Author's Note: So, this chapter is based totally on the concept of corruption. As such, phrases and lines from books will be found transplanted as part of the symbolism of the chapter, slightly altered versions of the phrases scrawled on the walls of Midgar as the rush to destroy Hojo begins. See if you can guess them! One is from Gregary Macquire's Wicked; several are from his Mirror, Mirror. Yet one more, very slight, is from Advent Children.
Furthermore, I don't believe I explained what the other's were doing whilst Yuffie and Vinnie had their interlude of DOOM. One group went to see Bugenhagen, who directed the group to join the group in the City of the Ancients, there they found out about Holy and the hope for the planet. As such, the next step is to defeat the attempt at the big bad, Hojo. In addition, in the game the group parachutes into Midgar, in this they're going in the old-fashioned way, through the front door. Yes, I'm changing things to suit my own purposes again, but this is what they mean by "artistic liberty" or whatever that one thing is.
I think You've all noticed the distance between my last post and this one, so I should tell you. I moved to my dorm room, have very little time to myself to write, and I find the presence of other bothers me as I attempt to create things like this. I apologize for the huge gap between chapters, and hope you all enjoy this one.
In addition, if you wish to make a criticism, or if you believe I made a mistake in an earlier chapter, I'm all for hearing you out. However, I don't take kindly to being told something I already corrected; therefore, don't correct me if you don't bother to read my excerpts at the beginning of each chapter.
General disclaimer to anyone who just started reading the story and hasn't been around since it first appeared. I made an error in chapter three concerning Vincent's age. I corrected said error in chapter four's Author's note but have not fixed the actual chapter yet.
"Author's Note: Ok, so yeah… City of Ancients… you should already know what happens… if it makes you cry… tell me… I love success… erm.. I mean sad stories… yeah… that's it… oh… And Vincent's 27, where the hell'd I get 24? Oh wait… I know where… sorry… heh."
That's the EXACT text, so I don't want any more comments about the error. Thank you ShadowKeepre for bringing it to my attention the FIRST TIME.
Disclaimer: Don't own it, don't sue.
Reviewer Comments:
Sonora the Free: Thank you very much!
Sorceress Fujin: I apologize for making you wait so long.
Yumi: hahahah, yeah I like that line too, probably why I had to put it in there… its based on semi-true events, it happened with my mom and dad.
Oracle Thunder: We've all been there, we know its not someones fault, and yet the fact that may have had even the slightest hand in it makes us crazy. It isn't immaturity, really; its more like agony.
Tyren Raimeodo: I'm sorry about how long its been, but I'm flattered that you feel I inspire you! Thank you very much for your kind comments, enjoy the chapter.
Tank: I received your review on a very bad morning, I laughed so hard I almost cried. I'm glad you agree with my "Lucrecia the bitch" theory, I got so little support for my stand I was thinking about going back and changing it to drum up more sympathy for the woman. Knowing that you agree, I think it'll be fine the way it is. Thanks!
LaneJoe: You are very, very kind; I couldn't find a single word that had even a slightly negative meaning in your review, I cannot thank you enough.
Itshotintopeka: o.o, wow I didn't know I had a huge fan… Sweet! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Enjoy the chapter!
Qizzle: Alright, first, I thank you very much for all your praise, and I wanted to tell you that I have reason for my writing style. I have almost always been in honors English classes, and last year when I suddenly changed my writing style and method for one paper, my teacher attempted to catch me on Plagerism. So, I try to keep my style, by and large, the same, or gradually changing instead of suddenly; I know the thing with Tifa in Clouds head was repetitive, it was that way even in the game, and I know all the crap getting to the juicy tidbits aren't much better; all I ask is that you bear with me and realize, if you're feeling like repetition is happening, it's killing me to do it. Thank you very much for your in-depth review, and… I think I like that "injured Vincent" thing… and a tearful apology is in the works, no worries.
Lorok: Read the beginning spiels, I don't write them for my health. I know what I keep and what I skip, I correct errors that are brought to my attention in my Author Notes.
Zero-Vision: is that a good or a bad gem? Lol, thank you.
ToriTsubasa: Thank you very much for your review, I actually didn't plan anything out for Yuffie really, I knew I felt like a lot of her character was made flat during the game, and Vincent was easy to imitate because of my own tendency towards apathy. I appreciate your insightful review, and am very happy that you have enjoyed the story this far.
Jammity: You are very kind, and I hope I haven't kept you waiting too long.
Chocoburger: You've read it three times and it isn't even done yet? Wow, thank you!
AznPuffyHair: Thank you, but, as I'm sure you must realize; not everyone's behavior is consistant. Vincent isn't being his cold self because he's, dare I say it, warming up to another person; and Yuffie is a teenager, she has a tendency to be unreasonable. It is, really, all about the Psychology in this case.
Ankok Dezaia: Sorry I made you wait! I swear, I'll try to cut down the time!
KADavid: Everyone should really thank you, after all these major reviews, I write more; yours drove me to finish this chapter. Thank you.
As A General Reply: Thank you all who gave me something to build and grow off of, those of you who included character analysis in your reviews, or plot commentary; I really appreciate it. However, due to the number of these that I get every time, I may have to start picking and choosing who and what I reply to, or mixing reviews that can be answered with a simple "thank you, enjoy." I cannot thank you guys enough for your kindness, and I really hope you enjoy this chapter… it has been the hardest for me to write.
A Door Beyond Absolution
Chapter Thirteen: Born Sinners
"I am a Goose-boy or I am a Goose, the difference between us is very loose."
Yuffie sat crouched in the alcove directly across from the door, hidden carefully from immediate view. Barret saw her, Cid saw her too, but neither acknowledged her as anything to be concerned about. Yuffie's stomach grumbled ravenously from within her flat belly, she gave it a hard pat and resumed hugging her knees firmly.
Barret and Cid exchanged looks. Yuffie was a marked glutton, she ate with haste and never passed up a meal; yet here she was, refusing to get up and sedate her voracious appetite because someone, they presumed Cloud, was in the kitchen/dining room area.
The door slid open with a metallic clang that made Yuffie curl into a tighter ball, Tifa entered, her hair swishing back and forth as she gazed around the control room.
"Where's Yuffie?" She asked simply.
'Don't tell her, don't tell her!' Yuffie prayed mentally, her eyes wide. Both men pointed to her not-so-secret hiding place, Yuffie slammed her head back against the steel wall. 'Damn them!'
"Yuffie, come out." She said soothingly, like a woman convincing a kitten out of a tree. "Cloud wants to talk to you."
'Out of the tree and into the lion's belly.'
Resigning herself to her fate, Yuffie pushed herself up off the floor with ease. Hunching her shoulders, Yuffie plodded through the doors of the control room, cursing Cid and Barret with every miserable step.
Tifa was silent on the way to the Kitchen, and Yuffie tredged along like one being lead to her demise. Once Tifa held the doors open, Yuffie held her head high and marched in; a proud prisoner being lead to the executioner's block.
Cait Sith idled beside the end of the bar, Vincent glanced over and looked away just as quickly, Cloud rubbed at his temples.
"Sorry I was a little surprised," Yuffie heard Cait mutter, she arched an eyebrow.
"What happened?" Cloud asked, his teeth clenching tightly around the words.
"You remember when the Junon Cannon disappeared?" Cait asked, waddling over to him, "actually, Rufus moved it."
"Moved it? That big thing...?" Cloud said, his brows drawn tightly in confusion. "Where...? Why?"
"Rufus wants to destroy Sephiroth with it. That cannon operates on Huge Materia." Cait explained, Yuffie hopped up on the bar and sat with her knee near Cloud's head. "But the Huge Materia has already been used in the Rocket Plan. So since the cannon's useless right now, he decided to move it. To a place where Materia... no, where Mako is gathered…"
"And, where is that?" Cloud growled, Yuffie looked down, Vincent looked up.
"Midgar."
------------------------------------
It took several moments for that statement to trigger action in the group. Yuffie leapt off the bar and raced to the bridge, ordering Cid to get en route to Midgar. They had barely begun when signals in the ship blared to life, Cid cursed as the others rushed onto the bridge.
"What's wrong?" Cid shouted at his pilot, the man looked startled.
"Atmospheric readings are off the charts, the same readings we saw when we encountered that huge Weapon!" The pilot declared, fiddling with a few buttons at a rapid pace.
"From where?" Cid implored, a scowl implanted on his face.
"… M… Midgar… Junon? I'm not sure…" The Pilot said, he looked at Cid. "Sir, its too mixed to trace properly."
"This ain't no good... Weapon came out of the sea and is heading straight for Midgar." Cait Sith told them, "the new weapon should stop him, right? I don't know if it's ready or not…"
"Forget it," Cloud said. "I wouldn't trust it anyway. We'll take care of it ourselves."
"Hey Cloud... You think we can win against that monster?" Cid asked, Cloud shrugged.
"How would I know? We beat one, why not? Come on, let's move!"
--------------------------
"I am a girl who did no wrong…It hasn't saved me thus far along…"
Yuffie had barely set foot on the shore line of Midgar before the Earth began shaking. Water spurted up and around them, crashing down on the sandy shore. Yuffie whirled out to face the sea, suddenly feeling like a little girl staring up at Sephiroth once more.
Diamond Weapon was a huge glistening beast, with long claws and jagged edges. It was beautiful and painful and deadly, just like the monster that was Sephiroth. Shaking, Yuffie stepped back an inch, watching the titan as it bore down on them. She could hear the others prepping for battle, but she was frozen, a block of fleshy ice on the humid Midgar shore. Cid shouted out the closing distance of the creature, Cloud screamed orders, and all Yuffie heard was the rushing water in her ears.
'I'm going to die!' She thought desperately. No one had noticed her long pause, her hesitation, not even Vincent.
The creature reached the reef only about a hundred yards out, there it stopped, a giant among insects. Light glimmered around it, it was drawing energy to it for a blast, Yuffie realized. She willed her legs to move, but there they staid. Planted firmly on the sandy floor. At that moment the group became aware on the frozen ninja nearly twenty feet in front of them, secluded and petrified on the shoreline.
"Yuffie!" Vincent shouted, she didn't move. Vincent had just determined to rush into the rescue when a blue light lit up the sky. Behind the group, Sister Ray charged up and fired a cosmic blast at the Diamond Weapon. It split through the gathering energy and pierced the head of the great beast, splattering its contents to the four winds. The body toppled into the ocean, and Vincent grabbed Yuffie just before a large chunk of Weapon-flesh had the chance to crush her.
"Damn…" Barret mumbled as Vincent carted the petrified teen back to the group. Tifa relieved him of the girls dead weight and shook her back into being.
"It went right through Weapon…" Red said softly, staring at Cait. Cait seemed about to answer when a great flare of light erupted a second time. Sister Ray began to recharge its firing power rapidly.
"I see! They're after Sephiroth!" Cloud declared boldly, shouting to be heard above the roar of energy. The blast was deafening, and the sheer force of it drove the group to their knees. Cloud alone watched the stream of light as it disappeared over the horizon of the distant mountains. The crest of light told the tale though, and Cloud knew.
The barrier had fallen.
Sephiroth was vulnerable.
Behind them, at the highest spire of the city, the Shinra headquarters began to rock and quake. Sister Ray's energy source was backing up into the main building, the sirens blared to life too late. The highest tower exploded, and silence fell.
"Now what?" Barret mumbled softly, Cloud looked at him.
"The barrier's gone," he said. "I can feel it, that blast demolished it."
"Hold it! Scarlet! Heidegger! What's going on?" Cait said aloud, the group watched the stuffed toy closely as its head bobbed as it listened. "We're sunk. Hojo's operating on his own, locking us out of the mainframe and preparing to fire Sister Ray as a source of pure energy. I don't like this…"
"You're busted, Reeve!" Barret lumbered, pointing his gun arm squarely at Cait. "Too late tryin' to hide it now…"
"Can't you stop the Mako Reactor?" Cloud asked, grabbing Barret's arm and forcing down the weapon.
"...We can't stop it. We're totally locked out." Cait admitted, "we've been trying but all the codes to take back the mainframe are changed. The reactor's backing up, and Sister Ray is directly connected to that reactor. If it's fired again, you can kiss Midgar good-bye, probably Kalm and part of the mountain range too."
"You're from Shinra, ain't ya?" Barret growled, "so why's it impossible?"
Cait Sith did not answer at first, choosing his words carefully had become a necessary part of his time with Avalanche, and this was a time in which subtlety and clarity would be the only things with forthcoming results. As the cat prepared to respond, Cid shook his head, ending the cats speech before it began.
"We came a long way to get here." He told the cat with a glower, "you better not double-cross us now!"
"I can't make you trust me…" Cait said indignantly, turning his face away from the pilot.
"You damn fool! Don't you understand anything I'm saying?" Cid growled, thumping his spear in the dirt. "I don't give a damn about Shinra. If you're a man... no, if you're a human being, you'll save the planet! Don't you even care?"
"No way!" Cait replied swiftly, "if we shut down the reactor, all hell will break loose!"
"Why?" Cid replied shortly, thrusting his spear in front of him in agitation.
"Can't you just shut off the valve?"
"Yeah, it's easy to shut off the reactor's pipe valves…" Cait mumbled to himself, gazing despondently at the group. "...But the reactor made a path for the energy to escape from below. Once you open that, it'll be impossible to close it until everything blasts out... And we can't try to stop the energy from gushing out…"
"An explosion!" Barret bellowed, flailing his limbs. Cloud and Cid stared at the large gun-armed man with a look of disgust and pity riddling their features. Everyone had understood the likely outcome of the situation as soon as Cait had brought it to their attention, Barret seemed the only one having trouble grasping simple concepts.
"This blast'll be way stronger than when the number 1 reactor blew up!" Cait informed him dryly, looking as frustrated as a stuffed moogle and cat could look. Shaking his head, the cat finally stumbled onto an idea that could potentially change the fate of Midgar. "Forget about that... the CANNON! We've got to get to Midgar! That's the first thing!"
"Must stop Hojo…" Vincent said softly to Cloud, "first."
As the group determined to enter the city, Cait called the group to a halt and managed to turn himself into a sort of living radio, broadcasting the inner workings of Shinra.
"Looks like Cloud and the others are on their way." Reeve's voice said swiftly, issuing out of Cait's mouth. "Stay out of the way!"
"Ghaa haah hah hah! Don't be so ludicrous! I don't recall you giving me any orders!" The wicked guffaw and whiny tone was evidence enough of Heidegger's presense. "The Peace Preservation will give their best effort to make the enemy retreat! Because of them, I... I…"
"That's a private matter…" Reeve's voice retorted sharply.
"The President is dead! Now I'm doing things my way! Ghaa haah hah hah!" Heidegger replied, Scarlet's voice joined the din.
"Ha, ha, ha. Heidegger! Now I'm going to use the new weapon!" She sounded cheery and confident, a tone that made Yuffie shiver to herself as she recalled the day at Junon Harbor.
"Hey! Wait! Cloud, everybody! Sorry... But!" Reeve's voice flittered away into Cait's usual tone. "But! But you'll come won't you?"
The group didn't find it overly difficult to find a way into Midgar, the true challenge occurred as they stood outside the gate, looking at one another in uncertainty.
"Even if we get there, Midgar's under martial law!" Barret grumbled to Cloud, "there'll be no way we could slip into the slums."
"Looks like all transportation from the slums us cut off…" Tifa mumbled peering up at the large, unmoving mass that appeared so different from the hive that was Midgar.
Barging in through the front door proved to be a very simple task. The group encountered no resistance, even when they meandered further into the sector. Sector three was a rundown graffiti covered pit of humanity. If people existed there, they hid it well, and no one felt at ease.
"Heidegger is going after you all. That's why it's dangerous out here." Cait said to Cloud, "let's go underground!"
The idea was sound, and Cloud could find no reason to fault it. Cait told him about a sewer connection in the sector that would spit them out near Shinra Headquarters. The group began their silent trek down the alley, with Yuffie and Tifa at the rear. As the darkness of the alley covered them, Yuffie glimpsed something on the opposing wall, a bit of poorly scrawled graffiti.
"Sephiroth Lives!
Professor Gast Lives!
Wutai Lives!
Everyone Lives But Us!"
For that brief moment before Cait spoke up, Yuffie believed someone finally understood her. "Everyone Lives But Us…"
"This is where we go in." Cait told them, Barret made a sound of disbelief as he stared at the manhole. "Please! Hurry and come to the Mako Cannon!"
Cloud looked into the impossibly dark train line, feeling, not for the first time, a decided loathing of the tunnel.
"Tell me there's another way," he said to Cait, the stuffed cat shrugged at him. After a groan of frustration, Cloud held his breath and dropped into the manhole.
--------------------------
As the group assembled just below the open manhole, a brief flash of blue light drew Clouds attention. Three figures stood, one playing lucidly with, what appeared in the dark to be, a taser. A gasp, drew three sets of eyes to the group as the began to meander down the line.
"Oh no! They're here! What are we going to do?" Elena gasped, grabbing Rude by the arm. "I think it's okay for you to ignore your orders now."
"...Elena," Reno groaned, "don't act so weak."
"We're Turks, Elena." Rude said firmly.
"...Yes, sir. You're right." She replied, detaching herself from Rude's arm and composing herself.
"Come on," Reno said, turning his back on the group. "We've got work to do. I'm not really up for it, but…"
"Our orders were to seek you out and... Kill. Our company may be in turmoil, but an order's an order." Elena declared, not noticing Reno's lack of attention. "That's the will and spirit of the Turks! Believe it!"
Cloud looked at Reno, as he amble a bit further down the line, the red haired man turned and tapped his nightstick in annoyance.
"What are you doing!" Elena cried, prancing up to Cloud. "Let's go!"
Cloud glanced at Reno again.
"No, let's not go." He said simply.
"You showing pity?" Elena pulled her hand back to slap Cloud, "don't take the Turks for fools!"
"Wait, Elena." Reno said firmly, Rude grabbed the young woman's wrist.
"Reno!" Elena cried, staring back, "You're not violating the order... are you?"
"Shinra's finished." Reno said firmly, "It's come down to this."
Elena looked up at Rude to protest against Reno's declaration, but Rude wouldn't meet her gaze, he stared down at his feet.
"Rude…" She said quietly, not quite believing her eyes or ears.
"Elena, you were a great Turk!" Reno told her, coming up and patting her shoulder, Reno looked at Cloud. "Farewell. If we both survive... If we can save our lives…"
Reno realized then that there was nothing he could say to them, nothing that could help or justify his past actions while under the Turks. Looking at Vincent, Reno turned, his hand still on Elena's shoulder, and the two Turks left without another word. Rude lingered however, surveying the group with shielded eyes.
"Our mission's finished…" He said softly, before taking of at a slow jog to catch up with his companions.
There was silence for several moments as the group progressed down the dark tunnel, but soon a rumbling and crashing came from the city above. The tunnel became a hailstorm of rock and debre, the group huddled together staring about with concerned and frightened eyes.
"What the... hell is that?" Barret shouted above the din, Cloud pointed to a nearby ladder, and one by one the group escaped the tunnel, to the open street above; Yuffie and Vincent were the last to ascend.
"Hey-hey!" Cid shouted, pointing to a significant gap between two factories, "You serious...?"
A huge, red metal beast had come, meandering like a drunken fool, from between the two factories. At the head of it sat Scarlet, and beside her was Heidegger.
"G'yaaa, Haaa, Haaa! Here they come! G'yaaa, Haaa, Haaa!" He said to Scarlet, who glared down at them. "So they really showed up! You sure did treat us like dogs up to now!"
"You killed off a lot of my precious soldiers!" Scarlet said, pointing at them with her long painted finger nails. Yuffie, subconsciously, ducked partially behind Vincent, hiding herself from Scarlet's gaze.
"G'yaaa, Haaa, Haaa! But let's see how you do against anti-Weapon artillery!" Heidegger said proudly, patting the side of the Proud Clod like a father commending his son.
"You guys are worthless, but my proud creation is a sure thing!" Scarlet cried, "I'll show you the destructive power of the Proud Clod!"
Scarlet slammed her hand down on a button, and a huge foot came crashing down in front of the group. Yuffie swept from behind Vincent, leapt onto the foot, and began scaling up the leg as other's commenced attacks of their own. Barret began covering the upper torso with peppered gunfire, ricocheting off the metal beast, and occasionally striking something semi-vital. Cid lobbed dynamite into the din, aiming as far from Yuffie as he could, while Vincent fired off carefully aimed bullet after carefully aimed bullet. Cloud and Tifa stood back with Red, casting elemental magic to weaken the creature, while Cait stood even further back, cast healing spell after healing spell.
Yuffie had scaled up to the waist of the great metal beast, and drawing out her shuriken, began to slice and dice the wires and cords with prejudice, rendering the leg useless. She planted her feet against the metal thigh and launched herself back off the leg, to land safely on the fire escape of one of the factories. Flinging her shuriken high up, she successfully, sliced through the hydrolics cables to the left arm, renderring the entire side helpless. Cid flung one last stick of dynamite, and it lodged in the waist section Yuffie had been clinging too moments before. The explosion severed the torso from the lower body.
"Not that! This is the Proud Clod!" Scarlet screamed as the torso began sliding back and the legs sliding forward.
"Whoooooa!" Heidegger screamed as they crashed to the ground in a sickening crunch of metal and flesh. Yuffie peered down from her place on the fire escape, and spit on the remains of the Proud Clod and its inferior operators.
"Everyone lives but you now," she said as she scaled down to the firm ground.
The road to Hojo couldn't have been clearer, a few renegade monsters; some loyal citizens looting in the semi-darkness, and above them all loomed the threat.
-------------------------------------
"Hojo!" Cloud shouted, skidding to a stop on the highest platform of the Shinra building. "Stop right there!"
"Oh…" Hojo glanced over his shoulder, "the failure."
"At least remember my name!" Cloud replied sharply, "It's Cloud!"
"Every time I see you, I... It pains me that I had so little scientific sense…" Hojo said, turning around in his haunched, leering way. "I evaluated you as a failed project. But, you are the only one that succeeded as a Sephiroth-clone. Heh, heh, heh... I'm even beginning to hate myself."
"None of that matters... just stop this nonsense!" Cloud pleaded, the point of his sword dropping a few inches.
"...nonsense?" Hojo seemed confused, then he looked at the Sister Ray's control pannel. "Oh, this? Ha, ha, ha... Sephiroth seems to be counting on the energy. So I'm going to lend him a hand."
"Why?" Cloud demanded, "Why do that?"
"Quit asking me why, you moron. Hmm... actually, you might be cut out to be a scientist." Hojo said, turning his back to him and fiddling with a knob. "Energy level is at... 83. It's taking too long. My SON is in need of power and help... That's the only reason."
Vincent and Yuffie froze, Cloud looked back at Vincent sharply.
"...your son?" Cloud inquired.
"Ha, ha, ha... Although he doesn't know. Ha, ha, ha... HA, HA, HA...!" Hojo laughed at his own statement, " What will Sephiroth think when he finds out I'm his father? Always looking down on me like that. HA, HA, HA...!"
"Sephiroth is your son?" Vincent said firmly.
"Ha, ha, ha... I offered the woman with my child to Professor Gast's Jenova Project." Hojo chuckled, "When Sephiroth was still in the womb, we took the cells of Jenova... HA, HA, HA!"
"Can you be certain Sephiroth is yours?" Vincent said, striding to the front of the group. Turning, Hojo's eyes lit up as they landed on the familiar face.
"AHHH! Yes, I remember you… Lucrecia's lover…" Hojo said in cheerily, "Yes he's mine, you wonder how I know?"
Vincent didn't respond.
"Lucrecia came to you after our first night together, before which she was already pregnant." Hojo said firmly, "artificial insemination, I do believe you understand what I'm saying."
And Vincent did, the chain of events leading up to his night with Lucrecia replayed. Her claim of falling asleep in the lab and waking up feeling ill, that night all she wanted was satisfaction; how could he have missed these things?
'Blinded by love,' said a mocking voice in his head. A cruel crack from his own voice, 'you always are, you know.'
"I can't believe you're the one who did this…" Cloud cried out, raising his sword. "The illusionary crime against Sephiroth…"
"Heee, hee, hee, hee! No you're wrong! It's my desire as a scientist! Heee, hee, hee, hee!" Hojo declared, his maniacal laugh resounding. "I... was defeated by my desire to become a scientist. I lost the last time as well. I've injected Jenova's cells into my own body! Heee, hee, hee! Here are... Heee, hee, hee! ...my results!"
He grew then, his flesh expanding in a tinged, palid green, his eyes and mouth and arms changed, becoming grotesque mockeries of reality. And all the while, Hojo laughed. He laughed.
And Laughed.
And Laughed.
Right up until Vincent changed, purple replacing red, red overtaking white and black. Wings sprouted from his shoulder blades, and Vincent rose up… But he was no longer Vincent.
Chaos prevailed.
And Hojo laughed until the beast ripped his throat out… three consecutive times…
Exhausted from such a change, the beast faded into Vincent once more, and Vincent knelt shaking and sweating on the cold metal.
"…St-stop the…. C-cannon…" He managed to choke out, and Cait Sith rushed to comply. The light of Sister Ray's charge up faded, warning sensors ceased flashing, and Cait turned to the group.
"Holy Fuck," Cid muttered, grabbing a smoke from his dented pack.
"Anyway…" Barret rumbled, "that's the end of the cannon…"
The group began to wander off, Tifa and Yuffie hefted Vincent up and hooked one of his arms over their shoulders, all but carrying the man away.
"Shinra's... finished." Cait said to Cloud as they walked, Cloud nodded.
"Meteor's gonna fall in about…" Cloud shut his eyes.
"Seven more days." Red said softly, "That's what Grandfather said."
"Red ... Nanaki…" Cloud said softly. "You want to see everyone in Cosmo Canyon again?"
"…yes…" Red said gently.
"You want to see Marlene, right?" Cloud asked Barret, who walked on his right.
"Don't ask me that." The man said firmly, Cloud nodded and stopped.
"We'll beat Sephiroth... Then, if we don't release the power of Holy in seven days... There won't be a planet left to protect." Cloud said firmly, everyone in their assorted places stopped. "If we can't beat Sephiroth... It's as good as death for us. We'll just go a few days sooner than the rest who'll die from Meteor."
"Don't be thinkin' you're gonna lose before you even fight!" Barret growled, Cloud held up his hands in defense.
"No! What I meant was…" Cloud's eyes fell on Tifa as she and Yuffie supported Vincent. "What are we all fighting for? I want us all to understand that. Save the planet... for the future of the planet... Sure, that's all fine. But really, is that really how it is? For me, this is a personal feud. I want to beat Sephiroth. And settle my past."
Tifa blinked at him with her garnet eyes, Cloud looked at the others.
"Saving the planet just happens to be part of that. I've been thinking. I think we all are fighting for ourselves. For ourselves... and that someone…" He looked at Tifa again, "something... what ever it is, that's important to us. That's what we're fighting for. That's why we keep up this battle for the planet."
"You're right... It sounds cool sayin' it's to save the planet." Barret said firmly, his eyes on the ground before him. "But I was the one who blew up that Mako Reactor... Lookin' back on it now, I can see that wasn't the right way to do things. I made a lot of friends and innocent bystanders suffer... At first, it was revenge against Shinra. For attackin' my town. But now…" He closed his eyes, summoning the image of the little girl to his mind. "Yeah. I'm fightin' for Marlene. For Marlene... For Marlene's future... Yeah... I guess I want to save the planet for Marlene's sake…"
"Go and see her. Make sure you're right, and come back." Cloud told him, Barret began to wander off and Cloud looked at the others. "All of you. Get off the ship and find out your reasons for yourselves. I want you to make sure. Then I want you to come back."
"Maybe ain't none of us'll come back. Meteor's gonna kill us anyway. Let's just forget any useless struggling!" Cid mumbled, Cloud smiled a little bit.
"I know why I'm fighting. I'm fighting to save the planet, and that's that. But besides that, There's something personal too... A very personal memory that I have." Cloud looked at each person. "What about you all? I want all of you to find that something within yourselves. If you don't find it, then that's okay too. You can't fight without a reason, right? So, I won't hold it against you if you don't come back."
Yuffie looked at Cloud with quiet eyes as she took Vincent's full weight upon herself, and Vincent's hand gripped her shoulder.
"M-may I… go with you?" He asked softly
Yuffie looked at him unexpectedly, as Vincent, not the murderer of her mother, but the man she'd come to care about.
"I'm going back to Wutai for the night…" Yuffie said softly, Vincent lifted his head weakly. "I'll bring you with me."
--------------------------------
The two were silent as the Cid dropped them off in Wutai. Yuffie half carried, half dragged Vincent through the dim streets of Wutai, overcast by clouds, all the way to her small, one room house; where she set him down amongst a sea of kittens laying curled on the old sofa. Removing her armguard, Vincent was paler then normal, his hair matted to his face in a sickly manner, and his eyes unfocused. Yuffie removed the cloak with surprising ease, slipping it off his shoulders. It was now that she noticed a large, bleeding gash in his side, probably the reason for the greater paleness of his skin, reaching for her belt, Yuffie realized she had no materia, and looking at Vincent, she knew he didn't have a restore.
"Vincent!" Yuffie cried, shaking him. "Vincent, why didn't you tell me?"
"Ju…Just a sc…scratch…" Even an idiot could tell it was more then a scratch.
"Vinnie," Yuffie pleaded, "you need to hold on, you need to stay awake… I'll be back as soon as I can… I promise!" With that, Yuffie stumbled out of the house in a flurry of movement. She scrambled into the streets of Wutai, struggling down the dimly lit avenue leading to the nearest materia shop. Rushing to the door, Yuffie began pounding on the hard wood. Desperately clawing at the locked surface.
"HELP!" She cried, slamming her palms on the door, "SOMEBODY, ANYBODY. HELP!"
Yuffie pulled away from the door as she heard scuffling on the other side, an elderly woman, her silver hair in a tight bun, opened the door.
"What is all this fuss about, Ms. Yuffie?" The old woman asked, Yuffie scrambled to her knees and bowed half heartedly according to Wutai's traditions .
"I'm sorry Lady Meniek, but my friend he's injured, badly, I was looking for materia to restore his wounds…" Yuffie mumbled, raising to look at the old woman. "The wound is terrible, he may bleed to death if I don't hurry."
The old woman ushered Yuffie in, moving as fast as her old bones could. In the back she found a level one restore, and several dusty potions; she gave them to Yuffie, who took them gratefully, slopped all the Gil she had on the table, and left at a run. Not two steps out the door, the sky opened up, unleashing a downpour of freezing rain on Yuffie's head. Cursing her luck, she ran, stumbling, through the streets to her house.
Managing to jerk the door open, Yuffie dropped her items on the sofa without injuring any mewing kittens. Pushing the door closed, and moving several kittens off of Vincent and the sofa, Yuffie managed to force Vincent to recline so she could repair the injury. Vincent was barely conscious when Yuffie un-tucked his shirt and tugged it over his head, groaning in discomfort as she brushed the wound.
Yuffie looked at the wound and felt her stomach drop. It was a large open gash, as though something had clawed him in the same area repeatedly, blood oozed from the wound like a small river, and grime, dirt, and threads from Vincent's clothing were stuck into it. It was big, bigger then she originally thought, and looking at the level one restore in her hand, she wondered if it was enough. Fetching a large bowl of warm water and a cloth, Yuffie cleaned the wound as best she could, while trying to keep the kittens from drinking from the bowl. When the wound was cleaner, Yuffie took the restore materia in her hand, closing her eyes and holding her breath, Yuffie focused on the orb, pushing her own energy into as her mother had taught her so long ago. And just like that first lesson, Yuffie saw the faint green glow reflected through her eyelids, and opening her eyes the wound looked better, by no means healed, but the bleeding had slowed a great deal, and Yuffie felt the barest hints of relief. Grabbing a potion, she elevated Vincent enough to pour some of the liquid in his mouth; and he somehow managed to swallow it. The wound wasn't healed, but it wasn't bleeding so profusely. Taking up the orb again, Yuffie cast restore three more times, producing a large scab over the area. Taking gauze and creating a bandage as best she could, Yuffie conceded that she had done the best she could. She picked up a kitten off the floor and set it on Vincent's chest as she fished to more away from the bowl of bloody water. Yuffie lifted the bowl and carried it away from the kittens, returning the dirty rag to the counter along side the bowl.
Looking back at the sofa in her tiny, one room, home; Yuffie saw motion, Vincent was awake, and stroking the tiny grey kitten sitting atop his chest. Approaching slowly, Yuffie knelt beside him.
"Vincent?" She asked softly, he looked at her.
"You are wet," he said softly. Yuffie let out a sob and through her arms over his torso, narrowly missing the kitten, who refused to move, Yuffie nestled her face near his shoulder.
"I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry!" She cried, sobbing into his bare shoulder. Vincent moved, slowly to stroke her hair.
"It is alright," he said hoarsely. "You were emotional and…"
"I was stupid!" she sobbed, her hands clasping at the couch and Vincent's arm. "I was so angry I couldn't think, please, please, please forgive me!"
Vincent moved, instantly regretting the action when the kitten leaped off him and he felt his wound split open. Yuffie saw blood begin seeping through the thin bandage almost instantly, she grabbed the restore materia and began cast in order to close it. This time, it only needed the spell twice. Yuffie sat back on the floor, tired from casting and emotional turmoil, she stared up at Vincent as he sat up and rubbed his arm.
"… Yuffie…" Vincent said softly. "Where is my cloak and my shirt?"
Yuffie pointed out the cloak, and lifted the ripped shirt so he could see.
"Why didn't you tell us you were bleeding?" Yuffie asked, leaning back on her elbows, her legs straight out before her.
"I honestly did not know," Vincent said simply, "I was unaware of much of anything till we got near the Airship."
"Oh," was all Yuffie said.
"Where are we?" He asked, peering around at the vast number of kittens rolling around Yuffie.
"My house," she said.
"I thought you lived with…"
"He threw me out after my mother died," Yuffie said, lying on the floor. "So I found this place, got a futon and a stove, a pantry, and started taking in stray cats."
"What do they do when you are gone?" Vincent asked, laying the opposite way so he could face her.
"Oh, they never stay for long, they wander still," Yuffie said.
"It sounds like another person I know." Vincent said, Yuffie sat upright and glared.
"I take care of them when I'm here because they need someone, I don't need anybody else Vincent." Yuffie said firmly, Vincent got up, very slowly, and approached Yuffie. Kneeling down Vincent gazed at her, brushing a wet strand of hair from her face.
"Do you remember at Junon, when you and I shared a bed?" Vincent asked, Yuffie swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat.
"Yes," she said.
Vincent leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers, a crimson blush instantly erupted on Yuffie's cheeks, and she stared away from him.
"You needed me then," Vincent said softly. Yuffie's blush increased and she opened her mouth to stammer out a response, Vincent silenced her by gripping her chin in his hand. "Tell me again that you do not need anyone."
"I…" Yuffie stopped speaking and paused, seriously considering her actions and their consequences.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: here it is, my attempt at a damn lemon .
'You only live once… twice if your Vinnie…' She thought to herself. Raising herself to her knees, Yuffie put her arms around Vincent's neck, pulling him into her. She leaned in and pressed her lips firmly against his, her mind screaming that she had never done this before. Vincent seemed to sense her distress and opened his mouth, sliding his tongue along her lower lip. Yuffie tried to follow the suit, but the moment her lips parted, his tongue was in her mouth, sliding around her own, pushing against her tongue. Yuffie was a quick study, and after a few non-responsive moments, she began pushing back, using her tongue much the same way he had.
This kiss was longer than any they'd ever had, Yuffie and Vincent fighting for dominance, in the most odd way possible. Yuffie was so focused on the task at hand, it barely registered when Vincent's arms wound around her, and pulled her off her knees so he could pin her on her back. Yuffie finally broke the kiss, panting softly and leaning her head back on the floor.
"Does that happen often with you?" Yuffie asked softly, her eyes closed.
"…" Vincent didn't reply.
"Because that was fun,"she said, leaning up to kiss his nose.
"… There are… other… advantages of being a lover…" Vincent mumbled, unsure of what he was asking. Yuffie seemed to understand and sat up a little bit, looking Vincent dead in the eye. Neither one spoke, Yuffie understood just as well as Vincent. With the dawn they prepared to fight Sephiroth in Northern Crater, the rising of the sun might bring their deaths and the deaths of their friends.
Yuffie kissed Vincent, harder then she intended, bumping her lip against teeth in an almost bruising manner. Screwing her eyes shut and keeping her arms about him, she lay back down, forcing him with her. Vincent didn't protest when she wrapped a leg around him, forcing his pelvis flush against hers; and it wasn't until Yuffie's hand began tugging at the belt about his waist that Vincent thought to pull back.
"What's wrong?" Yuffie asked, afraid she'd done something wrong. Vincent got to his feet, unaware that the young ninja had actually managed to undo the clasp of his belt, and began pacing, his pants catching right at his hips.
"We can not do this Yuffie," he said at long last. Turning to face the princess as she sat on the floor.
"Why not?" Yuffie asked firmly, "isn't this what you want?"
"Ye… N… That is irrelevant." Vincent said, Yuffie smirked at him. "You are a Princess of Wutai, if we do this then your father… your place…"
"Dilly-dally, shilly-shally," Yuffie said quickly, sounding very much like Aeris. "Vincent, tomorrow might as well be the end of the world… Sephiroth is bound to kill some of us…"
"…" Vincent didn't reply, finding it difficult to think about.
"We all may only have one chance…" She said standing up with ease. Approaching Vincent she got up on her tip toes to wrap her arms around him. "Lets make it a good one?"
This time, he didn't need any convincing. Leaning down, he kissed Yuffie hard, wrapping his arms around her and lifting her off her feet. Yuffie hung on, bending her knees as he kissed her. Setting her down, Vincent guided her to the futon, Yuffie sat down quickly and unstrapped the brace on her leg, removing it slowly. Vincent watched her work with curious eyes, eventually putting his hand over hers once the brace was gone.
"How… did you get this?" he asked her, Yuffie looked down and stared at the floor for a moment.
"Band of thieves on my first trip to Gongaga, one of them tried to rape me, I decapitated him, but not before he messed up my knee." She replied, looking up and removing her headband. "A lady helped me, got me the brace, I came back her and my father said that I deserved it… that Leviathan punishes the wicked…"
Vincent watched as Yuffie removed her tennis shoes, and her long socks, looking at Vincent, her face softened.
"I guess I was just born a sinner," Yuffie told him gingerly crawling a bit closer to him. Vincent began unlacing his boots as Yuffie nuzzled the side of his neck, enjoying the smell of his hair and the feel of his bare shoulders against her palms. Vincent removed his boots, and black socks, without difficulty and turned to Yuffie, planting a hand behind her head and drawing her in for a kiss. He leaned back, pulling her over him, running his long fingers through her short hair. Pulling her hair a bit, he forced Yuffie to bare her neck to him, and he began kissing, licking, nipping and sucking at her soft flesh slowly. Yuffie's eyes drifted shut allowing unlimited access to her neck, Vincent wasn't shy about pulling her shirt over her head, revealing the ninja's small bust, barely contained in a small black brassiere. Vincent began trailing kisses down her collar bone to the swell of her chest, licking and sucking at his leisure, getting closer and closer to her small breasts. Flipping her over was easy enough, after he quickly removed the small black garment, he pinned her beneath him and bowed his head to left breast. Kissing and licking around the small pink nipple, Yuffie groaned, and he gave into the silent plea, taking the small nub in his mouth and alternating sucking and caressing it with his tongue, all the while rubbing her right breast with his human hand. Yuffie leaned her head back, gasping and squirming as he kissed his way to her right breast, hesitant to fondle her left with his claw. Yuffie didn't seem to mind the lack of attention as he drew her right nipple into his mouth, she groaned loudly and entangled her small fingers in his long hair. Noticing his bandana still in place, Yuffie tugged it off of his head, freeing his hair to fall in and around his face as he sucked at her breast. It was a few moments before Yuffie felt her shorts sliding down, and Vincent leaned back to remove the skimpy garment, leaving her in the red bikini style panties she wore underneath. Vincent raised an eyebrow, noticing the black and red undergarments.
"It was a thing long before I met you so get over it," she said quickly pulling him back down for a kiss. Vincent quickly forgot his amusement as Yuffie explored his mouth with her tongue, placing his human hand on her hip rubbing his thumb along the last bit of fabric covering her. Pushing him up, Yuffie removed his belt, swallowing as her fingers twitched against the fly of his pants. Closing her eyes, she undid the button and unzipped his pants. Opening her eyes slowly, she at once noticing two large details.
The first, he didn't wear boxers, or anything else underneath his pants.
The second, he was by no means small.
Looking up, her face pink with embarrassment, Yuffie found herself strangely relieved by the amused smile on his face. Getting up to discard his clothing, Vincent sat back down, awkwardly trying to hide his stiffened member. Yuffie didn't look at him as she stood up and removed her panties. Sitting back down, Vincent awkwardly moved closer to her, kissing her shoulder to relax the stiffened muscles.
Yuffie leaned into Vincent, tilting her head to the side and granting him access to her neck. Vincent moved her in between his legs, with her back facing him, and continued his ministrations on her neck, while spreading her legs with his claw and rubbing her stomach with his human hand. Yuffie closed her eyes as his human hand inched lower, slowly reaching the parts of her that wanted most to be touched. As he ran a thin finger along the inside of her labia, he found the tiny nub marking her sex, and stroked it lightly, eliciting the hottest of moans from the young ninja. Vincent, encouraged by the sound, rubbed the tiny nub in soft circles causing Yuffie to whimper and buck against his hand. Inching down further, Vincent slipped one finger into her slick entrance, causing Yuffie to gasp and buck hard against his hand, pushing the finger in further. As Yuffie gyrated against his hand, Vincent added a second finger, causing her to moan louder and thrust harder against his fingers. Watching her buck against his hand made him throb painfully, and the way her breasts bounced as she moved made him want to pin her underneath him and ravage her. But he had to be slow, and he knew this; so he let her move against his hand, occasionally using his thumbs to stroke her clitoris. Yuffie soon began to pant wildly, and Vincent gently grasped her left breast with his clawed hand as she moaned louder, rapidly approaching her pinnacle. As Yuffie began to shake, Vincent slipped from behind her and knelt between her parted thighs. Pushing them further apart, Vincent began to lap at her center, his long tongue exploring every inch. Yuffie could barely contain herself as she ran her fingers through his hair and pushed his face into her, with a shuddering cry, lights exploded around the edges of her vision as Yuffie reached her climax. Vincent continued to lick her until she came down from her orgasm, leaning against the back of the futon and whimpering softly.
Pulling away from Yuffie, Vincent sat back on his haunches and watched her, panting and stretching, a faint glow to her tan skin.
"Did you like it?" Vincent asked, for lacking of a better thing to say. Yuffie looked at him and smiled motioning him closer to her.
"Very much," she said as he sat down on the futon. Yuffie pushed him against the back of the futon and straddled his lap, staring him dead in the eye.
Taking a deep breath Vincent guided his head to her opening, without hesitation, Yuffie allowed herself to settle onto his member, gasping in pain as he pushed through her barrier. For several moments, Yuffie leaned against Vincent's shoulder, gasping at the new kind of pain, but proud that she hadn't cried out in the least. And Vincent forced himself to hold still, no matter how warm nor tight she was, he knew he had to allow her to make the next move when she was ready. It happened sooner then he expected, just a shift of her hips that drew a groan from both of them, then a small, experimental thrust. Yuffie raised herself away from Vincent's shoulder and boldly thrust down on him, moaning as she did. Vincent gripped her bottom firmly as he helped her set the pace, bucking against him slowly and softly.
Vincent couldn't take it, he stood up, keeping her impaled on him, and laid her down on her back, with him settled between her legs. Yuffie gave him a look that he promptly ignored as he kissed her, pushing himself in and pulling himself out quickly, Yuffie groaned into his mouth as he began to set a steady pace within her. Yuffie bucked back in response, finding her own rhythm in the primal act. They staid like that for more than an hour, thrusting, clinging, kissing, grunting, sighing, and panting; all building to the one moment that would seemingly connect them forever. Vincent was sweating, his mouth open, his vocal chords straining as sound passed from his lips almost unwillingly. It was nothing compared to Yuffie as she bucked and sighed, and screamed against him. It was getting to much for her, she was getting louder and panting harder, her eyes screwed shut, and Vincent took one hand and forced her to face him instead of tilting her face away.
"L-look at m-me," Vincent grunted, and Yuffie opened her eyes. "Do not look a-augh… away."
Staring into Vincent's crimson eyes, Yuffie only barely managed to keep her storm grey orbs open as she pushed over the brink of her second climax, her body tightening around him, her muscles pulsating against his member. It pushed him over the edge, and Vincent emptied himself into her as light exploded behind his eyes. He was only barely aware enough to keep himself from falling on top of her. The two gazed at each other in the aftermath, silence covering them both like a thick blanket. Yuffie finally broke the silence, tracing her finger along his collar bone.
"…Did you like it?" She asked shyly, Vincent leaned down and captured her lips in a wild kiss.
"So much," he said, pulling away by a few inches. Vincent adjusted so he was laying against the futon on his right left side, his metallic arm beneath Yuffie's head. Unwilling to remove himself from her, Vincent stared at Yuffie, who seemed to glow in the aftermath of the encounter. In those moments, Vincent thanked Leviathan for the blessing that was Yuffie.
In that moment, Yuffie offered a prayer to get him through the battle.
In that moment, miles away, Cloud and Tifa consummated their own unspoken connection. Miles from that, Cid and Shera were falling back into her bed after a similar rough and tumble sort of night.
It seemed no one wanted to leave anything to chance.
Yuffie broke the quiet serenity first.
"Can we do that again?"
-------------------Fin---------------------
So that was my jumbled, I doubt it was very good, and my spell check is a bitch, Lemon!
Hope you enjoyed it!