Storm Clouds

Chapter 7: Becoming A Myth

What worries you masters you.

-Haddon W. Robinson

Nibelheim was always a dead village in the northern mountains. Before when Shinra's damned General torched the homes with his vexing hatred, this quant miner's town was as lifeless as the stones that made it. Surprisingly it did rebuild itself fast enough to continue its dismal way of life. The houses were up, business continued, and the graves were already collecting their first layers of moss.

Within the premises of this graveyard of a town, a lone figure perched itself above a menacing gargoyle. His warped fingers wrapped around the monster's head and allowed his other hand to dangle below him. It was raining which made the waning autumn's chill even more bitter against his skin.

I've been up here for too long.

Vincent imagined the words in his head but he used his statuette friend as a consort to talk to. His collar, which usually was clasped tightly to conceal the lower half of his face, was now parted to display a cheerless frown. He looked like a porcelain doll under the night's luminosity. Stained red cloaked his figure in rags as they fell on his form and flew in the wind.

Already this town looks exactly like the one I awoken in so many nights ago. Every night has been the same, no change at all. The repetition is depressing, but then why do I spend it like this all the time?

He glanced at the gargoyle for a response, but it kept its stony gaze south.

Do you really think its loneliness that's making me feel this way? He sighed.

Because I've been feeling lonely since the day I died.

My sister said I looked like a girl when I was stunned at the sight of Father's wound. He had gone off chopping wood for our new fireplace and while holding the ax wrong sliced a good portion of his leg…I wish I could remember this girl's name. She was older then me and carried the same dark features I had. I knew she was my sister but I what I don't know is her name. It was gone just like the names of so many other people I knew in the past.

When looking back at my childhood, its only fragmentations of different periods. First there's when everything was pure bliss. Mother was alive still, pregnant with my expected sibling whom I already declared his name to be Will. Father played with me all the time and my sister would watch on top of the hill on a blanket.

Then there was the tragedy the day Will was born. Neither he nor my mother made it alive through the night and I remembered Dad going out to shoot the dog which my mother loved so much. I remembered sneaking out with him. He had been drinking heavily since Mom was lowered into the ground with my little brother. I had thought he needed me. It was night time and he chained his loyal, selfless friend of a dog to the shed's door. He took out his gun and shot the animal without shedding any emotion. A normal boy of seven would cringe at the loud noise; cower away from the weapon my Father held. Instead I was infatuated with the gun and grew up learning it well under my Father's instructions. Every time I shot it, I always remembered shooting that dog which I began to loath as much as my Father did.

Once the mourning of my Mother lost its freshness, our family lost the luxurious house which we called home and soon found ourselves living in a 3 roomed shack. Money was tight and my sister lost the glow she once carried in her youth. Her skin grew to become gray and white and her health dimmed as well. I was willing to do anything for money; money for medicine. Out of all of my various types of jobs, killing people paid me the highest. I wasn't the type to feel guilty of those that I killed; whether they were monsters or innocents.

I had been long tired of my gray life until when opportunity grabbed me by the shoulder. It came in the form of a man name Shinra who would later become President Shinra. He was only a boy then, younger then me by three or four years and he knew it too. This was why I always seemed to have the upper hand when we had some disagreements. He had heard of me being the perfect man for protection and promised me a good sum of money to do dirty business for him.

He had an idea of beginning an electric company called SHINRA in the rising city, Midgar. To sponsor his business he managed to get in touch with some dangerous characters. That is where I came in; my job was to make sure he didn't get hurt if things went sour and to personally carry out the transactions. There were three other men who would become my new family and together we formed the first division of the TURKS. All for my dear little sister.

My family back home was only told that I had been working under a successful business man in the city. They would see the large sums of money at their door more then their quiet son. As I watched by I saw SHINRA grow to what it was destined to become. Shinra was pleased with himself that he had made it this far.

Science began to interest the young millionaire and followed his instinct that human advancement would open even more doors for him. That was when Hojo was hired. The sleazy doctor was a specialist in the field and worshiped his career. Shirna loved him the moment he met him and they soon became close friends. I didn't know much other then that about SHINRA'S scientific department. I kept my focus only on what TURKS were to do. Already at the near age of 25 I was promoted as Captain and Commander of the TURKS with only Shinra over me.

My life had reached its golden period and I had thought that it was only up from here. However, reality was that it could only be down from here. I had reached my highest in wealth and pleasure. My family was doing fine, my bank account was full, and my career was my life. I was never the type to chase women because they always seemed to chase me. I would sleep with them but never would I go beyond there. Women always wanted more and I'm not the type to be their servant.

Yet there was one exception which walked into my life. She was gorgeous—a goddess with icy blue eyes. Black hair cascading down her warm face and a pair of sharp glasses which made her all the more matured. She was a scientist under Hojo's department and the object of Shinra's heart. But I had no idea that the greedy president desired her as much we desired each other. My greatest joy was my greatest downfall and I would never forget the night it all crashed down.

I was walking her home. She was toying with a lock of my hair.

"You need to get another haircut Vincent." I smiled. My hair wasn't as long as it is now but she always tried to find ways in teasing me. It was Harvard's Blvd. that they came out of the shadows. How ironic it is, that I know the name of the street they came and butchered my love and took me yet I can't recall hers. They thought I was watching as they held me down to face her fate. I could have destroyed them but surprise was an element that was my weakness. I hate surprises.

The men were no more then boys plucking the wings of a butterfly as they snapped the life out of her. They joked, they pushed her around and sliced her only a little scraps on her face. Until their fun got out of hand and began stabbing the poor girl. I cried. I screamed. Louder then hers so that her wailing would drown under my own. I didn't want to hear her, to know that she's being killed right in front of me under my closed eyes. However, to this day I wish I did watch. What they did to her would always be a sting in my life.

I thought they were going to do the same to me as they did to her. Yet to my shock they spared my life in exchange for damnation. Four years of lab research and yet I can't remember a mere glimpse of the room I was kept in. I can't really describe to you the events that took place when Hojo placed me in a coffin of this quiet town.

Over the long centuries of isolation my mind began to play in tune of the world around me that I missed. The end of my family during a harsh winter, SHINRA growing into an enormous giant, and every now and then I could pick up faint whispers of those who still knew my name. Only those times did I feel myself grin that I still live even though I was dead.

But, my last time I heard my name echo in the world I noticed it was rather loud then usual. Actually, in fact it seemed like it was being spoken through the darkness. I still had no idea that I was laying inside a coffin until I moved my hands for the first time. Instead of the mouth who spoke my name, I felt the walls of my prison. He heard movement in the coffin and it was that motive that released me.

My releaser's name was Cloud Strife, an ex-SOILDER of SHINRA's military dept. and the former commander of the rebel group called Avalanche which was made to topple the corrupt monarchy of SHINRA.

He asked my name and I gave it. He asked why I was in the coffin and eventually he knew of it. He asked who I was and I didn't tell him. I didn't really know who I was. Time's medicine made me remember but he would never know. Cloud's dead. Poor soul. There was always something that seemed so familiar about him. Like I knew something of him before but even now I can't place my finger on it.

Cloud died right after Sephiroth's fall. Sephiroth meant no value to me but I sensed he meant something to Cloud. This battle was much more personal for Cloud then he let on. He kept himself together for most of the fight until Aeris and Zack were killed. After that he was never the same. Doesn't surprise me that he's officially dead, he was dead since the beginning of this war.

Vincent craned his gaze towards the heavens. Orion shined the brightest, flaunting his famous three star belt. Again Vincent Valentine looked at his companion of a monster, one so much like his own.

"I wonder where Tifa buried him?" He asked and the gargoyle seemed to have flicker an eager smile.

Sorry if that chapter took so long. It really difficult to write and I'm not that proud of it. But, still, please REVIEW. I love it so much when I receive input from other readers and successful writers. I promise a better chapter sooner! Thanx!