The Village: Season One

[Liamane]

Same story, grammar perfect. XDDD

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Chapter One: Arrival

Jenova. The word haunted Vincent Valentine for the past thirty three long years. As the former Turk sat on his bed in Kalm and slowly opened his eyes, he pondered away into thought. For some reason, his mind was dwelling on the past. He thought of Hojo and his former love Lucrecia. She had chosen Hojo, the mad scientist who had triggered many events in Midgar, over him and he still could never forgive her for that, even if she wasn't alive. Why was he thinking of such terrible things that had happened years ago?

Vincent sighed and looked out the window. The town of Kalm was tranquil nowadays after the defeat the murderous Tsviets. With Cerberus at his side, the man sighed and tried to think of a more pleasant memory.

As he lay totally flat on his bed, there was a scream outside. The Turk looked out the window to find a young woman running for her dear life. Apparently, she was being chased by a creature on four legs. The man grabbed the gun Cerberus at his side and jumped out the window of his apartment. The creature looked at Vincent and instantly charged at him.

The former Turk simply pointed the gun at the beast and shot a bullet into its head. The creature fell to the ground and the girl was far away from danger. "That was a complete waste of my time," he muttered as he headed for the entrance to his home.

Suddenly, a vortex emerged from the sky and began to pull Vincent into it. "What the hell?!" he hollered as he fell victim to the vortex. Just as it had appeared out of the blue, it had completely vanished and Vincent Valentine was long gone.

Several moments later, the bewildered man found himself on the ground after falling out of the vortex. His head was sore and his vision was still blurry. As he began to pull himself together, he saw a group of people staring at him. He reached for Cerberus and pointed the gun to the foreign crowd approaching him.

The people backed away at the sight of the weapon. The Turk regained himself and stood on his two legs "Who the hell are you?" he asked coldly while keeping a steady aim at the people. "And what is this place?"

No one from the crowd seemed to answer him. They all simply backed away, returning to their lives in a sense of shock, for they were frightened by the man who had mysterious made his way into their world. Vincent snarled, still wondering exactly what had happened.

Meanwhile, the priestess Kikyo walked along a small pathway in a field full of dead demons. The air was filled with death and she simply wished to pass through without any trouble. "Great... All I want is to find a place without demons,” she grumbled under her breath. “I just need a place with as little chaos as possible. At least they’re already dead."

Moments after stating her words, the demon Naraku suddenly appeared. "Kikyo, I see that you fell into my trap!" he exclaimed as he lunged forth to begin his assault upon the priestess. She promptly responded by pulling out her bow and grabbing an arrow.

All of a sudden, a vortex appeared behind Kikyo as Naraku's eyes grew wide, almost showing fear. Kikyo felt something pulling her from behind. "I've had enough of you!" she yelled becoming angered as she looked upon the demon's shocked face. The force from behind the woman pulled her in, and as soon as she blinked, she fell from the sky and landed near a man in dark clothes with a red cape waving in the wind.

"What did Naraku do to me?! Where am I?" she asked, sounding weak. The priestess grunted as she rubbed the side of her face and his eyes focused upon the man before her.

Vincent stared intensely at the young woman who fell from a portal, the same way he had just moments ago. "Your guess is as good as mine," the Turk said with bearing any expression. He blinked once and turned toward the road and began to walk away from the scene.

"This isn't my home... What's going on around here?" Kikyo articulated as she glanced down to gather her thoughts and she gripped her bow tightly. After a moment, she looked up and stepped toward Vincent. "Wait! Please, can you tell me what’s going on?"

The Turk paused and thinned his eyes as he looked over his shoulder. "I already did," he uttered with a chilling glare. He then turned his attention back to the road before him and continued to walk in the opposite direction.

"Fine," Kikyo huffed with a frown. The woman groaned and stood up while brushing off her sleeve. "Well, at least this place seems to have some a sense of serenity to it. Is there a place where we can find some answers?"

As he scanned the area with his intense red eyes, Vincent blinked and quickly found a sign that read "Riyona Village: One Mile". The man looked over to the priestess and offered her a slow nod. "Perhaps someone can help us in that village," The Turk wasn't very social and he usually kept to himself, but the woman seemed to suffer the same fate as he had. If he was going to find a way back to his own dimension, he would need as much help as he could to return to Kalm.

The man let out a sigh as he looked over his shoulder once more and motioned for her to come along. “Well... are you coming?” he asked as he finally reached a reluctant decision.

The woman nodded as she walked over to the Turk’s side and began to walk with him. "As for introductions, I'm Kikyo and I belong to a world full of demons and humans fighting and causing destruction,” the young woman said in a firm tone. She glanced to her companion and nodded. “I'm sure that your world is somewhat similar, correct?"

Vincent snapped out of his thoughts of returning home, and he looked over to Kikyo. "My world used to be a chaotic mess," he told her as put Cerberus away in its leather case. The man noticed the bow and arrows that the girl was carrying and he gave a dry smirk. "It seems that you can fight, then."

Memories of the past began to flood in Kikyo's mind as she tried to push them away. To her, it seemed like everything that happened in her world was all her fault. "Yes,” Kikyo replied with a brief pause as she began to continue. “I slay demons and help out in villages. I'm a priestess...” Her voice trailed off for a moment. “Well, I was until I was killed. My only goal now is to kill the one who killed me."

The Turk looked down at Kikyo and couldn't believe what she had just said. "You were killed?" he asked. Vincent frowned and looked up at the road before him. "I was also killed. But it was because I was standing up for someone I loved." He was silent for a moment and then spoke once more. "One could say that it was her fault that I've become the beast I am today."

"The only beast I've come to know is the one who impersonated the person I truly loved only to kill me and take away from something that I should have guarded with my life," the priestess said softly while she lowered her head and fought back the urge to cry. Although she didn't cry, Kikyo’s face showed pain and anger; something she usually didn't express, for she always kept her emotions inside of her. "You look human to me but your eyes tell me different."

Vincent brought his hand close to his face and observed his limb more closely. "I was a human a long time ago," he said, remembering the day Hojo had killed him. "But a bastard injected me with Jenova cells and twisted me into this thing you see before you."

The priestess raised a brow in reply. "I'm not sure what 'Jenova cells' are but you are not a 'thing' in my eyes," Kikyo replied with a blank expression. She also held up her hands and looked at them. "Like me, you still have feelings and still have someone you care about."

Vincent sharply drew in breath and thought about what his companion had said. She was right. Even though he rarely showed them, he also had feelings and emotions. He still loved Lucrecia, even though she had abandoned him, and he felt a strange feeling for his friends, as if they accepted him for what he truly was.

The man nodded and was silent for another long moment. He sighed and looked over to Kikyo. "It's Vincent," he murmured to her. "The name's Vincent Valentine."

Kikyo looked at the surroundings and noticed how peaceful it was. "Vincent Valentine," she repeated back to him. "So Vincent, what were you doing before you came to this world?"

Vincent looked at the scenery along with Kikyo. It had been over thirty years since he had seen a place of peaceful serenity with nature. "Nothing of particular interest," he replied. "I was trying to find a way to live out the rest of my life. Three years ago, a friend of mine discovered me under a mansion after thirty years of suspended animation. It's been a while since I've seen the world like this."

Kikyo looked at Vincent and sensed a calm aura around him. She looked up and saw a near-by village almost similar to her world. "Finally," she said relieved, "we can get some answers."

"It would seem that way," Vincent said without any emotion. The village before the man reminded him of his home, Kalm. He headed toward the village and glanced at Kikyo. "Let's go."

[Liamane]

Chapter Two: The Village

After a while, Vincent and Kikyo ended up at the village which almost seemed like a ghost town; everything was left untouched and no one was outside working in the fields. Kikyo looked around and noticed a bouquet of flowers lying on the ground by a hut. "Someone has to live here with all of this around," she told Vincent.

The man bent down and picked up the bouquet. Vincent observed the delicate flowers for a moment and then smelled its sweet fragrance. He looked over to Kikyo and nodded in agreement. "They're fresh picked, too," he said as he handed the flowers to her. "Now, where is the person who picked these?"

A young girl stepped out of the hut that Vincent and Kikyo stood near. The child’s emotions were doused due to the foreign adults’ presence, and she began shaking a bit. "P-please go away," she stuttered nervously and she continued to tremble. "Take whatever you want. We don't want trouble."

Vincent simply looked at the girl and frowned. "I won't hurt you," he said trying not to scare the child. The man looked through the huts and the road, but his eyes failed to scan any source of life in sight. "Where has everyone gone to?"

The girl looked up at Vincent, then at Kikyo. The priestess gave the child a smile and a reassuring nod. The girl then gave a shy smile in reply. "They’re back in the forest hiding,” she said softly with a timid tone. “A few of the boys that live here saw you two come out of the sky like demons. They all fled back here to warn all of us. I was in the garden picking flowers, and when I came back everyone was gone."

The man let out a sigh and crossed his arms while turning to the girl. "Do you think you could get the people to come back here?" he asked the child as he looked at his companion. "Kikyo and I would like to talk to some of the adults."

On the opposite side of the village, a young blind traveler shuffled about the area of the village attempting to find a source of life. The young man was rather tall, and he was dressed in meager clothes while his eyes were covered by a black band of cloth. “Excuse me!” he shouted out to the heavens above, hoping someone would hear him. “Could someone please help out a blind traveler in need?! Anyone?!”

After hearing the unfamiliar voice yell out about food, the young girl became so frightened that she grabbed onto Vincent's red cloak. "You stay with the girl," Kikyo ordered, grabbing her bow and arrow. "She seems fond of you now."

Kikyo rushed over to where she heard the male's voice, and her eyes came across a boy around her age. She noticed the cloth covering his eyes, and he seemed to be moving toward some food that was cooked not too long ago. "What is your name?" she asked as she cautiously approached him. "Are you from this village?"

As the young man inhaled the scent of some of the food, his feet warily shambled across the ground and his hands wavered about in the air. “Well, my name is Oberon and I’m from Atharta,” the blind teenager said as he followed his nose to the food. “My village isn’t from around here, and I found this place quite by accident. I’ve been here a little more than an hour and now my stomach’s craving for something. Excuse me, but would you mind giving me a bit of whatever’s over there?”

Kikyo turned her head to the direction in which the boy raised a finger to, and she handed him a bowl of the stew that had been left out to cook upon a fire. The teenager bowed his head as he grasped the bowl and sat down in his place to eat his newly acquired meal. “Thank you,” he said as he indulged in the stew, not even minding his manners.

The priestess shrugged and nodded. “So, you say you’re a blind traveler, right?” the woman asked as she put away her bow and arrow. "My name is Kikyo, and I am a priestess. If you don't mind, I would like to ask you a few questions." The young man dipped his head in reply to nod and pursued eating his food.

"So, I'm assuming that you are from this world,” the priestess continued as she watched the young man eat. “What do you call this world? Do you know anything about it?"

Oberon wiped his lip and turned his head to Kikyo’s direction. “The world is called different things in different parts of the land. To be honest, I have no idea what they call it in this region,” the young man confessed as he put the bowl down. “I was with my uncle a short while ago, but somehow we got separated. Then I found this place and I stumbled upon you. So, Miss Kikyo, where do you come from?”

"That's really no concern to you," Kikyo snapped with an emotionless tone. "What I need to know is how we all ended up in this world and how to get back to our own world. If you can't tell us how to get back, then I have no need of you."

Oberon responded with a shrug and he let out a short laugh. “Apparently, there’s no need for me then,” he said as he scratched his head. “Now what do you plan to do with me now? Attack me with your bow perhaps?”

The priestess raised a brow in surprise as she became curious of the boy’s knowledge. "Of course not," Kikyo replied slowly walking away, shaking off her curiosity. "You won't be able to answer any of my questions, and I have other things to attend to. Follow if you wish to do so."

As Vincent and the girl stood by one of the village's hut, the Turk’s eyes scanned the scenery about him and he seemed to enjoy the spectacular site. It had been over thirty years since he had seen such a flourishing and vibrant world as such. In those days, he traveled as a young man from finishing school to his home in the countryside. The lush scenery had always inspired him to travel when he became older, an act that he was deprived of when Hojo had killed and experimented on him.

The man sighed and leaned against the hut. "What is taking Kikyo so long?" he told without emotion as he looked down at the girl still hiding beneath his red cloak. The priestess slowly approached him, and he thingyed a brow and crossed his arms, hoping to hear of some favorable news. “So, what took you so long? Any luck?"

Kikyo let out a sigh as she nudged toward Oberon’s direction. "This guy,” she replied as she turned her attention toward the Turk once more, “was eating and he's just as clueless about how we can get back to our own worlds as we are." She looked around and her ears perked to the sound of a bell while she saw the village people coming forth from the woods.

Oberon flinched at the sound of the bell, as he nervously said, "Well, heh, I should probably be going, after all these people might not be pleased I was stealing their food. And I do need to find my uncle so...uh...bye!" The blind traveler then dashed towards the exit of town. "What a strange man," Kikyo said, turning her attention back to those from the village.

"Hey, that's my sister over there,” the little girl said as she pointed to a woman amongst the approaching crowd. “Someone must have ringed the bell and signaled that it was safe. By the way, my name is Kohana, and this is Riyona Village."

[Liamane]

Chapter Three: House Guests

"Kohana!" a young woman yelled behind the three while rushing over to them. Her eyes widened and worry and concern raced about in her mind as she looked upon her younger sister standing near the two alleged ‘demons’. "What are you doing with my little sister!?" She looked at Vincent and Kikyo, then to her younger sibling. "Where were you, Kohana!?"

The girl was silent for a moment, and then she responded to her sister. "I went to the garden. I was picking flowers for mother," Kohana replied to her older sister. "Then when I came back everyone was gone." The child then loosened her grip on Vincent's cloak and looked up at her sister’s worried face. "Don't worry. He didn't hurt me. He was with this girl."

Kikyo gave a warm smile, and the young woman gave her a small nod. The young woman, who was worried about her sister, turned to Vincent and paused for a moment as she exchanged eye contact with him. The Turk gazed intensely at her bluish gray eyes and felt himself lost in them for a moment. "Th-thank you for staying with my sister,” she said softly as she snapped out of her daze. “Is there anything I can do?"

Kikyo looked around and saw that the village people nervously went back to work and remained quiet. Kohana’s older sister, who was a little younger than Vincent, noticed that Kikyo was curiously looking at the people in the village. "They don't want any trouble,” she informed the priestess. “This is a peaceful place and it makes everyone nervous when a large group of random strangers are gathered around here."

"Why is that?" Kikyo asked the woman as she raised a brow.

"Well, they believe that both of you will attack us," the young woman replied, looking at Vincent for a brief moment. Her face blushed with color and she looked back at Kikyo. "Some of the younger boys saw you two from a distance. The elders thought that if we stayed in the forest where our protector is, then you would go away. But, anyway, it's getting late. Kohana and I have to make dinner. Will you all be staying?"

Vincent glanced over at Kikyo and then lowered his head. "You go ahead, Kikyo," he said as he closed his eyes. "I really don't need to eat or sleep. I'll just stay here outside."

"You can't stay outside!" Kohana replied grabbing his hand. "Come on! Come inside, please?"

"That would probably be best," Kikyo insisted, taking a step forward. The young woman looked up toward the darkening sky and then turned her attention to the others. "It seems that it's going to rain soon, and I highly doubt you want to get dramatically wet."

"Yeah! My sister can cook for everyone here and we have some extra room since it's just the two of us," Kohana continued as she persisted to bribe the Turk. The young girl then gave Vincent an innocent look hoping that he would come.

"If he doesn't want to come, leave him alone," Kohana's sister replied as she looked at him once again. "My name is Miyoushi, you can call me Miyo. I'll prepare some food for you anyway, if you care to eat some."

The man nodded in reply as his mind wandered away while looking at the young woman. Never had he been so captivated by a woman; not even Lucrecia appealed to him in such a manner. Trying to snap back to reality, Vincent then looked down at his hand with Kohana's. It had been a while since someone had actually touched the man without any intentions of harming him. He nodded and looked up at Miyo once again. "Well, if I get hungry, I'll come in," he told her in a soft tone. "So make an extra meal for me, just in case."

"No, don't stay out here!" Kohana pouted. "Like Kikyo said, it's going to rain."

"Stop it!" Miyo shouted reaching over to her sister. She lowered her head in embarrassment as she grabbed Kohana and carefully pulled her away from Vincent. "I apologize," she said to Vincent, bowing to him in respect. "She hasn't acting like this for some time now. She's only been this excited around our brother, but he departed some time ago. Anyway, we'll be in that house."

Miyo pointed to the rather large house behind them, and she grabbed a basket full of fresh fish before going inside with Kohana, dragging behind. Just as the priestess predicted, it started to rain heavily. Kikyo then walked up to The Turk after watching the whole scene. "I'm going inside and ask some questions," the young woman explained to him. She gazed at the house that Miyo and her younger sister had gone to, and she turned her attention to the man beside her a moment later. "They seem very fond of you, even though they barely know you."

Vincent's mind raced with thoughts of Miyo, and he suddenly frowned. "That's what I'm afraid of," he said as he turned to Kikyo. "If they knew who I really was, they would think differently."

Kikyo stared at him before looking at the village people going into their huts, still a little frightened from previous events. Beginning to get soaked by the rain, the priestess gazed at the Turk before speaking once more. "They seem different from the other people here," she concluded as she exhaled a quick breath. "They're giving you the chance to show who you are, and you apparently didn't seem to notice. Maybe it's best if they don't know, then."

As she finished her statement, Kikyo trudged up a short path up to the house. The aroma of food filled the house, and the pleasant scent brought a smile to the priestess' face. "Do you always pre-cook your food?" she asked Miyo, as her eye caught a collection of pre-cooked foods in the kitchen.

"No, but today seemed different than others," the hostess replied with a smile. "I guess my feeling was right. I have some fish, bread, brown rice, some potatoes, and yams. There's more than enough for us and your friend."

"Well, I barely know him myself," the priestess retorted while sitting down at the table. She continued after food was placed before her, and she took plenty of food and placed it on her plate. "We aren't from this world, or so it may seem that way. He seems weird to me."

The man looked up to the heavens and closed his eyes. He felt the cool rain caress upon his skin like a thousand tear drops from thousands of souls and he enjoyed the loud crackle of the thunder. It had been a while since Vincent Valentine stood in the rain, and, as usual, he was alone.

"It's strange," he remembered Cloud Strife saying to him from a moment like this a while ago. "Even though the rain looks violent and cruel, in reality, it's actually tranquil and calm. It's kind of like you, Vincent."

"He doesn't seem weird to me!" Kohana shouted at Kikyo with food in her mouth. "Vincent is nice!"

Kikyo raised her eyebrow at the little girl. Miyo noticed and said, "Calm down Kohana. Although he seems nice we don't know him. For all we know, he could be a demon with those red eyes." Kikyo turned to Miyo and replied, "He told me he was human at first, but I'm not sure of what he is now. I do sense a great power from him though."

"So how did you all get here in the first place?" Miyo asked making a meal for Vincent.

"Well I felt a force pulling me backwards." Kikyo replied, "I thought it was from my enemy but it was greater than that. It seems like a vortex of some sort sucked us all here. What is this place anyway?"

Miyo replied saying, "It's called Riyona, named after the spirit of the forest. Riyona is our protector and we built a small shrine as an offering. We don't travel far from our home so we're not sure about what's really out there. That's why the village sometimes gets scared when something out of place or someone looks like they can threaten our home. It's been a while since we've had visitors but I'm glad that you all came. It's been boring lately. Excuse me for a moment."

Miyo got up from her seat and grabbed a small cloak. As she looked upon to Vincent's soaked form, her eyes glistened and she felt her heart pounding through her chest. The young woman felt her entire face blush, and she then cleared her throat to gain the Turk's attention. "You should come inside," she said softly while biting her lower lip. "You'll get sick out here, and I don't want you to be alone."

Vincent opened his eyes and looked over to Miyo. He stopped and froze in place as his eyes widened at the sight of her. "She's... she's beautiful," he thought to himself. "I'm surprised she's even noticing my existence... But... she would never understand. I've always been alone."

The Turk sighed and swallowed his pride as began to walk over to the young woman. "F-fine," he replied while stuttering as he followed her inside.

"Yay!" Kohana called, as she rushed over to Vincent. "You came!"

"Wait!" Miyo shouted at Kohana giving her a large towel. "Give this to Vincent."

"OK!" Kohana replied as she gave him the towel. "Here dry off. Miyo kept some food hot for you." Before she went back to her seat, she whispered to him, "I think she's starting to like you." Without another word, she giggled and sat down at her chair once more to continue eating.

"Kohana, calm down," Miyo said as she gave Vincent a plate of food with a small smile. "I hope you like it."

The man looked down and took the plate from Miyo. "Thank you," he said avoiding eye contact with any of the girls. Vincent sat down and began to eat his meal. It had been a long time since anyone had made food for him, and it had been a while since he actually had a hot meal.

After he was done eating his dinner, Vincent finally looked up at the girls. As he shifted his eyes to each girl, an overwhelming feeling began to grow in the man. It was a feeling that he never felt before in his life. No one, not even his father, expressed this emotion to him. It was the feeling of being wanted and cared for. It was the warmth and love of a family.

[Liamane]

Chapter Four: Conversations

Smiling, Miyo nodded and looked over to the Turk. "Any time," she said gently, fixing her own food. As always, the young woman was certain to feed others before she would dare to eat her own food. She sat down next to Kohana and then began to finally eat her dinner.

"So Miyo," Kikyo continued, lifted her head, "tell me more about this Riyona spirit."

"Well," the hostess began, swallowing and putting down her utensil, "based on what my mother told me when I was young, hundreds of years ago, Riyona was a great spirit that wanted to reign over his own land and be at peace. When he finally found that place, which was here, he created the forest where he lived there peacefully for many years. But as humans became destructive, causing chaos, they destroyed much of the forest and Riyona became enraged. He sent out a sickness that almost wiped out our race. Those who defied his rule were then deformed because of Riyona's plague, and they were cast away, labeled as demons." Looking sternly to her sister, Miyo raised a brow and folded her arms across her chest. "Isn't it time for bed, Kohana?"

"Ah! I'm not sleepy Miyo!" her sister whined while rubbing her eyes.

"It's past your bed time and we have to help cook and set up for the festival," the woman replied to the child, her voice was gentle, yet stern. "If you go to bed now, I'll let you stay up late tomorrow."

"There's a festival?" Kikyo asked, curious about the event.

"Yes, I'll tell you about it when I put Kohana to bed," Miyo replied, shifting her eyes to sister once again. She rose to her feet and grasped the child's wrist. The woman motioned to the direction of her bedroom, the child responded with a pout, and the two walked into the bedroom, leaving Kikyo and Vincent alone together at the table.

"This world," the Turk muttered, raising his eyes toward Kikyo. "It's so peaceful, no? I haven't seen a place as such for ages. It's so... nostalgic." The priestess, who sat parallel to Vincent, blinked as she gave a small nod in response. It was strange; something inside of her compelled her to agree.

Returning a few moments later, Miyo emerged, shaking her head at Kohana's antics before she fell asleep. "Sorry about that," the young woman apologized, gaining a smile. She gazed at Vincent and Kikyo before continuing her story. "Now where was I? Oh, of course, the demons. Even to this day, the demons try to get back at Riyona by trying to destroy the forest. My parents died at the hands of some of the demons with those intentions. Anyway, since we take from the forest and use its resources, we have a festival every year in the honor of Riyona, in which we thank him for providing us with the herbs and plants we live on. This time of year a rare healing plant blooms, called a Spider-Lily Flower, and we use them for their medicinal properties. I've heard that if you were to go deep in the forest, you'll come across a waterfall where Riyona's heart is. The elders say that we should protect the forest or our land is destined to die. That's why we ran to the forest after hearing about demons. I was so worried about Kohana, and I'm really glad that you found her and everything. I owe you all so much."

"You owe us nothing," Vincent said, crossing his arms as he took a quick glance at Kikyo. "We don't deserve your hospitality." The man looked up to Miyo and expressed no emotion. "I apologize for the loss of your parents. It's unfortunate how they met their end."

Kikyo looked at him and replied, "Don't mind him; he seems to like pushing people away. But he's right, you don't owe us anything. You've done enough."

"No, you two protected my sister, the only survivor in my family," Miyo uttered in a soft voice. "The least I could do is provide you with food and a place to stay until you find a way home. It's always boring here. This is the most excitement we've had in months, maybe years." The young woman paused before continuing.

She then looked at Vincent, saying to him, "You don't have to be sorry about my parents. Loved ones die everyday; it's part of life. Yes, it's unfortunate that they died under terrible circumstance but it's even worst to see Kohana not know anything about our parents. I tell her a few stories about them but she never experienced the love from them since they died when she was a baby. You know how hard that is for a child?"

"I understand that hardship," the man said as he looked away from the two girls. He knew exactly what this small family was enduring. When he was small, Vincent had lost his mother, who was unable to provide him with any siblings. His father was never home during his childhood because of his extensive research, and Vincent was always alone.

Out of this loneliness, the man was inspired to join the Turks, or the Investigation Division of the General Affairs Department of the Shinra Electric Power Company. There, he became powerful gunman he was today and where he met Lucrecia Crescent and his entire life afterwards fell into place. Vincent was silent for a long moment and fell into deep thought.

"Throughout my life, I just wanted to be an ordinary woman, and being a priestess, I thought I was not permitted to display emotion," Kikyo muttered, there was a hint of sadness in her voice. "I grew up hiding a lot of things inside, and I almost became this lost soul. I understand how attached a child could be, Miyo, especially with no parents."

"I see that we all lost some part of ourselves," the hostess added, cleaning up and putting any other food away. "When my parents died, I felt so terribly alone. To make matters worse, I had to take care of my infant sister and try to get a hold of myself. One day, when Kohana and I were in the garden, I realized that our happiness is connected with our outlook on life. I've always try to stay positive even if it's not for myself."

Vincent lowered his eyes and thought of his painful past yet again. The man took his hand and placed it upon his chest and felt his heart beating. "It's there alright", he said to himself. "But it feels like it's not really there and it's been ripped out of me."

The Turk barely expressed any emotions, but when he did, they often got a hold of him and would get out of control. The image of the Chaos creature he once had the ability to transform into appeared in his head and felt his stomach churn at the sight of it. "Stop it," he commanded himself in his head. "Get ahold of yourself."

Miyo finished cleaning up, which wasn't much, and sat down in front of the two people she had welcomed into her home. She noticed Kikyo starting to doze off a little, and she then looked over to Vincent. The young woman gazed curiously as she saw him in an uneasy thought. "Are you alright?" she asked, taking a step toward him. "Maybe you should get some sleep."

"I'm fine," he quickly snapped as he looked up at Miyo with his intense red eyes. Vincent quickly regained his emotionless face and he stood upon his feet. "I don't need any sleep."

"Well, I do," Kikyo responded, also getting up. "Is there any room left?"

Miyo quickly lowered her head, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Yes," the woman replied to the priestess. "Down the hall, to the left, there's an empty room."

Kikyo walked toward the hallway before turning to the Turk. "I sense that you're suppressing something, but either way you'll end up hurting yourself as well as others," the woman explained to the man. She then turned her attention to the hostess, continuing, "Miyo, if you can find a way to help us get home that would be greatly appreciated. But I must say, this place seems better than my world."

Miyo gave Kikyo a small nod, and the priestess went to her room. Miyo gazed at Vincent and saw his red eyes intensify with the light coming forth from the house's fireplace. She had a confused look on her face and she didn't want to question him or make him angry at her. "I don't know what you're thinking, but whatever the problems are, they're not here in this world," Miyo said softly, offering a bit of comfort. "I'm not sure of how to get you back home yet, but I'll find a way to help you and Kikyo. I'm sure that you'll be happy then."

Miyo fell silent with a loss for words. She didn't like the air that seemed gloomy like the rain, so she looked around and got up, seeing the flowers that Kohana picked earlier. She went over and picked them up before placing them on a table as she took a tall glass and placed it outside. She then asked Vincent, giving a smile, "Did you bring these flowers in?"

The Turk glanced over his shoulder and nodded. As he crossed his arms and focused once again on the fire, he fell silent for a long moment. The thunder outside crackled and the man attempted to warm his cold hands. "We've both lost people that we once held dear," he said as he looked up at Miyo. "I understand what loss can feel like."

Miyo brought in the tall glass, now filled with water, and placed the flowers inside. She placed them on the table and said, "Yeah, you feel abandoned and alone. You end up feeling all of these emotions and you want to bottle them inside because you feel like the world doesn't care or understand."

She looked out at the rain for a moment and she then looked at Vincent once again. "But you know," the young woman continued, raising her head, "things happen and all we can do is keep moving on until it's our time. The love we felt for them, if it was there, is still present, but we can always grow more love for others as well and give ourselves the happiness that we truly deserve."

Vincent looked down once more and reflected on Miyo's words. "Am I really worth deserving happiness?" the Turk asked himself, he blinked slowly. The man shook his head and gazed up at the young woman.

"I have no emotions or love within me," he told her demonstrating his emotionless face. "I've tried to conjure enough happiness within me, but something or someone always deprives me of it, and the wonderful feeling vanishes. So, how can I move on when there is nothing else for me to love or to hold dear?"

"I was once happy," he said, moving on, with a dry tone. Lucrecia's face appeared in his head, and he remembered what his life was like all those years ago. "But just as quickly as it happened, it vanished right before my eyes. And now, because of the Jenova cells inside of me, my emotions have been greatly suppressed and I've become an animal. Now, I'm forced to live a life that I don't want."

Miyo grinned in response, showing one of her brightest smiles. Although she was rather tired, she didn't show it; she was glad to have someone to talk to. "No love? No emotions?" she thought, raising one of her eyebrows.

"Everyone feels something, even though it doesn't seem like it," the young woman replied to him. "Earlier today, you had to feel at least something when you got here. You wanted to be alone, even when we invited you inside and it started raining. I also see you deep in thought from time to time. I know it's confusing, but like I said, everyone deserves even a little happiness, even you. You don't need anything to move on. You can make your own decisions and do what you want. If fighting makes you happy, do it. If you found someone that makes you feel happy, stay around. I don't know what makes you happy, but you have the power to find it for yourself.”

Vincent nodded and walked towards the front door to watch the rain continue to pour down. "I must be still searching then," he said solemnly, crossing his arms. He looked over to Miyo, and he leaned against the wall. "It's strange how I can speak to you in such a manner. I haven't had a good conversation with anyone for a long time. I feel... much lighter."

"That's because you're saying how you feel instead of keeping it inside," Miyo said, giving a warm smile. "Although I don't have anyone to talk to, the flowers in the garden listen." She looked over at the bouquet of flowers and nodded. "I'm sure that you'll find your happiness, Vincent. You have a good heart even though you don't show it."

Vincent nodded and stared into the bouquet. He thought for a moment and then spoke once more. "Why are you doing this?" he asked as he looked up at Miyo's smile. "I'm a complete stranger, and you've welcomed me and Kikyo into your house. I've only met you today, but by the way we speak to each other, it seems we've known each other for a long time. So, why are being so kind to me?"

"Well, there must some good in you to protect my little sister" she responded, looking into his eyes. "My parents, before they died, were kind and peaceful people. They taught me to be kind as well. No one around here is my age, and for a majority of the time, I'm taking care of Kohana or working in the garden." Miyo sighed as she gazed into the fire. The rain had slowed down as the night sky started to appear.

Vincent nodded and looked up at the starry sky. "I guess there is," he said with a blank face as he crossed his arms. "Then, I assume it was enjoyable to talk to someone besides your sister and the flowers. Tell me, Miyo, how old are you?"

"Twenty-four." she replied with a hint of hesitation. "My parents died when I was fifteen, and Kohana is nine now. Everyone else is either older or younger here. Why do you ask?"

"No reason, I was just curious," he quickly snapped. Vincent brushed away the hair that was in front of his eye and he spoke once more. "I was about your age then when I joined the Turks. Time really flies."

"You're curious... about my age?" Miyo replied, raising her eyebrow. She let out a weary yawn, but she was still interested to know about Vincent's world. "To me, you look just a little older than I am. You all must age slowly in your world."

Letting out a sigh, the hostess looked down the dark hallway in which Kikyo and Kohana had gone to rest. Smiling, she gazed at Vincent. "I wish I could stay up any longer, but the festival is tomorrow and I'll be pre-cooking food and setting up. If you need a bed to rest, there's a room over there." the young woman uttered, pointing to the room down the hall. "I'll be in the next one over, to the right. If you need anything, feel free to get it."

The young woman walked over to the fire place and lit a lantern before putting the large fire out. She walked up to Vincent and gave him the lantern, her smile never left her face. "Here you go," she whispered, looking to his face once again. The young woman broadened her smile as she watched the light's reflection in the Turk's passionate, red eyes. "I'm really happy to have met Kikyo and a great person like you, Vincent. Perhaps you would care to stay for a while more? There's more to this world than meets the eye."

Walking into the dark hall, Miyo gave the man a reassuring nod before proceeding into the darkness. Her smile seemed to have enchanted him.

He sat down in a chair and let out a sigh as her face and words of reassuring comfort bloomed in his mind over and over. The Turk raised his head once to gaze into the corridor in which the woman had retired to, and after he lowered his head, he set the lantern upon the floor beside him. Although he had arrived not too long ago, the mysterious world known as "Riyona" began to leave a growing impression on Vincent Valentine.

[Liamane]

Chapter Five: Intruders

Outside, the sound of footsteps grew louder and became more rapid as three companions ran for their lives from mysterious purple and white robed figures that had pursued them for the past three days. "All of this over a little debt?!" a very tall man exclaimed.

"Look, over there! A house!!" a rather short woman said as she pointed to Miyo's home, "Let's go!"

"I'll hold them off! I’ll see if I can get them to flee. You guys go!" the final female of the group urged, she wore a headband with a feather stuck in it. She stopped in her tracks and turned to face their pursuers. As one of the hooded men charged at her, she redirected his spear to hit him in the head, knocking him on his back. She wiped her forehead of sweat and looked around. "Where'd the other one go?" she mumbled.

The smaller woman, who was accompanied by the large man, who were continuing towards the house, turned back to see the other hooded figure was quickly on their tale. "Oh no!" she exclaimed, before the figure caught up to her and stabbed her in the arm with a syringe, injecting her with a green liquid. She sighed and then collapsed.

"No!!! Mini!!!" the large man yelled, before punching the hooded figure right in the head, knocking him out. "Eana, hurry!"

As the woman wearing the headband rushed over to where the other two were, she gasped at the site of Mini on the ground. "We have to get inside, Gil, before they have a chance to send more goons!! We have to break in!!"

"No, we can't! What if someone sees us?!" Gil grimly questioned, holding Mini in his arms.

"We don't have time," Eana explained, "If Mini is to survive, I need to work on her!"

The man frowned before nodding and moving out of the way with Mini in his arms. Eana entered a battle stance of some sort, before releasing a burst of luminous energy to blast a hole in the wall of the house.

They quickly rushed Mini inside and put her on the floor. Eana proceeded to get out a strange medical kit from her bag while Gil held Mini's head. "You're going to be fine Mini,” she assured her small friend. “Just hold on."

After hearing a crash, Kikyo, Kohana, and Miyo instantly woke up and headed to the living room area. Miyo, being the closest to the area, gasped as she saw everything and rushed Kohana back to bed before she caught a sight of the scene. Kikyo looked at Gil and the other two before shooting a glance at Vincent. She held up her bow and arrow and she stood ready to attack the seven foot beast of a man.

"Wait a minute!" Miyo quickly shouted to Kikyo, reemerging from Kohana’s room before trying to get a better look at what was going on. The woman's eyes grew wide as she saw that two of them were trying to save the smallest, unconscious one. Vincent pulled Cerberus from his side and quickly loaded his weapon with bullets. He sharply aimed the gun at the intruders in case they became violent. The man leered at them with his red eyes and did not utter a word.

Miyo quickly went to her room and grabbed a small bowl filled with what looked like a paste. She came back and saw a gun in Vincent's hand in which was ready to fire. "Alright now, don't overreact," the woman told the priestess and the Turk. "They don't even seem to be concerned with us."

The man looked upon at the intruders and reluctantly lowered Cerberus. "Fine," Vincent snapped as he continued to eye their every movement. "But the minute they become rampant, I won't hold back. I'll kill them if I have to."

"I won't hold back either," Kikyo replied, she looked to the woman beside her. "Are these people from your village, Miyo?"

"I'm not sure," the woman whispered in a soft voice. She took a single step to approach the fallen girl. "If they do try anything, then do what you must." She placed the bowl in front of them trying not to so any emotion. Miyo took in a big swallow as she said to them, "Here, this paste might help her." Without another word, she slowly backed away from them.

Eana looked at the bowl and quickly turned away. Grunting, she then continued to try to save Mini.

"Can you hand me the lantern by you?" Miyo continued in a whisper after looking at Vincent. She motioned to the lantern by his feet.

The man nodded and handed the lantern to the woman without lifting his eyes off of the three humanoid creatures. There was a certain aura about them that made even Vincent feel uncomfortable. He glanced over at Kikyo with her bow in her hand, and like him, she was also ready to attack.

He turned to Miyo and placed Cerberus on his shoulder. "Just stay behind us," he told her. "We'll make sure that you won't be harmed."

Kohana’s older sister nodded as she used the fire in the lantern to light the fireplace and she then made her way behind Vincent and Kikyo. She looked at him and felt a warm feeling from the Turk. She asked him, "Do you know who they are?"

The man shook his head. "I've never encountered these people before," he told her. Vincent gave a quick look over to the priestess once more and then fixed his eyes upon the intruders once more. "Do you know who there are, Kikyo?"

"I’ve never encounter such beings," Kikyo replied.

Miyo looked over and saw that the people of the village started to gather outside. She rushed outdoors and noticed that some of the village people were frightened to death. Some of the bolder men held weapons in their hands, and they were ready to kill.

"Wait!" she told them looking back. The woman took in a deep breath as she stared at the notorious hole in her home. "Go back to bed! Everything is taken care of and this doesn't concern you any of you," she yelled to them. "The festival is what you all should worry about. Riyona will be expecting it!"

In a few moments, the rampant crowd managed to settle down, and they soon went back to their own homes. Miyo returned indoors and she then dared to ask Vincent, "What are they doing to that girl?"

Vincent took a step toward the beings and observed them for a moment. "They're healing her," he said after a moment as he looked over to the two women, "with some sort of medical equipment. I've been around scientific equipment all of my life, and I've never seen such a procedure."

He turned back to the intruders and raised a brow. "Then again, they probably aren't from my world."

"I'll go and check on Kohana." Miyo said rushing to her sister. "Hopefully, they'll just leave after they finish saving that girl."

Gil hastily interrupted Eana's efforts, by saying, "Is it working yet?!"

Eana moaned and whispered, "No, none of it is working. I think this equipment is defective."

"What?!" Gil exclaimed, "All the work of obtaining it and it doesn't even work?! Come on, Mini, come on."

Vincent watched as Miyo went to Kohana's room and he looked over to Kikyo. "They're not going to save her," he said without any emotion. "They're not using the proper procedure. She’ll die without the proper medication."

"I barely know what's going on," Kikyo replied. "We don't have any of this in my world. Do you have the ability to save her yourself?"

Vincent was fell silent and thought of an idea. "The Jenova cells in my body could help her," he replied. "If I can channel them into a physical energy, I could give her some power to sustain from."

The man slowly removed his right glove and revealed a scar ridden hand from Hojo's extreme experimentation. He closed his eyes and his faced his palm toward the ceiling. "Just give me a moment," he said attempting to channel Jenova energy into his hand.

Kikyo watched Vincent as she sensed a tremendous energy coming from the Turk. "I've never felt this much intense power from one person," she thought, "My power can't reach his level."

"Kohana is alright, she's still sleeping," Miyo said walking back into the room. She looked at Kikyo, who was looking at Vincent. The woman turned to the Turk and saw that he was about to do something with his right hand. "What is he doing?" she asked the priestess in a whisper.

Kikyo lowered her bow and arrow saying, "He's creating some sort of energy and he might be able to save the girl over there."

The man continued to concentrate and after another minute, Vincent's palm began to glow with a blue aura that resembled fire. He slowly walked over to the girl trying not to break his hold on the energy. The Turk knelt down and placed his hand on her stomach. With a deep breath, he opened the flow of energy into the girl.

"Hey, what is he doing to her?!" Gil asked with both fear and concern.

"I think..." Eana announced, "...he's saving her!"

Vincent's entire arm burned with the blue Jenova energy, and he felt the power drain from his finger tips and into the girl's body. As the energy flowed throughout her body, she began to breathe again at a steady and calm rate, and she began to mend on the cells. The man stood up and released the intense energy from his grip. He took several breaths due to exhaustion and turned to the two women bearing a nod.

Miyo and Kikyo were almost shocked to see so much power he had in him. Miyo rushed over to Vincent and told him, "You need some rest. You don't look too good."

Kikyo looked down and saw a mat near her, grabbed it, and when over to Vincent's side to place it under him. Miyo looked over and saw that the girl was doing ok and told the others, "There's an extra room over there." She pointed to the room where she slept.

Gil picked Mini and carried her into the room with tears in his eyes. Eana was still in a slight state of shock, but managed to say, "Thank...you, sir, for saving my friend." Vincent and Miyo looked to Eana, and Vincent said, "Yeah...well..." Eana smiled and nodded, then headed into the room where Gil and Mini were.

Miyo looked back to Vincent and said, "We need to get you to a bed too."

"I'll be fine," he insisted rubbing the side of his face. "I've been in worse situations than this." Vincent slipped on his glove once more and displayed his calm, emotionless face.

"Well you need a little rest. Take a seat; I'll warm some tea up for everyone," Miyo said with concern on her face. She looked at the hole in the wall and sighed. "It's going to take a while to repair that. I don't understand how they even made such a hole. But I'm glad they didn't crash through the side we were sleeping at." she whispered to herself. She went about making some tea from what was left.

Kikyo noticed how tense the hostess seemed and said, "It's alright, Miyo, we'll help out. Tomorrow things should get better. Isn't that right Vincent?"

Vincent nodded and took a seat. "I'll start to fix the wall when the sun rises," he said trying to offer an act of kindness for the person who had welcomed him into her own home. "It should be a manageable job."

"Well, I've always wanted another window in the house!" Miyo said sarcastically. She laughed a little while preparing the tea and gave some to everyone in the room. The woman then place three more and gave some to the strangers in her room. Rubbing the side of her head to ease her migraine, there was no doubt in her mind that this was to be one hell of a long day.

[Beebs]

Chapter Six, The Morning Of

As the hours quickly moved along, morning had already come, and the three adults in the living area were wrapped up in deep conversation.

“So, your friend Cloud really did that?” Miyo asked Vincent after he had explained the defeat of Sephiroth. Captivated by his epic story, the hostess sported a large smile. It had been ages since she had heard a truly exciting tale.

The Turk looked to the woman; a small smirk grew on his face. “Well, with a few more details, that’s about right,” he explained, taking no credit for himself. He took a sip of his tea, and letting out a sigh, the man leaned back in his seat.

“Impressive,” Kikyo stated as her fingers laced together in her lap. “I’ve never heard of such skill. Your world... It must be interesting, Vincent.”

The sound of faint footsteps became audible as the small girl opened her bedroom door in which slammed closed behind her. "Miyooo," she said, walking into the room and stretching out her sister's name. "I'm hungry." Kohana still looked considerably tired, and she slowly rubbed her eyes. The child looked up and saw a hole in the side of her home. Blinking to assure she still wasn’t sleeping, she then asked, "What happened to the wall?"

The woman raised her eyes to the ceiling as she released a most fatigued sigh. "There’s nothing to worry about,” she persisted, looking to the child and offering her a smile. “We’re doing renovations on the house, that’s all. I have more tea brewing in the kitchen, so you can help yourself to that, Kohana. I hope you’re ready for the festival.”

Sitting in a chair and offering a bright smile, the little girl exclaimed with enthusiasm, "Oh, yeah! I almost forgot!" She darted her gaze to the two adults that had arrived in their home only the day before, and her grin increased tenfold. "Kikyo, Vincent, will you come with us to the festival?"

The Turk lowered his head. He hadn't gone to any sort of celebration in many years, and he hadn't been around a large crowd for some time. The man thought for a moment and didn't seem to be in the mood for interacting with others.

"I don't know," Vincent said after taking a breath. "I haven't been around a lot of people in a long time. I don't think I'm up for it."

Pouting her lower lip, the girl hopped off of her chair, and she threw her hands in the air. "Oh, please come!" Kohana said, whining. She shot a desperate glance to her older sister. "Miyo, tell Vincent to come!"

"You know I can't do that,” the older sister insisted with a firm tone in her voice. She looked up to the Turk and gave him a smile before turning her attention to her younger sister once again. “He can make his own decisions. Listen, you'll need some energy for flower picking today. Why don’t you get some fruit from the kitchen, Kohana?" Groaning, the child then sauntered into the kitchen, just as her sister had instructed.

"Flower picking?" Kikyo asked, noticing the plants on the dining table. "But you already have a fresh bouquet over there."

"Today, we pick a rare flower that only blooms around this time," Miyo replied, gazing at the flowers Vincent had brought in the night before.

Coming back from the kitchen, Kohana took her spot once again as she climbed to her seat and proceeded to feast upon a piece of fruit. "It's a Spider-Lily!" the girl announced with bits of food flying out of her mouth. “It’s my favooorite flower!”

Nodding and placing a hand under her chin, the priestess raised a most curious brow as she added, "I see, but what about those three people in your room, Miyo? Shouldn’t we be worrying about them?"

“I’m not even sure of what to think of the situation,” the woman grunted. "I really have no idea. For all I know, two of them are only concerned about the girl that Vincent saved. It would be better if we stayed here just in case."

The man looked at the Kohana’s face and sighed. Still sporting the same grim frown as she before, the Turk became guilty of his previous choice. He cleared his throat and then crossed his arms. "Alright, Kohana," he stated, gaining her attention. "I'll go to the festival, if you could tell me something: why do you want me to go?"

Kohana became a little nervous, and she started timidly playing with her fingers. "Well, festivals are fun to go to, and I thought that you would like to come," she replied, her face blushed with color. She looked to Miyo, who offered her a reassuring smile, and she then turned back to Vincent, continuing, "I’m sure you’d have fun with us."

The man nodded. "I think you've convinced me, Kohana," he said, playing the good sport. "I guess it wouldn't hurt." For some odd reason, Vincent Valentine felt the urge to show off his contentedness, and he did the unthinkable by expressing a small, rare smile.

Kohana's face lit up with happiness and joy as she gave a bright smile to match the Turk’s. "Oh, thank you!” she exclaimed, jumping up from her building excitement.

"Well, in that case, wash up and go get dressed, Kohana," Miyo said to her. "Your clothes should be in your room."

Kohana gave a small nod and started walking away. Suddenly, she stopped and gave the Turk one of her brightest smiles. "Thank you," she uttered as she rushed off to get changed for the festivities.

Looking to Vincent, Miyo couldn’t help but express a cheerful face. It had been some time since the warm feeling of friendship and family loomed in her house. Biting her lower lip, she looked down to the floor before stating softly, “It’s been years since a guy’s been around. My brother, Jeimuzu, was the last man to live here. Kohana doesn’t get attached very easily, so you’re one of those rare exceptions. I hope she’s not troubling you.”

Vincent looked up at Miyo and shook his head. "It's no problem at all," he said as he looked out the hole in the wall to see that people coming outside to begin the festivities.

Like the Turk, Kikyo gazed outside and saw that the people of the village were decorating their homes with white ribbons. A majority of the townsfolk were even dressed in white and red, donning the traditional colors of the festival. "It looks like fun to me,” she said, looking down at her clothes which, ironically, were red and white. “I seemed dressed for the event."

"We wear those colors because they’re of the Spider-Lily," the hostess replied. "There are eight white petals with red lines which gives the appearance of a spider. It's very beautiful."

Growing increasingly curious, the man looked down at his red cape. "So, red and white?” he asked, glancing toward Miyo. “I guess I'm partially suited then."

The man grinned. “Well, apparently so,” the woman replied, putting a hand over her giggling mouth. “Now, if we could get you to wear some white, I think you’d blend in rather well.”

Kohana finally emerged from her bedroom, and demonstrating a large grin, she pranced into the living area. "How do I look, everyone?" the child asked, her voice was filled with enthusiasm. The cuffs of her sleeves were red, and she was dressed in a white gown that extended to the middle of her shins. “Isn’t my dress pretty?” The young girl shuffled her foot as she awaited an answer.

"Yes, you look like a princess, Kohana," Miyo said with a smile. "I have a basket for you to put the flowers in."

"Okay, but aren't you going, too?" the girl replied, looking at her sister’s dull house clothing. "We should all go together!"

"Alright, alright, you all wait here," the older sister stated with laughter. Leaving the room and creeping into her sleeping quarters, the woman noticed that the three intruders were still sleep, and hoping not to wake them, she quietly fetched her apparel before dressing in the room Kikyo had during the night.

Looking toward the direction which the woman had left to, the Turk nodded and stood from his chair. "So, what sort of things will we be doing today, Kohana?" he asked, presenting a smirk. "I'm starting to look forward to this festival." Vincent couldn't believe what he was saying. It had been a long time since he had been excited for an event as such.

"Oh! Lemme tell you what we’re gonna do! First, we're going to the Riyona shrine! We’ll stuff our faces with food, and then we’re gonna watch a play, and then we’re gonna watch a fake sword fight, and then we go to the shops, and then we go flower picking in the afternoon, and then at night, they have a fireworks show, and it's reeeeeally pretty!" Kohana said in one breath. "I'm sure that you'll like it."

Emerging from Kikyo’s room, Miyo stepped into the hallway after gently closing the door behind her. She entered the room where her friends and sister were, and using her hand to flip her hair over her shoulder, she produced a grin as her eyes shimmered in the light coming from the outside. Turning to her and widening his intense eyes, Vincent, stunned by the woman's appearance, felt his face brightened with color, and he felt a small smile gradually grow. Never before had he been so entranced by a woman.

[Beebs]

Chapter Seven, Parting

In the opposite room, the two strangers began a conversation which had been on their mind all night. Gil, the taller, hotter tempered adult, shot fiery words at his companions.

"How could this of all things have happened? I mean it was a simple job: get the med supplies for a buyer. But no, we didn't have enough equipment to pull the heist off, so we accepted a loan from the Fuwu Clan! Man, how foolish are we?!" Gil angrily ranted.

"Calm down, Gil," Eana insisted. "You're causing a ruckus."

Ignoring her, the large man continued, "But of course we were dumb enough to believe they'd accept our repayment a little late, due to our first buyer backing out. Geez, like they'd ever give us the time to find a new one. Then, those stupid, purple wearing weirdos start following us and boost half the stuff, including the virus samples, track us down after days of evading and inject one of our own with the stuff! Kinda poetic, don't ya think??"

Gil became flustered, heaving heavily for a minute, before going on, "Then we risk ourselves by blasting our way in here using your ability. The brand new stuff we got is busted, and then Prince Dark and Dank comes on over and shoots his powers inside of her! Who knows what he did to her?!"

"Stop it! He saved her and you should be grateful." Eana protested.

Gil continued to ignore her comments, proceeding, "And then they just invite us to stay after wrecking their house. What is up with that? Who knows who this guy is, let alone these people!? They could be some of those coven witches or whatnot!"

Eana sighed, stating, "Gil, please, people in this naive village have said the same thing about me. I'm sure they're good people!"

"Don't 'Gil please' me!! This whole situation is messed up and you know it!" Gil said as he stomped his enormous feet.

After hearing their new guests fighting, Miyo, followed by Vincent, looked into their room curiously and said "What's going on?"

Gil quickly swung himself around to face them, raising his arms in a fighting position, yelling, "Hey, this is none of your business! Get lost!!"

Vincent gripped Cerberus at his side and leered at the being. "Watch yourself," he growled as he stepped toward Gil. "I could kill you in less than a second."

"You have no idea who you're dealing with bub; bigger men than you have tried and failed!" Gil screamed, standing his ground against the Turk.

Vincent's eyes thinned and he aimed Cerberus at the large man. "You have no idea what kind of things I can transform into," he said coldly. Vincent had gone from a happy mood to an angered temper in less than a minute. "The Jenova cells have corrupted me into something that comes out of your nightmares."

Kohana backed behind Vincent and Kikyo had her bow and arrow ready. Miyo looked at everyone and although she was a little frightened, she didn't show it. To her, it was early and they didn't have time for this.

She looked over at Kohana, then to the strangers and said, "Listen, we don't want any trouble. You and your friends put a hole in my home and Vincent saved your other friend's life. If anything you should be thanking us for sparing yours as well!"

Eana smacked her forehead, blushing with embarrassment, and said, "Look, I apologize for my brother, he means no harm. He's just a little upset about our friend. I think if we all could be calm and put down our weapons--"

"Look, I don't know what your motives are, but I think it's best if you all leave," Kikyo interrupted with a blank expression. "Miyo tolerated you all long enough."

Miyo looked at Kikyo and gave a quick nod, before unleashing her temper, "I don't know where you came from, but I think you should go. You, that small girl, and your giant, hot-headed brother have caused enough trouble with the wall alone, let alone your attitude!"

Eana titled her head to the side, developing an insane expression on her face, replying, "Listen missy, no one talks that way about my family! I'm told you sorry and I was grateful for what your and your friends did to help us, but you don't seem to care! Since you're so upset about your precious wall, here!!"

The woman huffily rushed over to the broken wall and raised the rubble in the air with her ability, mending the hole. She continued to yell, "Happy now?! And the next time you think about inviting strangers into your house, don't!! Just look how this all turned out! Gil, get Mini, we're leaving-- NOW!!!!!"

The large man rushed into the room and out with the small woman and Eana's bag in his arms. He rushed through the open front door and outside. Eana soon followed, angrily mumbling under her breath. When she was outside, she turned back to face the stunned group, and said with a tone of uncontrollable hostility, "Thank you for the room and tea, it was very relaxing." She slammed the door shut and the group left the house.

Vincent eyes thinned as he watched the three strangers leave the house. "Glad they're gone," the man said retracting his gun and putting it away. "I thought I would have to fight them off. Oh well."

Miyo looked over at Vincent and showed a confused expression on her face. "What just happened?" she asked, although she was watching. "I'm still trying to take all of this in."

"I'm confused myself, Miyo," he said turning to her. He nodded and looked over to Kikyo who had also put away her weapons.

The woman still remained slightly in a daze, finally asking, "How did she fix the wall like that? It was like magic."

"I really don't know," Vincent replied.

"Well are we going to the festival or not?" Kikyo asked, unconcernedly.

Kohana lowered her head and started playing with her fingers. Miyo walked up to her younger sister, bent down in front of her, lifting her head and asked, "Regardless of all this fuss, we can still go to the festival if you want, Kohana."

"I want to go, but I want to make sure everything is ok," Kohana responded softly.

Vincent stepped toward the small girl. "Kohana, everything will be alright," he said reassuringly. "As long as Kikyo and I are near you, you'll be well protected. You don't have to worry about any of those crazy rampant people. Now, you want to the festival right?"

Kohana looked up at Vincent with a smile and gave a quick nod. "Thanks! You all are the best!" she replied cheerfully.

Miyo got up and gave a small smile. "I'm glad that she’ll be protected, but what about me?" she thought. "I shouldn't be worried about that now." Kikyo noticed Miyo seemed to be a little dazed. She wanted to say something, but felt it wasn't the right time.

Kohana grabbed Vincent's hand saying, "We already missed a lot of the festival...but we could still go eat! You're hungry, right Vincent?"

Vincent nodded and scratched his head. "I guess I'm a little hungry," he said as looked down at his stomach. "A little food won't hurt me." He turned to Miyo and gave a blank expression. "Hey, are you coming? I doubt it'd be a real festival without your presence."

Miyo frowned, replying, "Well...I guess...of course! It's just...I feel a little bad for the way I acted. It seemed like the sister was actually grateful and remorseful for what happened, but I just kind of lost it."

"Hey," Vincent said, "You had the right to be mad after what happened. I'm sure they won't hold it against you later if they look at it in perspective."

"Yeah...maybe..." Miyo said with doubt, but shook it off and continued. "You're right, let's just enjoy the rest of the day."

"Sounds like plan," Vincent answered, showing a half-smile.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the front door. "It couldn't be them again, could it?" Miyo rhetorically asked, before going to answer it. She opened the door to see a young blind man, Oberon, and said, "Oh, hello, can I help you?"

Oberon nervously smiled and replied, "Uh...yeah...is Kikyo here?"

Miyo, looking a little surprised, answered, "Um, yes, she is. Kikyo, you have a visitor!"

Kikyo looked up from her seat and said, "A what?" She got up and went to the door, seeing Oberon's goofy face, and her expression changed to effectively match it. She sighed and said, "Oh, you, what is it you want?"

Miyo smiled and said, "I'll let your two have your privacy." She then walked back to where Vincent and Kohana were.

Oberon chuckled a little, before replying, "Well...see...I kind of have a problem. And since you're the only person who talked to me for more than five minutes here, I thought maybe you could help me out?" He then gave a big grin.

Kikyo looked a little stunned by his suggestion. To her surprise though, she found herself feeling sorry for him. He was alone in a strange place, and blind nonetheless, so she decided to comply. "Well...fine, as long as I'm in back in time for the festival."

Oberon's jaw dropped a little, and then happily replied, "Really? Cool!"

Kikyo sighed and continued with a sarcastic tone, "Mm...let me just inform my peers." She walked back into the house where the other three of the group were conversing. She began, "Listen, my...friend needs help with a task. When I'm done, I'll meet you all at the festival, okay?"

Vincent looked at Oberon who stood in the doorway, staring at nothing, then said, "Well...sure Kikyo, if you think it's a good idea. ..."

Miyo and Kohana both nodded in agreement with Vincent, and Kikyo gave a smile. Oberon tapped his foot and called out, "Now would be nice!"

Kikyo slammed her eyes shut in annoyance, then said, "If I'm not back within the next hour or so, meet me here or, better yet, I'll meet you at the festival. This shouldn't take long, I hope. ...Well, I suppose I'll see all of you soon, goodbye." She walked out the door and began to leave with Oberon.

Several hours rolled by, and during the process of waiting for Kikyo's return, Miyo managed to accomplish her typical list of chores around the house. Vincent waiting patiently in the living room, admiring the house's large bookshelf, and Kohana sat at the dining table; she emitted a series of yawns, followed by a bored sigh. Eyes lighting up, the young girl finally hopped up from her seat and rushed over to her big sister, jumping up and down, saying, "Is it time yet? Can we go to the festival now?!"

Miyo offered a small, uncertain frown at her younger sister, replying, "I'm not sure. What do you think, Vincent?"

The Turk looked to the woman, lightly clenching a book in his hand. "I don't know, Kikyo hasn't come back yet," he replied, lowering his vision to the wooden floor below his feet. "It's already been a few hours."

"Well, she did give us the alternative of meeting her at the festival," the hostess stated. Smiling, Miyo offered, "Maybe we'd have better luck seeing her there."

"Yeah, it wouldn't be fun without Kikyo!" Kohana exclaimed, curling her fists tightly. "Let's go meet her at the festival! Can we go now, Miyo?"

Vincent turned to them, sitting the book he was glancing at back down, answered, "I'm ready if you two are."

"Alright then," Miyo said with a smile. "Let me just grab our things and we'll go." She gathered various sundries into a basket and looked over to her sister and their house guest. She headed over to them and the group was quickly out the door.

As Vincent followed Miyo and Kohana to the festival, he couldn't help but to have a bad feeling about Oberon. The man shook off his idea. He knew Kikyo was a capable woman who could fend and protect herself. The Turk looked down at Kohana's anxious face.

"You excited, Kohana?" he asked as he walked along beside her.

Kohana looked up at Vincent with one of her brightest smiles. "Yep!" she replied. "I hope you are too!"

Miyo looked ahead and saw the village center covered in almost red and white. People were dressed up, eating, talking, and enjoying the festivities. One side had a sword fight, the other with lots of exotic items and mass amounts food that could feed a whole kingdom.

Seeing lots of people moving about and having fun gave Kohana an exciting feeling as she tugged on Vincent's cloak. "Come on!" she said. "We're here!"

As the man followed her sister along, Miyo's grin lit up her face, and she truly began to indulge in the festival's delight. "I've got to keep my eyes peeled for Kikyo," the young woman's thoughts echoed as her vision darted about the place. "She's got to be here, she has to be."

Vincent looked about the festival and remembered an event similar to this back in Kalm. "At my home, there was an annual event like this," he said as his eyes feasted at the various sights. "It was to celebrate the precious life that its inhabitants lived, even through hardship and desperate times. Of course, I never went to them."

Looking at everything around her, Kohana pulled everyone toward the food grabbing some fruit and started eating. "Why not?" Miyo asked with a concerned look upon her face. "Was it that bad in your world?"

"It's not that," the Turk said as he watched Kohana gorge herself with plentiful food. "It's just that it was always around those times I would think about..." Vincent paused and an image of Lucrecia appeared in his head. He touched the side of his head and he sighed. "Nothing... It's nothing."

Miyo watched Kohana playfully laugh and grabbed some food for herself and Vincent. She gave a full plate of delicious food as they all sat down at an empty table. "Sorry if I caused you to remember something you'd rather not remember," she said looking down at her food. "Why don't you eat something? The food here is freshly made."

"Right," he said softly as he lifted a piece of meat to his mouth. Vincent looked over to Miyo and sighed. "Don't be sorry. It's not your fault. It happened a long time ago, way before I met you." The man nodded and took a bite. After a moment, a content look crossed his face.

"Not bad," the Turk continued. "Not bad at all. Best I’ve had in a while."

A breeze passed through and Miyo looked up at Vincent. She gave a quick smirk and began eating a little. She looked over to Kohana, watching all the events around her then looked up at the sky. "Blue skies, fluffy clouds, and sunshine," she whispered to herself. "Perfect weather."

Vincent smirked in return and looked down at the meal before him and drowned himself in deep thought. He couldn't help but to think of the melancholy memories from long ago, and he continued to view in his mind the woman who had betrayed him. "I want to forget about what has passed and move on," the man thought to himself. "Please, I want this memory to stop once and for all."

"Lucrecia," the Turk whispered under his breath, not even realizing he was speaking aloud.

Miyo quickly turned her head to Vincent and observed him. "He's very handsome... mysterious, but handsome," Miyo thought, smiling a bit.

Meanwhile, Kohana was lost in her own imagination. She got up and walked around seeing people having a wonderful time at the festival. She moved through the crowd and finally stopped at some performers, watching them do tricks with fire. After being excitedly enticed for a while, she went back and to Vincent and Miyo who still sitting in the same spot. "Hey!" she shouted, waving her hands in the air. "Why are you two still here? Get up, let’s go pick some flowers!"

The Turk looked to Miyo; a sense of bewilderment filled his eyes. "Flowers...?" he questioned as his voice trailed off. "I’m not much of a nature man myself, maybe I should stay here."

Letting out a quick laugh, the woman smiled and held out her hand for the man to grasp. "Oh don't worry, I'm sure you'll enjoy it once we start," she assured him as he took her hand. She pulled Vincent up, and he stood tall upon his two feet. "And if worse comes to worse, you'll just watch. Come on, let’s get going before everyone flocks to the fields." Without a defiant word, the Turk nodded his head in agreement, and he followed the two girls to the outskirts of town; the rest of the festivities were about to begin.

[Beebs]

Chapter Eight: The Flower Field

Nightfall came unexpectedly soon. Under the light of the florescent moon, Vincent and Miyo watched as young Kohana picked the rare spider lily flower, the sign of the village's celebration. The threesome had decided to break away from the festivities in the village and spend a moment in peaceful tranquility. There, the two adults nestled themselves amongst the meadow of flowers and continued to vigilantly watch the young girl.

"It's a gorgeous night," the man said as a warm breeze greeted his face. He gave a small smile and looked up at the radiant moon casting its mysterious light, like a beacon of hope. "I wish it would last forever."

Watching Kohana playfully pick flowers, Miyo smiled. She couldn't remember the last time she had been this happy. Everything seemed perfect as she knelt down on one knee to picked up the rare flower. "You know, this flower really blooms during the night," Miyo stated as she stood up, looking at the Spider-lily. "Most people pick them before they can really blossom."

Vincent nodded and looked at the flower in Miyo's hand. "That Spider-lily reminds me of a flower that used to bloom in my world," the man said as he sat down in the field of flowers. "Back then, times were good and pure. But now, everything is dying and there seems to be no hope left in people's hearts. This world is still unmarred by the scar of sin that my planet carries."

Miyo looked at the star-filled sky. As the moonlight touched her face, she replied, "I suppose so. It might not be compared to your world, but Riyona has really taken a turn for the worst over the past few years. Our lives have been a lot more hectic than they once were. The only good thing that has happened was you..."

Kohana gradually grew tired and yelled from a distance, "Can we stay here for the night?"

"You want to stay here?" Miyo replied with a raised eyebrow. "What do you think Vincent?"

Vincent nodded. "I think I would like that," he replied as looked up at Miyo and then glanced at Kohana. "It's pretty pleasant out and the fresh air should do us good. That is, if it's alright with you, Miyo."

"It's fine with me," she said smiling at Vincent. She looked at Kohana, signaling her to come over. "I hope you picked enough flowers for me too, Kohana."

"Don't worry, I did," Kohana replied giving Vincent a handful of Spider-Lily Flowers. "Here Vincent, you can take some home with you too."

Vincent nodded and took the flowers from the girl. "Thank you, Kohana," he said with a small smile as he tenderly put the flowers away in a safe pocket. "That's very kind of you. I'll keep them nice and safe."

Kohana sat down and Miyo followed suit by taking a seat on the soft grass. "You seem a lot more cheerful than before," Miyo said to Vincent. "But you often seem lost in thought. Is it because you're homesick?"

Vincent turned to Miyo and then looked down. "It's not that," he said with a sigh. "I'm actually glad to be away from Kalm. It's just... ever since I've gotten here, I've been thinking about someone who was dear to me over thirty years ago. I can't seem to get her out of my head."

Miyo looked up at Vincent, noticing the sadness in his eyes. Kohana was resting her head in Miyo's lap and playing with the petals of the flowers she had collected. "She hurt you?" Miyo replied showing a sympathetic smile, "You don't want to show it, but the pain is there, isn't it?"

Vincent was silent for a moment and he simply nodded in reply. "She did," he said softly as he continued to look down. "She was the reason that I'm like this now and she's the reason I'm still alive. She chose Hojo, dammit. Why couldn't Lucrecia have let me die when that bastard shot me?"

Miyo looked down as she played with Kohana's hair. "Maybe she still loved you and didn't want to see you die. In her heart, she might of loved you, but was clouded by this 'Hojo' man," Miyo said softly.

Vincent sighed and glanced over at Miyo. "Well, even if she did actually care about me, it doesn't matter now," the man as he looked up at the moon. "That happened thirty three years ago and she's encased herself in Mako crystals. In other words, she's in suspended animation forever."

"I've always been alone," he continued. "I never had a family to care or love for me. All I had was my father, and he was never living with me or near me. When I met Lucrecia, I actually thought that I was worth something, and maybe life was worth living. But when she betrayed me and rejected me, I felt like my heart was ripped out."

The Turk's red eyes glowed as he stared up into the moon. "Besides, who would care about a man like me?" he asked softly. "I mean, look at me. There's nothing to see."

"There's plenty to see in you," Miyo said, staring into the man's eyes. "Kohana has been happy ever since you arrived...and I have too. I know it's only been a day, but you bring this pleasant feeling that pushes my worries aside. You may appear distant on the outside, but on the inside you're full of compassion and love; I see it in your eyes." She looked away and added softly, "I just want to see you happy, that's all."

Vincent looked down at Miyo and was silent once more. He tried to think of what to say, but his mouth failed to pull out words. "Thank you," he simply said after a few moments. He sighed and tented his fingers. "I guess... I want to see you happy, too." The man smiled and then lowered his head.

Miyo placed a wilted flower she had been holding inside Kohana's basket and picked out another one. She took in a deep breath and looked at Vincent.

"You don't have to say that if you don't mean it," Miyo replied. "You can be honest. I don't want you to say it just because I did.."

Miyo picked another Spider-lily and glanced at it. She continued, "I want to see you happy because it makes me happy too. I'm sure Kohana is happy when you're happy as well. I don't know much of your past, but I can see you've had it rough. You deserve so much Vincent; you have to believe that you do."

Vincent blushed and turned his head away. He pondered, "I never thought...anyone would--"

Suddenly, the Turk's thoughts were interrupted when a cloaked figure burst into the scene. "Isn't this lovely?" the shadow, whose voice seemed to belong to man, uttered with a hint of sarcasm. "Tell me, would you two mind if I stick around for a little Q & A?"

[Beebs]

Chapter Nine: The Cloaked Schemer

Vincent stood and gripped Cerberus at his side. "Who the hell are you?" he asked as he stepped in front of the girls to protect them. He pulled out his gun and aimed it directly at him. "Answer me!"

The hooded figure let out a quick laugh while shaking his head. "Ah, temper, temper," the man replied, folding his arms across his chest. "You're just a bag of fun, my friend. Well, I suppose this is the time where I spill the beans."

The mysterious man then pointed to Miyo, and a smirk crossed his face. "I got some information for your little friend, missy," he said slyly. "Why don't you be a good girl and go away for a while? I promise no one will be hurt."

Vincent did not move a muscle and he continued to outstretch his arm and aim Cerberus. "I think not," he said though his teeth as he thinned his eyes. "I have no idea who you are. There's no way I'm sending Miyo away just because you tell me to." The Turk glanced over his shoulder at the young woman and nodded.

Miyo let out a tiny gasp, then giving a small nod to Vincent. "He's really concerned for me," she thought. "I never imagined having someone to protect me."

The figure clicked his tongue and shook his head. "Not a smart move, man," he retorted sharply. "I'm helping you here. Maybe if you catch some of this, you'll be able to keep your life before things... get dangerous."

"Danger?" Miyo questioned. "What do you mean?!"

"Well, the only way for you to find that out is for him to hear what I have to say...alone," the figure responded.

Vincent looked down at the ground and fell into thought. The man wasn't certain of what he should do. He didn't want to abandon Kohana and Miyo, but he also needed to hear what this man had to say, in case the mysterious man knew something about why he and Kikyo were in Riyona.

The Turk lowered Cerberus and shifted his red eyes toward the stranger. "I'm sorry, but if my friend cannot hear your information, then I cannot hear it," he said as he relaxed himself once more. "Why is it you cannot tell Miyo your information?"

"Sorry," the hodded man responded, "Rules are rules. You can either come with me to hear what I have to say or leave. Your choice."

Miyo sighed and replied, "It's okay. We'll be here. If it's important then you should go." She gave Vincent a small shrug and looked down at Kohana.

The hooded man rolled his hidden eyes and crossed his arms once more. "Come on, come on," he lightly growled, beginning to tap his foot to a beat playing in his head. "I haven't got all night, y'know. Just trust me, she'll be fine."

Vincent thinned his eyes and huffed. He looked at Miyo and nodded. "If you need me just call my name, alright?"

The young woman looked up and gave the Turk a reassuring smile. "Right," she said softly. "Everything will be alright, Vincent. It's going to be okay."

The man nodded and walked toward the hooded figure. A strange and malevolent feeling resided about him, but Vincent quickly shook it off a moment later.

"Ah, now that's better," the shadow uttered with a scoff. "So, let's get to our little interview, shall we? Tell me, have you lived in this world since your birth?"

Vincent looked over at Miyo once more and then closed his eyes. "No," he said in a melancholy voice. "I wasn't born of this world. I was born sixty years ago in a city called Midgar."

A smirk grew upon the shadow's hidden face as he cunningly devised a quick plot in his mind. "Perfect," he muttered in a low, inaudible tone. "So far, so good."

Sitting upon the ground, her sister's head resting in her lap, Miyo couldn't help but look over to Vincent every so often. Her moonlit eyes gazed upon him intently and she was certain that he never left her sight. "I can't help but feel useless," the woman thought while looking away. She lowered her chin and, let out a sigh. "What if what that man was saying is true...what if Vincent is really in danger?."

The shadow continued. "So, from my understanding, you just popped into this little world out of the blue?" the figure inquired, darting his eyes at Miyo for a brief glance. "You've arrived here quite by accident?"

The Turk nodded and was silent for a few moments before speaking once again. "That's right," he simply said crossing his arms as his eyes thinned. "Look, I don't know who you are and I don't know your intentions. So, who sent you? Why are you here? I want answers and I want them now."

"Of course," the shadow replied while a sneer grew upon his covered face. "Let's just say that I'm not exactly the good or bad guy in this little scenario. Does that answer your question?"

The man touched Cerberus at his side and his eyes entered an intense glare. "I'm afraid not," he responded sharply. Vincent advanced toward the man and he began to draw his gun from its case. "Understand, if the situation calls for it, I won't hold back. I'll ask you again: who the hell are you?"

Miyo looked over at Vincent and noticed the bitter expression on his face. "Something's wrong," the young woman whispered softly before looking down at Kohana. She took off the top layer of her clothing and made a pillow for the young girl. She lifted her head and placed the cloth under it. Miyo kissed her sister's forehead and got up from her position a moment after. Cautiously approaching the two men, the young woman loomed with various emotions residing about her. She tensed herself as the unknown figure snapped his head to her direction, and the whites of Vincent's eyes were in her gaze.

"I thought I told you to stay away," the hooded man snarled.

"Just stay behind me, Miyo," he said softly as he glanced over to the young woman. The man turned his attention over to shadow and glared at him intently. "Keep away from her. If you dare come near us, I'll rip you to shreds."

The hooded figure placed his hands on his hips, and he let out a quick chortle. "Now, now, let's not be hasty," the voice continued waving his hands about in the air. Looking up at Vincent's glaring face, the shadow smirked. "You've got it all wrong, my friend. I'm trying to get you out of a little mess that's going to ensue, ya get me?"

Vincent grew increasingly suspicious as the figure pressed on with his speech. "What are you talking about?" he asked, the man's voice was low and almost sounded like a growl. "A mess? Danger?"

Without a second thought, the hooded figure proceeded. "Well, if you must know, something big is coming on the horizon," he continued, the figure then began to circle Vincent and Miyo, and his tone was dark and menacing. "I can't exactly inform you of what it is at the moment. No, not now... You have to realize that by just coming along with me, you'll be dodging a bullet that's yet to be fired. I'm not asking for anything--nothing at all; it's simple. A child can grasp the concept. Don't you understand? All you have to do is comply to my terms, and you're going to be totally worry free."

Rage grew inside of the Turk as his keen eyes followed the black shadow's movement, and his ears took in the man's deceitful words. "Absolutely... not," Vincent replied, nearly frightening Miyo with his chilling voice. His intense eyes thinned while he placed Cerberus back into its leather case on his thigh. "I don't care about what happens to me. I only intend to keep my friends safe from any of your chaotic mess. Understand? Miyo, are you coming?"

"Yes," Miyo responded, following close behind him. The young woman darted her eyes to Vincent before lowering her gaze to the ground. She turned over her shoulder to check on Kohana who, surprisingly, was still dozing off.

The dark figure raised a hidden brow after his arms folded to his chest. "Fine, I see how it is, but remember, this won't be the only shifty encounter you'll have; not by a long shot." he whispered to himself, his voice was twisted and cold. "If you won't join me, then I'll have the pleasure of--well, I'll leave that to the imagination. Until we meet again, I guess this is farewell...."

"Fine by me," Vincent said, leading Miyo away from the hooded figure. As the two made their way over to the sleeping girl, the young woman looked over to where the hooded man was previously standing. To her surprise, he had completely vanished, leaving not a trace of the mysterious encounter.

[Beebs]

Chapter Ten: You're Welcome

Vincent Valentine was silent for a long moment, before he finally sighed. "I guess this is goodbye, then," he whispered, hanging his head. His eyes were fixed on the ground.

Miyo instantly turned to Vincent and looked at him strangely. "Goodbye?" she asked him, confused by his words. "What do you mean?"

Vincent lowered his gaze to the ground and he let out a soft sigh. "You heard what that man said. This won't be the last encounter with the likes of him. Next time it could become violent..." he said with a serious tone. "If I stay with you, the others might try to hurt you and Kohana. And if they ever hurt you, I... I would never forgive myself."

Miyo walked over to Vincent and held his hand. "Don't do this, Vincent," she replied, tearing up a bit. "Please don't go! I'd miss you so much.. "

Vincent frowned and looked into the young woman's eyes. "It's alright, Miyo," he said to her softly. The man shifted his eyes and saw his hand in hers. He smiled and looked up once more. "You and Kohana are...the only true family I've ever had. You're both very important to me now. I know I've only known you for a day, but I feel like I've known you for a lifetime. I want to keep you safe, Miyo."

Miyo blushed at Vincent lowering her head. "I feel the same way, but how would leaving protect us? If anything, it would make things more dangerous," she replied softly, "I don't want you to die again. I just couldn't bear the thought... I really do care about you, Vincent Valentine."

Vincent was silent for a moment and repeated Miyo's words over and over again in his mind. "She... cares about me?" he asked himself. "Someone actually cares about me?" There was the strangest feeling in Vincent's heart at this moment.

He felt like he was willing to sacrifice his life for the young woman before him, and he felt like he could do anything with her at his side. He felt his pulse race as he laid his eyes upon her and the chemicals in his mind were going crazy. It was the feeling that he had for Doctor Crescent over thirty years ago; it was the feeling of love.

The Turk smiled and nodded. "I suppose you're right... are you certain that you don't mind me around?" he asked Miyo aloud. "Are you willing to put up with a guy like me?"

Miyo nodded, energy building within her. After a few moments spent biting her lower lip in anticipation, she finally released her emotions and gripped Vincent in a tight embrace. It was so unexpected that Vincent fell back with Miyo on top of him. She gazed into his eyes for a moment, soon realizing the position they were in. Miyo's heart skipped a beat as she quickly got up and turned red. "I'm sorry," she said a little flustered. "That was a bit forward of me... are you ok?"

The Turk couldn't help but smile. "I'm fine," he said softly looking up at Miyo. Then, Vincent Valentine did the unexpected, and he began to laugh, something that he rarely did. He sat up and brought his knee to his chest. "More than fine; great, in fact."

Miyo blushed, burying her face in her hands from embarrassment. She soon looked up, lowering her hands and gazed at Vincent in the bright moonlight.

"Never in my life would I have imagined falling for someone in a day's time," she thought. "It's strange, but I really enjoy this feeling. There's been an attraction to him since our first meeting, but it's grown so much stronger. I feel happier than I have in a long time...all thanks to the man from Midgar."

Miyo looked over to Kohana and saw she remained sound asleep, then glancing over at Vincent. "I'm glad to hear ," she replied with a warm smile. "And yes, Vincent, I...would like it if you would stay with us."

The man nodded and gazed up at the shining light coming from the moon above. "I'm glad," he said with a smile. Vincent looked over to Miyo sitting beside him, and again, he felt his heart race. He wanted to tell her so much, but his mouth could not reach for the right words. He sighed and simply settled for, "Thank you."

"Heh, you're welcome," Miyo said with a giggle. Her smile soon faded to a frown, though, as thoughts of the mysterious hooded man plagued her. She finally asked, "Vincent...who was that man earlier? Did he say what kind of danger you were in?"

"I'm not sure," Vincent replied. "But since he asked me about what world I was from, it could mean Kikyo and anyone else who arrived from the vortex could be in the same danger. If the danger is real, we might be in for trouble." The Turk touched Cerberus at his side and nodded. He would be ready if someone attempted to harm him or his friends.

"Did he seem to know why you arrived here?" Miyo replied, "I mean, if danger is specific to those from the vortex, there has to be a reason you're here."

"I'm not sure. He didn't inform me of much," the man said looking down. He took a deep breath and exhaled. "He didn't say why I was in danger, it was just an assumption. But I don't care about me, my goal is to keep you, and Kohana, safe."

Miyo smiled and was silent for a bit. She took in his last few words and felt ecstatic that he wanted to stay, pushing all thoughts of the danger aside. "To be honest, I've always thought you were handsome," Miyo said, blushing. "It's silly, but that's one of the reasons why I let you stay over."

Vincent smiled and lowered his head. "Funny you should say that," he said lifting his head after a moment. "The reason I came into your house was to see your face more clearly in the light. I know this sounds poetic, but I got lost in your eyes." The man fell silent and he looked away in embarrassment.

Miyo felt an overwhelm of emotion for the Turk and struggled to keep it inside, for now. She knew Vincent was a man of little emotion and she didn't want to make him uncomfortable. Still, Miyo felt he needed comfort, so she placed her hand on his shoulder. "I became absorbed in yours as well," Miyo replied with a flushed face. Her fatigue was getting the better of her; she could no longer fight of the urge to yawn.

Vincent turned his head toward Miyo and revealed a broad smile. He was silent once again and simply stared at Miyo's beautiful face. "It's getting late," he said after a few moments. "I think I should be getting you girls home. It's been a long day for all of us."

Miyo gave a small nod as the two stood to their feet. Vincent scooped a sleeping Kohana in his arms and carried her as Miyo walked beside them. The festival had come to a close and most of the villagers had already returned to their homes. The group soon followed suit.

After a bit of walking, the group finally arrived at Miyo's home and went inside. Vincent carried Kohana back to her room and traveled back into the living room. He and Miyo stood before each other for a few minutes, simply gazing and smiling to one another. Neither one wished to part, but sleep was inevitable. Vincent held out a hand to shake, but a grinning Miyo soon pulled him into a soft hug, causing the Turk to blush.

They smiled at one another and parted for the night, falling asleep with comforting thoughts of their time together.

[Beebs]

Chapter Eleven, the Garden

"I've never been this deep in the forest," Miyo said aloud, observing the nature around her. She was in the Riyona forest by herself, surrounded by many growing trees and blossoming flowers. Suddenly, a butterfly passed in front of Miyo's face. Its wings were blue and marked with fantastic designs. Miyo, entranced by its beauty, began to follow it in awe.

She continued to follow it, not fully paying attention to her surroundings. She soon reached a waterfall that she had never been to before. She forgot about the butterfly for a moment, leaning down and placing her hands into the cool, blue water. "Mm, this feels good," she said, closing her eyes. "I want to bring Vincent and Kohana here."

She breathed in the fresh air as she looked up to the clear sky through the trees. She soon faltered, sitting completely still; she had the vague feeling that someone was standing behind her. She cautiously turned her head to glance over her shoulder. Her eyes widened when she saw three shadowy figures in the distance. Miyo stared at them nervously, beginning to back away as they moved forward. She soon found herself pinned against the small pool of water coming from the waterfall as the figures began crowding around her and...

Miyo gasped as she awoke abruptly from her dream. She began breathing heavily, wiping her moist forehead of sweat and getting out of bed. "Who were they?" she whispered.

As Vincent sat in the living room, he looked toward the floor and saw as the sun's brilliant light flooded the room.

The man stood from his sitting position and stretched his arms wide. He cracked his knuckles and neck as he walked toward the front door and stepped outside to greet the day.

"Another beautiful day," the Turk whispered. Morning had come once more.

Miyo stumbled a bit when exiting her room, before catching herself and lightly chuckling at her own clumsiness. After entering the living room, she noticed Vincent wasn't there, feeling a bit confused. She went to check to see if the Turk was in Kohana's room.

"Good morning, Miyo," Kohana said cheerfully. "Yesterday was the greatest day ever! I'm going to ask Vincent about last night. I can't believe I fell asleep!" Kohana then rushed to the living area and shouted, "Vincent!"

Vincent's ears perked and he looked into the doorway to see Kohana calling his name. "Good morning, Kohana," he said in an upbeat tone. He came inside and presented the girl with a warm smile. "Sleep well last night?"

"Hiya!" she replied, rushing up to him. "Yeah, I slept great. Did anything happen while I was sleeping at the festival? I can't believe I missed the fireworks."

Miyo smiled at the two and crept back into her room for a moment, still a little dazed from her dream. She shook her head of the rogue thoughts and made her way back into the main area of the house. "Those two must be hungry by now," Miyo said softly to herself. "I know I am!"

Vincent shifted his eyes about and scratched his head. "Well, something happened alright," he said with a cough. "It's alright, Kohana. It's nothing you would have liked." He smiled and hid his embarrassment.

"Aww...oh well," Kohana replied with a shrug. "Next time I'm staying up the whole night!"

Miyo interjected herself by calling out, "Good morning. Are you both hungry? I'll make breakfast and we can all eat together. Wait...where's Kikyo? Did she come back?"

"No, I haven't seen her," Vincent said lowering his head. "I wonder where she is." Suddenly, a loud growling sound filled the room and Vincent looked down at his stomach. "I'm sorry. My stomach has never grumbled like this before."

Miyo and Kohana gave each other an amused look and smiled back at the Turk.

"You relax and I'll make breakfast," Miyo said. "Or, if you're up to it, Kohana can show you the garden out back."

"Yeah! I want to do that!" Kohana exclaimed.

Vincent nodded and smiled. "Alright, Kohana," he said with a bit of joy. "Will you show me to the garden?"

"Come on!" Kohana said with a bright smile, pulling Vincent outside.

"I'll call when breakfast is ready," Miyo said, watching them leave.

While Miyo began to prepare breakfast, Kohana held Vincent's hand and the two walked up a small trail until they saw a rather large garden with different flowers, vegetables, and fruits.

"It's lovely here, isn't it Vincent?" Kohana said. "We can sell most of this at the market. Miyo is going to teach me how to plant and sow. She says that our parents put their love into this soil. What do you think?"

Vincent smiled and nodded. He knelt down and touched the ground and was silent for a moment. He looked over to Kohana. "You know something?" the man asked the little girl. "I can feel the love in this garden. And I can feel all of the hard work and time you and Miyo put into it, too."

The Turk stood up and saw the garden in full view. "It shows," he continued as he looked at the lush plants. "It's wonderful."

Kohana beamed as she pulled Vincent along to show him all of the different crops and plants they had. The planted food was on the left side, all sorts of shrubs popping up from the ground. Signs labeled carrots, potatoes, and many other crops were scattered about. At the very edge of the vast area, an apple tree towered over the surrounding plants. The flower garden was on the right side, vibrant and full of color.

"I love the flower garden the most!" Kohana exclaimed. "It overlooks the gazebo."

Kohana pointed left and Vincent looked over to see a small path that lead down to the gazebo, where potted flowers appeared to be stored. It looked old, but still beautiful, with a few vines hugging it. The gazebo looked over a small pond with exotic flowers and tiny fish. The forest contrasted behind it. It was a breathtaking place that seem to have a relaxing aura around it.

Vincent felt himself out of breath as he laid his eyes upon the fantastic sight. It brought back memories of long ago when he often visited the countryside and got away from city life. "It's incredible," he said with wide eyes. "I haven't seen anything like this in many years."

"Well, don't just stand there, let's go!" Kohana said with enthusiasm, dragging Vincent along once again.

The Turk chuckled, willingly following the young girl. They walked along the same dirt path until they reached a small wooden bridge that connected to the gazebo, which caused Kohana to halt.

"Careful," she said knowingly. "They never got to build the hand-railing."

Vincent nodded and crossed over the water with Kohana, holding her hand all the way. After the made it across, the young girl gave a sigh of relief and looked up at Vincent. She grinned and exclaimed, "We made it!"

Vincent smiled at the young girl and the duo made their way over to the bench. After sitting down, the Turk took in the gorgeous sight of the small pond and forest before them. "The view is marvelous, Kohana."

"Thanks!" Kohana said happily, smiling with pride.

"So...why is it the railing was never built on the bridge?" Vincent asked curiously.

"I'm not really sure," Kohana responded. "Miyo told me their was a bridge before this one, but it got old and rotten. Our brother, Jei...Jeimuzu, I think, rebuilt the bridge, but never got to finish."

"Why's that?" Vincent questioned.

"He left," Kohana said casually.

Vincent nodded and replied, "Oh yes...Miyo told me, but she didn't say why. Do you know why, Kohana?"

"No," Kohana answered. "I was just a baby when our parents died, around the same time he left I guess. Miyo doesn't like talking about it all that much."

"I see," Vincent said, turning his attention back to the pond. "I would imagine it's quite painful to talk about."

Kohana took a deep breath of the fresh air and said, "Yeah...hey Vincent, did you have a place like this in your world?"

The man was silent for a moment and then sighed. "There used to be," he said with a blank expression, "but three years ago, someone destroyed everything that was once good. Now, there's almost nothing left in nature. All the flowers, the trees...everything's faded away."

Kohana appeared solemn for a moment, then replied, "Well we have lots of seeds, you can take back as many as you want."

Vincent smiled warmly at young girl, touched by her kindness, and answered, "Thanks, Kohana. Thank you very much."

[Liamane]

Chapter Twelve: Breakfast

While Vincent and Kohana indulged in the outdoors, Miyo was in the kitchen, tediously making breakfast for everyone. She had cooked a healthy sum of meat, prepared fruit from the garden, made pancakes, and freshly squeezed orange juice. She looked out of the small window in the room and saw Vincent and Kohana in the distance, at the gazebo, talking to one another.

Miyo smiled and soon rushed out of the house's front door and began along the towards the garden and pond, stopping when she was able to see Vincent and Kohana again.

"Breakfast!" she called out. "Come back inside you two!"

Vincent looked over to Miyo and nodded. He glanced over to the girl standing beside him. "I don't know about you, Kohana, but I'm starved," the man said with a small smile and he began to walk toward the house. "Are you coming?"

"Of course!" Kohana yelled with excitement.

Miyo smiled at the picture perfect moment and went inside to set the table. She soon grabbed the plates of food in the kitchen and spread them out along the dining table. In the center, she placed a bouquet of fresh flowers in a vase. She moved back, admiring the sight with a smile.

As an idea struck her, Miyo quickly rushed back outside. Vincent and Kohana were a few feet in front of the door when they were halted by Miyo. She walked up behind the Turk and covered his eyes with her hands.

"Wait," she said "This is your first breakfast here and I want it to be a surprise."

Vincent gave a short laugh as Miyo began guiding him inside. "Miyo, you didn't have to do this for me," he said with a smile. "I'm not worth all that trouble. Really!"

"Wait, Kohana!" Miyo said, noticing her younger sister who was not at the table, about to begin eating. The young girl folder her arms across her chest in a huff.

Miyo then said, "You're well worth it, Vincent. You deserve a good breakfast."

"I suppose," Vincent replied, eyes still covered. "Well, I haven't had a breakfast at all in a while, either. This'll be a real treat, no matter what."

"Ready? Alright," Miyo said, lifting her hands from his face.

The man looked upon the meal with great surprise. He stared at all of the food in silence for a bit and then turned to the woman beside him after several moments. "Miyo," he said a little stunned. "It's a beyond perfect meal. You did this all... for me?"

Miyo blushed. "Yep, it's my pleasure," she said simply. "Take a seat. I'll pour you some juice."

"Miyo usually cooks like this when it's a special occasion or when she wants to impress someone she likes," Kohana said to Vincent, taking some toast hastily. "It's always really good."

The man nodded and walked over to one of the chairs. "It looks great," he said happily. "I can't wait to have some."

As Vincent sat in his seat, he smiled at Kohana's remark. "It could be," he continued in a soft tone. "Maybe she does like me a little. Or perhaps she wants to show hospitality. Or it could be both." He lowered his head to hide his face.

Miyo blushed again, placing her hand on top of his before taking a seat. "Well this is a special event," Miyo replied. She leaned over to Vincent's ear and whispered, "And it might be that I do like you." Miyo gave the Turk a flirtatious wink.

"Hey, I saw that!" Kohana said pointing her fork at her older sister, "What did she whisper Vincent?"

Vincent widened his eyes as he looked up at Miyo. He felt his face turn red and he looked down in embarrassment, knowing the feelings were mutual. After a moment, he looked up at Kohana and waved his hand.

"It's alright, Kohana," he said with a blank expression. He looked up at Miyo and smiled. "Your sister was just telling me that if you don't finish your breakfast, we won't be going out today. So get eating, alright?"

Kohana thinned her eyes at Miyo and continued to eat. Miyo grinned and began to eat as well. She soon paused, staring at her food, and said softly to Vincent, "Sorry if I'm coming off too strong. I'm not used to feeling this way."

After Vincent swallowed a mouthful of food, he nodded and whispered softly in her ear, "Don't worry, I feel the same. You were just expressing what we both felt. I haven't felt anything like this in quite some time, either." He smiled and placed his hand and the table.

"This food is wonderful, Miyo," he said aloud truthfully and to cover Kohana's suspicions. "It's magnificent."

Miyo smiled and replied, "Thank you, it was no trouble. You're very kind fro saying so."

Kohana shrugged and continued to eat huge portions of panckaes at once.

Miyo giggled softly and said, "You know, we didn't get to go Riyonia's shrine yesterday. Maybe we should go there today."

"Yeah! All of those people that were here yesterday messed up our plans," Kohana said quickly after swallowing her food. She looked at Vincent continued, "It's really old. People don't go there very often anymore. These boys that live not to far from us says that it's haunted."

"I remember the shrine clearly," Miyo added. She turned to Kohana and smirked. "And don't you worry about seeing and ghosts. Vincent will be there and he'll protect us. In fact, if he stays he'll be able to protect us all the time."

The young girl looked at Vincent and asked, "Are you really staying? What about your world?"

Vincent froze and looked down at the young girl. After a moment, getting up from the table, he placed his hands on her shoulders and smiled.

"It's yet to be discovered if I can even get back to my world," he said, glancing over to Miyo and looking back down at the girl. "But, for the time being, my place is with you and your sister, alright Kohana? I'm going to protect you two, understand? Unless you want me out for any reason."

"Of course not!" Kohana exclaimed. "You should stay with us. I... want you to stay."

Miyo looked at Vincent, then back at Kohana with concern. She thought about the ghosts her sister mentioned. She knew the tales of ghosts at the shrine were just silly stories the children of RiyonA village told, but couldn't help connecting the thought with her strange dream. She lowered her head a bit and became tense.

"Why am I nervous all of a sudden?" she thought, "It was only a dream... just a dream."

"Miyo?" Vincent asked with concern in his voice. "Is something wrong? You're as white as a sheet." Slowly but gingerly, he touched the side of her face and looked into her eyes. "Are you feeling alright?"

With the touch of Vincent's hand, Miyo felt tingle in her face moving down through body. It was a good, but rare feeling for the woman. She placed her hand atop his and snapped back from her thoughts. She showed off a warm smile and replied to Vincent, "I'm okay."

Vincent wanted to believe in the smile that Miyo expressed, but found himself feeling uneasy. He looked into her eyes and knew something was troubling her. Although he didn't present his expressions on his face, he was worried on the inside. He looked at her for another second and then looked at Kohana, who was lso looking at her sister with curiosity.

"What's wrong Miyo?" Kohana asked.

"It's nothing, really. Your food is getting cold," Miyo replied.

Kohana shrugged her shoulders, continuing to eat, and began, "Anyway, those boys said that there are ghosts and monsters at the shrine, but I don't think I believe them. If there are ghosts, you're going to protect us, so I won't worry. The shrine is deep in the forest, so it'll be good to have you if we get lost. I can't way to go!"

The Turk nodded. Miyo got up from her seat solemnly, beginning to clean the table.

"Do you need a hand?" Vincent offered.

Miyo smiled. "That's alright. Hey, Kohana, why don't you take Vincent to get an offering?"

"Okay! We have to pick some flowers for the shrine," she said, "I feel bad that we missed going there yesterday, so we've got to pick a lot!"

"Well then, let's go get some," Vincent said kindly.

Kohana began to lead Vincent back towards the garden as Miyo continued her cleaning.

After the duo reached the garden, Vincent said casually, "I'm sure it's fine we didn't go to the shrine yesterday. We are going now, after all." Kohana shrugged and began to pull flowers out of the ground.

The Turk looked down at a group of flowers growing along the path. Vincent bent down and picked one particular violet flower that was in full bloom. He smiled and looked over to the young girl. "Think Miyo would like this flower, Kohana?"

Kohana stopped picking flowers and looked over at the one Vincent was holding, "That's one of her favorites," she replied. "How did you know?"

Vincent smiled and shrugged. "I didn't," he answered as he looked down at the flower. "I just assumed that she'd like it."

"Well that's the one she likes the most," Kohana said grabbing more flowers. "It's called the Majesty Jasmine. She says it was our mother's favorite too."

The young girl stood up from the ground and showed Vincent her rather large collection. Kohana held them up towards Vincent and asked, "How about these?"

Vincent nodded and smiled. "Those are nice," he said. He gave out a quick chuckle and shook his head. "I never thought I would be talking about flowers after everything that's happened in my life."

Kohana pulled the flowers towards herself and smelled them, giving a bright smile. "Well, we grow lots of them, so you've got know choice to become interested in them, okay?"

The Turk chuckled and Kohana grinned. Due to her lack of attention, her arms soon buckled and she dropped her collection of flowers. "Nuts!"

After she finished cleaning the table, Miyo poked her head outside and called out, "Hey, we don't have all day!" She briskly jogged up beside them and continued, "I'd like to be back before it's late."

Vincent looked over to Miyo and smiled. He slowly lifted his hand with the flower in his grasp and lowered his head in shyness. "For you," he said after a long moment of silence. "Thought you might like it."

Miyo saw the flower and her eyes gleamed with joy as she accepted it, giving Vincent an automatic hug. "Thank you!" she said happily. "I love this flower."

Vincent's eyes widened as Miyo embraced him. He smiled, and after a brief moment, he put his arms around her in reply. "You're welcome," he said softly.

The man felt his entire faced blush with color. It had been a long time since he had been so close to a woman like as Miyo and he was enjoying every second of his time with her.

Kohana stood up after gathering her dropped flowers and thinned her eyes. "Hey you huggers," she said, wedging between the two, "Are we going or not?"

"Of course." Miyo replied with a chuckle, releasing her grip on the Turk. She looked down at her younger sister and glanced back up at Vincent, saying, "Are you ready?"

After snapping out of his romantic daze, Vincent nodded and smiled. "Yeah, I am," he said softly. He crossed his arms and stepped forward. "So, you think you girls can lead the way?"

"Sure, come on! We've gotta show those boys that there aren't any ghosts!" Kohana said, taking Vincent by the hand. Miyo followed behind closely.

After a bit of walking, they pasted by the village circle where the festival was held. Soon after, they reached the flower fields, noticing that the Spider-lilies were slowly dying, while the others were still in bloom.

[Liamane]

Chapter Thirteen: Light Within The Dusk

Traveling through the clear paths of the underbrush, the group finally stopped in the middle of the forest as they noticed a small shrine in the distance. It was hidden within the growing wave of dense foliage, but it was still clearly visible in the sun's light. It housed a series of stone carvings that meant nothing in particular to the Turk.

"We're almost there!" Kohana exclaimed. "This is going to be great!"

Raising a curious brow, Vincent halted as he looked upon the small sanctum; in his mind, he had envisioned something far more elegant and vast in size. "This is the shrine?" he questioned, finally proceeding forth toward the structure.

Giggling, Miyo's shoulders lightly shrugged in laughter as she set down her large basket. "Sort of," she replied, shifting about the array of objects. "This is simply a fragment of the original, a resort for anyone who can't make the pilgrimage to the real one, if you would. A few decades ago, part of the original shrine was destroyed, and it was Riyona who told the villagers to make a smaller shrine here."

Sporting a smile, the woman continued, "It may almost seem selfish, to be ordered around by a deity, but I find it... beneficial." Pulling out one of the bouquets that had gathered the night before, the older sister handed the child the flowers, and the two smiled in delight.

"I think that by praying to Riyona, we give him a bit of our own strength," Miyo began once again, turning to Vincent and offering a pleasant expression. "In return, he protects us from any danger. To offer prayer in exchange for safety... I find that to be a good trade, don't you?"

Silence was conceived between the three, and the two sisters approached the small shrine, bowing to it in respect. Vincent felt he should have been doing the same, but he was left remaining uncertain. Stepping forward, the young girl placed the collected bouquet on a stone tablet in the center of the roofed area. The duo knelt down to the ground, while Vincent observed the scenery of the shrine's lush area.

The bright sun above them quickly vanished away within a thick blanket of dark clouds, and the surrounding forest became as black as night. The Turk whiffed in some of the air and wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"The air is foul," he said, interrupting the girls' meditation. Vincent turned to them with a grim face. "It's some kind of potent dust, maybe smoke, and I don't think it's safe for human lungs. We should find a place to stay until this passes over."

Kohana gave a cough which warranted Miyo's attention. The woman then looked up and saw the thick cloud of smoke too. Holding the child close to stop her from inhaling the air, she turned to Vincent with a confused look saying, "What's happening? Where is that smoke coming from?"

Vincent thinned his eyes and looked toward the direction in which the smoke was coming from. "South," he simply replied as he took a step into the dusty air. The man coughed once more and felt his eyes slightly water from the intense fumes. His red eyes looked over to Miyo and he nodded, confirming her fears. "Come on. We have to get out of here."

The woman's vision darted about the area, and clinging to her younger sister, she exclaimed, "Where are we supposed to go? The village is miles away, and we're far off from the house!"

Snapping his head about, the Turk's eyes thinned as he managed to locate a particularly large tree. Following its trunk, the roots had penetrated through the soil, and it appeared as though it had formed a hollow cage under the earth.

"Quickly, follow me," Vincent urged, beginning to take off in the tree's direction.

With the girls following him suit, the smoke began to thoroughly pollute the air around the small shrine. Helping the two sisters into the convenient refuge, the man turned his back to the entrance, providing a makeshift shield from the dust's harmful consequences for the two women.

As the dust storm continued to rage on outside, the Turk saw a flash of light coming forth from the forest. It was dim, but he could see that it was moving upward toward the cloud of smoke. As the intense wind gusted on, the powerful aura suddenly emerged from the the top of the forest. It has the shape of a man, but it was as if its entire body was composed of light. Vincent closed his eyes and felt the energy move about.

"What is that?" he whispered, taken by the amazement of the moment.

Miyo's eyes widened, and stricken with awe, she gasped, "Riyona."

Catching a glimpse of the entire scene from beneath the Turk's cloak, Kohana's jaw dropped in true astonishment. "No waaay," she commented slowly, grinning from ear to ear.

Outside of the tree's roots, the spiritual energy of Riyona gracefully moved up and down to sway the harmful dust away. After a few moments of the process, the air in the trio's area became fresh and the sun emerged from its covered slumber and nature returned to its former self. The energy continued its work and a sudden gust of wind began to blow the entire cloud of smoke to the south, away from the village.

Just as the energy appeared, it vanished suddenly into the forest without a trace. The Turk turned his head once more to the direction of the previous events, and he carefully looked around the area. "Gone," he whispered, turning his attention to the ground. "It's gone."

Her head still lowered, Kohana remained under the Turk's solace, shielding cloak. Although ambiguous of the situation's outcome, Miyo bent down to retrieve the basket of goods that she brought along. Standing up once again, she, unexpectedly, brushed her cheek against Vincent's. The young woman's face blushed a bright pink, and she bit her lower lip while the man, who barely noticed the young woman's actions, shot a glance toward the forest once more.

Just an inch away from the Turk's face, Miyo felt her heart pound uncontrollably as she set her grayish-blue upon the man's face. She could no longer restrain the growing desire inside of her, and biting at her lower lip, she continued to blush in silent, blissful content.

Continuing to gaze out at the outside, Vincent's eyes attempted to scan and search for the energy. He grew increasing curious of the mysterious force that was Riyona. "Miyo, do you-" The Turk turned his face toward the young woman and found himself barely an inch away from her face. His heart began to rapidly beat and he could feel it pounding through his chest.

The man placed a hand upon his uncontrollable hammering chest. Vincent felt his entire face become red. Parallel to Miyo's feelings, the Turk began to develop a blazing yearning, and to much of his surprise, he was enjoying every second of this strong, new feeling.

"That... was sooo cool!" Kohana interjected, snapping the two out of their enchanted daze. "Did you guys see that?!"

Offering the girl a gentle smile, the older sister emitted a chortle, saying, "Yeah, it sure was."

After the two sisters submerged themselves into their brief laughter, Miyo looked to Vincent once again as she tried to contain her true emotions from him. "Vincent, do you think it's safe to go outside now?" the woman questioned, using an uncertain yet firm tone of voice.

Turning around to carefully venture outside, the man looked about in each direction, and giving the nod of approval, he answered, "I think so. Whatever that smoke was, it's gone, for sure. That light... It's also gone as well."

Looking out to where the entire scene had unfolded, Miyo cautiously stepped outside and saw that nothing had changed; everything was as normal as can be. She turned to the younger girl, who was walking just behind her, and continuing to bear her constant smile, she said, "Well, I think that without anymore unexpected twists, it's fairly safe to go to the shrine." Kohana nodded in agreement.

"How much farther is it?" the Turk asked, turning to the two girls.

"It's not too far away, actually," the woman replied, exchanging a pleasant expression with her sister. "It's just a bit deeper into the forest. I think it's less than a mile away.

Looking out into the forest before him, Vincent's curiosity increased rapidly and he gave a nod. "Deeper into the forest," he repeated with a blank expression, his true mood was masked behind such. "Alright, let's go check it out."

Smiling broadly, Kohana left her sister's presence as she dashed off to the man's side, and greeting him with a warm smile, stating joyfully, "I'll lead the way! I know where I'm going, Vincent!"

The Turk nodded and replied with a small, rare smirk. "Alright, Kohana," he said before turning to Miyo. "Let's get going then. We don't want to waste any of this sunlight."

Following her two companions close behind, the woman continued to bear her grin as she blissfully advanced forth toward the elusive Riyona Shrine.

[Liamane]

Chapter Fourteen: The Shrine

Trudging back to Miyo's home in a most aggravated manner, Kikyo angrily huffed as she marched along the dirt path. For the past several hours, she had dedicated her time to Oberon, the strange teenager she had encountered just days ago, and now, she had simply wished not to mention the boy's name due to his... previous actions.

Walking on to Miyo's property, the priestess made her way to the front door where she promptly knocked twice. Silence followed.

Knocking once more, she called out, hoping someone would hear her, "Hello? Miyo? Kohana? Vincent? ...Anyone?"

Crossing her arms and looking about the house, the woman sighed before she knocked on the wooden frame of the front door. Releasing a sigh, she reached for the knob, and the door gently opened, emitting a squeaking sound as it slowly swung on its hinge.

Peering into the front room, she cautiously entering the home as she gripped the bow in her right hand. "Hello?" she questioned yet again, her voice firm. "Is anyone here?"

Failing to get a response, she gingerly pressed forth into the living room as her vision darted about the silent home. Her eyes met with the oak bookcase against the wall; it was, no doubt, the tallest object in the room, a few inches shy of the ceiling. Calmly walking toward it, she carefully read each title on the shelf until a particular novel caught her attention.

"The Athartan Affair," she read the spine aloud, removing it from its place. Wiping off the dust ridden cover, Kikyo sat herself in a chair, and opening to the first page, she continued, "This should be interesting..."

The trees grew taller and much denser as the trio ventured deeper into Riyona's forest, and the foliage reached toward the sky above. Penetrating the canopy, the sun's rays cast its warm light onto the forest floor below, brightening the path for the numerous travelers passing along. Watching in awe, Kohana gazed up to the high treetops above.

Clinging to her basket, Miyo looked to the sable haired man and began, "It's really calm here, isn't it? There's always a sense of tranquility."

Vincent nodded and folded his arms across his chest, taking in the lavish scenery. "I haven't seen a world this peaceful for over thirty years," he said, returning Miyo's glance. "It brings back a lot of memories. A long time ago, I'd escape the shielded walls of my home, Midgar, and would stay in the country for days at time. Free of duty, responsibility... That's the kind of life I'd always desired."

He continued, his voice dank, "But, after thirty years of solitude, I realized it wasn't the life I wanted at all. I was nothing more than a wandering spirit without purpose, an utter waste of life. So, I vowed to myself that I'd spend the next thirty years making a difference."

Eyes widening, Miyo shot a most shocked glance toward the Turk, thinking, "Thirty... years? I can't even imagine all of the things he's gone through."

Noticing the woman's evident mood shift, he let out an uneasy breath. "Don't worry, it went by much faster than what it seems," Vincent replied, averting his attention from her.

Miyo struggled to find the right words to comfort the man. She stared at the Turk with sorrowful eyes, and failing to draw the proper phrase, she simply placed a gentle hand upon his shoulder, uttering softly, "Vincent..."

Eyes widening, the man gave a timid smile, and unexpectedly, he placed his own hand on the young woman's.

Miyo gave a thoughtful smile in return, her heart racing slightly. She took in a breath and added, "At night, I enjoy going into our garden while Kohana is asleep. It's the time of night when the village is at its calmest." Her words faltered and Miyo gave a delicate smile, directing her sight to the flower given to her by the Turk. She grasped it softly in her hand and carefully placed it in her hair. She turned back to Vincent and continued,"It would be nice to have someone to enjoy that peace with."

Vincent looked over to Miyo and smiled. "I'd like that," he said to her softly. The man closed his eyes and took in a deep breath of the air. "I only wish that my world was like this now." He opened his eyes and glanced at Miyo once more. "The flower... It looks nice."

Miyo touched the flower in her and smiled. Her face flushing, she uttered, "Thank you."

After a moment, Kohana caught the woman's eye as she playfully chased after a blue butterfly. Miyo's eyes soon widened as she recalled her dream. "That butterfly," she whispered. "In my dream?"

Vincent's ears perked. "What did you say?" he asked the woman beside him. The Turk placed his hand on her shoulder in concern. "Is everything alright?"

"Oh, it's nothing. I... just had dream last night," she answered. "I was following a butterfly through the woods and came across a waterfall--"

"We're here!" Kohana interrupted, stopping in her tracks and bouncing up and down.

Placed in a small clearing, the shrine consisted of two buildings; a rather large wooden structure that resembled a temple and a smaller building overshadowed by the former that seemed to be a private residence. Both buildings were roofed by bamboo shingling and gated by a small stone fence, barely two feet tall, that surrounded the perimeter.

Off to the side was a closet-sized building with a black awning, accompanied by a stone well equipped with a rope and bucket directly beside it. The entire lot was overlooked by a hill scattered with overgrown plants, flowers, and bamboo.

Vincent looked upon the sight with wide eyes. "Wow," he uttered in a soft voice. "It's beautiful. How old is the shrine, Miyo?"

Miyo glanced over at the man and replied, "I'm not sure of the exact age, but my brother once told me it's over five hundred years old."

Kohana tugged on her sister's sleeve, urging her forth and pleaded, "Come on, let's go inside!" Without hesitation, the child rushed ahead of the two adults as she ran into the shrine.

"Do we need permission first?" Vincent questioned curiously.

"Usually there are swarms of villagers, but we've never gone inside without anyone else," Miyo responded. "I know the shrine has a grounds keeper who lives here to serve and protect it, but the last time Kohana and I visited they weren't here at all. Come to think of it, I can't recall ever meeting the current shrine keeper. I don't see them... maybe they stayed in the village after the festival."

Vincent nodded and continued to look at the shrine. "I see then," the man said as he took a step toward the building. He turned around, looked at Miyo and offered his hand. "Perhaps we should just go on ahead. It shouldn't be a problem, right?"

Blushing, Miyo offered a timid smile as she placed her hand in Vincent's. As the two proceeded forth toward the archaic building, the familiar butterfly fluttered overhead until it had hovered off into the distance. A feeling of hesitation loomed about her, but as she was led by Vincent, she carefully walked into the shrine.

Walking inside of the ancient dwelling, the interior was, surprisingly, in good condition. The long hallway of the main building was decorated with old statues of stone, carved in the likeness of the world's various guardians. In the center, the statue of Riyona stood mightily; flowers, offerings and many gifts graced his pedestal. The entire shrine offered a serene aura, but the persistent silence was notably eerie.

"Wow," the older sibling remarked, her tender voice slicing through the silence. "I can't believe that everything seems to be so... intact. It's just as I remembered it."

As Vincent stared at each of the individual statues, Kohana poked the base of one of the guardians as she proceeded to further investigate it. Making a fist, she lightly knocked against it; a solid sound ensued.

Looking to her sister, Miyo set her basket on the floor, and crossing her arms, she ordered firmly, "Kohana, hey, don't touch that!"

Gasping and placing her hands behind her back, the girl turned her head around the area as she attempted to create a reason for her actions.

"But Miyo, I'm looking for ghosts!" she finally retorted, offering an innocent stare. "The boys from the village say that they're suppose to be in here."

"Careful, Kohana," Vincent warned her. The man glanced over at Miyo and back at the young girl. "You don't want to mess with any ghosts now, would you? If you bother a bad spirit, it might come after you and haunt you. Do you want that happening?"

"Oh, no!" Kohana gasped, her eyes widening. Lowering her head, the child was certain to keep her hands behind her back, far away from anything's grasp.

"Well, I don't know about you two, but I'm starting to get a little hungry," the woman said, stepping outside near the shrine's stone wall, Kohana and Vincent following suite. Sitting upon the low structure, she nestled the basket near her and began to unpack its contents.

"Luckily, I packed plenty of food for the trip," she continued, settling the variety of food on a blanket. "Vincent, Kohana, would you like any?"

"I'm fine, Miyo," Kohana said, starting to walk toward the other building. "I'm gonna check this place out, 'mmkay?"

Vincent nodded. "Kohana, be careful," he advised, crossing his arms. "If you need me or your sister, just call for us, alright?"

Presenting the man with a warm nod, the girl ventured further on the shrine grounds. Watching her sister walk off, Miyo smiled, beginning, "I'm glad you decided to come. I won't deny it, but... your presence has certainly changed things around here."

Turning to her, the figure in crimson remained silent as he developed a somewhat puzzled expression. Giggling, she took a bite out of a peach before continuing, "It's hard to explain, but you've brought this strange new sensation to both of us. Look at Kohana; she's never been this adventurous before. She's always been shy, and she usually clings to me wherever we go. You've brought a sense of security in her life."

Finally sitting himself next to the woman, he brought his knee to his chest as he questioned, gazing at the sky, "And what have I brought to your life?"

Miyo lowered her chin, a smile blossoming. She looked Vincent in the eye as she said softly, placing a strand of hair behind her ear, "You've... brought a smile to my face."

Strangely, the man couldn't help but offer a small smile in reply.

Meanwhile, a curious Kohana went inside one of the main building's rooms to search for the elusive, fabled ghosts. Peeking into the clamored room behind the door, the child stepped in as she held her breath and tip toed inside. A large desk was placed in the center of the room, and on top of it, a mountain of dusty books and scrolls were piled in a messy arrangement. Behind the unorganized clutter, a wide bookcase presented its mass of crammed books. Several candles flickered about the room, offering a hint of light. Not long ago, someone had obviously been present.

"Those ghosts have gotta be around here somewhere," Kohana chirped with enthusiasm, checking underneath the desk. "I just know I'll run into one of 'em!"

Crawling out from under the structure, the girl patted the dust off of her knees as she stood up. A sudden shadow appeared upon the wall, startling the child, and beginning to become frightened, she slowly backed away. Her eyes instantaneously widened as she bumped into a tall, shadowed figure. Running behind the desk, she released a terrified scream, hoping that either Vincent or Miyo would come to her aid.

The Turk's ears perked to the sound of the child's cry, and shifting onto his feet, he turned to the woman, who also stood before urging, "That's Kohana! Hurry, it sounds like she's in trouble!"

Vincent nodded, and with Miyo in tow, he began to head in the direction of the clamor. "Come on," he uttered, dashing off to the scene.

[Liamane]

Chapter Fifteen: The Keeper

The figure began moving closer and closer to Kohana, its face shaded by the darkness of the room; a long sword was clenched tightly in its hand. The child stumbled backwards over a scroll illy placed on the floor. The little girl became almost paralyzed with fear.

Outside, the two adults searched frantically for Kohana's whereabouts. Silence dwelt upon the shrine grounds, failing to aid Vincent and Miyo. A sudden piercing shriek of desperation emerged, stricken with anxiety, the woman cried, "I heard something in the other building!"

Vincent perked his ears and listened in for the child. He continued to run as he finally rushed into the main building. The man burst through the door and aimed Cerberus at the stranger, who appeared to be a thirty year old woman, with long, straight chestnut colored hair and hazel eyes. He lowered his gun and looked over to the young girl.

"Kohana?" he called to her, the woman following suit behind him. "Are you alright?"

Miyo's sister rushed over to Vincent almost in tears. "A monster was... was behind me!" she stuttered, nearly sobbing.

Miyo rushed up to her sister with a concerned expression, checking to see if she was hurt. "Everything seems fine, what happened?" the older sister questioned, wiping away a trickle from the girl's cheek. "Who scared you, Kohana?"

"I didn't mean to alarm anyone," the stranger replied, stepping up to the group blandly. She lowered her sword, continuing, "I'm Arnia, and I'm the shrine keeper here."

After taking a glance at Vincent and staring into his intense red eyes, the keeper's eyes widening as she thought to herself, "Could it possibly be...is that who he was talking about? He's far more attractive than I would've imagined..."

Vincent expressed his usual blank expression and put Cerberus away. "Valentine," he said in a low tone. "Vincent Valentine." He looked over to the two sisters and then turned back to Arnia. "Sorry for the confusion, you just startled us."

"I'm sorry," she replied, continuing to stare at the Turk. She slyly smiled as if she knew something Vincent didn't. "Your... daughter stepped back while I was coming inside, and I didn't realize it. Please, allow me to make it up to you." The woman took a step forward toward Vincent and the light from the outside accentuated her form.

The features on Arnia's face were one of a kind, but her personality and habits didn't match her beauty. She always felt somewhat burdened by her duties as shrine keeper. Her desire was to have a family and life of her own, but that was impossible. She had no choice in the matter, so she had always felt somewhat lackluster about things and people around her, jealous of what they had. She noticed Vincent's red eyes again, along with the clothing and weapon he has previously aimed at her weren't from the village. "I guess my suspicious are confirmed now... it's obvious this must be the man he spoke of," she thought.

Arnia then lightly touched Vincent's arm while Miyo simply stared, a hint of envy surged through her.

"You don't have to make it up to me," he said with a blank expression, offering the shrine keeper's hand a mere glance. "I appreciate your kindness but you owe me nothing."

The man looked down at the young girl standing beside him and placed a hand upon her shoulder. "As for Kohana, she isn't my daughter," he said offering her a smile. "She happens to be my very good friend. Right, Kohana?"

"Yes!" Kohana shouted towards Arnia. "You really did scare me, you know!"

"Kohana!" Miyo interjected, glaring at her younger sister and crossing her arms in dismay. "That was a rude thing to say. Please apologize, we did intrude upon Arnia."

Arnia looked at the young girl and replied, "It's alright. I know that I came on a little too strong and I apologize. Please, stay. I don't want to ruin your fun here."

"I don't want to stay," Kohana said in a timid voice "It's kinda scary...what if there really are ghosts?"

Arnia chuckled a little, having heard stories about the shrine ghosts her whole life. She returned her glance to the girl, winking and replying, "Well, if there are ghosts, I promise they wouldn't bother you."

"If you're sure you don't mind us staying, then... I suppose we can stay a while longer," Vincent said looking up to Arnia. "After all, we weren't done with the trip, were we?"

The man looked over to Miyo and nodded. "What do you think, Miyo?" he questioned. "Do you think we should stay here? It's your call. You know I'll agree with anything you decide with."

Darting her eyes about the place, Miyo bit her lip in mild uncertainty. Fixing her attention on the Turk, she hesitated a little and then spoke. "Well, we did come all this way," she stated, lowering her eyes. "Maybe we can stay a little longer."

"Well, I have some old books and scrolls about Riyona, and you all can stay as long as you like," Arnia said going to the desk. "Sorry about the clutter. I didn't think anyone would come. But for some reason Vincent, you look very familiar..."

While Vincent looked downward, Arnia looked to Miyo with great intrigue. She paused and turned back to Vincent, gazing into his eyes nervously and said, "I know why you seem familiar! At the festival last night, after reading from a Riyonan Prophecy to the townsfolk, a hooded man approached me, asking if I had seen a man with red eyes. I told him no, but then remembered a passage in one of the scrolls, speaking of a red eyed warrior. It said that great danger would befall the man and all those close to him."

"Really?" Vincent said with a tone of mild surprise. "Please, can you tell me more?"

Feeling out of place, the older sister slightly frowned. "Maybe we should give them their privacy," Miyo whispered to Kohana, placing a hand on the child's shoulder. "Arnia could know something of importance, and we might... get in the way."

Overhearing Miyo, Arnia carefully spoke, "That would be best. After all, I might need to find a specific tome, and this room is rather small for so many people..."

The shrine keeper then turned to the Turk, saying with a serious tone, "Vincent, I think I might know why you're here..."

Vincent looked up at Arnia with a bit of unexpected surprise on his face. "What? Really?" he asked as he stepped toward her. "Why am I here?"

"Just a minute," Arnia announced, "I need to find a certain scroll. Would you mind waiting while I find it?"

He turned to Miyo, and his face produced a grim frown. As she walked away from him with Kohana, he sighed and looked down once more. "Sure," the man whispered with his frequent emotionless expression.

"You see, recently I found this old scroll..." Arnia replied, searching through the clutter on her desk. "Ah! Here it is."

She held up a rather old-looking scroll with ancient writings etched into it. She looked over it and showed it to the man. "This is what I read not too long ago. It talks about a great dimensional rift. Do you know anything about that?"

"Yes," Vincent solemnly said, "I do. There was a giant vortex that brought me here."

"Ah," Arnia said, "well, it says those brought through this rift will be faced with a great danger that will continued to plague them until finally defeated."

Vincent's eyes widened a bit and he looked at the scroll. "What? he asked once more as he took another step toward Arnia. "How is this possible? I... I can't believe it. He was right..." The man looked upon the scroll and advanced towards Arnia once more.

The shrine keeper started reading it following each line with her index finger. "It also says that the will face great loss to triumph; most likely a reference to," she paused, "death."