Hey, Athena! Just thought I’d finish your Vincent story for ya!

Sephiroth smiled gently. “I’d best leave you two alone.”

Lucrecia watched her son leave, blending into the oncoming darkness. She turned back to Vincent. “Athena told me of your woes, Vincent. I’ve contacted another to help you…”

“I can’t be helped. I’m imprisoned in this case of flesh for all eternity…I hate this…”

“Shhh.” She took his hand and gently led him up into the mountains.

A small cave opened in front of them, and to Vincent’s surprise they entered.

“Wh…what are we doing here?”

Lucrecia laughed mysteriously. “I have someone here who can help you…”

A pool of LifeStream was in the middle of the floor, seething gently with a number of curious souls, eager to look at the strange people within.

“Do you have the Bahamut summon materia?”

“Yes…? So…?”

“Call her, Vincent. You will see.”

As Vincent said the words, he felt a shiver of energy sweep over them. It didn’t help when the dragon materialised in front of the cave.

Vincent yelped with surprise.

The dragon seemed to smile at him.

ARE YOU READY?

“…?” The dragon’s ‘voice’ was soft and sensual, and it seemed to be there in your head before going through your ears.

STEP INTO THE POOL. I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR SOME TIME TO HELP YOU.

“I don’t want to!”

YOU MUST MAKE THE DECISION FOR YOURSELF. I CAN HELP YOU, BUT ONLY IF YOU HELP YOURSELF, BY TAKING THE FIRST STEP.

“But I…oh, why the hell not? What have I got to lose?” He stepped forward, finding the pool open up beneath him. He did not look back at Lucrecia…he didn’t have the strength to face her…

*

Vincent opened his eyes, to find himself curled up in a sea of warmth. Streamers of light…soul energy? He wasn’t sure…whirled past him, covering him with a fine silver dust.

Where am I?

A place that’s safe.

And where is that?

Where ever you want it to be.

I wish I hadn’t killed all those people.

They understand. They have forgiven you.

How?! How can they forgive me after what I have done?

People can be very understanding.

I want to go home.

And where is home?

Home…that is a tough question. Home is where the heart is? That’s the old saying…only, I don’t seem to have a heart…I’m so cold…Where is my heart? At home? So where is ‘home’?

Oh this is confusing!

He sighed and listened to the silence that surrounded him. Am I dead?

Hardly. You’re here for a reason. You are sick at being…’immortal’ correct?

Yes.

Do you wish to be reborn? To be encased in mortal flesh?

Yes.

It will hurt, I’m afraid.

For all life there is pain…but also joy. If you can release me from the curse Hojo placed within me, then do so. You have my permission.

Good! On with the process then!

Vincent felt a brief tinge of warning inside him before the pain began. Horrible, disgusting agony…something was being ripped out of him. He felt as if some huge hook had gouged it’s way into him, and was pulling his insides out.

HELP!!! God, please what’s happening to me! It hurts!! Oh no…help!!

I did warn you.

Vincent gritted his teeth and silently preyed to whichever deity was listening to help him. As the waves and contractions of pain escalated to dizzying heights, Vincent felt his conscious mind slip away from him…

*

…Today is the morning of my first birthday in a long time. I’m 28…It’s a great feeling. Everyone thinks I’m insane, but they do not know what it was like…

I awoke to find Sephiroth watching over me. He told me that his mother had alerted him of my rebirth into the world. I did not mind any of this… It was the fact of my lack of clothing that bothered me! Sephiroth leant me his coat, so I could return to Nibelheim…the soft rays of dawn making me feel overjoyed.

A strange woman…she called herself… ‘EarthDragon’ … greeted me on my way down the mountain. She told me that I could never lose the poison in my blood…I was forever doomed to be come a monster at any time I was angry…But that’s alright now. I don’t mind. Strange isn’t it?

My friends…yes, I said friends… were overjoyed to see me. That left me feeling curious…and elated. It was pleasant.

But today…today I feel a great change. Tifa and I have been good friends for the last year or so…I’m not sure I could have made it without her…so imagine my surprise when she shyly gave me my birthday present and I discovered it was an engagement ring? Lucrecia gave us her blessings…

Life is good. Life is going to get better…

There. I’ve said my piece. Sorry if it wasn’t what you wanted…

-EarthDragon (My alias…kinda silly huh?!)
E-mail: earthdragon@worldmailer.com
(Please don’t be angry at me!)