DISCLAIMER: Nope, don't own the FF7-verse nor the characters yet. I suppose Squaresoft won't just give them to me. Stay tuned for next disclaimer! ^_-
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Third chapter coming up!! Sorry for the weird language again.. Thanks for the reviews! They really make me a happy girl! Since you asked: in the prologue Seph is thirteen and Aeris' eight. (I had a little difficulty in deciding that little detail myself..) This plot's not exactly following the game, I'm not revealing anything else though! Umm.. Enjoy the chapter!! ^_^
CHAPTER 3.
"Heartbeat's.. normal." A male voice said loudly, as Sephiroth felt two fingers leave the side of his throat.
"Professor?" A high pitched woman's voice asked. "I think our specimen is awake." She continued.
Sephiroth could hear someone walking closer. "MY specimen, Scarlet.." Hojo said, from somewhere closeby. Sephiroth tried turning his head, but he didn't have the strength. He felt dizzy and nauseous, and the bright light from the ceiling lamp hurt his eyes.
"Increase the Mako-dosage." Hojo said, to the third person in the room. The stranger, clad in a white laboratory coat, pulled out a syringe filled with brightly glowing liquid. "You see my dear.." Hojo's snickered. "Sephiroth is as much a part of my cells as he is a part of Jenova.." He continued, just as Sephiroth felt a sting in his arm. "He's my son.." Hojo's voice faded into a whisper, as Sephiroth fell back into his troubled sleep.
* * * * *
"So let me get this straight.." Barret folded his arms. "Sephiroth, the man WE BROUGHT to the house my lil' girl is at the moment living in , scorched your homevillage." Barret glanced at Cloud, and the blonde man nodded in confirmation.
"..And killed my mother, Tifa's father, several villagers.." Cloud repeated parts of the story he had just told everyone.
"Oh, ain't this great." Barret sighed. "The man's a psycho.." He snorted, standing up.
"Well, now that I know the whole story, I get why ya were so against helping 'im.." Barret said, staring out through the living-room window of Elmyra Gainsborough's little house. Marlene was out playing, picking up yellow flowers that grew all around. Barret had always assumed flowers couldn't live here in midgar, with such little sunlight and without rainwater.. Aeris must've taken good care of them.
"So, what's next?" Tifa asked Cloud, who was sitting next to her. "I honestly don't know." Cloud shook his head.
"We can't stay 'ere, that's for sure." Barret said, glancing at Cloud.
"I know." The man replied, "it won't take long for Shin-Ra to find us here. It would be best to go to Kalm, at least for the time being.. We can always come back once things settle down around here." Cloud suggested.
"Hey, ya ain't saying we leave the General here? With my daughter and Aeris' mother?" Barret protested.
"No, of course not. I suppose we better drag him along, until we figure out what to do with him.." Cloud continued.
"We ought to kill him.." Barret muttered under his breath, silencing everyone. "What? It's not like ya haven't thought about it.." Barret's voice was cold.
"That would be murder.. He's defenceless against us." Tifa said quietly.
"I know," Barret admitted, "but it might be too late for us, once he wakes up.." He continued, and glanced at Cloud quizzically, wondering what he was thinking.
"He'd kill all of us without a moment's hesitation.." Cloud nodded deep in his thoughts, "And I can't let that happen, not again.."
Tifa turned her eyes to the floor, biting her lip. She remembered the pain, when Sephiroth had attacked her.. Masamune's blade had left a long scar on her skin. At times she could still recall the smell of her own blood, and feel the deep red liquid poaring out of her veins.. "Tifa?" Cloud was staring at her.
"Are you alright?" He asked, obviously concearned.
"Of course. I was just thinking about something." Tifa smiled weakly, trying to erase the memory of that day from her mind.
"If you refuse to give Sephiroth a chance to defend himself, you're just as bad as he." Red spoke, finally joining in the conversation.
"I know." Cloud replied, "and I doubt any of us could kill someone in their sleep.." he told Barret.
"No.. That's the Shin-Ra style." Barret sighed, walking over to the others. "How long do ya figure it'll take for Sephiroth to wake up?" He asked Aeris, who was sitting on the stairs, her emerald eyes glued to the ground.
"I don't know." She shrugged, a streak of sadness in her usually high-spirited appearance. "It could take days." Aeris continued, and leaned against the nearby wall.
"Hojo's tranguillizers are quite powerful.." Red nodded, supporting Aeris' thoughts.
"Well, can't be helped." Cloud said, acting as the leader again. "It's best we split up into two teams and head towards Kalm as soon as possible." He suggested.
"Yeah.. makes sence to me." Barret said, approving Cloud's idea. "It's less risky than travelling together.." He continued.
"Yes, Shin-Ra are likely to be searching for a large group.." Red agreed. "Then it's settled." Cloud decided.
"How are we gonna split the teams?" Barret asked.
"I think I'd better go with the General. If he wakes up.. I'm a familiar face." Aeris suddenly spoke up.
"..Sure." Cloud seemed to hesitate a while, but he knew there was no point in arguing with Aeris. She had made up her mind and there was nothing anybody could do to change it. "Red, maybe you'd better go with Aeris. I know you'll make sure nothing happens to her." Cloud looked at the red-furred beast, who was sitting on it's hind legs.
"Of course." Red nodded, shaking his mane.
"And Tifa, Barret.. You'll come with me. We'll go on ahead, in case there are some SOLDIER's patrolling.." Cloud made up his mind.
"Cloud.. don't you think you'd better go with Aeris?" Tifa asked him sheepishly.
"Sephiroth knows me.. I might do more harm than good.." Cloud explained his decision, receiving a relieved smile from Tifa. "Well, I'm kinda glad. I wouldn't have been able to sleep, knowing you'd be around HIM.." Tifa confessed, letting out a nervous chuckle.
"When are we leaving?" Red asked, and everyone looked at each other puzzled.
"Tomorrow." Barret said, making the decision for everybody.
"Now let's get some sleep.. It's a long walk to Kalm." Cloud reminded everyone.
Aeris stood up from the stairs, walking slowly towards her room, where Sephiroth was resting. Cloud wondered why Aeris was showing such unusual interest in the ex-SOLDIER General. Maybe it was just because of the way Aeris was.. She believed nobody was too far gone to be helped. Sometimes it seemed as though Aeris was living in a parallel universe, where all wishes came true and people lived happily ever after. How little she knew of real life, Cloud frowned, and of people like Sephiroth..
* * * * *
"Subject A is still not responding to the Jenova samples, Professor." A female voice said.
"And subject B is not much better.. It is likely our little project won't have any positive results." Hojo sighed heavily.
"Do you want the subjects terminated?" The woman asked.
"Not yet. Maybe there is some use for them.." Hojo turned to face the blonde woman. "A scientist should always see possibilities in massacres." He enlightened her.
"I agree, Professor. It is a pity the only specimen we were able to collect are of such low quality." Her voice was cold and emotionless, as though she wasn't fully aware of what she was saying.
"Yes, indeed." Hojo mused, "It is a mystery to me how they were able to harm my greatest success.." Hojo's voice seemed softer, as he walked over the examination table Sephiroth was lying on. Hojo checked the black leather belts tied around Sephiroth's chest, staring at the man from an uncomfortable proximity. "He looks so much like her." Hojo's voice was bitter and faraway. "Lucresia.." He uttered the name carefreely, as though calling out for someone. Sephiroth twitched disturbed, as he felt Hojo's cold fingers sweep across the side of his face.
"She would've only corrupted him.." Hojo whispered to himself.
"Professor?" The woman coughed, trying to catch Hojo's attention.
"My perfect creation.." He murmured, finally turning his back at Sephiroth.
* * * * *
"Aeris, honey.." Elmyra Gainsborough knocked the door of her adopted daughters room.
"What's up?" Aeris raised her eyes from Sephiroth. She had slept in her room, watching over Sephiroth. He was still unconsiouss, and even though Cloud and Tifa had demanded to tie him down, the ropes didn't seem to bother his sleep.
"I think we need to talk." Elmyra had a serious look on her face.
"OK. What about?" Aeris blinked, surpriced by her mothers behaviour.
"Not here, if you understand..?" Elmyra fidgeted, pointing towards Sephiroth with her right hand.
"Sure." Aeris smiled, glancing at the man sleeping peacefully on her bed, as she walked through her door out into the hallway. She closed the door behind her carefully, watching out for making any unnecessary noise. Aeris followed Elmyra to the room next to hers, having some idea of what her mother wanted to talk about.
"OK, sweetheart.. I don't know how to say this but.." Elmyra signaled for Aeris to sit down on the bed, as she herself grabbed the nearest chair. "You do realize.. a SOLDIER General is not exactly a wounded bird?" Elmyra continued with a soft voice.
"Of course he's not!" Aeris chuckled.
"I was just wondering. The way you've been acting lately.." Elmyra began.
"The family curse, I know." Aeris finished her sentence, rolling her eyes. Elmyra's heart had been broken by her husband, a SOLDIER member, and ever since then she had been warning Aeris of them. It seemed funny, that all of the men Aeris had ever felt attracted to had been SOLDIER's.
"Exactly, dear. And I doubt a person like the General is very good company for a young lady such as yourself." Elmyra smiled, a little embarrassed.
"You don't know the half of it.." Aeris muttered, thinking back to the things Cloud had told about Sephiroth. Cloud wouldn't lie to her, Aeris knew that, but she wanted to believe there was something she could do to help Sephiroth. He must've not had the easiest life.. Aeris refused to believe Sephiroth was entirely corrupted by evil.
"Aeris.." Elmyra's voice went serious again. "What are you going to do when he wakes up?" She asked her daughter.
"I don't know mum." Aeris said quietly, "I'm kinda making this up as I go.."
Elmyra sighed at her answer, standing up from her chair. She walked to the only window in her room, staring out at the field of yellow flowers. "Poor child.. As if it wasn't enough the Shin-Ra people are still chasing you, now you're mixed up with AVALANCHE as well, and the General too.." Elmyra glanced at Aeris, concearned. "I just hope you'll be able to cope with it all." She said, smiling sadly.
"I'm a big girl now," Aeris said, walking over to her mum. "So don't worry." Aeris said reassuringly, and hugged her mother.
"Psst, Aeris!" Red coughed, catching Aeris' attention. "The others are leaving.." Red announced. "I guess we should go wish them a good journey then," Aeris smiled cheerfully, and followed Red down the stairs into the living-room.
Cloud stood in the doorway, a small backpack in his left hand. Tifa stood next to him, tying her shoe-laces. Aeris couldn't see Barret anywhere, but she figured he was out, saying goodbye to Marlene. Elmyra had promised to watch over Marlene, while Barret was away.. Aeris smiled, she was glad her mother had company. "Hi." Aeris greeted Cloud, who suddenly turned pale.
"H-he's awake?" Cloud asked.
"No!" Aeris shook her head. "I just came down to wish you a safe trip.." She explained, holding her hands behind her back.
"Oh." Cloud calmed down. "Well thanks. We'll see you at Kalm then.." He added quickly, glancing at Red as if to say the red-furred creature had better make sure that nothing would happen to Aeris.
"Yes. See you then." Red answered Cloud.
"Bye bye!" Tifa smiled at Aeris, as she stepped out through the door out into the sunlight. "Bye, Aeris." Cloud smiled briefly at Aeris, then followed Tifa out.
Aeris and Red watched together, as the first group walked towards the border of Midgar. Soon they dissappeared behind the tall piles of junk metal scattered all around the slums. "We should leave soon as well.. It's best we reach Kalm before it gets dark.." Red told Aeris, and she nodded at the creature in reply.
"Aeris!! I think he's waking up!!" Elmyra whispered from the stairs.
"Really?" Aeris and Red looked at each other, shocked by the sudden turn of events. A fully awake SOLDIER General would not be as easy to drag along as a sleeping one.
* * * * *
It is
impossible for them to understand..
"..What?"
The heaven they so effortlessly possess..
"M-mother?"
These mortal beings, who are but ripples on water's
surface..
"..Jenova?"
I was denied.. for..
"What are you saying?"
These divine lights devour every heart of stone.
"W-where am I?" Sephiroth voiced the first thought that entered his mind. He was surpriced to wake up lying on a warm, soft bed and not on the cold metallic surface of Hojo's examination table. Still, he was tied down. Was he a prisoner? When Sephiroth finally opened his eyes, the sunlight hit his eyes painfully. Sunlight? Sephiroth stared at a small window baffled. There weren't any bars.. When his eyes slowly accustomed to the light, he could see the Midgar's plate above, blocking out some of the light. This place was probably near the edge of the plate, Sephiroth calculated, since some sunlight managed to shine into the room. What reason would Hojo have to bring him here, to the slums? Sephiroth felt helpless and unaware, and he hated it.
"Oh. You're awake already." A familiar voice said.
It was that girl, Sephiroth remembered, and turned his head towards her voice. She was sitting in a chair, a few feet away from his bed. Her naturally curly hair seemed to glow like threads of gold as she moved closer, into the sunlight.
"How are you feeling?" She asked, staring at her hands.
"Fine." Sephiroth said and cleared his throat. He felt a little groggy, like always after Hojo's experimentation. Something was different this time, though. He wasn't in pain..
"Do you remember me..?" The girl asked, with a look of hurt on her face.
"Yes.. You're Aeris.." Sephiroth checked, closing his eyes after the girl nodded at him in reply. Sephiroth felt exhausted, but wanted to ask so many questions. The girl seemed to sence his confusion, as she soon begun to speak again.
"You're at my house.. I.. arranged so that you were brought here. You're not a prisoner.." Aeris said in a soft voice.
"Why?" Sephiroth glanced at her, feeling very uncomfortable. He hated being at the mercy of others.. On his face though, remained an impenetrable mask of indifference.
"Why?" Aeris repeated, obviously not understanding what Sephiroth was asking.
"Why did you bring me here?" Sephiroth's voice was harsh.
"..I wanted to help you." Aeris answered him shyly.
"I don't need your help. I'm perfectly capable of dealing with Hojo myself." Sephiroth told her.
"Hojo? Was he the one who shot you?" Aeris asked innocently.
"What do you care? Now if you'll excuse me, I have somewhere to be." Sephiroth said coldly.
"I'm sorry, but I can't let you go." Aeris bowed her head in shame.
"Why am I not surprised." Sephiroth grinned bitterly, turning his eyes to the ceiling.
"But maybe once we get to Kalm--" Aeris began.
"We?" Sephiroth interrupted her.
"Umm.. Yes.. I'm with some friends.. Don't worry about them." Aeris said, like she didn't know how much it was safe to tell Sephiroth.
"Whatever gave you the idea, that I would be willing to come with you to Kalm?" Sephiroth continued, sounding completely un-interested.
"Well, I saved you from Hojo, after all.." Aeris shrugged.
"Ah, so you're blackmailing me then?" Sephiroth studied her expression amused. Maybe she wasn't as innocent and naive as she appeared to be..
"Good heavens, no." The girl smiled mischievously, "but you do owe me one.."
"Let us assume I'll go with you to Kalm, for the fun of it.. what then?" Sephiroth asked.
"Then.. we'll meet with my other friends and.. the rest is up to you." Aeris smiled light-heartedly.
"Ahaa." Sephiroth closed his eyes, as he considered the information the girl had just revealed. It was in his best interest to act along. It would be easier to fight or escape out in the wild, and Kalm was a stop on his way to Junon anyway..
"You won't hurt us, we won't hurt you.. Deal?" Aeris asked, staring straight into Sephiroth's eyes. Her eyes were quite something, Sephiroth thought, as he finally made up his mind. "Sure." he answered, with a voice as cold as ice.
Huh, finally done. I had a little writer's block with this chapter.. Are you completely confused by this story? My style is kinda impatient.. Anyway, keep the reviews coming! It's always nice to know someone reads this. I'll update the fourth chapter within a week. ^_^