A Change

Second Chapter of 'A Change'. Vincent is a bit OOC... and The word "Fuck" is used alot :P

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Chapter 2- Cosmo Canyon

”There’s so much sand. It’s getting in my socks!”

”Stop complaining yer brat and just walk!”

”Don’t tell me to shut up, old man!”

”Old man?! Why you little shit!”

”Enough! Both of you, shut up!”

Yuffie and Cid visibly flinched at Cloud’s shout. The group we’re walking down the paths of the cliffs, slowly making their way to the village. The paths we’re quite narrow, causing the team to have to walking and a line. Cloud led the group, followed by Cid then Yuffie. Taking up the back was Vincent, who took to walking a bit away from the group. Cerberus was held loosely in his hand, is pace steadying and even. The warm breeze shifted his cape around, a light fluttering sound coming from it.

The day was hot with the sun being up high in the sky, no clouds providing any shade. Sand was blowing around the group, getting stuck in armor, blades, clothes, and even some managing to slipping to Cid’s boxers.

”I fucking hate this place” muttered Cid. “It to damn hot here.”

”No, really?”

”Shut it brat.”

”Why don’t you make me?”

Vincent mentally rolled his eyes. They were starting to get on his nerves. His cape lifted again in the breeze and Vincent was slightly glade for it. Normally the heat didn’t bother him, but today, it was stifling. A bead of sweat slipped down his spine.

Continuing forward, Vincent replaying what the crewman/women had said. It bothered him to know that one of the paths to the village was around the area that she had said the we’re strange readings.

Looking around, bloody eyes searched he area around him, scooting for caves. Seeing none, Vincent frowned. Then something caught his eye.

The breeze picked up again, but with it came a disgusting smell.

Cid was the first to say something.

”Fuck,” he said covering his nose, “what the hell is that smell, it smells like somethin’ died.”

Behind him, the ninja gagged, her hands coming up to cover her nose. “Eww, that’s gross! It smells worse then Cid’s breath!”

”Ya well it smells worse the you fuckin’ look you little shit.”

”What?!”

”You heard me!”

”Would you two please, knock it off?”

”Shut it chocobo boy, you ain’t in this!”

”Is chocobo boy the best you can come up with old man?”

”Yuffie, don’t make it worse.”

”Too late!”

”Quiet!” shouted a deep, cold voice.

All eyes turned to the dark-haired man whose head was faced over there the edge of the cliff. Narrowed crimson slid across the edge beneath them, looking for something. Cerberus slowly being lifted towards the edge. Cloud saw this and put his hand on the hilt of his Buster Sword.

”What is it? Vincent.?” He call softly, careful not be too loud.

The man remained silent as he knelt to a knee, leaning over the edge slightly. Suddenly the man’s eyes grew wide as a black, snarling figure flew up from the ledge below, its fur just brushing Vincent’s face as it leaped from in front of him, land to his side. The creature snarled as he stood, gun pointed straight at the animal.

Everyone grabbed there weapons, preparing to fight the wolf like creature.

Cid growled, his spear ready to be swung. “What the FUCK is the thing?!”

Yuffie’s Shuriken was posed above her head. “Could it be that thing Nanaki told us about?”

Cloud’s Buster was beside him, pointed to the ground. “Most likely. Be careful, there could be more around.”

Vincent had his finger over the trigger, ready to shot should the thing move. His eyes shifted over its large form, taking in the detail.

It wasn’t very tall, maybe reaching his elbow. Its snout was long and narrow with large white fangs peaking out from their place beneath its snarling lips. Its body was long and thin, it fur coal black with silver eyes. On it’s hind leg there was a mark that he couldn’t read, but saw that there was a blue pattern the twisted down its paw.

Where had this thing come from?

The creature snarled again, taking a step forward. Its eyes shifted over the forms in front of it, taking in the threats. When it’s eyes turned to Vincent, it’s fur stood on end, its tail swishing threateningly. Its lips pulled back even more, it claws digging into the ground as a loud bark came from its lips.

Cid grunted “Seems like it don’t like ya every much, Vince.”

Vincent cocked the gun. “The feeling is mutual.”

Suddenly the animal lunged, quicker then any of them had expected. It bounded over Vincent’s head, twisting to attack from behind. Claws reached out to claw the man in the back, but Vincent leaped backwards over the animal, his own claw grabbing the canine by the scruff and with much effort, slamming it into the cliff side. The animal hit the wall with a yelp, rocks dislodging and coming down upon it.

Vincent stepped back towards the rest of his team, gun pointed towards the pile of rocks, his claw ready to strike.

”I think we should run know, don’t you?” Yuffie said, inching back, ready to run.
Cid snorted. “For once, I agree wit’ the kid.”

”Never run from dogs” was the only thing Vincent said, his eyes trained on the moving pile, a black paw scrapping the grown from under the pile.

Cloud stepped up to Vincent, sword pointing towards the pile.

”Cid, do you have any rope?” Cloud asked.

”Ya, but what does that have anything to do with us leavin’?”

Cloud sighed. “If we catch it, we can drag it with us to Nanaki’s. From there we might learn more about it.”

Cid shrugged, tipping his spear blunt end up, flipping the end off and grabbing the end of the rope he kept in it.

Yuffie tilted her head and opened her mouth.

”Don’t ya even think about it kid.”

She shut her mouth.

Cid tossed the rope up to Cloud, who in turn held out one end to Vincent. The red eyed man just stared at cloud with his brow cocked. Cloud ran the rope over his sword, cutting it in half. Vincent took the other half of the rope, with the same look. Cloud sighed.

”Your faster then Yuffie and Cid-“

”Hey!” came the double shouts.

”-and less likely to get injured. You need to get the rope tiled around its head and muzzle. I’ll tie it’s tail to its back legs and its back legs to the front one. We could use Cid’s spear as a way to lift it.”

Vincent sighed. “It’ll have to do.”

The men walked over to the pile of rocks that had stopped moving. Rock by rock, they dug the animal out, finding that it was half out of it, its breathing shaky.

”I think you broke something we you threw it” stated Cloud.

The ex-SOILDIER cautiously pushed the thing on its side and started the task of tying it down. Vincent knelt down next to the canine’s head, slowly tying the rope around the animals muzzle. It attempted to bite him, only to get the rope pulled tighter, its mouth being shut tight.
~`~`~

Once the task had been done, the animal had been place on the spear, Vincent carrying the back and Cid carrying the front. It was a bit heavy, but between them, it was pretty even. The creature had pasted out sometime earlier, not after putting up a fight first.

Cid trudged forward, bored, tired, and hungry.

“I need a fuckin’ smoke.”

Yuffie rolled her eyes. “Smoking is bad for you I hope you know. One day you’ll cough a lung out and die.”

Cid snorted. “Well we all hav’ta die one day.”

”Then again, old age might get ya before smoking does.”

Cid’s eye twitched, his lips pulled back in a sneer. “What was that brat?”

”Noth~ing” she sang out.

”Better not have been, or I’d have to tell Barret ya stool at his material.”

”How do you know about that?!”

Cid snorted again. “Like I didn’t noticed the damn box was empty”

”Well… Vincent told me to!” Yuffie pointed an accusing finger and the ebony haired man, whom simply ignored the gesture.

”I did no such thing” was the only thing he said.

”You did too, Vinny, and you no it!”

Vincent sent the girl a cold look. “Yuffie.”

The girl gulped. “Y-yes?”

”Walk.”

And she did just that.

Everyone was silent for the rest of the trip.

~`~`~

”Welcome friends, it has been awhile.”

”Nanaki!”

Yuffie glomped the lion in a big hug, rubbing her face into his red fur. The lion brought his paw up to gentle put it on her back.

”Yuffie, how are you?”

The ninja pulled back, smiling brightly. “I’m as good as one can be when having to travel with the old man.”

”Knock it off brat!” came a shout from a bit away.

The lion chuckled. “I see, and what about you, Cloud Strife. How are you fairing?”

Cloud shrugged, not really caring. “I’m fine, I guess.”

The lion nodded, his spiky bangs bouncing gently on his forehead.

Nanaki turned his glaze to the two that were finally coming into the village, seemingly carrying something large between them.

Cloud watched the two and faintly heard Cid complaining about ‘the damn thing bein’ to fuckin’ heavy’ and ‘I need a goddamn smoke an’ now!’. Then there was Vincent whom just kept him mouth shut, not paying attention to anything in particular. As they got closer, Nanaki caught a look at the object.

He gasped, gold eyes growing wide.

”That’s..”

Yuffie grinned. “Yup! Vinny caught it! It was sooo cool! “

Cloud rolled his eyes. “All he did was toss it into the wall. Not a big deal.”

Yuffie ‘pfft’ed. “Well it was a big deal to me!”

Cid rolled his eyes, dropping his end of the spear when they were close enough. Vincent grunted softly under the force of the other end dropping.

“That’s ‘cause ya like the man.”

Yuffie’s eyes widened, her face turning red. “W-what are you talking about?”

Cid smirked. “You know what I’m talkin’ ‘bout runt”
Yuffie faces lit up more. “I do not!”

“Do too.”

”Do not!”

”Do too!”

”No!”

”Yes!”

Vincent rubbed his temple, the dull ache coming back full force. Didn’t those two ever give up?

”You do too!”

”Do not!”

”Yes!”

”No!”

”No!”

”Yes!”

”Ha! Got ya! Ya do to!”

Apparently not. His dark cape fluttered behind him as he walked past the bickering pair, ‘accidentally’ pushing Cid forward, hearing a thunk and two ow’s . The dark hair man smirked, though it was hidden behind hid cape as he walked up to Nanaki.

Nanaki tipped his head. ”Greeting’s Vincent Valentine.”

Returning the nod, “Nanaki. You are well I presume?”

”Other then the threat of those creatures, I am well. I see you have brought with you one of the beasts.”

Vincent nodded. “Yes, Cloud’s doing of course.”

Nanaki nodded, a grin on his lips. “Of course.”

Cloud interrupted. “Nanaki, do you have a place that we can put it? Vincent injured its rib cage, so it may need somewhere to rest.”
Nanaki snorted. “Why help the very creature the threatens the village?”

”There’s not much we know about it. For all we know, it could talk. If we put it into a false sense of security, we may be able to gain for knowledge about it.”

The lion tossed the thought around in his head. A grim line past over his face.

”There are two hotels in town. One is by a weapon shop on one side of the village and the other is by a Chocobo stable on the opposite side. I know the owner of the stables, and I also know that he keeps cages for the rougher Chocobo. Tell him that Nanaki sent you and he’ll be able to help you.”

Cloud nodded, a plan already forming.

”Vincent. You and Cid will go to the stable’s and stay at the inn there. I myself with stay at the other inn. That way, should anything happen, we are covering more area and can get to the scene faster. Yuffie will stay with you, Nanaki. With her skill, she can track and find anything up around your home.”

Nanaki and Vincent nodded in agreement.

Turning back towards the pilot and ninja, Vincent grabbed cid by the back of his shirt and pulled him away from the argument that the two had started…again. The pilot protested all the way to where they had dropped the animal.

Vincent realized that with Cid bitching, there was no way he was going to get him to help him carry the thing. So, with a heavy sigh and a heavy grunt, Vincent grabbed the pole with his clawed hand and heaved the thing onto his shoulder.

Damn. He shouldn’t have done that…but it was to late to go back now.

It was going to be a long night, he could see it coming…

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Read and Reveiw. Please.