The Chaos Theory

Disclaimer: All Final Fantasy VII characters used in this story are copyright to SquareEnix and Tetsuya Nomura.

Summary: The battle for the world is over. The job of rebuilding Midgar has just begun. But not everything on the slate has been wiped clean. The Chaos Beast still rages within Vincent, and it's latest attack threatens to take everything precious from him.

The Chaos Theory


Chapter 1: Awakening

The black of the night meets my eyes as I blink them open. The clock on the bedside table reads 2:35 in annoying bright red digits.
For a moment I try to catch my bearings, and shift slightly under the bedcovers. I am greeted with a soft sigh against the back of my neck; Cid's arms are still wrapped around my waist.
He is a deep-sleeper, so I don't expect to wake him with my movement. I'm right, and his breathing returns to normal after a few moments.
I allow myself the slightest of smiles in the darkness. Who would've guessed such a brash and over-confident man could be this gentle?
I shut my eyes and grin, but he is still possessive even in his sleep.


I begin to feel sleep take over me again, but then I suddenly sense something... a tiny burning sensation in my chest.

Oh please God not now. Not with him here. I can't bear him seeing me like this.

My breath falters a little as the pressure increases and begins to spread further towards my lungs. Closing my eyes tight I count to ten slowly, if I try not to panic perhaps it will subside this time. Focus on something... Anything.
I stare out of the gap in the curtains towards the bright moon, concentrating hard on the shape, the craters, the colours, anything to take my mind away from the burning feeling. His words echo back to me then, 'Just sit it out, it'll be fine in no time... Breathe, Vincent, breathe.' I repeat the sentence over and over in my head like a mantra, the flame still spreading in my chest.


Without warning a sharp pain rips through my lungs, forcing me to choke out a cough, jerking forwards. I clamp my hand over my mouth, trying to hold it back. It sounds stupid but I didn't want to wake him, this was my body, my problem, and as soon as it stops I can just forget it happened.
I screw up my eyes as the burning turns into another sharp, ripping pain.
Another hard cough, another jerk forwards and my forehead is beginning to throb.


I'm waiting. Waiting for the sign that it's receding, waiting for the burn to fade.
Usually it dies down after a while, but as time slowly passes I begin to realise this is unlike the other times. The burn isn't fading, it's changing into something else.
I'm trying to stay calm but panic is taking over me and I struggle to breath in precious air. My lungs and airways feel tight, I can feel my pulse throbbing in my head, my insides feel like they could rip through my feverish skin any moment.
It's not my organs though, I know that much. It's...Him. The Chaos Beast, threatening to break free of my weak human body once again. My body shakes as I silently try to contain more coughing, it's getting difficult now.


Rubbing my thumb and index finger together I can feel thick spots of blood from my outburst.


I won't be able to sit this one out so I slip carefully out of Cid's arms, and move to sit at the edge of the bed .My left hand grasping my chest desperately, seeking any kind of relief from the searing pain.
Water. Maybe it will help this burning temperature.


My mind is racing and I go to stand up, forgetting about my weak state. Needless to say my knees give way and I fall hard onto all fours, my eyes wide and staring down at the wooden floor.
I hope Cid hasn't woken up. God is that all I can think of?


I start to hyperventilate, my hand is still clasped over my mouth to avoid coughing, but after a while I can't stand it and take it away, leaning on both hands trying to breath precious air. I let out gurgling cough, and blood splatters down onto the floorboards, some landing on my hand. Ignoring the staining I gasp, and somehow manage to crawl my way out of the room. I head into the bathroom, and rest my pounding head on the rim of the toilet seat.


I can't remember the last time it felt this violent.. Man he must really be pissed off at me. My face contorts as the pain tears through me again, reaching every nerve, spreading through every muscle. My head, my chest, my back, my lungs, getting weaker every second under his persistence.
I try to focus on the dark wall in front of me, but my vision is two tone. I screw my eyes up in a lame attempt to fix it, but I reopen them to find the same dizziness as before. With shaking hands I grip the toilet seat as I am sick suddenly. Inhaling hard I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand, and even through the darkness I can tell it was mostly blood.


I don't want to move, It hurts to do anything now. But I know I can't let myself get comfortable, I've held him back this far, and I ain't going down without one hell of a fight.
I let my gaze settle on the doorway, and the small rectangle of moonlight that has highlighted the landing. Maybe some fresh air. Yeah, maybe that will help.
Dragging myself from the toilet seat, I struggle out the doorway and down the stairs, half crawling, half falling into the living room.
Using the curtains and doorframe I pull myself slowly to my feet, propping myself against the wall as I unlatch the front door. I grit my teeth and stumble out into the Midgar night, the cool, fresh breeze contrasting against my burning body.


The sudden jolt of temperature causes my vision to blur again. Not good .I fall onto all fours once more, coming face to face with grey stone cobbles. I cough violently, trying not to choke on the thick internal blood that is expelled from my throat. There is a tearing sound and I gasp in pain, dropping my forehead to the ground as I feel the wings trying to push through.


Oh no. No,no, no,not yet you son-of-a-bitch, I'm not giving in yet!!


I give a low growl, my fingers scraping the hard stone, gripping until they felt numb, until small droplets of blood appeared at the tips.
I absolutely refuse to let it take me, not after everything I fought through over the years. Perhaps it's been waiting all that time, waiting till I got comfortable living this normal life, waiting for me to let my guard down. Maybe he meant for this to happen now, that bastard Hojo created a ticking time bomb inside of me, and now I can do nothing except remain in this pathetic fetal position, holding onto the tiny thread of consciousness I have left.
My hair is slipping into my eyes and I'm sick again, it's not much, but all of it's blood anyway. I watch it spill into the cracks of the cobblestones. It doesn't let me rest though, instead the sharpest pain of all slices through me so violently my pupils are wide, and I crumple to the ground flat.
"...No," I splutter, my attempt at a cry merely a whimper as my body collapses at last.


The beast rips through...


The blackness takes me...