Life Finds a Way

Chapter 74

They found a room big enough upstairs for all of them except the infantrymen. Those two were asked to patrol the mansion, a fact that neither of them were upset about. Reno tried to join them as well, but Veld refused to let him go. That was why they were all sitting in silence as Clarissa tried not to laugh at the red-headed Turk's mumbling. She caught enough of it for her to have ample ammunition for later. The problem was that she was sure Vincent could hear it too. Luckily, he didn't seem to be paying it any mind.

Finally, he looked to her. "Before we begin, tell me who you are that Chaos knows you."

At his words Veld spoke up. "Vincent, I was told that you were experimented on by Hojo, but who, or what, is Chaos?"

Vincent's gaze passed to Veld and he looked at him in contemplation for a moment. "Hojo nearly killed me and then used me to try many things. Chaos is the result of Lucrecia's attempts to save my life. Chaos is a Weapon of the planet, a demon of ultimate destruction, but his consciousness has been fused with me."

Veld looked uncomfortable again before he found his voice. "Can it be undone?"

A flash of unnamed emotion crossed over Vincent's face before he responded. "It is as much a part of me now as the mako is a part of Clarissa. It is not worth the time to think on. Now, I need an explanation."

Clarissa could tell he didn't want to talk about his own predicament, so she was happy to help him change the subject. She only hoped Veld realized that Vincent would need time before he could open up to anyone again. She shook her head as she finally answered. "I know you asked who I am, but the real question should be where I'm from. The reason Chaos knows of me is because I was pulled to Gaia by Minerva. I am originally from a parallel universe eighteen years in the future. She tasked me with preventing the destruction of this planet, and that is what I have been working on."

Both of Vincent's eyebrows were raised in disbelief, but Reno's mouth was worse. She glared at him as he smirked at her. "That explains why Commander Cranky is all over you. I suppose he found his gift of the Goddess after all, huh?"

She nearly got up and decked him, but she didn't need to. Veld smacked the back of his head before she got the chance. The sight instantly caused her to laugh. She was reminded that Vincent had a question as well when he spoke to Veld. "Does everyone know and believe this?"

Veld gestured to the red-head next to him as he spoke. "As you just heard, very few people have heard that story, but of those that have, most of them have at least started to believe it. I honestly can't say that I do, but there are too many weird things that are otherwise unexplained. One of them being that it was her that led us to find you, right down to knowing which coffin you were in."

Vincent looked contemplative for a moment. Finally, he looked back to her. "Chaos is telling me that you are indeed from another reality. He only knows that Minerva has told him to confirm your story. You must know that story is hard to believe though."

She shook her head. "Yes, I do, but I also know that you of all people should understand. You have a direct link to the planet." He looked away uncomfortably for a moment. Clarissa felt slightly bad at the sight as Chaos' warning came back to her. "Vincent, you know I meant it when I said nothing about what was done to you makes you a monster."

His face was a blank mask when he turned back to her. "You said you needed my help to defeat Jenova. I did not realize it was alive. I am assuming there is a reason you were supposedly pulled to the past as well?"

She gave him a nod. "It is a long and ugly tale, but a lot of it has already changed. I can go over it all though, so you know why it was necessary for me to be pulled here."