I'm so sorry for the last chapter! It sucked ... T-T Oh well, at least I skipped the parade part ... right? Right? As for the review regarding past tense and present tense ... I'm sorry I don't really know where I've written it wrong and how, I just write what I feel it is right ... which is obviously wrong,Lol. Erm, what's a beta reader? Thank you to all that have reviewed!
Lost and Found : Chapter 10
Ellie proceeded to head west out of Costa del Sol. Her chosen party members were Cloud, Barret and Tifa ... as Vincent had pointed out that their levels were the lowest. They continued on west, as Hojo had said. It was quite uneventful and Vincent grew bored with the encounters with monsters. During a few battles, Vincent had tried to teach Ellie some battle strategies until Ellie exclaimed, "Vincent, stop bothering me!" She was a little irritated and couldn't help wondering how Vincent knew so much.
"If you think you're so good why don't you just play it for me then?"
"I can't, I'll damage your machine with my claw..."
Ellie opened her mouth to retort, but then thought better of it.
On screen, Cloud and his gang reached a cave. They followed the path blindly; Vincent did not recognize where this place was. After saving the game at a save point, the screen changed to what look like an abandoned rollercoaster ride. The tracks looked old and dangerous, but having no choice left they moved along. Ellie directed Cloud to run to his right, and sure enough he did fall through a weak spot. A screen popped out and asks Ellie to choose between jumping or falling.
"Will I die?"
"Since you've already saved your game just now, why not take a risk? Besides, I think the only way you can die is in a battle. There must be a reason why they'd ask you this."
Quite recklessly, she chose to drop. Vincent knew it was the kind of thing Cloud would do, however it was much different in real life looking down and estimating if you could survive after a fall like that. Vincent thought hard… what lay to the west of Costa Del Sol? He was distracted by Ellie who was hitting a button on the controller so hard he was sure it was going to spoil.
"Ellie, what are you doing?"
"I don't know, it told me to press Circle as fast as I can while holding either the left or right button… Oooh, look, a Wizard Staff! That's gotta be for Aeris."
Cloud dropped once more, and this time Ellie obtained a Star Pendant for her efforts. She continued on and received more items, including Barret's W Machine Gun and a Transform materia. After running around some more and crossing a bridge, they arrived at North Corel. Oh, thought Vincent dumbly.
Ellie walked around talking to the people, and Vincent learned that this was where Barret was from.
Citizen 1: You, you're… Hey! He's back!
Barret: (to Cloud) Wait here…
Barret approaches the citizen and the citizen punched him.
Citizen 1: Well, lookey here! Never thought I'd ever see your face again. Those people over there, they with you? Well, I feel sorry for 'em! Hangin' around a walkin' death sentence like Barret.
Citizen 2: You got a lot of balls comin' back here! Look at this place! It's all your fault North Corel turned into a garbage heap!
Citizen 1: Why doncha say something? Or did ya forget what you done here already?
Barret: …I'm sorry…
Citizen 2: #$! You ain't even worth the effort.
Citizen 1: Don't waste time talkin' to that Techno-freak!
Barret: (to Cloud and Tifa) You heard 'em… It's my fault this town was…destroyed…
Vincent felt… he couldn't explain what he felt. Barret destroyed Corel? What? How can I not know about this? Of course, I do not pry about other's personal lives… Have I been so distant with them? He shook his head and tried to keep his concentration on the game. Ellie was in a shop, deciding what she should buy. Vincent realized that it was not Corel Sephiroth was in, but somewhere near it …
"Ellie, don't spend too much."
"Why?"
"You might need the money for later, if I'm not mistaken…"
"Okay… there's nothing much here anyway. Poor things, I feel sorry for them, look at how they are living!"
Cloud's group proceeds to the ropeway station. They met up with Barret there, Aeris fussing over him and asking what happened. Barret blamed himself for the town's destruction, and the story unfolds, the screen changing to Barret's memory of his hometown… Vincent leaned in for a closer look.
Village Headman: What are we going to do? The only one against this is Dyne...
Dyne: I am definitely against it, no matter what. There's nothing to talk about if you're thinking of throwing away our coal! Our coal's been protected for generations. Our fathers, and theirs before them, risked their lives for it. We have no right to throw it all away so easily!
Barret: But listen, Dyne. No one uses coal nowadays. It's the sign of the times.
Scarlet: Right, everything is Mako, now. It'll be all right, Dyne. Shinra, Inc. will guarantee your livelihood once the Mako Reactor is completed.
Barret: Listen, Dyne. I don't want my wife, Myrna, to suffer anymore.
Dyne: I know how you feel! I feel the same way too, damn it! But even so, I won't give away our coal mines!
Village Headman: Dyne…you've got to understand.
Barret then tells Cloud and the group that Corel was burned by the Shinra troops and lots of people died. The memory ended. Cloud was shocked. So was Vincent. Barret explained that there was an explosion at the reactor, and the blame was laid on a rebel faction in Corel. He blamed himself for going along with the project … he lost his wife… and Dyne was his best friend too… Once again Vincent felt lucky to find out more about his friends through this game without having to prod and pry.
They boarded the ropeway to the Gold Saucer, and Vincent reprimanded Ellie for cursing when she was forced to pay 3000 gil for a one-time ticket. Barret ran away, obviously affronted with the idea of having fun. The members of AVALANCHE left separately, leaving Cloud and Tifa alone. Vincent suppressed the urge to snicker. Ellie explored the Gold Saucer, she seemed rather fascinated and kept talking to Vincent about it, but all Vincent could recall was Cait Sith tricking them ... Vincent groaned as he concentrated on the game. Ellie had reached the Wonder Square. This was where they had met Cait Sith.
Cait Sith: Hey you! What're you lookin' so down for? How 'bout it? Want me to read your fortune? A bright future! A happy future! Oh, but don't hold it against me if it's not a great prediction! Oh, so sorry! I'm a fortune telling machine. The name's…Cait Sith.
Cloud: You can only read the fortune?
Cait Sith: You kidding? I can find missing things, missing people, anything!
Cloud: Then can you tell me where a man named Sephiroth is?
Cait Sith: Sephiroth, right? Okay, here goes!
Cait Sith performs his shuffle.
Cloud: (reading the fortune) …Ordinary luck. It will be an active fortune. Give into the good will of others, and something big'll happen after summer. (to Cait Sith) …what…what's this?
Cait Sith: Huh? Let me try again.
Cait Sith performs his shuffle again.
Cloud: (reading the fortune) Be careful of forgetfulness. Your lucky color is …blue? (to Cait Sith) …Forget it.
Cait Sith: Wait, wait give me another chance! Wait! Let me try it again!
Cait Sith self shuffles again for the third time.
Cloud: …What the?
Tifa: What does it say?
Cloud: (reading the fortune) What you pursue will be yours. But you will lose something dear.
Cait Sith: I don't know if it's good OR bad… This's the first time I ever got something like THIS. Then shall we?
Tifa: Excuse me?
Cait Sith: As a fortune teller, I can't help but think about this. If I don't see what it leads to, I won't be able to relax. That's why I'm going with you!
Tifa: Is it all right, Cloud?
Cait Sith: I'm comin' with you no matter WHAT you say!
Cloud: H…hey!
So that's how he managed to force himself on us. ShinRa planted him there earlier on, thought Vincent acidly. However the cat was part of the group now, his actions forgiven by all of them. Thinking about it, he wondered if Cait Sith or Reeve would come to visit him on Ellie's birthday. He decided to give Cloud a call later. It was almost close to Christmas, and Vincent was dreading the day that would come when Ellie finally realised who he really is.