Final Fantasy VII 1. Prologue: The Beginning of the End

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may not be correct. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent, and a character I will introduce eventually.

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**Prologue: The Beginning of the End**

_**These battles will never end... In the beginning, a mad scientist, Hojo, started what we call, the Crisis, or to those involved, the Jenova War. He helped create Sephiroth, and years later, Sephiroth lost his mind, believing Jenova to be his mother, thus summoning the black magic, Meteor. Thanks to the Lifestream, and the white magic, Holy, we AVALANCHE, defeated not only Sephiroth, but Meteor as well, and for a time, peace reigned. Two years later, remnants of Sephiroth stirred up trouble again, 'causing an illness, known as Geostigma, to plague most of the planet's population, due to the will of Sephiroth in the Lifestream. They were defeated, and Geostigma was cured by the will of Aerith, a Cetra that travelled with us two years prior before she was killed by Sephiroth. Another year later, I was chased down by the dark secret of Shinra, known as Deepground, for the Proto-Materia that not only controlled Chaos, but the WEAPON, Omega, as well. The WRO, and AVALANCHE defeated Deepground, and I defeated Omega, sacrificing Chaos, a gift from Lucrecia, to save the planet. When this last war ended, I had finally let go of my past, forgiving my own sins.**_

_**A year had passed since that last battle, and everyone was making their way in this time of what we hoped, was everlasting peace. I even found myself visiting my comrades more often. But nothing lasts forever, and this peace was short-lived. Weiss and Rosso were alive and very much kicking, with yet another army behind them, and for some reason, they were not the least bit human. We were close to beating them again, until a man named Genesis emerged, and one by one, cut AVALANCHE down to three. Yuffie, Nanaki, and I were the only ones to remain intact from the first battle with Genesis. Yuffie returned to challenge him with the strength of Wutai behind her, only to be defeated as well. Knowing we could not defeat him, Nanaki and I watched over our fallen friends, and eventually their graves, as well as their descendants. Unable to watch the world burn slowly, I faced Genesis again...and this time, I had no escape...there was nothing to save me from death now. Genesis merely left me there, and so, I failed. Everyone...**_

_**As I took my final breath, I could only remember seeing...her face.**_

_**

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**_

_Beep, beep, beep._ Riley Tombs groaned in half-sleep, a hand reaching out of a thick comforter, slapping the offending object. Instead of the alarm turning off, the clock practically flipped and clattered to the floor loudly, startling the cat currently perched on a hip. At least the alarm seemed quieter under the bed. The noise roused the ball from underneath the blanket before removing the cover. She rolled her head to the side, blinking owlishly at the sunlight penetrating her blinds as she sat up, hunched over. She finally leaned over, reaching under her bed, flicking the switch, ceasing the noise. She looked at the time more closely, suddenly cursing and jumping out of bed.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it; I'm late again!"

She rushed, jumping into the shower, brushing her teeth at the same time, making things awkward. Jumping out, she cleared the moisture away from the mirror, brushing long, straight, layered dark brown hair (with the under-layer dyed dark red), with chin-length layered side bags. She washed her face, cleaned out her ears, and checked her icy blue eyes for any abnormalities, like sleep gunk. She dressed quickly into a red long sleeved shirt with a large black t-shirt overtop with a few punkish designs on it, black cargo pants, a red and black chequered belt, and a pair of combat boots. She grabbed her school bag and left shortly afterwards with a chocolate chip muffin in her mouth.

It was already lunchtime by the time she reached College. She went through with her afternoon classes, got notes from her fellow classmates and ate afterwards in the cafeteria. She didn't know what to do for the future, so for now, she was in General Arts and Sciences...for the third time. She was twenty years old and completely indecisive about her life. She managed to stay somewhat in shape, so she wasn't all that bad looking, however, one wouldn't know that due to her baggy clothing.

She sat there, rereading notes to refresh her memory from the previous two years, sighing. She felt no meaning in her life, and to tell the truth, she wasn't very social, thus why she didn't have many friends. The only thing that managed to fill the void was her video games...more precisely, the Final Fantasy VII Compilation, and even more precisely, Vincent Valentine. She had no idea she was actually doodling the handsome ex-Turk's face while completely zoned out. She had all merchandise related to Vincent.

"Jeez, I really don't have a life," she muttered out loud.

She left the grounds, heading to the shopping district of the city, headphones blaring nu-metal and techno. She walked into the only arcade in town, planning on turning into a game zombie while she raced, rapidly fired, and danced. She got so many tickets so quickly, her schoolbag, which was normally empty, was packed. She walked up to the prize counter, having them count her tickets.

"Jesus, you practically have a treasure trove, miss!"

"Huh," Riley replied dumbly.

"You have about ten-thousand and some odd amount more," the clerk stated, "You could have any prize on the shelf, or at least, multiple things."

She thought for a minute, glancing at all the items, but nothing caught her eye, "I suppose you don't have anything in the back, do you?"

Suddenly, the clerk grinned before leaving her alone briefly, coming back quickly with a boxed item, "You like Final Fantasy, right?"

"Just Final Fantasy VII and X, why?"

"Well, that company that made them—"

"—Square-Enix..." she assisted.

"Yeah, Square-Enix just came out with these, ball replica things."

She watched him pull out small glass display cases with coloured spheres, "They were already selling those. What's your point? I have all of them already."

"Ah, but do you have their latest addition?" he asked when he pulled out a more decorative case.

The stand itself was made of the finest cherry wood, a chrome plaque bolted into the front with _Limited Edition Materia_ etched upon it. It looked like white materia to her, but if it was a collector's item, why not? He looked further into the box, and it was the only one of its kind in stock.

"This one was about to be the grand prize on our shelves. And it's about nine-thousand."

"Done," she said easily. "I'll take it. I want it. Give it."

He blinked, "Wow that was fast."

"But why is it you only have one?"

"These are actually very exclusive and it must be pure luck that this one ended up in this joint. Place is about to go under."

"Well, if the games were better, you probably would have had more luck, business-wise."

Afterwards, Riley headed home, giving the remainder of her tickets to some random kid on the way out, being more careful in her stride with the item inside her bag. She strolled down a street, walking into the more criminally active part of town. She could still remember her parents' reaction when they found out where she lived. They basically demanded she move elsewhere or return home. Riley ignored them, cutting off her connection with them. They never understood her and she could never satisfy them to begin with, so what was the point of continuing? Her stride slowed even further when she saw a homeless old woman being harassed by a couple of kids.

"Hey!" she called out, grabbing their attention. She ran over too quickly for them to run away as she grabbed them both by the hair, pulling hard, "Apologize, rats!"

"Ow! Let me go!" one demanded childishly while the other hissed in surprise pain.

"Not until you apologize to the poor lady, then I'll let you two run home like two little girls."

"Ow, darn it! Okay! We're sorry! We're sorry, right?!"

"Yeah, we're so sorry! Please, it hurts!"

Riley watched them, "How do you think she feels?! Try putting yourself in someone else's shoes! Now, get!" She let go of them one at a time, delivering a good-bye kick to their butts with the side of her foot. She then turned to the trembling woman, crouching to help her up, "Are you alright?"

"Yes...thank you for your kindness."

Riley looked at the woman carefully, considering something, "C'mon, I'll get you something to eat." She helped the woman to her apartment, bringing her up and sitting her on the couch before fixing her up some tomato soup and milk. She fed the woman, wondering why she was suddenly so kind to a complete stranger.

"Thank you," the woman said again after she finished her small meal.

Riley looked her over, seeing that she was typically dressed in rags, but her hair almost appeared clean since it was so long, smooth, and white. It looked like satin. Her face was wrinkled with age, and from what Riley could tell, she was blind, and it seemed like her eyes used to be blue.

"What's your name, child?" she finally asked.

"Riley..."

"Riley... what a nice name. Unusual for a girl, I think, but I guess that makes you, you."

"What's your name?"

"Would you believe it that I don't even remember?" the old lady chuckled, "At least, not my real name. Some folks around here call me Fable."

"Why Fable?"

"It's because I like to tell stories, but that's not all I do. I read people's fortunes for small change." Riley wanted to ask if the woman really was blind, but she was already beaten to it, "Yes, I am blind, but I don't need my eyes to see the future." She considered Riley for a moment, "Would you like your future read?"

"How much is it?"

"For you, as a small token of gratitude, it's free. Just give me your hand and I got it from there." She sensed Riley's hesitation before feeling her hand in her own. She closed her eyes and silence overcame them. Her thumb caressed her palm gently as she concentrated. She began humming softly then stopped, "Currently, you are not certain on what path to take in your life. You continue the same course in college year after year, hoping that you will either figure things out, or for something exciting to happen to you... something life-altering." Of course, Riley already knew this, but how Fable knew was beyond her.

"What else can you tell me?"

The woman merely smiled softly as she continued, "You long to be from this place and brought to a far away land. You wish to meet a man you believe doesn't exist; your imperfect man. You hope that he will show up one day and sweep you off your feet, thus bringing the much longed for excitement you desire."

Riley refused to blush. The old lady was on the nail, "Anything else?"

Slowly, the woman's smile faded, frowning with a kind of focus that seemed, distant, "Oh my...your future is...I can't say it."

This caught her attention, "What? What's going to happen?"

With a hard swallow, she continued, "You will find something, and it will bring either order or chaos. Danger lies ahead, and at the end, one of you will fall. So much pain from this man...why? He suffers; you must find him, heal him, and defeat the darkness that reigns. You must never allow the Key of the Gods to fall into the wrong hands." Without warning, Fable released Riley's hand and turned her blind eyes to her face, "Pain awaits you, my dear."

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**A/N:** Woo! Finally did the first chapter! I'm not very good with this whole fan-fiction thing, plus I have a tendency to leave stories unfinished. But I'm determined to write this to the very end! Please read and review. But please be gentle.


	2. Ch 1: The Pulse

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may not be correct. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent, and a character I will introduce eventually.

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**Chapter 1: The Pulse**

"_Pain awaits you, my dear."_

The young girl sat in her window, pondering that woman's words. Some would say that she was merely trying to get Riley going, but how could she know about her and make all that up? Shaking her head, she jumped when her cat leapt onto her lap, purring expectantly.

"What? Hungry?"

It meowed in reply loudly, almost like a yowl. Feeling resigned, she got up, picking up the cat, padding her way into the kitchen. Placing the cat, Whiskey, down on the counter, she rummaged through her cupboards, finding the tuna. Fable had left in somewhat of a hurry after she had read Riley's fortune. She was left confused and thus began to zone out once more. Just when she thought her life might have gotten interesting. She pondered her reading while watching Whiskey drink the tuna juice and mixed whipped dressing with the meat so she had sandwiches for later.

From all the minor excitement, she had completely forgotten about her materia. She walked over to her bag, pulling it out and placing the display on a shelf dedicated to Final Fantasy VII collectibles. The Limited Edition Materia had a different look comparatively to her white materia. She never realized before that the surface had a more pearlescent look to it, though still semi-transparent. Inside, multiple colours seemed to swirl and glow. Wait…glow? Sudden fascination took over.

She pulled off the glass top, removing the materia and looking it over. Since when did replicas glow? She hadn't the faintest idea but whatever Square-Enix did, she was superbly impressed. It was probably the same chemical they used for glow sticks, only, meant to last longer. So many questions rose to her mind about this singular object, thus distracting her before Whiskey startled her once more, rubbing against her leg, causing her to drop it with a loud curse.

Relieved that it didn't break, she quickly snatched it, blinking when the cat seemed oddly afraid of the object, swiftly trotting off to the bedroom.

"Weirdo," she stated with a shake of her head.

She looked back down at the materia, almost dropping it again when she discovered that it seemed to pulse with light, like the inside had a heartbeat. Feeling a little anxious, she put it back, covering it with the glass before heading straight for bed.

The next morning, the alarm blared and she dragged herself into the shower. Perhaps last night was merely her imagination. Wasn't it? When she finished up, she walked into the living room, glancing at her shelves, and the materia wasn't pulsing. Feeling stupid, she rolled her eyes and went to remove her towel before a knock was heard. She cursed, covering herself up again before slipping on a bathrobe. She walked over, peeking through the peephole and mentally groaned.

She hesitated but thought better of it as she opened the door to be greeted by the Landlady's son, "Hello Marcus."

Did you ever have one of those creepy neighbours that were just _too_ friendly? Marcus was one of these people. He was a couple years older than Riley, and he was one of those typical jocks. He flashed her a smile, "Hey there. Oh, did I catch you at a bad time?"

Riley knew he was referring to her half-naked state, "Yes. Unless this is important, please leave. I have to get ready for my classes."

"Oh, it's important. I was hoping you wanted to come to a football game with me and a couple of my buddies with their chicks then grab some pizza after."

She stood there for a full ten seconds of utter silence before inhaling deeply, speaking patiently, "Thanks for the offer, but I don't like sports games. I am sorry if you wasted any money on my behalf, but if you'll excuse me, I must get dressed and drag myself to school."

"Oh, well then, it's no problem." More silence ensued and she nodded, about to shut the door before he spoke up again, "Maybe I can give you a ride to school?"

She paused. He was only trying to be nice. She couldn't dodge him forever, and it was better than the chance of being late again. She finally nodded after some consideration, "I'll be down in fifteen minutes."

"Great! Meet you down there!"

He quickly left with a look of triumph in his stride as she shook her head, closing the door to get dressed in a similar outfit like the day before, only the pants were actually denim blue, undershirt was white and the t-shirt overtop was blood red. She brushed her hair then her teeth, eating another muffin when she headed down with her bag, catching the sight of Marcus and his convertible. He opened the door for her with a boyish grin before she simply climbed into her seat, holding the bag on her lap as he ran around, taking his place in the driver's seat.

The drive was quiet, and neither of them said anything. It was almost a block to her school before Marcus finally spoke, "So, maybe instead of the game, you and I could catch a movie sometime."

Riley sighed out loud, unable to catch herself before it happened, "Listen, Marcus…you're a nice guy. Very likeable, very easily, but frankly, I'm just not interested in any form of a relationship."

"With me…" he added with slight bitterness.

She almost winced, speaking almost inaudibly, "Yeah."

He pulled up in front of the school and both of them simply sat there in silence before he spoke once more, "Well, it's cool. I understand. Just not that many girls like you around, y'know?"

She flicked her gaze up at him curiously, "No, I don't. What do you mean, girls like me?"

"Nah, it's not important."

Before she could say anything else, the school bell rang and she snapped out of her confusion, running inside after quickly thanking him for the ride. Only, she went on with her day, wondering why he said that. She sat in the library, staring at the computer screen instead of doing her current assignment. Suddenly, she had a thought and went onto Google, looking up the limited edition materia. Despite carefully examining all information found, none of it mentioned any sort of glowing. All she found was that only one-hundred were made. Feeling resigned, she closed the window, returning to her assignment.

"I _must_ have no life. I'm losing my mind."

Riley returned home close to ten at night, hanging her keys up while being greeted by Whiskey with a rough meow. She smiled and crouched down, giving him a scratch under the chin. She hadn't even turned the lights on yet, but she spotted a light pulsing softly in various colours from the living room. Slowly, she stood, brows knitted together in curiosity and caution. She glanced around, seeing nothing decent enough to use as a self defense weapon, so for now, Riley grasped an old fashioned umbrella, treading slowly into the living room. Each breath was in time with every footstep, hearing her heart pound in her ears loudly. Finally, when she glanced around the corner to the source of the light, her eyes rested upon the materia.

_Again? This isn't real. It can't be real. Materia does not exist, and their replicas certainly don't glow, either! This is a dream, and I will wake up, be late for class again while disappointment serves me once again, reminding me of my boring life!_

The materia seemed to react with each accentuation of her thoughts, glowing more brightly. Suddenly, Fable came to mind. Was this what she was talking about?

"_You will find something, and it will bring either order or chaos."_

Putting the umbrella down, she approached the materia, removing it from its display, "It's… warm. I must be _out_ of my mind."

She pocketed the item, headed for the door, grabbing the keys and leaving the apartment altogether. The young girl wandered around the streets, smoke rising from the manholes and street vents, leaving a dirty feeling on her skin, making it crawl with discomfort. Normally, being out at night never bothered her, but tonight wasn't like any other night. Turning a corner, Riley glanced upon the usual spot for a small group of homeless, spotting a few people surrounding a barrel with various flammable objects burning inside to keep them warm. She searched, and scrutinized for any distinction of Fable amongst the small crowd. Finally, she spotted the white hair and quickly strode over, seeing the old lady curled into herself in a large open shaft under the building.

The woman had her eyes closed, giving Riley the impression she was sleeping, until she spoke that is, "I knew you would come, Child. Riley, wasn't it?"

"How did you…?"

"I read fortunes, remember?" She smiled in reply, "Come sit with me. I suspect you have many questions." Riley took the invitation with hesitation like before, but didn't say anything for a time. Fable only continued to smile, and her pale eyes opened, light flickering in them from the fire, "You may ask me anything, though I may not be able to answer everything clearly."

A few moments passed as Riley pieced together the words she wanted to form, "The thing you said I would find…is it…"

"It's the materia you found only, yesterday, I believe?" When she sensed Riley's nod, she continued, "You seem to doubt the possibility that it may be the real deal."

"Materia is nothing but something from a video game, and—"

"But it glows, and pulses, as if it has a life of its own," she stated almost matter-of-fact. When Riley said nothing, she went on, "What you have in your pocket is not just any materia…it's something even meteor would not be able to stand up to, when used properly and with enough power."

"Hold on, this is _crazy_!" Riley exclaimed, "Materia is NOT real, it never has and never will be! I couldn't summon up Bahamut, or cast Thunder with this thing! This is stupid. Why did I even bother? It's probably some radioactive chemical going _woo, woo_ in a shiny ball!"

Fable waited patiently as the youngling ranted and raved, "Believe what you want, Riley. I won't be the one to convince you anyway. _That…_" she glanced at her pocket, "…is _its_ job. I am only the messenger, saying what lies ahead for you."

"Danger lies ahead, pain awaits me…next you'll be telling me that '_I'm the chosen one'_!"

Fable chuckled, "Don't get so ahead of yourself, Child. You're far from becoming a blossom. But my reading was only one interpretation. You write your own destiny; fate only pulls the strings."

Silence reigned for five minutes, leaving Riley frustrated as she pulled out the materia. It still pulsed, though not as strongly as it did in her apartment, "If this materia is real, what kind do I have? It's not black, and it's not white. It sort of reminds me of Proto-Materia, actually."

"It is none of them and all of them."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"That, I cannot tell you. You will have to figure that out yourself. Time will tell you when you are ready to know."

An hour had passed, and it had begun to rain, catching Riley under it. She had retreated for a bus shelter, shielding her from weather while staring at the materia thoughtfully. No busses came to this part of town. In fact, no city vehicles did. She heard voices of street punks, glancing at them as they pointed at her with interest. _Great_, she thought, just what she needed; to be a victim of a mugging. For now, she remained where she was, putting the sphere away out of sight, trying not to make any sudden movements. She realized too late that the shelter merely trapped her as the two stood in the opening, leering at her.

"Yo, what's a pretty girl doing all alone at this time of night in lousy weather?"

"Meeting your boyfriend?"

They sniggered darkly while she easily retorted with her own question, "I don't know. What are two guys doing together _alone_ out on a Friday night?"

When they finally deciphered her insult, the taller one grabbed her, dragging her out, throwing her. She barely managed to catch enough balance to not fall on her face, however, her knees and the palms of her hands suffered some damage. Wincing, she struggled to her feet, knees in agony from the impact with concrete.

"Don't make this hard, chick. Hand over all your valuables."

"Valuables? That's a long word for you. I'm impressed," she replied sarcastically.

They both only shook their heads, grabbing her by the hair. She refused to scream. She had her pride. Her teeth ground together as one sucker punched her in the gut, instantly losing the ability to breathe. They rummaged through her pockets, finding the materia, both blinking at its colourful pulse. She panted then something overcame her, making one of her legs go flying between one's legs, instantly making him keel over in agony, dropping the sphere before it rolled away. The adrenaline made her ignore the pain of the twist in her hair as she spun around, knee landing in his groin. When he dropped as well, she suddenly let a cry of pain go, limping after the materia. She fell over, barely snatching it before it got too far as she brought it to her chest.

The materia stopped its pulse and only glowed, colours emanating from it, swirling in the dark amongst the raindrops. The two punks had recovered and began to make their way over to her without her notice, one pulling out a knife. She blinked constantly, trying to remove the rain from her lashes. When the one wielding the knife lunged, all she could remember was hearing a loud heartbeat, the light growing brighter, swallowing everything on the street, making her blind, stopping time, then, nothing.

She never even figured out what precise moment she blacked out.

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**A/N:** Woo! Chapter 1 finally up. Didn't take me long to update. I might actually be in the mood for writing regularly, for now. As a side note, I named the cat, Whiskey, because I had a cat once that went by that name. He was put down over a year and a half ago due to bad cat food, so this one of my ways of remembering him. He was always such a sweet and lazy kitty. Other than that, I hope to get the second chapter typed up. Please R&R, though be nice.


	3. Ch 2: The Black Hermit

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may not be correct. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent, and a character I will introduce eventually.

* * *

**Chapter 2: The Black Hermit**

Why was it cold? Was it still raining? Is that wind? Why is everything so…bright? Icy pools of blue slowly opened, revealing an endless field of snow. Forever seemed to go by as she simply lay there, half-lifeless, careless. It was how anybody would have felt after first waking up to each morning. A cold, biting wind slipped under her practically frozen shirt, making her retreat into a ball, shivering.

"Oh god, it's cold!"

Finally, it clicked. Eyes snapped open, realization seeping into her mind. Why the hell was she in a snow field? Where the hell was she?! And how the hell did she get here?! How long has she been passed out? Questions, questions, questions demanded answers, but where to start. Barely able to move, she slowly sat up, body trembling as her practically red hands, thanks to the cold, searched her pockets, finding the materia. It didn't pulse, and it wasn't warm. The colours didn't even swirl, nor glow. Frustration contorted her frozen face.

By this time, she had already accepted the fact that it was real materia, "What'd you do? Send me to Switzerland?! Not that I mind travelling, but I'd like a little warning!!!"

No response. Not even a twitter. She sighed in defeat, struggling to her feet. Pain was suddenly present and she whimpered. Being slow to defend herself last night was not the best idea. For now, she withstood the pain, limping off across the snow, cursing every time her foot sunk too far. An hour had passed, then two, and she reached no end to the snow. How she survived this long without any winter gear was beyond her. Another hour had passed and she squinted from the sun's glare, since her arms were too occupied keeping her warm.

She thought it was just the wind, but subtle sounds of crunching snow followed behind her. She stopped, looking over her shoulder, and all she saw was a small pack of wolves, looking at her hungrily. Her heart stopped. _What do I do?!_ Run or stay absolutely still? Riley thought running would give her a higher chance of survival, and so she did the stupid thing and ran. She had forgotten how limited her movement was and the thinness of the air made it hard for her to breathe. She was about to cry, hearing the wolves barking, and growling after her in this futile chase. Her thoughts returned to the materia in her pocket. _If you're going to do something, NOW would be a good time!!_

Desperate thoughts did nothing to stir the object, making tears of hopelessness stream down her face, practically praying for somebody, _anybody_, to save her from this predicament. Her foot sank too far and she tripped onto her face. She braced herself, knowing it was pointless before she heard gunshots in the wind with yelps following afterwards. Eyes shut tightly, she blinked numerously and looked behind her, seeing the wolves lay upon the snow, red staining it. She searched the area for her savior but found no distinction of a figure in sight. The breath she didn't realize she had been holding came out shakily in relief, gratefulness washing over her.

Another hour had passed and she finally spotted a small town in the distance. She gave a little happy dance before jogging forward, but her jog didn't last long. Her legs were about to give out under her and her body was frozen. She wasn't even sure she could make another twenty steps. Forcing her weakness under her thumb, she pushed further for minutes, took a break then continued on. Wispy breaths came out raggedly in utter exhaust. She managed to reach the town gate before falling over, giving in to her fatigue.

Then suddenly, arms enveloped her form, wrapping a blanket around her. Yay…blanket. Then the toasty warmth came to her, the wind and brightness gone. She weakly drank hot soup being fed to her as her senses returned. She could begin to feel her body again. When her mind didn't seem so clouded, she glanced around cautiously, seeing a couple of people crowd her.

"My, we thought you was a goner! What kind of crazy lady are you, travelling in the fields without so much as a toasty coat?" a blonde lady not much older than her with a Southern drawl approached her, helping her with the soup.

When Riley finished with the bowl, she only got a second serving. Riley drank gratefully while the lady watched her. An old man stood beside her, fluffing Riley's pillow, "You should be more carefully, miss. It's too cold without the proper gear."

"Thank you," she said weakly. "Where…am I?"

"You don't know? This is the coldest place on the planet! You're in Icicle Town!" the women piped.

Riley let that information sink in, "Icicle town…?"

"You don't travel much, do ya?"

The lady didn't even realize the conflict within Riley. Why would she be in Icicle Town? It made no sense! First her materia, that she thought was fake, glows and makes her wake up in a snowfield to freeze half to death, run for her life, barely saved by sheer luck, then she feels joked with, being told she's in a town that shouldn't even exist.

"Icicle Town," she repeated almost dully.

"Something wrong, miss?"

Riley groaned, dropping her head, muttering to herself, "What planet am I on?"

"Well, you're on Gaia, of course. Just, nobody calls it that anymore. It's just called the Planet. Here, have some more soup."

She took it without question, "Where am I?"

"You're inside our Inn. We've been running this place for years. It has a history. AVALANCHE stayed here before, and not far off is the Northern Cavern beyond the Great Glacier Mountains, where they fought and defeated the Legendary and dreaded Sephiroth."

"Oh, pops, that again? Must you say that to everyone who strolls in here?" the lady exclaimed.

"But it's true! And the planet was about to end—"

"Thanks, but I already know all this. AVALANCHE saved the world then found the cure for Geostigma, and then they and the WRO defeated Deepground recently." When they just stared at her, she blinked, "What?"

The old man cleared his throat, "How recently do you believe that happened?"

She replied slowly with uncertainty, "A…year ago?"

"Where have you been, crazy lady? That war was over fifty years ago!" the blonde lady exclaimed once more.

Riley's heart stopped again, "Fifty years ago? What…what's happened since then?!"

Darkness crept over their expressions, despair obvious. Riley was never answered. Instead she was given a room to stay in for now as long as she helped out in the downstairs pub. She was given fresh clothes consisting of a white turtleneck sweater, a pair of black pants, and dry black boots. She sighed and stood beside the bartender, tray under her arm. She remembered her cat, hoping Marcus would be desperate enough to impress her by taking care of Whiskey.

Heavy boot steps could be heard thudding across the floor above, a door shutting with a jingle of a bell, indicating a customer. Riley almost thought she saw Fable, ready to call out until she took a closer look as the figure came closer, each stair creaking under his weight. He wore all black; tall leather boots, elbow-length leather gloves, thick slightly baggy pants with the leggings tucked into the boots, and overtop it all was what looked like a thick poncho with the flowing hem ripped and torn, ragged from what seemed like many battles. Poking through the neck opening was a thick upturned collar, closed in the front by two silver buckles, hiding half of his face. His face was aged, but still strong looking, eyes like onyx, able to read one's soul, or worse, immobilize an enemy with a single look. His hair was extremely long, and almost blindingly white, random spiky strands sticking out here and there, long bangs framing his pale face. For the last foot of his hair, it was tied with a black metal hair ring, braided then the end was tied with a black ribbon.

He sat down at the darkest corner, revealing he had a trimmed black beard, which to her seemed like an odd colour for an old man. Hesitant, she looked to the Barkeeper, who only nodded to her before she walked over. When she finally made it over, she saw that his eyes were closed.

"Uh, what can I get for you, sir?"

He opened his eyes; almost glaring at her, sending her blood running cold as he spoke, voice rough with age, "The usual."

Riley just stood there as he closed his eyes again. Sighing, she walked back over to the counter, "The 'usual'?"

"Ah, right. Would you like anything else with that Mr. Black?" the barkeeper insisted.

"No," came the blunt reply.

The barkeeper made a glass of red wine, handing it to Riley afterwards. She walked over, placing it in front of him with a napkin underneath, "Here you go. Just call if you need anything else."

He opened one eye as she walked away. There was more than meets the eye with this girl, he mused. She was hiding something; he could feel it. Frankly, she could feel like she was being watched, glancing over her shoulder at him, seeing that his head was low, sipping his wine.

She turned to the barkeeper and nudged her head towards the old man, "Who's he? He looks dangerous."

"Who, him? Oh, that's Old Hermit Black. He never revealed his real name, so he just happened to come by _Black_ by, well…you can see for yourself."

"Yeah, I guess I gathered that much. I thought he was just living up to his last name."

"Well anyway, he first came here about…ten or so years ago. He lives up in the mountains where a climber known as Holzoff used to live. He comes to town about once a month for supplies on his black chocobo. Rumour has been going around for years that he knew AVALANCHE, before they were basically killed off."

Her head shot up, eyes wide with shock, "WHAT?!"

Silence took over the pub with every customer glancing at her quizzically. The barkeeper only hushed her, "Keep your voice down! Don't need you scaring them off."

"What do you mean _killed off_?! By who?! What the hell happened these last _fifty years_?!"

"You mean you don't know? Who the hell raised you to be ignorant? Fine, I'll tell ya. Fifty years ago, the Deepground War ended, right?" She nodded. "Well, peace took over, and then survivors of the Tsviets came; both Weiss and Rosso. They wreaked havoc, tearing apart towns and killing people then AVALANCHE challenged them, leaving half of them crippled afterwards because Genesis stepped up."

Riley quickly interrupted, "Genesis? Crippled?"

"Let me finish. Anyway, AVALANCHE was defeated, but Lady Yuffie returned with the army of Wutai, only to have it thrown back in her face, leaving her on a hospital bed. The only ones left were Nanaki of Cosmo Canyon, and Vincent Valentine. Eventually, the crippled members died, and they're supposedly buried in Cosmo Canyon. That Valentine guy went back to try and kick their ass, but he was killed off too."

Riley suddenly hiccupped, as if she was trying not to gasp, let alone cry, "No way…"

"Yeah, so Nanaki is the last of AVALANCHE, unless you count Highwind's and Strife's legacy."

"What? You mean?"

"Yeah, Captain Highwind had a couple of kids with his wife Sierra, and Cloud Strife and Tifa Lockheart got together, popping out a kid of their own. They grew up, having kids of their own, with the help of Nanaki raising them."

"I…see."

"What's with the look? It happened a long time ago! Unfortunately, Genesis and the Tsviets are still alive, unable to age for some reason. They're taking their time, and they control the world with their army. Eventually, they'll decide to let us all burn in hell."

She didn't say anything. It wasn't right, not right at all that they were dead. Worst of all, she couldn't meet them, except Red XIII, "How does Black know them?"

Gil was slapped onto the counter, almost impatiently, Black staring at the barkeeper, "I don't. I never did. Don't go around believing everything you hear." He turned to Riley, "Besides, AVALANCHE was filled with fools. They were in over their heads after every battle beforehand. Especially Valentine—"

She raised her voice, instantly silencing him, "What the hell would _you_ know, old man?! AVALANCHE saved the world, how many times? Don't go badmouthing heroes just because you're…"

He waited patiently, amused, "I'm…what?"

"Just because you're…OLD! Grumpy old fart!" she finished lamely. "I ought to sock you right here for that!"

All that could be heard was her panting, trying to catch her breath as she glared at Black with an intensity of her own. He did not seem fazed however. He was about to make her bite her tongue before a sudden commotion was heard upstairs. The blonde lady, Mary, rushed through the door, calling the barkeeper for help. Riley followed after him, seeing that a man was bleeding on the floor. People crowded him, and Riley watched, almost transfixed on the scene. Black pushed past her, pushing everyone aside, placing his gloved hand upon the man's wound. A green light seemed to emanate from his hand and into the wound, 'causing it to regenerate slowly. When the bleeding stopped, he instructed everyone something then looked at Riley.

"Get a bowl of warm water."

"Uh…right!"

Everyone went to their assigned tasks while Black and the barkeeper carried the man upstairs into one of the bedrooms. Riley rushed upstairs afterwards with the bowl, trying not to spill its contents. Mary came up with clean clothes and a fresh cloth. Black wet the cloth after carefully removing the man's coat and sweater, cleaning his wound. Riley watched as the man was tended to before leaving the room. A roar was heard from outside, her footsteps quickening down the stairs as she rushed to a window, seeing a bizarre creature outside, roaming the town. This monster could probably be described as a yeti with a long scaled tail and on all fours.

Black pushed her aside once more, "Damn. It's bigger than the last one."

He ran outside, leaving her in dismay before she suddenly, without thinking, ran out after him. He stood before the beast. What the hell was that old man thinking? He's old! He couldn't take on a beast like this! The beast seemed to think so as well as it merely roared in his general direction. In retaliation, Black pulled out a Lariat, aiming in his _general direction_ before BOOM. The creature cried briefly in pain before it quickly spun around, swinging its tail. Black leapt into the air, perching on its tail before trying to maintain his balance, suddenly rushing up its back, standing on its head as he fired a few shells off into its skull.

He was suddenly thrown off, rolling across the snow, knocking over a snowman. Riley watched as people ran away screaming, taking refuge inside their homes. The beast seemed to spot her before rushing forward, roaring hungrily. Fear paralyzed her to the spot, unable to will herself to run until she was tackled to the side, moving her out of harm's way for now as Black quickly stocked up the shells in his gun, firing, cocking, firing, then BANG, with a whoosh of flames, the beast cried in agony. It backed up, ready to retreat before turning and crawled away with Black running after it, knowing it would only come back.

Riley spotted a ladder and moved it to a roof, climbing it while hissing from the cold contacting her unprotected hands. She climbed onto the roof and watched from afar as Black shot at its back. The tail was swung once more, this time making contact with the hermit, sending him skidding across the snow. The quad-pedal yeti rushed over to him, crawling over him, snapping its jaws at him. Black rolled to one side, then the other, evading each hungry assault. Soon after, frustrated with his evasions, began using its talons to stomp on him, only to be dodged again. Impatience grew thin before he dug the barrel of Lariat under its chin, firing, causing it to recoil and back up. He rolled over his head, getting up to distance himself.

_At this rate, I'll be too exhausted to keep up. I have to end this quickly._

He aimed at the sky, something glowing from within before he fired a red light, clouds accumulating together as if about to orchestrate a storm, circling the space divided by his glowing bullet. Thunder roared and something began to form in the sky, diving down towards the beast as it solidified into a dragon, better known as Bahamut. It landed, hot air steaming from its mouth, blue flames beginning to sizzle prior to releasing its deadly Mega Flare.

A blue light blinded Riley, nearly causing her to stagger backwards from the shockwave she felt. When the light dimmed, all she could see was the beast lying on its back, leg twitching before it released its final heavy breath, dissolving into thousands of tiny green specters, floating away then disappearing. Black stood with his summon behind him before he fell to one knee, panting. Bahamut disappeared in a subtle whoosh of black mist, which also disappeared to nothing. Seeing his obvious fatigue, Riley practically leapt off the roof, nearly injuring her ankles, but she didn't falter too much as she ran ahead, eventually reaching his side.

"You're a trooper, old man," she said to him softly. She then offered her help, letting him be supported by her, having no choice in the matter. A thought then occurred to her, "Thanks for saving me…" He looked at her as she continued, "Twice."

He realized she was referring to her being chased by Fangs. With that, they walked back to town in silence, the villagers coming out in small applause for Black. Mary walked up to them, "Mr. Black, take the time to rest tonight. You've earned it. I'm sure our new employee will tend to your needs."

"Uh, yeah…sure," Riley said almost bitterly. _Great, I gotta take care of the old fart._

_**This girl unsettles me. Something about her sets me off, and frankly, I don't trust her. I will have to keep an eye on her for now. I know she's hiding something.

* * *

**_

**A/N:** Oh my god, I finally did the second chapter. Not really all that satisfied with it, but it's the best I could think of for now. Hopefully I can make up for it in the next chapter. Now the grumpy _old fart_ has appeared! Why does he seem to dislike AVALANCHE?! Maybe I'll update tonight, depending on my lifestream of ideas…*knows she's lame*. Anyway, feel free to tell me what I can improve on. R&R please. By the way, Riley's not a coward, she's just not used to seeing monsters that she thought were supposedly not real.


	4. Ch 3: A Request

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may not be correct. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent, and Mr. Black (the grumpy and bitter hermit).

* * *

**Chapter 3: A Request**

A week had gone by since she came here. That hermit had left immediately the morning after his battle with the mutated Yeti. It was quiet around here. Riley was surprised she had yet to go crazy. She was even more surprised that nobody asked her to tell them about herself. She preferred it that way. Who would believe she came from a different dimension, anyway?

Mary came downstairs, "Hey Riley! I got a couple of chores for ya!"

"Uh, okay. I'll be right up."

Mary sent her on errands such as grocery shopping and helping with clean-up around the inn. It was almost lunchtime by the time she finished cleaning the bathrooms. Mary called her down, revealing she had made tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. Riley gave a wry smile, thanking her. They sat in silence for what seemed like hours as they ate.

"So, Riley…" The young girl regarded her with a curious look, "Where did you come from anyway? You don't seem to be in a hurry to get back home."

"Don't have a real home to go to honestly. The only thing I really miss is my cat."

"What about your parents? Oh, the Tsviets didn't kill them did they?"

"No, they're alive. They're so far from danger that I felt cooped up with those…never mind."

The blonde leaned forward, resting her elbows on each side of her bowl, "You don't seem to like them very much."

She had said nothing for awhile, stirring the spoon within the bowl's contents, "I have no reason to dislike them…depending on your perspective."

"What do you mean?"

"Let's just say, they spoiled me, and that's why I stopped living with them."

"I'm not sure I get it."

A sigh was emitted, "They gave me everything I wanted, but it left me confused as to what I really wanted. I don't really have any solid plans in mind for my future. I was just starting to figure things out for myself then this happened…"

"This?"

"I…I'd rather not talk about this anymore."

And nothing was said further. Riley continued with her list of chores and she remained quiet. She went to bed that night, eyes locked above her, staring at the ceiling while listening to the howl of the wind rattle the window slightly. Rolling to the side, she pulled out the materia from under her pillow. It had not glowed once since she got here.

_Maybe I broke it. Wait…how do you break materia?

* * *

_

Midgar had barely changed at all since the Deepground War. Dust was a cloud that blanketed the entire area, making the air hard to breathe. Moonlight barely shone its beams through the thick fog, resting upon a certain SOLDIER in red. Genesis sat as if he was sleeping on an industrial throne, lax fist keeping his head up like a pillow. Weiss and Rosso walked into the large room, coaxing his luminescent blue eyes to peer at them.

Rosso semi-crossed her arms, "There's nothing in the Forgotten City either."

"Perhaps it would help to know exactly what we're looking for," said Weiss.

Genesis sat up straight, watching them, "Materia."

A scoff was heard from the femme fatale, "Materia? You waited this long to take the planet for materia? Darling, I must be missing something."

"The Proto-Materia disappeared with Chaos fifty years ago! What are you playing at?"

"Brother…" Genesis warned in a surprisingly soft voice.

Weiss calmed down, impatience still brewing, "I only have one brother."

Rosso smirked, "Nero is dead, and Genesis is stronger than all of us. I think it would be wise not to upset him."

Genesis unwearyingly waited for them to quiet themselves before continuing, "It is not the Proto-Materia I seek. It is not Black or White materia I desire. Nor do I wish for master materia. It is all of these and none of these I want."

"Darling, must you speak in riddles?"

Genesis stood, moonlight silhouetting his figure, "What I want has more power than all the materia in existence. It holds the power of the gods in one's hands; the Omni-Materia."

"Omni-Materia?" both repeated out loud.

"What does it do, exactly?" questioned the Immaculate.

The ex-SOLDIER's lips curled slowly into a smile, "With it, I can do anything I want. However, I've searched and waited this long because I do not have the power required to do exactly what I want. That's why I've allowed these fools to have survived this long. Perhaps one of them carries this materia, or knows where it is."

Rosso stepped forward, apparently excited by the prospect of power and violence, "This materia, does it actually exist? It sounds a little too farfetched to be the real deal. Who would have made such a chaotic thing?"

"One just has to know where to look for the dark secrets of the Cetra," he replied. "There's a legend about a power created by the planet that could shape the world to one's desires. However, there are…requirements to use it. No mere human could use it."

"Requirements?" Weiss questioned.

* * *

Morning came too soon as Riley dragged herself out of bed. The materia sat on the stand beside her, glancing at it as she simply sat there, zoned out from lack of sleep. She knew this materia brought her here, but what was she supposed to do with it? She pondered for a long time, her mental questions interrupted by a gentle rapping on her door.

"Riley? You up yet, lady?" asked Mary.

"Uh, yeah, just now. I'll be down in a minute." After getting dressed, she headed downstairs.

Mary glanced at her while making bacon, blinking some, "What's wrong? You seem to be in a daze."

"Huh?" she replied lamely, "Oh, I just didn't get a lot of sleep."

"Was the wind too strong last night? Were you cold?"

"No, I just... I have a lot on my mind right now. When does Black come back into town? Does he usually come here?"

"Why are you so interested in his visits all of a sudden?"

"I think I have an idea of what I want to do."

The innkeeper, Ed, walked in, "Thinking of leaving?"

"Pops, don't say something so bluntly!"

"I'm just asking!"

Riley stood in silence then finally sat at the table, "I can't stay here. I'm just taking advantage of your hospitality."

"What do you have in mind, miss?"

"I think I'll have that old man train me."

"What?!" Mary dropped a plate in front of the girl. "What do you hope to gain from fighting?!"

"I just need to learn how to defend myself so that I can travel to the Forgotten City."

"What on earth do you need to go there for?" When she wasn't answered, Mary huffed, "Oh, I see how it is. So you have secrets of your own, is that it?"

"When is he coming back?" she repeated.

Mary refused to answer, obviously against the idea. Instead, Ed complied, "Sometime within three to four weeks. I doubt he'll willingly train you though."

"I know that. What he doesn't know is how stubborn I am."

"You're going to need a weapon though if you plan on travelling. You don't get very far with just fists."

"Tifa Lockheart did," she pointed out.

And so, the conversation ended with things somewhat tense between her and Mary. Riley couldn't figure out why, but she kept her distance. Riley could never keep her friends, so it was no surprise that she failed at this one as well. They had got along rather well, despite Mary's somewhat perky nature. A few weeks had gone by as Riley waited patiently for the old fart to come back for his resupply. Saving up tips, along with a little help from Ed, she managed to purchase the sword, Organics. Every night, she gave herself a little practice with the weapon, seeing how she would be able to handle it. Fortunately, it wasn't too heavy due to the strange but wicked design of the blade. Eventually, it wasn't long before the old man finally showed up, strolling into the pub once more, the same way he did last time, sitting in the same corner.

Riley watched him for the longest time, wiping shot glasses clean. The barkeeper, Ronny, nudged her, "One, it's rude to stare, and two, give him his drink."

She forgot she was still a waitress when he walked in, but found that this was the opportunity she needed to talk to him. She took the drink, bringing it over, "Ronny thought you'd want your usual, sir."

Dark orbs peered up at her suspiciously, "Thank you." She never moved, soon arching a brow in her direction, "Yes?"

"Do you…Do you remember me?"

"Unfortunately," he confirmed blandly.

A scowl nearly broke through, but she took a calming breath before continuing, "Well, Mr. Black, my name is Riley."

"Good for you."

His sarcasm was getting on her nerves, "You know how to fight, right?"

"Do you not remember me defeating that big bad monster a month ago?"

_Duh_, she scolded herself. "I…have a request, if you're not too senile to at least listen."

He snorted, which sounded more like a grunt, "I'll listen, but whatever it is, the answer is no."

Pulling up a chair, she joined him, excluding a drink of her own, as she rested her arms on the table, "I was hoping that you could perhaps teach me some basics of self defence; more specifically from monsters." He sipped his wine, watching her curiously. "I have questions I need answered, but that requires me to travel, but _that_ requires me to know how to fend off those monsters."

He arched his brow, "Questions? What sort of questions? Surely someone in town can answer them for you."

"No," she said immediately, "At least, I don't believe they could. Then again, you might be able to if that's the case."

He gave her a quizzical look, "What do you mean?"

She hesitated, "I don't want to talk about it in front of lots of people. If you're willing to wait, I can show you exactly what I mean."

_**She left me there to attend her duties, leaving me curious and more suspicious of her. I didn't know what to think of the fact she had asked me of all people to train her, even if it might have been briefly. Whatever it was she wanted to show me, I didn't like it at all. But it compelled me to wait after I had resupplied, and so I decided I would stay the night, convincing myself that I was only doing it to rest my chocobo. How can I even lie to myself like this? My curiosity had won me over, and I was fearful of what I might discover.**_

Night had come, and Black sat in his room, lights out as he stared out the window, ragged cloak removed and hung over a chair. He pinched between his eyes, trying to sooth the headache that was beginning to surface. Finally, he heard a not-so-gentle knock on his door. He strolled over, answering it to be greeted by the girl herself.

"For someone who wants to keep this _quiet_, you're not the most subtle knockers."

"Shut up," she snorted. They stood there for a full minute in silence before finally speaking up, "Can I come in, or are you just doing this to piss me off?"

He rolled his eyes, stepping aside then closing the door behind her, "What is it you wish to show me?"

Hesitantly, she pulled out the materia, "This."

"You wanted to show me mat—" he stopped, taking a closer look at the sphere, suddenly swiping it to scrutinize its surface, much to Riley's surprise and small annoyance, "What is this? There's no materia in existence that looks like this. It's fake."

"Fake?! Like hell it is! It _used_ to glow; now it doesn't. When it did, it glowed like a damn rainbow, and it had a rhythm to its glow…like, um, a heartbeat. What's the word?"

"Pulsed?" he provided.

"That's it. I thought it might have been the white materia but…"

_White materia; not many people know about such materia. How could she?_ "It's not white materia, that's for sure. Are you certain it glowed the way you say it did?"

"I'm sure…that _thing_ brought me here!"

He paused, looking at her curiously, "Where's _here_?"

"This…never mind. You wouldn't believe me if I told you. That's not the issue though! I just wanna know what it is and how it works so that I can get home! I know…I know it…brought me here."

_**The expression on her face suddenly changed my trust towards her. Perhaps I was fool, but I couldn't help but sympathize her. She had this look of being trapped. The way she looked at the materia in my hands showed how much she hated it for its actions. Though, I still had no idea what it had done to her to begin with, but I thought it best to leave that subject alone. Instead, I made my decision.**_

"I will train you." Her surprise greeted him, and he continued before she could interrupt, "But…I will decide when you are ready to travel this world. Are you willing to face what I will have in store for you?"

She nodded, "Yes, sir!"

"I have rules you will have to follow. One, do not talk back during your training. Two, do not insult me. That includes calling me old and senile. Three, do not whine. Four, you'll be working for me and me alone, that includes doing work around the house. And five, you will do everything I say, no matter what."

Riley listened intently, "Fine, but I want you to know that I don't plan on being friends with you, and if you touch me, I will break your nuts."

He blinked then his eyes narrowed, "I'm not a pedophile. As for your _rules_, I don't plan on being your friend either, and frankly, the only contact you'll receive from me, is having your backside handed to you until you can fend me off. Understood?"

"Fine," she complied.

"Good. Be ready by morning." He opened the door, signaling her to leave before adding quickly, "Also, I will hold onto this," he referred to the materia, "for the time being. Neither of us is certain of its capabilities, so it's best that it is in the hands of someone experienced with handling materia."

Indecision seemed to show in her expression before she finally agreed. She left him alone, entering her own room to pack what little amount of clothing she had in a bag she purchased recently. Early morning came and she made her own breakfast, packing some food as well. Black was already outside with his chocobo, Sable, readying the saddle. The bird cooed when he fed some greens to it while waiting. Riley was almost finished before she heard the swing doors creak. She turned quickly, spotting Mary.

"Uh…"

"So, you're leaving then?" Mary asked sadly.

"Yeah," Riley confirmed.

"Well, um, good luck then."

She sighed, "Mary thanks for taking me in. Tell Ed and Ronny that I say thank you to them as well. I probably would have died from the cold if it wasn't for you guys."

"Well, just visit, okay?"

She nodded, "Yeah." _Maybe._ She shouldered the bag, walking past the blonde.

Mary's hesitant voice stopped her, "Hold on. I want to give you something."

Interest took over, turning her head to the blonde, "What is it?"

Mary handed over a bundle wrapped in a brown sheet, "These are for you. Open it when you get there. I worked on it since you mentioned that you planned to travel. It gets kind of lonely being in these parts, so when you showed up, I kind of thought of you like a little sister I never had."

Her heart stopped cold. Riley had always been alone, and she felt used to it. She never even had any siblings, plus she was used to brushing off closeness. She never considered that somebody who could have been just as alone to reach out to her of all people. Something seemed to warm her heart and she didn't know what to make of it. She took the bundle anxiously before leaving with a small goodbye. Black stood next to the bird, silently questioning the confused look on her face, but didn't pry.

"Ready?"

"Yes," she said.

"Have you ever ridden a chocobo before?"

Honestly, she had not, being from a different word entirely. The closest she could think of to chocobos in her world was a cross between chickens and emus. "No."

He shook his head, helping her onto the proud creature, climbing up to sit behind her, "Hold on. It'll be a half a day's trip with Sable here."

"That's not so bad. I thought it would take longer."

"With a regular chocobo, it would. Did you say your goodbyes?" he asked.

She said nothing, instead she glanced at where Mary's bedroom window would be, seeing the girl watching her as she left. Riley silently admitted that she did want to fulfill the promise to visit. For some reason, it made her think of her parents.

* * *

**A/N:** Wasn't sure if I would have been able to finish this. Some parts were difficult to write! *exasperated sigh*. Was thinking of putting in some random theft of the materia but that didn't make sense, ha, ha. Anyway, hope to update with the next chapter soon. Please R&R.


	5. Ch 4: PreTraining

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may not be correct. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent, and Mr. Black (the grumpy and bitter hermit).

* * *

**Chapter 4: Pre-Training**

The trip got colder as it went on. Riley forced herself to stay awake, wondering how Black did it every time he made a trip to town. They never spoke and they both preferred it that way. Black had never prepared for a possible apprentice, so they would both have to wait a week before he would begin training the girl. Riley kept thinking of AVALANCHE, saddened by the fact that they were dead, even Vincent Valentine.

Not realizing they had stopped, she blinked out of her reverie, glancing over her shoulder to watch the old man climb off, "What's up?"

"Taking a break," he said. "Even the best chocobo have their limits."

"Won't we freeze?"

"We'll be fine in these parts. These are the hot springs."

Riley had forgotten about them, taking a look around, somewhat mesmerized by the contrasting steam against the cold. Awkwardly, she attempted to climb off, falling on her backside instead, "Ow."

She was ignored as Black led the bird to the waters, letting it take a drink to warm its insides. She got up, shivering badly. Would she have to train outside? That would have sucked badly if she did. Her fitness enthusiast of a cousin came to mind, recalling him telling her that it was better to exercise in a harsh environment, especially cold weather. She assumed that he wasn't referring to actual training with a sword.

"Hey," Black called out.

"Huh?"

"Come over here," he coaxed.

She did as she was told, walking over only to be handed the luggage, "Hey! What is this?"

"We're walking the rest of the way, and you're carrying everything. Think of it as a form of strength and endurance training."

Resigned, she couldn't defy his logic, seeing the advantage to it. She put everything down, looking at it before she grabbed her sword shouldering it with the rope she already had tied to it before hand, then her bag of clothes prior to picking up everything else.

"Try to keep up," he mocked before walking ahead, holding the reigns.

She blinked then grumbled, already hating her teacher. Riley slowly became further and further away then he wasn't in sight due to the blizzard. She was close to panicking but then spotted very subtle footprints in the ground, straining her eyes so she could follow them before the wind would erase them. Finally, she managed to make out a dark shape in the distance, quickly hurrying towards it, discovering that Black was waiting for her in front of a cabin.

"What took you?" he teased before walking the chocobo inside to a stable, removing the saddle and feeding it. Riley followed, not sure what to do with everything. Her legs were shaking at this point from the stress and she was very tempted to drop everything. "Just put everything on the table over there and come over here when you're done. I'm going to teach you how to care for a chocobo."

Riley did as she was told, relieved that the weight was off of her, "What the hell did you buy?!"

"Mostly food, and seeds."

"Seeds; you mean vegetables?"

"Yes. I sometimes grow my own food or capture my meal. You will learn how to hunt as well."

"Where do you get the money?"

"Sometimes fully grown vegetables are worth more than the seeds, so I bring more to town than I do back. You'll also be carrying that much."

_Bah_, she thought bitterly. She approached the bird, watching Black brush the bird's feathers, "So, it's like taking care of a horse?"

"Some people are so ignorant," he commented bluntly.

"What do you expect?! You use saddles and you're using the same brush!"

"There are differences between horses and chocobos. With horses, you feed them grains. With chocobos, you feed them greens. The complexity of breeding is similar; however, you need a collection of nuts to determine the result of how a chocobo chick will turn out."

"Have you ever bred one?"

"Yes, a couple of times. No, I will not tell you how that's done. It's not important. Here, this is how you groom the feathers." She watched carefully as he smoothed out the feathers before he held out the brush for her, "You try."

"Seems simple enough." She took the brush, missing the uncharacteristic smirk on his face as she went to brush down the feathers, but hesitated.

He watched preparing for any trouble Sable would likely give her. Sable rarely trusted anybody to brush him, but when Riley finally took the brush to his coat, the bird tensed, then cooed, fluffing its feathers in appreciation. The old man's eyes widened. What was this? This girl had an instant affect on the same beast that he himself once had immense trouble taming. Beginner's luck, he decided almost enviously. Tomorrow would be different, he believed. She would brush him again and not get the desired response she expected. But…

_**She had looked at me, asking if she was doing it right. The fact that she easily earned the trust of my steed seemed to earn a small fraction of my respect. That alone frightened me. However, this was just one small thing. As cold thinking as it was, I was hoping she wouldn't be able to tolerate my brutality for long and give up, leaving me to my peaceful solitude once more.**_

Black sighed, taking the brush as he spoke softly, "He's well groomed for the time being." He earned an angry _wark_ from the creature, seeing an indignant look from its eyes, "Oh no! You're not going to get spoiled just because I brought a little girl home."

"I'm not little!" she huffed. "I happen to be an average height for a woman my age!"

"Woman? How old are you?"

"Believe it or not, but I'm twenty. Why's that any of your business?"

He waited a beat, "You look younger."

A pause, "Thank you?" She gave an odd look of uncertainty, "How young?"

"Seventeen at the most. But never mind that, come."

For an hour, he instructed her how to properly feed and quench the beast, and so on before finally coming inside the cabin with her carrying everything again. Then cabin definitely had a lodge look to it. Nothing but wood. Surprisingly, it looked a lot bigger than it did in the game. It was complete with two bedrooms, one full-sized bathroom, a kitchenette and the living room with a large fireplace. Hot water was possible using a piping system connected to the hot springs.

Black told her where to put everything before he finally led her to the room she would be residing in. It twice as big as the one she had at the Inn. Instead of just a single-sized bed, she got it doubled and with thicker sheets. There was a much better sealed window to keep the cold out since it was much colder up here in the mountains. Other furniture consisted of a dresser, a couple of nightstands with lamps and a bookshelf on the wall next to the door.

"My room is next to this one," he said for no particular reason.

"Ah," she replied, not really paying attention.

"Take the time to brace yourself this week. After that, your training begins and I will not go easy on you. You will receive minor training in the meantime, so you have it easy for now."

She looked at him, "Alright. Was it okay for me to get a sword?"

"Why a sword?"

"The gun was the same price but it still would have cost more if I had to buy the bullets."

"Ammunition," he corrected. "A sword is fine. Each person is defined by the weapon they choose. If a sword is what you're most comfortable with, then I can still teach you. I'm not that experienced with a blade, but I knew someone who could wield it. I can teach you the basics but that is all." She nodded, watching him walk away before he walked straight back, "Rule six…stay out of my room."

She blinked, watching him go into his room. Deciding she didn't really have much to do, she decided that a small nap was in order, ready to find her t-shirt, she rummaged through her bag, forgetting she had yet to open Mary's gift. She pulled out the bundle, untying the knot before smiling.

"Thanks Mary."

A loud rapping on the door was heard the very next day, early in the morning. Riley groaned in protest, burying her face in the pillow in attempts to ignore the noise. She heard the door open, pretending to be fully asleep before the sheet was stripped from her. She squealed in larger protest, trying to grab for the blanket as she was only in her red t-shirt and underwear.

"What's your problem?! Can't a woman sleep off the cold till she willingly wakes up?!" she exclaimed, very much outraged.

"You can't be very cold if you're dressed like that," he said with amusement. "Get dressed. I told you I would be taking you out to hunt."

"I got a new rule now! Stay out of MY room!"

"It's my house. I can go anywhere I please in it. Now…get dressed, or would you rather go outside like that?"

"God damn you!! GET OUT!!"

He snorted, leaving the room quietly without so much as bothering to close the door behind him. She padded over clumsily, slamming the door loudly, wishing there was a lock on it. Cursing the entire time, she got dressed in a sweater and pants, pulling her hair back into a ponytail afterwards with her bangs falling forward as they were slightly too short to keep back. Finally, she came out of the bedroom, grabbing her jacket and boots on her way outside, only to have Organics coaxed into her hands.

"You're going to need that."

So he walked off with his apprentice following closely behind, resisting the urge to yell at him while remembering his rule to 'not whine'. They travelled nowhere in particular as Riley struggled to breathe. Howls were heard in the distance, causing Black to slow his stride, relieving Riley to some extent as she managed to keep up now. She should have bought the gun, she scolded herself. Black suddenly pulled out the Lariat, aiming blindly in some general direction, or so she thought.

"There," he said.

"Huh?"

He looked at her, "Go get them before they realize they're the prey."

"Uh, right. Gotcha."

Anxiously, she held the sword the opposite way, as if holding an elbow blade. She breathed calmly then charged forward, dragging the sword across the snow, only to have it catch into the ground like an anchor. Her feet slipped forward with the momentum, landing her on her side, arm somewhat twisted awkwardly.

"Ow," she groaned sheepishly. Suddenly, she heard something that probably wasn't possible. Was he…laughing? Fury rose to her cheeks as she moved to her feet, struggling to unhook the sword from the ground, "Shut up!"

She tried again, this time letting her blade hang in the air as she ran forward. She ran for a minute, but nothing. Stopping, she looked around while shivering. Then she heard a growl behind her. The girl looked over her shoulder, constantly screaming in her head to not make any sudden moves. Soon the wolf was joined by four others. Her mind had no advice to give now. They stood there for a long time while she listened to their hungry growls, waiting for her to make the first move.

"B-Black?" she called out too quietly. "There's five…I can't handle that—" Two more joined, "—many?"

She wasn't even sure she could even handle one. _The middle one must be the Alpha of the pack._ She decided to try her luck, gulping some before she yelled out to perhaps startle them, spinning around as quickly as she could, back lashing at them. They moved backwards to avoid the assault, growling more violently as they were ready to pounce. She then just swung wildly at them, managing to keep them distanced as she got more comfortable with the use of her blade, still distracted by the intense cold.

Before she could land a blow, a couple of them were suddenly shot down, causing the other five to run off in fear. Riley stared, flabbergasted by what happened. She looked to Black, who didn't seem the least bit surprised by her lack of skills. "Take the large one and let's head back."

Frustration took over as she did as she was told already mad at herself for failing to successfully hunt. She knew his opinion of her and she wanted to prove that she was better than this. They walked back in silence with Riley's grunts following behind. He then took her to a small butcher shack that slightly smelled, but it seemed to have been regularly cleaned to prevent any bacteria buildup.

He removed his poncho, putting it aside and then showed her how to properly skin a Fang. She nearly vomited multiple times, overwhelmed by the smell of blood, and also being face to face with gore. Personally, she loved horror movies, but they did not compare to an actual skinning. Something then occurred to her.

"Um, why is it some living things don't disappear in a mass of green glitter?"

He paused, thinking about it, "Regardless of whether they do or not, each living thing's spiritual energy will return to the planet. Also, some things disappear faster than others. Why?"

"Because when you killed that monster awhile ago, he disappeared just like that, and I look at this…corpse and I wonder why it hasn't."

"Even the planet knows some of us need to survive." He paused once more, pulling out materia, while hovering his glowing hand over the corpse, "This is the Heal materia. One never knows if a creature they're about to eat has diseases like rabies."

She blinked, "It can rid of rabies?!"

"Yes."

Jeez, uses of materia she never even knew, "Can it cure cancer?"

"Unfortunately, no."

"Damn…cancer has evaded curability once again," she commented.

He released a small chuckle before putting it away, "I will get this ready for tonight's supper. In the meantime, clean up in here then tend to Sable."

She watched him walk away, "How do I clean up? Where's the soap?"

"Wipe it all up with water, drain and rinse the blood in the sink then sanitize everything, especially the mop and cloth."

He left her to it, much to her dismay. Afterwards, she walked into the stable and instantly received a gentle peck atop her head. Sable obviously wanted attention. She smiled, reaching out to stroke his beak, earning a content coo before she fed and groomed him. When night came, she walked into the cabin, seeing Black move about the kitchen. She had remained with Sable the entire day, recollecting herself from her poor result of an exercise that morning. Silently, she vowed to be better the next day.

He placed the food on the table, saying nothing. Black had forgotten his outerwear in the shack, so she took inside, hanging it up before sitting down. Finally, he spoke, "You're cleaning up the kitchen after." He looked at the wet trail from the front door before adding to it, "And that as well."

"Sorry," she apologized almost tiredly.

They ate in silence. Not once did Black look at her and to some degree, it unnerved her. On the other hand, she didn't really care. "You're not tired from all of that, are you?" he asked.

"No. By now, I'm used to housework thanks to working at the Inn."

He saw the look of self-disappointment on her face, sighing, "Don't take your first hunt too hard. Anybody could get nervous on their first-time experience."

"First-time experience?" she said slowly.

Silence…then their minds went south before Black cleared his throat, "I meant everything else in general. By the way, have you ever used materia before?"

"No."

"Well, it's simple. All it takes is the power of your mind to use them. Sheer will, basically."

"Oh…sounds…easy enough."

"Yes, but sometimes you have to be careful when exercising your will to use them."

"What do you mean?"

"For example, let's say you have the fire materia equipped, and I _piss you off_ and all you feel like you want to do is attack me, when really, you don't. The materia will react to that and I will get burned. Understand?"

She nodded, "I get it. So, I have to be mindful of my emotions, is that it?"

He nodded, "Exactly. Also, it's a waste if such a thing happens." He watched her nod once more as silence took over. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, "Where did you wish to travel to anyway?"

"The forgotten city," she replied. "If I can't get any answers there, then I plan to go to Cosmo Canyon."

"So you can go home? Why won't you simply go there rather than deal with all the complexity of discovering what the materia can do?"

"I…It's not as simple as _walking_ there. I'm not talking about the training either."

What was she saying? Maybe her town was destroyed, he thought, "Do you have a home to go to, or are you just wandering?"

She didn't know how to answer that, she barely ate anything as she pushed her plate aside, "I'll clean up."

"Riley…"

"What?! What the hell do you want?! Stop being so damn nosy! Since when was it any of your business?! I just wanna get this cleaned up, go to bed and then survive another day of you mocking me like I'm nothing!"

He watched her storm into the kitchen, actually wincing from the sounds of pots clanging together loud enough to make him think she dented them. He got up, walking in after her, grabbing her shoulders, "What happened? Did Genesis kill off your family?"

Shrugging him off with hostility, she grabbed the plates from the dining room, trying to find plastic wrap to cover them despite him not saying he was finished. He could feel more hostility from her now than he did when he degraded AVALANCHE. He cursed at himself for his insensitivity. He should have known better than to mention such a terrible memory. He probably reopened old wounds.

"They're not dead," she said finally. This surprised him; why would she be angry then? "They're not dead, but I don't consider them parents."

He waited a beat, "What are you saying?" She stopped, surprising him. Actually, he expected her to swing around with a fist meeting his face. Regardless, he kept pushing, "Did they treat you poorly?"

"Yes! And no. Not at all." Seeing the look of confusion on his face, she continued, "They treated me like a princess. They loved me, cherished me, and spoiled me. I had everything they _thought_ I wanted. I don't even consider myself a real person. They were overprotective and overbearing, suffocating me to the point that I hated them. I guess in short, they held me back from being me. That's why I left them when I turned eighteen. As corny as it sounds, I wanted to find the real me."

He listened intently before asking, "What have you learned so far?"

She paused, "I like video games, and I prefer to dress like a boy than like a popular girl in school. I don't have any friends because I don't know how to keep them, and I'm used to being alone. But…"

"But?"

"I honestly want to be in a relationship. One boy likes me, but I don't like him the way he wants me to."

He remained silent, suddenly pushing her gently aside to pull out the plastic wrap she was searching for, handing it over as he changed the subject, "You were defending AVALANCHE's honour a few weeks ago. Any particular reason why?"

"You wouldn't believe me even if I told you, so it doesn't matter. Why do you hate them?"

Pondering the question, he chose his next words carefully, "I don't hate them. What is there to hate? I just regarded their actions as foolish. Vincent Valentine was the most foolish. He took them on by himself and it cost him his life, all because he let his emotions run him."

"He probably just snapped after years of pain building up."

This caught him off guard and he looked at her, shocked, "What did you say?"

"What? I thought…" _Oh yeah, most people wouldn't know about Vincent's past._ "Never mind." He said nothing, suddenly leaving for his room, leaving her confused, "What did I say?"

Black sat in his room, disturbed by those words, "Years of pain?" He looked over at his bed, the materia sitting on the table beside it, and above the bed hung a decorative display case, showing the intricate handgun used by the famous gunman himself, Cerberus.

* * *

**A/N:** Oh ho! What in the world is he doing with Vincent's gun? Is it a replica? A twin? Perhaps a trophy of some sort? Either way, you'll have to read to find out, though personally, it seems kind of obvious. I fail at hiding secrets sometimes. But, you people got a look into more of Riley's character, but what really compelled her to _find herself_? Also, why does the materia fail to glow after bringing her to this universe? This chapter might have dragged on a little but I guess it was kind of a precursor of certain plot points that will occur later in the story. Anyway, please R&R.


	6. Ch 5: The Fallen

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may not be correct. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent, and Mr. Black (the grumpy and bitter hermit).

* * *

**Chapter 5: The Fallen**

The week had passed quickly, and Riley had learned many things from the hermit, even how to ride Sable. However, they spoke little since that night, only saying what needed to be said. This morning, Riley was up an hour earlier than his usual morning knock, eating breakfast and tending to the chocobo beforehand. Unfortunately, she hadn't even started the actual training, and she was sore already. She found it hard to move from all the weight lifting and such.

By the time Black came out of his room, almost the precise moment he did every morning, she was at the door, holding Organics while staring at him. He grunted in small approval, leaving with her into the cold. They walked for an hour till he finally stopped.

"What's up?"

"This is where you will be beaten down numerously," he replied bluntly.

"That's not very nice—"

"I warned you that I would not go easy on you. Now, first lesson…come at me."

"What?"

"Riley, what's rule number five?"

She thought quickly, trying to remember before she sighed, "Do everything you say, no matter what."

"Well, then?" he waited patiently. "Believe me, at your current level, you won't be able to hurt me."

"What if you have a heart attack?" she argued.

"I appreciate the concern, but I will not have a heart attack."

"First time for everything," she muttered.

"Now, I repeat…come at me. But attack as if you wish to kill me—correction—you _will_ kill me," it was a demand more than anything.

Hesitation kept her in place but eventually did as he demanded, running at him while yelling out, dragging her sword like before, swinging at him, only to have him dodge each swing. It was almost like he was dancing out of the way, and it frustrated her, knowing he was mocking her. She yelled out once more, doing an uppercut swing, which he back flipped, kicking the sword out of her hand. She stood there, defeated, staring in shock at the blade that slid away.

"Again," he provoked. For an hour, they went on before she was too tired to continue swinging. She hunched over, trying to breathe the thin air which pained her lungs to the extreme. He walked over, suddenly pushing her, knocking her down to see her just lay in the snow, "I thought you were going to be better than this. There's a reason why I told you to hold nothing back. Do you think a monster, or worse, another warrior like yourself, will show mercy? You have to be better than them in combat, no matter what. Your victory could come from a variety of things. You could rely on brute strength, but obviously, you lack in that department."

"Is that a sexist remark?" she asked breathlessly.

He ignored her, "Something else you could depend on is speed. But that isn't your cup of tea either. This leaves two things; magic and intelligence. Then again—"

"Say 'not very bright' and you won't live till tomorrow," she interrupted warningly.

"Prove it," he challenged.

Resigned, she continued to lie there, getting colder from lack of movement, "How about we change the lesson?"

"What are you talking about?"

"How about you try to kill me instead so I can learn to evade?"

He considered, "You're certain?"

"Yeah, I'm sure it won't be that bad."

His amusement was obvious, letting her get up before he suddenly rushed forward, instantly landing a fist into his stomach, knocking what was left of her breath out of her. She fell over, wheezing. He shook his head, only to receive a glare in return. His eyes ever left her struggling form, attacking her again and again, easily knocking her down each time. She never got any better, only getting more hurt each time. By the time he decided to call it quits, she was down for the count.

Hours later, Riley sat in front of the fireplace, bruised everywhere. Pain riddled her body and she only continued to glare at Black. His only response was, "You asked for it."

"Shut up. I thought you old people would be weak or something."

"Goes to show that you should never underestimate age, plus you're an ignorant youth. And if you thought old people were weak, why did you ask me to train you?"

"Touché," she muttered. She sat there in silence before spotting the materia in his hands, "Have you figured anything out?"

"If I did, why would I tell you?"

"Because it's _mine_," she argued.

He shook his head, "No, I haven't figured anything out about this. It has yet to glow as you said it did."

"It will! Maybe it just takes a long time to recharge or something."

"What do you think materia is? Run on batteries?" he asked before something occurred to him, "Wait a minute…maybe that's it. There's a healing fountain up in the Glacier Cliffs."

"Really?! We should go up there!"

"No."

"Why not?" she whined, earning a look that told her he wasn't amused in the least. "Sorry…"

"It's dangerous, besides, it's not important."

"Not important? Old man, that thing's my ticket home! Of course it's important!"

"Do you realize what you are asking of me? We will have to climb up a wall while keeping ourselves warm."

"AVALANCHE did it! Why can't we?"

"AVALANCHE was trained!" he scowled.

"Consider this my training!" she argued again. "I won't get any better without some field experience, right? So why not?"

He was about to argue before pausing, reconsidering. She had a point, "Fine, but you will be doing _everything_ I say. No ifs ands or buts. Understood?"

"Yeah, yeah," she dismissed easily.

He wasn't going to back down easily, "_Understood??_"

Blue turned towards onyx, finally she submitted, raising her hand, "Okay, I promise."

"Good, but your training won't stop. Take on every challenge without hesitation; otherwise you will be killed in battle. We'll leave in a couple of days when you recover from your injuries."

"That _you_ inflicted, jackass."

"Again, you asked for it."

* * *

"I-I don't know anything about Omni-Materia! Please, leave my family be!" cried an old man before his throat was slit open, earning shrill cries from the man's family cornered in their kitchen.

Rosso dropped the bleeding corpse, walking over it while licking the blood off the blade, "Do any of you know where it is? Tell me, and perhaps I will kill you painlessly." The little girl, holding a moogle doll, whimpered as she curled into her mother and grandmother. Rosso glanced at her, kneeling down to grab her chin, "Do you fear me, little one? Do not worry. The planet accepts all her children into her arms that we know as the lifestream. Perhaps you will discover your promised land upon death." With that, she stood, laughing with mockery.

The mother glared at her, trembling as she held her child, "You're a monster. Someone will put an end to you, and any plans you have! AVALANCHE will be re—"

"AVALANCHE is DEAD! They, along with the WRO, are nothing but history. The last survivor is nothing but a frightened cat now. He has nothing to live for, and so he will not come to your rescue. You and all those like you are guaranteed extinction when we're through."

With that, Rosso slaughtered them all, screaming in rage at the woman's outburst. How dare she?! How dare she even bring up a wrinkled page of the past? She was still bitter that Vincent Valentine was able to overpower her when they battled. He was even stronger when they fought again. Genesis gave a look, telling her she was pathetic and weak. She still remembered the very words she told Valentine before falling off the building on that hunk of concrete.

_Vision was beginning to blur due to her defeat by his hands. Disbelief overwhelmed her as she began to struggle to her feet. Vincent braced himself, ready for any attack she had planned. Instead, she merely muttered to herself in shock, "Ab…surd. Absurd! I will not give you the pleasure of finishing me off." She trotted away, jumping onto a walkway on the building's edge, "I am…Rosso, the Crimson! No one will ever stand above me!" She lashed out at the ground, punctuating each word, "Nobody. Nobody! _Nobody!!_"_

_With that, she began to laugh, growing more maniacal as the block she cut out fell with her standing atop. A normal human would not have survived such a fall, but she was a Tsviet, she would not die here. Before she crashed, she leapt forward, crashing through a window, panting, more in aggravation than exhaust. She would have her revenge on him._

_And only a year later, she met him again on the field while AVALANCHE confronted Genesis ad the WRO held off his army. Vincent had gone ahead to face the Tsviet survivors himself. "This will not be like the last time, darling."_

_He only replied with a gun aimed at her head, "This time, I'll make sure you stay down."_

_The result was the same as the last battle. She once again muttered, "How absurd! How is it you keep defeating me?!"_

"_It is because you're weak, Rosso," a voice provided with the answer. Genesis stepped out of the shadows, dragging Cloud behind him by the collar of his shirt._

"_Cloud!!" Vincent exclaimed._

"_Vincent Valentine, I presume. An honour to meet another subject of that crazy professor. Perhaps the first of the immortals. However, you are still human in your own way. Carry your pitiful friends back to your godforsaken headquarters. They will not last much longer without treatment."_

"_What are your intentions?" he asked. His crimson eyes were dark with malice._

"_Intentions? You'll have to live to find out. But if you approach us again, I _will_ kill you."_

_Many years have passed, especially after that Wutai flea's failed assault. It was only thirty years afterwards that Vincent had returned once more, this time, not in his right state of mind. Rosso laughed, but was cut down so easily, she could not believe the strength he held._

"_Genesis!"_

_Once again, he stood forward, "So, you came back. What did I tell you? Now I'm afraid I will have to kill you."_

"_Everyone…they're all gone because of you! You killed too many people and I won't stand for it, even if you manage to kill me. I won't even need Chaos to obliterate you," he challenged darkly by aiming his Cerberus at the ex-SOLDIER._

_A short but intense battle broke out, till finally, Vincent was impaled by the crimson rapier of the enemy. He coughed out blood while wheezing then yelling out in pain as Genesis twisted the blade then deepened it. There was no healing this wound in time, not by anybody._

_Genesis smiled, placing a hand on the back of Vincent's neck, bringing him closer to whisper into his ear, "Your time has ended. The planet's knights have fallen, and so have you. You have failed."_

_He dropped the ex-Turk, walking away after removing his sword, whipping it slightly to send blood droplets flying. Rosso stood there, transfixed, wounded in more ways than one. She was the one that was to cut him down, not Genesis. She cursed, knowing she would never be able to get her revenge. Vincent Valentine expelled his last breath, muttering something incoherently as he drifted to the endless sleep._

Rosso stood amongst the corpse family, semi-drenched in their blood, "If this Omni-Materia really does have the power of a god…then I will revive that old relic, and kill him again!"

* * *

Riley sat up abruptly, panting heavily, moisture on her skin. Her pupils dilated in the dark, straining to see. She fumbled for the lamp as she wiped her face. That was a hell of a nightmare. All she could remember was Vincent dying right in front of her, as if she saw the past in person. She was already told how it happened, she didn't want a visual. Shakily, she removed the covers, leaving the bedroom, going to do her business before washing up. Her bruises weren't as bad now due to the Cure materia she snatched from Black briefly awhile ago, but they were still yellow in most places.

She sighed, calming her nerves then went into the kitchen afterwards, getting herself some water, which she easily gulped down. The light was switched on, starling her as she slammed the cup onto the counter, staring straight at Black.

"What?"

"Why are you up?" he asked.

"Nothing…I just had a bad dream. Go back to bed old man," she replied distantly.

"Anything you feel like sharing?"

She washed the cup before suddenly turning cold, "Since when is everything about me any of your business. I had a bad dream, what more do you want?" He watched her leave to her room, and the light under the door going out.

_**Riley had become more isolated as I had continued to pry. Something compelled me to ask her these things, I couldn't help it. I could feel something wrong in the way she spoke to me now. It wasn't just any dream. For some reason, I knew she had seen my own nightmare.

* * *

**_

**A/N:** Yay, another chapter, again. Wow, I'm sort of on a roll! Well, you got a glimpse of what precisely happened in Vincent's death! Not sure if I'll have a chapter up later today, but I'll try. Also, I have some plans for later chapters, but I don't know when they'll occur. However, I have Riley's personal weapon all planned out, and drawn, so I'll submit that to deviantART when I colour it so you lovely reader's can see for yourself! Anyway, please R&R.


	7. Ch 6: Journey to Glacier Cliffs

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may not be correct. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent, and Mr. Black (the grumpy and bitter hermit).

* * *

**Chapter 6: Journey to Glacier Cliffs**

After Riley fully recovering, Black had already packed all necessary essentials. She was burdened with carrying most of the luggage, which thankfully was not a lot. It didn't take them long to reach the base of the cliffs. Riley looked up, thinking how ominous they appeared. She almost complained but realized that Black would turn back without a second thought if she didn't want to continue. Resigned, she watched him begin to climb. Hesitantly, she followed after him. Thankfully, she had gone rock climbing before, just not to this extent.

Night came and Black had set up camp inside one overhang, shielding the wind with a barrier. Riley shivered near the campfire. He took one glance as he poked at the firewood they brought, "You're cold. Use the blanket."

"I don't need it," she replied stubbornly.

"Riley—"

"Please, I'm fine."

They were both quiet for awhile, then Black's curiosity struck, "What'd you mean the other night?"

"Huh?"

"You said Valentine snapped due to years of pain. What'd you mean by that? You acted as if you knew him. You would have had to have been a little older at the time for it to make sense."

"I…never met him, or any AVALANCHE members. Why do you care? It's not important anyway."

"What does years of pain mean?"

"You wouldn't believe—"

"Try me," he challenged.

"Why should I tell you?"

"Because I'm your mentor, and also, we need to talk about something while we're up here," he explained easily.

Her eyes never left him, yet it didn't hold that look of distrust like before. Suddenly, she gave in, "Didn't think I'd be able to keep this secret for long anyway. Do you believe in…alternate dimensions?"

"What do you mean?"

"Parallel universe, another world, et cetera?" She waited, getting nothing from the old man. Sighing, she continued, "Let's just say, I don't belong in this world."

"What, are you saying you're from another planet?"

Riley paused, considering, "Something like that, but still the same one. I come from this planet, but in a different reality. Where I come from isn't called _Gaia_ or the _Planet_. My home is _Earth_. It's the same as this one, only the magic is simply cheap tricks and for show business. And what you call the _Lifestream_ is what I compare to something called the afterlife, then reincarnation. We've had wars and such, just like this one, but my world thrives, and is, unfortunately, overpopulated. There's a video game though, called Final Fantasy VII that are based around the events of AVALANCHE and the fight against Sephiroth. Every detail of every part of the journey is in that game. Then they came out with couple of sequels. A movie based on Sephiroth's remnants and Geostigma and then a video game based on the Deepground War."

_**I listened to her every word, and when she went into detail about these **_**games**_**, I found that it was too hard to believe that she would know all this. How could she know? At first, I thought that maybe she had tricked herself into believing that she came from another world when she heard the story of AVALANCHE. Then I discovered that she knew about a certain member's past. She never went into complete detail, but subtle hints indicated she had seen part of his life, and this startled me. Maybe she was telling the truth. But how could the world I was born in, be created by…by some…computer animators, or whoever? Was my life even real? Do I even exist? The possible answers frightened and angered me.**_

"And then I found that materia I showed you, and it began acting weird. When I was attacked by a couple of thugs, I found myself in the middle of nowhere, and the rest you know."

"Yes…the rest I know," he repeated distractedly.

"See? I knew you wouldn't believe me!"

He never replied. Riley became bored quickly, going into a corner to sleep. He watched her for the longest time, almost hating the girl for what she said. Not only did she sound crazy, but the fact was, she WAS telling the truth, and he knew it. Eventually, sleep took him, and morning came too quickly, and the cold never died down. He woke the girl, resuming their journey. Finally, they reached the first cave after a couple of hours of climbing, giving relief to them both. However, that was short-lived when they followed a usable path to the outside winds once more.

Black seemed uneasy. It wasn't just because of what Riley had told him the night before, but also the fact that they have not yet been attacked by monsters. Another night in a slightly more shielded overhang allowed him to keep watch for any predators. He sat there, back against the wall while he watched the unending blizzard. He turned his gaze to the girl curled up only a couple of feet away. Sighing, he grabbed one of the bags, pulling out a blanket before laying it overtop her small form.

_The fountain isn't too far now_, he reminded himself. Afterwards, whether or not the materia would be revived, he would turn back. He pulled out the sphere, scrutinizing the object with distracted interest. Suddenly, he heard the girl stir slightly, her breathing indicating that she was about to wake.

"Hey, Black?" she croaked out.

He regarded her, "What?"

"Do you think I'm getting any better?"

"Better? You mean in your training?"

"Yeah," she turned over to look at him, not questioning where the blanket came from.

"You learn certain things faster than others, and I admit that I was surprised by the affect you had on Sable. Normally, he doesn't like anybody. Aside from that, you're doing well enough. Though frankly, I believe you need a better weapon."

"I didn't have the money for a gun and ammo."

"Next time we go into town, I'll purchase you a lighter weapon."

"That's okay, I just need to get used to the large sword."

"That kind of sword is best suited for a man—"

"Sexist."

"—and you can barely swing that thing around."

"So? Cloud Strife carried around a lot of swords just like it—"

He raised a finger almost warningly, "Don't. Please don't start with that. I have a hard time accepting it, enough as it is."

Her mouth shut before she sat up, wrapping the blanket around herself, "Do you understand why I didn't just _blurt it out_?"

"Perfectly," bitterness spoke. She nodded, looking away. "But..." She looked back up at him. "Do you know anything on Genesis?"

She shook her head, "He had an appearance in a secret ending of Dirge of Cerberus. He only picked up Weiss, then said, 'It is not yet time for slumber. We still have much work to do, my brother.' Then he revealed he had one wing on his left. Plus the G-Reports collected revealed he was meant as a prototype of Sephiroth."

"G Reports..." he repeated before looking at her more intently, "Do you know how Rosso and Weiss survived?"

Another shake of her head, "No. It never revealed how they survived. Honestly, I don't know how they could be immortal. The only immortals in this world I ever heard of is Vincent Valentine and Jenova."

"They're both dead, they couldn't have been immortals."

She raised a finger in matter-of-fact, "Immortality has many meanings. Though to me, it means ageless. And I said immortal, not invincible. Also, please don't say Vincent is dead."

"But he is," he reminded her.

She scowled and moved away suddenly, "I know that! I just don't...want to be reminded. Besides, was his body ever found?"

"Nobody went in to their territory to retrieve his body, so I've heard."

She whirled on him, continuing with a stubborn tone, "The how can anybody be so sure as to think he's _dead_? Hmm?" She had a point, and he knew it. How could he argue with that?

"You're willing to accept that the rest of AVALANCHE is dead, but Valentine?"

"Their bodies were found. They have graves. What does Vincent have?"

"A memorial."

"For a man who _could_ be alive?" her tone seemed to calm but her firmness remained. "What if he's actually alive somewhere and he's organizing a plan to stop those three?"

"Why do you cling to a pointless hope that he's alive, anyway?" he asked softly.

The girl looked away, "If there was anybody I would want to meet from AVALANCHE, it'd be him."

_**This surprised me when she let those words slip. It caught me completely off guard and we were quiet for a long time. She had told me before that her parents held her back from knowing who she was and what she really wanted. I look at her now and I realized that every word she had said to me was the untarnished truth. At that point, my respect for her had increased. Her determination stirred something inside that I thought was better left veiled and forgotten.**_

"Riley, if there was a chance that he's alive, what would you do or say if you met him?"

No answer came for the longest time, then a simple, "I don't know."

Nothing was said further that night, taking the time to rest up before continuing. They had come to another cave, where their only sure path was across freezing water. Black told her to remain before disappearing somewhere. She shivered there by herself for the longest time, sighing while pondering last night. What _would_ she say or do if she met Vincent? For the longest time, no answer came. She thought about all the possibilities, but nothing satisfied her. Shake his hand? Hug him for being alive? Admit her feelings? Her mind froze on the last one. What feelings? How could a _fan-girl_ have genuine feelings for a man that supposedly didn't exist? She recalled her nights alone, petting Whiskey while she watched Advent Children, watching the scenes with Vincent, over and over again. Of all the boys that hit on her, she was ever satisfied with any of them. Vincent Valentine, despite never meeting him face to face, was the only man in 'existence' that ever stirred that kind of affection in her heart. However, she didn't fully understand the extent of her feelings, so for now, she would have to make due with whatever was thrown at her.

While deep in her thoughts as she stood at the edge, while small movement produced small waves upon the water's surface. She turned her back on the water, looking to the doorway Black disappeared through. What was taking him so long? Water seemed to drip more, droplets echoing in the cavern. Suddenly, she felt a cold breath on her neck. She froze before urging herself to look over her shoulder, peering into a predator's gold eyes. Her heartbeat picked up instantly as she stood, facing a creature that could only be described as snake-like, ugly, large, and with a lot a pointy teeth.

Suddenly, it screamed at her, temporarily making her go deaf as a shockwave of air sent her flying into an icy wall. Groaning, Riley struggled to her feet as it stalked towards her. _Leviathan looked better than you_, she mused. When her head shot up, one of its claws swiped at her, and she quickly turned around, having its talons hit her sword instead, but one claw hooked and she was sent flying again. Rolling across the ground this time, she already felt bruises beginning to form. Once again, she began to stand and she swallowed, placing a hand on the hilt before she unlatched it from her back and took a swing just as it was about to strike her down once more.

It screamed defensively as it sliced across its palm, slithering backwards before she suddenly rushed forward, despite her shaking. Growling, the lizard snapped its jaws, before basically catching Riley off guard and head butting her away, skidding across the ice floor. Wincing, Riley struggled to stand, but lacked the will and strength to do so. It crawled over her, ready to eat her as its mouth closed in on her. Suddenly, Riley remembered the move Black pulled on the creature from before, grabbing her sword and driving it into its mouth, blood spewing as it screamed, blade sticking out the top of its snout. She forgot to let go as it began to thrash about its head, picking her up and throwing her.

She screamed as she landed in the freezing water, instantly feeling immobilized by the deathly temperature. Was this it? Was she to die here? She could have cried for her own shame if she wasn't in water already. Continuing to sink, her vision began to blur and darken, beginning to feel drowsy. Her arms moved weakly, trying to keep herself from going further. What was the use? She wouldn't survive long enough to reach the surface. Maybe she deserved this. Maybe she was meant to be punished. After some dark thoughts of her own fate, desperation and realization surfaced. What the hell was she thinking? She couldn't die here! Screw death, she was going to live! And if she had to use every ounce of strength left in her body to get to the top, then so be it.

Eyes shot open before arms suddenly swam her heavy body upwards, barely holding on by literally a breath. She was so close, her hand reaching up, touching air but suddenly, something grabbed her and she was pulled up, coughing out water in surprise as she fell to her knees. The creature had long before managed to pull out the blade from its mouth, hissing in pain and malice at Riley, and her late rescuer.

Black held up Riley, looking at her with what seemed like concern, "Are you alright?"

"Barely..." she croaked then looked at him with bloodshot eyes and a near-completely white face, dark wet hair framing her pale visage. Was that an apology written on his face? She couldn't tell, but at the moment, she just wanted to hit him for leaving her alone, and so she did, punching him square in the face, "Idiot!"

He yelped in surprise, holding his nose, "What the hell was that for?! I just saved you from drowning!"

"You were late!" she exclaimed angrily. "Do you treat all people this poorly?!"

That briefly caught him off guard before composing himself, "In case you've forgotten, but your large friend has yet to be slain." Blinking, Riley glanced over at the lizard. "Are you going to be alright?"

"I'll live. Let's kill this thing and keep going before I faint."

He could feel her trembling before stating firmly, "Sit this one out. You're not fit for battle—"

"I won't get any better if I run away. I admit, I'm scared that I'll die, but I'll live with my own shame for not even trying. So don't try to convince me to give up."

He considered her for a moment, then the sound of thumping and slithering was heard, regaining his attention upon the creature as it slid into the water, raising its head out of the water to hiss violently at them, emitting a freezing breath that covered the room. Black stood in front of the girl, and before long, the freezing air began to swirl into a vortex, disappearing into him.

She was starting to feel again, as the cold shook her words, "Y-you c-can absorb it?"

"Only the basic elements and ice is one of them," onyx watched the silver beast as he glared defiantly.

It roared again, sending another freezing attack but the air itself froze, sending icicle spears flying through the air. Riley squeaked, barely able to hide behind Black. Suddenly, the gun Black held began to glow green as he set up a magic barrier, blocking most of the attack. Pulling out Lariat, he fired then cocked, firing again, only this time with fire imbedded into the shells, causing an explosion with each impact. The creature cried out in pain, whipping its tail out from the water. Black wrapped an arm quickly around Riley's waist, jumping back. It hissed, golden eyes gleaming. Grunting, Black aimed and this time, he blasted a black ball charged with electricity at the creature. Riley blinked, wondering if that was Demi.

She looked around, spotting her sword on the ground far away. She urged herself to run, though stiffly, as she made her way towards her weapon. She made it, only, that when she tried to pick it up, her strength failed her and she couldn't lift it all that much. Desperately, she continued her attempts to wield the blade. The snake seemed to notice this while Black was distracted with trying to pierce its scales.

The hermit scowled, "No good." _Only a sword could penetrate its hide._

Unfortunately, that sword was unusable due to someone's mishap. Riley grunted, panting before falling to her knees, "It's no use. I'm too weak and it's too heavy. I should have bought the gun!"

Black ran over quickly, grabbing her waist and yanking her out of the way of an attack. It all happened so fast, Riley wondered what the hell happened. She looked over, seeing that her sword was long gone, frozen in a huge block of ice. The hermit panted, glancing at the girl, seeing that the only sword available was unusable. He cursed and glanced over, watching the creature hiss at them mockingly. Suddenly, his materia was thrust into her hands.

"You have no weapon, and frankly, I'm the only one capable of getting up close. Remember what I told you about using materia, so it's up to you now to use them effectively.

"W-what?! I c-can't!"

"You can, Riley. Trust me. Besides, we have no time to argue the fact that you lost a perfectly good weapon for this fight. Materia will have to do."

"I don't even think I have any magic power!" she argued anyway.

"Riley!"

She jumped in surprise then spoke with hesitance, "Okay."

They both nodded, and Black rushed forward, jumping onto the tail as it swish back and forth and flipping forward, landing on its snout before firing a shell. It screamed, swiping a claw at him, only to have it deflected by a barrier by the last second thanks to Riley, sitting in a corner holding the materia. The hermit flipped back, skidding upon landing prior to glancing up, rolling out of the way of flying spears. Riley cast fire upon the creature's face, causing it to scream in pain, then suddenly, she got an idea.

"Old man! Open its mouth!"

Black glanced back at her, realizing where she was going with this. Smirking, he shot at its face continuously, aiming to make it widen its maw. It hissed but kept it shut, tongue flicking out. Its tail whipped forward, slamming into the ground, causing giant icicles to fall from the ceiling way up above. He dodged, shattered ice sprinkling everywhere. He lost his footing, slipping to the floor, glancing up afterwards with a curse.

It roared in small triumph, and Riley only smirked as she spoke mockingly, "Bye."

She outstretched her hand, screaming out as a stream of fire burst from her arm and out from her fingertips, the flames whooshing as they quickly travelled into its throat. She pulled her arm back, panting as the snake screamed in pain as it began to burn up from the inside out, scales falling off one by one. She covered her nose, hating the smell of burnt flesh as Black went to her side. The inner fire ceased the agonized screams eventually, and only eased her state of mind from the silence. A hand was placed upon her shoulder, causing her to look up at the hermit, whose eyes were still fixated on the now dead creature.

Black glanced at Riley, "Good job, kid."

"I'm not a kid," she pouted defiantly, earning a chuckle from the old fart. "How did you know I was in trouble?"

He shook his head, "I didn't. I came back, seeing as we don't need to go any further." To explain this, he pulled out the materia, revealing that it had regained its colourful shine.

"You...went ahead to the fountain without me?" she asked disappointedly.

"No. Riley, I think it revived itself. Somehow, I believe it sensed your peril and _reincarnated_."

"What?" she asked baffled.

He smiled, "I think it brought you here for a reason. Whatever it is, it belongs to you and no one else." He placed the ball into her freezing hands, wrapping her fingers around it.

She blinked, feeling a warm sensation go throughout her body, as if being nurtured by the materia while colour returned to her face, "Whoa."

"Now that we accomplished what we came here to do, let's head back. There's no need to stay in the freezing cold. You said you wished to travel to the Forgotten City, correct?" She nodded, "Then I shall take you there myself. Besides, I require a few answers myself. Let's head back, rest up for a couple of weeks then move out."

He turned and began walking out of the cavern, only to be stopped by a questioning voice, "Why?"

Looking over his shoulder, he smiled, "For some unknown reason, I believe everything you told me."

Shock struck her and she simply stood there for the longest time. The materia only glowed slightly in her hands, keeping her warm before she smiled and followed after Black, her weapon long forgotten, finding a new respect for the old man. Maybe coming into this world wasn't such a bad thing after all.

* * *

**A/N:** X.X Oh my god, I finally finished this chapter. Was kind of difficult to write for some reason. Guess it was because of a lot of distractions. Next chapter should be easier to write. Sorry I delayed in updating. Might submit another one either tonight or sometime tomorrow before I go to work. We'll see what happens. Anyway, YAY, Black and Riley are starting to (maybe) understand one another. Well, they are becoming "friends", despite their intentions from before. R&R please and thank you!


	8. Ch 7: Sword of Retribution

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may not be correct. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent, and Mr. Black (the grumpy and bitter hermit).

* * *

**Chapter 7: Sword of Retribution**

The trip back was shorter, it seemed. Riley continued some minor training with the hermit for two weeks, finally learning to evade and block properly. Her training with materia resulted with the most progress, and Black had to admit that he was impressed. Eventually, their rest-period ended and like the old man promised, they headed back to Icicle Town. It hadn't changed at all in the last month and it eased Riley to some extent. She only dreaded the unavoidable visit to the Inn. Awkwardness ensued, leaving her squirming in the saddle.

"Hey."

"Hmm?"

"Stop fidgeting; it's making Sable uncomfortable."

Riley glanced at hers and Black's mount. The bird seemed a little agitated by her movements. She patted his head, "Sorry buddy."

"We're here," Black announced before dismounting Sable in front of the town stables. He paid the stableman before pulling Riley down, seeing that she had drifted off into space, "Why are you so nervous?"

"I'm not nervous," she denied feebly.

"C'mon. Let's head to the Inn for the night before we head to the Forgotten City. Besides, I need to restock our supplies. You go ahead and get us a room or two," he encouraged while handing her Gil.

She walked off, looking sheepish, kicking snow off her boots on the front porch before walking into the Inn, coming face to face with Ed, "Uh—"

"Riley! It's been awhile! You look good! Mary's been keeping herself busy, maybe you can help me get her out of the kitchen," he said excitedly.

"I-I'm only here for the night, though."

"Really? Well, that's plenty of time to catch up. Come, come!" He urged her into the kitchen, smiling brightly, "Hey Mary! Guess who's here!"

The blonde blinked, looking to the door from the sink, wiping a dish clean before grinning, putting the plate down, "Crazy lady? My golly! It _is_ you! Sit down, sit down! I wanna know everything that happened to you!"

Riley was forced to sit down before exposing almost the whole story, revealing that she and Black were on better terms now. Mary and Ed listened in awe as she described how she trained and then later on defeated the snake-like monster in the mountains, describing that as training as opposed to a mission to revive the materia she had in her pocket. She left out the conversations she had with the old man, and ended the story with the fact that she had forgotten to retrieve her sword before leaving the mountains.

"Jeez, and that was a pricey sword too," commented Ed.

"Yeah, sorry..." she replied sheepishly.

"Ah, don't worry about it. It wasn't meant for you anyway."

"Huh?"

"I thought the shuriken would have been better."

"What you talking about pops? She would have been better off with the gun!"

"I'm getting proficient with materia actually," Riley admitted while sipping hot chocolate.

They both looked at her, "What? Really? What can you do?"

"Well, I can use most materia, except summons. I don't have enough control to use them yet."

Black walked in as they nodded in slight awe, "Riley?"

"Oh, uh, hi. We got ourselves a room, and it's free."

"Ah."

Silence reigned and no one spoke for the longest time then Mary glanced at Riley, "Did you open my present?"

Riley blinked, recalling Mary's gift before smiling, "Yeah. I like it a lot, I just didn't want to use it yet, but it seems like I'll be able to soon."

Mary clapped excitedly, "Oh good!"

The men just blinked, not sure what the hell was going on. Black cleared his throat before heading down to the bar with Riley following, giving her a chance to say hello to Ronny, receiving a vicious knuckle grind on the noggin. Later on, Black went to bed and Riley stayed up a little longer, talking to her friends. Friends, she thought. Was that what she considered them? It felt nice to have a few friends again.

It wasn't long before morning came and Riley was dragged out of bed, groaning from lack of sleep. Black just shook his head, looking smug, "What have we learned about staying up late even when we know we're supposed to get up early?"

"Bite me," came the snippy reply.

"What is this gift that you and that girl were talking about?"

Riley got up, slipping on her coat and boots, "You'll see when we reach warmer weather."

"Well, it won't be long then. It'll take us a day and a half to reach the Forgotten City. I don't know what you hope to find there though."

She sighed, "Neither do I."

Once they made their goodbyes, they retrieved Sable, soon galloping through the snowfields. Dusk came quickly with Riley still half blind from the day's sun. They sat in front of a cave that led to the Forgotten City, with Sable sitting down, feathers fluffed with his blue eyes closed. Riley curled up against the large bird, stroking his feathers as she watched the campfire. She was grateful that it was slightly warmer down here, not needing both the sweater and coat at the same time. She was content with the silence of the night and crackling of burning wood.

"Peaceful, isn't it?" the old man asked softly, warming his hands.

"Yeah. Too bad reality usually butts in," she commented almost sadly.

"Unfortunately, yes," he agreed, watching her from the corner of his eye, "The last Ancient died there."

She nodded, "Aerith Gainsborough. When I played the game, I kind of liked her. In a way, I wish I was more like her."

"How so?"

"She was always so outgoing. I'm not like that at all."

"I think you're fine as you are, although you do require some manners," he commented jokingly.

"Ah, bite me."

He chuckled, "Shouldn't be long before we reach the city. Any particular spot in the city you wanted to visit?"

"Perhaps the actual City of the Ancients. I don't know. I'll look all over and hope I find something...or at least something I can understand."

When dawn arrived, they continued on and it gradually became warmer though still chilly. It eventually felt like autumn weather and Riley felt it warm enough to remove her coat and sweater. They continued onward, reaching a cave and climbing down between crevices in the walls. Riley found it disturbing that they had to climb down a set of stairs made of a skeleton. Talk about 'creeping down someone's spine'. Finally, they reached the edge of a forest. This place held a mystical vibe about it. Here it always seemed like night time, white trees glowing in the dark with white glowing spectres floating about like fireflies. Sable cooed, earning a pat on the beak from Black before striding into the forestry. Riley marvelled at the beauty as she followed behind.

"Riley," Black called out softly.

She blinked, jogging up to his side, turning her eyes to where he pointed. They stood on a steep hill with a path made with the wood from the trees of this forest, and over yonder in the distance was the city itself. Riley's breath caught as she stood there, awed by the simple beauty that was ruins of an extinct race. Houses were made of giant seashells. The architecture itself was intricate in its own way, roads and bridges weaving between the thousands of seashell housing of different sizes. It looked like a complex maze. She wasn't sure she'd be able to fid her way around.

"Let's find a place to stay for now while we seek those answers," he suggested.

She nodded, following as he moved along with the chocobo. Somehow, she felt at rest in this place. It felt right to be here. Eventually they found a place with beds and what seemed like a backyard for Sable to graze. Riley dropped her things beside her bed, sneezing a couple of times when some dust flew. Black chuckled at her, dropping his own things.

He turned to her, "What now?"

"Huh?" she blinked.

"Have you figured out what exactly you're searching for?"

"Well, I guess anything related to the materia. Hieroglyphs, if they have any here, are a good start. I doubt they spoke English back then, but check for written records too."

"Right. What are you doing?"

Riley was in the middle of taking off her shirt, blinking before realizing with embarrassment, "Ah ha, ha...oops. Um, leave."

He blinked, "Leave?"

"I wanna change! Unless you're some kind of super-pervert, leave!"

"I'm going! You should have said something to begin with," he muttered when leaving the house.

Sighing, she went on with what she was doing. Black waited outside for her, being nudged by Sable, "What do you want now?"

Riley came out after a few moments, brushing herself off. Black blinked, looking her over. New clothes? When did she have time to shop? Her clothes consisted of tight black shorts underneath a couple of black leather short flaps sewn to the shorts, making them look like a short skirt. Attached to the front flap were a couple of pockets. Her tops consisted of a short vibrant orange vest with the black collar turned upright and a black leather belt underneath her bodice overtop the vest, and underneath the vest, she seemed to wear a very short sleeved shirt revealing a bit of cleavage and her midriff which had been defined through her training somewhat. Other wear consisted of a pair of fingerless black leather gloves and black socks pushed down to her black hiker boots. Her hair was up as well, clipped in a way so that the ponytail fanned out behind and her bangs framed her face.

"How do I look?" she asked, almost embarrassed.

"Was that her gift?"

She nodded, "Yeah. Orange is actually my favourite colour."

He smiled, "It looks good on you. Let's get going."

"Right."

They split up, searching through a portion of the city. Black walked into what seemed like a prayer house. He wandered up a flight of stairs, glancing around before finding rolls of papyrus with strange symbols upon them like writing. He gathered them up, deciding he would have to find a Cetra enthusiast, hoping there was one who could translate.

Riley on the other hand, wandered back into the forest down a particular path, setting foot near a large pool, stopping at the water's edge. Blue orbs looked up, glancing up at a large grand seashell, the back down at the water. She recalled the scene well of a certain Ancient's death. A woman prayed on an altar beneath this place, a soft smile directed towards Cloud Strife before she was skewered by the spawn of evil. She blinked, remembering that the white materia fell from the Cetra. Was it still here? Deciding to take a look, she walked around the small lake, heading inside the shell house.

Her feet lead her up a spiral path inside, finding a gap in the railing, seeing the decorative fish. How did Aerith get inside anyway? She reached out to touch the ornament, only to have it disappear from her touch, a path suddenly revealing itself in a blue light. Peering down, the path lead to a dark place beneath the city. Swallowing, she hesitantly placed her foot on the path, hoping she didn't fall through, thinking the planet needed a good laugh every now and then. With her boot touching something solid, she sighed in relief, disappearing below.

Eventually, the path led her to what seemed like a small castle surrounded by water, the darkness glittering around her as the altar where Aerith died came into view. Following a series of hallways and a set of stairs, she came upon stepping pillars leading up to the platform. She looked at the water and despite its clarity, saw nothing. She came up to the altar, looking up where a light shone from above.

Releasing a sigh, she began muttering to herself, "What did I honestly hope to find here anyway?" She pulled out the materia, gazing at its glassy surface, "What the hell am I doing here? What does any of this means?" She paused, "What the hell are you?"

"_Perhaps I can answer that for you,_" a voice shot out of the dark, startling Riley.

She glanced around frantically, "That voice..." Turning around, she looked up to see a soldier in red, sitting atop one of the conical roofs, her leg swinging rhythmically.

Rosso's lips curled as if she was a cat ready to pounce on her prey, "So, you carry what Genesis desires." She jumped down before the stepping pillars, gracefully standing up straight, "What might your name be, darling? You may have heard of me—"

"I know who you are and frankly, you don't deserve to know my name," she exclaimed defiantly, stepping back.

A chuckle was emitted before Rosso began to take slow and graceful steps up to the altar, "Do you realize what you hold in your hands, little girl?" She smirked, "That, my dear, is the Omni-Materia. One of a kind, so I've been told. That's why Genesis wants it for himself. And that's why I shall be taking it from you, whether you want to hand it over...or not."

Riley stepped back when Rosso reached the platform. She knew she was screwed. Materia wasn't gonna do squat against a Tsviet. If only she had a weapon. Rosso held out a hand, crimson eyes gleaming with violent glee. Another step back was taken while Riley kept her eyes on Rosso.

"What exactly does this materia do anyway?"

"Why, it gives the user the power of a god. Unfortunately, no magic level can reach that high to make it possible to use. But, I believe Genesis has found a way around that. Now give it to me."

"No," she replied while keeping the materia out of her reach.

Rosso glared, "I could easily kill you without a shred of mercy. Unless you want to die, I suggest you hand over the materia this instant."

"You're gonna kill me regardless of what I do, so I might as well postpone the inevitable," Riley argued.

The Tsviet snorted, "Listen, do you realize who you're talking to?"

Riley pondered for a moment then smiled serenely, "A slut?" Rosso's instant twitch in her eye made the insult worth it. So, instead of trying to talk her way out of death, she continued to dig her own grave, "I mean you can't be taken seriously as a female Tsviet if you keep going around calling men _darlings_, like one who kicked your ass. I think you've heard of him. _Vincent Valentine_ ring any bells?"

Rosso scowled, screaming out loudly, pulling out her Double-Sabre, ready to lash out before the weapon was shot out of her hands. Both she and Riley looked up, seeing Black in the distance, holding a sniper rifle, dark eyes menacing. The crimson enemy scowled once more, glancing at Riley, lunging for the materia. Riley squeaked, falling over the ledge in surprise, yelling out as she fell into the water.

_Not again. At least the water is bearable._

Riley swam to the surface just as Rosso was evading a barrage of sniper-fire. The 'slut' skid over to her weapon, using it to block most of the bullets before firing her own barrage in return from the gun planted in the middle of the weapon. Riley took this time to find a way up onto the ground, but something caught her eye and she looked over, seeing something shimmer beneath the water. She swallowed, not wanting to burden Black, but this may be her only chance. She submerged, swimming towards the white sand flooring, eventually reaching the shining object. She brushed away the sand, seeing a handle that resembled part of a gun. Mentally shouting in show at the prospect of a weapon now within her grasp, she began digging it out.

_What the hell is that girl doing?_ Black mentally scowled to himself while holding his own against the she-devil. Suddenly he ran out of ammo, the rest being in his bag at their resting place. He cursed as Rosso smirked, ready to send an attack flying before she was interrupted by a punch to the face. Rosso grasped her face in surprise, looking over to see a soaked Riley with slightly red knuckles on her left hand.

"Hey Rosso, I got a present for you, bitch!" At that moment, she pulled out what looked like a gun-blade, only there appeared to be no barrel, just the handle attached to a wickedly shaped blade. She suddenly equipped materia into the five slots on the side of the grip and all of them glowed as she seemed to power up. Her swings became so fast that she released five full elemental waves equivalent to the power of Bahamut. First fire, then ice, thunder, earth, and finally gravity. Rosso was sent flying, the momentum of the attack sending her skidding across the water like a skipping stone before finally sinking.

Riley panted, resting a hand on her knee, bent over in exhaust. Black watched, shocked by what he had seen then glanced at the sword. His memory recalled that she had pressed the trigger each time. It was practically a blade made specifically for materia, evolving their power when equipped. Registering the events, he rushed down the path he was on. Riley started laughing, weakly but triumphantly. Had she just performed a couple of W-Magic? No, that seemed more like her first Limit Break.

_I think I'll call that... level one, Tetra Rage. No, that's stupid..._

Too caught up in her limit naming, Rosso lunged out of the water, ready to strike Riley down. Riley stared in horror, knowing she could not dodge this attack in time. Before Rosso could land her attack upon the girl, Black intervened, using the Lariat to somewhat block her weapon. They locked their weapons, straining against one another, the Lariat breaking under pressure. Black gritted his teeth while Rosso laughed maniacally.

"What's wrong, my dear? Too much for your old age?" Rosso laughed in his face, ready to put him down before she looked at the emotion of malice in his eyes, "Wait a moment. Have we met? You look oddly familiar."

"Doubt it. Even if we have, I wouldn't want to remember you even in the least!" He strained further, pushing her back just as his gun snapped, falling to the ground in pieces. He cursed, throwing the handle away. _I have no choice but to use that then._

Rosso smirked, swirling her weapon before she leapt forward, Riley stepping in to hold her ground against Rosso's blade with her own, feet planted firmly. Rosso glared, "You sure are persistent, aren't you? Tell you what, give me the Omni-Materia and I'll let the old man live."

"Yeah right! You wouldn't know how to keep a promise unless it guaranteed death! So you can..." She pushed, making the woman slide some across the floor, "Go to hell!!" She pushed her back, much like Black had, only her blade endured without a scratch, sending another barrage of elemental waves that she silently dubbed _Terra Wave_. Rosso screamed in surprise, crashing through a couple of towers, sending them crashing into the water in ruins. Rosso suddenly resurfaced, perching herself upon the ruins sticking out of the water.

"Well, little girl, seems you will be more trouble than you're worth. We'll meet again, and next time, I will get the Omni-Materia." She seemed to run off, disappearing almost immediately when a portal of a black void appeared, black mist swirling about before disappearing. Riley scowled in frustration, kicking a wall before looking at Black.

She ran over to his half-collapsed side, "Hey old man, you okay?"

He was merely resting on his knees, though the lock up with Rosso had exhausted him. He nodded, responding to Riley after a few pants, "Yeah. Let me see that sword."

She handed it over and he observed it. She had equipped the materia used in her Terra Wave. It only had five slots, two pairs linked to one another. The sword seemed oddly heavier on the end, realizing that the Omni-Materia hung from a chain attached to the black grip of the blade. It was difficult to see, but taking a closer look at the blade itself, writing was etched almost invisibly upon its mirror sheen.

"Nemesis," he recited.

"How appropriate," she declared. He gave her a questioning look, urging her to explain, "Some name from a goddess, I think."

"Be careful using this. We just saved a lot of Gil thanks to your find," he said, handing it back to her.

She nodded, "Well, we got the answers I was looking for. But...Genesis wants it and I don't know how he'll be able to use it since it apparently needs a lot of magic to be used. And the way Rosso said it, it almost seemed like it needed more power than the black materia. A _lot_ more."

He nodded, "Apparently. I already heard everything. Though, we may need to head to Cosmo Canyon after all."

"I'll...meet Nanaki?" she said hopefully.

"I suppose, but don't tell him what you told me. Right now, let's spend the night and move out as soon as light hits tomorrow."

_**At this point, I was beginning to find it harder to keep certain things to myself. But what concerned me most was what Genesis' intentions might be. I would have to keep Riley close from now on. Even I fear for her.

* * *

**_

**A/N:** Well, that was a fast update. Who knows, might submit another later today. More likely after work. Anyway, to explain a little something behind the name of the Materia Blade, it's called Nemesis after the GODDESS, not the word/synonym of arch enemy...Nemesis is a goddess of retribution, justice, blah, blah, blah, look it up yourself. I'm sleepy. Hopefully I'm doing okay in the story-line so far. So just R&R please and thank you. Also, I have a picture drawn and colour of the sword, Nemesis itself on my DeviantArt account. So feel free to click on my homepage link on my profile to check it out and get a better idea of what it looks like.


	9. Ch 8: Highwind's Legacy

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may not be correct. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent, and Mr. Black (the grumpy and bitter hermit).

* * *

**Chapter 8: Highwind's Legacy**

Leaving behind the Forgotten Capital, they travelled for another day on Sable, reaching bone village. It seemed like any excavation site would only littered with giant skeletons surrounded by tents. Riley glanced upon the workers as she and Black strolled through. Black led her to the edge of the village, which were the docks. He sighed as Sable began to back away, cooing desperately.

"What's wrong with him?" she asked.

"He's afraid of the ocean."

Riley blinked, "I thought black chocobos could cross the ocean."

"No, only gold chocobos can. Black chocobos can only cross shallow water and mountains. He has reason to be afraid of the water."

"Oh. How are we gonna get across the ocean then?"

"Well, a boat usually comes to mind," he replied sarcastically.

She rolled her eyes, "Alright, smartass. But where are we gonna get a boat?"

At that precise moment, a girlish scream was heard, or rather, many girlish screams. They ran away from their digging spot in rage and horror. Riley and Black looked over, blinking in confusion. _What the hell_, they thought in unison. They both looked at one another before walking over to the source of the small chaos, finding a young man, sunbathing naked on the beach, despite the fact there was little sun. Riley blinked for a long time, turning around with a beet red face.

"Oh god, make it go away."

The man blinked, his attention caught as he stared up at Black and Riley, grinning some, "Hellooo pretty lady!"

He stood up, muscles flexing slightly under each movement while running rough hands through somewhat spiky short blonde hair that was partially slicked back with a few loose strands hanging over his forehead. He turned around, giving a full frontal view…much to Riley's horror.

"What can I do you strangers for?"

"You could put your clothes on, first of all," Black said with a revolted look on his face.

"Huh?" His brown eyes blinked down to his current state then only grinned, "Oh, it's only the human body. Every man has one. Maybe not as great as mine but—"

"Even men have their modesty," he interrupted bluntly.

"Only if the lady tells me her name first," he demanded with a sly curl of his lips. She didn't speak, only kept her back to him. Resigned, he did as he was asked putting on a white tank top, olive green cargo pants and beige steel toe work-boots. He slipped on a pair of grey work gloves before putting on a dog tag necklace, "Well, if you won't tell me your name, I'll have you know that I go by Shamus." He slipped on a pair of plane goggles just under his hairline, catching Black's attention.

_Those goggles. He's practically a striking image of…_

"So, gonna tell me your names now? It's safe, pretty lady."

Taking a glance over her shoulder prior to turning around, she watched him cautiously, "Riley."

"For a girl?" he blinked.

She seemed embarrassed, muttering, "My parents wanted a boy."

"Why the hell were you naked just now?"

"Me? I was sunbathing."

"There's no…" Riley trailed off.

"That's why I was naked. I mean—"

"You're too odd. Riley, we're going. Let's find a boat."

Shamus was suddenly in front of them, "Hey! Where ya headed?"

Black watched him, "That is our business."

"I realize that, but I may be able to take you!"

She blinked, "You have a boat?"

"Sort of. It floats, just not on water."

Perplexed, she and Black followed the young man, being led to a hidden corner of the beach underneath an overhang of rocks. This machine looked like a boat, made entirely of steel, and it seemed like it would have had a small cabin inside. Painted on the side was what appeared to be the craft's name, calling it _Ceto_.

"Isn't she a beauty?"

"Is it durable?" Black asked.

"Durable?! Who do you think you're talking to?" He got a certain look from the other too, making him emit an embarrassed laugh, "Oh, you don't know. Well, she's put up a hell of a fight against storms, plus she emits a high frequency wave that keeps sea monsters away. She's safe."

Black seemed to consider before glaring at Shamus, "What's the catch?"

"Well, the fuel is pricey—"

"We're heading for Rocket Town first and we'll travel on foot from there."

"Rocket Town? Where exactly are you headed exactly?"

"That's not your business, is it boy?" Black challenged darkly.

"Hey, I happen to be twenty-five! Refer to me as a man, why don't ya!"

"In the eyes of a real man, you're just a kid."

Shamus was about to talk back before Riley lost her patience, "How much is it to get to the next continent?!"

Shamus suddenly dropped the annoyed look, smirking as he closed in on Riley's personal space, as if to whisper in her ear, "Well, if I'm given a couple of kisses, I might just let you guys have this ride for free."

She didn't look impressed, "That's your price?"

"Indeed."

Black heard everything, eye twitching impatiently, "We don't have time for this."

"Old man, hold on a second. I can give him a couple of kisses," Riley smirked.

Shamus looked shocked but at the same time excited while Black gaped at her, "You can?"

"I'm a girl. How bad can it be?" she smiled sweetly. "Close your eyes."

Shamus was already puckering up for the payment, eyes shut tightly before he felt something against his lips, but it felt strange, and all he heard was a snort from the old man. Why were her lips hard? His eyes shot open and he was face to face with Sable, kissing his beak. Blue eyes gleamed dangerously, suddenly pecking at his head, pulling at his hair.

"What the hell?! OW! Oh jeez this hurts! Make it stop!" He cried out while running away, being chased by the bird.

All Riley could do was grab her sides while laughing, "You didn't specify who and how! A deal's a deal!"

Black chortled slightly, pleased that Riley outsmarted the boy. After Sable finally stopped, he trotted over to Riley, earning himself a good scratch under the chin and a few greens. Shamus grumbled sheepishly, pride wrinkled by a girl. Regaining his composure, he sighed, straightening out his clothes.

"Alright, you got me, but I require a real kiss from you when we reach the next continent."

An hour later after preparation, he pushed it, barely managing to float it out into sea. Riley and Black had most trouble, bringing Sable aboard, grateful that there was enough room inside to let the chocobo reside. Riley and Black joined Shamus up top, ready to watch how this thing moves. Steel flaps were opened up along the sides, folded up masts moving outwards, unfolding into what seemed like black metallic wings. Streaks of what looked like fire lit up the sails. Another mast packed in the front opened up, outstretched to the sky as another sail revealed itself, lighting the same way.

"Alright, here we go. Better hold on."

With that, he slammed a fist onto the coincidentally big red button that said start. Jets in the back suddenly propelled them forward. Riley squeaked, bumping into Black's chest with his hands gripping her shoulders to keep her steady. Shamus laughed triumphantly as the hovercraft sped ahead at nearly a hundred kilometers, eventually slowing down to cruising speed.

"How about a little warning!" Riley exclaimed angrily.

"I said hold on," he said defensively with a shrug before setting a course for the next continent, switching to auto-pilot. "So, would the lady like a drink?"

"I don't drink," she said bitterly.

He gaped, "How old are you?!"

"Twenty, not that it's any of your business."

"You're twenty and you don't drink?! Well, at least you're legal…romantically speaking," he grinned.

Riley was the one to gape this time, "What's _wrong_ with you?!"

Black commented coolly, "I can already think of a few things."

"So…" Shamus began as he edged closer to Riley on the same seat, draping an arm behind her, "Tell me about yourself."

Black's eye twitched, suddenly grabbing Riley by the waist and easily moving her over his lap to his other side away from the pervert, "Don't you have better things to do than flirt?"

"Hey, it's part of who I am! I love women…_especially_ cuties like Riley here."

Riley blushed, "Just don't overstep your boundaries and I'll let you live."

Shamus clapped his hands, rubbing them together as he stood up, "Anyway, anybody want a tour?"

Giving in, both Riley and Black followed Shamus into the lower deck. It had two bunk beds across from one another in the room, in between was a table, half of it with a world map glued to it and the other half meant for dining purposes. In one corner was a small bathroom, consisting of a toilet and a leak-proof shower stall, plus a medicine cabinet over a sink. In another corner was a very small kitchenette. It only consisted of a fridge with a securing latch on it for cases like turbulence, a stove, and two meters of counter space, one square taken up with the sink, and latching cupboards with plastic dishes. In a corner that was free, Sable sat, curled into itself, cooing frightfully.

Riley walked over to console the bird, stroking its head before he laid it upon her lap, "Poor guy." She looked at Black, "Is he seasick, or something?"

"No, he has a fear of drowning. He was just a chick when I found him swimming for his life one day off the coast near where the Midgar area is," he explained.

"I thought you bred him."

The hermit shook his head, "No, I only raised him. Sadly though, he didn't trust me anywhere near as quickly as he did you."

She smiled mockingly, "I'm just that charismatic."

He only smiled in return before turning his gaze to Shamus, "How long till we arrive?"

He stuffed a pastry in his mouth before talking with his mouth full, "At this speed, it'll take about a couple of days. But unless you actually want to pay for the fuel to power the jets, that will cost about two-hundred gil per liter, you won't get there any faster."

Black scowled, "That's a lot for such a slow boat."

"Hey, it's _not_ a boat! It's _Ceto_. It's part of a legacy I intend to follow!" When Black arched his brow, Shamus explained excitedly, "Believe it or not, but I happen to idolize the greatest pilot in history! I plan on following in his footsteps as a fellow pilot, eventually run my own airship and kick some ass!"

Riley glanced up, interest caught, "Are you talking about Cid Highwind?"

"How'd you know?"

"He's the only pilot I can think of," she admitted. "Plus, he's the only one I've heard of that's piloted a couple of airships."

Black glared at Shamus suspiciously, muttering too quietly for either of them to hear, "It explains why you practically look like him."

"Huh? Did you say something?"

The hermit shook his head, turning away, "No."

Time passed, and hours later, Black was up top with Shamus, standing quietly on the bow, with his cloak flapping in the wind as he stared ahead. He stood there for hours, without even blinking like a normal person. Shamus occasionally wondered if the old man slept with his eyes open, _while_ standing up. After that thought, Black finally moved, heading to the lower deck. Upon reaching the cabin, he spotted Riley, noticing she had never moved and had fallen asleep, resting herself halfway atop Sable, curled up. She looked so peaceful asleep, and perhaps a little…cute. Black blinked, surprised with himself before shaking the thought out of his head. Deciding it was best that she does not remain there, he gently picked her up, cradling her like a heavily sleeping child while she suddenly curled into his chest.

"Vincent…" she mumbled unintelligibly in her sleep.

He blinked again, straining to hear for anything else that might come out. Being as it seemed like she wouldn't say more, he went to the bunks, holding her while moving the sheets prior to placing her in bed. He tucked her in and watched her for many moments afterwards, fascinated by her face. Satisfied that she was comfortable, he stood again and climbed to the top bunk, laying there while staring thoughtfully at the ceiling.

_**I didn't want to admit it, but for reasons I couldn't comprehend, I was beginning to have more than just respect for her. I was disturbed by these facts, knowing I was just an old man, standing next to a young girl—no—a young woman. Other than that, Shamus strikes me as suspicious. For all Riley and I knew, he was a spy for the Tsviets. We can't simply trust everybody we meet. Then again, perhaps I became too bitter and distrustful over the decades.**_

A couple of days had passed and Black was startled out of his short nap, rolling off the top bunk, barely managing to land on his feet before glancing at the stairs to the upper deck. Riley came down quickly, grabbing Sable, earning a confused squawk. Black pieced the puzzles together, assuming they were close to shore, grabbing the luggage before helping Riley with the bird to the upper deck.

Shamus smirked as they finally made it up top, "Well, didn't I say I could get you two here?" He was referring to the shorelines that were only fifty feet away. "Now, about the kiss…" he began almost eagerly before noticing that they were already preparing to jump off. "Hey! What about my payment?!"

The three of them froze, Sable eager to reach land as it warked irritably. Black glanced at Riley before smirking, "Well, pay the man." And so he jumped off with Sable, having Riley curse after him.

Riley turned to Shamus nervously, "Uh, sure you don't want something else instead?"

He blinked then smirked, "Well, maybe a night in bed—" he trailed off in deep thought, giving Riley the chance to get away. Blinking out of his trance, he yelled out angrily, "Hey!! Where's your honour as a woman?! Eh?!"

Riley swam towards shore, sighing when she reached its sands. Black only chuckled at her, soaked as well, "Best to get moving before he catches up to us."

"You know the way?"

"Yes. We'll head to the nearest town, that being Rocket Town, and spend the night there."

She nodded, and off they went, Shamus' cursing becoming more distant as time passed. It was near noon by the time they reached the dusty town. To her, it looked like it came out of a western. It explained the southern accent Cid had in both the movie and Dirge of Cerberus. Black wandered down the dirt street, walking up wooden steps into an old inn. He walked up to the front desk, Riley standing outside with Sable for now.

"Thought you could get away didn't you?"

Riley jumped, looking over her shoulder, "Ha, ha, hi Shamus."

He didn't look impressed. In fact, he looked a little frazzled, "Can I have my kiss now?"

Black came out with the room key in his pocket before suddenly glaring at Shamus, "How about you go harass someone else?"

Shamus grumbled, "Or else what, gramps?"

Black looked annoyed, "What do you want?"

"Riley's mouth…on mine! Tongue and all!"

Riley scowled, "No."

"Leave her be, or I'll have whatever authorities in this town arrest you. Better yet, perhaps I should just put you out of your misery."

Black took a step forward and Shamus suddenly pulled out an extendable spear, pointing it at Black's face, "Just try it."

The hermit growled, "Riley, just kiss him already before I decide to hurt him."

"Why? It would…be my first," she trailed off.

This shocked both men, earning her surprised glances. Shamus choked, "You've never kissed before?! I don't believe it!"

"I…" she began with embarrassment, "I've never dated, or anything."

Shamus looked at her, eyes narrowing, "Are you a lesbian that's afraid to come out of the closet?"

Riley rolled her eyes, blushing, "No, I'm not. I was just never interested in a relationship with those who were interested in me."

"Well, that's a bonus. Let me take your first kiss and you'll get everything for free from me!" he said excitedly, only to get slapped across the top of the head by Black. "Ow!"

"That's going too far. Pick something else. Money? What?"

Shamus sighed, "Alright." He thought about what else he wanted, "Where are you guys headed anyway?"

Black finally resigned to his insistence, "Cosmo Canyon. Why are you so desperate to know?"

The boy's face beamed, "Take me with you!"

Silence, then, "No." Simple and blunt, without another thought. "I'd rather pay you than have to listen to you ramble away on the trip. Also, I doubt Riley would appreciate your advances."

"Oh, c'mon! This will be like when Cid Highwind travelled with AVALANCHE! Please?"

Black looked into his puppy brown eyes, "Absolutely not. Besides, you threatened me."

"You did it first!" Shamus exclaimed angrily.

"Shamus?" called out a small voice.

Everyone turned their heads in the same directions, seeing a woman in a yellow mechanic's jumpsuit, grey hair tied back into a ponytail, brown eyes framed by round glasses. Shamus blinked then smiled, "Hey, grams."

"Oh, I thought that was you," she smiled before glancing at the others, "Are these your friends?"

Black quickly answered, "No."

Shamus pouted, "C'mon, act a little nicer to me, man."

"No."

"Who are these people?"

Riley cleared her throat, "Riley. The old man goes by _Black_."

"How nice. I'm Sierra."

Black froze, glancing at the old woman. _Cid's wife._ Riley blinked, knowing who she was, "You're Sierra Highwind?"

"Yes?" the old woman blinked.

"_The_ wife of Cid Highwind?!" she asked once more.

Sierra laughed, "Yes. I see you met our grandson, Shamus."

Black and Riley gaped at Shamus, "You're his grandson?!?!"

Shamus blinked, rubbing the back of his neck, "Yeah? Didn't I tell you my last name?" They both shook their heads, "Well, in that case, my last name is—"

"We've already figured that much out," Black commented bitterly.

Afterwards, Sierra invited everyone over for tea, making them feel at home in the kitchen, "I hope you like the blend."

Riley took the cup, tea, truthfully, not being her…_cup of tea_, "Thanks." Admittedly, she was trying not to shake with excitement from the fact she was inside Cid's house.

"It's been awhile since anyone has been over for tea. How's the tea, sir?" She asked Black.

"It's very pleasant, thank you. I didn't realize that Highwind's offspring had children of their own."

Shamus picked at his teeth, drinking coffee instead, "Well, you didn't know I was related either. Goes to show how blind you're getting, gramps."

Black snorted as Sierra gently scolded Shamus, "Please be nice to our guests. How's Shamus treating you all anyway? Did he bring you to town?"

Riley interrupted before either Black or Shamus could speak, "Yeah, he brought us to this continent. As for how he's treating us…well, he and Black are acting like brats towards one another as you can see."

Sierra giggled, coughing a little, "Well, I can imagine the attention he's giving you. He has such a way with girls."

If Riley was in an anime instead of a game, she'd be sweat-dropping. She settled for a tired look instead, "You could say that."

"He's also trying to follow in Cid's footsteps. Wherever you're headed, do you think you could look after him for me? I don't see him much anymore due to his ambition to travel, but I'd feel much better if you looked out for him."

Riley paused and looked at Black as neither said anything. Resigned, they knew they had no choice in the matter. Both felt somewhat inclined to follow her request. After the small visit, all of them walked out, Sable grazing in the front yard.

"Mrs. Highwind, if it's alright with you, would you be able to watch over Sable?"

Sierra blinked, looking at the chocobo before smiling, "I don't mind at all. It gets lonely around here, so a chocobo would be perfect to have around."

The three of them left town the next day, Black now being the proud owner of a shotgun. It was weaker than the Lariat, but it would have to do in the meantime as his main weapon. The hermit kept glancing at Shamus indifferently before stopping, causing the other two to stop in confusion.

"I want to know your intentions, Shamus."

"What do you mean?" he blinked.

Silence. He sighed before continuing, "I need to be certain that you won't get in our way, whatever it is. If you do, you will get hurt, or worse."

"You threatening me again?" the young man asked defensively.

"I'm talking about in general. If you plan on travelling with us, you either support us, or stay out of our way. That's how it goes in a battle. How well can you use that thing?" He asked, pointing to the shrunken lance.

"Well enough. I wouldn't be able to travel if I couldn't defend myself, now would I?"

"True enough, but do you understand what I'm telling you?"

"Yeah! I get it, sheesh."

"Good. Also, keep her close. She's still an amateur in battle."

Shamus glanced at an indignant Riley, "Who you calling an amateur, old fart?!"

Riley turned to Shamus afterwards, blinking at his grin, "Well, he _did _say to keep you close!"

"Blaaack?!" Riley cried out helplessly.

"Not _that_ close," Black warned.

Shamus laughed, "C'mon, I'm not that bad!"

Riley muttered, "I oughta call you _Shameless Shamus_." She only prayed he didn't make going nude a habit.

* * *

**A/N:** Introductory chapter. Shamus is indeed shameless, ha, ha. Well, they have a party of three now. Next chapter takes place in Nibelheim! Woo! Well, I know it seems somewhat disturbing of Black's possible thoughts about Riley, unless of course, you've noticed little tidbits. It's okay if you haven't though XD. Though, I'd like to know what you think of the three characters so far, especially Shamus (buwahaha). Personally, I think he's kind of…creepy, in his own special (perverted) way. Anyway, R&R, please :D.


	10. Ch 9: A Nightmare in Nibelheim

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may not be correct. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent, and Mr. Black (the grumpy and bitter hermit).

* * *

**Chapter 9: A Nightmare in Nibelheim**

The party of three just exited the mountainous area of Nibelheim, entering the village looking extremely beat. Shamus stretched and sighed, "Hey, let's camp here for the night."

"No," came Black's blunt reply.

Riley stared up at the Shinra manor as she followed Black. _The nightmare's beginning_, she mused.

Shamus blinked at Riley, "Hey, Riley. What's the matter?"

Black glanced over to the girl, knowing exactly what she was thinking, "We're not going inside."

"Why not?" she asked.

"It…makes me uncomfortable. I do not wish to go inside."

"Then don't. Personally, I'd like to take a look around. You coming, Shamus?"

"Yeah, sure."

And so, Black was left outside the gate of the large estate. He stared up at its dirty windows, unused for over half a century. The town itself seemed to look just as dead, abandoned by the Shinra employees that were once acting as villagers to cover-up the beginning of Sephiroth's madness. It was…too quiet. He didn't like it. Compelled to follow after all, despite his earlier firmness to leave quickly, he moved inside.

Riley and Shamus were wandering the second floor, inside the greenhouse. Shamus stretched again, spear extended, just I case. Riley looked at the empty pots, filled only with dirt. This place reeked, urging her out of the room past the young man. She then glanced at a couple of doors, pushing open the one on her right to reveal a bedroom with two beds…dusty beds.

She heard footsteps behind her, "No, it isn't an invitation."

Black startled her, "Good to know."

She quickly turned around, "Jeez, I thought you were Shamus."

"No, he's still in the greenhouse. I think he's trying to find you a flower."

"Too bad for him, I don't really like flowers."

Riley wandered around the room, opening the wardrobe and dressers, searching for anything useful. Black watched her, perplexed, "What are you looking for?"

Riley paused, "Memories of Vincent."

He maintained that questioning look, "Memories?"

"He worked for awhile in this mansion, guarding scientists working on the Jenova project. For a time, he was happy in this place, but…"

Black hesitated to ask, "But?"

"It became the beginning of his nightmare," she said sadly.

No words came between them for many moments. Black wasn't sure how to respond, honestly. As time passed, Riley became satisfied with her search of the room, leaving it quietly. She walked into the room across the hall and tilted her head at the safe that she thought would be open.

"Hmm, I think I remember the combination," she began, standing in front of it before turning the dial to zero. "Right to thirty-six, left to ten, right to fifty-nine, then on to ninety-seven." She heard a click, then a hiss before it unlatched, popping open slightly, "Ha." She opened the safe further and blinked, "G-guys?!"

Black and Shamus soon joined her in the room, both with their weapons readied, "What is it?"

Riley pulled out what seemed like a tattered red cloak, "This…this is Vincent Valentine's cloak!"

Black's eyes narrowed as he walked over quickly, grabbing the cloak, looking it over, "No…it's not."

"But it is! It's the same one he used to always wear! If his cloak is here and not where he supposedly died—"

"He's dead, Riley. Get over it. Everyone in AVALANCHE, with the exception of Nanaki, is _dead_."

Riley stood up quickly, yanking the cloak out of his grip, "I won't believe it! He's gotta be alive! Maybe he really is in hiding!" Black shook his head but Riley only continued to insist otherwise, "Please! Just in case there's a small chance he is alive, don't you think we should at least seek him out? I'm sure he'd be willing to help us."

"With what, Riley?! You said you wanted answers about the Omni-Materia, and then learn to use it to go home, that was all! I never agreed to helping you with anything else. The time for saving the world has passed since he died—"

"He's not dead!"

"How can you be so sure?! Just because his cloak is here, doesn't mean—"

Riley stomped her foot, getting in his face, "Why is his cloak here and locked away in a safe that not many people would know the combination to, hmm? Why isn't it in his memorial? Also, wouldn't his weapon and other clothes be here too? He's alive. I know he is."

Black was about to raise his voice again but when she calmed down, he forced himself to as well, inhaling deeply, "Riley, there is no guarantee. Why are you so fixated on the possibility that he is?"

"I already told you why," she suddenly hiccupped, turning away.

Shamus just watched the exchange, awkwardly interrupting, "What's Valentine got to do with this? Hey Riley, did you know the guy?"

Riley stormed out of the room, hugging the cloak as she left the mansion entirely. Black sighed, turning to the boy, "Just forget it." He too, then left afterwards.

The hermit walked into the inn in town, guaranteed to have enough beds as he went upstairs. Shamus had followed after him and scratched the back of his head, "Where'd Riley go?"

"Leave her be. Sometimes it's better to leave a woman alone," Black commented coldly.

Shamus could feel the tension from the old man before he backed away, "I think I'll just go look for her, just in case an enemy might show up."

Black left him to it as he stared out the hallway window, sighing tiredly. _Perhaps I'll take a nap. The stress is getting to us._

Meanwhile, Riley wandered around the town, hugging the cloak, eventually spotting something just beyond the town's horizon. Her feet carried her past the town's wall, walking ahead up a hill and to and leafless tree. This tree, she thought. This is where Vincent Valentine sat…with _Lucrecia_. She scowled; mentally hating Lucrecia for the things she did that led Vincent to his pain. Sitting down, she fingered the cloak gingerly. It was still in good condition. She guessed that was from the time spent in a safe.

Sighing to herself, she laid back, staring through the dead branches, "What the hell would he know?" Rolling over, hugging the cloak close, she inhaled deeply, taking in a very distinctive scent. Surprisingly, it made her sleepy, comforted by the odour. She inhaled it more deeply, burrowing her face in the fabric. She stopped, looking at it, "I'm nothing but a creepy fan-girl, aren't I?"

"Fan-girl?" Shamus asked while strolling up the hill.

She sat up quickly, practically covering herself with the cloth defensively, as if Shamus walked in on her private moment, "How'd you find me?"

"It isn't really a large place. Plus I saw some person laying on top of a hill. Mind if I join you?" She shook her head as he sat down. Turning to her, he nodded his head towards the cloak, "What's with you about this Valentine, anyway?"

Riley blinked and avoided looking at him, "Let's just say…I've had a crush on him for awhile."

"I thought nobody interested you," he paused, "Oh I see, you're saving yourself for a dead man." Riley scowled, causing him to recoil, "Sorry. But seriously, I thought he was dead. Do you really believe he's alive?"

"I do. I'll find him, even if he really is dead."

"So, you've never actually met him." She shook her head. "Well, if you have a crush on him, how do you expect him to like you if you don't know how to kiss?"

She blinked, never thought of that before, "Oh my god, you're right!"

"But…" he began slyly, "If you're so worried about it, I could help you—" he was suddenly smacked, pushed away, "Ow!"

"I don't think so," she said agitatedly. "Nice try though."

He laughed sheepishly, "Damn, and I thought I'd win my kiss."

"For the grandson of Cid Highwind, you sure don't act like him," Riley commented.

"Yeah, I heard from grams what he was like. Hey, wait a second, how would you know what he was like?"

"Uh," she began lamely, "Well, I thought everyone knew he was a respectable pilot, with a foul mouth." Her eyes shifted to the side inconspicuously, but Shamus seemed to buy it.

"Ha, I guess so. Say, where did you come from anyway?"

"Icicle Town," she lied.

"Wow, you sure don't dress like someone from the snowy village."

"You expect me to wear a winter coat all the time like I thought all weather was cold?" she asked blandly.

"Oh…I guess not."

They sat in silence for awhile, night coming quickly. Riley shivered, wrapping the cloak around her shoulders, doing up the clasps, hiding her face behind the collar. Shamus had fallen asleep, napping as she just left him as he is. She pondered the past events, not just from the games but also her own experiences. She could remember the first time she played Final Fantasy VII.

_Five years ago, Riley was wandering around the clothes store with her parents, them picking out her clothes, mostly consisting of preppy designs. She blinked as they thrust the clothes upon her excitedly. She tried them on just like they asked, and hated them all. She was a spoiled child who didn't want to be spoiled. When they weren't looking, she snuck out of the store, heading over to EB Games, seeing things that caught her eye. Fingers flipped through the various games, reading the back of the cases. She found no interest in the sports genre, coming across shooters next. Even those didn't do much for her. Finally, she came across the RPG's._

_She glanced through old games, pulling out Final Fantasy VII. The cover seemed so simple, and the back of the case was so vague. Regardless, she felt drawn to it. Luckily, she already had a PS2. Before her parents finally found her, she had already purchased the game. They gaped at her choice as she walked past them._

"_I just want to go home," she said._

"_Oh…alright then. You sure you don't want any new clothes for back-to-school?"_

_She shook her head, "Let's go home."_

_And they took her home, setting up the game afterwards. They both watched her turn the system on, confused as to why they would put the game on three discs. Riley sat for awhile, having trouble getting used to the running controls. For days, she played this game, frustrated with some battles, and others she overcame easily. Eventually, she beat the game, only to play it over, this time taking her time to get everything, looking at a walkthrough. She didn't know how to get the two characters that were listed in the manual. When she retrieved Yuffie, she was pissed that all her materia was stolen. She privately vowed never to get Yuffie ever again. Vincent on the other hand…_

_The moment her party met him, bringing him into the group, she felt something she never felt before. Riley sat there, perplexed, talking to him over and over again at various points in the game. Not once, did she allow him to leave the main party. He was enchanting in his own way. She wondered why he was just an unlockable character. He should be part of the main storyline. She was disappointed that he wasn't in any of the game's FMV's. Like any Vincent fan would, she hated Lucrecia._

_A year later, the movie came out, and Riley had already reserved her own copy, watching the movie again and again. Normally, she paused at parts there was a view of Vincent, rewinding the scene just to hear his voice, despite the fact it was just a voice actor. When they came out with Dirge of Cerberus, she played it over and over. The first time through, after Chaos collided with Omega, she cried. One thing was for certain, she rarely cried. How could someone that didn't exist have such an affect on her?_

Even years afterwards, her obsession over Vincent had never deteriorated. Riley sighed, hugging the cloak closer. _Please be alive_, she prayed. Moments later, while staring up at the moon, Riley could hear howling. But they didn't sound like wolves. She tensed, poking Shamus, urging him to wake up.

He muttered in his sleep, "C'mon…just one."

"Shamus!" she whispered harshly.

"Huh? What? Changed your mind about that kiss?" he mumbled.

"Shamus, listen!"

He opened one eye, and when another howl sounded, he sat up slowly, face looking like crap before blinking as he heard many more, "What the hell?"

"Where's Black?"

"Back at the village inn."

She suddenly seemed horrified, getting up to run back. Shamus blinked, stumbling after her. Riley found that it was harder to run with the cloak, being as it was a little heavy. Despite that, she pushed forward, running past the gate and into town, eventually entering the village courtyard. Her feet skidded to a stop and looked around. Mist had begun to cover the ground. Behind every window, she could see shadows moving in the dark.

"I don't like this," commented Shamus as he pulled out his spear, it snapping into full form. Riley unlatched Nemesis from a makeshift belt, quickly moving around the materia on the blade. Shamus turned to her, "What are you doing?"

"I'm reequipping. Looks like there's a lot. Black had the right idea to not stay here."

As she finished speaking, dark silhouettes seemed to block each exit, soft growls resounding through the dark. Both of them backed up into each other, looking at their surroundings in fear. The monsters came in all shapes and sizes. Shamus crouched slightly, bouncing between his feet, ready to defend himself. Riley looked at the materia combination on Nemesis, eyes narrowing before she changed her mind about the combo, replacing some with others. Bahamut was the lonely materia while two pairs were linked. She wondered how she was going to pull off a summon, knowing she had not done it before.

The monsters suddenly rushed forward, Shamus grabbed Riley and jumped onto the water tower. The legs were knocked out from below, causing the tower to tip over before he jumped off again, landing on one of the roofs. He yelped in surprise when he was suddenly knocked forward, knocking Riley to the side. Shamus fell off the roof but Riley had managed to grab the ledge before falling off herself. Shamus managed to twist his body in time, cringing when he landed.

"Ow. Stupid monsters! That hurts y'know!" he yelled out angrily.

Riley squeaked, unable to pull herself up. Her weight began to pull on the drainpipe, bending it down. She squeaked again, trying more desperately to pull herself to safety. Unfortunately, when she managed to pull herself halfway, she looked up, legs hanging, as she stared into the eyes of a large beast. It recoiled its claws, swinging them forward to lash out at her. She dropped herself, unintentionally letting go of the ledge as she fell screaming.

Riley closed her eyes tightly, awaiting her impact of death. It never came. Instead, she landed in someone's arms. Shamus came to save her! She thanked her lucky stars, opening her eyes, only to be surprised that it was not Shamus, but Black instead. It seems he had heard all the commotion and upon seeing Riley's predicament, rushed onto the streets, just barely catching her in time.

He looked at her in small concern, "Are you alright?"

She nodded, trying not to tremble from the rush of adrenaline, "Y-yeah."

He gently put her back on her feet, picking up her blade before handing it over, "You dropped this. Be more careful."

She nodded, watching him run into battle to help Shamus with a large group that practically had him dog-piled. Black came up close, skidding to a stop before he pulled out the shotgun. BANG, a couple of them went flying off, and the noise scattered the beasts away. Shamus blinked at Black before they nodded to one another. Their backs touched one another, and they spun around each other, Shamus penetrating the beasts, and with a turn, they were finished with a blast of the shotgun. They continued this for a few moments and it seemed to work for a time, till they were surprised with a grenade monster. They both cursed, running and the force of an explosion caused them to jump forward, rolling across the ground.

Riley saw this, seeing they were hurt, "Hold on guys!" She switched the materia again, pairing Cure with All. And with a green light, she cast Cura on them, recasting with Regen afterwards.

Feeling rejuvenated, both men returned to their feet and glanced at the army that surrounded them. "It's no use; we'll have to run at this rate. There's too many of them."

Shamus glanced at Black from the corner of his eye, "But how do we get past them?"

"I haven't planned that far."

Black thought quickly, dark eyes glistening in the moonlight as he looked around, backing up into a wall with Shamus. Riley was the only one not trapped, seeing as the monsters didn't notice her after Black had caught her. She decided that she would at least take most of them out, if possible. She looked at her blade, switching up again, getting faster at it. She climbed onto a barrel, glancing at the water that had spilled from the tower.

"Hey guys! Get off the ground!"

Shamus blinked, looking at the water beneath his feet, "Shit!"

Too late, she had already cast the spell, emitting a huge shockwave that sent a current through the water, reaching a vast amount of the beasts. Before it could reach the two of them, Black grabbed Shamus by the arm roughly, throwing him up high enough to jump up after him, catching the boy by the shirt as Black caught the ledge of a broken window, wincing when the glass cut through his gloves. They watched the light show, hearing the screams as many of the monsters fell over dead, or disappeared in millions of little green lights.

Riley panted when she finished. The electricity had evaporated the water, so she could not use the same trick twice, even if she wanted to. Shamus yelled out, swinging his arm awkwardly, "Yeah! You go girl!"

Black grunted, "Stop moving, or I'll drop you."

Alas, that attack had directed the survivors' attention towards her and she gulped, laughing nervously, "Crap."

Monsters roared out, jumping down to her level. Black dropped Shamus anyway, landing himself behind the aching kid. Shamus got up, running to help Riley with Black behind him. The boy catapulted himself into a high jump, twirling the spear before thrusting his weapon into a monsters head, causing it to fall dead. Black seemed to disappear however, though Shamus and Riley were too busy to notice at this point.

Riley turned around quickly, running up the wall as far as she could, that being five feet, before she lunged off the wall, cloak flying behind her as she deflected a monster's talons, piercing the blade into its neck. Suddenly, she pulled the trigger, and the monster screamed out as electricity ran through its body, stunning it then slowly cooking it alive. Riley yanked the sword out, jumping off, skidding back across the cobblestone, almost tripping. Shamus laded beside her after taking out a couple more, panting heavily.

"We're screwed. There's definitely too many. Suppose you don't have anything else up your shirt, do you?"

Riley ignored his perverted innuendo, "I'm thinking..."

Just as they were about done for, without a plan in mind, a barrage of fireballs rained down upon village, and those that hit, cause immense pain, the fire spreading quickly, burning flesh. A loud howl was heard in the distance, a large animalistic figure standing atop one roof in full view, silhouetted by the full moon. Riley's eyes widened as the fire spread around her. Shamus pushed her out of the way as a surviving monster lashed out.

Riley squeaked, and before it could lunge forward, a large bang was heard, a perfect headshot. Both she and her companion looked up to see that the shape of the silhouette had changed to that of a man. This man had managed to destroy a majority of the beasts, and the remaining fiends began to retreat out of the village, howling in fear. Riley couldn't take her eyes off the shadow, her mouth ajar. All she could make out from that distance was that she saw the gleam of silver and black from the legendary Cerberus, pointed outwards before he twirled the gun, holstering it. Beyond that, she could see he had long hair, dark as the night. And the subtle glow of red eyes penetrating her very soul.

"Who the hell is that?" Shamus blinked, almost in awe.

Riley could have cried at the moment, "It's...him. It's him!"

"Who's him?" he asked again.

Before she could answer, the dark figure turned and walked away, disappearing from sight. Riley pushed Shamus away, running in the direction of the mystery man, forcing herself to continue running, despite her aching lungs. She ran for a long time, reaching the end of town, looking both ways, seeing no one. After many moments of her body trembling, she collapsed to her knees, expression completely blank, as if unable to comprehend what had just happened.

Shamus had finally caught up, panting, "Hey Riley—" He instantly quieted, seeing her state. _What happened exactly? Why did she run off after that guy anyway?_

Black had run up behind Shamus, "Are you two alright?"

"Where the hell did

Black had run up behind Shamus, "Are you two alright?"

"Where the hell did _you _go?! We could have used your help back there!" Shamus proclaimed loudly.

"I got lured into another direction. Seemed they wanted to separate me from you two," Black explained blandly. Noticing Riley, he walked over, "Are you alright? What happened, anyway?" No response. He watched the expression on her face, grabbing her face to nab her attention, "I asked if you—!" He stopped mid-sentence, surprised by the look in her eyes, "Riley..."

"Vincent...he was here. He's alive!" Life started to return to her voice.

"Don't be ridiculous—"

"It's true! I saw him with my own eyes! He's the only one I know of that carries Cerberus as his main weapon! He's alive! But...he's gone."

Shamus rubbed the back of his neck as Riley dropped her head, avoiding Black's gaze, "Y'know, it makes you wonder why he helped up then just disappear right after."

Black only watched Riley for the longest time before saying dismissively, "Let's get going."

_**I'm sorry Riley. Vincent Valentine is nothing but a ghost now...

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**_

**A/N:** Woo! I'm so excited! I thought this chapter would suck, not certain that I had any material for it, then it just...bloomed. I love the ending of the chapter really. He-he, so now Riley believes for certain Vincent's alive! A big secret will be revealed to you _amazing and loyal _readers next chapter (okay, probably not a surprising secret but oh well). Plus, Nanaki makes an appearance! I love Red XIII, he's so awesome :D. Please R&R, tell me what you think about the story so far, the characters, and anything in general in this story!


	11. Ch 10: What Really Happened

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may not be correct. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent, and Mr. Black (the grumpy and bitter hermit).

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**Chapter 10: What Really Happened**

They had travelled far from the village of Nibel non-stop. Riley had not spoken since they had left, and neither had the old man. Shamus was walking behind the two, annoyed with the silence as he looked between them.

"I'm bored," Shamus began.

"That's nice," Black replied sarcastically.

"C'mon man! Can't we stop, sing around a campfire, and forget about Nibelheim for the night? You two are gloomier than a graveyard." When Black stopped, Shamus assumed he was about to be scolded, cringing defensively.

"Maybe...we should stop. Shamus, go get some firewood."

"What? Why me?!"

"You made the suggestion. Besides, we're close to a river. That means we'll reach the canyons sometime tomorrow. I'll be night watch."

Riley watched as Shamus walked off grumbling before she said quietly, "I'm gonna go wash up. Where's the river?"

Black pointed, "Just around that corner. Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm...I'm fine," she lied, half-heartedly smiling to reassure him, but failed in her attempt.

Black obviously didn't buy it, but pried no further as she walked off with her bag. Shamus returned, setting up the campfire before looking around, "You got a match?"

"You forgot kindling," Black commented, tossing a box of matches at him.

Shamus caught them before looking around for dry grass, gathering some up, "You didn't tell me to _get_ kindling."

"It was implied."

"Where's Riley?"

"She..." he stopped himself in time, knowing exactly what Shamus would do. "...didn't tell me."

"Well, then I'll just go look for her!" The boy got up, only to be shot down by a glare, "Or not..."

"Get the fire going. I'll be back."

"Where are you going?"

"Away from you...besides, I need to get us some food, now don't I?"

"Oh, right."

Black wandered off to the nearest forest, weaving through the trees distractedly. He glanced around, not really focused on hunting, he just needed to get away from Shamus. Riley was on his mind, cursing himself for acting too coldly towards her belief. Why did she have to obsess over a dead man anyway? He was trying so hard to get her forget the man and move on from the past that she wasn't even involved with. But the fact that she was so determined in her belief of Valentine's survival was...somewhat inspiring. However, he was growing tired of arguing with her, trying to determine whether or not to humour her and go along with it.

Something stirred in the bushes up ahead and he noticed a rabbit. He pulled out his sniper rifle, aiming carefully at the animal. He shot it down, quickly killing it so it would die painlessly. He walked over, picking it up by the feet as he looked around. His thoughts instantly returned to the issue at hand. For awhile, he pondered how to make up with Riley, knowing she was possibly upset. He was the cause, he realized hours ago, in more ways than one.

Looking around, Black realized he lost track of the path he took into the forest. Cursing, he stood absolutely still, listening for anything. He heard water, and determining the direction, he found his route, finding the river before following it. It became wider as he continued onward, soon bringing him out of the woods. He sighed but continued to follow it for awhile. Eventually it bent in a different direction around a corner of a mountain, and he stopped dead cold.

Riley was not that far off. When she said she wanted to wash up, she meant a bath, he realized too late. Riley was currently naked, far enough in the river to submerge her body in the water, but not too far to be swept away by the current. Black hid himself behind a boulder quickly before she would realize his presence. Hesitating, he peered around the giant pebble, examining her bathing ritual.

Riley shivered, unable to warm up since the water kept moving. Goosebumps covered her fair coloured flesh as she hugged her relatively average-sized chest. Her hair hung around her shoulders and face while she breathed shakily. She walked back out, legs trembling from the cold before she grabbed the Omni-materia from her weapon. Walking back into the water with it, she felt better. She had realized that the materia itself seemed to warm her when she held it in her grasp.

She clipped her hair in a way to hug the materia so that both her hands were free before washing herself off. Black watched, transfixed by the image he saw. A young woman bathing in a river, silhouetted by the moonlight with a large rainbow coloured glowing pearl in her silky hair. Her skin looked silky too—what the hell was he doing?! Black turned his gaze away, mentally scolding himself.

_You're an old man ogling a girl that is relative to the age of a grandchild! You sick bastard!_

He only continued to scold himself, not realizing that his eyes were slowly snaking their way back to watch Riley. Despite his age, he was still a man, he mused bitterly. Her hands seemed to wash under and between her breasts—wait, bad. Hold on—where's her hand going? Black, you really are a sick bastard.

Who was he kidding? He couldn't help his male tendencies. But unlike Shamus, he could keep them in check. She was a girl, dammit, a girl! A completely ridiculous age difference! Besides, he was supposed to be stoic, cool, untouchable. Yet Riley seemed to affect him now, more so than she did asleep on the Ceto. This wasn't right, and he wouldn't allow it. He knew he had to stay away from her. He would take her to Cosmo Canyon, and that was it. He would leave her with Shamus to do whatever she wanted to do afterwards. Wait, he couldn't leave her with that..._pervert_. What was he thinking now? The hermit only continued to watch in awe as his thoughts jumbled, trying to sort them out. Alas, he had no success.

Riley sighed with small relief, glad to be clean. Finishing up, she walked out, unclipping her hair while grabbing the materia, replacing it on her chain. She pulled out a towel, drying herself off, dressing afterwards before heading back to camp. This relieved Black, waiting awhile before he would follow. By the time he got there, Riley was already pulling out the blanket, laying it upon the ground. He sat down himself, avoiding eye contact with the girl as he skinned the food.

"That's not a lot for the three of us," Shamus commented.

"Fortunately for you two, I'm not hungry, so go ahead and split it when it's cooked."

Shamus smirked at Riley, "Well, will this be considered a dinner for two?" She ignored him, lying down and closing her eyes, making sure her sword was within reach. Her companion gave a put out look, sighing in disappointment.

They left early next morning. Black still refused to look at Riley, while she refused to talk to him unless it was important. When they approached the river, the gang stopped, staring at its vast wideness.

Black cursed, "Maybe I should have kept Sable with us a little longer."

Shamus looked down both ways of the stream, "Maybe there's a bridge?"

"Doubt it," commented Riley. "But, I think we could temporarily make one."

They both looked at her, "What do you mean?"

"Wow," she began, not looking impressed with them, "I'm surprised you two haven't thought of this. Actually, I'm surprised AVALANCHE never thought of this."

Riley pulled out the ice materia, a path in the water freezing over, making the surface rough for the purpose of traction. Before either of them could blink, she was already rushing across. They looked at each other, rushing over the river quickly afterwards. That obstacle overcome, they continued. It was almost noon by the time they entered the canyons. Red dust covered the entire area, some places having red mud puddle everywhere, however, those were hard to spot, much to Shamus' dismay as his foot sunk into a puddle once, staining his one leg.

Black stopped, looking around, signalling the others to stop, "We seek the village. We bring you no harm."

"I'll be the judge of that," announced a voice. Suddenly, what seemed like a red lion pounced from one of the high cliffs, landing easily disturbing dust into the air with its impact. Riley took a closer look and her heart started beating rapidly with excitement as her body began to tremble. Before them stood a proud warrior, known as Nanaki, or Red XIII. "State your business."

Black stepped forward, "I am but a hermit of the Glacier Cliffs. People have come to call me Black. I come here with this girl, Riley, who seeks wisdom."

"Cut to the chase already, human."

Black sobered, "We require information about materia that Genesis may be after."

Nanaki looked between them before his good eye narrowed, "Shamus?"

"Hey, Red," Shamus laughed.

"Boy, why didn't you say it was you?" Nanaki smiled.

"I don't know, I guess it was because the old man told me to let him do the talking."

"These are your friends then?"

"Not really. This pretty lady here is my—"

"Don't go there. We are NOT an item," Riley scolded before he could do any damage.

Nanaki laughed, "You always failed in retrieving a mate, Shamus. I am Nanaki, guardian of Cosmo Canyon. You are welcome here if you are indeed allies. So, shall we head to the village?"

Black glared at Shamus accusingly, "You know each other?"

"Yeah, he helped my parents and my grams raise me. Visited him more during my childhood, though, it's no surprise he didn't recognize me at first."

They followed after the feline, ethnic music becoming louder as they approached the village. Eventually they walked into the cultural community. Riley observed her surroundings, awed by the primal beauty of it. Huts were placed on ledges of stone walls, ladders instead of stairs, and in the middle of everything, the Cosmo Candle. The bonfire burned with liveliness as the villagers did their daily duties, farming, sewing, the usual stuff. Some danced, some played music. Riley thought there might be a party going on, but it seemed like a usual thing. The clothing was different here too, making her feel like she stood out too much. Yet she had no idea why.

"Come, I shall take you all to my grandfather's house," said Nanaki softly.

He brought them through a series of stone steps, ladders, and tunnels, eventually leading up to the observatory that stood the highest above the village. Walking inside, Riley could feel the same hominess she felt in Sierra's house. She looked around, smiling on the inside. Black noticed her soft expression, knowing how she probably felt right now, smiling behind his collar. They were offered seats before Red simply sat, his flaming tail swishing back a forth rhythmically.

"So, before we get to the idle chat, I know who Shamus is, but who are you two?"

Riley blushed nervously, "I'm...I'm Riley." Everyone just watched her...waited, then, "Can I feel your fur?"

Nanaki chuckled, walking over, "Nice to meet you, Riley. I'm not surprised you asked me that. A lot of girls do."

Riley reached out, almost afraid to touch him before she laid a hand on his shoulder, beginning to stroke the fur that she mistakenly thought would be rough. Instead, it had the same softness as a house cat. She seemed to satisfy her girlish urge, clearing her throat, "Umm...I suppose I can't have an autograph as well?"

Black sighed while Nanaki blinked, "What on earth for?"

"Oh...uh...no reason."

Shamus answered him truthfully for her, "It's because you're part of AVALANCHE. I keep asking her if she wants mine, but I apparently don't compare to my grandfather."

Nanaki sighed, "Rest their souls. But I would agree with her. Even Cid wasn't as perverted as you." He glanced at Riley before seeming to smile softly, "Will a paw print, suffice?" She nodded eagerly, earning another chuckle before Nanaki glanced at Black, "Black, right?"

"Yes."

They stared at each other for a long time, and Nanaki seemed to sniff slightly before turning his gaze away, "You three are welcome to stay here as long as you like. There are beds available upstairs and a bathroom to freshen up in if you so wish. Before we discuss this..._materia_ that you came here for, take some time to rest up. I'm sure that if you two came from the Icicle Continent, your journey was a long one, and I'm guessing you'll require rejuvenation. Take the time to rid of the built up stress and we'll discuss the matter afterwards."

"Great! Hey Riley, let me show you around!" Shamus said eagerly, dragging her out the door.

"Oh, o-okay."

Nanaki smiled before looking at Black again, staring at him for the longest time, "So..."

"Ah..." Black said lamely.

The cat sighed, looking more serious now as he watched the old man, "I know Black isn't your real name."

"Everybody knows that. They associate the name with my attire."

"I mean aside from that. I can tell by the way you smell. No point in hiding it from me..._Vincent._"

The hermit stared intently back at the feline before he resigned, "I suppose you're right." With that, his face began to de-age, turning into that of a twenty-seven year old man. His hair darkened to jet black, and his eyes brightened, turning crimson.

"So...you were alive this whole time. And you've been living in the Glacier Cliffs for twenty years?"

"Over ten," Vincent corrected.

Nanaki's eyes narrowed, "Where were you before that?"

"It's a long story, but let's just say it took a couple of years for me to recover. After that, I simply went into hiding, moving from one place to another, going by _Black_."

"How did you manage this?"

Vincent pulled out a large green marble, "Transform materia. It was more useful than I originally thought."

"I'm impressed, and at the same time, not. Who or what exactly were you hiding from, Vincent?"

The ex-Turk remained silent for a time, considering his answer, "My shame."

"So you hid? Oh yes, that makes _a lot_ of sense. But, moving on; how did you survive? Rumours spread quickly that you were finished of by Genesis himself."

He sighed, "Genesis actually made the mistake of simply leaving me there _as_ I was dying. But, to be honest, I think it was this body that Hojo gave to me. It no longer houses Chaos, but despite my malice towards that man, his curse was also a gift."

"Well, it makes sense, but you couldn't have recovered on your own. Spill..."

Vincent sat there in silence before giving in, "A woman."

_Vincent laid there, half-dead from the fatal wound inflicted upon him. His crimson eyes were visibly glazed with death closing in prior to the gentle drag of footsteps coming closer. He had no idea what was going on, but at that point, he didn't care that he was flipped over onto his back, he didn't care that this person was casting Regen on his wound, or did he care that he was picked up, placed roughly onto a wagon, ad taken to some unknown place. He didn't care._

_Vincent groaned painfully as a wet cloth was placed upon his forehead. His eyes opened, vision blurred before quickly clearing, revealing that he was in a cabin. His eyes wandered the housing, spotting an old woman with ratty clothing, long white silky hair and blind blue eyes sitting near the fire, making tea. Trying to sit up, he winced, grasping where his wound would have been, only covered in thick wrappings._

"_Awake, child?"_

_He looked over, raven hair fallen in front of his fatigued face, "Who are you?"_

"_Me? Well, everybody calls me Fable?"_

"_A storyteller?" he asked._

"_You're very bright...mostly," she added with a chuckle._

"_Where am I?" he looked around again._

"_You're in my home in the Ancient Forest, close to Cosmo Canyon. So if you wish to return to see your comrade, then you may do so. However, I know that's not what you will do."_

_He watched her, eyes suspicious, "I see."_

"_You have no reason to trust nor distrust me, but if it wasn't for me, you'd be dead by now, for certain. Fortunately, I saw your imminent defeat beforehand."_

"_You can see the future?"_

"_Why, yes, I can! Though, it's obvious regardless that you were to be defeated if you faced that dreadful man alone. Tea?"_

"_No thank you."_

"_Well, how about a reading then?" When he cocked his brow, she chuckled, "You're a very sceptical man, Mr. Valentine."_

_He looked down at his lap, "Why would I want a reading anyway? I already know what will become of me."_

_"Indeed," she agreed solemnly. "Then I will let fate run its course. However, be warned Vincent Valentine, that sometimes fate likes to pull those strings that make your life not what you expect it to be."_

"_So, I've already learned," he replied bitterly._

"Afterwards, I left, hiding out elsewhere, waiting for my wounds to heal before I took on Black. Only a couple months ago did I meet Riley."

Nanaki gave him a look that egged him for more, "And?"

"What?"

"Is there anything else you'd like to explain to me?"

Vincent sighed, explaining where Riley came from and about the whole journey since the two of them met, soon explaining to him exactly what Rosso had told Riley about the Omni-Materia, "And that's why we came here."

Nanaki absorbed this information, "I see. The Omni-Materia we'll discuss later, but about this whole 'she's from another world' business."

"I know, but frankly, the fact that she knows certain things that she couldn't possibly have known seems to prove that it's true. She knows each of us very well, especially me, and you know how...secretive I am."

"Indeed. Well, I'll take your word for it. So I can assume that they don't know your real identity."

"Not as far as I know. In Nibelheim, I took a risk changing back to my original self."

"Why won't you tell them? Especially Riley, as it seems to me you're feeling rather..._close_ to her now."

Vincent narrowed his eyes, "I'm not."

The cat chuckled, "Why are you suddenly so defensive?"

"You know my sensitivity to the idea."

He sighed, "Ah, right. I apologize then. Although, I know you are, despite what you say."

The man ignored him, standing up, reequipping the materia, turning into the old man, "Think what you want."

* * *

**A/N:** Yes, Black's real identity is revealed! Yay, Vincent's alive! (Everybody dance with joy!) Yes, I totally had this planned from the beginning. At least in my mind, Vincent looks cool, even as an old man. Anyway, what's gonna happen next? What will Nanaki do? How will the rest of the gang, especially Riley, find out his Black's true identity? Hold on; is this...ELEVEN WHOLE CHAPTERS (prologue included)?! Holy crapzoids! Normally, I would have given up a story at the second chapter, but NO. I still type! I'm on a roll! WOO! Let's hope I can keep this up! It may be the fact that I have readers like you guys to satisfy! You guys are pure awesomeness. Anyway, I'm shutting up now. I'm too hyper with...exhaustion. Must sleep. Anyway, please R&R!


	12. Ch 11: A Party of Four

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may not be correct. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent.

* * *

**Chapter 11: A Party of Four**

The music raged on and on, Riley's eyes staring in wonder at all the culture. She had managed to escape Shamus when his attention was caught by a group of young ladies. Taking the opportunity to explore by herself, she wandered around, looking in the small marketplace. This solitude was refreshing. She needed time to think. She knew she couldn't go home just like that. There was a world at stake, and she was right in the middle of it. How was she going to protect something that was so obviously valuable from monsters like the Tsviets?

She stopped, staring at the ground in deep thought as she muttered, "Maybe Nanaki can help us…but…"

Her thoughts turned to the hermit. Riley could see it now. Scowl on his face, as well as a darker tone to his voice, warning her it would do no good. What would Vincent do in a situation like this? She recalled a part in Dirge of Cerberus, with Vincent telling Reeve that he wanted no part in whatever he was up to. Groaning in frustration, she turned around, blinking as she bumped into the mechanic.

"Well, ain't this something?" he grinned. "'Never thought you'd end up in my arms."

She rolled her eyes as she pushed him away, walking around him, "You wish I was that _easy_."

He strolled alongside her, hands pocketed, "Well, it never hurts to hope a little." She stopped and looked at him, surprising him a little, "What?"

"Did you ever have a relationship with anybody?"

"A few, but nothing serious. Why?"

"What are they like?"

"You're serious? Wow, and I really didn't believe you were completely pure." She gave a disgruntled look before he raised his hands in defence, "Sorry." His hands dropped to his sides then scratched his head, "Well, I'm hardly the best choice to ask, in case you haven't guessed already but…what exactly do you want to know?"

"What do guys like?"

He paused, "Well…in _my_ case, I'm not too picky, you the most obviously, but every guy is different. Some like ones without brains, others like them real skinny with huge hips, or ass, or huge knockers." He emphasized, making a gesture that indicated large boobs, only to get slapped in annoyance by Riley, "Ow! Okay, sorry! Anyway, some guys however prefer…other guys," he shuddered briefly, continuing after, "And the really decent guys prefer to be dominated, no matter the broad—OW! Okay, I'll stop! The point _is_ that every guy has different tastes. But to be fair, there are guys who prefer average women. They don't have to be extremely smart or beautiful to catch a man's attention. Sometimes simple is better."

"I see," she said finally.

The last part made sense. Maybe Vincent was that kind of man. Then again, he fell for an intelligent woman who was extremely beautiful, but she also made many mistakes. Thinking about it now, Riley realized that despite all of that woman's flaws and mistakes, he still loved her. Suddenly, she felt so shallow for all the horrible thoughts she had towards Lucrecia, not that she didn't hate her now, she still did, but only because Lucrecia still did what she did.

"What are you two talking about?" Black asked as he walked up to them.

Riley still seemed a little dazed, not realizing his presence when Shamus answered him, "Oh…_love_." She finally snapped out of her trance, hitting him, "Ow! Stop hitting me! It hurts, lady!"

"Good."

Black watched the two of them, shaking his head, "Nanaki has decided that he'll speak to us about the Omni-Materia tomorrow afternoon. In the meantime, we should relax."

Riley nodded, walking off without them back to the observatory as Shamus gave a quizzical look, "What's Omni-Materia? You guys never filled me in on that whole business."

"You'll find out tomorrow."

The next day, Riley woke up to the smell of pancakes, startling her a little. She remembered where she was, sighing with relief. The last time she had pancakes was the day she left her parents for college. She was surprised she could recall the distinct smell. Removing the blankets, she got up, putting her vest and boots back on, putting her hair up while staring into a mirror in the small bathroom. She came out just as Shamus was climbing the ladder into the room, peering around to look at her.

"Damn, thought you'd come out in a towel."

"You wish."

"Well, breakfast is ready. What do you prefer? Bacon and eggs, or pancakes?"

"Bacon with pancakes."

"Okay then." He climbed down before Riley followed after him.

The smell of food filled her senses as she sat down, glancing at Nanaki, "How did you sleep, Riley?"

She smiled, "Good. First time I slept that good since…I can't even remember."

He chuckled, "Well, I suppose. Shamus, aren't you finished?"

"Shaddup! You want bacon, get it yourself! Get off my back!"

Both Riley and Red looked startled, hearing Cid's particular accent in that retort. Black walked in, placing both his sniper rifle and the shotgun on a table before sitting on the couch, pulling out a small kit from under his cloak, cleaning the weapons thoroughly.

Red looked at the hermit before peering at all of them, "Perhaps after we've eaten, we shall talk about this Omni-Materia."

Riley nodded, sighing, "Never thought such a pretty thing could cause so much trouble."

"Indeed," Black agreed. This startled everyone and they all looked at him. He blinked before stammering, "I meant the materia, not…never mind." He turned away, back to everyone as he grumbled. Riley just blinked.

"Anyway," Nanaki began.

"Bacon's done!" Shamus dropped the plate in front of Nanaki, "Happy now?!"

"No need to yell."

"Here you go Riley," he placed another plate in front her, getting his own, "Black, bacon, eggs, or pancakes?"

"Nothing for me, thank you," he replied distractedly.

After they ate, Shamus washed the dishes before Nanaki began once more, "Now, what can you tell me so far about this Omni-Materia?"

Riley was the one who answered, "Well, for starters, this is the Omni-Materia." She placed the colourful sphere onto the table as Nanaki observed it.

"It's indeed beautiful, but what exactly does it do?"

"Well, Rosso told me it gave the user the power of a god. So I'm assuming it compares to or is more powerful than both the black and white materia."

Nanaki didn't seem surprised, "I see. Knowing the Tsviets, I'm not the least bit surprised they would seek something like this."

Black turned around, "However, there's apparently a catch."

"How so?"

"Rosso mentioned that no mere person could use it. No one in existence has enough magic power. Although, from what I've gathered so far, and it was only one time, it seems to react to Riley."

"Meaning?"

Black crossed his arms after setting aside the kit, "In the mountains at Glacier Cliffs, while I temporarily held the materia, leaving her alone, it seemed to regain its light. When I met her, the materia was practically dead, though she claimed that it had once glowed. And that's what brought her to this world."

Riley looked startled and Nanaki smiled, "Don't worry, Black told me where you came from."

Riley swallowed before looking away, "I know it seems too farfetched."

"It is, but…well, I'm taking Black's word for it for now."

"As I was saying," Black continued, "Rosso also mentioned that Genesis seemed to find a way around that hurdle. What that is exactly, I don't know."

Shamus suddenly yelled out, "Hold on, wait a second! We're talking about THE Rosso? The Crimson Psycho?! That's suicide! Nobody can beat the Tsviets!"

Riley took a sip of juice, "Nobody has beaten Genesis, yet. What I want to know is how they're immortal. I highly doubt they've undergone the exact same procedure Vincent Valentine has."

Red sighed, "Well, some believe they're all equipped with Time materia, stopping their bodies from aging."

She blinked, "You can do that?"

"Apparently."

"What would happen if you took that away?"

"They'd start aging again."

"What, no instant-dust?"

He shook his head, "If it were that easy, I'd be more than willing to try it, but unfortunately it's not that easy. Every materia has its uses. For example, transform can give you a disguise without the need for materials to construct a costume."

Black coughed while sipping his tea, glaring at Nanaki. _Don't even go there._

"Huh," she said thoughtfully. "Why didn't AVALANCHE use the materia for such purposes?"

"We never thought about it at first, we only 'winged it'," he admitted sheepishly. "Anything else?"

"Yeah," said Black as he grabbed his bag, pulling out the records he grabbed from the Forgotten Capital. "Do you know anybody who could translate these?"

The feline take a glance at the writing, eye squinting, "Hmm, not that I know of, but you could ask the elders. This place is all about studying the planet, after all. But, then again…"

"But?" Everyone asked curiously.

"Perhaps I could ask Shelke."

Black's eyes widened, "She's still around?"

"Yes, and no…she did die during the attack on the Tsviets, but not before she uploaded her neural network onto the web. From then on, she became a virtual being, sentient in her own way."

Riley blinked, "You mean, like Artificial Intelligence?"

"Close; more like a ghost in the machine," he explained. "Would you like to meet her, Riley?"

"She's here?"

He nodded, leading all three into the room that Riley recalled as the machine Elder Bugenhagen constructed to simulate life of the planet. It was much bigger than she recalled from the game, and it held many more computers, seeming to exceed all normal technology.

"Wow…"

Nanaki chuckled before calling out, "Shelke?"

Suddenly the room darkened and a holographic image seemed to appear in the middle of the room, revealing a girl that appeared twelve wearing civilian clothing, "Yes, Nanaki? I see you brought visitors."

"Yes, you remember Shamus, don't you?"

"Hello Shamus."

"Hey, Shelke, pretty as always."

"I suppose you haven't changed either," she said sarcastically.

Nanaki nodded his head towards the other two, "This is Black and Riley. They came here to ask you a few things, if you're able to, that is."

"I'll see what I can do."

Black held out the scrolls, rolling them out onto a nearby table, "I was hoping you could translate these."

Shelke walked over, looking at the papyrus, "No. This language is dead and it is impossible to translate without an Ancient, or someone like Professor Gast. But if you could tell me what exactly you're looking for in these records, I could likely hack into various networks and pull out any information you seek."

"Omni-Materia," he replied.

"I will require some time to gather any available data."

"Keep us updated, Shelke," said Nanaki as he left the room.

"Of course."

The others followed Nanaki before he suddenly announced, "Well, anything the Tsviets are after, I will sure be one of the few to postpone their plans. Where are you three headed after this?"

Black glanced at Riley for the longest time before sighing, "We have no idea. Originally the plan was to simply learn how to use the Omni-Materia. Unfortunately, it would be that easy."

"I see. What do you think Riley?"

"M-me?" she stammered in surprise, "Well...personally, I don't want this world to go to ruin because of the Tsviets. I want to find Vincent Valentine and convince him to help us...if I can find him."

Nanaki seemed to smirk, "Well… Vincent has to come out of _hiding_ eventually."

Black snorted, glaring at the feline, "Don't encourage her."

"I'm agreeing with her, which is why I will come with you wherever you may go. Even if it may lead to many battles, especially unavoidable ones with the Tsviets."

Riley blinked, "R-really?!" He nodded and was surprised that she had wrapped her arms around him in joy. She turned to the mechanic and gave a soft smile, "What about you? Will you come?"

"You want me to risk my life to likely save the world from a trio of murderous psychopaths?" He seemed hesitant, then he relaxed, shrugging, leaning back on his chair with his feet on the table, "Sure, why not."

"Feet off the table."

"Sorry."

Black said nothing for the time being, only to clean his guns once again. After awhile, Nanaki checked on Shelke's progress. After gathering all the information she could find, everyone gathered in the simulator room. Random holographic screens appeared in the air, surrounding them.

"According to Professor Gast's research on the Ancients, not much data refers to the Omni-Materia. However, what was found and translated gives some insight to what it can do and what it's for exactly."

"What have you found?" asked Black.

She pulled up another screen, revealing a worn out tablet with hieroglyphics carved into the hardened clay, "Gast managed to translate this tablet to some degree. Its words were somewhat vague and thus the research was abandoned when a geological stratum was discovered."

"Jenova," Nanaki claimed bitterly.

"According to the data, this materia was never created by man, but by the planet itself."

"I thought all materia was," Riley commented.

"In a way it is. But finding materia in its natural state is next to impossible. Materia was created by man condensing mako."

"Right..."

"Moving on, this tablet was translated as such..._Her knights shall fall one by one, enslaved by the dawn of war. The weaving stone shall erase or create, held by the judge who shall shape the world when the seven wonders are found._"

"The seven wonders? You mean, world wonders? You have something like that?" asked Riley.

Shelke looked perplexed before Black spoke, "What does it mean, exactly?"

"I cannot determine its true message, but I can assume the female it speaks of is the Planet itself."

Shamus rubbed the back of his neck, "Weaving stone. Maybe that's the Omni-Materia. But what does it mean by erase or create?"

Riley suddenly spoke distractedly, "It will bring either order or chaos. When the seven wonders are found..." She pondered for a moment as everyone watched her while she held the materia, "Cloud, Tifa, Barret, Yuffie, Cid, Reeve, and Aerith."

Red blinked, "Her _knights_ shall fall one by one. That part makes sense to me now as we were protecting the planet."

Black seemed to speak to himself as he too thought about it, "When the seven wonders are found, the judge will shape the world. I think it means the materia had a safety switch. I can only guess that these seven wonders are power sources scattered across the world to give the user enough power to use the materia."

"My head hurts," Shamus complained.

"Shelke, see if you can find any related information, especially about the seven wonders by tomorrow."

Nanaki looked at Black, "Why tomorrow?"

"We're leaving then."

"Then perhaps I shall provide you all with phones. This way I can contact you and transmit any data I have," Shelke offered.

"Good idea."

With a hiss, a small glass compartment in one of the machines opened, revealing a large selection of cellular phones. Nanaki walked over and sighed, "I can't use a phone very well."

"Don't worry Nanaki, you'll always have us around," Riley consoled him.

"But just in case we are separated," Black said before grabbing a very basic phone, "You'll need one regardless."

Riley looked through the phones and instantly grabbed one before Black to grab it, "It's _mine_."

He blinked, "Why?"

"It's _mine_, because it's a Cerberus model. I always thought the design was cool. And Vincent had the same model."

He blinked again before shaking his head, getting another one. Shamus took his own phone as Shelke observed them, "You will have to plug them in to that computer over there so that I may update the software to their fullest extent while I research for the seven wonders."

They did as they were asked and Riley looked among her party of four. Suddenly, the Wizard of Oz came to mind. All of them took the time to rest before morning with full supplies and a new party member. Riley was beginning to believe that they were the new AVALANCHE.

* * *

**A/N:** Alright, another chapter up. Might not update as often as I have been, for I need to make my best friend something for her birthday which is in two weeks. Although, it normally only takes me a day to draw, then two days to colour it. Anyway, hurray for Nanaki! If you think about it, the four of them really are the four from Wizard of Oz (never actually saw the movie, I just remember the characters to an extent). Riley is obviously Dorothy, with the Omni-Materia as her Toto and she really isn't in 'Kansas' anymore. I think Nanaki is obvious, being a Not-So-Cowardly Lion. Black/Vincent is the Scarecrow...'cause he's scary XD. And Shamus is the Tin Man, because he's a mechanical person. IRONY. Ha. Anyway, next chapter is....I dunno, but I'll figure something out. Please R&R!


	13. Ch 12: The South Pole

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may not be correct. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent.

* * *

**Chapter 12: The South Pole**

"So, are we ready then?" asked Nanaki.

Riley stood at the entrance quietly, arms crossed over her chest as the group waited for Shamus. The hermit kept his eyes on her, wondering what she was thinking about before a yelp from the distance was heard. He sighed, knowing all too well who it was. Shamus had woken up late, currently stumbling down the stairs before he fell face first into the dirt.

"Are you alright Shamus?" the feline asked.

"Ow…" He got up, brushing himself off, "Sorry I'm la—hey!"

Black and Riley were already on there way, Nanaki chuckling at the boy, "Let's get going."

And off they went. They honestly had no idea where exactly they were going. Shamus just kept rambling away while the others either ignored him or simply said nothing. Riley on the other hand was too deep in thought as she thought about potential locations for these Seven Wonders. Black only continued to watch her in concern as Red walked up beside him.

"So…" he began, continuing when Black regarded him with a blank look, "You're the leader. Any ideas on where we should head?"

"No," he admitted. "But, we have to look for any possible locations. For all we know, the seven wonders could have different meanings. They could be places, objects, people…"

"True. Are you worried about Riley in all this?"

Black blinked, "Why do you ask?"

"For one, you're her teacher, and two, you've been with her since the beginning of this journey. You know her better than the rest of us, so I thought it would only be natural that you care for her. Also, you keep staring at her."

"I do not," he denied. "I do care for her, but there really isn't a lot I know about her. All I know is that her parents smothered her and she became confused and ran away to sort herself out."

"Smothered her?"

"She was spoiled and hated it."

"Ah, but Black, I thought you were hung up over…" he thought for a moment, "Lucy."

"What are you implying?"

"Oh nothing, just stating the obvious," the cat smirked.

Black only narrowed his eyes, "There's nothing there, Nanaki."

"Uh huh, and I'm a kitten."

Shamus just blinked between the two, hands rested on the back of his head with his fingers entwined together, "What are you two going on about? Something about Black having an old girlfriend?"

Black growled, "No. Drop it before I drop you both."

Nanaki and Shamus only sniggered. As the day went on, they only continued to walk until Shelke contacted them, "I have information regarding the Seven Wonders."

Black gave a small grunt, letting her continue, "What have you found?"

"According to old records found by Gast, it seems as though one of the scriptures of the Ancients refer to these locations. To simplify its riddles, it basically states that these _seven fragments_ are located at each corner of the earth. However…"

Riley blinked, listening in, "What is it?"

"It appears that these seven are only part of the task to unlock the use of the Omni-Materia. Each one contains a test that the seeker must pass, and in return, will be rewarded with a gift."

"A fragment of power," Black stated.

"That's to be assumed, anyway."

Shamus scratched the back of his head, "But where are these corners? This planet is nothing but a big sphere."

"Every circle as sides," Riley commented. "It's all a matter of counting them."

"But we're looking for seven," Nanaki said thoughtfully.

"I have a suggestion," Shelke began. The silence from their end beckoned her to continue, "You could look at the North Pole and South Pole of the planet."

Riley blinked, "She's right. Those would be considered corners, right?"

Black only considered it, "We'll check those areas first then. But if these two aren't _Wonders_, then we're only running in circles."

"Agreed. I will continue to run my search. Shelke out."

The multi-line call ended as they all snapped their phones shut. Riley turned to Black, "What's the closest pole?"

"The Temple of the Ancients. South Pole. North Pole is the Glacier Cliffs."

She only groaned in response, "Great, back to the cold weather."

"Not until later. Let's go."

They were soon on their way, and days went by as it became darker the closer they reached the South Pole. As they got closer, it began to rain, and get heavier the further they closed the distance. They entered a large forest and Shamus did nothing but complain about the weather. Finally they reached a village where it consisted of simple housing and a graveyard that seemed oddly familiar. Riley walked to the edge of the empty village, half destroyed by some catastrophe. Beyond the distance, she could see an old mako reactor, and instantly, she knew they were in Gongaga. They spent the night in a house with only half of its roof intact—at least it had a roof, unlike the rest of the residences.

The girl couldn't sleep as she stayed up as the others slept, watching the rain pour through, soaking the flooring, giving the air a smell of decayed wood. She sighed, pulling out the materia, depending on it for warmth as she sat there. She heard a small creak from one of the beds, looking over to see Shamus shift in his sleep. Glancing at Nanaki, who slept soundly on another bed with the front legs missing, she heard another sound, making her alert to the source. Her blue eyes watched Black for the longest time. She blinked once and he was watching her right back, startling her.

"Can't sleep?" he asked.

She shook her head, regaining her composure, "No."

He watched her still before sighing, "Are you worried?"

"About what?"

"You tell me."

After a moment of silence and consideration she spoke quietly, "It's not that I'm worried, even though I am, it's just that I have a lot on my mind."

"I see… Listen, Riley, I want you to promise me something. If you see Genesis, you run. Don't think about it, just run. AVALANCHE couldn't beat him; you certainly won't be able to."

"Sexist," she seethed sarcastically.

He sighed, "I'm serious. You will be killed if you confront him—"

"Since when do you care about my well-being?" she snapped. This surprised him, having only seen her this annoyed once before when they first met. "Listen, I understand you have a rule about not being talked back to, but frankly, I'm sick of being put down by your comments. Not only do you lack respect towards people in general who are obviously better than you as _people_, but you try to make other people feel inferior, especially me."

"That's not what this is—"

"I don't _care_. You still do it!" She suddenly became quiet, looking away, "You always imply that I'm weak. Lately, you've been treating me as more of a burden than anything."

"Has this been on your mind the whole time? This is why you were quiet?" he asked softly. Tears threatened to fall, but despite her frustration, she refused to let them, blinking them away. She only nodded, afraid to use her voice. He sighed, getting up before walking over and kneeling in front of her bed, holding a saddened expression, "I'm sorry. I'm truly sorry." He had wondered why she was so quiet, and it genuinely concerned him, "I don't expect you to forgive me, for I didn't realize the pain I was causing you. Despite that, it's no excuse. I guess, nowadays, it's become a habit. I've lost faith in a lot of things. Still, despite my past cruelty to you, would you be willing to forgive this…_old fart_?"

She watched him from the corner of her eye, sniffing a little, soon grumbling in response, "I suppose. But you're on probation from now on!"

This caught him off guard, "Probation?"

"Basically, you try to be nicer to me from now on."

He sighed, putting on a wry smile, "That's fair."

She smiled before blinking at the sphere in her hands as it suddenly pulsed lightly, "Eh?"

Black glanced at the materia as it pulsed again, "The pulse you spoke of."

She nodded, "How close are we to the Temple?"

"At least three or four more days away. Unfortunately, we'll be cut back since we have no water transport."

_**Days passed by like they were mere hours. I watched Riley, relieved that she had regained some of her spark after we finally made up. It was easier to speak with her now and it eased me immensely. It was like the old days when I accompanied Cloud and the others during the Jenova War. Nanaki barely changed at all since those times, and Shamus' resemblance to Cid was slightly comforting. If only they were similar in personalities. In a way, it was like being back in the old days, except the enemy was Genesis and the Tsviets this time.**_

The gang stood at the shores of the continent, staring ahead at the sea. Riley only cursed, "Great. How do we get across?"

Nanaki poked a toe into the water, "I hate swimming."

Black crossed his arms, "Looks like we might have to head back to where Shamus' boat is."

"No we don't," commented the boy almost mysteriously. They all looked at him, quite confused as he pulled out yellow materia and it gave off a brilliant shine as he pulled out what looked like a metal ball before he threw it into the water. _Poof_! The Ceto was right in front of their eyes. "Tada!" He waved his hands dramatically, half expecting applause.

"Morph materia. I'm impressed, Shamus," complimented the hermit.

"I know, eh? I mean, I knew I couldn't leave my baby behind, so I came up with this little trick awhile back."

"Well, let's get going before a storm hits," suggested Nanaki prior to boarding the ship.

Hours later, sailing towards the Temple of the Ancients, rain poured heavily, causing uncomfortable waves in the ocean that without a doubt rocked the boat. Nanaki lay in one corner, extremely uncomfortable with the rocking. Black cleaned his guns at the table, catching objects as they slid across with each swivel. Shamus was looking at the map, circling the North Pole and South Pole as he tried to calculate other potential locations.

Riley on the other hand was taking an awkward shower, trying not to fall, thankful Shamus put in rubber pads on the flooring. She simply soaked herself in it for the longest time, pondering past events. She thought back to Nibelheim and Vincent's brief appearance. Where _did_ Black go anyway? Not that she was paying attention, but she could have sworn that he wasn't being chased away. Then again, her memory was hazy after seeing Vincent for the first time. Wondering what to say if she met him, she turned off the shower, trying to reach for a towel before cursing.

_Great, Shamus probably took out the towel when I mentioned I'd be having a shower._

"Hey! Could somebody get me a towel?" she called out, half-desperately.

Shamus' head shot up, grin plastered to his face. Black only got up before the boy could move, easily finding the stolen towel, walking to the bathroom, "Open the door." He positioned himself with his back to the door, blocking Shamus' view and granting her modesty as she opened the door briefly, grabbing the towel from over his shoulder and closing the door again. He walked back to his seat, receiving a disappointed look from the mechanic, "Don't give me that look, boy. She's obviously not interested in you."

He sighed, "Damn. She's so cute, though."

"You believe most girls are," Nanaki stated weakly from his corner.

"How long before we reach the island?"

The boy replaced his boyish grin with a thoughtful expression, "At this rate, probably about two or three days."

"Fine," the hermit began, "We best prepare for any trouble that's ahead of us. Shelke mentioned _tests_ for each fragment. We have to be careful."

"Agreed, but how are we to prepare for things we cannot determine to expect?"

Riley came out, wearing just her skorts and black undershirt, combing her hair with her fingers, "Expect the unexpected?"

"So it would seem," the hermit agreed.

And they spent those couple of days enduring the constant weather, eventually reaching the island. They set up camp on the beach, seeing as the weather had calmed for now. Riley had asked Nanaki about the Temple and he said that the Temple itself was no longer there, but they never searched the area around where the temple used to be. Riley sat at the campfire, watching the materia pulse lightly in her hands. Over the last couple of days, the pulse had seemed to have gotten slightly brighter.

Nanaki glanced at it, tailing swishing back and forth rhythmically, "I think it may be responding to a power fragment."

Shamus took off his shirt and gloves, stretching some as he looked over, "Well, if that's the case, it might be our compass to these Wonders."

"Perhaps," Black spoke. "For now, we'll just have to wait till tomorrow to find out."

Riley didn't say anything, only kept staring at the materia. Eventually everyone went to sleep, waking up the next morning, heading straight for where the temple used to be. As they cut through the thick forestry, they eventually reached a large square…lake? Everyone blinked but assumed that the rain over the years had built up, filling up the crater. Fog covered the area and the sky was gloomy that day. How ominous.

"Let's split in two groups. Nanaki, go with Riley. Shamus, you're with me."

The feline strode alongside Riley as they turned the opposite way as the other two. The air was humid, making Riley wonder if this is what it was like before the Temple disappeared. Hours had gone by with the search and nothing was found. They all met up at the campsite, all sighing in defeat. The next day, they tried again, searching farther. Again, no success. They sat at the campfire in resigned silence, all looking exhausted.

"There's nothing here. We'll leave and head for the Icicle Continent," Black finally said.

"There's gotta be something here," Shamus argued tiredly.

"There was," the old man sighed, "The first wonder was probably the Temple itself."

Nanaki raised his head, ears flicking slightly, "And it turned into the Black Materia, but that could be anywhere at the North Crater."

Black only shook his head, "Let's just get some sleep. We'll leave in the morning."

Crickets orchestrated throughout the night and the moon could barely be seen through the thick night clouds while Riley stared at the ground. She had trouble sleeping these past couple nights. It was only assumed that it was because she was sleeping on hard dirt. Sighing, she sat up, looking at her weapon before glancing at the materia. For some reason, it had stopped pulsing during the first search. She picked it up, removing it from its chain, looking it over. She looked at the others, seeing them fast asleep. Perhaps one more search wouldn't hurt.

She crawled over to Shamus, shaking him a little. He mumbled sleepily, blinking at her, half-lidded, "Mm, Riley? Something wrong? You cold?"

"You wish," she whispered. "Let's go take another look. The lake is the only place we haven't looked, right?"

He only blinked again before glancing at the other two. He nodded and quietly, they left. The forest was too dark and quiet to have a thorough search, so Shamus came up with the excuse to hold hands. Riley only rolled her eyes at him, ignoring the logic, finally reaching the lake. It looked more ominous than before with the fog being thicker.

"Yeah, this isn't creepy at all," she said sarcastically.

He only shrugged in response, "Well, you wanted to check out the lake. What'd you have in mind exactly?"

She looked at him over her shoulder, "I suppose you don't have a submarine hidden away do you?"

"Uh, no. Why?"

She sighed and looked at the water, crouching down to poke a finger into it, shivering, "It's cold…"

"You want to _dive_? We don't know how deep this thing is!"

"Exactly, if you think about it, it would be a good place to hide one of these wonders. Not only was the Temple here, but look at it now. It's a giant puddle."

"So?"

She huffed impatiently, getting a headache, "We're swimming."

"But—"

"Shamus, we got to get these wonders before Genesis does, especially if this is what Rosso was talking about!"

He stared at her for awhile, sighing after some consideration, "Alright, but I seriously doubt this is a good idea. Maybe we should go ask Nanaki and the old man first."

She shook her head, "No, we don't have time for that." With that, she began stripping to her black sporty knickers. She looked over and Shamus simply stood there, practically drooling. Her eyes narrowed as she lightly scolded him, "Stop that. It's creepy. I'm only taking my clothes off because I don't want to be spending hours drying them. Do what you want, I'm going."

With that, she ran into the water, carrying her sword in one hand. Shamus only watched before sighing in defeat, taking off all but his goggles and boxers, extending his spear, following afterwards. It was bitingly cold due to the night air, but not completely unbearable. Shamus had his goggles on to see better as he looked for Riley, She wasn't too far before he joined her. There was practically nothing here except murky water and broken off branches likely from nearby harsh weather. They searched for about a minute, reaching the surface to catch their breath before heading down again. They did this continuously for an hour. They took a break, sitting on the shore, letting their lungs rest.

"We gotta…keep looking," she said breathlessly.

"Nothing's…here."

She took a couple of slow breaths, wiping under her nose to rid of the water droplets hanging there, "It's gotta be here, we probably just have to dig deeper."

"Dig deeper?" She nodded. Suddenly, a thought came to mind and he stood up, "Maybe it'll be easier to just take the water out of the way."

Riley only blinked, perplexed by his meaning. He took out red materia, making it glow profusely in the dark, soon lighting up the entire lake, the fog blowing away before he shot a pulse of energy into the lake through his arm. The water began to swirl around, gradually increasing in both strength and size as something began to flow with the current, taking form as hundreds of scales began to appear and accumulate together, forming a serpentine water dragon.

It raised its mighty head, almost towering above them both as Riley stared in awe, stepping back after standing up. Leviathan regarded the pair, taking one glance at Shamus as he pointed to the water, and it hissed, flipping backward in an arched dive. With it came the sudden growing waves, leaving the crater slowly as Leviathan absorbed it, swirling around, creating a whirlpool. They both watched and all that was left afterwards was damp dirt. Leviathan had already disappeared by this point, along with the water it had absorbed.

"When did you get Leviathan?" Riley asked, "And don't tell me you pulled it out of your ass!"

He snorted, "I'm not that resourceful. Actually, Nanaki gave it to me awhile back, knowing I would be travelling the seas after I completed Ceto. He thought that a water summon would be beneficial while on the ocean."

She nodded, understanding as she glanced at the damp ground, "Well, now that air is available to us, shall we resume the search?"

He nodded, and with that they both climbed down. Another hour had passed, and by this point, they had already placed their clothes back on. Riley tried to dig a little, sighing with exhaust. She glanced at the Omni-Materia, grabbing it from its chain, holding it gingerly between her hands.

"Maybe, you could give us a little hint," she asked the ball.

Shaking her head, she proceeded to put it back on the chain before it pulsed, pausing her movements. Shamus looked over, tilting his head, "What's with that thing now?"

She shook her head, "I don't—"

Suddenly, light seemed to burst from it, causing her temporary blindness before dimming. It radiated with its colourful glow as she stared in wonder, startled when a small light suddenly shot out from it, disappearing to the center of the crater. They both stood there, confused by what had just happened, and a few seconds later, the ground began to shake, and then sink. They both yelled out, catching their balance as they tried to climb out as the ground began collapsing faster. The ground caught them both, sliding them down towards the center before sinking into a crushing darkness, then nothing.

* * *

**A/N:** X.X I did it. This chapter had a certain part rewritten so many times. Hehe, CLIFFHANGER! What's gonna happen to Riley and Shamus? Huh? HUH?! As you may know, I did mention in the previous chapter that I likely wouldn't be updating as much for the next couple of weeks since I'm working on a friend's birthday card. I spent a little each day (except Sunday) working on this chapter, so hopefully it's satisfactory. I KNOW how much people HATE cliffhangers :D TOO BAD. You'll probably have to wait another few days for the NEXT CHAPTER. Until then, please R&R :D!


	14. Ch 13: To Face One's Fears

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may not be correct. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent.

* * *

**Chapter 13: To Face One's Fears**

"Oooh…" Shamus groaned. He opened his eyes, sprawled about on the ground, staring up at what seemed like a cavern's ceiling. He rolled to his side, glancing at Riley's unconscious form. Blinking, he sat up a little too quickly, unintentionally cracking his back, "Ow!!" Looking over, he moved to Riley's side, gently rolling her to her back as he shook her shoulder, "Riley? Riley!" No response. At least she was breathing. Sighing, he looked around, "Where are we? Dammit, I hope Red and the old man come looking for us soon."

He looked to Riley, pondering the past events. Were they under where the temple used to be? The cavern was like any other cavern, except bigger. Looking up to the ceiling, he saw no opening. How'd the hell did they get _here_?! Deciding to do something about being stuck in an unknown place, he gently slipped his arms underneath Riley's back and knees, picking her up, adjusting her to be carried on his back while he used fire materia to light up the spear point of his lance. Heading in a random direction, he walked for what seemed like an hour before seeing a soft glow up ahead.

"Eh?" he blinked, walking a little faster. He finally reached the source, walking through an entrance before he looked at his surroundings in awe, "Whoa!"

Finally, Riley began to stir, shifting slightly on his back before wincing, "Ow! Why does everything hurt?"

"Are you okay?" he asked, letting her down.

"I think s—ow, no." She rubbed her head before gasping, "What the…!"

They both stared out to what seemed like nothing but a near pitch black cavern, but most of the ground was mako, flowing like a river, with a narrow path that led straight ahead. They looked at one another, deciding to follow the path, walking steadily along it. A long time had passed and Shamus began cursing about how long it is. Riley ignored him, her attention more fixated on the mako. Shamus shouted out in joy, surprising Riley.

"Look! A doorway!" he pointed to another entrance that seemed to have led into yet, another cavern, but it seemed darker.

"Well, let's go before one of us falls into the dead pool."

And so they did, but their speed dropped immensely, taking cautious steps as if they walked into a graveyard. Riley could see bones everywhere, all different sizes and shapes and originating from various species. What set her off the most was the thick webbing sticking to most places. She hugged herself, shivering as she suddenly had a bad feeling. Shamus grimaced, eventually coming across a large web blocking the path.

"Damn. Do I have to clean up everything?" He went to cut it down before Riley sudden grasped his hand, surprising him, "Riley? This is unlike…" he saw the petrified expression on her face, "you."

"Don't…leave me alone. Please?" her voice quivered, concerning her companion.

He swallowed, nodding, "I promise. Now, I need to get this web down so we can go through."

She nodded, and he proceeded to cut it down as her eyes searched in the dark frantically. As he was cutting it down with his spear in minimal size to use it like a dagger, a strange sound was heard, pausing his movements. He looked around but resumed, only to stop again as he heard the same sound. He looked at Riley and could see she had heard it as well, suddenly moving into him as if for protection.

"W-what was that?" she stammered.

"I don't know. Maybe bugs or some—"

"Don't say bugs!" she whispered harshly.

He paused, considering her for a moment, "Riley, you don't like bugs do you?"

"Don't say bugs," she practically whimpered.

_I'll take that as a yes_, he decided. The mechanic once again resumed to cut down the web as Riley looked around. "Almost through…"

She looked at him, nodding, "O-okay."

Without either of their notice, silhouettes came floating down from the ceiling, some crawling on the ceiling and walls like ninjas, disappearing before Riley could glimpse them. She looked at Shamus' progress, seeing he was almost done, but she spotted something out of the corner of her eye, looking up. Connected to the web itself was a thin silver thread, barely visible to the naked eye.

Gasping upon realization she stammered once more, "S-stop! We've just alerted whatever's here!"

He blinked, stopping, "Huh?"

A clicking sound, almost like a smacking a lips was heard and Riley turned around, squeaking when a creature came into few in what little light there was from mako. She stood frozen, staring into the face of the biggest monster she had ever seen. A big-ass-spider! It was like the equivalent of a Daddy-Long-Leg, only a lot bigger, green, and very hostile. Shamus gulped, hand still on piece of the web, he went to cut it quickly, looking up to see another one like the one in front of Riley. Beads of sweat rolled down the side of his face, swallowing hard while gripping his weapon tightly. Riley on the other hand couldn't move, speak, nor think. One thing in her entire life she was absolutely certain about was that she was utterly terrified of spiders. Seeing one this big and up close was almost enough to make her have a heart failure.

It hissed and she simply broke down, knees buckling, collapsing into a sitting position with her head down in submission. Shamus looked over, calling out to her to wake up, but her mind was too fogged with fear. More had come by this point, surrounding the two, making Riley's state worsen with each spider. Shamus cursed, looking up at the one above him, which had turned into three. He stood absolutely still, glancing briefly at his weapon, pressing the switch, and _ping_, it pierced through the middle creature's body, earning himself a deafening scream from it before it collapsed to the ground beside him, dead. This had surprised the swarm, scattering them away briefly.

He cut the remainder of the webbing, grabbing Riley with more effort than he expected. She had tightened into a ball, too frightened to even be limp enough to move. He picked her up, looking around before running through the now available passage. The swarm began to crawl quickly after him and he blinked, more alarmed than before as he ran with everything he had.

"Oh man!! Not good! C'mon, girl, wake up! I might have to fight these things and I'll need your help!!"

No response, she only remained to be horror-struck. As they seemed to be gaining on the pair, he ground his teeth, placing Riley down before turning to face them. They slowed, confused as to why he stopped, but still gazed at him hungrily. A red wave burst from his arm and whoosh, Leviathan was circled around the pair like a protective snake, hissing at the creatures before it. It roared, fins rising up in a hostile manner while water began to appear and take form behind it, rising into a large wall of water. They all rushed forward and Leviathan simply went on the offensive, bursting forth its tidal wave of destruction, instantly killing half of the predators while others were wounded, or still on high perch.

"Yeah! Eat that you eight-legged freaks!" he cheered before blinking, gulping afterwards.

A tremor was felt and the remainder scattered, moving to the ceilings quickly as the tremors strengthened, following the sound of large footsteps. Shamus nearly crapped his pants when he saw a large and hairy leg come out of nowhere, then another…then another. Finally he saw eight beady black eyes staring at him through the dark. This was a spider alright, or more like a gargantuan tarantula. On its back, it looked like it had green scales, when in actuality, when Shamus took a closer look, it was a whole bunch of spider minions clinging to its back.

"Oh shit…" he muttered.

He looked to Riley and swallowed hard. Her condition had not improved at all, and he was sure they might as well die here, eaten by a horde of stupid bugs. His grip tightened on his spear, swallowing hard. He wasn't gonna die in front of a cute girl in shame. He was gonna die trying to survive, even if it was impossible.

"Leviathan!!"

With his call, the creature hissed and opened its great maw to the ceiling. With it came out a blue burst of light blinding the remaining creatures, before water rained down upon everyone for a time. He reached into Riley's bag to pull out her Bolt Materia, smirking some as he used his own All Materia, casting Thundaga upon the wet creatures as he cast a magic barrier around him and Riley since they were wet too. A large orchestra of screams was heard throughout the cavern, causing another tremor, making stalactites fall from the ceiling, crumbling upon impact with the ground.

The spider-queen opened what looked like a mouth, roaring out its rage without restraint. It seemed to glance at all her children, most with their legs curled into themselves, indicating their deaths, while others had basically wet _pop_ with the pressure of the lightning. It screamed in anguish, and Shamus cursed once more as his magic had run out with that attack, causing Leviathan to disappear. There was no way he'd be able to fight this beast. He_ knew_ he should have carried some ethers. However, much to his surprise, the beast began to charge towards him, then over him, fleeing in the direction of where they were supposed to head.

"What?? You bitch! Come back here!! I'll kick your damn ass!" despite his words, he blew out a heavy breath of relief. He looked at Riley, crouching next to her, shaking her shoulders, "Riley? Riley! Wake up! They're all gone!"

With those words, life seemed to flicker back into her eyes before she gave him a dumbfounded look, "Huh?"

Before he could say anything, she suddenly released a shrilling scream, trying to crawl away. Shamus grabbed her, pulling her into his chest as she still screamed, trying to flee from the now dead spiders. He shushed, soothed and eventually she began to calm down. Her body trembled while she whimpered. It was to be assumed that it was an extremely delayed reaction to seeing a giant spider. Riley clung to him, looking around cautiously and fearfully, her breath shaky from the sight of the corpses.

"What…happened?"

"Uh, I kicked butt," he explained lamely. "You okay? What was that about?"

Slowly, she pushed herself away, swallowing hard, "I hate spiders. I've been afraid of them ever since I can remember."

_I can tell; she's so pale._ "Well, most of them are dead now, so you don't have to worry too much."

"Most?! Shamus, what aren't you telling me?"

"Well, there's an even _bigger_ bitch we have to worry about, but it still counts as just one." He shifted his eyes inconspicuously while Riley glared at him.

"How big?"

"Um, not too big—"

"Shamus!"

"Colossal huge."

If she wasn't already pale, she definitely was now, "C-colossal? Are you shitting me?!"

He gave a tired, and slightly ashamed look, "Sadly, I'm not joking in the least."

She responded by shivering, "Well, what do we do now?"

He thought for a moment, scratching the back of his head, "Well, I assume that way is the way out," he pointed in the direction the spider went, "But, unfortunately, that's where the big ass monster is."

She gulped, "What?!" He flinched and after awhile she sighed, "I-If we have no choice…then w-we're gonna have go that way."

"Are you alright to do that?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Well, no," he replied in defeat. It was obvious that he too wasn't too keen on going that way.

Once again, she sighed, shakily moving to her feet as she hesitantly began to tread down that path. They both walked for a long time, with Riley holding Shamus' spear due to the fact he was out of magic and she had to light the way. With each step, Riley dreaded the worst more and more. It was not going to be easy to think straight if she consciously saw the spider. Beyond the darkness, they could hear the faint sound of a stream. They looked at each other, both wondering if it was a way out. Briefly forgetting the monster likely lying in wait for them, they rushed ahead, running through a corridor. Instead of reaching outside, they were greeted by a bright green glow with streams of light floating around a rock platform, and on the ceiling were webs glowing from being drenched in mako.

"Whoa…"

Riley blinked at it all, "You ever have those moments where you wish you had a camera?"

He chuckled, "Not that often, but this is one of those moments."

Indeed, the room was pretty, despite its simplicity. Speaking of which, Riley glanced at the walls, seeing that there was no exit. Why was this place empty, or more importantly, why did the lifestream flow freely in this place? They both heard a sound, instantly going into alert before they spotted a rock fall to the ground. They both looked up and as one would have expected, the giant spider hung to the ceiling, eyes gleaming at them hungrily. Riley instantly froze once more, not having expected that colossal was really, REALLY big!

"O-oh my god…"

It suddenly screamed at them, causing a tremor in the room that caused the walls to crack and make rocks fall off the sides, some of them blocking the only exit out of there. It began to crawl along the walls, jumping overtop of them, knocking them both off their feet. Shamus cussed out some colourful language as he stood up, watching as the spider backed up and used one of its legs to kick him away, impacting him with the entrance. Riley sat on the ground, staring up in cold fear, practically hyperventilating. Shamus struggled out of the rubble, groaning in pain before he looked up.

"R-Riley…shit…" he murmured before passing out.

She just sat there, completely useless as those multiple sets of eyes stared down at her. Its fangs were dripping with venom, ready to kill her in that instant as its head dove toward her. Riley let out a deafening scream, eyes shutting tightly. Instead of death gripping her, she felt an overwhelming warmth. Was she swallowed? No. Slowly, her eyes opened and she was practically being blinded by the Omni-Materia, glowing profusely, creating a barrier against the beast that had been apparently knocked back and temporarily stunned.

"What?" she breathed, reaching for the ball, instantly warming her hands, startled by a voice in her head.

_Don't be afraid…_

She looked up, quite confused as to what had happened. First barriers are popping up, and now she's got a voice in her head. Yep, she was going crazy. But that wasn't the issue right now, as the spider was beginning to shake off the effects, seeming to glare at the girl. Riley swallowed hard, throat hurting from the scream she had emitted before she stood up, practically hugging her own weapon. Admittedly, her legs were shaking, and she was afraid that if she went to attack, one, she wouldn't be able to move, or two, she'd end up charging into her death. Slowly, she adjusted her grip on the blade, reaching into the pockets of her skorts to switch up the materia. It screamed again, charging at her quickly, suddenly jumping into the air, ready to land on her.

She swallowed again, a cold bead of sweat running down the side of her face, "There's something I fear more than spiders." The materia began to glow, reacting to the flowing lifestream in the room, "And that's losing!!"

Her blade charged up quickly and she swung her blade numerously, releasing her trigger each time, unleashing her Terra Wave attack. But it was already too late as the weight had already impacted with the ground, causing the ground to crack and disperse, some parts of it sinking while other parts rose. Smoke rose with the green glow silhouetting the flying dust. Shamus eventually came to, falling out of the rubble with a pained grunt.

"Damn. Why am I always the one that's hurt?" He panted, rolling onto his back. Looking up, he saw the smoke, suddenly panicked when realization gripped him, "Oh shit! RILEY!!"

He struggled to his feet, limping his way over to the smoke. He coughed, waving his hand to clear it away. His feet stopped and Shamus simply stood there, waiting for the dust to clear, eventually showing the spider laying upon the ground, or rather, many parts of it were scattered everywhere upon the ground. He blinked, wondering what the hell had happened. Shaking his head, he swallowed, moving forward again, looking around for Riley. When he finally spotted her, she was intact, much to his relief, surrounded by a barrier that was throw up at the last second. However, the force had knocked her six feet into the ground. She panted heavily, the barrier disappearing while she leaned on her sword.

"I-is it over?"

"Riley! You're okay!

She looked up in a daze, "Oh…what happened?"

"I don't know, but I think you just kicked that bitch's ass!"

"I did? Cool," she said lamely, still zoned out.

After a few moments, Shamus managed to pull her out of her whole and she screamed, seeing the spider's remains, some parts still sizzling from her elemental attack. She didn't seem to realize it was dead so she kept screaming. Shamus grew impatient, yelling at her, instantly catching her undivided attention.

"It's dead! You killed it! So shut up already!"

Her lip quivered slightly before she looked over, finally collapsing to her knees, "I…I did this?" He only nodded and something she didn't feel often came into her emotions and she jumped up, "_I_ killed _that_ spider?! HOLY SHIT!" Suddenly, she regained her composure and she turned her back on him, "Would never happen."

"What are you talking about?! _You_ killed it!"

"Not possible. I hate spiders and fear them to the fullest extent, so what you think happened, never happened."

He blinked before chuckling, "You're just being modest."

She paused, "Maybe…" She turned to face him, "But, let's get moving before—"

They were suddenly interrupted by a glowing light, floating from the monsters remains like a firefly. Shamus and Riley blinked, perplexed by this light as it dimmed to reveal a small red marble, wrapped in intricate silver vines like it was meant to be some sort of necklace charm. It dropped into Riley's outstretched hand and she observed it. Shamus looked at it before glancing at her.

"What do you think it is?"

"A fragment…" she stated distractedly.

"Of what?"

She looked at him, "I think this is one of those seven wonders. Shelke said one had to pass certain tests before receiving…a gift."

"A test?! What?! You mean kill a big fat monster?!"

"I don't know."

Suddenly it reacted to the Omni-Materia, causing a blinding glow, shooting out a small beam of light to the wall, the lifestream dispersing away to clear a path. This light began to circle around on the wall, eventually projecting an image of a forest with dawn close by. They both blinked and looked at each other before grinning in triumph, soon jogging towards the portal, zipping through. They reached the outside and turned around, seeing the portal disappear before seeing the crater suddenly fill up with water. Where it was coming from, no one would probably ever know. Riley glanced at the fragment, putting it in one of her pockets afterwards.

"We might as well go back. Maybe Black and Nanaki are looking for us."

Shamus only nodded and limped up beside her before they were both startled by a very menacing voice, "And where have you two been this whole time?"

They both looked at a very disgruntled hermit and a tired feline, "Guys!"

Riley suddenly ran up to them, "We have one! We have a—"

Black interrupted before she could tell him the big news, "Riley, you should know better than to run off by yourself!"

"But I was with Shamus, but we got a—"

"I don't wish to hear any excuses! You could have been hurt and then what would you do?! Worse, you could have been _killed_!"

"But I—"

"From this point on, you're not to leave my sight!" Riley gave up by this point, rolling her eyes, "Don't roll your eyes at me young lady!" He only continued to lecture her in a rage before she pulled out the fragment, "You're so child—what is that?"

"Oh…NOW you'll let me talk!" she huffed impatiently, "So, are you finished being my parent?" He said nothing, only glared at her before she continued, "This, I believe is one of those things we are looking for. A fragment of power."

Shamus suddenly started babbling away excitedly when Black took the marble to observe it more closely, speaking too quickly for anybody to understand him like he was child telling his parents a so-called great story, "Yeah, and we were in this _huge_ cave, and then we were attacked by literally an army of spiders and she froze up, and I ended up killing most of them, but then this BIG ASS MOTHERFUCKER came along, and I killed off the rest of the little ones and it ran away but then Riley snapped out of it and—"

Black put on a tired look, responding sarcastically, "That's nice, Shamus."

Nanaki only blinked, "Well, you might want to explain more slowly. I'm actually interested in how you obtained this piece."

Shamus sighed, explaining everything all over while Black looked at Riley, "You're alright though?"

"I'm alive. A little shaky since I just faced a few thousand spiders bigger than me," she muttered embarrassingly.

He sighed, almost in relief, "I'll hold onto this. But please, don't go off on your own like that again, I hate to admit it, but I do concern myself over your safety. After all, being your mentor, you're my responsibility."

She sighed, "I know, but we haven't done a lot of training lately anyway."

He nodded, "That's true. But…good job. We'll head back to the continent and go back to Cosmo Canyon. I think it's best that Shelke should analyze this. Perhaps we can learn from this one fragment."

Riley turned to the others before she walked over to Shamus, crouching next to him, "Um, thank you. And, I'm sorry."

He blinked, stopping in mid sentence, "What for?"

"I froze up, becoming Little Miss Muffet. You did all the work while I sat there like a coward."

He shook his head, "Hey, don't worry about it. It could happen to anybody. Everybody faces their worst fears eventually and frankly, being afraid makes us human, right?"

She considered what he said before nodding, "Though sometimes, it's a pain in the ass."

Black walked up to them, observing the exchange between the two. He shook his head before he suddenly announced, "Let's go."

* * *

**A/N:** I am SO sorry for the delay, despite the fact that I finished my friend's birthday present two or three days ago! Unfortunately, I am lacking my own internet and thus, piggybacking someone else's WEAK signal. (AGAIN). I hate having no internet, don't you? "Being poor was my sin, and this…this lack of internet, is my punishment." XD I'm SO lame. Anyway, I have the next few chapters (up to Ch. 19) planned with a general plot so, hopefully that will help me get things rolling so I ca type these up, post them, so you guys can enjoy yourselves, maybe cry a little, laugh a little. You know, the usual. XD Anyway, I should brace you all as I plan to make one of those chapters sort of emotional (I'm no good at emotional T.T, I'll try). Also, I'd like to thank all my current supporters of this story, and I appreciate all the positive reviews. But don't stop now! I love reading your reviews! So please, continue to R&R!


	15. Ch 14: Ambushed

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may not be correct. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent.

* * *

**Chapter 14: Ambushed**

_**So we, or rather, Riley and Shamus, had obtained the first fragment that would allow us to use the Omni-Materia. I had observed the artifact myself and it was definitely not man-made. Deciding we should backtrack to Cosmo Canyon, we spent days in Shamus' godforsaken ship, giving those two time to revitalize. Nanaki and I have plenty more experience than them, so it was no surprise how they ended up in their state. Riley was not in such bad shape, but I could tell she was shaken up from the ordeal. Are we to face this kind of thing every time?**_

"Yo!"

Shamus actually managed to startle Black out of his thoughts, earning himself an alarmed look, "Hmm?"

Shamus only blinked in return, "What's with you, man? You've been really weird the last few hours."

"Have I?" Black only looked down, staring at the marble in his fingertips.

"You're doing it again!"

Riley came out of the shower, towel over her head, eyes a little bugged from lack of sleep, actually creeping out the guys, "Leave the old fart alone. What's so wrong about looking at something _shiny_?"

Both Black and Shamus snorted. Black's was disgruntled while Shamus was trying not to laugh, "Ha-ha, shiny."

"Don't push your luck kid. I'm not always so calm and compliant to everything around here."

Nanaki came down the stares, tail swishing behind him, "I see land."

Shamus blinked, "Alright, I'll prepare for docking."

"I also see Corel Desert."

"What?!" The boy looked genuinely shocked as he ran up top.

Riley blinked, "Did we float off course or something?"

All that could be heard was Shamus' distinct cussing, "Impossible! Fuck!! The Auto-Pilot is broken!"

Black stood up with a sigh, "Forget it Shamus. Fix it later. We'll go ashore now and walk the rest of the way."

Riley groaned, thinking about the pain her feet would feel. Shamus eventually docked the ship, morphing it into the carry-around ball when they went ashore. Riley and Nanaki were already beginning to pant while Shamus and Black seemed to be used to this sort of heat as the desert was right behind them, and in the distance was the infamous Gold Saucer.

Riley turned to Black, "Maybe we should check it out."

"What on Earth for?" She gave this blank look, giving him a small indication before he figured it out, "We're not playing."

She sighed. She was still a girl after all that would seek out fun when the opportunity arose. Shamus then turned to her, hands resting on the back of his head, "Besides, we can't get across with all the quicksand bordering the entire desert. The only way up is through North Corel Station, and if I were to guess, I'd say those lines were cut by now."

Nanaki looked ahead, seeing quicksand that seemed to go on for a mile thick, "Well, you never know what we might find there, and getting over the quicksand is not such a big deal."

Shamus suddenly got an idea, "Hey Riley, do the ice bridge again!"

Riley squinted to look at the distance, "Red?"

"One, it's too hot and it would melt too quickly, and two, I doubt any of us could make a bridge that long."

Black shook his head, "What's with you all, all of a sudden? We don't need to go to the Gold Saucer. Nothing is there, anyway, at least, not anymore. It's nothing but a dead amusement park."

"Yes, but you said it yourself. The wonders, or rather, fragments could be people, objects, or places. We don't know if the fragments are solely objects like the marble those two found."

"_Earned_," the pair corrected.

Nanaki only sighed, ignoring them, "The point _is_ that we should look everywhere for these fragments before the Tsviets do. Also, I think we could use a little relaxation with a bit of fun. When was the last time anybody has had any fun nowadays?"

Black glared at him, "You're not making this easy for me to refuse."

The cat only sniggered, "I know. Besides, I'd like to retrace some of my steps from decades ago."

Black sighed in defeat, "Fine!" The others went to cheer, but he stopped them, "_But_, we will spend no more than a day there. Understood? And knowing how some of you are, acting like children, you won't have the least bit of fun with how dead it is, and thus we're likely to leave early."

Nanaki only shook his head, "Black, what you forget is that we have a Highwind with us, so he could easily operate the thrill rides. Also, we could use a night or more to relax without…instability."

"Whatcha talking about, instability?!" Shamus asked defensively.

"Your boat rocks…a lot," said Riley, but not in the way of a compliment. "It's bad enough I'm having nightmares about those damn spiders."

"Anyway, how are we to get across?" Black interrupted impatiently.

They all thought for a minute before Riley looked at Shamus, "Can't you use your boat to get across? It floats on air, right?"

He scratched the back of his head, "Actually, it doesn't operate too well on land, admittedly. I would try it, if there wasn't a risk involved."

"A risk?"

"Well, occasionally I'll come across a whirlpool in the ocean, and once, I nearly got sunk."

Black grumbled, "Great, the ship is only useful on water."

"Hey, if I had the parts, I'd modify her into an airship, but frankly, with today's resources, that's not possible!"

Nanaki looked among them, "Do any of you carry a flying summon?"

The hermit blinked, "I carry Bahamut."

"Then use him to at least fly us over."

Everyone looked at Black before he sighed in defeat, "I suppose it wouldn't hurt."

With that, he summoned the beast, Bahamut landing in front of him before allowing them to climb the dragon, taking off, taking only a minute to reach the other side of the quicksand, and disappearing afterwards while still in the air. Black landed easily, and Nanaki typically landed on his feet while Shamus, caught by surprise, landed on his backside. Riley squealed, with Black catching her.

"Here's a lesson. Instead of screaming, try to look at the ground and decide how you're going to cushion your landing," he explained while putting her down.

"That's not very explanatory."

Black only considered his next choice of words, "Maybe you should practice jumping from various heights, and see which ones you need to improve on in terms of landing on your feet. I won't always be there to catch you."

She nodded before glancing at the clumsy mechanic, "You okay?"

"Yeah, just my pride shaken." He got up, brushing off the sand, "Damn it's hot here."

Nanaki looked to the Gold Saucer before turning his eye to the others, "Judging from this distance, it should take us two to three hours to reach Corel Prison."

"Why do we have to walk?!" Shamus demanded.

"Not everyone can summon, and frankly, I believe I have the most magic, but even I wouldn't be able to keep Bahamut out for that long."

"Where's some damn ethers when you need them!"

They others only shook their heads, walking ahead across the desert. A hour had passed before Riley even considered about complaining. Suddenly, she remembered something, stopping briefly to pull out Vincent's old cloak out of her bag, "Shamus! Help me hold this up!"

"Eh?! What do you plan to do with that?"

"Shade, dumbass! Nanaki, come over here and walk under it with us!"

Nanaki blinked but walked over regardless and before they could ask Black, he declined, saying he was fine as the three walked under the cloak like it was an umbrella. It provided some protection from the burning rays as they walked the rest of the way like that. Eventually, they reached the outskirts of the prison; ruins of a coal mining town. Compared to the rest of the desert, this place was like a graveyard. They tread through the ghost town, Black and Nanaki looking around cautiously while Riley spotted a certain house that looked familiar. The place where the town had a meeting with Shinra about building a reactor. She sighed, following after the others.

"Wow, this place is gloomier than the old man!" Black grunted in response while Shamus only grinned.

"I remember being thrown down here with the others due to mysterious murders done by a man with a gun-arm."

"It was Dyne, right?" she asked.

"Yes. He then threw himself off a cliff. He said he wanted to destroy everything, even himself, and all because of the lies and pain Shinra had caused."

Shamus only scratched the back of his head. Riley was starting to realize that Cid did that a lot in the game, "I don't know what happened with this Shinra you keep talking about, but it seems to me with the stories I heard from grams, is that they were not as bad as what we're dealing with."

"They were _pie_ compared to Sephiroth, and definitely the Tsviets. But even people in Shinra had their good moments, especially the Turks."

Riley glanced at Nanaki, "Are…they gone too?"

He sighed, "Sadly."

She nodded, not at all surprised. The Turks definitely had spirit, and in her own way, she respected them almost just as much as AVALANCHE. Black stopped at the base of the large golden tree, now rusted over as he looked around, stopping at an elevator. Shamus was called over, helping him open the steal door. Everyone walked in and Shamus pulled out a small kit with a few minor tools, opening the control panel, fidgeting with it.

"You can get it running?" Black asked.

"Maybe. I don't even know if this place has any power."

"It will have power. The Gold Saucer is solar powered, which is precisely why it was built in the desert."

Riley blinked, "Where are the panels located?"

"There's actually a ring around each gold saucer that consists of solar panels of the highest quality. Believe it or not, but solar panels can absorb a lot."

"And it's not hazardous to the planet in any way," Nanaki commented.

Riley then sniggered at Black, "And you said that it'd be a dead amusement park."

He only grunted, "I only said that because I didn't want to come. Then again, it might be after all, seeing as the solar panels still require maintenance."

With that, the elevator lit up, along with the shaft all the way up. Shamus put away his kit, grinning triumphantly, "Am I good or what?"

"I will admit that I'm impressed. But don't let that get to your head."

"Only _you_ are impressed? Aw, I wanted to impress the only girl in our group!"

Riley snorted, "Nice try." _Makes me wish I wasn't the only girl._

The elevator began to move as Shamus closed the door. The elevator took a full ten minutes before reaching the top, leaving it behind, the group entered what appeared with be a mix between a conference room, and a locker room. Shamus took a look in the fridge, shouting with joy that there was beer.

"Aren't you a little young to be drinking?"

"I'm twenty-five! Riley, you want one?"

"She's not legal."

"I'm twenty!! But no thank you. I don't like beer. Always tasted bad to me."

"So you HAVE drank before!"

"Little sips here and there, only to try it. Never had red wine from a glass though."

"From a glass? Where'd you drink it from?"

"Steak."

He suddenly gaped at her, as if about to drool, "Oh man, don't talk about steak. That's a man's meat!"

She rolled her eyes, "Oh, my mistake, I thought a man's meat was between their legs."

Nanaki chuckled at Shamus' disgruntled expression, "She got you there, Shamus."

"I never thought I'd hear such a thing from her," he muttered.

Black looked around before he suddenly announced, "We're in Chocobo Square."

For an hour, the group wandered around the park, checking for any danger while Shamus fixed a couple of power grids that lit up most of the park in sparkling lights, some flickering colorfully. Black saw the expression on their faces before sighing in defeat, telling them to run off, satisfied that the park was empty. He walked up to a mini café and into the kitchen, seeing if there was any food. He found some canned food, blinking before opening them, grunting that the food had surprisingly gone bad before throwing them out of the kitchen.

"Isn't there any dried food or something?!" he yelled out in frustration.

Nanaki dodged a can in surprise, walking into the kitchen, "This is more like a breakfast restaurant, Vincent."

"I told you to keep quiet about that."

"Why now? Those two are off playing and what do I see from you? Ha-ha, you're showing emotion, more so than you ever did fifty years ago. When Chaos returned to the planet, the others and I were surprised by the gradual change of personality."

Black looked at him before sitting on the counter, "I suppose it was just relief at the time, knowing that I no longer bear the burden that was Chaos."

"Yes, and in turn, you had undergone these changes. You show anger a little more freely, to say the least. You even show some indications of concern, and you even smile."

"I do no such thing."

"Embarrassment," Nanaki listed.

Black only grunted before he looked at the mess he made, "Let's find food elsewhere."

"You normally don't eat willingly."

"There are people in this group that does. You included."

Meanwhile, Riley and Shamus had already gone to the Speed Square, trying out all the roller coasters. Shamus had never been to an amusement park himself, but it had been ages for Riley. Unfortunately, she was too short for most of the rides back then. They were both giggling madly from this rare opportunity as they ran to the gondola. Shamus pulled the lever and pressed a large red button before boarding with Riley, sitting on the benches as it moved, giving them a tour of the amusement park.

"Hey Riley, can I consider this a date?"

She froze before looking away, "No."

"Huh? Why not?"

"Because I say so."

Arching a brow, he only continued to wait for her real answer, "You really like this Vincent person don't you?" She nodded before he sighed, "Well, if we find him and he breaks your heart, I'll always be available for you." He winked, giving her that boyish grin, "Pretty Lady."

She rolled her eyes, "You're available for any pretty girl."

"I resent that," she stated jokingly. "But all jokes aside, what are you gonna do if Vincent doesn't…you know…consider it?"

"What I feel for Vincent Valentine might not even be real. I've never been in a relationship because I've always avoided them. Plus my parents were overprotective. Shamus, where I come from is not where you think. Where I come from, there are different rules in the game of love. It's not as simple as telling someone you…" she trailed off.

He thought this might be a touchy and difficult subject, so he changed the subject, "Well, what's your world like? More importantly, what are the girls like?"

She giggled, "You're so typical." He only grinned as she answered him, "Well, there are many levels of girls. There are simple girls like me, girls who spend an hour every morning just doing their hair and half an hour doing their make-up for typical jocks and possibly the rap-wannabes. Girls like me sometimes struggle with concepts like grooming that takes forever and a half. Sometimes those kind of girls make it difficult for average girls like me."

"You're average? Yeah, I'd say so." He laughed when she threw a piece of foam from the worn seat at him.

"Shut up!" She stuck her tongue out before being a little more serious, "Frankly, if I spent that many hours on my looks, I'd look like a Barbie doll."

He blinked, "What's a Barbie doll?"

"Never mind. The point is, all I do each morning is wake up, shower, brush my teeth, my hair and run out with food in my mouth. I wasn't in the greatest shape. The only exercise I got was by running to school. Even that didn't do much since I spent most of my time drinking pop and sitting down while playing video games."

"You're life sounds so…normal."

She shrugged, "Where I come from is as normal as the extent of the definition. There wasn't anything like magic or monsters except in the movies, games, or books."

"Well, if you weren't in shape then, you are now."

"My tummy isn't completely flat yet but I'm getting there. All this fighting is the cause. Plus there's no unhealthy junk in my system anymore."

He chuckled, "Like I said before, some guys like the simpler girls better."

She looked at him then, "Do you think Vincent would ever approve of me?"

He shifted uncomfortably, staring out the window, "I couldn't tell ya. I don't know much about him. From what I heard, he was usually the loner type. To be honest, he might not." She looked down before he stammered hurriedly, "But that doesn't mean it's hopeless! You won't know till ya try, right?"

She looked at him, thinking about it before nodding, "Yeah, I shouldn't get so depressed. Especially over a guy."

"You don't wanna get depressed over me?" he tried to pout cutely.

She rolled her eyes, "The only thing I would get depressed over you for is how sad it is how much it is you flirt with me."

He blew a raspberry at her, making her laugh before the gondola stopped in the middle of the track, simply hanging there. They both looked at each other, quite perplexed before Shamus looked out the window, hanging onto the edge to glance at the track. He gasped, seeing that a steel arrow was caught between the gears.

"What's wrong?"

"Something's caught! SHIT!"

He dodged another arrow as it came flying through the window, nearly nicking Riley's ear. She squeaked, leaning back before cursing. Nemesis was left with Black when she and Shamus went to play. Thankfully, Shamus had brought his spear, extended it. Riley screamed out the window, calling for help. Wherever Nanaki and Black were, Nanaki's ear perked to a slight sound before he turned suddenly.

"Hmm?"

"Something's wrong. Riley just called for help."

With that, they both ran to the Round Square, exiting an elevator before looking up to where the Gondola was. They cursed after seeing that Shamus was standing on top of it, trying to keep his balance while fighting off multiple opponents dressed in rags and worn out armour. Despite the fact he tried to knock them off, they only managed to catch the edge and pull themselves back up.

"Oh for crying out loud! What are you guys? Acrobats?!" Suddenly, a fireball impacted with the gears, knocking him over the side, barely caught by Riley, "Shit! Oh thank god."

She grunted, her face strained, "Why are you so heavy?!?!"

One of the enemies aimed at the gears with a pistol, ready to make them fall before a roar was heard, starling them with Bahamut flying near them, causing a gust of wind to sweep them off as they caught themselves again. Black and Red landed upon the track, rushing forward while Black fired from behind Nanaki. The cat roared, glowing red before zipping forward, fire emanating from his body to successfully knock off the opponents.

Riley barely managed to pull Shamus inside, a little lightheaded at the moment before Shamus kept her close, poking at any enemy that dared try to climb into the ride. Black skidded to a stop, confronted by a swordsman.

"Never bring a sword to a gunfight," he stated ready to fire before he was suddenly blasted from behind by another fireball. He grunted, barely catching himself before looking around, seeing they were surrounded making him curse under his breath.

Nanaki was blocked on both sides, "We are not here to fight!"

"You do not come to our Headquarters without our permission, and nowadays, nobody has permission! You're trespassers!"

"You're coming with us to decide your punishment!"

"How do we know you're not followers?!"

Black stood up, resigned to their situation, "We're trying to stop the Tsviets."

"Shut up! You will receive proper judgement by the Ringmaster!"

"Ringmaster?" he asked. _What is this, a circus? …Right._

Abruptly both Riley and Shamus yelled out in surprise when the gears began to break on their own. They held onto each other as both Black and Nanaki turned to look in alarm. They tried to push past their captors but it was already too late as the gears broke and the gondola fell, gravity working its worst as they screamed. Black yelled out, ready to kill someone or dive off after them before a light suddenly blinded him, surrounding the gondola.

A ball of black, holding up the gondola had seemed to save them. Riley and Shamus floated around, blinking in confusion as they looked down to see a person adorning a fancy sleeveless red trench coat, black pants tucked into black rider boots, and under the coat was a white frilly blouse with baggy sleeves tucked into black gloves, and this person wore a typical top hat. Shamus blinked, taking a closer look to see that it was a woman, probably in her late twenties with long black hair in multiple large braids. Her skin was as perfect as it could be, with a creamy tone to it.

The woman looked up, revealing her piercing acidic green eyes. Her red lips smiled almost mockingly as she gave her order, "Put them in the Labyrinth."

* * *

**A/N:** Yay, another chapter in a shorter amount of time, and once again, a cliffhanger XD! Might type up the next one and post tonight. We'll see how things work out. But, just so I have something to say, a little bit of a random fact. Riley Tombs was not actually intended for this story. In fact, she was meant for a role-play I had planned out called Black Savium, where it's about an off-planet prison colony sometime in about less than a century and half from now. Riley's personality is completely different in this one as she's a hacker on an elite level, and has anger management issues. Her "Handle", or hacker name is actually "Bytemi" (bite me). Also her hair is actually more reddish in this one. Her last name was kind of inspired by a character from a movie called Chronicles of Riddick named Tombs (or was it Toombs?). Anyway, please R&R :D.


	16. Ch 15: The Labyrinth

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may not be correct. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent.

* * *

**Chapter 15: The Labyrinth**

The gang had been brought to an underground sector, deep below Corel Prison. It had a very metallic smell to it, and it was very poorly lit, lit by what seemed like Christmas lights to Riley. Leading the way through a long rusted corridor was that woman, known only as the Ringmaster. Both Shamus and Riley were grateful for being saved from a deathly impact, but whatever this Labyrinth was, they were sure wasn't good for any of them, except as entertainment for the torturers.

The room they entered was very dark, lit only by one spotlight that the Ringmaster had walked under to catch her audience's attention, mainly the gang, "I have a rule. If you walk in here unannounced and uninvited, you're to be punished. Normally I present this sentence. A walk through the Labyrinth. If you successfully walk to the end of this maze, you're free to go."

"What happens if we don't make it to the end?" Shamus asked, gulping some.

"That pretty much indicates that you're dead. If you're worthy, you will pass all obstacles."

"And how many have survived this Labyrinth?" Black asked with a blank look on his face.

"Out of the fifty or so people that had gone through this test of judgement, none. But if you have any honour as warriors, and you are not followers of the Tsviets, then you will willingly tread through without a fuss."

Nanaki growled, "Then you'll believe we are not if we succeed?"

"Well, yes. It's as simple as that. Lights!"

Lights turned on and before them were steel walls that stood about two stories above the ground, and overtop was fenced ceiling with those same Christmas lights weaved through them. They could hear various things beginning to run, and none of those things sounded pleasant. The leader only smirked before ordering her men to lock them in. With that, a large door, looking like a bank safe, unlocking the center mechanism before opening with a creak. They were pushed inside prior to the door being shut and locked.

They could hear her voice through the ceiling as she explained further, "I would suggest you be careful. There is death around every corner. I will hold onto your weapons until the end. Also, you will be given one hour to pass through, if you do not make it to the end in that time, we will come in there and kill you ourselves. The timer above will tell you how much time is left for you. That is, if you can survive that long."

Shamus suddenly started cussing, "You damn bitch! Come in here and fight us! Let us out you—"

"Enough Shamus!" Black demanded. "We have no choice, so just deal with it. Besides, wasn't I the one who said we had no time to _play_?"

Red shook his head, looking at the timer, "Whatever this maze throws at us we'll overcome. For now, let's just stick—"

The timer started and before any of them could question Nanaki's pause, he leapt at Riley, knocking her down as Black reacted almost just as quickly, grabbing Shamus by the back of the shirt, pulling him back just as a bladed wall came up, ready to slice them in half. Riley groaned as she had hit her head against the opposing wall while Shamus stood in shock, very grateful to be alive…again. Both Nanaki and Black cursed, approaching the wall. This wall seemed to cut this group into pairs as it blocked any way for them to reach one another.

"Oh man, I can't believe I'm alive!" Shamus exclaimed.

Black placed his hand on the wall, "Death around every corner. Well, so much for sticking together."

Nanaki's tail swished irritably, "That's their Labyrinth, a death trap. They want us to separate and lessen our chances for survival. We'll have to take separate routes for now."

"Agreed. Be careful."

"You too. C'mon Riley."

"Did you have to push so hard," she asked, getting up while rubbing her head.

"Sorry, I had to react quickly. Are you alright?"

"I think so. Black? Shamus?!"

"I'm okay! It will take more than that to kill me!"

Black only muttered, "_We're_ fine. Let's go before our time runs out."

"Right."

Moments have passed as both pairs took their separate paths. Shamus had activated most traps without thinking, frustrating Black with the burden to save him each time. Riley was rather timid, afraid she might activate traps of her own, but her cautiousness seemed to pay off as they barely activated any. Nanaki seemed to smile at her reassuringly, keeping her behind him protectively.

Meanwhile, Black and Shamus had wandered into a large clearing. Black glanced around, keeping Shamus back while observing for traps, "Seems clear, but don't rush like last time."

"Hey, I said I was sorry!"

"As am I," announced a voice.

They both paused, looking to the source of the voice before looking at the other end of the small arena, seeing a woman about the same height as Shamus, well built, wearing dark blue cargo pants with suspenders over a white tank top, a near flat chest, fair skin, black combat boots and black leather gloves. She glared at them with piercing gold eyes glowing from behind black haired bangs that covered her forehead. Her hair was, as said before, black, mid-length, and the ends were flared back. She appeared to be in her early twenties and she looked dangerous. Both men stared at her, noticing a huge launcher standing behind her. Black took a closer look and wondered when she last ate.

"What is this?" he asked.

"Is that a girl?" Shamus asked, dumbfounded. He instantly went into alarm as he frantically moved out of the way of a missile, causing a large explosion near him.

Black gritted his teeth, having dodged as well in surprise to her response as she seemed to lose her temper with that comment, "Of course I'm a girl, you idiot! I'm definitely killing you first! Asshole! Fuck-wad!"

Shamus looked baffled and at the same time, frightened, "Holy shit!"

"Holy shit is right! Next stop for you is hell!"

She placed the launcher on her shoulder, firing at will. Unfortunately, neither of them had their weapons, so all they could do was dodge, trying to get close to her. Despite their efforts, she moved too quickly for them to allow them close. Black gritted his teeth, wondering how he would get close. He noticed the glow in her eyes. He had thought that it was her rage that made them glow but he blinked, figuring out that she had been exposed to mako at least once before. Those affected by mako were normally stronger and faster than any normal human, so it was no surprise to him now how she was able to keep up with both of them.

_If Shamus can distract her, I can get close and take the chance to knock her out. For him, that'd be easy with blatant comments like that._

"Hey, c'mon, don't take the woman thing so seriously! I-I was kidding!"

"HA! This is one of the reasons why I hate men! Especially idiots like you two!" she yelled out angrily. One could tell she had anger issues.

Shamus yelled out, frantically dodging each missile. Black's eyes narrowed as he suddenly rushed forward with this slim opportunity. He slipped off his poncho, throwing it in her face when she noticed him at the last second before tackling her to the ground, sending the launcher sliding away. Shamus blinked before he too moved forward, sliding to a stop near the weapon, moving to pick it up before blinking once more.

"What the hell?!! This things weighs a ton!! It's heavier than it should be!"

The girl screamed in rage as she managed to throw the hermit off her, throwing aside the cloak before she stood up, eyes glowing more fiercely. Black stood up, glaring back at her, "I wouldn't suggest letting your emotions rule you. It will only result in getting you killed."

She scoffed, "How would you know, old man? So far, it's been my greatest strength."

He only grunted, "That sort of thing is a double-edged sword."

Shamus looked up, grunting with effort to try and lift the weapon, "How can a skinny girl like her lift this thing! She'd fall over!"

She scowled at Shamus, offended that he even touched her weapon. Black didn't even spare Shamus a glance, "She's infused with mako, Shamus. No normal person would be able to lift that easily. Tell me, what's your name, kid?"

She snorted, "Well, since I'm gonna kill you anyway, it's Mona. What's it to ya!"

The hermit was trying to calm her down, see if there was any way to resolve this. If not, then he would have had no other choice than to hurt her, "Who did this to you, Mona?"

She suddenly growled, "That's none of your business!"

Suddenly a blue misty-like aura swirled around her figure before she rushed forward, swinging a fist across his jaw, sending him flying into the next wall. Shamus gaped before growling, running forward to attack. She swung around, lowering into a crouch, leaning forward and pivoting her knee upwards into his sternum, managing to knee him into the air. She leapt up, flipping over him, sending a leg down into his back and impacting him hard with the ground, barely managing to crack the concrete. Shamus coughed, blood splattering onto the floor.

Black struggled to his feet, looking over to see that Shamus was getting the life kicked out of him with her literally kicking him while he was down. The old man glared and suddenly a red light burst from him, catching her attention as she stopped. His eyes glowed red, though his disguise had not changed otherwise. An aura similar to Mona's swirled around his own body, except it was more like fire ready to burst. Galian Beast stirred within his soul but he kept him at bay. Within his consciousness, he lulled the beast back into a calm slumber, soon making his own aura disappear.

"You…who are you?"

His eyes turned back into the onyx pools as he spoke calmly, "A result of my own sins. Are you one of the tortured victims of the Tsviets?"

She snarled once more, charging forward to swing another punch. Unluckily for her, he would not fall for that a second time. Instead, he dodged, blocking off each kick and punch while moving backwards. Shamus had not paid attention to what had happened, too much in pain to notice anything as he crawled over to the launcher and with more effort, lifted up just the end of it, waiting for Mona to get in line of fire.

"Hey, you skinny bitch! Eat this!"

She blinked, turning at the last second to see a missile go flying at her, lift her up and explode on impact with the wall with a scream. She fell to the floor in a heap, seeming to be dead, but her body looked mostly alright. Nothing serious. Black blinked at Shamus before nodding in approval to his success. He walked over to the girl, removing one of his gloves to check her pulse. For some reason, he was relieved that she was alive, but not surprised either.

"Is she dead?"

"No. Her body is not like a normal human's. Back in the day, she probably would have made it in SOLDIER. Let's go, we only have half an hour left before they come in here after us. You alright to walk?"

"For the most part. I'm definitely bruising though."

Black helped him up, walking him through the exit while grabbing his cloak. While those two almost had their asses handed to them by a girl, Riley and Nanaki had walked through many hallways without so much as a trap going off. The girl looked at Red, slightly distracted by the fact she was probably going to die in this place.

"Riley?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you alright? You've been quiet."

"Yeah. I'm just worried."

"We'll get through this. As you already know, I've been through worse things."

"Well, it could be worse. At least it's not as bad as the usual traps from a Saw movie."

"A what?"

"Never mind," she said dismissively. "Do you hear something?"

He nodded, and for awhile, they both had been hearing various sounds, getting louder as they got closer. Finally, they reached the source and this particular room was the largest in the entire maze. It was also the deepest and tallest. But most of all, it was the most lethal. Mentally, Riley took back what she said about the Saw movie, staring in horror at what looked like an obstacle course, except with rusted blades of various designs, swinging, spinning, or both. It was a giant death trap. They even threw in a couple of motion detecting flamethrowers.

"This is so typically unfair!! This is NOT a movie! We're gonna die!"

"Calm down. There's no other path we could have taken. Yes, surviving this trap is…next to impossible, but—"

Riley just continued to stare in horror, "I'd rather be killed off with bullets than go through that! There's no way in hell we'll make it. It's like, what, fifty feet across?"

He hated to admit it, but she was right. But why would they put in something that prevented passage? He supposed they never intend for anyone to make it out alive, thus why no one survived this maze. He looked for any possible path, but with Riley's level of skill, she could never make it. Even Nanaki had doubts about his own abilities. Finally, he looked to the fenced ceiling, sighing in defeat.

"You're right. We're done for if we go across. At least when they come in to retrieve us, we'll have more of a chance of surviving by trying to escape instead."

Riley fell to her knees, frustrated, "I miss my sword. I wish we had something to jam this thing. Better yet, I wish we could fly or—"

"That's it!"

"Huh?" she blinked.

Nanaki stood on all fours in what looked like triumph in his stance as he stared at the ceiling, "We have to climb across!"

"What? Climb what?"

"The fencing. It goes over the top of the entire room!"

"It's too high!"

"Are you afraid of heights or something?"

"Yes, but that's not the reason I said that! Look! How do we climb up TO the ceiling?! Huh?!"

"Is that what you're worried about?"

She blinked, really confused, "Eh?"

He seemed to smile, before he told her to hold onto his back and she did, climbing on top. It was like sitting on a large dog, but this animal wasn't your typical beast. He probably had twice the strength of a full grown lion, "Now, I'm going to jump, and when we're close enough to the ceiling, grab onto it."

"How are you gonna climb it?"

"I've got claws that do more than scratch any itch I have. Now trust me."

She gulped, nodding, "Alright. It was nice knowing you while it lasted."

"Stop that. Ready?"

"No—"

Despite her dissent, he backed up quickly from the door before rushing forward, jumping off the edge of safe platform in a red burst. Riley squeaked, gripped his fur more tightly, barely having enough intact brains to reach out at the last second, her fingers straining in protest as she eventually just hung where she grabbed while Nanaki forced his body into a twist, claws extended to grip the fencing. Riley screamed for a moment before realizing she was alive still, though her fingers were screaming. She whimpered, doubtful that she'd make it to the other side.

"I can't do it!"

"Enough! Calm down! We'll make it!" _I hope._ "Now, try to climb over to the other side, but take your time."

"But the clock—"

"Don't worry about the clock! If you rush, you might fall anyway! So take as much time as you need between each movement. I'll be here with you every step of the way."

Her heart rate had begun to slow down as she forced herself into a calmer state before nodding. With that, Nanaki moved forward slightly, one paw at a time while Riley moved almost a little too frantically but caught her breath every now and then. Thankfully, those flamethrowers didn't swivel upwards, but flames still pointed up. But due to their slow movements they never even set off the motion detection. Twenty minutes had passed, leaving about forty-five minutes on the clock as they neared the end. Riley whimpered while she looked down at the exit's platform. Why was it so far down?! She whimpered once more, wishing that her dashing dark knight, Vincent, would come to save her. Unfortunately, he was not, so she had to deal with it.

Nanaki climbed a little closer before looking at Riley and nodding. He jumped down, barely managing to land on his feet prior to looking up at the girl, "Jump!"

"I can't!! It's too far!"

"Riley, you're going to have to! Remember what Black told you!"

She blinked, straining to remember what Black had said about landing. The girl looked down at the small available ground that was safety as she considered how she would land. Freefalling was out of the question. She probably would sprain her ankles. She remembered something from another game, talking about how leaning forward while landing into a roll softened your impact. Good old Zelda. Sighing, she forced herself to let go when she swung forward slightly. At the last second, she actually leaned forward, but her landing did not succeed so well. Nanaki moved in her way, softening the impact himself so that she did not receive injury.

"Oh god, I'm alive!!"

He chuckled, wincing slightly, "Yes, much to my back's protest."

"Oh I'm sorry!!"

"It's alright, now let's get moving."

Riley nodded and off they went. It was five minutes before their time would run out as each pair neared the end of the maze. The Ringmaster watched each group from a security room set up to watch each corridor of the maze while her finger tapped upon her chin in thought. They were a lot smarter and better than any of her previous victims. Feeling unsatisfied, she got up, grabbing a few things to meet the group at the end. Finally, both pairs' paths crossed and Riley grinned, suddenly running up to Black, surprising him with a hug.

"You guys are alive!"

He only blinked, feeling uncomfortable and yet at the same time, it felt nice. Unsure of what to do, he simply patted her head, "Yes. Are you alright?"

"We'll live, though we're both a little sore," Nanaki replied before taking a double-take at Shamus, "My god, what happened to you?!"

"A girl…" was all Black had to say, earning him a grunt from the boy.

Riley stared at Shamus before sighing in defeat, "Just this once, since I feel bad for you."

Shamus flinched in pain when she actually moved to hug him and his eyes grew wide in surprise. Not once had a girl ever willingly wrap her arms around his neck in a caring way. At least, not one that wasn't related to him. He seemed to go into a dreamlike state, mumbling things incoherently. This freaked Riley out, making her pull away in surprise.

"Wow, Riley, I never knew you cared," he grinned stupidly.

"Do _not_ let that hug get to you!"

Black stared at the clock before walking off, "Let's hurry, we only have a minute."

The others followed after him hurriedly as the timer began to countdown the last thirty seconds. Black skidded to a stop through the exit just as a buzzer went off, and the other barely made it through just as a thick door slammed shut, locking itself. They assumed that if they didn't make it, they would have had no escape.

"Congratulations on making it this far. You four are the first to pass through the Labyrinth alive," announced the Ringmaster as she approached them from the dark, boots clinking against the iron flooring as she smiled at them. With that said, she threw their belongings onto the floor, "As promised, your weapons are returned. However, just because you passed through the maze, doesn't mean your punishment is over."

The others looked at her in alarm while Riley stepped forward, "What kind of threat are we to you anyway?! We gone through the stupid maze, now let us go!"

Black glared at the woman, "She's not satisfied with that. Which means, we're to fight."

"Indeed." Her lips curled, "Now, prepare yourselves. I am your opponent now."

* * *

**A/N:** Oooh! Tension! What's gonna happen, huh, huh? Oh man, the next chapter is going to have a horrible ending! I'm not telling you what though! You'll have to read it. :D I'll see about posting another chapter later today sometime after I wake up and type it. Another random fact, _Mona _is a very old character I had once planned to use in a previously failed fan-fiction for FFVII that I started to write years ago. Originally, she had blue hair, so in a way, she was like a smaller and female version of Azul. But I changed it to black since I don't like making characters with completely unnatural hair colours. I think about it now, and she practically reminds me of Olga Gurlukavich (SP?) from MGS2 and Seras Victoria from Hellsing in terms of her visual design. Anyway, please R&R!


	17. Ch 16: The Resistance

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may not be correct. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent.

* * *

**Chapter 16: The Resistance**

"I am your opponent now," she began with a curl of her lips.

The others only glanced at one another, seeing as they had no other choice in the matter. They picked up their gear while staring cautiously at the woman. She waited patiently as they prepared themselves. Black walked forward slowly, approaching the woman while the others stood behind him, weapons readied. Shamus could barely stay standing as his spear extended into its full form while Riley switched up the materia in her blade. The Ringmaster held out her hand, and a halberd came out of nowhere, flying into her grip.

"What are the conditions?" the hermit asked calmly.

She smiled. "The conditions are simple. A battle to the death, and if you successfully defeat me, you are free to go. No tricks."

Riley blinked, gulping some. "To the death…?"

"Now that you are ready, let's begin!"

With that, she glided across the floor, catching Black off guard, leaping upwards with a knee to the face. He staggered backwards, pulling out the shotgun. Easily, she evaded each offending projectile. Her feet didn't even touch the ground, he noticed. Shamus then moved forward, using the spear to propel him into the air, and dive towards the opponent, ready to impale her before she held out her hand, sending him flying into another direction altogether. He slammed into the wall, yelling out in pain as he slid to the floor.

Nanaki was next, using his agility to swerve towards her in a burst of red light. She jumped over him and he skidded to a stop, leaping onto the wall then bounding back towards her. Blocking his fangs and front claws with her halberd in his mouth, she threw him off, hissing in pain to find that his back feet had dug into her thighs. She gave a disgruntled sound before twirling her weapon, charging it up with some electricity before thrusting it towards them like it was a flying disc, gliding towards them with a lethal cry of voltage. Everyone scattered, ducking and dodging each attack. Finally Riley got tired of running and cast a reflect barrier, causing it to bounce off and lose its charge, sliding across the floor. The woman regarded her, knowing she'd likely be a pain with magic on her side.

The arena was suddenly surrounded up top with the Ringmaster's followers cheering her on and banging the ends of their weapons in a rhythmic chant. She smirked, the halberd flying into her hand again as she taunted her opponents, "Do you hear that? It's the sound of your upcoming deaths. No one has ever beaten—"

Before she could finish speaking, Riley had surprised her, rushing forward and punching her across the face, making her stagger into the nearest wall. She looked at her in surprise. She did not see that coming. Riley shook her hand out, her knuckles sore from the impact, "Stop with the monologue. Do you have any idea how many people make that mistake? It leaves them open."

Black couldn't help the small smirk that she had raised from him. She was beginning to learn to read her opponents. Secretly, he felt proud to be her mentor. The Ringmaster rubbed her jaw before smiling approvingly. "Very good of you to take advantage of such an opening. However, it will be the _last_ you ever see."

Riley squeaked when the woman suddenly rushed forward, backhanding her to the next wall. Black and Shamus called out in frantic concern but saw that Riley had easily lost consciousness, currently in a heap on the floor. Shamus, angered by this, went into a stance. Intrigued by his silent challenge, she only smirked, matching his stance. They charged towards one another, her bursting off the floor over him as he thrust forward. She went to pierce him from above but he turned quickly, the sharp ends cutting the front of his shirt and across his abs, wincing in pain, but he had swung his one spear, and cut across her cheek. She scowled in minor pain. How dare he mar her precious face!

She landed and they began thrusting their weapons towards one another, moving too fast as they evaded and parried. Finally, her patience grew thin and she blocked his last attack before leaning back slightly, then leaning forward again with one foot out, hoofing him in the chest. Nanaki took this chance to attack, landing on her back, fangs digging into her shoulder with her shrill scream echoing out. Black zipped in front of her, winding her with a punch to the gut. She fell to her knees, baffled by everything that was happening. She looked up, seeing a pair of barrels in her face.

"You've lost."

Nanaki was still holding onto her by the shoulder as Shamus took away her weapon with his spear pointed at her neck. She only chuckled, slightly pained by her loss. "Then finish me. I cannot beat you, it seems."

Black seemed to consider this for a long time before he raised the gun away. "No."

"No?"

"No. You've suffered your defeat, but I will not sink to the Tsviets' level." He walked away to Riley's side, seeing she was regaining consciousness before he asked in concern, "How's your head?"

She groaned, rubbing her head. "You'd think I'd have a concussion by now."

Nanaki and Shamus released the Ringmaster as she simply sat there. Her followers came running in, aiming their weapons towards the group before she announced out loud in slight pain, "No. They are not our enemies. They're free to come and go as they please."

"But, sir!"

"Enough. They are not Tsviet followers."

"Sir?"

She stood up, looking at the others. "I hope there will be no hard feelings about this. It's just very hard to trust anybody these days."

Black regarded her while helping Riley stand. "There is none. As for trusting anybody, I can understand."

"If you require shelter, you are welcome here." She paused. "You could have killed me off and gained your freedom that way, but I see now that only the Tsviets would go that low."

"I still think the blonde needs to die," commented Mona when she walked up beside the Ringmaster.

Shamus only snorted, "Hey, it's not my fault you're so sensitive!"

"Screw you—"

He suddenly grinned jokingly. "Is that a promise?"

A red haze seemed to blur her vision and the woman beside her snapped her attention back in place with impatience hinted in her voice, "Enough, Mona! These are our friends now. Go find them a place to sleep."

Riley only continued to rub her head, figuring out that Mona was the one who inflicted those bruises on Shamus. "Um, excuse me? It'd help to know your real name. No offence but I kind of find it strange if I were to call you _Ringmaster_ the whole time."

The woman chuckled before responding softly, "It's Stella. You guys are?"

"Black."

"Nanaki."

"Riley Tombs."

"Shamus Highwind," the boy chimed proudly, despite how bad in shape he was. A dead silence seemed to reign as they all looked at Shamus. He blinked, very much confused. "What?"

Stella approached him, gripping her shoulder wound as she looked him over. "You're a Highwind?"

"Yes?" he said slowly.

She smiled suddenly. "You must be Cid Highwind's grandchild."

"Ha-ha, that I am!" he announced while scratching the back of his head.

"In that case, I have something to show you. Bring your friends. I believe what I'm about to show you will come in very handy."

With that, the group followed after her into another area of the underground. Riley glanced at Shamus' confused expression, understanding his curiosity. Black and Nanaki only followed in silence while the small army followed behind them. Stella ordered one of her men to unlock the steel door in front of her, pulling off the chains prior to walking inside pitch blackness. She reached to the wall next to her, pulling up a large switch that lit up a large underground hangar. Shamus yelled out in surprised as everyone's eyes all landed upon one thing. He covered his mouth, almost about to hyperventilate and shed tears of joys. Nanaki and Black could only stare at it wide eyed in surprise. Riley gaped at another legacy of the Jenova War, known as the infamous airship, Highwind.

"Holy crap, it's the one! It's the one he piloted! My gramps' Highwind ship! Oh man!!" He continued to babble on excitedly as he suddenly ran towards it like a kid getting his first car.

_**I stared upon this ship that held so many memories for both Nanaki and I. Cid had never told us what he had done with his old ship after he had salvaged the Sierra. I felt…nostalgic, seeing this ship again for the first time in over fifty years. I could see Cid in his grandson, knowing that maybe, he would succeed his grandfather, and perhaps, surpass him.**_

Shamus came running back, grabbing Riley's hand as he babbled some more. "C'mon! You guys have got to see this! I'm gonna tune up this baby and she's gonna do more than fly!"

Riley could only laugh as she followed after him, almost just as excited as him. "Okay! I'm coming! Stop pulling on me!"

Nanaki seemed to grin before looking at Black while Shamus' voice could be heard in the distance, "Yes! The bikini goddess is still there!!" Everyone began to laugh as Black and Nanaki smiled.

_**Some things never change.**_

Later, the group was brought back to the conference room in the Chocobo Square, and Stella explained to them that her small army is a growing resistance against the Tsviets, and chose the Gold Saucer because it probably would have been suitable for a possible battleground. This explained why most of the members had acrobatic abilities.

"Now tell me, what are you four doing travelling? You said you were actually rebelling against the Tsviets?"

Black nodded. "Yes. Well, it didn't start off that way." He began explaining what had happened so far. Nearing the end of his story, he brought out the red marble, placing it on the table before her. "So, out of seven, we have one. At least, we like to believe that this is one of those power fragments. We're travelling now to obtain these fragments before Genesis gets his hands on them."

"I see. Then perhaps this may help your efforts to some degree." With that said, she reached into her coat, placing something next to the marble. Removing her hand, she revealed a similar marble, only blue.

"This is…!"

She watched them as they gaped at the marble twin. "My family has waited a long time protecting this fragment. Each fragment should only be presented with the succession of a test. My family guarded this particular one, and we had little information about these tiny old things. Each one contains a characteristic that one must fulfill in order to earn its possession."

"How old is your family?" Shamus asked bluntly.

She chuckled. "Well, pretty old, as there are many generations. However, my family was killed by Rosso and Weiss, doing all of Genesis' dirty work. So, my sister and I are the last of this family."

Shamus' attention was caught, "Sister?"

"You've met her. She's the one who gave you all those bruises." He made a disgruntled noise as she laughed.

Nanaki lay upon the table, enjoying the distracted strokes of Riley's fingers through his mane. She couldn't help it. It was like being with her cat Whiskey. He spoke just as distractedly as her fingers, "Tell us what you know about these fragments."

"Well, to start off, as I've already told you, each one contains a certain characteristic or trait that one must have in order to obtain them. For example, this red marble is known as the Fragment of Valour. And you said you got it through defeating a giant monster?"

Riley seemed to shudder, "A big…spider…"

She chuckled, "Well, since you're afraid of spiders, you defeated that fear and thus earned this fragment by means of courage."

"But I was still afraid!"

"Courage doesn't mean not being afraid. Not being afraid is just being foolish. Courage is the willingness to face your fears, even if you're shaking in your boots."

Shamus pointed to the blue marble. "What's that one represent then?"

"That represents Mercy. I only gave that to you because you have shown me such, and so you've earned it."

"How did you obtain such a thing anyway? How do you know all this?" asked Nanaki.

"I wish I could tell you, but even I don't know much about my own family's history. As for knowing, well, it was kind of pounded into my head by my folks. It's information that must be passed on from one generation to the next."

"I see," Black began. "We're going to need the Highwind."

Shamus stood up suddenly, pointing almost accusingly. "We are NOT going anywhere in that!"

Black arched his brow. "And why not?"

"Because…" There was a long pause as everyone waited for him to answer. "I have a lot of modifications to do to it. It'll be better than what it is now! It'll become the new Ceto and new Highwind, put together! Or better!"

"I hope better," Black said bitterly.

Shamus froze before looking at him. "You're encouraging it?!"

"Well, you're right. It's over fifty years old, after all."

"W-wow! Black, I'm so touched!!"

Before Shamus could hug him in joy, Black moved out of the way, regarding Stella. "We're probably going to be here for awhile. Is that alright?"

"Certainly." She stood up just as someone ran into the room. "What's wrong? Why are you so out of breath?"

"Sir, one of the Tsviets is here! It's Rosso!"

"What?! Where is she now?!"

The man began to stammer, "She's waiting for you to come out."

The gang looked at each other before nodding, grabbing their weapons as they ran out with Stella. They followed the young man to the entrance of the park, entering the main hall to see the Crimson herself standing there with a few bodies lying at her feet. Stella gasped, seeing the losses of her me before scowling.

"Rosso, you bitch!!"

"Oh, hush now…they had it coming after all." She chortled evilly, "You don't really expect anything less from me, do you? Oh!" She saw Riley and Black now standing beside the Ringmaster before laughing, "Well, isn't this a sight! I come here, expecting to kill off the Resistance, but I never expected to see you two again." Guns were aimed at her as she regarded most of them thoughtfully. She only laughed once more, "I see. Joining forces, are we? Despite your best efforts though, you will all die. And, I'll be taking that Omni-Materia."

Black only held out his shotgun, aiming for her head. Maybe she'd shut up if he shot her now. "I don't think so Rosso. You're going to have to kill us if you plan on taking the materia. But therein lies the problem for you…you won't be able to."

She only snorted in response, "So you believe, darling." She grabbed her weapon with that evil smirk, extending it into the double-saber. "Unfortunately for you, I will not be taken by surprise like the last time."

With that, everyone began firing at her as she became infused with a red aura and Riley knew she was going into Blood-burst mode. Everyone was going to die! Black could sense her unease and grabbed Shamus before he could rush in. They stopped firing and Rosso stood there, her laughter gradually getting louder before a red wave burst from her body like a shockwave, a barrage of red blades of light flying through the air, taking down most surrounding her before Riley used All and Barrier, blocking the rest of the attacks. Rosso sort of spat onto the ground, as if disapproving Riley's barrier.

"You're going to die first."

She moved forward quickly and Stella intercepted her path, ready to jam her halberd into Rosso's face, but the evil woman twirled out of the way, jump back from each of Stella's attacks. Black ordered Riley to go heal everyone before running off with Shamus and Red to assist their new comrade. Black loaded the shells quickly, firing at will as he ran towards the enemy. Rosso only twirled out of the way before Shamus went to swipe at her with his own weapon, dodging each strike he made, jumping up a series of crates afterwards, only to be leapt at from the front by Nanaki. She skidded across the floor and rolled backwards, kicking off the feline.

Rosso blinked as she looked above her to see Mona come out of nowhere, dodging just in time to avoid being pummeled by a fatal punch. Mona stood up, launcher on her back as her aura swirled around her. "Pay back time, Rosso."

Rosso only laughed, "Just try it, impudent weakling."

Mona leaned frontward, being propelled by her own aura as she leapt for Rosso. Her movements were quick as she swung fists and sent her kicks flying. In turn, Rosso danced with her own hostility, swinging her weapon around like a baton, charging up with a red aura before swinging it downwards to slice off her arm. Black had rushed in, grabbing Rosso's wrist before twisting her around and bringing her into an arm lock, causing her to drop her weapon. She hissed, sending her leg flying upwards into his face, spinning around swiftly to backhand his face, and then quickly knee him in the stomach. He keeled over from the pain as Shamus leapfrogged over him, delivering a kick into her chest, waving his weapon around, before smacking her across the face.

Rosso scowled and Nanaki rushed between her legs, making her fall onto her back as Shamus leapt into the air, doing a Boost Jump towards her. She rolled out of the way, only to have to roll again from another pointy end of a stick as both Stella and Shamus went to impale her to the ground. Her patience ran out before kicking them both, both staggering away as she jumped to her feet. Suddenly, a missile landed at her feet and sent her flying back from the blast, hitting a wall with a yelp. She fell to the floor, barely landing on her feet as she scowled. She was about ready to get serious when she heard a beep and a blue light began to blink on her uniform.

"It seems that I have been hailed. We will meet again." Both Shamus and Stella threw their weapons, Rosso jumping out of the way and on top of the transport that would have led to North Corel station. She glared at her enemies, or what she would have considered her prey in the near future. She spotted Riley, healing an injured man before smirking. "However, not everyone should go unpunished."

With that, she swung her hand, sending another red blade through the air, flying towards Riley. Black reacted, yelling out for Riley to get out of the way. Knowing it was already too late, he quickly made a choice, flashing across the distance in a single instant, intercepting the attack while pushing her out of the way. All that was heard was Rosso's evil laughter as she ran off, disappearing, and Black's cry of pain.

Riley wasn't sure what happened as she winced, having been pushed a little too hard as she got up. She heard frantic voices and her head spun around, looking at Black, seeing him on the ground, but still moving as Stella shot out orders to her uninjured followers as she knelt by Black's side. The girl stood up slowly, Shamus running to her side to make sure she was alright. She ignored him, pushing him away distractedly as she walked over to where Black was. Her body trembled more violently with each step, dreading the worst. When she could see over the people, she screamed, covering her mouth. Shamus pulled her into his chest, covering her eyes and walking her away from the sight.

Rosso had cut off his left leg.

* * *

**A/N:** Oh man! I didn't wanna do this to Vinny! T.T I feel like a horrible person. I deserve to be shot! I'm so sorry! But it had to be done. We will miss you Left Leg. Actually, I had a dream that Vincent was missing his left leg and that's EXACTLY what inspired me to write this story….Weird huh? I'm so morbid!! DX Next chapter is going to be the emotional one I mentioned. No jokes from Shamus or anything of the likes :( Also, I'd like to mention that if you see any spelling errors or missing letters, it's because my keyboard is starting to die…like Vincent's leg T.T I'll try to update tonight. Anyway R&R please!


	18. Ch 17: Tears

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may not be correct. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent.

* * *

**Chapter 17: Tears**

Black wheezed heavily into the mask that was held over his face while the medics worked on his leg. Never did he expect to sacrifice himself for a mere girl that he met only months ago. He cried out in pain when they scalded the wound, trying to cease its bleeding. This made Riley, who stood in the next room, to flinch in response. Shamus held her against him, feeling just as uneasy as her, unable to watch. Riley had buried her face in his chest, gripping his shirt tightly while trembling. Nanaki was the only one watching intently, concern and dread written on his face.

An hour had passed before they managed to stop the bleeding thanks to some Regen magic. They were working on multiple things while Black lay on that table, breathing a little less heavily. His heartbeat was slower than normal, indicated by the heart monitor. Stella had gone in, talking to all the medics in the room before nodding, leaving the room, afterwards turning to face the trio.

"They managed to stop the bleeding, but he's still in a kind of state where he's going to die."

Riley flinched again and Shamus placed his hand on top of her head as he regarded the woman, "What's wrong with him?"

"An infection has already taken place in the wound and frankly we don't have any medicine for that sort of thing. Some of my other men are suffering from the same thing but not as severe. They're doing all they can to disinfect it and prolong his life, but at this rate at which the infection is growing, he's got a week at most."

Nanaki's ears fell back, his eye holding that sadness whenever he stared upon the graves of his comrades. "Isn't there anything we can do?"

Stella considered this before answering him, "There's a very rare herb that's better than those that were used to make remedies back in the old days. It's called Phoenix Tears. They're rare because they only grow in Cosmo Canyon. Even just one with enough seeds would be enough to cure everybody, even Black."

"How rare are they?"

"Well, they used to be more abundant before Genesis. You'd be lucky to find even one."

"Then it's no wonder I haven't seen them."

Riley finally pulled away from Shamus, being asked if she was alright as she nodded. Her voice was small and shaky with each breathed word, "Can I see him?"

Stella nodded but asked her to wait a bit before going in. The medics continued to tend to Black for awhile until he was in a calmer state. The room was eventually cleared and she allowed the girl inside. Shamus was about to follow but Nanaki shook his head, informing him that they should be alone for the time being. Nanaki walked off with Stella to obtain more information about the Phoenix Tears as Shamus stayed behind, watching Riley from the window.

Riley sat down beside Black's bed, watching him with exhaustion. Black breathed into the mask still, but sensed her presence, slowly opening his eyes and looking at her half-lidded, "Oh…hello."

She gave him a wry smile, "Hi."

"How…are you?"

She looked down, about ready to choke with tears, "Don't ask me that."

He sighed, closing his eyes briefly, "Listen, Riley, if I'm to die—"

"Don't talk like that! I…I don't wanna hear about it," she demanded while covering her ears.

He paused, being the most patient person in the world. "Riley…" She looked at him, tears threatening to fall, but she didn't let them. "_If_ it is to happen…I don't want you looking for Valentine anymore. You won't find him."

"W-what are you saying?"

"Just trust me when I say you won't find him. Also…I want to tell you that I feel proud to have been your mentor. And I wish I could stay longer to teach you more, so that I'd be…sure…" He coughed, raising his hand when Riley stood up in alarm, telling her he was fine before continuing. "Sure that you'd be alright, even if you were to face Genesis."

"But I—"

"Riley, it's inevitable. I won't be around forever."

She looked at him. "Why did you save me?" It was a question that had been bothering her ever since the incident.

He chuckled weakly, "It's funny how people always ask why." She didn't answer, waiting for him to answer her. He sighed in defeat as he continued. "You're still young, but that isn't the only reason. I'd rather not admit it, but I've grown accustomed to your presence. Also, I'm old and tired. I've lost a lot of reasons to live thanks to the Tsviets. I have too many regrets, and I'd rather not build up on them any further, especially with your death." He finally looked at her after he finished, surprised to see a completely different look on Riley's face.

"Listen you old fart, if you die, I'll never forgive you. And if you die, I'll be living with this guilt for the rest of my life. So in other words, you better not fucking die, or else I'll gather these fragments, bring you back to life, and hit you until you're bruised all over! If…the tablet thing is true of course."

"Riley…" In a way, he felt touched by these words, despite the fact it promised him some pain if he did die. "I…"

She shook her head standing up. "I don't care what you say. You're going to live. Screw the infection in your leg! I'll cure it! I'll find those Phoenix Tears and you'll live. I'm not losing one of the few friends I have because of Rosso. You better be alive when I get back!"

Before he could say anything, she ran out and he only sat there, unable to stop her before sighing. _She's going to be in for disappointment if she finds out…_

An hour later, Riley was already prepared. Shamus and Nanaki had decided to come, seeing as they were a team, and the more people looking, the better. Stella lent them a buggy with a removable top so that they could get over the quicksand and back to Cosmo Canyon quickly. The trip would have shortened to two and a half days. Shamus got into the vehicle and loved how the engine purred beneath him. He looked to Riley who sat in the back, not even looking out front. She rested her arms on her side's door, chin resting on those arms.

And there were off. Shamus didn't get much sleep since he was the only one who could drive, but he eventually taught Riley the basic controls so that he could get some shuteye while Nanaki helped her navigate. She stopped the buggy an hour away from reaching the canyon with the feline giving her a perplexed stare. She only seemed to gaze off into space, her eyes pinned to the steering wheel.

"Riley?"

"What if I fail him?"

He sighed, "Riley, you won't. We'll all be searching for these herbs. We've got to find at least one."

"She said he'd die within the week because the infection became so severe so fast. What if Rosso poisoned him even though I don't understand how or why—"

"Riley…" She looked at him. "We'll save him. But there's no time for doubts if we want to cure him before such a terrible thing happens. I was told by Black that you know everything that happened in the past…where you come from. Everything. So, I'll say this…do you remember when Geostigma took over? Cloud had his doubts too, thinking that it couldn't be cured. Finally after some consideration of what his friends had told him, he put aside his doubts, and in the end, the stigma was cured."

She nodded but quickly shook her head afterwards, "I'm not Cloud. I'm not Tifa. I'm not any of them. I'm no god damn hero!" She punctuated each word by hitting the steering wheel.

Nanaki considered this before playing his trump card, "Would Vincent Valentine give up? Better yet, would Black give up if you were the one in that state instead? Would you rather he let you die and have one of you killed off rather than save you and give you the chance to save him so that both of you would live?"

She looked at him then looked at the road ahead of her as she considered. Instead of answering him, she turned on the ignition and slammed on the gas, zipping forward. Like hell she was gonna put his sacrifice in vain! Like hell she was gonna give up and let him die! And like hell she was to let Rosso get away with it! That evil woman was not going to win this little game of hers. Riley had made a silent vow that the woman would get what was coming to her.

An hour later, they reached the outskirts of the canyon. Nanaki woke Shamus before informing them that he would go to the village and see if anybody had any the Phoenix Tears or knew where to find them. With that, the group split up after reviewing what the herbs looked like. Nanaki travelled back to the village, feeling more crestfallen as time went by, finding that no one knew about these herbs. Then an idea suddenly struck him as he thought of Shelke, running up to his grandfather's house, entering the simulation room.

"Shelke, I have returned."

Shelke digitally took form before him in a ray of light, "Back so soon?"

"I need your help. Gather any information you have about Phoenix Tears, an herb."

"What's the matter?"

"Black's been hurt and we're looking for them now."

"Very well." There was a pause as she did a quick search. Abruptly, various holographic screens appeared before him, "Phoenix Tears, an age old remedy long since abandoned due to the fact it became endangered, thus a less concentrated formula known simply as Remedy was concocted. They were known to grow only in the Cosmo Canyon area, dominantly the Southern part. They tend to sprout on the side of walls where it is nearly impossible to reach without the proper gear. Extracting these herbs require the soil from Cosmo Canyon. However, if they are not extracted with care, they die within a matter of hours. The seeds that hang from this herb is what is most concentrated, curing almost all forms of ailments such as poison, blindness, and even the most lethal of infections of a wound. Is that what you're looking for?"

"Yes, thank you. Perhaps we shall return, hopefully with Black. Call Shamus and Riley; tell them what you told me."

He ran off and out of the village as Shelke nodded. Meanwhile, Shelke had called the two, repeating the information to them as they confirmed and decided to meet Nanaki in the Southern area. It was an hour later that they stood there together, while Nanaki drew something on the ground with one of his claws, trying to imitate a map of South Canyon. When they assigned themselves a third of the area each, they split, running in different directions as they searched the walls. Shamus even went as far as to try and climb the walls, and make some cracks bigger to see if any were hiding.

Hours had passed by and nothing was found. It was nearing twilight when Riley was about to give up in her area, sighing in frustration. They had two days to look and return. Maybe they'd get lucky and Black would last longer. No…he had to! She was about ready to break down as she looked around, her footsteps becoming more frantic as she started to pace, suddenly kicking the dirt before screaming. She fell to her knees, and finally let the tears she had been holding back this whole time fall. She hiccupped, falling to her side in defeat, just laying on the ground, staring at the ground through blurred vision. The sky seemed to share her sentiment as it began to cry as well as raindrops fell. What was she to do? Would this be the first time she would feel loss?

Her emotional thoughts were interrupted by a voice of mockery. The root of her malice. "My, my, if it isn't the keeper of the Omni-Materia. We meet again. I missed you. Literally."

Slowly, Riley's hand tightened into a fist, collecting the dirt between her curled fingers as she gradually moved to stand up. Turning to face Rosso, she lifted her cold eyes, showing pent up rage for the woman. "You got a lot of nerve showing your ugly face after what you did."

"Ugly? How can you say that? I look better than you, after all."

Riley only scoffed, "Whatever floats your boat, bitch. I'm the last person to care about their looks. I'm more concerned with how I'm gonna pay you back. Maybe you could help me. Should I skin your face, or rip off your head?"

Rosso only laughed in turn, "That's really dark coming from you. I, however, don't believe you're capable of such…atrocities."

"Try me and we'll see if I can change that," she challenged in return as she grabbed Nemesis.

Rosso only smirked, grabbing her own weapon, unfolding the blades as she aimed it towards her. Riley had seen this before when Vincent had met Rosso for the first time. Just as Rosso fired her gun, Riley had moved out of the way of the bullets, skidding slightly as she ran forward, jumping into the air, as she swung her blade downward with a scream, having it blocked by Rosso's blade. Riley quickly planted her boots on the flat surface of Rosso's blade, having her fall down slightly from the weight before sending a boot straight into her face, sending her staggering back, dropping the double-saber entirely.

Rosso grabbed her face, staring up in surprise, "It seems I have briefly underestimated such an amateur. I will have to fire things up a bit. I think I will toy with you for awhile, though."

Riley briefly listened to her but didn't care, rushing towards her again as she spun around the sword quickly to position it as an elbow blade. Rosso quickly ducked her head, doing the splits before she practically break danced, tripping the girl, ready to slam her heel into her face but Riley had rolled out of the way. Rosso jumped to her feet, grabbing the girl by the hair, satisfied with the pained scream. Rosso gripped her head in a way that could snap her neck any second. She proceeded to do so, but Riley reacted by jumping into Rosso's nose with her head. The woman staggered as Riley rubbed her neck, panting slightly as she glared at the woman.

Rosso hissed in hatred as she returned the furious glare. They stared each other down before Rosso suddenly chuckled, then began to laugh, wiping her mouth of the blood that had seeped out from when Riley kicked her in the face. Slowly, she walked over to her weapon, picking it up by a lift of her toes. She went into a subtle stance, obviously challenging the girl. Riley, taking the bait, rushed toward her, screaming as she dragged her sword across the ground. The materia charged up in her blade as she prepared to unleash her Terra Wave.

Just as she was about to, Rosso flashed out of sight and appeared up close, her own blade covered with an aura as she locked blades, causing the Terra Wave to backfire and explode between them, sending them both flying. Riley skidded across the ground, near the edge of a cliff while Rosso hit a nearby wall, laughing her ass off. Riley groaned, gripping the edge. Her body felt numb yet she still felt the pain that was inflicted by her own attack. Her slightly blurred vision looked down, head hanging from the edge before blinking. Her vision eventually cleared and she could see it. Below her, sitting on a very small ledge that was barely large enough for a hand to grip was a tall plant, its stem and leafs dark green. The leafs themselves were jagged and hanging from each point of the leafs were tiny little tear-drop shaped seeds, coloured like tiny fiery jewels.

_Black's gonna be okay! Hold on old fart!_

Before she could get up in her abrupt excitement, Rosso had walked over, grabbing her hair, "Time to die."

Riley cried out just as a blade was brought to her neck and she elbowed the woman with a strength she never knew she had, winding her as she let go. Riley turned around, grabbing Rosso's hair this time on both sides of her head, bringing her face into her knee. The woman screamed, staggering back as she grabbed her face and was about to look up when she was suddenly slapped, much to her surprise, then slapped again with the back of Riley's hand.

"You're in my way."

Rosso only laughed, rubbing her face, "Then try to do something about it."

Riley picked up her sword, moving forward afterwards, she slid between Rosso's legs, grabbing the red fluffy thing she had attached to her attire, pulling on her as she attempted to swing her around. The enemy spun around, twisting herself in the fur before grabbing her head and head-butting it, causing Riley to recoil. Rosso spun the opposite way, rushing towards the girl to grab the back of her vest and slam her into the ground, dragging her across it. Riley stayed there for a moment as Rosso spun her blades, ready to impale her to the ground before the girl rolled out of the way, tripping her in the process.

Riley climbed on top of her, grabbing the top of her hair as she began punching Rosso numerously. Rosso pulled on her ear, pulling the girl off as they switched sides, delivering her own series of flying fists. Unlike Rosso, Riley could not take as much damage. She coughed out blood, as Rosso stood up, panting slightly as she grabbed her weapon once more, amused that Riley struggled to roll onto her stomach and begin crawling away.

"Now it's time for you to die. Give my regards to Vincent Valentine when you return to the lifestream."

Riley began to reach for where the Phoenix Tears sat, untouched by the violence. Tears began to stream down her face as she realized she had failed her mentor. Not only would she die, but so would he. Rosso stood over her body, ready to strike her down successfully. Riley was about to give up when she suddenly heard that voice from before.

_Get up!_

The Omni-Materia began to glow from her sword, reacting to her desperation. Rosso noticed this, perplexed by its response to Riley. Taking no time at all, she went to thrust her blade through her back, only to be blocked by a barrier. Riley seemed to have snuck out materia from her pocket, panting heavily. Rosso screamed, banging her weapon against the shield, a chime ringing out each time. Riley rolled over with a smug but weak grin. This only succeeded in pissing off the Tsviet further.

"You mock me?!"

"Yeah, I do," she replied easily. She proceeded to stand as Rosso continued her attempts to break down the shield. Rosso panted from her efforts as Riley walked over to pick up her sword. Her magic didn't hold for long as Rosso saw that it dropped unintentionally.

She laughed, "So, you're on your last shred of strength."

Riley's face hurt, and she had an immense headache, bruises already beginning to show on her visage. Instead of saying anything, she went into a defensive stance. Rosso snorted, moving forward in a flash, knocking the girl back with a hoof in the chest. Riley staggered, barely keeping her balance as she panted, spitting out blood onto the ground. That was a lot of blood, she mused, barely keeping her head straight, let alone stay standing.

The Tsviet only continued to move forward, lashing out with her blades. Riley could barely block any of them before she was brought to one knee, the pressure getting to her. Finally she screamed and forced herself to plant her feet after getting back up. She swung Nemesis with a force that even sent Rosso skidding back about ten feet. Riley wheezed, her exhaustion and pain getting the better of her as she glared at Rosso.

"You make an attempt at my life, only succeeding in permanently injuring my mentor and friend. Well, let me tell you something _Rosso the Crimson_, you're pretty much fucked now because you've also succeeded in royally pissing me off!"

Rosso watched as Riley's eyes began to glow a fiery blue through the now heavy rain, an aura to match swirling around her body. The Tsviet watched in small awe, stepping back cautiously as the aura was suddenly absorbed into the blade of Nemesis, pulsing with that same aura, getting brighter by the second. Rosso thought it best not to challenge this power head to head while she only continued to step back.

Riley glared at her with an intensity of fire, "Good-bye."

With that, she harshly swung her sword, a huge wave of blue fire emitted from the blade, expanding with each passing nanosecond. It lit up the entire area, engulfing the area outside the flames in a blue glow. Rosso screamed, the heat of the flames too much as she was engulfed in black mist, disappearing from the area entirely.

The flames slowly dispersed, leaving Riley in bad shape. She could barely stand. However, only one thing was on her mind at this point. Slowly, the girl turned to where the Phoenix Tears sat in waiting. She fell to her knees at the edge, trying to reach down. Struggling to reach it, she cried, being too exhausted to try. The last attack had left her dry of any strength. At that moment, the herbs began to glow in response to the Omni-Materia, a small light emerging and floating up to Riley, landing softly in front of her unconscious and heavily bruised face. The light dimmed, revealing a purple fragment.

Waking up screaming, Riley stopped abruptly, shaking terribly, finding herself in an unfamiliar room. No, it was like a hotel room with a Halloween theme to it. At that moment, she realized where she was, instantly going into panic. She threw the blankets off her, ignoring the massive headache she had as she ran out the door, running downstairs of the Ghost Hotel, only to be intercepted by Nanaki.

"Riley! How are you feeling?"

"No time! The Phoenix—"

"We saw them when we found you lying where you were out cold. Shamus and I saw a blue light and came running. It's alright, we came back in time. It seems you also found another fragment."

"What?"

He shook his head, sitting with his tail swaying behind him. "We were going to ask you about that. I suppose it appeared when you blacked out."

"Screw the fragment, where's Black?!"

Stella waltz into the room, crossing her arms with a smile. "Thanks to your efforts, we've managed to use the seeds to cure the infection, however, he'll require some time to recover."

Nanaki looked down. "Unfortunately, he'll have only one leg for the rest of his life."

"Oh, I see…it is my fault after all," she stated, looking down.

"No, Riley! Black doesn't think that at all. Don't put yourself down like that. He wouldn't have it."

She inhaled deeply as she looked back up at Red. "Okay. Where's Shamus?"

"He's currently working on the Highwind, ever since he was certain both you and Black were going to be alright."

"How's Black now?"

"He's asleep right now, but I'm sure he'll wake up if you go to see him," Stella replied.

Riley nodded, walking past both of them, heading straight for the medical wing located at Battle Square. She nodded to some of the people she passed in greeting, eventually reaching Black's room. Quietly, she opened the door, turning around swiftly to close the door as silently as possible. It didn't work since Black was already awake with his eyes closed, smirking with amusement at her attempts. He opened his eyes, startling her when she turned around.

"Oh, I thought you were sleeping so I…um, yeah."

He chuckled, "Thanks for the thought, but I would prefer to be awake right now." He extended his hand out towards the seat next to the bed, urging her to take her place in it. She did so as he continued to speak, "Thank you."

"You already said thanks."

He shook his head. "No, I mean…for saving my life."

"Oh, I…" she trailed off, looking down as she pieced together what she wanted to say, "I didn't want you to die. You're one of the few friends I have after all."

He watched her for a time, his dark pools soft with understanding. "I understand. I heard you went through hell to get those herbs."

"Well, you lost your leg because of me—"

"Stop." She did so, listening to him with her undivided attention. "I made a choice. You made yours. It's as simple as that. But I…" He could see the healing bruises on her face, mentally scolding himself that he wasn't there to protect her when she needed him. No…she needed Vincent. "I don't want you getting hurt for my sake. You're still too young to lose your life over something as big as taking on the Tsviets."

For a long time she considered his words, and she surprised him with her tears he had never seen stream down her face, "I don't want you or anybody getting hurt for _my_ sake. I can't…I've never lost anybody, so I…I don't think I could…"

He gaped, hearing her sobs as she attempted to quickly erase away the evidence of her emotions, only to sob harder. "Riley…I never knew that was the case," he admitted to her in sympathy.

_**What was harder than seeing a woman cry, was hearing the sobs of a woman who never cried. I have rarely seen Riley on the verge of tears, but never have I seen her let them fall. It was proof that she was human, unlike me, but I was still a man. I thought my emotions died with my friends, but in this single moment, she had proved that wrong, showing me that I could still be affected by a woman's tears. And in this single moment, I felt compelled by something unknown.**_

Black sat up straighter, reaching out with his hand, touching her face gently with his bare fingertip. This surprised her out of her sobbing state, staring at him with wide eyes and a mouth that was ajar in minor shock. He did not pull his hand away, despite his usual instinct to do so. In fact, it was usual instinct to keep distant, not reach out in this way. His fingertips ran gently over a couple of the bruises down the side of her face before caressing his thumb over her cheek, wiping away her tears.

He didn't understand what he was doing, but he didn't stop either, moving his hand to the other side of her face, wiping away the tears o that side with the backs of his fingers. Part of her couldn't breathe, and she dare not move. In one way, for reasons unknown, the contact quickened her heartbeat, thrilling her senses, while in another way, she was wondering why the hell an old man was touching her like this! She didn't understand just as much as he didn't.

"Uh…Black?" He didn't respond, part of him forgetting that he was still disguised as the old man. "Black?"

He finally snapped back to reality, pulling his hand away, but his eyes never left hers, "A smile suits you better, Riley." With that, he looked away, mentally scolding himself once more for letting his emotions get out of hand. "You should see if Stella has anything for those bruises."

Slowly, she nodded, getting up from her seat as she sniffed and wiped away the rest of her tears, walking out without a word. He watched her leave before sighing to himself.

_What's wrong with me?

* * *

_

**A/N:** Longest chapter _yet_! I fail at emotional chapters, but I hope you guys enjoyed it regardless. YAY! Vincent's gonna be okay, AND he showed the first sign of affection!! Hmm, what's gonna happen next? Well, to be honest, the next chapter is sort of just gonna be a filler since even the group needs a break from fighting :D. ALSO I think I'm gonna do a character interview thing at the end of each chapter, just for laughs :P. So, go ahead and write in your reviews a question for any of the characters. That's right...ANY OF THEM. Vincent, Rosso, Riley, Weiss, Shamus...ANY OF THEM. You can ask as many questions as you like, but I'll be picking about ten or less per chapter until the story ends. Right guys?

Vincent: ...There will be no shame in these questions will there?  
Me: Nope. They're allowed to ask you anything.  
Riley: *blinks* That's a frightening thought.  
Shamus: As long as they're girls, I'll answer with no restraint. I'll even take off my shirt--  
Riley: *gives him a death glare*  
Shamus: O.O;;

Anyway, please R&R, and start asking!


	19. Ch 18: Enter Highwind Ceto

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may not be correct. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent.

* * *

**Chapter 18: Enter Highwind Ceto**

"You have failed me, Rosso."

The Tsviet was a third burnt from Riley's attack, struggling to stay standing as she panted in reply, "She…surprised me, darling."

Genesis only shook his head in the dark, only his luminescent eyes evident of any expression. "You have made several attempts to retrieve the Omni-Materia, which I so desire. You've been given plenty of opportunities, and not once did you succeed. Lately, I've been losing any faith I had in you. My patience with you is growing thin."

"But, my dear—"

"Enough. Despite your failures, you are still required. You will be given a new task. Weiss will be the one to confront," he chuckled, "_New_ AVALANCHE. But Rosso, tell me about this group."

Rosso forced herself to stand up straight as she struggled to pace while she explained. "First is the girl, Riley Tombs, whom the Omni-Materia seems to react willingly with as if she was its chosen keeper." She hissed, "She's the one who did this to me. Two times she has defeated me with a limit break."

"This isn't important to me."

She paused, choosing her words carefully. "Then there's an old member from AVALANCHE that was dubbed Red XIII by Professor Hojo."

"Ah yes, I do remember that creature."

"There's also the grandson of Cid Highwind, Shamus. I don't know if he has the same skills as his grandfather, mechanically speaking, but he seems versed enough in combat."

Weiss, who had been listening from a dark corner, suddenly spoke out, "You mentioned another in that group. Black, wasn't it?"

The Crimson smirked, "Yes, but fortunately when I made an attempt at that girl's life, he got in the way and…" she chortled evilly, "He just happened to lose a leg. Though, his movement to save her was somewhat peculiar. It wasn't human. No normal being would have made it that fast. And it's a wonder that he hasn't fallen over dead from a heart-attack considering his age. I'd say roughly between late fifties, early sixties."

Genesis stood up, "Well, regardless, they will fail like AVALANCHE had and the gears of my plan are already starting to turn. It is only a matter of time till I shape this world with my very hands. Rosso, you are lucky Weiss pulled you out of that attack. I could have let that girl kill you. However, I have a new task for you. Weiss will present the details. And Rosso, do not fail me again." With a swish of his coat, he left the room entirely.

Weiss pushed himself off the wall, walking towards the Crimson, "Rosso, I believe it is time you knew a little secret."

* * *

A month had passed since the incident, and Black required the time to recover while Shamus worked on the Highwind, close to completing his own personal modifications. In this time Nanaki took it upon himself to train Riley, with Stella's help. They had started her with balancing on high beams, which had frightened her to no end. However, being purposely left up there, clinging to a track with her life had helped her slowly overcome the fear of heights…all due to the fact she needed to go to the bathroom. Then they proceeded to teach her other things, like learning to jump high enough to defy physics as was common in video games. Riley was even taking sparring matches and demonstrated both her limit breaks to Nanaki. Terra Wave was doable, but Nanaki realized that her second level was more of a last measure, seeing as she had passed out again right after she suddenly figured out a name for it, dubbing it _Blue Phoenix_.

Currently, Mona stood in the conference room, eye twitching in annoyance. "You want me to do _what_?"

Stella maintained her patience in front of her younger sister, fingers entwined together in thought. "I want you to join with them. As far as both parties go, they're going to need all the assistance they can get. Besides, getting out into the world may be good for you."

Mona crossed her arms in defiance, "I won't do it. That blonde's an idiot. And that old man is suspicious. Plus the girl is weak and the cat thing is just _weird_."

"That _cat thing_ happens to be the last member of AVALANCHE; Shamus is the grandson of a famous pilot who was part of AVALANCHE. As for Riley, that's why Nanaki had asked me to train her while Black is bedridden. Now what are you talking about Black?"

"He's got the same kind of power as me, I think. I've seen it, but he didn't use it for some reason. Most would."

"So, he's different. This group is a little on the strange side, but they could use an aggressor such as yourself to even things out against the Tsviets. Besides, if Rosso shows up to get their Omni-Materia, you'll have the chance to settle an old score."

Mona only snorted, "So you're just trying to get rid of me."

"No…that's not it. I really want to help them myself, but I'm stuck here. I need you to go in my place. Help them find the fragments."

For a long time, Mona said nothing before sighing in defeat, "Whatever you want sis."

Meanwhile, Riley had finished up her training finding the employee shower rooms as she stood under the warm sprays. Her mind had been stuck with the image of Black's gentle touch. For reasons she couldn't comprehend, she was strangely not disturbed by it. Suddenly she shivered, despite the warmth of the water. Maybe he had been alone for so long that he couldn't help it at the time.

"_I've grown accustomed to your presence."_

A sort of warmth rose to her cheeks. She gasped, turning the water cold quickly, thinking that the heat was getting to her. Yeah, that was all. This was wrong! _Wrong_!! But then why would he…? Suddenly she began to piece together what could have been a logical solution. Shamus was having an influence on the old man! Yeah, that was it! Suddenly she whimpered, shivering as she turned off the water. Perhaps that was too much cold water all at once.

Maybe she should ask him first before jumping to conclusions. Besides, it had been a few days since he had seen her. In fact, she had mostly avoided him after that single moment, feeling awkward around him. She wandered down to his room, blinking that Black was _standing_. What?! She ran inside, thinking a miracle happened. Black was indeed standing on two legs. However, his left one had been replaced with an intricately made robotic appendage. Boy, did Riley feel stupid. She honestly thought his leg was reattached. A couple of medics were helping him stand as he got the feel for the limb.

"Hmm, will it endure?"

"It's made of titanium alloy. We've been working on this for years. It's meant to replace missing limbs of soldiers so that they could continue fighting if they wanted."

"I see. I'll have to try it out beforehand."

"That would be recommended since we're not sure if it works yet. But we can at least see if the controls are responding to your mental commands. Try walking around."

Black was slowly released before he walked forward, turning and finally spotting the girl staring in odd fascination, "Riley?"

"Eh? Oh, I'm sorry for interrupting…I…umm…can I say that looks weird?"

He chuckled. He knew she was referring to the fact that she could see the inner workings of the leg. The medics nodded to one another before helping him sit down. Riley could tell he wasn't used to it yet, realizing that they had been working on his leg for the past month. He extended out the leg as they detached it from him. Riley watched, seeing that Rosso had cut it off just above his knee. The stub had been operated on, attaching a latching ring onto his leg. Thankfully it didn't look gross or anything. While she watched, they placed a titanium shell over the leg, making it look more like a leg. His foot even had indents of toes.

They reattached it before Black asked, "Will it be fine in water?"

"Titanium is water resistant, so it should be fine. But we'll have you learn how to give proper maintenance to the attachment."

The other guy grinned, "Well, at least that bitch didn't take away something more important than your leg!"

"I would not want to live if I lost mine."

Riley took a moment before it clicked, turning beet red. Black cleared his throat, indicating to a woman in the room before the two of them laughed with embarrassment, muttering apologies as they walked out. Black shook his head before glancing at the girl. "Is there something you wanted to ask me?"

"Huh?" That's what she came down here for but she hesitated, "No. It's…not important."

He watched her but didn't pry, changing the topic. "How's your training with Nanaki?"

"It's going well. I'm not afraid of heights anymore…or as much anyway," she said, muttering the last part.

He gave her a wry smile. _She's growing up. I can tell._ "Well…good."

There was a silence and before either of them could speak, Shamus walked in, "Hey guys! Guess what _I_ just finished!"

Black sighed, "What is it Shamus?"

"Jeez, don't all raise your hands at once. But I finished the Highwind, or rather a new version of it AND the Ceto."

The hermit and Riley glanced at each other quizzically, both following Shamus to the hangar. Nanaki had joined up with them as Riley only shrugged her shoulders in response to his questioning stare. Shamus pushed open the doors and they all gaped, in shock, rage, and whatever other emotion they couldn't describe. The original Highwind was torn to shreds, and deep down, they all cried.

Shamus blinked before laughing, "Don't worry you guys, I put most of its parts to good use. You didn't think I would carelessly tear it down without a reason, did you?"

"No…of course not," Black replied bitterly.

Nanaki seemed to be very bitter now. "Cid would be devastated if he saw what his grandson had done."

"Aw, c'mon guys. Trust me. Even the old generation has to be replaced with a new generation. I've always wanted to own my own airship, but I never had the parts to build one that was meant for something great. Besides…how the hell can I attract the ladies with something as old as that?"

Riley only rolled her eyes. "How could you attract ladies with Ceto?"

"I resent that. Anyway, I even used some designs I had used to make Ceto." He walked up to something half the size of what the Highwind was, covered by numerous tarps. "I would like to present to you, the Highwind Ceto!"

He pulled on a chain, quickly lifting up all the tarps revealing what could have been described as the most luxurious battle airship they had ever seen. It seemed to resemble a sleeker version of the Sierra airship, with some characteristics adopted by the Highwind. From what they could tell, each metal panel was reinforced and then coated with a permanent protective stain that made the ship a metallic blackish-blue in colour. On each side near the rear was a trio of jets with propellers installed on the inside. On the top was what seemed like a top view deck with a submarine hatch, while there was a viewing deck underneath similar to what the Highwind had with a hatch there as well. Riley could tell there were solar absorbing strips planted over the ship in a way that made it look like decoration. Painted on the side was the infamous Highwind's bikini goddess.

Black walked around, seeing what seemed like Sierra's bridge, but he couldn't really see past the tinted glass, "Shamus…I have this to say." There was a long pause among the group before he smirked, "I'm _very_ impressed. I would very much like a grand tour."

"R-really?!" he stammered. Black nodded as he cheered, "Man, I told you this baby would fly when I was through with it!"

"However," another pause, "There is no way you could have done all of this in a single month."

The boy rubbed the back of his head, "Well, I did have lots of help while the rest of you were doing your own thing. Since we got it done early, I added more…luxury to it."

He grinned, bringing them aboard through a bottom opening that seemed a lot like a docking station, in which case, they saw a small submarine coloured in a similar fashion locked into place. He and the others went inside one of three small elevators that could fit five people at most, being elevated to the main floor. He gave them a basic tour of the ship, showing the cabins, the bathrooms, kitchen, dining area. It was like a mansion and a battle ship rolled into one.

They reached the bridge, which resembled that of the Sierra to a certain degree. The helm consisted of a pair of handles as if riding a bike, plus various meters, buttons and levers, including a big comfy chair. There were at least three other seats underneath that had controls of their own. The one in the middle was interior ship controls and communication while the two seats on the sides were weapon controls.

"You really did a number on Cid's ship," Nanaki stated, though very much in awe.

"How does this thing run?" asked Riley.

"Well," Shamus began when he ran up to what was obviously his seat, sitting down, "it runs on solar energy, even during at night, as long as the moon is out."

"How long would this thing—pardon me—ship run on solar power?" asked the hermit, his robotic leg thumping slightly against the steel flooring when he turned to look outside the window.

"At least a month, but this baby will stay charged for the most part as long as all the solar panels are given a weekly maintenance. It's charging up right now as we speak. You might have seen the cables leading outside to where Mr. Sunshine is."

Black scoffed slightly with an amused smile, "I see. Will it be able to fly by tomorrow?"

"Will it be able to _fly_?" He laughed mockingly, "Man, you're asking a Highwind the dumbest question ever. Of course it'll be able to fly! And it'll be able to swim too."

They all gaped at him. "Swim?!"

"That's right! It's part submarine! But in case of emergencies, we've got the mini-sub and easy scuba kits."

"Where did you get all this?" asked Black.

"Most of the stuff was on the Highwind, so I just threw everything together. As for the mini-sub, that was a prototype the Resistance have been working on for a few years."

"Prototype," he repeated. "That makes me feel so much better."

"They've been busy," Riley pointed out.

"Well," Nanaki began, "we have a mode of transportation, or rather, multiple modes of transportation. What should we do now, Black?"

Everyone looked to the hermit as he thought it over. "We have three out of seven fragments, and we've yet to investigate Great Glacier. So, we'll head to Icicle Town, take time to restock, then climb."

"Climb?!" Shamus exclaimed. "I could fly us to the Cliffs!"

"We could miss something, Shamus, that's why we're climbing. Nanaki and I never eve thought to check out the Ancients' Lake. Think about that for a second. Also, you wouldn't want our new..." he paused, "_shiny_ ship to get a scratch, now would you?"

Riley and Nanaki sniggered while Shamus' bottom lip seemed to quiver, "Hell no! My baby ain't gettin' a single scratch on her!"

"Instead of flirting with girls Shamus, you should think about marrying this ship," Riley suggested jokingly with a grin.

He habitually scratched the back of his head, "Well, I like _women_ too much for it to be just _woman_."

Nanaki rolled his single eye. _At least he admits it._ "Alright, so tomorrow we head out to the village beyond the snow fields. Riley, do you have any friends there you'd like to visit?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure they've been waiting for me to come back to visit. It's been a month and a half after all."

They all nodded in agreement with the plan. Shamus had suggested he visit his grandmother after their investigation of the cliffs before they walked off the ship, surprised to see Stella and Mona standing beside the ship, waiting for them. Curious, Black gave them a questioning stare. "What's wrong?"

Stella shook her head briefly, "Nothing's wrong. I have a request though."

"And that would be?"

"Would you be willing to recruit my younger sister here into your party? I feel she needs to get away from all this and see the world. She'd be a great help after all."

Black looked over the frail-looking girl, recalling his battle with her in the Labyrinth, "I suppose. If she gets out of control though, I'm bringing her straight back. Is that understood?"

"Perfectly, right sis?" Mona snorted, crossing her arms. Stella only shook her head disapprovingly to her sibling's attitude.

"Fine, we're leaving tomorrow. According to Shamus, Highwind Ceto should be ready by tomorrow morning."

"I see. Then we shall see you off tomorrow. But...don't let anything happen to my little sister."

"Stella!" Mona moaned out in embarrassment. "I'm probably better in combat than any of these losers!"

The older sibling only sighed, giving an exhausted look, "You're just mad because you don't want to be around the 'blonde idiot'."

Shamus suddenly piped up angrily, "I am _not_ an idiot!"

"You are too!"

"I am not!"

This went on endlessly as the rest of them abandoned them to their quarrel. When morning arrived, Black and the others had woken up early so that Shamus could give a brief lesson in some of the controls. Black caught on quickly as he took the left seat and Mona took the right. Riley sat in the middle while Nanaki sat between her and Black. Members of the Resistance ran out of the room into a small control room, opening the doors that led to the sandy surface.

As the doors opened, sand began to rain down, and Riley couldn't help but think of that one scene from Final Fantasy X. When the doors were completely opened, Shamus pressed a few controls and the lights blinked on, causing him to grin in excitement. Air blew out vents and soon the ship was hovering before Shamus had the tires put away. The solar streams lit up like fire, glowing in an orange light as Shamus carefully elevated the ship.

"She's a-flying! My baby! She lives!!"

"Just fly the damn ship, you idiot!" Mona demanded impatiently.

"Hey! When _I'm _driving, my rule is that you _let me drive_! So shut the fuck up!"

"..." Was all that came from the other three while the two argued once more.

Shamus snorted, pulling down a switch-like lever slowly, getting the jets warming up. He suddenly pulled it back up then slammed it back down, causing the ship to propel forward with incredible speed. He was laughing all the way to Icicle Town. Mona was cursing the whole way, telling him he was going too fast. It only took half a day before reaching the Icicle Continent. Shamus finally slowed down, hovering towards the town, landing gently in front of the town gate, not surprised that some of the villagers had come out of their houses to investigate the magnificent creation.

The gang walked out of the bottom opening, with Shamus grinning triumphantly with a wave to the people. Riley rolled her eyes, shivering in what little clothes she had, "I should have put on my winter stuff before coming out." She was suddenly surprised by a cloak being gently tossed over her head and shoulders. She looked up to Black, speaking softly, "Black..."

He didn't say anything nor look at her. He walked off, snow crunching under his feet before being confronted by familiar faces. Riley watched after him as people had asked Black about his leg. Typically, he said nothing, or he gave little insight on the matter. She wondered if it was embarrassing that he was also missing part of his pants leg, which revealed everything to the public eye.

Her attention was caught by a familiar voice, "Riley?! Is that you, crazy lady?!"

Shamus, Mona and Nanaki blinked at Mary who had approached them. Riley only smiled, giving a small wave in greeting, "Hi Mary."

The blonde woman grinned before hugging the girl, surprising her, "My golly, it _is_ you! I haven't seen you in awhile, and you're wearing my gift!"

"I think it may need a patch job though," Riley admitted sheepishly.

Mary only laughed, "Of course! C'mon! You and your friends can come to the downstairs pub and we can celebrate!"

"Celebrate what??"

"Well, I dunno, I just feel like drinking with ya!"

"But I don't drink!" Riley exclaimed as she was being dragged away.

"Tonight, you will be! And that's a promise!"

Riley's expression implied she wanted saving, but Black only smiled. Perhaps a small drink wouldn't hurt anyone. And that night, Riley, Ronny, Red, Ed, Mary, Mona, Shamus, and Black, plus many other people had a small party in Riley's favour. She felt embarrassed the whole night when she was asked what had happened so far in her journey. She told them, being asked numerously to speak up while she left out certain details. Currently, Mona and Shamus were having a drinking game and much to his shame, Mona was kicking his ass, having a higher tolerance to the alcohol. Black and Nanaki sat in a corner as they watched the event thrive.

Nanaki glanced at Black, noticing that the man's eyes never left Riley, "Something on your mind?"

Black actually blinked out of his minor trance, quickly looking away to glance at the feline, "What do you mean?"

"You've been staring at her this whole time. It's as if you're afraid she'll disappear if you look away."

_**I had looked upon her again, considering Nanaki's words for a long time. No, I was recalling the one private moment I had shared with her. Compared to my hands, her skin was warm and soft. It had been a long time since I had felt such a sensation under my fingertips. My respect for Riley had grown dramatically, and I couldn't understand why. She wasn't as beautiful as Lucrecia, or as intellectual. In my eyes, despite her being twenty, she was a child still.**_

Black stood up, downing the rest of his wine which Red found so uncharacteristic with him as the hermit left the pub, or rather the building, entirely. The feline sighed, soon following after the fleeing shadow. He followed him outside to the back of the inn, finding him sitting on a barrel with a dark but thoughtfully deep expression in his eyes.

"Vincent?"

Black had turned into the younger man, sighing roughly, "Nothing. The alcohol is getting to me."

"You only had one glass."

"Sometimes it hits hard depending on my mood."

"You have _moods_? That's a first," Nanaki commented when he joined the ex-Turk, perching on another barrel. "What's really wrong?"

"I said not—"

"Vincent, you should know as well as I do, that I can see through your facade."

Vincent paused, considered then finally relaxed his shoulders. "I slipped up."

"Enlighten me," the cat requested, swishing his tail as if indicating his curiosity.

"I touched her..."

Nanaki paused. "Touched? In what way?"

"I didn't do anything inappropriate, if that's what you're asking. I touched her face. I slipped up. My emotions are taking hold. I can't let this happen. I'll just end up—"

"Vincent, stop. Calm down and think about this. Is it so wrong?"

The man beside him seemed to consider this, "I think I may be falling for her."

"And that's wrong _because..._?"

Due to his frustration and inner turmoil, Vincent stood up, pacing before the cat as if he was in therapy, blurting out things to a shrink, "She's twenty, and I'm one-hundred and ten. Riley is so different from Lucrecia. She's not as beautiful, or as smart. She's so..."

"Average," Nanaki supplied.

Vincent stopped, looking at him as he repeated, "Average. I don't know what to think of her anymore. When we first met, we could barely stand one another. At first, she reminded me of Yuffie with her whining, and her occasional...slowness. But now..."

Nanaki jumped down, approaching the ex-Turk, "Vincent, you've been away from a relationship ever since you met Lucrecia, and in turn, that woman made too many mistakes. I know you're the last person to want to hear this, but I'd say Riley has done more for you than Lucrecia ever did. According to what I can see, Riley is slowly making Vincent Valentine resurface from hiding. You can't hide forever Vincent. Not from the world, not from her, and definitely not from yourself."

Vincent watched Nanaki go back inside before he rubbed his bearded face. _He's right...but I'm not ready to see the world.

* * *

_

**A/N:** Filler chapter done! Buwahaha, Vincent is slowly starting to fall for our little Riley. Awww, isn't that cute :D. *is jealous* Anyway, like I promised, there would be character interviews at the end of each chapter. There will be ten questions at most, with NO RESTRAINTS. And I happen to have a few from one particular person who I think adores me XD, it's okay. I adore her too. She makes me laugh :P ANYWAY.

Me: Okay, ready guys?!  
Shamus: I am! Just tell me if I'm being asked to strip for the ladies.  
Me: ...No. ANYWAY. First question...for Rosso.  
Rosso: Yes darling?  
Me: *sniggers* "Why are you a flaming fire-crotch WHOREBAG?!"  
Rosso: O.O I beg your pardon?  
Me: Don't ask me, she just doesn't like you very much. Just answer the damn question for the sake of her sanity!  
Rosso: I blame Shinra. I was bred to kill after all.  
Me: But you tend to flirt with Vincent (which is understandable).  
Rosso: I suppose I'm attracted to dark men.  
Me: Aren't we all X3 Anyway, next question! GENESIS!  
Genesis: *room suddenly goes dark as he miraculously appears* Yes?  
Me: ...Okay, the scary shit ain't working for me. All your fan-girls already know how cute you are. Anyway, "Why haven't you gotten pissed off at Rosso and kicked her to Kingdom Come yet?"  
Genesis: Well, if I killed her now, I'd lose a precious tool in the future of this story.  
Me: Oh yeah....*shifty eyes* Next question. Hi Vinny X3.  
Vincent: ......Hi.  
Me: I'll get to the point..."When are you gonna take off the mask? You already pulled a pervy old man move on Riley."  
Vincent: When was this? I don't recall.  
Me: O.O You SO did it! It was like one of those first private moments!  
Vincent: *shifts uncomfortably* I don't know what you're talking about. As for _when_; that's up to the author. Although she apparently has some sad and horrifying chapter in mind that will possibly leave me ridden with guilt once again.  
Me: *shifty eyes* I don't know what you're talking about.

Anyway, that's all the questions for now! So please, go ahead and ask anything about anything to any of these wonderful...or_ whorebag_ characters! Please R&R! :D


	20. Ch 19: Cerberus Unveiled

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may not be correct. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent.

* * *

**Chapter 19: Cerberus Unveiled**

Black stood outside the inn with Mona and Nanaki while Riley said her goodbyes and Shamus was giving Mary constant sweet-talk. The others watched in amusement as Riley dragged the mechanic outside by the pull of his ear. Black then informed Mona and Shamus that it would be a couple days walk to, at least, his cabin since Nanaki and Riley were already prepared for such a journey. So they ventured, prepared with winter gear. Shamus started complaining, talking about how they should have flown. Despite everyone usually ignoring his complaints, Mona started complaining also, but more about his own complaining, telling him to be a man.

A couple days have passed before Black nodded to Riley as she grabbed both Shamus and Mona, who were too tired to bicker further. She led them to a shadow in the distance, eventually revealing the cabin. They waited for Black to unlock the door before going inside, all shivering as Riley rushed to the fireplace, throwing in some wood and kindling as she cast fire to quickly light it up. Black removed his cloak, hanging it up as Nanaki glanced around, walking towards the fireplace before lying in front of it.

"This place hasn't changed much," he commented.

Riley warmed her hands close to the fire before glancing at Nanaki. "I'd consider this home if it wasn't so cold."

He smiled. "Yes, I suppose humans aren't much for the cold."

"Crying out loud, it's fucking cold!" Shamus rushed to the fireplace, nearly stepping on Nanaki's tail as he sat down to warm his hands. Mona had proceeded to do the same thing.

Black shook his head with a smirk. He glanced at Riley, recalling when he first began to train her. At first, he was bitter about the idea of training her, in fact, he didn't trust her. Now he didn't trust himself. He sat down in a recliner, watching both pairs warm themselves. He was used to the cold after living—no, hiding—in this place for ten years. If Genesis and the Tsviets never survived, he thought things would have never turned out like this. He probably would have never met Riley. At least, not under the same circumstances as they had.

"Riley, when you're warm enough we'll go out for a hunt." He was surprised she nodded so easily, confirming that she heard him.

"Okay."

"Black," Nanaki started as he turned his head towards the man, "We should spend the night here before heading out tomorrow in the afternoon."

"Yes, that is best," he agreed. "As for the sleeping arrangements…"

"I am fine out here in the living room," the feline stated contently.

"I'll sleep in the same bed as Riley!!" Shamus announced quickly before everyone gave him a certain look. "What? I meant to keep her warm and…stuff."

Riley and Black talked in unison, "No!" They blinked at each other before looking in opposite directions.

"Uh…Mona, you can bunk with me if you want," Riley offered.

"Sure. Guess that leaves the old man and the idiot!"

"I'm not an idiot!!"

"I'm not sharing anything with the boy. He can have the couch."

"Hey!! Why can't _you_ have the couch and I have the bed?!"

Unfortunately for Shamus in every way, Black's calm argument was sound, "Because I'm the _old man_." Everyone else sniggered at Shamus' discontented look before Black leaned back in his chair. "Riley, tell them my _rules_."

Riley couldn't help the amused look on her face before she stood up, jokingly imitating Black's rough voice and scowling expression, "_One, do not talk back during your training. Two, do not insult me. That includes calling me old and senile. Three, do not whine. Four, you'll be working for me and me alone, that includes doing work around the house. And five, you will do everything I say, no matter what. Rule six…stay out of my room._"

Black gave her a look, speaking sarcastically, "How amusing."

Shamus' jaw dropped, "Chores?!"

"Yes, _chores_. That means you too, Mona."

The both of them cursed then glared at one another. Riley had kept her coat on, waiting at the door for Black. He stood up, putting on his poncho again as he informed the others that they would return shortly. They left, walking in silence. Riley shivered, covering her mouth to warm her face. Black had noticed this, forgetting she was still human after all. It didn't take long for howling to be heard and Black looked at her as she nodded, unsheathing her weapon. She ran forward and disappeared amongst the flurries as he waited patiently. A yelp echoed through the air, allowing him to move forward, seeing that she had easily slain a Fang. He nodded in approval before throwing the beast over his shoulder.

"You've improved with Nanaki's training," he stated simply, just to make conversation.

She didn't say anything. He sighed inwardly, knowing he had made it awkward between them both when he had let his emotions slip. He was about to apologize for it until he felt something collide with his head, snowflakes flying past both corners of his vision. At first, he was ready to draw his gun reflexively until he realized something astonishing. Did she just throw a snowball at him? Slowly, he turned to look at her. Riley just stood there, struggling to keep her face straight. The corners of her lips quivered from restraint as he just stared at her. It wouldn't be long now. He grew fascinated with her expression before her mouth suddenly curved into a devilish grin, chewing on her bottom lip to keep from laughing too hard.

Giving an annoyed expression, he turned away, speaking calmly, "We don't have time to play, Riley. Let's go."

She pouted but gave in to his lack of sense of humour. He let her get ahead of him and he suddenly smirked, dropping the canine. It wasn't long till she gasped from his own snowball impacting with the back of her head. Swiftly, she turned around, glaring at him. The satisfied and smug look on his face only served to piss her off. There was no way she'd leave it at that! She crouched down, starting to build up her ammunition. He waited, chuckling to himself for her attempts. He only evened the score. He was curious to see what she would do. Obviously there had to be more than just throwing snowballs.

Smirking, she piled the snowballs on her sword, making him blink. She ran forward with a speed he didn't think she had, surprising him. He rolled out of the way as she used the sword to thrust multiple balls at him. One nicked his shoulder and he grunted in response. The snowball match had begun and things were starting to heat up, packing snow of his own. They dodged, threw, even flipped out of the way. By the time ten minutes rolled around, they were panting. She was able to keep up with him now! He smiled inwardly, secretly proud of the warrior woman she was becoming.

"I'm not finished with you yet, old fart!"

"Then hit me!" he challenged.

Taking the bait, she ran forward, practically flying across the snow, leaning down slightly to cup snow into her hand, packing it together tightly. She was prepared to throw it at him but he had quickly spun around a three-sixty, gathering snow and packing it in a single instant, thrusting it towards her. Unfortunately, she was in direct fire, and it slammed into her face and she staggered backwards, falling down. She sat up and seemed to start bawling from the pain, alarming him to the fullest extent before running over.

"Riley, are you alright?! I'm so sorry--!"

Before he could react, as he crouched down beside her, she had thrust snow into his face, wiping snow from her own as she mimicked the self-satisfied look he had shown earlier. "Ha-ha. Serves you right for snowballing me in the face!"

He was too shocked. She tricked him! She fooled him into believing that she was genuinely hurt! He wiped the snow from his own face, sharing an amused smiled with her, "Yes, I suppose I did deserve that. Are you content with your fun?"

"For now," she admitted.

He chuckled, moving to his feet before helping her up. "We should head back."

Riley nodded in agreement, giving him a smile that he was beginning to grow slightly fond of. He walked over to the waiting corpse, throwing it over his shoulder once again before heading back with Riley beside him. They walked into the house, getting odd looks from the others.

"Why are you two covered in more snow than when we first came in here?" Shamus asked, quite puzzled.

Black cleared his throat, "The hunt was a little rougher than we expected."

"We had a snowball fight and I won," Riley said bluntly, instantly earning Black a strange look from Nanaki.

He only cleared his throat again, "Well, Riley, you warm up with the others, I'll go skin the beast."

Riley removed her coat, rubbing her arms as Black left the house for the butcher shed. It was a few hours later, close to midnight when dinner was finally made. Shamus pigged out, seeming to be starved for some reason. Riley cleaned up the dishes afterwards, putting away the leftovers. Black shook his head, taking over cleaning the kitchen itself. Now he was acting weird, she realized. Shrugging, she walked into the bathroom, running the water to fill the tub.

By the time she was finished bathing, the three other humanoids were playing a bit of poker while Nanaki watched. Shamus was once again shamed to say that Mona was kicking his ass. Riley giggled then sat at the table, watching them play, trying to understand the rules herself before playing one round with Mona helping her. After finishing the game, she and Mona said their goodnights, heading to bed.

Riley laid on her side of the bed while staring at the ceiling, listening to the wind howl against the window. Mona climbed into her side, though she sat up, glancing at Riley. "So, you won a snowball fight?"

The girl blinked before smirking, "Yep."

Mona grinned in return, "Good. No woman should ever face the shame of defeat when up against a man."

"What about against a woman?"

She lied down, legs propped up as she attempted to get comfortable. "Well, they usually go all out until the best one is left standing. By the way, I heard you kicked Rosso's ass. That bitch deserves all the poor treatment in the world."

Riley turned her head towards her. "What do you mean?"

Mona stayed silent for a time. "I...don't really wanna talk about it. Let's just get some shuteye."

The woman rolled to her side, her back to the girl, leaving Riley confused. Riley only complied before rolling onto her stomach, arms buried beneath the pillow as she dozed off. Next day had come quickly and Black stood in the kitchen, cooking up some of the leftover meat for breakfast. Mona walked out and stood beside Shamus, who was still snoring. Just for _kicks_, she booted him in the face with her bare foot, shutting up the snores. He babbled loudly in alarm then emitted a cuss towards the woman. Black only shook his head as he was approached by Nanaki.

"How long do you think it'll take to search the crater?"

"Who knows? The Omni-Materia will react if we get close. At least, that's what I think. I just hope that we won't have to go down into the crater itself to look for the next fragment."

"Agreed. That's the only place I'd rather not retrace my steps to."

Riley eventually stirred and they all ate. Afternoon came too quickly for them as they geared up for their trip to the crater. They had climbed the same way Black and Riley had before in search of the fountain to revive the materia. Eventually they ventured past where the silver snake beast attacked and up further they climbed, rejuvenating their strength when they passed the fountain. Days had gone by and Riley could only shake her head whenever they asked if the materia reacted at all.

And further they travelled until they reached the lip of the crater. Surprisingly the wind was calmer up top and all they could see in the center was a large hole, glowing from the lifestream pouring downward to heal the wound that had been inflicted by Jenova a couple thousand years ago. Black and Nanaki only glanced at one another, feeling they had no choice before turning to the others, and telling them they would have to climb down. Black could see the girl shaking. He didn't know whether it was from excitement, the cold, or dread.

Climbing down seemed to take forever, though it was faster than climbing up there in the first place. The sound of the lifestream ringed in their ears as Riley glanced at her Omni-Materia every now and then. They spent a night to rest before climbing down into the cavern itself. Hours had gone by and nobody spoke. Shamus and Mona would still bicker every so often though, and strangely enough it was comforting to the others. It was harder to climb through this time since the cavern collapsed into itself years ago. Black and Nanaki were beginning to doubt that any fragment was down here at all.

They were close to the core of the cavern before Black turned to Riley. "Anything?"

She shook her head. "No, nothing. Didn't Stella say that each one would be presented through the fulfillment of a trait and or test?"

Black thought about it as Shamus spoke out, "What have we got so far? We have Valour, Mercy, and what did Stella say you got when Black was sick?"

"She said the purple one was called Will."

Nanaki sighed, "I never even thought to ask Stella what the other ones were."

"There's Wisdom, Loyalty, and two others that neither me nor my sister knows the names of."

Black looked to Mona. "You know a bit about the fragments then?"

"Yeah. Though my sister knows more about it than I do. I just know that these fragments each hold a sealed amount of power. Anybody who collects them all is promised an immense amount of power. All I can say is that the seven corners of the earth thing you told my sister was basically bullshit."

"In what way?"

"It's true that the temple of the Ancients is a corner of the planet, but that doesn't mean they're all at the precise corners. The seven corners bit from the tablet that you said a friend mentioned was more like a wild goose chase to prevent that sort of power from getting into the wrong hands."

The others were suddenly silent and Shamus scratched the back of his head. "It makes sense. So, does that mean we don't have to worry about Genesis getting his hands on that kind of power?"

"No. These fragments are presented to whomever holds the Omni-Materia and passes the test. Genesis could get his hands on the thing and still find those fragments himself. So far, two of our fragments were presented to Riley specifically. And from what I can tell, the Omni-Materia has chosen her as its keeper, just like Rosso assumes." Black turned to the girl, a soft look on his face. "I'd say the fate of the world rests on your shoulders."

Riley gasped, taking a step back, "What? No way, this can't be happening. I'm not fit to save the world!"

Nanaki approached her, nuzzling her side. "It'll be alright. After all, you have us with you. You won't carry the burden alone."

Laughter abruptly echoed throughout the icy chamber, causing the group to stand in alarm. Black instinctively stood in front of Riley as the laughter continued. He knew that laugh anywhere. Memories flooded into his thoughts. Weiss the Immaculate has come, and probably due to Rosso's constant failures. As they looked around to find the source, a new sound was introduced. Was he...clapping? The hermit's eyes narrowed, gun at the ready.

"I'm so very _impressed_ with your progress. I can see why Rosso never stood a chance." The man walked out, still looking like his old self from before, just that he wore a sleeveless white long coat with blue trimming. From what they could tell, he still brandished the dual gun-katana. He stood over them high on a tall ledge as he chuckled.

Black scowled, "Weiss."

"Well, hello Mr. Black. I've heard a great deal about you...and your pet," he greeted, while regarding the girl afterwards. He chortled to himself, "But I am most curious about you, old man. Oh, I beg your pardon. Who am _I_ to talk?" He laughed again, "It's true about what Time materia can do to one's body if used to its fullest extent. After all, Rosso and I know better than anyone what it can do. Even though the battle for Omega has been won years ago, I feel like it was only yesterday that I was reborn into something much more."

"What are you talking about?"

The white warrior smirked as he answered, "I suppose even you wouldn't know. Years ago after Hojo took over my mind and Vincent Valentine had defeated him by utilizing the power of the proto-materia, drawing forth Chaos while maintaining his human form, my brother Nero had merged with my body, freeing my mind from the clutches of that foolish man. Although, doing that, after years of personal training, I have gained control of the power he had embraced."

Nanaki growled, "That doesn't matter. Why are you here?"

"Why am I here? Well, I have come to accomplish what Rosso had failed to do herself. If you wish for me to kill you quickly and painlessly, then I suggest you hand over the fragments and the Omni-Materia."

Mona snorted, "As if. Just try to take it from us." She removed her weapon from her back, easily setting her sights on the enemy.

The man only smiled, "Try, you say. Then I will. I hope you're ready."

The group only took a step back just as Weiss, leaned forward a bit, as if falling off the ledge. He pushed himself off, flying towards them in such speed. He drew one sword as Mona got in the way, blocking the blade with her launcher, pushing him off. He flipped, skidding backwards as he landed prior to running at them again. However, before he would reach them, with a flash, he disappeared. Reappearing behind them, he went to strike down at Riley's back. Nanaki jumped up, deflecting the blade off one of his anklets, twisting his body to kick the Tsviet in the chest.

Weiss only flashed out of appearance once more, laughing in amusement as he was suddenly above Shamus. The boy looked up in surprise, only to be landed on by the shoulders, his legs straining under the sudden weight. Weiss began stomping on the boy, jumping up afterwards as he kicked him in the face. Shamus flew into a wall, falling to his feet in agony. The man was too fast. Black fired at the man, but he only twirled his sword like a makeshift barrier, causing the bullets to ricochet near Black's feet. The old man ran towards his opponent with Nanaki beside him, both leaping towards the enemy in an attempt to overpower him. Weiss only drew his second sword quickly and crossed it over the other, swinging them outwards as a gust of wind blew them back.

They both landed on their feet and Black looked in surprise. He was not this strong before. He wasn't even this fast. Unfortunately, some things did change over time, and Weiss was no exception. Mona yelled out angrily, surprising the Tsviet with a large explosion in his face, mainly to distract him as Riley rushed forward. Black reached for her outstretched hand, grabbing it, and swinging her around to hasten and build up her already powerful approach. He let go, letting her fly as she penetrated the smoke, the sound of swords clanging against one another.

Both jumped out of the smoke, leaping high into the air as they both swung their swords towards the other. However, in terms of physicality, Weiss was stronger, pushing her towards the ground. She managed to land on her feet, but the force made her twinge in pain. Weiss flew down after her, and she looked up, squeaking in surprise as she blocked his next attack. Shamus went to attack him from behind, doing a boost jump. Weiss only flashed in front of the boy, booting him in the face and sending him flying again.

Riley went to attack him head on, but he only grinned, catching her wrists, squeezing them tightly. She gritted her teeth and Mona charged in, swinging her launcher around like it barely weighed anything. Weiss moved out of the way, leaping back onto the same ledge he was on before as he smiled.

"You're not as strong as I hoped you would be." He looked to the girl, smirking some. "I have to wonder if the Omni-Materia was wise in choosing a little girl to protect it."

Riley just hung there, and Black scowled, aiming his gun but hesitated, knowing he'd only serve in hitting her instead. _Dammit._ Nanaki rushed forward, digging his claws into the wall to climb up its surface before jumping up, and leaping towards the Tsviet. Weiss only tossed the girl into him and they both fell over the edge. Shamus fell over catching Red while Black caught Riley, seeing that her wrists were bruised. His eyes narrowed in malice as he calmly set her down.

The hermit turned towards the white warrior. "You won't get what you came here for, Weiss. However, I think I might consider laughing when I put a bullet to your face."

Riley stared at him in surprise. Did he normally talk like this? Normally he was so collected when he spoke. He wasn't the type to taunt the enemy. He stated facts and that was how he was. Usually he would never say something like this. Black suddenly zipped forward, easily moving up the wall as he deflected Weiss' attack with his shotgun. Every time Black went to aim towards Weiss' vitals, he only proceeded to block the attack. Finally, Weiss leaned forward with one foot kicking into Black's chest, hoofing him off the ledge and flying into the next wall. Black had dropped his gun from the force of the kick and Weiss considered it before smiling.

"You're no good without a gun to protect you, are you old man?"

With that said, he kicked up the gun, his blades suddenly surrounded in a black aura as he sliced apart the weapon. The group gasped in surprise as Black got up, panting from where he was. The old man gritted his teeth in slight pain, grasping his chest. That really hurt, he mused. Weiss only smirked and flashed in front of him, surprising the old man as Weiss went to strike him down. Riley screamed, running towards Black before hearing a clang.

She skidded to a stop with everyone behind her and she couldn't believe her eyes. Weiss' sword was blocked and he stared in shock, seeing that Black had pulled out another gun. No, not just any gun. The Cerberus. Black strained against Weiss' obviously overwhelming strength, pushing him off after much effort. The hermit panted as he stood up, glaring at the Tsviet. Weiss considered this for a moment, and abruptly, he didn't look so surprised, smiling knowingly at Black.

"I see. So, you carry the same gun wielded by the famed Valentine. I was wondering what happened to his precious Cerberus."

Black said nothing, only aiming the gun towards the white warrior. "That's none of your business."

Weiss smirked. "Is that right? Let me tell you a little something." Riley was barely listening as she stared in shock to see that Black owned a Cerberus gun. Why? "Twenty years ago when Genesis defeated the great Valentine, he had asked me to go back and make sure he was dead. However, there was no body, and none of his possessions were left behind."

Nanaki knew where this was going. "It doesn't matter; he disappeared to the lifestream when he died. His gun was probably taken by some traveller."

"Ha! I love how you people always hide behind your own lies. Unlike what you believe, there is more than one possibility of why this is. He either disappeared to the lifestream and someone _did_ take whatever possessions were left behind, or he was carried off by someone. If I were to take a wild guess, I'd go for the latter, seeing as there were tracks among the ground. But, that doesn't matter right now."

He held up the three fragments between his fingers, shocking Black, causing him to search his pockets. "What the hell?! When did he...?"

Weiss only laughed, "That's one thing checked off. I'm disappointed you don't have them all yet. But you saved me a lot a trouble in finding them myself. Now for the Omni-Materia." He turned to Riley and she only backed up, shaking her head in defiance. The others stood in front of her and he was ready to take them down before his blue indicator began flashing. He scoffed, "Well, you're lucky for now. Thanks for the _dance_. And the fragments."

He backed up and Black proceeded to fire at him continuously before Weiss was engulfed in black mist, disappearing from the area entirely. Black scowled, "No! Dammit!"

The others stood in silence as he temporarily raged at his own failure. Riley watched Black, not caring about the fragments right now as she regarded him accusingly, "Why do you have Cerberus?" He stopped, freezing on the spot. Black turned his head towards her, indicating he heard her but she only repeated herself, "_Why_ do you have Cerberus?!"

"Riley, I—"

"I'm warning you now Black, don't test me," she threatened with distrust on her face.

He inhaled deeply as her answered, "Cerberus was a common handgun that could be purchased, Riley. I just happened to be one of the few that did purchase it. You know this already, right?"

She wasn't satisfied. He was lying, and she could smell the falseness. "Yes, it was one of those guns that could be purchased. However..." He swallowed hard, expecting her next question. "Why did you hide it for this long? It's a good gun and you simply hide it? Why?"

Nanaki could see how stuck Black was with her question and just this once, he would allow the man to hide, knowing he didn't feel ready to come out yet. "Riley, I'm sure he has his reasons."

Before Riley could answer the feline, Black suddenly snapped at her, "What does it matter, girl? It's a gun, nothing more. I only hid it because I knew you'd ask these pointless questions about a common gun that I knew Vincent Valentine had once. I knew you'd get excited and perhaps enter a persistent phase where you'd insist that Vincent Valentine will help. Riley, I hate to tell you this, but even if the man is still alive, don't you think he'd want to be left _alone_? If he wanted to help, he'd be doing something _right now_. If you're a twenty year old woman, then I think it's about time you grew up and forget Valentine! Stop trying to depend on that fool!"

Riley's heart instantly stopped cold. His words were like a jagged sword piercing her chest. The subject was dropped instantly and she didn't say anything else. Her expression showed she was deeply hurt and her eyes were suddenly vacant, but inside she knew he was right. She wouldn't admit that out loud, but either way, she resigned to his words.

Black suddenly announced they were leaving the crater, knowing full well that the trip was utterly pointless. Shamus seemed to glare at the hermit but said nothing as Mona gently squeezed Riley's shoulders, leading her out of the chamber. Nanaki stayed behind with Black as the others went ahead.

"That was too harsh Vincent."

Black's expression was just as distant as Riley's was. "I only wished to sever any emotional attachment and to prevent the others from knowing. Nothing more."

Nanaki seemed to stare disapprovingly. "Sever any emotional attachment? Is it so wrong to _feel_? If you wish to cut yourself off from being human completely, then by all means, but don't go around tearing other peoples' feelings apart like emotion was a plague."

The feline left the man there to catch up with the others. Finally he allowed himself to tremble even the slightest. The others would never be allowed to know of this but he had also torn a piece of himself apart. When he forced his shaking to stop, letting the minor anguish subside, he followed after the others, returning to Icicle Town.

* * *

**A/N:** Poor Riley. This definitely leaves things tense between the two. And they had such a fun time throwing snowballs at each other. Well, pointless ramblings aside, I do have at least the next couple of chapters planned out, so I'm not completely out of ideas yet. I do have a certain something set in mind in FUTURE chapters...the only problem is getting to them...You know...the whole, boring journey part XD Though, I will try to make them amusing to some extent, or at least a good read :P Also, I'm still doing the character interview things, but nobody cares enough to ask T.T. So I shall ask questions of my own! Featuring Vincent Valentine!

Vincent: ........  
Me: You're a horrible man...  
Vincent: *emo gloom over his head* Don't remind me.  
Me: Okay...I have some questions that are pretty straightforward. We know who your old man is, but who's your mama?  
Vincent: ...I don't wanna talk about it.  
Me: Okay.....what's your middle name?  
Vincent: Gaylord.  
Me: O.O...Really?!?!  
Vincent: No. I...like most or all Square-Enix characters, lack a middle-name, so I have no idea.  
Me: Touché. Alright, what's your favourite past time?  
Vincent: Sleeping.  
Me: ...............That's it?  
Vincent: ...What's wrong with that?  
Me: ...So you don't go around, pick up some lucky girl and get jiggy with it? I mean, c'mon, you haven't had—  
Vincent: *shifty eyes* Well...no. Never crossed my mind.  
Me: O.O... It's no bloody wonder you're a victim of Yaoi fics.  
Vincent: What?!?! O.O

Anyway, that's all! Please R&R!!


	21. Ch 20: The Storyteller

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may not be correct. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent.

* * *

**Chapter 20: The Storyteller**

"Here ya go Mr. Black. Don't be gettin' any more limbs cut off now." Mary handed the hermit his old pants, which she had fixed up. The bottom half of his leggings were now made of leather. Black quietly thanked Mary before she turned to Riley. "And _you_, miss crazy lady! You should be ashamed! That thing I made you was all dirty and such. I had to clean it and everything!"

Riley only looked down. "I'm sorry."

Mary blinked. "What's wrong? You've been quiet ever since you came back. I wasn't being serious or anything. I'm glad you're putting your outfit to constant use. Do you wanna talk about it?"

The others had already gone on the ship and Nanaki was the only one waiting for her at the entrance, tailing swaying. Riley only shook her head. "I...We don't have the time right now. Maybe I'll tell you next visit."

Mary nodded, bringing her into a hug. "Well, be careful."

Riley boarded the ship, closing the cargo hatch afterwards. Nanaki was about to say something but Riley only shook her head, silently telling him to not worry her. They went up to the bridge and Riley didn't bother to look at Black as she took her seat, flipping some switches, turning on all lights and the systems. Black didn't look at her either and Shamus only sighed, bringing the ship into cruise mode as they made their way to Rocket Town.

"Hey idiot, where are you taking us this time??"

Shamus leaned back, resting his feet on the controls once he locked them. "We're going to Rocket Town."

"Why the fuck are we going there?"

Shamus snapped at her in annoyance, "To visit my grandmother, _okay_?! Is that _alright_ with _you_?!"

Mona grumbled, "Sheesh, I was only asking. I'm hungry." She stood up and left the bridge, going into the elevator.

Black soon followed after a few moments, seeing as there was nothing to do on the bridge. Nanaki took up his seat and glanced at the girl beside him. She didn't move, speak, nor look at him. The feline looked up to Shamus and he seemed to have already begun a nap where he was. Riley was too quiet for his own liking.

"What Black said—"

"Nanaki, don't try to defend him. He's plenty capable of doing that himself." Before he could say anything else, she interrupted him again, "And stop worrying about me. I'm fine. Besides, he was right. I need to grow up. I'm not a little girl anymore."

He could hear a small choke in those last words. "You're still a human being. What he said was insensitive. Though, I am curious as to why you're so eager to meet Vincent."

She swallowed back any tears that may have wanted release before answering him, "No offense to you or the rest of AVALANCHE, but he was my favourite."

He tilted his head. "Favourite? Ah yes, our journey was a video game wasn't it? Well, am I at least in your top three?"

She smiled, "You and Cid."

He chuckled, "But any particular reason with Vincent?"

Leaning back in her seat, she sighed, "I don't know why him specifically. To be honest, I'm no good with people, and I have the worst trouble with boys. Some would be interested in me, but I would always brush them off because I was never interested. But...of all the people in both worlds, Vincent is the only person in existence that has ever stirred that sort of emotion from me. But because I never even met him face to face and gotten to know him, I just brush it off as a fan-girl's crush. That's why I want to meet him, so I can finally figure out if I love him or not."

Nanaki's eye was wide as he listened to her explanation. Vincent had made a huge mistake. He knew it was not his place to give advice in these matters, but how could he deny this girl? He faced frontwards as he spoke, "You know, there's a saying. _Visionaries are always afflicted by nay-sayers._" The girl only blinked before he explained, "Basically it means that if somebody says you can't do something, don't listen. You can do anything as long as you try. It's like telling someone they can't fly or swim. Or in your case, can't find Vincent."

She considered this, looking at him before a smile gradually formed. "You're right. I shouldn't let that old fart get to me with his _nay-saying_ words."

Nanaki chuckled in response, "Good. Besides, a smile suits you better."

Riley's heart clenched at those words. Black had used them before and thinking about it now, she still felt awkward about that moment. She excused herself, saying she would be taking a nap. She walked to her cabin that she shared with Mona, lying in bed for the next few hours, staring at the bottom of the top bunk. It took a day this time on cruising speed to reach Rocket Town, and Shamus woke up, speeding up for the last five minutes just to surprise the town and make an entrance with flare. He landed the ship close to Sierra's backyard where Sable warked irritably in surprise.

Sierra walked out, nearly having a heart-attack at the sight of the Highwind Ceto. Shamus opened the low hatch and grinned at his grandmother before running over. "Hey grams, how's it going???"

She laughed as he picked her up into a hug and spun her around once. "Shamus, how long were you working on this masterpiece??"

"It only took a month with a lot of help and certain materials, but I just _had_ to come show and tell this baby."

The other walked out of the ship as the townsfolk stared in awe at the ship, even noting the bikini goddess. Sierra soon brought them inside the house and Sable trotted over, greeting Black with a head-butt to the face. Black was surprised by the greeting, yelping in pain when his face was suddenly bonked. Sable did not seem too pleased in being left behind. The chocobo trotted over to Riley, and instead of giving her the same greeting, he cooed, nuzzling her face, making her smile as she stroked his beak.

Sierra fixed everyone some tea and coffee for Shamus. Mona was actually quiet, never even insulting Shamus once in the presence of the kind woman. After some idle chatter, Shamus soon gave his grandmother a grand tour of the aircraft, and soon after that, some villagers were given tours. Sierra only chuckled in amusement at his discretion, seeing that he was surrounded by excited kids. Mona and Riley helped the woman with dinner, though Mona burned some of the ground beef, much to her own disappointment.

The next day rolled around and the group said their goodbyes and left, flying off to Cosmo Canyon. It didn't take them long to reach the canyon, but it was night time by the time they reached the village. Shamus landed the ship just before the village and the others walked into the village as Nanaki was greeted by everyone. Black glanced at Riley briefly then blinked at the fact she was actually smiling. The gang was given a huge feast, and both Black and Nanaki sat in amused silence while the others enjoyed themselves with the entertainment. Shamus even convinced Riley to come up and join a group dance. She couldn't help but laugh, a little embarrassed to be in front of people. Black only sat where he was and watched her.

"Black," Nanaki began softly. Black turned his head, allowing him to continue, "You won't be able to sway her resolve."

"And why's that?"

"I won't let you. Not with Riley, not when I know why she searches for you."

The old man blinked before curiosity struck. "I already know why she searches."

"Do you? I don't think that you do. I really don't think you do. She's always telling you that she admires _him_, but in reality, that isn't the only reason."

That was rather vague, Black mused. "What's the other reason?"

Nanaki looked at him for a long time with consideration before he turned his head away. "I'm not telling. It's her secret, and I have no right to blab away about it."

The hermit's eyes narrowed. "Tell me, Nanaki."

"No."

"Now."

"No."

Black scowled, "Fine." Stubborn cat, he thought bitterly. Now he was going to claw at his own mind, trying to figure it out himself. "I'll ask her myself."

"You don't have the right to talk to her unless she forgives you," Nanaki stated just as bitterly as Black's thoughts. "You said a terrible thing, and I have to wonder who more of the adult is. If you say something like that again just for the sake of protecting yourself, I will not hesitate to not only bite your head off, but reveal who you really are. Is that understood?"

"Since when is it any of your business, Nanaki? Perhaps I wish to live out the rest of my life hiding away from this...reality."

Nanaki only stared at him for the longest time before he spoke softly, "You've turned into a coward, _old man_. You keep this up, and you'll only rot away in despair."

With that, the feline left his side, being approached by Riley. Black watched as Red nodded and left with the girl. Black stared at the alcohol in front of him then reached out quickly. However, his hand stopped before his fingers could even touch the bottle, thinking twice about what he was about to do. What was the point? He had a high tolerance to alcohol and he was more likely to get alcohol poisoning before getting drunk. Sighing, he backed away from the table, standing up. He would spend the night on the ship instead of Nanaki's household.

Instead of waking up to the smell of pancakes like last time, Riley woke up to the sound of Mona and Shamus bickering like they were an old married couple. The thought amused her, causing her to smirk sleepily as she roused herself from bed. She sat up, looking out the window, annoyed with the sun beaming through. Groaning, she lied back down, covering her head with the blanket until she heard someone climb up the ladder.

"Yo, Riley! Time to eat! You awake, girl?" It was Shamus' voice and all Riley could do was groan at him exhaustedly. He chuckled, climbing onto the floor prior to walking to the bed. He gently pulled the blankets down and looked at her fatigued expression. "Bacon and pancakes like last time?"

"Please and thank you."

He waited a beat before asking, "Are you okay from what Black said?"

"Are you kidding? I wouldn't listen to that jerk!" Riley sat up, energy suddenly bursting through her as she replaced her vest and boots. "Black is just jealous 'cause he knows Vincent's better than him in every way. Besides, Vincent can handle Cerberus better than that old fart," she declared while clipping up her hair.

"I guess. I wouldn't know. I have to wonder how you would though."

She paused, "I would tell you how I would know, but you probably wouldn't believe me."

It was a few moments before both of them climbed down to the main floor. Shamus was a little too quiet for Mona's tastes as she munched on her eggs and bacon, "Hey idiot! What's wrong with you?!"

"Nothing, I just found out where exactly Riley came from."

"Eh?"

Riley smacked his head. "Not everyone is going to believe where I came from, _idiot_."

"Ow! Sorry."

"Alright, settle down. Let's just enjoy our breakfast before we get down to business about the remaining fragments," Nanaki said decisively before chewing on the bacon.

"Where's Black?" asked Riley as she took her seat.

Nanaki glanced at her. "He's sulking because he's _jealous_."

Riley looked surprised but realized that Nanaki was a beast and had good hearing, so she only sniggered, "I see."

They had finished breakfast before Black walked in, eyes slightly bugged from lack of sleep. No one said anything to him, and he could feel slight hostility in the room. Sighing, he sat on the couch, saying nothing. Riley took the time to shower while after Shamus filled the sink to wash the dishes, doing his usual bickering with Mona while Nanaki only shook his head at them. When Riley came down, they gathered around in the living room.

Nanaki sat between the four of them. "Alright, we had obtained three fragments before Weiss stole them. That means there are four left."

"What if the Tsviets already have them?" Shamus blurted out.

"Let's hope that they don't, because that would mean imminent doom. Frankly, I would like to think that the glass is half full right now, so let's not give up here. What we have to worry about right now is how to find the remaining fragments. We have yet to obtain Loyalty, Wisdom, and whatever the other two are."

"How do we find those?" Mona asked.

"Something's been bothering me for awhile now," Black declared suddenly, grabbing their attention. "Rosso mentioned that Genesis had found a way around the fact that he needed enough power to use the Omni-Materia. What if it wasn't the fragments she was talking about? From what I could tell, Rosso never bothered to ask us about the fragments. What I want to know is why."

They all looked amongst one another, considering this. Riley looked to Nanaki, though she was speaking to everyone in general. "You don't think it could be possible for them to find another way, do you?"

He looked down. "Nothing is impossible, and with the Tsviets, I doubt it's anything humane. It's like the Deepground War when they killed off half the world's population just to revive Omega. I can't even begin to imagine what they're up to."

"What should we do then?" Shamus asked.

The feline inhaled deeply as he considered. "Perhaps we should simply look around and hope for the best."

"Hope for the best?!"

"The Ancient Forest," Black suggested suddenly. Everyone glanced at him, blinking before he continued, "It's the closest place that I consider suspicious." _And that woman was there. She's probably dead by now._

Nanaki watched him, recalling Vincent's explanation about an old woman. Perhaps there would be something in the forest. "Alright, after lunch, we'll head out to the forest. It won't take long to walk there, so perhaps it won't be such a bad idea to take a look."

Black looked took a glance at everyone, standing up afterwards. "Then it's decided. Prepare to leave. Riley, I need to talk to you."

The girl looked at him then snorted defiantly, "No."

"No?"

"You don't _get_ to talk to me, nay-sayer."

His eye twitched as he spoke slowly, "And _when_ do I get to talk to you?"

"Whenever I decide to forgive you."

Now his patience was growing thin. "And when will _that_ be?"

"Never."

The other three sniggered in amusement, though Black was less tha amused. In fact, he was on the verge of losing his self control all because Riley felt like being childish. "Riley—"

She suddenly turned on him, eyes lighting up with her own rage. "Let me tell you something about myself, Mr. Black. I may be twenty, but you said it yourself that I'm still young. If you don't like the fact that I'm chasing after a man that may or may not help us because he's _better_ than you, then you can go screw yourself or drown yourself in a toilet, because I refuse to let you put me down any more! Shamus and Nanaki have been more supportive than you ever have! If you don't like this whole thing then go back to your shack you _hobo_. Otherwise, stay out of my way."

The others stared at Riley then watched the change of expression on Black's face as she scolded him. Shock had engulfed his entire being, freezing him in place. He wasn't supportive? He realized then that she was right. The hermit had been a lousy friend. No, worse than that. What Nanaki had told him before came to mind. Rather than apologize though, he said nothing. Riley had managed to shut him up, putting him in his place. One could say he was officially put on time out. Riley watched him before walking past him, leaving the house in a cold silence.

After lunch, everyone was already prepared to leave for the Ancient Forest. Nanaki decided to lead the way, since he knew the easiest route in these parts. Shamus typically thought it would be easier to simply fly there, saving time, but Mona declared he was being lazy. Unable to talk back, he said nothing more about his ship. It took a couple of hours before they reached the border of the forest.

Riley observed the thick forestry. It looked more like a rainforest, though it wasn't as humid as one would normally be, in fact, it was rather cool. They weaved through the intricate vines and roots, being pestered by flies while Mona grimaced at the vast amount of frogs. Shamus was the most annoyed, seeing as flies kept landing on him. He slapped his own face, shuddering slightly.

"Why the fuck are they following _me_?! Piss off you damn--!"

"Perhaps they're attracted by how much you smell, idiot."

"Wanna say that again?!"

Both Nanaki and Riley rolled their eyes as they already began to bicker once more. Black had said nothing the entire time. Nanaki stopped in his tracks, smelling something foreign. This paused the bickering behind him as he took a whiff of the air. He looked to the others before running off. The others chased after him, curious as to what he had found, then he stopped. They all stopped behind him, looking beyond a small swamp to see what appeared to be a cabin. It was like some voodoo priestess lived there. Nanaki looked to Black questioningly as he recieved a nod.

The feline sniffed the air again before a voice interrupted him, "Y'know, that's a bit rude."

Everyone turned around and both Riley and Black recognized the blind old woman, Fable. Riley stood in shock as she breathed out, "You?!"

The old woman chuckled, "It's good to see you again, child." Fable chortled at her own joke, "Get it? I'm blind, and I said—never mind. Kids don't have any sense of humour nowadays."

Black was a little surprised that Riley knew the woman. Black was even more surprised that Fable was still alive. "You're here? But how?!" she asked.

"Come, come. All will be revealed in good time. Please, come inside. I have soup made." They all followed after her hesitantly and inside was hung colourful decorations, and it smelt oddly of sweet smoke. It was just as Black remembered it. The old woman sat upon a large homemade pillow as she regarded the others. "Please, make yourselves comfortable. Come over here, child. Let me take a look at you." Riley walked over, kneeling beside the woman as her worn fingers gently searched her face. Fable seemed to look proud, placing a smile on her lips. "You've grown so much since we first met."

Riley didn't seem so sure. "You think so?"

"Why, yes! Look at you! You've been through so much already and took on each challenge like a young woman should. I can already tell the hardships you've endured and what you will eventually face. But enough of the corny babbling from me. I know why you are all here."

Nanaki raised his head, sitting as politely as he could, not being human and all. "So, it's true that you can see the future?"

The lady chuckled, "Of course. But it's not the future you wish to know, as you all will discover that yourselves."

Mona crossed her arms, rolling her eyes. "What a load of crap. We came here for one of those fragments and we find this hag."

"Believe what you want to believe, Mona, but show proper respect for the elderly," Black demanded softly, without so much as looking at her. He kept his eyes on Fable as he regarded her. "Do you know anything about the Omni-Materia and the seven fragments?"

"Oh, yes. I know their story very well."

Shamus sat down beside Riley, whispering in her ear, "How do you know this woman?"

Riley barely noticed him, answering him distractedly, "I met her in my world a couple days before the Omni-Materia brought me to this one. I saved her from a couple of abusive kids."

Nanaki's ears flicked slightly. "What can you tell us? If you don't mind me asking."

The old woman chortled slightly as she answered him, "All in due time. Soup?" After they finally ate some soup, just to satisfy the woman, they sat there, staring at her. She lit up an incense as she finally brought up the subject. "The Omni-Materia was never created by human hands, nor Cetra hands. The Planet, or Gaia, had created this materia herself, and as such, allowed its user the power of a god."

Riley thought for a moment. "But why would the planet create something as dangerous as this. I mean, if you wanted something to disappear, then _poof_, it's gone."

"That's why the wielder of the Omni-Materia is to gather all seven fragments that give the user enough power to use such a tool."

Black raised his head. "Tool?"

"The purpose of this stone is that it was meant to protect the planet. With it, you could wipe away all threats, including humans and create a new Eden. However, its power has no limitations. That's why this materia has the power to create, and destroy. But that's where the seven fragments come in handy. To prevent just anyone using this materia, the first wielder made certain that all living beings would be like what we are today. Mortals. The seven fragments are keys to the door of power. If the following wielders ever obtained all of them, they would be given not only the power to use the Omni-Materia, but given the right to."

Black looked down. "We already had three, but Weiss stole them."

"You do not need to worry, young man." The way she addressed him startled him, causing him to look at her in shock. Surprisingly, the others never caught it. She gave him a knowing smile. "They only have the three. Without the other four, they are useless to them." He only watched her as she continued with her explanation. "The seven fragments are as follows; Valour, Wisdom, Mercy, Will, and Loyalty."

"You missed two," Shamus pointed out.

"The other two are a special pair, which is why I left them out of the list."

Mona tilted her head, blinking some. "What are they then?"

Fable only smiled, pouring herself some tea. "They are most simply described as opposites. Good and evil, shadow and light, female and male, ice to fire, and so on."

"Order and Chaos," Nanaki added.

"Exactly. Finding these two will be the most difficult, as they are not really considered as characteristics. But they both serve one purpose."

"Balance," Nanaki said again.

Fable nodded. "Yes. But together, they create something to uphold that balance, thus the Eighth Knight is born."

"The Eighth Knight?" the others breathed in question.

"The Eighth Knight has no name to be called by, except to what it is referred to as. You've heard the prophecy from the tablet. _Her Knights shall fall one by one, enslaved by the dawn of war. The weaving stone shall erase or create, held by the judge who shall shape the world when the seven wonders are found._"

"We know this already," Shamus exclaimed. "We're supposed to find these things, and then we'll be able to use the Omni-Materia."

"_And when the scales are of equilibrium, the storyteller will draw forth the Eighth Knight to illustrate their every whim._"

"I don't get it," he admitted.

Riley thought for a moment but Black beat her to it. "I'm assuming the storyteller is what is referred to as the wielder. This Eighth Knight though, is it another WEAPON created by the planet?"

"Perhaps it is," Fable answered, sipping her tea. "Who knows?"

Mona scowled, "Man! I've had enough of the riddles! Come out straight, lady!"

Fable only ignored the girl's impatience. "Knowledge is power."

"Eh?! What now?!"

Fable only smiled. "Knowledge is power. In order to find these fragments, one must know only what needs to be known at that moment in time. Other secrets will be revealed when the time is right. And so, for you, I shall present to you a gift."

She searched her clothes, pulling out a small green marble. Shamus gaped. "You had that thing the whole time and you didn't tell us?!"

"I wanted you to listen first," she said warmly. "I know how easily you youngsters get distracted. Besides, this is the Wisdom Fragment. I thought it fitting to tell you what you need to know before handing it over."

Mona scowled once more. "That or she didn't trust us!"

"Oh, I trust you. I especially trust Riley, here. She did help me once before after all." She placed the orb in Riley's hand, enclosing the girl's fingers over it. "Do not fret, child. You are doing just fine, and you will see him when he's ready."

Riley blinked, considering her vague words as she nodded. "Why do they refer to the wielder as a storyteller?"

"Yeah, why?" asked Shamus.

The old woman smiled. "Like a god, a storyteller, or author, has the ability to create life then take it away in their stories. Understand?"

Riley looked down, nodding. "Yeah."

With that, she and the others left but Fable turned her head to sense that Black still stood where he was. "Something the matter?"

He glanced at her. "You realize I'm actually an old man."

She chuckled. "I know it's you from twenty years ago. Also, I know you're only trying to look half your age."

"How do you know these things?"

"It's a gift I have." She smiled. He said nothing as he was about to leave. "Hold on a moment," she added quickly, stopping him. "To hide away and shun your emotions is going to be the most foolish thing you have ever done. More foolish than your lone confrontation with Genesis."

He turned to look at her. "I'm just...I'm afraid of what will happen." _I don't want another tragedy like with Lucrecia to haunt me again_.

As if reading his mind, she spoke again. "History may inevitably repeat itself, so you should make the best of things and figure out what you do want rather than what you don't want. I cannot provide all the answers to you, Vincent Valentine."

He watched her for a time, then left, following quickly after the others.

* * *

**A/N:** Man, this chapter took a long time to write X.X. I'm SO sorry it did! Having MORE of a lack of internet killed my writing motivation. Though, I'm forcing myself to get back into gear! I have about till Chapter 24 planned out, though at the rate the story is going, I might have to write up to fifty chapters! O.O. Next chapter is...in WUTAI!! BUWAHAHAHA! I'm going to have fun with that chapter. It'll be kind of random, I think. Anyway! Still doing character interviews.

Me: Hiii!  
Characters: *most say HI! Back, but the rest, like Vincent, say "..."*  
Me: Okay, I've got one question from the same person as before, since she happens to be this story's likely Number One Fan. Who knows, I could be wrong XD. Anyway! GENESIS!  
Genesis: ...?  
Me: "Dear Genesis, do you feel horribly inadequate compared to your buddies Angeal and Sephiroth? Sure you mentioned being a monster but considering Sephiroth is viewed as a god by some, how does that make you feel?"  
Genesis: ...O.o...*undoes his pants and looks down them* I'm bigger.  
Me: *jaw drops* ...

AWKWARDNESS!!! XD Anyway, please R&R!


	22. Ch 21: The Witch of Wutai

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may not be correct. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent.

* * *

**Chapter 21: The Witch of Wutai**

Shamus sat in his seat upon the ship, chewing on a toothpick. Black walked onto the bridge, exiting the elevator before regarding the boy. "Where are we headed now?"

He only shrugged, his feet on the control panel. "I dunno. Depends on where we should head. As long as there are ladies, I'm all for it."

"Of course you are."

Nanaki was next to exit the elevator when it returned from another floor. "Shelke contacted us. The Shinra satellite she hacked in to seemed to detect strange activity from the Wutai continent."

"Strange activity?" Black repeated.

Shamus dropped his feet onto the floor, leaning forward. "Shinra? I thought they were put out of business when Midgar was destroyed. How could their technology still operate after all these years?"

Black looked up at the boy. "The satellites are solar powered and were designed in a way that Shinra wouldn't have to maintain them. If one can connect to a satellite, they can receive all the data that had accumulated over the years."

"Oh…" Shamus replied lamely. "So we're off to Wutai then?"

The hermit looked at Red before glancing back at Shamus with a nod. "Might as well. We won't get very far in our journey if we simply hover in the same spot. Not that we'll find much anyway, since most residents of Wutai fell with Yuffie Kisaragi."

"Damn…no girls?"

The hermit rolled his eyes. "No girls."

Nanaki shook his head. "Shelke looked up various reports on Wutai, most of them regarding people going missing there. I think it would be best if we remain prepared."

"That goes without saying. We should always be prepared. You never know when the Tsviets may show up," Black affirmed. "Shamus set a course for Wutai."

"Right!" Shamus sat up straight in his seat, pressing a few buttons.

After he turned on the Auto-Pilot, he decided to have a snack. He waved to Nanaki and Black, informing them that the course was set before walking into the elevator. Upon reaching his destination, he walked onto the residential floor, walking down a corridor and into the kitchen. He was surprised to see Riley there, snacking on orange slices. Tilting his head, he walked up behind her, noting the distracted look on her face before tapping her shoulder quickly, startling her. She coughed as he only grinned but quickly wiped it away when she glared at him.

"Sorry, I couldn't help it. Whatcha thinking about, pretty lady?" he asked as he walked over to rummage through the cupboards, pulling out what seemed like Arrowroot biscuits, pulling a handful out of the box.

"Nothing really. Where are we going?"

"Wutai; Shelke contacted Nanaki, reporting strange activity. So, we thought we might as well check it out. Whatever needs salvation, we shall appear. In a way, if we do a lot of small things, we might even make the world a better place."

Riley nodded but before she could say anything, Mona walked in with a towel on her head. Riley spoke before either of them could start bickering. "We're going to Wutai, it seems."

"Oh yeah? What the hell for?"

"What do you care? You were told to come with us."

Mona glared at Shamus and Riley knew her attempts were futile. "I was just asking. Is that _okay_, idiot?!"

The boy's eyes narrowed. Oh yes, Riley's bickering alarm was ringing. "Stop calling me that."

"What, idiot? IDIOT, IDIOT, IDIOT!"

Riley only groaned, dropping her head onto the island counter's surface. Shamus' eye twitched before he finally snapped from her loud chanting. "Shut up! Just shut up! I've had it with you! Nothing but disrespect for your fellow teammates! Let me tell you something! One, I am _not_ an idiot! Why? Because look at this ship. She runs, and she's beautiful. Two, I am a fucking descendant of Cid fucking Highwind! He is the epitome of greatness and I _will_ be just as great as him! If you're insulting me, you're insulting the legacy he left behind, and by god, I will not let it go down in flames! Not by the Tsviets, not by Genesis, and certainly not by you! So stick that in your pipe and smoke it!"

He slammed down the box of biscuits, surprising both girls. He left the kitchen entirely, radiating with negative energy. Riley had never seen Shamus this angry before, and it slightly worried her. Mona snorted, "What an idiot. Why's he so sensitive?"

Riley sighed. "Mona, I think what you fail to understand is that he's human. He, like most people, has feelings. All you ever do is pick fights with him."

"Me? He started it! How the hell did you and the old man ever stand him?"

Riley blinked, recalling the first moment they met. "It's a long story," Riley finally said. "Let's just say, he reminds me somewhat of one neighbour I had before coming to this world."

"So it is true. You're from another world, connected to this one."

"You knew?"

"The idiot blurted it out not that long ago," she explained.

Riley sighed. "At least everyone knows now."

It was close to nightfall by the time they reached the continent. Black and Nanaki were surprised how quiet Shamus had been, but was even more disturbed by the fact that the large and once glorious town of Wutai was threatened by ominous black clouds. However, despite that, the town itself was intact. In fact, the town was adorned with lights and all the buildings were the bright red and gold. It was as if the place had been refurbished, even to the most minor detail.

"What is this?!" Nanaki demanded. The last time he had been to Wutai, it had been burning down with Rosso's onslaughts. "This can't be right. All survivors of Wutai shouldn't be here anymore. I don't...understand."

Shamus stood forward, looking contemplative. "Maybe they came back since you've been here. Besides, that's what we're here to find out, isn't it?"

Even Black was a little shocked. He was not here during those times but from what he gathered from Nanaki's expression, this wasn't normal. Whatever was happening around here, they had to go through. He walked ahead, followed by the others. Riley stood between Mona and Shamus, feeling the tension which made her uncomfortable. She'd rather deal with Black than babysit these two. Then again, that brought their disagreement to mind. Perhaps she was a bit harsh—what the hell was she thinking? He was harsher than she was. Like hell she was going to apologize to him!

They continued to walk through the town that looked as if it was prepared for a festival. Shamus sighed, calling out, "Hellooo, anybody home?"

Black glared at Shamus. "Thank you for alerting every possible foe in this town to our presence."

"God, Shamus! Why do you have to be such an idiot?" Mona asked irritably.

That was the last straw. Shamus, once again, snapped. "You know _what_? I'm sick of dealing with the insults from both of you! You want to investigate the town without me, then FINE. You want to face the Tsviets without me, then FINE. You two are nothing but heartless bastards anyway! I'm nothing but in the way to you two! I'm leaving!"

With that, he stormed off in a violent huff. Both Black and Mona stood there, shocked. Mona had been shot down twice by Shamus, but Black had been shot down once by him, and the other time by Riley. Nanaki shook his head and looked to Riley. Why was he looking at her? She didn't know what the hell to do! Finally, Nanaki glared at Black and Mona.

"What do you two have to say for yourselves?"

"He started it!" Mona exclaimed defensively.

"Started it? Mona, you're the angriest member in this group, and you calling Shamus an _idiot_ is very tiring. Black told Stella that if you got out of hand, we'd be bringing you right back to Gold Saucer. Is that understood?"

She straightened her back, resisting the urge to scowl before looking away. Her sister was counting on her to help them. She would have failed if they took her back so soon. "Understood," she confirmed.

"Now, Black, tell me _why_ you are acting like a child lately, despite your age."

Black stood there. "I'm not a child—"

"I'm quite aware of that, but you have disturbed the peace constantly. First it was Riley, and now Shamus. You and Mona are too negative and lack the teamwork required to work together efficiently. We've let you be the leader of the group, seeing as you may be the most experienced in leading a group. However, a leader must learn to share a bond with their teammates, not scold them for every little thing. You truly are a bitter old man, but your behaviour is that of a child. I'm going to tell you two what you told Riley. Grow up!"

Riley wondered at that point as to why Nanaki wasn't the leader. Black and Mona were both shot down for the third time, this time by Nanaki. Nanaki then announced that they should look for Shamus while they investigate the town. He and Riley went in one direction while the other two went another way. Shamus on the other hand didn't wish to be found. He was too pissed off to want to deal with those two assholes.

"What the fuck do they care anyway? The only use I am to them is piloting the ship."

He wandered the town, hands in his pockets, staring at the ground. He reached the center of the town, seeing fun and games everywhere. Maybe it was a festival celebrating the successful restoration of Wutai. Sighing, he looked up past the glowing cherry blossom trees to see a large palace. Nanaki had told him about the way some towns used to be when he was a kid but he never mentioned a palace in Wutai.

"Excuse me, sir."

He spun around, seeing a young woman. The boy blinked and she was in her mid-teens, long flowing black hair and blue eyes. She was rather cute and her voice was small. Her kimono was a satiny pink, revealing her long legs, and she wore straw sandals. Shamus' jaw dropped and his flirtatious side got the better of him as he quickly put on a grin.

"Hellooo pretty lady, what are you doing all alone in this place?"

She shook her head. "I was about to ask you the same thing. You shouldn't be here! They'll find you!"

Shamus' expression was replaced by confusion. "Who will find me?"

Before she could answer, her expression suddenly became vacant, eyes dulling slightly. "That doesn't matter. Come, I shall bring you to the headmistress."

Shamus shrugged, not even noticing anything different. The girl brought him up to the palace, walking through large doors. Shamus' jaw dropped once more, finding women everywhere in short kimonos. All of them were gorgeous and cooed in his direction, seducing his senses with their perfume and incense. It wasn't long till he was brought inside the throne room. Shamus looked ahead, seeing a noblewoman sitting upon a pile of pillows, fanned by peacock feathers.

The woman wore a black kimono revealing only her left smooth leg and a gold obi around her waist. Her hair was the blackest possibly, and it was long as she was tall, the end tied with a gold ribbon. Over her forehead was a gold diadem with a black pearl. Her makeup was lightly brushed upon her lips cheeks and eyelids with gold, making her glitter slightly. Shamus gaped in amazement at the woman's beauty. She couldn't have been that much older than him but she was certainly almost as tall. She was thin but shapely and he couldn't help but let his eyes roam, travelling to her revealed cleavage.

Her voice was soft and sensual. "What brings you here, handsome?"

"I...uh...some friends and I got word that strange activity has been going on in this area."

"Oh, strange activity; I see. Well, there is nothing wrong in this town, at least, not anymore. However..." she began, standing up before walking down the steps toward him, circling him afterwards. "In this place, only women reside. We have rebuilt Wutai to its former beauty, but unfortunately...we are lonely. What name do you go by?"

He gulped, almost squeaking when he spoke, "Shamus."

She smiled, leaning in close to his ear from behind, whispering seductively, "You may call me Jin." This made him shiver as the girl's eyes suddenly returned to normal and she blinked. Jin finally regarded the girl. "You may go Nika." Nika stared at Shamus, seeing the look in his eyes and she whimpered, backing up then running out.

The gang met up in the courtyard, both pairs shaking their heads. Nanaki sighed, "Where could he be?"

"Maybe he went back to the ship," Riley offered.

"Pro—" Nanaki stopped, ears perking slightly before his good eye peered around. He looked up to see the girl Nika running towards them. From what he could hear, she was breathing hard while sniffing, wiping her face with the tears of her failure.

Black noticed the girl and the others turned in her direction. He moved into her path as she surprisingly lightly bumped into him, crying softly. "What happened?"

"I failed again! I couldn't turn him away!"

"Him?" Mona repeated questioningly.

"Uh...uh...Sham...Shamus?" the girl blubbered while trying to recall small memories while she was supposedly possessed.

Nanaki walked up to the girl. "We're his comrades. Please, tell us where he is."

Nika wiped her face. Unable to trust her voice, she pointed to the palace. After Black told her to take a few calming breaths, she did as she was told, regaining her composure. "Jin has him, and pretty soon she'll eat him once he's ripe enough."

"What?" Riley cried out suddenly. "Eaten! We should go save his ass before he becomes a meal!"

Before the gang could rush in to the palace, Nika cried out, "No! You can't go in there! There's a barrier set against any who isn't a...young man." They stared at her, quite confused before she explained, "Jin's a witch that feeds on the souls of young men. But they have to be ripe with sin before she can devour their soul."

Black's eyes narrowed. "Ripe with sin? How does she...ripen them?"

"Well...to be perfectly frank, she...um...ahem."

Black got it instantly before grunting. "How ironic that Shamus' life is to be ended by a woman. What's your name?"

"It's Nika."

Mona approached the girl, patting her head. "Don't you worry we'll put an end to this Jin, Nika. The bitch is gonna get what's coming to her! Besides, the only one that gets to beat up the idiot is _me_!"

Riley scratched her head. "But how do we get in if the barrier only allows young men inside?"

Nanaki looked at Nika. "Do you know any way around it?"

Nika thought for a moment before shaking her head. "I don't. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," Black consoled her. "Whatever's happening isn't your fault. We'll find a way inside."

Riley looked to the Hermit. "De-Barrier?"

"That won't work," Nika announced suddenly. "This barrier isn't made from materia. It's her own magic. You'll have to fool the barrier into thinking you're young men. But I don't know how to do that..."

The others stood there for a long time, trying to formulate a plan before Riley suddenly spoke out, "Anybody got transform materia?"

Nanaki suddenly looked to Black. Black shook his head. _I know what you're thinking and I refuse to give it up._ Before Nanaki could announce that Black had one, Nika pulled out her own. "I have one. But why do you need it?"

Riley took the materia, the green orb glowing softly in her hand. "I was told once that transform materia could be used to form a disguise without any materials."

Nanaki was surprised she remembered that. "Very good, Riley. So, what's the plan?"

Riley looked to the feline. "There's a part in Final Fantasy VII where Cloud had to dress up as a woman to get into Don Corneo's house."

Black and Nanaki choked. Cloud did _what_?! Mona couldn't help snorting through her nose, trying not to laugh. Nanaki had to ask, "When was this?"

"Sometime before the gang met you Nanaki."

"No wonder I never heard of such a thing. To think, Cloud even went that far. For what?"

"To 'rescue' Tifa, and gather information which allowed them to find out that Shinra was about to destroy the pillar of Sector Seven."

Nanaki dropped his head. "I see. Wait! What are you suggesting???"

Riley sighed. "I'm thinking we can just disguise ourselves as 'young men' so we can get past the barrier. That's Plan A. As for Plan B, we try the De-Barrier anyway, and Plan C is..."

"We lure them out," Black provided.

"And bust their heads in," Mona added.

"Does that mean I have to be one too?" Nanaki said almost worriedly.

"Yes," she answered easily.

"But why?!" Nanaki instantly whined. They all looked at him strangely and he cleared his throat. "I'm not attracted to two-legged things, and I certainly don't wish to be one."

"Nanaki, it's just until we've rescued Shamus," Riley comforted him, petting his head.

He sighed, "Alright. Let's do this."

"W-what can I do?" Nika stammered.

Black looked to the girl next to him. "Can you escort us through the barrier?" She nodded. "Then, we'll need you to be our guide, but once Shamus is in our sights, try to stay out of the way. We don't need you getting hurt."

"O-okay."

"Alright, let me work my magic on you guys," Riley announced.

"I'll work my own magic," Black said.

They glared at each other briefly before Riley only snorted. The materia glowed in her hand and before long, she had transformed. Riley's hair shortened, the clips disappearing as her skorts lengthened into pants and her black undershirt turned into a baggy t-shirt, her vest lengthening so that it was meant for a boy, which she had successfully changed into. She had a flat chest now and she had more boyish features.

She or rather, he coughed. "Ow. I didn't know transforming hurt!" Her voice was more masculine, though sounded like a boy.

"Your molecules shift when you change genders," Black explained.

"If your molecules shifted around, don't be surprised to find a penis down there."

Riley couldn't help the blush. "I hope I don't have to go to the bathroom during this whole charade."

Next was Mona. Not much had to be changed with her. Her chest was even more flat than before and her muscles built up, but she got shorter. Her hair shortened as well. Her voice was rather butch, despite her size. "What the fuck, man! Why am I as short as Riley?!"

Riley pointed to Mona's chest. "I assumed that my boobs made up for some things. No offence, but you didn't have much to begin with."

Mona only grumbled before Riley approached Nanaki. He was the most difficult, and he roared in slight pain from the transformation. His bones began to restructure themselves and his fur shrunk into his skin. Even his face began to contort strangely as his tail shrunk, the tail disappearing. It took longer than Riley and Mona as he turned into a young man. Out of the other two, he was the most handsome. Tanned skin, toned but thin build, wild red hair that hung in front of his one good eye, which shone amber. He panted, revealing that he still had fangs. Covering his privates was a beige loincloth, but his anklets took place over his wrists and upper arms. Feathers still poked out of his headdress.

"I feel so...exposed," he said sheepishly.

She tossed Black the Transform materia. He caught it easily and thought for a moment. How can a man, disguised as another man, disguise that man into another man? He could sense Nanaki's amusement at Black's dilemma. Snorting, he just altered his looks to make him look younger, only with the white hair, which had become shorter, and stubble instead of a beard. Riley froze. For a brief second, she thought she saw a resemblance to Vincent, but he had proceeded to a younger age, making him a close to early twenties. Instead of the usual poncho he wore, the poncho turned into black feathers.

Nanaki looked among the group. "Now for names."

Once they had decided on the names to use if they were ever asked, Nika led them to the palace, approaching the barrier. She swallowed, passing through it before looking to the others. They looked among one another before one by one, they passed through. Before long, Nika led them upstairs instead, bringing them upon the balconies that had a view of the throne room. They looked down and saw that Shamus didn't look like he wanted rescuing. He was being surrounded by women, Jin's arm hooked through his as he ate.

Black's brow twitched. "Then again, I doubt he would willingly leave with us."

Riley did not look the least bit surprised by the circumstances. "I guess not."

"Let's just leave him here. He'll die happy, right?" Mona suggested.

"No. Despite what you think of him Shamus, he's our comrade. Besides, I knew his grandfather and I feel responsible for him. Nika, can you take us down there?"

She nodded. "Yes, but normally she doesn't like to be disturbed before she...ahem."

"Well that's too damn bad. The bitch is gonna have to deal with it."

"Take us," Black requested.

So she took them down to the throne room after going back the way they came. Jin looked up and Shamus only blinked, despite the distant look in his eyes. Why did those people look familiar? Nika bowed politely, looking grim from her delivery. "I brought you more guests, milady."

"Oh good," she smiled. "Have you come to your senses then?"

Nika nodded, swallowing hard. "I can't do anything about it, so I won't try anymore."

"Good girl. Leave us."

"Yes milady." Nika turned around, taking a quick glance to the others before leaving the room entirely.

"Come, come. Take a seat," Jin offered.

They did so, walking forward but saying nothing. Jin was extremely intrigued. She would definitely have her fill tonight. Black had to ask. "Why is it there are no children except that girl?"

Jin was a little surprised by his question but straightened out her expression. "They grew up and walked away from this village. Nika is the only one to loyal to Wutai. Most men were killed off by the Tsviets and Genesis when Yuffie Kisaragi sent them to war less than fifty years ago. Our population dramatically dropped and now us women are the only ones left. It's sad but us women are lonely from the lack of a man's...touch. I can only imagine how the virgins feel, being so confused without seeing a man."

Riley flinched slightly. She was a virgin. In fact, she never thought about her sexuality. Why would it come to mind now? All she ever thought about was how a kiss would feel. No, she wouldn't think about her lack of a love life now. Riley glanced over to Shamus, seeing his vacant expression. What was she to do to help him? Black also turned to Shamus.

"What's wrong with him?"

"Oh, he's just a little dazed. It seems he really likes women," she said with a smile.

Nanaki glanced at the woman. "I doubt he wants to be eaten though."

Jin's eyes flashed, glowing slightly before she stood up very slowly. "I see the girl had made a plan with you to rescue this boy." The gang stood up suddenly, weapons prepared. All of them suddenly returned to normal, although in Black's case, he just turned into the hermit again. The woman only laughed, making the room grow dark from her power. Suddenly, glowing eyes surrounded them from the dark. "You won't be getting out of here alive. But since you all offered yourselves willingly despite you age and gender, I shall take your souls!"

"What the hell do you need our damn souls for anyway?" Mona demanded.

Jin only laughed seductively, hair flowing around her ominously. "To stay young forever and to sustain my power. Even Genesis will not be able to stop me once I have collected enough souls."

"What a load of crap." Jin's attention was suddenly directed at Riley. "I know for a fact that even you won't be able to keep those souls. Everything returns to the Planet. Besides, if Genesis succeeds in what he's trying to do, you're pretty much fucked either way."

"Nicely said Riley," Mona complimented.

Jin only scowled. "We shall see."

She suddenly hovered in the air, the shadow beneath her swirling with a gold and black aura. Her body glowed as she raised her hand, and strings randomly appeared, women dropping out of nowhere, looking limp as they hung in the air. In their hands were sharp weapons. The gang froze where they were and Black already gathered that these women are possessed as well, which meant that they could not hurt them. Jin only laughed at their predicament and had her puppets rush forward, weapons at the ready.

"Evasive action!!" Black commanded.

Nanaki flipped out of the way while Mona used her weapon to block most attacks as she dodged others. Riley pulled out her barrier, blocking other attacks that managed to get through. Black had the most trouble. Blades got caught in his poncho before deciding to abandon it, slipping out of it quickly. Nika had suck in through a back entrance, kneeling next to Shamus before tapping his cheek.

"Mister...mister! Wake up!"

Shamus blinked slightly, wondering why he felt like this was dream yet nothing felt real. Was he dead? The girl in front of him seemed so ethereal to him. He couldn't even see behind her. He couldn't even see the woman that had cast this spell upon him. All there was in front of him was this girl. Yeah, it was definitely a dream. He reached out to this girl, touching her face. Nika blinked in confusion, wondering what he was doing. She squeaked when he suddenly kissed her, the daze in his eyes disappearing. Her eyes were wide and her face reddened immensely. He pulled away, a happy boyish smile on his face as if still in his dream world. Nika couldn't say anything. It took a few seconds before Shamus finally snapped to reality.

"Huh? Where the hell am I?" He saw the expression on Nika's face then gaped. "Oh shit! I'm sorry!!" Nika still said nothing and he tried shaking her. Now she was in a dreamlike state. "Whoa! Snap out of it!!"

Jin was growing bored with their evasions, not even paying attention to the other two. With eyes aglow, her vision peered through another plane, staring at their auras. Riley was no good, Nanaki was definitely no good, but Mona and Black had different auras. She could already assume mako treatment upon the girl but the old man was a different story. His aura was like any other person, almost no sin to speak of, but with his impatience, the aura grew darker. Suddenly it turned red with his rage and he displayed a never-before-seen power. He unleashed a wave, cutting across the puppets' heads, cutting the strings. Jin was shocked with his power before she grinned evilly.

"Oh...you certainly have a special soul."

Black glared at the woman, aiming the Cerberus toward her. He fired; all three bullets rotating towards her but an unseen force sent them flying past her head by the mere flash of her eyes. She smirked and glided towards him, power radiating from her as he nails grew and her face was no longer beautiful, even her hair greyed slightly. The usage of her powers seems to take a toll on her appearance, he realized. He didn't realize till it was too late that she was aiming to take his soul. He grunted as he was grabbed by the neck and slammed against a wall.

At that point, his aura had shown itself to the human eye, and his eyes glowed red. She only delighted in his response, laughing at him. "Yes! Yes! Show me your rage! Infect it with your wrath! Your sins!"

With that, she began to inhale and he could feel weaker with each intake. "D-damn!"

"Black!!" Riley cried out.

She ran towards the woman, sword drawn as she dragged it across the floor, screaming in rage. Jin only looked over her shoulder and a single pulse of her power sent Riley flying into a wall. Mona and Nanaki cried out to Riley, running to her side. Black's eyes widened before he growled in rage. His eyes turned into a predatory gold instead of the red this time, Galian begging to tear the woman apart with his claws.

Jin noticed something different for certain about this man. "You. What are you? These sins do not belong to you." Before Black could answer, he spotted Shamus behind the woman.

"Hey bitch!" Jin looked over her shoulder again just as a spear penetrated through her chest and she screamed in agony. Shamus had woken up and he was not impressed to see his teammates fighting against this woman. "Nobody messes with my friends and gets away with it!"

He abruptly pulled the spear out slightly, twisting it so that the point made sure her wound would not close easily. She cried out in pain, her skin wrinkling further as her eyes turned black, soon dissolving to ash. He did another violent twist and she exploded into ash with a scream, green glitter floating into the air and disappearing. Black could only assume that it was the souls she had devoured over the years, seeing as a few spectres returned to his body, regaining back the part of his life he lost.

Black could see Shamus hold out a hand to him and he looked at it contemplatively before giving a slight smile, taking it before the boy helped him up. Black placed a hand on Shamus' shoulder. "You're a good kid, Shamus. I know I've always doubted your talents, but...I suppose I should have more faith in you, seeing that you have proved my doubts wrong. Don't ever change. I can see that you will be greater than Cid Highwind. He'd be proud."

"Aw shucks, old man!" Shamus wiped under his nose. "As if I would have let you put me down."

Black nodded. "Nobody should to listen to me. I'm nothing but a grumpy old man." He suddenly realized that Riley was hurt and he had briefly forgotten. He suddenly pushed past Shamus, running to her side. He pushed away Mona, grasping underneath Riley's head. "Riley? Riley!" No response, making his heart stop. He checked her breathing before she coughed in his ear. He eased her head onto his lap as she coughed out dust. "Riley..."

"Oh...is that you, old fart? You're alive?" She seemed a little dazed from getting hit in the head, and her voice was rough from being dried out.

He scoffed, mirroring what she had said to him when they first met. "You're a trooper little girl." She looked up at him then, slightly perplexed by the softness in his voice. "I'm so sorry."

Riley swallowed after she got some saliva going before she considered her answer. "You're still on probation. This time, I'm not letting you off the hook till you die of a heart attack."

He grunted with amusement. "How long do you think that'll work?"

Nanaki smiled content that Black and Riley had finally made up as Mona approached the mechanic. "You're not so bad after all, idiot."

He snorted, "Now you listen—"

"Don't be so sensitive, Shamus," she smiled challengingly before walking away.

He blinked, finger raised as if he was trying to make a point. He dropped his hand, contemplating what she had just said. Did she actually call him by name? No, would never happen. Did it? While he pondered this, the women on the floor began to regain consciousness, wondering what had happened. The group gathered around, but Riley was being carried on the hermit's back, clinging to his shoulders.

"Shamus," Nanaki began. "This journey has put a lot of stress on us, but would you be willing to forgive these two and take the helm of the Highwind Ceto?"

"Are you kidding?!" Shamus looked serious and they all feared the worst before he casually shrugged, putting a toothpick in his mouth. "Sure, whatever. Sounds like fun."

He grinned. He purposely got them going for his own amusement. Mona wanted to hit him for that but she was interrupted when a light suddenly shone between them and dimmed slowly, floating into Shamus' hand. They all blinked in surprise. They had found the fifth fragment, only this marble was yellow in colour. Shamus grinned at his double-triumph.

"Oh yeah! I _am_ the man!"

_**So, we had all been hostile to one another the last few days. I had been the most childish. However, we had learned to overcome this obstacle, and yet I still fear coming out of hiding. Though for some reason, I was starting to believe Nanaki's words. I wouldn't be able to hide from them forever. Perhaps I'll be willing to show myself when the time comes.

* * *

**_

**A/N:** Okay, so it wasn't funny like I intended to write it as, but I was trying to briefly make fun of Cloud's cross-dressing mission. I don't think any fan would forget something like that. I mean, c'mon...he practically gets raped in a bathtub with gay men. No wonder he's a victim of yaoi. ANYWAY. Next couple of chapters will be a plot point in the story! Hurrah! Should I give you a hint? Hmm...NO XD. Interview time! Interview time!

Me: Just to be brief, I have a few questions. One of my reviewers would like to know. MONA!  
Mona: *glares* Why am I here?  
Me: _I'm_ the one asking the questions here. This one is for you. "Dear Mona, why do you hate Shamus so much? Are you secretly in love with him, or do you really hate men? Why don't you treat Vincent and Nanaki the same?"  
Mona: One, he's an idiot. Two, like hell I am. He's too much of an idiot. Three, yes I do, because I find that they're all idiots. Four, because one, the...who's Vincent?  
Me: It hasn't been revealed to you three that Black is actually Vincent.  
Mona: ...WHAT?! THAT SON OF A *BEEP*.  
*intermission*  
Mona: *has been lectured and tied up* I can't believe the bastard is hiding under our very noses.  
Me: You were saying?  
Mona: FOUR...Nanaki is NOT a man, he's a weird...lion...thing. Plus he's not an idiot. As for Vincent, because I'm too focused on picking on Shamus.  
Me: So you are secretly in love with Shamus?  
Mona: What?! I said nothing! NOTHING!!!

I'm afraid I must say toodles before Mona destroys my apartment in a rage *shifty eyes* Anyway, please R&R!


	23. Ch 22: Demonic Resurrection

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may not be correct. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent.

* * *

**Chapter 22: Demonic Resurrection**

_**Death can no longer contain the beast inside. Before, I had nightmares of my past. Now…I have nightmares of the future.**_

_Vincent floated in an abyss of darkness, much like Nero's void. Voices were everywhere, taunting, haunting, and choking. It was like a dark lullaby with the shadows caressing him from all directions. Where was he? A soft growl seemed to answer him. He opened his eyes, straightening out his floating body before looking ahead to see a red light. The light dimmed, turning into a mirror. Vincent floated over to it, observing his reflection. Instead of the beard and black clothes, he wore his usual outfit with a clean shaven face, but only in the mirror. Outside the mirror he wore the black clothing. Did this mean something?_

_His reflection began to contort into another shape, suddenly engulfing the mirror in light and when it dimmed, it revealed Chaos. However, there were now cracks in the mirror, and a black essence began to seep through. Vincent moved back slightly, horrified by what may happen. The essence moved quicker now and Vincent tried to move away but he could not get away fast enough, the blackness wrapping around his neck and choking him. Vincent tried to breathe, but it was no use. Chaos was taking over. But why, why now?_

_Suddenly it occurred to him. The Witch, Jin…she had mentioned that the sin inside him was not his. What did that mean? Was a piece of Chaos left behind even after the collision with Omega? The choking never stopped and Vincent struggled, even as the black mist took over his body, and he transformed into Chaos. He panted, covering his face before he heard his name, looking to the mirror. He saw Vincent, but not Chaos._

"_You will be seduced by its power."_

_Chaos took a step back. "No."_

"_You can't hide forever."_

"_No."_

"_Chaos cannot be held by the lifestream forever. Every living thing that has died will come back as it circles the planet, crossing the borders of life and death."_

"_Stop, I won't hear of this! Chaos is gone! That nightmare is over!"_

_His human reflection paused, considering. "You're right. That nightmare has long since been over. But..." Chaos looked at him. "A new nightmare has begun." The reflection turned into Chaos, flying out of the mirror to attack with a roar._

Black woke with a start, Cerberus pulled out reflexively in front of him. He breathed heavily as his eyes were wide with alarm. It took a moment to remember where he was before he gave a weighted sigh, putting aside the gun. He looked around, seeing his comrades fast asleep on the beds that the women of Wutai had made for them in thanks for helping them. His gaze lingered on Riley for a moment. She was curled up, shivering slightly from the lack of heat in the area. He stood up, silently walking over to place his poncho over her, kneeling beside the bed to stare at her face up close. A loose strand of hair had fallen on her nose and he gave in to the self-indulgence to brush it behind her ear.

He stood up, leaving the room then the house altogether to get air. _What does this mean Lucrecia? Why, after all these years, do I have these nightmares again? Does Chaos have something to do with our quest?_

Breakfast was hearty and the women cooed at Shamus' flirtations, revelling in the fact that he was a hero to them now. Riley rolled her eyes and Mona only snorted. Nanaki just drank water and ate meat bits. Black was merely drinking tea. The storm clouds were gone, he noticed. Wutai was a cheery place again. He briefly wondered what Yuffie would have thought of Wutai if she was alive now. They sat outside underneath the cherry blossoms to eat and one petal fell into his cup and he picked it out. Nika walked up to them, finally joining them, but sat as far away as possible from Shamus. She had been nervous around him ever since that kiss. She blamed it on the spell Jin had over him but she couldn't deny the fact she liked it. By nature, she was extremely shy, and being kissed made her more so.

"Alright, down to the serious stuff," Riley suddenly announced. She placed the two fragments on the table. "We got five fragments, but Weiss stole three of them, so they have three, we have two. That leaves Chaos and Order."

Mona leaned on the table with her elbows. "So, how do we get something like those? They're not exactly characteristics we can simply demonstrate."

"Maybe we can, and we aren't thinking out of the box," said Shamus. "I mean maybe all we have to do is deeds."

"Deeds? Please explain," asked Nanaki.

"Well, if we _cause_ order and chaos, maybe the fragments will appear."

"But in a way we already are," Riley pointed out. "We've been doing all these deeds to try and get the fragments and help those that need help. I mean, in a way, we're trouble for the Tsviets. Aren't we?"

"No," Black finally said. "We slowed them down, but not by much. Rosso is their weakest, but they still have an army we have to deal with."

"A-army?!" Shamus stammered. "Fuck! How are we gonna get past those guys?!"

Riley looked to Nanaki. "What's so bad about their army? I mean, they could just be brainless cronies."

Nanaki sighed. "That army is ten times worse than Deepground. They're smarter, more efficient, faster and stronger. They're like animals but with the ability to kill precisely in one single move. It's an army of monsters we're going to have to deal with."

"We can always bring in the resistance to deal with them. It's what we've been training for after all," Mona offered. "Besides, we know the biggest war in recorded history is coming."

"You're going to need a lot more people than that. Even with what's left of the world's population, it won't be enough."

Riley sighed. "So now what?"

"You're awfully calm."

"A lot of things are starting to not surprise me. It's typical situations like this that happens in a lot of stories or movies. I can't do anything panicking all the time."

Black looked at her, considering her words before standing up. "I'm leaving for a few days." The others gaped at him. "I need to go somewhere alone for the time being. I need you all to stay here until I return. I should be back within the week."

"Black, what are you doing? Where are you going?" Riley asked.

"It's personal."

"What the hell man! We're all friends again and you just wanna walk away to some place you refuse to tell us where?" Shamus yelled out.

Nanaki stared into Black's expression, seeing how disturbed he was before turning his eye to the group. "Let him go. We will go after him in seven days if he does not return in that time. As long as he takes his phone, we'll be able to track him."

"I guess," Mona said.

Black nodded. "I will return in that time. So until then, Nanaki is in charge. See you."

He walked off quickly and something compelled Riley to go after him. She stumbled to her feet and was surprised by how fast he walked, considering she just barely caught up with him in a run at the town's entrance. "Wait! Wait!"

He stopped, turning to see her skid to a stop and catch her breath. "Riley? What's the matter? I thought you understood."

"I never...said...that. You assume...too much...old...man. Heh."

"Breathe Riley, breathe," he coaxed, resting his hands on her shoulders. "Now, what's the problem?"

"I don't think you should go alone! That's my problem. I mean, what if Weiss or Rosso shows up and you're by yourself, and—"

"I won't die so easily, Riley."

"I know but I—"

"Listen to me," he began, raising her chin to look at him. "Trust me. This is something that I must do alone. In time, I may tell you why and I know you'll understand."

There was silence as she considered this before resigning herself to his decision. "Alright, but can I ask you one thing?" He raised a brow, waiting. "What do you want said on your gravestone?"

He chuckled. "Very funny."

"Okay, all seriousness." She paused. "In Gold Saucer..."

"Yes?"

"Why did you..." she couldn't finish. The memory left her cheeks warm and if she finished the sentence, her face would give her away.

The question startled him, and he honestly didn't know how to answer. He knew what she was referring to, and frankly, he never forgot his little slipup. He was more startled that he placed his gloved fingertips over her cheek like before, though his expression was more deep in thought than anything. "I don't know why, really. It just happened. But I..." He paused, thinking over his words. "I wish to tell you certain things about me that may or may not change your opinion of me. However, I'm not ready to reveal those things."

She blinked at the contact, surprised that he was doing it again, and was even more surprised that she wasn't disturbed by it. "Do you...even trust me?"

"That's not it. I do trust you." He dropped his hand. "I find you the closest thing to me in this lifetime. But until the time comes to tell you these things, you'll have to be patient with me."

She nodded, though curious as to what he wanted to tell her. "Alright. Just come back, okay?"

He nodded, and was intrigued by the sudden urge to kiss her goodbye. The hermit swallowed, turning away quickly as he gave a quick wave goodbye. Riley watched him quickly run off, sighing. She touched her cheek, perplexed by the simplicity of the touch. Closest thing to him, huh? Maybe he thought of her as some kind of grandchild he never had, or whatever. No, she realized. That caress was more intimate. She wasn't completely blind. Some older men preferred younger women. It was disturbing to her, but for some reason, she didn't mind. Something told her there was more to him than he cared to reveal.

Once he was far enough from the town, Black exhaled deeply. What the hell was he thinking? Kissing her! Of all things to consider! He was losing it. He was starting to behave the same way he did around Lucrecia in the past. The girl was too young! Well, he was very old, compared to people that actually looked their age, but that wasn't the issue! Lucrecia was smart and beautiful. If it wasn't for her, he wouldn't have been alive to this day. Wait. Riley wasn't all around genius, but she had determination, and he had come to respect her. Her looks weren't bad either. She just looked...average. Heh, was that the right word? To some, she'd look normal, but maybe that was a feat; a touch of reality. Also, if it wasn't for Riley, he would have died from the infection of the wound caused by Rosso. The scales balanced between the two women easily at that point.

"My god...no wonder I'm falling for her."

Three days had passed before he reached a crater of waterfalls. He climbed up a path that had been walked may times before, but those footprints have long since disappeared. After Deepground, he had forgiven himself, and learned to live his life within the short time before the Tsviets returned with Genesis. He had not been here since the end of Deepground, and nostalgia seeped into his thoughts. Would Lucrecia's soul still be encased in the mako crystals? Had her appearance changed over the decades? When was the last time he dreamt of her?

His thoughts were interrupted by a strange sound coming from the cave entrance that led to the Chaos Grotto. He heard voices, instantly drawing Cerberus before treading inside. The long rocky corridor was lit by the soft blue glow of mako crystals, allowing him to see in the dark more easily, though he could anyway. He saw the end of the tunnel, moving quietly into the large grotto. The place had never changed. The only difference was the fact that Rosso stood before the giant crystal centered in the room. Inside was a swirling shadowed mass, and Black's eyes narrowed.

_Chaos; is this what the nightmare meant? Are they trying to resurrect him?_

Around Rosso were soldiers, members of the army that Genesis had constructed within a short time. Their outfits were similar to Deepground uniforms; however, instead of the grey and blue, it was black and red; the dark army of a malicious mind. Black took this opportunity to aim at the lesser warriors. He fired quickly, shooting them all in the head, instantly dropping them, though Rosso only laughed, not looking the least bit surprised as she turned around.

"I thought you would come here. Never did I expect you to be the lone warrior, though."

His gun was fixed upon her head, more specifically her mouth. Again he wondered, maybe she'd shut up if he shot her now. "I _am_ called a hermit for a reason."

"Humph. Where the Tsviets go, trouble follows."

Black tilted his head, as if pondering the statement. "Are you talking about me, or are you speaking of your evil deeds?"

She laughed more heartily this time, though with a seductive note. "Darling, you certainly have a way with words. _Evil deeds_, where do you come up with these terms? Whoever said we were evil?" She began to strut around the large crystal, arms over her chest. "It is true, that members of Deepground were bred to kill, however can you really blame people like me?"

His grip tightened. "Just because your makers are at fault, you can't be condoned for what you have done over these last fifty years. Not you, Weiss, nor Genesis."

She smirked. "And what would you know about Genesis, my love?"

He paused but didn't answer. "What are you doing here anyway? You're not welcome here."

"Welcome? Since when do I care about being invited? Do you know what this place is?" He watched her as she faced him, eyes glowing in the blue glow of the cave. "This is the birthplace of Chaos, a demon, if you will. The fact that Chaos had enough power to destroy Omega amazes me. Chaos is in fact, a piece of a puzzle."

Black was a little intrigued but then realized she must have meant being part of the triangle with Omega and the Proto-Materia. "So what? The Proto-Materia is gone, as is Chaos and Omega. If you plan to—"

"No, darling. There's more to Chaos than what can be seen by your feeble eyes." She waited a beat for effect before continuing. "Chaos shall be revived so that we may use him."

"Use him for what? What part does he have to play?"

She laughed again, soon having a riot out of the question. "Well, too bad for you, I don't intend to share all my secrets." She grabbed her weapon, the unfolding blades snapping into place. "Instead, I will show you a new Crimson. One the likes of which you've never seen, old man!"

"I doubt it," he challenged.

Smiling, she cut red streaks across the ground toward him, and he rolled out of the way, but winced when one nicked him across the arm. She stepped back slightly, pointing the machine gun at him with one hand on her blade as if in a stance. Spinning around rapidly, more streaks cut across the ground, except this time, instead of the typical straight lines, they curved and followed him, as if they were heat-seeking. He jumped onto the wall and bounded off it, avoiding the streaks entirely as he flew in the air upside down, firing off a few shells at Rosso, only the bullets bounced off. He noted that the speed of her spin made her an offensive shield.

Landing upon the crystal, he charged up his left arm with electricity, thrusting the voltage forward. Rosso stopped spinning, flipping backwards a few times to evade the attack. The lightning struck the ground, causing a cloud of dust to rise in the air and blur their vision. Black attempted to peer through the dust, hearing a few slashes before he could spot those red streaks cutting through towards him, splitting apart the cloud as they flew. He jumped off, flipping backwards and firing once again upside down.

To his surprise, the streaks curved upwards. He cursed, twisting his body in a way so that his left leg deflected the attacks. The force of the collision caused him to hit a stalactite, and with it, crashed to the ground. More dust rose as Rosso marched towards his location before she paused her stride, hearing an odd sound. She couldn't see past the dust and all she could hear was strange pulse of energy change. A sudden wave of fire greeted her and she cried out in surprise, being knocked into a wall as a barrage of fireballs crashed into her. This caused a tremor throughout the cavern and the attacks cracked the wall. Rocks began to fall upon Rosso, seeming to trap her beneath the jagged rubble.

Black stepped out of the dust cloud, eyes glowing crimson malice. His body was surrounded by the same fiery aura as before, but that, and his eyes, dimmed to nothing. Onyx eyes glared at the pile of rocks before he scoffed. "You never were much of a challenge." After a few moments, he heard an ominous pulse behind him, causing him to turn around. He stepped back with a slight gasp of horror as he saw that the shroud of darkness had gotten larger and was seeping out of the crystal. "What the hell!"

The blackness poured out onto the rocks, engulfing them completely. Spreading out into the water, all Black could see was that the water was becoming infected horrified by the fact that Chaos was becoming reborn. How such a thing was possible, he would have to look into later, that is, if he managed to live after the beast's resurrection. He saw a red glimmer, and the water shone brightly, blinding him and engulfing everything in the room. He covered his eyes, staggering backwards. The light dimmed and he unshielded his vision.

He stared at the ground at first, but a sudden flapping sound made him look up quickly. Eyes shot up towards a familiar face, or monster...whatever seemed appropriate. Black took a step back, looking straight into the eyes of Chaos. Black met with gold, staring each other down in fascination. A hard swallow was made as he tried to determine what to do. Chaos had been revived and it looked more dangerous than ever now that it had no host to control him.

The beast suddenly outstretched his wings, flapping quickly. Black reacted, shooting him in the face. The beast cried out, staggering back, landing on its feet then there was a moment of frightening silence. Chaos growled, revealing his canines. How strange that such a destructive beast had the face of what looked similar to a human. Looks can be deceiving, he mused. Chaos finally reacted, roaring out, shaking the very depths of the cave, a wave of red energy spreading out, knocking the hermit into a wall. He grunted in pain from the force, sliding down the wall and simply staying where he is, sitting on his ass as he watched the demon. Chaos spread out his wings, glancing towards the entrance before gliding across the ground, exiting the area entirely and leaping off the edge of a cliff, falling downward before his wings spread out again just before he would hit the water, flying over the surface and away from the area.

Black panted, grabbing his phone and calling Shamus. "I need a pickup. Now. We've got bigger problems than Genesis at the moment."

* * *

**A/N:** Again, I'm sorry for the delay, I don't really have an excuse this time. Well, maybe one at the moment, but it's not a very good excuse. I got a new game just a few days ago (I'm SO happy I bought it) called Assassin's Creed 2. I loved the first game, but I love this game so much more. Ezio makes me laugh. Especially when he gets laid *Shifty eyes* What a ladies' man. Anyway, I won't be promising another chapter soon, but I will try to complete another chapter as soon as possible, depending on my motivation to write. However, I have some personal issues that need to be dealt with so that I can continue posting chapters. So if I disappear or something, it's probably because my mother and I were evicted, but I'm not getting into that. Anyway, INTERVIEWS!

Me: Alright, I have one question from our umber one fan! Yay! Nanaki gets some attention!  
Red: *scratches his ear*  
Me: Awww, what a cute kitty *pets him*  
Red: *gives a perplexed look* ...Why is it every girl wants to pet me?  
Me: Because you're fluffy.  
Red: I am _not._ I'm silky.  
Me: Well, either way, kitty kitty! *snuggles him*  
Red: -.- Please get on with it.  
Me: Aww, anyway..."Nanaki, why don't you take charge and kick butt? You're obviously more organized than the others. Why don't you take over as leader?"  
Shamus: Heeey! I can be _organized_.  
Mona: Organized?! You can't even issue orders! Idiot!  
Shamus: What'd you call me?! *starts bickering with Mona*  
Vincent: ...  
Riley: ...  
Red: ...I guess the most honest answer is that I'd rather not get all the heat. -.- Besides, I have enough responsibility being the shrink of the group.  
Me: I see what you mean.

Anyway, please R&R.


	24. Ch 23: Taming a Monster

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may not be correct. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent.

* * *

**Chapter 23: Taming a Monster**

Shamus flew in a kilometre north of the grotto, just above the mountain peaks. Winds rushed through Black's clothing as he waited for the boy to land. Shamus informed him that the peaks were too jagged, so instead, Black found a way to jump onto the open cargo hatch, leaping off a cliff. Riley closed the hatched doors from her seat, seeing Black quickly come aboard the bridge. Black walked to the window as she glanced at the map. The grotto wasn't far from here, she realized. She was tempted to tell Shamus to stop by there. Maybe Vincent would be there, reminiscing his past with his beloved Lucrecia. However, Black seemed urgent and knew she would have to wait for another opportunity.

"Yo old man, what's the big deal with the pick up? Where are we headed?"

"I don't know," he answered distractedly.

"Whatta ya mean you don't know?!"

Black inhaled deeply. "I encountered Rosso."

Everyone was suddenly on alert as Mona blurted out her protest, "What?! And you didn't invite us to the party?!"

"She's the least of our problems."

Nanaki looked at Black, eye narrowed in his direction. "Shamus mentioned that you said Genesis was not our biggest priority. What happened?"

Black didn't say anything for a time as he pieced together the words he wanted to say, finally deciding to be blunt. "Chaos is alive."

"What!" Nanaki cried out. "How is this possible?!"

Riley's eyes widened, wondering what that meant. Chaos is alive? How could this be possible?! Chaos returned to the planet…didn't he? Black confirmed her fears. "Rosso and a few of her men were at the Chaos Grotto, apparently attempting to revive him. Unfortunately, whatever she did, it worked. I don't understand how or why they want him alive, but either way, we have to find him first and…subdue him."

"Who's Chaos?" Mona and Shamus asked at the same time.

Riley looked down. "A sentient being created by the planet with the purpose of destroying everything, eventually triggering the birth of Omega, a vessel of the lifestream. Vincent Valentine used to be the host of Chaos."

"Used to be?" Mona prodded.

She only nodded. "Omega was summoned once before over fifty years ago by Deepground and the Tsviets, but Vincent, or rather, Chaos collided with Omega as he was about to abandon the planet to death, causing the collision to kill them both and return them to the planet. As a result, Vincent was freed from Chaos."

_**I looked at her then and wondered what she personally thought of Chaos. It made me ask myself why she admired me so much. Was it the fact that I was a war hero? Was it because I wasn't…normal, to say the least? Perhaps the latter was the case. Some fear what they don't understand and shun its existence. Perhaps she was the opposite. Maybe she was intrigued by enigmatic beings. Would she have treated me differently if she hadn't known about my past? If I ever planned to reveal my true face, maybe I would ask her. But now wasn't the time to think of such trivial matters. Chaos was on the loose and without me as his host he will cause an endless amount of havoc.**_

"So, what's the deal with this Chaos then?" asked Shamus.

Black faced everyone. "Chaos will wreak destruction upon everything he sees. He has no friends or foes. He is a monster."

"No," Riley suddenly announced. "Like any other living creature, he's just misunderstood."

"No, Riley. He only knows destruction, and that's all he'll ever know."

"For all you know, being inside Vincent may have changed his views on life. What if he saw everything that had happened and changed, even a little?"

Black sighed, too tired to argue with her further. "That's enough Riley. Please, let's just drop this."

At least they didn't start another fight, Nanaki said inwardly. Black went so far as to avoid another argument. The feline looked amongst the others before looking to Riley. "Perhaps we should call Shelke and see if she can get a reading from the Shinra satellites."

"Right," Riley agreed before calling her. An hour had passed before Shelke called back, "Anything?"

"It seems as though Chaos had flown directly east. The only activity I found was located in Junon."

"Alright, we'll go straight there. Thanks Shelke." With that she hung up before looking at Shamus, "To Junon!"

"Alright, pretty lady!"

With that, he turned on the jets, zipping across the skies with Mona cussing at him for going too fast. Black only sat in his seat, miles away in his thoughts. Riley watched him from time to time, wondering why he was at the Chaos Grotto. Perhaps it was on the way and found it. No, that can't be it. Ugh! All of these questions and she was afraid of the answers! First the cloak then the short reappearance of Vincent Valentine then Cerberus, and now he was at the Chaos Grotto. What did it all mean? Sure she was in college, but it didn't mean she was the sharpest tool in the shed. And if she asked him about it, he'd probably only get mad again. Then again, maybe the answers lied in what he wanted to tell her in the future. For all she knew, he probably wouldn't tell her until he was on his deathbed. It made her want to beat it out of the old fart.

It took a few hours before they reached Junon and saw that it was in flames. Shamus landed upon the platform of the fort and they left the ship. Black looked to everyone. "We'll split in two groups. We'll cover more ground, but it would be foolish to be alone. Nanaki, Mona; you two are group one. The rest of us are group two. We'll use our phones to communicate. Neither group will confront Chaos alone. If one of us finds Chaos, contact the other group and give your location. Chaos is too strong—"

"What _are_ we doing anyway?" Shamus asked suddenly.

Black hadn't even figured that part out. "If we can, which I highly doubt, subdue him. This is a hunt, and we either have to slay the beast or capture it. We do _whatever is necessary_. If we die killing the beast, it's better than Omega being reborn and trying to leave the planet with the lifestream again. We can't allow Chaos to run loose."

They all nodded but as they split up Riley became more nervous. She was anxious by the fact she would likely meet Chaos, and frightened that she would die in this place. Black placed a hand on her shoulder, knowing what she was thinking. The last thing he would allow to happen was harm to come her way, least of all from Chaos. They wandered the fortress city, every now and then putting out the heavier flames. Shamus glanced around constantly, gripping his lance tightly in both hands. Riley gripped her own sword tightly as she also looked around. What were they to do to capture him?

Red and Mona had no luck finding the creature as they searched inside the main building. Everything was too quiet and nobody liked it at all. Nanaki stopped, sniffing the air as he looked around. Mona turned to him. "What is it?"

"Shh."

He only continued to look around, a faint scent lingering in the air. They both heard a soft growl behind them, freezing on the spot in trepidation. They knew what was behind them, but they feared turning around, even Red's tail stopped swaying. A bead of sweat rolled down the side of Mona's face, swallowing hard. He couldn't be that strong, she decided. Instead of waiting to see what would happen, she spun around, swinging her weapon towards Chaos' head. He raised his hand, blocking the strike before using his free hand to thrust it towards her chest. Upon the impact, a pulse was emitted before she was blasted backwards into a wall.

Chaos regarded Nanaki and all the feline could do was back away, head down, ears flat and tail limp. The beast grunted in approval before spreading his wings ascending to the ceiling quickly and out of an opening. Nanaki took the chance to run to Mona's side, who now lied unconscious against the wall. He looked around, making sure that Chaos was not returning before he grabbed Mona's phone from her hip. He dialled Black's number with a single claw before the call went through.

"Find anything?" he answered.

"We briefly met with Chaos, and now Mona's out."

"Out?"

"She made the first move and as a result was knocked out."

"Where are you?"

"Close to where the gas chamber is."

"On our way." Black hung up, glancing at the other two. "Nanaki's had a run in with Chaos. Let's go."

Shamus gulped. "Do we have to actually go up against Chaos?"

"Yes, boy. Whether you want to or not, he'll come after us all eventually."

"Dammit."

Black walked off ahead of them, determined to stop Chaos one way or another. Riley didn't follow them, just watching them walk off. She glanced around, thinking Chaos would show up any moment. Looking up to the sky, she briefly glimpsed a shadow flying out of view. Her eyes widened before she ran off. Up a series of stairs and through countless hallways, she eventually found herself upon the roof of one of the buildings. Her feet carried her to the edge of the roof before she looked over the ledge and down towards the ground. A gust of wind nearly brought her over, but her panic caused her to react, stepping back, heart racing.

Black and Shamus eventually reached Nanaki's location as Shamus spotted Mona. "Holy crap! _She_ got knocked out?!"

"Yes, Chaos seems much stronger without Vincent as his host. Black, I think you need to explain why you were at the Chaos Grotto and how you came to encounter Rosso."

He sighed, knowing there was no avoiding it. "I've had a dream recently about Chaos...and I've always known where the grotto was. I wanted answers so I sought out the meaning of that dream. As a result, Rosso was already there, trying to resurrect the beast. I managed to defeat her, but unfortunately, whatever she did was already set in motion, reviving Chaos."

"Why would she revive Chaos?"

"I don't know; that's what I plan to find out if we survive this of course."

"Hey, guys?" Shamus interrupted before they looked at him. "Where's Riley?"

Black suddenly went into alert, looking around before cursing. "What the hell is she thinking?!"

With that, Mona was beginning to come to, groaning in pain. "Ow, that asshole." She looked at the others. "What happened? Did we kill him yet?"

"Hardly," Nanaki answered.

"Good, he's mine," she suddenly declared angrily as she stood up.

"First things first, Riley needs to be found," said Black.

"Where the hell did _she_ go?"

"I'm about to find out." He pulled out his phone and called Riley's phone, but no response. "Dammit!" He tried again and again but no response. "She's not picking up." He was beginning to fear the worst. Perhaps Chaos snatched her and mauled her. He could already hear her screams in his head. No, this can't happen. It can't! "Dammit Riley, why the hell did you run off?!"

He suddenly bolted off without the others, making it difficult for them to catch up with him. They all ran into the city calling out for Riley. She wouldn't have heard them, already on the other side of the city. She had attempted to call the others but cursed, finding that her battery died. Calling it a stupid phone like a frustrated child, she was suddenly startled by the sound of a pair of wings flapping. Shoulders tensed as her back went rigid. Her throat was suddenly parched and her eyes were wide with fear. To look was to challenge the beast. Not looking would have meant making her an easy target. Oh god, what was she going to do?!

Before she could decide, she felt air blow onto her neck, causing goose-bumps to rise upon her flesh. She dared not move for it would be the death of her. Chaos was right behind her, taking a couple whiffs of her neck. Maybe he was trying to determine whether or not she was food. Despite knowing much about Vincent, she barely knew anything about Chaos. Did he even eat? She could only pray that she wasn't on his menu. He only continued to sniff her; first her neck, then her hair. What would he do to her? Eat her, rape her, both? Wait, why would he rape her? Her mind was too panicked at the moment to think straight. The only coherent thought was to stay still. As long as she didn't make a move that would provoke him, he wouldn't hurt her. Right?

Chaos soon tasted her neck, his slick tongue sliding across her skin. The motion startled her, causing her to jump in surprise. He suddenly turned her around, making her squeak. "U-uh...good boy? Nice, Mr. Demon?"

His golden eyes remained on her, looking her over. Apparently talking didn't set him off in any way, which relieved her to some degree. His eyes were dimmed slightly from his scrutinizing, fascinated with her. Maybe it was the bath products she used, since he only continued to sniff her, occasionally licking her, as if having a taste before he would fully devour her. He stopped, noticing that she was beginning to tremble. Unfortunately for her, he only startled her again.

"_Do you fear me, fleshling?_" His voice almost sounded like three voices. A combination of ethereal, demonic, and yet masculine. Riley couldn't help that it sounded very much like Vincent. Perhaps Chaos inherited it during his time spent in Vincent's body.

"Y-you talk?" she whimpered.

His blue lips curled slightly in amusement. "_I've always known how to talk. Now answer me._"

"I..." she began but trailed off. Did she fear him? Part of her did, but another part was in awe. "To some degree." Wait, if he could talk, he _could_ rape her if he wanted! "Are you going to eat me?"

His wings extended, as if offended by the question, though he carried no emotion upon his features. "_Should I?_" She didn't answer, too afraid to. He chuckled. "_No. Though, I am considering what to do with you, human. You're foolish, looking for me on your own. What did you hope to gain, hmm?_"

The answer came easily. "I want to find Vincent Valentine."

He growled, his wings flapping once angrily. She had said the wrong thing to the wrong demon. "_Vincent Valentine...if I ever find him, I will personally tear him apart. He was nothing but a cage to me and every time I tried clawing my way out, he'd always hold me back, all thanks to that cursed Proto-Materia! And that wench he was in love with._"

"Lucrecia?" she asked.

He growled again, though not as violently. "_That woman used me to keep him from dying, and as a result, he used me to save this stupid planet._"

Riley swallowed, not sure what to say. He held her arms, keeping her in place. If he wanted, he could break her arms, and she was rather fond of her arms, so to speak. "Wait a second...what do you know about the Omni-Materia?"

"_Omni-Materia?_" He paused, perplexed by her sudden question. He definitely looked as if he was familiar with it. "_That thing is worse than any materia in existence. Any misuse could result in the destruction of all that exists._"

"What about the fragments?"

He watched her, finally releasing her as his wings folded onto his back, walking away slightly. "_Finding them all is only possible for the wielder. The two final pieces are the most difficult. Chaos and Order can only be found together to bring forth the Eighth._"

She rubbed her arms from his grip, grateful that she was briefly spared his wrath. "The Eighth Knight, you mean?"

"_Yes. However, I do not know the forms of these fragments. Five are marbles while these two are disguised as different forms. Two halves of one being, his purpose is to carry out the wishes of his master, the storyteller._"

"How do you know all this?"

He chuckled darkly, stalking slowly towards her. "_I'm almost as old as this planet. However, I do have gaps in my memories. The ability to live forever, even through the lifestream, can drag one's mental capacity down. Now, I have answered your questions. What shall I do with you, fleshling?_"

She stepped back, scolding herself for even thinking he was going to let her live. "Oh...come on, we can't be friends?"

"_Friends? HA! Don't make me laugh. It has been ages since I even knew the meaning of such a word. Do not mock me with your sentiments. You will only waste them, and frankly, I do not plan on wasting any more time on you._"

He raised his left claw, the golden tips gleaming from what little light there was in the large room. Riley stepped back, knowing she could not outrun him even if she tried. She inwardly screamed at herself to at least take the chance and run for her life, but her legs didn't listen. A gunshot was heard as Chaos recoiled from a blow to the face, wings outstretching in surprise as he roared furiously. Riley was too shocked. What just happened? Black moved into her line of view, grabbing her shoulders.

"Never do that to me again! You could have died just now, dammit!"

She couldn't respond. Riley had almost been taken by death and nothing coming out of Black's mouth made any sense. Voices and images were blurred, surprising Black by touching his cheek. He froze, concerned that she may be out of whack, traumatized by the experience, but her touch distracted him slightly. Suddenly he didn't care that Chaos was behind him, ready to strike him down. He wanted this moment to last as long as possible.

"You're here?" she finally asked. "You came for me?"

He almost stammered his response, entranced by the confused expression on her face. "Of course I'm here. I wouldn't allow anything to happen to you."

"_How sweet._"

Black snapped out of his trance, abruptly picking up Riley bridal style and leaping out of the way of Chaos' swiping assault. Chaos growled as pieces of the ground broke apart and began floating in the air around him. Sending the projectiles flying towards them as Black evaded them, Chaos did not see the missiles coming, landing at his feet and exploding in his face. He enclosed his wings around him, and upon spreading them outwards, he sent a shockwave throughout the area, glaring at Mona who stood upon the ledge of a hallway on a second floor.

"_You'll pay for that, fleshling._"

She only scoffed. "Don't _talk_ to me about payback, pissant!"

Chaos roared and just as he was about to fly towards her, a stick of dynamite rolled towards his feet, also exploding in his face. Really annoyed now, he calmly flapped his wings, surrounded by a ring of flames. He directed a deathly glare towards the mechanic, uncertain as whom to kill first. A howl was heard, and another blow landed upon him, staggering backwards as he was practically tackled by a flaming cat. Nanaki circled around him now, as if trying to distract the beast before him.

"_Oh good, more prey to mutilate to my heart's content_."

Black placed Riley somewhere else, sitting her down gently as she mumbled out. "You were right, Black. I'm sorry. I thought maybe Chaos would have been more..."

"Human?" he provided softly. "Not everything is what we want it to be. Are you alright?"

She nodded. "Maybe Chaos will kill us though. Then our journey would have been for nothing."

"The whole world is resting on your shoulders and you want to give up _now_? Riley, you're better than this. Maybe there's a chance we can beat him, but only you can do it."

"How?"

"How well can you use Blue Phoenix?"

"If I use that, I'll pass out after!"

"I know, but it may be our only hope against Chaos right now."

She considered, looking over to see the others distracting Chaos. "Go help distract him while I charge up."

He nodded, helping her up before he ran off, firing off shells. Chaos was resilient to the attacks, getting more annoyed with each one. Riley inhaled deeply, eyes closed. When she opened them, they glowed, and her aura, now visible, began to pulse and be absorbed by her sword. Chaos growled, sending out another shockwave, sending the others flying back into the walls, which in a way was perfect. They were out of real harm's way.

"Hey Chaos!" He looked over, surprised by the sudden energy he felt from the girl. "You may not be one to screw with, but I make it a point that _nobody_, not even you, should ever fuck with me!"

He looked amused, but that amusement quickly disappeared as she suddenly released her limit break. Hell hath no fury like a woman pissed off! The blue flames travelled quickly, easily catching Chaos and engulfing him in her fury. She screamed, eyes glowing a brilliant blue as her hair came undone from the force, strands flapping around her face. When the flames died down, Chaos lied upon the floor, twitching from the pain.

Black quickly ran over to Riley's side before she suddenly collapsed in his arms, exhausted from the use of her attack. "Are you alright?"

"I'll live...unless Chaos is still..."

"He's alive, but I don't think he'll be able to move for awhile."

"Holy shit!" Shamus yelled out suddenly. "How the hell did Rosso live through that?! My clothes were close to catching fire!"

"Holy shit is right," Mona agreed. Suddenly she aimed her weapon towards Chaos. "Bastard! This ends now!"

"Wait!" Riley cried out in protest. "He's helpless now. Don't you know not to kick someone when they're down?"

"But he was ready to kill us all and destroy the planet bit by bit!"

"He's still someone created by the planet! He apparently has a purpose that he's supposed to live out. What if that purpose is important?"

Black considered this, recalling what Rosso had told him. "Rosso did mention that he was a key to something else. But we can't keep Chaos loose if he's to be alive."

"Great, what are we going to do? Chain him up and ask him to be good?" Shamus asked sarcastically.

Nanaki sat beside the pained beast, tail swaying. "Perhaps we can transform him into something we can handle."

Riley walked over to Chaos' side with Black's help, soon kneeling beside the creature. "Chaos..."

He growled softly in response. "_You would spare me? Despite my destiny to destroy all life?_"

"We don't know if that truly is your fate. But yes, I'd spare you. I know it seems like a pipe dream, but you may learn something from us. Perhaps you can provide answers to all our questions."

"_Foolish human, why would I help you?_"

Shamus grunted. "Oh gee, maybe because it's the right thing to do!"

"Shut up idiot."

"Stop calling me that!"

Nanaki rolled his eye. "Don't you two ever quit?"

"Quiet, both of you," Black suddenly demanded, quite impatient.

Riley removed the Omni-Materia from her weapon, showing it to Chaos. "I need your help to find the other two fragments before Genesis does. Plus we can find out what he wants with you. We can't allow him to have the capability to wield the Omni-Materia."

"_You're the wielder?_" He scoffed, not all that surprised. "_It explains your questions...except the one about my ex-host. You're a fool on a hopeless journey, looking for not only the seven fragments, but also for an immortal fool, only capable of drowning in despair._"

She only looked down. "So what if I am a fool? Do you think that'll stop me? There's a saying. _Visionaries are always afflicted by nay-sayers._"

He considered this before growling in defeat. "_I will help you until it is over. However, I will kill you all first chance._"

Shamus' eyes narrowed. "You're _so_ kind to us."

"_You mortals disgust me...so does your pathetic planet._"

The Omni-Materia began to glow, responding to Chaos in a way that changed his shape, making him smaller. He shrunk until he was nothing more than a black ball, the size of materia. Inside, was a swirling mass of darkness, and Riley picked up the materia-like sphere. Black suddenly grabbed it. "Hey!"

"Chaos is too dangerous. So I'm saying this now. Nobody is to bring out Chaos unless absolutely necessary. He's a monster, and will be treated as such. Riley, I say this for everyone's safety."

He expected her to argue and try to steal it back, but was surprised by her calm expression. "Alright. I guess that's only fair then. But, maybe he could change. I can only hope though."

Black was impressed with her maturity about this before he suddenly placed a scolding expression on his aged face. "Riley Tombs!"

Her surprise made her back straight. "Y-yes?!"

"You're grounded to your chambers until I decide otherwise."

"Grounded?!?! What are you, my father?! You can't _ground_ me! What the hell for anyway?!"

The others watched in amusement as Black began to walk away, Riley stumbling to her feet to catch up with him in small rage. "You ran off and nearly got yourself killed. That's why. As for whether or not I can ground you, I just did, and you will be held in confinement so that you may think about what you have done."

"I just saved our asses! What nerve you have for grounding me!"

"I had suggested it myself, Riley. So technically, I saved our asses."

"Y-you...stupid old..."

Her pause between words concerned him, making him turn to face her, catching her as she passed out suddenly. "Riley!"

The others caught up with the two as Black picked her up. "This is normal. This is only the third time she's used such an attack," Nanaki explained.

"Why does she always pass out?"

"From what I can gather, her energy is gathered into her sword, taking away her stamina and strength into a single attack that she has dubbed the Blue Phoenix. That's why I have decided that the attack was more a last resort. It's so powerful, that no mere human could survive an attack like that."

"Then that explains why Chaos lived through it, but how did Rosso survive it?" Shamus asked.

"Didn't you see the way Weiss disappeared?" Mona pointed out. "Maybe she has the same ability and fled the same way before she could sustain much damage."

_**I looked down at Riley's sleeping face. She looked so peaceful. Riley was powerful in her own way, but that sort of attack would only leave her vulnerable if the enemy was ever given the chance. Still, we had managed to subdue Chaos thanks to the attack. What did Genesis have in mind for such a demon? Whatever it was, I was afraid to know the answer.

* * *

**_

**A/N:** Oh yay, another chapter! I've been so slow lately. *deserves to be mauled* Well, I know what the next chapter is going to be about, and it will give a little insight to all you lovely readers as to why Mona is the way she is. That's right, it's about her. She needs a little attention too. Though, I can't promise a quick update. But yay! Chaos is now...well, we can assume he's like summon materia now, which should be interesting XD. Anyway, INTERVIEWS!

Me: *looks through messages* .......There are no questions!! *cries* Do I have to remind people, I NEED QUESTIONS! It doesn't matter how crazy or stupid they sound. Where's the fun without silly questions? You can ask ANY of the characters in my story a question, and feel free to ask as many as you like. But, seeing as there are no questions this time....I will ask my own! Chaaaaaos!  
Chaos: *growls from his black ball, looking like a chibi*  
Me: OMG he's so CUTE! Aren't you a cutie demon!  
Chaos: *poof, he's out* Shall I devour you fleshing?!  
Me: ...Well, you may not be Vincent, BUT...you're still hot! D Devour me baby!  
Chaos: O.o...what?  
Me: Wait...bad, Amanda...ANYWAY, I have a least one question for you. Why are you so violent and angry and destructive? Did you lose the love of your life and blame the planet for it?  
Chaos: *blinks* I just like breaking things, including humans. I don't _love_.  
Me: Not even a lucky fangirl?  
Chaos: I'd rather tear out her throat than hear her squealing after me in adoration.  
Me: O.O...well...OMG FANGIRLS!!  
Chaos: *actually looked panicked* WHERE?! *goes back in his ball*

Yeah, that's all folks XD. *is retarded* Please R&R!


	25. Ch 24: Root of Loathing

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may not be correct. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent.

* * *

**Chapter 24: Root of Loathing**

Black placed the Chaos Materia inside a cooling vault, instantly freezing the object once he closed the door, staring through the glass at it. He only glared, recalling past events, including Lucrecia and how she came to save him from decay. A monster had turned him into one, and a beauty used a monster to save him. A spiral of irony, he mused. He turned away, leaving the storage room, wandering off to the cabins on the ship. He looked at Riley's door, having actually grounded her and making sure that her door was locked. She had to learn her lesson one way or another. If he had to punish her to do it then so be it.

He removed the glove from his hand, placing his palm against the scan-lock. The door slid open, allowing him to venture into Riley's room. She lied in bed sleeping off the usage of Blue Phoenix. He walked over, kneeling beside her bed prior to brushing aside a strand of her hair. She worked so hard to get this far, it was a wonder where she got her determination from. He had stopped denying his affections for her to himself, but he never thought he'd ever admit those feelings. His thoughts returned to the memory when she had her own turn at caressing his cheek. He refused to believe he almost blushed, even now. He was a grown man, not a little boy. Then again, maybe being a grown man was the problem.

He stood up, leaving the room, and leaving it unlocked, heading for the bridge. Walking onto the bridge, he regarded Nanaki as he took up his assigned seat. "Any updates from Shelke?"

Nanaki shook his head, lying upon Riley's seat. "Nope, not even a ring from her."

"I suppose we're just going to have to figure out what we'll do next. Shamus…" Black looked up to the mechanic, seeing that he was in a heavy nap. Black sighed, hearing the loud snores. "Shamus!"

The boy, startled by Black's voice, jumped out of his seat. Or one should say he fell out of it. Mona only sniggered. "Good going, idiot."

"Shut up," he murmured grumpily. "Whatta ya want, old man?"

"Let's go back to Cosmo Canyon. I want to visit Fable again. Perhaps she can tell us something else."

"Alright. Off to Cosmo Canyon it is then." Before he could flick a switch through, an alert indictor suddenly blinked and beeped. "Eh?"

"What's wrong?" the hermit asked.

"Oh, my Gold Saucer beacon suddenly turned on."

"What?!" Mona cried. "Why wasn't I notified of this?!"

"I had it installed in case the resistance wanted to contact us for updates or emergencies."

He flicked on the audio and the sound of static came onto the PA system. Other than that, the sound of a battle between blades and guns could be heard. Stella's urgent voice suddenly revealed itself. "We are in need of immediate backup! I repeat, immediate backup! We're under attack by Tsviet troops! Rosso is present! I repeat, Rosso is present! She's...stronger than before...I don't understand. How can someone grow this strong this fast? Something isn't right. Black, Shamus...if any of you are there, please respond...shit—!"

Her voice was interrupted so abruptly, Mona actually flinched. Riley jogged onto the bridge from the elevator, having been woken up by the sudden announcement. She stood there with bed hair, staring at everyone as the line suddenly went dead. Mona slapped her hand on the dashboard of her controls while standing up. "We go! We have to go!"

"Alright, Shamus! You know what to do!" Black suddenly announced.

"Right!" The boy flicked through the controls, waiting for Riley to take her seat before he slammed on the 'gas', turning on the jets at full speed. "It'll be an hour before we reach the desert."

Black's eyes were narrowed. "Rosso is still alive."

"Doesn't she _ever_ die?" Riley asked, still a little sleep deprived.

"Apparently not."

Shamus took a glance at Mona and briefly wondered what was on her mind. He could see that her body was extremely tense and having a hard time restraining herself from breaking her controls. Deciding to be nice for once, he finally regarded her. "Try not to worry too much Mona. We'll get there and help them out. It's the least we can do to repay them for their kindness, especially your sister."

She barely looked at him over her shoulder and gave a wry smile, letting him know she at least heard him. It was almost dusk by the time Shamus landed within the desert hangar before shutting down the ship. Walking off board, they treaded into an eerie dead silence. There were no sounds at all. No gunfire, no blades clanging off one another, not even a single whisper of life. The group decided that heading up to the gold saucer would have likely located the resistance members, they ran into a large elevator past the labyrinth, travelling at a high speed after Shamus' previous modifications.

The doors slid open and they walked onto a steel platform and down a flight of stairs before walking into the Wonder Square. Riley shivered, uncomfortable with the silence. Before Black could say anything, Mona walked ahead quickly, turning a few corners before she entered the courtyard and gasped harshly. She stared in horror as her eyes wandered across various bodies that were once her comrades. Bodies lied everywhere, even in the fountain that was now polluted with blood. The others caught up and shared her shock. Black and Nanaki only narrowed their eyes, used to bloodshed, while Shamus and Riley stared in stricken fascination. It seemed as though not a single enemy soldier had joined the corpses.

Mona looked among the bodies, her tightened fists beginning to shake partially. No words could describe what she felt at this very moment. No words were capable of soothing her wounds. She knelt beside one of her friends, drawing her hand over their eyes to shut them. What did she feel? Hate? Remorse? Black watched Mona as she silently and emotionlessly grieved for her fallen comrades. He knew all too well what she felt. He had felt such emotions before. Afterwards though, is when death finally registers and all hell breaks loose.

"Those bastards," she began with a mutter. "That bitch. That fucking BITCH!"

Her scream seemed to alert the enemy that was still in the area. Soldiers revealed themselves from the shadows and atop the roofs, surrounding them with weapons aimed. The others went into defensive stances, but Mona did not move. Riley stood closer to Black slightly while he too tried to shield her from view. Nanaki kept his ears back while the flame on his tail flared violently with his growls. Shamus kept his lance in front of him, watching the enemy without blinking.

"You pests are done for. Your resistance was nothing more than ankle-biters," declared one trooper mockingly.

Mona flinched, her body shaking. Her voice was low and menacing as she asked, "Where's my sister?"

"Sister? Like we give a crap about who's who!"

"Where's my sister?" she repeated while standing up.

The troopers kept their eyes on Mona as she seemed to radiate a sort of hate that a normal person would run for their life from. "If you're the Ringmaster's sister, then let's say she's down for the count. Now, I suggest you all drop your weapons and surrender, and maybe we'll kill you painlessly."

Black could feel something pulse within one of his pockets. Was the Chaos Materia reacting to the challenge? Could he hear everything? Did he want to tear apart these worthless warriors with his claws? Or was he responding to Black's sudden urgency? Did he know who he was? Wait a second. Black looked over his shoulder at the Amazon lady, noticing something was off. He had expected it, but not so quickly. That was what Chaos was responding to. Being a beast of destruction, it only made sense that he reacted to the violence hidden within Mona's intentions. After all, she was always the violent one, especially when they first met. Mona was different, like Black, more specifically, Vincent.

Mona trembled, trying to restrain herself from snapping and going blind with rage. "This...is your last chance. Where is my SISTER?!"

Instead of answering, they all aimed more precisely at their heads, ready to pull the triggers. Mona couldn't take it anymore. It was bad enough that her friends were dead, but to even go as far as harming her only family...that crossed the line, and she had stumbled across the threshold of control. She had done well to control herself this long, but she could no longer be bound by these chains. Without warning, they squeezed the triggers, a barrage of bullets zipping towards them. Mona suddenly screamed, her eyes glowing as the blue aura misted around her body, expanding outwards with a force that actually deflected the bullets, managing to take down a few troopers.

The shockwave actually knocked over her comrades, so they lied on the ground, wincing somewhat from the burst. Black glanced over at Mona as her aura swirled around her body like a lover's caress. Riley wheezed, trying to catch her breath again. The soldiers began to fire again, only continuously, but Mona's eyes flashed dangerously, disappearing from sight for an instant before reappearing before one soldier, grabbing the barrel of his weapon, scalding her skin, though she barely noticed. Her physical pain was nothing compared to what this soldier felt next.

Mona grabbed his neck, actually squeezing tight enough to not only break it, but take his head off. It was like squeezing an orange, only there was blood instead of juice. Guns were now fixated on her, but she only flashed away once more, again and again, taking out each guard one by one. She had literally ripped out the heart of one, pierced her hand through another's skull, crushed one's skull under her boot, and grabbed another by the arms from behind, pulling them back so far, one would have easily heard the bones snap and joints dislocate.

"Oh man! Not good!" Shamus pointed out frantically. "I've never seen her this mad before!"

Black would have felt inclined to agree with that statement, though mad didn't even describe what resulted in this slaughter. Mona screamed, eyes a vicious gold. She did not stop with those soldiers. More had come and she seemed to growl, grinding her teeth. The others nodded to one another before Black squeezed off a few rounds to lessen the numbers for Mona. Shamus ran up one building and onto the roof, being faced with two soldiers with scimitars. They both charged him, he swiftly kicked the end of his staff into the air, smacking one in the chin before he spun his weapon the other way to cut down on his opponent. The soldier blocked and Shamus jumped back, avoiding the other opponents slash.

Riley was surrounded by four soldiers with guns aimed at each other. They all fired just as she ducked quickly, avoiding the bullets while they shot each other. She got up, looking at them. "Some things in the movies do work. Oh crap."

Her feeling of small triumph didn't last long when more enemies appeared and surrounded her again. One went to fire at her, but was interrupted by a load roar and a burst of flame engulfing him, and most of the other soldiers. Nanaki jumped out of nowhere, landing in front of Riley. The flame on his tail was flickering violently, and in his mouth was fire materia, apparently borrowed from Riley. When they all had finished with that large group of warriors, clapping was heard just as Mona snapped someone's neck.

Rosso could be seen sitting atop a chimney, clapping away, and beside her was Weiss. Mona screamed and charged. "I'll kill you!!!"

"Mona, wait!" Black called out.

Mona grabbed the weapon on her back, firing off a missile which exploded at their feet, sending roof shingles everywhere before she ran into the smoke as she swung her weapon down. Another explosion rose from the smoke and the Tsviets flew out of the smoke, landing upon the next roof, chuckling together. The smoke cleared and Mona stood there, crouched over with her weapon slammed through the roof. Slowly, she raised her head, growling violently.

"I'm gonna kill you both for what you did!"

Weiss only laughed. "Oh dear, you better run Rosso. She's _mad_."

Rosso chortled. "Mad doesn't even come close to describing what she's feeling, Weiss. At last, one of my victims is so close to becoming just like me...a murderess."

"Victim?" Riley repeated.

Mona's eyes gleamed with that murderous intent. She dropped her weapon, her aura glowing more ominously. Abruptly charging forward, Mona flashed out of sight, but her neck was snatched just as she reappeared in front of Rosso. Rosso watched in mild amusement from the girl's efforts.

"I'm leaving, do what you want Rosso. The resistance is finished," Weiss declared before disappearing into a void.

Mona growled, struggling to have Rosso release her. Rosso only smiled. "I have no interest in you. I'm after the little girl. She and I have a score to settle, darling."

Suddenly, Mona spat in Rosso's face. "Well, GET interested in me, because I have a score to settle with you, cunt!"

The amusement was replaced with impatience. With her free hand, she wiped the saliva from her face. "Now that's not polite, my love."

With that, Rosso slammed her face into the roof, dragging her along as she ran, getting faster until they reached the edge and Rosso spun around throwing her into the air. Rosso followed afterwards, fingers clenched as if ready to pierce through her heart with her hand. Mona caught her wrist then grabbed her neck. Rosso quickly brought her knee into her gut causing Mona to keel over before her face was brought into Rosso's knee and grabbed once more, being thrown towards one house. The force actually caused Mona to crash through the roof and create a crater beneath her.

Rosso laughed, landing beside the hole in the roof. Mona growled, getting up and flashing to where Rosso was, lashing out at her from behind. Rosso turned around too quickly, grabbing her wrists and flipping over her, placing her in an arm lock, twisting her wrists violently. Mona screamed in pain and the others rushed to the roofs but she only shook her head, screaming at them.

"Stay back!!! She's mine! Mine I tell ya!"

"But you need our help!" Riley argued.

"Fuck off! Just fuck off! Rosso is mine, end of story!"

"But--!"

"Enough Riley," Black told her softly. "Mona needs to do this alone. You don't meddle in people's thirst for revenge against the one that scarred them the most." Riley looked at Black quizzically, so he explained further. "It seems as though Mona had been itching to kill Rosso for some time, and I think I figured out their connection to one another. Mona feels she can only settle her past if she kills Rosso herself."

Riley became silent, feeling that Black was right. She had no say in Mona's decisions. Rosso on the other hand laughed out loud. "You've made a very big mistake rejecting your comrades' help."

Releasing her neck, she pushed her forward slightly before bringing her leg up and hoofing her in the back, a red shockwave emitted, sending her flying into a tower. The stonework had been destroyed and the tower began to tip over, collapsing and shattering upon the other houses. The others watched in horror, tempted to take on Rosso. She only laughed at her easy victory, jumping over to Mona's weapon. Unlike Shamus, who had trouble lifting it before, managed to do so just as easily as its owner, aiming towards the destroyed tower and firing.

"Mona!!" the others cried, rushing to stop Rosso, but it was already too late.

The rocket landed, causing smoke to rise from the explosion as Rosso dropped the weapon. "Now...where were we, little darling?" Before she could approach the now shocked Riley, her indicator blinked. "Why must he _always_ interrupt me when I'm trying to kill someone?" Either way, she smirked darkly towards the others before disappearing in a black void.

The gang glanced toward one another prior to racing towards Mona's location, if there was anything left of her. Landing beside the rubble, they began to move and toss aside the masonry. Nanaki sniffed around , looking for a more direct spot to dig. Eventually, after an hour of desperate labour, Shamus pulled a stone off of what seemed like a glowing wall. The others worked with him, finding that Mona had been protected by a barrier.

"About damn time you guys dug me out!" she declared but seemed to calm down to some degree. "Where's Rosso?!"

"She's gone," Riley answered. "I was afraid I was too far away to cast the barrier."

"So that's what happened," Black realised. He helped her out of her small rocky burrow, taking her down to smoother ground. "Mona, I think it's time you told us a thing or two about yourself."

Mona was leaned against the wall of an intact building as she sighed. "What's there to tell?"

Black watched her. "You can start with how you were infused with Mako."

Mona watched him, sighing once more, this time in defeat. "Alright, ten years ago, my sister and I just joined the resistance, led by a man that taught us how to fight. He always said that the resistance would become AVALANCHE reborn. Since our parents were killed, we sort of thought of him like our father as well as our mentors. Though, since we were part of a resistance of the Tsviets, naturally the Tsviets were our enemy. This isn't the first time this faction had been attacked by them, as you already know."

_A seventeen year old Stella hid inside a locker, flinching as she watched her mentor be struck down by Rosso, that merciless witch. In her arms was Mona, thirteen years old and trying hard not to sob. Stella couldn't take it. She left Mona there to hide while she rushed out screaming, tears flowing down her cheeks. Rosso struck her down as well, and Stella only lied there, unable to move from the pain. Rosso looked over, seeing Mona curled up in the open locker. Smirking, she walked over._

_She, along with a few others were taken to Midgar, hanging by shackles, their own weight causing their discomfort before they would have been stripped, whipped, and depending on the troops mood, raped. Mona screamed with each slash across her back before they would have dunked her into tanks full of mako, leaving her in there just before the point of drowning, almost never allowing her to breathe. A full year had gone by as she was tortured endlessly. Rosso personally supervised her pain. She thrilled and laughed, occasionally drawing cut patterns into her skin. Finally, Rosso grew bored with her, deciding that a final struggle within the mako tank was best._

_They dropped her inside, closing the lid. She grabbed her own neck, struggling to breathe. Eventually the mako filled her lungs and slowly her life began to fade away. It was in that precise moment that the Resistance invaded the area, distracting some of the soldiers while others attempted to free the prisoners. Stella rushed forward, blasting the glass with her gravity before the liquid would have poured out and Mona would lie upon the cold bottom of the tank. Stella quickly noticed she had drowned and attempted CPR. Mona did not move a muscle and Stella began to cry. Her comrades came to her, telling her it was too late, but she refused to believe it._

"_She's the only precious thing left to me!! I won't let my little sister die!"_

_Mona could hear her, but something didn't feel right to her. Her eyes shot open, and instead of having her natural green eyes, they had turned gold. Stella gasped in surprise and relief before Mona would have coughed up the liquid out of her lungs, rolling to her side as she wheezed. The soldiers surrounded them and Mona's eyes flashed, suddenly screaming. By the time she was done screaming, a blue aura dissipated from her body and bodies surrounded her. The resistance members stared at her in awe, shock, and fear. Stella walked up to her, covering her naked blood soaked body with her jacket._

"After that, I did what I did best. Kill any who trespassed onto our turf. I was rescued, but it was already too late. I became a monster. After what had been done to me, I've been itching to get back at her and rip off her head."

Everyone stared at her as she explained. Black inhaled, quietly with a shudder as he knew all too well what she had gone through. However, his pain didn't even come close. She wasn't an experiment or tool like he was. She was their plaything. And from what she told them, he had it easy. "Let's find Stella, and we'll help you as long as you help us."

Mona licked her lips, since they had dried up. "This time I'm a willing participant in your quest. I'll do whatever it takes to kill her, and anybody she works with. But, I know Stella isn't here."

"We'll find her," Black assured.

* * *

**A/N:** You guys have been really patient with me, and I'm sorry I'm so slow. At least I'm not taking a whole month to update *shifty eyes* But I definitely have the next few chapters planned out and such. ALSO, I'm gonna give you a little tidbit since you all have been patient with me. I won't be spoiling anything though, so don't worry. Here it is...VINCENT REVEALS HIMSELF IN CHAPTER 28!!! XD Merry Christmas! How it happens??? I'll never tell you! XD You'll have to wait and read it to find out. Also, since there have been no questions for the characters lately, I'm gonna skip the character interview this chapter as I'm too lazy to come up with my own right now. Please R&R! :D (PS. I meant to publish this four hours ago but the signal sucked and I had to go to work -.-)


	26. Ch 25: Infiltration

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may not be correct. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent.

* * *

**Chapter 25: Infiltration**

It seemed like days had gone by, when it was only hours. They had found some survivors of the attack, carrying them aboard the ship and collected all medical supplies and equipment. Black carried the wounded onboard as Nanaki laid out makeshift beds for them. Mona and Riley tended to the wounded, most unconscious. Shamus made plans with Shelke to have her moved onboard the ship, hoping to have the AI onboard at all times rather than wait for updates through cellular. He flew to Cosmo Canyon, hoping it was a safe place after all the survivors were brought aboard.

"I can't believe this actually happened. All those people…" Shamus trailed off before switching to autopilot.

Black was silent in his seat, eyes closed, giving the impression he was asleep, when he was actually in deep thought. Opening his eyes, he got up, leaving the bridge without a word. Shamus huffed, feeling offended for being ignored. The hermit made his way to the cabins, seeing everyone lying on the floor groaning in pain or sleeping uncomfortably. He sighed before seeing Mona, with Riley uncertain as to how to comfort her friend. He kept his distance for now, allowing her attempts. Riley placed a hand on Mona's shoulder and she nodded before Riley stood up, walking away to see if anyone needed her immediate attention. She took notice of Black, giving him a wry smile before walking in a different direction.

_**It's getting harder, I've noticed. All the pain is building up among all of us. Nanaki and I still suffer from our comrades' deaths, as does Shamus suffer from the fact that his grandfather had died before he was born. Now, Mona had been suffering for ten years, fixated on her revenge, for both herself and her older sister. But the pain isn't the only thing that's getting more difficult. As the day to have the final showdown with the Tsviets comes ever closer, the more I fear my inevitable confession. But I knew that time was getting closer.**_

Black walked away, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, watching as Riley and Nanaki helped each other. Mona sat, leaning against a wall between two of her comrades, her expression vacant, and her mind void. She felt a nudge from the guy on her left, regarding him. "You should get some rest, save your strength."

He seemed to struggle with his speech, desperate to say what he needed to say. "Edge…"

She blinked, attention caught. "Edge?"

"They're….in Edge…"

Mona's pupils shrunk to pinpoints before she jumped to her feet, running out of the room and into the elevator. She ran onto the bridge, screaming at Shamus, "Edge, now! Take us to Edge!!"

"Edge, why there? It's nothing but a ghost town!"

"Don't argue with me! My sister's there! Please, Shamus!"

He considered her for five seconds before giving in. Despite the fact she was a bitch, a woman was a woman, especially in distress, and he could not ignore Mona's pleas at this time. He nodded, quickly changing course. Black and Nanaki felt the change in direction, running up to the bridge. "What's going on? Where are we headed?" Black demanded.

"Edge," Shamus replied easily. "Stella's there." He pointed to Mona, as if telling Black to blame her.

Black approached the steadfast woman, a serious expression on his face. "Edge has become a fortress since all its residents were annihilated. Do you realize that you'd be putting us at risk if we even get a mile within its range?"

"I know, but I'm not going to let my big sister die, especially not in Tsviet hands. She's there, and if she's there, then so may be other members. Please, you don't have to go in with me, just get me there and let me do the rescue, and take them away when they're rescued."

Black considered for a moment. "You're not going in alone. I'll be damned if I let you."

Nanaki's tail swished. "There has to be more than the two of you to infiltrate."

"We'll have to sneak in, and sneak out. The only way to successfully do this is by disguise. Which means, you and Riley are staying behind," Black decided.

"What, I have to go?!" Shamus complained.

"Yes, but Nanaki and Riley will remain here to guard the ship. Nanaki is too obvious, and Riley is a little short."

"Why can't we use the transform materia like before?" Mona asked.

"Because we returned it to Nika, as we only borrowed it at the time," he replied, getting a knowing look from Nanaki again.

Shamus snorted before sending a warning glance towards Nanaki. "If my baby gets one scratch, you're dead."

_So much like Cid,_ he thought with amusement. "I will defend the ship with my life."

Mona also gave him a glare. "And I expect you to keep my comrades safe!"

"But, of course. They will not receive any further harm."

Black gave him the same look. "As for Riley, make sure she's safe."

Nanaki blinked. Why was everyone asking him to protect everything? What a bunch of demanding humans! "Black, you're perfectly well aware that Riley can handle herself, despite her level of skill. She has beaten Rosso alone before."

"Barely, she still has yet to learn many things."

"Oh, I see, that's not the real reason, hmm?"

Nanaki would have appeared as if he was raising a brow in question towards Black. Black blinked before clearing his throat and looking away. "I don't know what you're talking about." _Please don't go there._

Shamus and Mona both blinked, looking at each other quizzically before shrugging. It wasn't long before Shamus landed a good distance from the city. Riley and Nanaki watched as the trio left them behind, moving quickly across the wasteland. Riley looked to Nanaki before heading back to nurture the wounded. It took the others an hour before reaching the industrial city, made from the scraps of Midgar when it became ruins. However, before entering the city, they all noticed guards at the road gates. Black dragged both Shamus and Mona behind a pile of boulders, peering over them at the guards.

"There are three," Mona pointed out with a whisper.

"Let's take their outfits," Shamus suggested.

"No, we have to be careful who we choose. Those are posted guards. If they're anything like a military, then they're required to give a report almost every hour, or more. If we take them out, and they aren't available to make the report, the rest of the soldiers in the city will go on high alert looking for us."

Shamus scratched the back of his head. "Then how do we get past them without them noticing us?"

Black thought for a moment. "A distraction. We need some form of a distraction."

"I can distract them," Mona offered.

"How? You don't even look attractive," Shamus blurted out.

Mona instantly glared daggers at him. "Wanna say that again, idiot?!"

Black hushed them harshly. "I have a different idea. Who's up for a little hunting?"

"Hunting?" they both asked.

Later on, the guards stood, transfixed upon the wasteland in front of them. Suddenly, one guard was tackled by a wolf, or Fang as they are called in this world, screaming in surprise while the other guards rushed to help him as the snarling beast grabbed the man's arm, shaking its head violently as if trying to rip his arm off. Black and the other two rushed behind them, leaping over the fence. They slid into the shadows swiftly and silently, travelling along the shadowy paths to keep out of sight. They heard a gunshot, indicating that the distraction was now dead. Black glanced at the other two, nodding before moving more quickly. Shamus watched bemusedly as a light rain began to fall, making the place gloomier than before. It scared him a little.

Black moved behind a corner, peering around it to see a couple of guards patrolling the streets, taking opposite ends of the block. Security is definitely tight, he thought bitterly. His body went tense when he heard Shamus' nervous chuckle. At that point in time, he knew they were caught and at gunpoint. Black barely glanced over his shoulder, staring at the trooper. It was only one man with one gun. The smirk came easily to his lips. One man? Well, this made things easy, considering the gun was pointed at Shamus. Black took this chance to charge the man, grabbing his head and violently twisting it, allowing him to fall dead to the ground.

The other two guards heard the noise, looking at each other before moving to investigate. As they turned the corner, Shamus and Mona swung the side of their hands into their throats, at least stunning them before Black moved behind them quickly, wrapping arms around their necks and snapping them. He allowed those bodies to drop as he nodded to the others. They each took their own corpse, finding a place to hide before changing.

Shamus tried to adjust the outfit to make it more comfortable. "Damn, these things are tight. How do they do it?"

"They're meant for soldiers who are a tad bit skinnier, not buff one's like you. Stop complaining, just hope you don't have to fight in it."

Shamus grumbled as Mona had no trouble wearing the armor, though she was a tad too skinny. Black seemed to fit just right. They held the guns assigned to their person before walking off towards the center of the city, eventually coming across the Meteor Monument. Black stared up at it through his helmet's visor for a moment, recalling the time when fear reigned across the globe, all because Sephiroth had summoned the blasted thing. The other two looked at each other then at Black, curious as to what he was thinking about before they were approached by a soldier.

"Why aren't you at your posts?"

They all stood firm and straight before Black answered. "We thought we saw something run this way."

"I see. Anything?"

"Gone, sir."

"Then get back to your posts!"

As he walked away, the other two sighed with relief before Shamus spoke quietly, "That was close."

"No kidding," Mona agreed.

"Let's hurry," Black demanded before walking off, the others following after him.

* * *

Meanwhile, Stella cried out in pain, impacting with the floor. Rosso had done a number on her which left her completely helpless. Now the troops were beating on her and her men for their own amusement. She coughed out blood, vision blurred from the pain. The temptation to pass out was great, but she refused to give them the satisfaction of knowing they could knock her out. She would hold out as long as she could. Another beating and another. It had gone on for hours, but it felt like forever. Her pride normally never allowed her to pray, but she hoped somebody, anybody would come to stop the pain. She knew though, that this didn't even come close to Mona's suffering. Oh Gaia, what had people done wrong to deserve such punishments and despair?

Her hair was grabbed before being dragged across the floor as she screamed. The torturers only chuckled while her followers watched in horror. "Please stop! If you must hurt someone, here we are!!"

One looked over. "Why? It's more fun making a woman squirm. Especially this bitch." He regarded Stella. "Just wait till I have my way with you. You'll be in a world worse than hell, but…" He laughed, "You might even enjoy it."

His comrades laughed as she ground her teeth. "You wouldn't." What a stupid thing to say, of course he would! Feeling challenged, all she could see was the smirk from under his helmet while the others chuckled darkly. With her hands tied behind her back, there was little she could do when his hands roughly roamed her body. She struggled, trying to kick him away. "Don't touch me!"

"Leave her alone!!"

"You monsters are scum!"

"Or else what? You'll _kill_ me?" he laughed evilly. "Don't worry, Rosso gave us the command to kill you all after we've made you suffer. Now," he began before looking back at the ringmaster, "where were we?" He looked to the others. "I'm taking her into that room over there. Watch the trash."

"What about me? I want a go at her!"

"Stop complaining! You'll get your turn! C'mon bitch." He dragged her by the hair into what seemed like an office while she struggled and screamed at him.

* * *

Black looked up, staring down the street patrolled by snipers and brutes. _This has to be where they take their prisoners._ He marched up to the leading brute, only to be halted. "I've been told there was trouble here."

"Trouble? What trouble? You've been misinformed."

Shamus and Mona looked at each other as Black argued further. "Are you certain? The other guy insisted that help was needed. I was told that three people were seen sneaking over the gate." His comrades would have gaped at him for blurting that out, but said nothing. What was he up to? Mona got it first before moving away, disappearing around a corner. Shamus spotted Mona atop the rooftops, quickly dispatching a sniper before moving on to the next one. He caught on before doing the same thing as Black spoke to the brute captain.

"Three people?"

"Surely you've heard of them. It's that hermit and two of his comrades from that group."

"Really? You sure? I heard nothing about it on the comm. Maybe that guy was just pulling your leg."

Black seemed to ponder. "No, that's not it." He spoke slowly, making the guard suspicious. "There are three people over the fence. Problem is…you're the last one standing."

Going on alert, the guard looked behind him, seeing that his followers were gone. "What the—?! You!"

Black rushed forward quickly, bringing the end of his rifle up into the guard's face, breaking through the helmet's visor. The kill was quick, stepping on his neck when he fell over, snapping the spine in his neck. The hermit looked ahead, seeing a warehouse. The same one he first met Rosso. Shaking his head of the memories, he moved forward, soon joined by Shamus and Mona.

"So, you think this is it?" asked the mechanic.

"Yes," he answered. "This place had more offensive force than the other places we looked. Snipers, brutes. I wouldn't be surprised if they had suicide bombers as well."

"Let's hope they don't," Mona pointed out, sounding eager.

They gathered at the door before opening it, seeing a few guards watching over resistance survivors. Black noted that they were beaten constantly but not as seriously as the ones back at the ship. Where was Stella though? As if on cue with his question, he heard signs of struggle in the office next to him. Mona went rigid, shaking soon afterwards. Black looked to the Amazon, shaking his head. He walked over to the other guards, looking them up and down.

"What's your reason for being here?" one asked.

The hermit looked over then turned his gaze to the prisoners. "I'll take over now."

"What? There's no change in shifts."

"There is now," he answered, suddenly revealing his Cerberus from under his attire, pointing it at the man's face, firing.

The body dropped and the other guards suddenly went on alert, aiming their guns at them. Black's left hand glowed before he swung that arm, creating a barrier walls behind the prisoners to protect them from the bullets. Mona opened the door to the office just as a man was rushing to get out. They bumped into one another, staring at each other for a split second, and afterwards, Mona punched through the visor, knocking the man into the opposite wall. Stella was on the floor, clothes partially torn, but nothing vital showed.

"You okay?!"

"I'm fine," Stella answered, quite relieved that she had been saved. "What took you so long?"

"Later, let's get you and the others out of here!"

Mona undid her bonds before rushing to the others while Black stood behind them, keeping up the barrier while he fired back at the other guards, keeping them busy. Shamus was already making work on the bindings before Mona helped. When they were all free, those two led them outside just before Black fired up his arm, sending a wave of inferno towards the guards. Screams ran out more out of surprise than pain while Black quickly made his escape outside.

"We have to move quickly. They've likely already alerted the other guards."

"Right, c'mon everybody!" Shamus called out.

Mona had Stella's arm over her shoulders as they ran ahead while Shamus urged the others from behind, covering the back end. Black was in front, already spotting soldiers marching in quickly. He raised his gun, firing off a few shells, clearing the way. They all rushed past while bullets were flying past their heads. A couple of the prisoners were shot, falling face first. Shamus slowed down to check on them but they were already dead. He cursed before looking up at the snipers and ground patrol. He yelled out in anger, firing off the rifle he currently had equipped, actually managing to get a couple.

Black stopped but told the others to go ahead. He called out to Shamus. "Boy! Escape now, kill later!"

Shamus looked briefly over his shoulder, having run out of bullets anyway; he threw the gun away, running to Black's side before they went to catch up with the others. The hermit moved up in front quickly, firing off more bullets before reloading and shooting again. Reload, bang, reload, bang. The noise was beginning to ring in their ears before Mona had enough, stopping by the area where her weapon was hidden. Shamus took off the armour, sighing with relief while they allowed the others to rest while Black distracted the guards.

Mona walked up beside Black. "Cover me!"

"Right."

Mona ran into the middle of the street before pointing her launcher towards the sky, loading it. Her body glowed before the energy went into weapon, then she fired. It shot up to the sky, managing to distract some of the guards, some of them laughing at Mona. She only smirked as the missile slowed down, glowed then multiplied into what seemed like a hundred of them. They had stopped laughing then, actually looking a little shocked. Mona had never used this attack before, so even Stella was a little awed by the show.

"Bring the Rain," Mona whispered.

As if reacting to her words, the missiles burst, shooting downwards like streams of heat-seeking fireballs, aiming towards each and every soldier in the area. With each impact left a crater and a burst of red and gold glitter, making it seem like a fairytale with the explosions as the orchestra and the soldiers screams as the choir. Shamus seemed to be gaping at Mona as she walked back over. Black was merely impressed, but gave nothing away even as he removed his helmet.

"The city gates aren't far," he said. "The ship is about a couple miles out as well, but you'll have to wait till then to rest. We don't have the time for that."

Stella was helped up by Mona as Black quickly removed the armour, replacing his poncho. They moved soon after, quickly running past the gates as Black shot the guards. It took about thirty minutes before they reached the ship, helping the surviving prisoners into a different empty room. Stella was laid upon a couch while the others had some rest on the floor or against the wall. Stella smiled up at her sister.

"I'm glad you came when you did. That one trooper almost had his way with me."

Mona knelt by the couch, looking crestfallen. "I'm sorry I didn't get to the saucer in time."

Stella shook her head. "No, what counts is that you came. The Resistance is practically done for, but you and the other four still have a chance to stop the Tsviets. You can set things right in this world. The planet needs you."

"But I'm just a berserker. Even Rosso beat me. If I can't beat her, then there's o hope of me beating anybody else."

Her sister chuckled. "You forget that you're part of a team. You don't need to be alone. I know you prefer it, but try to think about the situation. Would you rather have a chance with a team, or no chance without one?"

Mona considered this before nodding. "I'm starting to understand that, and their cause. I definitely wanna help them."

Stella smiled. "Good. I'm glad you came."

Mona smiled slightly. "I'm won't let my big sister die," she said, mirroring what Stella had said about her years ago, surprising her.

* * *

**A/N:** I'm slow, I know. The next two chapters will be easier for me to write I think. They might be short too, so we'll see. I've been kind of busy and mostly not at the same time. A lot of stress would be my excuse for being slow. But anyway, sorry to have kept you all waiting. And here comes the interviews!

Me: Now, someone else has sent in a question, and this time, it's for SHAMUS!  
Shamus: Alright! What do they want me to do? Take off my shirt? Maybe git nekkid!? It IS a girl right? *shifty eyes*  
Me: … *shakes her head before looking at the question on her handy little card* "To Shamus; when did you decide that you wanted to as great as or greater than your grandfather? Your grandma probably told you a lot of stories, huh?"  
Shamus: Aww, no getting naked?  
Me: No getting naked.  
Shamus: Damn. *leans back in his chair* Well, let's just say, my grandfather told my mom a lot of stories, and she passed those stories onto me, my grandmother just kept telling them to me after my parents died since I never knew my gramps. Though some of the dialogue in those stories always involved him saying something like "drink your GODDAMN tea!" and "$#!%! #&*^#%!" and so on.  
Me: That definitely sounds like Cid O.O;;  
Shamus: Ever since I heard about my gramps and him being famous, a hero, AND being the first man in space, he's been my motivation. The bikini goddess was especially genius. The true symbol of the Highwind family!  
Me: -.- Pervert to the last molecule. I'm surprised you haven't groped any girls yet.  
Shamus: *grins* Would you like me to?  
Me: O.O…No.  
Shamus: Damn.

Anyway, please R&R. OH! For those of you who might be interested, I've made little pixel avatars of Riley, Shamus, Mona, and Black. If you wanna see them, just go to my DeviantArt page. The link is located on my profile as my homepage! Bye!


	27. Ch 26: Captured

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children Complete, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may be incorrect. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent.

* * *

**Chapter 26: Captured**

"We need to go to Mideel," Black proclaimed. "These people won't last much longer without proper professional help."

They had arrived in Wutai as quickly as possible, the island known for being a treasure trove of medicinal remedies. The women helped with tending to the injured, however, they weren't trained in the ways of medicine.

"Why there?" asked Shamus.

"Because doctors tend to reside there. But we need to stop by Cosmo Canyon as well, see if we can find any more Pheonix Tears. Also, it's dangerous keeping the fragments and Omni-Materia with us, so I will be leaving them there."

Nanaki thought about it, agreeing. Shamus didn't seem convinced. "What if the Tsviets show up?"

"I'm not risking having these stolen, Shamus. Weiss got away too easily last time, and we still have yet to find the final two. These last two will be next to impossible to find since they'll have a different shape. We don't where they are or what they look like. As long as the Tsviets can't find them, that'll buy us some time. So right now, we need to hide what we do have, and take this time to tend to the Resistance survivors."

Shamus nodded, conceding. "So, how soon should we leave?"

"Immediately. Gather the girls."

"What about Chaos? Should we leave him at Cosmo Canyon as well?" asked Nanaki.

Black considered but shook his head after a moment. "No. Chaos has a will of its own, it's too risky to allow that thing to just be locked up in a safe without constant supervision."

"Well, alright, if you're certain." Nanaki seemed uneasy. "But what if separating from the Omni-Materia actually frees him from his spherical bonds?"

Black hadn't thought about that. "In that case...perhaps we should leave it there. Alright, we know the plan. Let's get to it now."

Ten minutes later, Shamus was ready to take off. Mona said good bye to Stella and the resistance, demanding that they stay alive till they come back with help. When they took off, Riley had retired to her room, completely exhausted with being a temporary nurse. Black couldn't blame her. He himself had been on the verge of collapsing multiple times. He had not gotten any sleep since that nightmare about Chaos.

Taking this rare opportunity, he closed his eyes in his quarters, slowly drifting off. It would take awhile before they reached Cosmo Canyon. However, it wasn't there he intended to hide the stones, it was with Fable. Her loyalty was still questionable, but he couldn't think of a finer hiding place. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard a knock at his door.

He sat up straight, clearing his throat. "Come in." The door opened with Riley coming in. She had bags under her eyes as she looked at him. Her visit surprised him. "Riley? You should be sleeping."

"I'm restless," she admitted. "Something's been bothering me. Can we talk a little?"

He hesitated, but moved over to allow her a space to sit on his cot. He spoke up when she took up that space. "What's on your mind?"

Silence reigned for a long time before she finally answered, looking at him with a softness in her expression. "Why are you hiding from me, Vincent?"

His heart stopped. She knew. Somehow she found out. How, he had no idea, but his cover was blown. "You know?"

She giggled uncharacteristically. "Of course I know, silly. I'm a little hurt you'd want to hide from me. Vincent..." she began, moving closer.

Before he had control over it, his disguise dropped and he was sitting before her in his true form. There was no point hiding it now. "You're taking this rather well."

"Of course I am. Vincent...do you have any idea how long I've been wanting you to show yourself? Do you have a clue about how I feel?"

His heart felt like it skipped a beat. What was she getting at? "Riley?" He nearly gasped in surprise when she closed the distance, only inches away. "What are you doing?"

"Giving you what we both want," she replied softly, moving closer.

Vincent's heart began racing. It was as if he was a child again, about to have his first kiss. He couldn't deny the desire to close the distance himself, but he remained still, afraid to make the wrong move. Her lips brushed his and the contact was...numb? He couldn't feel it. He finally realized something felt off, but before he could figure out what it was, he felt something warm dripping on his clothes. He pulled away, looking down, shocked to find blood. Riley was bleeding from her chest, blood dribbling from her mouth.

"Why?" she choked. "Why would you lie to me? Black—no—Vincent, how could you let this happen to me? I thought..." She suddenly screamed with frustration. "You said I was the closest thing to you!"

Vincent reached for her but she fell out of his reach, falling to a pit of mako, eyes holding a look of betrayal. Vincent's despair took over as he cried out for her. When she disappeared into the life blood of the Planet, his whole body seemed to be overcome with an intense darkness. His body trembled with rage before he roared out.

Vincent woke up with a breathless gasp, taking in air. His disguise had somehow dropped while he slept, either that or the nightmare cause him to subconsciously drop the facade. What was that dream? Was it a premonition? He was beginning to believe that it wasn't coincidental. The image of Riley wounded and falling was burned into his memory. Gritting his teeth, he grabbed the closest object, hurling it at the wall with a yell. The object shattered, debris littering the floor. Vincent's dark expression suddenly became vacant.

_**I have lived a long time, and for the first time, I was afraid. Past nightmares didn't even come close to my most recent vision. It's one thing to have nightmares of things that have already occurred. It's entirely another thing if it may involve what is to come. I knew that if I didn't come out with the truth soon, Riley would pay for it.**_

* * *

"Stay here. It'll be faster if I go alone," Black explained.

The others blinked. Nanaki noticed a change in Black's mood. "Did something happen?"

"Nothing I can't handle. Give me a couple hours and we'll be on our way to Mideel." He paused, then added suggestively. "Take a nap. Get some rest. Gaia knows we've all need it right now."

Black turned, about to run off but Riley caught his arm. "Black, you seem off today."

He inhaled sharply before pulling away his arm gently. "When we get to Mideel, I need to talk to you privately. I'll explain everything then. I promise."

Riley looked taken aback. Was he ready to tell her those secrets he had been hiding? Chewing on her bottom lip, she nodded. "Okay. I'll take your word for it, so hurry back. The suspense is killing me."

Her final statement nearly made him flinch. Instead, he smiled wryly then ran off without another word. He eventually found the hut of the old woman, quietly striding up to the front door. He was about to knock on the door frame before he distinctly heard her inviting voice.

"I was expecting you, young man. Please come in."

Black pushed aside the curtain, walking inside before kneeling in front of the woman. "I suspect you already know why I came here."

"Indeed I do. Soup?"

"No thank you."

She sighed, pushing aside the cold food before opening a small box for him. "I will keep them safe until you return. Now boy...you don't need to hide from me."

Black hesitated, but dropped the guise, seeing no real point in hiding himself. "I...wish to ask your advice on something. Last night—"

"You envisioned Riley's fall. I've seen her future."

Vincent's eyes narrowed. "Is there any way to prevent it? How soon will it happen?"

"I cannot give you those answers. All I can say is that it is an obstacle you'll both have to overcome."

"It's just..." he trailed off in his memories of his past comrades. "I've already lost too much. I may lose myself for good if she..."

"Do what you must. That is all I can tell you." Vincent watched her, considering her advice then stood up, ready to take his leave. He was in the doorway when she spoke again. "You should also think about shaving. That beard doesn't suit you at all." She chuckled, and he left after her random comment.

* * *

Shamus landed in Mideel, and everyone decided to go. Riley was nervous, almost afraid to find out what Black wanted to speak to her about. Climbing off the ship, she waited for Black to join her side. The others looked over, as if wondering what was keeping the two.

"You three go on ahead. We'll catch up," said Black. _If I survive the talk, that is._

Riley crossed her arms anxiously. Both of them were silent for a few moments. Black, feeling awkward, decided he needed a walk to have the time to sort out his thoughts. Riley followed in silence. Amongst their stride into the lively forest, Riley was suddenly distracted by various assorted wild flowers. She knelt down, gingerly touching the petals with a soft smile. She rarely got to appreciate nature like this. She almost considered the idea of sleeping under the stars sometime after they brought back the doctors. Black watched her in fascination. She seemed so at peace right now. Her face barely had any fatigue left, so to that extent, he was relieved. However, he dreaded when that he would ruin this peaceful moment.

He should just be done and over with it already. The sooner she knows, the less likely that dream was to become a reality. "Riley," he began, pulling out the transform materia.

"Hm?" She turned her head towards him, eyes landing on the large stone. "What's that?"

"Transform materia."

"I thought we returned that to Nika."

"This one is mine." He let that sink in before continuing. "I've been using it this whole time, Riley."

Slowly, she stood up. "I don't understand. What do you mean you've been using it?"

"I'm not who you think I am, and I think it's time I come out with the truth. I should have told you sooner, but...I was afraid." His tired expression seemed to age him further.

Riley blinked, waiting. "You mean...like a disguise?"

"Yes."

"If...you're not Black, then who are you?" He hesitated, not quite ready to reveal himself physically. Her next question snapped him out of his thoughts. "What were you afraid of?"

"Right now...losing you."

Her back went rigid. "W-what?"

He moved closer, cupping her cheek, his eyes determined. "I meant it when I said that you're the closest thing to me. When we met, I thought you no more than a nuisance, a whiny brat."

She nearly recoiled from his touch, but the contact stirred something that kept her rooted to the spot. "Gee, thanks for that, I guess," she replied sarcastically.

He swallowed, eyes softening. "I wanted nothing to do with anybody. I've been a coward, hiding behind a mask of regret. I hid away in the mountains, free of contact. Then you came along, and...half the things I do, I can't seem to help myself. At first, I wanted nothing to do with you, but these past few months, I've watched you grow into...go-get-em young woman."

Riley began to notice that his voice had become less coarse with age, even his eyes looked younger. Warmth blanketed her cheeks as she eagerly awaited him to tell her his big secret. "Just tell me Black."

"I thought I was protecting you by hiding this, but recently I've discovered that I've only been hurting you. I won't lie to you anymore. Riley, I'm Vin—"

"Sorry to cut this short, you lovebirds." Riley and Black separated into defensive stances, weapons drawn. In the trees stood Weiss. He laughed as they glared at him. "Oh, what's with the sour looks?"

"This is just what we needed," Black stated dryly.

Weiss only smiled in triumph. "Too bad your friends didn't last too long. Perhaps you two will put more effort into our battle."

Riley gasped. "What'd you do to the others?" Weiss snapped his fingers and the rest of the gang dropped out a black misty vortex. Riley cried out in shock, running over to them. All of them were unconscious. "Guys! Wake up!"

Black growled at the enemy. "Bastard."

"Where's the Omni-Materia?"

"Like I'd tell you," Black replied defiantly.

"That's too bad. Then I suppose this is goodbye."

His arm began to pulse quickly, volts surging through the limb. As it charged, he raised his arm, ready to lash out. Black rushed to Riley, covering her body with his, knowing what was bound to happen. He picked her up, ready to break out into a run. If he could get away from the others, they'd perhaps have a chance to live, hoping to lead Weiss away long enough for them to come to. Black was suddenly surprised with an explosive attack hitting his back, causing him to scream out. Riley screamed as well as they were engulfed in a bright light.

The explosion rang out through the forest, birds fleeing the trees. Once the smoke cleared, Weiss walked up to the unconscious group. Steam rose from Black's back and Weiss kicked his head. He turned to look at Riley who had passed out as well. Moving Black's body off of her, he began to search her person, finding nothing he was looking for.

"Damn. Perhaps I'll take them back to Midgar then. Think you'll be able to break them Rosso?"

"Oh, I know so, darlin'," she replied, coming out of the trees. "I've especially been looking forward to playing with the keeper." She grinned maliciously.

* * *

**A/N:** I...am...SO..._SORRY_ for taking nearly two years to update. I had lost the inspiration to write, and so I dropped writing entirely, until now. I've been in the mood to write lately and had to reread my story to remember what's what. I've likely lost a lot of readers, but that's to be expected. Sigh...I realized many mistakes in spelling and grammar when I looked through. I was horrified. Bloody keyboard, I totally blame you. I started another fanfic, but I'm putting that on permanent hiatus till this story is finished. Thank god I kept my notes for this story. Anyway, onto a long overdue character Interview!

Me: Hey guys, welcome back! Nice vacation? Anybody go to Costa Del Sol this summer?  
Everyone: **some shrug, some cheer**  
Me: Alright, these are old questions, however, this is an old fanfic, so that's my fault. First questions are for Chaos. "What was it like before Rosso revived you? And what did you think of Riley when you both met?" and from another reviewer, "Would you ever think of doing something good?"  
Chaos: **just growls from his ball** I was dead. What the hell do you think, fleshing! I was surrounded by glitter and constantly hugged by hippies!  
Me: Hippies? O.o  
Chaos: Ancients.  
Me: Oh.  
Chaos: As for Riley. She tastes good. Perhaps I shall devour her.  
Me: Sexually?  
Chaos: O.o WHAT? I have no interest in humans that way! It's just fun to play with my food! Now...the last question. I've already done something good indirectly! I ended up dying, dammit! I'll kill Vincent when I get the chance, I swear.  
Me: ~_~ Next question. For Riley...YAY! She get's a question! "What will you do when you find out Black is Vincent?"  
Riley: O_O Wut?  
Me: Oh dear, I haven't gotten that far yet. .  
Riley: What do you MEEEAAAN?  
Me: Nothing! ^.^;; By the way, same person seems to think that a certain song goes well with you. What do you think? Stand in the Rain by Superchicks.  
Riley: **listens** Hmm, I actually like this song. At least it ain't one of those lame country songs ~_~.  
Me: :P Next up...Mona, same reviewer. "Do you like cookies?"  
Mona: ...They're fucking delicious.  
Me: That a yes?  
Mona: **wiping her mouth of crumbs** Indeed.

And that's all the questions I can ask for this chapter. I will ask the rest in the next chapter! Just remember readers, you can ask ANY kind of question. No restrictions required! XD Next up is the chapter with a very...very...VERY bad and very emotional ending. Please R&R. Miss you guys :D


	28. Ch 27: The Worst Turn

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children Complete, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may be incorrect. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent.

* * *

**Chapter 27: The Worst Turn**

Black began to rouse from unconsciousness. Clinking of chains brought his senses to alert, eyes wide. The light was dim, the air was humid, and all he could see was that he, Shamus and Mona were practically bolted to a wall with thick iron cuffs on their wrists and ankles. Nanaki was bolted to the floor by chains and shackles. They even put an iron muzzle on him, and for good measure, a collar with the chain also bolted to the floor. Black struggled briefly. They made sure he couldn't move, nor have the momentum and leverage to break from the wall.

Nanaki began to stir, jumping to his feet in alert. "Damn! Weiss caught us off guard! Vincent?"

"Here."

Nanaki turned to Black's solemn expression. "So, you got caught too. Where's Riley?"

Black's expression turned to that of urgency. "Dammit. They must have taken her elsewhere."

Their conversation was interrupted as the other two began to stir. Shamus groaned, "What happened?"

"Idiot...I think we were jumped. Bastards took advantage of our emergency."

"Stop calling me an idiot. Heeey, Black! Where's Riley?"

"Elsewhere," he replied, gritting his teeth.

Mona looked over. "You think they're trying to interrogate her for the Omni-Materia?"

"Most likely." _And torturing her to get it. Hold on, Riley._

They heard the sound of a steel hatch opening, bringing a little more light into the room. Genesis was silhouetted by a blue light and steam, striding into the room casually but gracefully. Black watched as the young man moved closer, revealing his handsome features and cold blue eyes. Genesis circled around Nanaki, observing the growling creature before scrutinizing Mona, greeting her with a mocking smile. Next, he looked over Shamus, scoffing with amusement before stopping directly in front of Black.

"Mr. Black, I presume."

"Genesis Rhapsodos," he replied with obvious malice in his tone. "Where's Riley?"

"To the point, aren't you?" He chuckled. "I fear that she is busy talking with Rosso. After all, my followers, my brothers and sisters, they all wish to please me by finding the Omni-Materia. As well as the other fragments in your possession. Also, I've heard you managed to subdue Chaos. I'm impressed."

"Get to the point," Black demanded.

Genesis smiled pleasantly. "The Omni-Materia, grants the power of a god. No, more accurately, it turns a god into your slave, granting your every desire and wish. I will take that power for myself."

"That kind of power will destroy this world!" Nanaki exclaimed. "It's too much to handle!"

"If that's true...why did the Planet create such a thing? Perhaps this planet is tired, and feels that when the time comes, she needs to die in order to be reborn."

"Fool...that's what Omega was for."

Genesis turned to Black. "You seem to know much, as if you've seen...Omega firsthand." Black's eyes never left Genesis, defiance in his expression. "You remind me of someone from ten years ago. Who was the bigger fool?" He had asked mockingly...knowingly. Black gritted his teeth.

"If you so much as lay a hand on Riley, I _will_ make certain that it is the very last mistake you commit. I'll define Hell in more ways than one," Black claimed darkly.

"Yes, yes," Genesis brushed off. "But if you'll excuse me, I have other matters to attend to, and you have a show to catch."

He left, a large steel door opening, revealing a large open area, steam rising everywhere. Black's eyes instantly landed on Riley, hanging by her wrists with Rosso at her side. From what he could tell, she had received a minor beating, but no cuts or obvious wounds. He sighed with relief. Riley had received enough bruises from training and field experience to withstand a minor beating. She was even conscious, covered in sweat from the heat. She stared ahead, avoiding eye contact with Rosso.

"Oh look, love. It seems we have an audience."

Riley looked over to see the others, relieved to see they were alive. Black growled. "Let her go, Rosso!"

"And why on Gaia would I do that, darlin'?" she taunted, gently stroking the side of Riley's face. "I only wish to ask her a question. I've heard rumours that you've all been looking for not just the fragments, but Vincent Valentine as well."

Black growled. "I said, let her go."

"Which brings me to one conclusion, that Vincent Valentine is alive and well. Where, is what I want to know." She gripped under Riley's face. "You've seen him...haven't you?" Riley didn't answer. She refused to give Rosso anything, even if it meant she'd be broken afterwards. Rosso didn't seem impressed. "I'll take that as a yes."

"Go to hell," Riley quipped.

"Where do you think I came from?" Rosso released her face, then moved behind her. She took a whip from a guard, before instantly lashing out at Riley's back, reveling in her scream.

"Riley!" everyone cried out.

Riley gritted her teeth. Black's eyes were wide, trembling where he was. What was he going to do? He just couldn't sit back and let Riley take this. Rosso asked once more. "Where is Vincent Valentine?"

Riley panted, having held her breath. "Didn't you hear me? I said, go to hell."

"Wrong answer, darlin'." She whipped her again, but tripled the damage, grinning at the deep gashes in the girl's back, clothes torn. "Where is he!"

"I don't know!" Riley cried out, sobbing from the pain.

"Oh Riley," Nanaki said sadly, growling because he was helpless. He looked at Black pleadingly. "Please, say something!"

Black stammered, "I-I..."

Shamus yelled out angrily, even desperately, "Just leave her alone! None of us know anything!"

"Is that so?" Rosso considered before creating more gashes in Riley's back. Black flinched with every scream she emitted. "Had enough yet? Are you willing to tell me what you know?"

Black suddenly yelled out. "Rosso! I know—"

"Stop!" Riley cried out. Black's eyes widened. "Don't say anything! Even if I'm bleeding or dying, don't tell her anything!"

The others were shocked. Black could have her spared right now, but Riley's determination held him back. Rosso frowned, and since she ran out of space on her back to mar, she moved to her front, lashing at the front of her torso, her legs, her arms. Black was starting to lose it the more Riley screamed.

"You bore me," Rosso said decidedly. "Perhaps I shall kill you right here." She began to cut into the girl's face, eliciting a whimper of pain. Riley, with a moment of defiance, bit at Rosso's neck, causing blood to gush out. Rosso screamed in surprise before finally managing to pry her off, gripping her wound. "You little tramp!"

Riley spit out the blood. "Look on the bright side, I probably have HIV now thanks to you, cunt rag."

Rosso growled before she grabbed her double-sabre. "I'll slice you in two! No...I'll just make you suffer till you DIE!"

Riley got more than whippings, she got beatings, bruises quickly riddling her body, slowly bleeding to death. A punch to her jaw made her vision blur and her head spin. She was getting dizzy.

"Where is Vincent Valentine? Answer me!" Rosso screamed, eyes psychotic with rage.

Mona growled. "Torture me instead you bitch! I'll fucking tear you apart and make you beg for mercy!"

Nanaki growled, claws extended, struggling to get free, but the shackles were too tight. He looked at Black one more time. "Fool! Do something! Only you can stop this!"

Black was caught in indecision. He wanted to respect Riley's wishes and keep his identity secret to avoid Riley's hate, but at the same time...he didn't want Riley getting hurt because of him...no, because of Vincent. Riley's agonized scream was the last straw, instantly dropping the facade, eyes glowing crimson, hair more wild and blacker than ever. His red aura swirled around him violently, catching everyone's attention.

"I'm right here! I'm Vincent Valentine!"

Rosso stopped dead in shock. Riley could barely make out through the pain that Black looked different. No...Black never existed. In his place was the man she had been looking forward to most to meeting in person. Shamus and Mona stared disbelievingly at the ex-Turk. Why, they wondered, has he been hiding all this time? And right under their very noses! To say the very least, everyone was furious. Riley was confused.

Vincent Valentine looked past Rosso, directly into Riley's eyes. "I'm so sorry. I meant to tell you sooner."

Rosso half-laughed in disbelief, shocked that the epitome of her rage was right there, alive. Her laughter became more hearty with joy. "Aha ha ha! Vincent Valentine! How good of you to join us! I have waited a decade for you to show up! Now...I thought of the perfect opportunity of revenge! You have defeated me time and time again, but not this time! This time, I will kill you, but let you live at the same time to suffer the worst defeat you will ever face! Not even Professor Hojo could have thought of this!"

Time seemed to slow down as Vincent heard his heart beating in his head, eyes widening. Rosso prepared to finish off Riley, then lunged her arm forward. All he could hear now was the tearing of flesh. All he could smell now was Riley's blood. All he could see now was the colour red. All he could taste now was the dryness of his mouth. Rosso had pierced through Riley's chest, blood splattering along the grated floor. The young woman couldn't scream. Too much blood poured out of her mouth. It hurt...so much. That was all she could comprehend. She didn't even know that her chains had released her due to the lubrication of blood splattered all over her.

Rosso laughed in Vincent's general direction, mocking him, Riley limp on her arm. Vincent couldn't believe what he was seeing. "Riley...no...RIIILEEEY! Open your eyes, dammit! Open them! Hate me, hit me, I don't care,just stay alive! I said open your eyes!"

Rosso only laughed harder before walking over to the ledge of the grates. "Kiss, kiss, darlin'," she said before thrusting her arm forward, throwing Riley over the edge.

Riley seemed somewhat peaceful, even as she fell, basking in the glow of mako, quickly descending to the radioactive pits of the Planet. Everyone watched in horror, including Vincent. He witnessed her fall. He...couldn't handle the grief. No, not grief. Absolute, ungodly rage. He could almost feel Chaos infecting him, corrupting his sane thoughts, even at a distance. Nothing could contain what he felt at this moment. Nothing.

The aura that had briefly appeared began to blacken and even rust the iron shackles that held him, morphing the wall behind him before he snapped off his bindings. He dropped to his knees, just remaining like that, hair floating around him in an eerie way that made even this hot room ice cold in temperature. Eyes were hidden behind his long strands and Rosso watched in fascination. The guards seemed to back away, as if sensing something out of this world that could likely kill them.

Nanaki watched his friend change into a monster before his eyes, while maintaining the image of a man. "Vincent...?"

Shamus shivered, and even Mona trembled in fear. "What's...wrong with him?"

"I have no idea, whatever is happening, we have to get out of here before we're in his line of fire."

He slowly rose to his feet, walking towards Rosso, almost marching. Yes, he was a monster. Today, he would truly embrace that fact. Nothing could keep him sane anymore. At the moment, he wanted insanity to take over. Riley was no longer alive. He had no reason to pretend to be human anymore. All he could think about was a pure, malicious massacre. His poncho got larger like a shadow, swirling around him violently. Rosso took a step back, actually frightened of the man she's hated for years. Vincent rose his head, eyes much more vibrant with their crimson glow.

She grabbed her weapon, ready to cut him down in a panic, but he got the blade, blood seeping through his glove. He grabbed the blade, easily yanking the weapon away before catching the handle, spinning it around and thrusting it into her stomach. She screamed as he twisted the end before throwing her away, sending her flying into large pipes, denting them and causing steam to escape. Vincent looked at the guards and they ran away screaming. He walked over to the others, which cringed away from him in fear, he pulled at their bindings easily, expressionless.

"Find our weapons, the three fragments and get out of here."

Shamus watched him cautiously, rubbing his wrists. "What about you? What are you gonna do?"

"I'm going to settle a score." With that, he walked off.

* * *

Nanaki sniffed the air, walking quietly around corners and such. He didn't recognize this part of Midgar, so he had to follow his nose. Shamus and Mona had managed to knock out a couple of guards, grabbing their assault rifles temporarily. Thinking better of it, Mona had killed them, snapping their necks. The less they had to deal with later, the better. Nanaki stopped, hiding behind a corner as he listened for guards to march past them. He had yet to hear any commotion about Vincent. What was the man going to do, he wondered.

Once the soldiers were gone, they continued. Eventually, they found a makeshift armoury surrounded by crates of weapons, mainly firearms. Nobody seemed to be around, so they ventured through, looking through the weaponry. Mona grinned, finding her missile launcher. Shamus sighed with relief when he found his spear, extended it to its full length. Nanaki grabbed the Cerberus lying on a table.

"I can't use this thing," he mumbled.

Mona took it,wrapping the holster around her for now till Vincent could retrieve it. Their eyes landed on Nemesis. The sword seemed dull in its usual mirror sheen. Shamus walked over, grasping the handle, holding it up to his face. He trembled suddenly. Surprisingly, Mona placed her hand on his shoulder in an effort to comfort him.

"Why...why'd he hide it till now?" He hissed through his clenched teeth. "Because of him...Riley's gone!"

Nanaki said nothing. There was nothing he could say. He couldn't deny the fact that what Vincent did was foolish. Now Riley could never know for sure if she could genuinely fall for Vincent. And Vincent...he'd never know that she was perhaps in love with him. The facts were heartbreaking and Nanaki could never speak of this to Vincent. Vincent was truly no longer Vincent, and Nanaki felt partly to blame for Riley's death. He was indecisive whether to betray Riley...or Vincent. He had laid the decision on Vincent. In turn...they both had betrayed the girl.

"It's best we keep moving. We need to escape quickly."

The others barely nodded. Shamus strapped the sword to his back then grabbed the materia. They were about to leave but they were blocked by a group of guards. Shamus stepped in front of Nanaki, causing confusion on the feline's face. Shamus held out his spear.

"All of you...against me." The soldiers laughed. "You think I'm joking. We'll see who's laughing when this is over."

"Shamus, I really don't think you should fight alone," Nanaki protested.

"Just stand back."

Shamus quickly ran forward. The guards held up their guns and fired, blocked by a barrier that Shamus had put up within an instant. He catapulted into the air, jumping towards them, surprising one as he impaled him through the chest. He pulled out his spear, looking at the other soldiers before they went to charge at him. He leaned back as a sword was swung at his neck, avoiding the attack, flipping backwards, kicking the sword out of their hands. Catching it, he used the spear as a pole, stabbing the ground, keeping it firmly in place before swinging around it, kicking one in the chest, sending the guy flying into others. He threw the sword, the blade impacting with another's chest. Pulling the spear out of the ground, he spun it around quickly, knocking back the others. He thrust his weapon forward, piercing through another. Kicking up a dropped gun, he sprayed bullets among them, knocking them down easily. Dropping the firearm, he sensed someone behind him and he spun around, thrusting his weapon forward into another guard's face. Taking out the end, he watched the guard drop.

"Wow...I never thought you had it in you, idiot," Mona regarded, impressed with Shamus' display.

"I'm pissed off," he explained. "Here. This is Riley's materia." He distributed the spheres amongst them.

Nanaki frowned. "Let's get moving."

* * *

Vincent left nothing but blood and violence in his wake. Guards never had time to issue an alert and he made sure to rip out every alarm switch whenever he spotted one. He walked into a large room similar to the one Rosso tortured Riley, minus the mako pits. He lifted his gaze to Weiss, who was sitting on the ledge of a high platform.

"So, you've come." Vincent said nothing. "I had a suspicion the old man was actually you for a time. After all, you own Cerberus, you move and fight like you're not even human. Also, because of that, and the fact you were playing an old man...it seemed obvious. Vincent Valentine...it's been years."

"Weiss the Immaculate."

"You seem...not yourself today. Is something the matter? Oh! I bet I know. Rosso had a little too much fun and killed your girlfriend, didn't she?"

Vincent resisted a growl. "I'm killing you once and for all. As far as I'm concerned, you're all responsible."

"What are you going to do to make me pay, I wonder." He tossed the three coloured pearls in his hand. "You'll want these as well, won't you?"

"If you suspected who I was, why was Rosso looking for me?"

"We never told Rosso. She's...irrational in the ways of thinking. If she knew you were alive, she'd disregard all orders and seek you out. We know she could never defeat you, but her pride always clouds her judgement. It seems best that Rosso should die anyway. She's useless, though she did take care of the keeper, didn't she?"

Vincent was visibly shaking. "She was not just the keeper! Stop referring to her like she was some thing!"

"What are you going to do, kill me?"

"I was considering it."

There was absolute silence between them both. Weiss considered the glow in Vincent's eyes. The man was not going to hold back. Suddenly they both disappeared with a flash, then a clang was heard, in the air, Weiss' sword had been blocked by Vincent's mechanical leg. Vincent punched him across the jaw, sending him flying, but Weiss disappeared again before he impacted with the ground. Weiss reappeared behind him and Vincent twisted his body around, swinging his mechanical leg at him. Weiss blocked with his sword before hoofing Vincent in the chest, sending him flying into crates, wooden debris flying everywhere.

Vincent stood up easily, flicking splinters off his shoulders. He launched himself at high speed towards the swordsman, delivering a fist to the man's sternum then grabbed his hair, swinging him around and sending him flying towards the ground. The impact caused the concrete to crack and even dent. Weiss coughed painfully, wiping blood from his mouth. Vincent landed at the edge of the damaged area, walking towards his opponent. Weiss sent his foot flying at his face, causing Vincent to stagger backwards as Weiss jumped to his feet and went to tackle him. Vincent caught his arms, throwing him aside into the next wall, denting it.

Weiss laughed, getting up. "You're much more aggressive, I see."

"It's amazing what happens when I'm infuriated."

With that said, Vincent flashed forward, slamming Weiss against the wall, punching the ever living daylights out of him. Weiss didn't even have time to block his onslaught, too winded to fend him off. Vincent delivered one final punch, dropping him, then searching his clothes, pulling out the stolen fragments. Weiss kicked at the back of Vincent's head, sending him rolling forward. Weiss got up, wiping his lip and brushing himself off. He picked up his dropped swords, going into a stance as Vincent watched him. Weiss was suddenly cut off from attacking as a double-sabre suddenly stabbed the ground at his feet out of nowhere.

Weiss looked up. "Rosso! What's the meaning of this?"

"He's MINE!" she cried out, holding her wound, though she was bleeding profusely.

Weiss growled then regarded Vincent. "We'll have to finish this another time."

He jumped up, catching Rosso before she would fall, picking her up and disappearing into a void. Vincent watched where they disappeared momentarily before leaving the room entirely. He returned to where Riley had fallen, moving to the lower levels to stand near the mako pits. Some part of him hoped that she'd swim up, completely fine and perhaps yell at him. He was tempted to dive in to find her, but it would be pointless.

"I can never apologize for what I put you through...now it's too late to make up for it."

* * *

The others had managed to escape the underground of Midgar, standing amongst the ruins. Nanaki had insisted they wait for Vincent. Shamus wasn't keen on the idea and Mona was indifferent either way, but she was angry that Riley got killed, giving her more reason to take her revenge on Rosso. They heard a noise and saw Vincent. His face looked ashen, his crimson eyes dull and dark, and his expression was vacant.

"Vincent..." Nanaki began.

"Not...right now. Please."

Vincent walked ahead of the group, reaching the outskirts of the city. Shamus glared at his back, unable to hold it in anymore, he marched up to him, turned him around and punched Vincent, knocking him to the ground. Nanaki and Mona watched in shock as Shamus practically jumped Vincent, punching him again and again till he felt his knuckles were raw beneath his gloves.

"You asshole! She's dead because of you! She didn't deserve this!"

Nanaki watched as Vincent had willingly taken the beatings. "Shamus, he didn't know this would happen!"

"And you knew, didn't you!" Shamus turned his anger on Nanaki, causing the feline to flatten his ears back in guilt. "You knew! You son of a bitch! Both of you!"

Vincent finally spoke, lip swollen and bleeding. "Do not blame Nanaki. I am at fault, and I alone. Nanaki was only keeping my secret at my request."

"I don't give a flying fuck! Riley's dead! She could have been saved if you guys had only—"

"Shamus!" Mona had enough, dragging Shamus to his feet. "That's enough! Nobody saw this coming! I'm sure the old man and Nanaki had their reasons! In case you didn't notice, Rosso killed Riley, regardless of knowing!"

Shamus was catching his breath before finally nodding, simmering down. Mona released him, walking over to Vincent, handing him his weapon. Vincent sat up, taking it without a word. His eyes then landed on the sword on Shamus' back. He stood up, forcing himself to walk away to avoid looking at Riley's weapon. Some distance away, he collapsed to his knees, face vacant. For the first time in years, he had felt something on his face. He touched the foreign substance, seeing that it was wet with tears.

_**Looking at Nemesis, the grief had built up all at once. I had lost someone precious to me. Fable had told me that history would inevitably repeat itself. My cowardice killed Riley, and now I'll never be able to see her, smell her...touch her. The only thing I could do now was avenge her and finish what she started.**_

Vincent looked at the tears on the fingertips of his glove before tightening it into a fist. He inhaled, unable to hold it back anymore, turning towards the sky. "_AHHHH!_"

* * *

**A/N:** O_O...Poor Riley, and poor Vincent. Don't worry, story's not over, and I have a plan! I'm not telling you what it is though ~.~ Anyway, I already have in mind what the next chapter is gonna be like and all I can say is that you lovely readers have not seen the last of Riley yet. I noticed the last chapter was short and I tried to make it up in this chapter. Now, onto interviews!

Me: I have some questions here that I didn't get a chance to answer last time, so I will possibly finish them off here. Firstly, Rosso, I've got two questions for you!  
Rosso: What are they, darlin'?  
Me: "What do you think of Genesis?"  
Rosso: He's quite handsome, but he keeps interrupting my battles inconveniently. He's a nuisance when it comes to my blood lust.  
Me: Okay, next question is, "What do you think of Chaos? You both like to kill."  
Rosso: Is that so? **climbs on top of Chaos, grinning seductively** How about it, darlin'?  
Chaos: o_o...Amanda...help?  
Me: I'll assume, violent sex.  
Chaos: Hey! Get this thing off of me!  
Me: XD Next question, for Gackt.  
Genesis: Why does everybody keep calling me that?  
Me: Nevermind. "Do you ever think about taking a vacation from all this 'destroy the world' thing?"  
Genesis: Once I destroy—I mean, reshape the world, my life will become one long vacation. I'll be a god.  
Me: Okay...this question is for the whole gang...O.o oh my. "What would you guys do if you had a snowball fight with the bad guys?" O_O;;  
Good Guys: **glaring at bad guys**  
Bad Guys: **glaring back**  
Everyone: **a flurry of snowballs goes flying, Leviathan being summoned and sending making the snow turn to ice with its water**  
Soldiers: That's CHEATING!  
Shamus: Ahahaha! I don't see a rule book, suckers! **gets smacked in the face with a snowball** x_x  
Mona: **shoots snowballs out of her missile launcher** AHAHA!  
**five hours later**  
Vincent+Riley: **on top of the pile as the champions**  
Riley: We'd win. **smacks Vincent in the face with a snowball** XD  
Vincent: =_=

And that's all the questions I've got. Please feel free to ask more. There's no limit! Make it as ridiculous as you possibly want and don't forget to R&R! Till next chapter, ciao!


	29. Ch 28: The Afterlife

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children Complete, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may be incorrect. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent.

* * *

**Chapter 28: The Afterlife**

"_RIIILEEEY! Open your eyes, dammit!"_

_Open her eyes? She felt so comfortable, blanketed in this warmth that eased all the pain. She heard voices, but didn't recognize them. Riley didn't wish to wake up. Something was keeping her limp with exhaustion and the pain was gone. Was she dead? After everything she went through, she couldn't believe it ended like this. Part of her was relieved though. She finally met him. She could remain content with that._

"_Open them! Hate me, hit me, I don't care, just stay alive!"_

_Slowly, she did open her eyes, but she was no longer in Midgar being tortured by Rosso. Instead she was floating in black midair above the lifestream. Ghosts of her friends appeared above her, urging her to reach for them, but as soon as she did they began to disappear._

"_No...Shamus. Mona, don't go. Nanaki, please stay." Her voice was weak. Small. She saw Black, floating away from her and she tried desperately to reach for him, but he was soon replaced with Vincent. Her confusion made the dream all the more surreal. Were they truly one and the same? Had she been travelling with the man she had admired without knowing? The signs, she realized, seemed obvious now. She felt stupid for not seeing it before._

_As she reached for him, he disappeared, the memory of him slipping away. "I said, open your eyes!"_

Riley gasped into consciousness, a breathing mask on her face as she sat up, wincing in pain and falling back against the pillow. She looked around the unfamiliar territory. Was this a hospital? A nurse walked in with a smile, took a look at the charts, then left. Riley didn't know why she was here or how, but she just wanted to go home.

The doctor soon came in. "I see you're finally awake. Riley Tombs, is it?" She nodded. "Do you remember anything from last night?"

"Last night?" she croaked. She thought about it, but nothing came. "No."

"Well, turns out you were stabbed by a couple of thugs. Someone found you then carried you here. You're lucky the knife missed your heart."

"Oh," she said lamely.

"You must still be tired. I'll come back later to check on you."

"When can I go home?"

"I would recommend staying at the hospital for two weeks, but I can authorize your release in one week."

"Why can't I go home now? I'm not in critical condition, am I?"

"We're still running tests. So for now, get some rest. See you in a few hours."

He walked out, leaving Riley alone. She looked over, seeing another patient, though their back was turned to her. Sighing tiredly, mouth parched, she got up from the bed, wincing once more. However, that wouldn't stop her. She badly needed to go. No force in the world was going to stop her from reaching that washroom.

"Riley!"

Except that. Riley turned to see her parents, David and Lily. "Mom? Dad?"

"Oh, we're so glad you're alright!" Her mother walked over, giving her a hug.

"The hospital called us, informing us that you had been hurt."

Riley just remained rigid, momentarily shocked. Sighing, she patted her mother on the back in a 'there, there' gesture. "I'm surprised you came."

Lily pulled away, hands on her shoulders. "Why wouldn't we come?"

"I left home. I never called. I never wrote."

David sighed, running fingers through his hair. "Riley, your mother and I had come to terms with that awhile ago. We decided to give you the space you needed, since we realize that we had been smothering you your whole life. Besides, you're life was at risk, so of course we came to see you."

Riley looked at them, shocked at their resolve. She didn't think it was possible to respect them any more, till now. Maybe they understood her after all, and she had misjudged them greatly. What a terrible daughter she was. However, something nagged at the back of her mind, but she couldn't think of what it was.

Lily smiled. "Once you're released, why don't we go out for dinner?"

"Uh, okay. I guess it wouldn't hurt. Can I pee now?"

* * *

The doctors had released her a week later, and she walked into her apartment, feeling dazed. Something rubbed against her leg, startling her. Looking down, she saw Whiskey. He meowed at her, indicating he was hungry. That, or he missed her. Kneeling down to give him a quick stroke under the chin, moving into the kitchen afterwards to find his bowl completely empty and the water bowl with the jug on top nearly dried up. She washed them both before giving him fresh sustenance.

With the cat happy, she walked into the living room and blinked, a memory flashing painfully in her mind. She rubbed at her temples, a headache now obvious then glanced at her shelves. She saw games, figurines, books. Walking up to it she observed the knick knacks, feeling like something was missing. There were gaps in her memory, she realized. Her eyes landed on her Vincent figurines, smiling softly at the handsome gunman. Suddenly, she felt something trailing down her face. Reaching up to investigate, she discovered they were tears. Why did her heart ache suddenly?

Confused by the sudden display of spontaneous emotion, all she felt like doing was crying. "What's wrong with me? I have no reason to be so upset."

Wiping away the salted drops, she went into her room to clean up and get changed. She received a call by the time she was brushing her hair, answering the phone, her mother informing her that they would be there shortly. Hanging up, Riley looked at the shelf again. She looked away, feeling the random emotions rise once more.

She greeted her parents outside. They smiled at her and they were off to a fancy restaurant. Riley just sat there, looking at the menu. Perhaps she'd have soup tonight.

* * *

Walking into her apartment once more, she headed straight for bed. By the time morning came, she had forgotten about everything. Looking at the clock, she realized she woke up twenty minutes earlier than her alarm. Turning it off, she went to the kitchen. She walked by the living room without a thought. When she was ready, she walked to school, walking by the homeless' alley without a glance. By the time she got home, she didn't even think about the possibility that her Final Fantasy VII merchandise was gone. No, she never considered it, but she continued to feel like something was wrong.

A month had passed by. The arcade she used to go to had closed down by now. She'd soon finish school and then force herself to decide what to do with her life before attending college again to study for that particular subject. Maybe photography, she considered. Nah. She had grown closer to her parents and even went on a date with Marcus, the landlady's son, though she insisted she still wasn't interested in him. The date had consisted of going to a football game, which bored her to tears.

Today was normal like any other day. The only difference was that it would rain later in the afternoon. It was cloudy by the time Riley got to her first class after lunch. She stared out the window while the professor gave their lecture. Startled by the snap of a ruler, she looked up at the teacher.

"Am I boring you, Miss Tombs? I know you've already taken this course the last two years, but I expect everyone's attention while I'm speaking."

"I'm sorry," she said sheepishly.

The class carried on then. It was pouring as Riley walked out of the school when her last class finished. The clouds were much darker as if night had already come. Grumbling about the fact she'd have to shower when she gets home, her first foot stepped forward. The trip home seemed much longer than usual and the rain was getting harder. What was with this damn rain? She realized that she had missed a turn and found herself in unfamiliar territory. A noise resounded through the air over the rain and she went to investigate. She stepped into an alley, completely drenched, finding two thugs that looked familiar.

"Hey!"

They turned to look at her and she realized who they were. They were the ones that had stabbed her. She barely recalled them cornering her in a bus shelter and abusing her. But somehow, she did not seem afraid of them, despite the damage they inflicted. They slowly approached her like predators, a switchblade snapping into place. The first guy took a swipe, and she bounced backwards, then jumped back, tackling the armed one. She delivered the first punch and ducked as the other tried to take a swing at her. Rolling forward off the first, she turned, going into a stance, but saw the second pull out a gun. Now she was worried.

Looking around, she grabbed the lid of a aluminum garbage can, spun around to give her temporary frisbee some momentum in its flight at his head. This caused him to fire, barely nicking her shoulder, but he had staggered back just enough for her to grab the garbage can itself, toss the contents then toss the can into the air just before hoofing a kick at it, sending it flying at him and knocking his gun away. He stumbled to reach his gun, but she was already on him, running at him with speed she had no clue she had before leaping at him and sending her leg swinging at his face. Her foot connected with his jaw and he fell to the concrete with a pained groan.

The first guy grabbed her from behind, knife at her throat. "You little bitch. I'm gonna cut you right here and now!"

She didn't look worried now. She leaned her head forward, then sent it flying back into his nose, then stomped on his toe, slammed her elbow into his sternum, then her fist carried on, impacting with his groin. He doubled over, grabbing those precious jewels. She finally released the shock that had been held back, seeing the two on the ground.

"Did I...really just do this?"

Then everything seemed to come together all at once This...this wasn't real. It was a dream, and she had forgotten something important. But what? Suddenly, she bolted towards her apartment, opening the door with a swift kick just because she felt like keys were unnecessary. The noise startled the cat, causing him to bolt under the bed. Frantically, she searched through every corner of her apartment, but she couldn't find what she was looking for, whatever it was. She was going mad.

Sighing in defeat, she just stared at the window, watching the rain pour. It seemed like she had been staring for hours, till something compelled her to look at her shelf. The figurines were gone, but she could almost imagine what used to be there. When she finally allowed herself to blink, the figurines were there again. Slowly standing, she walked over, observing them closely, then found an empty display case for a Limited Edition Materia. The first clue. Closing her eyes, she tried to force herself to remember more. She looked again, but nothing changed, however, this time her eyes landed on the Vincent figurines. Abruptly, everything clicked.

"Vincent," she whispered.

Once again, she ran off in a hurry, only to get drenched. She was getting closer, she could feel it. Eventually, she came to the alley with homeless residents. Her shoes splashed gently in the small puddles. Arms wrapped around her, fighting off the cold. The look on everyone's face seemed expectant, as if they had been waiting for her. Was she right to come here? Footsteps stopped before an open shaft under a building. No person resided here. Her eyes turned to the people she passed. Was it here? Is this where she needed to be?

Making her final decision, she crouched down, climbing into the shaft, getting deeper and deeper into the darkness. She couldn't see anymore. Was this hopeless? "I should turn back. Maybe I'm crazy after all."

"_What kind of crazy lady are you, travelling in the fields without so much as a toasty coat?"_

"What?"

Her attention was caught, and everything got colder and colder till she blinked and she was in a snow field as far as the eye could see, mountains in the distance. Rising to her feet, she turned, finding there was no shaft. Instead were wolves, growling hungrily at her. She suddenly broke out into a run, but then she felt ridiculous for doing so. This was a dream after all. So she stopped, only to be pounced upon. She kicked it off with a grunt before getting to her feet again.

Another leaped at her. Instincts took over, making her jump in the air, meeting the creature head on and twisting her body around, kicking it away, earning a yelp from the creature. She landed, nearly losing her footing but caught herself. What looked like the alpha of the pack suddenly ran at her with a snarl. She didn't think she could avoid the fangs this time, backing away. A gunshot rang through the air, nearly making her deaf to the sound of the alpha's cry before falling dead.

Her eyes roamed the area as the wolves ran off. No one. A named nudged at her. "Black," she whispered.

All at once, the memories came flooding back. She fell to her knees in excruciating mental pain, screaming out. Shamus, Nanaki, Mona...Vincent. She had been looking for Vincent. He'd been by her side all along! Then came the worst memory...her death. Reliving the physical pain of the fists, whips and being struck through her chest.

"_I said, open your eyes!"_

Ice blue shot open, discovering a flower field before her in a white space. Slowly, she dropped her hands in astonishment. The scenery was beautiful, and she felt at peace.

"Oh good, we almost thought we lost you there."

Startled, Riley turned around to face a young woman with kind green eyes and brown hair tied into a rope braid. "Aerith?"

The Ancient smiled with a nod. "I'm glad you remember everything now."

If Aerith was here, then that meant... "Am I dead?"

Aerith frowned. "Yes, and no. You're slipping in and out of the lifestream. Right now, you're swimming through mako, though because you're not from Gaia, you're less susceptible to the effects. You're fighting to live though, and that's what counts."

Riley watched the girl pace around her thoughtfully. "Will I die?"

"No. It isn't your time yet," she said, matter-of-fact. "After all, you still have too much to do."

Riley silently agreed. "Why am I meeting you here?"

"Why else? We're both in the lifestream. Though, it's more like I wanted to meet you in person."

"It's not exactly in person if we're both dead," she stated.

"The others wished to meet you as well."

"Others?"

Aerith only nodded. She looked over Riley's shoulder. Confused, she turned around, seeing the original members of AVALANCHE. She gasped in surprise, not sure what to think. They all looked as they did in the original game during the Jenova War.

Aerith smiled. "We all have a gift for you."

"Gift?"

Aerith walked in front of her, holding Riley's hands. "You'll carry on our will and stop Genesis. We can only offer you our strength, how it's used is up to you."

Riley looked at her hands in deep thought. "What am I supposed to do?"

Aerith was about to speak before Yuffie cut in. "Kick major ass, that's what!"

The others only nodded as Riley looked among them. "This is a lot of pressure."

"Hey! Stop whining! After all, you got those four by your side, right? Vincent and Red will look after you, no problem," Barret quipped.

Cloud placed a hand on her shoulder. "We all have our share of trials. How it ends this time depends on you. No one else can stand up to Genesis and the Tsviets."

"But if you guys died, how do you expect me to beat him?"

Suddenly, arms wrapped around her shoulders in a comforting gesture as Tifa spoke softly, "We know you can do this. After all, you were by our side when we fought Jenova and Sephiroth, right?"

Tifa was right, Riley realized. In some weird way, she had fought by their side, if only metaphorical. At the time, she didn't care that it was a game. When Tifa released her, she looked at everyone.

"Don't forget you also got my grandson behind you," Cid provided.

Riley made a face. "When it comes to Shamus, that sounds so wrong."

He blinked then laughed heartily. "He may be useless with women, but he's still a Highwind!"

Reeve soon spoke up. "And remember that Mona and her sister's resistance are in this. It's the whole world against Genesis and the Tsviets. It doesn't matter how strong they are."

"You see," Aerith began. "You're not alone. It won't be just you and the new AVALANCHE, but us as well, through you."

Riley couldn't help a small laugh. "This sounds like a cheesy scene."

Aerith chuckled. "Don't worry, you'll be fine. Now it's time that you head back."

Urgency suddenly rose. "Wait! Do you guys know anything that could help us? Do you know anything about the last two fragments?"

AVALANCHE looked among one another, shaking their heads. Aerith sighed. "Unfortunately, even I don't possess any knowledge on the Omni-Materia. My biological parents probably knew, but..."

"I see," Riley sighed, defeated.

"All I know is that Chaos has a large part in it. Even bigger than the prophecy of Omega WEAPON."

"Rosso said once that Genesis found a way around using the fragments. Is that even possible?"

"I couldn't tell you. Genesis is evil, so anything he plans might be more of a danger to the life of the planet." Riley considered this. "Aerith, when I was in the City of the Ancients, I couldn't find the white materia."

"Oh that? When Meteor was destroyed, the black and white materia disintegrated out of existence."

"Oh, that...explains a lot actually."

"Now, get going. Your friends are waiting for you. Especially a certain gunman," she giggled with a wink, getting a blush out of Riley. "Good luck."

Aerith suddenly pushed her, surprising the poor girl before she fell into black nothingness, the world above disappearing from sight. She could barely see the glow of soft green at the corner of her vision. She turned her body, descending towards the lifestream. As soon as she reached it, she surfaced out of water, gasping for breath weakly. Her wounds had resurfaced from the change in reality. Eventually her body floated to shore, tendrils of her hair stuck to her face, clothes torn and stained and deep gashes in her body. The sand felt warm, but it was getting into her wounds. Sadly, she couldn't muster the strength to move to her side. For now, she slipped into a deep sleep.

* * *

**A/N:** Oh. My. God. This chapter was a BITCH to write. I kept rewriting sections of it because I felt it was pointless or dragging on too much. Finally satisfied with the final product, but if you find this chapter sucks...I'm sorry T_T. My recent chapters are gradually getting longer though, so I can be happy about that. I don't remember what the usual word count was. I might submit another chapter very soon. But right now, I got a headache x_x. Anyway, onto interviews.

Me: I'm going to answer a certain question first. "Riley, would you consider ever going back to the world you know after all the things you've been through?"  
Riley: Why can't I answer?  
Me: Oh I suppose, but give little insight. We have to avoid giving spoilers.  
Riley: ...Like what? Yes-no-maybe so?  
Me: Exactly! Next question!  
Riley: Hey!  
Me: Nope! You had your time! "Mona, would you think of ever dating Shamus even though he's an idiot?"  
Shamus: Hey!  
Me: Blame the one asking the question XD. Mona?  
Mona: Fuck no!  
Shamus: Oh c'mon, y'know you want me! :D  
Mona: Stop touching my thigh.  
Shamus: Admit it. **sings** I'm too sexy for my shirt, too sexy for my shirt, so sexy, it hurts! **dancing as well, close to stripping**  
Vincent: **points a gun at his head** Keep. The Shirt. ON. We are NOT letting you getting into the habit of running around nude.  
Shamus: -_- Dammit.  
Me: Cheer up Shamus, this next question is for you.  
Shamus: OHMAHGAWDYAY! **happy boy smile...sparkle sparkle**  
Others: -.-  
Me: "How would you react to seeing the original Bikini Goddess?"  
Shamus: **jaw drops** I...I don't know to be honest. I think she was actually just made up by my grandfather.  
Me: ...He must have been a whore like you at some point then, and she was based off of an old girlfriend, or...**dramatic pause** A STRIPPER.  
Shamus: YOU LIE! D:  
Me: NEXT, now that I'm done ruining Shamus' childhood. VINCENT!  
Vincent: ...Yes?  
Me: **fawns over him**  
Vincent: Stop that.  
Me: Sorry ~_~. Ahem. "How good are you at playing poker?"  
**five hours later**  
Riley: **is now completely nude, vital parts censored** You cheated somehow!  
Vincent: **completely deadpan expression** Some say I have the ultimate poker face.  
Me: O_O;; I find that oddly attractive about him.

And that's all the questions this time around. Feel free to ask more crazy questions. It's actually just an excuse for me to wind down and giggle alone in my room like a crazy lunatic. :P And it's...HOLY CRAPTASTIC, I'll be 22 in nine days! My birthday is gonna suck though, so I'm not totally excited about it. Oh well. R&R bitches! I'm kidding, I love you guys. :D


	30. Ch 29: Finding Riley

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children Complete, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may be incorrect. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent.

* * *

**Chapter 29: Finding Riley**

The journey was silent with gloom and tension. Vincent was emitting the most melancholy while Shamus had been radiating latent hostility. Nanaki had announced that there were still people waiting for proper treatment, so they had agreed to return to Mideel to acquire the Highwind Ceto, convince doctors to return with them, and take their time in Wutai. Gaia knows they needed time to grieve.

A week had passed before they reached the shores closest to the island they would need to go. Mona was the first to issue her frustration. "Great! It'll take us three days, if we swim!"

"Calm down, Mona."

"Don't tell me to be calm! The idiot here should have thought of remote control and have the ship come to us!" Shamus couldn't even bother himself with retorting. Mona blinked, then sobered her attitude. "Sorry. I'm just mad. For all we know, everyone who's wounded could be dead by now."

Nanaki looked at Vincent, half expecting him to say something of encouragement, as it usually was with the party leader. However, the gunman didn't even regard them. Perhaps this cat would take over for now, if only to give Vincent the time to think, and grieve. "Mona, they're the resistance. You may be stronger than everyone in that faction, but they're still warriors. Have faith in their strength. Besides, they're being taken care of by the kind women of Wutai."

Her shoulders seemed to relax to some degree. "You're right." Taking a huge intake of breath, she looked at everyone. "So, what do we do?"

Nanaki thought for a moment, ears flicking, tail swaying. Suddenly his ears perked with an idea, then flattened at the thought of it. "Shamus," he began, hoping to catch the mechanic's attention.

"What?" he said grumpily.

"Don't you have the original Ceto on you?"

"I used it for parts on the new Highwind."

"Oh, right."

"I have Leviathan though."

"That's right!"

"Leviathan? We're not gonna have to hold our breaths the whole way there, are we?" asked Mona.

Nanaki smiled mysteriously. "Leviathan is like a water snake. It can swim on the surface. At his speed, we'll make it there by morning. Isn't that right Shamus?"

"Yeah," he replied less enthusiastically.

With that decided, Shamus summoned the creature and it regarded them almost thoughtfully before simply letting everyone climb on. Its head leaned forward as it practically slithered across the ocean surface. Shamus sat on Leviathan's head, just wishing to be left alone. Mona held on for dear life, feeling sick at the speed, mumbling something about hating fast rides. Nanaki looked at Vincent, seeing the ex-Turk's hair and cloak-like poncho being blown around him as he sat in absolute silence.

The feline walked up to sit beside him, his fur shifting quickly on his skin, making him shiver at time. "Vincent, you shouldn't take all the blame. I'm to blame as well."

Vincent stared blankly ahead as they passed a series of small islands. "She was my responsibility. I was supposed to protect her."

Nanaki just stared at him with his good eye then sighed, looking ahead as well. "This is sounding a lot like the time with Lucrecia." He barely spotted Vincent's hands clench into fists at the mention of the past. "There was nothing you or I could do. You cannot blame yourself for something out of your control."

"You're wrong," he replied firmly. "I could have saved her, if only I had told her sooner."

"Telling her wouldn't have guaranteed her life, Vincent, and you should know this by now!"

"No. I had been holding back just to keep people from knowing. I could have turned into Galian at the time and kept her from getting killed."

Nanaki sighed in defeat. "Do you honestly believe she'd hate you for that?" This caused the gunman to look at Nanaki questionably. "You don't seem to realize there was more to her than you were willing to see. Riley was looking for you for a reason, and not just for your help."

Sad curiosity seemed to take over Vincent's features. "What was it?"

Nanaki frowned, looking utterly depressed. "I cannot tell you."

"Nanaki!"

"I can't!"

"She's gone! What's the harm in telling me?"

"It _will_ do harm to you! That's why I can't say it! And quite frankly, you are not in a state that's ready to hear it!"

Vincent looked shocked but lowered his head, accepting Nanaki's wise decision. He was right. If knowing only served to hurt him further, then he'd rather not know. "I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to apologize for. I know the suspense of not knowing is at times unbearable."

"I had a nightmare of what would happen," he said suddenly.

"A nightmare?" Vincent nodded. "So...you went to consult with Fable because of it. Am I correct?" He nodded again. "I see. Your supposed premonitions are frighteningly accurate."

Vincent sighed, looking at the moon. "You don't have to tell me that."

* * *

It was morning by the time they reached the shores. Shamus said he'd prepare his ship for take off when they could convince the doctors to board. Mona decided to go along with Vincent and Nanaki, in case the doctors needed...persuasion. Despite the fact it was so early in the morning, the village seemed lively.

The town itself was rather pretty. Rivers of lifestream carried throughout the entire town, so the town consisted more of bridges and huts and of course, high fences to prevent anyone from accidentally falling into the waters. Just for good measure, they have placed a huge net over the largest of ponds. And to accentuate the wooden structures, many tropical flower arrangements were placed on light posts, railings...well, almost everywhere.

Nanaki smiled. He liked this place a lot more than he did Costa Del Sol. It was cooler in temperature here but still held that tropical resort feel. Also, his nose didn't dry up so fast, making him stuffy. _Riley would have liked it here, I think._ He stopped his thoughts immediately. Best not to think of sad memories.

"Where's the hospital here?" asked Mona.

"There's no hospital, just a clinic. Unless they've done more reconstruction since I was last here," Nanaki replied. "Though, I believe it is this way."

He walked off, Vincent and Mona following behind him silently as they crossed many bridges. To be honest, Nanaki had no idea where the clinic was, but he was following his nose towards possibly various medicines. However, that just led him to the pharmacy.

"You don't know where it is, do you?"

He dropped his head, ears flat. "No." He raised his head again, seeing Vincent ask the pharmacist for directions. His ears picked up on a conversation not too far away, looking towards the source.

"Did you hear about someone lying on a beach?"

"Yeah, they said it was girl, really beat up."

"Sounds like the same case as over fifty years ago. Some guy washed up on the beach with severe mako poisoning. When the lifestream erupted here, he and his girlfriend fell in and they both came out fine, and the guy's mako poisoning was cured."

"That's a load of bull!"

"It's true! It was a miracle!"

"Well, I hear she's in the clinic right now with a coma."

Nanaki couldn't believe what he was hearing. Could they seriously be talking about Riley? No, it was mere coincidence. They were just locals discussing rumours, though that case from five decades ago was actually Cloud. There was no chance that Riley could have survived, especially a finishing blow like that. Once Vincent was finished, they followed after him, since the man had a good sense of direction and a better memory than most. Eventually, they found the clinic and waited for someone to approach them.

A nurse came up to them. "Hello, welcome to the Mideel Clinic. Can I help you?"

Nanaki stepped forward. "We came here hoping that a doctor or two would be willing to cross overseas to Wutai. Many people are wounded and require immediate help."

"Oh my...let me speak with Dr. Strife."

Nanaki and Vincent were expressionless till it finally clicked. Dr. _Strife_? A woman in her late twenties walked out. She had long blonde hair in a ponytail and intense blue eyes. Nanaki could see the resemblance to Cloud _and_ Tifa.

"Well, I'll be damned. Aren't you part of AVALANCHE, Nanaki?"

"I am."

"Why are you all the way out here and not in Cosmo Canyon?"

"Issues have brought me out into the open. You...wouldn't possibly be related to Cloud Strife, would you?"

"According to my parents, he was my grandfather. I'm Isabelle Strife. Is it obvious?"

"It is indeed! I knew Cloud and Tifa had a child, but I never knew what happened to them and their family. But, enough about that. We have an emergency on our hands."

"Emergency? Something about Wutai?"

"Yes. A Resistance that took shelter in the Gold Saucer had been attacked brutally and only a third had survived the attack. They're valuable allies, so we wish to do whatever we can to help them. Right now, they're in Wutai. Wutanese medicine can only do so much."

"Indeed. Unfortunately, I'm the only doctor here. Not much happens around here, however at this time, we have a patient who's in critical condition."

"Critical condition? What happened?"

"We don't know. A couple of locals found her lying on the beach bleeding out. Slowly, but still bleeding. She's lost a lot of blood and because of that, she's in a coma." Vincent was on high alert now. Suddenly, he pushed past the good doctor. "Hey! You can't go back there!"

"He pushed aside the curtain and his whole world stopped. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't think. He couldn't see anything but her. One thought had risen to his mind, speaking aloud, "She's alive."

There Riley was, unconscious, but alive all the same. Hair fanned out around her head. Bruises that were obvious had become yellow, slowly healing. She was attached to a contraption that helped her breathe, and her arm was connecting to a couple of IV drips. One of some unknown chemical, likely nutrients, and the other was blood. She was covered mostly in bandages. Despite her extremely dishevelled look, she seemed so serene and comfortable.

"You know her sir?"

"Yes," he nearly choked, glad she was alive.

Nanaki stood up with his front paws on the bed. "How long has she been like this?"

"She's been here for most of the week. She was extremely dehydrated since she had likely been floating in the ocean for awhile. How long, I have no idea. Do any of you know what happened?"

Nanaki looked at Vincent, then the doctor. "She was...killed and thrown into the mako."

"Mako? I'm surprised she has no mako poisoning. Although, it does explain why she wasn't dead. Mako has some mysterious properties. But, if you know her, then I suppose I could go to Wutai if you're willing to bring her along. However, moving her would be difficult."

"We have an airship if that helps any," Nanaki offered.

"Then it shouldn't be a problem."

* * *

Footsteps could be heard echoing through the hallways before Shamus practically dove through a door. "She's actually alive?"

Everyone looked over and Nanaki smiled wryly. "Yes Shamus, she's alive."

The young man walked up to the bed in Riley's quarters. He frowned at the bandages and such. "She looks so peaceful for someone who's been through a lot."

"I'll keep an eye on here. We should head to Wutai immediately if you want me to help your friends," said Dr. Strife.

Nanaki nodded. "We really appreciate this, doctor."

"It's no problem," she said with a warm smile.

Nanaki and Mona left for the bridge. Shamus lingered for a moment before he soon followed after them. Vincent remained out in the hall, leaning against the wall, arms crossed. He could sense Shamus' glare of resentment. He didn't blame him, only himself. However, what was important was that she was alive, but that didn't lessen the weight in his heart.

"You can come in. You must be worried about her."

Vincent barely heard Isabelle call out. He hesitated but pushed off the wall, walking inside quietly. "I shouldn't even be near her."

"Don't say that. You're lovers, aren't you? At least, that's the impression I got when you first saw her."

"No, we're not," he replied. "She's...important to me. Though I neglected to protect her and she ended up like this."

Isabelle sighed. Standing up and walking out into the hallway to light a cigarette. "I may not know this girl as well as you, but I can tell that you care for her very much. She'll be more likely to look past anger and appreciate your concern. Whatever happened, you don't get very far by continuously blaming yourself. All you should think about is remaining by her side." After a few moments of taking a few drags of her cigarette, she put it out and walked away, heading for the kitchen.

The gunman sighed when she left, moving closer to Riley's bed and sitting beside her. Could she feel anything? Could she feel pain or nothing at all? He removed his poncho, blanketing her with it then removed a glove. Slowly, he reached for her face, stroking a strand of hair from her features. Her skin felt cold, he mused.

"I'm so sorry. I'll do anything to make it up to you. Just come back," he quietly pleaded, petting down her hair gently. "I won't lie to you ever again." Removing his hand, he replaced his glove before leaving quickly, heading straight for the bridge. "Shamus," he began firmly.

"What the fuck do you want?" he answered bitterly.

"This is the last favour I'll ask you. Take me to the Ancient Forest."

"Why? What are you going to do?"

"Whatever I need to."

Nanaki watched him before catching on. "You're going to get the other fragments and the materia, aren't you?"

"Yes, that and more."

Mona blinked. "I don't get it, what's going on?"

"Vincent plans on merging with Chaos," Nanaki answered, creating silence among everyone as he kept his eye on Vincent. "Am I wrong?" Vincent didn't answer. "Vincent, what's the point of revenge if she's alive?"

"I'm giving back what they did a hundred times worse."

"Vincent, this is dark, even for you. I doubt Chaos could make much difference."

"He's already corrupting me—"

"So, you'll run off on your own and nearly get killed like twenty years ago?" Vincent said nothing again, but his expression changed, his attention completely on the feline. "That isn't the answer and neither is Chaos! We have bigger priorities than revenge. We have those that need our help _now_. Besides, Chaos will only make you worse. I saw the look of murder in your eyes back at Midgar. It was enough to frighten me to the point that if I had to, I would stop you, even if it meant I would die."

Vincent dropped his gaze. He knew Nanaki was right. "I'm sorry."

"Until you are mentally on track, I will decide what happens from here. Is that understood?" The gunman took a moment before nodding. "Good. Shamus, make a quick stop for the Ancient Forest."

"What? I thought we weren't going there!"

"We still need the fragments. Perhaps if they're all together, something may happen."

Shamus grumbled, "Fine."

"Vincent, I suggest you sleep. I can see the bags under your eyes."

The ex-Turk reluctantly left the bridge, but didn't go to his quarters. He returned to Riley, sitting beside her on the bed once more, simply to watch her sleep. He could never have her now, even if he admitted his feelings. Last thing he wanted to do was hurt her again. For now, he'd let himself be close to her and watch her. Though perhaps he could indulge just a little.

He leaned forward, cupping her cheek, resting his forehead against hers. He remained like that for awhile then moved upwards, inhaling deeply. She smelled roughly of the sea still, but that odour was mostly gone now, however, beneath that scent was simple scents. Ordinary shampoo and body wash. When he first met her, he was severely glad she never wore perfume. Women always put too much on. Instead, generic bathroom products were enough for Riley. He placed his lips upon her forehead with a silent plea for her to recover.

"You're a trooper, little girl," he said softly.

* * *

**A/N:** Aww, isn't that cute? Vincent giving a small display of affection...FOR THE WIN! If you think Vincent is a little out of character or too dark and emotional in this chapter, give the guy a break, he's upset. D: I'm sure just about every one of you feels like giving our favourite gunman a hug. He won't be depressed for too long, I promise; Riley will kick his ass to happy land, or start arguing with him as if he was still the old hermit to elicit some enthusiastic reaction out of him. Sigh, this chapter was a little shorter than I intended but oh well. Now, onto ze questions!

Me: I only have two questions today, but that's okay, we'll make the best of it. Riley.  
Riley: Yes?  
Me: "Do you ever feel like Dante from DMC whenever he gets shot or stabbed constantly?"  
Riley: Occasionally. Those are good games.  
Me: Aren't they?  
Riley: Dante's hot. **swoon**  
Me: He is. **double swoon** Nero's cute too.  
Riley: He is! :D  
Vincent: AHEM! **angry pout**  
Me+Riley: ~_~  
Me: ANYWAY, next question is for everyone! "What would you do for a Klondike Bar, and for whom?"  
Vincent: **buys a bunch and hands them to Riley**  
Riley: :D  
Shamus: **packs snow between bread covered in chocolate then munches on it** Riley will appreciate my creativity then she'll have to kiss me! **eats it** ...T_T It's just not the same!  
Mona: **aims her missile launcher at the convenience store clerk** I DEMAND A KLONDIKE BAR ASSWIPE!  
Clerk: **hands them over in absolute terror** D:  
Mona: Thank you kindly. **eats it**  
Shamus: I want a piece!  
Mona: **boots him in the face** Fuck off. It's MINE.  
Shamus: x_x  
Nanaki: **looks at Riley** =^w^= Meeew.  
Riley: Kyaaa! So cute! Here you go! **gives him a Klondike Bar**  
Nanaki: **grins smugly...lick**  
Riley: **stares at Vincent**  
Vincent: ...  
Riley: **strips**  
Vincent: O_O  
Riley: Klondike bar please! ^.^  
Vincent: H-Here you go. o_o **perverted old man after all**

And that's the main good guys done! I'll have to ask the bad guys next time! Riley's answer was really out of character but I couldn't help myself XD. Until next chapter, R&R!


	31. Ch 30: Recovery

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children Complete, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may be incorrect. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent.

* * *

**Chapter 30: Recovery**

Fable hummed softly to herself, stirring, you guessed it, soup. She didn't rise her blind eyes to the figure who walked into the hut. "Back so soon, young man?" Vincent stood in silence, Nanaki walking out from behind him. "Not alone, I _see_."

Nanaki sat politely in front of her. "Vincent had informed me once you were the one who saved him twenty years ago."

"Nay, I am not. Surely it was his own strength that saved him. I was merely there to help him along in recovery."

"You also met Riley before in her world."

"Yes, she came to help me. For such a tomboy, she's a sweet girl."

"How do we know you're not the one who brought her here in the first place and not the Omni-Materia?"

The stirring stopped before she set the spoon aside. "Oh, I was wondering when it would come to this. Even though I am a seer, I cannot predict my own future." She sat more straight. "Now that you have asked me this, I believe I can tell you more."

Nanaki hesitated. The truth might be dangerous, but they had to know. "Who are you, really?"

"I am the previous keeper of the Omni-Materia over two thousand years ago."

This alarmed Vincent. "Two thousand years? Isn't that—"

"Yes, the time Jenova had crashed into Gaia, but this was before she had arrived. I am merely a spectre that has remained to guide the next keeper."

Nanaki came to a conclusion. "So, you're dead."

"Yes, I am."

"That explains why you're 'alive' even though I met you twenty years ago," Vincent pointed out.

"I died an old woman. However, each keeper is cursed to never return to the planet till the next one completes their task as the new keeper."

"What is this task?" asked Nanaki. "What does it have to do with the Omni-Materia?"

"Each keeper has undertaken a pilgrimage to seek out the seven fragments of power then use the power of the Omni-Materia to summon forth the Eighth Knight. The Eighth Knight is a god that grants the keeper three wishes. Once those wishes are granted, the Omni-Materia disappears and the fragments scatter and possibly disappear themselves. This god can grant any wish possible. However, if this god answers to anyone other than the keeper, catastrophe will occur."

Nanaki was shaking with shock. _Any_ wish? That was ludicrous! "Why would the planet create such a thing?"

"A gift to her children," she replied simply.

Vincent pondered over the possibilities. "How does it choose the keeper?"

"It just does. Not even I know. I was just an ordinary woman. Though, like Riley, I had dreamt of adventure and excitement. Perhaps it answers to that."

Nanaki was about to ask something else but Vincent beat him to it. "Riley said our lives were a game. Is everything we know a lie?"

The old woman just turned her head in his direction and appeared to look at him for a long time. Even Nanaki was hesitant to know the answer. "Who's to know what's real, and what isn't? Perhaps her world is a game to some other world. In the end, it doesn't matter what's real. We are all connected to one world or another. The fact that this world is a game in Riley's world...just merely creates a doorway. The only thing that the Omni-Materia did was help her pass through it."

Vincent considered this, and oddly enough put his dire question to rest. The answer was satisfactory. "Riley, will she ever wake up?"

Fable only chuckled. "Have faith, boy."

That wasn't an answer, Vincent mused bitterly. Nanaki's ears twitched. "Last question."

"Yes?"

"What do the Chaos and Order fragments look like?"

"That I cannot tell you. Their shapes change for each keeper."

"What was their shapes for you then?"

"I cannot even remember, but it will do you no good either way. I can tell you this though. Every fragment, excluding Chaos and Order represents a person that has fought to protect the planet during the generation of the current keeper."

Vincent was startled with this new information. "Cloud and the others?"

"Yes," she confirmed mysteriously.

"_Her knights shall fall one by one_..." Nanaki recited. "Oh Cloud, Tifa...everyone." His ears fell, followed by a new depression. "Genesis, did he know all this? Did he plan for this to happen? Is this what triggered the appearance of the Omni-Materia?"

"He had old translated records that gave details on how to make the materia reappear, thus Riley being chosen as the keeper as a result."

Vincent's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Why haven't you told us this?"

"You weren't ready to know," she replied simply once more. He remained silent at this. Nanaki had said the same thing to him a couple days ago. "Here," she said, sliding out a box and opening it to reveal the fragments and the two materia. "You will want these back, I assume."

Vincent took the objects while Nanaki spoke. "Yes, thank you. So, once Riley completes her task as the Keeper, you will be able to move on to the lifestream?"

"Yes," she said with a warm smile. "Riley will be tasked with being a spectre after she dies to guide the next keeper. There isn't a way around it that I have thought of."

The idea of it was saddening and chilling.

* * *

"About time you guys came back," Shamus stated before taking off. "What'd the old lady say?"

Nanaki jumped into Riley's chair. "It's best that we wait for Riley to wake so we can tell you all at once."

"What if she doesn't wake up?" asked Mona.

Nanaki smiled sadly. "Fable told us to have faith."

Meanwhile, Vincent was in Riley's room again. He'd hold onto the Omni-Materia for now till she would wake up. He looked at the antagonizing sphere, silently blaming it for everything that's happened to Riley and what it would subject her to in the future. Trapped as a spectre after death merely sounded like a lonely existence. That and this object was so dangerous, he had to come up with a way to prevent future catastrophes as well as stop the current war.

The materia pulsed gently, as if it was mimicking the girl's heartbeat. He was transfixed, again, mentally cursing at the object. "I hate you." He had this whole, why do you mock me, expression.

* * *

When two weeks had rolled around, the Resistance members were feeling much better thanks to Isabelle and the Wutanese women. Nika had made a habit of helping the good doctor with medicine. Nika was crushing herbs, grinding them into powder when Isabelle approached her.

"You know, you would make a great doctor. How old are you?"

"Seventeen," she replied.

"Someone as knowledgeable with the medicinal plants on this island could become my student. I can't be on this island forever, but perhaps I can teach you a few things and have that pilot bring back some books for you to study if you don't wish to leave Wutai."

Nika looked excited suddenly. "Really? That would be fantastic! I've always wanted to help people, and I thought being a healer was always my calling. But..." She trailed off, looking bashful.

"What's the matter?" Isabelle asked curiously.

"Well, the pilot..."

"Yes?"

Her voice got considerably smaller. "I have a bit of a crush on him."

"Oh yeah," Isabelle asked with a grin. "Why don't you tell him?"

"I can't do that! Besides, he's older than be," she said sheepishly.

"Well, you can tell him when you're eighteen then," the doctor stated, matter-of-fact.

Nika was about to protest before Shamus walked in. Instantly, her face had turned into a metaphorical tomato. He walked up to them, face placid. "Any changes?"

The Wutanese girl's embarrassed expression had sobered to that of sympathy. Isabelle only shook her head. "No, nothing as of yet. However, the girl's wounds have healed quite a bit. She'll have scars, but they should fade enough to not be too noticeable, which is a good sign."

"Yeah, I guess."

"You can go in and watch her for a bit if you want."

"Maybe later. Mona's nagging me to help her and a couple of the locals find more herbs."

She chuckled. "Doesn't want you fixing your ship all day, does she?"

He shrugged. "I need something to do." An afterthought. "Is _he_ in there still?"

"No."

"In that case, I'll make a quick visit."

When they nodded, confused with his sudden change of heart, he walked in. The room was mostly empty. The only thing occupying the room was Riley in a bed connected to the machines next to an open window that allowed a nice breeze to come in. Walking up to the bed, he listened to the heart monitor beep rhythmically. He did notice that she didn't wear as many bandages now, noticing the healing slashes on her arms from the whip. The only bandage that remained was around her upper torso. That would take the longest to heal.

He sat down, simply watching her. Right now, he'd rather avoid Mona's bitching and that gloomy gunman. Every time he looked at Vincent, he felt angry. He wasn't as angry with Nanaki, but he still felt bitter that he knew and didn't bother to tell anybody. At least there was one thing he and Mona had in common, and that was the not-knowing. He was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't notice the change in rhythm on the heart monitor.

When it changed again, he looked up. "Hm?" Riley didn't move then suddenly she began breathing on her own. "R...Riley?" He stood up when he thought he heard her say something. He leaned over to listen. She was definitely breathing on her own.

The voice was so small and weak, he almost missed it. "W-water."

His whole body froze, then shook with excitement before he backed away and ran out. "Riley! She's awake! She wants water!"

Isabelle blinked. "What? Really?" She moved into the room and gasped, seeing that the girl's eyes were partially open. "My word, she _is_ awake! Nika, can you fetch some water?"

"Yes, of course!" She ran off in a hurry.

* * *

"Are you _absolutely_ certain she's awake?" Mona asked carefully, silently warning him that if he was joking, he'd been in a world of pain.

"I'm serious! Come see for yourself," he exclaimed, almost dragging her and Nanaki to Riley's room.

When they got there, Isabelle was removing the mask carefully, helping the girl sit up. Nanaki was overjoyed, quickly moving over to stand with his paws on the bed. "Riley?"

"Mm?" she regarded him tiredly.

Much to everyone's surprise, Mona suddenly hugged her. "You stupid girl," she said almost kindly.

Riley seemed so dazed that surprise didn't even grace her features. She swallowed hard, trying to get some saliva going in her mouth, completely parched. As if on cue, Nika came in with a pail of water. Mona backed off to let the girl give Riley the refreshment. She drank greedily, energy slowly returning. She sighed with relief but winced, grasping lightly at her chest. This had alerted the others and they practically all stood at attention.

"I'm fine," she assured them. "Just sore."

"You'll have to take it easy for awhile. That wound won't heal well if you push yourself. You're lucky to be alive," the doctor exclaimed.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I'm Doctor Isabelle Strife."

"Oh. Wait..."

"Yes, I'm Cloud's granddaughter."

"Cool," she said lamely.

It was to be expected since she had just woken up. The commotion was ceased with the sound of telltale footsteps. Vincent entered the doorway as if he had run there when he heard that she was awake. He hesitated upon entering, seeing all the eyes on him. Rather than acknowledge Shamus' hostile glare, he focused on Riley, urging him to move closer. Shamus stepped in his path as a means to protect her from Vincent like he was an enemy.

"Shamus," Riley said softly. "It's okay."

"But he..."

She smiled, weakly, but it seemed to calm him. He stepped aside, letting Vincent pass him and sit on the bed softly. "Are you...really alright?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

Vincent raised a bare hand to her cheek, barely touching her with his fingertips. This elicited a startled expression and he recoiled, speaking softly. "I just wanted to be sure you were real and not some joke of a dream."

This seemed to relax her before she smiled. "I'm real. Just like you."

Her statement seemed to hurt him more than anything. It only served to remind him that he had lied to her. Satisfied that she was alright, he moved from the bed, walking away. This confused her, finally expressing what she was feeling, and right now that was _hurt_.

"Vincent?" He didn't answer, he merely left. Suddenly showing energy, she attempted to move from the bed, but the pain in her chest resurfaced, causing her to grasp at it with agony explicit on her face. Though one wouldn't be able to tell if it was from the physical, or emotional pain.

"I said you should take it easy," Isabelle said firmly, forcing the girl to lie down.

"That jerk," Shamus bit off angrily.

"Forget him," Mona declared.

Nanaki watched the door with a frown, shaking his head with a sigh. _Vincent, you fool._

* * *

Two weeks went by without another visit from Vincent. Riley tried not to think about it, but it still hurt whenever she did. Scars had replaced the scabs on her body, though the chest wound was still in the middle of sealing up. She took great care in her bathing. She needed to recover as soon as possible. That was a priority. Nanaki had announced that they would have a meeting in her room so that he could finally tell them what Fable had said.

It was late at night and the room was lit dimly by lanterns and candles, but it gave the room a nice warm glow. Riley quietly asked him to lay at her feet since she missed her cat back home, which he gladly obliged on the condition she doesn't kick him. Shamus and Mona stood next to her bed. Vincent, however, had not joined them.

"So, what did she say," asked Mona, arms crossed.

Nanaki cleared his throat, explaining everything to them in detail. The clueless trio's expressions had gradually changed from shocked, to serious. "Genesis had practically sacrificed Cloud and the others to get what he wants, that being the Omni-Materia."

"That fucking asshole," Mona cried out angrily.

Shamus' expression was dark. "I couldn't meet my idol...for _that_ thing? The bastard is in for a world of hurt now."

Nanaki looked at Riley. "Riley...I know it seems like a lot to take on, but I will ask. Are you certain you wish find the last of the fragments?"

They all stared at her, and her expression was blank. "Yes. I have to go on. I can't just let Genesis take what he shouldn't have. Besides, everyone is counting on me to carry on their will to stop him."

"Everyone?"

"AVALANCHE," she clarified.

They looked at her, confused with her claim. "Riley, they're dead."

She half-laughed, "I know, but I got to meet them, including Aerith. She told me I was swimming in and out of the lifestream, but it wasn't my time to die. Also, that Chaos had a larger part in this than with Omega."

"I don't understand."

"Neither do I, but I'm taking her word for it. After all, why would Rosso resurrect Chaos?"

"Good point," the amazon agreed.

Nanaki was in deep thought. "Alright, as soon as Riley recovers, we'll head out and continue. We'll search every town and village on anything related to the final two fragments, starting with Wutai. If we're lucky, the materia should react to them. At least we managed to steal back the ones Weiss took, so we're ahead of them, thus allowing us the time we have."

Everyone nodded but Riley stared out the window distractedly. The others left to let her rest but Nanaki remained behind staring at her. "What?"

"Would you like some company for the night?"

Riley blinked at the offer then smiled. "That would be nice."

He returned her smile. "Get some sleep. I'll turn out the lights."

She nodded, lying back and getting comfortable as Nanaki jumped off the bed. Once the lights were out, he carefully jumped back up so not to rattle her too much. He laid beside her, resting his head close to nuzzle her neck. Riley smiled tiredly, reaching up to stroke his ear which earned a purring that she never expected from him. The strokes slowed as she slowly drifted off and he raised his head, watching her breathe painfully. She still had some time to heal before she was ready to continue the journey.

"Don't worry," he said softly. "Vincent will come around. Just worry about yourself right now."

* * *

**A/N:** Well, that was a surprisingly long chapter. Well, it felt long. I was going to put in another section, but I'll save that for the next chapter. Brief fluffiness showing Vincent's concern for her well being, and a cute little side blip of Nanaki being...cat-like XD. And now you people know what the end of the journey ENTAILS. I wonder what Riley would wish for. Mmm, delicious plot. Anyway! Questions!

Me: Now I said I would do the bad guy counterpart of the Klondike bar question. So here it is!  
Genesis: **blows up the world** ...Dammit. -_- It seems I destroyed every possible retailer and manufacturer. **massive fail*  
Rosso: **kills everyone in the store and eats some Klondike bars** The ice cream just flows down my throat like the blood of my victims!  
Weiss: **uses the darkness powers to steal every Klondike bar in the world**  
Nero: **his conscience** Brother, I want some.  
Weiss: Anything for you, brother.  
Me: Everyone is selfish but Weiss O_o...I swear there's incest happening between him and Nero.  
Weiss+Nero: **glares**  
Me: N-Next! Okay, many questions here. Might have to save some for the next chapter. Alright, first up! Weiss, "How long does it take every morning to get your hair like it is? And what do you use?"  
Weiss: Use? I wake up like this.  
Me: Uh huh.  
Weiss: You doubt me? **menacing glare of doom while holding sword to Amanda's throat**  
Me: N-no! O_O;; NEXT. Nanaki, "How much trouble did you get in to when you were younger?"  
Nanaki: I was a good kitty.  
Bugenhagen: Ho-ho-ho, he kept looking up girl's skirts wondering why they looked different than his own kind's females.  
Nanaki: **groans** Grandfather...  
Bugenhagen: He also kept roaring at people just to scare them out of their wits.  
Me: Aww, I'd totally do that :D Next question. Riley and Mona..."What would be the best prank to pull on the boys?"  
Riley+Mona: **evil smirks**  
**next day**  
Shamus: **face covered in permanent marker drawings** =_=  
Nanaki: **parts of his fur are tied with pink ribbons** =_= I am not amused.  
Vincent: **completely untouched as he had been up all night watching like a hawk** =_=  
Me: Why didn't you prank him?  
Riley: We already have by making him paranoid enough to stay up. He won't be able to defend himself.  
Vincent: **falls asleep, dead tired**  
Riley+Mona: **laughs evilly, holding ribbons and markers**

XD I'll do the rest next chapter, but keep 'em coming! Don't forget to R&R. I'm sleepy, good night. :P


	32. Ch 31: Renewed Trust

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children Complete, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may be incorrect. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent.

* * *

**Chapter 31: Renewed Trust**

As time went on, the Wutanese were busy with preparations. For what, no one knew. Isabelle had informed everyone that she was to return to Mideel, promising to send those books back with Shamus. Shamus said he'd take her alone, though Mona not trusting him with a woman alone decided to come along as well, at least for Isabelle's protection.

Riley was sitting in bed still, looking out the window at the gardens with Nanaki keeping her company. "The Tsviets haven't been stirring lately, it's weird."

"Indeed," he agreed. "It's probably because Rosso was injured as well. Weiss on the other hand, he might be dealing with her. Genesis never comes out unless we're at his front door."

"If he's so powerful, why doesn't he just come out and finish us off himself?"

"I don't know," he said honestly.

There was a pause. "How long will it take for Shamus and Mona to get back?"

"Should be a couple days at the most."

"Does...Vincent hate me?"

This startled him. "Of course not!"

"Then why is he avoiding me like I'm the goddamn plague?" she asked firmly.

His ears fell. How best to describe Vincent's turmoil. "I assume you know of Vincent's past." She nodded with a frown. "When you _died_, he felt like he was reliving that past. He's tearing himself up about it because he failed to protect you. Despite lying to you, he cares about you very much, but feels as though if he remains, it'll only serve to hurt you. I think this is his way of protecting you from himself."

"What an idiot," she said suddenly. This surprised him. "He's hurting me by doing what he's doing!" Her hands curled into fists, grasping the bed sheets in her lap. "I'm not Lucrecia. Does anybody see me getting romantically involved with a psychotic scientist and getting pregnant with _his_ child and suddenly decide to have my life fucked by allowing experiments done on me? Does anybody see me choosing over someone who genuinely cares about me for someone who merely wants to use me? NO!"

Nanaki watched her, eye wide, ears perked, tail still. She was panting from the small rant of built of rage. "Riley..."

"I don't get why he still loved her after all those years! I know love is unconditional, but that's too much! Because of that, he wants to compare me to _her_? It...it pisses me right the hell off!"

Alarm rose when she winced and grasped her chest. "Don't get so excited! You're going to open the wound!"

She panted, forcing herself to calm down, whispering bitterly, "Because of that, he wants to act like a whiny little emo boy who thinks the world is against him. I say get over it. I'm alive, shouldn't that matter more than the past?"

The room was completely silent. Nanaki and Riley raised their heads to the sound of footsteps walking away outside her room. Vincent had come to see her? But, why now? The gunman headed out into the town, ignoring the commotion. All this time he had been at the peak of Da Chao, trying to sort out his thoughts. Was he really comparing Riley to Lucrecia? More guilt piled on the longer he remained in this shamed state. Reaching the top once more, he sat there overlooking Wutai, a shadow of its former glory. This city had once been filled with proud warriors. At one point in his life, he used to be proud of being part of AVALANCHE. It fulfilled him more than being in the Turks. Now he was nothing more than broken nothingness.

* * *

Days passed by as Shamus and Mona returned. Shamus carried a huge sack that he found uncomfortable to carry. He eventually found Nika, tapping her on the shoulder. She turned around, instantly blushing. "H-Hello."

"Hey, Dr. Strife told me to give you these."

She took the bag bashfully. "Thank you."

He watched her then grinned. "Y'know, you're pretty cute. Let me know when you turn eighteen and I'll ask you out—"

His statement was cut short with a launcher connecting with his head. He almost saw stars, twitching in pain when Mona mumbled irritably, "Idiot."

Nika was beet red even as the two walked away. Shamus sighed, rubbing his head. "Did you have to hit me?"

"To protect the female species from you? Yes," she stated simply.

He grinned suddenly. "Aw, does Mona wish to keep me all to herself?"

She punched him into the ground next. "Like hell I do!"

The women of Wutai giggled at Shamus as Mona stomped off fuming. Shamus laughed feebly before getting up, rubbing his face then brushing himself off. He looked up at the sun then noticed a dark figure on the peak of the mountains in the distance. Deciding to check it out, he spent an hour walking there. Panting after the journey, he nearly collapsed, but his exhaust slipped away when his eyes landed on Vincent with his back turned to him. The hermit didn't even seem to notice he was there. Perhaps now would be the best time to talk, he decided.

He moved closer, standing a few feet away. "Have you gone to see her?"

Vincent was silent for awhile. "No."

"Why not? Did it ever occur to you that she may want to see you?"

"Shamus, I don't expect you to understand what's on my mind," he replied bitterly.

The youth scowled, walking over and forcing Vincent to turn around, grabbing his poncho and pulling him forward. "I may not understand, but that doesn't mean you have to push everyone away because you're a goddamn screw up! I may be mad at you for what happened to Riley, but I'd rather see her happy than be angry at you, and I'm a fucking happy-go-lucky guy!"

Vincent's eyes were wide open, attention forcibly grabbed as he listened intently. His expression softened sadly. "Riley could have been killed because of me. That's what you told me. I can't face her knowing what I've done and didn't do."

Shamus suddenly punched him, knocking him to the ground. Vincent nearly slid off the cliff but calmly sat up, wiping his lip. "Why don't you be a man?" This caught Vincent's undivided attention, causing him to go rigid. "You were a coward hiding behind an old man who at one time I thought was a cool guy. Now you're a coward because you won't face anything head on! You're not Vincent Valentine. The one Riley believed in truly is dead. Nanaki still has his pride as a member of AVALANCHE even though he feels partly responsible for Riley. Do you see him sulking and avoiding her at all costs? NO. So I expect you to go down there and talk to her by the end of the day!"

Vincent was silent, but his sullen expression was gone. He almost heard something inside snap back to reality. Shamus' shoulders relaxed, dropping his arms as he watched Vincent, energy spent from lecturing the fool. He offered his hand and Vincent regarded it carefully, almost afraid he was going to be hit again. Deciding to trust fate, he took it, being helped to his feet as Shamus looked at him calmly.

"As the hermit, you and her were almost like two peas in a pod. Why can't things go back to that?"

Vincent pondering his words before he smiled. Slightly, but it was there. "You're right. I can't keep living in the past. I have been a coward."

"About goddamn time you manned up!"

"However," the gunman began, catching Shamus' attention. Vincent's expression was suddenly comically menacing, causing eerie shivers down the youth's back. "If you ever touch Riley inappropriately, I'll have to take drastic measures."

"O-okay." _Just don't kill me in my sleep!_

* * *

Night had come and colourful lanterns lit up the heart of the town, cherry blossom petals floating from their trees like snow. A large banquet had been made to celebrate the recovery of the survivors. Rice wine was served and almost everyone was getting drunk. Nanaki sat aside from the small festivities as he watched the full moon. This would be the last time they would get to have any fun for awhile.

"Hey Nanaki!" The feline turned to Shamus, blinking at the new wardrobe. "What do you think?" he asked with a grin.

He wore a simple dark blue kimono with matching haori pants, a white undershirt, a green waist belt and straw sandals. "It looks fetching, Shamus. I'm sure the ladies will find you irresistible now."

"Really?" he asked, rubbing the back of his head with a laugh before he was hit over the head.

Mona's eye twitched. "Don't get your hopes up, idiot."

Shamus turned to look at her to argue but was stopped dead in his tracks by her outfit. It was a short sleeved pale green yukata with white trim and gold fish designs along the bottom hem with a matching obi wearing the same sandals. "Mona!" he cried out in surprise.

"What?" She was suddenly surprised by the look he gave her, nearly making her blush.

"You have legs! Who would have thought?" She then kicked him in the head, the veins nearly protruding on her forehead. "Ow! It was a compliment!"

"I ought to kick your ass!"

Nanaki made an odd face at the odd pair, shaking his head. He felt a presence behind him and turned to see Vincent. Something seemed different. "Vincent?"

"Mm?"

"Have you come to your senses?"

"Perhaps."

"Have you spoke to—"

"I wasn't given the chance. Apparently some of the locals were busy helping her get ready. She's still having a hard time moving, isn't she?"

"Yes. _Will_ you talk to her tonight?"

"Yes."

"Good...wait, did you shave?"

Vincent blinked at the random question, turning his smooth face to Nanaki. "Yes?"

"Why?"

"It was recommended. Apparently I look terrible with one."

"And you've been concerned with your looks since...when?" No answer. "Oh, I see," he claimed mysteriously.

"It's not what you think."

"I still like to think it is."

Vincent gave him a warning look. "Well, it's not."

"I'm surprised you didn't dress up for the festivities."

"I want no part of it. Besides, I don't see you dressed up."

"I'm a feline. How the heck can they dress _me_ up?" The back and forth ceased suddenly before they both chuckled randomly. _Them_, dress up? Would never happen. "It's nice to see you again, Vincent Valentine. Welcome back to AVALANCHE. However, you'll always be a grumpy old hermit in our hearts," he joked.

Vincent mumbled something incoherent before something compelled him to look a certain direction. Riley was just arriving and something in his chest stopped. Riley felt ridiculous, wearing something so _girly_. She wore a light blue slip with spaghetti straps under a white kimono dress that bared her shoulders. The bottom reached her shins so it didn't drag across the ground revealing she was wear white formal slippers. The sleeves were transparent, long and flared, making it somewhat difficult to poke her hands out to grab something. The pattern on the dress was a simple shimmering light blue gradient from the bottom hem with a matching light blue obi and black rope tied around it. Around her neck was black leather string wrapped twice and tied into a loose bow. She didn't wear any make up but her hair had been tied up like she usually puts it, with one difference being that a fancy little white and blue flowery hair comb put in as decoration.

She wanted to run away, but the women who dressed her wouldn't have it. When this night was over, she was going to burn this outfit to make a point that she _did not_ wear dresses. It didn't matter how pretty they were. She didn't want to turn into some girl obsessed about her own image.

_**In all my years, I never felt so tempted to break the laws of boundaries as I did now. Well, maybe in my younger days, but this was different. When I met Riley, she was just a girl. Over time, regardless of how short it was, I was able to witness her become a woman. Part of me still hesitated. Would she curse me if I got too close? One thing was for certain; I had to face her eventually.**_

Nanaki watched as Vincent walked over. Was he going for it already? Nanaki watched, curiosity making it impossible to look away. Shamus and Mona noticed Riley as well, sitting next to Nanaki to see how things would play out. Riley barely dodged him without realizing he was closing in on her. She wanted to hide, but where? Before she could get away, he grabbed her shoulder gently.

"Riley," he began.

She turned, expression showing immediate surprise. "Vin...cent?" The fan-girl side of her was close to squealing, but she mentally choked it. First thing that came to mind was, _did he shave?_ Her mind was reeling with questions and it made her dizzy.

He caught her by the waist, concern etched in his features. "Are you alright? You don't look good. Perhaps you should head back to bed."

She swallowed, gripping his sleeves. "I'm fine." She only had one thing on her mind at this very moment. Despite his quick reflexes, he didn't see her fist coming till it was too late, punching him square in the nose. He gripped his nose with a grunt of pain, opening his eyes in shock at her. "You're LATE!"

Some people had stopped to watch the exchange and Shamus winced at the sight of fist connecting with the gunman's face. Mona only laughed hysterically. Nanaki however, saw it coming, so he was expressionless. Vincent just stood there. Late? For what?

"When were you going to finally face me? Never?" This stung him, but was caught off guard by her grabbing the front of his shirt and shaking him back and forth. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Riley! Riley, stop! Listen to me," he pleaded.

"I will not list—"

"I'm sorry!" he cried out desperately, but surprisingly got another punch in the face.

"Ooh," said Shamus, Mona still laughing.

"Now that one I didn't see coming," commented Nanaki.

"Why do you keep hitting me?" Vincent demanded. "I said I was sorry!"

"If you apologize one more time, it's your balls next!" His mouth shut then. Every man had their weakness. Vincent was no exception. "I heard enough of _I'm sorry_ in Dirge of Cerberus!"

He didn't know what that was so he shook his head. "Fine, then what about, 'please forgive me'?"

She glared at him as her anger slowly subsided. The nerve of this guy. "I expect a full explanation."

He sighed, conceding. "Can we speak in private?"

After a moment of consideration, she nodded, following him into the gardens, dimly lit by floating candles and fireflies. They stood on the bridge in silence for a long time before Riley broke that silence. "Well?"

"I don't know where to start," he admitted.

"What happened? Why'd you hide all these years?"

He nodded, inhaling deeply. "Twenty years ago, I lost my senses, losing my friends to Genesis. I went to face him myself but was beat down, just like that. My anger got the better of me and I nearly died because of it. Fable found me, nursed me. When I woke up, she told me what happened. Once I recovered, I spent years just wandering the planet. I felt so ashamed when I couldn't avenge the others that I hid away my true identity. I avoided everyone and made them think I truly had died. I abandoned my belongings except for Cerberus at various places. Ten years after simply wandering, I eventually settled down at the cottage at Glacier Mountain disguising myself the hermit everyone came to know."

Twenty years of guilt after one defeat? Riley thought she understood the man before her, the one she admired, but she realized she didn't understand him at all. "What was the point of it all?"

He didn't look at her. "I was hiding from my own shame. I was tired of fighting, especially if I knew I wouldn't win. Lately I realized it was because I had lost my pride as a member of AVALANCHE and because of that, I felt the world was better off without me. Then you came along, the annoying thing you were."

She frowned. "I'm not a _thing_."

He barely scoffed. "I was...threatened by you."

"By _me_? I could hardly outrun fangs!"

He turned to her then. "I was threatened by what you knew. When you told me where you came from, I was questioning the point of my existence. I felt like my life was perhaps a lie."

She gasped before looking genuinely apologetic. "I...I had no idea. I didn't mean for you to feel like that. I'm so sorry."

"You told me not to say it anymore. I ask you do the same," he said quietly. She paused but soon nodded, agreeing to his terms. "The more I knew you, the more I feared losing you. Part of the reason I never told you who I am was because I afraid you'd resent me for hiding it all along."

"You really are stupid." He looked at her soft expression. "You don't know me very well if you think _that_ would make me hate you. Mad at you, yes, but that's completely different."

"Riley..."

She sighed dramatically, moving closer, putting her hands on the bridge railing to stare at the water as his eyes remained on her. "Well, you're here now, and that's what matters, right?" He didn't answer. "In some ways, I do understand what it means to hide. Back in my world, I avoid my parents, I have a hard time keeping friends because I was socially awkward, and I never even considered dating. My life is boring there, and I had no clue what to do with my future. Sometimes I wished I could curl up and disappear. Who would have thought I'd end up in this world with a huge responsibility?"

"Riley," he began, placing his hand on her shoulder to make her look at him. "You don't have to carry this burden alone. I'll stay by your side till the end. I'm not hiding anymore."

Listening intently, she smiled when he finished before nodding. "Well, good."

"You can thank Shamus for knocking some sense into me."

"Shamus? Really?" She laughed. "Whatever he did, it worked!"

He looked a little miffed now. "Alright, that's enough teasing."

She grinned and he returned the smile before she asked, "Did you shave?"

He was about to retort before they both heard an explosion and a few screams. They both ran off towards the source, heading for the heart of the town. The fountain had been destroyed, water seeping onto the cobblestone ground, people getting up slowly. They stood beside the rest of the gang, trying to find what did this. A shrilling cackle was heard and they could all feel the evil aura. They all looked at an arch, finding Rosso the Crimson standing there, looking smug.

"Well, well, we meet again. I thought I heard about a commotion in Wutai."

Vincent's eyes narrowed. "Rosso."

Mona scowled. "You bitch! I was actually having a nice time!"

Shamus looked around. Their weapons were back in their rooms. "Shit."

Rosso's aura was bigger than before, swirling around her like a sadistic lover. "This time, I'll kill you all."

* * *

**A/N:** Oorah! Chapter 31 done! Thanks to my my sudden idea to have Rosso crash the party, I have an idea for the next chapter, and it will be epic! And hooray for more fluff! Not yet a love confession, but they're getting there! And I just love the scenes between Mona and Shamus. They make me giggle. Now, I'm taking the rest of the day off from writing. X_X I wrote two chapters yesterday in one sitting! I need a break. I need Fallout 3. Or maybe I'll play FFVII again. Who knows. Though perhaps too much of one thing might make me uninspired. Let's avoid that shall we. ~_~ Onto interviews!

Me: Many questions today, but to avoid the buildup, I will have every single one answered. First up, Vincent, "How did you keep from going insane spending 10 years in that cabin all alone?"  
Vincent: Practice. I spent thirty years in a coffin.  
Me: ...  
Vincent: ...No, I did not masturbate.  
Me: I don't believe you. :P "If Riley had never come to your world, and it was another girl, would you have fallen for her instead?"  
Vincent: ...No.  
Me: How do you know?  
Vincent: I don't, but I wish to move along.  
Me: Admit it, you would.  
Vincent: Only if the fates had deemed it so. That is all =_=.  
Me: Aw, mister gwumpy face :D  
Vincent: =_= Please move on.  
Me: Okay, for both you AND Riley. "Will you ever admit your feelings? And how?"  
Riley: Yes, it'll happen.  
Vincent: On the author's request, we cannot reveal more than that to avoid _spoilers_.  
Me: Okay, bad guys, "What would you do if you were celebrating Weiss' birthday?"  
Rosso: **naked, wrapped in ribbon**  
Genesis: **hangs her up** Watch the candy fall out.  
Weiss: **grins evilly, winding up to hit the _pinata_**  
Me: O_O;; That's a party I'd rather avoid. Next question. Shamus, "Do you keep a diary?"  
Shamus: What? That's such a girl thing! Mona does though. She talks ALL about me! **hit over the head** x_x  
Mona: Idiot. **holding her weapon**  
Me: ~_~ Mona, "How many missile launchers do you have?"  
Mona: I may need a second one soon if I have to keep hitting HIM with it!  
Me: Last two questions are for new AVALANCHE. "What is your favourite movie?"  
Mona: I've never seen a movie. Though I suppose that one camera feed of Shamus face-planting the floor once was pretty good.  
Shamus: Any kind of porn. :D  
Mona: **hits him again, eye twitching**  
Shamus: x_x  
Nanaki: Lion King.  
Riley: Mine's Advent Children. I can listen to Vincent's voice over and over and over...  
Vincent: The Notebook.  
Everyone: O_O  
Vincent: What? It's a touching story.  
Riley: Really? O_o...  
Me: Moving on. ~_~ "What kind of pet would you keep?"  
Riley: I already have my cat, Whiskey, though I suppose Nanaki counts.  
Nanaki: I am NOT a pet. -_- **because he's a beast he can't have pets**  
Mona: I only need one pet. **strokes her lovely missilesworth**  
Shamus: Well, define..."pet". **grins seductively**  
Mona: **hits him again**

Whew! That was a lot! Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter so don't forget to R&R. Ciao!


	33. Ch 32: Explosive Showdown

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children Complete, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may be incorrect. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent.

* * *

**Chapter 32: Explosive Showdown**

Rosso cackled sadistically. The resistance members all stood in front of the locals. This amused the woman greatly. "So, some of the pitiful rebels survived. I'm impressed." Her eyes landed on Riley before scowling. "You little rat! How are you alive?"

Riley only watched her cautiously before putting her nose in the air. "Because..._I stand above you_." The tone was mocking. Rosso's words had been thrown right at her, but how would she know this? The Tsviet caught the smirk on Vincent's face, almost proud of his little Riley. "Rosso, I'll take whatever you, or the other Tsviets will dish out."

"That's what you think, little girl. I'll crush each and every one of you fleas, and I'll take the materia and power fragments while I'm at it."

"Rosso, you can't win. I've beaten you before," said Vincent.

"No! That is absurd! You only got lucky last time! This time, I'll pay you back a thousand fold!" She calmed suddenly, then said mysteriously, "This time, I will not hold back."

She went into a stance with her d-sabre above her head, glowing brightly. The aura only got bigger as she crouched, alarming Vincent. "Everyone! Get away!"

People began to run off as Rosso only laughed at them, swinging her weapon, sending ghosts of red blades flying everywhere, following the people. People screamed as the blades exploded upon impact, causing debris to scatter. The woman only laughed at them like they were insects, and simply watched as some cried with agony. Vincent had covered Riley with his own body when the initial attacks began. She would have blushed but now wasn't the time to notice how close they were.

As he pulled away, Riley went to run at the enemy but was stopped by Vincent's hand on her shoulder before he went ahead himself just as the smoke began to clear. Nanaki came up to her, answering her confused expression. "You're in no condition to fight. All we can do now is help the wounded."

She hesitated but nodded. Vincent would be fine. Shamus and Mona had run past her and Nanaki just as they were about to do what was needed. Vincent had already ran up the arch, gun drawn since he usually had his weapon at hand at all times, firing a few shots, but Rosso only deflected them. She rolled backwards as Mona and Shamus came up. Mona was delivering a flying punch but missed and was about to fall off. Shamus jumped up behind her, grabbing her arm and pulling her back.

"Aw, so you've all come to play," she said, clucking her tongue with amusement. "Well, allow me to introduce to you a new Crimson!"

Almost just as quickly as she had started crashing the party, her body began to float in the air, clothes, hair and eyes glowing. The trio watched as she began to transform. Deciding not to risk it, Vincent fired at her but the bullets only bounced off. This surprised him, but not much. He yelled at Mona to stop when she charged the Tsviet but it was already too late, she had already leaped at Rosso to attack, but Rosso merely backhanded her with such force that as Mona slammed into the ground below, it created a crater, causing the amazon to cough out blood.

"Mona!" Shamus cried out, jumping down to check on her. He knelt by her, touching her shoulder.

She wasn't dead, but the attack temporarily stunned her. She winced as Shamus helped her sit up. "That b-bitch. What the hell is happening?"

Vincent watched cautiously before he was surprised by her suddenly exploding, sending him flying into the trees. He walked out, petals flying off his shoulders and hair as he looked up to where Rosso was, the arch destroyed. As the smoke cleared, a strange silhouette took form. Floating there was what looked like a she-devil.

Rosso's hair had gotten thicker and longer and split into two sections, sticking out from behind her like large large horns. Her skin had turned pure white and the whites of her eyes also turned black. Her crimson eyes had gotten brighter with the pupils turning snake-like. Her lips was stained with blood to be used as lipstick. Her outfit remained pretty much the same with few differences. The grey turned black, the blue glowing strips turned bright red, her thick heeled boots was now stiletto heels, and armour plated the toes of her boots with black steel. Her weapon had also multiplied into many single red blades, forming on her back like a pair of devil wings, glued together by some unseen force.

Her stained lips curled, just floating in midair. She spoke as if with two voices, one being her normal voice, the other being a monstrous version of it. "My little darlings, I fear this will mark your final moments. It's been splendid making you all suffer. Ta."

She dove towards Shamus and Mona and Vincent barely made it to intervene, quickly stepping between her and them, raising his left leg to block the blades. Rosso laughed, bladed wings spreading out into the air before flying towards the trio like spears. Vincent didn't think he'd be able to block this. Blades were abruptly stopped in midair, hitting something invisible, causing green ripples in the air. A barrier? Vincent turned to find the source of the magic and there was Riley holding a green sphere, glowing brightly.

"Riley! Get away!"

"Shut up! I came to drop something off!"

She suddenly threw Shamus' shrunken spear at him. Once he grasped it, he spun it like a baton before snapping it into its full length. The mechanic stood, now armed. Rosso scowled, sending a blade towards the girl. Vincent shot at it, causing the projectile to land at Riley's feet instead. Riley ran up to them, helping Mona up who was grasping at her ribs in pain.

"Vincent, take this," she said, tossing the barrier materia at Vincent before taking Mona away.

He caught it with a nod as Shamus stood beside him. "You ready, kid?"

"A Highwind is always ready."

"Are you finished with saying your goodbyes?" asked Rosso.

"I've heard enough," Vincent stated, aiming Cerberus.

Shamus had shed his tops, tying them around his waist. Now that he didn't have baggy garments hindering his movement, he could go all out. "I've met a lot of women in my life, but even Mona is more tolerable than you. Hell, I might even admit she's prettier than you." _I hope she's okay though...that was a hard hit she took._

"Then come at me."

Shamus charged in first with Vincent following after him. Shamus skidded, reaching for Vincent's hand which Vincent gave him. Grabbing him firmly, he swung him around then threw him. Vincent used the momentum to kick off of Rosso and jump high into the air, aiming Cerberus down at her. Rosso sent the blades that returned to her flying like red glowing streams, only few being deflected by bullets. For the ones he couldn't hit, he placed a barrier below him, and the blades raised him higher. His cloak and hair flapped around him, eyes placed firmly on his target.

Shamus catapulted upwards, kicking at Rosso's face. She scowled, catching him by the leg and slamming him against the ground. Blades flew at him, and he swung his spear around, deflecting the onslaught then jumped to his feet. Rosso slammed him to the ground again with her feet, standing on top of him with those dangerous sharp heels, purposely stabbing into his shoulder as Shamus yelled out.

Vincent landed close by and fired at her, making her jump away. Shamus got to his feet, gripping the wound with a growl. Rosso began to glow once more, smiling almost seductively as she raised her arms, her bladed projectiles floating into the air to mimic this. All of them glowed white then flew towards them. Vincent grabbed Shamus by the arm to get him moving away, avoiding the flying bombs as they impacted the ground. The last couple hit them from a couple feet behind, the blast sending them forward, skidding across the ground.

Shamus groaned, slowly moving to his feet. Vincent didn't make a sound, but he was very irritated at this point. "Shamus...stand back."

The mechanic did so, backing away. He didn't know what Vincent planned to do, but anything would do at this point. Rosso was too strong. They couldn't get any hits in. Vincent's eyes glowed menacingly as a strange aura surrounded him. Curling into himself, arms crossed over his chest, he growled in near pain, darkness surrounding him then engulfing him in a white blue purple sphere. Once it disappeared, replacing Vincent was the dreaded Galian Beast, though instead of the red cloak used like a kilt, it was the black poncho.

Gold eyes flashed and he charged forward at high speed, fire spontaneously swirling into existence in his palms before letting the small meteors take flight towards Rosso, throwing them like baseballs. The blades removed themselves from the ground, cutting through the air and the flaming balls. Rosso only smiled in amusement. Galian leaped into the air, ready to pounce her, swiping at her with his flaming claws. She dodged each attack, moving away smoothly before finding an opening and thrusting forward, a glowing energy ball appearing in her hand as she pushed the object into Galian's mouth, the ball getting brighter with a white light. Galian was suddenly pulled back and thrown away just as the sphere exploded, causing dust to rise and cloud the area.

Galian curled into itself, changing back into Vincent as the gunman struggled to his feet. What just saved him? Shamus? He looked to the mechanic who was just as confused. The smoke cleared, showing Stella the Ringmaster with her halberd and donning her ringmaster outfit, excluding the hat.

"You dare defy me!"

Stella was calm. "I have a major score to settle with you. You mess with my sister and friends, you answer to me."

Rosso could only laugh. "So, the leader of the rebels has come out to face me. I'm touched."

Stella soon hovered over the ground, a green aura surrounding her. "Don't flatter yourself."

Rosso outstretched her arm beside her, the blades flying in and glowing before merging together, forming a bladed ring twice the size of a hula hoop. Stella soon dropped to the ground, green symbols suddenly appearing on the ground like fire. When she tapped the ground hard with the end of her halberd, various halberds appeared from the symbols, floating around her as if it was an offensive barrier to keep enemies at bay.

Stella's feet barely grazed the ground as she began to hover again, eyes glowing from the use of magic. Rosso spun the ring on her arm before slamming it into the ground, causing red streaks to appear and break up the stone as they flew towards the fearless leader. Stella glided backwards, avoiding them as fast as she could, but they suddenly flew up towards her face, but those blades had been deflected off course by the sound of gunfire. She looked over, silently thanking Vincent.

She outstretched her free arm towards Rosso and the floating halberds flew, whistling through the air. Rosso clashed with them, using her ring to block the attacks. She threw the ring, with it soaring like a frisbee. Stella raised her main weapon to block it but it was still spinning as if it was trying to saw right through it. This was a problem, she realized. Her weapon could only take so much. Eyes flashing, she sent the halberds for a second onslaught and Rosso's dodged, catching one and using it to deflect the others, though she hooked onto one, spinning it around and sending it flying towards the ringmaster.

Stella gasped in shock, pushed the ring away and dove to the side before she would get impaled. Instead the bladed end managed to graze her side, causing her to wince as she fell to on a few sacks of rice. Rosso was suddenly above her, laughing maniacally as she rose one of the halberds high above Stella.

"Vincent!" Shamus cried. "We gotta help her!"

Vincent gritted his teeth, hurrying to be within minimal to fire at Rosso and perhaps save Stella before something bad happened. He knew he wouldn't make it, not even with the barrier. As if on cue, Rosso screamed in shock and pain as something flew at her feet, exploding on impact. Stella had been somewhat shielded by the sacks, since some fell on her. She coughed from the smoke and looked off at the source of her saviour.

Mona stood there, launcher at the ready, the barrel smoking, eyes glowing that menacing gold. She let the weapon sit on the ground upright. "Stay away from my sister, you _bitch_!"

Rosso waved the smoke away, tossing the halberd aside, watching her intently and coldly. "Come back for more I see. Hm? What's this?"

Mona seemed different than usual, glowing with a blue aura. The mako in her eyes made her look fierce. "I won't let you hurt any more people."

"Mona..." Stella whispered, awed by Mona's resolve.

With that, Mona was a blue ghost, gliding across the ground at high speed, weapon at the ready. Rosso floated back, avoiding her. Something felt off and she wasn't going to take her chances again like with Vincent who had nearly killed her before. This time Mona seemed absolutely calm and it unnerved the Tsviet.

Mona swung her weapon around like a club and Rosso could only block it with her bracers, though the impacts had caused minor dents. Rosso had to pull out a powerful attack. The ring blade split into the many blades again, floating around the Tsviet. Mona used her launcher as a shield, skidding back, holding her ground.

The blades returned to Rosso, floating around her menacingly. Mona turned her weapon upright, firing at the sky, the projectile slowed then split apart into many, floating there momentarily then zipping downwards at high speed. Rosso took a step back in shock, realizing every single one of them was flying straight at her. With a scowl, she sent her blades to intervene each attack as countermeasures, however, much to her surprise, each blade shattered when they did. They blocked some, but not all.

Vincent and Shamus were at Stella's side, helping her up just as they all spotted the attack like it was fireworks. Like magic, they all honed in on Rosso's location, hitting their target as she screamed in agony. For many enemies, the attack would barely leave any chance for survival. For a single target, it was almost overkill. Almost.

The smoke cleared away, showing a mostly beat up Rosso, panting after the attack. Mona stood firm where she was, waiting for the next move. Rosso laughed, confusing everyone. She struggled to stand straight, as if trying to stand proudly with mockery, indicating she would not be defeated so easily. Mona frowned, eyes narrowing.

"You've grown stronger since we last fought. Do you resent me so much that you'll do anything to kill me?"

Perplexed by the question, Mona just stood there for a long time. "Before, I only thought about killing you. I was nothing but a case of pure rage. However, tagging along with my new friends, I'm starting to let go of that anger. Somehow I begun to realize I was just becoming you. I won't be you. Unlike you, I don't enjoy killing. I may be a beast, but I refuse to be a monster. I got people to protect, and others to help. You wouldn't understand this because you _are_ a monster."

"I was bred to kill, just like any other soldier of Deepground," Rosso said, almost too proudly.

Mona scoffed. "In your case, ignorance is no excuse."

Rosso smirked. "Then let's finish this."

She raised her arms, standing straight as her remaining blades floated around her, spinning around, eyes glowing. Soon they spun around Mona, creating a crimson whirlwind prison, shocking her allies, trying to figure out how to get her out of that. Whatever this attack entailed, it was likely to end up with Mona sliced to nothing. Blades zipped by the amazon, creating gashes, making her collapse to one knee in pain. Having regen cast on her barely helped, so the pain was still partially there, but if she didn't come up with a plan, she was sliced meat.

Shamus growled. "Mona!"

"Shamus! Don't get too close," Vincent warned.

She wanted to beat Rosso calmly, thinking her rage had blinded her too much to effectively fight, but at this rate, it may be her only chance. She winced as another blade cut at her leg. This getting cut up bullshit was pissing her OFF! Her aura seemed to get bigger, gritting her teeth as she yelled out. Wind gushed around her, electricity bouncing off her frame as if charging up an attack. She stood up, yelling out some more, the volts more apparent and getting stronger.

The force of the aura had caused the blades to scatter causing the attack to cease. The area grew dark and little blue and green firefly-like lights surrounded Mona, slowing down time except herself. Standing up, she prepared her footing and stance, electricity being absorbed into her raised fist which then absorbed the fire lights, bringing time back to normal. Rosso didn't see it coming as Mona flashed across the gap between her and the Tsviet, landing the fist at her chest and a huge white beam appeared, blasting through Rosso, making her unable to scream, blinding everyone present.

Afterwards, Mona just stood there, panting. Finally it registered she was exhausted, collapsing to her knees at Rosso's feet. The Tsviet lied there, having returned to her normal form, hair fanned around her head, eyes clouded over, blood dribbling from her mouth down the side of her face and a huge hole in her chest. Shamus ran over to Mona, helping her up, saying nothing.

Mona looked down at Rosso and Vincent had walked over, standing beside the crimson warrior, looking at her as opposed to looking down at her. Rosso coughed, barely any life left in her, tears forming and flowing endless. "Am I...to die like this?" Vincent said nothing. "How absurd that The Crimson...should die so easily."

Vincent knelt by her. "You said Genesis found a way around using the fragments. Was that a lie?"

She smiled weakly. "Yes and no. But, he knows...what the last two...fragments are."

Vincent blinked and sounded more firm. "What are they? Surely, you know!"

She sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. "They never told me. They didn't trust...me to know." Vincent scowled. "However..." He looked back at her. "I believe...Chaos may have a connection to them. If you...want to know more...go northwest. Perhaps you'll...find your answers there."

She began to slip away as she took her final breath. Vincent watched her for a long time then reached out, sliding his hand over her face, closing her eyes. Slowly, her body began to dissolve into thousands of tiny green lights, eventually disappearing completely into the air. Rosso the Crimson has finally returned to the lifestream.

Shamus sighed with relief. That was one less enemy to deal with. He looked up at Vincent. "What's northwest?"

Vincent thought for a moment, completely silent. "Round Island, I believe."

"What do we do from here?"

Vincent paused, considering the options. "In one week, we take off. We're going to take a look, but whether Rosso was telling the truth is debatable. As of right now, we'll help the villagers."

Shamus just nodded. "Hey Mona."

"What do you want?" she said tiredly.

He looked at her. "Good job."

She blinked in surprise before suppressing a blush of embarrassment, looking unnecessarily angry. "Yeah, whatever." He grinned, shaking his head, knowing what she really meant.

* * *

**A/N:** OMGKILLMENOW. This chapter was a PAIN in my ASS! I have never attempted to do a chapter-long battle before and...I NEVER WANNA DO IT AGAIN. Too much to picture x_x. But hooray! Rosso is dead! Everybody do a happy jig! Moving on, I'm going to list a few things here so I can reference it later if I have to. It's basically the Limit Breaks that the gang has revealed so far.

_Riley Tombs:_ Level 1 – Terra Wave, Level 2 – Blue Phoenix  
_Shamus Highwind:_ Level 1 – Catapult Jump, Level 2 – Dynamite Surprise_  
Mona Vespa:_ (Yes, she has a last name now, it's Wasp in Italian) Level 1 – Berserk Mode, Level 2 – Bring the Rain, Level 3 – Berserk Beam_  
Vincent Valentine:_ Level 1 – Galian Beast_  
Nanaki:_ Level 1 – Sled Fang

Nanaki and Vincent technically have the same limit breaks as they did in the actually game, but I'm trying to keep listed what's already been shown. I'm pretty sure Nanaki's first limit break was used. I could be wrong. Oh well. Now, since you all have been awesome with your questions and have not asked me any this time, I think it's my turn to ask you awesome readers a question of my own.

"Riley, Shamus and Mona. Love them? Hate them? Tell me why with a different reason for all three characters each."

Don't forget to R&R. Till next chapter. :)


	34. Ch 33: Search at Round Island

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children Complete, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may be incorrect. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent.

* * *

**Chapter 33: Search at Round Island**

Riley blinked. "For me?"

"Well, of course it's for you," Shamus confirmed.

Laying on her lap was a bundle wrapped in brown paper. Shamus had been going around on the airship, making stops and even took the liberty of dropping off Riley's old torn outfit at Icicle, mainly as an excuse to flirt with Mary rather than to fix up the attire. Shamus had told Mary little of what happened and simply left it at, 'It was a huge battle. Riley won." Riley stared at the bundle and unwrapped it. Well, if it was her old outfit, she was glad it would be fixed up to maintain her modesty.

"How are they at the Inn anyway?" she asked.

"Well, Ed and Ronny said business was blooming. Mary said she was lonely since you're not around. She was upset when I showed her the clothes though. She was asking a lot of questions about you. I could tell she was worried."

"You didn't tell her I was nearly killed, did you?"

"No."

She sighed with relief. "Good." Who knew how the blonde would have reacted? She heard a knock at the door and looked up to see Vincent. "Hey."

He glanced at Shamus then the half-unwrapped package before walking over and sitting on the bed beside Riley. "How are you feeling?"

She smiled. "I'm fine. Nika gave me some medicine to take with me for when we leave."

Shamus huffed, jealous that Vincent had taken the spot he wanted to sit in. Vincent was a little too close to Riley for his comfort. Vincent didn't notice. "If you're not feeling well, we can put it off—"

"Vincent, would you stop treating me like my parents. I'm not a princess. We can't put this sort of thing off," she said irritably.

Vincent's back straightened before dropping his gaze. "Sorry."

She saw the gloom hanging over his head then sighed. "You...haven't trained me in awhile. I expect you to treat me like your student again. And no going easy on me."

He looked up at her then smiled slightly. "I suppose it has been awhile. However, in your condition, I'm not training you until I'm certain you're completely healed. But you're right, we can't afford any more time to replenish our strength."

"If I might interject," Shamus said, waiting for the two to look at him. "What's at Round Island anyway?"

"It's where I and the others found an extremely powerful summon known as Knights of the Round," Vincent replied. "We never looked on that island beyond finding that."

"Knights of the Round?"

"Vincent," Riley said distractedly. "Have you noticed something about the fragments?"

"What do you mean?"

"They're different colours."

"And?"

"Don't they remind you of something?" She laid out the fragments from a small pouch.

Shamus and Vincent looked at the objects in question. Shamus was clueless, and Vincent had no idea what she was getting at. She was referring to the colours, but why? It helped determine which one they were but—that's it! "They're the same colours as the five types of materia."

"Exactly," she confirmed. "Do you think this means something?"

He picked up one of the marbles, scrutinizing the delicate spheres. "It could be a coincidence, but it makes sense. For all we know, these _are_ materia, only smaller and they supposedly respond to the Omni-Materia."

"What if they are the first materia?" Shamus blurted out thoughtfully. He blinked as the other two looked at him, quite alarmed.

"I wouldn't believe it too farfetched. There may be a way to find out for certain. Riley, where's your sword."

Riley reached under her pillows, pulling out the blade. "Right here, why?"

"Materia automatically shrink to fit inside weapon or armour slots. No one knows why, but it just works."

He removed the current materia and grabbed the red marble, sliding the object into the middle slot on Nemesis. It rolled in easily then glowed brightly, growing in size and fitting perfectly in the slot. The silver wrapped around the materia seemed to fuse into the handle. He attempted to remove it but it would not budge. The materia glowed warmly, and the blade had a red shimmer to it now.

"My sword!" Riley cried.

"Holy shit, it is materia!" Shamus exclaimed.

Vincent's eyes narrowed and he took out his gun, grabbing the chain that materia hung from and placed the green fragment in it, but nothing happened. "I see."

"What? I don't get it," said Shamus.

Vincent looked firmly at Riley, placing the four free fragments in Riley's hand, closing her fingers over them. "Riley, you found Nemesis in the Forgotten City. This was no coincidence as the fragments respond to it. Don't install the other four till we find Chaos and Order."

Riley looked into his eyes then nodded in silent promise. "Maybe we'll know more when we go to Round Island."

"That's the idea," Vincent confirmed.

* * *

Once the week was over and Vincent had explained the new development to Mona and Nanaki, locals and members of the rebellion were stocking the ship. Shamus was running a checkup on the ship with the help of some rebels. Nanaki was sitting outside, enjoying the fresh air while he still could, standing next to the ship. Mona was speaking with Stella before someone dropped a crate and the leader yelled at her men for being lazy oafs.

Vincent was just walking out to the airship, spotting Nanaki. "Hey, is Riley on the ship?"

"I haven't seen her. Why?"

"I just don't want her to be alone. She's still recovering."

"Last I heard, she was changing."

"Hey guys," Riley greeted them as she came out.

Vincent looked over, noticing the change in attire. He smiled. "Nice outfit. Mary seemed to have outdone herself."

Riley blushed, looking at her clothes. "Yeah, she seems to know exactly what I like."

The previous footwear had been replaced by black knee high zip-up boots, while the new black gloves were fingerless on the thumbs and index fingers. She wore a high collared black sleeveless zip-up vest and simply black denim shorts with a couple of leather belts hanging off her hips, one of them with a holster attached for her sword. Over top was a sleeveless bright orange zip-up duster with the interior made with black satin and the hood attached was black with a couple of pockets.

"So, when are we taking off?"

"As soon as the ship is restocked. Shamus said we should head back to Cosmo Canyon when we're done at Round Island. He said he'd been discussing with Shelke on moving her onto the Ceto."

"I see."

Not long after that discussion, they soon took off. Shamus informed them that if Vincent gave him the correct coordinates, they should be at the island in a matter of a few hours. Riley sat in her seat, watching the clouds above zip by. She noticed Vincent wasn't on the bridge and frowned slightly before getting up.

"Where you going Riley?"

"To look for Vincent. Just let us know when we're almost there."

He nodded and she walked into the elevator. Reaching her destination, she headed for her room and looked through her belongings. Finding what she was looking for, she went off to find Vincent. The gunman was deep in thought while sitting alone in what looked like a dining room. Sitting at the table, he pondered the events so far, and the most recent discovery. What did the Nemesis have to do with the fragments? Where did Chaos fit into this puzzle? Genesis obviously wanted Chaos for some kind of purpose, but what? Why did the materia shards react in Riley's sword? The answer was right in front of him, he knew it. If only he could reach out and grab it.

"Vincent?"

Riley startled the ex-Turk out of his mental objective...well, she almost startled him. He looked up to regard her presence. "Mm?"

The young woman walked over, taking a seat closest to him before eyeing him suspiciously. "Your face looked like it was thinking. A lot. Something on your mind?"

He smiled. "Yeah." He clasped his fingers together, brooding. "I'm just trying to connect the dots. It's been over eighty years since I've been a Turk, so my skills in detective work has been dulled."

She watched him, resting her chin on her propped up palm. "So, no luck then?"

"None whatsoever. Also, you interrupted me."

"Well _excuse_ me," she replied jokingly. Once her quick half-irritated smirk passed, she blinked, as if remembering something. "I almost forgot why I came looking for you in the first place." He arched a brow in question as she reached for something and placing his old cloak on the table. "I thought, maybe you'd want your old cape back."

He eyed the old fabric. Tentatively, he reached for it, standing up and removing his poncho. He buckled the tattered article in place, the bottom half of his face covered. It felt strangely nostalgic and he almost missed wearing it. He looked at Riley and blinked in surprise at her expression.

_**Her smile was warm, and her eyes looked dazed at the time, almost as if she was in a dreamlike state. It was intriguing and I wondered what she was thinking about. Perhaps, being my admirer, she felt the nostalgia as much as I did. Though, maybe it was more than that. No, that's just wishful thinking on my part.**_

"How do I look?" he asked, snapping her out of her reverie.

"Almost like your old self again. Oops! I said old!" She laughed at her slip up.

He gave her a miffed look. "You had to remind me, didn't you?"

"Well, I didn't mean it like that. I was just remembering what you used to look like before I came to this world. Besides, even at your age, you still look like a stud." His eyes widened and she gasped, covering her mouth before looking away in shock. _Did I just say that out loud?_

"Stud?" He repeated.

"No! I said stump!"

"I specifically heard 'stud.'"

"Your hearing must be going," she retorted defiantly.

He couldn't resist teasing her. She was making this too easy. He smirked. "Is that so?" He began, poking her cheek. "Riley, I—Black asked you once what you would do if you ever met me."

_Thank god I didn't answer him! Oh god! What's he doing?_ She looked up in surprise at the sudden closeness. He was only inches away from her face and her heart began to race at an incredible speed. She didn't know what he was thinking at that moment, and he was glad for it. He badly wanted to kiss her right now. Though he respected her boundaries and backed off, undoing the old cloak and giving it back to her.

"Keep it. After all, you found it. Also, I think it's time I moved on from the past and look to the future." He replaced the poncho. "It looks better on you anyway."

She didn't know what she felt right now. Disappointment? Relief? Bit of both? "I'll be the envy of all your fan girls."

He suddenly looked horrified. "F-fan girls?"

"And boys," she said. He teased her, it was only fair she get to do it back.

His eye noticeably twitched. He kept forgetting he was in a popular game from her world. It was disturbing every time he remembered. "That's a terrifying thought."

She smiled at him. It was starting to get to Vincent every time she did. "I could tell you _lots_ of things. For instance, a lot of them actually think you're a vampire."

Cloud and the others used to think so too, he mused. "What a sad fact. Moving on, have you taken your medicine?"

"Uh..."

"Riley," he said firmly. "Now."

"Alright! Sheesh!" She got up, unable to resist whining, "But it tastes like rotten tomato juice!"

* * *

The ship hovered over the mountains of the island, Mona cursing, "Great, we can't land this thing without flattening trees or teetering on mountain tops!"

Shamus snorted. "This fine lady can swim, thank you very much. But I guess we're gonna have to drop down into the trees."

Vincent watched as they hovered over the large expanse of forestry engulfing the crater of mountains. "Then we'll drop. Shamus, you can stay behind and circle around. You'll have a bird's eye view."

Shamus nodded and Nanaki interjected. "Then I shall stay behind with Shamus. Two pairs of eyes would be best up here."

"Alright, then the girls are with me on the ground."

"That sounds dirty," Shamus quipped.

Vincent gave him a mild glare of disapproval. "Let's go."

Riley and Mona followed him to the small hangar with the mini-sub as he opened the hatch, air blowing around. Mona walked to the edge and snorted. "Easy." She jumped without a parachute, only dropping one hundred feet, landing in the trees, jumping off branches and rolling across the ground to lessen the impact.

Riley blinked and suddenly looked doubtful. She squeaked when Vincent suddenly picked her up bridal style. "Do you trust me?" he asked.

She blushed and then her face turned white when she looked down. "At the moment, no—OOOOOOOO!" she screamed as he jumped out. The ground was approaching way too quickly for her comfort and she latched onto Vincent for dear life, closing her eyes tightly, face buried in his neck.

"Riley. You can open your eyes now."

She heard a snigger from Mona, and she realized the air that was rushing by had stopped. Raising her head, she peeked with one eye open then opened them both. Suddenly, she slapped Vincent. "DON'T EVER DO THAT TO ME AGAIN, YOU ASSHOLE!"

Vincent chuckled almost painfully. His face stung a little, so he supposed he deserved the minor beating. "Well, you're safe and sound."

"Say that to my beating heart!" she shrieked, wriggling to be put down. "I'm not talking to you for the rest of the day!" A little childish, but she was justified in her frightening outrage.

"Alright, I apologize. I'll give you more warning next time." He paused. "I thought you took height lessons."

She brushed herself off. Hair now frazzled, she fumbled to clean it up, clipping it back in place. "I did."

"How on Gaia did you get through them?"

She mumbled with embarrassment, "I badly needed to go to the bathroom."

Once he half-laughed at her answer, they were on their way, searching the forests for hours. Vincent received a call from Shamus, being told that neither he nor Nanaki could see anything out of the ordinary. He closed his phone with a sigh. Perhaps Rosso had lied in her last moments. Why would she? Then again, even that crazy woman had _some_ sense of loyalty to at least Weiss. However, Genesis didn't trust her. How strange that she would state that fact. Vincent knew Genesis had little opinion on the Crimson Tsviet, but would he actually disregard her as a loyal ally? Then again, Weiss had informed him in Midgar that Rosso usually became out of control when it came to Vincent himself due to her pride. She knew they didn't trust her and thus allowed her to face her inevitable defeat. As a final act of rebellion against those she had served, she had no reason to lie to Vincent. She said Northwest, not Round Island. Perhaps they were looking in the wrong place.

* * *

Night came and they all decided to call it quits till morning. One day of looking wasn't going to get them very far, as they had learned at the site where the Temple of the Ancients used to be. Thanks to Riley's and Shamus' stubbornness, they had actually found the first fragment, much to Riley's horror from the _test_ she endured.

The Highwind Ceto hovered fifty feet above the ocean surface. The waters were surprisingly calm that night. Shamus was sleeping in the pilot's seat, keeping the vessel on autopilot. Mona had gone to bed, and Nanaki was sleeping next to his chair, the flames on the end of his tail flickering lightly in the dimmed room. Riley sat against the glass of the window on the bridge, wrapped in the cloak like a blanket. She wasn't ready to sleep. The elevator doors whooshed open, then closed behind Vincent. The gunman barely saw her over the sub-pilot consoles and walked over silently. He stood next to her, saying nothing for a while.

"The moon's pretty big," she stated quietly.

"Mm. Do you have a moon where you're from?" he asked.

"Yeah, but with all the cities, it's hard to enjoy the sight of the moon at night. Can't even see the stars there like I do here. Not unless I wanted to live in the country where there's less pollution."

He looked at her, suddenly interested. He took a seat on the floor next to her, back against the glass, one leg outstretched with the other being used an armrest. He stiffened, having forgotten the hardness of a mechanical leg, switching the position of the legs to face her better.

"What's it like where you live?"

She seemed mildly surprised at his curiosity but shrugged it off, turning her eyes to the ocean and moonlight. "It's...busy. There's hundreds of countries and many languages and cultures. There's no such thing as the lifestream or materia. What you call Gaia, or the Planet, is just Earth to us. There's a lot of third world countries, and we've had a few wars."

"Hm, sounds dangerous," he commented.

"Well, where I lived before I came here, I had an apartment in what could be considered the bad part of the city. I had a cat too, named Whiskey."

"Gee, I never pegged you as a cat person," he half-smirked, referring to all the times she couldn't resist petting Nanaki.

She huffed but let the comment slide. "I was also in a college, but I was just taking the most general course available because I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life."

"Any idea now?"

She blinked at the question. Now that she thought about it... "No. Not a damn clue." She frowned. "I haven't really thought about my home since this whole thing started." She paused. "I thought I did get sent home when Rosso..." She hesitated but continued. "I almost forgot about this place entirely. I felt like something was wrong, like something was missing."

He watched her intently. "Then what happened?"

The cloak tightened around her as she shivered. He debated the options that lied before him. Deciding on the bold approach, he nudged closer, letting her lean on him, but he didn't wrap his arm around her. That would be going too far. Instead he placed his hand on her shoulder, reassuring her that it was alright since he noticed the embarrassed look on her face.

Emitting a yawn, she continued afterwards, grateful for the warmth that radiated from him. "I met Aerith and the others." This startled him, resisting tightening his grip on her shoulder. "They gave me encouragement, telling me it wasn't my time, and that I could end this...or something like that. They said they'd give me their strength, whatever that means."

Vincent had no clue either. "We'll just have to trust in them as they trust in you."

"I wish I could have met them all under better circumstances though, and not through the lifestream." She yawned again.

He watched her silently, enjoying the innocent closeness. What the hell was wrong with him, he wondered. She wasn't Lucrecia. He vividly remembered her outburst in Wutai. She isn't Lucrecia. She was right, of course. Vincent had only taken this long to realize that she was better than Lucrecia. Still, he couldn't hate Lucrecia. Not ever. After all, she had saved his life after Hojo's experiments. Riley, however, slowly brought him out of his cowardly shell. He knew she admired him, but would she ever...reciprocate his feelings? His dedication to Lucrecia had nearly killed him and his grief over his failure to protect her had turned him into a cold man.

"You should go to bed. You're tired."

"No I'm not," she protested like a child, yawning again. "Okay, maybe a little. But, can't we stay like this for a little bit? I'm actually quite comfortable."

He sighed as dramatically as a stoic man could. "Alright."

He barely saw her annoyed glare at the corner of his eye before he smiled. Her face sobered to contentment. Neither of them saw that Shamus and Nanaki were eavesdropping on the whole conversation and they grinned at each other knowingly. Riley closed her eyes and remained like that for awhile. Vincent had also closed his eyes, relaxing, nearly dozing off. Riley barely peeked up at his face, intrigued by the sight of him possibly sleeping.

She was about to close her eyes again when she felt something pulse in her pocket. She blinked, pulling out the Omni-Materia from her pocket. It was glowing profusely, catching Vincent's attention. It was responding to something, but what?

"What's going on with the stone?" Shamus asked, scratching his head.

Riley shook her head. "I have no idea."

Nanaki jumped down to their level, walking over to them before looking behind them, eye widening. "Everyone, look. On the water."

Vincent turned to look, eyes also widening at the sight. "Wake Mona and get her in here."

Mona came in moments later after Shamus had gone to fetch her, with the poor guy rubbing his head at a sore spot. She yawned. "What's going on?"

Everyone had their eyes on the watery surface. Vincent thought it strange that the waters would be so calm. No waves, no nothing. On the surface was a huge mass of glowing rainbow light figures beneath the surface. How had they not noticed this before? Vincent looked at the materia. Perhaps something was triggered by its presence at a certain time of night. Almost all of them was in awe at the beautiful sight. Riley gasped when creatures came out of the water, floating in the air like they were angels. They were like transparent glowing stingray, shining different colours.

"What are they?" she asked in amazement.

Shamus placed a hand on the glass as he peered closer. "They're like...ghosts."

Vincent disagreed. "No, they're not ghosts. Ghosts are different than this."

Some flew closer, flying straight across their view. Riley smiled. "Who cares? They're beautiful."

Mona blinked when they seemed to echo some strange sound that almost sounded like melodic whale calls. "What are they doing?"

Nanaki sat straight, ears perked. "I believe they're singing."

Riley looked at the stone in her hands before holding it up slightly. She blinked when she realized they all seemed to be staring in her general direction. "Oh man. I think we found what we were looking for."

Vincent straightened his back. "I believe so. Shamus."

"What?" he asked, still staring at the strange creatures.

"I think it's time we made use of this ship's underwater capabilities, don't you?"

Shamus blinked, looking at Vincent, catching the glimmer of a smile from the ex-Turk. He smirked in return. "Aye-aye, Captain."

* * *

**A/N:** So sorry for the massive delay. Multiple things have happened. One, didn't know what the hell to write and had to plan out the next few chapters. Two, was replaying Final Fantasy VII because the mood to play was too hard to ignore. Three, got a new laptop, so I've been moving some of my stuff onto this oh so sexy model. Four, Sunday was my 22nd birthday, though I spent most of it dealing with new laptop stuff. Though I had originally intended to have finished this by Saturday evening, that didn't happen. However, I do have at least the NEXT TWO CHAPTERS PLANNED. After that, well, I'll have to plan more, but I do have a nice surprise for you awesome readers on chapter 35. Heh heh, I'm not telling you what though XD.

Now, again, no character interviews. I'm still going to do them, but I need questions, people! It doesn't matter how crazy they are. I thrive on the crazy questions. Ask any character in this story ANY question you want! ANY QUESTION. So, for now, I will ask another question to the readers.

"Do you think I should turn this story into comic format, and IF I get off my lazy butt to do so, would you read it?"

Yes, I do have _some_ artistic talent, so I've been debating about doing this in comic format when I finish the story since I need to get back into the habit of drawing again. If you want to check out some of my art, my Deviant Art page(s) is listed in my profile. I even have Riley's sword in my scrap folder (which I'm thinking of redrawing). I'd really like your opinion on the comic idea. At one point, I actually wanted to be a cartoonist, maybe I can still accomplish that if I start practising again.

For those curious on my laptop specs. HP G62 Notebook, 500GB HDD, 8GB RAM. Sadly, it doesn't play Blu-Rays, but it's still better than my old laptop. My N key was dying DX. Anyway, good night till next chapter.


	35. Ch 34: Chaos and Order

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children Complete, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may be incorrect. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent.

* * *

**Chapter 34: Chaos and Order**

A splash resounded through the night air as the Highwind Ceto carefully descended into the ocean. Water rose in view upon the bridge's window, blanketing the vessel in aquatic darkness. Shamus flipped a switch and green lights lit up the room. The glowing rays descended in a circular pattern as Riley nearly pressed her face against the glass to watch them, transfixed by their rare beauty.

"Just follow them. They're obviously leading us somewhere," Vincent commented.

"Roger that."

The singing still rang through the walls like ghostly whispers. Riley closed her eyes for a moment, simply listening as Shamus carefully followed them. Nanaki's ears were perked high as he and Mona watched the surroundings. Vincent's eyes peered through the darkness of the water.

Mona shook her head. "I can hardly see anything. Why don't we wait till daylight?"

Shamus intervened before Vincent could answer her. "Because, woman, those things may decide to disappear before then. We don't know if they're strictly night creatures or not."

Mona huffed. "Just don't get us sunk down here."

"Look who you're talking to!"

"Quiet," demanded Vincent.

Surprisingly, they both became silent. Riley opened her eyes, holding the materia more firmly as its glow became brighter the further they went down. An hour had passed before they began to see shadows of passing stalagmites. Many towers of the rocky structures became more prominent with each passing minute. However, Shamus, Riley and Nanaki had begun to feel the effects of the pressure long ago.

Mona and Vincent seemed unfazed however. "What's wrong with everyone?"

Vincent was keeping close to Riley, watching her intently. "The lower we go, the more they begin to feel the pressure close in on them."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"It means, the nitrogen molecules in their bodies are being compressed. It'll be worse on the way back up. Right now, they're likely to get symptoms of headaches, the shakes, minimal breathing, et cetera."

Mona looked at the others. "Why aren't you and I affected then?"

"Our bodies can withstand more. My body was restructured by a man named Hojo. As a result, I was able to serve as a host for Chaos, which is no human feat. You were dunked in mako, and that made you physically stronger. Possibly stronger than a First Class SOLDIER."

"Shouldn't we go back rather than take the risk?"

Shamus finally stirred, barely piloting as is. "Don't worry about me. I can take it. Besides, like the old man said, it'll be worse going back up."

Vincent turned towards the mechanic. "Shamus, how are you holding up?"

"Heh, I'm good, just shaky."

Vincent's eyes narrowed. "Let me drive."

"Like hell you will!" he suddenly shot at him. "Besides, once we find what we're looking for, the three of us can go into the mini sub to get properly pressurized."

"Shamus, you're in no condition. Just tell me the controls and I'll take over."

"Fuck you."

"Shamus!"

"Oh screw this," said Mona. She walked up to the high platform and pulled Shamus off the chair by his ear. "I won't have an idiot get us killed because he's too stubborn to let anybody touch the only lady he can get his hands on!"

Shamus winced. "Okay! Fine. Oh man, I feel dizzy."

This alarmed Mona as he nearly collapsed on her. "Dammit! Get a hold of yourself!"

Shamus shook, placing his hands on Mona's shoulders to keep his balance. "I'm alright."

Vincent's eyes narrowed. "Shamus, you and the others are going in the mini sub. Now quickly tell me how to drive this thing."

Shamus did so in a sleepy kind of way, nearly dozing off a few times. Vincent grasped the handles firmly, eyes dead set in front of him and the many meters. He wasn't very strong in the mechanical department, except when it came to guns, but he was always a fast learner. Mona helped the others to the mini sub before coming back to check on Vincent.

"Why do I feel much safer with you at the helm?"

"Because I'm more cautious and Shamus acts like a headstrong teenager despite his age."

"I don't see those things anymore."

Vincent frowned. "They just disappeared. I have no idea where they went."

Another hour passed and still no sign of the glow rays. Mona had left to go check on the others and Vincent was getting mildly frustrated with the fact he might have permanently lost their only lead. The materia had probably called to them and the only one able to make the materia work is Riley, who's currently being pressurized to ease the sickness that had befallen her, Nanaki and Shamus. Vincent stopped the ship, letting it simply float in its current location. He left his seat and walked up to the window, peering through the dark waters. He could barely see the stalagmites.

"What are we hoping to find?" he asked himself.

As if to answer him, he saw a ray zip past in front of him. Eyes quickly followed the creature as it flew into some sort of cave. No, it looked more like a carved out door. He couldn't tell. He moved back to the helm controls and turned on spotlights, aiming the high beams where the entrance was. It was an entire wall with strange carvings with a large wide opening for a door. They found it.

The ship was too big to enter though so there was only one solution to this. Heading down to the hangar, he walked up to Mona. "I found some sort of underwater entrance. We'll have to take the sub though."

"Really?"

The hatch on the sub opened and Shamus popped out. "Are we there yet?"

"How are you feeling?"

"Much better, though it will still take some getting used to."

Vincent only nodded. "Well, we're there alright. We need the sub."

Shamus blinked but nodded. "Alright, let me get things ready."

After anchoring the ship with harpoons, Shamus raised the sub so that he could open up a floor hatch. Lowering the sub with a press of a button, he soon climbed back in with Mona and Vincent, closing the hatch tightly. Riley was sleeping in her seat, and Nanaki had begun to stir.

"What's going on?"

"We're going on a small adventure," replied the pilot. "Seems we got a cave to explore according to the old man here."

Vincent half-glared at Shamus for the aged title. "Just get us in there." He looked at Riley, wondering if she'd be alright after the sudden change in environment. She didn't look uncomfortable, so perhaps she was catching up on her sleep.

"Yeah, yeah. Just strap in."

"You sure you're alright to drive, idiot?"

"Would ya stop callin' me that, woman!"

Riley came to, blinking sleep from her eyes. "Where are we going?"

"Out," came the simple reply from the gunman. He looked at her. "How are you feeling? Does it still hurt?"

"Hurt? Well, the dizziness is gone I guess. And I'm not shaking anymore."

"I was talking about your chest."

She blinked. "Well, I don't think I'm bleeding, so I guess I'm okay."

"But does it hurt? I can't imagine it being all that comfortable at these depths."

She smiled sleepily to reassure him. "I'm fine. I took my medicine too, so hopefully that's part of the reason I'm not feeling any pain."

He nodded as Shamus had the sub lowered further then released from the iron grips. The hydro propellers moved them forward with minor turbulence, much to Mona's annoyance. "I thought you knew how to drive this thing!"

"It's the Rebels' sub, not my own creation! I never got to have hands-on experience with this thing till now!"

"My gawd! Move over!"

"Fuck off! I can still operate Little Sister!"

"Did you name it?"

"Every machinery must have a name!" he argued.

Riley, Nanaki and Vincent just sat in their seats, having the most irritated and bored expressions they could muster. By now, they were used to the constant bickering. Nanaki sighed and looked at his companions. "Wasn't it you two that used to argue like this?"

Riley blinked then smiled. "Yeah, once. I can still pull a silver tongue on him if I wanted to."

Vincent arched a brow at her, not turning his head, just his eyes in her direction. "Oh really? You're still an uneducated little girl, young lady. You keep forgetting I'm still your mentor."

Nanaki's ears flattened, seeing the miffed look on Riley's face. Perhaps he shouldn't have made a comment at all. "Little girl? Don't pull that on me, OLD MAN. If I'm so childish to you, why do you keep pulling some pervy old man moves, huh?"

The sub went dead silent. Vincent just gaped at her while the others gaped at him. He couldn't help but stammer defensively, "I-I don't know what you're talking about!"

Riley inhaled deeply, then gave him a smug expression. "Back at your cottage, you tore the sheets off of me without thinking that I may be half naked, which I was. At the Forgotten City, you didn't take the hint I was gonna change into my new clothes."

"That," he began, pointing his finger accusingly at her, "was your own fault. You didn't warn me."

"Point taken. Next, you—"

"I get the picture Riley! Whatever I've done, I didn't mean anything by it!" He sighed. The girl had remembered all the things he did. The girl was a lot more observant than he gave her credit for. He crossed his arms, forgetting the others were there as he made his next confession. "Anything I've done was either unintentional, meaningless, but most of the time, it's because I wished to display how much I care about you."

Riley watched him, surprise etched into her features. "Why?"

That stung him a little. However, he considered the fact she may still have little confidence in her self worth. "Does anyone really need a reason to care about anybody?" She watched him then smiled, seemingly satisfied with his response.

_**Who was I kidding? Of course there was a reason... Hell, I might as well have shouted at her that I've fallen for her before I could stop myself from tripping. After realization sunk in, I admittedly felt mildly embarrassed by my small confession. Grow up Vincent, you're not a child anymore. Be more of a man. That's what I keep telling myself...but I can't help it.**_

Shamus and Mona were surprisingly quiet as Little Sister sailed into the entrance and through a long and dark tunnel. Hieroglyphs covered the walls they passed. The architecture was strange, with the stone carved in some fashion that looked somewhat familiar to the ex-Turk. He couldn't place from where though. The search light moved around, until finally, there seemed to be an opening up ahead. Carefully navigating through the opening, the sub surfaced from the water, droplets hindering their sight of whatever place they were in.

They all peered through the window, shining the light in various directions, hitting walls with the same writings. Looking at each other, they all silently agreed to get out and explore. The hatch creaked as it was unlocked and opened and one by one, they climbed out. The sound of water dripping echoed in the distance and they walked around but still couldn't properly see anything.

"Don't we have some flashlights or something?" asked Mona.

Nanaki just used his own tail for light, walking up to the walls. Riley strode up to Shamus. "Give me your spear."

"What are you gonna do?" he asked as he handed it over.

"Providing some light." She inserted the fire materia and a large flame burst to life on the end of the weapon. "That's better."

"Let's stay together for now," Vincent suggested as he moved over to Nanaki.

Riley suddenly had a vision of the last time she was in a dark and moist place. Paranoid, she waved the spear around, scrutinizing the room thoroughly. Mona just blinked. "What the hell are you doing?"

Shamus saw the expression on Riley's face and in turn, as he realized what she was looking for, he began to get paranoid himself. "I swear, if those things are here too, I'm going to be so pissed."

Nanaki and Vincent were ignoring them as they examined the writings on the wall. "Stop fooling around. Nanaki would have smelled something if there was."

"And all I can smell is water."

"B-but," Riley protested fearfully.

Vincent turned to look at her, sending her a pointed look. The girl was practically curled around the spear like a lifeline. The pout she had was...unbearably cute, causing him to relax his shoulders with a sigh. He couldn't resist poking fun at her though. "Would you like me to hold your hand, you big baby?"

Nobody expected the loud sound that resounded off the walls as Shamus' spear was smacked right on top of Vincent's skull. The force Riley used instantly blew out the flame. Vincent's face twitched in what would appear to be contained pain. Perhaps he shouldn't have said that, he mused in agony. He could normally take a lot of pain, but when Riley lashed out, it was a force to be reckoned with. Her fear had been replaced with pure annoyance.

"Don't make fun of me," she hissed through her teeth.

She removed the spear from his head and lit the end once more. Well, she forgot about those spiders. His job was done. Riley walked off as Shamus and Mona sniggered at Vincent. Nanaki shook his head before returning his gaze to the wall. Vincent watched Riley, ignoring the ones quietly laughing at him. She huffed and puffed, and stomped away before the floor beneath her suddenly lit up, startling her.

"Eh! What the hell?"

A large symbol on the floor had activated, glowing brightly, before the streams shot out, slithering across the floor like fire and up the walls and along the strange architecture. Soon the whole place was lit up in a bright orange glow. The others gasped as they looked among the design of the room. No, it was more like a temple. Vincent recognized the designs.

"Nanaki."

"What, Vincent?"

"Doesn't this look a lot like the Temple of the Ancients?"

The feline looked around before his eye widened. "It does!"

"Not only that," Vincent began, pausing as he gathered the words he wanted to say, "Some of the architecture is similar to Cid's old ship, the Sierra."

"You're right. I heard that ship was made up of parts that were buried, but no one knew where the odd parts came from, especially the engine."

"What are you guys talking about?" Shamus asked. "What about the Sierra?"

"We believe the parts to make that ship were designed by the Cetra. It's just theory though," Vincent explained.

Riley put out the spear, seeing as the light was no longer needed. When Shamus walked up to her, she returned his weapon before wandering around. "What did I just do anyway?"

"Who knows," Vincent replied. "Perhaps the Cetra were much more advanced than we thought. For all we know, they had technology far exceeding what us regular humans accomplished so far. Either that, or it's a combination of this and magic."

"Yo, take a look at this chicken scratch."

"Show some respect, Mona," Nanaki softly scolded. "If I recall, these hieroglyphs are actually the dead language of the Ancients. They're similar to those parchments retrieved by Vincent in the Forgotten City."

Vincent stared at the walls, observing the drawings and carvings. Finally, his eyes landed on what appeared to be a winged monster. Chaos? "What is this?"

Nanaki came to where Vincent was and looked over the story that was illustrated. Mona and Shamus soon joined them. "If I'm interpreting these correctly...Chaos definitely seems to hold a great significance in relation to the Omni-Materia."

Riley slowly walked up to the wall, eyes scouring the illustrations. She began mumbled to herself. Vincent looked at her. "Do you...understand it?"

"Trying to," she admitted. "I've been wondering if...Chaos is the fragment we've been looking for. He is, after all, Chaos."

"That seems too easy and obvious. Besides, Fable said that Chaos and Order change their forms with each keeper."

"Indeed I have," shot out a voice, causing everyone to turn and see the old woman. "Chaos, as you know, is as old as this Planet, just like the WEAPONS, and just like the Omni-Materia."

"The hell!" cried out Shamus. "How'd you get here?"

Vincent and Nanaki didn't seem surprised. "She's dead Shamus. She's just a spectre of the previous keeper."

Riley turned to Vincent in shock. "What?"

Fable gave them a wrinkled smile. "Yes, it is true."

Nanaki watched her. "What can you tell us about Chaos? Is he the sixth fragment we've been looking for?"

Fable leaned on a wooden cane as she watched them. "I will tell you this. You have every fragment already." Vincent's eyes widened. What the hell did she mean? "All this time, you've been looking for Chaos and Order, and you've had them all this time without realizing it. You now know what form Chaos has taken. It is the beast you have sealed. However, he is only a large piece of the puzzle you must put together. Order has been by your side from the very beginning. Riley, surely you must have heard a voice once or twice."

The others looked at Riley as she stood there dumbfounded. "Yeah, but...I thought I was just going crazy."

"When was this?" asked Vincent.

"Once before I beat this huge spider. I was so scared, I couldn't move. I heard that voice and suddenly I wasn't as scared anymore. All I knew is that I couldn't lose." They all watched her still as she went into deep thought. "The last time I heard it was when I was fighting Rosso at Cosmo Canyon. I was about to give up, but it told me to get up. I don't understand. What does this mean?"

Fable could only smile. "It means that you've awakened the Eighth Knight. However, he is still sealed away and cannot help you, only encourage you. You carry a remnant of what is his weapon, after all."

Riley blinked as realization sank in. "Nemesis?"

Vincent scowled. "Why didn't you tell us we had these all along? This could have saved us a lot of trouble!"

"You weren't ready to know."

Mona scoffed. "Who are you to decide what we're ready to know or not?"

"You lied to us Fable," Vincent said accusingly.

Fable chuckled. "I could only guide the keeper, not provide full truths. Besides, I wasn't lying when I said that the forms change shape. I too can change shape."

"What do you mean?" asked Riley.

The old woman smiled and her body began to glow and take on a new shape. When the light faded, standing in Fable's place was a beautiful young woman with white hair and twinkling blue eyes. Her ragged clothing had changed into white and blue robes of the finest silk. In her hand was a silver staff with gold vine wrappings.

"Holy shit!" Shamus cried out once more.

They all stared in awe. Riley stared at the woman in shock. "Who are you?"

The woman smiled. "My real name is Fabula. Back in my day, I was appointed the priestess that would protect the Omni-Materia because it had appeared before me. Back then, the planet sensed that a calamity was approaching, and thus it had appeared as a way to prevent disaster. Cetra had died by the hand of Jenova and as a result, I had to go on a pilgrimage to retrieve the fragments like you." She held out her staff for Riley. Riley gingerly took the object, observing it. "In my time, that very sceptre was what signified Order. Your sword is the very same, only it had taken a different shape for your benefit."

She took her staff back as Riley glanced at her own weapon. "So, Nemesis is the fragment of Order. It was meant to house the other five fragments. But, what about Chaos? He doesn't seem all that different from the picture."

"Chaos has changed with each keeper. He takes on a new appearance each time. At one time, he was a man."

Vincent was alarmed by this fact. "I don't believe that! He's a monster and always will be!"

Fabula chuckled. "Vincent Valentine, you're not so different from Chaos. Time has changed him, and thus he was destined to help Omega lead the lifestream to the stars in the search for a new planet. He was the guardian of the very first keeper, and her lover."

Vincent nearly lost his footing at that. "What?"

Fabula walked to the wall and ran her hand across the illustrations, some of the pictures glowing and in an instant, a stranger stood near them. They all stared at what looked like a twin of Vincent. He stared in shock at the illusion, unable to believe his eyes. The only differences between them was that this look-alike had gold irises, and his hair was much more wild. His clothes seemed reminiscent of what Chaos' appearance was. Then it clicked.

"THIS is Chaos?" Vincent shouted in disbelief.

"My gawd, this guy looks so much like the old man!" Mona commented.

Nanaki was also shocked at the appearance of this man. "I can't believe what I'm seeing."

Fabula turned towards Vincent. "Do you think it coincidence that you became one with Chaos? You are practically a reincarnation of him before he turned into the beast. You are what is left of Chaos' humanity, Vincent. So, technically, both you and him are the fragment of Chaos. Therefore, he has changed his appearance to some degree."

_**I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Chaos and I are one and the same. It's no wonder I had nightmares about him. It was no coincidence my father and Lucrecia had found the grotto. It was fate that had me intertwined with this beast. But, if he's the fragment, and I'm part of what's left of his humanity...**_

"I am Chaos," he whispered. It explained his behaviour in Midgar. He wasn't being corrupted, he was already Chaos. "I understand now."

Riley stared at Vincent, almost with sympathy. Though she wasn't sure if he wanted or needed it. Suddenly, she had this dread in her heart. She couldn't place why she felt this way, but something was definitely bothering her. "So what now? We have all the fragments. How do we utilize them."

The ex-keeper turned to the young girl before frowning for once. "I'm afraid I cannot tell you that. However, there is one requirement you must earn at this moment."

"Requirement?" Riley repeated. She and others watched as Fabula backed away. "What are you doing?"

The woman raised her staff and the temple darkened as the ground lit up, glowing blue. This alarmed everyone to the extreme and before they could draw their weapons, they were suddenly lifted by sheets of glass, however, Riley was left alone as she stared in horror. Vincent watched as the others were trapped in unbreakable glass prisons. Mona was kicking with all her might, but even with her strength, it wouldn't budge nor crack. Vincent had attempted to escape but he practically planted his face against the closing glass.

"Fable, what the hell is this?" Riley cried out in rage.

Fabula smiled sadly as the temple seemed to disappear and be replaced by a glass dimension with floating glass floors. "You must defeat me if you wish to continue your journey."

Riley was shaking and she could barely hear the others as they shouted in their prisons. "I have to what?" Reluctantly, she drew her sword, fist shaking as she tightened her grip on the handle.

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry for the delay again. I didn't feel like writing this past week, plus I had been playing a new game called Deus Ex Human Revolution. No, I haven't beaten it, but I like the game so far. Stupid glitch prevents me from finishing a side quest though. =_=. Also, because of my new laptop, which now has 8 gigs of ram, I'm able to enjoy playing Sims 2 for once without all the lag I had on my previous computer. But back on track, I did kinda force myself into writing this chapter, and I had trouble writing a certain part, so I skipped that entirely. I just kept finding the particular scene inadequate. Now, for the first time in...TWO CHAPTERS...character interviews are back! YAY!

Me: Getting straight to the point. Shamus, "What do you love more? Women or flying?" That's a good question o_o.  
Shamus: **looking around** How about women...WHILE flying?  
Mona: **hits him on the head with her weapon** You'll crash us.  
Shamus: Okay, okay...ow T_T. It's hard to decide between the two. They both give me an adrenaline rush. But if I had to chose, it'd be women. They're someone to talk to. Flying isn't exactly something I'd want to do alone. I like to share that feeling. So I guess flying is like love in one way, but with an actual person, love is more meaningful.  
Mona+Riley: O_O **is actually impressed with his answer**  
Shamus: At least, that's what I tell the ladies so they'll be impressed with the fact I can be sensitive.  
Riley: -_- I knew there was a catch.  
Mona: Idiot.  
Me: Well, I'm sold! But next question. Mona, "What were you like when you were younger? Were you always tough?"  
Mona: No, actually. I used to be a bit of a push over. My sister was the tougher sibling.  
Me: Really? Hm, I guess the mako made you crazy.  
Mona: Who's crazy?  
Me: No one! OMG ICE CREAM TRUCK OUT MY BUILDING!  
Mona: **eye twitches as she fires at the annoying music** SHUT THE FUCK UP!  
Me: =_= Poor guy. Anyway, Vincent, "Are you in love with Riley?"  
Vincent: ...No comment.  
Me: Oh c'mon!  
Vincent: No.  
Me: Is that your answer?  
Vincent: No it isn't.  
Me: So you are in love with her?  
Vincent: Yes...wait...dammit! **is totally compromised**  
Me: XD It think it's actually been established you are indeed in love with Riley. You just have yet to confess this.  
Vincent: ...No comment.  
Me: Alright, next question for you Vincent. "What DID you do with your other accessories?"  
Vincent: My gauntlet is actually in the Ancient Forest. I simply just left it there. My boots were traded for the less...pointed kind when I briefly came across travelling settlers. My headband...technically belonged to my father, which he used as a scarf. I pinned that to his grave which is located on top of a high hill close to the Chaos Grotto.  
Me: Seems reasonable enough.

Now, I'm saving the last two questions for the next chapter, which I may or may not post tomorrow. Depends on how well my brain runs today. Now, keep asking those questions. The more that read and review, the more motivation I get! And don't forget, you guys get a special treat next chapter. Something you've all been waiting for many many chapters. XD Anyway, till next chapter!


	36. Ch 35: Quelling Fears

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children Complete, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may be incorrect. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent.

* * *

**Chapter 35: Quelling Fears**

The glass prisons still would not break, no matter how much AVALANCHE would kick, punch, and Vincent even tried shooting his way out, but the shell disintegrated. The gunman gritted his teeth. "Fabula! Release us at once!"

"I cannot do that Vincent."

"Why are you doing this?" Riley demanded, visibly shaking.

The woman turned her perfectly good eyes on the girl. "To truly inherit the Omni-Materia, you must defeat the previous keeper of the stone. If you cannot defeat me, you are not worthy to carry on as its protector. If you lose, and I will not go easy on you, you will lose your right to summon the Eighth Knight. Your friends will not be permitted to help you. This is a battle you must win with your own strength."

"Dammit!" Vincent cursed as he pounded a fist on the glass.

Riley swallowed hard. She had rarely fought battles on her own. Seeing the magic Fabula possessed instilled doubt in her mind. "How will I know if I've lost?"

"When you're dead."

"That's bullshit!" Shamus shouted. "And completely unfair! That chick is already dead!"

Mona agreed, still pounding her fist on the glass. "How is she supposed to defeat a dead person?"

Nanaki seemed relatively calm. "She can do it. Riley! If I could defeat the spectre of the Gi's chief, you can certainly beat this woman!"

Riley raised her head. He was right. How could she have forgotten that battle? However, this wasn't a video game, this was reality. She had to focus. Much to everyone's surprise, she planted her feet, crouching only slightly as she raised her sword above her head in a stance. The doubt on her visage gone, leaving only determination in her ice blue eyes. The enemy would never go easy on her, why should Fabula? If she had to earn her right as a Keeper of the Omni-Materia, then she would do it without question.

"Alright, let's do this." She could almost hear the boss battle theme in her head.

Fabula began walking around the battle platform, as if circling her. Riley just shifted her feet as she watched the woman. Kicking off the ground, she didn't wait for Fabula to make the first move. She ran at her, using her legs to propel her to an amazing speed. Fabula spun out of the way as Riley swung Nemesis at her, slamming the blade to the ground. Fabula used her staff to block the upwards horizontal swing, causing her to go flying, flipping in the air and skidding back as she landed on her feet.

Riley refused to give the woman any time to recover as she kept running, blade hanging behind her. She swung her blade again and Fabula ducked, twisted her body, swinging her leg knocking Riley off her own feet. Grunting as she hit the ground, she rolled out of the way as the staff went to slam right into her torso. She just kept rolling as the spectre went to stun her. Using the sword to block the onslaught, she used the hook part of her blade to catch the pole and used the firm grip Fabula had on her weapon to her advantage, using the momentum to help herself up, though Fabula succeeded in flipping out of the way of her next swing, kicking the sword out of her hand in the air.

Thrusting the staff at Riley's torso multiple times, the constant attack stunned the girl into immobilization. Spinning around, she practically batted Riley away. The girl skidded across the floor with a groan just as the sword clattered to the ground far from her reach. Now she was unarmed. Or was she? Fabula practically glided across the floor, jumping into the air and ready to slam the weapon onto Riley.

Riley rolled onto her back, raising the bottom of her feet up to block the attack before grabbing the offending object. Placing her feet down, she pulled on the staff before thrusting it right back into Fabula's stomach, chest, then sternum. Fabula let go, stunned by the assault, trying to recover. Jumping to her feet, Riley spun around, twirling the staff as well before slamming the object across Fabula's face, then again into her back. Fabula fell forward then slowly rose to her feet. Riley was shocked by how she was able to use the staff like she had used it before.

Fabula took advantage of her shock, yanking the weapon out of her grip, though pulling on her allowed the woman to elbow Riley in the face. Slowly, she backed away, the staff glowing. The others watched the intense battle as Riley held her face in pain. After recovering, she glared at the spectre before her. She considered moving to grab her sword, but she felt she didn't need it quite yet. She wasn't entirely unarmed.

Vincent gritted her teeth, silently praying she'd get out of this alive. The Shamus and Mona shouted and cheered for Riley, encouraging to kick the hell out of Fabula. What a fantastic idea, Riley decided. Charging at the woman and jumping into the air, she began to deliver a series of kicks. Each attack was blocked and Fabula tossed Riley high into the air. Riley twisted her body, noticing that a piece of materia had fallen from her pocket. Eyes narrowing, she caught the sphere, pressing the magic ball into her right bicep before it disappeared into her arm.

As she flew towards the ground, her arm charged up with electricity as she prepared to send a deadly punch. Fabula jumped away as Riley landed, punching the ground, sending a shock wave, sending the woman skidding back. Straightening her stance, ticking could be heard as a green arcane circle with a minute hand and an hour hand spun around glowed beneath her bare feet, spinning around, eyes flashing green. Shit, Riley mentally cursed.

Eyes unable to keep up with the woman, Riley was surprised by a series of attacks from the side, the front and behind. She couldn't block any of the attacks much to her annoyance. Why didn't Riley have time materia? Suddenly, she was tripped, but lifted into the air, spun around the staff, then tossed into the floor. The force caused her to cough up blood. Vincent pounded on the glass again.

"Get up! I—no—WE taught you better than that!"

She panted, spitting out the blood that had pooled in her mouth, struggling to move to her feet. Fabula stepped onto her back, forcing her back to the floor. Riley screamed in agony, the pain in her chest surfacing. Nemesis would be helpful right about now. She shakily reached for her blade, but it was too far away. The weapon wasn't going to come to her like in the Star Wars movies. She had to think of another way.

"I'm sorry Riley," Fabula said solemnly as she went to strike the final blow.

Her fingers curled into fists before screaming and pushing at the added weight. "Fuck your apologies!"

Riley soon pushed her off, barely standing on her feet. She had no time to sway. Right now, retrieving her sword was a priority. Fabula was already on her though, but Riley turned around just in time, leaning back, and kicking her off into the air. Speed meant nothing in the air. Jumping up after her, spinning her body forward with one leg out, she slammed a kick into Fabula's back, bringing her into the ground. Riley landed, nearly falling over as she gripped her chest. Realizing the sword was right at her feet, she bent over to pick it up. As she gripped the handle, Fabula tripped her again. Riley rolled forward and back onto her feet again, but nearly fell off the edge. Catching her balance again, she rolled to the side to dodge the next swing of the staff.

Fabula backed away like she did before. Riley glanced at her sword, going into her pockets for her materia. Filling the four unoccupied slots, she went into another stance. Fabula swung huge fireballs from the end of her staff, each attack causing small explosions upon impact. Riley ran around the arena. She swung her sword, a wall of ice appearing on the edge and she ran up the wall, still circling around Fabula as the fireballs were still impacting by the heels of her boots. She created a spiral wall of ice, still running until she was high above the spectre.

As fireballs flew up at her, she used her sword to bat them away, aiming them directly at her frozen staircase, causing it to collapsed in large pieces towards the woman. Riley jumped onto a falling piece of ice, nearly slipping off, jumping from one chunk to the next to keep from falling to her death. Landing on the glass arena again Fabula screamed as she was buried under large chunks of ice.

Riley looked at the pile, raising her arm to shield her face as ice went flying from a small explosion of fire. Fabula raised her staff, face emotionless. "You'll have to try harder than that."

_Believe me, that's not all I have up my sleeve. But damn, if this goes on, my chest pain is going to overwhelm me._ Riley rubbed her chest with obvious discomfort. The others could see it as well. Vincent gritted his teeth. If only he could find a way to help her. Despite the dire predicament, he noticed that she wasn't giving up, staring down her opponent with that same determination.

Without her fifth slot in her sword, she couldn't use the Terra Wave, and she should never use Blue Phoenix unless she was certain it would win her the battle. She couldn't keep swinging her sword. Suddenly, she had an idea. She looked to the others in their prisons. Vincent's brows burrowed in confusion, trying to understand what she was asking of him. Riley's thumb tapped on the Valour materia on her sword and it clicked.

He nodded, looking at Shamus. "Shamus, you and I are the only ones capable of helping Riley at this point."

"How is that? We can't even get out of these stupid ice cubes!"

"You and I are the only other ones equipped with _magic_."

Shamus blinked, eventually getting the drift. "Alright. Riley needs our help, we'll give it."

Both of them pulled out red materia as Mona and Nanaki observed curiously. Equipping their weapons, they struck the glass walls, Shamus grinning when summon pentagrams appeared outside their prisons. Bahamut soon flew in as Leviathan slithered out of the melted ice, roaring at Fabula as they stood between her and Riley. Riley took a step back, taking this moment to catch her breath as she attempted to come up with a sound plan, looking among her materia.

"What is she doing?" asked Mona. "I thought she had a plan with you guys."

"She's tired Mona. In case you haven't noticed, in Riley's current condition, she won't be able to win this fight on her own. We're not much help being stuck in here, but the least we can do is provide her with some time to recover."

"Besides, she didn't say we couldn't summon, did she?" Shamus retorted.

"I guess."

Nanaki just watched below. "Riley won't last much longer at this rate. I know she took her medicine, but this battle is taking a toll on her. That and she just recovered from the compression we were suffering from."

Fabula didn't seem all that worried. Her staff glowed and what looked like two small black holes appeared under the summons, slowly swallowing them. "I told you four that you were not permitted to interfere."

"Fuck!"

Vincent growled. "Dammit! I had no idea she had such power."

"Dammit all to hell, does she honestly believe this is fair? Riley's really going to die at this rate!"

"Shut up, Shamus. She's not going to die. Look."

Everyone looked at Riley, the materia changed on her sword. What combination did she plan on using this time? Fabula almost seemed to glide towards her at high speed. Riley stepped out of the way, grabbing the woman's hair, turning around as she slammed the end of the hilt into her face. Still turning, she threw the spectre, sending her skidding across the ground. Fabula groaned, slowly getting up.

"It seems you truly have become strong, child. I was beginning to doubt you halfway through this battle."

"You may push me down, but I won't be out."

Fabula smiled. "Good girl. Now come at me."

They both went into a stance before charging at each other. Weapons collided, waves of flames and electricity flying, charring their clothes. They pushed on each other, trying to overpower the other, their feet firm on the ground. Riley smirked suddenly, pulling on the trigger of her weapon as the thunder materia was suddenly amplified to a higher power, surging from one weapon to another, and making Fabula scream from the high voltage.

Steam rose off the spectre as she panted, swinging her staff. Riley blocked it, and they were parrying constantly, sparks flying off both weapons till both had become hot from the constant friction. They both stopped, weapons lowered, hunched over with exhaust. Riley decided now was the time. She screamed as she raised her sword high, slamming the blade downwards and an expanding black ball of gravity flew straight at Fabula, hitting her directly, too exhausted to dodge in time. She screamed in pain and panted before looking at Riley with what looked like a glare.

Much to her surprise, Riley was already in the air high above her. Screaming out, she landed on the spectre, driving the sword right through her, the staff clattering away from reach. Riley panted as there was a dead silence. Fabula lied there in shock. However, she did not seem to be in discomfort. Instead of bleeding, she smiled.

"Victory is yours, Miss Tombs."

Riley blinked, realizing what she had done. "Oh god...I..."

"Do not fret. I'm already dead." Her smile only grew. "You only served to release me. Now I can finally rest and find my way to the lifestream."

Riley got off her, releasing her sword. The strange dimension seemed to disappear and everyone was back in the underwater temple. The glass prisons disappeared and everyone fell to the ground, with Shamus being the only one unsuccessful with landing on his feet. He groaned as the others looked at the fallen keeper.

"Riley, there is something you should know. Once you go to have the final showdown with Genesis, you will need the power of the Omni-Materia to defeat him. He has found a way to achieve unimaginable power, and it won't just be this world that will suffer from him, but your world as well."

Riley's eyes widened. "What? What do you mean by that?"

"You coming here has created a doorway. Unless that door is shut and locked, he'll find a way to your world once he learns of your origins. You must use the materia to seal that door."

Riley was suddenly shaking. Her own world was in danger...because of her? Suddenly the pressure had increased, and the pain of her recent battle made her collapse from exhaust and shock. Vincent caught her, also shaken up by Fabula's words. So, it wasn't just one world that was in danger, it was two.

"You must find your way, young Riley. Just remember you're not alone in this." She smiled once more. "It's been so long since I've felt at peace. This is goodbye."

"W-wait!" Riley suddenly knelt beside her. "Don't go. What if I have questions that need answers? What if I can't figure out what to do next?"

Fabula raised her hand to stroke Riley's cheek, surprising her. "Have faith." Lowering her hand, her body began to dissipate into the green glitter. And for a moment, Riley thought she was the old woman again. Fabula soon whispered one last encouragement. "Don't be afraid." And then she was completely gone.

* * *

Decompression took longer than expected, taking them two days to reach the ocean surface again. Riley had not spoken at all and would only see Mona in her room. The males in the group seemed worried, especially Vincent. Perhaps the shock was too much and she needed to confide in a fellow female as opposed to the men. Vincent sat in silence on the bridge while Shamus flew them to Cosmo Canyon.

When they walked through the entrance, Riley went straight up to the observatory and to bed. Mona had followed after her in silence. Nanaki was greeted enthusiastically and he informed them of his travels so far, leaving out more personal details. Once they learned that Rosso had been defeated, the villagers decided to celebrate their victory. Shamus had decided to go to the pub, feeling he needed to loosen up after all the tension. Once they discovered Vincent himself was alive, they stared in awe at him. He walked away to avoid all the attention.

Vincent decided he would leave the village for awhile, and come back later in the night to check on Riley. He wandered the canyon as night approached, heading straight for the Ancient Forest. He found the hut Fable used to stay in...and constantly offer them soup. He wondered if this place still had it. Searching the housing, he eventually found a loose floor board. Moving it aside, he reached into the hidden stash of what looked like junk. Pulling out a bundle that clinked as he picked it up, he moved aside the wrappings, revealing the old gauntlet. Perhaps this would come in handy again. He pondered its usefulness. Perhaps the object itself would serve as a way to cheer up Riley.

Heading back to the village was a short trip at his highest speed, and everything was silent upon his return. Seems the party didn't last long. He climbed his way to the observatory, entering the house in silence. Nanaki was sleeping on the floor while Shamus took the couch. Vincent climbed up to the second level swiftly, half hanging off of the ladder to find Mona on the spare couch in the room, but the bed was empty, sheets tossed aside carelessly. Where was Riley?

She couldn't have gone far, he decided, climbing up further. Quietly, he opened the steel door to the balcony outside, the highest viewpoint of Cosmo Canyon. There she was, standing close to the railing, hair let down, wind gently picking it up. He pondered whether he should leave her be. No, he told himself. He'd confront her on the issue. She had to talk to him eventually.

"Riley," he began, accidentally startling her. "Sorry."

She shook her head, after finding out it was him. "It's okay."

He noticed her shiver and he moved closer, standing behind her, placing his poncho over her head. "It's cold out."

She blinked in surprise and he could almost sense her smile. "Why do you keep doing that?"

"Doing what?"

"Offering your cloak."

"My way of being a gentleman, I suppose," he replied with a shrug. "Why are you out here?"

"I was trying to sort out my thoughts."

"Do you wish to talk about it?" She said nothing, implying that she didn't. "Riley, I know I was a terrible friend, but you can tell me what's bothering you. I'll do what I can to make it better."

She swallowed, lowering her head, gripping the poncho as she attempted to form the words. "I don't think you can do anything to make it better. I just...think it's so...hard." He could hear her voice beginning to crack. "So much stress keeps piling on and on, and I can't keep up." She felt his hands on her shoulders, gently squeezing them. "Going to that hidden temple suddenly made reality slap me straight in the face. I can't help but begin to worry. Maybe I'm just being paranoid and getting ahead of myself."

He frowned. "Riley...whatever happens, I'll always protect you."

She suddenly let out a sob, confusing him. "That's what I'm afraid of. Once this whole thing is over, if you and Chaos are one and the same, and the fragments disappear along with the materia, what if you disappear too?" Vincent never thought of that. No wonder she was upset. In an attempt to ease her fears, he turned her around and wrapped his arms around her, placing one hand on the back of her head as she gripped the front of his shirt, hiding her face in his chest. "And not only that, you almost died protecting me before. I can't take that! And on top of that, I got two worlds instead of one to think about! Everyone is counting on me, and it's too much!"

What was she saying? Vincent couldn't handle her tears. He preferred her smile and smug attitude over this. Here she was, clinging to him for answers, and he didn't know what to give her. All he could do was let her cry on him. No. He could give her one thing, and didn't even bother to think about the consequences that would follow. All he wanted at the moment was to stop Riley's tears one way or another.

"Riley..."

He waited a beat, but she didn't answer, only emitting sobs that she was attempting to suppress with no success. Before she could react, he had her pressed against the wall, swallowing her gasp of surprise when he closed the distance, lifting her chin by cupping her cheek. His lips brushed hers at first before he made full contact, full of his desire to take away her worries and fears. She remained rigid, reddened eyes wide with shock. Was this man truly doing what she thought he was doing?

The sobs had stopped, he mentally observed with pleasant optimism. He couldn't help but notice how soft her lips felt. He was almost tempted to nibble on them to satisfy some spontaneous urge. However, he knew if he did that, he would begin to want more than her lips, and Vincent was certain that Riley wasn't ready for that. After a full minute of simply enjoying the taste of her lips, he finally pulled away, chancing a look at her face. She looked utterly shocked and had wondered if he had done a terrible thing. It was too soon, he realized. He allowed his emotions to slip, and he had gone too far.

He swallowed hard, backing away from her. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. Goodnight." With that, he left her completely confused, not even noticing that she slid down the wall to her knees.

_**What the hell is wrong with me...?**_

* * *

**A/N:** I wanted to write a part where Vincent would ravage her on the wall, making her world alright again. However...this seems more...appropriate, and I shouldn't give into the sexy urges too much. But...HAHA! Vincent has just stolen Riley's first kiss, and so it will lead to major awkwardness and more fluff! That whole scene just basically unlocked what could either be a long list of comical moments in the next chapter, or simple angst amongst the future couple. I think I will go with the former. The tension is getting high and Riley needs a break from depression XD. Anyway, onto a couple of questions I didn't get answered last chapter. And damn, I updated fast.

Me: Alrighty then. The first is for Riley. "Would you rather go back to earth and have your time on Gaia as a distant memory or stay and get closer to Vincent and the gang?"  
Riley: That's easy! I'd rather stay! But I miss my cat. I hope Marcus is feeding him T_T.  
Me: I miss Whiskey too :(. Anyway, Nanaki, "How did you feel when all the original members of AVALANCHE died?"  
Nanaki: **sighs** I miss them greatly. I was truly devastated. I still am, especially learning that Genesis killed them on purpose to force the Omni-Materia into existence.  
Me: Yeah, that's a real bummer. It would have been cool to have at least Cid around. That would have been interesting to see how Cid and Shamus interact with one another. Anyway, onto other questions I have just received...NOW. XD Nanaki, "What are you planning to do once all of this is over?"  
Nanaki: Well, I know I will be looking for my future mate, Deneh.  
Me: D: THERE'S A GIRL IN WAITING? Wait, I thought it was spelled Dine.  
Nanaki: It's Deneh. It's on the FFVII Wikia.  
Me: Nanaki has a GIRLFRIEND! :D  
Nanaki: **blushes**  
Me: Next! Shamus, "Do you have a crush on Mona?"  
Mona: **chokes**  
Shamus: ...Well, she's got surprisingly nice legs. Does that still count?  
Mona: **punches him square in the face** Idiot.  
Shamus: x_x  
Me: Riiigh...t. Mona, "What was your first weapon/present?"  
Mona: My first present? I don't recall that far back. My first weapon? Well, does a spork count?  
Me: **grins** Absolutely! It's the ultimate weapon for beating. Not much damage, but it can be quite the irritant. :D  
Mona: :D  
Me: Final question. Vincent and Riley, "Are you guys gonna get married and have kids at the end of the story?"  
Riley: **still hasn't recovered from the shock of the kiss**  
Vincent: ...No comment. Shouldn't the _author_ answer that one?  
Me: Sigh...fine. No. XD It's inevitable that they'll be in love with each other, however, marriage and kids are a bit soon, even if it's the ending of the story. The end is ****semi-spoiler**** going to focus mainly around a dilemma. And that is all I shall tell you. Depending on how I end the story, I may create a small sequel revolving around "life-afterwards". That is, if I feel like it. Chances are I might anyway.  
Vincent: Can I ask you a question? Can I take a vacation from this ridiculous story?  
Me: ...NO. :D  
Vincent: =_= **not impressed**

And that's the end of this chapter's interviews. Don't forget to keep writing more questions in your reviews. They won't admit it, but the characters love the attention. XD Not sure how soon I'll update after this chapter. Do you KNOW how many times I've listened to "Still More Fighting (remastered)"? LOTS. It was great inspiration to the battle between Riley and Fabula. I needed classic FFVII inspiration. Until next chapter, read and review!


	37. Ch 36: Confession

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children Complete, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may be incorrect. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent.

* * *

**Chapter 36: Confession**

Vincent was in his quarters upon the airship, tweaking his leg since it had been awhile since he gave it proper maintenance. Morning had come quickly, and he used the opportunity to pass the time and get his mind off of what happened only hours ago. Also, he didn't want to draw any attention to himself from the villagers. It was bad enough that he hid for twenty years. Finally deciding he tweaked the leg enough, he reattached it. He walked into his personal bathroom, looking into the mirror, leaning on the sink.

Why on Gaia did he practically force that kiss on her? He had better self control than that. Now the girl was possibly outraged by his bold move. Extremely bold move. Sighing, he turned on the shower, becoming just as damp as his mood. Letting the water run over the back of his head, he leaned on the wall, water going down his back. He closed his eyes, picturing that time he spotted Riley in the river bathing herself. That was the only time he recalled seeing her nude. He wondered if she knew he was watching at the time. Ha, ridiculous. She would have immediately called him out on it.

Before he could stop it, an image of him joining her in the river emerged. His eyes shot open before laughing at himself. "Like that would happen."

Still, he couldn't deny that he enjoyed the short fantasy. There was nothing wrong with having such...male thoughts. What the hell was he thinking? Of course there was something wrong with it! He banged his head against the wall, scowling at himself. It has been way too long. Eighty years too long since he had bedded a woman. Why would he have such forbidden thoughts now? That kiss stirred up his hormones, much to his chagrin. He looked at the offending object between his legs.

"I hate you. Stop thinking for me." He looked at the wall and hit his head again, eye twitching in pain before turning off the hot water.

* * *

Riley came down for breakfast, greeting everyone with a yawn. "'Morning."

Shamus looked over. "Pancakes and bacon again?"

"Yes please." She sat down, pouring herself a glass of orange juice, downing it to rid of the sleep aftertaste.

Mona watched Riley. "I saw Vincent go up to the balcony to see you last night."

Riley blinked then started choking, coughing hard. Nanaki's ears perked in surprise. "Are you alright?"

Riley cleared her throat once the fit was over with, laughing nervously. "Yeah."

Damn, and she had just gotten over the shock before going to sleep last night. She wasn't even certain if it had actually happened. For now, she decided to consider it as a dream and nothing more. If Vincent walked in and act liked nothing happened, she would feel silly for believing it actually happened. Mona was still staring at her. Riley could feel the sweat begin to form on her forehead.

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

"What did you talk about?" she asked, drinking a cup of coffee.

"U-uh..." She could feel everyone's eyes on her. "N-nothing important. He just wanted to see if I took my medicine then said goodnight."

There was an uncomfortable silence and Nanaki eyed her curiously. "Speaking of which, where is Vincent this morning?"

"I think the villagers here feel weirded out by the fact he's alive," Shamus offered.

Mona took another sip of her java. "I think he might have spent the night on the ship instead."

Nanaki and Shamus just nodded but Riley didn't say or do anything. She just ate her breakfast quietly. She had a piece of bacon hanging from her mouth when she went into a daze. The others looked at her, blinking in confusion. The sound of the front door opening snapped her back to reality, turning her eyes to find Vincent staring straight at her. Another uncomfortable silence took place as the others looked between the pair. Riley eventually blushed and turned her face towards her plate, stuffing her mouth, a whole pancake hanging from her mouth.

Vincent turned his eyes away, walking straight up to the table. "Shamus, we came here because you wished to transfer Shelke onto the ship?"

"Yeah?"

"How long will that take?"

"Mm, approximately two days, and that should only be at the most."

"Alright, get on that when you're done. Mona, I want you to assist me with something."

She blinked. "With what?"

"Meet me at the village gate when you're done. You won't need your weapon though. Nanaki..."

"What is it?"

"I'll have to speak to you when I return with Mona later. Where will you be after sunset?"

"Just come here when you come back."

Vincent nodded then looked at Riley. "I want..."

She choked again, alarming everyone. His pause made her lose herself. She raised her hand before gulping down more juice, sighing in relief. "I'm fine."

He cleared his throat, starting over. "I want you to rest. That's not a request," he said firmly, eyeing her.

"O-okay," she said. Everybody noticed the blush then blinked at Vincent who was acting like he didn't see it.

* * *

"Okay, tell me why we left the village."

"I need a sparring partner today," he explained, shedding his poncho. "If you're up to it of course."

She blinked then grinned, cracking her knuckles. "Of course I am. Why me though?"

"I should be training Riley, however, she's temporarily out of commission, but I feel the need to release some...steam. Also, you're the only one who's on par with me in terms of strength."

"Ah," she replied lamely.

They stared at each other as Vincent shed his gloves. A pause before the gloves thud softly upon his poncho and they were already charging at each other. They both went to throw punches, only bumping fists, the force causing red dust to fly. Mona swung around, leg flying at his face as he raised an arm to block it, bringing his mechanical leg up to deliver his own kick, but she bent back to dodge it, raising another leg to boot him in the chest.

He grunted, staggering slightly, quickly recovering before she could send an upwards kick at his face. Catching her foot, he twisted her around and she landed on her stomach. He went to stomp on her back, but she swung her leg and he tripped, but landed on his hands. Moving to his feet with a single push, he caught her flying fist, pulled her forward then thrust his own fist at her stomach.

She staggered back a bit, both of them panting. "So..."

"What...?"

"What happened between you and Riley last night?"

His eyes narrowed and suddenly he had caught his breath. "Nothing happened."

She stood up straight. "Something happened alright. She's been flustered all morning."

"Whatever you _think_ happened isn't any of your business."

"I just wanna make sure you don't lie to her again."

He froze at that. Sighing he looked towards the village in the distance. "No, I promised Riley I wouldn't lie to her anymore."

"Good. Because you know what happened last time because of that."

"I haven't forgotten. Last night had nothing do to with that. We talked, that's all."

She watched him impassively before shrugging. "If you say so. I'm just looking out for her."

He smiled wryly. "I know."

"It's just she admires you and you two are close. I just got curious, is all."

"Again, that's none of your business. It's between Riley and I. Now, enough talking."

* * *

Shamus cursed, electrocuting himself for the umpteenth time that day. He was following Shelke's instructions to the minute detail, but even he had to admit that computers were not his forte. He hissed when the electrical wiring zapped him again.

"God dammit!"

"It seems you were successful in transferring my consciousness," rang out a voice within the room.

"About god damn time!" he cursed again. "Now that you're online again, Shelke. Run me step by step through this, would ya?"

"Of course. I wish to inquire about Vincent Valentine though."

"What about him?" he asked as he closed the panel.

"He is actually alive?"

"Yeah."

"I see. I am glad to hear this."

He snorted. "Yeah. I suppose people would be glad."

"Moving on, have you found a girlfriend yet?"

"Why do you ask?"

"You're always chasing women. Has Miss Riley given in to your nonexistent _charms_?"

"Nonexistent? I have _plenty_ of charm!"

"Well?"

"No," he replied sheepishly. "I couldn't flirt too much with her. She's been dealing with a lot lately. After all, she nearly died."

"I'm sorry to hear that. I'm glad she's feeling well these days though."

"To answer your question though, no, I haven't found one."

"Who is the other woman who accompanied you back here?"

"Who? Oh, her." He snorted. "Mona Vespa. She's a member of a rebel group her sister Stella is in charge of."

"I see. Judging from your reaction, she doesn't take kindly to your advances."

His eye twitched. "She's a total cock blocker! A major bitch! She calls me idiot and hits me over the head all the time! She takes my compliments the wrong way and hits me for that!"

Shelke didn't say anything for several minutes as Shamus replaced the panel over the wiring. "You're completely attracted to her, aren't you?"

"Fuck no!" he denied rather swiftly.

"I was only asking..."

* * *

Nanaki was waiting by the Cosmo Candle, relaxing to the sound of music of his very own homeland. He had done everything he needed to in the village, so now he was waiting for Vincent to return, rather than wait for him at the house. He had checked on Riley recently who was sleeping after taking her medicine. Finally, Vincent and Mona were stepping through the gate. Vincent noticed Nanaki immediately, striding over to him as Mona went back to the observatory to take a shower.

Nanaki raised his head at him. "You said you wanted to speak with me."

Vincent joined him, sitting on the ground with his left leg outstretched with his right arm resting on the knee of his right. "Yeah. I need your word that you won't speak about this to either Mona or Shamus. I don't need them scolding me."

"My word...what have you done _this_ time? Wait, you didn't say Riley."

"It involves Riley. I suggest you don't talk to her about it either."

"Why is this?"

"You'll know as soon as I give you the details, but I'd rather talk about it in a more private setting."

"I see." The feline looked around before looking back at Vincent. "Outside the village then." Both of them getting to their feet, they left in silence. After ten minutes of walking to a high cliff, Nanaki lied near the edge, his front paws hanging over it. Vincent stood next to him, staring at the lands before him. "Now, tell me what happened."

"I did something I shouldn't have."

"And this would be?"

"It's bad."

"How bad?"

"Really bad."

"Again, what did you do?"

Vincent hesitated. "I..."

"Oh, spit it out before I decide to bite your good leg!"

"I kissed her."

"You _what_?" His good eye widened in shock. "You...you're not serious, are you?" Vincent gave him a look. "Right, you're almost always serious. And?"

"What do you mean, _and_?"

"What happened after that?"

Vincent sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I apologized and left."

"No wonder she was flustered and choking this morning."

Vincent had an aura of gloom over his head. "I couldn't help it."

Nanaki snorted. "Did she say anything before you left?"

"I didn't give her a chance to say anything."

"How did this occur, anyway?"

He could still remember her sobs. Hell, he still smelled her tears on his clothes. "The stress is getting to her. After what happened at the temple, she started to break down and began crying. I was...trying to comfort her."

"And...you thought kissing her was the appropriate method?" Nanaki tried to clarify.

"I wasn't thinking."

"Clearly," Nanaki stated almost instantly with an impassive expression before chuckling and shaking his head. "I think...now you're ready to know."

Curiosity piqued Vincent's interest as he turned to his old friend. "What are you talking about?"

Nanaki looked back at him. "The secret Riley has kept from you. Her reason to why she wanted to meet you personally." Vincent felt his heart rate pick up. "The secret I believed would destroy you indefinitely when we all thought Riley was dead."

Vincent swallowed before inhaling deeply to prepare himself. "What is it?"

"When I tell you this, I don't want you making rash moves." Vincent nodded almost too quickly for his liking. "I mean it, Vincent."

The ex-Turk sighed. "Alright."

Nanaki watched him for a full minute before looking ahead of himself. "She wanted to know something..." He pieced the words together carefully. "She told me, in her world, she was obsessed with you. Considered you her favourite _character_. When she came to this world and believed you were still alive somewhere, she thought if she met you in person, she could truly find out if her feelings for you were genuine."

"Feelings?"

"She wanted to know if she loved you. However, she admits that she doesn't really understand love, so she wanted to see if she would experience the emotions that come with love."

Vincent's eyes widened. What...what was Nanaki saying to him? All this time, Riley just wanted to know if she actually loved him. Knowing this put his whole world in a new perspective. He stood there, visibly shaking. He didn't know what he felt. Relief? Excitement? However, there was still one problem. He didn't know whether Riley actually loved him or not. He wanted to hunt her down and find out for himself, but he promised he wouldn't do anything rash. Slowly, he dropped to his knees, smiling in such a saddened way that it almost looked like he would cry.

"Vincent?" Nanaki watched him with concern.

"Do...do you know how she feels now?" he asked hesitantly.

Nanaki frowned, shaking his head again. "I'm sorry, I don't. What are you going to do, now that you know?"

"I don't know," he replied honestly. "I'm already set on how I feel about her. Though I understand why you couldn't tell me before."

The beast nodded, looking thoughtful. "I'm happy for you Vincent. Just be careful on how you approach this."

"I know," said Vincent, rising to his feet again. "Where is she?" he asked softly.

"She's resting, just like you told her to." The gunman nodded, walking back to the village.

* * *

Shamus was wrapping bandages around his stung fingers with a whine. "Stupid wiring!"

"Oh shut up! It's your own fault for not wearing rubbing gloves, idiot!"

Shamus glared at her. "How about _you_ shut up for once?" He hissed, fumbling with the first aid. "God dammit!"

Drumming her fingers upon the table, she eventually got fed up with his annoying grumblings. "Oh for fuck sakes! Here." She carelessly grabbed his hands, making him yelp in pain as she began to unwrap his terrible mess and wrap his fingers properly. "You really are an idiot."

He blinked and watched her hands at work, flinching only every now and then. The woman was surprisingly being gentle with him, minus the careless grabbing due to her impatience with him. "You're, uh, pretty good at that."

"First aid is an essential to learn when you're at war with Tsviets."

He nodded slightly, before looking at her face. "So, um, when you're not beating the crap out of me, what do you do for fun?"

She scoffed with what sounded like amusement. "Fantasize about beating the crap out of you, I guess, because you're such a moron."

"Oh goody! You know how to use synonyms!" A thwack across the top of his head, the pain was instantaneous. "Ow..."

"You sure know how to run your fucking mouth."

"Damn, you're as mouthy as my grandfather."

"My _mouthiness_ is a result of my allergy to you."

"Mouthy _and_ witty! Who would have thunk it!" He flinched away from another fist before she could inflict more pain. "I'm kidding! Take a joke, woman!"

She snorted. "It's hard to take a joke when's it's difficult to tell whether you're being a smartass or not."

He was silent for awhile, not sure how to respond to that. He turned his eyes to her face. She looked so focused on the task in an angry sort of way, but he noticed the way her expression softened with the silence. "You know," he began, causing her to look up at him curiously, "you're rather pretty when you have a kind face."

She blinked in surprise at his claim. The blush that came was unstoppable and she frantically quickened at the task, looking back down at his hands. "Stop fooling around, stupid!"

"Ow, ow, OW! Be more gentle! And I was being honest! Besides, I was just thinking it'd be nice to see you smile a little more often. Girls are much more prettier when they smile." She glared at him instead, scaring him. "Or...you can choose not to. Ah ha ha, your choice."

She huffed, securing the bandages. "There, done. No more bitching for the rest of the night from you."

He flexed his hands stiffly. "Thanks." He smiled at her softly and she blushed again. "Why are you blushing?" he asked.

"I-I'm not!"

"Contrariwise, I believe you are. It's easy to tell on your face. You're so pale."

"I told you to stop fooling around!" she demanded with a defiant tone, the reddening on her face getting worse with his claims.

"See?" he pointed out, poking her cheeks. Reflexively, she grabbed his hand, earning herself a yelp from the pilot. "Ow!"

She released him immediately, actually looking apologetic before looking at him. They were both silent for the longest time. Mouths partly open, eyes wide. Shamus' eyelid dropped halfway, and she thought she could see some dark emotion in his brown orbs. It was almost hypnotic the way he stared at her. She felt something in the pit of her stomach, but it wasn't disgust of any form. She actually shivered, making her abruptly stand up and walk away.

"Mona," he said, getting up after her, grabbing her shoulder and turning her around.

"No...I..." she stammered, unable to form coherent words from incoherent thoughts.

"Trust me," he whispered, already a breath away.

She felt his arms slither around her waist and the amazon felt frozen, taken over by some foreign emotion. However, they both heard the front door open, and turned their surprised but guilty expressions towards Vincent and Nanaki, who looked just as shocked as they were. It was an entire deer-caught-in-headlights scenario.

Nanaki cleared his throat. "Um, should we come back at a later hour?"

It took Mona five more seconds to realize where Shamus' hands were. Right on her rear end. She turned her eyes right back to Shamus, and his expression turned from guilty, to perverted victory, grinning boyishly as he squeezed a couple times, as if to make a point. _Honk honk_. She screamed angrily, punching him into the nearest wall, nearly breaking his jaw. With that, she stormed out of the house with heat radiating off her as she passed the other two.

Shamus half laughed, rubbing his jaw, having slid down the wall, legs outstretched across the floor. The feline shook his head and Vincent only gave him a stoic expression. "I guess I had that coming." An afterthought. "She totally digs me though." The other males sighed.

The ex-Turk strode past the shameless individual now residing on the floor, quietly making his way up to the second floor. Shamus looked at Nanaki quizzically. "Don't worry about it," said Nanaki.

Meanwhile, Vincent silently walked to the bedside where Riley was sleeping, her back towards the ladder. Carefully, he took a seat on the bed, merely watching her sleep. He placed his gloves on the nightstand then removed his poncho, letting it drape over his knee for the moment. All he wanted was to take in the moment. He was tempted to slide up behind her on the bed and drape his arm over her. Fingers reached out to slowly comb through her hair. Recoiling his hand as she begun to stir, she turned over, sleepily opening her eyes.

Surprise took over, and she tensed. "Vincent? What are...you doing?"

He just smiled softly. "I'm just checking in on you. Go back to sleep."

She seemed uncertain, he noticed. Slowly, she sat up, almost at eye level with him. "Vincent, did..."

"The other night actually happen? Yes," he replied softly. "I'm sorry if it was out of place."

She watched him. "If?"

He inhaled, contemplating whether he should say it or not. "Nanaki...told me about why you came looking for me."

"He...he what?" She looked utterly embarrassed. He stopped her before she could hide her face in the pillow, placing his bare hand on her own, though he lowered his eyes.

"I'm sorry if what I did only served to confuse you." He raised his eyes to meet her own, raising that same hand to gently stroke her cheek. "My feelings for you are so strong that I wanted to do anything to see you smile again." Instead of shock, he was greeted by a soft but somewhat mature expression from her. He allowed himself to place his forehead against hers, making his confession all the more intimate. "I don't just care about you, Riley."

Her bottom lip quivered, eyes shimmering with a strange feeling in her chest, but it wasn't the pain she had been enduring for over a month. This was different. "Vincent..."

His brows burrowed in frustration. He needed to say it, even if in the end she may decided she doesn't feel the same, he had to say it. He made the mistake of not admitting his true feelings to Lucrecia. He would not, and _will not_ make the same mistake with Riley. He put every ounce of his passion into next forbidden move.

"_I'm in love with you._"

Ice blue eyes grew so large, he was almost certain that they'd pop out of their sockets. He could feel her tremble beneath his fingertips. Feeling like she was losing her balance, she tightly gripped the front of his shirt. Her mouth had gone dry and her mind was a giant mess, trying to put together her response. She knew what she wanted to say. Her heart was beating a mile a minute, making it difficult to breathe.

Before she could say what she felt, he placed his fingertips on her lips, instantly silencing her. "Shh. I'm not expecting anything, and I won't rush you. I just felt you should know this to clear up everything. It doesn't condone all the lies I've told or what happened to you, but I'm trying to make up for that. After all, you just met the real me. Don't rush your decision."

She looked into his eyes before sighing, looking down. "Vincent..."

"What?"

"Shut the hell up and don't interrupt me," she gently scolded him. "I already...know how I feel about you." Her tone surprised him, but he did as he was told, keeping quiet. "After all, even though I didn't know it was you, I still got to know you through Black. By now, my decision has already been made."

"Riley..."

She looked at his chest, avoiding his eyes as embarrassment flushed her cheeks. "I...love you too. I'm not used to it, but I know what I feel is real. I'm not that ignorant." Despite her shyness, she slowly raised her gaze to meet his own.

Crimson eyes held something that made her shiver. They were swirling with what looked like absolute passion. Not the lustful passion, but something much more meaningful. It was almost scary the way he portrayed it. A great weight had been lifted from his shoulders, as if he was being cleansed by her very words. He didn't realize he had been holding his breath.

Exhaling, he pulled her closer, wrapping an arm around her waist, crashing his lips onto her own. She sounded like she was mumbling a protest, but she gave in, relaxing against him, instinctively closing her eyes. One hand moved up to caress her cheek with his thumb, unable to help the small display of affection. The fates had finally blessed him with a long awaited happiness.

Inexperience was obvious in the way she responded to his kiss at first, trying to give back the gesture, but she quickly learned, wrapping her arms around his neck, making it all the more heavenly to have her in his arms. He could teach her more than combat. He had all the time in the world to teach her now. No, that wasn't right. Genesis still remained as an obstacle. His arms tightened around her as he pulled away to let her breathe, resting her forehead against hers again, staring into her eyes.

"We'll end this war together," he declared. She smiled.

* * *

**A/N:** I LOST VALUABLE HOURS OF SLEEP TRYING TO FINISH THIS CHAPTER! God, I'm sleepy. You were expecting some sort of "smex scene" weren't you? Don't deny it. Haha, not this time. It'll happen eventually though. This story isn't just rated M for the foul language and violence XD. I wasn't going to turn this into a confession chapter, but I felt that thirty-some-odd chapters was a long enough wait. Besides, I've been waiting to write about Vincent and Riley getting sappy. It's a guilty pleasure of mine. Nyuk nyuk. Also, I just HAD to put in that scene for Shamus and Mona. You guys keep saying they totally have the hots for each other, so I thought I'd provide mild fanservice while they maintained their "love/hate" kind of relationship. Hehe, _honk honk_, XD. Technically, I believe this is the FIRST TIME Shamus has groped someone! Still...I couldn't help it. Anyway, onto interviews.

Me: Riley, "Are you in love with Vincent?"  
Riley: Read chapter above.  
Me: I'm...so jealous of you right now.  
Riley: X3 I know. Sucker.  
Me: Genesis, "Dude, what the heck are you up to? Aren't you meant to be dead? I thought Zack kicked your ass."  
Genesis: That is a different Genesis entirely. At the end of the game Dirge of Cerberus, I am part of a secret unlockable ending. Look it up on YouTube. Also, The author has never played Crisis Core, and anything she HAS played or watched is listed in the disclaimer section at the beginning of each chapter.  
Me: Correct! Next is...Nanaki, "How old are you?"  
Nanaki: I'm actually ninety-eight during this story's events. In FFVII, I'm 45, Advent Children, 47, Dirge of Cerberus, 48. In FFVII, it's mentioned that my species has very long lifespans, and at the time, I was technically a teenager equivalent to the age of a 16 or 17 year old. I'll still be alive in less than five centuries from now.  
Me: And...last question. Shamus, "Are you jealous that Vincent got to kiss Riley, and not you?"  
Shamus: O.o He did WHAT? Why wasn't I informed of this!  
Me: You almost got Mona there.  
Shamus: Nice legs AND a nice ass.  
Mona: **hits him again** I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU! **RAAAAGE**

And that's the end of interviews for this chapter. Please don't forget to ask more crazy questions! Shamus is currently trying to subliminally tell me to tell any female readers, which might be all of you, to send requests to have Shamus strip dance for you. Haha, Highwind Pole Dancer XD. I'm on crack, ignore me. In other news, I've successfully redrawn Riley's Sword, making it look better, however, I've yet to put it on my computer and clean it up. I had a hell of a time trying to design the damn thing while maintaining similarities of the previous version. You may notice a similarity to Squall Leonhart's sword, the Revolver, when I decide to post the drawing online. Purely coincidental since I've never played FF8. And that's me for the night...it's 5am now. Haha, thankfully I'm not in school now, suckers. **Falls over and snores** R&R till next chapter.


	38. Ch 37: Deneh's Oath

**Disclaimer:** All Final Fantasy material is copyright to Square-Enix. I do not own any of the official characters. They were merely BORROWED for the purpose of fan-fiction. All non-FF characters belong to me.

**A/N:** I will note that I have only played FFVII, Dirge of Cerberus, and watched Advent Children Complete, Case of Denzel, and Last Order. Please take that into consideration if you see that some details may be incorrect. Also, occasionally the story will go into _**POV**_ (point of view) with Vincent.

* * *

**Chapter 37: Deneh's Oath**

This warmth felt so nice. The scent was intoxicating. Right now at this very moment, sleeping is Riley's favourite pastime. Even though she was hungry, she didn't want to move. However, the need to go to the bathroom was starting to overcome her desire to continue sleeping. Curse you bladder, she mentally scolded. Slowly, her eyes opened, only to be mildly blinded by the brightness in the room from the sunlight shining through the window next to the bed. Burying her face in the pillow with a groan, she barely felt something tighten around her waist.

After adjusting to the light, she looked over her shoulder to find Vincent sleeping peacefully behind her, his arm draped over her. Surprisingly, she wasn't alarmed by his presence, recalling she had given him permission to stay with her last night. Slowly, she turned over and a strand of his hair fell, brushing over her nose. Tickled, she rubbed at her nose; her movements did not cause him to stir, oddly enough. She always pegged him as a light sleeper considering his most alert nature.

She pondered many things about him for a time, then her eyes landed on his hair. An urge arose, and fingers reached up to comb through the silky black strands, memorizing the texture. The scent she got to cuddle with during the night...she didn't know how to describe it. Inhaling deeply, she tried to determine what his scent smelled like. Before, he used to smell like winter and wood, now it was more complex. Unable to determine the scent, she inwardly decided he smelled like a Vincent Valentine. Problem lazily solved.

Remembering she needed to go to the washroom, she tried to sit up, only to be held down by his arm. She blinked, wondering how she was going to free herself without waking him. Trying again, his arm tightened, answering her attempts with a gruff voice. "Where do you think you're going, young lady?"

"You're awake?"

"Half-awake," he corrected sleepily, opening one eye.

"Oh," she said. She was lying on her back, looking up at the ceiling before looking back at Vincent. "Can I get up?"

"I'm rather comfortable, so it had better be a good reason," he lightly warned her.

"Nature calls," she answered.

He watched her for a moment with slight disappointment. Letting her go, she quickly climbed over him, nearly falling on her face to rush to the washroom. He sat up in bed in silence, wondering when he had last slept that good. It had felt nice to just be next to Riley. Until he felt her stirring next to him, he was sleeping like the dead. Moments later, Riley emerged from the bathroom, soon going through her belongings for her bathroom necessities, indicating she was going to have a shower.

"By the way, when are you going to resume my training?"

He pondered his answer. There was only one way he'd give her a proper response. "Let me see your chest." She gaped at him. He quietly cursed, realizing the way he worded it. "I didn't mean it like that. I was talking about your wound."

"Uh-huh," she said.

He moved his legs over the side of the bed as she walked over. When she was close enough, he reached for her vest zipper, pulling it down halfway. Pushing the fabric aside, he noticed the scar seemed to be healing nicely, so perhaps it would fade to almost nothing over time. With his eyes being so profanely intense on her, Riley was unable to help the slight blush that crept onto her cheeks. Unable to handle the attention, she turned from his gaze, zipping up the top.

He frowned at her reaction, standing up behind her and placing his hands on her shoulders. "Does it bother you if I see it?"

She hesitated. "I guess I'm a little self-conscious about it."

The frown remained, but he turned her around, lifting her chin. "Knowing about your scars will not change my feelings for you. Besides, it's my fault you have them in the first place. So put that out of your mind." She exhaled with a nod. Satisfied, he released her chin. "Good. You planning on showering?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Save the shower for later. I suppose it's safe to resume your lessons. You should eat first though."

Couldn't argue with his reasoning. Better to shower later than have to shower twice in one day. "Alright."

"Meet me at the Candle when you're done." He turned away and he barely caught a glimpse of her semi-disappointed pout. He chuckled, turning back to give her a peck on the forehead, walking to the ladder quickly.

"Hey! Old man, get back here!"

"You can get a proper one when you can beat me," he said while hanging on the ladder. Smirking as he slid down with her gape following after his disappearance.

"That idiot! Humph," she grunted, crossing her arms. Oh, she would kick his ass. And hard. Just because they were in love with one another, didn't mean they would go easy on each other.

* * *

Eating only half of what she normally ate, Riley left her long coat behind, reattaching her belts and sheath. It didn't take long for her to reach the Cosmo Candle and find Vincent already standing there with his arms crossed in that typical Vincent way. Nanaki also sat beside him. They seemed to be discussing something, though she had no idea what.

"'Morning," she greeted Nanaki.

"Good morning. I imagine you slept well."

"Uh, you could say that," she replied, eyes shifting to the side.

Nanaki chuckled. "Congratulations." He laughed when Riley blinked and Vincent glared at him. "You two are so obvious. I'm surprised Mona and Shamus haven't noticed yet."

"We haven't seen them at all this morning," Vincent commented.

"Shamus is on board the airship, making finishing touches. Mona...well, I have no idea where she is," the feline explained.

"Think she's still angry from last night?" the gunman asked.

"What? What happened last night?" questioned Riley.

They looked at Riley. "I'll tell you later," Nanaki replied. "I hear you'll be going back to training today." She nodded. "Well, Vincent has requested that I assist him."

"What? Two against one, that's no fair!"

Vincent turned towards her. "There is no fairness in war. This should be imprinted on your mind by now."

She sighed. "Yeah, I know."

He watched her. "I will tell you something. If it wasn't for your cleverness, and sheer luck, you might not have survived up to this point. I don't want you ending up alone again and having to defend yourself when you have minimal training like with Fabula."

"I said, I know! Can we go already?"

Vincent kept a keen gaze on her before smiling. "Eager to learn?"

"Maybe. Why?"

"That's a good sign. You still won't beat me today," he remarked as he turned to leave the village while she fumed at his challenging tone.

The heat was already boring down on the trio by the time they reached their destination. The Nemesis was stabbed into the ground, standing it upright with the blade and the dangling Omni-Materia glinting from the sun. Riley wondered why Vincent was taking so long doing whatever it was he was preparing. Nanaki sat beside her, tail swaying back and forth. When Vincent turned around, her eyes immediately went to the object on his left arm.

"You..." she trailed off.

He barely smiled. "I actually left this at Fable's years ago. I thought you'd like to see it in person."

The gauntlet shone brightly and she briefly questioned if he had polished it up. Standing up, she walked over to take a better look. "Is it actually sharp?"

She held his hand, observing each claw one at a time. He watched her with as much fascination as she did looking his accessory over. "It's dulled with use and age. I'll have to sharpen it. I figured it would be time to use it again. It's been useful in the past."

Eyes gaze upwards at his face when she dropped his hand. "And why are you wearing it right now?"

"Well, I can't use a gun on you during training and you use a sword. I figured it would be best if I had a more appropriate defence. I need something to block that blade."

She nodded, understanding. There was a silence between them. Vincent was tempted to kiss her again, seeing that thoughtful look on her face. However, he barely caught a glint in her eye just before she thrust her wrist upwards. Narrowly dodging the attack, he backed up, genuinely surprised. His surprise was soon replaced with a playful smirk. Riley had decided to start with a surprise attack. She was learning already. There was no expression on her face. Smugness, nor doubt was present in those features. All that remained was concentration. He wiped the expression off his own face, nodding to Nanaki.

The beast casually joined his side, flames flickering almost excitedly at the end of his tail. "Riley, I believe you should use your sword," Nanaki suggested.

Both didn't give away to the shock that she didn't move to grab her sword. Her eyes were fixated on the both of them, watching for any move they make. Dust was lightly picked up by the wind, the heat weighing down on all three. Feet kicked off the ground as they practically dove at each other. Riley jumped over Nanaki, the beast skidding into a turn. Sliding between Vincent's legs to avoid his swing right hook, she winced, skidding her knees against the ground. Vincent made spared no time at all, catching the back of her shirt's collar and pulling her up, spinning around quickly to deliver his knee into her stomach. Crossing her arms over her stomach, she barely dulled the powerful blow with an oof.

His right arm was following his movements and she moved her head sideways to avoid it but his arm locked around her neck. She struggled for a moment, gripping his arm, trying to pull it off. Mustering some abdominal strength, she pulled her legs up, barely catching Vincent's head between her calves. Her weight caused him some imbalance and he fell forward, losing his grip on her. She didn't let him go though, only tightening her grip.

"Say uncle!"

"N-No. A little help, Nanaki!"

All that was heard was Nanaki's roar, close to landing on top of her, claws outstretched. Finally letting Vincent go, she rolled out of the way. Rolling over her head to move to her feet and avoid him, she jumped back as he pounced forward. However that first pounce was merely the beginning of his series of jumps, bounding at her once again with another roar. She dove to the side, rolling to her feet once more. Perhaps now would be a good time to use her sword.

Before she could run for it, Nanaki already wiped her out, headbutting the back of her legs, causing her to fall over him, landing hard on her back with a groan. She looked up, seeing a shadowy figure falling down towards her. Rolling out of the way of Vincent's boot, she rolled back, latching onto his leg and reached behind him with her boot, kicking him in the ass. He fell to one knee in surprise, blinking at her as she just grinned.

"You're so..." he couldn't find the words to describe her.

"What? Good?"

"No, not that," he said thoughtfully. "Unpredictable, at times."

"Is that good?"

"Don't get ahead of yourself," he remarked, ignoring her disapproving stare.

Nanaki cleared his throat, looking bored. "I thought this was training."

Vincent barely smiled then looked at Riley. "Alright, I'll admit you've gotten better. You still didn't beat me though."

"I kicked your ass! Literally!"

He placed a gloved thumb on her lips. "Hush. You still have a long way to go." His expression was serious. "You did well to defend yourself, but that's all you did. You need to attack as well."

She sighed, letting him go. "Yeah."

He was about to say something until he and Nanaki heard a sound and they both turned in alarm to the source, both their eyes piercing the subject before them. Nanaki instantly looked baffled and Vincent's eyes widened before looking at Nanaki. Riley sat up to look and she gasped, seeing a creature similar to Nanaki, only she could assume this was a female due to the lack of a mane. The beast was more cream beige in colour and her eyes were a soft blue and a pink tear drop earring hung on her left ear.

All Nanaki could do was bumble, "D-Deneh?"

The feline female looked as if she was smiling. "Hello Nanaki."

Riley and Vincent looked at each other as they recited together, "Deneh...?"

Suddenly, the red beast looked as excited as a cub, trotting over to Deneh. "I thought you were in seclusion!"

She laughed, "Of course I was, I just finished praying."

Nanaki frowned. "Just finished? Deneh, you were in there for five years. You should have only been in there for three."

Her ears flattened, turning her eyes away with small shame. "After all the grief, I felt it was necessary to pray longer. There's so much turmoil on the planet. I came out days ago, but I was away from the canyon to see if anything had changed." She frowned. "Nothing has changed, it seems."

Nanaki nudged the side her head with a smile. "Wrong. Things are changing, slowly, but for the better. Rosso the Crimson has been defeated."

The lioness turned her gaze at him in shock. "Really? That despicable woman is gone?" When he nodded, her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Nanaki, what have you been up to while I was secluded?" He chuckled nervously, expecting to be scolded. "Nanaki! You're supposed to be protecting the village!"

"Deneh, let me explain!"

Vincent turned to Riley. "What do you know about her?"

"I've...never seen her before."

"I thought you played everything in regards to this world."

"No, not everything," she admitted, distracted by the exchange between Nanaki and Deneh. "Though I do know that Nanaki has two cubs five-hundred years after meteorfall. Maybe she's the mother of those cubs."

Vincent blinked and looked at the two felines. "Well, at least we know Nanaki's race isn't doomed to extinction." Riley nodded in agreement.

"So...you've been fighting the Tsviets for the last few months." Deneh sighed before smiling softly. "I guess it can't be helped. Praying will not do much. Sometimes it requires one to fight for the planet."

Nanaki nodded, relaxing, now that he was able to enlighten his female companion of recent events. "Exactly. Deneh, we can win this war. The Tsviets are the final remnants of Shinra's dark secrets. Defeating them once and for all is going to be difficult, but like you said, for the better."

She nodded, glancing towards Vincent and Riley. Her eyes narrowed at them both. "And these are your friends?"

"Yes. Vincent and—"

"Vincent? I thought you said he was dead!"

"That was before you went into seclusion."

"Where was he then?"

Vincent sighed. There was no way he could avoid this, could he? "There's much to explain, Deneh."

The lioness didn't seem to like him one bit. "I don't like those who LIE and HIDE like a coward!" She didn't stop there however. She strolled over to Riley, sniffing her, growling afterwards. "Nanaki! Why is this girl's scent all over you?"

Nanaki's ears flattened. "Well, I, uh...the thing is..."

Riley felt somewhat offended that this creature would automatically jump to conclusions. The jealousy was ridiculous. "I like petting him a lot."

"Does _my_ Nanaki look like a pet to you?" she demanded.

Riley pursed her lips. "I don't think of Nanaki that way. He's an invaluable friend! Besides, he lets me do it!"

"_Let's you?_ Oh-ho! I think not! _My_ Nanaki would never allow another female to touch him. He is a great warrior of Cosmo Canyon and would never subject himself to such attentions!"

The females just glared at each other while the males looked utterly helpless. Nanaki had to do something before either of them blew up. "Girls, please. Deneh, Riley did nothing wrong, I was only—"

Deneh glared at Nanaki, looking hurt. "I honestly believed you'd be loyal to nothing but me, the village, and the planet. I never thought you would go gallivanting off. It seems I was wrong."

Before anyone could say anything, Deneh ran off. Nanaki's tail was suddenly flat against the ground, the flames on the end dim with his sadness. Ears flat and folded back. "Deneh...it's not like that."

Vincent was silent for a long time before he straightened his back, standing up. "Shouldn't you go after her, Nanaki?"

The feline looked back at Vincent. "I should, shouldn't I? What if she never lets me explain?"

Riley had her arms crossed, looking peeved. "She's rude. I didn't do anything to her. Jeez." She saw the look on Nanaki's face dampen further, causing her to soften her own. Sighing, she dropped her arms. "I'm probably going to face consequences for telling you this but, she'll definitely listen to you eventually. After all, I'm assuming she's the last female of your race and I've seen that you get a couple of kids."

He blinked at that. "I do?"

She rested her chin on her propped up knee, expressionless. "A long time from now, but yeah. It seems kind of obvious that you like her, so go get her."

Nanaki watched Riley before smiling. "Thanks." With that, he ran off in the direction of Deneh, leaping off a cliff.

Vincent held out his hand to Riley. She took it and he lifted her to her feet with ease. "It seems I've lost my assistant during the middle."

Riley suddenly tensed, knowing what was coming. "Like hell I'll let you surprise me!" She punched him in the gut, making him stagger as she ran straight for her sword.

* * *

Nanaki followed Deneh's scent deeper into the canyons. Still, she was nowhere to be found. Didn't Deneh understand that he would care for no one else like he did her? After all, he wasn't interested in two-legged creatures, especially humans. He merely cared for his friends because they've always been there for him, especially Vincent, who had to suffer the elongated lifespan they both had. Vincent had told him once that even he would outlive him since he is ageless thanks to Hojo's experiments.

Still, he didn't understand why Deneh should be so angry. If it was another of their kind, then yes, he'd understand. Still, was what Riley said true? Were they meant to be together in the future? Two cubs, she said. Somehow that gave him hope that Deneh would look past this and finally understand his feelings. Before, he nearly completely avoided taking part in a ritual because he feared not seeing her for years. The Turks came that day to take her to Hojo at Shinra, but he stepped in, protecting her. He had lost but they allowed him to do the ritual and they took him afterwards. Spending over a year in that horrible place, that's when he met Cloud and the others.

Paws slowed in their stride as he reminisced. It was painful, remembering them. It was terrible how they died from those wounds. Vincent wouldn't have shown it, but it seemed like he suffered the worst of it and it drove him to the brink of uncontrolled rage. However, in Midgar, the case with Riley was worse. Riley returned alive, and Nanaki was only comforting the girl when she was in pain. He had to find Deneh and tell her what was really happening. Still, he felt happy that Deneh considered him _her_ Nanaki. He doubted her feelings for him, but maybe she did feel the same about him as he did her.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a roar. Deneh! Thoughts rushed through his head. Running off, bounding off walls to turn sharp corners at high speed, he quickly found Deneh cornered in a dark clearing, fur on end, hissing, her tail flame flaring furiously. Cornering her was a beast he had not seen in ages; a behemoth. It was very large bipedal horned beast with purple skin, a red mohawk-like mane, a yellow fin-like spine down its back and gold eyes. Its tail was long and being hit by that would be crushing.

The beast roared back, making the lioness shrink into herself in fright, the flame on her tail dimming, ears folded back. Nanaki wouldn't stand for it. Landing with a soft thud on the ground, he raised his head high, inhaling deeply before letting out a resounding roar, the flame on his tail roaring as much as he was. Deneh looked up and saw Nanaki, eyes shimmering with helplessness and awe all at once. Nanaki, the proud warrior of Cosmo Canyon, stood firm, growling viciously, his rusty red eye glinting in the darkness of the place. The behemoth turned with a growl, as if curious to see what would interrupt its dinnertime.

"Get away from _my_ Deneh! Face me instead, beast!"

The behemoth snorted, swinging its tail at the feline. Jumping on it instead, Nanaki dug his claws in to hold on. Once it stopped swinging its tail, Nanaki ran up its back as it was beginning to stand on its hind legs. Nanaki jumped off his head, landing on the nearest wall, eye flashing red, a fiery aura around him as his body seemed to heat up. Bounding off a second later, he dove towards the beast. It lashed out with its claws, catching Nanaki, throwing him against at a wall. Nanaki landed on the ground, struggling to his feet in pain.

"Nanaki!" Deneh cried.

"Deneh! You need to get out of here! I won't let you get hurt!"

Her eyes shimmered, whispering, "Nanaki...you fool, don't go to such lengths for me!"

He smiled at her reassuringly. "For you, no length is long enough." Her eyes widened in shock. "Now go!"

She swallowed hard before running off. Good, he thought. He wouldn't have to worry about her getting in any crossfire. He stood more tall, holding his ground. The behemoth merely lashed out with its claws once more and Nanaki leaped out of the way, then ducked, then charged. The red aura surrounded him again and he launched at the beast while it stood, tackling its abdomen and knocking it over onto its back. Nanaki watched as the beast rolled back onto its feet and roared at him. Turning swiftly to swing its tail again, Nanaki landed on it once more. Only this time the beast learned from that and swung the tail up, throwing Nanaki into the air.

Damn, he thought. He was vulnerable! The tail swung at him again when he fell far enough, slamming him to the ground. He coughed out, held down by the weight of the tail. The tail continuously slammed down on Nanaki's back, making him wince each time. He had to get up. He had to get away before this beast would maul him to death. The beast turned around and Nanaki attempted to crawl away before he was held down by a huge paw. He winced. Would this be the end for him?

Nanaki struggled more when he saw giant fangs ready to chow down on him like dinner. He shut his eye tightly, looking as if he was succumbing to his fate. No, that was unacceptable! He had too much to do in his long life and it would not end here. Gripping the ground with his claws, he pushed against the weight holding him down. Slowly the paw lifted and Nanaki growled, looking more like a warrior and less like a beast. He roared and his aura burst to life once more, physically burning the beast's paw and causing it to recoil.

Nanaki turned to eye it with a dangerous vibe. Angered, the behemoth charged him with its horns, ready to impale him with them. Nanaki stood his ground again, howling at the air, causing a small earthquake in the cavern and actually causing the beast to stop in its charge before Nanaki ran forward, spinning forward like a wheel with claws, causing scratches on its face, the gashes getting deeper and deeper. Jumping back, Nanaki landed on his feet. He charged once more, the aura spiralling around his body before launching again, this time going right through the beast's chest.

Bloodied now, Nanaki landed, panting, looking over his shoulder as the beast fell forward with a large thud, the body dissipating into a mass of life energy, disappearing as it floated to the air. Sighing with relief, Nanaki slowly strode out of the cavern, heading back for the village. Soon he came across Riley and Vincent who were running straight for him with Deneh leading them.

"Nanaki!" Riley cried out. "You okay?"

Nanaki smiled at the girl reassuringly. "I'm fine, the monster has been dealt with."

Vincent knelt next to his friend. "Seems like it was a hell of a fight."

"This one was strong, but I managed."

Tiredly, the feline lied down, resting his head on the ground. Deneh nudged his nose. "Why did you go to such lengths for me, Nanaki. You could have been killed."

"So could you, but I will never allow that to happen." He forced himself to sit up but the pain had surfaced and he fell back down wincing.

Riley walked over, kneeling beside the feline. "That monster must have put a hell of a hit on you."

Deneh watched as Riley outstretched her hand, glowing a soft green as she begun to heal her friend. "You're...not trying to take away my Nanaki?"

Riley looked over, scoffing at her as if the lioness was stupid. "No! Jeez, don't you get it, lady? Nanaki..." She paused, looking at Nanaki. "Would you rather be the one to say it?"

He nodded, healed enough to raise his head to meet Deneh's eyes. "I care about my friends Deneh. Riley nearly died once and I only wish to be there for her and offer her guidance when she needs it. I'm helping her along with Vincent and the others so that we can end this world's suffering once and for all. To do that, I cannot stay in the village, but..."

"I see," Deneh said suddenly, ears folded back in shame before looking at Riley. "I'm sorry for misjudging you. I get...jealous easily."

Riley huffed, looking away. "I suppose I'll forgive you." She looked back at her. "Let Nanaki finish what he has to say though. Vincent and I will leave you two alone."

With that, Deneh and Nanaki watched the humans get up and walk away. Deneh turned to look at Nanaki when he began to speak again. "Deneh...you're precious to me. Once this war is over, I will come back here for good. There will be no more need for fighting once Genesis and his army is gone. It will be a long and bloody battle, but I _will_ come back."

Deneh sat closer to him. "What are you trying to say Nanaki? That you wish me to be the bearer of your cubs in the future?"

If cats could blush, he certainly was now, turning his gaze away shyly. "I-I...guess that's...exactly what I'm trying to say. We grew up together Deneh. I can't imagine anyone else I'd rather be my mate. But, not because we have to revive our race, but because we want to be together. That is...if that's what you want."

He dared to look at her. She looked surprised, then it changed, looking touched by his words. "Of course, Nanaki. I promise that when you don't have to fight anymore, I'll be here for you and become your mate. That is my sworn oath to you, Great Warrior Nanaki, Son of Great Warrior Seto."

He looked somewhat as surprised as she did before smiling at her understanding of the dire situation. He didn't need to say anymore. One could assume they were unofficially engaged. Deneh leaned forward, cleaning his face. In the distance, Riley sat on the ledge of a cliff, watching the moon. It was always so big in this area. Vincent just stood beside her in silence, arms crossed.

"How do you think they're doing?"

"I'm sure they're fine."

She nodded, rolling her thumbs in her lap. "Hmm, too bad I won't see their cubs. I imagine they'd be pretty cute."

"I suppose," he said. Suddenly reminded, he knelt down next to Riley. "Hey..."

She turned to look at him. "Hm?" She blinked when he suddenly kissed her tenderly. The moment was quiet, so it felt right to do so. When he pulled back, she asked, "What was that for? I didn't beat you yet."

"Because I felt like it, if that's alright with you."

She scoffed. "Oh, is THAT all!"

He chuckled before forcing her face to look at him again before taking those lips once more. She muffled something incoherently but gave in, returning the gesture. Kissing him was starting to feel more natural than surreal. She wondered if she would ever get enough of it. Meanwhile, Deneh was cuddling up next to Nanaki as they watched the moon, the village's music off in the distance, making the evening that much more pleasant.

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry again for the delay. Meant to finish this the day before but I had a wicked bloody headache. I have the next four chapters planned out though, and the fluff will not appear as much as it has the last few chapters. _ I can't help it. I was debating changing the scene at the beginning of this chapter, but I like the dialogue too much to delete it. Hehe, Vincent said something unintentionally perverted XD. Anyway, onto interviews.

Me: Shamus...a lot of people are commenting that scene with Mona.  
Shamus: **grins**  
Me: ~_~ "Was groping worth the punch Mona gave you?"  
Shamus: **just smirks* Absolutely.  
Me: Pervert.  
Shamus: You invented me.  
Me: ~_~ Mona, "Did you enjoy that moment together?"  
Mona: **still fuming**  
Me: o_o I guess that's a no.  
Mona: **snorts**  
Me: Anyway, in regards to the confession, Riley, "How long have you been waiting for this moment?"  
Riley: I...**blushes** Well, awhile, though I never expected it to happen.  
Me: **nod nod** To both Riley and Vincent, "Are you both happy now that you've confessed your love?"  
Vincent+Riley: **nod nod**  
Me: Should I buy some condoms soon?  
Vincent+Riley: W-what? **BOTH blush**  
Me: Next! XD To the whole gang, "Who's your best fighter?"  
Vincent: In terms of skill, I am. In terms of strength, Mona is actually the strongest, for now. The most agile is Nanaki and Riley is getting quite good at handling magic, though she's still the weakest in the group. Though Shamus has more training than Riley, he's still no Cid Highwind.  
Shamus: Oi!  
Nanaki: There's a balance in the party. We all have our flaws, but we all have a skill we're best at.  
Me: That's true. And last question which fits this chapter perfectly...I wasn't expecting this question actually, and no I didn't use it as inspiration for this chapter. ~_~ Nanaki, "Are you excited to see Deneh after all these years?"  
Nanaki: Yes, I am. **smiles**

And that's all the questions for now. Don't forget to ask more! Also, small tidbits, Deneh is an official character of FFVII Before Crisis. I NEVER played it, but watched that particular chapter on YouTube since I wanted to give Deneh a cameo appearance. Also, listen to Hurry Faster during Nanaki's fight, and Great Warrior during the final part of the chapter, the remastered versions preferably. That's what I listened to when I wrote those scenes. Anyway, till next chapter, and another quick tidbit, in a few chapters, Chaos will be making a reappearance! Don't forget to R&R. Thanks, buh-bye!

**Edit:** Completely forgot to mention that I've redrawn Riley's sword and is now posted on my Deviant Art account (amandabloodhart). Link is on my profile page.


End file.

Final Fantasy VII, Adventure, Romance