"So it is you.." stated Karia as the man before her removed the crimson cloak which covered his face. "Long time no see Vincent."
"Likewise Karia.." Vincent gazed around at the confused Turks eyeing him. "I come to ask a favor.. ex Turk, to ex Turks."
"Nice way of putting things," Reno grinned.
"It's been awhile Valentine.." Tseng expressed as he walked up to the raven haired man, "I was wondering when you'd surface again."
"You know me Tseng," smirked Vincent, "I always check up on.. old friends, heh." Turning to Karia, "well those that I know are alive any way. You've got some explaining to do Karia. You're supposed to be a dead woman."
"Wonderful way of putting things, obviously your dry nature hasn't changed.. But perhaps another time Vinny, kind of in the middle of something." she expressed as she turned her head to the rest of the Turks behind her.
"Heh.." complied Vincent with a frown, he'd never liked that nickname, and Karia knew damn well he didn't.
"At least she's not calling you Turkey..." mumbled Reno as he rose and walked over to the center of attention, followed closely by Rude and Elena.
Ignoring the nickname comments Tseng took his position as the unwritten leader, "so why are you here Vincent? Knowing you, I highly doubt it's just to drop by."
"Quite true," answered the raven haired male, taking a sudden interest in his claw he flexed it experimentally, " I need your help. I've heard that Rufus was abducted by The Wolves, correct?"
"Yes, but I don't see how that has anything to do with you needing our help.." stated Tseng, while he got a couple raised eyebrows from Rude and Reno.
"Don't underestimate my way of thinking Tseng, you know better," Vincent smirked.
"Of course, " Tseng smiled dryly. "So cut to the chase, what's the true reason Valentine?"
"Tifa Lockheart. The Wolves took her as well," Vincent stated, a split second of sadness overcame him, then was masked again.
"A fellow AVALANCHE member, correct?" questioned Karia as she absent mindedly played with a lock of her hair.
"If you'd like to label her as such, yes." Vincent explained as he removed the crimson bandana from his head.
"But two hits Valentine? That's really pushing the limits.." expressed Tseng as he looked up with brown eyes of consent, meeting crimson ones set in stone.
"I'm far ahead of you. I'm assuming you're hitting the base to get Rufus the day after tomorrow when it'll be pretty much vacant. It seems The Wolves stupidity can be used to another level. They're also keeping Tifa in the same confinement. Can't say it's a strategically placed move, but definitely great help to us."
"Alright. So all we have to do is pull off the regular job, yet we have another man," stated the red head with a grin, "I rather like the idea. We could use another sniper any way."
"I figured I could be of assistance," Vincent stated.
"One question.." Karia piped up, "the last I heard you guys were enemies, since when did you all become so.. Well I won't say friendly, Vincent you're still as indifferent as always... but I mean you guys aren't wanting to rip each others throats out? Not that I'm complaining about such. It's definitely wonderful luck."
Tseng replied without hesitation, "AVALANCHE and the Turks are on friendly terms.. well.. some of us any way, we won't bother each other now. Vincent on the other hand has some connections, at least to Rufus and I. He just happened to get along with the others. He knows what being a Turk is all about"
"You should know how that already Karia," said Vincent as though such was just common sense.
"Besides.." Reno stepped up, "with Shinra not controlling us, we have our free mind back again. Not to mention the fact we don't have to worry about waking up six feet under some day."
"I don't expect you'd wake up if you were six feet under Turkey.." explained Karia while she smirked.
"Never under estimate Shinra 'Ria, or the former, I mean." Reno smiled back proudly. "One question though, out of all the AVALANCHE members, I wouldn't expected you or Tifa to be the hardest to capture," motioned Reno as he turned to Vincent, "wasn't she with Strife?"
"No, she wasn't. AVALANCHE split up soon after the meteor ordeal. Cid went back to Shera in Rocket town, Nanaki went to Cosmo Canyon. Reeve decided to join up with Barret and help with the reconstruction of Corel and I think he's off working on some Neo-Midgar project now though. Yuffie, hell knows where Yuffie's gone, perhaps back to Wutai, perhaps not. Strife and Tifa had gone back to Nibelheim together, but.."
"And where were you all this time Vinny?" asked Karia mid-sentence.
Ignoring the nickname this time Vincent continued, "here and there. I was going from place to place, I don't like being around people much so I didn't stay anywhere very long. Observing everything I'd missed while under the mansion I suppose. Any way.. about half a year ago I'd gone to Nibelheim to check in on Tifa and Strife. When I got there I only found Strife though, seems he was getting ready to leave himself. I could hardly figure out what he was talking about, mumbling something about Aeris and Sephiroth haunting him. I asked where Tifa was, and he said she'd left him. Can't say I was surprised, I'd expected her to leave earlier than that. So then I traveled around checking the towns I came to, I eventually found her in Kalm. She'd opened a new bar there."
"It's odd that Strife didn't follow her," Elena piped in, "he seemed pretty dedicated to her at one point."
"I don't think he could've if he'd wanted to, or tried," Vincent confessed as he observed Rude take off his glasses and put them in his jacket pocket. "I'm not to sure if he attempted. I'd mentioned such to her once, but she just overlooked the question and changed the subject. I didn't want to leave her alone though, so I stayed in Kalm and helped her out the best I could," Vincent nodded to Tseng. "At Kalm I also learnt more about The Wolves, I'd only heard bits of gossip and such. Although while with Tifa, she'd gotten a couple of warnings to leave the city and such, but never thought much of them, she insisted that she could handle herself."
"I can't say I disagree there, she sure gave me a shit kicking outside of Gonga.." murmured Reno and he rubbed his jaw.
"Yes well, I thought the same. But a couple of days ago I awoke to find her missing. I did what research I could. And well.. you know what I found out. So that's why I'm here."
Karia nodded, "understood. You seem to actually show some compassion for the woman Vincent, I didn't think you were one to care."
"Hmph," was the only reply she got.
"Well I don't know about you guys, but I'm tired of standing here by the door.." said Elena suddenly, then started back into the room, Rude close behind.
"Yeah let's take a look around this place why don't we Vincent, we're both new here," decided Karia as she grabbed him by the claw and pulled him along as she started to look around. "We need to catch up any way."