Avalanche Hits Las Vegas
Author's Notes: When I first came up with this idea, it felt like an awesome, a totally epic fic that no one had thought of, or so I think. Endless possibilities, right? Endless randomness and stupidity too. Now, it doesn't seem so. Oh well. Erm...don't expect too much. :D
Disclaimer: This is so obvious that it doesn't need mention. Seriously.
Chapter 1: The Game Plan
Brrrt. Brrrt.
Vincent's eyes shot open.
Brrrt. Brrrt.
Lethargic, he sat upright and searched for the cause of his awakening. He was in a perfectly peaceful trance before a disturbance cut him off from his secluded world of solitude. He found his PHS ringing on the bedside table. He shot it a glare.
Brrrt. Brrrt.
He took it and stared hard at the flashing screen.
7:04 AM
Yuffie Kisaragi calling
Vincent tossed the PHS away. His lazy eyes drifted to the digital clock on his side. Where did that come from? He crossed his feet on the bed, which was awfully comfortable. Wait. A bed? He was supposed to be in a coffin. He looked down at himself and found his crimson attire missing. Then, he came to a realization after seeing so many foreign objects so early in the morning.
This wasn't his manor. He was in a lavish hotel room.
A sudden, sharp headache pierced his head. He winced and rubbed his temples in an attempt to cure it. To no avail, he failed and ended up only making it worse. He laid his hand to his side as his vision turned blurry from an influx of alcohol, coffee and cigarette overdose slash withdrawal. His hand touched something. Something soft. He threw the covers off the bed.
Vincent Valentine almost screamed.
A woman was sleeping on the other side of the bed.
XXX
/Exactly one week ago/
"But Vince, it's gonna be fun!"
"No."
"Tifa and I have been planning this since...since..."
Vincent looked at the young ninja with a raised eyebrow. "Since?"
"Since Sephiroth had his butt kicked."
Vincent smirked. "Sure." The gunman continued walking down Seventh Heaven as Yuffie followed him from behind. She repeatedly tugged on his sleeve to persuade him. He practically dragged her all the way to the exit with his unbreakable self-control and stature.
"Vinnie! Come on, it's a once-in-a-lifetime chance!" She was already whining. She just couldn't understand what it took to make a certain Vincent Valentine to say yes to such an easy question.
"No, thank you."
He reached for the knob and opened the door.
"Wait! Wait!" Yuffie clung to him like a clerk would do to bargain with his customer. "Why won't you come?"
He narrowed his eyes at her. "I do not favor places like such."
"English please?"
"I do not want to go to Las Vegas."
"Eh," Yuffie breathed out. "Just come along, okay? Think of it as a reunion of our group."
"I will think about it."
With that, Vincent left the bar. Yuffie withdrew from the door and sat lazily on a barstool. Tifa entered the scene from the kitchen. She expected bad news from the defeated look on Yuffie's face. Nevertheless, she had to ask to make sure. "So, what did he say?"
"He'll think about it."
"Which means?"
"He's not coming. Duh." Yuffie scratched her forehead in irritation. Tifa chuckled and joined her by the counter.
"How about the others?" Yuffie asked as she played with her thumbs.
"Barrett and Cid have both said yes. Of course, Marlene won't come along. Shera might."
"Red?"
"Yeah." Tifa walked past Yuffie and took a rag from the cabinet.
"Good. Chocobo-butt?"
"That's obvious.
"Are you sure you'll let him come?" Yuffie scratched the back of her head. "There are a lot of women in Vegas."
"I'm sure Cloud wouldn't dare do that. He'd be desperate to die if he would," Tifa replied in full confidence as she cracked her knuckles subconsciously. Yuffie slumped further on her seat. She sighed and rested her chin on the countertop. "Damn it."
"What's wrong?" Tifa started cleaning shot glasses with a cloth.
"Damn it."
"Damn what?"
"Damn Vincent and his damn Vincent-ness."
Tifa filled a glass with water and slid it across the countertop to Yuffie. The ninja caught it effortlessly with one hand. "I'm going to make him go with us," Yuffie finally declared through serious eyes. She emptied the glass and slammed it on the counter.
Tifa felt uneasy, a mix of fear and excitement. "And how are you going to perform that miracle?"
"Just watch me."