Corruption
The Rooster and the Scorpion
Disclaimer: The characters of FFVII and FFVII:AC are sole property of Square Enix and Tetsuya Nomura. The only thing owned by us is this plotline, which was created by The Scorpion...sorta.
Author's Notes: Psycho Rooster has stated many times over and over again that she discourages the main pairing in this story, but has nonetheless agreed to take part in the writing of this by allowing The Scorpion to write what he pleases and send it to her. From there, she proceeds to maul it with her insane ability to pull random descriptive phrases out of her ass and make it sound eloquent. She also as an affinity towards calling The Scorpion all sorts of mean names for putting her through the torture of the making of this story.
The Scorpion: But she loves me anyways and she has to deal because we have school together and if she ignores me i get to rape her ears with a lot of incoherent bable.
All clear. Vincent solemly thought to himself as the early morning sun peeked over the horizon from where he was perched upon the roof of a house not ten feet from the source of his destination. It was gratifying to know that neither of the two men had yet appeared in the town in the past few days. They were monsters of ShinRa, once human, only to have been corrupted by their own malice at the hands of Hojo's experimentations over the years. Vincent himself had once experienced such torture- but he had survived with less agony then the ones that this small town of Hazelview feared so greatly. Attacks had been wrought on the town occasionally enough that Vincent had taken to watching over it as a member of the Sentinels, better known simply as S.
The story of how things had occured that fateful night had been retold to Vincent and his companions by a distraught Turk named Reno. The boy was barely out of puberty-- just seventeen-- with bright and wild red hair slung back behind him in a low ponytail and scars on either side of his face from what had occured- part of the thing that had traumatized him. The Turks and ShinRa himself had been down in that basement as Hojo explained his new administration technique for a mutated type of Mako that was said to increase it's subject's strength tenfold with each injection. It was to be the first trial. Number IX was the first one to be injected.
The two men rested in identical pods made of thick, clear glass in order for Hojo to see his subjects clearly. Both men were void of any clothing, proof of their male gender.The first was tall, arms muscled with years of training and his body seemingly hard as a rock. His pale silver hair floated about him in the life-sustaining gel that filled both pods. His eyes were shut, a mask covering his nose and mouth to prevent suffocation. Hojo referred to him simply as VI- all his predecessors hadn't survived experimentation. The second pod held a younger man with a smaller frame (though only a fraction less muscular) and raven hair that seemed to spike out behind him in a fashion similar to that of a porcupine. The mask over his face was the same as the first subject's, eyes closed to the outside world. The numbers IX were engraved into the metal plate over the top of his pod. Both creations were placed beside eachother- Hojo's claims were that when apart, they would begin to become irritant to anything around them, as if yearning for one another's comforting presence through a mental connection.
Reno had claimed it all to be bullshit until that night.
"As you can see, President ShinRa, I have prepared IX for the injection first." A bony hand waved in the direction of the raven-haired male inside of the second pod. Reno pushed himself onto his toes in an attempt to see past Rude's broad shoulders.
"C'mon Rude, move. I can't see!" Reno hissed into his partner's ear. The man gave a step to the side, allowing Reno to squeeze hismelf between the bald Turk and Tseng- his superior. Hojo stood in front of both pods, hunched over as usual. Reno couldn't help but take notice how remarkably greasy the scientist's hair looked today- as if he'd forgotten to shower for two entire weeks. He wrinkled his nose. That was kinda gross.
Rufus was listening intently to the man speak, nodding here and there before waving a hand at the scientist. "Continue, Hojo. I'd like to sleep some time tonight." Hojo's head bobbed up and down in a nod, shuffling over to a control panel and grasping a small black lever. "Please observe." His nasal, monotonous voice called out. Reno and the rest of the Turks turned with Rufus to watch some sort of machine lower what looked like a giant syringe down to a small hole in the side of the pod that had been covered with a film of plastic. The machine hissed and groaned before the needle broke through the plastic and shot forward- longer than Reno could imagine a needle to ever be- and imbeddeditself into the raven-haired man's neck. The subject jerked with the movment, and Reno had to flinch. It looked excruciating to have that thick needle inside a vein in one's neck.
"I am now going to inject the NeoMako." Hojo called out, and Reno's hand shot up to grip the fabric of Rude's sleeve in anticipation as another hiss broke from the machine. Neon blue liquid shot through the series of tubes covering it's metal exterior before dissapearing through the nose of the needle.
It took precisely two seconds of deafening silence before a reaction was made. In those two seconds, Reno could feel his heart pounding in his chest and Rude's muscles shifting under his fingertips. And then, a heart-wrenching scream shattered the still quiet of the room and caused Reno and Elena to flinch. IX was awake- his body seizing as Hojo attempted to retract the needle to prevent even more injury to the test subject. Blood was gushing from the puncture wound and clouding the pod as the raven-haired man's eyes snapped open when another scream of unadulterated agony ripped forth and his body arched.
"What's happening?" Rufus's cold voice snapped out at Hojo, watching the test subject before him spasm with a hoarse cry. Hojo's stuttering reply went unheard by Reno, because his eyes were now concentrated on the twitching fingers of VI. A set of vivid green eyes snapped open and he jerked in surprise. Rude stepped back, a large hand pressing backwards against Reno's stomach in an almost protective manner as the silver-haired test subject darted his eyes across the group before they landed on the one in the pod residing next to his own. IX was sobbing, his twitching fingers pressed harshly against the glass as Hojo began to drain the pod of the protective gel in oder to administer medical attention. Reno could see blood coating the inside of IX's plastic mask as the raven haired man was lowered from the gel to kneel at the bottom of the pod. Reno could see every tendon and mucle in the man's back twitching with pain- how his fingers and body would continually jerk in a heaving motion through IX's screaming and sobbing. Apparently, so could VI.
A crack echoed throughout the room. Tseng drew his gun and Reno reached behind himself to unlatch his Electro-Rod from his belt. A thick, violent crack was spidering along the plate of VI's pod. Alarms were blaring as Hojo tried to shout orders to his fleeing scientists. Reno felt every nerve in his body freeze when jade eyes connected with his own before the silver-haired test subject snapped his arm forward and broke through the glass of his pod with an ear splitting crash that shattered the entire pod. Gel poured everywhere as the dripping man tugged his mask off and stepped out -- ignorant to the glass scattered about his bare feet.
"Se- Sephi-roth!" All eyes turned in shock to IX, who had sobbed out what seemed to be the first subject's name. The silver haired man snapped his gaze to where IX lay against the solid glass of his own pod- glass that was sliding downwards as it slowly opened. Reno felt his adam's apple fluxuating as he tried to swallow the lump in his throat. His heart was beating wildly in his ribcage to an extent where it was painful to even breathe.
The glass retreated into the ground and IX nearly crumbled to the floor -- had VI not knelt down and tugged the brokenly screaming man into his arms. It would have been something touching- had there not been an air of immediate danger fluttering about the room. Tseng was pulling Rufus towards the exit and shouting to Rude and Reno to maintain post and Elena was standing guard to prevent Hojo from running out of the room of his own accord.
"S-Sephiroth." IX choked out, his arms raising to wrap around VI's neck and tangle themselves in wet silver locks of hair. VI seemed to take the word as a name, and Reno realized that they had been communicating on another level. Sephiroth held IX tightly to himself, oblivious to their wet, naked frames as he tugged IX's mask off and began to wipe blood from the raven-haired man's face.
"I am here, Zack." Sephiroth's voice was low- unreadable in every aspect but the need to reassure his companion. Zack's arms gave a violent twitch, followed by an entire body shudder as the raven haired man gasped out a moan of "it hurts, Sephiroth."
Sephiroth's eyes rose from staring at Zack's exposed back to the two Turks nearest him. Those very eyes narrowed into something menacing that had Rude extending an arm out to shield Reno's body from view. "Shit, man." Reno whispered, "This isn't looking too good, yo."
Sephiroth pulled Zack's body away from himself just a fraction, large hand moving to cup the sobbing man's cheek. "I will return," He tilted his head down to place an almost gentle kiss to Zack's forehead and slowly placed the injured man onto the ground before standing to look at the two Turks.
"Fuck." Reno hissed seconds before Sephiroth shot towards them. Rude's large hand slammed into Reno's chest to push the teen out of the way just before Sephiroth tackled Rude to the ground with a startled shout from the muscular man.
"Rude!" Reno scrambled to his feet, lunging for the man, only to have Sephiroth's arm lash out and catch him in the stomach- sending the redhead flying across the room to hit the broken pod that had once belonged to Sephiroth. He released a shout of pain, feeling the glass digging into his back and slicing open his clothes and skin. He rolled onto his side with a grimace, eyes going wide when they connected with a set of hazy blue. A pang of guilt flickered through Reno's body that was quickly overtaken with the need to save Rude. Thinking quickly, Reno crawled over to Zack, flicking out his Electro-Rod and pressing it to the raven-haired man's throat.
"Tell him to stop." Reno hissed out, "Tell him to stop hurting my friend," Zack's eyes twitched a fraction wider before his lips parted and a smile crept onto the raven-haired man's face.
"No."
Reno jabbed his thumb against the activation switch along the base of his EMR, sending electroshocks through the metal rod and into Zack's body. The older male released a shout of pain, his body jerking once more like it had only minutes before. Reno barely registered anything as a body slammed ino his and pinned him to the ground on his back. Sephiroth was livid. A sliver of thick glass was in his hand, blood coating his arm and palm from where it had cut into the flesh.
Not a word was spoken as Sephiroth's free hand wove itself into wild locks of red hair and stopping any movement from occuring. The glass was brought down and slammed into the side of Reno's face- barely an inch from his left eye. Reno jerked his body, a scream of agony wrenching itself from his throat as white hot pain flared trhoughout his nerves. His vision flashed white and then black before stars burst in the back of his head. He couldn't keep his eyes open, clenching them shut as he felt his flesh being torn open.
His hands twitched, but his arms were pinned by a set of muscular shins. His legs kicked and he tried vainly to buck his attacker off- but to no avail.
The glass pulled itself from his face with a sickening squelch of blood and Reno gasped out a sob. He didn't have time to react as Sephiroth's hand covered his mouth firmly and the pain struck up again in his other eye. His scream muffled, Reno lashed his legs out and tried to grasp at anything with his hands, though it only helped to slice his palms and fingers on broken glass. The pain was too intense, and Reno could feel himself losing consciouness as Sephiroth pulled his arm back and gave Reno's head a rough shake to try and stir the boy into the waking world.
"You will live to tell all what has happened here. ShinRa no longer has control. We do." Reno's eyes rolled about the room, unable to focus as he gasped for air between sobs of pain. After a moment, they were able to weakly focus on Sephiroth's wickely grinning face before a gunshot echoed through the room. Blood sprayed from Sephiroth's chest and Zack's scream followed when the man raised a hand to the bloodied flesh just below his collarbone. A pause followed before Sephiroth fell to the side.
Reno rolled onto his side, gasping when strong hands encircled his biceps. Rude's haggard face came into view and a smile flittered onto the redhead's lips before he collapsed into Rude's arms.
The feeling of being lifted into strong arms registered first. Reno didn't dare open his eyes- the light was too painful and he couldn't focus on anything but the flaring hot throb of agony just below his eyes. There was a scraping nose and Rude yelled something to someone, but Reno couldn't filter what was said. More gunshots- another scream from Zack. The arms holding him jerked and suddenly Reno was being jarred about. Rude was running.
The last thing Reno heard was the sound of Rude's voice telling him to stay awake before Reno faded into darkness.
Reno had been hospitalized for weeks after the incident. Elena and Rude were the only other survivors. Hojo and the remaining scientists had either died in the attack or the days following. Vincent had heard from Rude that the young redhead was now terrified of anything even resembling glass- fearing it would break and tear apart his skin once more. Besides the mental scarring, Sephiroth had left twin scars underneath each of the teen's eyes that would stay there for the rest of his life.
Batting away his moment of reminscing, the raven-haired man leapt swiftly from his perch, cloak fluttering about him as he landed on the ground with a soft tapping of his armored shoes. Heels clicking faintly, Vincent made his way across the street until he reached the closed door of a bar entitled 'Seventh Heaven' where a small sign reading the words 'Sorry, Closed.' in bold red hung on the door. Disregarding it, his armored finger tapped against the glass in a series of soft raps that echoed throughout the seemingly void building. A sillhouete appeared soon enough on the other side, the lock clicked and then the door creaked open to reveal a young girl no older than fourteen with a serene smile on her soft features. Twin russet bangs hung down on either side of her face to brush softly against her cheeks, the rest of her hair cascading down her back in a braid. Aeris Strife, the daughter of both Cloud and Tifa Strife- a pair that had always been inseperable in Vincent's mind since he'd met the duo. Vincent gave a single nod to the girl in his own greeting.
"Hello, Vincent." She said gently, stepping back to allow the ex-Turk entry into the bar. Vincent stepped forward, approaching the center of the empty restaraunt and peering around before his eyes landed once again on the young teen as she closed the door with a click and flipped the lock into place. Aeris glanced up at the man, granting him with one of her kind smiles as Vincent spoke.
"Your parents?" His voice was deep, always with a faint husky tone from the disuse it often went through over periods of time. Aeris's eyes fluttered shut for a second as her head shook softly and narrow shoulders bobbed up and down.
"I'm not too sure," she began, eyes opening to watch the man she'd come to think of like a stoic uncle of sorts, "Father was supposed to be the one who opened today, but when I woke up, he and mother were gone." An unreadable look flickered across Vincent's eyes, though Aeris didn't catch it. The man hummed deep in his throat, narrowed eyes glancing about the shop when Aeris spoke up once more.
"Mother was supposed to take me to Yuffie's today, but I'm not sure when she's getting back with father." Vincent's eyes darted back to the brunette girl who's hands had become clasped in front of her stomach, a calm expression on her pretty face- though the man could easily tell that the young girl was just the slightest bit dissapointed in the situation that had arisen. Yuffie was a young Wutaian girl who'd befriended Aeris years ago on a chance meeting. Her overbearing energy and smilng face were always there to irritate Vincent and put a smile on Aeris's face.
"I suppose that job has become my burden now, has it?" Vincent murmured, stepping forwards without so much as another word to the brown haired girl. Aeris released a faint giggle, unlocking the door and allowing Vincent to leave the bar with a fluttering of his cloak. Locking the door behind herself, Aeris called out for Vincent to slow down as the ex-Turk continued along the street silently.
The raven haired man paused, glancing to the side to see Aeris jogging towards him. When the brunette girl was once again in close proximity, Vincent began to walk once more. "I find it entertaining how often you two are found together." He mumbled, though whether or not Aeris actually heard him, he was unsure.
The walk to Yuffie Kisaragi's was made in silence- though Aeris had stopped Vincent more than once to admire a few flowers that could be seen resting in shop windows or on a vendor's stall. The Wutaian girl lived closer to the edge of town, a place that could only be reached by traveling though the more run-down areas of Hazelview. This was precisely why Aeris was not allowed to make the trip on her own without an adult present. Any beggars that tried to approach froze immediatly upon catching sight of Vincent's cloaked frame beside the petite girl.
When they arrived to the Kisaragi residence, Vincent granted Yuffie with a curt nod of his head before departing as silently as he'd appeared at the bar earlier that morning. Yuffie watched the man go with an odd look of amusement before turning to grin brightly at Aeris. Yuffie was a good few inches taller than the brunette girl, coal black hair that fell about her face in a short bob- though she often tugged a good portion of it back into twin ponytails to keep it out of the way, resulting in a slight mess of ribbon and stray hairs that refused to be tied back. Her thin arms were lined with the faintest trace of muscle that had been honed over the years- a result of the strict training regimen given to her by her father.
"Heya, Aeris! Whatcha standin' out there for? Come on in!" The dark-haired girl waved a hand about to usher her companion in, to which Aeris dutifully followed and stepped inside with a gentle greeting as the door closed behind them.
----------------------------------
In the darkness, an enraged scream broke out from within the shop of Cid Highwind. It was soon followed by shuffling feet and a clash of metal. The sounds echoed through the streets of Rocket Town, even as a loud 'sching' and the thud of a body breached the silence soon after.
Cid Highwind, a fair-haired man in his early thirties, sat at the feet of one of ShinRa's menaces- a monster known as Sephiroth. Masumume was the name of the sword held in his grasp. It was thin, and it's length reached to seven feet- long enough to easily make the large gash that now resided along Cid Highwind's abdomen and also be the cause of the spear that lie beside the elder man in two pieces.
"Not many men have the gall to withstand an attack from Masumune, let alone fight back." Sephiroth's deep voice spoke over Cid's labored breathing, his eyes flickering with hidden amusement. Cid grimaced, narrowing pale blue eyes up at the silver-haired man as the faintest of smirks pulled itself across Sephiroth's pale cheeks.
"Cocky bastard." The blond man spat out, pulling back his upper lip into a sneer, "I ain't working fer you even if you were ShinRa himself."
Sephiroth's eyes lit up as his smirk widened to reveal a hint of white teeth. "Have you found that darkness inside of you? The darkness to give into the pain? Have you any final words?" The tip of his menacing sword pressed gently into Cid's heaving chest. He was given a defiant sneer and Sephiroth took it as an iniative to kill the man.
He raised Masumune, prepared to strike when a male voice called out for him to stop. Sephiroth paused momentarily to catch sight of a dark haired man approaching.
"Let me deal with him, Seph." Zack said softly, placing a hand over Sephiroth's larger one that encompassed the handle of his sword and forcing it to point away from Cid. "Whether or not we need him, we can still use him." The shorter male muttered to his silver-haired counterpart. Sephiroth seemed to take this statement in thought, lowering Masumune.
"Do what you wish with him." He said lowly, stepping back to allow Zack access to the blond man. Zack offered Sephiroth a flash of a smile and a peck on the cheek before approaching the man huddled on the ground. He crouched down to be eye-level with Cid.
"Hey there, old fart. How about you an' me take a trip, huh?" Cid opened his mouth to snarl something out, but it was made into a choke and gasp for air when Zack's right hand darted out to encompass his neck. Tendrils of black shadows began to crawl up their bodies and Cid released a panicked gasp before they dissapeared in a swirl of smoke.
Sephiroth allowed a fleeting smirk to adorn his face before leaving the house and standing in the center of the street, gathering energy into the palms of his hands as he prepared to complete the task of annhilating each inhabitant of the small village.
Author's Notes: Psycho Rooster has nothing to say.
TS: I would like to credit PR on this as she did a spectacular job in revising my short 2 page "story" into an acctual story worth reading.