Violet Shadows (FF7)

5) The Jungle

The jungles around this temple are terrible. Cluttered, full of bugs that make our ears ring, and hot. Humid and hot. Tifa whines about her how her hair is reacting to the humidity to Cloud, but he ignores her and continually looks at Aeris as we go. The older woman looks around her in wonder, probably sensing the lack of human contact to land and the Ancients' power.

"We've got to be getting close," she murmurs.

"I hope so," Cid grumbles. Barret grumbles under his breath and fiddles with his gun arm while he walks. I wonder where he puts the ammo in that thing...

"Gawd, I could just die!" Yuffie drags out. "It's so hawt."

"Shut up, brat. It's not like yer wearin' clothes anyway," Cid snaps at her.

"I am too wearing clothes, you old fart!" She yells.

"I ain't old! I'm only thirty two!"

"That's ancient."

"Hey!" Cid, Barret, and I protest all at once. Vincent casts a weary look in her direction.

"Then perhaps I shall remind you of your words when you are as old as Cid," he says softly, never making his voice louder than he needs to.

"Hmph!" She sticks her tongue out at him and stomps up front on the other side of Cloud.

"Guys! Wait for me!" Comes the annoying voice of the traitor in the back. We ignore him. How could we have been so oblivious? In a group this large, there was bound to be a traitor. That's one of the reasons I don't dare to get close to anyone. Any one of them could die, get hurt by me, or desert us. Anyone. Shadow isn't picky.

"The Temple... It's here!" Aeris suddenly says loudly, running past the long branches of jungle trees and nearly tripping over her dress multiple times. Cloud runs after her and Barret shrugs, following. The rest of us jog behind to catch up, Vincent, of course, just walking like always. Boring.

I think we missed something because Cloud, Tifa, and Aeris are already at the top of the stairs and hurrying in. I can sense something, I just don't know what. It's strange, yet calm. Shrugging it off, I follow them into the Temple to see Aeris talking to a man in a suit, the one I assume Cait gave the Keystone to. Tseng. That means he's a Turk. Cloud pulls her away and while she tries not to show that she's crying over the bloodied man. And then they're sinking. I take an instinctive step forward in alarm, but a hand wraps around my bicep and pulls me back. I can already tell who it was by the tingling feeling on my skin.

"Guess dat means I'm in charge," Barret says proudly. "An' I say we get outta here, cuz this place gives me the creeps!"

"I agree!" Yuffie squeals, running out of the building as fast as she can. Cid chuckles and he and Barret do down together. Vincent gives me a lasting look that I can't read before turning and leaving. I'm assuming he doesn't like the soothing feeling of this place. I, on the other hand, haven't felt this peaceful in thirty plus years. I look at the shallowly breathing and bleeding out Turk against the wall. He watches me with pale eyes, alert as any Turk should be, even in their last moments. I know he won't want any help, but a slow death by the enemy isn't exactly considered honorable in any Shinra methods either.

"Do you have any ammunition left?" I ask finally. He narrows those eyes on me before finally shaking his head. I sigh and toss a single bullet toward him. "Courtesy of Shadow," I call over my shoulder as I leave,but he won't know what I'm talking about. Just as long as he doesn't like I'm helping him out. Because I'm not. I just hate to see slow suffering.

"What took ya so long, Witch?" Barret frowns. "Never mind, Yuffie found a good spot for campin' until Cloud gets his butt outta there." Barret has taken to calling me Witch and Vincent Vampy, Vampire, Creep, etc. I'm sure he feels honored to have such an array of nicknames.