Author's Note: Shorter chapter, but I had a specific place I wanted to end it. I also make no apologies for Vivien, but I will give you a fair warning that he ended up a little more... flamboyant than expected.

LEGACY

"My soul hath endured torment to find the end of the journey in my own salvation... and your eternal slumber." ~ LOVELESS, Act IV

"You know Commander Rhapsodos?"

Cloud's shirt was halfway over his head when he heard a voice off to his left. He peeked out through the bottom of his white t-shirt and saw the guy who had been standing next to him during Noir's introductory speech leaning against the lockers. He was nearly a head taller than Cloud, with long black hair tied back in a sloppy bun, and his eyes sported suspiciously long eyelashes. The grin on his face held just enough curiosity to make Cloud wary.

"U-um, yeah," he replied, pulling his shirt the rest of the way on. "Yeah, I know him."

"Are you having sex?"

Of all the questions Cloud had anticipated being asked with regards to Genesis, that was not one of them. "Uh, no?"

The guy tilted his head and raised his eyebrows, as if something about Cloud's response surprised him. "You don't sound too sure. Maybe you're just not there yet?"

"No, we're not. S-sleeping together, I mean." Cloud could feel his cheeks heating up in embarrassment because he'd never had to explain that he wasn't in a relationship with his superior officer before. "He's just been training me."

"Oh." The guy had the audacity to look disappointed. "Well, that's boring. And here I was hoping for something scandalously juicy."

Even though there wasn't anything Cloud could—or wanted—to do about the situation, he felt bad since the guy had seemed so genuinely excited. "Sorry."

He waved Cloud's apology away with a well-manicured hand. "Better for me, I suppose. You're not exactly my type, but I've been known to make exceptions if I'm drunk enough." Leaning forward, he poked at Cloud's cheek. "I'm Vivien, by the way."

"I, um..." Cloud's throat locked and he swallowed a few times to get rid of the sensation. "I'm Cloud."

Vivien laughed and smiled like he knew something Cloud didn't. "I know. If you ever want to party, come find me."

As Vivien made his exit from the locker room, Cloud found himself feeling strangely violated. He checked his pockets to make sure nothing was missing. Material possessions he could get back; there was little he could do about the innocence that had just been stolen from him. As weird as it was to get hit on by one of his classmates, he had to admit that it was better than getting beaten up. But only a little.

He caught sight of the clock above the door and swore under his breath. He'd agreed to meet Zack for lunch, and he was already five minutes late. Grabbing his bag, Cloud ran out of the locker room and hurried to the elevator. Zack was already halfway through his lunch by the time he made it to the cafeteria.

"Sorry I'm late," Cloud said, taking a seat across from Zack. Lunch didn't look particularly appetizing that day, but Cloud's stomach wasn't in any condition to complain. He shoveled partially-burnt baked beans into his mouth. "I was in class right until one."

"I figured. So, how was your first day as SOLDIER Third Class Cloud Strife?"

Cloud grimaced around his spoon. "My instructor hates me."

Laughing, Zack opened up his milk carton and took a sip. "Aw, c'mon, Spiky. It can't be that bad. Who is he?"

"Noir Décès."

Zack choked on his milk. Cloud reached over and handed him a napkin to wipe the milk dribbling down his chin. "Man, first Jadak, then Genesis, and now Noir. You've really got some bad luck, don't you?"

"Thanks, Zack. That helped a lot."

Zack flashed him a sheepish smile.

"How do you know him? Did you have him as an instructor?"

"Nah, Noir didn't start teaching Thirds until I was already halfway through my training."

"Really?" The beans on the left side of his plate were really burnt. "What did he do before that?"

"He was on active duty. They called him The Black Hand of Death. I guess he had a pretty bright future as a First until he was forced to retire."

"Forced to retire? Why?"

"Nobody knows for sure what happened, but..." Shoving his empty plate aside, Zack leaned forward conspiratorially. "I heard it had to do with some sort of accident."

"An accident?" As far as Cloud could tell, Noir hadn't been sporting any noticeable effects of an old injury. "What kind of accident?"

"It happened three years ago. Apparently, he and another First were on assignment in Wutai, and he was responsible for injuring his partner and the failure of the mission."

Cloud swallowed. So, it wasn't out of the question for Noir to suddenly snap and kill one of them. Great. "Who was his partner?"

Pursing his lips, Zack thought for a moment, then shook his head. "I'm not sure. You'd probably be better off asking Genesis. He might know more about it, having been a First back then and all."

"I get that you aren't supposed to injure your comrades," Cloud said, "but isn't forcing someone to retire from active duty for three years a little extreme?"

"It wasn't the first time something like that had happened. I guess they figured he needed rehabilitation more than punishment. I mean, you've seen how he is."

Cloud let his head drop to the table with a dull thump. "I'm never going to pass this class, Zack," he moaned. "Noir is going to kill me if Jadak doesn't get to me first."

"C'mon, Spiky. You survived Genesis, didn't you?" Cloud felt Zack's hand ruffle his hair. "You'll just have to prove to Noir you've got what it takes to be a SOLDIER, that's all."

Cloud puffed out a heavy sigh. You make it sound so simple, Zack.

The first thing Genesis noticed when he walked into Lazard's office was the neatly-folded piece of stationary on the director's desk. Lazard was already looking mildly irritated, but his expression darkened when they made eye contact. Genesis grinned as if he had no idea what Lazard could possibly be upset about. He stepped up to the desk and batted his eyelashes. "You rang?"

Lazard glared at him over the tops of his glasses. "You must think you're funny."

"On the contrary. I've been told I have no sense of humor."

"Then I'm sure you won't object to my not having one either."

Feigning innocence, Genesis gave Lazard a rather convincing pout. "Could I have done something to offend you, sir?"

"While I would love to engage in a literary analysis of your latest... work," Lazard motioned to the stationary with no little amount of disdain, "there are more pressing matters we have to discuss. Ah, Sephiroth."

Genesis glanced over his shoulder just as Sephiroth entered the room, followed a moment later by Angeal. Narrowing his eyes, he tried to read their expressions for clues as to why all three of them had been summoned, but they looked just as puzzled. He stepped aside to make room for them in front of the desk.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen," Lazard greeted.

"Afternoon, sir," Angeal replied, while Sephiroth gave the director a simple nod of acknowledgment. Genesis folded his arms, waiting.

Lazard leaned his elbows on his desk and steepled his fingers. "I'll get straight to the point. I've been noticing tension between the three of you and, seeing as you are the most important members of SOLDIER, I will not be having any dissension in my ranks."

Genesis peeked at Sephiroth out of the corner of his eye when the general nudged his foot. He locked eyes with him, then with Angeal, and knew what the other two were thinking. The bet. Lazard didn't know anything of the bet between himself and Sephiroth over Cloud Strife, but he had been an unwitting witness to the strain it had put on the three of them.

Angeal cleared his throat. "With all due respect, sir, that issue has been taken care of, to the best of my knowledge."

"That issue, whatever it was, should never have come up in the first place."

"It was... personal, sir," Sephiroth said.

"I don't care if it was personal. Personal issues should not affect your work; the three of you should know better than that. I expected you to have outgrown your need for childish squabbles."

Lazard looked directly at Genesis, who found it difficult not to leap over the desk and strangle the director. On a personal level, the two of them had always rubbed each other the wrong way. Lazard did everything he could to strip him of his sense of entitlement and authority, while Genesis was determined to resist submission until his dying breath. He knew Lazard still thought of him as a spoiled rich kid, and, on some level, Lazard was right.

"If the problem is already fixed, then I don't see what the point of you getting involved is," Genesis huffed.

"As things in Wutai have settled somewhat for the moment, I realize the three of you might be bored," Lazard said. "That is why I have organized some activities for you."

Activities left a lot up to the imagination, but Genesis was certain none of them were going to like them.

"...What sort of activities?" Sephiroth ventured to ask.

"A series of training exercises, if you will. We have some new simulations and weapons we'd like to be tested. Your performances will be monitored, of course, to ensure you remain at peak condition."

"Monitored by who?" Genesis demanded. "You?"

"Nonsense. I'm much to busy to be attending to such trivial matters."

Angeal spoke before Genesis could threaten the director's remaining family members' lives. "Usually one of us would monitor such tests," he said. "Who could you have gotten on such short notice? Not Professor Hojo, I hope?"

"Don't be ridiculous. Professor Hojo is much too concerned with his little experiments to devote himself to hating you properly."

Genesis wheeled around. There's no way. Lazard wouldn't do this to me.

But he had, because there was none other than Noir Décès standing in the doorway, looking impassive as ever.

"Gentlemen, this is—"

"You needn't bother introducing me, Director," Noir said, examining his nails. They'd been painted black.

To match his soul, Genesis thought sourly.

"If they can't recall who I am, I'm sure I can come up with a way of reminding them." Noir shouldered his way between them to take a seat on the edge of Lazard's desk, right next to Genesis' report. Genesis twitched when Noir picked it up and started reading it.

"Noir has graciously offered to monitor your tests," Lazard said. "He has proved himself a most capable instructor, so I trust there will be no problems."

Angeal scratched the back of his head, then folded his arms, then unfolded them again and finally stuffed his hands in his pockets, scuffing at the floor with his boot. Beside him, Sephiroth kept his attention firmly fixed on the ground. Genesis didn't blame them for being uneasy, because he was livid.

"There won't be, Director." Noir folded up the report and placed it back on the desk. "Unless one of you has an objection?"

All eyes turned to Genesis. Like hell he was going to object and get called out for bringing up more personal issues. "When do we start?"

"Tomorrow, four o'clock. Morning would have been preferable, but I have some Thirds to discourage until one, so you'll have to excuse the lateness of the hour. Please come prepared for live combat. If injuries occur, I will not be Curing you. And you will lose points."

"If there are no further questions," Lazard said, "you are all dismissed."

Noir hopped off the desk, straightened the lapels of his coat, and pushed past Sephiroth and Angeal on his way out of the office. Genesis gestured for the two of them to wait and turned to pursue Noir. He caught up to him just as he was entering the elevator. Slipping through the doors before they closed, Genesis jabbed the button for the first floor and positioned himself in front of the button panel to prevent Noir from trying to escape.

"How uncharacteristically charitable of you," he said. "Offering to babysit us wayward Firsts."

As usual, Noir remained unperturbed. "It isn't my fault you've made yourself into a man who requires babysitting."

Genesis bared his teeth at Noir. "I should have killed you when I had the chance."

"Yes, you should have. If you try to now, I'm afraid it would be you who'd end up under Lazard's microscope." Noir tilted his cheek into his hand, humming softly. "Although, I rather fancy the idea of my death serving as your eternal punishment. I could hate you even from beyond the grave."

"You can't keep up the repentant sinner act forever, Noir. Sooner or later, the smell of blood will get to you."

"Is that a threat?"

"Just a friendly reminder that you're still on borrowed time." Genesis stalked across the elevator to pin Noir against the wall. Three years hadn't changed him at all; Lazard was an idiot. "So don't even think about trying to pull shit with me."

Noir ran his hands up Genesis' arms, feeling the taught muscles underneath his leather coat. "As much as I despise you, I can't quite bring myself to stop loving the fact that you could so easily snap me in half," he murmured. "I believe there may be something wrong with me."

Genesis' patience was rapidly running out. "My soul, corrupted by vengeance, hath endured torment to find the end of the journey in my own salvation—"

"—and your eternal slumber. Save me your war cries," Noir said, slipping out of Genesis' hold. "You're nigh untouchable now, so I've found more attainable prey."

"Leave Sephiroth and Angeal out of this."

"Oh? Your first inclination is to believe I would commit professional suicide? That's funny."

Genesis frowned and crossed his arms. If it wasn't Sephiroth or Angeal, then who? He wasn't close to anyone else in the company, except... His eyes widened when he remembered Noir's comment about his schedule. Damn it, Lazard!

"Don't you dare get Strife involved," he growled. "He's worked too hard to have you ruin his future."

"Hmm? Concerned for someone's future? That doesn't sound like you at all, Genesis."

Before Genesis could stop him, Noir hit the big, red emergency button. The elevator blared its alarms and lurched to a sudden halt, throwing Genesis off balance. He steadied himself just in time to duck when Noir cast a Holy spell at the ceiling. Noir vanished through the hole before the crackling white energy had completely dissipated and his voice floated back down from the elevator shaft.

"Tardiness will result in points being deducted from your overall score."

Genesis managed to catch the light glinting off Noir's sword when he peeked through the hole in the ceiling right before the elevator began to plummet towards the ground floor of the ShinRa building. They were still thirty floors up.

"I look forward to failing you, Mister Rhapsodos."

A/N: Noir was named in honor of a character from the manga Undertaker Riddle. Vivien was named in reference to Vivi of Final Fantasy IX, but, as you can see, his character went in a totally different direction. This is what happens when I leave characters to their own devices.

I'm going to be starting a new job in a week or so, but I will try my darndest to have a new chapter for you at least once a week.

Thank you so much for reading; Belphegors and billiards to you all!

RegenesisX