melodiesoflife | Because all of this makes sense [OPEN]

Entry tags:

Because all of this makes sense [OPEN]

Characters: Yuffie and OPEN
Where: Aqures Ixen, also heading out of the city.
When: May 14th to May 20nd -ish
Summary: These chains of action make sense to Yuffie.
Warning: N/A

Rearranging some of MarKus's(or Spark's) things (or others – before meeting)

She would never take things and keep them, not anymore anyway. She just enjoyed moving her friends things around when they weren't around. If something caught her eye she might borrow it for a short period of time but she would always give it back. It was a distraction and it kept her skills sharp. There were many things filtering through her thoughts but nothing made sense when she finally went to put the pieces together.

Yuffie might be digressing a bit but it was the only way she really knew how to deal with everything. She wasn't sure if she should feel happy. Did she diverse to feel happy? Everything happens for a reason right? Maybe it was suppose to happen?

[ooc: Feel free to have Yuffie swipe anything. She'd look at it and then give it back or if she knows you, you can catch her moving your things around.]

Sneaking into windows (for those she knows - after meeting)

Her footsteps were silent as she moved across the gleaming grass. It wasn't so bright in the dark but the moons light was enough to make the area far to bright for Yuffie's liking. She couldn't really hide. She moved across the yard glancing at the window that stood like a checkered line marking the end of a race. It wasn't so hard to get to.

Yuffie should have probably turned invisible to do this but that wasn't as much fun and there was a purpose to her visit. The meeting had her thinking and this was her best chance to finally do something. She didn't think the other heroes were going to do anything so quickly so she was going to leave and try and do things herself.

There were just a few places she had to stop by first.

She moved up towards the window moving silently as she carefully began to open the sliding glass. She peeked in the window waiting for her eyes to adjust to the darker room. Let's hope her target was asleep.

Leaving town (Maybe not permanently or at all – after meeting)

Mooshoo finally caught up to her as she walked away from the city gates. A bag was slung over her shoulder and she walked with a purpose. She should probably leave with company but that didn't really cross her mind. She wanted to do something and this was one of the few times Mooshoo was trying to talk her out of a crazy idea.

”...This isn't a good idea” Mooshoo watched Yuffie his expression filled with worry. He usually let her be watching as she grew and changed over time. He knew that people cared about her and she cared about those around her and yet she was trying to do things on her own again.

“Come on. Mushu. It will be fine. I can't just do nothing.” She flashed him an angry stare.

”....you shouldn't go alone...”

“Yeah, I don't think anyone would want to come with. Besides I have even more people I want to protect.” She meant to make it sound like she was complaining but her tone became wistful and soft as she spoke. Yuffie knew a handful of people who'd get pissed if she just up and left.

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Yuffie grunted, obviously annoyed at his answer. She took the blanket and covered her face with it while laying down on the couch.

"So testing. They kept us in cells, food sucked but it only got really bad the last week or so when we were tossed in with the new heroes. I found out Cid was here then." She paused. "Wrong Cid. Now ours. He acts like ours though."

"They did... really awful tests. At first it wasn't so bad. They put me in a room with white walls and my blades. They threw monsters at me until a I have a limit break. I was... so tired. I kept fighting. I'm sure they would have let me die. After I used that ability I passed out. I don't remember anything until I was thrown into the cell with Luffy."

"Then..." She paused covering her eyes with her palm beneath the blanket.

Vincent listened, letting her take her time and feel out her words. As she trailed off once more, he stood. Hefting the chair, and bringing it over to the couch by where her head was covered by the blanket. Then he re-settled, leaning back and ready to listen once more.

"...then?" He prompted. Taking care with the question, voice low but he gave what warmth he could to it. Trying to let her know it was alright, he understood.

She removed the blanket noting that Vincent was sitting closer. She looked over at him, not angry, but curious.

"They filled me with poison. It... hurt. For hours... days. I can't remember. I just felt pain. Like my body was on fire. They came back a few days later to take me again. It was going to be the same test. But..." Her voice faltered and she looked back at the blanket, her fingers curling tightly around the soft cover.

"Luffy went in my place. He wouldn't let me be taken again. After he was gone they came back for me. I didn't know why. The test was running on Luffy, not me. They made me watch him. I don't know why. There was no reason for it. I watched him be filled with the same poison that I was. I watched him for hours.... days. It felt like it never ended."

She paused for a long time.

"It hurt."

It was an understatement but she wasn't able to really explain.

It made sense to Vincent why they'd made her watch. A form of torture and an attempt to break her mentally. He didn't know who this Luffy was. There were levels to this, to what they're captors had done that he could see, that he wasn't sure Yuffie would recognize.

Blame his time in the Department of Administrative Research. Blame his time under Hojo. He somewhat understood scientists and the madness that could overtake them.

He looked over at her, watching, before standing once more. Taking the blanket from her, fingers careful with his gauntlet-claws. Then moving to drape it around and over her. "You're safe now." Again the low voice had hints of warmth in it, a vague attempt at comfort.

Shifting to a crouch, as he held up his left hand. Turning it over, examining the golden gauntlet that covered from his elbows on down. "Ophelia informed me, whatever we were before arriving here, we are human now." Almost a non-sequitur, but he had a point and a purpose.

Carefully, his right hand moved. Fingers deft, but there were a lot of buckles, and the gauntlet had been made as part of his prison after all. Speaking as he worked, still with that same hint of warmth in his voice. "I was one of Hojo's experiments. It was my punishment. Kept in a long tube that supported what was left of my life. My consciousness wavering in and out, at the best of times."

Taking his time, twisting and careful with the gauntlet as he shifted it, once the buckles were undone. "I remember the first time I woke up...changed. The aftermath of the pain, and the realization that went through me as I could feel the differences." A hint of breath in as the metal and leather was removed, careful of the wicked claws at the ends of the fingers.

Revealing very pale skin from the edge of Vincent's sleeve on down to his hand. Flexing it carefully, and scars. Twisted masses of scars, that were so very old and formed a busy pattern of criss-crossing lines that covered the appendage. From elbow to wrist, and even on each of the fingers.

Letting Yuffie see, and attempting to offer what comfort he could. That she was not alone. That he understood, and did not judge. That he would keep her silence.

She watched him move the blanket curiously. Her fingers uncurled fro the soft fabric as he pulled it away from her. It was nice to have the blanket pulled over her but it was weird to have Vincent being the one to do it. She just watched; silently.

It was strange seeing Vincent talk so much but it was nice to hear the deep tones of his voice. She rolled over looking at his arm and listening to his story. She knew that Vincent had been through his own version of hell. Maybe that's why she decided to tell him of all people. She still woke up crying or wouldn't be able to fall asleep because she'd felt like she was back there. She didn't think it would ever stop haunting her and so she wondered if it still haunted Vincent.

"But why..." Her hand reached out lightly gliding against his arm and over his scared hand. "I don't understand why."

Then Yuffie paused looking at those scares. "Did you know. Heroes can't die here. We turn to crystal until our bodies heal and then we wake up. I've been through so much but there isn't a mark on me from it."

He didn't react to the touch; maybe he couldn't feel it, through the ruin of skin that was his arm. He saw it, but that wasn't the same as feeling. "That type of experience does scar someone Yuffie, even if it leaves no visible marks."

Vincent kept himself still, letting her explore the ruined skin. It'd been so long since he'd taken off the all-concealing gauntlet. Even longer, since it had been placed on him. Nor was it easy to remove, practically or psychologically.

She took the time to run her finger lightly along every part of his hand. She stopped and then looked up at Vincent curiously.

"You're human here. Maybe here things can be better?" They hadn't been for her but maybe they would be for him. He wasn't the same as her after all. Now he could start over.

"Perhaps." Vincent murmured, only pulling back after she'd examined his arm and hand completely. Flexing his fingers, his wrist, red-gaze turning to look at the often unseen limb.

"But mental wounds and scars often run far deeper. Heal with more difficulty, if they do at all." Contemplative, if hardly reassuring. Moving to replace the metal and leather that covered his left hand, standing from his crouch and returning to his seat.

"You're not alone." For Yuffie, from all that Vincent knew of her, he felt perhaps that was the best comfort he could give. To remind her she was not alone in facing her trauma and darkness. Darkness and pain were like old friends to him, so perhaps he was the best person to listen.

Yuffie pulled the blanket up to her nose watching Vincent with her large almond eyes. "Thank you." She didn't know what else to say. She had probably learned more about Vincent in this conversation than she had through most of their journey together. Her eyes remained on him for a moment longer before she let out a shaky sigh.

"They gave us cake." She paused. "In prison, on valentines day. You know that day when you're suppose to be with someone you love. I was stuck with Luffy who I don't even understands what that means but the moogle gave us cake. I think he snuck it to us."

She rose the blanket up a little bit more until he could only see her eyes. "Like a secret."

Vincent raised an eyebrow. "Valentine's day?" He was unfamiliar with the term, and vaguely amused at a day where one was supposed to be with one they love. Being called the same thing as his last name.

"I do not know this Luffy." He finally offered. "But perhaps he cares for you in some way, even if only as an ally. He offered himself in your place." Wasn't that a form of affection?

It had been kind of the moogle, at least.

Yuffie just looked at Vincent. "No... he's an idiot and not that kind of love and yes I understand that it's your last name." She quickly collected her words together before pushing the blanket down. She felt better since they weren't really talking about the Empire anymore but then she didn't want to talk about Luffy much either.

"I should show you your room so let's do that." She pushed the blanket away keeping it thrown upon the couch. Yuffie took two quick strides across the room and to the small hall.

"It's this way."

Once more Vincent let her lead. This, was more like normal Yuffie behavior. Reassuring him that perhaps his comfort had worked at least for now.

He didn't have much skill in it really, but he had tried. For Yuffie who was his ally, and perhaps a friend. The line was blurry, but it was there.

"There's a blue spot, I'm told..." Leading without actually asking the question of how it go there. Curious, and hoping to keep her distracted.

Yuffie giggled softly. "Yeah. I used to have traps set up since I was living with Sephiroth. I was a little bit more of a pest then because I was 14. I blamed him for Wutai." She paused. "We didn't get along."

She stopped in front of her door which revealed halve of the blue spot. The rest had leaked into her room.

"I played a trick. It was actually harmless but he came to yell at me without knowing I booby trapped my room. His hair was blue for a few hours." She's going to leave out that part where she ran away.

Yuffie turned and then opened the door to Vincents room. "But those traps are gone now. Mooshoo made me take em down. So no worries Vince." Not that she's inviting him into her room.

Somehow the idea of her booby-trapping things didn't surprise Vincent at all. Nor that she didn't get along with Sephiroth--even if it wasn't the same one they'd all been chasing. He especially wasn't surprised that she had blamed him for Wutai. It almost made him want to smile, the image of the silver-haired madman they'd been chasing, with blue hair.

"That is reassuring, if I hear anything weird and decide to check on you." Somewhat throwing her own words back at her, but not in a bad way. He would respect her privacy; easiest way to get her to respect his own. Poking his head in the room, it was disturbingly normal. This was a good thing however as he stalked around it, then headed back to the doorway. Looking Yuffie over, then tilting his head in silent question.

Was she alright, for now? Did she want to talk more?

She either didn't hear his silent question or she disregarded it out of hand. She waved her hand in the air as she turned away.

"Got it, your room. I'll get out of your hair." Yuffie turned back into the hall opening the door to her own room. She hesitated a moment and if Vincent were to look into the room he'd notice it was as plan and bare as his own.

Vincent watched her go, simply to study more about her state of mind from what he could deduce of her actions. She seemed more steady, hints of her old self. It was ironic, that he was not entirely sure he wanted the privacy she was offering, if she were still unsettled. He wasn't one for idle company.

But if he had helped for now, then good. It was late, and it had been a long and strange trip. Turning, the door shut behind him as he settled into his temporary home. Door shut, inviting no visitors.

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Because all of this makes sense [OPEN]

Leaving Town

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