"Flash Before My Eyes"
Author's note: Just a little something out of sheer boredom, as I'm suffering writer's block on the rest of my stories again, which is a great pain in the butt. As you know, it features one of my favorite FFVII characters, Vincent, and it's set within my universe of "Sailor Moon Continuum" which leads to a still yet to be released conclusion of the "Chaos Saga".
Please note that I don't own anything here.
Vincent's POV:
It seems my life still means nothing. Perhaps I was fated to be alone, only with the remnants of Chaos still residing in me, along with the other monsters Hojo implanted inside my body long ago. I still have so many sins. So many that not all of them can be atoned. Perhaps even atonement cannot be fufilled to me.
All of those I loved left me behind, even though they wanted to be by my side to keep me company, but I knew, it was never meant to be.
Lucrecia...my beloved Lucrecia. In her guilt and sin, after she saved my life by implanting the Chaos gene as well as the Protomateria inside my body, sealed herself inside crystal for all eternity, away from the rest of the world.
Once I awoken after Hojo obviously left me to die, I thought that the monsters inside me were my punishment for failing to stop the apoclypse that was known as Jenova, and then, Sephiroth, the son and only child of Lucrecia. In my sin, I accepted the punishment and sealed myself inside a coffen, and drifted into a deep-nightmare-wrought sleep.
I was a little aware of was going on in Nibelhiem, the place where my nightmares began, and the very place were Cloud and Tifa were both born in years after Sephiroth's birth, both of them being ordinary people. But then again, I never had an easy life, even when I became a Turk. Though Cloud is different to me, he too had a similiar life.
25 of my sleep, I was awoken briefly, but I didn't open my eyes. I heard a young man's voice, and, perhaps of how I looked, he decided to leave me in peace. I silently thanked him, before returning to my slumber, still filled with nightmares.
Five years on, and for the first time, I was awoken completely, by my former partner, Veld, who was in danger but on his own mission to save his daughter's life. I briefly aided him and a young Turk named Cissnei. After that, I declined to join them and returned to my sleep. Though he tried to get me to change my mind, Veld respected my wishes, and I respected his. He was probably the only friend I ever had in ShinRa.
Sometime after that, that's when my adventure began. Though I didn't age a single day, my hair grew longer, and I was no longer in a Turk uniform, but in clothes I am now currently wearing. I felt pressence of people and strange beings who have personalities of humans, enter the room I was in. I awoke, and I warned them to leave.
However, it was Cloud who told me about Sephiroth, as did Sailor Moon who arrived from the future. It was then that I realised that I have slept long enough after the others reasoned with me that sleeping has been a waste of time. Being with them would be my only chance to get revenge on Hojo and avenge on Lucrecia.
Through out the mishaps and troubles along the way, soon I discovered of Lucrecia's state. For first time, I felt emotion return to me, but she still held guilt for what happened to me, even though I could not blame her, and I still do not.
When Sailor Moon spoke of her lover in the future, it was her who made me realise that the one who was behind the dangers was Hojo, and she described him a monster and not human. She was right. Hojo may be human in body, but he was a monster in disguise. When Meteor was about to strike Midgar, Hojo planned on that happening as well as Sephiroth's victory, all because of his desire to see his experiments come true.
When my allies and I confronted him, I then realised that he was at fault for what's happened, not I. I transformed into Chaos that day, and along side Sailor Moon and Cloud, we defeated and killed Hojo who implanted Jenova cells to make himself stronger, but that failed.
After Meteor was destroyed by the Lifestream, Sailor Moon and Mickey Mouse returned to the future with no memories of us or their experiences in the past. Loran, a Pokemon from the future, vanished without a trace. After that and the small gathering at the Balamb Garden due to the defeat of Ultimecia, we all departed and moved on with our lives.
But I had no home to go to. Instead of returning to my slumber, I opted to explore the world to continue atoning my sins. I owed my friends of AVALANCE and my friends from the future that. From time to time, for two years, I continued travelling. I came across Nanaki and when he explained to me of his fears of being alone as he would live for many centuries, I reminded him that I am immortal, that I would outlive him once his time is up. Until that day came, we both agreed to meet in the Forgotten Capital once every year to ease his lonliness.
He described his fear which he named it Gailian, and, well, I admit that it was very amusing name. Gailian, of all the things to name an inner lonliness.
Two years after the fated day, the world was slowy recovering around me, though Geostigma appeared, a severe disese that takes the lives of those infected by it. I also soon learned that the Stigma wasn't the only problem.
Kadaj and his gang, remnants of Sephiroth born from the tainted Lifestream. I didn't know at the time, until my next visit to the Forgotten City is where I learned of the situation. Tseng and Elena, members of the remaining Turks, were brought there half-dead. I found them as they somehow managed to escape, as they were taken hostage. I brought them to Bone Village and did what I could to tender to their wounds, and I learned from Tseng that Rufus has send him, Elena and the others-Reno and Rude-to retrieve the remains of Jenova's head.
I soon realised that, for a mysterious reason, Rufus wanted to prevent history from repeating itself, to prevent Remnants and mad scientests from using Jenova for deadly deeds. I left Tseng and Elena in the care of the villagers, and I can say that they at least survived. I admit I was surprised that Rufus survived from the explosion two years earlier, but then again, I figured that Rufus and Tseng's bodies are far too stubborn to allow them to die, and I also figured that Tseng has deep but secret feelings for Elena, for he did his best to keep her alive.
I returned to the Forgotten City and from the shadows, witnessed Kadaj's plans to destroy the world and form the 'Reunion'. So far, they brought in young children who were infected by the Stigma, one of them being a boy who was in the care of Cloud and Tifa. Marlene, a young little girl I was aqquinted to once, was among the kidnapped children, but she was one of the many few who wasn't infected with the stigma.
Soon after, Cloud came to try and rescue the children, and to my surprise, Sailor Moon and Mickey, who both in the future had gained new powers via their own adventures, had returned and had joined Cloud. They failed, and I arrived in time to save them and escape. I told them about what I learned, and when Marlene came to us, as she managed to escape during the battle of the remnants, Cloud wanted me to take the girl, Sailor Moon and Mickey back to Tifa, but I knew that it was a bad idea, and I knew, he too was infected with the Stigma.
Cloud was like me, because he failed to save Aerith and Zack two years earlier. He asked me if Sins are ever forgiven, but I didn't know the answer, because I replied, "I never tried."
That's when Sailor Moon states that she thought that everyone, either human or other beings, all have sins of many different things, and I realised that she was right, as did Cloud, who states that he'll try to forgive himself. When they, Mickey and Marlene left, I decided to return to Edge, the city reconstructed in Midgar's place, and arrived on time to aid my other allies to fight against a summon called upon my Kadaj. I also met Sailor Moon's and Mickey's allies as well, both old and new, two of them being wielders of a mysterious Keyblades, which is said to be connected to Kingdom Hearts which sleeps within the Lifestream, though Mickey already inquired a Keyblade when I first met him, and recently, Sailor Moon, Sora, Riku, Sakura and Ash all required Keyblades of their own.
Soon, Cloud, Sailor Moon and Mickey finished off the summon and the three of them continued to finish off the Remnants, with the aid of Sora, Riku, Reno and Rude.
I jonied the others on Cid's airship, and even though the others wanted to help, I told them that Cloud, Sailor Moon and Mickey can handle Kadaj themselves, and I knew that they could do it, despite Sephiroth returning, but he was defeated once again, and soon, the cure to the Stigma was found. After a few more adventures which had Sailor Moon and her team from the future to return two more times after Kadaj's demise, one that involved a being far in the future but before Sailor Moon's time, also involving Reno, and the other which had a nemisis, Caius Ballad, who was the main reason for the Sailor Team's constant returns and the troubles. before he too was defeated, and we were all briefly met by a mysterious woman, Lightning, who had just finished her own task, before we bid a final goodbye to our friends from the future.
A year after that, the dark secrets of Rufus's father was surfaced from beneath Midgar. Deepground, the ugly secrets, were accidently freed, and soon, they would kidnap people who were clean from the stigma, while those who still had the stigma were to be murdered without hesitation. I was also a target which I did not know at the time, for they seeked the Protomateria inside my heart.
Despite that I fought off against them, I was soon accompined by Sailor Moon's twin sister, Dark Moon, who like me, also had sins. Though her case, she had a severe power of darkness within her heart. However, Deepground succeeded in taking the Protomateria, which kept Chaos inside me in control, but I was soon losing control.
With Sailor Dark Moon's allies, my friends and I fought against Deepground, and I soon learned that Hojo had made a copy of himself to survive for three years and take over Deepground leader's body to destroy the world with Omega, the Ultimate WEAPON. I managed to stop Weiss, but Omega awoke, and Chaos briefly took over my body. With the help of Shelke, a former member of Deepground and a young child whom was tortured for ten years, the Protomateria was returned to my body, and I had a vision of Lucrecia.
It strengthened my resolve and I regained control of my body. With the power of Chaos, and with Sailor Dark Moon's help, I fought and defeated Weiss and Nero, and stopped Omega. At first, I disappeared, but I was then revived outside of Lucrecia's cave, and Omega and Chaos returned to the Planet.
After Sailor Dark Moon and her friends returned to the future to help Sailor Moon to defeat an enemy similiar to Hojo, life returned to normal. Though hundreds of years later, all of my friends, including Nanaki, all died of old age, and I remained. In my sadness, I decided that it was time for me to once again seal myself away from the world, until one day, in the time of Sailor Moon, I would awaken and perhaps aid them if they find me once again. Sailor Moon and Sailor Dark Moon both know that, as long as I had Chaos's power and the Protomateria inside me, I cannot die.
When I returned to the ShinRa Manor to begin another endless sleep, however, I was given new nightmares-visions of years to come: 2,000 years after I sealed myself once again, a War for Kingdom Hearts and the fate of the Realm of Light broke out-Warriors of Sailor Guardians and Keyblade wielders under Cosmos, the Goddess of Light, and Warriors under the revived and more corrupted Chaos who sought out to return everything into nothing. Cosmos dies, and the Realm of Light is swallowed up into the darkness that was created by leftovers of Nero and Chaos.
I still remained asleep, as I could not awaken due to the darkness. However, I could see that the remaining warriors eventually defeat Chaos. One of them sealing it inside her body, but I knew, without the Protomateria, she had no control, and I feared that it was cause problems. After that, the light in hearts of small children brought the Realm of Light back, though it split the world into many, while the Lifestream slept within a world of Radiant light, and Kingdom Hearts slept deep within the Realm of Darkness. The remains of Midgar was transformed into it's own world, just like the original world, and I continued to sleep in the manor.
I continued to also see many things in my sleep, as it was a flash before my eyes.
In a world known as Earth in another universe where Sailor Moon and her allies come from, ancient evils rested there. In the universe I was, where Mickey and some of the others were in, the mysteries behind the Keyblade remained unknown.
A new Lifestream like heaven known as the Farplane resided in a world of Spira, and a monsterous being was born as a punishment to humanity.
The fall of the Moon Kingdom, which I soon learned was the birth place of Sailor Moon and Sailor Dark Moon, both of them being Princesses, their mother sacrifice her live to save them and others who had fallen, all being sent to Earth to be reborn.
A sorcerer, very young, travelling back in time to aid young people who were in a world which was trapped in a timeloop over and over again, before he returned to Earth and soon, as an adult, after creating cards with lifeforms, and two lifeforms, passes away, his successor yet to be born.
Pirates fighting against evil who try to misuse the power of gods and the Pirates, along with innocent allies, fought for freedom of humanity and all life.
Pokemon continuing to grow. Two worlds created, one for Pokemon only, and another, based on stories which would also bring life to some other worlds in the universe of Kingdom Hearts, the world next to Earth closly linked to it.
All of my allies, and most of the former enemies who became friends, just before the Sailor Team, all reborn in different worlds with no memories of their past, or even of my time. However, some of them are slowly gaining memories of the past.
Mickey beginning his own adventures, which would led him to his time-travel to my past, before he becomes a King. He then would join forces with young Keyblade wielders to stop the one whom I learned from Sailor Moon from the future.
Xehanort, who desired to repeat the history of the great war to use the power of the X-Blade, the counterpart of Kingdom Hearts. He possessed a body of one of the young Keyblade wielders, but soon, everything turned blank in my dreams.
I only then saw fragments of the future-Sailor Moon's journey beginning, the beginning journey of the rest of her allies of Earth, the Pokemon World, the Fairy-Tale world, the new beginning of the universe of Kingdom Hearts, the struggles against Xehanort and his Organization XIII, one of the members resembling to Reno, the reunion of most of my allies from my time who were reborn and reuighted with the Sailor Team, the many adventures they shared, either in their time, in other worlds or their world, or through time-travelling in a paradox that was meant to happen.
I even witnessed some others who failed to keep the world of Gran Pulse and Cocoon in place, now the two worlds being corrupted in a darkness which seemed to be the true birthplace of Chaos, the world doomed to be destroyed.
Soon enough, Xehanort would be revived, and I learned that it is Sailor Moon's destiny to defeat him once and for all, as he is chosen by Chaos, while she is chosen by Cosmos.
I did not know how long I was in my deep sleep...but soon...I would awaken once more...
Normal POV:
It was dark. All Vincent could see was darkness. Until, he unconsciously reached out a hand and felt the lid of his coffen above him. Finding the energy to push it away and opening his safe haven, Vincent heard it crash onto the ground, and light filled his eyes. Blinking them open, he slowly sat up, and took a look around. It looked just about the same as when he returned to his slumber.
'...How long was I asleep?' he tiredly thought to himself.
He knew one thing, though. He was on his own now. Nothing was the same.
Deciding to investigate, Vincent got up and then left the basement of the ShinRa manor. Venturing outside of the manor, the Ex-Turk looked around to see that Nibelhiem still looked the same, empty like a ghost town. He didn't know what year it was, but he knew, those dreams he had, they were more than just dreams.
Wandering around the empty village, Vincent rested near the fountain and crossed his arms like he normally did, deep in thought. There must've been a reason for his reawakening, which like, what, the forth time in a row? Or was it the third?
He thought about everyone he knew in his life; his parents, Lucrecia, Hojo, Sephiroth, Zack, Cloud, Tifa, Barret, Nanaki, Reeve/Cait Sith, Yuffie, Aerith, Sailor Moon, Mickey, Loran, Shelke, Sailor Dark Moon, the Sailor Team, the Dark Moon Team, Rufus, the Turks, Veld, the SeeDs, Cid and Shera.
"Thinking about you're friends, huh Mr. Valentine?" a new voice spoke to his right, causing Vincent to snap out of his thoughts and in alarm, turned to look, to see an unfamiliar young girl, about twelve years old, with rose-pink-blonde hair, blue eyes, and a black gothic like outfit that seemed to fit her. She had a cheery smile, but a strange astmophere to her.
Skeptical, Vincent asked, "Who are you?" then realised what she said and added, "And how did you know about me and what I was thinking? You can't be normal if you can see into my thoughts."
The girl giggled, and said, "Oh, so you guessed what I can do, huh, Vincent? That means you really are the former vessel of the Chaos that was born from the Unseen Realm."
"Unseen Realm?" Vincent questioned. "Do you mean the Realm of Darkness?"
The girl walked towards a building as she talked, "Well, you could say that. But there's more than just one Realm. The Realm of Light is where all life live and grow up in. Even when they die a normal death or death that of their good hearts, without the power of a dark Keyblade, they can either go to the Afterlife, the Lifestream, or to the Farplane. The Realm of darkness is where those who got too deep into the darkness of their hearts end up there, and where the Heartless and Shadow Souls are born."
"So my dreams are true then." Vincent realised, but wasn't surprised. "Which means the the world has been split."
"And the remains of some of the continants of the world you were born in was created into it's own world, rebuilding it the way it was, except that Balamb down and places like those involved in the Sorceress War no longer exists." the girl added as she stopped and turned to look at Vincent again. "You had been seeing the future for eons and eons, Vincent. Oh, but all of those times were not your time to join in the fights of struggles."
"So I've seen." The former Turk muttered. "Tell me; have you been aqquinted with the Sailor Team? Or is it not yet their time yet?"
The girl paused for a moment, then smiled again and said, "You could say that I've met them and yet I haven't met them. I'm what you could say, is a missing piece of someone's heart, one that was driven away for her own selfish desires. In the a wake of that, I was born. But that's a little secret."
She then continued, "Though it is their time now. As a matter of fact, they've been chosen since four years ago. It was two years ago that the real war began, and I'd say that they're close in winning, but the one they fighting is no push-over. He has left many roads open to get what he wants."
"Sounds like a reincarnation of Hojo." Vincent sighed. He then realised, "So Sailor Moon has already went through a lot. The last time I've seen her, she said it's been three years since she first came to the past. It's been a year already."
"A lot has happened for many, many years." The girl nodded. "The chaos inside the enemies your friends fought were all influenced by Chaos itself. When it was inside you, it still wasn't powerful enough to influence in destroying the world. It was the Protomateria and your heart that kept it in control for a long time. Once Chaos returned to the Lifestream with Omega, you were free with the use of it's powers."
"You know a lot." Vincent amused. "Are you a mind reader or something?"
The girl giggled again, and walked over to the well where Vincent was, and she peered into the bottom of it, while she said, "By my original's connections with others, who are now connected to the Sailor Team, thus, to you and all of your friends, it was easy to see into the minds of others, and see their memories and their desires, even though I didn't meet them the way I am now, because you are the first of that connection to know that I'm here."
"Connection?" Vincent asked.
"With our hearts and minds." The girl answered. "Even though who no longer possess a heart were able to make connections with the heroes of the Light. Though I have no ability to have fun with memories."
"Messing with other people's memories is a wrong thing to do." Vincent stated in a firm tone. He was skeptical to the child speaking to him.
The girl giggled, "True, but someone who was born without a heart, but from the darkness of the one who sacrificed himself to save the original of the girl, she was able to meddle with her memories, but against her own free well, until she was freed on purpose to fix things up. But I'm sure you'll know the whole story when you get the chance to see your friends again, Vincent. But to do that, you've got a destiny to fufill."
"A destiny? Why do you say that?" Vincent furrowed his brows.
"You're one who can't be effected by darkness or the pressence of Chaos, and since you're immortal, you could be a key to knocking some sense into a god's lacky's head of hers. What that God has planned for the fate of humanity of a world that soon to be destroyed is not good news." the girl explained.
Vincent stared down at the child who wasn't even afraid of him. "Who is this God you speak of?"
"Bhunivelze, that's who." The girl replied. "The humanity of the world soon to end only refer him as god, because they don't know the other gods out there, including the god who created the humanity of you and everyone else in the Realm of Light, before that world's creation. Like humans and other creatures in life, there are good gods, and there are evil gods, and evil gods end up trapped in realms because they are way too dangerous."
The ex-Turk was still supicious, but he also had a feeling that the Realm of Light might need his help if he could, he's willing to investigate. He doubted that much is happening in this world which is a remnant of the original world, but still a living world none the less. He was skeptical of this young girl, but if her words are true, then he might as well, considering that he's still immortal.
Finally, after a few moments of silence, Vincent looked at her again and inquired, "Alright. Say I believe you, what do I have to do and how do I get to where I need to go?"
The girl smiled, in a hint of relief, and held out her hands, which magically formed a small ball of light, and from it, a small star-shaped like object appeared, floating, before she enchanted it to float towards Vincent who, a bit stunned, gently took it in his right hand, as it stopped glowing.
"That's a special Starshard that can take you to other worlds, especially the one you need to go." said the girl. "Think deeply with your mind and heart, and the starshard will take you to your destination. It'll be dangerous, but where's the fun in adventures if they weren't dangerous?"
"You sound like a man I once knew." Vincent admitted, before inquiring, "I never got your name."
The girl giggled again, as she began to vanish in light of teleport, saying, "My name's Lumina. I'll see you soon, Vincent." and with that, she was gone, much to Vincent's surprise.
Though he was stunned that a child could do that, Vincent sighed and stared down at the object which, according to Lumina, can take him to wherever he wants to go.
'I hope I don't regret this.' He thought to himself. Vincent then held the starshard close to his heart, and thought deeply. 'Please take me to where I need to go.'
It then glowed brightly, and before Vincent knew it, he was engulfed by the light and in a small zigzag of light, he was off to his next adventure.
An adventure which will help him to someday soon to aid and reuight with his friends once more.
TO BE CONTINUED...IN SAILOR MOON X(CHI)-SIDE STORY.
With this story, and another which can be found in my profile, a Pokemon story titled, "Forget my Not, Ash", I think you guys can take a hint where this leads to. In the meantime, what do you all think? Do you like it? Please review to tell me what you think, and you can find my other stories in my profile. You're welcome to visit.