Chapter Sixty-Five: Tension Between Friends
Tifa waited outside the door that Vega and Yazoo had retreated behind. Vincent had recently entered, then come out, and she waited for some kind of verdict, but there was only a deep silence.
"Vincent?" she called. "What's going on?"
He didn't reply, and his silence was hostile.
"Where is Yazoo?" Tifa tried again, trying to sound conversational.
"Loz took him. You won't have to worry about him again."
Tifa winced and continued. "How is…Vega?"
"Come and see for yourself." The reply was cold and bitter. It sounded like a challenge, or a threat.
Tifa cautiously entered, the breath leaving her as she saw the lone body on the bed. Her vision blurred, and she leaned against the wall. Even with her blurry vision, she could see Vincent's eyes burning. She had never seen him this furious.
"Is she…?"
"Yes," Vincent said darkly. "She is dead. Aralyn's remnant is dead." His fists clenched. "Do you have any idea what you have done? You may as well have killed Aralyn!"
"Vincent I—"
"Just go," he seethed. "You've done enough."
Tifa left, afraid of this side of her friend. She retreated downstairs, where everyone waited. "What happened?" Cloud asked.
"Vega," Tifa began slowly and reluctantly, "was Aralyn's remnant. She…she's gone."
Cloud's sword dropped from his hand and his body went limp with shock. Yuffie was the one to voice the question that was on everyone's mind. "Will that affect Aralyn?"
"Vincent said…said we may as well have killed her. I've never seen him so angry…" Tifa paused. "I think he's really scared."
This statement added to the tension. If something was frightening Vincent this badly, they had very good reason to be worried.
"What about Yazoo?" Cid asked.
"Loz took him. I think he's dead too."
"Well at least something good happened today," Yuffie murmured. "One less remnant to worry about."
Somehow, this statement didn't console Tifa any. "I want to give Vincent a minute to cool down, and then I'll talk to him again."
No one seemed keen on joining her.
Vincent began gently wrapping the body in a clean sheet, seeming to be afraid of hurting her even though she could no longer feel any pain.
To add to the shock of losing Vega, there was the disconcerting fact that she did look extraordinarily like Aralyn. To see her eyes closed, her skin cold and pale in death, was like looking at Aralyn.
He hoped it was not some kind of omen.
He didn't dare to think about what tomorrow would bring. Sephiroth would know they had killed his remnant and would doubtlessly show up for vengeance. Aralyn's whereabouts were unknown, and it was very likely that she was lying in the middle of nowhere, brought to the ground by the disease that would soon claim her life. Vega was no more, the help she might have offered and the secrets she held dying along with her.
Worst of all was the insight into his friends that he had received.
If they could treat Yazoo, who was only a pawn of Sephiroth, with such hatred, he couldn't imagine what would happen when they found out Aralyn's secret.
Tifa had knocked quietly, disturbed by the silence in the room. It had taken three attempts, but Vincent had finally admitted her in. His back was toward her as he stared out the window into the night. He didn't move to acknowledge her presence. Tifa stood, waiting for him to speak first.
He did, beginning softly. "I found her on the way to Faramir, and it took little convincing for me to believe that she was who she said she was. She agreed to take me there, but only if I agreed to one condition."
"What was that?" Tifa gently prodded.
He chuckled darkly, sadly. "That I return here and tell everyone everything." Tifa waited for a response pertaining to Aralyn's secrets, but he continued on with his story. "We came back, and I was ready to tell you all, but after this…"
"We want to help!" Tifa cried. "Please, she's our friend too!"
"You don't know who it is you are aiding."
The statement rang in the air, startling Tifa. "We don't care who she is! How could you think we would? She's our friend, that's all that matters!"
"I thought so as well, but after tonight…" He shook his head to finish the thought. "I will be leaving tomorrow to seek out Faramir. I will go alone, and you will make no attempt to follow me."
"Vincent, aren't you being rash?"
"Who is being rash?" he asked, turning to her and staring at her intensely. "If anyone is guilty of that, it is you."
Tifa was glad when a sharp rap on the front door broke the tension. Yuffie yelled up to them. "Might want to restrain Vincent; it's Verian."
This came at a time when Tifa had honestly believed that Vincent couldn't possibly be more enraged.