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Chapter 2: A Little Traveling Won't Hurt (Vincent's POV)
"Hi, Vincent, this is Tifa," a familiar, soft voice said over my PHS.
"…Hello, Tifa," I responded dully. There WOULD have been a hint of cheerfulness in my voice, if only Hojo hadn't taken away my ability to feel emotions.
"You sound like you always do," the brunette bartender giggled, and there was a silence. Then: "Oh! Right, I almost forgot. Um, listen, some of us from the group decided to have a little get-together…you know, to see everyone again. Would you be interested in coming? It's in my new Seventh Heaven, if you want to come…"
"Alright," I replied, my tone nonchalant.
"Really? You'll come?" Tifa squeaked, then attempted to regain her composure. "I mean, great! I'll tell the others!"
"Alright," I said again. "I…" I wanted to say, "I'm looking forward to it," but somehow, I couldn't. "I'll see you then, I guess, and everyone else as well," I said instead.
Tifa's voice was smiling. "I'm looking forward to seeing you there! Oh, one more thing."
"Yes?"
"Um, it's sort of spread out for a long period of time…You see, when you arrive, that's just the first day…it's spread out for a week. Of course you can just come and go again if you like," she finished hurriedly.
"I shall see if can manage to stay the whole time. I can't make any promises, however," I responded, wishing some sort of glad emotion would echo in my voice. But nothing came.
Tifa's voice wasn't smiling. It was grinning. "Great! I really look forward to seeing you again, Vincent! Along with everyone else, of course," she said, trying to suppress giggles.
"So when does it start?" I asked.
"It starts when everyone gets here and lasts for a week after that…hopefully, everyone will get there on the same day," the dark-haired woman explained.
"Alright, I'll leave to come soon, then."
"Great! See you soon!"
That said, I hung up and put the PHS back into the right pocket of my black pants and readjusted my bloodred cape. A vague thought that I should fix the tears on the lower half of the red fabric crossed my mind, but I ignored it. The rips gave me another touch to my already intimidating appearance, along with my clawed hand, crimson eyes and the fact that I usually kept my Death Penalty hanging off of my belt at the side.
On my travels with Cloud and the others, I became used to kids taking one look at me and then run away.
My footsteps echoed in the hallway once more as I continued through the mansion to the basement again. I entered the coffin room, my footsteps slightly muffled on the dirt floor. Rummaging the supply boxes around my coffin and then opening the lid to check inside, I gathered what I would need to satisfy my gold Chocobo, whom I named Lariat. It wasn't mine—at least, not in the matter of breeding and raising. It was a spare that Cloud had, after he became obsessed with Chocobos somewhere near the end of our adventure. I never thought that Lariat would really come in handy, but now, he would.
I walked out to the front yard and untied the rope that bound my Chocobo to the gate and mounted him. I didn't pay much attention—he seemed to know his way to Midgar already.
The hellish town hadn't changed at all since I was last there. Everything was still dark and polluted. I found my way to the new Sector Seven, and Tifa's new bar. It was oddly clean, but still as polluted as the rest of the slums.
I could see that quite a few people were already there. I dismounted Lariat, who I knew would probably escape.
I walked up the dusty wooden steps, across the porch and knocked on the door.
Yumesuta: That's the second chapter! Like it? Review! Please!