[ there is nothing that he doesn't blame himself for in regards to lucrecia or her son. sephiroth is a living testament of his failure to protect the woman he loved. he is his responsibility — a responsibility that he avoided for all these years. after all, he recognizes that he could have taken him away from shinra and the path that he has inevitably come to walk on. he could have given him more of a life — a life that lucrecia would have wanted for him.

but he didn't, did he? instead, he chose to fall into a deep sleep because somehow punishing himself over and over again with the memories of what transpired was still easier than raising the child of lucrecia with the knowledge of who his father was.

even looking at him now, a wave of conflicted emotions washes over him. he can see so much of her in his facial features, yet there are bits of that man in there too, isn't there? guilt, pain, hate — a child should not bear the sins of his father, so he doesn't see him as an enemy. no, he is simply another burden he must carry on his shoulders.

it's all his fault.

but since he can't alter the past, he can at least repent for his sins and attempt to fix the things he has so long neglected. ]

She... [ it's difficult to talk about her, evident by the slight break in his voice. ] She was a Class A biotechnologist for Shinra. [ his expression seems to soften as he goes on: ] She was intelligent, warm, compassionate and kind. She had an energy to her that was so vibrant it could light up any room she was in.

[ he pauses for a moment as he cants his head down, his eyes downcast. ]

She was brilliant, determined and passionate at what she did. And she was so full of life back then, but...

[ but then it all fell apart, didn't it? and he did nothing to stop it. ]