Chapter 10

Two days later, and Cloud was able to pee without passing blood. "Good, good, good," Hojo said as he peered into the bottle containing the urine sample. "Your progress is encouraging. I think it is time for you to begin trying to walk for a few minutes each hour."

Cloud relished the news. He had become bored with simply lying in bed all day, but each time he had pushed the sheet away in an attempt to swing his legs over the side of his mattress, the professor or one of the others in the room had seen to it that his lower limbs were quickly tucked back in, telling him that he was not yet ready for such exertion.

Signalling now to one of the lab tecs to come forward and assist Cloud, Hojo continued to finish off the report findings on the hologram chart, and then he took the water specimen over to his table, where he intended conducting tests on it.

Wrapping one arm around Cloud and securing him under the armpit, the lab technician helped the boy to sit up and get his legs free, saying, "On the count of two… One. Two."

With a little push of his hips, Cloud stood up, though he clung tightly to the man holding him when he felt himself shake and wobble.

"Put a gown on him, for Gaia's sake," Hojo called out, looking to make sure his patient was in safe hands.

Turning Cloud to face the bed and brace himself with his arms, the lab tec left him holding on to the bed-sheets while he went to a closet to fetch the gown. The thin green cloth with white ties at the back didn't envelop much, but it was enough to give Cloud some dignity and he quite happily set about taking small nervous steps while he held on to the assistant. Within a few minutes, he felt confident enough to try going alone, though the lab technician stayed close beside him for a while, watching Cloud's every footstep like a hawk, his steadying hands ready to reach out and offer support if he saw the boy falter.

Eventually Hojo called a stop to the walking exercise and Cloud found himself back in his bed, and surprisingly tired out by his little exertion. As he rested on the mattress he brought each leg up and held it at the knee with one hand while he rubbed briskly at his calf muscles, feeling pleased with the effort he had made, but telling himself he would push harder to do better the next time.

And he did.

By the next morning, Hojo felt Cloud was strong enough to walk unaided to the bathroom by himself. "All your samples have proven clean, and you no longer shake like a new born deer so, go go go. And don't forget to wash your hands."

Shutting the lavatory door behind him, Cloud locked it and then leant back against it, closing his eyes and breathing deeply. It had been harder than he thought, that simple short walk from his bed to here, but he was just so glad he had made it without falling down, for he felt sure the professor would have had him under the supervision of the lab tec again, and that would have left Cloud feeling helpless instead of elated, as he did at the moment.

When he had regained his strength a little, Cloud toddled over to the toilet bowl and lowered the seat, sitting like a girl, needing to so he could gain the energy to walk back to his bed.

While Cloud was in the bathroom, Hojo found his work interrupted by the clicking sound of heavy boots upon the tiled floor. Knowing that his assistant's all wore soft soled shoes like himself, he looked up from the magnifier he had been peering into and his dark little eyes widened when he saw the elite General Sephiroth coming towards him. Hojo had been expecting a routine visit at some point from him, and so he turned from his work and faced the man in greeting.

"Where is the boy?" the silver haired man said as an introduction.

Hojo canted an eyebrow. He had expected a handshake, or at least to be asked politely how he was, but it appeared that Sephiroth wasn't here to inquire about his welfare, only the prisoner's. "The patient is currently in the bathroom," Hojo related, giving the relevant information as he subconsciously pushed at his glasses, easing them back up along the bridge of his nose.

"Alone?"

Just that one word held threat and malice, and Hojo knew he had to placate the man before the tension in the room got any frostier. "I can assure you that he is perfectly safe in there, and that no harm can come to him."

"I wasn't worried about him coming to harm," Sephiroth answered, his gaze turning towards the closed bathroom door. Then, turning back to face the professor, he added, "But if he escapes from me again, I cannot promise that no harm will come… to you."

Knowing he had nothing to fear, Hojo explained to Sephiroth that there was absolutely no way Cloud could get out of the bathroom unseen. "He has to come out through that door," he said. "We are over one hundred floors up, and it's a straight drop with nothing below to break his fall except the ground. There is also the fact that the room is entirely windowless, so unless he can crawl down the toilet pan, or squeeze through the plughole in the sink, he should make an appearance in a few moments, once nature has taken its course."

But Sephiroth wasn't prepared to wait.

"Please do not excite the boy!" Hojo called out as the general began to make his way purposefully towards the bathroom.

"I haven't even begun to excite him, yet," Sephiroth answered with a cruel smile on his face.

He had only taken a few steps when the door opened, and Cloud emerged, his face downward and fixed in concentration as he slowly put one foot in front of the other. Sephiroth walked forward and deliberately stood in the blonde's path.

Cloud sensed someone impeding his way, and with a small curse on his lips he raised his head to cuss out the lab tec, or professor. But the sight of the general standing there, impassively staring down at him, froze his words. Instantly Cloud felt his heartbeat go into overdrive, and his mind screamed at him to flee from the man, but he knew that there was nowhere to go… and that he couldn't run even if he wanted to. So he just lifted his chin higher, and stared back.

"Well, look what we have here," Sephiroth drawled slowly, pulling himself up to his full height. "Decided to come back for seconds, did you?" His arm lifted, and before Cloud could defend himself, Sephiroth struck him a blow across the face with the back of his hand. "Little slut… couldn't stay away," he sneered contemptuously, his green eyes narrowing dangerously as he took in the sight of the blond youth falling to the floor.

Hojo, who had been observing the pair, quickly interceded, running forward to stand protectively in front of Cloud, prepared to use his own body as a shield if needed. "Sephiroth! I really must insist that you let the boy rest."

"That would be, General Sephiroth, to you," the silver haired man countered.

"A minor slip of the tongue on my part, but let me remind you, General, that while you might be superior within the ranks of Shin-Ra, here inside my domain I make the rules, and I will not tolerate you assaulting those under my care. If it happens again I will not hesitate in reporting the matter to President Rufus, and perhaps suggesting to him that you yourself be treated here to see if we can't curb some of those violent tendencies within you."

"It won't happen again," Sephiroth promised, watching as the professor helped the boy to stand up. "At least… it won't happen again, in your domain."

Back on his feet, Cloud glared defiantly at the general, resisting the urge to rub at his bruised cheek. He wouldn't give the man the satisfaction of knowing that the slap had hurt. And he felt he had won a small victory when his tormenter turned and made to leave the room. However, the joy of his win was tarnished when Sephiroth paused, and then turned back and addressed the professor once more.

"Be sure to send him to me when he's fit enough to be broken again."

The general left without another word, but his parting comment had been enough to fill Cloud with dread.

"I have a feeling that I will be seeing a lot of you in the future, boy," Hojo said as he helped Cloud back on the bed. The professor didn't sound too dismayed at the prospect, instead it seemed to fill him with elation. "In fact, knowing that you will possibly be a frequent patient here inspires me to begin work on my next project, ready for your subsequent visit. I am working on a cream that will make bruises invisible. The pain and discomfort of any injury will still be felt, but the ugliness of discoloured skin won't be apparent. I think your general might be very pleased with the product."

"He's not my…" Cloud began.

"Oh, you can deny it as much as you want to, but I think we both know exactly what he really is to you," Hojo finished.