a ffvii fanfic by Eregil the Wood Elf
Feedback welcome!!! E-mail: eregil@usa.net
Yuffie: "Thanks for keeping me company."
Vincent: "..."
Yuffie: "I just hate travelling. Good thing you were with me."
Vincent: "...It was nothing."
Yuffie: "See, we're almost there."
Vincent: "..."
Yuffie: "Had you ever been to Wutai, before meeting me?"
Vincent: "No."
Yuffie: "I love Wutai. Oh, now you'll say it's just because it's my home town. No, it's not just that... When I think of its power in the past, and its customs, the valour of its fighters, and the things as they are now... it's all so fascinating... I wish Wutai could reflourish."
Vincent: "But if it weren't your home town, would it feel the same?"
Yuffie: "What? Oh, I knew you would say that! Mph! Of course!"
Vincent: "Weren't you the one who complained about customs right at the top of the Pagoda?"
Yuffie: "So?"
Vincent: "Oh, nothing."
Yuffie: "Nothing? Oh, well... I see. Everything is so fascinating, but me, I'm not really cut to be subject to customs, oh no, not me!"
(Vincent shakes his head. The two stop in front of the first buildings of the town)
Yuffie: "Here. Welcome back to Wutai, Vincent!"
Vincent (bows his head before Yuffie): "Thank you, o Lady Yuffie, from the deep of my heart."
Yuffie: "!!!"
"Whoa! Thank you for coming!"
(they move in, side by side)
Yuffie: "By the way, Vincent, why have you come here?"
Vincent: "Cloud told us to find out why we keep fighting. But, I don't really feel like fighting any more. Better take a vacation and see if I'll feel more like it when the day comes."
Yuffie: "Oh. Then you... chose well, I think. This is actually a good place to visit. I'll say, I'm not enthusiastic with the idea Wutai has become just a tourist attraction. But... maybe that's just how it goes."
Vincent: "..."
Yuffie: "I know why I'm fighting, and why I'm going to keep fighting."
"I want this place to reflourish."
"I'm gonna bring back many Materias after the war and help Wutai regain its lost power."
"I've also learnt many things during this long journey... and I'm not going to leave Cloud and the others alone. They've been so good to me."
"You know, I've been thinking, power isn't something to show off, nor it is something to be used to make people suffer, like Sephiroth is doing. I'm gonna borrow the power of Materia to bring Wutai back to its best days and protect its people. That's it!"
"Nyuk, nyuk... they're gonna adore me!"
(Yuffie looks at Vincent for a moment and sees he is giving her a bad glance)
Yuffie: "Uh? Have I said something wrong?"
Vincent (hints at a smile): "You may learn this and that, but you'll never change."
Yuffie: "Aw, is this wrong? Listen, I'm going to the Pagoda, my Dad might be there at this time."
Vincent: "I'll come with you."
Gorky: "Oh, Miss Yuffie! Welcome back!"
Yuffie: "Gorky; how's it going?"
Gorky: "Good, good. Lord Godo's upstairs. Oh, you're with a friend of yours, I see?"
Vincent: "Vincent Valentine."
Gorky: "I'm honoured to meet you."
Yuffie: "Then we're going up. Later, Gorky!"
Gorky: "See you later."
Godo: "Yuffie! You're here!"
Yuffie: "Hi Dad!"
Godo: "I'm so happy! I had prayed for this moment to come. The Mat-- oh, I see you took a friend!"
Yuffie: "Dad, this is Vincent Valentine."
Vincent: "It's an honour."
Godo: "Hmm... I see. You're still fighting this... Sephiroth... aren't you?"
Yuffie: "Yes, Dad..."
(she gets closer and tells Godo in a low voice): "I'll take the Materia here next time, once the war is over... By the way..." (looks at Vincent who is staring at the void) "I think Vincent needs some... encouragement."
Godo: "What's up with him?"
Yuffie: "He says he doesn't feel like fighting any more... but I know everyone would like him to be at our side till the end. Me too, I don't want him to just leave everything like this... I don't know what's up, really..."
Godo: "Let me have a talk with him."
(To Vincent): "So, it looks like you're quitting your party, how was it called?"
Yuffie: "AVALANCHE"
Godo: "Right, AVALANCHE."
Vincent: "I don't know."
Godo: "Why won't you fight at your friends' side, for the sake of... Wutai, Da-chao, the Planet itself?"
Vincent: "Lord Godo, I hope I can find help in your wisdom."
Godo: "You needn't do anything but ask."
Vincent: "I've been wondering... whether what I've done so far is right. Whether it's right to judge and punish people like... Hojo, or Sephiroth, those who caused so many sufferings, when we ain't no men just enough for that..."
Godo: "You feel... guilty for something, don't you, Vincent?"
Vincent: "..."
Godo: "Listen, Vincent. Your friends know your valour in battle and want you to be at their side."
Vincent (shakes his head): "It's not this, it's just that... I should accept death as a punishment for my sins. I'm not the rightful person to judge others. Let the Planet decide whether Sephiroth is to be punished."
"I shouldn't have killed Hojo, either..."
Godo: "I know. The truth is, you're closer to the answer you're seeking, than you might think now."
"Think, Vincent. About what is your fault, your... sin. Not the deed you accomplished, but rather what makes it a sinful deed."
Vincent: "..."
Godo: "Try to find out. And try to understand what would make your fighting Sephiroth as sinful as that, if anything would."
Vincent: "..."
Godo: "Can you see the answer?"
Vincent: "Not yet."
Godo (nods): "You need more time. And maybe some advice from a friend. Go. And, come back whenever you want."