A/N: I have returned.
As I expected, my computer decided not to work over Easter. Still isn't. Good ol' College computers! ^_^ (Yeah, this is being typed as per usual during a free period.)
Sorry to disappoint you all, but I WON'T be doing the 'what next' chapter. I'll just put down a couple ideas at the end.
Read on, amigos.
Disclaimer: Final Fantasy Seven does not belong to me- not now and prob'ly not ever.
Nanaki sighed and shook his head, causing his mane to sway from side to side. It was no use. Vincent just sat there in Cloud and Tifa's spare room, cross-legged on the bed, like he was in some kind of trance. He sighed again, and padded silently back towards the living room. There had to be something they could do…
* * * * *
Silence.
Silence and darkness.
Silence and darkness, until the sound of fingers rapping against an arm impatiently reached his ears. Vincent groaned and opened his eyes.
He didn't like what he saw.
There was some light; it was just an unnaturally dark light. He knew where he was. The depths of his subconscious. He looked at himself. As he expected he was wearing his Turk uniform. As always.
"Stand up, Valentine." A voice growled above his head. He slowly pulled himself to his feet. He knew whom, or more appropriately, what, it was that was talking to him.
"Chaos." He glared. That was it. He wasn't going to talk to the demon anymore than he had to.
Chaos scowled. "Grow up, Valentine. We expected better from you. Deities only know why…" Vincent risked a glance at the threshold of the 'light'. "Yes, we are here as a conclave." Chaos sighed irritably. Unfortunately, it was true. Death Gigas and Hellmasker kept appearing at the edge of his vision, before going again, Death Gigas rumbling to itself, and Hellmasker mumbling to itself, every now and again releasing a chuckle too alike to Hojo's for Vincent's nerves. Galian Beast was the only one that appeared to be paying attention—did this mean that the Beast was more intelligent than the two more humanoid monsters, or that if he made a wrong move, chaos had promised the Beast that it could feed on him? Vincent didn't know which was more disturbing.
"…You knew." Vincent accused, staring directly into Chaos' black orbs. The demon flinched slightly. It wasn't used to eye contact.
"Yes." It admitted eventually. "What? Did you expect an apology? If we had told you, you would not have believed us. You would have thought that we made up the girl being your niece, because it would make you feel worse for just watching as dear, dear Lucrieca's brat--"
"How dare you." Vincent hissed. "You have no right to speak her name, especially not in that snide tone!"
Chaos looked thoughtfully at him. "Perhaps… We may have underestimated you, Valentine." It paused. "They are concerned about your well being. The mortals and the Cosmo, we mean."
Vincent blinked. "What are you up to?" He asked angrily.
"What?" Chaos sounded almost amused. It only fuelled Vincent's rage.
"You heard me. You're being… pleasant."
"Only relatively." Chaos sniffed disdainfully. "It does leave a sour taste in our mouth, but… needs must." It paused. "…'Ancient'." It sounded amused again. "Do you remember your words, Valentine? '…The Ancients… after a long time that is probably what others will come to call us… It's only a matter of time…' Well? Do you?"
"Yes… but… Why do you sound so amused at the Cetra being called 'Ancients'?"
Chaos laughed loudly and bitterly. "WE were old before this pretty planet of yours had even formed from its gas cloud. Calling the Cetra 'Ancients' in light of that, is just laughable."
"…You're insufferable. What the hell are you talking about?"
Chaos snorted. "Now we've OVER-estimated you, Valentine. It is of no concern of yours. Now—are you sulking, or are you trying something?"
Vincent shook his head wearily. "I-I've been trying to make contact with the Planet. Or the others in the Promised Land…"
"You fool, Valentine. You have the Deceiver's cells in your body. Jenova will try to prevent it, and they may not wish to communicate with you anyway." Chaos then smirked. "We could convince the others to hold a séance. Mind you, it would end messily—Hellmasker is too enthusiastic with that chainsaw of his…"
"You're deranged." Vincent said simply. "Look—I'm not asking for your help. Just don't be a hindrance. And stop referring to yourself in the plural. It's starting to seriously vex me—"
"Vincent?" A small voice asked confusedly.
"Who's--?" Vincent began.
"Gaia." Chaos answered bluntly.
* * * * *
"…I tried to contact you…" Tifa said sadly, shaking her head.
"…The basement is shielded from radiation of all kinds. Even the radio waves used for PHS communication…" Nanaki sighed. "But we do appreciate it."
"…So, Nanaki... What was that fiasco about?" Cloud leaned against a doorframe and frowned.
"…I'm guessing that the original Vincent Valentine was born here in Nibelheim, October 13th 2165, but died 13 days later." Nanaki speculated. "It was shortly after that Grandfather arrived, with the Cetra child, who we know as Vincent Valentine. The couple that'd recently lost their own child, Thomas and Martha Valentine, decided to adopt him and successfully did so…"
"Yeah…" Tifa sniffed. "I, uh, remembered my mom saying to me once that, um, the ShinRa Mansion used to be known as the Valentine Mansion. That was why I tried to…"
"Hey, shh." Cloud said gently, and went and sat down beside her, and put his arms around her.
"I thought that it couldn't be a coincidence…" She sighed.
"It's not your fault." Nanaki reassured. "…Do you want to rest before I continue?" Tifa shook her head. "Very well. Anyway, sometime after adopting Vincent, they must have sold their mansion to the ShinRa, and moved to Midgar. Unfortunately, they were killed in a territory dispute between two gangs, and Vincent was taken in by Hojo's father, and raised as Hojo's brother."
"I still can't believe that. Poor Vincent…" Tifa sighed.
"Yeah. I feel as bad as hell for asking him to go to the City of the Ancients now…" Cloud sighed, then suddenly looked thoughtful. "I wonder what he's been doing…?" he mused.
"Meditation. There's no doubt about that." Nanaki stated. "It's just a question about whether it's normal meditation, or…"
"He could be doing a… Planet reading?" Tifa asked incredulously, straining to remember what the correct term was called.
"Possibly." Nanaki confirmed. "He could just be attempting to. The fact that he hasn't tried before may make the Planet hostile towards him, as may the presence of his Jenova cells… As a matter of fact, the cells themselves could prevent the Planet from hearing him… This is all conjecture, of course. We won't actually know until Vincent talks to us again…"
"Should we contact the others?" Cloud asked. "Let them know what's happened."
"We barely know ourselves." Nanaki muttered angrily, annoyed about the lack of help they could give their friend.
"Nanaki—be strong." Tifa said gently.
"I know, I know. But…" the Cosmo sighed. "If I hadn't found out about the lost Cetra, then…"
"We would be none the wiser about my origins." A familiar voice said calmly. The trio turned to see…
"Vincent. We didn't see you come in." Tifa said dumbfounded, wondering how long the ex-Turk gunslinger had been sitting on the stairs.
"…No-one ever does." Vincent replied coolly.
"…How are you feeling?" she asked.
"Better, thank you." AVALANCHE's most taciturn member answered. "May I have something to eat and drink, please? I wouldn't impose, but I haven't consumed anything in the last two days…"
* * * *
"So—the Planet did answer you?" Nanaki asked as Nemesis walked across the plains back to Cosmo Canyon.
"Eventually." Vincent answered. "It had thought that Aeris was the last Cetra, and so was a little wary about answering. Jenova had blocked my life-signs from the Planet, so it presumed I was dead too."
"…How long had you been listening to us?"
"Long enough…"
"…For what?"
Vincent paused, bringing Nemesis to a halt as he did so. He turned and looked at Nanaki. "To know that I have friends more caring than I deserve..."
'No. You have the friends you deserve Vincent.' A voice rung in his head. 'No one ever has any different.'
"…Vincent?" The ex-Turk became aware Nanaki was frowning concernedly at him.
"I'm… fine." Vincent paused. "Had you said something?"
"…Yes. I inferred in a Cid-like manner that you were not in full possession of your senses." Nanaki chortled. "Why did you not hear me?"
"Gaia." That was enough. Nanaki nodded understandingly, and Nemesis started walking again.
"So. What do we do now?" Nanaki asked, looking at the setting sun.
"What else?" Vincent shrugged. "We live."
A/N: Just met my deadline! ^_^ (C.f. Last chapter.)
This was a lot shorter than the last chapter, but…
Anyway, thanks to everyone who has and will review. I would like to know your best/worst moments of this story, so I can work on what needs improving in my writing style. Yeah, Vincent does seem OOC in the dialogue with Chaos, but, hey, it makes sense that he and Chaos wouldn't get along too well. I may do a story when they co-exist in a symbiotic relationship…
Anyway, my current ideas for FF7 fics are: one of the growing numbers of Vincent's days as a Turk fics, one of Vincent's days growing up (yeah, with big brother Hoj'!), or a story about what happened in that week when AVALANCHE were detained by the ShinRa (just after Cloud gave Sephiroth the Black materia…). My next planned serious fic is a one-shot that should be up in the next fortnight or so in the FF Crossovers section, when Vincent finds himself in the DC universe, meeting one inhabitant there with a similar problem to his… Best leave it there, as I don't want to give too much away.
Thanks for reading. Hope to see ya around again some day.
-Mantichorus.
"Endings are mixed blessings…" Dream of the Endless (AKA Morpheus, AKA The Sandman… You get the idea.)
Additional: The Sandman series is owned by Dc Comics and was created by Neil Gaiman. Hate to get into trouble over one little quote!
NB- Sorry. It looks like I'm not gonna get that FF Crossover fic done in time. I can't say when it will be up, but if you were interested, just keep an eye on my profile.