Lanterns dotted the cavern walls, sparks against the covering darkness. Occasionally, light was reflected of a gold vein or a precious gem. Distant rumbles shook the makeshift shaft from time to time, causing the miners to pause in their work and wait for another sign of a cave-in. When no other signs came the song of a canary uplifted the miners' hearts. No danger, except for what they could cause themselves. Going back to work the miners would joke and play with one another as they filled their carts. Silence was the sound of death, laughter kept both at bay.
Guards would patrol the shafts to keep the monsters at bay. Giant wyrms and dragons were often found in the mines. Some dragons would acquire a taste for chocobo.......... or even men. It was to dangerous to let the miners go it alone. Not to mention costly. A miner who kept looking over their shoulder was never as fast or careful as a protected miner. Mistakes simply didn't happen like they did before the guards. Many guards used to be miners. Many different reasons marked the change of occupation. Some were youths wanting more adventure, others family men who wanted more pay. But once in a while there were men who wanted vengeance on the monsters.
One such man stood in the front of a light less tunnel. His partner held a lantern up to the darkness. Even illuminated in the thin light the vengeful man was barely distinguishable. Black as the tunnel around him, he cut an impressive figure. Towering over six feet tall, he had an extremely muscled build. One arm sported what looked like a machine gun where his hand should have been.
"I don't think anything's down there, Barret." replied the man holding the lantern. "It must have just been my imagination." A sigh of relief seemed to escape the men as the men turned to leave. Glowing eyes watched the men's departure before deciding on which to make it's prey.
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"Luceria?" a voice asked form the darkness. The young woman felt along the wall for a light switch to illuminate the darkened room. Light poured over the lab's sparkling surfaces. Tubes and tables all were all in order as the bookish woman made her way to the specimen's cage. Bars of mirthil and thick glass separated the woman from the specimen.
"Luceria?" the voice asked again. "Is that you, Luceria?"
"Yes, it's me." the woman's voice said quietly. "It's time for my rounds. How are you doing today, Jenova?"
"Not much better than the day before." she replied in the ritual that Luceria and Jenova kept. In talking to each other they both managed to keep their sanity. Each of them were imprisoned in the secret lab. One by bars of mirthil, the other by bars of love. Only one of which was escapable. A small truce was formed between the scientist and the specimen. Both had the came keeper. Many times Jenova would talk to Luceria while the she watched the woman clean. Already, Jenova had decided not to kill the woman when she escaped.
Author's notes: I'm sorry this chapter's so short and it took me so long to post. I've been sick then when I got back to school I had to make up all that work and I wasn't able to focus on the fic like I would have wanted to! I figured something was better than nothing anyway. And last of all, the results so far! Remember, if one couple's not looking the way you want it get other people to read and vote!
Yuffie x Reno 4
Cloud x Tifa 4
Sephiroth x Aeris 3
Tifa x Zack 2
Aeris x Vincent 2
Yuffie x Rufus 2
Tifa x Vincent 2
Yuffie x Vincent 1
Elena x Rufus 1
Cloud x Elena 1
Elena x Sephiroth 1
Tifa x Rufus 1
