[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.]
[ Did you want to deal with a Cloud who had to cope with attacking a fourteen year old kid? In a more serious light, Vincent is well aware of the mistakes and errors. Plenty of reasons, arguably good ones, but utterly missing some factors that would have completely changed his decision on how to handle it. And now it's too late to retract what he'd done so... Vincent will have to live with it.
But yes. Restraint. Maturity. Someone has to be.
There is a not-too-subtle shift in the air. Whether true or not, whether he acknowledges it not, Vincent is not immune to someone speaking ill of someone he loved- and still loves- so deeply. Closure, understanding... those wouldn't change that. Vincent would be angry at hearing Hojo's name again. But for a moment, the ire is also aimed at Zack.
And to top it off, the SOLDIER admits he didn't have any knowledge of the woman before carelessly expressing the worst of the options... rather than wait to hear what had happened. ]
No. Losing Sephiroth was not part of the deal. He was taken from her the moment he was born.
[ But... give him a minute to calm himself so he can speak candidly about the remainder. Whatever else can be said, Vincent will not deny that Lucrecia let the child in her womb become a subject of experimentation. ]
None of them knew what they were doing. Gast. Hojo. Lucrecia. Ignorance... isn't an excuse. They all had their hand in the experiments. But whatever else you may say, Lucrecia did not willingly 'hand over' her child.
[Cloud was ready to gut Sephiroth from Day 1. Zack barely talked him out of it. Considering Sephiroth had no qualms about stabbing young teenagers in Nibelheim - and setting fire to kids, besides - it's a miracle Cloud backed down.
Yeah, Zack's pretty sure Cloud could sleep at night with this kill. But hopefully he never has to.
He doesn't so much as blink at the ire; he's faced down true hatred before. He's unmoved.]
Crime's still on her hands if she was into it. But whatever, fine, this Lucretia is his mom. Hojo wanted him to believe it was Jenova? What, having a human mom was too benign for the mad scientists? -Actually you know what, that sounds exactly like something Hojo would do.
[ Would it be that simple as to wait until the teen's grown up and only then if... well, it's not. At the time, Vincent knew he could deal with it. That didn't mean he wouldn't have liked it, nor wouldn't have simply called it one more sin. It still is of course.
But Vincent also does not have the memory of Nibelheim burning, bodies of loved ones, neighbors and family laying in the dirt after being cut down by a madman. He wanted to spare his friend. But had he really needed to?
The ire fades. Maybe it's still present, but Vincent isn't beyond reason. ]
Yes.
[ It's not denied. He even just said as much. Lucrecia may have loved Sephiroth and not wanted to be parted from him, but it didn't erase the fact that she submitted herself and her unborn child to the experiments willingly. ]
If I had to speculate, I suspect Hojo would have wanted to erase all ties anyone else had to his 'perfect experiment'. He was... a vain man.
[ The disgust is unfeigned. But how many people would speak of Hojo otherwise, really? Vain is an understatement. Vincent's tone evens out and turns... puzzled. Confused. ]
...It was a shock to see Sephiroth even had a picture. That... I don't know why.
[ If there was something Vincent would have wanted to understand, it's how the photograph came to be in the boy's possession. What reason would Hojo... He shakes his head. ]
[Four years in Hojo's lab, he became very much attuned to the man's moods and whims. He thought he was the greatest genius in the world; really, he was just a madman trying to rebuild the toy that disappeared in Nibelheim's reactor. "Vain" is the least offensive word that should be used to label the man.
...Yeah, maybe he has a personal reason for feeling some disdain for Lucrecia, after what she put her baby through. He's got no respect for people who submit others to unwilling experimentation, and as an infant Sephiroth definitely couldn't consent.]
Sephiroth thought his mother was Jenova the whole time. It came up in Nibelheim before everything went to hell. Too bad you probably wrecked your chance at having a nice chill conversation with him.
[ It's probably not a surprise that Vincent is aware of that. The huff was not amusement at Zack's expense. It came close to empathy and perhaps a trace of regret.
How things might have changed if Vincent had not let himself sleep so deeply, drowning in nightmares. Maybe he would have been more aware of the renewed activity that time. Regret... but not overt self-recrimination.
Hojo had been the one who imprisoned Zack and Cloud and that came as no surprise; the scientist would have put any convenient 'specimen' under the knife. The only reason humans hadn't been on the slab more often was probably because it was harder to write off when people went missing.
At least until Sephiroth provided a huge supply. And Hojo became department head. Two decades changed a lot of things. ]
The plan was to make it quick. If I failed... Either way I wasn't expecting to have a chat.
[ Vincent had eyed Zack for a moment. It may become obvious in that moment that Vincent does not.... know that particular little trick about Folkmore and death. ]
I don't expect forgiveness. Or understanding. In the end, I attacked a child. Even before I realized my mistake, I was ready to accept that sin.
[Zack's lips curl into a grimace at his first comment - of course he'd know, if Cloud shared the real story during their journeys together - but he holds his tongue. Fine, fine. Vincent knows. The whole world might as well know, if Thirteen gets her way. Whatever. He's not here to let it wound him again. He's here to live.]
Look, I don't care what your reason or plan or whatever was. You screwed up and you get that now. I'm not the one who really gets to judge you for this. [Even though he will judge him a bit anyway.] I'm not gonna jump in the way if he wants payback, either.
[This guy probably knows that already, too.]
What I do wanna know is this: what's your plan now?
[ Vincent isn't going to belabor it either. It's clear Zack's moving on. And the gunman does admire that trait; it took him a long while to find his own peace on surviving. Sure their circumstances were different in a lot of ways. But it didn't undermine the worth of that sort of conviction Zack's shown in the slightest.
Another thing that might have gone differently? If Lucrecia wasn't already gone by the time he regained consciousness? It's over thoughts like these Vincent's shaking his head and dismissing to focus on the present. Zack will get another look though. This one's filled with bemusement.
Yeah he used the word plan, but it was not intended to try and explain himself. Just something to mention that he'd never been in a position to expect a 'chill conversation'. You've got a weird way of not judging someone there, Mr. Fair. ]
Good. Then I made the right choice.
[ Well more like the best one out of all bad choices. Talking to Zack on the way to Agrona was always part of this plan. And it's given him what he wanted; a good bead on where the former SOLDIER stands when it comes to the Sephiroth in Folkmore right now. Vincent's rough voice has been sounding a little strained. Not because of any hidden emotional duress; the man's simply been speaking more than he usually does. Maybe that's why his plans are spelled out in short, simple statements. ]
I'll get the locket repaired. Leave Sephiroth to you. Then I'll wait for him. Whatever answers he wants, I'll give.
[ Answers, yes. Vincent has no intention of submitting if Sephiroth wants go as far as to retaliate with violence, mind you. Which the teenager would be fully in his rights to go for, but that's beside the point.
But answers can be a very dangerous thing. And Vincent gives no indication that he plans to hold back. On anything. ]
[Don't judge how he judges!! You're the bigger jerk here, Vincent. (And Zack is not above being a little bit hypocritical.)]
Okay, fine. I can work with that. You should talk to Cloud before you do anything else when it comes to Sephiroth, though. If you're part of a team, quit acting solo. We had it handled.
[He's really not sure what Sephiroth will do, but he doesn't want this to end up becoming some kind of back-and-forth retaliation issue. He's gonna touch basis with Cloud and Aerith when he gets home - Vincent's whole secrecy thing isn't gonna fly when he's stealing people away in the middle of the night - but it's important that they all be on the same page here. And he's probably not the best person to be touching basis with Vincent for a while. He'll be cranky until the dust settles.]
[ Well someone has to be the biggest jerk. Might as well be Vincent.
There's another long look. A look of quiet contemplation over the past week or two he's been here. A look that may also be considering about a whole moment where either side could have brought up that something was being handled regarding Sephiroth.
But Vincent just... lets Zack voice the complaint without contest. ]
I plan to talk to Cloud ...and Aerith. But I can't promise anything.
[ Not because Vincent, personally, means to do anything that will hasten another encounter with Sephiroth. He will unintentionally do so but that's beside the point. What he can't predict is what the teenager will do.
At least stealing Zack away in the dead of night was only meant to be an emergency decision. It was never about keeping it from the two forever.
Vincent turns his head to face forward in his seat, closing his eyes. He's not trying to end the conversation with such an action; not precisely. But he is feeling a type of exhaustion creeping up. The train will take a bit more time; honestly at the hour he came for Zack, it'll probably be closer to dawn before they get to Agrona.
Plenty of time to ask more questions but a long time to talk. ]
[Zack doesn't really have much else to say for now; he's too annoyed and can't think of any more questions that aren't likely to just piss him off or (he assumes) get vague, unhelpful answers. For now he'd rather focus on just getting there and checking on Sephiroth.
He's not one for sitting still in the quiet, though, so with an exhaled huff he pushes himself to his feet, paces for a little bit, and then starts doing squats in the corner of the train car, enough to give them both some space but not so far that he can't be interrupted if either of them have something else they want to say. He'll keep being annoyingly active until they arrive. Sorry if you want any semblance of peace, Vincent. This guy doesn't know the meaning of the word.]
[ Zack, you are not anywhere near what it's like traveling with Yuffie.
Probably.
Vincent will be fine and now that the other man has chosen not to pursue further questions and even puts some distance between them to let off excess energy, the red-cloaked man leans a little further back. With a few hours ahead of them, it's even likely he dozes a little.
It's been an exhausting week.
Though there's always an eye that opens if Zack moves near, suggesting Vincent isn't letting himself fall too deeply into slumber. And as dawn begins to break, the train's notification that they're arriving at Oozlum Station has him shifting again and rising. ]
We're here.
[ Vincent had considered simply directing Zack on where to go and simply remaining on the train. But there was something to check. He doesn't plan to stay long, but at the very least he should make sure his instructions were followed.
Thus, if there isn't any protest, he will lead the way. And if, when they get to the hospital he seems to be avoiding the nurses catching sight of him? Well, don't worry about that. ]
[As if Zack and Yuffie aren't two peas in a pod...
Regardless, Zack manages to burn off enough anxious energy with his pacing and squats (and some jogging back and forth through the train car, in part to be a little petty and annoying but also because it's helpful to him) that once they reach the station he's slightly weary and thus more reserved and less angry. Burning off the outrage sure does wonders.
He follows Vincent at a calmer pace through the facility, though he can't help feeling on edge at the clinical display and the scent; he hates hospitals, they smell like a lab. Not that the dingy mansion basement was the cleanest, but the chemical scent it was does him in. It helps keep his mouth shut until they get to their destination, though he musters the effort to smile and wave at the nurses, which hopefully eases the sting of Vincent's presence.]
[They are noticed by the nurses - or at least Zack is, a few wave back, but don't stop them yet. .. Yet. There's questions to be answered! They want answers eventually! Blood types! Allergies! Medical directives! ... Answers neither man actually have. The hospital has a sense of civilian over military; time has been spent making the decor less forbidding, the lighting kinder to the eyes, the seating here and there actually reasonably comfortable (if easy to wash). It smells clean and a bit antiseptic, the paint and floor tiles chosen for their soothing colors instead of efficiency.
None of it at least LOOKS like a lab. And by glancing in doorways to other rooms on the way, arriving in the room Sephiroth's been taken to makes it pretty clear that the endeavor to not make it look like a lab is ongoing and deliberate. There's more things in this one, mismatched decor, an array of scavenged pillows, some blankets both folded and not tossed about in a distinctly haphazard manner. A table lamp next to spoon and relic, a corkboard full of someone's pictures of their pets, even a television playing some muted cowboy movie. It doesn't remove the hum of machinery, the quiet beep of monitors and sensors, but it ... dulls the effect a little. The trash hasn't been emptied from the night before, full of blood soaked gauze, bandages and broken feathers, and the remnants of a black outfit that had to be cut loose. Morning light gleams through the drawn blinds, a beam of pale inching its way across the floor. His chart's stuck in a pocket at the end of the bed, detailing the lengths the surgical team had to go through to keep him alive. Death may not stick here, but it had a cost. Best avoided.
Sephiroth himself has only moved once since he'd been put in the bed and given an IV, most of the monitors relying on some form of magic instead of the usual network of cables and wires. The wings are still there, the mark of a so-called Legend, but he'd rolled enough to pin the damaged one beneath himself and out of easy obvious sight, the other's feathers ruffled enough to hide the first's bandages. Every other one he could is equally hidden, either by light blanket or the hospital clothes in some half-aware urge to hide any sign of weakness, anything that could be poked and prodded at. Anything he could be scolded for. He'd been cleaned pretty well, so it's almost effective.
On a quick glance, aside from being far too pale even for him, the teenager could just be tired. On a longer study though.. so thorough was the recent injury and blood loss that he wouldn't be able to put up a fight even if he wanted to. In a day he'd be up and moving, however poorly; SOLDIERs are made of stern stuff. In a couple days he could resume some level of normal activity without much problem. In another week, he might be able to efficiently hide that he'd been hurt at all. But not now. Vincent's lucky; by the slow but steady beep of the monitors, he's not awake. That's going to change at the first sound that doesn't match the background noise of the hospital.]
[ The nature of hospitals can't be helped. Vincent is no less one who has unpleasant memories about labs and lab smells. But he has a good front of indifference, moving with precision to the room assignment.
How does he know? Occupied rooms tend to have charts, markers and paperwork. It's just a matter of knowing what to look for and narrowing down the options. And when one in particular stands out from the more clinical sterility of the rooms on the ward, Vincent pauses in the hallway.
For a second his eyes scan the room, landing briefly on what can be seen of the bed's occupant; for Vincent isn't letting himself be framed by the door itself. Then there is a look over his shoulder toward Zack.
Vincent turns to place his back to the wall as if he were making room for the ex-SOLDIER to pass him by. Not necessary but it's a symbolic gesture. As is the way he somewhat dramatically raises his right arm, hand extended and finger pointed at Sephiroth's room. ]
...
[ With the movement of the front mantle, Zack might also catch sight of the pink ribbon tied around the gunman's bicep. Just a small out of place but inconsequential detail, nothing that should be worried about. ]
[He can endure it, he just doesn't have to like it; that's Zack's usual policy. Truthfully, he hasn't spent a lot of time in or around hospitals. He'd had good luck with missions, usually surviving with just scrapes, bruises, or injuries minor enough that materia or a troop medic could take care of it quick. The medical facilities of SOLDIER were decent enough, even if that's not where most of the budget went. They weren't built to need hospitals, after all. And the worst injuries he'd ever had were in Nibelheim, caused by the kid in the bed before him (in some distant future) and on a cliff outside Midgar (at which point no hospital could spare him).
He passes Vincent, taking note of the ribbon - feeling something decidedly weird about it, and shoving it swiftly to the back of his mind because not important now - and moves to the side of the bed. Kid looks... rough. Not the worst he's ever seen (or done), but for a SOLDIER it doesn't look great. It's a testament to Vincent's strength and aim, as even for a kid, Sephiroth wasn't built to go down easy. Zack'll remember that. (He'll hope he won't need to, but. He'll remember.)
Since Sephiroth is still unconscious, Zack tugs over a chair and parks himself next to the bed, leaning back and crossing his arms. He can wait. As for Vincent...]
[He's not going to be out for long, by the way the steady blip on one of the many monitors jumps as soon as Zack speaks up. That's a sound that disrupted the ambience, was absolutely out of place, and although nothing's connected his voice to anything recognizable yet, nurses were likely constantly in and out tending to their duties. Most of those required an awake patient.
Vincent probably doesn't have long to make the choice Zack's given him. Linger long and it'll be made for him.]
[ Maybe. Maybe the low rumble of Vincent's voice, finally speaking for the first time since entering the hospital, could count as another part of the disruption. It can't be help.
And with that simple word Vincent's arm drops and he's silently- how on hospital tile with those boots- retreating down the corridor the way they came.
Maybe he does get briefly caught by a nurse on the way out, but by the time anyone could go chasing after him, he's going to have disappeared again. ]
[Zack makes a quiet "hmm" at the answer - not surprised, not disappointed exactly, but whatever, it's complicated and he's not in the mood to deal with whatever happens should the two meet again in this moment - and closes his eyes. It's fine, he's here to stay. If Sephiroth wakes up then and there, they can chat. If not, Zack's taking a nap until he stirs.]
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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.
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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.
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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.]
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...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.
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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.]
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But yes. Restraint. Maturity. Someone has to be.
There is a not-too-subtle shift in the air. Whether true or not, whether he acknowledges it not, Vincent is not immune to someone speaking ill of someone he loved- and still loves- so deeply. Closure, understanding... those wouldn't change that. Vincent would be angry at hearing Hojo's name again. But for a moment, the ire is also aimed at Zack.
And to top it off, the SOLDIER admits he didn't have any knowledge of the woman before carelessly expressing the worst of the options... rather than wait to hear what had happened. ]
No. Losing Sephiroth was not part of the deal. He was taken from her the moment he was born.
[ But... give him a minute to calm himself so he can speak candidly about the remainder. Whatever else can be said, Vincent will not deny that Lucrecia let the child in her womb become a subject of experimentation. ]
None of them knew what they were doing. Gast. Hojo. Lucrecia. Ignorance... isn't an excuse. They all had their hand in the experiments. But whatever else you may say, Lucrecia did not willingly 'hand over' her child.
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Yeah, Zack's pretty sure Cloud could sleep at night with this kill. But hopefully he never has to.
He doesn't so much as blink at the ire; he's faced down true hatred before. He's unmoved.]
Crime's still on her hands if she was into it. But whatever, fine, this Lucretia is his mom. Hojo wanted him to believe it was Jenova? What, having a human mom was too benign for the mad scientists? -Actually you know what, that sounds exactly like something Hojo would do.
no subject
But Vincent also does not have the memory of Nibelheim burning, bodies of loved ones, neighbors and family laying in the dirt after being cut down by a madman. He wanted to spare his friend. But had he really needed to?
The ire fades. Maybe it's still present, but Vincent isn't beyond reason. ]
Yes.
[ It's not denied. He even just said as much. Lucrecia may have loved Sephiroth and not wanted to be parted from him, but it didn't erase the fact that she submitted herself and her unborn child to the experiments willingly. ]
If I had to speculate, I suspect Hojo would have wanted to erase all ties anyone else had to his 'perfect experiment'. He was... a vain man.
[ The disgust is unfeigned. But how many people would speak of Hojo otherwise, really? Vain is an understatement. Vincent's tone evens out and turns... puzzled. Confused. ]
...It was a shock to see Sephiroth even had a picture. That... I don't know why.
[ If there was something Vincent would have wanted to understand, it's how the photograph came to be in the boy's possession. What reason would Hojo... He shakes his head. ]
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[Four years in Hojo's lab, he became very much attuned to the man's moods and whims. He thought he was the greatest genius in the world; really, he was just a madman trying to rebuild the toy that disappeared in Nibelheim's reactor. "Vain" is the least offensive word that should be used to label the man.
...Yeah, maybe he has a personal reason for feeling some disdain for Lucrecia, after what she put her baby through. He's got no respect for people who submit others to unwilling experimentation, and as an infant Sephiroth definitely couldn't consent.]
Sephiroth thought his mother was Jenova the whole time. It came up in Nibelheim before everything went to hell. Too bad you probably wrecked your chance at having a nice chill conversation with him.
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[ It's probably not a surprise that Vincent is aware of that. The huff was not amusement at Zack's expense. It came close to empathy and perhaps a trace of regret.
How things might have changed if Vincent had not let himself sleep so deeply, drowning in nightmares. Maybe he would have been more aware of the renewed activity that time. Regret... but not overt self-recrimination.
Hojo had been the one who imprisoned Zack and Cloud and that came as no surprise; the scientist would have put any convenient 'specimen' under the knife. The only reason humans hadn't been on the slab more often was probably because it was harder to write off when people went missing.
At least until Sephiroth provided a huge supply. And Hojo became department head. Two decades changed a lot of things. ]
The plan was to make it quick. If I failed... Either way I wasn't expecting to have a chat.
[ Vincent had eyed Zack for a moment. It may become obvious in that moment that Vincent does not.... know that particular little trick about Folkmore and death. ]
I don't expect forgiveness. Or understanding. In the end, I attacked a child. Even before I realized my mistake, I was ready to accept that sin.
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Look, I don't care what your reason or plan or whatever was. You screwed up and you get that now. I'm not the one who really gets to judge you for this. [Even though he will judge him a bit anyway.] I'm not gonna jump in the way if he wants payback, either.
[This guy probably knows that already, too.]
What I do wanna know is this: what's your plan now?
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Another thing that might have gone differently? If Lucrecia wasn't already gone by the time he regained consciousness? It's over thoughts like these Vincent's shaking his head and dismissing to focus on the present. Zack will get another look though. This one's filled with bemusement.
Yeah he used the word plan, but it was not intended to try and explain himself. Just something to mention that he'd never been in a position to expect a 'chill conversation'. You've got a weird way of not judging someone there, Mr. Fair. ]
Good. Then I made the right choice.
[ Well more like the best one out of all bad choices. Talking to Zack on the way to Agrona was always part of this plan. And it's given him what he wanted; a good bead on where the former SOLDIER stands when it comes to the Sephiroth in Folkmore right now. Vincent's rough voice has been sounding a little strained. Not because of any hidden emotional duress; the man's simply been speaking more than he usually does. Maybe that's why his plans are spelled out in short, simple statements. ]
I'll get the locket repaired. Leave Sephiroth to you. Then I'll wait for him. Whatever answers he wants, I'll give.
[ Answers, yes. Vincent has no intention of submitting if Sephiroth wants go as far as to retaliate with violence, mind you. Which the teenager would be fully in his rights to go for, but that's beside the point.
But answers can be a very dangerous thing. And Vincent gives no indication that he plans to hold back. On anything. ]
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Okay, fine. I can work with that. You should talk to Cloud before you do anything else when it comes to Sephiroth, though. If you're part of a team, quit acting solo. We had it handled.
[He's really not sure what Sephiroth will do, but he doesn't want this to end up becoming some kind of back-and-forth retaliation issue. He's gonna touch basis with Cloud and Aerith when he gets home - Vincent's whole secrecy thing isn't gonna fly when he's stealing people away in the middle of the night - but it's important that they all be on the same page here. And he's probably not the best person to be touching basis with Vincent for a while. He'll be cranky until the dust settles.]
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There's another long look. A look of quiet contemplation over the past week or two he's been here. A look that may also be considering about a whole moment where either side could have brought up that something was being handled regarding Sephiroth.
But Vincent just... lets Zack voice the complaint without contest. ]
I plan to talk to Cloud ...and Aerith. But I can't promise anything.
[ Not because Vincent, personally, means to do anything that will hasten another encounter with Sephiroth. He will unintentionally do so but that's beside the point. What he can't predict is what the teenager will do.
At least stealing Zack away in the dead of night was only meant to be an emergency decision. It was never about keeping it from the two forever.
Vincent turns his head to face forward in his seat, closing his eyes. He's not trying to end the conversation with such an action; not precisely. But he is feeling a type of exhaustion creeping up. The train will take a bit more time; honestly at the hour he came for Zack, it'll probably be closer to dawn before they get to Agrona.
Plenty of time to ask more questions but a long time to talk. ]
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He's not one for sitting still in the quiet, though, so with an exhaled huff he pushes himself to his feet, paces for a little bit, and then starts doing squats in the corner of the train car, enough to give them both some space but not so far that he can't be interrupted if either of them have something else they want to say. He'll keep being annoyingly active until they arrive. Sorry if you want any semblance of peace, Vincent. This guy doesn't know the meaning of the word.]
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Probably.
Vincent will be fine and now that the other man has chosen not to pursue further questions and even puts some distance between them to let off excess energy, the red-cloaked man leans a little further back. With a few hours ahead of them, it's even likely he dozes a little.
It's been an exhausting week.
Though there's always an eye that opens if Zack moves near, suggesting Vincent isn't letting himself fall too deeply into slumber. And as dawn begins to break, the train's notification that they're arriving at Oozlum Station has him shifting again and rising. ]
We're here.
[ Vincent had considered simply directing Zack on where to go and simply remaining on the train. But there was something to check. He doesn't plan to stay long, but at the very least he should make sure his instructions were followed.
Thus, if there isn't any protest, he will lead the way. And if, when they get to the hospital he seems to be avoiding the nurses catching sight of him? Well, don't worry about that. ]
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Regardless, Zack manages to burn off enough anxious energy with his pacing and squats (and some jogging back and forth through the train car, in part to be a little petty and annoying but also because it's helpful to him) that once they reach the station he's slightly weary and thus more reserved and less angry. Burning off the outrage sure does wonders.
He follows Vincent at a calmer pace through the facility, though he can't help feeling on edge at the clinical display and the scent; he hates hospitals, they smell like a lab. Not that the dingy mansion basement was the cleanest, but the chemical scent it was does him in. It helps keep his mouth shut until they get to their destination, though he musters the effort to smile and wave at the nurses, which hopefully eases the sting of Vincent's presence.]
in which very little happens except scenery
None of it at least LOOKS like a lab. And by glancing in doorways to other rooms on the way, arriving in the room Sephiroth's been taken to makes it pretty clear that the endeavor to not make it look like a lab is ongoing and deliberate. There's more things in this one, mismatched decor, an array of scavenged pillows, some blankets both folded and not tossed about in a distinctly haphazard manner. A table lamp next to spoon and relic, a corkboard full of someone's pictures of their pets, even a television playing some muted cowboy movie. It doesn't remove the hum of machinery, the quiet beep of monitors and sensors, but it ... dulls the effect a little. The trash hasn't been emptied from the night before, full of blood soaked gauze, bandages and broken feathers, and the remnants of a black outfit that had to be cut loose. Morning light gleams through the drawn blinds, a beam of pale inching its way across the floor. His chart's stuck in a pocket at the end of the bed, detailing the lengths the surgical team had to go through to keep him alive. Death may not stick here, but it had a cost. Best avoided.
Sephiroth himself has only moved once since he'd been put in the bed and given an IV, most of the monitors relying on some form of magic instead of the usual network of cables and wires. The wings are still there, the mark of a so-called Legend, but he'd rolled enough to pin the damaged one beneath himself and out of easy obvious sight, the other's feathers ruffled enough to hide the first's bandages. Every other one he could is equally hidden, either by light blanket or the hospital clothes in some half-aware urge to hide any sign of weakness, anything that could be poked and prodded at. Anything he could be scolded for. He'd been cleaned pretty well, so it's almost effective.
On a quick glance, aside from being far too pale even for him, the teenager could just be tired. On a longer study though.. so thorough was the recent injury and blood loss that he wouldn't be able to put up a fight even if he wanted to. In a day he'd be up and moving, however poorly; SOLDIERs are made of stern stuff. In a couple days he could resume some level of normal activity without much problem. In another week, he might be able to efficiently hide that he'd been hurt at all. But not now. Vincent's lucky; by the slow but steady beep of the monitors, he's not awake. That's going to change at the first sound that doesn't match the background noise of the hospital.]
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How does he know? Occupied rooms tend to have charts, markers and paperwork. It's just a matter of knowing what to look for and narrowing down the options. And when one in particular stands out from the more clinical sterility of the rooms on the ward, Vincent pauses in the hallway.
For a second his eyes scan the room, landing briefly on what can be seen of the bed's occupant; for Vincent isn't letting himself be framed by the door itself. Then there is a look over his shoulder toward Zack.
Vincent turns to place his back to the wall as if he were making room for the ex-SOLDIER to pass him by. Not necessary but it's a symbolic gesture. As is the way he somewhat dramatically raises his right arm, hand extended and finger pointed at Sephiroth's room. ]
...
[ With the movement of the front mantle, Zack might also catch sight of the pink ribbon tied around the gunman's bicep. Just a small out of place but inconsequential detail, nothing that should be worried about. ]
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He passes Vincent, taking note of the ribbon - feeling something decidedly weird about it, and shoving it swiftly to the back of his mind because not important now - and moves to the side of the bed. Kid looks... rough. Not the worst he's ever seen (or done), but for a SOLDIER it doesn't look great. It's a testament to Vincent's strength and aim, as even for a kid, Sephiroth wasn't built to go down easy. Zack'll remember that. (He'll hope he won't need to, but. He'll remember.)
Since Sephiroth is still unconscious, Zack tugs over a chair and parks himself next to the bed, leaning back and crossing his arms. He can wait. As for Vincent...]
Staying or going?
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Vincent probably doesn't have long to make the choice Zack's given him. Linger long and it'll be made for him.]
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[ Maybe. Maybe the low rumble of Vincent's voice, finally speaking for the first time since entering the hospital, could count as another part of the disruption. It can't be help.
And with that simple word Vincent's arm drops and he's silently- how on hospital tile with those boots- retreating down the corridor the way they came.
Maybe he does get briefly caught by a nurse on the way out, but by the time anyone could go chasing after him, he's going to have disappeared again. ]
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