This chapter took quite a while since I had to make several corrections and couldn't find the right words in several places. But anyways...this is the result and I really hope you guys will enjoy this. No flames, please and thank you.

Zack slowly crept to Angeal's apartment, making sure that he was not seen by anybody, especially his mentor. But it seemed that luck was not on his side: "And what, SOLDIER Fair, do you think you're doing?"

The puppy nearly jumped out of his skin as he whirled around to see Sephiroth staring down at him with a raised eyebrow. "Uh, nothing! I was just going to see Angeal,"

The General's eyebrow crept higher, "And you needed to sneak around just to do that?"

"Uh..."

Sephiroth sighed and shook his head, "Go on ahead," he said before walking off to his own apartment, leaving a relieved Zack behind.

The Second continued his way to his mentor's apartment, knocked on the door, and waited.

The door swung open, and Angeal poked out his head, "Zack?"

"Heya, Angeal!"

Angeal cracked a smile, "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you! What happened in Mako Reactor 5?"

Angeal's heart nearly stopped, "What are you talking about?"

Zack rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, "Y'know, earlier down in Sector 5? I saw you and Genesis sneaking around down there."

Angeal took a deep breath, "Zack, I never left the Shin-Ra Building, in fact, I went to my office to settle some paperwork, and pick a couple missions for us. Besides, Genesis went MIA over a month ago, are you sure you're alright?"

Zack blinked, he was pretty sure that he saw Angeal and Genesis down in Sector 5, but the word 'missions' was what really caught his attention and distracted him, "Missions? What kind of missions?"

Angeal inwardly released a sigh of relief as he said, "The Director said he would give us the details tomorrow, so just get prepared, I'll see you then."

Zack nodded, "Right, see you!" he turned and left. He was riding the elevator back down to Floor 49 when he remembered his original objective and face-palmed, "Ugh, damn it!" He scratched his head as he thought back to the conversation earlier, "Hmm, seems like Angeal really has something to hide...I wonder what it is?"

Angeal returned to his room with relief etched over his features as Genesis spoke up, "What did the puppy want?"

Angeal shook his head and said, "We had been spotted by him down on the Plate and he wanted to know what was going on, but I managed to distract him with the mentioning of missions,"

Genesis chuckled in amusement, returning to his book, "You better hope that Lazard actually gives you a couple of missions to take on tomorrow then,"

Angeal gave his friend a weak smile before turning to the doctor working over the girls, "What is their condition?"

The doctor, identified as Dr Martinez by his tag, said, "You both pulled them out of the mako tanks just in time, they have a mild case of mako poisoning that could have been worse, but will survive. The mako levels in their bodies are high enough to be compared to Firsts due to the experiments conducted on them."

"Any idea what kind of experiments?"

"None that I know of, but I think it has something to do with SOLDIER,"

Angeal closed his eyes, repressing a shudder before opening his eyes again and saw that Genesis looked sick, "What about the degradation?"

Dr Martinez shook his head, "There's nothing I can do about that,"

The Red Commander sighed and asked, "How long will it take for them to wake up?"

"Three days, give or take. They will most likely be a little weak and disorientated, especially Miss Rhapsodos here: there are signs that say that her exposure to mako is longer than Miss Hewley."

Angeal nodded, "That will be all, thank you,"

Dr Martinez smiled faintly, "Happy to be of service, rest assured that your secret is safe with me,"

"Tread lightly among those you work with, especially the higher ups,"

The doctor gave a final nod before leaving and Angeal sank into his chair once more, deep in thought.

Genesis snapped his book shut and murmured, "The wandering soul knows no rest...They can't stay here in Shin-Ra, the chances of being discovered here is high and I'd rather not risk it."

Angeal grunted in agreement, "True, if they're with you, Shin-Ra won't find them so quickly and you'd be able to give them the cure for the degradation when you find it."

"Will you come with me? It'll be much easier to search for the cure if you did,"

Angeal sent the other Banoran a blank look, "Are you actually asking me to defect?"

Genesis raised an eyebrow, "Can you still remain loyal to Shin-Ra after discovering all of this?"

The younger Banoran sighed, "I...can't," Angeal's mind spun with hesitancy as his thoughts ran rampant. Suddenly, his PHS beeped and Angeal answered the call from Director Lazard, "Director?"

"Angeal, I have a mission for you tomorrow, please be there for the briefing by then,"

Genesis smirked as Angeal blinked in surprise but said, "Yes sir, could I bring Second Class Zack Fair along? I would also like to recommend him for First, sir."

"Yes, you can, as for the recommendation...I'll think about it, anything else you'd like to add?"

"No, sir, that will be all,"

The PHS beeped again as Angeal pocketed it, and Genesis laughed, "You got lucky right there! Are you serious about the puppy being First, though?"

Angeal smiled, "Yes, he already has the makings...and would be even better if he would pay attention at times,"

Genesis smirked once again, "My friend, your desire is the bringer of life, the gift of the Goddess,"

Angeal chuckled, "To Zack, maybe,"

The two friends shared a good laugh before turning serious once more. Genesis stood, "I'll take the girls with me back to Modeoheim, it's best if we leave now,"

Angeal rose up as well and said, "Right, let's get you out of here, I'll join you during tomorrow's mission,"

The Red Commander smiled, "Very well, I'll hold you to that,"

Zack shut his PHS and made his way to the Briefing Room where he was greeted by the Director, with Angeal sitting on one side. Lazard then tapped a few keys on the keyboard, causing a SOLDIER profile to show up on the main screen.

It was a picture of a familiar auburn haired First, with the words M.I.A flashing on the bottom of the picture.

"SOLDIER First Class, Genesis. A month ago, he went missing during a mission in Wutai. Know anything about this?"

Zack raised his hands slightly, "Not a clue!"

Angeal cast Zack a cautious look without the latter noticing as Lazard nodded in expectation of Zack's answer, "The mission is currently stuck in limbo, that's why we've decided to send you."

"Uh, to Wutai?"

"Yes, this war has gone on long enough."

Angeal, who had straightened up from his previous position, said, "I've recommended you for First," before mentally preparing himself for what the hyper Second would throw at him.

After Zack's little 'cuddly' moment, with Lazard trying to hide his smile, Angeal stood up and said, "Once you're packed, you'll leave at once,"

Lazard smiled and said, "I'll be joining you as well, I'm counting on you,"

Zack snapped to attention and said, "Sir!"

Time skip to Wutai, after capturing Fort Tamblin...

Zack and Angeal headed back to camp and met Lazard on the way. As Lazard praised Zack for his performance on the mission, several SOLDIERs came out of nowhere and attacked the trio.

Suddenly, Ifrit appeared and Zack had to deal with him. In all the chaos, Angeal slipped away quickly with one of the Genesis copies leading him to where the his friend was hiding, but not before witnessing the exchange between Sephiroth and his apprentice.

Angeal entered the apple juice factory outside of his hometown where Genesis had relocated to and said, "Didn't think you'd come back here,"

Genesis had a dark look on his face, "I needed more answers, so I came back to ask my 'parents'..."

Angeal looked shocked, "You killed them? How could you, Genesis!"

Genesis raised a hand, "Hear me out, Angeal, please."

"Banora was one of the many sites that had potential to host a reactor. The underground mines were built with this purpose in mind, with the village constructed to conceal the mines' existence. Shin-Ra employees were placed on the village board of trustees but eventually the company lost interest in the site and Banora became free. You and I were sent here specifically to live under Shin-Ra's surveillance, including your mother."

Angeal closed his eyes and sighed, "So your parents...are not your real parents?"

"I was adopted,"

The younger Banoran sighed softly once more, "It seems no one will ever be free of the company once involved..."

Genesis hummed in agreement before rising from his seat on the floor and leading Angeal to a corner of the room he was in where their sisters were placed.

"They have been stirring for some time, but it will be one more day before they wake up,"

Angeal knelt next to his sister and caressed her face gently, before rising up and leaving, "I'm going to look for my mother,"

The Red Commander smiled lightly, "Come back soon, Angeal,"

The wielder of the Buster Sword smiled slightly as he left.

The house of the Hewleys...

Gillian Hewley closed her eyes, on the verge of tears after Angeal had confronted her regarding the matter of Elain Hewley.

"Angeal..."

The SOLDIER of honor shook his head sadly, "Mother, please tell me the truth. Who is my father? Why did Hollander do what he did?"

Gillain sighed and said, "I met Hollander when I was working with the Science Department. I was infused with Jenova cells and when I met your father and became pregnant, I had you. Elain was born a year after you, and Hollander took her when he found out."

"Hollander is...a power hungry man, he does not care for anything but his pride and his successful creations. He is equally as ruthless as Hojo but he is also a coward. That is why Elain was taken so that he could further his...research. As for your father..."

Here Gillain stopped and shook her head slowly, the tears finally breaking through. Angeal felt an ominous amount of dread rising within him, his father could not possibly be... Could he...?

Gillian wiped her eyes and spoke with a tone of heavy regret and grief, "Your father committed suicide upon discovering my participation in the experiments and after Elain was taken. He could not believe that his own son was the 'product' of an experiment and his daughter taken for more of it. Before he died...he did his last act to you as your father: he forged the Buster Sword for you."

It was Angeal's turn to close his eyes as grief overtook him, the two Hewleys sat together in silence as the atmosphere thickened in sorrow. After a moment, Angeal drew the Buster and touched his forehead reverently against the flat of the blade before replacing it on his back, glad that his father was someone else. And even if he did not know him, Angeal could rest easy now that he knew his father was not Hollander as he had thought.

"Mother, do you know anything about Christina Rhapsodos?"

Gillian sighed softly, "Ah...the poor child, she is the fraternal twin of Genesis. Both were given to Hollander since their true parents could not support them due to being poor. After Genesis was labeled failed, Hollander took Christina and continued experimenting on her, trying to find out what went wrong with Genesis."

Angeal coughed, the information really sickened him, "Genesis won't take it well..."

Gillain shook her head, "I wonder how anyone can,"

After staying a little and enjoying his mother's culinary skills, Angeal bade his mother goodbye before returning to the factory and telling Genesis everything he found out from his mother.

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-Ninniacthel