Blood & Sympathy (FFVII: Vincent x OC)

Ch13 - Rocket Town

The intense smell of smoke led them to Rocket Town. An entire town owned by rocket scientists. Jocasta had visited the place before. Maybe fifteen years ago. But it didn't matter. The town hadn't changed one bit. Except for maybe that abandoned rocket by the old Shinra base established by the forest.

Shinra had once launched a space program, dedicated to explore the vastness of space. After an accident though, and due to small amount of gil to spare, Shinra shut down the program a few years ago.

The team made their way to Rocket Town. The town was small but still filled with people walking around the market and the streets. Cloud asked around about the smoke. It looked like the smoke came from the old rusty rocket that was stuck in the base. That same rocket that never took off.

Cloud set off to investigate it, while the others hang around town to kill some time. Jocasta bought a few potions and a few more arrows that should be enough to fill her almost empty quiver. Killing monsters that lurked in the wilderness of the planet had left her with almost no arrows at all.

She set everything on her back and she turned around to check on Vincent. They'd both agreed to take a look at the weapon store, see what they could find useful to buy. Vincent was definitely out of bullets. Well, he has been off-world for 30 years.

Jocasta expected him to still be looking for bullets, but he just stared at her in surprise and confusion. She arched an eyebrow "What?"

"You fight?" He asked.

Jocasta chuckled as if it was a ridiculous thing to ask. "How do you think I survived thirty years on my own?"

Vincent's gaze slipped on the wooden floor of the store as he noted to himself that it was indeed a stupid question. But at some point, he genuinely felt worried for her. He struggled to keep himself from spelling out questions he knew she was going to avoid answering. She seemed like she already knew what had happened to him. She probably knew more than he did. Definitely.

She sighed "I'm no longer the woman you remember, Vincent. And you're no longer the man I remember,"

Vincent nodded "I know," he said dryly before he set off to finish his purchase.

Jocasta waited for him by the doorstep of the store. When he finished, they exited together and walked back into the busy streets of Rocket Town. At least that town wasn't filled with Ghosts. Sephiroth's puppets that lurked in Nibelheim was a whole different kind of thing.

They returned back to the rendezvous point where they had agreed to meet up with Cloud and the others. They were all waiting in the market, conversing with each other. They turned their attention back at Jocasta and Vincent.

"Ooh!! Here comes the couple!!!" Yuffie teased.

Jocasta and Vincent both chose to ignore the comment. Jocasta placed a hand on her waist as she turned at Cloud and asked "So what do we do now, boss?"

"I met the captain of Shinra's Rocket No. 26. He said Rufus will be coming here soon to talk business. The Captain's inviting us all for tea," Cloud explained.

"How did you get him to invite us for tea?" Yuffie asked raising an eyebrow.

Cloud smirked "SOLDIER-style,"

"Rufus gonna be here?!" Barret cried out excitedly as he started preparing his gun

"Let's go kick some Shinra ass!" Yuffie threw a fist in the air but Tifa stopped them both.

"Guys, it would be best if we didn't all march in like this. We don't wanna destroy the Captain's house. I don't wanna get him involved. This is our fight," Tifa said.