Violet Shadows (FFVII)

XXXII) The Shinra Mansion

I grimace as we drop into the old sewers beneath the Shinra Mansion, the greenish water rising to my waist. This isn't helping my hydrophobia at all, and the fact that I'm likely wading in Deepground piss makes it even worse. I cling to Vincent's arm as we swish through the disgusting, smelly water. Suddenly, a group of giant turtles leap from a broad pipe, hissing and waving their pointed spears about.

"Looks like we're not the only ones here," he mutters, shooting through their softened shells.

We fight the monsters through the sewer until we come to a room with a pool of sorts, the turtle-like creatures dropping from the sky once more. We shoot them down all too quickly. Green blood splatters across my face and I grimace, rubbing it away with the back of my hand. A little further and I manage to escape the brownish waves by a set of old, creaky stairs. Vincent actually rolls his eyes when I shudder. Of course, my relief runs dry when we have to go back in after crawling through a cramped space.

"I am so taking a shower after this," I groan. "I don't care how much water it takes. I hate swimming around in feces."

"For once, I agree with you," Vincent replies, disdainfully looking down at the water swishing around his hips.

I won't bore you with the details of the rest of our trek through the nasty sewer. We come up to a steel ladder and head up silently. Vincent shoots the soldiers that wait for us at the top and takes hold of my wrist, pulling me up the rest of the way. I can climb it myself, y'know. We fight off more soldiers and I begin to wonder there are so many stationed here. What are they guarding? We head into an elevator and head onto the next floor, avoiding a spray of bullets.

On the next floor, we wait impatiently for the elevator doors to open, my heart rate steadily increasing as we get closer to the interior of the manor. I bounce on my toes, restless, and Vincent watches me emotionlessly. The lift finally arrives, its creaking doors sliding open, and we head inside. It creaks loudly as it carries us upward. The doors squeak when they open again. The next room is suspiciously quiet. We head across the bridge the crosses over a series of pipes only for the door behind us to slam shut.

"Let me guess," I sigh. The walls on either side of us separate, revealing a series of Deepground troops just waiting to pull the trigger. And they all do, at the same time. I hiss as bullets pierce my body from every side, ruining my aim and causing my head to spin into a senseless spiral. My knees give way and I collapse behind a pair of crates, my weapon laying on the ground a few inches away. Shadow... What are you doing?

This is what happens when you stick your nose where it does not belong.

You get me killed?!

You're not dead yet, are you? Calm down; you're starting to worry Valentine.

Yeah, right. Like he gives a #$%^.

He most certainly does. He merely fails to understand how to handle his guilt over what happened to your sister and therefore considers his pain punishment for his sins.

Alrighty, psychic. 

Vincent tackles the soldiers on his own, hardly batting an eye even when he's shot. When the last man is killed, the way forward opens up. Ignoring the doorway, Vincent turns and crouches beside me.

"Are you alright?" he asks. I ignore his question, pushing up my sleeve to eye a wound in my forearm. "Violet?"

"Apparently, she's punishing me," I mutter. He frowns.

"Shadow?"

"Yeah. For 'sticking my nose where it doesn't belong.'" I glance up at him. "There has to be something here, Vince."