As the end of the 21 years drew nearer, Hojo had been getting angrier. His mountain domain was always thundering and lightning was cracking everywhere because of his moods. He was so annoyed with servents, the Turks, he called them. The Turks had been searching everywhere for the 'Prince' but could not find him. And Hojo was starting to get....violent. His black wings always spread out and would tremble with rage when his servents brought him bad news. Just like today when the servents said the stupidest thing ever.
"This is impossible! How could Vincent Valentine just disappear in thin air for 21 years and there is not one trace of him! Are you sure you have searched everywhere?" Hojo growled from his black chair. His first servent a red haired young man nodded as he puffed on a cigarette. Usually it annoyed Hojo when the red haired man smoked but at the moment, he didn't give a care.
"Yes, Hojo. We've searched every where. There is just not one trace of Vincent Valentine." He said. His companions, a bald black man who wore sunglasses all the time and a blonde young woman, who was sort of jittery, nodded. "He's right, Hojo. We've looked everywhere." He said. Hojo hissed with annoyance.
"Have you searched Rocket Town? Gongonga? Corel Town? The forests? How about the Mountains? Did you go across the ocean to Midgar?" he asked. The Turks nodded. Another Turk stepped closer and nodded. "Yes, Hojo. We searched the mountains, forests, and houses. We searched every single cradle." He said stupidly. The other three Turks winced as the Turk said that. They knew that Vincent Valentine was no longer a baby. But this Turk sure didn't seem to get the messege.
Hojo's eyes went wide and he stood rapidly. "Cradles?! You've been searching cradles all these years?!" He roared. Reno, the red head, Rude the bald and Elena the blonde all pointed at the Turk. "He has! He has!" They all said. Elena bounced up and down with nervousness. Hojo snorted and started to laugh. "Cradles." He shook his head still laughing. The dumb Turk laughed with him.
Hojo began to pace. "Did you hear that my pet?" He spoke to himself, to the demon that lived in his mind. "All these years, these long 21 years and they've been looking for a baby." he laughed. Reno, Rude and Elena winced knowing was going to happen. They slowly backed towards the door leaving the new Turk standing right there starting to laugh with Hojo.
That was then, Hojo turned nasty. "Fools! Imbeciles!" He roared. Lightning shot out of his hands and struck the new Turk. The Turk screamed with pain and horror. Reno, Rude and Elena squealed and ran out of the room leaving their now fallen companion dead. Hojo growled and his wings trembled again. "Well, I suppose I'm going to have to do it myself." He turned and waved his hand.
A door to the side opened and a big purple colored beast slinked in. It's fur was deep purple but it had black horns and firery red mane and yellow eyes. Hojo reached out to it and petted it. "My dear pet. You are my last hope. Travel far and wide. Search for a young man with black ebony hair and blood red eyes. Handsome and tall. Possible dark but kind hearted. Stronger than regular mortals. Find him and do not fail me like these miserable Turks have." he said. The beast snarled and ran out.
The whereabouts of the Prince was quite the mystery for everyone. Some people believed he was dead already. Some spread rumors that he become a creature and wandered the world. However, the Prince lived deep in the forest on the other side of two rivers and Cosmos Canyon in the woodcutter's cottage. The Fairy Soldiers' plan was working perfectly. They lived like mortals and did quite the job. They called the Prince Vinny or Vince once in a while. At least Cloud and Zack did. Sephiroth just kept calling him by his real name.
In the cottage, Vincent was in his room, which was the attic. He liked the attic. It had the best view of the ocean and sunsets. He was looking out his window, his right foot hanging out the window as he hummed the Fairy's song that Sephiroth usually sang or he heard in his dreams. It was his 21st birthday. Vincent had grown quite nicely.
His hair had grown a little long, but he liked it that way. He always kept it down and not up in small ponytail like Sephiroth did with his long silver hair. His features boyish yet handsome. He had grown quite tall as well. Taller than both Cloud and Zack. But still a little shorter than Sephiroth. He wore black trousers, white shirt that showed a little of his chest and always a red head band around his forehead.
The three Fairies however were planning something for Vincent's birthday. Something big. Like a surprise party. They had decided to make Vincent a cloak. They thought he deserved something nice to wear for the journey back to Nibelheim. They were looking through a book on cloaks. They had found a nice one but at the moment Zack and Cloud were arguing, like always, about the color.
"I tell you, Cloud! It's going to be blue!" Zack grumbled. Cloud growled. "It's going to be purple!" Sephiroth rolled his eyes as he swept the shop floor. "You guys at it again?" He asked. But the two didn't hear him.
"Blue!"
"Purple!"
"Blue!"
"Purple!"
Sephiroth shook his head and he swept the dust out the door. "You guys, the only thing we must worry about it getting him out of the house while we get ready." He said. Zack and Cloud looked at him. "We'll come up with something. Your the brains of this operation." Zack said wearily. Sephiroth snorted and shook his head.
Vincent was coming down the stairs and had heard them muttering something about blue and purple. He rose his eyebrow as he smirked coming off the stairs. "You guys arguing again?" He asked. The three men turned their heads and grinned at the 'Prince'. "You know they'll never change, Vincent. So why bother asking?" Sephiroth asked as he stuffed the broom into the closet. Vincent shrugged and looked at the book that they were looking at.
Zack quickly shut the book and stuffed it away while Cloud folded his arms behind his back and grinned. Vincent folded his arms and smirked even more. "Alright, what are you up to?" He asked suspiciously. The Three men looked at each other and shook their heads. "Nothing. Nothing at all." Cloud said. Vincent tilted his head and rose his eyebrow. "Oh really?" he asked. Zack sweatdropped. "Uh.....we, we, we....we want you to go cut down another tree for fire wood!" He said. Cloud and Sephiroth nodded.
Vincent laughed softly. "Firewood? But I only did that yesterday." He said. Sephiroth grabbed the axe and pushed it towards him. "Well, we need some more. Cloud burned a lot last night just because he was cold." he said giving Cloud a look. They all laughed. Vincent shrugged as Sephiroth lightly pushed him out the door. Zack nodded as he followed. Cloud hurried after.
"Now, don't too far." Zack said as Vincent started walking towards the woods. Sephiroth nodded. "And becareful when your chopping down more trees." He said. Cloud nodded. "And no talking to strangers!" He called. Vincent just waved his hand over his shoulder to let them know he knew the rules. No too going too far, no getting hurt while chopping, no hurrying back unless it was an emergency and most important, NO TALKING TO STRANGERS. He was reminded every day when he went out. Vincent was out of sight soon enough.
The three Fairy Soldiers just stood at the door still grinning and waving. Zack leaned over a little. "Is he gone?" He asked. Sephiroth nodded turning back into the house. "Yes. He's not too far but he's still walking away from the cottage. Let's hurry it up and get everything ready." He said. They all hurried back into house and started walking around the house getting things.
Cloud started to jump and down in excitement. "This is going to be so cool! A real birthday party!" he said. Zack nodded with a big grin. "And a real birthday cake!" He then frowned. "But who's gonna make the cake and who's gonna make the cloak?" He asked. Cloud waved his hand in the air and lunged for the kitchen. "I get the cake!" He said. Sephiroth quickly caught him and held him back. "Oh no you don't! Your the worst cook out of us all. Zack'll make the cake and your going to help me make the cloak." He ordered.
Zack shrugged. "Whatever." He went into the kitchen and began. Cloud grumbled and followed Sephiroth. "You know, the only problem about us doing this is, you've never sewed before, Zack's never cooked a cake before and what am I suppose to do?" He asked. Sephiroth rolled his eyes. "There's a first for everyone, Cloud. Plus your going to be the dummy." He said. Cloud growled. "Why am I the dummy?!" he exclaimed. Sephiroth shot him a look. "Because your acting like one right now! Now stop whining and get up on the stool!" He barked.
Cloud grumbled and did what he was told. He could hear Zack banging around in the kitchen. He looked over and shook his head. " You know, I think we should use magic for this." he said. Sephiroth nodded without thinking but reliezed what Cloud said. He had grabbed green fabric out of the dresser and began making measurements. "Cloud! We can't use magic! If we use magic, Hojo might sense us and come here. He'll hurt Vincent if he does." he said.
Zack walked back in stirring something that looked like someone had puked in the bowl. "Yeah, Cloud. He's right. We can't use the magic until tomorrow. When the prophecy has gone right over our heads and not even worked." He said. Cloud shrugged as Sephiroth covered him with fabric. They began to work.
In town, a beautiful young maiden was leading a chocobo out of the stables. She was Tifa Lockhart. Devid Lockhart hurried out and gave her a stern look. "Tifa, where are you going?" He asked. Tifa smiled sweetly at him. "I'm just going for a ride, Papa. Or is that a sin now?" She asked. Devid sighed. "Honey, I just worry about your well being that's all. Ever since we lost mother, I've always worried about losing you too." He said.
Tifa shook her head with a sad smile. "Don't worry. I'm not going too far." She said. Devid smiled and nodded. "Alright." He said weakly. Tifa climbed onto her chocobo and started out of town. "I'm only going to the Cosmos Forest." She said and was gone. Devid jumped and gave a yell. "Cosmos Forest! That's over the rivers! Tifa! Come back!" He yelled but it was no use. He grumbled and shook his head.
"That girl is going to give me an early grave." He muttered. He turned and saw Stefan Valentine walk up with a big smile. "Tifa being headstrong again?" He asked. Devid smiled and shook his head. "As always. I only hope that your son, when he comes back, can handle her." He said. Stefan laughed and nodded. "Yes. The Fairy Soldiers told me that they will be bringing him back later tonight or early tomorrow morning. We'll be having a grand party for his arrival. We should let Tifa and Vincent meet at the party and hopefully sparks will fly." He said. Devid nodded.
Back at the cottage the Three Fairy Soldiers were having a hectic time. Cloud was grumbling again about what the cloak looked like. It only looked like a long rag. "Sephiroth! It looks horrible!" He groaned. Sephiroth cuffed the side of Cloud's head. "That's because it's on you, dope! It'll look great on Vincent." he said. Zack poked his head into the room.
"Hey! What's a tsp?" He asked. Sephiroth shook his head with a sigh. "It's teaspoon, idiot." He said. Zack made a face at Sephiroth. "Well, aren't you just grumpy." He muttered and went back in the kitchen. Sephiroth rolled his eyes and they continued with the cloak.
Just then there was a knock on the door. All three froze with wide eyes. "Oh...Hyne....who could that be?" Cloud muttered softly with worry. Zack hurried in and stared at the door. Sephiroth just stood still. "Maybe if we just stand here, they'll go away." He whispered. They just stood frozen. There was another knock. "Guys! I know your in there!" A sweet voice called. The three breathed with relief. "Oh...it's just Aeris." Sephiroth said.
Both Cloud and Zack grinned. "Aeris! Come on in!" Cloud called as he tried to take the 'cloak' off. The door opened and the pretty Fairy Princess walked in. She turned and smiled at the three but then frowned seeing what Cloud was wearing. She frowned with disgust. "Cloud, what are you wearing?" She asked with a short laugh. Cloud had a dull look. "Oh, this. It's a 'cloak' for Vincent." he said using the hand gestures.
Aeris giggled and shook her head. "That looks more like a rag." She said. Sephiroth rolled his eyes and leaned against the wall. "Thank you very much for " He said sarcastically. Aeris smiled towards him. "Oh, sorry, Sephiroth. I think...it's rather sweet." She said with the same sarcastic tone. Zack and Cloud laughed and shook their heads.
Sephiroth grumbled with annoyance. "Cut the crap, Aeris. What are you doing out here? Shouldn't you be skipping in your flower fields singing merry little tunes just like the rest of your clan." he asked rudely. Aeris gave him a dirty look. "That's not funny, Sephiroth. I heard that it was Vincent Valentine's 21st birthday and I thought you might want help." She then pulled a face. "And what is that stench? Is that smoke?" She asked.
Everyone sniffed the air then Zack gasped. "Ahhh! The cake!" He yelled and ran into the kitchen. He gave a yell and there was banging around. Cloud looked dully at Sephiroth. "He burnt the cake. Again." He said. Sephiroth groaned and slapped his hand over his eyes. Aeris folded her arms and tilted her head. "What is going on?" She asked. Cloud wriggled out of the cloak which fell apart. Again Sephiroth groaned and slapped his face.
"We're trying to make Vincent a cloak and birthday cake. We wanted to throw a party for him since it would be his last time in the forest with us." Cloud said. Zack walked in with burns on his cloths. "The cake caught fire. Again. Now I've got to start all over." He said. Sephiroth shook his head looking devastated. "This was not a good idea." He said his shoulders slouched. Aeris smiled shaking her head. "Hey, it's okay, Sephiroth. Why don't you use your magic to do this mortal stuff?" She asked looking at all three.
Both Cloud and Zack pointed at Sephiroth who growled. Aeris nodded knowingly. "Oh. The restriction on use of magic because of Hojo, right? Well your in luck. He's not looking for your magical signatures at the moment. I think he went to sleep this morning. He sent Galian Beast out to find Vincent but at the moment the monster is near Midgar." She said. She began to roll up her sleeves. "Let me help you. Together we can get this done, using our magic of course." She said.
The three Fairy Soldiers all looked at each other then sighed. They smiled and light surrounded them. Their wings appeared on their backs. "Alright. Let's get started." Sephiroth said. Aeris smiled sweetly at him and nodded.