Chapter 7: When Understanding is Belief

Cool fingers rub inquisitively at a slight rash on young, pale skin. The fingers move on and continue to trail down in search of further blemishes.

"What is Materia?" Professor Hojo pauses in his examination as the young boy's voice sounds in the quiet lab.

He glances up at Sephiroth, then rights himself slowly. "Materia is crystalized Mako. It is theorized that it contains the knowledge and wisdom of the Ancient's. When this knowledge interacts with us, it forms a connection with the planet allowing us to call upon natures forces."

Sephiroth's soul hums in recognition. "So it lets us use magic." The boy concludes simply, leaning back on the examination table and out from the glare of the surgical light-head.

"M-Magic?!" Professor Hojo splutters - recoiling. "What are you going to call it next; a 'mysterious power'?" The professor scoffs.

But Sephiroth perks up, honing in on the changing scent. The smell of fear.

Turning away from the boy while nudging up his glasses, he paces a few steps away while trailing one hand along the examination table. "You should not use such unscientific terms. This world is ruled by the laws of science and those terms are outdated. They belonged to a people who did not understand the world around them." Professor Hojo calms down, reassured by his own speech.

Sephiroth tastes the air watching Professor Hojo with interest. The man's fear is dissipating. "But you cannot explain everything." The child counters, fishing for a reaction.

Professor Hojo stills then whirls on his heel to look at Sephiroth. "It is simply because an explanation has yet to be found." His façade is steady and unruffled. The Professor is becoming better at keeping it in front of Sephiroth. But his scent, turbulent as it is, betrays the older mans inner turmoil.

The boy brings a leg beneath him and stands up on the examination table. All the while keeping a level stare at the older man.

Sephiroth finds this very entertaining. What is it that this man holds onto so desperately?

"Is there a difference if there isn't an explanation and never finding it?" The child needles, pacing toward the Professor along the table edge.

"An explanation will be found eventually; weather I live to see it or not." The older man retorts. But his widened eye's are glued to the naked child stalking towards him.

The steps are deliberate and well balanced. Professor Hojo knows it well – has measured it and studied its development. He knows every inch of his… specimens body, inside and out.

Sephiroth reaches the tables edge and standing tall and undaunted at eye-level with his guardian. "What difference is there – if when you find your explanation – you are unable to understand it?"

Hand trembling slightly – the professor moves to push up his glasses, only to press them harder against his brow.

Sephiroth knows he understands things differently from the Professor. His guardian may know more than he but the boy can perceive things the adult is incapable of. "You are limited in yo–"

"This conversation is fruitless!" Professor Hojo finally snaps with a hiss, interrupting him. "Return to your seat and wait for me to finish the examination."

Sephiroth regards him for a moment, but slinks quietly back to his sitting position on the table. A smirk starches the child's lips as he scrutinises the professor who moves on to manipulate the young boy's joints, checking the range of motion. It would seem that professor Hojo is afraid of what he cannot understand.

./.

It is late in the night when Sephiroth wakes with a start. It feels like his time has come to a sudden halt.

It is not the first such experience. He has felt several times during the past few days.

With a mental shrug he knows his time is still moving, slightly faster than the Lifestream's, and has not stopped since he came into existence.

He wonders idly what is happening. But scouring his inner channels - his meridians - he finds nothing. Patiently he waits a few minutes and feels the impression come again - of time slowly coming to a start.

Examining the sensation, he finds that it is incomplete and far away. The boy sighs as the awareness fades away, none the wiser on what it may be.

./.

"When Veld passes Gast's folded letter to Sephiroth, he is pleasantly surprised. Veld has been sending him Turks who bring him to their training facilities. They would teach him the basics to fighting. Sometimes even Veld himself came to the boy to give him some lessons.

Sephiroth assumed that this time was such an occasion. But it seems he is pleasantly mistaken.

Most of the Turks are distant but professional with him, which suits Sephiroth just fine.

Apart from learning how to fight and actually fighting them, the boy isn't interested in doing much else with them. He learns quickly but for the most part the child is still training on basic movements with various wooden weapons as well as bare handed. Though a large amount of time goes to simple physical exercise and coordination training.

The only weapon that truly has an affinity with Sephiroth, however, is the sword. Though the hum of appreciation from his soul is disrupted regularly by the disconcerting wrongness of the practice weapons, many of the movements are intimately familiar to it.

But even favoring the sword as he does, he gets plenty of practice with the other fighting stiles. And enjoys them as well. Most of all, he looks forward to actually be able to start fighting no matter what fighting stile he will be aloud to use.

His soul shivers with delight in remembrance.

Dear Sephiroth

My how surprised I was by your picture! Yes, they do look like that, though they also have tribal tattoos, head dresses and bangles. Hopefully one day you will have a chance to meet them for yourself.

You asked me about Materia, Linked Materia and Mana. I keep forgetting you do not know of such things yet. Materia is compressed Mako. Within the Materia it is believed that knowledge belonging to the ancients is held. When we access this knowledge it forms a connection with the planet and allows us to call upon it's powers. This is also known as 'Magic'. This field of study is highly complicated, dangerous and not at all well understood so not many venture into this realm and the few who do often tend to divert form from commonly scientifically accepted theories. I used to have a friend who was very well versed in this field, but he died years ago from one of his experiments.

Materia is often inserted into armour, bangles or weapons so that they are easier to use. Certain materials, often metals, can create a connection between the user and the materia even when there is no direct contact. These connections must be built into the equipment and are know as Materia slots. They are notoriously tricky to make in a way that they function reliably - especially as the number of slots increase. Many years ago only skilled smiths could make them, but Shinra found a way to mass produce materia slots and have made them more widely available. This is one of the reasons it was so influential even before it developed Mako power. However, equipment with many slots are still very difficult to make and are often rare and valuable. Linked slots are much like single slots but allow the user to access two Materia simultaneously. We know that depending on the combination the function of the Materia's combined power can change. This is what is known as linked material. With clever combinations effects that cannot be produced with a single material may be wielded. The floating transport I told you about is a rather unusual but a very clever use of linked material. Grant elemental protection or attributes to a person or weapon is a more common application.

In the past Mana was believed to be a separate power within us, reminiscent to what I told you about chakra, which was consumed when using magic. We now know that this is probably not the case, and in science the term is used as a unit of measurement. We know that people can only cast magic a certain number of times and that this number seems constant if the right circumstances are met. We also know that some spells are more taxing than others, often in relation to their power or influence. For fighters it can be very important to keep track of how many more spells they can cast. Scientist have learned to give an approximate number to the required mana cost of spells and from there have been able to calculate a number for fighters to be able to use. This number is referred to as MP. You may sometimes hear it called Magic Points but the correct term is Mana points. The total MP seems to vary from individual to individual and will often grow over time and with fighting experience or training, weather it is the mind or body. It is speculated to be related to a person's cognitive abilities though, once again, it is not well understood nor studied. Young children have been known to suffer badly if they use Materia. They often become inexplicably confused, fall into a deep slumber for days, suffer from memory loss or in the worst cases become mentally damaged for life. It is thought that this is because their brain hasn't fully developed yet and cannot handle the information from the materia. This is probably why you haven't been allowed close to it yet. I am sure that professor Hojo wouldn't be willing to take such a risk by letting you use it too early.

Speaking of professor Hojo I have heard that he finally became head of the Shinra Research Science Department. He has a bright mind though he strikes me as very young. He must be among the youngest who have ever taken that position. I hope he is happy with his achievement. People are often envious of those with influential positions, but they do not realise the price for that success. I know for I have been there myself. These past few years must have been very hard on him. I know professor Hojo has made difficult choices, Sephiroth, and I do not envy him for his sacrifices.

Shortly after I sent my letter to you from Corel I departed with my hired mercenaries to the pass through the mountains toward the port of Costa Del Sol. The journey through Mount Corel was a harrowing one thanks to the many petrification-inflicting monsters. An ability particularly common in this area and also the reason why Costa Del Sol is renown for its Soft-production industry. Aside from their reputation as a resort town and large harbour, of course. I had the misfortune of falling victim to the status ailment several times. Fortunately, my escorts managed to get me out of the condition every time.

The boat trip was quite uneventful. My stay in Junon will be short, but I will take this opportunity to properly say my farewells to all of my old colleagues who remain here. The city is very familiar to me. Though you may never have been here I have worked many years in Shinra HQ when it was located in Junon. I have only been to Midgar during its initial construction. Maybe one day you can show me around.

My next destination is the Mideel continent I've heard that the life stream is unusually close to the surface there. I heard some years ago that Shinra planned to build a Mako reactor there, but for some reason the project was abandoned. Send your letter to the Mideel Town. I've heard they are well known for their hot springs and I look forward to finding out for myself.

Yours truly

Gast Faremis

Sephiroth sits before a second picture of the red creature he's drawn, this one a lot better than his last attempt.

Tattoos, headdresses and bangles. He reasons that bangles would obviously be on the wrists. Starting with the most evident he draws out bangles on the front legs. The boy hesitates then moves to draw two on the back leg as well, his soul humming in recognition.

He places a coloured pen on the head of the image - letting whim control his actions. His hand moves to behind the ear drawing a spiky shape in black and filling in the tip. He looks at it quizzically, his soul humming again in confirmation. A feather?

Moving on to the tattoos, he knows this will be harder because he doesn't know where to start. Staring hard at the picture his hand shifts, scribbling in a line across the foreleg of the beast, between the shoulder and elbow. He moves again and draws a similar line on the thigh. Hesitating he finally outline a smaller scribble just above the forelegs first tattoo. He isn't entirely satisfied but for now he is certain that it is the closest he will get to drawing out the image that lies hidden within his soul.

Turning back to Gast's letter he reads through it again. Gast's explanation for Materia is similar to Professor Hojo's, only more readily using the term magic and admitting to the knowledge gaps which the younger scientist had denied. The mention of a friend specialising in magic stirs something within Sephiroth's soul. But when the boy grasps for it, the thought evades him and scatters like dust moats in the air.

Gast's description of Materia slots is also familiar to his soul but it is new to Sephiroth himself. The thought sends tingles down his arms and he instantly knows it is a clue for something else. A white line of light in a dull surrounding. A hauntingly beautiful song. The feeling of a steady companion, of a reliable presence, of the only true friend. But try as Sephiroth might he cannot grasp its identity from the abstract details offered to him from the depths of his soul. Knowing the answer will reveal itself to him in time, the toddlers thoughts shift to ponder elsewhere.

Once again he is unsurprised by the older mans defence of professor Hojo. However, he does recall Hojo mentioning something about negative effects and material use to president Shinra. Sephiroth had not taken the information to heart though. Neither he nor his soul could imagine the professor attempting to protect him from harm and found it more likely to apply it on the child himself.

A faint and forgotten air stirs within child's soul at the thought. Not wishing to dell on it any longer he scans further down the letter.

He stops on the mention of petrification. The term is familiar to his soul in the same way that materia is. But something else tugs at Sephiroth's thoughts, urging him to recall... And he fishes out a book on status ailments to seek the meaning of the term.

"A status effect that turns an organism into stone. This status puts the afflicted into stasis in addition to rendering them virtually invulnerable to most attacks, both mental and physical. Petrify can be a dangerous condition in battle: leading a team to being wiped out. It may also be perilous to any one who wanders on their own. It can be counteracted by using Soft or casting Esuna. It also wears off with time given certain care and the proper conditions even without the remedies."

Sephiroth sits back in contemplation. Those times he woke in the night, had that been Gast being petrified?

His previous thoughts on the professor crosses his mind lighting up an idea, and the boy's curiosity pulls him into action.

…

"I want to know what being petrified feels like." Professor Hojo looks slowly away from his notes and down at Sephiroth.

He blinks, dark circles marring his eyes. "Petrified?" He repeats not fully registering the boy's meaning.

Sephiroth nods patiently. The Professor stares at him for a minute.

Suddenly, a fire lights in his eyes. The air fills with his smell of excitement. "Why, that would make for an excellent experiment!" The adult stands, dropping his documents without a second look. "Come Sephiroth, let us start the preparations."

…

It is in the lab as usual. Only they've been there for about an hour, doing nothing. Sephiroth is already prepped with the full set of examination equipment. Lying partially reclined and naked on the padded examination table, he waits with the patients of a god. Professor Hojo, however, fidgets restlessly while the lab assistants are doing their best to be inconspicuous. Their nervousness in seeming disharmony with the calm beep of Sephiroth's own heart rate.

Suddenly the black-haired man lifts his head towards the door. "Ah! Finally, lets get started immediately."

Sephiroth turns to see Veld enter, followed by another Turk. As he observes the tanned skin of the middle-aged man, the boy realises it is the one who was with Veld the first time they met.

He sits up on the table ignoring the quiet scolding of the lab assistance as they move to make sure none of the electrodes on his head are yanked of or displaced. Just as he ignores the tickle of the wires attached to his chest as they slide down to his belly. He watches with interest as the Professor turns to the Turks, a slightly guarded set in his shoulders.

"If you would?" Professor Hojo says politely and Veld steps forward bringing out a small box from a hidden pocket which he hands to the Professor.

Meanwhile, green eyes follow the older Turk as he slinks of to a shadowed corner where he settles quietly against a table. The older mans smell of power is more subdued then last time and no one seems to give him much notice.

"Vagyrisk Claw, this will do nicely." At the sound of his voice, Sephiroth turns back to the Professor. "Considering the optimal conditions and the immobility of the specimen, the chances of success should be high with minimal damage." He comments to himself, satisfied.

"Professor Hojo, in consideration of your new position, we will go through with this experiment. But please send a report in future and wait for it to be approved before starting any new projects. Especially ones with such a delicate nature." Veld warns diplomatically.

"Yes, yes." The Professor says distractedly, his mind already on the experiment. He turns back to the child on the examination table. "Lay back down Sephiroth. We shall start shortly."

Sephiroth obeys, leaning back into the padded surface, tuning out the people around him as he usually does during experiments. He feels large hands pull back his mane of silver wires along with his shoulder-length hair, draping it carefully over the tables raised edge like a strange halo. Staring up, he sees the familiar cruddy white ceiling tiles and the surgical light-head bowing over him.

Vaguely aware of Hojo leaning slightly over his body holding what looks to be a large pointy nail. In the back ground he hears the Professors instructions and the assistants' affirmations as they ready themselves.

He has seen, heard and felt it all before. He feels only indifference as he surrenders his body to their ministrations.

The Surgical light snaps on. Chasing the concealing shadows from his nude body, it blinds the child. But as his pupils constrict into tiny slits he sees the professor's finger snap the nail and unleash the magic hiding within. Sephiroth takes it as his queue to start his own little experiment, no longer paying any attention to the world of white light and disjointed colours filling his vision.

He feels the magic's suggestion introduce itself to his essence. Imposing it's will upon every cell in his body. Preaching for it to believe it is something different. He gives way to it slowly, observing it carefully. Letting it do as it wills, but only the surface close to his skin. It calls to his time, and his soul – commanding them to stop and close upon themselves.

He feels his skin stiffen and slowly loose it's feeling, but he does not fear. This is what he had felt, only farther away and more rampant and out of control. Back then, the one he was aware of must indeed have been Gast.

Satisfied, Sephiroth imposes his will once more and brushes of the petrification. Returning his attention to the world around him.

…

An hour later, the child is thoroughly bored and somewhat annoyed. They've repeated the same procedure three times with twenty minute brakes in-between. The waiting isn't so bad; it is just as boring as it usually is. Except with the occasional interesting whiff from Veld.

The petrification, however… It is no big feat for Sephiroth to slap it away when it comes upon him, only sometimes it persists like an annoying fly that keeps pestering him.

"I propose we put an end to these, experiments." Veld's voice breaks the child out of his bored stupor.

Yes, that sounds like a very appealing proposal.

"But we must prove that this seeming immunity is not a fluke! Just one more try and our data will be so much more credible!" Professor Hojo splutters in response.

"I do not believe that it is worth squandering another Vagyrisk Claw for one more test. They are a rare, useful and expensive commodity. I do not believe that the President will condone such wasteful usage." Veld counters coolly.

Professor Hojo bristles but them forcefully calms himself. "Well I suppose we could run other experiments." He says sulkily. "If the specimen reacts the same to dream powder for example… perhaps even hyper and tranquilizers…" The voice of the boy's guardian raises as he becomes excited once again. With eye's filled with a burning fervour he contemplates Sephiroth. "What if he is immune to even poison? Will materia affect him the same way?"

"Before you go through with any of these experiments, make sure you submit the proper applications and wait for approval from the president." Veld breaks off rather loudly, slight emotion colouring his voice. Distress, thinks Sephiroth as he tastes the air.

Hojo deflates all of a sudden. "Yes, yes." He waves a hand dismissively at Veld.

The middle-aged Turk unsticks himself from where he has been lurking and moves toward the door. The younger Turk turns as well but makes a final remark before stepping out. "Make sure you submit the report for this experiment by tonight."

Professor Hojo harrumphs then turns toward Sephiroth and signals for the assistants to start tidying up. But as he approaches the boy where he sits, attached by the scalp to his silver main of wires that snake up the table, the mans mood seems to lighten. He smiles softly and gently starts removing electrodes from the young boy's head.

Sephiroth freezes, staring wide-eyed at Professor Hojo in realization.

This expression, this smell – it is familiar. Emerging from his soul comes a powerful yearning for it, followed by sadness and that cloying emptiness. Sephiroth himself recognizes it from this man. That smell he only emitted while looking at the boy. But never has what it represents been so clear. Affection.

The calloused fingers of the professor run through his silver locks… affectionately… removing the final electrodes.

"Sephiroth, lets go out and eat lunch together." He says, his voice much warmer than usual. He hadn't thought this man capable of such emotion. And his mind brushes back to Gast's mention of Hojo, which he promptly cringes away from.

His soul yearns distractingly for the sound of such warmth, in counterbalance to Sephiroth's own disgust for his guardian.

The boy, still surprised by his new insight, takes a while to process professor Hojo's suggestion. "Out?" He always eats inside. If not in the cafeteria, then the labs with a hoard of scientists. Professor Hojo joining in and running off at random intervals. Apart from the helipad on his arrival he has never been outside in Midgar.

"Yes, I know a nice quiet place that we can go to together. Just you and I." The black-haired man smiles. The strain gone, for now, from his haggard face

…

Half an hour later, an unusually presentable and clean Professor Hojo, without his customary lab coat, strides out the Shinra HQ building. Turning around he takes the now clothed silver haired child by the hand and leads him away. Sephiroth looks around carefully, with Gast's letter in mind about showing his friend around the city. All the while trying to ignore his other half, disgusted by its soulful appreciation of the warmth radiating from the man besides him.

Authors notes:

Wow, to Sephiroth's horror and the child hiding in Sephiroth's soul's delight, Hojo has impulsively decided to follow up on his fatherly affection. This last part was very fun for me to write, though I was as shocked as Sephiroth when it happened. Do tell me what you think, especially if it doesn't make sense to you. There is a reason for his reactions, but it's not for nothing Sephiroth called him a 'walking mass of complexes' in the game, so it's difficult to explain especially when limited to only Sephiroth's own insight. Feedback on this let's me know if it's enough as it is for now or if it needs more elaborating.

Vagyrisk Claw is an item that has an about 70% chance of inflicting Petrify and is dropped by one boss monster and can otherwise only be stolen, with a low probability (that continues to drop as the lvl rises) from a certain monster that is found in one tiny patch of dirt on the world map. Apparently it's one of the hardest to get Items in the game.

Next Chapter: Veld's inner conflict