A/N: I felt the sudden urge to begin a new story. Don't ask me why, because I can't tell you. I think it might be my muse's fault, as it is not happy with any of my stories at the moment and is feeding me information for this one and another story that I won't post yet. So... I guess I have to satisfy it to shut it up!

The song is from Deplora, who kindly gave it to me because she was overloaded with other stories. Kudos to you! I hope I can do this justice, as it is a very good song. I also want to thank October Breeze who has been appointed my "editor" for this story (didn't read this part when you were checking it, eh Cka?). I thank her for her insight and helpful story building ideas. THANKS MUCH!

Anyway, enough of my rambling.

[Disclaimer: I own nothing here that is easily recognizable. Nadda. Nothing. The only things I own are Caine Stokes (although he's partially October Breeze's) and about five posters of my bishies! ]


Someone roughly shook Yuffie awake. She yawned and turned over on her other side, trying to ignore them. It wasn't going to happen, as the person pushed her off of the bed and onto the hard floor of the Green Room.

"Ouch! You didn't have to do that, you know! I would've woken up eventually," Yuffie protested angrily. She opened her eyes slightly and the frown that was scrawled across her face deepened. "I'm going to go back to sleep."

"You either get up or you miss playing with the puppies. When I made that deal with Aerith, you promised you would stick to my schedule, my rules. Training is from eleven to seven, and you get till eight o'clock for free time. If you aren't back by then, I'm locking you out," he growled coldly, walking out the door and closing it quietly behind him.

Yuffie glared at the spot where Squall Leonhart had stood. That... that... she let out a loud sigh of frustration because she couldn't think of the right adjective to describe the man who had graced the room with his presence. He was so mean, nasty, and in general, argumentative with Yuffie that she had to protest! What else was the teenager to do? She realized that he wasn't instigating the arguments, just like he didn't mean to be unkind towards her. Mostly it was her fault. Oh well, she thought. He does respond to the provocation! He doesn't have to!




Pulling herself up from the pile of tangled covers on the floor, she stretched and let out another yawn. Squall had gotten her up, that much was true. Otherwise, she would have been sleeping half the day away, and she never liked that. Then the day felt so wasted, as she was locked up in their room at eight o'clock at night.

His schedule was really strict, but Yuffie had to abide by it. Aerith would force Yuffie to study magic if not, and that was something that Yuffie found extremely boring. Despite that fact that Aerith was kind and calm and a perfect little angel, she was a dull teacher, at best. Fighting with Squall, sorry, Leon was much better. Yuffie could work out all the frustrations of life in her training, and meanwhile she was gaining both physical and mental strength. There had to be plus sides to that.

Yuffie walked over to the dresser and rifled through the bottom two drawers, which were hers. Squall had claimed the top three, so that left the others for her. "Aha!" She cried out triumphantly as she grabbed the green tank top and khaki shorts that she always wore. Aerith found Yuffie's fashion sense deplorable, but Yuffie wouldn't dream of wearing anything else. This was comfy, and that was all that mattered. There wasn't any guy to impress anyway. Or at least that's what the sixteen year old ninja thought as she pulled the top on over her head and stepped into her shorts.

Yuffie pulled her shoes out from underneath the bed and put them on without her usual knee-high socks. It was getting warmer and warmer in Traverse lately, and she had to find ways to cool off, even if it meant discarding her precious socks. With a spring in her step, she bounced out onto the balcony and jumped to the alleyway below.

A few Heartless blocked her path to the Dalmatians' house, but she dispersed of them easily with her shurikens. Yuffie raced to the doors and threw them open. Puppies jumped up on her and she patted each and every one of them. They settled down and she continued on to the rest of the house. In the piano room, Squall sat on the floor playing fetch with a puppy.

His nice side really does come out when he's around these cute things, she mused. Just by being with him every day, you would never imagine that he even possessed a soft side. But that is him, Mr. Iceblock.




"Didja miss me?" She asked him as she flew in through the doors. He didn't even jump. She was hoping to surprise him, but apparently he had heard her coming... or something like that. Even if she was a ninja (and a pretty good one if she did say so herself), Squall could pick up on everything she did. And that got annoying...

"You finally managed to drag yourself here, then. I admit I wasn't expecting that. Then I won't tell Aerith... yet... about anything you have done. Breaking that electrical wire in the Third District will remain strictly confidential. Besides," he added as an afterthought, "Aerith would probably find some way to blame me for that. We have half and hour before going to the Waterway to train."

"Got it, Squ-er-Leon. Half an hour before you make me jump through the fires of hell. Gotcha. I'm going to go and see what Aerith's up to, since I don't see her much anymore," Yuffie replied. She skipped out of the house relatively quickly so that she could reach the Hotel before she was forced to go and train.

Lucky for her, Aerith was standing outside the clothing shop, Petitte's. It was the most expensive spot in the whole of Traverse Town, and Yuffie knew that Aerith couldn't afford anything inside. Or at least she didn't think that Aerith had been saving her money.

"Aerith! Aerith!" She called to her friend, a little breathless. The plink-clad woman turned towards Yuffie and smiled broadly, waving. Yuffie finally came to a stop at her side and held her aching side.

"Hey Yuffie! How have you been? Have you been hassling Leon about his name or the training schedule again? You do that all the time, and I think he finds it very annoying. You really should-" the woman was cut off when Yuffie put her hand up to signal her to stop.

"I know, Aerith. I try, all right? Right now, I just wanted to visit you as Leonhart is taking those years as a SeeD a little too seriously with me. Gawd is he tough! But, anyway, what're you doing? This place is so expensive; you can't possibly be able to buy anything."

Aerith's smile didn't fade at all when Yuffie said this. In fact, it only got broader and broader until it stretched across her entire face. "Do you know what today is, Yuffie?"

Yuffie considered for a moment, tapping her right forefinger against her chin. "No... not really. Is Cloud finally coming back? Is that it?"

Aerith snorted, a look crossing over her face that Yuffie couldn't name. But it faded quickly and the smile was still there. "Today is your birthday, Yuffums. It's November 20. Come on! Don't tell me you didn't remember?"

"Oh... yeah... I remembered. I just wasn't sure if anyone else did. I didn't want to impose..." Actually, she hadn't known that it was her birthday, but Aerith would start up a lecture on the importance of having time for thinking about these things. Then she would get on Squall's case and that wouldn't be good for either of them.

"Good! Well, for your present, I've saved up a ton of money. Do you want something from this store?" She grabbed Yuffie's hand and pulled her in through the doors. "We'll find you something for your birthday dinner tonight!" Clearly, shopping is what Aerith was made to do.

Aerith pulled Yuffie automatically towards the pink section, though about halfway there Yuffie managed to slip away without Aerith noticing. She disappeared to the blue blouses and looked through the racks of clothing. She heard Aerith squeal from the other side of the shop and cringed. Moments later, the young woman was standing in front of Yuffie holding a short, black skirt. A sigh escaped from between Yuffie's lips.

"No," Yuffie replied simply.

"Aww! Come on, Yuf! This would look so perfect with... let's see..." Aerith poured over the blue rack, then over the adjacent red rack and finally decided on a sleeveless, backless, green top. "This is a great shirt for you! It'll show off your body! I mean, you are seventeen now! You deserve to have guys hanging all over you!"

Yuffie found herself once again being pulled towards a place that she would really not like to go. Yes, it was the dreaded shoe department. Aerith abandoned Yuffie to look at each and every one of the heels. Yuffie didn't want to see the pair that Aerith picked out for her. They would most likely be too... impractical. Yuffie was all for being practical in her dress, and this outfit was not shaping up to be her type.

Nevertheless, Aerith picked out a pair of unbelievably high heels. They were slinky and black, and Yuffie did like them, just not for her feet. She supposed they matched the outfit well enough, though she really wasn't one to decide on color or style.

"Now, you march right over to the dressing rooms and put this outfit on. I want to see how you look in it!" Aerith insisted, pushing the teenager towards the largely labeled sign that read: 'Dressing Room.' Yuffie frowned but did as she was told, knowing that the punishment for not listening to Aerith was harsh. By both Aerith and Squall.

She tore off her clothes, knowing that the faster she went, the sooner she would get it over with. Carefully, she put on the green top that Aerith had picked out and slipped into the silky black skirt. She felt awkward in the trendy clothing and quickly strapped on the heels. Taking a deep breath, Yuffie exited the room and stepped out for Aerith to see.

"Wow! You look gorgeous, Yuf! I don't think I've ever seen you cleaned up like this! Change back out of that so that we can buy it! I'll explain to Squall why you were late to training. He'll believe me." Yuffie nodded, grateful that she wouldn't have to explain the whole embarrassing situation to Mr. Iceblock. He wouldn't understand about Aerith anyway.

Looking at herself in the mirror, Yuffie was proud of her appearance. Despite the fact that she avoided this kind of clothing at all costs, she did look nice in it. She twirled in front of the mirror, a smile sneaking across her lips. Hopefully, she would 'wow' some people. After all, it was her birthday. She deserved to have something good happen to her.

"You're late. Again," Squall said, not looking at Yuffie as she swam through the grimy green water of the Waterway. Not thinking, Yuffie stood to protest. Unfortunately, the spot where she stood was too deep for her and she fell beneath the surface.

Two large, warm hands gripped her shoulders and hauled her out of the water. Squall threw her up onto the pebbles and she landed with a thud, coughing out the water she had managed to swallow. It had not been a pleasant experience at all.

Squall's icy blue eyes glared down into hers. "What do you think you were doing?" He asked in that annoying monotone of his. Yuffie proceeded to take off her gloves and her shoes to let them dry out.

"I was just trying to say something! I forgot that it was deep there!" She defended, crossing her arms over her chest. Being wet and wearing clingy clothes was not something she reveled. Or at least not in front of Squall. Not that he would be impacted by her ugly, formless shape anyway. But it still made her uncomfortable.

"Well... anyway, as I said before, you are late. Where were you?" He asked, gently. Gently for him. He never got very nice, considering he was Mr. Iceblock.

"Aerith took me out to shop. It's my birthday, remember?" When he didn't reply, she continued, "You know, the day where I get special breaks, people treat me nicely, cake, presents. You remember now?"

He nodded curtly and turned away from her, as if he was thinking. Finally, he took off his leather jacket and draped it around Yuffie's shoulders. "Go on. It's your birthday. You don't have to train today."

Yuffie couldn't help the amazed gape from spreading across her features. This was not Squall Leonhart.

"Who are you and what have you done to the real Squall?" She asked, feeling Squall's forehead. He growled and threw her hand away. It fell limply to her side, and she frowned. Then it was Squall. Okay. Well, for a moment it was kind of nice to hope that he had changed into some friendly person...

"It's Squall. And go, before I change my mind," he replied. She smiled at him and gave him a quick, unembarrassed hug before dashing off towards Merlin's house so that she would not get wet. Squall was blushing furiously, crimson heat spreading across his face. He went down to the water's edge and splashed a tiny bit of water on his face. The green slime certainly cooled him.

Yuffie skipped up the stairs and climbed up onto the levitating platform. It moved upwards, into Merlin's study. He had abandoned it just a month ago, planning on going on some sort of "quest." The old man was incapable of getting out of the cavern, let alone go on a quest.

She didn't reflect on how empty it felt in the cave, but jumped from floating rock to floating rock. Yuffie exited the cave out the large, wooden door emblazoned with an orange-red flame. A few Heartless jumped out at her, but she dodged them and went to the First District.

A moogle came up to her, shouting "Kupo! Kupo!" at the top of its lungs. She stopped next to it, and it caught its breath before looking up at her with its beady black eyes that were actually sort of cute. Those moogles reminded her of stuffed animals, just waiting to be squeezed with hugs.

"Happy birthday, kupo!" It told her. Yuffie smiled at it, flicking its red ball at the top of its antenna. It made a loud, squeaking protest and Yuffie laughed, running up towards the Accessory Shop.

A sign hung on the door. Closed, it read. "I wonder what Cid's doing," Yuffie mused aloud. She started humming a song under her breath as she walked slowly towards the doors to the Second District. She figured she might as well succumb to Aerith's ministrations. When it came to clothing and makeup, she was a fish out of water.

A Heartless popped up from the ground, but it was a small one, and she took out a shuriken and it disappeared in a cloud of black smoke. She began to go on her way when she looked up.

"Oh no..." she said. There, in front of her, were two large bodies, five blue rhapsodies, and a host of other black blobs.

"SQUALL! SQUALL, AERITH, HELP!!!" She shouted as loud as she could. They probably wouldn't be able to hear her though. "Damnit!" She cursed aloud. She tried to get them to disappear, but to no avail. Her shurikens were doing nothing for her at this point. Sighing, she called all of her strength into a magical attack.

A blue rhapsody whizzed past her head and she prayed that it wouldn't be able to attack before she could. One of the large bodies flopped on the ground, sending a shock wave that knocked Yuffie down onto her back. It was not a good position to be in, considering. She mumbled a few words, calling on the strength of her ancestors.

"THUN-" She began to call thundaga when someone beat her to it.

"THUNDAGA!" An unfamiliar, male voice called out. The large bolts of lightning made all of the Heartless fade into nothing. Ironic, she thought, that it's called "Thundaga" when it's really lightning...




"Are you all right?" That voice asked her now. She came back to earth and smiled at the man in front of her. He was tall and well muscled, but he also appeared to be scholarly, if the glasses perched on his nose were any indication.

"Yeah... yeah, I'm fine. I would've gotten them on my own, but thanks," she said, brushing off her shirt and shorts. He muttered a few words and a comforting green glow encased her small body. She cocked an eyebrow curiously at him.

"Just in case, Miss. My name is Caine Stokes, and I co-own the weapons shop here in the Second District," he said, thrusting his hand out in front of him.

"Yuffie Kisaragi. I protect this town from the Heartless," she supplied. Her job sounded sort of ridiculous, considering he had to protect her. He laughed and she took his hand, hoisting herself up using his weight. "Well," she said, thinking, "actually I have a fighting partner but he's training. Today is my birthday."

"Well then, happy birthday, Yuffie. May I escort you to your home?" He asked, being perfectly gentlemanly. Yuffie couldn't help but think he was a little cute. Friendly, too, which was a major plus. The only men in her life (Cid and Squall) were so anti-social it was unbelievable. And Cloud, once he came back, wasn't exactly talkative either.

"Sure, thanks! The Hotel, please."

"I'm curious, but is your partner a tall man, dark brown hair, scar on his face? He had a blade with a gun fixed to it, too. A very... unique weapon," Caine commented. Yuffie nodded.

"Yeah, that's Leon Leonhart, though I like to call him Mr. Iceblock." He laughed hard. "Seriously! But, anyway, that weapon is called the Gunblade, a very rare weapon indeed. But it's really heavy and tough to manage; Squ-er-Leon let me try to use it one time. Ugh! What a pain that thing must be to lug around!"

Caine made an incoherent noise. Yuffie couldn't quite tell what he meant by that, but she could see jealousy in his eyes. Obviously, since that guy owned a weapon's shop, he could get any weapon he wanted. But the Gunblade was special. It was the only thing Leon had from Hollow Bastion, besides his Griever necklace and that ring he never let Yuffie see.

They arrived at the Hotel, chattering about this or that. Aerith came out of the door to see what was going on and smiled. Obviously, little Yuffums had found a guy already. Good for her!

"Well, it was nice to meet you, Caine!" Yuffie told him as she followed Aerith in through the front doors of the building. "I hope to see you again sometime!"

"You won't be able to get rid of me, Yuffie. I'll talk to you later." He closed the door behind her and leaned against the wall. Great, now he would have that Leonhart fellow on his case for a long time. It was common knowledge around the town that Yuffie was Leon's partner, and that no one, no one at all, could get near her without facing the wrath of the lion. He was one overprotective guy.

Something about his weapon, though, clicked in his head, though. He thought for a moment before smiling wickedly. Maybe he would be able to get to the lovely Miss Kisaragi, even if he did have to go through the lion to get to her. Getting through Leon might not be so hard after all...

"Squall!" The petite Flower Girl called in to the Waterway. A grunt came as her answer. "Are you coming for Yuffie's birthday dinner at the Café?"

"Yeah, Aerith. Is that now?" He asked, his deep voice trailing down the passageway.

"Yuffie and I will meet you there in ten, okay? Did you hear me?" She asked.

"Yes. I'll be there," he said, sighing. Aerith nodded and set out for the Hotel to get Yuffie. She was all dressed up and didn't want to walk through the streets of Traverse on her own. Aerith had slyly suggested getting that nice 'Caine fellow' to escort her, but Yuffie had gotten angry and Aerith let the subject go.

Squall swam out of the Waterway and slowly climbed up to the balcony of the Green Room. Was Yuffie really seventeen now? She had been so young for so long that he had thought she would never become an adult. Yuffie acted as if she was a permanent twelve anyway. But she was seventeen. He would have to start treating her with a little more respect.

He wondered if she still wanted that necklace that had been in the window of the jewelry shop. It had topaz, her birthstone, on a pretty gold chain. She had admired it one day when they had gone to the Dalmatians'. Now Squall grabbed munny out of his drawer and headed towards that store. Despite the fact that he had known her birthday was coming up, he had neglected to buy her a gift.

Luck was with him, as the store remained open. He entered through the blue door and was immediately bombarded by a salesclerk, asking if he needed help. Squall refused any assistance and went up to the woman at the counter instead.

"Do you still have that topaz necklace that was in the window a month ago?" Squall asked her. She nodded and smiled, pointing to the case at the other end of the store.

"I would like to buy it," Squall stated. Now the woman got frustrated with him. She left the counter and went over to the case. Carefully, she reached in and grabbed the necklace and handed it to him, not even bothering to put it in the box. She returned to her post behind the counter and punched a few numbers into the cash register.

"That will be 3000 Munny, sir," she said, extending her palm for his cash. He dropped the coins in her greedy claw and took the receipt, exiting the store. Generally, he had no patience whatsoever for clerks at stores, and that woman was no different. He only hoped that Yuffie would like it, considering he had paid so much money.

Running swiftly down the streets and easily dispersing the Heartless that jumped in his way, he went towards the First District, totally oblivious to the fact that he was being watched by a bespectacled face from the weapons shop window.

Caine's plan was all coming together now. And he would never have to hurt anyone. Not even that stupid, blind Leon Leonhart. But maybe he would, just for the fun of it.

A/N: Sooo? What did you think? I realize I called this "The Reason" and there are no lyrics. Well... they're coming. The story isn't far enough along yet that I can actually use them.

Wow, this was getting really long. 10 pages! So, reward all this effort and review for me, please? Thanks much!