Through a Child's Eyes: Sephiroth's Story
A young boy sat alone on a cold metal
table in the laboratory. Long silver hair fell about his shoulders, his
small face set in a frown as he took in his surroundings with narrowed
green eyes. He shivered involuntarily at the sight he saw.
Flasks full of brightly coloured
liquids were strewn about counter tops at the far end of the room, and
many painful-looking needles were set upon a large, metal tray. He stared
at them, some large, some small, some containing a greenish substance,
some containing purple liquids, and others containing nothing at all.
Sephiroth wrinkled his nose in disdain,
crossing his arms over his chest. He already knew the purpose of the rather
long needles. Hojo would come any minute now, and strap him down to the
table, poking and prodding him, and making notes until he was satisfied
with whatever he saw. Then he would--
The sound of footsteps approaching
alerted the young mind and brought him back to the present. No doubt it
would be Hojo. The young face turned into a frown at the thought of the
man.
He never knew he could hate someone
as much as he did Hojo. But he found it had been too easy, right from the
first day that they met. He could never stand the sight of the man, his
greasy black hair and the starch white lab coat. Yes, he had made it known
to Hojo that he hated every part of him, that he loathed him, and was repulsed
at the thought of having to be in his laboratory for hours on end.
A cruel smile played upon young
Sephiroth's lips, as he recalled how he had tried to hit the man, on more
than one occasion, each time barely missing his target. But Hojo had always
been too fast, as if he was expecting the boy to strike out at him while
he was giving him his injections. The smile quickly dissolved into a frown.
Then he would receive a hard slap
across the face, leaving a red mark that would sting for many hours afterwards,
and the question of why a man so frail and weak-looking could deliver such
a harsh blow. The man would then go about his work, humming to himself
almost jovially as Sephiroth was unable to do anything to stop him, tightly
strapped to the metal examining table. Anything that happened after that
was always hard to remember, and Sephiroth could never seem to understand
why he ended up on the bed in his room, or how he got there in the first
place. All he could understand was the searing pain that coursed throughout
his body, then his caretaker's harsh words as he or she would pull him
out of bed and drag him off to his lessons.
The footsteps were even closer now, and the young boy could almost see the sneer on Hojo's face, and the knowing grin he would put on whenever he tried to act out against the man.
That bothered Sephiroth the most. Hojo had always seemed to know something about him, something Sephiroth felt he shouldn't. He couldn't even begin to think of what it might have been, all he knew was the feeling of uneasiness that came over him whenever Hojo looked him over with his piercing dark eyes. As if he were some sort of filthy lab rat in for an experiment.
The boy let out a snort, his eyes surveying the room once more. That was, as much as he hated to admit it, exactly how he felt in the lab.
There was a soft click, and Sephiroth forced himself to turn and look at the door, though he already knew who would be there. The knob slowly turned, and the door was flung open. A short man dressed in a white lab coat strode into the room, a smug grin on his otherwise sullen features. Hojo.
Sephiroth sent him a withering look, but Hojo merely smiled and pulled the door closed behind him.
"How are you feeling today, boy?" He asked the child, the smile on his face replaced by the well known sneer.
Sephiroth didn't answer, but waited until the scientist turned his back on him, to tend to something else. He glared at his back, wanting more than ever to get away from Hojo. And his needles, and his laboratory... and the pain he always caused...
A rasping laugh from Hojo's direction made him even angrier at the man. "What?" He spat, then his eyes widened as he hastily covered his mouth with a small hand.
He saw Hojo reach for something on a shelf, then a needle on the counter...
"What did you say?" He said, his tone quiet as he glanced at Sephiroth from over his shoulder.
He shook his head. "N-nothing sir."
Hojo whirled around, brandishing a large needle in one hand. With his other, he roughly rolled up the sleeve of Sephiroth's shirt, and jabbed the needle into his arm.
He didn't flinch. Sephiroth stared at the needle, then finally managed to tear his gaze from the bright green liquid that was slowly disappearing from it's long syringe. He narrowed his eyes at the Hojo, and tried very hard to pretend he wasn't there, that he could perhaps see through him, that the needle's contents weren't really burning his flesh, that everything was all some sort of horrible dream. No, a nightmare.
Hojo slowly pulled the needle from Sephiroth's arm, taking an obvious enjoyment at the sight of the boy's discomfort. Still, he wouldn't move, or utter a single sound. He was determined to prove to Hojo that he nor his scientific equipment scared him in the least.
Sephiroth's silence seemed to enrage Hojo, and he glared at the boy before grabbing a fistful of his long, silver hair, and twisting it in his bony hands. Sephiroth cried out in pain. "You will respect your elders, boy!" He shouted, tugging again on the silver strands. "You answer me properly when I'm speaking to you!"
Somehow, Sephiroth managed to pull his hair out of Hojo's grasp. He jumped off the examining table and kicked Hojo hard in the shins. "I won't and I never will. I hate you!" He cried as Hojo gasped in pain, clutching his leg.
"Dammit boy, get back on the table. I'm not done with you yet!" Hojo growled, standing up straight and limping slightly, towards Sephiroth.
"No."
Hojo's eyes glinted dangerously beneath his glasses. "What did you say, boy?" He said, icily.
Sephiroth glared back at Hojo, the hate clearly seen on his young face. "I said no. You're a horrible, conceited old... old bastard!" He yelled. Sephiroth saw Hojo's face redden in anger, but once he had started throwing insults, he found he couldn't stop. "I hate you!" He gave the metal table a kick, and it shook and rattled violently.
Hojo made a grab for Sephiroth, but the boy danced away from him at the last second. He stopped by the counter at the other end of the room. He eyes rested on the flasks full of bubbling, colourful liquid. He picked up one that was bright green in colour. "I hate your stupid experiments!" He raised the flask, and Hojo lunged at him.
"You put that down boy." He warned. "Or you'll get a beating like you've never had before." Sephiroth lowered his head, and the flask. Hojo actually smiled in relief. "That's a good child. Now give that to me, and get back on the table."
Sephiroth's head snapped up, his eyes flashing with anger. "I hate you, Hojo. I will not do as you say." He said, his voice shaking.
Hojo smirked. "The feeling is mutual, boy. Now hand over that beaker." Hojo held out his hand. But Sephiroth did not give him the beaker. Instead, he threw it at him. Hojo let out a cry and dove to catch the flask before it fell to the floor. "Why you little brat!" He straightened up and placed the precious green liquid and it's container back on the counter. "I'm going to--"
The man never finished his sentence, for he was interrupted by the sound of a door slamming shut behind him. Hojo banged his fist upon the counter, rattling the flask and it's contents. "That damn boy..." He stared at the beaker full of glowing green liquid.
"I do believe it's finally working..." And his mouth curved upwards into a grin. Hojo began to laugh.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sephiroth ran. He ran, without looking back, without having any idea as to where he was headed, through the halls in the Shinra building. He turned corners blindly, running in any direction, when he suddenly ran into something. It was a person. Sephiroth staggered backwards for a moment, and fell hard to the floor.
He looked up and saw the hem of a white lab coat. He gasped. "H-- Hojo! I... I..." Sephiroth scrambled to his feet, but wouldn't look the man in the eye. He felt a pair of strong hands on his shoulders. The hands shook him gently. Sephiroth started. Surely Hojo would be punishing him by now... this couldn't be...
"Sephiroth?"
The boy finally looked up, and to his surprise, it was not Hojo, but Professor Gast who stood before him. "P--professor!" Sephiroth threw his arms around him in a tight hug.
He hadn't seen Professor Gast in the building for over a month now, and he had missed him. He missed seeing his bright smile and twinkling eyes as would tell jokes, or sometimes sneak candy into the lab when Hojo wasn't around. Sephiroth wanted to ask him why he hadn't seen him for so long, but just being with him right now, was enough.
"Sephiroth! Are you all right? You look as if you've seen a ghost!" Gast said. Sephiroth only held him tighter still. "What happened to you?" The older man asked, pulling away and peering down at the boy in concern.
"I... Hojo... he--"
Gast's usually pleasant face turned grim. "Come with me, Sephiroth." And he took the boy firmly by the arm and began leading him down another hallway.
"Where are you taking me?" Sephiroth asked him apprehensively. He certainly didn't want to go back to see Hojo. If the Professor was taking him to see Hojo, he wouldn't know what he'd do...
Gast's frown disappeared, and his lips curled into a slight smile. "Why, to your room of course. You look like you could do with a bit of rest." Gast led him into an elevator and pushed a button.
Sephiroth nodded, and Gast ruffled his silver hair. Just then the elevator stopped, and two soldiers walked in. They stared at Sephiroth and Gast, who had taken a small step away from them. One of the soldiers turned to Gast. "And where is he going? Shouldn't he be at the lab?"
"He was, I'm just escorting him back to his room." Gast said quickly, glancing down at Sephiroth.
The soldier's raised eyebrow was visible, even under the visor of his blue helmet. "Shouldn't a guard be escorting him to and from the lab?"
Gast shifted his feet uncomfortably. "Well... yes, but... he has a bit of a temperature, so I thought it would be best if I go with him. To administer the required medicine, of course."
The soldier then turned his gaze to the young Sephiroth. He started forwards, reaching towards him, but Sephiroth stepped back, out of his reach. "Does he have a temperature, like you say?" The second soldier said, as the other knelt down beside Sephiroth.
"Y-- yes..." Gast clasped his shaking hands behind his back, so as to hide them from the suspicious soldiers.
"Then there shouldn't be a problem if he checks, now should there?" The soldier by Sephiroth removed one of his gloves and felt the boys forehead. He quickly pulled his hand away and wiped it on his pants. He stood up and looked back at his comrade as he replaced his glove. "He seems quite hot. You'd better give him that medicine right away." He stared hard at Professor Gast, who tried his best to stare defiantly back.
The sudden ring of the elevator as it reached another floor ended the staring contest, as Sephiroth tugged on Gast's sleeve. "This is our floor... Sir." He whispered to him, while openly glaring over his shoulder at the soldiers in the elevator. He and Gast began to leave, when the first soldier spoke.
"You'd better be careful from now on. I've got my eye on you, Gast."
The professor whirled around, only to see the the soldier smirk as the elevator doors closed in front of them. Gast stood there, open-mouthed, and furious. "W-why those blasted soldiers... they think they can bully whoever they damn well please!"
Sephiroth tried again to get Gast's attention as the man fumed silently beside him. "Professor? I... I think I want to go to my room now." Gast suddenly turned to him, his face brightening.
"Of course, of course, Sephiroth." So the two began walking down the dimly lit corridor. They reached a door at the end of the hall, and Gast pulled a keycard from out of a pocket tucked into his shirt. He glanced down at Sephiroth as he slid the card through the system. The door opened to reveal a small, dark room. He stepped inside and turned on the lights. A bed in a corner, a small desk and chair, and a bookshelf crammed with books were the only things in the room. Sephiroth stood in the doorway, his arms crossed, a questioning look on his face.
"It's a good thing you were still perspiring from all that running when that soldier reached for you Sephiroth, or I would be in a lot of trouble with-- what's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?" Gast strode over to shut the door before going to Sephiroth and putting a hand on his shoulder. He led the boy over to his bed and let him sit down while he sat in the chair by the desk.
Sephiroth stared at Gast for a moment before speaking. "How did you get a key to my room? I thought Hojo took yours away a long time ago."
Gast chuckled. "Well, I..." He paused, his face growing stern. "Sephiroth, that isn't important right now. What I want to know is why you were running from Hojo's lab today. Did he do something to scare you maybe?" He asked, leaning forward in his chair, waiting for Sephiroth's answer.
The boy stared at the floor and mumbled something inaudible to Gast.
"What was that?" Gast asked, leaving his chair to sit beside Sephiroth on the bed.
Sephiroth looked up at him. "Promise you won't get mad at me?"
Gast smiled. "I would never get angry with you Sephiroth. Never. You know that."
The boy didn't return Gast's smile. "Well, in the lab today, I... I hurt Hojo. I kicked him in the leg and he was limping." He said to the floor.
"You... you kicked him?"
Sephiroth nodded. "And... and I called him a... a..." He whispered the word into Gast's ear, then turned his eyes back to the floor. Gast said nothing for a long while. When Sephiroth finally looked up at him, he could have sworn there was a slight grin on the man's face. But it was gone as quickly as it came.
Instead, a thoughtful look was now upon Gast's features, and he rested his chin upon his hand. "It must have worked then, if he managed to... Yes, he does seem much stronger now..."
Sephiroth stared at the man. Him... stronger? And what had worked? What was the Professor talking about?
But before Sephiroth could say a word, Gast had turned back to him, a question at the ready. "Sephiroth, why would you hurt Hojo? He didn't do anything to... harm you... did he? Did he?"
Gast's eyes widened as the boy nodded. Sephiroth began to tell him of how he had talked back to Hojo, and was threatened by him, how he ended up kicking him, and of how he threw a flask of green liquid at the man before he ran from the room, straight into Gast.
"I take it that he does this on a regular basis." Was all Gast said as Sephiroth finished recounting the events of the last hour. Sephiroth nodded again.
"He hits me. All the time. I don't know why, but I just feel that I don't like him, and he doesn't like me." Sephiroth shook his head and looked up at the older man beside him. He was shocked to see him look so angry. Gast was practically shaking in anger. "Why are you so angry Professor? I hope--"
"Wait a minute. You mean to say he hasn't told you?" Gast gaped openly at the boy. "All these years since I've been kicked off the project and he hasn't told you?!"
Sephiroth stared at him. What project was he talking about? Why was the Professor talking nonsense all of a sudden?
"Told me what? What hasn't he told me?" But Gast had already stood up, and was now pacing the floor in Sephiroth's room. He started towards the door and reached for the knob. "Professor? Where are you going?"
Gast was already halfway out the door. "I'm going to pay a visit to President Shinra. Sephiroth, wait here. I'll be right back." The door slammed shut behind him, leaving a young boy alone in his room, once again.
Sephiroth, not knowing what else he could do to pass the time, lay down on his bed, wondering what on earth could have caused Professor Gast to act so strangely right now. He eventually gave up, and tried to fall asleep.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The fools. They do not know who they're dealing with.
Sephiroth's eyes opened with a start. "W-who said that?" He sat up and looked around. "Professor? Was that you?" No one answered him.
The boy shrugged his shoulders and lay down again on the blankets beneath him. He closed his eyes.
Sephiroth... Sephiroth... wake up!
This time he knew something was wrong. Sephiroth climbed off his bed and clenched his fists. "Whoever's in my room had better come out or I'll... I'll..." He trailed off, not really knowing what he would do if he found someone in his room.
What would he do? What if it was Hojo? He would surely be here to punish him for what he had done in the lab.
Sephiroth...
Sephiroth gulped. There really was someone hiding in his room. Exactly where that person was... a shiver went down his spine.
There is no reason to be afraid child.
Sephiroth jumped at the sound of the voice and spun around. "W-who's there?" He said, his voice shaking. "Answer me!" An entire minute went by, as Sephiroth stood silently clenching and unclenching his fists, waiting for his answer.
It isn't nice to threaten others, Sephiroth.
"Where are you? Who are you?" The boy was now spinning around and looking hurriedly in every corner of his room, trying to find the source of the voice. It was a soft voice, a woman's voice. It would have been almost comforting if it wasn't for the fact that it didn't seem to have a face.
I'm your... I'm a friend.
Sephiroth stopped, as he was in the middle of opening his closet door. "A... friend?" He wondered how this person could be talking to him, even though he couldn't see them.
I can speak with your mind. Though you may not see me, I am still here. Do you understand?
Sephiroth started. "B-but I never said anything... how can you-"
I can hear your thoughts, just as you can hear mine. Do not be alarmed, I'm simply here to help you.
Sephiroth cast a quick glance around his room once more before sitting down on his bed. "Help me? How are you going to help me?" A small grin formed on his lips. Maybe this person could get rid of Professor Hojo and-
Forget about Hojo for now, Sephiroth. He will get what he deserves soon enough.
"What does he deserve?" Sephiroth asked the voice.
He... just forget him. I will help you do that.
"You will?"
Of course I will. But I have a favor to ask of you first... you mustn't tell anyone about me.
Sephiroth frowned slightly. Why couldn't he tell anyone? He wanted to tell Professor Gast right away. He told him everything. Gast was the only one that he could confide his deepest thoughts and hopes to. Others would have laughed at some of his dreams, but not Gast. He was the only person Sephiroth could trust.
Especially not Gast.
"Why not?"
Sephiroth, I am going to be your friend. You haven't had many friends since you've grown up. Have you?
He shook his head, his face falling as he recalled all the times he had tried to talk to the other children in the Shinra building, on many occasions, but was always avoided and rejected because of his 'abnormal hair' and the colour of his eyes. Sephiroth sighed.
Do not be sad, Sephiroth. I will be your friend. I will stay with you. I wont abandon you like those pitiful humans who try to-
Sephiroth had no idea what the voice meant by 'pitiful humans', but he knew that there was nothing wrong with the Professor. "Why not Professor Gast?" Sephiroth interrupted. "He's not bad. He's a good man. And he's my friend."
No! You mustn't tell Gast! Just... don't tell him. Let this be our little secret.
Sephiroth wondered if it was just him, or if he really heard a hint of malice in the soft voice. He dismissed it, for he knew that no one hated Professor Gast. He was kind to everyone, even a young boy like him. But Hojo on the other hand... he could find many reasons why people hated the man.
Hojo isn't what he seems. And Gast isn't all that he seems either. No one is who they seem to be. I am the only one you can trust. You can trust me Sephiroth.
The young boy frowned. "But why should I trust you? I don't even know who you are." The voice didn't reply to his query. "Hello? Are you there?"
I am still here child. It upsets me that my own... that you cannot trust me. I thought you wanted a friend?
Sephiroth nodded quickly. "But I do. I don't like being alone all the time. It's the worst thing in the world, to be by yourself... with no one..." A single tear slipped down his cheek, and he quickly wiped it away with the back of his hand. "But, you will be my friend?" Another tear fell.
Do not cry child. You will never be alone. I am here, Sephiroth. As long as you don't tell anyone about me, I will stay with you. Always.
"Really? You won't leave me, ever?"
No. I will always be with you. But no one must know...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Professor Gast hurried down the hallway and used his keycard to open the door to Sephiroth's room. He fumbled with the card, more than once, as his mind was on other things.
"That Hojo! Telling Shinra that I was the cause of his experiment's 'failure'! And that I was the one behind Sephiroth's behaviour today..." He fumed for another moment, but stopped once he finally managed to open the door.
He saw Sephiroth sitting on his bed, staring off into space. Forgetting his other problems, Gast smiled down at the boy. It was then that he realized that he was speaking to someone.
"I don't like being alone all the time."
"Sephiroth?" Gast said, staring as Sephiroth completely ignored him. He noticed that there were tears staining the small face. "Sephiroth? What's the matter?"
"Really? You won't leave me, ever?" The boy continued, oblivious to the fact that he was being watched.
"Sephiroth? Who are you talking to?" Professor Gast said a little louder as he stood in the doorway, staring down at the boy sitting by himself on the bed. Sephiroth turned to him, and he was surprised to see a frown on the small face.
"I'm talking to..." The boy paused, seemingly deep in thought. He brushed the remaining tears from his face as the corners of his lips turned upwards into a childlike grin, replacing the frown.
"No one."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Author's Note: Ya, this one's been
sitting on my hard drive for months... finally decided to put it up here.
Hope you liked it! ^^