Mother's Resolve

Adol drifted through the cosmic tapestry, a solitary soul amidst the swirling nebulae and vibrant galaxies. Countless worlds, each a glittering promise, winked at him from the distance. He'd glimpsed lush bioluminescent jungles, barren gas giants with swirling storms, and even a world encased in a crystalline shell, pulsating with an ethereal light. Each passing vista ignited a spark of wonder within him, a flicker of the traveler's spirit that transcended his past lives.

Then, amidst the celestial ballet, a sensation snagged at him. Not a pull, exactly, but a tremor in the fabric of existence, a subtle dissonance in the cosmic harmony. It was faint, yet undeniable, like a whisper in the vast emptiness. Adol's ethereal form rippled with a newfound awareness. This pull, unlike the allure of the planets, felt different. It was…urgent. With a deep breath, a feeling he no longer possessed in his wispy form, Adol turned towards the source of the dissonance.

Perhaps a new adventure, one driven by a purpose he couldn't quite grasp, awaited. With a determined glint in his nonexistent eyes, Adol surged forward, propelled by the beckoning dissonance, towards a destiny yet unknown.

His surroundings glowed a bright ethereal light. It was blinding, but beautiful as the bright light subsided he was plunged into darkness. A peaceful slumber that he would never get again.

———————————

[Nibelheim]

In a lab under a mansion located in Nibelheim, a child with an unfortunate destiny was about born.

The sterile white room echoed with the rhythmic hum of machinery and Lucretia's ragged breaths. Sweat beaded on her brow, her face etched with a mixture of pain and fierce determination. Her body, ravaged by the experimental procedure that birthed her child, strained against the restraints that held her in place.

A cloaked figure, presumably a Shinra scientist, monitored the vitals displayed on a nearby console. Their face remained obscured, adding to the sterile coldness of the scene.

Lucretia, fueled by a mother's love, ignored the gnawing pain and focused on the approaching cries that signaled the culmination of her ordeal. This was her purpose, her burden to bear - to bring forth a child who would change the world, even if she wasn't sure how.

The sterile white room pulsed with a cold, clinical light, a stark contrast to the inferno of pain burning through Lucretia. Each push was a battle cry against the restraints that held her and the agonizing procedure that brought forth not just any child, but a catalyst for change. Sweat slicked her forehead, blurring the vision of the cloaked figure hovering nearby.

Suddenly, the figure leaned closer, their voice a low murmur that sent shivers down Lucretia's spine. "Don't worry, Lucretia," it rasped. "This pain serves a purpose greater than you can imagine. That child you bear will not only be a soldier, but a bridge. He is the last living remnant of the Cetra, the ancient race who once held the planet's voice. Through him, we may finally understand the whispers of the Lifestream."

Lucretia's breath hitched. The Cetra? A whisper of forgotten lore echoed in her mind, tales of mystical beings who communed with the planet. This wasn't just about creating a SOLDIER anymore.

This was about something far more profound, a responsibility that weighed heavily on her already burdened heart. A flicker of defiance sparked in her eyes. She wouldn't just endure this pain, she would use it to fuel her resolve. She would ensure this "bridge" wouldn't become a pawn in Shinra's ruthless game. She would raise a hero, not a weapon.

She had been having dreams when she was still pregnant. Dreams of a landscape ridden in flames and destruction, in the middle of that landscape stood an imposing figure. From what she could remember it was a tall man, a man with long silver hair wielding a really long weapon. The man gazed at her, his eyes piercing through the flame as he menacingly stared behind him. Flames threatening to consume all that was around them.

She felt a cold dread seeing those eyes, but she felt it. She knew that was her child. This was his future, the path he would eventually walk on. She warned Hojo of this dream countless times, but he wouldn't listen. As much as she loved the man, he was a man driven by a mad goal.

A mewling cry pierced the sterile air, a stark contrast to the chilling pronouncements of the cloaked figure. A tiny, silver-haired infant, Sephiroth, emerged from the ordeal, cradled in a nurse's arms. Relief, raw and primal, washed over Lucretia's face, momentarily eclipsing the throbbing pain.

But the celebration was short-lived. The cloaked figure, revealed to be the infamous Professor Hojo, leaned in, his voice dripping with a scientist's detached pride rather than a father's affection. "Finally," he rasped, his eyes gleaming with a manic glint, "Project S is partially complete."

A cold dread gripped Lucretia. This wasn't a doctor witnessing the miracle of birth; it was a predator surveying his prey. Hojo's cackle, devoid of genuine joy, echoed in the sterile room, a chilling portent of the life her child was destined for. In that moment, a fierce maternal protectiveness ignited within Lucretia.

She may have been a pawn in Hojo's twisted experiment, but she wouldn't let her son become another one. A silent vow formed in her heart: she would protect Sephiroth, even from the monster who claimed to be his father.

———[Timeskip 1 Week]———

A week had passed since Sephiroth's birth. Lucretia, confined to her recovery room, watched her child through the thick, reinforced glass. Her heart ached with each glance, a yearning to hold him tempered by the harsh reality – Sephiroth wasn't hers to raise. He was a science experiment, a weapon in the making.

Suddenly, a commotion shattered the sterile silence. Several burly men, clad in Shinra's black uniforms, stormed through the lab doors. Panic jolted Lucretia. This was a high-security facility, access strictly controlled. What were they doing here?

Her fear intensified as the men barged into Sephiroth's nursery, his startled cries echoing through the sterile hallway. One man, his face etched with a callous disregard for life, scooped the infant into his arms. Lucretia slammed her fists against the glass, her silent screams muffled by the thick barrier. "No!" she roared internally, a primal motherly instinct kicking in. But her pleas were lost in the sterile air.

They were taking Sephiroth. To where? For what purpose? A surge of protectiveness overwhelmed her. She wouldn't stand by and watch her child become another cog in Shinra's ruthless machine. She had to act, even if it meant defying the very company that had orchestrated this entire ordeal.

She moved trying to reach the men before Professor Hojo held her in place. "Hojo, What are you doing?! They are taking my child away!" She tried to escape from his grasp but she was still weak from the birth.

The SOLDIER's were actively reaching the secret with Sephiroth in their hands. Lucretia became more desprate, tears running down her cheeks. Her eyes were glassy as she could barely see the silhouettes of Sephiroth.

"No! Give my child back!" She tried reaching out to them. But she couldn't move, she watched helplessly as the SOLDIER's took Sephiroth away.

She stared blankly at the door the SOLDIER's went through. She looked at Hojo with a scorn her beautiful eyes burning with rage and sorrow.

The heavy door clanged shut behind the SOLDIERs, leaving Lucretia alone in her sterile prison. The echo seemed to mock her helplessness. Her ragged breaths came in gasps, punctuated by the occasional choked sob. Despair threatened to consume her, but a flicker of defiance, ignited by Hojo's chilling words, refused to be extinguished.

"Merely an experiment," he'd said. As if her son were nothing more than a lab rat. A cold anger simmered within her. Sephiroth wouldn't be a pawn in their twisted game. He was her child, and she would fight for him with every ounce of her being.

The scientist's final words, though cryptic, sent a shiver down her spine. "A real Cetra?" What did that even mean? Were they not using Sephiroth to bridge the gap between humans and the ancient race? Or was there something more sinister at play?

Lucretia sank to the floor, her mind a whirlwind of emotions. Fear, anger, and a fierce determination warred within her. She would unravel their secrets, understand their true motives. And most importantly, she would find a way to protect Sephiroth, even if it meant becoming the enemy of the very corporation that held her captive.

A single tear traced a path down her cheek, glinting in the sterile light. It wasn't a tear of surrender, but a promise. A promise to a child she barely knew, a promise to fight for his future, whatever the cost.

———[Chapter End]———

If you already can't tell then this will be slightly AU. Mostly a change in Lucretia, instead of falling into despair like in the Canon and turning into a crystal, or the first ever L'Cie. She will be different.

And no she won't be a waifu. While I admit she is hot, I can't be having my fucking his mom. I may be a degenerate but I have my boundaries.