*Warning*- The characters of Final Fantasy VII in no way belong to me (damn), and therefore I take no credit for the characters, which are all copyright to Square Soft Inc and everyone else who owns Final Fantasy VII! Can you tell I'm not good at writing these things? This story may contain spoilers and some violence, but besides that I don't think there should be too many problems! Please email me if you have any queries or comments… thanks! *^_~*
Chapter Four: Memories
A shadow breezed down the stairs in a blind fury, with only one thing in mind. The stairs seemed to blur, as if they were spinning, but in reality they were as still as the cold stone they were. The person who descended these stairs, ambushed by his own grief and rage, seemed oblivious to the bats that fluttered above his head, and continued his descent angrily. He reached the bottom, and hurried towards his goal, a small, damp room that he would eventually become very familiar with.
In his mind rushed thoughts of his betrayal, and an unmistakable burden of guilt. To some extent, he knew that he couldn't have prevented what had happened. But in his ideal world, he could have. He threw the heavy door open, with strength that he didn't know he possessed. It slammed open loudly, revealing a man in a labcoat inside. He glared at the man standing in front of him, who didn't look at all surprised to see him. Every ounce of anger inside his body swelled at the sight of this... monster... just calmly proceeding with his daily routine. He truly wanted to kill him.
"You knew she was going to die!" he accused, barely knowing what he was saying. His mind was foggy; he was so furious. The man in front of him shrugged nonchalantly. He thought he could just play with lives like they didn't matter!
"We knew it was a... possibility," he said hostilely, scowling back at the intrusive Turk standing before him. The Turk shook his head in disbelief or perhaps unwilling to believe. The scientist laughed internally. Why were his concepts so difficult for others to understand? No matter. Just have to get rid of him now. "Could you please see fit to leave the room?" The Turk glowered, his dark red eyes looking at him with... hatred? The scientist's heart skipped a beat when he held up the journal. Not any journal. The journal that contained... everything.
"Where... did you get that?" he hissed violently. The Turk just glared back.
"I'm taking this to Shinra, and I'm showing them exactly what you are doing. When the HRA find out about this, you'll be killed. When they find out what your plans for Sephiroth are, they'll make sure you rot in hell. Maybe they will stop there. Maybe they won't. But if they don't make sure you pay, I will." Foolish boy. The scientist shook his head in pity, almost but not quite regretting what the boy would soon go through.
"I'm sorry, Vincent, I really am," he said softly, with no real remorse in his voice. Then he withdrew his hidden shotgun, and aimed at the Turk calmly. The Turk's eyes merely widened in shock and pain as he staggered forward, holding his stomach. Hojo smiled grimly in satisfaction as he watched the blood slowly drip to the floor. The bastard was getting what he deserved. His eyes looked at the scientist's pleadingly, but the scientist just stepped back. Did he really expect mercy out of me? The Turk collapsed to his knees, and the scientist could tell that he was near death. But there were other plans for this boy. Many other plans.
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Vincent awoke abruptly, breathless and pale. His vision was slightly blurred but he could tell that it was night. Probably early morning actually. His hair fell in his eyes, and he reached up to brush it away. That was when he realised that he couldn't reach up. His hands were tied behind his back, and a sudden rise of alarm surged through him. Maybe Hojo had found him… He pulled against the ropes, grunting angrily. How could he have let himself to get caught like this? A soft hand on his shoulder stopped him- it definitely wasn't Hojo's touch. He twisted his head around and saw Tifa's warm brown eyes looking at him. He frowned at her, wondering what was going on. A dark look crossed her face, and she turned away.
"Tifa!" he said in confusion. "Where are you going?" The pleading in his voice made her turn around. Or maybe it was something else.
"You called me Tifa!" she exclaimed in joy, wriggling back over to him. She untied him, and he swung his arms back to normal in relief.
"What was that about?" he asked. She paused, then laughed almost bitterly.
"You don't remember?" she asked doubtfully. He shook his head slowly, feeling sick in the stomach. It had to be Chaos, he must have lost control of himself and allowed that beast to come forward… Tifa again hesitated, a look of indecision on her face.
"What is it?" Vincent asked, wishing she would just tell him.
"Vincent…" she began. "Who's Lucrecia?" She knew she had hit a nerve when she saw the expression of shock cross Vincent's face. But when the expression of shock was replaced by one of shame, she briefly wondered if he even knew what she was talking about. He wouldn't look her in the eyes as he spoke.
"What happened?" he asked stiffly. But the look on her face told him that he had to explain who Lucrecia was before she would tell him anything. With a heavy sigh, he told her as little as possible. "Lucrecia was someone I was very close to before I was put in the coffin." She looked at him sceptically.
"Alright… someone I loved," he admitted. "Now tell me what happened."
"Well, you called me Lucrecia," she said slowly. He knew there was more to it. "And Charity," she added, expecting an explanation. He flinched at the mention of the name, and his eyes darkened.
"You don't need to know about that," he said coldly, making Tifa draw back nervously. Vincent sighed again, and stood up. Then jumped back when he saw the two figures lying nearby asleep. "Rufus?" His voice was one of complete astonishment. Tifa nodded.
"He helped me save you…" she said softly. "I didn't expect it, but he surprised me." Vincent nodded silently, his mind somewhere else entirely. Charity… no wonder Tifa had regarded him with suspicion. But why didn't he remember anything of what had happened? All he remembered was a sharp jabbing in his arm, and then nothing until he awoke tied to a tree. His chin felt a little sore for some reason. He rubbed it thoughtfully, not noticing the blush that went across Tifa's face. Across from them, Rufus grunted and rolled over.
"Well, you should probably get some sleep," Tifa said. "It's about three in the morning." Vincent nodded, knowing he wouldn't be able to sleep. Not now. He desperately wanted to know exactly what had happened- what he had said, what he had done. But now wasn't the time to ask. Because Tifa would only want to know the answers to questions he didn't want to answer. He just couldn't bring himself to tell her. Tifa gave him a small smile, and snuggled into her sleeping bag. Then she stopped and looked up at him guiltily, for he had nowhere to sleep, but Vincent just shook his head.
"I'll be fine." Tifa nodded, and turned on her side. I'll be fine, Vincent thought. Yeah right. He sat there until he heard Tifa's rhythmic breathing, then left the clearing. The sky was lighter than normal, which meant the sun rose earlier here. Vincent scowled. He'd always hated the sun, ever since he got released from his laboratory prison, only to get put into the coffin he'd called home for thirty years. How weak he had been, to let Hojo continue, to let Lucrecia die. He pushed through the hanging vines, and through pure instinct found his way to a lake. The moon shimmered high in the sky, not a cloud in sight. The stars twinkled brightly, and the area was lighted with an eerie pale white glow. So peaceful yet discomforting.
Vincent sat down on a rock, unaware of his shoes slowly sinking into the shallow mud. As it usually did when he was alone, his past crept up on him like a slithering snake. He had done so many things, controlled by Shinra. And it had taken so much to stop him, to make him realise what he was doing. He sighed, wondering if he would ever make up for these deeds. It seemed he would forever be in repentance. He knew that he eventually had to tell Tifa the truth. The real truth. The lake was rippling quietly, the tiny schools of fish stirring beneath its surface.
Vincent jerked in alarm when he sensed the person behind him, but saw that it was only Elena, the Turk. He turned away again, to stare at the pool of water before him, hoping she would leave. But she didn't.
"You were a Turk, weren't you?" she observed quietly. He ignored her. "I know about Lucrecia... that is how I knew that you were a Turk once. But... that was a long time ago, wasn't it?" Vincent turned, away from her prying eyes, so his back was to the nosy girl.
"How can you be so sure?" he remarked coolly. She hesitated.
"I... have access to some files," she said finally. Vincent turned to look at her, his eyes blazing. Elena gasped meekly, stepping backwards in panic.
"The journal," he uttered under his breath. "Did you see the journal?" Elena shook her head slowly, thinking back to when she had hacked the system. Most people believed her to be nothing more than a ditz, but those people didn't know about her secret major in technology and, more importantly, hacking. Tseng wasn't one of those people. He believed in her. She only wished that she knew where he was. Vincent again turned away from her, his silent barrier again taking over.
"Your leader may not be alive much longer," he mused. Elena raised her eyebrows.
"Tseng?!" she asked, worried. "How do you know?" But Vincent had again retreated into his invisible shell, and did not reply. Elena seemed to sense the tension in the air, and returned to the campsite to wonder about her leader. She shouldn't be so worried about what a rebel said. There was nothing to worry about...
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"For goodness sakes, just get out with it!" demanded Rufus impatiently. "It can't be that bad!" The unlikely group sat in a small circle, and all eyes were on Vincent. His eyes darkened, and he looked away. Rufus sighed in annoyance, not used to anything but getting his own way. Tifa looked at Vincent sympathetically, knowing that there was a dark and mysterious past that he hadn't revealed. She knew that because of what he had said the other day. He had had authority over Than and Charity, and that said something.
"You really want to know?" he hissed viciously, revealing a side to him that no one had witnessed. His eyes were burning with anger and regret. Rufus nodded in satisfaction.
"Of course I do," he said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. His normally ironed white coat was slightly crumpled, giving him a dishevelled and almost dangerous look. Even with Vincent glaring him down, Rufus remained calm. Vincent closed his eyes, as if to rid himself of Rufus and his annoyingly commanding behaviour.
"I was a Turk thirty years ago," he said shortly. Elena hid her small smile of triumph. "But... I was different then. I was one of the most feared and hated Turks of all my group, and second only to a man named Ramsey Marinald. Together, in our 'pack', we'd roam the land to towns and cities that we were told to go to by Shinra, doing what we were instructed to do. Which often involved killing innocent men, women and children in cold blood. Nothing could stop us, until I made the mistake of falling in love, and paid the ultimate price. I was... ignorant. I believed I could change my ways, and that love conquered over evil. I was wrong." No one spoke. Rufus' brow furrowed.
"My father... you were under his instruction?" he questioned. Vincent just nodded. Tifa suddenly spoke up.
"What happened?" she asked curiously. Vincent lowered his gaze.
"I was foolish enough to confront an corrupted, deranged scientist who in return spent weeks using me... as an experiment." He looked away in shame, his eyes dark. Tifa felt her heart go out to the man, who had obviously suffered more than she ever had, or ever would. She was wrong about that, because her future held more trials than she could imagine. But she, of course, did not know that. She did have a fair idea who was responsible for Vincent's capture, however.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. Vincent shook his head.
"Don't be," he said angrily. "The only person who should truly be sorry is me. I should have died thirty years ago, with my love. But... I didn't..." He choked, and for a moment seemed to forget that Rufus and Elena were looking upon him with a morbid interest.
"Marinald," murmured Rufus. "The monster thing back at the village?" Vincent glanced up at him.
"Yes," he said. "That was once my boss, my rival since we were both young. We used to fight all the time, but then we allied together at the last moment. When I disappeared from Nibelheim, he knew immediately what had happened and sent in all the Turks of that time to find Hojo. I had called him to tell him about Lucrecia's illness, and that he shouldn't worry about me. So of course, he did. Hojo captured all of the Turks, except one-" Rufus interrupted in shock.
"My mother..." he whispered. Vincent raised his eyebrows.
"Rhiannon... was your mother?" he asked with pity in his quiet voice. Rufus nodded. Vincent blinked.
"She shouldn't have been a Turk in the first place," Vincent said bitterly. "She had been so innocent, but over the years she was corrupted and turned cold. And then, when she was the only one who escaped from Hojo's grasp, he ordered her-"
"-killed," Rufus finished. Elena glanced at Rufus. She had obviously not known his past. "When I was two years old, she disappeared from the headquarters. Father put everything into trying to find her, but we never found her. No one ever saw her again..." His voice trailed off sadly, and his shoulders sagged. Vincent noticed the look on Tifa's face, realising she felt sorry for the man that only three days earlier hated so much. He shook his head at the irony of it. It always took something dreadful for people to realise the friends and allies that they really had.
"Hojo did it, didn't he?" Rufus mumbled, looking at his hands sullenly. "He killed my mother." Vincent nodded slightly.
"And many more," he said quietly. "Throughout that time, I was imprisoned in my coffin, unable to do anything. I heard the screams of my friends, as they were put through torture more horrible that death. And I could do nothing but listen. Over the years, the strong seal on the coffin loosened, but by then I felt no need to escape. What was the point? My life was over. I should have been dead. Then... Cloud and Aeris came. I didn't trust them at first, but then when they told me about Sephiroth..." Tifa looked at him in confusion.
"Where does Sephiroth come into this?" she asked. Vincent paused, feeling the anxious tension in the air. Were they ready to find out the truth?
"He was... Lucrecia's child," Vincent muttered. "He could have had such a loving life. She wanted to hold him so bad. To love him. But as soon as he was born, he was whisked away by his father to be experimented on. His own father!" Something suddenly dawned on Tifa, and she realised where Hojo fitted into this puzzle.
"Oh my god..." she murmured. Vincent stood up abruptly, startling them all.
"I have to go back," he said determinely. "I have to tell Marinald that I knew how hard he tried to save me, even after all those years of fighting. I have to." He left the clearing quickly, leaving the other three to digest everything they had just learned. It was late afternoon now. The day had quickly passed as they had slept until about one, due to their past day's exhaustion. Then they had awaked, only to lie around feeling depressed and wondering if they would ever be found. Vincent had caught some fish, and they had all munched sombrely.
Tifa stood up, about to go after him.
Tifa!
She spun around, clutching her head and looking suspiciously at Rufus and Elena, who looked blankly back at her.
Tifa! Are... okay?
Someone was definitely calling her. She looked around, feeling prickles go down her spine. Who was it? Elena and Rufus both glanced at her, and she realised she was the only one who could hear the soft voice. She strained to hear it again, but the voice was gone.
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"Ramsey... I'm so sorry. I was there the whole time, unable to help you when you needed me the most. It's all my fault." Vincent hung his head, wishing he had been stronger, strong enough to resist Hojo. Marinald shook his head, a hand running absently through his hair.
"No, Valentine. I should be the one who is sorry. All these years... they have changed me," he said in a gruff tone. "I was in my forties to begin with. You... you had your whole life ahead of you. But we couldn't save you. Hojo had one of his pets knock us all unconscious, and then subjected us to experiments one at a time. I'm only glad that Rhiannon escaped..." He stopped when he saw the dark look that crossed Vincent's face.
"She's dead, isn't she?" he said dismally, more of a statement than a question. Vincent only nodded. Marinald let out an angry choke, and clenched his fist. "Vincent... I wish that we could have saved you from Hojo. We should have went with you in the first place... I'm sorry." The two both looked away from each other, feeling awkward. Finally, Vincent spoke.
"Marinald," he began. "I know the future looks bleak, but whatever you do, don't lose hope. Don't give up. I promise you that I will do all I can to help you, but for now you must trust me. Do what Hojo says, but only to the extent that he makes you. Despite the years that we disagreed, I now see how similar we are. And... I will avenge Rhiannon. And everyone else. And especially you, my friend." Marinald's eyes were watery, and he suddenly lunged at Vincent and hugged him fiercely. Vincent was a little shocked, but hugged him back.
"No matter what," Marinald said as he stepped back. "We'll never let our pettiness stop us from allying against the real enemy again." Vincent nodded, feeling a bit more at peace with himself.
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Tifa watched Rufus from where she was hidden behind some ferns. He was standing at the edge of the cliff, deep in thought. Tifa shook her head, wondering why she was spying on him. Elena was back at the camp, asleep again. She frowned when she saw him look down at the rocky ground below, wishing that she could say something to comfort him. Vincent had been right. The gap between the two groups had dropped, somehow, and she no longer felt so much dislike towards the President of Shinra. He was only a few years older than she was, yet he had gone through so much. Again she felt so sheltered, but in a good way.
Watching him made her think of Cloud. She wondered where he was, if he was okay. She prayed with everything she had that all her friends were alive, and okay. But she knew that, just as she could be, any of them could easily be wiped from existence. Being the optimistic person she was, Tifa wouldn't allow herself to think such thoughts.
Tifa! Can you hear me?
She gasped, knowing that voice anywhere.
"Aeris...?" she whispered.
Tifa! You're alive! Thank the Planet! Where are you?
"I'm... here," she murmured. "Somewhere on an island."
We're coming for you guys! Just sit tight, and we'll find you tomorrow!
"Okay... Aeris." Tifa could hardly believe that Aeris was coming with everyone else to save them. It was a miracle. Everyone was safe. They could be a group again, and go to the Temple of Ancients and save the world. It may have seemed a far run, but at that moment, Tifa felt like anything was possible. She returned her gaze to Rufus, and gasped, pouncing and running towards him. He had a knife poised right at his wrist, and started to press down on it, closing his eyes.
"Rufus!" she shrieked, nearing him. He turned around in shock, fumbling with the knife. He managed to cut himself deeply, but Tifa snatched the knife away and threw it over the cliff. It clattered loudly to the ground below, and Rufus slumped down. Tifa managed to catch him, glaring at him. He looked so different, so weak.
"What do you think you're doing?" she snapped. He scowled at her, not saying anything. Tifa placed her hand around his wrist tightly, trying to slow the blood flow. She helped him over to a rock, and made him sit down on it. Rufus grimaced, his energy slipping. Tifa took out a Restore Materia, and used the strongest spell she could on him. The cut shrunk drastically, and the flow of blood stopped. Finally, there was nothing more than a thin scar.
"Why did you stop me?" he muttered angrily, staring at the ground.
"You think you can just run away from your problems?" Tifa hissed. "You think that if you kill yourself, it will all end there? What about Elena? And the Turks?" Rufus brushed this away.
"They don't care about me anyway," he said. "All they care about is the money." Tifa narrowed her eyes.
"All this pity, Rufus," she said. "There are other things at stake here. Like the fate of the Planet! You can't be so selfish!" He glowered, clenching his fist.
"For all you know, we could stay on this island forever. Our last destination will be here, on this bloody hole in the ground, as the world ends. Do you really want to end it that way?"
"I happen to know that by this time tomorrow, we won't be here anymore," she said. Rufus looked up in hope and disbelief. Then his expression faltered.
"That doesn't change anything," he said softly. "I never knew about Hojo's betrayal until now." Tifa shook her head angrily.
"So you can go stop him! We all will! He can't stand up to all of us." Rufus sighed, his head in his hands. Tifa felt a wave of sympathy for him, wishing she knew what to say.
"I'm... so sorry... about your mum," she said quietly. He let out a choked sob, something she hadn't expected.
"I never knew!" he said desperately. "All these years, I trusted Hojo. I never knew..." He wiped his eyes, standing up and turning away from Tifa. "But, I will make that asshole pay. I will make him beg for mercy. He took so much from me... I cried for years after she disappeared, until I eventually became as cold-hearted and uncaring as my father... but I won't let that happen again." He turned to Tifa, smiling weakly. "Thank you... Tifa. For stopping me." She gave him a small smile back, and he offered a hand to help her up.
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--Hehehe... They think they have outsmarted me for now. Just wait until they see what I have planned next.--
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Authors Note:- Finally finished Chapter IV! Phew! Slightly longer chapter this time. Well, let's look back at what happened. To anyone who has read my other story 'Part II- Heart of Stone', you might have recognised the scene with Vincent and Hojo. I changed it a bit, though, having a bit more of Hojo's thoughts in it. Some new characters introduced here, and some old ones will re-emerge next chapter. Or at least the ones you guys are familiar with. So what did you think? Please let me know by reviewing!! Thank you everyone!
Chapter Four: Memories
A shadow breezed down the stairs in a blind fury, with only one thing in mind. The stairs seemed to blur, as if they were spinning, but in reality they were as still as the cold stone they were. The person who descended these stairs, ambushed by his own grief and rage, seemed oblivious to the bats that fluttered above his head, and continued his descent angrily. He reached the bottom, and hurried towards his goal, a small, damp room that he would eventually become very familiar with.
In his mind rushed thoughts of his betrayal, and an unmistakable burden of guilt. To some extent, he knew that he couldn't have prevented what had happened. But in his ideal world, he could have. He threw the heavy door open, with strength that he didn't know he possessed. It slammed open loudly, revealing a man in a labcoat inside. He glared at the man standing in front of him, who didn't look at all surprised to see him. Every ounce of anger inside his body swelled at the sight of this... monster... just calmly proceeding with his daily routine. He truly wanted to kill him.
"You knew she was going to die!" he accused, barely knowing what he was saying. His mind was foggy; he was so furious. The man in front of him shrugged nonchalantly. He thought he could just play with lives like they didn't matter!
"We knew it was a... possibility," he said hostilely, scowling back at the intrusive Turk standing before him. The Turk shook his head in disbelief or perhaps unwilling to believe. The scientist laughed internally. Why were his concepts so difficult for others to understand? No matter. Just have to get rid of him now. "Could you please see fit to leave the room?" The Turk glowered, his dark red eyes looking at him with... hatred? The scientist's heart skipped a beat when he held up the journal. Not any journal. The journal that contained... everything.
"Where... did you get that?" he hissed violently. The Turk just glared back.
"I'm taking this to Shinra, and I'm showing them exactly what you are doing. When the HRA find out about this, you'll be killed. When they find out what your plans for Sephiroth are, they'll make sure you rot in hell. Maybe they will stop there. Maybe they won't. But if they don't make sure you pay, I will." Foolish boy. The scientist shook his head in pity, almost but not quite regretting what the boy would soon go through.
"I'm sorry, Vincent, I really am," he said softly, with no real remorse in his voice. Then he withdrew his hidden shotgun, and aimed at the Turk calmly. The Turk's eyes merely widened in shock and pain as he staggered forward, holding his stomach. Hojo smiled grimly in satisfaction as he watched the blood slowly drip to the floor. The bastard was getting what he deserved. His eyes looked at the scientist's pleadingly, but the scientist just stepped back. Did he really expect mercy out of me? The Turk collapsed to his knees, and the scientist could tell that he was near death. But there were other plans for this boy. Many other plans.
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Vincent awoke abruptly, breathless and pale. His vision was slightly blurred but he could tell that it was night. Probably early morning actually. His hair fell in his eyes, and he reached up to brush it away. That was when he realised that he couldn't reach up. His hands were tied behind his back, and a sudden rise of alarm surged through him. Maybe Hojo had found him… He pulled against the ropes, grunting angrily. How could he have let himself to get caught like this? A soft hand on his shoulder stopped him- it definitely wasn't Hojo's touch. He twisted his head around and saw Tifa's warm brown eyes looking at him. He frowned at her, wondering what was going on. A dark look crossed her face, and she turned away.
"Tifa!" he said in confusion. "Where are you going?" The pleading in his voice made her turn around. Or maybe it was something else.
"You called me Tifa!" she exclaimed in joy, wriggling back over to him. She untied him, and he swung his arms back to normal in relief.
"What was that about?" he asked. She paused, then laughed almost bitterly.
"You don't remember?" she asked doubtfully. He shook his head slowly, feeling sick in the stomach. It had to be Chaos, he must have lost control of himself and allowed that beast to come forward… Tifa again hesitated, a look of indecision on her face.
"What is it?" Vincent asked, wishing she would just tell him.
"Vincent…" she began. "Who's Lucrecia?" She knew she had hit a nerve when she saw the expression of shock cross Vincent's face. But when the expression of shock was replaced by one of shame, she briefly wondered if he even knew what she was talking about. He wouldn't look her in the eyes as he spoke.
"What happened?" he asked stiffly. But the look on her face told him that he had to explain who Lucrecia was before she would tell him anything. With a heavy sigh, he told her as little as possible. "Lucrecia was someone I was very close to before I was put in the coffin." She looked at him sceptically.
"Alright… someone I loved," he admitted. "Now tell me what happened."
"Well, you called me Lucrecia," she said slowly. He knew there was more to it. "And Charity," she added, expecting an explanation. He flinched at the mention of the name, and his eyes darkened.
"You don't need to know about that," he said coldly, making Tifa draw back nervously. Vincent sighed again, and stood up. Then jumped back when he saw the two figures lying nearby asleep. "Rufus?" His voice was one of complete astonishment. Tifa nodded.
"He helped me save you…" she said softly. "I didn't expect it, but he surprised me." Vincent nodded silently, his mind somewhere else entirely. Charity… no wonder Tifa had regarded him with suspicion. But why didn't he remember anything of what had happened? All he remembered was a sharp jabbing in his arm, and then nothing until he awoke tied to a tree. His chin felt a little sore for some reason. He rubbed it thoughtfully, not noticing the blush that went across Tifa's face. Across from them, Rufus grunted and rolled over.
"Well, you should probably get some sleep," Tifa said. "It's about three in the morning." Vincent nodded, knowing he wouldn't be able to sleep. Not now. He desperately wanted to know exactly what had happened- what he had said, what he had done. But now wasn't the time to ask. Because Tifa would only want to know the answers to questions he didn't want to answer. He just couldn't bring himself to tell her. Tifa gave him a small smile, and snuggled into her sleeping bag. Then she stopped and looked up at him guiltily, for he had nowhere to sleep, but Vincent just shook his head.
"I'll be fine." Tifa nodded, and turned on her side. I'll be fine, Vincent thought. Yeah right. He sat there until he heard Tifa's rhythmic breathing, then left the clearing. The sky was lighter than normal, which meant the sun rose earlier here. Vincent scowled. He'd always hated the sun, ever since he got released from his laboratory prison, only to get put into the coffin he'd called home for thirty years. How weak he had been, to let Hojo continue, to let Lucrecia die. He pushed through the hanging vines, and through pure instinct found his way to a lake. The moon shimmered high in the sky, not a cloud in sight. The stars twinkled brightly, and the area was lighted with an eerie pale white glow. So peaceful yet discomforting.
Vincent sat down on a rock, unaware of his shoes slowly sinking into the shallow mud. As it usually did when he was alone, his past crept up on him like a slithering snake. He had done so many things, controlled by Shinra. And it had taken so much to stop him, to make him realise what he was doing. He sighed, wondering if he would ever make up for these deeds. It seemed he would forever be in repentance. He knew that he eventually had to tell Tifa the truth. The real truth. The lake was rippling quietly, the tiny schools of fish stirring beneath its surface.
Vincent jerked in alarm when he sensed the person behind him, but saw that it was only Elena, the Turk. He turned away again, to stare at the pool of water before him, hoping she would leave. But she didn't.
"You were a Turk, weren't you?" she observed quietly. He ignored her. "I know about Lucrecia... that is how I knew that you were a Turk once. But... that was a long time ago, wasn't it?" Vincent turned, away from her prying eyes, so his back was to the nosy girl.
"How can you be so sure?" he remarked coolly. She hesitated.
"I... have access to some files," she said finally. Vincent turned to look at her, his eyes blazing. Elena gasped meekly, stepping backwards in panic.
"The journal," he uttered under his breath. "Did you see the journal?" Elena shook her head slowly, thinking back to when she had hacked the system. Most people believed her to be nothing more than a ditz, but those people didn't know about her secret major in technology and, more importantly, hacking. Tseng wasn't one of those people. He believed in her. She only wished that she knew where he was. Vincent again turned away from her, his silent barrier again taking over.
"Your leader may not be alive much longer," he mused. Elena raised her eyebrows.
"Tseng?!" she asked, worried. "How do you know?" But Vincent had again retreated into his invisible shell, and did not reply. Elena seemed to sense the tension in the air, and returned to the campsite to wonder about her leader. She shouldn't be so worried about what a rebel said. There was nothing to worry about...
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"For goodness sakes, just get out with it!" demanded Rufus impatiently. "It can't be that bad!" The unlikely group sat in a small circle, and all eyes were on Vincent. His eyes darkened, and he looked away. Rufus sighed in annoyance, not used to anything but getting his own way. Tifa looked at Vincent sympathetically, knowing that there was a dark and mysterious past that he hadn't revealed. She knew that because of what he had said the other day. He had had authority over Than and Charity, and that said something.
"You really want to know?" he hissed viciously, revealing a side to him that no one had witnessed. His eyes were burning with anger and regret. Rufus nodded in satisfaction.
"Of course I do," he said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. His normally ironed white coat was slightly crumpled, giving him a dishevelled and almost dangerous look. Even with Vincent glaring him down, Rufus remained calm. Vincent closed his eyes, as if to rid himself of Rufus and his annoyingly commanding behaviour.
"I was a Turk thirty years ago," he said shortly. Elena hid her small smile of triumph. "But... I was different then. I was one of the most feared and hated Turks of all my group, and second only to a man named Ramsey Marinald. Together, in our 'pack', we'd roam the land to towns and cities that we were told to go to by Shinra, doing what we were instructed to do. Which often involved killing innocent men, women and children in cold blood. Nothing could stop us, until I made the mistake of falling in love, and paid the ultimate price. I was... ignorant. I believed I could change my ways, and that love conquered over evil. I was wrong." No one spoke. Rufus' brow furrowed.
"My father... you were under his instruction?" he questioned. Vincent just nodded. Tifa suddenly spoke up.
"What happened?" she asked curiously. Vincent lowered his gaze.
"I was foolish enough to confront an corrupted, deranged scientist who in return spent weeks using me... as an experiment." He looked away in shame, his eyes dark. Tifa felt her heart go out to the man, who had obviously suffered more than she ever had, or ever would. She was wrong about that, because her future held more trials than she could imagine. But she, of course, did not know that. She did have a fair idea who was responsible for Vincent's capture, however.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. Vincent shook his head.
"Don't be," he said angrily. "The only person who should truly be sorry is me. I should have died thirty years ago, with my love. But... I didn't..." He choked, and for a moment seemed to forget that Rufus and Elena were looking upon him with a morbid interest.
"Marinald," murmured Rufus. "The monster thing back at the village?" Vincent glanced up at him.
"Yes," he said. "That was once my boss, my rival since we were both young. We used to fight all the time, but then we allied together at the last moment. When I disappeared from Nibelheim, he knew immediately what had happened and sent in all the Turks of that time to find Hojo. I had called him to tell him about Lucrecia's illness, and that he shouldn't worry about me. So of course, he did. Hojo captured all of the Turks, except one-" Rufus interrupted in shock.
"My mother..." he whispered. Vincent raised his eyebrows.
"Rhiannon... was your mother?" he asked with pity in his quiet voice. Rufus nodded. Vincent blinked.
"She shouldn't have been a Turk in the first place," Vincent said bitterly. "She had been so innocent, but over the years she was corrupted and turned cold. And then, when she was the only one who escaped from Hojo's grasp, he ordered her-"
"-killed," Rufus finished. Elena glanced at Rufus. She had obviously not known his past. "When I was two years old, she disappeared from the headquarters. Father put everything into trying to find her, but we never found her. No one ever saw her again..." His voice trailed off sadly, and his shoulders sagged. Vincent noticed the look on Tifa's face, realising she felt sorry for the man that only three days earlier hated so much. He shook his head at the irony of it. It always took something dreadful for people to realise the friends and allies that they really had.
"Hojo did it, didn't he?" Rufus mumbled, looking at his hands sullenly. "He killed my mother." Vincent nodded slightly.
"And many more," he said quietly. "Throughout that time, I was imprisoned in my coffin, unable to do anything. I heard the screams of my friends, as they were put through torture more horrible that death. And I could do nothing but listen. Over the years, the strong seal on the coffin loosened, but by then I felt no need to escape. What was the point? My life was over. I should have been dead. Then... Cloud and Aeris came. I didn't trust them at first, but then when they told me about Sephiroth..." Tifa looked at him in confusion.
"Where does Sephiroth come into this?" she asked. Vincent paused, feeling the anxious tension in the air. Were they ready to find out the truth?
"He was... Lucrecia's child," Vincent muttered. "He could have had such a loving life. She wanted to hold him so bad. To love him. But as soon as he was born, he was whisked away by his father to be experimented on. His own father!" Something suddenly dawned on Tifa, and she realised where Hojo fitted into this puzzle.
"Oh my god..." she murmured. Vincent stood up abruptly, startling them all.
"I have to go back," he said determinely. "I have to tell Marinald that I knew how hard he tried to save me, even after all those years of fighting. I have to." He left the clearing quickly, leaving the other three to digest everything they had just learned. It was late afternoon now. The day had quickly passed as they had slept until about one, due to their past day's exhaustion. Then they had awaked, only to lie around feeling depressed and wondering if they would ever be found. Vincent had caught some fish, and they had all munched sombrely.
Tifa stood up, about to go after him.
Tifa!
She spun around, clutching her head and looking suspiciously at Rufus and Elena, who looked blankly back at her.
Tifa! Are... okay?
Someone was definitely calling her. She looked around, feeling prickles go down her spine. Who was it? Elena and Rufus both glanced at her, and she realised she was the only one who could hear the soft voice. She strained to hear it again, but the voice was gone.
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"Ramsey... I'm so sorry. I was there the whole time, unable to help you when you needed me the most. It's all my fault." Vincent hung his head, wishing he had been stronger, strong enough to resist Hojo. Marinald shook his head, a hand running absently through his hair.
"No, Valentine. I should be the one who is sorry. All these years... they have changed me," he said in a gruff tone. "I was in my forties to begin with. You... you had your whole life ahead of you. But we couldn't save you. Hojo had one of his pets knock us all unconscious, and then subjected us to experiments one at a time. I'm only glad that Rhiannon escaped..." He stopped when he saw the dark look that crossed Vincent's face.
"She's dead, isn't she?" he said dismally, more of a statement than a question. Vincent only nodded. Marinald let out an angry choke, and clenched his fist. "Vincent... I wish that we could have saved you from Hojo. We should have went with you in the first place... I'm sorry." The two both looked away from each other, feeling awkward. Finally, Vincent spoke.
"Marinald," he began. "I know the future looks bleak, but whatever you do, don't lose hope. Don't give up. I promise you that I will do all I can to help you, but for now you must trust me. Do what Hojo says, but only to the extent that he makes you. Despite the years that we disagreed, I now see how similar we are. And... I will avenge Rhiannon. And everyone else. And especially you, my friend." Marinald's eyes were watery, and he suddenly lunged at Vincent and hugged him fiercely. Vincent was a little shocked, but hugged him back.
"No matter what," Marinald said as he stepped back. "We'll never let our pettiness stop us from allying against the real enemy again." Vincent nodded, feeling a bit more at peace with himself.
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Tifa watched Rufus from where she was hidden behind some ferns. He was standing at the edge of the cliff, deep in thought. Tifa shook her head, wondering why she was spying on him. Elena was back at the camp, asleep again. She frowned when she saw him look down at the rocky ground below, wishing that she could say something to comfort him. Vincent had been right. The gap between the two groups had dropped, somehow, and she no longer felt so much dislike towards the President of Shinra. He was only a few years older than she was, yet he had gone through so much. Again she felt so sheltered, but in a good way.
Watching him made her think of Cloud. She wondered where he was, if he was okay. She prayed with everything she had that all her friends were alive, and okay. But she knew that, just as she could be, any of them could easily be wiped from existence. Being the optimistic person she was, Tifa wouldn't allow herself to think such thoughts.
Tifa! Can you hear me?
She gasped, knowing that voice anywhere.
"Aeris...?" she whispered.
Tifa! You're alive! Thank the Planet! Where are you?
"I'm... here," she murmured. "Somewhere on an island."
We're coming for you guys! Just sit tight, and we'll find you tomorrow!
"Okay... Aeris." Tifa could hardly believe that Aeris was coming with everyone else to save them. It was a miracle. Everyone was safe. They could be a group again, and go to the Temple of Ancients and save the world. It may have seemed a far run, but at that moment, Tifa felt like anything was possible. She returned her gaze to Rufus, and gasped, pouncing and running towards him. He had a knife poised right at his wrist, and started to press down on it, closing his eyes.
"Rufus!" she shrieked, nearing him. He turned around in shock, fumbling with the knife. He managed to cut himself deeply, but Tifa snatched the knife away and threw it over the cliff. It clattered loudly to the ground below, and Rufus slumped down. Tifa managed to catch him, glaring at him. He looked so different, so weak.
"What do you think you're doing?" she snapped. He scowled at her, not saying anything. Tifa placed her hand around his wrist tightly, trying to slow the blood flow. She helped him over to a rock, and made him sit down on it. Rufus grimaced, his energy slipping. Tifa took out a Restore Materia, and used the strongest spell she could on him. The cut shrunk drastically, and the flow of blood stopped. Finally, there was nothing more than a thin scar.
"Why did you stop me?" he muttered angrily, staring at the ground.
"You think you can just run away from your problems?" Tifa hissed. "You think that if you kill yourself, it will all end there? What about Elena? And the Turks?" Rufus brushed this away.
"They don't care about me anyway," he said. "All they care about is the money." Tifa narrowed her eyes.
"All this pity, Rufus," she said. "There are other things at stake here. Like the fate of the Planet! You can't be so selfish!" He glowered, clenching his fist.
"For all you know, we could stay on this island forever. Our last destination will be here, on this bloody hole in the ground, as the world ends. Do you really want to end it that way?"
"I happen to know that by this time tomorrow, we won't be here anymore," she said. Rufus looked up in hope and disbelief. Then his expression faltered.
"That doesn't change anything," he said softly. "I never knew about Hojo's betrayal until now." Tifa shook her head angrily.
"So you can go stop him! We all will! He can't stand up to all of us." Rufus sighed, his head in his hands. Tifa felt a wave of sympathy for him, wishing she knew what to say.
"I'm... so sorry... about your mum," she said quietly. He let out a choked sob, something she hadn't expected.
"I never knew!" he said desperately. "All these years, I trusted Hojo. I never knew..." He wiped his eyes, standing up and turning away from Tifa. "But, I will make that asshole pay. I will make him beg for mercy. He took so much from me... I cried for years after she disappeared, until I eventually became as cold-hearted and uncaring as my father... but I won't let that happen again." He turned to Tifa, smiling weakly. "Thank you... Tifa. For stopping me." She gave him a small smile back, and he offered a hand to help her up.
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--Hehehe... They think they have outsmarted me for now. Just wait until they see what I have planned next.--
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Authors Note:- Finally finished Chapter IV! Phew! Slightly longer chapter this time. Well, let's look back at what happened. To anyone who has read my other story 'Part II- Heart of Stone', you might have recognised the scene with Vincent and Hojo. I changed it a bit, though, having a bit more of Hojo's thoughts in it. Some new characters introduced here, and some old ones will re-emerge next chapter. Or at least the ones you guys are familiar with. So what did you think? Please let me know by reviewing!! Thank you everyone!
