Chapter 2: The Crack In The Armor

"Faster!" Sephiroth's fitness trainer barked as the boy ran on the treadmill.

Sephiroth panted as he tried to catch up to the speed that the trainer had raised the machine to. Nearby, Wolff was beginning to look uncomfortable, but he kept his mouth shut and maintained his post by the door.

They had already spent an entire hour working on army crawls, so as to improve his timing when he did his next weekly simulation. If Sephiroth had been disappointed at his inability to make good time during the tunnel part of the simulation, his fitness trainer had been downright livid. Wolff knew the reason why. He had heard the rumors that the former infantryman's job as Sephiroth's trainer was constantly being threatened whenever the boy didn't perform up to standard. However, as far as Wolff was concerned, the man should have never been employed in the first place. Even though he had once been among the army's best drill instructors, he had ultimately been discharged from duty three years ago, when he had nearly killed one of his subordinates in a fit of rage after a mission that had gone wrong. Why they decided to hire him to train a little boy seemed beyond all reasoning.

Wolff was only now starting to realize how many things were beyond reasoning. At first he had been excited to know how much security clearance he was getting with his new position in the army(along with the rank promotion and higher pay). Now, he could see the worried look on Elmyra's face every time he would show up at her grandmother's house to take her out to on a date. His fiancee was no fool- she could see that the stress was getting to him, even though she knew he wasn't allowed to talk details about work. He wanted so badly to tell her what was going on, but they both knew he was expected to keep Shinra's secrets. His paycheck depended on that, and he was beginning to suspect that his very life might depend on it as well.

The lack of ethics in the science department were appalling. It wasn't just the many animals that were mistreated. The young woman Ifalna, who was rumored to be Professor Gast's widow, was never seen in the hallways without an armed escort. Often, the woman looked ill, and occasionally, she was barely able to walk. He had seen her in the common room holding her baby protectively, as if anyone could snatch her away at any given moment.

Sephiroth's schedule was one that Wolff wouldn't have wished on an actual recruit. The boy was up at six a.m. for blood tests and physical exams every single day. Then after fifteen minutes for eating breakfast(which was usually a protein shake and several vitamin capsules), the boy had to study for an hour. After that, it was three hours of some kind of physical training. After a short lunch, Sephiroth would study for two hours, and then it was four hours of physical training. Only during dinnertime did the boy get an entire half-hour to eat in the canteen. During that time, Wolff would engage the boy in (a typically one-sided)conversation.

"You're doing great, Sephiroth!" Wolff called out to him.

The fitness trainer turned to glare at the soldier. "Who the hell asked you?" he snapped.

The door opened, and two MPs ushered Ifalna inside.

"What's this?" the trainer demanded as he stormed over to them, "We have the room reserved for the next hour. No distractions!"

"Professor Hojo was concerned that the subject needed exercise if she's to keep up with her testing regiment," one of the MPs, a short, impatient-looking man explained curtly. "You have a problem, you take it up with him."

"Keep her on the other side of the room," the trainer growled as he stormed back to where Sephiroth was still running, but had been looking at Ifalna. "What the hell are you looking at, kid?! Eyes forward! She's nothing! Do you understand?"

Sephiroth silently obeyed, turning his head back and looking straight ahead.

"Here…" the trainer pressed a button, "You're doing fine at that speed. We'll add another two miles per hour."

Sephiroth stumbled slightly as he tried to adjust to the speed. Suddenly, the heart monitor that was attached to his chest began beeping.

"Ignore that," his trainer barked, "Those things are sensitive as hell. Doesn't mean anything- keep going!"

Sephiroth managed to keep running for half a minute before he began to feel faint. Without warning, he faltered, and the treadmill sent him flying backwards, crashing head-first into the side of a large barbell mounted on a rack.

"Sephiroth!" Wolff cried out, alarmed. He ran over to the boy, who was now bleeding from the back of his head. "Can you hear me?"

The boy tried to speak, but found it difficult to form the words with his mouth. He could hear Wolff and the trainer began to argue. He also heard shouts, and footsteps rapidly approaching him. A pair of hands gently touched his head. A warm sensation washed over Sephiroth, and he opened his eyes a few seconds later.

"-Just trying to help the poor kid!" he could hear Ifalna protesting loudly as two MPs dragged her away from him, "He was exhausted, for Planet's sake! A blow like that would have killed anyone else-!"

Sephiroth winced as he saw the shorter MP raise his rifle and strike Ifalna's face with the butt of it, cutting off her words. The woman went down instantly, smacking the back of her head against the wall.

"Leave her alone!" he yelled, having found his voice again.

The MP glared at him.

"Sephiroth's right," said Wolff, "There's no need to use unnecessary force. Ma'am, are you okay?"

Ifalna stumbled to her feet and clutched her nose, which was now bleeding from the rifle stock. She seemed disoriented, staring confusedly at Wolff.

"I doubt your supervisors want to see this woman injured, let alone by you," Wolff said, thankful that he outranked the MPs. "I don't want to have to report you."

"Let's just get the hell out of here," the other MP said to his partner, who nodded in agreement. They hauled Ifalna out of the exercise room.

"You alright, Sephiroth?" Wolff asked, "Can you stand?"

The boy nodded as he got back to his feet.

"I'll let everyone know what's happened," he said as he pulled out his phone, "Hopefully we can get you back to your room so you can rest."

"I'm fine," Sephiroth insisted, "I'd have to be bleeding to death to not be able to make it to my lessons, training…anything. It's not the first time I've collapsed like that before."

No, it was only the first time anybody had gone out of their way to help him the way Ifalna had...and look what that had gotten her...


Ifalna lay in her bed that night, trying to sleep. Her head no longer hurt, but she still felt slightly dizzy. Every time she tried to close her eyes, the room seemed to give out from underneath. She should have expected something like this to happen when she chose to get involved. She knew that she'd do it again in a heartbeat, though.

Just then, Ifalna could hear the boy shuffling through the tunnel, and finally approach the grate. She smiled, grateful for the company.

"You're not moving as quietly as you did the last time you came to visit," Ifalna said quietly.

"I've got no reason to hide from you," Sephiroth replied from inside the vent.

"Well, I'm glad you feel that way. You're feeling better, I take it?"

"Why did you heal me?" Sephiroth asked as he moved closer to the grate.

"What kind of a question is that?" Ifalna replied as she stumbled out of bed and dragged herself closer to him. "You were hurt. I couldn't just ignore that!"

Sephiroth said nothing, but stared at the strange woman for a moment.

"That doesn't make sense…" he muttered.

"It doesn't?" Ifalna asked, tilting her head as she looked at the boy, "Well…maybe not. After all, it's easy to just go about your day and ignore people, right? That seems to be how most people usually operate. Sure, maybe they're paid to care…but me? I'm just a prisoner here. I risked being punished to help someone I'd only just met the other day. I even took a blow to the head for you. I must be crazy, huh?" She widened her eyes as if to emphasize her point.

Sephiroth kept staring impassively at her. "You said it…not me…" he said finally.

Ifalna's heart sank as she realized just how much sarcasm had been dripping from her words. Immediately, she shut her eyes and turned away guiltily. "Sorry…" she whispered, hoping that the child wouldn't turn around and leave. "I'm normally not this bitter..."

"People are only happy on TV," Sephiroth said, causing Ifalna to realize that he didn't even sound bitter or sad. He simply sounded as if he had stated that the sun had come out, or announced what time it was.

"Maybe…" Ifalna suggested, "there's more to people than you think. Maybe Shinra only has certain types of people to offer. It's a big, big world outside of this dreary building, Sephiroth. I just hope that by the time you're allowed to experience it, that you haven't completely closed yourself off..."

Again, she stopped and kicked herself mentally for saying too much too quickly. Confusing the boy wasn't going to help either.

"What do you mean?" Sephiroth asked, leaning in as far as the grate would allow him.

"I'm sure you've noticed it," Ifalna tried to explain, "You know there's something about this company that's just…wrong. Why would they force a little boy to run on a treadmill until he collapses? Why would they put him in the kind of danger they do? What's worse, their plan is to do that to thousands of other young people. I've heard them talking about their SOLDIER program. An army of children, in a society that claims to be so advanced and civilized."

"It's because of me," said Sephiroth, "Professor Hojo always says that what's good for the goose is good for the gander. If it works for me, the rest of the science department tries to make it work for anybody my age. The president always says that everyone is depending on me."

"It doesn't have to be that way," Ifalna sighed, "It shouldn't be that way."

"What can I do about it?" Sephiroth protested, "I'm just a kid."

"Right now, maybe you can't do anything," Ifalna admitted, "But that doesn't mean you can't do something eventually. Don't give up. Don't ever give up. I tell Aerith that every night because I want her to always have hope…even if she has to grow up having never seen the sun. We've all got a little fire inside of us. Don't let it go out, because it might just come in handy one day."

"Even though you're stuck in a cell?" Sephiroth asked.

"What else is there to do?" Ifalna asked, "I know they're going to try and break my daughter. They'll have to do it over my dead body, though..."

Ifalna stared at him, her eyes full of resolve. Sephiroth leaned back and shook his head in wonder.

"I've never met anyone like you," he sighed.

Ifalna smiled sadly. "That's what Professor Gast said to me."

"I trusted him," said Sephiroth, "but now he's gone. I don't know what I'm going to do now."

"There are still people here that you can trust," said Ifalna, "I'm sure he wanted you to realize that."

Sephiroth looked extremely troubled.

"I should go," he said finally.

"I'm glad you're all right," said Ifalna.

The boy nodded silently as he quietly turned himself around, and began to crawl away.


"Why do I have to be here again?" Sephiroth asked the next morning as he sat on an examination table in one of the labs. "They already checked me out last night and said I don't have a concussion."

"You weren't healed by materia," Hojo replied as he looked at the vial that had just been filled with Sephiroth's blood. "I want to see if there were any changes to your system as a result. It's a pity that I had the evening off last night. Had I heard about this unfortunate incident sooner, I'd have examined you right after it had happened."

"How can someone heal me without materia or potions?" Sephiroth asked.

"Like you, the woman has certain gifts that we're trying to use to help change the world," Hojo answered. "We're done for now, but I'll say this for your benefit: stay away from that woman. She's a troublemaker. She's nowhere near as cooperative as you are. We need her abilities, but if it weren't for that, I'd just as soon never see her again. And as for your bodyguard, I've already informed him that he needs to mind his own business. He's here to take care of you, and you alone. You may go now."


"Hojo wants me to stay away from you," Sephiroth announced as he sat in Ifalna's room later that night.

Ifalna smirked. "And so you respond by coming to visit me again?"

"…I don't know," Sephiroth admitted, looking around the room, "I…just like coming to see you."

"I'm glad," said Ifalna, "Because I like it when you stop by. It's rather boring here, just me and Aerith."

"You don't talk to the guards? Obviously not the one who hit you, but there's others."

"Most of them have an ulterior motive," Ifalna said, shuddering at the implications. Before Sephiroth could ask her what she meant by that, she continued to speak: "That one guard who seemed to be looking after you, however…"

"Wolff? What about him?"

"I can read people, Seph. Don't ask me how, I just can. I can read him, and it's a good reading."

"My name is Sephiroth," the boy corrected her.

"Kind of a mouthful, don't you think?" Ifalna teased.

Sephiroth sighed in frustration. "Well, I suppose it's better than calling me 'freak'…" he muttered, "Do you really think I can trust him?"

Ifalna sighed at the thought of an eight-year-old being given such a demeaning label. She briefly wondered if this was what fate had in store for Aerith as well.

Not if I can help itshe decided.

"Yes," she said at last, "You can trust me as well."

Sephiroth frowned. "I'll think about it," he said.

Ifalna chuckled. "Fair enough."

Aerith began to fuss.

"Can I hold her?" Sephiroth asked suddenly.

Ifalna smiled. "Of course you can. Here…"

She lifted the baby out of the cradle and handed her over to the boy, guiding his hands so he was cradling her head properly.

"Her neck isn't very strong yet," Ifalna explained, "So always remember to hold her head just like you're doing now."

"Good thing she's not meant to be a super-soldier," Sephiroth said with a sigh, "Or else Hojo would probably do stuff to her to make sure her neck did get strong. He's such…an asshole."

Ifalna frowned. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't use that kind of language here."

Sephiroth lowered his head. "Sorry…"

"However…" Ifalna said with a smirk, "I agree with you completely."

Sephiroth smiled back.

"Wow…" Ifalna marveled, "She's quieted down. Usually she cries if anyone else holds her. She must really trust you."

"I figured babies didn't know how to trust people," said Sephiroth.

"I think they know just fine," said Ifalna, "Especially Aerith. We can both sense things about people."

"And that's another reason why you're stuck here?" Sephiroth guessed, "I mean, healing without materia…I could see them forcing you to be in the trenches healing everyone."

"Oh, no," Ifalna said, tilting her head and scowling at the thought, "Too much risk of me getting killed. Hojo would never stand for it. Anyway, blue isn't really my color."

"Maybe they'll keep you at second class, since they wear red," Sephiroth quipped.

Ifalna leaned over and peered at the boy, a slightly amused smile spreading across her face.

"Was that a joke you actually made?" she teased.

"Maybe…" Sephiroth said noncommittally, "But you said you can sense things about people. I'm curious now: what do you sense about me?"

Ifalna regarded the boy solemnly for a moment. Then she spoke:

"You're designed to do some amazing things, Sephiroth. But the people who are doing the designing…I can't warn you enough to be careful. The Shinra…they're doing terrible things to the Planet, and the people. If they have their way, they would have you cooperating with them, and making things worse. But, if you don't lose yourself…maybe you could do some amazing things…things that could undo what's been done…"

She then stopped, noting the blank look on the boy's face. She was losing him now. Ifalna sighed, forced a smile, and continued:

"You don't have to make any decisions today. Or tomorrow…not next week…not next year. I'm just asking you to remember what I'm trying to say to you…even if it's probably coming out all wrong…" she trailed off and laughed ruefully. "Faremis was the gifted speaker…not me."

"He made a lot more sense than you do," Sephiroth agreed.

Ifalna laughed again. "Well, I appreciate your honesty."

"But…" Sephiroth looked down, "…as long as I'm here…they would have me do what they want. Which means…"

He looked at the baby, thinking hard for a moment. His thoughts however, were scattered when he saw Aerith open her eyes. The infant seemed to be staring right at him, with eyes that were identical to her mother's. Then, before he could gather his thoughts again, Ifalna spoke resignedly:

"I guess we'll just have to see what happens, huh?"

Sephiroth looked up at her, noting how dull and tired her green eyes seemed. Immediately he averted his gaze, unable to look at her in that state.

Why did he keep coming back here? Why was he drawn to this woman who seemed to be a glutton for punishment? Why, other than the fact that she had married Professor Gast and had a child with him?

"I like this show…" he said finally, noting the TV program that was on.

"It's interesting…" Ifalna agreed, not wanting to burden the boy any further with more heavy thoughts.

Nothing more was said between them. Sephiroth spent the next half-hour watching TV with Ifalna and holding Aerith. Finally, he excused himself, gave Aerith back to Ifalna, climbed back into the vent, replaced the grate, and made his way back to his room.


Shout-outs:

JazzQueen: Hojo being Sephiroth's father just MIGHT be the final straw for him and the Shinra…stay tuned… ;)

destinykeyblade: Thanks again for the heads up. Lesson learned: never edit a story on your iPhone.