The Forgotten

Chapter 31: Aggressive Negotiations.

The floor was cold and dry against her skin as the Ninja woke from her sleep, blinking twice before her vision cleared and she realised she was no longer in her tent but rather a cold, plain square room with only a large door. She climbed to her feet slowly, becoming aware of the pain in her head as she clutched at it. Closing the gap between herself and the door, she proceeded to bang on it furiously. It was made out of solid steel and would not budge, even to someone like Barret. She began pacing back and forth as her thoughts began to run wild in her head, like what happened? Where was she? Where are the others? After a few minutes she slumped down in the corner of the room, curling up into a ball to try and keep warm in the freezing cold room. Hours passed before the door was tugged open with a loud creek and a tall, well built man wearing a Ranish Uniform walked in. He aimed a long stick that had small spurts of electricity surging round it towards her before speaking:

"Get up!" He commanded in a gruff voice he was obviously putting on to make him sound tough. She didn't want to be on the end of that stick so she abided and rose to her feet shakily. "Follow me."

She left the cell and the man followed behind her, his stick not far from he back should she try anything. As she left the room, two other guards came into view, one much shorter than the other. She followed the two guards, all too aware of the stick not far from her back as she walked down the corridor. Whatever she was in seemed to be very dull, this certain corridor lined with similar steel doors like the one from her cell. The entire place was painted a dull grey which only added to her thoughts that she was in a prison of some sort, how or why still avoiding her. At the end of the corridor she saw another steel door, this one with a clear window allowing her to see inside, as she got closer. She noticed a familiar looking claw hanging limply from a cloaked body. Vincent.

As she was pushed into the room, she found herself pushed to her knees in front of said person. His top had been ripped off and many burnt marks indicated the use of one of the electro sticks as she had come to call them. His eyes rose to hers and she saw something she could only recognise as fear. His eyes also lacked their normal bright red, replaced by a faint dull red.

"I ask you once more Valentine. Tell us the location of the new rebel base!" Another well built man groaned from behind her as she felt the tiny sparks of electricity on the back of her neck.

"I don't know." Vincent coughed in response. Not a second after the words left his mouth did she feel the electro stick on the back of her neck, sending jolts of electricity through her body, making he scream in pain. After a few seconds the man pulled back and she fell limp and rested her hands on the floor to keep from slumping further down.

"One more time. Tell us the location of the new rebel base!"

"Forgive me Yuffie." She looked up startled and slightly confused on whether or not he would tell but found her answer as he repeated himself and she felt the surge of electricity around her body once again, this time lasting for a lot longer than she would have liked. The electricity singed her skin and tore bits of her clothing as it flowed around her body and made her eyes roll back in her head and a startled scream escape her mouth. She did not have to look up to see the look of shame on Vincent face, it was almost as if she could her his thoughts and she tried to reassure him but nothing came out of her opened mouth.

"How about now?" the guard laughed.

"Fine. Just leave her alone." Vincent choked out, his voice barely audible to the thugs. The men pushed Yuffie to one side and approached Vincent, raising his lowered head so he could look him in the eye and giving him a look that said 'speak'.

"They are."

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The sharp rocks where harsh on Gale's feet as she trudged after he boyfriend, who was a few metres ahead of her on their way to a black smith who would make Stratus new weapon out of the strange rock they had found back in the 'cave of darkness' as she had come to call it. The sun was just setting over the cover the mountain created, making the top of the mountain glow a bright yellowy orange. Stratus had stopped just ahead of her and was looking towards what appeared to be a small shack supported by a wooden surface, which was held up by two diagonal poles and another two vertical ones.

"I think that's the place." Stratus said as she approached him.

"Then what are we waiting for?" she called back to him as she rushed towards the hut with giant leaps, Stratus not waiting long before rushing after her. As they approached the mountain shack, Gale noticed a notice posted on the front door that read 'closed', even though the lights where clearly on and faint footsteps could be heard from inside the house.

"What do you think?" Stratus voice sounded from behind her. She shrugged in response and peered in through the window. Her vision allowed her too see a large open fireplace, a wooden desk with two equally wooden chairs arranged by it and what appeared to be a tall man who had his back turned to her and long grey hair flowing down his back. He appeared to be staring at something in the fire with his hand raised to his chin. A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts and she turned to see Stratus rapping on the door. She turned back to the window to see the man turn round and walk to the door, his face twisted and wrinkled with age. He must have been at least sixty, she thought briefly as he arrived at the door.

"What do you want?" the old mans voice sounded through the door.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you but I came here with a request." Stratus put on his polite tone and called through he door. After moment of silence the mans voice was heard again:

"I don't have time. Go away!"

"No, wait. Please. It's very important and I will pay you handsomely. I think you may be interested in the material also. Please?" Moments passed before the man grunted in response and the latch to the door was lifted and the door creaked open. The two teens entered the house and the smell of burnt metal and a wave of intense heat washed over them. Gale looked to her left to see a staircase leading to a bookshelf that she had been unable to see earlier but soon focused her attention on Stratus and the old man.

"Here. This is the material I wish you to make my sword out of." Stratus pulled the strange rock from his pack and handed it to the man. The mans expression changed quickly as he felt the rock in his hands, the heat just bearable to his flesh.

"What is this? I have never seen anything quite like it in all my life?"

"Well I suppose it doesn't really have a name. I hold it in good confidence that once it is heated and cooled it will be the strongest metal on the planet. So?" Stratus did his best puppy dog eyes at the man, Gale just sniffling a snort.

"Very well."

----

Cloud rubbed at his eyes as he awoke from his dream filled state and squinted a few times before his vision cleared and he could make out his surroundings. The last thing he remembered was Vincent shout for help and then being shot in his chest with some sort of tranquilliser. After getting his bearings he got to his feet and walked to the door and peered out of the small rectangle gap in the top center of the door. All he could see was a long dull corridor when suddenly a faint red glow caught his attention and he strained his neck to get a small glance of Vincent being thrown into a cell, looking very beat up, cuts and bruises all over his un covered torso. The guard who had thrown Vincent roughly into the cell began heading towards him and it didn't take Cloud long to decide something had to be done.

"Hey!" Cloud yelled as the man passed his cell, only to stop once he heard Cloud's voice.

"Shut up!" The guard snapped as he kicked the cell door.

"Give me some water!" Cloud demanded as the man began to walk of again.

"I told you to shut up!" This earned the other guards attention and he began to approach the cell.

"Make me." Cloud sneered back and smiled to himself as the guard began unfastening his keys from his belt. With a loud click the door unlocked and Cloud stepped back as the man entered the room, his electro stick held out before him. With a thrust he brought the stick in Clouds direction, only to miss as Cloud moved to one side and grabbed the guards hand. With one quick motion he snapped his wrist and the stick fell to the floor with a clunk. Cloud followed through with a punch to the man's face, breaking his nose with a satisfying snap. Cloud grabbed the guard by the scruff of the neck and pushed him into the other guard entered and both men fell to the floor in a spasm of electricity.

"Too easy." Cloud laughed to himself and ran from the cell, not before picking up the spare electro stick. Down the corridor to the right he caught sight of a door being twisted of its hinges and guessed Barret had got impatient and busted out. After going down the line he released Cid, Shera, and Rain from their cells before stumbling upon Yuffie's unconscious form in her cell.

"Shit! Cid, get Yuffie will ya. Rain, take the keys from the other guard and help me release the others."

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