135 Lucrecia's Death
Both woke up as the group was waiting for them when Aerith sighs in relief that both were alright but the hostile aura around them seemed to have disappeared in the eyes of Nesiara.
Vincent was back on his feet with Aerith's and Yui's help when Nesiara asks, "Do you want to say something to her Vincent?"
"Just that I am grateful that she saved me," says Vincent as it was like a spear that pierced Lucrecia's heart who had a tear running down her cheek.
"I'm sorry about what happened to you Vincent and about what happened to your father as well," says Lucrecia in a sad tone wanting to find the peace that would liberate her from all the guilt she was feeling.
"I'm sorry about what my son did but he is still a child that was manipulated and experimented on. Please try to save him," says Lucrecia when suddenly Jack appears in front of them.
Everyone was surprised by that when Jack puts his hand against the crystal and Lucrecia sees a dream in which her son wasn't a villain but a hero making her realize what her fault for abandoning him without fighting.
"I will take your pain away and allow my sister-in-law to take you away," says Jack as Vincent wanted to interrupt Jack thinking he was an enemy but he only fell down feeling weak in his legs.
Jack's hand broke the crystal Lucrecia was in as he suddenly dragged something out that didn't look human at all while Lucrecia seemed to be still in the crystal.
Abigail appears as they all felt the pressure coming from her. She pressed her hand against the crystal and it dissolved leaving the body to fall when she touched Lucrecia she just turned to dust while some green energy began to fly away.
Jack was still holding the monster that he separated from Lucrecia. He turns to Cloud and Zack while saying, "This is the price that Jenova-Cells bring with it. Some pay it early and others later but everyone will pay it. Remember that well."
Then Abigail and Jack disappeared as the monster fell to the ground. It crawled toward Cloud and Zack but died midway while both were holding their sword.
"Why isn't it moving?" asks Zack as John looked at it closer.
"It's a parasite it can't survive without a host," says John after he burned it away.
Vincent suddenly had his strength back and stood up again when Nesiara says, "You are quite lucky to have survived. From what I have heard Jack doesn't like to take chances after a machine tried to conquer his world."
"Who were they?" asks Vincent as the others also wanted to know that.
"Abigail and Jack," says Aerith since she met both before while Nesiara told the three about them since meeting and hearing from them is something quite different.
Vincent still needed help walking when Yui and Aerith helped him when a Tombstone appeared. It had the form of Lucrecia when she was inside the crystal as beside it stood her name with her birth- and death day.
The couple left after John and Nesiara prayed differently for her well being confusing Vincent and Zack while Cloud knows already about it that Nesiara and John pray to different Gods.
Cloud joined them with Zack while Vincent wanted to stay longer to mourn Lucrecia's death. Yui and Aerith accompanied him when something fell out of thin air.
It landed in the water and Yui picked it up and takes a look at it seeing a revolver with five-barrels forming a cross. A name appeared in thin air saying 'Death Penalty' when Vincent asks, "Who is it?"
"It might be Logan," says Yui convinced about it.
Logan was a smith and sculptor in his free time and showed it at the wedding when he created the rings and the Heart of Ice for the banquet.
After a while, they left, and behind them, the Candlelights began to dissolve. They were returned together while Vincent was holding his new weapon.
"Will you use it?" asks Aerith curious to find out.
"I will, but only if necessary. I would use too many bullets in one fight and on our journey making us lose too much money," says Vincent as he didn't want to be a border when Yui took the gun from him.
She then pulls the trigger as she shot into the wall of the cave making quite a hole when she looked suspicious at the gun before shooting again and again.
This surprised Vincent as he thought Yui needed to reload the gun soon but that moment never came as she looked at Vincent and says, "It seems it runs on Demonic Energy."
"Demonic Energy?" asks Vincent as Yui nods.
"Yes, you have it in you too," says Yui as Vincent realized that she meant Chaos and he nods in agreement.
"Don't you feel exhausted?" asks Aerith as Yui smiles at her.
"Not one bit. You will be trained harder once we have our last party member," says Yui as they looked at Yui confused.
"How many are there?" asks Vincent as they left the cave.
"Don't know only my parent know it and they still haven't told us. But I can tell you that you will be imprisoned for two years one day. And if that day comes don't beg for mercy then they won't know none," says Yui scaring Aerith and Vincent before beginning to laugh out loud and continues, "I was just joking, partly."
It was dark outside making them believe that they stayed far too long in the cave as John says to them, "We are camping here today. I hope you found peace after mourning this long."
"I did, thank you for giving me the time to do so," says Vincent as he then sat down beside the campfire he was taking now a better look at the gun he was gifted.
In the meantime, Nesiara was trying to find Yui and found her with Aerith as they were helping Tifa and Cait Sith with the food for tonight.
"Yui can I talk with you," says Nesiara as Yui nods and they leave together when Nesiara says, "It seems that my little girl fell in love again."
"How?" asks Yui as she looked seriously at her mother.
"I'm your mother and the atmosphere around you and Vincent changed after both woke up. Your father hasn't noticed it yet," says Nesiara as John needed sometimes help when it came to women and feelings.
"But why did you described it with 'Again'?" asks Yui as Nesiara smiled at her.
"You really think that I didn't know how you looked at Kirito all this time," says Nesiara as Yui turned red from hearing that.
"You knew!" says Yui angry when Nesiara nods.
"Of course you are my daughter. You might have secrets but that secret you didn't keep good enough," says Nesiara as Yui looked at the ground.
"I don't know what I feel for him since it could be the demon in me still talking," says Yui as Nesiara lifts her head up.
"You have the blood of a Zerbst never forget that. A Zerbst is a person with passion and desire. We might not always accomplish the said task but we never give up. You understand," says Nesiara as Yui nods.
"Good since my hand is beginning to feel numb from lifting your head," says Nesiara as a joke while she really felt a bit numb.
"How about I ask your grandmother for some tips for you to conquer a man?" asks Nesiara sarcastic as Yui walked away embarrassed making Nesiara chuckle from seeing her daughter comport like she normally does.
Yui returned to the group of women and Cait Sith as they finished the food and sat down beside the campfire so they could eat all together when Vincent asks, "How many people are we still going to recruit?"
"One more person. He is the most important one," says John as everyone looked confused when he corrects himself, "What I mean is that he would normally the most important one since he is someone interesting that can take responsibility if needed in critical moments."
"So you think no one of us can do that?" asks Zack as John nods.
"Yes, you all are still young he is already quite old and has more experience in life," says John as Vincent looked at John.
"You and Red don't count. You slept most of your life while he is still considered a teen," says John explaining why he thought of the person that important.
"It's because of what would happen to me right?" asks Cloud as everyone looked at him when John nod.
"Yes, but now that you are clear-headed, I don't need to worry about that," says John as most of the people understood what John said.
The only one that didn't know was Cait Sith and Yuffie. Yuffie wasn't really interested in that while Cait Sith was afraid to ask about that matter since his cover could be blown if it wasn't already blown by the couple.
They were eating normally and Aerith was sitting between the couple eating her food as she loved to sit between them since neither Kieron nor Zack would approach her.
"So you still haven't found your answer?" asks John as Aerith nods.
"Take the time you need and if one of the two tries something funny inform me. I will straighten them up," says John as Aerith chuckled from hearing that.
The next day they continued on their journey as Shinryu took them down the mountain and turned into white smoke and the group began their journey back to Nibelheim.
Once there they rested for a day before hitting it off and travel towards Mt. Nibel to reach Rocket Town were their last partner was waiting.
