[ Evening has fallen. Those nights in Willow still have an occasional bite to the air from windy and wet days, but surely there's many a night it's just another opportunity to leave the window open and let the fresh breeze in.
Not that closing and locking the windows will matter here. Or tedious matters like multiple stories.
It's late enough that everyone has likely gone to bed or decided to stay out overnight somewhere. Vincent is patient and his purpose here does not include letting the entire household in on his presence. Just one. He had spent the day watching and was certain by this time how to proceed.
Full darkness means something else beyond an urban environment. While Willow and its environs have electricity or its equivalent, things like street-lamps and very low key. There's no star-diluting 'glow' over the region. Dark means dark. And the moon at whatever phase is bright. For a split second, the moon streaming through the window of Zack's bedroom is blocked as something moves past it. It's just a shadow or a shape, no sound of footfalls, perhaps a slight rustle of a fluttering cloak.
Silence again. But only because Vincent is now standing at the side of Zack's bed, studying the buster sword. It, specifically, is a weapon Vincent has not seen in a while; though he knew Cloud adopted an homage to it, the one the gunman knows resides in memorium as a marker on a certain fateful cliffside overlooking the much-beleagured Midgar. It may not have as many scores or worn places, but there are memories that gave him pause.
But it's not as if Vincent weren't aware of the identity of who owned it before Cloud; who was, at least when he first entered, still in the bed the ruby eyes now turn to look at. ]
Zack Fair.
[ ...Zack still is sleeping right? If not he'll be waking up to the sound of his name and what looks like a vaguely familiar vampire risen from his coffin looking down at him. ]
[Zack wasn't always a light sleeper. In the early days he could pass out at the drop of a hat and sleep like a log, waking to a particularly insistent shake from Angeal or a sharp-whistling Shinra trainer. Nibelheim, the lab, that year on the run- all of it changed that. Hyper-vigilance is a hell of a thing.
It's why, when a strange voice cuts through the quiet ambiance of the night, Zack snaps awake and jerks upright, instinctively reaching for the Buster where it leans against the wall and kicking off the covers to free his legs.]
What the hell!?
[Who are you and why are you in his room!! ...And why do you look kind of familiar, actually. He doesn't lash out or attack, but he sure is ready for... whatever is about to happen. Probably.]
[ Vincent is probably not here to borrow a cup of sugar. He slowly crosses his arms, but appears unaffected that Zack reaches for the sword. He's fairly sure he could avoid it but the dark haired man isn't swinging first. ]
We've talked before. On the relic.
[ Not that his voice would be familiar since it was text. There's a gun holstered at his side. This may lead to the (correct) assumption that he crossed his arms not in a gesture of defense, but to make it clear he had no intention of going for his weapon. ]
There's... a situation. I need you to come with me. Don't wake Aerith or Cloud.
[ Vincent had taken the time to clean himself up, so very little hints remain as to what 'incident' led him to come fetch someone who is basically a stranger. ]
Meet me downstairs.
[ If nothing else, the statement suggests that Zack might have enough time to get dressed. He'll turn to leave. There's a rustle of clothes and cloak but almost nothing by way of footsteps if Zack doesn't stop this intruder. ]
[Wow that... super does not narrow it down, considering the relic was an attempted anonymous with no picture... he's talked to a lot of people via the relic. This is so extra sus.]
If this is some kinda trap they are so gonna ruin your day later.
[He doesn't stop Vincent, nor does he holler for the others. This whole situation is weird as hell, but for the moment it doesn't seem to be immediately dangerous.
...He is absolutely strapping the Buster on before he goes downstairs, though, and looks for wherever Vincent vanished off to.]
[ Outside, there's a chocobo. Black feathers, no barding, no reins. Just... a black chocobo. ]
Get on. We'll get to the train station faster.
[ ...says the chocobo. In Vincent's voice. Look, Gram's plenty far from the train and on the other side of the Lakes. Even if a black chocobo couldn't shortcut over the shallow parts of the lakes, it'd still be faster. ]
[You know what, this might as well happen. Zack glances back towards the house, exhaling a sigh, then marches over. He tilts his sword out of the way so he won't stab the bird while he parks himself on his back.]
Are you gonna tell me what this is about, or is this like a surprise party? Because you missed my birthday already.
[ That's certainly a strange feeling. Vincent has not been in the position of being someone's mount, barring Cait Sith climbing to his shoulder. For some reason no one really wanted to try riding on the galian beast into battle. Go figure.
Once Zack's settled Vincent takes off, walking a few paces away from the house before picking up speed. The journey will be roughly a straight line and include such trivial obstacles as steep banks and the surface of lake shallows. Black chocobos are weird. But man are they going to be at the train station in no time. ]
I need you to watch over someone with the medics in Agrona Academy. You're the best person to do it.
[ That would probably be a no-brainer on the identity. If he's come here for Zack, doesn't want Aerith or Cloud and there's not a single strand of silver hair or white feather floating around with hastag-cinematic nonsense...
...Well, granted the no-brainer also has to assume Vincent the Sentient Chocobo somehow fits into this puzzle but Occam's Razor probably applies. Somehow. ]
[How long has it been since he rode a chocobo? A long, long time. They weren't the preferred method of transport for most Shinra missions, and he never caught one in the wild while on the run. So that's what, at least seven or eight years? He's definitely out of practice, but thankfully a chocobo who isn't really a chocobo doesn't need his direction. He just holds on to the neck feathers and keeps his balance steady.
And yeah, it doesn't take much brainpower to figure out who this might be. There aren't a huge amount of people Cloud and Aerith wouldn't be comfortable around. Particularly Aerith, she likes almost everyone. And if he's the best person for it... yeah. This isn't a quirky joke anymore.]
[ It's possible some small corner of Vincent's mind is cataloguing the ride. Maybe taking notes on trying to blend his particular brand of fashion with the chocobo's transformation if that is even possible with this strange new role of his. Giving a rider something to hold onto other than his feathers might not be a bad idea. If he makes a habit of this.
Zack is definitely an exception to how permissive Vincent might be regarding future riders. ]
Made a mistake.
[ Good hearing might be required. It was said quietly, into the wind and while splashing across a lake's surface. But you know... it could drift back. The dark-feathered chocobo lowers his head and begins to pick up speed. Perhaps it's because he's now sure Zack is able to hold on.
But it might be to try and stop the questions, at least temporarily. ...There will be a long train ride to Agrona. Vincent knows this. But he knows the energy spent talking is best focused on running right now.
And hopefully he'll be given more time to think about how he's going to explain this. ]
[Thanks to enhanced SOLDIER hearing, he does manage to catch those words, even though they're quietly spoken. Made a mistake, huh. Zack takes a bit to parse that- what he knows, what he can discern from what little he's been told. He can be dense sometimes, and he's not the greatest at keeping up with the through line, but he's not an idiot either. (Or not much of one, at least.) The pieces have come together. Valentine, the Turk Sephiroth met. Vincent Valentine, the guy on the network. Cloud's friend, from his journey after Zack died. The journey where they were fighting Sephiroth.
Agrona, the medics.
Goddammit.]
You dumbass, [he mutters back.] Lead with that, next time. We've got a Cure materia at the house.
[Aerith wouldn't have minded if he took it. She wouldn't even have minded if she'd known he was going to see Sephiroth. They're all waiting to see what happens, after all.]
[ While not at his top speed, the pace Vincent was getting up to was certainly impressive. So when he misses a stride, it's felt as a jolting bump. Fortunately, though robbed of the array of supernatural agility he possesses in his human form, the Familiar is still nimble enough to catch himself and keep his rider from tumbling.
Only to jerk to a halt moments later. The chocobo half paces a circle while getting his head to crane in a way to lock a reddish eye- the one very not chocobo-like feature Vincent seems to possess in this form- on Zack.
....He's... going to pretend he didn't forget to think of that himself you know. This halt is because Zack has a point and it is worth asking an important question. ]
[ It is a Turk thing. But it also means going back the way they came and Vincent would have even less of an idea than Zack on where Aerith keeps it. That he'd considered it at all suggests he's fairly concerned for Sephiroth's well-being.
Whatever this 'mistake' was, this implies there's a great deal of regret. The chocobo's tone- as weird as that sounds to think about- is reluctant as Vincent comes to a decision. ]
Better we move on then.
[ ...It's practical. But also the last thing Vincent would want a reunion with Aerith to be is on the grounds of asking her for the Cure materia to heal Sephiroth.
After making sure Zack has settled from the abrupt stop, Vincent starts off again. Though this time, he makes a request. ]
If you have anything else to ask, save it for the train ride.
[ They'll be at the station soon enough. And from there? The train. ]
[Zack sighs, not surprised, but a little exasperated. Guess they're stuck together for now. The chocobo not immediately turning back does make him feel better about Sephiroth's condition, though. If the prospect of a Cure materia isn't enough to make him circle back immediately, it must not be life and death. Or maybe this guy doesn't care that much either way.
Sephiroth is the kind of guy who (evidently) won't die when he's killed, so. He's probably fine.]
Okay, okay... I'll wait for now. But you better answer everything then!
[ To be fair, someone trying to bring back the probably least of bad picks to watch over Sephiroth (for good or ill), stops to think about backtracking for the Cure Materia, probably cares on some level whether the teenager recovers.
If he didn't, he probably would have pushed Cloud out of bed instead.
Not having to speak means Vincent can concentrate on running. And carrying Zack; it's probably the practical side of why he asked not to continue until they were on the train. Once they're at the station and Zack gets off, Vincent is almost immediately a man again, perfectly clothed and showing no signs of having had trouble adapting to the shapeshifting skills of the Familiars. One stride a chocobo, next a man briskly walking to the platform.
But there's a train to get tickets for and catch and eventually they are settled in seats far enough away from others traveling at night to have a quiet conversation. ]
[It took so much self-restraint not to try and throttle the guy as soon as he's human again. (Even knowing it was a transformation, you can't choke a chocobo. They're way too cute.) Answers! He needs them! But he manages to wait until they're settled on the moving train and Vincent opens the door to talking about it. Finally.]
At the beginning, duh. What mistake? What did you do that put Sephiroth in a hospital? And why?
[Like- yeah, he's not an idiot, he can draw his own conclusions. Sephiroth was attacked by Vincent for the same reason he was almost attacked by Cloud when Zack told him about the kid's presence here. He's a threat for what he eventually becomes. Maybe seeing a teenager who had yet to do any harm laid flat got him guilty. Maybe Sephiroth said or did something unexpectedly not crazy and made him think twice. Easy guesses.
[ Yes, Vincent is clearly turning into a chocobo on purpose. Wait til you see those big eyes on the galian beast; they are to die for. ]
I'm sure you know what I did.
[ No, he's not going to leave it at that, but there is a brief glance in Zack's direction. The former SOLDIER already confirmed he had died. And that death had been after the Nibelheim Incident. ]
I intended to kill him. I even had him cornered to take the final shot.
[ Vincent's tone is quiet in part because it won't carry this way. But also, he seems like he's still working through those last moments in his mind. His eyes close. ]
Before I could, I realized I had made a mistake. Though he had lost consciousness, I took him to the nearest hospital. Then I came to get you.
[ Agrona. Had that been mentioned yet? Probably. Vincent had tried to kill Sephiroth in Cruel Summer them. It may or may not be surprising to hear someone single-handedly took down Sephiroth so readily, even young. It's easy to see he has a firearm since it's holstered at his right side. But it's a pistol and other than obviously a weapon of their world, it's nothing that stands out. Not even any materia.
But he'd been one of Cloud's companions. So maybe it's not too surprising. ]
[Vague, but the message is clear. Vincent's lucky he's not dealing with a dead teenager right now. Zack doesn't know much about Agrona, but it's fortunate they had a place to take Sephiroth in and treat him.
He gets the why well enough. He'd had to talk Cloud down from doing the very same thing. And he knows personally that even the strongest SOLDIER can be taken out by a few well-aimed bullets. (Or, more than a few. But Sephiroth is young, many years too early to be the strongest anything yet. And the "yet" is probably the biggest reason why.)]
What made you stop?
[It might feel irrelevant, but to Zack, that part's very important.]
[ Sephiroth wouldn't be in the situation if it wasn't for Vincent. But it's equally true he might not have gotten out of where they'd had their final confrontation... if someone like Vincent hadn't been there. ...He won't be regaling Zack with the details. The gunman looks down at his right hand for a moment before returning his gaze to the young man. ]
Did Cloud ever tell you about his mother? His... real mother?
[ Reaching under the front mantle of his cloak, Vincent slowly withdraws a locket and a photograph trimmed to easily fit into the locket. Except it's currently slotted between a firm, protective film. Probably because of the suspicious brown stains on the jewelry and lightly flecking the picture both. And the curve of the locket does have a mildly suspicious dent. Maybe it was another battle. But Vincent would not hold out for such luck that his sin is going to be lessened.
He's holding both carefully, but Zack will have a chance to get a good look at both of them. Don't expect the gunman to hand them over. ]
[Zack's eyes narrow, first at the initial question, then at the appearance of the locket.]
Oh, you are such an asshole. [In the short conversation they'd had about it, Sephiroth had been deeply protective of that little locket. To see it damaged fills him with a degree of anger that surprises even himself.] Sephiroth called her Jenova, but I think we both know that's not true. ...You shouldn't have taken that from him.
[ Yeah. Tell him something he doesn't know. But Vincent actually cares and in this case it's definitely not what it looks like. Mostly. ]
He gave it to me for safekeeping.
[ Gave it to the man that shot him. In ordinary circumstances that would not sound close to believable. But Vincent offers some clarification. ]
At the end. He thought I would leave his body for the monsters.
[...Better it be in his assassin's hands than the belly of a beast. Or scattered and broken on the ground. Also 'at the end'. Which means Sephiroth was unlikely to be in any condition to do more than vaguely hope Vincent wasn't more cruel; though to be fair, why believe a Turk was doing something for anything other than business? Nothing personal.
The gunman returns the locket to whatever location on his person he was keeping the items. The careful handling suggests some of that gambit was vindicated. ]
I wasn't going to leave it at the hospital in this condition. I'll make sure it gets back to him.
[ Zack may or may not trust those words. Vincent doesn't try to convince the other man any further of his assurances. But the reasoning is probably solid; the spoon and relic are one thing, but things like materia? A damaged locket and precious photo?
Doctors are going to have other priorities than being careful about the condtion of belongings. Like the life of the patient. And with this particular photo, Vincent is going to be as stalwart as the guardian of the gates of the Underworld for whom he named one of his guns after. ]
It's not true. But the woman is his mother. [ Vincent turns his head. His right hand raises and tugs absently at the upper portion of the high collar, as if trying to cover more of his expression. It's a subconscious gesture. ] Seeing it. That's what made me stop.
[Zack makes an exasperated noise, running his hands down his face.]
You realize you probably made everything worse, right? That's what you did here?
[He doesn't trust Vincent or his words, not at this point. The man's given him no reason to. The fact that this is Cloud's friend (and yeah, he's figured the guy's identity out by now, who else could it be?) is one of the few reasons he's going to make it out of this without getting tackled or punched or thrown off the train. ...Probably. Jury's still out on at least one happening.]
Who the hell is she, then?
[Sephiroth had been asking for information about her, when they first met. Sharing the picture and the alien witch's name, as if the two are connected. This is his mother, and - judging by her apparent human face - a far better option than the true Jenova. There's a hell of a story here that neither he nor Sephiroth are aware of. It'd be good for them to know.]
[ As serious as everything is right now, that comment earns Zack a look. For a second, Vincent looks every bit the man who is about to say something sharp and barbed, possibly along the lines of 'No, this is just a hobby of mine to chase targets to an inch of their lives and hold back at the last possible moment why would I ever think I've made things worse?' But he manages to respond with the restraint of angels. Angels. ]
...Yes.
[ Thank you, Captain Obvious. ]
She was scientist working for Shinra. And a member of the team for the Jenova Project.
[Absently, Vincent tugs the collar again. It's clear he's uncomfortable. Just as his words, as he speaks of the woman, are filled with an emotion that only comes from a place of love. ]
[Gosh Vince if it was so obvious whY DID YOU SHOOT HIM-
But fine, fine. He'll move on. Look at him being so incredibly mature about all of this!]
I've never heard of her. If she was working for the project, doesn't that mean she was willing? Did she give her kid over to Hojo and let him pump him full of alien bullshit?
[Zero respect for this woman, if that's the case. But he'll wait for the explanation- he knows firsthand how working for Shinra doesn't necessarily mean being a willing participant.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
[action] a dark and spoopy night
Not that closing and locking the windows will matter here. Or tedious matters like multiple stories.
It's late enough that everyone has likely gone to bed or decided to stay out overnight somewhere. Vincent is patient and his purpose here does not include letting the entire household in on his presence. Just one. He had spent the day watching and was certain by this time how to proceed.
Full darkness means something else beyond an urban environment. While Willow and its environs have electricity or its equivalent, things like street-lamps and very low key. There's no star-diluting 'glow' over the region. Dark means dark. And the moon at whatever phase is bright. For a split second, the moon streaming through the window of Zack's bedroom is blocked as something moves past it. It's just a shadow or a shape, no sound of footfalls, perhaps a slight rustle of a fluttering cloak.
Silence again. But only because Vincent is now standing at the side of Zack's bed, studying the buster sword. It, specifically, is a weapon Vincent has not seen in a while; though he knew Cloud adopted an homage to it, the one the gunman knows resides in memorium as a marker on a certain fateful cliffside overlooking the much-beleagured Midgar. It may not have as many scores or worn places, but there are memories that gave him pause.
But it's not as if Vincent weren't aware of the identity of who owned it before Cloud; who was, at least when he first entered, still in the bed the ruby eyes now turn to look at. ]
Zack Fair.
[ ...Zack still is sleeping right? If not he'll be waking up to the sound of his name and what looks like a vaguely familiar vampire risen from his coffin looking down at him. ]
no subject
It's why, when a strange voice cuts through the quiet ambiance of the night, Zack snaps awake and jerks upright, instinctively reaching for the Buster where it leans against the wall and kicking off the covers to free his legs.]
What the hell!?
[Who are you and why are you in his room!! ...And why do you look kind of familiar, actually. He doesn't lash out or attack, but he sure is ready for... whatever is about to happen. Probably.]
no subject
We've talked before. On the relic.
[ Not that his voice would be familiar since it was text. There's a gun holstered at his side. This may lead to the (correct) assumption that he crossed his arms not in a gesture of defense, but to make it clear he had no intention of going for his weapon. ]
There's... a situation. I need you to come with me. Don't wake Aerith or Cloud.
[ Vincent had taken the time to clean himself up, so very little hints remain as to what 'incident' led him to come fetch someone who is basically a stranger. ]
Meet me downstairs.
[ If nothing else, the statement suggests that Zack might have enough time to get dressed. He'll turn to leave. There's a rustle of clothes and cloak but almost nothing by way of footsteps if Zack doesn't stop this intruder. ]
no subject
If this is some kinda trap they are so gonna ruin your day later.
[He doesn't stop Vincent, nor does he holler for the others. This whole situation is weird as hell, but for the moment it doesn't seem to be immediately dangerous.
...He is absolutely strapping the Buster on before he goes downstairs, though, and looks for wherever Vincent vanished off to.]
no subject
Get on. We'll get to the train station faster.
[ ...says the chocobo. In Vincent's voice. Look, Gram's plenty far from the train and on the other side of the Lakes. Even if a black chocobo couldn't shortcut over the shallow parts of the lakes, it'd still be faster. ]
1/2
what the fuck]
no subject
Are you gonna tell me what this is about, or is this like a surprise party? Because you missed my birthday already.
no subject
Once Zack's settled Vincent takes off, walking a few paces away from the house before picking up speed. The journey will be roughly a straight line and include such trivial obstacles as steep banks and the surface of lake shallows. Black chocobos are weird. But man are they going to be at the train station in no time. ]
I need you to watch over someone with the medics in Agrona Academy. You're the best person to do it.
[ That would probably be a no-brainer on the identity. If he's come here for Zack, doesn't want Aerith or Cloud and there's not a single strand of silver hair or white feather floating around with hastag-cinematic nonsense...
...Well, granted the no-brainer also has to assume Vincent the Sentient Chocobo somehow fits into this puzzle but Occam's Razor probably applies. Somehow. ]
no subject
And yeah, it doesn't take much brainpower to figure out who this might be. There aren't a huge amount of people Cloud and Aerith wouldn't be comfortable around. Particularly Aerith, she likes almost everyone. And if he's the best person for it... yeah. This isn't a quirky joke anymore.]
What happened?
no subject
Zack is definitely an exception to how permissive Vincent might be regarding future riders. ]
Made a mistake.
[ Good hearing might be required. It was said quietly, into the wind and while splashing across a lake's surface. But you know... it could drift back. The dark-feathered chocobo lowers his head and begins to pick up speed. Perhaps it's because he's now sure Zack is able to hold on.
But it might be to try and stop the questions, at least temporarily. ...There will be a long train ride to Agrona. Vincent knows this. But he knows the energy spent talking is best focused on running right now.
And hopefully he'll be given more time to think about how he's going to explain this. ]
no subject
Agrona, the medics.
Goddammit.]
You dumbass, [he mutters back.] Lead with that, next time. We've got a Cure materia at the house.
[Aerith wouldn't have minded if he took it. She wouldn't even have minded if she'd known he was going to see Sephiroth. They're all waiting to see what happens, after all.]
no subject
Only to jerk to a halt moments later. The chocobo half paces a circle while getting his head to crane in a way to lock a reddish eye- the one very not chocobo-like feature Vincent seems to possess in this form- on Zack.
....He's... going to pretend he didn't forget to think of that himself you know. This halt is because Zack has a point and it is worth asking an important question. ]
Can you get it without waking the others?
no subject
Uh... gonna be honest, probably not. I don't know where she stores it at night, and it's probably in her room. I'm not super light on my feet.
[SOLDIERs, not historically great at stealth. That's more of a Turk thing.]
no subject
Whatever this 'mistake' was, this implies there's a great deal of regret. The chocobo's tone- as weird as that sounds to think about- is reluctant as Vincent comes to a decision. ]
Better we move on then.
[ ...It's practical. But also the last thing Vincent would want a reunion with Aerith to be is on the grounds of asking her for the Cure materia to heal Sephiroth.
After making sure Zack has settled from the abrupt stop, Vincent starts off again. Though this time, he makes a request. ]
If you have anything else to ask, save it for the train ride.
[ They'll be at the station soon enough. And from there? The train. ]
no subject
Sephiroth is the kind of guy who (evidently) won't die when he's killed, so. He's probably fine.]
Okay, okay... I'll wait for now. But you better answer everything then!
[For now he'll just keep quiet.]
no subject
If he didn't, he probably would have pushed Cloud out of bed instead.
Not having to speak means Vincent can concentrate on running. And carrying Zack; it's probably the practical side of why he asked not to continue until they were on the train. Once they're at the station and Zack gets off, Vincent is almost immediately a man again, perfectly clothed and showing no signs of having had trouble adapting to the shapeshifting skills of the Familiars. One stride a chocobo, next a man briskly walking to the platform.
But there's a train to get tickets for and catch and eventually they are settled in seats far enough away from others traveling at night to have a quiet conversation. ]
Well, where should I begin?
no subject
At the beginning, duh. What mistake? What did you do that put Sephiroth in a hospital? And why?
[Like- yeah, he's not an idiot, he can draw his own conclusions. Sephiroth was attacked by Vincent for the same reason he was almost attacked by Cloud when Zack told him about the kid's presence here. He's a threat for what he eventually becomes. Maybe seeing a teenager who had yet to do any harm laid flat got him guilty. Maybe Sephiroth said or did something unexpectedly not crazy and made him think twice. Easy guesses.
He still needs to hear it confirmed.]
no subject
I'm sure you know what I did.
[ No, he's not going to leave it at that, but there is a brief glance in Zack's direction. The former SOLDIER already confirmed he had died. And that death had been after the Nibelheim Incident. ]
I intended to kill him. I even had him cornered to take the final shot.
[ Vincent's tone is quiet in part because it won't carry this way. But also, he seems like he's still working through those last moments in his mind. His eyes close. ]
Before I could, I realized I had made a mistake. Though he had lost consciousness, I took him to the nearest hospital. Then I came to get you.
[ Agrona. Had that been mentioned yet? Probably. Vincent had tried to kill Sephiroth in Cruel Summer them. It may or may not be surprising to hear someone single-handedly took down Sephiroth so readily, even young. It's easy to see he has a firearm since it's holstered at his right side. But it's a pistol and other than obviously a weapon of their world, it's nothing that stands out. Not even any materia.
But he'd been one of Cloud's companions. So maybe it's not too surprising. ]
no subject
He gets the why well enough. He'd had to talk Cloud down from doing the very same thing. And he knows personally that even the strongest SOLDIER can be taken out by a few well-aimed bullets. (Or, more than a few. But Sephiroth is young, many years too early to be the strongest anything yet. And the "yet" is probably the biggest reason why.)]
What made you stop?
[It might feel irrelevant, but to Zack, that part's very important.]
so remember, run off with these and TIME PARADOX
Did Cloud ever tell you about his mother? His... real mother?
[ Reaching under the front mantle of his cloak, Vincent slowly withdraws a locket and a photograph trimmed to easily fit into the locket. Except it's currently slotted between a firm, protective film. Probably because of the suspicious brown stains on the jewelry and lightly flecking the picture both. And the curve of the locket does have a mildly suspicious dent. Maybe it was another battle. But Vincent would not hold out for such luck that his sin is going to be lessened.
He's holding both carefully, but Zack will have a chance to get a good look at both of them. Don't expect the gunman to hand them over. ]
Do you recognize this?
dang time paradox go back to your closet
Oh, you are such an asshole. [In the short conversation they'd had about it, Sephiroth had been deeply protective of that little locket. To see it damaged fills him with a degree of anger that surprises even himself.] Sephiroth called her Jenova, but I think we both know that's not true. ...You shouldn't have taken that from him.
no subject
He gave it to me for safekeeping.
[ Gave it to the man that shot him. In ordinary circumstances that would not sound close to believable. But Vincent offers some clarification. ]
At the end. He thought I would leave his body for the monsters.
[...Better it be in his assassin's hands than the belly of a beast. Or scattered and broken on the ground. Also 'at the end'. Which means Sephiroth was unlikely to be in any condition to do more than vaguely hope Vincent wasn't more cruel; though to be fair, why believe a Turk was doing something for anything other than business? Nothing personal.
The gunman returns the locket to whatever location on his person he was keeping the items. The careful handling suggests some of that gambit was vindicated. ]
I wasn't going to leave it at the hospital in this condition. I'll make sure it gets back to him.
[ Zack may or may not trust those words. Vincent doesn't try to convince the other man any further of his assurances. But the reasoning is probably solid; the spoon and relic are one thing, but things like materia? A damaged locket and precious photo?
Doctors are going to have other priorities than being careful about the condtion of belongings. Like the life of the patient. And with this particular photo, Vincent is going to be as stalwart as the guardian of the gates of the Underworld for whom he named one of his guns after. ]
It's not true. But the woman is his mother. [ Vincent turns his head. His right hand raises and tugs absently at the upper portion of the high collar, as if trying to cover more of his expression. It's a subconscious gesture. ] Seeing it. That's what made me stop.
no subject
You realize you probably made everything worse, right? That's what you did here?
[He doesn't trust Vincent or his words, not at this point. The man's given him no reason to. The fact that this is Cloud's friend (and yeah, he's figured the guy's identity out by now, who else could it be?) is one of the few reasons he's going to make it out of this without getting tackled or punched or thrown off the train. ...Probably. Jury's still out on at least one happening.]
Who the hell is she, then?
[Sephiroth had been asking for information about her, when they first met. Sharing the picture and the alien witch's name, as if the two are connected. This is his mother, and - judging by her apparent human face - a far better option than the true Jenova. There's a hell of a story here that neither he nor Sephiroth are aware of. It'd be good for them to know.]
no subject
...Yes.
[ Thank you, Captain Obvious. ]
She was scientist working for Shinra. And a member of the team for the Jenova Project.
[Absently, Vincent tugs the collar again. It's clear he's uncomfortable. Just as his words, as he speaks of the woman, are filled with an emotion that only comes from a place of love. ]
Her name is Lucrecia. Lucrecia Crescent.
no subject
But fine, fine. He'll move on. Look at him being so incredibly mature about all of this!]
I've never heard of her. If she was working for the project, doesn't that mean she was willing? Did she give her kid over to Hojo and let him pump him full of alien bullshit?
[Zero respect for this woman, if that's the case. But he'll wait for the explanation- he knows firsthand how working for Shinra doesn't necessarily mean being a willing participant.]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
in which very little happens except scenery
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)