Down the rabbit Hole

Chapter 10 ~ Motion Sickness

Screeching assaulted my ears as metal scraped against metal. I stood in a capsule shaped freight train of an elevator and my stomach was literally floating as we zoomed down the floors. I was being lead by two security guards down to the lowest and most secure floor of the Shinra's Technology & Warfare building to be assigned my new identity and my new career.

And what could I do about it anyway? I had no way of getting home. I had no friends here to come to my rescue. Not even the world's greatest ninja could fight off Shinra at its peak all by herself.

But maybe this was a good thing. I would have a steady job and pay. My expertise and skills would finally be of use. Maybe I could make a life for myself at least until I found a way to get back home. My best efforts couldn't ease my mind though as I felt the tracker they locked around my ankle rubbing against my skin.

What in the world did they want me to do?

As the elevator sunk deeper and deeper into the planet I began to feel claustrophobic. I shuffled my feet and earned a look from one of my guards as I rubbed my forehead relentlessly, my ears popping from the pressure of being so far underground. What had I got myself into?

Finally the elevator, which seemed like it was plunging to the ground, slowed to a stop. One of the guards pulled up the chain link fence that kept the thing closed and we exited. As soon as we were out we were met by brunette man with matching eyes in a Turk uniform.

"Ah, Miss Nagatsuki, it's a pleasure. I'm your escort Royce Mazaki," he smirked, "Please follow me so we can meet up with my partner."

The two dogs at my side left as I followed him down the hall.

"So, are you my escort or my guard" I asked slightly pissed off.

He laughed, "That's debatable. So what got a little lady like yourself involved with Shinra?"

"Lots of stuff, the main point being, I don't want to be here."

"Ah, now I see why they have us watching you."

"So you are my guard then?" I asked as he opened a door.

"That really is for you to decide," he replied with a sly smile. He held his hand out signalling for me to go first, "Right through here Miss."

I huffed and walked through the door before stopping dead in my tracks.

The man sitting across the room from me looked up from a folder he was reading, his hair falling to cover his right eye in the process.

"… Yuffie."

"Aha heya Vince, it's been a while," I replied scratching the back of my head.

"Ah so you know each other, great. That'll save time. You ready to go Valentine?"

Vincent closed the folder with one hand and set it back on the shelf it came from, "Ready," he said walking past me.

'Ooooh… cold shoulder…'

"Come on then princess," Royze said winking at me.

I scrunched my nose up at him before my eyes widened in realization.

"What did you just say to me?"

"What am I not allowed to joke?" He asked putting his arms out by his sides.

I let out the breath of air I had been holding in and my muscles relaxed as I began following them.

"I don't get the joke."

"You told Vincent you were a Kisaragi didn't you Miss Nagatsuki? Only the royal family has that name. Isn't that treason?"

"I- I didn't say I was part of the royal family… Kisaragi just has a better ring to it…" I lied on the spot. It was becoming a daily habit.

When we came to a large metal door Royze and Vincent both took a set of keys out of their pockets and each went to one side of the door.

Royze counted, "1, 2, 3-" and they both turned their keys in the locks on either side. The door opened and we stepped out onto a large platform in a cave surrounded by an underground lake. Before I even had a chance to take in all of my surroundings or even process where I was, the deafening sound of a motor assaulted my ears.

"What the-" I watched in amazement as a submarine emerged to the surface. A large door opened on the front and a small bridge was formed from by a large metal disk which wound out from the side of the platform. We walked across this and as I came closer to the vessel I could see a tall, stern looking woman with her arms folded behind her back, watching me from the opening.

"This way Nagatsuki," she said as soon as we entered.

"Wait! Who are you? What is this?" I asked as she led the way down the narrow passageways that lead through the vessel.

"I am Captain Bontrolva and I am pleased to have you aboard my ship. You will be given your assignment soon."

I got stares from everyone we passed. They looked as confused about my presence as I felt. Finally we reached a control room.

"Shinra has a very special task for you Nagatsuki," she said before turning her back to me, "Prepare to submerge! Disconnect the bridge. Close rear doors," she said calmly.

I was in awe of everything that was happening. Just an hour ago I had got the call from that snivelling Alin. Only an hour ago.

"Why me?" I asked after a moment.

"We're ready to go Captain!"

"Submerge!" she said before returning her attention to me.

"We've been watching you during your time in Midgar," she said as we sunk down further and further. "A scout first noticed you when you fought the Vlakorados in Kalm. We thought you might be an invaluable asset to Shinra," she turned her head to smile at me, "We were right."

I could feel my ears popping from the pressure and in the darkness of the water I could just make out the outlines of a door. It slid open and promptly closed after the ship entered. For a moment we were blocked in by a second set of doors until they opened and we entered the sea.

"So it was all a test...?" I asked numbly. I could make out Vincent glancing at me from my peripheral vision.

The news paper article and everything... how could I have been so stupid? I felt like I was going to throw up.

'Wait...'

"Bluuuuggghhhh...!" I kneeled over as I coughed up my cookies.

Through Mazaki's hysterical laughter I could hear a random crew member call for a mop.

Vincent sighed, "You may want to have someone follow her around with a bucket."

The Captain looked at me in disgust, "Seems you don't have the strongest of stomachs though..."

I looked up dizzily from my crouching position and whipped my mouth on my sleeve "Sorry," I said cracking a weak smile, "Motion sickness."

Bmonti, I'm completely open to criticism but I feel that your comment was unnecessary. This is obviously a Yuffietine fic because it is labelled so. I'm sorry that I don't just cater to Yuffietine fluff as I prefer to write stories of content. Plot comes first, romance second. If you can't appreciate that I suggest you find your literature elsewhere. Patients please, the Yuffietine will come in due time...

Anyway, rant over. I'm done my first year of Film school. So now, in between working, I will have plenty of free time from now till September. So expect more updates, if not for this story, for my others. Also, one of my stories finally hit the two digit mark in chapters. I think this calls for celebration. Thanks everyone who reviewed. Have a splendid day.