The Men in Red (Auron/Open)

[Vincent Valentine]

He had been here before. It was quite a beautiful sight, assuming you were interested in things like that. He might have let a small smile grace his lips, a contented sigh escape them, pure contentment show on his face. Vincent did none of those. His face was a bleak and hard as it had always been as he scanned the area with his blood red eyes. A look to his left showed what might have been a building, or perhaps simply an overgrown seashell. Regardless, his hand went towards it, feeling the texture of it with his right hand, ungloved as it rarely was. The glove was tucked into his collar, so it would be easy to remove, and it wasn't like he couldn't work his gun without it. The smooth feeling of the material made him think of Lucrecia's skin, her smooth and calming touch. Rather than calming him like it might have, his face hardened yet more and his hand balled into a fist. She was gone. He wasn't getting her back. He sighed, though it wasn't contentment. It was frustration, loss, regret, hopelessness, despair, and surrender all rolled into one neat little package.

[Raloxmly]

Auron poised himself upon a walkway with cool winds gusting gently around him. He hadn't the slightest clue how he managed to stumble upon this location, but that was often the question these days due to his constant traveling. He gazed down below at the glistening water; never before, in both his life and post-life, had he seen water that crystalline before, not even off the shores of Besaid.

Fixing the grip on his katana, he strolled down the bridge toward the beach-like city. As he got closer, he noticed that the city also portrayed an aquatic motif. For instance, the buildings within its limits had a shell-like appearance and the ground below him felt like it had been the ocean floor itself. There were also silvery trees in the background, giving off this sort of peaceful aura, similar to Macalania forest.

Not knowing what else to do, the legendary guardian decided to wander further into the unknown area. There was absolutely no one around, something he wasn't quite used to, but at the same time he enjoyed it. While things had gotten calmer in Spira due to the vanquishing of Sin, there was just too much going on in Spira. He was glad to get away from the hassles and disturbances in his home world.

However, as he lurked further through the streets, Auron encountered another man in a red overcoat. The gentleman had wild-like black hair and also wore a red bandanna to somewhat tame his unruly hair. Auron couldn't see much of the man's face, but judging by the way he was standing, he could tell the man was feeling deeply troubled about something. Not knowing how to confront the man, he continued to watch from a distance. He heard him sigh, though not from satisfaction. In fact, it was the direct opposite.

He wasn't sure if the red-coated figure sensed his being there, if he had, he didn't show it. In the end, he thought it'd be a good idea to break the man from his thoughts. "Would you mind telling me the name of this place?"

[Vincent Valentine]

So deep was Vincent in thought that he didn't even notice the presence of another until his voice rang out and pierced the silence that permeated over this abandoned city. Sloppy. He couldn't be getting too sloppy. He wasn't that old. He was only....56. Well, maybe he was rather old, but he had always prided himself on exactly the qualities this kind of encounter showed he lacked.

If he was a more impulsive person; Vincent might have whipped his gun out immediately, he might have jumped and turned towards the newcomer, he might have made a preemptive strike. Vincent was not an impulsive person. He simply swiveled his hard, blood-red eyes to observe the source of the voice, not even turning his head or even moving any other muscle in his body. The first thing he noticed was the red overcoat, which brought forth an inward chuckle at how similar they were dressed, but he made no external change. The next thing was the large katana strapped across his back. That showed he was either exceedingly powerful for being able to wield such a large weapon, or exceedingly stupid for carrying something so heavy that was essentially useless. The other things he noticed were also filed away, such as the arm in the sling and the face. He had the face of a warrior. Vincent smiled a dry and humorless smile. It was the face of an honorable warrior, one who didn't seem the type to stab you in the back for a few extra gil.

[red]"They call this place the City of the Ancients."[/red]

He reached into his collar and pulled his glove out, sliding it onto his right hand, adjusting it comfortably until there was no skin showing on his arm. He then looked back up at the man before him. This warrior would need to be called something. Simply calling him "The Warrior" would be belittling as well.

[red]"Vincent."[/red]

His name and a nod were all he gave. That should be all that was needed, assuming that Vincent's observations were correct.

[Raloxmly]

He observed as the man opposite of him pirouetted his direction, until Auron was staring at a pair of cold, blood-red eyes. Eyes likes these could only be seen on those were possessed by a demon of some sort, and that known fact worried Auron a bit. But judging by this man's stare, he could tell this figure had come face-to-face with danger numerous, just like Auron himself. He moved his attention away from the man's fixed stare, and noticed the gauntlet on his left arm. He wasn't sure how the man had received it, but it was yet another similarity he shared with the man other than the obvious red coat, and the powerful appearance of a warrior.

The opposing red-coated man flashed Auron a small, dry and humorless grin. He obviously had seen the collation the two of them shared. It wasn't long after that the man finally answered his question. "They call this place the City of the Ancients."

The city of the...Ancients? What were those? Was this place also a renowned battleground like Zanarkand Ruins? There was obviously more to this place than the other man was giving off, but at least he knew the name of the unfamiliar location. He removed himself from his inner thoughts to notice that the man was pulling on a glove over his right hand, being careful not to show any skin on his arm. This man played a cautious game, and Auron respected him for that. The red-eyed man stared back at Auron.

"Vincent."

The introduction hadn't been lengthy, but Auron had never been one for long introductions or farewells anyway. And as time went on, he could tell it was the same for this 'Vincent' character. Deciding that it would be respectful and honorable, he spoke his name and returned the nod.

"I'm Auron."

[Vincent Valentine]

Vincent watched as the man appeared to be studing him as much as Vincent was studing him. A silent chuckle went through his mind. They were very similar, Auron and he. He watched Auron, wondering what was going to happen now. It didn't seem as if he was going to start a conversation, and that was fine with Vincent, but he was curious about their similarities.

[red]"You are....new here. Am I wrong?"[/red]

The way Auron had to ask him the name of the City of Ancients was proof that he was correct, but he wanted to know how he had arrived. Where had he come from to find his way all the way out here? As far as Vincent was aware nobody cared to come here these days...

(Short post is short but Vince doesn't have much to say >_<)

[Raloxmly]

"You are....new here. Am I wrong?"

It was Vincent that broke the long period of silence that rose after the introduction. Auron could tell that it had been awkward for the opposing man to start a conversation, but if he hadn’t, Auron sure wouldn’t have. He didn’t quite know why he was still standing here to begin with, but there just something that Auron found intriguing. Most likely the fact that there had been another man that similar to him.

He chuckled under his breath in reply to Vincent’s previous question. Was it really that obvious that the legendary guardian was indeed not from here? Though, I guess one could safely assume after not knowing their current location. I come from Spira. He turned away from Vincent, and faced the opposite direction so that he was now looking at the silver trees once again. Recalling images of Macalania’s sparkly sapphire trees, and the historical background of Zanarkand Ruins. This place, the City of Ancients, was like the two locations combined. This place…reminds me of it.