Blood & Sympathy (FFVII: Vincent x OC)

Ch26 - Snowed Mountains

 "Don't try to act innocent! I'll never forget what you've done to my boss!"

"Oh, man..." Cloud sighed as he scratched his head not knowing how to further convince her that it was Sephiroth who killed Tseng.

A young girl's voice reached their ears as Jocasta and Vincent finally reached the others. The team was just staring at Cloud talking with the blonde girl, that looked like a Turk. She was assisted by two SOLDIER cadettes that were ready to follow whatever orders she'd give them.

Jocasta leaned close to Yuffie and asked "Uh... what's going on?"

"Blondie over here thinks we killed her boyfriend," Yuffie commented.

"Looks like talking won't do! You're going to have to feel some pain!" The young girl said as she nudged her SOLDIERs to stand back and she got in her stance "Just you and me, SOLDIER boy!"

"Wait, hold on a sec," Jocasta said "Your boss? You mean Tseng?"

"Who else would I mean!?"

"Tseng's alive, I saved his ass," Jocasta said, placing a hand on her waist.

The girl got off her stance as she turned at Jocasta with a look of disbelief "N- no... you lie! H- he sent the distress signal... he said he was-"

"He was dying, but I helped," Jocasta said shrugging.

The blonde looked at her for a second "How could you possibly-" then the realization hit her "Wait a minute... you look familiar," she said before she clicked her fingers when the idea popped in her mind "Ha! You're Dr. Jocasta Ernchester!"

"What's with everybody knowing who the fuck you are?" Barret asked from behind.

Jocasta shrugged "I used to work with these people,"

"Your files claimed you deceased. The Turks would've known if you were alive," She said as a hand found her chin and she thought for a second.

"What's your name, again?" Barret asked.

"Elena..." and then she groaned at herself for opening up so easy "Ugh- It doesn't matter! Why would you even help Tseng? We're supposed to be enemies!"

"I'm a-" Jocasta cut herself and pressed her lips. All that scientific stuff drowned her in nostalgia of the days when she helped people daily. But now she knew she was no longer that person. Hojo had stolen that person when he started his experiments on her. "I was a doctor. I couldn't let him die,"

Elena sighed and lowered down her guard. She nodded "I guess... it's only fair if I leave you guys be. I've got different orders, anyway," she said before she turned around to leave "I'd advise you, people, to leave this place..." she turned her head, giving them a last glance "...it's not safe,"

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Cloud kept staring at the map he had recovered from the village, while he led his team into the thick forest of the mountainside. The dark-green of the trees, was covered in a heavy layer of snow. The snow was still puffy and it seemed untouched. No one had come outside that way and at some point, Jocasta thought that Cloud didn't really know where he was taking them.

They had been walking for hours and the sun was starting to fall behind the mountains of the horizon. Jocasta made a step further as she stared around the trees. Some trees had a few series of crystals hanging by their bare branches. The lights of the surroundings reflected perfectly on the solidified water and she couldn't help but stare at them.

The team had decided to take a break from the endless walking, while Cloud took his time to study the maps. Jocasta turned her head, glancing at her new companions. Well, they had already spent a few weeks together. So much had already happened and she couldn't believe she felt like she was actually bonding with them.