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"So you want to find him too?" Amanda asked, peering over the rims of her glasses at Kaia who was lounging casually in the seat across from her, one leg stretched out the length of the booth's cushion as she leaned her back against the wall.
"But of course. I'm the only remaining first class officer. Sadly I believe it is expected of me to return and take Sephiroth's rank if Shinra so wills it. I can't do that. Not to Sephiroth. And the goddess knows I cant run an entire army by myself. I'm a commander. Not a lieutenant and certainly no general. He's needed back as our leader, and as my friend." Kaia replied. She was still moody, and slightly weakened by the ability she'd used to heal her shoulder.
Amanda was still gazing at her speculatively. "You're genetics say otherwise you know," The mako eyes turned on her and glimmered slightly in the light, giving the scientist permission to continue. "About you being able to lead the army that is. First classes are given a different type of mako dosage, as I'm sure you are aware. The doses reacted in an identical fashion with Genesis and Angeal. Sephiroth I'm not so sure, since I wasn't permitted to be part of the team assigned to him. But you differ from even the other few firsts. I think it's either the fact that you're a female, for which it was never specified what gender the doses were supposed to be supplied for and thus never tested on females, or its your genetics themselves. You're genes are more similar to Genesis' in some respects but have an incredible likening to Sephiroth's as well."
Kaia was still staring at her. "I don't speak scientist. You're going to have to speak SOLDIER. Or at least plain English."
Amanda grimaced. "My apologies. Basically, the doses of mako energy are tampered with, involving some other weird chemical of some sort. I have no idea what it is, just that firsts that come in, namely Genesis have different mako streams in their veins than seconds do. Your veins blend much easier with whatever chemical it is. Meaning you're compatible with it. Sephiroth is practically synthesized with it, from what I've seen of his DNA. You're both more SOLDIER than human. And even more of a SOLDIER than the others."
The mako eyes across from her blinked once and then again before turning to look away from the table, towards the door and sweeping the café again. "I am certainly not more of a SOLDIER than Genesis. No matter what the science of the matter is." She folded her leg and turned so she was facing Amanda with both her feet on the floor. "Your worth as a warrior is not measured on how well your enhancements are pieced together, its measured in battle and in strategy. If your genes are perfection and you're enhancements flawless, that does not mean that you can pick up a sword and kill thousands of other people in your first trip to the battlefield. Genetics may dictate whether or not you are strong enough to lift your blade but the mind and the workings of a warrior are in the heart and the mind, demanding that you have the discipline to learn how to wield a weapon, and the dignity to wear blood on your armor with pride."
Amanda was looking at the female SOLDIER with a mixture of fear and awe as the bluenette continued. "I've seen grown men, almost ten years older than myself; pick up a gun and do incredibly well in training, but fall to their knees and cry like girls or run like rabbits to the tree line after their first kill. The true mark of whether or not you are a warrior comes in what feeling washes over you the first time you take another life. You aren't expected to like it, much less enjoy the killing though that is how some cope. What is expected is that you can keep fighting for the honor in your heart, and push aside the voice of your conscious that argues stronger with every drop of blood you spill.
"Genesis would run through an enemy's line of defense with a feline grin on his face and a smooth captivating dance to his swing and steps. Sephiroth can slice through a brigade faster than either one of us could knock our drinks to the floor this instant. And Angeal would do everything he could to make the deaths quick and painless, all the while defending his honor against those that fell on his sword. But at the end of the battle, when the four of us would meet up again, no matter the beauty and cleanliness of our kills nor the victory we had attained, we would all four stand together as the officers of Shinra's army, soaked to the skin in the blood of our enemy; and repent to the goddess for our sins against her creations."
Amanda was still staring at her, open mouthed this time. The moment was fractured however as the server brought them the food they had ordered. The scientist looked from her small meal of a burger and a salad to the two large grilled pieces of meat on Kaia's, paired with a lack of anything green at all.
"Maybe you're mako fusion abnormality has more to do with your diet than your genetics." She commented.
Kaia looked up from cutting off part of one of the steaks. "What's wrong with my food?" She asked indignantly.
Amanda giggled. "Do you know what vegetables are?"
A smirk on the perfectly angled face across from her met her question, but Kaia shook her head as if losing a memory. "Yes. I know what they are. Someone once gave me some advice on them though." She took a bite of the meat and Amanda was vividly reminded of a wolf eating its dinner as Kaia's sharp canines closed over the food.
"What advice could possibly sway you to not eat anything actually good for you?"
Kaia laughed a little. " 'Eat cooked meat when you can and savor its flavor, for if ever on the run from the enemy the greens are your friend then. Consider them a delicacy when hunted and starting fires is not an option, and revel in the glory of a well cooked piece of meat when it is available.'." Kaia recited.
Amanda stared at her. "Who in the world said that?"
The other girl smiled through another bite, before pointing her fork at the brown haired scientist. "The one you were in charge of saving. Genesis."
"I can't imagine Genesis not eating vegetables." Amanda shook her head and spread a yellow sauce across her burger, Kaia's nose wrinkling as the vinegar hit her enhanced senses. "He was always in such perfect health when he came through for observation."
At that Kaia snorted and almost choked. "I once saw the crimson commander eat an entire package of bacon in under five minutes. Half of it was cooked, the other half, he argued, was taking too long to be ready and he wanted it then and there. He didn't even have recent field time as an excuse." Amanda was gaping at her again. "Then again," Kaia cocked her head thoughtfully. "I also witnessed him steal all of the salad Angeal made for a dinner we all had together once too... Not to mention Sephiroth always brought apples back for him from different deployments. Maybe he was a bit of a health nut." She shrugged and went back to eating.
"Can you tell me more? About Genesis I mean." Amanda spluttered suddenly.
Kaia paused, forkful of medium rare meat half way to her mouth. "What?"
"I love hearing about how you talk about him. You two were so close…. All four of you really. And I never really, got to spend much time with him. Though I know his genetics and his statistics better than anyone, you know HIM." She was speaking in rushed sentences again. Kaia pondered on scaring her into speaking slowly again but dismissed it.
Instead she corrected her. "KNEW him. You seem to forget he's gone. Degradated off to wherever it is he is now."
Amanda's fork hit her salad bowl with a resounding clatter as she stood up. "How can you say that? How can any of you think he's dead? He's still alive he has to be!"
People were staring, and Kaia, always the one appointed for crowd control knew she needed to get this under immediate control. So she did the only thing she could think of; she pulled a Sephiroth. "I would suggest you sit down. Now." She narrowed her eyes to fine slits, allowing the mako behind them to smolder threateningly, keeping direct eye contact with the scientist who had paled considerably and was sinking slowly into her seat as soon as Kaia growled out the order. Kaia knew better than to let up too soon though. "Listen carefully, I don't know what fantasy you have in that smart little head of yours, but understand this; Genesis is gone. I loved him as much as I would love a brother, even more so at times. The fact that you can sit there across from me and happily deny that he has left this world brings me such displeasure to rival a hurricane sent by the goddesses' bow herself. Do I make myself clear?"
Amanda nodded mutely.
Kaia went back to her food gesturing for the girl to do the same.
Kaia didn't want to leave the motorcycle behind. But it could only fit one rider. Blocking out Amanda's protests about walking from then on, she sent a quick message to Tseung telling him she was abandoning the bike to pursue on foot. Some excuse about not wanting to take company equipment off road to pursue the runaway scientist.
Things got even worse when she had to explain that they were selling Amanda's chocobo to the local stable.
"You can't be serious! I've had him for years!" The protests were numerous.
Kaia finally had to put her foot down, giving the ultimatum that either they sold the chocobo to the stable or they paid someone to process the very same bird into dried food they could carry with them on their journey. That quieted the scientist incredibly quickly. After that was all said and done Kaia busied herself with coming up with the dried food in question, a tent for when staying in a town was not an option, and invested in a map. As an afterthought on the way out of the store she snagged a pack of cigarettes and a book of matches as well.
"A SOLDIER who smokes? Never heard of that one before." The shop owner had commented with a gruff laugh.
Kaia had smiled sheepishly. "Was stationed as the officer over the infantry once in the Wutai war. Picked it up the nasty habit there and just can't seem to kick it."
"Well, best of luck to you Commander. It's a hard thing to do."
Kaia had smiled genuinely and gave her two fingered salute as she left the shop. Small town, meant word of a SOLDIER commander being in town spread impressively fast. The town was also either very pro-Shinra or the inn keeper had explained her son's story to them all because Kaia had never encountered such simple transactions. Everyone addressed her as Commander and half the time thanked her for her 'service to Shinra'. That was new even to Kaia. Not even people in Midgar, who she was practically defending, thanked her for that.
Amanda was waiting by where the bike was still parked when Kaia was done getting everything. She handed the girl a large bag, with enough room to fit in the small one she already had, before depositing her own at her feet, pulling out the map.
"So where was it you were heading when you left Shinra?"
"Shallen. There were some unexplained murders there a few days ago. I overheard some Turks talking about it in the hallway when I was sneaking out yesterday morning. I figure it's worth checking out." Amanda replied.
"Makes sense. I'll see what I can find out about the murders themselves." She scanned the map. "Shallen, here it is." She traced the path from Eola to Shallen with her finger and paused suddenly. "No…"
"What is it?" Amanda asked, peering over her shoulder.
"Banora. Its right on the other side of Shallen. Or was. This map either hasn't been updated or no one knows about it." Kaia said quietly.
"Knows what? What's in Banora?" Amanda was totally lost, obviously.
"You know all about our genetics but you don't know that two first classes were from there?" Kaia didn't even look at her, though the question radiated from Amanda's presence. "Angeal and Genesis. Both were from Banora. And it was bombed a year or so ago. An attempt to wipe out Genesis when he was sighted there immediately following his desertion. I would have been sent to check it out if it wasn't for the fact I was still being interrogated about his and Angeal's disappearances at the time."
Kaia folded the map back up. "I'll be checking it out after we secure a place to stay in Shallen. But I'll be going alone. There's no telling what's there. And if anything there is still alive, I doubt it will be friendly." Amanda shuddered beside her as they started walking out of the town.
"Fine with me. Ghost towns aren't my cup of tea. How far is it to Shallen anyways?"
"We should reach there either before nightfall or shortly afterwards. As long as we don't stop very often. If we don't get there before the sun falls I'll need you to carry both packs. Damn thing makes it hard to get to my sword and if we're attacked, I need to be able to defend the both of us."
Amanda nodded. "By the way I brought some of these with me from the lab. I brought them initially for…. Anyways, you'll need one soon."
Kaia took one of the glowing vials and turned it over in her hands, inspecting it. "Mako?" She guessed.
"Yup. It's basically an injection but you can drink it. I didn't know how sterile I could keep syringes out here. Instead of going directly into your bloodstream it kind of… sears its way into your veins." Amanda admitted timidly looking up at Kaia.
"Injections were never that bad, the mako baths on the other hand hurt like a bitch. As long as it's not as bad as that, I won't mind it." Kaia glanced at the girl again. "Should I take one now?"
Amanda's lips flattened into a thoughtful line. "When was your last bath or injection?"
Kaia sighed, looking skyward as she thought back. "About a month and a half ago."
Wide lilac eyes stared up at her. "Seriously? Yes, by all means drink it now. You should have been injected two weeks ago!"
R&R
