Premonitions II: Crisis Core
Chapter 82: The Dark Forest
Vincent, Zack, Jessie, Barret, Yuffie, Red XIII, and Cait Sith trekked deeper into the forest, which, and this point, had grown darker, as it was now dusk.
There was no path; the seven of them could only pray that they were not going around in circles.
The forest was full of life; there were birds of bright colors that nobody had ever seen before, and Barret even spotted an anteater among the foliage.
All eyes were peeled for Sephiroth. There was a real possibility that he was somewhere in the forest. Nobody was certain what they would do if and when they caught up to him. They would somehow have to get his sword away from him, and then overpower him, taking him somewhere to be locked up.
Vincent would keep his promise not to kill Sephiroth. He was, however, skeptical of one of his companions. Zack had lost four years of his life to him; his vengeful vibe could be felt from a mile away.
And then, suddenly, Yuffie screamed.
Everyone immediately came to a stop.
"Look at the size of that spider!" she exclaimed, as she scanned the web above her.
Six groans were heard in unison.
"It's only a spider!" Jessie sighed.
Yuffie then turned to Vincent.
"Can I have a piggyback ride?" she pleaded.
"I don't even know how to respond to that," he replied in a monotone.
The trek through the forest continued.
"Could Xenara be in these woods?" Red XIII asked out loud as he continually scanned his surroundings.
"It's possible, Vincent replied.
Yet, as they progressed through the forest, they saw no evidence of any civilization whatsoever.
Eventually, they happened upon a creek. It was small and shallow, but it clearly flowed to the ocean. This, it was agreed to follow it upstream, as that would most likely be south.
Red XIII suddenly caught a fish, causing Yuffie to shriek again.
Inevitably, it became dark. Night had fallen, and the sound of crickets chirping soon filled everyone's ears.
"We are going to need to find a place to stop for the night," Red XIII pointed out.
"Forget it," Barret dismissed. "It's not like anyone can pull a tent out of their ass."
Cait Sith stopped, and cleared his throat.
"Well, actually," he began.
"Wait a damn minute," Barret grunted. "You're not gonna do what I think you're gonna do, are you?"
"Not exactly," Cait Sith assured him.
With that, the cat reached behind his back and pulled of what appeared to be the poles and material to build a tent.
"Holy shit!" Barret exclaimed.
Cait Sith chucked.
"Cait Sith Number Three was designed for situations like this," he announced.
Camp was set up, and a fire was kindled in the center. The tent was large enough to fit all seven of them, and even had sleeping bags inside.
Six of them were gathered in a circle around the campfire, sitting in complete silence. There were quite surprised at what the last few days had brought them.
"We could play the penis game," Yuffie suggested as she giggled.
"I haven't played that since I was sixteen," Jessie pointed out.
"There's nobody to hear us," Red XIII dismissed.
"Except maybe Sephiroth," Cait Sith suggested.
Yuffie turned around and looked at the dark woods behind the camp site. She shuddered at the realization that Sephiroth could be hiding in the foliage.
Barret, meanwhile, felt Jessie clasp his hand. Moments later, she turned to him and smiled.
"Wait a minute," Yuffie began, once she noticed. "You're a couple?"
"We're getting to know each other," Jessie replied, still smiling.
"When did this happen?" Yuffie asked.
"I guess," Jessie answered, "when I realized that life was too short not to."
Vincent, meanwhile, stood a few yards away from camp, staring at the creek. Not requiring sleep, he was able to keep vigil, in case anything or anyone approached the camp.
But now, he was focused on the creek. It was reflective, and she definitely could appear there that night. He desperately wanted to see her again.
He desperately wanted to get her back to the real world.
He desperately wanted another chance with her, now that she was, in all sense, a widow.
FLASHBACK...
Vincent, being a Turk, easily got wind that Lucrecia and Hojo were getting married on June 12 in the Sector Four Cathedral.
He did not take it well; in fact, he called out of work for three days straight. When he did return, he was in a funk for days. He was often pacing around, engaging in little production.
His nights were completely sleepless. He would stare at the ceiling, realizing he had lost Lucrecia for good.
"Or have I?" he said to himself out loud on one of those nights.
She was engaged, not married.
It was almost too late.
But not quite.
"I'm going to stop this wedding," he said to himself.
He knew, deep down, that it would seem to be a foolish idea.
Getting the information alone was a crazy idea; he broke into Hojo's office after work ours to obtain the date, time, and venue.
Less than an hour before Lucrecia was due to take her vows, Vincent duly found himself at the Sector Four Cathedral.
The door was locked.
Being a Turk, Vincent was easily able to find his way in through the vents. He made his way through the airducts to the bride's dressing room.
She was wearing a beautiful wedding gown that was sleevelss and strapless, and greatly flattered her figure.
And she was getting married to someone else.
Realizing that it was a time-sensitive situation, Vincent ditched all inhibitions and punched the vent grating, allowing him to climb out into the bridal suite.
Lucrecia immediately jumped, spun around, and nearly screamed. She then displayed an upset look; she was less than pleased to see him, let alone the fact that he snuck in through the heating system.
"Vincent?!" Lucrecia exclaimed. "What the hell are you doing here?!"
He realized that she would not allow him to lead up to it; he decided to be straightforward.
"I want you back," Vincent pleaded.
Lucrecia angrily put her hands on her hips.
"Did you pay one ounce of attention to what I've been telling you?!" she snapped.
"I paid attention," Vincent replied. "I haven't forgotten what you warned me. I'm willing to take that chance."
Lucrecia sighed.
"I walk down the aisle in twenty minutes," she informed him.
That realization stung his heart; he had less than half an hour left.
"You have that long to say what you have to say," she continued.
"If moving to fast bothered you that badly, I can slow down. I promise. Hell, I'll do anything to fix us. You name it, I'll do it."
Lucrecia gave him a look of empathy.
"It's too late," she dismissed. "I'm getting married."
"To Hojo," Vincent lamented.
"We broke up," Lucrecia replied. "That means I can date or marry someone else."
Vincent lowered his head.
"If you don't love me," he said, "I can't force you."
He closed his eyes.
"Vincent!"
He opened his eyes, and raised his head.
"You just had to say that!" she snapped.
"It's obviously the truth," he continued. "Otherwise, you never would have left me. I know I wasn't really moving to fast. You were initiating it more than I was. But you just weren't in love, I guess."
"Vincent, I do love you!" Lucrecia declared. "I do!"
"Then why did you leave me?" he demanded.
"Because I couldn't live with myself," Lucrecia replied. "I'm responsible for your father's death. That means every time you woke up next to me, you saw the woman who left you an orphan."
"It wasn't your fault," Vincent insisted. "I know I already told you that."
Lucrecia sighed, and turned her back to him.
"I wish I could believe that," she sighed. "I really do."
"What will it take?" Vincent asked.
Lucrecia stood in silence.
It appeared that she had enough.
Feeling defeated, Vincent turned and began to make his way toward the vent, leaving her to her fate.
He did not regard the rustling sound her heard behind him. He simply reached the vent, and prepared to crouch down.
"Vincent," Lucrecia suddenly called.
Vincent cautiously turned around to see Lucrecia standing with her back still turned to him. Only now, her white panties were on the floor, and she was holding her wedding dress up, revealing her white heels, her garter, her legs, and her beautiful bare butt that Vincent had thought he would never see again.
"Lucrecia," he began, completely caught off guard. "I-I..."
"Just take your pants off before I change my mind," she commanded.
Five minutes later, Vincent was putting his pants back on as Lucrecia was slipping on her panties again.
"You don't have to do this," Vincent pleaded. "You can run away with me."
Lucrecia lowered her head. Despite the romantic interlude, she could not forget her circumstances.
"I'm betrothed," she said sadly. "I can't go back on it."
Vincent, preparing to lash out, suddenly realized that there was something that he needed to consider.
"Do you love him?" he asked.
"Yes, Vincent," she replied. "I do."
Vincent turned around.
"Then," he finally said, "so be it."
"So...be it?"
"I truly love you," Vincent continued. "And I need you to be happy."
Lucrecia looked at her former love. She realized that he truly loved and respected her. Thus, she needed to offer him something.
"Listen," she began. "there's a view from the church attic. If you want, you can attend from there."
So Vincent made his way through the vent to the church attic.
And he watched.
He watched as Lucrecia walked down the aisle.
He watched as she recited her vows.
He watched as she exchanged rings with Hojo.
And he watched as she and Hojo shared their first kiss as husband and wife.
...END FLASHBACK
It was the most painful memory of his life; one of the few that he would be willing to forget.
Vincent continued to gaze into the creek, hoping Lucrecia would appear.
But she did not appear that night.
THE NEXT MORNING...
Thursday, February 7, 0008
Vincent, Barret, Jessie, Zack, Red XIII, Cait Sith, and Yuffie resumed their journey the next morning. They continued to follow along the creek, though little of the scenery changed. They spotted a few lizards and several brightly colored frogs, which appeared to be poisonous. A few more strange birds flew above them.
"How much longer?!" complained Yuffie.
"God only knows," Vincent replied.
"I need food!" Yuffie exclaimed.
"We all do," Cait Sith said. "Except for me, of course."
"You had to rub it in," Yuffie grunted as she folded her arms.
"She does have a point," Zack admitted. "We can't go without food forever."
At that moment, Barret spotted a bell pepper plant growing two yards away from the creek. The peppers were ripe and red, and almost begging to be picked.
"I think we solved the problem!" he announced as he approached the plant.
He looked directly at the plant, and that quickly became his undoing.
It was because he had failed to check his surroundings.
He realized his mistake as soon as he felt something strike his right leg.
"Fuck!" he shouted as he staggered back.
Barret looked just in time to see a green snake with yellow marks slithering away into the bushes. It had obviously bitten him.
"Goddammit!" he muttered as he looked down and pulled up his right pant.
There was a throbbing lump on his leg.
Jessie immediately ran to him and knelt down to check.
The lump was growing by the moment.
"He's been envenomed," Red XIII pointed out.
"Will he be okay?" Yuffie exclaimed.
"I don't know," Red XIII admitted. "I've never seen that snake before!"
"I'll be fine!" Barret insisted. "I've had worse."
Everyone, especially Jessie, gave him a skeptical look.
"Well," Barret continued, "what else'r we gonna do?"
"He's right," Red XIII agreed. "We need to get him to civilization. Only there can a doctor help him."
"Is there even civilization south of here?" Cait Sith asked.
"One way to find out," Vincent replied.
Thus, they continued to head south along the creek as quickly as possible, though Barret's pain was slowing them down.
Jessie was next to him, holding his arm and keeping him at his feet.
"Be strong," she pleaded.
"I'll be fine," he insisted.
Gradually, his walk became a limp.
Jessie began to panic; either the wound was getting worse, or the venom's effect was intensifying. Neither would be good.
Finally, the foliage began to diminish, and each of them knew they were approaching the southern end of the forest.
"We made it!" Jessie whispered happily as she squeezed Barret's arm.
"At last!" Yuffie exclaimed.
The seven travelers exited the forest. They descended a small hill, away from the woods.
And they were all amazed at what they saw.
It was a village.
The streets were red brick, and the houses were red, pink, and white. Yellow street lights filled the village. And, yet, there were no people walking about.
But the village could not be abandoned; there were lights on in the houses.
"Where is this place?" Vincent asked aloud.
"Definitely not Xenara!" Barret replied.
With that, he collapsed to the ground.
"Barret!" cried Jessie.
And then, suddenly, three doors at three different houses opened at once, and three people emerged.
"Good evening," one of them greeted as she approached. "My name is Lorna Claris. I'm the mayor here. Are you lost?"
"Not exactly," Vincent replied. "We're looking for a place called Xenara. But more importantly, is there a doctor here? One of us was bitten by a snake."
"I'm a doctor," said the second person as he noticed the fallen Barret. "I'll take you to the clinic."
He and Jessie raised Barret to his feet and thus led him the clinic.
The remaining five stayed behind.
"Where did you come from?" Claris asked. "We have not seen anyone outside our village for some years."
"You wouldn't believe it," Zack replied. "We came from far to the north."
"We passed through the Storm Belt," added Vincent. "And Welsanlai."
"I'm afraid I haven't heard of either of those places," Claris admitted. "And you came through the forest as well?"
"We sure did," Cait Sith replied.
"My goodness," Claris said. "That forest can kill you in a hundred ways."
And then, she gasped.
She had spotted Red XIII.
"Where did he come from?" she asked, in an almost shaky voice.
"North of the Storm Belt as well," Red XIII answered. "A town called Cosmo Canyon."
And then, three more doors opened.
Six more individuals emerged from the houses, and began to approach the five visitors, who immediately gasped upon seeing them.
They were all quadrupedal. They were red, and covered in fur.
They were Red XIII's species.
Claris turned to Red XIII, and smiled.
"Welcome home," she said.