How had a sect been able to train around Final Fantasy 7?

Updated by meakaya, January 23, 2022 at 12:51:08 Usual error on my part, the dates (2021 and 2022 instead of 2001 and 2002) have been corrected.

Jenova, the calamity of the skies

Do you know Cross Creek? It's a safe bet not. It must be said that the notoriety of this small school is confined to the United States, and more particularly the State of Utah. And the least we can say is that it is not really pleasing. Founded in 1988 by Robert Lichfield and Brent Facer, this rather special school was aimed at unruly students with the promise of "re-educating" them and putting them back on the right track. The place was affiliated with the World Wide Association Of Specialty organization. Programs and Schools, controversial to say the least. And when you see the methods used in Cross Creek, you quickly understand why... Violence, abuse, rape and other kidnappings marked the daily lives of most of its residents. So much so that in 2006, the establishment was brought before the courts (25 plaintiffs), then again in 2011 with other structures of the same kind (about 500 families/students), then in 2013… You will have understood it , this is a big story that has traumatized many residents, sometimes causing irreversible problems.

Creed Cross Institute Creed

It was on the benches of this school that Jenova (pseudonym) studied for a few years. Already turbulent and disturbed on her arrival, her time in this institute did nothing to help her troubles, quite the contrary. Between mythomania, paranoia or even dissociative identity disorder, the spirit of the young woman was very tormented. Nevertheless, it is difficult to know from reliable sources the nature of her disorders, as well as concrete facts about her past. The few details that we know (her passage to Creek Cross in particular) come from people who have known her, even if they themselves recognize that Jenova's past is rather mysterious. It must be said that relying on her words did not seem like a very good idea to understand who she was and where she came from. To hear it, she would be descended from vampires (while hunting them), would have magical powers allowing her to control the Nazgûl and the course of time, while being the reincarnation of Death but also Morrigan La Fae, Lara Croft, Arwen (Lord of the Rings), Buffy Summers (Buffy against the Vampires), as well as Jenova, Sephiroth, Cloud or even Zack from Final Fantasy VII, and many others... Just take a look at a biography that she would have shared on social networks (no proof today, however) to understand the extent of her madness:

Truly lunar, this biography found, according to Webmaster, by specialized detectives says a lot about the psychological state of Jenova. A state that betrays deep-seated frailties, a craving for attention and a terrible lack of self-confidence. To alleviate all these ills, Jenova first embarks on a passionate relationship with Hojo, an equally deranged young woman. The two delight in this unhealthy love and find themselves happy as a result. In 2002, when Jenova was 20 years old, she decided to settle in the borough of State College (Pennsylvania) with her girlfriend. From this residence will be born a crazy story: that of the Final Fantasy house and a real sect revolved around the game Final Fantasy VII.

A role-playing game gone wrong

It all started with AOL's instant messaging system, AOL Instant Messenger (AIM). This is how most of the victims were contacted by Jenova or his henchmen, as was the case for Webmaster. Then a young student at Alfred University, Webmaster had everything to be devoured by the members of the FF7 house. Complicated relations with his parents, questions about his gender identity, difficulties integrating... Webmaster was not really well in his life. To get better, he even drank excessively during his first year. Another way to forget about negative thoughts: video games, and especially Final Fantasy VII. Very quickly, he takes part in the growing community of the game and even launches into the creation of a real digital altar dedicated to Cloud and Zack, which will attract fans of the two characters, including Hojo, in charge of the hojo.org site.

It was in 2001 that she decided to contact Webmaster on AIM. Very quickly, she redirects him to his girlfriend, Jenova, who dreams of chatting with him. She talks to him about her site (a little), about the game (a lot) and about magic (also). Their discussions are, in short, similar to those of any fan rejoicing in their common passion... except for one detail. The young woman not only calls herself Jenova, the name of one of the antagonists of the game, but also speaks in her name, as if she were this character. But Webmaster is not surprised more than that. It must be said that role-playing games on the Internet are quite common within this type of community. That's why he comes into play when Jenova decrees that he is the reincarnation of Zack.

Later, he will understand that these stories of reincarnations and magic were not a game. Jenova really believed in them. She was an otherkin, in other words a person who does not consider herself human. If this term means nothing to you, know that it dates back to the 90s. The phenomenon began to emerge in the 70s. It was during this period that the first men/elves appeared. This belief still exists today, and you can easily find recent otherkin testimonials on the internet. But during his first discussions with Jenova, Webmaster is not familiar with this concept and does not suspect the reality of the situation.

The two then continue to talk to each other, one in the other's skin and through an intermediary screen, until the Christmas period of 2001. It is this moment that Jenova chooses to finally meet the one with whom she been chatting for several months and who has become his friend. She therefore offers him to come and spend the weekend with her and her friends. Neither one nor two, Webmaster gets on the bus and, after more than 4 hours on the road, finds himself in the small town of State College. What he then discovers is far from flourishing. The apartment is just a pile of dirt of all kinds and glitter, and Jenova turns out to be completely moody. And yet, Webmaster feels accepted in this house, and therefore in his place. And then he takes pleasure in participating in imaginary magic fights, chanting the spells of his favorite game. So even if Jenova makes him (accidentally it seems) miss his return bus, he promises to come back regularly. What he will do.

Yes, but now, the strange episodes are multiplying. That Jenova absolutely seeks to put him in a relationship with The Cedra/Aeris (even threatening to put aphrodisiacs in their food), still goes on... But being forced to ingest food every night that he cannot digest and which therefore make him sick, it starts to become problematic. Not to mention that Jenova tirelessly sucks all his money from him for futile expenses (toys, excessively expensive food...) or sometimes has fun locking him in a cellar for hours hoping that the memories of his past life as Zack resurface. And then there was this time, where she went to great lengths to get syringes, lying unabashedly about her identity to do so - luckily for Webmaster and the others, she failed. In short, the alarm signals were very present. But these were obviously not enough...

Webmaster even decided to settle down with Jenova and Hojo in the summer of 2002. He then took a seasonal job in a small local supermarket in order to support his new home. Everything was going well... but he was forced to realize that moving into this house was a big mistake. Very quickly, Webmaster becomes the minion of the band and sees his freedoms taken away. When chatting with acquaintances on the phone or online, Jenova is never far away, always watching what he might say or do. He has to ask permission to go out, not having the key to the apartment... And then there is this perpetual violence between Jenova and Hojo: the screams and the sound of skin snapping, which bring back memories sad about his parents' divorce.And yet, it was a simple theft of shoes that prompted him to leave.

Learning how to ask for help, it's uncomfy

— BB-8 Sun Jul 25 23:16:54 +0000 2021

Webmaster testimonial

Coming home from work in a torrential rain, he left his shoes to dry on the porch. The next day, they weren't there anymore... This gave him the effect of an electric shock. He grabbed some things, collected the 5 dollars he had left and fled from this hell. For several days he wandered the streets before being taken in by a former regular visitor to the house. It is only once on the plane to finally return home that Webmaster will feel completely safe again. From that moment, he double-locked the door of Maison FF7.

Webmaster testimonial

All's well that ends well?

But unfortunately, this sect is not the story of one man. They are at least a dozen to have been caught in the nets of Jenova. Following Webmaster's testimony, several of them decided to put words on what they had experienced, in order to feel better but also to warn potential future victims. And the least we can say is that the different stories are chilling.

During her first visit, Zarla was forced to participate in a very special ritual: a past life regression. This form of hypnotherapy is believed to make the patient relive past lives. And the least we can say is that Jenova's method was far from conventional. With "The Nightmare is Only Beginning" in the background, Zarla had to lie on the ground, in complete darkness, while enduring Jenova's nebulous chants for long minutes. The goal ? Let him become again who he once was, namely Vincent Valentine.

Testimony of Zarla

Seized by a big fit of coughing during the night, he also had the right to a fit of hysteria from Jenova. Nothing justified such worry, and yet she was convinced of it: this cough marked the presence of an evil force trying to seize Zarla's body. To prevent him from achieving his goals, she began to recite incantations and make a circle of salt in the room, while stirring up some painful memories for Zarla, without any form of regret. He never set foot in that house again.

A few years later, Mela moved in with Jenova and Angel (his new girlfriend). She had planned to arrive late at night, which didn't seem to bother these two future roommates: they would be there to welcome her. Well that's what they said. Because when Mela arrived as expected at three o'clock in the morning, after more than 6000 kilometers by car, she found no one in the apartment. She had to wait several hours in the cold before someone finally deigned to open the door for her.

And that wasn't the only disappointment. He was promised a week of rest and calm. Instead, she found herself going back and forth to the mall to buy unnecessary things. She quickly proved to be Jenova's cash cow who gradually squandered all her money. All in all, Mela spent nearly $100,000 to cater to her roommate's whims. And when she decided that her job at the bank didn't allow her to earn enough money, she simply pushed Mela to become a stripper.

Mela's testimonial

In addition, Jenova took pleasure in putting her in uncomfortable situations, kissing her without consent, for example in front of her own girlfriend, Angel. The latter also nourished a great hatred for Mela and threatened to plant her with a stake, after having dealt her a large number of blows, not without the help of Jenova. The reason for this violence? An absurd pen story... This event pushed her to finally kick them out.

The Cedra, meanwhile, had good reason to run away from this hell long before. Besides the complicated situation she found herself in (in the middle of a love triangle between her, Jenova and Hojo), she was sometimes forced to do things that were dangerous for her own health: like sitting in a bathtub full of ice cubes and green dyes in order to overcome a Cetra magic training.

Note that Webmaster also told in his story, the effect that the departure of The Cedra had on Jenova. The latter pretended to open her veins, forcing Webmaster and Hojo to go into fourth gear and hate the one who, by her departure, was doing so much harm to their benefactress. And yet, Webmaster knew well, even then, that the blood on his wrists was due to a few scratches and not deep and really dangerous wounds. The goal was clear, as with everything she actually did: to be the center of attention and to elicit empathy.

Mela's testimonial

La Maison FF7 was the dream of a place of sharing and acceptance for people disappointed by life and rejected by others. It has become a hell on earth which will, for sure, leave deep traumas on its tenants and visitors. As for the deranged gurus of this sect, Jenova and Hojo (then Angel), they continued to operate after Webmaster's revelations... and then nothing. Today, we do not know what became of them. The Cedra; as for her, would have taken the name of Sarah to perpetrate in her turn what she had suffered. But this story, known as Sarah Saga, would be a pure invention... One thing is certain in any case, staying on your guard is important because even within the most innocent and benevolent communities can hide evil incarnate.