Shinra's Deception
By: Shadow Risae
Amara_Tenoh@hotmail.com
- Part 2: The Escort
The next day when I arrived to work, I was greeted by Tseng. He smiled. I didn't like the smile. The look read clearly "I want you to do something for me that I was asked to do but don't want to".
"Mr. Valentine, I have the perfect job for you today."
Oh joy. I was hardly thrilled. But I forced a smile anyway, just to please the man. "Really? What kind of job?"
"There's an intern for the science department that was working a field assignment." Tseng got up from his desk and handed me a folder. "She needs an escort back to headquarters. I believe you're the right man for the job."
"Let me guess… because I'm the lowest ranking of the Turks?" I asked.
Tseng looked amused. "If you want to see it that way, I suppose so."
I opened the folder. The intern's name was Lucrecia Casey. I flipped through the papers, seeing a picture in the very back. She looked about my age with long, flowing brown hair, matching eyes that sparkled behind her thin glasses, and a gorgeous smile. "She's the one I escort?!" I asked, looking up at Tseng.
"Yes. Why?"
"No reason." I glanced down at the picture again. She was absolutely incredible. She could easily be a model. If she just maybe put on a dress and ditched the glasses… No Vincent. This is your job. You can't think that. Plus you're a loser anyway. Hot chicks don't like losers and I sure don't blame them.
Tseng then look the folder and smacked me in the head with it, knocking me back to reality. "Quit daydreaming and go pick her up. She's staying in the inn down the street. There's two tickets for chocobo rentals in the folder provided for you. The mission is expected to be accomplished in 3 days. If you need more time, have a messenger send the headquarters word."
"Understood."
"Oh…" He pulled two small green orbs from his pocket. "Here's some materia just in case you need it."
"Thank you sir." I took the materia and then saluted him, walking outside. I froze, almost slamming into someone. "I apologize."
"No, it's okay. I was just studying the flowers."
"Flowers?" I stared at her. It was her. Lucrecia… the girl I was supposed to escort. She was wearing a pair of faded jeans and a black t-shirt. She looked so plain and casual but still… Her beauty was not hidden one bit. I looked her up and down as she stared at me like I was an idiot.
"The flowers you're standing on."
"Oh. Sorry…" I stepped back onto the stone path leading to the Shinra mansion. Then I followed her gaze to the ground. A few flowers were growing along the path, but now about half were flattened since I hadn't seen them.
"You should be careful. Flowers are living things too."
"Sorry," I apologized again. "Umm… are you Lucrecia?"
She nodded, her glasses simultaneously slipping down her nose. She pushed them up with one finger. Oh, that was so cute. "Yes, I'm Lucrecia Casey, a science intern. You are?" She held out her hand.
"I… I…" I couldn't remember. All I could think about was her. My mind was swimming. Oh come on, you know your name. Tell her! Don't look like even more of a loser!
She then grabbed my badge, looking at it. "Vincent Valentine, Turks. You must be the low ranking new recruit that was sent to baby-sit me."
"Uh… I…" I didn't know what to say.
She rolled her eyes. "All guys are the same. They see a pretty face and get even stupider than they already are. Well, I'm ready to set out whenever you are."
I wasn't sure what to think about her comment so shrugged it off. "Umm… okay. Let's go to the chocobo rentals then."
"Lead the way."
Lucrecia didn't say a word on the way to pick up the chocobo rentals or the first hour or so of traveling. I was glad for that. It gave me a chance to think a bit. I wondered what she thought about me. Duh, Vincent. You know what she thinks. All you've done is stupidly stare and babble at her. But maybe that's for the best. She's my assignment. That's all. You don't even know her.
"So Vincent… or would you prefer Vince?" Lucrecia's voice jarred me back.
I glanced over at her. "I guess it really doesn't matter. No one's ever called me Vince though."
"I'll call you that then." Lucrecia tightened her grip on the chocobo's reins, then glanced back over at me. "Why'd you join the Turks?"
"What do you mean?"
She shrugged. "Well, I became an intern hoping I can one day become a scientist. I love nature and I hope that being a scientist helps me preserve all of the world's wonderful creatures. You have a reason for joining the Turks, don't you?"
Two reasons, I thought. To try to become less of an outcast freak and to help my father rest in peace knowing that his son is trying to do something right like he did. But both led to sad, sappy stories. I wasn't sure what to tell her. I then finally said, "I want to do something good for the world. Maybe this is my way. Maybe not. But I never know until I try."
She laughed. I frowned. "What's so funny about that?"
"I don't know. I just didn't think the type of guy like you would say that."
"The type of guy like me? What's that supposed to mean?"
She smiled, but didn't answer.
Suddenly the chocobos stopped dead in their tracks. I hadn't been holding on and went flying off, landing hard face first on the ground. I pulled myself up, spitting dirt from my mouth.
"Vince… we have trouble," Lucrecia whispered.
Slowly, I pulled my gun from my side. I heard a raspy breathing behind me. I clicked off the gun's safety and turned. A huge, red, balloon shaped thing floated in front of me. It's eyes stared at me, slowly narrowing.
"That's a bomb," Lucrecia said
"You think I don't know that?!" I spat, frustrated.
"We invaded it's territory. That's why it's angry," she explained.
The bomb's expression seemed to turn even angrier every second. Then it began to close it's eyes and grow.
"Oh shit," I whispered. I glanced at Lucrecia. "Run."
"But…"
"I said run! Do you want to get yourself killed?!"
She gave the chocobo a light kick with her heels and it ran. The other chocobo followed. I then looked at the bomb. It was still growing. I cocked the gun and fired. It didn't seem to affect it. I kept firing shot after shot until finally…
Click… click… click. My clip ran out. I stuck my hand in my pocket, trying to pull out another. But the bomb wasn't growing anymore. It's body began to violently shake. It was going to blow up. I started to back up, then turned and ran.
That's when the bomb decided to blow. The shock waves of the explosion pushed my body up in the air. I flew forward a good ten feet until I hit the ground hard, again face first. I didn't move. My body hurt all over. My mouth was full of dirt and blood. My own blood.
A minute later, I heard the sound of running chocobos.
"Vince, are you okay? You are so stupid, you know that? You could've died."
"But I didn't. Besides, what's it matter? My role is to play the role of the mindless protector, remember?" I sat up. I could feel the blood from my nose dripping down my face. I gently felt my nose. Broken.
Lucrecia stood there for a minute, looking like she wasn't sure if she wanted to cry or roll her eyes. Finally she said, "Let's get you bandaged up."
As Lucrecia and I walked over to a grassy area to sit down, I looked up at the sky. The sun was beginning to set and the stars were slowly appearing in the sky. I had a feeling the worst was yet to come and my gun had failed to even make a dent in the bomb. Father, what am I doing wrong?
