A Mission in Progress..

[Yuffie Kisaragi]

((Due to the ShinRa mansion being under the ShinRa boards, I'm going to post here, since the mansion is a part of Nibelheim. lol ))

One footstep---just one footstep---sounded like a parade of horses galloping through the streets of Junon during a thunderstorm. She'd forgotten how...empty the place was.
She'd had to be gentle even opening the door, from fear of it falling off its hinges.

The ninja stood, one foot in and one foot out, of the ShinRa mansion--abandoned by all but one, who seemed to find its desolation to be homey.

It was, in its own way, quite beautiful; with victorian furniture long left behind, jagged and missing floorboards that seemed quite like the teeth of a great beast, and piles of dust that only added to the decor, it was a wonder why she, herself, couldn't see the splendor of it all. Though she'd pondered it numerous times, Vincent and the mansion just seemed to fit. They were like a puzzle---one could not find one without the other. Provided the one that was able to move was not already with said visitor to the immobile... Aaagh, it was so much work to think of it all! Another few years older, yet the knowledge of 'why' was still far out of her grasp.

Yuffie stood, contemplating her next move as opposed to why she'd opted to not bring any sort of team with her. Maybe it was her pride that snuck up on her again---she wasn't even sure this time. But what she'd been sent to accomplish had not yet been accomplished, therefore, she wasn't allowed to leave until that was fixed. She shuddered, thinking of being stuck there alone for an entire day...

There was nothing to say that Vincent had not abandoned the place just as the souls of the past had. Yuffie was simply working on intuition, which gave her a 50-50 chance in the end.

She clutched her weapon tightly as she allowed her other leg to stride into the room, bracing herself for the next 'thump.'

It wasn't the mansion, itself, that she found eerie. As far as she was concerned, it was just another old building that housed fewer secrets than the last time she'd been there. (She'd made sure of that.) It was more the fact that she was unsure of the company within it. Were it nothing at all, she would be perfectly fine, and if she'd manage to acquire a 'Vincent' in the process, then that was a tolerable bonus... But being in any open area alone more often than not meant trouble. Even she knew that much.

Yuffie sighed. Okay, well... I'm not going to accomplish anything at all if I can't get past the enterance. She looked around cautiously, glaring at the darkened corners brought on by the midday sun shining through a hole in one of the nearby dirty windows.

With a false bravado, she advanced a few steps with a confident-seeming stride.

"V-Vincent..?" she called, softly testing the echo-availability. "Vincent!" Once again.
"Vincent, I'm here to bring you back to the WRO," she paused with a slight chuckle, "Come out with your hand up!"

So what if she was nearing 20? Those jokes never got old.

[Vincent]

Contemplation had taken him, stealing his mind from the reality of his surroundings and taking it to another place entirely. Where his mind would wander in those days he spent merely sitting in the old, abandoned mansion, no-one but he knew. Vincent himself was so daunting that few had the courage to ask. Hours would pass and not a single movement would come from him – like a statue he would stay, his eyes gazing ahead.

Company was something that Vincent had learned to tolerate, and even enjoy from time to time. Naturally a loner, consequences had brought him from his tomb years ago, and now the people that inhabited this time stopped him from returning to his slumber, they kept him anchored to this world, and yet he rarely saw them.

It was no secret that they kept in touch – Tifa and Cloud especially, but Vincent seemed to elude them without trying, after each event he would disappear into the night like a shadow, to whatever emptiness would accept his haunted form. Yet when he was needed, he would always be found – whether by friend or foe he would be sought out and brought back into turmoil, brought back into war.

A voice echoed in the great mansion, interrupting the stifling silence of the place. Shadows loomed from every nook and cranny, the ornate furniture oddly still, unmoved for decades. Years of neglect had left the place dusty, yet oddly well-kept, as though even the hands of time had chosen to stay away from the haunted mansion.

The voice broke him from his quiet contemplation, and he rose from his seat, his movements silent and stealthy. Cerberus hung in its holster by his side, loaded and ready for use, though Vincent made no move toward it yet. Nearing the entrance, footsteps echoed in his sensitive ears like a stampede, and the voice rang out again, so familiar that he almost laughed at the appalling joke.

“Yuffie” he said, stalking out, his stance now relaxed, an blank expression gracing his pale features, red eyes glinting from beneath jet black hair – his appearance hadn’t changed a bit, though Yuffie had grown several inches since he last saw her. Descending the steps, he watched her, his footsteps light, but still eerily loud as metal knocked on ancient wood.

“Still the same as ever” he said, shaking his head. Nevertheless, something close to a smile graced his face, as he neared her, his head inclined in greeting.

[Yuffie Kisaragi]

((I might make it longer later, but here's the gist in case you still want to reply. lol I'm out of dialogue for this post. lol ))

Yuffie's normal, outrageous grin graced her cheeks as the man approached.

"Huh, and here I thought I'd have to spend hours searching for you...I guess you missed me and just had to wait and see if I'd ever come looking for you!" She laughed at her own joke and watched the man draw nearer. Whether or not he found her any more amusing (or annoying) than their last encounter, she was very glad to see him nonetheless.

Her dark-chocolate hair had grown substantially longer since last they'd met, though it was still short enough to stay out of her way. It hung in front of her eyes a bit over her headband, and seemed to shape her face.

She stared at the man intently, as if searching for answers for his disappearance. Her bright eyes studied his frame. She remained silent, which was a bit of a change, until she finally thought of what to say.

"Well, it seems that I wasn't wrong," she didn't take her eyes off of the man---it certainly had been some time, and he hadn't changed a bit. "You don't look a day over old," she teased, beaming through her grin. Surely, even in dire circumstances, the Great Ninja Yuffie could throw a few wisecracks every now and then, in place of kunai.

"It's good to see you, Vincey," she finally finished, loosening her grip on her weapon. She approached the man, her smile fading slightly. "You shouldn't have run away again.."

[Vincent]

Whatever physical changes had taken place for Yuffie, her personality remained the same; an almost limitless exuberance unhampered even by the morbid mansion in which Vincent took residence. Vincent’s stony silence was a stark contrast to Yuffie’s endless wisecracks, her typical grin gracing her still youthful face. Despite the lack of wind in the still house, Vincent’s scarlet cloak billowed unnaturally in his wake, as though possessed of its own life, shaken by some unearthly force within Vincent’s frail body.

“I don’t age Yuffie, you know that” he said, his smooth voice echoing slightly in the large entrance hall, dust rising wherever his booted feet stepped, as though eons had passed since footsteps last graced these halls – even Nibelheim’s new inhabitants hadn’t dared disrupt the haunted silence that enveloped the cursed mansion. No-one dared, only Vincent would enter the place willingly, the last vestige of his long-remembered past, a constant reminder of his solitude and fate. Still, Yuffie had guessed correctly in coming here, and he chuckled in his mind, astonished yet again at her resilience in coming here – even if she did enter with a failed joke and a clumsy step.

“It’s good to see you though Yuffie” he replied, as rare show of emotion for the aloof gunman, his still posture suggesting naught but indifference. A constant haughty expression remained plastered on his face, still as young as the day he had entered the tomb that rested below their very feet.

Looking away briefly, his crimson eyes diverted, watching a moth-eaten painting with vivid intensity, his claw hanging awkwardly by his side, his jaw hidden beneath the buckled collar of his mantle. “There’s nowhere for me out there” he said grimly, an aura of coldness emanating from the man, hiding his sadness. Save those desperate times were his unique talents were needed, he seldom found a place that he could stay when at peace, his mind resting endlessly on what had gone – only the mansion held his attention, allowing him to wallow in his grief.

“Anyway, what is it the WRO wants?” he asked, recalling his last mission for them – the annihilation of Weiss and his maniacal scheme. Though no physical scars could be shown for his efforts, the memories remained burned in his mind; the power of Weiss controlled by the psychosis of Hojo was a combination that would have undone him, if not for Chaos. Shaking away the distracting thoughts, he focused back on his companion, who watched him with that childlike curiosity that would perhaps never dwindle.

[Yuffie Kisaragi]

She studied the man, still seemingly searching for answers that she would never get. Her greenish eyes sparkled in the dim light that the windows provided, which made her look slightly less devious than normal. The scenery made her a bit more on-edge than usual, as it always did, but never would she admit it. Surrounded by a slowly-shattering aura of confidence that she hoped would not soon be broken, she traced his form and looked more past him than directly at him.

"And you should know that I was only joking," she snubbed a slight response. One thing that had always seemed to tick her off about her morbid companion was his innate ability to avoid her jokes. Though, she supposed, it worked wonders for the days when she used to constantly whine. Even if she would never hold up to such a pathetic time in her life, she probably would have gotten quickly annoyed with herself as well, back in the good ol' days... At least what she presumed to be good.

She could still remember laying her eyes on Vincent the very first time.

Much fussing about him being a creepy old vampire-man insued not long after.

Maybe those days weren't so good afterall...

But at least everyone kept in contact then. (Even if there wasn't much of a choice..)

"You're a bad liar, Vincey." Yuffie watched him with much more intensity now. "You know you're always welcome with anyone. Especially with," she paused, "the WRO." She wondered what made her hesitate.
She wasn't even with the team that much---and rarely ever did she talk to Reeve when there wasn't business concerned. Maybe Vincent had the right idea, retreating away to somewhere else... She could just as easily go back to the forest and survive...

She sighed slightly. But if I ever left, no one would be here to bring HIM back...
After a moment, she chuckled.

"It's just Reeve blowing steam." Now that she'd really thought about it, he hadn't told her much at all. She'd just sort of agreed... "Trying to get people back together and all that. I don't know why," she confessed as she looked away for a moment. She really didn't know what to say.

[Vincent]

Years of slumber and cold indifference meant Vincent lacked the necessary social skills of the age, and most viewed with an uncertain eye, cautious as though presented with a foreign beast. Despite this alienation from his own race, he could read people, his keen senses picking up on body language with unnatural accuracy – it helped him remain in constant control, it allowed him to observe, always ready for the next action. Yuffie’s hesitation was like flashing neon lights to the cloaked man, his gaze turning back to her, still unfazed by her drab surroundings.

A mere quirk of an eyebrow responded to her snub, barely noticeable to the untrained eye – it was one of the few gestures Vincent used, and even then it was reserved for those few who he could even begin to consider friends. The remaining members of AVALANCHE were the only ones that he would partially drop his guard for, his usual wall of cold silence falling ever slightly to allow them a glimpse of the man he was before Hojo twisted his mind and body to its unnatural current state.

“The WRO?” he echoed, his gaze questioning as she picked herself up – did she really believe that he was welcome with those struggling to save the planet. His warrior talents were useful in the eradication of Deepground, but he had little else to offer in his opinion. A taste for solitude and cold responses weren’t needed with people who laughed and lived a life of mortality and joy.

Vincent lightly shook his head, his chaotic hair swaying with the motion, trailing down his caped back. Yuffie’s admission of her own lack of knowledge made him uneasy – rarely did Reeve decide to plan a reunion. Yuffie and Vincent were some of the strongest warriors the WRO had, and them being called upon wasn’t usual, even Reeve knew of Vincent’s self-imposed exile.

“There’s got to be a reason....there always is” he said darkly, his ruby eyes narrowing in thought, a sudden restlessness gripping his previously weary muscles. He continued to survey Yuffie, his piercing gaze lingering on her young face, searching for an answer that he was sure she didn’t know.

[Yuffie Kisaragi]

She shrugged slightly. "Probably. But your guess is as good as mine." If memories of an old, past friendship weren't going to work, Yufie could be official. It was one of the few things that she'd been able to pick up through being around Reeve. "I guess I, uh, left before the boss could stick me with a list of responsibilities." She laughed slightly and scratched her head, hoping for more words to magically appear before her, but none came.

She once again began to ponder her earlier hesitation. Her words sounded as if someone else was speaking for her. Reeve was welcoming, always, but he was always busy--always working on something, or planning something else. When forced to think about it, Yuffie didn't really have much of a place to constantly be with them either. She actually had much less than Vincent; at least he had a home to return to.
Wutai...?
Not so much...
Whether or not she was born there, she was still doomed to a life of travel nonetheless, so it really didn't matter.. Her expression gloomed slightly, as she had never realized that much before.

She gazed at him just in time to catch his standard eyebrow quirk. Something she'd said had affected him in some way, she knew. It was a look that she recieved quite often from the gunman, mostly after doing something rash, or saying something stupid.

"Heh.." She lowered her hand to her side again, finally at a complete loss for words.

She seemed to be studying more of Vincent's feet now than anything else, for she had unconsciously turned her gaze to the floor. It had been such a long time since they'd seen each other--two years, at least, and he was not a second different. For a while, she thought she'd never see him again.

"There were rumors going around... Rumors that something bad was going to happen... I dunno who started them, or what they're about, but Reeve took heed of their warnings, whatever they were..."
With no further information to relay, Yuffie fell silent and allowed memories to flood back to her.

[Vincent]

While Yuffie’s green eyes gazed awkwardly at his booted feet, his red ones had risen to look at the intricate carvings on the ceiling above, his mind still pondering the meaning of her arrival. Inhabiting the mansion had meant that the rumors circulating Gaia didn’t reach his ears – time had forgotten this place and Vincent lived here in this last vestige of his time long passed, hidden from view. Yet even he was aware that something wasn’t right, it was as though the peace brought about from the fall of Deepground was only a temporary lapse in the terror that plagued their lives, as though something stirred while the citizens of the planet went about their lives, oblivious to the encroaching darkness.

Reeve was a sensible man, logical and practical to a fault, which was why he was the perfect candidate to lead the forces of the WRO, and so it came as a surprise that Reeve had sent for him based only on hushed rumors and whispered warnings. The silence had settled between them, her anxious form stopping it’s fidgeting as she allowed thought to encapsulate her, while he was roused to action, his own thoughts prodding at the restlessness in his soul.

“We're leaving” he said unexpectedly, unable to continue his exile until he had peace of mind that he could again return here, this time without the threat of war looming above the land like a vast and infinite shadow. It would be many days to get to WRO headquarters and he doubted Yuffie had taken a form of transport, and the sooner this veiled threat was uncovered, all the better for Vincent himself.

However at home he felt within the walls of Nibelheim’s mansion, drawn to the place by some inexplicable force, fitting neatly in with the aging furniture like a puzzle piece, he felt unrest in his soul. Emotions and loyalties that once he threw away for a thirty-year sleep could not be left this time, he was tied to the fate of AVALANCHE and of the planet, as though he was destined to lurk in the gloom until the world called upon him yet again.

“I have to talk to Reeve” he told her, not needing to pack or prepare; he lived with the barest of belongings, and travelled the same, only Cerberus and his cloak as essentials for his trade.

[Yuffie Kisaragi]

"What?"

Her startled response rang throughout the enterance hall and back into her own ears before she'd even realized the intensity of her voice at that moment. Her random train of thought had been broken by the silent man---one thing that very rarely occured, as more often than not the roles were reversed. She felt foolish, standing in her place, with her own echo still ringing in her ears. Her gaze immediately shot upward, so that it was locked with his.

"Wait just a second..!" She fumed, with tension building fast within her tiny frame.

She paused, staring the man down, trying to decide whether to shoot anger or urgency in her glare...

...After the halt of a moment (that seemed to be more of an hour for the woman), she heaved a heavy sigh, and proceeded to rest her face in her palm exasperatedly. She knew she couldn't talk Vincent out of whatever he wanted to do, and so she took the more intelligent and slightly easier path by choosing not to try.

"It figures," she mumbled under her breath, "I should have taken Reeve up on that ride offer."

"Well," she started, crossing her arms to appear in a more relaxed stance, "we'd better stock up before we go. Lets check the town, if you're really that eager to leave." The anger that was threatening to show itself just a few moments earlier had quickly been stifled and calmed. Perhaps she had grown up...
Yuffie tapped her foot slightly, obviously still frustrated.
...But just a little.

Her bright, childish eyes were like orbs of materia, glimmering at him through the shade of her dark hair. She continued to watch him, waiting for a response as she held her tongue.
It wasn't hard to believe that Vincent hadn't changed at all. His cloak was still as it was when they'd parted ways---there didn't seem to be a thread misplaced anywhere in it. His hair still menacingly sapped the already blatent lack of color in his complexion away, just as always. She gazed at his claw absent-mindedly, taking in the sight of it as one would a deep breath. It was fierce, contrasting his calm stature; strong and beautiful, in a very unique sort of way... Highlights on the gold had caught her attention, and brought her to realize that they almost matched the amber flecks present in his eyes.
His eyes..
His eyes, still stained a bloody shade of crimson, placed within the darkness of his soul.... They looked out over a world of gloom, and shadow, and...her. It wasn't her place to disturb what order was present here. She didn't have a place. Anywhere. It was just as simple as that.
She shook her head slightly, breaking whatever trance she had entered.

[Vincent]

Vincent’s impassively watched Yuffie go from anger, to annoyance, and then some semblance of calm, her emotions showing clearly through her expressions and her movements. Her clear show of feelings and thoughts was a stark contrast to Vincent’s need to hide his humanity, to lock away all traces of fear and doubt in his quest for solace. In that respect, and in many other ways, the two of them were complete opposites, and yet fate often threw them together – it was the two of them that evacuated Midgar before Meteor hit, it was the two of them that became involved in the WRO, and it was the two of them that now were the first called back to action.

A glance at his claw made Vincent feel uneasy – it was one of the few parts of him that hinted at the true power that lurked beneath his slightly thin frame. Vincent ignored the urge to laugh out loud at Yuffie’s impatient grumbling, and he was glad to see that she hadn’t changed in the years apart. However his amusement didn’t show through, and as he heard her mention supplies, he looked to one of the ancient windows, a peek of life showing outside the gloomy mansion.

“There’s no need to wait...let’s go” he said, already striding confidently towards the door, though consciously slowing his pace to allow the ninja to walk beside him, out from the mansion where he spent most of his days.

The atmosphere had changed; the strange sense of urgency that had brought Vincent from his sleep-like lethargy lightened the tone, his drab persona lifting ever slightly to push him into action. For someone so detached, Vincent was surprisingly fast to act, and like a vortex the land brought Vincent into its struggles, if he wasn’t a key player then he was at least a casual observer, forever watching everything change around him. He paused at the door, his determination stilling long enough for him to relax, if only a little.

“Yuffie, are you coming?” was all he said as he glanced back at her, his head inclined in a more friendly way, a hint of sarcasm and amusement in his deep voice.

[Yuffie Kisaragi]

"Who are you?!
.....
You must leave..."

Yuffie stood near the corner of the small room, obviously uneasy.
Piles of bones graced many coffins---all of them except for one was filled with a smiling, not-so-lively inhabitor.
How could anyone live in this?!

Her young eyes were filled with horror, and for the first time in her life, she could honestly say that she was completely terrified. The scowl on the man's face, clearly visible even through his charcoal hair, smudged across his face as if drawn around to encompass it especially, was like being entangled in a mess of thorns, tearing away flesh, and eating away blood with every movement. She didn't dare move.
The man seemed to see everything, and nothing with his cold stare that was made up of only fire---but she would never understand that. Not until much later, at least.
Did she understand it at all...?
It was a little hard to tell. But she seemed to have more of a grasp on it than she gave herself credit for, since she could at least describe it. Over many years of wondering, she at least had the words.

She heard his voice quite clearly, for the small room had quite a reverb---moreso for one trained to hear as they see (such as herself)---but not once could she see his lips movenon eed to ait, even when his head tipped ever-so-slightly.

Let's go. Let's go. All she wanted was to get out of there... She'd had enough of the man in the first few seconds.

..ffie.

...

Yuffie.

Wait a minute...what?

Are you coming?

"Huh?" Yuffie looked up to find that her companion was no longer standing in front of her. She frantically looked around.. What was that? Was she in a trance again?
What the hell just happened?!
She blinked, trying once again to take in where exactly she was, and why exactly she was unsure of what was going on.

"Yuffie...Are you coming?"

Yuffie looked over her shoulder to find the man staring back at her. He seemed to be waiting, almost impatiently, for her to come stumbling after. She stood, confounded and confused, at the action (or rather lack thereof), until what appeared to be a grin began to show across her cheeks.

"Oh, uh... Heh. You got it, Vincey. Thanks for not ditching me this time!" By the time she had outstretched her leg to take a step, her natural personality was already beaming back at the man through her full smile. No one could catch up to a Vincent quite like a Yuffie, even if said Vincent was actually waiting this time. The coming journey would be a long one, especially since Yuffie realized upon her arrival that she'd neglected to take along her radio for contact with Reeve (surprise, surprise), but company -- even that of the silent gunman --- would be better than being alone. As she pranced up to his side, she gave him a slight kiddish tug on the sleeve. "After you---

Her polite hand gesture was cut short by a loud CRASH from the floor above...

The echo tumbled through the halls and shook the entire building to its foundation, sending Yuffie nearly to the floor. She clawed at Vincent's arm and forced herself back onto her feet, a disconcerting expression across her once delicate-seeming features.

"Wh-what the hell was that?!" Though she'd managed to tune down the foul language that she picked up from Cid, there were still a few instances where she just couldn't help herself. Her expression grew a bit less frantic as she slumped into a battle-ready crouched position, ready for anything.
"Any ideas as to what's been living in here OTHER than you..??!"

[Vincent]

Vincent couldn’t help but chuckle ever so slightly at Yuffie’s beaming face as she approached him, shaking off her trance and once again confident. As she passed him, he noticed the slight tug on his sleeve, an almost instinctual move from her, and he smiled to himself – it had been a long time since he had seen any of his friends, due to his self-banishment. Vincent also noticed the unrelated crash on a floor above, which instantly pulled him from his moment and brought about an almost unconscious change into his usual, battle-ready psyche.

The mansion was home to many secrets – one of them being Vincent himself, and his almost symbiotic nature with the haunted place granted him access to the place’s mysteries. However, shock ran through the cloaked man at the unearthly and sudden intrusion, and the assault on his ears was coupled with the feeling of evil that hung heavy ion the air, piercing straight to his core. Feeling this unprepared was rare for the gunman, and his sense of control and comfort in this house (the closest thing he had to a home) was gone, leaving him vulnerable in his moment of unease. This dread went as soon as Vincent came to his sense, and he helped Yuffie to her feet, hoping she didn’t notice the flash of confusion, of humanity that had graced his face for a split second.

A swift turn had him ready – Cerberus in hand and his claw tense at his side, poised despite the fact that this unknown danger had yet to present itself to the hapless duo. Though he could feel the controlled nervousness radiating from his companion, he fought to calm himself, as in that moment of despair he had almost lost himself to the beasts that lurked hidden in his mind unbidden.

“No....this place should be empty” he managed to say, his voice quiet, barely echoing in the empty space. Vincent knew that she too had let instincts take over, and he saw the glint of her weapon as she readied herself.

Controlled footsteps brought him forward, and his gaze remained fixed on the floor above, his gun pointing dangerously above – anything that lingered unnoticed in this mansion of horrors was likely evil.

Vincent’s mind worked overtime to think of what could have happened to cause such a crash – could Yuffie have been followed by some assailant? Was there some enemy from his past that had come seeking revenge? These were doubtful, and he knew he’d have to see this for himself before rushing into anything. Gesturing for Yuffie to follow him, he stood in the centre of the entrance hall, his breathing controlled and his senses sensitive to the atmosphere, as though any second now his enigmatic foe would make its move.

[Yuffie Kisaragi]

Yuffie clutched Oritsuru tightly. What a day to be without her Conformer!

Mental note: If I make it outta this, I'm taking my MOST powerful weapon with me...no matter how far I have to lug it! UGH. I'm such an IDIOT! She resisted the urge to smack herself in the head, if only because both of her hands were occupied---one with Oritsuru, and the other with a ready, mastered fire materia.

She remained crouched, searching all corners of the room for movement. Yuffie stole a quick glance at one of the windows... Night was on its way---before long it would be too dark to travel. And it would come even sooner, thanks to Nibelheim's massive mountain range. Just great... Not only would she soon be stuck in the wretched mansion---the worse, most noticeable fact was that she and Vincent may not be alone in it afterall. Whether it was simply one enemy or one-hundred, there was clear and present danger lurking in the atmosphere of the place---and such high levels of suspicion do not make for a very pleasant stay. Yuffie lightly backstepped and shifted her position so that she was to Vincent's back, her gaze shooting from the window to all corners of the room once again. If there was anything with them on this floor, she would catch it before it caught them.

It paid not having to waste time strategizing. Her speed always managed to get her out of trouble, oftentimes before it even started. Yuffie craned her neck to the side so that she could see her companion, noticing his gesture. As a response she gave a low nod, patiently waiting for him to make the first move. As long as he could hold off whatever came from the front, she would make sure that nothing had the chance to come from the back.

A loud roar sounded from the second floor, rattling the building as the crash had before.
Yuffie gulped. Whatever they were about to face, it was undoubtably big
As she steadied her breathing, her back against Vincent's, she felt a mix of power and uncertainty... She seemed puny against his muscled frame--and his strong, erect stance made hers look lacking and defensive.
In her tensed state, she could hear a creak in a floorboard before it was stepped on. She could sense how difficult a battle would be before it began. She could feel a slight draft coming from one of the opposite ends of the room making her sweat cold---she could even feel the individual strands of Vincent's hair on her back. They were soft, and nearly gave her goosebumps against the air of the room, which she just realized was unnaturally cold.

[Vincent]

Vincent’s cardinal eyes scanned the room quickly, darting from shadow to shadow, noting exits and furniture – knowledge of one’s surroundings was an advantage in battle, and Vincent intended to use his familiarity with the place. The ear-splitting roar that came from above confirmed his suspicion that the mansion’s other resident was an enemy and a beastly one at that. Vincent cast his gaze down for a moment, why was he surprised that the mansion harbored another dark mystery? This had been his rebirth into his new self, complete with apathetic nature and beastly parasites that lurked in the recesses of his conscious mind, and yet he assumed he was its only left inhabitant.

The feel of something soft against his back jolted him – again he found himself pondering this place, it was obvious that the past years of being alone had slowed his reactions and left him as contemplative as ever. Almost jumping at the sudden contact, he felt safer with the wily ninja at his back, having seen her skills first-hand in many battles. They worked well together, and now he knew he could focus on the front, trusting Yuffie’s abilities to keep his back safe, a rare dependence from Vincent, who usually trusted only himself.

Hypersensitive ears picked up more sound, barely perceptible but still enough to give Vincent an indication of its location and form. Slow ragged breathing could be heard, and slight vibrations ran through his legs, suggesting it was heavy, as it was shaking the large house and had yet to make any noticeable movements (as far as he knew). A stench started to form in the hall – rotting and foul that made Vincent sneer in disgust, his gloved hand tightening on the gun’s handle, formed perfectly to fit his slender hand.

This thing definitely doesn’t wash he thought dryly, keeping the humour to himself, both out of habit and a feeling that it wasn’t the ideal time to crack jokes. Usually it was left to Cid to make jokes on the field, as well as the ninja whose lithe form was currently crouched behind him. Seeing the stretched shadows on the ancient wooden floors, he noted approaching nightfall.

“If the fight goes outside, get the people to safety, I’ll deal with whatever this is” he said calmly to Yuffie, feeling a faint sense of responsibility – a beast had been here under his nose for a long time, and only just was able to feel it, obviously lethargy had stopped him from checking the whole house, he had assumed it was as empty as ever, and this turned out to be an instance where he was wrong.

Waiting for affirmation from his partner, he knew that soon enough either the beast would make itself known, or he would tire of waiting and take the fight to it.

[Yuffie Kisaragi]

Yuffie gazed backward at the sound of her companion's voice. She caught a glimpse of his crimson pupil and immediately looked away, attempting to keep focused. Get the people to safety...? If she could have her way, this fight wouldn't take more than ten minutes, and it would occur with as little damage and noise as possible.
But that was just not going to happen.
The ninja gulped, resting her back against Vincent's for just a second before leaning forward again, exhaling a vicious, nervous-sounding sigh.
"Got it."

She mustered a disciplined nod, agreeing to comply to the gunman's wishes despite whatever hesitance she had about leaving him to fight alone. If whatever it was had eluded him for this long, there was no telling what other evasive measures it had.

And then the wretched odor filled her nose.
Never in her life had anything festered in her nostrils as she inhaled it. The smell seemed to be corroding the air. It was putrid, and noxious, and spoiled...
It was...decay.
Something was dead. And rotting. And being eaten away by the air and elements.

Yuffie hunched forward, letting her weapon fall as she smacked both of her hands across her face. She felt as if she'd just been punched in the stomach, then repeatedly stabbed with a rusty dagger. She gagged, which only allowed even more of the awful smell to enter her lungs. She could taste the rot lingering in the air.
Before she even realized it her knees gave out and she collapsed onto the cold floor, writhing, clutching her churning, burning stomach.

Gawdamnit...! Move! F$%$ing move! Move, please move...! With her head still against her knees, she reached for her weapon--feeling around, grabbing frantically for nothing. She looked up, holding down her intestines as a feeling of numb dizziness worked its way through her skull. Go, go! I've gotta get back up! Urgh, I feel like I'm gonna pass out... What the F$%* is that awful smell?! C'mon legs, move! Get off your ass, Yuffie!! Can't let Vincent down! She gazed around, confused, as another great roar sounded through the halls--this one slower--followed by the crack of a large, stomping foot.
Yuffie squinted, her vision blurring and her stomach throbbing.
"V-Vincent!" She managed to choke out before another gag. This smell..! It's making me dizzy! She lifted her lead-heavy arm and desperately tugged at the leg of his pants. Weapon! Where's Oritsuru?! Help me up! Vincent, help me up!

Yuffie knew that if she could get back onto her feet, they would do the work for her. She couldn't last long in the stale, dead, decaying air... The fight might have to be brought outside. Her stomach sent another sharp stab of pain throughout her entire body. If she could just get out, into the cold breeze of the mountains, the feeling in her legs would come back. She gazed sickly toward the door and gave Vincent's pant leg another vicious tug, gasping through her fingers for air that continued to escape her.
The scent was just too strong.
How it failed to affect Vincent was only a tad surprising.
She felt weak against him. But she just couldn't help it.

If they could lure it to the door... They could fight it from a distance. Or she could hold her breath and run, hoping for the best in the end.

She gave one final tug, using all of the strength she could muster.