AN: Hey, let me start my saying thanks for all the great review! You have no idea how they encourage me to keep going. Second I'm really sorry for how long it's taken me to get this chapter up, 16 days. Wow, that's bad! My excuse I got the new Finale Fantasy XIII game and have been enthralled with it!! Sorry, I'll try and do better with this next chapter!
"You boy, what are you doing down here?"
Rain remained still, telling herself to keep breathing, to remain calm against the suddenly violence urges the man's voice brought to her mind.
She turned her voice amazingly steady, "Just dropping off these files Professor."
The man was just like Cloud remembered him.
Professor Hojo!
Hojo starred at her from behind his thin wire glasses and she made sure to keep her gaze to the floor.
"You took the stairs I see. Well that explains why I didn't hear you come in."
He took the folder from her hands and scanned through it briefly, before scoffing. Obviously it was uninteresting to him.
He flung it back at her. Once again her unnatural reflexes kept it from dropping to the ground.
"Put it on the counter over there." He commanded.
Rain complied, dutifully. Still taking caution to keep her head down, trying not to draw the scientist's attention, but she could still feel his disturbing gaze. As she made her back across the room aiming for the door to the stairs, his mocking voice made her stiffen.
"No need to hurry away cadet. You are actually just in time. I need help with an experiment I'm in the midst performing. You'll do just fine."
Rain made a harsh sound, her vision going red. The monster!
"What was that cadet?"
Rain slowly turned, and this time she raised her head to meet him in the eyes.
"I said, go rot in a pool of mako!" She hissed.
Hojo's face twisted horribly in anger, but then he cocked his head to the side in interest and took a step closer.
"Hmm, a cadet with eyes that burn with mako, how interesting."
Rain immediately closed her eyes and rubbed them with one hand, willing the color to go away.
She had been afraid of that. Stupid why hadn't she just walked out? She knew how incredibly dangerous it was to draw Hojo's interest.
"Tell me cadet how did you come across such eyes?"
Rain opened one eye and glared at him through it, "Like I'd said, go rot somewhere where your corps won't contaminate anything."
Hojo's face once again contorted angrily and he took a step forward.
"How dare you! You are only a cadet, do you know how many cadet's come down here and don't make it back up. No one will come looking for you. It is easy to false in file reports into saying you met with an accident or ran off."
Rain slowly moved toward him with a deadly calm, and something in her expression made Hojo take a step back warily.
"How dare I? Let me tell you something professor, the only reason I don't kill you where you stand is because I made a promise not to. Don't make me break it?"
"Are you threatening me? Do you think you can get away with it?"Hojo was practically sputtering.
Rain raised an eyebrow, unknowingly looking very much like a certain General, "What will you do Professor? You are no match for me in a fight and who would you tell? I already know Shinra is keeping an eye on you, and you can't risk losing funding. The General, do you seriously think he would care after all you have done to him?"
The Professor's face grew more relaxed, cocky even like he knew something she did not.
Upon seeing the expression, Rain gave a sly smile and stepped toward him. There was nothing he knew or done that she did not.
"Or do you seriously think you can rely upon your claims that he is your son, to save you?"
Hojo froze.
Rain laugh was hollow, "Someone like you could never father a man like him"
Her voice suddenly softens, "Besides he's too much like his father for there to be any doubt. Both cold and calculating on the outside, their concern and feelings never reaching the outside world. With eyes so sharp they feel like they can see into your very soul, so similar to each other."
Her voice suddenly hardens, "Expect for their color of course. Eyes as red as blood and green as the richest mako pool, both so beautiful yet so unnatural. Proof of the horrors you put them through.
Taking another step forward Rain's voice was practically dripping with venom, "You know what I mean don't you Hojo? He's also the one who made me promise not to take away the pleasure of killing you himself."
Hojo had gone deathly pale and a fine sheet of sweat was starting to form on his brow. Rain leaned closer so she could whisper in the ear of the man, "Vincent Valentine."
She could not have imagined the immense delight the sudden widening of his eyes gave her and she pushed it wanting more.
"I would watch your back from now on Professor. Your days are numbered, that is the only reason why I don't kill you now."
Hojo seemed to get some composure back though she could tell he was still shaken. "Well, how interesting, you do seem to know a lot don't you?"
The angry fire she felt inside suddenly seemed to disappear and she suddenly stepped back.
I'm such an idiot! Why did I tell him all that?
Rain turned around panicked. She needed to get out of there and now!
Just as she was about to take a step a burning pain suddenly erupted in her shoulder and she cried out!
Looking over her shoulder she glimpsed the last of the green liquid as it disappeared from the syringe into her shoulder. Already she could feel the liquid fire coursing through her veins and the stale breath as Hojo now leaned down to chuckle in her ear.
"Don't think you can just say something like that and walk out of here. The injection I gave you is 4 times the amount of mako usually given to a SOLIDER. You know too much. Goodbye cadet."
Rain screamed and whirled around sharply. She heard something in her shoulder snap, right before her fist connected with the Hojo's jaw and he flew back across the room to slam into the wall twenty yards away. His body slumped unconscious to the floor.
Rain only had a moment of satisfaction at the heap on the floor before she began to feel the mako take effect. She recognized the familiar sensations. Cloud had had enough of these treatments in that other life for her to know the symptoms, the steps well.
First was the feeling like lava was being poured through your veins upon injection. Next which was happening right now, was the sensation of a million bugs crawling and biting through your body from the inside out. It was all she could do to stop herself from clawing at her own skin.
It was the result of the body's natural immunity trying to fight off the foreign substance in the body. That would last for about ten minutes before the third stage would start. She needed to find a safe place before that happened, away from everything and everyone. Things were only going to get worse.
She stumbled into the elevator her vision were already starting to go fuzzy and the panel looked like a jumble of numbers that didn't make any sense and for some reason she couldn't remember where the numbers led.
Where did she want to go?
A number at the top of the panel seemed to jump out at her and she pushed it before she even thought about it. It was only when she slid to the elevator floor as her muscles began to spasm and she no longer had any control over her limbs that she realized what floor that number had been.
Floor 80! SOLIDER's quarters!
Arieth gasped and sat straight up, Tifa who shared quarters with her stirred on the bed across from her.
"Arieth? Are you all right?"
Arieth couldn't answer, she didn't know. She had never felt this before!
Tifa sat up now worried and in a few steps was on the end of Arieth's bed.
"It's Rain, isn't it?"
When Arieth still didn't answer, Tifa's eyes filled with tears and a hand went across her mouth.
Arieth finally at the expression on Tifa's face seemed to snap out of her trance and she shook her head.
"No, she is alive."
Tifa closed her eyes in relief. "Then what is it?"
"You feel her don't you?" A voice spoke from a shadowed corner.
Tifa immediately stood fists raised, but hesitated when the red cloaked figure stepped forward.
"Vincent?"
The eyes opened and the yellow eyes shone in the dark.
Tifa gasped and stepped back warily, "Chaos!"
Chaos ignored her and starred at the Centra who sat frozen on the bed.
"You can feel her now, can't you?" He repeated, "In the lifestream ..."
"But she is not part of it." Arieth protested.
"No." Chaos agreed, "But she is being more closely connected to it. The planet's blood now flows more strongly through her."
Tifa was surprised, "You can feel the lifestream too?"
One eye strayed toward her, giving Tifa the chills.
"I am a weapon, a demon created from the planet."
The demon said it like that fact alone explained everything.
"What is happening?" The question came from Arieth.
Chaos turned back to girl who had now risen from the bed, fearfully.
"If her mako is increasing there is only one way that could be happening, and we all know Rain would never consent willing consent to injections."
"We should tell Cloud." Tifa started for the door, but stopped as the demon suddenly appeared in front of her, eyes glowing.
"You will keep this to yourself. Things are progressing as they must. If you alert her brother he will want to retrieve her and then I will have no choice, but to intervene. Unless you wish for your boyfriend to be hurt you will keep silent."
Tifa seemed torn, but then finally nodded.
Arieth however looked thoughtful. She finally looked up at the man who even in this form so resembled her silent friend. "You know everything, don't you? What she is going to do, what they are planning."
Chaos didn't even blink, but his silence seemed to confirm it.
Tifa looked at both of them fearfully, "What do you mean? What is going to happen? Who are they?"
Chaos moved to the back of the room, toward the window, "She will do what must be done and the planet will sacrifice what it must in order for its existence to continue and for its inhabits to survive."
It was the only response either of girls got, before they were suddenly alone in their room again.
Vincent woke up abruptly. The sensation of his head feeling like it had been splint open then sewed back together a familiar side effect of Chaos's presence.
He was glad he was at least lying down this. Most times when Chaos released him, he left him standing to fall on his face. Usually in front of a lot of people, lately those people had been pointing weapons at him.
No, surprise there! He knew Chaos was up to something, had been for a while and he knew it involved Rain, but so far he had been unable to determine what.
A deep sigh beside suddenly caused Vincent to stiffen, his hand going for Cerberus at his hip, before a familiar scent filled his senses. Yuffie!
This was Yuffie's room and he was lying in Yuffie's bed with her beside him! Why in the planet's name had Chaos left him here?
Because I know you Vincent Valentine.
The voice spoke in his head.
You're fears, your desires. This female is one of them. You desire her, but your fear of yourself and who you think you are keeps you from her. Consider this a gift.
Vincent felt his blood boil, "You demon!"
Chaos chuckled, Yes, I am, but that does not mean I don't feel. You want her, I know you do. Come on take her, she is right there beside you.
Vincent's lips pulled back in a low growl, but a part of him knew this was true. Part of him wanted to do just what the demon suggested. Feeling her so close it was so tempting.
Yes do it!
At the demon's encouragement Vincent's resolve strengthened.
"Shut up Chaos and sleep!" He hissed.
The demon growled, but grew silent.
Beside him the ninja moved slightly, and then grew still again. Vincent turned his head, watching her.
He lay there the rest of the night, not touching her, but not leaving either. He slipped away before she woke the ninja never the wiser.
Sephiroth walked down the hall to his apartment feeling tired. Today had not been pleasant. Failed missions like the one they had been on may be over, but the paperwork could last for weeks, especially when it involved rouge Shinra SOLIDERS.
Reports had to be made, and then remade, than multiple copies made with his signature over every one. He had learned long ago never to sign anything without reading every word first, even copies. It was too easy for someone to slip a phrase or order in the mist of the endless letters and a signature from him could start wars and end lives. It was too risky and he never took the chance. So it took him longer than most officials to get through his paperwork, but unlike the rest his mistakes were rare, if ever and carefully going over ever file that went across his desk allowed him to know of ever little happen among his SOLIDERS and rest of Shinra.
This incident was now closed though, all the reports written along with specific care to mention Strife, but keep his involvement in the background. It would not be good if the boy got on Shinra and the Turk's radar. It would hinder his own progress and how he wanted to deal with the boy.
It was as he passed the elevator doors that he stopped. Sephiroth had taken the stairs from his office floor feeling the need to move his limbs after being confined behind his desk all day, now he listened.
There it was again. The almost inaudible gasp of pain, so soft only a SOLIDER's ears would have been capable of detecting it.
It had almost sounded like it had come from in the elevator, but on hearing it again Sephiroth realized it came from just beyond it. There was a small door meant to blend into the wall that sat just beside the elevator doors that was meant for custodial use. Sephiroth only knew it was there because he made it habit to know his surroundings, especially around personal places that he frequented.
Inside it looked like any other custodial closet, rows and rows of shelves piled high with various cleaning and polishing equipment, except in the far corner where the light didn't reach.
Sephiroth's green eyes fixed on the small figure huddled in the corner, whose knees were pulled up to his chest; with his head resting on them his hands trapped somewhere in-between. The golden spikes sticking up from the head immediately gave away the identity.
Strife!
Sephiroth took a step further into the closet letting the door shut behind him. Something was wrong! The boy was shaking so violently there was a fine sheet of sweet over his skin and again there was that gasp of pain, like it hurt him to breath. An uncomfortable twist formed in Sephiroth's stomach at the familiar symptoms.
"Cadet Strife?" He kept his voice low just in case his suspicion proved correct.
Immediately hands moved from where they had been confirmed between his chest and knees to cover his ears. Reacting as if Sephiroth had shouted at him, not quickly spoke to him, but even the action of covering his ears seemed to cause him pain for he gave a strangled gasp. Then the boy spoke.
"GO AWAY!"
The voice sounded so different that for a moment Sephiroth wondered if it really was Strife. It was low, but had a certain tenor to it that had not been there before, and it was full of steel. Like from someone who was used to giving commands.
Sephiroth though did not take commands not even from the president himself, unless he wanted too and certainly not from a cadet.
"Do you know who you are talking too cadet?" Still keeping his voice low, he changed it to match the cadet's tone, but the boy did not back down.
"I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE! NOW!"
The head snapped up and though Sephiroth's face did not move from its impassive expression, inside he was shocked as he starred into eyes now pulsing with a vibrant mako glow.
Shiva!
As he thought, the cadet had been exposed to high levels of mako. His symptoms were common sighs of mako poisoning. Moving forward he spoke being careful of his volume, but still adding strength to the command, "Cadet Strife we need to get you to the infirmary!"
"NO!"
The reaction was not what he expected. The cadet jumped to his feet or tried to. The normal speed and grace he was accustomed too, suddenly vanished leaving him weak and in pain, and he would have collapsed to the floor if Sephiroth had not lifted am arm catching the boy around the middle and pulled him back against his chest.
The boy screamed at his touch and not in anger or terror, but like he was agonizing pain. It caused Sephiroth to pause. The boy's body was absorbing the mako and given his violent reaction, not just absorbing it, but soaking it up like a sponge!
The violent shakes, sweats and lack of muscle control were common and frequent sighs of mako poising, it was only if the body could handle mako and absorb it that the next symptoms began.
The first immense pain from any touch as the body senses were heightened to a whole new level. Even a hand on the shoulder would set off every pain senor. Sephiroth's arms around the boy must be agony, but he was unwilling to let him go, instead moving one hand to clap across his mouth, muffling the screams.
If the boy was indeed undergoing the first stages of mako treatment and not poisoning, then there was no real reason to take him to the infirmary. It would get worse, but pass in time. There was nothing anyone in the infirmary could do, which was why SOLIDERS barracked themselves alone rather have witnesses to their pain. Besides Sephiroth could sympathize with the cadet's apparent horror of the place.
Loosing his grip on the cadet ever so slightly hoping to lessen the pain, he whispered into his ear, "Listen cadet, you have two options, either you will be taken to the infirmary or"
He empathized the word as the cadet began struggling in his arms, "Or you can come with me."
The cadet's thrashing stilled for a moment, "And how would that be any better?"
Sephiroth let his smirk show in his voice, "I never said it would be better, but I will not allow any medic to touch you if that is what you wish, but in order for that you need to come quickly and quietly. If anyone else but me found you or finds us you will be taken to the infirmary. Is that clear?"
The boy didn't say anything just jerked his head in agreement.
Sephiroth slowly released him, "All right, can you walk cadet?"
Sephiroth's apartment was at the end of the hall and though it was not far, the cadet didn't look in any shape to move even the short trek, but Sephiroth hesitated to involve any support that might require him touching the boy again.
The cadet nodded and took a step, but Sephiroth didn't miss the way his lips suddenly turned white and the cringe that followed.
Strife stood frozen as if by ice materia and Sephiroth was surprised when the boy spoke, "Is it far sir? I think I can make a quick sprint, but nothing long."
"End of the hall." Was his quick response.
The boy nodded, "All right you give the sign when and just go don't worry about me keeping up. I'll be right behind you. Have the door unlocked and ready; once I stop I didn't think I'll be able to get up again."
Sephiroth raised a silver brow. All right the boy was obviously used to leading. His previous behaviour and tone was proof of that. One did not develop that tone with that precise clip to it without practice. Though he never took orders, this time he let it be. Once he got the kid in his apartment within the soundproof walls he could press for a few things without any interference.
First thing how had the kid been exposed to that level of mako?
He went to the door and heard Strife follow; opening the door a fraction he scanned the hall. No one in sight, and there were no sounds of anyone coming either up the elevator or the stairs. It was clear. He motioned with his hand and moved. He didn't go as fast as he could, but put a little effort into it to humour the boy, plus it would take him a second to disarm his door.
With a few smooth strokes, his card was through the card lock and fingers across the panel and the door clicked open. He turned expecting to see Strife coming down the hall and nearly lashed out at realizing something was right behind him. Strife though dodged past him and through the open door.
Sephiroth quickly masked his surprise and slipped through the door closing it behind him. He didn't bother turning on the light. He didn't need it and he knew Strife's eyes would be sensitive to the light.
The boy had collapsed to his knees, his body utterly still.
Sephiroth was just about to speak when he realized the cadet was not breathing! His chest was utterly still and Sephiroth could not hear even the smallest trace of air flowing. His heart was still beating and he was still conscious though his gaze seemed distant.
"Strife!"
Sephiroth quickly pushed the cadet on his back, laying him down on the floor. He had seen this once before, back when Zack had still been a third. During one of his earlier treatments Zack had accidentally received a higher dose than normal, and Zack had purposely stopped breathing. His body preferring the lack of life giving oxygen to the agony even the small rise and fall of his chest sent throughout his body.
Angeal though had talked his student though it. Zack's body automatically obeying Angeal's every command; Sephiroth knew that would not work here. The cadet was too stubborn for that. Not wanting the boy to go too long without air he quickly formulated a plan that would force the kid to breath.
Leaning over him, he saw Strife's eyes widen and knew the significance of the position and what he was about to do, but there was no way around it and besides Sephiroth didn't really care. All he cared about was keeping the boy alive so he could get answers.
Grasping his chin roughly with one hand and pinching the boy's nose with the other he brought his mouth down overtop the cadet's and gave a blast of air through his mouth and into the boy's lungs. Sephiroth was aware of the cry of pain against his mouth, but gave another short breath of air, making sure the boy's lungs were full before removing his mouth.
Strife didn't move his face a mixture of both pain and shock. Sephiroth watched him intently.
"Come on breath." He commanded quietly and cursed when he failed to see the cadet exhale.
He didn't want to think about the pain the cadet must be feeling to want to make himself suffocate, but Sephiroth would not let him.
"No one dies within this apartment without my permission, Strife." He growled threateningly.
Strife didn't seem to hear his gaze once again distant and glazed over.
Sephiroth laid his hands down on the boy's middle, his palms nearly covering the small boy's stomach completely. Gently but firmly he pressed.
"Don't think I can't make you do whatever I command cadet. Breathing or not breathing I can make you do both."
The boy let out a wail at the pressure on his middle and with it the air he had been keeping compressed inside his lungs.
Sephiroth leaned back removing his hands satisfied. After a moment he again leaned over the boy's head capturing Strife's face so he was forced to look him in the eyes. "I can do this for you all night cadet or you can, either way you are going to keep breathing."
Don't think you're going to get out of answering me that easily, he thought to himself.
With surprising strength the boy jerked his head free and Sephiroth let him. The first breath caused Strife to curl into himself drawing his knees to his chest. Slowly and painfully he drew in a ragged breath and released it with a strangled gasp.
Sephiroth watched for a minute before satisfied the boy would keep breathing on his own, and then sat back.
"Who did this to you?"
Strife's breathing stopped again, and Sephiroth waited for an answer and a breath, he would not let the boy get away without either.
Finally both came, the breath first then a jumbled answer in between breaths, "Hojo... on errand...needle...stabbed."
Sephiroth's hand clenched into a fist.
Hojo!
Why did that cease to surprise him, but how had Hojo managed to get his hands on Strife? Instructors along with every officer knew to keep the cadets away from the lower labs. Lowly cadets and troopers had an unnerving way of disappearing down there, especially when subjects were short.
Strife had mentioned errand, if Sephiroth ever found out who sent him on that errand, the man was as good as dead. He had not become this interested in the cadet and this patient in holding demands for answer to have the cadet disappear in the lower labs.
Sephiroth glanced over at the cadet whose breathing suddenly sounded easier and seemed to have drifted off into an exhausted sleep. Hopefully the worst was over. The first two hours after injection was usually the worst. The rest as Sephiroth knew from past experience could be embarrassing if not handled in private, as emotions, senses, strength and speed all heighted to new level. Hopefully Strife would sleep through most of it.
Sephiroth looked around, if the cadet was going to sleep through the night, he might as well move to somewhere a little more convenient than the floor. It would be easier and more comfortable to keep an eye on the cadet in the bedroom.
Slipping one arm beneath the boy's knees and another under his shoulders, Sephiroth lifted the cadet with ease. The boy was surprisingly heavier than his small frame gave him credit for, but then Sephiroth could feel the muscle in the boy's thighs and shoulder. Muscle was after all a lot heavier then bone or fat.
As he walked into large room and laid the boy on the huge bed in the middle, he noticed something as he slid his arm out from under the small shoulders. The boy hissed in his sleep almost as if he was in pain and Sephiroth looked down at his arm and was surprised to see a thin trail on blood on his inner forearm and feel a slight throb as well.
Eyes narrowing Sephiroth turned the boy over so his back was to him and ran a hand lightly over Strife's shoulder. His hand paused when he felt something sharp sticking out from one shoulder blade. Grabbing the back of the shirt the military issued fabric did not stand a chance against the General's enhanced strength and with a rip it tore from collar to waist.
Sephiroth starred at the white cloth bandages wrapped around the boy's upper back. What was this? Had Strife had an injury he was unaware off?
Whatever it was, it didn't seem to need immediate attention. Strife had obviously bandaged it up and he didn't see any blood sweeping through the bandages and if it was broken ribs then wrapping them up was the best thing to do for them anyway.
He would check the cadet's chest for injuries later. Right now his immediate attention was on the angry red welt of skin seeping blood and trances of the mako from the needle of a syringe that had obviously broken on in the cadet's shoulder.
Pulling at it gently Sephiroth felt the first small trace of sympathy stir within him as the needle resisted his pull. It was obviously imbedded into the shoulder blade and Sephiroth knew from personal experience how painful that could be.
Never the less Sephiroth tightened his hold his hold on the large needle. His fingers effectively become a pair of pliers and with one swift tug the imbedded object came free. Strife's entire body jerked on the bed and he gave a small wail, but didn't wake up. Sephiroth was starting to think the kid had passed out, there was no way anyone could sleep through all this.
He watched as the small wound immediately began to heal once the needle was removed, until all that was left was a slightly red patch of irritated skin.
Turning the cadet over not gently, but not roughly either he began examine him for further injury. Placing his hands lightly over the bandaged chest Sephiroth began to feel gently his eyes watching carefully for any sign of seeping blood.
Suddenly his hands stilled and his eyes narrowed as unknowing to him his eyes began for the first time to notice attributes Genesis had weeks earlier. The narrow shoulders, the slight curve around the hips and now the banged chest.
No, it couldn't be!
He let his hand slowly slid down the firm stomach pausing only briefly at the rim of the cadet's pants as his hand trailed down even further over the fabric. He suddenly jerked it back like he had been burned and rubbed it with his other hand.
His eyes now burning a brilliant and eerie green as his mind processed this new found revelation.
A girl!
A girl in his army!
Never had that ever happen before! If a woman wanted a job in Shinra she was put behind desk or a breaker. If she showed unusually fighting skill, the Turks would snatch her up. Females were always useful in their line of work, but never had a woman ever been a part of the military.
Now that Sephiroth thought about it, it was both astounding and amusing. The cadet had immediately caught his interest, but not because of her gender or anything related to it. Certainly it explained a lot of things, the cadet's reluctance to touch, avoidance of the infirmary, but not all.
The most obvious questions were still at large. The cadet's skills were beyond any cadet level by far and now that he knew she was a girl it only enlarged the question. Plus Strife knew about Jenova, of that Sephiroth was certain and with this new discovery it added a whole new troubling question. Why was she here?
AN: So that is the end of this chapter hoped you enjoyed! I know I changed a few major things like Sephiroth not being Hojo's son, but I couldn't stand the thought of him being the son of that creep, plus there was absolutely no resemblance. Anyway let me know what you think!!!!
Also I received some some comments that I need a beta reader and I agree! Spelling and grammer are not my strong suit when it comes to writing. So if anyone knows a good beta reader or is a beta reader that would be willing to help me out in that area, please let know. I don't need help with plot line since I have most of that figured out already, but I want to make my writing better for my readers and having errors in spelling and grammer takes away from a story I know. So if any of you have any suggestions let me know, I get overwelmed when I look through the beta lists.