melodiesoflife | Event || The Festival Of Light

They had indeed promised they needed to talk, as there were still things that needed to be said, and closure attempted. That neither had made the time for it yet, was a flaw to both. Understandable, but still there.

Vincent was surprised she would bring it up though. Clearly Lucrecia was taking her second chance and potential to redeem herself seriously. "I did not. I went there only to lock it down. I know Yuffie saw some of it--she made it a point to read any file that wasn't locked down, if she could." There might be a hint of frustration in his comment. "I don't think she got too far though. Ophelia was glaring at her."

Lucrecia nodded once, closing her eyes as she attempted to steel her resolve. She had promised to talk, and with what loomed over the horizon, this seemed like the only time. If either of them were to die permanently... She'd never be able to forgive herself.

"I see." This made things a little more difficult, since Vincent likely only had sporadic memories from the time; if any at all. "And I take it you never found the files I left for you to find, either..." She muttered to herself, unlacing her fingers behind her as she glanced to her oldest friend. "Tell me, what do you know of the entity known as Chaos?"

She had left files for him...? Huh? Vincent was confused, but there was no time right then to deal with that as her next words had his attention. All senses alert, and Vincent was unconsciously scanning around to see who might be listening.

"Not much. I..." How to phrase this? "After we talked, on Gaia--in the cave. We went back there, after some time. I found a rifle there, and after that visit whenever under extreme duress, my transformations had changed." No longer the wolflike-beastman, nor the hulking-slow-parody of humanity, nor the psychotic masked killer who only wanted blood and insanity. After that visit, Chaos the demon had come out to play.

"You were not there, or if you were--you were not manifesting nor speaking to us." Not that he meant it as an accusation, or disappointment. Simply trying to state the facts.

Could it have been because of the fluctuations she'd sensed in the Lifestream? She didn't want to think of that so soon, and yet... It made sense.

Your father and I were researching the Ancient's texts on specific WEAPONs when he..." Or rather, her excitement at discovery of something that would finally prove her fellow scientists wrong, had led to his death. Even after all this time, her breath still got caught in her throat as she thought of it. "-he died shielding me from my hubris." She admitted, voice kept so low only Vincent could hear. Thankfully Orpheus was the only other one in earshot for normal conversation tones. Bless that moogle for blocking off that particular path with himself and his lyre, really.

"His body couldn't withstand the the corrupted essence we knew as 'Chaos', and he wanted me to pass along a message." One she said so many times, though he likely didn't realize. "'I'm sorry.'"

Finally an explanation for the files he'd seen on her computer, for her skittishness when he'd seen them. So she'd worked with his father? It was so long ago, but now her first words on meeting him made sense. It must have seemed cruel--working with the son of the man she had worked with and seen die.

Vincent was silent for several heartbeats, processing this and organizing his thoughts. Eyes closing while he was thinking, then they opened again. "...My father knew his work was dangerous. We traveled a lot, when I was young, for his research." It was part of why he'd learned marksmanship for self-defense.

Not that he was necessarily blaming his father for his own death--but he certainly didn't blame Lucrecia. "He knew the risks. He always had, and his choices were his own." Vincent felt it important he address that issue first.

"What do you mean by corrupted essence?"

Edited 2016-08-04 11:40 (UTC)

The silence for those handful of heartbeats was almost as poignant as the pains she sensed when any of their number died the past year. Yet when he finally spoke, it wasn't sadness that rose up. It was a bit of anger--mostly at herself, but she forced herself to stop before she spoke. She wanted to argue his comment, that he should have let her die instead,but that would get them nowhere fast. No, she wasn't here to argue. She needed to tell him the truth about his survival, and let him do with this information as he wished.

"I did not, not truly. Not then." Lucrecia admitted instead. "I'd only seen the chance to prove my former colleagues wrong, not the inherent risks of an angered yet contained specimen."

One that could not be held back by glass nor metal. "'Soul wrought of terra corrupt, quelling impurity cleansing the stream. To beckon forth an ultimate fate. Behold mighty Chaos. Omega's squire to the lofty heavens.'" She knew the verses by heart, having had studied them for so long. "We found this passage in the Chronicles of Yore, and on our planet, the cave in which he'd awaken."

Hopefully that was enough to put two and four together without giving the second two, so to speak.

She'd 'only seen the chance to prove her former colleagues wrong' huh? That was like her, especially as Vincent thought back to how she'd been all those years ago. Driven to succeed, and blinding herself to the cost or risks; especially considering her position as one of the youngest (and female) successful scientists. The higher-ups likely put pressure on her as well as her own need for the respect of her peers.

The recitation was new to him; blinking as she spoke and Vincent let himself think over the words fully. "Omega is...?" He was reluctant to speculate but needed to know for sure. "If I'm interpreting this right, then Chaos is born when the planet's surface is tainted. He exists to take out whatever is corrupting the life-stream." If Vincent's speculation that Omega was a Weapon or an end-it-all spell, then did that mean Chaos was a last defense? Squire implied it would be working with whatever Omega was however.

"Our planet's last line of defense, and one that will only awaken when the planet's life is about to end." Something to soothe some fears that likely were creeping in to the forefront of the other's mind. "Not to take out, but to return all remaining life to the Lifestream for the final journey."

It was easier for her to read him, even if harder for others. The slight narrowing of crimson eyes, a firming along his mouth. "Then Chaos is the reaper, if Omega is the one doing the harvest?" A simplistic analogy, but it fit.

"Why are you bringing all this up?" A hint of suspicion in the low voice. There was only one-entity called Chaos right? It couldn't be the one he felt stir at times in his mind, a creature of rage and anger and primal emotions.

She nodded once, watching him closely as she spoke. "Because no one knows what will happen in the upcoming battle," she began, almost hesitating at the sound of the suspicion in his tone. "...And I'd rather you heard the truth from me than a file left behind."

Something she'd wanted on Gaia so much, yet her body and mind could not handle any longer. Yet here they were, able to converse once again. Even though her next words may throw this chance under the nearest chocobo stampede. "The Chaos of our world is the secret to your survival."

Whether it was the emotions (for all he was stoic Vincent wasn't made of stone) or what she was likely admitting, Lucrecia was rewarded with crimson eyes widening. Clear, if subtle for anyone else, surprise visible. Then they closed, and Vincent was casting his mind back.

Trying to recall 30 years ago, scattered and fractured memories after he'd confronted Hojo, the gunshot, and his life leaving him...

Disorientation and pain and an unending haze of confusion and horror colored what recollections he did have. His mind trying to protect itself from what was being done to him, what had been done. Attempting to make sense, and to see past the haze to confirm--and yes, there was dark black hair, a bent figure with glasses and a laugh that spoke of narcissistic madness.

Shifting his posture to meet her eyes, crimson opening once again and right hand moving gently to grasp her upper arm. Holding her so very carefully, but needing to know. To confirm what his brain was trying to make sense of. "He..." Such venom in the tone. "Hojo used me, experimented on me...but he wouldn't have placed Chaos in me." Not if that madman had suspected just who or what Chaos was, or that Vincent would survive.

Edited 2016-09-03 03:56 (UTC)

Unlike Vincent, she didn't have to struggle so hard to recall what took place that fateful day. When she realized, or perhaps, was no longer able to fool herself in regards to what her.. what Hojo truly was. She lingered btween dreams and nightmares in her crystalline cave for so long, the memories and visions plaguing her much like the pain that had wracked her body. That crumbled away whatever had remained after losing... after...

The first thing Vincent would notice upon taking hold of her upper arm was that for as calm as she tried to act, she was shaking. When he looked her in the eye, it was as though she were fighting back tears.

"You're right," she replied, shaking her head as her gaze finally fell. "It was my research, one last attempt to..." No. She had to start from the beginning, or it would all have been for nothing. "He was going to discard you, having dubbed you a failure. I couldn't...!"

I couldn't lose you, too! she all but wanted to scream, but she held her tongue. "I tried for months to resuscitate you, to undo what Hojo had done. Using Chaos... was my final attempt to halt the decay."

Again, she'd surprised him--but perhaps he shouldn't have been, given their meeting in Crystallis. On Gaia, within the cave--had she been lucid and conscious truly, even though they'd spoken? Yet every interaction they'd had on Crystallis had pointed to her being glad he had survived. Was it only her guilt?

Fighting tears however, and her voice, the words--and Vincent studied her carefully. Silent in thought for several heartbeats. Hadn't he been wrestling with several of these issues himself, and here at least was somewhat of an answer.

Removing his hand from where he held her arm, leather warm and covering the skin as he moved up to brush her cheek. So very softly, almost shy and scared to touch her. "I...I owe you my life." Such a soft and low voice, confusion clear as he was still sorting out how he felt about it. But gratitude there as well, stronger and coming through in the tone.

Guilt certainly had a part in it, but so too did the pain. The pain of knowing that what she'd done to him, what it would mean for his abnormally extended life. At first, she'd thought that it was just another dream of hers. A phantom of a man she had betrayed yet had only wanted what was best for her until the end.

Yet as they stood there, she could almost taste the regret as clearly as she had all those years ago. That he was now touching her again, so gingerly as though she were made of porcelain and was afraid he'd break her...

Yuffie was right. He deserved so much better than her.

"You died trying to save me. If anything, I owed you." A sad smile tugged across her lips, voice just as soft. "I'm so sorry."

Trying...yeah, he'd failed hadn't he? Vincent shook his head. "You have nothing to apologize for. I failed, and you suffered for it." Resolute in that, even if he had only witnessed the after effects.

"If anything, you allowed me to finish what I started."

"I failed myself, Vincent. You cannot fault yourself if I..." she paused for a moment, sighing. "-I would not listen."

Until it was far too much, and far too late.

Still he held her cheek so gently in leather covered hand. Silent and pondering, as both of them clearly were remorseful. Just as before, he was weighing things in his mind...

"Regardless, Lucrecia, I do owe you my existence and life now." Said after a slow blink, trying to meet her gaze. Maybe not quite ready to accept that he was blameless, but willing to push it aside for now. "Thank you. For telling me."

Event || The Festival Of Light

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