IV
In the House of the Strange
The first thing she went felt upon waking was pain. Crippling pain from her abdomen and back, Loki figured she must have fallen a long way. But she was not dead? Opening her eyes, she found herself in a small bedroom. A little wary, she looked around the room with her eyes slowly. No one was there, just the still brown walls, and the one door to the north end of the room. Moonlight filtered in through the window, casting an eerie glow.
She looked down at herself, gingerly moving the white sheet that lay on her. Her clothes were still on her, but there were large bandages under her shirt, wrapped tightly around much of her chest and abdomen. Bracing a hand on the wall, she struggled to lift herself, biting into her lip to keep from crying out. With effort, she managed to dangle her legs over the side of her bed, and look around the room from a better view.
"The sword!" she gasped, and looked around wildly for it. It was no where to be found. Getting up, the pain in the back of her mind now, she opened the door and saw a hallway in front of her. There was a banister next to her, as the left side of the hallway was part of a staircase, that led down the bottom story in the middle. Walking herself forward, slightly pulling with arm, she listened for any signs of life.
As she reached the top of the staircase, she heard a faint song being played on the piano. It sounded dark and lonely, and she headed down to see who was playing it.
There in the corner of a large dark room, was a man clad in a long cloak the color of red wine. He was playing the piano with precise fingers, and Loki's eyes fell on his left arm. It was a sort of gold claw, that looked sharp and deadly, yet it was making the most beautiful and haunting music. Stepping forward, the floor creaked under her weight, and the man jumped with surprise. Turning quickly, his crimson eyes widened slightly as he saw her standing there in the doorway.
"You should not be up, in your condition." He said in a smooth baritone voice. Long black hair framed his pale face, and it stuck out in places where he had a bandanna wrapped around his forehead. He stepped forward then stopped, "You do not run from me?"
"No. I know you, you're Vincent Valentine."
He looked puzzled,"Have we met before? Because I don't remember you."
"No we never met. Let me explain…" Loki began to tell him all about Sephiroth and her mission, all of which he listened to, nodding occasionally.
"I see." Loki tried to step forward but a sharp pain crippled her and she tumbled forward. Vincent caught her before she hit the ground and sighed, "I told you, you should not be up." Loki looked up at him, caught his eyes and blushed. Then she pushed herself off of him, "I'm fine." she said shortly. Vincent looked a little hurt at being shoved away, and said nothing.
"How did you find me anyway?"
" …You fell through my roof." he pointed up at the now patched hole in the ceiling, "It's a miracle that you survived."
"Doesn't surprise me…my body's healing capabilities are higher than a normal person's." She was still embarrassed, but didn't know why.
"I know. I read all about you while Hojo had me in that god forsaken lab." He looked at her with distant eyes, not truly believing that Lucrecia's daughter was here before him. She had her eyes, or once did, as it had said on the birth certificate. She had her hair as well, Lucrecia's long locks, excepting the silver the Jenova had created.
"Is something wrong?" Her voice shook him out of his memories and he shook his head.
"Not at all…" Vincent bit his tongue. He had almost said Lucrecia at the end of that sentence.
Just then, the front door burst open.
"Honey I'm HOME!" Cid's rough voice rang out and Vincent shook his head.
"Please stop saying that Cid…" The blond man walked into the room, dragging what looked like two drowned people.
"Look Vinnie, I brought dinner." he threw them on the floor, and Loki's mouth dropped open in shock.
"Cloud! Tifa!" She dropped down to them, and shook them, "Are you okay?"
"Relax chick, they're still breathin'." Cid lit up a cigarette, which Vincent snatched out of his hand.
"No smoking." He crushed the butt under his shoe, and Cid looked furiously at him.
"Of all the lousy, fuck it! I'm makin' tea!" He stormed off into the kitchen, where they could hear pots banging around. Vincent chuckled almost inaudibly, and a groan came from Cloud as he opened his eyes.
"Oh geez…did I die? Why am I all wet? Where's Cindy?" he looked up at Vincent, "Cindy! You turned into a guy!" Vincent raised an eyebrow and kicked Cloud with his foot, "Simpleton."
"Ohh…my head…" Tifa rose and rubbed the bruise on her head, "What happened?"
"I found ya in the ocean that's what happened!" Cid's voice rang from the kitchen, followed by another crash and a loud curse.
"I lost Cindy…" Cloud put his arms around Tifa, "You'll have to do…"
"What!" She slapped him and he fell over in a giant spiky mess.
"What happened to you guys?" Loki asked, and Tifa thought for a minute.
"Oh yeah! Cloud and I fell into the ocean after that giant shockwave. I dragged him over to a boat and both of us must've fallen asleep."
"Yeah, sorry about that shockwave…"
"That came from you?" Loki explained about the after effect of the beam, and Tifa nodded, "That was a nice attack."
"I've never heard of that monster before…" Vincent said softly, handing Tifa a dry blanket and throwing one over Cloud.
"Oh thanks Vince, hey, we were looking for ya too."
"I was informed by Lokilos about that."
"How'd you know my name?"
"I don't forget things I read." He said softly.
"Psh, well you forgot to buy cream at the store." Cid came in carrying a teapot and a bunch of cups. Setting them on a table that Vincent had dragged over, he poured everyone a cup.
"Tea, Cid?" Cloud asked as he joined Tifa on the couch, blanket wrapped around him.
"Yeh, calms the nerves." Vincent rolled his eyes, and blew on the hot liquid.
"So how long have you guys been living together?"
"Vincent, you didn't go gay did you?"
Vincent almost spit out his tea, and Cid did.
"GAY! I look GAY to you boy?" Cloud's eyes went wide, "I don't know about Vinnie here, but I'm sure as hella 100 straight!" Vincent choked on his tea at this.
"Ookay, sorry I asked." Cloud drank deeply from his tea and Cid shot him dirty looks from across the room.
"No Cloud…I'm not the one who likes to dress up as girls."
Cloud blushed and gulped his tea down, "Who told you?" Vincent just shrugged and Cid fell over laughing.
You damn transvestite!"
Cloud blushed more, because now the whole room was laughing. Cid, eyes watering, got back up on his chair, "Woo, that's the most fun I've had in awhile now."
"But seriously, why are you two together?" Tifa asked politely.
"Ah well…I got kicked out of Rocket Town, and Vinnie here let me stay, till I can get a place of my own."
"What did you do?"
"Gods, you didn't rape a midget did you?" Cloud put in, snickering, and Cid sneered.
"Shut up and drink your goddamn tea!"
A little while later, they had all retired to their rooms, and Loki was beginning to undress for bed. Her wounds were almost healed, and she would be able to take off then bandages soon.
Removing her shirt, she looked over at the black sheathed weapon on the bed (it had been downstairs with Vincent) and thought of her brother. She hoped he wasn't too ill by now, and to calm herself she began to act like she was speaking to him. In her head, of course.
"You were right. They are going to help, even Vincent and Cid, and with the Highwind we'll be even faster. I never knew they would all be so nice." Loki removed her pants, deciding to sleep in her undergarments alone.
The door opened quickly, and she looked over, shocked. Vincent was standing in the doorway, staring right at her.
"F-forgive me!" he stammered, quickly looking away and slamming the door behind him, a crimson blush filling his face.
Out in the hall, Vincent leaned against the door, heart racing. He wondered why he didn't knock as he always had, and he listened inside the room for any sign of her opening the door. His body tingled with hot excitement, oddly enough, and it was just his luck that Cid walked down the hall.
"Whoa! You spying on someone Vinnie?"
"Not at all…I…" his voice trailed off into a mumble and Cid laughed.
"Ah I get it. You walked in on that Lokilos chick and she had no clothes. You devil…" Cid winked, "So…did she have big ones?"
"What!" Vincent looked thoroughly embarrassed now.
"You know, big 'uns!" Cid pantomimed, "Jugs, melons, a rack, big tits!"
"I'm not at liberty to say." Vincent said quickly and walked off.
"Hey, HEY! Give me some fuckin' details! Damnit!" He kicked the door, "Stupid polite Vinnie with his damned manners…"
The next day, they all gathered outside of Nibelheim were the Highwind stood proudly, looking the same as it did two years ago. Cid stood proudly in front of it, almost shining like the sun itself and ordered everyone on. Standing over the controls, Cid could feel the vibration of his beloved ship under him, and smiled. Lighting up a cigarette, from he powered her up and took off.
"Well guys, were do we go now?" Tifa said, standing at the head of the bridge. Cloud shrugged and jerked his head at Loki, "Ask her, not us."
"We need to go to Wutai, to pick up supplies. My house is right behind it." Loki said in a low voice. She sat on the banister on the front of the ship, sword on her back, looking very sad.
"Right, Wutai it is!" Tifa said with enthusiasm, "C'mon guys, lets all cheer up!" Cloud managed a smile, Cid paid no attention and Vincent merely looked at her. As Cid motored on, Loki went over to the dark haired man sitting in the back.
"I just wanted to say, thank you for all you've done. And…not hard feelings about last night." She put a hand on his shoulder and he looked up at her.
"Alright.
