otherwise be known as Dr. Black Jack with a bit of Mordin Solus, while Hongfeng was based on Huang Fei Hong.

Songs Used:

"Nine-tailed Demon Fox" by Toshiro Masuda from "Naruto"—scouting out Vincent.

"Morena De Mi Corazon" by Los Lobos from "Desperado"—meeting in "Enrique's Del Solian Bar and Grill"

Vocabulary and Culture Notes:

Wangzhou—a place in Wutai, it literally means "King Prefecture"

Saika Magoichi—the name of a prominent commander during Japan's Sengoku Basara era. Real name Saika Suzuki, and leader of the Saika Mercenary Group. He was well-known as the mercenary leader that equipped his entire regiment with rifles.

Li Xiaoyin—a Chinese name

Hongfeng Gongzhu—a title in Mandarin…it means "Red Phoenix Princess".

Chishan—another place in Wutai, its name means "Red Mountain"

Susanoo—the Shinto god of storms; also associated with war.

Tacos del pescados con arroz—Spanish for "Fish tacos with rice".