Author's Note
I'm so sorry for not uploading this sooner. I've had this written, but I've had no time to type it. I've been watching the news a lot more because of what happened in Japan. My cousin was stationed there with the army. We haven't heard from her. It's really heartbreaking to see all of what happened. And, it's only the beginning. And in addition to that, people are really making me angry. Anywho, enough ranting. On with the chapter.
Tifa sighed softly, peering through the filmy window. "Guess this'll have to do. The rest of the rooms look like they could collapse at any second…"
Nanaki grunted softly, sinking down into the ragged carpet. He glanced around one last time before settling his muzzle on top of his large paws.
She pulled out her blanket, spreading it under the window. She settled atop it, using her backpack as a pillow. She watched the light filter through the glass pane, dancing about above her. The rays began to wane, shadows creeping forward around her. She shut her eyes and turned away, singing softly inside her mind. "Home is behind the world ahead. There are many paths to tread…"*
Red pricked his ears up, opening his eyes wearily. He sat up, glancing over at his human companion. She, too, was awake and aware of the strange murmurings and rustling beneath them.
The martial artist quickly climbed up off the floor, treading softly to the door. She opened it a crack, peeking out into the dark corridor. "It must be in the basement, then."
Nanaki nudged the door open with his paw, brushing past the woman. He sniffed, then began to head down toward the back of the rundown mansion. Tifa followed him, pulling on her gloves and glancing in the other rooms. The wolf-like creature stopped, gesturing toward the wall. "There's a passageway through the wall."
She nodded, taking a step back as he slid back to the side. She took a deep breath, then released a mighty kick at the wall. The crackling of splintered wood proved he was right. There was a hidden door. She lashed out again, aiming lower. With a screeching creak, the wall fell in, sliding down the stairs into the dark. He slipped through the doorway into the dim staircase. Tifa trailed after the faint glow of his tail, wondering what in Odin's name they were getting into.
Red XIII halted at the bottom, waiting for the woman to emerge from the shadowy depths of the stairway. His nose wrinkled disdainfully, recognizing an all-too-familiar scent.
"What is it, Red?" Tifa asked, sliding along the wall of the room for a light switch.
"This place."
She finally found in and flicked it up, causing the lights to struggle into existence. "What about-"
"A lab," he growled, pawing forward.
"I wonder what they were doing…" she muttered, scanning the room carefully.
"Experiments of some sort," he replied softly, moving around the desks and outdated equipment. He rumbled faintly, causing the woman to follow his gaze. She gasped, covering her mouth with her hand.
The preserved remains were slumped on the floor blood staining the surrounding area. The fluid was splattered across the walls and ceiling, the equipment covered in dark splotches.
"What could've done this?" she murmured, taking a tentative step forward.
"It was not of this natural world," Nanaki told her, striding around the body to the opposite side of the room.
"How do you know?"
"The attacker smells of something… else."
Tifa nodded, kneeling carefully beside the corpse. "His badge says he's a guard. Wouldn't there be scientists here as well?" she muttered to herself, thinking aloud.
"And so the tormenter becomes the tormented," Red quoted, stopping at the door in front of him.
The woman stood, noticing her friend's silence. She treaded over quickly, glancing down at him. "I guess we'll find out who the new tormenter is," and with that, she shoved the door open.
Tifa blinked, stepping into the candlelit room.
Nanaki silently pawed inside, observing the strange change in venue. The windows were framed with ratted curtains, allowing no light to enter. An old, tattered armchair sat in front of the curtains, the rest of the room bare.
"Look," she whispered, pointing to the far end of the semi-dark space.
"A coffin," he said, approaching it quietly. He took note of the chips around its edge, studying it intently.
The woman lightly traced the holes and tears in the fabrics, her slender eyebrows furrowed together.
"Tifa."
She looked up from her reverie, nodding slightly. She strode over and carefully wrapped her fingers around the lip of the casket. She quickly pulled it away, revealing a man in a blood-red cloak.
* This is the first two lines of the song titled "Pippin's Song" from Lord of the Rings (Return of the King).*
