To Old Memories, Old Sins, and Old Friends; A Vincent Valentine love story

When Cid let us off the airship, it was just barely dawn. The horizon was decorated with gorgeous pinks and oranges, as if it were a perfectly normal morning. But there wasn't anything normal about this day. Not at all. Something was stirring, something bad, and it wasn't helping me much. Thankfully I kept the ice mask facade like I always do, and it didn't slip. At least, I don't think it did. Vincent was the only one who cast me any sympathetic or worried looks.

“Soo... What exactly are we doing here in Nibelheim?” Yuffie asked cheerfully. I winced. This was the question that I had been dreading and somewhat avoiding. Figured it'd be the brat-child that would bring it up. “I just want to check on something...” I muttered, a somewhat mysterious tone to my voice. “Awww, you didn't even give anything away!” She whined at me, but left me alone, understanding that this was something that runs deep.

The dog thing ran ahead, somehow already knowing where to go and what we were here for. The rest of the group and I continued at a slower pace. Much slower, compared to it. Speaking of “it,” it needed a name. Calling it Dog-hybrid, or Dog, or It, was beginning to bore. Right as we stepped into the village and my eyes fell on the old Shinra Mansion, the dog rammed into me, whining. “Damn it,” I whispered, shoving it off and jogging inside.

I heard the others clatter behind me.

The inside looked completely fine, just as it was the last time I was here. But something was off still, and that didn't comfort me. Without hesitation, I went into the library, finding it wrecked but not paying attention to it. I opened a secret chamber after inserting the code, and sliding down the spiral rotting wooden stairs. Vincent was behind me, that I knew, and I think Cloud was as well, but no one else.

“Why are we down here?” Vincent asked behind me, voice echoing off the cold stone walls. “You remember, in the Forgotten City, I talked about sins? Well your about to see mine,” I admitted, almost shamefully. I had momentarily paused, and I finished jogging down the stairs, into the room with the coffins. I inserted a key I had grabbed out of thin air into a lock of one of the coffins, hearing a satisfying THUNK.

I opened the coffin, knowing it was empty, and turning as the stones on the far wall began to shift and turn until an entryway stood in it's place. I strode confidently in, praying and pleading that the chamber would be just as I had left it. But it wasn't. The whole place was trashed, mako chunks and glass shards littering the ground. The lab equipment was also completely destroyed. There was no possible way that I could get data off of it simply because it was so wrecked. Which also meant that I couldn't be sure when she'd been broken out.

I noticed Vincent and Cloud eying the room curiously. My blood ran cold as I saw a simple, delicate crystal sitting in a glass case on the table. It was the only thing not wrecked.

“Damn... how the hell did she get this?” I muttered, picking it up. But I jumped when I heard a voice say,

“Nice to see you again... Cloud...”

Cloud whipped around, seeing someone that wasn't standing there two seconds ago. “Sephiroth,” he said evenly, drawing his sword. Sephiroth just sort of smirked at him before drawing his attention to me. “This is your lab.” He didn't even question it, he already knew. “Yes,” I responded. Sephiroth's weight shifted very slightly as he smirked again, saying, “And who was in this lab?” “You've certainly done your homework,” I said bitterly.

He was suddenly behind me, one hand holding the drawn sword that was pointing diagonal across my chest and shoulders, the other wrapped tightly around my waist to prevent struggle. He didn't say anything, didn't seem bothered by my comment. He just watched Cloud and Vincent's face. The latter looked absolutely livid, and I didn't bother to look over at Cloud. Sephiroth slowly backed us up, allowing them to step forward. It was hard for me to get any purchase because of the mako crystals and glass shards all over the ground. I had to watch where I stepped, which was harder than it looked because I was pretty much sandwiched between a sword and a man. So each step I used my leg muscles, coiling them and stepping slowly, so I wouldn't fall and have myself cleaved in two.

I started hearing whispers, and I felt dizzy. My eyes darted to the side and it was silent again. I wouldn't have been freaked out if I had recognized the voice, because I suppose voices or ghosts of familiar people may come before someone dies. Except I didn't recognize them. Which scared me even more. My facade was slipping, I could feel it. So I grasped at whatever splinters and shards I had left of it.

“Now,” Sephiroth said. Oh God, here it went... the lecture... “I'll hand back over Dr. Lampier if you hand over the crystal,” he nodded to the dark amethyst crystal. “Why in the world would you need leverage? I mean, couldn't you just beat them into the ground and take it yourself? Jeez, hiding behind women...” the last part I muttered to myself. He snarled when he saw the hidden insult there. “Just saying...” I muttered again.

This timing on my part allowed Vincent to dart behind him. He had a one-second choice. Release me and dodge the bullet that would come in one more second, or... Actually, no, that was the only option to him apparently, because he whipped the sword away in time to block Vincent's bullet. I shot out of the way.

And as the first shots were fired, the tides of battle began.