Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII… Well… Technically I do… but I don't own the original idea or anything like that…. So please don't sue.
A.n./- This was spawned at work while I had some down time. I was also listening to a Nightwish CD, so any dark stuff that may have made its way in was inspired by them.
Tragic Love
By: athrunzala
Operation 01: Memories
"No! You… You can't!" The shout echoed through the empty mansion, making the couple realize just how empty the building really was. The shouting was unusual as well, if you were to know the source.
"But… why not?" The protest came. This was generally how the days were starting recently. After cloud had defeated Sephiroth and the Geostigma had been eliminated, all of the members of AVALANCHE had gone off to do their own thing. Barret went back to working at his oil field, leaving Marlene with Tifa, who was back to working with Cloud at the Strife Delivery Service. But one pair had unexpectedly stayed together.
Vincent and Yuffie had been living in the ShinRa mansion where they had first met prior to the destruction of Midgar. There were several reasons for this, but to go into that would make you all loose interest. The two primary reasons, however, were 1) Yuffie was the only one Vincent would now open up to, and 2) Yuffie had realized that she liked the former Turk. Maybe even as more than a friend.
So whatever their reasoning, they both had a mutual respect for each other. The ex-Turk stood silent. He realized that he was loosing the argument. Again. Beneath his normally stone persona hid the soul of a person who was kind, gentle and caring. And Yuffie always knew how to get to it.
The black haired ninja stood with her hands on her hips in a pose that made him want to kill her, but at the same time, made him want her even more. "So?" she questioned, moving her arms so that they wrapped around her body, which pushed her breasts together, making them appear at the top of the tank top she was wearing. Vincent had now calmed down, as he realized that she wasn't going to give an inch in this particular matter.
That was the other thing that made him love her. She was just as stubborn as he was, if not more. The argument had been over going to investigate the events that had been transpiring between Kalm and Wutai. Things had been happening that seemed as though they would lead to war.
"Because… I… I don't want to loose you…" Yuffie was taken by surprise with this remark. She had never heard this much concern in his voice before. "What do you mean," she questioned.
The gunman looked back at her. "Look. I already lost one person to ShinRa's bullshit. And I don't want to loose you to it as well." As he said this, she came closer, and sat down on the couch where he had flopped only moments earlier. "Vinnie, what exactly do you mean?" That was the other thing that sealed it for him. She was the second person that he had allowed to call him Vinnie. He looked into her eyes and said, " You had better be ready for a long story." With that, the explanation began.
Begin flashback
The young, black haired man walked though the office building. It was obvious he was new, but he had an air that made people think that he had grown up in the corporate setting. He kept a straight face as we walked up to the receptionist.
"Excuse me, miss? President Shinra said he wanted to see me." The receptionist looked up from what she was typing and walked over to the door, pressed a button, and the door opened. "Thank you, ma'am," he said as he walked through.
Once inside, the door shut behind him, and he knew that there was no turning back. He saw a man seated at a desk, and he walked up to it and saluted, then stood at attention. "Ah! Vincent, mah-boy! Just who I wanted to see." The president seemed to be a lot friendlier than his co-workers had made him out to be. "Please. Take a seat. There is no need for militaristic formalities. We are the only two in here. You can be yourself around me." Vincent looked back and said, "Sir, I was wondering why you only wanted to see me. The rest of my team is still stationed in Kalm. Why did you call for me alone?"
The president looked back at the young Turk, smiled and began his explanation. "First off, this has to do with your father…" Vincent stood up and questioned, in what could be misheard as a demanding tone, "What's happened?! Is he alright?!"
President Shinra looked back, smiled, and continued. "Your father is alright. Now, let's get down to business. Recently, Grimoire called and asked for a group of Turks to be dispatched to his facility. When I told him that I was only able to spare one, he asked for you. So you are going to be reposted." Vincent raised an eyebrow, and then inquired, "You mean at Juneon, right sir?"
The president showed he was pleased with the training he had given to his subordinates. "That is correct. Those are your orders." Vincent stood up, saluted, and proceeded to go to his house to collect a few things.
end flashback
"So you were at Juneon during… the building of the cannon?" Yuffie seemed to know the story, even though she had never heard it before. "Yeah. And, as much as I hate to say it, that was my father's project." Seeing as she understood more than he thought, he skipped forward slightly.
begin flashback
Vincent sat on the hillside, looking up at the sky. the woman next to him was exceptionally beautiful. The moment she entered a room, the atmosphere become much more pleasant. He never wanted this assignment to end. To him she was perfect. She was, in his eyes, an angel.
"Lucrecia, there's something I want to ask you," he said, starting to get choked up. She looked back at him, and said, "Yes, Vinnie? What is it?" The raven-haired gunman walked over to the table that he had set his weapons on along with her research notes. He then remembered that what he was looking for was in his pocket.
He walked over, all while pulling the small box out of its hiding place in his coat. When she saw what was in his hand, she looked back and said, "Vinnie, I'm sorry, but I… I can't." His expression was that of a confused individual, almost like a child when they don't understand something that has happened. "Why not?" she looked at him, then at the ground, and said, "I…I just… can't."
end flashback
"So, then…?" Yuffie was really enjoying this, and, although he hated these memories, he supposed that they must be told in order for her to understand that she was a rare exception to his actions. He was also hoping that this would stop her from forcing him to relive any or all of them. "After that incident," he began, "I was shuffled from job to job. We didn't see each other for months at a time. But I never questioned it. It wasn't my job to ask questions."
"Nuh-uh. I don't think you're telling me the whole story." She looked at him with an expression that said "tell-me-or-else". Vincent sighed, and retold the whole previous bit of information with more detail.
"Shortly before my transfer… we… we… were attacked. The target was Lucrecia. But my… father… he just… jumped right in front of her. He… he took the bullet that had been meant for her. He was dead by the time we reached the hospital."
Seeing that he was on the verge of a breakdown, Yuffie leaned in closer and said, "Look. You don't have to go on if you don't want to. I would underst…" She was cut off when he said, "No. I have to continue. I've got… to… finish this." This caused her to sit back, and the ex-Turk continued.
"As I was saying, after Juneon, I was shuffled around from job to job. That was just how I lived until that day…"
begin flashback
Vincent walked into the town and up to the mansion gates. He entered his ID number into the security system and the gates swung open with a loud creaking noise. He then stepped through and walked up to the mansion, where his father's friend, Professor Gast, greeted him.
"Greetings, Vincent! Come, come! We mustn't dawdle in doorways! It's quite rude you know! Besides, there is someone here who you might want to catch up with."
The coated scientist led him into the study, where he saw…
"Lucrecia?!" Vincent knew that head of hair anywhere. The woman turned when she heard her name. She also recognized the voice that had said it. "Vincent?!"
"Well," the professor said, "it's good to see that you both remember each other. Now, Lucrecia, if you'll excuse us, I'll show Vincent to his room." The redhead nodded, and the Turk reluctantly followed the scientist out of the room and up the stairs.
"Sir," Vincent said, "it's about Lucrecia." Professor Gast looked back at him and smiled. "You two will have plenty of time to catch up after dinner."
And, always true to his word, Gast allowed Vincent and Lucrecia to talk late into the night after dinner. "Listen, Lucrecia," Vincent began, but was cut off when she said, "No, Vin. I can't. You would only serve to remind me of him."
Vincent looked back at her. "Remind you of… him?" The redhead looked down at the floor. "You look… just like your father."
end flashback
"So lemme get this straight. She didn't want to be with you because you look like your old man? Geeze. That's gotta hurt." "Like you wouldn't believe."
begin flashback
"No! That's not right!" Vincent was outraged. One of the scientists working in Nibelheim, Hojo, was using live subjects to test Lucrecia's theories about Mako energy and the Lifestream. And, to make matters worse, Lucrecia, who was now three months pregnant, was willingly a test subject.
"Vin, listen. I know that you are against this, but I want to do this. It would prove my theories! If I'm right the Ancients would be reborn." She then fell to the floor in a coughing fit, removing her blood soaked hand from her mouth. "Don't worry about me. Compared to what we could achieve here, this, and my life are inconsequential."
But it was too late. Vincent had seen enough.
To Be Continued…
Next time: When life throws disaster into our paths, how we handle it can determine the outcome. When Vincent confronts Hojo, how will the scientist react? Next time: Confrontations.
A.n./ - well, you see, this was a major PITA to write. I have the whole 30 + page manuscript sitting on my desk, but you know how that goes. So I opted to split the story into chapters. That being that, well, here is chapter 1!
Additionally, for those of you who are waiting, Post Chaos is on hiatus right now. I had to get this idea out of my head. So there!