Cradle The Baby Cetra
Everyone hates something.For Sephiroth it was being helpless.Being helpless was like being a
child,and Sephiroth wasn't to fond of his childhood.
"Hey,Jane he's down there." Sephiroth whispered still looking down the spiral stairs.
Jane looked up from the hatch she just climbed
out of."Are you sure?" she asked as she walked to the door he was looking in."How can you be so
sure?" she peered down in the doorway.A cold wind blew,blowing his hair away from his face.
He shivered and looked away from the insisting girl's face.A faint lullaby only Sephiroth
could hear began.He looked at her again for a second and said: "I just sense it."She put
her hands on her hips."Really?" she said, unsatisfied.Sephiroth smiled and motioned for her
to hurry up.She spun around and started down the staircase saying:"I hope you know what your
doing." Sephiroth let out a short laugh as he closed the door behind him. "EEEEE!" Jane screamed
startling Sephiroth who looked up from the ground confused by her actions."What? Is 'Little Miss
Tough Stuff' scared of the dark?" He chuckled."No,Dorkazoid!Thanks to you, something icky
touched my shoulder!" She said wiping goo off her shoulder."Oh!Sorry I thought it was the wall!"
Sephiroth said taking his hand back from whatever it was he was touching."Ew! Have you heard
of washing your gloves?" she said walking down the stairs again.Sephiroth's Eyebrow shot up as
he checked his gloves for anything gross.He shrugged when he couldn't find anything even a
girl like Jane would think is gross.He looked up to see that Jane went ahead.All he saw ahead
was black.He felt something watching him from behind. He spun around to see only the light
through the crack of the door.He walked towards it slowly.He stopped when he heard heavy
breathing.He reached out towards the door.He drew his arm back when he saw the light flicker.
He quickly spun around to see a green monster's face.Sephiroth scanned it's face.He almost had
to go cross-eyed to see it's fang's."Gosh!Your so...so CLOSE!" He said looking at all of the
beast's features.The monster snorted.Sephiroth winced and looked at the monster's teeth."Ooo.
uh-oh!Big teeth!Big teeth!" he said drawing back.To his surprise,the monster held it's ground.
Sephiroth stared at the beast as he grabbed the door's latch and slowly lifted it.Before he could
finish,the monster,having just realized what he was doing,charged toward's him.Sephiroth turned
around and lifted the latch, Ran on the deck of the cargo ship and slammed the door behind
him.A severe blow to the door was all that he felt.He sighed in relief and sat down,
leaning against the door.He looked up when he heard something growl.He saw another monster,
identical to the one inside."But what uh ho-how huh?"He said pointing over his right shoulder.
Sephiroth finally realized their were two monsters!Seph opened the door to see the other
monster,feeding on a dead body.Sephiroth thought it was his chance to escape!He dashed past
the
monster and ran down the stairs.
"You know..I'm begining to think you made a mistake in that sensing thing." Jane said as she
skidded to a stop at the end of the stairs.She slowly walked towards a red door and touched
the gold carving's on the knob."Sephiroth...Sephiroth?"Jane turned around.She put her hands
on her hips."Where d'you go?"she said searching for him.
Sephiroth skipped down the rest of the stairs, touching the wall.He stopped when he felt
his glove get slick.He looked at it and tried to make out the substance.He shrugged and
continued
to skip without touching the walls.He saw the end of the stairs.A dim light was coming from
something he couldn't see from his point of veiw.He ran towards it.Suddenly he saw his feet
infront of him.At first it didn't quite register in his brain until he pointed and said:"What
are YOU doing here?" He hit someone tackling it down.Sephiroth sat holding his forehead."Ouch!
Watch where your going,Mister!"The girl stood up wiping dirt off of her arms.It was Jane!
"Sephiroth?!How dare you tackle me!And even worse,playing hide-and-seek is for kids!Plus,this
is serious!Weren't we after--""Shh!I here him!"Sephiroth pulled Jane to the ground."Do you
really think its...Dojie?" Jane whispered.Sephiroth nodded.Jane pulled closer to Sephiroth
when she saw a tall man,about 6 feet,stepping out of the red doorway.Jane pushed Sephiroth
over,
to get a better look."Yeeoooow!"Sephiroth yelped trying to get back to his feet.The tall
man turned only his head to look at them.Jane sighed in relief when she saw it wasn't Dojie.
She looked at Sephiroth,who was in a crab walking position,and asked:"What are you staring at?"
Sephiroth did not take his eyes off of whatever it was he was looking at.He only gulped.
Jane was very annoyed at his actions and said:"Hello?Come in Sephiroth,this is Jane."
Sephiroth finally answered without moving:"HE'S GOT A GUN!"Jane looked at the silent man's
only visable arm.His other was covered by a black cape.Suddenly, Jane's eyes got really wide.
He DID have a gun!The man smirked as he turned to face the two.Sephiroth's eyes got wide also,
"HE'S GOT A CLAW!"Sephiroth stood and screamed.The man made a movement so small,it didn't
look
like he was moving at all.But just enough to let his bronze claw catch the dim light.Sephiroth
and Jane's eyes followed the movement of the light.The flash was from the left side,to the
right.When the flash finished,Sephiroth walked up and drew his sword.Then,he moved closer to
the
caped man.The man thought of firing his gun.Sephiroth saw his gloved hand move until the tips
of his fingers were touching the hand guns handle.Sephiroth looked at the man and got his
sword
ready.A long silence was held.The two men stayed in the same positions they were in.Jane
gulped
when she saw the caped man move a mere centimeter closer to his gun.And there they were,
two men
standing there,one,a strange caped man with a gun,standing normally,fire ready at any time,and
two,a silver haired man holding his long sword with both hands,over his right shoulder.Sephiroth
tightened his grip on the red sword handle,causing the gunman to grab his gun and point it at
Sephiroth.Sephiroth was shocked,What a sensitive guy!He didn't know what to do,so,of course,
he did what all stupid men do,lunged at the gunman.He got so close to slicing the mans left
shoulder open,but the fast gunman shot Sephiroth in his RIGHT shoulder.All in that moment of
pain
Sephiroth thought it would be fine.Until he remembered,Dojie,took their cure materia.Now the
men
were on the opposite sides they were before.Only Sephiroth was facing away.Seph quickly pulled
himself together and spun around.He gasped in horror when he saw the man aiming again.Jane,
noticing the gunman was on her side of the room,walked swiftly backwards until she hit the wall.
The gunman still had an unreadable expresion as he held the gun higher and took safety off.
Sephiroth smirked and said:"One problem:Im not right handed!"He tossed his sword to his other
hand,wincing from his aching shoulder.The gunman smirked with a look that had:think your so
tough
huh?Written all over it.Sephiroth jumped,with his unhuman instincts,and slashed.He felt a bullet
hit his left rib.Sephiroth missed again by a bullet.Jane screamed when she saw Sephiroth,holding
his rib with one hand,and leaning on his sword with the other.She took a few steps closer,but
stopped when the caped man bent over and felt his shoulder.Sephiroth was building up his
anger.
He was hurting him.Sephiroth was thinking,the guy isn't that strong:He would've killed me.
The it hit him:The guy was torturing him!The gunman stood up,gun ready pointing it to Seph's
back.Sephiroth stood up so fast,Jane gasped.He got ready to use his powerful limit attack.
Sephiroth was sure he would get him this time.Sephiroth Swung his sword over his head,a blue
light followed it.Sephiroth closed his eyes and with all his might,swung the sword down,trying
not to give in to pain.He hit something!It made a metal meets metal sound.Sephiroth opened his
eyes and gasped.The gunman was standing normally holding his claw forward as if looking at a
watch.Sephiroth was angry now:The man didn't even flinch!The gunman whipped his claw away,
making
Sephiroth's sword hit the ground.Jane stood in awe.She whispered to herself:"Not even a scuff
mark." The man took three bullets out of his gun.Sephiroth knelt down holding his sword with an
iron grip.The gunman smirked,looking down at him.Sephiroth spat out blood,accidentaly getting
some on the man's boot.The man tightened his grip on the bullets and threw them at
Sephiroth.Sephiroth grabbed a rock and hit the ground still holding it.Sephiroth felt a bullet
hit his left wrist,just missing his cheek.He closed his left eye,from the shock of almost
losing it,and looked up at the man,tightening his grip on the sword though it hurt.Seph looked
back down.The man was quite annoyed with Seph's actions so he kicked him.Sephiroth said in a
quiet voice:"Wheres Jane?"The gunman talked for the very fist time saying:"Hm?Speak up boy"
No answer.The gunman grabbed Sephiroth's right arm flipping him over.The man said:"When
people
don't answer me,I get mad."He pulled Seph by his shirt collar."I said,wheres Jane."Sephiroth
said,a bit louder.He looked at his shoulder,the old wound had been teared and it was bleeding
again.The gunman was about to answer until he heard footsteps coming from the stairs.He let go
of
Seph and ran to another dark corner.Sephiroth was going to cry for help but something filled
his throat,he didn't know what it was so he spat.Blood.The footsteps stopped.Sephiroth felt
the need to run away.He turned around to get up.Suddenly,he felt a bullet hit his leg,then the
other.He fell to the ground,face down.The gunman ran off carrying a girl.Jane.Sephiroth was
about to get up to save her.The man turned around and shot 3 bullet's,killing 3 guards who were
on the stairs.Never in his life did he come this close to dying.He turned over and looked
at the ceiling.Seph turned his head to see how much blood he lost.he looked at the ceiling
again and said:"Thats it.Im gonna die."A single tear slid down his cheek.The door closed.The
room was black.Seph closed his eyes.
"Sir,can I go home for the holidays?...To see my wife and children?"A door guard asked
scared half to death just from asking."No."Dojie said,not even looking at him."Sir...I have to.
Its nearly christmas!"Dojie looked at the other guard at the door and nodded."Oh sure you can.
Tammy will be expecting you!"Dojie said looking back at the nervous guard."Thank you sir!"
He said bowing slightly."Say hi to Ratchel for me."Dojie said happily.The guard turned around
and said:"Sir,her name is--"BANG!!The guard fell to the ground,killed instantly by a bullet
in his head.The door guard ran to the dead body touching the blood."You-you killed him!"He
said,shocked by his boss and not wanting to find out what he'll do next.Dojie lit a cigar and
puffed out smoke rings."Yes thats right.NOW GO THROW HIM OUT!!"He demanded pointing out of
his office.
Sephiroth was in a world of black.He didn't bother try to look around.His chest felt like somone
was clawing it all over.He reached for it but his arm and wrist ached.He started coughing up
blood letting it spill down his chin.Suddenly he realized he couldn't breath.He ignored the
pain on his arms and gripped his neck.Blood ran through his lungs.His breath came in on short
bursts.He reached out for something to lean on.Seph fell to the ground in pain:he felt
a wave of pain shoot up his legs.Then a miracle happened:The blood stopped spilling.Sephiroth
still gasped for air,Scared that it might come back.
Sephiroth opened his eyes to a strong light.Then,someone blocked it.A young beautiful
lady.Sephiroth didn't recognize the lady.Seph tried to sit up,but stopped when a wave of
pain shot through his right arm."Oh no don't sit up!They might start to bleed again!"The lady
said,carefully laying him back down."My name is Ontopia."Sephiroth smiled and just stared at
her.Ontopia touched his forehead.Sephiroth felt a little shiver.She looked at him,smiling.
Sephiroth gasped a little when he saw a calender."How long was I....you know?"He asked.
"Oh,what was it?seven days?"She said dabbing a hand cloth in a bowl full of water.Sephiroth
looked at the ceiling.Ontopia put the wet cloth on his forehead."We thought you would never
wake up."She said,moving a lose strand of hair from her face,putting it behind her ear.
Sephiroth shuddered,looked at her and said:"We?"She looked away and picked up a photo.On the
photo,there were a little girl,a lion/dog thing and Ontopia."Is that YOUR kid?"Sephiroth
immediatly bit his lip from his rudeness.Ontopia laughed and said:"Oh no!Not mine:she is my
halfsister!"Sephiroth smiled and pointed at the animal "Who's this little guy?"Ontopia looked
at the picture and said:"Oh,thats Leo!"Sephiroth's smile vanished.:"Is he here now?"Ontopia
looked back at him "Sure he is,"She turned her head to a door then:"Le---o--!"Leo padded in and
sat."Yes?Is he--He is awake!"The lion yelped."You can talk!?"Sephiroth said,regreting his
actions.Ontopia looked back at him and said:"I said:don't sit up."She laid him back down and
tended to his wounds."Now look!Its open again!"His right shoulder started to bleed.Ontopia
did not get angry,frusterated or annoyed.Just scared.Sephiroth thought of his childhood,how
no one cared for him.Ontopia double wrapped his shoulder and carefully lay it down."Did a girl
named Jane come here?"Seph asked,looking at his shoulder."Uuum...no,but a girl named Tinja
did."
Ontopia said standing up."Well I better go.Goodnight Sephiroth."She said,turning off the light.
"'night...Ontopia."He said closing his eyes.How does she know my name?He thought,falling asleep.
"Uuh...uh"Jane groaned turning over.She fell off the bed.The gunman looked up from a recipe
book he was looking at.Jane stood up looking around.She looked at the casually dressed man.
At first,she did not reconize him.He smiled,put down the book and said:"Good morning."
She smiled and said:"Same to you.By any chance,could you....tell me where I am...?"her voice
trailed off and she widened her eyes:He has a claw!The man was curious:"What's wrong?"He
asked,
leaning on the kitchen counter.Jane looked up from his claw and stared at him for a minute,
"CLAW BOY!"She yelled,backing into the bed.She then saw the 'claw boy' charging towards her.
Jane
guarded her face with her hands and prepared for a full force blow.Then,when she realized that
he would have already collided with her,she looked behind her.There he was,holding an antique
vase.Obviosly,when she banged into the bed the vase was going to fall."Phew.Now that was a
close
one!"He said,putting the vase back in its rightful place.Jane was angry at herself for doubting
the man"Sorry about that."She said,looking away."Oh don't worry about it.How d'you get here
anyways?"He said,rummaging through cupboard.Jane raised an eyebrow and said:"Wasn't it YOU
who took me here?"The man stopped looking and looked at her."Huh?"He said tilting his head
forward slightly."No.Or at least I..don't remember."He said suddenly deep in thought."Im Vincent.
nice to meet you,uh...?"He said reaching his claw out."Jane.Nice to meet you...Vincent."She said,
looking at his claw awkwardly.Vincent looked at it to."Oh sorry about that!sometimes I forget.
I haven't had company for a while!"He said,pulling back his claw and scratching the back of
his head in embarassment.Then he put his gloved hand out.Jane gladly shook it heartily."Oh!
Please excuse my rudeness!Would you like to sit down?"He asked pulling out a chair."Why thank
you.You are very kind."She said sitting down.Vincent sat down across from her and suddenly
stood
up.He walked over to the stove and pulled a pan off.Jane looked at the claw holding the pan
uneasily.The sharp bronze sharp finger like claws at the end of the bronze arm,ending at his left
shoulder.Vincent put three pancakes on her plate and three on his aswell.Jane remembered the
claw
grabbing hold of her childhood friends collar.Jane asked again,looking at his face:"Where...is my
friend?"Vincent sat down in his chair."I don't know what you mean."He said,picking up his fork
with his claw.He is even more polite then Sephiroth is.And he has a claw!Jane noted.Jane watched
his claw move perfectly normal.The way he held his fork was normal.She looked up and noticed
he
was watching her.He smiled at her.She never felt more embarassed in her life!She quickly picked
up her fork and knife.Jane slowly looked at Vincent,who was eating quietly.Seph was never quiet
either.When they were nearly finished,Jane once more said:"Why did you take me here?"Vincent
looked like he remembered something and frowned."Was I violent?Did anyone get hurt?"He
asked.
Jane was irratated.She put her hands on her hips and said rudely:"You mean you can't remember?
Anybody would remember ALMOST killing somone's best friend!"Then right after she realized
how she
was acting she touched his left shoulder.It was cold on the arm-like metal.But as soon as she
touched it,she felt a hint of warmth underneath."I'm sorry.It's just...me and Seph go way back."
She said looking at her feet."Seph?Is that...the silver-haired man?"Vincent said looking at her
face through her hair."I found him 7 days ago.I asked Ontopia to take care of him.He was in
critical condition!"Jane found the '7 days ago' interesting."7 days ago?"She asked,looking at him
worriedly."Huh?Oh yeah!You were sleepin for a while there!"He said standing beside her."Did you
...ya'know...KILL Sephiroth?"She asked hoping for the best.Vincent remembered something again.
He quietly sat down whispering something like 'Chaos'Jane asked"Who's Chaos?"Vincent looked
away.
"It's what I don't like about lil'ol'me."He looked back at her.
Sephiroth opened his eyes yet again at a womans face.The girl lept back off the bed."Geez!
Its alive!"She screamed.Sephiroth watched the girl set down her basket."Im Tinja!"She yelped
staring at him uncomfortably.Tinja looked at his shoulder."Looks like its healed a bit.Can ya'
move it?"She asked,ignoring him again."I don't know."He said quietly."What dont ya'know?"She
searched for something on a shelf.Sephiroth touched his forehead with his left arm.He was
surprised with the thickly rapped wrist that drie blood showed its self."You.And were I am.Were
Jane is."He said,suddenly remembering Jane."Jane ya say?The one with that freak?"Tinja said,
giving up what she was looking for and sitting in a chair next to the door."Freak?Who?"Sephiroth
asked."Vincent."She said simply while dabbing her forehead with a towel.Then,to make it worse,
Tinja said:"He's vicious.I doubt she's even alive."She smirked self assuredly.Seph closed his
eyes.Suddenly,Sephiroth,being the 'smart guy' he is,shot up startling the girl."Vicious?Doubt?"
He asked.Tinja picked up her basket and held it to him.She slumped forward when Seph's
expression
didn't change."Don't worry 'bout her.She'll be fine."
A girl was screaming.Cloud knew he shouldn't interfere but he heard rumors of this 'Vincent'
guy.He quickly opened the door to the backyard.To his surprise,he saw the girl was having fun.
The part that bugged him was:Vincent was with her.He decided to leave the two alone.Just as he
was about to close the door:Somebody pushed him.Vincent and Jane looked at Cloud and the two
others.Cloud waved and looked at the two people.Oh no He thought.It was spoiled bossy no good
vice presedent Rufus.Great.And his arrogant self indulged ignorant drunken follower:Reno.
Suddenly,a familiar figure tagged up to them.Cloud was relieved.It was Rufus' twin:Rin.Other
than their looks,Rufus and Rin were complete opposites.Rin was always faithful nice and full of
virtue.He let his brother be the one who got to be president.Their other difference was Rin had
emerald eyes and Rufus had one blue and a fake eye which was silver.KRin was gladly tagging
along because his brother told him to.Cloud turned back and waved to Vincent.Vincent just
looked
at him.Cloud looked back at the bunch.He noticed Rin trying to see over the other two.When
Rufus
elbowed Rin,he didn't get angry.He just waved to Cloud.Cloud smiled back.Later on,after talking,
Rin opened his mouth to talk but his 'brother' started talking.Cloud looked at Rin.All Rin did
was smile and wave quietly."Hi people.What is everybody doing here?"Vince asked."I had this
letter for you.Its from your old boss:Dojie."He handed him the letter.Jane instantly froze when
she heard that name."Dojie?"She stopped having fun and sprinted to Vincent."Yeah.The shipping
president.I heard he has the money on the labs."Vincent said,expertly opening the letter with his
claw."Hojo?"Jane asked."Yup.And another few people."He said scimming the note."I hate those
Freaks!"Cloud yelped.Vincent bit his lip and looked at his claw.Rufus,noticing this,said:"Yeah.
I think we ALL hate those FREAKS!"He smirked self assuredly.Cloud and Rufus started talking.
Reno
watched them insult each other in amusment.Rin stepped up to Vincent and patted him on the
back.
"Don't worry Vincent:Your not a freak and Besides:We will always be your
friends!"Vincent smiled at Rin in response.Jane read the letter over and over."No.No!He can't
get us back!He won't!"She cried.
"Dojie!I've gotten rid of Robert."The guard saluted,shaking off fear.Blood was all over
his suit."Did you send Sir Vincent Valentine his letter?"Dojie asked.The guard looked around
nervously.He squeezed the blood out of his glove and answered:"N-no sir.I don't beleive we did."
He answered.BANG!!Dead too.Fresh blood poured on his uniform,staining the navy blue shirt to
black.Another guard ran in."Sir!His family can sue you!"He said."Tell his family a war broke out.
NOW!!!"Dojie yelled.The guard winced."I-Its not my job sir."The guard confessed."Oh.of course its
not GARRET!You don't HAVE a job!Your fired!"Dojie yelled.The guard ran out.
"Oh...But I thought you were Ricky!"Seph joked to the young twins Ricky and Leif.
"Hahaha!No!I am Leif!"Leif laughed."Oooh!"Sephiroth smiled."I want to do that one!"Ricky yelled,
grabbing a certain dish out of Sephs hand."Why?Is it special?"He asked carrying on with the
dishes."Yeah.Its Leo's.Most of these are."Ricky started scrubbing it.Sephiroth let go of the
dishes and looked at Ricky:"Ew!You mean your DOG eats off'a these?!"Leif started laughing.
"He isn't our DOG silly!He is a childhood friend of Ontopia!"He kicked around his soccer ball.
"Oh."Seph said slowly.A small wind blew Leifs red hair.
"So basically Chaos is a monster that takes over your body when you say a word?"Jane asked
leaning on her elbow."Word,scene,sorrow,rememberance,I can't name them all."Vincent slowed down
the swing."So you have to be quiet and try not to think?"She stood."Sort of...Only with a full
moon."He looked at the sawdust covered ground."Oh..."Jane said in response.Vincent looked at
her cheerfully:"So:how's about we go to the park?"He smiled."You live near a park!?"Jane smiled.
"Yeah..."Vincent stared at his feet.
"So...you wan't us to...kill sephi--" "yes"Dojie cut off."But sir...how will I-I mean..."
"Don't question just do it!"dojie yelled."Y-yes sir"they carried on there conversation.Valentine,
vincents brother,smirked outside of Dojie's office in the hall.He saw
their sillohettes and heard their conversation but remained silent.That was his way.His crimson
eyes flickered in the dark.it was now after hours.probably 11:30 pm.Val walked by the door and
proceded through the hall.His hand and claw arm clasped behind his back.In the lab;his usual
dwelling,he leaned over a desk and blew his short hair out of his eyes.He was a quiet man.
caring only for himself.Arrogant and not the most social man you would know,but still well kept.
When he first started to work for Dojie he was excited,outgoing,and,one
would say:Happy-go-lucky.
Then,there was Jenova.Ethan James Hojo and he himself:James Jonathan Valentine became so
into
the project that people started talking about them.He had fell apart when he heard and the
young
scientist grew mean and his self esteem fell to a zero.He cared for
no one.He held the syringe of poison awkwardly in his claws.It was full.He injected it succesfully
into his 'left' arm.A security guard came in and yelled from the doorway:"Hey,Valentine!What are
you doing!?"Valentine dropped the syringe on the floor and leaned on the desk behind him.
"Becoming the--I mean,"He bowed slightly in false respect,"Fighting off the Galian beast;Chaos."
"Oh.Okay."the man left.Valentine smiled showing his fangs."If only they knew."It was a full moon.
Val dissapeared into the night through the large window.
The sound of a leaking faucet was it?No.It was something else.Something far to farmiliar
to him.Sephiroth knew where he was.Not how he got there.Then he opened his eyes.He was in a water
shrine.The blue aura forming around the alter beneath him.The patterns of water adorned the
floor as there were no walls.There were posts sticking out of the water surrounding the alter like
stepping stones.The ancient castle just right of him,broken posts in all.As the glass mirror-like
steps led from inside the castle house up to as far as the eye couls see.There was no ceiling
in the position.It was just blue as far as far itself.The dripping continued.In the surrounding
crystaline water,at the very bottom,there were broken ancient posts and rubble.It did not affect
the pure water.Suddenly,he felt he had no control over himself as he slowly dropped down.As if
meaning to drop to the alter below.He looked down.Ontopia was praying there.His sword drawn.
He dropped farther.Suddenly,as the the sword tip just touched the back of her dress,everything
went black.The sound of dripping was still heard.Then it changed.He was in more pure water.
A deep
ocean to be more exact.Ahead of him he saw a huge iceburg.The water was black.It was night.
He swam towards it and climbed up.He felt pain as he tried to climb.As if he had just undergone
an important battle.The ledge he was holding onto gave way and he fell in the ocean.His strength
had vanished as his energy did.He sunk down.He left his eyes opened and saw the large bottom
of the iceburg.He looked down and saw it go on forever.A while of sinking Sephiroth opened his
eyes unnexpectedly.He wasn't controlling himself.The ocean was floresent green.White spirits
of dead people roamed about ignoring him.Then he heard a voice."Why"it pleaded.That voice...
Ontopia?"'Why' it pleaded.But Seph couldn't answer.He couldn't breathe.Ontopia's face appeared
"why"then it showed Sephiroth lunging down at her.He felt he couldn't breath.He was choking.
Ontopia's face mutilated into a monster.It choked him until he couldn't stand it.But he couldn't
control himself.Something-Someone was holding him back...Someone...
"Ah...Dojie?Sir?Alls clear cept' that Valentine guy...He really freaks me out man..."The
same security guard said in Dojie's office."Good.I need to speak to him.Go get him."The guard,
not wanting to get on Dojie's bad side saluted and scurried off.Two other soldiers came in,
one holding his helmet and the other fidgeting.It was the 1st class soldiers Zac and Mat.
"Uh...S-sir...D-dojie?"The one elbowed the other and telling them to ask.Mat was pushed forward
and spoke up."I wa-we were wondering...if-y'know-we could take awhile off...?"His face showed
pure terror."No.And get out before you meet my friend 'G U N'!! Now
get out!"The two scurried out.They knew when they pushed the limit.
"Dum de dum...hello...?"The guard called from the echoing hallway.He stopped at the doorway.
"Valentine?"He called.He looked in horror at the window shards."Now I have to pay for that!?"
"I don't...ah think that um you'll be to happy with what happened to that silver haired man,
because-um-he-he..."Tinja looked worried"Well out with it!"Ontopia scolded."He's....not waking
up and-but he's breathin' fine..."Ontopia's eyes grew wide"Won't wake up?"She stared blankly at
Tinja."Nope..."
The flashes of old memories flew about him.One of which he would've loved to avoid.When
he was in the shipping company,awhile back he met this...boy.He was a young soldier,Kit was his
name.He trusted Sephiroth even more than his own family.It happened on a rainy night.Kit had
tripped and fallen almost off a cliff and Seph just watched.Kit pleaded for him to help but
it was Sephiroth's mission to kill off Kit.He had been standing there,in the rain,with someone
dangling from a tree root.The ocean waves were crashing against the rocks below.Kit called up
to him once more before he fell to the stormy ocean below.
Gunshot.At least that is what James thought it was.He stopped leaping.He looked down from
the roof tops.His catlike nose sniffed the air.He smelt human.His ears lowered and he held
back a snarl.He lept to another roof and pin-pointed the sound.It was from below.James looked
down to
see Professor Ethan Hojo's son.He couldn't keep back the snarl this time.He lowered his ears
and made a low growl.A noise was heard below.He stopped and listened.There was someone
with him. It was an important looking man around the age of forty.James listened intently.
It was a cold night.The silver full moon shone down."Well I told you no!Now leave before I blow
your brains
out sunny!"Sunny held his ground.The sound of a gun being loaded was heard.Kage thought it
best to leave them alone.He started away.He winced when he heard gunshot followed by a
man's yell. He continued to leap.A flash of a lady with golden hair and a warm smile came across
James' mind."Reis..."He thought.
Ontopia kept repeating things like 'its going to be alright' to herself.She rewet the hand
cloth and put it on his forehead.A flash of a lady with golden curls blue eyes and a sweet smile
flashed through her mind for a split second."W-what?That lady...is she...?"Ontopia was confused.
Tinja looked up from the shelf."Say what?"She looked as if hiding something behind her back.A
materia orb fell behind her."Ahehehe...I wonder where that came from..."Then two or three fell.
Ontopia continued to tend to Sephiroth's limp body.Tinja picked up the orbs embarrassed.
"Wait!"Jane called.Vincent ran ahead of her on the bushy trail with ease.Then he lept above
onto the tree-tops."Hey!No fair!"Jane called looking up."Oh all right."Vincent hopped back.
"So when do you think we will look for that friend of yours?"They treked on."Oh Sephiroth...Yeah
I think I am going to set off tomorow."Vincent remained silent and continued on walking.
"Oh don't be jealous vinnie!"Jane smiled and kicked forward."I'm not!I just..."
It was a lullaby.Hush little baby.Sephiroth remembers a lady cradling him in her arms.No,that
wasn't right.He didn't have parents.He was created.The lady looked familiar.He was passed over
to another person.This one was a man.Short black hair,crimson eyes.The lullaby was only a hum
now.No longer words.The man looked unhappy.He looked over at the lady without a word.
The world wen't black.
"Dojie I don't think you will like this but-"The guard burst through the door."Another
resistance group?A helpless band of theives?A broken sewer pipe?I don't need these burdens
just tell me where Valentine is!!"The guard paused."Well no sir.It is Valentine sir...he...broke the
window..."Dojie glared at the guard "I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE WINDOW!!WHERE IS VALEN-"
"You called Dojie?"The figure leaning against the door frame."Valentine.I've been expecting you."
a smirk appeared on Dojie's face."Yes and,might I ask,what for?"Valentines lips curled up into
a sinister smile.He limped up to Dojie.The female behind Dojie reacted suddenly."Professor are
you alright?"She offered her hand but he refused."What happened?"He merely waved his hand in
dismissal of the subject."The plans of getting the labs up."Val smiled again.He once again bowed
in false respect."And about that window-"Val sighed"Yes yes I will get that cleaned up as soon
as possible."The guard smiled thinking his mission was completed."Why,what happened to the
window?"The female questioned."The window smashed from a small explosion of an experiment
and I cut myself on the foot-"He winced and held his shoulder."And shoulder on the shards.I
wen't to go clean them up and thats why you couldn't find me."He pointed to the guard.His right
claw arm dangled beside him so he wouldn't hurt it.The guard nodded.Val limped out of the
office holding the document Dojie slipped him.
Sephiroth opened his eyes.Ontopia looked startled but smiled and hugged him."Oh your
awake!"Sephiroth blinked.She stood up and called the others.The
twins,Leo and Tinja appeared."The twins hopped up and down happily.Leo bowed politely.Tinja
quickly pulled her hand away from the materia orbs placed on the shelf and smiled innocently.
Jane smiled looking into the fish tank."Whats his name?"She pointed to the green fish with
blue scales."Vincent.Vincent!?"She turned on her heels and looked at the black figure curled
up on the bed."Vincent?Whats wrong?"She walked a few steps forward and stopped.He briefly
glanced at her and returned looking out the sun reflective window."Of course you won't say
a thing?"She asked.Though it wasn't a question,more of an answer.No reply."Vincent?"He sighed
and continued staring out at the nothingness."If it's about me going out to find Sephiroth you
can come.It's not like we're boyfriend and g-"
"It's not like that."Vincent finally spoke.He didn't look at her though.Kept looking out the window.
"What is it then?If not that then what?"Jane broke in."It's the labs...They have their money on the
labs..."He glanced at her sadly,as if to see her reaction."Yeah I know.He won't get us back."She
seemed perfectly calm."It's not that,it's..."He sighed and sat up grabbing a family album off the
shelf.Jane walked over as he opened it.He opened it to a picture with a man that had crimson
eyes of his own and black as night hair."Is that you?"She pointed."No.That is my brother."Jane
thought he looked like someone else.She thought.Vincent looked at her face and saw pure
horror written all over it."This is:James Jonathan Valentine."Vincent and Jane both said together.
"You know him?"Vincent asked."The cold hearted scientist who always did tests on us?Injected
us with all sorts of chemicals?How could I forget?"She closed the album."He had red eyes and a
claw too Vincent.Why so similar?"Vincent put the album back on the shelf."He...lost his arm in
a certain accident...Jenova...cells....made his eyes red."She looked in his blood red eyes."It's a
long story..."
"Try me..."
Valentine limped through the hallway.He heard clicking footsteps on the hard carpet.
Turning on his heels he met the face of the woman in the office.He smiled tiredly."Kathryn,how
are you tonight?Your looking awfully pretty!"She smiled at the false suck ups(though she didn't
know they weren't true)"Actually I was just going to call it a night!"She saw him wince as he lifted
his claw arm up."Does it hurt that bad?Let me come with you.Or,better yet lets go to the medical
room."She knew he would refuse so she just pulled him by the left arm-the unhurt one-to the
medical room.
"No really,its not that bad!"He sat on the examining table.Kathryn removed his bloody lab
coat.She placed it on the ground and rolled up his sleeve.Val winced as she neared the gash.
"A shard of glass eh?"She looked at the large wound on his shoulder.If she looked closer she
could see shattered bone."Well,I say.Some deadly window glass we have here."
"Okay,okay.So it wasn't glass."Val admitted."It looks like your bone is shattered.What really
happened?"Kathryn was dissapointed to hear only the clock ticking.She tightly wrapped his
shoulder in bandages."Okay.The only thing i'm worried about is that shoulder
of yours.Promise me you'll get a proffessional to look at it tomorrow?" Val hesitated for a
moment."Okay..."He finally gave in."So...What really happened?"She sat beside him on the table.
Silence.
"You mean he STILL hasn't moved?"Tinja blurted over the phone.She sighed and continued
pacing the hallways of her apartment.(over the phone)"I know isn't it weird?No talking or moving?
I don't know whats wrong with him."Tinja sat on her couch."You wan't me to come over?...Are
you sure you don't need help?I'm coming over anyways.Okay...bye."Then,with that she packed
up her bag and set for Ontopia's house.
Deep into his thoughts.Closer.Was that a glimpse of a human?No.Ontopia always thought
she'd see human pictures in his mind.Nothing.Unless he was sleeping.She opened her eyes.No.
He was awake allright.He lay in bed,emerald eyes shining.Not moving a muscle.Not saying a
word."Sephiroth..."Ontopia pushed a strand of his long silky silver hair from his face.His eyes
met hers.She closed her eyes and prayed he would talk or move.She sighed when she was
finished and walked out of the room for more water.Tinja's voice was heard talking to Ontopia.
She walked in with a bowl of water and a hand cloth getting it wet.Sephiroth just closed his eyes.
"So what do you think?"Vincent turned away."Well...I've heard longer."Jane hesitated.
It was quiet for awhile.Jane smiled but he looked at the ground."I'm going to go look for
Sephiroth.Are you coming?"Vincent was the one to hesitate now."Sure.If,we meet Jimmy I will
get my revenge."
The moon had a hypnotizing effect on those who let themselves be taken in by it.
Reno was one of the lucky few that let it wash over him.He stood on the balcony adioning his
luxurious if messy apartment in upper Midgar.Leaning out into the night and staring at the moon
He could almost forget his many troubles for once.It was tempting to lean further.Even farther
still,and slip."accidentally,"of course.Oh,poor Reno.He probably just drunkenly stumbled out,As
usual,and tripped.Fell.Was gone.
He wondered if anyone would miss him.Giving a short laugh,he removed his ever present
glasses from his face and put one of the earpeices in his mouth reflectively.'Drunkenly stumbled
out,'was exactly what they would say.Is that all anyone ever thought of him?He was just a jerk,
who would make mean comments to anyone who spoke to him.They would counter back with
the accusation that he was a drunk,who would get mad and storm off,presumably to get drunk.
Or maybe he just came out here to think.Reno kept a shell around him,but it wasn't for
his job.It wasn't for the protection of the world,so he could go out and kill heartlessly.
It was for his own protection.Underneath the shell lurked a man who had seen too
much.His past,god,his past.He had grown up in the slums,seen it all.By the time he was 13,he
had seen more than most grown men.He had always been afraid of it.Not afraid of what lay
ahead,but afraid of what lay behind..For some reason the notion that his shell might crack
meandered around in the back of his mind.
And when it did,his past would seep out,and he would be weak.In the end,he always
knew his past would be the death of him.And he was deathly frightened.He had never spoken
of his past to anyone,not even Rude,except in small snippets.Most knew he had grown up in
midgar,in the slums,but that was all they knew,for that was all he allowed them to know.Once
or twice he had hinted to Rude about bits of growing up,but Rude had never been one to prod,
and seemed either content or disinterested with any information about the former life of his
best friend.
It seemed odd,calling Rude just a friend.he had known him since he had joined up
with the shipping company,over 8 years ago.8 years was a long time.He had thought of Rude
as a brother for awhile now.
Even Elena,who Reno constantly complained and argued with,was like a sister.He
joked with her frequently about having 'saved her butt more times than he could count,'But, he
admitted to himself,she had saved his numerous times as well.
Then there had been Tseng.In the family of the Turks,Tseng was the father.Reno
often remembered being unable to handle a situation,and telling Tseng of it.Instead of mocking
them,as the other members would have,Tseng listened and cared to help them.
The fellow Turks were a family,his family,the only one he had anymore.And he didn't
appreciate half of the things they did half as much as he should have.But in his own way,he did.
He knew in his heart that if the moment came,he would take a bullet for either one of them
without a second thought.The way he was,he probably deserved a bullet of theirs.
Again,the edge of the railing beckoned him...no.That was too easy,too cowardly,too...
stupid.Life was good.In his own weird way,he meant something.He had his 'family',they weren't
a normal family,but they cared about him,and if there was nothing else,there was that to cling to.
Without thinking he climbed up onto the railing of his balcony,stepping on the brick ledge on
the other side.He clung to the rail behind him for a moment,nervously,before letting go and
staring at the moon that entranced him earlier.
It was like the dealer in life's big poker game,and he had to be careful of which cards
he kept.If he wasn't he could be dealt a hand he could possibly play through.Reno glared up
at the moon,took his glasses out of his mouth and put them on,and stared it down."I'll stay..."
he whispered into the night.
~*~I owe you alot Sephiroth..Even though the others were with us,too,I think it was you
who helped me the most to understand myself..I guess it's funny that it turned out we had alot
in common anyway.
I never did understand how you could be so brave,and so selfless..You always put others
before yourself no matter what the circumstances..I always wanted to be like you.Trying to be
was hard,too..I was always afraid.I know now that I'd rather be myself..But I'd still like to think
I could be as strong as you,at least.
You mean alot to us all..i don't think I'll be able to see you again,though.I hope you do
return,someday..Everyone needs a place to call home,and you belong here with the people who
love you.
Without you,I don't I would've been strong enough to face dying..But know I am.Thanks to
you,Sephiroth,I'm not afraid anymore..Goodbye,my friend.My memories will be a part of the sky..
~*~Kit~*~
Sephiroth woke up in a start.It was dark.He couldn't lift his head.No control.All he could
do was open and close his eyes.A tear rolled down his cheek and onto his bare shoulder.And he
could cry.Ontopia came in the room.She turned on the light and sat on the bed."Sephiroth..."She
started calmly.He swallowed hard and looked her way.Her back was to him.Then turning around
she lifted him to a sitting position,the back of the bed supporting him."Please Sephiroth...say
something!Anything!"She cried on his chest.He tried to embrace her but his arms failed.He tried
to speak,tell her it was alright,but he couldn't open his mouth.He closed his emerald eyes as
tears rolled down his cheeks.She looked at him and sat up straight.He opened his confused eyes
and looked into her sad eyes."You don't know either.."He wished he could answer but he couldn't
move anything.Her eyes were so sad.He wished he could look away.He closed his eyes.
~it's all my fault..~Ontopia stood up,crying and left the room.Leaving a very confused young man
behind~What do I do..?~The door opened again and Tinja appeared."Are you gonna continue
with this?Cuz if you aren't tell me."She was obviously upset with the fact that Ontopia was crying.
"She has a thing for you,you know?You'd be good with her."She walked over to him and sat on
the bed beside him.Then,Tinja looked him in the face and stuck her tongue out at him.He wanted
to return the remark but...then he remembered the state he was in."But NOOooOO.You had to
go and make her cry!"Her expression softened when she saw a few tears escape his green eyes.
"Oh I'm sorry.It just makes me sad that she is sad and everyone is sad kinda makes me sad.You
get my drift?"Tinja even confused herself with all the big words that had just escaped her mouth.
Sephiroth blinked.Tinja sighed and pulled him down to a sleeping position.Sephiroth closed his
eyes.The doorbell rang,He opened his eyes.
.A female's voice was heard.No-wait a second-That was Jane's voice!
Sephiroth's eyes lit up.But,then his heart sank as he heard Tinja asking them to go away.He heard
Ontopia crying in the other room.He furrowed his brow.Wait.His eye brows shot up.~I can move!~
He lifted his arm to his feverish head.Then,sitting up,he tried to call out to Ontopia and Jane.
But,his voice didn't work.He stood up,wearing only pants,and ran to Ontopia's room.As he burst
in the door he saw the window was smashed and Ontopia was gone.He saw a letter on the bed
from someone.It wasn't from Ontopia.Tears formed in his eyes.He suddenly felt really dizzy.The
room was spinning.He looked back and saw Tinja at the doorway holding Jane back.Jane
screamed something out.He couldn't hear.He couldn't see.His legs gave way underneath him
and he fell to his knees.The deafness stopped.He heard Jane and felt her hands touch his back.
It felt like ages before he could see again.But when he could it was blurry.He tried to make out
the person infront of him.It was female...Ontopia?No.She had golden hair as this one is a
brunette.Jane?Yes.It was.He heard her soft feminine voice ring in his ears."Sephiroth?Can you
see me?"He nodded."How good?Your eyes don't looked focused.He nodded again.Jane sat back
in the chair she was sitting on.Sephiroth was sitting too.Tinja came.He knew it was her because
she had shorter hair.He felt her hand hold his.He stood up following her lead.She lay him on the
bed."You lay down here."She sat him on the bed.Sephiroth lay down.He heard water lapping in
a dish beside the bed.He felt cold drops fall on his face."Close your eyes."He did as told and
felt a cold wet cloth cover his eyes.Jane walked in the room."Sephiroth..Tinja...Tinja and I are
going to look for Ontopia..We think...We think..Dojie has her.."Sephiroth immediatly sat up,the
cloth falling on his lap to reveal a very serious expression."If you think your coming--"She was
cut off by Sephiroth's standing up."Well do you really think you can help us with your lack of
speech and sight?"Sephiroth looked at Tinja.Tinja looked at Jane."Well he is a good 10 levels
ahead of everyone.We could take him to see the optomitrist?"Jane hesitated."Oh allright.But I'm
not saying I won't make fun of you with your new glasses!"Sephiroth looked at his feet.
After a long visit waiting for the results,Sephiroth came to be permenantly half blind with
the sight of 20/800 vision.Closing his eyes,he shamefully walked out of the clinic with his new
glasses.Tinja teased him and Jane scolded her seemingly proud that she was actually on
Sephiroth's side for once.The walk seemed forever as they had no vehicle.After debating with
himself Sephiroth finally stepped onto the old cargo ship they were on before.He met a few of
the old buddies that secretly rebelled against Dojie.They worked with him,for the money
of course.Sephiroth waved the compliments and questions away as of his new looks deceived
most."Hey!It's Sephiroth!Hey like the new look man!"He smiled at the compliment.Jane told the
confused men of Sephiroth's loss of voice.One man even told her of the cure for a lost voice.
A man was selling them in Junon-exactly where they were.She thanked him and set out to
search.3 hours later she came back with the cure and an old friend."Sephiroth,this is Wip.Wip,this
is Sephiroth."They shook hands.The man was a bit familiar.A black man,a steady height of 6'2.
exactly 2 inches taller than Sephiroth.The unusual thing was,he had a gun grafted into his right
arm.The boat left about a little after lunch time the next day.Seph got his voice back.Though it
hurt to yell."Hey..aren't you the guy.."Wip started since he had finished his grilled cheese
sandwich before anyone even started.Sephiroth gave a gesture that showed he was listening by
raising his head slightly."Hey..is your last name.."
"Hunt?"Sephiroth added after swallowing his first bite."Yeah!That's it!The guy I punched in grade
10!"Sephiroth blushed behind the lenses of his glasses as Jane and Tinja laughed.Trying to cover
up for himself he added."Your last names Wallace right?The guy I humiliated infront of the whole
school?"Wip fumed under his moustache.
Later,they landed in a town with a huge building.Sephiroth put a brown cloak on with the
hood covering his face.That way other shippers will only see his mouth,and,occasionally the
glint of his glasses reflecting the light.Sephiroth walked into a room that seemed to go 5 storeys
high.The walls were shining a light silver,as his hair did.In awe he lifted the hood off his head
and looked up.His silver hair also reflecting the light of the walls.The lights were on really
giving the place a shining atmosphere.Men in white uniforms stood on the higher platforms
above him.He turned and looked up squinting.He saw in big letters 'The Shippers.'Sephiroth spat
at his sensitive eyes.It wasn't that bright.Actually over the minutes he felt his eyes get more
sensitive as he blinked.
Half an hour later he found it hard to look at anything.He was forced to keep his hood on.
He was getting dizzy from all the squinting he had to do from the brightness.Blinking back the
dizziness he pushed on,hopefully to find his way out of this building and to someone who could
help him.He hadn't been thinking I guess.Somehow he realized he was running.He had collided
with an important looking staff member.He was forced to close his eyes as his hood fell off.
Sephiroth quickly lifted it back over his head,still sitting on the cold floor.
The woman bent down and examined his face."Are you allright?"She lifted Sephiroth's hood back
off his face.Sephiroth closed his eyes and looked at the ground."Why are you sheilding you eyes?
You have beautiful eyes!"She held his shoulders."It's not that ma'am.It's my eyes,they are really
sensitive to the light.Especially now."Sephiroth closed his eyes tighter."They shouldn't be that
sensitive.Are you sure they are okay?"She made him face her and ordered him to open his eyes.
He did so resulting them to close instantly."C'mon,fight it."She demanded.Sephiroth took a deep
breath and opened his eyes.They were in pain and started to water from the light."Oh.Do you
know of this Dojie?"A fat man started to walk over.Sephiroth recoiled at the name and closed
his eyes backing away.He lept to his feet and took off blindly to the door.As he ran he lifted the
brown hood over his eyes.He slammed into the door and fell backwards.Ignoring the pain in
his wrist,Sephiroth stood and swiftly opened the door dashing out.That left the woman and
Dojie very confused.More the woman than Dojie.
Sephiroth stopped running and caught his breath.Suddenly feeling the pain in his
wrist,he fell to his knees.out of the few people in th crowd,Jane and Tinja ran up to him,arms full
of supplies.Tears fell to the sidewalk near the mall where Sephiroth sat."Sephiroth?"Jane
dropped the bags on the ground and crouched beside him."What's the matter?"She put a hand on
his shoulder.Then,with her free hand,she removed his hood to reveal beautiful long light silver
hair.He winced and closed his eyes,sheilding the light away from his vision."It's your eyes.Whats
wrong with them?"She demanded."They...hurt.I..I can't look at the light.They just got so sensitive
..I don't know why.....Jane.."Jane's look was solid in response.There was a long hesitation."..Jane..I
saw..I saw Dojie."Sephiroth's stammering baffled Tinja but Jane stood,expression serious."Then
we must go now."Tinja waited awhile before speaking."Um..couldn't we eat lunch..?I mean to
avoid any escaping we are gonna do?We don't even know where she is and Sephiroth is half
blind."She had somehow gotten the supplies that Jane had dropped on top of the things she was
carrying herself.Sephiroth took that as an insult and softened his expression.Then without a
word,lifted the hood over his hair and eyes.It was hard now to not cover them with the hood.
"I am not 'half blind,' and I think I can fend for myself."Sephiroth crossed his arms and loked
Jane's way."Well if you planning on coming with us,your gonna to have to be checked up by me."
Tinja retorted from behind the mask of supplies.He stood up and walked up to the rest
muttering regrets to himself for form.Everyone started walking to the house they had rented for
the team.Tinja stumbled,Jane walked swiftly to help her,and Sephiroth,holding his painful wrist.
Jane lowered the bags and held it,causing Sephiroth to wince."It's only a sprang."She freed the
and from her iron grip causing new tears to roll down his cheeks.He immediatly stopped crying
and caught up to the rest of the gang where as Wip was talking all of the new information he
had collected on his recent absense.
At the new place,it wasn't that much of a place,white wall paper with floral patterns,green
carpet,and then there was worse,Purple bed sheets.Sephiroth closed his eyes and sighed."Jane,
I mean c'mon!What were you thinking!?Purple bed sheets!?"He teased.Jane flopped onto the ever
present purple mass and smiled."I like purple."Wip walked into the bathroom."Yeah I'm guessing,
thats no lie."Sephiroth ran to the bathroom.To Jane's amusement of Sephiroth's hatred to
purple,and Sephiroth's despair.The bathroom was purple too.
After a long debate,Jane was pushed into making the guys-and Tinja,lunch.Sephiroth was
feelind underappreciated with the fact that his whole room was purple.Tracing his last memories
of being presented the room,he heard Jane's exact words,'I picked it out just for you,'Sephiroth
had been nice about it.He even said he might stay in it once.Jane had gotten mad and locked
him in there to his horror.Suddenly,his hooded eyes saw something valueble.The room key.He
had snatched it off the wall where it hang and unlocked the door."Sephiroth that is rude.Take
your hood off now!"Jane was playing mommy to Sephiroth and he didn't like being embarrassed.
He smirked."You know very well why I where this hood,and know the consequences."He felt sure
he got her this time.But,he never was one for 'getting her,'.She had swiftly walked up to him and
removed it,causing him to wince and back into the shadows,placing his hood back on.Jane saw
his actions and immediatly felt that she was getting too mean,and,sort of happy,that he could
put up with her.She didn't know,however,that he knew she was just showing off.Tinja piped up
after lunch was setted infront of her,"You know what bothers me about you two?"Sephiroth
sighed and ducked farther into the shadows.His eyes were getting even more sensitive."Its that
even after you thought the other one was dead,and then were reunited,you didn't greet each
other friendly,no'hello'or'I thought you were dead',no pat on the back for,'a job well done'.Just,
'we have to find Dojie'."Wip chuckled at the supposedly serious remark.Sephiroth's expression
softened."We have to keep our feelings hidden.And be mean to one another so if the other dies,
we could carry on without loss,and always remember the bad things."He pulled his hood over
his eyes so you could only see his mouth and nose.He smiled and stepped out of the darkness.
"Well,no offence but I think that is DUMB."Tinja replied,just having finished her soup."Wel thats
what you think,and I didn't invite you to criticize me.You came on your own.Respect that."He
refused lunch and sat on the couch,beside Wip.Wip acted as though he didn't hear the last part
of the conversation and pushed Tinja's rematk further."Yeah,doesn't,'absense make the heart
grow fonder.'apply to everyone?"Sephiroth spat at the continuation of the dissmissed fact.
"Sephiroth,you really should eat more.Your getting too skinny!"Jane admonished poking his small
stomach.
Later,Jane turned off all of the lights and slowly removed Sephiroths hood.It was still too
bright for him,even with the windows and glass doors covered.Even with all the lights in the
house turned off.He winced and closed his eyes falling to the couch.Jane lightly called Tinja to
the room.Tinja came in."No no,Jane,we're going to have to have the lights on."She switched all
of them on and opened the curtains.Sephiroth's tears rolled onto the cloak.Jane held his chin and
pulled him to face her."Open your eyes Sephiroth."She ordered.Sephiroth shook his head."Fight
it Sephiroth.Fight it for Ontopia."Sephiroth hesitated.Then,he opened his eyes.Tinja quickly
checked to see if there was anything wrong.Then after a long search,he closed his sensitive eyes.
"Did you see anything?"Jane asked letting go of his chin."No.I don't see any thing wrong.Maybe its
his glasses and he is just getting used to them."Jane debated for awhile.Then she weighed her
options.Bring Sephiroth to get looked at,or leave him here as they go for Ontopia.The choice was
simple.Get him looked at!
Sephiroth semmed embarassed with all the attention from old friends asking him what
was wrong.Sephiroth had to be leaded literrally by the hand to get anywhere.He couldn't open
his eyes.The doctor said she didn't see anything wrong and wondered why this may be happening
to such a nice boy.Sephiroth laughed and told her he wasn't a boy,he was 21 years old!The
doctor said she was sorry.He looked young for his age.'I thought he was just tall for his age'she
had said.And as everyone did,flirted with him complimenting his nice features and oh-don't
forget the beautiful eyes.But,he still came out empty handed and hooded,shamefully regretted
the things it put the others through.Jane remarked that he would stay behind,but Sephiroth had
refused to let the three go without him.They walked through the big mall and were almost at
the other side.Sephiroth occasionally grateful that Tinja just HAD to go into almost every store.
He would sit on the bench and hold his acheing wrist.He had found that it felt worse than a
sprang,but Jane said it was because he was 'over using it,'.Jane saw him wincing as he tried to
move it and walked over to him and put her hands on her hips."It really bothers you huh?"She
asked knowing the answer."Yea.."He winced at the sudden light to his eyes."Lets carry on."
Everyone hates something.For Sephiroth it was being helpless.Being helpless was like being a
child,and Sephiroth wasn't to fond of his childhood.
"Hey,Jane he's down there." Sephiroth whispered still looking down the spiral stairs.
Jane looked up from the hatch she just climbed
out of."Are you sure?" she asked as she walked to the door he was looking in."How can you be so
sure?" she peered down in the doorway.A cold wind blew,blowing his hair away from his face.
He shivered and looked away from the insisting girl's face.A faint lullaby only Sephiroth
could hear began.He looked at her again for a second and said: "I just sense it."She put
her hands on her hips."Really?" she said, unsatisfied.Sephiroth smiled and motioned for her
to hurry up.She spun around and started down the staircase saying:"I hope you know what your
doing." Sephiroth let out a short laugh as he closed the door behind him. "EEEEE!" Jane screamed
startling Sephiroth who looked up from the ground confused by her actions."What? Is 'Little Miss
Tough Stuff' scared of the dark?" He chuckled."No,Dorkazoid!Thanks to you, something icky
touched my shoulder!" She said wiping goo off her shoulder."Oh!Sorry I thought it was the wall!"
Sephiroth said taking his hand back from whatever it was he was touching."Ew! Have you heard
of washing your gloves?" she said walking down the stairs again.Sephiroth's Eyebrow shot up as
he checked his gloves for anything gross.He shrugged when he couldn't find anything even a
girl like Jane would think is gross.He looked up to see that Jane went ahead.All he saw ahead
was black.He felt something watching him from behind. He spun around to see only the light
through the crack of the door.He walked towards it slowly.He stopped when he heard heavy
breathing.He reached out towards the door.He drew his arm back when he saw the light flicker.
He quickly spun around to see a green monster's face.Sephiroth scanned it's face.He almost had
to go cross-eyed to see it's fang's."Gosh!Your so...so CLOSE!" He said looking at all of the
beast's features.The monster snorted.Sephiroth winced and looked at the monster's teeth."Ooo.
uh-oh!Big teeth!Big teeth!" he said drawing back.To his surprise,the monster held it's ground.
Sephiroth stared at the beast as he grabbed the door's latch and slowly lifted it.Before he could
finish,the monster,having just realized what he was doing,charged toward's him.Sephiroth turned
around and lifted the latch, Ran on the deck of the cargo ship and slammed the door behind
him.A severe blow to the door was all that he felt.He sighed in relief and sat down,
leaning against the door.He looked up when he heard something growl.He saw another monster,
identical to the one inside."But what uh ho-how huh?"He said pointing over his right shoulder.
Sephiroth finally realized their were two monsters!Seph opened the door to see the other
monster,feeding on a dead body.Sephiroth thought it was his chance to escape!He dashed past
the
monster and ran down the stairs.
"You know..I'm begining to think you made a mistake in that sensing thing." Jane said as she
skidded to a stop at the end of the stairs.She slowly walked towards a red door and touched
the gold carving's on the knob."Sephiroth...Sephiroth?"Jane turned around.She put her hands
on her hips."Where d'you go?"she said searching for him.
Sephiroth skipped down the rest of the stairs, touching the wall.He stopped when he felt
his glove get slick.He looked at it and tried to make out the substance.He shrugged and
continued
to skip without touching the walls.He saw the end of the stairs.A dim light was coming from
something he couldn't see from his point of veiw.He ran towards it.Suddenly he saw his feet
infront of him.At first it didn't quite register in his brain until he pointed and said:"What
are YOU doing here?" He hit someone tackling it down.Sephiroth sat holding his forehead."Ouch!
Watch where your going,Mister!"The girl stood up wiping dirt off of her arms.It was Jane!
"Sephiroth?!How dare you tackle me!And even worse,playing hide-and-seek is for kids!Plus,this
is serious!Weren't we after--""Shh!I here him!"Sephiroth pulled Jane to the ground."Do you
really think its...Dojie?" Jane whispered.Sephiroth nodded.Jane pulled closer to Sephiroth
when she saw a tall man,about 6 feet,stepping out of the red doorway.Jane pushed Sephiroth
over,
to get a better look."Yeeoooow!"Sephiroth yelped trying to get back to his feet.The tall
man turned only his head to look at them.Jane sighed in relief when she saw it wasn't Dojie.
She looked at Sephiroth,who was in a crab walking position,and asked:"What are you staring at?"
Sephiroth did not take his eyes off of whatever it was he was looking at.He only gulped.
Jane was very annoyed at his actions and said:"Hello?Come in Sephiroth,this is Jane."
Sephiroth finally answered without moving:"HE'S GOT A GUN!"Jane looked at the silent man's
only visable arm.His other was covered by a black cape.Suddenly, Jane's eyes got really wide.
He DID have a gun!The man smirked as he turned to face the two.Sephiroth's eyes got wide also,
"HE'S GOT A CLAW!"Sephiroth stood and screamed.The man made a movement so small,it didn't
look
like he was moving at all.But just enough to let his bronze claw catch the dim light.Sephiroth
and Jane's eyes followed the movement of the light.The flash was from the left side,to the
right.When the flash finished,Sephiroth walked up and drew his sword.Then,he moved closer to
the
caped man.The man thought of firing his gun.Sephiroth saw his gloved hand move until the tips
of his fingers were touching the hand guns handle.Sephiroth looked at the man and got his
sword
ready.A long silence was held.The two men stayed in the same positions they were in.Jane
gulped
when she saw the caped man move a mere centimeter closer to his gun.And there they were,
two men
standing there,one,a strange caped man with a gun,standing normally,fire ready at any time,and
two,a silver haired man holding his long sword with both hands,over his right shoulder.Sephiroth
tightened his grip on the red sword handle,causing the gunman to grab his gun and point it at
Sephiroth.Sephiroth was shocked,What a sensitive guy!He didn't know what to do,so,of course,
he did what all stupid men do,lunged at the gunman.He got so close to slicing the mans left
shoulder open,but the fast gunman shot Sephiroth in his RIGHT shoulder.All in that moment of
pain
Sephiroth thought it would be fine.Until he remembered,Dojie,took their cure materia.Now the
men
were on the opposite sides they were before.Only Sephiroth was facing away.Seph quickly pulled
himself together and spun around.He gasped in horror when he saw the man aiming again.Jane,
noticing the gunman was on her side of the room,walked swiftly backwards until she hit the wall.
The gunman still had an unreadable expresion as he held the gun higher and took safety off.
Sephiroth smirked and said:"One problem:Im not right handed!"He tossed his sword to his other
hand,wincing from his aching shoulder.The gunman smirked with a look that had:think your so
tough
huh?Written all over it.Sephiroth jumped,with his unhuman instincts,and slashed.He felt a bullet
hit his left rib.Sephiroth missed again by a bullet.Jane screamed when she saw Sephiroth,holding
his rib with one hand,and leaning on his sword with the other.She took a few steps closer,but
stopped when the caped man bent over and felt his shoulder.Sephiroth was building up his
anger.
He was hurting him.Sephiroth was thinking,the guy isn't that strong:He would've killed me.
The it hit him:The guy was torturing him!The gunman stood up,gun ready pointing it to Seph's
back.Sephiroth stood up so fast,Jane gasped.He got ready to use his powerful limit attack.
Sephiroth was sure he would get him this time.Sephiroth Swung his sword over his head,a blue
light followed it.Sephiroth closed his eyes and with all his might,swung the sword down,trying
not to give in to pain.He hit something!It made a metal meets metal sound.Sephiroth opened his
eyes and gasped.The gunman was standing normally holding his claw forward as if looking at a
watch.Sephiroth was angry now:The man didn't even flinch!The gunman whipped his claw away,
making
Sephiroth's sword hit the ground.Jane stood in awe.She whispered to herself:"Not even a scuff
mark." The man took three bullets out of his gun.Sephiroth knelt down holding his sword with an
iron grip.The gunman smirked,looking down at him.Sephiroth spat out blood,accidentaly getting
some on the man's boot.The man tightened his grip on the bullets and threw them at
Sephiroth.Sephiroth grabbed a rock and hit the ground still holding it.Sephiroth felt a bullet
hit his left wrist,just missing his cheek.He closed his left eye,from the shock of almost
losing it,and looked up at the man,tightening his grip on the sword though it hurt.Seph looked
back down.The man was quite annoyed with Seph's actions so he kicked him.Sephiroth said in a
quiet voice:"Wheres Jane?"The gunman talked for the very fist time saying:"Hm?Speak up boy"
No answer.The gunman grabbed Sephiroth's right arm flipping him over.The man said:"When
people
don't answer me,I get mad."He pulled Seph by his shirt collar."I said,wheres Jane."Sephiroth
said,a bit louder.He looked at his shoulder,the old wound had been teared and it was bleeding
again.The gunman was about to answer until he heard footsteps coming from the stairs.He let go
of
Seph and ran to another dark corner.Sephiroth was going to cry for help but something filled
his throat,he didn't know what it was so he spat.Blood.The footsteps stopped.Sephiroth felt
the need to run away.He turned around to get up.Suddenly,he felt a bullet hit his leg,then the
other.He fell to the ground,face down.The gunman ran off carrying a girl.Jane.Sephiroth was
about to get up to save her.The man turned around and shot 3 bullet's,killing 3 guards who were
on the stairs.Never in his life did he come this close to dying.He turned over and looked
at the ceiling.Seph turned his head to see how much blood he lost.he looked at the ceiling
again and said:"Thats it.Im gonna die."A single tear slid down his cheek.The door closed.The
room was black.Seph closed his eyes.
"Sir,can I go home for the holidays?...To see my wife and children?"A door guard asked
scared half to death just from asking."No."Dojie said,not even looking at him."Sir...I have to.
Its nearly christmas!"Dojie looked at the other guard at the door and nodded."Oh sure you can.
Tammy will be expecting you!"Dojie said looking back at the nervous guard."Thank you sir!"
He said bowing slightly."Say hi to Ratchel for me."Dojie said happily.The guard turned around
and said:"Sir,her name is--"BANG!!The guard fell to the ground,killed instantly by a bullet
in his head.The door guard ran to the dead body touching the blood."You-you killed him!"He
said,shocked by his boss and not wanting to find out what he'll do next.Dojie lit a cigar and
puffed out smoke rings."Yes thats right.NOW GO THROW HIM OUT!!"He demanded pointing out of
his office.
Sephiroth was in a world of black.He didn't bother try to look around.His chest felt like somone
was clawing it all over.He reached for it but his arm and wrist ached.He started coughing up
blood letting it spill down his chin.Suddenly he realized he couldn't breath.He ignored the
pain on his arms and gripped his neck.Blood ran through his lungs.His breath came in on short
bursts.He reached out for something to lean on.Seph fell to the ground in pain:he felt
a wave of pain shoot up his legs.Then a miracle happened:The blood stopped spilling.Sephiroth
still gasped for air,Scared that it might come back.
Sephiroth opened his eyes to a strong light.Then,someone blocked it.A young beautiful
lady.Sephiroth didn't recognize the lady.Seph tried to sit up,but stopped when a wave of
pain shot through his right arm."Oh no don't sit up!They might start to bleed again!"The lady
said,carefully laying him back down."My name is Ontopia."Sephiroth smiled and just stared at
her.Ontopia touched his forehead.Sephiroth felt a little shiver.She looked at him,smiling.
Sephiroth gasped a little when he saw a calender."How long was I....you know?"He asked.
"Oh,what was it?seven days?"She said dabbing a hand cloth in a bowl full of water.Sephiroth
looked at the ceiling.Ontopia put the wet cloth on his forehead."We thought you would never
wake up."She said,moving a lose strand of hair from her face,putting it behind her ear.
Sephiroth shuddered,looked at her and said:"We?"She looked away and picked up a photo.On the
photo,there were a little girl,a lion/dog thing and Ontopia."Is that YOUR kid?"Sephiroth
immediatly bit his lip from his rudeness.Ontopia laughed and said:"Oh no!Not mine:she is my
halfsister!"Sephiroth smiled and pointed at the animal "Who's this little guy?"Ontopia looked
at the picture and said:"Oh,thats Leo!"Sephiroth's smile vanished.:"Is he here now?"Ontopia
looked back at him "Sure he is,"She turned her head to a door then:"Le---o--!"Leo padded in and
sat."Yes?Is he--He is awake!"The lion yelped."You can talk!?"Sephiroth said,regreting his
actions.Ontopia looked back at him and said:"I said:don't sit up."She laid him back down and
tended to his wounds."Now look!Its open again!"His right shoulder started to bleed.Ontopia
did not get angry,frusterated or annoyed.Just scared.Sephiroth thought of his childhood,how
no one cared for him.Ontopia double wrapped his shoulder and carefully lay it down."Did a girl
named Jane come here?"Seph asked,looking at his shoulder."Uuum...no,but a girl named Tinja
did."
Ontopia said standing up."Well I better go.Goodnight Sephiroth."She said,turning off the light.
"'night...Ontopia."He said closing his eyes.How does she know my name?He thought,falling asleep.
"Uuh...uh"Jane groaned turning over.She fell off the bed.The gunman looked up from a recipe
book he was looking at.Jane stood up looking around.She looked at the casually dressed man.
At first,she did not reconize him.He smiled,put down the book and said:"Good morning."
She smiled and said:"Same to you.By any chance,could you....tell me where I am...?"her voice
trailed off and she widened her eyes:He has a claw!The man was curious:"What's wrong?"He
asked,
leaning on the kitchen counter.Jane looked up from his claw and stared at him for a minute,
"CLAW BOY!"She yelled,backing into the bed.She then saw the 'claw boy' charging towards her.
Jane
guarded her face with her hands and prepared for a full force blow.Then,when she realized that
he would have already collided with her,she looked behind her.There he was,holding an antique
vase.Obviosly,when she banged into the bed the vase was going to fall."Phew.Now that was a
close
one!"He said,putting the vase back in its rightful place.Jane was angry at herself for doubting
the man"Sorry about that."She said,looking away."Oh don't worry about it.How d'you get here
anyways?"He said,rummaging through cupboard.Jane raised an eyebrow and said:"Wasn't it YOU
who took me here?"The man stopped looking and looked at her."Huh?"He said tilting his head
forward slightly."No.Or at least I..don't remember."He said suddenly deep in thought."Im Vincent.
nice to meet you,uh...?"He said reaching his claw out."Jane.Nice to meet you...Vincent."She said,
looking at his claw awkwardly.Vincent looked at it to."Oh sorry about that!sometimes I forget.
I haven't had company for a while!"He said,pulling back his claw and scratching the back of
his head in embarassment.Then he put his gloved hand out.Jane gladly shook it heartily."Oh!
Please excuse my rudeness!Would you like to sit down?"He asked pulling out a chair."Why thank
you.You are very kind."She said sitting down.Vincent sat down across from her and suddenly
stood
up.He walked over to the stove and pulled a pan off.Jane looked at the claw holding the pan
uneasily.The sharp bronze sharp finger like claws at the end of the bronze arm,ending at his left
shoulder.Vincent put three pancakes on her plate and three on his aswell.Jane remembered the
claw
grabbing hold of her childhood friends collar.Jane asked again,looking at his face:"Where...is my
friend?"Vincent sat down in his chair."I don't know what you mean."He said,picking up his fork
with his claw.He is even more polite then Sephiroth is.And he has a claw!Jane noted.Jane watched
his claw move perfectly normal.The way he held his fork was normal.She looked up and noticed
he
was watching her.He smiled at her.She never felt more embarassed in her life!She quickly picked
up her fork and knife.Jane slowly looked at Vincent,who was eating quietly.Seph was never quiet
either.When they were nearly finished,Jane once more said:"Why did you take me here?"Vincent
looked like he remembered something and frowned."Was I violent?Did anyone get hurt?"He
asked.
Jane was irratated.She put her hands on her hips and said rudely:"You mean you can't remember?
Anybody would remember ALMOST killing somone's best friend!"Then right after she realized
how she
was acting she touched his left shoulder.It was cold on the arm-like metal.But as soon as she
touched it,she felt a hint of warmth underneath."I'm sorry.It's just...me and Seph go way back."
She said looking at her feet."Seph?Is that...the silver-haired man?"Vincent said looking at her
face through her hair."I found him 7 days ago.I asked Ontopia to take care of him.He was in
critical condition!"Jane found the '7 days ago' interesting."7 days ago?"She asked,looking at him
worriedly."Huh?Oh yeah!You were sleepin for a while there!"He said standing beside her."Did you
...ya'know...KILL Sephiroth?"She asked hoping for the best.Vincent remembered something again.
He quietly sat down whispering something like 'Chaos'Jane asked"Who's Chaos?"Vincent looked
away.
"It's what I don't like about lil'ol'me."He looked back at her.
Sephiroth opened his eyes yet again at a womans face.The girl lept back off the bed."Geez!
Its alive!"She screamed.Sephiroth watched the girl set down her basket."Im Tinja!"She yelped
staring at him uncomfortably.Tinja looked at his shoulder."Looks like its healed a bit.Can ya'
move it?"She asked,ignoring him again."I don't know."He said quietly."What dont ya'know?"She
searched for something on a shelf.Sephiroth touched his forehead with his left arm.He was
surprised with the thickly rapped wrist that drie blood showed its self."You.And were I am.Were
Jane is."He said,suddenly remembering Jane."Jane ya say?The one with that freak?"Tinja said,
giving up what she was looking for and sitting in a chair next to the door."Freak?Who?"Sephiroth
asked."Vincent."She said simply while dabbing her forehead with a towel.Then,to make it worse,
Tinja said:"He's vicious.I doubt she's even alive."She smirked self assuredly.Seph closed his
eyes.Suddenly,Sephiroth,being the 'smart guy' he is,shot up startling the girl."Vicious?Doubt?"
He asked.Tinja picked up her basket and held it to him.She slumped forward when Seph's
expression
didn't change."Don't worry 'bout her.She'll be fine."
A girl was screaming.Cloud knew he shouldn't interfere but he heard rumors of this 'Vincent'
guy.He quickly opened the door to the backyard.To his surprise,he saw the girl was having fun.
The part that bugged him was:Vincent was with her.He decided to leave the two alone.Just as he
was about to close the door:Somebody pushed him.Vincent and Jane looked at Cloud and the two
others.Cloud waved and looked at the two people.Oh no He thought.It was spoiled bossy no good
vice presedent Rufus.Great.And his arrogant self indulged ignorant drunken follower:Reno.
Suddenly,a familiar figure tagged up to them.Cloud was relieved.It was Rufus' twin:Rin.Other
than their looks,Rufus and Rin were complete opposites.Rin was always faithful nice and full of
virtue.He let his brother be the one who got to be president.Their other difference was Rin had
emerald eyes and Rufus had one blue and a fake eye which was silver.KRin was gladly tagging
along because his brother told him to.Cloud turned back and waved to Vincent.Vincent just
looked
at him.Cloud looked back at the bunch.He noticed Rin trying to see over the other two.When
Rufus
elbowed Rin,he didn't get angry.He just waved to Cloud.Cloud smiled back.Later on,after talking,
Rin opened his mouth to talk but his 'brother' started talking.Cloud looked at Rin.All Rin did
was smile and wave quietly."Hi people.What is everybody doing here?"Vince asked."I had this
letter for you.Its from your old boss:Dojie."He handed him the letter.Jane instantly froze when
she heard that name."Dojie?"She stopped having fun and sprinted to Vincent."Yeah.The shipping
president.I heard he has the money on the labs."Vincent said,expertly opening the letter with his
claw."Hojo?"Jane asked."Yup.And another few people."He said scimming the note."I hate those
Freaks!"Cloud yelped.Vincent bit his lip and looked at his claw.Rufus,noticing this,said:"Yeah.
I think we ALL hate those FREAKS!"He smirked self assuredly.Cloud and Rufus started talking.
Reno
watched them insult each other in amusment.Rin stepped up to Vincent and patted him on the
back.
"Don't worry Vincent:Your not a freak and Besides:We will always be your
friends!"Vincent smiled at Rin in response.Jane read the letter over and over."No.No!He can't
get us back!He won't!"She cried.
"Dojie!I've gotten rid of Robert."The guard saluted,shaking off fear.Blood was all over
his suit."Did you send Sir Vincent Valentine his letter?"Dojie asked.The guard looked around
nervously.He squeezed the blood out of his glove and answered:"N-no sir.I don't beleive we did."
He answered.BANG!!Dead too.Fresh blood poured on his uniform,staining the navy blue shirt to
black.Another guard ran in."Sir!His family can sue you!"He said."Tell his family a war broke out.
NOW!!!"Dojie yelled.The guard winced."I-Its not my job sir."The guard confessed."Oh.of course its
not GARRET!You don't HAVE a job!Your fired!"Dojie yelled.The guard ran out.
"Oh...But I thought you were Ricky!"Seph joked to the young twins Ricky and Leif.
"Hahaha!No!I am Leif!"Leif laughed."Oooh!"Sephiroth smiled."I want to do that one!"Ricky yelled,
grabbing a certain dish out of Sephs hand."Why?Is it special?"He asked carrying on with the
dishes."Yeah.Its Leo's.Most of these are."Ricky started scrubbing it.Sephiroth let go of the
dishes and looked at Ricky:"Ew!You mean your DOG eats off'a these?!"Leif started laughing.
"He isn't our DOG silly!He is a childhood friend of Ontopia!"He kicked around his soccer ball.
"Oh."Seph said slowly.A small wind blew Leifs red hair.
"So basically Chaos is a monster that takes over your body when you say a word?"Jane asked
leaning on her elbow."Word,scene,sorrow,rememberance,I can't name them all."Vincent slowed down
the swing."So you have to be quiet and try not to think?"She stood."Sort of...Only with a full
moon."He looked at the sawdust covered ground."Oh..."Jane said in response.Vincent looked at
her cheerfully:"So:how's about we go to the park?"He smiled."You live near a park!?"Jane smiled.
"Yeah..."Vincent stared at his feet.
"So...you wan't us to...kill sephi--" "yes"Dojie cut off."But sir...how will I-I mean..."
"Don't question just do it!"dojie yelled."Y-yes sir"they carried on there conversation.Valentine,
vincents brother,smirked outside of Dojie's office in the hall.He saw
their sillohettes and heard their conversation but remained silent.That was his way.His crimson
eyes flickered in the dark.it was now after hours.probably 11:30 pm.Val walked by the door and
proceded through the hall.His hand and claw arm clasped behind his back.In the lab;his usual
dwelling,he leaned over a desk and blew his short hair out of his eyes.He was a quiet man.
caring only for himself.Arrogant and not the most social man you would know,but still well kept.
When he first started to work for Dojie he was excited,outgoing,and,one
would say:Happy-go-lucky.
Then,there was Jenova.Ethan James Hojo and he himself:James Jonathan Valentine became so
into
the project that people started talking about them.He had fell apart when he heard and the
young
scientist grew mean and his self esteem fell to a zero.He cared for
no one.He held the syringe of poison awkwardly in his claws.It was full.He injected it succesfully
into his 'left' arm.A security guard came in and yelled from the doorway:"Hey,Valentine!What are
you doing!?"Valentine dropped the syringe on the floor and leaned on the desk behind him.
"Becoming the--I mean,"He bowed slightly in false respect,"Fighting off the Galian beast;Chaos."
"Oh.Okay."the man left.Valentine smiled showing his fangs."If only they knew."It was a full moon.
Val dissapeared into the night through the large window.
The sound of a leaking faucet was it?No.It was something else.Something far to farmiliar
to him.Sephiroth knew where he was.Not how he got there.Then he opened his eyes.He was in a water
shrine.The blue aura forming around the alter beneath him.The patterns of water adorned the
floor as there were no walls.There were posts sticking out of the water surrounding the alter like
stepping stones.The ancient castle just right of him,broken posts in all.As the glass mirror-like
steps led from inside the castle house up to as far as the eye couls see.There was no ceiling
in the position.It was just blue as far as far itself.The dripping continued.In the surrounding
crystaline water,at the very bottom,there were broken ancient posts and rubble.It did not affect
the pure water.Suddenly,he felt he had no control over himself as he slowly dropped down.As if
meaning to drop to the alter below.He looked down.Ontopia was praying there.His sword drawn.
He dropped farther.Suddenly,as the the sword tip just touched the back of her dress,everything
went black.The sound of dripping was still heard.Then it changed.He was in more pure water.
A deep
ocean to be more exact.Ahead of him he saw a huge iceburg.The water was black.It was night.
He swam towards it and climbed up.He felt pain as he tried to climb.As if he had just undergone
an important battle.The ledge he was holding onto gave way and he fell in the ocean.His strength
had vanished as his energy did.He sunk down.He left his eyes opened and saw the large bottom
of the iceburg.He looked down and saw it go on forever.A while of sinking Sephiroth opened his
eyes unnexpectedly.He wasn't controlling himself.The ocean was floresent green.White spirits
of dead people roamed about ignoring him.Then he heard a voice."Why"it pleaded.That voice...
Ontopia?"'Why' it pleaded.But Seph couldn't answer.He couldn't breathe.Ontopia's face appeared
"why"then it showed Sephiroth lunging down at her.He felt he couldn't breath.He was choking.
Ontopia's face mutilated into a monster.It choked him until he couldn't stand it.But he couldn't
control himself.Something-Someone was holding him back...Someone...
"Ah...Dojie?Sir?Alls clear cept' that Valentine guy...He really freaks me out man..."The
same security guard said in Dojie's office."Good.I need to speak to him.Go get him."The guard,
not wanting to get on Dojie's bad side saluted and scurried off.Two other soldiers came in,
one holding his helmet and the other fidgeting.It was the 1st class soldiers Zac and Mat.
"Uh...S-sir...D-dojie?"The one elbowed the other and telling them to ask.Mat was pushed forward
and spoke up."I wa-we were wondering...if-y'know-we could take awhile off...?"His face showed
pure terror."No.And get out before you meet my friend 'G U N'!! Now
get out!"The two scurried out.They knew when they pushed the limit.
"Dum de dum...hello...?"The guard called from the echoing hallway.He stopped at the doorway.
"Valentine?"He called.He looked in horror at the window shards."Now I have to pay for that!?"
"I don't...ah think that um you'll be to happy with what happened to that silver haired man,
because-um-he-he..."Tinja looked worried"Well out with it!"Ontopia scolded."He's....not waking
up and-but he's breathin' fine..."Ontopia's eyes grew wide"Won't wake up?"She stared blankly at
Tinja."Nope..."
The flashes of old memories flew about him.One of which he would've loved to avoid.When
he was in the shipping company,awhile back he met this...boy.He was a young soldier,Kit was his
name.He trusted Sephiroth even more than his own family.It happened on a rainy night.Kit had
tripped and fallen almost off a cliff and Seph just watched.Kit pleaded for him to help but
it was Sephiroth's mission to kill off Kit.He had been standing there,in the rain,with someone
dangling from a tree root.The ocean waves were crashing against the rocks below.Kit called up
to him once more before he fell to the stormy ocean below.
Gunshot.At least that is what James thought it was.He stopped leaping.He looked down from
the roof tops.His catlike nose sniffed the air.He smelt human.His ears lowered and he held
back a snarl.He lept to another roof and pin-pointed the sound.It was from below.James looked
down to
see Professor Ethan Hojo's son.He couldn't keep back the snarl this time.He lowered his ears
and made a low growl.A noise was heard below.He stopped and listened.There was someone
with him. It was an important looking man around the age of forty.James listened intently.
It was a cold night.The silver full moon shone down."Well I told you no!Now leave before I blow
your brains
out sunny!"Sunny held his ground.The sound of a gun being loaded was heard.Kage thought it
best to leave them alone.He started away.He winced when he heard gunshot followed by a
man's yell. He continued to leap.A flash of a lady with golden hair and a warm smile came across
James' mind."Reis..."He thought.
Ontopia kept repeating things like 'its going to be alright' to herself.She rewet the hand
cloth and put it on his forehead.A flash of a lady with golden curls blue eyes and a sweet smile
flashed through her mind for a split second."W-what?That lady...is she...?"Ontopia was confused.
Tinja looked up from the shelf."Say what?"She looked as if hiding something behind her back.A
materia orb fell behind her."Ahehehe...I wonder where that came from..."Then two or three fell.
Ontopia continued to tend to Sephiroth's limp body.Tinja picked up the orbs embarrassed.
"Wait!"Jane called.Vincent ran ahead of her on the bushy trail with ease.Then he lept above
onto the tree-tops."Hey!No fair!"Jane called looking up."Oh all right."Vincent hopped back.
"So when do you think we will look for that friend of yours?"They treked on."Oh Sephiroth...Yeah
I think I am going to set off tomorow."Vincent remained silent and continued on walking.
"Oh don't be jealous vinnie!"Jane smiled and kicked forward."I'm not!I just..."
It was a lullaby.Hush little baby.Sephiroth remembers a lady cradling him in her arms.No,that
wasn't right.He didn't have parents.He was created.The lady looked familiar.He was passed over
to another person.This one was a man.Short black hair,crimson eyes.The lullaby was only a hum
now.No longer words.The man looked unhappy.He looked over at the lady without a word.
The world wen't black.
"Dojie I don't think you will like this but-"The guard burst through the door."Another
resistance group?A helpless band of theives?A broken sewer pipe?I don't need these burdens
just tell me where Valentine is!!"The guard paused."Well no sir.It is Valentine sir...he...broke the
window..."Dojie glared at the guard "I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE WINDOW!!WHERE IS VALEN-"
"You called Dojie?"The figure leaning against the door frame."Valentine.I've been expecting you."
a smirk appeared on Dojie's face."Yes and,might I ask,what for?"Valentines lips curled up into
a sinister smile.He limped up to Dojie.The female behind Dojie reacted suddenly."Professor are
you alright?"She offered her hand but he refused."What happened?"He merely waved his hand in
dismissal of the subject."The plans of getting the labs up."Val smiled again.He once again bowed
in false respect."And about that window-"Val sighed"Yes yes I will get that cleaned up as soon
as possible."The guard smiled thinking his mission was completed."Why,what happened to the
window?"The female questioned."The window smashed from a small explosion of an experiment
and I cut myself on the foot-"He winced and held his shoulder."And shoulder on the shards.I
wen't to go clean them up and thats why you couldn't find me."He pointed to the guard.His right
claw arm dangled beside him so he wouldn't hurt it.The guard nodded.Val limped out of the
office holding the document Dojie slipped him.
Sephiroth opened his eyes.Ontopia looked startled but smiled and hugged him."Oh your
awake!"Sephiroth blinked.She stood up and called the others.The
twins,Leo and Tinja appeared."The twins hopped up and down happily.Leo bowed politely.Tinja
quickly pulled her hand away from the materia orbs placed on the shelf and smiled innocently.
Jane smiled looking into the fish tank."Whats his name?"She pointed to the green fish with
blue scales."Vincent.Vincent!?"She turned on her heels and looked at the black figure curled
up on the bed."Vincent?Whats wrong?"She walked a few steps forward and stopped.He briefly
glanced at her and returned looking out the sun reflective window."Of course you won't say
a thing?"She asked.Though it wasn't a question,more of an answer.No reply."Vincent?"He sighed
and continued staring out at the nothingness."If it's about me going out to find Sephiroth you
can come.It's not like we're boyfriend and g-"
"It's not like that."Vincent finally spoke.He didn't look at her though.Kept looking out the window.
"What is it then?If not that then what?"Jane broke in."It's the labs...They have their money on the
labs..."He glanced at her sadly,as if to see her reaction."Yeah I know.He won't get us back."She
seemed perfectly calm."It's not that,it's..."He sighed and sat up grabbing a family album off the
shelf.Jane walked over as he opened it.He opened it to a picture with a man that had crimson
eyes of his own and black as night hair."Is that you?"She pointed."No.That is my brother."Jane
thought he looked like someone else.She thought.Vincent looked at her face and saw pure
horror written all over it."This is:James Jonathan Valentine."Vincent and Jane both said together.
"You know him?"Vincent asked."The cold hearted scientist who always did tests on us?Injected
us with all sorts of chemicals?How could I forget?"She closed the album."He had red eyes and a
claw too Vincent.Why so similar?"Vincent put the album back on the shelf."He...lost his arm in
a certain accident...Jenova...cells....made his eyes red."She looked in his blood red eyes."It's a
long story..."
"Try me..."
Valentine limped through the hallway.He heard clicking footsteps on the hard carpet.
Turning on his heels he met the face of the woman in the office.He smiled tiredly."Kathryn,how
are you tonight?Your looking awfully pretty!"She smiled at the false suck ups(though she didn't
know they weren't true)"Actually I was just going to call it a night!"She saw him wince as he lifted
his claw arm up."Does it hurt that bad?Let me come with you.Or,better yet lets go to the medical
room."She knew he would refuse so she just pulled him by the left arm-the unhurt one-to the
medical room.
"No really,its not that bad!"He sat on the examining table.Kathryn removed his bloody lab
coat.She placed it on the ground and rolled up his sleeve.Val winced as she neared the gash.
"A shard of glass eh?"She looked at the large wound on his shoulder.If she looked closer she
could see shattered bone."Well,I say.Some deadly window glass we have here."
"Okay,okay.So it wasn't glass."Val admitted."It looks like your bone is shattered.What really
happened?"Kathryn was dissapointed to hear only the clock ticking.She tightly wrapped his
shoulder in bandages."Okay.The only thing i'm worried about is that shoulder
of yours.Promise me you'll get a proffessional to look at it tomorrow?" Val hesitated for a
moment."Okay..."He finally gave in."So...What really happened?"She sat beside him on the table.
Silence.
"You mean he STILL hasn't moved?"Tinja blurted over the phone.She sighed and continued
pacing the hallways of her apartment.(over the phone)"I know isn't it weird?No talking or moving?
I don't know whats wrong with him."Tinja sat on her couch."You wan't me to come over?...Are
you sure you don't need help?I'm coming over anyways.Okay...bye."Then,with that she packed
up her bag and set for Ontopia's house.
Deep into his thoughts.Closer.Was that a glimpse of a human?No.Ontopia always thought
she'd see human pictures in his mind.Nothing.Unless he was sleeping.She opened her eyes.No.
He was awake allright.He lay in bed,emerald eyes shining.Not moving a muscle.Not saying a
word."Sephiroth..."Ontopia pushed a strand of his long silky silver hair from his face.His eyes
met hers.She closed her eyes and prayed he would talk or move.She sighed when she was
finished and walked out of the room for more water.Tinja's voice was heard talking to Ontopia.
She walked in with a bowl of water and a hand cloth getting it wet.Sephiroth just closed his eyes.
"So what do you think?"Vincent turned away."Well...I've heard longer."Jane hesitated.
It was quiet for awhile.Jane smiled but he looked at the ground."I'm going to go look for
Sephiroth.Are you coming?"Vincent was the one to hesitate now."Sure.If,we meet Jimmy I will
get my revenge."
The moon had a hypnotizing effect on those who let themselves be taken in by it.
Reno was one of the lucky few that let it wash over him.He stood on the balcony adioning his
luxurious if messy apartment in upper Midgar.Leaning out into the night and staring at the moon
He could almost forget his many troubles for once.It was tempting to lean further.Even farther
still,and slip."accidentally,"of course.Oh,poor Reno.He probably just drunkenly stumbled out,As
usual,and tripped.Fell.Was gone.
He wondered if anyone would miss him.Giving a short laugh,he removed his ever present
glasses from his face and put one of the earpeices in his mouth reflectively.'Drunkenly stumbled
out,'was exactly what they would say.Is that all anyone ever thought of him?He was just a jerk,
who would make mean comments to anyone who spoke to him.They would counter back with
the accusation that he was a drunk,who would get mad and storm off,presumably to get drunk.
Or maybe he just came out here to think.Reno kept a shell around him,but it wasn't for
his job.It wasn't for the protection of the world,so he could go out and kill heartlessly.
It was for his own protection.Underneath the shell lurked a man who had seen too
much.His past,god,his past.He had grown up in the slums,seen it all.By the time he was 13,he
had seen more than most grown men.He had always been afraid of it.Not afraid of what lay
ahead,but afraid of what lay behind..For some reason the notion that his shell might crack
meandered around in the back of his mind.
And when it did,his past would seep out,and he would be weak.In the end,he always
knew his past would be the death of him.And he was deathly frightened.He had never spoken
of his past to anyone,not even Rude,except in small snippets.Most knew he had grown up in
midgar,in the slums,but that was all they knew,for that was all he allowed them to know.Once
or twice he had hinted to Rude about bits of growing up,but Rude had never been one to prod,
and seemed either content or disinterested with any information about the former life of his
best friend.
It seemed odd,calling Rude just a friend.he had known him since he had joined up
with the shipping company,over 8 years ago.8 years was a long time.He had thought of Rude
as a brother for awhile now.
Even Elena,who Reno constantly complained and argued with,was like a sister.He
joked with her frequently about having 'saved her butt more times than he could count,'But, he
admitted to himself,she had saved his numerous times as well.
Then there had been Tseng.In the family of the Turks,Tseng was the father.Reno
often remembered being unable to handle a situation,and telling Tseng of it.Instead of mocking
them,as the other members would have,Tseng listened and cared to help them.
The fellow Turks were a family,his family,the only one he had anymore.And he didn't
appreciate half of the things they did half as much as he should have.But in his own way,he did.
He knew in his heart that if the moment came,he would take a bullet for either one of them
without a second thought.The way he was,he probably deserved a bullet of theirs.
Again,the edge of the railing beckoned him...no.That was too easy,too cowardly,too...
stupid.Life was good.In his own weird way,he meant something.He had his 'family',they weren't
a normal family,but they cared about him,and if there was nothing else,there was that to cling to.
Without thinking he climbed up onto the railing of his balcony,stepping on the brick ledge on
the other side.He clung to the rail behind him for a moment,nervously,before letting go and
staring at the moon that entranced him earlier.
It was like the dealer in life's big poker game,and he had to be careful of which cards
he kept.If he wasn't he could be dealt a hand he could possibly play through.Reno glared up
at the moon,took his glasses out of his mouth and put them on,and stared it down."I'll stay..."
he whispered into the night.
~*~I owe you alot Sephiroth..Even though the others were with us,too,I think it was you
who helped me the most to understand myself..I guess it's funny that it turned out we had alot
in common anyway.
I never did understand how you could be so brave,and so selfless..You always put others
before yourself no matter what the circumstances..I always wanted to be like you.Trying to be
was hard,too..I was always afraid.I know now that I'd rather be myself..But I'd still like to think
I could be as strong as you,at least.
You mean alot to us all..i don't think I'll be able to see you again,though.I hope you do
return,someday..Everyone needs a place to call home,and you belong here with the people who
love you.
Without you,I don't I would've been strong enough to face dying..But know I am.Thanks to
you,Sephiroth,I'm not afraid anymore..Goodbye,my friend.My memories will be a part of the sky..
~*~Kit~*~
Sephiroth woke up in a start.It was dark.He couldn't lift his head.No control.All he could
do was open and close his eyes.A tear rolled down his cheek and onto his bare shoulder.And he
could cry.Ontopia came in the room.She turned on the light and sat on the bed."Sephiroth..."She
started calmly.He swallowed hard and looked her way.Her back was to him.Then turning around
she lifted him to a sitting position,the back of the bed supporting him."Please Sephiroth...say
something!Anything!"She cried on his chest.He tried to embrace her but his arms failed.He tried
to speak,tell her it was alright,but he couldn't open his mouth.He closed his emerald eyes as
tears rolled down his cheeks.She looked at him and sat up straight.He opened his confused eyes
and looked into her sad eyes."You don't know either.."He wished he could answer but he couldn't
move anything.Her eyes were so sad.He wished he could look away.He closed his eyes.
~it's all my fault..~Ontopia stood up,crying and left the room.Leaving a very confused young man
behind~What do I do..?~The door opened again and Tinja appeared."Are you gonna continue
with this?Cuz if you aren't tell me."She was obviously upset with the fact that Ontopia was crying.
"She has a thing for you,you know?You'd be good with her."She walked over to him and sat on
the bed beside him.Then,Tinja looked him in the face and stuck her tongue out at him.He wanted
to return the remark but...then he remembered the state he was in."But NOOooOO.You had to
go and make her cry!"Her expression softened when she saw a few tears escape his green eyes.
"Oh I'm sorry.It just makes me sad that she is sad and everyone is sad kinda makes me sad.You
get my drift?"Tinja even confused herself with all the big words that had just escaped her mouth.
Sephiroth blinked.Tinja sighed and pulled him down to a sleeping position.Sephiroth closed his
eyes.The doorbell rang,He opened his eyes.
.A female's voice was heard.No-wait a second-That was Jane's voice!
Sephiroth's eyes lit up.But,then his heart sank as he heard Tinja asking them to go away.He heard
Ontopia crying in the other room.He furrowed his brow.Wait.His eye brows shot up.~I can move!~
He lifted his arm to his feverish head.Then,sitting up,he tried to call out to Ontopia and Jane.
But,his voice didn't work.He stood up,wearing only pants,and ran to Ontopia's room.As he burst
in the door he saw the window was smashed and Ontopia was gone.He saw a letter on the bed
from someone.It wasn't from Ontopia.Tears formed in his eyes.He suddenly felt really dizzy.The
room was spinning.He looked back and saw Tinja at the doorway holding Jane back.Jane
screamed something out.He couldn't hear.He couldn't see.His legs gave way underneath him
and he fell to his knees.The deafness stopped.He heard Jane and felt her hands touch his back.
It felt like ages before he could see again.But when he could it was blurry.He tried to make out
the person infront of him.It was female...Ontopia?No.She had golden hair as this one is a
brunette.Jane?Yes.It was.He heard her soft feminine voice ring in his ears."Sephiroth?Can you
see me?"He nodded."How good?Your eyes don't looked focused.He nodded again.Jane sat back
in the chair she was sitting on.Sephiroth was sitting too.Tinja came.He knew it was her because
she had shorter hair.He felt her hand hold his.He stood up following her lead.She lay him on the
bed."You lay down here."She sat him on the bed.Sephiroth lay down.He heard water lapping in
a dish beside the bed.He felt cold drops fall on his face."Close your eyes."He did as told and
felt a cold wet cloth cover his eyes.Jane walked in the room."Sephiroth..Tinja...Tinja and I are
going to look for Ontopia..We think...We think..Dojie has her.."Sephiroth immediatly sat up,the
cloth falling on his lap to reveal a very serious expression."If you think your coming--"She was
cut off by Sephiroth's standing up."Well do you really think you can help us with your lack of
speech and sight?"Sephiroth looked at Tinja.Tinja looked at Jane."Well he is a good 10 levels
ahead of everyone.We could take him to see the optomitrist?"Jane hesitated."Oh allright.But I'm
not saying I won't make fun of you with your new glasses!"Sephiroth looked at his feet.
After a long visit waiting for the results,Sephiroth came to be permenantly half blind with
the sight of 20/800 vision.Closing his eyes,he shamefully walked out of the clinic with his new
glasses.Tinja teased him and Jane scolded her seemingly proud that she was actually on
Sephiroth's side for once.The walk seemed forever as they had no vehicle.After debating with
himself Sephiroth finally stepped onto the old cargo ship they were on before.He met a few of
the old buddies that secretly rebelled against Dojie.They worked with him,for the money
of course.Sephiroth waved the compliments and questions away as of his new looks deceived
most."Hey!It's Sephiroth!Hey like the new look man!"He smiled at the compliment.Jane told the
confused men of Sephiroth's loss of voice.One man even told her of the cure for a lost voice.
A man was selling them in Junon-exactly where they were.She thanked him and set out to
search.3 hours later she came back with the cure and an old friend."Sephiroth,this is Wip.Wip,this
is Sephiroth."They shook hands.The man was a bit familiar.A black man,a steady height of 6'2.
exactly 2 inches taller than Sephiroth.The unusual thing was,he had a gun grafted into his right
arm.The boat left about a little after lunch time the next day.Seph got his voice back.Though it
hurt to yell."Hey..aren't you the guy.."Wip started since he had finished his grilled cheese
sandwich before anyone even started.Sephiroth gave a gesture that showed he was listening by
raising his head slightly."Hey..is your last name.."
"Hunt?"Sephiroth added after swallowing his first bite."Yeah!That's it!The guy I punched in grade
10!"Sephiroth blushed behind the lenses of his glasses as Jane and Tinja laughed.Trying to cover
up for himself he added."Your last names Wallace right?The guy I humiliated infront of the whole
school?"Wip fumed under his moustache.
Later,they landed in a town with a huge building.Sephiroth put a brown cloak on with the
hood covering his face.That way other shippers will only see his mouth,and,occasionally the
glint of his glasses reflecting the light.Sephiroth walked into a room that seemed to go 5 storeys
high.The walls were shining a light silver,as his hair did.In awe he lifted the hood off his head
and looked up.His silver hair also reflecting the light of the walls.The lights were on really
giving the place a shining atmosphere.Men in white uniforms stood on the higher platforms
above him.He turned and looked up squinting.He saw in big letters 'The Shippers.'Sephiroth spat
at his sensitive eyes.It wasn't that bright.Actually over the minutes he felt his eyes get more
sensitive as he blinked.
Half an hour later he found it hard to look at anything.He was forced to keep his hood on.
He was getting dizzy from all the squinting he had to do from the brightness.Blinking back the
dizziness he pushed on,hopefully to find his way out of this building and to someone who could
help him.He hadn't been thinking I guess.Somehow he realized he was running.He had collided
with an important looking staff member.He was forced to close his eyes as his hood fell off.
Sephiroth quickly lifted it back over his head,still sitting on the cold floor.
The woman bent down and examined his face."Are you allright?"She lifted Sephiroth's hood back
off his face.Sephiroth closed his eyes and looked at the ground."Why are you sheilding you eyes?
You have beautiful eyes!"She held his shoulders."It's not that ma'am.It's my eyes,they are really
sensitive to the light.Especially now."Sephiroth closed his eyes tighter."They shouldn't be that
sensitive.Are you sure they are okay?"She made him face her and ordered him to open his eyes.
He did so resulting them to close instantly."C'mon,fight it."She demanded.Sephiroth took a deep
breath and opened his eyes.They were in pain and started to water from the light."Oh.Do you
know of this Dojie?"A fat man started to walk over.Sephiroth recoiled at the name and closed
his eyes backing away.He lept to his feet and took off blindly to the door.As he ran he lifted the
brown hood over his eyes.He slammed into the door and fell backwards.Ignoring the pain in
his wrist,Sephiroth stood and swiftly opened the door dashing out.That left the woman and
Dojie very confused.More the woman than Dojie.
Sephiroth stopped running and caught his breath.Suddenly feeling the pain in his
wrist,he fell to his knees.out of the few people in th crowd,Jane and Tinja ran up to him,arms full
of supplies.Tears fell to the sidewalk near the mall where Sephiroth sat."Sephiroth?"Jane
dropped the bags on the ground and crouched beside him."What's the matter?"She put a hand on
his shoulder.Then,with her free hand,she removed his hood to reveal beautiful long light silver
hair.He winced and closed his eyes,sheilding the light away from his vision."It's your eyes.Whats
wrong with them?"She demanded."They...hurt.I..I can't look at the light.They just got so sensitive
..I don't know why.....Jane.."Jane's look was solid in response.There was a long hesitation."..Jane..I
saw..I saw Dojie."Sephiroth's stammering baffled Tinja but Jane stood,expression serious."Then
we must go now."Tinja waited awhile before speaking."Um..couldn't we eat lunch..?I mean to
avoid any escaping we are gonna do?We don't even know where she is and Sephiroth is half
blind."She had somehow gotten the supplies that Jane had dropped on top of the things she was
carrying herself.Sephiroth took that as an insult and softened his expression.Then without a
word,lifted the hood over his hair and eyes.It was hard now to not cover them with the hood.
"I am not 'half blind,' and I think I can fend for myself."Sephiroth crossed his arms and loked
Jane's way."Well if you planning on coming with us,your gonna to have to be checked up by me."
Tinja retorted from behind the mask of supplies.He stood up and walked up to the rest
muttering regrets to himself for form.Everyone started walking to the house they had rented for
the team.Tinja stumbled,Jane walked swiftly to help her,and Sephiroth,holding his painful wrist.
Jane lowered the bags and held it,causing Sephiroth to wince."It's only a sprang."She freed the
and from her iron grip causing new tears to roll down his cheeks.He immediatly stopped crying
and caught up to the rest of the gang where as Wip was talking all of the new information he
had collected on his recent absense.
At the new place,it wasn't that much of a place,white wall paper with floral patterns,green
carpet,and then there was worse,Purple bed sheets.Sephiroth closed his eyes and sighed."Jane,
I mean c'mon!What were you thinking!?Purple bed sheets!?"He teased.Jane flopped onto the ever
present purple mass and smiled."I like purple."Wip walked into the bathroom."Yeah I'm guessing,
thats no lie."Sephiroth ran to the bathroom.To Jane's amusement of Sephiroth's hatred to
purple,and Sephiroth's despair.The bathroom was purple too.
After a long debate,Jane was pushed into making the guys-and Tinja,lunch.Sephiroth was
feelind underappreciated with the fact that his whole room was purple.Tracing his last memories
of being presented the room,he heard Jane's exact words,'I picked it out just for you,'Sephiroth
had been nice about it.He even said he might stay in it once.Jane had gotten mad and locked
him in there to his horror.Suddenly,his hooded eyes saw something valueble.The room key.He
had snatched it off the wall where it hang and unlocked the door."Sephiroth that is rude.Take
your hood off now!"Jane was playing mommy to Sephiroth and he didn't like being embarrassed.
He smirked."You know very well why I where this hood,and know the consequences."He felt sure
he got her this time.But,he never was one for 'getting her,'.She had swiftly walked up to him and
removed it,causing him to wince and back into the shadows,placing his hood back on.Jane saw
his actions and immediatly felt that she was getting too mean,and,sort of happy,that he could
put up with her.She didn't know,however,that he knew she was just showing off.Tinja piped up
after lunch was setted infront of her,"You know what bothers me about you two?"Sephiroth
sighed and ducked farther into the shadows.His eyes were getting even more sensitive."Its that
even after you thought the other one was dead,and then were reunited,you didn't greet each
other friendly,no'hello'or'I thought you were dead',no pat on the back for,'a job well done'.Just,
'we have to find Dojie'."Wip chuckled at the supposedly serious remark.Sephiroth's expression
softened."We have to keep our feelings hidden.And be mean to one another so if the other dies,
we could carry on without loss,and always remember the bad things."He pulled his hood over
his eyes so you could only see his mouth and nose.He smiled and stepped out of the darkness.
"Well,no offence but I think that is DUMB."Tinja replied,just having finished her soup."Wel thats
what you think,and I didn't invite you to criticize me.You came on your own.Respect that."He
refused lunch and sat on the couch,beside Wip.Wip acted as though he didn't hear the last part
of the conversation and pushed Tinja's rematk further."Yeah,doesn't,'absense make the heart
grow fonder.'apply to everyone?"Sephiroth spat at the continuation of the dissmissed fact.
"Sephiroth,you really should eat more.Your getting too skinny!"Jane admonished poking his small
stomach.
Later,Jane turned off all of the lights and slowly removed Sephiroths hood.It was still too
bright for him,even with the windows and glass doors covered.Even with all the lights in the
house turned off.He winced and closed his eyes falling to the couch.Jane lightly called Tinja to
the room.Tinja came in."No no,Jane,we're going to have to have the lights on."She switched all
of them on and opened the curtains.Sephiroth's tears rolled onto the cloak.Jane held his chin and
pulled him to face her."Open your eyes Sephiroth."She ordered.Sephiroth shook his head."Fight
it Sephiroth.Fight it for Ontopia."Sephiroth hesitated.Then,he opened his eyes.Tinja quickly
checked to see if there was anything wrong.Then after a long search,he closed his sensitive eyes.
"Did you see anything?"Jane asked letting go of his chin."No.I don't see any thing wrong.Maybe its
his glasses and he is just getting used to them."Jane debated for awhile.Then she weighed her
options.Bring Sephiroth to get looked at,or leave him here as they go for Ontopia.The choice was
simple.Get him looked at!
Sephiroth semmed embarassed with all the attention from old friends asking him what
was wrong.Sephiroth had to be leaded literrally by the hand to get anywhere.He couldn't open
his eyes.The doctor said she didn't see anything wrong and wondered why this may be happening
to such a nice boy.Sephiroth laughed and told her he wasn't a boy,he was 21 years old!The
doctor said she was sorry.He looked young for his age.'I thought he was just tall for his age'she
had said.And as everyone did,flirted with him complimenting his nice features and oh-don't
forget the beautiful eyes.But,he still came out empty handed and hooded,shamefully regretted
the things it put the others through.Jane remarked that he would stay behind,but Sephiroth had
refused to let the three go without him.They walked through the big mall and were almost at
the other side.Sephiroth occasionally grateful that Tinja just HAD to go into almost every store.
He would sit on the bench and hold his acheing wrist.He had found that it felt worse than a
sprang,but Jane said it was because he was 'over using it,'.Jane saw him wincing as he tried to
move it and walked over to him and put her hands on her hips."It really bothers you huh?"She
asked knowing the answer."Yea.."He winced at the sudden light to his eyes."Lets carry on."