Chapter 21: First Child
By the time the week was over, Kairi was about ready to kill someone. A bit hypocritical since she had just left a war she hadn't wanted to participate in the begin with. At this point though, she really didn't give a damn. She had been through so many goddamn press conferences, interviews, public meetings, and the like that she was about ready to go actually insane. The utter garbage they tried, tried being the key word, to make her say was sickening. They wanted her to butter the public up, make all the little girls and teenagers interested in SOLDIER. That had frickin written into various scripts that she was to 'giggle like a schoolgirl' at certain points.
As she had said to Genesis and gotten admonished for it, 'Fuck that'.
She hadn't been a schoolgirl since they had experimented on her and dumped her in Hojo's labs to get ripped apart by monsters for a year straight. She stuck close to the script, but she absolutely refused to lie and deceive the public, or give off a false image of herself...
So here she sat in Genesis's room on his couch, watching a replay of the latest interview. It was a spacey little apartment. A couch, several chairs, a table, a TV, a kitchen, and a bedroom plus bathroom. About the same as her own. She refocused on the screen in time to catch her 'favorite' part of the it...
...she gave the audience a mirthless smile, (and oh hadn't Kairi felt elated to get that jab out even if the Turks warned her for it later). "My entrance into the program wasn't quite the standard procedure as the first female SOLDIER, I was trained after the fact. Such an allowance wont happen again. I've been shown what the Cadet Program is actually like, it's difficult, and will test you thoroughly to make sure you have what it takes and prepare you to be a SOLDIER. But at the end of it if you make it through, you will have what it takes to become a SOLDIER."
"And while SOLDIER's stick together, sometimes like family, this isn't some after-school club. Being a SOLDIER is a lifelong commitment, it is not a game, it is dangerous work, and people's lives depend on us. If you girls out there think you have what it takes to become a SOLDIER, perhaps even if you don't think you can but still want to try, then sign up for when they finalize the process, you might just surprise yourselves. But don't join up just because you think it will be 'fun', because you think it would be cool, or any silly reason."
Kairi gave the audience a serious look. "Join up because you are serious about helping people. Because you are serious about making the world a better place. Because you want to make a difference."
"Do you feel like you made a difference?" asked the interviewer.
Kairi raised an eyebrow. "I'm not arrogant enough to claim that I made the sole difference, but I helped end the war under Commander Rhapsodos's leadership. So yes, I made a difference, and I don't regret it..."
"I haven't had a chance to say it, but you held yourself well during that one especially," came a calm voice from the doorway.
Kairi jumped a little to see Sephiroth, and then Angeal, both carrying alcohol of some kind if she saw right, enter the apartment, Genesis on their heels. She gave the last a curious look, and he rolled his eyes. "I did say we did gatherings on Sunday, and you've more than earned the right to join in, my apprentice."
She looked at him suspiciously. "With alcohol?"
"We can't get drunk," Genesis said flatly, with pure disappointment in his voice, "Believe me, we've tried."
"I don't think I'm old enough..."
"I'm not one to encourage it," said Angeal, taking a seat on the opposite end of the couch, setting his share down on a table, "But Midgar's drinking age is sixteen."
Kairi tilted her head back in thought. Was she sixteen yet? She had faintly lost track of time in Wutai. If she wasn't she was close. She eyed a beverage, made a whatever-face, and took one, popping the top and pitching it back...
Genesis made a choking laughter sound when she spit it out, "Gaaah! Why would anyone drink this crap?"
Sephiroth seemed amused, taking a seat in a char aside. "It's an acquired taste. I don't think you're supposed to try to drink it all at once."
"And definitely not supposed to spew it all over the table," said Genesis flatly, "Go clean it up."
Kairi rolled her eyes, took a pillow off the couch, and used that, earning an indignant 'Kairi!' from him. Angeal chuckled a little Genesis's expense, before they all settled down and lazed in the chairs and couch. Kairi eyed the bottle in her hands with doubt, before slowly sipped at it, trying to keep the burning disgusting sensation from rising in her throat again.
"So, glad to be back home Kairi?" asked Angeal.
She shrugged. "If you can call HQ home. But yeah, anywhere is better than being back in the War."
Angeal gave a short nod at that. "Agreed. I like being of use, in action, given a purpose and a task, but..."
He shook his head. "We've all made our dislike of the war known at one point or another."
Genesis reached over and grabbed the remote, flicking through channels, "I think that's enough PR bullshit for one evening."
"What do you guys watch?" she asked.
"Whoever's apartment we end up in gets to choose," said Angeal.
"Sephiroth watched cooking shows last time," said Genesis with disdain.
"I find them fascinating," the man in question admitted, not defensive in the slightest, "To see how so much delicate and precise effort put into what is so simple an activity for us. Some of what I've seen looked rather appetizing."
"Maybe because all we get if we don't order or eat out is Company grade mush," muttered Angeal.
"I wonder if I can find the latest performance of LOVELESS," mused Genesis.
Angeal and Sephiroth both groaned in dismay.
Kairi watched them, a little fascinated at the display, to see them so relaxed. Especially after that encounter in Wutai between the three. Perhaps they were used to big confrontations like that. She doubted the trio ever did anything on the small scale of things. They settled down in relative silence to the sipping of alcohol while Genesis flipped through one channel after another.
Kairi was curious on one thing, though she was glad Zack wasn't here. "You don't bring Zack to these gatherings, Angeal?"
"I will one day," said Angeal, "When he's proven himself and earned it. You're Gen's apprentice, and you covered his back for his deployment. You also never tried to shift any blame to him in order to save face with the President. An honorable thing to do, especially with what you offered to the Wutai when you frankly didn't need to. You're okay, kid."
"Not a kid," she huffed, beaming a little in pride at the praise.
Angeal hesitated and licked his lips. "Kairi, about Zack. You know he didn't want..."
"Nope," said Genesis, "This is our relaxation day, you can deal with whatever issues there are tomorrow."
Angeal sighed and wiggled deeper into the cough, muttering, "Sir yes sir."
Kairi said nothing, feeling a tad uncomfortable with the territory Angeal had just been heading towards. She took another swing of the... she squinted at the label, which was blacked out with a sharpie and had a duct tap over it labeled 'Slum Piss'. She snorted at that, not sure if she should be amused or alarmed. She took another drink anyway. She had never had alcohol before, but she had been to a party once or twice (snuck out) and seen people get utterly wasted. They seemed to enjoy it. She finished the bottle and reached for another, getting it half way to her before she froze.
A high pitched whine range through her ears, followed by the shattering of the bottle as she dropped it, drawing the looks of the 1st class trio. Kairi could hear someone screaming, crying in the back of her head. She flinched as a wave of nausea and pain overtook her, bowing her head forward between her knees and clutching the back of it with her head, taking a ragged breath.
"Kairi?" questioned Angeal with mild alarm.
"No! Stop stop stop! It burns!" screamed a young girl's voice in Kairi's head.
She shivered uncontrollably, and Genesis was beside her in a second, hand on her back, voice cautious, "Apprentice?"
"S...someone's screaming," she whispered, drawing a confused 'what?' from him.
"At last," spoke up Mother, "It's time."
T...time?
"You're first child," mused Mother.
Her first what?!
"Hone in on the sensation," said Mother, "Feel your child's terror and pain as if it were your own, and enter a whole new existence my child, my heir."
Kairi focused on it, feeling waves of fear and pain rippling uncontrollably through the back of her mind. For a moment, she was somewhere else, looking through someone else's eyes in a familiar white room, a lab, the experimentation room. Head turned towards her limbs, strapped down, struggling. Dressed in nothing but undergarments with Hojo's gleeful and mad face peering down at her while taking notes. Everything burned, it felt like there was a fire inside of her spreading. She was screaming, begging to be let go...
Kairi lost the sensation a moment later and then went completely numb in shock at the new sensations overwhelming her.
"You knew they were planning on creating more female SOLDIERs with your cells," said Mother, "It would appear they succeeded."
The numbness broke.
Just like she had been made Mother's daughter, someone had done the same to whoever this was. She had a daughter, a daughter! Someone who bore her cells. Pure elation and pleasure rolled through her body in a way she could hardly comprehend. Then something else hit her. Her daughter was in pain, was in agony, was terrified out of her mind. She had never felt so ENRAGED, felt so possessive and protective. She would find her child, and she would destroy anyone who dared harmed her. She would take her inside herself and keep her protected and cared for and cherished and loved... she would never be harmed again... never again...
"My daughter," warned Mother, "Mind your impulses..."
Kairi stood up abruptly and shoved Genesis away, so much wrath on her face the trio rose to their feet and backed away warily, watchful and cautious.
"That BASTARD," snarled Kairi, "He did it again!"
"Kairi?" questioned Genesis, watching her round the couch.
"Hojo abducted another girl," she spat, "And is experimenting on her."
"How would you know this?" questioned Sephiroth carefully.
Kairi briefly paused at the door and glanced back at him. "Because I can feel my cells in her. I can feel her fear and terror and pain."
Sephiroth's eyes went wide. "Your eyes..."
She didn't care, she wrenched the door open, off it's hinges, and stormed out...
Sephiroth watched those pink catlike eyes turn away, and exchanged glances with the others, before they hurried out after her. Kairi was in a dead sprint, and he found himself actually hard pressed to catch up for once. She took the stairs rather than the elevator, bounding up in great leaps, not a care in the world about potentially plummeting many flights down. They came across the ripped open doors of the Science Department. Guards and scientists and staff were scattered about, thrown out of the way, a few were bloody and unconscious having been thrown into walls.
Sephiroth followed the trail deeper in, Angeal and Genesis at his side. This incident was not what the unstable girl needed with the thin ice she already walked on. He might not like her because of said instability, but Genesis did. And as much as his friend believed he did not care, he was wrong. Sephiroth did not want to see Genesis hurt by his apprentice's potential death if she caused to much damage, or Gaia forbid kill Hojo as much as Sephiroth wanted the man dead. Genesis hardly let anyone in, only rivaled in this regard by Sephiroth himself. He had seen enough devastated SOLDIERs losing their comrades to not wish it on his friend.
They caught up to her as she ripped open a pair of double doors. "HOJO!"
Inside was an unfortunately familiar room to Sephiroth, Hojo's favored playground, filled with an uncomfortable white paint, a single examination slab with restraints, cabinets full of supplies, and various syringes, machines, screens, and other gadgets he experimented or tested with with. Surprisingly, there actually was a blonde teenage girl restrained on the table, writhing in pain and sobbing. Hojo whirled as Kairi stalked forward and wisely go out of her way. She ripped the restraints off, picked up the girl, and carried her into a corner of the room, cradling her tightly to her chest as she ran her hand through the girl's hair.
"Shhh, shhh, it's okay," whispered Kairi, "Mother's here, I won't let him hurt you anymore, shh..."
The girl's writhing turned into twitches, and sobs into hiccups and sniffles. "It hurts..."
"I know, I know," murmured Kairi, kissing the girl's forehead, "It's all over now, shh..."
Sephiroth raised an eyebrow at the exchange and mouthed 'Mother?' at Genesis and Angeal, both who looked just as baffled as he was.
"My names Kairi," whisper Kairi with affection, "What's your name?"
"E... el... Elena," whispered the girl.
"I'm pleased to meet you Elena," said Kairi lovingly, before darkening, "What did he do to you?"
"I... I was just walking home," whimpered the girl, "Was going home from the Academy and I... I woke up here and he was sticking needles in me and... and..."
The girl started hiccuping and crying again, much to Kairi's distress as she tried soothing the girl again.
Sephiroth however was more than irritated, glaring at Hojo who was busy taking notes. "From the Academy?"
"I wanted a more sturdy and worthwhile specimen for the trial of what I was hoping would be the final version of the procedure, which evidently worked," said Hojo before scowling, "Don't give me that look, you know how the company functions."
Angeal made an absolutely disgusted sound. Sephiroth glanced briefly at his friend. Angeal always struggled with the darker side (was there any other side?) of the Company, and tried to drown it out in with his honor. Being forced to confront it like this was never easy for his friend. Judging by the dark look on the man's face, it was going to be a long night for him.
"Much the same as I was my daughter," said Kairi after managing to quiet the girl down, "I woke up in a cage myself, something that binds us together."
Sephiroth was disquieted at the 'cage', but the daughter comment was... curious.
"D-daughter?" Elena evidently felt the same, looking up into Kairi's face with an odd mixture of confusion and longing. "Why do... why do I know you? I've never met you but I... feel..."
"While I would have preferred you done so willingly, you bear my cells," said Kairi, kissing her forehead again, before her voice raised into a viscous possessive snarl. "But what's done is done, you're my daughter now, MINE. I won't let anyone hurt you again, I'll kill anyone who dares!"
Elena cowed in fear, shivering, tears in her eyes, before Kairi went into soothing her again, hands running through her hair or caressing her face, "Shh, it's alright, shh..."
"Well, now we have a third persona," said Sephiroth flatly, "Normal Kairi, Sadistic Kairi, and... Mother Kairi?"
Genesis snorted. "Lovely."
Hojo turned sharply to Sephiroth, "Personas? Explain."
Sephiroth hesitated, unsure if he should give the professor anything, but hoping the Professor might let something slip and help him understand just what was going on here...
...and then, to add into matters, an assortment of guards and a red-headed Turk rushed into the room. "Where's the disturbance... sir!"
Sephiroth waved a hand. "It's being handled. Leave."
The guards immediately did, the Turk however did no such thing, eyes narrowing at the corner of the room with the girls. "Wait a sec... ain't that..."
The Turk rounded on Hojo, pulling a rod out of his back pocket and pressing it up against the scientist's neck. "Oh no you didn't. You did not take Gun's sister!"
Sephiroth pinched the bridge of his nose. Hojo had kidnapped and experimented on a Turk's sister? Of course he did... this was going to be a very long night...
Hojo scoffed. "I don't particularly care who the specimen is."
"You're a dead man walkin," the Turk growled before pulling away, taking out his phone and speed-dialing as he left the room. "Boss, this is Rod. I don't mean to give ya orders, but get yourself and Gun to the labs, that fucking pyscho scientist took her sis."
Yes, this was going to be a great night. Then again, if Veld ended up killing Hojo, it actually might become one of the best nights of his life. He knew better than to get his hopes up. Still, he did so hope that Hojo had finally overstepped his bounds.
"Kairi," called out Genesis, drawing a growl out of the girl in question as she clutched Elena protectively to her chest, "Did he just put your 'cells' in her, or are her eyes glowing as well?"
Elena briefly glanced towards them, and Sephiroth sighed softly when he caught that Mako blue glow. Complication after complication. "Angeal, please call Lazard and have him come into the office."
Genesis crossed his arms as Angeal stepped into the hallway. "Well, this is going to be the second time we've had to do this."
Hojo scoffed in derision. "I would appreciate it, if you would stop stealing my specimens from my lab before they are ready."
Kairi growled in Hojo's direction, and Sephiroth tentatively agreed with the sentiment, as did the more vocal Genesis. "Perhaps Professor, you should keep your mouth shut before you get yourself shot. But if you'd prefer that, then by all means, keep speaking."
Hojo grew dismissive, returning to his notes. "Veld is the President's dog, he won't bite unless Rupert tells him to."
"Keep barkin doc," said Rod as he stepped back into the room, "You keep it up till Veld gets here, and we'll see whose the dog."
Hojo ignored him and continuing jotting down on his notepad.
"Uh... why's she cuddling the kid?" asked Rod, eyebrow raised at the corner of the room with the two girls.
"She's protective," said Genesis as if that explained everything, "And I would advise you not approach until they both calm down."
Sephiroth agreed with the notion and watched the two teenagers. Elena looked an odd mixture between comfortable and not, both wanting and not wanting to be held in Kairi's arms like that. Kairi was however fretting over the girl, an absurd amount of love and possessiveness in her eyes and voice and touch that made absolutely no sense to Sephiroth. Why would having her cells in someone else cause such a reaction and change over the girl? There was something deeper going on here...
"Professor," said Sephiroth calmly, "Why are her eyes pink versions of my own?"
"You are a pinnacle in one way," said Hojo carefully, "She may be a pinnacle in another. Aesthetic differences are to be expected."
Sephiroth wanted to growl. Hojo always did that, answering without actually giving any real information.
"How did Specimen K know what was happening here?" questioned Hojo.
"She felt her," said Sephiroth simply.
"Fascinating," said Hojo, scribbling down more notes and muttering to himself, "A telepathic link perhaps? Or would it just be an awareness of those that bear her cells? Or perhaps..."
The scientist's ramblings were cut off by a loud, "Elena!" as a blonde haired Turk rushed into the room. He assumed this was 'Gun'.
Elena looked up sharply, "Sis!"
Kairi briefly looked up at the Turk, eyes narrowed, before glancing down at Elena as she squirmed for freedom. Kairi glared at the Turk and hissed out a warning, "Hurt her, and you die."
"She's my sister," said the Turk, indignation in her voice, who yelped and staggered a little when Elena lunged at her legs, sobbing into one; she knelt down into the embrace and rubbed the younger's back, "Shesh sis, where's the usual hate? You're scaring me here."
"S-shut up," muttered Elena, squeezing tighter an electing a pained hiss from her sister, "Ease up Ele, your crushing my legs."
"S-sorry," said Elena, looking at her sister.
Gun swore softly, "He put Mako in you, that son of a bitch..."
Kairi stood and hovered a bit behind Elena and her sister, hands twitching as if she wanted to reach out and draw her 'daughter' back to her. Most likely did. Gun looked up at Kairi and motioned for her to take her, which she did gladly. The Turk turned, drew a pistol, and made for the Professor, a dark look on her face.
"Gun," came a deadly calm voice behind Sephiroth.
Sephiroth turned his head to see Director Verdot and Tseng walk into the room, an assortment of Turks blockading the hallway from anyone else entering the area. Director Verdot briefly took an assessment of the room, looking at the gathered 1st classes with irritation, eyes pausing briefly to size up Kairi and Elena, washing over the protective tightening the 2nd class SOLDIER had on the slightly younger girl. He looked at Hojo, then at Gun, who was glaring at her leader, daring him to keep her restrained.
"A leg only, and he is to live," said Director Verdot.
"What?" sputtered Hojo, "You can't expect to..."
BANG
With expert precision, Gun put a bullet through Hojo's left knee, taking the scientist to the ground with a scream. Gun drew closer and resumed shooting until she had completely taken the leg off at the knee with her pistol. She turned to Genesis and spoke with lethal sweetness. "Do you have a fire materia? I'm going to cauterize it, slowly."
Genesis smiled savagely and took a materia out of his bracer, tossing it to her.
The screams that followed from Hojo were the most beautiful sounds Sephiroth had ever heard in his life. Judging from the darkly pleased look on Kairi's face, she enjoyed it just as well. Sephiroth would have pleasant dreams for days, perhaps weeks to come. When Gun was finished, she smashed the barrel of her gun into Hojo's head and knocked him out. "Fucking bastard. No one messes with the Turks and gets away with it. No one."
"Enough Gun," said Director Verdot, "Tend to your sister and take her to our floor to have her looked over while I discuss this... development... with the SOLDIERs."
"My daughter is not going anywhere without me," growled Kairi.
Gun gave her a disbelieving look. "Excuse me? Your daughter? What drugs are you on?"
Kairi glared at her. "She's MINE."
The possessiveness sent a shiver down Sephiroth's spine, and elected a whimper from Elena.
Director Verdot's eyes flickered to Kairi, and Sephiroth judged the trajectory enough to see them focusing on those pink-catlike eyes. The Director showed no surprise nor shock, his control so masterful that Sephiroth always found himself impressed. It was rare to find himself rivaled in anything after all. "Then you may go with her."
"Boss!" exclaimed Gun, "She's completely loony!"
"I've given my order," said Director Verdot, "Go with them Gun. Your sister is under your joint protection as of the moment. "
Gun pursed her lips, but obeyed, leading the SOLDIER and the SOLDIER to be out of the room.
"Sephiroth," said Director Verdot calmly, "I trust you can give me an honest and thorough debriefing before this matter escalates?"
Sephiroth's lips twitched in amusement. "Damage control?"
"It's a bit past that point," said Director Verdot calmly, so very calmly it almost seemed natural even to the SOLDIER's enhanced senses; Sephiroth wondered just how furious the Turk actually was, "I will be voicing my displeasure to the President, I simply want answers in order to determine how I go about this."
"Very well," said Sephiroth, placing his hands behind his back and straightening before giving the man what he wanted. It only took a minute, considering that it had been so brief and sudden. Less than ten minutes if he had to guess.
Director Verdot's gaze leveled at Hojo's notepad when Sephiroth finished, and he could see the temptation in his eyes. But he knew better. They both did. The President might allow Hojo's punishment to get away unchallenged, but looking through what would most likely be retroactive classified as beyond top secret? That got people killed. The Turk turned on his heels and motioned to the hallway. "The good doctor can figure himself out when he awakens. Shall we?"
Sephiroth walked at Director Verdot's side with the other Turks and 1st classes filing in behind them; The head Turk spoke quietly, at a level no security would pick up, but his Turks and the other SOLDIERs would. "The Professor had best know what he is doing. Ignoring his stupidity in targets, the more his project with the girl develops, the more wary I become. I cannot help but feel he is playing with fire, and more than one of us may be burned by it."
"Agreed," said Sephiroth softly, "While it is to early to tell with his current victim considering what just happened to her, if the instability 2nd class Kairi has is a common feature with those who are enhanced based off her, this is going to end in disaster."
"Elena's a good girl," said Director Verdot in a way that made Sephiroth think he actually meant it, "Gun didn't want the Turk life for her, nor I imagine SOLDIER. Out of our hands now, but I saw nothing out of ordinary for the girl considering the situation. All things considered Sephiroth..."
He turned his head and met his gaze. "We both know Hojo did something more than simple Mako enhancements to Kairi. I hold doubts the regular female SOLDIERs will show anything more than what the males do for you."
"Perhaps," mused Sephiroth, "But I certainly don't feel them the way Kairi does for Elena, and considering that Elena felt like she knew Kairi, it goes both ways to a degree. I have a general awareness when I'm near my SOLDIERs, but I am not connected in the way I'm assuming she is."
Director Verdot nodded slowly. "I suppose we will have to wait and see. The President is going to go forward with this regardless. If Kairi reacts this way to each and every one of them, this will become complicated."
"Your Turk's sister was abducted and strapped down," said Genesis mildly, "Considering that Kairi said she felt her fear, that may have been a major reason for her reacting the way she did. I can't explain the whole mother and daughter thing, but if Kairi really considers the girl that way, a mother will do anything to protect her child. The arrow has left the bow of the goddess."
"And considering all of the female SOLDIERs will bear her cells," said Angeal in warning, "That is a dangerous thing that's going to have to be taken into consideration if she feels that way towards them all."
Director Verdot pauses his steps briefly, the weight of what Angeal said impacting him just as heavily as it did Sephiroth.
This was going to become complicated.
So very complicated...
It had taken a lot of arguing, but Kairi finally had her daughter taken back to her apartment, with the Turk sister sleeping on the couch. Elena might have been a little uncomfortable with it, but they slept together, skin touching save for their undergarments. Kairi held her, unable to completely wind down and fall asleep yet, gently running her hand through her child's hair. The sensations running through Kairi's head were overwhelming. Each time skin touched skin, there was a burst of pleasure and yearning, to join with her child, to become one. Yet at the same time, there was a conflicting emotion that neutralized it, the desire to see her child stand alone, to develop and grow and become more than what she was now. She understood what they were, but did not understand how or why, not yet.
Connected but apart.
Strength in separation.
United as family.
As many of the collective.
The sensations ran through her mind so blazingly hot that nothing else could get through. Mother had tried to speak a few times, but after Kairi had taken off, she had been drowned out. And Kairi couldn't find it in herself to care. Her whole world seemed to revolve around the child in her arms. Not that Elena was actually a child, at best they looked a year apart in age. Kairi couldn't bear to think of her in any way but her child though, her first beloved daughter. She loved her as she had never loved anything before, it was all consuming, a warmth that ran through her body and soul. She pressed the feeling to her child, watching as a soft smile spread across the girl's sleeping face.
She would allow her child no nightmares tonight of what that bastard Scientist had done to her. The pure rage that filled her Kairi had to quickly crush as to not disturb or alarm her child.
There was also the guilt to consider. She treasured her daughter so, but... Elena had not chosen this life. She worried her child might resent her, there was already a hint of fear in her direction, scared of how Kairi had acted towards her. She couldn't help it though, at least not right now. She'd have to practice restraint, she knew she couldn't stay attached to her child like this all the time. But for tonight, she would. She kissed her daughter's cheek and rolled her over gently, peeling the blanket off them and looking down on her child's beautiful sleeping form.
"My child," she whispered, "Beloved daughter, MINE."
Her hands roamed her child's body, fingers tracing her skin, examining and taking in every inch of her. She pressed herself against her child, wrapping her in a tight embrace, shuddering almost none-stop at the overwhelming sensation of being so close to becoming one with her child but not. She let the sensation dominate her mind for a time before she forced herself to let go, exercising some restraint. So she gently rolled her back onto her side and drew the blanket around them before wrapping her child in her arms and drawing them tightly together for the night...
Author's Notes:
Mother Kairi perhaps... Calamity Kairi in actuality, taking her first breaths. She's no longer just a 'Lost Child', the Calamity of Light awakens as her cells are spread...
The countdown begins...
P.S.: HOJO GOT MEGA KNEECAPPED! HA!
Review Responses:
Jamie: What happens with Genesis and his degradation will occur in a few chapters. Wait and see.
Guest: DoEs ThIs ChApTeR sHaKe YoU tOo?
Others: Thanks. Hope you enjoy this one. Things are going to get... interesting... from here.