Chapter Three: Progression

The next morning, Vincent found himself walking along Main Street in Junon Harbor, squinting against the sun and already feeling overheated. Normally he would not have ventured outside at such an hour, either asleep or simply hiding out indoors. Today, however, he had a task to perform as head of base security that required him to work during the day despite his preferences.

Recently, a roaming band of monsters had been harassing the residents of the small town below the base. Since Avalanche was now protecting them and had promised to help them rebuild their lives, it had fallen to Vincent to deal with the situation. The monsters had been most active during the afternoon, the time of day they seemed to be hunting for food. Several pets had already gone missing and people were beginning to fear for their children. He supposed he could have assigned the duty to someone else, but he had few experienced fighters on his security team and wanted to be sure the task was thoroughly completed without anyone getting hurt. So there he was, braving the light of day, his eyes on the ground to avoid the piercing rays.

He felt a bit better that morning, having held Lucrecia through the night and been there for her when she awakened. They'd made love again, something that still surprised him. After emerging from his coffin in Nibelheim, Vincent had thought that part of himself was as dead as his heart and soul. But it seemed to have only been hibernating, along with most of his ability to express himself and feel for others. Lucrecia made him feel like a man instead of a monster… Perhaps that was why he so often needed to be in her arms. In those intimate moments he could almost forget what he had become.

He was relieved that Lucrecia was back in good spirits that day, making plans to visit several shops on the base to look for items for their home and other things she needed. She had arrived with nothing, after all, and was still settling in. She also needed to visit the library in search of more reading material, since it was what she did most of the time while he was at work. Lucrecia read incredibly fast, and her intelligence continued to amaze him. A lesser man might have found such a brilliant woman intimidating, but Vincent was simply impressed and in awe of her. Everything about her amazed him.

Chaos had largely remained silent inside his mind, for which Vincent was grateful. Perhaps his recent transformation had been a fluke, a result of all the recent events coming back to haunt him. The demon clearly did not like warm feelings and intimacy, and it was during those times that he felt most free from its influence. It was yet another reason he so often sought the comfort of his lover's embrace… as if he needed any excuse at all when he loved her so deeply. The thirty years apart had something to do with it as well.

Vincent briefly lifted his gaze as he walked along the base's main strip. Many of the shops and establishments were already open for business, and everything seemed peaceful. Almost all of the civilians who resided on the base had remained once Avalanche made it their own, and most of the businesses that had been abandoned were quickly taken over by the flock of new residents who'd arrived in the following months. Most were fugitives running from Shin-ra or victims of their greed who had become displaced and desperate. It was people like them that Avalanche was fighting for, and they'd been welcomed with open arms. The rapid rise in population had unfortunately lent itself to an increase in crime and conflict, however, which was part of what had been keeping Vincent in a near-constant state of vigilance.

His eyes fell upon one of the busiest locations on the base, a large pub called The Bulldog Tavern. He'd always wondered who had named the business, as the two bat-eared creatures with big brown eyes and giant heads adorning the sign above the doorway didn't look like any bulldogs he'd ever seen. At first, he'd been called there to break up fights and evict drunken imbeciles more often than he cared to remember. But the original owner, the wife of a SOLDIER who'd been sent on to Midgar while it was under siege from Diamond WEAPON, soon left to join him there. Having previous experience in the business and wanting something constructive to do when not actively battling Shin-ra, Tifa had quickly stepped in and taken over. She'd said something about people needing an outlet and a place to let loose, things which Vincent had never really understood. But he did agree that many normal people seemed to gravitate toward such locations, and the fact that Tifa was now running the business had instant benefits for him.

Suddenly there were almost no further incidents, and when there were, the martial arts expert handled them herself with a dark look and sharp word, or with her fists and feet if need be. The fact that she and Cloud lived directly above the establishment, her husband widely respected as the base's leader and almost always seen carrying a large sword, didn't hurt either. The Bulldog Tavern remained loud and boisterous, but it was no longer a constant security issue. Vincent was relieved beyond words, the noise and smoke inside the crowded bar extremely difficult for him to tolerate. He could now happily avoid it and pretend it didn't exist.

Tifa was also contributing to life on the base by forming a martial arts class to help train their small military, security staff, and anyone else interested in learning self defense or simply in a good workout. Yuffie had been assisting her in the endeavor, which helped keep the young ninja out of trouble when she was not working for Vincent. Along with Red, Tifa served as one of Cloud's chief advisors in running the base and planning strategies to combat Shin-ra across the Planet. The base had been running smoothly thus far, and the large corporation they had so often battled remained uncharacteristically silent as they undoubtedly struggled to handle the loss of five of their top employees, two of whom had been heads of their departments.

A bit farther down the road, Vincent saw something that almost made him smirk with amusement. There were a number of decorative planters and statues scattered along the streets, most especially around the many businesses and apartment buildings. The majority had been empty or full of weeds upon their arrival. Aeris, who was in charge of City Beautification and Renewal, had been working diligently to change that. Any time she and the others needed a break from trying to clean up the pollution surrounding the harbor, she could be found trying to add color and cheer to the utilitarian base. Just outside a garment shop, Vincent spotted Aeris kneeling down and busily planting flowers along the walkway. What made the sight so unusual was the large bald man sitting in the dirt beside her, just as focused as he gently patted the soil around the yellow pansies he was installing. Elena stood nearby at a cart full of many different types and colors of flowers, handing them down to her companions as needed. Both former Turks looked as if they were actually enjoying the activity, especially Rude. Vincent shook his head, reminded that one should never judge someone based on appearance alone. If only more people subscribed to that, he thought. It would make his life a hell of a lot easier.

Before leaving the base to go on his monster hunt, Vincent had one stop to make. He sighed quietly to himself as the building he was headed for came into sight, wondering yet again if this was such a good idea after all. But he had no idea how many of the hostile creatures there really were in the area, and as tempting as it was to go alone he knew it was not wise. Besides, his need for a partner was as good an excuse as any to make an attempt at something he was ashamed to admit he avoided most of the time… Trying to bond with his son.

Vincent knew from what Aeris told him that Sephiroth was quite frustrated with his limited role within the base. While he held the title of head of the military, it was in name only. Cloud allowed him to train new recruits and run practice drills, as well as handle most of the related paperwork, but that was nearly all. When it came to planning and discussing strategies for combating Shin-ra and defending the base, or anything else of importance, the former elite general was left out in the cold. Cloud may have no longer been openly hostile toward Sephiroth, but he remained cold and untrusting, dismissive to the point where it was obvious to all he would have preferred not to have him among them. Even the young men in the newly formed army could see it, and at times it caused Sephiroth problems earning their respect. He quickly brought them back into line, but it was an issue that should not have existed.

Another problem aside from Sephiroth's hurt and anger over the situation was that quite simply, he was bored. And when he was bored, he thought too much… which for a man with his past and continuing emotional struggles was a very dangerous thing. Aeris had told him how Sephiroth would often pace and mutter to himself inside their apartment, his mood darkening and sometimes remaining so for days. When he had something to do on the base, she said, he was much more relaxed and had fewer flashbacks and nightmares. She'd tried to engage him in activities and did her best to keep his mind off his troubles, but her efforts could only go so far. Vincent hoped spending a day doing what he did best might help to ease some of his son's building tension.

The other reason for deciding to bring Sephiroth along was a bit less selfless. Lucrecia had been asking him to make more of an attempt to get to know their son since she'd arrived, wishing that he was more comfortable around him and with their relationship. Vincent had been stalling and mostly avoiding it, but he wanted nothing more than to make her happy. After what he'd just put her through, he felt he more than owed it to her to finally do as she'd been asking. He knew she'd be pleasantly surprised when he returned home that evening and told her what he'd done, and it would also give them something to talk about. He needed all the help he could get when it came to making conversation.

Upon reaching the apartment building where Sephiroth and Aeris lived, Vincent paused for a moment to gather his resolve. As awkward as it was likely to be, he needed to do this… both for Sephiroth, and his beloved. He briefly closed his eyes as he stepped up to the door and opened it, hoping he would find the other man in a decent mood. There was no guarantee he would even want to come along, Vincent knew, but he owed it to Sephiroth to at least ask. And besides, the quicker they took care of the monsters, the sooner he could get out of the blistering sunlight and back to Lucrecia. Sephiroth was definitely the most qualified person he could think of to assist him. Regardless of what most others thought of him, Vincent trusted him to watch his back.

Vincent stepped through the open door and felt instant relief once inside the dimly lit, cool lower level of the building. He climbed the flight of stairs to the second floor and walked down a short hallway until he stood before the door to the apartment the swordsman shared with Aeris. He paused again, hating how awkward and unsure of himself he felt. He suspected he made Sephiroth feel much the same way and wondered if that would ever change. Hoping he was not making a mistake, he lifted his normal hand and knocked.

Instantly, a deafening sound exploded through Vincent's head, causing him to cringe and reflexively raise his hands to cover his ears. It was coming from the other side of the door, but was so loud to his sensitive hearing that it felt as if it was inside his skull. It took him a moment to recover his senses enough to realize that what he heard was a canine barking. Very loudly.

Vincent had forgotten all about the dog. Apparently, a stray had followed Sephiroth home recently and managed to convince the often cold-hearted soldier to give him a new home. He never would have expected such a thing of Sephiroth, but then, it did make sense. If he was bored and lonely when left home by himself, getting a pet was a reasonable decision… even if Vincent himself didn't quite understand how an animal could ease the pain of missing another person. Lucrecia had been asking if they could get a cat for much the same reason and he frowned, again feeling guilty. He never denied her anything that would make her happy, but in this case he'd so far had to say no. He was concerned that a small, quick-moving animal would only excite Chaos' prey drive that so often rose to the forefront of his thoughts. That was the last thing he needed. She'd looked a bit concerned when he attempted to explain his reasons but said she understood. Her disappointment had been plain to see, however, and it cut him like a knife.

He was relieved to hear Sephiroth's deep voice interrupt the barking, firmly commanding the dog to be quiet and to back away from the door. Vincent dropped his hands from his ears, feeling as if his brain had been assaulted. His ears continued to ring and he rapidly shook his head in an attempt to make it stop.

A moment later the door opened, and a very surprised Sephiroth stood staring at him as if he'd just discovered a pack of aliens instead of his father. Vincent was about to say something to that effect when a very large creature squeezed past his owner and began to enthusiastically sniff him from his boots upward.

Vincent had been expecting a dog… Something knee-high or so, maybe fifty pounds. Perhaps cute and fuzzy. But suddenly the volume of its bark made far more sense. This dog was just over four feet tall at the top of its head, and though it was still underweight from its time on the streets, the canine had to weigh close to two hundred pounds.

"I thought you said you got a dog, not a farm animal," Vincent said dryly, remaining completely still as the creature began to slowly run its black nose up his leg. Animals sometimes reacted unpredictably to him these day, and he didn't want to make any sudden movements. He supposed he must have smelled strange to them… unnatural, somewhere between a living being and an animated corpse. Or a mixture of man and demon. He hoped the dog would not decide he was a threat, because at its size it would have been quite dangerous when angry. He assumed having to shoot the creature in self defense would not improve his son's feelings toward him.

A brief smirk graced Sephiroth's face. He did not seem concerned about his dog's actions, allowing him to thoroughly sniff his way up to Vincent's hand. After rubbing its wet nose against his fingers and switching sides to study his metal claw, the dog gave a quiet snort and tilted his head thoughtfully, curiously looking up at Vincent's face. He forced a smile, worried that the dog had finally realized he was not a normal man. To his surprise and great relief, the creature's massive tail began to wag frantically once their eyes met, and it forcefully pushed its head up against Vincent's claw as if it was nothing at all to be concerned about.

"He is asking you to pet him," Sephiroth said when Vincent did not react, still a bit cautious. Most of his experiences with canines had involved Guard Hounds, the majority of whom were quite aggressive.

"Of course," he said, trying to hide how uneasy the enormous dog made him. Cautiously, he lifted his normal hand and began to lightly pat the creature on the top of its thick skull. The wagging of its tail only grew faster, and Sephiroth was unable to keep a fond expression from his crossing his face.

"It seems he likes you."

"I am relieved…"

Sephiroth snorted with amusement. "He does not always like men, I have noticed… Every time he sees Cloud, for instance, he barks and growls and I have to restrain him."

Vincent raised an eyebrow, still awkwardly patting the dog. "There may be a good reason for that…" Since animals could sense fear and other strong emotions, certainly Sephiroth's pet could tell that nothing but negativity existed between the two men. The canine already knew who the primary aggressor was as well. Amazing.

Sephiroth finally waved him into the apartment, and Vincent managed to squeeze past the excited canine and close the door behind him. He remained standing stiffly in the foyer, the dog demanding that he continue to pet it while making happy sounds under its breath. Despite its massive size, the creature was behaving like a gleeful puppy. Its warm brown eyes were nearly shining with happiness and a silly grin had spread across its face.

"What is its name?" Vincent asked, finally convinced that the creature wasn't going to maul him and scratching it behind the ears with a bit more enthusiasm. The dog suddenly leaned its entire body against him, nearly knocking him back into the wall before he was able to brace himself against its weight.

"His name is Blade," Sephiroth said, a bit offended on his dog's behalf. "I assume you have not come by just to meet him?"

Vincent sighed quietly at the other man's cold, suspicious tone. He knew it was largely his own fault, as he rarely spent time with his son unless it was absolutely required. That was exactly why he'd forced himself to come…

"I actually wished to ask you a favor of sorts," he replied after a moment of uncomfortable silence, glancing up and doing his best to make eye contact. "Are you busy today?"

Sephiroth snorted and shook his head bitterly. "What do you think?"

"Good. Then I am going to borrow you for my security team."

"…What?"

Vincent almost laughed at the worried expression that crossed his face. But in another way, it saddened him. "I need someone with actual fighting ability to assist me with something outside of town."

"So take Yuffie with you."

"Someone who does not annoy me and make me wish to deafen myself."

Sephiroth blinked, then actually snickered despite himself. "What do you need me to do?" he asked, looking more curious now than suspicious.

"The townspeople are having an issue with a roaming band of monsters. They seem to hunt for food during the day and have been attacking pets and livestock. I am going to look for them and attempt to wipe them out… and while I was tempted to do so myself, I realized that would not be the wisest course of action. If I got myself killed doing something so foolish, your mother would be less than pleased."

Sephiroth nodded after a moment's hesitation, a thoughtful frown on his face as he considered the task. "Hmm…" He appeared reluctant, studying Vincent as if trying to decide whether or not he really wanted to have to spend the day in his company. But finally, the idea of having something to do and the possibility of battle was simply too tempting an offer for him to refuse. He turned toward the wall where his trench coat and weapon hung, beginning to prepare himself without another word.

Blade left Vincent's side and instantly ran to Sephiroth in a panic, whining and laying his ears back against his skull, his eyes suddenly filled with sadness. Sephiroth sighed after shrugging into his coat and sheathing the Masamune across his back, shaking his head in mild annoyance.

"He does this any time I must leave the house without him," he informed Vincent, patting the dog on the head in an attempt to comfort him. "Aeris says that he cries and paces the entire time I am gone, as if he cannot stand to be away from me. I read in a book about dogs that it is called 'separation anxiety.'" A crooked grin spread across Sephiroth's face, and for a moment he seemed to be trying not to laugh.

"What is funny?" Vincent couldn't help but ask. He was supposed to be trying to improve his conversation skills, after all. And Sephiroth so rarely laughed that he assumed it must be something worth knowing.

Sephiroth paused as if unsure whether or not he wished to share his thoughts, finally facing Vincent and looking a little embarrassed. "It is just that… he reminds me of myself when I am apart from Aeris. And when I told her so, she agreed with me." His cheeks colored a bit pink, and he reached up onto a shelf by the door to retrieve a large leg bone, tossing it to the dog as he prepared to exit.

This time when the corners of Vincent's mouth turned upward into an attempted smile, it was a rare genuine one that actually reached his eyes. "I know exactly how that feels," he admitted, pleased to find they had at least one rather personal thing in common. Sephiroth briefly tilted his head as if considering his words, then hastily turned back to the door.

"Let's go and find these monsters of yours, so we can teach them that our town is not a lunch buffet," he said, his eyes alive with the anticipation of battle. Vincent nodded and followed him out of the apartment, leaving the dog to take out his frustrations upon his treat.

((Author's Notes: This chapter was intended to do a few things… Give a bit more insight into what's going on in Vincent's head, fill in some information as to what's been going on in Junon Harbor with some of the others, and set up the next part of the plot with Vincent and Sephiroth doing a bit of male bonding. Also, it's the official debut of Blade the dog, a tribute to my Great Dane who passed away in 2009 (his birthday just passed on April 19th). He's been in a few short stories before now, but this appearance makes him an official part of my AU! Anyway, hope you all enjoyed this one and plan to stick around for more. Please, as always, take a moment to share your thoughts by posting a review! I am so glad to hear from my readers, and thrilled to see a record number of people adding one of my stories to their favorites and alerts. So thank you all again! ~ JenesisX ))