Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ DIABOLIC ~ A FFVII Fan-Fiction ❯ Chapter 14

DIABOLIC

~ A FFVII Fan-Fiction ~
By Ookami Kasumi

 

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Fourteen

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Vincent strained his wings, but Rufus ShinRa was surprisingly difficult to carry in flight. Then again, perhaps it wasn't so surprising. Although Rufus was the same height as Vincent, Rufus was far more muscular in build compared to Vincent's slender frame. Vincent was stronger by far, but his wings just weren't large enough to carry two, especially when one of them was struggling like a madman.

 

Rufus was dragging them down at a rate Rufus wouldn't survive.

 

Vincent called on his beast. In mid-dive the black lightning burst from his skin expanding his body and coating him in scaled armor. Horns curled from his heavy brow, and his long snaking tail whipped behind him. Right under Rufus's belly, he transformed.

 

To his credit, Rufus didn't scream. He did swear a whole lot though, and loudly. Vincent was actually impressed. The only fear the man showed was in his death-grip on the ridges down Vincent's back, while he was pounding on the plates with his other fist.

 

Vincent pumped his wings, turning sharply, and sailed upward. He needed someplace sufficiently difficult for Rufus's five Turks to reach. He didn't want them interrupting.

 

The highest point closest to him was the very top ledge of the reactor. That wasn't going to do. Gaia only knew what kind of fumes came out of that stack.

 

The next building over was a warehouse. It wasn't nearly as tall, but the roof was fairly flat and looked strong enough to actually hold the beast's weight. There was a battered outbuilding housing the roof access close to the roof's center. That would do to block most of the wind.

 

Vincent landed on the warehouse roof in a crouch without too much of a crunching impact. The roof groaned, but didn't buckle. Satisfied, Vincent let Rufus slide from his shoulder.

 

Rufus landed on his feet. His legs clearly shook under him, but he remained standing.

 

Vincent reached out and carefully hooked his saber-long claws through the back of the man's coat collar, tearing only minor holes in the fabric.

 

Rufus choked and grabbed for the neck of his coat.

 

Vincent released his beast. The black lightning erupted and dissolved the monstrous body, leaving Vincent in his customary mantle and cape, gripping Rufus by the collar with his armored hand.

 

Rufus turned to face Vincent, and narrowed his ice-blue gaze. “Valentine…”

 

Vincent's brows rose. Oh, so I'm Valentine again, rather than Vincent? He couldn't help but smile. Apparently, he'd gained a little respect.

 

“This isn't funny, Valentine!” Rufus bared his teeth, near blind with fury. “What in Hell's name do you think you're doing?”

 

Vincent's long black hair lifted in the chilly night wind. He stared at the rumpled and violently angry Rufus. What was he doing?

 

He was saving someone he should have protected a long time ago. Someone he'd never had the chance to protect. Someone that had never been rescued from the madness that took them. …Someone who should have been a hero, but had been branded a villain. …Someone that deserved a chance at redemption. He was giving Sephiroth a second chance.

 

Vincent started walking along the warehouse roof, dragging Rufus behind him.

 

“Valentine, damn you, answer me!” Rufus grabbed for Vincent's wrists and dug in his heels. “What the fuck, are you doing?”

 

Vincent kept pulling, dragging Rufus behind him. Rufus was by no means a weak man, but Vincent wasn't even close to human. “I'm sorry Rufus, but you've given me no choice.”

 

“Who? Me? What the fuck did I do?” Rufus banged on Vincent's armored arm with his fist. “Talk to me, damn you!”

 

Vincent kept walking, pulling Rufus after him.

 

There was a harsh metallic click. Rufus's voice was a deep harsh growl. “Talk to me, right now, or I'll blow your fucking brains out.”

 

Vincent stopped and looked back at Rufus.

 

Rufus held the ugliest large caliber, automatic pistol Vincent had ever seen, pointed at Vincent's head.

 

Vincent lifted his chin so he could smile over the collar of his mantle. “Shoot if you like, but it won't kill me. However, it will piss me off.”

 

Rufus kept the gun pointed. “Just tell me what is going on, and who is behind it. That's all I want.”

 

Vincent took a breath and tilted his head. “All right. You've turned Sephiroth into a ball of materia. I'm going to release him from it.”

 

Rufus's mouth fell open and he squinted. “You're going to release Sephiroth? You?” He threw out both his arms and bellowed at the top of his lungs. “Are you insane?”

 

Vincent smiled tightly. “Yes me, and truthfully, I'm not sure if I was ever sane to begin with.”

 

Rufus snorted. “I will not argue on your sanity, or lack thereof. However…” He cleared his throat. “Would you kindly release me? It's not as if I have anywhere to run, and it's very uncomfortable.”

 

Vincent sighed and let Rufus go.

 

Rufus lowered his pistol to tug at the lapels of his coat. “Thank you.” He jerked at his sleeves. “Now then…” He held up his hands in a placating motion, though it looked rather odd with the pistol in his right hand. “Vincent, no one can release anything from materia except by invocation.”

 

Vincent crossed his arms and hid his smile behind the collar of his mantle. He was Vincent again instead of Valentine. Rufus apparently though he had some sort of advantage. “Oh, really?”

 

Rufus nodded. “Yes, really. But what interests me the most is…” He scrubbed his free hand through his hair. “Why the hell would you want to release the man that tried to murder the world?” He flung out his arms in clear exasperation. “I thought you hated him?” He crossed his arms and huffed. “Even more than you hated me.”

 

Vincent shook his head. “It's difficult to explain…”

 

Rufus spoke through his clenched teeth. “Try.”

 

Vincent lifted his brows. “All right. There are two Sephiroths, and you caught the wrong one.”

 

Rufus stared at Vincent, his ice-blue eyes wide. “Two… There are two Sephiroths?”

 

Vincent held his gaze. “Yes. Sephiroth died in the Nibelheim reactor. What tried to murder the world was his regenerated body operating under the complete control of Jenova. What you caught was the ghost of the original man, not the creature that tried to murder the world.”

 

Rufus frowned deeply, then rocked back on his heels. “Then what in hell's name manifested in the body of that clone last summer?” He curled his lip. “It certainly looked like Sephiroth to me.”

 

Vincent lifted his chin to show his smile. “Those three weren't clones.”

 

Rufus waved his hand. “My reports say that the DNA matches, so technically they were clones. What they don't say is how the hell they happened outside of a cloning tank.”

 

Vincent leaned back on his heels. “They were regenerated revenants of Sephiroth's Jenova-infested body.”

 

Rufus's brows lifted very slowly. “They were…what?”

 

Vincent smiled tightly. “It seems that the individual pieces regenerate into whole bodies.”

 

Rufus winced. “Wonderful.” He sighed, then lifted a brow at Vincent. “So in effect, instead of one big Sephiroth, we have lots of little Sephiroths skipping about?”

 

Vincent shook his head. “They're all little Jenovas chasing after Reunion and the world's end.” He sighed. “What manifested from that revenant was clearly Jenova, wearing the form Jenova was most used to wearing - Sephiroth.”

 

“I see.” Rufus swept a hand down his face and rolled his eyes. “Well, that explains just about everything, not to mention completely ruins my day.” He scowled. “It appears I'll have to adjust this year's budget for a clean-up crew.”

 

Vincent lifted his brows. “Satisfied?”

 

Rufus nodded. “Thank you.” He frowned at Vincent. “Now, would you mind telling me what we are doing out here?”

 

“Certainly.” Vincent reached out faster than the human eye could see, and plucked the pistol from Rufus's hand.

 

Eyes wide, Rufus stared at his gun hanging loosely in Vincent's human hand.

 

Vincent swung his arm and flung the gun clear off the roof, without bothering to look where it went. “We're here because I need you to release Sephiroth.”

 

“I can't!” Rufus threw out his hands and shouted. “No one can!”

 

Vincent smiled. “I can.” He reached out and grabbed Rufus by the back of the collar. “I just need your body.” He turned away and resumed dragging Rufus toward the roof access.

 

Rufus choked and grabbed for Vincent's armored wrist. “I'm perfectly capable of walking, if you don't mind?”

 

Vincent ignored him and kept walking

 

Rufus exploded into a long and rather impressively creative stream of invectives.

 

Vincent hauled Rufus around to the back side of the outbuilding that housed the roof access and slammed him back against the narrow wall. The metal gave a hollow bang.

 

Rufus gasped. His steady stream of obscenities halted, but he remained on his feet.

 

Vincent reached out and tugged Rufus's tie free from around his throat.

 

Rufus snatched the tie back. “That is my best tie, thank you very much.” He shoved it into his coat pocket.

 

With blinding speed, Vincent undid the suit jacket's buttons then unfastened the leather vest buckles.

 

Rufus scowled at Vincent. “May I ask, what you think you're doing?”

 

Vincent undid the top buttons to Rufus's shirt and jerked the collar wide. “I need to get to your throat.” He grabbed Rufus by the shoulder and turned him to face the wall.

 

Rufus threw his hands out to keep from hitting the wall with his face. “You are not fucking me!”

 

Vincent snorted. “No Rufus, I am not.” With his right and human hand, he grabbed a handful of Rufus's dark blond hair and pulled Rufus's head to the side, bearing the left side of his throat. “I'm going to drain about half of your soul.”

 

“You're what…?” Rufus grabbed for Vincent's wrist. “You can't…!”

 

“I can.” Vincent grabbed Rufus's left arm and shoved it down, then wrapped his armored arm around Rufus's chest, trapping Rufus's left arm against his side. “In fact I drain souls fairly often. It's what I feed on.”

 

Rufus struggled in Vincent's hold. “Vincent! You can't do this! You're a…You're a damned goody-goody! You don't do things like this! Think about what you're doing…!”

 

Vincent set his lips next to Rufus's ear and whispered. “I have thought about this, believe me I have. In fact, I've always thought before I acted. I've done the right thing, the good thing, all my fucking life! Any you know what? Doing the right thing lost me everything and everyone I ever cared about! Let's see what happens when I do the wrong thing for once.” He opened his mouth on Rufus's throat and licked, searching for the pulse of the carotid.

 

Rufus trembled and his voice became breathless. “What in fuck's name are you doing now?”

 

Vincent found the pulse and licked his lips. “I will advise you not to struggle. My teeth are long and very sharp. It would be a shame if you moved and I accidentally ripped your throat wide open.”

 

Rufus froze. The acrid scent of fear sweat erupted from Rufus's body, but his voice was perfectly steady. “Are you planning to kill me?”

 

“No.” Vincent bit down, his long teeth burrowing deep.

 

Rufus gasped and tensed. “Ow! Fuck! Son of a fucking bitch!”

 

Vincent pulled his teeth free, set his lips to the tears, and sucked in a mouthful. Rufus's blood held the bitter tinge of Jenova-taint, but the alien strain was voiceless, dormant, inert. Vincent briefly recalled the healing rain from a few months ago. The odd rain had been the cure for the skin-blackening disease that had plagued those tainted by the Jenova strain. Apparently Rufus had spent some time under that healing fall. Good. He wouldn't have to worry about going insane again.

 

He swallowed, and tasted the essence of the soul that inhabited the body. Not bad. Not particularly strong in magic, but very vital just the same. He took a deeper draught, and then another, and another…

 

Rufus closed his eyes and groaned. “Hurts… You shit.”

 

Vincent kept drinking…swallow after swallow…

 

Rufus's body eased of tension. His breathing slowed, as did his heart. He released a soft groan and went completely limp in Vincent's arms.

 

Vincent lifted his head and licked his lips. He released Rufus's hair and wiped his scarlet smeared lips with the back of his right hand. Supporting Rufus's body, Vincent eased down to his knees then sat with Rufus sprawled across his lap.

 

Rufus's eyes fluttered open. “What…? He blinked up at Vincent, his eyes barely focusing. “What kind of a monster are you?” His voice was soft and breathless.

 

Vincent smiled. “Ask Hojo. He made me this way.”

 

Rufus panted softly. “Now what?”

 

“Now…” Vincent unfastened the buckles attaching his gold titanium gauntlet from his forearm vambrace. “I'm going to show you a secret, Rufus.” He pulled the gauntlet free and set the clawed glove down at his side. “A secret that your company paid for.” A hard tug slid his leather glove out from under his armor revealing his black hand. It crackled with chaos lightning. He spread his clawed fingers before Rufus's eyes. “Do you know what this is?”

 

Rufus frowned. “That wasn't in your file.”

 

Vincent used both hands to grip Rufus's half-buttoned dress shirt. “My hand is made of pure chaos.” He jerked. Buttons scattered and fabric tore, bearing Rufus's chest. “Chaos un-makes things.”

 

Rufus groaned. “Hey, that shirt did not come cheap!” His voice was breathless, but he grabbed on to Vincent's mantle with a surprisingly strong grip. “Wait a minute…” He looked up at Vincent. “Chaos does…what?”

 

Vincent leaned over and reached into Rufus's coat pocket. “It un-makes things. It devolves them down to the elemental level.” He pulled out the crystal that held Sephiroth imprisoned and held it up before Rufus's eyes. “…Things such as this materia crystal.” Within his black claws, a shimmering mist erupted from the crystal, and it began to shrink. “My hand is only a small extension of the Chaos that inhabits me. It's designed specifically to collect the soul from a living body.” He stared at the disintegrating crystal and smiled mildly. “Though, it's also good for dispelling magic and breaking down small objects.”

 

Rufus frowned. “I don't understand. Chaos…? Souls…? What are you planning?”

 

“I am planning to do a very bad thing, Rufus.” The crystal in Vincent's hand dissolved completely into mist leaving a bright green-silver ball of flame floating within Vincent's black claws. “I'm delivering a fresh body to Sephiroth.”

 

“You're…what?" Rufus's eyes widened. "You can't mean me?”

 

Vincent lowered his hand until the glowing green-silver flame flicker right over Rufus's heart. “Yes, you.” He looked onto Rufus's wide ice-blue gaze. “Good by, Rufus ShinRa.” He pressed the flickering soul against Rufus's chest. It disappeared.

 

Rufus gasped and arched, his eyes opening wide. He dropped, slumping boneless across Vincent's lap. His eyes closed.

 

Vincent's heart twisted and his eyes burned. Hot wetness spilled down his cheek that he refused to think about.

 

“Vincent.” The voice was achingly familiar, and it came from the body sprawled across his lap.

 

Vincent opened his eyes.

 

Rufus was frowning in a fashion that did not belong on his face. There was a definite green gleam in the heart of his ice-blue eyes. He lifted his hand and pressed a palm to Vincent's cheek. “You're weeping?”

 

Vincent took a deep breath, afraid to hope. “Sephiroth?”

 

“Yes.” He pushed to sit up in Vincent's lap. “And no.”

 

Vincent hastily scrubbed his gloved human hand across his damp cheeks. “Yes and no?”

 

Sephiroth lifted Rufus's hands and examined them. “Correct. Rufus is still in here.” He groaned. “I feel like total crap.”

 

“I can fix that.” Vincent brought his hands together over Rufus's bare chest. “Hold still.”

 

Rufus stared up at Vincent with Sephiroth gleaming in his eyes. “Hmm?”

 

Vincent invoked his more commonly known magic. “Cure three.” Warm golden light exploded in a bright ball around them. The light dissolved into Rufus's body.

 

Rufus sighed, but it was Sephiroth who spoke. “Oh, that's much better.” He turned and smiled at Vincent. It was a brutal smile that did not belong on that face at all, but it was painfully familiar all the same. “We had a long talk, Rufus and I.”

 

Vincent's brows lifted. A long talk? He was only out for a few moments. He started working his leather glove back over his black hand. “Did you?”

 

Rufus's head nodded. “It seems that Rufus ShinRa would like to live.” Rufus's head tilted up and Sephiroth looked up at Vincent. “He made me a counter-offer.”

 

Vincent's picked up his armored hand gauntlet and frowned. “What kind of counter-offer?” He slid the gauntlet on and bucked it to the underside of his forearm vambrace. “

 

Sephiroth smiled broadly with Rufus's face. “A clone.”

 

Vincent stared. “A clone?”

 

The man sprawled across Vincent's lap nodded. “By using a clone, I won't need to displace anyone and it'll be a perfect match.” Sephiroth curled Rufus's lip. “I'd rather not use this body. It's is in terrible condition.” Sephiroth held up Rufus's hand. “Help me up.”

 

Vincent rose to his feet, pulling Rufus up with him. “Can you trust him?”

 

“Of course.” Sephiroth closed Rufus's shirt frowning at the rips, then tugged the vest and suit-jacket back into place. “If he does not live up to his end of the bargain, he knows I can always have you put me right back in here.” He looked over at Vincent. “And he knows you won't hesitate.”

 

Vincent snorted. “Good point.”

 

Rufus lifted his chin, and his expression changed to a scowl more natural to his face. “Sephiroth, if I am to…fulfill your requirements, I can't do it from…the back seat.” He snorted. “Unless of course you'd like to take over all my paperwork?”

 

Vincent lifted his brows. Rufus was indeed still in his own body.

 

Rufus's expression shifted. He rolled his eyes. “Oh, very well.” It was clearly Sephiroth's voice. “By all means, keep your paperwork. I'm a general, not a bureaucrat.”

 

Rufus abruptly straightened and shook out his arms. “This is going to be a complete pain in my ass.” He tilted his head from side to side, with slight popping sounds. “Ah, that's better.” He tugged at his coat, then scowled at his lost shirt buttons. He shot a glare at Vincent. “You owe me for a very expensive dress shirt, in addition to a very costly bullet-proof plate glass window.”

 

Vincent folded his arms and smiled tightly. “What a pity, I don't have any money.”

 

Rufus suddenly smiled, and it was pure Rufus. “Then you can work off your debt.”

 

“Work?” Vincent's brows shot up. “Doing what?”

 

Rufus crossed his arms. “According to your records, you were a Turk. You can simply resume your duties.”

 

Vincent froze where he stood. “I…What?”

 

“He'd make an excellent field operative.” The voice was thoroughly Sephiroth.

 

Vincent took a step back. What the hell was this? “Are you out of your mind?

 

“Actually no, I'm not out of my mind.” Rufus scowled. “In fact, I have company in here.”

 

Vincent had no idea which one had said it, and that thoroughly bothered him. He hunched his shoulders and bared his teeth. “I am not going to work for ShinRa!”

 

Rufus raised his chin and lifted a brow. “Oh, so you're willing to abandon Sephiroth to me then?”

 

Vincent leveled a cold glare at Rufus. “Give me one good reason why I should work for the company that did this to me?” He raised his armored hand.

 

Rufus snorted. “How does this reason suit you? The only people allowed in my presence are Turks. If you want to keep an eye on Seph, you do it as a Turk or you don't do it at all.”

 

Vincent suddenly felt the world tilt under his feet. What the fuck was he supposed to? There was no way in hell he wanted to go back to being a ShinRa Turk, but he couldn't leave Sephiroth alone with Rufus ShinRa either. Crap, crap, crap! He bared his teeth. “You manipulative bastard…”

 

Rufus nodded with a smile on his lips. “Yes, I know, but then that's why I have the largest office.”

 

Once again Vincent couldn't tell which one was talking. He shivered. The two of them were far too similar in personality for his comfort.

 

Rufus tilted his head and spoke with his own voice. “First thing I plan to do is get you to a decent tailor.” He shook his head. “That ragamuffin outfit is thoroughly unprofessional.”

 

A tailor? Vincent froze where he stood, the ramifications of working under Rufus ShinRa suddenly unfolding before him in horrifying detail. Working under Rufus would expose him. Not just the full extent of his abilities, but all of him, his body, his strengths, his weaknesses, his secrets… He'd be completely and utterly vulnerable. Vincent shook his head and took a step back. “Sephiroth, I'm sorry, but I can't do it.”

 

Rufus's gaze hardened and his smile evaporated. Sephiroth's voice was soft but icy. "You're not leaving me.”

 

What…? Vincent balled his hands into fists. “I can't work for ShinRa.”

 

Cold hard determination blazed from Rufus's gaze. “It's not for him, it's for me.”

 

Vincent held his gaze but a fine trembling started in his body. “Sephiroth, I can't.”

 

Rufus's voice vibrated with a growl that was all Sephiroth. “Don't make me give Rufus your name.”

 

Vincent jerked back as though he'd been slapped. He stared in shock, then curled his lip showing his long fangs. “You wouldn't dare…”

 

Rufus's entire body shifted until there was no mistake that Sephiroth was in full control of it. “You're not leaving me Vincent.”

 

Rufus's body shifted again, and so did his voice. “He doesn't want you to go Valentine.” Rufus's words were mild, almost gentle. “And I'm afraid he's fairly desperate.”

 

Vincent glared, his entire body shaking with anger.

 

Rufus just stared back wearing a slight smile, his arms crossed with Sephiroth burning in his eyes.

 

The door to the roof stairs burst open. Three seriously pissed off Turks came flooding out of the stairwell all carrying high powered machineguns blazing with materia. They fanned out and took up positions to either side of Rufus, their weapons all pointed at Vincent.

 

In a wash of incredible noise and wind, a helicopter emblazoned with the ShinRa company logo rose alongside the building. The broadside door was open and a small blond woman armed with rather huge machinegun clearly powered with multiple materia.

 

Rufus lifted his hand.

 

The three Turks froze staring.

 

The helicopter hovered right where it was.

 

Rufus lifted his chin. “Do we have an agreement, Valentine?”

 

Vincent leveled the coldest glare he had on Rufus, but he meant it for the both of them. “Fine.”

 

With his white coat blowing in the wind from the helicopter, Rufus folded his hands behind his back and lifted his chin. “Tseng.”

 

The tallest Turk straightened from his crouch, lifting his weapon to the shoulder position. He walked up to Rufus's left side. “Sir?”

 

Rufus turned to smile at him. “Say hello to your newest recruit.”

 

Tseng looked sharply at Vincent. His brows lifted well above his dark glasses.

 

Vincent continued to glare at Rufus, but it was meant for Sephiroth. As soon as he had a body, Vincent planned to beat the living crap out of it.

 

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