Chapter Forty-Two: Overreaction
Verian held his chin high, the only defiance he could muster in his current position. "I don't know what you're talking about!" he said, his voice oddly level considering there was a gun pointed at his temple with its wielder all too ready to fire it.
Aralyn stood mute and frozen, taking the glass in her hand and examining it disbelievingly. Only after Yuffie nudged her shoulder did she drop it to the floor, shattering the goblet.
"Aralyn, this is quite absurd, will you tell him to stop?" Verian said.
"Don't talk to her," Vincent snarled. "Explain yourself!"
"I have nothing to explain."
"What did you try to drug Aralyn with?"
"Vincent," Cloud said calmly, gripping his friend's arm and slowly averting the gun. "There was nothing in her drink."
"How do you…?"
"Look."
A small, contented mewing interested Vincent enough to turn his head. Marlene's tiny kitten sat upright, her pink tongue cleaning up the reddish shake off her paws before she once again lowered her face to the spilled drink, lapping it up. Sensing the silence, the kitten looked up, licking its lips before letting out a confused mew.
"Any poison meant for Aralyn would have affected the cat," Tifa said mildly. "Vincent, are you sure you're all right?"
Vincent turned his gaze back to Verian, stunned beyond capacity to speak. His gun wavered, then lowered, though he did not release him from captivity just yet.
"Verian," Aralyn whispered. "Just go." The words were pointed half at Verian, half at Vincent.
Vincent released him and pushed him toward the door. Verian nodded at Aralyn, winked once, and then left the building.
Silence reigned for several minutes. Yuffie finally dared to approach Vincent, who had not moved. "Hey, maybe a little rest and you'll be good as new! Just one of those days, ya know? Everyone has them! So what if you almost killed him? He was a jerk anyway!" she gave a halfhearted, nervous laugh.
"I know what I saw," Vincent retorted darkly. "I saw a threat and acted accordingly."
"Vincent, don't you think you're taking this a little too far?" Tifa asked. "He's creepy, but he hasn't done anything!"
Vincent sent one look at Aralyn. In a vain attempt to try to make him stay, she spoke quickly. "I don't want Verian anywhere near me! I'm glad Vincent's protecting me!"
"Your protector almost killed an innocent man," Cid stated.
Vincent winced visibly. "That was not my intention…"
"You can't do this anymore, Vincent!" Tifa said.
Vincent threw up a hand in a gesture of defeat, and then slowly walked away.
"Don't worry!" Yuffie said, punching Aralyn playfully on the arm. "Next time Verian comes around, we won't let Vincent anywhere near. It's just better that way…for the both of them…you see?"
Thunder rolled in the distance and rain began to fall. Aralyn walked to the front window, placing her hand on the cold glass as if to summon him back. The rain came within seconds, falling fast and hard in sheets. She was suddenly very, very worried for her crimson-cloaked friend.
Kadaj met Verian in the alley they had designated. His lips curled into a smirk; he knew that Verian had achieved his goal.
"Isn't it amazing what a fancy glass and a drop of food coloring can do? Valentine is no longer an issue. Within the week, victory will be ours."