Purest of Heart

By. Lady Kisaragi

A/n: I own none of the characters. (Errors corrected enjoy.)

Chapter One

'Where am I…'

The young man known as Leon said to himself as he could see nothing, but darkness at the moment. Pain twanged through his head as it throbbed violently, not sure why it was and why he couldn't see. He felt a wave of weariness wash over him oddly enough. It wasn't that he afraid of the dark it was the fact that no one was there and that he was alone. He would even feel more content if there was someone around, even a heartless. His limbs were numb, as he couldn't move. It felt like his whole body was paralyzed completely. It was so silent that he could hear his own heartbeat, yet it was thumping slowly. He felt his chest tighten up with his wind pipe starting to close up in his neck. This made him begin panic as it was getting harder for him to breathe.

'Am I...dying…no, I can't die…'

He tried to fight back against the overwhelming loss of air, as he tried to force himself to stay alive, though it was hard because he couldn't move himself an inch at all.

'Breathe, breathe…'

'What…? Who's there?'

There wasn't an answer, though he didn't understand the meaning of the words coming out of nowhere. For some odd reason, his chest was slowly beginning to feel lighter now and a warm feeling come over his lips gently. He couldn't really explain the feeling yet it was soothing.

'Breathe, please breathe…'

He could see a light in the distance, as it came towards him getting brighter before blinding him and chasing away the darkness. He flinched at the sudden burst of brightness as he shut his eyes closed, before they began to slowly open now. His vision blurred slightly, as they began to come into focus. The numbness in his body was gone now, as he got the feeling back in his arms and legs again, yet they were damp and wet. Blue orbs came up to meet closed eye lids of a female that was hovered over him with her mouth pressed over his.

'YUFFIE!?"

His mind screamed out her name, as his eyes widen a bit at the feel of the young woman's lips over his with her warm breath passing between their lips into his own. It passed through his mouth down into his throat. The young swordsman suddenly sat himself up quickly, only to surprise the young ninja Yuffie, as her eyes opened quickly looking at Leon face to face with their lips still touching, until the swordsman pulled back quickly coughing and his face looking flustered.

"Oh my gawd, Squall are you okay!?" She asked, looking at him in concern, as he scrambled up against the wall rubbing his hand across his mouth.

"What were you doing…!?" He asked a bit abruptly, but not wanting to ask out why in the world she was kissing him like that.

"I say, the young miss brought you up here because you had nearly drowned."

Leon turned his head and noticed the old elderly man with the long beard and clad in blue clothing and the tall pointy hat. The smell of old books and furniture lingered around in the room along with odd models sitting on some junk. Leon figured out he must have been at the old wizard's study, well home, but you can easily get that confused with all the pile of unorganized books stacked on one another.

"Drowned…?"

He looked over at Yuffie who looked down twiddling her fingers a little bit in her lap, as she didn't make eye contact with him.

"Yeah, when I got down there you were faced down in the deep part of the water in the underground waterway. I think you might have overworked yourself while you were training and must have collapsed in exhaustion…"

'Exhaustion…nearly drowned…?'

At that moment he felt a bit of embarrassment, from nearly drowning in knee and ankle high water. He didn't quite remember much when he was training in the waterway though.

"I'm just glad you're okay Squall I was so—"

"That's Leon." He stated correcting her on his name, leaning up near the fire place that already had a warm fire brewing inside of it. It feeling somewhat good since his clothes were damp and heavy on him.

She looked at him putting her hands on her hips, as she stood up. "Oh sure, you're very welcome." She stated sarcastically before going over to the table and sitting down in one of the chairs huffing heavily, as she folded her arms across her chest. The old wizard Merlin looked back at the two stroking his beard.

"Come now, the young lady saved your life. She gave you CPR for a very long time."

Leon glanced over at Yuffie who shifted in the chair a bit, her cheeks flushed lightly with red as she picked a bit at her fingers.

"Thanks…" He said, in a slight monotone voice as he glanced back at the fire crackling against the wood. Yuffie was somewhat surprised to even get a 'thanks' from Leon at all or any kind of recognition. There was a slight awkward silence in the room for awhile, before the old wizard began to speak.

"Why don't you come over and sit down with us and have a spot of tea with us, young man?" He waved a hand over to Leon, before clearing his throat. Leon rose up from his place near the fire place and took a seat across from Yuffie at the table with tea cups underneath a saucer was in front of them. Merlin motioned his finger back and forth at a tea pot that started to waddled itself across the table.

"Whoa! How is it doing that?" Yuffie asked out loud, as the teapot poured the warm tea into her cup, before going over to Leon's to do the same.

"Most of my furniture and things takes on a mind of their own so you could say they're alive." He fans the tea pot away as it finishes pouring, as a sugar cup moved over quickly to the front of Merlin's cup before the wizard pointed over to Leon and Yuffie, "No, no! Guests first! You know that!" The little sugar cup jumping at his voice before going over to Yuffie's cup as it took the small top off it's head like a hat and started scooping sugar out of itself with a spoon into Yuffie's cup.

"Just say when, when you want it to stop." Merlin said and looked over at Leon, "Mr. Leon you have been training and fighting hard, as you get rid of the heartless here. Even though the keyhole has been sealed here in Transverse town there aren't many heartless roaming about."

The swordsman shook his head a bit and leaned back in the tall red chair, "That maybe, but it's still a little unbelievable to think that a boy younger than Yuffie saved us and sealed up the keyholes."

"…when." She said as, the sugar cup stopped and waddled over to Leon's cup and started scooping. Yuffie looked at Leon with a slight pout, "That's nice ya know? Besides, you make it sound like someone below your age or the age of twenty can't be strong. I mean I do happen to be your partner in battle, Squall."

"Leon."

He corrected her once again on his name, yet he didn't really comment on her other remark since it was true. He had to admit to himself that Yuffie was quite strong and was able to keep up with him in battle. Actually, he's been trying to push his limits lately after they participated in the Pegasus Cup at the Olympus Coliseum.

She rolled her eyes a bit, as she picked up her tea cup off the saucer, "Yeah, whatever." She tipped the cup up to her lips sipping from the cup with her pinky finger extended out a little. Leon was slightly surprised by this, seeing the young girl sitting up straight.

Since when was Yuffie an expert in etiquette?

He thought to himself, as Yuffie noticed the stare he was giving her and looked at him raising a brow, "What?"

"Nothing, just didn't picture you as one for good manners." He said calmly, brushing a hand back against his hair. He would figure she would tell him to shut up or give some kind of smart comment back, but she looked at him.

"What?"

"When…"

"Hmm?"

She snickered a bit and shook her head, "When." She pointed at him as he wasn't getting the idea, before the wizard spoke up.

"When boy, when! Say it before you cup over flow." The wizard said, as Leon looked at his cup as he had completely forgotten about the sugar cup spooning teaspoons of sugar into his cup.

"…when!" The sugar cup finally stopped before it going over to Merlin's cup in a hurry now as Leon picked two table spoons of sugar from the cup. Shaking his head slightly, as Yuffie was snickering a bit.

"Any how, thank you for letting us stay here at this place for awhile until Squall woke up old man." She said, as Leon shook his head. He guess Yuffie's good etiquette wouldn't last all that long. The wizard seem to chuckle and waved a long wrinkled hand.

"No trouble at all, my lady! It's always good to get visitors here. I'm usually always busy reading my books or off traveling sometimes. You are welcome here anytime."

Leon sipped from the tea up, a slight twitch in his eye from the sudden sweetness of it. Well, at least the tea was warm and it wasn't bitter tasting. He put it down and exhaled heavily, "The reason I've been training more than usual is…because it is rumored that there was some sort of thing or heartless as it may be has been going around stealing the hearts of others."

"How do we even know that's true? I mean that's rumored in a different world not here in Transverse Town, Squall. Besides, if it is true it's not like it could come here." The young ninja stated as she waved a finger at him.

"Leon…and it's very possible for it to come here if it's attracted to very pure and rare hearts." He put his chin on top of his hands that lay underneath his chin gently, while glancing down at his reflection from the tea in his cup.

"You worry too much." She said as she got up and headed towards the green blanket that covered over the broken down doorway on the side of the wizard's hut that led outside. "I'm going back to the hotel."

"I guess that means we're leaving." He said, as he stood up from his seat going over to Yuffie who looked at him confused.

"Why? Oh…I see…" She grinned up at him, "You're spooked by the rumors and want to escort me to the Hotel. Oh Leon, you're such a gentleman…" She said, putting a hand to her forehead laughing.

"….whatever." He said disregarding her actions and waving a hand of farewell to the old wizard.

"Come back anytime, my lady Yuffie please drop by sometime with those sweet chocolate cookies I hear that Miss Aeris makes."

"Sure, at least I won't have to sneak them now. See you old man. And don't forget when!" She said, waving to him as she walked outside followed by Leon. Merlin blinked, scratching the side of his head before looking down to see his tea over flowing with sugar.

"When, when! When dash it all when!" He yelled out causing the sugar cup to run off hiding behind the tea pot as Merlin dusted off his tea cup with his bear along with the sugar on the table.

The two walked themselves through the Third District. Yuffie glanced over at Leon, as she noticed the unexpressive cold look on his face. She sighed a bit, as she shook her head a little bit.

'He never smiles…why can't he just smile at least once?'

"We'll train for a few hours tomorrow perhaps early in the morning…" He said trailing off, before the young ninja cut him off.

"Are you serious!? We're not doing that and you're not doing that! You need to rest and don't think you'll be going to the water way!"

He looked at the young girl a little surprised, as he raised a brow looking at her. A few minutes passed between them, before Leon started to speak.

"Alright…" He said, just humoring her for the moment.

"Really…?"

"No…"

He said as he turned walking towards the door of the third district. Yuffie calling out his name, though stopping as her knees sank to the ground as a hand held itself over her chest clenching at it tightly for a moment. The girl's heart was beating fast and hard against her chest, she panting heavily as she tried to take in long deep breaths. The young swordsman turned, as he noticed the sudden silence of his companion. He quickly ran over to her, as he saw her collapse suddenly on the ground as he kneeled quickly to her side and started shaking her by the shoulders.

"Yuffie! Yuffie!"

He didn't get a response out of her as she just groaned out in pain as her hands tightly, she was feeling some sort of pain as he noticed the tears straining in her eyes, as she closed them tightly. Without another thought, he placed an arm behind her back and one underneath her legs as he lifted her up off the ground and rushed quickly out of the third district. Not thinking anything else than to get Yuffie to the hotel for Aeris to look at her.

Phew, that chapter is over wonder how you guys liked it. I think I'll do another chapter soon.