Chapter 16: Return of the light and the chaos

Time...something we forget about, so easily and passes us by…like it was never there. Watching your friends – family grow up without you…it can be a big deal, for anyone other than Sora he let it go. He was happy to see his friends grow up In their own way and was slowly starting to feel as if he was losing his way the more his heart returned the more he started to feel regret. Every time he saw Yuffie he felt his heart ache especially after this new threat made its way to Midgar only after a year of solitude, Sora's heart was reaching the final stages of being rebuilt.

"I'm…sorry Yuffie, for making you wait, I'm sorry Aerith for forcing you to do this, I…won't let you down!"

"You and I…Will never accept each other, you and I may look alike but we're different and I will find a way to take what I-"The last of Vanitas's conscious faded completely into nothingness. Sora had complete control, a sense of calm faded into what he knew well as sadness and tears fell, the more his body started to glow and his tranquil mindset becoming more worried than wholesome. His deep compassion had diminished do to the realization of the past events that took place while he was in his dream like state.

"I…Can't let it end like this, not yet, I won't let you have her –"

"VINCENT YOU CAN DO IT!" Yuffie shouted from the crowd below the reactor everyone from the fight a year ago, present to see this pinnacle of destruction be eradicated by none other than Vincent he had been able to take control of the inner demon within himself and was able to make it this far he shot up further and further towards his fight above.

"It's all up to him now," Cloud said in a subdued tone

"Don't get all sentimental just because you aren't the hero this time!" Yuffie berated the blonde

"C'mon Yuffie that isn't a way to act if it wasn't for Cloud you'd never would've made it this far, and we should be putting our energy towards helping Vincent, not arguing!" Tifa scolded

"Sorry, sorry you're right I wonder what Sora would think of all of this…seeing us acting like nothing ever happened he'd probably be jealous!" Yuffie said softly

"He promised, he'd never break one, don't worry" Cloud remarked

"Don't worry Yuffie, he'll be back, that isn't something to fret over" Tifa said in a calm manner

"You're only saying that because mister no sack here finally popped the question!" Yuffie retaliated

"Someone's sexually frustrated" Cid said nonchalantly

"Shut up you saggy faced cancer ridden old man!" Yuffie shouted

"Geez…it was just a joke" Cid sulked

"Do you think he's ready, Aerith?" Zack asked

"No, not yet, just a little longer, if we let him go now he'll just vanish in a few days we don't want that, especially with someone like Yuffie waiting for him." Aerith said fondly

"You miss them, don't you?" Zack asked coming into her personal space

"I do, but I'm happy here with you" Aerith gently touched the scar on the Solider

"Well that goes for one of us, I wouldn't mind getting back in the action any day," He paused "With you by my side of course" Zack smiled softly

"Remember the last time you went off into the fray?" Aerith smiled softly

"Okay, you win, but, if Genesis comes back, they'll need help, that much even you know is true." Zack responded half seriously

"Of course, but I'd like to see what they can do, they saved the world more than once, I think they can do it again, don't you?"

"You're right, maybe it's just me being worried again, so how long will it take to get him up and running again?"

Two weeks later

Tifa had just gotten used to having someone other than Denzel and Marlene in the house; Shelke was brought by Yuffie to seventh heaven simply because she had no where else to go, but made it clear that Sora's room was off limits to her.

"I don't understand, why does it matter if I go into this room or not?" Shelke questioned

"Because it's important it held someone very dear to me and I don't want just anyone going into it!" Yuffie huffed

"This is the only room available you brought me here and now intend to force me out when no one even uses that room for a sentimental reason?"

"It isn't like that! He said he'll be back, and I'm holding him to that promise, and until he comes back I can't let anyone go in here!"

"Don't worry Shelke we have another room you can use, Yuffie, just because he's not back yet doesn't mean you can be selfish!" Tifa reasoned

"How is it selfish, you'd do the same if Cloud went missing!" Yuffie responded

"How can he be missing if he's dead!" Tifa paused as soon as the words left her mouth, Yuffie's angry expression soon sulked into a saddened one. She knew, as well as anyone else that he was dead but that didn't mean she couldn't hope for him to come back, she wanted to do for him what she couldn't a year ago no matter how long it would be.

"You don't think I know that…I didn't believe in him when he needed it and because of that he's no longer with us, but I can't lose hope, I can't do that because if I do who else will wait, who else will believe in him, who else will love him!" Yuffie shouted in between the tears and sobs she ran out of the bar and into town she hid her face from the crowd and continued to the only place she knew she could go and feel welcomed at this point.

"Even if she's childish…she can be right sometimes…I should go apologize" Tifa said to herself looking towards the room she didn't notice someone walk into the bar to overhear her, when she did in fact notice it was too late the figure left the bar in search of the missing ninja.

"I wonder what you'd do in this situation…Aerith you were always so kind and cheerful but you wouldn't let someone take away something you cared about, even this church is still around because of you" Yuffie said to herself while single slow tears fell from her face

"Her kindness was the reason she forgave Cloud, the reason she wasn't angry at him the reason she was willing to help me see you again, Yuffie" A voice she couldn't quite recognize fluttered into her ears her mind was clouded but her heart knew it oh so well.

"It's done Zack, where should we send him?" Aerith asked with an obvious look in her eyes

"I know the perfect place!" Zack shouted with enthusiasm

"Good luck, and remember this is your second chance at life, don't be so reckless and try and do everything yourself, you have friends let them help you, and don't forget about the oncoming fight, warn them, don't forget this!" Aerith said once more before Sora's eyes opened he was floating in water in the place where his final battle took place. He could hear someone sobbing near him, but could not see. his hair had grown out a lot longer covering his eyes easily, although his clothing no longer baggy wearing a white jacket with grey lining and straps, black jeans with white shoes with blue embroidery and lining his gloves still back, with silver lining.

"Her kindness, is allowing me…to love you again" Sora finished his sentence to a shocked Yuffie He looked up to her with a smile as big and as bright as it'd ever been.

"SORA!" Yuffie shouted after a moments thought Tifa who had entered the church, stood at the doorframe, a smile on her lips

"He did promise. Didn't he?"

"Yeah, he did, that kid sure is full of surprises, I guess even willpower can overcome deaths embrace" Cloud said looking on at the scene

"I promised you, and all you had to do was believe, I'm sorry…I was gone so long Yuffie, hopefully you'll forgive me?" Sora asked

"Sure, but on one condition" Yuffie smirked

"Oh, and what's that?" he asked nonchalantly

"You have to never leave me again and…you have to marry me!" Yuffie's proclamation filled the empty church and the only thing Sora could do was look on at the hyper ninja in disbelief as well as Cloud and Tifa alike

"You two can't be getting married!" Tifa shouted from the entrance clearly blowing their cover

"Why does it matter you and Cloud are!" Yuffie retaliated

"You are? Congrats Cloud bout time you two finally got together!" Sora smiled

"Better late than never right?" Cloud asked rhetorically

"Yuffie you can't you're still just a kid!" Tifa berated

"I'll accept, but on one condition" Sora said shocking the waitress

"What might that be?" Yuffie asked nonchalantly

"We wait a bit, I have something important to discuss with Cloud it's of dire importance" Sora never looked so serious before and Cloud was a bit concerned

"What do you mean…?" he asked curious

"Genesis."