While I wait to go see Sonic the Hedgehog, this came into my mind. Creativity is such a beauty, isn't it? Enjoy.
If he tried hard enough, his peace will come. At least that was what Vincent thought. He tried. Every night for over thirty years. Well, technically that wasn't not completely true. He sealed himself away from the world for thirty years in that damned coffin until a certain blond and his companions interrupted him. Hesitate at first, he decided to join the group of misfits. They were all fighting to preserve the Planet, a feat that didn't interest the raven-haired ex Turk in the slightest. He only desired to end Hojo's existence. When he was atop the Mako filled canon in Midgar, and stood face to face with Hojo as the deranged lunatic confessed his reasonings for helping Sephiroth. The news rocked the gunslinger's gold, metal boots. His gold gauntlet balled into a tight fist as the deranged scientist made his confession, ignoring the fact that he had known Vincent for years.
The behavior made that gunslinger's blood boil. The scientist went on and on about being Sephiroth's father. How Sephiroth himself didn't know his true origins. All the silver-haired man knew was that he was injected with Jenova cells, an action made by Lucrecia and Hojo, his true parents. Hojo as Sephiroth's father...the mere thought made Vincent shudder. Sephiroth should've been his son. To love, to hold, to cherish, and to raise. Yet another thing that was stripped from him on that fateful day so many years ago.
It took every fiber in Vincent's body not to raise the gun and shoot the man in between his eyes as he spoke and clicked away on the machine, as if the group wasn't behind him. But he didn't take the shot. Why? Because he wasn't the only one affected by this mad man. Between being awoke from the coffin in Nibelheim, to being in Midgar on top of the cannon, he saw the group for who they were.
Cloud, a leader yet lost and haunted by his past. He didn't know the full story, but he knew the blond was experimented on by Hojo after the incident in Nibelheim. Nanaki, a fierce feral creature who was snatched away from his homeland for the pleasure of some madman. Tifa's wound that started from her lower abdomen and ended at the bottom of her right breast. Though the young woman wasn't experimented on, she had every right to want the bastard dead. He was a part of Sephiroth, a fact that Vincent often refused to believe but had to face facts. Though the burning of her hometown wasn't burned by Hojo himself, he was part of the reason why she lost so much. Barret was never Hojo's guinea pig, but he was a part of Shinra, and that was Barret's ammunition to end the man. Cid didn't have a reason but fought alongside his comrades, aside from Shinra taking away his dreams. If Aerith were alive, she would have had the same burning passion as everyone else did. Reeve fought from inside Shinra, correcting his errors before things had gotten out of control.
It wasn't right to take the pleasure away from the group for his own revenge. He kept his gun clutched in his gauntlet, hovering over it in case Hojo made a swift movement. Instead, he mutated into a monster, something that didn't surprise Vincent in the slightest. The man withered in pain. Vincent should be at ease, right? Wrong. He silently asked Cloud and the rest of the group for the last shot. They all stood back and watched as Vincent pumped the remaining rounds into Hojo's skull when he finally transformed into his normal, human form. Brains and skull fragments went onto his gun as he steadied his gun. Not once did the gunslinger let his gun slip away from his hand as blood and bone fragments littered his face. For years he awaited this day. He refused to let anything mundane stand in way.
After Hojo's demise, the group saved the Planet. Two more occasions, actually. Once from the Geostigma and another from Deepground. If he worked hard enough, he could fine peace, right? So why did the raven haired man feel so empty? Hojo was dead, the Planet was saved, and everyone were slowly rebuilding their lives, even after the events of Meteor, Geostigma, and Deepground. AVALANCHE seemed at peace, all but one.
He tried. He really did, but the emptiness inside his heart wouldn't leave his body. He became more involved with the group's lives, more than he wanted. He visited Cloud and Tifa every now and then. The crowds and noise from the bar was too much. Marlene and Denzel were nice, despite the man's appearance. Tifa and Cloud reassured the children every time the gunslinger stepped inside the bar. It took some time to get used to, but they've come accustomed to his presence. The bar wasn't ideal so the next destination was Rocket Town. The residents never did get used to Vincent's appearance, but remained kind to him, though he knew some of them whispered about him when they thought he was out of earshot. Hojo made sure of his impeccable hearing. Hojo...the man was dead, yet he still haunted Vincent.
Rocket Town was great for a moment, but Cid's constant need to berate his crew was wearing thin on him. The gunslinger respected Cid for his passion in flying. That passion was what Vincent was looking for, but he haven't found it yet. If you try hard enough, you will find peace. His visit in Rocket Town wasn't a complete failure; he realized that he needed a passion, something worth living for. He thanked the crass man and his lovely wife. They said you welcome even though they didn't know why they were saying those words. They watched their friend walk out of town, and wondered if they would ever see him again.
He tried. He really did and his route took him to Wutai. It was even more beautiful now that Godo had taken a serious approach in reshaping the town, with Yuffie coaching from time to time. Yuffie...the gunslinger slightly cringed at his partner. He wasn't oblivious like the immature woman made him out to be. He was aware of her every move. Her outfits were more revealing, makeup were applied during his stay in Wutai, the way she acted around him and the way she talked to him. It was all obvious to him. The young woman wanted him. Whether that meant sexually or not, Vincent wasn't entirely sure. He never thought too much into it since he knew that nothing would ever happen between him and the ninja. They were comrades, nothing more. Whenever she was around him, he chose his words carefully to ensure he would never give her a fraction of hope. He was far beyond broken to touch someone so pure. Yuffie's constant advancements made the gunslinger uncomfortable. He casually lied and said Reeve needed him. She seemed a bit sad but cheered up as she walked him to the entrance of Wutai. Realization kicked into the young woman when she realized that she would see him around the WRO building. There was no need to throw a fit.
He tried. He really did. Next destination was North Corel. Barret had come a long way with rebuilding the town. Its people were still on the fence when coming to accept Barret, but most people were okay with it, especially since Barret had funded most of the rebuilt. His stay was just as short as Wutai. The constant stares and dust were an irritant to the gunslinger. It's no wonder Marlene stayed with Cloud and Tifa until the rebuild was completed.
He tried. He really did. Out of everyone in the group, he felt closer to Nanaki. The feral creature knew what it was like to be under scrutiny every second of the day whenever the beast was away from Cosmo Canyon. Cosmo Canyon was much more peaceful. The people were welcoming and didn't shudder in fear whenever Vincent showed his face. Nanaki was excited his old friend returned to his home. He wasted no time in showing Vincent the improvements over the years. The gunslinger was impressed. Cosmo Canyon was full of peace and never participated in battles, but Nanaki was adamant for the residents to be trained in case the Planet would be in danger again. Bugenhagen was still the old coot he was before the group took off to defeat Sephiroth. Sephiroth...the image of the silver-haired man always consumed him. The pain the unbalanced man experienced because of Hojo...because of his inability to stop the irrational scientist. Sephiroth may not have been his son, but he felt he was his responsibility. Yet another sin to add to the list. Vincent enjoyed his conversations with Bugenhagen just as much as he enjoyed his conversations with Nanaki. The elder man was filled with undeniable wisdom. The calm nature Bugenhagen always had put the gunslinger at ease. His trip to Cosmo Canyon was the best decision he had made in a while. He enjoyed his evenings around the campfire in the center of the Canyon along with helping Nanaki keeping fiends at bay in the Cave of Gi. His experience in the battlefield never left him. At times, he would able to unleash Chaos, with Nanaki's consent, of course. There was a time or two when the two comrades found themselves overwhelmed with too many fiends at one time. Chaos had been fighting alongside AVALANCHE to know his comrades and not to hurt them. Chaos...the lone man thought the demon would return to the Planet, but he never did. In a way, Vincent was pleased; pleased to know that Chaos wouldn't be inside another poor, helpless soul who didn't know anything about him. Chaos is a permanent sin he would have forever. No other soul should pay for the atrocity he failed to prevent. Towards the end of his time in Cosmo Canyon, Bugenhagen encouraged Vincent to live; not exist, but to live. Vincent was taken back a bit. He couldn't recall the last time he lived. People who lived had a reason to live, and since he didn't have one, why should he live? His solitary life didn't allow him to live; just exist. It's what he was the most comfortable with. The elderly man also mentioned removing toxin. It suddenly clicked. Vincent bid farewell to Cosmo Canyon. He remembered his promise to Nanaki and made a date to meet later that year.
He tried. He really did. It was a full circle. He was back in Nibelheim. The inhabitants were sound asleep. Tucked away in their beds, and worries were far away, except for Vincent. He stood at the entrance of the abandoned mansion. He never returned to the mansion, which his friends were eternally grateful for. Because of his work with WRO, Reeve saw to it that he had an apartment he could call home. Home...that was something he never had. Shelter, a dwelling, if you will, but never a home. Before then, he would stay at Inns. He never uttered a word to his friends. He didn't deserve their kind hospitality. They were more than a friend to him than he was to them. Another sin to add on his list. He felt his eyes flicker into a gold-like color. His body and DNA began to quickly change, and the pain he experienced was a bit foreign since he didn't summon Chaos as often. His roar echoed through the clear night sky. The finishing touch to the transformation were the devilish wings that sprouted from his back, blood spewing everywhere as his skin cracked and broke.
Golden eyes narrowed at the mansion, and a smile crept upon his face. A light came on from a nearby home followed by a barking dog. The demon effortlessly shot a Firaga spell at the mansion. His impish smile widened as the roof came down onto the lower level of the mansion. Embers and fire spurts flew everywhere as another portion of the roof fell onto the lower level of the home. The fire alerted the town. Small cries were heard as women screamed in horror from the entrance of their homes, but Vincent didn't care. He never stopped Chaos. Not when the people saw Nibelheim burn for a second time. Not when those people, some are possibly the very same people that lived there years ago when flames engulfed the town. Not even when people began to plead and pray to Gaia that the scene was merely a dream. A painful, horrible dream. But they all knew it wasn't. The beast pulled out Cerebus and fired a shot into the fuse box, causing the box to completely explode along with the left side of the mansion. Screams were louder, but the crashing of the debris drowned some of the agony out. The demon snapped his head when he heard several footsteps advance towards him. Without warning, he flew into the sky and away from Nibelheim. He grunted in approval as water began to spurt out of nowhere. He didn't know where the water came from and he didn't care. He did care about the way he set the mansion in ablaze, but very little. He flew away with Nibelheim to deal with his misdeed.
He tried. He really did. The black, devilish wings retracted in his back as he became his human form. He stood at the entrance of the cave. He sighed heavily as his metal boots clanked against the ground. The sounds of the metal echoed as he walked inside. The crystal shined as bright as the Protomateria in his body did since the gunslinger's last visit. She still had on that same white dress. White dresses were a sign of purity. His eyes narrowed at the mere thought. Her hands were clasped together as if she was praying away her sins. Maybe she was. Vincent couldn't tell, nor did he care. He didn't know when his heart turned black towards his beloved, but atlas, it did. In a feeble attempt, he fired a shot at the crystal. It didn't come as a surprise when the bullet ricochet. He needed more power. He fought through the discomfort easily as Chaos took over his body. Crystal tear drops fell from the enormous crystal. He knew what it meant and it enraged the demon. How dare she weep? After all she had done. In a rage, the beast lunged forward at the crystal and landed harshly on it, his claws began to dig into the crystal effortlessly but it wasn't enough. The creature shredded away the barrier little by little. Shards fell violently into the water below them. With one final blow, her body fell from the crystal and clashed violently on the ground. Chaos landed gracefully and waited patiently for her to get her bearings.
Lucrecia...beautiful, sweet Lucrecia. The nerve of this woman. Her brown eyes stirred as she adjusted to the light. She encased herself in a crystal in the same manner Vincent did with the coffin. He was in there because he failed himself. He expressed his love for her, and yet, she went into Hojo's crazed arms. She laid with him and created another life form with the madman. She allowed him to experiment on Sephiroth while he was developing. How early, he didn't know. Did the poor man even had time to develop a kidney before being injected with Jenova cells? And all for what? For science? For his lab rat parents? He lost his humanity for her, and she didn't even love him back, a fact that he had to face since awakening from the coffin. Injecting the Chaos gene to save him was to clear her conscience. And like him, she ran when she realized the errors of her ways.
It was almost as if she was expecting his arrival. Her brown eyes slowly looked up, taking notice the gold metal boots and all black attire. The Protomateria glowed rather harshly against her eyes, causing her to shield her eyes away from the light. The red and black wings were tattered and torn. Golden eyes narrowed at her appearance. She knew why the demon was here. She stood up slowly, never tearing her eyes away from the beast. She was still as beautiful as ever, but beauty would not save her. Chaos snarled and lifted his arm to attack, but suddenly stopped. When the blow never came, Lucrecia looked puzzled. She lowered her arms, awaiting the beast's next move. Begrudgingly, Chaos obeyed and a miasma-like mist shrouded the beast and Vincent appeared moments later.
Lucrecia relaxed at Vincent's appearance. A smile tugged at the corners of her full lips. She was more than happy to see him. It was short lived when she noticed Vincent didn't return the gesture. His eyes were hallow. His lips were in a stiff, fine line. His crimson eyes were narrowed at her. This wasn't what she expected. She stepped forward, and he took a step back. Remove the toxins in your life. Bugenhagen words rung in his mind. He spent his entire existence feeling sorry for what had happened to him, never once confronting the other source of his pain. It took him years to accept the facts, and facts were facts. It can never be changed. She felt it. The terrible aura Vincent was emitting and her body hit the ground shortly after. Her pure dress was now turning red. Her expression was shocked, and her eyes were wide open. She never saw it coming. She watched in horror as she felt several bullets penetrate her body. Like her late son and ex-lover, she was injected with Jenova cells. She wasn't so easily killed, but she wasn't exposed to much experiments like Sephiroth or Hojo. Vincent knew that life no longer remained inside of her. He saw her inhale her last breath, but the shooting didn't cease until his clip was emptied. He loved this woman, but she was the source of his pain. She needed to be removed. The ground was embellished with her gore. She was the last living source of his sins. Now she was gone. If his comrades were to ever find out about Lucrecia's death, they would be astonished to know it was by Vincent's hands. Not Chaos, but Vincent himself. He wanted, no, needed to carry out the task. He always brooded about loving her, but never about the pain she caused him. Not a single word to no one. The gunman snorted and walked away. He left the cave, his heart lighter, but only by a little.
He tried. He really did, but the peace never came.
Sonic the Hedgehog was pretty good.