Shadow of the Wolf -part 1-
Buried deep into numerous blankets, a child was trying to fight against the poison that had been forced into him. The room was silent, apart from the sound of his teeth chattering. Silver hair was stuck on his forehead and his lithe form was trembling. His insides were burning while the outside was deadly cold, his little fingers trying in vain to close around the blanket to bring it closer. A familiar sound made his green eyes open and soon there was a gentle hand on his shoulder. It was no thanks to his blurry vision that he recognised him.
- Sephiroth, the man said softly, are you holding on?
- Vincent… I… I'm cold…
The man, Vincent, patted the child's back and slipped a hand behind his head. His neck was moist, but cold, as the rest of his body. He saw Sephiroth close his eyes, and decided that for his safety, he should warm him up. Getting out of his coat and shirt, he uncovered the child and brought him up against his chest, wrapping the heavy quilt around them both. Physical warmth was the most effective of all… and little Seph was very responsive to it. The concern never left him as he began to rub his back in a caring manner, asking the child if he still had nausea, to what he was answered by a slight shake of head.
- The poison should wear off in a few hours, he said soothingly, I will stay with you until then to make sure you're alright. I am sorry you must pass through this.
- I… I hate him…, Sephiroth whispered back, I hate him…
- I know.
Vincent sighed as he felt the sudden wetness leaking on his chest. The small body in his arms trembled and the Turk wrapped the blanket tighter around Sephiroth. A small sigh escaped those lips, and then sleep came to claim him.
"You're not the only one to hate him" Vincent thought as he kissed the boy's forehead "One day I will make him pay for what he did to you"
When Sephiroth woke up, he was alone in his room, and the sun was shining. It seemed that he had slept through a day undisturbed, probably thanks to Vincent. He felt hungry, but very, very thirsty. He reached for the glass on the bedside table and downed the water in one gulp. That made him have an involuntary look at his hand, which he found covered with red patches. Horrified, Sephiroth jumped out of bed and entered the bathroom, tearing open his nightshirt; the red patches were covering all of his body. That meant even if he had purged his body from the poison, he could still develops the side effects of it. That also meant that his father would surely want to test that reaction with other poisons… Reluctantly he walked to his bed… but something outside caught his attention. Through the window he could see the other kids in the village square. This wasn't the first time he saw them, but right now it seemed that the blond one was running toward the Mansion, while the others were chasing him. Again.
- He's there!
- Catch him!
The little blond did not waste a second and ran toward the big house near the gates of the village. He knew that if Mark was catching him, he would suffer again. But he also knew he wouldn't come near the haunted house. He jumped over the iron fence and crawled under the bushes, coming closer to the Mansion's walls. All he had done was ask Tifa if she wanted to play tag… No one wanted to play with him anymore since… since his father went up the mountain with the strangers. He was alone now. Alone with his mother.
- Hey, you can get out, they're gone.
The blond was startled; it sounded like a kid's voice. Carefully, he peeked around; Mark, Shaun and Derek were gone, but no one was there. He stepped out of the bushes, puzzled.
- Why are they chasing you?
This time he could tell the voice was coming from the second floor window. The blond looked up and saw a boy up there. Strangely, he had never see him around. He knew that because he had a very unique hair, silver hair. To answer his question, he just dropped his shoulders and shook his head. He didn't really know why the other kids were mean to him.
- Oh… What's your name?
- Cloud. And you?
- Sephiroth.
- Do you want to come out and play with me?
Cloud really hoped he could have a friend, someone that wouldn't reject him. But when Sephiroth told him he couldn't, his eyes filled with tears.
- Why, he asked with a trembling voice
- 'cause the Professor doesn't want to. And I am always sick, look at my hands.
Cloud wiped his eyes and saw that Sephiroth's hands were red all over, even his neck was, too. Frowning, Cloud crossed his arms like his mother did when she was scolding him.
- And you have no friend up there? I could come in and play with you, instead.
- No!
There was panic in Sephiroth's voice, which made Cloud even more nervous.
- No! If he sees you talking to me he'll do horrible things to you!
- How can you be sure?
- Promise not to tell anyone…
The blond put a hand over his mouth and lifted his right hand, the way people in Nibelheim were doing to promise something.
- Because the Professor is doing awful things to me. He hurts me, he is an evil man… he's my father…
- And your mom?
When the silver haired boy shook his head, Cloud knew. He asked softly if she had gone over the mountains to the Promised Land. Sephiroth nodded.
- Daddy Ro's there, too. They are together, like us.
Cloud grinned, and he saw Sephiroth smile back a little. He felt he had found someone just like him. In the distance he heard his name; his mother was calling him for lunch. The silver haired boy seemed very sad.
- You'll come back…?
- Yep! See you tomorrow, Seph!
Cloud entered into his house with a big smile. His mother, a small, lean woman with blonde hair spiked like his, greeted him with a hug. Something was unusual in this smile, though it wasn't for the worst, because her child had wasn't very social and the other kids kept picking on him since his father had died.
- Honey, I didn't think I would see you so happy again… What happened to you? The other kids stopped chasing you?
- No, they're meanies… But I made a new friend.
- A new friend? Is there a new family in town?
- No… He lives in the big house.
Rose Strife put a hand over her mouth in surprise. The only person she ever saw get out of the mansion was the bodyguard of the Professor, the Turk, Vincent Valentine. He was a kind man, but she was wary him, like everyone in town. If there was a kid in the mansion, he was probably protecting him.
- How come… You met him, how?
- He was at the window… I was hiding from Mark, and he told me when they were gone. He's awesome!
- He? It's a boy?
- Yeah, but right now Sephiroth is sick… and no-body can go play with him… he's lonely.
- Cloud. Listen to me. I would rather like you to stay away from this boy… The Mansion is dangerous…
- No, Cloud screamed, He's my only friend! He is like me!
Cloud pushed away his mother and began to cry. Rose, as a good mother, was trying to protect her child… But Cloud, so lonely, seeing his new friendship refused, was totally discouraged. She placed a hand gently on her son's shoulder. She knew Cloud had good judgement, though, and if this boy, Sephiroth, could be trusted by his son…
- Why do you say he is like you, Cloud?
- He sniff His mother went over the mountains. sniff To the Promised Land.
Sephiroth tried to scream, as he tried to move, but nothing was responding at all. His vision suddenly failed him. The only thing he could tell was that Professor Hojo was yelling; something was wrong, apparently. It made him panic even more than the convulsions he was victim of… Hojo's tests were torture, even when he was martyred by that man, never he had heard him that something was wrong. He would die, this time.
- Hojo! For Heaven's sake! Get him out!
- Stop yelling at me Valentine! It is opening, but I can't have that beast running free here. Go kill it and bring the boy here.
Vincent didn't waste a second and jumped into the room, raised his gun and fired at the Miniki Mantis that was menacing Sephiroth with his clawed paws. It fell back, and immediately the Turk scooped the kid and got out of the arena. Hojo was even quicker to tear his bundle away. If cruel, at least he was competent and already knew, he had had an allergic reaction to the beast's pollen.
- You can dispose, Turk. I have no need for you to be here.
Stunned, Vincent watched as Hojo gave an injection to Sephiroth, who was already plugged to a respirator and tied to the table. The professor waved him out again, and he had no choice but to leave. He climbed the stairs and his feet took him into Sephiroth's bedroom. He was shaken up; sure as a Turk, he had seen horrors and taken lives, but to see this… pure madness unleashed on a child. On /his/ child… He suddenly needed air and opened the window. His legs were shaking, a hand went up to his face and he slipped against the wall. Trembling, he got out of his pocket an worn-out photograph of a brown-haired woman.
- Lucrecia…, he whispered
"He could have died… he could be dead by now… I have to tell him…"
- Sephiroth?
Vincent lifted his head. Someone outside was calling Sephiroth? Who could that be? For all he knew, his son never talked about this… Every kid in town was frightened by the mansion… so who? Shaking himself out of his trance, he rose up and looked down in the yard. What he saw froze his heart.
- Strife's boy?
To be continued…
Author's notes
Ah-ah! I'm back! Hello again to all of you! I was thinking about doing a three part fic… How did you like this one? I really hope it was what you were looking for. Write me your comments!
