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Day or night, it’s always the same. The laboratory is as dark as ever with the dim light streaming from the lights high above and subtle glow from generators powered by mako. The low hum of machines fills the heavy air as a young boy tiptoes in the darkness. The air is heavy with sorrow and pain driven by pure sadism. Bright green eyes take note of the sterile prison where captives lost their lives to the twisted amusement under the disguise of science. Carefully, ever so carefully, the child continues his journey through the lab, only to stop dead in his tracks when he hears voices. Light reflects from the boy’s silver hair tied back in a loose ponytail while taking cover behind an empty exam table. Voices crescendo as two men walks down the corridor. Both don white lab coats, sharing findings from one of the many “side projects” headed by Professor Hojo himself. The child watches quietly while the pair pass him without noticing. Thank Gaia, they didn’t notice!
Lips twist in a frown when he spots stains of dark red darkening to rusty brown on the coats. Blood is a normal occurrence for as long as the boy can remember. Still, he sees no joy in it. He watches the scientists drift further from his refuge. Then, he waits for a moment or two, only to see and hear nothing. This is his chance to leave before anyone else shows up. The boy is Sephiroth, a prodigy excelling in the ranks of SOLDIER at the age of twelve years. He is gifted in the arts of combat, yet he never had a friend. That was until –
I have to hurry! We’ll miss out for sure! Sephiroth thought, rushing deeper into the lab, searching for the long hall of cells where prisoners rest. That was where he will meet the child who became his first friend. Surely, she is already waiting there! A small smile creases the boy’s lips as he remembers when he first met her. It was over a year ago but seems only yesterday. Yes, can see their story play clearly in his memories.
That day was normal, at least to Sephiroth. He was on his way out after one of his many “appointments” with Hojo, complete with blood work and one injection after injection of mako. He always dreaded those injections, but the good professor always said it was “for his own good. After all, Hojo knows best!”
A sharp cry captured his attention. Sephiroth’s head jerked over his shoulder to the left where the cries came from. It sounded like a child, a child like himself. The boy wasted no time to dash toward the source of the disturbance far from the scientists and guards’ watchful eyes. It led to a rail where Sephiroth leans over it, both hands grasp the rails tightly as he watches the scene below. The rail encircled a pit where a behemoth resides. It growls hungrily, its bloodshot eyes pin a little girl cowering against the wall. She looks to be several years younger than him. Small, thin and rather frail. The large beast prowls closer to the trembling child. Tears brim deep green eyes and her lips curl back over grit teeth. Arms hug her knees to her chest. The behemoth growls before it breaks to a blood-curdling roar, ready to strike at the little girl with its monstrous paw. The girl squeaks and shut her eyes tight. She hears another angry roar and she doesn’t feel sharp claws or gnashing teeth. One eye opens to see the creature backing away from her with a silver-haired boy standing between it and her.
Sephiroth’s grip tightens on his weapon, his eyes stone cold as they watch the angry beast. The behemoth roars and lunges at him. The boy lets out a cry and charges at him. He blocks a swipe of its paw with his blade. The behemoth snarls in pain. Deep red splatter the metallic prison. The beast’s fur bristles, and it swipes with its other paw. Sephiroth misses it but barely. He was merely inches away from the sharp claws. His adversary hobbles on its three remaining paws, its wound continues to spew blood. The behemoth’s tail swings towards the SOLDIER who leaps over it, sparing himself from losing balance. The girl curls up in a corner and hides her face with her hands, afraid to watch how this will turn out. The behemoth growls and charges to Sephiroth with its horns aiming the boy. This would be a fatal move.
Sephiroth holds up his sword and a pained cry reverberates from the miserable pit that was the behemoth’s prison and now serve as its tomb. He withdraws his sword and he jumps on top of the monster’s head. It thrashes with blood pouring from its gaping maw and running down from the gash between its golden eyes. Sephiroth doesn’t flinch off the behemoths head and he uses the position to his advantage. Stabbing it in the head once, then twice, then once more. The behemoth quivers and stumbles on the cold floor. The SOLDIER jumps off its head and watches it drop on its stomach. Eyes slide to a close and it no longer moves. Just like that, the behemoth’s life comes to an end. Sephiroth pants with his sword still embedded in his fallen enemy’s skull. Hands rest on his knees, taking a moment to catch his breath. Before long, he wipes the sweat off his brow and frees his sword from the behemoth’s body. Normally, he would take the time to clean the crimson blade but that is not his concern right now. His priority is the shivering girl. The sword slides back into its sheath strapped to his hip and he hurries to the girl. She peeks from her hands to see the gargantuan beast long gone with the boy standing before her. There’s no malice on his face and the innocent child lowers her hands from her face when she gets the notion that he’s not here to hurt her.
“Are you all right? You’re not hurt, are you?” Sephiroth extends his hand to help the girl up. She accepts the help to return to her feet.
“No. No, I think I’m okay.”
“Good.” He answers with a tired sigh. He peers over his shoulder to the monster’s remains. As far as he knows, Hojo and the other scientists won’t be happy to see this behemoth. Then again, perhaps the killing is simply mercy compared to how it lived in its hellish prison. Sephiroth will come up with a story and his only consequence would be nothing more than a scolding. Not that most of these subjects are invaluable here. It’s better than having a little girl face harsher punishment. Then, a question pop in Sephiroth’s head. He must know.
“Why are you down here?”
“I…I was looking for my Mama. Two men took her away from our room, but they didn’t lock the door. I-I wanted to see Mama again.” Her voice shakes. “Mama would always come back but…She always seems so sick when she does. The little pinpricks and bruises scare me. Sometimes she’s wrapped up in big band-aids. I want to see if she’s okay…Then I got lost and found this. I wanted to see what was there and s-slipped.”
“I see,” Sephiroth answers though it’s hard to comprehend the full extent of what the other child experiences. He never had a mother and not much of a father now he thinks about it. Still, he isn’t going to be cold about this. It sounds like her mother goes through the same assessments as he does. Why would she be sicker each time? If this girl meant bandages, that alone is concerning. This girl and her mother are certainly among Hojo’s experiments. There’s no doubt in his mind and that made his heart sink. Yet, what can he do for them? Hojo will have his head if he did something to prevent further experiments.
“I’m sorry you didn’t find your mother.” He adds and he knows that if anyone catches the other child outside her cell, there will be consequences. Maybe not for him but the same can’t be said for the girl. “I can take you back to your room. I’m sure your mother is waiting for you there. We don’t want to worry her, do we?”
“Oh! Oh, no. I never want to do that.” She shakes her head and she hurries to Sephiroth’s side. “What’s your name?”
“Oh. My name?” He stops in his tracks when her questions reach his ears. It’s a simple question but it catches him by surprise. No one has ever asked him for his name before. “Yeah! What’s your name?” A pause follows her reply. A strange sensation wash over him. Someone wants to know who he is. Not as a soldier or an experiment, but as a person and possibly…As a friend.
“…Sephiroth. My name is Sephiroth.” The girl giggles and she holds her hand out for him to shake. “Hi, Seph-S-Sephiroth! I’m Aerith! I’m happy to meet you.” Sephiroth stares at her hand. Wide eyes remain there but only for a moment. They shift to meet Aerith’s cheerful smile. He couldn’t resist smiling back. His hand reaches out and gives her hand a small shake. “Nice to meet you, Aerith.”
Yes, that was how they met. Since then, their lives changed dramatically.
“Seph? Seph?” A girl’s voice shatters Sephiroth’s thoughts. He blinks before looking down to see Aerith standing beside him. “Are you okay?” She asks with worry apparent in her emerald green eyes. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine…I was just thinking was all.” Sephiroth’s answer brought out a giggle from the younger child. “Sephy, you can’t have your head in the clouds all the time! Mama said that people can lose themselves if they do that. I don’t want you to get lost.” Aerith swings her arm, making Sephiroth’s arm to swing along since they’re holding hands. Sephiroth chuckles with a shake of his head. “Don’t worry. I got a clear head on my shoulders. It’s not like I’m going to go crazy.” He looks forward to a door leading to their destination. “Are you ready?”
“Uh-huh…” Though Aerith’s voice sounds apprehensive. Her smaller hand squeezes his hand. “A-are you sure it will be okay? I’m still scared…”
“It’s okay, Aer. It won’t hurt and I will be right there with you.” Aerith’s eyes shift from Sephiroth to the door. Sephiroth’s grip gently squeezes her hand back. “Okay…Okay.” She adds with a nod. “I’m ready to go.” Sephiroth smiles and he pushes the button and the doors split open before them to reveal a glass wall. He leads the girl into the elevator and presses the button to go up. Aerith’s gaze lights up to see the brilliant lights of the city stretching miles and miles away into the dark night. “Wow…” Aerith whispers and her free hand press against the glass wall while the doors rejoin together, and the elevator rises to their destination. Shades of blue, green, yellow, and white shrink and spread wider the higher they ascended. Aerith keeps her sight on the outside world. Who knew that it was so big and beautiful? Sephiroth saw the skyline many, many times before. The serenity of watching Midgar high above, far away from the ugly reality of warfare, training, and death. A bell’s ring brings her back from her wonder and she turns around to see the doors open again. “We’re here.” He leads her out of the elevator to a balcony edging the president’s office. Of course, President Shinra is nowhere to be seen. There is no need to worry about being caught here at this time of night. Aerith tilts her head back but she frowns to see only the night sky. “I don’t see them.”
“Give it time. It’s going to happen.” His free hand points to the right of them. “See? It’s starting right now!” A gasp answers him when she sees what Sephiroth wanted to show her. A spark shines in the heavens before striking across the sky before fading to nothing. Then another appears and another. Soon, meteorites stream across the summer night. Aerith steps to the side closer to Sephiroth, nervous but amazed. Sephiroth continues to watch the shower and his arm wraps around Aerith’s shoulders. Since they first met, Sephiroth saw her more like a sister and the friend he never had. As for Aerith, she views him not only as her best friend but as her big brother.
“Seph, we’re friends, right?”
“Right.”
“And we’ll always be friends?” Sephiroth laughs when Aerith asks. “Of course! You’re my first friend and no matter where I am, we will always be friends.” Aerith smiles when the older boy tells her. She watches the meteorites race across the endless sky. “Forever and ever?” Sephiroth smiles again and nods his head.
“Yeah. We’ll be friends forever and ever and that will never change!”
“Forever and ever…”