--- II ---

The same blue. Not similar, not familiar. Those two eyes were identical to those of Vincent's lost love. The vampire saw the reflection of his being upon the clear hue of the midday sky. The world ceased to exist around him, so drawn he was by the strong yearning in his heart.

"Vincent!!" Nanaki's voice was merely a blur to the man as he reached out to touch the monster's face.

"Vincent!! What are you doing!?"

A mass of fiery red tackled Vincent from the side, knocking him away before he made contact with the infant avian. Startled out of his trance, Vincent stared from his hand to Nanaki, then at the monster.

"Cid..." Whispering the name which had been lost to him for a century, Vincent studied the new owner of the beautiful eyes.

The monster was a little more than five feet tall, with juvenile human body and chocobo-like golden wings sprouting from its back. Humanoid face was rather delicate; it looked nothing like Cid Highwind. A pair of small white fangs became visible as the monster growled angrily at Nanaki. It placed its unstable body between Vincent and the wolf-lion, taking an offensive stance.

"......?" Nanaki narrowed his single eye at the strange chick. "Oh no..." He shook his head exasperatedly.

"What is wrong, Nanaki?" Patting dust off of his cloak, Vincent got up to his feet. The monster lit up at the vampire's voice and hugged him with a big smile.

"It's been imprinted. Because of the avian nature, it believes that you are its parent. We have to kill it nevertheless. It is still a monster..."

"Wait!" Vincent stopped the red beast from attacking.

"Vincent, we can't let it live!"

"Nanaki, I beg you. I promise to keep it under control. Don't destroy it."

The wolf-lion grunted unhappily, considering his friend's plea. He knew that Vincent Valentine was no fool, and that the man would be responsible. Yet, the matter of a monster called for strict protocol.

"It will not leave your side, and it will probably abide by your commands. But I can't let it into the Canyon."

"I understand." The vampire nodded. "I will... leave the Canyon."

"Vincent!?" Nanaki growled surprisedly. He hadn't expected his friend to take such a drastic measure. Then, finally noticing what Vincent had seen in the monster, he gave out a sad sigh. "...Vincent, this monster isn't Cid."

"........Nanaki..."

Waving a flamed tail to cut Vincent off, Nanaki shook his head. "But I have got no right to tell you what to do, friend. Do as you please..."

"...I'm sorry. And thank you for having taken me in for so long." Vincent said sincerely, then turned, motioning the avian to follow. The monster looked from the man to the wolf-lion, but obediently hopped after the one it deemed a parent.

**********

The sun fell along the horizon, bringing about the darker sky which was more similar to Vincent's coloring than his beloved's. Far from Cosmo Canyon, in the rocky plains area near the river, the vampire and the monster huddled next to each other in front of the camp fire.

Stroking the chick's soft blond head with unclawed hand, Vincent watched it sleep. He hadn't given it a name yet; there was a voice inside him telling him to call it by the special name, but yet deeper inside, he knew that what Nanaki had said was true.

Cid would explode if he were here right now and saw me calling this thing by his name. The young man laughed to himself, nostalgia rising once again until it hurt. He missed Cid, so much more than words could express. The century he had lived after losing the gruff pilot had been loveless and unbearably lonely.

Once, about five years after Cid's death, Yuffie had asked Vincent to come live with her. It had been an obvious proposal on her part. The vampire had known for long that the pretty ninja had affection for him; Yuffie had grown into a very attractive woman, and she had wanted to give Vincent a new love to live for. He had turned her down, cruelly.

Told her right out that I couldn't see her as more than a sister or a daughter. What a heartless bastard I was...

A dry wood cracked loudly inside the flame, and Vincent turned his attention to the scorching fire. He thought of the great beast bearing the same element. Nanaki had allowed him to live in the Canyon for more than eighty years, asking for nothing in return. The two of them lived on while others passed away, becoming in the end the only ones who could retell the battle which altered the fate of the world.

I haven't returned the favor to Nanaki. I left the Canyon so abruptly... The pups must be worried. Guiltily, Vincent closed his eyes. It seems that I can only return the good will of others by betraying them.

"Cid... is this my sin? I broke Yuffie's heart, took Nanaki's friendship for granted... And all I have left is the illusion of you, mutilated and warped into a monster." Feeling his eyes moisten, Vincent wiped the tears away with the back of his hand.

I miss you, Cid. Why won't you return to me?

Vincent rested his chin upon his knees and continued to watch the fire. He would have delved into deeper depression, but low growls which surrounded him and the infant avian snapped him out of the dark thoughts. The light had lured a pack of bear-like carnivores. Almost mindlessly, Vincent stood and took out the Death Penalty.

**********

"Dear, do you think Vincent will be all right?" Areta asked her husband once the pups had cried themselves to sleep. The children had refused to believe that Vincent was not coming back, and the three, especially Rita, had wept all day for their friend.

"...He has been pining away. The change in him was so slow that we didn't see it right out, but he is dying from emotional depravity." Nanaki answered sadly, already foreseeing his friend's fate. "That mad scientist had altered with Vincent's body so that he was cursed with eternity. But human heart cannot endure so long a time."

"Nanaki, you can't mean...?"

"Yes, Areta. Vincent will die, sooner or later. Have you noticed his unnaturally long sleep? One day, he will not wake..."

"Nanaki..." Areta nuzzled closer to the larger wolf-lion, sharing his pain.

"Did I do the right thing? I let him go, knowing that he would disintegrate at a faster rate outside this community." Close to tears, Nanaki let his companion lick at his face. "My only surviving best friend... I..."

"Shh... It is all right, Nanaki. You did the right thing..."

I wanted you to be happy, Vincent... but I see now that your could only find happiness by Cid's side. Nanaki thought of the willowy vampire, his heart sinking.