Vincent Valentine sighed. This was not what he had expected when Yuuji had died and left him a last testament. He cursed his luck, but then, didn't he always. Picking up a picture frame, he began to pack a selective list of belongings that would later be shipped to his new, second house. The house that Yuuji had left him, along with a less manageable legacy. A thin, yellowed sheet of paper slipped off the tabletop, and Vincent bent down to pick it up:
Dear Vincent,
I don't know where you are, but that doesn't matter. I have made arrangements that ensure that when I die, you will be given this letter, my will. Please, my friend; I know that you have been through rough times, and that you prefer your dank dusty coffin to a rowdy, busy city. But I had left my shop to my grandson, who died in an explosion recently. The shop has passed on to my grand-nephew. Vincent. My grandnephew is young and inexperienced; he will not be able to handle such a tiring and confusing task as that of running a successful store. Thus I am asking you, Vincent Valentine, my only true companion, my best friend, to go to him and to live in my now former humble abode until you see that he is fit to be left to himself. Naiori will do you good, my friend; I know this because I have seen the way you look when you stare across the city at the autumn trees changing color, how you almost smile when the sakura petals flutter over the streets to be chased by laughing children. You were happy there once, Vincent. Try to be happy again. For Lucrecia. For me. And I will be smiling at you from the lifestream when you find that you are able to smile again. My grandnephew's name is Ken Hasayumi, and you will know him the first time you glimpse his face. He has his mother's face. Thank you Vincent, for all that you have given me, and I beg you to give inasmuch to my Ken-kun. Find your heart again, and learn to use it.
Yuuji Shinjeki
By the way, Vincent, you'll find something nice in the second sakura tree of the third pond. Watch for the smiling faces!
[Two Days Later, Early Morning:]
The young farmer plodded along, pulling his cart of goods along behind him and whistling a merry tune as he made his way to the next town. Passing by a goldfish pond, he stopped to marvel at the beauty of the construction. Suddenly, hearing a faint noise, he turned his head.
"Ah, ohayo gozaimasu, friend! And what, if I may be so bold to ask, brings you to these places less traveled?" The young man cheerfully intoned.
The raven-haired man regarded the pond too for a few moments before answering. "…I'm traveling towards Naiori to stay with a friend of a friend. Do you know the quickest way there?"
"Ah, yes! Naiori! My niece Kiniko lives there with her husband! Lovely city, Naiori. I'm sure that you'll be reluctant to leave once you get to know the place, traveler. To answer your question, the easiest way is straight ahead, and then turn left at the fork in the road. You'll see a small station there, and the man who occupies it will be happy to further direct you. Walking wise, it should take about two and a half days to reach the station. That is, if the weather holds out. Wonderful weather we're having, isn't it! But then my brother always says that beautiful days will always preceed stormy ones, which happen to be good for the crops! Oh, my apologies! I've been babbling again! On and on I go…Oh, but before we part ways, would you like to purchase some of my quality wears?" And at this notion, the enthusiastic farmer nodded his head positively and beckoned one hand toward his array of newbangled things stashed in his cart.
"…Thank you." Vincent was a bit unsettled; he wasn't used to this amount of talking. Well, Vincent, this is the kind of thing that happens when you spend 40 years of your life in a coffin in an abandoned mansion. Besides, this man looks honest and open, if not a bit shabby; you should humor him and buy some pretty bauble for more than it's worth. He could definitely use it…No. Stop. Stop degrading other people. It's just as useless as doing it to yourself. We've gone over this, Vincent, and we've decided that you are going to be a normal person now. Normal. Stop thinking!
Shaking his head to clear away all confusing thoughts, Vincent strolled over and tentatively viewed the array of goods that his companion for the hour had introduced upon him. His eyes widened an imperceptible fraction of a millimeter. This guy was no joker - these were QUALITY goods. Everything from fire3 materia to silk bandanas to crystal cut necklaces were stocked upon crude wooden shelves, and Vincent nodded a bit more favorably toward the farmer-turned-merchant.
After about twenty seconds, he looked up. "I'll take the two cure4 materia, that white-blue necklace over there, a dozen red silk bandanas, and a week's worth of turnips," he told the farmer, who immediately and professionally got himself busy packaging and tying up his orders.
"Three hundred ten gil, please." He calculated.
Vincent blinked: Surely this stuff was worth at least five hundred…This wasn't right. "…You're letting me off easy," he contradicted. "I'll give you six hundred for all this…"
"Oh! Oh, no! Definitely not! I can't ask you for that much!! You see, I run a wholesale business, and I have so much of all this from bartering and my wife's own impeccable craftwork that I wouldn't dare think of swindling you by charging such high prices, my friend! Now pay your three hundred ten, you silly man!" The farmer laughed heartily and clapped Vincent on his back, which reflexively stiffened. The farmer stopped patting quickly as he got the hint and settled for merely smiling up at the taller man.
"…" Vincent considered. He couldn't just give this tiny amount for all of these fine products! "…I'll pay you six hundred if you add in that rainbow necklace over there," he offered.
The farmer's eyes widened. "Ah…this necklace! It's made of materia, good traveler! Pure, unfiltered materia! It's incredibly dangerous if you aren't able to properly control maximum leveled materia! But then again…looking at you, I can tell that you won't have a problem with that. Not at all," he confirmed as he caught a glimpse of the serious man's metal claw. "Well, alright, can't turn an honest offer down, as long as you give me your word that you won't even think about giving this necklace to some rookie fighter. Or a pretty lady, either," he warned, winking at a now mildly amused Vincent. Vincent? Lady? Somehow these two words bounced and rebounded off each other like oil and water. He would never court anyone again, not after…His eyes darkened and he quickly pushed the dark thought out of his mind. Nodding, Vincent reached into his pursebag and extracted several gold coins, handing them to the only modest merchant he had ever known in his life.
Well, except for Yuuji, he corrected himself.
"It was good doing business with you. May I ask your name?" He asked the farmer.
"Suji Makoto! I live in Kalm, but you can find me anywhere if you look hard enough," the cheerful young man answered. "And you, good sir?" He waited expectantly.
"…Vincent. Vincent Valentine."
"Vincent! What a nice name! Well, I hope to see you in Naiori, Vincent! Please visit my niece's bakery whenever you feel hungry! Kini Bread Basket's the name! Well, I really must be going, or else I'm going to talk to day away! Another day, then, Vincent!" And he gave another bright smile, then nodded, and turned away from Vincent, moseying up the dirt road with all the optimism of a worry-free man.
Vincent stared after him as Makoto's form got farther and farther away.
"…Yes. Another day. That would be nice."
Turning, Vincent shifted the weight of his huge travelling pack and walked on, slowly but surely making his way toward this pleasant city Nairon, and to this young man Ken, who was to be his charge for the next couple of months.
"…Naiori," Vincent mused, and started off with a renewed brisk pace.
~*~*~*~*~
This chapter was finished at 12:08 PM (EDT) on (Well it's Saturday now, technically. ^^;V") Saturday, September 22nd, 2001 by TBOtaku! Please read and review, everybody!! And as usual, of course, THANKS FOR READING!!!! ^_^O" -TBO~~
This chapter was inspired by Tifa's Theme from Final Fantasy. Originally, I didn't want to write anymore today, but I said to myself, "ALLISON, JUST DO IT!!!!" ) And so I did!! And look where it got me!! Just goes to show, people, that PERSEVERENCE is the word!! Hehe~! ^_^ ^__^= Well, ciao for now, and I guess that I still didn't write anymore "today", since today was actually YESTERDAY technically, so HA HAHAHA HA!! Ahh, foozin!! :-= And I would like to thank my friend Super Jenah for that quote!!!! ^^V"
~*~*~*~*~
Dear Vincent,
I don't know where you are, but that doesn't matter. I have made arrangements that ensure that when I die, you will be given this letter, my will. Please, my friend; I know that you have been through rough times, and that you prefer your dank dusty coffin to a rowdy, busy city. But I had left my shop to my grandson, who died in an explosion recently. The shop has passed on to my grand-nephew. Vincent. My grandnephew is young and inexperienced; he will not be able to handle such a tiring and confusing task as that of running a successful store. Thus I am asking you, Vincent Valentine, my only true companion, my best friend, to go to him and to live in my now former humble abode until you see that he is fit to be left to himself. Naiori will do you good, my friend; I know this because I have seen the way you look when you stare across the city at the autumn trees changing color, how you almost smile when the sakura petals flutter over the streets to be chased by laughing children. You were happy there once, Vincent. Try to be happy again. For Lucrecia. For me. And I will be smiling at you from the lifestream when you find that you are able to smile again. My grandnephew's name is Ken Hasayumi, and you will know him the first time you glimpse his face. He has his mother's face. Thank you Vincent, for all that you have given me, and I beg you to give inasmuch to my Ken-kun. Find your heart again, and learn to use it.
Yuuji Shinjeki
By the way, Vincent, you'll find something nice in the second sakura tree of the third pond. Watch for the smiling faces!
[Two Days Later, Early Morning:]
The young farmer plodded along, pulling his cart of goods along behind him and whistling a merry tune as he made his way to the next town. Passing by a goldfish pond, he stopped to marvel at the beauty of the construction. Suddenly, hearing a faint noise, he turned his head.
"Ah, ohayo gozaimasu, friend! And what, if I may be so bold to ask, brings you to these places less traveled?" The young man cheerfully intoned.
The raven-haired man regarded the pond too for a few moments before answering. "…I'm traveling towards Naiori to stay with a friend of a friend. Do you know the quickest way there?"
"Ah, yes! Naiori! My niece Kiniko lives there with her husband! Lovely city, Naiori. I'm sure that you'll be reluctant to leave once you get to know the place, traveler. To answer your question, the easiest way is straight ahead, and then turn left at the fork in the road. You'll see a small station there, and the man who occupies it will be happy to further direct you. Walking wise, it should take about two and a half days to reach the station. That is, if the weather holds out. Wonderful weather we're having, isn't it! But then my brother always says that beautiful days will always preceed stormy ones, which happen to be good for the crops! Oh, my apologies! I've been babbling again! On and on I go…Oh, but before we part ways, would you like to purchase some of my quality wears?" And at this notion, the enthusiastic farmer nodded his head positively and beckoned one hand toward his array of newbangled things stashed in his cart.
"…Thank you." Vincent was a bit unsettled; he wasn't used to this amount of talking. Well, Vincent, this is the kind of thing that happens when you spend 40 years of your life in a coffin in an abandoned mansion. Besides, this man looks honest and open, if not a bit shabby; you should humor him and buy some pretty bauble for more than it's worth. He could definitely use it…No. Stop. Stop degrading other people. It's just as useless as doing it to yourself. We've gone over this, Vincent, and we've decided that you are going to be a normal person now. Normal. Stop thinking!
Shaking his head to clear away all confusing thoughts, Vincent strolled over and tentatively viewed the array of goods that his companion for the hour had introduced upon him. His eyes widened an imperceptible fraction of a millimeter. This guy was no joker - these were QUALITY goods. Everything from fire3 materia to silk bandanas to crystal cut necklaces were stocked upon crude wooden shelves, and Vincent nodded a bit more favorably toward the farmer-turned-merchant.
After about twenty seconds, he looked up. "I'll take the two cure4 materia, that white-blue necklace over there, a dozen red silk bandanas, and a week's worth of turnips," he told the farmer, who immediately and professionally got himself busy packaging and tying up his orders.
"Three hundred ten gil, please." He calculated.
Vincent blinked: Surely this stuff was worth at least five hundred…This wasn't right. "…You're letting me off easy," he contradicted. "I'll give you six hundred for all this…"
"Oh! Oh, no! Definitely not! I can't ask you for that much!! You see, I run a wholesale business, and I have so much of all this from bartering and my wife's own impeccable craftwork that I wouldn't dare think of swindling you by charging such high prices, my friend! Now pay your three hundred ten, you silly man!" The farmer laughed heartily and clapped Vincent on his back, which reflexively stiffened. The farmer stopped patting quickly as he got the hint and settled for merely smiling up at the taller man.
"…" Vincent considered. He couldn't just give this tiny amount for all of these fine products! "…I'll pay you six hundred if you add in that rainbow necklace over there," he offered.
The farmer's eyes widened. "Ah…this necklace! It's made of materia, good traveler! Pure, unfiltered materia! It's incredibly dangerous if you aren't able to properly control maximum leveled materia! But then again…looking at you, I can tell that you won't have a problem with that. Not at all," he confirmed as he caught a glimpse of the serious man's metal claw. "Well, alright, can't turn an honest offer down, as long as you give me your word that you won't even think about giving this necklace to some rookie fighter. Or a pretty lady, either," he warned, winking at a now mildly amused Vincent. Vincent? Lady? Somehow these two words bounced and rebounded off each other like oil and water. He would never court anyone again, not after…His eyes darkened and he quickly pushed the dark thought out of his mind. Nodding, Vincent reached into his pursebag and extracted several gold coins, handing them to the only modest merchant he had ever known in his life.
Well, except for Yuuji, he corrected himself.
"It was good doing business with you. May I ask your name?" He asked the farmer.
"Suji Makoto! I live in Kalm, but you can find me anywhere if you look hard enough," the cheerful young man answered. "And you, good sir?" He waited expectantly.
"…Vincent. Vincent Valentine."
"Vincent! What a nice name! Well, I hope to see you in Naiori, Vincent! Please visit my niece's bakery whenever you feel hungry! Kini Bread Basket's the name! Well, I really must be going, or else I'm going to talk to day away! Another day, then, Vincent!" And he gave another bright smile, then nodded, and turned away from Vincent, moseying up the dirt road with all the optimism of a worry-free man.
Vincent stared after him as Makoto's form got farther and farther away.
"…Yes. Another day. That would be nice."
Turning, Vincent shifted the weight of his huge travelling pack and walked on, slowly but surely making his way toward this pleasant city Nairon, and to this young man Ken, who was to be his charge for the next couple of months.
"…Naiori," Vincent mused, and started off with a renewed brisk pace.
~*~*~*~*~
This chapter was finished at 12:08 PM (EDT) on (Well it's Saturday now, technically. ^^;V") Saturday, September 22nd, 2001 by TBOtaku! Please read and review, everybody!! And as usual, of course, THANKS FOR READING!!!! ^_^O" -TBO~~
This chapter was inspired by Tifa's Theme from Final Fantasy. Originally, I didn't want to write anymore today, but I said to myself, "ALLISON, JUST DO IT!!!!" ) And so I did!! And look where it got me!! Just goes to show, people, that PERSEVERENCE is the word!! Hehe~! ^_^ ^__^= Well, ciao for now, and I guess that I still didn't write anymore "today", since today was actually YESTERDAY technically, so HA HAHAHA HA!! Ahh, foozin!! :-= And I would like to thank my friend Super Jenah for that quote!!!! ^^V"
~*~*~*~*~