Author's Note: Once again, thank you Sephiroth Owa13. Your tireless beta work is always appreciated! ^_^

Disclaimer: I don't own any FFVII characters or places (super sadface guys!). All FFVII characters and places belong to Square Enix.

Chapter 7: Anthem of the Angels

Angeal looked at Genesis. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in Wutai, not standing in my apartment! Are you crazy? If they find out you're gone, they'll say you've gone AWOL!"

Genesis looked tired. He barely even made a face while Angeal launched into what Genesis normally called his 'mother hen mode' and that worried him. For Genesis to just sit there and take it…that worried him more.

"Do you want an answer to your question or not, Angeal?

"Obviously, I want an answer." Angeal sighed and rubbed his eyes. "You are on thin ice with ShinRa as it is. Abandoning your mission – "

"Will you just settle down? ShinRa won't find out," Genesis said impatiently. "If it doesn't involve falling all over Sephiroth, ShinRa couldn't care less!"

Angeal rolled his eyes. "Not this again."

Genesis sighed. "I'm not here to talk about Sephiroth. I…need your help."

"What did you do?"

Genesis narrowed his eyes. "Thanks a lot. I thought you were supposed to be my friend."

Angeal smiled slightly. "I am your friend. That's why I'm ninety-nine percent certain you did something. Come on. What is it?"

"I'm degrading."

Of all the things Angeal expected to hear, that was certainly not something even on his radar. "What?"

"That injury from the simulator isn't healing," Genesis said. "Hollander tried to heal it with the mako treatments, but…it just set off a chain reaction in my cells and, instead of healing them, it caused my cells to start degrading. That's why I needed a transfusion from you…but it didn't work." Genesis shrugged and chuckled, but it was a hollow sound. "I'm dying, Angeal, and ShinRa doesn't give a shit."

Angeal couldn't believe that. Yes, Genesis was temperamental, rude, and too eager to embrace fire spells as a form of punishment, but he was a magnificent fighter. Sephiroth had said on more than one occasion that if Genesis would stop being so arrogant and focus on his technique during their sparring matches, Genesis could give him a real run for his money. Plus, Genesis was the highest ranked SOLDIER in materia usage and handling. The Science Division always gave Genesis their newest experimental materia. Sure, they also gave experimental materia to himself and Sephiroth, but Genesis was the one they pulled in to discuss how the materia performed because he was the most thorough with it.

"You're one of their most talented SOLDIER generals," Angeal said. "You – "

"I am a failed experiment from The Jenova Project!"

Angeal stared at him. "What are you…?"

"And you are, too."

Angeal frowned. "Genesis, you've said some pretty cruel things to me during the course of our friendship, but this takes the cake."

Genesis handed him a thick folder. "All the information you need is in there."

Angeal took the folder and looked at it. Somehow, he got the feeling he wasn't going to like what was in there.

oOo

It's funny how often that night played in his head. It was so similar to this night as well. Genesis was again standing in front of him, waiting for an answer to a question Angeal wasn't sure he was ready to answer.

"We don't have much time," Genesis said. "Sephiroth is here and it's only a matter of minutes before that idiotic little puppy of yours returns from saving Lazard."

Angeal frowned. "Zack's not an idiot, Genesis."

Genesis rolled his eyes and waved his hand dismissively. "Okay, fine, he's a genius. Happy?"

Angeal folded his arms across his chest. "Not really."

"I'm not here to kiss your ass about your puppy," Genesis snapped. "Are you going to help me or not?"

"Genesis, we've been friends since we were kids," Angeal said. "I love you like a brother and I have followed you through good times and bad times, but this is just…it's not you. What you're talking about doing could get you killed, okay?"

"I'm already dying."

Angeal's heart broke for his friend. "Genesis…"

"And it's not just me facing this. You were created the same way, as part of the same freakish experiments." Genesis narrowed his eyes. "We need to show them what they've done to us. They made us monsters and now it's time we act like monsters."

"There's nothing left of the Genesis I knew," Angeal said.

Genesis tilted his head and smirked. "That's right, Angeal. I'm no longer Genesis Rhapsodos, SOLDIER 1st Class. I'm Genesis Rhapsodos, SOLDIER monster and Jenova Project G reject, doomed to waste away into nothing! Are you going to sit around on your ass, training your puppy, tending your plants, and living in Sephiroth's shadow for the rest of your short, pathetic life?"

Angeal wanted to be angry. How dare Genesis pretend his life was of little consequence? Contrary to what Genesis thought, SOLDIER wasn't about glory. It was about protecting people. It was about honor and discipline while making a difference. That wasn't pathetic. "I'm not going to blindly follow you wherever you want me to go, Genesis. We're not kids anymore and I don't have to put up with you bossing me around."

"If you want to stay on that side, after learning everything you have about what they did to us, I don't need you anyway," Genesis scoffed.

"Go to hell, Genesis." Angeal was surprised how calm he sounded, because on the inside, it was taking a great deal of strength to not hit Genesis.

Genesis laughed. "I'm already there, my friend." He stood back and appeared to consider Angeal for a moment. "We could be partners in this. We could take ShinRa apart, piece by piece! Hollander can fix this, but he needs Hojo out of the way to accomplish it."

"Sephiroth could help us."

Genesis' features hardened at the mention of their mutual friend. "Sephiroth doesn't care about us. He doesn't know how to care. The man is useless as a friend because he has no damn feelings!"

Angeal couldn't believe what Genesis was saying. "Sephiroth is our friend and he has been beyond understanding when it comes to this abrasive attitude of yours."

Genesis rolled his eyes. "Okay. If you won't do this for me, or our friendship, do it to save your honor…your family's honor."

Angeal grabbed Genesis by the arm. "What are you talking about?"

"Surely you can see what I'm saying?" Genesis paused for a moment. "ShinRa has compromised your honor, my friend, and without your knowledge or permission! How can you serve a master so cruel? I'm offering you a chance to restore your honor! If you don't believe me, go back to Banora and ask you mother."

"My mother?"

"Yes, your mother." A malicious grin curled around Genesis' lips. "She was there the whole time they were creating us in their damn lab! Maybe you should ask her what it was like to know what she was doing to you while she carried you in her womb. I wonder how a woman can feel nothing for her child except that he is merely an experiment?"

Angeal shoved Genesis hard enough that he landed on the ground with a shocked look on his face. Seeing Genesis on the ground, glaring up at him made him feel a little better…but not much. "Don't you talk about my mother like that, Genesis! She's a good woman and always treated you like her own son."

Genesis' face softened slightly. "She was a better parent to me than either of mine ever were. But what I said is true. She was there, Angeal. Come back to Banora with me and she can tell you herself."

Angeal could hear Zack fighting his way back to their current position. Lazard had verified the information contained in the files Genesis had given him. Still, leaving ShinRa…and not having a chance to explain everything to Zack; It made him pause slightly.

"Genesis – "

"Angeal, there is no maybe here; no gray area to sort through," Genesis said, cutting off his protest. "Are you going to come with me, or are you going to continue being a lapdog for ShinRa?"

Angeal didn't really have a choice. He needed the truth and that was something he wouldn't get from ShinRa. If he wanted the truth, he'd have to return to Banora. "Alright. I'll go back home with you, Genesis, but I'm not saying yes."

Genesis smirked. "Not yet, anyway. My friend, the fates are cruel."

Angeal rolled his eyes. Genesis still insisted on quoting LOVELESS at a time like this? "Let's go."

Angeal followed Genesis, but his mind was not on the friend he was following, but the ones he was leaving behind. Please, forgive me.