Diamond in the Rough (FFVII Dirge of Cerberus)

Prologue

A splash of blood. The shimmer of beautiful crystals. Panicked cries of onlookers.

It happened so fast. The scientist that had been scolding the girl mere seconds ago was impaled by a thin crystalline structure that had erupted from under his feet. He hung limply, the crystal pierced into his lower back and up through his chest. It had lifted him completely off the floor. Blood cascaded down the clear crystal and pooled under his body. Strained gurgles were the last thing to slip from the man's lips before blood started dribbling from his mouth. The last remnant of life in his eyes faded away.

Vianca stared in shock, unsure of why or how it happened. It was her crystals, she was certain, but she hadn't meant for that to happen. Even with the man yelling at her, and threatening to hit her, she wasn't going to strike back in any way. So why? Why did he die?

Several other scientists moved closer, taking their colleague's arms and attempting to get him down. Vianca looked down at her hands, confusion etched on her face. She was trying hard to understand what happened. Looking up at the scene before her, she reached her hand out and balled her hand into a fist, shattering the crystal into pieces that scattered on the floor like broken glass. The lifeless body of the scientist collapsed, splashing into the puddle of blood and crystal shards. The people that had been trying to get him down gasped and flinched back, startled.

"Why did he...?" Vianca finally spoke in her light voice, little emotion in her tone. "Why did he die? I don't understand."

Everyone in the room turned to look at her, most of them glaring or frowning in disapproval. Even the ones that had been typing away on their computers or organizing papers had stopped to stare at her.

"Dr. Hauke," a female voice addressed a single individual. "Take her to the testing room. We need to do an immediate cleanup and organize a meeting."

The young man that was spoken to sighed. "Right away, ma'am."

Vianca set her pale violet gaze on the male approaching her. She knew him well despite his simple attire and lab coat reminiscent to the other scientists. He was the only one who would talk to her at his leisure. His blond hair was usually pulled back into a short ponytail, and just behind his round glasses were a pair of brown eyes that were always so kind. With a sad smile, he gently took her by the hand, leading her out of the room. The walk down the halls was silent until they reached the testing room where cages and test tubes were full of people and creatures that had already died and decayed.

"Nestor, I really don't understand. What happened to that man?"

Vianca's innocent question made him pause, his sad smile never leaving his face. "Your power is still unstable at times, Vianca. I know you didn't mean to, and it wasn't your fault, but...you killed that scientist."

Vianca gasped, her eyes widening slightly. "But I wouldn't... He was scolding me for not trying harder, but I didn't want to... I would never..." She trailed off, staring down at the floor. A thin layer of crystals was already growing along her arms.

Nestor gripped her hand and gently touched the side of her face, earning her attention. "Vianca, it was an accident. Don't blame yourself, okay? I'm sure his threats just triggered a defensive response in your body. It can happen." He gave a reassuring smile. "We're going to figure this out, trust me. You are destined for greatness, but to achieve that, there will always be failures and mistakes."

The girl stared at him, managing a small smile. "I trust you. You and everyone here know what's best." The crystals on her arms crumbled and fell to the floor at their feet, her mind eased by his words.

"Good." Nestor pecked her lips, a gesture he had gotten accustomed to lately. He then hugged her, though she simply stood there and let him, not at all comprehending the meaning of his actions. "I'll always watch over you, and I'll clean up all your mistakes." He released her from his hold and smiled. "Wait here for a bit. I need to assist the others."