“Oh, great!”

Drumming his fingers against the table, Reno shut his eyes and hoped that the headache he was having would fade away. Here he was, in a bar in Wutai, hoping to get some work done and in the process, get some relaxation. So far, nothing had been accomplished. Ever since his arrival in Wutai, the former Turk had been bombarded with headaches and lots of concerns, which he never used to have before. Now they were becoming more frequent and no medicine could relieve the pain. Rubbing his temples, he tried to ignore the headache and concentrate.

*What’s going on?* He asked himself. *I’m getting nowhere thanks to these damn headaches and I’m thinking too much about unnecessary things. I was never like this in past. Hell, Elena and Rude could attest to that! What happened to me?*

“Would you like some more whisky?”

That girlish, high-pitched voice interrupted Reno’s thoughts. Looking up, he saw a young lady about twenty-one years old. She patiently waited as he collected himself and nodded.

‘Sure, why not?”

“And do you want anything else?”

“Just more whisky, thanks.”

He gave the young waitress a forced smile. She smiled back at him and took his glass to get it refilled. Thinking of the waitress reminded him of all those concerns. She was close to that age...

*I wonder if she...* He began to think but shook his head. He wanted to keep this mission to himself. It was personal after all. He wanted something...no, he wanted someone in this town. He lost her a long time ago but he never lost her memory. It wasn’t that long ago he had been fighting against her and her group. But when that jackass Don Corneo kidnapped her, he went after him. Of course, to the others, it seemed like he was trying to get Elena back. That was true too. Rude and Reno both wanted Elena to be all right. But the other girl...she couldn’t have been older than sixteen...she was the one who caught his eye. After the big fight, life returned to normal. The Turks were no more but they kept in touch.

However, neither Rude nor Elena knew of Reno’s personal mission. It was just as well. He took a good look at the bar he was in. Not too crowded, there were people smoking and drinking up front. A few were talking at tables and someone had turned the music. Slowly and loudly, it filled the room.

~Another night slowly closes in
And I feel so lonely
Touching you, breathing down my skin
I pretend you still hold me~

*Where could she be?* He asked himself. Wutai wasn’t a big place. He felt like he had searched every corner and there was no sign of the young girl. Then again, she wasn’t a young girl anymore.

*Maybe that’s why I can’t find her* Reno reasoned. *Yeah, that’s it. I don’t recognize her anymore and she probably doesn’t remember me. Or maybe she isn’t here anymore. Maybe she left Wutai.*

The young waitress came back with Reno’s drink and placed it next to him. He thanked her and watched as she went over to help another group of people. He made up his mind at that moment; he was going to find Yuffie Kisaragi or die trying. He couldn’t take the headaches or worries cluttering up his head. She was what was going through his mind and he dreamed about her. He pictured her as the same, small ninja he had run into when Corneo abducted her and Elena. She looked vulnerable. But he knew she wasn’t that way anymore. If anything, she must have gotten stronger. Maybe he would know for certain when he saw her. He still had to find her.

~I’m going crazy, I’m losing sleep
I’m in too far, I’m in way too deep
Over you...I can‘t believe you‘re gone~

“Miss?” Reno snapped his fingers and called the waitress back to his table again. She looked a little scared as she approached but he smiled at her to let her know everything would be all right.

“Is there a problem with your drink, sir?” She asked.

“No, no problem with the drink. I actually want some information. Do you know a lot of the people in this village?” He asked.

She nodded. “Most of them come here every night.”

*Looks like I’m going somewhere.* Reno thought. There was a chance this waitress also knew Yuffie and maybe, just maybe, she knew where the girl lived now. Yuffie was no longer in the same place. That was where Reno checked out the first time. Now he had a chance to reunite with young ninja.

~You were the first, you’ll be the last~

“By any chance”, Reno began slowly, “do you know a young lady by the name of Yuffie Kisaragi?”

The waitress raised an eyebrow, then slowly nodded. “She comes here sometimes. Hangs around this place and checks out the people but doesn’t drink. Why?”

*Bingo!* That was exactly what Reno wanted to hear. So Yuffie *still* lived in Wutai! But where?

“I just have something to tell her.” He said to the waitress. No need to go into detail. He was here to reclaim the girl he lost a long time ago. And now, he would be able to do what he didn’t years ago. “Do you know where she lives as well?”

“I’m sorry.” The girl shook her head. “I’m afraid I don’t. And even if I did, I couldn’t tell you. It’s against the rules of this workplace. I could lose my job.”

*Damn!* He was back at the beginning again. But at least he knew she was here. As soon as he finished his drink, he’d search the entire village ‘til he saw her. When he found her, he would let her know everything he had kept inside. And he wouldn’t lose her this time. He wouldn’t allow her to get away.

~Wherever you go, I’ll be with you.
Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you.
Whenever you need someone
To lay your heart and head upon
Remember, after the fire
After all the rain
I will be the flame!
I will be the flame...~

“Thanks anyway.” He told the waitress. She looked at him curiously but didn’t speak. After a second, she went off to tend to the people in the table next to him.

*So she’s here.* He began drumming his fingers on the table again. Taking a sip of the whisky, he inhaled and went back into thought. *She’s here but no one can tell me where she is. I guess that means I have to start looking in the same old places and maybe some new ones. She’s got be hiding in them.*

Some people got up and started to dance to the sweet, sad melody being played. Reno watched them, wistfully wanting to join them. If Yuffie were here, he would. He would take her out onto the floor and spin her around. He would pull her close at the right moments and, when she begged, he would hold her tight. Who knew how long they’d be out on that floor? He caught the shadows of the dancing people on the floor and the headaches started up all over again.

~Watching shadows move across the wall
It feels so frightening
I wanna run to you, I wanna call
But I’ve been hit by lightning~

A few more people entered the bar and took a seat behind Reno’s table. He ignored the loud comments they were making. Though the headaches were getting worse, he was used to them now. Thinking about Yuffie and what he would do to her was always a good remedy. Then again, thinking about her caused his headaches. She was a disease he couldn’t be cured of. She made him feel good and bad inside.

*That girl said Yuffie comes to this bar sometimes. That definitely means that she’s grown up a lot since I last saw her. And if luck decides to strike me, she’ll be here tonight.*

“You should have seen it, man!” The young man behind Reno interrupted all peaceful thoughts of Yuffie. “It was so cool! I felt like I was in the front row of some big event or something!”

“Yuffie has gotten quite beautiful, hasn’t she?” A girl spoke up. Reno also began to listen. “She’s matured a lot from the whiny ninja she used to be. Now she so sweet and polite...it’s hard to believe it’s her!”

*Yuffie...* Reno fell back into his daydream. Never had he felt so overwhelmed by a single person. Especially not by someone he hadn’t seen in a lifetime.

~Just can’t stand up for falling apart
Can’t see through this veil across my heart
Over you...you’ll always be the one!~

“I went to see her yesterday.” Another girl spoke up. “She seems to be doing okay...at least that’s what she said. I thought she seemed a little preoccupied with something. It was like talking to a wall. I think Yuffie is thinking about something important...or maybe someone.”

*Someone else? Already?* Reno felt his heart starting to crack. He had hoped she was still single and alone. But it was still possible that Yuffie would have another person after all these years. Now what would he do? Yuffie probably had someone else and this whole personal mission had been a failure. Not only would he not see her, he couldn’t tell her how he felt. Not if she didn’t feel the same way about him...

~You were the first, you’ll be the last~

“Make sense.” Another young man said. “I talk to her but I don’t think she listens. I don’t event think she knows what she’s doing anymore. One night, I caught her walking around at midnight. She said she couldn’t sleep cause all these thoughts were running through her head. She wouldn’t tell me what they were.”

“I know and when she goes out, she doesn’t seem to watch where she goes. She acts like she’s in some kind of trance.” The first girl added.

“Excuse me.” Reno interrupted them. This was too much for him to bear. “I couldn’t help overhearing your conversation. I think I heard you guys talking about someone named Yuffie. Is this Yuffie Kisaragi?”

“Yeah.” The first young man nodded, also looking as puzzled as the waitress had been. “She lives not too far from here.”

*Thank you, kid!* So the mission wouldn’t be a total failure...he’d still get to see her.

~Wherever you go, I’ll be with you.
Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you.
Whenever you need someone
To lay your heart and head upon
Remember, after the fire
After all the rain
I will be the flame!
I will be the flame...~

“Are you her boyfriend or something?” The second girl asked.

Reno almost lied to them but something inside told him not to. “No, I’m just a friend.”

“I’m sure you are.” The first girl rolled her eyes. The act hadn’t worked on her and Reno gritted his teeth. He didn’t want these kids to know why he was after Yuffie. Just as he was about to say something, the first girl spoke up again with that terrible question.

“Why do you want to know so much about Yuffie anyway?”

“There’s something I have to tell her.” He answered automatically. “I’m afraid if I don’t do it now, I’ll never get the chance again. It’s really important.”

“She may come in here.” The second young man suggested. “She sometimes does.”

*I know that, kid. Thanks for stating the obvious.* Reno sighed. The waitress came by their table now and got all their orders. He waited until she was gone. True, she couldn’t tell him about Yuffie’s whereabouts since it was against her workplace’s rules but these kids didn’t work here. From their conversation, Reno could tell that they knew Yuffie just a little *too* well. They must have visited her a thousand times.

*But why are they talking about her being in daze? Is she in love with someone else? *

“Hey, kids.” He began again. “You know where Yuffie lives?”

“Yeah but I don’t think it’ll do you any good.” The first young man said. “She’s probably not there.”

“It doesn’t matter, I have to see her!” Reno exclaimed, getting up from his chair. The kids all backed away slowly, fearing that this man would probably blow them away if they didn’t give him a straight answer. He hadn’t meant to scare them. He only wanted a simple answer.

“I have to see her. I haven’t seen her a long time.” He explained calmly. “I...I let her leave without saying goodbye. It wasn’t right...that’s why I’m here. I’m here to see her.”

“Good. I was hoping you’d come back too.” A familiar yet unfamiliar voice spoke up from behind him. “There is so much I have to tell you as well.”

~I’m going crazy, I’m losing sleep.
I’m in too far, I’m in way too deep
Over you...you’ll always be the one!~

Reno looked up and his mouth fell. There was Yuffie Kisaragi standing behind...and she looked stunning! She wasn’t a scrawny, mischievous ninja with an obsession for materia anymore. He wasn’t sure if that obsession remained but looking into her eyes, he knew she had gone through a big change. Her hair, once short, was long and flowing down her back like a dark curtain. She had gotten taller and slender, with the figure of a woman rather than a girl. Her skin was smooth and creamy. No, this didn’t look like Yuffie at all. She aged considerably. But it was her. He knew it was her.

“It’s been a while, kid.” He nodded in her direction. She nodded back. “I’m impressed. You’re a woman now. And not bad looking one at that.”

Yuffie turned red but said nothing.

“What’s the matter, kid?” Reno teased her. “You waited all this time and came here just to stare at me?”

“I feel so weird. Here you are...I thought I lost you.” Yuffie confessed.

The four people at the table exchanged looks. They finally knew why Reno had been asking about Yuffie so much and why Yuffie had been in a trance for the last few years. She hadn’t gotten over the man she thought she lost.
A lot of young men from Wutai had proposed marriage to her but she turned them all down. It wasn’t that they were bad. They weren’t the types who could capture her heart. Only one man could. And Reno, ever since that one time she had been abducted along with Elena by Corneo, he had been the one who captured her heart. When he disappeared without a trace, she felt a little heartbroken. It was the first time she’d been hurt this way. She thought she’d never see him again. Then she believed, he was dead. Of course that belief didn’t last long. She kept making wishes that he’d come back to her.

~You were the first, you’ll be the last.~

“Sit down, kid.” Reno pointed to the chair next to him. “You and I have a lot to talk about.”

Yuffie nodded and sat down. They ignored the four people sitting next to them and began the conversation they’d wanted to have for many years.

“I never stopped thinking about you.” Yuffie began. “I swear, I didn’t think you were type. You were on the bad side, I was on the good...yet there something about you that intrigued me. I don’t know...”

“Go on, kid.” Reno put his hands under his chin. “I’m still listening.”

“When you left, I felt so horrible. I never thanked you for helping me and the others out with Corneo. I came back home and things changed. My life did a 180 and I started thinking of you more. You’re like a drug, Reno. The more I thought of you, the more I wanted to see you.”

“Really?”

“Really. Sounds weird, huh?”

Reno leaned back in his chair. “That doesn’t sound weird at all. I’ve been thinking of you too...”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. When I left, I thought I’d get on with life and things would be all right. Oh no. Suddenly, I dreamt about you, thought about you, wished to see you...it’s like I couldn’t control it. Elena and Rude couldn’t figure it out. I knew what it was though.”

“You love me.” Yuffie said simply. “Am I right? Is that why you haven’t stopped thinking about me?”

Reno said nothing for a minute. Then he nodded. “Yeah, I guess that’s it.”

Yuffie smiled. “Same here. I love you too.”

“That’s what you wanted to tell me?”

“Yeah. Why, you had something more?”

“No!” Reno shook his head and picked up Yuffie’s hand. “No, that’s why I came back. I wanted to see you again and let you know how you’ve never left my mind. Also, I’m hoping that you’d still want to...”

“Yes.” Yuffie said, not letting him finish. “Yes, I would love to be with you. Maybe forever...”

The two pulled in close and shared a kiss. Suddenly, a bunch of screams erupted from the table next to theirs. Turning around, they found the group of teenagers cheering them on. Reno groaned and Yuffie looked amused. She knew they couldn’t turn away from something like this.

“Guess you won’t need to know where she lives anymore.” The first girl smirked.

*No, I don’t.* Reno thought, picking up Yuffie’s hand and kissing it. She smiled at him. No one knew what lay ahead but it was filled with good things. She could only hope that Reno would be with her for the rest of her life. Somehow, she knew he would.

~Wherever you go, I’ll be with you.
Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you.
Whenever you need someone
To lay your heart and head upon
Remember, after the fire
After all the rain
I will be the flame!
I will be the flame!~

Mission complete.