Chapter Text
Subject C – progression
Log 1:
After basic treatment, the subject performed in the expected parameters. The healing factor restored the integrity of the body up to 70%, while the basic circuits of the body maintained their course. State: comatose (induced)
Log 2:
Subject exits coma. Presents good motor control and slight memory deviations. The subject’s body integrity is up to 80%. The subject is prepared for the initial physical test.
Log 3:
The subject performs under standard in battle simulation in attempted suicide. Futile effort. Body integrity lowers to 60%. The subject presents desirable traits in a host candidate. A genetic overview is required. Subject C presents a muddled intellect, signs of shell shock are present. Data shows no anomaly in the cortex, hence I believe it has lost purpose, explaining the suicide attempt. Stimulation may be required. If stimulation fails, the subject will be deemed unusable due to the possible pathology of the host.
Log 4:
Interaction with human staff seems unfruitful. Body integrity remains stable at 80%, further improvement of its condition requires enhancing or medical intervention. Further examination-
“Do you have to record your logs in here?” Cloud closed her eyes again, counting the steady beats of her heart.
“Yes, subject, I do’’, Hojo turns to the examination table, “-subject presents irregular breathing patterns-“
“No shit, I had a hole in my chest not so long ago!”
His greasy tangled ponytail swished from side to side as he sighed in defeat. “You ruined my log, again.” The scientist in front of her seemed too absorbed in the numbers on the screen to notice the satisfaction in her expression, as there was a sense of victory in making the hunched man tick.
“I will continue to do so.”
She didn’t bother to struggle against the restraints that kept her stuck to the table. She was hooked up to a strange metallic machine, probably to measure her blood pressure in a very complicated way from what Hojo mumbled. What use would struggling have? There is nowhere for her to escape as she quickly found out after waking up in the strange lab.
“Subject presents an anomaly in the lower abdominal region… surgery is required… liver failure? No…not enough-“, he continued to mumble as Cloud lay limp on the cold steel. Hojo pushed one of the buttons next to the door and two other people stepped in. “I will give you a treat since you have been behaving well today!”
The blonde barely opened her eyes to watch the people coming into the room. Darkness was biting the edges of her vision, making her head spin, sinking its teeth into her mind like a rabid animal dragging its prey deeper into its territory. There was a needle in her arm… no it has been there for a while… a different one with a sour smell…
“Se-…datives?” She huffed what seemed to be a laugh, barely rolling the syllables off her tongue. Were words always so heavy? So, faded and eroded at the edges?
“Begin procedure, remove the contaminated area, and examine the recovery process-“
Sounds… were they always so dim? That sound was clear as day, surprisingly… even now, her voice flows through Cloud’s mind, pure as crystal. Was it all so broken before… Seph?
Subject Z – progression
Log 3:
The subject remains in stasis after an aggressive display against medical staff. Body integrity is stable at 75%, while brain activity decreases. Provided stimulation, an aggressive response is triggered. Regardless, the seed is proving sufficient and almost stable enough for the first trial. Passive extraction proves to be inefficient.
Log 5:
Subject exits stasis with a noticeably milder attitude, provided motivation to meet the assigned mate. Body integrity raised to 83%. Physical examination is required.
Log 6:
Body integrity drops to 68% post-examination. Punishment and reward proves the best action against its violent personality. Following the combat simulation, I believe there will be required a series of enhancements in the recovery area, and the cell multiplication period needs to be shortened. Sampling proved this to be ineffective with subject C, and as such it needs to occur from the insemination source. Genetic modification may be required.
Ah, yes this is cruel. Watching this now makes me very nauseous… Then again, it’s not the worst that happened. Right, you don’t know, how could you? You see, these two, these two Zack and Cloud aren’t the first ones to end up here. This isn’t the first pair to fall into Hojo’s hands. How do I know? Well, I sit here, twiddling my thumbs, watching every iteration of reality play out. It’s quite a boring job, let me tell you! Who am I? Now that’s a good question! Some may call me God, some Minerva, some Gaia, but really I am everything! That’s a bit confusing isn’t it… think of me as a guide, a keeper of time and space. Now, before you start asking any more questions, why don’t we skip a bit over this part? Four years to be more exact. I’ve seen this scene one too many times to see it again and I bet you don’t want to be stuck here watching our dear protagonists being torn apart in every way conceivable and being put back together like a pool of sand barely reforming its formless form!
“I want to keep watching!”
Desperate…I’m getting ahead of myself haha! Now, now, don’t look at me like that, I know what you are thinking already! I always do.
“What you have said just now… it is just a stupidly atrocious lie…”
You have a mouth on you, this time! Oh, I’ll have the time of my existence breaking it. Again.
“Let’s see you try, Mother!”
Subject C – progression
Log 36:
Fertilization attempt no. 3 went smoothly. Body integrity raised to 95% following intensive mako treatment. Battle simulation reveals high materia dexterity, a desirable trait as a host. Surprisingly, the subject engaged more with the medical staff, following the repeated meeting with its mate. There is a probability that keeping them in close proximity may loosen the chances of suicide attempts from the host. Currently, the subject will be kept in stasis for the spawn's safety.
Log 178:
Subject nears term. The gestation period is impressively smaller than expected. Unlike previous attempts, this spawn seems viable within human limits. The subject has also become strangely attached to its child, as well as overprotective over it, even at the expense of her mate.
“It’s called a mother’s instinct, Hojo.” Cloud barked from the examination table.
“Ah yes, the fierce bond between one's mother and her child. Such a heartwarming feeling must it bring to you, to finally birth something else besides feathered and scaled mangles of-“
Cloud almost grabbed his arm. Almost. Just like he almost pressed the needle in her arm again. Almost. “You should also be happy, or whatever means happiness to a heartless wench like you! You finally get your experiment child!”
Hojo rerouted his attention to the monitor, where the ultrasound revealed the curled form of a baby. A baby almost ready to be pushed out, one that developed so much faster than Cloud’s body that it put her in a coma for a few weeks, before she could host it properly. “I get to replace what you broke. Maybe even better, this one is male, a more promising candidate than Sephiroth.”
The almost was gone as soon as Her name registered in Cloud’s mind and so was she, a few seconds after the drugs took effect.
Subject Z – progression
Log 389:
The subject performs under expectations during the battle simulation, attempting suicide. Its violent behavior returned after being separated from its mate for two months. Their next breeding is scheduled in a few weeks, but there might need to be a joint battle simulation soon to bring both of them to optimal mental parameters.
Log 452:
The subject is abnormally calm, possibly unresponsive after the second visit to its mate. Punishment and reward isn't satisfactory anymore. For now, the subject will be kept in an induced coma until it is needed again for multiplication.
Log 702:
The subject returns to 95% body integrity after dismantling. These results are similar to the previous subject S, but they seem to lack something. Subject Z is close to reaching the threshold, but something is holding the experiment back. The activity of J-cells in this subject is remarkably slow, almost stagnant. It might have developed a resistance to it, antibodies of some sort.
Log 833:
Both subjects have been underperforming for the past few weeks. As such they will be kept in a comatose state until I find time to restart the project. I will depart for Midgar tomorrow and I will leave the staff positioned here in charge of the subjects for the time being. This is possibly the last entry for Subject Z. Experiment failed.
Honestly, you must have inherited this sadistic side of yours from that Hojo. I even offered you the option to jump past this time period and you chose to watch still. Did you enjoy it? Seeing them beg for death time and time again, never to be granted? Did you enjoy it, my child, watching your lover be abused, raped, and torn apart for his entertainment?
“I did not, Mother.”
I know you didn’t. After all, there isn’t as much of a thread of a lie you could ever spew to me. And yet, I still don’t understand your fascination with that human. Life after life, death after death and it’s still the same soul that you chase. Romantic is what humans would call it, but you feel just despair don’t you, my child? Already lost that mouth of yours?
“If it displeases you, I can be more talkative, Mother.”
Such an obedient child I have… my dear, Sephiroth…