ÂŤ Nightmares werenât something that happened all too often to him anymore. Back when everything had started, they frequented him many a night, whenever it was he managed to get sleep. But now, as he gained much more control on his life, the nightmares faded. In the rare moment where he had fallen asleep just moments earlier, his mind released the dark thoughts yet again, this time being of the deaths of his friends. In his dream, all he could do was watch as they battled an unnamed foe, and one by one, watch as they fell, their bodies disappearing as their souls returned to the Lifestream. He had reached for his weapon, but it was not there. He had tried screaming out for them, but they could not hear. Everything and anything he tried failed. And when the strongest of the group, the yellow haired man named Cloud, fell, Vincentâs eyes shot wide open, pain clutching tightly at his heart.
With a start, he jumped up, but was held back by something. Wild crimson eyes looked about, finding that something to be someone. A woman stared back down at him, her arms wrapped securely about his shoulders. His chest raising and falling rapidly in shallow breaths, Vincent pulled himself away from her, practically jumping to stand. As he walked forward, his fingers brushed through his dark locks as his mind brought forward question after question. Was this a sign? Were his friends alright? Was Gaia alright? Had a new foe come forward? What of Shelke? What of Yuffie? What of Lucrecia? So many questions rushing about in his mind brought forth a twinge of pain. But as soon as the pain had begun, it faded, the low growl of the beast within him letting the pale man know that he would deal with it. Sighing softy in a thanks, his hands dropped to his sides, eyes wandering to figure out where it was he had fallen asleep.
Confusion appeared on his features then. He was in his âhomeâ. He had fallen asleep on his cot in the corner. So how was it that this woman just so happen to come and awaken him from his nightmare? Red-orange eyes turned back to her, finding her kneeling still beside the cot. âWho are you?â Âť
Renata had always been prone to idle walks that usually landed her in the most unusual situation. But today was a different day. She was actually in the area with a goal set in mind. If she were to carry on what she was doing, she needed supplies. And however shady the place might be, she had met her supplier in a nearby area. It amused her how inexperienced these individuals were. She only needed a couple of small gadgets. Tiny microchips that can be easily hidden and exchanged in, well, something as simple as a coffee shop. When she thought about it, she laughed. A graveyard of rubble was a lot more suspicious for a meeting. It was too clichĂŠ, too predictable.
But it wasnât for her to decide. She was the one in need, and so she had to oblige with the rules of her supplier. Though she was quickly spiralling down into extreme fatigue, she managed to remain hyper alert. It was the fruit of two decades of training that allowed her to oversee the numbness in her limbs, and the everlasting headaches, amongst the many symptoms of exhaustion. She was an agent gone rogue, that was to be expected. The most important matter at hand was surviving and reaching her goal, the second being more important. She would achieve nothing by staying in bed and getting a good 8 hours of sleep. Yes, she was quite the workaholic.
The exchange was over, and she had to make her way out of the labyrinth of rubble. It was interesting, seeing such a sight in what would be considered a first world city. But then, something caught her eyes. Something was off, and she could sense it. She did a scan of the perimeter, reducing the power of the barrier she places upon her eyes to, well, not empower her headaches by an overload of input. She pursed her lips slightly before stretching them into a lopsided smirk. She expected a chase, sooner or later, but unless that was a trap, she expected whomever was sent after her to have a tad more stealth.
Yet that changed her plans for the night. She could not go back to the home of the friend she was staying at, and lead whomever was following her straight to him, if it indeed was the case, because for all she knew, the source of the energy she sensed could be entirely unrelated. She felt boldly confrontational on that night, and there was one way to find out the answer.
It was an interesting, yet not entirely surprising sight, seeing the source of the energy being a mere young man, that appeared to be around the same age. Saying he was a mere man though, was not accurate, as she could clearly see what stood out about him, but she had grown a habit of silence about her observations.
She watched him jolt up with confusion seeped into his every feature, if not a streak of panic as well. She had followed him with her eyes, ones that were concealed behind hazel lenses to hide their naturally striking colour. She pursed her lips, feigning contemplation, âHmm... well, you see.â She paused before a smirk tugged at the corner of her lips, and rose to her feet, turning her body in his direction, âI would say that an unnaturally curios girl getting lost in an abandoned area seems a lot more plausible than a seemingly fit young man having a nightmare, in well, a barren place like this.â She let out a soft chuckle.
For the time being, she remained hyper alert, expecting anything to take place. And her suspicions have not dwindled down just yet. âThough of course, you could indeed be a homeless chap, I mean, that can be explained too considering everything, canât it?â She let out a soft chuckle, and did not elaborate on what she had meant, but she gestured with her hand briefly towards him before bringing it back down to her side. âSo maybe, I should be asking you that too. Whoâre you?â
