Chapter One: Reaching Through the Cold
Sharp blue eyes snapped open and suspiciously surveyed their surroundings. He could not remember much, only the never-ending green on the Lifestream.but it was so cold here. Where am I? All around him was debris and darkness, nothing looked even vaguely familiar. He slowly got to his feet, noting how much his body ached. He looked down at himself and was shocked to see his once-tidy apparel ripped and scorched beyond recognition. A quick look over revealed that his body was unharmed, and despite the aching, he felt perfectly fine. Remember. I must remember.
A loud noise snapped him out of his thoughts and he intently searched for the owner. Somewhere from behind he could hear the shuffling of footsteps, but couldn't turn around in time to feel a prick below his neck. Instantly his body started to feel heavy and it was a struggle to keep his eyes open. He dizzily spun around, only to be met with malicious yellow eyes. A hint of insanity danced in them and he saw them crinkle in laughter.
"He, he, he. My, my, look who's up and about. I'm sad to say that you've been most unfortunate at having been found by me. I will not give you the easy life you had before, you spoiled brat!"
Danger rang in the young man's ears but he couldn't move.it was becoming a losing battle between will and flesh. No! You must stay awake! He tried to push his assailant aside but ended up leaning on him for support. Slowly he could feel his body start to shut down, darkness finally claiming him.
Cold beady eyes glinted hungrily at the man slumped on the floor. Soon, he could begin his research using this healthy male specimen. He rubbed his long fingers together in a maniacal fashion, anticipation coursing through his body.
"Hojo! Just what is so damn funny?"
The scientist couldn't help but give an animalistic sneer, yet when he turned around all traces of it were tucked away, replaced by a forced smile. "Ah, President Shinra, I was wondering where you were. I have found-something-that may be of great interest to you. Meet my newest lab rat."
Hojo snickered and stepped aside for the ex-President to see. The once- great leader of Shinra Corp. stepped into the moonlight and observed the body on the ground. A hint of recognition crossed his cold brown eyes but he revealed no other emotion.
"Hm. I see you've found my son, Rufus. Isn't he supposed to be dead?"
Hojo grinned. "Oh yes. But so are you, sir. Yet it seems that the odds are in our favor." He picked up Rufus from the dirty ground and slung him over his scrawny shoulders. "It seems that the affects of Meteor and Holy's battle has left the Planet, as well as the Lifestream, in much confusion. As a result, some souls have been ripped away from the Lifestream, such as you, me and our new specimen here." Hojo patted Rufus' leg. "With no place to go, they wander back to their physical bodies; call it a second chance."
President Shinra nodded his head and rubbed his broad chin thoughtfully. "Yes, I see. Tell me, did you see anything of interest while in the Lifestream? Anything of the Promised Land?" a note of hunger crept in his voice.
Hojo's feet shuffled against the cold concrete floor, echoing throughout the desolate building. "Heh. I do not recall much of what happened in the Lifestream. My time there was brief and.confusing."
"I see, I see. I, on the other hand, learned that the Promised Land is not on the Planet, but in the Planet; more specifically in the Lifestream. With this newfound information I plan to harvest it and make the Promised Land part of Shinra property. Can you imagine the wealth that it would gain us?" greed and anticipation dripped from his voice. "But first, I must re-claim my position as President." He looked at the figure slung across Hojo's shoulders, "only God knows how horrible of a job my offspring was doing."
The deranged scientist threw back his head and cackled. "Ah, do not worry about the boy, I will make sure to keep him out of your way. Besides, I think he'll be too busy in the lab to be of much use."
The President nodded his head and a hint of a smile touched his thin lips. "Yes, I agree."
*~*~*~*
I know! I know where I came from, what I did, what I am.and I repent. I was blinded by her lies.that monster! Yet I was so weak and I believed her. How could I have let her kill all those innocent people? How could I have let her use me to try and destroy the Planet? How could I?! So now, I repent.do you hear? I repent!
"I repent!" his voice echoed throughout, sounding hollowed and lonely. The volume of it startled him. A continuous cold wind blew in from somewhere causing him to shiver violently, but he knew it wasn't the wind alone that was giving him chills. He propped himself up on his elbows and rubbed his temple.gods, his head throbbed. He surveyed his sullen surroundings, confused. He was definitely not in the Lifestream.that was a given. He couldn't understand what he was doing in such a dark and forlorn place- punishment, perhaps? Banishment from the Lifestream? Feasible.
It was a vast cave, dank and cold, sunlight filtered in through the entrance but it was not warm.it didn't seem to penetrate the blackness of the cave. How did he get here? He pushed himself up to a sitting position, his hand hitting something long and cold. It clattered against the stone floor as he picked it up and observed it in the sunlight.Masamune. He felt a little more secure as he gripped it in his gloved hand-the only familiar object amidst the sea of confusion. Why am I here? Is this my punishment for all the lives I've taken? If it was, then he would have to accept it.he deserved it.
Another cold wind blew in the cave, screaming around him in a hail of bitterness and snow that stung his face. His silver hair fanned out and around him, whipping uncontrollably. He had to escape this desolate cave, if the bitter wind didn't kill him, the depressive environment would.
He sheathed his long sword and cautiously walked out of the cave on shaky legs. His body felt weak and out of shape.never had he felt so tired. Outside, whirlwinds of snow tornadoed around him.a screen of pure white. He hardened his gaze, cunning green eyes filled with determination. If his body wasn't up for the challenging journey, then it was up to his mind and will to carry him through. Steadily he walked into the cascade of snow, losing himself to his inward reveries.
Sharp blue eyes snapped open and suspiciously surveyed their surroundings. He could not remember much, only the never-ending green on the Lifestream.but it was so cold here. Where am I? All around him was debris and darkness, nothing looked even vaguely familiar. He slowly got to his feet, noting how much his body ached. He looked down at himself and was shocked to see his once-tidy apparel ripped and scorched beyond recognition. A quick look over revealed that his body was unharmed, and despite the aching, he felt perfectly fine. Remember. I must remember.
A loud noise snapped him out of his thoughts and he intently searched for the owner. Somewhere from behind he could hear the shuffling of footsteps, but couldn't turn around in time to feel a prick below his neck. Instantly his body started to feel heavy and it was a struggle to keep his eyes open. He dizzily spun around, only to be met with malicious yellow eyes. A hint of insanity danced in them and he saw them crinkle in laughter.
"He, he, he. My, my, look who's up and about. I'm sad to say that you've been most unfortunate at having been found by me. I will not give you the easy life you had before, you spoiled brat!"
Danger rang in the young man's ears but he couldn't move.it was becoming a losing battle between will and flesh. No! You must stay awake! He tried to push his assailant aside but ended up leaning on him for support. Slowly he could feel his body start to shut down, darkness finally claiming him.
Cold beady eyes glinted hungrily at the man slumped on the floor. Soon, he could begin his research using this healthy male specimen. He rubbed his long fingers together in a maniacal fashion, anticipation coursing through his body.
"Hojo! Just what is so damn funny?"
The scientist couldn't help but give an animalistic sneer, yet when he turned around all traces of it were tucked away, replaced by a forced smile. "Ah, President Shinra, I was wondering where you were. I have found-something-that may be of great interest to you. Meet my newest lab rat."
Hojo snickered and stepped aside for the ex-President to see. The once- great leader of Shinra Corp. stepped into the moonlight and observed the body on the ground. A hint of recognition crossed his cold brown eyes but he revealed no other emotion.
"Hm. I see you've found my son, Rufus. Isn't he supposed to be dead?"
Hojo grinned. "Oh yes. But so are you, sir. Yet it seems that the odds are in our favor." He picked up Rufus from the dirty ground and slung him over his scrawny shoulders. "It seems that the affects of Meteor and Holy's battle has left the Planet, as well as the Lifestream, in much confusion. As a result, some souls have been ripped away from the Lifestream, such as you, me and our new specimen here." Hojo patted Rufus' leg. "With no place to go, they wander back to their physical bodies; call it a second chance."
President Shinra nodded his head and rubbed his broad chin thoughtfully. "Yes, I see. Tell me, did you see anything of interest while in the Lifestream? Anything of the Promised Land?" a note of hunger crept in his voice.
Hojo's feet shuffled against the cold concrete floor, echoing throughout the desolate building. "Heh. I do not recall much of what happened in the Lifestream. My time there was brief and.confusing."
"I see, I see. I, on the other hand, learned that the Promised Land is not on the Planet, but in the Planet; more specifically in the Lifestream. With this newfound information I plan to harvest it and make the Promised Land part of Shinra property. Can you imagine the wealth that it would gain us?" greed and anticipation dripped from his voice. "But first, I must re-claim my position as President." He looked at the figure slung across Hojo's shoulders, "only God knows how horrible of a job my offspring was doing."
The deranged scientist threw back his head and cackled. "Ah, do not worry about the boy, I will make sure to keep him out of your way. Besides, I think he'll be too busy in the lab to be of much use."
The President nodded his head and a hint of a smile touched his thin lips. "Yes, I agree."
*~*~*~*
I know! I know where I came from, what I did, what I am.and I repent. I was blinded by her lies.that monster! Yet I was so weak and I believed her. How could I have let her kill all those innocent people? How could I have let her use me to try and destroy the Planet? How could I?! So now, I repent.do you hear? I repent!
"I repent!" his voice echoed throughout, sounding hollowed and lonely. The volume of it startled him. A continuous cold wind blew in from somewhere causing him to shiver violently, but he knew it wasn't the wind alone that was giving him chills. He propped himself up on his elbows and rubbed his temple.gods, his head throbbed. He surveyed his sullen surroundings, confused. He was definitely not in the Lifestream.that was a given. He couldn't understand what he was doing in such a dark and forlorn place- punishment, perhaps? Banishment from the Lifestream? Feasible.
It was a vast cave, dank and cold, sunlight filtered in through the entrance but it was not warm.it didn't seem to penetrate the blackness of the cave. How did he get here? He pushed himself up to a sitting position, his hand hitting something long and cold. It clattered against the stone floor as he picked it up and observed it in the sunlight.Masamune. He felt a little more secure as he gripped it in his gloved hand-the only familiar object amidst the sea of confusion. Why am I here? Is this my punishment for all the lives I've taken? If it was, then he would have to accept it.he deserved it.
Another cold wind blew in the cave, screaming around him in a hail of bitterness and snow that stung his face. His silver hair fanned out and around him, whipping uncontrollably. He had to escape this desolate cave, if the bitter wind didn't kill him, the depressive environment would.
He sheathed his long sword and cautiously walked out of the cave on shaky legs. His body felt weak and out of shape.never had he felt so tired. Outside, whirlwinds of snow tornadoed around him.a screen of pure white. He hardened his gaze, cunning green eyes filled with determination. If his body wasn't up for the challenging journey, then it was up to his mind and will to carry him through. Steadily he walked into the cascade of snow, losing himself to his inward reveries.