Chapter XII: Ninjas And Vampires.
Yuffie slowly opened her eyes. The morning light seeped through the tent. She yawned and tried to stand up. Something stopped her. It felt like a weight was holding her down. She looked at her shoulder and saw the golden claw. Fear clouded her senses. She opened her mouth to scream, but stopped by a frantic thought. Vincent. She relaxed instantly. She shoved the claw away and turned to looked at Vincent. She was surprised at his nearness. She had nearly rolled over him. Instead, she found herself staring at his closed eyes. The rare smile on his lips seemed to make him look different. The stoic exterior had cracked while was asleep. Maybe cracked was the wrong word. Vincent never smiled. Maybe it snapped completely.
"Nah." She muttered.
Vincent's garnet eyes snapped open at the sound of her voice. The smile disappeared from his face. The rock that was his personality returned with a vengeance. His arm recoiled so fast that she hardly noticed. His gaze turned away from her. He rolled away from her quickly. Yuffie could have sworn that he had blushed.
"Vinnie?" She asked.
"Don't call me that." Came her answer.
"Vinnie." She said evilly.
A sigh from Vincent.
"Yes Yuffie?" He said while sitting up.
"Did you bring any food?"
Awkward silence.
"Dammit!" Vincent swore.
"Vincent!" Yuffie said in surprise. "Where did that come from?"
"I knew I was forgetting something." Vincent ranted.
"Ok, no food." Yuffie muttered. Vincent was verbally beating himself with a sharp rock in the back round. "Vinnie, shut up."
Vincent took a look at Yuffie and promptly closed his mouth. Yuffie took advantage of his silence to speak her thoughts.
"I think we should go to Junon. That way, we run no risk of running into Cloud and the others. What do you think?" She didn't receive an answer. "Silence means yes."
Vincent turned his withering gaze to Yuffie. She cowered slightly.
"It is a good plan. We will go to Junon then. But there should be very few breaks on the way. I would like to make it there by noon today."
"Fair enough."
Vincent stood, stretched, and walked outside. Yuffie followed his example and walked out. Vincent was already dismantling the tent and packing it away. Yuffie looked at the dark man as his muscles stood out through the tears in his clothes. He tied the tent together and climbed onto his chocobo. Yuffie looked around for her own chocobo. She couldn't seem to see it anywhere.
"Err, Vinnie, where's my bird?" She asked.
"It ran off yesterday." The reply came.
"So, umm, how am I gonna ride?"
"I suspect with me."
"Ride with you?"
"That was what I said, yes."
"Err, okay."
Vincent offered a hand. Yuffie smiled and grabbed the hand. Vincent pulled her up and put her down in front of him. He leaned forward closer to Yuffie. She thought he was trying to embrace her, and she leaned away from him. The chocobo shot forward in a burst of speed. Vincent leaned back and steered the chocobo. Yuffie grinned sheepishly. I guess I was overrating myself, she thought. A mountain looked in the distance. The golden chocobo began running up the steep slope. Despite slipping a few times, the ride went well. They arrived at the peak to near mid afternoon. The sun glittered across the winter snowfields, creating a dazzling array of small lights. Yuffie gasped at the sight.
"Hold tight." Vincent said.
"Why?"
Vincent sighed. He wrapped an arm around her tightly. He leaned forward hard and the chocobo leapt off the peak, landing with a thud against the ice. The chocobo ran down the slope, with Yuffie screaming in its ears. The wind whipped past them as the chocobo picked up speed. The ground rushed past in a blur. Yuffie's long brown hair waved wildly in the air. The chocobo leapt again and landed on the snow. The huge momentum carried the chocobo at an amazing speed. Before long, Junon was in sight. The chocobo slowed down to a normal speed. Vincent released her from his grip.
"That wasn't so bad, was it?"
Yuffie elbowed him in the ribs.
"When I got off this bird I'm gonna kick your bony ass!"
They entered the city, while Yuffie yelled insults and hit him with Vincent yelping in pain now and again.
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Vincent walked into the Junon inn, rubbing his arm. He took a quick look at his surroundings and walked up to the desk. He gazed at the woman that sat there reading.
"Rooms for two, please." He said.
The woman dropped the book with a start. She looked up at dark man and withered at his gaze. She turned to look for two keys but found only one. She turned to address Vincent nervously.
"We only have one left."
Vincent's eyes narrowed.
Yuffie opened the door behind him.
"You got the rooms, Vinnie?"
Vincent turned.
"They only have one left."
Yuffie walked past Vincent and smiled at the receptionist.
"We'll take it."
Vincent began spattering uselessly.
"But Yuffie," He began.
"Is there two beds?" Yuffie asked the receptionist, fully ignoring Vincent.
"Of course."
"Ok!" She turned to Vincent. "What are you waitin' for Vinnie, pay the woman."
Vincent muttered something and began rummaging through his pockets. He slammed down a couple of coins and took the key. He followed Yuffie up the stairs to their room.
"I get the first shower." Vincent stated.
"Ever heard of "ladies first" Vinnie?"
Vincent didn't bother to answer. He merely followed. They arrived at the door of their room.
"Vinnie, I allow you the honor." Yuffie said, while bowing in mock elegance.
Vincent grinned. He jammed the key into the lock and turned. He was rewarded by a click. He opened the door and walked through. Yuffie rushed past him and ran into the bathroom. Vincent walked calmly to the centre of the room and inspected. There was a small dresser with a radio on it. True to the receptionists words, there were two beds. He heard the sound of rushing water. There was a lamp between the two beds. Vincent walked over to the radio and turned it on. Static. He quickly went through the channels until he found something that suited him. Mozart. The soft music put him at ease. He flopped down on a bed and stared upward into the ceiling.
I shouldn't be here. It was wrong of me to let her come with me. I am endangering her with my presence here. I should leave.
BUT YOU WON'T.
The thought struck him from out of nowhere. Chaos.
What do you want?
A MILLION GIL IN CASH.
Ha ha. What do you want?
WE SEEK TO HELP YOU.
We? Vincent said mentally.
YES. WE.
Oh.
WE KNOW WHAT GOES THROUGH YOUR DEMENTED MIND. SHE IS ONE OF THEM.
Oh god. Even my own demons are throwing me into this.
YOUR THOUGHTS ARE, AND NEVER WILL BE, SAFE FROM US.
A thought occurred to Vincent.
If you know my thoughts, then why do are you giving me nightmares?
WE ARE NO LONGER IN CONTROL OF THE DREAMS. YOU MAKE THEM. THEY ARE YOURS.
I doubt I would kill myself in my dreams.
OH, WOULDN'T YOU?
Ok, so the thought had occurred to me a couple of times to do it, but I'm past that. Hopefully.
STAY WITH HER.
Is this a two-way conversation?
NO.
Do I have a choice?
NOT ANYMORE.
A meek voice in the back of his head said "Good."
Chaos?
No answer.
Vincent sighed. What did Chaos mean by "Not anymore"? Thoughts ran through his head at an alarming rate. He paid no heed to them whatsoever.
He listened to the music again. He heard a rhythmic tapping to the music. Vincent turned his gaze from the ceiling. He nearly laughed at what was happening before him. Yuffie was dancing in a bathrobe with her eyes closed, imagining she had a partner. She twirled and spun across the room. Vincent silently got up from the bed. Equally silent, he walked right up to Yuffie and grabbed her hand, while slipping his clawed arm around her waist. Yuffie opened her eyes to look at him. His garnet eyes looked back at her with a hint of passion. She smiled at him. He grinned. Together, they danced to the music, spinning across the room.
As the song ended, the dance slowed down. Yuffie was getting tired. She slumped over suddenly into his chest, asleep. He picked her up and set her down on her bed. He pulled the covers over her and laid down on his own bed. Yuffie opened her grey eyes again and turned to Vincent.
"You're the coolest guy I know, Vinnie. 'S a pity you're as social as a rock. You could get any girl you wanted if you just talked more." She said tiredly. She closed her eyes again.
Vincent didn't sleep. He laid awake, still listening to the music. He closed his eyes and remembered every step of their dance. Maybe I SHOULD try talking more, he thought. For her. No, she said "any girl". I want her.
Slowly, the music died down and a new musician came on.
Vincent stayed up all night, thinking of the brown haired ninja.
Yuffie slowly opened her eyes. The morning light seeped through the tent. She yawned and tried to stand up. Something stopped her. It felt like a weight was holding her down. She looked at her shoulder and saw the golden claw. Fear clouded her senses. She opened her mouth to scream, but stopped by a frantic thought. Vincent. She relaxed instantly. She shoved the claw away and turned to looked at Vincent. She was surprised at his nearness. She had nearly rolled over him. Instead, she found herself staring at his closed eyes. The rare smile on his lips seemed to make him look different. The stoic exterior had cracked while was asleep. Maybe cracked was the wrong word. Vincent never smiled. Maybe it snapped completely.
"Nah." She muttered.
Vincent's garnet eyes snapped open at the sound of her voice. The smile disappeared from his face. The rock that was his personality returned with a vengeance. His arm recoiled so fast that she hardly noticed. His gaze turned away from her. He rolled away from her quickly. Yuffie could have sworn that he had blushed.
"Vinnie?" She asked.
"Don't call me that." Came her answer.
"Vinnie." She said evilly.
A sigh from Vincent.
"Yes Yuffie?" He said while sitting up.
"Did you bring any food?"
Awkward silence.
"Dammit!" Vincent swore.
"Vincent!" Yuffie said in surprise. "Where did that come from?"
"I knew I was forgetting something." Vincent ranted.
"Ok, no food." Yuffie muttered. Vincent was verbally beating himself with a sharp rock in the back round. "Vinnie, shut up."
Vincent took a look at Yuffie and promptly closed his mouth. Yuffie took advantage of his silence to speak her thoughts.
"I think we should go to Junon. That way, we run no risk of running into Cloud and the others. What do you think?" She didn't receive an answer. "Silence means yes."
Vincent turned his withering gaze to Yuffie. She cowered slightly.
"It is a good plan. We will go to Junon then. But there should be very few breaks on the way. I would like to make it there by noon today."
"Fair enough."
Vincent stood, stretched, and walked outside. Yuffie followed his example and walked out. Vincent was already dismantling the tent and packing it away. Yuffie looked at the dark man as his muscles stood out through the tears in his clothes. He tied the tent together and climbed onto his chocobo. Yuffie looked around for her own chocobo. She couldn't seem to see it anywhere.
"Err, Vinnie, where's my bird?" She asked.
"It ran off yesterday." The reply came.
"So, umm, how am I gonna ride?"
"I suspect with me."
"Ride with you?"
"That was what I said, yes."
"Err, okay."
Vincent offered a hand. Yuffie smiled and grabbed the hand. Vincent pulled her up and put her down in front of him. He leaned forward closer to Yuffie. She thought he was trying to embrace her, and she leaned away from him. The chocobo shot forward in a burst of speed. Vincent leaned back and steered the chocobo. Yuffie grinned sheepishly. I guess I was overrating myself, she thought. A mountain looked in the distance. The golden chocobo began running up the steep slope. Despite slipping a few times, the ride went well. They arrived at the peak to near mid afternoon. The sun glittered across the winter snowfields, creating a dazzling array of small lights. Yuffie gasped at the sight.
"Hold tight." Vincent said.
"Why?"
Vincent sighed. He wrapped an arm around her tightly. He leaned forward hard and the chocobo leapt off the peak, landing with a thud against the ice. The chocobo ran down the slope, with Yuffie screaming in its ears. The wind whipped past them as the chocobo picked up speed. The ground rushed past in a blur. Yuffie's long brown hair waved wildly in the air. The chocobo leapt again and landed on the snow. The huge momentum carried the chocobo at an amazing speed. Before long, Junon was in sight. The chocobo slowed down to a normal speed. Vincent released her from his grip.
"That wasn't so bad, was it?"
Yuffie elbowed him in the ribs.
"When I got off this bird I'm gonna kick your bony ass!"
They entered the city, while Yuffie yelled insults and hit him with Vincent yelping in pain now and again.
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Vincent walked into the Junon inn, rubbing his arm. He took a quick look at his surroundings and walked up to the desk. He gazed at the woman that sat there reading.
"Rooms for two, please." He said.
The woman dropped the book with a start. She looked up at dark man and withered at his gaze. She turned to look for two keys but found only one. She turned to address Vincent nervously.
"We only have one left."
Vincent's eyes narrowed.
Yuffie opened the door behind him.
"You got the rooms, Vinnie?"
Vincent turned.
"They only have one left."
Yuffie walked past Vincent and smiled at the receptionist.
"We'll take it."
Vincent began spattering uselessly.
"But Yuffie," He began.
"Is there two beds?" Yuffie asked the receptionist, fully ignoring Vincent.
"Of course."
"Ok!" She turned to Vincent. "What are you waitin' for Vinnie, pay the woman."
Vincent muttered something and began rummaging through his pockets. He slammed down a couple of coins and took the key. He followed Yuffie up the stairs to their room.
"I get the first shower." Vincent stated.
"Ever heard of "ladies first" Vinnie?"
Vincent didn't bother to answer. He merely followed. They arrived at the door of their room.
"Vinnie, I allow you the honor." Yuffie said, while bowing in mock elegance.
Vincent grinned. He jammed the key into the lock and turned. He was rewarded by a click. He opened the door and walked through. Yuffie rushed past him and ran into the bathroom. Vincent walked calmly to the centre of the room and inspected. There was a small dresser with a radio on it. True to the receptionists words, there were two beds. He heard the sound of rushing water. There was a lamp between the two beds. Vincent walked over to the radio and turned it on. Static. He quickly went through the channels until he found something that suited him. Mozart. The soft music put him at ease. He flopped down on a bed and stared upward into the ceiling.
I shouldn't be here. It was wrong of me to let her come with me. I am endangering her with my presence here. I should leave.
BUT YOU WON'T.
The thought struck him from out of nowhere. Chaos.
What do you want?
A MILLION GIL IN CASH.
Ha ha. What do you want?
WE SEEK TO HELP YOU.
We? Vincent said mentally.
YES. WE.
Oh.
WE KNOW WHAT GOES THROUGH YOUR DEMENTED MIND. SHE IS ONE OF THEM.
Oh god. Even my own demons are throwing me into this.
YOUR THOUGHTS ARE, AND NEVER WILL BE, SAFE FROM US.
A thought occurred to Vincent.
If you know my thoughts, then why do are you giving me nightmares?
WE ARE NO LONGER IN CONTROL OF THE DREAMS. YOU MAKE THEM. THEY ARE YOURS.
I doubt I would kill myself in my dreams.
OH, WOULDN'T YOU?
Ok, so the thought had occurred to me a couple of times to do it, but I'm past that. Hopefully.
STAY WITH HER.
Is this a two-way conversation?
NO.
Do I have a choice?
NOT ANYMORE.
A meek voice in the back of his head said "Good."
Chaos?
No answer.
Vincent sighed. What did Chaos mean by "Not anymore"? Thoughts ran through his head at an alarming rate. He paid no heed to them whatsoever.
He listened to the music again. He heard a rhythmic tapping to the music. Vincent turned his gaze from the ceiling. He nearly laughed at what was happening before him. Yuffie was dancing in a bathrobe with her eyes closed, imagining she had a partner. She twirled and spun across the room. Vincent silently got up from the bed. Equally silent, he walked right up to Yuffie and grabbed her hand, while slipping his clawed arm around her waist. Yuffie opened her eyes to look at him. His garnet eyes looked back at her with a hint of passion. She smiled at him. He grinned. Together, they danced to the music, spinning across the room.
As the song ended, the dance slowed down. Yuffie was getting tired. She slumped over suddenly into his chest, asleep. He picked her up and set her down on her bed. He pulled the covers over her and laid down on his own bed. Yuffie opened her grey eyes again and turned to Vincent.
"You're the coolest guy I know, Vinnie. 'S a pity you're as social as a rock. You could get any girl you wanted if you just talked more." She said tiredly. She closed her eyes again.
Vincent didn't sleep. He laid awake, still listening to the music. He closed his eyes and remembered every step of their dance. Maybe I SHOULD try talking more, he thought. For her. No, she said "any girl". I want her.
Slowly, the music died down and a new musician came on.
Vincent stayed up all night, thinking of the brown haired ninja.