CRIMSON REGRETS
By Eddie Woods. aka. Wonderboy

DISCLAIMER: I dont own anything relating to the Final Fantasy series. Final Fantasy is owned by Square-soft/ SQUARE-ENIX respectibly.

He stalked the frost bitten roofs high above the ground. It was a cold night, frost and snow covered the sleepy town of Niebleheim.
He glared down upon the streets of the small town. All seemed quiet, but he had seen through Illusiions before.
There was a steady slow crunch from an alley way a few streets away. Like an enigma of the night he passed from shadow to shadow, raeching the alleyway quickly.
His claw gleamed in the night, his breathe seemed non exsistent and his cape slowly swayed in a steady breeze. His crimson eyes narrowed upon the scene below.

"He- hey there li'ttle miishy" One of the men blurted, barely able to keep his balance. The girl looked desprately for a way out, but again it seems that another alley should claim another life. The second man, a man with a large scar running down his cheek, advanced on the poor girl.

"We just want to party? You wanna party with us" He asked in a rough voice. The other two laughed and all three began to surround her. There was no where to run, nothing to stop this cruel act. But it seems that he has always been a wild card.
There was a flurry of red cape as he launched himself high into the night, outlined against the bright moon. He brought his golden claw down upon the first man, slashing at his face, cutting deep into his prey's face. The blood stained and hung to his claw. Screams of pain echoed out of the alleyway. He stood over the whimpering man, glaring at the others.

" You seek to bring another nightmare to an inncent? I cannot have that..." He said quietly from behind his cape. He flexed his claws experimentaly, watching as the blood dripped off slowly and stained the white snow.
The scar faced one, a tall man with a colosous of muscles lunged forward for him. He was much faster than his attacker, leaping up the side of the wall and running up it.
The muscled man gorwled in anger as the enigma backfliped off the wall and landed behind him.
"Im gonna make dog food outta ye" It roared swinging blindly behind him. The caped man ducked and saw the oportunity. He dug his metalic claw deep into his opponents chest, a fountain of blood rippled down the man's bare chest like a bloody waterfall. There was no satisfaction in his eyes, but yet those crimson eyes of his seemed to contain and imprison a fury that no human could match. There was only one left now.

" What the fuck are you man" The last one shouted, pointing his gun at the mysterious caped figure. He let the body fall to the ground and began to turn around slowly.
" I am the product of a never ceasing nightmare. I am a monster within a man's shell. I am Punishment for those who seek to bring nightmares to the innocent."
He stared at the other with no remorse, no emotion.
In one swift moment he had withdrawn his gun and fired it. Once. The attackers guns shattered into piece's and the man started screaming at the sight of his bloody hand.
He advanced on the man, his cape being draged in the wind. The girl whimpered from her place in the corner of the alleyway.
The attacker found himself now the prey, he slunk to his knee's and begged the mysterious man.

"Pl-please! Oh god, please! Don't kill me! Please! Have mercy" It blubered, he stood over it curious.
"Many time's i have heard the plea's of men for their life. I am not a monster..." Suddenly he reached up and seized his head in pain... " I am NOT a MONSTER" He could feel them trying to gain control, to take over him.
The pleading man saw his chance, with his other working hand he grabbed a large shard of his broken metal from his gun.
"Die you fucking Monster" It yelled, bringing the broken metal upwards.
There was a large burst of light in the alleyway, thunder struck the man sending thosuands of volts through his body before it gave up and colapsed to the snow. There was a very distinct smell after the man stopped moving and the sense of death lured in the alley now.
The caped man looked at the girl as she cowered in fear of him. He knelt down beside her.

"There is no need to fear me. You are safe now." He helped her to her feet, she shivered and shook more from fear than the cold. She stared to exit the alley, looking desperate to get away from the three dead men but perhaps also her rescuer. She turned back once.
"Thank you for all you're help Mr "
He looked up into the night sky, lost in the dim gaze of the moon.
"Valentine. Vincent Valentine, and there is no need for your thank's. Even I, a sinner have a certain duty to uphold." He replied quietly, closing his eyes.
She nodded, turned around and ran through the snow strewn streets.
He looked up at the rooftops above the alleyway.

" Next time Cloud, don't try to follow me. You make an aweful racket." Vincent called upwards. A figure exited the shadows and looked downwards uponthe dark warrior.
" You seem to be getting more violent in these fights, old freind." Cloud Strife landed gracefully in the snow, a yellow materia still glowed on his armour.
" That I shall have to see to myself, but for tonight I must retire." Vinent replied, starting out of the alley.
Cloud looked around at the three dead bodies.
" What about these three" He asked. Vicnent paused and glanced back slightly.
" Give them a burial at least..." He replied "They were still men after all..."
Cloud sighed and watched as his freind walked through the misty and cold streets to the Shinra Mansion.
" Goodnight Vincent." He muttered to himself, before picking up one of the bodies..

Thanks to Evanescance and their song 'Tournaquiet' which was an influence on my writing this.