FORTY-TWO

The basement lab wasn't much different than I remembered. More dust and webs, but otherwise unchanged. Shelves with books, beakers, test tubes, vials, and more, and a large table in the middle covered with papers and empty bottles I knew from experience had once held many of Hojo's experimental compounds. In the back stood two empty tanks just tall enough for a person to fit inside. I remembered my time in one all too well, as if it had happened only yesterday.

"You alright, Vincent?" Jessie asked.

I nodded. "Yes. The last time I was here… wasn't pleasant."

She gazed quietly around the lab. "I believe you. This place doesn't look very hospitable. We'll get Hojo, though."

"For certain," I agreed.

I'm not one for talking. I only speak when I have something to say. But what we're doing, telling this story, is important. We can't allow the mistakes of the past to happen again. So I'll share what I know. Shinra's quest for dominance over all things nearly destroyed this world. Listen well, and learn where and why they went wrong.

While Cloud, Jessie, and the others looked around the lab, I stayed near the doors we'd entered through, my eyes on the short passageway off to our left and my mind still sifting over all I'd seen during my long sleep. I could feel that we'd done this before, one way or another, more than once, like mirrors set opposite each other with us in between. But instead of the reflections all behaving the same way, each was different, acting independently and unaware of the rest.

Images flitted through my mind as I kept watch, bits and pieces of the dreams I'd had. Mostly memories of my time here, so long ago now, and of how everything had gone wrong with Lucrecia, and glimpses of the other times I'd made this same journey with Cloud and the others. But there was something else as well. Something I didn't understand. I still don't, even now. I haven't found her yet.

A woman, young like Jessie, Aerith, and Tifa. An image I saw now and then in my dreams. She was standing at the rail of a small ship as it sailed along a rocky coast, her short brown hair tumbling a little below her ears in the breeze. A simple, sleeveless blouse the color of the clear sky above her, a plain white skirt that went down past her knees, and a satin scarf over her arms as green and verdant as grass on a spring day. Brown eyes that have seen both kindness and pain. Who is she? I don't know. Maybe I never will. Or maybe I'll find her.

A sudden movement caught my attention as Cloud winced in pain and clutched his head. He'd been staring at the two tall specimen tanks as if mesmerized when the attack hit him. The girls looked at him with concern, Jessie most of all, but then the strange fit passed as quickly as it had arrived. Cloud relaxed, let go of his temples, and straightened up again. It seemed he had a history here, too.

"Cloud?" Jessie asked.

"I'm fine," he said. "Just a headache. It's gone now."

Aerith examined one of the tanks. "Hmm… looks like something's been scratched here. It says, 'We've gotta get outta here.'"

"There's another one in here," Tifa added, checking the other tank. "The message says, 'Feeding time. That'll be our chance.' So somebody was being kept here. And they must've escaped."

"I wonder what happened to them?" Jessie murmured.

Cloud shrugged. "Dunno. We'll see what else we can find later, but first let's check the study. Sephiroth could still be there."

She nodded. "Right. Lead the way, Cloud."

Sephiroth was there waiting for us just outside the study at the end of the hall, Jenova's form fading in and out over his like a phantom. She wasn't bothering to hide this time. A dangerous change. At the sight of Jenova, Jessie shivered, her face nearly as pale as mine, and reached up almost unconsciously to touch her cheek. The others didn't see it, their gazes locked on Sephiroth and the calamity, but I did. Jenova saw what she was doing as well and smiled coldly at her.

Jessie dropped her hand at once. "I knew you'd be here…"

"Always," Sephiroth and Jenova said together. "So many memories in this place. But now, the reunion awaits us."

Cloud frowned. "Reunion?"

"I don't like the sound of that…" Jessie murmured.

"We will be there," Sephiroth and Jenova continued, their voices as one. "The calamity and I. And so will you."

Aerith hefted her staff. "We'll stop you. Both of you."

"By all means, try," they taunted.

Then they were gone, fading into a black mist. Once they'd left, the air seemed lighter, and laying on the stone floor where they'd been was a small green materia orb. Destruct, I sensed when I picked it up. Able to shatter and dispel magical barriers and effects. As I put it into one of the slots on my gun, Cloud looked intently at us.

"Aerith's right," he said, his eyes finding each of ours in turn. "We're definitely gonna stop them. So stay frosty."

"We will," Tifa promised.

Aerith's emerald eyes were determined. "They're afraid of us, guys. That's why they're taunting us. Trying to break us."

Jessie swept her arm in front of her. "Not happening."

"Right," Cloud agreed.

I felt the same way, and although I said nothing, I nodded to show my sentiments were in line with theirs. Then we went into the study to search for clues. While Cloud and I looked through the desk, Jessie and the others checked the bookshelves along the walls. We moved quickly, none of us wanting to be here in the house any longer than we had to. I scanned old documents but found nothing. Then Tifa called to us. She had pulled another file folder off one of the shelves and had seemingly discovered something. We all looked at her.

"I think this might be about our two missing friends out there," she said. "You know, the ones who were in the tanks?"

Aerith nodded. "Yeah. What have you found, Tifa?"

Tifa read from the papers she was holding. "Description of the two specimens, A and B, at the time of their capture. Specimen A was from SOLDIER. No measurable effect was able to be detected from exposure to mako or Jenova cells. Specimen B was a wounded Shinra trooper. A definite reaction to Jenova cells was observed."

"So they were prisoners," Aerith said. "But taken from where? And why were they brought down here, of all places?"

Jessie shrugged. "I wish I knew. Anything else, Tifa?"

"Yeah," she replied. She read more. "Both specimens escaped from their holding tanks and fled. Pursuit was immediate and lasted almost a year until they were located just outside Midgar. A battalion was sent to recapture them. Specimen A was shot and killed but inflicted heavy casualties before succumbing to his injuries. However, Specimen B was unable to be found. He either escaped or was hidden, but his condition was poor at last report and a search is unnecessary."

"Damn…" Cloud sighed.

Jessie's eyes widened slightly at what Tifa had read, then she caught herself and quickly regained her composure as Aerith bowed her head for a moment, not entirely able to suppress a sniffle. What did it mean? I really didn't know, other than the sorrow they felt for those two men, one dead and one lost. I can't say I blamed them.

Then Cloud found something else in another file he'd been looking at and beckoned to us. "Hey, listen to this. Seems to be about that other soldier who was on Mt. Nibel with us that day, Tif."

"Oh? What happened to him?" she wondered.

Cloud read from the report, his face grim. "Soldier found dead on Mt. Nibel after the incident. He is believed to have gone missing earlier while en route to the reactor with the rest of the inspection team. Body shows injuries due to falling from the broken bridge, but they were not fatal. Cause of death appears to be a snake bite."

Aerith stared at him. "What…?"

"Small marks were observed on the side of the face," he continued, his eyes scanning the papers he was holding. "A pair of round puncture wounds that appear to have been caused by small fangs. Blood analysis uncovered a highly lethal venom of unknown origin. No match to any serpentine or monstrous source on file. Based on testing of the samples recovered from the body, death was instant."

Jessie shuddered. "A snake no one's ever heard of before?"

"Hold on…" Tifa frowned, thinking out loud. "Cloud, this can't be right. Nibelheim and Mt. Nibel don't have any snakes."

"Are you sure?" I asked.

Cloud nodded. "She's right, Vincent. Most animals either died, left, or were mutated once the reactor was built. Monsters are just about the only thing that lives on Mt. Nibel anymore."

"So how could it have been there?" Aerith wondered.

"I don't know," Tifa shrugged. "But the soldier had his uniform on that day, including his helmet. So that's why he was bitten on his face. It was the only place the snake could've done it."

Jessie folded her arms in front of her uneasily. "How did it get high enough to do that, though? Doesn't make sense."

"I'm not sure, but there's more," Cloud said. He continued reading. "The soldier's description is as follows: male, blue eyes, blond hair. Age appears to be approximately 18-22 per Shinra recruiting standards, but no ID match found in the public records database."

"So not only is the snake a mystery, the guy is, too," Aerith blinked. "Did you and Tifa know him very well?"

Cloud shrugged. "Not really. He was pretty quiet, but always alert. Kept a close eye on everything that was going on. He never told me his name, although I think I might've asked him once."

Tifa nodded. "I only met him that day. He didn't say much."

"Anything else?" I asked.

"No," Cloud shook his head and put the report back onto the desk. "Let's get going. We've been here long enough."

Jessie sighed in relief. "Oh, hell yeah. Exit time for sure."

"So what's our next step?" Aerith asked.

"Mt. Nibel," Cloud decided as we left the basement lab and headed back up the tunnel. "But not today. One ordeal at a time. We'll meet up with the others back at the buggy, get some rest, climb up the trail early tomorrow morning, and see what we can find."

Tifa sighed. "I can't believe we're going back there…"

"I know, Tif," he agreed. "No choice, though. Sephiroth and Jenova had to have gone that way. Which means we are, too."

"Yeah…" she grimaced. Then her voice grew pensive as we climbed up the stairs. "I hate to even suggest this, but we should probably swing by the reactor while we're up there, Cloud. Maybe we'll find something that'll tell us what really happened that day."

He glanced over his shoulder at her. "You sure? I mean, I know it's important, but so's catching Sephiroth and Jenova."

"She's right, Cloud," Jessie said. "We should at least check it out for a few minutes. You told us that you can't remember anything after you faced off against Sephiroth that day. There might be clues in there. It'll be hard, I know, but I think it's worth a look."

Cloud gave in. "Alright. You've got a point, Jessie."

She smiled. "I'll be with you, don't worry."

After reaching the top and emerging into the upstairs bedroom, we left the mansion and headed out of town through the main gate. A few curious, uneasy stares were directed my way by some of the people we passed, but I ignored them. It didn't take us very long to find the place in the nearby woods where the buggy was hidden.

"Hi, guys!" a young teenaged girl waved as we approached. "There you are! Took ya long enough! I—wait, who's that?"

She'd finally noticed me. Tifa laughed. "This is Vincent."

The girl's eyes were wide. "He was in the mansion? And he's gonna come with us? Well, we're a weird kinda crew already, so I guess he'll fit right in. Nice to meetcha, Vince! As for me…"

"Not now, Yuffie," Cloud said.

She sighed. "Okay, okay… so much for my grand intro."

Then the others joined us, walking out of the buggy from the open door in the back. After the introductions, Cloud and the girls spoke of their experiences in the mansion, meeting me, and our encounter with Sephiroth and Jenova. I said little, preferring instead to listen as I often did and watch. Then Cait Sith looked at Cloud.

"Well, while ye were gone, I uncovered a bit of information that ye oughta know. Rufus is searchin' fer somethin' called the keystone. It's a special kinda materia that unlocks an old temple somewhere. Reeve an' I have Kunsel tryin' to find out where that is."

"The temple of the Ancients…" Aerith murmured.

"Ye know aboot it?" Cait asked.

She nodded. "Just a little. The elders in Cosmo Canyon mentioned it to me. If Rufus is trying to find it, he must think Sephiroth's planning to go there, too. And I'd have to agree."

"I don't see Rufus doin' the planet no favors," Barret grunted.

"Same," Cloud agreed. "He just wants Sephiroth out of his way, and he'll do whatever it takes to make it happen."

Cait went on. "Dio ahn I've also been lookin' fer the keystone since before I joined up with ye, ahn I think we've finally got a lead on it. Just got word from him a few hours ago while ye was still in the mansion. A merchant ahn collector livin' on that peninsula northeast of Gongaga. I know it means goin' back in the other direction, but Dio's on his way to buy it from him. He oughta be there tomorrow."

"Does Rufus know?" Jessie asked.

"Nae," Cait shook his head. "Dio's gonna bring it back tae the Gold Saucer on the sly, ye see. But Rufus'll find out aboot it sooner or later, I think. He's got the Turks out lookin' fer it now, so we better move fast if we wanna get the keystone before he does."

Cloud nodded. "We'll have to split up, then. We've still gotta follow Sephiroth and Jenova over Mt. Nibel to see what he's after. Four of us'll go that way, I think. Me, Jessie, Tifa, and…"

"Me!" Yuffie finished excitedly. "Mountain climbing's a specialty of mine. Wutai's got lots of 'em, and I'm really good at it. Part of my ninja training was to get up to the top of Da-Chao and back in a day. Not an easy feat, especially with the monsters, but I did it."

"Alright," Cloud agreed. "You're in, Yuffie. The rest of you take the buggy and head back south to that merchant's place by Gongaga. We'll meet up at the Gold Saucer and go from there. Barret, you're in charge while we're gone. Look after everyone, alright?"

Barret pumped his fist. "You got it, merc. We'll see it done. An' you guys be careful up there in the meantime."

"Will do," Cloud replied.

"Don't worry, Cloud. I'll keep him out of trouble!" Aerith teased.

He smirked faintly at her. "You'd better. I'm counting on you."

"Just leave it to me!" she grinned.

"I think you've got your work cut out for ya," Jessie laughed, hands on her hips. "He can be quite a handful."

With that, we all settled in for the night, deciding to camp in and around the buggy rather than stay indoors in Nibelheim. They were an interesting group, to say the least, and I suspected our journey together would prove to be more than eventful. There was much yet to be done, and many questions still to be answered. They'd been through much, I could tell. Over dinner around the fire they'd built near the buggy, they told me how they had come to be here. Most of them had come all the way from Midgar. A long path, and not over yet.

Eventually, most of the others went back inside the buggy to rest. I remained and took the first watch. As I sat by the fire cleaning my gun, Jessie hesitated, then after encouraging Cloud to go inside without her, she turned back to me, her face calm but troubled. She strolled around the small, crackling campfire until she stood nearby, smiled warmly at me, and clasped her hands behind her back.

"Mind if I join ya for a bit?" she asked. When I shook my head, she sat down next to me. "That's a pretty cool gun."

I knew that wasn't what she really wanted to speak with me about, but I allowed her to guide the discussion, at least for now. "It's unique. I made it myself long ago. A custom design."

Jessie nodded. "So I figured. Three-headed dog, huh?"

"Cerberus," I explained, indicating the design of the sculpted metal hounds on each of the three barrels and the small charm hanging on a chain from the handle. "Guardian of the underworld."

"Really?" she wondered.

I shrugged. "An old myth, but maybe one with a little truth to it. If the lore of the Ancients is anything to go by."`

Jessie raised an eyebrow. "Could he be a summon?"

"Perhaps," I said. "I can't be certain. Maybe in another place. But as far as I know, there is no materia here that calls him."

"I used to use a gun," she murmured. "Before the plate fell."

I paused in my work. "Why did you stop?"

Jessie sighed. "I lost it when I was hurt that day. And after I got my new gear, I never really thought to replace it. Couldn't figure out a way to use a gun with my blaze talons, I guess."

"Combine them," I suggested.

"A gun and a blade… together?" she blinked, her eyes widening. "I hadn't thought of that before. That just might work, though. Before we left Cosmo Canyon, I modded my talons to add more materia slots, so now they've each got a linked pair. I could probably attach a gun barrel to the support strut and install the trigger assembly into the grip where the handle and the activation switch are."

I nodded. "Do it. But that's not why you wanted to talk."

"Yeah… it's not," Jessie sighed. Her eyes went to the fire. There was no one else out here now but us. "Back in the mansion, Cloud and I… well, this is gonna sound strange, but we fought a pair of mirrors. They were in a bedroom upstairs. Some weird creation of Hojo's, I think. Do you know anything about them, Vincent?"

"Only a little," I replied. "He was still developing them when he… altered me. They were designed to disorient and destroy any intruders by scanning them and using the data to project disturbing holographic reflections. They're not mirrors, Jessie. Probes."

She shivered. "Is there any truth to what they show?"

"I'm not sure," I answered. "Possibly. Why?"

"I… saw something in the one that attacked me," Jessie murmured. "Scared me to death. What I might become… what I might do… I can't get it outta my mind. I know we only just met today, but I feel like I can talk to you, Vincent. If you don't mind, that is."

I didn't. "Go on."

She went, her voice quiet. "I didn't share this earlier when we were getting you caught up on things since we'd just met, but since you seem to know a bit about Jenova, I was wondering if there was anything you could tell me that might help with… what I'm going through. You see, when we interrogated Hojo on the beach, he noticed something about me. There's some kind of change going on. In me."

"How so?" I asked.

In answer, Jessie pulled up the short sleeve of her combat suit's left shoulder to show the skin underneath, and I immediately saw what she meant. Nearly a third of it had turned a pale bluish-gray, a rough patch with streaks radiating out from it in all directions.

"It was a lot smaller when I first saw it back in Costa del Sol," Jessie explained. "But it's been growing. And… it's not the only one, Vincent. There are more places like this on me. Small for now, but I think they'll get bigger soon, too. And that's not all."

She reached up, turned her head, and spread some of her hair aside to show me several strands along the side that had turned silvery-white and a few more that were starting to change. It reminded me of… well, I didn't want to know. But the resemblance, even now only in its initial stages, was undeniable. I wondered if she knew.

"You haven't told the others," I realized.

"No," Jessie agreed. "They're aware of that spot on my shoulder, but not how much bigger it's gotten or about the rest. They've got so much to worry about, especially Cloud, and I don't want to add to it. I picked up some makeup and hair dye in Cosmo Canyon. I've got a feeling I'm gonna need it before long if this keeps up."

I gazed intently at her. "You don't mind me knowing?"

"Strange as it seems, no," she replied. "I guess because you're a little odd and unusual yourself. Um, no offense."

"None taken," I assured her.

Jessie nodded. "Thanks. What I saw in the mirror… it was me, but not me. My skin and hair had changed completely, and my eyes… they were a bright, glowing purple, almost magenta. I think… I think it was her, Vincent. I… I looked like her. I was her…"

"Jenova…" I murmured.

"Is that what she's doing to me?" she shivered, holding onto herself. "The part of her that's inside me? Hojo said I was the first woman to be a stable host for her. Is this why? Am I… am I gonna go mad, Vincent? Am I gonna turn on everyone and be their enemy?"

I shook my head. "I won't let you."

"Because of Lucrecia?" Jessie gazed knowingly at me.

"Yes," I admitted, finding her eyes. "I couldn't save her. But I'll help you if I can. I don't want you to suffer as she did."

She smiled. "Thank you. Keep this between us?"

"If you wish," I agreed.

"I do," Jessie said. "My reflection… she was cruel, Vincent. Taunted me with a… a knife. It had blood on it. From someone close to me… a friend I've been trying so hard to keep my distance from. I just… I just don't want to hurt her. But I'm afraid they'll make me…"

I thought I understood. "Sephiroth and Jenova. They intend to use you. But you're not theirs yet, Jessie. Be strong."

She took a breath and let it out. "I'll try. Can you tell me anything? About Jenova? What she's like, any weaknesses, that kind of thing? You were there when she was being studied, right?"

"I was, yes," I answered. "But I don't know much more than you do. I was a glorified bodyguard. Lucrecia did share some information with me, however. No doubt you know by now that Jenova isn't native to the planet. Shinra discovered that she's also a powerful shapeshifter, and an injection of even just a few of her cells is enough to cause extreme and often dangerous transformations in the host."

"Then why don't SOLDIERs all go crazy and turn into monsters?" Jessie wondered, shivering despite the fire nearby.

I went on. "A few have. But not everyone reacts to Jenova's essence inside them. It only awakens in certain people, either naturally or from being deliberately stimulated. In some cases, it leads to transformation, usually instant. In others, Jenova's essence eventually subdues the host's will and assumes control. But you're unique, Jessie."

"Not sure I like the sound of that…" she shuddered.

"I wouldn't," I advised. "I've never known Jenova cells to reshape a host in her own image the way they appear to be doing to you. I'm not sure what it means. And those are all the answers I have."

She sighed. "Wasn't easy or pleasant to hear, but thanks. I guess it's better I know than go into this thing blind."

"Are you going to tell the others?" I asked.

"Not yet," Jessie decided. "I'm not sure I can. And if this keeps up, I don't know how much longer I'll be able to stay with them. I don't want to hurt them or be a danger to anyone, Vincent."

I understood, although I didn't agree. "Alone, you'll be vulnerable. And the change will likely happen faster. Jenova's counting on that. She wants to isolate you, pull you away from us."

"You're a lot more of a team player than you let on, aren't you?" she teased gently. "Thanks. I'll try to hold on if I can."

"Just being realistic," I shrugged.

Jessie didn't buy it. "Sure. If you say so. But I can see right through that cold loner act. Got a lot of experience with it from Cloud, and he's warmed up nicely! Guess I'll have to work on you next."

"Good luck," I replied.

"Ha!" she chuckled. "You don't know me very well yet, Vincent. I'm gonna make it my personal mission to get you to smile before we finish this journey of ours! If Cloud can do it, so can you!"

I shook my head. "I'm not Cloud."

"Oh, a challenge!" Jessie grinned. "You're on!"

There was no point trying to talk her out of it, so I decided to drop the matter. Her spirits lifted somewhat, Jessie stood back up, stretched, waved, and wished me goodnight before going into the buggy to sleep. I nodded to her but didn't follow right away. I needed to be alone for a while first. And I was also still on watch. I kept a close eye on the trees and the shadows between them and listened to the crackling of the fire, but nothing disturbed our camp that night.

Although I hadn't shown it much to the others, it felt good to have friends again. An odd group, to be sure, but no more than I. Tomorrow we would be splitting up, and I wasn't sure how long that would last or when we'd be together again. But there was one thing I did know, and I tightened my grip on Cerberus as I thought of it. Sooner or later, Hojo would be punished for his countless sins.

I would see to it.