Chapter 31: JENOVA SOLDIER's Past& the Promise
(This section will focus on Yazoo as the speaker) I arrived at JENOVA Foundation HQ to see how Little Sister was doing. I was greeted by a foundation employee and he cried "Young Master Yazoo! What a pleasant surprise! How can we help you today?" I answered "Ahh, no need to be so formal about it, my Brother. I'm here to see Little Sister Kadaj. Perhaps you can escort me to where she is being cared for?" He nodded and said "Of course! She's being held on the lowest level of the place, all the way at end of it." Worried, I added "The lowest level..? You mean the underground chamber flooded with JENOVA cells?" He agreed "Precisely, Brother Yazoo. It was the only place she could be safely cared for, I'm afraid. Our main devices aren't powerful enough to keep her alive in that critical condition...." Without speaking further, I bolted past him and into the elevator. I heard him shout from behind but didn't listen to what he said. I entered the passcode for the underground chamber, and waited as the elevator went down. When the doors parted, I ran into the underground chamber the employee told me about. As I remembered, the entire place was thickly coated in green and black matter. That's how heavy the JENOVA cell concentration was down here. It didn't look any different than it did when I lead JENOVA SOLDIER and traveled the Planet with Loz and Little Sister when we weren't even teenagers yet. I ran straight ahead nonstop; I didn't even look back to see where I was. When I came to a thick wall of JENOVA cells, I gently placed my hand on it and said "Mother, it's me... your son Yazoo." The wall glowed a bright green and then faded, revealing the white space behind it. I went through it and came to the other side, and found myself looking at Kadaj: she was still unconscious, and strapped to the wall of Mother's cells by two long, white and pinkish tendrils that also dug into her body. They wrapped her tightly, and glowed a a bright green that seemed to be entering her body as it moved. I drew closer, unable to take my gaze off of her. I barely made out my words "Sister...? N-no way..." She wouldn't move at all. I didn't even know if she was still alive anymore. I raised one arm, gently brushing her face with my hand. I continued "Little Sister... forgive me, if you can... for not being there when you were forced away from life. If I was there when you began to wither, then maybe you wouldn't be so weak right now... forgive me, Kadaj..." She moaned weakly, but didn't move. I stood in silence for a long while, then said "You were always so reckless, Kadaj... you would push yourself so far you nearly died so many times during the mission Mother left us with. And I would worry for your life, and your safety because of that... and also because I love you. I was always concerned about you... and i still am. But at the same time, I'm also very proud, Kadaj. You were reckless, but you were like that for a reason, too. You risked so much, even if it meant dying... all to help Mother and save her legacy. You got hurt a lot, and bad... but you were always so happy. You gave me and Loz something we may have never had without you: the courage to stand strong and try again... all with smiles. When you got older, even Loz hardened up. You and I both know he was always such a whiney baby, right? But when you grew up with us, even that part of him changed... maybe not a major change, but he didn't break down as easily when you bloomed out of your larva state. He was more hard-headed... and I learned what I had to do, too. So, Kadaj... just promise me you'll live and don't die here." I felt light tears fall from my face, but forced them aside. Kadaj moaned some more, and I returned my glance to her face. She twitched mildly, and her expression made it seem like she was trying to break free of something. I realized she was still alive, and said "Mother... please, hear my wish... don't let Kadaj leave us. I know she was careless during the war against Shinra, but it was because of her risky approach that we managed to activate the Infinite Reunion. If there's anything I want to have forever besides your love and power, Mother... it's her. I need her, Mother..." I suddenly begin having several flashbacks about moments I had with Little Sister; I remembered how she would smile at me every morning we woke up in the Forgotten City during our childhood, even though we were no match for Shinra then. I remembered the first time Mother merged with her, and how she slept an entire mission that day: and woke up smiling at me and laughing after the black water healed her. She would always smile at me and shout my name when we were kids in so many situations... she was the light of JENOVA SOLDIER all this time. It was no wonder Mother led us to her when me and Loz were only 8 years old, and told me how important it was that I prevent death from coming to her even if I had to be sacrificed to keep her alive and healthy. I was too young back then to really understand why Mother stressed how important that really was. But now I understood everything about it. If not for her countless sacrifices, JENOVA Kingdom might have never happened. The reason she faded into the JENOVA Lifestream one year ago was because all war against us had ceased, and her part in Mother's legacy was completed as a result. I never would've expected her to die after everything was finished. Mother knew she would, but she kept this truth from us so we wouldn't feel the deep hurt and heartbreak that comes with losing something that means almost everything to you. And here Kadaj was once more, barely clinging to life even in JENOVA Chamber itself; all because of another reckless attempt she made to break the boundary between JENOVA Kingdom and the JENOVA Lifestream. Maybe she successfully pulled it off, but she was horribly weak afterwards. I brushed her face with my hand once more, and said "Hang in there, Sister... I'll see what I can do to help you stay..." She twitched again, but didn't make any sounds. I didn't want to leave this room, but I knew the only choice I had was to meet with Mother to see if she might know anything about how to keep Kadaj alive. If anyone had answers, Mother did. Out of nowhere, I remembered Brother Vincent's powers and expertise and breaching the fabric of time and space, and cried out "That's it! I've got it!" I ran out off without any further thoughts or words, rushing out of the foundation and quickly getting on my motorbike. I set a course for Brother Vincet and Sister Yuffie's place as fast as I could.
To be Continued...
(This section will focus on Yazoo as the speaker) I arrived at JENOVA Foundation HQ to see how Little Sister was doing. I was greeted by a foundation employee and he cried "Young Master Yazoo! What a pleasant surprise! How can we help you today?" I answered "Ahh, no need to be so formal about it, my Brother. I'm here to see Little Sister Kadaj. Perhaps you can escort me to where she is being cared for?" He nodded and said "Of course! She's being held on the lowest level of the place, all the way at end of it." Worried, I added "The lowest level..? You mean the underground chamber flooded with JENOVA cells?" He agreed "Precisely, Brother Yazoo. It was the only place she could be safely cared for, I'm afraid. Our main devices aren't powerful enough to keep her alive in that critical condition...." Without speaking further, I bolted past him and into the elevator. I heard him shout from behind but didn't listen to what he said. I entered the passcode for the underground chamber, and waited as the elevator went down. When the doors parted, I ran into the underground chamber the employee told me about. As I remembered, the entire place was thickly coated in green and black matter. That's how heavy the JENOVA cell concentration was down here. It didn't look any different than it did when I lead JENOVA SOLDIER and traveled the Planet with Loz and Little Sister when we weren't even teenagers yet. I ran straight ahead nonstop; I didn't even look back to see where I was. When I came to a thick wall of JENOVA cells, I gently placed my hand on it and said "Mother, it's me... your son Yazoo." The wall glowed a bright green and then faded, revealing the white space behind it. I went through it and came to the other side, and found myself looking at Kadaj: she was still unconscious, and strapped to the wall of Mother's cells by two long, white and pinkish tendrils that also dug into her body. They wrapped her tightly, and glowed a a bright green that seemed to be entering her body as it moved. I drew closer, unable to take my gaze off of her. I barely made out my words "Sister...? N-no way..." She wouldn't move at all. I didn't even know if she was still alive anymore. I raised one arm, gently brushing her face with my hand. I continued "Little Sister... forgive me, if you can... for not being there when you were forced away from life. If I was there when you began to wither, then maybe you wouldn't be so weak right now... forgive me, Kadaj..." She moaned weakly, but didn't move. I stood in silence for a long while, then said "You were always so reckless, Kadaj... you would push yourself so far you nearly died so many times during the mission Mother left us with. And I would worry for your life, and your safety because of that... and also because I love you. I was always concerned about you... and i still am. But at the same time, I'm also very proud, Kadaj. You were reckless, but you were like that for a reason, too. You risked so much, even if it meant dying... all to help Mother and save her legacy. You got hurt a lot, and bad... but you were always so happy. You gave me and Loz something we may have never had without you: the courage to stand strong and try again... all with smiles. When you got older, even Loz hardened up. You and I both know he was always such a whiney baby, right? But when you grew up with us, even that part of him changed... maybe not a major change, but he didn't break down as easily when you bloomed out of your larva state. He was more hard-headed... and I learned what I had to do, too. So, Kadaj... just promise me you'll live and don't die here." I felt light tears fall from my face, but forced them aside. Kadaj moaned some more, and I returned my glance to her face. She twitched mildly, and her expression made it seem like she was trying to break free of something. I realized she was still alive, and said "Mother... please, hear my wish... don't let Kadaj leave us. I know she was careless during the war against Shinra, but it was because of her risky approach that we managed to activate the Infinite Reunion. If there's anything I want to have forever besides your love and power, Mother... it's her. I need her, Mother..." I suddenly begin having several flashbacks about moments I had with Little Sister; I remembered how she would smile at me every morning we woke up in the Forgotten City during our childhood, even though we were no match for Shinra then. I remembered the first time Mother merged with her, and how she slept an entire mission that day: and woke up smiling at me and laughing after the black water healed her. She would always smile at me and shout my name when we were kids in so many situations... she was the light of JENOVA SOLDIER all this time. It was no wonder Mother led us to her when me and Loz were only 8 years old, and told me how important it was that I prevent death from coming to her even if I had to be sacrificed to keep her alive and healthy. I was too young back then to really understand why Mother stressed how important that really was. But now I understood everything about it. If not for her countless sacrifices, JENOVA Kingdom might have never happened. The reason she faded into the JENOVA Lifestream one year ago was because all war against us had ceased, and her part in Mother's legacy was completed as a result. I never would've expected her to die after everything was finished. Mother knew she would, but she kept this truth from us so we wouldn't feel the deep hurt and heartbreak that comes with losing something that means almost everything to you. And here Kadaj was once more, barely clinging to life even in JENOVA Chamber itself; all because of another reckless attempt she made to break the boundary between JENOVA Kingdom and the JENOVA Lifestream. Maybe she successfully pulled it off, but she was horribly weak afterwards. I brushed her face with my hand once more, and said "Hang in there, Sister... I'll see what I can do to help you stay..." She twitched again, but didn't make any sounds. I didn't want to leave this room, but I knew the only choice I had was to meet with Mother to see if she might know anything about how to keep Kadaj alive. If anyone had answers, Mother did. Out of nowhere, I remembered Brother Vincent's powers and expertise and breaching the fabric of time and space, and cried out "That's it! I've got it!" I ran out off without any further thoughts or words, rushing out of the foundation and quickly getting on my motorbike. I set a course for Brother Vincet and Sister Yuffie's place as fast as I could.
To be Continued...
