Reality Disturbed: God of the Mind
By: A'den Neytiri Kad
Author's Note
This is the long awaited sequel to "Reality Disturbed: Meaning of Life." If you haven't read that one yet, I suggest you do so before you continue. It'll make a little more sense, seeing as how this story is AU. My order of events is out-of-whack compared to the real events from Final Fantasy 7. Meaning of Life was first about Crisis Core. This is a twist on Dirge of Cerberus. The story following this will be regarding Advent Children. (It'll be called "Inside the Fire.") Anywho, enjoy!
P.S. I don't own anything but the plot!
"I told you to stay away from her. She wants nothing to do with you."
"That does not mean I will leave her to be used by you."
The man laughed from the shadows. He was shrouded by the surrounding darkness, his figure obscured. The glasses upon his face gave him away, however. The rays from the flashlight danced across the lenses, casting an unnatural blackness on the man's face. The light brightened as the beam focused upon him completely. His hand paused next to the edge of the table beside him. "You fool. I knew I should've killed you when we met."
A loud pop followed after his voice, a sharp splitting pain accompanying it. A pair of footsteps entered his now blurry vision, halting in front of him.
"It won't matter anymore, Vincent Valentine. Your services are no longer required."
'I'm sorry. I promised to protect you, even from yourself. But I failed. I failed...'
The dark basement faded from his sight as footsteps echoed hauntingly against the rough stone. The cold seeped into his body, leaving its former home nestled above the floor. He slowly lost sense of everything as the pain ebbed, leaving an odd hollow emptiness within him.
He never saw the woman running towards him, and he never heard her cries as she collapsed to her knees beside him. He didn't respond when she dragged him further into the recesses of the mansion. The restraints never registered against his skin as they were tightened around his wrists and only thing he knew was the small beat of his heart and the new voices that grew louder over time. He slowly began to notice the burning agony within his veins as it spread. He even heard her crying, although distantly and like it passed through water, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
Vincent Valentine awoke with a start, shocked to hear his own labored breathing filling the silence. He silently slipped from his resting position, stretching his long limbs. He gave a small sigh as he pulled a shirt over his head, shielding his pale skin from the light of the moon as it cascaded through his open window. He strode from his room, guiding himself down the hall to the stairs. They creaked softly beneath the pads of his feet as he descended into the open kitchen and bar. He slid behind the long granite counter and poured himself a glass of water. His hand brushed against something as he searched for a coaster, and he pulled it out. He held it up to the moonlight, perplexed.
"I meant to give that to you when I saw you next."
He turned, hand resting on his right hip. He sighed softly when he recognized her, relaxing from his stance. "Tifa."
She smiled softly, stepping out from the shadow of the stairwell. Her hair was slightly tousled, meaning she had been asleep sometime that night. She tightened the belt around her pale robe, moving to stand across the counter from him. She tucked a strand of chestnut hair behind her ear, shifting her weight. "I didn't mean to startle you. That came for you two days ago."
"From who?"
"I don't know. A messenger brought it to me. I take it you just got back a little while ago?"
He nodded slightly, swiftly splitting the seal on the manilla envelope. He pulled a single sheet from it at first, scanning the page.
"Another job, I suppose? Well, I'll let you be then. Goodnight, Vincent."
"Who is Reeve Tuestri?"
Tifa paused on the stairwell, hand resting against the doorframe. "I don't know. It sounds familiar, though." She continued back up the staircase silently, disappearing onto the second level.
Vincent retook his seat once more, claiming the rest of the pages. He reread the letter, leaning back in the vinyl seat.
Hello, Vincent Valentine. My name is Reeve Tuestri. I've heard rumors of your return to our society. I wish to offer you some information, and possibly a job proposition, seeing as how it involves someone quite familar to you...
Not bad for a first chapter, huh? This has been... interesting to write so far. I'm trying to write with more descriptions and detail, but I feel like a stalker doing so. . . Oh well, if y'all like it, it's worth it. :)