In a Different Time and Space: Revisited

by Rueh

What if Sephiroth grew up having a childhood friend of sort, who was treated in much the same way as he? But what if this friend turned out to be much more that what she originally seemed?

Chapter 1 Into

Disclaimer-none of the Final Fantasy VII characters belong to me or anything else from the game. All other characters do belong to me.

AN: Going to make this short, if you have not read In a Different Time and Space and like this chapter I suggest you go and read it (please review). This chapter is meant as a teaser and was written in a few hours so when I post the actual story this may be changed. But for now, the rewritten, In a Different Time and Space.

A man crouched in the dark depths of a building, the surroundings not any of his concern as he clutched a small bundle to his chest. His daughter. Her bright, softly glowing eyes looked up at him trustingly; she didn't think her daddy would ever endanger her. Yet they were both in the worst danger so long as they were within this wretched city.

The man glanced around finally, looking to make sure they were truly alone. His eyes too had that soft glow to them, and as he moved, what little bits of light that came though the windows off the street, caught the long reddish, silver like hair of his.

He sighed with the moment's relief. He was still weak from what they had done to him, there was not a chance he could get out of here how he had planed on. But he could not stay here, not any more, not after what they did to him and wanted to do with his daughter.

The baby cooed softly into the darkness, drawing her daddy's attention back down to her. She was getting hungry and he had little to give her. He couldn't give her what they had been feeding her; there is no telling what could have been in it. "Shhh, baby. Everything is going to be all right. I promise you."

'Everything is going to be all right,' the man thought grimly to himself. 'I do not even know if we are going to get out of here alive. Much less if everything is going to be all right.' He shook the thoughts away as the little girl seemed to sense the way his thoughts had gone. Her bottom lip trembled and by the way she was gathering her breath, he knew she was about to cry.

"Oh please do not cry little Daitona. You know that daddy did not mean to think so negatively. I will protect you even if it costs me my life." 'Though it may come to that and I may still not be able to protect her. Look at what happened to her mother.' Abruptly he shook his head and his eyes go wide as Daitona draws her hands in, then wails at the top of her lungs and doesn't stop just after that. She is not a happy baby.

Before the man has time to sooth his daughter, there are yells from outside the building. His head snapped up and he growls softly; head turning in all directions as yells come closer. He figures they have this building surrounded by now. "Hush Daitona," he whispers and well, the baby does quiet down. "Now how are we going to get out of this one, baby?" It is a real question, though he looks down at the little bundle in his arms and gives a lighthearted smile and laughs softly. "Oh, but you are not talking are you? Though I bet in that little head of yours you could devise something that I cannot think of now. Too bad you cannot yet talk." But he wants her to have a life; that is why he had taken her from that place.

There came a bang on the door he had barred before; the man knew that it would not hold long. This place was falling apart as it was. Straightening, he moved on silent feet hurriedly to where the old rickety stairs were. He stopped before them; they did not look safe but there was no other way. Going out any other way would be just asking to be captured again, and it had taken him forever to get that collar off his neck and get to his daughter. He would not get another chance at that.

The sounds of the door breaking off its hinges came to his ears and with a final glance back, he was carefully striding up the stairs. 'One. Two. Breath, be calm, almost there, light step. Cannot let them hear us, not now, not ever. There!' Just as they reached the top to the catwalk hanging from the roof, there was a loud snap and a thick metal wire fell limply over one side. 'Oh no.'

Another step onto the catwalk; there was no going back now. The metal groaned and stretched under even the bit of weight of the man and the baby. Another step, silence, then another a loud creak and the wires holding the catwalk groaned painfully. Lights shone up then, coming through the tiny holes in the metal walkway. The man peered careful over the side; several soldiers were down there, one pointing and yelling at the others. They were all dark shadows to the glowing eyes.

The man stepped back, swaying as the catwalk swayed violently. 'Those fools! They are going to kill us all!' A few of the soldiers were rushing up the stairs, and the entire catwalk was groaning under the weight. As the first reached the top, there were several snaps. 'No!'

Support wire after support wire snapped, like a domino effect all the way to where he was standing, though he backed up, his back coming to the wall and no escape to be had. The walkway in front of him fell away and with a final groan, one of the last two supports broke, swinging and viciously cutting him across the face. Wheeling backwards, the walkway collapsed under him; it and pieces of the roof and wall crumbing down with it. The man's only concern was for the safety of Daitona.

Minutes later. Or maybe less. Maybe more, all was still. 'I am alive… But want about…' The man gathered his senses with a start; sitting bolt upright was a mistake, what pain he felt. But Daitona was still safely in his arms, a little dirty but safe. Slowly he got up; he had to get out before the rest of them knew what was happening. He limped a short distance through the building, and shaking his head, he slowly came to a stop, panting. This was not going to work.

Looking around he shook his head, here, no one would find Daitona till she started crying from hunger, and even then there was no guarantee it would not be those he was getting her away from in the first place. He was going to have to get further from this place. Somewhere more populated; yet he could not be seen. "My will Dai. Daddy is afraid he is not going to be there for you after tonight. But maybe. Just maybe I can get you away from those bad people." And so, he stumbled on through the night.

The man's injuries normally would not be life threatening, but the more he pushed, the closer to that state he came. The soldiers simply followed the trail of blood. While they did end up finding the infant days later, they never did find her father who had caused them so much trouble.

- 4 years later-

The room was not very large. Like all the others over the past years, that could be remembered anyways, the walls were white. The chair was made for a child. Yet he wondered why there was another. He sat silently, crayon in hand, and drawing on the paper provided. This had become a routine, one he looked forward to each time it came. Twice a week he was free in this room, every time with something new to do.

Today however, the old scientist seemed...agitated, yet excited about something and that was never a good thing. Sephiroth shook his head dismissively and continued with his coloring. All was silent, then the door hissed open. He was not really worried about it, but it had not been that long. He had two hours each session of his free time so it wasn't time to go yet.

Bright aqua eyes looked up questionably as the door closed and the presence of one is still there. His brows shot up in surprise. A girl, not much younger than himself stood there glowering. Her hair was golden, and her eyes were like his own. Sephiroth shook his head. "Who are you?" He had stopped his coloring. He was not sure of what was going on. Why would Hojo let him have a playmate now? Of all times?

The girl's glare was taking in his appearance, and she wondered the same thing as him. Well, Hojo was not in charge of her care. She got the nice one, Professor Gast. She had not seen this boy before but she was not really allowed from her room much either. She shook her head and recalled this boy from when she was a baby, though memories from then were fading. The only memories she had were of her father. There are none of her mother left anymore. "Daitona Aramose, and you are?" She was polite. At least she had been given to Gast, a very nice man and has been treated like she was his own child. "And who are you?"

Sephiroth shook his head then put his attention back on his coloring. He does not have much time to be a kid, so this is a break. The girl frowns at him and stamps her little foot. "I told you mine now you gotta tell me yours! Otherwise that is not fair!" Oh yes. Little kids are loud and she is no different than those little kids.

Sephiroth grumbles something, but Daitona cannot hear, so she marches over to the table and takes hold of a lock of his hair and yanks. "Tell me!" she yells at the top of her lungs and lets go of his hair, glaring angrily at the boy.

Sephiroth winced as his hair was suddenly yanked and his head was pulled to the side with it. "Stupid girl!" he yells and smacks at her. Getting Daitona across the face. She recoils sharply then slowly looks back at him, he glaring right back at her as he says, "Go away and leave me alone."

Rubbing her race softly, Daitona cannot believe he hit her. "That hurt you jerk!" She punches him as her revenge, causing the chair he is in to topple out and he went rolling out on the floor, also rubbing his face. They both are still, eyes narrowed and glaring daggers at one another.

Sephiroth slowly stands up and steps up to her, he nearly an entire head taller than Daitona, then grabs her about the neck, trying to strangle her and snarling the whole while. Daitona claws his arms; she actually having claws helps as it quickly draws blood and little Sephiroth retreats from that action, smiling in satisfaction since she is bruised about the neck.

The two children stood, glowering at each other till finally Sephiroth shook his head. "You are so childish." Daitona stuck her tongue out at him for that one then put her hands on her hips. "And you are not? You are the one who will not say what your name is, or are you just stupid?" Again, the face off, though it did not last long.

Though the cameras and those observing, none could tell which child moved first but in the end several people had to be sent in to break up the fight.. Though in the end it was obvious who got the best of who. Both where beaten up, one with many scratches made by razor like claws, the other bruised from pure strength. Not a one of them, including the guards sent in, walked out of that room unscathed.

-years later-

The building was silent at this hour in the afternoon, people either doing their work or out to lunch, though not many were allowed on this floor to begin with. Silently walking, dressed all in white these days, a young girl creeps down the main fall. She smiles proudly, she is getting better, no one has caught her out of her room yet and with all these cameras, she must have been able to evade their line of sight, less they would have been after her long before now. The Shinra Tower was huge, yet she was never allowed to explore even a portion of it. Keeping to her careful strategy, she stops to peek around the next corner; maybe she will go down this way today though when she peeks she sees something she had not expected. Hojo's back was to her, there was no mistaking it; that slightly hunched over look, long greasy black hair in a ponytail. She wonders why no one has ever cut it off or suggested to the man to take a bath or something. She took her eyes from the scientist when there was a movement in front of him

Struggling fiercely against two SOLDIER's, someone was being dragged from a room. Or a cell. She watched intensely, waiting to see the poor being that would be the next subject of the crazed scientist's tortures.

Both golden eyebrows shot up once the person is pulled out, revealing long silver hair. 'Those eyes...' "You." she says softly as she recognizes the boy from a long time ago. Yet she never had learned his name.

Sephiroth was dragged from the room into the brightly lit all, he winced only for a moment after having been in a dark room. He stumbled a bit, going from hard tile floor to the red carpet. Even so, he fought the SOLDIER's every step of the way. Lifting his head he glared death at the leering Hojo.

Chuckling, Hojo moved just in time to avoid a kick form the boy. He was dangerous that way and the scientist knew full well. "Sephiroth," he cooed, seemingly oblivious that the boy was trying to get at him, "We really must be getting to the lab now. You do know that I am a busy man and as much as I'd like to, I cannot spend all day running these simple tests and playing with you. Do grow up, son."

The boy twisted suddenly, managing to get one arm free for a moment and tried to punch that smug look off the professor's face but he was grabbed just inches from impact. "Wouldn't YOU!" he spat as if it is a bad taste in his mouth.

"Insolent little brat!" Hojo snarls, suddenly getting angry, the boy was resisting and wasting his precious time. He drew his hand back in the same instance as to backhand Sephiroth into submission. Even if he knew full well it would not work it would knock sense into the boy for the day. His hand came across Sephiroth's head with a dull thud and the boy recoiled backwards from the impact. The two SOLDIER's held tight on the boy. As the scientist's hand met Sephiroth though, Hojo had heard as well as everyone else in the hall, a soft cry from the corner. Drawing his hand back, rubbing it slightly, the boy had a hard head; he narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the corner as if trying to see through the wall. "Daitona..." the scientist growls, finally realizing just who it would be.

Daitona wrinkled her nose at being discovered. 'Dummy, why did you have to make a sound? Now he knows you are out of your room and not where you are suppose to be. Stupid! Well. Now what to do, what to do? Ahh yes. Let me just play with Hojo till Gast is told to come and get me. That should be fun. Stupid scientist. You deserve this a thousand times over again.' A wicked grin has spread across her still childish face, she only looking about nine years old now and not overly tall, standing only about four feet tall. Her build as always, was still slim, though very fit as she exercised somewhat strenuously every day. Slowly she stepped around the corner, as confident as her thoughts were her demeanor was not that of confidence, more that of a mouse cornered by that big ol' mean housecat.

Dark eyes regarded her, a hateful look but also one of interest. That scrawny scientist was studying her. The girl shivered as a cold feel went up her spine. Hojo tapped his foot on the carpet, impatient, not looking to be frustrated at wherever his thoughts had taken him and annoyed by it. "What are you doing out of your room again?" he growled at her, meaning to scare her though the opposite happened. He arched a slender black brow as Daitona stood her ground.

Daitona shook herself. 'What am I thinking! This guy could ruin all that Gast has done for me. He has warned me…' With her thoughts she stumbled and stammered over words, trying to think of a reasonable excuse. "I…a…I am..." She hesitated, 'I can't think of an excuse! Those eyes...' She shuddered inside at the thought.

"Humph!" Hojo dropped his arms to his sides then made a move to advance onto the girl though stopped remembering himself. For the moment anyways. "Becoming hotheaded again are you! Don't think you have to explain yourself to me, do you! Perhaps you'd like to join him in my lab little miss." His dark eyes swung to Sephiroth, who for the moment forgot that he should be fighting. Someone to step in and halt the scientist in his tracks, that's not suppose to happen, though a grin comes over his face as he does recognize this girl from a long time ago though her name no longer comes to mind. He watched as she stumbled backwards as if Hojo had smacked her with that comment, though mentally it probably was quite a vicious smack.

Taking the opportunity while Daitona was obviously distracted by thoughts, the scientist advanced on her in quick strides. Closer, he reached for one of the girl's arms. Clamping a bony white hand on her arm it sent a chill though her at the coolness of his skin. He began to drag her out of the way so that the two SOLDIER's restraining Sephiroth could pass without incident. As the three started, there was a sudden yell from Hojo as Daitona lashed at him with those sharp claws of hers. She had never hurt an adult before, but right now it did not matter how badly the lashes were. She twisted in his grip and swiftly reached up raking her claws across his face. She was freed near instantly then; he instinctively clutched his face as five crimson lines quickly made evidence of the claws' paths. Later on, he would have to receive several stitches as the wounds were serious from her claws.

Hojo was in shock at the suddenness of the attack and the fact that a little girl had actually drawn blood. Suddenly shock turned to anger as he stepped hastily away from her and glared at the SOLDIER's. "What are you standing there for you fools! One of you restrain that girl at once!"

The two SOLDIER's looked at one an other, the stronger of them staying to keep firm hold of the boy, the shorter and less muscular of the two letting go and advancing on the girl who in every sense was in as much shock as Hojo was at what she'd done. The blonde haired man came closer to Daitona, grinning. He obviously did not care what he could do to her; it was not his job to be gentle. He pushed out his chest in an effort to intimidate her, though it was not needed. Daitona was not stupid, she had learned about the ever famous SOLDIER's.

Green eyes sparkled with mean intent, then with no warning what so ever he swung at her with a big fist. Easily enough he hit her and sent her sprawling to the floor despite her somewhat defensive stance. She twisted in the air, catching her mouth on one of the railings that happened to boarder this hall. She hit the floor on her side with a dull thud. Slowly, she sat up, a small hand reaching up to lightly touch the gash on her lip and winced when the finger met tender, bloody flesh. Of all reactions that one may think of that she could have had, she looked bewildered for an instance, then a wave of anger came over her normally soft features. 'None of them have EVER hit me before. ME! I am special. They cannot do this to me.' She felt the small stream of blood flowing over her chin and dripping off onto the carpet, disappearing into it.

In somewhat of a sluggish, drunk like movement she got back to her feet. Her face for that time hidden in the shadow of her hair. With one hand she wiped over her mouth, wiping the blood away as she raised her eyes. Face still shrouded in shadow, her eyes stood out clearly, burning with anger. She faced the SOLDIER, now wondering who was intimidating who as the blonde, for an instant, looked as if he had just seen a ghost.

Both stood watching one another, though it was Daitona who moved first, slashing with her clawed hands and kicking. With such effort she was not able to land a single blow onto the man; though she was proud of herself for at least being able to catch him off guard from her sudden attack.

As Daitona fought with the SOLDIER, attacking and dodging, Hojo was there writing furiously into that little leather notebook of his. He distracted her for only just a moment but that was all it took for the blonde to get the upper hand. He smirked as he made a wide swing for the girl who immediately ducked away. 'Finally deciding to show us some of your true ability. Your ability that your father passed onto you?' the scientist thought to himself as he watched and wrote, out loud he laughed, causing Daitona once more to look in his direction, to once more become distracted.

The SOLDIER once more noticed though this time decided to take advantage of it. No need to play with little kids while on duty. He moved quickly behind her and wrapped his big arms around her, pinning her arms tightly to her sides in a bear like hug. Carefully he adjusted to hold her with just one arm, then knocked her over the head with the other, knocking her out once and for all.

-some hours later-

'Blackness. Why can I not see? Oh yeah. Have to open my eyes.' Sighting softly, Daitona slowly opened her eyes; she could not help but to think just how uncomfortable she was. Her eyes were blurry from being hit over the head but eventually she found that she was laying on what seemed to be a metallic table. Metal. Cold. Straps holding her down. 'Wait!' she thought in alarm, her senses quickly coming back to her now. 'I'm not supposed to be strapped down! Where am I!'

Her wrists and ankles were tightly bound to keep her from moving, for an extra measure one band was even placed about her belly. The lights in this room were blinding and it took some time for her eyes to completely adjust for her to see and try to figure out where she was. Her head started to throb painfully from where that SOLDIER guy had hit her hard enough to knock most people's brains out.

Her ears at least were fine out of all her senses. There was humming of machinery all around her, then footsteps coming ever closer. Someone must have noticed her waking. Turning her head to the approaching person, they looked to be shrouded in shadow but then her eyes cleared and she realized with a start that it was none other than Hojo.

A voice spoke up just before the scientist would have gotten to her. "Sir." She recognized the voice, one of the SOLDIER's from before, but she was not sure just which one it was. "What do you want us to do with him?" Hojo turned away from her though she was able to see past the thin scientist to see just who 'him' was. Both the SOLDIER's were there; they were both supporting a limp figure. Head hung and obviously unconscious, Sephiroth was who 'him' was. They held him just high enough that he was not being completely dragged, that would be more work from the two of them after all.

Hojo's lab coat moved; she guessed he was rubbing his chin or something. "Take him back to his cell. I have no further use of the brat for today. What with passing out like that in just the third round. Pathetic!" he spat. "And the girl?" the same SOLDIER asked as well and motioned to Daitona, even if there were not other female's within this lab.

The black-haired scientist 'humphed' irritably and turned to glare down at the girl. He was silent for a long moment, seeming to think intensely about something or another. "If she wants to interfere with my work with Sephiroth so badly we'll just see how she likes what I've been doing to him. Not like it will affect anything. She will eventually get it anyways, just earlier that what my colleague had planned on for her." He nods his head, yes; he had every intention of bullying Gast into making the girl go through the Mako treatments just as Sephiroth has had through his entire life.

Daitona narrowed her eyes. From the way the scientist said that, she had the feeling that she really didn't know what had happened to Sephiroth to knock him out. That much frightened her now. What they did to him that Hojo wanted to do to her now? Her thoughts here interrupted by the SOLDIER once more, "Should we inform Professor Gast as to where she can be found in case he is looking for her?"

Hojo swing around quickly with a look of fury on his face. "Of course NOT! What are you, a fool! You know full well that he'd wring my neck if he knew I had her!" President Shinra had given her care to Gast after her near escape with her father when she was but an infant. "She did wonder into your vicinity without an escort though," the other SOLDIER pointed out, as if that was supposed to mean much more than the girl was to be returned and punished by her caregiver. Hojo shook his head. "As true as that may be, she is still not my specimen. Yet," he said with an edge as he looked back down at Daitona.

The golden-haired girly shuddered visibly this time. What a horrid thought! On one had, Professor Gast was a very nice, pleasant man to be around. And on the other, you have Hojo. Hojo. Need any more to explain that one? Most would not. Silence came over the room, the SOLDIER's having left Hojo to his own devices, and a dark sinking feeling grew in the pit of Daitona's stomach. No one was going to come and save her. No one knew where she was besides those who would not tell.

Daitona finally had the chance to look around. She knew she was in a lab but just what kind she didn't know. Nothing was familiar to her: the machines, the jars on the shelves bordering the walls…nothing. The machines took up most of the room; they seemed very important and expensive. There was a bubbling green liquid running into some of those machines through hollow glass tubes. Shelves adorned much of the walls. They held a variety of glass jars with liquids and other sorts of materials that someone thought to be important at once point or another. Further out in the room were long banks of computers used for various functions and tasks. Daitona suspected that many of them worked the many machines that were here and some were for Shinra files, hooked to the whole network in the building, and probably some for Hojo's own 'research'. Perhaps there were some that were linked to outside sources, but there was no telling without messing with them. Her thoughts and observations of the lab were interrupted by the heavy lab doors being pulled shut.

Hojo was ruffling though some papers on a desk pushed into a corner, reading a few things, then he nodded to himself. He then picked up a small sheet and turned, coming back, though passing her in favor of a machine that he promptly began adjusting things on it. What caught her eyes though, were the long needles that he pulled out of it and threw away, only to replace them with new ones. Minutes passed with him messing with the thing when finally he nodded in satisfaction with the adjustments. He then came back to her, giving a not too pleasant smile as he used his toes to unlock the wheels of the table, then began taxiing it over to where the machine was that he had been working on.

Not listening to her protests, he positioned the medical table carefully before locking the wheels again. "Normally," Hojo began as he went about doing things. "I wouldn't give such a high dosage of this Mako treatment to a 'first timer', but for you, I have made an exception. Gast should have started this treatment on you long ago. And since he has procrastinated so long, I will start his job for him."

Fear gripped Daitona and she struggled against her bonds, though she knew full well that they would not give, that she didn't have the strength. Frustration mixed with her fear as Hojo laughed at her struggles, he knowing as well as she that there was no escape. What she did not know though, was that those bonds were meant for Sephiroth's strength, and frankly, Sephiroth was much stronger than this girl. Though she still had the potential, if not strength. She had speed and agility on her side.

Hojo rolled his eyes as he turned away, messing with yet something else. He scowled as his worked. 'Gast, you are such a fool hearted man! How could you waste such a creature as this girl!' He frowned as he finally started up the machine. 'Not only was he wasting this girl, but he is also had the nerve to release the only full blood of her race! We were lucky just to get this one back!' He fumed as the needles of the machine carelessly dug into the girl's skin.

Daitona's eyes fill with tears as she cried out in pain. Despite her cries, the machine goes on, not having any feeling for what it does. Once the needles were in place the process of infusing the Mako began, causing the girl's body to feel as if it was on fire. As the process when on, so did the scientist's angry thoughts about Gast and his decisions.

Minutes that seemed like hours passed, and they passed painfully slow for Daitona. Finally the treatment ended and the needles jerked back out of her skin. Hojo carefully moved over to the table and checked the girl, becoming surprised when he found Daitona still conscious. This was her first time having such a treatment and she'd been infused with a dosage half that given to Sephiroth, and it would take him half a day for even this dosage. "Well," the scientist stated with a hint that he was impressed in his voice, "this certainly is interesting." He paced around the table a few times checking this and checking that until he was satisfied with his findings. "I had hypothesized as much," he says though more to himself that to her, "but not to this extent. How about another round? I'm up for it. Let's see how much of this you can really take," he says with an almost childish glee before moving to reset the machine, which too way not enough time for Daitona.

The machine started again, the needles going in near the exact same places as before. As they pierced her skin, an overwhelming feeling of dread came over Daitona. Her blood already felt as if it were on the verge of boiling and she was having a hard time breathing correctly. The process started and a shrill scream erupted from her throat before relief found her in the darkness of unconsciousness as it consumed her once more. She only felt the second treatment for seconds but even that was too much, she would forever more know the feeling of the Mako pumping though her veins.

-End Chapter One