Chapter 10: Shinra's Dark Secret (Dirge of Cerberus)

Vincent proceeds forward a bit; in the distance he notices a bunch of Gargoyles fly up to him. For a long time, Vincent makes his way throughout the Deepground complex/city, with no story developments; just a lot of dungeon crawling.

Eventually, something of note happens; a whirlpool of black energy suddenly appears behind Vincent! He tries to run away, but it engulfs him; he's surrounded by darkness, and it completely swallows him. Somewhere in the darkness, a small blip of light appears and gets larger. A girl's voice is heard.

Girl	????
No. Don't let Chaos control you.	だめ、それ以上カオスになっては……

Girl	????
You cannot be contained by this darkness because a part of you was born from it.	あなたは、この闇に捕らわれないはず。 同じ闇より、生まれし命を持つから……

Girl	????
Find yourself. Regain control.	心を……細く……落ち着……けて……

The darkness disappears from around Vincent; we see him jump out of the darkness cocoon that had enveloped him.

Scene change; somewhere else in the darkness that Vincent had just escaped from, we see Shelke, encased in a blue ball of energy (most likely generated by her Shield materia.

Shelke	シェルク
As old as he is,	あんなに大人なのに……

Shelke	シェルク
and still acting like a helpless child.	手がかかる人……

Shelke	シェルク
I can see why Lucrecia had such a difficult time.	彼女の気持ちも少し分かる気がしますね

Cracks begin to form in the Shield.

Shelke	シェルク
I don't know why I'm doing this.	魔力が切れても死ぬだけ……

Shelke	シェルク
I will die when my magic runs out, anyway.	たいした意味はありません

????	????
Is this...?	ここが……

Shelke looks up and gasps.

Scene change; we see the "girl" was Lucrecia. It's another flashback; it's a flashback to when she first discovered the cave that would later be known as "Lucrecia's Cave"; the crystal formation is there as well.

Lucrecia	ルクレツィア
Is this the place you spoke of?	ここが、そうなんですね？

An older man is standing beside Lucrecia. His clothes slightly resemble Vincent's current attire, though they're almost entirely black.

????	????
Yes. Deep within this grotto is where Chaos is destined to awake.	あぁ、この奥こそ、 カオスが生まれる場所に違いない

Lucrecia runs towards the crystals & giggles.

????	????
Wait!	あ、おい！

Lucrecia	ルクレツィア
Come on, Dr. Valentine!	早く！　グリモア博士！

Dr. Grimoire Valentine goes "heh"

Grimoire	グリモア
The fountain isn't going anywhere.	泉は逃げないよ

Scene change; we're in the laboratory of Shinra Manor, Grimoire is standing by Lucrecia's side as she works on the computer; a ball of dark energy appears to be festering inside one of the regenerative tubes.

Grimoire	グリモア
Don't you think you are taking things a little too quickly?	少し、急ぎすぎてるんじゃないか？

Lucrecia	ルクレツィア
And why not? All those people at Shinra who laughed at my thesis... I have to prove them wrong!	急ぎますよ。私の論文を妄想だなんて言ってる やつらを見返さなきゃならないんですから

Grimoire	グリモア
Rushing into matters will get you nowhere, Doctor.	急いては事を仕損じるというがね

Grimoire looks at the black ball of energy and goes "Hmm?" The black ball soon expands, filling the tube. Lucrecia gets up from her computer, as the energy cracks the tube.

Grimoire	グリモア
	？

Lucrecia	ルクレツィア
	え？

Grimoire	グリモア
Look out!	あぶない！

Grimoire shoves Lucrecia out of the way, as the dark energy hits him in his right hand/arm. Lucrecia gets up and rushes to his side.

Lucrecia	ルクレツィア
Are you alright, Dr. Valentine?	大丈夫ですか？！

Grimoire	グリモア
I'll be fine.	あ、あぁ、大丈夫だ

Grimoire	グリモア
I'll be...	大丈夫……

Scene change; no idea where we are now (the background is black), but Grimoire is on his back and Lucrecia is by his side. His eyes are closed and green particles are floating upward from his body.

Lucrecia	ルクレツィア
Dr. Valentine!	グリモア博士！

Grimoire	グリモア
Tell my son that I'm sorry.	息子に……ヴィンセントに…… すまないと……

Lucrecia shakes her head.

Lucrecia	ルクレツィア
Dr. Valentine! Dr. Valentine!	ダメです！ しっかりしてください！

He looks at her, as the green particle-evaporation quickens.

Grimoire	グリモア
My time has come to return to the Lifestream.	じゃあ……ボクは…… 先に星へ還るよ……

He disappears.

Lucrecia	ルクレツィア
No!	いやぁーー！！

Lucrecia	ルクレツィア
No! Come back! Why did you have to fade away!? Why did you...	いや！　いや！　なんで？　なんで、 消えちゃうの？　なんで、あなたが……

The camera pans out and we see Shelke is observing a crying Lucrecia.

Shelke	シェルク
It's alright. He simply returned to the planet.	大丈夫…… 星に……還っただけだから……

Scene change; still clearly a flashback, someone is crying over a cross draped with flowers, though we don't see who... we just see the cross.

Shalua	????
Stop crying, Shelke.	もう、泣くな

Shelke	シェルク
But... But...	だって……ぐすん

Shalua	シャルア
It's alright. Mom just returned to the planet. We'll see her again.	大丈夫……星に還っただけだから…… また、会えるよ

Shelke	シェルク
We will?	ぐすん……ほんと？

She turns around, and we see the Girl in question is a younger Shalua.

Shelke	シェルク
(Is this...)	（……私……？）

Shelke	シェルク
Of course we will.	あぁ、本当だ

Shelke	シェルク
(No... Shalua?)	（違う……姉さん……？）

Shalua	シャルア
Mom said everything in this world flows around in a circle. That means she'll come back someday.	この星の命は、巡ってるんだ。 母さんが言ってた。だから、また、会えるよ

The younger Shelke stops crying.

Shalua	シャルア
Mom wouldn't lie to us, right?	母さん、嘘つかないだろ？

Shelke	シェルク
Right.	……うん

Shalua	シャルア
Right.	だから……

Back to the present, Shelke is still dreaming or hallucinating.

Shelke	シェルク
Shalua...	姉さん……

Shalua appears beside her.

Shelke	シェルク
	？！

Shalua	シャルア
Shelke.	ねぇ

Shalua	シャルア
Is it alright for me to return to the planet?	私も、星に還っていいかな？

Shelke	シェルク
No...	……だめ

Shalua looks at her.

Shalua	シャルア
	ん？

Shelke	シェルク
Not yet. There's still so much I...	まだ……だめ…… 私、お姉ちゃんに……

Shalua pets her hair.

Shalua	シャルア
Don't worry.	大丈夫

Shalua	シャルア
We'll see each other again.	また会えるよ

We see Shelke is still inside her cracked Shield; she wakes up.

Shelke	シェルク
A dream?	夢……？

Shelke	シェルク
No... Data interference.	いえ、また……断片が干渉を……

One teardrop rolls down her cheek; then another on the other cheek. She wipes the first one away.

Shelke	シェルク
	えっ？

Shelke	シェルク
I didn't think I had any tears left.	とっくに…… なくなってると……思ってました……

Back to Vincent, who's staring at the swirling dark energy he escaped from. He turns around and continues on: gameplay resumes, and he continues through Deepground's complex. Eventually he reaches a gateway, which puts him one step closer to Mako Reactor 0. But plumes of dark energy are scattered about, which can only mean...

Nero	ネロ
A pleasure to finally meet you, Vincent.	初めまして……ですかね？

Vincent	ヴィンセント
Nero.	ネロ

Nero	ネロ
At first, I thought you nothing more than a nuisance. However, it seems I can no longer let you run about unchained. I must protect my beloved brother.	アナタはどちらかというと、 ボクたち寄りの存在だと思い、放っておきましたが、 これ以上、兄さんに近づくなら、消去しますよ？

Vincent	ヴィンセント
Your brother?	兄さん？

Nero	ネロ
Dear Weiss. Powerful Weiss. The only person who ever loved me. And the only person I will ever love.	えぇ、ボクのヴァイス兄さん。ボクよりも強く、 世界で唯一ボクを愛してくれた兄さん

Nero	ネロ
However...	でも……

Nero hangs his head.

Nero	ネロ
But that is all forgotten. In a matter of moments, everything will change.	まぁ、いいでしょう。それも、今日までです。 あと、少しで兄さんは……

Vincent	ヴィンセント
What did you do with Shelke?	シェルクはどうした？

Nero	ネロ
Shelke?	？　……シェルク？

Nero	ネロ
Ah yes, what did I do with her? I do recall running into the lass when I journeyed to the airship. A feisty one, she is.	あぁ、そういえば、どうしたのでしょうね？ 確か、空に材料の回収をしに行った時、 ボクに向かってきた気がしました

Nero	ネロ
The girl is inside me, lost like a little puppy.	多分、ボクの中で、消えてるんじゃないですかね？

Vincent lifts his gun, Nero goes "Ah"

Nero	ネロ
So you wish to dance?	いいですよ、少し……遊びましょうか？

Nero quickly draws both of his gun. You're thrown into a boss battle vs. Nero the Sable! A remarkably easy boss fight, too. Afterwards, Nero's on the ground; he gets up.

Nero	ネロ
Impressive. Perhaps Azul and Rosso never stood a chance against the mighty Valentine.	なるほど……アスールやロッソが、 敗れたのも無理はないかもしれません

Nero	ネロ
But enough. I have other matters to attend to.	でも……そろそろ終わりにしましょう

Nero engulfs Vincent in darkness; the scene changes to Shelke, also in the darkness, with her cracked Shield-bubble losing strength.

Shelke	シェルク
So this is the end.	終わり……ですかね……

Someone is there; she looks up. It's Vincent!

Shelke	シェルク
	え？

Vincent	ヴィンセント
I think you dropped this.	返しに来た

Shows her her cellphone.

Vincent	ヴィンセント
Unless you find something appealing about this place, I suggest we leave.	こんな居心地の悪い場所で、 話し込むこともないだろう……

Vincent	ヴィンセント
Let's go.	出るぞ

Shelke	シェルク
	……はい

She nods.

Back on the battlefield, Nero is observing the darkness that he sent Vincent into. He begins to walk away, but out come Vincent & Shelke. Nero turns around.

Nero	ネロ
	そうですか……

Nero	ネロ
I see.	カオス……

Nero	ネロ
Soul wrought of terra corrupt.	命の淀みより、生まれし生命

Nero	ネロ
My darkness would have no control over you, would it?	だから、その淀みを埋められた、 ボクの闇は効かない……

Nero	ネロ
So I must try a different dance.	そういうことですか

Nero	ネロ
How about...	なら……

He generates a large cloud of darkness behind him, but is quickly distracted as a shuriken hits the ground near his feet. We see Yuffie high above, sporting her "mysterious ninja" garb from the Shinra Manor.

Yuffie	ユフィ
Even in a world where fear and despair reign over the heavens,	天網恢々、疎にして漏れちゃう世の中だけど

Yuffie	ユフィ
you must never forget--where there is shadow, there is always light!	闇あるところにゃ光ある

Yuffie	ユフィ
That's right!	そう……照らしてみせます

Yuffie	ユフィ
Bask in my rays, evildoers!	アタシの光で！

Yuffie	ユフィ
Feel the radiance of Wutai Super Ninja, Yuffie Kisaragi!	ウータイ一のスーパー忍！ ユフィ・キサラギ！！

Yuffie	ユフィ
Back and ready for action!	後光を背負って…… 再び参上！！！

Awkward silence.

Nero	ネロ
My brother calls.	兄さんが呼んでる……

He turns around and disappears in his darkness. Vincent looks at Shelke, who's sprawled on the ground.

Vincent	ヴィンセント
Are you alright?	大丈夫か？

Shelke	シェルク
I...	……えぇ

Shelke	シェルク
I don't know.	夢をみました

Shelke	シェルク
Maybe I was dreaming.	いえ……夢ではないですね……

Yuffie	ユフィ
Hey!	お～い

Waves her hands.

Yuffie	ユフィ
Over here, guys!	無視すんな！

Trips due to the hand-waving; falls down hard. Vincent sighs.

Scene change; inside some room of the Deepground complex. Apparently here they have regenerative tubes, because Shelke is presently in one. Yuffie is by Vincent's side.

Vincent	ヴィンセント
Will you be alright?	これでいいのか？

Shelke	シェルク
Yes.	はい

Shelke	シェルク
Thank you.	すみません……

Yuffie	ユフィ
Okay!	よし！

Yuffie	ユフィ
Now, let me see if I've got this. You keep going, find Nero and Weiss, and smack 'em into next Tuesday.	じゃあ、さっき話したとおり、ヴィンセントは このまま潜入、あわよくば、ネロとヴァイスを倒す

Yuffie	ユフィ
And while you're cleaning house, I sneak into the reactor and shut her down.	んで、アタシはその隙に、 中心部に侵入して炉を止めると

Yuffie twirls.

Yuffie	ユフィ
Sounds like a plan.	まぁ、１人の方が、身軽でいいや

Yuffie	ユフィ
So, see ya around, Vince!	んじゃ、ヴィンセントもがんばってねぇ～

She runs off. Vincent begins to walk away, but...

Shelke	シェルク
Vincent Valentine.	ヴィンセント・ヴァレンタイン

He turns back to face her. The camera pans out, and we see a nearby computer terminal state "Discoverer" followed by "Grimoire Valentine"

Flashback. Vincent walks into the laboratory in Shinra Manor.

Vincent	ヴィンセント
Lucrecia? Hello?	ルクレツィア、ちょっと……

Vincent	ヴィンセント
Anybody here?	いないのか？

As he looks around, he sees a computer terminal that profile's Grimoire Valentine's Shinra bio.

Vincent	ヴィンセント
Father?	え？！　親父？

Lucrecia	ルクレツィア
Who's...!?	誰？！

Vincent	ヴィンセント
	あ……

Vincent	ヴィンセント
Lucrecia. This file...	ルクレツィア……この資料は？

Lucrecia	ルクレツィア
It's none of your business.	あ、あなたには関係ないわ

Vincent	ヴィンセント
But it is. Why didn't you tell me you worked with my father?	関係ある。なぜ親父と？　なんで……

He reaches for her arm, she smacks his hand away.

Lucrecia	ルクレツィア
Stop it! Just stop it!	やめて！　聞きたくない！

Vincent	ヴィンセント
Lucrecia...	ルクレツィア……

The background is now black; we only see Lucrecia and Vincent.

Lucrecia	ルクレツィア
I... It was all my fault.	だめ……。私のせいで、あの人……

We see Lucrecia and Vincent are now holding hands. She's on the verge of sobbing.

Lucrecia	ルクレツィア
I didn't mean for your father to die. I couldn't... I'm so sorry.	あなたの……お父様が死んだの……、 だから……ダメ……なの……ごめんなさい

She starts to cry and runs away; Vincent just stands there.

Vincent	ヴィンセント
But I never blamed her. All I wanted was to see her smiling face.	関係ないと思った。 ただ、私は彼女の笑顔が見たかった……

Vincent	ヴィンセント
But after that day, the light left her heart.	でも、あれから彼女は、 私の前で、笑わなくなった……

The camera pans away from Vincent. We see Lucrecia facing Hojo, as a light shines on him.

Hojo	宝条
So you've come to your senses and chosen me.	じゃあ、私の元に来てくれるんだね？

Lucrecia	ルクレツィア
Yes, Doctor.	はい

She hugs him.

Vincent	ヴィンセント
However, if she is happy, then I don't mind.	彼女が幸せなら……構わない……

{| class="wikitable" style="width: 100%;"

|- | style="padding: 20px" |Fade out on Lucrecia and Hojo embracing, and Vincent standing around like the lonely sorry bastard he is. |}

Back to the present; Shelke's wakes up inside the tube.

Shelke	シェルク
Another dream?	また……夢？

Vincent is standing in front of her.

Shelke	シェルク
Vincent Valentine.	ヴィンセント・ヴァレンタイン

Vincent	ヴィンセント
	なんだ？

Shelke	シェルク
Why are you fighting this battle?	あなたは、なぜ、戦っているのですか？

Vincent	ヴィンセント
To destroy Deepground and stop Omega's return.	やつらを倒し、オメガ復活を止める

Vincent	ヴィンセント
It's time that an end is put to this madness. Or at least, that is what I tell myself.	ちゃんとした理由はあるのだろうし、これは、 ケリを付けねばならぬことのようにも思う

Vincent	ヴィンセント
Though I'm not completely sure that's the reason.	が……正直よく分からんな

Shelke	シェルク
Not sure. Neither am I.	そうです……よね……。 私も分かりません

Shelke	シェルク
But, Vincent...	ただ……私は……

Shelke	シェルク
I don't want to see the world end. I just don't want there to be any more pain.	この星から命が消えてしまうのは、 とても……悲しいこと…… かもしれないと、そんなことを考えました