I was feeling particularly generous, and decided I'd update twice today. I updated at midnight this morning - wow that sounds weird - and I'm updating now at nine at night. This is the chapter that made my story decidedly rated M. There wasn't anything explicit in the violence, but I still didn't think it was suited for T
I have the plot planned out, and yes, I'm going somewhere with it. The sequel is probably not going to be as happy as this story. In fact, it's kind of dark, and I'm debating going that direction. It made me cry. Oh well. I think there should be at the most, three to six more chapters to this story, so anywhere between two to three weeks until the end.
Also, I hope the flashback at the beginning kind of clears things up for y'all. It's not a dream or reflection, it's more like a glimpse of what happened in the past. No one's thinking about it. It's like rewinding a movie to catch what you missed, if that makes since.
Thank you again to my reviewers, both members and anonymous! I love getting feedback from you guys!
Disclaimer: If I owned FF7, I'd take Shelke and - Censored due to violence that is highly graphic in nature and not suitable for anyone, ever.
*Flashback*
"Who are you?"
The smell of decomposing garbage weighed heavy in the alley. The acrid smell, displeasing to the senses, did nothing to hide he scent of blood. He recognized that blood. It was blood that should not have been spilt, that should not be on his prey's clothing. Blood that he had to avenge.
"Who am I? I have often wondered the same thing. I have been a murderer, a test subject, a monster, and a demon. I have the blood of countless on my hands. I am not afraid to have more."
"The hell is wrong with you!?" The man standing prostrate in the alleyway clenched his fist. He could see nothing in the dark, but he could hear the sound of his hunter stalking him, walking in a circle.
"Many things. But the question is, what is wrong with you?" The taunting tone sent shivers up the man's spine as he frantically spun around, trying in vain to find his hunter.
"What are you talking about?"
The moonlight filtering from between the narrow buildings allowed for the briefest flashes of red.
"You have hurt a comrade of mine. This is quite a misfortune for you. You see, she is my lover. You have her blood on your clothes."
"The *%$#!? Are you talking about Kisaragi, 'cause she deserved it when I laid into her-"
The predator attacked its prey, knocking him into a fire escape. The sound of ribs cracking pleased the hunter, and as he stepped into the moonlight, his piercing red eyes and dangerous smirk left his prey sniveling and begging for mercy.
Demons knew of no such thing.
"Please, I won't touch her again! I'll take off, won't come within miles of the bitch!"
"No, that isn't good enough. You brought pain and suffering, and worst of all, guilt to Yuffie. Guilt that the best she could offer her daughter was you. I'm here to fix that."
The sound that followed was sickening. Limbs were broken here and there, and numerous cuts oozed crimson life force. The alleyway echoed with mangled cries of agony and the sounds of flesh tearing. By the time the hunter had finished playing with his prey, the alleyway looked as though a massacre had occurred.
"Please, mister, I'll do anything!" the man begged, but the plea sounded pathetic due to the exponential lack of teeth and the missing piece of tongue. The sight of the limp muscle lolling around in the man's mouth, barely able to form words, filled the predator with a sense of pride.
"Is that so?" the hunter replied. "Too late."
Three shots were heard in the distance, but the gunman was gone before the sound could even be registered by the residents nearby. Only the flash of red was reported when the authorities arrived, but that was shrugged off as just a curtain blowing in the wind.
*End Flashback*
"Read 'em and weep," Yuffie screeched, jumping in the air with her fist raised. Barret and Cid groaned, pushing their money towards the ninja once again. Vincent smirked from his place at a booth, holding Valencia while her mother cheated the pilot and brute out of their money.
"Damn it, brat!" Cid hissed, scooting his chair back from the table.
"Please refrain from profaning around my daughter," Vincent said, almost an afterthought. He held a bottle to the baby's lips, watching her guzzle warm milk greedily.
Tifa laughed into her hand, trying to cover it as a cough. Placing a beer in front of the pilot, she giggled, "Cid, you better watch it. Daddy Vincent doesn't look very happy with you."
There was laughing around Seventh Heaven as Vincent lowered his head in the collar of his cloak, hiding the almost bashful look on his face.
"It is simply that I do not wish for my daughter's first words to be uneducated in kind," Vincent defended, shrugging. Yuffie skipped merrily to Vincent's side and ruffled his dark hair, earning a low growl from the gunslinger.
"Vinnie, she's not even three months old. She isn't going to say 'shit'." Vincent raised his blood red eyes to glare at the kunoichi whom returned his gaze with a dazzling smile.
"Yuffie," Vincent warned, but the ninja threw her head back and laughed, pulling on the end of one of his dark locks of hair. The Wutain girl plopped down beside Vincent and tugged her daughter out of his arms, cradling her to her chest. After a moment – most likely when Yuffie grew bored, Vincent decided – Yuffie handed Valencia back to her father and jumped up. She clambered onto the bar counter, much to Tifa's chagrin, and twirled.
"Excuse me! Hello! Sexy ninja girl on the bar counter, people!" When the loudmouthed woman had successfully managed to gain not only her friends' attention, but everyone in the bar's, she clapped.
"So, as you all know – and if you don't, keep your mouth shut and I might let you live – my birthday is in one week! Mark that on your calendar buddy-" at this, Yuffie patted the top of a particularly drunken looking man's head, "So, I expect some pretty awesome prezzies!" Yuffie giggled in delight, hoping from one foot to the next, while Vincent sat in horror as her foot neared the edge of the bar one too many times.
"And even if you aren't one of my close personal AVALANCHE buddies – it's okay to be jealous, I know you all want me – I still saved your asses more times than I've cleaned my room, so I think you can all find it in you to get me something nice-" Yuffie was yanked unceremoniously off of the counter by a very annoyed looking Barret.
Still being dragged towards Vincent's booth by the gun-armed man, Yuffie called to no one in particular, "I like shiny materia and stolen items!" before she was pushed into a seat, her arms folded and a pout on her lips.
"Yuffie," Vincent sighed, "Must you make a nuisance of yourself?"
Yuffie turned toward the gunman, her eyes shining. "Nuisance? Vince, I am the Great Ninja Yuffie and used-to-be Single White Rose of Wutai! Those old guys should be happy I'm giving them the time of day!"
Vincent shook his head, throwing an 'I'm sorry,' look toward Tifa, whom kept giving Yuffie death glares from where she scrubbed the dirt off of her bar counter.
"Well, now that the brat's gone and opened her mouth, not to mention taken the better half of my paycheck, are you two ready to go?" Cid asked, slipping a cigarette out of his pocket and fishing for a lighter, before eyeing the already angry barmaid and thinking better of it.
"Three, old man!" Yuffie declared, holding her fingers up in said amount. "Get your eyes checked. There are three of us! That's two plus one! That's Vincent times me equals a baby. That's four minus one, and one plus one plus one, and-"
Cid grumbled and smacked the ninja in the back of her head, earning a string of profanities. Vincent's eye twitched every time a vulgar word came out.
"Nevermind the head count," Vincent said brusquely. "We are ready to leave. Thank you, Highwind."
Vincent stood, but was slightly taken aback by the sudden look of hostility in Cid's eyes, not that the surprise showed on the gunman's face. The ninja skipped off, oblivious to the tension between the gunman and pilot.
Cid leaned toward the crimson eyed man, his own blue eyes fierce. He puffed out a breath of foggy cigarette smoke and sneered. "Now you listen here, Bat-boy, I don't care what kind of screwed up issues you have, but you better solve 'em fast. The next time you leave Yuffie, I will find you, and I will not hesitate to show you how much pain you put her through."
Vincent nodded, not taking offense to the straightforward comment. "Yes, I am counting on it, Highwind. If I ever prove myself to be so low again, I insist that you show me the error of my ways. That is, if Yuffie doesn't show me first."
Cid made a gruff half-laugh at that and narrowed his eyes. "Glad you see it my way."
Vincent stalked past the pilot to follow his ninja, commenting, "It is my way, too, Cid. I do not wish to bring her pain any longer."
"Hmph. That's what I like to hear," Cid replied, clapping Vincent on the back in a reassuring way. The gunman didn't acknowledge the pilot further, but said goodbye to Tifa and Cloud and made his way outside to find his ninja singing a Wutain lullaby to their daughter. He refrained from wincing at the poor tone quality.
"Well, let's go get the Highwind and fire 'er up!" Cid cried, directing his comrades to the nearby launch pad. They made their way to the large aircraft and climbed on board, Vincent assisting Yuffie with Valencia. When they had settled, Cid lumbered off to the control room and Yuffie handed her daughter to Vincent, afraid of retching on her.
"Will you be alright?" Vincent inquired, his attention torn between the cooing baby in his arms and the pale woman grasping the side rails of the Highwind like it was Doom's Day.
Yuffie rolled her eyes and waved Vincent away like a fly. "I'm a ninja, aren't I? A little motion sickness isn't going to kill me."
Vincent nodded and left, his cape flowing behind him like a wall of flames. Yuffie's stomach flipped and she fought to keep her dinner down.
"Damn it. I finally pop my baby out and wave goodbye to morning sickness, and then the airsickness returns with a vengeance."
She heard a short chuckle, barely noticeable at all. When she glanced up, Vincent stood by her side, one hand cradling their daughter and the other holding a glass of ice water and two pills meant to settle upset stomachs due to motion sickness.
"Thanks, Vince," Yuffie acknowledged, tossing the pills in her mouth and downing the water quickly. She waited for a moment, and when she decided that her stomach could handle it, she let go of the Highwind's bar.
Yuffie took hold of Valencia and settled her against her chest, watching the baby sleep soundly. She smiled up at Vincent, the gunman seemingly deep in thought.
"Whatcha thinkin' 'bout?" Yuffie asked, stroking her daughter's cheek, but keeping her eyes on the crimson eyed gunner.
"Her name," Vincent responded. When Yuffie gave him a blank look, Vincent clarified, "It is hard for a child to pronounce the 'v' sound. It might be easier for her if we refer to her by her middle name."
Yuffie stuck her lip, mulling the thought over. "I guess you're right. Besides, having a Vincent and a Valencia around might get a little annoying."
Vincent nodded, pulling the edge of the blanket back from his daughter's face. "Yes. Rimmy is a nice name, in any case."
"She looks like a Rimmy," Yuffie added. After a moment, Yuffie took Valencia-now-Rimmy aside and placed her in the baby carrier she had brought along. With her hands free, Yuffie bounded back to Vincent and threw her arms around him, their lips seeking each other's simultaneously.
"Hello, Yuffie," Vincent whispered when they broke apart. The ninja grinned at her gunslinger and kissed his nose.
"'Sup, Vinnie?" Vincent chose not to respond, releasing the disappointed ninja and picking the baby carrier up. He took it inside, careful not to wake his sleeping daughter. He located Cait Sith, whom was traversing the continents to make his way to Junon.
"Cait Sith," Vincent greeted rather dully.
"Hello, lad! It's nice to see you again!" the cat responded, a smile on his face. "Is there something you need?"
Vincent grew aware of the reddening of his cheeks, willing it away before it became noticeable. "I was wondering if you would mind watching Rimmy for Yuffie and me."
Cait Sith eyed the carrier, taking notice of the dreaming girl for the first time. "Oh, so this is the little one that Yuffie speaks so fondly of! I wouldn't mind watching her for you."
Vincent nodded and picked his daughter up, handing her to Cait Sith gently.
"Thanks."
Cait Sith nodded and bounded away, a smile on his face as he baby-talked to the dark haired little girl.
Vincent retreated from the control room, making his way back to Yuffie. When she spotted him, she grinned, hoping from one foot to the next.
"Vince, where'd ya go- Oh!" Vincent scooped the ninja into his arms and carried her away, kissing her full lips as he opened the door to his old sleeping quarters.
"Vinnie!"
The intercom clicked on in a most annoying manner. "We're in Nibleheim, so wherever you two lovebirds took off to, get your asses back and get off my airship. I ain't a taxi."
"Such eloquence," Vincent commented, making Yuffie giggle. He sat up and reached for his clothes, tossing the ninja hers. "Dress quickly. I will find Cait Sith."
Yuffie rolled over in bed, her eyes droopy. "Huh? What do you need Cait Sith for?"
Vincent shook his head, repressing a smirk. "Do you not wonder where our daughter is at?"
Yuffie's eyes opened in realization and she responded, "I couldn't really focus on anything but you! Which is like, totally your fault and not mine."
"Is that so?" Vincent replied, kissing Yuffie's forehead. He buckled his cloak around his shoulders and opened the door, going in search of the animatronic cat to retrieve the little girl and leaving Yuffie to grudgingly put her clothes back on, which she did so as slowly as possible. When she finished tying her shoelaces, the kunoichi stood and combed her fingers through her messy hair, wiping at the sweat on her brow.
She left the room and pranced off to the control room, a noticeably bright smile on her face. When she arrived, it was to find Vincent pouring over a file beside Reeve Tuesti, a pensive look on his face.
"Hiya, Reeve!" Yuffie greeted, dancing over to the dark haired man before tripping on the corner of a control board and flipping, landing gracefully on her butt. Vincent sighed, Reeve smiled.
"Hello, Yuffie. It is nice to see you again." The older man nodded at the ninja as she collected herself and straightened her blue top.
"Yeah, you too! What are you two doin' over there?" Yuffie walked – like a normal person, to Vincent's relief – over to the control board and examined the papers. She glanced up after reading it, her face scrunched up.
"What's that?"
"You understand what you must do, Vincent," Reeve stated. Vincent nodded, his black tresses swaying.
"Whadaya have to do? What are y'all talking about?" Yuffie demanded, throwing her hands down, both of them clenched.
"Yes, but there's much to be discussed first," Vincent answered, ignoring the angry ninja thief beside him.
"Discuss what? What is going on here!?"
"We will discuss those matters back at W.R.O. headquarters," Reeve stated, gathering the files together. He nodded at Vincent and Cait Sith handed the baby to him.
"I understand. Thank you for informing me, Reeve. Goodbye." Vincent placed his hand at the small of Yuffie's back and directed her toward the Highwind's exit, the little ninja simmering and complaining the entire way.
"Vince! Why does no one tell me anything?" Vincent kept his eyes foreward as they got off the Highwind and walked along the cobblestone streets of Nibelheim. The sky was a stormy grey, but gave no indications of rain. There weren't many people out, in any case.
"Yuffie, will you take Rimmy inside and unpack?" Vincent once again ignored the ninja once they reached the manor. He did not wait for her reply, but pulled his PHS out and dialed Cloud's number.
"Hello, Cloud. This is Vincent. There are some things that we need to discuss. With all of AVALANCHE, if possible."
Yuffie pouted and spun on her heel, storming into the house with her daughter and some luggage.
"Why doesn't anyone tell me anything?" Vincent glanced at the ninja and then focused on what Cloud was saying.
"We'll meet at Cosmo Canyon. I'll contact Nanaki and see when would be the earliest that we could arrive. I'll handle talking to the rest of the group. Does the Candle sound good?"
Vincent grunted in acknowledgement. "Yes. I'll see you at Cosmo Candle. Goodbye."
"Bye, Vincent," Cloud replied and ended the call. Vincent stuck his PHS in one of the many hidden pockets on his person, walking up the path to the front door of Shinra Manor. He opened the door, careful not to let it squeak on the off-chance that his daughter was sleeping.
"Vincent Valentine, if you don't explain what's going on right this minute, you're sleeping on the couch." His spunky ninja stood before him, hands on her hips and eyes slanted in an attempt to be intimidating.
Vincent found it cute.
"Hmph. I'll let you know when everyone else finds out." Vincent brushed past Yuffie with a smirk on his face, the kunoichi gasping in indignation. She spun around and clutched his cloak, drawing him to her with a fist raised.
"You'll let me know now!" Vincent raised one eyebrow, and Yuffie could barely detect the movement behind his red bandana.
"Yuffie, let it go." Vincent pulled away from the ninja and made his way to the stairs, but Yuffie huffed and followed him, her steps loud and cranky. Vincent gazed up slightly, hoping that she would not wake Rimmy with her carrying on.
"Oh, no, mister! Vinnie, you come back here!"
Vincent continued climbing the stairs, thinking, Maybe if I ignore her, she'll drop it. He knew better, but he could still dream.
"Vince!" Yuffie whined, her voice grating on every fiber of his being.
"Yuffie!" Vincent returned, his voice almost as annoyingly bitchy as hers. The ninja stopped, frozen in place with her mouth open and her eyes wide.
"Sephiroth's mother! Did you just whine at me!?" Yuffie leaned forward, inspecting Vincent like he was an infectious disease. "Did you really stoop to my level, Mr. I'm-Above-Acting-Like-A-Normal-Person?"
Vincent sighed and continued up the steps, reaching the top landing and opening the door to the room he assumed Yuffie had placed Rimmy in. Yuffie walked in behind him and hopped onto a broken dresser in the room that once might have been a guest bedroom.
"We should go furniture shopping soon," Vincent stated, examining the sleeping girl in her baby carrier. "In the meantime, we should rid the place of the monsters that have inhabited the manor."
Yuffie grinned and whipped out Conformer. "Sounds like a plan!" she cried gleefully, pumping the air with one fist and sliding off of the dresser top. She took off in a sprint to chase down said monsters. Vincent sighed and glanced down at his daughter.
"Your mother is easy to distract. Perhaps she'll forget about today's transgressions with Reeve." By estimate, Vincent chanced that he had a good two hours before Yuffie brought the topic back again.
It was only forty-five minutes.
"Vince, what were you talking to Reeve about?" Yuffie flipped backwards, catching Conformer as it boomeranged around the room. She took a heaving breath and wiped at the sweat collecting at her hairline.
Vincent grunted, aiming Cerberus at a monster and firing rapidly. The monster wailed, but was otherwise not deterred. It reared back and stomped the ground, shaking the manor and resulting in the ceiling crumbling slightly. Vincent sighed as he added ceiling repairs to his mental checklist of things he had to do to return the manor to its original state.
"Yuffie Kisaragi, now is not the time," Vincent warned. He heard Yuffie let out a puff of air.
"It's never the time, Vincent! Tell me now!"
Vincent glanced at Yuffie, meeting her eyes before returning to fight the monster. He warred with himself, wondering if he should tell her or not. In the end, he knew she would find out anyway, and it was better to hear it now than later.
"Rosso the Crimson is back. And she wants revenge."
Okay! There was your extra chappie! I have officially published all of the story that I had prewritten, which means I have to go an write the chapter that will be published next. I hope you all enjoyed it, and as always, I appreciate reviews!
