Eternal Fall

"Vincent Valentine?"

"He was one of the best assassins the ShinRa ever had. Don't tell Cloud about all of this. He's stressed enough over everything as it is. He doesn't want me down here anymore, and for some reason, he hates being in his own hometown."

"My lips are sealed. Unless you want to make out, Seph."

"Zack...."

"Sorry."

"...Later."

"I knew it!"

"But seriously, Vincent said that I had someone's eyes. Perhaps there is someone in his past he wants to contact?"

"But it's best to keep him a secret until he's well and until we can disguise him, right?"

"Correct. Not that he looks as he did over twenty years ago."

"He's still hot."

"Hotter than I am?"

"Ha! Seph, you get more and more like me everyday. I love it. You're like the little brother I never had."

"'Little' brother?"

"Yea. My older, taller, buffer, hotter little brother who I have incestuous thoughts about."

"...Good save."

"Thought so."


Eternal Fall: part XXI: Lost


Sephiroth felt relaxed after Zack's visit. He had been tense most of the week because he knew the ShinRa would come for him soon if he didn't return. But of course, Zack wanted him happy. He came to cheer the young general up and succeeded. Sephiroth wished again and again that he had known Zack earlier in his life. Then again, there were a lot of things he wished for his life, especially after all of the information he was learning now.

And today he was looking for something especially important. He was starting to find more notes in Professor Gast's handwriting, and he wanted to know where the man ended up. The first person who ever showed him any kind of kindness was Gast. And then he never returned to see him. As a child, Sephiroth hoped and hoped that Gast would come to save him from Hojo. When he was in terrible pain he would cry out the man's name in his sleep without knowing.

By now, the lab was turned upside-down. Books and papers and disks and videos and newspaper clippings and medical records and military documents were everywhere. But the young general couldn't care less. And he had no plans to make it look as though no one had been here. He especially didn't care if Hojo knew it was him. At the most, they would execute him, and he lost his fear of death long ago. The only thing he was worried about was getting Vincent out safely, and making sure there was no evidence that Zack and Cloud where in the vicinity.

Sephiroth walked over to his chair and looked through some files that appeared to be completely separate from anything else in the lab. There was a file that hinted to a third scientist in the Jenova project, but the young general found nothing else about this person. There was also a file in unknown handwriting that detailed the production of three super soldiers if a catastrophe were to hit Midgar, but the idea appeared to have been dropped long ago. And finally, in the middle of a file filed with useless work, was a smaller file that detailed Professor Gast's statistics and involvement with the Jenova project. When Sephiroth found this, he felt uneasy. There was a disk with all of the material, and something turned in his stomach.

You finally found something interesting, a voice whispered in his head. Startled, Sephiroth dropped the file and the contents went spilling out onto the floor.

"You..." he growled. "You demon... what do you want?!"

No answer.

He sighed and picked up the disk, thinking it was only his imagination. He had been down here far too long. Sighing, he sat down in a chair and kicked his heals up onto the nearby desk after popping the disk into the screening device. He was almost done in this lab, and he was pleased with himself. There was still a lot he didn't know about himself, but somehow, he felt better after finding Vincent and learning more about Hojo's plans. He would see that Hojo was out of work (and hopefully executed....)

Hojo appeared on the screen. He was talking to a blindfolded little girl who sat on a stool in front of him. Sephiroth tilted his head as he watched, curious as to why a little girl was present.

"Where is mommy?" the little girl asked. "I miss her."

"Your mommy and I just had a long talk," Hojo smirked. "She's not feeling too well right now."

"Mommy is sick?" pouted the girl. "I can make her feel better! Tell her to come see me! And daddy too!"

"Oh, I had that talk with your mommy right in front of your daddy. He didn't seem to happy with me."

"Why?"

"Because your mother cheated on your father. She kissed me in front of him."

"No she didn't!" giggled the girl. "Mommy only kisses daddy!"

"Is that so?" Hojo smirked. He left the room for a moment and brought in a battered woman. Sephiroth nearly cringed when he saw how badly she had been abused. She had a black eye and a gash across her cheek. Her lip was swollen and bruises were visible on her arms.

"Sweetheart?! Are you alright?!" cried the woman when she saw the little girl.

"Mommy!" the girl smiled, though her wrists were bound, so she couldn't take off her blindfold.

"Let her g--"

"Ssssshhhh," Hojo whispered to the woman. "I was just talking to your little girl. I was telling her what a bad mommy you were."

Hojo grinned darkly before slamming the woman face first against the wall. She had no time to scream and was too surprised to cry out.

"Mommy?" called the little girl.

"Mommy is fine," Hojo said flatly as he lifted the woman's dress. Her underwear was already torn away. He had done this before.

"Tell your little girl what a bad mother you are," Hojo continued, "Or maybe you'd like me to finish this with her?" he asked softly as he slid a hand up her thigh and between her legs. "I'm sure she likes to play too."

"No!" yelled the woman.

"Mommy what's wrong?!"

"Your mommy is fine!" Hojo smiled at the girl, though she couldn't see him. He then turned his attention back to the woman. By now he had unzipped his pants. "Tell your little girl how bad you've been. Tell him about how you kissed me instead of her daddy."

"I would never--" choked the woman, but then he slammed her face against the wall once more. "I suppose I'll talk to your daughter alone then."

The woman sobbed and shook her head. She then suppressed a cry as Hojo bent her slightly, her cheek pressed against the wall, and then slowly forced himself into the tight entrance of her perfect behind.

"Tell your daughter how bad you've been, or I'll have this talk with her instead," Hojo said as he thrust into her all the way.

"M... mommy has been b...bad...."

"Tell her you kissed me in front of her daddy."

"M...mommy... k...kissed... Hojo in... f...front of daddy..." the woman said, trying to suppress her cries and grunts.

Hojo grabbed the woman's waist and started to pound into her, his cock slowly disappearing and reappearing from her soft cheeks.

"Why mommy?!" cried the little girl. "Don't you love daddy anymore?!"

"Tell her how you said you don't love her father anymore," Hojo said, pulling the woman's hair so her head tilted back as he slowly thrust, torturing her.

"I... I... d... don't..."

"SAY IT!" Hojo yelled, startling the little girl. "Or she is next!"

"I don't love your daddy anymore!" the woman screamed.

"Again..." Hojo growled.

"I don't love him anymore!"

Now, the little girl was crying. And Hojo loved every moment of it. He thrust into the woman as she tried to hide her pain from her blindfolded little girl, and finally he came inside of her before pulling out and zipping up his pants.

Sephiroth sat there, eyes wide, disbelieving. He had almost forgotten he was watching a recording. It felt as though he was there, watching, but unable to save anyone. It was the same experience he had when Hojo forced him to watch those videos of people being hurt. People he couldn't save.

The next clip was even more bizarre than the first.

"What did you do with them?!" a man yelled at Hojo. The man was secured to a metal chair by his wrists and ankles.

"Professor Gast!" Sephiroth said as he sat up and stared at the recording.

"Your dear lover is recovering from... last night," Hojo grinned, approaching the man from off screen.

"You sick bastard! Let me see her!" Gast yelled.

"Don't worry. Little Aeris is trying to comfort her right now."

"What have you done to my daughter?!" Gast growled.

Sephiroth's eyes widened, and he quickly rewound the clip.

"--worry. Little Aeris is trying to comfort her right now."

Aeris....

“What have you done to my daughter?!”

Could it be… her? Zack’s Aeris?

"Look Seph.... My girlfriend is.... The ShinRa are after her. I don't want you to get involved, and I'm probably in trouble for even talking to you about this."

Aeris!

Somehow Sephiroth knew it was the same girl. And Aeris was Gast's daughter! All this time... they must have been after Aeris. What did they want from her? Had Tseng been freeing her all this time? Never once getting caught? It was true that Tseng was the best of the best right now, but even still.... Sephiroth would have to ask him. And he needed to find out if Zack knew.

Zack....

"Zack!" Sephiroth said, bolting up from his chair. By now they had to know that he had contact with Aeris. Zack might be in danger.

Sephiroth had found a computer with current information in Vincent's holding room. He never felt the need to use it because the information he needed was from the past. But now.... Sephiroth dashed to Vincent’s chamber and brought up the list of people in the SOLDIER program. He found Zack's file in no time, because Zack was of great interest to them. Zack's file was incredibly long, but Sephiroth found what he was looking for.

"Zack is to be executed for interaction with the Cetra subject, Aeris. Execution will not be carried out if soldier proves a strong asset to the SOLDIER program."

Sephiroth sat back in his chair. Thankfully, this order was not carried out, because Zack was by far one of the most powerful people of his rank. But that didn't mean he was no longer a target. Sephiroth had to warn him.

The young general stood up and walked to the lab to pick up his sword, intending to leave immediately. But the recording was still playing, and he was stopped once more.

"Where is Sephiroth?" Gast asked. "Let me see the boy."

"It's too late," Hojo said darkly. "He's forgotten you. The boy is a monster now. ShinRa's monster. Shooting children… raping women… torturing men… you get the idea."

"I don't believe you for a second," Gast scoffed. "I want to see him!"

"Who are you to be making demands?" Hojo smiled. "After all, I don't grant final requests."

Sephiroth saw Hojo pick up the scalpel. Soon the screaming began. The young general gritted his teeth. Gast hadn't forgotten him. He hadn't abandoned him. He had thought about him and wanted to see him again. And Hojo... Hojo killed him! It was always Hojo... making everyone suffer as though they weren't human. Taking everything from everyone.

And Hojo was his father. Sephiroth shared the same filthy genes. And Jenova, that disgusting being, was his mother. His entire existence only came about so he could become ShinRa's puppet.

Poor... poor... boy, a voice whispered in his head as soon as he headed for the door once more.

Sephiroth looked around the cave, his cat-like eyes seeing nothing.

It's all too much for you to handle. Let me take care of you....

"You!" he growled. "Shut up! You have only helped to ruin my life!"

You wouldn't exist without me.

"It would be preferable!" Sephiroth said, darting into the lab again and sitting down, hunched over with his hands digging into his silver hair.

I told you that you were just a puppet. No one wanted you. There is nothing you can do about it.

"Shut up.... Go away. Just go.... Forever.... Go away!"

What's wrong? Can't you block me out?

"Go away... go away... go away...."

Perhaps you shouldn't have opened yourself up so much down here in this dark, filthy place....

"Stop... stop it!"

You didn't even realize that I had been peaking over your shoulder the entire time. Just waiting.... Feeling your pain... feeding on it....

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!"

Does it hurt when I dive too deep into your mind like that? Oh, my poor boy. My poor, poor Sephiroth. Look what they've done to you. Let your mother take away your pain.

"YOU ARE NOT MY MOTHER!!!! You have never done anything for me! Nothing! And I know that darkness that fled every time Zack entered this place was you. It had nothing to do with the loneliness I felt... it was you.... Not all people with your cells can be controlled, especially not him. And you hate that don't you? Well, I won't be your puppet either, Jenova...."

But my dear boy, you're forgetting one crucial fact....

Suddenly, without his control, Sephiroth stood up and put his hand on his sword. The young general's senses shouted out in alarm when he realized that he hadn't willed his body to do that.

You're forgetting that I'm your mother. My cells make up most of your body, dear boy. Your will doesn't matter anymore....

"No...."

I only had to wait until they had completely spread and taken over. I only had to wait until you were the strongest in the world. I only had to wait until you lowered your walls to let all of that pain in. And NOW is that time!

"No...! AAAAHHHHH!!!!" The young general fell and writhed on the lab floor in pain. His head felt like it was splitting open and it hurt to breathe.

Stupid boy.... You never had control.... And now, I will know all that you know. Relax as I enter your entire being....

"Never!"

A pair of gentle hands touched Sephiroth's cheeks, and his eyes snapped open. He was still in pain, still lying on the floor. But now he looked up and saw Zack looking down at him, worried.

"Seph?" Zack asked, putting his hand on his friend’s forehead. "Is she back?"

"Run..." Sephiroth coughed. "Run away."

"We'll never run," a younger voice said. Sephiroth shifted his glance to the young blonde who knelt next to him.

"Cloud... please," Sephiroth said, his voice torn with pain. "I'll be okay. But you have to run."

"Never," Cloud said as he moved to kneel behind Sephiroth's head. He then bent over and kissed him gently on the lips. His kiss brought a sudden rush of comfort to the silver-haired young man beneath him. Cloud's hand gently slid beneath Sephiroth's chin and tilted his head back to deepen the kiss.

"Feel better?" Sephiroth heard Zack ask.

He would have responded, but Cloud wouldn't release his lips for the time being, and he didn't have enough control of his body to pull away yet.

"Relax, Seph," Zack whispered.

Sephiroth jolted out of surprise when he felt Zack's lips touch his collarbone. The raven haired man rested his body on top of Sephiroth's, pinning the young general's arms down as he kissed up to his throat. By now, Cloud's tongue had found it's way into Sephiroth's mouth. With every kiss, Sephiroth felt a sudden rush of relief in the areas their lips touched.

But the young general knew it was all a lie. The darkness that covered the place hadn’t shifted at all. It wasn't them! Suddenly the two other men felt him stiffen and try to rise.

"Woah! Seph, you're full of energy today," Zack grinned. The raven haired man slid his knee between Sephiroth’s legs and nudged it firmly against the young general’s groin.

"We aren't going to hurt you," Cloud smiled, finally breaking his kiss.

Zack's hands slid up Sephiroth's arms, and the feeling of his touch brought the same flowing relief that his lips did. Cloud's hands had the same effect as he brushed his fingertips over the young general's cheek. Sephiroth's body squirmed against the floor, feeling the rushes of pain and relief in unbearable waves.

"You... aren't...them!" Sephiroth growled. "They aren't here!" he yelled, pushing the false Zack away with a burst of energy. He jumped to his feet and prepared for a fight, but the two young men were already gone.

Suddenly, a shot rang out in the lab that made his ears ring. He turned to the lab door to see Vincent, his gun pointed at the young general. Sephiroth dismissed him as a vision as well, until he felt the pain shooting up his side. His glowing green eyes glanced down to the gushing bullet wound. He touched the wound with his gloved hand and saw the red that covered his fingers. He even caught the scent. He was bleeding.

He felt his body try to expel the bullet, and he knew he was trying to heal. He quickly used a small gravity spell to draw the bullet out.

"Why...?" Sephiroth asked, no malice in his voice.

"You are his son," Vincent responded as he shot again, this time hitting Sephiroth in the shoulder. "And you became what he wanted you to become." Another shot, this time hitting the young general's chest.

Sephiroth drew the bullets out every time he was shot. But he made no move to even block them from hitting him. It would have been easy for him to do so, but he didn't. He just let Vincent fire.

"Why won't you fight?" Vincent asked as he approached, gun in hand.

"Because... you're right..." Sephiroth said, looking down at his uniform. "My life will never be worth anything.... And if I'm alive, those close to me will suffer...."

Vincent's gun pointed at Sephiroth's head, and the young general's bright green eyes looked into Vincent's blood red eyes without fear.

"Whose eyes do I have?" Sephiroth asked softly, before Vincent could shoot.

Vincent looked at him for a moment, then smirked darkly. "Mine... My dear, sweet boy...."

Sephiroth's eyes widened. "None of this is real! JENOV--"

BANG!!!!!!!!

**********

Zack changed down the stairs after the soldier at the top told him he heard yelling. There were soldiers all over the mansion now because ShinRa wanted Sephiroth back at headquarters. Zack first burst into the room where Vincent was kept. According the readings on the "coffin" Vincent hadn't been awake since he last talked to Sephiroth, so he couldn't very well ask the sleeping man where the noise came from.

Zack slowly entered the lab and looked around. The place was a mess, but it was nothing new. He slowly walked down the hallway that contained the many books, and found Sephiroth sitting at the desk in the room at the end of the hall. The young general looked completely calm, as if nothing had happened.

"Hey, Seph... ShinRa is looking for--"

"Traitor...."

"...What?"

"Traitor!"

"Seph?" Zack said, approaching his friend slowly. But when he saw the hate-filled look in his friends eyes, he nearly backed away.

"You ignorant traitor. Let me tell you your history before you die….“

“You’re scaring me, Seph. Cut it out.”

“You were part of an itinerant race. They would migrate in, settle the Planet, then move on... At the end of their harsh journey, they would find the Promised Land and supreme happiness. I wanted that happiness. I searched for it. I wanted to take it from them... make it my own. I wanted the Planet's energy to fill my being...."

"It's not Seph talking... is it?" Zack said, standing firm, determined not to leave his friend.

"But, some stopped their migrations and elected to lead an easier life. They took that which the Cetra and the planet had made without giving back anything in return. Those are your ancestors. Your foolish ancestors who refused to serve higher beings as they should have. Your ancestors angered the Planet... made it harder for me to consume it's energy.... I realized that you weren't even worthy to be my slaves...."

"Give Sephiroth back...."

"Long ago, disaster struck this planet. That disaster was me. Your ancestors escaped... They survived because they hid. They ran so I couldn't find them. They multiplied while I was away. The Planet was saved by sacrificing the Cetra, which would have been to my benefit.... But after that, your ancestors continued to increase. Now all that's left of the Cetra is in these reports, but you... YOU ARE EVERYWHERE. You denied the existence that was meant for you by destiny. You are slaves!"

"What does that have to do with you?! Release him!"

Suddenly Sephiroth started speaking in his normal tone, and if he wasn't being affected at all. "Don't you get it? An Ancient named Jenova was found in the geological stratum of 2000 years ago. The Jenova Project. The Jenova Project wanted to produce people with the powers of the Ancients...... no, the Cetra! ...I am the one that was produced. Jenova is special. I am special. Together, Jenova and I will make it all better."

"Seph... you aren't making any sense.... No, it isn't Seph. Maybe the ShinRa were looking to make another Cetra... but Seph doesn’t place himself above others. Stop filling his head with lies!!!!"

"Yes. Professor Gast, leader of the Jenova Project and genius scientist, produced me."

"Sephiroth... come back! I know you aren't with this bitch! I'll find a way to bring you back! I don't believe it's you speaking... I know the truth, Seph!"

The young general's eyes filled with hatred and darkened with some odd satisfaction. He slowly looked up, as if looking to the sky before rising from the floor without effort, his body floating in the air.

"Out of my way," Sephiroth growled lowly. "I'm going to see my mother."

~*~*~*To Be Continued*~*~*~

(Okay, this chapter was relatively short, but it’s a bit hard to make the transitions now. I’m sorry this took so long, but this story and my Kingdom Hearts story were completely messed up when the site had problems a couple months ago. I still have to fix the millions of spelling errors the glitches caused! ;( Ah well. More soon!)