Transient Damnation
A luminous beam from above seemingly burned through the thin layer of flesh that offered little protection to his sensitive eyes. Then it flickered, but regained its irritating shine soon after. It was then that he awoke from his nightmare-ridden slumber only to blink abruptly in an attempt to recover the eyesight that he temporarily lacked. His vision cleared to reveal a fluorescent light suspended from the ceiling.
He turned his head to the side, but nearly retched at the slight movement. Apparently, the drugs he had been sedated with had violent effects. His vision was hazy as he panted for breath, but he was still able to discern a table; various utensils were strewn about, some with sharp tips, some dull, some appearing too outrageous to have any logical use at all. Within a second's worth of extra scrutiny, though, he observed something even more heinous; each and every tool lay in its own bantam pool of blood. The man continued to gaze with glazed eyes in morbid fascination at the macabre scene when a diminutive voice murmured from within the depths of his mind a single, seemingly simple question.
[Who are you?]
"I am Vincent Valentine," he stated in response, almost mechanically.
[Why are you here?] The voice continued.
"I was sent here-- on a mission."
[What is your mission?]
"To eliminate all who interfere with ShinRa's pursuit to obtain knowledge."
Vincent lay still, awaiting a response, but none came; only silence followed, leaving him vulnerable for the internal attack that assaulted him. A sharp pain grew from his left arm, then coursed through every single nerve of his body, causing him to convulse erratically. Unable to handle the agony, he lost consciousness.
* * *
He was aroused by the glare that shone through his eyelids and felt as though it was melting his retinas. His body was sore, and his mind was shrouded in a mist that left him fazed and uncertain of his current situation.
"Who am I...?" he asked himself almost unconsciously, not fully expecting a reply.
[You are Chaos.] The voice had returned.
Chaos...?, he repeated in his mind in a dazed fit. "Why am I here?"
[You are a pawn of ShinRa, and a specimen used at the disposal of Hojo. You are but a puppet, abused when needed, and discarded when not. But you have yet to complete your mission...]
"What is my mission?"
[To eliminate he who has destroyed your life and being; to atone for the sins you have committed; to bring peace to Lucrecia, who has been wronged.]
"Lucrecia," Vincent repeated, as though testing the strength of his voice to ascertain whether it made up for the frailness of his physical body. Each time he envisioned her, he felt weaker and weaker as a prisoner of his own guilt. He clenched his fists in anger, but looked down at his hands when the clang of metal against metal invaded his ears at that same moment.
He felt something lurch up his throat as horror and disgust erupted from his gut. His left hand was no longer a product of flesh, soft and warm; in lieu was a metallic claw, cold and intimidating. He struggled to retain composure by swallowing the lump that had risen from his core and squeezed his eyes shut.
Maybe it's just a dream..., he tried to reassure himself. But when he reopened his eyes and looked down at what had horrified him moments before, nothing had changed; the golden claw remained.
[Do you now understand?]
"What is it I should understand...?" Vincent meekly inquired, eyes shut yet again in an attempt to drown out the vision of his mutilated limb.
[Your 'mission'... Your purpose. The importance of your newly-discovered power.]
"...Verify my purpose. Explain to me why this has happened to me, and what I must accomplish with this-- this curse..."
[Do not consider this a curse, but more as a blessing. Use what you have been 'gifted' with to the best of your ability. That is the irony of it... To slay the man who brings you despair with what he intends to condemn you with.]
Vincent lay still, contemplating the newly acquired lore that now burdened him. The voice of his subconscious had diminished.
Is this the solution? Am I capable? Will I be successful?, he mentally queried, knowing fully that the answers were up to he himself to decide. Finally, he came to his conclusion and slowly arose from the lab table on which he lay.
"My mission is to destroy Hojo, he who as destroyed my life," he murmured, clenching and unclenching his claw experimentally, "...and I will accomplish this mission to the best of my ability..."
Author's Note: I'd never really paid attention Vincent while playing FF7, but my 'muse' just jolted my brain to write a fic about him when I was desperate for an idea. Anyway, it's an alternate universe, where Vincent DOESN'T lock himself up in a coffin and sleep for years. Nope, instead he goes after Hojo right after the mutilation, so please don't call me moronic, idiotic, stupid, dumb, etc. for not acknowledging what really happened (though you may call me any of those names for any other reason...). This was just a little something I whipped up in an hour or two for an extra credit English assignment, but reviews would still be much appreciated!