The gunfire was almost deafening. WRO soldiers fought bravely to defend the headquarters. But no matter their methods, they couldn't stop her. Vianca was too powerful. Every bullet fired at her was deflected with a wave of her finger. She kept advancing, walking at her own pace through the corridor. She was approaching the troops at the end, her wall of crystals surrounding her and keeping her protected.

"Keep at it!" one of the men shouted. "There must be a way to get past her shield!"

The Diamond sighed softly at their ignorance. "Please move or I'll have to resort to extreme measures."

Her voice was calm, but it was drowned out by the gunfire. Shaking her head in disappointment, she slowly raised a hand. Crystals grew out from her barrier, creating jagged spikes. With a flick of her hand, sharp shards of the minerals broke off and flew toward her enemies. Like shrapnel, the shards ripped and tore everything they hit. The troops all collapsed, their bodies badly cut and shredded. Blood was splattered across the floor and walls. And only a few of the soldiers were even still alive, though their faces were so scratched up they were almost unrecognizable.

"I warned you," Vianca muttered sadly, shattering her crystals to stroll past the bodies.

She hated having to cause so much unnecessary bloodshed. But when people insisted on getting between her and her target, she was left with few options. She paused upon hearing a strained voice. Looking down, a woman laid dying by her feet.

"What... What...are...you...?"

Vianca crouched, gazing sadly at the soldier. "I wish I knew. I'm just as lost as you on that subject."

She got up and continued on her way. She looked around, finding things rather quiet. Where did everyone go? Are they all dead? What about the keeper? A sudden rumbling explosion shook her where she stood. Something was going on, and it wasn't too far from her position. She started running, heading for the source. She stopped when she realized there was heavy gunfire on the floor above her.

A crystal barrier formed around her like a bubble. With her body shielded, she then formed a massive spire that grew up, ripping its way through the ceiling. Rubble fell, submerging her for a moment until she broke out. Making a crystal platform under her feet, she raised herself up through the opening she created. She almost immediately locked eyes with Vincent, and saw his gun already in hand. She turned her attention to the Cerulean laying on his back, in an almost death-like state from the battle with Vincent.

A loud giggle escaped the girl as she rid herself of her barrier, hopping down beside the fallen Tsviet. "How amusing to see you like this, Azul." Her light voice was rather playful. She peered down at the giant of a man, crouching by his head. "This is what happens when you refuse my help." She smiled bitterly. "You remember when you yelled at me and lashed out at me before?" Crystals formed like a wave of water around Azul, the tips pointed like needles. "It would be so easy to pay you back for that right now. But..." The crystals shattered into harmless flecks. "You're fortunate that I never learned to crave revenge."

Vincent kept his finger on the trigger of his gun, unsure whether Vianca would fight him. "You saved me the trouble of hunting you down. I suggest you give up unless you want to end up like your friend there."

The girl set her gaze on him, a gentle smile on her lips as she stood. "Friend? I have no friends. I have only me." She made a fist, all of her crystals, including the spire, shattering. Sparkling flecks fell like rain around them. "I'm sure you know why I'm here, Vincent Valentine." She held a hand out. "Give me the Protomateria and we can end this peacefully."

The man only stared at her with his usual stoic expression. "What connection does the Protomateria have with Omega?"

Vianca frowned, her hand falling to her side. "I don't know. All I know is that it's important to Weiss, and..." She hung her head sadly. "It will help me discover who I am."

"The WRO can do that too," Vincent stated simply. "They can find the information you want if you let them."

Vianca raised a brow skeptically. "I doubt that's possible. I've searched and found nothing of relevance."

Vincent finally lowered his gun, but kept it in hand. "Does the name Nestor Hauke ring a bell to you?"

"Nestor...Hauke?" the female repeated.

That name sounded so familiar. She searched every corner of her brain. Vianca... A gasp slipped from her lips and her eyes widened. That voice, and that blurred face in her memory --- it was coming back to her. You are destined for greatness... I love you... His kind face, his blond hair, his brown eyes behind those glasses. She remembered him...vaguely.

"Nestor..." She stared down at her pendant. "Yes, I... I think I recall. But a lot of it is still fuzzy." She looked up at Vincent. "How do you know of him? What more do you know?"

The man shook his head slightly. "I only know what I saw in an old file. Dr. Hauke was in charge of you, his subject, Vianca Callidora."

"Callidora? That's...my name?" Vianca held her head, becoming a little overwhelmed. "Tell me more. I must know everything."

"That's the only information we've discovered. But if you give them time, the people here can dig up more about you."

"I don't have time!" she argued, raising her voice. "I need to know more! The Protomateria is the key, and if you won't hand it over..." Crystals grew along her arms and hands, creating large claws. "Then I'll just have to take it!"

She charged at him, her calm demeanor suddenly replaced with desperation. Vincent shot at her, but she used her claws to deflect the bullets. When she was close enough, she started wildly swiping at him like a feral animal. He dodged around her frenzied attacks though, occasionally trying to knock her back, but every attempt resulted in his arm or leg slamming into her crystals. With full force behind his next kick, he managed to send her flying back long enough to load his gun with the last of the narcotic bullets.

With the distance between them, Vianca's crystals grew up around Vincent, trying to ensnare him. Their sharpened points shot toward him, and he just barely managed to leap up away from them. With each crystal structure that grew to try and skewer or trap him, he dodged out of the way, making his way closer and closer to the girl until he was right in front of her, the barrel of his gun pressed against her forehead.

"Enough, Vianca. We don't have to fight like this."

The Diamond stood frozen in place, eyes wide. It wasn't the fact that he had reached her position unscathed that had her stunned. It was the weird sensation emanating from him. Her crystals all cracked and shattered.

"It's inside you," Vianca concluded. "And it's calling to me."

Despite his gun to her head, the female reached a hand out until it touched his chest. A dim light seemed to pulse from him, causing Vincent to flinch back at the sudden pain. Vianca also stumbled back, a strange, burning feeling welling up in her. Her breathing grew heavy and she suddenly screamed and hugged her arms. Dark splotches appeared on her skin, and crystals started shooting out from her body uncontrollably. What was happening to her?

Vincent repressed the pang in his chest to avoid the crystals. He jumped and slid along the structures until he had an opening. He aimed carefully, jumping into the air to avoid a crystal while also finding a perfect shot. With his marksmanship, a single narcotic bullet lodged into Vianca's arm. The crystals halted, and instead, cracked and crumbled. The Tsviet wobbled on her feet, suddenly feeling weary. She stumbled forward and collapsed, her necklace coming loose and clattering across the floor.

Vincent heaved a sigh of relief, putting his gun in its holster. He slowly approached the girl, pausing to pick up the necklace. He stared at it briefly before stuffing it into a pocket. He then knelt by Vianca, flipping her over to find her completely limp and unconscious. His crimson gaze softened. He couldn't really blame her for her actions. She was simply lost in a world that was unknown to her.

He decided to take her to Shalua. If Shelke could be given a chance, then so could Vianca. He gently wrapped his gauntlet-covered arm around her back, and the other went under her knees. He picked her right up, staring at her pretty face before leaving. He pondered over what happened. If the Protomateria was inside him, how'd it get there? And why did both he and Vianca have such a strange response to it? He wanted answers nearly as much as she did.

~~~~~

"This is incredible." Shalue examined the crystal fleck under her microscope. "I've never seen anything like it."

After the battle, Azul's supposed corpse had been stored away for the time being. All of the dead were being gathered, and the injured were being treated. Shelke was placed in one of the life support tanks in the room. Vianca, on the other hand, laid peacefully on a table normally used for examination. Shalua had insisted on getting a look at her right away before she woke up.

Vincent leaned against the wall, his arms crossed. "What is it?" He shifted his gaze from Vianca to the doctor.

Shalua looked over at him. "The crystal's composition... I had expected it to be artificial in nature. Turns out, it's as flawless as a natural-formed diamond. Just as durable too." She glanced over at the white-haired female. "I wish I knew how she created them. And unlike Shelke, mako is not the source of her power. She doesn't require mako to sustain herself."

"Interesting," Vincent replied simply.

He walked over to the Diamond, staring down at her. There was a single tear sliding down the side of her face. It made him wonder if she was dreaming. His gloved hand moved on its own, catching the tear and gently sliding up to the corner of her eye, erasing the trail of liquid. Vianca quietly hummed in response to the touch, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. The man was quick to retract his hand, his eyes widening. Why did he find her so...cute?

"Vincent? Something wrong?"

He turned to look at the doctor, shaking his head. "No."

"Is it time...to wake up?" a soft mumble interrupted them. They both turned to look at Vianca. Her pale violet eyes were open and taking in her surroundings, still groggy. "How long was I asleep this time?"

"Only for a few hours," Shalua told her, getting up to approach the table she was on. "You're still in the WRO Headquarters. You remember, don't you?"

Vianca sighed softly. "I do." She brought her hand up to rest on her chest, but her fingers started searching for something. She gasped when she couldn't find it, abruptly sitting up with a gasp, her eyes darting down to her chest. "No! Where is it?! Where did it go?!"

In her panic, crystals started growing around her like jagged claws of despair. Vincent and Shalua stepped back in alarm. The girl frantically looked all around her, her hands moving everywhere in a desperate attempt to find her most precious possession.

Vincent was quick to fish the necklace from his pocket. "Looking for this?" He held it out, the silver chain dangling from his fingers.

Vianca froze, her wide eyes moving between him and the necklace. Her crystals had halted, and she steadily reached out, taking the crystal pendant in her palm. As soon as he let go of it, the girl clutched it and held it to her chest. She smiled, her worry melting away and her crystals shattering in response.

"Thank you. Perhaps I was wrong to face you, Vincent Valentine."

"Just Vincent is fine," he told her. His crimson orbs moved down to her clenched hand holding the pendant. "He gave it to you, didn't he? Dr. Hauke. He must've been important."

"I think so, from what I can remember. Nestor... Yes, he was the one who gave this to me before I went to sleep. I wish I could recall exactly who he was." She fastened the pendant around her neck where it belonged.

"He was the scientist in charge of you," Shalua told her. "Dr. Hauke was studying your power." She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "By the way, I have a question for you. It'll help us determine exactly how long you were asleep." Vianca leaned forward eagerly. "Do you remember your age?"

That was one of the few things she could remember. "I was twenty-one before I went to sleep."

Shalua nodded, went back to her computer, and started typing. "Alright. Just simple mathematics. I take the date of the report and your age into account..." After a few moments, she smiled. "You were asleep for about thirty-three years, give or take a few."

Vianca gasped. "Thirty-three years?" She looked down at her hands. "So I'm...over fifty?!"

Vincent was shocked. She was nearly his age. But physically, she was still twenty-one. Why didn't she age? Was she more like him than he initially thought? Kinda like Shelke retaining her child-like body.

"Shocking, I know," Shalua spoke up, practically reading their minds. "I'll have to do more research to figure out how you've retained your physical appearance." She sighed. "So much work to be done concerning you and my little sister."

Vianca only just realized Shelke in one of the life support tanks, still unconscious. With the way things were currently, she wondered if letting the WRO help her was the best course of action after all. Maybe they could piece together her memories. She suddenly realized Vincent was heading for the door.

"Wait, Vincent." The man stopped, turning to look over his shoulder at Vianca. "Where are you going?"

"Nibelheim. There's things I need to look into for several reasons. I'll be back."

He left without another word. Vianca pondered over his reasons. Maybe he has things he wants to learn about his past too. Or he's looking for information on Omega. She thought back on the indescribable pain she felt when she came into contact with the Protomateria in him. He didn't realize he was putting himself at risk. Clenching her hands together, she felt like something inside her was urging her to protect him. She no longer wanted the Protomateria for selfish reasons. She wanted to keep it safe.