HOME | DD

Description
Say Goodnight and Go- Chapter 6 (In Five Parts)

Lucrecia’s sticky palms caressed the glass casing that had become Vincent’s current coffin. She could see that his eyes had opened half-way, staring at her with little emotion.

“Ah, I knew you had awakened. As you should,” Lucrecia gave a broad smile, eyes wild with excitement. “He’s coming Vincent. Though he isn’t yours, he is still the most beautiful child. You wonder how I know?” She tilted her head to the side. “I see him every night. I saw him in my dreams and he told me that everything will change now.” She sighed deeply, resting her warm forehead to the glass. “Oh he has the voice of angels,” she swooned and giggled.

She was often visited by many voices in her head. They had not really been heard until later on in the pregnancy, steadily climbing in pitch. Sometimes they calmed her, telling her that all was well and that she should simply lie in bed for days on end. Other times they screamed for violence making her tear at her hair, claw at the walls, or simply sit and bite at her fingers until blood trickled between her lips.

A gurgle from the tank made her look up at her latest experiment. Vincent continued to hold a passive stare. She had worked so hard to prepare his body for Chaos. Hojo laughed at her, cursed her at times even, saying that it was all “his” work that made it possible to continue on with the poor Turk. She knew that was a lie. Hojo simply tore things apart. True he was called a “scientist”, but she never really thought of him that way. She simply saw the title as an excuse to be as horrifically brutal as he wished to his subjects, no questions asked. No, he was no scientist, but she was more than ready to rebuild Vincent from the pile of flesh that remained from Hojo’s playtime.

Another surge of pain ripped through her body. The contractions had begun and while the pain was beyond anything she had ever experienced, even with all the experimentation she had endured over the months, they brought her a sense of overwhelming joy. Everything was coming to fruition. All of the hard work everyone had placed upon her shoulders would be lifted from her soon. She would no longer have everyone’s eyes constantly following her, have to hear their whispers in the halls as she passed, or feel their cold, clinical touch as they poked and prodded her.

She pushed herself away from the glass capsule, ignoring Vincent’s dead gaze. Her feet shuffled over to the door to her lab. A part of her wanted to remain by herself, give birth to her baby and simply bathe in the moment by herself, but the part of her that still thought more clearly knew it would be wiser to get to Gast before it was too late.

Stumbling into the hallway she caught the eye of wandering lab assistant. Thankfully, he quickly assessed the situation and took off to alert the others. Lucrecia couldn’t help but begin to laugh to herself softly. “Yes, you’re time has come Sephiroth. Your mother will not fail you,” she rasped between breaths. Her nails gripped into the stone walls, feeling them crumble at her touch. Turning to look at the fragile stones she suddenly noticed how pale she had gotten. Living continuously underground, hidden away from the sun, certainly had stripped away the last bits of her “healthy glow”.

Her vision began to blur suddenly and the voices came once more. This time they were not of joy as she so hoped, but screaming with terror. Tears began to flow uncontrollably from her eyes and as she reached up to wipe them away her balance gave way and she fell to her knees on the floor. “Wh-what is happening? Why are you so angry now my child? You shall be free soon, I promise you,” Lucrecia whispered as she stroked her belly soothingly.

Upon hearing footsteps approaching her she looked up to see Gast and Hojo running to her side. Even her haunted looking husband was a welcome sight in this moment.  As he knelt down to lift her up onto her feet she gripped him tightly and smiled wildly up at him.

“It is time.”

                                                      * * *

Hojo felt a smile tug at the corners of his mouth and he fought to control it. No, he would not show any sudden familial joy at the coming of his son. Not while Gast and the others stood so close to him. This was no normal birth that would be followed by a rousing round of cigars and brandy. This was the beginning of a new era for ShinRa and also for Hojo. From this point on he would make sure that the plans he laid in motion would pick up speed. After this, his next obstacle would be the destruction of Gast.

Shaking his mind into focus, with the help of Gast they both dragged the girl to the main exam room. Hojo was not surprised by her manic appearance by any means. He had been watching her more than she realized. Ever since he turned the corpse of Vincent Valentine over to her she had rapidly declined. Of course his small taunts towards her every now and then hadn’t been very supportive, but he always loved to see how far his experiments could truly go before they broke down completely.

As he and Gast secured her to the bed he then turned to hook up the various monitors and life support. If Lucrecia began to fade before them, he was not below ripping into her womb and dragging the child out. Her job was complete.

“This is a proud moment Hojo,” Gast placed a hand on his shoulder which Hojo quickly shoved off. He never enjoyed people touching him.

“Yes, well the child has not emerged yet Gast, our pains have just begun.” Hojo did not make eye contact with his superior, instead beginning to read the vital signs of the child that was now struggling to be free from its prison.

He felt Gast turn away from him and say a few soothing words to Lucrecia. Hojo held back a chuckle; he doubted the girl understood much of what was occurring now. He was not about to rush to her side and hold her hand tightly, speaking sweet words in her ear. If Gast felt obligated to be the one, then by all means, it would cause him no heartache.

A sudden alarm from Lucrecia’s heart monitor showed her heart rate increasing at a dangerous pace. Hojo cursed under his breath and turned to look at Gast who also seemed suddenly panicked himself. Taking a deep breath Hojo called out to the assistants to prep Lucrecia for surgery. They would have to remove the child from her forcibly.

Hojo could tell that Gast was rather dismayed by this, but they had figured all along that this would be the most difficult part of the journey. They had to save that child. After all the failures they could not lose this one as well. Everything had been too perfect.

The lab assistants rushed over and began to suit both of them up. Hojo could see a slight tremble in Gast’s hands as he slipped on a pair of surgical gloves and he could not help but roll his eyes. Why had Gast become so very soft? Hojo began to think he had meddled too much with the leading Professor before the time had been right. These thoughts were quickly put to the side though as they both turned to the task at hand.

                                                     * * *

As Gast made the incision along Lucrecia’s belly, he found that all of the desires that he had dreamed about during this project were somehow absent now. He could see the madness in her eyes when he had first ran to her in the hall. He should be truly damned for taking on this task.

The only way he could be redeemed though was by saving both their lives. Perhaps with time Lucrecia could recover and at least return to her hometown and spend the rest of her life simply at rest. Gast tried to envision this and found some peace with that. ShinRa could see to her silence, he knew they would have no trouble with that.

Blinking slowly Gast now focused on moving his hands through Lucrecia’s warm body and gripping onto the struggling life that dwelled within her. Catching hold he slowly lifted the infant up and out of her body, watching the blood soaked child emerge from the folds of flesh. There was a hush that fell over everyone that stood there; Gast even could since a little reverence from Hojo for once.

The child was normal. Or at least as normal as a baby should look, which was probably the most shocking to everyone. They had seen too many horrific outcomes from animal fetuses that they all assumed the child would have some strange appearance about it. Though as the child’s eyes opened Gast felt the air rush from his lungs.

They were such a brilliant green.

                                                        * * *

Hojo cut the umbilical cord quickly and moved closer to Gast. He could see the man had become so mesmerized by the child’s searching eyes he had not heard the infant screaming shrilly at the top of his lungs. Hojo buried the anger of not being able to go in and take the child out himself; he had molded the child so much already not just with his own DNA but with the doses of Jenova cells as well.

He watched Gast come out of whatever strange daydream he had wandered into and smiled as the colleague slowly handed the child to him. Yes, it had only been a few seconds now, but one could clearly feel the energy in the room. The power this child already possessed could be felt in his small heartbeat.

Hojo quickly moved over to the exam table they had prepared and he laid the child down carefully cleaning and looking at every digit and inch of skin. It was too perfect, but Hojo would expect nothing less from something he had created. Though the startling green eyes and the stark white hair he attributed to the Jenova cells. Hojo would analyze both with the utmost care as soon as he could get the child into his lab.

He could overhear Gast sending assistants here and there to clean up Lucrecia. Was she still alive? It made no difference. Her work was done and he soon hoped that she would be sent away from here. He stared at Sephiroth, the smile he had once held back now spread across his features. There was so much to do, where would he begin?

“Let us move him into the room we set aside,” Gast spoke softly beside him. Hojo turned to see that old, hungry look fill Gast’s features once more. They reassured Hojo that Gast was not completely washed up after all and that there was no time to let his guard down in that area as well. He quickly nodded though and they began to move the child off. Leaving what was left of the mother to herself.

                                                       * * *

It was hours before the deep silence of the room awoke Lucrecia from her slumber. She shot up from the bed, feeling the sudden ache within her and reached down to touch her abdomen.

He was not there.

She began to breathe heavily and tug at the lines to the various monitors, but quickly gave up, too tired still to put much effort into anything. She let her head fall back into the pillow and let her eyes close. Perhaps the voices would stop now. Maybe everything would stop now. Her job was done and yet she could not help but feel something inside her cry out with the deepest sadness and regret. Even as she swallowed it down now the hot tears rose and ran down her face.

She quickly tried to wipe her face clean. Maybe they would return in a moment with the child. If she could just see him and know that he was alright. She felt that he was alright, but she needed to feel his weight in her arms. His little hand tugging at a lock of her hair, anything to show that she had come through for him.

A shadow loomed in her heart though, a part of her felt that she could never and should never touch Sephiroth. Her job was truly over and if he was alright then that is all he needed of her. It would be best for her to stay away, not encourage him or let him know the creature she had become. She had evolved over these past nine months into something she was not proud of, even if she had advanced Grimoire’s work. She felt her mentor was not pleased with her either. Would he still smile at her now and pat her on the head? Most likely not.

Her eyes turned toward the door and she waited. She hoped that they would let her see her son soon. Certainly they would not deny a mother her child.

Didn’t Sephiroth need her too?

Description
Say Goodnight and Go- Chapter 6 (In Five Parts)

Lucrecia’s sticky palms caressed the glass casing that had become Vincent’s current coffin. She could see that his eyes had opened half-way, staring at her with little emotion.

“Ah, I knew you had awakened. As you should,” Lucrecia gave a broad smile, eyes wild with excitement. “He’s coming Vincent. Though he isn’t yours, he is still the most beautiful child. You wonder how I know?” She tilted her head to the side. “I see him every night. I saw him in my dreams and he told me that everything will change now.” She sighed deeply, resting her warm forehead to the glass. “Oh he has the voice of angels,” she swooned and giggled.

She was often visited by many voices in her head. They had not really been heard until later on in the pregnancy, steadily climbing in pitch. Sometimes they calmed her, telling her that all was well and that she should simply lie in bed for days on end. Other times they screamed for violence making her tear at her hair, claw at the walls, or simply sit and bite at her fingers until blood trickled between her lips.

A gurgle from the tank made her look up at her latest experiment. Vincent continued to hold a passive stare. She had worked so hard to prepare his body for Chaos. Hojo laughed at her, cursed her at times even, saying that it was all “his” work that made it possible to continue on with the poor Turk. She knew that was a lie. Hojo simply tore things apart. True he was called a “scientist”, but she never really thought of him that way. She simply saw the title as an excuse to be as horrifically brutal as he wished to his subjects, no questions asked. No, he was no scientist, but she was more than ready to rebuild Vincent from the pile of flesh that remained from Hojo’s playtime.

Another surge of pain ripped through her body. The contractions had begun and while the pain was beyond anything she had ever experienced, even with all the experimentation she had endured over the months, they brought her a sense of overwhelming joy. Everything was coming to fruition. All of the hard work everyone had placed upon her shoulders would be lifted from her soon. She would no longer have everyone’s eyes constantly following her, have to hear their whispers in the halls as she passed, or feel their cold, clinical touch as they poked and prodded her.

She pushed herself away from the glass capsule, ignoring Vincent’s dead gaze. Her feet shuffled over to the door to her lab. A part of her wanted to remain by herself, give birth to her baby and simply bathe in the moment by herself, but the part of her that still thought more clearly knew it would be wiser to get to Gast before it was too late.

Stumbling into the hallway she caught the eye of wandering lab assistant. Thankfully, he quickly assessed the situation and took off to alert the others. Lucrecia couldn’t help but begin to laugh to herself softly. “Yes, you’re time has come Sephiroth. Your mother will not fail you,” she rasped between breaths. Her nails gripped into the stone walls, feeling them crumble at her touch. Turning to look at the fragile stones she suddenly noticed how pale she had gotten. Living continuously underground, hidden away from the sun, certainly had stripped away the last bits of her “healthy glow”.

Her vision began to blur suddenly and the voices came once more. This time they were not of joy as she so hoped, but screaming with terror. Tears began to flow uncontrollably from her eyes and as she reached up to wipe them away her balance gave way and she fell to her knees on the floor. “Wh-what is happening? Why are you so angry now my child? You shall be free soon, I promise you,” Lucrecia whispered as she stroked her belly soothingly.

Upon hearing footsteps approaching her she looked up to see Gast and Hojo running to her side. Even her haunted looking husband was a welcome sight in this moment.  As he knelt down to lift her up onto her feet she gripped him tightly and smiled wildly up at him.

“It is time.”

                                                      * * *

Hojo felt a smile tug at the corners of his mouth and he fought to control it. No, he would not show any sudden familial joy at the coming of his son. Not while Gast and the others stood so close to him. This was no normal birth that would be followed by a rousing round of cigars and brandy. This was the beginning of a new era for ShinRa and also for Hojo. From this point on he would make sure that the plans he laid in motion would pick up speed. After this, his next obstacle would be the destruction of Gast.

Shaking his mind into focus, with the help of Gast they both dragged the girl to the main exam room. Hojo was not surprised by her manic appearance by any means. He had been watching her more than she realized. Ever since he turned the corpse of Vincent Valentine over to her she had rapidly declined. Of course his small taunts towards her every now and then hadn’t been very supportive, but he always loved to see how far his experiments could truly go before they broke down completely.

As he and Gast secured her to the bed he then turned to hook up the various monitors and life support. If Lucrecia began to fade before them, he was not below ripping into her womb and dragging the child out. Her job was complete.

“This is a proud moment Hojo,” Gast placed a hand on his shoulder which Hojo quickly shoved off. He never enjoyed people touching him.

“Yes, well the child has not emerged yet Gast, our pains have just begun.” Hojo did not make eye contact with his superior, instead beginning to read the vital signs of the child that was now struggling to be free from its prison.

He felt Gast turn away from him and say a few soothing words to Lucrecia. Hojo held back a chuckle; he doubted the girl understood much of what was occurring now. He was not about to rush to her side and hold her hand tightly, speaking sweet words in her ear. If Gast felt obligated to be the one, then by all means, it would cause him no heartache.

A sudden alarm from Lucrecia’s heart monitor showed her heart rate increasing at a dangerous pace. Hojo cursed under his breath and turned to look at Gast who also seemed suddenly panicked himself. Taking a deep breath Hojo called out to the assistants to prep Lucrecia for surgery. They would have to remove the child from her forcibly.

Hojo could tell that Gast was rather dismayed by this, but they had figured all along that this would be the most difficult part of the journey. They had to save that child. After all the failures they could not lose this one as well. Everything had been too perfect.

The lab assistants rushed over and began to suit both of them up. Hojo could see a slight tremble in Gast’s hands as he slipped on a pair of surgical gloves and he could not help but roll his eyes. Why had Gast become so very soft? Hojo began to think he had meddled too much with the leading Professor before the time had been right. These thoughts were quickly put to the side though as they both turned to the task at hand.

                                                     * * *

As Gast made the incision along Lucrecia’s belly, he found that all of the desires that he had dreamed about during this project were somehow absent now. He could see the madness in her eyes when he had first ran to her in the hall. He should be truly damned for taking on this task.

The only way he could be redeemed though was by saving both their lives. Perhaps with time Lucrecia could recover and at least return to her hometown and spend the rest of her life simply at rest. Gast tried to envision this and found some peace with that. ShinRa could see to her silence, he knew they would have no trouble with that.

Blinking slowly Gast now focused on moving his hands through Lucrecia’s warm body and gripping onto the struggling life that dwelled within her. Catching hold he slowly lifted the infant up and out of her body, watching the blood soaked child emerge from the folds of flesh. There was a hush that fell over everyone that stood there; Gast even could since a little reverence from Hojo for once.

The child was normal. Or at least as normal as a baby should look, which was probably the most shocking to everyone. They had seen too many horrific outcomes from animal fetuses that they all assumed the child would have some strange appearance about it. Though as the child’s eyes opened Gast felt the air rush from his lungs.

They were such a brilliant green.

                                                        * * *

Hojo cut the umbilical cord quickly and moved closer to Gast. He could see the man had become so mesmerized by the child’s searching eyes he had not heard the infant screaming shrilly at the top of his lungs. Hojo buried the anger of not being able to go in and take the child out himself; he had molded the child so much already not just with his own DNA but with the doses of Jenova cells as well.

He watched Gast come out of whatever strange daydream he had wandered into and smiled as the colleague slowly handed the child to him. Yes, it had only been a few seconds now, but one could clearly feel the energy in the room. The power this child already possessed could be felt in his small heartbeat.

Hojo quickly moved over to the exam table they had prepared and he laid the child down carefully cleaning and looking at every digit and inch of skin. It was too perfect, but Hojo would expect nothing less from something he had created. Though the startling green eyes and the stark white hair he attributed to the Jenova cells. Hojo would analyze both with the utmost care as soon as he could get the child into his lab.

He could overhear Gast sending assistants here and there to clean up Lucrecia. Was she still alive? It made no difference. Her work was done and he soon hoped that she would be sent away from here. He stared at Sephiroth, the smile he had once held back now spread across his features. There was so much to do, where would he begin?

“Let us move him into the room we set aside,” Gast spoke softly beside him. Hojo turned to see that old, hungry look fill Gast’s features once more. They reassured Hojo that Gast was not completely washed up after all and that there was no time to let his guard down in that area as well. He quickly nodded though and they began to move the child off. Leaving what was left of the mother to herself.

                                                       * * *

It was hours before the deep silence of the room awoke Lucrecia from her slumber. She shot up from the bed, feeling the sudden ache within her and reached down to touch her abdomen.

He was not there.

She began to breathe heavily and tug at the lines to the various monitors, but quickly gave up, too tired still to put much effort into anything. She let her head fall back into the pillow and let her eyes close. Perhaps the voices would stop now. Maybe everything would stop now. Her job was done and yet she could not help but feel something inside her cry out with the deepest sadness and regret. Even as she swallowed it down now the hot tears rose and ran down her face.

She quickly tried to wipe her face clean. Maybe they would return in a moment with the child. If she could just see him and know that he was alright. She felt that he was alright, but she needed to feel his weight in her arms. His little hand tugging at a lock of her hair, anything to show that she had come through for him.

A shadow loomed in her heart though, a part of her felt that she could never and should never touch Sephiroth. Her job was truly over and if he was alright then that is all he needed of her. It would be best for her to stay away, not encourage him or let him know the creature she had become. She had evolved over these past nine months into something she was not proud of, even if she had advanced Grimoire’s work. She felt her mentor was not pleased with her either. Would he still smile at her now and pat her on the head? Most likely not.

Her eyes turned toward the door and she waited. She hoped that they would let her see her son soon. Certainly they would not deny a mother her child.

Didn’t Sephiroth need her too?