Crisis Core: Blades of Destiny

Chapter 21: Cereza...?

Zack slowly opened his eyes, the world around him hazy and disorienting. His body ached, and his senses were dulled as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. The last thing he remembered was falling through the collapsing floor. As his vision cleared, he saw Cindy lying next to him, her form motionless.

Worried and disoriented, Zack gently brushed a lock of hair away from her face. He felt a pang of relief when he saw her chest rise and fall with each breath. Leaning over her, he reached out to gently shake her shoulder, hoping to rouse her from her slumber.

"Cindy," he murmured, his voice tinged with concern. "C'mon, wake up."

She stirred at his touch, her eyelids fluttering open slowly. Her gaze met Zack's, and for a moment, the world around them seemed to fade into insignificance. His relief was palpable, and he let out a quiet sigh.

She blinked a few times, her surroundings slowly coming into focus. Still groggy from their unexpected fall, she tried to piece together the situation. "Where are we?"

Zack glanced around, his brow furrowed with confusion. "No clue."

Sitting up, Zack couldn't help but be acutely aware of the close proximity between him and Cindy, and a wave of mixed emotions surged through him.

Pushing down those emotions, Zack shook his head and stood up. He reached out a hand to help Cindy to her feet. As she rose, they found themselves standing face to face, their eyes locked.

His eyes softened, "You okay?"

Cindy rubbed her head, feeling a slight discomfort, "Yeah...I'm okay. Let's catch up to Hollander." With determined resolve, they began making their way through the unknown territory, the dim light casting eerie shadows along the unfamiliar corridors.

It was dark, and confusion lingered in the air as they navigated the labyrinthine passages. The distant hum of machinery and the occasional flickering of a malfunctioning light bulb added to the unsettling atmosphere. It seemed like they were below the reactor, the weight of Mako energy palpable in the air.

As they moved in silence, Zack broke the quiet, his voice cutting through the darkness, "Why did Hollander call you Cereza?"

Her confusion evident, Cindy replied, "Maybe he confused me with someone else."

They reached the end of the hallway, and upon opening the door, they were greeted with a sight that left them both perplexed. It was a secret laboratory, the walls adorned with documents detailing experiments and a table cluttered with strange equipment.

Curiosity piqued, and they began to explore the room. Cindy picked up a file from the table, her eyes scanning its contents. She paused before reading it out loud, "We're currently running experiments on a young girl; her DNA seems unique. She could possibly be the test subject we've been searching for."

A heavy silence hung in the room as Zack and Cindy absorbed the shocking information. Cindy continued, her voice revealing a mix of disbelief and horror, "We've decided to name the experiment Project C. Cereza seems to be doing well with our testing. We've successfully injected her with Jenova cells. No rejection to Jenova's cells so far. But we will continue monitoring to see if she dies from the injections."

Zack looked at her with concern as she continued, "We must proceed with caution; Cereza is Professor Hollander's daughter." The weight of those words settled heavily in the room, casting a shadow over them.

Cindy felt a wave of nausea, and her vision grew hazy. She leaned against the table, her nails digging into the paperwork scattered across its surface. Was she this Cereza? Was Hollander truly her father? The questions echoed in her mind, and her reality crumbled around her.