"Sera, oh Sera." It was Hollander again. Why couldn't he leave me alone? The man was of average height, with a spread beginning to appear, a scruffy brown beard to match his scruffy brown hair. But what he lacked in physical appearance he made up for in sheer maliciousness and unethical practice.
"Yes Doctor?" I said coming from my corner of the library. I had been looking up what materia I could infuse with my kukri. It needed a bigger kick and I was inclined towards fire or lightning I just wasn't sure which. Materia is crystallized Mako. Materia calls upon the wisdom of the Lifestream in order to manipulate nature itself. This manifests as the phenomenon of magic for most Materia, although other Materia pieces enhance the user's abilities. The Lifestream is what makes the planet live. And Mako is literally liquidised Lifestream that ran through our planet healing it and protecting it.
"Good news, my little pet." I glared at the man before me, my father, if such a word could be used to describe such a vile creature. He faltered at my glare. "ah…Sera, President Shinra has made you SOLDIER First Class. He's been very impressed with your last few missions and has agreed to make you First Class." I couldn't contain the smile that crept on to my face.
"Really?" There were three classes to SOLDIER Third, Second and First. Everyone within SOLDIER aspired to become First Class and finally I had done it.
"Yes, Sera Lionward SOLDIER First Class. It does have a ring to it. Of course I want to run some more tests, maybe add a few bits."
"No. I made it this far how I am, I refuse to allow you to experiment on me further." I snapped.
"But I am your father." He tried to intimidate me, but I hadn't been afraid of this man since I was 11.
"And I don't give a damn. You may have provided the sperm, but it was my mother that cared for me, carried me to term, even though you infused that crap into my system."
"Jenova is a god! Hojo had done it, so can I!"
"Did you ever stop to think that you shouldn't?" I asked and walked out. I would head to SOLDIER's headquarters away from him and the cold clinical hallways of the science sector.
"Where are you going Sera? Don't walk away from me!" I didn't look back as I walked away.
I was born 25 years ago, to Hollander and my now deceased mother Ivy Lionward, Jenova cells were injected into my mother while I was nothing more than a foetus. The result was my foetal form merging with Jenova's cells. Of course I wasn't supposed to know this, but I was inquisitive and had wandered into Hollander's lab, he was too arrogant to lock anything and kept it all open as if saying look at me, look at what I have done. And that was how I came to find out about my glowing green eyes and how I was so much more skilled than everyone else and as a child sensing I was so very different from everyone else.
I wondered out into the open and headed towards the SOLDIER building. I had never worn the proper uniform, I wore what I felt comfortable in with the SOLDIER emblem stuck on. And that happened to be a tight purple sleeveless top, black shorts and black knee high boots though I did retain the braces that held the SOLDIER logo. I was lost in my thoughts, of what Hollander would try to do to "add a few bits" and "run a few tests" on me. I walked straight into someone.
"Watch where you are going, imbecile." The voice was harsh and arrogant. I looked up into the glowing green eyes of one SOLDIER First Class Sephiroth. I didn't care if he was the hero of SOLDIER that made normal folk want to join with hopes of becoming like him.
"I think you should be watching were you are going." He looked me up and down disgust evident on his face. His long silver hair glistened in the afternoon sun distracted me, my hair and eyes were the same colour as his, but Hollander had only one child, there were two others in Project G, but I hadn't bothered to look into them, they weren't Hollander's children nor my mothers.
"Where is your Uniform, Soldier?" He had noted my braces.
"The same could be said for you." I enjoyed the annoyance that passed on his features. First Class SOLDIERS weren't required to wear uniform.
"I should bring you up in front of Director Lazard." He spat.
"Well as far as I'm aware First Class can wear as they please. So I'm wearing as I please." I smirked as anger crossed his features.
"You are not First Class, I have never seen you before."
"I wouldn't expect you to have seen me, I'm new First Class as of today. Now if you'll excuse me."
"Sera!" Hollander again. "I have a new dose of Mako, let me test it." He huffed running towards me syringe in hand. I stepped back as he tried to reach me with the syringe. My eye brow raised as he cursed under his breath.
"I believe I told you I will not be experimented on, what part did you not understand?" I asked coldly and calmly.
"I made you what you are, it's because of what I did that you are First Class, you will do as I say." His attitude had changed and I strongly believed it had something to do with Sephiroth who stood watching. He grabbed at my wrist in an attempt to pull me to him. But Sephiroth suddenly acted grabbing Hollander by his collar and backing him up.
"She is SOLDIER Doctor Hollander and you would do well to remember that or I will have a word in the President's ear about your work and your ethics." Hollander as childish as he was sadistic frowned and made a weird almost choking sound before backing off and retreating back to the hole he crawled out of. "So it would seem you are SOLDIER."
"Yes, I was used in secret, Hollander's pet project." Hate dripped from my words. "But now I have achieved First Class there isn't much he can do. Thanks for the hand." I said as I started to walk away again. I could feel Sephiroth's eyes on me till I walked inside the building. He was very intense and he oozed confidence, which came across as arrogant, but if he was as good as they say it was no wonder.
I arrived outside Director Lazard's office on the 51st floor of the Shinra building and waited patiently to be allowed inside. The door opened and Lazard himself stepped out tall, thin with floppy blonde hair and glasses, dressed impeccably in a striped blue suit. I stood and saluted him.
"SOLDIER First Class Sera Lionward reporting for duty, Director Lazard."
"Ah, Sera Lionward it's a pleasure to finally meet you face to face." He held out his hand and I stepped forward shaking it. "I've heard a lot about you, your skills. I'm quite impressed, yes very impressed."
"Thank you very much for the praise sir."
"Well for now, since we have met, maybe you should make yourself familiar with SOLDIERs lounge and the other facilities available. Of course as First Class you can come see me anytime Sera."
"Thank you Director, will that be all?" I had expected more than just this brief little meeting but clearly the Director had other things on his mind.
"Yes for now, I'll have a mission briefing for you soon."
"I look forward to it." I turned and left heading for the elevator and the 49th floor, SOLDIERs floor. There didn't seem to be anyone around except for a few Third Class who scurried away uncomfortable with me, for reasons unknown. I set my sights on the training room and headed there. The holographic was set to Wutai and clearly it was one of the First Class guys as I found myself surrounded by plenty of Wutai soldiers. But as always I easily dispatched every single one of them. Hacking and slashing through them with my two kukris. As I slashed down the last of the soldiers I became aware of a presence behind me. I spun bringing up my kukris and blocked the blood red Rapier that came down at me. I pushed up and jumped backwards giving some space between me and the man before me. Long spiked red tinged hair framed his face, his eyes a cold piercing blue. He wore a long coat similar to Sephiroth's though blood red like his rapier. A single silver earing dangled from his right ear and much like Sephiroth arrogance dripped from him.
"Not bad little girl." I raised my brow, little girl? I shook my head and laughed humourlessly. He had no idea what he was in for. I charged him if he had been a second slower I would have cut him down. We were blow for blow until I saw my opening and kicked out taking his legs from under him one kukri went to his neck and the other above his heart.
"Little girl thinks, silly little man needs to learn to fight better." I smirked and the holographic's went off and I was left in the steel room. Clapping had me backing up from the red coated man and looking to the door where Sephiroth and another man who wore the appropriate uniform of a SOLDIER First Class stood.
