The Song of Eternity
Canto 9
Ronin
Verse 1
Never to let go,
Always living through the darkness,
Never being able to pass on,
Taking center stage unwillingly,
Fighting for whatever presents itself at the time,
Never for self.
Vincent stared at the ceiling of his room as the words faded from his sleepy mind. He sat upright and breathed out a sigh before heading to the bathroom. He stared at himself in the mirror, looking into his own crimson eyes. "Where are you Chaos?" he asked himself before continuing to get ready for the day ahead of him.
To an observer, Vincent Valentine looks odd to begin with. Dressed in various shades of black and red whenever not wearing his blue Turk suit, carrying his weapon, the Agememnon concealed at all times, long black hair, pale white skin, and unnaturally red eyes, he oozed an air of danger.
But the normal person did not know the half about his past. He spent the majority of the past million years in suspended animation, only coming out to battle Sephiroth a few years after Meteor hit, to extinguish life on the planet many years later, and recently to help defeat Galactus/Garland. In truth, he looked more normal now than he had in ages. After the deaths of Galactus/Garland and Travis Starmore, two godlike entities who had been battling each other for as long as Vincent had lived, he had been separated from his inner demon, Chaos, and had his flesh left arm returned to him.
"Where are you?" he muttered as he dried off from his shower. Chaos disappeared about two weeks ago while in the Himalayan Mountains with another man, Logan, investigating a hunch. Vincent knew the demon must still be alive, since the two of them were still bonded and felt each other's physical pain. "…" he said nothing as he straightened his tie and went downstairs.
Once downstairs he heard a car and motorcycle pulling out of the driveway. He took a piece of paper down from it's spot, taped to the door, as he headed to the kitchen for breakfast. Vincent, we headed out around 7:30 to check over the building one more time. Catch you later, Murphy and Cole. P.S. I left an egg on the stove, should still be warm. Vincent tossed the note in the trash as he dove into the breakfast Murphy left him. Ever since the two of them showed up in his life, things had stayed interesting. The pair of twins that showed up on his back doorstop asking for help and telling him where they came from.
"I wish everything was as simple as fixing those two," he grumbled sarcastically as he finished eating and went to leave in his car. The world he woke up in a few months ago was a strange one. Men gifted with powers that normally could only be had with materia. Vincent was put right into the middle of it as he made friends with many mutants, including the boy Cole. It all came to a head when someone in the government gave the order to capture all the mutants in the town Bayville. What ensued was the revelation that around twenty students at the local high school were mutants and a chain of events that led to the death of Charles Xavier by other mutants under the control of Apocalypse.
Vincent and several others had freed those captured and helped fend off an attack by more mutants, called the Marauders, bent on killing the children. When all was said and done, the children were exposed as mutants, but cleared of charges as the President took charge of the situation following an emotional speech by Erik Leshinger, equating the possible persecution of mutants to the Holocaust. In the end, all the children and adults captured moved back into the late Xavier's mansion for safety as Vincent remained with the twins.
Vincent frowned as he parked his car and walked toward the school. The building was surrounded by protestors of all kinds holding anti-mutant signs and the like. The crowd parted as they recognized Vincent. Taunting children was one thing, but Vincent was technically an Avenger and had helped kill Galactus months ago. He was greeted at the entrance by Principal Kelly and Colonel Stone of the Marines. "Gentlemen," he greeted the two of them.
"My teams have gone over this place already, but the twins decided to give it the once over," Stone informed him. "We have the metal detectors at the entrance, so my people are going to move out and leave it up to you, unless you want to reconsider," Stone added.
"I think not. These are children and they do not need the distraction of armed men in the building," Vincent replied.
"I have to agree with Mr. Valentine on this one. I will not allow guns in my school," Principal Kelly added.
"The students will be gathered in the auditorium once they arrive and I will address them. Then once the other kids are here, I will talk to them and we can go about business as usual," Vincent continued.
"All clear boss-man, no one but teachers in here," Murphy reported as he entered the lobby. Murphy could best be described as the social twin. They both looked the similar, especially in their matching Turk suits, about six feet tall, Murphy with short red hair, Cole with longer hair tied back.
Cole said nothing as he looked outside at the protestors. The similarities ended once you got past their exteriors though. Cole looked older, as if he had seen things beyond his years, while Murphy kept up a bright exterior. "Elena is here," Cole noted.
"Okay, you get her once she comes in and come into the auditorium," Vincent told him. "Then we can get the circus going."
"Welcome back students," Principal Kelly began. "As you are no doubt aware, some students were gone for special reasons and have now returned. Mr. Vincent Valentine, one of the Avengers would like to have a few words with you all before we start the day of classes," he addressed the crowd of murmuring students.
The crowd quieted as Vincent took the microphone from Principal Kelly. "This will be short and fast. They are the same kids you knew two weeks ago, they are not any different from then. I expect them not to be treated any differently, meaning no singling them out because of their gifts," he said as he stared down the crowd. "I will be here today to see that this happens, but I will leave it to you to act in a civilized manner after today," he added. He motioned at the side of the stage for Murphy and Cole to come out. "However, should you fail to act in an acceptable manner, the problem will be dealt with. Murphy and Cole, along with myself and a few others are in charge of the situation around here by order of the government and are more than capable of dealing with any ideas you might have," Vincent finished before giving Kelly the microphone and walking offstage with Murphy and Cole behind him.
Backstage Elena waited with the 18 young mutants who were standing around anxiously. "Wow, he actually threatened the entire student body," Elena laughed as Vincent finished his speech and acme back. "Real subtle there Valentine," she joked when he stood next to her.
"Hopefully it will work," Vincent conceded. "Okay, you all need to listen up here," he addressed the kids. "Try to get along here, do not cause trouble," he added, looking at the members of the now defunct Brotherhood following Mystique's disappearance in D.C.
"If at all possible, refrain from using your powers as well, only do so in an emergency. We don't need you freaking out the norms," Vincent continued. "If there is a bad situation happening, walk away or get one of them," he pointed at Cole and Murphy. "Cole will be able to feel you using your powers, your best bet is to use them to get his attention, but do not destroy any property," he finished looking at the Brotherhood once again.
"And you two," he turned to look at the twins. "Murphy, please, I repeat, please, do not go around casting spells anymore. The norms can barely understand mutant powers," he begged the smirking youth. "Cole, just don't kill anyone and try to keep the wings in," he said plainly.
"Whatever," Cole replied.
"Okay, that concludes the assembly, you can head off to first period now," Kelly finished from the main room.
"You heard the man, get going," Elena said as she shooed the kids into the main halls of the high school. "So, you think it will work?" she asked Vincent as Kelly joined them.
"Too soon to tell," Vincent replied. "How many incidents today, do you think?" he asked the pair of them.
"Couple dozen probably. Lance and his crew aren't ones to back away from a confrontation," Elena guessed.
"Hopefully everyone will calm down in a week or so," Kelly added.
"The kids might be able to handle it themselves, they've grown up over the past two weeks. But I figure two dozen is about right, Cole will probably go ballistic in a few hours," Vincent said in a voice void of emotion.