Note:
Was gonna put this in earlier but me forget easily! I don't own FF7 or any characters. Also the title Archives of Pain belongs to Nicky Wire and Richey James of the Manic Street Preachers. Doesn't belong to me. Kapeesh? Good
Vincent was back in Nibelheilm. Each night he sat in the dank basement of the Nibelheilm Mansion and studied the books. He knew that Cloud and one of his army friends were experimented on, much like him.
They were innocent of everything. Your failure cost a life. You deserve this.
As always, his inner voice was reminding him that this body was a result of his own wrongdoing, and that he cannot compare to everyone else.
He had read the reports of Cloud and his friends escape to the point where he had it memorised. He also knew that in the Mountain "Reactor" there were mutants in cold storage.
To think I slept throughout it all. While I slept, those people died needlessly. Like Lucre…
He dared not finish the sentence. In the 3 years since Sephiroth's defeat, he had not uttered that word once. Not that he had spoken a lot to anyone either. Just the odd rat now and again.
Solitude, the one thing that brings me joy and misery.
He sometimes wondered whether he did have any humanity left, but he rarely thought any more.
He left all traces of humanity when he was cursed to hold this body.
Vincent shook his head of all thought, and began to look over the archives again. One particular book, which he hadn't seemed to read yet.
He looked at the cover and saw that a Dr. James had written it. He flipped over a few pages and stopped on one that shocked him.
Project 17A-B 22
Codename – Archives of Pain
Sort Research into Cloning and Endurance
I received new guinea pigs today. Both former Shinra army. One was former Soldier First Class. The other was a Private. Both of medium build and around 5"10. Both have been exposed heavily to Mako, which may cause mutations in both subjects (see Case File 22-A for further information) and other side effects.
Both are currently listed as missing, presumed dead. Locate any family and fabricate plausible story.
Endurance tests will be run ASAP and then both will be subjected to attempted Cloning.
Vincent was shocked by what he was reading. This meant that there was more to everything that happened 3 years ago. Cloud had to see this. But how would he get from Nibelheilm to Neo-Midgar? More importantly, where was this supposed cloning facility?
He opened the book, and scanned through each page until he found what he needed.
All contact to the island is blocked to all but employees whose card has a level of 28 or higher. Said people have full use of the airstrip/helipad and will enter that way. Permission is given to shoot down unknown craft.
If normal route is dangerous, there is a tunnel route dug into the cliff located near the ruin of Gonaganga.
Password is – Shinra and key codes will be given upon successful entry of tunnel.
Vincent had just found the key to Cloud's problems. Now it was just how to get to Neo-Midgar…
Barrett was carrying a huge amount of wood to help some builders out when a familiar voice shouted to him.
" Hey Barrett, wait up!" the voice shrieked.
"Uhh, hey there Yuffie," he mumbled scratching his head, "how are ya?"She jumped up and down enough to make even Barrett feel sick.
"I'm great!" she yelled a little too enthusiastically for Barrett's liking," but Red isn't looking too good". She pointed over to the shade where Red was lying. He attempted to get up but instantly collapsed back down again.
Barrett dropped the wood and ran over to his friend.
"Hey, yo Red what's the matter?" he said. Red didn't say anything back, but held up his paw.
"Yeah, I know you are 13 but what's that….". He trailed off as he noticed that the scar seemed to be bleeding and somewhere on Red's back he could hear skin ripping or something that sounded like it.
"Yuffie, get someone quick. I know, get Tifa and that lady she lives with, pronto!" Barrett yelled.
A nearby man ran over and looked at Red and muttered.
"Poor thing's infected by Mako. He is mutating. What number is he?" he said. Barrett turned round and picked the man up by his shirt.
" Say what? How'd you know that?" he spat in the man's face.
"I used to be assistant to a doctor who tested people's reactions to Mako. This one had it when he was simply a pup. It may cause death…or not. Depends really." he said with a sad look on his face," but I remember there was a cure."
Barrett dropped the man and said urgently.
"What? Where?" he said, with desperation in his voice.
"I never found out. I was fired shortly after that" he said," sorry.". The man walked off and Tifa arrived. She took 1 look at Red and saw Cloud in that exact same position, just a few years before.
This was even more reason to find Cloud.