Chapter Eleven

A Child's Discovery

Sephiroth was always taught that he was not allowed to go down into the basement, he was given a long list of rules to follow or he would be punished. When he was very young, he went down into the labs and stumbled upon what he thought was a storage room. But when he entered, he found coffins that he did not know if they were empty or not. When he went to open one, Dr. Gast had come in and stopped him.

"Sephiroth, you know you are not supposed to be down here; especially in this room. This is where the zombies and vampires live."

Sephiroth was never afraid of anything and wrinkled his nose at the Doctor.

"There's no such thing as monsters."

Gast smiled at him, the boy had much to learn. "Ah but there are; nonetheless this room is not for young children."

And with that he had locked the door and Sephiroth never seen if there were any bodies in the coffins. Now that Sephiroth was a young adult, he never followed the rules. He was a hellion and caused the scientists much trouble and grief. Hojo threatened to lock him up and Sephiroth scoffed at him.

"I'm so scared."

"I grow tired of your behavior Sephiroth."

"Who cares? You aren't my boss, besides, I am going to join Solider and I will be leaving in a few days."

"I don't think so! You will stay here where you belong!"

"I dare you to try and stop me." Sephiroth said as went down to the labs to give the scientists something to remember him by.

He passed the room with the coffins and walked backwards to look at it. He glanced to see if anyone was coming then drew the sword Gast had given him on his eighteenth birthday. He cut the door down and entered. It reeked of mold and dirt and there were cobwebs strewn about the room. There was a cracked mirror on the far wall and an open coffin with a skeleton in it. There were a few coffins in the center of the room and the middle one had the lid ajar. Sephiroth noticed that one of the coffins was locked and he kneeled next to it. The wood looked weak and he knew the lock would come off easily. He drove the end of his sword onto it and it broke off the wood then fell to the floor with a soft clank.

He sheathed his weapon and lifted the lid. He looked inside and stepped back when he seen a young girl about his age lying inside. She didn't look decomposed or smell like death and Sephiroth wondered if she was alive. She did not seem to be breathing but when Sephiroth leaned in closer to examine her he seen she was, but very little. She looked like she was in a deep sleep; he lay his head over her heart and closed his eyes. It was as faint as her breathing and he pressed his ear down harder to try to hear it better. It didn't work so he stood back up and examined her.

She had had short hair that touched her shoulders and she was wearing a deep blue suede body suit. He touched her face and pulled his hand back quickly, surprised that her skin felt like ice. Not minding the prickling in his fingers her skin caused, he cocked his head to the side and pushed a strand of fiery red hair away from her face. He felt a strange connection to this girl, and that bothered him. This was the first time he had even seen her. Suddenly, she grabbed his hand and her eyes shot open. Sephiroth yanked his hand free and stumbled back, he tripped on some junk and fell to the floor. The girl grabbed the sides of the coffin and pulled herself up.

"Where… am I?"

She looked at Sephiroth and she tensed.

"… Who are you?"

Sephiroth stood up and looked at her incredulously.

"I should be asking you the questions, let's start with why you're in Hojo's mansion sleeping in a coffin."

The girl's eyes narrowed at the mention of Hojo's name.

"That bastard is the reason I am here; and this mansion does not belong to him."

Sephiroth smiled when she cursed Hojo. He leaned against the open lid of the coffin and looked down at her. She was looking around the room, apparently confused.

"Heh, yea Hojo is a prick. How is he the reason you're down here?"

"Because he did something to me…I'm not quite sure… what…"

Her eyes stopped on the mirror and she frowned. She got out of the coffin and walked slowly over to it, like she did not want to see herself. Sephiroth walked up next to her and looked at her reflection. She took a deep breath and let out a blood-curling scream. The hair on Sephiroth's arms and on the back of his neck raised and he covered his ears. The glass on the mirror cracked more and almost shattered had she not stopped screaming. The girl trembled and touched her hair, then her face like she had never felt it before.

"He…he really did… make me a monster."

Sephiroth looked at the mirror, then her in utter shock. He turned when he heard footsteps coming.

"What the hell was that scream, Sephiroth, what have you done now…"

A group of scientists entered the room and the girl turned to face them. Recognition crossed her face as they stood there staring at one another until they heard more footsteps echoing in the hall.

"What was that screaming just now? Where is…"

Hojo and Gast entered the room and Hojo looked at the girl. She narrowed her eyes and said venomously, "Hojo."

Hojo's eyes narrowed as well and Gast looked at the both of them, then to Sephiroth. Sephiroth stepped back, "I did nothing."

The girl clenched her fists and hissed at Hojo.

"I have awakened and I will now carry out my revenge."

Gast looked at Hojo and the girl.

"Hojo, who is this girl and why is she down here?"

She looked at him hurt; "Do you not recognize me Doctor?"

Gast shook his head and Hojo smirked then muttered, "She is a mere failed experiment."

Anger rose inside the girl and she pointed her finger at him.

"You killed me Hojo! You turned me into one of your grotesque experiments!"

"I did not kill you Meadows, I simply put you in a deep sleep and injected a virus into you."

"Meadows…Jessi?" Gast looked at her. Angry tears slid down the girl's face as she stared at Hojo and everyone else. She remembered many of the scientists, but they looked… older somehow. Even Doctor Gast and the sleaze-ball scientist next to him had aged considerably.

"How long have I been down here?" She asked slowly.

"You have been sleeping for about nineteen years."

Jessi felt her heart stop and Sephiroth's jaw dropped.

"There is no way in hell this girl is older than me!"

"She is, she doesn't look like it because I altered her. Her body will never age and neither will she."

Jessi put her hand to her chest; I should be in my late thirties… and Lucrecia…Lucrecia!

"Where is my sister?"

Gast frowned and walked up to Jessi.

"She died the day she was released from the hospital; I'm sorry, Jessi."

Jessi's fists clenched tightly as she snapped her head and glared at Hojo.

"She died! Hojo you harebrained asshole! I warned you what would happen if anything should happen to her!"

She felt her rage boiling way over it's limit and her eyes dilated. Hojo took a step back as she unclenched her fists and claws replaced her fingers.

"She's transforming… everyone get out of here now!"

Everyone scrambled out of the room but Sephiroth was glued to the floor. Gast grabbed his arm and pulled him out as wings came out of the girl's back and surrounded her in a sort of eerie cocoon. Jessica's hair went from fiery red with sliver streaks too completely silver.

Her pale skin changed to ocean blue fur and her eyes were completely a deep, crimson red color. A long tail slammed against the ground and left a medium sized crater. She let out an inhuman scream and ran incredibly fast upstairs then burst out the ceiling of the mansion. The scientists turned and watched her fly high into the air above them. Sephiroth was thrilled at the major change that had taken place. The girl, Jessi, looked completely different than before. Her once enthralling deep burgundy red eyes expanded to large almond shaped crimson ones. Her hair was darker silver than his was and she was covered in blue fur, her belly light silver color.

Hojo also looked up in pure amazement and terror combined at her. Gast hollered at him.

"What have you done? What happened to her?"

Hojo continued to watch his creation fly about, perhaps she wasn't a failure after all.

"She has transformed, it happens at will or when extremely angered. She will grow much stronger when she fights more. This is her Harpy beast form, she has dragon-like wings to fly the ability to move stealthily like a cat and her senses are extraordinary. Her sense of smell, hearing and sight are ten times better in this form. I gave her power, I helped make her better."

"You turned her into a monster Hojo, tell me, how is that helping her!"

Jessi suddenly spotted Hojo and let out a victorious screech.

"Found you!"

She dove straight at him and he pulled out a gun. She tried to stop but was unable to; the shot hit her point blank in the chest. She dropped to the ground in front of him and quivered. Hojo turned her over with his foot and started to lift the gun to her head. With lightning quick reflexes she was back on her feet and lashed out at his exposed arm. Hojo yelled and dropped his gun; she grabbed his neck and squeezed it tightly. Hojo gasped for air and clawed helplessly at her outstretched arm.

"Jessi! Don't do this!"

Jessi looked at Gast and turned back to Hojo, ignoring him.

"Do not interfere Doctor."

"Jessi, if you kill him, you will be no better than him!"

Jessi looked at Gast and loosened her grip a bit. Then she looked back to Hojo and with a furious cry, threw him aside harshly. He slammed into a nearby tree and fell unconscious. Her wings folded around her body and she reverted back to her normal self. She dropped to her knees, wrapped her arms around her wound and lowered her head when the pain of her wound hit her. Gast walked up and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Why did you stop me, he was almost dead."

"Because killing him wouldn't have changed anything, it wouldn't have brought your sister back."

Jessi looked up at him and he couldn't look her in the eye.

"Look what he has done to me. I used to be beautiful, like my sister."

Sephiroth joined them and kneeled next to her.

"You are beautiful still." Gast said.

"Yeah, and you just beat the shit outta Hojo, it was awesome!" Sephiroth said approvingly. He pulled her arms away and studied her wound.

Jessi looked at him and then at Hojo, finally to Gast.

"The baby."

Gast nodded and she touched Sephiroth's cheek. He put his hand over hers and warmth flooded her skin.

"You must be freezing, I'll go get you something warm to wear."

Sephiroth darted back into the mansion and Jessi looked down at herself. She really didn't even notice the cold, and she seen that she was barefoot.

"Does he know?" she asked. Gast shook his head and she sighed deeply.

"What about Vincent, where is he?"

"He left after Lucrecia died; he and her body just vanished."

"He took Lucrecia's body?"

"I can't say for sure..."

She stared hard at the ground, why hadn't he tried to find what happened to me? She debated this as Gast called a scientist she didn't know over to look at her injury. The doctor ripped up her coat as Gast pulled the bullet out. They wound the ripped coat around her and secured it so she wouldn't bleed. The doctor went to check on Hojo when Sephiroth came back out with some boots, gloves and what looked like a trench coat, but she noticed it was actually a long, soft black cape with velvet red lining and trimming. She put everything on and stood up after pulling her boots up. She sighed heavily and looked at them.

"I… I don't belong here anymore. There is nothing left here for me. Thank you for your help, Doctor…goodbye Sephiroth."

With that she turned and ran off towards the Nibel Mountains. Gast called out her name and Sephiroth took off after her. Jessi paid no heed and kept on running up the winding mountain path, the wound pulsating with each stride she took. When she came across an old bridge she started over it and was halfway across when Sephiroth shouted for her.

"Wait! Hold up a minute."

He joined her on the bridge and was just barely gasping for air.

"And I thought…I was fast… where do you think you're going?"

Jessi looked away. "Not sure."

"Then why are you leaving?"

"Because there is nothing here for me now that was nineteen years ago."

"Yea there is! Dr. Gast is still here."

"Yes well so is Hojo, and if I stay, I will kill him."

Sephiroth laughed, "That's fine, you will be doing us all a favor."

Jessi smiled sadly and shook her head. "Sorry, but I am going far away from here. There are too many memories in this place"

Sephiroth grabbed her hand when she turned to leave.

"Wait, we'll take care of you, don't go."

Jessi turned back to face him and looked at him, hurt.

"Why do you keep me from leaving, what do you want from me."

"I can't explain it, I feel connected to you somehow…I…"

"You what?"

"I think … I mean, I know we just met and you have been 'asleep' for over eighteen years and all but…"

Jessi put her index finger on his lips.

"Stop, I don't want to hear anymore."

She smiled at him as she leapt on the bridge's rope gracefully.

"One day, you will find out the truth about me, as well as yourself."

With that she jumped off the bridge and disappeared in the thick fog, Sephiroth reached over for her and yelled.

"Wait! What do you mean by that?"

The Harpy beast flew up from the mist and hovered above him.

"You will find out one day… goodbye for now, Sephiroth." Sephiroth heard her voice in his head and watched as she flew over the Mountain and vanished. He stood there a moment longer before heading back towards the mansion. Somehow, he believed her and knew their paths would cross again.

Jessi flew for what seemed like hours and didn't even grow tired. She soared above the ocean and let the wind carry her wherever it wanted. She remembered how she wished she could fly, and now that she had the power at her disposal, she was happy, but saddened by it as well.

She landed on a small beach near her hometown, Kalm. She looked around a moment before recognizing the outline of Midgar. Guess I could stop and look for him there first…She thought as she took flight again and circled around the giant plate. She entered at a gate that had a number five on it, Sector Five. She flew around and stumbled upon a beautiful, old church that looked abandoned and she landed on the roof. She changed back to normal and lay down, not noticing that her wound had healed.

She would try to find Vincent the next morning, and if he were not here, she would travel the world until she did find him. Remembering the contents of Hojo's journal, she thought about trying to find Sean as well. But the more she thought about it, the less she wanted to find him. Thinking that perhaps if he had gotten better and not heard from her after all these years, he would have more than likely moved on. She drifted asleep and dreamt of her past life.