Final Fantasy VII: Redemption Chapter 6
By Aujang Abadi
The massive, black reactors of the Mako plant loomed before them. Huge, interconnecting circuits locked them together, and pure, green Lifestream shot along the cables, in a perverse mix of technology and life. Yuffie scratched the back of her head, her voice piping out in a question.
"Um... I may be wrong, but wasn't this station inactive the last time we were here?"
"It was. Someone, or something, has turned it on." Vincent's deep voice echoed out among the rocks. "And its waiting for us." He gestured to the entrance, which was now just a black, gaping hole in the mesh of metal and energy.
"Well, far from us to keep it waiting. Let's rock and roll." Yuffie grabbed her boomerang and held it tightly, tensing her body as they approached the reactor.
Inside, the walls of the reactor were glowing eerily, sending flickering demons of shadow along their path. Yuffie had taken point, her boomerang held at the ready, and Vincent calmly brought up the rear, his massive firearm slung across one shoulder. Muffled clangs and rumbles escaped the matrix of metal that made up the mass of the reactor, once again reaffirming the fact that this station had indeed been made active.
As they made their way through the complex, they noticed that the setting of the reactor grew progressively more active. While on the outskirts, there walls emanated a weak light, as they neared the Core, the walls now steadily projected Mako energy. Yuffie stopped, and turned back to Vincent.
"Are you going to be alright, if you're this close to Mako?" She drew back a bit when she noticed just how much it had already affected him.
Vincent's eyes now radiated the same green glow that Cloud's had, and the scars under his cloth pulsated with his heartbeat, flaring purple with every passing second. He nodded.
"I will be fine." He bid her to continue on.
They came to the bridge of the main reactor, flashing red from the auxilary warning systems. The path leading to the Core, to where the other failed experiments were held, laid ahead. Vincent placed a restraining hand on Yuffie's shoulder, shaking his head.
"Stay here. This is something I must do alone." Vincent began walking towards the Core.
"Alone? What are you talking about, Vincent? What do you have to do?" Yuffie queried, still extremely uneasy in the depths of the animated reactor.
Suddenly, a horrendous scream filled the air, and a gigantic beast filled the doorway to the Core, snarling its scorn for the two puny ones. Vincent barely managed to twist away before its claw filled the space he'd just been in. Struggling to catch his balance, Vincent quickly snatched the firearm on his shoulder and snapped it down, aiming it at the beast and firing twice. Yuffie was beside him in a flash, her boomerang flying out in a vicious arc, biting deep into the beast's extended arm.
"Keep it occupied, I need to reload." Vincent noticed his bullets had only grazed its midsection. He cursed his distracted state that allowed him to miss such vital shots and began reloading.
"Be quick. I don't know how long I can hold up." Yuffie leapt into the air, twisting her body and snapping her right foot across the creature's jaw. With her free leg, she spun and pressed it hard against what appeared to be its shoulder, bending at the waist and grabbing hold of her weapon, then springing off of it in a smooth motion. It screamed in pain as the serrated blade tore its muscle to shreds, and launched itself forward as Yuffie sprang away, catching her in the air and closing its claws around her.
Then its entire arm exploded, the acrid smell of gunpowder wafting in the Mako-soaked air. Vincent strode forward, his firearm held in front of him easily, a quiet smirk on his face. The beast shrieked its protest, trying desperately to staunch the flow of blood. He extended his claw to help Yuffie up.
"Great timing, Vincent." She smiled and accepted the hand.
"I aim to please." He began walking towards the monster. "Excuse me for a moment." The beast shrunk back, terrified of this new threat. Vincent drew his steel claw back and drove it into the creature's abdominals, disemboweling it. It fell to its knees, clutching its innards. Vincent smiled again, and shoved the barrel of his gun into its mouth, shattering its jaw. "Payback's a bitch." He squeezed the trigger, and its head exploded like a ripe melon.
"Um, Vincent, don't you think that was a bit much?" Yuffie looked a bit shocked at the blatant display of savagery.
"I recognized him. He was one of the soldiers that arrested me." Vincent idly cleaned off his gun.
"You recognized him. Vincent, we need to have a talk one of these days about your hidden aggressions." Yuffie grinned. "But still... how could you recognize him? He didn't look a damn thing near human to me."
"I can see things others cannot." He paused. "I suppose its my connection to the Lifestream."
"Whatever, man. Come on, let's get this over with. This place creeps me out." Yuffie closed the distance between the two of them.
"Yes, let's." Vincent started towards the Core, then stopped suddenly.
"Vincent, what's wrong? Why'd you stop?"
Unexpectedly, Vincent was in the air, blown back by some invisible force. He flew out, hitting the far wall of the reactor, and then began spiraling down, towards the liquid Mako lining the bottom of the reactor.
"VINCENT!" Yuffie shouted, running to the edge of the bridge, throwing out her arm to try and catch him. "Grab hold!" Vincent reached for her, almost grasping her arm before plummeting out of reach. Yuffie fell flat to the floor, screaming, thrusting her arm towards his descending form. "Vincent! NO!"
He disappeared beneath the surface of the green, glowing liquid.
.