Short Author's Note: This fic takes place during Crisis Core. This chapter takes place a month before Zack went on the Wutai assignment, when Genesis went MIA. I hope I got Genesis in character. Feel free to give me pointers.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything.
I'm sorry for any mistakes. I won't be able to check my writing because I am very busy.
CHAPTER 1: The Truth
WUTAI
Genesis Rhapsodos hated this. He didn't mind going on missions. It relieved the boredom he always built up on standby. Training with Angeal and Sephiroth helped with that as well. Unfortunately, Angeal had taken on a new student and now spent all his time training the 2nd. Sephiroth had been extremely busy as of late, and when he wasn't... he was actually helping Angeal train the 2nd.
But he was getting off track. What he hated about this mission was the fact that it was a group assignment, not to mention it was a surveillance mission. The 2nd and 3rd with him wouldn't stop asking him for pointers and it was getting really aggravating.
"Excuse me, sir," the 3rd said to him. "You never answered my question."
'That's because I wasn't listening' Genesis thought as he sighed... again. He turned to the 2nd and 3rd. "Let's split up. You two go that way." He pointed to the right.
"Sure!" they said enthusiastically and ran off.
Genesis turned left and walked off. "Thank Minerva. I finally got rid of them."
* * * *
Genesis walked down a hidden underground path. He came to a door and opened it. Stepping inside the room cautiously, he froze. His eyes widened as he looked around. The room was full of occupied cells. But the cells didn't hold people, they held monsters.
He walked across the room until he came to a locked door. The door had a window, so he looked inside. He gasped as he saw a completely naked girl lying facedown on the ground inside. Waist-length silver hair covered her body. She lay in a puddle of liquid that looked like mako and there was shattered glass all around her. A broken tank was directly behind her.
The girl shuddered. "Gene-sis... Rhapsodos," she said in a hoarse voice. Genesis froze as he heard his name and the lock on the door lock clicked open. "Gene-sis... you are... in danger."
Genesis opened the door then and went to her. He unsheathed his sword and pointed it toward her. "Who are you?" he asked her. "What do you mean I'm in danger?"
The girl grabbed his ankle. Genesis tensed. He let her pull herself into a crouching position. "You're... degrading," she told him. She seemed to be getting stronger. "You need...." She grabbed his hand and pulled him down until he was kneeling before her. She pulled his LOVELESS book out of his coat, showing it to him. "You need your 'gift of the goddess'."
Genesis grabbed his book back from her. "I don't understand."
"I'm a test subject of Professor Hollander's," she told him. "You are too." Genesis jumped as a single white wing came out of the right side of her back. "What you need to know is over there." She pointed to the right.
Genesis was starting to get a bad feeling. He felt as if his life was about to change forever. For the first time in his life, he was afraid. He looked at the girl. "Are you trying to help me, or destroy me?"
She placed a hand to his cheek. "The pain you will soon have... will never fade." She placed a soft kiss to his cheek. "But I will... attempt to lessen it... as much as I can."
* * * *
FOUR DAYS LATER
Genesis burned the monsters and destroyed the lab. He walked out of the underground, stopping as he saw the girl in a dark purple leather mid-thigh-length coat. There was a sword in her hand. Her mako-infused eyes shimmered with unshed tears.
He grabbed her and shook her. "Why did you have to show me those damn documents?! Why couldn't you just leave me thinking that I was a... that I was a human?"
A tear slipped from her eye. "You had to know, Genesis. The degradation. If it isn't stopped, you'll die."
Genesis glared at her. "No, I won't die. Not until I have vengeance. I need to find Hollander. He'll be able to stop the degradation process. I also want to find the 'gift of the goddess'. You mentioned it before. Do you know what it is."
She shook her head. "I saw it in your thoughts. It seemed to make you happy."
His eyes softened as he looked at her. She was a kindred spirit. They shared the same pain. That pain needed to spread. "I need to see an old friend. You never told me your name."
"I don't... have a name." He looked at her with surprise. "I think I used to. But I forgot. I've only been known as Project X for so long."
"Katra." The girl cocked her head in confusion. "Your name. It will be Katra. It means 'light'."
She smiled softly. "Katra." She looked at him. "I'm Katra?"
He nodded. "When the war of the beasts brings about the world's end, the goddess descends from the sky. Wings of light and dark spread afar. She guides us to bliss, her gift... everlasting."
Katra closed her eyes. "LOVELESS. I like the words."
Genesis snorted at that. "Let's go. We have a long journey ahead of us."
A/N: The next chapter will be longer... hopefully. I'll Update As Soon As Possible. PLEASE review!
