I watched from the shadows as the three men I loved stood about casually, discussing this and that. Genesis was reading from LOVELESS as per usual. Angeal was listening quietly, though he had heard the passage hundreds of times. My gaze shifted to the tall hero facing away from the other two, his long sliver hair hung like satin down his back. Sephiroth. My mentor, my idol, my love. I sighed deeply, if only I could tell him. But he would just look down at me, those brilliant green eyes piercing, and smile. I knew he saw me as nothing but a child he could mould into something fantastic.

Genesis closed his book and stepped forward, bringing his sword forth. This was natural for them, they would spar with each other to improve their skills. Slowly, Angeal pushed himself off the pipe he was leaning on and stepped forward as well. I smirked knowing both would be no match for Sephiroth.

Striking green eyes penetrated me and I knew he had known I was there the entire time. I smiled despite myself and stepped out of the shadows, causing Genesis and Angeal to stop their attack.

"Two on one, don't you think that's a little unfair?" I asked casually as I walked towards them. Angeal smiled as Genesis huffed and turned to me.

"And thus the young maiden begs the three friends to cease their battle." He said dramatically, sweeping his arm out towards me.

"On the contrary…" Sephiroth corrected, already aware of my intentions. I pouted,

"It seems you've uncovered my intentions, Sephiroth." I said coolly as I stood between Angeal and Genesis, "Three on one seems a little better, doesn't it?"

"My, my, Sephiroth, it seems Kayden likes us more." Genesis goaded jokingly. Sephiroth just raised a silver eyebrow at his friend before giving a sly smile.

"Don't take Sephiroth lightly." Angeal warned Genesis.

"We have the advantage." Genesis replied before charging towards Sephiroth. But he has the power… I thought to myself before following suit.

The spar ended how I knew it would, Angeal and Genesis beaten easily, although he went easy on me. Whether it was because I was no match for either one of them, or whether it was because I was a girl, I didn't know. It didn't matter since I still got hurt somehow.

"Are you alright?" Angeal asked crouching before me. My hand covered the gash on my thigh, stopping some of the bleeding.

"Nothing I can't handle." I reassured him, though Sephiroth did not buy it. Angeal was abruptly pushed out of the way by Genesis. He offered me his hand, I took it and he pulled me up with insane strength. I face planted into his hard black clothed chest, earning a chuckle. His laughing vibrated his chest, the sound resonating in my mind. Quickly I pushed away from him, blushing. Anyone would be stupid not to admit that Genesis was gorgeous. We knew it, and so did he.

"Genesis, stop tormenting my student." Sephiroth chastised playfully, "She is injured."

"Then I shall take her to the infirmary." Genesis proclaimed as Sephiroth shook his head,

"No. She's my student and therefore my responsibility. It was also my blade that was the cause of the injury, making it my fault." He said with conviction. I glanced back and forth between the two, were they…fighting…over me? Ridiculous. I looked to Angeal for help and only received a shrug in reply. He had no idea what was going on either.

"Kayden. Let's go." Sephiroth ordered suddenly. I nodded once and followed my silver-haired teacher towards the infirmary. He walked slowly since I was limping, it was rare for him to show such kindness.

The infirmary was empty when we finally reached it. I glanced around the well lit room at all the surgical instruments, vials of various liquids and the many machines that did god knows what. Sephiroth returned from the other room sighing.

"No one's here so I'll have to do it myself. Take off your pants." He commanded stoically. I stared at him wide eyed and blushing. He wanted me to do what? Sephiroth crossed his arms over his chest and leant against a gurney.

"Kayden, it's not like I'm asking you to get naked." He said simply.

"You practically are." I muttered before unbuckling the three belts that held my pants in place. The cotton fell silently to the ground, partially soaked in blood. But that was the least of my concern. I was now standing in front of the man I admired, in my underwear. His eyes locked onto my wound and never left as he motioned for me to sit. With much effort, I did as instructed. After taking out a medical kit he began to clean and sterilize the gash. I blushed and resisted the urge to move away as he rested his free hand on the inside of my thigh. His hand was cool and surprisingly soft against my heated skin. I tried to focus on something else, anything else, in the room, but my gaze would always be brought back to his neutral face.

"I'm sorry." He said suddenly, his voice shattering the silence.

"For what?"

"I went easy on you so I wouldn't hurt you, but my foolishness is why you're sitting here now." He replied.

"You make it sound like I'm going to die." I said shaking my head, "It's a scratch."

"It's not the point." He argued as he began to bandage up my leg.

"Sephiroth, if you're turning this into a battle of the sexes, stop right there. I am not the first female to join SOLDIER, nor will I be the last."

"I know that. It's because you're special…Shinra, SOLDIER…I cannot afford to lose you." He said softly. I stared at the top of his head wondering if he was being serious – but then he was always serious.

"Genesis would probably kill me if you got killed anyway." He said giving me a small smile. I rolled my eyes and let him help me off the gurney,

"As if he could." I replied pulling my pants back on stiffly. Sephiroth chuckled quietly, a sound I was not used to hearing that often.

"He's rather protective over you, Kayden. I think it irritates him that you're my trainee." He said heading for the door, "Ah, Michaelis…"

"Sir. I heard Kayden got hurt." My shoulders immediately slumped at the sound of my brother's voice.

"I'm fine." I muttered immaturely as I limped towards the door.

"What did you do?!" he demanded angrily as if it was my fault.

"Nothing."

"It was my fault." Sephiroth answered causing Michaelis to back down immediately, "We were sparring and I got carried away." I glanced up at my teacher curious as to why he was lying. It wasn't like people weren't aware of what he, Angeal and Genesis got up to. But I guess it would be wise not to inform everyone that I was also a part of these sparring matches, especially my brother. Since both our parents had died, Michaelis had become insanely protective over me. He was far from impressed when I had decided to join SOLDIER, even more so when I had been accepted and assigned to Sephiroth. Now he stood with his head down waiting for the 1st to leave so he could remind me of how stupid it was to spar with the best SOLDIER.

"Are you trying to get killed?" he asked as soon as Sephiroth was out of ear shot.

"Why is everyone acting like it was a big deal. I just got scratched. That was it." I complained.

"Kayden, stop acting like a child. You are the youngest 2nd in history, a girl and my little sister. Do you expect me to just sit back and let you hurt yourself? You're not cut out to be in SOLDIER." I knew he was trying to be gentle but his words made me more irate.

"I don't see you working with Sephiroth." I spat back. Michaelis stopped in his tracks and spun back to me, ice blue eyes harsh,

"What are you implying?" he hissed. Part of me, the smarter part, wanted to cower from him and retract my words. But like usual, my reckless side won out.

"I'm implying, Brother, that the higher ups seem to think I am more than cut out to be in SOLDIER, and so does Sephiroth, Angeal and Genesis."

"Genesis? Are you kidding me? All that guy is interested in is getting in your pants!" he spat back, "I've seen the way he watches you, his eyes roam all over your body, coveting you."

"What's wrong with that?" I asked getting more fired up.

"You're 15! Or haven't you told them that yet? If the Director ever found out you would be out on your ass in two seconds!"

"He knows!" I hissed furiously. Michaelis' face fell and he took a step back. When I spoke my voice was softer,

"He knows, Michaelis. He's the reason I'm a 2nd when I should still be a rookie. Don't you get it, yet? Lazard is the one who told me to keep quiet about my age. Sephiroth would have never agreed to train me if I wasn't 17."

"But…you're just a kid…" was his cold reply. I crossed my arms and turned from him,

"You're the one who should quit SOLDIER, Michaelis. You're not cut out for this life. You're too much like mother." I told him before walking away. I knew my words would have crushed Michaelis as they crushed me too. Our father was with SOLDIER, he was strong and brave. Michaelis had strived to be just like him ever since we were young, but he was too soft. He had tried to protect me when we were children, but I was the one who ended up protecting him. And then Father had died, leaving Mother and us. She couldn't bare it, though she tried, and eventually took her own life before my eyes. I swore then that I would never do anything I would regret, I would never back down, I would never be weak. And so I had disguised myself as a boy and joined SOLDIER, like my father and brother.

Unfortunately Sephiroth had picked up on the fact that I was female and eventually told Lazard. It wasn't the fact that girls weren't allowed in SOLDIER, they were, but it was highly unadvised. They weren't strong enough physically and mentally for the training, aside from a few. Lazard had immediately recognized my skills and had promoted me to 2nd Class and had, due to personal requests, assigned me to Sephiroth. While my fate was quickly being written, Michaelis was struggling just to hold his position as a 2nd.

"Get patched up then?" Angeal asked before I smacked into his chest. My attention skills were seriously lacking.

"Uh, yeah. Few days and I'll be good as new." I said giving him a wide grin and a thumbs up. Angeal smiled and ruffled my hair,

"Good, kid. Oh yeah, I think Genesis is looking for you." He said suspiciously. I frowned,

"Looking for me? Why?" I asked. He knew we were going to the infirmary. Angeal shrugged,

"Beats me. He said something about checking up on you but you weren't in the infirmary. No one was."

"Well where is he now?" I inquired. Angeal nodded his head in the direction I had just came from,

"He headed that way. Actually, I'm surprised you didn't see him."

"I was talking to Michaelis so that's not surprising." I replied nonchalantly before turning around.

"So you're actually going to look for him?" Angeal asked as he kept in step beside me. I nodded,

"Shouldn't I?"

"I'm not sure. He seems abnormally taken with you." He replied thoughtfully.

"So everyone says." I replied less than pleased. Angeal caught it straight away,

"Did you and Michaelis fight again?"

I let out a long breath, "It's all we do these days. All I want is for him to be proud of me, instead Michaelis is just disappointed."

"He just doesn't want you to get hurt. He loves you, Kayden." Angeal said gently. I half smiled,

"I know. It's just-"

"Ah, the young maiden." Genesis' melodic voice interrupted our conversation. Angeal huffed and ruffled my hair,

"Later, kid." He said before walking away, giving a brief nod to the crimson 1st. Genesis smiled down at me and stepped closer,

"Did the hero make sure you were alright?" he asked sweetly.

"If by hero you mean Sephiroth, then yes." I replied, He personally made sure.

"Glad to hear it." He said before leaning against the wall, "Actually I wasn't just looking for you to make sure you were okay. Lazard has requested both you and Sephiroth to assist me in a mission. It's pretty basic but he seems to think it calls for three of us."

"Why isn't Angeal going?" I asked looking down at my leg.

"Apparently he has some important thing to do." He replied, "Besides, I'd rather you come along than him. It gives me something pretty to look at." I blushed at his compliment but shook it off as though he was joking,

"I swear one day you will drown in your own charm." I replied casually.

"It will be a sad day for all." He replied with a low chuckle, "We leave tomorrow morning, get some rest."

I groaned for the fifth time that day. When Director Lazard had briefed us earlier that morning, he mentioned nothing about sitting in an old, decrepit library reading countless of old dusty books and listening to an equally old and decrepit man talk about crap I didn't care for.

"Kayden, be professional." Sephiroth chastised. I pouted and stared at the ground. I knew looked far from professional slouched in my chair, feet crossed on the table and a book across my chest.

"She's bored, it's only natural." Genesis argued coming to my rescue, "To be honest, I am a little bored too." I looked up to catch his subtle wink towards me.

"You two…" Sephiroth sighed, "Although I admit this is not what I thought we were supposed to be doing."

"See? Can't we just go kick some bad guy butt?" I pleaded sitting properly, my booted feet made a thud as they hit the ground.

"No. Orders are orders, Kayden. When you become a 1st you'll be expected to complete every mission without fail." Sephiroth said with his face still buried in a book. I grinned widely.

"What is that stupid look for?" he asked without looking at me.

"You said 'when' I become a 1st." I told him. Sephiroth sighed,

"You are my trainee."

"I do believe your ego has tripled." Genesis chimed in causing Sephiroth to finally put his book down.

"And yours hasn't?"

"Oh no. I've always been this vain." He replied with a laugh, "And it's not only through your tutelage that she becomes a 1st, she has a remarkable skillset."

"Genesis, you wouldn't be flirting with my student, would you?"

"And if I was?"

Sephiroth snickered, "It's not me you would have to worry about. It's her." Genesis glanced at me unsure of what his friend was implying. I leant forward on my elbows and raised an eyebrow towards the crimson man.

His lips parted slightly as if he were about to speak when the library door burst open and a 3rd rushed in panting.

"Sirs! Come quick! We were ambushed!" he exclaimed collapsing on the ground from exhaustion. The three of us were immediately on our feet and rushing out the door, thoughts of the previous conversation were pushed to the sideline as we ran towards the battle.

It was a complete massacre, bodies lay strewn in pieces all over the ground and so it was impossible to tell just how many people had died. A sickening cry of pain echoed around us and I turned towards a little pathway leading away from the scene. A figure sank to their knees as near 100 Wutai backed away. My heart pounded as I recognized the long blue-black hair that had fallen out of its tie.

Michaelis.

Without hesitation I ran towards my brother, catching his head in my lap as he fell backwards. He'd been shot multiple times, bullets had raped his body. His once vivid ice blue eyes were now dull and almost lifeless as he smiled weakly up at me.

"Kayden." He wheezed, blood cascading from his mouth, "I-I'm sorry."

"Shh, don't talk." I demanded as cursed tears welled in my eyes.

"I've always…been…" the life was rapidly fading from him but he held on long enough to crush me once more with his words, "Proud." His eyes closed and he went completely limp in my arms. Michaelis was gone. The last piece of my fractured family had been stolen. I was alone. I was numb. Sephiroth and Genesis exchanged words behind me but my focus was on my serene faced brother. As I rested my forehead against his, commanding the tears to stay back, something burned within me. I wasn't numb. No, I was furious!

The two men watched in silence as their favourite little girl said goodbye to her brother. Each face held no emotion though they were both burning within. Genesis Rhapsodos was enraged, how dare they destroy his Kayden like that! He would wipe them from the world for this! He stepped forward, reaching for his sword but a black gloved hand stopped him. Sephiroth held his arm out in front of his friend. He felt Genesis' desire to destroy those who had hurt his precious pupil as his own. And in truth, he also wanted to get retribution on her behalf. But he knew her better than she thought. She wasn't going to take this lightly. Sephiroth knew Genesis was about to witness the most beautiful chaotic destruction he will ever see. The reason Lazard had promoted her so quickly and why Sephiroth had demanded she be his to train. Slowly Kayden raised her head and he imagined her neutral face, blue eyes aflame. As she stood she brought down the large katana on her back, the sword itself was taller than her. After a tense few seconds she charged. She was so fast it still amazed him. He had only witnessed her Rage once during a mission when she was still arecruit and assisting him. The other recruits hadn't taken having a girl on their squad too well and had decided to restrain her brother and give her a hellish beating. She'd sustained well against the men, but had lost control when they started on her brother. They were hospitalized for a month.
The girl flew through the Wutai soldiers, carving them up until a lucky shot had penetrated her hand, causing her sword to fly off out of reach.

"Kayden!" gasped another voice as Angeal Hewley joined the duo. Like Genesis, he stepped forward ready to defend the girl, but Sephiroth stopped him.

"What are you doing?" Angeal demanded.

"Just watch." Sephiroth said mysteriously as Wutai surrounded his pupil. Kayden stood slowly, head down and arms crossed over her chest. A green-blue glow seeped from her skin and enveloped her. Her long blue-black hair billowed wildly around her, and as she raised her head she thrust her arms out to the side, letting loose a terrifying and furious scream of rage and power.

As my vision cleared, a dimly lit ceiling came into view, a green glow warmed its edges. My body ached as if I'd been asleep for days.

"Finally." Came the unnaturally gentle deep voice belonging to someone I knew.

"Sephiroth?" I croaked, sliding my eyes towards the silver-haired man at my side, "What happened?"

"You Raged." He replied instantly. My eyes widened and I slowly sat up. I Raged again?

"Did I hurt anyone?" I asked weakly. Sephiroth sighed,

"Tell me what you remember." He demanded softly. His gentleness was beginning to worry me, still I did as commanded and thought back.

"I remember being in the library with you and Genesis, feeling bored. And then a 3rd came in telling us about an ambush. Running, all the bodies and…Michaelis." My heart seized as everything flooded back to me, "He's dead, isn't he?"

"I am truly sorry, Kayden." His voice was barely a whisper now. I closed my eyes and lowered my head, burning the image of Michaelis' blood soaked face into my mind. A soft hand touched my shoulder and I looked up. Sephiroth stared at me, Mako green eyes filled with, was that sorrow? Suddenly a frown creased his forehead,

"You aren't crying?"

"I swore I would never cry." I told him before pulling out the IV drip and jumping off the gurney. As I walked out of the infirmary his voice reached my ears,

"That's my girl."