Author's Note: Oh, well, hello readers! I really appreciate it if you would read, and review this first story of mine. I recently, on a different site, got a review that the voice I wrote in was not very close to the character. As much as I agree with this, you must remember that Mr. Vincent Valentine is an enigma. No one knows what he thinks, and so I decided to play around with this.

Anyways, this story is about Vincent Valentine (Copyright Squaresoft/Tetsuya Nomura, 1997) and his thought process while setting up the series of riddles that you must solve in order to aquire Vincent in the actual game. I believe Hojo was the one that originally set up the mini game, but oh well. It's a fan FICTION. Um...yeah. I would highly appreciate any critiques, flames, anything. But if you decide to flame me, please specifically state WHY you flamed me. I despise responses such as:

"ur stry sUckz0rZ!11!one one one!1!"

This gives the appearance of a fool. -- You don't want to be a fool, do you?

Here's my story.

"The ivory's short of tea and ray." Scribbling down a simple riddle. I never thought I would find myself here...hah. I really don't want to be found. Why am I doing this, anyways? So I may be broken yet again? Left alone to pick up the pieces? No...I need a distraction. Some fool will surely come wandering into my manor. Seeking out an apparition. I admit, some are often decieved by my appearance. Pale, with glowing red eyes. Some would even call me Satan himself. Sometimes, I myself wonder. I live alone, often off of other's fear. This, my dear friends, gives me strength. Sad to say, I laugh at them. I pity them and their existence. What they know is nothing...and yet.

Lucrecia.

O, sweet Lucrecia. The only one for whom I ever cared. How I long for you, now. Why did you have to leave me here? I miss you. I'm all alone now. That god forsaken Hojo had to take you away. Why did you not listen to me? You knew that he had bad intentions. Now...

"The lid of the box with the most oxygen." Now I am reduced to hoping someone with the least bit of common sense will come and find me. Help me dig my own grave, actually. I don't need help getting back up. I need help falling down. No matter what I do, there's always that voice inside of me, telling me to continue this pathetic life that I live, if you would even call it a life. Telling me to get over myself, and start a new life. It's not like people know who I am. I could create an alias.

No...what am I thinking! This is not me! I..don't know what I want anymore.

"Five steps left, nine steps up, left two more steps, and up six steps from the creek in the floor near the chair." How obvious can I be. I may as well scratch the combination into the door of the damn safe. Well...I have but to return to my chamber and sleep, now. Waiting, wishing that someone shall answer my prayers. Soon...I need to get out of this life. The beast inside of me is gaining control. So many losses, so little gains. It's all tearing me apart, and letting Him out. Every once in awhile, I do lose control. He becomes free, and takes over my conscious mind. I fear He will be unleashed soon, and for good, if I do not get a grip on reality. This is another of my many reasons to create this small puzzle for the poor soul that happens to stumble across it. Every day, every living minute of my life is filled with my nightmares. The line between my reality and my dreams is blurring. I worry that I soon will fade with that line.

The combination is set. Right 36, left 10, right 59, right 97. There. Oh, what's this? A knock at the door! Hopefully THIS fool will be intelligent enough to find me. The bottle is by the chair...the clues are placed. Hah hah! What a moron. He has but to look up. To see his stalker.

Satan.

I've got to find a way to get back to my room.

Who am I kidding? All that hair gel the kid used to get his hair to that position is probably seeping through his skull. He won't notice me.

Ah. In my sleeping chamber, I lay. Lock the door...close the coffin...now, I wait. Soon, I shall, hopefully, have a reason to disappear, besides my fear and embarrassment for losing her! Hm...I hear...the piano playing. It seems this soul is not so stupid after all. I'm getting anxious...ah! The door.

Now, friends, I sleep.

Dear Lucrecia, I shall get my revenge.

End Note: Erm, yeah! There it is. I do realize that I jumped around a bit. But, isn't that how everyone thinks? ( That, friends, is an excuse.) Anyways, once more, please review! Tell me what I should work on. Description, dialouge, character-specific-dialouge, yeah! ANYTHING you found annoying, or incorrect in this piece, please let me know! I will take all comments into consideration in my future pieces. I hope you enjoyed it!