Diamond in the Rough (FFVII Dirge of Cerberus)

Chapter XV

Vincent approached the doorway, blinding light pouring into the dim hall. Yuffie was right behind him, eager to finish the job and "stop the bad guys", as she put it. But they weren't ready for what they found ahead. Upon entering the large room, they found a massive pool of pure mako. In the center above it was an impressively crafted throne with a wolf head statue above it. On the throne sat Weiss, slumped back and completely lifeless. But what was more alarming was the girl hanging from the wolf's forehead. Vianca was strung up like a puppet, chains wound around her arms and tied around the wolf's ears. There appeared to be deep cuts littering her body, dripping blood. There was even one up the side of her face.

"Vianca!" Vincent shouted, his tone unusually panicked, desperate even.

Yuffie was in shock. "V...Vianca..." She almost choked on her words. "And that's...Weiss? H-he's...dead?"

"But not for long." The pair turned to see Nero behind them. "A new life breaths inside him. Just as one does in you, Valentine. Vianca too."

Vincent narrowed his eyes, understanding. "Oh. That's what you're doing."

"What?" the ninja questioned, as clueless as always. "What's he doing?! What's going on?!"

"And why is Vianca here?" the man pressed with an edge to his monotone voice. Yuffie went completely ignored. "What did you do to her?"

Nero cocked his head to the side. "I initially wanted to get her out of the way, but she's proven to be quite resilient. Even now, she clings to life. Aegis is powerful, and pure. Soon, my dear brother will awaken. Vianca shall be his to do with as he pleases. He might use her power to further his greatness. And if he should kill her, so be it."

The ground started shaking, and a bright light erupted from around Weiss. Vincent and Yuffie stumbled, but retained their balance. Vianca stirred from her slumber only to start screaming and weakly thrashing in agony. Vincent gasped, shielding his eyes as he tried to look at her.

"Vianca! Hang on!" He snatched his gun and took a step toward the throne.

Nero summoned a great shadow around him. "Stay away from my brother!" His darkness shot out, engulfing Vincent and Yuffie in an instant.

Vianca was left hanging there, just barely conscious enough to understand what was happening. "N...no...Vin...cent..." She gasped for breath, the light shining below her blinding. It made her all the more lightheaded. "Ne...ro... We...iss... Ple...ase..."

In her mind, she was hoping and wishing for the safety of her friends. She didn't know how she was still enduring the pain coursing through every fiber of her being. She was already fatigued from everything so far, and even Aegis seemed to be trying to recover while slumbering inside her. She was filled with genuine fear and dread, wondering if she might die there, or worse, lose Vincent. The light that left her blinded and disoriented finally began dying down enough for her to see. She blinked rapidly to clear her vision, looking down at the shirtless male rising to his feet.

"W...Weiss...?" she murmured.

He'd been practically dead moments ago, so she was surprised. He tilted his head back to look up at her, a wicked grin plastered to his face. He suddenly leapt up onto the wolf head, crouching over her.

"Aww, look who's been hanging around for my rebirth." He chuckled at his own joke. "Vianca, you've been a very bad girl, you know. Be thankful that Aegis is keeping you alive until my journey."

The girl gazed up at him weakly. "What...journey?"

Weiss started unwinding her chains from the statue's ears. "My journey to the stars, of course." He watched her drop to the floor, laughing at the sight of her groveling at the foot of his throne. "Look at you. Too weak to even defend yourself. Pathetic."