CHAPTER 3

Some Interesting Information.

Vincent felt a weight on his back. It felt like it could be a person. He wasn't able to tell what is was, though. His face was smooshed into the pavement. He couldn't see anything, but he could hear. Somebody was yelling at somebody else.

Then he heard himself yell as well. "GET HER OFF ME!"

The next instant the weight was gone and he was being helped up. He looked up. Tifa and Nanaki were helping him stand.

"Are you alright?" Tifa asked him, looking worried. "Your face looks a little red."

"I'm fine," he told her. "What happened? I don't remember."

Before the woman could reply Yuffie screamed. "I'M SOOOOO SORRY! I tripped! I didn't mean to almost kill you!"

He glanced up at the distraught ninja. Her face was frantic. Her eyes were larger than usual and very sincere. "I'm sorry! I'm so so sorry!" she said over and over.

Barret cursed at her. "Damn, Yuffie, why can't you learn to watch where you're going? Look what you did! Vincent looks like he was hit in the face with something! What's your problem? You could have killed him. What? Don't you like Vincent?"

"It was an accident," Yuffie whimpered. "I lost my footing. That was it! I DIDN'T MEAN TO DO THAT TO HIM!"

"Accident my eye," Barret went on. "You did it on purpose! I know you did!"

Yuffie looked like she was about to start crying. Vincent, for some reason, felt strangely sorry for her. No, she didn't do it on purpose. I can tell.

"I forgive you," he heard himself say.

Barret stared at him in shock. "What?" the big black man demanded. "What did you say?"

"I forgive her," Vincent said again calm as you please.

Yuffie's face grew relieved. "Thank you! THANK YOU!" she exclaimed, grabbing his arms and jumping up and down. "I promise I won't do it again! Never ever!"

Vincent regained his full balance and gently broke free from her grasp. He then turned away from the others and headed into the Gold Saucer, flashing his lifetime pass at the entrance man as he did.

"Typical of him," Nanaki commented, as he watched the man in red and black go inside. "Never really getting into a problem."

"Even when it's his own," Barret grumbled, glaring at Yuffie.

"I DIDN'T DO IT ON PURPOSE!" the ninja practically screamed.

"Barret, knock it off," Tifa scolded. "Just leave her alone. Vincent forgave her and you should too. I don't see why you're so mad. Yuffie didn't knock you over."

Cait Sith started laughing. "Maybe he wishes she had!"

The big man sent a warning look at the Mog riding cat. Instantly Cait Sith shut up.

"Let's go," Nanaki said, heading toward the entrance. "We are here to have fun, not to fight. If you want to fight go to the Battle Arena."

The other four followed the fire red wolf in without a word or glance at one another.

When they were inside the Main Area of the amusement park/casino (the place with all the slides), Barret said looking around. "Now, where did he go?"

They all looked around. Vincent wasn't anywhere that they could see. "Who knows," Cait Sith said shrugging. "You know Vincent. He likes to fight. He probably went to the Battle Arena."

"Maybe," Tifa said. "But it's Cloud who likes to fight, not Vincent."

"Who cares?" the cat countered. "As long as he's somewhere."

"I think it would be a good idea just to leave him alone," Nanaki spoke up.

"How come?" Barret wanted to know.

"He might not want to be bothered at the moment," the red fire wolf replied. "You know how he is."

"Don't we ever!" Yuffie commented rolling her eyes. "Well then, now that that's settled whats say we have some fun ourselves. No sense in letting Vincent have it all."

With that the ninja walked up to the slide that led to the Battle Arena. She climbed into it and looked at the others. "See ya later!" she called as she disappeared.

Barret grunted. "Awight." then went down the slide that led to the Chocobo Races. Cait Sith and Nanaki took the slide to the Roller Coaster. Tifa jumped into the slide that led to the Haunted Hotel. She would wait there until Cloud and Cid returned.

Cloud left Zacks parents' house with the sound of Zack's mothers crying echoing behind him. He felt bad for telling them what happened but he knew they had to know. It would have been torture never knowing. They don't need anymore of that...

The young man met Cid just outside of town. The pilot was leaning against a palm tree, lighting a cigarette. "So how did it go?" the pilot asked, looking up when he heard Clouds footsteps coming toward him.

Cloud sighed and shook his head. "As soon as I told them Zack's mother burst into tears," he replied looking in the direction of the Highwind. "Did I do the right thing? For some reason I don't feel like I did. Maybe I shouldn't have told them..."

Cid put his hand on the former SOILDER'S shoulder and looked into his eyes. The pilot spoke like a father encouraging his son at a baseball game. "It was good you did," he said. "If you hadn't they would have held onto false hope for the rest of their lives. If they had been told by someone else a lot later, instead of their son's best friend, they probably would have taken it a whole lot worse."

Cloud had never heard Cid speak that way. The pilot had spoken words of wisdom that were to be pondered which Cloud did. "Maybe you're right," he said after a moment.

"I know I am," the pilot said self confidently. "I am most of the time."

Cloud could have argued with that but he didn't. He knew how bad Cid's temper could be at times. The young man turned toward the giant plane. "Let's go," he said, as he started walking. "I think we should be getting back to the others now."

As they walked back to the Highwind Cloud explained some things to Cid. The pilot listened intently, without comment. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Cloud had been used as an experiment? That was just sick!

"Why did they do that to you?" Cid wanted to know.

Cloud shook his head. "I don't know. I should have asked Hojo but my mind wasn't thinking clearly when I had the chance to. I just don't understand why he always has to use humans as experiments."

He doesn't always. He used Nanaki, remember? Cid didn't say. "You know. You and Zack weren't the only ones who were part of Hojo's madness," the pilot spoke up.

Cloud stopped and looked at the man. "That's right! Vincent was too!"

Cid nodded. "Uh huh. Maybe you should ask him about what happened to him and compare it with what happened to you."

"Like he'd ever tell me anything."

"It's worth a try. You might learn more than you think."

Vincent lounged on a bench in the small park area of the Gold Saucer. He had his eyes closed and was just breathing, letting his thoughts run together. He'd been able to find a place to be by himself to go over his thoughts and feelings, mostly his feelings. It was easy for him to do those things. Everything was too painful not to.

Just when I thought all those nightmares were over..., he thought. They just have to come back. Why is it always that way with me?

Suddenly he became aware of his name being said. What is Yuffie doing here? He came back to reality and listened.No. That wasn't Yuffie's voice but it was familiar and close by.

Who else is talking about me? He stood. I think I'd better find out.

He walked slowly toward the voices. They seemed to be coming from behind a statue of a Chocobo. He stopped when he reached it and peeked around the giant statue. The gunman saw Reno, Rude, and Elena, three of Shinra's Turks, lounging on a semi-circular bench.

By listening carefully Vincent found out that they were indeed talking about him. Why, he did not know, but would soon find out.

"I heard it was about the same time Ms. Lucrecia got pregnant with Sephiroth," Reno was saying.

"But I thought Jenova was Sephiroth's mother," Elena said, looking confused.

Reno shook his head. "No, Hojo lied to him. Lucrecia was his mother," the senor Turk corrected her.

Why are they talking about Lucrecia? Vincent thought.

"So, what happened?" Rude inquired.

"Well, it seems Mr. Valentine didn't like the fact that Hojo was using human experiments," Reno went on. "He didn't want Hojo using Lucrecia partly because he was against it and partly because he was in love with her. Either way the guy ended up getting shot."

"If he got shot, then why is he still alive?" Elena asked, remembering when she'd seen him in Wutai.

Reno leaned forward on the bench as if he were sharing a secret. "Hojo."

"Hojo?" she interrupted.

"Hojo shot the guy. The bullet didn't kill him, I guess. Anyway for some reason Hojo decided to screw with that guy's body."

Elena looked horrified and disgusted. "What? You mean he did something to Vincent?"

Reno nodded. "Yeah. That mad scientist messed with Mr. Valentine's DNA. Turned him into a freak. Now he can turn into monsters."

"He CAN?"

"Uh huh."

"Oh boy..."

"And all because he was trying to stop Hojo from messing up another person?" Rude asked.

Reno nodded again. "Exactly."

"You mean...?" Elena began.

"I'm saying never mess with someone with higher authority than you," the red head cut in. "You do, the same thing could happen to you."

"Hojo was a sicko," Elena said, her face twisting in disgust.

"What does it matter? The guy's dead now. Cloud, Vincent, and that crazy ninja girl did him in, remember? Cut him up, shot him, and then got his butt kicked. I bet his body parts are somewhere in little pieces."

"EW! Don't talk like that!"

"Whatever."

"Do you think Vincent has a grudge against Turks now?" Elena asked looking worried.

"I doubt it. After all; he was one. I bet he just wishes he was never hired," Reno chuckled. "I know I would if I got my DNA messed up by Frankenstein."

"How do you know all of this?" Rude wanted to know.

"I found it," the red head replied. "It's on file. I know I wasn't suppost to read it but I was curious. Of course I didn't read the whole thing, that would be too nosy. There was more than one file anyway."

"And what were they about?"

"Sephiroth, Vincent,as you already know, Lucrecia, Ifalna, Aerith, Red XII, now known as Nanaki. Heck I even found one about Cloud."

They have files on Cloud? On everyone? I wonder where they are? I've got to see them.

Vincent's attention span grew longer. If someone had snuck up behind him then he wouldn't even have sensed it. Maybe if I listen a bit longer I'll find out where they are..

That wasn't ment to be. Just as he turned back to them the three Turks got up and began to walk away.

Vincent tried to make himself as invisable as possible so they wouldn't notice him there when they passed by.

He didn't need to worry. The three were so into their conversation, which by then had changed to which beer was the best, they weren't even aware that the black haired guy existed there almost in plain view.

When they were gone Vincent came out from behind the statue and stared after their retreating figures. So he'd learned something new about himself, and totally by accident.

I just have to figure out where those files are, he thought an hour later, as he stared out the window in the hotel room he would be sharing with Cid and Yuffie. Where would something like that be hidden? Midgar? Nibleheim? Someplace I don't know about and probably never will?

"Thinking about something?" a voice said behind him.

Startled, he turned around quickly. He spotted Yuffie by the door. Her arms were loaded with stuff she'd won at the battle arena.

"I see you've been having a good time," he commented, pointing at the stuff.

Yuffie set her prizes on the bed closest to the door. "I sure did," she said grinning in triumph. "Before I left I used up all my Battle Points since I know they expire the second you set foot out of there." She looked up at Vincent, eyeing him searchingly. "Is something wrong?" she now asked. "Did I put my stuff on the wrong bed?"

Vincent shook his head. "No, that bed is yours," he assured her.

The ninja looked relieved then her face and manner became prying. He was instantly wary of her. He knew as well as the others that she had a way of weasling things out of people. I'm going to have to watch what I say.

"What's your problem then?" she asked, sitting down on her bed and not looking away from him. "Not that you don't always have problems but you seem different this time. What's wrong now?"

How does she know I have a problem? Am I that easy to read or can she just read me well? "I was just thinking about Lucrecia," he said and he wasn't really lying.

Yuffie instantly looked disappointed. She seemed to have been hoping he would say something else. Figures. He can't keep his mind off the woman who dumped him for a maniac. "Oh, boring," she groaned.

She got up then turned to leave but was sure to call over her shoulder. "Let me know when you want to talk about something interesting. Like Materia and where I can find it without having to steal it."

Then she was gone.

Vincent waited until he was absolutely sure she was gone. When he was certain she wouldn't come back, he sighed and sat down on the middle bed. He had come to a conclusion. It's very likely that they are in one of two places. Midgar and Nibelheim, he figured, taking another glance out the window. I just have to figure out which place. The only way to do that is to go to both places and search.

He decided against telling the others his plans. They'd probably try to stop me, he concluded, folding his arms and tilting his gaze to the floor. No, this is something I have to do myself. I have to find out just what Hojo did to me and Lucrecia.

Authors note: I bet I know what you're all thinking. "Why would the Turks talk about Vincent and Lucrecia in such a public place?" Well all I can tell you is they were hiding behind a statue that was keeping them out of anyone's view. Vincent just happens to have a very good sense of hearing thanks to our good friend Hojo. He can hear people talking in low tones very easily.