Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ The Unknown Ally ❯ Chapter 6: Dreams and Gunshots ( Chapter 6 )

Chapter 6: Dreams and Gunshots

 

He opened his eyes and looked around to see a young woman, this time swathed in sheer crimson silk staring up at the black vault of the heavens, her raven hair swirling in the light wind that chilled his skin. The gunman slowly approached her, his crimson cloak streaming out behind him. She broke the silence, her voice causing his heart to skip a beat.

 

`It has been too long, Vincent Valentine,' she said softly.

 

`Three years,' answered Vincent.

 

`Really?' she murmured. `I thought it was four years. Where does the time go?' Vincent walked up beside her and gazed out at the night. He was afraid to touch her, for he didn't know if she was still alive or if her spirit was haunting him. She turned to him and sighed.

 

`I am not dead, Vincent,' she said, quelling his fears. `This is just my power at work. An astral projection I've created with my mind.' She laid a hand on his face. Her skin was so warm, so real. He gasped and turned to her, looking her in the eyes for the first time. She gazed at him, gently brushing loose strands of hair out of his eyes.

 

`I didn't mean to frighten you,' she said softly. `But it was the only way I could think of in order to see you.' Her eyes grew bright. `I've missed you so much, Vincent.'

 

`Hellfire….' Vincent felt his heart wrench and he clasped the hand on his face in his own. He closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of her skin….

 

Only to open them and see he was lying on his bed, dressed only in loose black trousers. He sat up and gazed around at the room he was using while he was working undercover. He sighed. Another dream. Another painful reminder that she wasn't there with him. He turned his head and looked in the mirror to see his short hair was sticking up in all directions, his crimson eyes bright in the dim light of the room.

 

If she could see me now, she wouldn't know it was me, he thought sadly. She would only see this: a reflection from a past that I'd rather keep in the dark.

 

He glanced at the clock and saw it was only seven-thirty. But he couldn't get back to sleep. He decided to go and see if his charge was in the lab yet. He dressed quickly and ran a comb through his hair, a vanity he never had to deal with before. He threw on his jacket and walked down the corridor to the lab where she worked.

 

He saw the young scientist had fallen asleep at her desk, her hands still resting on the keyboard. Her light breathing caused her hair to sway gently as she slept and her beautiful face was perfectly serene. She was like Hellfire when she slept and the thought of her name caused pain to stab through Vincent's heart. He roughly pushed the pain aside and leaned over the woman, resting a hand on her shoulder.

 

`Isolda?' He shook her gently and she stirred and moaned in her sleep. Her eyes slid open and she sat up groggily, running her hands through her hair. She looked up and started as she found she was only inches from Vincent.

 

`Oh! Hunter, you scared the hell out of me,' Isolda said. She frowned. `What are you doing here?'

 

`I just woke up,' replied Vincent. `I came in and found you asleep at your desk.'

 

Isolda groaned in embarrassment. `I must have dozed off while I was working. It happens a lot.'

 

`Why?'

 

`I get assigned a lot of work,' Isolda explained. `It keeps me up at all hours of the night.'

 

`What were you working on to cause this?' asked Vincent, then caught himself. If he asked the wrong questions, he would have ShinRa onto him.

 

But Isolda didn't see it as a suspicious question. `I was trying to finish a report for Rufus on something that's currently being developed. I can't say much else because I don't know much myself. `

 

Vincent nodded. `Are you done with it or do you need a little more time?'

 

Isolda thought about that for a moment before shaking her head. `No, I just have one more paragraph to finish and it's done.' She stretched to alleviate the tension in her body and turned to him. `I'm bored. How would you like to come down to the training facility with me?'

 

Vincent frowned. `The Turks Tactical Training Facility? Are you sure you're allowed in there?'

 

The young scientist laughed. `I was granted permission to go in there the moment I came here,' she chuckled. `I accidentally kicked Reno's ass when he tried to tackle me.'

 

`Why did he try to tackle you?' Vincent was confused.

 

`It's a habit of his to tackle the newbie,' she explained. `I'm surprised he didn't do it to you when you came here. Although with your type, I don't think he dared.'

 

Vincent frowned slightly. `My type?'

 

`Yes, the type of person who would drop you with a single look,' Isolda said. Vincent chuckled and shook his head. This woman certainly knew how to get him laughing.

 

`What do you say?' asked the young scientist. `Are you up for it?'

 

The disguised gunslinger looked at her and nodded. `Sure.'

 

`Let's go then.' She smiled at him and led him through the corridors. They stopped at the foyer to talk to Reno and Rude who were on duty. The redheaded man told them about a two million Gil project that had just come and he and his comrade had been assigned to guard it. Isolda made a quip about them getting too bored and it sent Reno into a fit of laughter. Rude glared at his friend and told them that they had to get back to work and the young scientist and Vincent got into the elevator.

 

`I never thought new technology would be assigned to those two,' said Isolda. `I'll bet every Gil I have that they'll grow bored with the task by next week and do something stupid to try and pass the time.'

 

Vincent looked at her. `Are they really so unreliable?'

 

Isolda looked at him. `No, but when those two get into hi-jinx, you can almost be assured nothing good will come of it. They're not morons, but they do have a tendency to bore easily.'

 

`Is this the floor?' Vincent pointed to the opening doors. The young scientist looked ahead and walked out of the elevator. She stripped off her lab coat, hanging it on a hook nearby. She was wearing a short skirt that revealed long lithe legs and a black and red leather corset-top to match her blood-red heels. She tied her silver hair back and picked up the handgun on the shelf marked with her name. She punched the keys of the nearby number pad and an electronic voice echoed as the doors opened into a spacious room filled with platforms and sliding panels.

 

`Verifying data. Access number H5894. Good morning, Miss Charis.'

 

She turned to Vincent. `Your turn.' The gunman nodded and walked to the panel, punching in the code he'd received that morning.

 

`Verifying data. Access number G7012. Good day, Mr. Eprhaim.'

 

`Now commencing the Turks Administrative Research Department Simulation Program. Please be aware that Shinra Electric Power Company is not responsible for injury or loss of life caused by the simulation program. If you have questions, information can be accessed from the TARD Terminal.'

 

`Commencing Session One: Basic Target Practice.'

 

Isolda looked at him. `You ready to get your ass kicked?'

 

Vincent couldn't help but chuckle. `Do you even know how to use that?'

 

A sly smile curved her lips as she aligned the sight. A box painted with a target appeared, about fifty yards from where they stood. She fired and the crate exploded in a shower of splintered shards. Boxes popped up, one after the other and she fired off round after round, missing only three of the boxes. She turned to Vincent, a little embarrassed.

 

`I guess I'm a little rusty,' she said. `It's been a while since I've been down here.'

 

But the disguised gunslinger was impressed. `I've never see anyone who spends their time in a lab so efficient with a handgun.'

 

`You should see me with a sniper rifle,' said Isolda, that smile widening. `I think it's your turn.'

 

Vincent stepped up to the mark and waited for the boxes to appear. He calmly fired, not missing a single one.

 

`Damn!' The young scientist was impressed. `You're good.' Then training bots came spilling out of the open panels and she smiled evilly. `But how good are you with mobile targets?' She took off, her heels clicking a rapid staccato on the tiles as she ran towards the bots. She dodged the shots and returned fire, downing one after the other. She dove into a roll to avoid being hit by a hail of bullets and fired a shot into the throat of one of the training bots. It fell with a buzzing hiss of broken circuitry. Vincent fired into the heads and chests of the bots and they fell quickly. After at least a minute or two of this, two panels in the floor opened. Platforms rose from the floor, each bearing a long rifle on it. They walked over and took the rifles. The platforms receded and the walls behind them came together, closing off the last room.

 

`Commencing Session Two: Sniping'

 

`Now I'll show you how it's done.' Isolda said as they took their positions in front of a large gap that distanced them from their targets. She arched her back and rested the rifle in the crook of her arm. She looked through the sniper scope and fired point-blank into the head of a training bot. It spun in the air before landing with a sickening crash on the floor. Vincent was impressed.

 

`Good shot,' he remarked.

 

`Your turn,' she said, smiling sweetly. Vincent settled the rifle in the crook of his arm and sighted down at the moving bots. He fired and the bot fell in mid-sprint.

 

`Jesus!'

 

Vincent smiled at the scientist's reaction.

 

`I always have trouble with the moving targets,' she said. `Next time we're in here, could you teach me? That's if it's not too much trouble.'

 

Vincent smiled at her. `All right.' In the back of his mind, he couldn't help but wonder how long he would have to remain here. He shook off the thought and looked at her. `Are you going to shoot or what?'

 

Isolda smirked and sighted down her arm. She down a couple more targets and two more panels opened to reveal three materia for each of them. They took them and the panels shut. Isolda popped the glowing blizzard materia into her gun and glanced at her bodyguard who was inserting a fire materia into his weapon.

 

`Commencing Session Three: Use of Magic in Combat.'

 

More training bots rushed out and began firing. Isolda didn't bother with small talk this time as she dove out the way to avoid being hit by the volley of shots. She fired an icy globe at one of her targets. It tried to run, but the materia continued to follow until it collided with it in a shower of ice crystals and blue sparks. She smirked.

 

`Honing missiles at their finest,' she said. Vincent couldn't help but smile and he fired the blazing materia at his targets. The materia exploded on impact, creating a huge fireball that consumed everyone within its radius. The bots fell and he turned to his charge. Isolda nodded.

 

`Not bad,' she said. `Although I didn't think you were the type who likes to go off with a bang.'

 

Vincent smirked. A bridge slid out towards them, closing the gap and they proceeded to the next room. Two machine guns were sitting on the crates there and they set down their rifles before hefting the weapons.

 

`I keep forgetting how heavy these stupid things are,' Isolda gritted through her teeth as she settled the gun against her stomach. She could barely lift it. `That's it, I'm cutting back on my chocolate.'

 

The disguised gunman chuckled. Isolda shot him a look.

 

`Are you laughing at me?'

 

Vincent tried to look innocent. Well, as innocent as he could possibly look. `Not at all.'

 

`Be thankful they cut out the one-on-one sparring session in this program or I would be kicking your ass right now.'

 

Vincent laughed. `Are you shooting first, or am I?'

 

Isolda frowned in thought. `You are. It'll give me time to get used to the weight again.'

 

`Commencing Session Four: Use of Concentrated Gun Fire in combat.'

 

Training bots surged out of their stations and charged the pair. Vincent fired the weapon, careful not to flinch while round after round exploded from the revolving barrels. They were downed quickly and he glanced at Isolda who was firing into the next wave of bots, wincing slightly from the loudness and speed of the gun.

 

`You're flinching,' said Vincent over the loud gunfire.

 

`I hate this thing!' yelled Isolda, trying to make herself heard. `Blades and handguns are more my style.'

 

The reborn Turk glanced at her, frowning slightly. There was a sly look on her face as she said it. There was more to her words than she was letting on.

 

The session ended and Isolda slumped over the machine gun. Vincent rushed over to help her put it back on the panel, careful of her skirt and the catches on her corset top. Once it was back on the pedestal, Isolda slumped against the gunman, exhausted.

 

`That stupid weapon always takes it out of me,' she said. `I'm glad this program gives us a break before we have to run the obstacle course.'

 

`You sure you're going to able to do that?' asked Vincent, pointedly glancing at her high heels. She laughed.

 

`I've done it before. It's easy, and with these things, it's makes melee combat very easy.' She set her foot on the crate and Vincent was shocked to see the heels were actually razor-sharp steel spikes. She smiled and put her foot back on the floor.

 

`Have you ever hurt yourself with those?'

 

Isolda shrugged. `A couple of times, but that was when I first got them. But once I got used to them, they came in handy.' She sat on one of the crates, primly crossing her legs at the ankles. `So, Rufus told me that you came out of hiding after ten years. Why wait so long?'

 

Vincent had memorised his “file” so he had no trouble answering her questions. `I was stationed at the old Shinra building. After it collapsed, I went to Edge and worked as a security guard. But then Deep Ground attacked the city and I was forced to go into hiding so they wouldn't catch me.'

 

`For the awakening of Omega,' said Isolda. `I heard about that.'

 

Vincent nodded. `It was only a few years ago I decided it was time for me to go back to my President and see if I could be of help. But I couldn't find them.'

 

`Not surprising,' said Isolda. `ShinRa's been keeping a low profile since the day of the explosion. He's been concerned that because of his father's reputation, he would be seen to be of the same mould. But he's remorseful about the state the planet's in and he's doing everything he can to cleanse the ShinRa name of its taint. But some things have remained a thorn in our side. Deep Ground is the worst.'

 

`Commencing Session Five: Overcoming Obstacles and Close Combat.'

 

Isolda rose to her feet and looked at him. `Ready to run the gauntlet, Hunter?'

 

Vincent smiled. `Ready and willing.'

 

She grinned evilly. `Be careful, this is my forte.'

 

`The timer will start as soon as the door opens.'

 

The door slid open and she ran through. The disguised gunman smiled and shook his head before taking off after her. He caught up with her as she was climbing a ladder and jumping down from the ledge to the next room. He followed suit, but was unable to catch her as she dove into a roll into a narrow crawl space. He dropped and crawled after her and caught a glimpse of her crimson heels as she got to her feet. He exited the crawl space and saw she was already punching in a code to open the door. She had been right to warn him. He could barely keep up with her.

 

The door opened and she raced through the door. Vincent followed the rapid click of her spiked heels as she ran through the gauntlet. He turned a corner and was attacked by a bot with a huge sword. He kicked it square in the stomach and it doubled over. Another charged and he delivered a powerful uppercut that bowled the bot off its feet. He ran forward and skidded to a halt as another bot attacked him. He ducked below its swing and kicked it in the kneecap, dropping it quickly and effectively. He heard the sizzle of broken circuits and glanced to the side to see Isolda was battling with a couple of bots. He watched as she whipped her leg in a vicious arc, her foot slamming into the bot's chest. He resisted the urge to wince; he was thankful he wasn't on the receiving end of the girl's heel spike. She grabbed the bot holding the knife and slammed it into the wall. She turned and smiled, her face slightly flushed and her silver hair around her face.

 

Vincent was about to return the smile when he saw something move.

 

`Behind you!' he cried.

 

Isolda turned and the bot crashed into her. She kicked at the bot, but it refused to go down, even when she dug her spikes into its stomach. It closed its mechanical hands around her neck and began to strangle her. She kicked harder and tried to hurl it over her back, but it wouldn't budge. She felt herself slipping into unconsciousness but she kept fighting. It was lifting her off the ground now, its hands still tightening their hold on her.

 

`Isolda!' Vincent charged at the bot and fired a round into its head at point-blank range. The bot dropped and finally went down. Isolda fell to her hands and knees, her hand feeling her throat as she coughed and gasped for air. Vincent knelt beside her, concern in his eyes.

 

`Are you all right?' he asked. She coughed and wheezed for a few minutes before she spoke.

 

`What the hell happened?' she demanded, her voice hoarse due to her near-strangulation.

 

`I don't know,' said Vincent. But the question that was on his mind was why the bot targeted the scientist and not him. He was the one who was trying to uncover WRO's hidden ally. Isolda was only a specialist in weapons technology. It made no sense.

 

`That's never happened before,' said Isolda. `You don't suppose there was a malfunction, do you?'

 

`Maybe,' allowed Vincent, but he doubted it. Isolda coughed.

 

`You going to be all right?'

 

She nodded. `I'll be fine,' she said. She smiled. `Thanks for your help, Hunter.'

 

Vincent looked at her. `I was assigned your protection. I was only doing my job.'

 

`What? Do you want me to throw myself at you?' Isolda did just that, a look of mock relief in her eyes. `Oh, thank you so much, sir! You're so strong and handsome! I don't know what I would have done without you, beautiful stranger!'

 

`You made your point,' said Vincent, smiling at her exaggerated performance. He gently pried her off. `I'm glad you're all right.'

 

`Thanks to you, dark angel!' cried Isolda in a theatrical voice.

 

`I said you made your point.'

 

`I know.' She grinned. `I was just wondering what it would take to get under your skin.'

 

The disguised gunman shook his head. `Are we done here or do we have another session?'

 

Isolda shook her head. `There used to be a session using the gun turret, but that was cancelled.'

 

Vincent frowned. `Why?'

 

`Reno and Rude kept writing insults to each other on the walls using the bullets.'

 

Vincent laughed. `I should have known.'

 

Isolda smiled. `Shall we go back to the lab? I still need to finish this report.'

 

He nodded. `Let's go.'

 

`Oh, lead me, my dark knight!'

 

He rolled his eyes with a smile and held out his arm in a chivalrous fashion, playing along with the joke. She slipped her hand into the crook of his arm and the reborn Turk steered her back to her private sector.