A/N: This chapter has been revised taking in the constructive comments given to me in some of my reviews. Please enjoy the revision.
Disclaimer I do not own Vincent or any of the Final Fantasy Characters in this story. Valayris Valk is my own creation thought.
Valayris spends the next few days fully recovering. Reaching full recovery the two begin to get ready to leave for Junon Harbor.
"Are we still heading toward the Harbor?" Valayris asks.
"I think so," Vincent says as he dismantles Cerberus.
"You think so?" Valayris asks him questioningly.
"Yes, because until I have a stronger idea of where the main hideout of Deep Ground is, the harbor is the place furthest away from Midgar; yet close enough to where if Cloud calls for you we will be ready. Besides the further away from Midgar you are the safer you are in my opinion," Vincent explains.
Valayris blushes, she had never heard him talk this much especially to her, she felt honored.
"I need to go get some supplies before we leave," Valayris states.
Vincent stops cleaning his gun and walks over to Valayris.
"Lets go to the store then," Vincent says.
"No," Valayris says.
"No?" Vincent asks, "Why not?"
Valayris looks at his half cleaned gun. Vincent quickly follows her gaze.
"I'm not letting you come with me because: one, you need finish cleaning your gun. You aren't going to be any use to me with a half cleaned gun. Two, I can handle the long walk to the store all by myself. I am a big girl after all." Valayris says playfully.
"A lady under my protection,"
"But a grown one, I think I can protect myself enough to handle the store clerk at the store, besides you haven't seen anything yet," Valayris smiles.
Valayris was not only blessed with the ability to heal, the white mage genes give her some offense spells also, powerful offensive spells.
"Because you tremble from their intense emotions," Vincent points out.
Was Vincent questioning her power? Valayris did not like to be underestimated either, she was not weak just restrained by her human body.
"I won't this time!" Valayris exclaims.
"Can you guarantee that?"
"Maybe I could, if you'd have a little faith in me,"
"It's not that I don't have faith in you, its just..."
Vincent's hesitation signals to Valayris that he didn't have faith in her abilities.
"You don't have faith in me,"
"No, I just don't want to risk it,"
"Risk is what makes life, life,"
"But why do you have to risk you're own life?"
"I'm only walking to the store and back," Valayris states.
Why was Vincent being difficult about this? She wasn't walking to through the mines or anything she was just walking to the store on the corner.
"I know but..." Vincent starts.
Vincent mind swirls with 'what ifs' her life was too important to take any risks. Valayris lays her index finger against his lips. The soft skin on his lips causes Vincent's mind to blank. He had forgotten what it felt like to have any form of gentle contact with someone. The only contact he usually experiences was Chaos's claws digging into someone's soft flesh.
"I'll make a deal with you," Valayris coos, "If I get into any trouble on my way to or from the store you can follow me every place you feel necessary. Deal?"
Vincent nods. He just hopes he wouldn't regret letting her do this later down the road.
"Good," Valayris smiles, "Now I'll be back in a little while."
Smiling Valayris leaves the room as Vincent takes a step toward where had been standing.
"I don't like this," Vincent sighs turning back to his gun.
Valayris enters the small store as the bell announces her entrance.
"Hello Ms," the clerk greets her.
"Hello Sir," Valayris smiles back.
"What can I help you with today?"
"I just need a few things,"
"What can I get for ya?"
"I need some potions, some dried jerky, water, and some of theses," Valayris lists setting something on the counter.
The clerk looks down to see a large bullet sitting there.
"My dear what do you need with bullets this big?" the clerk asks picking up and admiring the bullet.
"To make sure the gun never goes empty," Valayris replies in a sugary sweet voice.
The cheeriness in her voice about something so dangerous causes the clerk's face to contort into a strange look. Shaking his head the clerk goes in the back to get all her items. While the clerk rummages around in the back Valayris hears another sound, the sound of thundering boots in the streets. Her face drops into a look of fear.
"Please, don't be what I think it is," Valayris says.
Rushing to the window Valayris sees her worst nightmare coming true. Deep Ground soldiers were entering the small town.
"Damnit!" Valayris cusses.
A few soldiers turn toward the window. Valayris quickly ducks out of view.
"Phew that was close," Valayris sighs, "I have to get out of here. I have to lead them away from the people of this town."
"Miss?" the clerk calls.
Hearing the door open Valayris quickly jumps over the counter pouncing on the clerk.
"Stay down," Valayris whispers.
Nodding the clerk extends his hand out to her, in it rests a box of bullets.
"On the house," the clerk whispers, "It appears you'll be needing to refill that gun sooner then later."
"Thanks," Valayris smiles.
The heavy footsteps enter the store. The smell of dirty and sweat fill the room. Valayris gags silently at the putrid smell.
"We'll hunt her down till to the end of the earths, burning and destroying every building till we find that white mage," a soldier laughs knocking over a shelf of stuff.
The items on the shelf clatter, clank and crash to the floor. Valayris sees the old kind face of the clerk grimace.
"My store," the clerk gasps.
Valayris couldn't let them destroy this town because of her. No one was ever going to suffer because of her again.
"Never again," Valayris tells herself, "I will never let people suffer for me again."
Closing her eyes as the clerk watches Valayris's lips start to shimmer in silver light. Valayris kisses the clerk on the forehead the magic's warmth spread throughout his body. He shivers from the strange sensation.
"Let my silver light protect you," Valayris whispers, "Trust in it and no harm will come to you."
"I will angel," the clerk replies looking at her dreamily.
"Why is it always angel?" Valayris thinks to herself, "It must be the white magic that makes people think I'm angelic."
Smiling at the clerk Valayris springs up from behind the counter.
"There she is," a soldier points out.
"I won't let you kill innocent people because me," Valayris states.
"Then come quietly,"
"I'm afraid I can't do that either," Valayris says.
"What are you waiting for? Grab her!" a soldier orders.
Two soldiers lunge at her. Graceful jumping out of the way she lands behind them.
"I guess you guys won't leave me alone so I guess I will have to fight for my freedom," Valayris says.
Her hands close as if she was holding something. The soldiers watch as a beam of silver light shoots through her hand. The beam disappears leaving a staff. The silver and gold staff's tip is formed by outstretched angel wings.
"You're going to play with us using that puny staff when we have the guns?" a soldier laughs looking at the new conjured staff.
"The advantage is in my favor," Valayris smiles
Raising her off the ground a silver light takes over her body.
"And why is that oh great white mage?" a solider asks mockingly.
"I don't need you alive," Valayris finishes as a blade of silver light pierces the soldiers' chests, killing them instantly.
Valayris's glow dims setting her gently back on the ground.
"I haven't done that in a while," Valayris states admiring her staff, "Its nice to see you again my Celestial staff."
Valayris looks down at the bodies on the store floor. Trouble, she had just ran into trouble.
"Vincent's never gonna let me hear the end of this," Valayris sighs thinking of the deal she had made with Vincent before leaving.
Turning her face to the counter she calls, "You're safe sir."
The clerk peeks his head of the counter just in time to watch Valayris walk out.
Meanwhile the thundering boots catch Vincent's ears. The feeling of dread washes over him.
"I knew her leaving by herself was a bad idea," Vincent states.
Looking out the window he sees Deep Ground soldiers burning and killing. The small communal town was now a little piece of hell on Earth.
"Valayris," Vincent states grabbing Cerberus, "Damnit!"
Leaping from the balcony Vincent fires off three shots killing three soldiers.
"It's him, the monster," a soldier cries pointing at Vincent.
"Where is she monster?" the soldier asks, "Where is the white mage?"
"Where she needs to be, " Vincent says firing shots at the soldiers coming up behind them, "Away from you."
"I think you need to die now," a soldier growls.
The soldiers lift their guns preparing to aim yet before they had time to fire Vincent flies into the air firing first. Landing behind their dead bodies he gallantly blows on his gun. Vincent wants to call out for Valayris; he did not want to find her shot and being dragged off by Deep Ground. He also refused to assist Deep Ground in finding her so he remains silent.
"Help me," a woman cries running toward Vincent being pursued by Deep Ground.
Vincent catches the woman in his cape and pulls her close. Quickly disposing of her pursuers Vincent releases the woman..
"Thank you, thank you," the woman gushes.
"Hurry, keep hidden," Vincent instructs.
She rushes off, Vincent making sure she remains untroubled.
"My baby," a woman cries pointing in horror at a burning building, "I just left to get some more formula and..."
Rushing into the house Vincent searches for the child. The baby's cries echo throughout the house making it difficult to find the source of the sound. Due to the raging fire the building collapses all around him.
"I need to hurry," Vincent states.
Locating the baby Vincent grabs the baby then turns to leave. As he turns a beam crashes down on the crib smashing it into tiny pieces.
"We have to get out now!" Vincent states.
Looking around Vincent finds his escape route. Bursting through the nearest window Vincent lands in front of the woman.
"Thank you Sir," the woman says taking her baby from him.
"Always a hero, aye monster, is that a hope to hide your monstrous interior?" a soldier asks.
"You're the monster," Vincent says reaching for Cerberus, "Killing townspeople chasing woman, burning babies. I'm not the monster here."
The soldiers laugh as they begin to fire. Dodging the bullets Vincent fires back killing the soldiers. Vincent goes to reload Cerberus when he realizes he was out of bullets.
"Damnit!" Vincent swears catching sight of soldiers aiming at him.
"Vincent!" Valayris calls.
Looking up Vincent sees Valayris in the air shimmering in silver light. Valayris kisses something and tosses it to him. Catching it Vincent looks to see a box of bullets for Cerberus. Opening the box he notices the bullets glowing silver.
"Enhanced bullets?" Vincent asks loading them into his gun.
Firing his gun the bullets spin through the air sparking as they fly. Reaching the soldiers the bullets shred the uniforms and pierce the soldiers' flesh, engulfing them in silver light. The soldiers fall to their knees while their bodies disperse into tiny silver lights. Vincent looks down at his gun finding it difficult to believe his gun did that.
"Evil be gone," Valayris says landing next to him.
"Evil be gone?"
"These bullets will kill no innocents," Valayris explains.
Valayris leans on her staff for support, she was out of practice when it came to her offensive spells. She really doesn't need them working for Cloud as a delivery girl.
"White mage bullets. I've heard of them," Vincent says.
"As rare as we white mages," Valayris states.
Vincent looks around to see no more Deep Ground soldiers.
"You've been busy," Vincent states.
"And so have you," Valayris replies glancing around briefly as well.
Hearing Valayris groan Vincent looks to see her staff disappear as she hurtles toward the ground. Instinctively Vincent catches her.
"I'm alright," Valayris says, "Just a little drained. Haven't had to use that much magic in a while."
"We should rest for the night before we head off to the harbor."
"No!" Valayris replies standing up straight.
"No?"
"Not again," Vincent thinks, "This is how the last argument started."
"When these soldiers don't return more will come. They will come with revenge and me on their minds. We have to lead them away from these people," Valayris explains.
"You're in no condition to run," Vincent points out
"I don't have a choice, we have to, for these people,"
"Valayris,"
"No more bloodshed Vincent," Valayris exclaims, "Not on my account!"
"Alright lets go,"
On the way out the store clerk from earlier walks out of his shop.
"Thank you both, you've saved us,"
"Thank us by telling those Deep Ground scum we headed west," Valayris says.
"O...okay," the clerk stutters.
The crowd cheers as the two head out of town.