Valentine's Day Chapter 6: Changing of the Guard (The clone)
Meanwhile, on the other end of town, Vincent's clone stood over another corpse that had once belonged to Dr. Hojo's test subject. His ID number had been 12-ERT-564. His name? Police Commissioner Dalton. Now he was just another statistic in the growing campaign to discredit Vincent Valentine. The news report had been leaked as expected... Now all he had to do was wait. If he'd known about the Arbiters and the Archangel, he'd have changed his mind. The metal talons dripped blood, making him smile. The Discord demon was in full sway here... There was no chance of redemption for THIS twisted soul!
"You're mine, Valentine!"
"Choose your name."
"I choose Vincent Sephiroth. I combine 2 of the most notorious names this town's ever heard."
"So noted. Choose your path of destruction."
"Direct, laced with subterfuge."
"Then go. Let nothing stand in your way!"
"At thy bidding, my Master."
Tseng watched the clone sprint off into the night with a smirk. He knew damn well Meris had freed the real Vincent Valentine. If the clone, calling himself Vincent Sephiroth, thought he had an easy victory ahead of him, he had another thing coming! Tseng opened a communications channel with the Arbiters. The channel was secure.
"Tseng to Arbiters. All is going according to plan."
"Well done, Tseng. You are to hide yourself until further notice."
"Agreed. Tseng out."
Tseng changed his outward appearance, having gotten his stomach fixed not too long ago. He'd also had a vocal scrambler implanted. Tugging on his black leather jacket, he walked out into the open, heading for the train station. Taking out a prebought ticket, he boarded the next train for Clovaria. The voices had long since fallen silent. Tseng was going home.
"Passengers heading for Clovaria, Dentubis, Rinchaleu and Furcalis, please board the train now. Thank you."
Nobody knew Tseng had family in Clovaria, so he was safe. And he was too. Nobody had once thought Tseng was a threat to society. He'd contacted his mother the other day and told her he was coming home. The memory of her joyous tears was enough to make him weep silently.
"Hey, bud. Where you going?"
"Home."
That was pretty much what any of his conversations amounted to on the ride home... He refused to tell anyone where 'home' was. He was about to doze off when he heard his stop announced.
"Next stop, Clovaria."
He waited until the train stopped moving, then got off. He'd packed no bags or suitcases. When the train pulled out, he was standing alone on the platform. Then he heard the one voice that could move him to tears...
"Tseng?"
"Mom!"
They hugged, tears flowing freely on both sides of the embrace. She knew he had some trouble, but didn't want to ask. She didn't have to. They were on their way home when he told her everything that had happened.
"Oh my. Is this Vincent Valentine fellow going to come after you?"
"No, Mom. He's free now."
"Good. He seems like such a nice young man."
"He is, Mom. He was the best thing that could ever happen to me. He turned my life around."
He'd also told her about the clone, but hadn't told her who had been cloned. Now he told her, trepidation heavy in his posture.
"Mom... That clone?"
"Yes."
"They cloned Vincent."
"Oh, my goodness! So you think he'll pick up where Vincent left off before being freed?"
"I don't think he will. I know he will. But he won't get very far."
"You set a trap for him?"
"You know me so well, Mom... That's exactly what I did. And Meris and Vincent are going to help me."
His mother watched the news regularly. She knew who he was talking about.
"Tell me, did they really kill that officer Jacoby?"
"No, Mom. The clone did that. Jacoby was like Vincent."
"Oh, my!"
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Here I am... The world's first perfect clone. My original designation was Valentine's Clone. But I chose a new name, thanks to my Master. Now my name is Vincent Sephiroth, two of the most notorious names alive today. Of course, Sephiroth is dead, thanks to Cloud... But it doesn't matter. His legacy lives on. In me. As does Vincent's. I won't let myself fail or be defeated. I will become the most infamous person in history! Then I see him... The next name in the database. He can't believe I'd accost him in such a public place. I lull him with an offer of drinks. He gives me a strange look.
"I don't like your attitude, Vincent."
At least he calls me by my first name. I give him my most charming smile.
"I just want to buy you a few beers. What's the harm in that?"
He still doesn't trust me. He reaches into his pocket for something and Discord swallows me whole. By the time he lets me go, the man is dead, stun gun rolling away from his fleshless hand. The blood dripping off my claws is a sweet lullaby. I lick some off as I walk, totally unseen by the populace. Thank the Maker for some small favors! Too bad I don't know Tseng's playing me for the world's biggest sucker.
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"No sign of the clone yet, Vincent."
"Thanks, Meris. Looks like Tseng did a good enough job that we don't have to worry for a while."
They sat back, Meris uneasy and Vincent tense. They needed time alone, away from work. But they had no relief, save for the Arbiters. And the Arbiters were gone for the day.
"Dammit, Meris... I can't take this any more!"
She looked over at him, quirking an eyebrow. That only made him madder. So he stalked over to her, pulled her in close to him and kissed her. At first she was too startled to move, but then she wrapped her arms around him and returned the kiss. They finally had to come up for air, gasping softly.
"Was there something you wanted to say, Vincent?"
"I think I just said it."
She chuckled softly. His breath caught in his throat. Her breasts were brushing against his chest... He'd forgotten to let go of her! In fact, she was held so tightly against him, she could feel his response to her laughter. The laugh dried up in her throat as her body reacted. But instead of kissing her again, he reluctantly let her go. She was about to ask him why when she felt it. The Arbiters had returned.
"How goes the search?"
"Tseng did his job well. The clone hasn't entered our sensor range."
"Good. We'll take over now. Go take a walk. Or go get some dinner. You two look like you're ready to snap."
The moment they left the room, Meris broke into a run. She kept going until she'd reached the end of the street. Vincent let her run. By the time she'd regained her breath, he was there. The Arbiters, meanwhile, were aware of a new presence in the room. Despite their roles, they were still demons, after all. She identified it first...
"Lust."
"Desire."
"Frustration."
They looked at each other, then understood why Meris had run to the end of the street. She didn't want to fall for the man responsible for so many deaths.
"Too bad she doesn't realize she already has."
"He admitted he'd fallen for her while in the lab."
"Oh, my."
"Precisely."
Meris looked over at Vincent, strands of hair in her face. She could feel something shift deep down inside and was afraid to identify it. He knew what it was, though. He didn't want to make her upset, so he just stood there, not saying a word. Oddly enough, his silence didn't aggravate her. She couldn't understand why he didn't say anything!
"Why won't you ask me what's wrong?"
"I don't want to aggravate you any further."
She looked at him curiously, wonder and surprise in her eyes. He saw himself reflected in her gaze and shifted so his weight was on one foot. Then suddenly, without warning, the clone shot into the space behind Vincent and slashed his back with the metal hand. Vincent's eyes went extremely wide, then he fell to the ground, 4 perfectly spaced gashes oozing his lifeblood onto the sidewalk. Meris saw him fall and something snapped deep down inside. Her eyes turned red and her flesh-and-blood arm shot out into the position commonly associated with holding a sword or other handled weapon. Her lips pulled back into a snarl and she shouted something the clone couldn't understand. But what she did say was...
"PANDEMONIUM BLADE!"
A large wickedly curved scimitar appeared in her hand, light as a feather. The battle was well and truly joined then.
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Holy Christ! What the fuck is that thing in her hand? I thought she was just another one of Vincent's conquests! Wait a minute. She looks familiar... Oh, NO! She's Lucrecia's twin! No WONDER she could conjure a weapon like that! What'd she shout anyway? Panda? Not Panda. Pande. As in Pandemonium? Discord rears up and consumes my thoughts, revealing a weapon called the Pandemonium Blade. Nobody knows what it does or where it came from. All any of them can agree on is that in the right hands, it's dangerous to whomever the weilder targets. I gotta rethink my assault here... I got Vincent. But I didn't know he'd have company. Never saw her coming... Literally. Shit! Here she comes again! I find myself sprawled on my ass in an alleyway, looking cross-eyed at the end of her sword. I gotta get outta here so I can regroup!
"Vincent will die if you continue this."
"What do I care? You're him, aren't you?"
"You're lying to yourself. You care for him and you know it."
What's with all this psychobabble coming from my mouth anyway? Good grief... It's gotta be Discord! He's the only one who could smoothtalk his way out of a paper bag. The woman blinks, then backs away to check on him. He won't die... Not yet. He'll bleed to death, because I didn't want him to die right away. I want him to suffer like his victims did. She's looking at him. Now's my chance to get away... So I do. I run like I'm being chased by the hounds of Hell. Which, if you think about it, is technically the truth.
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Meris looked down at Vincent for just a moment, only to hear the clone take off running. She didn't care, because she was too busy trying to stop the bleeding.
"No! Oh, God... Please don't die on me!"
"Wouldn't... *cough* dream of it. He nicked me. That's all."
"Vincent, he slashed your back wide open!"
"If he had wanted me dead, he would have really gouged me. That was just a warning shot."
She let go of the Pandemonium Blade and it disappeared. One of the Arbiters appeared, worry creasing their brow. It was Justice. He took Vincent into his arms and motioned for her to grab his arm. She did so, and they were taken to a hospital. The moment they appeared, the hospital staff jumped into action. They didn't seem to care that he was Vincent Valentine, wanted criminal. They moved quickly, getting him into the OR for surgery to close the gouges. Meris and Justice waited in the hallway impatiently, with her pacing. They didn't hear anything for more than 6 hours... Then the doctor came out.
"Meris?"
"Yes?"
"We were able to close the gouges, but... It doesn't look good. Whatever it was, it was infected. He's fighting an infection that will require hospitalization for at least a week."
"Oh, God... It was the clone. He wanted Vincent to suffer!"
The doctor looked at her, then suddenly nodded as the light dawned. He turned to a nurse and took her by surprise.
"Get me a vial of Tarmaprine and a syringe!"
Tarmaprine was an anti-inflammatory with an antibiotic mixed in. The nurse hurried away, then returned quickly with the vial and syringe. She was followed by the Head of Medicine. He gave the doctor a stern look, then claimed possession of the medication.
"You are not giving that criminal this medicine. I won't allow it."
Meris moved forward so that they could all see her. The look in her eye made them flinch.
"You are going to give him that medication. And you are going to do it now."
"Who are you to order me around?"
"Leiutenant Meris, Midgar PD. That man is going to survive, and you are going to make sure of it."
"Why should I?"
"Because if you don't, I'll arrest you for murder."
"You... You wouldn't!"
"Jsut fucking try me, asswipe!"
The nurse took the vial back and slipped into Vincent's room. She injected it right into his skin, knowing it would kick in that much quicker. She stayed with him until his fever broke. Then she made a note on his chart. "Patient to be given 35 cc of Tarmaprine every 6 hours until signs of improvement become visible." Poor Vincent lay on his stomach, bandages on his ravaged back. He'd been given a dose of morphine upon admittance to kill the pain and was now out cold. The shivers subsided almost immediately after his fever broke, but he still suffered.
"Poor man. I feel for you. I really do."
Meris, on the other hand, was still confronting the Head of Medicine at the hospital.
"You're being a prick, you know that?"
"And you're being a bitch!"
She hauled off and decked him one. He gave her a surprised look before toppling backward and hitting the ground with a thud. The nurse tapped her elbow and nodded once. Meris followed her to Vincent's room and stifled a sob at the paleness of his skin. She sat beside his bed and took one of his hands in both of hers. What she said next took both of them by surprise.
"Vincent, please. Get better soon. I... I love you."
There was a ghastly rattling sound, then his heart monitor went off. He was dead! Meris stared in shock, then began to scream. The nurse rushed in, followed by a team of medics. Meris could only watch helplessly as they worked to revive him. She felt that same something snap again, manifesting itself as an eerie white glow. It spread outward, surrounding everyone in the room. When it died down, they all stood bemused, Vincent's monitors showing improving signs of life. But they never got past the levels recorded for a coma patient. Meris whimpered, then turned and ran from the room, tears pouring down her face. She ran smack into Tseng!
"Meris?"
She knew that voice, even with the scrambler implanted. Her eyes widened as she straightened up.
"Tseng?"
"Come with me. We need to talk."
"Yes we do. Where?"
"Arbiter?"
The Arbiter of Retribution moved them to a private place so they could talk.
"Vincent's ill, isn't he?"
"The clone got him and now he's in a coma."
"Oh, fuck me."
"You got that right. I couldn't bring him up farther than that."
"What color was the glow?"
"White. But it wasn't enough..."
"It was. He's alive, isn't he?"
"Well, yes..."
"Well then?"
"You have a point there. But I... I drew a weapon on the clone."
He stared at her, speechless. She was telling the truth! His eyes closed briefly, then re-opened.
"What was it?"
"I shouted something, then I heard myself saying "Pandemonium Blade." Tseng, I... He ran away from it. Why?"
"Pandemonium Blade? Sweet Jesus, Meris! You're DANGEROUS!"
They sat there talking until Justice re-appeared. He could tell they'd been discussing something serious.
"He's getting better, Meris. The doctors credit it to you."
"Really?"
"Yes. He's in serious but stable condition."
"Oh, thank God."
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I'm cursing myself here... I shoulda ripped his heart out while I had the chance! But I won't beat myself up over it. I'll have another chance at it. I sit back and chill, not knowing Tseng is in league with my enemies.
"Hey there, handsome."
She snuck up on me while I was preoccupied! But she's very sexy... Tall, blonde, well built... Poured into a red velvet dress. I smile urbanely, deciding to let my disguise do the talking for me.
"Hey yourself, gorgeous. Have a seat."
She sits beside me at the bar. The bartender brings her a Scotch on the rocks. He pours me another double Rye. I lay enough money on the counter to pay for both drinks. She raises an eyebrow, but takes a sip of her drink.
"So what brings a guy like you to a place like this?"
"I'm trying to relax. What brings a gorgeous lady like you to this place?"
"Same thing, I'm afraid. Being lonely sucks."
"Maybe I can remedy that."
"Maybe you can, stranger."
We talk for a while, the elbow-length gloves doing an excellent job of hiding her metal hand. Finally she asks me if I want to come home with her. I accept, knowing damn well that she's just another victim. This is just an easier way to get her out of the picture. Her name's Trudi. She's a widow, her husband killed when Cloud went on his rampage. We get to her place and she pours me another glass of rye. I sip it slowly, savoring its rich flavor as it slides down my throat. She sits down beside me and places one hand on my thigh. I down the rest of the booze and follow her to her room. Little do I know that she's got a surprise for me... When we get in there, I see her sister lying on the bed, eyes closed and a needle sticking out of her arm.
"She's yours, my pet."
"What the fuck are you talking about? I ain't your pet, lady."
"You work for Tseng."
"How'd you know that?"
"It's no secret. You leave a calling card every time you kill someone. I want you to kill her."
"But she's your sister, for cryin' out loud!"
"She is not. She is a pathetic whiner with a taste for alcohol and drugs. She is draining our parents dry and I can't stand it."
"Oh, I get it. Mercy killing and frame Vincent."
"Precisely. I'll leave you to it."
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She walked out of the room, fully expecting him to walk out and kill her instead. But she wouldn't be disappointed. Her sister's screams were music to her ears. They lasted a long, long time... And when they finally stopped, she smirked. The only way her sister would scream like that was if her john was too big for her. The thought of Vincent's clone fucking her sister till she died was so potent she felt herself getting turned on. The clone came out, blood all over him, and went right to her. His claws rested against the back of her neck.
"I did your dirty work for you. I'm gonna take a shower, then I'm outta here. If you try to stop me, you're history. You got me?"
She turned to face him, completely naked except for her panties. And even then, they didn't conceal much. His eyes widened and he found himself wanting her. He felt sheer disgust at himself for desiring a bitch like her... But Discord told him he could kill two birds with one stone here. Give her what she so obviously wanted, then kill her. So he didn't argue when she led him into the bathroom. She got the water temperature just right, then they shed their clothing and got in. She got the soap and rubbed it over him, hiding just about everything in lather. The one part that wasn't hidden was his groin. He wanted her, she wanted him, so he took her. There in the shower. She moaned at times, and sometimes she screamed. She was truly remarkable... When they were done, she stepped out to get a towel. When she came back, his claws rammed right through her guts, spewing entrails all over the bathroom floor.
"Sloppy work. Shoulda killed you in the shower, bitch."
She died right then and there, having gotten her fondest wish: To be fucked by Vincent Valentine's clone. He tossed her into the stall and turned off the water. He didn't care if they were found or not... In the end, Vincent would take the blame, not him.
"You were good, lady. I'll never forget ya."
Then he was gone. He went in search of the rest of Hojo's victims. Little did he know that he was being tracked... Meris had slipped a bug into his jacket before he'd run off.
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Meris sat at Vincent's bedside, holding his hand in hers. She couldn't believe how close she'd come to losing him... The medical staff had been told she wasn't allowed to see him. So whenever they found her there, they ran her off. But that evening was different... She could feel it.
"Come on, Vincent... I need you."
"Really? I thought I was your ticket to police fame."
"Vincent!"
"Hey, kid. Can't get rid of me that easily."
She leaned over and hugged him tightly, praying they would stay together. He hugged her back, not wanting to lose her. The doctor came in and shoo'ed her out of the room. As soon as he saw Vincent awake, he took out a needle and injected it into his IV line. He dropped back into unconsciousness right away. He had no resistance to the drugs whatsoever... Tseng came out of the bathroom shortly after the doctor had left. He laid the real Vincent back in the bed with a smirk. If only that fool doctor had known it wasn't Vincent.
"You can come in now, Meris."
"Did it work?"
"Yes. Justice was a good subject for this. Good thing you were suspicious of that doctor."
Vincent, the real one, took Meris's hands in his, eyes moist with tears. He was so glad he'd left her alive... She smiled at him, then leaned over and brushed his lips with hers. Tseng stepped out of the room, whistling merrily. Justice had already analyzed the drug as a powerful muscle relaxant combined with a painkiller. The dosage had been lethal. If it had been Vincent in the bed, he would have died within an hour.
"Thermaprine. Closely resembling the anti-inflammatory agent Tarmaprine."
"Thermaprine was outlawed after Cloud used it to kill an entire army."
Back inside the hospital room, Vincent's flesh hand had found its way under Meris's shirt. She didn't try to stop him. It felt so right... His thumb elicited a small moan as it made a lazy circle. He gently pinched it, making her gasp softly. With great reluctance he withdrew his hand and looked up at her. She nodded once, knowing he didn't want to get caught. The next morning would be rather interesting to say the least...
The next morning heralded a press conference. The doctor who'd injected Vincent stood behind a podium addressing the press.
"Some time last night, renowned killer Vincent Valentine, a patient here at this hospital, died of a massive seizure. He had no oxygen going to his brain and his systems shut down, one after the other."
"Why was he a patient here?"
"He'd been assaulted by a clone that had been made to resemble him in every way. Right down to his metal hand."
Vincent stifled a smirk from behind the red velvet curtain. He had a Shinra tattoo on his left buttock... The doctor hadn't mentioned it. The members of the press shifted uneasily. Meris held her camera steady as she pretended to record what was being said. The doctor hated the Turks and the Shinra. He made no secret of being glad Reno, Rude and Elena were dead.
"What about the Turks Valentine killed?"
"The Turks are a menace to this society, and I say they deserved their fate."
That was Meris's cue... She dropped the camera and spoke up.
"Even if they'd given up being Turks and had started living normal, happy lives?"
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about the EX-Turks Reno, Rude and Elena. Did they really deserve to die or is this just another publicity stunt?"
"I don't know what you're talking about!"
"Don't patronize me, Doctor. Did you or did you not inject Vincent Valentine with over 100 cc's of Thermaprine?"
The press shifted uneasily. They didn't know who she was, but she seemed to have it in for the doctor.
"Who are you?"
Meris threw off her disguise. And amid astonished gasps from the media, she jumped onto the podium and handcuffed him.
"Leiutenant Meris of the Midgar Police. You are hereby placed under arrest for attempted murder. You are also being charged with slandering the dead, countermanding the orders of fellow doctors and for being a fuckwit."
The press had a feild day with it! They snapped pictures of Meris leading the doctor away in handcuffs. He'd put up quite a struggle... His lower lip was bloodied and he had a black eye. Vincent waited until the hubbub had died down before targeting the woman he'd seen come in. He handed her a data disk then left. She knew damn well what was on it: The clone's death list. She put it in her pocket and went to her office. Meanwhile, Meris's boss was thrilled!
"You just broke an organ smuggling ring wide open, Meris! The Powers that Be have just handed down the order. You're no longer a Lieutenant."
"What?"
"You're getting a promotion."
Meris was in shock. Vincent shook the Captain's hand for her, then led her out of the Captain's office. Once they got away from the reporters, she came out of it. She gave Vincent a dazed look, total confusion reigning supreme in her face.
"Am I really...? Did I really get a promotion?"
"You did. Congratulations."
She looked at him clearly then. He was truly proud of what she'd done. Then it dawned on her. He hadn't heard her confession in the hospital! But that's what she thought. His true intentions became clear when he took her hands in his and led her to a bench. Once she was sitting down, he took something out of his pocket. Her eyes widened as he knelt in front of her, a small velvet box in one hand.
"What's going on?"
"I heard what you said at the hospital when you thought I was going to die."
"Oh..."
"Meris, I love you with all my heart. I know that's barely possible, because, as the media is so fond of saying, I have no heart to speak of."
"Who cares what they think anyway?"
"I knew you were going to say that. Meris, do you think you can tolerate seeing this wanted mug every day for the rest of your life?"
"I... I suppose so."
He could tell by her answer that he'd rattled her badly. Smothering a grin, he took her hand in his.
"What I'm trying to ask is... Meris, will you marry me?"
She stared at him in shock. Her life was actually going right for once... A promotion at work, and now this! Blinking back tears of sheer joy, she choked out an answer. It was the one he was hoping to hear.
"I... Yes. Yes, I will."
He slid a silver emerald and onyx ring on the third finger of her left hand, then stood, bringing her up with him. Then, dipping his head only a little, he kissed her. The kiss was soft and full of promise, lingering long after it should have been ended. When he lifted his head, they were both breathless. He held her close, one hand softly caressing her hair.
"Excuse me, but would you mind letting go of my wife?"
Meris tore out of Vincent's arms with a gasp of shock. But, despite the fact that she was trembling badly, her voice was surprisingly steady.
"What are you doing here?"
She managed to infuse her voice with enough contempt to smother a city. Her ex-husband had the good sense to flinch, but then he regained his composure and snarled at Vincent.
"I came to see if you wanted to go to dinner."
"Why? I filed the divorce papers. It's over, Grudath. It has been for a long time."
He got a smug look on his face that sent a chill down her spine. Then, from his pocket, he produced a sheaf of achingly familiar papers.
"You mean these papers?"
"How did you get those?"
"I called in a few favors. We're still married, honey."
His use of the endearment grated on her nerves. Vincent's too, judging from the look on his face. She saw the metal hand lift, shining steel digits curling into a position he'd used countless times before to kill. She didn't say or do anything to give away the fact that Vincent Valentine, Midgar's most notorious criminal, was standing behind Grudath with the intent to eviscerate him like a stinking fish caught in a tunaman's nets.
"Like hell we are. Those papers are as valid as my first name."
"What if I told you your name wasn't Meris?"
"I'd say you were still the lying sack of shit I divorced 5 years ago."
He snarled at her and opened his mouth to say something. But he never got the chance. In front of him, a black mist had rolled in. Meris gasped. She knew what that meant! Sure enough, deep inside the mist was a set of red eyes. Vincent had been possessed again! The mist died down to reveal Vincent Valentine with a set of ebony wings and crimson slits for eyes. His metal hand was hidden behind his back. A .357 Magnum was held in his other hand, which swung loosely at his side. Grudath blanched, but held his ground.
"Who the fuck are you?"
Vincent's voice was harsh and discordant. Meris thought it sounded evil. A semi-insane chuckle slid out from between blood-drenched lips.
"You fool... I'm your worst nightmare. I wonder if your new wife knows you raped and murdered that 12-year-old over on the South Side?"
"What? How'd you find out about that?"
Vincent laughed malevolently and threw the .357 to the ground in front of Grudath's feet. It hit with a harsh CLANG. Grudath picked it up and aimed, smirking all the while.
"Oh, I have my sources. You'd be surprised at what you can accomplish by watching someone."
Grudath cocked and fired the gun. It hit Vincent in the stomach, doubling him over. Blood poured from the wound and splattered on the ground. Meris held herself in place, not wanting to give either of them any cause for regret. But then, incredibly, Vincent straightened up, laughing maniacally.
"You fool! You can't stop the Destruction Demon that way!"
Meris gasped audibly. Her fear caused a disturbance so big, it caught the Arbiters' attention. They appeared quietly, remaining invisible. They were content to observe for now.
*What is it, Meris?*
*Vincent's been possessed again. This time, he called it the Demon of Destruction.*
Justice frowned mightily, but stood his ground. Retribution did the same, knowing full well what Vincent was doing.
"Destruction Demon? What the fuck kind of name is that?"
"It's just a title. My real name is much more menacing to you."
"What is it? I'll decide for myself, you little fuckwit."
"You know me as Vincent... Vincent Valentine."
Grudath paled and dropped the gun. He'd heard of Vincent Valentine... Everyone had. He was the one responsible for killing Reno, Rude and Elena. Vincent smirked and his skin took on a reddish cast. Then, without taking his eyes off Grudath...
"Take Meris far away. I don't want her to see this."
The Arbiters took her back to her apartment. She fell onto the couch in a daze. She couldn't believe it... Vincent had gone back to his old ways! Justice saw the ring on her left hand.
"Oh, no."
"What?"
"He proposed."
"Oh, no!"
They couldn't see what was going on, but they could hear it. The screams went on for a very long time. They weren't quite sure when they stopped, but Vincent reappeared in the apartment when they'd stopped echoing.
"Why, Vincent?"
Vincent looked at Justice incomprehensibly. He didn't know what was going on.
"Why what?"
"Why did you do it?"
Now it came clear. They wanted to know why he'd let the Demon take over. His answer, when it came, was a simple one.
"He threatened Meris. I had to do something."
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What a sweet deal... I found and "took care of" 3 more names on the list. And Vincent himself took out my final target for me! The bastard went to kill Meris and Vincent got taken over again. I couldn't have found a better way to get him in shit so deep he won't be able to dig his way out, even if it takes him the rest of his life! Hojo's subjects are all dead now... Except, of course, for Valentine and Meris. But I'll deal with them later... Right now, it's time to relax and have some fun. I think I'll go play some miniature golf. But I need to hide. Wouldn't do to spoil the surprise, now would it? Out on the course, I do remarkably well, garnering suspicious whispers from other players.
"He's cheating."
"There's no other way to explain it."
"He even got past the Graveyard in one shot!"
"Now, I find that incredibly rude. Did none of you stop to think that maybe he's just good at it?"
They turn to look at the guy who made that comment. He's tall, blonde, tanned and incredibly well-built. Rudolf, right on time. I give him a nod of thanks and move on to the end of the course. They start asking him questions, like is he single and could he possibly give private lessons. I laugh to myself. For one, Rudolf isn't single. And for another, he doesn't give private sessions. Rudolf is happily married to the Mayor's brainy and quite wealthy sister. After I get outside the building, I duck into an alley and shed the disguise. Good to be free of that nuisance. A voice stops me in my tracks.
"Going somewhere, Vincent?"
I turn slowly, watching the shadows warily for some sign of trouble. I find trouble, all right... But not in the way I first thought. Out of the shadows steps a woman I haven't seen since her disappearance...
"Lucrecia!"
"Miss me, lover?"
"Hell, yeah."
She slinks over to me and we walk to a nearby speakeasy for some cheap hooch. Sitting at the table, she stares at me over the rim of her glass. I salute her and take a sip of the rye. I'm a sucker for rye and Coke... It's my only weakness.
"So what have you found out?"
"Valentine lives as a free man. Oh, you might find this interesting... Meris is still alive."
"WHAT?!?"
"Lower your voice, babe. You wanna attract attention?"
"Sorry. But I thought she was dead!"
"So did we all. She's a cop here in Midgar."
"Shit! She still palling around with Grudath?"
"Nope."
I sit back with my glass, smug and secure with my knowledge. She gives me a glare so fierce I tell her.
"Valentine killed the poor bastard."
"I thought Chaos was gone."
"Not Chaos. Destruction."
"This is working out better than we ever thought possible. Once they've been discredited, we'll make Midgar fear us."
We sit there laughing at the idea. But we don't know we've been followed and overheard. There's a guy sitting in the corner with a red bandanna over his nose and mouth. If I had been paying attention, I'd have seen him take something out of his pocket and contact his superiors...
"Supernova, this is Red Giant."
"Go ahead, Red Giant."
"Comets sighted and tagged. Request further instructions."
"Observe their orbits. If they get too close to the system, destroy them."
"Affirmative. Red Giant out."
We don't hear any of that. We're too busy working out our plans to discredit and destroy Vincent and Meris. If we had seen him, we'd have seen him walk into an alleyway and discard the bandanna, revealing a man I haven't seen since the day I was created.
Meanwhile, on the other end of town, Vincent's clone stood over another corpse that had once belonged to Dr. Hojo's test subject. His ID number had been 12-ERT-564. His name? Police Commissioner Dalton. Now he was just another statistic in the growing campaign to discredit Vincent Valentine. The news report had been leaked as expected... Now all he had to do was wait. If he'd known about the Arbiters and the Archangel, he'd have changed his mind. The metal talons dripped blood, making him smile. The Discord demon was in full sway here... There was no chance of redemption for THIS twisted soul!
"You're mine, Valentine!"
"Choose your name."
"I choose Vincent Sephiroth. I combine 2 of the most notorious names this town's ever heard."
"So noted. Choose your path of destruction."
"Direct, laced with subterfuge."
"Then go. Let nothing stand in your way!"
"At thy bidding, my Master."
Tseng watched the clone sprint off into the night with a smirk. He knew damn well Meris had freed the real Vincent Valentine. If the clone, calling himself Vincent Sephiroth, thought he had an easy victory ahead of him, he had another thing coming! Tseng opened a communications channel with the Arbiters. The channel was secure.
"Tseng to Arbiters. All is going according to plan."
"Well done, Tseng. You are to hide yourself until further notice."
"Agreed. Tseng out."
Tseng changed his outward appearance, having gotten his stomach fixed not too long ago. He'd also had a vocal scrambler implanted. Tugging on his black leather jacket, he walked out into the open, heading for the train station. Taking out a prebought ticket, he boarded the next train for Clovaria. The voices had long since fallen silent. Tseng was going home.
"Passengers heading for Clovaria, Dentubis, Rinchaleu and Furcalis, please board the train now. Thank you."
Nobody knew Tseng had family in Clovaria, so he was safe. And he was too. Nobody had once thought Tseng was a threat to society. He'd contacted his mother the other day and told her he was coming home. The memory of her joyous tears was enough to make him weep silently.
"Hey, bud. Where you going?"
"Home."
That was pretty much what any of his conversations amounted to on the ride home... He refused to tell anyone where 'home' was. He was about to doze off when he heard his stop announced.
"Next stop, Clovaria."
He waited until the train stopped moving, then got off. He'd packed no bags or suitcases. When the train pulled out, he was standing alone on the platform. Then he heard the one voice that could move him to tears...
"Tseng?"
"Mom!"
They hugged, tears flowing freely on both sides of the embrace. She knew he had some trouble, but didn't want to ask. She didn't have to. They were on their way home when he told her everything that had happened.
"Oh my. Is this Vincent Valentine fellow going to come after you?"
"No, Mom. He's free now."
"Good. He seems like such a nice young man."
"He is, Mom. He was the best thing that could ever happen to me. He turned my life around."
He'd also told her about the clone, but hadn't told her who had been cloned. Now he told her, trepidation heavy in his posture.
"Mom... That clone?"
"Yes."
"They cloned Vincent."
"Oh, my goodness! So you think he'll pick up where Vincent left off before being freed?"
"I don't think he will. I know he will. But he won't get very far."
"You set a trap for him?"
"You know me so well, Mom... That's exactly what I did. And Meris and Vincent are going to help me."
His mother watched the news regularly. She knew who he was talking about.
"Tell me, did they really kill that officer Jacoby?"
"No, Mom. The clone did that. Jacoby was like Vincent."
"Oh, my!"
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Here I am... The world's first perfect clone. My original designation was Valentine's Clone. But I chose a new name, thanks to my Master. Now my name is Vincent Sephiroth, two of the most notorious names alive today. Of course, Sephiroth is dead, thanks to Cloud... But it doesn't matter. His legacy lives on. In me. As does Vincent's. I won't let myself fail or be defeated. I will become the most infamous person in history! Then I see him... The next name in the database. He can't believe I'd accost him in such a public place. I lull him with an offer of drinks. He gives me a strange look.
"I don't like your attitude, Vincent."
At least he calls me by my first name. I give him my most charming smile.
"I just want to buy you a few beers. What's the harm in that?"
He still doesn't trust me. He reaches into his pocket for something and Discord swallows me whole. By the time he lets me go, the man is dead, stun gun rolling away from his fleshless hand. The blood dripping off my claws is a sweet lullaby. I lick some off as I walk, totally unseen by the populace. Thank the Maker for some small favors! Too bad I don't know Tseng's playing me for the world's biggest sucker.
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"No sign of the clone yet, Vincent."
"Thanks, Meris. Looks like Tseng did a good enough job that we don't have to worry for a while."
They sat back, Meris uneasy and Vincent tense. They needed time alone, away from work. But they had no relief, save for the Arbiters. And the Arbiters were gone for the day.
"Dammit, Meris... I can't take this any more!"
She looked over at him, quirking an eyebrow. That only made him madder. So he stalked over to her, pulled her in close to him and kissed her. At first she was too startled to move, but then she wrapped her arms around him and returned the kiss. They finally had to come up for air, gasping softly.
"Was there something you wanted to say, Vincent?"
"I think I just said it."
She chuckled softly. His breath caught in his throat. Her breasts were brushing against his chest... He'd forgotten to let go of her! In fact, she was held so tightly against him, she could feel his response to her laughter. The laugh dried up in her throat as her body reacted. But instead of kissing her again, he reluctantly let her go. She was about to ask him why when she felt it. The Arbiters had returned.
"How goes the search?"
"Tseng did his job well. The clone hasn't entered our sensor range."
"Good. We'll take over now. Go take a walk. Or go get some dinner. You two look like you're ready to snap."
The moment they left the room, Meris broke into a run. She kept going until she'd reached the end of the street. Vincent let her run. By the time she'd regained her breath, he was there. The Arbiters, meanwhile, were aware of a new presence in the room. Despite their roles, they were still demons, after all. She identified it first...
"Lust."
"Desire."
"Frustration."
They looked at each other, then understood why Meris had run to the end of the street. She didn't want to fall for the man responsible for so many deaths.
"Too bad she doesn't realize she already has."
"He admitted he'd fallen for her while in the lab."
"Oh, my."
"Precisely."
Meris looked over at Vincent, strands of hair in her face. She could feel something shift deep down inside and was afraid to identify it. He knew what it was, though. He didn't want to make her upset, so he just stood there, not saying a word. Oddly enough, his silence didn't aggravate her. She couldn't understand why he didn't say anything!
"Why won't you ask me what's wrong?"
"I don't want to aggravate you any further."
She looked at him curiously, wonder and surprise in her eyes. He saw himself reflected in her gaze and shifted so his weight was on one foot. Then suddenly, without warning, the clone shot into the space behind Vincent and slashed his back with the metal hand. Vincent's eyes went extremely wide, then he fell to the ground, 4 perfectly spaced gashes oozing his lifeblood onto the sidewalk. Meris saw him fall and something snapped deep down inside. Her eyes turned red and her flesh-and-blood arm shot out into the position commonly associated with holding a sword or other handled weapon. Her lips pulled back into a snarl and she shouted something the clone couldn't understand. But what she did say was...
"PANDEMONIUM BLADE!"
A large wickedly curved scimitar appeared in her hand, light as a feather. The battle was well and truly joined then.
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Holy Christ! What the fuck is that thing in her hand? I thought she was just another one of Vincent's conquests! Wait a minute. She looks familiar... Oh, NO! She's Lucrecia's twin! No WONDER she could conjure a weapon like that! What'd she shout anyway? Panda? Not Panda. Pande. As in Pandemonium? Discord rears up and consumes my thoughts, revealing a weapon called the Pandemonium Blade. Nobody knows what it does or where it came from. All any of them can agree on is that in the right hands, it's dangerous to whomever the weilder targets. I gotta rethink my assault here... I got Vincent. But I didn't know he'd have company. Never saw her coming... Literally. Shit! Here she comes again! I find myself sprawled on my ass in an alleyway, looking cross-eyed at the end of her sword. I gotta get outta here so I can regroup!
"Vincent will die if you continue this."
"What do I care? You're him, aren't you?"
"You're lying to yourself. You care for him and you know it."
What's with all this psychobabble coming from my mouth anyway? Good grief... It's gotta be Discord! He's the only one who could smoothtalk his way out of a paper bag. The woman blinks, then backs away to check on him. He won't die... Not yet. He'll bleed to death, because I didn't want him to die right away. I want him to suffer like his victims did. She's looking at him. Now's my chance to get away... So I do. I run like I'm being chased by the hounds of Hell. Which, if you think about it, is technically the truth.
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Meris looked down at Vincent for just a moment, only to hear the clone take off running. She didn't care, because she was too busy trying to stop the bleeding.
"No! Oh, God... Please don't die on me!"
"Wouldn't... *cough* dream of it. He nicked me. That's all."
"Vincent, he slashed your back wide open!"
"If he had wanted me dead, he would have really gouged me. That was just a warning shot."
She let go of the Pandemonium Blade and it disappeared. One of the Arbiters appeared, worry creasing their brow. It was Justice. He took Vincent into his arms and motioned for her to grab his arm. She did so, and they were taken to a hospital. The moment they appeared, the hospital staff jumped into action. They didn't seem to care that he was Vincent Valentine, wanted criminal. They moved quickly, getting him into the OR for surgery to close the gouges. Meris and Justice waited in the hallway impatiently, with her pacing. They didn't hear anything for more than 6 hours... Then the doctor came out.
"Meris?"
"Yes?"
"We were able to close the gouges, but... It doesn't look good. Whatever it was, it was infected. He's fighting an infection that will require hospitalization for at least a week."
"Oh, God... It was the clone. He wanted Vincent to suffer!"
The doctor looked at her, then suddenly nodded as the light dawned. He turned to a nurse and took her by surprise.
"Get me a vial of Tarmaprine and a syringe!"
Tarmaprine was an anti-inflammatory with an antibiotic mixed in. The nurse hurried away, then returned quickly with the vial and syringe. She was followed by the Head of Medicine. He gave the doctor a stern look, then claimed possession of the medication.
"You are not giving that criminal this medicine. I won't allow it."
Meris moved forward so that they could all see her. The look in her eye made them flinch.
"You are going to give him that medication. And you are going to do it now."
"Who are you to order me around?"
"Leiutenant Meris, Midgar PD. That man is going to survive, and you are going to make sure of it."
"Why should I?"
"Because if you don't, I'll arrest you for murder."
"You... You wouldn't!"
"Jsut fucking try me, asswipe!"
The nurse took the vial back and slipped into Vincent's room. She injected it right into his skin, knowing it would kick in that much quicker. She stayed with him until his fever broke. Then she made a note on his chart. "Patient to be given 35 cc of Tarmaprine every 6 hours until signs of improvement become visible." Poor Vincent lay on his stomach, bandages on his ravaged back. He'd been given a dose of morphine upon admittance to kill the pain and was now out cold. The shivers subsided almost immediately after his fever broke, but he still suffered.
"Poor man. I feel for you. I really do."
Meris, on the other hand, was still confronting the Head of Medicine at the hospital.
"You're being a prick, you know that?"
"And you're being a bitch!"
She hauled off and decked him one. He gave her a surprised look before toppling backward and hitting the ground with a thud. The nurse tapped her elbow and nodded once. Meris followed her to Vincent's room and stifled a sob at the paleness of his skin. She sat beside his bed and took one of his hands in both of hers. What she said next took both of them by surprise.
"Vincent, please. Get better soon. I... I love you."
There was a ghastly rattling sound, then his heart monitor went off. He was dead! Meris stared in shock, then began to scream. The nurse rushed in, followed by a team of medics. Meris could only watch helplessly as they worked to revive him. She felt that same something snap again, manifesting itself as an eerie white glow. It spread outward, surrounding everyone in the room. When it died down, they all stood bemused, Vincent's monitors showing improving signs of life. But they never got past the levels recorded for a coma patient. Meris whimpered, then turned and ran from the room, tears pouring down her face. She ran smack into Tseng!
"Meris?"
She knew that voice, even with the scrambler implanted. Her eyes widened as she straightened up.
"Tseng?"
"Come with me. We need to talk."
"Yes we do. Where?"
"Arbiter?"
The Arbiter of Retribution moved them to a private place so they could talk.
"Vincent's ill, isn't he?"
"The clone got him and now he's in a coma."
"Oh, fuck me."
"You got that right. I couldn't bring him up farther than that."
"What color was the glow?"
"White. But it wasn't enough..."
"It was. He's alive, isn't he?"
"Well, yes..."
"Well then?"
"You have a point there. But I... I drew a weapon on the clone."
He stared at her, speechless. She was telling the truth! His eyes closed briefly, then re-opened.
"What was it?"
"I shouted something, then I heard myself saying "Pandemonium Blade." Tseng, I... He ran away from it. Why?"
"Pandemonium Blade? Sweet Jesus, Meris! You're DANGEROUS!"
They sat there talking until Justice re-appeared. He could tell they'd been discussing something serious.
"He's getting better, Meris. The doctors credit it to you."
"Really?"
"Yes. He's in serious but stable condition."
"Oh, thank God."
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I'm cursing myself here... I shoulda ripped his heart out while I had the chance! But I won't beat myself up over it. I'll have another chance at it. I sit back and chill, not knowing Tseng is in league with my enemies.
"Hey there, handsome."
She snuck up on me while I was preoccupied! But she's very sexy... Tall, blonde, well built... Poured into a red velvet dress. I smile urbanely, deciding to let my disguise do the talking for me.
"Hey yourself, gorgeous. Have a seat."
She sits beside me at the bar. The bartender brings her a Scotch on the rocks. He pours me another double Rye. I lay enough money on the counter to pay for both drinks. She raises an eyebrow, but takes a sip of her drink.
"So what brings a guy like you to a place like this?"
"I'm trying to relax. What brings a gorgeous lady like you to this place?"
"Same thing, I'm afraid. Being lonely sucks."
"Maybe I can remedy that."
"Maybe you can, stranger."
We talk for a while, the elbow-length gloves doing an excellent job of hiding her metal hand. Finally she asks me if I want to come home with her. I accept, knowing damn well that she's just another victim. This is just an easier way to get her out of the picture. Her name's Trudi. She's a widow, her husband killed when Cloud went on his rampage. We get to her place and she pours me another glass of rye. I sip it slowly, savoring its rich flavor as it slides down my throat. She sits down beside me and places one hand on my thigh. I down the rest of the booze and follow her to her room. Little do I know that she's got a surprise for me... When we get in there, I see her sister lying on the bed, eyes closed and a needle sticking out of her arm.
"She's yours, my pet."
"What the fuck are you talking about? I ain't your pet, lady."
"You work for Tseng."
"How'd you know that?"
"It's no secret. You leave a calling card every time you kill someone. I want you to kill her."
"But she's your sister, for cryin' out loud!"
"She is not. She is a pathetic whiner with a taste for alcohol and drugs. She is draining our parents dry and I can't stand it."
"Oh, I get it. Mercy killing and frame Vincent."
"Precisely. I'll leave you to it."
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She walked out of the room, fully expecting him to walk out and kill her instead. But she wouldn't be disappointed. Her sister's screams were music to her ears. They lasted a long, long time... And when they finally stopped, she smirked. The only way her sister would scream like that was if her john was too big for her. The thought of Vincent's clone fucking her sister till she died was so potent she felt herself getting turned on. The clone came out, blood all over him, and went right to her. His claws rested against the back of her neck.
"I did your dirty work for you. I'm gonna take a shower, then I'm outta here. If you try to stop me, you're history. You got me?"
She turned to face him, completely naked except for her panties. And even then, they didn't conceal much. His eyes widened and he found himself wanting her. He felt sheer disgust at himself for desiring a bitch like her... But Discord told him he could kill two birds with one stone here. Give her what she so obviously wanted, then kill her. So he didn't argue when she led him into the bathroom. She got the water temperature just right, then they shed their clothing and got in. She got the soap and rubbed it over him, hiding just about everything in lather. The one part that wasn't hidden was his groin. He wanted her, she wanted him, so he took her. There in the shower. She moaned at times, and sometimes she screamed. She was truly remarkable... When they were done, she stepped out to get a towel. When she came back, his claws rammed right through her guts, spewing entrails all over the bathroom floor.
"Sloppy work. Shoulda killed you in the shower, bitch."
She died right then and there, having gotten her fondest wish: To be fucked by Vincent Valentine's clone. He tossed her into the stall and turned off the water. He didn't care if they were found or not... In the end, Vincent would take the blame, not him.
"You were good, lady. I'll never forget ya."
Then he was gone. He went in search of the rest of Hojo's victims. Little did he know that he was being tracked... Meris had slipped a bug into his jacket before he'd run off.
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Meris sat at Vincent's bedside, holding his hand in hers. She couldn't believe how close she'd come to losing him... The medical staff had been told she wasn't allowed to see him. So whenever they found her there, they ran her off. But that evening was different... She could feel it.
"Come on, Vincent... I need you."
"Really? I thought I was your ticket to police fame."
"Vincent!"
"Hey, kid. Can't get rid of me that easily."
She leaned over and hugged him tightly, praying they would stay together. He hugged her back, not wanting to lose her. The doctor came in and shoo'ed her out of the room. As soon as he saw Vincent awake, he took out a needle and injected it into his IV line. He dropped back into unconsciousness right away. He had no resistance to the drugs whatsoever... Tseng came out of the bathroom shortly after the doctor had left. He laid the real Vincent back in the bed with a smirk. If only that fool doctor had known it wasn't Vincent.
"You can come in now, Meris."
"Did it work?"
"Yes. Justice was a good subject for this. Good thing you were suspicious of that doctor."
Vincent, the real one, took Meris's hands in his, eyes moist with tears. He was so glad he'd left her alive... She smiled at him, then leaned over and brushed his lips with hers. Tseng stepped out of the room, whistling merrily. Justice had already analyzed the drug as a powerful muscle relaxant combined with a painkiller. The dosage had been lethal. If it had been Vincent in the bed, he would have died within an hour.
"Thermaprine. Closely resembling the anti-inflammatory agent Tarmaprine."
"Thermaprine was outlawed after Cloud used it to kill an entire army."
Back inside the hospital room, Vincent's flesh hand had found its way under Meris's shirt. She didn't try to stop him. It felt so right... His thumb elicited a small moan as it made a lazy circle. He gently pinched it, making her gasp softly. With great reluctance he withdrew his hand and looked up at her. She nodded once, knowing he didn't want to get caught. The next morning would be rather interesting to say the least...
The next morning heralded a press conference. The doctor who'd injected Vincent stood behind a podium addressing the press.
"Some time last night, renowned killer Vincent Valentine, a patient here at this hospital, died of a massive seizure. He had no oxygen going to his brain and his systems shut down, one after the other."
"Why was he a patient here?"
"He'd been assaulted by a clone that had been made to resemble him in every way. Right down to his metal hand."
Vincent stifled a smirk from behind the red velvet curtain. He had a Shinra tattoo on his left buttock... The doctor hadn't mentioned it. The members of the press shifted uneasily. Meris held her camera steady as she pretended to record what was being said. The doctor hated the Turks and the Shinra. He made no secret of being glad Reno, Rude and Elena were dead.
"What about the Turks Valentine killed?"
"The Turks are a menace to this society, and I say they deserved their fate."
That was Meris's cue... She dropped the camera and spoke up.
"Even if they'd given up being Turks and had started living normal, happy lives?"
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about the EX-Turks Reno, Rude and Elena. Did they really deserve to die or is this just another publicity stunt?"
"I don't know what you're talking about!"
"Don't patronize me, Doctor. Did you or did you not inject Vincent Valentine with over 100 cc's of Thermaprine?"
The press shifted uneasily. They didn't know who she was, but she seemed to have it in for the doctor.
"Who are you?"
Meris threw off her disguise. And amid astonished gasps from the media, she jumped onto the podium and handcuffed him.
"Leiutenant Meris of the Midgar Police. You are hereby placed under arrest for attempted murder. You are also being charged with slandering the dead, countermanding the orders of fellow doctors and for being a fuckwit."
The press had a feild day with it! They snapped pictures of Meris leading the doctor away in handcuffs. He'd put up quite a struggle... His lower lip was bloodied and he had a black eye. Vincent waited until the hubbub had died down before targeting the woman he'd seen come in. He handed her a data disk then left. She knew damn well what was on it: The clone's death list. She put it in her pocket and went to her office. Meanwhile, Meris's boss was thrilled!
"You just broke an organ smuggling ring wide open, Meris! The Powers that Be have just handed down the order. You're no longer a Lieutenant."
"What?"
"You're getting a promotion."
Meris was in shock. Vincent shook the Captain's hand for her, then led her out of the Captain's office. Once they got away from the reporters, she came out of it. She gave Vincent a dazed look, total confusion reigning supreme in her face.
"Am I really...? Did I really get a promotion?"
"You did. Congratulations."
She looked at him clearly then. He was truly proud of what she'd done. Then it dawned on her. He hadn't heard her confession in the hospital! But that's what she thought. His true intentions became clear when he took her hands in his and led her to a bench. Once she was sitting down, he took something out of his pocket. Her eyes widened as he knelt in front of her, a small velvet box in one hand.
"What's going on?"
"I heard what you said at the hospital when you thought I was going to die."
"Oh..."
"Meris, I love you with all my heart. I know that's barely possible, because, as the media is so fond of saying, I have no heart to speak of."
"Who cares what they think anyway?"
"I knew you were going to say that. Meris, do you think you can tolerate seeing this wanted mug every day for the rest of your life?"
"I... I suppose so."
He could tell by her answer that he'd rattled her badly. Smothering a grin, he took her hand in his.
"What I'm trying to ask is... Meris, will you marry me?"
She stared at him in shock. Her life was actually going right for once... A promotion at work, and now this! Blinking back tears of sheer joy, she choked out an answer. It was the one he was hoping to hear.
"I... Yes. Yes, I will."
He slid a silver emerald and onyx ring on the third finger of her left hand, then stood, bringing her up with him. Then, dipping his head only a little, he kissed her. The kiss was soft and full of promise, lingering long after it should have been ended. When he lifted his head, they were both breathless. He held her close, one hand softly caressing her hair.
"Excuse me, but would you mind letting go of my wife?"
Meris tore out of Vincent's arms with a gasp of shock. But, despite the fact that she was trembling badly, her voice was surprisingly steady.
"What are you doing here?"
She managed to infuse her voice with enough contempt to smother a city. Her ex-husband had the good sense to flinch, but then he regained his composure and snarled at Vincent.
"I came to see if you wanted to go to dinner."
"Why? I filed the divorce papers. It's over, Grudath. It has been for a long time."
He got a smug look on his face that sent a chill down her spine. Then, from his pocket, he produced a sheaf of achingly familiar papers.
"You mean these papers?"
"How did you get those?"
"I called in a few favors. We're still married, honey."
His use of the endearment grated on her nerves. Vincent's too, judging from the look on his face. She saw the metal hand lift, shining steel digits curling into a position he'd used countless times before to kill. She didn't say or do anything to give away the fact that Vincent Valentine, Midgar's most notorious criminal, was standing behind Grudath with the intent to eviscerate him like a stinking fish caught in a tunaman's nets.
"Like hell we are. Those papers are as valid as my first name."
"What if I told you your name wasn't Meris?"
"I'd say you were still the lying sack of shit I divorced 5 years ago."
He snarled at her and opened his mouth to say something. But he never got the chance. In front of him, a black mist had rolled in. Meris gasped. She knew what that meant! Sure enough, deep inside the mist was a set of red eyes. Vincent had been possessed again! The mist died down to reveal Vincent Valentine with a set of ebony wings and crimson slits for eyes. His metal hand was hidden behind his back. A .357 Magnum was held in his other hand, which swung loosely at his side. Grudath blanched, but held his ground.
"Who the fuck are you?"
Vincent's voice was harsh and discordant. Meris thought it sounded evil. A semi-insane chuckle slid out from between blood-drenched lips.
"You fool... I'm your worst nightmare. I wonder if your new wife knows you raped and murdered that 12-year-old over on the South Side?"
"What? How'd you find out about that?"
Vincent laughed malevolently and threw the .357 to the ground in front of Grudath's feet. It hit with a harsh CLANG. Grudath picked it up and aimed, smirking all the while.
"Oh, I have my sources. You'd be surprised at what you can accomplish by watching someone."
Grudath cocked and fired the gun. It hit Vincent in the stomach, doubling him over. Blood poured from the wound and splattered on the ground. Meris held herself in place, not wanting to give either of them any cause for regret. But then, incredibly, Vincent straightened up, laughing maniacally.
"You fool! You can't stop the Destruction Demon that way!"
Meris gasped audibly. Her fear caused a disturbance so big, it caught the Arbiters' attention. They appeared quietly, remaining invisible. They were content to observe for now.
*What is it, Meris?*
*Vincent's been possessed again. This time, he called it the Demon of Destruction.*
Justice frowned mightily, but stood his ground. Retribution did the same, knowing full well what Vincent was doing.
"Destruction Demon? What the fuck kind of name is that?"
"It's just a title. My real name is much more menacing to you."
"What is it? I'll decide for myself, you little fuckwit."
"You know me as Vincent... Vincent Valentine."
Grudath paled and dropped the gun. He'd heard of Vincent Valentine... Everyone had. He was the one responsible for killing Reno, Rude and Elena. Vincent smirked and his skin took on a reddish cast. Then, without taking his eyes off Grudath...
"Take Meris far away. I don't want her to see this."
The Arbiters took her back to her apartment. She fell onto the couch in a daze. She couldn't believe it... Vincent had gone back to his old ways! Justice saw the ring on her left hand.
"Oh, no."
"What?"
"He proposed."
"Oh, no!"
They couldn't see what was going on, but they could hear it. The screams went on for a very long time. They weren't quite sure when they stopped, but Vincent reappeared in the apartment when they'd stopped echoing.
"Why, Vincent?"
Vincent looked at Justice incomprehensibly. He didn't know what was going on.
"Why what?"
"Why did you do it?"
Now it came clear. They wanted to know why he'd let the Demon take over. His answer, when it came, was a simple one.
"He threatened Meris. I had to do something."
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What a sweet deal... I found and "took care of" 3 more names on the list. And Vincent himself took out my final target for me! The bastard went to kill Meris and Vincent got taken over again. I couldn't have found a better way to get him in shit so deep he won't be able to dig his way out, even if it takes him the rest of his life! Hojo's subjects are all dead now... Except, of course, for Valentine and Meris. But I'll deal with them later... Right now, it's time to relax and have some fun. I think I'll go play some miniature golf. But I need to hide. Wouldn't do to spoil the surprise, now would it? Out on the course, I do remarkably well, garnering suspicious whispers from other players.
"He's cheating."
"There's no other way to explain it."
"He even got past the Graveyard in one shot!"
"Now, I find that incredibly rude. Did none of you stop to think that maybe he's just good at it?"
They turn to look at the guy who made that comment. He's tall, blonde, tanned and incredibly well-built. Rudolf, right on time. I give him a nod of thanks and move on to the end of the course. They start asking him questions, like is he single and could he possibly give private lessons. I laugh to myself. For one, Rudolf isn't single. And for another, he doesn't give private sessions. Rudolf is happily married to the Mayor's brainy and quite wealthy sister. After I get outside the building, I duck into an alley and shed the disguise. Good to be free of that nuisance. A voice stops me in my tracks.
"Going somewhere, Vincent?"
I turn slowly, watching the shadows warily for some sign of trouble. I find trouble, all right... But not in the way I first thought. Out of the shadows steps a woman I haven't seen since her disappearance...
"Lucrecia!"
"Miss me, lover?"
"Hell, yeah."
She slinks over to me and we walk to a nearby speakeasy for some cheap hooch. Sitting at the table, she stares at me over the rim of her glass. I salute her and take a sip of the rye. I'm a sucker for rye and Coke... It's my only weakness.
"So what have you found out?"
"Valentine lives as a free man. Oh, you might find this interesting... Meris is still alive."
"WHAT?!?"
"Lower your voice, babe. You wanna attract attention?"
"Sorry. But I thought she was dead!"
"So did we all. She's a cop here in Midgar."
"Shit! She still palling around with Grudath?"
"Nope."
I sit back with my glass, smug and secure with my knowledge. She gives me a glare so fierce I tell her.
"Valentine killed the poor bastard."
"I thought Chaos was gone."
"Not Chaos. Destruction."
"This is working out better than we ever thought possible. Once they've been discredited, we'll make Midgar fear us."
We sit there laughing at the idea. But we don't know we've been followed and overheard. There's a guy sitting in the corner with a red bandanna over his nose and mouth. If I had been paying attention, I'd have seen him take something out of his pocket and contact his superiors...
"Supernova, this is Red Giant."
"Go ahead, Red Giant."
"Comets sighted and tagged. Request further instructions."
"Observe their orbits. If they get too close to the system, destroy them."
"Affirmative. Red Giant out."
We don't hear any of that. We're too busy working out our plans to discredit and destroy Vincent and Meris. If we had seen him, we'd have seen him walk into an alleyway and discard the bandanna, revealing a man I haven't seen since the day I was created.