Yazoo and Nero walked into the room just in time to hear Sephiroth give Reno a lecture. The red-head looked like a small, scared child next to the tall former SOLDIER. Reno's face was almost as red as his hair and he looked as though he was ready to bolt out of the room. Everyone else had gone off to the side, giving Sephiroth his space. Upon seeing Yazoo and Nero, Lorrainia and Renzoo ran over to meet them. Renzoo looked up at Nero, his green eyes pleading.
"Are you going to help my sister?" he asked.
Nero nodded. "I am going to try," he replied.
Vincent walked up to them. "Nero, this is..."
Nero held up a hand. "Father, please. There will be time for introductions later. Right now, I must save my niece," he said. He turned to Yazoo. "However, she will not trust me unless she knows I was sent by you. I need something to prove that I am there to help."
Yazoo thought for a moment. "Tell her...uncle Loz's shin is doing much better."
Nero nodded. "Very well. Let us begin."
Vincent smiled and nodded; stepping to the side. All activity in the room came to a halt when Nero walked over to the bed. He took a deep breath and began levitating. He crossed his legs, hovering a couple of feet off the floor. He closed his eyes and concentrated. Darkness swelled around him, setting Reno on edge. Loz put a hand on the Turk's shoulder. A shadowy form of Nero floated up from his body. There was a moment of pause before the shadow lost its form and disappeared inside Launa's body.
Be careful, Vincent prayed.
Nero sailed through a long, dark tunnel. Screams and cries echoed all around him. It reminded Nero of what he did to countless others; how he absorbed them inside his Darkness and thought nothing of it. He shook his head. That was the old him. He had a chance to make things right; a chance at redemption. He wasn't going to betray his father's trust.
What are you doing to this poor kids, Dmitry? he thought as a light began to appear up ahead. I am coming for you, demon.
He flew through the light. He looked around, finding himself inside a strange laboratory. He didn't know where he was until he saw a logo for the ShinRa Power Company on the wall. Nero gazed around the room. His eyes fell on a Mako tube on the other side. However, instead of the usual green, the mako inside the tube was a dark purple and black color.
Nero's eyes widened when he realized the person inside the tube was Launa. Nero hurried over to the tank and flipped the switch. The mako drained and Nero opened the door. Launa fell into his arms. He lowered her to the floor, checking for a pulse. Launa suddenly started to gasp and cough. Nero sat her up as mako spilled from Launa's mouth.
"Launa? Launa, speak to me," Nero pleaded.
Launa's coughing subsided and she gasped for breath. She managed to catch her breath and looked up. Upon seeing Nero, her eyes widened in horror and she screamed. Launa scrambled away from him, hiding behind the tank.
"Go away," she cried. "Leave me alone. Just...go away."
"Launa," Nero tried again.
"I want to go home," Launa sobbed, curling into a ball. "I don't want to be here anymore. I want to go home." She broke down into uncontrollable sobs. "Why won't you let me go?"
Nero remained where he was; knowing that if he moved towards her, Launa was only going to freak out even more. "Uncle Loz's shin is doing much better," he said.
Launa looked up, tears streaming down her face. "What?" she asked.
"Uncle Loz's shin is doing much better," Nero repeated.
"How do you know that?" Launa questioned.
"I was sent by your parents," Nero answered. "I am here to bring you back."
The lights suddenly flickered and a deep, hissing laugh echoed through the lab. Nero and Launa looked around. A misty shadow shot around the lab; knocking out the lights as it went until the room was pitch dark. Launa scrambled over to Nero.
"Not so fast," sounded a nightmarish hiss.
Launa screamed as she was swept up in the mist. The lights came back on and Nero was left alone in the lab. All around him he could still hear the hissing laugh.
"Better luck next time, puppet," the Terror Born laughed.