Drabble #1
Subject: Final Fantasy VII
Character/Pairing: Vincent Valentine
Theme(s): (1.) "A hasty smile to hide a lie."
Rating: G
Warnings: None
What happened to innocence? What happened to Justice and chivalry… What happened to the glory that was supposed to emanate from the renowned title of “Elite Turk”?
An exasperated sigh escaped the sun-kissed lips of one such Turk who had at one time believed in the good of mankind. That gallantry still existed in the form of a navy suit and fingerless black gloves. Oh how wrong he was, thought the young copper-eyed man as he for the third time this evening was attempting to wash the blood from his hands..
“Why did it have to be the Slums..” He uttered softly, splashing a handful of tap-water upon his jaded features. He swore he was aging another couple years every time he stared at that rusty speckled mirror.. apparently this job was starting to take a toll on him. The Slums had always spelled trouble.. No one wanted to get involved with Turk affairs, yet there were always those bold few still with Slum-pride that would attempt to stand up to their oppression..
“No, that wasn’t your fault.. they should have stayed out of it… It was a useless building anyhow.. Why bother protecting something that’s on it’s very last legs..? It’s worthless..” He sneered in blatant denial, wiping the smudges of dirt from his cheek. It had been a simple routine check, to make sure that no one was living in that sector, before it was torn down to make way for the new ‘Midgar Line’ railway. It was supposed to make things better for the suffocating people beneath the plate.. Yet it seemed they wanted nothing of it. And slowly but surely he was beginning to understand why..
With each passing day the horrid truth behind ShinRa’s divinity was unrelentingly smashed into his face… This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.. He was supposed to be a hero.. “I wanted to protect them~!” He shouted hoarsely, gripping the edge of the sink as a wave of nausea hit his haggard form. He thought of the traitor he had really become.. for he had been one of Them once. He too had strived for a life out from the underside of that rotting metal pizza.. hearing wonderful stories of how the streets of the plate were paved in gold, and opportunity was everywhere you looked.. It was a better life up there. And after he had clawed tooth and nail to get there.. he saw Midgar for what it was really cracked up to be. A festering cesspool of debauchery and sin. It was a modern day Sodom and Gomorra…
“But that was all just a dream now wasn’t it, Valentine..” The Turk whispered consolingly to himself, staring at the drain that still had sprinkles of fresh blood and bile from his earlier emotional wretch.. “You’re not a hero.. You’re an Assassin.. A Murderer.. A Fraud~!” He slammed his fist against the mirror, cracking his aesthetically torn complexion.. “Yet you can’t escape, can you.. No.. They’ll snuff you.. No one leaves this company.. Not alive anyhow.. Heh heh..” He chuckled almost morbidly at the thought.. blindfolded and stood in front of a brick-wall, riflemen raising their weapons to sentence him the death penalty for treachery.. it was an inevitable rebuttal.. “I am a traitor after all… Perhaps I should… No!”
Valentine gripped his skull swiftly shaking his head, “You’re above that, Valentine… Suicide is a sin against God…. You can fight against this.. You can curve their way of carrying out ShinRa’s will.. No one has to die! …. You’re the Elite now.. You’re in command.. Dear God..”
The assassin swaggered out of the restroom and into the small living room of his on-site quarters, ignoring the mess of files scattered across the floor as he made his way to an open window.. “Give me time to make this city into the dream the people below longed it to be…” He stared up at the eerily green heavens, peering enough to catch the glimmer of a single star in the sky between the mass of clouds steaming from the newly erected reactors.. “Give me a relief… a breath of fresh air… Send me a white angel to guide me along this perilous journey.. and I swear these sins of mine shall be redeemed..”
A prompt knock to his front door snapped him from his heartfelt prayer, nearly jolting him out of his skin.. “Mr. Valentine, I have your next assignment, sir!” called a gopher on the other side.
Righting his black silk tie he approached the door and addressed the young man, who’s timid eyes were wide as dinner plates at the site of the legendary Turk Vincent Valentine.. “S-sir! Here you are, you’re asked to meet on the 67th f-floor to address your knew client, Sir!”
“I see.. Thank you very much..” Vincent uttered imperturbably, taking the file from the youth’s hands, before he scurried away in a fluster.. “Hmph.. What could it be this time..” He seemed highly unenthusiastic about it as he flipped the opening and pulled out the documents.. He lofted a brow, quite perplexed at what he was assigned too.. “A Sentinel Job..? ..What would a ‘Scientist’ need protection for…?” He shook his head, as it was often asking for a migraine to question.
Thirty-Three floors later Vincent found himself at his destination, having primped and preened himself of all stains and grime, and entering the floor looking like the astounding professional he had been looked up to be.. With how eager he was to assess this matter he made his way quickly towards the laboratories… his prayer still hanging repetitively on his thoughts.. only for them to shatter the moment he rounded a sharp corner and slammed head-first into something thin and brittle.. a flutter of papers scattered every which-way in the head-on collision.
“OOF!”
“Ugh.. Eh..?”
“Clumsy oaf! Watch where you’re going~!” Snapped an icy tone.
Before Vincent could collect himself, he was glared at in disdain by the most merciless pair of eyes he had ever seen.. “A-ah! Forgive me, Sir.. I wasn’t..”
“Paying attention.. Typical..” The man with the dark eyes spat, dusting his long coat off and looking about himself at the mess the Turk had caused him.. “It took me three hours to organize those files.. How many more set-backs must this wretched place give me..?!”
“Please, sir.. let me assist.. It’s the least I can do for you..” The Turk was truly apologetic, as he attempted to gather the disarray of files.. Only to have his hand slapped away..
“Don’t touch them! Who knows where your filthy hands have been..” The man felt around on the steely floor till his fingertips touched a pair of frameless spectacles, setting them upon his chiseled pointed nose.. now able to get a much better and much more irritated look at the scruffy dog that had toppled his equilibrium briefly.. “Feh.. A Turk. What’s someone like you doing up here anyhow?” He muttered as he picked up each file one by one.
“I was assigned to guard someone on this floor… The document stated that my client has a knack for getting himself attacked by his own specimens… Do you know where I can find, Professor Hojo..?” He inquired in his most respectful of monotones.
“Heh.. You needn’t look far, Turk..” The scientist narrowed those odious black eyes at the young man before him.
“A-ah..” Those glacial onyx irises caused him to pause.. he had never stammered before in his life as a Turk.. yet this man in white gave him a ghastly sense of foreboding.. “Then.. Professor Hojo, I presume..?”
The scientist resisted the urge to roll his eyes at ShinRa’s lapdog and simply replied as he gathered the last of the files.. “Yes, that is correct.. Yet I’m afraid your assistance is not necessary. As I’ve told my subordinates time and again, I can take care of myself just fine..”
“Well.. ‘I am afraid’ that this is a mandatory assignment, Sir… Forgive me for the inconvenience, yet until our CEO cancels my contract, I’m under obligation to protect you..” Vincent replied once again calmly.
Hojo sneered, ultimately blanched at the idea of this dirty suit being around… ah well, perhaps he could be of some use.. as a coaster, doorstop, or pack mule.. whichever he needed first.. “Hmm.. Whatever, Turk. I’ll ask you simply just this once.. Don’t touch anything without my consent.. And we’ll get along just fine..”
“It’s Vincent… Vincent Valentine, Elite Turk..” He addressed softly, only for Hojo to wave his hand in dismissal at him.
“Yes, fine fine.. So..” The scientist seemed to loosen up slightly as he looked the young man over.. “Are you to tell you me are a professional in security? A guardian of some sort..?”
Vincent expressed a hasty smile to hide the lie.. “Yes.. from this moment forward I shall be your sentinel, Sir..”
Character/Pairing: Vincent Valentine
Theme(s): (1.) "A hasty smile to hide a lie."
Rating: G
Warnings: None
What happened to innocence? What happened to Justice and chivalry… What happened to the glory that was supposed to emanate from the renowned title of “Elite Turk”?
An exasperated sigh escaped the sun-kissed lips of one such Turk who had at one time believed in the good of mankind. That gallantry still existed in the form of a navy suit and fingerless black gloves. Oh how wrong he was, thought the young copper-eyed man as he for the third time this evening was attempting to wash the blood from his hands..
“Why did it have to be the Slums..” He uttered softly, splashing a handful of tap-water upon his jaded features. He swore he was aging another couple years every time he stared at that rusty speckled mirror.. apparently this job was starting to take a toll on him. The Slums had always spelled trouble.. No one wanted to get involved with Turk affairs, yet there were always those bold few still with Slum-pride that would attempt to stand up to their oppression..
“No, that wasn’t your fault.. they should have stayed out of it… It was a useless building anyhow.. Why bother protecting something that’s on it’s very last legs..? It’s worthless..” He sneered in blatant denial, wiping the smudges of dirt from his cheek. It had been a simple routine check, to make sure that no one was living in that sector, before it was torn down to make way for the new ‘Midgar Line’ railway. It was supposed to make things better for the suffocating people beneath the plate.. Yet it seemed they wanted nothing of it. And slowly but surely he was beginning to understand why..
With each passing day the horrid truth behind ShinRa’s divinity was unrelentingly smashed into his face… This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.. He was supposed to be a hero.. “I wanted to protect them~!” He shouted hoarsely, gripping the edge of the sink as a wave of nausea hit his haggard form. He thought of the traitor he had really become.. for he had been one of Them once. He too had strived for a life out from the underside of that rotting metal pizza.. hearing wonderful stories of how the streets of the plate were paved in gold, and opportunity was everywhere you looked.. It was a better life up there. And after he had clawed tooth and nail to get there.. he saw Midgar for what it was really cracked up to be. A festering cesspool of debauchery and sin. It was a modern day Sodom and Gomorra…
“But that was all just a dream now wasn’t it, Valentine..” The Turk whispered consolingly to himself, staring at the drain that still had sprinkles of fresh blood and bile from his earlier emotional wretch.. “You’re not a hero.. You’re an Assassin.. A Murderer.. A Fraud~!” He slammed his fist against the mirror, cracking his aesthetically torn complexion.. “Yet you can’t escape, can you.. No.. They’ll snuff you.. No one leaves this company.. Not alive anyhow.. Heh heh..” He chuckled almost morbidly at the thought.. blindfolded and stood in front of a brick-wall, riflemen raising their weapons to sentence him the death penalty for treachery.. it was an inevitable rebuttal.. “I am a traitor after all… Perhaps I should… No!”
Valentine gripped his skull swiftly shaking his head, “You’re above that, Valentine… Suicide is a sin against God…. You can fight against this.. You can curve their way of carrying out ShinRa’s will.. No one has to die! …. You’re the Elite now.. You’re in command.. Dear God..”
The assassin swaggered out of the restroom and into the small living room of his on-site quarters, ignoring the mess of files scattered across the floor as he made his way to an open window.. “Give me time to make this city into the dream the people below longed it to be…” He stared up at the eerily green heavens, peering enough to catch the glimmer of a single star in the sky between the mass of clouds steaming from the newly erected reactors.. “Give me a relief… a breath of fresh air… Send me a white angel to guide me along this perilous journey.. and I swear these sins of mine shall be redeemed..”
A prompt knock to his front door snapped him from his heartfelt prayer, nearly jolting him out of his skin.. “Mr. Valentine, I have your next assignment, sir!” called a gopher on the other side.
Righting his black silk tie he approached the door and addressed the young man, who’s timid eyes were wide as dinner plates at the site of the legendary Turk Vincent Valentine.. “S-sir! Here you are, you’re asked to meet on the 67th f-floor to address your knew client, Sir!”
“I see.. Thank you very much..” Vincent uttered imperturbably, taking the file from the youth’s hands, before he scurried away in a fluster.. “Hmph.. What could it be this time..” He seemed highly unenthusiastic about it as he flipped the opening and pulled out the documents.. He lofted a brow, quite perplexed at what he was assigned too.. “A Sentinel Job..? ..What would a ‘Scientist’ need protection for…?” He shook his head, as it was often asking for a migraine to question.
Thirty-Three floors later Vincent found himself at his destination, having primped and preened himself of all stains and grime, and entering the floor looking like the astounding professional he had been looked up to be.. With how eager he was to assess this matter he made his way quickly towards the laboratories… his prayer still hanging repetitively on his thoughts.. only for them to shatter the moment he rounded a sharp corner and slammed head-first into something thin and brittle.. a flutter of papers scattered every which-way in the head-on collision.
“OOF!”
“Ugh.. Eh..?”
“Clumsy oaf! Watch where you’re going~!” Snapped an icy tone.
Before Vincent could collect himself, he was glared at in disdain by the most merciless pair of eyes he had ever seen.. “A-ah! Forgive me, Sir.. I wasn’t..”
“Paying attention.. Typical..” The man with the dark eyes spat, dusting his long coat off and looking about himself at the mess the Turk had caused him.. “It took me three hours to organize those files.. How many more set-backs must this wretched place give me..?!”
“Please, sir.. let me assist.. It’s the least I can do for you..” The Turk was truly apologetic, as he attempted to gather the disarray of files.. Only to have his hand slapped away..
“Don’t touch them! Who knows where your filthy hands have been..” The man felt around on the steely floor till his fingertips touched a pair of frameless spectacles, setting them upon his chiseled pointed nose.. now able to get a much better and much more irritated look at the scruffy dog that had toppled his equilibrium briefly.. “Feh.. A Turk. What’s someone like you doing up here anyhow?” He muttered as he picked up each file one by one.
“I was assigned to guard someone on this floor… The document stated that my client has a knack for getting himself attacked by his own specimens… Do you know where I can find, Professor Hojo..?” He inquired in his most respectful of monotones.
“Heh.. You needn’t look far, Turk..” The scientist narrowed those odious black eyes at the young man before him.
“A-ah..” Those glacial onyx irises caused him to pause.. he had never stammered before in his life as a Turk.. yet this man in white gave him a ghastly sense of foreboding.. “Then.. Professor Hojo, I presume..?”
The scientist resisted the urge to roll his eyes at ShinRa’s lapdog and simply replied as he gathered the last of the files.. “Yes, that is correct.. Yet I’m afraid your assistance is not necessary. As I’ve told my subordinates time and again, I can take care of myself just fine..”
“Well.. ‘I am afraid’ that this is a mandatory assignment, Sir… Forgive me for the inconvenience, yet until our CEO cancels my contract, I’m under obligation to protect you..” Vincent replied once again calmly.
Hojo sneered, ultimately blanched at the idea of this dirty suit being around… ah well, perhaps he could be of some use.. as a coaster, doorstop, or pack mule.. whichever he needed first.. “Hmm.. Whatever, Turk. I’ll ask you simply just this once.. Don’t touch anything without my consent.. And we’ll get along just fine..”
“It’s Vincent… Vincent Valentine, Elite Turk..” He addressed softly, only for Hojo to wave his hand in dismissal at him.
“Yes, fine fine.. So..” The scientist seemed to loosen up slightly as he looked the young man over.. “Are you to tell you me are a professional in security? A guardian of some sort..?”
Vincent expressed a hasty smile to hide the lie.. “Yes.. from this moment forward I shall be your sentinel, Sir..”