Chapter XIV: Breakfast At The Cabaret.
Vincent was cruelly dragged around Junon by Yuffie, who had latched onto his arm and wouldn't let go. She went off about everything she saw so fast that Vincent never had a chance to open his mouth before something came to Yuffie's ever broadening attention. People stared at the odd couple as Yuffie dragged Vincent around Junon. Occasionally he tried to break free from her grip, but she managed to keep her hold on him. They walked down the countless streets and avenues of the City. They walked past a particularly ancient building and Vincent stopped. Yuffie tugged at his arm, but he would not move. She turned her attention to where Vincent was looking. The building looked positively ancient. There were windows that revealed the restaurants insides, which had a classy atmosphere. The words "Cabaret" were painted in ancient, golden letters, which added to its already severely old look. Yuffie looked curiously at the building. Yuffie looked curiously at Vincent.
"Vinnie, what is this place?" She asked as she saw the distant look in his eyes.
"Its still here. Thirty long years and its still here." He turned his garnet eyes to Yuffie. "I used to come here when I was in the Turks. I got to know the owner of the place. A nice woman, but a bit persistent with my problems." Vincent looked at the building with a slight grin hovering over his face. "We did some pretty fun stuff there."
Yuffie looked up into his eyes.
"You wanna eat here?" she asked.
Vincent looked down at her. "Would that be alright with you?"
"Do they have good food?"
"They did the last time I was here."
"Then lets take a stroll down memory lane." Yuffie said with a huge grin on her face.
Vincent allowed himself to be dragged through the doors of the building. Yuffie pushed open the door with a shoulder and Vincent stumbled in after her. She pulled Vincent up to the desk and elbowed him. There was a woman behind the desk that smiled at the pair of them, giving Vincent a slightly odd glance
"Table for two please." Vincent said.
The woman smiled. "Two hundred gil, please."
Vincent pulled out his wallet and fished around for the right amount. He handed them to the receptionist.
"Thank you." She said, taking a peek at a list. "Umm, is table fifteen alright?"
"Yes." Yuffie was about to drag him away to find their table when Vincent added, "Is Rose here?"
The woman looked at him oddly. "Yes, but mother doesn't run the place anymore. I do."
"Could you tell her Vincent is here?"|
"Do you know mother?" The receptionist asked.
"I'm an old friend." Vincent said with an odd grin lingering over his lips.
The receptionist smiled and left. Yuffie dragged him into the next room. People looked up from their meals to stare at them. Yuffie pulled him through the room mumbling, "Table fifteen, table fifteen. Where do they hide the tables?" She turned suddenly and Vincent slammed into a occupied table. He apologized for Yuffie and turned to her.
"Yuffie!" Vincent said desperately. "I've been here before! I know where our table is!"
Yuffie stopped dragging on him. Vincent straightened out and walked casually to a table near one of the windows, carefully ignoring their staring audience. A vase of roses and two crystal wine glasses stood on the table, along with a small note with the number fifteen scribbled on it. Vincent began to open his mouth.
"Shut up, Vinnie!" Yuffie said irritably. He closed his mouth.
They sat down across from each other. Vincent had a slight grin hovering over his face. Yuffie was scowling at him, mad because she failed to notice what was in front of her.
Suddenly, someone cried out happily. An old woman ran into the room, looking around for someone. Vincent picked up his wine glass and raised it above his head. The old woman ran to the table with a huge smile on her face.
"Vincent?" She asked when she his face.
"Yes?" He replied.
"Are, are you the son of Vincent Valentine?" She continued, with a puzzled look on her face.
"No, I AM Vincent Valentine."
"B, but you haven't aged!" Vincent knew at that moment that he made a mistake.
"I'd rather not talk about it." He said while grinning at her. "But if it helps you to recognize me, then you can add thirty years to my face."
The old woman smiled. "Yup, you're Vince. Only he would pass on telling me anything. Its good to have you back, Vince." She finally noticed Yuffie. "And you brought this charming young lady with you." She said with a raised eyebrow. "Is she you're daughter?"
Oh god, I knew this would backfire. "Umm, err, nooo." He said meekly.
"Vincent," She said sternly. Suddenly she smiled again. "I never thought you would go on a date. Especially not with someone this YOUNG."
"Its NOT a date!"
"Hey! I'm twenty-one!" Yuffie said indignantly.
Escape! Vincent looked around nervously for a way out. Abandon ship!
"I, I think I have to go to the bathroom." Vincent got up. Yuffie pulled him down.
"You were in the bathroom all morning!" She said grinning.
NOOOOOO! Vincent blushed and sat down silently.
The old woman pulled up a chair and sat down.
"Come on then, Vince. Introduce me to this young woman."
Vincent blushed some more at his own rudeness. "Rose, this is Yuffie. Yuffie, this is Rose." They shook hands.
"Well, then Yuffie. Would you like to hear some stories?"
Is there no mercy in this world?
Yuffie smiled her sweet smile. "Why yes, Rose. I'd love to hear some. Know any about Vinnie over here though?"
Rose laughed. "Do I? When Vincent was here we did some funny shit. There was this one time when I managed to get him into a drinking contest. You haven't lived until you see Vincent Valentine, the perfect gentleman, drunk out of his mind. We had to lock him in the cellars to stop him from pulling out his gun and scaring everyone." They both burst out laughing. "There was another time when his boss came around when Vincent was supposed to be patrolling the streets."
"Vincent shirked work?" Yuffie asked laughingly.
"All the time. If he was let out of the office he would walk straight here. We would have great times. Anyway, Vincent's boss caught wind that one of the Turks was coming down here all the time. So he came down here one day trying to catch the culprit red handed. He was this close" Rose held her index finger near her thumb. "To catching Vince."
"What happened?" Yuffie asked.
"I called one of the other Turks on Vincent's phone saying that he was pass- out drunk. He came running into the place and straight into Vincent's boss. Then we had a celebration party. Vincent had WAY too many drinks and started singing. It's a pity we didn't get a picture of that."
Oh thank god.
"Umm, do you think we could get some food?" Vincent asked.
Rose smiled. "Getting rid of me so soon?"
Vincent frowned. "No, I'm just hungry."
"Sure." Rose got up and began talking to the woman behind the desk.
Vincent turned his attention to his glass. Suddenly it seemed very interesting.
"Vinnie, why didn't you tell me that you used to do that sort of thing?" Yuffie asked.
Crap!
"Err."
"Its great to know that you didn't have a stick up your ass all your life."
Vincent raised an eyebrow. Somewhere he had lost track of what was being said.
"Nobody asked. And over the years I seem to have lost the ability to drink huge amounts of beer and enjoy myself."
Rose came back then and smacked him soundly over his head. "No one can NOT have fun while chugging their sorrows away. I'm surprised that someone like you could say that, Vince. We nearly had to close the place 'cause of you."
Yuffie perked up. "Why?"
Rose smiled at Yuffie. "When Vince here left Junon, there was a huge shortage of cash. People used to come around merely to see Vince get hammered. And Vincent himself paid a lot of money. Oh, and before you try 'n' stop me from telling this charming young woman anything about you, Vince, breakfast is on its way."
Vincent sighed.
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
Three hours and many sighs later, Vincent walked out of the Cabaret. Yuffie was saying good-bye to Rose, while Vincent retreated out of the restaurant. He sat down on the pavement and stared blankly at the road. He supported his head with his hand put his claw on his knee. He rapped his digits impatiently against his kneecap. He heard Yuffie giggling suddenly. He didn't move, merely continued staring blankly. As Yuffie came near him he stood up, turning to look at her. She was smiling from ear to ear, exceedingly happy to have heard some cruelly embarrassing stories about him.
"You do realize, that if anyone hears a word of this, I'll murder you." He said.
"Oooo. I'm shaking in my shoes." Yuffie said, reattaching herself to his arm.
Vincent looked at her and grinned. "Seriously though. Or else I'll go to Wutai and find something equally embarrassing about you. All I have to do is pick a house and I can get one."
Yuffie looked up at him. "Was that an attempt at humor?" She asked while laughing.
Vincent thought hard about this. "I guess it was."
"Holy crap. Where's the tape recorder when you need it?"
She began dragging him around again. They headed in the direction of the hotel. Vincent felt slightly reluctant to leave Yuffie's company.
"You want to go do something else?" He said with a tinge of hope.
Yuffie smiled sweetly at him. "It'd be a pleasure, Vinnie."
"What do you want to do?" Vincent asked.
Yuffie thought hard for a moment. She looked him up and down, then smiled wickedly.
"Lets go shopping for clothes, Vinnie. You need it."
Vincent, who did not see the immanent danger in taking a grinning girl shopping for clothes, agreed.
Yuffie ran down the street, still holding onto Vincent's arm, who stumbled after her desperately.
Vincent was cruelly dragged around Junon by Yuffie, who had latched onto his arm and wouldn't let go. She went off about everything she saw so fast that Vincent never had a chance to open his mouth before something came to Yuffie's ever broadening attention. People stared at the odd couple as Yuffie dragged Vincent around Junon. Occasionally he tried to break free from her grip, but she managed to keep her hold on him. They walked down the countless streets and avenues of the City. They walked past a particularly ancient building and Vincent stopped. Yuffie tugged at his arm, but he would not move. She turned her attention to where Vincent was looking. The building looked positively ancient. There were windows that revealed the restaurants insides, which had a classy atmosphere. The words "Cabaret" were painted in ancient, golden letters, which added to its already severely old look. Yuffie looked curiously at the building. Yuffie looked curiously at Vincent.
"Vinnie, what is this place?" She asked as she saw the distant look in his eyes.
"Its still here. Thirty long years and its still here." He turned his garnet eyes to Yuffie. "I used to come here when I was in the Turks. I got to know the owner of the place. A nice woman, but a bit persistent with my problems." Vincent looked at the building with a slight grin hovering over his face. "We did some pretty fun stuff there."
Yuffie looked up into his eyes.
"You wanna eat here?" she asked.
Vincent looked down at her. "Would that be alright with you?"
"Do they have good food?"
"They did the last time I was here."
"Then lets take a stroll down memory lane." Yuffie said with a huge grin on her face.
Vincent allowed himself to be dragged through the doors of the building. Yuffie pushed open the door with a shoulder and Vincent stumbled in after her. She pulled Vincent up to the desk and elbowed him. There was a woman behind the desk that smiled at the pair of them, giving Vincent a slightly odd glance
"Table for two please." Vincent said.
The woman smiled. "Two hundred gil, please."
Vincent pulled out his wallet and fished around for the right amount. He handed them to the receptionist.
"Thank you." She said, taking a peek at a list. "Umm, is table fifteen alright?"
"Yes." Yuffie was about to drag him away to find their table when Vincent added, "Is Rose here?"
The woman looked at him oddly. "Yes, but mother doesn't run the place anymore. I do."
"Could you tell her Vincent is here?"|
"Do you know mother?" The receptionist asked.
"I'm an old friend." Vincent said with an odd grin lingering over his lips.
The receptionist smiled and left. Yuffie dragged him into the next room. People looked up from their meals to stare at them. Yuffie pulled him through the room mumbling, "Table fifteen, table fifteen. Where do they hide the tables?" She turned suddenly and Vincent slammed into a occupied table. He apologized for Yuffie and turned to her.
"Yuffie!" Vincent said desperately. "I've been here before! I know where our table is!"
Yuffie stopped dragging on him. Vincent straightened out and walked casually to a table near one of the windows, carefully ignoring their staring audience. A vase of roses and two crystal wine glasses stood on the table, along with a small note with the number fifteen scribbled on it. Vincent began to open his mouth.
"Shut up, Vinnie!" Yuffie said irritably. He closed his mouth.
They sat down across from each other. Vincent had a slight grin hovering over his face. Yuffie was scowling at him, mad because she failed to notice what was in front of her.
Suddenly, someone cried out happily. An old woman ran into the room, looking around for someone. Vincent picked up his wine glass and raised it above his head. The old woman ran to the table with a huge smile on her face.
"Vincent?" She asked when she his face.
"Yes?" He replied.
"Are, are you the son of Vincent Valentine?" She continued, with a puzzled look on her face.
"No, I AM Vincent Valentine."
"B, but you haven't aged!" Vincent knew at that moment that he made a mistake.
"I'd rather not talk about it." He said while grinning at her. "But if it helps you to recognize me, then you can add thirty years to my face."
The old woman smiled. "Yup, you're Vince. Only he would pass on telling me anything. Its good to have you back, Vince." She finally noticed Yuffie. "And you brought this charming young lady with you." She said with a raised eyebrow. "Is she you're daughter?"
Oh god, I knew this would backfire. "Umm, err, nooo." He said meekly.
"Vincent," She said sternly. Suddenly she smiled again. "I never thought you would go on a date. Especially not with someone this YOUNG."
"Its NOT a date!"
"Hey! I'm twenty-one!" Yuffie said indignantly.
Escape! Vincent looked around nervously for a way out. Abandon ship!
"I, I think I have to go to the bathroom." Vincent got up. Yuffie pulled him down.
"You were in the bathroom all morning!" She said grinning.
NOOOOOO! Vincent blushed and sat down silently.
The old woman pulled up a chair and sat down.
"Come on then, Vince. Introduce me to this young woman."
Vincent blushed some more at his own rudeness. "Rose, this is Yuffie. Yuffie, this is Rose." They shook hands.
"Well, then Yuffie. Would you like to hear some stories?"
Is there no mercy in this world?
Yuffie smiled her sweet smile. "Why yes, Rose. I'd love to hear some. Know any about Vinnie over here though?"
Rose laughed. "Do I? When Vincent was here we did some funny shit. There was this one time when I managed to get him into a drinking contest. You haven't lived until you see Vincent Valentine, the perfect gentleman, drunk out of his mind. We had to lock him in the cellars to stop him from pulling out his gun and scaring everyone." They both burst out laughing. "There was another time when his boss came around when Vincent was supposed to be patrolling the streets."
"Vincent shirked work?" Yuffie asked laughingly.
"All the time. If he was let out of the office he would walk straight here. We would have great times. Anyway, Vincent's boss caught wind that one of the Turks was coming down here all the time. So he came down here one day trying to catch the culprit red handed. He was this close" Rose held her index finger near her thumb. "To catching Vince."
"What happened?" Yuffie asked.
"I called one of the other Turks on Vincent's phone saying that he was pass- out drunk. He came running into the place and straight into Vincent's boss. Then we had a celebration party. Vincent had WAY too many drinks and started singing. It's a pity we didn't get a picture of that."
Oh thank god.
"Umm, do you think we could get some food?" Vincent asked.
Rose smiled. "Getting rid of me so soon?"
Vincent frowned. "No, I'm just hungry."
"Sure." Rose got up and began talking to the woman behind the desk.
Vincent turned his attention to his glass. Suddenly it seemed very interesting.
"Vinnie, why didn't you tell me that you used to do that sort of thing?" Yuffie asked.
Crap!
"Err."
"Its great to know that you didn't have a stick up your ass all your life."
Vincent raised an eyebrow. Somewhere he had lost track of what was being said.
"Nobody asked. And over the years I seem to have lost the ability to drink huge amounts of beer and enjoy myself."
Rose came back then and smacked him soundly over his head. "No one can NOT have fun while chugging their sorrows away. I'm surprised that someone like you could say that, Vince. We nearly had to close the place 'cause of you."
Yuffie perked up. "Why?"
Rose smiled at Yuffie. "When Vince here left Junon, there was a huge shortage of cash. People used to come around merely to see Vince get hammered. And Vincent himself paid a lot of money. Oh, and before you try 'n' stop me from telling this charming young woman anything about you, Vince, breakfast is on its way."
Vincent sighed.
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_- _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
Three hours and many sighs later, Vincent walked out of the Cabaret. Yuffie was saying good-bye to Rose, while Vincent retreated out of the restaurant. He sat down on the pavement and stared blankly at the road. He supported his head with his hand put his claw on his knee. He rapped his digits impatiently against his kneecap. He heard Yuffie giggling suddenly. He didn't move, merely continued staring blankly. As Yuffie came near him he stood up, turning to look at her. She was smiling from ear to ear, exceedingly happy to have heard some cruelly embarrassing stories about him.
"You do realize, that if anyone hears a word of this, I'll murder you." He said.
"Oooo. I'm shaking in my shoes." Yuffie said, reattaching herself to his arm.
Vincent looked at her and grinned. "Seriously though. Or else I'll go to Wutai and find something equally embarrassing about you. All I have to do is pick a house and I can get one."
Yuffie looked up at him. "Was that an attempt at humor?" She asked while laughing.
Vincent thought hard about this. "I guess it was."
"Holy crap. Where's the tape recorder when you need it?"
She began dragging him around again. They headed in the direction of the hotel. Vincent felt slightly reluctant to leave Yuffie's company.
"You want to go do something else?" He said with a tinge of hope.
Yuffie smiled sweetly at him. "It'd be a pleasure, Vinnie."
"What do you want to do?" Vincent asked.
Yuffie thought hard for a moment. She looked him up and down, then smiled wickedly.
"Lets go shopping for clothes, Vinnie. You need it."
Vincent, who did not see the immanent danger in taking a grinning girl shopping for clothes, agreed.
Yuffie ran down the street, still holding onto Vincent's arm, who stumbled after her desperately.