Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Destiny's Truth ❯ In the Shadow of Da-Chao ( Chapter 3 )
[ P - Pre-Teen ]
By: Trick Sparrow 
Our main characters set out for Wutai, but disaster strikes on the way.
Non Anime: Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 09.16.2001 | Pages: 1 | Words: 1.3K | Visits: 388 | Status: Completed
Our main characters set out for Wutai, but disaster strikes on the way.
Non Anime: Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 09.16.2001 | Pages: 1 | Words: 1.3K | Visits: 388 | Status: Completed
The next morning I woke up to a pair of slate grey eyes staring me directly in the face.
"Rise and shiiine, Vinnie!!"
Yelling in surprise, I sat straight up in bed, knocking a very disgruntled Yuffie Kisaragi onto the hardwood floor.
"Owww, Geez, Vincent! I was only trying to wake you up."
"I'm terribly sorry, Yuffie," I sputtered, my heart still racing. I climbed hastily out of bed and helped her back up. "You startled me, is all."
Her eyes strayed to my bare chest, for I had slept shirtless. She blushed deeply. "I, well, you uh, you're awake now, so I guess my job here is done! Hurry up and get ready, Marlene's going to be here soon." She hurried out the door.
I shrugged, went into the bathroom, and took a shower. As I finished and was drying my hair, I heard a knock on the door.
"Vincent, are you in there?"
"Yes, Tifa, I'll be out shortly," I replied to my hostess.
"Okay, well, Marlene's here and she wants to say hi to you, 'Uncle' Vincent!"
I sighed and banged my forehead against the bathroom mirror wearily. Though I had never been good with children, Barret's adopted daughter had for some reason developed an attachment to ME, of all people. Perhaps I wasn't quite the monster I made myself believe to be.
I got dressed and went downstairs to hear that telltale voice of my little stalker.
"UNCLE VINCENT!!"
"Hello, Marlene," I said with mock cheerfulness as the little girl wrapped her arms around my legs. She looked up at me with her adoring eyes, and I had to admit I felt a bit pleased that she was one of the few young people who wasn't frightened of me.
I picked her up, careful not to scratch her with my abomination of a left hand, and sat down at the kitchen table with the girl on my lap. As she prattled on about all the events in her blessedly short life, I saw Yuffie, who was sitting across from me, give me an approving smile. I smiled slightly back at her. Yuffie was just about the only person who could make me smile.
"Morning, Vincent, ol' buddy, ol' pal!" she said happily. "Hope I didn't freak you out too bad."
"Only a slight coronary, nothing too serious."
"Holy ^&%$in' crap, did ya hear that!?" exclaimed Cid, who was accompanying his breakfast of ham and eggs with a cigarette, as usual. "Dracula over here made a joke! Didja get it on a tape recorder?"
"Shut up, foo!" said Barret angrily. "What'd I tell ya 'bout swearin' in fronta Marlene?"
Cloud came lurching down the stairs, his eyes heavy. "Whuh... Is Marlene here already?"
"Yes, and stationed in Vincent's lap, as usual," replied Tifa. "What do you want for breakfast, sweetie?"
"Sweetie," Reeve chuckled, and Red smacked his off his moogle with his tail.
"I don't care, as long as coffee comes with the deal." He sat down next to me. "Hey, Marlie," he said, ruffling the girl's hair.
"Hi, Cloud!" she replied in her high-pitched voice. "Say hi to Uncle Vincent, too."
"Oh, okay." He smirked at me, and I braced myself for what was coming. "Hi, Uncle Vincent!"
And there it was. "Oh, Lord..."
"Hey, Marlene!" called Tifa from the kitchen. "Why don't you come help me mix the pancake batter?"
"YAY!!" She hopped off my lap and scurried in to assist her. Bless you, Tifa Strife.
I let out a sigh of relief, and Yuffie looked at me, confused. "What's the matter, Vinnie? I thought you liked Marlene."
I shrugged. "I simply tolerate her."
"So you don't even want to have kids?" I thought I heard disappointment in her voice.
"The results would be catastrophic, I'm sure," I replied dryly.
She stared at me for an uncomfortably long time, scrutinizing me. "Huh," she finally said, turning away from me. "That's pretty sad." And she began talking to Red.
*Well, you've certainly done it this time,* I thought, mentally kicking myself.
The days passed quickly. Yuffie gradually forgot about what happened at the breakfast table, but I didn't. I felt as if I had severely disappointed her. It wasn't that I didn't want children, but I had to wonder how well an infant would fare in a house shared with Chaos. It would probably grow up traumatized for life.
Before I knew it, everyone was packing their things and heading back to their homes. I knew I would miss my companions, but before I could say goodbye to my closest one, I was offered something I couldn't refuse.
I was packing my belongings onto my black chocobo, Amaya, when I felt two slender arms encircle me from behind.
"Goodbye, Vinnie," said Yuffie, tightening her hold. "I'm really gonna miss you."
I swallowed a sudden lump in my throat and turned around. "I'll miss you, too, Yuffie. I hope to see you again soon."
Suddenly her grey eyes were occupied with that mischievous glint. She grinned slyly.
I looked at her closely. "Oh no. What are you scheming?"
"Maybe," she said slowly. "Maybe we don't have to say goodbye so soon. Where are you going?"
"I've no idea," I replied truthfully. I was always in a different place. For all everyone else knew, I could be selling bait in Junon or sleeping in the coffin in the basement of the Shinra mansion.
"Do you want to come with me to Wutai?" she asked eagerly. "Before you say no, I just wanted to say that these past few days have been so great, and I REALLY want you to come because the Lantern Festival is in a week, and I thought you'd like to see it, so PLEASE say you'll--"
"Yuffie," I interrupted, touching her nose with my human finger. "I'd be delighted to accompany you to Wutai."
An enormous grin spread over her face, and she hugged me even tighter, almost squeezing the life out of me. I looked over at Cloud and Tifa, and they both winked at me. How on earth Tifa knew was beyond me, but I guessed it was one of those "woman" things.
Yuffie patted her gold chocobo Takeo on the head as our mounts strode swiftly through the forest. "Now, Vinnie, when we get to Wutai, you can have my room, and I'll sleep in the basement with my cats."
"I couldn't possibly," I replied, embarrassed at the imposition. "You should have your own room, Yuffie."
"Well, that's too bad unless you want us to SHARE my room," she said with an amused look on her face as my blush deepened.
"That won't be necessary," I said quickly.
Finally we could see the imposing peak of Da-Chao on the horizon, a sure sign we were nearing Yuffie's hometown. She sighed in relief. "You know, as much as this tourist trap bugs the crap out of me, it's good to be home."
I nodded silently. Suddenly we heard an earth-rumbling roar from the forest. It was impossible to tell where it had come from. My chocobo Amaya warked in alarm and threw me, racing off into the forest. I fell to the ground and realized my Death Penalty was still strapped to her.
"Vincent!" cried Yuffie, and she started to dismount Takeo.
"No, Yuffie!" I shouted, motioning for her to stay on the bird. "Go to Wutai, I'll be all right!"
Her eyes flashed with anger and fear. "No &^%$ing way I'm gonna leave you here!!"
Without warning, I felt searing pain in my back as an abnormally large Behemoth pinned me against the ground. I couldn't breathe, and I heard Yuffie screaming. I felt the hot breath of the animal down my neck.
And slowly, gradually, everything went black.
--------------------------------
Noooo!! What's going to happen to our dear Vincent!? I'm workin' as fast as I can getting the next chapter finished, so try to be at least a little patient.
Trick Sparrow
"Rise and shiiine, Vinnie!!"
Yelling in surprise, I sat straight up in bed, knocking a very disgruntled Yuffie Kisaragi onto the hardwood floor.
"Owww, Geez, Vincent! I was only trying to wake you up."
"I'm terribly sorry, Yuffie," I sputtered, my heart still racing. I climbed hastily out of bed and helped her back up. "You startled me, is all."
Her eyes strayed to my bare chest, for I had slept shirtless. She blushed deeply. "I, well, you uh, you're awake now, so I guess my job here is done! Hurry up and get ready, Marlene's going to be here soon." She hurried out the door.
I shrugged, went into the bathroom, and took a shower. As I finished and was drying my hair, I heard a knock on the door.
"Vincent, are you in there?"
"Yes, Tifa, I'll be out shortly," I replied to my hostess.
"Okay, well, Marlene's here and she wants to say hi to you, 'Uncle' Vincent!"
I sighed and banged my forehead against the bathroom mirror wearily. Though I had never been good with children, Barret's adopted daughter had for some reason developed an attachment to ME, of all people. Perhaps I wasn't quite the monster I made myself believe to be.
I got dressed and went downstairs to hear that telltale voice of my little stalker.
"UNCLE VINCENT!!"
"Hello, Marlene," I said with mock cheerfulness as the little girl wrapped her arms around my legs. She looked up at me with her adoring eyes, and I had to admit I felt a bit pleased that she was one of the few young people who wasn't frightened of me.
I picked her up, careful not to scratch her with my abomination of a left hand, and sat down at the kitchen table with the girl on my lap. As she prattled on about all the events in her blessedly short life, I saw Yuffie, who was sitting across from me, give me an approving smile. I smiled slightly back at her. Yuffie was just about the only person who could make me smile.
"Morning, Vincent, ol' buddy, ol' pal!" she said happily. "Hope I didn't freak you out too bad."
"Only a slight coronary, nothing too serious."
"Holy ^&%$in' crap, did ya hear that!?" exclaimed Cid, who was accompanying his breakfast of ham and eggs with a cigarette, as usual. "Dracula over here made a joke! Didja get it on a tape recorder?"
"Shut up, foo!" said Barret angrily. "What'd I tell ya 'bout swearin' in fronta Marlene?"
Cloud came lurching down the stairs, his eyes heavy. "Whuh... Is Marlene here already?"
"Yes, and stationed in Vincent's lap, as usual," replied Tifa. "What do you want for breakfast, sweetie?"
"Sweetie," Reeve chuckled, and Red smacked his off his moogle with his tail.
"I don't care, as long as coffee comes with the deal." He sat down next to me. "Hey, Marlie," he said, ruffling the girl's hair.
"Hi, Cloud!" she replied in her high-pitched voice. "Say hi to Uncle Vincent, too."
"Oh, okay." He smirked at me, and I braced myself for what was coming. "Hi, Uncle Vincent!"
And there it was. "Oh, Lord..."
"Hey, Marlene!" called Tifa from the kitchen. "Why don't you come help me mix the pancake batter?"
"YAY!!" She hopped off my lap and scurried in to assist her. Bless you, Tifa Strife.
I let out a sigh of relief, and Yuffie looked at me, confused. "What's the matter, Vinnie? I thought you liked Marlene."
I shrugged. "I simply tolerate her."
"So you don't even want to have kids?" I thought I heard disappointment in her voice.
"The results would be catastrophic, I'm sure," I replied dryly.
She stared at me for an uncomfortably long time, scrutinizing me. "Huh," she finally said, turning away from me. "That's pretty sad." And she began talking to Red.
*Well, you've certainly done it this time,* I thought, mentally kicking myself.
The days passed quickly. Yuffie gradually forgot about what happened at the breakfast table, but I didn't. I felt as if I had severely disappointed her. It wasn't that I didn't want children, but I had to wonder how well an infant would fare in a house shared with Chaos. It would probably grow up traumatized for life.
Before I knew it, everyone was packing their things and heading back to their homes. I knew I would miss my companions, but before I could say goodbye to my closest one, I was offered something I couldn't refuse.
I was packing my belongings onto my black chocobo, Amaya, when I felt two slender arms encircle me from behind.
"Goodbye, Vinnie," said Yuffie, tightening her hold. "I'm really gonna miss you."
I swallowed a sudden lump in my throat and turned around. "I'll miss you, too, Yuffie. I hope to see you again soon."
Suddenly her grey eyes were occupied with that mischievous glint. She grinned slyly.
I looked at her closely. "Oh no. What are you scheming?"
"Maybe," she said slowly. "Maybe we don't have to say goodbye so soon. Where are you going?"
"I've no idea," I replied truthfully. I was always in a different place. For all everyone else knew, I could be selling bait in Junon or sleeping in the coffin in the basement of the Shinra mansion.
"Do you want to come with me to Wutai?" she asked eagerly. "Before you say no, I just wanted to say that these past few days have been so great, and I REALLY want you to come because the Lantern Festival is in a week, and I thought you'd like to see it, so PLEASE say you'll--"
"Yuffie," I interrupted, touching her nose with my human finger. "I'd be delighted to accompany you to Wutai."
An enormous grin spread over her face, and she hugged me even tighter, almost squeezing the life out of me. I looked over at Cloud and Tifa, and they both winked at me. How on earth Tifa knew was beyond me, but I guessed it was one of those "woman" things.
Yuffie patted her gold chocobo Takeo on the head as our mounts strode swiftly through the forest. "Now, Vinnie, when we get to Wutai, you can have my room, and I'll sleep in the basement with my cats."
"I couldn't possibly," I replied, embarrassed at the imposition. "You should have your own room, Yuffie."
"Well, that's too bad unless you want us to SHARE my room," she said with an amused look on her face as my blush deepened.
"That won't be necessary," I said quickly.
Finally we could see the imposing peak of Da-Chao on the horizon, a sure sign we were nearing Yuffie's hometown. She sighed in relief. "You know, as much as this tourist trap bugs the crap out of me, it's good to be home."
I nodded silently. Suddenly we heard an earth-rumbling roar from the forest. It was impossible to tell where it had come from. My chocobo Amaya warked in alarm and threw me, racing off into the forest. I fell to the ground and realized my Death Penalty was still strapped to her.
"Vincent!" cried Yuffie, and she started to dismount Takeo.
"No, Yuffie!" I shouted, motioning for her to stay on the bird. "Go to Wutai, I'll be all right!"
Her eyes flashed with anger and fear. "No &^%$ing way I'm gonna leave you here!!"
Without warning, I felt searing pain in my back as an abnormally large Behemoth pinned me against the ground. I couldn't breathe, and I heard Yuffie screaming. I felt the hot breath of the animal down my neck.
And slowly, gradually, everything went black.
--------------------------------
Noooo!! What's going to happen to our dear Vincent!? I'm workin' as fast as I can getting the next chapter finished, so try to be at least a little patient.
Trick Sparrow