Rufus ShinRa paced about in his grand office on the top floor of the syndicate building. It was an amazing structure that stood out like a monument of victory rising high in the middle of the financial core of Midgar; the city that had been in ruins since the great destruction, but was now recovering. The ShinRa complex was a large glass structure, tinted and shimmering in the pale light of the day. It was a gloomy afternoon with stingy rain washing over the city in waves of punishment whilst the streets were swept across by cold winds. There had been a few weeks of sunshine, but a few days back it all turned grey. On the other hand, and in contrast to most other people, Rufus didn't mind it being dull since it matched his mood.
The first dozen Harvester ships had been launched and the reports of their success were rolling in. There wasn't a moment of stagnation in his email box as investors were congratulating Rufus on his business. Especially since the investors themselves were gaining a lot on this industry. Energy costs were going down and still the economy was being stabilized throughout the squadron. The ships were monstrous constructions, built in a joint effort and employing skills from many cultures to create the most efficient energy harvesting technology ever. Based on the techniques of the Mako reactors they sucked the life out of tiny moons and took course towards new worlds; dead worlds.
Well, to him they were all dead. Rufus couldn't care less. Nothing in life had a meaning apart from his new project. The harvesting of energy was only a part of the truth, his army yet another part, but the largest puzzle of all was turning back the hands of time on Genesis by retracting enough power from the connecting fields of the Galaxy to capture the essence of Jenova and heal his angel. Jenova was the most difficult force to control for such simple creatures as humans. Not only for humans, he sighed, the Cetra had succumbed to its powers too. It was a destructive power and therefore Rufus needed to use immense fields of living energy to cocoon the darkness, to keep it at bay whilst its essence was reintroduced into the deteriorating body.
The rain pelted against the windows. His entire office was bathed in shades of pale grey and there was nothing of color to add a little flavor to the place. Thunder was upon him, lightning striking the tall buildings as if the concrete jungle was hanging from those bright threads of discharge in the skies.
Rufus raised his hand, placing a cigarette between his lips and inhaled a thick mist of smoke, allowing the poisonous air to invade every part of his lungs. He was tired and hadn't eaten for a whole day. The days were busy and Professor Hojo was more and more demanding in his research. More money, more staff, more control units, more power…
"Whatever it takes," Rufus had answered the old man.
Thinking back to the past, Rufus started remembering what it was like to work for Professor Hojo. He wasn't a pleasant person at all, and although a brilliant scientist, even old President ShinRa had enough of the madman after one day. Rufus would have limited the professor's authority within research if it wasn't for the fact the he was the only one to save Genesis. Well, that was Rufus' major objective, the rest were but offshoots that kept the professor content and as long as it benefitted the company, the President didn't give it much thought.
Although Hojo's body had been destroyed, his consciousness was inoculated into Weiss the Immaculate White Emperor. He was the leader of the elite Tsviets of Deepground and the only one surviving, thanks to Genesis. The Tsveits had been part of a project, harboring cells from Genesis, except little Shelke, who had disappeared years ago without a trace. Weiss had always been a puppet of Hojo, controlled by the professor's digitized mind, which invaded his body when Tsveit was in Synaptic Net Dive-mode, trying to find a cure to a virus that infected him after a battle with the Restrictors.
Rufus exhaled the smoke, snorting at the thought; "What a battle that had been," he shook his head and submerged in memories.
The Restrictors were members of the fourteenth Soldier division, the "Lost Force", and former leaders of the Deepground. They destroyed Ragnarök, the thirteenth and previously strongest force of Soldier. And they had accomplished that in a single night. Though the Tsveits succeeded with what was thought impossible, the Restrictor's leader attempted to kill Weiss with the virus implanted within him. This was Hojo's opportunity to achieve eternal life in some ways.
Long after Sephiroth was gone, the dirge of Cerberus could be heard over the lands and life changed. Sephiroth was slowly being forgotten and the Geostigma disease was residing. When Vincent defeated Weiss in a final battle, the young immaculate body was seen carried off by an awakened Genesis, who addressed Weiss as his "brother" and told him "it is not yet time for slumber" and that they "still have much work to do". It was these rumors that set Rufus off to find the body of Genesis at any cost.
The angel lay lifelessly in the forgotten cave, far from civilization. His was, as he still is, white as milk and next to him was Weiss. The heartbeat of the immaculate emperor was but a beat a day, but he was still alive. Genesis had given some of his powers to his own spawn, inside which Hojo was slumbering.
Now, Weiss had become the sole provider of cells that would merge with that of Jenova. He had, through Genesis a part of the dark force inside him, and thus, it was so easily recombined with the alien. Weiss was kept in a hyperbaric chamber, constantly sedated and under surveillance.
Once free from Weiss, the mad scientist with a God-complex undertook radical experiments on the subjects. He created fine specimens, most of them more sentient than human. When Rufus found out that Hojo was Sephiroth's father, being responsible for the crisis of the planet just to see the results of his greatest experiment, the then young ShinRa felt deep disgust towards the professor. Sephiroth and Angeal had been like brothers and were dear friends to the man Rufus was secretly in love with. It wasn't unusual for Rufus to encounter Sephiroth at the ShinRa residence, as President ShinRa often requested the presence of the young General to discuss sensitive information and orders not meant for others. The young heir had admired the grace and beauty of the visiting Seraph, which in so many ways reminded him of that fiery redhead Genesis. Rufus often lingered on in the presence of the General just to imbibe the essence of the crimson angel he could not have.
This obsession with the existence and life of the first class Soldiers had lead Rufus to the discovery of Sephiroth's hidden files. As the successor of President ShinRa, Rufus had gained access to information salvaged from the ruins of the old research and development facilities, as well as the library in the undeground passages beneath the old mansion where he had grown up. Before becoming aware of Sephiroth's true past, Rufus had not seen any traces of Hojo in the Angel's features and none of his mother, Lucretia. But ever since he dove into the information, last read and mourned over by the great Sephiroth himself, which also sparked his rage against mankind, Rufus could clearly see the human traits inside the man even if the seraph greately resembled his real mother, Jenova. She was evil to the core, but stunningly beautiful. She seduced with a mere glance, just like Sephiroth.
Rufus may have not lived up to his father's expectations in everything, but he was an excellent computer hacker and managed to spark life in the old systems in the research facility that had been damaged by damp air, rust, outdated electronics and incompatible programs. Through endless nights of trial and error, Rufus managed to retain fragments of recordings, depicting a young silver haired youth, trapped in an artificial world like an insect in glass. He spent a few days watching the surveillance tapes over and over, submerging in the life of a man he never really knew, but after the recordings were over, Rufus felt closer to Sephiroth than to his own father.
Seeing a child fighting like a grown Soldier was humbling, seeing him abandon his innocence and replace childish curiosity with indoctrinated lies, and suffering through inhumane experiments at the cost of his tears, was beyond inexplicable. The reports were once again sparked into life as they lay the basis for the new experiments and the pale complexion of the seraph appeared as a holograph on the computer screen. Rufus smiled. Each time he saw the near albino beauty, he came to think of an old legend; The Son of the Moon. It was a bedtime story his mother had often read to him when the Moon was high.
A legend told of a nomad woman who lamenting in desprate solitude pleaded with the Moon until dawn. Weeping she begged to be given the chance to marry a cinnamon-skinned man. One night the Moon had responded.
"You'll have your man of tawny skin," she said from the sky, "but in return I want the firstborn child that you have with him. Because the one who sacrifices a child for a purpose of her own isn't likely to love it very much."
And so, from a cinnamon-skinned father a son was born, with skin as white as the back of an ermine, eyes sparkling like the stars and hair flowing like hydrargyrum. The Moon's albino child.Upon seeing his child, the embittered father cried out.
"Damn his appearance! This is not my son! I have been betrayed!"
Believing to be dishonored, the man approached his wife with a knife in his hand and wounded her mortally. Then he went to the woodlands with the child in his arms and left it there to die. But the Moon ascended upon the abandoned child and so those nights the moon is full the child is happy in peace. And if the child cries, the moon wanes to make the child a crescent cradle.
"And that's you, Sephiroth," Rufus bewailed, latching on to those memeories whilst whispering in solitude, "Son of the Moon… thrown into a life you didn't ask for and sacrificed for being what you are." And with that, he opened up the files that were the very poison for the silver Seraph.
Project: JENOVA
Category: Inception
Div: ソース- 37:A
Edited by: Professor Hojo Maeda.
Year – 77.
February 2nd
The fertilization attempts had to take place on a regular basis during four consecutive days during the ovulation period to make it more likely to conceive a child. I am happy to report that we have been successful. The health-status of the mother is all in order.
Name: Lucretia Crescent
Age: 28
Sex: Female
Eye colour: Hazel
Hair colour: Brown
Height: 162 cm
Weight: 56 kilograms
Body fat percentile: 23%
Blood type: A negative
Health status: No reported illnesses at present. Suffered from common childhood viruses and is subject from time to time to the seasonal pathogens, such as common cold. Immunologic profile does not indicate a skewed system that would point to sensitivity toward chemicals, food, plants or animal allergens.
Overall health profile indicates a healthy individual. No family history of organ failure, cardiovascular and neurological disorders, or heritable diseases.
Scope: Dr Lucretia Crescent has enrolled (for formal statement and contractual agreement, please contact Human Resources of ShinRa Biodivision under contract no XGFT64927) in a study to conceive a child for the purpose of human enhancement, which will revolutionize medical science and benefit society.
Background: Previous studies have shown that the remnant excavated and named Jenova, has traits similar to what has been described by the Cetra tablets from that ancient civilization. I have no doubt that this may be a Cetra although Jenova does seem to possess alternative powers and her cells kill almost all differentiated cells of human or animal origin. One way to circumvent her detrimental effects is by introducing them into cells that are as early in embryonic development as possible where cellular identity is not yet established. Such events have failed in artificial environments and it seems that the complexity of a natural womb is needed for the development of the inoculated cells. The body does pose a resistance as inoculated ova fertilized outside the womb will not be implanted in the uterus but rejected and subjects subsequently suffer a tremendous, sometimes fatal, immunologic reaction as a consequence. Allowing the cells to be implanted at day six and then introduce the traits of Jenova through localized transfection seems to have been successful and the host body does not reject the embryo. In addition, we have pre-conditioned the mother, by injecting her with the 239-Jenova envelope cells, devoid of organelles and genome, since one week before the ovulation. This conditioning 'tames' the body against the foreign body like a vaccine and rejection of the child. The risk of spontaneous abortion will be minimized.
Results:
It has been two weeks post-fertilization and the body has not rejected the embryo containing the foreign traits. The mother looks healthy, with good appetite and her medical files indicate a steady progress of pregnancy. The files are kept at the maternity unit of the university hospital and under the surveillance of Prof Gast. Dr Lucretia Crescent is undergoing health examinations every day unitl we are sure that the fetus is in full development.
Dr Penelope Handt is used as a control mother to Lucretia for proper comparison of the Jenova child's development. Her pregnancy is virtually under the same conditions with the father's traits inserted via transfection to account for off-target effects from the transfection procedure. Both children are developing highly similarly thus far.
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Project: JENOVA
Category: Inception
Div: ソース- 37:A
Edited by: Professor Hojo Maeda.
Year – 77.
June 18th
The fetus is four months now, about 8-10 inches in length and one half of its presumed birth weight. Following on from the health checks of last week both test and control subject display normal development that follows an expected time course;
i) Facial features of eyelids, nose, lips, mouth is formed. He can turn his head and frown.
ii) Legs, toes, hands and fingernails have developed and the child kicks and "swims". He can also suck his thumb.
iii) Liver, kidneys and intestines begin to function well. He can urinate and he also "trains" for breathing through inhalation of amniotic fluid.
iv) Every organ is in place, bones begin to replace cartilage, and fingerprints begin to form.
v) Considering the reaction to the environment, it is evident that the unborn begins to hear.
vi) Brain-waves are detected regularly and it is clear that information is being digested.
The heart of the fetus is strong and beats with a supply of its own blood. His heart pumps 25 quarts of blood through the body every day. His blood is of a different type than the mother, but interestingly he seems to excrete a type of protein complex that makes him compatible with almost all blood types. Extracted micro-samples from the child does not cause any known blood type to coagulate, yet he is not "O" negative either.
His spinal column and nervous system have formed well. The baby has all of the parts necessary to experience pain, including nerves, spinal cord, and thalamus. Vocal cords are complete. He is registering impulses from the outside and he seems to appreciate when the mother is taking her daily swims. He is also very calm when she is humming to him whilst in the garden. The brain is overtaken by the alpha-waves and clearly induces elevated levels of oxytocytin within the mother. How the fetus manipulates this, we don't know. He is often submerged in REM sleep.
Assessment of the motor-skills through nano-invasion has shown that he can grasp objects placed in the hand; all organ systems are functioning. He also grabs hold of the umbilical cord when it touched his hands, showing a profound reflex already in full bloom.
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Notes made by the mother's psychiatrist worries me. According to the evaluation, Lucretia has been suffering from delusions for the past three weeks, saying she has dreams about the unborn child being the harbinger of death. She is said to suffer from depression that may be set off either by the pregnancy itself or as a consequence of it. The following assessment was given:
"In my professional opinion these ever-increasing episodes of depression and anxiety attacks are a result of the fear of inevitably having to give up the child as was agreed upon and stated in the contract no XGFT64927. I believe that the necessary motherly instincts are governing this state as Dr Crescent is reluctant to part from the child and had said numerous times that it would have been better if it [the child] had never been conceived. I think her dreams of the child's destructiveness is in fact a mental projection of the destruction she will feel upon having it taken away from her in the end. In that sense, the child will of course destroy her "world" or her "universe" as it is a natural development that a child becomes the very existence of a mother. Moreover, I fear for her health as this depression seems to have a profound impact on Dr Crescent with diminished appetite and periods of apathy, hence I prescribed anti-depressants that are non-teratogenic. However, I do advice regular tests on both mother and child."
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Project: JENOVA
Category: Inception
Div: ソース- 37:A
Edited by: Professor Hojo Maeda.
Year – 77.
August 13th
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The earliest stage at which partial birth abortions are performed are at week 20. The child is too old. Has she lost her mind?!
Today, Dr Crescent had programmed an automated Medpod to perform an emergency caesarean on her, but was stopped by a passing physician who noticed the pod being in unscheduled use. Taking blood samples from Lucretia, we found traces of Orcrain, a drug used to chemically induce labor. In addition, a lethal dose of Tetrodotoxin was found in her body. It should have killed her immediately, but the body was rejecting the chemicals and close examination of the amniotic fluid showed that none of it has reached the child. It seems like the womb is sealed off and the mother is resistant to harm. The womb has developed an intricate membrane structure that completely shields the child from the surrounding environment. I would have thought that he would be exposed through the umbilical cord, but an extensive mobilization of what seems an unprecedented immune response takes place where the mother and child meet. This battery of immune responses virtually filters out everything that is non-organic or not bound to a biological unit. It will not let even minor molecules or ions through unless bound to a protein complex and later activated within his environment. How can it make the distinction between necessary nutrients or foreign compounds that are harmful, is still unknown, but his immune system has an incredible memory. Dr Crescent is now under complete observation until the birth of the child.
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Project: JENOVA
Category: Inception
Div: ソース- 37:A
Edited by: Professor Hojo Maeda.
Year – 77.
September 7th
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Personal note: I saw him today. I was at the maternity unit and I saw him. His mother was sedated and scanned.
He can open and close his eyes. Interestingly, the only thing telling of his alien origin are his slit pupils. He can use four of the five senses (vision, hearing, taste, and touch) and knows the difference between waking and sleeping, and can relate to the moods of the mother. His skin is thickening and starting to build up the body fat. Antibody levels are good, and his little heart pumps 300 gallons of blood per day. He is a strong boy, my child. My son. He has no name yet.
I've never wanted a child, but when I saw him today there was a sense of pride in me. I have not felt it before, but this valiant child who has already fought for survival and won, was a part of me. He got hiccups apparently, and was very active inside his mother during the scan. The nurses at the maternity unit call him "the charmer". According to them he always pulls a stunt when the camera is on him. He already loves the limelight.
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Project: JENOVA
Category: Inception
Div: ソース- 37:A
Edited by: Professor Hojo Maeda.
Year – 77.
November 16th
The child was positioned in the pelvic cavity as that of the control mother. He was carried over with about two and a half weeks, but the birth was an uneventful one. The water broke at about 1700 this afternoon and just a few minutes after 1900, the most magnificent specimen of human endeavor was born. He had made it easy for his mother it seemed. She was undeserving of his generosity, but the child came into this world without suffering.
He was immediately taken from the mother, but Dr Crescent made a huge effort of violence to retrieve him. Fortunately, she was held down by all the doctors and nurses, if not for her own good not to bleed to death. Upon parting from the child, she reached for its hands and begged me to name him "Sephiroth". It was the letter "S" designated to this breed of Jenova-offsprings.
I have looked into the name. Sephiroth – "Tree of Life" with ten branches representing the ten attributes of a god. Well, we shall see how god-like this child will be. One of his mothers was undeniably as close to one as the very concept allows. I know that Dr Crescent had a favorite spot out on the meadows surrounding the village Aarchos where she grew up. There is an ancient tree there that has been celebrated for centuries by the villagers. They call it the Sephiroth. It had survived the avalanche that nearly buried the village a long time ago as it is situated in the valley between the twin-mountains of Aarchos. It has also suffered the elements ravaging it from season to season but it never fails to bloom. Some people say it is because the roots go so deep into the soil that it drinks from the Lifestream itself. It rises every year in a cascade of splendor as soon as Nature awakens from the winter. So be it. His name will be Sephiroth. It is a request I feel I need to grant her, regardless of what I think of her as an individual. She is after all the child's biological mother. But not for long. From now on, the child belongs to the corporation. He is nether mine, nor hers, nor Jenova's. To all of us he must be dead as a person, and rise as a Soldier.
I end the "Inception"-phase of the Jenova project by stating that;
Sephiroth Crescent-Maeda, was born 1904 on November 16th '77 and died 2401 on November 17th '77. Only Sephiroth remains and he has no family.
File closed.
Rufus closed the folder pertaining to the Inception of the grand project that allowed the ShinRa Corporation to reach far beyond the wildest dreams of the creators. He glanced at the empty screen for a while, then turned his armchair to face the city below his window and finished his glass of wine watching the pearls of light emitted into the night. Thoughts were whirling in his head and images of the past were coming back; drifting deeper into the sorrow that was already marking the first few breaths of a child. The lights of the city outside flickered making it seem as if it was trembling in the cold of the night. Seeming so lonely even if there were millions of people out there. All sleeping, all dreaming… dreaming of a future, one that was perhaps never to come.
Rufus turned back towards the computer and watched the fluorescent holographic screen. Encoded files, neatly stacked in a locked folder, were waiting to be opened. So this was the beginning of it all. He opened up the folder and tapped in the authorization codes to unlock the files. There were thousands there and all were chronologically arranged; some original, some scanned and some summarised post-event. For some reason, Rufus could not tear himself from the contents of the files as they flickered through the screen. Selected paragraphs appeared like a runaway train carrying the past so quickly into the present that he could only catch sight of mere fragments of the precious cargo. He could almost understand that it had driven Sephiroth insane, since these documentations from zealous, detached professionals was his only connection to whatever sense of belonging he ever harbored. And even that was a lie.
Project: SEPHIROTH
Category: Development
Source: シード- S11-LK
The child [Sephiroth] is kept in a sedated, hibernating state submerged in an organic incubator, which was constructed based on the structure of a womb with controlled temperature, moist, and complete supply of nutrients introduced directly into the body through external supplies. Stem cells of alien origin from the afterbirth were introduced into a mausoleum of flesh and membranes, which contained all the necessary components to construct the artificial environment. The stem cells immediately started differentiating and fused the womb with dendrites and projections that encapsulated the child to provide with nutrients extracted from the external containers. The same time it is protecting him and we have limited means to manually intervene with his development or monitor his state. He can only be examined through nanotechnology.
Prof Hollander has used the nanobots to introduce neurodevices to monitor the child's brain activity. He is clearly responsive to the movements and activity outside the womb. The nanobots have managed to retrieve a few dopaminergic neurons from the boy. The damage was negligible and immediately replaced with new cells. This is uncommon to humans and must be a Jenova trait. Researchers in my team have recently successfully cultured Sephiroth's dopaminergic neurons for transplantation into patience with neurodegenerative diseases to render a steady supply of dopamine. We also tested this on veteran soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorders. The results were as I suspected and it opens up for fantastic opportunities within the military as the neurons seem to dampen fear.
In addition, protein scaffolding delivers a few of [his] stem cells into patients with spinal cord trauma and created a healing environment that promotes growth of axons so that full functionality is restored. The semi-alien stem cells not only rebuilt myelin but prevented tissue death and triggered nerve fiber re-growth. They also suppressed the immune response of the host, causing an increase in anti-inflammatory molecules and aided healing.
Developmental summary for subject シード- S11-LK at 1 month.
Social and Emotional
Smiles at people with control over facial muscles.
Can briefly calm himself (brings hands to mouth)
Clearly focuses at adults
Language/Communication
Coos, makes gurgling sounds, sighs often when confused
Turns head toward sounds
Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem-solving)
Pays attention to faces – can identify certain specific features
Easily follows things with eyes and recognizes people at a distance
Begins to act bored (cries, fussy) if activity doesn't change
Movement/Physical Development
Can hold head up and pushes up strongly when lying on tummy (does not like this position at all)
Makes smoother movements with arms and legs
Developmental summary for subject シード- S11-LK at 14 months.
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The boy is a fast learner. Compared to his age-matched control, his intelligence develops much faster. Sephiroth developed depth perception at two months already and seems to understand shape-differences. Part of this can be due to his exceptional vision. The slit pupils allow the eye-lens to be focused with more flexibility and he was clearly absorbed by detailed, optical illusions of impossible angles and endless staircases. He has an extensively logical brain as his displeasure of not finding the solution to the illusions was manifested in frustration. Very often the nature of the illusion constrains the whole picture, forcing its `logic' on the viewer, something that Sephiroth was not accepting. It became a battle of wits, the wit of the viewer against the strange illogic of the illusion. This is a desired trait indeed however, there is something troubling about him. He is merely a little over one year and uses all his senses to learn about his environment, but his preferred way of feeling is through his lips and face even if he can communicate through a wide range of words; comparable to a three year old. Given the choice of a number of objects, regardless of fragrance, he will always opt for what is soft and/or fluffy, which he then wraps around his neck and head. Peculiar behavior. We tried covering a coarse blanket with the scent of either of his mothers, but it had little or no effect on his choice. He seems to go for the feel more than for the scent or encouragement, meaning he is very contact-oriented. His repeated behavior of making choices based on contact-experience rather than biological markers may serve a difficulty in the future if he becomes a slave under emotional attachment. This needs to be thwarted at an early stage.
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He shows violent tendencies when frustrated. The incident occurred after lunch today, when we were to retrieve blood samples, but Sephiroth refused. He has started opposing more and more violently lately. For a four-year-old child he is very strong and sprained the wrists of the attending nurse with his own hands. In addition, according to witnesses his pupils narrowed to an almost invisibly thin line as he shattered the thermoplastic-containers with psychokinesis. The room was filled with shards and splinters that swirled like a storm around him and turned the room into a potential meat grinder if he hadn't been sedated from a distance. The material was supposed to be a lightweight and shatter-resistant alternative to glass. We did not expect this sudden burst of extra-perceptory powers. A few weeks ago he couldn't pair up hidden cards and as such, I think we need to start injecting him with Mako to tame the powers inside and to channel them to better use. Prof Gast has advised me that it may be addictive to the child if starting at such an early age, but of course, we don't have proper foundations for that statement. No one has ever managed to fully incorporate the Mako. The experimentation will commence as soon as President ShinRa has approved the proposal.
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The child responds to the Mako-injections, but leaves him in apathy for days at a time. His biological functions are normal, but the state of mind is absent. His body recovers faster than that of the Soldiers', which means he tolerates the Mako very well. Doses will increase only from next year on.
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A new caretaker has been introduced and she has been caring for Sephiroth for three months now. Unlike with most other members of the staff, this undergraduate in behavioral research has managed to gain the child's confidence. According to her records, he has started to communicate with her on his own. This young woman named Siana Khin, has been assigned to this department only temporarily as a replacement for maternity leave. However, I must admit she has a way with the child that is unusual and I shall suggest to the board to keep her on as permanent staff.
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Subject [Sephiroth] has shown outstanding endurance in running. He reaches maximum speed and heart rate in a matter of seconds and can maintain it for a baffling amount of time. His body is seemingly adapting as it goes along. He threw up initially, but when forced to keep running, endorphins, adrenaline and a neurotransmitter, specific only to him, shot above ten to fifteen fold in his system and allowed him to keep on sprinting at maximum speed until Prof Gast noticed minor muscle tears in the biceps femoris. We aborted after 12:43 min. Taking his size and age into account, he shows endurance comparable to Mako-induced adult Soldiers.
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Angeal and Genesis are being enhanced at different bases; Acre Dome and Relic Bay. The three boys are about the same age, but have vastly different personalities. They have met a few times now and get along well; spending most of their time behaving and playing like normal children. However, there is a slight delay in response to certain social signals within Sephiroth. His isolation is beginning to show in his behavior.
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Note: Following on from the previous observations of rudimentary social development, Prof Gast made a guestroom available for the subject during weekends for the purpose of social training.
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The subject was given a large dose of Mako (the liquid form of the Planet's Lifestream). The maximum dose of enhanced Soldiers is about 3.25 millilitres per kilo bodyweight per week. This would correspond to about 5% of the blood volume per week, but it is given in small doses per day. To avoid the risk of death of dilution factors we had to administer the Mako together with crystalloid/colloid volume expanders. We gave the subject 7% of his blood volume worth of Mako in a single injection. He was submerged in a reinforced chamber with constant monitoring of all vital signs.
The outcome has been devastating, but the subject survived. He suffered severe muscle cramps, resulting in the fracture of the ulna and humerus on the left side. Right shoulder dislocated and both kneecaps shattered against the lid of the sarcophagus. Numerous nails on both hands ripped from the bed from ferocious scratching. Forehead, as well as back of the head, bruised and blooded due to violent movements. Nearly all molars cracked and approximately 1/3 of the tongue anterior was found in his gut. He had lost a lot of blood due to the injury and lost consciousness only minutes after the injection. Vital signs crashed and kidneys on the verge of shutting down. He is destined for surgery at the university hospital … we are waiting for the report.
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Eleven days at the intensive care unit. He has survived and organ functions restored. He has healed tremendously fast. Even I doubted whether he would make it back onto his feet in a few months time. This is unbelievable. However, he will remain in the care unit as the body is still recovering from the violent onslaught of the Mako. One thing we have noticed is the peculiar glow in his eyes.
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He has no recollection of what had happened to him. Excellent.
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The subject [Sephiroth] has seemingly found a powerful ally in the caretaker. Ever since the Mako-incident, which has undoubtedly rendered the child more powerful than any previous clone or creation, she has posed great resistance against his training regime and medical examinations. She demands more time with him and he [the subject] in turn is highly obstinate if his time with her is not met. The interactions between the two are restricting the flexibility of the project. In addition, I am worried that Miss Khin's physical closeness to the boy is counteracting the aims of this project to create the perfect Solider. A meeting is held with the board to replace the undergraduate Miss Siana Khin.
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Case report 437X- 21st September '87
Disciplinary actions were requested against undergraduate Miss Siana Khin, (ID 660729-0503) for the damaging influence on subject シード- S11-LK (aka Sephiroth), which may counteract or hinder the development of the SOLDIER-project under the governance of the ShinRa Corporations.
Present;
CEO of the Shinra Electric Power Company – President ShinRa
Union leader and SOLDIER-project Manager – Mr Lazard Deusericus
Secretary – Amelia Lallem
Research and Development representatives – Prof Hojo Maeda, Prof Gast Faremis and Dr Dan Hollander
Psychologist – Dr Karenna van Leer
On stand;
M. Sc. in behavioral science Miss Siana Khin
Summary;
The complexity of the project conducted by Professors Maeda, Gast and Dr Hollander, urges for intricate control mechanisms to stabilize the subject (シード- S11-LK). A summary of transgressions was handed over to the board members and can be found under the code 437X –appendix C. It was read out loud at the hearing and when confronted, Miss Khin responded agreeing to some of the points, but dismissed the overall accusations as an attempt to vituperate and defame her in order to exploit the boy.
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As pointed out by the Union leader Mr Lazard Deusericus, and as supported by the observations by Prof Faremis, much of the flaws in the control of the subject stems from it lacking adequate knowledge of/experience in empathy and attachment to other human beings. Moreover, evaluations performed by Dr van Leer suggests that the subject may develop deep resentment towards the organization if is not to feel that a certain measure of safety can be found in the artificial environment. The callous nature of the Soldier is desired, but the loyalty towards the Corporation and its founding members has to be solid. Moreover, the lack of trust is apparent in the behavior of the subject and it is of the opinion of Dr van Leer that in order to establish stability in the child's life, it may be beneficial for it [the subject] to relate to an "event" or "person" completely emancipated from the Soldier way of life.
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Although a roguish approach to the regulations employed by the research division, which needs to operate under rigorous conditions, Miss Khin has shown an impeccable sense of duty and managed to establish a unique contact with the child that has had an overall beneficial effect on the progress of the project. It is, therefore, the decision of the board that she continues with her duties until such time that the subject becomes independent of emotional attachments.
Case closed
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We had not noticed the break of the wing or even anticipated it. The subject complained about severe itching and tenderness in the right side of the back. He displayed a faint rash covering his scapula but the full breaking of the wing only occurred at about 0330 in the morning. Luckily, Miss Khin was there to calm him. According to the caretaker the rash became worse during the evening and blisters had formed on his scapula. Sometime during the night the subject awoke to the feeling of dampness on his back, the itching and the tenderness growing as flakes of skin peeled off. He panicked thinking he was ill and pressed the emergency button, which alerted the medical unit at the facility. Miss Khin was sleeping in his domicile, which allowed her to be the first to see the extent of this extraordinary event. The blisters smelled foul and interstitial liquid was seeping through them as they burst, but they also contained little hair-like features. At a closer look these are weak and yet un-developed rachis with very fragile, silky strands of what resembles barbs. These fragile downs are covering the right scapula around the protrusion that forms the wing itself. When we arrived to the scene, we could not see any evidence of the wing, just blistering and necrotic tissue peeling off the back of the child. However, at the slightest provocation of the area when trying to extract samples from the wound, a single black wing shot out from his back. It defied logic in a way, as it is nearly twice the size of the boy. It seems to be a chimerical heritance from Jenova. Although, part of it is manifested in the flesh, the wing resides within the body and is undetectable with full body magnetic scan. But it does shed feathers that linger behind in this plane, hence a semi-chimerical manifestation. I suspect that the breaking of the wing was provoked by the Mako-injection that left his body at first degenerated, then accelerating in development. The wing is yet too weak to carry his weight and breaks out at random. For now… he refuses to leave the side of his caretaker. He has no desire to see anyone and refuses to eat or drink unless it is something brought by her and out of the regular diet. Hence, he has been feeding off a regular diet that she cooks for him on the premises.
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He is twelve years old and does over two hundred push-ups as a warm-up for the training sessions. His flexibility is outstanding, capable of acrobatic movements and gymnastics performed by elite trainers. The powers of the subject are growing exponentially since the break of the wing nearly two years ago. It seems like he has reached another phase of his development.
Sephiroth is clearly an indigo-child with intelligence far beyond his peers and often even challenging to an adult. He sees society in a different way. He sees through it and through people, making it very difficult to convince him of opinions and to conduct actions that are not well founded. He asks questions that often stump even President ShinRa. Although this is a desired trait, it might serve as a difficulty if he is to obey orders. Sometimes the orders are difficult to grasp, but actions need to be taken nonetheless. The army-psychiatrists have tried to dig into his head, resulting only in him [the subject] manipulating them like puppets. No, there is only one way to make him understand difficult orders and to follow them without questioning, by creating an insurmountable wall between him and the regular population. He needs to understand and above all believe that he is different, better, worth more and out of reach for the commoners. He needs to have this ingrained into his mind at all costs. Feed his arrogance at all costs and use his self-distancing to our benefit.
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The skills of the subject are a celebration of human accomplishment. We have created the perfect killing machine. He can eliminate all obstacles without remorse. Two weeks ago he was in the training grounds without weapons and the hounds were unleashed upon him. They were his pets; he was allowed to feed and care for them on a daily basis for the past year. The hounds were altered, responding in aggression to a sound-code that overrode all instincts. The hounds nearly tore him [the subject] limb from limb before he reacted. It was a fantastic demonstration of reprogramming, to witness him crush the skulls of the hounds and to tear their jugular with his own teeth like an animal. Suffering extensive muscle damage, the subject has understood that there is no such thing as devotion; even from simple dogs. Even the most devoted, loyal companion can turn on him. And thus, this week, we placed defaced Wutai-guerrilla members in a line-up. The only thing the subject was allowed to see was the eyes of the victims through the holes in the masks. He choked the life out of every one of the ten without so much as a blink. Monitoring his vital signs, the heartbeat of the subject was steady and unchanged until the end.
The guerrilla members had been sentenced to death; guilty in a court of military law and Sephiroth is being taught that what the military finds true under the umbrella of the ShinRa Corporation, IS the truth and all that matters.
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The swordsmanship suits him. He has developed a fantastic ability to handle the katana as of the past four years. Shihan Omi claims he no longer has more to teach the child. The rest lies within the boy's drive and the will to continue to evolve. According to the evaluation of the budo-committee the boy has complete skills and has a long reach with his techniques, but his powers struggle to extend beyond the edge of his sword. It seems as if the sword itself if too limited to be handled by this swordsman. Despite his height, the Shihan suggest a sword with longer reach before the boy reaches adulthood. The ShinRa Corporation has endeavored to find the legendary Arami manufacturer. They have to manufacture the worthy unbreakable. Many blades will not stand the test… hopefully they can manage within this time frame. According to the manufacturer, a genuine Arami-sword takes many years in the making but is superbly balanced and a true masterpiece.
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Sephiroth is fourteen and led his first successful battle against the rebels. He completed the task above all expectations and left no survivors, as instructed. President ShinRa is most pleased. This Soldier may very well serve the future guarantee to maintain the ShinRa super-power.
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Aged eighteen, his success is unparalleled. He was awarded generalship of the lands and used this authority to launch a military expansion that has earned him grand reverence amongst senior leaders in the entire squadron. If truth be told, to his knowledge his mother is dead since his birth, nonetheless I share with him (begrudgingly) a sense of belonging and hence can't help but be infuriated that whilst my son fights the battles, ShinRa soaks up the praise. A few years ago, Sephiroth was hired by the third squadron leaders, to aid in invading the Ch'mani-ruled Sania Minor, the last stronghold of the Eastwind rebels that were only surpassed by the Wutai here. Sephiroth released attritting campaigns that eradicated the Eastwind resistance. Since then the third squadron has pledged a legion to ShinRa and substantial financial support. What's worth noting is that Sephiroth didn't only destroy; his void has mended and fused. His legacy on the broken rebels and forces included the cultural fusion his conquests engendered. He is a great rhetoric, even if he is most often kept in silence; if truth be told, I think he has more knowledge of politics, tactics and executions of successful plans than any of the squadron leaders. He is destined for more than this.
I recall, when Sephiroth was thirteen, Professor Gast convinced ShinRa search for a tutor, and considered such academics as the renowned Eastwind-founder Echifastos and Ay'usus, the latter offering to resign from his post as a provost to take the position. The magnificent Temple of the Valchyria at the mountain of Aarchos was assigned as a classroom. Unbeknownst to my son, he spent years in that temple, below which the Sephiroth-tree was blossoming. [Lucretia has vanished from the face of the planet. No one knows where she is – as is for the best and I shall always deny her existence to my son.] In return for teaching Sephiroth, ShinRa agreed to spare Echifastos' hometown and to repopulate it by buying and freeing the ex-citizens who were taken captive, or pardoning those who were in exile. The Temple of Valchyria was like a boarding school for Sephiroth as well as Genesis and Angeal. These boys have not only become his friends and future second in command generals, he often refers to them also as his 'Companions'. But Sephiroth's appetite for everything has been greater than that of the others. Echifastos and Ay'usus taught him and his companions about medicine, philosophy, morals, religion, logic, and art. Under Ay'usus' tutelage, Sephiroth developed a passion for the works of great authors and philosophers. During the years with undergraduate Sïana Khin, he had developed a feeble obsession with the flesh that reigned his weekends in the arms of that woman. She had convinced the President to have the boy placed in a regular student campus to train his social skills, but luckily, the subject found and finds nothing in common with the average humans. He keeps to himself and hardly ever socializes. As befitted a General. There was a grand ceremony in his honour yesterday and with that, he closed the door to his past and the childhood. She has no room in his life and the only focus is now ahead…
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"What a life, Sephiroth… what a life," Rufus sighed and took the last breath out of the cigarette. Although the ruthless blond felt a tinge of pity with regard to the suffering brought about to the world, he aimed to put an end to it all by reviving the Unity theory; to bring all the spawns together to unify Jenova's powers and bring Genesis back to life. With Jenova captured once and for all, and restrained with forces she couldn't break, they would have complete control over the ancient power. The strong economy would ensure they could keep the project alive, the army protecting against potential threats and Genesis would regain his shine.
"It's a nice thought, Gen," Rufus smiled at the pale reflection of himself on the other side of the tinted window. "I promise you this… I shall put the world before your feet and the final act of Loveless will be yours."
The small moon harbored a core of molten stone, surrounded by a vast, deep ocean and enveloped in thick, pure ice. It was a lonely little moon swirling around its mother planet as it had done for millions of years. But its long life had come to a sudden end in the most violent and brutal way. The energy withdrawn from its core made it implode as it collapsed under its massive weight. The ocean froze right through and the crust began breaking up. The tidal effects of the mother planet tore the moon apart and by the time the ships left the solar system, the only thing remaining of its existence was a halo around the gas giant who was now swirling without its companion in the empty space.
The lady in the lake opened up her eyes, screeching with a voice that chased the birds into the skies above the silver forest. Life itself was being compromised within those who were meant for eternal slumber. It was time for a gathering and the rain began pouring out of the sky. The water was almost grey with the fury of Life and washed over the world with bitterness. The storms awoke, howling with rage and announced the dangers approaching.
The crystalline ruby eyes of the S'lahn senator flashed as he was cut through by the presentiment of the shattering worlds as it etched into his soul. He was sensing the destruction approaching and slammed his palm against the window of the mother ship, glancing out into the void. His powerful, razor sharp claws left a mark on the surface of the hardened glass, the remnant of a silent curse.