4.
X Year, X Month, X Day
Project Codename: King of Sorrow commenced.
The words jumped out at her, erased all others from the rest of the page except those. It was as if they were larger than life, set in ultra bold and underlined text, sized to a million inches, made to engrave themselves into her retinas as soon as she looked at them… Lucrecia could not take her eyes off of them. When she had found the book lying on the floor of the Professor's office, deep underground of the Mansion… She knew that it had the answers she needed. Yet, despite her curiosity, these two lines were all that she had been able to read for the past several hours. She hadn't been able to count… perhaps she had been sitting there all her life, perhaps it was just her skeleton standing in the windowed room of the second floor of the Mansion turned Laboratory… her skeleton compelled to read this text for the rest of eternity. The doctor blinked… the first time in what felt like ages. Lowering the book cleverly hidden behind numerous other scrolls and texts that she had accumulated, she gazed out of some of the only windows that graced the walls of the Laboratory. Outside, far away in the distance, laid the town of Nibelheim… the last reported location of their runaway specimen. He… it, was the reason she had betrayed her boss by reading the book. Lucrecia shifted the weight of the various papers onto her left hand, reaching into her pocket to grab her PHS. With shaky fingers, she dialled the mobile of Grimoire, the man sent to watch over the Experiment. It rang six times exactly… not that she was counting. She wasn't insane… No, not insane at all. At least, no more insane than anyone else foolish enough to work for Hojo.
Grimoire waited a few moments before answering. "You rang… Doctor Crescent?" She gulped involuntarily, her words of only hours ago still haunting her conscience. Lucrecia had a feeling that she was the only one in the building who still had one.
"Yes… Doctor Valentine. What is your status on the Experiment?" Her throat was dry… her voice was hoarse. Grimoire could undoubtedly tell, but if it mattered to him at all he kept it to himself.
"Line of sight broken on target." Lucrecia could tell by the monotony of his voice that he was bored of answering this mantra, for he had undoubtedly spoken it at least thirty times in the last few hours. Not all of them from Lucrecia… but most of them.
"Assumed movements are toward the town of Nibelheim. He has apparently fallen unconscious… Care is being administered by a middle aged woman… one Elmyra of Nibelheim." A slight pause on the other end of the line. "Have my orders changed, Doctor?" He sounded hopeful… slightly. It was hard to tell over the phone.
"No, Doctor. Continue monitoring, but take care that this… Elmyra, was it? That she does not destroy all of our… all of Hojo's hard work… Carry on." The line went dead. She had a strong suspicion that he had terminated the call before she had even finished her sentence. Lucrecia didn't blame him. Still, just hearing the man's name wasn't nearly as bad as having to say it herself…
She returned her gaze to the small town in the distance… Even now, the experiment was heading there. Was he hurt? How had Grimoire lost sight of him? Who was this Elmyra? These questions would have consumed her, had there not been a more pressing concern weighting her down. Indeed, the book she had risked her job and possibly her life for felt even heavier in her hands, knowing that it was her one hope to diagnose the strange behavior of the specimen. Maybe, just maybe… by re-examining his past, she could save the suffering monarch from himself. Call it maternal instinct, call it compassion, call it whatever it looked like, she could not bring herself to cause the child more pain. Yes… she had called it a child… It was the first time Lucrecia had done so since she had laid eyes on the boy. The boy… If she were the least bit rational, she would never be thinking such things. Her scientific mind rationalized that this wasn't a boy, it wasn't a child, and it wasn't even human… But she could not bring herself to treat him like he was dirt. Even if it killed her she was going to protect the child. Her child. She opened the book once more, and read the first passage. Hojo's writing was scrawling, and difficult to read in the easiest of words, but she pressed on.
X Year X Month X Day
Project Codename: King of Sorrow commenced.
"I have ordered my flunkies to set up in the abandoned cave adjacent to the containment chambers. Mako levels are abnormally high tonight, indicating a high level of success. The staff is worried that we are playing God… the fools! There is no God, unless they are talking about me!I shall have to remind them of that…"
That day came clearer within her memories than any other… not because it was the most awe inspiring thing she had ever seen, no. She remembered that day because her deeds had disgusted her so much that she couldn't bear to forget what she had done.
"Before we begin, we should consider the scientific morals against doing this sort of procedure! I mean, experiments like these were never supposed to be conceived by man! We're playing god, gentlemen – don't you think He knows better? We should-" The man's speech of dissuasion was cut short by a gunshot from across the room. Doctor Crescent didn't have to turn her head and look to know who had fired the smoking gun, either. Professor Hojo's favourite handheld instrument of death was the only gun capable of such an accurate shot, for the man had sprouted a bullet hole in the short space between the former spokesperson's eyes.
"Now then… If anyone else has any 'moral imperatives' to share?" Nobody raised their voice.
"Good. Doctor Crescent, begin the procedure." Hojo motioned with his gun for her to place the seed within the chamber. It was a simple procedure, really, calling up the Lifestream to create a new consciousness… Nothing could go wrong. Various odd contraptions had their business ends facing a small trape-squaroidal box, a paradox of nature in and of itself. It was in this box that she placed the seed for the experiment, bits of living tissue that would spark the growth of a new being. In a circle around the box, behind the various machines that were facing it, Hojo's flunkies were standing watch. They were supposed to be running numerous tests right after the other, but the Professor was paying these idiots to be less intelligent than him, so naturally they had no initiative of their own.
"Well, are you idiots going to just stand there, or are there tests to be run?" She shouted at the nervous flunkies, who immediately began a flurry of typing upon the keyboards. One called out from the other end of the room.
"Temperature optimal." It was female, one of the only ones on the staff besides Lucrecia. She wouldn't last long. Another called out, this one next to the doctor.
"Mako levels rising… if we don't start now, the stream will do it for us!" Panic was entering the man's voice. Behind the spooked doctor, Grimoire stepped forward.
"Lucrecia… Is there any danger in proceeding?" His voice was calm, as if to spite the moment's obvious nature of fear. The doctor shook her head.
"The lifestream could kill us all." Lucrecia said simply. She flinched as a gunshot rang over her head, and Hojo spoke.
"That's a risk I'm willing to take. Start the experiment!" Seemingly all at once, the other flunkies ignored Doctor Crescent's warnings and ran their various machines. The "room", which was really merely a cave deep underground the Laboratory, began to shake violently as the Lifestream resonated nearby. Almost immediately after the shaking subsided, a faint emerald glow could be seen below the box, and of course, every machine in the room began to code red. Naturally, code red was not the "Everything's going according to plan" color, it was the "We're all gunna die!" color. Lucrecia pushed the nearest lab rat from his machine and took over, and simply ignored the readings on the screen which were indicating air pressure exceeding that of ten atmospheres. She overrode the machine's function-lock set by Hojo and ran the command prompt. A few keystrokes later and she had a homemade virus to save everyone's asses.
"I'm going to abort! This thing is out of control!" Lucrecia shouted, ignoring yet another warning shot fired above her head and the raving screams of Professor Hojo as she initiated the virus. It spread to the other machines like a pandemic, causing every device to discharge their loads immediately. Thousands of watts of energy simultaneously exploded out of the machines and imploded upon reaching the trape-squaroidal containment field. A blinding flash erupted within the room, causing all people within to shield their eyes. Naturally, a few stray bolts of pure Mako shot out, killing almost half of the flunkies in the room and nearly grazing Doctor Crescent's own face. It was odd to see, as the flash died down, the Lifestream claiming the bodies of so many as it simultaneously gave new life in front of her eyes. Finally, each machine in turn lost power, and the hum of electricity was completely erased from the room. All there was to see was a handful of scientists scared shitless, Doctor Lucrecia, Doctor Valentine, Professor Hojo, and a glorious defiance of Nature lying in a pool of molten rock and metal. It was amazing that the procedure had succeeded, let alone that the creature had survived a bath of molten material. Almost of its own will, the liquid solidified, and the new creature opened its eyes for the first time. It was not human, nor beast, nor any animal she had ever seen. It felt like its striking red irises could see right past her flesh and bone, right through her neural paths, until they pierced her soul. Even though she knew that such feelings were merely her body's way of dealing with a natural human fear of the unknown… but it didn't stop the chill that ran down her spine.
X Year X Month X Day
Experiment moved to biochemical conductive capsule for analysis.
"The other scientists are raving about our apparent "success". They are such fools. Am I the only one who sees the truth? At any moment, the Mako could reject the transfusion, or the Experiment could simply die of its own volition! It has happened before… ungrateful specimens that have dropped off the mortal coil, as if just to spite me for everything I have given it! Not this time… not this time. Doctor Crescent mentioned a peculiar feeling to me today, something about ghost tingles or some other unscientific explanations. I wouldn't pay any attention to it if it hadn't had anything to do with the Specimen. I shall have to observe it closely."
The doctor would have ripped that particular page out of the book in anger from such an insult to her character, had the threat of torture not been hanging above her head. Hojo would kill her if he even knew she was reading this. Still fuming, Lucrecia tried to remember everything from that day, which she had almost forgotten.
She and Doctor Valentine had been ordered to move the creature to a new holding chamber, one of those clear capsules that were filled with liquid. Hojo had personally administered the sedative to the Specimen, which had knocked it right out. As Grimoire hefted the tiny creature into his arms, Lucrecia opened the currently vacant chamber, before reaching inside and pulling out the breathing apparatus. Doctor Valentine placed the creature inside, and Lucrecia placed the device over the creature's nose and mouth, tightening the straps securely. Doctor Valentine closed the door to the capsule, and Lucrecia turned on the machine. A greenish liquid poured in from the top, dousing the creature thoroughly. It took nearly ten minutes for the capsule to fill completely, after which Lucrecia filed her report and the two scientists left the room. It was odd, though… because she could feel that same spine-tingling sensation behind her as she left. Valentine took a left and disappeared, so Lucrecia turned slowly to observe the specimen. Its eyes were open, and they were staring at her… almost as if it were looking for its mother, or maybe it was simply studying her. Either way… it was not a pleasant feeling, so she left in a hurry. Hojo had simply brushed her off when she had told him… but apparently he had taken a little more interest than she had thought.
X Year X Month X Day
Specimen completed Growth Phase 1. Species confirmed to be unknown.
"Lucrecia was right about this feeling she was having. This creature seems to have an abnormal capability far exceeding expectations. Its eyes… their visible red hue is striking… perhaps they see more than just pictures. Further study revealed that not only has it taken the Mako energy infusion procedure, it has already begun to absorb the Mako saturated in the fluid around it. Growth rates have astonished even me! Doctor Crescent says I should move him to a larger tank, but that's just nonsense. There's still a 23.4% space capacity left for it to grow! So what if its ears make it a little cramped… it's not like it has feelings."
Lucrecia fumed once more at Hojo's heartlessness. She had known the man had no conscience, but this was taking things too far. At least she felt better knowing that the day after this entry had been written, Lucrecia had taken it upon herself to move the specimen to a much larger tank. The creature didn't take its eyes off of her for a second, even when she was carrying it in her arms to the next tank. As she placed it inside and filled the capsule, she felt the strangest sensation. The doctor didn't know if it was simply the knowledge that she had done a good deed, or if the gratitude she sensed in the creature's dark red eyes was rubbing off of her. Frowning, Lucrecia flipped a few pages ahead, until she found one of the subheadings she had been looking for.
X Year X Month X Day
Specimen tried to escape, but failed. More constant watch prescribed.
"That ingrate, trying to ruin all of my hard work! Granted, leaving only one guard outside its room had been a small oversight, but how could I have known that leather straps were ineffective? No, I refuse to believe that this was my fault. The guard has been injected with a lethal dose of Mako drenched serum, and I have personally dumped his immobile carcass below a tree to be eaten by the wolves. Such failure cannot be tolerated! I'll strap him down in iron shackles next time… All I wonder is how he escaped so far from his cage next to the study… Doctor Crescent should have not moved him so soon from the capsule to his own room. I will have to talk to her tomorrow…"
Lucrecia remembered that day. She had come down the stairs to the basement with reports in her hand when she saw him, the specimen, with leather straps dangling from his ankles. The doctor froze, before realizing that she was the only thing between him and the stairs. The specimen's eyes… they were up to their old tricks again, seeing right past her… Seeing whether she would have the strength to stop him, no doubt. That was the first time she had heard it speak… the first time she knew that it was a male for certain.
"You don't want to let me escape, Doctor Crescent, do you?" It simply said. Lucrecia was stunned, for she had been thinking those exact words at that moment. She couldn't let him escape… Hojo would kill her.
"You're afraid Hojo will find out. That's why you're reaching into your pocket…" Lucrecia's hand froze, inches away from the PHS that she could have used to call the guards. The specimen took a step forward, and Lucrecia took a step back. For an instant, she considered letting him go… and to hell with the consequences…
"I don't want to hurt you, Doctor Crescent… You've done more for me than anyone else in this place. So please… trust your instincts. Let me pass, and you can go deliver your report to your boss." Lucrecia gulped… his voice was so persuasive, not to mention it was completely right. Closing her eyes for a moment, she considered it logically, like the scientist she was. On the one hand of the scales, she weighed her undeniable feelings for the creature's wellbeing, and the fact that it would escape one way or another… On the other hand, she considered the possibility that Hojo would find out… but there were a multitude of excuses she could use.
Finally, she opened her eyes and stepped aside. He merely nodded in gratitude before taking off toward the stairs like a child who has just learned to run just by watching others. It hit her that she had just allowed a specimen that she had worked on for years escape before her eyes, and she had just let it happen. Lucrecia was thankful that Hojo did not possess the strange ability the specimen seemed to have, for the doctor would have surely been tortured for this…
She flipped another couple of pages, looking for the other escape attempt. She found it after another 15, which were all filled with growth rates and the failures of Hojo's inept assistants.
X Year X Month X Day
The Experiment escaped again. These failures cannot be tolerated!
"My staff seems to be as inept as that damn Lucrecia! This is the second time! How does it know how to escape this easily?! I keep finding the guards I stationed outside its room on the floor, unconscious. This time, the creature seems to have stolen the keys to its shackles, and broken out using another set pilfered from the same guard's unconscious body! Ugh, I can't afford to keep killing my guards this way… Perhaps I should just poison them normally from now on, and let Nibelheim wonder all it wants. I have ordered Grimoire, my only competent doctor, to fetch the Specimen this time… I will deal with this problem personally."
Lucrecia had been involved with this escape as well, except she had merely watched from the window as he ran out into the dark. Rushing down the stairs to the basement, she found unconscious guards strewn about the cave floor, all seemingly incapacitated with a swift blow to the head. It was uncanny how efficient he must have been, to take them all out by himself. Heading into the creature's room, she found his shackles dropped unceremoniously onto the floor, with the guard that had been ordered to feed him lunch right beside them. The key had been left in the shackle, almost as if he were trying to taunt the scientists by leaving it. Turning around, she had found the other key left in the keyhole of the door, yet another blatant insult to the scientists' intelligence. Grinning, despite the fact that it should have been a bad thing that the specimen had escaped, she walked down to the lab to give the news to Hojo. Perhaps she was just happy to give her boss bad news… yeah, that was probably it.
The journal ended at this page, for some reason. The rest of the pages were left blank. Perhaps, Lucrecia speculated, Hojo had become so paranoid by the second escape that he no longer trusted his journal. Maybe her boss actually believed that the specimen had even been reading it himself, to pull off these fantastic escapes. In either case, the journal had turned up no new clues of the specimen. Stymied for the moment, she decided to return the book before Hojo found out that she had taken it. Lucrecia took one last look out the window at the faraway village before she turned to walk out that door. If only there was more she could do than sit here in this useless laboratory…