First Meetings: A False Beginnings Spin-Off (1X1)

[X Accelerando X]

This was his palace, their prison. Here, the Princes of Heart would be kept until Vincent had need of them. It had taken months to perfect, to complete to the absolute work of art it was now. It stood as a testament to his power and skill and it was indeed a dark trap that not even these pure-hearted men could hope to escape. Tall, sweeping towers and long walls from the outside showed not a single door or window. Gargoyle-like Heartless stood watch on every corner, looking out into the Void that Vincent had created this world, reshaped all of Destiny Isle into with his raw power and bare hands. Within the vast and unmarked structure, however, was an entirely different image. Within were long halls and carved statues, massive stained glass windows depicting the images of the Princes and various moments of greatness or satisfaction in their lives. The rooms and halls were decorated with paintings of their home worlds, all beautiful and very nearly real in detail. Cool gardens and fountains lined the inner courtyards and their rooms were decorated with their desired styles.

There was one true problem; none of it was truly real. The furnishings were solid enough because they were so very believable, a gift to his prisoners within that he had plucked from the bowels of Maleficent's keep the moment he had gained his full potential. The more they aligned themselves to him, the grander the illusion would become, the more complete and rewarding their time spent within would be to them. And finally, when they felt the level of devotion that Seifer felt to him--the illusions would fade and they would find it all very much a falsehood. But by then, it would not matter. Seifer did not care at it was far from being real. He never complained or said anything against Vincent. He did as he was told, and acted as a model to the other Princes. Seifer was perfect and Vincent intended to make all of the others understand that they should imitate him. And if they didn't, and if they refused to accept that he was able to make their lives far sweeter by offering up their very hearts to him then he would take it by force. But that was not for some time. His plans were far from nearing completion and so he would let them grow accustomed to the trap they were in, allowing them to willingly settle into the honey he'd laid out like the little flies they were.

Things had been going very well since he had renovated the world to suit his image. An entire world made into a fortress and trap--it was a marvelous thought. A trap for those within and those stupid enough to try and enter without being invited. He created more violent traps for those uninvited guests; ones that would crush, kill or twist the victim. Heartless of his own design prowled the halls, seeking invaders all while his 'guests' were unaware of where they were, for the most part. But now it was time to move to the next phase. Now it was time for Seifer to begin his hunt anew for another Prince.

Walking through the art gallery, his now terrifying and monstrous form perfectly at ease with the body he was in moving gracefully beside his most loyal follower, Vincent looked at the paintings within, not really observing anything, but speaking all the while. "Seifer, now that I have completed my home--our home--I think it is time we continued on with our assault. There are many more worlds out there that need harvesting and searching. Moreover, I understand that Reno and Locke are not the only Keybearers." His eyes narrowed as he finally looked at the blond, now standing taller than the powerful 'knight', "The Paladins seek to raise up an army against me--I may not be able to strike at their base of operations, but that does not mean I cannot still harm them." He had contemplated this for some time and realized that he needed to find a means to undo the power of the Keyblades on the worlds. They Keyblade could seal the door to the Heart of the world, which meant that they should be able to do just the opposite as well. "We need to acquire a Keybearer and we need to him accept our point of view." Stopping in front of a painting of the recently consumed world called 'Hyrule' he smirked. "Think of the look upon their faces when they see one of their own opening the door to the heart of their precious 'Land of Departure'. The fear and pain in their hearts would be most satisfying, don't you agree?" Looking to the blond again, his clawed fingers stroked over his cheek. "Tell me, Seifer, do you fear me? Do you fear what I could do to you?' His hand moved down to Seifer's chest, just above his heart. "Fear that with little effort, I could rip your Heart out of you? Leave you helpless and asleep forever with your heart firmly in my grasp?" He drew his face close, and for a moment, his golden eyes shimmered with some vague expression of--regret? "I understand that my methods are indeed far from favorable to most but I don't care. I will create a World that is truly my own. Out of the Darkness, I will construct a world for us to stand over together. Where you will be my ever-faithful knight and I your lord and master, ruling you and all others with a firm but loving hand."

[Mssr Miles]

Seifer followed beside Vincent, listening to his words, his sharp blue eyes ghosting over the dark corners of the halls, ever watchful for danger that may or may never come. Everything seemed dark here, no matter how light the rooms were lit, how many candles stood burning, how many fires were set in the fireplaces… it was always too dark. Seifer missed the sun and the beach and everything that his home had been. He had never thought that he would ever come back to his world when he had left, but now that he had… he wished that he and Vincent would have never come here. He looked sideways at Vincent as the man looked at him, and he suppressed a shiver. He was so different from what he had used to be… the darkness had mutated him, changed him, twisted him… The eyes that he had loved were no longer red, they were gold. Lips he had kissed a thousand times now hid fangs behind that cocky smirk… He was cruel, now. He had his slightly malicious streak before, of course, but it had never been this bad. Vincent had never reveled in the pain and suffering of others.

This new one did. Maybe the Prince was right… maybe Vincent was gone and Seifer had no chance of ever getting him back.

But it was times that the creature in front of him threatened him as he was doing now, drawing his claws down his form to hover above his heart, that he would see the old Vincent, his Vincent, resurface if only for a moment. He was still in there… he still loved him, and Seifer was going to do everything that he could to bring him back. He would chase away the darkness and pull Vincent out of this nightmare.

“I don’t fear you, Vincent,” Seifer stated, his voice sounding a lot more sure then he felt. He wasn’t scared of Vincent, he wasn’t scared that he could kill him with a flick of his wrist, or worse… he was scared of losing Vincent. “You can do what you want to me; if you want my heart, then I’ll freely give it.” Seifer smirked a little, looking Vincent right in the eyes. “You like it when they struggle. You’d be bored with me. ‘Sides, I’ve got more to offer you if I’m alive; we both know that. You’ve got no one else around you that you can trust as well as you can me--we’ve been best friends since we were five.” And lovers from fifteen. Years and years they were together…did Vincent think that Seifer could just sit by and watch him spiral down by himself into this addiction to the dark? Seifer’s fingers grasped at some of the dark hair that stood by the side of Vincent’s head, brushing it back over his shoulder, still not used to the fact that Vincent was so much taller than he was.

“I’ll get you your Keybearer. If we had time, I’d just go and get myself trained up…it would only take a few months from your point of view. I’m jealous that you need someone other than me,” Seifer stated, making a slight face and looking away. He sniffed indignantly and looked back to the yellow eyes that hid his Vincent behind. “But it’s for you, so I’ll get one. But you better only use them to open Departure, otherwise I’m going to go into a jealous rage and start breaking things.”