A/N: This may seem a bit weird... I don't know... it was just kind of a teensy spurt of inspiration I got. I'm not even sure if it's good. The little lines in italics are from a poem I wrote called "Fly with the Birds" which this story is indeed named after.
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII. That is Copyright Square Enix
She loved him. She really, really loved him. And it wasn't just a childish crush either. She had been in love with him for a long time, though he never knew it, because he was always lamenting over Lucretia, Lucretia, Lucretia. That's how it always was. She'd get close to telling him, to ridding herself of this burden... and then... his red eyes would glaze over and he'd be stuck in the past, thinking about Lucretia. She hated that. It was the only thing stopping her from relieving herself of the burden of loving him in secret. If the fact was out in the open, she would feel much better, because then it wouldn't be stuffed into a tiny plastic hamster exercise ball like it was now. It would be free and floating amongst the clouds instead of bottled up in her heart, threatening to explode.
I wish to fly among the birds and the clouds...
The wind of the dark, starless, moonless night ruffled her now waist-length hair and caused it to wave gently like a flag of peace, calling for its followers. The followers never came though and soon, even the peace of the breeze left her. The night became silent and cold and not a single thing moved. Not even leaves rustled with the dying wind.
So far and away... I couldn't reach them if I tried...
Suddenly the breeze picked up again and a small whirlwind of pale pink petals swirled about her whispering to themselves as if they had a dirty secret.
And a dirty secret they did have.
The petals moved to her left to form the shape of a woman. The woman had long, curly, auburn hair and pale green eyes covered by thick glasses. Her face held a guilty expression.
I want to fly with the birds...
"Yuffie..." the woman said.
Yuffie turned carefully to look the woman in the eye.
"Yes...?"
The woman shook her head, a few petals going astray and fluttering to the ground.
"Yuffie... does Vincent still love me? Even after what I did to him?"
But I never will...
Yuffie closed her eyes and sighed.
"Yes... Yes he does Lucretia. And I don't think he'll ever stop loving you."
Lucretia's head drooped and she let out a sigh.
"I never meant to lead him on. I mean... I did love him, but..." she looked away, "I just... couldn't..."
Now Yuffie sighed.
"I understand, but he spends so much time thinking about you that he has no time for anyone else; he won't even acknowledge my presence anymore..."
Because my wings are clipped... like a captive chicken's...
"I'm sorry. I never meant to cause you or Vincent harm, but it seems that even in death I'm contributing to the destruction of innocents."
"No you're not Lucretia. It's my own fault for falling in love with him anyways, not yours."
"But still... I feel sorry."
When no answer came, Lucretia looked up to see Yuffie staring at the sky. She waited, before opening her petal mouth to say something to the quiet ninja but then she was thrown a question she had never expected.
"Why?"
"Why what Yuffie?"
Yuffie faced Lucretia again.
"Why do you tell me you're sorry? Why don't you tell Vincent? He's the one hurting most from this."
I will never be able to fly...
She turned from Lucretia and started walking away, ignoring the sweet petals lashing at her feet to bring her back.
"No Yuffie... He's gotten over it. He got over it a long time ago. The one he thinks about... is you."
Yuffie turned around sharply and glared at the petal woman.
"What do you mean?"
Lucretia gestured with her pink hands to the field around them.
"Look around Yuffie. Look very carefully and I think you will find your answer."
Unless...
Lucretia's figure dissipated into singular petals which fluttered away in the wind, leaving Yuffie confused beyond belief. Seeking answers, she looked around the field, spotting a small cabin on the far side. She ran to it with all her strength, long hair flapping unceremoniously in the wind. Forgetting about the door completely, she just rushed into the space slipping through the wall as if she were a ghost.
Inside were two children sitting solemnly at the table, eating a makeshift dinner, a pale woman with long black hair seemingly sleeping on the bed, and a man. The man had long, messy jet black hair tied back with a ragged, red strip of cloth and blood red eyes.
It was Vincent.
He was staring at the sleeping woman with sad eyes and after a couple of moments, a tear slid down one of his cheeks.
"Please come back to me Yuffie... I... love you."
More tears rolled down his face, streaking the pale skin red until his face was nearly the same color as the red cloak he always wore. Yuffie stood there shell-shocked. The woman on the bed... the one Vincent was staring at so intently... was herself.
She felt like such an idiot. Where had she been all this time? Prancing through the fields happy as a newborn lamb?
No.
She had been pitying herself for reasons long gone and now... Now it was time to go home.
Unless... If someone gives me wings...
In a flash of light, Yuffie disappeared and the woman on the bed woke up.
Fin
A/N: So was it good? Bad? Only ok? Let me know! I'd love to hear your opinions.
Ja ne!
Mizuki Kurenaida