A/N: Thank you for reviewing! To Schierach: *squeals* Why thank you! I'm used to group/forum rp postings so your comment on my style of writing makes me very, very happy. As for Ranisa… *grins* I'm glad you're interested. Thank you for reviewing! To Anon: Yes, that is true; I could just write the story and be satisfied with the fact that I wrote it and what not. However, if I were going to do that, I'd write it on my computer and say no one needs to read it. Point is, 1 I want people to read it and 2, selfishly, I want to know what those people think about it. To Wrathchild26: Thank you very much! I was a little worried with how the characters come across... I'm attempting to write this as in character as I can. Although there will be points where all of the characters are a little ooc. Thanks again for reviewing.
Also, I'm terribly sorry about how long it took to post this... I had to put my cat down Wednesday. It's now Saturday, 1:30am and I just started writing...
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Chapter Three: Night Terror.
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Tifa looked at her phone and snapped it shut. She was being given three days warning that her bar needed to be closed to the public this Friday. By Reno no less! She stalked behind the bar and growled silently to herself. She was closed for the night since it was nearly three in the morning and the last person had left ten minutes ago. Shelke was there, having taken to helping her out some nights. Now, the younger girl was currently washing glasses and the like and Tifa had just finished wiping down the tables. Marlene and Denzel were both asleep upstairs and she knew that Reno probably wasn't awake to yell at anymore… With a grin, she snapped her phone back open and dialed Reno. She didn't care if it was three in the morning, she had just gotten his text and she demanded answers. On the third ring, the other line picked up, but the smooth voice that answered was not Reno.
"Miss Lockhart, you do realize that it is three in the morning, correct?" Blinking, she almost didn't answer.
"Of course I do, where is Reno? I have a few bones to pick with him." There was a soft snort, Tseng's way of chuckling apparently, before he responded. "Reno is probably sleeping, seeing as he left his phone in the main room. However, if your call is in regards to Our request that the bar be closed to the public this Friday, I assure you, there will be compensation. We will be paying you for your time and the services of your establishment." Tifa could barely believe what she was hearing. First of all, was Tseng freaking psychic? No, and secondly, when Tseng said our and we, she knew it was a Turk thing, and that meant it was Rufus Shin'ra who ordered it. She sighed heavily. "Fine. I'll post a notice tonight. Usually I need more time upfront than three days but…" She trailed off. She knew Tseng was probably smirking to himself or at least something like that... then again he was a Turk. Emotionless prick…
"Very good Miss Lockhart, we will see you come Friday." The phone clicked as the Turk hung up on her and she put her phone away with a resigned sigh. Turning, she headed for the backroom to get a piece of paper to write the notice on.
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XxXxX
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Ranisa watched the two men in the silence following what she had said. They were thinking and she almost giggled. Cloud sat across from her, arms across his chest and leaning back into his seat. His bright blonde hair and glowing sky blue eyes were offset by the utter blank look on his face. Vincent was leaning against the counter, his arms also crossed over his chest. She noted that the taller man tended to duck the lower half of his face into the high collar of his … cloak? Well it was more of a mantle really. His hair was dark and long and his eyes glowed red. And yet, so different in appearance from Cloud, he held the same, blank and emotionless look to his face. It was so damned amusing to her because she knew the same look had crossed her features more than once.
"Perhaps if we ask a question and you think about it, it may stir memories…" Vincent's voice was soft but clear. She looked up at him. "I hope so," Was her quiet and stoic response. Cloud suddenly rose to his feet with a small sigh. "Let's move to the living room." Without waiting for a response, the fighter walked away. Ranisa rose to her feet and shrugged, following. She heard the nearly silent movements behind her and knew Vincent followed. Cloud had sat in one of the large and comfortable looking chairs and Vincent moved to stand next to the end of the couch, staring out into the darkness. Ranisa moved and sat at the other end of the couch and waited silently.
"So you know your first name, Ranisa. Do you recall a last name as well?" Cloud spoke up. She blinked at him and he elaborated. "Cloud Strife." She nodded. "Ranisa Walker." Cloud sat back but before he could speak, Vincent spoke softly. "Vincent Valentine." Ranisa turned and looked at him and then let a soft chuckle escape her lips before she spoke again. "Now that we've all been formally introduced…." She rolled her eyes. She had no idea what sparked her to say such a think but… Her eyes snapped to Cloud as she heard him mirror that soft chuckle. Had she not looked away from Vincent, she would have seen the slight smirk that curled at the corner of his mouth as he spoke again. "Indeed." It was such a deadpanned response that she nervously ignored it, but Cloud knew that sarcasm would be glinting from red eyes. Instead of continuing with what would degrade into verbal sparring, he turned blue eyes to golden ones.
"What about an age?" She blinked and then her brows furrowed. "Twenty two I think…" A whisper in her mind made her eyes widen. Physically… Was that just her thoughts? Cloud watched her as she frowned and spoke that out loud. "…Physically. I don't know where that thought came from, but… Apparently it means I'm twenty two physically." She blinked and shrugged. Looking at Cloud she suddenly felt as though something dangerous had just locked its sights on her and she slowly looked at Vincent. He was starring at her, intense red eyes focused on her with a look that made her shiver. Like there was something behind those eyes, that wasn't this man, and that were far too interested in her. Her face remained impassive and he finally looked away, brows furrowed. Cloud knew that look; Vincent rarely got that look on his face… That look meant that Chaos was far too interested in this girl all of a sudden. Cloud frowned. "Can you think of why that thought would come to mind?" Vincent's voice rasped as he stared out the window. Ranisa's brow furrowed again as she thought. "No..." She frowned. She didn't like not having access to what should be twenty two years of memory. Cloud leaned forward, arms on his knees as he looked intently at Ranisa. His face was emotionless as he spoke.
"Date of birth?"
"October 13th. I don't know what year." Cloud nodded but said nothing, Vincent blinked in amusement as that was the same day as his own. However, Ranisa did not know this.
"Where were you born?" At this Ranisa balked slightly eyes narrowing in thought. Then the strongest emotion they'd seen crossed her face. Her face scrunched up in pure confusion and she bowed her head slightly, raising a hand to her temple. Both men watched her silently and patiently. "Gaia this is confusing me…" She practically hissed, "Three answers come to mind. Three answers that all ring true but that's not possible. One answer is Midgar, One answer is deep within a mountain of all things and the last is… In the Lab." Her eyes widened and then narrowed as a frown marred her face. Her eyes rose slowly to Cloud and she spoke very softly, her words clipped. "What in seven blue hells is that matter with me…" Her voice had dropped into almost a growl. Cloud's eyes widened in silent shock for a fraction of a second before his eyes hardened and he spoke softly in response, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"I doubt there is anything 'wrong' with you, Ranisa. The way you answer the questions make it sound like your memories were tampered with. I'm familiar..." He sat back and crossed his arms, eyes drifting over the bookshelves but not seeing them. Vincent frowned before shaking his head; it had become clear to him that trying to find out just who this girl was was going to bring up very painful memories for Cloud. They brought them up for him, but Vincent was used to this and used to ignoring them.
"We can continue this tomorrow. Ranisa, you still need rest to heal." With that, Vincent walked silently from the room and down the hall. Both Cloud and Ranisa heard the faint sound of the door clicking shut. Ranisa dropped her head into her hands and sighed softly. Her head was pounding something fierce. Cloud rose to his feet and looked at her quietly. She rose and followed him to the guest bedroom. He pointed towards the dresser along the wall opposite the bed she had woken up in.
"There are spare clothes there, sleepwear and otherwise for friends when they visit… you should be able to find something to fit you." With that he turned and walked passed her out of the room. She shut the door behind him, assuming he'd be sleeping on the couch. Rubbing her temples wearily, she walked slowly to the dresser and began to dig around in the drawers. Finally, she found a long sleeved button up grey sleeping shirt and matching pants. The top was too long but the pants fit comfortably and she moved over to the bed. She tugged the ruined shirt off and dropped it before pulling the soft, clean shirt on over her head, not bothering to unbutton it. Seeing that the sleeves fell down past her hands, she felt more comfortable to remove her elbow length leather gloves. These she lay on the nightstand. Pushing up the nightshirts sleeves, she frowned at the pearl colored scars that laced her arms and hands… Shaking her head, she let the sleeves drop as she fiddled with the heavy belt on her pants… pausing she glared at her boots… really this headache was far too much. How could she have forgotten to take her shoes off? Sighing, she plopped down on the bed and tugged her pant legs up to get at the laces on her heavy boots. Once those had thudded dully against the floor, she stood again and let her pants follow them. Stepping out of them, she tugged on the sleeping pants and smiled softly. She was so tired… She nearly fell onto the bed, not bothering with the blankets, not even caring, let alone noticing, that there was still dried blood in her hair… Cloud had cleared most of it from her skin when he had bandaged her wounds, but, it didn't cross her mind that it was strange neither of the males had mentioned it. She was asleep by the time her head hit the pillow.
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Cloud had removed his boots and lay back on the couch. Had she not looked like her head would split from the pressure of the headache he knew she had, he would have pointed her in the direction of the shower instead of her bedroom, but he knew it wouldn't hurt her to sleep first. Blue eyes stared vacantly out the window as he thought. Even to this day, he couldn't remember much of his time in Hojo's lab... All he recalled was that Zack had tried to help him, save him and had died for his efforts. Frowning, he sighed softly and forced himself to sleep.
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Vincent was pacing silently in his room. He had forgone the politeness of offering to let her use the shower at the request of chaos. But the demon was trying to understand the scent he had been catching when around Ranisa. The demon wasn't bothered that he didn't know what it was, he was bothered because it smelled so familiar and … he didn't know if it smelled appetizing, seductive or just plain interesting and yet he didn't know it and he felt he should. Vincent was confused and irritated at Chaos, but he was intrigued. She had thought of three places she felt she was born… That bothered Vincent. Perhaps she was born in the Midgar lab, which gives us two of her answers which are the same. The cave answer I believe has something to do with the smell that is driving me slowly insane. The demons growl echoed in his mind and Vincent frowned… he had come to the same conclusion. Sighing softly, he brought his hand to his forehead and closed his eyes. Vincent had heard Cloud, had heard Ranisa digging around in the dresser and had heard her boots thump heavily to the floor. He barely caught the sound of the mattress as she dropped heavily into bed and as he focused, he could tell both she and Cloud were sleeping. None but he and Chaos knew the true extent of the modifications to his senses. Vincent rarely slept and hardly needed to when he did. For now, he paced.
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XxXxX
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Ranisa was surrounded by brilliant white. As her golden eyes focused, she realized she was lying on her back, staring up at florescent lights. She tried to turn her head and found this impossible. She quickly realized she was strapped down to a metal table, her restraints made of thick metal and biting into her arms, legs, ankles and wrists. She began to panic when she heard someone talking.
"Ah, I see you're awake." A head moved into her view and her eyes widened. The man was middle aged with soft brown hair and muddy brown eyes. But it was the almost maniacal gleam in those dull eyes that frightened her. She knew this man; this was her tormentor, her demon… The one called Dr. Rydell. She whimpered softly, causing the man to smirk. She knew what was coming when he left her vision… the needles, the burning sensation that would fill her veins and then the agonizing pain of her muscles trying to jerk and seizure. Then would come the cutting and tearing of sharp objects against her skin, then perhaps the breaking of bones… She whimpered again, her voice small and terrified.
"No… Please stop… Don't..." Her world faded into darkness and pain.
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Vincent snapped from his thoughts, Chaos silent as well. Red eyes stared at the wall as thought trying to see through them. He heard it again, barely audible. The gunman rose from the chair in his room and was across the floor and pulling the door silently open in almost a blink. He moved gracefully down the hall, glancing at a sleeping Cloud before turning back and entering Ranisa's room. The smell of fear was nearly overwhelming. He closed the door behind him and walked to her bedside. Red eyes looked at her as she trembled, shaking. She was covered in a fevered sweat and the sounds came from her mouth again, forming the breath of words.
"No more… Stop hurting me… Please leave me alone… Just stop…" A Nightmare… Vincent's gaze softened slightly as he knelt down, lifting his gloved right hand and gently touched her shoulder. His voice was soft and almost gentle.
"Ranisa... Wake up."
A/N… Hmm... That one was barely longer than the others, but it was! Urg… I started writing this about 4 hours ago; it's now almost 6am... I'm passing out... I checked it over best I could for errors. Let me know what you think! Goodnight my lovelies… ehhee... *stumbles off to bed, thinking perhaps she lost a few screws in staying up so late.