AN:

Apologies for the late update! Totally forgot about this story entirely, luckily though I still remember where the plot had been going. :P Thanks for reviews, my first fanfic and all that jazz, so any criticism is appreciated. Wasn't entirely sure on this chapter, but it's basically a stepping stone that needed to be placed for the next one. Also let me know if you think I should break up the sentences more so it's easier to read; wasn't sure if it seemed, well, cramped. Lastly don't own anything Squeenix related.

Kadaj sat staring blankly at the metal wall in view; it was almost mocking him, as for all his once apparent strength, he could not find a way out of the cage he was now imprisoned in. If there had been a way to discern the time from a clock or even natural light, he may've even found it humorous, but the lack of left him feeling as though he been there an eternity; it simply irritated him.

Lowering his head, he sighed. He'd woken up dressed in a clinical white shirt that lacked sleeves, accompanied by white underwear, and as he recollected had first woke to the sight of the same dank wall. He should've been able to bust his way out of the situation with ease, either waiting for the right opportunity, or simple via brute strength. In reality though, he should be dead.

His posture sank as he mulled over the thought; his "brother" had seen to that once upon a time. It had been excruciatingly painful to receive the sheer overwhelming power of Cloud's final attack, though that had been nothing compared to the loneliness and anguish left after Sephiroth had failed. He'd failed. Maybe… if he'd been stronger, Sephiroth would've completed Mother's wish and Kadaj would've been loved by her too; maybe he would've felt at peace. Yet again, maybe if Sephiroth hadn't played with the puppet, and just slaughtered him, then it wouldn't be Kadaj feeling so utterly at fault; he'd not been fully conscious during Sephiroth's manifestation through his body and mind, but he'd felt it there, the mocking, the sheer mind numbing feeling of arrogance mixed with pure hate.

Though after Sephiroth met his demise yet again at Brothers hand, after all the pain and the final, desperate lunge at Cloud, he couldn't help but remember the peace he'd felt to simply lay there still in his arms. It had rained a similar kind of rain to that in the church; it had once made his skin crawl, like acid burning ever so mildly at his flesh, but then, it had been comforting. The soothing voice he'd heard, the kind he'd sought since his existence renewed his diminished hope, he was so certain it had been Mother, and when he felt its conscience reach out to him he couldn't help but grasp it. It'd been pure bliss to release the hold on all the pain, anger and sorrow that wrought his body, as he disintegrated into the lifestream.

But now he was back somehow feeling utterly empty; he wasn't even angry anymore, not at Brother, or the Planet, not even the humans. Well, most of them. Now he felt nothing, not even a faint connection with Mother. It had first worried him deeply, causing him to rage and lash out at his surroundings, hoping to draw someone to him that he could relieve the stress on. Though after a while, the feelings dissipated and gave way to something that discerned him more so; it had been diminutive at first, almost as though a whisper was there, hidden in the background but when he tried to focus on it was gone in an instant. It grew to a faint buzz, one that not only reverberated in the back of his skull but also under his skin. It wasn't uncomfortable nor irritating, but just simply there. Kadaj had given up on trying to locate its origins a while back, he knew it wasn't Mother at least, whatever it was. Though he did find that placing his back to the wall he sat against seemed to null it somehow, so this left him now sat in his current position.

He broke out of his reverie and contemplated his surroundings for the hundredth time now; he was held in a small cell, metal walls on either side, one of such bore a large metal door with no window or other weak point he could discern, and to his right lay a small bed on the cold floor. He knew there were people outside, despite not being visible due to the small meals and water that were often posted to him on a tray through a small hatch in the wall. He guessed that they must have a camera system in place somewhere in the room, to watch him, but he'd still to figure out exactly where. Another thing that would've discredited their existence at all was the complete lack of noise; he heard nothing from outside the room. Occasionally there was a low hum emitting from the door, or up through the floor, but never a sound to indicate some sort of living presence other than his own. Wherever he was at least, he could tell that it was built to hold dangerous individuals.

Suddenly the light gave out. Kadaj was plunged into darkness; his heart thrummed and he felt the familiar feeling of adrenaline rushing through his veins. Had they cut the lights? This was the first time anything worthy of remembering had happened; there'd been no visitors, whether military or worse, such as the science variety, simply no tests or trails for him to endear. Yet now, could this be one of them?

He cautiously got to his feet, keeping himself hidden in silence. Making his way along the wall at a reserved pace he headed to the door's direction. Kadaj tensed as his neared where he knew the door would be; his eyes had slowly started to adjust to the darkness, but still even his vision was limited. He reached out towards the large doors edge, and upon touching the cool metal surface located the small gap
where if fit to the metal frame. One of the things he had paid merit to was the fact that on his side the door had no apparent handle, or means with which to open it, which meant that it would have to be pried inwards to open.

He hooked his fingers around the cool edge, and cautiously pulled. It wouldn't open. It did however let out a small clicking noise that unmistakable sounded like an unlocked lock. Spurred on by the sudden click that meant only freedom, he forcefully wrenched the bulk back. It swung at him heavily, and Kadaj quickly jumped to the side to avoid being floored by it.

Loud, raucous noise hit his ear drums. He clasped his hands over his ears, and took a step back to shield himself from the onslaught; a painful grimace adorned his face.

Naturally it wouldn't have hurt, but the isolation he'd been placed in cause him to cringe at the sounds; resounding from multiple directions came bellowed shouts, clanging of metal, and reverberating above it all the sound of a siren whirred. It sounded like a viscous, uncontrollable mob.

Kadaj quickly became accustomed to the noise, and removing his hands from his head strode now casually out of his cell, a smirk on his face; the noise meant his presumptions were correct. He was being held in some kind of Prison facility, and moreover that meant dangerous people were held there too; they were probably the ones out causing the entire ruckus. It also meant that as long as they kept the guard preoccupied, he was free to bust out; to figure out what was going on and more importantly why he was walking amongst the living.

Then again, he didn't want to slink off just yet; there were a lot of dangerous people on the loose, he couldn't simply let them have all the fun busting heads. Of course, he'd show them to how play; killing humans was always fun, as long as you weren't the human.