Sephiroth lightly touched the bruises on his face. They were healing remarkably fast. He couldn't believe that they didn't even hurt anymore. It was only last night that Hojo's guards had beaten him, worse than any beaten he'd ever gotten. But the cuts and bruises were going away far faster than Sephiroth knew was normal.

Sephiroth continued to stare in his mirror as a woman entered his room.

"Sephiroth," she said. "Time for today's shot."

Sephiroth turned around to see her. She was taller, older, and much uglier than Serena. Serena hadn't been the nicest person in the world, but he could tell this woman was mean.

"You're not Serena," Sephiroth pointed out.

"I know that," the woman said gruffly. "My name is Jermina. I'm your caretaker from now on."

"What happened to Serena?"

"She left," Jermina said, losing patience. They warned her Sephiroth would be a problem. "Enough talk. Now let's go, Hojo wants you right away."

Sephiroth followed Jermina up to the lab. He wanted to know what was going on. He didn't appreciate being lied to. Serena may have lost her patience with him a few times, but she wouldn't leave without telling him. He wouldn't be surprised if her disappearance would have anything to do with Hojo.

****** Eight Months Later

Hojo was giggling uncontrollably as he entered the conference room where President Shin-Ra, Heidegger, Scarlet, Palmer, and Reeve were already seated waiting. They all turned and directed their attention to Hojo.

"Hee, hee, hee," he continued to giggle. "You will never believe what I have come across!"

"What is it, Hojo?" The President asked.

"Hee, hee... I have found another Cetra."

The president lept up. "What!"

"Hee, hee... yes, I have found another one!" Hojo said triumphantly. "She lives in Sector 3 on the plate with her aunt and uncle. Apparently she is only half Cetra, but all the same, it doesn't matter. Hee, hee, both her parents are dead... her father was from Wutai and the Southern Continent and her mother was the Cetra... ha, ha... Ifalna's sister!"

"Really?" President Shin-Ra said with a lift of his eyebrow.

"Ha, ha, ha," Hojo laughed in response. "But they're both dead, now hee, hee... and She is closer to Sephiroth's age than C-2... hee, hee..."

"Professor, how did you find her?" the President asked.

"I have my ways," Hojo answered. "As you know, there are files kept on every person living in Midgar."

"I would think that a Cetra with any sense would try to cover that information up," Reeve muttered.

"Ha, ha, ha," Hojo laughed. "Apparently her guardians are too foolish to realize how high in demand Cetra are these days. Hee, hee..."

President Shin-Ra was tiring of Hojo's giggling. "Is there anything else, Professor?"

"Hee..yes one last thing," Hojo answered. "Heidegger, I'd like use of your Turks for fetching the Cetra for me."

"Very well," Heidegger sighed. "I will tell Veld after the meeting."

"Hee, hee," Hojo giggled. "That's all.... hee, hee..."

"Now," the President said, turning to Scarlet as Hojo left. "Scarlet, you were telling me about a new weapon plan?"

****** Eighteen year old Tseng stood in front of the apartment he was supposed to take the Cetra from. After only being in the Turks for a few months, this was actually his first major assignment. Veld, the leader of the Turks, had given Tseng the job of finding a young girl living in Sector 3, that was apparently a Cetra, for Hojo. Hojo had been intolerable in the months since losing his last two Cetra, Ifalna, who he assumed was dead anyway, and Aeris. But now, the Professor had found a new victim. Heidegger was not pleased with the idea of leaving Tseng, a new young, Turk with such a job, but Veld was confident in Tseng. He was more disciplined than the other two Turks, Aaron and Felix, who goofed off and tended to back talk alot. Tseng was quieter and carried out assignments thorougly without question.

Tseng brushed one of his stray black hairs of his navy blue business suit before knocking on the door. Yes, He saw the doorbell there, but he chose to knock. It was much more dramatic.

After a few moments, dark tanned woman with dark brown hair and weary hazel eyes opened the door and looked up at him.

"Yes?" she said.

Tseng peered into the room and saw a man, who was also tan like the woman, with black hair and brown eyes looking up from his newspaper.

"My name is Tseng. I'm here on official business from the Turks," Tseng answered. "I have orders to collect the young girl living in this house, Tayeko Escobar, and bring her to the Shin-Ra building."

The woman turned a look at her husband, then wiped her forehead.

"What is she wanted for?"

"I do not know, Mrs. Escobar," Tseng answered. "But I can assure you, your daughter will not be harmed."

"Ha!" Mrs. Escobar laughed. "That looney bird ain't my daughter! "

"Madam, I'm afraid I don't have much time. If you are more willing, I have orders to offer you a check worth 250,000 gil and a beach home in Costa Del Sol for the girl's custody."

Mrs. Escobar's eyes went wide as she turned back to her husband with a dangerous grin.

Mr.Escobar tossed his newspaper on the floor. "You can't be serious, Rita."

"Why not, Fransisco?" Rita asked, putting her hands on her hips. "250,000 gil? Costa Del Sol? Think about it, dear. That child has been nothing but trouble for us since she got here, raving about the planet and all this other nonsense. She's downright crazy, I don't doubt that she should go away with the Shin-Ra!"

Fransisco shook his head. "We promised my brother we would take care of her after he died," he said.

"Fah!" Rita waved him off. "That child is better off with them. You heard him, they aren't going to hurt her, and you know that!"

"Damnit," Fransisco said. He turned to Tseng. "You must know why she is wanted, Turk. If you tell us why, then I may let her go with you."

Tseng averted his eyes to the floor. He wasn't supposed to tell them why she was needed, and they most likely wouldn't let her go after they knew anyway. And he couldn't very well go back empty handed... but he certainly didn't want to kill anyone tonight. Maybe he could sugarcoat the truth a little...

"As you may know, Tayeko is one of the last of special blood," Tseng answered.

"Special blood?" Rita boomed. "More like looney blood!"

So they didn't know. How could this girl's heritage be covered up from her guardians?

"The girl may have special abilities that will help Shin-Ra better serve the people in the future," Tseng continued. "That is all that I am at liberty to tell you."

"Whatever!" Rita said, waving a dish rag in the air. "Just take her and hand over that check."

"Rita!"

Rita turned to her husband. "Fransisco. We have been talking for months now about sending that child away to a boarding school anyway. This will be much better for her! She'll be going with the Shin-Ra corporation, and you know that will be better for her than living in this hell hole! And we will be able to getaway from here as well. We may even be able to move back home."

Fransisco shook his head and stood. "I suppose your right, Rita." He turned to walk into the next room. "As usual."

Rita waved off his gloomy mood and turned to the stairs. "Tayeko! Get down here!"

A few moments later, a little girl flew down the steps.

"Yes?"

If Tseng wasn't so stoic, he would have choked. This girl looked absolutely nothing like her family. She looked like she was from his country of Wutai, actually, Tseng noticed. She wasn't tan like Mr. and Mrs. Escobar. Her skin was much paler, close to his complexion. She had straight, thick, jet black hair with a blue shimmer, another trait of Wutains. Her eyes were an almond shape, which was also characteristic of his people, although hers seemed wider. But it was her eye color that set her apart.

She had bright, violet blue eyes. No one in Wutai had purple eyes, that was a fact. Wutains usually had black or brown eyes, sometimes grey. But not violet... in fact, Tseng realized, no race of people on the planet had that eye color... except for the Cetra.

The girl blinked at Tseng in anticipation of what was going on. Rita sighed and put her hands on her hips again.

"Tayeko, you have to go away. Go pack your things and get ready."

"What?" Tayeko questioned, confused.

"This is Tseng, Tayeko," Rita continued. "You are leaving to Shin-Ra with him right away, so get ready."

"I knew you were going to send me away sooner or later!" the little girl cried. "I knew it!"

"I said, go get ready," Rita snapped.

Tayeko stomped her foot, her eyes welling up with tears. She turned and ran back up the stairs.

"I'm sorry, Tseng," Rita murmered when the girl had disapeared up the stairs. "She can be difficult at times." "Nothing I can't handle."

"So when do I get my money?"

Tseng sighed. This woman really only cared about that check. He reached into his breast pocket.

"Now," he answered, handing her the enevelope.

Rita grabbed it and got the greediest, almost malicous look in her eyes. "Tayeko!" she called upstairs. "Hurry up, we don't have all day!"

Tayeko wiped the tears from her eyes and leaned against the wall by the top of the stairs. Aunt Rita was selling her now? That was it. She heard it all. That man wasn't going to take her away, but Rita was getting a ton of gil for giving her up.

"I wish father were here," Tayeko said aloud.

She rushed to her room and pulled out her duffle bag and began packing what she could. She knew this day would come. Rita hated her. Always calling her crazy or looney. It wasn't her fault the planet, or whoever it was, was speaking to her! And Uncle Frank wasn't so bad, except he never stood up in her defense when Aunt Rita started her tirade.

Tayeko threw a few items of clothing into her small bag. She didn't have much anyway. After grabbing her favorite personal possesions, Tayeko grabbed the old picture of her mother and father that was sitting on top her dresser. After studing it for a few moments, Tayeko threw the picture into her bag and headed downstairs.

"What took you so long?" Rita thundered when she came down. "You've been keeping Mr. Tseng waiting long enough."

Fransisco entered the room again, with a small box in his hand. "Leaving so soon?" he said sadly, trying to sound lighthearted and failing miserably. He walked over to where Tayeko was standing with her bag over he shoulder and knelt down in front of her.

"Tayeko," he whispered, holding the box up to her. "This belonged to your mother. Your father gave it to me to hold on for you before he died. He wanted to give it to you when you were older...."

"It's okay, Uncle," Tayeko said, noticing the pain talking about his brother brought to Fransisco. "I wasn't expecting to have to give it to you so soon," Fransisco continued. "But seeing as your leaving... your mother always wanted you to have this."

"Thank you, Uncle," Tayeko said, accepting the gift. "What is it?"

"Shh, Tayeko," Fransisco whispered. "Open it when you are alone."

Tayeko nodded and slipped the small box into her pocket. Fransisco hugged her, then stood and turned to Rita.

"I hope you're happy," he said bitterly before returning to the side room.

Rita shook her head. "Are you ready, Tayeko? I am going to miss you, but you are safe with Shin-Ra and I'm sure I'll see you-"

"No you won't," Tayeko snapped. "You won't miss me, you just want that money!" He eyes filled with tears again.

Tseng was brooding. This girl was certainly smarter than her Aunt took her to be.

"I...uh..." Rita stammered.

Tayeko didn't want to hear it. She ran past Rita and Tseng to the doorway, but not before Tseng grabbed her arm and stopped her.

"Let go!" she cried. "I can walk outside by myself!"

"But you are not going to," Tseng stated. No way was he going to let her go so she can just run away.

Tayeko struggled, but finally gave up and stood still. Tseng loosened his grip on her arm but still held her securely, and began to walked down the steps.

"Good-bye!" Rita called from the doorway, but both Tseng and Tayeko ignored her.

Tseng brought Tayeko out to his car and strapped her in, locking all the doors. After reporting to Veld that he had her and was on his way back, Tseng pulled off.

The little girl was pouting horribly out the window, and her pale face was still damp from tears. Tseng felt bad for the girl, and decided to make conversation to kill the tension. After all, she was just an innocent child.

"Where are you from?" Tseng asked. "You look nothing like your Aunt and Uncle."

"That's because they're from the Southern Contitnent," Tayeko answered.

"Are you from Wutai?"

Tayeko haphazardly wiped her face. "My father was. I used to live there when I was very little."

"That still makes you Wutain," Tseng pointed out. "I am from Wutai as well."

"I can tell."

"You can?" Tseng tried to sound impressed.

"Yes, Tseng," the girl said intelligently. "Tseng is a Wutain name and I can tell by your eyes and hair."

"Your eye color is very strange, although it is beautiful," Tseng said. "I know for a fact the no Wutains have purple eyes."

"Violet," the girl corrected. Even though he had practically kidnapped her, Tayeko was beginning to like Tseng. Even though he was a member of the Turks, and probably did many bad things, he had a good heart, that much she could tell. "Tseng, if I tell you something, will you promise not to tell anyone?"

"Yes."

"My mother was an Ancient," Tayeko admitted. "That's why I have violet eyes. My mother's were blue, though, but I still got violet."

"Really?" Tseng sounded surprised, although he had known the girl was a Cetra all along. "I thought there were no more Ancients left?"

"I think I'm the last one," Tayeko said sadly. "My mother died when I was a baby."

"I'm sorry, Tayeko," Tseng said. "Oh, here we are." Tseng drove the car into the lot of the Shin-Ra Buidling where Aaron and three guards where waiting as he pulled up.

Tseng parked the car and Aaron let Tayeko out from the passenger side, one of the guards grabbing her pack.

"Well, 'ello, dear," Aaron said, taking Tayeko's hand. She snatched her hand back almost immediately.

"I want to walk with Tseng!" she demanded.

Tseng walked around the car and took her hand, ignoring Aaron as his eyebrow went up suspiciously.

"Never thought you were the type to like children, Tseng," He pointed out.

Tseng walked Tayeko inside, past the the security checkpoints and to the elevators. Tayeko watched in awe as she floated higher and higher above Midgar in the glass encased elevator.

When they reached the lab floor, Tseng brought Tayeko to a cold room that looked too much like a cell to her. She stood by the door and pouted at him.

"Where are you going, Tseng?" she asked. "And where's my stuff?"

"I have other things to do," Tseng answered. "You have to wait here till the Professor is ready to see you. Your things are being taken to your room now."

"Don't leave me!" Tayeko cried. "I'm scared!"

"Do not worry," Tseng said before closing the door. "I will come back for you in a little while."

When Tseng was gone, Tayeko began trying to open the door, but to no avail. She stomped her foot in frustration before trying again.

Sephiroth watched the little girl struggle with the door unnoticed from the other side of the room. He'd never seen any other children around this place. It was too horrible. The girl beat on the door and called for Tseng, her shiny black hair flailing around her as she moved. Sephiroth watched her for a few more moments before speaking.

"Locked," he said.

Tayeko was startled. She hadn't known anyone else was in the room. She whipped around and saw a boy about her age sitting in a chair across the room. He had long silver hair that was pulled back into a ponytail with high bangs that fell into his face. He had bright, aqua green eyes that seemed to be glowing.

Sephiroth stared at the girls face. She was beautiful! Her skin was smooth and pale like porceline. Her hair was long, black, thick and shiny. But her eyes captivated him. Sephiroth had never seen anyone with purple eyes before.

The girl cocked her head at Sephiroth and started walking towards him, giggling. What did she find funny? Was it his hair? Yes, she was probably laughing at his hair's strange color.

The girl sat in a chair next to Sephiroth and held her hand out to him, smiling. She was even prettier up close.

"My name is Tayeko," she said. "What's yours?"

Sephiroth hesitated, but accepted her hand in a weak handshake. "Sephiroth," he said meekly.

The girl nodded and giggled again. Was his hair really that funny?

"How old are you, Sephiroth?" she asked.

"Nine," Sephiroth answered.

"I'm seven," the girl said proudly. "My eighth birthday is comin' up, though."

"Why are you here, Tayeko?"

"I dunno," she answered. "Tseng took me from my house and brought me here. He didn't tell me what for."

"Weren't your parents upset?"

Tayeko looked grim. "My parents are dead," she answered. "I lived with my aunt and uncle."

"I'm sorry," Sephiroth said. "Weren't your aunt and uncle upset?"

"My uncle was kinda sad," Tayeko said, swinging her legs back and forth. She frowned. "But my aunt was glad to see me go. She wanted to send me to a boarding school anyway. Shin-Ra gave Tseng 250,000 gil to give to her to send me away. Of course the old bag accepted it with out a second thought."

Sephiroth shook his head. "That's terrible," he said.

"I know," Tayeko sighed. "But I guess I'll be alright."

"You're very beautiful, Tayeko," Sephiroth said.

Tayeko blushed. "Thank you," she said.

"You welcome."

"Hey, Sephiroth," she said. "Is there anything I should know about this place?"

"A lot," Sephiroth answered. "For one, do whatever anybody tells you. If you don't they'll punish you by beating you or starving you."

Tayeko looked shocked, but didn't say anything.

"Everybody's kinda okay, but watch out for Hojo and his men. I hope that he doesn't want anything to do with you."

"Why?"

"He's horrible," Sephiroth shivered. "He always gives me these weird shots and does all these experiments to me to that really hurt."

"That's terrible!" she exclaimed. "I hope he doesn't want me!"

Suddenly the door opened and Tseng walked in with two guards behind him. "Tayeko," he called. "Time to see the Professor."

"Okay," Tayeko said. "Bye Sephy! I hope I see you again."

"Me too," Sephiroth said. Sephy. Nobody ever bothered to give him a nickname before.

Sephiroth watched as Tayeko took Tseng's hand and left the holding cell. Again he was alone... but his mind was filled with visions of Tayeko's pretty smile.

• Chapter 4