Got a nice amount of reviews for my previous chapter, so here's another!

This may be the last chapter (probably). Unless, of course, I get so much fan attention that I HAVE to keep going.

But I doubt that.

But you guys who are reviewing are great! Thanks a lot!

And here's the story!


Sephiroth is dead…

…so sorry…

…my punishment…

Sins…

Chaos and Omega…

Save me…

It'd been many years since that time, when the oak tree grew in Nibelheim. Lucrecia sat alone, her knees hugged close to her chest as she whimpered softly at the cruel memories flooding her mind. Many of them were not pleasant and many more were just downright boring and painful. But there seemed to be one that wouldn't leave her be for one second of each slow passing day.

It was that day when Chaos had been born. Inside of Vincent Valentine was a destructive WEAPON created by stagnant mako…tainted lifestream. And Lucrecia was partly to blame for that turn of events.

All she'd wanted was to save his life so she wouldn't be without him. She just wanted to speak to him one more time and to have just one last picnic with him, without science preoccupying her or without Hojo breathing down her neck whenever he needed her.

But now…

She'd seen him and told him to stay back, just like in those days. And now she knew that her biologically altered son was dead. The only thing she had left in the world was gone…

Except for…

It had been too painful to talk to him and too hurtful to gaze at him. Vincent had been a deathly pale now and his voice was much more gruff, his attire more gothic. And the once cute haircut was now a raven-colored waterfall, cascading down the man's shoulders much like the water outside of Lucrecia's cave.

She couldn't live with this. There was mako here, Lucrecia noted. Perhaps she could simply encase herself and freeze time, stop the world and just become blank. Nothing would affect her and nothing would hurt her. She would have no feelings, no thoughts and no emotions. Just the darkness of an empty mind and empty soul.

Lucrecia turned to gaze at her only escape…


Cloud spoke quietly with Tifa, keeping her away from the somber Vincent Valentine. The enigmatic gunman sat quietly in a chair opposite of Tifa. As usual, his face held no signs of what he was thinking. But with what had just occurred, it wasn't very hard to take a guess.

Tifa wondered if that was what Vincent always thought about…

"Still have to find that key," Cloud murmured quietly, tapping on the submarine's control panel. Tifa allowed herself another moment of gazing at Vincent before turning around and facing Cloud.

"Yeah, but we've looked everywhere down here! The ocean's too big Cloud…don't you think there's another way?" Cloud shrugged and pulled on a large lever which caused a few flashy lights to come on and beeping to ring out.

"We'll head to Costa del Sol to rest and then continue to search tomorrow."


…nothing I could do…

…hold me…

…so sorry…

…tell me…

…love?

Vincent stood outside of the sunny region of Costa del Sol. His cloak flapped in the wind along with his hair, a soft breeze quickly turning into a harsh gale. He had his arms folded across his chest and the look of indifference on his face (as always). Thoughts plagued his mind and pestered him with questions.

…could've stopped it?

…why?

…too weak?

…silence!

A small sigh escaped Vincent and his breath mingled with the air, a wisp floating away into the distance. Just like her…

"I need to see her," his gruff voice muttered as he turned on his heels, heading to the port of Costa del Sol. He wanted to go alone this time.

It wasn't long before he got to the submarine and comfortably sat himself at the helm. A few quick button presses, a lever pull, flashy lights and he was down in the depths of the ocean, hardly a shadow moving in the pitch black.

He stared down at his phone, asking himself if he should call the party and tell them of his whereabouts and that he was using the sub. In case Cloud wanted to suddenly take off without telling anyone, like that night when she had died. Vincent decided against it however; they didn't need to know what he was doing. Besides, there was probably no signal down here anyway.

What would he say when he got there? Would she still be there, just sitting alone in that cave? Was she still mad?

Tell me…

Vincent let his metallic fingers scratch against the panel as he reached over and pulled another lever. The regular beeping and flashing occurred as the submarine ascended into a lake just under a waterfall. Either side was surrounded by mountains that stood large, as if defending something. Or someone.

The hatch opened and Vincent hopped out swiftly, landing on a soft dirt trail. The gunman's eyes followed the trail as it moved upwards and curved around behind the waterfall. He allowed himself a moment to breathe and brace himself for what was to come.

Hold me...

Then he began moving up the trail, step-by-step. A dull thud against his chest reminded him just how human and weak he was. Pained by love and haunted by thoughts; a brooding man apathetic of everything and yet affected by everything. Vincent mentally kicked himself for such a thought. He deserved every bit of his punishment.

Love me…

The sound of the majestic waterfall died down as Vincent walked into the cave behind it, a wall of water guarding the treasure inside. The walls were shimmering with mako, the soil beneath his golden boots glowing. The lifestream was abundant here, showing itself on the inside of the cave.

But what Vincent was more focused on was the woman inside a crystal at the far end. The woman he'd come here to see and speak to again was now hiding, encased in a crystal.

A stone in the river of time.

"Just like me," Vincent remarked, pressing forth to see if Lucrecia was still awake. A small pool surrounded her crystallized form, bending and refracting the eerie glow cast by the mako inside the cave. Just underneath the liquid's surface were two items that immediately drew Vincent's attention.

One was a large hand-cannon with "Death Penalty" inscribed on its grip. The silver gun was shaped in a cross and permeated a sort of darkness. Where it had come from, Vincent was clueless. It seemed so out of place and yet…

Vincent shook his head and turned his gaze to the next, much smaller item. It was a simple ball of materia, glowing a faint crimson color. The gunman bent over gingerly and picked it up. It suddenly shattered and the swirling, crimson mist flew at Vincent and straight into the man's chest. Vincent's eyes went wide and he gagged at the feeling of such a strange yet familiar presence.

Inside his head, a small voice seemed to creep from the back of his mind and whispered commandingly, "Awaken." Vincent felt himself grow weak and collapse to his knees in a struggle for conscience.

Save me from this nightmare…

A new demon had entered his body, Vincent knew. The being tampered with his essence and muttered its name coldly, "Chaos." With little focus left, Vincent looked up to see the face of whom he'd come for. And as he stared at Lucrecia, he could almost make out the words that seemed to echo from within the crystal.

I'm so sorry…

…too weak to know the truth…

…I love you.


Quietly and without notice, a small leaf gently arched downwards into Nibelheim. It was given a slight push by a warm, calming breeze and landed softly in the shade.

Under a tree.