Finding the Light
Chapter 1: First Meeting
I had been on the train for quite a while. It had been a few hours since I left Junon. They make the most incompetent railroad planning here, I swear. This train just winds around and around when we could just head straight to Midgar. I inwardly sighed and I sat in my isolated, dark corner of the train. No one sat here. Maybe the bums, actually, but that's just because everyone else shuns them away. And no, I, myself, am not a bum. I simply do not like human contact and only wish to be alone. That is why I work alone. That is why I travel alone. And that is why I am alone.
'Excuse me passengers, but we are sorry to inform you that we must head to Kalm before going to Midgar. We apologize for the inconvenience. Thank you.' A woman's voice reported from the scratchy intercom.
'This is just stupid. Plain stupid.' I thought. Just when it seemed as if the incompetence of this railway couldn't get any worse, it just did. I inwardly sighed again and sunk deeper into the shadows. If this ride was going to be any longer, I might just blow. This is exactly why I hate public transport. Too many people. And with too many people, there's too much human contact. And this train just keeps getting fuller and fuller and no one seems to be getting off.
The train slowed down and we came to a station where so many more people were waiting to board. Crap. More human contact. Less personal space. Pretty soon I'm sure someone will have to sit next to me or within a two foot radius. Not good. Why didn't I just take a chocobo? Or walk. I think all my assassinating has made my mind cloudy. I shouldn't have taken this job. Wait a second... couldn't I have taken a corporate vehicle? 'Oh, those sleazy sons of bi—'
My train of thought was interrupted when an average height brunette sat beside me. She did not just do that! I looked around to see if she could go sit anywhere else, but the train was full. My luck never came to me. Only on missions. I just slunk back into the shadows so that once again part of my body was obscured from view.
I could see the girl... no, woman, look me over from the corner of my eye. Now why would she do a thing like that? It's not like I was a bum or anything. Maybe she knew who I was... No, that's impossible. I keep the lowest of profiles when it comes to my assassination missions. She seemed to be looking at me with sad eyes, though, as if she knew about my past and why I am the way I am. She scrutinized me and seemed to take in every detail on my body. Crap, it really did look like she knew me.
"Excuse me, but may I please ask why you're looking at me with such intensity?" I asked after a few minutes of her never-ending observations.
She blinked a few times in surprise and it was then that I noticed that she was beautiful. She had long chestnut hair that would go past her had she not been sitting. Her skin was flawless and unblemished. But what surprised me most was how close her eye color was to mine. I'd never seen a color like hers, save for my own, which were actually a brighter shade. Her eyes were wine colored and almost as red as my own. I found this peculiar, but decided not to think of it any further.
It seems that I was spacing out and staring at her for a while since she was trying to get my attention. "Sir? Excuse me, sir. Are you alright?" she asked when I finally snapped out of my reverie. I just nodded and she smiled warmly at me.
"I'm sorry for staring at you. You just look like an interesting person to get to know and you didn't seem too keen on talking, judging from how you keep to the shadows, so I just wanted to observe you." She explained. I just nodded, again. It wasn't like I was obliged to talk, and this woman already said that she knew I wasn't keen on talking.
After a few moments of silence, she began talking again. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't introduce myself." She said. I glanced at her, gave a curt nod and then went back to sitting in silence, but she continued nonetheless.
"I'm Tifa. Tifa Lockheart." She said with a smile and an extended hand. I eyed the intruding hand warily before accepting it and grasping it with my own. Now I felt obliged to talk. Shoot. Oh well, there really was no harm in telling her a fake name anyways.
"Christopher Johnson." I replied. That was good. A common first name and a common last name.
"Nice name. But you don't really look like a Christopher Johnson." Tifa stated. Well, this isn't good. I wondered what she was trying to say. I always remember everyone I see and this woman didn't look the slightest bit familiar, so how could I know her?
"Well then, Ms. Lockheart, dare I ask, what do I look like?" I inquired. Tifa smiled in a lovely manner and hummed in thought.
"Something dark or mysterious. You look the type." She said. And she wasn't kidding. I was wearing all black. A black dress shirt, black pants, black shoes and black gloves, which I wear just to cover myself as thoroughly as possible. My hair is even black, and it was long too. My pale complexion clashed with my dark attire and it indeed it made me seem dark and mysterious.
"A Vincent, I would say." Tifa finally said. No. She did not just say that I looked like a Vincent, did she? This really isn't good.
"Now, why would you say that?" I asked her without sounding suspicious.
"I just told you, didn't I? You just seem to fit the name appropriately. That's all right, isn't it?" she stated simply. My eyes lingered on her for a moment, trying to figure out if she was lying or not, but she looked quite sincere.
"Well, um... where are you going to?" she asked after a few minutes of awkward silence.
"Midgar." I said simply.
"Oh, that's great! I'm getting off there, too!" she exclaimed. She was beginning to make me feel certain that she knew me.
"Why are you going to Midgar?" I inquired, trying to figure out her intentions even though I was incredible at profiling and knew that her intentions had no relation to me.
"Well, I live there. I go to college in Midgar and I own a bar to pay for everything. It's the Seventh Heaven." Tifa explained. I nodded. Yes, the Seventh Heaven. I remember that place. I've never went inside, but on occasion I would pass by it. The bar had decent business from what I've seen of people entering and exiting it.
"So... since I've told you why I'm going to Midgar, could you tell me why you're going there?" she innocently asked. I stayed silent for a moment, but Tifa still waited patiently for my response. Something about her made me feel like I needed to talk. I felt as if I could tell her anything and she wouldn't be disgusted, shocked or disappointed. And it irked me to know that someone like that still existed because I swore never to become close with anyone after my last relationship. I had another one of those inward sigh moments and answered her.
"Work." Was all I said. And it seemed to be a satisfying answer because she didn't interrogate further.
"What town did you visit last?" she asked. She really was an inquisitive person.
"Junon." I replied.
"For work?" she asked again. I nodded.
"Why were you in Kalm if you live in Midgar?" I inquired. This question seemed to lower Tifa's spirit. Her smile wavered for a moment before she answered.
"My father is sickly and he's in a hospital in Kalm. He hates Midgar and refused to be sent to that hospital after we moved from Nibelheim." She explained.
Nibelheim? Now this is peculiar. I live there and for the past 10 years that I've resided there, I never saw Tifa. Maybe it was because I was never really in Nibelheim. My house was there, but I wasn't. Maybe I'd spend a weekend or two there for a break from work, but other than that, I was never around. I thought about it for a moment before deciding not to ask about it.
Another awkward silence passed between us and I just slunk back into the shadows again.
"Tell me, Christopher," Tifa began, emphasizing my fake name, "why are so introverted?"
She just had to ask that question. Now I have that feeling where I have to answer her. I fought with myself for a while. Usually this is never a problem because I can easily ignore people and people could easily ignore me. But Tifa was very persistent and seemed so optimistic that I would have a real conversation with her. So in the end, I answered her.
"It's partly because it's my nature." I said. But she wasn't satisfied. I shouldn't have added in that 'partly'. I sighed, this time not inwardly, and spoke once more.
"And because I haven't had a very good life. I didn't have a good childhood and I haven't had any decent relationships whether friendly, romantic or even family-wise. In other words, I'm alone and I prefer it that way." Wow. I didn't know I could get so wordy.
Tifa gave me a look of pity but quickly covered it with a sympathetic smile.
"I'm sorry to hear that. But I kind of know how you feel." She said. Oh really? I'd just love for you to tell me.
She seemed to read my thought because she did just that. "My mother died when I was little. I can't remember her except for her appearance from old photographs. I had friends, but they never really cared. I hated high school because of all the backstabbing, so for a while I gave up on friends." I nodded, and for once, I was genuinely interested.
"I had a few boyfriends here and there, but they were just as bad, if not, worse." She continued. "I only had my dad, but he and I aren't too close anyways. We never seem to get along. It's only now that he and I are making an effort to make a bond because of his health." By now my attention was fully on her and I nodded again, signaling that I was indeed listening.
She smiled and began to speak with a happier tone. "I remember from Nibelheim a little spiky-haired boy named Cloud. I never spoke to him, but we ended going to the same college. And I think I've finally found someone who'll make me feel as if I'm worth something. He makes me feel like I'm not alone."
I was silent. There wasn't much to say, anyways. It's not like I was going to say, "Why, Tifa, I'm so happy for you! Congratulations!" because I was definitely not the type to say something of that sort. So I remained silent and waited for her to say something.
"Well, anyways, the point of me adding that last part is that no matter how hard and lonesome life can be, there's always someone out there waiting for you. There will always be someone who will love you and who will make you feel alive." She told me with a bright smile. With my pessimism, I found it unrealistic, but it was hard to deny it with her optimistic view on things.
By now, the train had slowed down and was coming to a stop at the Midgar train station. Tifa and I both got up and exited the train. I saw a spiky blond haired man standing on the platform and I was sure that it was Cloud.
"Look, Christopher, there's Cloud." Tifa said while laying her hand on my arm to grab my attention. So I was correct. I looked at Tifa and then nodded.
My eyes then trailed back to Cloud, who was now making his way towards us. I could see his bright blue eyes and saw something there that seemed out of place. It made me feel anxious for Tifa, but the human contact going on around me was driving me to leave.
"Tifa, I must go. Thank you for the conversation." I said. I took another look at Cloud before adding, for whatever reason, "Be careful."
Tifa gave me a quizzical look but I just gave her a nod, which seemed to be my signature move of the day, and left. I was severely uncomfortable in the crowded train station, but I couldn't help but feel bad for leaving Tifa. I didn't now why, but Cloud had a look in his eyes that made it seem as if he was going to do something severely wrong. Usually my assumptions of people were right, so I glanced back to the couple, but they were no where in sight. I sighed and left the train station, my mind full of anxiety for Tifa and with her still on my mind.
AN: Well, this is probably the longest chapter I've ever written. This is obviously an AU and the first chapter was in Vincent's POV. You all probably know that Vincent's an assassin, so there's no point in making you guess. Anyways, hope you all enjoyed!
I'll only write this once since it's pretty obvious:
Disclaimer: I don't own it. Never have, never will.