Vincent Valentine, hero and villain, cursed with an insatiable rage. Ten years have passed since his battle with his lover's son and he has yet to feel the stress of time. Many called him a monster. He made his reply in a sad smile and a nod of his head. None could know the torment he endured every day.
He was wandering the wastelands that were the outskirts of Midgar, greatest city of the world. It had been many days since he had last had contact with other humans when he stumbled upon a scene of tragedy.
As he crested a rise the sound of gun fire broke through his contemplative thoughts. He reflexively drew his gun, a silver nickel plated weapon that had seen many battles. The sound of distressed voices reached his ears and he quickened his pace, the length of his crimson cloak flowing behind him.
A family, slum dwellers from their dirty appearance, were surrounded by armed men. The assailants wore faded blue uniforms, remnants of the great Shinra army. A red uniformed man had a gun drawn and was lying atop a woman. Nearby lay the corpse of a man, have his face blown away, and a little girl lying prone beside him.
Vincent usually kept a tight rein on his emotions and little could inflame his rage. This however boiled his blood and a beast that resided deep within his soul roared with fury. He dispatched the red uniformed man with a shot to the head before turning his gun on the man's comrades. Taking out the blue uniformed men was little challenge for the experienced gunman but even he couldn't control the situation. A ricochet took the woman in the chest just as the battle ended.
Sliding from his perch to the clearing below Vincent checked the woman's pulse. She had died seconds before his arrival. Vincent sighed in disappointment before turning to the orphaned girl. She was huddled in the blood splattered shirt her father wore and it took some time to coax her from where she lay.
"Who are you?" she asked, her platinum hair wet with blood.
"I am unimportant, do not fear me I will take you somewhere safe," Vincent replied, hoisting the girl onto his shoulder.
"Are you a vampire?" she asked, her words said in complete innocence.
"No but the comparison has been made many times now be silent, I will take you to a safe place," he repeated. They hiked through the grey wasteland before coming upon the high walls of Midgar. With little persuasion he moved passed the security. Not many men let alone those on minimum wages were willing to risk a fight with a man rumoured to eat children and kill for pleasure.
He passed along the busy streets, navigating passed the cars and pedestrians before coming to stop at a run down pub. It looked to be the sort of place frequented by villains and thieves and Vincent walked through without a pause.
Sitting by the bar was a woman in her early twenties. She was pretty in a girlish way though not beautiful. She served a beer to an old drunk.
"Marlene, it is a pleasure," Vincent said, resting the girl on the counter. The woman greeted him with a grin.
"Welcome to the seventh heaven stranger, what'll you have?" she asked, drawing a bottle of wine and a fine glass. Before he could reply the drink was poured and passed into his hand.
"This girl needs a home, could you spare the room?" Vincent replied.
"Sure, you'll have to pay for everything though," she said, wiping down a glass.
"Easily handled," Vincent handed her a wallet bulging with silver notes. Marlene whistled in delight as she counted the money.
"What's the kid's name?" Marlene asked.
"My name is Sophia and I'm six," the girl said grumpily, "And I'm not a kid,"
"Sure you aren't darling say goodbye to Vincent and I'll take you to your room," Marlene replied, lifting Sophia from the bar.
"Goodbye Mister Vampire," Sophia called as Marlene took her away.
"Goodbye Sophia," Vincent replied. He left the bar without saying farewell to Marlene or touching his drink. Uncommon thought ran through his head as he wandered the streets, thoughts of the child. Had he thought himself without emotion for years, without pity or remorse, yet the sight of that lonely girl bereft of her family filled him with sadness.
He walked into a lonely alley and drew his gun, pressing it to the side of his head. His finger twitched as it neared the trigger. He returned it to its holster, it wasn't time.
He watched the moon as it hung in the night sky, clouds drifting over it. Was he the moon? He thought to himself. Alone and without company, or was he the cloud? Always drifting and never making attachments. He laughed bitterly as he realized what he really was. He was a shadow, drifting through the world, no purpose or direction.
Just as he was about to leave the alley a darkness descended upon him clouding. He struggled with the creature within him before the darkness bore him away.
Yuna walked through the crowded streets of Luca. In her tight blue shorts and white blouse she turned many heads both male and female. Defeater of Sin and destroyer of Vegnagun she was a living legend with a best selling pop record.
"Miss Yuna could I get your autograph?" a man asked.
"Sure thing," she replied, smiling at him warmly. She scribbled her name on a piece of paper the man handed her. He disappeared back into the street and Yuna moved onwards to her destination. The great dome of the Luca blitzball arena came into view. With a nod to the guard she entered into the cavernous arena.
Awaiting her was the diminutive form of Shinra. She smiled at the scientist and his companion, a hulking giant of a man with a badly scarred face.
"It took you long enough," the boy said crossly.
"You can't rush a gullwing Shin, you should know that," she replied. Shinra grumbled something under his breath as he turned to the apparatus next to him. "So what's the gadget Jake?" she asked the big man.
"Quantum destabilizer or that's what it's supposed to be," Shinra said, cutting his companion out of the conversation.
"So what does it do?" Yuna asked.
"Destabilizes quantum," Shinra replied.
"And what is quantum?"
"Complicated," Shinra screwed something into his machine, "It is done, stand back,"
Yuna and Jake stepped away respectfully. Shinra pressed a button. "This will be loud," he said seconds before a loud thumping drowned out his voice. The entire arena shook and Yuna had to shake the ringing out of her ears as the thumping began to fade.
"You're right it was loud!" she shouted.
"Don't worry it won't be noisy anymore, that was just the starter engines," Shinra replied as he fiddled with the gadget again.
"So why did you need me here?" Yuna asked.
"I needed a guinea pig," Shinra replied.
"A guinea pig for what?" Yuna asked furiously.
"For this," Shinra said. Yuna felt something drag her through the air. She screamed furiously and tried to draw her guns. "Don't struggle Yuna and stay safe, I expect a full report when you get back!" Shinra called as darkness swallowed her vision.