Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Lunatic Pandora ❯ Lost Sheep ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter Three: Lost Sheep

 

One-Winged Angel: Again, same as before, blah blah, don't own the characters, just the game and my pictures. That's ALL. Once more, this is a repost of chapter two, split into chapters three and four. Enjoy the shorter chapter-ness. I really hope this is making it easier to read… >_>

 

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"Forgiveness is the answer to the child's dream of a miracle by which what is broken is made whole again, what is soiled is made clean again." - Dag Hammarskj

 

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Lost sheep… Vincent couldn't help but let the small phrase spring into his mind, shimmering garnets watching in mild interest as others roamed aimlessly through the frozen, desolate ghost town. They were all just like lost sheep, wandering helplessly and with an air of muted silence that spoke of their obliviousness for them. Lost animals drifting alone and scared through the abandoned town without a caretaker to herd them to a sanctuary of warmth and comfort. A small frown creased his supple, paled face as he remained perched in a cat-like pose atop the roof of the old, phantom household - a house that he had known in the past, had stayed in momentarily during the brighter half of his visitation in the icy mountain home - his body tucked as tight as possible to conserve heat on the breezy overlook.

The sharp, golden metal of the cursed demon hand that he abhorred more than anything else dug deep into the flesh of the dark tiles, holding him steady and preventing him from falling from the immense height. No fear came to him at the thought of plummeting from the rooftop, the slightest notion of perhaps allowing himself to fall coming to his mind for a brief moment only to vanish, his eyes refocusing to drift out of habit toward the painfully recognizable dark form in the back.

“It's not right! It's not humane! Why!?”

“It's part of our work. There was nothing you could have done to stop either of us.”

“You killed her! Because of you she's-” The echoing sound of the gunshot that followed the argument exploded deafeningly in his mind, cutting off the remainder of the speech as he shoved it away from his thoughts. Slowly his gloved, human hand crept up to the right side of his chest at the recollection that he hated, unpolished rubies sliding shut with the action. His slender fingers grasped the fabric tightly to try to force the pang of pain that lingered there, despite the age of the wound, away. Calmly he took several deep breaths before reopening his eyes to watch the silent house once more, thin fingers tightening on the palpable midnight fabric to cling tightly to his breast. “Because of me she's gone.” A grimace marred his powdery face, the smooth skin twisting into a look of discomfort at the fact that he desperately tried to force from his mind every living moment, the hand releasing itself to join its demon counterpart in holding him up.

“Are you coming down anytime soon!? We can use your help, since you know this place third best and all, and all you've been doin' is sitting up there and staring at nothing like a friggin' gargoyle or something!” The voice of the young teenage woman snapped Vincent briskly from the thoughts he had been dwelling in for however long, the demon man having lost track of the flow of the day as he pondered their plight and the past. Brushing off the annoyance he remained in his position as if he truly were a stone guardian of the structure, the man not even bothering to give an acknowledging glance in the teen's direction.

“Hey! Don't ignore me you cold-hearted bastard!” Growling lightly through clenched teeth he pulled himself fluidly to his feet, blood-red orbs staring down at her skinny form fleetingly before he leapt from the building. The feeling of the wind from the motion was cold against his skin, his hair and cloak billowing out behind him in a mass of dark reds and black and wrapping about his form as he came once more to terra firma. Gracefully he landed, small tufts of dust and dirt curling up in thin wisps about the copper and brown boots that he adorned, the man straightening himself out once more to begin pacing forward, towards the dark mansion at the back and past Yuffie. “And you're not even going to talk to me?”

Stopping the man turned, eyes vacant and void of all emotion as he glared in her direction, the emptiness of the scarlet orbs being replaced by an air of anger that seemed to whip about him in a whirlwind of sentiment. “There is nothing for me to speak to you about.” Hissing the words coldly he turned once more to the path before him, withdrawing from the girl without hesitating for an answer and making his way forward once more. His feet seemed to carry him with a mind of their own, as if possessed, his own thoughts drifting in and out of focus like a broken mirror in his consciousness, fragments of the thoughts sticking firmly in place and causing the frown from before to return and burn at nothing in particular.

Raising his eyes after walking pointlessly through the icy town Vincent found himself inches before the object of his bitter thoughts and resentment, the coal black, iron barrier sitting before him seeming to mock him as he stared fruitlessly at it. Lifting his vision further he took in the sight of the corroded and collapsing building that sat neglected off in its own little dark corner of the town, the structure itself teasing him as if to agonizingly and vehemently drill the past, and present, into his being. Wavering for a mere second he shoved the metal gate open, a melancholic scream of defiance rising from the rusted frame. A shiver ran down his thin form at the sound as it drifted like the cry of a dying creature through the mountain air that lingered in the miniscule city, a familiar feeling of history long gone coming to his being with the sound that arose.

Walking forward in a sort daze he stopped before the large, oaken door of the manor, his hand coming to hover over the cast iron knob of the wooden portal as if he were having a mental debate with himself. Making up his mind he let his hand come to rest peacefully on the icy metal that lay within reach of his fingertips, his right, human hand clasping a hold of the handle tightly. Warmth leapt into his abdomen, his stomach feeling as if it were doing flips, a flurry of anxiety pounding viciously inside of him as he let his gleaming, scarlet eyes run over every grain, every delicate curve of the entrance. The heat coursing through is body seemed to tug him forwards, towards the depths of the manor, as if the building were screaming at him to wander into the oblivion and never return to the waking world of light and life.

“Stop. No one is allowed in this house.” The shallow, heavy voice tore him from his reserve, snapping Vincent back to his senses in time for his eyes to refocus and stare dumbly at the ebony abyss that greeted him, the door now ajar enough for him to fit through and enter the darkness that seemed to seep out of the house in thick tendrils. Staggering away from the arch he released the door from his grasp, allowing the blonde that now stood at his side in a strangling state of frustration to slam the door shut. The wave of air that blew at him caused the midnight strands hanging around his face to twist about him, the man's eyes turning to the direction of his companion at his side, the same look of vacant confusion lingering on his features.

“I-”

“Do not enter that place again, not now. Understood?” Interrupting the black haired man Cloud grasped the vampiric form's arms tightly, the taller man peering down at his appearance in a state of startled silence and bewilderment, thin, gloved fingers digging into the frail skin that lay concealed by the dark cloth. Widened, ruby eyes focused onto the blank cobalt orbs that threatened to bore into his very soul, a glimpse of the thin strip that was once a full circle or midnight standing amongst the sea of deep blue, the sight catching Vincent's attention. Not knowing how to react he gave a meek nod, tearing himself from the painful grasp and tripping back clumsily in an effort to put as much distance as possible between him and the youth, the other finally letting his hands lose their grip. Sliding his leather-clad palms off of the thick fabric of the other's cape he brought them to his own sides, thin eyelids closing slowly only to snap open to reveal full, dark pupils once more, the sapphire spheres now gleaming with emotion and life.

“Cloud…?” Vincent whispered the word delicately under his breath, an inquisitive tone taking over the simple name as if to ask the thousands of questions that spiraled at dizzying pace in the demon's mind. Taking a hesitated step towards the other the elder of the two glanced up and down the leader's form, searching for some sign, some mark or reason behind the odd behaviors. Finding his search in vain he let his eyes rest on the blue orbs facing him once more, attentively awaiting some reaction or reply from the younger of the duo.

“Yeah?” Opening his mouth as if to speak Vincent frowned, stopping himself before he could even bother to inquire about the odd behavior, his lips spreading into an indifferent look of forced silence. Shaking his head slowly he turned away from the other, his eyes once more absently coming to rest on the place that started the nightmare.

“It's nothing…” A shrug of indifference regarded the man's secrecy, the familiar arching of tawny shoulders signaling something in the demon man's brain; a signal that told him everything for now was fine, that the man was Cloud and no one else. An uncomfortable silence grew between the two, neither looking away from the other, one giving a quizzical look of innocence and confusion, the other searching through the sapphire eyes that held secrets he could only dream of. Fidgeting the blonde let his eyes drift finally away from the stare they had been conflicting with, his mind racing with possible reasons for the somewhat accusing glare that he had been receiving.

“Uhhh… Yeah….” The younger man let his dull words ring in his own ears, the icy air seeming to make them bounce around and show the idiocy of the small statement that he had used merely as a method to break the suffocating silence that ate away at him. Plastering a smile on his tanned face he turned once more to his companion, eyes bright and full with life and vivid color, their blue depths shimmering as he reached out and let his hand clamp firmly around the small wrist before him. The demon man jumped at the slight touch, his face regaining its emotion as he glanced hurriedly down at the hand that had him captive. Slowly he shuffled back away from the man in slight fear and surprise, the thoughts that had held his mind ensnared having allowed the movement of his friend to go unnoticed.

“Come on Vincent, if I have to be stuck here I want to at least find some good food for once!” Tugging the man forward he spun on his heel, auburn leather boots causing a tuft of dirt to spiral about him like a whirl of energy as he took off towards the center of town. Tripping clumsily the older man allowed himself to be halfheartedly drug behind the changed youth, his feet tripping over nothing in particular in an effort at keeping up with the man's vigor. “Hey, I wonder if there's still anything good to drink around here… Cid'll like that, that's for sure!” He muttered the words as a sort of afterthought to his announcement, a stubborn growl erupting from his stomach in compliance with his loud proclamation. Skidding to a halt in the pinnacle of the town he turned, waiting patiently for the victim of his renewed energy to finally catch up, the ebony-haired man clutching his abdomen with his human hand. “I think you're out of shape old man.”

“Old?” He playfully spat the word back at Cloud, eyes narrowed in a glare that held little to no meaning behind it to add to the artificial angry aura he put around himself. “I am not old, I'm only…” The sentence faded away into the distance as Vincent glanced at his fair-haired companion's form, the other staring emotionlessly towards the large window of the inn that gazed down at them like a giant, overwhelming beast, it's translucent eye holding the other rapt in its stare. “Cloud…?” Hesitantly, as if he feared what he may see behind that crystal pane he glanced upwards as well, ruby eyes squinting against the reflected rays of the sun for some sign of what held the man in such a stunned awe.

The flicker of quicksilver and ebony barely caught his attention as a form as transparent as the glass it rest behind drifted back from the window, wisps of what could only be long tresses fading into black nothingness behind the portal. A sharp intake of breath at his side led Vincent's gaze once more to the man beside him, the youth's hand reaching pitifully out towards nothing as if he could grab the form from the window. “Sephi… roth…” His voice was nearly inaudible over the breeze that kissed their skin in cold nips, the word that he so often spoke now sheltered and muted, as if he were afraid that saying the name out loud would cause it to become a false reality.

“Sephiroth!?” Without giving an answer or explanation Cloud took off away from the man, his body and mind numbed with the thought of the god-like figure standing so close, yet so far, away from him. Thrusting open the wooden door he sprinted into the room without hesitation, bolting past the man that glanced confused and stunned at his paled face and widened eyes, staggering in a drunken sense of muddled confusion and hope up the wooden stairs he was all too familiar with. His quickened pace slowed as he took the first step, his body aching from head to toe in sharp, penetrating throbs, his mind pulsing in a similarly painful manner. What if… he really wasn't there? What if he had left before even saying a word to the man? Wouldn't he have noticed him depart if he had?

Shoving the thoughts to the back of his blurred mind the man continued his trek, his feet falling against the wooden staircase in a staccato beat that pounded in rhythm with his heart. Reaching the top of the stairway he let his eyes wander about the hall that was presented to him, their gaze stopping at the window that overlooked the same spot he had previously been. Nothing remained there; no sign of the god being lingered in the wavering curtain veil or the empty, blank hallway. A growl of persistent irritation slide from the man's chest at the sight, the corners and the backs of his eyes burning with hidden tears at the revelation that nothing was there, that the phantom had been simply that - a ghost of the past. Refusing to believe the truth he turned towards the oak door along the hallway wall, darting inside hastily, his feet mirroring the sound of the now audible frantic, worried footsteps beneath him. Ignoring the pounding sound he spun into the room, glancing around the small corridor in a bout of hope, face flushed from running and his mind a blurred and ringing spiral of confused thoughts and words at the sight.

Nothing. The man wasn't here, had never been here. The only greeting to the dejected youth was the chill mountain breeze spiraling in from the opened window against the far wall of the bedroom. A desire to scream out for the being overcame him, Cloud turning to face the all too familiar window of the inn hall, his voice cracking as he yelled out to the platinum phantom that once stood there as if his words could drag the other back to him once more. “Damn you Sephiroth! I HATE YOU!” Shaking and confused he fell to his knees, hitting the hard wood floor with a sharp thud and pounding futilely against the solid ground. “I hate you… I really, really hate you…”

“Cloud…” The sound of boots hitting the floor ahead of Cloud caused the younger man to snap his head up, looking up into the half lidded garnet pools staring down at him with a look of concern and understanding. Kneeling before him the demon man reached towards his tear-stained, tan cheeks, his hands reaching gently to his face and cradling it in a tender manner of condolence. “Cloud…” Shaking his head in his inability comfort the man he tugged his strong form to him, unable to find the proper words to soothe the distraught youth, Vincent's arms wrapped tight around the lithe form in a protective manner.

“I hate you… I hate you so much it hurts…” Clutching the folds of soft, scarlet cloth that spilled around him like a sea of blood he shoved his face into the shoulder of the man, the tears that silently fell from his eyes seeping into the fabric and disappearing as if they had never fallen. He continued to mutter the words over and over again, voice a low whisper of its once strong self, every inch of his body agonizing with the feelings brought about by the sight and memory of the general. Digging his fingers tight into Vincent's back he held him as close as possible, the warmth from the demon's body calming his muddled mind and allowing him to shift through his own confused thoughts and memories.

“… There's nothing here. He was never here, Cloud… Just a ghost, that is all…” The words came out of his mouth as a soft whisper in Cloud's ear, his lips close to the tresses of gold that hung around his cheeks as he stated the expressions gently to the man. Hesitantly he pulled away from him, eyes soften to a light red, his pale, preternatural face set into an emotionless mask as he glanced at the reddened orbs before him. Gently he lifted a hand to the youth's tanned face, fingers brushing like a moth's wing against his skin, wiping the remaining tear stains away firmly.

“… Yeah… I guess you're right…” Shaking his head Cloud allowed himself to be pulled, halfheartedly, to his feet, his body quivering with the remaining surprise and slight fear at the apparition he had witnessed in the window. Thin arms once more encased him tightly, holding him safe from the biting world around him, shielding him from the harsh reality that threatened to drive him mad at any moment. “… Never seen you hug anyone before Vin.” A light laugh responded to the small comment, Vincent once more releasing the smaller man from his grasp, hands remaining on his arms as a gentle smile spread over his thin lips.

“I suppose I've changed since you first met me.”

“… Guess so.” They remained stationary for a split second longer, the demon man fully freeing Cloud from his grasp and pacing silently to the door of the hotel room. Stopping with his back to the other he let a small laugh slide from his chest, eyes gleaming with a childlike amusement as he peered over his shoulder and towards the blonde.

“Well, didn't you want to find something good to eat? I'm beginning to get a little hungry myself…” A wide grin spread over the sunlight haired man's face at the notion, his eyes once more lighting up with a meek cheerfulness as he followed the elder out the door, his feet carrying him without consent towards the top of the stairs. Pausing he glanced once more over his shoulder, eyes narrowing as he shot a pitiful glare at the translucent window adorning the hallway, his fists clenching at his side at the thought of the ghost figure. “I hate you more than anything else in the world.” The statement drifted through the air after he left, his feet hitting the wood floor and echoing about the inn as he paced back out into the chill atmosphere after Vincent.

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One-Winged Angel: Please review? Please? ::Whimper whimper:: We love you, especially if you review! Bring Cloudy cookies!

Cloud: Yeah! ::Greedy look:: Cooookiiieees…

Vincent: What have you been feeding him?

One-Winged Angel: Ummm… Just chocolate and other assorted candies.

Vincent: So in other words, he's on a sugar high.

One-Winged Angel: Yup! ::Vincent shakes head and sighs, One-Winged Angel points at him:: Review for his sake. You may want to bring Vincent some Advil too… ::Shakes head::