Loser of The Year
Angeal sighed. Those two were never going to get along. It had been nearly three months since Genesis and Adrian began the mentor/apprentice journey, and they still fought like rabid kittens. Zack currently stood slightly behind him, using him as cover incase the two started flinging fireballs and ice shards again.
Yeah, they had just recently upgraded to level 3 spells.
Genesis insisted they were training reflexes and that it was necessary training. Adrian said straight up he was trying to 'Freeze that bastards balls!'. Angeal just didn't know what to do.
Angeal sighed. Again.
"Alright you two, are you going to train today or not?" Both heads jerked in his direction, Genesis glaring, and he was sure Adrian was too.
Zack coward even further behind him. This was going to be a long day.
Sephiroth watched as his friends trained their students together, though the animosity between Genesis and Adrian was rather apparent. He supposed it was to be expected, fire and ice didn't work well together.
Lazard, who was beside him, could only sigh and shake his head.
"They are working as well together as to be expected. I suppose they are ready for a mission now. So long as they can be professional." Lazard looked over to Sephiroth, and seeing his nod of approval, left the observation room to find a suitable mission the two could go on.
The General looked back to the training room below, seeing the four packing up and getting ready to leave. Adrian was talking to Zack, both of which were grinning. Genesis was scowling in his students direction, and Angeal seemed to be trying to appease him. He was going to have to talk to his friend if this didn't soon resolve itself.
Nothing good was to come from a hostile relationship between student and teacher, after all.
Genesis and Adrian stood in front of Lazard's desk, awaiting their mission briefing. It was rather early, barely 5AM, and though both were tired, it at least kept them from fighting.
"Now, the mission I have for you is in the Icicle Area. A small monster extermination. Completion of this assignment is crucial for your evaluation to see whether or not you, Genesis, are a suitable teacher, and whether you, Adrian, have learned anything in this time. Failure to complete this mission simply means more training is needed. Your transport will leave at 6AM. You have until then to pack what you need. Good luck to you both." Lazard nodded to the both of them. Adrian turned and left, intent on packing and waiting at the chopper before Genesis. The Red Commander, however, simply looked to Lazard.
"Since when does Icicle Inn have problems with monsters?" Lazard looked up and shrugged.
"They don't. However, there was a lab in the mountains that was left abandoned. It was used for experimentation on monsters. It would appear they have escaped. However, you shouldn't worry. They shouldn't be too much trouble." Genesis simply nodded before turning and leaving for his own quarters.
Adrian didn't know what was more nauseating, the excessive amount of turbulence, or the violent ripples of the water below him. His only solace, was that no one could see his face, or the shade of green he was sure it was turning. The two Turks piloting the chopper were busy trying to stabilize the flight, and Genesis was reading…reading. Adrian didn't know how he could do it.
Adrian sighed and looked away from the window, deciding watching what was making him sick probably wasn't smart. So he started to look around the interior of the plane, the med kits, different 'survival equipment', and various other things, some of which Adrian didn't know what they were or for.
"Hey, what exactly are we exterminating? Those creepy jumping's? Or some wolves?"
"Experiments from an abandoned lab in the mountains." Adrian balked.
"Experiments? How…experimented exactly?"
"Easy enough. Unless you decide to be stupid." Genesis and Adrian locked eyes for a moment before Adrian huffed.
"Just don't worry about your hair in the middle of the fight, ok? I couldn't carry your fat ass to any town no matter the amount of mako that's inside my body." Adrian smirked at Genesis's face before taking out his phone.
He might as well bother Kunsel or Zack while he's stuck in the middle of the ocean.
Kunsel looked up as the ring tone for his PHS rang, signaling a text. He reached for his pocket, getting a rather annoyed look from Luxiere in the process.
"It's Adrian." Kunsel said, looking to his lover. Luxiere sighed.
"Even away on a mission he interrupts us." Kunsel laughed lightly before responding to the text his friend had sent. Luxiere grunted and got up.
"Let me know when your ready to continue." Kunsel waved before responding.
"Your only gonna lose again you know." Kunsel said, motioning to the paused game of 'Halo'. Luxiere, though he didn't say it, disagreed.
Adrian was finding that snow was not all it was cracked up to be. It was pretty, he would admit, but it was also cold, wet, and soaked through his boots and the bottoms of his cargo pants far too quickly.
And this made him irritable.
"Genesis are we there yet?" Adrian whined, shuffling behind his auburn haired mentor. No. His nemesis.
Or at least, that was what Adrian secretly called him.
Adrian had found that following directly behind the first, and stepping where he had, made it less work for him, and kept him dryer.
Genesis, however, was in a foul mood as well. His was not aimed at wet clothes however, but his whining apprentice instead.
"You asked that not three minuets ago! You will know when we get there because you will see the town. Not shut up for the love of Minerva!" Genesis growled, trudging through the knee high snow.
Adrian just continued to whine.
Icicle Inn was a cozy, sleepy little town on the very north of the planet. There was snow there year round and was cold no matter what the season. It was also a very popular place to go on vacation for the snow boarding.
This was not the reason for Adrian and Genesis's visit however. They were there to hunt down a few monsters and inspect the lab that was abandoned in the mountains. A good time as any for Adrian to test out his new skills and materia.
They had already rented a room in the inn and were going to be starting the monster hunt in the morning, when it was light and monsters would have to shadows to hide in. This brought Adrian to a rather uncomfortable situation.
He couldn't sleep with his helm on, and not sleeping at all was out of the question. One way or another Genesis was going to see Adrian's eyes, and this brought on both an extreme fear of ridicule, and an almost debilitating depression.
He would admit he and Genesis never really got along, ever since Genesis had joined the SOLDIER program as a cadet when he was merely 15. He would even admit that most things he said to Genesis were said just to get a reaction out of him and that any animosity between the two of them was purely his own fault.
Something Adrian didn't want to admit, however, was that it was all because he was jealous of the auburn haired soldier. Genesis was severely different from others in Midgar, yet he embraced the difference, and people loved that about him. That was something Adrian could never do, and he was admittedly jealous.
Maybe, it was time for him to change.
It was time for him to accept he was never as adaptive as Genesis, and probably never would be. It wasn't Genesis's fault he didn't care for others opinions about him.
He should really try and restart their relationship…maybe even be friends.
Adrian would try, at least.
And the number one key to any relationship was trust.
He would just have to trust that Genesis would see past his deformation.
The room they were given for their stay was cozy, warm, and well furnished. There were two beds, two dressers, an attached bathroom, and a fireplace to help heat the place. The two windows showed the gently falling snow and muted the gleeful giggles of the children outside playing with their sled.
Adrian sat his pack down on the bed away from the windows.
Sleeping near windows always terrified him.
"Hey Genesis, I'm gonna go scope out the village." Adrian called as he turned and made his way toward the door. Genesis merely grunted as he headed for the bathroom. Adrian shrugged and left the room, going down the stairs and out the Inn door. The cold air barley made any difference to him as he started to walk around the town. The 'crunch' of the snow was strangely relaxing. Near the edge of the town was a slightly larger house, seemingly abandoned. Adrian paused.
'Why does that place look familiar?' Adrian thought as he slowly headed in the direction of the house. Upon further inspection the house was definitely abandoned, for some time too. He walked up the icy steps and tried the door. It was unlocked.
Adrian hesitated, looking back towards the inn, before walking inside. He walked into the room, looking around. There were several monitors and tapes laying off to the left, a table to the right, and machinery to his front. Adrian looked around before noticing stairs heading down. He walked over and looked down into the darkness. He tested the first step before heading down, using his mako eyes to see in the near pitch black. Down here was even older and dustier than before, meaning it had been even longer since the bottom floor had been used.
However, there was a rather clean folder on top of a stack of others in the center of the room, and new machines further back near a second door. Adrian padded across the dusty, creaky floor to the file and lifted it up.
"Specimen 'A', Adrian Knox"
Adrian's breath caught in his throat.
Genesis sighed as he stood under the steaming water of the shower. Adrian had started acting rather funny as they made their way to their mission. He had gone rather silent on the chopper, seemingly deep in thought. Then he had started acting rather…nice. Starting conversations without any rude nicknames thrown his way.
Genesis was rather worried. Adrian and himself had never gotten along, and now all of a sudden his apprentice was acting…friendly.
Was there something in the air?
Was he sick?
"What is going on with him?"
Adrian's hand shook as he looked down at the document. His name was on here. Why?
And what did it mean by specimen? Was he really experimented on?
Why didn't he remember any of that?
Adrian swallowed before opening the folder. His eyes darted to the right, a small, colored picture sat in the top corner. A little boy, looking nearly identical to himself stared back. They appeared to be around 5, messy purple hair swiped across his face. Two bright green eyes stared back. The rest of the page was covered in general information, height, weight, age. Some notes were at the bottom in nearly unintelligible writing.
'Subject A.
Male, approx. five years of age. Found in the forests of Gongaga. Specimen has been chosen as the catalyst to the Jenova project and the G project. During the years Specimen A will be injected with both active and non-active 'J' cells. Hopes are these injections will build both a stronger and more mentally stable 'SOLDIER'.'
Adrian's hands shook as he turned to the next page. A slightly older boy looked back from the picture in the corner. Adrian squinted in the light. The left eye was considerably lighter than the right, looking less green and more of a turquoise.
'Subject A.
Approx seven years of age. Injection of both active and non-active cells has contributed in color change of left iris. It is unknown if this change is permanent or yet complete. Muscle growth seems to be accelerated, however energy levels have plummeted. Specimen spends excessive amounts of time sleeping in a near comatose state. Introduction of 'mako' has been approved. We hope this will stabilize the specimen to allow further experiments.'
Note: Introduction to Professor Hollander's and Hojo's subjects has taken place. Depending on progress of relations breeding program will be put into place.
'Subject A.
Approx ten years of age. Left eye has turned a 'mako' blue. Further change in iris color seems to have stopped. 'Mako' has indeed increased energy levels, allowing Specimen to be awake and active for 5 consecutive hours before rest is needed. Muscle growth has slowed slightly. Memory loss seems to be taking affect of the Specimen. Orders and information must be repeated. This seems to be temporary. Further tests are needed.
'Specimen A.
Approx fourteen. Specimen has been introduced to 'ShinRa Military'. No memories of lab and past experimentation seems available to active mind and thinking. Iris color has remained split. Nightmares have become present. No apparent cause.
Adrian's hands shook as he closed the file.
These notes, they were definitely about him. He had been a pet experiment for some sick fuck. And they wanted to breed him. With who? Angeal? Genesis? Sephiroth?
All of them?
Why?!
Adrian jumped when he heard movement above him. The door opened and footsteps could be heard on the floor, heading towards then stairs. Adrian shoved the file into his stomach armor and ran as quietly as he could to the back door, hoping it was to the outside and not another room. He was in luck.
He opened the door silently and stepped out, closing it behind him. Looking around he saw he was behind the house. Thankfully there was no snow here, allowing him to sneak away. As he neared the main road he looked to the not so abandoned house and saw only one pair of tracks leading to the door, and they weren't from his boots. Meaning the snow had covered his tracks. How long was he in there?
Adrian didn't think further and quickly ran into the Inn and up the stairs. He opened the door to his and Genesis's room, finding the auburn male lounging on the couch in front of fireplace, 'Loveless' in his hands.
"Where were you?" Genesis asked as the door closed behind the 2nd class. Adrian looked up.
"What?"
"You were gone for nearly 3 hours. Did it really take that long to look around a town this small?"
"Oh…I was?" Adrian asked, shifting. Should he show Genesis the folder he found? Should he tell someone?
Genesis blinked, and slowly lowered his book, looking over to the teen. His helm was still firmly in place, not allowing him to see his face, but Genesis got a nervous vibe from him.
"What's wrong." Genesis asked, trying very hard not to start a fight with the younger male. Adrian seemed to think about it before shaking his head.
"It's nothing." Adrian moved towards his bed and sat. Genesis stared intently for a few moments before nodding slowly. He went back to 'Loveless' but kept and ear listening to Adrian's movements. He seemed to be looking through some papers. Genesis was tempted to look, or ask what he was doing, but decided to mind his own business.
Adrian, however, was quickly looking through the files, looking for who had written them. The files stopped shortly after he entered the cadet program, but there was nothing else.
Adrian looked quickly to Genesis, seeing that his mentor was back to reading. Adrian decided to quickly shove the papers into his bag and look at them more closely after the mission and he was back in his room at ShinRa.
Adrian sat for several moments before deciding that a shower was appropriate. He grabbed his sleep clothes and bathing supplies and walked towards the bathroom.
"I'm heading for a shower." Adrian called before he closed the door, locking it. He sat his clean sleep clothes on the closed toilet seat and got a towel out from the cupboard. Removing his helm Adrian stopped momentarily, looking at his face in the mirror. He leaned closer and stared at the iris of his left eyes, looking at the blue that stared back.
His eyes weren't originally blue. They had been green. The blue was what had changed him from a normal person to a deformed experiment.
What were they talking about in those reports? Jenova, what was it? A person? A monster? Why inject her cells into people?
And the nightmares he had. They were because of Jenova? The files had mentioned that he started to have them due to experiments.
Adrian sighed as he began to disrobe and whispered.
"What am I?"
