Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Painful Miracles ❯ The beast emerges ( Chapter 9 )

The beast emerges

The warm smell of fresh out of the dryer laundry filled Vincent's nose as he folded the wash. The clothing was warm on the cold skin of his human hand and warmed the metal on his claw. He loved the smell of laundry. It made him all warm inside and he couldn't help but smile when he folded it.

He piled Icarus' folded cloths into a laundry basket, leaving her panties unfolded at the bottom. He couldn't muster the courage to fold panties, it made him blush and it took away the warm fuzzy feeling of laundry doing. He would have made Icarus do the laundry, but she did everything else around the house, save vacuuming. He loved the way the little machine moved in front of you, sucking up anything, except pennies and bullets of course.

He smiled to himself as he walked up the stairs to Icarus' room and put her clothing away in her dresser. Then dumped her panties on the bed for her to put away. It certainly wasn't his place to fold woman's under garments!

He made his way back downstairs and came face to face with Silo. Silo was only a few inches shorter than Vincent and had blue eyes like his father. Chin length black hair was tied behind his head in a pony tail with only a few raven strands to hang in his eyes. Vincent smiled a hint of a smile to the boy. "Yes, Silo?"

"Is Icarus here? And my dad is outside, he wants to talk to you." Silo replied, rubbing the back of his neck.

"She's out in the forest training." Vincent said.

"Thanks Mr. Valentine." Silo ran out the back door and Vincent went to meet Tseng.

***********

Icarus sat quietly at the trunk of a tree, cleaning her gun. It was a shot gun like her fathers Death Penalty, but it was all black and etched into the handle in gold was the name that her father had given the gun. He called it "Black Rhapsody" because Icarus' favorite color was black and when she fired the gun it sang like a rhapsody. Her sword sat beside her, leaning against the tree. It too a gift from her father. It was made from black glass, but never broke. She loved both weapons and knew they were both filled with her father's love.

Her gun sat in her lap as she cleaned the weapon with the gun solution and a dirty rag. Her thoughts wandered to her day up until this serene moment. She was tired from training with her father and weight lifting. Her father always pushed her hard for some reason, but his reasoning behind the pushing was a mystery to Icarus.

Her father was very caring but at times he would seem empty and cold, like he wasn't there at all. An empty shell sometimes. His heart was so full of love, yet so empty and full of past hate at the same time. Empathy was a value, yet a curse to Icarus.

Icarus smiled slightly, never one to smile much anyway, as she thought about her father and put her gun back together. Her father, no matter how secretive he was, always had a good reason for doing things and she stopped pestering him for answers because she never got anything out of him but a good scold.

She enveloped herself into thoughts of her nightmares and the sentiment that something was ready to erupt inside her, as she shinned her materia orbs and put them back into their slots on her gun and blade. She continued in her thoughts until a set of giggles from nearby broke the silence of the frozen forest.

Icarus picked up on the laughter and quickly loaded her gun. She grabbed her blade and put it in its sheath on her back as she stood ready to fight if need be. Giggles came again and the giddiness led Icarus straight to the gigglers.

Silo stood behind a tree with a young man. The young man was not a stranger to Icarus, as she had just met him yesterday. He was tall and thin, just like Silo, only this boy had short silverish hair, deep hazel eyes and a light tan complection. He was clad in blue jeans and a long purple sweater, and was locked at the hands to Silo. Icarus was fully aware that Silo was in liking of the same sex, but he had never found anyone to return it. She smile lightly, glad he did.

"Uh, hey Icarus. Sorry we scarred you. "Silo said, sounding a bit shaken himself. Icarus nodded as the silver headed boy stared at her in a frightened manner. Icarus giggled very faintly and lowered her gun from the boys' faces.

"Don't do that again or I may let my finger slip." She stated simply. Both boys nodded, knowing not to take Icarus' threats lightly. She had never killed a human but in battle, she was unbeatable.

Icarus looked at the silver headed boy without any interest and asked," What's your name?"

"Hi-yosha Starrs." He answered, holding out his mittened hand to her. She turned away, walking back to her spot under the tree. Her butt imprint still fresh in the white snow.

Hi-yosha looked over at Silo, a bit flustered with the girl's mannerisms. She seemed to him as if she were a man. She was dressed in black jeans and a black trench coat. Her long black hair was held back by a red bandana. She appeared to be a man in every aspect. Her breasts weren't defined, not that he was looking of course, and her girlish features were hidden behind a pale complection and that out of season bandana. The only thing that defined her to the female sort was her voice. It was calm and serene, almost like a whisper.

Silo laughed at the expression his lover was looking at him with.

"Don't mind her. She's very trigger happy and she only trusts people if they can fight. If you can last 10 minutes in a dual with her, she'll trust you forever." Silo laughed. Hi-yosha looked up to him, his flustered expression traded for one of determination.

"Then I'll fight her. I'm pretty good." Hi-yosha said with an arrogant smile on his pale face.

"You're kidding." Silo said flatly, believing his silver haired lover had just jumped off the deep end and into a fight with Satan.

"I'm serious!" Hi-yosha defended. "I think I can beat her. I'm one of the best warriors in my village!"

Silo nodded. "If you think you can, then Okay...." Silo looked a bit reluctant to let his newly found lover die, but it was Hi-yosha's funeral.

Hi-yosha nodded to Silo, a confident look on his face, as he made his way over to where Icarus was leaning against a tree.

"Hey, lets fight this out. I don't feel like getting grief from a masculine girl. Okay." Hi-yosha snapped.

"You don't want to fight me, little boy." Icarus waved him off and began to walk away, her back to him.

Hi-yosha smirked, picking up a rock and throwing it at her back, hitting her in the center of her spine.

Icarus froze for a second, her nerves tingling with pain. Then she turned, feeling a wave of anger at the older boy's mass stupidity.

"Fine. If you want to fight, lets fight. I have no issue in killing you." She half growled, stomping to him.

Hi-yosha stomped to meet her, a triumphant smirk played across his pretty lips. He was a good fighter himself, and his ego was booming. He had the wondrous thoughts of beating her, his mind filled with glory and his ego swimming in this false glory. He was pretty confident.

"To first blood." Icarus stated the rule simply. "Anything goes. If this results in death, Silo will take the deceased ones body back to the house and say an animal attacked us." She finished that statement with a look to Silo who in turn nodded his head, hoping they would leave it a first blood.

The two fighters backed away, drawing their weapons and waiting for Silo to give the round start.

"Remember, first blood means, whom ever gets blood to show on their opponent first, wins." Silo reminded them. Both gave a nod. "Okay, FIGHT!" Silo yelled, moving out of the way.

Icarus sprinted into the trees, speed being something her father taught her early. The large trees would provide cover from Hi-yosha, but only for a bit. The forest wasn't very big.

Hi-yosha looked around for a moment, making a mental note that speed Icarus wasn't an issue for Icarus. He was trained in the traditional sword style of his village, and was the best at it. He himself was also very quick. He sprinted after her, letting his senses stretch out to pick up any sense of her. His senses were rewarded as Icarus jumped down from a tree and onto his shoulders.

Icarus sprung off of his broad shoulders and landed in front of him. She drew her sword, thinking it best not to shoot him, because at close range, with her aim, would kill him. She took a slash at him, but only met his samurai blade.

"Nice try." he smirked, and the two began to battle, the metal of their blades shot sparks into the area and a clanging sound into the echoes.

The two battled in what seemed like an endless draw of swords hitting swords and dirty words. Until Icarus lost her footing in the snow and tripped, quickly catching herself before she fell to the ground, and giving Hi-yosha an opening to swing his sword at her, cutting the buttons on her trench coat, which fell to the snowy ground.

Icarus stood, both fighters breathing heavily, and Icarus was in her black tank top, sweating regardless of the 2 degree weather.

"You bastard." Icarus insulted, getting back into a fighting stance.

"Hey, you look like a chick now." He smiled egotistically, his eyes drifting to her chest, convinced he was going to win. He too took another stance, ready to begin round two.

Icarus sprinted away again, dashing through the trees, Hi-yosha at her heals. She grabbed a branch, flipping around it and hitting Hi-yosha hard in the face with her boot covered feet. He would have a rather sore face for the next week or so. As he fell down into a snow bank, slightly winded, she bounced off the tree branch and landed to stand by him.

His eyes looked dazzled and glazed, but he soon regained his breath and swung his arm out, tripping Icarus to the ground. She hit it with a thud and he put a foot on her chest.

"Do you give up yet, girly?" He smirked in triumph.

"Not yet." She smiled back, grabbing his leg, twisting it and pushing him backward. He stumbled, but stopped himself from falling as Icarus stood up. There was prickly feeling inside her, like the sensation she got when she awoke from her nightmares. That horrid feeling that something was growing inside of her. It felt ominous and evil, yet powerful and part of her. The sensation was stronger this time, almost like it was about to be born.

Icarus turned from him, dashing away again. Hi-yosha let out a yell, and dashed after her. He wasn't going to lose. He wouldn't lose and have his honor taken by a girl or his ego deflated by defeat. He smiled as he began gaining on her.

He grabbed Icarus' hair and yanked her backwards, making her slam into his arms. He wrapped his strong arms around her chest, squeezing as hard as he could, until Icarus was breathless.

She gasped for breath in his arms, clawing at his strong arms with her nails. Both were weaponless, their swords lay in the snow forgotten, Icarus' gun lay in her trench coat pocket, which was laying precious feet away in the snow.

As Icarus felt her one lung burn for more air than Hi-yosha was letting her get. She implanted her nails into his arm and squeezed, little red droplets oozing from the crescent shaped wounds. She dragged her nails along his arm, deep trails of blood forming.

Hi-yosha let out a cry, but didn't release his hold on her. She may have won for first blood, but he wanted to keep his glory and honor intact. The bitch wasn't taking that away. Rage did funny things to people, and he was about to experience first hand what it did to Icarus.

Icarus felt the feeling inside her burst like a bubble struck with a pin. She let out a beast like scream as her skin began to tare, rip, and was replaced by dark blue fur. Her muscles grew and expanded and her clothing ripped off of her muscular frame to fall in shreds to the snowy ground.

Hi-yosha let go of her as he body began to finish it's wicked mutation. Silo ran over to stand beside Hi-yosha, fear gripping his chest. Icarus fell on the ground, her body covered by the dark blue fur and tears falling onto her mutating face. Her growl-like screams echoed through the forest, frightening flocks of birds from their trees.

"What's happening to her?" Hi-yosha asked in a panic.

"I don't know!" Silo answered, fear crossing his sexy features.

Icarus' eyes went from their crimson red to a deep, almost blackish purple as her body finished its mutation into the creature she was now.

Silo looked up at the creature that was now about 7 feet tall and scary as hell. Both boys turned and ran, both agreeing to find Vincent and Tseng and tell them what happened. When Silo looked over his shoulder the Icarus-creature jumped into a tree and glared down at the two frightened boys, not bothering to chase after them.

***********

Vincent and Tseng were sitting on the porch of Vincent's small cabin like home, with warm coco in their hands and talking lightly about one thing or another.

"Vincent, Reno contacted me yesterday and said that Junon is now in total ruin." Tseng told Vincent with a sad look on his face, and taking a sip of his coco from his green mug.

Vincent looked over at him as if he couldn't quite comprehend what Tseng was saying.

"What?" Was all he could mutter in his shocked and disbelieving state.

"And uh, well, they found Sephiroth's body.....he's dead. Aeris and Sakura were nowhere to be found. It was a massacre, Vincent. ShinRa slaughtered the whole town as if they were nothing!" As Tseng finished, he jumped as Vincent's black mug shattered on the rotting wood of the old porch, spraying coco and glass everywhere.

"Sephiroth is dead?" He asked astonished. Tseng nodded, a solemn look on his face.

"I'm afraid so, Vincent. I'm sorry." Tseng kept his eyes on the coco and the chocolate powder that had risen to the top.

"It's okay....I just can't believe that Sephiroth of all people is dead. He was so strong...even in death...and rebirth." Even though Vincent's voice never held emotion, Tseng could tell he was sad and slightly amazed.

"The papers say it was assassins, but ShinRa owns the papers, the police, everything! It was ShinRa! Those slimy bastards!" Tseng looked up at his friend, who's face went from sad to angry.

"They'll pay! I swear it on my life!" Vincent yelled, slamming his fist into the wooden railing, making it splinter onto the snow.

Tseng cleared his throat, and Vincent looked up at him. "They might be headed here next my friend. Please, take care..." He stated ethically.

Vincent nodded, "You take care as well, my friend." His ears prickled as voices came into hearing range.

"Father! Vincent!" Came Silo voice as he and Hi-yosha ran up to the porch. Tseng got to his feet just as Vincent did, fatherly instinct taking over.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Tseng yelled in fatherly concern.

"She...Icarus...." Silo tried hard to catch his breath.

"Icarus?!! What about her? Where is she?" Vincent was frantic. He hoped for the best, but wasn't sure he was ready for the worst.

"She's...she mutated or changed into something! She's a monster!" Silo cried.

All the color drained from Vincent's already pale face, and he jumped from the porch and ran toward the woods, not even glancing back as Tseng yelled after him. His mind was only on Icarus, hoping he would find her.

He followed growls and cries through the twisted trees of the forest. tears stung his eyes, and warmed his cool checks as the spilt from his eyes. He couldn't lose her. He might have been cold and hateful in the past, but she was all he had now. She made him the happy person he was now, and he was not going to let his only daughter die, not because of his tainted genes!

Vincent kept his eyes open, his senses soaring, hoping, praying to every god her knew that he would find her. For the first time in his life he prayed. His lips moved in silent prayer as he ran, his body begging him to stop, but his heart pumping to go on. He had to find her. He had to have her safe in his arms.

A loud wolf-like howl reached his ears. He was sure it was human, regardless of its animalistic likeliness and he followed it. But soon he stopped and his breath caught in his chest as her looked down to see a trail of blood that colored the white snow crimson. The blood was fresh, Vincent knew. The beasts inside him knew. He followed the trail until he found the crumpled, bloody body of his daughter laying in the snow, clothing-less and shivering.

He let out a sigh of relief. She was alive. He pulled off his cloak and wrapped around her shivering body and gathered her into his warm arms. She hugged his chest as he began walking home, a smile on his face, but there was still sadness in his heart.

***********

Vincent and Tseng looked Icarus over, only to find large patches of ripped skin, bruises and scrapes. Nothing to serious had happened to her except mild blood loss. All she needed now was some rest. Vincent covered her up, kissed her forehead and walk downstairs to the living room, Tseng behind him.

Silo and Hi-yosha were sitting on the couch, Silo doctoring the mild wounds on Hi-yosha's body from the fight as Vincent and Tseng came into the room. Neither man looked angry, which was a good thing for the two boys.

Vincent sat down in his favorite plush black chair and put his head in his hands. Tseng looked over to the two boys and the boys nodded, taking the hint that they needed to leave. They left the room, hand in hand as Tseng sat on a black foot stool across from Vincent.

"Vincent," Tseng began, putting his hand on Vincent's knee. "It isn't your fault, you couldn't prevent this from happening." Vincent looked up to Tseng from his hands. This was the second time Tseng had ever seen sadness in Vincent's usually blank crimson eyes. He had never seen Vincent this emotional since his time as a Turk, and even then, he had little emotion.

"I-I know it's not my fault, but I wish I could do something.... I cannot bear to see her live the same life I have had to. I don't want her to..." Vincent stopped, coughing loudly into his hand, blood splattering onto his palm, which he wiped on his black jeans. "I don't want her to suffer." He finished.

"I love Icarus like a niece and I don't want her to suffer anymore than you do, but you and I have been searching for a cure and answers for years, and have found none at all. She's a very strong girl, Vincent." Tseng said, trying his best to give a reassuring smile to his friend.

Vincent put a hand on his shoulder. "Thanks, Tseng."

Coughs from upstairs made Vincent turn towards the stairs, sighing in a saddening pain that ached his heart. He put his human hand on his chest, the light thump felt sad and he knew why. He didn't want his daughter to suffer like him. But Tseng was right. He couldn't to anything about the tuberculosis or the monsters inside her.