Damnation Unwinding
Chapter 7
Recollections
The girl's eyes light up when they trace the gunslingers form. Her face is painted with yellow and red bruises. She yelps the gunslinger's name reaching a hand in his direction. Her tiny hand strikes a chord within his soul assaulting him with picture memories.
You don't have a phone?
The memory becomes distorted.
…bring Marlene to Tifa
Forget it… attention to us
The girl hides under his red cape.
…sure this is about fighting
Forgotten City
This visual memory skips like a visual tape and skips ahead.
I'll phone in the verdict.
The memory distorts to some old film grain making him focus onto two figures chatting together. The somewhat taller one exudes a maturity about her that isn't suppose to fit her body while the younger one continues to lick at her ice cream laughing all the while. The older one spots him and smiles in his direction. Her face is fuzzy to him, so much so that he can't make out who it is. But the younger one he's able to ascertain that…
A picture of a burning city and a crying woman hovering over a small body is brought to his attention. Her outfit is torn and bloody, most likely not hers. The child's body is ravaged with claw marks adorning almost every inch of her torso.
"I couldn't protect them," she says while looking between the girl in her arms and the body of the boy hunched over by the wall. He's never been known to be squeamish but the bits of organ tissue clinging to her skirt put him on edge. The cold chill ravishing his body becomes more intense as he see's something familiar flutter before him. It's the blood drenched ribbon formerly adorning her hair, now lapping at his feet. He makes his exit out of the room, Death Penalty taking shape in his hand. He watches her in his peripherals drop the body in her arms to retrieve something from behind the bar. Turning and looking back at her shrunken frame, he could only hope she could last long enough and remain from doing any thing stupid.
"Where are you going?" She asks with a hoarse whisper.
"I'm going to put an end to this."
The woman struggles with the open bottle in her hand trying to gain the gunslinger's attention.
"You can't agree to his offer."
"Are you even listening to what I'm..."
"Tifa, be safe." He soon leaves the establishment letting the door slam against its hinges.
The young woman is left to her own devices in which she freely indulges and takes another gulp of the amber liquid and throws the bottle at the door. The clouds roaring above do very little to stifle her sobs and moans. Her frustration is at its most highest.
"Demon!" Seeing nothing appear in the dark-lit streets he mutters under his breath.
"Hades!"
Soon his body begins to warp and his vision blackens as he is left coughing profusely while trying to get his bearings. Taking a look at his surroundings he is able to see the somewhat blue-lit room in all its morbidness. Movement in his peripherals help him pinpoint the creature he had come to speak with.
"Sorry about that, that never worked too kindly for heroes."
"I..."
"So you've reconsidered my offer?"
"Is it still standing?"
"Very upright so."
"How will I know?"
"It's a small underworld after all, you know," with that said the creature snaps his fingers and the blue flames start to take on human shapes in the room.
"T-they're here..."
"Why yes they are my good chum."
The blue creature gets off the throne like chair he's been sitting in and paces around the room with his hands behind his back.
"...as long as you keep up your end of the bargain."
"Will they know?"
"As I told you before that's the catch, those ties you made will be severed starting with that woman. There's also the matter of that thing in your chest."
"I know that. Do what ever you please with it."
"How cold, aren't you even the least bit concern about those ties?"
"They're better off without knowing who I am."
"Fine. Fine. I get it you're definitely no boyscout."
"What?" Seeing the demon's dismissal he shrugged it off.
"What'll happen to them?"
"Your friends will live never knowing of your sacrifice. They'll live out their own deluded little lives believing whatever their minds want them to. Seeing as how great your presence is on them they'll probably just remember you as a passerby or something."
"I'm fine with that."
"So you're not going to say bye to that broad at the bar."
"No."
"Just remember..."
The blue demon gets in front of him showing his teeth in an acrid smile.
"I don't take kind to people breaking my deals, got it kid. Oh and one more thing your deal is null against that flower girl, I have plans for that one."
The gunslinger stares at the creature with a harsh glare etched into his brow.
"Pain, Panic!"
Two small fluorescent poofs reveal to small creatures saluting the tall blue demon before him.
"Get the good doctor," comes the voice of the blue demon.
White hot pain engulfs the gunslinger as he clasps his hands against his head. He turns his back to the child unaware of her face that's on the verge of tears and stumbles into the entry way of the docking station. The flickering wisps of crimson and black around his form startle the rest of the crew as Paine pulls the child away from the gunslinger's form. A high level of unease permeates the atmosphere as the wisps become stable and otherworldly. The sound of chimes captures everyone's attention which draws their eyes to the form in front of Vincent.
Dressed in her summoner garb Yuna stands there trying to subdue the mysterious foe trying to gain control of the gunslinger. Her hair is disarray and her body has a slight sheen of sweat drawing confusion from her fellow cabin mates. Semi-erotic are her moves, so much so that Paine positions herself in front of the bawling child.
"Cease this, now!" growls the possessed man.
The collective gasps of the crew members do nothing but to give meaningless accolades to the already encompassing problem. Rikku swallows as she sees Vincent's cloak crack to life and surround him spinning almost violently.
"She's not supposed to know..." the spasms become more violent as Yuna presses her staff against the spinning form only to have the thing clutch at it and toss into the hall behind her.
The summoner's expression falls as she ponders for a moment and does something that surprises both her, her teammates, the child, and the gunslinger. She embraces the figure and as soon as she does the fabric falls around his shoulders into its normal resting position. The man's breaths become less haggard as he grasps the woman's shoulders in front of him. Different colored eyes stare into crimson ones as the woman's were those of concern the man's were impassive. Soon the man's eyes dart around confused of the situation at hand.
The girl finally summons enough energy to break loose of the person keeping her at bay and runs towards the gunslinger. She embraces his form while crying profusely into the crimson garb. The situation couldn't get anymore confusing, that is if it weren't for the words that she uttered next.
"Papa, I knew you'd come. Denzel lied to me but I knew you'd come."
Blew your mind didn't I. The plot thickens. Get ready for an action scene next an unsuspecting one. Leave a …... vs. …... with your review to see who'll be fighting against each other. Winner will receive a honorable mention I guess. Thanks