Being Professor Hojo

by Velvetkoi

This is a short piece I wrote while playing through Crisis Core for the millionth time. I own a club for Hojo on Y! Gallery and this is just the Professor being the Professor. No major warnings.

Professor Hojo checked his email on his company phone and began to laugh. Apparently, that young upstart who he had been working with, the one directly below him in rank and who had been trying to snatch his position, had been caught in a scheme to overthrow Shinra. He laughed even harder at the absurdity of someone thinking they could possibly take his position. Hojo was the most intelligent human on the planet. "Silly, boy!" The aging scientist shook his head and sighed. "Well, no matter now. You're gone. Back to work collecting that data from my precious specimen."

The head of the Shinra Science Department bent over the creature on the dissection table in front of him and pulled on his gloves and protective eye gear. This specimen was very unique indeed. Hojo could feel his excitement growing. He reached for an instrument to prod at the creature's eyes. "Most interesting." He muttered, making a note on his clipboard, then moving methodically down the specimen's body to examine the odd proturbences on its chest.

As the professor worked, his thoughts drifted back to the aforementioned research assistant. At least they had finally discovered the culprit behind the unauthorized release of lab specimens. Hojo had been particularly miffed at the suggestion that he was behind such a thing. He had given the company directors an earful for even thinking a person of his high standing would trouble himself with such childish behavior. The scientist frowned at himself for not realizing it earlier. After all, a man of his intelligence should have figured it out before anyone else. Hojo shook his head and focused harder on his work. The details were of little importance now. What mattered was that the problem had been fixed and his good name had been cleared of all charges. Professor Hojo began making a precise incision in the creature's abdomen that he was working on.

Several hours later, the specimen lay fully dissected in separate containers, each labeled in the professor's meticulous hand. The scientist himself was at the lab station's sink cleaning his instruments and placing them back in their storage spaces. He hummed quietly to himself. These were the moments he lived for, alone in the lab, just his genius and his experiments. When everything was back in its place and neat and sterilized, Professor Hojo stood and stretched his stiff muscles. A glance at his watch informed him of the lateness of the hour. Adjusting his glasses and taking a final look around the lab, the elderly man decided to turn in for the night.

Hojo shuffled down the darkened hallways of the Shinra Headquarters building. Like all Shinra employees, he had a nice apartment provided for him by the company not far from here. His was particularly extravagant considering his high position in the business. The professor swiped his security card at the door and took his leave for the day. Once outside in the warm night air, Hojo slid off his lab coat and folded it over his arm. It was quite a lovely night for a stroll.

Checking his pocket for the high-caliber pistol he always kept on his person, just in case, the scientist ambled down the streets of upper Midgar toward his home. He glanced around at the buildings. He appeared to be the only one out tonight, which was a bit odd. After all, a city as populous as Midgar seldom slept. Hojo pondered this peculiarity for a moment, then shrugged. There were so many frivolous things in this world, and the professor didn't wish to waste his precious time fretting over them. Besides, his apartment was mere steps away and his bed was calling his name quite loudly. If he had been a normal man, he might have briefly entertained the thought that he was getting too old for the long hours of hard work he put in each day. However, professor Hojo would never admit to such a thing. He loved what he did and only death would keep him from it.

The scientist unlocked the door to his apartment and stepped inside, turning to lock back up behind himself. He hung his coat up on the hook just inside the doorway and brought a hand up to rub the bridge of his nose between his eyes, pushing his glasses up slightly with the movement. He straightened up and pulled the rubber band from his hair, letting it fall loose about his shoulders, then he began loosening his tie and unbuttoning his shirt. It had been another long day, and despite his denial of the limitations of his age, Professor Hojo was tired. In fact, he was worn out. He didn't even feel like showering. He just stripped down to his boxers and threw his clothes into the hamper in the bathroom to be dealt with in the morning.

Yawning, the elderly scientist trudged into his bedroom and turned on the light. He turned down the sheets and looked in the mirror on the wall. He frowned a little at the gray in his hair and the increased wrinkles around his mouth and eyes. Hojo wasn't a vain man. In fact, he found such things as vanity and pride in one's physical appearance to be extremely frivolous, shallow, and unimportant. The mind was the most important thing, not one's looks. Still and yet, he couldn't ignore these little details that caught his eye from time to time. Had it really been so long ago that he had been a young man, still fresh with hopes and dreams?

Hojo shook his head. "Why the hell am I thinking about this?" He laughed and turned off the light and climbed into bed. "I must be more exhausted than I thought." The scientist pulled the covers up to his chin and tried to make himself comfortable. Before his brain could ponder anything much longer, the professor was pulled into a sound and deep sleep.