Ship Exterior

Killing the two Sahagin in the room, Vincent rushes out of the room and is met by a sailor that informs him of the ship's status of being invaded and sinking.

"The life rafts have jammed, and the security barriers are active; please help the passengers escape."

Vincent begins eliminating the invading Sahagin and Gargoyles on the ship as he searches the area to deactivate barriers and unlock the rafts full of passengers. After freeing the first raft and barrier, Vincent frees the second raft before manning a turret as hordes of Gargoyles appear. Remedying the problem, Vincent unlocks that last barrier and raft. As it descends, a woman jumps off the raft shouting "My Research!" and dashes by Vincent and into the ship. Vincent soon follows after her as he yells.

"Wait, get back on the raft! Its dangerous!"



Mystery Woman

Inside the ship Vincent catches up with the woman. "You can't go back." he says, "But my luggage?" the mysterious woman replies.

"Leave it."

"No… I cant, all of my research will go to waste."

"Research?"

Vincent recalls another moment with Lucrecia due to the remarkable resemblance this woman has to her. The two are dancing within the research lab as Vincent comments, "Yeah, this isn’t… too bad." Next to where they are dancing, the Protomateria is sitting on the desk as Vincent notices it.

"Huh… isn't that?" Vincent asks.

"That's your…oh never mind." Lucrecia begins to say before stopping herself.

"Is it important?" Vincent asks.

"Yes, very important." Lucrecia states as the memory fades to the current situation. Inside the ship, Vincent turns to the mysterious woman and asks if it's important. "Yes, very important." the mysterious woman replies. "Alright, but I'm coming too." Vincent commands.



Ship Interior

"Stay close." Vincent tells the woman as she acknowledges. Delving into the lower decks of the ship, Vincent leads the woman who resembles Lucrecia to find her luggage. Her appearance is uncanny if only that she wears her hair down and wears green pants and jacket with a black shirt underneath. Vincent and the woman come across Sahagins. Upon reaching the lowest level, the woman spots her luggage and speaks with Vincent.

"I found it."

"Come on, we have to get out of here." Vincent says as they turn to leave and head back for the deck of the ship. Racing up the various corridors of the ship as it slowly sinks and is filling up with water, they encounter more Sahagins forcing Vincent to change into Galiant Beast and eliminate the rest of them.



Protect the Woman

"Thank you so much." the woman says to Vincent outside the ship; "My research is safe. It means everything to me." As she leaves and Vincent watches her go, "thank you" she says once more as it brings back memories of the time he as a Turk danced with Lucrecia. "Sometimes… I get so involved with my research that I lose myself." Lucrecia says before continuing, "When ever that happens though, … you always come to my rescue… thank you Vincent."

"What?" he asks.

"Nothing… I just wanted to thank you." Lucrecia comments as the memory fades away to Vincent leaning over the rail as the raft carrying away the mysterious woman floats away. Pondering about these flashbacks, he attempts to understand what happened back then.

"Her research… wasn't it the Jenova project?"

"She… was in… pain. I…"

"Why?"

"Is it important?"

"Yes, very important." he recalls the mysterious woman claiming.

"Yes, very important." It was the same thing Lucrecia had said.



Final Obstacle

Continuing the debate of what Lucrecia could have been researching and furthermore what could have been tearing away at her. Nero appears high above the ship behind Vincent. "I want more… I want to know everything." he says.

"Perhaps this will prove affective."

Creating an orb of darkness, Nero sends it off toward both the ship and Vincent.

"Darkness lies stagnate in the depths of your soul. I shall assist you in releasing that terrible dark energy."

Turning, Vincent spots the black orb and draws Cerberus. Shooting it proves useless forcing him to leap over it and land behind various crates on the deck of the ship. As the orb floats about where Vincent had stood moments ago; a massive Black Widow steps out from within the void before it vanishing.



Ship Sub-Deck

The fight begins by Vincent firing consistently at the massive Black Widow. Suddenly, the Black Widow hops to another area. Running to the new area, Vincent finds a set of switches. Upon activating them, platforms rise with barrels on them. Using them to his advantage, Vincent explodes the barrels as the Black Widow nears them. After sustaining minimal damage, the Black Widow jumps to the upper deck of the ship with Vincent following close behind.



Black Widow Battle

Reaching an area where Cerberus will do the most damage, Vincent prepares to attack when the Black Widow leaps over Vincent's head and unleashes its' Beam Cannon knocking Vincent against a wall of the ship. Leaning against the ship, the Protomateria lies exposed from Vincent's chest causing Vincent to recall another moment of Lucrecia holding the protomateria.

"Were you in pain?"

"Back then… I couldn't…"

"I have to make it there…to Shin-Ra Manor."

Vincent stands up and steps forward as if filled with a newly found strength.

"To find out about her."



Ship Main Deck

Attacking the Black Widow with Cerberus while periodically changing into Galiant Beast; he eventually destroys the Black Widow and watches as it goes over the edge of the ship. The ship begins to capsize and Vincent ends up sinking below as crates and barrels float about him. "Not much longer now." Vincent thinks before he begins to hear Lucrecia’s voice.

"I’m… sorry, I… can't take it anymore."

"LUCRECIA!"

A bubble floats up near Vincent's face when an image of Lucrecia sitting on the ground of the lab frustrated appears in his mind.

"Live"

"Live… Vincent."

Surfacing Vincent floats about surrounded by the wreckage of the ship when he slowly starts to rise out of the water. Moments later, a submarine appears below him as it raises itself to the surface. Turning toward the hatch as he hears it open, Cait Sith pops out.

"Vincent, ya nae look'in good ged. I knew something was up. Glad I dropped in to see ya." said the little fur-ball in an outlandish Scottish accent.

"Cait Sith… hmf … Reeve." Vincent replies.

"Well done laddy, No.3 ready and at yer service."



Vincent Saved

As Vincent and the little cat known as Cait Sith walk toward the Sub's front railing; Cait Sith speaks his mind.

"I didn't feel right bout things."

"So I followed ye…er and came to help."

"Yeah, thanks." Vincent says.

"Donna mention it, anyway I still feel something's not right."

The ship continues it course; a darkness follows. Nero becomes visible within the darkness and says, "At last. I have borne witness to the darkness inside you." 

Meanwhile, Cait Sith continues, "Something got to be afoot, an round here too."

"Just as strong as I thought. Your darkness… that stagnate life; you are more like us then you know. But it seems I have other matters, which need attending."

"An intruder in my most precious… precious place."

"All who come close to him will be eliminated."

"Vincent Valentine, we shall meet soon enough." Nero says concluding before vanishing into his void of darkness and disappearing.

Meanwhile, Vincent thinks out loud of what he believes is about to unfold.

"Shin-Ra Manor."

"Everything, everything started there."

"All of my sins… call that place home."

"I might find something out about her… her research."

"Lucrecia."

Images flood Vincent's mind as images of Lucrecia, Hojo, being in the tube, seeing the protomateria, Lucrecia within the crystal, and the Shin-Ra Manor entrance.

"I'm going back, again."

"To the place you were, to Shin-Ra Manor."

As Vincent and Cait Sith enter in the submarine, it continues its' course as two helicopters join it in a escort toward Costa del Sol.


TO BE CONTINUED IN… Dirge of Cerberus – Final Fantasy VII