1. Trouble on the Doorstep
Disclaimer: I-don't-own-ff7…but I do own that strange and currently 'unknown' original character wandering around.
A/N: OMG, she's alive! – That's what you're thinking, right? Hehehe, well, something along those lines anyway. Yes, I'm back finally and with another story! I've got a feeling that this one will be a lot of fun too. It will revolve mainly around Tifa, Yuffie, Cloud and Vincent with one or two original characters running around for some comic relief. One other thing, can't quite remember the complete map of ff7 or the exact landmarks, but I figure I have some artistic license here . So, I've created some new terrain that may or may not have been there before. Some people may think that a few characters are OOC, and they might be right, but I'll do my best to prevent that from happening.
Read and enjoy.(This is in Tifa's POV – What a surprise, lol)
Chapter 1
I sat atop a chair, wrapped in a thick wool blanket with a mug of tea clasped tightly in my hands, while gazing idly at rows of shelves and their antique decorations. Some display cases contained weapons more than a hundred years old, and some ancient trinkets and items from lost civilizations. One could feel the powers of old coming to life within these relics from ages past. Or maybe it was a cold-medicine induced hallucination.
A deep-throated rasping cough resonated through the room with several more following in succession. When the fit had ceased I was spitting out the remnants in a nearby garbage. My chest was a furnice, my throat sore, and my nose raw. The stack of tissues on the counter before me was shrinking at an alarming rate.
The front door swung open gently with a whoosh of warm air. I managed to lift my head in reluctance at the visitor. You're working, Tifa. Remember? Whose bright idea was this anyway?
A customer. Now that was unusual. The poor soul didn't have a clue at what she was getting herself into by setting foot into this germ-infested facility.
It was a woman in her mid twenties, if I were to guess. She was dressed in a long black cloak, black breeches, a black half sleeve turtleneck, and knee high burgundy leather boots. Definitely not your typical visitor. Her hair hung down her back in a thick braid, nearly the length of mine, but was a dark ash blonde color with natural highlights of gold and red, and her eyes were a hazel, olive green color.
I watched with morbid curiousity as she explored the room, eyes skimming left and right. She turned suddenly and flashed me a smile. There was something extremely natural eminating from her, like she had spent her life among trees far away from the modern world. Her appearance was a dead ringer for it.
"This is amazing." She commented appreciatively. Her voice was strong, resonating, and slightly deeper than the average feminine voice.
I nodded silently and muffled the cough emerging from my chest. That was always a painful endeavor; it just exploded inside rather than out, which was considerably more agnozing. All for the sake of propriety.
Her eyes flickered at me in surprised concern, but she remained silent. The stranger eventually averted her gaze back to the shelves and was lingering on one of the books. It was the newest addition to my collection. The largest by far, it had a battered black cover and golden edged pages that were heavily worn with age. It was also one of the oldest.
"Can I look at this?" She inquired.
I hesitated, knowing that the book's condition rendered it a helpless victim to careless hands. It was on the shelf though.
"If not, I understand." She added quickly, almost as if she'd been reading my mind.
"Go ahead." I answered. "You can look at it over at that table." I motioned to a corner of the room lit by a small ceiling lamp where there rested an oak table with benches on either side.
She gave a quick nod of thanks and pulled the book out with utmost care. Her hands were as careful with it as to hold an infant.
By now I couldn't help but be a bit curious as to what this person could possibly want with it. She was probably just interested in the pictures, but you never know. Maybe there was something of value in it.
I hadn't gotten around to a thorough study of it myself. I'd only taken a few glances since it had come into my possession, and the little I'd gleaned told of mythical objects and their whereabouts. Half of the indicated landmarks I'd never even heard of though. I had looked up one in fact, just to make sure, and there was definitely no account of a 'Rome' ever existing. It was puzzling to say the least that someone had gone to such effort to preserve a book that was useless.
To be fair, not all of it referred to non-existing places, but the items in question were all too impossible to be true. I admit that I was tempted to investigate some of them anyway, but they weren't your every day pieces of ancient history. They belonged to powerful Gods and Goddesses of mythology. One didn't just prance into their temples and take their possessions, which is why I had refrained from mentioning the book's secrets to Cloud when he brought it to me. He might not be able to pass up something like that.
Cloud had become quite the treasure hunter and a semi-archeologist, with the help of Vincent. It was obvious when Cloud first started that he was driven more by the hope that he might find some way to revive Aeris than anything else. He eventually moved on, but there are times when his eyes seem very distant and lost. He tries to thrive on learning about the past nowdays. As for Vinent...well, he tags along because he has no other place to be.
Amazingly enough, it was Vincent who gave me the idea for an antique shop. We'd collected so many artifacts through out our adventures that we couldn't just stuff them in a closet; there wasn't one big enough to hold all of it. That's when Vincent suggested beginning a business in artifacts and the possibilities of building a museum when or if our stock got big enough. I immediately fell in love with the notion.
It was a brilliant idea. Cloud and Vincent were constantly providing me with more things to add to my collection, and I had Yuffie to help out with the cleaning and housekeeping of them(we were located in Wutai). Not to mention the large sum of money people paid for these things, especially the museums. They practically sold their soul for whatever it was they wanted. Of course, I didn't give them everything. A lot of the business invovled trading for desired pieces that were absent in a particular collection.
The door slammed against the wall with a resonting bang and I was on my feet before I knew what happened. So was the customer at the table. Her hand moved with amazing quickness to a nearly concealed sword at her side. She didn't draw it.
She was first to reach the towering figure in the doorway, who appeared to have seen better days. His sudden collapse was brought up short as she caught him. I watched the scene play out in slow motion, transfixed with horror as recognition clicked in, and my heart stopped.
"Vincent!" The blanket dropped from my shoulders as I bolted to assist the girl in laying him down onto the floor.
His breathing was slow and barely audible, and he was obviously unconscious. There was dirt, blood, and sweat caked together on his clothes, and he was more pale than I ever remembered him being. He had come a long way fast at the expense of his body and health.
My eyes hovered frightfully over the ghastly wound in his side, and scanned over the rest with growing apprehension. The damage was so extensive that only a miracle seemed to keep him alive, a courtesy most likely from his demonic side.
As I reached out to inspect his injury I was caught by surprise when the stranger's hand grabbed me by the wrist. I pulled free reflexively and glared across at her.
"That's probably not a good idea." She explained flatly. "Just to be on the safe side--that cough won't help him any."
I nodded slowly. She had a point, but something would have to be done and quick. "You think a restore will help him?" I asked.
The woman paused as she was taking his pulse, and her brow furrowed in what seemed like confusion. She swallowed, "I don't really know...It doesn't hurt to try."
My arms were crossed tightly as I looked down at Vincent's still form. The bleeding was subsiding, but his injuries were numerous. He was stronger than your average mortal, if mortal was an accurate descriptioin, but immortality doesn't mean that he can't die. I didn't know to what extent his powers of rejuvination went and he wasn't looking so well now.
It's hard just standing by while a friend is unconsious on the floor of your antique shop too, covered in open wounds, waiting for his demonic powers to kick in. Not to mention it's bound to raise a few eyebrows from people passing by. We had to do something to help him. I had to do something. "I'll go get some then. Keep an eye on him for me?"
She nodded. "You might want to grab some clean water and a cloth too." Her eyes drifted to the dried blood along his face. "He's a mess."
"Gotcha" I sprinted into the back of the store where we kept our cleaning solutions and other supplies.
There were plenty of buckets and cloths there, along with soap and water, and a collection of mastered materia. If these didn't work I'd have to sew him up by hand and wait for his body to do the rest. That made me shudder to think about--I'd had enough of that to last me a life time when we were traveling across the world and fighting daily.
I collected the requested items, washed my hands, and headed back to the front.
I stopped short as I came around the corner, nearly dropping my pale of water. Vincent was sitting, his back propped against the wall with hardly a mark on him save for the left over blood dried to his skin and clothes. His shirt was faultless(I wonder how he manages that), but more importantly there wasn't another breathing soul in the room. I was literally gaping at him when he glanced up to acknowledge my presence.
What in Holy's name was going on?
"You look as if you've seen a ghost." He said quietly with the hint of dry smirk.
The sound of his voice was just enough to jolt me from my trance. "I think I have."
My hand gripped the handle of the pale tightly as I stared down at him, momentarily lost in thought. There were too many more immediate problems that had to be addressed for me to get too caught up in that mystery though. Such as Vincent, for instance. His features were so osbscured by blood and his hair so matted so as to rendure him almost unrecognizeable. It was probably the first time ever that I noted Vincent looking truly awful.
"Here." I crossed the room and knelt over him. "You look terrible."
He grunted in response, but gave no protest.
I was mildly surprised when he did not pull away from the contact. Usually he was not so willing to cooperate, but he was amazingly calm as I went about carefully uncovering the handsome face beneath all the grime. He gave no indication that he even noticed me at all in fact. Only when I attempted to straighten his hair a little did he stop me, his fingers gently wrapping around my wrist and pushing me away.
The sudden touch of his skin against mine sent an unexpected shiver up my spine.
Oh quit it, Tifa, I thought sharply, glaring down at where he had touched me in mild irritation.
My focus shifted abruptly back to the situation at hand. I looked into his eyes worriedly as I belted two important questions, "What happened to you, Vincent? Where is Cloud?"
Vincent shifted his weight slightly and breathed a heavy sigh. "We…encountered some trouble and got separated."
I dropped the washcloth back into the pale, splattering water everywhere, and frowned deeply. There was an edge of hesitance in his tone that suggested he wasn't telling me everything. "Trouble? What sort of trouble? Not monsters..."
"No." He answered. "Opposing people."
"Opposing people?" I echoed, lifting a suspicious brow. "Why were they opposing?"
"They were after the same thing we were." He said brusquely.
Don't give me that, Vincent Valentine...
Vincent cunningly avoided my scrutinizing gaze. He knew he couldn't fool me that easy, but he was also as stubborn as a goat when it came to coughing up something that might put me in a dour mood.
They'd never had trouble with other competitors before, certainly nothing life threatening. I was under the impression that Cloud and Vincent had gone out to look for a book on the Accounts of Cetra History. Grant it, that was a very valuable piece if it could be found, but to kill for it? I don't think so.
A tickling in my throat gave warning to an imminent coughing fit. I quickly covered my mouth with my sleeve as I spun away from him and let fly with the deathly hacking. When it was finished Vincent was glowering at me, clearly disturbed by the disease inflicting me and its close proximity with his person. I couldn't blame him really. It wasn't something one smiled upon. Damn cold anyway...
"I washed my hands." I muttered quietly.
"Sorry." Vincent apologized abruptly, looking away. "I shouldn't have been so rude."
"No, it's ok." I assured him with a weak smile. "I don't want you to catch it either." I stood up and looked out the window oddly. "By the way, did you happen see that woman leave?"
Vincent's brow perked up slightly in curiosity. "No. Was there one here?"
"Yeah." I murmured in response, only half aware of his intent stare. "Your injuries... She must have healed you when I went to get the water and materia... I wonder who she was?"
"I vaguely remember feeling cold hands." He mentioned idly. "But I was far from consciousness at the time, and when I awakened I was alone and feeling slightly nauseous."
I glanced back at him apprehensively. "Are you ok now?"
He nodded. "Yes."
I lowered my head in puzzlement, putting Vincent in the background of my thoughts for the moment. The stranger's behavior on all accounts had aroused several mind-boggling questions. Why had she set me up so that she could disappear incognito? Why had she healed him, and how? And what did she want with the old book?
My eyes clenched shut as I tried to sort everything out in my mind, but all I could concentrate on was the awful smell of blood in the air. Before I knew it I was swooning around like a drunkard. Maybe it was the shock of the recent events, or perhaps it was the cold I was suffering from. I tend to think it was a combination of both.
Vincent was on his feet in an instant and helping me to a place where I could sit down.
"You really shouldn't be touching me, considering how Gods awful sick I am." I commented grumpily as I was set down on the bench of the table in the corner.
Vincent ignored me, very characteristic of him when he was doing a favor for someone and would take no criticizing. "Has she any special significance?" He asked, shifting back to more pressing matters and sitting down across from me.
"I don't know." I replied and raked my fingers through my hair.
He nodded in understanding. "Relax." He intoned calmly. "You're overworking yourself."
"I'm ok." I insisted, and swiftly went to change the subject. "What about you? You must be tired and hungry."
"I'm fine." He said bluntly. There was a short pause. "Though I could use a bath."
I smiled brightly up at him, standing up without thinking. "Of course. I'll go set it up for you."
"That is not necessary. I'll do it." He replied and went to sit me back down.
"Not so fast." I voiced loudly and pushed him back firmly. "You are a guest in my home, and whether you admit it or not, you are just as tired as I am, if not more." I chided. "Besides, you don't know where anything is."
Vincent frowned. Having been through my house a million times over the last 2 years, he probably knew the place better than I did, considering I spent most of my time in the store. In realizing that there was no possible way of winning the argument however, he sat down in silent defeat.
In my house, it was my duty to look after guests, and there would be no changing my mind.
My home was located out back across the creak that ran through the middle of Wutai. One need only exit through the back door, walk over the small arch bridge, and there it was two stories high with sliding doors and lots of windows. I'd always admired Wutaien architecture. It was kind of a dream house.
The Jacuzzi I had installed with our leftover funds from Avalanche was a nice addition to the already comfy atmosphere, and would serve Vincent well tonight. I strode inside, walking exhaustedly down the hall and into the neatly tiled bathroom.
As I watched the water pouring into the tub my thoughts wondered to Cloud. Was he safe? Why hadn't he returned yet? What was it that they'd been searching for? Why was Vincent hiding it? Why all of a sudden these strange things happening?
Why now?
I groaned and began rhythmically massaging my temples. Sleep would not be easy to attain tonight when my mind was so absorbed with questions. I'd be twisting and turning the hours away with worry. Hell, I'm already twisting and turning.
He's fine, I told myself over and over as I stared into space, watching the hypnotizing motions of the water. There was no way they could beat Cloud. He was the greatest swordsman alive. He'd easily take them on, right?
We made another promise... We were going to start new lives soon, when I had enough artifacts to start a real business. How could he go off and die on me like this? I need him here.
It wasn't right to blame him, but during such times of heightened distress it was hard not to. I'm sure he wouldn't have died by choice, if in fact he'd died at all, which I strenuously refused to believe. It seemed wrong that after all that anxious waiting and struggling with emotions, that we should finally understand the bond between us, only to be torn apart.
My eyes widened as I remembered I was filling the tub and I quickly turned it off, noticing that it was coming perilously close to being too full. I pushed aside my anxieties for the time being, and sought out a towel and wash cloth..
When everything was set I headed back to the shop, making sure to grab another box of tissues on my way. I'll definitely need them.
I returned to the room of antiques and discovered Vincent sitting at the oak table in the corner engrossed in the book that the woman had been looking at before he had arrived. I set aside my 'snot control' and went to tell him his bath was ready.
Surprisingly enough, he did not look up or even appear to notice my approach as he studied the page. That was odd. Vincent's ears were very acute and always on the alert. What was so intriguing that he was too immersed to notice my arrival?
"Vincent?" I said, a bit louder than necessary from where I stood now directly behind him.
He looked up sharply, clearly startled by my outburst.
Ha! I, the great Tifa Lockheart, would go down in history as the first to ever catch Vincent off-guard. I couldn't help but grin victoriously.
Vincent looked upon my triumphant face with amusement.
"Gotcha." I said, and winked playfully.
"So you have." He smiled faintly.
Gods was he nice to look at when he smiled. I held that thought sharply in my grasp for a moment, turning it over in my mind for intense inspection. Where the hell had that come from?
"It's r-ready." I stammered stupidly, and reminded myself never to let my thoughts run away with themselves while holding a conversation.
He nodded and headed out back, the tattered edges of his crimson cape chasing after his heels.
My eyes surreptitiously wondered to the opened text. I was beginning to wonder if it hadn't been cursed with some sort of magnetic spell that entrapped anyone who came near it. The temptation to go and find out what was so interesting was almost too strong, but I held back, knowing that it would have to wait. I had to find Yuffie first and tell her what had happened. No doubt we'd be fabricating a rescue mission before the night was over.
I ripped off some tissue from the box, relieved my nose of pending pressure, and walked out the door. To my dismay it was already darkening and someone hadn't lit the street lamps yet. In this darkness I could run right into her and not realize who it was.
Logically she should be in her house, but the truth was Yuffie would be wherever I wasn't looking. After all, that was the way of things during a semi-emergency. I'd check though, just to be sure.
There was a light glowing faintly behind one window shade of her house, but as there were two other people living with her, the chances that she would be the one home were slim. It was still kind of nice to hope.
I cleared my throat and lifted my hand to the door. After three knocks my ears picked up the sound of thudding footsteps. I frowned. Too noisy for it to be Yuffie - she liked practicing her stealth when answering the door, and scaring the living crap out of visitors.
As I suspected it was Aya who answered the door. She was an elderly, slightly plump, and very cheerful woman, but ill-fated with the task of teaching Yuffie about Government and Law, as well as the proper educate for a lady who is to become Emperor. Or should it be Empress? They both sound funny in the same sentence with Yuffie.
It was a tough job for anyone who had Yuffie as a student. I was astonished at how long Aya had held out so far; almost a year. The last two had escaped during the night and were never seen again, and that was only after a few weeks. Yuffie had proven to be far too worthy an opponent for those amateurs.
"Tifa!" She beamed happily, startling me from my brief reverie. "Feeling better?"
"Not really." I answered feebly. "Have you seen Yuffie recently?"
Aya frowned. "She just went off to look for you, actually. I guess there was some rumor going around about an injured man who stumbled into town earlier and she wanted to ask you about it." She explained. "Do you know who it was?"
"Vincent." I replied.
Aya gasped in horror, one hand clasping her chest. "Oh dear, Is he alright? Does he need healing? Because I-"
"He's fine, but Cloud didn't come back with him." I cut in quickly.
The old woman shook her head distressfully. "That young man is nothing but trouble. Gods know what he's gotten himself into." She let out a worried sigh. "Well, you better go find Yuffie. No doubt the two of you'll be conniving some rescue plan that neither I nor Godo will approve of by night's end."
I blushed embarrassedly, grasping feebly for something to say.
The laugh lines that graced her face creased into a smile. "Go on. I'll explain to her father when we discover the three of you missing in the morning."
What a wonderful person she is. "I'd hug you if I wasn't sick, you know." I said happily.
"I know." Aya answered, patting me on the cheek.
"Thank you."
"Take care of Yuffie." She added sternly.
"I will." I affirmed
With that I left and made my way back to the shop, which was no doubt where Yuffie would be by now. Either that or she'd gone out back to my house and barged into the bathroom, expecting to find me. What a surprise she'd be in for if that were to happen.
After scanning the area as best I could in search of my young friend, I stepped inside the shop. There was no sign of her being here, but I did notice that there was some blood marking the carpet where Vincent had lain earlier. I'd have to clean that up while I waited for her arrival.
As I scrubbed away at the stain a short while later, I began to wonder if perhaps Yuffie had run in during Vincent's bath and had gotten shot in the process. Vincent could be rather trigger happy at times. It would have been heard of course, eliminating the absurd possibility, but a lot of weird things had occurred today. You never know...
Without warning the door swung open violently and only my fast reflexes saved me from being knocked out cold. Yuffie nearly ran me over in her state of what appeared to be absolute panic. Instead she hurled herself into the air to avoid tripping over me, norrowly missing my head.
"Tifa!" She yelped in surprise and rolled to her feet, her onyx black ponytail bobbing behind her. "What are you doing on the floor?"
"Cleaning up blood stains." I exasperated, still recovering from the shock of having nearly lost my head.
Her eyes widened. "Oh my gawd!"
"Vincent is fine, Yuffie." I imparted calmly.
She relaxed at the news and exhaled loudly. "So it was him. What about Spike?"
I stood up, bucket in hand, and felt my shoulders slump. "I don't think I've gotten the whole story from Vincent yet, but according to him they got separated when they encountered trouble with some other people; competitors it seems."
"Competitors?" Yuffie exclaimed, flabbergasted. "Since when did they have trouble with competitors?"
"That's what I'm wondering." I replied, pondering. "Like I said, I don't believe Vincent told me everything."
"Well, where is he now? I'll make that emaciated vamp boy tell me what happened." Yuffie growled, punching her hand with force.
My response was an expression of horrified shock. "Emaciated vamp boy?" I repeated, scowling deeply. "What's gotten you so riled up?"
Yuffie's shoulders slumped forward loosely and she hung her head. "Sorry, I just…I'm just worried, that's all."
"Well yeah, me too, but isn't that a bit extreme?" I suggested.
She wrinkled her nose thoughtfully. "I guess so." She drawled. "So where is he then?"
"He's taking a bath. I'm sure he'll be out soon. Once he's done we'll get the whole story, and then we'll decide what our next move is." I clarified.
Yuffie nodded in approval. "Ok." She glanced at the floor idly, "Need any help?"
"No, I'm finished here." I went to dump the bloody water in the sink, leaving Yuffie behind. I was coughing when I came back.
Yuffie looked up at me from the table, the sound no doubt drawing her attention. "Man, you sound like crap."
"Thank you Yuffie." I said flatly. "I feel a lot worse."
"Are you sure you're up to a rescue mission?" She asked deviously.
I shot her a devastating glare. "Of course I'm up to it!"
She grinned. "Heh, just making sure."
"I'll test my physical condition by chasing your scrawny ass through Wutai if I have to." I shot back irritably.
"You're on." She announced.
I instantly saw the error in my words, but was saved by Vincent's timely entrance onto the scene.
Thank you, I thought, relieved, and stole a smug glance in Yuffie's direction. She returned with a scowl. Then her attention abruptly averted to Vincent.
"Vinny!" She cried happily. Her expression hardened like stone almost immediately. "So, where's Cloud?"
Vincent eyed her warily. "I don't know his exact location." He replied. "Let's sit down and I will explain."
We situated ourselves around the table, the old book leering at us from its resting place in the center, and my safety box of tissues close by incase of an emergency. One small happy family we were...or not. Yuffie was fidgeting around like she had ants in her pants, and Vincent was, for the first time in my knowing him, struggling not to fall asleep where he sat.
"Well? Out with it!" Yuffie demanded impatiently.
That jerked his attention.
Vincent leaned forward, gazing down at the book briefly, and then to me. "There was a page in this book that Cloud had hand copied onto a map before giving to you, Tifa. That map led to an artifact, said to belong to a Greek God of War, Ares. It was one of the few maps in this book whose landscapes and names closely matched that of our world." He smirked dryly. "Cloud fancied he'd get his hands on it for you."
Oh no.
An agonizing groan escaped my lipsas I tried to casually yank a tissue from the box and nearly flung the entire thing across the room instead. I sheepishly caught the box and placed it back on the table. Then I went about honking on my tissue quietly, hoping not to attract too much attention.
"You mean you guys actually went looking for it!" Yuffie shrieked in disbelief. "It's not even real! Don't you know the definition of the word 'myth'!"
Vincent flinched slightly at the deafening pitch of her voice, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "Yes, I know what a myth is."
She lurched to her feet, fingers pulling at her hair as her cheeks reddened in anger. "I can't believe this!" Pivoting sharply on her heel with a glare that could put flames to wood, Yuffie's eyes halted on Vincent. "Why did you go along with it? None of this would've happened if you would just have, I dunno, told him he was insane? You're supposed to have good judgement and crap."
Yuffie was on the verge of a breakdown and was overstepping the unspoken boundery, and Vincent was starting to lose his composer because of it. Which left me in the middle and feeling quite helpless to stop them. Something had to be done though. Someone had to intervene before this became a battle zone, and seeing as there was no one else in the room to do it that left only me to come to the rescue.
Suddenly I felt very small an insignificant.
Here goes nothing...
Within a split second I'd placed myself between Yuffie and Vincent, directly in the firing line of their menacing stares. It took every bit of my resolve not to retreat. "Calm down Yuffie." I said sharply. "And Vincent, stop glaring. You're burning holes in my head."
To my ultimate amazement both assented to my requests without argument, though Yuffie did linger a while before she eventually returned to the bench. Vincent was skillfully avoiding any eye contact with Yuffie and appeared quite poised. He now gazed calmly in my direction, waiting for his cue to continue.
"Alright, no more interrupting now. Go on and tell us the rest, Vincent." I encouraged steadily.
Vincent paused briefly and then began with the rest of the story. "The map lead us to the Achnabi desert on the eastern continent. It's a weeks ride to the center where many of the old ruins of cities reside."
"The middle of the desert?" I enunciated skeptically. "But that's practically suicide! Hundreds have died trying to cross that thing."
His eyes narrowed disapprovingly and I embarrassedly shut my mouth.
Yeah Tifa, no interrupting, remember?
"While indeed dangerous, it's also a very popular place for adventurers because of its vast unknowns and supposedly hidden treasures burried in the ancient sands. People have managed to set up safe havens where water, food and rest can be had along the way, making the trek easier for the more casual travelers." He continued, "But yes, many have died there."
Yuffie snorted loudly, her head propped lazily on her folded arms as she leaned on the table.
"It became obvious early in our journey that someone else was following the same route we were, something that bothered me immensely. When we finally crossed paths, my suspicions intensified. The man in lead of the large group of explorers, called Marcus, so happened to be the same one we'd met on our way to retrieve this very book. Though it was never brought to attention, it was clear to both Cloud and myself that he also was after the spear. What we didn't know was how badly he wanted to get it." His voice carried off into the air and silence emerged.
"What happened after that?" Yuffie pressed eagerly.
A barely audible sigh left Vincent's parted lips. "Marcus insisted we spend the night in his camp. Cloud accepted, despite my disapproval. During the night one of Marcus' men tried his hand at theft and snuck into our tent, looking for the map most likely, and unaware that I rarely sleep." Vincent seemed rather satisfied with himself as he said it. "He made the mistake of drawing a blade, and I shot him, alerting the entire camp unfortunately. By that time Cloud was awake and in a colossal panic. We managed to find our two chocobo's amidst the mass of confusion, but they were right on our heels as we fled the camp."
Vincent took a breath and exhaled loudly, his eyes suddenly distant.
"Marcus and the few men he brought with him caught us in little time. The animals they rode were far faster than our chocobos and better adapted to the desert than our native birds. Darkness was our only ally. Because Cloud's animal was the quickest and with the most stamina I chose to stay behind and give him as much time to escape as possible. I was able to snipe the three men that accompanied Marcus before they reached me, but Marcus had cast a shield spell that prevented me from harming him." He stopped again, a shadow falling across his eyes."By the time I finally escaped he'd already wounded me quite severely."
Both Yuffie and I were listening intently now, each of us hanging onto every word, our breath held. Then I was overcome by more hellacious coughing that seemed to go on forever. It did end eventually, but I was left feeling distinctly like regurgitated hairballs. My chest hurt, my head throbbed, and my throat was on fire.
"Are you ok, Tif?" Yuffie asked worriedly. "You don't sound so hot. Maybe you shou-"
"I'm perfectly fine." I interrupted.
Yuffie was watching me with doubtful eyes. She immediately turned pleadingly to Vincent for support. Thus began their truce, and my misery.
"I agree. You should rest Tifa." Vincent announced his unwanted opinion.
"I told you I'm fine." I re-iterated stiffly. "Besides, we have a long journey to prepare for."
"We'll handle it." Yuffie insisted.
Vincent crossed his arms defiantly. "You are in no condition to travel and we're going to need to make good time. You may…slow us down."
My jaw literally dropped to the table. Wisps of smoke furled from my ears. "Unbelievable!" I fumed, staring angrily in Vincent's direction. "You should know by now that something as insignificant as a cold won't stop me from helping my friends. I'll just follow after you…without anyone to help me if I do suddenly fall a helpless victim to this illness. Then you'll really feel bad."
He was glaring at me now with a deepening scowl. "That would be extremely foolish." He answered heatedly. "I can't let you come to harm. Cloud would have my head for it, and I promised him that you'd stay out of this."
I scoffed at his response. That little bastard… "Well, we made a promise too." I shot back icily.
The room fell eerily silent. They were both looking at me as if I'd just claimed to have seen Sephiroth outside the window. It almost made me laugh, seeing the shocked expressions on their faces. Even Vincent appeared to be in a mild stupor.
What's the deal? It's not like I said we're getting married or something...
Yuffie walked by in a flustered haste, jarring me from my thoughts as she veered, narrowly avoiding a full head on collision and just slightly caught my shoulder with hers before vanishing outside.
I sought out Vincent's stare questioningly, but he too seemed bewildered by Yuffie's behavior. What had gotten into her? She'd been acting strange ever since Vincent had returned.
I moved to follow, but was suddenly grabbed from behind. "Let her go. She'll come back when she's ready." There was something in Vincent's eyes when I looked back at him, a speculative expression that was grasping at a possible explanation to Yuffie's reaction, that convinced me to comply to his wishes. It was the kind of look that made you wonder if he was veiling his suspicions to prevent some disaster.
What had he suspected that he feared my discovery of? "Vincent?" I called out, as he had yet to release me of his hold. "I'm not going anywhere." I chuckled, blushing slightly.
He stiffened in realization and immediately let go. "Forgive me." He mumbled almost incoherently and returned to the table where the book sat. "Come here."
I did so curiously. "What is it?" I asked.
Vincent was studying the pages again. "Look." He pointed to the page number.
The first page was opened to 304, but the following read 307. I gawked at it. "Maybe it's been missing all along." I suggested.
His meaningful stare convinced me otherwise. "That is the page Cloud had copied. It holds the directions to the temple."
I silently cursed, and began pacing wildly back and forth. Things just got from bad to worse. "Wait." I stopped suddenly in the midst of a revelation.
Vincent waited expectantly.
"That woman." I began darkly. "She came in asking to see the book and…and I let her look at it." I groaned inwardly.
That was real smart. How the hell was I supposed to know though? Nobody tells me anything!
"She must have taken it when you weren't looking." Vincent proposed.
"When she sent me off to get water." I murmured quietly. "It was all a trick." So why then did she help Vincent? Surely she wasn't all bad? She didn't seem so anyway, but looks could easily be deceiving.
"This doesn't bode well." Vincent stated gravely, and swept a lock of hair from his eyes.
Yuffie burst through the door an instant later, clearly shaken. "You guys better come see this."
Author's Rant: Mwahahaha! And so the first chapter comes to an end and the entire story is made perfectly obvious. Ok, maybe not… You know me (I think), I love plot twists. Everything has to be so complicated. I'd just like everyone to know that I was really sick when I started this, hence Tifa suffering the same fate. So, uh, I hope this gets some reviews because if it doesn't I may go into permanent hiding , but don't review it because of that, review it because it's good – if it's good.
I hope you all enjoyed it! More chapters are on the way, (unless it's so bad you can't bear to read it, haha).