The Price of Freedom
†
Amity
The woman's brown eyes widened with deep admiration; never before in her life had she seen a place as beautiful as that.
Slowly Lucrecia took a few steps forward and stopped in the center of the subterranean chamber; the pale skin of her face flickered in the soft light emitted by the hundreds of crystals scattered around the cave.
Partially illuminated by the bluish energy that enveloped them, the sharp, transparent formations stretched around the scene in varying sizes, from small fragments like precious stones to greater elevations that stood as silent guardians watching over the larger crystal building on the background of the place, rising up like a beautiful column isolated above a small island, surrounded by the calm crystalline waters of a fountain.
When Grimoire Valentine stopped by her side, she asked her teacher, delighted.
"Is this the place you spoke of?"
"Yes." The scientist nodded in agreement, observing the cave with a thoughtful countenance. "Deep within this grotto is where Chaos is destined to awake."
The black-haired man pondered his own words; it was true that in his in-depth investigations he had found evidence of Chaos's awakening in that region, and that after a thorough analysis of this information he was led to discover that cave.
During the beginning of the woman's work as his assistant, the scientist had avoided showing Lucrecia anything related to his secret project, but knowing her better and perceiving in her true devotion to the science directed towards the good of humanity, as well as her genuine interest in discovery of the elements that formed the universe, little by little he revealed to her his researches and was surprised at her dedication to help him and over time truly becoming his right hand.
Frowning at the thought of his son, Grimoire inquired himself at that moment what would be the meaning of that unusual place, for Chaos had already been reborn in that world, though Vincent remained ignorant of his true identity. This Chaos 'awakening' related to that crystal cave, could it in truth be referring to the awakening of his son's consciousness about who he really is? What could exist in that cave that had direct involvement with Vincent?
At this moment Lucrecia rushed forward and the man raised his face in surprise.
"Wait!" He said, but the woman didn't listen.
Giggling radiantly, Lucrecia looked at her teacher and called.
"Come on, Dr. Valentine!"
Grimoire snorted softly.
"The fountain is not going anywhere," He muttered amused.
Lucrecia paced around the cave and her joy was so contagious that she looked like a child who had just received the best gift of all, and the black-haired man couldn't help but smile watching her.
Grimoire approached the fountain and he stood on the bank to observe the crystal formation more closely; internally the scientist also admired the unique construction of that scenario, although he kept it to himself, staying sober. The man lowered his attention to the water and his crimson eyes widened in surprise; he immediately knelt down to take a closer look at the bottom.
Lucrecia, who stopped by his side, gasped in surprise.
"What is that?!"
Above the layer of white sand in the depths of the waters were two spheres of black, dense energy that seemed to glide smoothly across the ground, surrounding a considerably smaller glowing sphere that much assembled a materia.
"Lucrecia." Grimoire broke the silence with a breathless whisper. "Bring in the equipment."
...
Lucrecia looked at her wristwatch and swore under her breath; thanks to her alarm clock that decided to conveniently stop working right on the day she made a commitment to her teacher to arrive earlier at work, wishing to clarify some doubts about her thesis project, the scientist was exactly fifteen minutes late when she crossed the entrance doors of Shinra Enterprise and prayed that it would not turn to twenty-five when she finally arrived at the Science Department.
Holding a fat briefcase full of papers under one arm while her opposite hand tried to close some buttons of the white coat, the woman stopped in shock as she stumbled upon the huge line of people awaiting the arrival of the elevators.
"Did everyone decide to arrive late today?!" Lucrecia exclaimed incredulously and indignantly, and cursing she turned and ran in another direction, immediately entering a nearby passage.
It would have to be the stairs.
She went down the corridor, doubled in two passages, walked the length of the third hall easily because there was no staff movement, then turned quickly on curve and crashed into someone.
They both fell brutally on the floor; the briefcase was hurled away and the papers scattered on the floor the same way the woman sprawled on top of the victim of her unforeseen and unintended attack.
The man grunted, and opening her eyes Lucrecia met the familiar crimson eyes of her boss's son.
Vincent blinked, initially confused, but the next moment he recognized the brown-haired woman.
They stared for a moment that seemed an eternity, immersed in each other's gaze, until the Turk shifted uncomfortably below her and realizing their current situation the scientist flushed.
"Um..." He started uncertainly. "Miss Crescent?"
Lucrecia blinked, tried to move and perceived she couldn't, realizing that he had caught her in the fall.
"Your arm," she said.
"Oh." Realizing what he was doing, he immediately released her.
The scientist stood and Turk sat up; she offered him her hand and Vincent accepted, rising as well.
"Are you okay?" He asked her after a moment and she nodded absently.
"Yes, I am, thank you." Lucrecia laughed awkwardly, rearranging a few strands of her fringe that had misplaced on the fall.
The Turk noticed the fallen briefcase and bent down to gather the documents.
"I see you're in a hurry." He remarked, reminding her of her commitment and the woman paled.
"Dr. Valentine's waiting for me, and I'm late!"
Vincent handed her the briefcase and spoke softly.
"I'm sure my father will understand; I'll tell him afterwards that you've been with me, he will not mind it."
"Thank you, Vincent." She thanked him again and turning around she walked a few steps and paused, remembering something. Looking back at Turk, the woman added. "You may call me Lucrecia, there is no need for such formality, really... it's good to see you again."
Observing her retreating form, Vincent smiled slightly with a warm look in his eyes.
"Lucrecia..." He whispered.
...
Grimoire Valentine ran a hand through his pale face, his eyes watching the results of the initial tests that he performed showing on the big screen of his laboratory in Shinra. His concern extended to his son and how much that could mean to his health and safety.
Oblivious of the turbulent thoughts running through her teacher's head, Lucrecia stood beside the scientist and folded her arms, watching the panel with great curiosity.
"They seem like a source of power," she said thoughtfully. "As a battery or a nucleus fragments, like as if a central energy source was torn apart into several pieces, becoming smaller essences of equal power."
Extending her hand and touching the screen, Lucrecia drew the connection diagram over the surface.
"Look at this; clearly it shows that their formulation is part of the same main structure because they have an interesting model that allows them fit again if they are gathered close to the central source, like a puzzle."
The woman then indicated the percentage numbers displayed on the bottom of the panel.
"From your analysis you can see that the structure and density equals 20% each. Considering the theory that the main piece also owns 20% of this power, then we have two fragments of 20% each and the protomateria, totalizing 40%. That means there must be two more essences like these scattered around, plus the 'main' piece where they can be gathered."
Lucrecia frowned and watched her teacher, who was staring at the screen extremely silent.
"If that cave is supposed to be where Chaos would wake, these essences... are essences of its power and Chaos is the 'main' piece?" She asked him. "Would it be possible for a being of creation as Chaos to be alive even today, after millennia of the creation of Gaia?"
Grimoire closed his eyes and took a deep breath; he admired how smart Lucrecia was for matters of science in the same proportion in which he also feared the things she might discover with time. They thought alike and she couldn't imagine how close to the truth she had hit with her assumptions.
Keeping sober, his voice calm, he answered after a long moment.
"That possibility is highly unlikely, Lucrecia ..." The scientist began cautiously. "There is no kind of organism that would be able to withstand such power."
Grimoire stood and paced around the room.
"These essences that we have found can give us many answers about things we don't even think are possible... But they are dangerous at the same time; the support chambers have an internal pressure to the exact extent necessary to keep them stable in storage, but I have no doubt that they could destroy the whole structure if they become unstable for some reason."
The man stopped and cupped his chin with his left hand while crossing his arms over his chest.
"No ordinary living being would bear such power…"
"Even so..." Lucrecia spoke with a wonder smile on her lips. She put her hands on the panel and spoke dreamily. "It would be nice if that were possible ... Can't you imagine, Dr. Valentine, to meet Chaos itself in front of you... Wouldn't that be wonderful?"
"Yes..." Grimoire said, his crimson eyes gleamed and his thoughts were completely focused on his son. "Maybe, Lucrecia ... Maybe ..."
...
Vincent raised his face and looked at his father across the table; the scientist was quiet, more than usual at dinner, staring at the plate as he ate distractedly with apprehensive countenance.
Finishing his meal the younger man leaned back in his seat, folded his arms and broke the silence.
"What's troubling you, father?"
Grimoire lifted his face and blinked in surprise, sharply awake from his thoughts.
"You didn't say anything at all this time." Turk went straight to the point.
"Oh." The older man laughed in embarrassment and ran his hand through his hair. "Sorry, son... I am really a little distracted."
"Just a little? Are you sure?" Vincent questioned with amusement and Grimoire nodded with a smile.
"Okay, okay..."
The scientist agreed, pushed his plate away and paused his dinner. He thought about his recent discoveries in the laboratory that were the real sources of his current concern, but instead of revealing them to his son he decided to speak about another matter that also weighed on his mind.
"Lucrecia is finishing her doctorate, and in a few days she will defend her thesis to the examining board."
"Why does this concern you?" The younger man inquired with mild curiosity.
"Lucrecia is a brilliant scientist, son ..." Grimoire began to say. "She is a dedicated and extremely interested woman, she has a vision wider than many of our colleagues in the Science Department and the thesis she made is really fantastic and innovative ... But also extremely bold and I fear that some of the members of the examining board may make it difficult for her approbation."
Vincent frowned. He listened to everything in silence, knowing full well the subject Lucrecia had chosen to address in her thesis he also knew that had been her great step to the title of doctor, and he pondered his father's words, asking.
"And have you ever talked about your concerns with her?"
Grimoire nodded; he rested his elbows on the table and his chin above his joined hands.
"Yes, she knows my concerns and she insisted on going ahead with the project."
Stubborn as aways... Vincent smiled slightly.
"You shouldn't worry so much, I'm sure Lucrecia is a competent professional that knows what she's doing."
The scientist nodded slightly, watching his son.
"She wrote a thesis based on an old project of mine that I never dared to divulge to the scientific community... It was just a kind of hobby... A personal curiosity of mine..."
"Gast will be on the examining board?" Vincent asked and the other man nodded. The Turk proceeded. "She is like you when it comes to science, father, and she is your oriented. She'll make it, I'm sure of it."
Grimoire just nodded again, still thoughtful.
...
That evening as he patrolled the West Tower, a large building attached to the main Shinra's construction through a closed footbridge, Vincent found Lucrecia in a higher area that provided a large balcony and revealed a privileged view of Midgar.
Watching her for a moment gazing at the city with a grave countenance and distant glance, Vincent had the familiar feeling that he had lived through this moment in the past. As he patrolled Shinra Enterprise on several occasions he did found countless members of the Science Department in their leisure time.
Perhaps he had met Lucrecia before without knowing it, and as it didn't mattered to him who she was at the time he probably had just continued off with his work, but in the present moment, however, he entered the balcony and approached the woman. Listening to his footsteps echoing softly on the floor, the scientist awoke from her reverie and her face filled with surprise as she recognized him.
"I've done the patrols several times before in this place, but it's rare to find anyone here, no matter how impressive the view is." The black-haired man commented, leaning his arms on the guardrail, he also stared at the landscape with a sober countenance.
"I thought more people knew of this place," she said with genuine curiosity. "But now that you've commented it... During the times I've been here I've never met anyone else until now."
She watched him nod slightly.
"People's lives are very busy these days, and only a few spend some minutes of their time to enjoy such beauties."
Vincent met her gaze.
"I came here only once before while I wasn't working on patrol. And you? Do you come here often?"
"Only in times when I want to listen to my own thoughts alone." Lucrecia laughed lightly. "In the laboratories there is a lot of talk, the sound of equipment working nonstop… there are some issues that only silence can gives us the necessary concentration."
Turk smiled slightly.
"You didn't seem to be concentrating on your thoughts just now; you appeared to be fighting them."
The scientist laughed and her fingers played through her long fringe; the golden tone of the sun bathed her delicate face and Vincent thought she was beautiful at that moment.
"My father told me about your thesis," he commented. "So… you are close to completing your doctorate, then?"
"Yes..." She averted her face to watch her own hands and Turk sensed her nervousness as he touched the subject.
"And this should not bring you joy?" Vincent asked.
"I am happy; I really cannot wait to get it over with." The scientist shook her head and her brown eyes flashed with concern. "But..."
Turk closed his eyes and sighed softly.
"You're worried about the defense, aren't you?" He said and she raised her face to look at him in surprise.
Lucrecia said nothing at once, but as his gaze returned to her, intense and deep that seemed to know exactly what she was thinking or feeling, the woman realized herself nodding in agreement and confessing.
"I know it's foolish... But there is certain fame that the defense is difficult and that the examination board of the Science Department is not convinced easy; you have to impress them to get approval and this really as made me lose my sleep…"
The man listened to her quietly, and when she sighed beside him, resting her hands on the guardrail with slumped shoulders as if and the weight of the world was on her back, Vincent put a hand of his above hers and told her soberly.
"I don't know what the theme of your thesis is, but I'm sure you'll enchant the teachers of the examining board and you'll win the approval, after all you're being mentored by my father, and although he told me it's an unusual and daring subject, he also said it's fantastic and innovative, capable of opening eyes to many possibilities within science."
Lucrecia watched him speechless as the Turk went on.
"As much as you come to meet some people who are not according to what you will present, as happens to many things in life, the important thing is to not listen to them; if you believe in your project you will be able to defend it and convince those who will be evaluating you. You just have to believe in yourself, the rest doesn't matter."
Astonished she thanked him silently, nodding, feeling her voice tighten in her throat and he returned the gesture in understanding. She looked at his hand over hers, feeling it steady as his words of encouragement, and as soon as the thought came into her mind she spoke it out loud as she found her voice again.
"My thesis defense will be next week, late afternoon on Monday. Come to see my presentation." She invited him, and Vincent pulled away from her and crossed his arms to look at her curiously.
"I don't know how my humble presence could make any difference in an auditorium full of doctors of science." Turk joked and the woman slapped his arm.
"For me it would be important!" She told him with false indignation, and Vincent nodded, snorting softly.
"If you insist."
The smile that lit the woman's countenance at that moment was priceless.