Installment 7: Return to Knowledge

Cloud gripped his mighty blade, "Hojo..."

Makira took a step closer to the man whom emerged from the crystal, his large lab coat swaying against the ground, "The mad scientist rises once again," he threw a large black cloth over the mans bare body, "Hojo..." Makira knelt closely to the mans kneeling figure. He held his
hand out.

"He... infused... the neo...materia," Yuffie talked in between breaths, "...into Hojo's body," Barret slowly picked her up in his arms, "Cloud! Whats our move?" Barret called over to him, watching Makira and the newly emerged being. Cloud swallowed and lowered his sword, "Get Yuffie out of here! We'll meet up at Cosmo Canyon,"

Barret started running down the exit, "Roger Spikey!" Yuffie started kicking and wriggling, "No!! We can't leave Cloud alone!" she flung herself on Barret's shoulder. He shook his head, "Sorry girl, you're in no shape to fight. What Spikey says goes."

Yuffies screaming echoed down the long dark tunnel, the glow from the crystal cocoon died down. An evil grin crept across Hojo's face, he looked up and reached toward Makira's hand. Makira's face was glowing with anticipation, but soon turned to horror when Hojo's hand took hold
of Makira's neck. Gasping for air Makira's body slowly lifted into the air, his glasses falling onto the floor, knocking a lens out of place. "Urg...wh..what is...this?" Makira's words slowly slipped between his lips. The mad scientist pushed his hair out of his eyes, "My knowledge is absolute..." his arm started to radiate with a green aura. Cloud glared, "He looks like Sephiroth..." he thought to himself. Makira was then blasted back into a wall behind Cloud.

Cloud looked at Makira then back at Hojo, he clenched his teeth, "How did you return?" Cloud asked firmly. Hojo smirked and flung the black cloth around his waist it trailed against the ground as he placed his hands behind his back, "Did I not inform you of my Jenova Reunion Theory, my experiment?" Hojo referred to Cloud. Cloud's breathing motion was slow and steady, "I'm not your experiment, I learned the truth two years ago,"

"Then you know about the Sephiroth Genes embedded in your body?" Hojo and Cloud started to pace around the room staring each other down.

"What're you talking about?" Cloud held tightly to the leather gripping of his sword.

"You were the only one who was ever able to harm him, penetrate his flesh. The first to see his blood..." Hojo's glared with a wicked intent in his eyes, the devilish grin on his face sent shivers up and down Clouds back,"...after the events in Mt. Nibel, I injected you with Sephiroth's Genes, I call them Silvre Cells. I took samples from that Buster Sword you used, in hopes of a perfect Sephiroth clone. At the crater two years ago, I thought you were just another failed project, but I was wrong," Hojo's grin soon faded into a simple smirk, "When I was defeated, you allowed me to travel the lifestream. Gain knowledge unsurpassed to any man, even Professor Gast," Hojo paused and faced Cloud.

"Yeah... but that still doesn't explain why you're here," Cloud pointed his sword at him. Hojo looked down and chuckled, "Are you not worried about your past? The wonderful gifts I have given you, you should be thanking me,"
Cloud looked down in grief, "These are not gifts, they're curses. No matter what I do, I'm always brought back to the battlefield, but..." Cloud looked at Hojo, "...that still doesn't explain why you're here!" his sword was once again facing Hojo.

Hojo looked up then back at Cloud, "The Jenova Cells in my body found each other in the lifestream and joined again, just like my Reunion Theory stated. My consciousness wandered in the stream, gaining knowledge of the Ancients. Soon the cells and my consciousness conceived a body, but something was missing. I had no soul, no spirit," Hojo's eyes glared into Clouds, "Another consciousness lent me their knowledge and helped me conceive a spirit, I'm not sure who it was, but I have an idea. Soon I trapped my self in a mako shell, like my son was 2 years ago in the crater. And voila, a Hojo you have before you," he gave a bow, "You know, we could've probably been partners. If it wasn't for that pitiful escape attempt by your friend, what was his name? Zeik?"

This peaked Clouds anger, "It's Zaacckk!!" he lifted his heavy sword to strike, but it was failed as Hojo caught the edge of the blade in his bare palm, "Hmph... don't push your luck..." with a single hand he flipped the blade from Clouds hand and into his own. He pushed the giant broad sword through Clouds right shoulder. He then followed with a swing of his arm, blasting Cloud back against a wall. Hojo slowly approached, "My experiment, you are his connection. The perfect weapon..." Hojo knelt down until he was face to face with Cloud, "Be sure to take care of Denzel, we wouldn't want happen to him. Now would we?" Hojo started to break out in a cynical laugh that echoed throughout the cavern. His body floated in the air and soon he shot out of the ceiling, creating another crater, then disappearing into the sky.

Cloud looked down at his chest, the blade pierced deep within his flesh. He could see blood trailing down his arm forming a small red pool in his hand, he looked up at the dark cloudy sky and muttered, "Looks like it's gonna rain..."