Title: Wolf
Disclaimer: FF7 and all the characters, movies, merchandise etcetera belongs to me! Muwahahahahahaha! Sees square-enix looking very foul with dangerous Sephiroth-like lawyer team in the background… ehmm… no… it ain't mine…
Summary: Vincent seeks his place in the world, but somehow can't find it. Then the world decides to put him in his place
A/N: reposting of Silvie's stories who had them removed due to so called "true fans" in this FF7 section. Come on people! Quit being so childish and praise the fact that there are people who wish to make love and not war (read: posting stories in stead of starting a flame/trol war over nothing)
A/N2: lyanti./art/Vincent-Valentine-FF7-67365444 this story was inspired by this picture, little did Silvie know that Vincent can only become Chaos and isn't a shapeshifter... be gentle on her.
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Feeling strange and odd, he watched the family of wolves move in for the kill. The black alpha male was beautiful to see; in the prime of his life as he run, tongue out of his mouth, joy in his eyes and paws working hard underneath him to keep up with the prey. Running madly a younger male and female, siblings, followed him, with on the other side of the pack of chocobos the female and a third sibling.
Suddenly the male dashed forward and grabbed the chocobo by the neck, bringing him down with his weight and so much force that Vincent almost felt sorry for the large bird. Living here alone, in the forest of the Ancient, the wolves had become his… family. A little more than friends he thought to himself.
Somehow the wolves have seemed to accept his presence. Their golden and blue eyes piercing him, observing him with every move; soft growls and tender licks at his fingers were invitation enough and he bent down at the chocobo, taking his share of the meal for today. Vincent didn't need much food. Yet a strange thought occurred; what was it like to belong to such a pack? They moved like family, acted like family and even protected each other like family. Not like Lucrezia did… she just rejected him to become Hojo's experiment. Somehow he was content with the fact that she chose the mad scientist over him. Or else it would have been his child who had become Sephiroth…
No. Humans were a strange race, not capable of loving each other. These wolves were closer to him than any human…
Marlene? When she would be old and die, he would still be in his thirties, young and vibrant, alive. He couldn't bare to see her die of old age…
Transforming without Chaos will was hard; pain ripped through his mind, his body, his soul, as he slowly shaped himself into the creatures he called his family. Huffing he remained still on the floor as his brain tried to comprehend with the pain, and the changed shape of his body. No longer he was human, as he tried to stand on four paws, shaky and wearily, like a new born pup testing it's legs. Trembling and tripping over the four paws he kept on falling and falling until he finally could stand upright. It was a start, as he took a first step forward and kissed the forest floor again as he fell onto his snout.
Strolling through the forest with an ease as if he did this for years, Vincent had finally mastered walking on four paws. It was the tail that held him standing on all fours. The next issue came into his mind. No longer did he had a knife, capable of hunting, no longer did he held his guns, for defense and attack. All he had left now were his teeth and paws with long sharp claws, yet he didn't feel ready for a hunt. Even though his mind and stomach bet the difference.
From afar he heard the family of wolves howl, a sound that went through his bones so beautiful and frightening at the same time. Not understanding tone of it, he just moved onwards through the forest, like a rogue wolf. Chaos started beating at his skull, from the inside out. The creature wanted to be set free.
No. he thought. Not now. Not tonight.
Moving forward with an increasing pace Vincent felt the comforting ground underneath his paws. Testing his speed and power, he rushed forward when he spotted a flock of Chocobo's, or was it the sudden developed instinct that took over?
Enjoying the fear and fright of the Chocobo's Vincent kept running, chasing the big birds around until he had found a weaker one and jumped forward, lashing his teeth through the soft neck of the bird, crushing the windpipe with his powerful jaws. Salty blood run over his tongue, dripping out of his mouth; it tasted good. Damn good… the bird stopped struggling for life underneath his mighty paws and Vincent let out a howl of victory. In one day a complete transformation and a prey! It had to be celebrated!
After that he begun ripping the belly apart, eating the internal organs first. Then he started at the big paws of the bird, ripping the meat apart with his teeth and crushing bones with his jaws for the marrow. Growling while eating he kept other predators and scavengers at bay who gathered around for the leftovers.
Eventually the scent of blood and his victorious howl had drawn out the wolf family and Vincent immediately regretted the howl and kill. The dominant male wasn't about to share his territory with another powerful male. Remaining at bay the dominant female watched him, ready for the charge. Something snapped within Vincent. For all those years people avoided him, went out of his way because of who he was. Now he didn't want that anymore. He refused to be chased away. Straightening his tail and flattening his ears in the back of his neck he let out a terrifying growl; the other male backed down a little by the sudden display of force. Than he charged with a growl and lunged for Vincent's throat. Lowering and twisting his head so that the wolf would miss Vincent moved so that his jaws collided with the neck of the wolf; crushing his windpipe and carotid arteries. Within seconds the wolf died and Vincent sniffed at him for a second, proud that he was now the dominant male.
Slow he reached the female, who growled at him. Biting at her, she stopped, lowering her tail and head and licking his snout. Proud, Vincent let out a howl and trotted back to the prey, the death of the former dominant male forgotten. She could share it with him.
--
Fresh blood and meat were daily at the menu, since Vincent had to keep up strength for his transformation and to have enough strength to hold Chaos down. Soon, he was a feared predator and hunted for his beautiful fur coat. Expanding his territory every day with a few yards Vincent loved living this life. He was a wolf.
Yet there was one thing that kept crawling back into his mind. A side he had forgotten real soon after the transformation. This wasn't his family…
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'He forgot my birthday.' Silent Marlene waited for the windows of her room above the bar, 'he totally forgot.'
Denzel handed her a handkerchief and patted her back, 'perhaps he went to the store to buy a present for you?'
Drying her eyes she gazed at him, 'it's ten in the night, do you think there is any store open?' Denzel shook his head in silence. It was four years after the events of the Remnants, called the Remnant War, and two years since Vincent had disappeared. There was just no trace left of him. Everyone searched high and low for him, but Vincent was gone, as if he had never existed. Every day she waited for him, loving him though he was many years older. Vincent was her elder brother, her best friend.
'I'm gonna search for him.' Determined she handed the handkerchief back to Denzel and went downstairs in complete silence. Cloud and Tifa, a couple now, slept together in one room. She didn't know how Tifa could stand Cloud's snoring, yet she knew that the blonde ex-Soldier was vast asleep when snoring. Tiptoeing through the kitchen she took some supplies and the keys to Cloud's gyrobike. Denzel stood in the door opening, not knowing whether he should alarm Cloud and Tifa, or stop her himself.
'I just need to know whether he is safe or not…' she whispered, 'that's all. I'll be back before you know it.' With a comforting smile, she left.
There was only one mistake she had made, she started the enormous motorcycle in the garage, alarming and waking cloud at once. Half tired half awake he rushed over to the garage with his buster sword finding nothing but emptiness and the foul stench of exhaust gasses.
'She went after Vincent.' Denzel said calm, 'you know Marlene. Once she got something in her mind, she will carry it out.' He knew she couldn't be stopped anyway and this was the best way to let her go.
--
Marlene should have known better to use up her food in three days. Now too far from any gas station or the civilized world, she tried to move the enormous motorcycle through mud and soft ground. She just didn't move forward, the machine was drawing itself and her back into the mud. Eventually Marlene gave in and rested her back at the motorcycle, crying alone and cursing everything from gyrobikes to Vincent.
Piercing eyes focused at her; a black wolf with reddish fur coat and yellow black paws strolled forward. His new family followed suit, yet kept at bay from the human young girl at the monstrous machine.
A rough tongue licked the tears from her face, a warm snout pressed into her cheeks. Her eyes shot open; focusing upon the black wolf with red eyes. When she let out a shriek of fear it backed down a little, whining and tilting it's head like a puppy dog. Then he came forward again and sniffed her again, pressing his nose into her soft hands.
Human… enemy? Food?
There was something awful familiar about her. Her scent, her looks…
No. Familiar. Friend.
Human emotions began crawling back into his mind; wondering why the girl was so sad and crying. He heard her tummy rumbling and went away from her. She stretched out her hands for him, wanting the warm fur to warm her, to comfort her. Soon, he was off. And back, with a squirrel in his mouth. Hardly a mouth full for a human, yet he lay the dead animal in her lap, hoping that she would understand that he brought her food.
Frightened she stared at the animal with it's haunting red eyes and handed the squirrel back to the wolf, 'So sorry, but I don't eat raw food…' she whispered with her soft and sad voice and patted his nose, 'yet I thank you.'
Why sad? Family?… Family! Marlene!
Marlene ducked away when the wolf suddenly seemed in pain, was he sick or rabid? Afraid she pressed herself into the motorcycle, not noticing that she wasn't the only one in fear. The wolf family backed away too, leaving the former dominant male as they fled from him.
Afraid that the final blow would take her life, Marlene kept her eyes closed, shivering in fear and backing down even more when fingers stroke her cheek.
'M-Marlene…' a hoarse voice croaked out, 'Marlene…'
Fluttering her eyes at the voice she found someone familiar. Red eyes, black hair, pale skin. The red distinguished cape and the black clothing, the brass claw and the brass pointy shoes. And something else: a soft smile.
'Vincent?' Than she threw herself at him and hugged him tight, 'Vincent!'
It took a few minutes before his mind was focused on being human again, before his mind could grasp the reality of standing upon two legs in stead of four.
'I missed you so much Vincent!' she cried out, 'where were you all this time?! Where have you been? What happened?'
He let go of her, staring at the ground for a few long moments, 'I had to find myself Marlene… to know that I live. To understand the value of family.' Kissing her forehead he smiled at her, 'I think… I think I am forgiven…' he watched his surrogate family disappear into the woods, the family he had kept safe for two long years, the family he had loved for two years.
Wolves forget easily. A lesson he had to learn. They don't care for tomorrow, nor for yesterday.
Only for today: to hunt, to howl and to live free!
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R&R please?