Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Hateful Transformation ❯ Chapter Ten ( Chapter 10 )

Hateful Transformation

Chapter Ten

Disclaimer: If you think I own the FFVII stuff, you're wrong…………….. O_o

The day for their journey to the Nibelheim Reactor was going to be a pleasant one, weather-wise. It was nice and sunny, and at a comfortable temperature. A day where one would be content to lay on a hammock all day long, and be happy with what they did.

But, unfortunately, there were more important things to do…………………….

~~

Aurel and Kuno both woke up early, and wordlessly prepared themselves for the following day. They passed Cloud to go down the stairs, and still didn't say a word. They could both sense that something was upsetting their supreme officer, though no trace of it showed on his thin face.

Cloud followed them out of the inn shortly afterward; ignoring the waving Gramps and the few other people whom had wanted to catch a glimpse of the famous general. A few teenage girls had even ran up to him carrying various objects, such as a sock or book bag, and a pen, desperately wanting an autograph. Cloud automatically pushed them out of his way, eyes downcast.

Cloud had no real reason to be acting as he was……………………… except that he felt like something terrible may happen that day. He threw open the two wooden doors leading out of the inn, and walked slowly out, towards the humongous Shinra mansion.

"The mansion……………………….." Cloud whispered suddenly, and stopped right in his tracks. "Vincent would be there………………………." He continued. If anything did go wrong, Vincent might be able to stop him. He knew his younger self, the guards, and Tifa wouldn't be able to stand against him………………….. If something did go wrong. Though he dearly hoped nothing would.

Cloud ran over to the small group in the northeast part of the town, and explained to them where he was going. Tifa warned him it was dangerous, that there were supposedly rampant monsters inside, but young Cloud told her not to worry, that this was the general that had taken Wutai down almost completely by himself.

Cloud then told them to do whatever they wanted to while he was exploring the deserted building, and they all obliged. He noticed that his younger self and Tifa seemed to be talking a lot together, which he took as a good thing. Aurel and Kuno simply sat there and listened to the two, occasionally adding something to the conversation.

He hesitantly pushed the rusty gate open, and walked inside the courtyard, toward the worn entrance.

~~

As he opened the old door, it first creaked loudly before opening widely to let him inside. The inside was dusty, as if the mansion hadn't been thoroughly cleaned in years. (It probably hadn't been.) He looked around, recalling his memories of the building. It was amazing, Cloud thought, that the building had not been rummaged through for its valuable belongings. The huge chandelier that covered most of the first floor ceiling looked like rocks had been thrown at it, but otherwise looked perfect.

Cloud glanced around for a moment more, and then started up the stairs to find the safe that contained the basement key. Some of the steps nearly fell in half under his weight, but, luckily, they held. As he finished climbing the multiple staircases, he turned left to go down the hallway that led to the room with the safe.

He found the room easily. As the other rooms had been, it was dark and dusty. The small safe was in the exact same place that it had been when Cloud had first found it. He knelt down on his knee, and searched for the tiny dusty titanium lock, hidden under multiple layers of dust.

As soon as he found it, he held it in his hands tightly. As he was holding it, he looked up, trying to remember the combination. Luckily, he was soon able to remember it. He began to twist it around, calling the numbers out each time he came upon it. "Right thirty-six…………………. Left ten…………………….. Right fifty-nine……………………… Right ninety-seven……………………." As soon as he finished, he unfastened it, and threw it to the side. He grabbed the handle of the safe roughly, and opened it quickly.

He was greeted by several smells, none of which were very good. He held his breath as he searched for the solitary key that he knew would be there. He pushed the old Shinra documents out of the way, and felt for it. He found it in the right hand corner, covered in grime.

Grasping the key in his right hand, he stood up slowly, and left the room, to go to the opposite side of the building. As he passed the main window of the building, he saw through the murky shadows that there were some people still waiting patiently for him outside. He quickened his pace, and went through the hole to the extra bedroom, and the study.

As he strode into the study, he robotically set out for the bookshelf, the hidden entranceway to the basement. Cloud pulled out the green book that triggered the door to open, `The Beginning of Shinra', and as it began to go up, he went through, crouching slightly.

He practically flew down the stairs, being as he felt uneasy being on them. One time, when they first came to Nibelheim as AVALANCE, he had almost fallen due to Cid tripping him. Ever since, he had a fear of that particular staircase, since it didn't have any rails.

When he felt the soft soil of the basement floor welcome his feet, he slowed down a little. He gazed about at the few skeletons scattered around, and figured that it must have been Shinra whom had done that to them-probably Hojo.

Cloud strolled up to the door where the coffins were, and held up the key. He put it in the lock, and twisted it. He heard a small click, and then pulled the key out. He pushed the door open, and then went inside.

He came up to the largest, most noticeable coffin in the room, the one he knew Vincent was in. He kicked the lid open, and quickly realized something was wrong………………….

No one was there.

Cloud stared blankly at it for a moment, one eyebrow raised slightly in confusion. He knew Vincent was there……………………. So where was he?

Suddenly, he heard a bullet whiz past him, just barely missing him by an inch. Cloud hurriedly turned around to the area where the bullet had come from, to be greeted by the calm crimson eyes of Vincent Valentine, former Turk.

"What are you doing here? I do not know you; yet you look familiar…………………….." Vincent mumbled quietly, his eyes staring right into Cloud's.

"I'm…………………….. I'm…………………" Cloud stopped, unsure of what to say. He scratched it his for a moment, until finally finishing lamely, "I'm…………………….. Sephiroth."

"You're…………………… ……… Sephiroth?" Vincent said quietly, eyes widening slightly. "…………………How old are you?" He holstered his gun, and waited patiently for an answer.

Cloud paused for a moment, mentally adding the years in his mind. "Twenty-five," He answered seconds later.

"Twenty…………………… …. Five?" Vincent replied, and then stared at the ground in thought. "It's………………. been a long time………………… but I have still not atoned for my sin…………………"

Cloud said nothing in return, and simply gazed blankly at the torn man.

"I knew……………………….. Your mother…………………….. She…………………… was brilliant. I did nothing to help her pain……………….. In the end……………………." Vincent told him, voice low with self-hatred, and sorrow. He looked up at Cloud, and whispered, "You………………… look a lot like her…………………………" He stopped, and then warily began edging toward the coffin. "I……………….. Despise the nightmares…………………….. But I must atone……………………." He mumbled to himself, slowly leaning back into the morbid dead-carrier.

"Wait!" Cloud cried out, holding out his hand. "How about……………………….. You come with me………………………?"

Vincent sat up, one hand staying on the velvet siding. "Go……………………….. With you? Why?"

Cloud shook his head, and muttered, "I………………….. Don't know……………………… I just thought………………………" He stopped, unable to continue.

Vincent closed his eyes, and calmly asked, "Is there any chance I would come across Hojo?" He crossed his arms, his metal claw cutting deeply into his pale skin.

"Probably so……………………."Cloud answered, then turned toward the door. "So, do you want to, or not?"

Vincent climbed out of the coffin carefully, and then answered quietly, "Yes. I suppose I shall go with you."

Cloud nodded, and sighed in relief. "………………….Thanks. By the way, what's your name?"

"Vincent. Vincent Valentine. Former Turk." Vincent replied, gradually walking out of the basement door, and out of the old mansion

Cloud eventually followed, hoping that his most recent major decision might help in some way, if something……………………. Did happen.

~~