Hey guys! It has been a while hasn't it? But look at this! We finally have a update for you all! Thank you all for waiting and finally we move on with the story!

Ch. 17: Repercussions

Addy and Cloud were practically frozen in place, both of them barely moving an inch. Addy was the first to turn around, facing who she dreaded seeing in the first place. Hojo stared down at her with a menacing, his eyes glaring daggers though they were hidden under his glasses.

"Oh, Professor Hojo," Addy started, trying to not let her voice betray her. She moved forward, standing in front of Cloud.

Hojo only scowled. "Don't try and hide my precious 049. You two were trying to escape. I will not allow such treachery."

"I was not… We were only," Addy glanced at the gate and then back to Hojo.

"I won't hear any of it! This has gone far enough!"

With the snap of Hojo's fingers the other scientists ran forward, grabbing both Addy and Cloud. The poor boy was completely frozen, obedient to Hojo so much that he didn't dare to move even an inch on his own. He let the others drag him easily back inside, while Addy remained where she was. She couldn't break on the hold, no matter how much she struggled.

"Let him go!" Addy shouted. "Just let him go Hojo! He is just a child, there is no reason to be doing this!"

"049 is my experiment," Hojo stated. "He is what I say he is, and you have no right to try and change any of that in him. I only hope whatever you planted in his head can be reversed soon. You will pay for your crimes against the experiment. And oh your poor little 'Cloud' will suffer the consequences along with you."

Addy lowered her head, guilt tormenting her head and stomach. She had failed Cloud. She had let him down. Every little piece she put into this plan was all a failure. Maybe if she had just tried to be more careful, maybe they could have escaped. Or maybe… it was all doomed from the start.

Cloud sat quietly in the lab, barely moving from his spot on the table. He had been told not to move, so he was doing just that. He had to do what he was told after all. He was supposed to listen to Hojo and do as he said, yet he listened to Addy. He almost didn't understand why he had listened to her to try and leave. He knew it was against Hojo's wishes to do so, so why did he do it?

He closed his eyes and all the memories of Addy floated around. All the moments where she spoke to him caringly with such kindness. She taught him about the world outside and about himself. She was the one who was always there when he needed someone to talk to. She trusted him as he trusted her, and he failed to live up to that trust.

"I failed Miss Addy… it's my fault," he sniffled softly. "It's all my fault we couldn't get outside fast enough. I wasn't fast enough. I wasn't good enough."

Hojo burst into the room moments later, his eyes furiously burning from behind his glasses. "You! 049! What do you have to say for yourself?!"

"I uh… I am-"

"You are not anything!" Hojo scolded, moving forward. "You are my test subject. You are my experiment. You shall do as I say!"

"I am, sir." Cloud squeaked.

"You do not get to speak! I didn't tell you to speak now did I?" Hojo said.

The man picked up one of the tools on the nearby table; a sharp blade-like tool. He approached Cloud slowly and grabbed on to his elbow, causing Cloud to flinch. He didn't move even when Hojo brought the blade closer to his eye.

It all happened so fast and the red seemed to fill half of his vision within seconds.

Cloud screamed as he felt his right eye burning. The pain wasn't like what he felt after his training or even when the other scientists poked him too much. This pain was so much more intense and he could barely even keep his thoughts straight.

"Hopefully this will teach you to know your place!" Hojo scolded.

Cloud could barely even process the words. He was sure something else had been said, but by this point his head was swirling and his focus was flickering in and out. It wasn't long before he gave in and let the darkness and pain consume his mind.

When he came too again, he was strapped down to the table. Medical equipment was hooked up to him, making it very uncomfortable to move around. He opened his eyes and started blinking, seeing how they felt. His right eye felt perfectly fine now, with no pain or damage that would distort his eyesight.

"Did I just dream it?" Cloud thought as he looked around, trying to find one of the scientists.

"Hello?" he called out, hoping someone would show up and let him out of the table restraints.

"Ah, so you are awake," Hojo's voice said from the corner of the room.

Cloud shrunk down as he watched Hojo walk closer to him, his heart already racing. "Yes Hojo."

"What was that? You may want to try it again," Hojo spat.

"Yes…. Hojo sir," Cloud meekly replied.

"Good. Now today's disastrous events… you should remember that your place isn't running off. You are to be my prized experiment. One of the greatest who could even rival Sephiroth. I will not allow you to become a failure or disobey me. Do you understand 049?"

Cloud nodded quickly. "Yes Hojo sir."

"Do you even know who Sephiroth is? Or did your now former teacher Adelaide fail to bring you up on that subject?"

"We talked about SOLDIER before," Cloud answered. "She explained that Sephiroth was the best of them. But I was going to try and be just as great or greater."

"Yes, you are correct about that. I want you to be what we could call the 'new Sephiroth'. One great warrior made from the power of Materia infusions," Hojo explained. "But I cannot have the perfect warrior acting as he did before. I want my soldier to be disciplined and know his place. Understand?"

With another nod Cloud knew there was nothing more he could say. He needed to be better. He had to get better if he wanted to make Hojo happy. It was what he was supposed to do and he had just failed at it before. He let his deepest innermost thoughts get the better of him, along with the kindness of Miss Addy swaying him from what he was meant for.

All of his failures to listen stabbed him from the inside. Every memory telling him where he had gone wrong. He hated that he had slipped up. He was disappointing Hojo… that was the one thing he had been making sure not to do.

"Yes sir. I understand," Cloud replied, trying not to let his voice break.

"Then you are dismissed for the day. Tomorrow we will resume training tenfold to make up for your mistakes. I expect no more disappointments."

"Yes sir," Cloud replied once more.

He ran as quickly as he could, not wanting to linger any longer. He knew he had already caused enough trouble today and if he wanted or dawdled it would only get worse. If he wanted to not upset Hojo he was going to have to improve quickly,

By the time he made it to his room, he felt like he was going to collapse. His entire body felt drained, all of his energy gone, sucked away from his terrible mistake. He was half way to his bed when he stopped in front of the mirror. Slowly he approached it and blinked a few times to make sure that he was in fact seeing his own reflection.

He saw the long scar that ran over his right eye. He was still thankful that his eye wasn't damaged, figuring something must have been done to heal him. But while the eye was perfectly fine, the scar still stood out, along with the other remaining scars.

Three scars.

He now had gotten three scars over the course of a few years. All of those years seemed to have blurred in his mind and he no longer remembered a time when he wasn't like this. He knew he hadn't always been here, knowing he had once been outside this manor. It was a memory that flickered in the back of his mind, the flame weak and almost non-existent.

He knew what his life was now though. All he knew was what he had been taught over the past several years and he had to still abide by it. No matter what, he was going to become a SOLDIER like he had been told. He wanted to… because maybe then he wouldn't be so weak and make many mistakes.

With a heavy sigh, he moved away from the mirror and to his bed. He crawled up onto it and cuddled closely to his plush toys. They brought him some comfort like they usually did, but this time the emptiness in his chest didn't leave. It hung there, weighing him down and that was something no plush could heal him from.

Oh we have still so many plans... but poor Cloud, right? :)