A Secret Conflict

~ Chapter I
A Dream is a Wish…

A dark mist enveloped him. A cold chill gnawed at his skin. He stared out into the darkness uncertainly, a soft voice’s whisper his only sign that he was not alone in the sea of nothingness. The mist parted, and a slim, delicate figure slowly emerged from within the thick fog.

“Lucrecia…” He gasped in awe.

The scenery around the two suddenly shifted and changed. The darkness turned to a bright warm sunlight. The freezing chill to a cool, sweet wind. Buildings stood alone and hovered above them, the familiar sulfuric stench of mako in the air. He recognized the area instantly. Nibelheim. The place that had haunted him for years in his own dreams. The place where his whole life had been shattered in a single night. He realized he was dressed in his Turks uniform. His left hand was as it had been then, normal and without the monstrous steel claw that had ever been a reminder of the torment he faced.

Lucrecia smiled warmly to him, a look he had almost forgotten through the years following the ‘incident’. “Vincent.” She called to him again, her voice barely audible. The look in her eyes was pained and fraught with worry, though she tried so hard to look contented before him.

“Please…” She begged him, pulling away. “I haven’t much time…”

“Time?” He echoed, stepping closer to her. “Time for what?”

“I came to warn you…” She replied tersely, jerking back away. “Something terrible is about to happen… And Soon.”

Vincent stared at the young woman wearily. He couldn’t understand exactly what she meant, or exactly what it was that troubled her so. Her words seemed so flustered and rushed, not at all like the woman he had known.

“What is it?” He asked her. “What’s going to happen?”

She turned away from him suddenly at the question, averting her eyes away from his concerned gaze. He knew she wanted to avoid answering him. “Because…” She whispered, he voice even softer than before. “Hojo… I-I don’t know how… I just can feel it…”

Vincent stared at her skeptically. “How could that be?” He retorted, trying to dismiss the throughout that Hojo could still possibly be alive. “I was there at the Sister Ray, and it was I who dealt the final blow to him. I watched him die at that platform.” His voice rising in annoyance at the very thought of the crazed lunatic who had mutilated so many innocent people for his own twisted pleasure. “It’s impossible.” Vincent said indefinitely, folding his arms tightly.

“Is anything so impossible?” Lucrecia retorted in an equally annoyed tone, once again going against her own character. “You’ve seen what can happen! You’ve seem what he was capable of. Hell, You saw what he did to himself! And you tell me it’s impossible?” She sighed heavily, and shook her head.

“What does it matter…’ She muttered. “No matter what happened, or what anyone else thinks. He’s coming…”

“But why would that be of any importance?” He asked. “If we beat him once, what difference would it make if he showed up again?”

Lucrecia shook her head again in reply, her soft eyes gleaming with a look Vincent could not place. “It’s just that…. it’s something about you. Somehow, he’s going to do something.” She turned her gaze to the ground, barely muttering out the last few words. “Something to you, Vincent.”

“Ah, how true!… Yet somehow, sooo disillusioned. Heh heh” A familiar voice suddenly interjected. The scenery of Nibelheim vanished upon those words, replaced once again by the vast darkness. A deathly pale face grinned back at Vincent, who returned it with a look of sheer contempt. “Oh don’t look so angry!” Hojo sighed in a voice that seemed on the verge of laughter. “You should be glad for all that I’ve given you!”

He paused, his gaze turning thoughtful. Lucrecia stepped back nervously, not wishing to create any other disturbance.

“Heh, it isn’t as if I would have let you live back then if I hadn’t choose to grace you with my brilliant gifts.”

“Gifts?!” Vincent echoed in annoyance. “You call this curse a gift?!” He cried, lifting his metallic claw up. “Do you have any idea what sort of living hell I’ve been through?! Do you have any idea how many other people have suffered for what you would call progress?!” Hojo merely glared at him blankly, but Vincent continued to rant on.

“You arrogant fool!” He shrieked. “What was it worth?! Just so you could prove you were better than Gast?! Ha!! How can a lunatic like you even compare?! At least he had a shred of decency and compassion in him!!” Again, Hojo only stared at him, devoid of any anger at all.

Lucrecia gave him a helplessly weary look. “Vincent don’t …” She whispered softly.

Vincent ignored her plea to him. Caring only to give the crazed scientist the mutual feeling of rage he felt. “Answer me!” He snapped. “Or have you no sou-“ Vincent stopped cold in his sentence.

And with those choked words, Hojo finally showed some sign of emotion. A cold mocking grin crossed his face. He chuckled, pleased with himself. “Vincent, Vincent, Vincent.” He sighed in a mock tone of concern. “For someone who tries so desperately to kill off his own emotions still cannot rid of that one primal instinct…..such a pity.” His smile broadened at those words. “Especially in your, say… situation…” He added in a matter-of-fact tone.

Vincent tried to retort at the scientist's words. But he found he lacked the voice to so, only a feeble growl left his lips.

“Too bad.” Hojo sighed. “You just can’t avoid the things I’ve done for you. Even after trying ‘kill off’ all that’s plagued you.” He paced around Vincent in a wide circle, never once taking his eyes off him. “Your past, your feelings, your….loves.” He grinned slyly, walking closer to Lucrecia. Vincent tried to cry out, but the words were frozen in his own throat.

Hojo slung his arm around the unknowing woman’s neck roughly, pulling an until then concealed knife from his pocket. He pressed it closely to Lucrecia’s frail throat. Grinning snidely as he held her tightly, Hojo narrowed the knife’s blade to a distance that needed only a slight twitch to puncture her flesh.

“So tell me boy,” He sneered. “What is it that you fear most?”

Vincent tried to rush for the lunatic, but he found himself frozen in place. “Damn it!” He cried in frustration, though only an enraged growl left his lips. Hojo laughed, pleased with his twisted ploy.

“Ah, but there’s not just one reason, is there now?” He chuckled. “So tell me…” He repeated from before, sounding more as if he were quizzing Vincent. “What is it?”

Vincent refused to dignify him with an answer, even though in a way, he couldn’t

“Ah yes,” Hojo chuckled.

Vincent struggled hopelessly against the bonds that held him in place, trying with all his might to somehow break against them.

“It’s a funny thing.” Hojo continued on.

“Dreams….and Reality….After a while, the boundary between the two can weaken. And then what, eh? It’s hard to distinguish the two of course.”

Vincent was silent.

“For you see, just what is real….and what is the illusion Vincent?”

He grinned, his pales lips twisted in the expression. “You of all people would know by now, if I’m not mistaken….”

The scientist looked back to Lucrecia. “Then again, that’s not all of the little conflict now is it?”

With those barely whispered words, he gave the final twist the knife. Lucrecia only gave him a hopeless look. More Disappointed than scared.

“Vincent….” She called one final time.

Her blood fell like rain drops on the invisible floor. All Vincent could do was watch. All he could hear was Hojo’s victorious, defying laughter.

~Chapter II
Holding Back

“Nooooooooo!” He shrieked in agony.

“Vincent-?!” A worried voice cried. He jerked back. Tifa was standing at his bedside, her eyes filled with an uncertain fear as she stared down at him. She had been watching him as he slept through the nightmare, that much he could tell.

Looking around, Vincent realized he was back in the house that Cloud and the others had built shortly after their victory over Sephiroth. The shabbily done floorboards and wall panels still lie exposed in some areas.

It had been four months since that horrid battle, and Vincent was still unable to attain a sense of peace as he had promised Lucrecia so long ago. Though now that she was gone, finally withered away in that secluded cave of hers, he sometimes wondered if anything was worth it anymore. Yet still the rest of the group, especially Tifa, tried hard to treat him as kindly as they could.

He turned to Tifa slowly, forcing a reassuringly calm look to her. “I’m…I’m okay.” Vincent gasped breathlessly, averting his eyes to hide the evident lie.

“It was just a dream… it’s nothing.”

“Some dream then.” Tifa replied uneasily, pushing the long strands of her auburn hair from her eyes. “What was so bad about it then?”

“I don’t know….” He lied again, too shaken to search for a cover up. He sat up and shifted himself over the side if the bed. Tifa kept her ground where she stood by the bedside, it was apparent to see she was contemplating whether or not to move along side him. Vincent didn’t bother to ask her to sit, he was trying his best to avoid her showering any further sympathy on him. Instead, he continued on, careful not to give away any real details.

“It just seemed so strange…. So…. real.” He paused for a moment, not sure what else he could say without mentioning Lucrecia or the odd omen it had held. He shook his head apprehensively and sighed softly. Tifa merely stared at him, the two were both at an equal loss for words.

His mind trailing off, Vincent caressed his right hand along the metal claw that had been an ever-lasting reminder of his horrific experiences ever since those three decades ago. His brow lowered with a slight contempt, thinking of the dream…and what had happened, a cryptic insight occurred to him.

“Maybe I actually am starting to lose it now…” He mused quietly, breaking the silence abruptly.

Tifa immediately, if somewhat roughly, sat beside to him at that; whether he would allow it or not. Her eyes still fixed upon him, she opened her mouth to speak. Again she hesitated, and again she only ended up further adding to the silence.

“Just say it.” Vincent hissed, annoyed that no one had really ever fully trusted him when it came to his past. “You know that it could be true, and you know that you can’t offer anything to make me feel better.”

Clenching his fist tightly, and edged away from her as he spoke. Though Tifa made no attempt to pull closer, instead a dumbfounded look remained in her fixed gaze. “If any of you knew how all this really was, you wouldn’t dare bother with you sympathy.”

“Don’t say that.” Tifa protested, grabbing him by the shoulder. The sudden touch made him slightly more uneasy.

“We’ve all had our share of troubles, but one nightmare can’t send you over the edge just like that.” She assured him. “The others and I….we just want to help…” She pointed out, her voice rang in a dry echo tone through the musty room. “Which is pretty much impossible since you keep pulling away.”

He glared at her, to which the young woman jerked back slightly in surprise. “Which I never asked for, if anything.” Having said that, he stood up from the bed, his backed turned to her.

“Dammit, Vincent!” Tifa cursed him. “Why do you have to be so difficult all the time?” Her voice sounded more anguished than annoyed. “All you ever do is wallow in your own self pity and grief!” She grabbed him by the shoulder and forcibly spun him around to face her. Vincent saw that bitter tears had begun to well up in her eyes.

“You’re not the only one who’s ever suffered!” She snapped, almost as if she were compelled to simply slap him in the face rather than to talk.

“We’ve all been through a lot, and we’ve all lost a lot in the process!” Tifa’s voice suddenly died as the enraged words left her lips.

She folded her arms, her anger fading away as quickly as it had come. Still, she continued, her voice barely audible. “J-just like….her…”

Vincent said nothing to comply, he did nothing just the same. Tifa ignored his indifference.

“Funny,” She sighed, sitting back down on the bed. The springs squealed softly from the re-added pressure. Tifa looked as if she might burst out laughing from the sheer irony of what he knew she was thinking.

“She always could see the brighter close to her.” He muttered, not feeling anything mutual to her previous grief. “I wish I side of things.” She said, a wry and awkward grin shone on her face, most likely from the irony of the words. “No matter how bleak things got, she always tried to stay optimistic to the end…” She paused, taking a shaky breath. “the very end…”

Still, Vincent was silent to the words; but in the uneasy silence that followed, he felt it best to say at least something unless Tifa would be angered any further. “I know…I wish I had known her enough to say the same…”

Finally, Tifa smiled. Sincerely this time at least. She stood up again and put a hand gently to his shoulder. Vincent didn’t care enough to pull away again at her touch. Her smile broadened somewhat, though she moved away herself following it.

“I suppose none of us knew that well…” She paused, cutting herself off from what she was going to add. Vincent quickly carried the slightly tense conversation on instead.

“How is that?” He implied, silently cursing himself for saying something so demure to what was so overwhelmingly emotional for her. Thankfully, Tifa was content just to talk on.

“She was so secretive about things, never knowing quite what to say when she did explain. It was hard to understand just what she was about at times, but man, you have to admit; there never was anyone more cheerful and tenacious than Aerith.”

Tifa sighed again at her own words, rubbing her eyes wearily with her hands as she paced about slowly. “I guess we should’ve tried to learn more from her,” She said softly, taking a seat at the far side of the bed once more. “If nothing else, it’s been to carry on…”

Vincent nodded silently, forcing himself to move up closer to her. She looked up in surprise, startled that it was he for once that had stepped up. Yet it was not to last, Vincent couldn’t decide whether to was right put his arm to her. Instead, he pulled away again, lying back down on the bed suddenly. In a brief moment of quiet, he spoke once more.

“I suppose you’re right, Tifa.” He sighed, laying back against the headboard of the bed.

God, I hope so…. He added to himself silently.

“Just try and get some rest alright?” Tifa pleaded, forcing herself to a cheerfully airy tone. “Some of us are going into Midgar tomorrow.” She announced, turning away and for the door quickly. Vincent could tell she was beginning to get unsettled with his reluctance to her. He sat up for a moment, if not just to keep her there for a little while longer. “For what reason?” He asked.

Tifa shrugged nonchalantly, not knowing how to answer such an obvious question. “Well, you know, check up on Ms. Gainsborough …maybe even Reeve… Would you want to come?”

Vincent nodded hesitantly again, still unable to shake the thought of the vision in the dream involving Hojo. Going to Midgar would be returning to the place of the mad scientist’s demise. “Yes… that’d be nice.”

Tifa smiled widely at his hesitant agreement. It was forced, Vincent was sure of that much. “Great!… Well, see ya in the morning then!” She called, though he knew she was only forcing herself to act cheerful as if she didn’t remember what had happened there.

Without another word, the young woman turned for the door. Though she paused just as she stood in the threshold.

“And Vincent…” Tifa called softly, turning back to him. Her falsely chipper mood fading to show her true worried feelings. He looked up to acknowledge.

“If you’re worried about something….you don’t have to keep it a secret.” She paused, running her fingers along the wood work of the door listlessly before looking back to him. “I’m sure there’s something we could do to help.”

“I know Tifa.” He muttered, looking up again. “…But I don’t know if I should just yet….” Tifa smiled wanly and nodded.

“It’s alright, I understand.” She assured him wearily. Once again, she turned and headed out, not once looking back this time. Though pausing for just a moment, she bowed her head downward roughly. “See you in the morning.”

As Tifa disappeared around the corner, Vincent lay back down in his bed slowly, as if doing so to fast would disrupt the tranquil quietness that overtook the small house once more. For a while, he could only bring himself stare up at the Ceiling. Just wondering. Was the nightmare some sort of omen this time? If so, Vincent could only begin to guess what it had meant. Or if it really had been Lucrecia had tried to warn him, not just another part of his own shattered psyche.

He knew it was stupid, to cling in vain to a love he had never had. After all, loving her…. It was what had caused the unspeakable horrors inflicted upon him to come to pass. If only he hadn't.…

Vincent shook his head almost violently, dismissing the morbid thought with the action. What was done was done, he couldn’t change it.

But the still question of the dream remained firm in his mind. What did it mean?

Vincent sighed heavily, pulling the covers over himself tightly. He knew all he could do for now was wait. Because sooner or later, he’d find out for himself.

-Prelude I
Always a Doubt

From within the shadows of a painfully forsaken building top, three figures slowly emerged into the cold darkness surrounding the neglected stairwell leading up to the destroyed office above. Huge steel beams protruded awkwardly down from the ceiling even there, smashed downward like nails driven into a wood board as the structure had collapsed into on itself. This sorry sight, quite unbelievably, had once been the dismal crowning glory to a dismal symbol of power that was the Shinra main office building.

It had once dominated the entire floor it sat upon, using the space as if to boldly declare how much power it held over the rest. It loomed over the city like the reaper over some lost soul crying out for mercy, staring down with cold, emotionless eyes that had none to give.

And then, almost by some cruel irony, that floor and that floor alone had been completely destroyed in an instant. Despite the massive wreckage that resulted from the horrid turn of events, the death toll in the whole incident, was one. That one person being President Rufus, the successor of a man that had ironically died by the same circumstances.

It had been Rufus’ father, the original founder of the Shinra corporation, whom had sought an untimely demise in quite the same manner. Yet even though not incinerated by fire that had merely been the Planet’s defense. He died the same dishonorable way by the same dishonorable crime. Greed. Everyone was reminded of this on the eve of Rufus’ own tragically ironic death by the Diamond Weapon.

And now these three would be the first brave enough to set foot up there alone.

The first to emerge, a young man, still am over ambitious teenager. His hazel eyes wide with fear, and shining even more with intrigue. He was a rookie to the Shinra ranks, barely even known to the harsh ways of a soldier. His blue uniform was neatly pressed and not a single detail overlooked in how he wore it, everything neatly in place. His helmet was tucked neatly under his arm, but he eventually thrust it on over his head anxiously the more he looked over the grim wreckage surrounding them. The man that followed him laughed harshly at the young soldier’s actions, a scornful look his reply to that.

The newcomer was obviously older than the young rookie, and far more experienced. The destruction around them came as no surprise to him, and the battle scars his face harbored were a sign of that. Most noticeable of all a huge gash down his right eye, the eye itself a milky clouded color that rendered it useless for sight. His own uniform was a deep red, though greatly wrinkled and unkempt. His graying blond hair hung in long limp strands, framing his face in a further ominous manner.

The two both set out cautiously through the wrecked floor, the twin stair cases leading up to the ravaged floor above lie strewn with debris from above, pieces of singed glass and wood dotting it in uneven patterns. Looking back, the commander turned to face the one the slowly approached.

“Uh ma’am? Are you sure you want to go up here?” The commander asked her uncertainly. Kaolin, the young rookie, turned to him uncertainly as he spoke. “The support structures were greatly weakened by Meteor’s decent on the city. I don’t think It will hold together very well…” “And I don’t think you’re in any position to argue.” The woman snapped in reply. She very causally sauntered up to join the two, he lab coat hanging loosely around her slim looking figure, almost enveloping her within it’s white folds. The high heels she wore clacked precariously along the cold marble floors, her carelessly tied ponytail swaying gently as she moved. Pushing her glasses further up her nose, she peered at the two with annoyed emerald eyes.

“Well?” She said, the impatience in her tone slowly increasing. “I don’t have all night!”

Kaolin sighed heavily from behind the commander. He regretted ever volunteering for the aftermath team forces of the Shina army, the ‘New Age’ version of it’s original forces as they had called it. Apparently it included having to tag along with some ill-tempered scientist named Lanai. And then have to pick through the almost completely smashed top floor of the Shinra Corporation building.

“Kaolin, you go and scout ahead.” Commander Malise ordered him. Kaolin rolled his eyes and walked ahead of the two. The commander might as well have said ‘Kaolin, you go ahead. That way if there’s any danger, you’ll be the first to die at least.’ He never could understand why Malise never put himself in immediate harm. It was always himself who was sent into the fray.

Young Kaolin lightly sighed again, he never asked for any of this. All he wanted was to be somebody. A real war hero. Instead, he was picking his way through overturned desks and computer equipment that had belonged to President Rufus.

“I don’t see what the point to this is…” He muttered. “There’s no way anyone could have survived what the Diamond Weapon and Meteor did anyway.”

“You’re not getting paid to whine.” The scientist snapped. She glared at Kaolin in annoyance and motioned for him to continue on. Kaolin walked slowly through the rubble that filled what had been the president’s office. He paused only to lift up pieces of it with his gun from time to time.

“It’s no use.” He announced, pushing aside yet another chunk of twisted metal from his path.

“Just keep looking.” Malise replied tersely, following close behind him.

Kaolin muttered a few obscenities under his breath and kicked a nearby chunk of wood in frustration. He stopped cold no sooner had he done so. Instead of the hollow echo of it hitting the office’s marble floor, there was only a muffled thump. “What the-?” Kaolin wondered aloud.

He slowly pulled off his helmet to get a clearer view of where the wood piece had landed. The musty air greeted him at the action, though Kaolin paid no attention. For there, lying amounts the shattered ruins of the room, was the young president Rufus. His face covered in scars and burns from the two catastrophes that had befallen the once invincible city of Midgar.

“Damn….” Malise muttered, he didn’t seemed phased at all at the sight before them.

“Is…is he dead-?” Kaolin gulped.

“Of course he’s dead you moron!’ Lanai snapped in aggravation. She walked over from her ‘safe’ position at the stairwell to where the two awestruck soldiers in an arrogant, swaying fashion. She grinned widely, satisfied with the discovery of Rufus’ mangled body.

“I don’t understand this.” Kaolin sighed. “What do you want with a dead president?”

“I have my reasons, whelp.” Lanai snapped angrily. She turned and waved a hand to both of them from over her shoulder. “Now quickly, I’ll need you both to take him down to the lab before the employees arrive.”

“W-what?!” Kaolin cried, standing up from his crouched position. “Drag a dead guy all the way down to the 68th floor?! There’s no way!”

A swift punch landed to his face at that. Kaolin yelped in pain within the very instant of it. Gripping his bruised cheek, he staggered back a few steps. Malise stood over him. His hand still held tightly in a fist.

“You rookies just don’t get it, do you?” He sneered. “You’ve gotta learn to take orders kid, whether you like it or not!”

“But…” “Just do it!”

Kaolin glared up at the Commanded in a defiant, rueful manner. Malise lunged forward at that, grabbing the rookie by the arm in a painfully firm grasp. He glared at Kaolin in sheer contempt and aggravation. “Listen to me.” He hissed, his voice cracking slightly as he spoke. When someone gives you a command, you do it. It’s as simple as that. I don’t care if you want to do it or not. It’s an order. And if you give many anymore shit about it you’ll have yourself back in the recruit barracks licking the major’s boots to get back even to trainee.

The young soldier nodded precariously, and moved forward. The commander was surely insane, going off over such a stupid issue. What was his problem anyway? Kaolin wondered.

With a shake of his head, Kaolin quickly knelt down and gently took the President’s lifeless arms while Malise took his legs. Carefully, they lugged his limp mass through the ravaged office to the stairwell. Lanai followed close behind the two, a broad smile across her face.

“Careful there boys,” She chuckled giddily. “I don’t want you damaging my latest test subject now!”

Kaolin shot Malise a confused and slightly worried look, who merely gave him a shake of his head in reply. Though it seemed there was something else in the gesture that Malise was hiding, like he knew something….What it could be escaped Kaolin.

The two soldiers agonizingly drug the president’s body from the top floor, then through the hall of the 69th floor to the main stairway. It wasn’t the fact that his body was heavy that made it such an arduous task, it was that Lanai kept badgering them the whole way.

‘Would you please try and be more careful?!’

‘Hey, quit dragging him along the floor!’

‘I don’t care if he is dead! You’d better watch what you’re doing!’

‘I said quit dragging him!’

‘Are you deaf?!’

Or maybe it was the fact Malise kept getting careless in how he handled Rufus’ body that caused Lanai to badger them. Either way, Kaolin just kept wishing he had chosen not to be so eager about finally getting a real job in the reorganized ‘new-age’ Shinra corps.

Damn… why did I have to such a naive idiot? He asked himself over and over. He paused and flung open the door to the stairs leading to the lower floor. The main laboratory, the former dwelling of the mad Professor Hojo. From what Kaolin had heard during his days in training, he heard stories of how Hojo had injected himself with Jenova cells, thus turning himself into a hideous mako generated beast. Then only to be defeated by the group of terrorists known as AVALANCHE. The details were always sketchy at best, none of the Trainees were ever given specific details on things. Rookies were treated just the same, as Kaolin had quickly learned. Still it seemed odd to him that such a revered scientist could end up resorting to such a strange thing. He sighed in frustration, whether from the tedious walk or his troubled thoughts, it was beyond annoying at the moment.

They reached the 68th floor with aching arms and ears ringing from Lanai’s annoyed ranting. The two soldiers thankfully laid Rufus’ scarred body over the examination table at the far end of the laboratory. Malise stayed with Lanai to assist her in ‘storing’ the president’s body.

Kaolin instead wiped the sweat from his brow and slunk up against the glass cylinder of the specimen chamber nearby. He sighed and tilted his head back against the glass. Closing his eyes and wearily tilting his head up, Kaolin took several deep breaths in an effort to regain his strength.

Though upon opening his eyes, he was greeted with a horrific sight. A pair of dark, hallow eyes stared back at him. A glimmer of lunacy somehow shone in them somehow, either knowingly of just maniacally. The creature they belonged two lie in a heap, it’s grotesquely shaped claws tensing weakly from time to time. It’s jaw hung open limply as it breathed in and out shallowly while it stared back at him.

He shot backwards and to his feet. His eyes wide with fear. “What the hell is that?!” He cried.

Lanai turned from examining Rufus, looking up to Kaolin she smiled once again. “Oh that?” She echoed in a cheerful tone. “Just Professor Hojo, of course!”

~Chapter III
Moving Onward

Vincent slowly stepped out from the Villa, his gun, the Death Penalty, clasped tightly in his left hand. He was greeted by a blinding rush of morning sunlight no sooner had he done so. He stepped down the small column of steps and to the worn dirt road that lead into Midgar. With a hushed sigh, he trudged out to join the small group gathered further up the road, clutching the gun tightly within his palm to keep his wits about him.

“Hey, Vincent!” Cloud called out to him upon realizing his advancement. “Glad you finally decided to join us!”

Vincent merely gave a quick wave in return, not bothering to give any verbal response.

Tifa and Barret stood next to Cloud, both eyeing him carefully as he walked up to the road towards them. He had grown used to the fact that even though he had earned the group’s respect and acceptance, they still felt an uncertain fear about his dark nature. Something he knew he never really could explain to them totally.

Besides, he never really wanted any compassion and pity showered upon him at all. Not since that day….

As he joined the group, they continued on walking towards the huge city that loomed ominously over the horizon before them. It was odd to think that only a few months ago it was brought so close to complete destruction at the ravaging chaos Meteor had brought upon it.

And in the time that followed, what remained of the city’s population quickly went to work on rebuilding the shattered metropolis, only this time making sure to build one that could thrive on unity and peace, not the greed and lust for power it had so many years before. The idea for rebuilding Midgar in such a way was conceived by none other than Reeve, who had been the only sane member of the corporation in the first place.

And with both President Shinra and his successor Rufus dead, there was no one to try and revive any of the city that had once thrived upon every aspect of the chaos that eventually crushed it. As stated in numerous news reports and interviews Vincent had only vaguely taken interest in, now was the time for the ‘New Midgar’, a city that strives on order than to chaos. Chaos… Vincent echoed within his mind. He knew the word, or in some cases the name, well.

Vincent slowed his pace as the four continued their trek to the city. Slowly, he shifted his gaze upward to the skyline of Midgar. The huge mako cannon, the Sister Ray, still loomed ominously above it. Though left abandoned follow Hojo’s last failure, it still remained towering above the city, still aimed indignantly to the crater in the north as an ever present reminder of the near destruction of the entire world at Sephiroth’s hands.

Though the near-destruction was not the only thought that surfaced in Vincent’s mind at the sight of the cannon. It was the final battle against Hojo that rang clear in his mind far more than the other. Lucrecia’s cryptic words from the dream made him ever more uneasy about returning to the city. If the omen of her words was true, he knew that some way…. One way or another, he would meet the crazed scientist again.

With an uneasy shiver, he touched a hand to the Death Penalty to reassure himself.

This series is by Rebecca McKenzie. She has an ongoing Final Fantasy series on my page that I hope will be ongoing. She may have some Parasite Eve fics later on. Email her and let her know what you think!