What You Treasure

Community: 30_Tears

Prompt: #2. Proposal


A/N: Sorry if chapters are kind of short. Weather has been really crappy with sudden storms so writing time is limited. I've already had one motherboard fry on me so not willing to take the chance of losing another. Also this isn't going to be too dark but there will be mild torture and some rape. I'm not going to have him tearing her skin from her bones are anything too sadistic. I see Sephiroth as being evil but not mental. He wasn't always a bastard, at one time he was a decent person. Just finding out the truth made him snap a bit. He's not crazy just misunderstood. = )

Chapter Four

Cloud clenched the hair in his fist, the soft strands slid between his fingers as he fell to his knees. This wasn’t happening, not to Tifa. Why? Why not just come for him? What would he gain from taking Tifa? He ignored the talking around him, he’d failed once again. The man was going to take away another one of his friends. Not just any friend but Tifa. Hands touched his shoulders, “I’m going.”


“Don’t piss your britches. She ain’t dead. You heard what the brat said. He plans to keep her alive, we got time. You have no idea where in the seven levels of hell where to start looking.” Cid mumbled past his smoke. The man wouldn’t accomplish shit by running around half cocked.


“He’s right.” Vincent stepped forward, he was going to have his say. “He took her for a reason. He means to keep her alive and let you search. He wants you to come for her. It’s a simple mind game, he’s doing it to weaken you. The hair is a testament to his prize, he holds something you cherish. First, I say we pay a visit to Shinra and see what they know. Obviously, his body wasn’t destroyed as they proclaimed.”

“You can’t mean to leave Tifa with him.” Yuffie wanted to smack the man. They had no idea what Sephiroth was doing to her. They hadn’t seen what she did, the way he’d looked at her. Didn’t matter if they eventually got her back, if the girl would prefer to be dead. The thought of Sephiroth touching anything sexually made a shiver of revulsion glide down her spine.


“Shut up brat, we have no idea of where to look. We need to come up with a plan before whipping our dicks out. She’s strong she’ll hold up til we get there.” Cid patted the man on the shoulder. Tifa was a strong one, she’d make it out alive. “I’m turning this thing around. I say we have us a nice chat with a president.”



Rufus, tossed the papers at the pathetic woman. He didn’t have time for excuses or idiots. Someone was going to pay for this. First, the missing experiments and now Sephiroth was back? Had someone else snuck in and stolen the corpse? He didn’t want to believe that the monster was walking around again. Another problem to stack upon the growing pile of fuck-ups. All because this bitch thought too much of herself. He’d told her to take great care but she messed up everything.


How the hell had Sephiroth walked out unnoticed. He was surrounded by nothing but morons. Despite what all believed he wasn’t out to rule the world or become powerful. His goal had been simple to understand what had happened with Hojo’s earlier experiments. A lot of them had failed, even Cloud was a failure. The man was indeed strong and a force to be reckoned with. The only one that had turned out perfect was Sephiroth. What made the monster so different? His DNA should have been enough along with the notes they’d managed to save.


The first few replicas had turned out to be beasts. Going wild and attacking as soon as life was injected into their veins. Just injecting Jenova cells into a living form wasn’t enough. It took the same course as one with Geo Stigma. It wasn’t the same as the power in which Sephiroth had gained. The man was a complete enigma. Had Hojo taken the secret to the grave? If they could find out the secret they could do wonders with the science. “How many have escaped?”


“Five sir, we are trying to locate them before they get out of the city.” She crawled to her feet after retrieving the papers. This wasn’t going to go over well with him. The worst of the news had yet to be told. He was going to flip but she had to tell him. “Sir, one of the subjects was number twelve. We believe he was behind it all.”


He groaned and fought the urge to toss the bitch out the window. Another one they’d been told to cremate and hadn’t. That clone had turned out the best but the worst. In likeness it greatly resembled Sephiroth except the hair had turned out black. The moment it had woken it killed over twenty guards before it was taken down. It had still been weak from just waking. They had no idea what it would do. It didn’t have much of a personality from what they could see. When it was being examined, it kept repeating two word, “Kill, Sephiroth.” They’d all thought he was mentally unstable, now Rufus wasn’t so sure. Could the clone feel the original out there somewhere? All the ones that had broken out were nothing but rage and DNA. Capable of nothing but killing and eating. “Assemble a team, I want them all destroyed.”


“What?” Cloud shrugged off the redhead that was trying to stop his approach. He’d heard enough and he wanted answers. Once again Shinra was hiding something but this time it was more serious, Tifa’s life was at stake. “Tell me what you know.”


“Good to see you Cloud. I’m taking by the look on your face you know that Sephiroth is alive. Before you get bent out of shape we had nothing to do with it. I ordered his corpse to be burned. I’m not sure what happened. Either the man woke up before it was done or someone stole it.” Rufus waved Reno away as Rude came into the room. “We don’t know for sure.”


“He’s alive and he has Tifa. Yuffie saw him with her own eyes. I want to know what you do and what you were talking about. No more games,” Cloud stopped once he was in front of the man. The white suit was rumpled as if it had been slept in. Things weren’t going well here either it seemed. “Talk.”


“Very well. I had my team take a few samples from him before cremation. I was hoping to find a few answers. Why was he so powerful and able to stay alive so long. He was perfect in a manner of speaking. Hojo was never able to repeat it but why? What was it about the man that was so special. We took the DNA and tried to duplicate it. Needless to say the clones we made weren’t the same. All of them bloodthirsty unable to think with most motor functions. Only one was able to actually speak coherently. Even though Sephiroth is demented and a monster he is capable of rational thought and actions. He wasn’t always like that, his hatred for Shinra changed him. One time he was a great General, a welcomed ally. He has the ability to change, make choices and knows the consequences of his actions. Only one clone came close, very close. The appearance was almost uncanny, almost twins except for the hair and personality. This clone was able to speak, functioned like a normal person. Yet, he had only one desire; to kill.”


“This is the one that escaped? You let something as dangerous as the real thing get lose? Not only do we have Sephiroth to worry about but a bloodthirsty clone.” Vincent made his presence known not liking where this was going. Once again Shinra had tried to play God and was causing chaos. The company needed to be destroyed for good.


“I wouldn’t say that, you didn’t let me finish. While being studied he had the desire to kill but only one person. The desire to kill Sephiroth. The man will hunt down the original before going after anyone else I believe. The others, well they are a different matter. They don’t care whose blood they spill.” Rufus let his eyes roam over the former turk. His dislike could be seen as he stood there condemning him with those mako eyes. “Those will be my top priorities.”


“That’s not good enough. He has Tifa which means she’s in danger as well from your mistake.” Cloud crossed his arms before walking closer to the man. He wanted a way to track the thing. While Sephiroth would wait to kill Tifa this thing wouldn’t. “How do I track it?”

Tifa groaned as her eyes refused to open. They felt thick and dry as she rolled over. The back of her scalp throbbed, the pain going down her spine. Her mind whirled to remember what had happened. Terror filled her recalling the intruder, was it really Sephiroth? Why would he take her instead of killing? Unless he had something planned which would make her long for death. His words to Yuffie made her cringe. Did he really mean to keep her alive to torture Cloud or kill her anyways.


Light came into her sore vision, making her blink several times. The room was completely lit up, a small cabin? The bed she was laying upon was on a small and in the corner. A mini-kitchen was on the other side. What looked to be a bathroom, was near the front. Only one door could be seen along with two windows. It was indeed small, made for a single hermit. Where had he taken her? The heat made her guess it was in the south somewhere. Although small it was clean and tidy. She didn’t want to think that he’d just evicted the previous owner. It left a hollow feeling in her gut.


Looking around, the man couldn’t be seen. Had he deposited her somewhere to leave? Should she try to make a run for it? Cloud was surely looking for her by now. Was it possible to get away? As she debated running the door opened. Her heart dropped seeing the man walk in carrying a bag. Had he gone shopping? Chocolate eyes roamed over him as he ignored her presence. The long silver hair flowed behind him, caressing the bare back. The muscles flexed as he dug through the package. The skin was pale but smooth, well sculptured. It expanded into the naked chest he was flashing. Turning her head she didn’t want to meet the stoic face. “What do you want from me?”


“Silence, you won’t speak unless I address you. If you wish to live long enough for Cloud to attempt your rescue then you will do as I say. I’m sure you will try to escape. I don’t have the patience to bother with keeping a constant eye on you. So I will give you one threat and only one. If you do try and I catch you, you will wish you hadn’t. If you do manage to get away, then I will find someone to take your place. I’m sure the little girl that stays with you will not appreciate coming here in your stead. I sincerely doubt she would live through what I plan to do. So the choice is yours.”


Tifa felt her heart break at the news. What was she to do? Even if by the slim chance she could escape how could she attempt it with that threat hanging over her head. He must mean Marlene, but she was just a little girl. Anger filled her at the man’s audacity. Did he have no compassion or feelings? What would he do while she was here? He’d just admitted on having plans for her, something a weaker person wouldn’t survive. “I may not attempt to escape but don’t think I will just allow you to do whatever you please.”


“Resist if you wish, it will make your torment worse. But you will give me what I desire. The puppet will get his first package by tomorrow.” He sat down in the only chair next to the bed. “Tell me, what do you think would bother him more? Hearing your screams of pain, knowing I was hurting you? Or hearing your screams of pleasure as I took your body? I can’t decide which would torment him worse. He knows that I will do you bodily harm, that he expects. Hearing you scream as I tear your flesh will anger him. Perhaps him hearing you writhe in pleasure, enjoying the touch of your enemy would sting more deadly.”


“The only sound you will get from me will be from torture. You disgust me, you are vile and I’d rather have you kill me than endure your touch. Escape might not be an option but I will not make it easy on you.” She scooted on the edge of the bed, seeing him take a small recorder from the bag. It fit in the palm of his hand. What was he going to do with it? A chilling smile crossed his face as he pushed the tiny red button.


Next Chapter: Tifa's first recording and Cloud gets a surprise.... Please read and review