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Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII game, characters, and game story are copyright of Squaresoft and their respective creators etc.
**************************************
To Live a Dream
"So, I have played a part in killing the son of my love..." I murmur to myself. The sun is starting to rise, taking no notice of whatever is happening to our world. Now, Sephiroth is gone, and Lifestream saved the world from Holy. Everything was like a dream, a long dream. My life is a dream, and perhaps the sunrise I am seeing now is also a dream.
"Vincent?" a voice called out. I snapped out of my thoughts and focused on what was on hand presently. Cloud stared straight into my eyes, but I did not feel uneasy, since I am supposed to be void of emotions. Either that or too much sleep dulled my reactions.
I tilted my head slightly and turned up the corners of my mouth to form a smile. That threw Cloud off for a minute, and after that minute (I looked at the clock that hung across the wall and counted), he scratched his head and walked over to the others to help out.
Taking a deep breath, I browsed through my surroundings. Tifa and the others were packing up their luggage in preparation to move on with their life. The innkeeper shouted from downstairs, asking if we have enough hot water.
"Vincent, you're in the way!" Cait Sith yelled, skipping towards the stairs. I sidled to a corner and watched the room. Not having much luggage to begin with, I had nothing to do.
"Say, Vincent, where are you going to go after this?" Cloud chirped, receiving a bundle of laundry which Tifa carefully pulled out from their bags.
That question struck me. I never really thought about that. Living in the past doesn't prepare me for the future.
"I don't know. Perhaps back to Nibelheim." I shrugged.
"Back to that creepy, scary, annoying Shinra Mansion?" Cait Sith interrupted.
"Hey, it might be home to the poor guy, so don't ya make that place sound so @$%!^~ bad, you furry cat!" Barett slapped Cait Sith on the back so hard that I swore I heard the stuffed cat choke in pain.
Is not Reeve controlling this robot from Midgar? So how does a robot choke? I am digressing; perhaps this is what age does to people.
"If you're staying in Nibelheim, Tifa and me will visit you in future," Cloud scratched his head and shrugged.
Tifa smiled as she dumped another pile of laundry on Cloud.
"You can send me a message before you come, then. I'll probably be at the Shinra Mansion, as Cait Sith mentioned." I sat down and started polishing my gun with a rag I obtained from the friendly innkeeper.
Yuffie gave a look of disgust at the word "Shinra Mansion". No one likes that place, and I would be blind if I hadn't gathered that much by now.
----
A few hours later, Cloud and Tifa bid me farewell, mounting on their chocobos and heading north. They had told me of their plans of how they are going to travel around the world, visiting all the places they have and have not visited.
To see how life goes on. And how their future will come. Yuffie took off with more than half of Cloud's materia and snucked off a few minutes before Cloud did. I bet all of us saw her, though she probably thought we didn't. Who would miss a clumsy suspicious someone trying to sneak past the reception with a big bag that contains what seems to be giant marbles? Cloud saw her and immediately turned the other way, back facing her. At least she'll have some souvenirs to bring back to Wutai.
Barett, as expected, would be heading straight where Marlene is, and find a place where the two of them can lead a normal, carefree life.
As for Cid, just a snort and snide comment showed the whole world what he was thinking.
"Just gotta make sure that that dumb !@#%# Shera doesn't get into any more @%!%!&~ trouble than she needs to!"
I waited for all of them to leave before leisurely strolling to my chocobo, leading it out of the stable by its leash.
After such a big ordeal, life is finally beginning for them, but for me, it is the beginning of the end.
Next destination, Nibelheim. Shinra mansion.
-----------------
Nibelheim is her usual quiet self, detached from the world's happenings, from her tragic past. There are some new faces round the village, I noted.
Nibelheim needs these newcomers. They will totally erase her sorrowful past in time. I went into the item store, planning to replenish my stock of potions. The young lady tending the shop gave me a long hard stare.
"Ya're not from around these 'ere parts, are ya?"
"Maybe," I replied nonchalantly as I examined the bottles of potions. I should check their expiry dates. I had never bothered as I did not need to store them, but I guess it'll be safer to do so. I might be lazy to come out of the mansion to shop often. Perhaps one of these days, I should find out if materia has expiry dates too.
"Ya've got really fair skin, ya know, and I don't 'ere see too many people with clothes like yours 'ere," The lady chatted.
She has a funny accent in her words, and the freckles on her faces are not local to me. "Must be one of the new faces here," I thought.
"I'll be staying in Nibelheim," I told her.
She looked at me in a funny sort of way, as if she was squinting her eyes, then heartily laughed like any jolly villager would. "That'll be good 'ere! Me, I'm new around 'ere Good Ol' Nibelheim too, so I'll need ya good patronage. So, where in this small village are ya goin' ta stay? I'll provide item delivery services here if ya're gonna buy above 100 Gil!"
I refused her kind offer politely with a wave of my hand and a smile, then paid for the few bottles of potion. She offered a bag, but I decided to just put the goods in my cloak.
"My, my, ya're in the village, not a town or a city, so don't be so serious with yourself. I'll see ya round then, mah good man!"
I nodded my head once more to acknowledge her words before stepping out.
She was a nice lady to talk to, I thought. People who speak with life are always interesting to listen to. Life in a village is relaxing, which I agree.
Slow moving and quiet.
Until I thought I saw a fleeting shadow heading to an alley between two houses, that is. I observed a little longer, but nothing moved. It might be a cat or something. I must be too sensitive.
I headed out of the circle of shops and houses onto the path to the desolated mansion. The gate was open. This mansion is not my property, so this is not my right to question. I only hope that children do not come here to play in a moment of folly. The newcomers in this village might not be fully aware of how dangerous this mansion can be, especially if they wander into the lower floors.
Entering lower levels of the mansion, I found it to be a stark contrast to the outside. It was dark and slightly musty. Such conditions suit me. I have never belonged to the outside world.
"I'll have to light this place later if I am not going to sleep," I thought to myself. My joints are getting a little creaky, perhaps an after effect from over-exertion. I should get a can of oil. Now where are my thoughts digressing to again?
My boots are creaking. My clawed hand too. I definitely need that can of oil.
I dragged myself along the grey dusty basement of the Shinra Mansion, my hand trailing along the stone walls in the dark. The walls were moist; and underneath my fingertips, I felt the soft green moss that grows between the cracks.
This place is still capable of life yet. There isn't much to look forward to, but being with Cloud and the others has taught me to be a little more optimistic. At least I still have a place to stay, and a cozy bed...coffin, I correct myself, to sleep in.
I especially remember Yuffie's shock and disgust at every mention of "Shinra Mansion". She complained frequently of the monsters in here, usually of the basement.
YingYang especially freaked her out. Wait...I remember a few days ago, she was saying something about wanting to come to Nibelheim some day to look for some legendary Materia her father recently ranted about in his letters to her.
I guess if I see her here, I'll say hello.
Talking about YingYang, it has two heads and can bend back and forth like a broken rubber doll, and they aren't that easy to get rid off when one meets them in battle. It is a monster of the undead, and I don't expect anyone to like them. I have seen first hand how people find them to be disgusting and creepy. Like Cloud and the others when they first came here. I remember Yuffie saying that she wouldn't be caught dead in this wretched place again. Being the loudest and more hyper person in the group (Cait Sith, whom I believe to be absolutely drunk in caffeine, not included), she is very expressive. I remember that she made very interesting and snide but sharp comments about my basement room and myself.
The basement door creaks open, and behold, YingYang was the only being that greets my return. Nothing changed. I twitched my claw of a left hand, and YingYang let me pass politely. After unloading my armor and weapons, I reached out for the matches and lanterns.
So I act and look like a vampire.
My eyes are still human; they need light to see.
I took off my cloak and laid it on the floor carefully so as not to break the glass bottles of potions. Due to force of habit, I twirled out my gun and fiddled with it for a while. Then I noticed that a rubber-like being was staring in my direction.
Giving YingYang a smile, I decided to strike up a conversation.
"How is life going for you?"
It trembled a bit, and shivered its way over to my side.
YingYang kept its goofy grin as a strong shudder ran up its arms. Its head turned 180 degrees and then dropped back a full 120 degrees, looking at the ceiling at a slanted angle.
"So you're doing fine, old friend." I replied, then went out to bring in a basin of water. I splashed the water on my face, and decided that after cleaning up, I might just retreat into slumber for a few more decades, or until my life ends, if it ever does.
YingYang waddled over and bumped into my shoulder, knocking over the basin with its clumsy body. I stared at YingYang. "What's the matter?" I asked out of concern.
YingYang's head started bobbing up and down, then its body bent over backwards. Its head nodded slightly in the direction of the room that lay beyond mine.
"You want me to go to the library?"
YingYang jerked straight up and bent over front, nearly knocking into my stomach.
"All right, all right. Can't win you."
And besides, I have all the time in the world now, and I don't have much to do, so after squeezing out the water from my sleeves, I started to head for the compartment of the basement that housed books and scientific equipment. The library, or the laboratory, either way people call it.
But before I stepped out of my room, I suddenly remembered something I really wanted to do.
I grabbed the can of oil from my coffin and oiled my creaking joints.
----------
::In the Shinra Mansion Basement Laboratory::
A crouched figure squatted on the floor, impatiently selecting random books from the shelves, half-browsing, half-throwing the books on the floor.
"There is an intruder in the inner room," I thought to myself, as I drew my gun in case if the intruder happens to be hostile.
I decide to make my presence felt, though. Still being out of sight to the intruder, I kicked the shelf in the hallway connecting the two rooms of this laboratory.
Suddenly it became quiet. Everything was stilled. I believe the intruder must be on his alert now. I pulled the lever on my gun, ready for anything that might happen. The light of this library is dim, and it is not easy to see clearly. I stepped out slowly to peek into the inner room.
Something flew out at me, and I jumped back. I felt a sharp pain on my right cheek. I must have been a second too slow for when I touched my face, I felt something wet and sticky. Not a deep cut, but good enough to let me feel drops of blood slide down to my neck.
There was a 'clang' as something metallic hit the stone wall.
My cheek started to feel numb. The object that hit me was probably coated with some kind of anaesthetic or poison.
It might have been a monster!
I rushed into the inner room, and saw the next one coming. I dodged this one easily, but did not anticipate what looked like a big metal disc that came after. It was fast, and I didn't really have time to dodge. I swung my gun around and shot at the disc, and once more in the direction where the disc came from.
Then I heard a girl's scream...
----------
*At the Basement room of Shinra Mansion *
"You could have killed meee!!!" Yuffie shrieked, "and go easy! It hurts!!! Softer, softer!"
"I'm sorry..." I mumbled as I meticulously started on bandaging her calf after stopping the bleeding.
I could feel my head getting heavy. The anaesthetic on my wound was slowly taking effect. I wonder if I have an antidote somewhere in the room. The dart Yuffie used could be poisoned, but being rather resilient to most poisons, I don't think I'll die.
Her leg was propped up on my coffin to slow down bloodflow, and I had her sit on my cloak in hope of her not complaining about the cold floor.
After tying the knot on the bandage, I threw the red-coloured water from the basin out onto the moss-covered floor outside the room. There was a lot of blood, but the wound was not as bad as it seemed. There would not be any problems fully recovering.
"Have a potion," I offered, "it might ease the pain".
She is trying really hard to hold back her tears. It must have been painful. In fact, she hasn't opened her eyes since she was shot.
As if reading my thoughts, she yelled in my face, "Of course it's painful!! Your stupid bullet went THROUGH my leg! Oh man...I'm going to die..."
I wiped off her saliva from my face with a sleeve.
"You won't die. I assure you. In fact, the bullet went through very cleanly, so the wound will heal very fast."
"I know I'm not going to die! It's just so painful that I THINK that I'm going to die!"
"I'm sorry."
"It's all your fault!!!"
"I'm sorry."
"Yeah, you should be!"
I thought for a while, but could not find anything comforting to say, so I apologized again, handing her the potion.
"I'm sorry."
"Can't you say something else, Vincent Valentine!?" Yuffie gritted her teeth and opened her eyes, grabbing the offered potion.
"You have a cure materia with you? I'll cast Cure on your leg to bring down the pain."
Yuffie pointed haphazardly to the giant shuriken leaning on the wall behind her. It had a hole in where my gun fired the first time.
I took out the marble-like materia from her shuriken. Cupping a hand around her calf and holding the materia in another, I chanted the cure spell in my head.
"It's not that painful anymore..." There was a sniffle from Yuffie, as she rubbed her moist eyes. "And that's mine, thank you!"
She grabbed the cure materia from my hand and hastily stuffed it into her pocket.
All right, now that she's all calmed down, I think I can ask if she has an antidote.
Yuffie looked into my face. She screamed into it again, startled.
"What on earth have you done to yourself?! Why is there so much blood on your face?"
I wiped my face again.
"Just an accident. Do you have an antidote to the poison on your flying umm...metal discs?"
"That's a shuriken, not a metal disc! And nope, I don't have an antidote. It's not poison that's on my weapon, just some really strong anaesthet...HOLY COW!! You mean you got hit by my shuriken?! One cut from it is enough to knock out a cow, even a holy one, to boot! And pun not intended!"
I get the point.
There is nothing to do now, so I took out the thin bedding from the coffin and laid it down on the floor beside the coffin opposite Yuffie. I looked at the linen sheets for a while, then walked over to Yuffie.
"Woah, what are you doing? Put me down, I'm fine as it is~ Hey, take your hand away! Your claw is poking into my waist, hahaha - and that - hahaha - tickles!"
She is not able to walk for now, and I am not able to drag her all the way out into the inn outside this place. She might as well get some rest instead. We are both bushed from that incident.
Feeling extremely tired, I went over to where my cloak was and lay there. With the coffin between us, I think she will not feel so awkward sharing my room with me. My eyelids are weighed down with a couple of elephants by now.
"Why are you giving me these sheets of cloth?" Yuffie inquired, gently supporting her leg into a more comfortable position.
"You need it more than I do."
"Okay. Thanks. And for goodness' sake, wipe that blood off your face before you sleep!"
I could feel my words slurring a little. I mumbled some sort of a good night to her and told her where my money was in case she needs any, if I oversleep.
She could probably make out what I was saying though my words were slurred.
I believe I heard her laugh.
"You're one wierdo. Not even a moron like Cloud would tell me where he stashes his gil!"
With that, I relaxed, and at that very moment, felt the numbness spread fast to the rest of my body.
*************
-------------
A yell came outside. Was Yuffie in trouble? I steeled myself to get up. Yuffie was missing. Her bedding was in a mess. I hurried outside, grabbing my trusty gun on the way. The sound probably came from the main hall upstairs...
------
"They're going to get us!" A young red-headed boy cried.
"I don't want to be eaten by this thing!" A little girl wailed.
Two more boys were hiding behind Yuffie. She pulled the remaining boy and girl behind her and held her shuriken in a defensive pose.
The four children pleaded for Yuffie to protect them, and one of them was tugging at Yuffie's green shirt.
Yuffie could feel the strain becoming a little too painful to bear on her injured leg. Beads of cold perspiration dripped down her face as she faced an undead monster.
Scythe against Shuriken. Death against Life.
"All Creation!!" Yuffie charged at the monster and attacked, releasing all her conserved energy into her limit break. The children cowered behind her, hugging each other as flashes of light danced with Yuffie's weapon.
Yuffie did not deal as much damage as she had hoped, even with her limit break. This monster is much stronger as Lost Number, the boss monster she fought when she first came into this place.
"I told you not to open that old safe!" A kid cried out, trying to relieve his fear by blaming the others.
"It's not just my fault! You all agreed to it!"
"This monster is Lost Number's replacement? It's way stronger than Lost Number! Why is it that the higher my level, the higher the level of monsters I meet?!" the level 70 Yuffie screamed, scaring the children. They had absolutely no idea what Yuffie was yelling about.
She cursed under her breath. She was at a disadvantage, having to shield four brats and at the same time, deal with a powerful monster all by herself.
She could not use powerful magic like Ultima or Comet, it might bring down this old mansion, and perhaps hurt the children who are clinging to her ever so tightly. Of course, that rules out summoning Bahamut.
The monster did not die after a few rounds, and that frustrated her. She was covered with scratches and bruises. It will take quite some
time to wait till her next limit break, and she did not have the stamina to keep on with her normal physical attacks. Her wound was opening up, and she could feel it. She had to finish the monster fast, before it casts any destructive spells or something that will affect not just her, but the children with her.
From her experience, it will be much more dangerous for the children to run away without her. They will surely die if they encounter any random monsters.
"This is so damn difficult!" complained a very annoyed Yuffie.
A shot rang through the wide hall, stunning the monster for a second.
"What took you so long?!"
"Take the children away, I'll take care of this!" I shouted.
"It's a real strong one, take it as a boss level monster!" Yuffie warned as she took a step back, still breathing heavily.
"I'm going for my limit break, take the children away!"
Without waiting any further, I transformed into Chaos. Black wings sprouted from my back, and muscles rippled out to form the shape of a hunched beast. I could feel my conscience dissolving into nothing, replaced by the instinct to kill the enemy.
My claws itched as a tinge of glee and excitement tingled through me, enjoying this moment of battle. Everything else is unimportant.
Kill.
----------
"Way to go, Vinny!" Yuffie cheered, hopping and hobbling at the same time.
The monster heaved its last grunt and dissipated into thin air.
Appeased, the beast in me went back into hiding. I walked over to Yuffie, and she gave me a high-five.
"Serves that stupid monster right!" Yuffie stuck her tongue out.
The little girl looked at me and started crying again. It was infectious, for the other three children followed suit.
"That man..." The girl pointed out, "he turned into a...monster."
"He won't attack us," Yuffie comforted the crying children, "He's on our side."
"I'm a good monster that beats up bad ones," I joked to the children and I patted the little girl on the head.
"Really?"
"Yes, let's go get some cookies and milk."
Yuffie gaped, shocked from hearing me say something totally not in my dictionary. I waved a clawed hand in front of her but she didn't even blink. There was a moment of silence as Yuffie continued to stone-stare at me.
I know I am a bad joker, but she did not have to be so direct about telling me that with her face.
A little voice broke the silence.
"Can I have ice-cream instead?"
"All right."
I remember Tifa always telling me to be more interactive with children. Children, even Marlene, cry easily, but can be reassured just as easily. She always told me to smile more and talk more, and not to wave my clawed hand for not apparent reason for it may scare children. And also, not to sleep in the cupboard (or any rectangular large box, for that matter) on the Highwind because I tend to fall out of it when she opens it.
At the Nibelheim inn, I look at my glass of chocolate ice-cream.
I am trying.
----------------
****************Back at the mansion, YingYang was bored out of its restless mind.There was nothing to do. It didn't feel like fighting bats or other YingYangs either.
It waddled down to the library and knocked into the table with its body.
Oops. Wrong turn.
Yang is happy.
Ying doesn't find it funny.
Ying frowned as Yang grinned. Ying started to bend over backwards, shaking its head intensely as if trying to shake it off.
Yang continued to grin. YingYang stumbled unsteadily into the inner room of the laboratory, where the shelves of books are, and tripped over a heap of books because Ying was not looking at where it was going.
Yang's head bend over backwards and looked up, its goofy grin stiffening as the whole shelf of books fell on it...
----------
**********
After dealing with four very energetic children, Yuffie and I retreated back into the comfort of my room. (well...at least it's comfortable to me)
I had to change her bandages as it was soaked in blood. While doing it, she was counting the amount of change I had in my purse. At least it distracted her enough for me to help her change the bandages without her complaining too much about the pain.
She still complained, though, about how much moths I have flying out of my purse. Now, that was needlessly painful.
I looked at my shirt. My hands are not meant to eat ice-cream with a spoon, and my shirt proves it. I don't think I've a spare shirt, so I just washed the shirt together with myself.Hmmm....the chocolate stain doesn't show.
Now I remember why I wear black.
"Why are you following me back here?" I asked.
"I'm looking for something, so don't mind me. Since inn rates are on the rise, I'll stay here with you for a while, and clean up this place, will you?"
"...looking for materia?"
Yuffie raised an eyebrow, "how did you know what I'm looking for?"
I shrugged. It wasn't hard to guess.
"So, how are you going about looking for it?" I continued.
Yuffie then explained that she had sources that lead her to the library. Her father also mentioned some sort of materia appearing in Nibelheim. Having nothing better to do, I decide to offer my services.
"I don't have to pay you, right?"
Yuffie is such a careful girl.
"No. It's free."
"No money, no materia, no nothing, right?"
"No."
"All right then, let's go!!"
At the library, she appointed me to search the shelves at the corridor connecting the two rooms. I looked at the suspicious pile of books on the floor that lay beside Yuffie. Something moved beneath it.
Slowly, YingYang shook its way out of the books it was buried under. Yuffie jumped back in surprise."YingYang!?!? Eeeeewwwwww!! Do something!! Don't let it come near meee!"
I sweatdropped.
"It doesn't look like it intends to fight you, Yuffie," I reasoned, from the silly grins on YingYang.
"Yeah right~! Just don't come near me, you slimy thing!"
"YingYang's not slimy. It looks to be slimy but actually it suffers from dry skin..." I defended my old friend.
YingYang hopped two steps closer to Yuffie and examined her from head to toe, then nodded its heads.
"Thanks, YingYang." I know they do not mean us harm.
"You know what this monster's talking about?!" Yuffie threw her hands up, exasperated.
"Sort of. There's a way of looking at their acti..." I was cut off.
"I knew it! I knew you definitely weren't human!"
"............"
"Wait, wrong words to use. It's just a figure of speech. I hope I didn't hurt your feelings." Yuffie apologized.
Resigning to my fate, I continued searching for what she wanted. YingYang continued its little adventure in this little library, wobbling around and bumping into shelves and walls.
I observed that Yuffie consistently stayed a few arms' length away from it.
"Do you know what materia you're looking for?"
"Nope. I just know that my old man said something about a powerful materia in this region, and I know I can find
information about it here. So don't just look for materia, look for anything about materia in those books, Vince!""Sephiroth threw a Destruct materia at Cloud's head in here before," I recalled.
"Sephiroth doesn't know nilch. Throwing such precious materia at someone's head. He must be desperate to find something to throw at Cloud, I bet!"
"He could be trying to help us in his own way..." I thought aloud.
Yuffie did not hear me. She continued to dig through the piles of books, and the dust made her sneeze.
We searched the whole evening, but found nothing related. They were all notes on Jenova and Sephiroth. Mostly scribbled by Hojo during his twenty-over years of research.
I flipped through another report."Experiment number XX. Specimen is found to react well to the injections. As specimen is above the age of puberty, an immediate operation on the body has to be carried out. The left shoulder injured by the bullet, therefore that arm is useless and has to be amputated."
I thought this sounded very familiar. Yuffie yanked the report out of my hands.
"What's so interesting? You found Materia? Let me read this."
"...in the next week of observation, the physical structure of this specimen is subject to change due to the inability to host such immense energy. This experiment proves that age is a very important factor in fusing Jenova cells with a human. The next experiment should be conducted on a pregnant woman and the newborn shall be observed."
"What is this? Jenova cells and a pregnant woman? Sounds like Lucrecia and Sephiroth to me." Yuffie pondered.
"Yes..." I gazed at the report, and felt my heart getting a little heavier than usual.
"So why are you looking at this? (no materia!) Most of the stuff here's about Sephiroth anyway. Looks like the freaky scientist is obsessed with his greatest creation. Hmm...this one mentioned sounds kinda familiar."
"That...was a report on me."
"What?!"
"......"
Yuffie alternated her gaze on the report and me, as if comparing the report to me line by line.
Maybe now she will really think of me as a freak.There was a pause.
She tore up the report.
She took a deep breath.
She yelled.
"This stupid Hojo isn't human! And that's not the first time (or last time) I'm saying it! Sheesh, this library STINKS of him!! It's just not right to do things like this to other people! Taking others and changing their insides (ick) with something like Jenova (eww) without their permission! This is (blech) SICK!" Yuffie stomped on the report...with her hurt leg.
"OWWWW!!! MY LEG!!! How can I forget my poor leg is INJURED?!?!"
She surprised me. I thought she might look at me and call me a weirdo, a monster or something, but instead...
I like people with life and energy. Somehow, I have the feeling that she'll be the last person to look down on me.Yuffie glance wandered over my face. She looks rather concerned.
"Hey, look on the bright side, will you? At least he took your LEFT arm and NOT your right. You can do without your left easily.""I was a left-hander..." I mumbled under my breath, slightly irritated. Being optimistic is not as easy as anyone thinks.
"Whatever it is, I'm getting tired. I'm going to take a nap and come back later." Yuffie yawned and stretched. She hesitated for a while, then kicked aside a pile of books and reports that was blocking the way with her good leg.
YingYang slid steadily over to Yuffie, only to get a book thrown in its face.
"And don't you DARE come near me, you...you...!@%^_^X~&%@%~!!" Yuffie shuddered and hastened out of the library.
YingYang's twin heads drooped.
"She hurt your feelings? It's okay. She doesn't mean it. She's just a little afraid of you." I comforted my undead friend with a pat on the back.
YingYang swayed its heads from side to side and flopped down to lie on the table in the outer room.
Maybe I should retreat to an early night as well.Looking at the table, flashbacks run through my head. I can vaguely remember the lights glaring into my eyes as I fell unconscious. This very table was where my life changed.
Figuratively speaking, I died once, here.
Never once in my life did I feel as helpless and angry as then. I hated myself more than anyone else.
I wished I had never woken up from the dead.
YingYang's elbow poked into my gut as it rolled over to search for a more comfortable position. I winced, but am glad that pain brings people back to reality.
There was something sticking out near YingYang's dangling foot. I pulled the pieces of paper out and browsed through. There was a map about a hidden natural Mako caves that still has active Mako.
And this Mako cave marked on the map and report has not yet been excavated due to the strong monsters guarding it.It is right here in Nibelheim.
Beneath the reactor.
**********
:Nibelheim Mountains:"What do you think we're on? A picnic?!" A shrill voice gushed right through my ears. I felt my body sway to one side from the sheer force of sound energy."I thought you might be hungry..." I pathetically defended myself."I know, I know. It's good to bring some food supplies along," Yuffie then pointed at what I was holding, "...but not in a pansy-looking, flower basket like that!"Being near the mountains, our conversation echoed down the mountains and up again a few dozen times. If I were not such a weirdo (to quote the others), I would have jumped off the rickety mountain bridge in possible shame."It's the only one I could find," I mumbled to myself.Desperately trying to find a way to pacify The Great Yuffie, I flung off the cloth covering the basket and held it out to her as an offering."I'll forgive you this time." Yuffie preached, wagging her finger while grabbing a think slice of buttered toast simultaneously.She is independent despite being brought up in a rather wealthy family.It looks like she can do well without my help. Somehow I felt I was being a bother to her, perhaps slowing her down too. In fact, she woke up before the sun rose and got down to work in studying the map I passed to her, trying to figure out the best way to approach the reactor.I thought I would try and make her Nibelheim trip comfortable, so in came the idea of bringing more delectable food on the job.I really wonder if I am helping her or burdening her."Whaf aar oo broodeng aboud...mmf?" inquired a ninja with food in her mouth.I looked at her and blinked, then decided to continue looking and blinking a few more times.Yuffie took her time to swallow her food, then whacked me over the head with the basket."Earth to Vincent! Heeelloooooo theeerreeee~"Snapping out of my thoughts, I decide to ask her something."Why are you searching so hard?"Yuffie tilted her head, then shrugged. "Searching for what? If you're talking about Materia, it's for me.""For you?""Yeah. When I bring it back to Wutai, that useless dad of mine can stop the stupid tourist business and get Wutai back to the powerful country it was.""Why would you want to do that?"Yuffie scratched her head and pondered for a while, "you know, if I'd said that it's all for Wutai, it won't be entirely right. There's something in it for me too. I'd feel real proud of myself if I'm the heroine who restores Wutai back to its former glory. And of course, to prove to that old man of mine that I can do a better job than him at anything, anyplace, anytime!"Yuffie grinned."Don't think too much."With that, she flung me the empty basket and stood in the shadow of the metallic reactor looming over us. With a confident smile, she marched towards the entrance, armed with her giant shuriken.I looked into the basket. It's empty.There's breadcrumbs.The cloth is stained with butter and crumbs. And something else.Trying to recall, I believe she used the cloth to wipe her mouth.Wait. I think she blew her nose in it too.......*******************-------------------In the heart of the reactor, there was a strong iron-like scent. The metal in here smells like blood. This place is untouched for so long that it turns a blind eye on all the creations of life and death.Lifestream is refined into Mako, and Mako becomes a cause of death.In this very reactor, the struggle of life and death never ceased.For in this place, a new life was twisted into being from an old one, and from what I see it to be, the beginning of ends were created for all who entered.The rusty metallic pipes intertwined in a bizarre artistic fashion, the placement odd but perfectly logical. The interior designer must have been a Picasso, nothing less.I firmly grabbed Yuffie's arm while crossing the flimsy pipe across the ladder. A whole mess of piping and wiring lay below, and we were not planning to take any risk in case any of those cables happened to be alive.There was a loud 'clank clank' with every step, as my metallic boots hit the grill of a floor. An aisle created by the tall numbered containers flanking us lead us to an elevator, and Yuffie pressed a button. Nothing moved."Perhaps it is because this place has not been maintained for quite some time," I pointed out a reason.Yuffie pulled hard until the big elevator button came off, and dusted it, then shoved it back into the control panel. The elevator still did not work. So it was not the button's fault."I'm sure I saw related circuits functioning somewhere in this panel..." Yuffie analyzed. She then grabbed my clawed hand by the index finger and stuck it into the circuit."Hey, can this thing of yours conduct electricity?"I hoped to be excused, for my hand was not just some 'thing'. Wisdom and Instinct however, tells me not to bother correcting Yuffie."This claw is made of some kind of copper alloy; I believe it does." I sighed, anticipating what would next happen.Grabbing my middle finger with both hands, Yuffie shoved it into a hole in the circuit to complete the connection."Hm, there's no power," she observed."Here, use this," I passed her a screwdriver from my hidden paraphernalia of tools-used-in-all-situations beneath my cloak.She took it without hesitation and pried open the compartment below the elevator control panel.There was a power on/off switch.Being connected to a scientifically correct electrical circuit, I braced myself as she flipped the switch. The only thing I could say about the whole experience is summed up in one expression - ouch.I strongly discourage children from trying this at home.Well, the elevator worked. It went down one level below ground. A flight of stairs across us leading to the above. We should have used it instead.Oh well. No use contemplating over what is done, no matter how shocking it may be.Meticulously prying open a large tile in that very room under a laboratory table with a mess of ominous wires hanging above it, we discovered a trap door. It was just as the map indicated.A secret passage leading to an untapped Mako cave.**************************A gentle constant rumbling soothed my electrified nerves. There was a deep vibration that shook the rocky grounds. As the both of us emerged from the cramped passageway, the sight of clear emerald water gushing from high above into the green rocky depths beneath took our breath away.This place was bigger than it seemed to be. It housed comfortably a miniature waterfall and rockery. I felt as if I had just stepped over the border between Earth and Paradise.This Paradise was green. Sparkling with a quiet, cold silence. The tall rocks spoke of the passing of Time. Most of the rocks were as tall as I am, yet I felt extremely small in comparison to their nonchalance of the surroundings.Yuffie sat down roughly with a bump. She gasped, perhaps feeling the same sudden tranquility of this place.Beautiful, serene, but something started to feel terribly wrong.There was something inscribed on a rock beside the waterfall.It was a question."If nothing remains the same with the passing of time, then name us a constant."The water kept flowing from top to bottom, endless.What is as constant and fluid as this continuous gush of water?"Ugh..." Yuffie groaned.I whipped my head around, only to find Yuffie on her knees, clutching her head.Panicking, I reached out for her, but my hand went right though her!Yuffie was dissolving. Her form started to distort and dissipate, and the surroundings faded into some darkness which does not even have a colour to speak of.I pinched myself. This was not a dream. Yet who am I to speak, one who does not know what it is to live?There was something very strange going on. My mind seemed to be unable to move on from thoughts of myself, the past and questions of existence.Then I saw myself.He was staring right back into my eyes, and if eyes could talk, this pair was screaming and yelling, no less.He was not human physically, but he harbors human emotions. A claw reached out to touch the surface of the mirror. Everything else was still dark and invisible to me. His feet were pointing downwards, thus I conclude he was hovering. His wings flapped in a repeated motion.I held out my clawed hand to match his. We hold the same essence. If I am Emotionless, he is Emotion. If I am At Peace, he is Chaos. Indeed, Chaos is holding in his heart what I suppress as Vincent.There was a flash of light, or something close to that. I only felt something pricking into my eyes, forcing them to shut tight. My closed eyes showed me my past. I wanted to open them, but I could not."If you could keep one thing with you, what would that be?"The question flashed across my mind. Trying to keep myself rational, I figured that the place I am in is toying with me. Still, I tried to search for an answer to this question."...Lucrecia?" the name came out from my lips as a hushed whisper, as a scene from the past appeared. I was a bystander now, helpless to change the tide events to come after Lucrecia confessed that she wanted to join Hojo in his research."Ahh. The girl. So there is someone you love that you wished you could keep for an eternity, no?"No. That's not right.I did love Lucrecia, and that was the reason why I did not keep her by my side, for I respected her decision to marry Hojo.I did wish, though. I wished she chose me. I would protect her from any harm with my life, if only she chose me."So she did not choose you. You could have taken her by force if you wanted to."Yes, but it is all too late now.There was something probing in my mind, a hand that dug deep into the recesses of my thoughts and dragged them out in chains before me.All my history displayed before me. I could not tell if my eyes were opened or close.The days as a Turk under Shinra, the crush I had on Lucrecia that grew into powerful respect and love, the detest I had for Hojo when I found out he was using Lucrecia all along, my naive thinking that I could change him for the better, the transformation of my body into a monster...I couldn't keep anything.I wanted to scream."Tell me something that kept still in your life."I wanted dig out my eyes with my claw.Nothing remains the same.But no matter what I did, I still live in Hell.Living a death was something I dealt with.I wanted to die. Now.************************"Damnit, Vincent! Wake up!" Yuffie was frenzied. This was the last thing she wanted to encounter - a mind attack. The materia coven has a security system. No wonder they had no need for a monster to guard this place.Yuffie was strong. No mind attack could gear her mind away from her one-track thinking. Still, there was a slight headache she had to put up with."C'mon, Vince, this question's easy. Just answer it and come back to sanity!"************************"What is the constant of this revolving Earth?""What remains the same?""The flow of time is constant most of the time, but can be disrupted."Why can't I seem to die?My life is a dream, and my dreams are nightmares.Because of my sin in life, I dream of guilt.Nothing is constant. Who am I to answer this question?Somehow or another, I started seeing images of all my friends.Cloud smiled at me, "nothing remains the same, so take your time, Vincent. But smell the roses before they decide to change their scent."I suddenly remembered that I was supposed to be with Yuffie."Dammit, you moron! If nothing remains the same, then just think what would the opposite be! This is such a stupid question even a 3-year old kid can answer! Just answer the #%@!!^% question and you're out of here!!"I think I angered her again. I must be a bother to her. A person of life should not mix with a person who yearns not to live."Yuffie, are you here?" I asked, as everything disappeared, leaving nothing I could see or touch."Just answer the damn question!"That is definitely Yuffie's voice.I calmed my mind down. The question was simple. The answering was difficult since too many things bogged my mind down.My life had its fair share of ups and downs, perhaps a bit on the down side, but it goes on. I see others live and die, and it pains me. I sleep to ignore the happenings around me. I hibernate in a hopeless attempt to bypass Change."If nothing remains constant, then the only thing that remains the same is Change". I croaked, feeling my despair welling up in my throat.The strange force passed back the remote control of my body back to me. I opened my eyes forcefully, still low on batteries.Yuffie's face greeted my awakening. She looked really frustrated. I lay there, bracing myself for a big scolding.Then I felt something moist fall on my face. I looked at Yuffie, and another drop of tear fell on my cheek. I sat up quickly, ignoring the blood rushing into my head, and kept apologizing.After a while, her sobbing ebbed, and I sighed in relief."I'm sorry, Yuffie. It was all a bad idea to come here.""......"I looked at her. A young teenager with red swollen eyes, the stout confidence and determination stripped away, leaving the fragility naked."I'm sorry to be a burden to you," I added.Yuffie gave me a hostile glare that just killed some of my brain cells. She grabbed my cloak and blew her nose in it. Taking a deep breath, she supported herself to stand."Listen here, Vincent, you are utterly frustrating me to the point that I could break down."I nodded in resignation."Feeling guilty won't earn me any gil or materia, so stop freaking me out with all that pessimistic talk. I heard what you were thinking about the whole time just now when you were knocked out cold.""All right.""You know what, I'll put the thought of searching for materia one side first. Why don't you tell me your problems? You'll feel better with a listening ear."Is it true? Yuffie is actually letting me space out and pour depressing talk all over her? And miraculously not searching for materia straight away?"No need. I appreciate your kind offer, though." I smiled, and steadied myself up against the ledge of the waterfall.The results of the next few hours spent searching in the cave was not spectacular. There was materia in the making, but from the rate of growth I estimated, it might still take at least another sixty years or so for the materia to mature into a fruit ripe enough to be picked."A wasted trip!" Yuffie exclaimed, throwing her hands up into the air.The young girl scooped a handful of water and splashed it on her face. The droplets trickled down her cheeks and through her hands. A totally different person appeared before my eyes. Yuffie was not smiling or frowning for once, but wearing an expressionless mask that I thought impossible for her."Life isn't just some dream." She started."I can't tell the difference between living and dreaming, Yuffie." I murmured.A smile started to spread on her face.Perhaps she knows the answer to all my questions.---------------------------***************************---------------------------YingYang was excited.Here I am, back in my basement at Shinra mansion, weeks after that little adventure I had with Miss Yuffie, Materia Hunter Extraordinare.I looked at YingYang. It held up a mirror and bonked it continuously on my head. I took the mirror and looked in it.I saw my face, slightly haggard, my hair still a mess as usual, as if a couple of hamsters ran rampant through it and pigeons nested there for a year.Or longer.I gazed into my own eyes. Chaos looked back at me. By suppressing my emotions, all the fire and passion I could have channeled into him, transforming into the fire and passion for killing and destruction.Well, old habits can't change. I'll leave him as it is, since he's just me.I smiled at the man in the mirror. He smiled back.Then I turned the mirror to reflect YingYang's face jokingly.YingYang shook both its heads violently from side to side, then waddled closer, knocking the mirror away from my hand with its elbow.Looking at my only somewhat sentient companion, I shrugged."What's up? Feeling lonely? I'll play tag with you if you want to," I offered.Yang is happy.Ying is also ecstatic.Without warning, YingYang bounced over and hugged me tight.I was thrown back, but before I recovered, I found myself laughing.In YingYang's arms, I laughed, and could not stop.Somehow I wanted to just let go and relax.I heartily hugged YingYang in return, using it as somewhat a cushion.My stomach was starting to hurt and my eyes watering, but I continued laughing.**************************--------------------------*Some time later...*I packed what little necessities I needed into a haversack. I reminisced my conversation with Yuffie that happened before.******"Life isn't just some dream to me." She chuckled.I listened on."It is a dream in where you can do anything you want as long as you set your heart on it." the ninja preached, then with a glint in her eye, she pointed at me sharply and added, "...and I want that materia you're having right now! That red one, yeah. No wonder I couldn't find it on Cloud, you were holding it!!"Surrendering the Ramuh materia over, I inquired her opinion, "what if Life is just a Dream that you will wake up from? Are Dreams real, or is Reality a Dream??"Yuffie polished the shiny materia with a shirt with care."Don't be so pessimistic, Vince. I've got a saying here from one of the elders I talked to before in Wutai. Though he was kinda a drag to talk to, here's something that might make sense to your happiness-deprived brain!"
'If Life is a Dream,
Then make your Dreams come true.'"
Yuffie imitated an old man, hunched over with a stick, lecturing to children.I smiled. She does have quite a lot of thinking done for herself at her age.However something was nagging at me to become pessimistic again."But my dreams are nightmares...." I mumbled, realizing that the quote did not really present any positive outlook for me.In a minute, another thought countered the gloom.Face your nightmares, then.When your nightmares become reality, it is no longer a nightmare.What then would you call it? A daymare?That doesn't sound so scary anymore.******With that ending note on my flashback, I finished packing my bag.I heard recently, that there are some new good arms and guns on the market. With my fascination of guns, it might be worth taking a look. From the kindly lady at the item shop, she chattered about the news she got of Wutai being one of the fastest towns in acquiring them...If I stop by at Wutai, I might visit Yuffie and say hello.Yuffie's way of thinking must have rubbed off on me. I started feeling that I should take some time off sleeping and see the world. Maybe on the way, I might find a new meaning of life, or a new change in direction I might want to take.After all, change is never-ending, even if everything was a dream.----------The end of the beginning:Yang is Happy. Ying is also Happy. Everyone is happy, including the writer.----------End fic ~To Live a Dream~----------
After fic nonsense:**
Quote #1 by author: A lethargic person tends to write about another lethargic being in a lethargic kind of way.Keiko's version of Quote #1:
A sianz person tends to write about another sianzed being in a sianzed kind of way.Quote #2 by author: What toking u?**
The sole purpose of this fic was to torture Vincent in anyway possible.
During the course of writing the fic itself, many a time came when I had to pause and stare at the computer screen, thinking of ways and means to put the poor man into agony.This fic is written more or less as a tribute to the many discussions from people who supported the interaction between Vincent and Yuffie. I never really knew of how they could annoy each other until the details were pointed out to me such as how Yuffie reacted when Cloud and gang first aquired Vincent at the Shinra mansion basement.
As for Ying/Yang, this has become one of 2YK's lovable mascots. The first reaction was 'ewww' when we first saw this monster in the game, but the 'eww-ness' of it all soon turned into parody when we envisioned them sharing the same basement as Vincent.
For more fun with Ying/Yang, try out the doujinshi section, particularly the 4-comas on Vincent and Ying/Yang by Keiko.
Thank you for reading and hope you had fun! ^_^5.36am * 26/6/2001---The 2YK Productionshttp://kurama.freeservers.com