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Chapter 7
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Hojo stepped back as the Rocket Launcher was pointed at him. It gleamed malevolently in the white strip lighting of the training area.
"I guess you are not as powerful as you believe" said Sephiroth "One blast from this and you will be out through every wall from here to the city streets"
"Could you really shoot your father with that?" asked Hojo stepping back again
"You're not my father, remember?" said Sephiroth. Hojo looked at the exit
"Take the exit if you like" said Vincent "I would say that it was the best idea, these kids will turn you into pulp if you don't"
"I'll stand and fight" said Hojo. Sephiroth drooped his head
"If that's what you want" said Sephiroth. The Rocket Launcher fired. The boom was tremendous; it shook the entire training room. Sephiroth's hair was blown forwards by the force of the rocket skimming him. The rocket hit Hojo dead centre. Flames erupted outwards and engulfed the small man. Flames sped towards the recruits but they died down as they neared them. The smoke began to clear and the recruits gasped as Hojo still stood.
"Again I say; is that all you've got?" said Hojo smiling. Vincent and Sephiroth raised their rifles and began sinking charges into the scientist but it was making no difference.
"Jenova" laughed Hojo manically "The cells of Jenova have made me immortal!" he laughed again.
"The ancient!" said Vincent
"Yes, yes, yes!" shouted Hojo "The very same one!" Hojo began to pull at his own skin creating cruel welts in his wrists from his nails.
"Look what your mother has done to me!" shouted Hojo "She has made me the man I am today!"
"My mother?" said Sephiroth
"One of them; Lucrecia, I, Vincent and the great Jenova!" shouted Hojo frenziedly
"Me!" gasped Vincent "And Lucrecia!"
"Of course" laughed Hojo "Can't you feel his likeness to you?"
"I knew there was something" said Vincent
"Sephiroth" said Hojo "Let me use your mothers powers to finally put you to rest" flames erupted in Hojo's palm and then were sent directly at Sephiroth.
The flames froze in mid-air inches away from Sephiroth. Vincent and the others could feel the heat from them but they were no longer in motion.
"What?" gasped Hojo
"Do you think Jenova would want to destroy her own son?" asked Vincent
"But Jenova is not in control" said Hojo "I am, her DNA is intertwined with my own, I am in control"
"The type of bond a mother and son have is practically written into DNA" said Vincent "Sephiroth is the one with the power, being a direct descendant and all"
"What do I do?" asked Sephiroth looking at Vincent
"I honestly don't know" said Vincent "What you want, what feels right"
"You're my father, well sort of" said Sephiroth "You're in danger, I think I need to protect you"
The flames were flung back at Hojo and sent him careering through the training area wall.
"Get out" said Sephiroth, his voice now cold and his eyes had turned a misty green "Never return" he gasped and then collapsed as his nervous system overheated. Even thought Sephiroth was out of action Hojo did not feel like testing out his unconscious reflexes and so bolted for the exit.