The boy huffed as he ran through the streets of Midgar. His clothes were tattered, and his warm breath hung in the air as he ran. Behind him, several SOLDIERs scurried to catch up with the fleeing boy. The boy's teal green hair streamed behind him and over his left eye as he ran for Wall Market, praying his plan will work. He felt his muscles scream as he scrambled nimbly up the path of wires and pipes like an agile monkey.
A soft sigh passed through him, reaching the surface of the plate that held Shinra Headquarters. He felt the cool winter air tingle on his bare skin as he looked over the great building. The teen's hands clenched into fists, his nails biting into the flesh of his palm. "Pain..." he whispered to himself. "Pain...Its the only reason I exist...The only purpose of my being..."
He sighed to himself once more, turning to the edge of the plate and staring down at Midgar. "This is my only chance...The guards are already half-way up and won't be able to do anything until its too late." Below him, the streets appeared empty. "My only chance...This will test my humanity..."
Without warning, the boy leapt from the tall plate and began freefalling. His thoughts had shutdown as the cold winter air tore at him as he fell. He stretched his arms to embrace his death, the dark ground growing closer. But something went wrong. As the ground became closer, he closed his eyes and braced himself for the blow. He didn't see the black-cloaked form walk under him, but the falling boy felt a warm, hard body catch his as cloth of darkest night swallowed the teal-haired teen.
The two hit the ground hard, knocking the breath out of them both. The boy opened his eyes, wondering how he had lived as the two recovered, sitting up. His single, right visible silver eye widened as the shouts of SOLDIER officers neared them. In a sudden flurry of black and silver, the cloaked figure had stood. A pair of blazing teal cat-eyes glowed under the depths of the hood, most of the man's form exposed. A simple black tank top and pants covered a tall man of middle age, his face hidden in shadows. Strands of silver hung from the hood and under the cloak behind him, brushing his waist.
Again the two turned to the source of SOLDIER officers' orders and shouts, five or so coming around the corner and catching sight of them. "There!" one spoke, pointing at the two. "There's the fugitive! Get him! But be careful. The doctor wants him alive!"
The teen moved to flee, but a black-bandaged hand shot out like lightning and grabbed the boy's wrist with a strong grip. Terror shown in the teen's visible eye. "Let me go!" the teen pleaded, fear making his voice seem older, his face of that of an eighteen year old. He struggled against the man's grip. "Have mercy and let me go!"
"You are wanted by Hojo?"
The voice was dark, but it held a spark of understanding and pity that shook the teen. He stopped struggling and shaking, his single silver eye staring into the depths of the dark hood. "I...am an experiment of Hojo's," the boy finally spoke, feeling he could trust the voice behind the hood.
"Then we are brothers." The hand released the teen's arm. His head turned to the approaching SOLDIERs, then back to the teen. "Whatever happens, stay behind me, understand?"
He didn't have a chance to nod his head before the cloaked man drew a black-handled katana laced with silver from within the darkness of his cape. Seeing the katana, the SOLDIERs paused, unsure if they should continue. It was obvious to the teen that his companion wasn't a normal fighter, but a trained dealer of death with a dark heart. For a moment, the teen was afraid, but the fear passed as a pure black angel's wing unfurled out from under the cloak as the man slid into a low stance, poised to pounce like a fierce cat.
"S-S-Sephiroth!" the higher-ranked SOLDIER muttered in a gasp, nearly dropping his weapon. "T-T-They said y-you were d-dead!"
Before any of the officers could turn to run, the cloaked man had already made his move. With inhuman speed, he had dashed at them and sliced them all in half with a single swipe. As the last SOLDIER fell to the ground dead, the cloaked man wiped the blood from his katana before laying it to rest in its sheath. Slowly the man turned and threw aside his hood, revealing the face of a killer who the world believed was dead. Cat-like eyes glanced down at the teen, looking him over.
"You okay kid?" the dark angel asked, face cold and emotionless.
Weakly the teen nodded his head, dusting himself off as he stared in awe at the one-winged angel. "Good," Sephiroth spoke, going to him. "Follow me." In a flurry of cloaks and feathers, he turned and began walking off.
"Wait up!" the teen called, scurrying after him. "I never got to introduce myself."
"Save it for later kid. We've got to get to safety first." The two entered a dark alleyway. Sephiroth shielded the teen with his cloak, the two blending in with the shadows as more SOLDIERs passed. Saying nothing, the dark angel dragged his companion out of Sector 6 and towards the old abandoned church. The teen said nothing to his mysterious guide as they entered, Sephiroth going to the flowerbed and moving aside a buried, large wooden square to reveal a small tunnel under the church. "C'mon...We'll be safe here," he told the teen, emotionless eyes piercing the teen's silver eye.
Nodding his head, the teen went to the hole and leapt down, landing on his feet onto the level below. Sephiroth followed, pulling the trap door back over the opening with a leather strap. The door sealed shut overhead, the man summoned a small orb of light to let them see the dark tunnel ahead. Still saying no word, the dark angel led the teen through the catacombs of the church and into a living room sized room. It was furnished with a bed, a large couch in front of a TV, a computer nearby, and a refrigerator full of food. Beside the bed were a cabinet on one side and a nightstand on the other with a small clock/radio on it. A door nearby led into what was supposedly the bathroom.
"Sit down on the couch and I'll dress that wound for you," Sephiroth ordered, going to the bathroom and getting a roll of bandage gauze from the medicine cabinet.
"What wound?" the teen asked, watching the man with some confusion.
Taking a seat on the couch, Sephiroth motioned for the teen to sit down in front of him on the couch as well. "I'm talking about the one on your side...I could smell your blood before you even appeared."
It was then the teen felt the sharp pain on his waist as blood soaked his clothes. Doing as told, the younger male sat down facing Sephiroth, wincing as he gripped his side. "Take off your shirt," the man ordered. Saying no protest, again the teen did as told and lifted his arms to allow the older man to work. Pulling a Potion from his cloak, he dabbed some onto a wad of cotton absorbent before pouring a bit onto the bare wound and covering it with the liquid-drenched cotton. The teen flinched at the burning cold of the liquid and air on his wounded side.
"My name's Alpha..." the teen introduced himself as the older man began wrapping his waist and wound in the gauze bandaging. "Alpha Omega 00-13..."
Sephiroth didn't look up from dressing the wound. "Your name...is strange." He wasn't used to conversation, and was focused on helping the teen at the moment. After circling the boy's waist tightly with the bandage, he carefully tore it with his teeth and tucked the end under its many layers. He stood and placed the roll of gauze back in the medicine cabinet, then went to get a bottle of water from the refrigerator.
Alpha examined his bloody shirt and sighed, staring at the red liquid. "That's because I'm a robot..."
The man nearly spewed his water in surprise. Finally recovered, he gave the teen a confused look. "A robot? That's not possible...You bleed and feel pain...You feel too human to be a robot..."
Not turning to Sephiroth, Alpha replied, "A cyborg to be precise...created by science and sorcery to carry out the wishes of Shinra President Roscoe, cousin of Rufus." He hugged his arms to his chest. "But...I don't want to hurt anyone...or kill anyone...I just want to be left alone..."
"I should have known..." Sephiroth's voice carried the heavy tone of sudden realization. "Your face...your features...You look like...her..." His hand went to his heart, wincing in a sudden pain.
Alpha saw the wince in the corner of his eye and looked up curiously at Sephiroth. "What...what's wrong?"
Shaking his head, Sephiroth replaced the bottle of water in the refrigerator and went to leave. "There's food in the refrigerator if you get hungry, and if you get bored, don't be afraid to turn on the television and channel surf. But I guarantee you there's nothing on during this time of the day...And don't worry...This place is protected in many ways from being discovered."
With that, Sephiroth left the underground home, leaving Alpha to himself. A slight sigh passed through the boy as he was left alone, a hand going to where the Potion-covered and dressed wound was. He had never noticed how warm his own flesh was until then.
