--Alrightee, well, I'd like to put a little message before I begin here. For all those reviewers who like Vincent…and those who have his name in every possible review and ask where he went when I don't mention him—you know who you are specific person I will not name—these next few chapters will involve two, yes, TWO, Vincents…I expect this won't change anything but by the time I'm done I'm aiming for the fact that everyone will be so sick of Vincent kicking ass that they'll want more Cait Sith...if that's possible…onward with the story.
Chapter 24
Peacemaker
For the second time the world seemed delayed and it appeared to take a moment for it to catch up with Vincent. Then everything was as it should be and he and Samael stood, predictably, in the middle of a green field.
"You know," Sam said looking at Vincent, "one of these days we should try not teleporting on to a large green field of grass."
"Last time we teleported on to a large field of burnt away grass," Vincent pointed out.
Sam nodded, "That does add a little variety, next time I say we go for snow."
"So what are we…" Vincent heard a noise he could have recognized even if he were deaf, "…gunshots."
Sam looked around cautiously, "The Outcasts are already here, I know that, you see anyone?"
"Nothing," Vincent said, "unless it was a very bad sniper it's too far away to be near us."
"Keep your head on a swivel," Sam said.
Vincent assumed that meant the same thing as "be careful," but didn't bother asking. He drew his revolver and walked forward just behind Sam.
"Okay, tall dark and shadowy, we're looking for an artifact you're familiar with," Sam said. "You of course remember your good old friend the Peacemaker?"
"The gun?" asked Vincent.
"Right," Sam said.
"I used it a long time ago, that's the artifact?" asked Vincent.
"That it is," Sam said, "the only thing we've got going for us is that you're the only one who knows where it is."
"Kalm," Vincent said.
"The Outcasts probably know that much, where in Kalm?" asked Sam.
"One of the houses, you have to go up in the attic and it's in a box," Vincent said.
"That's what I'm talking about," Sam said smiling, "I knew you were the man for the job. Okay, now we just gotta go through insurmountable odds and grab it and then escape back through insurmountable odds. You've fought worse, right?"
"Probably," Vincent agreed.
"Cool," Sam said, "let's go see what we're up against."
The two made their way to Kalm, continuing to look around cautiously, Sam was expecting a large force and wasn't exactly sure if they'd have scouts out looking for enemies.
The walk was clear and Kalm came into view, they were still a great distance away but Sam stopped.
"Let's accessorize a bit shall we?" asked Sam.
Vincent knew better than to ask.
Sam snapped his fingers and something cylindrical appeared in his hand, "Sha-zam!"
He handed the item to Vincent.
"A sniper scope," Sam said, "tell me what you see at Kalm."
Vincent fixed the scope on his revolver.
"Like dress-up Barbie but with bullets," Sam said cheerfully.
Vincent ignored him and looked through the scope; it appeared as if he were only standing a few feet away. It was then he saw what they were up against.
Vincent handed his gun to Sam, he looked through the scope.
"Damn, that is a lot of Outcasts," Sam said, "oh, hello, I know him."
"Who?" asked Vincent.
"The boss, I guess," Sam replied, "Foret, old buddy, he knows I'm coming."
"Foret," Vincent repeated his name, "bad news?"
"Yeah, his name means Forest in French," Sam said, "but that's not the bad news."
Vincent, again, didn't ask.
"The bad news is I completely missed an accent, for it to be the French word I'd need a little roof looking thing over the 'e'…"
"Sam," Vincent cut him off, "who's Foret?"
"I told you, he's forest in…"
"Don't make me shoot you," Vincent said deadpan.
"Alright, alright," Sam said handing Vincent his gun, "Foret and I used to work together a lot, he's an unarmed fighter."
"Martial Arts?" asked Vincent.
"He's like the Tifa of the Outcasts," Sam said, "except with not nearly as big…"
Vincent's red eyes looked at him.
"…I was gonna say eyes, not nearly as big eyes."
Vincent looked back at Kalm.
"Breasts!" blurted Sam. "Uh-oh, whatcha gonna do now crimson boy, I said it!"
Vincent backhanded Sam and knocked him off his feet.
Sam stood up with a hand over his nose, "Good one."
"Thank you," Vincent replied.
Sam shook his head a few times.
"So what's the plan?" asked Vincent.
"Well, if Tifa were here we could distract them all with her…"
"I will kill you," Vincent cut in.
"…Masterful Martial Arts, see you never let me finish my sentences."
"Tifa's Masterful Martial Arts aren't…"
"Breasts!" Sam cut in trying to hold back a laugh and failing.
Vincent drew his gun and aimed it at him.
"Okay, I'm sorry!" Sam said ducking and trying to get away from Vincent's weapon. "You're just so dark and distant and shit, your lack of humour was making me depressed. I've got a plan, I do, really."
Vincent holstered his gun.
"You keep that scope on and use it to take some guys out from afar, that pistol got good range?" asked Sam.
"The best," Vincent replied.
"Cool, I'll go bring everyone in your sights," Sam said walking toward Kalm. "When I duck down, that's your cue. Try not to hit Foret, though, I want him."
Vincent nodded.
"Let's do it," Sam said and jogged off toward Kalm.
Sam made it just outside Kalm in about ten minutes and someone on a rooftop called out. Within seconds most of the Outcasts were standing in front of Sam, weapons readied.
"Hey, guys, how's it going?" asked Sam.
No one said anything.
"You guys would be more popular if you talked, maybe sang," Sam said. "Call yourselves 'Outkast'…well that's taken, but not around here, they don't have anything like that here. You know them though, right?"
Silence from the Outcasts.
"Heyyyyyyy yaaaaa! You know!"
Nothing.
"Tough crowd," Sam said. "Okay, take me to your leader."
Silence still.
"Are we waiting for Foret here or is there a staring contest I don't know about?" asked Sam. "Okay, guys, I don't like waiting that much so I'm gonna let my buddy open the door here, see you guys later, okay?"
Sam dropped to the ground as a wave of bullets ripped through the ranks of Outcasts.
Foret was a few feet from confronting Sam when the men in front of him started dropping like flies. Bullets flew at him and he jumped backward into a flip that evaded every bullet. One of his boots hit a passing bullet and popped it into the air. As Foret landed on his feet he caught the bullet he'd kicked and looked at it in his hand.
"Vincent Valentine," Foret muttered.
Vincent's bullets continued to rip through the Outcasts only stopping to reload and continue.
Sam was ducking and dodging under attacking Outcasts looking for Foret. Sam elbowed an Outcast and pushed him forward using him as a battering ram to push through the others. Vincent's precise shooting cleared Outcasts all around Sam while narrowly missing Sam himself.
Sam broke through the last of the Outcasts and threw his battering ram to the ground. In front of him stood the man he was looking for.
"Heeeeeerrrreeee's Sammy!" Sam said smiling, Foret grinned as well.
"It's been far too long," Foret replied.
"Oh, I know, I missed you," Sam said.
"I hadn't expected a sniper, seems you got the drop on me, Samael," Foret said.
"I do that sometimes," Sam replied. "Come on, let's stop playing games, you're no idiot, Foret, you gotta realize following Fear will just end up destroying everything. Bringing back the Cetra isn't possible."
"I'm willing to try," Foret replied.
"And if Fear's wrong and it destroys everything, you're okay with that?" asked Sam.
"I won't be alive to worry about it," Foret said shrugging, "neither will anyone else. I always knew you never wanted to achieve the goals the rest of us did, you just joined for Charna."
Sam nodded, "Yeah, because I and a few others knew following Fear would lead to the destruction of everything, Foret, and that goes against the very principles of the Cetra. It's in the rule book you know, Section 52, Paragraph 10, Line 3: 'A Cetra should definitely try to avoid destroying everything in known existence…it's just a really bad idea 'n' stuff.'"
"I've never seen that book," Foret said, "I'll have to check out the library for that one."
"Come on," Sam said, "tell me this is a ruse, tell me you're playing with him, you're not actually going along with Fear are you?"
"I'm afraid I am, Samael," Foret said, "it's Cetra or nothing at all."
"Then I have to stop you," Sam said.
"Maybe me, but can you bring yourself to kill your beloved Charna?" asked Foret. "You know well enough Fear will use her against you."
"If I have to, I will," Sam said. "Aeris is my new girlfriend anyways; she just doesn't know it yet."
"Ah, yes, the last of us, is she here as well?" asked Foret.
"May-be, may-be not," Sam said in a sing song voice.
"Sorry we couldn't catch up for longer, Sammy, but I have a gun to find," Foret said. "If you survive I suppose I'll see you soon."
"You know it," Sam replied.
Foret jumped backward into a flip and a line of six black creatures took his place standing in front of Sam.
"Shadows," Sam muttered. "Son of a bitch got Shadows from Fear."
The blank creatures moved toward him.
"Alright, let's boogey!" Sam ran forward and jumped, he kicked with both feet and knocked over two of the Shadows opening a spot between them to break through and roll to his feet. He spun and the Shadows were giving chase.
One slashed horizontally and Sam stepped back, as its second black blade missed Sam moved forward and punched the black thing in the face, it staggered backward. Then Sam moved his right hand straight upward and the Shadow shot straight up in the air.
Another Shadow attacked and Sam rolled out of the way, he swiped with his hand and all of the Shadows were knocked off their feet. Sam raised both hands and two Shadows floated in the air, he closed his hands into fists and both Shadows appeared to stop moving and just die. They dropped to the ground and disappeared. Sam looked at the remaining four Shadows and saw there were in fact now seven.
"Kill two; add three," Sam muttered, "wonderful."
Sam spun to look behind him, another four Shadows made eleven, Sam was now surrounded. All Shadows moved in at once and they were all thrown backward at once by Sam. He jumped and landed with both feet on the face of one of the Shadows, its body twitched and then died. Sam turned and kicked an approaching Shadow in the stomach, then punched it in the chin sending it sailing through the air.
Sam made another count; there were fourteen Shadows this time around.
"Son of a lawn gnome," Sam muttered. "More of them."
They moved in on Sam.
"Alright you bastards, let's go," Sam growled.
The two in front of him were blown off their feet by gunshots, three behind him followed suit two more fell from gunshots to the ground at his left and something crimson shot in from the right. It grabbed Sam and carried him off just as a Shadow attacked the air where he had stood.
Vincent set Sam down on a rooftop.
"Good call," Sam said.
"They keep multiplying," Vincent said.
"Yeah, every time I kill one a few more get added," Sam said.
"I'll take care of them," Vincent said and pointed to a house off to their right, "that's where the Peacemaker is, when you have it let me know."
"Your gun won't be able to kill the Shadows easily," Sam warned.
Vincent's eyes flashed a bright yellow and for a moment his face looked different, "I don't really plan on using my gun all that much."
"Never doubted you for a second tall dark and shady," Sam said nodding, "have fun."
Sam jumped off the roof and headed to his destination.
Vincent closed his eyes and in a bright burst of red he became Chaos once more…a sad day in the life of a Shadow, no question.
Chaos took flight; large red wings catching the air and letting him sail down to the ground. The Shadows turned to look at him.
Chaos grinned ever so slightly before he attacked.
The Shadows attempted to fight back but they didn't stand a chance. Chaos took flight and streaked past them, landing on the other side of the group. Every one of the Shadows slowly fell apart in different places. Some were missing heads; others' bodies were severed from their waists and other combinations.
Within seconds twenty Shadows took their place.
A slightly altered version of Vincent's voice came through; vampire-like teeth were visible when his mouth opened.
"Let's see how long it takes until there aren't any of you left," Chaos growled and shot toward the group of Shadows. He tore the first one to come near him apart with a simple backhand. Two more attacked and Chaos simply grabbed them by the necks, he knocked them together so hard they virtually shattered.
Chaos' silver clawed hand moved up to block one of the Shadows' blades and he used his free hand to punch a hole right through the creature's stomach. Chaos let it drop to the ground and turned to his next enemy. Two Shadows came in jabbing with their blades, Chaos stepped back a bit and then shot forward in flash of crimson. The streaks made a "Z" pattern and all the remaining Shadows were torn to pieces.
Thirty Shadows appeared in their place.
Soon Chaos didn't even really have to move, all he had to do was stand in a spot and spin in a three-sixty, his enemies were so great in number now the sheer mass of them didn't allow for any stoppage in the attacks. Chaos suddenly was airbourne; he then shot back downward and smashed into the middle of the group of Shadows. A wave of crimson exploded outward incinerating every Shadow in the area.
Chaos stood silently for a moment and then nearly one hundred Shadows reappeared ready to attack.
Chaos was starting to get very bored.
§
Inside the house, Sam ran up to the attic and found a box. He opened it and sure enough, inside, was the grey revolver he was looking for. The Peacemaker.
Sam ran down back to the front door, he got outside.
"Samael," Foret said landing on the ground behind Sam.
"Sorry, buddy, gotta go," Sam said.
Foret jumped through the air and landed in front of Sam.
"Give me the gun, Sam, I'll only ask once," Foret said holding out his hand.
"Get outta the way, I'll ask twice…for contrast, you know," Sam said.
Foret growled and charged in at Sam, Sam flipped backward, and his feet connected with Foret's chin sending him sailing head over heels. Sam landed back on his feet.
"Last time," Sam said, "get outta the way."
Foret popped to his feet and moved in on Sam.
Foret attacked with a flurry of punches that Sam managed to duck and dodge barely. Foret kicked Sam in the stomach and then he spun and kicked him again in the side of the head. Sam stood up again, Foret attempted another punch but Sam's telekinesis stopped the attack in mid air.
Sam shoved his hand forward and Foret shot backward into a brick wall.
Foret used his feet to hit the brick wall and push off, flying back at Sam. Sam ducked and let Foret sail overhead.
Foret hit the ground and rolled to his feet. The Outcast moved forward, ready to press the attack again, Sam spun around and kicked. Foret sidestepped the attack and grabbed Sam sending him into a throw that would have had Sam landing on his head; instead Sam was floating a few inches from the ground. Sam righted himself in the air and continued to hover.
Foret attacked and kicked, Sam's telekinesis allowed him to float left and right to dodge the attacks. Sam kicked forward and knocked Foret backward.
§
Back with the Shadows, Chaos was shooting back and forth effortlessly tearing enemies apart left and right. His clawed hand tore limbs off the creatures as he passed by.
One Shadow came in from behind and jabbed forward, sure it had the drop on Chaos. It took the black thing a few moments to realize Chaos was now somehow standing behind him, impossibly fast. Chaos' clawed hand jabbed through the Shadow's back.
Chaos looked around.
"I've had enough of this," Vincent's voice growled from Chaos.
Chaos shot upward and sailed over Kalm, he spotted Sam and dived down.
Sam ducked under an attack from Foret and punched him in the stomach. Foret sidestepped and came around with a punch that would have connected with Sam's face had a creature with wings not picked him up and flew away with him.
"Damn," Foret growled.
§
Above Kalm Sam looked up to see something that slightly resembled Vincent's face, Chaos carried Sam in his right hand as they flew away from Kalm.
"I coulda taken him," Sam said.
Chaos said nothing and set down a few minutes later just outside of Fort Condor.
Chaos gave way to Vincent and both he and Sam stood looking past Fort Condor out at the water.
"Here you go," Sam said handing Vincent the Peacemaker. "It's not nearly as powerful as your gun now but you should hold on to it, keep that sniper scope too, consider it a gift from your totally excellent friend Sam."
Vincent nodded and put the Peacemaker away safely, "Where do we go now?"
"Wherever the wind takes us," Sam replied.
"That's a little too random for my liking," Vincent replied.
"Yeah, me too," Sam said, "well, I'd like to check on our buddies, but I think the Omega Materia takes priority."
"So what are we suppose to do with it?" asked Vincent.
"I'll handle that," Sam said, "we just gotta get there."
"Where?" asked Vincent.
"We have to take the Materia back to Centre Time," Sam said, "and then shatter the thing and spread the shards to the wind."
"I thought Centre Time was locked," Vincent said.
"Well, it is," Sam said, "but I'll find a loophole, I always do."