Thanks for all the reviews! I greatly appreciate it! I will do my best to
add more detail about the characters, and when I have the time, I will add
some of rj's touch-ups to the first chapter.
Chapter Three
Maena found herself suddenly accosted by two very different women. As Cid carried Vincent towards the inner parts of the ship, Maena studied her new shipmates.
The elder of the two was tallish and a bit on the plump side with a curly brown ponytail and bright blue eyes. She wore a scientist's white coat and wire-rim glasses. This must be Shera, Maena immediately thought. Cid's wife. The woman looked to be a very easy-going person with a touch of the motherly in her.
The other woman was just a girl—and totally different from Shera. She appeared to be around four or five years younger than Maena. Her black hair was cropped just under her chin and her large, dark eyes were full of life and laughter—and mischief. She wore a green halter-top and shorts. At her side was a massive shuriken. This must be Yuffie, thought Maena.
Shera took Maena's arm. "Come on. Let me show you to the cabin." Her motherly eyes encouraged Maena to follow.
"Who are you?" Yuffie asked, staring boldly at the new arrival to the airship.
"Maena Moonglow." Maena decided to quickly earn the immature girl's respect. "I'm a wizard," she added ominously.
It worked.
"Whoa! You mean, you don't need materia? How awesome is that!?" Yuffie did a twirl, almost losing her balance. "Wow! We've got a wizard!"
The three women came to the cabin door.
"You were born with materia inside!?" Yuffie whispered to Maena, leaning in to peer at her eyes.
"Yes," said Maena.
"Well!" Yuffie crossed her arms. "After all this is over (whatever all this is), you absolutely must come to my hometown. So if you would just—"
"Yuffie!" Shera exclaimed. "Hush!" She turned to Maena with another motherly smile. "She's a bit obsessed with materia, Miss Moonglow."
"I can tell." Maena studied Yuffie with amusement.
Soon, Shera was leading Maena through the depths of the airship and into her new room. It was a small room with metal walls, a tiny bunk, and a wooden chest. Maena stood in the middle of it, feeling suddenly out of place. She turned and looked at the two other women. They were watching her with interest. Maena felt hopeless. "What—what...?" she stammered, not sure exactly what she wanted to say. "What am I... to wear?" she blurted.
Yuffie and Shera looked at each other.
"Well..." Shera began slowly.
"You can wear my clothes!" Yuffie finished with speed. Then she frowned, her childish face petulant. "But... you've got bigger boobs than I do..."
"Yuffie!" Shera gave the girl a shove. "Control your mouth!" She beamed at Maena, who was surpressing a giggle. "You can wear a combination of our clothes." She eyed the silky blue dress that Maena wore. "That is a lovely dress you have on. I am sure you don't want it to be ruined." She turned to Yuffie with the mannerisms of a queen. "Yuffie Kisaragi, would you please get some clothing for Miss Moonglow?"
"Sure thing!" Yuffie exclaimed, starting out the door.
Shera grabbed the back of Yuffie's collar. "Make sure that you get stuff that she can fit and that won't make her look like a slut!"
Yuffie giggled evilly. "Why would I do anything like that?" Then she was off.
Shera gave an exasperated sigh.
Maena suddenly went cold. "Shera... when can I see Vincent?" she asked quickly. She felt somehow lost and alone without him. His strong, slim arms, his sad smile, his deep, dark, reddish eyes...
Shera sighed and shook her head. "I don't know. The Captain's taken over now." She studied the wizard girl intently. "I'll see what I can do."
Meanwhile, Cid Highwind was looking after his friend. He had taken Vincent to a room similar to Maena's and gently set him down on the bed. Now, he was dressing his wounds. "This is lookin' bad, friend," he muttered to the unconscious Vincent. "I'm thinkin' about takin' you to Cosmo Canyon. How 'bout that? They got good healers down there, &% good healers." He sighed wearily as he taped a bandage around Vincent's slender waist. "You're gonna need it, Vincent. You are gonna need it." He straightened, taking a deep, shaky breath.
Vincent had been his special friend ever since he had joined Cloud's party. The two young men had been opposites—Cid fair, outgoing and gung-ho, Vincent dark, taciturn and withdrawn. And somehow, they had become best friends. Cid had always tried to cheer up his sad-eyed friend and Vincent had always supported Cid's crazy dreams. They had gone to space together, stopped a run-away train loaded with huge materia together... what adventure had they not gone on together?
And now... now, Vincent lay cold and still in the bowels of Cid's airship. It just wasn't right. In fact, it was so %&$ wrong, according to Cid.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door that made Cid jump. "Come in!" he called. He would not show the knocker how nervous he was.
It was Shera.
"What is it, Shera?" he asked.
Shera glanced at Vincent, then turned to Cid. "It's the girl, Maena. She wants to see Vincent."
"You heard her story yet?" Cid asked.
Shera shook her head.
"Well, after all they been through together, let 'er see him." Cid put his fists on his hips, as if bracing for a collision. "We're heading for Cosmo Canyon, She. Have Yuffie tell the boys."
Shera frowned. "Why don't you tell them yourself?"
"I'm not leavin' Vincent's side. He's my best bud, you know."
Shera stared at her husband. They had been married for nearly a year now, but everyday, she learned something new about him that she admired. She smiled softly. "I understand, Captain," she said quietly.
Cid returned her smile. "You always have, Shera," he said. "Even when I was being an &%#$&%." He motioned towards the door. "Get on out there and bring Maena up here. She needs to see him. And he needs her. Maybe more than he thinks he does."
Shera nodded and ran to obey.
Cid just plopped down into the chair he had set up for himself by Vincent's bed. He didn't know how long he really sat there, but it felt like at least an hour.
Then, Maena walked into the room. Cid's eyes went wide. She was breathtaking.
Maeana's copper-gold hair was piled on top of her head in a loose bun with wisps hanging down around her slender face. Somehow, this hairstyle made the freckles on her cheeks look beautiful. She was wearing a short blue dress of Yuffie's with straps that hung off of her slender white shoulders. The skirt swished in pleats just above her knees. The dress looked beautiful on her hourglass figure. She also wore one of Shera's long white coats and a pair of Shera's tall black boots. Maena looked a dream.
Cid swallowed and stood. "Maena..." he began. "You can—you can see him now." He silently left the room, looking back at Maena as he went.
Maena took one look at Vincent and dropped to her knees beside his bed. She gently took his hand and studied his face intently. "Vincent... Vincent Valentine... can you hear me?"
There was a low roar as the airship began take-off.
"Shera says we're going to a place called Cosmo Canyon... She says you can be healed there." Maena lifted his hand to her cheek and held it there, her eyes closed. "Oh, Vincent. I don't know what it is about you. And I can't explain what you do to me. The first time I saw you, you scared me so bad..." She laughed softly. "And then, after that, every time I looked at you... No, I can't explain. It's just this feeling. It runs up my veins from my toes to the top of my head. And then after you saved my life, it grew into something more..."
"Maena?"
Maena's eyes flew opened. "Vincent?"
He was awake! And he was staring at her!
"What did you do?"
"What do you mean?" Maena was confused.
"You look... different..."
Maena blushed lightly. "Yes, well, Yuffie picked out my outfit."
Vincent smiled slowly and some of the sadness left his eyes. "You look... beautiful..." Then the sadness returned and he closed his eyes, wincing.
"Vincent, are you okay?" Maena asked, concerned and frightened. She took his hand between hers and rubbed it gently.
Vincent shook his head. "No. Is anyone okay when they know they're dying?" His voice had taken on that cynical tone Maena had heard in the mansion.
"You're not gonna die, Vincent," Maena insisted, her emerald eyes intense.
"Wake up, Maena. Look at me!" Vincent coughed raggedly, his burgundy eyes full of sorrow and... anger. "I did my duty. I found my calling. I saved your life. I did what I was supposed to. My mission is finished. Now I must die."
Maena felt a sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach. "No. You can't die. I won't let you." She frowned. "What are you talking about? What... mission?"
"I returned to Nibelheim to find my purpose in life." His voice had taken on a sad and wistful tone. "I found it. I was supposed to save your life. And I did. It's finished."
Maena shook her head vehemently. "No, Vincent. It's not. I'm still in danger. I NEED you, Vincent. You have to stay with me." Something broke inside of her. Maybe it was her heart. "Please... don't give up." She started to cry. "Don't you see how selfish you're being? You want to die? Fine! But I don't want you to! Cid and Shera and Yuffie don't want you to! Stay with us! We'll get you to Cosmo Canyon and they'll heal you and you can stay with us—FOREVER!" She was getting hysterical. "Don't leave me... My mother left me, my father left me, all my friends betrayed me... I have no one but the people on this airship... And of all of you... I need you the most." She dropped her head onto the bed beside him as she sobbed. "I need you the most..."
Vincent felt more confused than he had ever felt in his entire life. Was he being selfish in giving up on life? Surely these people did not really need him. Did Maena really want him around—him, a scientific experiment? Why? For the first time in his life, someone was shedding tears for him, a girl he barely knew. It touched something deep inside of him that had not been touched for a very long time. Slowly, he reached out his hand, ignoring the burning pain in his body, and began stroking wisps of red-gold from Maena's pale cheeks.
Maybe you do need me, Maena, he thought. He smiled wryly. Well, you have no idea how much I need you.
Chapter Three
Maena found herself suddenly accosted by two very different women. As Cid carried Vincent towards the inner parts of the ship, Maena studied her new shipmates.
The elder of the two was tallish and a bit on the plump side with a curly brown ponytail and bright blue eyes. She wore a scientist's white coat and wire-rim glasses. This must be Shera, Maena immediately thought. Cid's wife. The woman looked to be a very easy-going person with a touch of the motherly in her.
The other woman was just a girl—and totally different from Shera. She appeared to be around four or five years younger than Maena. Her black hair was cropped just under her chin and her large, dark eyes were full of life and laughter—and mischief. She wore a green halter-top and shorts. At her side was a massive shuriken. This must be Yuffie, thought Maena.
Shera took Maena's arm. "Come on. Let me show you to the cabin." Her motherly eyes encouraged Maena to follow.
"Who are you?" Yuffie asked, staring boldly at the new arrival to the airship.
"Maena Moonglow." Maena decided to quickly earn the immature girl's respect. "I'm a wizard," she added ominously.
It worked.
"Whoa! You mean, you don't need materia? How awesome is that!?" Yuffie did a twirl, almost losing her balance. "Wow! We've got a wizard!"
The three women came to the cabin door.
"You were born with materia inside!?" Yuffie whispered to Maena, leaning in to peer at her eyes.
"Yes," said Maena.
"Well!" Yuffie crossed her arms. "After all this is over (whatever all this is), you absolutely must come to my hometown. So if you would just—"
"Yuffie!" Shera exclaimed. "Hush!" She turned to Maena with another motherly smile. "She's a bit obsessed with materia, Miss Moonglow."
"I can tell." Maena studied Yuffie with amusement.
Soon, Shera was leading Maena through the depths of the airship and into her new room. It was a small room with metal walls, a tiny bunk, and a wooden chest. Maena stood in the middle of it, feeling suddenly out of place. She turned and looked at the two other women. They were watching her with interest. Maena felt hopeless. "What—what...?" she stammered, not sure exactly what she wanted to say. "What am I... to wear?" she blurted.
Yuffie and Shera looked at each other.
"Well..." Shera began slowly.
"You can wear my clothes!" Yuffie finished with speed. Then she frowned, her childish face petulant. "But... you've got bigger boobs than I do..."
"Yuffie!" Shera gave the girl a shove. "Control your mouth!" She beamed at Maena, who was surpressing a giggle. "You can wear a combination of our clothes." She eyed the silky blue dress that Maena wore. "That is a lovely dress you have on. I am sure you don't want it to be ruined." She turned to Yuffie with the mannerisms of a queen. "Yuffie Kisaragi, would you please get some clothing for Miss Moonglow?"
"Sure thing!" Yuffie exclaimed, starting out the door.
Shera grabbed the back of Yuffie's collar. "Make sure that you get stuff that she can fit and that won't make her look like a slut!"
Yuffie giggled evilly. "Why would I do anything like that?" Then she was off.
Shera gave an exasperated sigh.
Maena suddenly went cold. "Shera... when can I see Vincent?" she asked quickly. She felt somehow lost and alone without him. His strong, slim arms, his sad smile, his deep, dark, reddish eyes...
Shera sighed and shook her head. "I don't know. The Captain's taken over now." She studied the wizard girl intently. "I'll see what I can do."
Meanwhile, Cid Highwind was looking after his friend. He had taken Vincent to a room similar to Maena's and gently set him down on the bed. Now, he was dressing his wounds. "This is lookin' bad, friend," he muttered to the unconscious Vincent. "I'm thinkin' about takin' you to Cosmo Canyon. How 'bout that? They got good healers down there, &% good healers." He sighed wearily as he taped a bandage around Vincent's slender waist. "You're gonna need it, Vincent. You are gonna need it." He straightened, taking a deep, shaky breath.
Vincent had been his special friend ever since he had joined Cloud's party. The two young men had been opposites—Cid fair, outgoing and gung-ho, Vincent dark, taciturn and withdrawn. And somehow, they had become best friends. Cid had always tried to cheer up his sad-eyed friend and Vincent had always supported Cid's crazy dreams. They had gone to space together, stopped a run-away train loaded with huge materia together... what adventure had they not gone on together?
And now... now, Vincent lay cold and still in the bowels of Cid's airship. It just wasn't right. In fact, it was so %&$ wrong, according to Cid.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door that made Cid jump. "Come in!" he called. He would not show the knocker how nervous he was.
It was Shera.
"What is it, Shera?" he asked.
Shera glanced at Vincent, then turned to Cid. "It's the girl, Maena. She wants to see Vincent."
"You heard her story yet?" Cid asked.
Shera shook her head.
"Well, after all they been through together, let 'er see him." Cid put his fists on his hips, as if bracing for a collision. "We're heading for Cosmo Canyon, She. Have Yuffie tell the boys."
Shera frowned. "Why don't you tell them yourself?"
"I'm not leavin' Vincent's side. He's my best bud, you know."
Shera stared at her husband. They had been married for nearly a year now, but everyday, she learned something new about him that she admired. She smiled softly. "I understand, Captain," she said quietly.
Cid returned her smile. "You always have, Shera," he said. "Even when I was being an &%#$&%." He motioned towards the door. "Get on out there and bring Maena up here. She needs to see him. And he needs her. Maybe more than he thinks he does."
Shera nodded and ran to obey.
Cid just plopped down into the chair he had set up for himself by Vincent's bed. He didn't know how long he really sat there, but it felt like at least an hour.
Then, Maena walked into the room. Cid's eyes went wide. She was breathtaking.
Maeana's copper-gold hair was piled on top of her head in a loose bun with wisps hanging down around her slender face. Somehow, this hairstyle made the freckles on her cheeks look beautiful. She was wearing a short blue dress of Yuffie's with straps that hung off of her slender white shoulders. The skirt swished in pleats just above her knees. The dress looked beautiful on her hourglass figure. She also wore one of Shera's long white coats and a pair of Shera's tall black boots. Maena looked a dream.
Cid swallowed and stood. "Maena..." he began. "You can—you can see him now." He silently left the room, looking back at Maena as he went.
Maena took one look at Vincent and dropped to her knees beside his bed. She gently took his hand and studied his face intently. "Vincent... Vincent Valentine... can you hear me?"
There was a low roar as the airship began take-off.
"Shera says we're going to a place called Cosmo Canyon... She says you can be healed there." Maena lifted his hand to her cheek and held it there, her eyes closed. "Oh, Vincent. I don't know what it is about you. And I can't explain what you do to me. The first time I saw you, you scared me so bad..." She laughed softly. "And then, after that, every time I looked at you... No, I can't explain. It's just this feeling. It runs up my veins from my toes to the top of my head. And then after you saved my life, it grew into something more..."
"Maena?"
Maena's eyes flew opened. "Vincent?"
He was awake! And he was staring at her!
"What did you do?"
"What do you mean?" Maena was confused.
"You look... different..."
Maena blushed lightly. "Yes, well, Yuffie picked out my outfit."
Vincent smiled slowly and some of the sadness left his eyes. "You look... beautiful..." Then the sadness returned and he closed his eyes, wincing.
"Vincent, are you okay?" Maena asked, concerned and frightened. She took his hand between hers and rubbed it gently.
Vincent shook his head. "No. Is anyone okay when they know they're dying?" His voice had taken on that cynical tone Maena had heard in the mansion.
"You're not gonna die, Vincent," Maena insisted, her emerald eyes intense.
"Wake up, Maena. Look at me!" Vincent coughed raggedly, his burgundy eyes full of sorrow and... anger. "I did my duty. I found my calling. I saved your life. I did what I was supposed to. My mission is finished. Now I must die."
Maena felt a sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach. "No. You can't die. I won't let you." She frowned. "What are you talking about? What... mission?"
"I returned to Nibelheim to find my purpose in life." His voice had taken on a sad and wistful tone. "I found it. I was supposed to save your life. And I did. It's finished."
Maena shook her head vehemently. "No, Vincent. It's not. I'm still in danger. I NEED you, Vincent. You have to stay with me." Something broke inside of her. Maybe it was her heart. "Please... don't give up." She started to cry. "Don't you see how selfish you're being? You want to die? Fine! But I don't want you to! Cid and Shera and Yuffie don't want you to! Stay with us! We'll get you to Cosmo Canyon and they'll heal you and you can stay with us—FOREVER!" She was getting hysterical. "Don't leave me... My mother left me, my father left me, all my friends betrayed me... I have no one but the people on this airship... And of all of you... I need you the most." She dropped her head onto the bed beside him as she sobbed. "I need you the most..."
Vincent felt more confused than he had ever felt in his entire life. Was he being selfish in giving up on life? Surely these people did not really need him. Did Maena really want him around—him, a scientific experiment? Why? For the first time in his life, someone was shedding tears for him, a girl he barely knew. It touched something deep inside of him that had not been touched for a very long time. Slowly, he reached out his hand, ignoring the burning pain in his body, and began stroking wisps of red-gold from Maena's pale cheeks.
Maybe you do need me, Maena, he thought. He smiled wryly. Well, you have no idea how much I need you.