0.4 SHADOWS OF A BROKEN PAST
The entry hall was huge and lacked furniture. The tile floor had an imaginary pattern and was sure to be pretty, if it hadn't been covered with layers of dust and dirt. There were doors in every direction and in the middle of the room a huge staircase led up to a red-draped balcony-hallway with even more doors. Dr. Hojo stood at the foot of the stairs and looked at the three SeeDs.
"I guess it's time for you to know the nature of your mission" he said and with a gesture that covered the entire hall he continued "This is your mission. To take care of this house and it's …. inhabitant, yes inhabitant, while I am gone"
"Excuse me, Sir" Seifer spoke "But we are soldiers, not house-sitters"
"Ah, that I know!" Dr. Hojo responded "And do not misjudge this task, for it is not as easy as it sounds. Well worth a soldiers skill, and well worth the small fortune I am paying you"
"But why not just hire some of the Shinra…" Zell started, but he was interrupted by Hojo.
"No questions!" he almost screamed "It says so in your contract, no questions are to be asked!"
"I apologize" Zell said.
"Very well" Dr. Hojo said and continued in a more controlled tone "So, meet this inhabitant, shall we?"
He started walking up the stairs.
"Have you guys seen that movie ´The Shining´?" Seifer whispered.
"Shut up, Seifer" Squall answered and followed Hojo up the stairs.
"He's talkative today, don't you think?" Seifer asked Zell and then he followed Squall. Zell just shrugged his shoulders as he walked by Seifer.
Dr. Hojo made a left at the top of the stairs and continued down the balcony-hallway until he reached the last door. He took out another key and unlocked the door.
"Every door in this house is locked" he explained "I will give you the keys you need before I leave"
The door slid open and they all entered.
The room was a high-ceiling bed chamber, though the huge, antique bed looked like it hadn't been used for years. Paintings of calm seas and flowerbeds covered the dusk-green walls. A big green chair with an old-fashioned look stood before the huge Italian windows with it's back turned against the door. Squall could se a pale, slender hand resting at the arm of the chair. Other then that, no part of the person in the chair could be seen, and it did not speak, nor move. Hojo went over to the chair and so did Seifer and Zell. Squall followed, though his mind told him not to.
He didn't know what he'd expected to see in that chair, perhaps a monster or a disfigured person, but the truth chocked him. It was a boy. Or a young man, slightly younger than him, and it was the most beautiful human Squall had ever laid his eyes upon. The boys hair was shimmering silver, and though it had been cut slobby an uneven by his shoulders it still seemed to frame his pale face perfectly. His face was beautiful, the way a mans face is beautiful when it resembles a female face. His skin was smooth and flawless, without hair or anything disfiguring. He had a firm nose and thick, pale lips curved themselves in a perfect bow underneath it. He was slim but seemed muscular and would probably be quite tall standing up. His eyes were blue and radiant, with sprinkles of green. But they were empty. With fear Squall realized that no soul lurked behind those huge, ocean-like eyes. Yet he could not stop staring.
"This is your top priority, the silver shadow" Hojo said with a string of the boys hair curled between his fingers "This is Sephrahim, the second angel"