The Adventful
Disclaimer: DXP does not own FF7, FF7:AC, FF9, or anything within this story unless otherwise noted. DXP will be taking quotes from many other animes, games, and even from books, stories, and other people, so please be aware those are not my direct ownage, either.
The group then proceeded to the Gargant, and Vincent placed Cloud on a seat. He then sat next to the unconscious blonde, and then Tifa sat next to him. Zidane and Vivi and Dagger sat on one side as well.
Everyone sighed. It was time to relax. Tifa watched the mist on the floor, wondering where it came from. Vincent remained emotionless, his eyes never seeming to move even as he watched the others. Cloud's unconscious body leaned on the seat.
Zidane allowed Dagger to rest her head on his shoulder, and Vivi watched with interest at the new people.
"…I'm glad you're alright." Tifa said, breaking the silence. Dagger smiled. "I'm glad you're alright. That white-haired man took no pity on you…"
Tifa chuckled. "It's alright. I'm use to being beaten and bruised, though I certainly don't care for it." she then turned to Vincent. "Hey….weren't you suppose to give Cloud his ribbon back?"
Vincent took the ribbon from a pocket of his and held it up to Tifa. She grabbed it and placed it in her pocket. Cloud, she knew, wouldn't want to be touched while he was unconscious.
"Anyways…" Zidane said. "I'm Zidane. This is Vivi, and you guys already know Dagger."
Tifa smiled. "I'm Tifa, and this is Vincent. Apparently you guys already know Cloud."
"So you're Vincent…" Zidane said, eyeing the ex-Turk. "You were the one Cloud was talking to on that thing, right?"
"PHS." Tifa said, eyeing the blonde with disdain for a second. Why hadn't he tried to contact her?
"Are you a vampire?" Vivi asked innocently, his large yellow eyes watching Vincent.
"No." Vincent replied bluntly.
"He's a human, right?" Zidane asked with a friendly tone.
"Well…I don't know if you can say human…" Tifa said sincerely, watching her friend.
"I'm a monster." Vincent said bluntly.
Tifa gasped. "No you're not, Vincent!" she shouted, firmly stating her beliefs. He remained emotionless.
Suddenly, the Gargant stopped. Tifa fell back down to her seat hard, but Vincent stood up just then.
"The Gargant…" Vivi said. "It stopped."
Suddenly, the Ralvuimago appeared and Zidane realized something. "Is that what it's afraid of?" he asked. He hopped out of the car. "Let's go!"
Vincent got his Death Penalty ready, though he knew this wasn't going to be too difficult of a fight. Vivi hopped out, too, and made his way towards the Ralvuimago.
"Sense!" Tifa shouted as she jumped from the cart. She shut her eyes, then opened them. "It's a level 18 creature! Weak against Ice, 3352 Hit Points!"
"Let's finish it quickly, then, shall we?" Zidane asked, smirking. He sprang towards the Ralvuimago, attacking. It cried out, and then it coiled itself.
Tifa was about to attack it, but Vincent place a hand on her shoulder. "Do not attack it while it is coiled."
They waited for it to uncoil itself before Vincent shot it twice in each eye. It growled and then slithered away.
Zidane laughed then jumped back onto the car, everyone following suit. The Gargant went slower, more cautiously this time.
"Hey, hurry up!" Zidane shouted.
"Don't yell at it!" Dagger instructed firmly. "The poor thing's probably scared to death!"
Suddenly, the thing started to move quicker. Faster and faster it went, and Zidane chuckled. "See! I told you it could go faster!"
"Look!" Tifa shouted, pointing behind them where the Ralvuimago was chasing them. Vincent noticed Cloud slipping and he carefully brought him back to sit up properly.
"We passed Treno!" Vivi shouted.
"Dammit!" Zidane replied. "And we can't jump off at this speed!"
"!" Dagger looked shocked, "Look!"
Zidane gasped, "huh?" he looked, "WHAT! Oh, shoot--!"
Tifa gasped and jumped over Cloud, and then Vincent placed his cape over all six of them.
They never saw it coming.
Cloud groaned, his eyes opening slowly. He remembered he had been holding Tifa, and then…
"Geostigma…" he mumbled. He sat up and looked around. He saw that he was in a large green area. Tifa was next to him, Zidane next to her, Dagger next to him, and then Vivi next to her. Vincent was standing up, patiently waiting.
"You're awake." Vincent said quietly, but Cloud heard him. "What happened?"
"The geostigma took you once again. I carried you on my back and we fled on a large Gargant. A large snake came and scared the Gargant. We passed our destination, and ended up here."
"Which is?" Cloud asked, walking over to Tifa.
"Pinnacle Rocks. Chaos…" Vincent trailed off. "Tells me it is close to Lindblum Castle."
"Lindblum!" a hearty voice of Zidane said as he stood up, wiping off the dirt from his pants. "We need to head there!" Vivi hesitantly got up as well.
"Why must you all be so loud…?" Tifa spoke up, sitting up. She smiled at Cloud. "You're…awake." she said.
Cloud nodded, then he looked away. "Vincent. What's going to happen?" he asked. "What does Chaos say?"
Vincent remained silent, and Zidane thought he was just blowing off the question. However, Vincent continued, "He…says that he cannot say." then the ex-Turk shut his eyes. "Chaos…is saying a lot of things." he said after awhile of silence. "Many thing I cannot say."
"Why not?" Zidane asked, stretching.
Vincent opened his eyes and look at Cloud, who just nodded in understanding. "He doesn't want another sin added to his list."
"Wha--?" Zidane asked. "Sin?"
"Oh…Mother…" a light voice said, and everyone gasped. "Dagger!" Zidane shouted, running to her side. "Are you ok?"
"I'm fine." Dagger reassured her Romeo. "Where are we? What happened?"
"We were thrown from the Gargant." Zidane explained patiently. "We all landed here…I don't know how we managed to all be thrown in one place, though."
Cloud looked at Vincent, who just shut his eyes again. "Vincent shielded us." the spiky blond explained.
"So it was a cape that was thrown over us…" Zidane said. Vincent made a "hmph" sound and flicked his cape, revealing his claw hand again. "We should get going." the ex-Turk said.
An old man suddenly appeared by them, and everyone snapped to attention, standing up and getting their weapons ready. The old man seemed to be solemn, but he had a pleasant sense to him.
"Are you an enemy?" Zidane asked.
"That is up to you. I am…" he looked at Cloud.
"Ramuh." Cloud said, nodding his head in respect. "Our powerful ally…"
Ramuh gave a low chuckle. "Not powerful enough, with Knights of the Round there to kill your final villain."
"But that was Cloud. We don't need Knights of the Round to defeat someone as low as Sephiroth." Tifa said, smiling. But the smile faded quickly, "How did you come here? From where?"
"Ohohoho…" Ramuh chuckled. "There has always been many of me, and yet none of me at all. It is their story this time."
Vincent turned around, not wanting to look at the summon. Ramuh just laughed again.
"So, my fair summoner." Ramuh turned to Dagger. "What will you do now?"
"If I were more powerful…If I could use summon magic…I beg of
you, please help me!" Dagger cried to the old man.
"And cause more destruction?" Ramuh asked.
"No! I was afraid to summon magic, but not anymore!" Dagger said loudly, firmly.
"Collect all five pieces of this Hero's Story and put them in the correct order, beginning to end, and you shall obtain me." Ramuh said, disappearing.
There was silence, but then Dagger sighed, "I'm sorry…I know we must hurry…"
"It's ok, Dagger." Zidane said. Tifa smiled, "We'll help."
"Me too." Vivi said.
Cloud frowned, but agreed, "I had my own interruptions in my journey. This is nothing big."
They all looked at Vincent, but he shut his eyes. "I cannot help you…" he said lowly. Tifa just cocked her head to the side, smiling sadly. "Vincent…it…it isn't a sin to help."
"It is a sin to do the work for others. They will never gain anything on their own if others do it for them." he turned around and walked to a nearby tree. "I will wait here."
Cloud stared at the sniper before turning back to everyone else. "We should hurry." he stated before he approached the spot Ramuh had just been. A different looking Ramuh appeared, and he began his tale of the Hero Story. Dagger listened intently, making sure she was prepared.
They continued on, gaining a small portion of the stories. It took at most a half an hour, and Dagger continued reciting the stories to herself so she wouldn't forget. When all the pieces were found, they headed towards the exit area of Pinnacle Rocks. Vincent was waiting there now with a solid Ramuh. It looked like they had been talking.
No one except for Zidane's party seemed surprised at Vincent's stealth and speed, but even Tifa had to admit her heart had jumped in shock when she had found him standing there.
"Are you ready to submit your answers?" Ramuh asked. Dagger nodded. "I chose The Beginning, Cooperation, Silence, and Human in conclusion." she said with hesitation.
Ramuh smiled kindly. "Let me ask you one thing... How come you chose 'Human' for the Conclusion?"
Dagger looked at everyone in her group in a quick glance before looking back at Ramuh. "People pass down stories of other people to whom they feel an affinity. The people in the story had flaws, as we all do. That is why they became heroes in the people's mind."
"What about you? In your own words, what do you think?" Ramuh asked. Vincent looked away.
The princess looked down. "Me…?" she paused, then looked back at the eidolon. "I am away from my country, but I haven't forgotten about my people…"
The smile returned to the old man's face. "…Your soul is very tense right now. Maybe you'll begin to relax once I become your eidolon…"
She gasped, delighted. Her heart sped up in gratitude. "Thank You!" she replied instantly.
Ramuh began to fade into a transparent stone. "There are many paths. Remember that you alone choose the path on which you walk." his voice rang through their minds now as he completely disappeared. Dagger picked up the Peridot and smiled. "Now we can head to Lindblum." she said, running ahead.
Vincent stood still, bringing a hand to his chin as he thought. 'Ramuh…despite the fact you knew I am a monster, you considered me as human…I thank you for that, and yet…is it a sin to continue acceptance of these people calling me human…?'
He never received a reply. He was lunged from his thoughts when Cloud placed his hand on his shoulder before walking off towards everyone else. Vincent followed silently, and Zidane and Vivi followed.