Alistair S. Loire

Prologue: The Good Doctor

Author's Corner/ or Author's Note

ShinobiTwin05: Hey y'all! I know that it's been a few months and I haven't written any stories yet but no more! (*raises fist to the air.*) I will rectify that as of now! With all the stories I wrote on paper, this is the one I'm going to open up with! Yay! (*does Happy Dance.*)

Alistair: So what's taking you so long to upload?

ShinobiTwin05: Ah Alistair! Perfect, you can do the disclaimer for me! (*points finger.*)

Alistair: (*sigh.*) Whatever. (*turns to look at the screen.*) ShinobiTwin05 does not own either Final Fantasy VII or Final Fantasy VIII. She is only displaying her fan girl tendencies in the form of a story.

ShinobiTwin05: (*grumble.*) If I owned the Final Fantasy franchise I would be a millionaire and make all the hot guys go yaoi and—HEY! You just insulted me DIDN'T YOU! Meanie! Fine! Whatevers! (*goes back to looking at the screen.*) Ignoring Mr. Frowny-face over there, please enjoy the story and no Flames please! My works goes up in flames if you do and it's hard to put them out again. (*uses Puppy Eyes of DOOM.*)

The Good Doctor

It made him feel disgusted watching the scene before him. Assistants were frantically running around the med-lab checking to make sure all machines were fully functional and working properly. The scientists huddled together whispering excitedly and writing down notes in between words. The guards sent by the President stood near the doorway; stoically observing the room with indifferent eyes. Yet all ignored the sobbing woman who just gave birth less than fifteen minutes ago lying down on a cot partially hidden by the privacy curtains surrounding the bed. Silver eyes held a sharp glint as they surveyed the woman in sorrow. Although you couldn't see it; there was a tone of worry hidden in those gunmetal orbs.

Grabbing a passing female assistant, he glared down the remark on her lips. "Why is there no one helping Dr. Crescent after her childbirth? Bring me the AC8751 Formula before I fire your *ss for incompetence!" Pure panic lightened her eyes and a paling complexion showed her fear at the man before her.

"Y-y-Yes Vice Director! I'll get the syringe immediately!" Letting go, he watched as the nurse scurry away before focusing back on Dr. Crescent. Walking to the curtains, he slowly pulled them away. The sight before him made his heart ache.

The woman before him was in bad condition; her hair was greasy and clung to her paling skin, her face was puffy from crying and taking an unhealthy gray tone, and bloodshot eyes were merely thin slits. Dr. Crescent's entire body was shaking from her sobs; a thin sheen of sweat covered everything visible. He felt concerned for his co-worker and sometimes-there friend. He cursed the day Professor Gant ordered him to oversee the Midgar Science Labs in his place and left his two friends here in Nibelhiem. Now months too late, he discovers his boss missing and his best friend Vincent presumed dead in an accident with Lucrecia in the arms of Hojo and pregnant.

Shaking off his morbid thoughts, he returned to the present. Hojo, the rat b*stard that he was, took her child just as they cut the umbilical cord for abrupt testing. It unease him to see Hojo carrying a vile of J-Cells when he said that. You do not take a baby away from its mother. Ever.

He stood on her left side, trying to give her comfort the only way he knew how. "Luna… You need to calm down Lu." His private nickname for her seemed to shock her out of her state of sorrow. Tear-stricken eyes met apprehensive silver. "A-a-Al? W-where's my baby? Where is my Sephiroth! Where's my baby boy!" She frantically grabbed his lab coat with urgency, desperate for answers.

As gently as he could without startling her, he pried off her fingers and placed them on her lap. She was not in the right state of mind for a civilized conversation so he went simple in his remark. "You need to lie down and rest Lu; you just came out of a very stressful childbirth and all that crying isn't healthy for your body right now." Putting an IV needle into her arm he pretended to pay no heed to the small flinch she made.

"But my son! I need to see my son!" At that he sighed in weariness; what should he tell her? Maybe the direct approach would be appropriate as of now? "…Unfortunately, he is in the possession of Professor Hojo right now for analysis of the J-Cells bonding to his DNA." He would never keep her in the dark, he cared too much.

She let out a high keen in response. "No! NO! Get him back! I want him! I need him in my arms! I have to – I have to protect-" Her eyes started to glow with an unholy light and a poison green shine ate away at her normally blue eyes. Stunned by the change, he swiftly remembered the warnings he read of the vivid hallucinations she had during the last stages of her pregnancy; it seemed they weren't only hallucinations at all. With a curse he swiftly grabbed the numbing calm serum from the paralyzed nurse's hand and plunged it into the IV. Waving away the now useless assistant, he went back to his troubled friend. he took hold of her shivering shoulders.

"Lucrecia! Snap out of it! This is bad for your health!" Suddenly, she pulled his long sleeve and forced him face to face with her green eyes. "What are you-!" She cut him off mid-sentence with an echoing tilt in her voice as she spoke. He shivered; it was like a mixture of her usual soprano and something inhuman.

"Yes… Yesss. You will change it…" Her eyes glowed even more brightly almost to the point of neon. "Swear on your word to guard him, Protector." He inhaled sharply as surprise gripped his heart. How did she—?

Her hands tightened and her eyes became slits. "Swear Griever!" He became stony. This wasn't his friend now, but something more. It seemed the only way to save Luna was to agree to its demands. Regardless if it knew who exactly he was and what that specific title meant, by his honor he had to look out for Luna's son in Vincent's steed. "I swear on my family's pride to protect Sephiroth…"

Whether or not it was the calming draught working now or the unknown force releasing its hold, Lucrecia relaxed her hold on his arm. The acid green eyes retreating to their original color. Just before she lost conscious he heard her words of gratitude. "Thank you Alistair…" And with that, she was out cold.

He watched her for a little while longer, lost in thought with what exactly he just promised. Coming to a decision, he stood up to his full height and stalked out of the room to find Sephiroth. He had sworn to protect her child for her, and he will keep to his word. For Alistair Squall Leonhart 'Loire' does not break his promises.

On most days, Alistair felt like he should just snap and pull in that favor from the Turks he had and make Hojo get killed in a 'seemingly' blameless accident. Right now, it was one of those days. Alistair felt his blood boil and hackles rise in anger. When directed to the room where the analysis was to take place he found that Hojo was just finished with his examination and was gone to prepare more 'tests'. Wheat made him pissed off was that Hojo and his troupe left Sephiroth behind on the observation deck which was open to the room's chilling temperature with nothing to protect him from the cold air.

The newborn was crying piteously on the large table; closing his eyes from the blinding lights up above. Once again, he found himself cursing the dratted greasy scientist for the most basic needs of a human. Like a d*mn blanket to keep the baby warm. Oh sure, he cleaned the boy from the excess tissue and other miniscule filth he was covered in, but that still did not mean he should do a half-*ssed job. A lab was not meant to house babies, that was why there were maternity wards in hospitals.

In good conscious, Alistair could not—would not allow Luna's child to stay in the cold like that. Opening the door, Alistair walked right up to the deck with unease. But unluckily for him, there was no soft fabric for him to use as a makeshift blanket for the boy, and he'll be d*mned before his lab coat as a substitute! He was no monster in human disguise.

Ruffling his dark brown hair in frustration, he paused at the feel of shuffling cotton on his neck. His eyes widened in recognition. Of course! His scarf! Quickly pulling the gray scarf off his neck, he approached the wailing child. Using soothing noises and a clam voice, he was able to quiet down the cries to soft whimpers and mewls. "Hey, hey there little one. Shhh, it's alright. Don't worry, I got you now. I'm going to help you little one just wait for a minute." He carefully lifted the baby off the metal table and rocked him back and forth.

When the baby opened his eyes to stare at Alistair, he was shocked. Watery cat-slit green eyes met stormy silver. Shaking off his stupor, he proceeded to wrap Sephiroth in the soft scarf. "It's no baby blanket, but it beats staying out in the cold. Right little one?" A sniffle was his only answer. Once he was done bundling up Sephiroth, Alistair couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.

The dark gray scarf sharpened the boy's bright green eyes and tufts of starlight-silver hair. It made Sephiroth look like a baby ghost with cat eyes. Although he would never say it out loud for others to hear, he had to say; Luna's child was… adorable. "Little Kitten…" He held Sephiroth in the crooks of his arms comfortably, almost straight away the baby latched onto his shirt with a surprisingly firm grip.

Going back to rocking, Alistair watched as Sephiroth was lulled into sleep. Using his right thumb, he stroked a chubby check with considerable fondness. "I'm here now, you're safe with me Sephiroth…. I'm not going to forget you. I won't let anything happen to you when I'm around. I especially won't let those people break you in this dump, I swear."

Hidden beneath layers of clothing, a silver necklace with a lion's head shone.

"And so the proud lion rewrote our life's story…."

Author's Corner/ or Author's Note

ShinobiTwin05: (*pops out of nowhere.*) So? What do you guys think? Good? Bad? I might need to quit while I still can? Please tell me! I NEED to know! (*shakes the screen fervently.*)

Alistair: Stop that! (*whacks her with his modified LionHeart.*) You're going to scare them away! (*turns to the audience and bows.*) I apologize for her behavior. It's the First Story Jitters I'm afraid….

ShinobiTwin05: (*rolling on the ground in pain while gripping her bleeding temple.*) Ah! My head! You sliced open my head you b*st*rd! (*stands up a whacks him back with a paper fan.*)

Alistair: (*dodges the attack.*) I'm trying to help you, you idiot! (*points to the screen.*) Just hurry up and close the chapter already!

ShinobiTwin05: …. You're still a b*st*rd. Alright, fine. I'll be on my best behavior. (*goes back to focusing on the audience.*) Sorry for the comedy act, but I have to agree with Alistair's remark. I'm a bit… nervous. I'd like you guys to read and review for me and give me any feedback you think might help the story go along better. So please! Press that little button down there and give me your opinion on my story! I need the confidence boost! Oh, if you Flame, then I shall use it for the burning of Nibelhiem. (*threatens with a paper and pencil.*)

Cloud: WHAT! You can't do that!

Alistair: Huh? Where did you come from?

ShinobiTwin05: Quiet you! (*uses a bat to knock whack him into the sky.*) I am the authoress of the story so that makes me A GOD in fanfiction! You can't tell me what I can or can't do! (*coughs into her hand and hides away the bat while she looks back at the readers with an innocent smile.*) So like I was saying; I'd be thankful for nice feedback and any opinion on how I can make this story better. So press that nice shiny REVIEW button and I'll get to it right away! So bye-bye! (*waves merrily.*)

Alistair: (*sweatdrop.*) Suddenly, I'm very afraid for my life…..

R&R