INCOMPLETE.

[foreswear]

Who: Vincent, Kadaj, Yazoo, and Loz.
When: right after Yazoo and Loz meet up with Kadaj.
Where: a block or so away from Vincent's home, some random street.
Rating: LOL TBD.
Warnings: LOL. Yeah, still TBD. ):
Summary: OH, EVERYONE'S JUST PUSHING ALL THE RIGHT BUTTONS LATELY. Loz insists on a friendly game with Vincent. Vincent sucks at saying no.

Comments

[wrathonstrings]

After that unpleasant conversation Kadaj was not in a good mood. No, he had had it. The youngest of the three and their leader, he had purposely stalked ahead a good many yards, aqua mako eyes narrowed straight ahead. It was, just as he had thought, confusing as well as questionable. The fact that they were even considering working for that man, that liar, rather than saying no? That man had mocked him! He had lead Kadaj around in blind circles, and now they trusted him the slightest bit? He felt betrayed. But even worse, shocked. And he hoped the two realized he was angry! They were going to make it up to him, he was determined for that!

But right now, all three had a fight to settle, did they not? This Vincent for some reason, was almost amusing. Almost. Kadaj wasn't in the mood, but he'd keep the game going because that was what he did. It was who he was. He was ruthless, cruel, and no one stepped on him more than once without regretting it later. Kadaj lifted up his head and laughed softly, appearing from the distance to be, well...probably insane.

Whatever. The moron at the very least, would receive a very special death. And with his two brothers along here, there would be some variety in his injuries too.

As long as Kadaj got the most hits in. He usually didn't mind sitting back and letting the older two do most of the grunt work, but they owed him for what they did!

"Stupid...stupid..." the remnant chanted under his breath, almost, almost sulking. He paid only enough attention not to get lost, since he was new here. Fortunately, the meeting point was easy enough to locate, and upon catching sight of it, Kadaj replaced every angry twitch, every dark scowl with his usual smug demeanor.

Smug, and highly volatile.

"It's so good to see you here, Vincent!" His voice rung out, echoed, laced with cold, bitter, mocking delight. And he approached, strides long and elegant, completely confident for the world. Was he as gleeful as he appeared? Hardly. But Kadaj was standing on an edge now, one side crumbling and his only handholds leading to a path he didn't want to commit to.

The small talk wasn't going to last for long. Once Yazoo and Loz had caught up and situated themselves in their proper places, Kadaj had every intent of doing any damage he could to the Turk. He'd slice him up, he'd crush his insides! He'd create an artwork out of him, a monstrous, bloody, artwork. Souba was already out and ready, pinwheeling around his wrist in a silver, soft blur. Much more prettier than the purpose it served. Poised so that his experience was obvious, he didn't bother to leap up, high into the air as he normally had. He...had already tried that. But that was irrelevant.

He hadn't expected much, he never did. But they were fighting this? This scrawny, pale thing? For some reason Kadaj was reminded of when the smaller monsters on Gaia would challenge the larger ones. The smaller always were eaten, unless they managed to hide. Spineless things. Spineless people. Vincent was much taller, but Kadaj was more muscled. Yazoo perhaps, was about equal, but more graceful, and Loz definitely had way more in terms of physical strength. The grown up child sneered beneath a curtain of silver hair. This Vincent was a fool, nearly everyone here was one. He'd use this chance to testify what would always happen when you challenged the silver haired trio.

[dualing_hounds]

To say that Loz was eagerly anticipating this meeting would be a severe understatement. He had been waiting for this the moment he had instigated it, fueling and pushing the right keys to send the Turk in a raging fit after all three of them. It was so easy, too, all he had to do was throw the challenge out there and Vincent was rearing to go. Little did he know that there was a deeper reason behind his anger, but he didn't particularly care either-what his brother's did was none of his concern. All he knew was that he was in for a good fight, and if all went well and according to plan, the reward would be the bloody remains of a turk who responded too quickly and forgot to think thoroughly.

This of course meant having to go through the grueling process of retrieving the newly arrived brother, then the surprising discussion regarding ShinRa which led to a very enraged Kadaj, but in the end it was all worth it. Someone voluntarily threw themselves into the lion's pit and willingly accepted their fate to be decided on trio's hands. Unbeknown to him, this opponent would not come without some form of challenge. Yet where Yazoo calculated him to be a bit of a threat, Loz shared the same wavelength as Kadaj in regards to singling him as nothing but a waste. Except, he was actually hoping that looks would be deceiving. There wouldn't be much performance if the game ended before it even had a chance to begin, thus making their trip rather pointless.

Loz followed alongside Yazoo, letting the raging remnant vent out his frustrations while leading them to their designated point. If there was anything he learned it was to never ask questions or even try to bother him when he was completely irate. There was no sense in arguing with him, either, not that he was particularly known for reasoning with him. After all, Kadaj had a perfectly valid reason this time to be upset, he just hoped that when this was over, all the frustrations and anger thrown between the three of them during that discussion would

He was a little confused, to be honest. Part of him wanted desperately to believe Yazoo and to be with Mother even if it meant being under the control of someone as conniving as Rufus. Yet the other half couldn't accept it, he wasn't there to feel her presence and so it was easier to deny this possibility where areas Yazoo was convinced. But Yazoo wasn't one to easily fool, so he remained unsure Had he been there the effect would probably be a little harder to ignore, but Loz remained neutral on where he sided on this story. All of this would surely be discussed even further later on, but for now they had something to wash away the stress.

This was exciting, this was thrilling, this was everything he missed doing and so much more. The best part about it was that they were doing it together. His brothers meant everything to him, and when one went into battle, they all did. Where one fell the other one followed. They were fatal one on one in their own right, one physically and the other with accuracy, but together the three of some posed a bigger threat. All pieces of the puzzle combined was a complete wrath of the one they originated from.

And there he was, waiting just like he said he would with a rage hidden beneath the exterior of his almost morbidly quiet state. No matter, that didn’t bother him one bit. Grinning ear to ear and letting out a boastful chuckle, prepping the pile bunker around his arm so that the contraptions rotated, shifted, loaded, and charged properly for battle. He kept his silence as they casually made their way over, standing a short ways behind, one on each side of Kadaj who was currently taunting their target. They knew the routine, knew when to respond and precisely how to go about it in flawless teamwork. All he needed was the signal and Loz would waste no time in giving the proper greeting. Together with Yazoo at his side, they would work on rebuilding the trust impaired with their brother by giving him a good show. Granted, even this alone would probably not be enough for whatever raging betrayal he was feeling right now, but it was a fine start and an entertaining one, too. Finally, some fun. Just when he thought Purg had nothing to offer, too.

1/2. *SOBS*

[foreswear]

Given that Duke had managed to shoot him square in the forehead, and given that Vincent had come trailing back to him not even two days later, he figured that, yeah, he'd still find them rather charming, regardless of whether or not he walked away from this. It didn't make sense, of course, as many of Vincent's actions while he was like this tended not to, but that also wasn't the point. Really, the difference between Vincent and the remnants was that Vincent didn't particularly care about winning or losing. He didn't care about winning, because nothing was gained from his victory, and he didn't care about losing, because it only served to quiet the twisting demons that lay just beneath the cracked surface. If anything, there were more advantages to him losing than there were to him winning, except.

Except he'd lose another memory, and that was a haunting piece of knowledge that left him feeling maybe just a little uncomfortable. He still hadn't discovered what it was that he had forgotten from his previous death, and part of Vincent wasn't sure he ever wanted to find out. It wouldn't have made him happy, either way. Wouldn't have done anything other than upset him, and Vincent was always upset these days. Always angry about something. Always needing to fight about something, to get rid of the whispering in the back of his mind, and to tear the clawing right from his chest. If the demons, if Chaos, were going to kill him, he wished they'd just get it over with. He wished they'd just make their appearance. He wished they'd just reek their havoc and then leave him in peace, finally. Finally. He wasn't equipped to deal with this. He wasn't equipped to deal with them.

All thought fled, however, when red eyes caught a glimpse of blinding silver, and Vincent glanced up, fingers drifting to brush dark strands of hair from his forehead. First Kadaj, then Yazoo, and then Loz, and they looked just as he was expecting them to. Silver hair, and piercing eyes, with forms built for grace and destruction and killing and annihilating. They looked like Sephiroth. They looked like--

They look just like her, his better half hissed suddenly. How the fuck are you going to kill Lucrecia three goddamn times over? How the fuck are you going to kill them when you're not even sure you'd be able to kill Sephiroth, if it ever came down to that?

They don't look like her, he retaliated, even as his fingers curled into a fist at his side. They look nothing like her.

Besides. It wasn't as if he was still worried about that. Wasn't as if he was still worried about who was going to die, and who wasn't, and who was going to walk away, and who wasn't. That didn't matter. And even if with the distance they stood from him, he could still make out their scent on the quiet gusts of wind that trailed by, and he wasn't sure what to make of it. Sickening, almost, because it was rather sweet. Horrible, almost, because it seemed almost innocent. Remnants. That's what they were were, wasn't it. Remnants of Sephiroth. Infected with Sephiroth. Part of Sephiroth, and stop saying his fucking name, Vincent.

They were also killers. Murderers. They had threatened Gaia once before, and though he had no recollection of it, that thought alone was enough to have the tightening in his chest, in the base of his throat, tighten a little bit more. Until it felt as if hundreds of hands were pushing down on his chest. Until it felt as if hundreds of hands were around his throat, choking him, suffocating him. He had a job to do. Had to focus. Had three targets right in front of him, and the corner of his mouth perked up into a smile as he slid forward a step, dropping his hand to his to palm the hilt of Cerberus. The weapon slid easily enough from his holster, and black metal glimmered in the failing light, defying the sticky shadows that surrounded them. He took another step, and Cerberus hung casually in his hand at his side.

2/2.

[foreswear]

He could still smell them. Every single fucking inch, and if he listened closely enough, he could make out the beating of their hearts. Not human, but they had hearts, too, just like him. And in their throats, in the long expanse of flesh that was exposed right at their necks, they had beating pulses, too, just like him. The pulse was what he always went for first, and something curled in the pit of his stomach as it lurched forward, as he dropped forward another step, dark eyes flicking down past Kadaj's face to narrow in on his throat. So fucking sensitive there. Everyone was so fucking sensitive.

Focus. Focus. Focus. You can rip out their throats later, Valentine.

Their hearts were beating in unison.

Focus.

"Mm." His footsteps halted, and Vincent's free hand moved up until his fingers could brush along the back of his neck. There was something oddly sheepish in the movement, something that seemed a little disarming. Close, but not really. Close, but no, because he was still smiling that charming and dangerous smile, even as dark eyes whispered his true intent. "I'd say the same for you three."

Metal clinked metal when the charm on Cerberus hit the panel of the gun as it was raised, as the nozzle rubbed lightly against the patch of flesh right beneath Vincent's chin in another action that seemed too innocent to really be all that innocent. One more step. Vincent bit back the predatory purr and kept his voice calm, quiet. Soothing, maybe. Didn't want to give anything away.

"I was getting a little lonely, you know."

1/2

[wrathonstrings]

"Were you?" A slight cock of the head, so that jagged silver hair splayed across one side of his face and spilling slightly over one leather-clad shoulder. Oh, he was good. Vincent should had chosen to be an actor! Either that, or really stupid. Pale pink lips widened in amusement at the seemingly innocent act, and formed a twisted grin, more of a baring of teeth than any sort of show to be amiable. No. Kadaj liked stupid. Vincent didn't appear like much of a threat, but he felt as if he was hiding something. What it was, he didn't know. But if it added a little more unpredictability to the fight, a different variable--no matter how small--then why wouldn't he be all for it?

Maybe, somehow, someone could have interpreted the remnant's behavior to be teasing. But for the most part, people either knew to back off or had the guts to keep fighting.

Slowly, each foot began to slide across the ground, almost as if the remnant were a lazy cat that was stretching. Getting ready for the kill, because it knew it could. He was powerful, he would surpass this creature, and only a moment later his voice rang out again through the void city ecstatically. "Did you hear that?!" Just as fast as he had begun, Kadaj had now opted to advance toward the other, completely self-assured, arrogant even. "It seems as if our friend got lonely." He glanced back at his brothers and smirked, waiting for their reaction. He didn't need to keep his eyes on Vincent to know if he would attack. A slight tremor in the air, the sound of fabric shifting--that alone would be enough to alert him, and besides. Yazoo and Loz could finish him off before he even touched the trigger.

Since he had paused, Kadaj decided to continue. Drag it out a little bit longer, mock the enemy. And then enjoy the fight to come. "Still. Brothers, do you not agree, that our new best friend looks familiar?" It had been on his mind ever since he got a good look at him. Another thoughtful silence, one arm flailing about madly. Though it was meant to look contemplative, the remnant had failed. Not that he cared, and not that anyone in their right mind would have pointed it out. "Oh, that's right! Now I remember. The red cloaked idiot who thought he could take us on. You could be a dead-ringer for him!" The leader finished on a false high pitch. Sure, he had succeeded in rescuing brother, but Vincent had no need to know that, and that wasn't the point. Kadaj didn’t like him. Now that he had realized it...

Now he wanted to defeat him more than ever.

2/2

[wrathonstrings]

It took less than a second, but the change was drastic. Kadaj had cast off any superficial impressions of being friendly, replacing it with his real intentions. Not that they hadn’t been hard to guess in the first place. A slight shift of the foot, as if at the start of a pivot. Every inch, every muscle in him was burning with adrenaline and telling him to shut the hell up and just fight. “It’s too bad…that looking at his face makes me sick.” And with those words snarled out bitterly, the remnant had practically become a blur as he spun himself around before he leapt up into the air. He knew right before, that he had been taking a risk, but he didn’t care. Risks were half of the fun in battle, and Kadaj found himself pleasantly surprised to find out it had worked.

Accelerating down on his target fast, Kadaj momentarily enjoyed the way the wind whipped at his face, aqua eyes keen and ready. Any movement, the tiniest millimeter in difference, and the twin blades would be out in front of him, blocking each bullet and creating a ricochet back for the Turk.

Kadaj knew that his brothers were aware of what to do. They always did. And as he descended, Kadaj whipped the double blades out in front of him, as if ready to strike the dark-haired man--right before he finished it off with a flip, landing right behind him, smoothly redirecting his attack from there. It was Yazoo and Loz’s turns now.

Kadaj wanted to see Vincent scream, he vowed that by the time this was over, the human would be broken to reveal what he truly was. He hated them. He'd make him pay just as he'd make every other lying and foul, insignificant mortal in this place as well as all others pay! This was only the beginning. The Turk wouldn't know what was coming to him.

[dualing_hounds]

It was a charming display of wit and humor in a rather grim situation, but if the Turk assumed that it would be adequate enough to distract and save him from his fate, he was sadly mistaken. If it wasn't for Kadaj's added commentary, Loz would have found the statement rather dull. What a coincidence that he was around to fill in that empty void, he had just the remedy for that-several in fact-and none of them were pretty. A deep chuckle left the remnant's lips, refraining from adding anything else into the mix of responses, choosing to laugh instead in hopes of rubbing further salt into the wound of insults thrown about by his siblings. Did this turk truly think he was fair game? Apparently so, not that it mattered. All it meant was that victory would taste so much sweeter from the sheer satisfaction he'd get at being able to wipe that smirk off his face and replace it with one of utter agony.

As Kadaj began to go about in his usual charismatic speech, he only listened and grinned, enjoying the show of mockery between his two brothers. He stood and waited without so much as a word, patience clearly a foreign word in his vocabulary as he shifted and swayed throughout the duration of the exchanged spoken exchange, sliding his feet to and from across the ground while keeping a sharp eye on Vincent's every move. When Kadaj looked back, they were his eyes and ears, ready to step in and guard him had Vincent decided to take advantage of this, and hopefully he hadn't. Even if he did appear a bit on frail save the artillery he had at his waist, he didn't want to risk turning his back for a second only to find himself stabbed. It was better to always go in preparing for the worst, even if the victim was hardly a danger.

A long while back when he first arrived, he remembered encountering the Turk over the network and finding him vaguely familiar. He wasn't able to pinpoint it exactly, but there was something about his eyes that had him doing a double take and pausing quietly in thought. Unfortunately, Loz wasn't exactly the type to dawdle too long on thoughts alone, so it was no surprise that over time he had all but forgotten about the small confrontation. All he knew was that he was one of the President's minions, that in itself were all the reason he needed to despise his existence. It was surprising to find one of ShinRa's dogs so far away from home, out and about and baring its teeth at a pack of wolves. They were normally known for working in pairs, so he was mildly impressed to find that he had came alone, prepared and willing to forfeit his very own life because of his wounded pride.

It was only when Kadaj revealed the connection with this Turk and the nuisance they had run across in the Forgotten City did things really begin to get interesting. How could he have missed this? The signs were all there but for some reason he never really cared much to follow into it, thank goodness that there was someone here to solve the riddle. It made the situation so much sweeter. Not only would they get the pleasure of hurting another one of ShinRa's turks, but also a bit of revenge on the side. His eyes widened as the smile on his lips faded for a moment, only to renew moments later into a more sinister grin. However, this was also a bit of a set back since it meant that Vincent could possibly stand a chance against them, not that it didn't disappoint him, he was actually looking forward to the challenge. He only hoped that Kadaj was aware of this revelation, but clearly he had to know since he was the one who brought it up and from his reaction he didn't seem the least bit bothered. Perhaps it was because he knew that despite his abilities they still remained supreme over their opponent, or so they thought.

[dualing_hounds]

With Kadaj's final words concluding the exchanged small talk, the remnant took stance, ready for their first move-action would cut much deeper than the words that were thrown about. Once Kadaj had leapt into the air, Loz immediately went into action after receiving the mutual glance from Yazoo, a silent signal between the two to initiate their own attack in unison. Their movements were like fluid, mastered and perfectly coordinated and in synch like a ritual done many times before. When Yazoo darted to the right, he immediately moved for his left and quickly charged forward, fists clenched and startling eyes locked on its target. The distraction couldn't have come at such perfect timing, allowing him to drive in, rear his fist back, and slam an attempted thundering first blow to his chest with the charged pile bunker crackling on his arm. It was his own way of saying hello, and hopefully the remedy to his loneliness as promised.

Even as Yazoo leapt away, Loz remained unrelenting and continued to apply a flurry of blows directly at him, one after another with a thrown in chuckle somewhere amidst it all. An upper cut, a swing to his stomach, then another aimed punched to his face. Whether or not any of them made impact wasn't important, the purpose was simply to put him on defense so that they had the upper hand. He'd keep him cornered while they prepared to launch another attack, and if it failed there were always other alternatives.