Crimson Demons (FF7)

14) Discovering More

There's a loud, violent splash as we land in the ocean and we're submerged briefly as we fly back toward the surface, bobbing aimlessly. Violet cringes, clinging tightly to my arm. Cloud fishes his phone out, looking green still.

"I'm calling Barret to come bring the sub," he explains to Cid's questioning look. The pilot cringes.

"Barret?"

"Everyone I trust to drive it is here," our leader points out. I look at the faces of the people here and realize that he's right. Then I pause. We have a submarine? We certainly missed a lot. Violet's nose crinkles.

"Gods, Vincent, you stink."

"You did just empty your stomach all over me," I raise an eyebrow.

"Yeah, sorry about that," she shrugs. Shera spots the sub first.

"Captain." Cid shakes his head and opens the hatch up top, motioning for us to leave. Violet winks at him playfully before climbing out, and I don't leave too far behind. Luckily, I'm there when her boot slips on the slick metal surface, catching her outstretched hand and pulling her back up. A small wave touches her leg and she winces, pulling back instantly and trying to wipe it away. Barret chuckles from the front of the submarine.

"What, you the evil witch or somethin'?"

"It's called hydrophobia," she sniffs, scowling at him. He rolls his eyes.

"I was joking."

"Hojo?" I ask, referring to her fear and she nods.

"Water seemed to be his favorite plan of attack, obviously paired with Lightning materia." Had I asked this question months ago, I would have only received a glare.

"Is that why you won't use materia?" Nanaki asks upon entering the room, head tilted. She shakes her head, slowly becoming uncomfortable from all the pairs of eyes watching.

"That's... Something else," she says, catching my eye. I raise a questioning eyebrow. "You don't remember?" I shake my head. What is she talking about? She groans. "That time David freaked out and you had to keep him from punching me? It was your first day at the mansion."

"Whoa, what kinda boyfurend did you have?" Yuffie asks with a bewildered look. Violet barely gives her glance and stares at me. How could I forget?

"How could I forget that? I simply do not remember why I was blocking a hit aimed for a random woman," I tease. Barret chuckles. "It was mako addic..." I pause, not sure what she cares about and what she's out behind her. "Addition."

You're an idiot.

Violet blinks at me while Yuffie and Barret crack up, Nanaki grinning. With a humored look, Violet shakes her head.

"You're terrible at that. And I don't care, it's not like I do that stuff anymore."

"What, mako shots?" Barret frowns. "I had a cousin that died cuz a that."

"Yeah, well," she shrugs. "I'm not that dead. Not like this kid, who was supposed to be dead a few decades ago." She pokes my arm and I frown, stepping away. Yuffie crinkles her nose.

"Ew, Vinnie! You get sick or something?" I glance at Violet with a small but smug look, her face coloring as she looks down at her feet. Barret gawks at us.

"How are you even alive right now?"

"Vincent wouldn't shoot me, right?" She grins and leans in my shoudler. I scowl at her, and she rolls her eyes, resting her chin where her arm was. "You're terrible at scaring people."