kitsune_wolf (kitsune_wolf) wrote in lucid_daydreams, @ 2007-06-13 17:39:00 |
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This is part one of the new Ded fic 2, which cannibalised a lot of the *original* Ded fic 2 which is now Ded fic four…*sigh* Yes I know I’m sorry I confuse me self sometimes too.
It was sad that just as it was with his memories, Vincent’s fondest dreams were the ones that hurt the most.
Like when he would dream about living with Lucreica, raising her son himself, growing old with her in a world where there was no meteor.
These dreams would hurt so much because he would always know they were dreams, a joyous life time sped past in a brief few hours and he would always have to wake up to the bitter life that it seemed would never end.
Right now Vincent was putting the baby boy to bed. Each time the child would be different, this one had his hair and his mothers eyes, but Vincent looked shocked as the hair started fading to white and his eyes started to glow green.
“You killed him.”
Vincent spin on his heel to see Lucreica standing in the doorway, she looked ill, hanging on the frame. Her hair stuck to her clammy pale face.
“Lucreica…” Vincent moved to help support her, but the setting sun caught on his gauntlet which, should not have be there.
He looked down on himself, his true horrific self and then back to Lucreica, who suddenly fell too her knees. Her eyes were dry even though she looked so ill and upset.
“You told me he was dead, and then you killed him…”
Vincent opened his eyes to the ceiling of the room. The sound of the chocobo’s outside reminding him of where he was.
Sighing Vincent turned his head to look at the clock. He’d been only asleep for two hours and it seemed unlikely he would be getting anymore rest tonight.
He got out of bed and dressed in near silence and left the building.
Most of the chocobo’s were sleeping, but there were a few still milling about the occasional ‘wark’ breaking the pre-dawn silence.
He hadn’t expected the chocobo farm to be so peaceful.
It had only been a month since meteor, he had stuck around to help the rebuilding but with people from all over the world now rushing in to help, and a recovered Reeve taking charge of them Vincent felt that his presence was no long needed.
He had left without a destination in mind but his Chocobo had started limping, and although the gunman knew how to look after the riding birds, he didn’t know enough to treat a limp that didn’t have an obvious cause.
Hence his side trip to the farm.
Vincent caught movement out of his eye and saw the farm owner leaving the barn. The man looked up to see Vincent.
“Oh your up.” He said surprised. “I was going to wait until after breakfast but I guess I’ll give you the verdict on your bird now if you want.”
“If you would please.”
“He’s a beautiful mountain chocobo, but he’s starting to get on a bit. It’s simply arthritis. I can give you some pills and as long as you don’t ride him to hard he’ll be fine.”
“Good.”
“If you’d like I can take him in. Could use a stud as fit as him. I could take that other battered one off your hands too.”
“I didn’t think you would be interested in mountain chocobos. I saw a couple of Gold’s sitting on eggs in there when I stabled Eidolon.”
“Good eye.” Billy said with appreciation. “You’re one of Cloud’s friends aren’t you?”
Vincent nodded.
“Thought I recognised you. He left his bird here last month, best damn chocobo I ever saw.” Billy sighed. “But although they are reliable and faithful, there are faster means of transport, and he said he couldn’t afford to keep her anymore.”
Vincent didn’t respond.
“Problem is I don’t want to over breed the gold’s. They’re too damn expensive and don’t sell well. The mountain and river breeds on the other hand…”
“I see.”
“So what do you think of the offer?”
“It’s good, but I need a bird now.”
“How much money you got?” Billy asked. “I’ll sell you one of the gold’s cheap if you leave yours here. You know they would be happy here.”
“You can’t have Eko.” Vincent said nodding to the battered looking mountain chocobo who was sitting in the corner of the outside pen. Her scared head mostly hidden under a battered looking wing. “I’ll think about Eidolon.”
Just at that moment Eko suddenly woke up and looked to the cloudy sky hissing, suddenly she stopped and warked and went back to sleep.
Billy noticed this but when he turned Vincent to asked what he thought of Eko’s odd behaviour he saw the cloaked gunman looking in the same direction. An unreadable expression on his face.
“Should have known.”
“Sir?”
“Your about to have another customer.” Vincent said as he headed to the stables to check on Eidolon.
“Huh?”
Billy turned from the retreating Valentine to the cloudy Dawn sky.
By the time Vincent had reached the stables the clouds had blown away and the light of the dawning sun caught on the hull of a rather battered airship.
“Well I’ll be…”
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It would take an hour for the ship to land and for everyone to disembark. Yuffie on the other hand was off the ship even before the dust had settled from landing.
Cid laughed. As long the brat never actually caused a mess watching her suffer never got old. Listening to the reports of his crew Cid turned to attend to what ever had worked it’s way lose now.
Rightfully his baby shouldn’t be working, but he had to get her to rocket town, and the edge of Midgar was no place for children right now, so many families had bartered for passage for as far as Cid could take them.
Surprisingly some only wanted as far as the Chocobo farm. He heard mutters of a few idiots wanting to give racing a shot, a few others seemed to be talking about building their own village near by.
Whatever the reason was it gave Cid the chance to pick up a new bird.
His black bird Gust and died of a snapped neck when the Highwind had crashed during Meteor. He didn’t have much use for a bird now, but he had grown attached to the dumb thing and he had enough money for one at the moment, so he may as well go and see if one caught his eye -
Something pinged over head.
He could go chocobo browsing later, for now another bird need his attention.
Vincent sat in the hay. Eidolon was laying next to him, his head resting on the gunman’s lap, the bird crooned as gold claws gently ran though his feathers.
“I swear those damn birds are the only things that can make you smile Valentine.”
Vincent made no sign of having heard he pilot.
“I thought that was Eko I saw bullying the other birds outside. You finally getting rid of her?”
“No.”
“So why are you and Ed in here brooding?”
“Eidolon’s lame.”
“Damn.”
“The owner has pills for him but he can’t be ridden anymore.”
“So what are you going to do?”
“I’ve been offered a new bird if I give him up for stud.”
Cid eyed how Vincent was petting the bird. Cold claws running though fingers while his natural hand rested on his knee.
“You’ve made up your mind already haven’t you?”
For the first time the gleam of a red eye caught Cid’s gaze before it returned to Eidolon.
Cid shook his head.
“Stupid spook, you’re really going to pass up such a perfect retirement offer for him?”
Vincent turned to face Cid fully.
“It’s what I would want if I was him. Not having to lug your ass around, not needing to put up with Eko pulling on my tail feathers, somewhere warm to sleep in the night, all the pretty girl chocobos…” Cid trailed off. “Damn I wish I was him.”
“He’s been a loyal bird, but he was born wild…”
“He ain’t wild no more Vince, and if he’s a lame he wouldn’t last a night, you know that.”
Vincent pulled his claws out of the green tipped feathers and Eidolon moved to bury his head under his wing.
“You’re right.”
Cid grinned. “Always am.”
Just then a sound of cracking a chirping interrupted them.
Cid, Vincent, and chocobo Billy looked over the hatched eggs.
“Two blacks and a gold, not bad.” Bill said. “So Mr Valentine have you thought further on buying one of my golds?”
Vincent made a thoughtful noise in the back of his throat, and picked up one of the black chicks.
“I dislike running on water.”
Vincent walked out of the stable leaving behind a confused chocobo Billy an amused Cid. “Bugger it I’ll take the gold chick off you, how much do you want?”
Bill named his price.
Cid swore.
Vincent stood by the pen where the other chocobos were fenced in. The second she saw him Eko came running over. Her one eye looked over the chick in his arms.
“Well what do you think?”
Eko warked and trotted off.
“Maybe she needs some time to get used to the idea.”
Vincent returned the chick to the nest but when Vincent turned to return to his room, the chick followed him.
“Looks like your stuck with that one now no matter what.” Billy said with amusement.
“It would seem so.” Vincent agreed. “Take good care of Eidolon for me.”
“Count on it.” Billy grinned.
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Cid was waiting for him in the spare room the farm had been renting out to him.
“So how are you moving on?” Cid asked. “If I remember Eko don’t like being ridden. And your shadow down there is too little.”
Cid nodded his head down to where the little black chocobo was nibbling on the hem of Vincent’s cloak.
“Your not getting past the Mythril Mine on foot no matter how quick you are.” Cid added. “Your welcome on The Highwind. There’s always a room waiting for you.”
“You seem rather eager to get me aboard.”
“Do I?”
“Yuffie winding you up that much?”
Cid laughed. “Sometimes I wonder if your Psychic or something.”
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They had set off later that day, they had to stop again at Junon. It was one of the largest cities after Midgar and many people ether had relatives there or were hoping to be able to start new lives there.
A few were even going to Fort Condor they had heard that it was being turned into an official sanctuary and they wanted workers to help maintain it.
Vincent had been cat napping in the forward lounge when the landing of the ship jostled him awake. For a few terrifying heartbeats his dream still gripped him and he didn’t quite know where he was, but Cid’s voice rung over the PA telling everyone to get ready to get their asses off his ship if they were going.
They may not have been the words he had used, but they were certainly closer to the words he had wanted to use.
The few people who had been in the forward lounge as well as him left and Vincent eventually went back to sleep. He liked at least four hours sleep when he had the chance, and so far he had only had two and a half.
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Cid and his crew was quickly running around the ship to make sure nothing had popped lose again on the short flight. Just because they thought they had everything jury rigged long enough to reach rocket town didn’t mean they were right, and Cid did not want to crash his baby particularly when she was full of passengers just because they were tried and over worked and had gotten sloppy.
An unlit cigarette was clamped between Cid’s lips and a cup of Motor oil other wise known as Coffee in his hand as he entered the forward lounge. One of the passengers had complained about a draft. It was probably just the person being picky, but Cid thought he had better check.
He paused when he heard the whimper.
He looked around but the room seemed to be empty.
Cid turned back to the windows that was the most likely cause of any kind of draft. He couldn’t find it, but he did catch a flash of red as someone who hadn’t been visible because of the angle of his chair moved.
Vincent? Whimpering in his sleep? Never...
Just to be sure Cid crept across the room to see that it was indeed Vincent sat in one of the comfy chairs Cid had installed in the forward lounge.
“Lucreica” Vincent whispered in his sleep.
Cid rolled his eyes. Well that explains it, so should he wake him from his nightmare or not?
Vincent's head twisted to one side. “Sorry...Lucreica...Sephiroth...”
The guy having nightmares because he had to kill Lucreica's son to save the world?
Cid thought to himself bitterly. Anyone else find this unfair?Cid continued checking for drafts, only this time he started making more noise.
He thought he heard Vincent moan.
He looked over his shoulder to see the gun man moving again and apparently falling back to sleep.
Cid frowned, it wasn’t like Vincent to sleep so much.
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End Chapter one here?
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Two days later , the Highwind had already stopped at Costa De Sol and was now on the ground by Correl.
Cid was still worried about Vincent. He was hoping to get the gun man off the ship so he could enjoy a night at the golden saucer Yuffie who had already left like the rest of his crew who were making sure the ship was secure before leaving.
Cid wasn’t sure what was up with his friend, but he seemed distracted, and even more withdrawn than he usually was. Not once had he left the ship, and although he hadn’t caught him napping again, he looked tired.
Cid found him in with the Chocobo he had decided to keep. He was resting against Eko’s side, the little black Chocobo was dosing on Vincent’s lap as the red caped man ran his fingers though the dark feathers.
“So what are you gonna name the chick?” Cid asked.
“Haven’t decided yet.”
Cid rolled his eyes. “Hey where’s mine gone?”
Vincent pointed his claw at a large bundle of hay in the corner of the room. Cid stuck he hand into it and felt feathers, closing his hand he tried to pull the chick out. Suddenly Cid jerked and pulled his hand out empty.
“OW! Little Fuckard bit me!”
“Wouldn’t you?”
Cid turned to Vincent still stroking the little unnamed bundle of black fluff.
“Your sleeping in a dark warm safe place and something just barges in and drags you out of it, into the light’s that too bright and the cold chilled air.”
Cid looked at Vincent a long time but Vincent just kept looking at his chick. Cid didn’t think Vincent even saw it though.
Cid this time moved the hay out of his way and picked up the Chick properly and sat leaning against the water barrel, he wasn’t opposite Vincent who was sitting in the corner of the stable, but at an right angle to him, and he was close enough to talk.
“I was thinking of Shadow.”
“Huh?”
“As a name.”
“Pah, I’m sure you can some up with something a little more original than that.”
Cid’s Chick warked and scratched at something that was in one of Cid Jacket pockets.
“Well mine is a smart bugger.” Cid groused as he pulled the beef jerky he had been holding on to for a snack.
“Tornado?”
“What for another name for yours? I don’t know, your’s doesn’t seem to move much.” Cid said. His gold chick having swallowed the jerky was now trying to get a look in the rest of Cid’s pockets.
Which between his Cargo pants and fight jacket was a lot of pockets.
“No, for yours.”
Cid picked up the gold Chick holding him out at arms length taking a good look at him.
“Tornado huh? Sounds pretty good.”
The Chick warked flapping his tiny wings.
“Hey Vincent I think he likes it.” Cid smirked. “Okay then your Tornado from now on.”