CHAPTER 29:

WHAT LIES BENEATH

The day after coming back to the Planet, Harry was promptly whisked away by helicopter to the ruins of Midgar, and more specifically, the ruins underneath the old Shinra building (much to his annoyance, as he was spending time with his friends, who had come over on holiday). Some hurried excavation had been undertaken, and now, deep within a facility underneath the Shinra building, they were gathered outside a door. Everyone who had fought against Sephiroth was there, along with some faces that Harry didn't know: namely, a pair of women who appeared to be in their twenties.

The brown-haired one with the warm, if disturbingly familiar features, turned out to be Doctor Lucrezia Crescent, Sephiroth's mother, while the red-haired woman with the prosthetic left arm(1) was Doctor Shalua Rui. The latter seemed to eye the massive door they were in front of with both eager anticipation, and a quiet anxiety.

There were also some Shinra troops, armed and ready.

"Long ago," Rufus said, "my father founded a new section of SOLDIER. Nominally meant to be a medical treatment section, it was, in truth, a part of SOLDIER separate to the Jenova Project, designed to enhance soldiers purely with stagnant Mako, rather than with Jenova cells. A brutal project to create elite soldiers."

"So…how long till it bit your father in the ass?" Cid asked wryly.

"To my knowledge, it never did, though they did apparently plot to work around their control. This part of SOLDIER was called Deepground, and their elite are called the Tsviets, the Elite of Colours. They were housed here, along with a secret Mako Reactor, Number 0. Unfortunately, when my father was killed by Sephiroth, nobody saw fit to tell me about Deepground. Heidegger and Scarlet knew, but I know that blonde harpy kept the knowledge as a trump card, just in case." Rufus pointed at the door. "Behind that door lies Deepground, or what remains of them. I have considered whether to leave them to rot, or to free them. I have decided on the latter, which is why I have called you here. There is a chance that they may be belligerent, and I trust you to be able to deal with them. But I intend to try diplomacy first. There's a couple of reasons for that. A minor reason, for myself anyway, is that amongst the Tsviets is the sister of Dr Rui here. I am sure that she would prefer to see her sister alive rather than dead. But my main reason is somewhat more pragmatic."

"Which is what?" Barrett asked.

"Sephiroth. Should he revive, and there is every chance that he may, then we will need every bit of help we can get. I don't intend to add to Deepground's ranks, save for by volunteers, but even as they are, they are a useful force that we could use should Sephiroth, or another similar crisis, happen."

"Can't we communicate with anyone inside?" Sirius asked.

"No. The comms circuitry out here is busted, and we haven't been able to raise them yet. Any more questions? No? Good. Get ready." Rufus turned to the demolition experts working on the door. "Are we ready to breach?"

"Just say the word sir," one of them asked.

"Okay: word." Rufus smirked. Who said he didn't have a sense of humour?

The technicians set their charges, and then scurried away. The charges were actually meant to destroy the locks, but leave the doors intact. In a flare of actinic light, the locks were burnt through. But before anyone could open the doors, the doors opened…from the inside.

A quartet of bizarre people, clad in figure-hugging suits that had glowing blue lines on them, strode through. One of them was a massive, hulking man, with a huge mane of blue hair, and a vaguely bestial face. A second was a woman with long red hair, and a strange, blood-coloured fur cape on the back of her suit. The third was a girl of maybe nine or ten with orange hair, and a rather cold expression on her face, a face that was not unlike that of Shalua Rui, Harry realised.

The last, though, was perhaps the most bizarre of them all. His bodysuit seemed to be almost like a straitjacket, and he wore what seemed to be an elaborate muzzle-like mask on his face. Strange, metallic wings were on his back.

"Shelke!" Shalua hissed in dismay. Only a brief flicker in the young Deepground soldier's eyes betrayed that she acknowledged that exclamation.

The quartet paused in front of Rufus, before the restrained man gave a quiet nod. "Rufus Shinra. So, you have finally managed to disinter us from our living burial," he said in a quiet, polite voice.

"I didn't know about Deepground and the Tsviets until recently. You are Nero the Sable?"

"Indeed." He indicated for the others to introduce themselves.

"I am Rosso the Crimson," the red-haired woman declared, striding forward, and giving a vicious, bloodthirsty grin that would rival Jenova. "Give the word, Rufus, and the blood of your enemies shall stain my blades."

I like her, Jenova said over her mental connection to Harry.

Of course you'd like her, Harry groaned.

"I am Azul the Cerulean," the hulking, bestial man said. "I will tear your enemies apart."

"I am Shelke the Transparent. Your enemies secrets, I will uncover and deliver them to you," the girl said.

Rufus nodded. "It is a pleasure to meet you all," he lied smoothly. He looked at Nero. "What of the Restrictors(2)? What of Weiss the Immaculate?"

"My brother is chained to his throne by order of the Restrictors. The Restrictors themselves are currently working to make sure that Deepground is kept under their control. However, when our surveillance devices picked up on your arrival, they allowed us out here to greet you." The restrained man's eyes roved over the gathered people. "Quite the reception committee, Rufus. Did you not trust us?"

"How would you treat an unknown danger?"

"A fair point," the Tsviet conceded. "A shame Scarlet and Heidegger didn't see fit to release us, or to notify you of our presence. But you have come to us in any case. If you wish us to be your sword, then we will be your sword."

"I hope it will not come to that, but a crisis that came around once may recur again."

"Ah yes, Sephiroth. Our intelligence personnel monitored the worldwide network during those events. I must confess to being surprised at you taking as much action as you did. You are certainly more of a man of action than your father. Certainly, you are more of a warrior."

"Plus, the way you blew off Heidegger's head was just so…" Rosso emitted a noise that sounded uncomfortably close to a sound of supreme pleasure. "I've always wanted to kill that fat pig with that godawful horse's laugh."

"So did I," Rufus said, with equanimity. "May I see Weiss?"

Nero nodded. "I shall take you and whatever escort you choose to him."

"Then I will go with him," Jenova said, stepping forward.

The Turks stepped forward too. "We will come as well," Tseng said.

"Very well. I will leave the others here. I believe that Shelke has someone who wishes to speak with her."

As Nero, Rufus, Jenova, and the Turks disappeared, Shalua moved forward. "Shelke?"

The girl looked coldly at Shalua. "Yes?"

"…Don't you recognise me?"

"I do," Shelke said.

"We've changed so much…eight years it has been."

The girl blinked. "Eight years…has it really been so long?"

"That's right. Except…you haven't changed at all. Eight years, and you don't look a day over nine. You look exactly as you did when the Turks took you…"

"Enough," Shelke said in a cold tone that seemed too adult for her child voice. "That was the prelude to eight years of suffering. They moulded my mind until I was a shadow of my former self. I lived in a hell far deeper than you can ever imagine. I should be 17 this year. And even this body would not last more than a day without Mako infusion. I don't consider myself unfortunate, except that I held onto a foolish hope that someone, some day, would come to rescue me."

Shalua fell to her knees and began to sob. Harry glared at Shelke. "How dare you? At least she feels sorry. At least she knows she failed you. At least you had a sister who loved you. I lived with an aunt and uncle who didn't give a damn about me, who treated me like a slave. I may not have gone through the same hell as you did, but at least you were loved by at least one living person!"

Shelke turned her cold gaze at Harry. "Love did not help me in Deepground."

"Harry…" Aerith said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Rosso strode over to them, and peered at Harry's face. "You're not much older than Shelke herself was when she was brought into our fold," she murmured, looking into his eyes. "And yet, your eyes glimmer with the fire of a warrior. You know what it is like to spill the blood of your enemies, boy."

"Oh Merlin, she's like cousin Bella," Sirius muttered, facepalming.

"Oh? Was she a warrior who enjoyed the screams of her enemies?" Rosso said, looking at Sirius.

"I wouldn't call her a warrior, but yes, she did enjoy people screaming," Sirius said.

"A kindred spirit then," Rosso said. She then turned to Aerith. "Is Dio's arena at Golden Saucer still around?"

"Battle Square? Yes, it is. Why?"

"Then I will face Harry there. Normally I would not stoop to face a child in combat(3), but he intrigues me. There is fire in his eyes and his soul." She smiled. "Besides, it has been so long since I have tested myself outside of Deepground."

Rufus couldn't help but feel nervous as Nero escorted him through the dark corridors of the Deepground HQ. It was understandable, after all. He was in the lion's den, and while he trusted the Turks and Jenova to watch his back, he was still wary.

"So, you believe Sephiroth will find a way to rise from the dead?" Nero asked in his calm voice.

"The goddess Minerva has confirmed it," Jenova said. "The guiding intelligence of this very Planet."

"I see. Of course, Sephiroth will be far from the last crisis to befall this world," Nero said. "First, your own self, Jenova, if you don't mind me saying so. I recognise you from when we had information feeds from Shinra. But Holy has severed those. The Weapons are another potential threat. And there may be as yet unknown threats, either on this Planet, or off it. We are eager to test our mettle against such an adversary. Your father never really used our forces. Perhaps he was afraid of treachery."

"He always was," Rufus snorted.

"True, but you proved treacherous to him."

"No comment," Rufus replied acidly.

They eventually came to a vast chamber, where, chained to a throne, surrounded by a moat brimming with Mako Energy, was a man of impressive stature. Muscled, with a shock of spiky white hair and a hard face of indeterminate age, he looked very intimidating. He looked up, and saw them approaching. "Brother," the man said in a deep, resonant growl of a voice, "it seems that you have brought me a few guests."

"Weiss the Immaculate," Rufus said, as he stepped forward.

"Rufus Shinra," Weiss acknowledged, with a nod. "You'll forgive me for not standing in your presence, but unfortunately, the Restrictors have some strange ideas of entertainment. I have to confess to being amused by their conceit. And the lack of hospitality is regrettable, but unfortunately, we did not have much notice before your visit. But the company is certainly interesting. You have brought the Turks with you, as well as the Calamity from the Skies herself, Jenova."

Jenova smiled, and gave a bow. "You flatter me, Weiss."

"Brother, they wish to free us to use Deepground as part of Shinra's army. They intend to use us should Sephiroth resurface," Nero said.

"Sephiroth?" Weiss gave a deep chuckle. "I see. In case of the resurgence of one monster, you are willing to let another off its leash?"

"A crude but apt anaology, Weiss. I only found out about Deepground recently. Deepground and the Tsviets can be a great asset to the world, and to Shinra, should any threat like Sephiroth threaten it. Besides, don't tell me you never wanted to test your mettle against him?"

After some thought, Weiss emitted yet another tenebrous chuckle. "Ah, you do know how to appeal to the fighter in me, Rufus Shinra. Weiss the Immaculate, versus Sephiroth, the ultimate culmination of the Jenova Project." He gave a vicious, bloodthirsty grin. "Yes…whatever your enemy, Rufus, we will exterminate them."

CHAPTER 29 ANNOTATIONS:

Deepground has been found! But will they be allies or foes? I wonder how many of you saw this coming, even given the end of the previous chapter? Deepground's re-integration (such as it is) will be explored in the next interquel, Holiday.

I took much of the dialogue, with some alterations, of Shelke and Shalua's reunion from a similar scene in Dirge of Cerberus. Unlike there, Shelke is not going to kill Shalua, though their relationship will be somewhat cold for a time. Hopefully, it will thaw during the events of Holiday.

Sorry if the Tsviets seem OOC here: I'm putting this down to them being released before they get roped into Hojo's plan. They're still (for the most part) a bunch of bloodthirsty bastards (or at least Rosso and Azul are), but they're (currently) not working to destroy the world.

1. I'd assume that by this point, Shalua has lost her arm. However, she's not as reliant on cybernetics as she is in Dirge of Cerberus, so her left eye's fine, and she only has one or two organs replaced.

2. The Restrictors were Deepground's controllers, in charge of the devices that kept them under control. They only appeared in the online campaign, which itself, AFAIK, is only in the Japanese version. By the way, given the vague nature of the Deepground timeline, this is set before the attempted revolt against the Restrictors that leads Weiss to getting taken over by Hojo.

3. That being said, she would gladly kill one outside of combat.

CHAPTER 29 SOUNDTRACK:

The Tsviets: Trespasser, from Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII, composed by Masashi Hamazu

The Rui Sisters: Ten Year Reunion, from Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII, composed by Masashi Hamazu