FicWad

Rude had taken the watch for most of the night and then the Soldier, who they found out was called Zekiel, took the rest of the watch. The only way they could tell it was day was the fact that the pitch black turned to a whitish grey.

The boat lake was still pretty clouded and Tseng now wondered what to do as there were three of them. It would mean that they had to walk right around it through the forest. Still, he mused, better to do that by day.

“Sir.” Zekiel gave out what was left of the rations in his bag. “Do you want me to stay with you?”

“Yes please.” Tseng nodded. “We’re walking via the forest and we are going to head to see if we can find Elena.”

The three headed outside, the boat had been vandalised forcing them to head through the forest anyway and Tseng’s patience was wearing thin. He had a headache, a permanent one. They began to head in to the gloomy depths of the forest.

Zekiel was a young Soldier, third class. He was a young man with messy blond hair and sparkling mako blue eyes who had happily signed up for ShinRa when the rebuilding projects started. He had suddenly found himself separated on a routine march through the Train Graveyard.

“Okay we need to keep our eyes open for clues.” Tseng said noting that Rude still had his partner’s jacket. “Zekiel would you please add this rag to your inventory of items?”

“Yes sir.” He nodded and they carried on. The woods were depressing and Rude was sure that he spotted blood spots and gashes around the trees. Since no one else saw fit to mention it he decided not to bother either.

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Elena meanwhile was stood in the centre of the street, which was pouring with rain and sobbing her heart out. The footsteps came nearer and she span around grabbing her gun and holding it out.

“You know that won’t really bother me all that much.” Came the deep sultry voice and Vincent appeared behind her. “So please put it away.”

“Vincent?” Elena threw herself in his arms. She’d come to trust the ex-Turk when he rescued her from Kadaj and his brothers. Tseng and her herself had been tortured for information regarding Jenova’s head but Vincent had managed to save them before they were killed. “What are you doing here?”

“I couldn’t actually tell you.” He admitted. “I’ve been here for a couple of days now. This place is evil. Everything about it seems to have a resonance of torture and anger.”

“Well at least you are here. I was with Rude and Tseng and the next thing I know I was here.” She straightened her uniform out. “I don’t know what do to. We’re looking for Rufus and Reno as they came through first. Please don’t leave me alone.”

“It’s okay Elena I haven’t seen anyone else so I would really rather not.” He nodded and packed Cerberus back in the holster and they headed down the street. “Rufus and Reno are here?”

“Somewhere though I have no idea where as we went through after them. We thought they would have stayed near where they appeared but I wonder if we didn’t all appear in different places if you are here and I am. We know Reno is here as we found his jacket but it was covered in blood and…” her voice shook a little, “and much as we might bicker I am worried about him.”

“I would be more worried about us.” Vincent said pointing down the road past an electricity pole and an old pick up truck.

A group of strange looking creatures were moving their way. Around ten of them, barely recognisable as humanoid and most definitely not friendly because some of them had crowbars and one of them had a shotgun. Without materia to aid them it was pure brute force and skill.

“I’d make sure you gun is loaded.” Elena said to Vincent who merely gave her a dirty smirk and winked before stepping in front of her.

”It always is.” He laughed.