FF VII Timeline: Vincent

I don't own Final Fantasy, I if did, it would be a shadow of its current self. And my art would be much more inspired by something much less cooler.

Summary: This is a first Person Vincent backstory, starting with his last month with Grimoire as his assistant, when he was just starting his work on Chaos and Omega. I'm not going to have the main game storyline, because I don't know it, I'm afraid my story of Dirge of Cerberus will be based on what I know from a strategy guide, and the internet.

Chapter 1: research & decision

"I wish you were more like me." Grimoire told me, not looking up from his computer terminal. I was sitting in a wheeled chair, (One of the few things that never changed, I loved wheeled chairs,) looking over Grimoire's books. Even though he was my father, I refused to call him dad.

"I bet Mom would rip me from you in a heartbeat if she were still alive." I replied.

Grimoire gave an affirmative chuckle. "Cerberus would still wind up in your possession." I only frowned more. Cerberus, the ridiculous heirloom of my family, a three-barreled, ornately forged gun, forged from some unknown metal from within the northern cave. Utterly useless, much like Grimoire's 'traditional Valentine cloak.' Red with bullet holes in it. Ironically, even if my last name was Valentine, I wouldn't be caught dead in it.

"This theory could change science itself, you know."

"Like Jenova cells?"

"Don't go there." Grimoire warned. He was constantly worried that pale thing would break out of its tank and kill the whole company in one night. I was constantly pressed to ease his fears, which I did, quite unsuccessfully.

"Please Grimoire, as soon as it has a conversation with the Hojo, it'll run all the way back to the Northern crater and freeze itself in ice so thick a cannon wouldn't get through it."

"Would you call me dad? Or Father? Hell, if you want, Daddy. Just something, I'm beginning to think you're my nephew."

"Neither of us are that lucky." I replied.

"You're lucky I don't have a chainsaw handy." Grimoire growled.

"No belt?"

"Not wearing the right belt." Grimoire replied. Despite myself, and my strained relationship with my father, I gave a chuckle.

"So, the theory is the Omega, a bio-mechanical creature, that carries the Lifestream into space? And Chaos is a creature made to kill all life on the planet, so that Omega can carry everything away?"

"That's Gast's idea, yeah." Grimoire replied. "Of course, Gast is more interested in Jenova anymore. He talked to Shinra about injecting Jenova cells into humans, and as far as I know, It's already been approved."

"Hey, dad. I'm, uh…" Grimoire looked up from his computer, "I'm joining the Turks."

"Really?" he asked. "Uh. I'm okay with it if you're okay with it."

I stared at him. He was letting me become a Turk? "What's that mean?"

"You can't be my assistant forever. Besides, I can tell you're getting sick of me."

"Sick of you? I was sick of you when I turned sixteen. Now I'm on the verge of bloody murder." I replied.

"Ouch. I'm hurt."

"Cry me a river."

"Oh, shut up. Your skill with a gun ought to get you a pretty good position."

I rolled my eyes. Yeah, it would probably wind me up in the assassination department. I got up and walked out the room. I needed something to eat. I stopped near a girl wearing a visitor's badge. She was looking at a map, confused.

"Can I help you?"

"Uh, I'm looking for Dr. Valentine's lab." I rolled my eyes again. I'm not gone for two seconds, he's already got a new assistant.

"I'm Vincent. Grimoire's son." I said, offering a hand. She smiled and shook it. "This way," I said, turning away and walking back to Grimoire's lab. "I feel I should warn you, he dresses…odd." I decided. Well, for crying out loud, a crimson cloak over a black leather jumpsuit?

"How bad could it be?" she asked, just as I opened the door to his lab. She walked in and her jaw dropped nearly a full inch when she saw Grimoire. "Okay, the clothes would've been okay with black hair, but the grey, that needs work." She told me.

I stared at her. "I'll talk to him about it." I snarled, then left.

"Thanks!" she called. I waved a hand, not stopping. I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw Hojo coming towards me.

"Ah, hello Vincent!" he said, in a tone that said more of insanity than saying hello. A shiver went down my spine, and I fought not to shake it away. Gast's assistant, possibly more insane than Palmer. Any man who wanted to stick his ass inside a rocket or stick himself with a needle was a loon in my opinion.

"Dr. Hojo." I said, as formally as I could.

"I was just coming down to meet Grimoire's new assistant, Lucreicia." So that was her name. I thought about it. Pretty name. Better than Vincent Victor Valentine. Laugh I kill you, thank you very much. Gunslinger, part-time assistant, and hungry.

"She's not your type." I told him, speaking as truthfully as I could, or I was just lying to dissuade Hojo, which was more likely.

"Like she's your type!" Hojo shouted back. I sighed and walked past him. I needed a burger. And preferably a beer.

"Vincent!" Lucreicia shouted. I stopped and was about to turn when she put her arm in mine. I looked at her smiling face and raised an eyebrow.

"Are trying to stay away from Hojo?"

"Yeah. You don't mind, do you?"

"Not at all." I said, smiling. 'Anything to piss off Hojo.' I added in my head, but didn't dare say in front of the bastard.

"Where were you going?" she asked, trying to start a conversation.

"Chili's." I replied.

"Chili's?"

"What's wrong with Chili's?"

"Nothing."

"Smart woman." I said to myself as much as her. I looked into her eyes. They just happened to be my favorite color, amber, just below orange, but not quite gold.

Lucreicia.

&&&

That's chapter 1. Uno. Not five, not seven, just one.

Next: Vincent's marksmanship tests