Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Final Fantasy VII; Second Generation ❯ Chapter 14 ( Chapter 14 )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-In the Lobby-

 

 

 

 

“Where are they?”, Jessie huffs, tapping her foot impatiently.

 

“Give them time, Sis. Yoko's probably brushing her hair and Vincent isn't exactly what I'd call sociable”, Zack says, holding Shinta while Nicole was braiding her hair.

 

“You're too much like your parents; impatient…”, Vincent states, as he descends the stairs.

 

“Where is Yoko, Vincent?”, Nicole asks.

 

“She's finishing up with her packing”, he replies “She is still tired from last night…”

 

“Last night, huh? So what were the two of you doing?”, Renji smirks.

 

“Renji?!”, Nicole screams in horror.

 

If it wasn't for the high-collar of his cloak covering the lower half of his face everyone would have seen Vincent blush at the accusation, “What are you implying?”, he questions, keeping his cool.

 

“A good-looking woman like her and you a guy alone in a room together, what else could happen?”

 

“I assure you Renji, that nothing of that nature occurred last night”, Yoko states, as she walks down the stairs with her bag slung over her shoulder.

 

“Then enlighten us with what did happen?”

 

“Certainly, not all of Vincent's injuries were healed yesterday after you attacked him, so I had to finish healing the wounds”, she explains, “And the reason I'm tired is because I'm low on mako and don't have any ethers”

 

“Yeah, with a power like yours, you need to keep your mako-levels high”, Pixie says.

 

“Unfortunately, we're out of ethers too”, Nicole informs, being the official keeper of the potions.

 

“And we don't have time to pick any up, we need to catch the ship to Costa del Sol”, Jessie matter-of-factly states, “But which way is it to the docks…?”, she sheepishly asks.

 

“Some leader…”, Zack groans.

 

“Don't worry, I know the way there”, the robotic-fairy reassures.

 

“Well, that's a relief…”, Nicole sighs.

 

“Let's get a move on then!”, Jessie orders.

 

“Hot-headed cockiness is going to get someone killed…”, Vincent and Yoko mutter at the same-time, as they follow the `Leader' as she followed Pixie to the docks.

 

 

 

 

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-The Junon Docks-

 

 

 

 

“Wow! That is a huge ship!”, Zack gasps.

 

“I-it's a cruise-ship!”, Jessie stammers.

 

“Not just any cruise-ship! That is the grandest `First Class' cruise-ship on Gaia…”, Nicole states, “The Leviathan!”

 

“This was the soonest ship to Costa del Sol we could get tickets for”, Pixie replies, “The other ship wasn't going to be here until next week…”

 

“I don't see a problem, the Leviathan is the fastest ship and it wouldn't hurt to take it easy for the few days it takes to get to Costa del Sol”, Yoko states.

 

“Vincent Valentine and group, we're here to escort you for the duration of the trip”, the commander of the group of WRO soldiers salutes as he and his unit approach the party.

 

“At ease soldier”, Pixie orders.

 

“Could you please lead us to our room, Officer?”, Nicole requests.

 

“Of course, ma'am”, one of the soldiers says, politely bowing, “Follow me to your room, Miss. Shinra”

 

“Each other us get our own ship-suite, except me who can bunk up with anyone of the girls”, Pixie explains, “and because of Renji's job to protect Nicole, we made sure your rooms were next to each-other”

 

“I already know my way around the ship, so just tell me the number to my room and I'll be on my way”, Yoko informs.

 

“Suite-room 118, Miss. Kuro”, the soldier replies, after glancing at his clipboard.

 

“Thank you, sir”, she bows, before walking onto the ship with her bag to get settled in her room.

 

“What's wrong with Yoko…?”, Zack asks, “She's acting cold…”

 

“I guess she's really tired”, Pixie says.

 

`There is something more than simply being tired or low on Mako', Vincent thinks, as he watches the young woman vanish onto the ship.

 

 

 

 

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-Hours Later-

-In the Ship's Ballroom-

 

 

 

 

Vincent wanders around the vast room exploring every nook and cranny; it had been decades since the last time he was on a ship, he finds his way towards the grand-piano set off in a corner of the room, running his fingers gently over the keys recalling the last time he had been near a piano like this one; a long 50 years.

 

He sits down onto the bench removing his glove and gantlet before resting his bare fingers on the keys, experimentally testing them; acting as if the keys might bite him if he wasn't careful. After taking a few moments to get comfortable, he finally begins to play something that sounded like it had come from his soul.

 

(A/N: The song he is playing is the piano-version of his theme-music; `The Nightmare's Beginning'. I'll try to get a link up so you can hear it!)

 

“I'm on a ship heading towards Costa del Sol right now…”, Yoko says to whoever was on the other line of her cell-phone.

 

(That is great, you have a recording you need to do for your upcoming CD), her manager replies.

 

“I know I have to record songs for the album, but I've hit a writer's block on my music…”, she sighs, “I can't find the inspiration to write…”

 

(I don't care how or where you find inspiration, just come up with a few new songs. Oh yeah, I want you to perform at the Battle of Singers at Gold Saucer), he adds.

 

“I can't do that, I have to write my songs and I'm in the middle of something important!”, she exclaims, as she walks past the open doors leading into the ballroom stopping in her pacing out of frustration when she heard the beautiful music coming from within, “I'll have to call you back, Dave…”, she says, promptly hanging up before he could protest and walks into the room to see Vincent seated at the piano, his fingers dancing gracefully over the keys creating the flawless music she was hearing.

 

The sound of clapping from behind him causing Vincent to stop playing in mid-note and spin around to see Yoko standing there applauding with a soft smile on her face, “That was beautiful”, she says, starting to walk across the room towards him, “I didn't know you could play the piano”

 

“It's just something I learned to do as a child…”, he replies.

 

“Ah, one of those things that parents pound into their child's head”, she states, sitting down onto the bench.

 

“Actually, it was my mother. She wanted me to be good with my hands”

 

“But becoming a Turk gunman wasn't what she had in mind, right?”

 

“She doesn't know I became a Turk, she had died when I was 12…”

 

“I-I'm sorry… I didn't realize…”

 

“It's alright, there was nothing that could have been done. She was terminally-sick with some sort of cancer, I can't remember what type it was…”

 

“Umm… Let's change the subject...”, Yoko quickly says, “Do you think you could teach me how to play the piano, Vincent? I mean, I may be able to play the violin and perform `the Devil's Trill', but I don't know crap about playing on a piano. I'm a pretty fast learner and I've always wanted to know how to play”

 

“Sure, I don't see a reason not to teach you”

 

“Thank you, Vincent”

 

“Okay, first you need to learn the scales”, he explains, demonstrating it for her on the piano.

 

“I see…”, she nods, paying close attention to his fingers.

 

“Now you try it”

 

“Alright…”, she replies, then plays the same notes Vincent performed.

 

“Good, now try this”, he plays another sequence of notes.

 

Outside in the hall, Pixie flies around taking in the sights of the open ocean, “Where did Yoko go? She said she was going to give me a tour of the ship…”, the robotic-fairly mutters, continuing to search, “Hmm?”, she hums, pausing in her search when she heard a piano being played, flying towards the ballroom and peeks around the door to investigate the sound to find Vincent and Yoko sitting side by side on the piano-bench, `Yoko and Vincent…? What are they doing?', she wonders.

 

Pixie watches from behind as Yoko flinches after pressing the wrong-key and begins to apologize for hitting a sour-note, but Vincent simply and calmly says, “It's alright, you're learning. Just try it again”, he plays the melody for her again.

 

Yoko nods in understanding before placing her fingers back onto the keys and begins to play the melody Vincent just showed her, getting it right this time.

 

“Good, now try this one”, he says, playing a more difficult melody.

 

“Okay…”, she nods, then tries to play it exactly as Vincent had played it, flinching as she hits another sour-note.

 

“That is alright, but you need to relax, you're being to tense”, he advises.

 

“I'm sorry… It's just my first time playing…”

 

“How about we take a breather and resume the lesson in a few minutes”

 

“Sure…”, she nods.

 

`Yoko's learning how to play the piano from Vincent?! I had no clue he could play!', Pixie thinks, `Ruvie is going to have a fit when she finds out!'

 

 

 

 

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