A/N: Hallo! Sorry about the shortness of this chapter. I'm struggling with plot ideas for this...I have more ideas for How To Be Human...grr...
Any ideas? HELP ME PLEASE! lol:-)
Disclamers: Same as always! I don't own the band Skillet, either! Just borrowing their song.
Nobody's Listening
Chapter Nine: If I Could Predict the End of the World
I, I'm invincible You know you just can't kill a man when he's dead
I'm indestructible
It's my destiny
I, I'm invincible
I'm unshakeable
Through the truth in my soul
You know the spirit survives (invincible)
…
"Invincible" by Skillet
Vincent was getting the hang of this "being an undead spirit" thing. He's learned his restrictions (can't walk through solid metal unless there's a crack in it, unable to appear to the people he loved or the one responsible for killing him, etc) and had learned the advantages to being dead.
Like not having to sleep…that was a plus.
But being dead was also boring. And it sucked…'cause, well, you know…he's dead and all…
"I can't believe I died by getting shot, too…" Vincent muttered. No one could hear him because there was no one (awake) in the room. Plus, he didn't want to be heard anyway. "That's some kind of irony right there…I saw the gun too…" He looked over at the sleeping figure of Reeve, Cait Sith tucked under his arm protectively.
It had been over a month since he'd been shot and started watching over the boy, and already he'd noticed changes in Reeve's live style. Though he'd slowly grown more and more paranoid (like running into Hojo at the most random moments), he'd also begun to slowly adapt and become more careful. He was really good about covering his tracks when he did research on Hojo's experiments and was careful when he talked now too. Day by day he was becoming a better actor, to the point where Vincent almost found it hard to tell when he was lying or when he was telling the truth.
Almost being the key word. After years of being a Turk, Vincent had a lot of practice in the art of lying.
He also noticed how he didn't scare Reeve anymore, appearing out of nowhere to get a brief comment in or give him a warning and then disappearing again. (This was good; he never wanted to scare Reeve in the first place.) He was pretty sure he had Reeve's trust now.
This was why he felt bad as he went through the boy's personal belongings. He'd gained his trust, but now he was totally going against every moral fiber he had (and yes, he did have morals, unlike most Turks) and sifting through his stuff.
Everything he found just reiterated when he already knew. Reeve, despite his young age, was a genius when it came to artificial intelligence and robotics, as well as eavesdropping and other spy like techniques. But he also deeply cared for the well being of people, and Vincent had found numerous papers with plans for renovations to make Midgar a better place for all of its inhabitance
It was hard to believe this kid was only twelve.
Vincent also found evidence proving to him that Reeve was very…guarded. He didn't like to pull people into business that wasn't their problem (like Cid and Shera being stuck with helping Reeve solve the current problem). He liked to try to do everything he could himself.
Who does that sound like?
Other than that, he found nothing too interesting. So he leaned against the wall of Reeve's room, watching the window and door and listening for anything that sounded like a sniper.
Old habits die hard.
After about two hours of this, Vincent struggled to find something to occupy his time. He decided to sing to himself, at least to pass the time. Lilith had always told him he had a good singing voice anyway. Why not practice?
"Send away for a priceless gift…One not subtle, one not on the list…Send away for a perfect world…One not simply, so absurd…In these times of doing what you're told, You keep these feelings, no one knows.
What ever happened to the young man's heart…Swallowed by pain, as he slowly fell apart…
And I'm staring down the barrel of a 45, Swimming through the ashes of another life… No real reason to accept the way, things have changed…Staring down the barrel of a 45…"
Vincent stopped after the chorus of the song called "45." He'd always thought this song reminded him of Zel, who'd always wanted to be perfect or to not exist at all. But now, as he thought about it, the song basically reflected his last year alive pretty well. He was about to keep singing when something on Reeve's desk caught his eye: a little black book, seemingly inconspicuous at first. But as Vincent got closer and could read the title, his curiosity spiked.
"If I could Predict the End of the World" the book read, title written neatly in silver ink in what Vincent recognized as Reeve's handwriting. He picked up the book after a few attempts (having to concentrate all of his energy into each of his hands took a lot of focus) and opened it to the first page, reading the entry.
"Prediction: Cinder (Real name, Shera).
Awakened from the darken prison, saved by an angel in demon's clothes. Teaching another to love is as hard as learning to love oneself…succeeding only when told to fail, and loving the one who can not see past their own dreams and delusions."
Vincent stared at the page. Not only did the prediction not make that much sense, but it sounded like it came from someone older than Reeve.
Far older…
He flipped the page, finding Cid's.
"Prediction: Cid Highwind.
To those who stare at the sky and don't look down, beware what may come from reaching your dreams. Remember those you might leave behind and always keep your mind open
To those who reach the sky and look back at the ground: It sucks to know that she was right, doesn't it?"
Vincent smiled at this one. Whatever it meant, it had to do with Cid getting his ego crushed by a girl. Vincent would pay to see that, if he had to. Cid had a bit of a big ego.
He flipped through the book and found Zel's.
"Prediction: Zeliki Norumik (Last name unknown).
Angel hidden in demon's clothes, rise up again to fall to the ground, finding joy in the simplest of horrors and understanding the self-inflicted suicide will always fail until death isn't wanted. Look back from the dead and know that you did all you could to protect the savior of us all."
"Savior of us all? Zel?" Vincent snorted. The line "self-inflicted suicide that will always fail until death isn't wanted," scared Vincent slightly. What the hell…?
He flipped through a few more pages until he found another surprising entry: his own.
"Prediction: Unknown (Vincent?)
Trapped alone in silent sorrow…Loss of hope, no more tomorrow…released from death to life undying, eyes and ears sighted the crying. Screams of suffering echo to times long past, the memories that should fade seem to last. Chaotic songs and whispers so silent. Insanity only memory's remnant. Shown how to love with a broken heart, lost in the end before the start. In time he learns what he long forgot, and wonders what he could have done with one last shot…"
It all rhymed. That was the first thing that Vincent noticed.
"One last shot…" he said, thinking of the gun that had been only inches from his hand when he'd died.
The prediction made sense, at least to him. It just spoke of how obvious his eternal suffering would be now.
"What's that line mean? 'Released from death to life undying'?" Vincent mused. "Reeve, you're pretty morbid…"
Just for the fun of it, he flipped to the last page. To his surprise, he found writing.
"If I could predict the end of the world, it would start with the sky falling. The seas will reach for the falling stars, and the land will split apart to release the souls. No screams will be heard, no one will be left to scream. All will stare as the sky falls to the earth. There will be those who stand in its way, but I wish for no more dead heroes. If I could predict the end of the world, one falling star would end it all. Those in light will bow to shadows and those who fight will lay down their swords. Fall to ruin… Peace will fill us; taking us away…If I could predict the end of the world…I hope it doesn't happen this way."
On the back cover, next to the page, the words "You promised me no more dead heroes" were written. Vincent stared at these two pieces of work, surprised. How was it that these didn't seem like nonsense? It wasn't possible for someone to predict the future, was it?
Was it?
He put the book back on the table, staring at the sleeping figure of Reeve again. The boy defiantly hid more in his head then he let on. Briefly he wondered if Reeve had ever told anyone about the predictions. His one for Zel seemed pretty accurate, and the one for himself was strangely believable.
He couldn't help it. He opened the book again, this time to the middle. One line greeted him.
"You will find what you seek but loose what you cherish most."
Vincent closed the book again. Maybe it was time to go check on Zel…
A/N: hehe...yea for referencing...is that the right prediction? The one Reeve gave Cloud? I never get the wording right...
Oh! The song Vincent sings is called 45 by Shinedown. I don't own them either! I love the song though!