dragonchaser

At this point, even Vincent had to admit he was completely screwed.

Using the laptop he’d gotten from Verdot (since he was never going back to that library), Vincent had gone through most of the data on the disc. As he’d realized in the library, the clone materia actually had very little to do with anything; that was just the security system. Rather, it was the human/esper project he had to worry about. He knew the original experiment very well, having already read those reports, and the scientist interested in repeating it — QHL, Jr. was scrawled at the bottom of almost all the documents related to summon materia — knew that experiment just as well. What bothered Vincent the most was the dates on the reports: within the past four years. Undoubtedly, his emergence had alerted QHL, Jr. to the original experiment, and Vincent had no doubt the reprise was initially begun by the scientist who’d done the first one.

Vincent groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose with his human hand. He had his suspicions about this “QHL, Jr.,” but they weren’t ones he was eager to prove; instead, he dreaded the results. He’d asked Verdot for any available information on the scientist, since he would’ve had to be part of Shin-Ra to have access to any of these documents, and was waiting for the answer, unwilling to proceed with his plans until then.

The phone on his bedside table rang almost as if it had read his thoughts; as expected, it was a notice that he had a package awaiting him at the front desk. Vincent went down immediately, forgoing his cloak in his haste, and made sure to get some coffee before he went back up to his room on the second floor. As soon as he got back to his room, he used his claw to slice through the brown packaging tape. Sipping his coffee whenever he got a spare moment, Vincent spread the files across his bed.

Vincent would’ve been surprised about the multitudes of information Verdot had managed to dig up (there was everything from his résumé to his college diploma), but as a former Turk, he knew perfectly well that there was little a Turk could not find. Vincent started with the man’s Shin-Ra documentation, sighing when he realized his suspicions had been right on target.

Name: Quincy H. Lynwood, Jr., Ph.D.

Age: 26


Position: Researcher, Materia Studies, Shin-Ra Science Department

--Specialization: Summon materia

“Quincy H. Lynwood, Jr.,” Vincent murmured, shaking his head. His suspicions were long gone: this was indeed the son of the first Quincy H. Lynwood, a man he had been rather well-acquainted with. Of course, Vincent was one of the very few people who knew the significance of the moniker (the others being the Turks, who knew most everything), in particular what the “H.” stood for: Hojo.

So, it was Hojo’s son who was behind it all. Vincent was mildly surprised that Hojo had a son other than Sephiroth, but it made sense that the man would follow in his father’s footsteps as a scientist. Knowing Hojo, the late professor would have been content to experiment on his first son while he trained his second to follow in his footsteps.

Vincent sighed and put the files on "Hojo Jr." in a neat stack, then sat on his bed and put his laptop on his crossed legs. Now that he knew who was involved, he was left with only one option: to rescue Cid. He had no doubts about the scientist's plans for Cid, but it was what lay beyond that that worried him. From the accumulated data, he knew Hojo Jr. had most of the summon materia in his possession, including what he'd need for Cid, but past that his intentions were unclear.

However, Vincent knew there was no time to contemplate such things; there was a pilot he needed to rescue. He was surprised at his keen desire to help Cid, but then again, no one else could. He alone understood the situation, and besides, Cid was his friend. Rather than brooding, the gunman knew it was time to act.

Vincent called Reeve first and arranged for a helicopter to take him to Junon the next morning. His second call was to Cloud, from whom he requested several materia. The swordsman was initially wary at Vincent's request - they kept the materia in a box for a reason, after all - but eventually agreed to bring the orbs Vincent had requested to the former military base.

Having taken care of the preparations, Vincent donned his cloak and left the inn, intentionally leaving the Cerberus behind. He strode through the town, ignoring the stares from those in the streets, and made his way past the rusted scaffolding to the plains outside Rocket Town. Once there, he called the Death Penalty to his hand before leaping into the sky, wings unfurled, and soaring towards the distant Nibel mountain range.

It was time to hunt.

—//—

It was past midnight when Vincent returned to his room at the inn. His hunt had gone well - he'd be at full power when he went to rescue Cid. Although he wasn't tired (rather, he was brimming with energy), Vincent got into bed to sleep until he had to meet the helicopter.

He awoke several hours later to the sunlight streaming through the window onto his bed. It was a beautiful day in Rocket Town, but Vincent was sure the rest of the day would not be as sunny. He wasn't surprised at the considerable foreboding he felt, for he was very afraid for what he would find in Junon. There was no other option than to try, and so the gunman boarded the helicopter a few minutes later, thinking only of his plan of action.

—//—

i feel it it's inside me but no stop don't please no

so bright so dark so full so empty

inside and outside are the same

just as i'm living and dying it won't end won't stop

can anybody hear me?

Author’s notes: This is all that I've written so far (I figured I'd post it all at once for simplicity's sake). I thought about writing some more right now, but then I realized it's 3AM and I have to get up in four hours. And so I will sleep.