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Hey, Kuro is back.
ACTs and SATs are done, my UW application and transcripts have been sent, and I'm sending in my PSU application in as well. If I'm lucky, I'll get into either and Reiko too, and we'll be able to go to college together (we're just friends, remember).
Also, some info on Vivi.
For those who do not know, Vivi is a black mage, a character that is actually well known in the earlier installments of Final Fantasy. You could perhaps picture him as an innocent Heartless in clothing (for those with the knowledge of Kingdom Hearts I and II).
I know, sort of creepy, and yet, irresistibly adorable.
I am quoting from Reiko, who even made a Vivi plushie all for herself with a bunch of fluff, black cloth, and other things here and there.
And the scary part.
It looks like Vivi.
Damn.
But anyways, sorry about the long wait guys, seriously, I've been busy, Reiko's been busy, just took my SATs, and I'm planning to take ACTs, well, this week.
Gulp.
But I scored in the 600s last time for SATs, I'm aiming for 700s. That way, I'll get to UW no problem.
But anyways, here's Reiko's Section:
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Yo pplz! Reiko here! Anyways, I wish to encourage this, Kuro has recently made a profile for himself, or rather, an account! It's under the name
Kuro V. Higarashi
However, he's not posting his "Vincent Valentine going into FF9 story" there! He'd rather keep it here rather than go through all the trouble of posting it there. But if any of you are interested in Danny Phantom, please go to his profile! He's got an awesome Danny Phantom/Teen Titans Crossover there!
X3 thank you!
And I'll give the keyboard back to Kuro now! Bye!
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Wow, that was a lot Reiko.
Well, anyways, I made this chapter X-tra long, so enjoy!!
Anyways, I hope you enjoy this next chapter.
And I wish to thank my fellow reviewers.
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And also I give a warning. This chapter may hold some content that may cause some unease. Also, it goes into some more of that introspective and darkness that Vincent always seems to fall into. It's not a depressing thing for him, rather, it just happens and he comes across it. But this is a warning of this for the future parts of this chapter. Character interaction is here as well.
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Thank you.
And enjoy the chapter.
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Disclaimer: FF7 nor FF9 are mine.
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Previously Read From the Last Chapter . . .
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Within the ring of burned grass, laid two orbs of yellow, no . . . sapphire . . . no . . . crimson. No one could tell as the colors constantly shifted from one color to the other, as if it could not decide which color it wished to remain as.
No one wanted to know.
But a single figure began to slowly approach those orbs. A small child, whose eyes widened to the size of those orbs. Each step the mage took was haunted, heavy, and unnatural. It was as if the boy was being drawn to the orbs, by some alien force.
Vincent however, felt something . . . malevolent from them. The color, the shine, the very swirls of colors.
It felt wrong.
But before he could even say a single word, or even make a warning to the spectators, Vivi took hold of one of the orbs.
And gasped.
The boy's body was suddenly strung up by some abnormal force, his back stiff, as stiff as a board. His hand clenched a single orb, the other still lying on the ground. His body looked to be in the middle of being electrocuted, and suffering an extremely fakish stroke.
Suddenly, Vivi collapsed, the orb within his clenched hand released. It rolled away from the boy's body.
"Vivi!"
"Viv'!"
"Master Vivi!!!"
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Vincent did not voice worry. The others ran towards the boy, who was only knocked unconscious.
Slowly, he walked towards the orb that had escaped Vivi's gloved hand, his pointed boots crunching the dry grassy surface. Crunch and crunch, step after step, Vincent came closer to the orb.
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He stopped.
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He bent down slowly, his crimson cape billowing around him, folding itself as it laid upon the ground as well.
A human hand took the orb,
And darkness fell.
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Chapter IV.
Part II.
Going beyond the surface.
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Vincent felt the darkness. It was inviting, warming, and enveloping the whole of his body, as if his cape had molded into one with the entity-like mass. He felt comforted within its embrace. His body was suspended in the space of darkness, not moving. But he could feel his cloak licking against his body, his hair flowing in the currents around him.
And then, the air sharpened, and he felt his breath escape. The calm flow of wind around his body escalated, and he felt his cape and hair whip against his body.
And before long, he felt the heavy impact of the ground, and knew no more.
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Vincent felt groggy, and opened his eyes. Slowly, ever so slowly, he opened them. And when he did, he found himself in a dark setting, the place unknown. Surprisingly, he was on his two feet, and yet, his body felt so light despite the heaviness of his layers of clothing. His very cloak was weighed to prevent it from flaring so uselessly at unnecessary times. However, before he could even take in his strange surroundings, he heard a whimper. He looked towards the direction of the sound . . .
And found a child.
A child whose body was thin and small due to malnutrition. A human boy with the physique of the child. But then again, anyone would have taken the boy for a girl.
Short spiky blonde locks, large blue eyes, his thin frame. If not for the hair, as well as a closer examination of the boy's physique, he'd mistaken him for a girl.
But that was veering from the subject.
The boy was strapped down on a strange dark metallic slab, leather straps were keeping him down from the waist to the chest. The arms and legs were bounded down as well, all in places to prevent any sort of escape or struggle. Tubing was implanted within the wrists of the child; a strange grey substance was being injected within his bloodstream, most likely a sedative.
Vincent felt rage, rage he hadn't felt for a very long time. This very moment reminded him of something very, very wrong. The laughter of Hojo rang within his mind, and the thoughts of his long lost love, and the twisted manifestation of her sacrifice.
This child, was yet another experiment.
Vincent stepped closer, not even noticing that his metal-covered boots were making no sounds against the stone cold floor, his claw about to grasp the central metal ring, but something happened. Something he had not intended.
The claw passed through the ring. Through the boy. And through the metal slab. Vincent drew the hand back, eyes opened only a barely bit more in surprise. His eyes stared at the spot where his hand had momentarily disappeared It was hard to believe. So this time, he let his human hand pass through it all.
'How . . . strange . . .'
A rush within his mind made him cringe, and a sharp pain ruptured his mind. Chaos was now present once more.
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'Vincent . . . it seems that you've stepped into the darkness once more . . .' Vincent nodded.
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'It seems that I am in a laboratory. But why am I unable to touch the child?' Vincent's eyes went to the child's, whose eyes were merely stared forward, eyes that showed he was obviously drugged.
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'I, don't know Vincent. But that orb . . . that was materia . . .'
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'What?'
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'The orbs, they seem to serve as . . . eyes . . . and also conductors of the magical abilities that the strange Waltz creature possessed.'
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'Interesting . . . So it seems the power is within the eyes. But the question . . . how did they receive those eyes?' But Vincent caught his breath.
Another set of sounds, steps. Soft, yet strong steps were coming closer. Alien steps. Vincent's head snapped, hair whipping behind him. His cloak flowed away as he began to walk towards the unknown figure.
Shadows disappeared as he finally reached the person. And he certainly felt a giant twitch, and yet, a drop within his gut as he saw him.
A man whose straight long white hair flowed behind him, groomed and certainly well kept. There were a few feathers that were fixated like hairpins behind his ear. His face was certainly feminine, and the clothes were more then provocative. They were certainly white, and many silver pieces of metal and jewelry adorned the top and long flowing sleeves hid the man's arms. The top itself was cut off right below the upper chest, showing a very slim waist. The garments around his hips looked too loose, and made him wonder if it would fall at any moment. A white tailcoat was on the garment, flowing behind him, barely touching the floor. Steel-like boots were around his feet.
Yes. Vincent came to a conclusion.
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He hated him.
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The man walking towards him was the physical form of everything that Vincent distasted. The anti of his existence . . . well . . . physical existence. The pure clothes was one, the way he held himself was another, and the attitude he could feel as it ebbed off him.
Wait. Scratch that. He loathed the man already.
He stayed still as the man was a mere foot in front of him. And soon enough, he passed through him, making Vincent remember a time. When memories were in fact, able to project, and speak to him, a message from long ago. So perhaps . . .
'It seems, that we, are in a memory.' Vincent nodded his head, his answer now solidified by Chaos' response. If he was not, the person would have certainly seen him, nonetheless made a sign of seeing him. But he did nothing of the sort, gliding towards the room. Vincent followed, still as silent as a ghost with each step.
"Hello again . . . my my, so the dosage has been sufficient, as I can see . . ." Vincent saw the man smile coldly. A single manicured finger brought up the child's chin. It seemed the child was conscious, and knew of the touch, for he whimpered as the finger began to press into his chin. "Less resistance, a whole lot less. Good . . ." The white-clad man released his "hold" on the child. The child began to breathe half-haggardly.
Vincent could only watch with pitied eyes, unable to even help the child.
The white clad man went to an ancient-like machine, and two tube-like attachments were extended from its core. He walked towards the boy. "Let us begin." He said, and revealed hole-like places on the wrists. Vincent's eyes widened as the tubes were attached. He saw the boy cringe and whimper, but no screams came out.
The man stepped away, and went to the machine. A single button was pushed, and a keyboard was released. Vincent came closer, and recognized the letter and symbols. They were of the old-tongue, in other words, his own language.
In fact . . . the technology he was using . . . it looked very familiar . . .
"Begin the D.M.I. procedure." This pricked Vincent's ears.
'D.M. . . . . I.?' He could do nothing, so he watched.
It was voice activated, that was the first thing he noticed. Then lights, bright lights, were turned on. That meant that there was electricity, and that meant that the area had a river, as the electricity must be activated by the water source, or some other mysterious power. The boy suddenly yelped as the blinding light pierced the dimmed darkness.
Vincent next heard the humming of the machine, sparks and lights were being emitted from it. A screen showed, but it was cracked, and the diagram upon it was too frizzed by black and white snow to possibly read. But suddenly, the screen solidified, and remained frozen.
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D.M.I.
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Darkened
Mist
Injection
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Suddenly, a billowing mass of black filtered into the tubing, and immediately went into the ends, where the boy's wrists were. The boy's body jolted, and was frozen. The eyes were wide, fear within them. Vincent heard gurgling, as if he was trying not to swallow the saliva that was gathering within his mouth. And suddenly, very suddenly,
"AHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
The boy screamed.
Vincent almost gasped but stopped it just in time, but his eyes showed realization. Pupils shrunk instinctively.
That voice . . . it belonged to the small black mage, Vivi.
He remained, his eyes fixated on the now revealed Vivi. The . . . human Vivi.
And suddenly, the black mist that was flowing within the tubing was released into the boy's body. The screams began to heighten, and continued to increase in both volume and wildness as he tried to lash at the man, or tried to break free from the binds, but his tries were futile as the black mist began to wisp around his body.
"Subject is being introduced to mist. Mist has no effect. Not yet." Vincent heard the man take note, both aloud and in the computer memory as he continued to type into the keyboard.
The black mist solidified, and Vincent saw it molding onto the boy's body. Each crick and cranny on Vivi's body began to be filled by the substance. It was like it was becoming a second skin for him. But the second skin began to cause pain, as it almost stabbed into the body to install itself upon the host. Vivi screamed with each stab of pain. Blood flew, but was stopped as the black substance flowed over the bleeding. Black mist flowed from the tips of his eyes, and from the boy's mouth, flowing outward, coating itself on his face.
Soon, Vivi was crying, tears flowing down the now dark night-like skin. No longer could you see the complexion of a boy. No more of that precious human skin. The only thing human about the boy were his eyes. His bright, blue, crystal clear eyes, eyes that bled clear salty tears.
The man pulled Vivi's now dark head forward by the top. The blonde tuff of his hair was still there, but there was a single spot within the bundle that showed bareness. There was a black spot, where a single strand of pure black substance connected to the rest of the mass around Vivi's body. This made the man nod, before going back to the computer. Vivi continued to cry
"Mist has connected with subject. Most likely, it is symbiotic. Perhaps the body itself has accepted the substance. It is still unknown. No show of increase in body mass, more then likely, no increase in strength. Maybe speed. Perhaps intelligence, as it shows a connection within the skull."
The observations stopped there. The white-cladded man saved and exited out of the program. But then, he began typing commands, many of them familiar to Vincent. But there was one that was most familiar to him. One he dreaded.
Two rusted mechanical arms jolted to a stop above Vivi. Both eyes, now aware of the machines, trying to inch away from the mechanical monsters. It was something unknown to the boy, something alien, almost, too bizarre to possibly exist.
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But to Vincent, he knew what it was.
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They were mechanical tools, used for surgery, and were specifically used for enhancements. Human enhancement. Their metallic fingers clicked, and suddenly straightened, turning into bold and large needles.
The arms recoiled backward, and Vivi's eyes widened, seeing the arms. The man's cold gaze continued to watch the scene with little, to no interest at all.
The arms lunged forward, and they were only centimeters from the boy's face.
And suddenly, Vincent was ripped away from the scene, the sound of feral-like screams ruptured his mind. The scene disappeared into darkness.
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And darkness turned into light.
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He squinted his eyes at the light, and found himself back on the plains. He looked around. The party he accompanied were still there, and Vivi was still on the ground.
Had he not been in that? No, it wasn't real, only a memory. A simple memory. Which meant that . . . It could possibly have lasted for a mere second, even less. That long memory may perhaps have only lasted for the moment he came into contact with the orb.
He looked down into his hand, and found the orb. But its brilliant colors were gone. It was now clear, devoid of any sort of color. Only a clear orb, as if the lifestream within it had been destroyed.
The memory was seen, and the memory was destroyed. Just like that.
He spotted the other orb on the ground, still a sickly yellow, and this time, he picked it up with his claw, and kept it clamped. The arm remained hidden beneath the cloak as he followed the group, Zidane carrying the boy back to the Inn, while Dagger and Steiner rushed behind him.
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It was yet night once more. Recollection was a must for Vincent, and once more, He was seated next to the window, his body against the wall, his legs in a comfortable position. He didn't lie down, the events of today were still mixing into his memories, and memories not meant to be his were there as well.
Vincent looked towards the bed of the boy. He saw the rise and fall of his chest, his hat and oversized clothing hid his body.
He looked peaceful, calm, and child-like. The weight he had on his shoulders before was not there. His orb-like eyes were closed, now only showing yellow lines, the light from those orbs could not be kept within the darkness that surrounded his body.
"You worried too Vince?" He winced at the nickname and turned. Zidane was slightly awake, a single eye looking at him.
" . . . . ."
"I know you are. The kid's gone through a lot, you can tell by the tension in his body." Vincent turned towards Zidane. Zidane pulled himself from the bed, his eyes on Vivi's prone form. "I can feel it. A sense, you can call it."
"Sense?"
"You know, they call it the seventh sense?"
"Sixth sense." Vincent corrected.
"Whatever." Vincent felt he was in a face of a non-caring teenager at that moment. Well, until Zidane began to speak again. "There was one, now two of those guys. And . . . you wanna know why he's so shaken up? And where were you today?"
"I . . . was merely thinking."
"Well . . ." Slight and predicted suspicion was laced in the boy's voice, however, he continued. "I was stocking up on supplies. You know, potions, antidotes, eye drops and phoenix downs . . . the works. But I first got Dagger after she was learning to speak our tongue. Then I heard something. Someone. Someone was crying. And I realized that it was coming from the ground. I looked down, and found a brass pipe in the ground. And it was Vivi! Vivi was somehow in the ground." Vincent felt himself pulled to listen. Unknowingly to Zidane, another was listening. Chaos was taking in the information, just like Vincent. The sharp pain in his mind only signaled that. He made no notion, nor any thoughts to the demonic presence in his mind, and only listened.
"Dagger and I found a secret passage to the underground. There were villagers working in there. And when we got there, we found monsters waiting for us. Of course, your's truly took care of them, with Dagger for back-up.
"And then, we came across these strange machines. I opened a door, and dark mist was flowing outward, and strange monsters were being made from the crap. Luckily, we sealed the door and moved on. But then we found Vivi where we'd least expect him. In a box. He was sealed in a fricken box, like an animal." Zidane's voice was angry, however, it was hushed. The Princess moved only slightly, but she continued in her slumber. "We got him out and tried to go onward. But we made a bad decision to go to the next room." Zidane was silent. Vincent, feeling the dread from the boy, also knew, that what was to come would also be disastrous.
He nodded his head, and Zidane took a deep breath, and continued.
"There was a room. And in this room, these . . . eggs were being made. And from these eggs . . . black mages. Hundreds of them. Each of them motionless, lifeless, and then sealed in boxes just like the one Vivi was trapped in. It was a mass production. An army of mages and Vivi, he just had to see it.
"Man, that just broke Vivi. I know it. You could see his bright eyes, they just . . . cracked. Luckily, he didn't look at the sight for long. I dragged him and Dagger into the boxing area, and we were shipped out before any of the Dali workers saw us." Zidane sighed, before stretching upward with cat-like grace. "You sleep much?" That was off the subject. But it was the best way to lead from the heavy subject before.
"I choose when to sleep, and when not to."
"Sheesh, you vampire. I'm going to check my neck every night now, to make sure you ain't taking my blood!"
Vincent couldn't help but chuckle mysteriously. He was getting soft. Being in the company of this, "male Yuffie" was making him soft. And in the company of the Princess, the Knight, and the Child Mage.
"Ah, whatever man. Night Vince." Zidane laid back down on his side, his tail moving here and there slowly. Soon enough, the boy's tail stopped twitching, now it only swaying back and forth at the edge of the bed calmly, matching the shallow breathing from the boy.
Vincent sighed. He looked up towards the sky. There were clouds now, destroying the view of the stars. The moon though had grown for the night. And with that he closed his eyes, letting his mind drift off into the darkness.
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The next morning they set out, the cargo ship had remained there for the night due to the delay of the "supplies."
"So Rusty, where does the ship go to? Lindblum?" Vincent saw Steiner pause for a second. That was certainly most suspicious.
"Uh, yes, of course!" His hesitation only made Vincent confirm it. The knight was lying to the thief. But why?
"That's good! Come on Dagger, let's get going!" Zidane didn't seem to notice, and placed his attention back to Dagger. The knight rubbed his brow in nervousness.
Steiner was the first to go up. Vivi was next. Zidane had led Dagger upward, well, not before his perverted-ness kicked in. He patted the Princess's bottom, causing her to twitch.
"ZIDANE!!"
"Oo, soft!" Vincent wished he could groan at this, but that would only make it worse. He waited for Zidane to go all the way upward, before he jumped to the railing. He swung himself up and gracefully let himself down on the platform. A door was before him, and he let himself in to the engine room.
And yet, there was another surprising sight.
"They're moving . . ." Zidane voiced, amazement in his voice.
However, what was before them would only make things worse for Vivi's weak mental shields.
Once, twice, and now, once more. Black mages. Their stuffed bodies and monotonic purple clothing, the single pointed hat on their heads, and the dull yellow glow of their eyes, all created a clone-like persona. They worked the engines, the out of date and rusted technology that was barely keeping this ship afloat. They took no notice of the ones who invaded their work area, for they concentrated only on the task before them.
The only black mage who was misfit-ed within the picture was Vivi, who was trembling at the sight. Dagger embraced his partially, leading him away from the sight. Steiner gave a look of sympathy in Vivi's wake, before running and going up to the deck of the cargo ship.
Vincent came closer, and grabbed hold of the arm of one. It didn't move, as if it froze from his touch. He closed his claw arm, scratching open the purple fabric sown on his arm and found no flesh beneath. It was too soft, and did not hold the resistance that flesh would hold against his claw. Vincent withdrew his claw arm, and made to the ladder. Climbing the rungs, he soon pushed the door open and climbed out.
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A burst of wind lashed at him, and he felt his body being enveloped in his cloak. His long ragged hair whipped in the air. The cold hit him, but it was nothing, after all, his body was almost dead.
He looked upward, and saw the layer of grey mist above. He looked downward, and found a thicker layer of mist below them. Like a ship at sea, the airship flowed through the currents of the clouded mist. The scenery of mountains are
Up on the bow was the young black mage, alone, and seemingly saddened. His now unusual silence made the winds almost stilled. Vincent decided it was best to talk to him, or to at least be in his presence.
Vincent stood beside the boy, on the side where the currents of the wind would not whip the cloak into the black mage's face. Vincent stared forward towards the mountain, which was coming closer by the minute.
"Um . . ." Vincent shifted his eyes, and from his peripheral vision, he saw Vivi, whose body was turned towards him. He seemed bashful, or rather, fearful, as if what he was going to say would do some means of harm to either of the two. "Do you think we're the same?"
Vincent waited.
"You know . . . those . . . puppets and me . . . are we . . . the same?"
Vincent shifted, his face turned at an angle. His two eyes looked at him. "If that is what you believe in, then yes." He saw Vivi's eyes downturned. "However," Vivi looked at him now, expecting an answer. "You may have . . . similar attributes . . . but those are only outward attributes." That made Vivi at ease, but only so little. "Now I will ask you a question. Will you allow it?"
Vivi nodded. "Yes."
"Do you bleed blood?"
This made Vivi stare at Vincent. Vincent did not allow him to question him further, turning around and slowly widening the space between the mage and himself. The boy needed time to think.
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He made his way to the control room to see the course of the airship. He wanted to see whether more of the black mage clones were indeed piloting the ship to their destination. And also, to see what their true destination was. He was already suspicious of the knight's activity, and soon enough, he found the knight, whose body was situated right before the entrance of the trapdoor to the lower deck. He saw his body, as stiff as a board, like a guard.
Vincent stared at the man as he passed, before continuing onward. He felt the knight look at his back, as he passed, but it was only for a moment. However, Vincent knew that something had happened while he was consulting with Vivi.
Finally he reached the control room. He was half correct on his assumption.
Well, for one, the black mage dolls were indeed there. But they were doing nothing whatsoever as the trip continued.
And the steering wheel, which controlled the whole of the ship, was not in control of any of the black mage dolls. It was Zidane, whose hands were about to lay firmly on the main control.
Zidane froze, his two eyes locking onto Vincent. His body was stiff, but not the intentional stiffness that Steiner held. This one was sudden, as if the sight of him caused the thief to freeze, like a red-handed criminal.
But soon enough, he relaxed, a heavy sigh escaped his lips. "Haa . . . okay, you're not Rusty, that's good."
Vincent looked at the map that was open and sprawled on the side table next to the steering wheel. He pointed at the Village of Dali. "You plan to go to Lindblum, correct?"
Zidane nodded.
"Then you are going to the north, not the south of Dali. It seems that the direction this ship intends to keep is to Alexandria." He raised his eyes ever so slightly. "Lying is not his expertise." He was unsurprised. After all, the safety of the Princess in the knight's thoughts, were to take her back to the kingdom.
"Yeah, the old Rust-Bucket's trying to get Dagger back to the castle. But that ain't gonna happen. Dagger asked me to get her to Lindblum, so I'm gonna get her to Lindblum."
"I see . . . in that case." Vincent clamped his claw hand around the steel pole above the cooling instrument in the back of the piloting compartment. "I am secure. You may continue."
Zidane smiled. "Alright-y then! I'm glad I'm not alone when fending off Sir Rust-a-lot. Off to Lindblum we go!"
"I did not say I would assist. I merely watch."
"Yeah, sure thing Vinnie." Vincent couldn't understand how the monkey-tailed boy found the second nickname, then again, this was the thief he was talking about. He knew another thief, so this one was the same.
Zidane gleefully smiled, and clutched the wheel, spinning it quickly, not caring whether the ship itself would flip over in this maneuver.
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-
The pull of the ship caused everything to flip and turn, shift and fall, break and crash (it did not flip in a literal sense, it is merely an expression). If anything that was possible to break would break in this sudden shift from the course, it would. Vincent let his body off the floor, letting his single arm support him. His body hung in the air at an angle as Zidane continued to shift the airship's course. The man looked outward from the window and saw the knight and black mage fall flat on the deck. He could only imagine the turmoil that was taking place in the engine compartment alone.
The sharp turn soon broadened, and the knight hopped onto his feet and ran towards the piloting compartment, the rusty hinges creaking louder with each move. And upon the moment the knight left the trapdoor, it was swung open, revealing the Princess. She saw Vivi, and ran to him to assist him.
Vincent at the moment let himself down, knowing it was safe. But just in case, he kept his claw hand clutched to the metal pole above.
"What in the world are you doing you monkey!?!" Zidane looked outward, ignoring Steiner, whose face showed shock.
"What else Rusty? We're going to Lindblum!"
"But—but—but—"
"We're not going to Alexandria Rust-a-lot. Dagger wanted to go to Lindblum, we're going to Lindblum first." Zindane sounded non-caring, more then likely to cause the knight to have a fit.
He did.
"WHY YOU—" Steiner made his way to grab the teen, but the boy jumped back. His monkey tail encoiled itself around the same pole that Vincent was using. Vincent watched with mild amusement. The boy was laughing cheerfully, while the knight began to jump up and down in frustration. "STOP IT YOU FRICKEN MONKEY!!"
Zidane gasped mockingly. "And I thought you had no profanity in your vocabulary!" This made the man stiffen and growl.
Vincent suddenly felt a sensation run down his spine.
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'Something is coming.' Chaos said.
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Vincent nodded, knowing now. His right hand grabbed the gun and soon he brought it up. He let himself down from the pole, and briskly walked out, unnoticed by the bickering Steiner and sly Zidane. He noticed the black mages stiff, looking towards the right, as if concentrating on something in the distance. Vincent could feel power from that direction, and could only guess.
The enemy was here.
AGAIN.
And suddenly, a flash of light, and Vivi gasped. Vincent turned towards the black mage, and found he was no longer alone.
It was a Black Waltz. Another Black Waltz. And most likely, the III.
However, this Black Waltz possessed something that Vincent had not felt before.
Power.
His long trench coat was the color of navy blue, with black feathers tracing the collar. The hat was bent, weathered, and raven-feathered wings were spread behind him, flaring in the wind. Within his clawed gloved hands was a single staff, barely a foot higher than his head. It had a black pole, and the top was ornamented with a golden sun and moon, intertwined with one another. It held itself in an elegant manner, but he could feel the madness and cruelty that it possessed.
His very body crackled with energy, sparking off him with each passing second. The Black Waltz stabbed the staff within the ground, causing it the surface of it to break. A jolt of energy was released from the impact, causing Vivi to jump back once more.
"Princess, I have been given a mission, please, return at once to the castle."
Dagger shook her head. She saw the power before them, but she kept her ground. "No. I cannot return to the kingdom, regardless of my mother's wishes." The Black Waltz however, did not seem to want to listen.
The Black Waltz snapped its eyes on Vivi, and began to laugh, its voice resonating, cold and fearless. "You killed my predecessors? How pathetic, my counterparts are so weak . . ."
The Black Waltz smirked within the darkness. "No matter . . . I shall dispose of you and take the Princess, whether you must die or not!" The Black Waltz made no hesitation as it brought its staff into the air, the energy soon ebbing in a rapid pace.
Dagger took hold of Vivi in response. However, her very safety was at stake now, and the Black Waltz could not stop.
"Dagger!!"
"Master Vivi!"
Vincent saw this and ran towards the two. He brought up his bangle, the green orb glowing brightly.
-
"M-Barrier."
-
-
"Thunder!!"
-
Two spells were released. Vincent raised up the bangle, and the spell released a thick wavy-like barrier of sapphire. The thunder came down, and made contact with the barrier. Both dissipated, the sound of shattered glass broke through. Vincent felt the strain from the blast's power, as well from the destruction of his M-Barrier.
The Black Waltz was distracted, and Vincent took advantage of it. He brought up his gun, and his mental powers roared as he released an Ice bullet. The Black Waltz swung its staff expertly, the bullet deflected and embedding itself within the ground. Icicles erupted from the floor, which caused the Black Waltz to fly backwards, before landing on the ship's deck once more. The Black Waltz's two eyes were wide in disbelief. It looked at Vincent, before looking at the ice-patterns, the jagged spikes that had threatened him not so long ago.
-
-
Vincent turned his head, growling at the two youths. "Get back." He made his voice hard, steel-like. And like children, they obeyed the immortal's command.
Zidane and Steiner came running out, weapons unsheathed. Steiner immediately made Dagger stay back. The attack the Black Waltz had unleashed almost hit Dagger, and would have caused grave damage if it had strayed a slight bit from Vincent's protective shields.
"You shall all perish. Princess, await for your turn, I shall return you to the Queen." The Black Waltz III raised a hand, the other had the staff, which was stabbed within the deck. Sparkling daggers of light began to gather within his hand, forming a wildly controlled orb of sparks.
Suddenly, Vincent felt a rush of air pass him, and he spotted a sea of royal purple, and wizard hats before him. He could only feel the anxiety from Vivi, whose heart was already weak from seeing these dolls.
"What is it that you want! Get out of the way puppets!" The Black Waltz III commanded. The mage lowered his hand, which glowed.
The black mages created a half-circle, creating a shield around them. He could only watch as they moved on their own accord, and brought their hands up. The white-garish-like gloves began to spark, embers appearing.
"What are you doing?" Vincent turned his head slightly, allowing him to see Vivi. Vivi's eyes showed confused desperation. And the actions of these black mages only caused him to pour out unwanted emotions from those eyes.
"You are malfunctioning! Follow the commands of your superior!" The Black Waltz threatened, the hand glowing brighter.
The black mages did not move.
"Stop it . . . please . . . stop it." Vivi pleaded. Though they were dolls, Vivi felt a connection, and pleaded. Vincent could tell easily that he did not wish for the fate of death to embrace them.
"So be it . . . your fate has already been sealed . . . and allow me to do that!!" The Black Waltz III roared, bringing down his hand. "THUNDARA!!!"
Lightning blasted downward onto the deck, and created waves of lightning, all targeting the dolls. The Black mage dolls merely stood there, holding their ground as the waves came closer.
"Run!" Vivi screamed.
The mages remained, the blast coming closer. Now their arms were held up, creating a weak fence of protection.
And soon enough, the blasts of lightning made impact.
The previous fiery spells were backfired, creating a blast of massive proportions. The deck was smoking, and several barrels of precious cargo burst free, revealing inactive dolls. The dolls were whipped about in the blazing winds, lost within the currents. Each pierced the layer of mist, never to be seen again.
Vincent watched, amazed at the black mages whom had protected the child. They flew into the air, off the ship, their bodies being eaten by the flames from their attacks and the lightning.
-
-
"Why . . ."
-
-
Vincent turned. Vivi's body trembled, bent downward. His two gloved hands tugged hard at the bent and worn out hat upon his head.
-
-
"Why did they . . . protect me . . ."
-
-
"Why?"
-
-
Like a broken record, Vivi repeated this. He knew nothing, wished to know nothing. The truth itself was too confusing and cryptic.
"Viv, hey buddy . . . you alright?" Zidane tried to comfort him. But it was to no avail. The boy was lost within his own world at the moment.
Thoughts of the "memory" caused him to wonder. Did Vivi know of the . . . change? Or did he hold no memory of that catastrophic event? And seeing the boy like this . . . even cluing in to what he had seen would only break the poor child's fragile train of thought.
The boy stopped shaking, the desperation disappearing. Vincent felt a strange, and eerie calm upon the ship.
But then, he felt great power.
-
-
"WHY!?!?!?"
-
-
Anger sparked, the boy's eyes flared.
-
Vincent could tell.
-
Something had broken.
-
And Vivi was pissed.
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A/N: Well, here's an important thing to know . . .
Never . . . ever . . . in any moment in time . . . piss off a black mage.
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Well, anyways, here's the Reviewer Rest Stop!!
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Spica123—Well, it's
nice to meet the sister of Sirius. I am Kuro V. Higarashi, good
friend of Reiko S. Yoshihiro, and fellow writer and fan. I hope that
you enjoyed this chapter of 'Another Calling.'
-
Saya-ping. –Sorry
about that. I just can't help myself XD
-
PhoenixCharmer116—
Kuro— Vincent, please not now. I'm just sedating the mad scientist. Anyways (unties PhoenixCharmer116) you're free to go, for now. However, please, do not unleash Reiko's KILLL MODe.
Reiko— I personally agree. It's like the polar opposite of my being.
Vincent— I cannot torture her at least?
Kuro—(looks away slyly, before sighing) No Vincent. Like a customer, the reviewer's always right.
Reiko—Unless the reviewer's an ass, bitch, or complete jerk with absolutely no evidence that portrays his or her hatred to the fanfic.
Vincent—(looks at
PhoenixCharmer116, glaring) You are in luck child.
-
Nataku's Wrath—Sorry about the rush. ACTs and SATs sucked, and well, I'm done with that. But anyways, I'm creating your character's role as you read, and it's coming pretty good. He'll be an important factor to Vincent's role in the world, but you'll see soon enough X3.
-
Boudicca Aturia—OO that would be pretty cool, however, Vincent's not really the type to get pissed off THAT easily. However, I will take this suggestion into hand!
-
Lord
Makura—AND, another sadistic and angsty cliffy!
MWAHAHAHAH!!!! XD
-
RedHerring1412—Yo
RHK! Well, it seems that I DID reveal some of Vincent's power
(black magic rocks!), and unfortunately, another enemy appears. But
hey, we'll see what happens soon!
-
yllom21—Thank
you very much, I'm aiming for a different approach to Vivi's
origins.
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Firehedgehog—Eye
thing, what eye thing? (acts completely innocent, smiling evilly
though)
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StevDown—Sorry
to say, but Chaos ain't gonna be pissed off yet. Perhaps Vincent,
but not Chaos. We'll see though ;3
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Inui's
bastard love-child—Hey, I wear glasses too, tinted
ones in fact (due to my eye problem XD)
-
Zuperbuu—Damn, you're enthusiastic about Vivi's trance. Sorry, it'll be soon, as you can see the underlying clues (wink wink o-)
-
Yuleen75—Well,
you see? I hope you enjoyed this chapter, though it's a bit
angsty.
-
Sirius123—Yo,
well, Chaos apparently answered your question. But it was nice
meeting your sister, and thank you for your compliments. I can't
help but blush.
-
Leon
Darksword—Yo! Well, yeah, Reiko and I do act like
that. It's fricken scary how he portrayed us. But it's cool!
-
bloodalchemy—Ah . . . I see, I thank you for telling me this. As seen, it is much shorter!
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It's shorter (because bloodalchemy has raised the issue of a report due to this if it occurs), but it at least answers and replies to my fellow reviewers! If you have any questions regarding certain parts of this fanfic from this chapter or any preceding chapter, please write it in the review, or send me a PM, I shall PM you back due to the whole reporting thing.
Thanks for reading, and I hope you'll tune in to another chapter in the future.
Sincerely,
Kuro V. Higarashi
